A/N Thank you so much to Orchid6297, blip-dragon, sandy-eco, Faith04, Tariq and melluvben for reviewing the last chapter. Ok, and I am sorry that this update is a little, well, late. Heh, but you have to understand, it's not my fault, really, it's the school's, complain to them! Oh, and the next chapter, well, wont be out for a week or so because I'm going to be out of state, and about ten hours away from a computer I wont get yelled at for using....
Disclaimer: I'm getting a little tired of repeating myself....
Summary: Buffy's just a normal girl who's lost her way in the world, but what happens when another lost soul captures her heart, and refuses to give it back?
But It Feels So Right
Buffy sighed the other day last been quite hectic for her, even though everyone, well, Angel at least, was trying to help her out. It was a lot for her to go through, and get over real fast, and Angel understood that, which was why he never seemed to push her, if she didn't feel up to it.
But even with his help, she was feeling overwhelmed. The lawyer that the police department had sent over had been nice, and actually seemed to care about the case, unlike the cops who had sent him over, and Buffy was glad. She needed someone who would care enough about the case to at least sit down and listen to her about what had happened, and tell her what they could do to win.
(Flashback)
"Ms. Summers, it's nice to meet you." The young black man said when Buffy opened the door.
He didn't look like he was any more than seven or so years older than Buffy, and judging by his young look, she figured he must be fresh from college.
"It's nice to meet you to Mr...." She trailed off, not knowing the man's name.
"Gunn, Charles Gunn." He said politely, chuckling when Buffy blushed in embarrassment.
"Right, Mr. Gunn." She amended, stepping aside so that he could enter.
"Please, just call me Charles, or Gunn, everyone else does." He said as Buffy closed the door, and led him into the kitchen.
"Alright Charles, then you can call me Buffy,"
He smiled, and sat down at the table, Buffy followed in suit. Then he brought his brief case up and set it down on the table, opening it up. He searched through it, and pulled out some papers, looking at them.
"Ok Buffy. The police filed a report on your case because of the call they received from a neighbor about the noise. When they got down to your house, they had seen what happened, and were obligated to write a report on it." He looked up from the papers at her to make sure she was following.
Buffy nodded at him, then asked him to continue.
"Seeing as this reports your case as one of domestic violence, and you are, as of now, still a minor, when the case is won, you will be subjugated to live with relatives until you turn eighteen." Charles said, and Buffy liked the way he had said, 'when we win', instead of 'if we win'.
He looked back down at the papers, and flipped the page. "If you don't have any relatives, you will be put in foster care." He paused, "Yeah, I know foster care isn't exactly what you want if that's the only choice, but you would probably be able to choose where you wanted to stay because you are almost eighteen."
Buffy nodded again, letting all of this sink in. She had relatives she could live with, but they were in LA, and she didn't want to go live with them for another eight months if it meant she couldn't be with Angel. She didn't think she could let him go, even if she had to, not after what he had done to help. Wondering about this, Buffy figured Charles wouldn't mind if she asked a question.
"But what if I have relatives, but I would rather stay here?" she asked, and he looked up at her again.
"Well, that depends on the circumstances. If your relatives are far away, you can choose to stay here. Or, if you have a close relation to a person here in Sunnydale, I'm sure it could be arranged." He said, and then looked around, "I take it this is where you've been staying for a little while?"
"Yeah, for a couple of days, and I was wondering if I would be able to stay here, instead of heading to LA where my Aunt lives, because I am almost eighteen."
"I'm sure you'll be able to, if we can prove that this will be a stable environment for you to spend the rest of your minor years."
"Minor year." Buffy corrected, "In fact Minor Months."
He laughed, "What ever you want to call it, now let's get back to business shall we?"
(End Flashback)
Charles had told her a lot about how the case was going to run, but mostly about how they were going to need witnesses, and questions to ask her father. Buffy had been a little unsure of her witnesses, there was Angel, and her mother, but technically because her mother had watched the abuse and not done anything about it, as Charles explained, she could be punished to. Buffy wasn't really keen on going up against her mother, even though she hadn't done anything to help her daughter when the abuse had begun, up until now. In fact, Buffy hadn't seen her mother for the last couple of days, even when she had returned to her house.
Buffy shook off the thoughts of the trial when Angel entered the room. She smiled at him, and he came to sit down next her.
"So, how did yesterday go, with the lawyer," he asked, "I fear that you forgot to mention it."
"Fine," Buffy said, remembering that Angel hadn't been there for the meeting, he had been at school like his father wanted him to be.
"And how were things at school?"
"Willow and Xander were a little bit concerned about you running off like that, and Willow says she desperately needs to talk to you about something. I didn't ask what it was, just told her I'd tell you." He said, confused at the look Buffy was giving him. "What?"
"You didn't tell them, did you?" she asked.
