Buffy's heart went from breaking into pieces to racing so hard. Wasn't this part of everything she'd been upset about earlier her own self? "I think you start with the asking part," she told him.
He almost smiled. "Yeah, probably so."
"Sometimes guys even get down on one knee to do it. And, you're in luck because I just so happen to have the most perfect ring that you could use."
Angel just smirked, as he stared at her, running his hands along her outer thighs, all this back and forth within their heads was going to drive them crazy. Right then, he made a decision.
Leaning forward he captured her lips in a breathtaking kiss, unlike the one they shared earlier, this one was gentle. He took his time, seeking entrance with his tongue, slowly exploring her.
When they finally broke apart, each of them were left gasping. His hands traveled from her thighs, to around her waist, loosely holding her to him. Her head rested against his own, their noses gently traced the others, their lips were but a hairs breath apart when he looked at her and whispered, "Open your eyes".
Her eyes fluttered open to meet his, her arms rested on his chest, as her hands circled around his head, gently playing with the hairs at his nape. For a few moments they simply allowed the silence to speak for them, all of their hopes and dreams seemed to be floating magically in the air surrounding them.
"Marry me."
Buffy suddenly felt like all the oxygen had been sucked from the room. All she had thought about for weeks was this, and now that they were here she seemed to have lost her ability to form words.
"I know I should probably get down on my knee, but I've already done that, and in my opinion that time was perfect. Besides, you're kind of already wearing your ring, and I don't want to cheapen what we had by trying to recreate it. But I also want you to know how much me asking you to be my wife, again means to me. I'm all in Buffy, you're it for me, for better or worse, and I'm tired of this limbo that we've been stuck in, I don't think I could survive it another day. It's fast, yes. But I'm ready to move forward with my life, I'm ready to start my life with you, again."
Her heart felt as though it had just quadrupled in size, she was sure that there was never a moment she had loved him more than right now, this very second. "Yes… Angel absolutely yes. I love you more than I ever thought I was capable of loving someone, and I don't care how fast Lindsey or Xander, or anyone thinks we're moving. Like you said we've had the perfect wedding, and everything else. We proved our love and shared it with our friends, with the world the first time around. This time, it's not about them… the center pieces or the flowers, none of that matters. This time it's about us. All that matters to me is you, you were the best husband Angel, and there's no doubt in my mind that you will be again. There's nothing that you have to prove to me, it's my turn now, to show you that I'm in this just as deep. You were always my husband, but now it's my turn to be your wife."
And there it was, that megawatt smile that rarely broke through his stoic features.
He was beaming as he pulled her to him again, dominating their kiss, he was once again claiming her fully as his own. This time it was Buffy to pull away, earning a frustrated groan from him in return. His hands seemed to be all over at once, guiding them back down her thighs, he squeezed her ass as he ground her against his throbbing cock.
Breathless, but still wanting to make sure this was set in stone, she continued to tease him by grinding her lower half against his own. She could feel him pulsing against her, even through the barrier of their clothes.
"When?"
Angel was trying to pay attention to what she had said, he was fighting his body, willing his mind to stay coherent enough to hold a conversation. "When what, my love?"
Buffy traced a path from his nape, down his jaw, to the collar of his shirt. With an achingly slow pace she began undoing each button, one by one. "When do you want to get married? We kind of need a timeline, I mean that's the whole point right?"
Dear God he would marry her tomorrow, if she would just end this torment. He didn't want to be inside of her, he needed to be inside of her, if she had any idea how much at her mercy she held him right now. "Our anniversary, I thought that was what you would want. If it's not, then we can pick some other day. Right now, in this second I'd marry you tonight Buffy...If that's what you really felt was right."
His shirt now fully open to her gaze, she pushed it off his shoulders, she would never get tired of this man's body. "Our anniversary is perfect, I was just thinking earlier about how I couldn't imagine having to choose a new day." Trailing kisses up his shoulder, she slowly made her way up his neck gently biting the skin just below his ear. "You know that means we have less than 90 days…" Angel made some strangled noise in the back of his throat, which she could only assume was in acknowledgement.
