A/N: ok, I just thought that I should warn you, this was written during the day, so there shouldn't be too many errors there, but it was typed up after midnight, so if there's spelling mistakes, could you bring them to my attention? Because it's hard to check spelling when your eyes keep blurring. And I know I should go to sleep, but I wanted to get this up first. So now it is up, and good night!

Enjoy!

Second Chances

"Look at her. She's all glowey." Willow noticed.

"Yeah, she is. Ever since he took up residence in the guest wing, she's been perkier. Though, if he actually sleeps in his room.."

"Don't." She chastised her girlfriend. "They're taking it slow. Buffy said she wasn't ready. They're getting reacquainted. I think it's sweet."

"Yeah, I guess."

~ * ~

"Buffy."

"What?"

"I was thinking.I want to feel useful around here. What if I started teaching?"

"You could take over Giles's Demonology class. You're certainly qualified." She teased.

"I was thinking more of an elective course type thing. Vampire Awareness or something." He laughed. "No, forget it. I'm being silly."

"NO! That's a great idea. About how to find a vampire without having to see it's face. You should go ask Giles about it!"

"Fine. Later."

~ * ~

"Buffy, can I ask you something?"

"You can ask me anything. But that doesn't' guarantee an answer."

"If it's July, and there are no classes, why are there still girls here?"

"Well, some went home, almost all of them, which is why I got to go on vacation. I took Dawn and Shannon to her house, in Florida. But the ones who stayed, they don't have a home to go home too. Or they come from broken homes, and didn't want to go home. Or their families rejected them. We tried to be as cautious as possible, when dealing with unbelieving parents, but some couldn't deal. So they stay here." She momentarily let the dark thoughts cloud her mind. But then the sun broke through, and with Angel by her side, she couldn't be sad for long.

Angel basked in the warm sun. Granted that he was wearing SPF 45, because of his dark period without sun, but just feeling the warmth again, it was worth smelling like sun screen.

"let me ask you a question. When you were a vampire, did you ever miss the sun?"

"For awhile, I didn't, but once I got my soul. I missed it. I missed the warmth. And sometimes, I missed the freedom of being able to go out whenever I pleased. But after meeting you, I found it again. I could feel the sun's warmth just being with you, and I saw it in your smile. When I lost you, it was like loosing the sun all over again."

"Aww. Sappy."

"Yeah." He laughed. She flipped over to tan her front. She looked at him over her sun glasses.

"Lookin' good. Soon you'll be bronze like the gods." She gave him a dazzling smile.

"Don't make fun of the gods. They can make life difficult." She looked at him doubtfully. "Seriously."

"Whatever."

"Buffy, could we go to the beach?" he asked.

She laughed. "Kid much? I don't know if there are any beaches near by."

"Oh." He sounded disappointed.

"Buffy!" Giles interrupted from the house. "I have an errand I'd like you to run. A demonic text on the hellmouth."

She sighed. "How long?"

"A few hours at the most. I'd go myself, but I'm trying to put together a roster of next years 1st years."

"Ok." She sighed again, standing up and picking up her towel. "Wanna come?" she asked Angel.

"Sure."

Half an hour later, they were in Buffy's rented convertible with the top down, speeding along the high way.

They had difficulty getting the book, and they got back late. He insisted walking her to her door. Once there, he kissed her softly, before heading down the hall to his own room. She smiled at his thoughtfulness before entering her own room.

~ * ~

"So, details!"

"About what?"

"You and Angel!"

"There's nothing to tell."

"Not counting last time, how far have you gone?"

"This was cute when you didn't have a boy friend, but now you've had a boyfriend and two girlfriends!" Willow pouted. "First. We just like each other's company, that's all."

"And you've been enjoying a lot of it lately." Buffy smiled.

"I told you I asked him to take it slow. I don't think he's going to push. He's a perfect gentleman."

"He always has been." She reminded.

"Yeah. I just hope for our sake I'm ready to go the next step soon. I'm already in too deep, Will. If I loose him again-"

"Buffy, you might not have noticed this yet, but he doesn't care! He loves you so much he doesn't care about that."

"But I do! And I want to! But..whenever I think of asking him to..I see Jenny. I see her neck twisted. I see Giles' grief. I see all the classmates he killed just to send his 'love'. I see you in the hospital after trying to curse him! I see Kendra's still body, her throat slit, blood all over the library floor. I see-"

"But he didn't hurt me, or kill Kendra! You can't blame him for that!"

"I'm not! I'm blaming myself! Because of what I did..that was why he was trying to awaken Acathla, why you were trying to curse him. I want to feel him, his arms tight around me. I want to feel his heart close to mine. I want to-" she broke off, blushing furiously. Then, her voice took on a different tone. "But I can't block out the memories, the images, Will. They haunt me." Her voice was filled with all the sorrow and pain she had seen in her life as the slayer.

"Talk to him!"

"What? No!"