"No, I didn't, said it was personal reasons, and they didn't ask any more questions. And I'd figured you eventually tell them anyway." He explained.
"Thank you." She said, and leaned up to kiss him.
He smiled when she pulled away, "Maybe I should be nice to you more often...." He mused, and she smirked.
"Well, it definitely pays in your situation to be on my good side."
Angel smiled again, Buffy had been a little more open with him for the last couple of days, and she seemed to be able to handle her case of her own, though if she needed him he wouldn't hesitate to help. He was proud of her for being so strong, and happy that she was finally getting herself out of this mess, even if he had had to give her a gentle nudge to get her going.
There was also the fact that she seemed more comfortable around him, and though she hadn't exactly met his parents yet, he was sure she wasn't going to 'hide' from them.
"Yes, I'd say it would."
Buffy laughed, "So what do you say about getting out of the house for a while? I mean, I've been a real pain making you stay in for a while, and plus, your dad's kind of mad at you for not going outside a lot."
"Yeah well, he can get over it if you'd rather stay inside. Really, it's up to you."
She looked thoughtful for a second then looked outside through the sliding glass doors, wondering what she could do that would allow Angel to have some fun for once.
"How about we.... um.... I don't know, why are you making me choose?" she asked, pouting, "All this thinking is hard...."
He laughed, "Because if you want to get out of the house, you need something to do, and I want you to pick that something."
"Can we go to the beach?" she asked, looking up at him.
"Sure."
"Can Willow and Xander come?"
Angel frowned, wanting it to be a thing for just them, then decided they probably needed contact with some other humans, especially Buffy. She hadn't seen her friends for a couple of days because she had been missing school.
"Sure, you call them, and then we can go pick them up."
Buffy smiled, "Thank you." She said before going to pick up the phone.
Angel sighed and sat down in the kitchen, waiting for Buffy to make her arrangements so that they could get going.
(::::::::::)
Buffy picked up the phone, and dialed Willow's number. It rang five times before someone picked up.
"Hello?" a voice asked.
"Hello, is Willow there please?" Buffy asked politely.
"Yes, may I ask who's calling?"
"Buffy Summers."
"Alright Buffy, hold on."
Buffy heard the phone tap the tabletop as it was put down, and a 'Willow, phone!!' being yelled. The yell was answered by an 'ok mom, one sec!', before the phone was picked up again.
"Hello?"
"Hey Will, it's me."
"Buffy? Are you ok? Where have you been? No one's heard from you, and you just kind of disappeared at school with Angel, and everyone's talking about what they think happened, and there are so many rumors going around...."
"Woah, slow down Willow. I'm fine, and I've been at Angel's for the last couple of days, nothing to worry about." She reassured her friend, stopping the babble that was streaming out of her mouth. "And what's this about rumors?"
"Oh, there are a couple going around that you were kidnapped, and maybe two about your father having skipped town with another woman. And a one of the girls thinks a bunny ate you.... But I'm pretty sure no one believes her." Willow told her, remembering how fast the teens in Sunnydale were at making up rumors.
"That's a little weird, but I'm fine, just needed a little bit of time to work some things out."
"What kind of things?"
"I'll tell you later."
"Ok, so if you didn't call to explain your absence, why did you call?"
"I wanted to invite you to come with me and Angel to the beach."
"Sounds like fun, you can count me in!" Willow said excitedly.
"Oh, do you know Xander's number? I was going to invite him too, but I don't know his number by heart yet."
"How bout I give it to you later, and you can talk to him now, he's sitting next to me, trying to hear every word you're saying."
"Ok."
"Hey Buff, everything ok?" Xander asked, and Buffy almost smiled, Xander had a way of always sounding cheerful.
"Yeah, I'm fine Xand. Just wondering if you'd like to accompany Will, Angel, and I to the beach."
"Sure, me and Will were planning to go today, but our parents couldn't drive, and we didn't feel like walking."
"Well, Angel said he's driving, so no one will be walking today." She said, happy that both her friends were able to come, and hoping Angel wouldn't be annoyed with her for suggesting they come.
"Alright then."
"Ok, see you guys in about a half an hour?"
"Sure, bye Buff."
"Bye Xander."
Buffy hung up the phone, and made her way back into the kitchen, sitting down next to Angel.
"They're both coming, but we have to make one stop before we get them." Buffy told him.
"And where's that?" he asked.
"My house. I need my beach stuff." She explained, and he grimaced.
"Right, your house, then we pick up the rest of your Scooby gang and head to the beach." He said, running through the plans, still looking a little unhappy that Xander and Willow were coming.
She hit his shoulder lightly, and rolled her eyes getting up, "C'mon Mr. Sullen, let's get going."
Angel shrugged, and stood up, following her out front to his car.