Gently nipping at his ear, she whispered so quietly that had someone been sitting next them they wouldn't have even heard.
"Three months, isn't very long ya know… We could even say… start trying again."
That pulled him somewhat from his lust filled haze, he knew how badly she wanted a baby. Hell there wasn't anything he wanted more, but he was determined. Marriage first, then babies. Tucking a stray hair behind her ear, he began to speak but was cut off.
She already knew what his answer was going to be, and honestly even if it was selfish of her she didn't want to hear it again. "I know you want to wait, and I know its sounds dumb, but I don't know how to explain it. It's like I crave you. Inside. I hate the condoms, and it's cliche I know but I love it when I know were together, flesh to flesh. It just feels like that's how it's supposed to be…"
All he was trying to do was the right thing here, and this woman seemed determined to drive him to the brink of insanity. Though little did she know this was the one area that he refused to budge, she would be his wife before she carried his child.
Call him old fashioned or whatever, he refused to cheapen their love by impregnating her out of wedlock, well not if he had anything to do with it. Though he knew how stubborn she could be, something told him the next ninety days were going to be a battle of wills regarding this.
"Love, can we please postpone this conversation… Just for a little while, if you haven't noticed, I'm about ready to explode over here."
Kissing him briefly, Buffy lifted her head back just enough to flash him a sweet smile. "Sure, but I'm not certain I remember where the condoms are. I'm afraid you'll have to find them."
Angel's eyes narrowed. Her smile only got brighter as she returned to teasing his neck, her small hands making their way to his lap. He growled as she began to undo the top button of his pants. There was no denying that he agreed with her... he hated even the thin barrier of the condoms being between them, he craved the feeling of her and only her. It was well beyond tempting to just bury himself in her right now just as they were and let the fates figure it out... but, instead he stood up before she could unzip him as well.
Buffy gasped at the sudden movement. Angel walked them from the couch to one of the bookshelves in the room. He fiddled around blindly as his lips pressed against hers until his fingertips finally found what he was looking for, one hand searching while the other held her to him.
Angel pulled the hidden package out and smirked and Buffy pouted. "Why exactly is there a condom hiding amongst the books and pictures and other lovely things on the shelf in our living room?" she couldn't help but ask. Her forehead was wrinkled up.
"For shit like this right here," he answered her. He was glad he'd randomly placed a few of these throughout the house now, and he thought for a just brief moment about how he probably needed to buy more and find some more hiding spaces. Maybe he'd do that tomorrow since he didn't have to go into the office.
Buffy huffed at him and he had to smile. Bringing his head back down to her and giving her a playful kiss. "Soon, my love," he whispered.
It didn't take long for him to get her to stop pouting about the lack of baby making and more interested in the practicing for when the time came for that. At least for the time being. Angel smoothed his hands from her bare bottom up to her shoulder blades and she arched at his touch. Her whole body seemed to lean back toward him as he followed the same path back down.
Angel took a moment to just admire the woman before him but he knew he couldn't wait too much longer. He physically hurt with the need to one with this future bride - future bride to be once again - of his.
Angel took his time as he entered her, not thrusting until every inch of him was buried right away, but instead he began nudging into her little by little... each time he would pull away from her, he'd bury a little deeper. Buffy's head fell back a little and she moaned "More," each time.
Unable to continue teasing her because of his own urgency building, Angel grabbed both of her hips and pulled her back against him until he was sure he was as much inside of her as he possible could be She moaned his name loudly as he throbbed angrily inside of her. She did her best to balance on her tippy toes as high as she could.
Angel held this position for a moment before finally pulling back out and be began to truly thrust in and out of her slick heat in familiar rhythm. His grunts of pleasure echoed through the otherwise quiet house, mixing in with her breathless chanting of his name as they moved together.
Buffy's fingertips were nearly white from clawing into the couch, her ass bouncing against him with every move until he felt her begin to stiffen up and begin to shake slightly against him. "Oh, fuck," she whispered just before he lets one hand snake around to help push her over the edge. Buffy wiggled against his fingers working her clit until she screamed, her body jerking happily under him.
