"You awake?" Her voice was soft, almost inaudible against the hardness of his chest. She was certain it was mid afternoon by now, as the two of them had been lying in bed together for at least an hour. It was like being in heaven and she didn't ever want to leave. He had been very quiet for a long time now and she was beginning to worry about what he might be thinking. Their future was still uncertain, as she still lived in Sunnydale and he in L.A. She didn't know how they would make it work yet, as both had their separate lives now and the thought frightened her.

"I'm awake." His breath was warm in her hair and she smiled, almost in wonder that such a simple thing could mean so much.

"We should probably get out of bed sometime today." She suggested, although that was the last thing she wanted to do.

"Blasphemy," he murmured. She giggled softly and lifted her head to meet his eyes.

"I'm worried."

"I sense that," he smiled gently and smoothed back the hair from her forehead. "Anything I can do?"

"What's going to happen with us?" She asked him. "I don't want to sound like some psycho commitment queen, but I have to go back to Sunnydale at some point and you have your own work to do here. Even with how close we live to each other it'll be really tough."

"Buffy..."

"And not to mention that we're always in danger, I mean what if something happens to me...or you, and we're not there to protect each other? It would be just my luck to finally get you human and then have some horrible demon rip you apart when I could have saved you...."

"I appreciate the image of me as the damsel in distress Buffy, but it's not going to be that way."

"What do you mean?" She looked at him suspiciously. "If you're even considering mind wiping me Angel, let me tell you...."

"I would never do that to you!" He interrupted vehemently. She glared at him and he sighed. "Your life was in danger that was different and you know it. We'll make this work, Buffy."

"How?" She whispered, hating the vulnerability in her tone. "I don't want to ask you to give up your life here and you know I can't give up mine."

He sighed softly. "I've been thinking about this very seriously. You're right. I have a life in L.A. I have a job, and responsibilities and people who care about me. I have my son, who I am just getting to know, who is finally giving me a chance to be a father to him. I can't just pick up and leave tomorrow."

"I know." She blinked back a tear and looked away from him, not wanting him to see the naked heartbreak in her eyes. "It was silly of me to think that this would work out just because you're human."

"You're not hearing me." He reached down and tipped her chin so that she was looking at him once again. His brown eyes were filled with warmth. "I said I can't pick up and leave tomorrow. I never said I couldn't leave. All of those things that I have Buffy are wonderful...but they aren't you. We've gone through far too much to let something like a tale of two cities keep us apart."

"So...what...?"

"I need to get to know Connor. I need to find out what kind of man my son has become. I want to be there for him, earn his trust, teach him..." he leaned down and kissed her lips with the utmost tenderness. "And then I'm going to give Angel Investigations to him."

"You're what?" She felt like the air had been knocked out of her.

"He's my son Buffy. He grew up in one of the most dangerous hell dimensions there is. You trusted him to protect your sister and I am certain that with enough training I could trust him to protect this city. Then I could come to Sunnydale and we can start over again."

"What about your friends? Fred, Gunn, ?" She paused, unsure of how to broach her feelings. "There was something between you two wasn't there?"

"There might have been." He admitted honestly. "She's very different now. She's grown up so much. She's noble and brave and she cares about helping people. We were thinking about it, but nothing happened and I'm glad now that it didn't. The qualities that I started to see in her, I realized only attracted me because I originally found them in you. She'll always be my good friend, but she'll never be you."

"I love you Angel," she said honestly. "But I don't want you giving up your independence for me. I don't want you leaving your town, your friends, your son."

"Connor and I aren't meant to spend every day together, that I'm sure. He's not a child anymore. He's a man. I missed that part of him, and although I'm going to get a chance to get to know him, he needs his own life. I can give him that here. L.A. isn't that far away Buffy. I can see him, and I can see my friends as often as I want. I'm not making any sacrifices here. I want you. I love you." He ran his hand along her arm and kissed her once more. "Sunnydale was our town once. It can be again. As long as you still want me."

"I went into a hell dimension after you, what do you think?" She smiled gently. "Just as long as this is really what you want."

"I have never wanted anything more."

"How long until..."

"I don't know." He said honestly. "I need some serious time with Connor."

"Dawn wants to come here when she's done high school." Buffy told him. "I think she's in love with him."

"And you're OK with that?" He raised an eyebrow.

"She's growing up. I can't help that." She reached up and caressed his cheek. "Besides he's your son. Who better for her? At least she'll finish college. Maybe...maybe when she comes to L.A., you can come back to Sunnydale."

"You're talking about two years."

"Is that not enough?"

Angel grinned.

"I was thinking it was too much." He thought for a moment. "Two years....that should be more than enough time to teach Connor. Can you wait that long for me?"

"I would wait forever for you." She kissed his chest tenderly. "I think I have been waiting ever since you left. I tried to move on, but....I never could."

"I'm glad." He admitted. "I wanted you to have a normal life, but some part of me hated the idea of you with anyone but me."

"Besides we'll still get to see each other during that time. We're not that far away." She grinned wickedly. "I kind of like the thought of calling you up for a booty call weekend."

"Mmmm, that sounds wonderful." His eyes sparkled mischievously as they kissed deeply once more. "Call me often OK? After having you like this, the thought of not making love to you again...God I love making love to you."

"You're not so bad yourself you know," she trailed a fingernail along his chest and felt him react almost immediately.

"That way doesn't go anywhere good. They'll be wondering what happened to us." She pouted slightly and Angel felt a new insecurity seize him. "It was...OK, right? I mean when we...you liked it?"

"Me? You're the one with over two hundred years of experience. I should be asking you if I was a disappointment."

"Never." He said, his voice soft, but intense. "I only asked because the lost day aside the only other time we've...well, I turned into Angelus afterwards and I was worried about how you would feel now."

"You were my first Angel." She sat up and took his hand, placing where his heart was. "And although there have been others, I was never as happy than when I was with you. You were my first and you'll be my last, I swear it."

"That's what I like to hear."

"What about me?" She grinned coyly. "Did I rock your world?"

"You were amazing." He replied seriously. "But sex isn't the best part when I'm with you."

"It isn't?"

"No, this is." He gestured around the bedroom. "Being here, lying with you...knowing that we're only for each other. It doesn't get any better than that."

"We should get up you know." She kissed him regretfully. "Dawn and I need to call the others and let them know we're OK."

"You'll spend some more time here, right?"

"Are you kidding? We deserve a vacation after that. I'm sure Dawn would love the chance to spend some time with Connor uninterrupted."

"Good," he sat up and began to pull on his clothes. "Because I am not nearly ready to let go of you yet."