The next morning Buffy felt like she was walking on air. She'd just had the best weekend of her life. Angel was human, he was here and he was her's. Things couldn't possibly get any better. Unfortunately, Buffy knew this was when things were most likely to go wrong.
As the day unfolded uneventfully, well apart from Cordy's little meltdown when she found out Buffy and Angel were dating. Buffy began to relax a little more. Having lunch sitting under a tree across from the school, safely seated on Angel's lap. Her friends around her, what more could she want?
Angel dropped Buffy home from school that afternoon with a promise to pick her up at 7 to go to the Bronze. As soon as she stepped through the front door and heard her mom shouting her name, she knew she was in trouble. Wincing as she made her way to the kitchen, she asked as innocently as she could, "What, Mom?"
"Don't 'what Mom", me, Buffy! I know Angel stayed here on Saturday night!" Joyce practically screeched at her. Buffy had never seen her mom so angry. How the hell was she going to get out of this one?
Quickly trying to think on her feet, she just let the words tumble out of her mouth. "Yes, Mom. Angel and Kathy both slept over Saturday night. Dawn and Kathy begged both of us to have Kathy sleepover so we finally agreed. After they went up to bed Angel and I watched a movie. He was going to go home afterwards, but by the time the movie finished, he was fast asleep on the couch. I didn't have the heart to wake him up, Mom. I just covered him with a blanket and went to bed. Nothing happened, I swear!" Buffy tried to give her mom the most innocent look she could.
Joyce narrowed her eyes at Buffy, then slowly closed them. Taking a deep breath before she replied, "But you are seeing Angel, aren't you?"
"Yes, he asked me out and now we're seeing each other. But all we've done is kiss. Which I'm sure both Dawn and Kathy will tell you. They both seem to love telling us how gross we are."
Joyce looked at her daughter, she wasn't sure if she believed her, but she wanted to. Before she could decide, Giles walked into the kitchen having just gotten home from work. He could feel the tension between Buffy and Joyce. "Is everything alright?"
Joyce turned to look at her husband. "It seems Kathy and Angel stayed the night whilst we were away in San Francisco"
"Oh?" Giles turned to look at Buffy, who managed to look sheepish.
"Buffy is trying to convince me that Angel slept on the couch only because he fell asleep during a movie. But I'm not sure if I believe her. Especially now I know Angel is her boyfriend."
Buffy's breath caught in her throat at hearing her mom call Angel her boyfriend. She knew her mom never approved of Angel before. But now even if her mom was mad at her, could it really be that bad? Angel was human!
"I'm thinking about grounding you, Buffy." Joyce's voice broke through Buffy's thoughts and made her shout, "But Mom!"
"Now Joyce, don't you think you're being a little hard on Buffy?" Giles said. "She says Angel slept on the couch and I'm inclined to believe her. Has she ever given us reason to not believe her before? She's very rarely in trouble."
Joyce sighed. Rupert was right. "Ok, Buffy I believe you. Rupert is right. You haven't been in any real trouble since we moved here. So you're not grounded. But next time…" Joyce looked at Buffy sternly. "I want you to tell me, I don't need to hear it from Dawn, is that clear?"
"Yes, Mom. Thank you." Buffy walked over to Joyce and gave her a hug. Pleasantly surprised Joyce hugged her back. Over her mom's shoulder, Buffy mouthed a "Thank you," to Giles. He gave her a little smile and nodded in return.
"I have homework I need to do before I go to the Bronze tonight," Buffy said as she bounded out of the kitchen and up the stairs.
"Dinner is at 6," Joyce shouted.
Dawn had been listening at the top of the stairs, anticipating Buffy coming after her. As soon as she saw Buffy on the stairs she let out a squeal and ran into her bedroom locking the door.
"Open the door, Dawn!" Buffy shouted as she banged on it.
"No, go away." Dawn squeaked. "You're going to kill me."
