Chapter 12

Thank you for your reviews and Terri thank you for the lovely Email. Just so everyone knows don't expect Wesley and Buffy to jump into a relationship suddenly. I want to build a solid relationship of friendship between the two before anything romantic would even be spoken of. They both have a lot to work through before they can contemplate falling in love with anyone. BTW does anyone have any problems with a Xander/Fred relationship?

.........................................................

Preview: Buffy goes to talk to Angel.

Morning at the Hyperion.

Buffy walks in and looks around the empty lobby. She walks past the broken office door into Angels office. Her gaze rests on the pictures on his desk. There is one of the whole group smiling and looking as if they are going into a theater of some sort. She picks the picture up and looks closer. Something she sees makes her blink and then slowly smile a slightly bitter smile. She sets the picture down and turns to leave before running directly into Angel.

Angel hadn't slept. He had to many thoughts and emotions running through his head to even try. He had gotten up and went to get a book off the shelf in his bedroom. He stared out the cover before turning the book sideways and watching as a picture fell out and to the floor. Hesitantly he picked it up and stared at the image smiling back at him. It was of Buffy taken about a month before her graduation.

"Why do I still have this hidden here?" Angel wondered."Why do I hide this even from my friends? Doyle saw it once. I felt like he saw a picture of my soul and I hid it away where no one else would look for it." Angel felt his eyes burn as he stared at the smiling young girl. He felt the distance between him and Buffy widening and whatever he tried to do to fix it, he just seemed to make it worse. Alone in his room, the once scourge of Europe, the Champion, put his head in his hands and cried.

"Buffy" Angel said before steadying her "What are you doing here? I mean, not that your not welcome, but everyone's gone out. Is everything OK? Cause I can call them no problem."

Buffy smiled at Angels discomfiture and for a second Angel would have sworn he was the younger one.

"I know Angel." Buffy said "Willow called and told me everyone was going out today. That's kinda why I'm here."

Angel nodded."So you want to sit?" he asked before gesturing towards the couches.

Buffy nodded back and they sat in a slightly uncomfortable silence before Buffy started speaking.

"Angel. I know now you knew nothing about what effect that amulet would have on Spike." She started painfully "I don't know how to apologize for attacking you."

Angel flinched at the pain he saw in her eyes "No big deal Buffy." He mumbled before clearing his voice and continuing " I didn't mean to invade your memories of Spike either. I just wanted to understand."

"Understand what Angel?" Buffy asked. "How I could possibly love him?"

"Well, yes at first." Angel said honestly."I thought that you could never love anyone like you loved me and I felt threatened. And it was Spike. See I realized that the Spike I knew had to have been different from the one you loved. Why else would he have been the Champion of that battle?" He stopped for a minute at looked at Buffy for her reaction.She was listening intently and waiting for him to continue.

"OK, and I was a little jealous." Angel said guiltily "I'm sorry Buffy but whenever anyone comes close to touching your heart I worry that you'll never need me again." He finished looking at his shoes.

Buffy was quiet for a moment. She was choosing her words carefully as to not hurt Angel or start an argument.

"Angel. What we had was special. I still love you. I always have and always will but it just isn't meant to be for us at this moment in time. I loved Spike yes, but it was a different kind of love. It didn't mean I ever stopped loving you or that it changed my love for you in any way. I was just able to love again. And your able to do it too." She said quietly.

When Angel looked at her she smiled sadly. "Cordelia.Yes I know about it."

"Did Wesley-" he started to say.

"No." Buffy said quickly. "I saw the picture in your office. I looked at the two of you and just knew something was happening there."

"It's not." Angel said "I mean it started to but then we got sucked into hell again and now I'm having a hard time dealing with her." He said before adding "And she's acting like she did in high school lately."

"Maybe that's my fault by being here." Buffy said quietly."I'm sure she's scared and guilty over what happened while she was in a coma. My presence probably doesn't help."

"I'm sure she'll get over it." Angel said "Are you coming back here then to stay?"

Buffy hesitated before saying "I think I'm going to stay at Wesley's, Angel." before he could argue she rushed to say "We have a lot to do with our new plans and people to find and phone calls to make and..." She slowed down to say "I think I need him close, Angel. He's been where I am now. And I think he needs me too." She finished.

Angel sighed. "I guess your right Buffy. I'm not happy about this. I still think you should come here, but I respect your decision."

"Thank you Angel." Buffy said solemnly.

"So....." Angel said as he looked for a safer topic. "What kind of plans? Apartment, job stuff? Cause you know I can always use you at Wolfram and Hart."

"Actually Angel I think Wesley wanted to be the one to discuss this with you." Buffy said slowly." I won't be looking for a job though. I already have one if everything works out."

"Buffy enough with the cryptic." Angel said exasperated "What's going on?"

"Pardon the intrusion." Wesley said. "But that's what I came to discuss with you Angel." He said walking further into the lobby. "Buffy by all means tell him." Said Wesley with a hint of excitement in his voice.

"It's the Council Angel." Buffy told him.At his blank look she sighed and continued."The Watchers Council. It was destroyed. Giles and the Watchers left decided on a better council so Giles is starting over. And with me and Faith as Cabinet members."

"My God, Slayers on the Council? That's a great idea." He exclaimed."So why didn't you want to tell me?"

Buffy looked at Wesley in a hint to finish. He cleared his throat before saying "Yes well. I have also agreed to work on starting the new Council with Mr. Giles and the girls. And I plan to remain there."He finished.

Angel looked shocked. "You mean your not going to work for Wolfram and Hart?"

"Angel I will of course be there whenever you need my help." Wesley said "But you now have an entire staff entirely devoted to doing the same job I've always had. This is important to me."

Angel thought about how hurt Wesley must have been to be fired from the Council before. He never really said anything but looking back Angel saw why he drove himself so hard at the beginning to prove himself.

"I'm not going to lie to you both." Angel said slowly "I'm bothered by this. Not just the Council either. I feel like I'm not needed by either of you anymore. It hurts."

"Angel please don't feel that way." Buffy begged, her eyes swimming with tears. "This isn't a make Angel pay ploy."

"Angel I'm sure we will need you more than ever now." Wesley said emotionally.

"And how will I help when you guys go off to England?" Angel asked pointedly.

"Oh my God we didn't tell you that part?" Buffy asked horrified."We're not going to England, Angel. The head office for the Council will be here in LA."

Angel smiled finally. "Really? Here in LA?"

"As of yet, yes." Wesley said proudly "This of course depends on if we can find a suitable location. You see Angel? We'll all still be here. Probably closer now."

Buffy laughed "Yeah you'll probably want to rebuild Sunnydale just to get rid of us."

"We will be discussing this with the entire group tomorrow." Wesley said. "There are still things that need taken care of."

"Yeah a whole lot to take care of." Angel said drily. "Sure you know what your getting into Wes?"

"Not a clue." Wesley said cheerfully. "but I look forward to it."

"Amen to that." Buffy said in agreement.

.........................................................

OK the Angel/Wesley/Buffy thing is not done yet. I've still got some issues for them. Coming up. The Scoobies and AI hear about the Council. Fred talks to Xander.