Single
By Maddy

Summary: Buffy doesn't want to be single anymore, so where does Angel fit in?
Rating: PG
Spoilers: The later seasons of Buffy and Angel (I would like to think that anyone who would bother to read this would have watched most of or all of either BtVS/Ats. It just seems strange to read about something when you don't have a clue what it's about. Sorry, it may just be me).
Timeline: Years after NFA, Buffy and Xander are having a picnic in a rare bit of sun in England.
Disclaimer: I own nothing that other people already do, i.e. Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel the series and it's characters are not mine, never will be (unfortunately), they do however belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy etc, etc…
Dedication: To Katie, for being my very first beta (this is the first thing she beta-ed for me)!
Feedback: As always and for bloody ever, yes please!
Author's Notes: I'm in a bit of a mood, as you could have told from the above ridiculously long-winded stuff above. Hey, it's really late and I'm tired. This is short and it's going to stay that way: no more parts after this one (and no sequel)!

"Do you think we'll ever be happy like them?"

"Like who?"

Xander pointed to the couple sitting on the bench across the grass. We were having a picnic, us dateless single loser types have to stick together. Willow's with Kennedy, Dawn's with her friends and a possible new boyfriend. And me, I'm sitting in the beautiful sun, in a beautiful park, in a beautiful city with my best friend who is a boy.

The couple was laughing and smiling, kissing and cuddling. I felt a rush of jealousy; they can be with the one that they love and I can't, don't get me wrong, I love Xander, but not in that way.

"Do you?" asked Xander again.

"I wish I had an answer, but I don't."

"Do you want to?"

"Of course, silly." I punch him on the arm, I held back as much as possible, but Xander still made an 'ow' sound and began massaging his arm. "You can be such a baby, sometimes."

"You're the Slayer-"

"I'm a Slayer. I'm not the only one anymore."

"That doesn't change the fact that you can still kill me with your bare hands - you know you could probably do it with one hand."

"So, do you want to be happy like them?"

"Of course, silly." He playfully punched my arm. It didn't hurt a bit. But I let out my own 'ow' noise. He laughed and bit into his huge sandwich. "But I am sick of it."

"Of what?"

"Being single."

"Oh, that. I'm sick of it too."

"Oh, no you don't." Xander put down his sandwich on the picnic blanket. "You don't have to be single."

"Xand, please don't bring him into this. Angel is of the past-"

"And I'm the Queen of England, pull the other one, Buff. Angel and you…are Angel and you. You can't get over him, he can't get over you. It's impossibly impossible."

"No, I can be over him if I want to be." I tried to lie, unconvincingly by the way. "I can…okay. I wish I could. There, you happy? I really wish I could, but I can't because I still love him."

"Oh, I'm too good."

I glared at him, as I figured out what he had done, he got me babbling. I hit him again, but harder this time. He let out a yelp like a dog, "That's going to bruise!"

"Don't do that again."

"I just can't understand you sometimes. You and he can be together, he is-"

"Don't. I don't want to hear it. Be quiet. Be quiet."

Xander laughed and made a face. "Payback's a bitch." Again I glared, but he dropped his goofy grin and became much more serious, it's a little scary and strange. "Angel's been calling for days, Buff. Everytime Dawn, Will or I have to make up some sort of excuse, depending on where he rings. Aren't you afraid that one day he won't call back?"

"No, if he wants me bad enough, he'll keep ringing 'til I'm ready to answer."

"That's a bad reason. You know it, I know it, Angel knows it and if I went over and explained the situation to that couple over there, they'd know it too."

"Doubt it."

"You need to ring him, or wait till he rings you and tell him that you'll meet him somewhere and all will be good."

An hour later, I was standing in front of my mirror, checking out my outfit. I looked nice, well I thought so. The skirt was black and flowy and had some pretty flower stitching out of black thread. That's never made sense to me; why put black thread over black material? Anyway, the shirt was also black, sleeveless and had a plunging neck line. I looked nice. Especially with my hair pulled back and cute little curls framing my face, which wasn't heavily make-uped.

The doorbell rang; I grinned and ran out of my room, down the stairs and flung open the door.

"Is he here yet?" asked Xander.

"No, he's not." I stepped out of the way to let in my friend. "I thought he was you - or you were he. Whatever."

"Right, sorry to disappoint."

"No, it's okay. I think I might vomit if he shows up, more time without him means more time to prepare."

"To vomit, or just in general?" Xander walked into the living room and made himself at home on the lounge.

"Just in general." I sat down next to him. "If he doesn't show up soon, I might have a mental breakdown. I keep having these thoughts in my head about how tonight is going to go down. Will we fight? Will we skip dinner and go straight to the fun stuff-"

"Let's keep those thoughts out of my head."

"Sorry, my bad. I want to know what's going to happen before it actually does…happen. Then I can be prepared." I sighed, "but it never works out that way. Buffy doesn't get to be prepared for anything, it's just bam! There you go, now deal with it. No warning system, nothing, nada. It's wears thin after a while."

"Wow, check out Miss-Complain-A-Lot. Buffy, do you realise what is about to happen?"

"Yes-"

"It's your life pursuit, you dream, what you've always wanted."

"Could you stop this, please? I don't need to hear about how much I want this, I am me, I'm the one who wants this. I know how much I do. Wow, lot of 'I's."

Knock, knock!

"Oh, someone's at the door."

"Shut up, I need to think."

"About what?"

I groaned and left the lounge, "you owe me."

Knock, knock, knock!

"Oh, yes I do." Xander gave me a devil-may-care grin. "I would like an award that reads: For being the person who got Buffy and Angel back together, finally."

I rolled my eyes and was halfway to the front door when Xander yelled my name. "What?" I asked turning around, letting the frustration show.

"Aren't you glad you got sick of being single?"

The End.
Tell me what you thought, Maddy