Conversations in Rome
Spoilers: This takes place after season 5 Smile Time. If you haven't seen it don't read unless you don't mind being spoiled or confused. From Angel's POV as always with this story.
I sit on the bed staring at my hand, my not felt hand. Thank the Powers for that. I did something good today. I saved a bunch of little kids, and I did it, not my team of lawyers or the security team. It was me, Gunn, Wes and Fred, just like old times. Ok so I was a puppet but I was a puppet that could kick Spike's ass.
And then I went to breakfast with Nina. She's pretty, she's sweet. She understands about the demon, since she's a werewolf three nights of the month. She likes me. I like her, but she's not the blond I wanted to take to breakfast. And truthfully, that's the point. She's not that blond. She's safe. I can take her to breakfast, or dinner or the ballet. I could even have sex with her. She won't get me anywhere near perfect happiness. And for now, until the right blond is done baking, that's acceptable.
I strip off my suit and grab the cordless phone. I slip under the blankets and dial the number I know by heart now. I haven't talked to her this week and I need my weekly dose of spinach. I take a deep breath when she answers the phone. It's not really fair how even her voice throws me.
"Buffy," I breathe out.
"Angel," She breathes in.
It's our standard greeting. I don't know why I don't add a how are you onto the end of her name. I never have. I've always just greeted her with Buffy. I know I say her name different then any other word in any other language. It's not a conscious thought. It's just something that happens. The way I say her name carries the weight of my love, my pain and every other emotion I feel toward her.
"Thank you for the Mexican food, and the flowers. Dawn and I devoured it all in one night." She says. I can hear her smile over the phone.
"You're more then welcome." I say.
"You could have sent plane tickets. They have great Mexican food in California." She says.
"Would you have used them?" I ask.
She sighs. "There goes my mouth and my heart getting ahead of my brain. I don't know, honestly. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."
"Its okay, Buffy. I'm still figuring things out here." I assure her. And it's true. As much as I hate knowing she's half way across the world, it's good for us. Buffy and I plunged headlong into love so fast that we never had time to figure out ourselves. I know, I'm two hundred and fifty years old. I should have figured out myself a long time ago. But I really only started to live when I saw Buffy.
"And how's that going for you?" She asks.
"It's been weird. I feel better about things here now. We saved a bunch of kids this week. There were these demon puppets. I actually ended up being turned into a puppet for a little while. It was-humbling." I confess.
She laughs. "An Angel puppet? Can I get one those for Christmas? I bet you were cute."
"Har dee har har. I was just adorable, I'm sure." I smirk. "Be a very good girl and you could get the real thing for Christmas."
"And who needs an Angel puppet when you can have living-ok unliving, unbreathing Angel." I can hear the grin playing around her words.
"Exactly." I say with a smile. This is my favorite part of the week. "So, how's Rome?"
"Rome is great. I never thought I'd say this, but it's getting a little boring. You know all those times I wished for a normal life. Dawson's Creek always made normal life look exciting. However, I have to confess my normal life is excitement free." Buffy says.
"You could always work for me. There's never a dull moment here." I say.
"I don't know if my resume would be up to snuff for a fancy place like that." Buffy says.
"You're right. I've got at least ten applicants that have saved the world at least eight times. You've only done it what seven? You've got to stop being a slacker, Buffy." I tease her.
She laughs. I love making her laugh. "You're right. I'm a slacker. I've been trying to get over that issue. There's just not much with the slayage around here."
"There's another Hellmouth in Cleveland." I say.
"I don't wanna hoard the Hellmouth. It's kind of a special experience each and every slayer should have."
"How's Dawn?" I ask.
"Dawn is good. She isn't going out with the guy anymore. I think there's a new guy and this one goes to school with her. She swears she's seen him out in the daylight and in classes. I still make her a wear cross all the time. She says I'm overreacting. I remind her that her first kiss was vampire. She reminds me the love of my life is one. We're getting along just peachy." She says.
Love of her life? She called me the love of her life. Giddy, I think that's what they call this. I chuckle. "Admit it Buffy, there's no one she could bring home that would be good enough."
She sighs. "It's true. I just want everything for her. I want her to grow up a happy well adjusted person. I want her to have everything in life that she deserves."
My mind slips back to Connor. "That's what everyone wants for their children."
"I guess so. And you were afraid I'd never have kids. I've got this almost grown up teenager on my hands and I'm not really sure I want to ever do this again." She says with a little laugh.
"That's too bad. I'd love to see a Summers baby." The words are out of my mouth before I can take them back.
"And you will. Dawn wants kids. I'm currently threatening her with death and dismemberment if she has them before she turns twenty five."
I hear Dawn in the background. "Buffy, would you get off the phone, your gelato is melting!"
I smile. I can almost see them both in my mind. This is what I wanted for her. She finally got it. "Go eat your ice cream. I'll call you again." I say.
"Promise?" she says.
"Always." I say.
She hangs up the phone. We don't say goodbye. Buffy and I have never said goodbye because we know it's never over between us. Forever, that's the whole point.
