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Chapter 9: Part One

A loud bang from outside startled him from his nap; he rubbed his eyes and looked around momentarily forgetting that he was now back in Sunnydale. Angel stretched high to crack his back then gingerly stood up.

He rolled his neck and swung his arms to loosen them up and sighed, the nap had done him good he felt refreshed but slightly sad. Being as close to his mom as he was it was creeping in that he wouldn't be able to scoot on over to her house any time he felt like it.

Seeing that it was only past six he decided that he would go out and pick up some food rather than have it delivered. Pocketing his wallet he began the walk down to the main street, it looked like nothing had changed, all of the shops remained the same, and even the damn rickety park bench was still there.

He placed his order with the Chinese restaurant then promised that he would be back within five minutes as he needed to pick up soda from the market across the street. He picked up some essentials then cursed himself for not getting a car first of all.

As he made his way around the shop he felt that familiar tingle, the one that signalled that Buffy was near. He closed his eyes to savour it, in case it wasn't her; when he reopened his eyes and looked down the aisle there she was.

Her long hair was now cropped to her shoulders, her skin was a less tan than before and although she had dark circles under her eyes - she looked beautiful. Slowly he walked over to her and stood behind her in silence; would she welcome him with open arms?

"Buffy?" his voice came out shy, almost as if he was scared to speak to her.

Taking a few calming breaths she slowly turned around to be faced with a blast from the past, she had felt that tingle that he used to bring out in her and she thought it was just a feeling, there would be no way that he could be back here after all this time.

"Angel" her voice came out breathy as always, her wide green eyes glittering under the fluorescent lighting in the store. His heart clenched to hear her say his name like that; he loved when she said it like that.

"How are you? God it's been years" a smile barely registered on her face and she rubbed her arm gently, it had been years since she seen him but his picture was etched in her memory. He was her first love and it almost killed her that he left.

Angel smiled back and she cleared her throat, but it was still rough "Yeah, been a good few years" he saw her shift under his gaze, he wasn't sure if it was good or not.

Biting back the small bubble of jealousy he cleared his own throat, he wanted to act indifferent and pleasant, not sounding like he was resentful in any way "So I heard you got married, Riley is it? Congratulations Buff"

Her face dropped immediately, the barely there smile was now gone and her eyes glazed over; the vacant expression on her face baffled him. He reached out to her concerned by her reaction but she backtracked towards the door.

"It was nice seeing you Angel" her voice was flat and lifeless, he frowned when she didn't even make contact with him; she just turned and walked away.

He watched her slumped form as she fled towards the exit; his stomach twisting into tiny knots; he was trying to be civil with her despite the tiny bit of jealousy he felt and she acted like he was no one to her, just a stranger?

Angel stormed to the cashier and paid for his things, he got back to the Chinese in time so that his food was just handed out and hailed down a cab. He couldn't get it out of his mind about how she reacted; at first she looked almost happy to see him?

It was annoying by how she was acting, okay so he was her ex but that didn't mean that they could now speak; they had dated years ago and didn't end on bad terms; it was just the distance that won in the long run.

He slammed the door shut and sat down heavily on the sofa, looking down at the food on the table he turned his nose up and pushed it away, he didn't know if he could even take a bite.

Angel had spent the day with Oz and Xander at the mall, it was one of those 'we have to see our friends days' that both their parents had nudged them into, with the house being empty for a couple of hours he would rather have Buffy over at his and preferably naked.

Xander groaned "Angel man, Buffy missed you so much in the five minutes since you text her last?" he was only joking but Angels scowl made him shrink back, he chuckled then drank his soda and looked around the room.

Angel leaned back in his seat and gave them both a look "Sorry guys, it's just that…" Oz kept the same even look as he watched the pair "You have an empty house and want to have sex with Buffy"

The pair of them choked on their sodas, they should have expected Oz to come out with something like that. Angel cleared his throat and smirked "Lately we've not had a chance to be alone; the car is good but not that good"

Xander quirked his eyebrow at him "And before you ask, you're not getting any details" his face fell at Angels words and he scoffed, pretending that he didn't want any details in the first place.

