A/N: Thanks for all the review and keep 'em coming. Angel's gay? Really? Heh.

Buffy rushed forward towards Angel and took his hand, grasping it tightly. The first thing she noticed was his skin was warm; the second thing was that his grip was very frail. She looked into his scared and confused eyes.

"What's...what's going on?" He asked his voice raspy from lack of use.

She paused, unsure of how to explain so she just went with brutal honestly "You're human now"

Angel's eyebrows rose "Oh"

"Oh? Oh? That's all you've got to say?" Buffy smiled a little "Always was a man of few words"

He gave her a shaky smile back "Except this time I really am. A man, I mean"

Buffy's smile grew into a grin. Angel smiling was such a rare treat she had to savour every moment of it. Not to mention the sunlight from the window that was flooding down over his bed. He seemed to notice that at the same time and tried to turn to see the sun. He let out a wince and Buffy moved him gently back to a lying position.

"Take it easy," She said "You've got plenty of time for all that"

Dawn appeared at the side of her "Yeah, hey you can get a tan! I bet you'd look great with a tropical glow about you"

Angel frowned "I thought pale and interesting was in these days"

"Well, you've got the pale part at least" Dawn noted.

Buffy elbowed her in the ribs "Dawn, go call Nina"

"Right. Nina." Angel looked unsure suddenly "Oh, god, what am I going to say to her?"

Buffy shrugged "Honey, I'm human?" she offered.

He gave her a look and then asked for some water. She walked over to the table in the middle of the room. Glancing over she saw that Spike still slept on soundly. She sighed and poured Angel a glass from the carafe of cold water. Bringing it over she put it to his lips and tipped short sips into his mouth. He swallowed it and looked visibly less pained, nodding.

Angel reached up and placed his hand on his heart "It's good to feel that again. You never notice it till it's gone"

She nodded "A heartbeat is definitely underrated. It's on my top ten of most desirable features on guys"

"Ha," Dawn snorted as she re-entered the room "Not judging by your past honeys"

Buffy glared at her.

Angel nodded slightly "She has a point"

"Oh, please, do not side with her," Buffy rolled her eyes "She should not be humoured."

Dawn gave her a little shove "Nina said she'll be right over, said she was already on her way when I phoned. She practically had a heart attack and crashed her car when I told her Angel was awake"

"Why? How...how long have I been asleep?"

Buffy shifted on her feet "About a week"

"A week!" Angel tried to bolt up in bed but pain shot through him and he fell back down "Ugh! I can't have been here a week. What about Wolfram and Hart? Did we win? What the hell even happened to make me human?"

The Slayer grabbed his hand to calm him "Yes, we won and its okay – Wesley's taking care of things at Wolfram and Hart. The bomb...that's what made you human. It destroyed the demon within you but somehow left your body and soul intact"

"And Spike" Dawn added.

Angel was digesting this then suddenly looked more confused "Spike is..."

"Yep, he's human too" Dawn told him cheerily "He's not awake yet. I wonder how he's going to take it"

Angel said nothing but looked serious as Dawn stepped out of the way to give him a clear view of Spike lying in his bed unconscious. Buffy let go of Angel's hand suddenly and took a step back.

"Uh, I should...I'm going to get coffee" Buffy darted out of the door.

She made it down the corridor and turned the corner before she slumped her back against the wall. Buffy closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths. God, this is terrible. She had forgotten all about Spike when Angel woke up. It felt like a betrayal to her. Here were these two men that she loved, both newly human, and she didn't know how to react. Things had been complicated between her, Spike and Angel before but now it had gotten even worse.

Hadn't she just told Spike a few days ago that she wanted him? She'd told him that she'd chosen him and Angel was no longer a factor. It shouldn't be complicated at all. Buffy had made her decision and it had been Spike. Just because Angel was human now shouldn't have made a difference.

Yet it did.

The curse was gone now. Angel's soul was permanent. They could be together if that's what they wanted.

Of course, she didn't know if that was what she wanted.

God it was all too complicated.

"Buffy!"

She whirled around and saw Nina running up the corridor towards her. God, she hadn't even bothered to think about Nina. So much for their friendship if Buffy would discard her so easily. First Spike, now Nina. How selfish had she become?

"Buffy!" Nina reached her "Is he okay? I mean, is he...?"

Buffy nodded slowly, unable to speak for a moment "Uh...yeah...he's awake. He's good. You should go to him. I'll bring coffee"

The female werewolf nodded and was gone in a moment. To Angel's bedside. Angel who was her boyfriend.

Buffy rested her forehead against the wall. She had to buck up. Not everything was about her and how she felt. She had to think before she got herself even more confused. What was certain was that she was not ready to go back into that room. Buffy decided to make herself useful by phoning Angel's gang and telling them the good news. Occupying herself would surely take her mind off it all.

She bought a cup of coffee and took a sip of it. Maybe it would clear her mind. Walking over to the payphone she called Wesley first and told him the deal. He promised he'd tell the rest of the gang and that they'd all be right over demon's permitting. Unfortunately that meant that it didn't take much time at all, and Buffy was faced with the prospect of going back into the room.

The Slayer decided instead to call Giles and update him. She'd called her friends as soon as it had happened. They'd all been surprised to hear Spike was alive and that he was even more alive now. The time difference was a bitch and Buffy was greeted with a grumbling, sleep-deprived Giles. She told him the news and he perked up a little. Her Watcher offered to fly out there to support her. Buffy considered the offer for a few moment but eventually declined, with a thanks.

Having Giles and her friends here might be comforting for a while but in the end it wouldn't make things any easier.

A few minutes later she hung up and walked slowly back to Angel and Spike's room. Taking a moment before she entered Buffy told herself to get a grip and just be there for them both.

She stepped into the room. Nina and Angel were just withdrawing from an emotional hug, Dawn smiling off the side looking genuinely happy. Buffy swallowed, pasted an identical smile to her face.

This would be easy.

- Her smile faltered -

She hoped.

A/N: Gawd, that Buffy! Review please.