A/N um.... Yeah a lot of dialogue in this chapter, not a lot happening towards the end either, sorry about that. To tell the truth, this is probably why I stop writing stories after a while, they start to get kind of boring, and I tend to get writer's block, so tell me if you want me to continue and I'll try to get a chapter out before I leave on Wednesday.
Bloody SunSet
Disclaimer: I'm getting a little tired of repeating myself....
Summary: Buffy's just a normal girl who's lost her way in the world, but what happens when another lost soul captures her heart, and refuses to give it back?
But It Feels So Right
Buffy sighed the other day last been quite hectic for her, even though everyone, well, Angel at least, was trying to help her out. It was a lot for her to go through, and get over real fast, and Angel understood that, which was why he never seemed to push her, if she didn't feel up to it.
But even with his help, she was feeling overwhelmed. The lawyer that the police department had sent over had been nice, and actually seemed to care about the case, unlike the cops who had sent him over, and Buffy was glad. She needed someone who would care enough about the case to at least sit down and listen to her about what had happened, and tell her what they could do to win.
(Flashback)
"Ms. Summers, it's nice to meet you." The young black man said when Buffy opened the door.
He didn't look like he was any more than seven or so years older than Buffy, and judging by his young look, she figured he must be fresh from college.
"It's nice to meet you to Mr...." She trailed off, not knowing the man's name.
"Gunn, Charles Gunn." He said politely, chuckling when Buffy blushed in embarrassment.
"Right, Mr. Gunn." She amended, stepping aside so that he could enter.
"Please, just call me Charles, or Gunn, everyone else does." He said as Buffy closed the door, and led him into the kitchen.
"Alright Charles, then you can call me Buffy,"
He smiled, and sat down at the table, Buffy followed in suit. Then he brought his brief case up and set it down on the table, opening it up. He searched through it, and pulled out some papers, looking at them.
"Ok Buffy. The police filed a report on your case because of the call they received from a neighbor about the noise. When they got down to your house, they had seen what happened, and were obligated to write a report on it." He looked up from the papers at her to make sure she was following.
Buffy nodded at him, then asked him to continue.
"Seeing as this reports your case as one of domestic violence, and you are, as of now, still a minor, when the case is won, you will be subjugated to live with relatives until you turn eighteen." Charles said, and Buffy liked the way he had said, 'when we win', instead of 'if we win'.
He looked back down at the papers, and flipped the page. "If you don't have any relatives, you will be put in foster care." He paused, "Yeah, I know foster care isn't exactly what you want if that's the only choice, but you would probably be able to choose where you wanted to stay because you are almost eighteen."
Buffy nodded again, letting all of this sink in. She had relatives she could live with, but they were in LA, and she didn't want to go live with them for another eight months if it meant she couldn't be with Angel. She didn't think she could let him go, even if she had to, not after what he had done to help. Wondering about this, Buffy figured Charles wouldn't mind if she asked a question.
"But what if I have relatives, but I would rather stay here?" she asked, and he looked up at her again.
"Well, that depends on the circumstances. If your relatives are far away, you can choose to stay here. Or, if you have a close relation to a person here in Sunnydale, I'm sure it could be arranged." He said, and then looked around, "I take it this is where you've been staying for a little while?"
"Yeah, for a couple of days, and I was wondering if I would be able to stay here, instead of heading to LA where my Aunt lives, because I am almost eighteen."
"I'm sure you'll be able to, if we can prove that this will be a stable environment for you to spend the rest of your minor years."
"Minor year." Buffy corrected, "In fact Minor Months."
He laughed, "What ever you want to call it, now let's get back to business shall we?"
(End Flashback)
Charles had told her a lot about how the case was going to run, but mostly about how they were going to need witnesses, and questions to ask her father. Buffy had been a little unsure of her witnesses, there was Angel, and her mother, but technically because her mother had watched the abuse and not done anything about it, as Charles explained, she could be punished to. Buffy wasn't really keen on going up against her mother, even though she hadn't done anything to help her daughter when the abuse had begun, up until now. In fact, Buffy hadn't seen her mother for the last couple of days, even when she had returned to her house.
Buffy shook off the thoughts of the trial when Angel entered the room. She smiled at him, and he came to sit down next her.
"So, how did yesterday go, with the lawyer," he asked, "I fear that you forgot to mention it."
"Fine," Buffy said, remembering that Angel hadn't been there for the meeting, he had been at school like his father wanted him to be.
"And how were things at school?"
"Willow and Xander were a little bit concerned about you running off like that, and Willow says she desperately needs to talk to you about something. I didn't ask what it was, just told her I'd tell you." He said, confused at the look Buffy was giving him. "What?"
"You didn't tell them, did you?" she asked.
"No, I didn't, said it was personal reasons, and they didn't ask any more questions. And I'd figured you eventually tell them anyway." He explained.
"Thank you." She said, and leaned up to kiss him.
He smiled when she pulled away, "Maybe I should be nice to you more often...." He mused, and she smirked.