Checking his phone, he read the text from Buffy saying that she missed him then saw that Kathy had summoned him home "Gotta go guys" he shouldered on his jacket and frowned, he was expecting them to be out until late evening, not that he had plans back at the house anyways.

By the time he got home he had ran through every scenario in his head, he went from good to bad and somewhere lost in the middle; he was never summoned unless it was something bad. His heart rate increased as he went into the house and found them sitting calmly at the dining room table.

"Angel please sit down" he took a seat across from his parents silently pleading that they continue. Colin took Kathy's hand in his and cleared his throat "Angel, I've got a promotion… the new job is such a good opportunity"

Angel smiled widely, he knew has father had applied for a new job and that it would be ten times better than his current one; that was good news. When they shared a look with each other he lost his smile.

"The job is in Philadelphia…" his face fell further "This is going to be a big change for us son… but I'd like you to be on board with us"

He stood up so fast that it knocked the chair backwards and fell to the ground "I can't believe you! You didn't mention about moving across the country. What about Buffy? I can't leave her" Kathy reached out for him but he shook his head "No, I'm not leaving her!"

She saw the fury in his eyes and stood back "Angel hon, we only have three weeks before we have to leave" his dark scowl bore right through her, he kicked the chair that had fell over and broke the backrest; without saying anything he stormed out of the house.

Even when Kathy shouted on him to come back, he refused to look back or slow down; he couldn't believe what was happening, clenching his fists he kept up the pace as he walked away from his parents.

Oooooooooooooo

Buffy sighed with boredom; Joyce and Dawn were out for a short while to pick up some art supplies leaving her on her own. When she heard the door being chapped she rushed to it, a smile broke out on her face when she saw it was Angel "Hi"

He pulled her into his embrace as he entered the house; he kicked the door shut as his mouth descended on hers. They stumbled until her back hut the wall, she mumbled something then pulled back from the kiss; she palmed his cheek "What's wrong?"

Angel nuzzled her nose gently with his "I love you" he linked his fingers through hers and ran his thumb over her knuckles. She frowned at the look on his face, he looked dejected "Please tell me?" her stomach clenched, hoping that nothing bad had happened.

He led her up to her bedroom and sat down on the bed with her, when she saw his eyes dampen a lump formed in her throat "Angel you're scaring me" he gripped onto her hand and brought it to his mouth to kiss it gently.

"My dad got a new job" when she went to smile he stopped her "…it's in Philadelphia" her mouth dropped, she went to say something but then stopped and snapped back shut again. She held his gaze to see if he was making this up.

Seeing that he was telling the truth she choked back a sob, her chest was so tight it almost hurt to breathe "When?"

Angel looked down to the ring on her finger and sighed, this was something he never thought would happen, yeah maybe moving away for College next year, with his family still here but not now and with them all moving away "In three weeks"

The tears fell from her eyes freely and screeched "Three weeks? That's not enough time!" his heart crushed when he saw the tears escaped from her huge eyes, he tried to wipe them away from her cheeks but there were too many.

Buffy stifled back a cry and grabbed onto his shirt to pull him close, Angel wrapped his arms around her body and pulled her onto his lap "Don't cry" he kissed her deeply as his own tears ran down his cheeks and mixed with hers.

She placed her head in the crook of his neck "I can't believe this is happening, I don't want to lose you" they lay back on the still holding each other. Angel ran his fingers through her hair "I don't want to lose you either"

Angel shuffled further onto the bed as Buffy straddled his waist, he held up her ring hand to kiss the ring he had given her "You belong to someone" Buffy kissed the ring then kissed him "Forever" his hands ran up and down her back as she deepened the kiss.

Buffy ran her fingers through his hair as she stared into his eyes, her hands couldn't stop shaking from emotion. She placed her forehead against his and whispered "Forever" before kissing him again.

They took their time to strip each other of their clothes, savouring each inch of skin through kisses and touches; it made their hearts tighten knowing that this couldn't last forever. Angel gripped her hips to assist her in riding him, when she came he thrust a few more times then came himself.

Buffy lay down on his chest and closed her eyes; Angel wrapped his arms around her slender waist and closed his eyes, neither said anything; just content to be in each other's arms.