The Way it Should have Been

Chapter 2

Author's Note: Thanks so much for the reviews! I'm glad people are liking it so far! This is just my opinion of what will happen after Buffy stopped Acathla. There's much to be discussed; the future of Buffy and Angel's relationship now that they know about the curse, they need to talk about what happened with Angelus, and also, Joyce kicked Buffy out. Where's she going to go now? LOL. As you can see, there is more to the story! Thank you kat461 for your review, it was really sweet. And to skye-lark913: Nope. That wasn't the end. You can look forward to more chapters; although I'm not sure how many… . I started off writing a DC story, thinking it'd be like, 10 chapters ,and here it is 30s'thing and it's not even done yet!

Disclaimer: Why us fan fiction writers have to include one of these is beyond me. It's universal knowledge that the person behind creating this show and these wonderful characters is a man named Joss Whedon. Me? I'm just borrowing them for a little bit!

Buffy walked around town for a little while, having no other place to go. She couldn't go to school cause she was kicked out, she couldn't go back home and just lock herself up in her room since her mother kicked her out. So after leaving the mansion, Buffy decided to just walk around for a while, thinking about everything; in particular her and Angel. Could they resume things between them after the destruction Angelus had done all around? Seen what he was capable of doing? Buffy shook her head, trying to shake out the thoughts and images of Angelus and everything he had done. She didn't have to worry about him anymore, not if she and Angel didn't… her thoughts trailed off once more as she came to a familiar place. Realizing he wasn't home, Buffy paused before continuing up the walkway.

When she opened the door, she felt a small sense of comfort. She slowly walked further into the apartment, closing the door behind her.

"Better than the streets," she said to herself. She looked down at her filthy, wrinkled clothes wishing she had something better to change into. Deciding not only Giles probably wouldn't have anything to her liking and that it'd be too gross to even think about wearing her watcher's clothes, Buffy dropped the subject and walked towards the couch. She hadn't slept al night, she had been to busy saving the world from her lover. Pushing all thoughts out of her head, Buffy curled up on Giles' couch and fell fast asleep.

She woke up later that evening to the sound of someone in the kitchen. Slowly sitting up, she looked over at the clock on the wall. Wow, I slept all day, she thought to herself. She looked over at Giles, who was busily preparing food. As if he could sense her gaze on him, he looked up and smiled, seeing her up.

"Buffy," he said warmly, waking his way into the living room, sitting beside her on the couch.

"Hey," she said softly. "I'm sorry for just letting myself in and falling asleep, but.." Giles raised his right hand up.

"Please, your more than welcome into my house; anytime," he said.

Buffy smiled. "Thanks." The two just sat there in silence for a few moments.

"So…H-how's everyone?" she asked, knowing a few of her friends got knocked around during the apocalypse, Willow the worst.

"Uh, they're all doing better. They we're all asking and, and…wondering about you actually," he said. "Myself included."

Buffy gave a weak smile. "I've been better," she admitted. "Last night, uh.. Mom kicked me out after I told her about being a vampire slayer," she explained. "Hence my being here."

Giles looked at her for a second, surprised to hear that Joyce would kick Buffy out of the house. "I-I'm truly sorry, Buffy. If you need a place to stay…" he offered. "My guest room is available."

"Thanks. I may have to take you up on that offer actually," she told him. Giles smiled.

"For right now, I just don't know what I'm going to do about my mom," Buffy said. "I mean, it's not like she needs to know where I'm staying."

"Buffy," Giles said. "I'm sure she would appreciate knowing where you we're."

"Yeah, and I know I sure would appreciate not being kicked out of my own home," she said, standing up and stretching. The old couch was comfortable, but a little small for her tall frame.

"It can't be easier on her, Buffy. You must remember what it was like learning about all that you know now," he pointed out.

"It wasn't just that Giles, she just…wouldn't accept it; any of it," she told him. "She told me…she told me that I needed help and that she didn't want me going anywhere. After I told her that I had to go, she told me that if I left the house, not to think about coming back, so I left," she explained. Giles sat there quietly.

"I see," was all he said. Giles then stood up carefully and winced, from Angelus torturing him, Buffy figured. She looked at the watcher, now only getting a good look of how badly beaten up he really was. It appeared he had a few broken fingers, cuts, a black eye and a few bruises, all from Angelus.

"I know you may not want to discuss this at the moment, but.." he began.

"He's gone," Buffy said simply, not wanting to discuss what had happened at the mansion, and get into how Angel was no longer Angelus. Buffy knew Giles probably hated Angel for the murder of Jenny Calender, even though it wasn't he who had killed her.

