Disclaimer: Don't own them, wish I did (especially Spike and Angel)- but
alas it is not so.
Author's notes:
C.O.S.: Change of scenery ""= Dialogue, ''= thoughts
Chapter #18:
Happiness is near.
Willow caught up with her friend just as she reached the door to her
hotel room. She made an attempt to follow her into the room, but Buffy
slammed the door shut. Willow knocked on the door:
"Buffy let me in. I want to know what's bothering you." Willow said.
"Go away Will, I just, I just want to be alone." Buffy answered through
her tears.
"Okay, if you say so." Willow gave in, as she sank down to the floor and
began singing quietly:
"This is the song that never ends
It goes on, and on my friend.
Some people started singing not knowing when it stops
But they continued singing it forever just because
It's the song that never ends." Willow continued singing in an ever-
escalating voice.
"Fine you can come in. Maybe it will help to talk about it." Buffy
conceded when she could take no more.
The next thing Willow heard was the lock clicking open. Her best friend opened the door and looked up at her with a tear-streaked face and led the way over to her bed. Buffy sat down hugging a pillow to herself.
"So wanna tell Doctor Willow what's wrong?" Willow asked getting straight to the point. There was a long pause as Buffy collected her thoughts.
"Well you know where Angel went tonight?" Buffy asked.
"Yeah to check out some lead or something." Willow was reaching, although not really surprised that for the billionth time Angel made Buffy cry.
"No. Will, he went to the oracle. He, he wants them to ground his soul." Buffy finished, her voice threatening to break with new tears. There was silence between the pair. Buffy watched Willow's face carefully for her reaction to the news. At first Willow gave a weak smile, and as she thought more about it, the smile grew. As well as being happy, Willow was completely puzzled.
"I don't get it. It sounds like you are about to get everything you ever wanted: your greatest love, a chance at a family. I'd be grinning like an idiot if that ever happened to me. So what's wrong?" Willow finally asked her.
"It's that. It's that I'm this close to getting all I ever wanted out of life, I can't help but be afraid." Buffy trailed off.
"That it's all going to come crashing down on you. That something will happen that will make him change his mind. That you will change your mind?" Willow finished.
"Yeah" Buffy meekly replied.
"Listen to me Buffy Anne Summers. You have to have a little faith. Faith in yourself, in him and your relationship. For Goodness sakes Buffy, you're soul mates. You know what's in him, and he knows what's in you. So, trust it." Willow admonished. Buffy walked towards her friend and pulled her into a tight hug.
"I don't know what I would do without you." Buffy whispered.
"Now go to him." Willow advised. Buffy led the way then, resolute, her mind made up that she would be happy no matter what happened. They were greeted by the concerned glances of Xander and Spike. Buffy walked over to her two friends, and placed a comforting hand on each man's arm.
"I'm just fine. Willow set me straight." She assured them and walked on past towards the office. Xander and Spike just looked at each other.
"If he ever hurts her." started Spike, as he saw those sentiments echoed in Xander's eyes.
"Don't worry about that boys, I've got a feeling about this one. It's going to work out." Willow told them. As she grasped Spike's arm and led him away from Xander.
'Oh no, not you too.' Xander thought to himself as he noticed the look of affection that passed between Spike and Willow.
C.O.S: Angel's office.
Buffy paused in the doorway as she watched him. She made her decision. She would make it work with him no matter what happened. Her feelings were still too strong, and as much as she hated to admit it, but the others were right about them: they were soul mates. She crossed the threshold and walked up to his desk. Angel looked up from what he was reading finally, looking surprised to see her.
"I thought you'd be halfway to Sunnydale by now." Angel remarked.
"And here, I thought running away was your job." Buffy replied.
"That was." Angel began to defend himself.
"For my own safety, and happiness, yes I know, and we've been through it, before. But you know what I've come to realize? I've come to realize two things. First, and most importantly, is that life is too short to hold grudges; it's too short to be bitter or resentful towards anyone. The second thing that I've realized is that what's done is done and cannot be changed no matter how much we want it to be. Angel, I haven't forgotten what you've done to me, or what I've done to you. But let's leave that where it belongs, in the past. Angel I want to start over." Buffy finished. Angel had made direct eye contact with her, and read the truth in her eyes, just as she read it in his eyes minutes earlier.
"What made you change your mind?" He asked.
"A good friend talked some sense into me." Buffy answered truthfully, as she crossed to his chair and made herself comfortable in his lap. She twisted her head so that she was looking up at him. All at once as if in silent agreement with one another their lips met, in an affectionate kiss, as both realized that the other was in fact telling the truth. Suddenly they broke apart.
"Come in Willow." Angel said.
"Why is it every time we do this something happens to interrupt."? Buffy asked rhetorically.
"I don't know." Angel answered smiling.
"Uh, oh, did I just interrupt. Oh I'm sorry I did." Willow began blabbering on.
"Willow it's okay. We were just." Buffy began to explain.
"Making an agreement." Angel finished making eye contact with Buffy.
"I see. An 'agreement.' Well I for one say: yay for agreements." Willow replied. The trio stood in silence.
"Did you want anything Willow?" Angel asked.
"Yeah. Fred and Wesley think they have found out where Holtz's real hideout is." Willow told them.
"We're on our way." Angel answered. Willow left the office.
"Now where were we?" Angel asked Buffy. Buffy responded by standing on her tiptoes to twin her arms around his neck. He lowered his face to meet hers as they resumed their kiss. They broke apart moments later and Angel led the way to the lobby.
"I can't wait to do more of that." Buffy whispered to Angel.
Well that's the end of another chapter. Review and let me know what you think.
