Disclaimer: In my dreams at night they call to me.
AN: I know on Ats that Angel sings at Lorne's club and can't carry a tone to save anyone's life, but I say you can pick a theory. 1) That the spell Sweet casts makes everyone sing better. 2) You can pretend the karaoke never happened. 3) Maybe he can sing if it's not Manilow. lol
Song - The Heart of the Matter by Don Henley (I took out one whole verse and changed a couple of words like she to he, nothing major just to make it flow a little better and not overwhelm you with lyrics)
I have so many ideas and songs that I would love to use. I might have to do a couple of one-shots, so I can do a couple of others. Let me know if anyone's interested.
"Buffy can we talk?"
Buffy glanced back and forth at each vamp nervously. "Um, yeah sure. Spike could you-"
"Bugger that! I'm not gonna leave you alone with him!" He moved to stand between them, pulling Buffy slightly behind him.
"Spike! It's ok just wait for me inside. I'll just be a few minutes." The blonde wavered before finally stepping to the side to make his way to the front steps.
"Nice to see your still whipped William." Angel smirked before turning back to Buffy. Spike turned quickly fist clinched.
Spike! Please for me, don't!" Buffy pleaded, stepping forward to place a hand on his chest.
"Bloody hell!" He growled before turning and enters the house slamming the door behind him. Buffy jumped as she heard the windows rattle with the force of the jolt. Without saying a word she spun furiously punching the brunette in the face knocking him back several steps.
"Damn it! What was that for?" Holding his nose. Knowing he shouldn't have even bothered to ask. He knew before he even spoke that he was going to pay for the remark. He just couldn't seem to stop himself.
"That was for Spike." Tossing her hair back over her shoulder. "Now what are you doing here?
I got the call today,
I didn't wanna hear
But I knew that it would come
Realizing he was singing again Angel made a face at Buffy, silently asking her for help. The slayer just shrugged and sat down on the step to wait out the performance.
An old friend of mine was talkin' on the phone
He said you found someone
And I thought of all the bad luck
And the struggles we went through
And how I lost me and you lost you
Angel paced back and forth crooning out the verses. Wow he broods and sings at the same time. Buffy's eyes following him as him continued to wear a path in the yard.
What are those voices outside love's open door
Make us throw off our contentment
And beg for something more?
Wonder what's going on in L.A. He looks really stressed. If I didn't know vampires didn't age I would swear he looks older. She had just seen him a couple of months ago and he hadn't looked this fatigued. Or had he?
I'm learning to live without you now
But I miss you sometimes
The more I know, the less I understand
All the things I thought I knew, I'm learning again
After all the excitement with Darla and getting Fred reacquainted with the world. Cordelia and her visions. Buffy dying and then coming back to life. So many things in his life were askew; he didn't even know where to start. Buffy and Spike, together, that was just one more thing to add to the pile and hope that the stack didn't come crashing down.
I've been tryin' to get down
To the heart of the matter
But my will gets weak
And my thoughts seem to scatter
But I think it's about forgiveness
Forgiveness
Even if, even if you don't love me anymore
Does she still love me? Am I still in love with her? We have both changed so much. When we first fell in love I thought that we would always be together. How did we get here anyway? Oh yeah! Curse, Angelus, I left, she died, she was brought back, now were singing. I can't forget to ask about the singing.
There are people in your life who've come and gone
They let you down and hurt your pride
Better put it all behind you, life goes on
You keep carryin' that anger, it'll eat you up inside
I better enjoy this while I can. Probably never see Angel do this again. Did I just here a snicker coming from the general direction of my house? Yup, there's the shadow by the window. If Angel knew Spike was listening he would probably stake himself. I should have known he wouldn't go far. We so have to work on this jealousy crap, but the little voice in the back of my head keeps asking what if it had been Dru? I could have handled that. As she pictured Drusilla alone with him singing to him about her feelings ... that bitch is dust!
I've been trying to get down
To the heart of the matter
But my will gets weak
And my thoughts seem to scatter
But I think it's about forgiveness
Forgiveness
Even if, even if you don't love me
I realize suddenly that I'm o.k. with this. Not Buffy with Spike, cause that's just wrong, but she's seeing someone. I've been seeing other people. Ok maybe not so much with the seeing as sleeping with Darla, with the possibility of seeing other women. I not unattractive. I know that Fred's interest in him was mostly hero worship but there were other women out there. We both need this. We need to move on, forgive each other for past mistakes and get on with our lives.
I've been tryin' to get down
To the heart of the matter
Because the flesh will get weak
And the ashes will scatter
So I'm thinkin' about forgiveness
Forgiveness
Even if, even if you don't love me
"Angel? Are you finished?" Buffy asked quietly.
"Uh, yeah I think so. What's with the singing anyway?" As he moved to sit down beside her.
"We're not sure. The gang is in research mode as we speak. Going out on a limb and guessing demon. Either that or evil bunnies." At Angel's confused look she sat up straight looking sheepish. "It's just a theory!"
"Yeah well you need to hurry up and kill whatever it is. It's just creepy, but not quite as creepy as seeing you and the bleached wonder melded at the mouth" He added wryly.
Buffy jerked back to look him in the eye. "Have you been spying on us? How did you even find us anyway? Are you going to do this every time I get a boyfriend?"
"One, I was not spying. A contact called and told me you were having trouble and I came to help. Two, Dawn told me you went to Spike's crypt to talk to him, until then I thought it was him you were having trouble with, at least that's why my contact kind of implied. Well he actually said something was going on with you two, I just never thought it would be this. Three, did you just say Spike was your boyfriend" The smirk on his face letting her know that he was only teasing.
"Yes I did say Spike and boyfriend in the same sentence. He's changed Angel. He's changed because he had to. The chip pretty much didn't give him a choice, but it didn't make him help us the last couple years. It didn't make him protect Dawn, before and after I died. It didn't make he suffer though torture from a hell god to save a teenager he barley knew. It didn't make him help the Scoobies patrol the whole time I was gone. He did that for me. He did what he thought I would have wanted. Even when he thought there was no way he would ever see me again, because he made a promise to me. He could have left anytime he wanted, but he didn't. He stayed because he loves me, and I love him. You should know that you're the first person I've told, besides him of course." As she finished she looked into his eyes, not finding total acceptance but enough to give her hope.
"So what you're saying is that there's still a chance he could be a pile of dust tomorrow?" He asked hopefully, rubbing his shoulder after she hit him for his joke.
She sobered quickly as she thought about what he had said. "That's not very funny. You don't think they would do that do you?"
"I can only hope. You know how understanding Xander is." Glancing over to see the panicked expression on her face he added softly. "If it's what you want they will just have to deal with it. You shouldn't have to answer to anyone else about your life. Plus you deserve to be happy, life is to short, or at least it would be if you could stay dead."
"So is this what you came for? A little singing, a little snooping, all mixed in with advice about my love life?"
"No, but I'm glad I came. Helps put things in perspective. Are you sure this is what you want? He can be a real pain in the ass sometimes" Pointedly looking at her door the blonde vamp had disappeared though earlier.
"Bugger off Peaches!" startling both occupants on the stairs before they burst into laughter.
"Yeah, I kind of got that a while back!" Buffy smiled as she got to her feet. They each stepped forward to hug before they could hear the growl coming from behind the front door. "I better go in. I'm sure he will be brooding for days now as it is."
"Take care and make sure to tell him if he hurts you, he's dust." She watched him walk down the sidewalk before she took a deep breath and turned to go inside. She would be making cocoa for weeks.
TBC