Buffy watched the two vans pulling away from the hotel. When they were out
of sight, she went back inside, sitting on one of the couches. Angel left
his shadowy corner to join her. He held out his hand, and she took it,
lacing her fingers with his.
"You think they'll be okay?" she asked quietly. He thought for a moment, then gave her hand a squeeze.
"Of course they will." She nodded, more to convince herself than to confirm his words. She knew that the young slayers who were now on their way to Cleveland were the best of the girls. They were ready for this, and it wasn't as if they were being asked to do something terribly difficult anyway. She and her best friends had survived on the hell mouth for years, after all. And she trusted Xander absolutely, if not to make sure everything was perfect, then at least to keep her posted on what was going on. And she trusted Faith. Hard as it was to believe, she knew Faith could do this.
"Hey." She turned to Angel, pushing aside thoughts of the other group. It would work out fine. "What are you thinking?"
"Just thoughts." She told him. She leaned her head against his shoulder. She'd been busy today, and hadn't had the chance to check in on Willow. She wasn't sure if the red-head had bumped into Oz yet, and if she had, juicy details were needed. She realized that it had been a while since she'd spent real time with any of her friends/family. Giles was always buried in books or arguing with Wesley or helping Willow to build the foundations of a new Watcher's Council. Xander had been working hard training the slayers, and now he was off to Cleveland. Dawn was busy as well, trying to be part of everything at every moment. Even Andrew was occupied. Granted, he was occupied with buying groceries and making sure people used coasters to protect the furniture, but still.
"Did you get any sleep last night?"
"Too much to do." She waved her free hand dismissively, "Sides, I never sleep at night these days anyway."
"I know. You ought to go get some rest." She considered for a moment.
"You're probably right." She would have gone upstairs, but she couldn't seem to get herself to stand. It was so comfortable, sitting here with him. Her eyes were drifting closed, and she suddenly had to fight sleep. She heard him chuckle, then he stood slowly. She murmured a protest, but he was already leaning down to pick her up. She protested again, though he couldn't really take it seriously as she snuggled into his chest and wrapped her arm around his back. He brought her upstairs and laid her down, pulling the blankets up around her. She sighed happily, relaxing. He kissed her forehead and turned to leave, but she caught his hand.
"Angel?" she saw the fleeting look of fear cross his eyes, and she felt it mirrored in her own. She remembered when they'd both felt so safe together. "Stay with me?" There was a moment, and then he took off his shoes and laid down next to her. She could feel the onset of her traitorous train of thought that would inevitably bring her back to Spike. She pushed it away, cuddling close to Angel. She'd spent three years with Angel. He had been the best and worst part of her life, and that wasn't something that just went away. Nor did she want it to. She closed her eyes.
"Is this 'goodnight', or 'good morning'?" she whispered, tapping her fingers on his flat stomach. He caught her hand, and brought it to his lips to kiss her palm.
"How bout 'sleep well'?" he suggested, a smile in his voice.
"That works." She murmured, nodding resolutely. By the time the two vans had left L.A., both Vampire and Slayer were sound asleep.
"You think they'll be okay?" she asked quietly. He thought for a moment, then gave her hand a squeeze.
"Of course they will." She nodded, more to convince herself than to confirm his words. She knew that the young slayers who were now on their way to Cleveland were the best of the girls. They were ready for this, and it wasn't as if they were being asked to do something terribly difficult anyway. She and her best friends had survived on the hell mouth for years, after all. And she trusted Xander absolutely, if not to make sure everything was perfect, then at least to keep her posted on what was going on. And she trusted Faith. Hard as it was to believe, she knew Faith could do this.
"Hey." She turned to Angel, pushing aside thoughts of the other group. It would work out fine. "What are you thinking?"
"Just thoughts." She told him. She leaned her head against his shoulder. She'd been busy today, and hadn't had the chance to check in on Willow. She wasn't sure if the red-head had bumped into Oz yet, and if she had, juicy details were needed. She realized that it had been a while since she'd spent real time with any of her friends/family. Giles was always buried in books or arguing with Wesley or helping Willow to build the foundations of a new Watcher's Council. Xander had been working hard training the slayers, and now he was off to Cleveland. Dawn was busy as well, trying to be part of everything at every moment. Even Andrew was occupied. Granted, he was occupied with buying groceries and making sure people used coasters to protect the furniture, but still.
"Did you get any sleep last night?"
"Too much to do." She waved her free hand dismissively, "Sides, I never sleep at night these days anyway."
"I know. You ought to go get some rest." She considered for a moment.
"You're probably right." She would have gone upstairs, but she couldn't seem to get herself to stand. It was so comfortable, sitting here with him. Her eyes were drifting closed, and she suddenly had to fight sleep. She heard him chuckle, then he stood slowly. She murmured a protest, but he was already leaning down to pick her up. She protested again, though he couldn't really take it seriously as she snuggled into his chest and wrapped her arm around his back. He brought her upstairs and laid her down, pulling the blankets up around her. She sighed happily, relaxing. He kissed her forehead and turned to leave, but she caught his hand.
"Angel?" she saw the fleeting look of fear cross his eyes, and she felt it mirrored in her own. She remembered when they'd both felt so safe together. "Stay with me?" There was a moment, and then he took off his shoes and laid down next to her. She could feel the onset of her traitorous train of thought that would inevitably bring her back to Spike. She pushed it away, cuddling close to Angel. She'd spent three years with Angel. He had been the best and worst part of her life, and that wasn't something that just went away. Nor did she want it to. She closed her eyes.
"Is this 'goodnight', or 'good morning'?" she whispered, tapping her fingers on his flat stomach. He caught her hand, and brought it to his lips to kiss her palm.
"How bout 'sleep well'?" he suggested, a smile in his voice.
"That works." She murmured, nodding resolutely. By the time the two vans had left L.A., both Vampire and Slayer were sound asleep.