Peace out, and happy reading.
-A.B.
Author's notes:
C.O.S.: Change of scenery ""= Dialogue, ''= thoughts
Chapter #18:
Happiness is near.
Willow caught up with her friend just as she reached the door to her
hotel room. She made an attempt to follow her into the room, but Buffy
slammed the door shut. Willow knocked on the door:
"Buffy let me in. I want to know what's bothering you." Willow said.
"Go away Will, I just, I just want to be alone." Buffy answered through
her tears.
"Okay, if you say so." Willow gave in, as she sank down to the floor and
began singing quietly:
"This is the song that never ends
It goes on, and on my friend.
Some people started singing not knowing when it stops
But they continued singing it forever just because
It's the song that never ends." Willow continued singing in an ever-
escalating voice.
"Fine you can come in. Maybe it will help to talk about it." Buffy
conceded when she could take no more.
The next thing Willow heard was the lock clicking open. Her best friend opened the door and looked up at her with a tear-streaked face and led the way over to her bed. Buffy sat down hugging a pillow to herself.
"So wanna tell Doctor Willow what's wrong?" Willow asked getting straight to the point. There was a long pause as Buffy collected her thoughts.
"Well you know where Angel went tonight?" Buffy asked.
"Yeah to check out some lead or something." Willow was reaching, although not really surprised that for the billionth time Angel made Buffy cry.
"No. Will, he went to the oracle. He, he wants them to ground his soul." Buffy finished, her voice threatening to break with new tears. There was silence between the pair. Buffy watched Willow's face carefully for her reaction to the news. At first Willow gave a weak smile, and as she thought more about it, the smile grew. As well as being happy, Willow was completely puzzled.
"I don't get it. It sounds like you are about to get everything you ever wanted: your greatest love, a chance at a family. I'd be grinning like an idiot if that ever happened to me. So what's wrong?" Willow finally asked her.
"It's that. It's that I'm this close to getting all I ever wanted out of life, I can't help but be afraid." Buffy trailed off.
"That it's all going to come crashing down on you. That something will happen that will make him change his mind. That you will change your mind?" Willow finished.
"Yeah" Buffy meekly replied.
"Listen to me Buffy Anne Summers. You have to have a little faith. Faith in yourself, in him and your relationship. For Goodness sakes Buffy, you're soul mates. You know what's in him, and he knows what's in you. So, trust it." Willow admonished. Buffy walked towards her friend and pulled her into a tight hug.
"I don't know what I would do without you." Buffy whispered.
"Now go to him." Willow advised. Buffy led the way then, resolute, her mind made up that she would be happy no matter what happened. They were greeted by the concerned glances of Xander and Spike. Buffy walked over to her two friends, and placed a comforting hand on each man's arm.
"I'm just fine. Willow set me straight." She assured them and walked on past towards the office. Xander and Spike just looked at each other.
"If he ever hurts her." started Spike, as he saw those sentiments echoed in Xander's eyes.
"Don't worry about that boys, I've got a feeling about this one. It's going to work out." Willow told them. As she grasped Spike's arm and led him away from Xander.
'Oh no, not you too.' Xander thought to himself as he noticed the look of affection that passed between Spike and Willow.
C.O.S: Angel's office.
Buffy paused in the doorway as she watched him. She made her decision. She would make it work with him no matter what happened. Her feelings were still too strong, and as much as she hated to admit it, but the others were right about them: they were soul mates. She crossed the threshold and walked up to his desk. Angel looked up from what he was reading finally, looking surprised to see her.
"I thought you'd be halfway to Sunnydale by now." Angel remarked.
"And here, I thought running away was your job." Buffy replied.
"That was." Angel began to defend himself.
"For my own safety, and happiness, yes I know, and we've been through it, before. But you know what I've come to realize? I've come to realize two things. First, and most importantly, is that life is too short to hold grudges; it's too short to be bitter or resentful towards anyone. The second thing that I've realized is that what's done is done and cannot be changed no matter how much we want it to be. Angel, I haven't forgotten what you've done to me, or what I've done to you. But let's leave that where it belongs, in the past. Angel I want to start over." Buffy finished. Angel had made direct eye contact with her, and read the truth in her eyes, just as she read it in his eyes minutes earlier.
"What made you change your mind?" He asked.
"A good friend talked some sense into me." Buffy answered truthfully, as she crossed to his chair and made herself comfortable in his lap. She twisted her head so that she was looking up at him. All at once as if in silent agreement with one another their lips met, in an affectionate kiss, as both realized that the other was in fact telling the truth. Suddenly they broke apart.
"Come in Willow." Angel said.
"Why is it every time we do this something happens to interrupt."? Buffy asked rhetorically.
"I don't know." Angel answered smiling.
"Uh, oh, did I just interrupt. Oh I'm sorry I did." Willow began blabbering on.
"Willow it's okay. We were just." Buffy began to explain.
"Making an agreement." Angel finished making eye contact with Buffy.
"I see. An 'agreement.' Well I for one say: yay for agreements." Willow replied. The trio stood in silence.
"Did you want anything Willow?" Angel asked.
"Yeah. Fred and Wesley think they have found out where Holtz's real hideout is." Willow told them.
"We're on our way." Angel answered. Willow left the office.
"Now where were we?" Angel asked Buffy. Buffy responded by standing on her tiptoes to twin her arms around his neck. He lowered his face to meet hers as they resumed their kiss. They broke apart moments later and Angel led the way to the lobby.
"I can't wait to do more of that." Buffy whispered to Angel.
Well that's the end of another chapter. Review and let me know what you think.
Peace out, and happy reading.
-A.B.