Linger a moment longer

Disclamer see chapters 1- however many I've wrote.

It had been one month since Canala had told Angel they needed to take a break. Not a day had went by that he didn't cross her mind. Jade had tried to get her to go out, even attempting to hook her up with a few guys, but it was to no avail, Canala unceasingly moped. Jade made the comment that since Angel wasn't around anymore, Canala made up in brooding enough for the both of them, Angelina,who had surprisingly became friends with Jade, agreed.

Buffy and Spike had a long talk, she finally broke down and told him everything, he lingering feelings about Angel, even the kiss she had shared with Angelus. She had expected him to blow up, throw things, leave her right then and there, she expected any thing and everything except, for what he did. A simple kiss, and an "I forgive you." That, however, was exactly what she got.

Angel had reverted back to the dismal existence he had lingered in for years, from the time Buffy and Spike had married till he had met Canala. Now, he was back at square one. He had no one, no friends, no girlfriend, nobody. Oh sure, Jade and Angelina had tried to remain friendly with him, but when ever he was around them, he was tempted to ask about Canala, and hearing about her living her life without him was more than he could bear.

Jade's life remained pretty much unchanged after the fiasco, although she secretly felt that if she hadn't done the spell if Angel and Canala would still be together. It was because of this fear that Jade decided to play a visit to Angelina one sunny day, to come up with a plan………………………………...

"No, no way, not a chance in hell, and not even if hell freezes over." were the first words out of Angelina's mouth when Jade brought up her proposition. "But Angelina," Jade whined, "Your supposed to help Canala any way you can, and this is helping her." "Yeah," Angelina said, "and the last time I meddled in her love life, she ended up with her mum's ex." "Come on Ang. We have to do this. If we don't I'll have to put up with mopy Canala for the rest of my existence, and I don't want to have to listen to that. You don't know how bad it is!"

"Oh yes I do!" Angelina said impassioned "I'm her guardian, I've had to listen to her mope for her entire life." "Exactly," Jade said, "You've know her forever, you know exactly how she feels about Angel, you know that she is completely lost without him, come on we have to help her and him get back together. Besides, then you can show off you new boyfriend in front of her without guilt tripping."

Angelina had taken a fancy to mortal life and decided to stay on earth. She had recently met a young marine by the name of Casey and had been debating whether or not to introduce him to Canala. She wanted to, but she felt like she would be rubbing it in her face, "Ha-ha, I have a boyfriend and you don't" and Angelina really didn't want to upset Canala the girl had been through enough.

"Fine," Angelina replied, "I'll help you, but if it gets screwed up, it's your fault." Jade smiled at her new found friend then hastily hurried to Canala's apartment to put the plan into action…………

Jade let herself into Canala's house, She didn't even bother with knocking, she had her own set of keys. "Yo, Canala, where are you?" Jade yelled as she entered the house. "I'm in here." She heard a muffled voice say. Jade followed the voice to Canala's room where she found her lying in bed. Now, Canala was normally an energetic girl, so finding her still in bed at one in afternoon was uncommon. "Are you sick?" Jade asked concerned. "No," Canala said sighing, 'I'm fine." "yeah, sure your fine." Jade said, "How long have you been in bed?" " I dunno," Canala answered, "A little while." She stared at the floor." Today would have been out six month anniversary." She whispered barley loud enough for Jade to hear, but hear Jade did. It was in that moment Jade knew with absolute clarity the plan had to go through. "Get your ass out of bed, and put on some decent clothes, we're going out!" She yelled at Canala. " This was abnormal for the usually soft spoken witch, and a stunned Canala got out of bed and obeyed without a word.

Angelina wondered for the thousandth time if going along with Jade's plan was the right thing to do. Oh sure, it seemed to be the best thing, but when you play cupid, things can backfire. Oh well, she thought, this time it's Jades fault if it all goes to hell, so why should I care? Then, taking a deep breath, she rand Angel's door bell.