"I'm not going to kill you!" Buffy said, her anger increasing. "But I just might, if you don't open this door right now!"
"No!" Dawn squeaked.
"Goddamit Dawn!" Buffy shouted. Her anger boiling over. She couldn't believe her little sister had ratted her out when she'd let her best friend sleep over. Grabbing the doorknob on Dawn's bedroom door she began rattling it. Pushing and pushing until suddenly she broke the lock and the door flew open.
Dawn sat on her bed, looking at Buffy and the door in shock. "How did you…how did you do that?"
Buffy hadn't even noticed she'd managed to break the lock on Dawn's bedroom door. She was too angry. "Why did you tell Mom, Dawn?" Buffy asked, clenching her fists at her sides. Trying her best to reign her anger in.
"I didn't mean to!" Dawn said, looking up at Buffy with fear in her eyes. "I was telling Mom about the great weekend we had, how much fun it was having Kathy sleepover. It just slipped out that Angel made us this fantastic breakfast because usually we just get cereal when you're in charge. Please don't kill me."
Buffy looked at Dawn. She realised Dawn really hadn't meant to land her in it. She'd just let her excitement take over again. "Ok, Dawn I believe you. But in future, keep your mouth shut. Please?"
Dawn let out a breath of relief. "I will. Buffy, what are you going to tell Mom about my door?"
"Huh?" Buffy turned around and looked at Dawn's bedroom door. It was then she noticed the splintered wood and broken lock. Her mouth dropped open in shock. She shouldn't be able to do that anymore, should she?
"Oh crap!"
"Maybe Mom won't notice?" Dawn asked. Eager to stay in Buffy's good books. "You could ask Angel to fix it tomorrow after school? Mom always stays late at the gallery on Tuesdays."
"Good idea, Dawn. She'll kill me if she sees this." Looking around she quickly found a scarf hanging on Dawn's mirror and covered the broken doorknob with it. "Keep that on for now."
Dawn nodded. "Buffy, how did you manage to do that?"
Buffy looked at her sister and smiled. "You just manage to make me that angry."
When Buffy was in the privacy of her room she let herself think about what had just happened. Was it a fluke? Maybe she was just so angry with Dawn and didn't know her own (human) strength. Sighing, she needed to prove to herself that her strength wasn't returning. Not that she didn't miss it, she did. But, if it had returned, what else returned with it?
Looking around her room for something she could try and break, she ended up gazing in her closet. Spying a wooden coat hanger, she threw off the leather jacket that was hanging on it and took it over to her bed. Standing over the bed she put her hands on either side of the wooden hanger and tried to bend it. It split in half instantly. Splinters of wood littered the bedspread.
Buffy's mouth hung open. It wasn't a fluke. What else could she do? Locking her door so she wouldn't be disturbed, she turned her back to her door and in one quick motion, she was standing on her head, feet planted against the door. Quickly flipping over, she landed on her feet with all the grace of a Slayer.
She was confused. Why had her Slayer abilities returned? What did it mean? Or was it just an after-effect? Could she just use her skills to get an A in gym class now? Realising she had no idea, nor did she have any real way of finding out unless she went to visit the Oracles in L.A. again, something she had no desire to repeat. She settled on just seeing how things went and set about doing her homework.
At 7 as promised, Angel was waiting outside in his car to take her to the Bronze. She got inside the car with a goofy grin on her face, she still couldn't believe this was real! Angel just gave her an amused smile before heading off towards the Bronze. When they got there and headed over to Willow, Oz and Xander who had already commandeered the sofas, Buffy accidentally bumped into Cordy and Harmony. Cordy just made some sort of noise in her throat whilst looking Buffy up and down. Buffy wanted to say something, she didn't want to lose Cordy as a friend, but this was Angel! Before she could think of anything to say, Cordy just shook her head and walked away with Harmony following her.
"Hey," Angel said gazing down at her. "Don't let her get to you, she'll come around."
