Disclaimer: I own nothing except the plot. Everything else belongs to the wonderful Joss Whedon!

Authors Note: This is only my second fan fiction ever. It is my first Buffy one. Please read and review. It would mean the world to me!!!!! Thank you Crying Princess!!!! You are the best beta reader ever!!! Also, this is an AU fic!

Rated: R for language and sexual content in later chapters!

Chapter 1

It's Been Awhile

Angel was just starting to pack for his trip to Sunnydale. It had been over six years since he'd last seen Buffy. Angel had always had a special connection with Buffy, but lately he had a strong desire to see her. Angel had been trying to resist, but his restraint had failed. He had to see her. He had no idea why he was going. Buffy had probably long since moved on. He didn't even know what he was going to say when he got there.

As he got in the car to leave, he felt a twinge of panic. What if Buffy didn't want to see him? Maybe he should call first. . . He shook his head. He couldn't wait another minute. He had to leave now. He had to see her.

Angel had been driving for hours. He was almost there. He had already called and made reservations at a local hotel. Angel decided he would go there first and get settled in before he went to see her. He had a feeling that it was going to be a long visit. When he reached the hotel he started to unpack when his thoughts travel to a year before when he had saved an extremely powerful sorcerer. The sorcerer had granted him two wonderful gifts. They were not things he had asked for, but he definitely had wanted them. Even though he was still a vampire, he could stay in the sunlight without setting himself on fire. The other thing was also extremely important. He couldn't lose his soul no matter what happened. Not because of happiness or anything else. He wondered if someone had let Buffy know, but it didn't matter; he wasn't there for that. After unpacking and taking a shower he decided to take a short nap then ride over to Buffy's apartment.

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As Buffy stood outside on the balcony of her new apartment she couldn't help, but let her thoughts turn to Angel. She missed him terribly. Lately her desire to see him was even more intense. She had tried to move on, but no matter how hard, her heart would always belong to Angel. She could almost sensed him close by. She was all alone now that Dawn had gone off to college in Boston, and her mom moved in with her boyfriend in L.A. Willow and Tara had a place of their own about ten miles away and Anya and Xander moved. Right after they got married, Xander had gotten a promotion at work, something that they couldn't turn down. When she walked back in to her apartment, she felt the familiar feelings of loneliness. She began to walk over to her closet to pick something out for work just when the door bell rang.

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