Chapter 15- SAVE ANGEL
A GIANT SCREAMING AUTHOR'S NOTE- Readers, there is a reason I haven't updated in a while. Because I found out devastating news. Jordan Levin, the village idiot that has somehow managed to become the head of the WB has decided to cancel Angel. This is unacceptable. I need all of you to sign the online petition. I need all of you to write letters. I need all of you to send postcards. I need all of you to visit www.savingangel.org. Basically, I need you to fight. We cannot sit by and allow this to happen to the best show on television. I hope Levin's head implodes because he gets so many letters and calls.
"No. Not this show. Not this day." – A play on Spike's words in "A Hole in the World" "Strong is fighting"- Buffy
Disclaimer- I do not own anything. Joss does. Joss is god in the buffyverse. Even though I do not own anything, I am willing to take on WB if they are feeling froggy. Grrrr.
Disclaimer 2- This story has adult content. This chapter might too. If that offends you, how on earth did you get through 14 chapters already?
The town hadn't changed much. It still shot a jolt of sadness, envy, and pain through Faith's midsection. She was quaking inside at the thought of seeing everyonje again. She knew they wouldn't be friendly. Well, maybe friendly, but only out of forced politeness. Faith hated talking to people when their smiles never reached their eyes. She glanced over at Giles, smiling at the super-cautious way he drove. She had grown to love him like the father she had never had and never really wanted until Angel helped save her.
They pulled onto Buffy's road and Faith's nervousness went up a notch. She had missed her sister slayer's friendship over these past few years. Hopefully, if Faith tried hard enough, she could win that back. According to Gile's, Buffy was a much more mature and open person. Apparently dying did that, well and getting ripped out of heaven. Faith personally thought that she would have murdered the person who ripped her out of heaven, but those thoughts were the exact reason that the Big Guy proably wouldn't even let her in, despite the fact she was a slayer.
The doorbell forced Buffy to actually walk down the stairs to face everyone. She felt better up here with just Spike! She knew that no one but Angel knew the truth about what happened out in the back yard, but she felt like it was written all over her (which it was in a way). That's why she had been so curt with Angel up in her room. She was ashamed of herself and wanted to take it out on someone. But, she had decided to ATTEMPT to grow up, so she would need to show Angel that she wasn't mad at him. Making out with Spike, the one who had caused all of this mess, proably wasn't the best way to do that. Speaking of him causing all of this, Buffy could feel anger starting to well up within her. She had a sneaking suspicion that there was more to the story that either Angel or Spike was letting on. And even if there wasn't, Spike had still gone too far in his never ending quest to be her only lover.
Always in tune with his pet's emotions, and some of her thoughts, (there was a bloody reason that he'd been able to off two slayers) Spike began putting some distance between himself and Buffy on the stairs. He had known it was only a matter of time before "normal" Buffy reappeared after her little backyard experience. "Normal" Buffy would have him strung up by his willy for a stunt like this. That was why he was so happy that the incredible foof-master had covered for him. Even if it was bloody blackmail.
Buffy stopped at the foot of the stairs, causing Spike to run into her back. She took the opportunity to elbow him in the ribs to let him know that she was getting pissed again. She stared at the brunette ex-slayer, her eyes guarded. Buffy wasn't exactly surprised to see Faith, she'd sensed that Giles was keeping something from her for months now. It made sense now that he was helping Faith.
"Hello B." Faith said quietly. Jesus! She hadn't been this nervous since... well never actually. She really wanted Buffy and everyone's forgiveness, wanted them to look at her like they had when she first got to Sunnydale; without fear or hatred.
Suddenly Buffy's face warmed and she started smiling. "Faith, I am so glad you came, make yourself at home." Buffy was as surprised as anybody at the words coming out of her mouth. But the more she thought about it, the more sense it made. She may still be immature about sex, but dying had matured her in other ways. Being in heaven had taught her about forgiveness and second chances. If she could forgive her friends for ripping her out of heaven... well then she could forgive almost anything.
There was an immediate drop in the tension level throughout the entire room. Once Buffy made it clear that she was taking the first step towards forgiving Faith, everyone quickly followed. The room filled with happy chatter as everyone welcomed Giles home and made idle chit chat as they caught up. Spike, knowing that it was best for him to lay low until Buffy calmed a bit, said hello to him and then went downstairs to his old cot and the telly.
Angel stood against the wall, surveying everything in his typical silent fashion. He watched Buffy glide through the room, her face radiant and carefree as she talked to Giles and got acquainted with Fred and Gunn. He sensed Wesley near him, and addressed him without taking his eyes off of Buffy. "I don't care what the prophecy says Wes, if I lose her, there will be no possible way that I will forget her. She is my reason for fighting. Without her, I would have killed myself that Christmas Eve after I returned from hell. Wes, if I feel nothing for her, I am not sure what will keep me from giving in, giving in to Angelus."
