Hey y'all! Sorry I've made you wait for this, but I've been really busy. Anyway, I'll try and post as regularly as I can because, well, BA yummy goodness cannot be denied. I've absolutely adored the feedback I've gotten on this (it's proving to be the most popular fic I've ever written) so thank-you in bucket loads for taking the time to write, I really do appreciate it. And there is a distinct possibility that more of that 'friends' script will come to light. I'll have to wait and see how it fits.
I'll let you get on and read this now:
Weasy
Part Five
//When it comes to ethical choices, reason has little to do with it. Humans are as much animal as anything else running on instinct and need, instead of morality. But ever so often nobility rears it's head.//
Having extracted herself from the groups of friends Kat ran back to the living room. Slipping inside she carefully shut the door behind her.
The room looked like a bomb had hit it, cushions were scattered around the floor, a spilt bowl of popcorn had glued itself to the rug and a stack of scripts were piled next to the sofa… where her brother and Buffy were curled, sleeping, in each other's embrace.
Kat paused, breath hitched at the sight before her. Angel was stretched full length across the couch, his face was buried in the blonde tresses of Buffy who lay half on top of him, trapped in his arms, their legs impossibly tangled. It looked for all the world like they had fallen asleep in the middle of a heated make-out session. But this was her brother, well known for his worldly exploits and his ways with woman. He didn't *stop* at just kisses, but the pair were both fully dressed if a little rumpled. Waking slightly Angel pulled Buffy closer pressing a kiss to her crown and murmuring, "Ionuin," as he did so.
Harshly snapping out of her self imposed reverie, Kat jumped into action. Hurrying over she shook Angel's free shoulder. Blearily opening one eyes Angel ran his gaze over her. "What are you doing?"
"What are *you* doing?" She replied pointedly. Buffy chose this moment to wake up. Scrunching one fist against Angel's chest she yawned sleepily. Opening one eye she took in Angel intensive gaze. Jumping up in shock she stumbled on the pile of scripts and landed hard on the floor.
"That couldn't have been anymore embarrassing." Struggling up she took the hand that was offered to her, to meet Kat's puzzled brown eyes. "Oh, no, I was wrong." Dropping Kat's hand she brushed herself off and tried to look anywhere but at Angel's form, stretched out so invitingly on the sofa.
"What are you doing Buffy?" Kat demanded, "God, this place reeks of alcohol, were you trying to seduce my brother?"
"Yeah, I always seduce men in my yummy sushi pyjamas." Buffy cut back scathingly.
"The alcohol is… it doesn't matter." Angel interrupted, pulling himself to his feet he winced at the bright light. "And anything between Buffy and I is none of your business Kat."
"Of course it's my business! Is it your intention to sleep with everyone I know? You all ready did my sisters!"
"I didn't sleep with Faith." Angel intoned, "Only Kate." He added. Buffy balked at his admission, of course she had always known it was stupid to get involved with someone as famous as Angel but some part of her had hoped that the night before had meant something. But it was just naive of her. Backing further away from the siblings she studiously avoided Angel's gaze. "Is there something you wanted?" Angel finally let out.
"Buffy's friends are here." Kat replied sulkily. Buffy glanced at her new friend, wary of her sudden change in attitude. Her friends, a huge piece of her jumped up ecstatic that she would be able to divulge her friends in all the things she had learnt the day before. But the rest of her knew that despite her words the night before, she wouldn't be able to tell them about what happened with Angel. Still having the Scooby gang here would make any torment she was due to suffer distinctly more bearable. Without a word Buffy ran out of the living room across the lobby to her friends, leaving Angel and Kat behind her. If only she could do the same with her thoughts.
When Buffy ran into the games room at full pelt, only ploughing to a stop when Xander and Willow swallowed her in hugs, it was silly given that she'd seen them the day before but for all the excitement, it hadn't been the same without them. Stepping away she ran her eyes over the crumpled pair in front of her, Willow was smiling so wildly Buffy thought she might explode with excitement, and Xander was grinning in much the same way. Motioning for them to sit Buffy collapsed of the sofa, with Cordy and Oz – and everyone started to talk at once.
Fifteen minutes later the scramble for attention had slowly died down into a civilised retelling of events, well, if civilised allows for continuous interruptions with comments, questions and hysterical laughter. Buffy finally rounded off her own tale (missing out her night with Angel – that could wait for a more private conversation with Willow) and Xander started on his.
"When we'd been waiting at the Bronze for about an hour, we decided to go to your house and check on you."
"You decided." Cordy interrupted. "I was all for waiting until Cibo Matto finished their set."
"When we got there-" Xander interrupted, raising his voice to cover Cordy's, "The door was bust open, so we thought someone had broken in, and we immediately set about trying to find you."
"We thought you had been tied up in a closet or something." Willow added
"Someone broke into my house?" Buffy yelped, eyes wide in shock.
"Yeah, we looked around the whole house and it didn't look like anything had been taken, but…"
"You could've missed something." Buffy finished glumly.
"I'm sorry Buffy." Willow gave her friend a quick hug, smiling reassuringly.
"We went down into the basement looking for you, and someone locked the door behind us."