Spoilers: This takes place after season 5 Smile Time. If you haven't seen it don't read unless you don't mind being spoiled or confused. From Angel's POV as always with this story.
I sit on the bed staring at my hand, my not felt hand. Thank the Powers for that. I did something good today. I saved a bunch of little kids, and I did it, not my team of lawyers or the security team. It was me, Gunn, Wes and Fred, just like old times. Ok so I was a puppet but I was a puppet that could kick Spike's ass.
And then I went to breakfast with Nina. She's pretty, she's sweet. She understands about the demon, since she's a werewolf three nights of the month. She likes me. I like her, but she's not the blond I wanted to take to breakfast. And truthfully, that's the point. She's not that blond. She's safe. I can take her to breakfast, or dinner or the ballet. I could even have sex with her. She won't get me anywhere near perfect happiness. And for now, until the right blond is done baking, that's acceptable.
I strip off my suit and grab the cordless phone. I slip under the blankets and dial the number I know by heart now. I haven't talked to her this week and I need my weekly dose of spinach. I take a deep breath when she answers the phone. It's not really fair how even her voice throws me.
"Buffy," I breathe out.
"Angel," She breathes in.
It's our standard greeting. I don't know why I don't add a how are you onto the end of her name. I never have. I've always just greeted her with Buffy. I know I say her name different then any other word in any other language. It's not a conscious thought. It's just something that happens. The way I say her name carries the weight of my love, my pain and every other emotion I feel toward her.
"Thank you for the Mexican food, and the flowers. Dawn and I devoured it all in one night." She says. I can hear her smile over the phone.
"You're more then welcome." I say.
"You could have sent plane tickets. They have great Mexican food in California." She says.
"Would you have used them?" I ask.
She sighs. "There goes my mouth and my heart getting ahead of my brain. I don't know, honestly. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."
"Its okay, Buffy. I'm still figuring things out here." I assure her. And it's true. As much as I hate knowing she's half way across the world, it's good for us. Buffy and I plunged headlong into love so fast that we never had time to figure out ourselves. I know, I'm two hundred and fifty years old. I should have figured out myself a long time ago. But I really only started to live when I saw Buffy.
"And how's that going for you?" She asks.
"It's been weird. I feel better about things here now. We saved a bunch of kids this week. There were these demon puppets. I actually ended up being turned into a puppet for a little while. It was-humbling." I confess.
She laughs. "An Angel puppet? Can I get one those for Christmas? I bet you were cute."
"Har dee har har. I was just adorable, I'm sure." I smirk. "Be a very good girl and you could get the real thing for Christmas."
"And who needs an Angel puppet when you can have living-ok unliving, unbreathing Angel." I can hear the grin playing around her words.
"Exactly." I say with a smile. This is my favorite part of the week. "So, how's Rome?"
"Rome is great. I never thought I'd say this, but it's getting a little boring. You know all those times I wished for a normal life. Dawson's Creek always made normal life look exciting. However, I have to confess my normal life is excitement free." Buffy says.
"You could always work for me. There's never a dull moment here." I say.
"I don't know if my resume would be up to snuff for a fancy place like that." Buffy says.
"You're right. I've got at least ten applicants that have saved the world at least eight times. You've only done it what seven? You've got to stop being a slacker, Buffy." I tease her.
She laughs. I love making her laugh. "You're right. I'm a slacker. I've been trying to get over that issue. There's just not much with the slayage around here."
"There's another Hellmouth in Cleveland." I say.
"I don't wanna hoard the Hellmouth. It's kind of a special experience each and every slayer should have."
"How's Dawn?" I ask.
"Dawn is good. She isn't going out with the guy anymore. I think there's a new guy and this one goes to school with her. She swears she's seen him out in the daylight and in classes. I still make her a wear cross all the time. She says I'm overreacting. I remind her that her first kiss was vampire. She reminds me the love of my life is one. We're getting along just peachy." She says.
Love of her life? She called me the love of her life. Giddy, I think that's what they call this. I chuckle. "Admit it Buffy, there's no one she could bring home that would be good enough."
She sighs. "It's true. I just want everything for her. I want her to grow up a happy well adjusted person. I want her to have everything in life that she deserves."
My mind slips back to Connor. "That's what everyone wants for their children."
"I guess so. And you were afraid I'd never have kids. I've got this almost grown up teenager on my hands and I'm not really sure I want to ever do this again." She says with a little laugh.
"That's too bad. I'd love to see a Summers baby." The words are out of my mouth before I can take them back.
"And you will. Dawn wants kids. I'm currently threatening her with death and dismemberment if she has them before she turns twenty five."
I hear Dawn in the background. "Buffy, would you get off the phone, your gelato is melting!"
I smile. I can almost see them both in my mind. This is what I wanted for her. She finally got it. "Go eat your ice cream. I'll call you again." I say.
"Promise?" she says.
"Always." I say.
She hangs up the phone. We don't say goodbye. Buffy and I have never said goodbye because we know it's never over between us. Forever, that's the whole point.