Love that prevail over death

A Fiction By Buffy And Angel Lover

Author's note: I tried to do this as an angst in the beginning. Please tell me if it is. Oh, and in this Buffy already knows about IWRY's events. I don't know how I could explain it if she didn't know. And it was going to look a damn lot like Jill's series Hidden...

Summary: One day after becoming Mrs. Riley Finn, Buffy receives a phone call. It's Cordelia with shocking news: Angel killed himself. The slayer then leaves Riley, goes to Los Angeles and finds out she still loves the vampire.

Part Five: Confessions

Before Angel could react and answer, Buffy had stolen the cell phone of his hand. She sit at his lap; instantly, his arms encircled her waist and he trembled slightly against her back.

"Mom?".

"Oh, Buffy!" Joyce said, clearly relieved "Sweetheart, you...".

"Look, mom, I'll call you later, okay? Bye!" Buffy said and hung off. She slowly turned around to face her lover. His face was wet and he looked pitifully at her "What's wrong, Angel?".

"Buffy" He choked "I... God, it still hurts so much!".

"Love, you're scaring me. What's wrong? Spill!" She demanded sweetly. The slayer looked at her brown eyes and the clear pain into them nearly broke her heart.

--**--

I know that he loves me cause he told me so

I know that he loves me cause his feelings show

When he stares at me, you see he cares for me

You see how he is so deeply in love

I know that he loves me cause it's obvious

I know that he loves me cause it's me he trusts

And he's missing me if he's not kissing me

And when he looks at me his brown eyes tells his soul

(Destiny's Child, 'Brown eyes')

--**--

"You remember when I told you I was leaving Sunnydale?" He asked, his voice little.

"Of course I do!" Buffy said with a little voice "Why are you bringing this subject up?" Her eyes widened "You are not leaving me, are you?".

"No!" He replied shockedly "Of course not! I'm not stupid to make the same mistake twice!".

"Then what?".

"I had never told you who had convinced me to leave Sunnydale and you".

"It's true, you hadn't. Wasn't it the mayor?".

"Nope. I was dealing already with everything he said. You seemed happy with what we shared, it was enough for me".

"Then who?".

Angel sighed, leaned and kissed her gently. He knew his revelation would break her heart, but their relationship was back to square one and he didn't want to keep any secrets from her.

"Your mother".

Buffy gasped and clung desperately to him. Betrayal arose into her heart. Angel hugged his sunshine tightly while she cried.

~~**~~

Joyce quickly dialed Riley's cell number:

"Riley, it's me".

"Hey, Joyce. Any news?".

"Yes. I know where she is. I'm going to LA. Don't come with me! I'll go to your house as soon as I arrive with her".

"Okay".

~~**~~

One hour after, Dawn stormed in, Cordelia in tow, Joyce following them, her eyes shooting daggers towards the man who was defensively hugging her older daughter.

"Buffy Anne Summers-Finn!" Joyce demanded sharply and angrily "Why aren't you with your husband? He is going nearly mad, young lady! You should..."

Joyce shut up when Buffy, glaring at her hatingly and coldly, slapped her face with full Slayer-strength. Dawn and Cordelia stared at the blond in shock. Angel crossed the gap and carefully hugged his sunshine. She was shaking slightly, but her voice was steady when she spoke:

"My name is not Buffy Anne *SUMMERS-FINN*. It's Buffy Anne... Angel, what's your last name?".

"O'Connor".

"It's Buffy Anne O'Connor" She turned to her mate "Will you marry me, Angel?".

"Of course" He said, his brown eyes never leaving her chestnut green ones.

"I thought you had understood my reasons for you to leave her" Joyce  said venomously "You're nothing more than a bastard vampire, and she is a young woman".

"Shut up!" Buffy roared "God, what are you? You can't be my mother. How can a mother wish only pain for her daughter, condemn her to a life with a man she will never love?".

"Cordelia, please?" Angel said sweetly. The brunette nodded softly and shoved Joyce outside. Dawn followed her and yelled, her too, at Joyce. Buffy sit back at Angel's lap, and cried. He tried to calm her down whispering nonsense words at her ears.

~~**~~

Angel put Buffy, soundly asleep, into their bed. She was exhausted, the discovery of her mother's betrayal had drained most part of her energy. The former vampire kissed briefly her forehead, whispered "I love you" to her and headed upstairs, where their friends still were.

As he arrived, the living room fell quiet. Dawn was crying silently clung to Cordelia. Willow was the first to speak:

"How is she?".

