Disclaimer: I own nothing.
The black Plymouth screeched to a halt in front of the ex - watcher's house and Angel rushed out before it came to a full stop, quickly followed by his gang. For a short second, he stilled and his friends gasped when his handsome face morphed into the one of his demon and a low, dangerous growl roared through his chest.
„What's wrong?" Cordelia asked as Gunn prepared his weapons.
„Gypsies." He uttered silently, vocalizing the smell he just felt and ran towards the entrance, the scent of Buffy's blood scaring him to no end. He didn't ring the doorbell or knocked on the door, too scared to do any of that and prolong his arrival even for a second. Was it possible that the Romani found another way to punish him and went after Buffy? Have they found out he marked her as his? Why is there so much blood? In one swift movement, he kicked the door and broke them from the hinges, utilizing the now open way to the inside, silently thanking Giles for not revoking his invitation.
„Buffy!" He yelled, his face in full force, all three of his friends behind him, each of them with their chosen weapons, pointing them at everything and everyone in the room. But, instead of the fight and bloodshed, they found astonished people, staring at them with mouths wide open.
„Angel." Buffy breathed out, quickly coming to her senses and successfully completing their usual greeting ritual. To Angel's surprise, she looked just fine. More than fine, actually. As his eyes roamed over her body, looking for any sign of injuries or traumas, he let out an unnecessary breath, glad that his worst fears didn't come true.
„Why the bloody hell you did that for?" Giles exclaimed, eyeing his just-a-moment-ago perfectly fine door.
Gunn, Wesley, and Cordelia awkwardly lowered their swords, but Angel still remained in his fighting stance, noticing three unfamiliar people, all of them wearing a smell that was burned in his memory. Involuntarily growl escaped him when two Romani men pointed crossbows at him, but it was Buffy's voice that snapped him back to reality.
„You know, here in Sunnydale, we respect this silly ancient tradition of knocking." The slayer said. „With your hand." She paused a little, looking the now completely useless door on the floor and grimaced. „Lightly."
„Stay back!" Riley yelled and took a protective stance in front of her. „I think he's evil again." He took his gun out and pointed it at vampire's chest.
„He's not evil, just stupid!" Cordelia quickly explained and made a few steps to stand next to her boss, smiling a little when she noticed how Xander and Willow sighed in relief. Next, she punched Angel in the shoulder with all her might, removing his death glare from Buffy's soldier boy and onto her. „See?!" She asked him with a raised voice. „She's alive!" And just to demonstrate the point she hit him again, still not satisfied with this small punishment for near-death experience he put them through on the way here.
„What?" Buffy questioned perplexingly and took a few steps from behind Riley. „You thought I'm dead?"
„Stay back Buffy, he might attack you!" Riley ordered and unsuccessfully tried to push her back behind him, her strength not allowing him to protect her.
„He's not evil!" Buffy snapped and now fully stepped in front of Angel, happily noticing that his demon face slipped away.
„We thought you were in danger. We do, however, apologize for the hasty intrusion. But from what Mr. Giles told us, we thought you were in dire need for help." Wesley explained in the true British manner, his refined words not distracting anyone from his new appearance.
„You told them I'm dead?" The slayer angrily inquired Giles.
„Of course not!" The ex-watcher rebelled. „And if I remember correctly, I emphasized how all right you are."
„Sweet mother of Jesus." Xander interrupted them while approaching the door that laid flat on the floor. „You do know how to use these, right? You knock, someone from the inside opens. Invites you in. Really, it's not that hard."
Willow laughed nervously. „Oh, I'm sure you'll fix it in no time. The important, really important thing is that you are here." She breathed. „Hi!" And awkwardly waved to the crowd, but not forgetting about a really significant person in the room they were yet to meet. „This is Tara. She's new."
„H-hello. It's nice to meet you." Tara shyly greeted new people, feeling the need to look at the floor when she felt all the looks on her, but everyone's well-natured smiles and friendly auras quickly made her feel safe with them.
„Gunn." The dark-skinned man simply introduced himself and asked: „So, let me get this straight. No one is dead?"
„The last time I checked, everyone in this room were alive and breathing. If you don't count Angel, of course." Anya nodded and helpfully informed him, all the time being completely ignorant of the way the vampire and the slayer stared at each other.
„What is going on here?"Angel asked Buffy, completely oblivious to the murmur around them. Everything about this immeasurably confused him, and he felt extremely insecure and anxious in the situation he found himself in. „I could smell your blood all the way outside." Even though she looked fine and unconcerned with circumstances surrounding them, the smell of her blood was so strong he could almost taste it.
Without detaching his eyes from Buffy, his voice changed to a more threatening tone, and it was pretty clear his attention transferred to someone else. „ And if you don't put that gun down, I'll make sure the same can be said about you." He finally turned his head towards the soldier, feeling the urge to at least knock him out for a good measure. He really didn't like that guy.
Riley pulled the trigger and spoke to his girlfriend. „And you claim he's not dangerous?"
„Oh, I doubt anyone told you that." Angel spoke instead, not giving up on the staring game the two men played.
Buffy felt genuinely alarmed when Angel took a step in her boyfriend's direction and rushed to intervene before the situation escalated. „Riley, put the gun down. Now!" She spoke to the vampire next. „And you, stay back!"
Feeling she meant game, they unwillingly listened and Buffy felt it was safe to finally explain some things to her ex-boyfriend and ease his mind about her well-being. The concern was rolling off of him in waves.
„I'm fine." She said assuredly, making sure to convey the same message with her face as well. „It was just a little run-in with the Penula."
Giles sighed. „Penabelua, Buffy."
„The Penabelua demon?" Wesley perked up at the mention of the beast. „They are extremely rare and only appear when summoned, usually to exact vengeance on someone deserving. What would a creature like that be doing here?"
Angel knew the answer before anyone had to explain it. „I will ask this only once." He said in a cold voice, eyeing the Romani menacingly. „What the hell do you want?" On the one hand, he felt completely inadequate and ashamed in their presence, the guilt for his actions blooming inside of him and making him sick. But, on the other hand, the prospect of risk they represented towards Buffy countermand all that and made him want to strangle them all just to keep them away from her.
The two men now had crosses and crossbows aiming at him, but Vadoma spoke, looking at him with palpable disgust. „It was not our wish to see you here."
They held each other stares, both of them thinking of the fastest way to remove the other when a loud crash startled them.
Xander and Gun exhaled in annoyance when the heavy door fell to the floor and moaned when they bent to pick them up once again, determined in their decision to put it back in its place.
„Do you have to do that now?" Startled Cordelia snapped.
„Well," Xander started while balancing the wooden obstacle. „I know it's been a while since you've been here, but doors are pretty important in Sunnydale. If you want to, you know, stay alive."
Cordelia wanted to complain about their incompetence and left-handedness, but Buffy's words quickly returned her attention to the topic at hand.
„They are here to help." The strong blonde proclaimed, doing her best to remove the heartbreaking expression of confusion, anger and guilt that was written all over Angel's face. „They are here to bound your soul."
His head snapped in her direction and he wide-eyed stared at her.
„What?!" Cordelia shrieked and vocalized Angel's thoughts. Well, at least part of them. "We almost died on our way here just so you two could have sex again!?"
„They won't have sex." Riley gritted through his teeth. „This is a pure safety issue."
„Yeah, sure." Cordelia said mockingly. „You really do know them well."
Not really hearing anything after the whole bounding soul deal, Angel finally came to his senses and spoke to Buffy who still hasn't detached her eyes from him. „Can we talk somewhere private?"
„Of course." She said without hesitation and went to the stairs, fully intent to continue this conversation in Giles's bedroom upstairs.
„I don't think so." Riley declared as he took a stand on their path. „You're not going anywhere with him."
„Move boy." Angel was sick and tired of his presence.
Riley smirked. „Make me."
„You don't have to ask twice."
„Enough!" Buffy yelled and got in between them, pushing them both aside. She did her best to calm her voice before continuing. „Riley, please, let us pass."
„I'm afraid I can't do that." He watched her tired face, fully aware that she never did anything to make him doubt her. He knew she won't cheat on him up there and that he can rely on her. What he didn't trust was the demon who was still looking at him as a prey. And the scary part was that it was the look that scared him far less than the one he was directing towards Buffy.
„Can I help you with that?" The threat in Angel's voice didn't go unnoticed, but Buffy decided to ignore it. Instead, she spoke softly to her boyfriend.
„Riley, please. The sooner you let us, the sooner all of this will be over."
This time, he stood still and just looked at the ex-lovers that made their way towards the bedroom.
The short walk to the bedroom was silent and tense, and even though she wanted to practice a simple explanation, his presence alone was too distracting. So she focused on calming her breathing and rapid heartbeat, well aware that he could sense everything about her. She lightly twisted the doorknob and let the vampire in, feeling not prepared for the conversation that was waiting for them.
„Care to explain what is going on?" His voice was harsh and cold, not at all what she was expecting.
„They are here to remove the clause." She smiled. „No more eternally unhappy Angel."
„So, they just came here, feeling tired of vengeance, to make my soul permanent? And they brought the vengeance doggy with them?" Angel asked and raised a questioning eyebrow, full well knowing the answer.