"Don't think about that now. Focus on loving her with all of your very being over the next few weeks. Don't allow yourself to be typical Angel, slightly aloof. Perhaps if you act as it if will be over, you can love her so well that it may tip the scale in your favor. At the very least, you will have the condolence of knowing that your last few weeks with her were filled with the best memories possible. Don't waste time like I did with Fred. If I would have told her how I felt in the beginning, we wouldn't have wasted so much time." Wesley put his hand on Angel's shoulder, trying his best to comfort the brooding vampire.
"Wes, if I wouldn't have walked away, or if I wouldn't have turned back time, she never would have fallen in love with him in the first place," Angel's voice was agonized as he whispered.
"Stop it. Yes, she would have. This was fate Angel. You couldn't have stopped it. What if you were still together and she fell in love with him anyway? Then she would have been cheating on you and it would have destroyed you both. If you focus on the "what-ifs" you will drive yourself crazy."
Angel sighed, forcing himself out of what Cordy would have called his "brood-fest". "I suppose you're right. Maybe I should just show Buffy a different side. Things have changed a lot. She isn't seventeen anymore, and I am not nearly as moody as I used to be."
Sensing some one talking about her, Buffy lifted her head and met Angel's chocolate gaze. She smiled at him and her eyes filled with such love and warmth that it took his un-needed breath away. He wanted her then. So sudden and violently that he vamped out for a second and his pants constricted over the raging hard-on that he had just developed.
Buffy's brow furrowed in worry, but the look in his eyes as his face returned to normal alerted her to the problem. She had only ever seen Angel look at her like that once before, the night she thought he had read her diary and they had kissed so passionately that he had vamped out. Buffy's insides melted, and she could feel the heat rising again between her thighs. She gasped, and as she surrendered to the desire, the ever present connection between the two flared to life, and for a moment they shared memories of the day that wasn't.
(This is supposed to be in italics, if ff.net doesn't do it, this section is a memory)
The wood of the kitchen table was pressing into her back painfully as Angel lowered his body onto hers hungrily. His mouth claimed hers in a frenzied desire as their hands ripped at each other's clothes. Oh god, she had meant to handle this mature, reasonable. But touching his hand had set it all off. Now she could think of nothing more then replacing the void she felt every time that Riley touched her with Angel. His mouth opened over hers, and oh god, there were no fangs. And his mouth was so warm, his skin practically burning as his naked chest pressed against her now exposed breasts. There would be no foreplay, she needed him in her right now so she could erase the past year and a half. Make it all go away, and pretend that this was her second time, her wonderful second time of making love with her wonderful HUMAN boyfriend. As quickly as the connection had flared, it died out, causing Buffy to collapse on the ground sobbing as all of it flooded back. She had dreamt about the day, she had heard Angel tell her, but oh god, nothing compared to having the memories. Nothing prepared her for her thoughts as he had made love to her, over and over and over again. And nothing at all prepared her for the actual memory of falling asleep listening to his heart beat.
Everyone swarmed around her, helping her up. In typical Xander mode, Xander immediately turned on Angel. "What did you do, Dead-boy? I saw you guys staring at each other and now she is crying. What did you do?" His voice died off though, as he saw the tears streaming down the normally statuesque vampire.
Amazingly the person that Buffy leaned into with her sobs was Faith. At that moment, the only person in that room who had not made some sort of life-altering decision without her asking them to, or even being able to give her two cents in, was Faith. Angel had thrown their whole possible future away when reality had set in. Xander, Willow and Dawn had ripped her out of heaven. Giles had bailed on her when she needed him. Faith had always just been Faith. She had done bad things, but she had never altered Buffy's life. Never done anything without Buffy's input.
Angel kneeled next to the slayers, his hand stroking over Buffy's blonde locks. This was the second time today that he had seen her cry over him, and it wasn't exactly fitting with his plan of showing her how much he loved her.
After awhile Buffy calmed down, and they were forced to explain to the entire room about the day that wasn't. Buffy did understand why Angel had done it, truth be told she proably would have done the same thing had the roles been reversed. She was getting really tired of crying all of the freaking time though. It made her eyes all splotchy and blah! Spike listened silently from the stairs, his heart breaking with jealously and the pain his pet must have felt as her dreams got ripped away. He had felt like that when Dru had left him.
