"Willow, I need to talk to you." Buffy said storming into her best friend's apartment room.
"Sure Buff, what going on?"
"He's back."
Willow froze. "Wh-who?"
"Angel."
"Oh my God." Willow's hand rose to her mouth. This was definitely not good. She had just gotten engaged to Riley and all of the sudden Angel shows up. After five years for that matter.
"Will, I don't know what to do!" she cried. "I was all prepared to marry Riley and I even got engaged to him! Riley's so sweet and nice. I would be crazy not to marry him! But then... then he showed back up and we kissed... God Will!"
"Buffy," Willow sat down next to her friend. "I like Angel; you know that I always have. But... I don't think that he... I think you should marry Riley."
Buffy's head shot up. She couldn't believe this. Willow was her best friend in the whole world and she was telling her to marry Riley!
"Angel would do anything for you. He would die for you if he had to. But, he's a vampire Buffy. Things between you two could get complicated. How are you going to act when you grow old and when he stays the same? Or when the issue of having kids comes up?" Willow sighed. "For the longest time, I wished that Angel would come back all of the sudden. You two just looked so in love, you were always so happy when you were with him. I know a part of you died when he left. I just don't want to see that happen again."
"It's just..." Buffy started "When we kissed, I- I felt like I was home again. I haven't felt that way in so long. My brain tells me that I should go to Riley, that that's the smart decision. But my heart... my soul, tells me that I belong with Angel."
Willow put a supportive hand on Buffy's shoulder. "You have to do what you think is right. Whoever it is, I'm behind you."
"Thanks Will."
"Mom I'm home!" Buffy called. She was relieved that Angel earlier that morning had left to go live at his old apartment again. She would have a hard time explaining to her mother that her 'tutor' had all the sudden come back and she was having mixed feelings about him and her fiancé'.
"In the kitchen!" her mother called. Buffy took of her coat and hung it on the rack. She just didn't know what to do. She knew Willow wouldn't tell anyone what was going on until she figured things out but...
"Buffy," before Buffy could finish her thought Riley came up and gave her a suave kiss on the cheek.
"Hey, what are you doing here?" she asked.
"Oh, I was walking by and thought I'd visit you. I was thinking we could tell your mother about us tonight." He whispered.
"Sure." She replied shakily. "Umm, mom, could you come in her for a second." Better now then later.
From the kitchen walked Joyce Summers. "Mom, Riley and I would like to tell you something."
Joyce smiled at her daughter. She was pretty sure she knew what was coming. She had heard Buffy and Willow talk about it a couple times over the past couple of weeks. "Yes, what is it?" Joyce asked, sitting down in an overstuffed chair in the living room.
Buffy and Riley, following her lead, sat down on the sofa right across from her. There hands entangled in one another's. "Mom, Riley and I, well... we're engaged to be married." Buffy said, with a fake grin on her face.
"Oh my God! That's wonderful." Joyce immediately went over to hug her daughter and her new son in law. "Welcome to the family." She said to Riley. Beaming she looked at the two of them. "I'm so happy for you two. Riley, you will be so good for Buffy; she's seemed so out of place lately and... I know that you're exactly what she needs."
"I just want you to know, that I love your daughter, and I will never let anything ever happen to her." Riley said. Joyce, misty eyed and all gave Riley another big hug.
"I'm sure you won't." Dabbing her apron at her eyes she turned to Buffy. "I'm so happy for you pumpkin."
"Thanks mom."
Sighing Joyce looked at her daughter. Something was wrong. This should be one of the happiest moments of her life. Someone who didn't know Buffy as well as she did would think she was happy. Her smile was wide and bright, but her eyes, they were filled with sorrow. "Well, I better call the rest of the family. You'll stay for dinner won't you Riley?"
"Of course Ms. Summers."
"Oh, call me Joyce now. I mean, after all, you are part of the family." And with that she walked away.
Riley looked down at Buffy and squeezed her hand. "The worst is over." He whispered to her.
"No, it's not." Buffy mumbled to herself before heading into the kitchen after her mother.
Knock, Knock, Knock.
"Hold on!" It was almost dawn and Angel was just getting ready to go to bed when he heard the knock at the door. Not that he really minded. He wasn't surprised at who it was when he opened the door. She was really the only one who knew where he lived, or who even visited him for that matter. What he didn't expect to see though was her looking up at him, tears running down her cheeks.
"Buffy, what wrong?" he asked, motioning her too come in. Shutting the door behind them, he turned to see what had happened praying to god that she wasn't hurt. He was greeted though with her lips on his. The kiss was filled with passion and sorrow and it didn't end until they were both breathless.
"Buffy, what..."
"Don't." she said forcefully, cupping his cheek in her palm at the same time. "Just kiss me." She whispered to him.
And so he did. Both of them fumbling towards the inevitable.