Buffy sighed. „No, not exactly. They came because someone sicced that creature on them. It was killing the members of their tribe. They didn't know what else to do, so they came here for help." She looked at the floor. „I think Jenny told them we help people."
The vampire nodded in understanding. „Hence the blood I smell."
„Yes." Buffy confirmed, and Angel noticed how her face instantly lit up. „And they offered me a reward for my troubles."
„A reward?"
She smiled shyly. „Whatever my heart wishes."
Angel's gaze softened and he crossed his arms over his chest, knowing that is the only way to keep them from going after her and drawing her closer. The most beautiful and modest smile graced his face and Buffy gasped at the sight, feeling the well-known butterflies doing flip-flops in her stomach. He had no idea what he did to deserve this, and he basked in the knowledge that he is still a somewhat important part of her life. „And you couldn't think of anything else?" He joked lightly, unconsciously taking a step in her direction, the knowledge there is no way they could go through with this making this whole situation no less meaningful.
„Well, I don't think they could cast a spell and make me a million dollars. Or could they?"
He smiled at her fake-serious face. „And you trust them?"
„No. Not at all." Buffy shook her head in a 'no' motion.
„Good." He nodded contentedly before continuing. „You know they could do anything? Release Angelus again?"
„They won't."
„You can't know that."
Buffy threw frustrating hands in the air. „Well, even if they do, Willow will just curse you again."
„Their magic is much more advanced than Willow's. Who knows what they could do." The slayer knew what he's about to say before he uttered the words. „I can't risk it."
Her look became angry and bitter words spilled out of her mouth. „You don't want to do it only because you don't think you deserve it."
„I don't!" He shouted and instantly felt bad, giving his best to continue in a more hushed tone. „I did nothing to deserve this. This is your reward, not mine."
Buffy smiled, but not a trace of humor could be found there, only harsh disappointment. „Fine, you won't do it for yourself. How about to protect others?"
Angel reeled back as if she'd slapped him, a heavy burden of her words falling directly on his heart, as Riley's words about safety flooded back at him. „You don't trust me." He uttered and his face crumbled, he seemed at least ten years older at that moment. Wrinkles of guilt and heartbreak carved his forehead and he couldn't look at her anymore. „Of course not, how could you."
He turned his back on her, and Buffy was quick to calm him. „Angel, I trust you with my life." She breathed out as unfallen tears shook her voice. „I think I proved it time and time again."
He harshly looked at her again. „And yet, you think I would risk it? Risk you?"
A tear escaped her eye and Buffy hurried to wipe it away. The last thing she wanted to do was to hurt him, but this was too good of an opportunity to miss out. „You can't control happiness."
Angel's words came out bitter. „In 245 years I've been perfectly happy exactly once." He swallowed. „And I don't see it happening anytime soon again."
„Maybe not now." She acknowledged that. „But what about 100 years from now? 200? You will live forever, Angel. And forever is a lot of time to spend sad."
„That won't happen." He knew that the moment she dies, the prospect of perfect happiness is forever lost to him.
„You can't know that." Buffy argued. „Besides, anyone could use some kind of spell on you and make you happy. What then?" She asked silently. „Are you gonna make me kill you again?"
She looked ready to fall to her knees and cry her eyes out, and Angel couldn't stand the look of her trembling lips and urgent heartbeat her words provoke. „You're willing to risk it?" He asked instead.
She shrugged, feeling defeated in every way.
„All right." Angel said shortly and left the room without another word. When he got up here, he thought he'll have to find a way to explain to her that they still couldn't be together, soul bound or not. And more importantly, that he'll have to convince himself in that. But, not in a million years he imagined he'll find out she had so little trust in him.
As soon as they entered the living room again, Angel spoke to Vadoma. „How do we do this?"
The Romani woman stared at him for the longest time, silently weighing her obligation to repay the debt and the responsibility to carry out the vengeance she served since she could remember. Finally, she sighed and spoke. „I need to test you. I will need your blood."
Willow quickly ran to the kitchen and took the first bowl she saw there, the chance to see this powerful witch in action infinitely excited her. Angel gently smiled at her as she handed him the blue dish and took the knife Wesley encouragingly offered to him.
„Just a few drops should be enough." Vadoma clarified when she noticed the confused expression on his face.
Listening to her, the vampire cut his palm in one swift but shallow movement and watched as blood seeped into the ceramic bowl. He ignored the stinging and carefully handed it to apparently mute, younger Romani man. He guessed he was around Buffy's age.
The Romani put it on the table in front of his senior and shakily took a step back. Whatever was to happen next could change their lives forever.