"That's deep B. But hey at least now you remember!" Faith made a pitiful attempt at lightening the mood, but finally settled on inviting Buffy to go out and patrol. Buffy agreed, and for the third day in a row, she took out all of her frustration on anything that had a "grrr... face"
A GIANT SCREAMING AUTHOR'S NOTE- Readers, there is a reason I haven't updated in a while. Because I found out devastating news. Jordan Levin, the village idiot that has somehow managed to become the head of the WB has decided to cancel Angel. This is unacceptable. I need all of you to sign the online petition. I need all of you to write letters. I need all of you to send postcards. I need all of you to visit www.savingangel.org. Basically, I need you to fight. We cannot sit by and allow this to happen to the best show on television. I hope Levin's head implodes because he gets so many letters and calls.
"No. Not this show. Not this day." – A play on Spike's words in "A Hole in the World" "Strong is fighting"- Buffy
Disclaimer- I do not own anything. Joss does. Joss is god in the buffyverse. Even though I do not own anything, I am willing to take on WB if they are feeling froggy. Grrrr.
Disclaimer 2- This story has adult content. This chapter might too. If that offends you, how on earth did you get through 14 chapters already?
The town hadn't changed much. It still shot a jolt of sadness, envy, and pain through Faith's midsection. She was quaking inside at the thought of seeing everyonje again. She knew they wouldn't be friendly. Well, maybe friendly, but only out of forced politeness. Faith hated talking to people when their smiles never reached their eyes. She glanced over at Giles, smiling at the super-cautious way he drove. She had grown to love him like the father she had never had and never really wanted until Angel helped save her.
They pulled onto Buffy's road and Faith's nervousness went up a notch. She had missed her sister slayer's friendship over these past few years. Hopefully, if Faith tried hard enough, she could win that back. According to Gile's, Buffy was a much more mature and open person. Apparently dying did that, well and getting ripped out of heaven. Faith personally thought that she would have murdered the person who ripped her out of heaven, but those thoughts were the exact reason that the Big Guy proably wouldn't even let her in, despite the fact she was a slayer.
The doorbell forced Buffy to actually walk down the stairs to face everyone. She felt better up here with just Spike! She knew that no one but Angel knew the truth about what happened out in the back yard, but she felt like it was written all over her (which it was in a way). That's why she had been so curt with Angel up in her room. She was ashamed of herself and wanted to take it out on someone. But, she had decided to ATTEMPT to grow up, so she would need to show Angel that she wasn't mad at him. Making out with Spike, the one who had caused all of this mess, proably wasn't the best way to do that. Speaking of him causing all of this, Buffy could feel anger starting to well up within her. She had a sneaking suspicion that there was more to the story that either Angel or Spike was letting on. And even if there wasn't, Spike had still gone too far in his never ending quest to be her only lover.
Always in tune with his pet's emotions, and some of her thoughts, (there was a bloody reason that he'd been able to off two slayers) Spike began putting some distance between himself and Buffy on the stairs. He had known it was only a matter of time before "normal" Buffy reappeared after her little backyard experience. "Normal" Buffy would have him strung up by his willy for a stunt like this. That was why he was so happy that the incredible foof-master had covered for him. Even if it was bloody blackmail.
Buffy stopped at the foot of the stairs, causing Spike to run into her back. She took the opportunity to elbow him in the ribs to let him know that she was getting pissed again. She stared at the brunette ex-slayer, her eyes guarded. Buffy wasn't exactly surprised to see Faith, she'd sensed that Giles was keeping something from her for months now. It made sense now that he was helping Faith.
"Hello B." Faith said quietly. Jesus! She hadn't been this nervous since... well never actually. She really wanted Buffy and everyone's forgiveness, wanted them to look at her like they had when she first got to Sunnydale; without fear or hatred.
Suddenly Buffy's face warmed and she started smiling. "Faith, I am so glad you came, make yourself at home." Buffy was as surprised as anybody at the words coming out of her mouth. But the more she thought about it, the more sense it made. She may still be immature about sex, but dying had matured her in other ways. Being in heaven had taught her about forgiveness and second chances. If she could forgive her friends for ripping her out of heaven... well then she could forgive almost anything.
There was an immediate drop in the tension level throughout the entire room. Once Buffy made it clear that she was taking the first step towards forgiving Faith, everyone quickly followed. The room filled with happy chatter as everyone welcomed Giles home and made idle chit chat as they caught up. Spike, knowing that it was best for him to lay low until Buffy calmed a bit, said hello to him and then went downstairs to his old cot and the telly.
Angel stood against the wall, surveying everything in his typical silent fashion. He watched Buffy glide through the room, her face radiant and carefree as she talked to Giles and got acquainted with Fred and Gunn. He sensed Wesley near him, and addressed him without taking his eyes off of Buffy. "I don't care what the prophecy says Wes, if I lose her, there will be no possible way that I will forget her. She is my reason for fighting. Without her, I would have killed myself that Christmas Eve after I returned from hell. Wes, if I feel nothing for her, I am not sure what will keep me from giving in, giving in to Angelus."