Buffy sighed. "I know, I just feel like a bad friend. She asked you out first."
"Well if it makes you feel any better, the moment I met you I was a goner. She didn't stand a chance with me anyway."
Buffy smiled, her insides feeling all warm and fuzzy. Angel had always been so sweet. She pulled him down for a quick kiss. They parted before it could get heated and headed over to their friends.
They spent the night chatting with their friends and dancing. On the dance floor once again and things were getting very heated between them. Angel was one step away from dragging her outside and taking her.
"God Buffy," he panted pulling away from her lips. "We have to stop before I take you right here on the dance floor!"
Buffy felt herself getting wet between her legs. She loved how he made her feel. Loved how much he wanted her. And most of all how free they were to go all the way without repercussions.
She pressed herself against him more and gasped when she felt how aroused he really was. "We could go somewhere?" She whispered. "Is your mom and Kathy home?"
He looked at her with heated eyes. "Unfortunately yes. I'm guessing your parents and Dawn are home too?"
She nodded. "Oh, we could go to Lover's Lane?"
Angel raised an eyebrow. "Lover's Lane?"
"Yeah. It's only 10 minutes from here in the car."
"And you'd be ok with that? In my car?" Angel asked trying not to sound too pleased. He didn't want to pressure her, but if she was fine doing it in his car he wasn't going to say no.
"Yes," Buffy said huskily, before pulling him down for another kiss.
Pulling away quickly before they got carried away again they made their way over to their friends.
"We're out of here guys," Angel said as he helped Buffy put her jacket on and grabbed his own from the back of the couch.
"But you haven't been here long," Willow said, disappointed. She'd gotten close to Buffy in the last few weeks and she enjoyed having another girl to talk to.
"I'll call you later, Will." Buffy gave her a look that promised her all the juicy details.
Willow smiled, "Ok, see you guys tomorrow."
They made their way to Lover's Lane and managed to find a somewhat secluded spot. Angel turned the engine off and turned to Buffy. "Are you sure about this Buffy? It was only your first time a few days ago, I don't want you to feel pressured into this."
Buffy just smiled, took off her seatbelt and climbed into the backseat. Angel just stared at her, a little shocked.
"Well are you going to join me or what?" Buffy giggled.
Angel broke out of his trance and practically jumped into the backseat with her.
Buffy straddled him and kissed him deeply before sitting back and pulling her dress over her head. Angel's eyes instantly dropped to her lace-covered breasts. He licked his lips before leaning over and taking a lace-covered nipple in his mouth. His hands wandered down her back to her ass. He squeezed her cheeks gently pulling her onto his erection.
Buffy groaned and began gyrating her hips over his groin. "Need you inside me now."
Angel quickly reached down and unzipped his jeans and wiggled pushing them and his boxers down over his hips. His hard cock bounced free standing up proudly. Buffy didn't hesitate. She moved the crotch of her panties aside and sat down on him, taking him inside her to the hilt.
They both moaned loudly at the sensation. Buffy began moving up and down. Soon she was bouncing on top of him. Her head was thrown back in ecstasy her breasts bouncing right in front of Angel's face. He pulled down the lace cups of her bra and cupped and massaged her breasts before taking a nipple in his mouth once again.
"Oh god!" Buffy moaned before she arched her back and screamed out, "Angel!" As she climaxed.
Angel let out a loud groan, grabbing her ass and moving her faster on his cock. He erupted inside her with her name falling from his lips.
Buffy fell forward, her head resting on his chest. "Wow!" She whispered.
"Yeah, wow!" Angel laughed.
Buffy lifted her head and looked into his eyes. They were full of love. She wasn't sure how, as he'd only known her for less than 2 weeks in this reality. But she knew her own eyes reflected the same love back at him.
Angel sighed happily. Wrapping his arms around her he said, "I know we haven't known each other long, but I'm falling for you, Buffy. I've never felt this way about a girl before."
