A/N Thought I'd give you a long chapter here since I haven't updated as frequently. Enjoy!

Chapter 12

"Xander!" Angel's dad said pleasantly. "Willow. Angel's finally brought the woman who's stolen his heart home to meet his family."

Buffy stood. "Hi, I'm..."

"Oh, my God! You're Buffy Summers." Willow said. "This is... Wow. I can't believe it!"

Buffy smiled brightly, used to the reaction and said, "You must be Willow."

"Yeah. Yes. Willow. That's me. I'm Willow."

Buffy laughed. "It's nice to meet you." She looked at Xander who seemed too stunned to say anything. "And you must be Angel's little brother, Xander." Xander just nodded, his mouth slightly hanging open. "It's ok. I promise I don't bite."

"Wow." Xander finally said.

"Oh wow!" Willow said, finally remembering that Ville was there too. "Ville Valo! I'm a huge fan. Dark Light is such an awesome album."

"Thanks." Ville said, shaking Willow's hand as she giggled uncontrollably.

"Wow." Xander said again, still staring at Buffy.

Angel walked up and slapped Xander's shoulder. "Xand, it's just Buffy. She's a human too, you know."

"I can't believe... I'm a huge fan. Charlie's Angels... Wow. Great movie."

Buffy laughed. "Thank you."

"You're drooling." Angel said.

Xander snapped out of his trance and wiped his mouth. "I am not!"

"Angel told us you were his girlfriend, but I guess it just didn't really sink in." Willow said. "I mean, you're a movie star!"

"I prefer professional human, but whatever." Buffy said.

Willow let out a nervous giggle and then seemed to realize what it had sounded like. "Sorry, I've never met anyone famous before."

"It's ok. The shock wears off after a while." Ville said.

Willow let out another nervous giggle and then blushed prfusely. "I hope so, because I feel like a blithering idiot right now."

"Are you two busy tonight?" Angel's father asked.

"Oh, we were going to head back to LA tonight." Buffy said.

"Nonsense. You should stay in Sunnydale. I've been wanting to try out some new recipes for a crowd. Now's as a good a time as any."

"Dad..." Angel started.

"Christmas is almost here and the whole family is in town with their significant others. I can whip up a nice dinner for everyone by seven tonight."

"Are you sure?" Buffy asked before Angel could protest.

"I'm more than sure, darlin'."

"Then by all means, don't let us stop you. I can't turn down such a lovely offer, Mr. O'Donnell."

"Ah! Call me Brenden. Mr. O'Donnell sounds old." Brenden smiled at his oldest son. "This one's a keeper, Liam. Don't you let her get away."

"I'm working on that one, dad." Angel said.

"Buffy, would you like to help me out in the kitchen?"

"No!" Ville and Angel said quickly.

Buffy looked at them. "Thanks for having faith in me, guys."

"What was that about?" Brenden asked.

"She burned down her kitchen in Japan trying to heat something up." Ville said. "She's really not allowed to go into kitchens if we can help it."

"Well, I have faith in you, darlin'. You just stick close to me and I'll have you looking like one of those expert chefs I see on the Food Network."

By the time seven rolled around, dinner was being set out on the table and nothing was burnt. The house still stood. Brenden had enjoyed his time with Buffy while Angel and Xander played football in the backyard and Willow and Ville sat in the living room talking about music and math, which Willow was an expert at and Ville was pretty good at. Buffy was a real joy. She had lots of interesting stories to tell. Brenden particularly liked the story of her friend Bam kidnaping her from New York and taking her on a trip to Mardi Gras in two RVs with Bam's parents, friends, and other professional skateboarders. They sounded like a fun bunch to spend time with.

When Angel walked into the dining room with Ville, he looked surprised as Buffy set the last dish onto the table. "Wow. It looks good."

"It was mainly your dad. I just talked." Buffy said.

"Don't be so modest, darlin'." Brenden said. "She made the bread herself." She started to protest, but Brenden winked at her and she just smiled.

"Wow. I'm proud of you." Ville said. "No one had to call the fire department."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Shut up. I told you I wasn't that bad."

Ville kissed her cheek. "I know. You're just fun to pick on."

"Well, let's not stand around and let this food get cold." Brenden said.

"Let's eat!" Xander declared.

After dinner, it was decided that Buffy and Ville could stay at Angel's house since he had more room. They each said their goodbyes with Willow still randomly letting out nervous giggles, before heading to their cars. Ville, who loved sleeping, decided he was tired already and asked Angel which room he was staying in. Angel showed him and Ville said goodnight. That left Buffy and Angel sitting in the living room next to a newly roaring fire.

"You're dad was amazing, Angel." Buffy said. "He's so... Dad-like. Or what I'd always imagined dads were like."

"Yeah, he's not always cool-dad. He had to be tough, too. Raising two boys with no mother... It was hard on him." Angel said.

"We make a perfect pair. I have a mom, you have a dad. We're like... The Brady Bunch... Only a lot smaller."

"So, you and Ville are going to Finland for Christmas?"

"Yeah. There's a show for New Years that H.I.M. does every year and I haven't missed it since I met them. As far as Christmas goes, Ville's parents have been wanting to see me, he says they've been nagging him, and they asked me to join the family for Christmas since I'm practically the daughter they never had."

"That's sounds nice."
"It should be. Ville's just happy about taking some time off from the tour and getting to see his girlfriends and his family."

"And you? What about your mother?"

"We all celebrated with Lynn and Justin and Bam, Ape, Phil, and the gang. It was nice. There was actualy snow involved."

Angel took her hand. "I think you won my family over too."

She scooted closer to him. "Really?"

"My dad really seemed to love you."

"He's a great guy."

"And I'm sorry about Xander and his endless drooling. He'll get over it after a while."

"Oh, it's fine. I'm..." Then his lips were pressed against her's. Buffy moved in closer and deepened the kiss, sliding into his lap. He gently lifted her into his arms as he stood. She didn't question him as he carried her to his bedroom. In fact, she was helping him get out of his shirt.

"Buffy?" He asked, breaking away from a moment.

"Yeah?" She looked up at him, confused.

"Have you ever...?"

"What?" She watched him motion to the bed. "Oh! Um... Yeah. Why?"

"I just... I didn't know. I didn't want to push you into it."

Buffy smiled up at him. "No, I have." She laughed slightly. "Actually, Ville was my first time."

"Not Bam?"
"Not Bam."

Angel chuckled. "He seems like the one..."

"Yeah. Since we've known each other for so long. No, it just... It never got to that point."

"And it did with Ville?"

"Yeah. He uh... I was a lot more grown up by the time he and I got together. It just happened one night. He's the only, though." Buffy looked away.
"What?"

"I um..." She blushed. "You... How many have you... you know... had?"

"Um... Four."

"Oh."

"But I feel like..."

"What?"

"I feel like it's my first time all over again. Now. With you."

"Really?"

Angel sat down next to her on the bed. "Buffy, I..." He trailed off.

"What?"

"Buffy, I love you." He looked up into her shocked eyes. "I know we haven't been together that long, but... I've never felt this way about anyone in my entire life."

"Me... Me too. I love you too. I... I think I loved you from the first moment I saw you."

"I think I loved you before I even met you." Angel said, his lips barely touching hers.

"That's a song." She said as their lips crashed together.

Buffy was wearing Angel's shirt and humming to herself and making a bowl of cereal when Ville walked into the kitchen. He watched her for a moment. She obviously had no clue he was there until he said, "What are you up to?"

She jumped. "Ville!"

"Nice outfit."

"It's Angel's."

"I can tell. So how was your night?"

Buffy giggled. "Ville?"

"Yes?"

"He said he loves me."

Ville managed to break through his barely-awake brain-fog to smile broadly at Buffy's in-love face lighting up. "And?"

"Well, I'm not in my clothes, am I?"

"So, it was that good of a night?"

"Yeah."

"Where is he?"

"Asleep. I'm making breakfast in bed."

"Cereal and orange juice?"

"I'm not completely confident in my cooking skills just yet."

"Good choice."

Buffy smiled at him and prepared to say something when her cell phone went off in her purse. She put the milk back down and almost skipped across the room to get it. "Hello?" Her face fell. "Hi."

"Who is it?"

Buffy waved him away and turned to walk out into the garden. Ville sat down on the couch and rubbed his face. Angel walked into the room with a smile on his face. "Buffy?"

"She's in the garden." Ville said. "She's on the phone."

"Oh." He started to head for the garden, but Ville stopped him.

"I don't think it's a good phone call."

"Really?"

"She went from pleasantly elated to... slightly disturbed."

"Any idea who it is?"

Ville shook his head. "Could be her manager with bad news about a movie role."

"I hope not."

"Me too." Both men watched the doors expectantly.

After about five minutes, the doors opened and Buffy walked back in shaking her head. "Hey." Angel said.

She looked up and smiled, but it wasn't her usual Angel-Wattage smile. "Hey."

"Everything ok?"

"Um... Yeah."

"Who was it?" Ville asked.

"Who?"

"The person on the phone."

"Oh, it was my mom."

"She's ok, right?" Angel asked.

"Yeah."

"What did you look so upset for?" Ville asked.

"She sounded sick." Ville raised an eyebrow, but Buffy turned away from him to look at Angel. "I made you breakfast."

"Really?" Angel asked. "I don't smell smoke."

She rolled her eyes. "I didn't cook. I made cereal."

"Technically that would be considered lunch... Considering it's twelve thirty in the afternoon."

"Oh my God!" Buffy looked at her cell phone. "Ville, out flight leaves at four fifteen!"

"Shit." Ville said.

"I'll help you guys get packed." Angel offered.

Angel drove Buffy and Ville to LA in his car, leaving Buffy's Range Rover in Sunnydale. They just barely made it on their flight. Angel had wished that he could go with them, but he had work to get back to.

On the plane, Buffy stared at the window while Ville read one of his books. They'd been in the air for more than an hour when Buffy said, "It was Orlando."

"What?" Ville asked.

"It was Orlando on the phone earlier today."

"Oh."

"He's in Sweden."

"And?"

"He wants to meet me in Helsinki so we can talk."

"Are you sure you want to do that?"

Buffy looked at him. "No. But we need to talk. I've never felt right about the way it ended between us."

Ville watched her for a moment as she looked back out the window. Something told him that this wasn't a good idea.

Angel couldn't believe how in love he was. He knew people always talked about it being like floating on a cloud, but this... This was like... He didn't know what. Like every step was lighter than air and every breath felt cleaner and every beat of his heart was a memory of her reminding him who his heart belonged to. And the thing that made everything feel... more... was the fact that she loved him too.

They talked every day since their night together. It had been a week since that night, but it felt like everyday was an eternity because she wasn't in his arms. Angel was a night person, so Buffy called him during the days in Finland so she could talk to him. They timed it perfectly. And every conversation ended with another 'I love you' that felt just as wonderful as the first one and made him think of nothing but Buffy. Which is why when Cordelia walked in and stared at him pitifully, he didn't even acknowledge her presence until she slammed the paper on his desk.

"Hello Cordelia" He said, not looking at her or the paper. He continued staring at the picture of him and Buffy on his desk.

"Hello? Earth to Angel!" Cordelia said.

He looked up at her. "What?"

"Obviously you haven't even glanced at anything but that picture all day."

"What is it Cordy?"

"Read." Cordelia opened up to a page in the entertainment section and pointed to an article. Angel didn't even read the headline or notice the picture, he just read the words of the article. The entire world caved in on him. He checked the paper. It was a legit paper from LA, not some tabloid.

"What is this?"

"Apparently her feelings for Orlando were more serious than she let on." Cordy crossed her arms and looked at Angel expectantly. He read the article again and then looked at the paper. Then Cordelia dropped another paper from New York on his desk. The same story, the same picture. It was just like the way his and Buffy's relationship had broken in the headlines.

"No."

"Yes. It's everywhere, Angel. E! News has been scrolling that little bar thing at the bottom of the screen all morning and even Good Morning America had a piece on it."

"But she..." Angel couldn't continue. Everything he read said that Buffy and Orlando had had a romantic dinner together and he had been seen with her throughout Helsinki for the past two days.

"I think you need to call her and dump her."

"I think you need to leave."

"What?"

"Get out!" Angel roared. Cordelia jumped and ran out of the office. Angel ripped up the papers and threw the pieces to the ground. He threw the picture of him and Buffy at the wall, shattering the glass in the frame. Another roar burst from his mouth as he collapsed to the floor, sobbing. If it had been tabloids, he would never have believed it, but it was The New York Times reporting the story.

His phone rang and he glanced at it. It was Buffy's cell phone. He threw the phone against the wall with a choked sob.

Buffy fell to her knees sobbing as the line went dead in her hands. "No!" She yelled. Ville, Bam, Jonna, and Mige rushed into the room when they heard her scream. Ville and Bam tried to help her up, but she was sobbing too hard. "It's not true!"

Ville held Buffy to him tightly and stroked her hair, rocking her slightly as Bam rubbed her back. "Shh."

Buffy sobbed into Ville's chest. "It's not true. It's not true."

"What's wrong?" Mige asked.

Bam held up the paper that Buffy had dropped. One of the roadies had left it lying on a seat in the backstage area of Tavastia where Buffy had accidentally seen it. She hadn't seen Orlando since their dinner together where he had forgiven her for what had happened. They had decided that they could remain friends, but they wouldn't be as close as Ville and Bam were to Buffy. Buffy had been nice enough to invite Orlando to the Tavastia show the night before because he'd never been to a H.I.M. concert.

"He won't pick up the phone." She sobbed. "He disconnected it or he turned it off."

"Why would he believe this garbage?" Jonna asked.

"It's the New York Times." Bam said. "They're pretty credible."

"It's not true." Buffy sobbed again.

"Shh." Ville said. "We'll just have to keep calling him, that's all. He has to pick up at some point." He rocked her gently and looked at Bam.