CHAPTER TWO: TEN YEARS LATER

A/N: I'm so sorry I haven't updated in like 2014893217497 years, but things have been so hectic lately. School, family, friends, love life. Yeah w/e but my new years resolution is to update my fics so here I am slaving over the computer. Lol jkjk I love doing this … okay so I REWROTE THIS STORY AGAIN, BUT THERE ISNT MUCH CHANGE IN THIS CHAPTER. Hope you guys enjoy looks around embarresedly!

Ten Years Later:

Buffy shot out of bed blindly slamming her alarm. She stumbled out of bed, wincing at her reflection in the mirror. She was getting to old for clubbing. Stumbling into her bathroom, she groaned as the telephone started ringing. It was way too loud for her hung-over brain to handle.

"Shut up!" Unfortunately the phone didn't listen to her and continued ringing. Looking at the distance between her and the phone Buffy decided to let the machine pick it up.

"Hi! It's me, Buffy. If you're getting this message then obviously I'm not picking up. So please, leave a message and I'll give you a ring back once I feel up to it. Just kidding, I'll ring you up when I get home."

Turning around, Buffy turned on the shower. The machine clicked and a familiar voice filled her room.

"Hey Buffy, it's me Riley. I hope you're not picking up because you're at work already, but anyways, what do you say about dinner tonight at the Four Seasons? If you don't call me back then I'll take it that you mean yes and that you'll meet me at eight in the lobby of your apartment. If you do call me back then we'll reschedule. Okay? Okay. Bye honey, love you."

Buffy stepped into the shower, moaning as the warm water hit her back. Riley Finn was the perfect guy … lawyer, handsome, successful, and most importantly … good with her mother. He was a big leap from the bad ass men she had dated before him. Buffy picked up her soap as she thought about her ex-boyfriends. There weren't many serious ones … just …. The soap dropped out of her hand as she thought of him. The thick brown hair, the puppy dog eyes, and the way her name rolled out of his mouth. Buffy sniffled and pinched herself. She had Riley now, Riley who was going to take her to Four Seasons. Angel was of the past.

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Angel leaned back looking up at the sky light on the roof of his loft. It provided the needed lighting for him to work on his paintings without having to pay the huge amount of money on the electric bill. Hearing the door open, Angel sat up.

"Spike?"

"Peaches! Where you brooding these days." Angel sighed, opening his bedroom door and letting Spike into his room. Spike grinned cheekily at him and dropped down on the floor examining Angel's newest painting. Angel closed his eyes and prepared himself for the onslaught of criticism from Spike. However, nothing came. Angel opened one eye and peeked down curiously.

Spike was examining the painting with a shocked expression on his face. He looked up at Angel, "Wow mate. What the hell is this?"

"It's that bad?" Angel asked, sitting down next to his bleached-blond English friend.

"Are you kidding me?" Angel lowered his head in defeat. "It's the best damn painting you've done all year." Angel looked up confused.

"Don't give me that look. How the bloody hell did you do this?"

"I don't know, I just closed my eyes and painted." Angel shrugged and looked at the painting. The painting was of a bed with a woman sleeping on it.

"Who's the painting about?" Spike asked. Angel closed his eyes and remembered his golden girl. He remembered the scent of vanilla and the promises or love and forever. He remembered the feel of her skin, the way she pouted when she didn't get what she wanted.

Spike peered at Angel, "Is this a painting of ... what's her name ... Buffy?"

Angel jumped up, "How the hell do you know Buffy?"

Spike laughed, "Mate, you think of me too highly if you think I don't read your "personal" stuff."

Angel glared at him, he really tried, but instead he ended up sighing and sliding down next to Spike again.

"Yes, it's a painting of Buffy."

Spike looked at the painting and back at Angel, "Tell me more about this ... Buffy ..."

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Buffy slouched in the lounge chair. The door crashed opened and Willow stomped in.

"Hi Buffy," she yelled.

Buffy winced, "Please don't do that!"

"Do what?" Willow asked, peering over her shoulder looking at her best friend.

"Yell, talk, or breathe. The little man in my head likes to pound a lot."

"Little man ... oh!" Willow said, understanding. Pulling a chair out, loudly, she sat down.

"Must all your actions be so loud?"

Willow laughed, "I'm not loud, the little man in your head is sensitive." Buffy glared and put her head down. Willow laughed again, opening her can of Coke.

"So ... what's the verdict about tonight?" Willow asked as softly as she could.

"I'm going out with Riley. We're going to the Four Seasons."

Willow gasped, "Oh my goddess! Four Seasons? That's the place guys take their girlfriends when they want to get engaged."

"Engaged?"

"Yes engaged! Hitched!" Willow yelled, excitedly.

"Ahhh!" Willow, please tone it down." Buffy grabbed her head in pain.

"Ohh. I'm so sorry." Willow looked down at her friend, sympathetically. "How about I get you a cup of coffee?"

"Oh! Would you? Thank you soo much, you are the bestest friend ever." Buffy looked up at Willow hopefully. Willow smiled and got up.

"I'll be right back."

Buffy dropped her head back down onto the table running over in her mind what Willow had just said ... That's the place guys take their girlfriends when they want to get engaged! Hitched!

Shooting up Buffy gasped, "Oh my god."

A/N2: REVIEW PLZ!!!! IT'LL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED