Closing Time by AngelSummers

Chapter Nine: Pet Semetery


The deadbolt clicked sharply as it hit the inside of the door to Angel's classy, uptown apartment. The sound gave Angel his queue to push open the door and step in. Sighing, Angel set down his briefcase down and undid the button of his suit coat. As he peeled the confining material off, he looked at the blinking answering machine to the left of the door.

Pressing the play button, Angel listened intently as his mom's voice filtered through the speaker, "Hey honey, it's mom. Just calling to see what's going on. Give us a call. You know the number. Buh-bye"

The message ended and Buffy's voice came through, "Hey, I just called to ask you about going out with the gang and I tomorrow night to see a movie or something. Give me a call if you want to come," there was a pause with a few muffled voices coming through, "Xander says you can bring Cordy too if you have to. Just kidding, Cordy, you know we love you," Buffy laughed at something Xander said and then turned her attention back to the message, "So Angel, give me a call. Love ya, bye."

The sound of the phone clicking off ended the message and the next message began. This time it was Cordelia, "Hey, it's me, sorry I couldn't tell you in person or at least over the phone, I tried you at work and on your cell but your secretary said you were swamped; poor baby. Anyway a client called and begged me to take a last minute flight to New York to help her out with her wedding dress, something about it isn't not fitting right. She probably has it on backwards. She's such an idiot. So I won't be home until Monday. Give me a call when you get a chance. I love you. Bye."

When the message ended, Angel erased all of the messages and made a mental note to call both Cordy and his mom tomorrow.

Loosening his tie around his neck, Angel grabbed the cordless phone next to the machine and dialed Buffy's cell. When the answering machine picked up, he hung up. Checking the clock, Angel realized that she would probably be at home.

Dialing the number quickly, Angel silently hoped that Riley wasn't home. Buffy was always kind of quiet when he was.

"Hello?"

"Hey. Is he home?"

"No, he had some kind of errand he had to run. I wasn't paying attention."

Laughing slightly, Angel laid down on the couch. "Cordy went to New York for the weekend."

"So you have time to hang with us tomorrow."

"That depends."

"On what?"

"On whether Riley's going or not. I know for a fact that I am not the only one that can't stand him. Hell, no one can stand him."

"Don't worry then, he's not going."

"That's good." Angel replied thoughtfully.

Their conversation continued on for a couple of hours until Riley came home, where Buffy hastily said her goodbyes and hung up. Angel didn't stay awake much longer and ended up asleep on the couch.


"Angel, oh my god, your hair is fine. Can we go, now?"

"Just give me two seconds. I promise I'm almost done." Angel called out from his position in front of the bathroom mirror.

"I can't believe the man spends more time on his hair then I do." Buffy sighed out, pushing her hair out of her eyes and glancing towards the bathroom.

Checking her watch impatiently, Buffy plucked herself off of the couch and followed the aggravated sounds emanating from the bathroom. Leaning against the door frame, Buffy watched as Angel lathered his hands with gel and proceeded to pluck is his hair up. Checking to see that every strand was in the right position Angel moaned happily.

"There. I'm read—" Before Angel could finish his sentence Buffy jumped on him and toppled him onto the floor in.

"Your so cute when you're doing you hair." Buffy mumbled on Angel's lips.

Angel chuckled softly and let Buffy kiss her way around his face. Light kisses quickly faded a heated make-out session on the floor of Angel's bathroom.

"I love you." Angel whispered pulling away from Buffy's swollen lips, "Don't ever leave me Buffy. Promise you won't leave me."

Kissing his lips softly, Buffy hugged him close and tried to comfort him. She wanted reassure him and tell him that they would be together forever. She wanted to tell him that nothing would tear them apart but she knew that it was only a matter of time before their bubble they had been living in for the last 6 months popped. She didn't know what she would do when that happened but for now she would just bask in what they were. They had each other and that's all that mattered.


"Um, let's see," Buffy paused looking at the electronic display screen housing the movie times, "There's Elizabethtown at 7:05 or the Corpse Bride at 6:50."

"I wanted to see Elizabethtown." Anya chimed in.

"Us too," Tara replied, as Willow shook her head in agreement.

"Well, I don't know about you fem's but Angel and I want to see Jughead." Xander stated as Angel nodded in agreement.

"Sorry, Xander female votes far out way those of the penis-carrying variety. Elizabethtown it is." Anya stated.

Buffy grinned at Angel who sighed in preparation for the chick flick ahead. It was going to be a long night.


