AN 1: Here it is! The promised update! I was rereading "Unexpected Destiny" on my computer and realized that I had a chapter waiting to be finished. So I added a few things and here it is. I am so sorry that it has taken me so long to update, but like I said I had a stressful first semester and then sever writer's block. I hope this won't disappoint my loyal fans lol.

Disclaimer: I own nor receive any compensation for this or any other "Buffy" works...they belong to the god Joss Whedon and no one else.

AN 2: Please read and review with any creative criticism on where to go with this fic. I have some ideas tumbling through my head just havin difficulties writing them down and then fitting them in here. ENJOY!

AN 3: Not beta'd, so any and all mistakes are solely mine. I am looking for a beta so contact me if you interested...and can exactly explain to me how the process works lol.

Chapter 7: Waking Next to Your Love

Buffy woke up to the sun setting outside her window. Angel still slumbered next to her. That's a twist. Usually I wake to find him watching me sleep. She brushed back the few strands that covered his forehead. A light smile played across his lips. Buffy's heart swelled with love. She gently extracted herself from Angel's embrace, pulling her robe from the end of her bed and onto her body. The normal Summers household afternoon noise could be heard downstairs.

Walking slowly down the stairs, Buffy felt butterflies creep into her stomach. Why am I so nervous of what my friends would think of me? She pushed away her nerves. She hasn't been this happy in years. Buffy entered the kitchen to find Willow and Xander talking at the table. A bowl of potato chips sat between them. Willow smiled when Buffy approached them.

"Hey Buffy! I see you enjoyed your afternoon," Willow said cheerfully.

Buffy blushed, and then laughed. "Yeah, you might say that. Angel and I talked everything out and then got…reacquainted with one another."

Xander raised the eyebrow over his patched eye. But then his expression softened. "I know I was never supportive of the relationship you had with Angel in the past, and I'm sorry for doubting Angel when he showed up yesterday. Will and I were just discussing how happy you seem to be with him back." He smiled.

Buffy smiled back. Willow stood up and walked towards the living room. She returned with Angel's bag from this morning. "Oh! Thanks Will! I forgot Angel brought this. Let me go take this up to him." She turned to go, but then stopped. Taking a deep breath, she turned back to her two best friends in the world. "You guys don't mind if Angel stays here with us, do you?"

Willow came to stand in front of Buffy. "Of course not. We have plenty of room and the two of you are now officially a couple again. Why wouldn't it be alright with us?"

Buffy shrugged. "I just wasn't sure if you guys would be comfortable with him in the house with everything that happened when they did."

"Buffy, you deserve this more than anything else in the entire universe." Xander spoke up from the table, chips crunching in his mouth. He quickly swallowed. "I mean, you fall in love with a vampire with a soul, have to kill him when he turns evil and tried to destroy this entire dimension, you fought against the Master of vampires and died, you defeated the Initiative, you died again to save Dawn, you forgave us for bringing you back from Heaven, and you destroyed the Hellmouth and thousands upon thousands of Ubervamps. What else do you need to do for the Powers in order to be happy?"

Buffy had never appreciated Xander any more than she did right now. She walked back to the table and gave a huge, bone-bruising hug. Xander was shocked, "Umm, your welcome?"

Buffy laughed. "Yes, thank you Xander. I needed to hear that." She turned to go upstairs again.

"Hey Buffster! Pizza for dinner?" Xander asked before she was out of earshot.

"Sounds great, Xand!" She rushed back up the stairs and down the hall to her bedroom. Opening her door, she found Angel still asleep. She was rather hungry, but all she really wanted to do right now was crawl back into bed with Angel and bask in his warmth. This thought brought a smile to her face. She quietly slipped back under the covers and snuggled against Angel's chest. Despite all of her precautions, Buffy still heard Angel wake.

"Hey there," he said sleepily. "Where'd you go?"

Buffy turned her body so she was facing him. God, he is gorgeous. "I just went downstairs to check in with Willow and Xander. Dawn isn't home yet, but we're going to have some dinner probably as soon as she gets back."

"Dinner already?" Angel looked at Buffy's wall clock. It read 5:45. "Did we really stay in bed that long?"

Buffy laughed. "You make it sound like a bad thing. Isn't this when you would be just getting up anyway?" She pulled Angel's arm around her waist and laid her head against his shoulder so they were face to face. I could get lost in his eyes.

"I could stay like this forever." Angel enveloped Buffy's small frame in a hug. His stomach rumbled. Buffy giggled. "Still not used to having to eat real food on a normal basis."

"Well, Xander and Willow are ordering some pizza for dinner." She wiggled out of Angel's embrace and crawled out of bed again. "I'm going to take a quick shower. Unlike you, I didn't get the chance to take a shower this morning. I brought your bag up from downstairs," she said pointing towards the door and smiled. "I'll be right back."

As Buffy showered, Angel dressed and made himself more familiar with Buffy's room. The chest of drawers was made of light oak, matching the head and footboard of Buffy's bed. Angel picked up the picture he had quickly glanced over this morning and looked more carefully at it. It pictured the remaining and original Scoobie Gang: Willow, Xander (although different with his eye patch), and his beloved Buffy. They stood before a huge fountain. The background, Angel recognized, was a piazza in Italy, however the exact town escaped Angel's memory. The sun glowed on the three friends' faces as they laughed and enjoyed themselves.

On the wall behind the dresser there was a large mirror. Angel jumped before calming himself. Even after being human for more than two months now, Angel still startled himself when he glances in a mirror and sees his reflection. A reflection he had gotten used to living without for two hundred plus years.

Next to the mirror, hung on the wall, was a beautiful picture frame with roses carved into the wood holding a picture of Dawn and Buffy. The two sisters had their arms around one another with Dawn holding a large bag slung over her shoulder. She also wore a private school uniform of Italian origin.

Angel heard the bathroom door open and Buffy emerged dressed in jeans and a maroon tank top. After she had come to stand next to him and saw that he was looking at her wall pictures, he asked, "Dawn attended school while you were in Italy?"

Buffy laughed and nodded. "She practically begged me to allow her to go to school. She only attended for one school year. When we decided to return to the States, she became depressed. But once we settled in she was fine. I think she just didn't like all the moving. I mean, she lost the only home she had ever known in Sunnydale. She was very happy in Italy, but I could tell she was also homesick." Buffy crossed her arms. "I hope I made the right decision coming here."

"You've done an amazing job raising Dawn. She's a blossoming young woman. She's graduating this year, am I right?" Buffy nodded. "There's not much more you can do for her."

Buffy sighed. "I know. I just want what's best for her. She has dreams to go to college, and I want her to. I just don't know how we can afford it." She leaned against Angel.

"We'll figure something out." Angel's stomach rumbled again. "Let's go get some food."