A Distant Angel 3
Angel was still very weak, since he had been in an almost catatonic state for over a year. Yet all this time Buffy had kept fighting because she knew that Angel was still in there somewhere. And now, she had saved him. She kept telling him that she would save him, bring him back. Now she had, but he still wasn't healed. He was still not well, but was at least talking to Buffy and the others now. He would speak fragments of sentences, then seem to change to a completely different person and mumble about losing everyone and everything. It seemed to happen so often that Buffy hardly ever got a straight conversation with him where he could tell her the details.
'It was horrible Buffy. We were there, fighting with all the strength and courage we had and… all gone. They can't be all gone. Please, tell me they're still here.' He was sitting on a couch in the living room of the small place Giles' friend had left behind. Buffy had told him that he was safe here and that they'd been here for over a year.
'Angel, I need you to do something for me.' She held out a mug. There was warm blood in it, fresh from the butchers and only just heated up in the microwave. Angel looked up, his eyes wild. He extended his arms weakly and took hold of the mug. He grasped it with both hands and brought it up to his mouth. He gingerly began sipping it, knowing that Buffy was watching him.
'Close your eyes.' He told Buffy. Buffy understood and did as he asked, and while her eyes were closed she remembered such a long time ago, seven years actually, when she had said those same words to him before she killed him. She vowed that she wouldn't kill him when she found him over a year ago. She had lived up to her vow, and planned to keep it that way.
When Buffy opened her eyes Angel had relaxed a bit. The blood had helped him settle down. Even though she had been giving him blood every day since she found him, now he was awake to appreciate it. He looked deep into her eyes.
'Buffy, please help me.' He pleaded.
'What can I do?' Buffy asked, smiling warmly.
'Can you hold me?' He asked in a quiet, whispered voice. Buffy didn't think he was being weak or pathetic, and she gladly took him up on the offer. She had longed to be in his arms again, after such a long time. She got out of her chair and sat down on the couch next to him. Angel lifted his arm and allowed her to snuggle in underneath his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her and held her close and she did the same. His kissed the top of her head lovingly, and Buffy smiled and snuggled deeper in his embrace.
Giles, Faith, Willow and Xander entered the room while Dawn slept in her room. Giles, in the lead, stopped in his tracks when he saw Buffy and Angel.
'What is it Giles?' Willow asked as the conga-line halted to a stop. Then she saw them. It was a beautiful picture, Angel with his arm around Buffy and Buffy with her head resting on Angel's chest. They held each other close in a loving way and smiled, content. Angel was finally happy, and calm, and relaxed. Giles smiled when he saw how far Buffy had come with Angel. Faith appreciated their relationship too, and remembered the relationship that she had with Robin after the Hellmouth was closed over two years earlier.
She and Robin were close, really close. They'd become such good friends, and had even dated a few times. After realising that they were meant for each other, Robin proposed. That was two months ago. But one night when they went for a stroll in the park, they were attacked by about a dozen vampires. Robin was killed that night. Ever since Faith has visited his grave in one of Los Angeles' low-profile cemeteries. When she saw anybody happy, it made her remember what she had with Robin, and what she regretted not having anymore.
But now, watching Buffy and Angel together, something about it was different. Something about the way that they just seemed to be at ease in each other's arms made Faith realise that she didn't have to feel so bad whenever she saw people happy. She didn't know what it was or why she seemed to feel this way now, but she just seemed to understand.
She knew from a while back that Buffy and Angel had a "thing" and that their relationship was special. She knew that there were things that the two of them had seen that most people wouldn't see in their entire life. She knew that they had something, something special. Like a gift. They just seemed to be able to connect with each other on levels that no one else could. And through that they were able to comfort each other in times of trouble. Buffy had spent the past year doing just that and struggling with the fact that she might never have her beloved back in her arms.
But now, here she was, with Angel. And they were happy and at ease. Faith just watched, along with Willow, Xander and Giles as Buffy and Angel continued to hold each other close. Then she tapped on Willow's shoulder and signalled for them to leave the room. Willow pulled Xander and he followed. Giles stood for a few more moments and proudly watched Buffy. She had done so much in her short life, including dying twice. And now here she was with Angel, her first real love. Giles watched over her like a father, and never forgot one of the moments of joy he had as her watcher while she was in high school all the way back in Sunnydale.
He edged backwards, turned and walked out of the room. Once again, Buffy and Angel were alone.
A/N: Sorry it took so long to update, my computer crashed so I had to get it fixed and it nearly took a week! I was heartbroken to be without my writing for so long. But now, I'm back and I promise there will be more soon. Please tell me if it's getting boring or going off-track, cos maybe I should have left out the whole "Faith remembers" section and written something else.