"Asleep" Angel replied quietly "She is exhausted, and so are you, Dawn. Go take a nap. Cordelia, tuck her in" Dawn nodded and left, Cordelia in tow "Is anyone hungry? I am a little" Cordelia arrived back "Cordy, can you go to the grocery and buy Buffy and I a box of cookie-dough-fudge-mint-chip ice cream?" Cordelia coughed and Angel blushed slightly. It was a new sight and everyone stared amazedly. The former vampire handed the brunette some money.

"ANGEL!" They heard. The called man ran back to his apartment and Cordelia left to the grocery, hungry Willow and Anya with her.

~~**~~

"Angel!" Buffy yelled once more, now fully awake. Her mate hugged her tightly, his steady heartbeat calming her down.

"Hush. I'm here, sunshine. I'm not leaving".

"Angel, where were you?".

"I'm hungry, sunshine. I asked Cordelia to go to the grocery to buy some ice cream for us".

"Lay down beside me?".

"Sure".

They quickly slept.

~~**~~

Kate Lockley paced furiously around her room, making her visitor a little dizzy. The brunette sit down, an arched eyebrow.

"Faith" The cop-lady said "I'm freeing you in parol tonight. But I need a little favour in payback from you".

"From me" Faith echoed. She was tired and wanted to sleep.

"Yes. I need you to kill the blonde slayer" Kate grinned evilly to the brunette slayer "Angel and her are together and he is mine. Kill her and I'll disappear with your file".

Faith was really a good actress. She hid her shock. That woman was insane. She nodded briefly and Kate smiled.

"Good".

~~**~~

As soon as Kate released her, Faith knew where to go. It was a rainy evening and she ran between the shadows towards Angel's Investigations.

~~**~~

Joyce arrived at Riley and Buffy's house. Her blond son-in-law greeted her anxiously.

"So?".

"She is with... Angel" Joyce spat the name with disgust. Anger slowly crept up her heart. That man was the guilty one for the unsuccess of Buffy's marriage. He had spoiled her daughter to other men, to Riley who loved Buffy dearly and could give her the world if she wanted.

"But he is dead" Riley said, now clearly confused.

"No, he is not. He is pretty alive and they are together".

"We have to rescue her, Joyce" Riley said to his blonde mother-in-law. She shared with him the same hatred towards Angel. In their point of view, Angel had destroyed Buffy's life.

~~**~~

A peroxide blond man heard everything Captain Cardboard and the slayer's mother had discussed, and decided to pay a little visit to his shame of a sire. It seemed Peaches and his mate would need every little help they could get.

~~**~~

Faith, soaked to the core, arrived at the Hyperion. She shakily knocked on the door and Anya opened it, only to run away, screaming, a second later. Cordelia, confused, walked into the hall and smiled comprehensively as she recognized the brunette slayer.

"Faith, hey. When did they release you?".

"Tonight. Cordy, listen, I need to speak with Angel, B. is in danger" She said.

"Buffy is in danger?" Angel echoed, his soulmate with him. As Buffy recognized her former-psycho brunette sister-slayer, she produced an ear-piercing scream.

"Chill, sunshine" Angel said softly "Faith is a good girl now. Cordy and I have been helping her".

"Are you sure?".

"Yes, my love. I mean, if she isn't a good girl, then why would she run here to tell me you're in danger?".

"I guess you're right, Mr. Wiseman" The blond slayer said as she tiptoed to kiss him. Cordelia cleared her throat loudly and the couple splited, grinning embarassedly.

"Why are you so sure, Faith?" The former vampire asked the brunette slayer.

"Cause I was sent after her" Faith said ashamedly. Angel paled; Cordelia gasped loudly; Buffy whimpered behind him. The vampire, however, didn't move. Instead, he asked simply:

"Who?".

"Kate Lockley. She is insane, Angel. Insists you're hers".

"Bloody hell. Cop-lady here, captain cardboard back to Sunnywhatever" They heard a highly accented British voice. Angel rolled his eyes exasperated.

"What do you want, William?".

"Chill, Peaches. I'm here to bloody help. Hello, pet".

"Spike" The brunette said "So, boss, what are we going to do?".

"First of all, leave the Hyperion. We need to hide Buffy and Kate knows she is here. Willow, please?".

"What?" The red-head asked, worried.

"Make a protect-spell on Buffy. And the rest of you, I don't want Buffy alone for a second. Make sure one of us is always with her. Riley and Kate are around, and they're dangerous".

"Angel, I can take care of myself" Buffy complained, loving the way he worried with her and her safety.

"You lost me, and I lost you, for time enough. I don't it to happen this time. So, you won't argue" He said seriously "I love you, and I won't stand if something happens to you".