OoOoO
Catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror, Buffy couldn't help but smile brightly. She was still on a high from their lovemaking for sure but she was glowing because of something bigger tonight, she was officially going to be Angel's wife again. She could nearly jump up and down in joy over knowing it was truly going to happen, that he had asked and, holy crow, there was a plan in place. She really hadn't expected him to ask this early on and certainly not tonight but it was perfect. She knew exactly when this torment would end... having something you want so close to you yet still so far away, the heartache of not being fully his would be no more in a matter of weeks.
"You are without question the most beautiful woman on the fucking planet," he whispered to her as she met him back downstairs after getting cleaned up. His lips suckled at her neck for a moment, his arms wrapped around her.
"I see you found dinner," she told him, spotting the pizza in one of his hands against her.
"Mmhmm. I was starving."
She could agree with that statement. The pizza had been delivered - which she kind of remembered but it was all a blur, but she hadn't actually messed with it besides sitting it down earlier. Angel kept his arms around her as she moved around the kitchen, grabbing a plate for herself and then led him back to the couch.
Angel pulled her right back onto his lap and she cuddled as close as she possibly could to him. "I love you," he told her softly.
OoOoO
Buffy let the night just be theirs... they ate, they talked, they made love more times than she could remember. The sun was up before either one of them caught any sleep. Since Angel was able to work from home the following day, their news stayed between them a little bit longer.
Buffy would have happily shouted it from the rooftops until every single person on the planet knew, but at the same time it was nice to just let it sink in for herself, to discuss plans as just the two of them. It was nice to just enjoy the feeling of being his fiance, of just being his.
Buffy felt like her chest was going to burst every time she tried to imagine it all. She knew she didn't want something huge for this second wedding of theirs, but still something special, something that meant the world to them. Her face would break out into a giant smile every time she imagined walking down that isle again, picturing herself in various styles of dresses that her mind could conjure, seeing Angel's face as she got closer to him, daydreaming about exchanging vows and it being announced that once again they were husband and wife.
She could already taste it all, she could feel it in her bones.
This wedding would be magical, she just knew it. And afterward... oh, she could hardly wait. Her hand would linger on her stomach as she let her mind wander to things to come. Their family, their life together... forever, always... it was just meant to be.
OoOoO
"There's something I need your guys' help with," Buffy said, trying hard not to smile as she looked across the table.
She and Angel had spent the last two days in blissful seclusion, thanks to him being able to work from home. She had truly enjoyed getting to bask in their enjoyment privately, celebrating with only each other. But now that it was finally starting to sink in, the reality that they were actually getting married, that she was going to be his wife again. The stress of planning everything was starting to get to her. They had less than three months to pull this off.
She needed help, fast.
It was Saturday, thankfully since Xander's current construction site was wrapping up and only operating a few days a week, all of her friends were off work. She really was glad she would be able to tell them all together. She thought that was important, especially after her recent conversation with Xander. She wanted to keep all of her friends on the same page from now on, she would definitely be needing all of their support.
Just before everyone was due to arrive, Angel volunteered to make a grocery store run. He wanted to pick up a few things to grill, plus he knew she would appreciate a few minutes alone with her friends to tell them the news. He just hoped Xander behaved himself, he didn't plan on letting anyone, especially Harris ruin this engagement.
Between bouts of making love the other night, while they were scouring the kitchen for food, Buffy had jokingly mentioned that one of the things she missed most about him were his burgers. When she had questioned him about having everyone over today, he had told her that he thought it was a great idea. Plus, It would provide him the perfect opportunity to surprise her with dinner.
He had already grabbed the meat, and selected a variety of veggies for kabobs, the last thing he needed was buns. Making his way down the aisles, he passed by the pharmacy, remembering condoms, he quickly grabbed a box throwing them into the cart. He must not have been paying attention, because when he went to turn the cart around he nearly knocked right into someone. Just as he was about to apologize, he did a double take, not believing his own eyes he stood staring.
Absolutely speechless.
The woman's eyes quickly cut down to the box of condoms in the basket, and back up to his own. The eyes of a viper, she attempted to hide her shock with a sinister smile.