Vadoma received her old knitted bag and took a dried branch of some familiar looking plant. Her eyes closed and a silent, incoherent whisper came from her mouth. Next, she pulled a small blade from the bag and cut herself in the same manner Angel did a moment earlier, and everyone watched as her blood dripped into the same bowl. „Petefeci!" She sharply exclaimed as soon as the blood stopped flowing and a hot flame rose up, startling everyone and breaking the pot in half.
Buffy could have sworn she saw a relief and a hint of a smile at the old woman's face. „It can not be done."
„What?!" The slayer snapped and took a dangerous step in her direction. „We had a deal."
Vadoma was unfaltering. „I can not break the rules. It is forbidden to meddle into someone else's curse."
„How do you mean someone else's?" Even though he wasn't sure how sorry he was for the outcome, Angel couldn't keep silent. „Your tribe cursed me. I know it."
„Maybe." Vadoma indicated to the broken ceramics on the table. „But our line no longer holds your soul."
„What are you talking about?!" Buffy gritted through teeth, barely holding of her self control. They were so close. „You think this is a joke?"
The older Gipsy actually felt pity for the blond girl, her pain was palpable and real. „Our curse no longer binds his soul. Someone else has a claim on it."
„Khm-khm." Willow coughed and awkwardly raised her hand as if she was in a classroom. „I think that could be me."
„You?" Vadoma doubtfully asked as all eyes in the room fell on the young witch, coloring her face in the same shade of red as her hair.
„Of course." Giles took off his glasses and started cleaning them nervously. „You were the last one that cursed Angel."
„That's right." Willow confirmed it to the woman. „And I give you permission to meddle in my curse. Meddle away!" She ceremoniously declared and sent a friendly smile in her direction.
„No, only you can change the spell." Vadoma wiped the smile from her face. „And I sense your power, you are too weak."
Willow swallowed hard as she watched Buffy's eyes filling with tears as the acceptance finally hit her, but it was Angel's longing look at Buffy's direction that broke her. She squeezed the comforting hand Tara put on her shoulder and bravely opposed to the Gipsy. „I'm not weak. And I'm sure I'll be able to do it if you just show me how."
„It is dangerous and much darker than you can imagine. It would be hard even for me."
„I can do it." She was determined.
„No, Willow." Angel said. „I can't allow that you put yourself in danger for me. Not again."
„Willow, this is much heavier than anything we did so far." Tara's big soulful eyes draw out a smile to Willow's face and she quickly kissed the blonde witch, saying her without a word what she's about to do.
„I can do this." Willow repeated to everyone in the room and neared Vadoma. „Teach me how."
Instead of the instructions, a loud crash shook the entire house as a big blob of black and blonde ran into the room and pushed the slayer, making her lose her balance and fall to the floor, taking the intruder with her. Painful moans of two voices came from the floor, but before Buffy even realized what was going on, Angel's strong hands quickly took a hold of a black leather coat and in one agile movement threw the still yelping vampire off of Buffy.
„Spike." He growled. „What are you doing here?"
Spike looked at him and then at Buffy from his place on the floor, still holding his throbbing head and shrugged. „Isn't it obvious? I was saving the slayer."
„From what?" The girl in question demanded as she found her footing again.
The blonde vampire quickly jumped to his feet. „I smelled Romani, Angelus and lots of your blood. That had to mean trouble."
„So you decided to save me by tackling me?"
Before he managed to answer, Angel hit him and took a stake from his pocket. „I just remembered." He punched him again. „I never paid you back for torturing me that last time." He pinned him against the wall and pointed a stake to his heart.
„Hey hey hey!" Spike yelled. „Haven't you heard? I don't bite people anymore."
Angel was confused, this had to be the strangest diversion tactic he could imagine.
„That's right, I fight the good fight now." He continued when he saw the baffled look an the dark vampire's face. „Someone tell him."
Giles rolled his eyes. „Well, only for money."
„So what?" Spike rebelled. „The important thing is, I help. Now, let go of me Peaches."
„Buffy?" Angel questioned her, still not letting go of the other vampire.
Buffy sighed in annoyance. „Let him go, he is neutered now."
„I don't get it." Gunn questioned Riley. „Does he has a soul like Angel?"
„Hey!" Both vampires rebelled at the same time and Spike dusted off his coat when Angel finally let go of him.
„I have nothing as nansy pansy as a soul. I have a manly chip in my brain." He emphasized the statement by pointing to his head.
„And I'm not neutered." Angel said and grimaced as soon as the words left his lips.
„Really strange things have been happening here." Wesley concluded and looked at Giles when he spoke again.
„You have no idea."
„Does nobody knows how to use door anymore!?" Xander practically screamed and pointed at the once again demolished entrance.
Everyone silently looked at Xander, feeling pity for the builder of the group, only Spike carelessly asked: „So, what's going on here?"