"Hey, I gotta go out… for a while," she said, gesturing to the door. It wasn't like she needed permission, but she kinda felt it was polite to do so anyways.

"Oh, o-of coarse," Giles said.

"You sure?" she asked.

"Yes, if you need to go somewhere, you can. I'll leave the door open for you in case you don't get back 'till later," he told her.

"Thank you Giles; for everything," she said before leaving.

Buffy felt a sense of panic after going to the mansion only to find the place empty, except for Acathla, who remained in the large room like a ghost; or more like a reminder of Angelus and the almost end of the world the night before. She quickly thought about the other places he could possibly be. It wasn't like he was weak, so he could be anywhere. Ohmigosh, maybe he left town thinking I'd never want to see him again? The thought alone scared Buffy more than anything she had ever faced. She couldn't picture life without Angel- even though the night before she was preparing herself for just that. True, she lived without Angel for months, but even seeing Angelus gave her a weird sense of comfort and hope. But if he ever left Sunnydale… she shuddered just as rain began to come down.

"Just great," she mumbled to herself as she continued on. Although the thought of walking back to Giles' house where it was warm and dry was tempting, the thought of seeing Angel was even greater. Realizing Angel could be in one other place, Buffy prepared herself as she headed there.

A few minutes later, she stood in front of his old apartment door, preparing herself as she hugged herself and shivered. The last time she had been in there was the morning after she and Angel had made love… when Angelus had said all those mean things about her. She squeezed her eyes shut, pushing back the hurt and tears that came along with those thoughts. But it's all over now, she told herself.

She raised her hand to knock just as the door opened.

"Hey," he said warmly as he stood in the doorway.

"Hey. Can I come in?" she asked, not wanting to talk to him out in the hallway.

"Of coarse," he said, stepping further into the apartment, so that Buffy could come in. She gave a small smile as she closed the door behind her.

"Your wet," he observed. Buffy looked down at her wet shirt, then looked back up.

"Yeah, it's raining outside," she explained.

"Let me get you a towel," he said before disappearing out of the room. Buffy stood there, her gaze traveling all over the apartment. So many memories…

Just then, Angel came back into the room, towel in hand.

"Here," he said as he handed her the towel.

"Thanks," she said, then began to pat herself dry. "I uh, I dropped by the mansion to see how you we're, and you we're gone…" she paused. "So I figured you'd be here," she explained.

"Yeah, I didn't want to risk Giles seeing me if he decided to drop by," he explained.

"Oh," she said simply. The two stood there for a few minutes in an awkward silence, the seconds ticking away slowly.

"So.." Angel began as he motioned to a chair, for her to sit down. Buffy smiled before walking over and taking a seat.

"So," Buffy repeated.

"We've got a lot to talk about, a lot to talk through; about Angelus, and…" he trailed off, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. "Everything else."

Buffy nodded. "I know."

"Does anyone else know about me? About Angelus being gone and me being me again?" he asked. Buffy paused for a second.

"No. No one knows," she admitted. "And I don't plan on telling them. At least not right now." Angel nodded. "I understand."

"I just want to think about how I'm going to tell them, ya know? Try and figure all of this; stuff between you and me, before everyone else is up to speed," she explained.

"You and me?" he repeated.

Buffy sat there for a second. "Well yeah. I-I mean, I'm not saying we have to jump back into a relationship or anything," she began. "Because we have to talk about things, and I don't know, maybe things won't work out, may be they will, but I just don't want everyone else knowing when there are these many 'I don't knows,'" she rambled. Angel smiled.

"What?" she asked.

"You we're rambling," he pointed out. Buffy shyly smiled and blushed slightly, reminding her of what she was like when she had first met him. Before they started dating. Before things got so complicated, so real..

"Oh," she said, slightly embarrassed. There was an awkward pause between the two of them as they locked gazes with one another.

"So your going to stay here now?" she asked, breaking the silence.

"Yeah, I don't really care too much for the mansion," he explained. Buffy nodded, looking around at the familiar surroundings.

"Well, I should probably get going," Buffy said as she stood up. Angel quickly stood up and followed her to the door.

"Yeah, okay," he said. "I mean, it's getting pretty late; your mom might get angry," he said. Buffy smiled at the way he still worried about her. She was able to fill him in about her "eviction" but decided to save it for another night.

"I'll stop by tomorrow," she promised.

Angel nodded. "I'll be here." She smiled before walking out of the apartment, her heart aching so badly she felt like it was literally breaking.