Buffy's heart fluttered. God how she loved him so! "Me too!" She replied, "I've never felt this way either." It wasn't lost on her how similar their declarations were to those they'd spoken to each other in her other world before he lost his soul. She just hoped with everything she had that it wasn't a sign things we going to go wrong.
Angel kissed her lightly, before smacking her gently on her ass. "C'mon, we'd better get you home before your mom decides she does have reason to ground you."
Buffy giggled happily. She was practically floating as she fixed her underwear and put her dress back on.
They climbed back in the front seats and Angel drove her home. As Angel pulled up outside her house, Buffy asked, "Pick me up before school tomorrow."
Angel pulled a face. "Sorry I can't. I have to drop Kathy at school tomorrow as my mom is on an early shift."
"Ok, no problem. I'll catch a ride with Giles." She leaned over and kissed him. It soon turned passionate. Buffy pulled away reluctantly and let out a little laugh. "I'd better go."
She went to open her door before Angel pulled her back. Kissing her before he said, "Meet me outside before school starts and I'll walk you to class."
Sighing happily, Buffy replied, "Ok, see you in the morning." With one last kiss, she got out and walked to her front door before watching him drive away.
The next morning over breakfast, Buffy realised that Giles kept staring at her. "What? Do I have food on my chin?" She asked with her mouth stuffed with her cream cheese bagel.
Giles seemed to shake himself out of his thoughts. "Oh nothing, I was just thinking I could use your help before school this morning. We got a new shipment of books yesterday and I could use some help sorting through them."
"Really?" Buffy whined. "But I was going to meet Angel outside school before classes."
"Is Angel not picking you up for school today?" Joyce asked.
"No, he has to drop Kathy at school first today. His mom is working the early shift." Buffy replied.
"Well that works out well then," Giles said. "I'll take you to school and you can help me with those books. If we leave now you might have time to meet Angel before class."
"Fine!" Buffy huffed as she stuffed the rest of her bagel in her mouth. She jumped down from her stool and grabbed her bag. Waving goodbye to her mom and Dawn she followed Giles out to his car.
"Just so you know, I'm so going to use this when I need backup with mom in future." Buffy joked as she got into the car. Giles merely looked at her as he started the car and backed out of the driveway.
As Giles eased the car onto the main road he glanced at Buffy before saying, "Buffy, I remember."
"Remember what Giles?" She asked as she rummaged through her bag. Finding her lipgloss she pulled down the sun visor and began applying it to her lips in the small mirror.
Giles sighed, "That you're the Slayer Buffy. I'm your Watcher and Angel or rather Angelus was a vampire right up until a few months ago"
"What?" Buffy asked, so shocked she dropped her lipgloss on the floor of the car. 'Whe…when did you remember?"
"I had a dream last night. Or rather, my memories came flooding back to me in a dream last night. I remember everything that's happened since you moved to Sunnydale two years ago. Discovering Angel was a vampire. You dying at the hands of the Master. Angel losing his soul. Losing Jenny…" Giles swallowed a lump in his throat before continuing. "Angelus reigning terror on Sunnydale. You defeating him and stopping Acathla awakening. Then you running away. Searching for you."
Buffy just looked at him. Her mouth open in shock and tears welling in her eyes.
"Strangely I also remember everything I've done in this world too. My job as a librarian and my past in this world was all very normal and humdrum. Even though I remember loving Jenny, being devastated at her death. I'm still very much in love with your mother. It's actually all a little overwhelming if I'm being perfectly honest."
"Oh Giles," Buffy cried. And reached over to hug him when they stopped at a red light.
They were startled out of their embrace by a car horn behind them. "Oops," Buffy said.
The rest of the trip to school was in silence, both deep in their own thoughts.
Giles eased the Citroën into the school car park and turned off the engine. Buffy starred straight ahead. "Giles, when I first woke up in this reality, my Slayer strength had gone. I was just like any other human girl. But last night, I was angry with Dawn and she locked me out of her room. I broke the lock with one hand and I didn't even notice. My strength has returned. Now you've got your memories of the other world. What does this mean? Will everyone else get their memories too?"