"So I guess it's true then, you really did go crawling back to her."
Anger flooded his veins, how dare she come to this town after everything that happened. Everything that she caused, this was the last thing that he needed. This was the last thing Buffy needed. Suddenly he wished that he hadn't offered to go to the grocery store. Hell, suddenly he wished that he had never gotten out of bed this morning. His eyes narrowed, the handle of the cart he was pushing threatened to crack under his grip as he tried to maintain control.
"What the hell are you doing here Darla?"
OoOoO
As soon as she had said that she needed help planning a wedding, the room exploded. Not literally, but almost. Willow jumped to her feet, running around the table to embrace her friend. Tears fell down her cheeks, as she told Buffy how happy she was for her, and Angel too. Tara was less enthusiastic, but still smiled and congratulated her, she was definitely the most shy out of the four of them.
Buffy looked over to Xander who had been oddly quiet. Even though she felt they had made a lot of progress through their conversation the other day, she was still a little worried about what his reaction would be. He was staring at the table between them, his knuckles lightly drumming a nervous beat on its edge. After what felt like an eternity, he finally looked up, his expression unreadable.
"Does this mean I get to plan the bachelor party again?"
Buffy beamed at him, his acceptance meant more to her than he would ever know. There were still miles to go between him and Angel, but this was definitely a start. Walking over to him, she waited for him to stand before embracing him in a tight bear hug.
"Thank You, Xander."
Soon enough they were all deeply vested in the planning process. Wedding venues were thrown around, dress ideas, guests lists… Xander wouldn't stop mentioning Vegas, Willow kept suggesting Europe, and Tara eventually chimed in saying that "Something simple, might be better since they were on limited time." Which only caused Xander to launch into another spiel on the benefits of Vegas.
Some time later they heard Angel pull into the driveway, everyone stood slightly shocked when Xander walked out to go help him carry everything in. Not wanting to intrude on some "bro" code moment, the girls hung back in the house. Though Buffy may have taken a peak or two out of the blinds, just to make sure they weren't killing each other.
Before Angel could even set all of the bags down, Buffy walked up to him pressing her lips to his. Even though his hands were full, he kissed her with reverence, backing her into the kitchen island. When they finally broke apart, she was nearly panting, she didn't know how she was going to survive 8-10 hours without him, whenever he actually did have to go into the office again.
The sound of someone gagging broke their attention, causing Angel to take a step back as Buffy peered over his shoulder to glare at Xander, who quickly sat his bags down and exited the room.
Raising her hands, she playfully pushed Angel further back, out towards Xander and the living room.
"Go, now. Before we lose control and really embarrass our friends."
Stealing one more quick kiss, he left her to sort through the bags, as he walked into a room with an ecstatic Willow.
As she was putting up the groceries, Buffy couldn't help the smile that spread across her face. She was happy, she was truly happy for the first time in years. She couldn't believe how quickly everything was falling into place. Everyone always tried to tell her, "Everything happens for a reason" she never really believed that, but now she wasn't so sure.
Reaching into the last bag, she pulled the hamburger buns out and sat them on the counter. Smiling to herself, she knew he was doing this for her, cooking her favorite. She couldn't believe he had even remembered what she said the other night, they had both been nearly delirious from lack of sleep.
Taking out the last item, she couldn't help but laugh at the irony of the situation. Here she was finally coming to terms with their present, only to go and pull these damn things out of the bag. They had yet to reach an agreement regarding protection, or the lack of.
Angel seemed determined to wait, which she pointed out didn't even make sense if they were going to start trying for a baby as soon as they got married anyway. So, a battle of wills had ensued. She was constantly trying to seduce him, especially when she thought he might lose control and forget… or not be able to find a condom. In return he had hidden the damn things all over the house, she had even found one in his shoe! Granted they were an old pair of sneakers he kept in the basement for yard work, but still… his shoe.
Opening the trash can she dropped the unopened box inside, before pulling the bag out, and tying it up.
"Be right back, I'm taking out the trash!"
