Disclaimer: As previously and frequently stated, I don't own Buffy or Angel. tear
Dedication: to all my magnificent, encouraging reviewers who motivated me to keep writing (can you believe this was meant to be a one-shot?):
SWChica2005, Arica, Princess of Rivendell, JessAngelus, pinkyblue-ice, chosen-one91, Jesse Falling, Julyhearts, WhiteWolf-3, AlwaysA, blink49, buffangel23, buffstuff500, carolina17, crystalix, Darkflame516, michebabyblue, nascarisdalejr, niesnangel, seananddellieforever12021, SpikenAngel, The Original Bad Girl Nicole and anna42hmr
(If I missed anyone, don't worry, I love you too)
A/N: I was going to spread this out a bit more, but… well, it just didn't work out that way. On the bright side, A Dream Come True is no longer floating around with that pesky "incomplete" label! Enjoy.
Chapter 11 – Goodnight
Three hours after Buffy and Angel had arrived the party was in full swing. As the party was to celebrate the first anniversary of the S.S.S. (the hotel management, however, was under the false impression that they were hosting Debutante ball for the Marian House School for Girls) all the slayers (minus Faith who had somehow evaded Willow's persistent persuasion), teachers (minus Robin Wood who had also escaped) and associated staff were in attendance. There had been a few speeches earlier on, but they had all been short and to the point, as the speakers, including Giles, were well aware their largely teenaged and most likely armed audience had a short attention span.
Angel and Buffy had been dancing for a while, currently to a slow romantic Italian song.
"You're never allowed to leave me again, you know that right?" Buffy asked from where she was tucked under Angel's chin.
"I know," Angel chuckled, "I wouldn't even dream of it."
"Swear?" Buffy asked, pulling back so she could see Angel's face.
"I swear." Angel said and kissed her, "Never." Buffy smiled and laid her head back against his chest.
Not long after this, Buffy stiffened in Angel's arms as she caught sight of something to their left. Puzzled at the change in her demeanor, Angel turned to see that the Immortal was standing near the entrance to the ballroom, obviously having just arrived. Angel couldn't help the growl that escaped his throat.
"There!" Buffy exclaimed, jumping back a little, "See, that was intimidating."
"What?" Angel asked having trouble concentrating while Buffy's ex-boyfriend was in his circle of flight.
"The growl! You growled!" Buffy informed him, giggling. "You're so jealous!"
"What!? Of him? He's a stupid, sniveling–" Angel's angry tirade was interrupted by Buffy's hand over his mouth.
"Okay, it's getting late. How about we leave before you start a fight?" Buffy suggested amusedly, but with an edge that told him that it was really a question.
"Okay," Angel submitted, still giving the Immortal the evil eye over Buffy's shoulder.
As they walked back to the doors, Angel pulled Buffy closer – a little possessively, she thought, but she allowed it anyway – and grinned toothily at the Immortal as they passed.
"You know," Buffy said to him as they passed through the doors, "for a moment there, I really thought you were going to say 'nyah nyah-nyah nyah nyah!'"
"I was only thinking it."
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"What?" Angel asked, grinning. Buffy's brow had been creased in thought for the last half of their walk back to her apartment, and for the last five minutes she'd been looking him sporadically, as if she was thinking about saying something to him.
"Nothing." Buffy said. 5…4..., Angel started counting down, 3… 2…
"It's funny," Buffy said suddenly, "It used to be that all I wanted was to be normal… to have a normal boyfriend… a normal life. Now I'm as close to that as I'm ever probably going to be… but now it doesn't really seem that important."
"Why?" Angel asked seriously.
"Because I've got something even better…" She told him smiling, "I got my angel."
"So have I," he replied before kissing her.
Angel smiled and pulled Buffy into his arms, swinging her off the ground. Buffy shrieked with laughter as they spun around in the street.
The End!
A/N: Phew! My first complete fic. :-) Was that too sappy an ending? It was, wasn't it? Myeh… Favourite chapters, anyone?