"Buffy, he told me that he still remembers everything. He knows what it's like! Trust me!"

"You're right." She sighed. "Gotta do this." Willow gave her a reassuring smile and a thumbs up. Then she took a deep breath and went to find Angel.

She found him in his room, and with a knock, she entered.

"Angel? I need to talk to you."

"Ok."

She took another deep breath and slowly let it out. "I was talking to Willow, doing the girl thing- the gossip thing, and she said I should tell you this."

"What?" He smiled at her. She was trying to tell him something and avoid it at the same time.

"I'm happy that you're letting me choose the pace, and not pushing and all."

"Ok." He tried to hide his amusement.

"I-I wanna go farther, but the memories.Jenny," he flinched visibly at the name, "Kendra, Giles' grief. Mom's face when you told her that her sweet innocent girl wasn't- the thoughts and images haunt me."

"I understand. They haunt me too."

"Willow said you would." She stepped closer to him. "do you think," she looked at the floor, "maybe we could," she looked back up at him, "work this out together?"

"Of course." He tilted her chin up and met her lips with his own. "We'll go only as far as you're comfortable." He murmured against her lips. She looked into his eyes and saw the burning passion there. But she also saw something that almost made her step back. Love. Complete, uncircumstantial, undying love for her!

And then she realized the same was mirrored in her eyes. As she thought this, the fears melted away. Now she was just a woman loving her man. Nothing more. No destiny, no nothing.

She could feel the consuming passion as she kissed him just a bit harder. He responded. She sat down on the couch, pulling him down with her.

"Right here?" he broke off to ask.

"Why not?" in response he picked her up and carried her into his bed room. He placed her gently on his bed, before sitting beside her. He slowly took her into his arms and began kissing her again, as he helped her lay down.

~ * ~

He moved a wisp of hair from her face. She snuggled into him. He looked down at her. She had more scars than he remembered. And yet, she was still just as soft.

"What's this one from?" he touched an especially bad one on her stomach.

"Oh, that one. Well.I sorta got staked. With my own stake." She cringed in embarrassment.

"Ouch."

"Yeah. Dawn actually helped me cover it up. Cuz mom was sick, and we didn't want to worry her." She looked away from him, momentarily grieving once more for her mother. Then the moment passed. "So, what do you want to do know?" she asked, stretching.

"Well.I know it's a guy thing, but I've always wanted to play football."

"Football. I just got over my fear, and you wanna play football." She said, partially unbelieving and partially teasing. "No, I'm teasing. I'll go see if any of the girls want to play. "She got up and began searching for her clothes. He got up as well, pulling on some pants. He then helped her find the rest of her stuff.

"Do you know how to play?" she asked.

"I've uh..watched some on t.v." he was uncomfortable with the revelation.

"So? It's a guy thing. Oh! Faith will be here today! Giles got her sentence reduced and moved. She's now in a Cleveland prison. She's doing a work type program. Starting today, she's going to be doing odd jobs."

"Cool. So she can play."

"She's a bit rough, but if she wants, why not?"

Half an hour later they had ten students, as well as Willow, Kennedy, Giles, Vi, Rona, Xander, and Amanda.

"Oh, we've got 19 people. Uneven teams." Willow pouted. She wasn't exactly sure how to play football. She never had paid attention in gym class. "Tell me again why I'm playing?"

"Because you luv me!" Buffy said to her friend.

"Yeah." She smiled.

"When's Faith getting here?" Buffy turned to Giles. He had told the faculty last night, as well as the potentials that had been with them for the closing of Sunnydale, and the students had no way of knowing her.

"At 10."

"So, half an hour. Let's make teams."

There were some arguments after the teams were initially made.

"Why do you get Faith? You've already got Kennedy and Rona!" Xander complained. He was the self appointed captain of one team.

"Because you have Angel and Giles. And we've got Will." Buffy answered. She was the captain of the other team, though hey had chosen her. "No offense, Will. Beside, Angel and I are equal in strength, Xander and Kennedy are equal in playing experience, Willow and Giles are pretty equal. I don't know if Faith's ever played. The teams are even. Now, are we gonna play touch, or tackle football?"

"Touch!" Willow eyes widened as she saw the misgevious glints in the five students on Xander's team.

"Oh, Come on Will-"

"Faith's on our team, remember, Xander?"

"Touch sounds great!" The way he said it gave impressions to the students, and some smothered giggles. There were some mumbles of discontentment about the verdict though.

"Oh, how about two hand tag for Giles, Willow and Xander, and tackle for the rest? Just so you guys don't get hurt. The rest of us can take a beating as well as give it, and we heal fast, anyway."

"Maybe Faith should only do touch.."

"Hey, B! What's new? Hey, G-man. Reporting for duty."

"Don't call me that."

"Faith."

"Angel." She nodded towards him, the did a double take. "Angel? What happened? Find some SPF 3,000?"