OoOoO
As she looked around, Buffy wished more than ever that she could bottle up a moment, that she could trap a feeling and just open a magic bottle or something to relive it whenever she wanted. Willow and Tara sat with her at the table, the two beautiful women still throwing around all different ideas for the upcoming wedding with her, making lists alongside her, but also sometimes just sitting there and talking with her... they relived her first wedding and how fun it was, then they talked about their own wedding.
The girls were absolutely on board with her and Angel not wanting to go all out this time and were giving her great motivation.
They asked if she had told Giles yet and she shook her head. Things were different with his situation now than it had been years ago, but she knew she'd have to find a great way to tell him and to ask him to come. He had walked her down the isle the first time, he was the only father figure or even parental figure either one of them had anymore. If he couldn't make it she would understand and still do her best to include him somehow.
Buffy had teased Xander about when him and Cordelia would be getting married and that was part of what brought on the overpowering moment. He'd gone wide eyed and stuttered... which Angel then started teasing him about too and somehow the two just... they almost relaxed it felt like after that. They were off in the living room talking and for the first time in forever they were getting along, they were laughing, hell... they were talking without glaring at one another today.
When Cordelia did arrive, having been the only one not able to get off of work, Buffy filled her in on the news. She was worried it had hurt her feelings to not be included in another one of their get togethers, since she worked such crazy hours. But the brunette waved that off saying she figured this was what it was about anyway, and even dropped a stacks worth of wedding magazines on the table out of a large back she'd brought in. "And I came prepared."
Buffy could only burst out laughing. "Never change, Cordelia."
OoOoO
Angel waited until he knew Buffy was asleep before making his way downstairs and slipped outside. He dialed Lindsey's familiar number and waited for the cowboy to answer as he took a seat on one of the wicker chairs out there.
First Angel asked him what he would be doing on a certain date. Lindsey was quiet for a moment before, "I don't know, Angel. What will I be doing?"
"Well, I was hoping you could come out this way and do a little repeating of history."
"Yeah? You ask that girl to marry you?"
"I did."
He could hear Lindsey shuffling around a little in the background. "You know come hell or high water I will be there to support you and Buffy. And I look sexy in a suit all standing up there being a best man." Angel rolled his eyes. "But - But the two of you better have your shit together. That's not a lot of time, brother."
Angel sighed. "I know. To be honest I think the time apart and reflecting back over everything that happened though... I think it did a lot of the work. Hindsight and all, you see where shit went wrong and how you could have fixed it. How you should have fixed it. You let your heart come to terms with it the best you can, even wish for it to be back... keep in the back of your mind if you ever got another chance everything would be different this time, you know."
"I can understand that."
"And it's good, Linds. I don't think I've had a single day where I've haven't been scared that this is all a dream and I'm going to wake up," he admitted. Angel went on to tell his best friend about how far they'd come in working on fixing what had happened in the past more than they'd discussed it so far, he told him how it felt right to just be here with her and how he truly believed in this second chance.
"I just don't want to see the dark side of history making a sequel. You two can't go off breaking one another's hearts again."
"I know," Angel said softly. He took a deep breath. "And that leads me to something else..." he trailed off for a moment. "I saw Darla today."
The other end was quiet for a long time. "Now. I'm going to have to go get myself checked out at a doctor because I could have swore I just heard you say that you saw Darla. Today."
Another deep breath. "I did."
"Well, mother fucker, you lead with that! What is wrong with you?! What in the hell did she want? That don't even matter... What did Buffy say? Is she okay? Are you okay?"
Angel rubbed a large hand down his face. "I didn't tell her yet."
"You don't get to call me all preparing to marry this girl - again - and talk about how far you two have come in working shit out and then drop that bomb on me. And - and - say you haven't even told her. No."
"We just got engaged days ago, Linds! She was at home with her best friends telling them the news and starting to plan shit out. I went to the store to get some food to make us all and I just wanted to go, get what I needed, come home and celebrate with her favorite people. And there was Darla, in the fucking store, I almost ran her over on accident. And then again on fucking purpose."
"And you didn't tell Buffy?"
"I didn't want to ruin it."
"And after everyone went home?" Lindsey pressed.