A dejected looking Angel opened the door. He looked surprised to see Angelina there, or maybe he was disappointment she saw in his soulful chocolate eyes. "Oh," he said, "It's you." 'Yep,' Angelina decided, it was definitely disappointment. "Well, don't be so enthused to see me." She said in a sarcastic voice. "I'm sorry," he said, "It's just I thought, I mean I hoped that maybe, oh, forget it." "You thought I was Canala," Angelina affirmed, "Well, sorry to disappoint, but I'm not. Thankfully, I am here to pull you out of your miserable state. So put on you dancing shoes broody boy, 'cause we're going out."

Angel gave Angelina a bewildered look. "Look Angelina." he said, "I think of you as a friend, but I don't like you that way." Angelina rolled her eyes at Angel. "God you are full of your self. That is sooooo, not what I meant, sure you hot and all, but I already have a boyfriend, sorry to bust your bubble. No, all I want is for you to come dancing with me, do you get the picture?" Angel just nodded dumbfounded. "O.k.," Angelina said, "I'll see you in twenty."

And this is how Angel and Canala ended up at the same dance club at the same time. Now, you might think that it would be happy ever after, with her rushing into his arms and all that jazz, but, "The course of true love never did run smooth", and their love is no exception.

Jade sat at the bar with Canala. Jade was tapping her fingers impatiently, Angelina and Angel had yet to show up, and she was having a hard time trying to convince Canala to sit and wait with her. "Come on, Jade," Canala said, "Let's either dance or go home just sitting here is totally lame." "Just wait with me another minute." Jade pleaded, mentally cursing Angelina for not hurrying it up with Angel.

Canala shrugged she was just about to settle herself down for a long wait when she heard a male voice behind her ask. "Do you wanna dance?" She turned around. The guy looked to be about twenty, with dirty blonde hair and green eyes. He didn't have a bad body either. Canala sent him her most charming smile, "I'd love to she said," and before Jade had time to object Canala whisked the boy out to the dance floor.

Canala had utterly no clue what possessed her into taking the boys offer. Since she had met Angel she hadn't even looked at another guy, and even though they were "taking a break" she still felt uncomfortable being with some one else. However, she needed to have fun, and so she danced with the young man, and pretended it was her Angel, not knowing he had just walked in.

Angelina had practically had to twist Angel's arm to get him there. She had ended up having to blackmail him into going by threatening to tell Jade a few interesting titbits about his life, Angel, knowing how big a blabber mouth Jade was, agreed to come.

Angelina drug Angel to Jade's table. "Where is she?" Angelina asked. Jade grimaced at Angelina a then nodded her head toward the dance floor. Angel followed her gaze until his eyes locked on the petite blonde on the dance floor. At that moment Canala turned her head, just in time to see Angel walk out the door.

Canala immediately rushed out of the club, hot on Angel's heels. She rushed up behind him. "So, were you just gonna leave without saying anything? No hi, how you been, how's life?" Angel didn't even turn to look back at her. "saw you dancing with your new boy friend," he said, his voice oozing with scorn and pain. "I figured it was best for me not to say anything, you r new boy toy might get jealous." Canala looked at him in utter shock. "What is this, a sarcasm contest? He is not my boyfriend, I don't even know the guy, we were just dancing." She rolled her eyes at him, "Honestly, do you always have to be so suspicious." "I have trust issues." Angel said. "So I can see." Canala said.

Angel turned and for the first time looked at her. She had her makeup on and she was wearing her best clubbing clothes, but when he looked into her eyes he saw an incredible sadness. A melancholiness that was out of place on such a young girl. It was a look that Angel knew well, the look that says you have lost the most important person in your life, the same look that was in his own eyes.

Angel placed a hand on Canala's cheek and tilted her face up toward him. She didn't pull away, although she felt she should, he had kept the truth from her dammit, and if there was one thing Canala hated it was liars. Yet she could not pull away. Not even when he kissed her.

Angel broke the kiss and whispered in her ear, "I love you. And that was it, in that moment Canala understood that she loved Angel, his past didn't matter, it was the future that counted.Their future,and so under the starry sky she spoke her love to him, and then gave him a lingering kiss before getting into his car and going back to his place.

AN(only like 2 more chapters left, Whoooo, I'm almost done!"