"He's human." Buffy said coolly."

"Congrats, man. So, uh, you're together?"

"Yes, we are."

"Relax, B. We're just friends. So, uh.." She looked around. "Is Robin around?"

"He's visiting his.ah, family."

"Oh, cool." She sounded disappointed.

"Faith, we were just about to play football. Wanna play?"

"Sure, as long as I'm not against ya, B. You're dangerous."

"Only when it comes to you, Faith. Don't worry, you're on my team."

"Sweet. Let's play."

"Rules first."

"Aww, come on B-"

"Faith." Buffy warned.

"Fine." Buffy mapped out the boundaries, and the rules. Once everyone was clear, they lined up. Faith grinned and cracked her knuckles intimidatingly at the students across from her.

About an hour into the game, Buffy caught a pass from Faith, and Angel tackled her.

"Pig pile on Buffy!" Willow called, and all but the students and Giles piled on top of her.

"Aw come on gu-NO!" she shrieked. Angel had managed to maneuver to be able to tickle her. And then it was a free for all.

The game ended soon after as many went to soak out the grass stains. As Giles was entering his office, Faith caught up with him.

"G-ma...Mr. Giles. I'd like to thank you. I don't' know how, but.thanks. Oh, these are for you. Daily paperwork."

"Ah, yes."

"how, no.. why did you help me?"

"I've always thought you to be a bright girl, Faith. You were just put into bad situations. But what really convinced me was the way you handled yourself three years ago. True, you broke out of jail, but you saved the world. You brought about the end of the Rain of Fire. Then you went to Sunnydale, took lead of a group of girls you didn't know and didn't want to lead, and helped save the world yet again. And then..you went back to jail. It amazed me in how much more discipline and responsibility you showed in those three short weeks.

"How did you do it?"

"Well, it took almost three years. Angel and Wesley helped. Lots of paperwork and cutting through red tape. An also, a lot of faith on your part. I believe that it's imperative that you understand that I trust you enough to take complete responsibility for you. Myself, Robin, Wesley and Angel. IF you mess up, we all fall with you. With Angel's move here, they finally consented to put you under our watch. I tried to tell them you were 21, and capable of making your own discussions, but since you were under age when you entered incarceration, and then a ward of the state of California, Wesley, Robin, Angel and I are now your legal guardians."

She looked at him dumbfounded.

"Now, everyday, you shall report here, at 8 am. For the first few months, dark shall be your curfew. At that time, you must return to the pre-release center."

"Aw-"

"I know, but remember, there are 17 slayers here during the summer, and many more during the school year. Also, this will only be temporary, only until they are positive they can rust you. I believe in you Faith, but you have to remember, they believe they are dealing with a murderer."

"They are." She muttered.

"No, they are dealing with a directionless slayer. They are dealing with a human being who was tempted by power. It could have happened to anyone. Even I succumbed to the call of power in my youth, that eventually got some of my friends killed. But I realized my mistake and repented. Which is what you are doing."

"Thanks for believing in me." She then slipped back into her rough character. "So, what will I be doing?"

"Mowing the lawn when need be, in the fall, raking leaves. Manual labor. I'm sure in a school filled with adolescence, I will always be able to find something for you to do."

"Good. I hate being idle." She turned to leave.

"Oh, and Faith? Once the school year starts again, I ask you to consider taking some classes. The school is small now, but we will be expanding, hopefully, and I'd like you to be on our staff."

"What?! You can't be serious!"

"Faith, you should know by now I don't say or do anything I don't mean to. It's a British thing, I've been told." He actually smiled.

"I'll, uh, think about it." She said. She walked out of his office, and closed the door. She looked around to make sure no one was watching her. "sweet!" she pumped her arm once. She then stood upright, made sure no one had seen her, and walked away.

~ * ~

Faith sidled up to Angel's table during supper.

"Yo, Angel." She nodded towards him. "Thanks."

"You're welcome. And.thank you." He nodded, keeping a straight face.

"No sweat." She then turned and walked away.

"What was that about?" Buffy asked, after watching the conversation with a confused look on her face.

Angel gave her a secretive smile. "We have an understanding, is all."

"Uh-huh. Should I feel threatened?"

He put an arm around her. "Of course not. Faith and I are.dare I say friends? You, though, you are my everything."

"Aww." She said, smiling at him.

The End

A/N: I hope that nobody's disappointed by these. And don't expect another addition for the next few days. It seems that my creative juices have been flowing for far too long, and I looked into the barrel, and there's none left! I'm not sure if this is where I should leave it, almost everything is tied up, or if I should go on for at least another story. I have things I want to have happen, but I'm not sure how to express them!

As always, read and review! I guess I'll let you guys decide: do you want me to continue with this path of short stories, or should I quit while I'm ahead? Also, what would you like to have see? I'd like to keep these B/A centered, but I could always expand. Maybe a Faith/Wood. Well, review! Tell me what you want!