"I don't know. The last fucking thing I want to have to tell her is the woman who destroyed us the first time is suddenly, just casually walking around shopping through Sunnydale. And that I saw her, and I talked to her."
"And then you hid it from her."
Angel sighed. "I don't want to hurt her, or scare her. I don't want to fight with her and lose her all over again. I can't, Linds."
"I understand that, I do. But this is what's going to make you lose her more. She's Buffy. And she's Darla, and you know the chances of her just poofing away aren't so great. Buffy will find out one way or another and I can tell you that cute little blonde firecracker of yours is going to be a lot more pissed off at you for not telling her than she ever would be at you breaking the news to her in the first place."
Angel made an annoyed sound into the phone.
"How about you fix this shit and then you can call me and ask me about being a best man." Angel hung his head down a little and let what Lindsey was saying sink in.
"And in the meantime maybe y'all should think about planning the wedding for next year. What's the problem in that, three months. You have a lot of shit to get squared away… You're already together, what's the rush."
Angel blew out a deep breath. "A baby."
Lindsey made a strangled noise in the back of his throat, he hadn't expected a coronary when he answered the phone. "WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN A BABY!?"
Angel held the phone slightly back from his ear, before permanent damage was caused. "Relax Linds, there's not a baby. Not yet anyways, at least I don't there is. But Buffy's determined, I keep trying to convince her we should wait but…"
"Oh fuck you Angel. You don't think there's a baby? What the fuck does that even mean man? Wear a damn condom…" Lindsey cared deeply for his best friend, and his ex-future wife, but Holy Hell. This conversation was just too much.
"Jesus Christ, listen to me, I'm going to hang up this phone, and you're going to go wake Buffy and tell her about Darla. NOW. Then you're going to super glue a god damn condom to your dick for the next ninety days. Got it?"
Angel knew it was pointless to try to explain how relentless Buffy was regarding the baby making, besides he was pretty sure that he had exceeded the amount of information Lindsey's head could hold. Agreeing to do as he said, Angel hung up the phone. He knew what he needed to do, but that didn't make this any easier. Relaxing back into the chair, he stared up at the sky pondering all the possibilities of their future. Lindsey was right about one thing though, he did need to tell her about Darla, before Darla did it for him.
OoOoO
Some time later Angel crept up the stairs, taking a few minutes to watch her sleep, he prayed to whatever Gods would listen, that what he was about to do wouldn't start World War III. He had seriously considered pretending he never ran into Darla in the first place, that was his first instinct anyway. But Lindsey was right, Darla was bound to make another appearance. Especially now that they had bumped into each other. He just hoped she was smart enough to stay away from Buffy.
Stripping down to his boxers, he made his way to the bathroom. He brushed his teeth, washed his face, checked the cabinet for condoms, noticing the box was empty he made a mental note to bring up the box he had bought earlier… when he ran into the devil incarnate.
He was stalling and he knew it. Relenting to his fate, he crawled into bed and scooted up behind her, pulling her flush against him. She was in was one of his t- shirts, which had become her sleeping staple lately. His hand inched underneath the fabric to splay across her flat stomach.
Welcoming the distraction, he allowed his thoughts to drift, he tried to imagine what it would feel like when her belly was swollen with his child. He wondered if he would be able to feel its tiny movements, the kicks and jabs that you always read about. He imagined seeing his child, their child for the first time, and he realized that for once the idea of it all didn't spur his anxiety or send him into that familiar panic.
Brushing the hair back from her neck, he placed a soft kiss just below her ear. "Baby, wake up."
She stirred, grumbling something that he couldn't make out, which caused him to smile. She was the most beautiful woman on this planet, and he refused to let Darla or anyone come between them again. Turning her towards him, she blindly reached out in search of him. Spreading her thighs to make room for his, she lazily wrapped her legs around his own, as he moved to hover over her. How he wished that he was only waking her to make love.
Brushing his lips against hers, he nipped and teased her back to consciousness.
"Angel?" He loved the way his name sounded on her tongue, he could never tell if it was a question or statement.
Placing an elbow on each side of her head, he knew trapping her in bed like this was wrong, but he was going for whatever weapon he had available. He couldn't let her mind start traveling down those dark paths again.