Buffy could feel the panic bubbling up inside of her. "What about Angel, Giles? What….what if I go into school today and he's not there? He…he's dead again. Because I killed him!" Silent tears started falling down her face.
Giles turned to her, "Buffy, first of all, breathe. You need to calm down. As far as we know, we're the only 2 people who remember the other world. That I woke up with your mother this morning as usual shows that. There's no reason to believe that Angel won't be here today, just as human as he was yesterday."
Buffy took deep breaths to calm herself down. Pulling a tissue from her bag she dabbed at her eyes, hoping she hadn't ruined her makeup.
"In order to fully understand I think we need to start at the beginning. When do you remember last being in the other reality? Did you do anything to conjure up this reality? A wish perhaps? Or a spell?"
Taking a deep breath, Buffy explained to Giles about being in her tiny apartment in L.A. Working in the diner. Falling asleep crying, and somehow unconsciously making a wish that she was a normal girl and Angel was a normal boy. Waking up here, going to see the Oracles in L.A. Them confirming it was her wish that created this reality. How all evil had been purged from this world and she was now just an ordinary girl.
"Extraordinary!" Giles exclaimed. "We can't rule anything out at the moment. I'll consult my books…do I have my demonology books in this reality?"
Buffy let out a laugh. "You do have your private collection that you keep in your office. That's where I found the Oracles."
Giles gave her a look. "Well, that's where I'll start today then. In the meantime, try not to worry. I'm sure Angel will turn up at your meeting place as planned." Checking his watch he continued, "You'd better get going if you want to be able to see him before class".
"Right," Buffy said as she turned to open the car door. She stopped before getting out and turned back to look at him. "I know remembering everything we went through must have been unpleasant for you. But I'm glad I'm not going through this alone now."
Giles smiled at her, "So am I, Buffy."
Buffy waited for Angel in front of the school until well after the last bell for first period had rung. Realising she had to go to class she traipsed back into school with a heavy heart. Why wasn't he there to meet her? Had her fears become reality? Was he dead again? He never showed up to school, and Buffy spent the rest of the day in a state of panic. She spoke to Giles at lunch but he didn't seem overly worried.
As soon as last period finished she was speed running out of school and to Angel's house. She knew her mom was picking up Kathy today and having her stay for dinner. She didn't know whether Angel's mom would be home or not.
She reached his house in less than 10 minutes. Not even breaking a sweat, something she knew she wouldn't have been able to do if her Slayer abilities hadn't returned. She rang the doorbell and knocked on the door frantically. Praying in her head that he was just ill and he'd answer the door with a smile on his face.
Nothing happened. The door didn't open and it was quiet inside. Knocking again and calling out his name, she tried the doorknob hoping it was unlocked. It was. She let herself in, calling out to him again. The house was pretty dark, all the curtains and blinds were closed. She gulped, that was not a good sign.
"Angel?" She called out again as she entered the living room. She could barely see the furniture let alone make out the form on the armchair.
"What the fuck do you want?" The form on the armchair slurred at her.
Swallowing Buffy said, "Angel? What's wrong?"
He let out a bitter laugh, before standing and wobbling his way over to her. "You've got some fucking nerve asking me that!" He said, waving the whiskey bottle in his hand at her.
Buffy felt tears prick her eyes. He sounded like he was in so much pain. "Angel, please."
"Angel, please." He mocked her. "What? Did you expect your boyfriend to just be all fine and dandy with being a cold-blooded killer?" He laughed then, before taking a swig of whiskey.
He sounded so much like Angelus she felt fear prick at her heart. If it weren't for the raw pain she could hear in his voice, she would think he was Angelus.
"Angel, what's happened?" She approached him then. She needed to know. Needed to feel if he had a heartbeat or not. She pressed her hand to his chest just over his heart. There was a reassuring thump, thump, and she sighed in relief.