"Well, it definitely pays in your situation to be on my good side."
Angel smiled again, Buffy had been a little more open with him for the last couple of days, and she seemed to be able to handle her case of her own, though if she needed him he wouldn't hesitate to help. He was proud of her for being so strong, and happy that she was finally getting herself out of this mess, even if he had had to give her a gentle nudge to get her going.
There was also the fact that she seemed more comfortable around him, and though she hadn't exactly met his parents yet, he was sure she wasn't going to 'hide' from them.
"Yes, I'd say it would."
Buffy laughed, "So what do you say about getting out of the house for a while? I mean, I've been a real pain making you stay in for a while, and plus, your dad's kind of mad at you for not going outside a lot."
"Yeah well, he can get over it if you'd rather stay inside. Really, it's up to you."
She looked thoughtful for a second then looked outside through the sliding glass doors, wondering what she could do that would allow Angel to have some fun for once.
"How about we.... um.... I don't know, why are you making me choose?" she asked, pouting, "All this thinking is hard...."
He laughed, "Because if you want to get out of the house, you need something to do, and I want you to pick that something."
"Can we go to the beach?" she asked, looking up at him.
"Sure."
"Can Willow and Xander come?"
Angel frowned, wanting it to be a thing for just them, then decided they probably needed contact with some other humans, especially Buffy. She hadn't seen her friends for a couple of days because she had been missing school.
"Sure, you call them, and then we can go pick them up."
Buffy smiled, "Thank you." She said before going to pick up the phone.
Angel sighed and sat down in the kitchen, waiting for Buffy to make her arrangements so that they could get going.
(::::::::::)
Buffy picked up the phone, and dialed Willow's number. It rang five times before someone picked up.
"Hello?" a voice asked.
"Hello, is Willow there please?" Buffy asked politely.
"Yes, may I ask who's calling?"
"Buffy Summers."
"Alright Buffy, hold on."
Buffy heard the phone tap the tabletop as it was put down, and a 'Willow, phone!!' being yelled. The yell was answered by an 'ok mom, one sec!', before the phone was picked up again.
"Hello?"
"Hey Will, it's me."
"Buffy? Are you ok? Where have you been? No one's heard from you, and you just kind of disappeared at school with Angel, and everyone's talking about what they think happened, and there are so many rumors going around...."
"Woah, slow down Willow. I'm fine, and I've been at Angel's for the last couple of days, nothing to worry about." She reassured her friend, stopping the babble that was streaming out of her mouth. "And what's this about rumors?"
"Oh, there are a couple going around that you were kidnapped, and maybe two about your father having skipped town with another woman. And a one of the girls thinks a bunny ate you.... But I'm pretty sure no one believes her." Willow told her, remembering how fast the teens in Sunnydale were at making up rumors.
"That's a little weird, but I'm fine, just needed a little bit of time to work some things out."
"What kind of things?"
"I'll tell you later."
"Ok, so if you didn't call to explain your absence, why did you call?"
"I wanted to invite you to come with me and Angel to the beach."
"Sounds like fun, you can count me in!" Willow said excitedly.
"Oh, do you know Xander's number? I was going to invite him too, but I don't know his number by heart yet."
"How bout I give it to you later, and you can talk to him now, he's sitting next to me, trying to hear every word you're saying."
"Ok."
"Hey Buff, everything ok?" Xander asked, and Buffy almost smiled, Xander had a way of always sounding cheerful.
"Yeah, I'm fine Xand. Just wondering if you'd like to accompany Will, Angel, and I to the beach."
"Sure, me and Will were planning to go today, but our parents couldn't drive, and we didn't feel like walking."
"Well, Angel said he's driving, so no one will be walking today." She said, happy that both her friends were able to come, and hoping Angel wouldn't be annoyed with her for suggesting they come.
"Alright then."
"Ok, see you guys in about a half an hour?"
"Sure, bye Buff."
"Bye Xander."
Buffy hung up the phone, and made her way back into the kitchen, sitting down next to Angel.
"They're both coming, but we have to make one stop before we get them." Buffy told him.
"And where's that?" he asked.
"My house. I need my beach stuff." She explained, and he grimaced.
"Right, your house, then we pick up the rest of your Scooby gang and head to the beach." He said, running through the plans, still looking a little unhappy that Xander and Willow were coming.
She hit his shoulder lightly, and rolled her eyes getting up, "C'mon Mr. Sullen, let's get going."
Angel shrugged, and stood up, following her out front to his car.
A/N um.... Yeah a lot of dialogue in this chapter, not a lot happening towards the end either, sorry about that. To tell the truth, this is probably why I stop writing stories after a while, they start to get kind of boring, and I tend to get writer's block, so tell me if you want me to continue and I'll try to get a chapter out before I leave on Wednesday.
Bloody SunSet