"We need to talk."
She could feel his body pressed against her own, his hips cradled between her thighs, she was completely ensconced within his embrace, she never felt safer.
Snaking her arms around his neck, she slowly opened her eyes. She hadn't expected to see the worry in his staring back at her. A sense of dread immediately washed over her, something bad must have happened.
"Angel what's wrong? Did something happen to Giles?"
Shaking his head in response, he mumbled Giles was fine as he captured her lips in one more swift kiss.
"I saw Darla today."
As soon as the words left his mouth, time seemed to freeze around them. He wasn't even sure they were breathing if he were being honest. Bracing himself for her reaction, he couldn't stop the tears from filling his eyes, he couldn't lose her, not again, not when they were so close to reaching their happily ever after. Not because of fucking Darla.
Buffy was confused, had he really just told her that he had seen Darla? She closed her eyes for a moment trying to clear the fog from her mind.
"Where?" Was the only thing she was able to choke out through her own silent tears. She knew something bad was bound to happen, things had been too perfect. They had been too happy. Of course this bitch was back to try to ruin everything.
Using his thumb, he wiped away the single tear that rolled down her cheek. "Earlier today. At the grocery store, I swear Buffy, I turned around and she was just there."
She could see the fear in eyes, Darla was a fucking poison, she knew that now.
"Did-did you talk to her?" She asked softly.
"Just for a second. Basically I just asked her what in the hell she was doing here, and I told her that she should get the fuck out of my town, if she knew what was good for her."
Angel was wearing a look that she hadn't seen since their divorce, he was wrecked. He looked absolutely devastated, as though he expected her to just walk away from him… because he had ran into Darla? Hadn't she just promised him a couple days ago that she wasn't going anywhere, she would always trust in him, that she would be his, no matter what. Forever.
Her heart broke for him. She had been so lost in her own grief over what happened between them, she hadn't really taken the time to think about everything that he had been through. It was time to show him that she wasn't going anywhere, things weren't going to happen the way they did before, and it was far passed time she proved it.
Buffy knew she must have been taking too long to say or do anything because she could feel the sudden onset of little trembles going through his body. Forcing herself to get out of her own head and concerns, Buffy pulled him down to her. Angel's head buried in the crook of her neck, she could feel dampness form right away from tears he was shedding, all because of fear of losing her again.
He hugged her tightly and Buffy rubbed one of her small hands up and down his back and the other tangled up in his dark locks of hair. She was about to ask him if he knew why she was here but he started acting almost like she had the other day, breaking out into endless rambling apologies and repeating that he only saw her for a moment, that he didn't have any clue that she was going to be there, that he hadn't talked to her or anything of that nature.
Buffy closed her eyes and pulled him tighter. "Angel, I know," she whispered. "It's okay." She knew it was harder to do the whole leave the past where it was business when it was suddenly sniffing around again.
That didn't calm him down any though, he started going on about how she could check his phone or his e-mails or anything else she wanted, that he was sure the grocery store had cameras she could go check to prove he did nothing more... and she felt tears forming back in her eyes. He was so panicked, so heartbroken for even having to tell her and all she wanted was for it to go away.
"Please look at me," she whispered. He slowly lifted his head and she kissed him quickly. "I have no idea why that woman has dared to even come around here or have the nerves to even speak to you," she told him softly and as calmly as she could manage. "But it doesn't matter. It doesn't change anything, Angel. I'm horrified and angry that she's lurking around town but I am not upset with you. I know that it's the last thing you want."
"She was just there..." His voice still sounded as though he was pleading for her to believe him.
Buffy kissed him again, this time with more force behind it. "I know, Angel. And it does not change anything. I don't care about anything she does, says or tries to pull."
"I didn't want to tell you," he barely managed to get out. She didn't have to guess as to why not, it was written all over his handsome face, it was making the air around them tense and haunting. She assured him that she was glad he had, and even that he had waited until now to let her know about what had happened.
"I'm not going anywhere, Angel," she whispered.
ButImBroken:
Cowritten with Scribes1015! She's amazing by the way!