Summary: Buffy manages to convince Angel to stay. Joyce lets her secret slip.

Shipper: B/A.

Rewritten Episode: 'The Prom'.

Author's Notes: Third on my rewrite series. This is very short, so sorry.

Disclaimer: The show belongs to Joss Whedon. And the title I took from a Faith Hill's song, 'The Way You Love Me'.

Rewriting The Love-Story, by BabyBella

3 – The Way You Love Me

Angel had expected Buffy to burst into tears, to kill him, to yell at him, to plead for their love. He was prepared to all of this, had steeled his heart against her charms. He was doing what was best for her. Even if it killed him, leaving her was best for her. Joyce was right. What could a vampire with an unstable soul offer to a human girl?

But he wasn't ready to the calm determination that sparkled inside her eyes. He wasn't ready for her mature argumentation, for her chilled reaction.

"No", Buffy said. Angel looked at her, confusion shining inside the dark brown orbs.

"No what?"

"No, you're not leaving me", she said firmly. "Not until you look me in the eye and tell me you don't love me and don't want to be with me".

Angel sighed desperately. His slayer, his love was stepping closer and closer, until she had her flesh tightly against his, and her lips were brushing slightly against his.

"Kiss me and tell me you don't desire to be with me", she whispered seductively. Angel obeyed his heart's orders. He pulled her very close to him and crushed his lips to hers hungrily. Buffy was smiling brightly when they broke their kiss. Angel had a little smile of his on the lips as well.

"Tell me now that you don't want to be with me", she demanded.

"I…" He paused and almost chuckled at the fear inside the hazel gems where he could drown easily. "I love you".

She sighed with relief, and then smacked his arm.

"Don't you ever – ever – try to scare me like this, do you understand me?" Her eyes were shining seriously. "If you ever leave, I don't know what I'll do. I need you, Angel".

Angel hugged her tightly.

"I need you too. Come, let's go".

"Where?"

"I'll drive you home".

She hugged him tightly, loving the feeling of his cool skin against hers. How would she live without him next to her, to help and love her?

"I am home", she whispered.


Joyce was waiting for her daughter anxiously. She wanted to be sure that Angel had broken up with Buffy. Joyce knew that Buffy believed she was in love with that monster, but Joyce knew it was only a crush. Every girl falls in love with a bad boy once in her life.

But Joyce was perplexed when she saw Buffy walking in with a wide smile plastered in her lips.

"Mom?" Buffy frowned seeing her mother waiting for her. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at work?"

"Oh… Hum… Err… It's my day off", Joyce lied. "Kim can handle the gallery quite well. Where are you coming from, honey?"

"Sewers. Angel and I were tracking a demon down".

"And how is Angel?" Joyce asked. Buffy frowned, her mother never asked about Angel before, but thought it was nice of her to do so.

"Now he is cool. But he had this big guilt-trip earlier when we were down there. You know, the whole 'you-need-light' crap".

"So, he really listened to me", Joyce whispered happily. Buffy's sensitive ears picked it up, and she frowned.

"Why would Angel…" Suddenly she understood everything, and a cold rage filled her. "You told Angel to leave me!" She exclaimed.

"Yes, sweetie, I did. Don't thank me, it's…"

"THANK YOU?" Buffy screamed. "Why would I thank you? Jesus, mom!" She said sarcastically. "Well, I shouldn't be surprised. What could I expect from a woman who tried to make barbecue of me?"

"Buffy!" Joyce exclaimed. Buffy raced to her bedroom and, minutes later, reappeared with two duffel bags on her hands. "Where are you going?"

"Moving out", Buffy shot back coldly. "Cause I can't be around you anymore. Now goodbye".

"Elizabeth Anne Summers!" Joyce yelled. "You come back here right now! I'm your mother, and you owe me obedience".

"No, I don't", Buffy replied coldly. "I am old enough to help America pick the president and, long before that, I carry the fate of world on my shoulders!"

"If you walk out that door, you don't need to come back!" Joyce said as a last trump. Buffy gave her a tired look.

"Again? Almost a year ago you gave me the same ultimatum and I still walked away. I killed Angel, and I left. And you were dying with despair".

"Buffy, please…" Joyce begged. Even so, Buffy left.


Angel had just gotten into bed, when someone knocked. Sighing, he got up and opened the large oak doors, only to fall on his back when someone launched itself and fell on top of him. The warm skin and the sweet scent of vanilla told him it was his beloved. The wet feeling on his neck told him she was crying.

"Baby?" He asked, worried.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!" She mumbled against his neck. Angel, worried sick, made her look at him. The sadness and redness in her hazel eyes got him even more worried.

"What for, honey?" He said as he got up and took her on his arms. He walked towards the bedroom, her duffel bags clutched tightly to her.

"For my mother's visit and saying God knows what".

Angel suddenly understood and kissed her forehead softly.

"No need for this. She just caught me on the top of a really long time of brooding. Yes, it hurt to see that she did not like me, but I'll deal with it. If dealing with her means to be with you".

"No, being with me means no dealing with her at all. Even if it meant, she is not the one supposed to like you. I am", she said, throwing her duffel bags on the floor next to the bed. Angel looked at the bags and then questioningly at her. "No, I'm not going to travel", she replied, kissing his neck. "I'm moving in".

Angel bit his tongue. She was, again, acting like they were a normal couple. But, just for once, he would give in to her idea of normalcy. He smiled brightly and kissed her.

THE END

Next Time In 'Rewriting The Love Story': 4 – Bringing Angel To Life: Buffy won't give up easily on her love for Angel – rewrite to 'Graduation Day, Part II'.