"I thought you said it was reporter's that had you stuck in the basement, sounds kinda burglary." Doubt clear in Buffy's voice.
"They were! We were banging on the door to get it open and whoever it was said they're let us out if they gave us a story about Angel."
"You didn't-"
"No. We've told him we'd never even met him, which is true and so he just left us there after a while other reporters arrived when they unlocked the door they were all bearing down on us for information so we decided we were safer in the basement and locked ourselves back in." Willow finished in one long stream of sentence.
"Then what?" Buffy finally asked to fill the silence that had settled over the room. Xander and Cordy flushed bright red and Oz stifled a small laugh.
"Gunn burst through the door at about four o'clock, and Cordy and Xander tried to attack him with cuddly toys for charity."
"They were the first things to hand!" The mass of giggles that erupted at Xander's attempts to defend himself sent Buffy sliding to the floor in tears. Only to find herself facing a pair of shiny black shoes. Pulling herself to her knees, and craning her neck to face the owner she surveyed the chocolate brown eyes for long minutes before finally saying.
"You have big feet." Realising a moment later what she'd said horror struck through her body. "Suddenly wishing I hadn't said that." Angel just pulled her to feet smiling wickedly at her discomfort.
"Why's that?"
"You know what they say, big feet, big… shoes." She replied distractedly, conscious of the fact that he hadn't removed his arms from around her waist and that her friends were all staring at her. A slow smile crept across her face. Turning to face her friends she exchanged a glance with Willow, who's open mouth appeared to be catching as Xander's jaw slowly slid open. "Uhm, so this is Angel. And he… er… lives here. This is Xander, Willow, Oz and Cordelia." Buffy introduced, pointing helpfully at each person in turn. Short hello's were exchanged, Willow in total awe of the man in front of her, Cordy was shooting daggers at Buffy, and Xander at Angel something that while Buffy noticed it she couldn't explain, Oz, ever the taciturn guy just nodded politely, apparently unfettered by Angels' presence. Another moment passed before anyone could speak.
"So are you going to be showing us around LA?" Cordy questioned, her doe eyes sending 'take-me' vibes to Angel, who shifted uncomfortably.
"Uh… no. Giles sent me to find Buffy."
"Oh." Cordy replied disappointed.
"But it's almost seven thirty so you should probably all meet Wes."
"Who's Wes?" Willow finally choked out.
"The teacher." Buffy pouted.
"The what?" Xander near yelled. "That's *so* not fair!" Angel appeared unmoved by this.
"Kat can show you the way." Dragging Buffy by the hand out the door she only caught a glimpse of Kat's disapproving glare and Xander's exclamation that if they had to learn stuff Buffy ought to as well, as she was propelled down another endlessly long corridor and deep into the west wing of the house. Finally stopping when the others were well out of sight Angel pinned her against the wall, quickly claiming her lips with his. Tongues fiercely duelling Buffy mewled against his mouth, leaning into his embrace to rub herself wantonly against him, he responded in turn pulling her hips firmly against his so she could feel every contour of his body in explicit detail, Buffy pulled away gasping for breath.
"You feel… Why are you doing this to me?"
"I don't know." Angel's answer left Buffy uncertain, not that she hadn't been uncertain before, it appeared that Angel's desire for her wasn't simply because of his vodka-induced state the day before… but something more. It wasn't anything boyfriend/girlfriend-y it felt as though they'd gone past that stage all ready but as much as the idea of letting Angel take her in the hallway appealed, she couldn't let herself do it. She wouldn't allow herself to be used by the man she trusted so intimately… when he didn't know what his intentions were, there was little hope of anything long term.
Sensing her disappointment and hesitation Angel nuzzled her neck gently leaving a series of reassuring licks and nips as he kissed his way to her ear, pausing with his lips a hairsbreadth away she sighed heavily at the delicious feelings he invoked in her. "I want you." He whispered softly his breath sending ice-cold shivers down her spine. Leaning back a little to make eye contact he stepped regretfully away. "This can't ever be anything, Buffy."
"I know." Her words caught in her throat and she fought back the urge to cry with disappointment.
"But I can't walk away."
"We have a few weeks at least."
"Yeah." A soft half-smile graced Angel's face and Buffy once again fought the urge to cry, she loved him so much, and he wanted her, but the world was in their way. No one would understand if Angel went out with a High School girl, and she couldn't bear it if she ruined his reputation.
"So does Giles really want to see me?" She finally mustered, trying to tear her thoughts away from her and Angel's never-gunna-happen relationship.
"Yes actually. He said he found some broadswords in the wine-cellar, naturally I volunteered to find you, can't have you wandering these dangerous hallways alone…" The playful smirk returned and Buffy relaxed into the atmosphere. Linking arms with Angel she sauntered down the corridor, somehow having a non-relationship with Angel was looking good. "Now Miss Summers, would you care to explain the broadswords?" Buffy laughed lightly.
"At least he didn't find some ice-skates, then you'd *really* be worried!"
//"Maybe it would be best if you didn't tell anyone about this." Anna to Will in Nottinghill. Chances of any quelled passion staying dead? Slim to none.//