"Don't think about that now. Focus on loving her with all of your very being over the next few weeks. Don't allow yourself to be typical Angel, slightly aloof. Perhaps if you act as it if will be over, you can love her so well that it may tip the scale in your favor. At the very least, you will have the condolence of knowing that your last few weeks with her were filled with the best memories possible. Don't waste time like I did with Fred. If I would have told her how I felt in the beginning, we wouldn't have wasted so much time." Wesley put his hand on Angel's shoulder, trying his best to comfort the brooding vampire.
"Wes, if I wouldn't have walked away, or if I wouldn't have turned back time, she never would have fallen in love with him in the first place," Angel's voice was agonized as he whispered.
"Stop it. Yes, she would have. This was fate Angel. You couldn't have stopped it. What if you were still together and she fell in love with him anyway? Then she would have been cheating on you and it would have destroyed you both. If you focus on the "what-ifs" you will drive yourself crazy."
Angel sighed, forcing himself out of what Cordy would have called his "brood-fest". "I suppose you're right. Maybe I should just show Buffy a different side. Things have changed a lot. She isn't seventeen anymore, and I am not nearly as moody as I used to be."
Sensing some one talking about her, Buffy lifted her head and met Angel's chocolate gaze. She smiled at him and her eyes filled with such love and warmth that it took his un-needed breath away. He wanted her then. So sudden and violently that he vamped out for a second and his pants constricted over the raging hard-on that he had just developed.
Buffy's brow furrowed in worry, but the look in his eyes as his face returned to normal alerted her to the problem. She had only ever seen Angel look at her like that once before, the night she thought he had read her diary and they had kissed so passionately that he had vamped out. Buffy's insides melted, and she could feel the heat rising again between her thighs. She gasped, and as she surrendered to the desire, the ever present connection between the two flared to life, and for a moment they shared memories of the day that wasn't.
(This is supposed to be in italics, if ff.net doesn't do it, this section is a memory)
The wood of the kitchen table was pressing into her back painfully as Angel lowered his body onto hers hungrily. His mouth claimed hers in a frenzied desire as their hands ripped at each other's clothes. Oh god, she had meant to handle this mature, reasonable. But touching his hand had set it all off. Now she could think of nothing more then replacing the void she felt every time that Riley touched her with Angel. His mouth opened over hers, and oh god, there were no fangs. And his mouth was so warm, his skin practically burning as his naked chest pressed against her now exposed breasts. There would be no foreplay, she needed him in her right now so she could erase the past year and a half. Make it all go away, and pretend that this was her second time, her wonderful second time of making love with her wonderful HUMAN boyfriend. As quickly as the connection had flared, it died out, causing Buffy to collapse on the ground sobbing as all of it flooded back. She had dreamt about the day, she had heard Angel tell her, but oh god, nothing compared to having the memories. Nothing prepared her for her thoughts as he had made love to her, over and over and over again. And nothing at all prepared her for the actual memory of falling asleep listening to his heart beat.
Everyone swarmed around her, helping her up. In typical Xander mode, Xander immediately turned on Angel. "What did you do, Dead-boy? I saw you guys staring at each other and now she is crying. What did you do?" His voice died off though, as he saw the tears streaming down the normally statuesque vampire.
Amazingly the person that Buffy leaned into with her sobs was Faith. At that moment, the only person in that room who had not made some sort of life-altering decision without her asking them to, or even being able to give her two cents in, was Faith. Angel had thrown their whole possible future away when reality had set in. Xander, Willow and Dawn had ripped her out of heaven. Giles had bailed on her when she needed him. Faith had always just been Faith. She had done bad things, but she had never altered Buffy's life. Never done anything without Buffy's input.
Angel kneeled next to the slayers, his hand stroking over Buffy's blonde locks. This was the second time today that he had seen her cry over him, and it wasn't exactly fitting with his plan of showing her how much he loved her.
After awhile Buffy calmed down, and they were forced to explain to the entire room about the day that wasn't. Buffy did understand why Angel had done it, truth be told she proably would have done the same thing had the roles been reversed. She was getting really tired of crying all of the freaking time though. It made her eyes all splotchy and blah! Spike listened silently from the stairs, his heart breaking with jealously and the pain his pet must have felt as her dreams got ripped away. He had felt like that when Dru had left him.
"That's deep B. But hey at least now you remember!" Faith made a pitiful attempt at lightening the mood, but finally settled on inviting Buffy to go out and patrol. Buffy agreed, and for the third day in a row, she took out all of her frustration on anything that had a "grrr... face"