Angel grabbed her hand and pushed her away from him. "Just checking I'm not still dead? Which do you prefer when I'm fucking you, Buffy? When I'm warm or when I'm cold?" He laughed again bitterly. "I'll bet you prefer me cold, don't you? You're sick like that!"
"Angel!" Buffy said taking a step back. "What…what's gotten into you?" Tears ran freely down her cheeks now.
"You know," he said. "I've been having these awful violent, sick, evil nightmares my whole life. They're full of blood, carnage, rape and sick violence. I always thought I was crazy. I've seen every therapist and psychologist in Ireland. None could give me a diagnosis or tell me what caused the nightmares. They'd just give me pills to calm me down and help me sleep. I'm supposed to be seeing my new therapist next week. But I don't need to now, do I?" He laughed bitterly again. "I know exactly whose fault it is that I've spent my whole life feeling like this fucked up sick bastard."
He looked her in the eye then. What she saw there scared the life out of there. Amongst the palpable pain swirling in his irises was a chilling coldness she'd only ever seen on one other person, Angelus. Buffy shook her head. "No," she sobbed.
"Yes, Buffy. It's your fault. My whole fucking life is a lie, isn't it? Those nightmares that haunt me aren't nightmares at all. They're memories. All that fucking evil violence was real, and I was the one that did it all. With a song in my heart."
Buffy reached for him, "No, Angel. I…I…"
He moved before she could grab hold of him. "What? Do you think everything will be alright now that I'm human? You think because you made a wish to get your perfect little life we could all live happily ever after?"
Buffy shook her head again. Sobs make her body shake so badly she couldn't speak.
"Well there is no happy ever after Buffy, you of all people should have learnt that by now. Do you know when I got up this morning and saw Kathy sitting in the kitchen eating her breakfast all I could see was her cold dead eyes looking up at me after I'd ripped her throat out?"
He continued before Buffy could reply. "How the fuck do you think that feels Buffy? Imagine if that was Dawn and you remembered feasting on her blood and loving every minute of it. Do you think you'd be able to look at the person responsible for changing your whole world and feel love for them?"
Buffy didn't answer, she couldn't. Her sobs kept on coming, tears falling from her face and down her chest.
"Answer me!" Angel screamed at her.
Buffy just shook her head. He grabbed her by her upper arms, dropping the whiskey bottle in the process. Neither heard it smash as it hit the floor. He shook her harshly. "Do you have anything to say for yourself? Anything at all?"
Buffy shook her head, unable to form the words in her mouth.
He let go of her then and pushed her away so hard she fell on her butt. "Get out!" He said.
"Angel please, I love you." Buffy cried, getting off the floor.
Angel grabbed her by the arms again. "Love? Love? How can you love me? You don't even know me! Not this human version and definitely not the vampire version! All you care about is yourself! You just wanted to get out of your sacred duty. If you loved me you would never have sent me to hell! Do you know I remember every single second of being in that god-forsaken place? I can smell the burning charred flesh of demons as they were tortured. Hear the screams of the tortured souls that were condemned to be there for eternity. Feel the hot pokers and blades as they tortured me. Still hear the laughing of my tormentors!"
Buffy looked at him in horror. How could this happen? How could the Powers That Be, be so cruel? Her shoulders shook as her body racked with sobs.
"Do you know what this is doing to my mind, Buffy? I'm only 18 years old, yet I've got hundreds of years of memories stuffed into my head overnight. I can't tell what's real and what isn't. I feel like I'm going fucking insane! And it's all because you made a fucking wish!"
"I'm sorry." Buffy cried meekly. She never wanted this. She'd rather die than hurt Angel. He was right, this was all her fault.
Angel pushed her away from him again. "Get the fuck out of my sight, you disgust me!" He spat at her.
Buffy turned and ran. Tears pouring down her face. Somehow she managed to make it home.