Ah well, another two hours of my life I can't get back." Buffy replied as they neared their cars. Looping her arm in his, Buffy told Angel quietly, "Two hours in which we could have been doing more pleasurable things."

Angel grinned at her and shot back, "What's more pleasurable then my company?"

"Exactly."

Grinning at him one last time, Buffy released his arm and rushed over to Willow, and immediately looped her arm with her friend's.

"Nymph" Angel shot back at her.

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/Sunnydale, CA 1996 Eight Years Ago

"Angel," Buffy whispered, shoving a neatly folded paper at him.

"Huh…oh. Sorry."

Unfolding the triangular note, Angel stared at Buffy's neat girlish handwriting and read to himself:

Are you mad?

Angel quickly wrote his reply and tossed it back to her while the teacher was writing something on the board.

No.

Buffy looked at him skeptically and then scribbled a reply.

What's wrong then? Don't tell me nothing either; you have something face.

Reading the answer, Angel wrote something and tossed it back.

How's Brian?

Brian?

The guy you left with last night.

Oh, Ryan. It didn't work out. He was a total jerk. The weirdest thing happened when we were walking out of the Bronze though.

Weird, how?

This strange guy came up to us and said something about having a meal and next thing I know his face was really distorted and he was trying to bite us.

Jesus, are you okay?

Yeah, I ditched Ryan and ran. I hope he was okay, even if he was a jerk. I went and reported it to the police they said it was probably a gang member on PCP.

You're sure you're okay?

Yeah, I'm fine.

Good. And Ryan?

I don't know. I haven't seen him.

That's not what I meant.

Whatever could you mean?

Nymph

Huh?

You're a tease.

I know and yes, its over.

Before he could give his reply, the bell rang signaling the end of class. /

Buffy was pulled from her musings as Willow pulled her into the car. High school seemed so long ago looking back on it now. So much had changed since then and yet some things never would, like Angel's unfounded jealousy or his constant façade of calm.

"So where to Buff."

"My car is at Willow's."

"To the Willow pad it is. What about you Brood Boy?"

"Willow's too and I do not brood, I ponder deeply."

"Xander no arguing, I want to get home and have many orgasms." Anya said, before Xander could give his reply.

As Xander pulled in front of Willow's apartment building, he mumbled, "Ponder deeply my ass, Brood Boy."

"I do not brood."

"Angel, you brood. Let it go. Thanks, Xand."

"Anytime, Buffster."

"Buffy how many orgasms does Riley give you?"

"Oh my god, Ahn don't ask her that. See ya, Buffy. Night Brood Boy." Xander replied as he pulled off the curb.

"I do not Brood." Angel yelled after him.

"You do brood a little," Buffy replied, grinning at him. At his pout, she continued, "but its cute."

"Really?"

"Completely…Brood Boy." She smirked at him and as he leapt forward she ran from him.

"I'll show you Brood Boy. Come here."

Angel grabbed her around the waist and pulled her towards him, "Take that back."

"Make me, Brood Boy."

"Buffy Anne Summers, you're going to pay for that."

"How?"

"You'll see."

"Ooo, I'm shaking in my boots."

"You should be quivering."

"Maybe later."

"Why, what are suggesting Mrs. Summers?"

"I'm suggesting you kiss me."

"I think I can do that."

"I think you can too."Buffy mumbled the last part against his lips.

With first kiss, Buffy's body was on fire. Soft kisses in front of Willow's apartment building raged into a full-blown make-out session against someone's car. As Angel's lips traced Buffy's collarbone she tried to get his attention but he wasn't listening.

"Angel…oh my god, keep doing that, no wait we have to get inside. Anyone could…awww, right there baby…see us."

"My place?" He mumbled against her skin.

"Mine is closer."

"Right. We just have to get to the car."

"Yeah…"

"Okay" Angel replied kissing her one last time.

"Okay." Buffy agreed, kissing him again.

"We should really go now."

"Yes. We should." Buffy mumbled, brushing her lips across his cheek.

"Okay, We're gone." Angel reluctantly pulled Buffy away from his mouth and instead dragged her forward towards her car.

Looking over at her, he stated seriously, "You're torture has yet to begin. I'll show you who 'Brood Boy' really is."


Giggling as Angel's hands wrapped around her waist, Buffy pulled the keys from out of her purse and managed to find the hole before loosing her concentration. Busting through the door, Buffy flicked on the lights and stared in shock in front of her.

Riley sat in the lazy boy, feet flat on the floor and fists clenched tightly. "Why Mrs. Finn what do we have here?"