Angel in my bed
Author's notes: Set after 'Chosen'. Angel's soul is bound. Characters belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, Fox, WB, Kuzui Inc. The song Angel in my bed... I think it belongs to Nick Carter, but I'm not sure. Joyce isn't dead.
Summary: Angel watches Buffy sleep, and thinks about his love for her
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It's night outside, a beautiful full moon night.
But I don't care for the moon shining in her full beauty. Because right now I have Buffy in my arms, and she is the most beauty in the universe. She's sleeping. I love to see her sleep. She is so peaceful, a small smile on her lips, her features relaxed. I wonder if she seemed peaceful and safe when she slept with William, or Fishboy. No, stop dwelling in the past, Angel, it makes you no good, neither does her. She cradles against me and I feel her soft breathe against my skin. Then I know I'll never leave again.
I can't leave.
~~~~~~
Still lost in the moment of it
Your body felt so right
And I can't breathe
It was so complete
Touch your hair, I feel your heartbeat
Can't believe you're here with me
Oooh... You make my heart weak
~~~~~~
I don't deserve this happiness. Or maybe I do, I fought a lot for my shanshu in Los Angeles. All I know is she deserves happiness even for a short time, and, if I'm this happiness, then I'll give it to her. Because I love her. I love her so much.
When Whistler showed her to me, I saw her soul. I didn't see the bitchy fifteen-year-old girl she insists she was. I saw the beautiful strong young woman she would become – and she did. I saw her potential. And I loved her for her spirit.
~~~~~~
Can't believe you're here with me
When you deserve the best
I may have doubted God above
But to you I may confess
~~~~~
She wakes up. Blinks her eyes, her chestnut eyes I adore so much. I replay the last time we woke up together, the morning of her prom. She smiles and I say:
"You need a drawer".
"I do?" She repeats, confused. I nod and add:
"Of course you do. Will you keep your stuff into my boxes? I don't mind, but you may want to have some friends to sleep over".
She suddenly sits and archs one eyebrow:
"I don't like drawer talks. The last one we had nearly killed us. And I don't want you to leave" She pauses "You're not trying to tell me you're leaving, are you?".
"Maybe we can buy some mirrors, and prepare to you a place with natural light" I reply "But then I'll never enter it, cause I wanna stay alive, thank you very much".
"My Angel" She glares at me warningly "What's going on?".
I lean and kiss her briefly.
"I'm not your angel. You're mine. I came back from hell because of you" The kiss grows passionate "I love you, and you'll move in here".
~~~~~
There's an angel in my bed
In my arms is where she lays
There's an angel in my bed
And I pray she'll always stay
There's an angel in my bed
Here to see me though
I never believed in miracles
Till the day I met you
~~~~~
After a love-session, we stay together, entangled to each other. Buffy is babbling about everyone's reaction, and I feel happy and safe. That's why I'm purring right now. I know she loves when I purr, it makes her feel so special. I told her vampires purr when they feel safe and happy, and she knows I feel both in her arms.
She giggles against my chest and whispers 'I love you', then I gasp and fight for air. In a heartbeat she stands up and holds me, as my long-dead lungs scream for their first breathe in nearly three centuries, and my dead heart beats his first beat. Tears well up in her eyes as she whispers:
"A heartbeat".
We cry together, the PTB pitied us and gave me my humanity back.
~~~~~
Softly breathe upon my shoulder
Feel so warm... Then you nudge close to me
Am I in your dream?
Skins so soft against my body
Intertwined against you and me
Oh girl you're my queen
~~~~~
The next morning, Buffy nearly drags me out of our bed – our bed! I'll never get used to these words, they mean so much – and we make a picnic on the park. It nearly gives Willow a heart attack when she sees us, under the sunlight.
"Angel!" She squeaks. We freeze in our spot. Buffy tightens her grip on my waist as Willow looks from me to Buffy, then back at me "Oh... God" She whispers "Are you...?".
"Yes" Buffy says firmly "We are. And don't you dare, Willow, to tell anyone about us. We want to tell them, ourselves" She adds aggressively. I put my hand in her shoulder to calm her down. Then, Willow sits in front of us.
"I won't tell anyone. I swear! But" She stares at me "If you hurt her again, I'll hunt you down and stake you myself" She launches her hand to me. I smile and say, shaking her hand:
"I think we have a deal".
"Good. Now, spill it!" She demands to Buffy, and my lover tells everything.
~~~~~
Moonlight lights us
Oh, this is such a special night for me
To have the one I've searched for
Right next to me
~~~~~
Buffy is at our bedroom getting herself ready for our meeting at Giles' apartment. We asked Willow to call the gang and tell them to meet Buffy at Giles' and now we're getting ready for it.
As I put my jacket, I touch a little velvet box. I know we got back together just a few days ago – five days and fifteen hours – but I want to do this tonight. In front of Giles, Xander, Dawn and Joyce. I'll propose to Buffy.
We walk till Giles' place. The moon sparkles in Buffy's hair and she seems so angelic. We arrive in front of Giles' door and Willow is already outside, waiting for us. She whispers:
"Everyone is inside waiting for you. Xander nearly tortured me to tell what's going on but I kept my yap shut" She says proudly, and Buffy can't help but giggle. Willow comes in, then Buffy then me. As everyone recognizes me silence falls.
Joyce, of course, is the first one to speak.
"What is he doing here?".
"I'll move in with him" Buffy answers simply "And, before anyone says, Angelus isn't an issue".
"His soul is bound?" Giles asks.
"No" I answer. Everyone's eyes wide in shock, except of course of Willow's. Xander, unfortunately, notices it.
"You knew it!" He screams. Willow steps back and says:
"I did. I met..." Buffy stops Willow from spilling the beans with a glare "Them making up at patrol last night" She corrects quickly.
"Why isn't Angelus an issue?" Giles asks me.
"He's human" Buffy answers for me. Gasps. Loud and clear.
"I'm soo happy for you, Buff!" Dawn speaks for the first time "Angel is so damn better than Riley and Spike!" And she seems really pleased. I'm glad for that "Welcome to the family".
Later.
After Dawn's reaction everyone accepted me. Even Joyce admitted her feelings towards me were conflictuous. On one hand, I was the perfect son-in-law, respectful, polite, handsome – Buffy giggled as I blushed -, always thinking on Buffy first. On the other, I was everything she didn't want for her daughter: pain, sorrow, darkness. She said she tended to support us when Angelus showed up – and destroyed all her trust in me.
So, that's why we're all here talking. I clear my throat and look at Joyce.
"Joyce?".
"Yes, Angel?".
"Would you give me the honor of being Buffy's husband?".
Everyone gasps and Buffy jumps to her feet:
"Why are you asking my mother when you should ask me first?".
"Eighteenth-century-Irish-catholic raising" Joyce answers instead of me "Of course I will, Angel. As Dawn had said, welcome to the family".
I turn to my sunshine:
"I love you".
"I know".
"I would give up everthing if it meant you would be happy and safe".
"I know".
"Will you marry me?".
"I will" She says. As I slip the ring in her finger, tears stream down my face and hers, and I know we will be happy forever.