Buffy fell down onto her bed for the first time in days. The endless
patrolling and guilt tormenting her constantly had taken a toll on her
already sketchy sleeping pattern. She didn't even change into different
clothes. She'd probably be awoken hours later by some crisis she'd have to
attend to. Buffy got beneath her warm comforter and sighed contently. She
felt herself slip from this reality into a deep sleep. Her thoughts upon
entering dreams were of Angel. Why did she feel so guilty for what happened
to him? Maybe if they had thought it through before entering such a
situation. Why did logic and reason have to go out the window when love was
involved? These thoughts faded as sleep came. Alas, her slumber was cut
short by a soft thud. Her eyes snapped open and she sat up quickly. Not
leaving her bed she called out,
"Whose there?" her eyes wandered to her window. She took in a sharp intake of breath upon seeing a shadowed figure standing there. She should have felt scared but instead she felt protected and calm. She pulled the covers up to her chin as the figure stepped into the moonlight that filtered in through her window.
"Angel," she gasped upon seeing him. This wasn't Angelus; this was Angel, her Angel.
"Buffy," he said, his voice full of pain and remorse. Buffy didn't know what to say. Anything she'd been dying to say over the past few weeks was lost inside of her. She couldn't seem to find the right words. He stood there in silence looking past her. Buffy wanted to believe this was real but how could something so wonderful be in this reality? Taking a deep breath she pushed the covers aside and got out of bed. The floor felt cold as it usually did at night. Everything felt real. Angel turned his eyes to her as she moved slowly towards him. She met his eyes. Such guilt laid there, so much torment. Buffy moved even closer to him. She now stood inches from Angel. She held her breath as she reached out a shaky hand. Her delicate fingers met warm flesh. She now knew this was a dream. Her fingers ran down his face making sure once again it wasn't real.
"I'm sorry," He quietly said. Buffy was startled by him suddenly speaking. She didn't know what to say so she hugged him with more passion then she ever had before. The tears fell from her eyes and stained his shirt. Crying made her feel better, it always had. Angel hugged her tightly in return.
"I don't want to loose you again," Buffy whispered into his ear, her voice choked with emotion.
"You'll never loose me," he responded ending their embrace, "why would I leave you?"
Buffy knew the tears were pouring down in rivers now. She still held Angel's hand in her own. How could he not know? Then it dawned on her. This Angel, this dream Angel, didn't know about what was going on in reality. It saddened her. She just wanted to hold him like she once did.
"Angel, we're not together anymore. There's no way we could be together."
"But we're together now aren't we?" he asked confusion in his voice. Buffy smiled weakly. she squeezed his hand gently and looked deep into his eyes.
"Yes, we're together now."
With those words she leaned in and kissed him softly on the lips. All the passion she felt while they were together was there but with a tinge of humanity as well. As their lips parted she seemed to carry apart of him with her. She let his hand go.
"I love you," she said. Angel nodded and turned back towards the window. Buffy felt her heart break. Why didn't he return her I love you? She knew this dream was too good to be true. She slowly got back into bed and turned her sight away from Angel. But, unknown to Buffy, as Angel turned from her he'd been crying and under his breath he'd uttered those three simple words, I love you.
Buffy awoke to an empty room. How did Angel visit her in her dreams like that? Now she had plenty to ask Giles tomorrow.
"Whose there?" her eyes wandered to her window. She took in a sharp intake of breath upon seeing a shadowed figure standing there. She should have felt scared but instead she felt protected and calm. She pulled the covers up to her chin as the figure stepped into the moonlight that filtered in through her window.
"Angel," she gasped upon seeing him. This wasn't Angelus; this was Angel, her Angel.
"Buffy," he said, his voice full of pain and remorse. Buffy didn't know what to say. Anything she'd been dying to say over the past few weeks was lost inside of her. She couldn't seem to find the right words. He stood there in silence looking past her. Buffy wanted to believe this was real but how could something so wonderful be in this reality? Taking a deep breath she pushed the covers aside and got out of bed. The floor felt cold as it usually did at night. Everything felt real. Angel turned his eyes to her as she moved slowly towards him. She met his eyes. Such guilt laid there, so much torment. Buffy moved even closer to him. She now stood inches from Angel. She held her breath as she reached out a shaky hand. Her delicate fingers met warm flesh. She now knew this was a dream. Her fingers ran down his face making sure once again it wasn't real.
"I'm sorry," He quietly said. Buffy was startled by him suddenly speaking. She didn't know what to say so she hugged him with more passion then she ever had before. The tears fell from her eyes and stained his shirt. Crying made her feel better, it always had. Angel hugged her tightly in return.
"I don't want to loose you again," Buffy whispered into his ear, her voice choked with emotion.
"You'll never loose me," he responded ending their embrace, "why would I leave you?"
Buffy knew the tears were pouring down in rivers now. She still held Angel's hand in her own. How could he not know? Then it dawned on her. This Angel, this dream Angel, didn't know about what was going on in reality. It saddened her. She just wanted to hold him like she once did.
"Angel, we're not together anymore. There's no way we could be together."
"But we're together now aren't we?" he asked confusion in his voice. Buffy smiled weakly. she squeezed his hand gently and looked deep into his eyes.
"Yes, we're together now."
With those words she leaned in and kissed him softly on the lips. All the passion she felt while they were together was there but with a tinge of humanity as well. As their lips parted she seemed to carry apart of him with her. She let his hand go.
"I love you," she said. Angel nodded and turned back towards the window. Buffy felt her heart break. Why didn't he return her I love you? She knew this dream was too good to be true. She slowly got back into bed and turned her sight away from Angel. But, unknown to Buffy, as Angel turned from her he'd been crying and under his breath he'd uttered those three simple words, I love you.
Buffy awoke to an empty room. How did Angel visit her in her dreams like that? Now she had plenty to ask Giles tomorrow.