Title: Gealach Gorm

Author: Sk8erGurl24

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Everything belongs to Joss Whedon. The Malibu Beach Inn is actually a hotel in LA. Check my page for a link to pictures. The song is I'll Be by Edwin McCain (No, this isn't a song fic, I just needed a song for them to dance to).

Summary: Just my way of fixing things in Buffy season 4 and Angel season 1. I wanted to get Buffy and Angel back together and Willow and Oz to stay together. Goes up to the Buffy episode 'The Initiative' (somewhere before, like after 'Wild at Heart', but before 'The Initiative') and the Angel episode 'Sense & Sensitivity' (Again, somewhere after 'Rm w/a Vu' but before 'Sense & Sensitivity'). I didn't want to deal with the angsty-post-I Will Remember You stuff.

Note: This may become a series, which I want to do because I've never written a series before. Oh, and Oz never left, because in this, Veruca never came. Yay. I wish I could thank someone for their help on this story, but I can't, because I have no Buffy loving friends. They're all obsessed with the Fluffy-Bunny vamps we know as the Twilight vampires. No, no, wait. Not true. I can thank my friend Piper (27RosalieHale27) because even though she's never seen the show, she still listens to me babble on and on about my ideas. Thanks, Piper! Anyway, enough talk. On with the story!

* * * * * *

"Yes, Will, I'll take pictures...and call you when we're headed home...Willow...okay...Willow...we're...Willow! We're here! I'll talk to you in five days, 'kay? Okay. Bye." Buffy flipped her cellphone closed and smiled. "I think she's just jealous that we're going...somewhere and she's not. Where are we going?"

"You'll see," Angel said

"Will you promise me something?"

He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. "What?"

"No brooding. Please? I want this to be a happy vacation."

Angel took her hand and squeezed it. "I promise."

He turned the black Plymouth into the parking lot. "Close your eyes."

Buffy sighed, but obliged. She felt Angel turn off the car and heard him get out. He then walked around and opened her door, helping her out, he told her to keep her eyes shut. When he told her she could open them, she was amazed. They were standing infront of the most beautiful hotel she'd ever seen. It was creme white and three stories high. The roof was made of brown shingles, and above the front entrance the words 'Malibu Beach Inn' were written in cursive yellow light-up letters. The hotel gave off a warm yellow glow in the dark night. Buffy could hear the ocean somewhere close by. Possibly behind the hotel.

"Angel!" She said. "It's beautiful!"

"You like it?"

"Like it? I love it."

"Good. I'm glad. It's one of the finest hotels in LA, but a small one, so it won't be over-crowded with people."

Buffy smiled up at her boyfriend. "You're amazing."

"Thank you. I'm going to grab our bags and then we'll go check in."

A moment later, Angel came back with two suitcases and a duffel bag. Buffy took the duffel bag. It had all her beauty products in it, after all.

They walked through the front door and Buffy was amazed at how beautiful the lobby was. It was open and light. The furniture and walls had the same white touch the outside did, and the counter was made from a dark wood.

"Hi," the woman behind the desk who had a gold name plate that identified her as Lydia. "How can I help you?"

"Reservations for Summers," Angel said. Buffy quirked an eyebrow at the mention of her name.

"Ah, yes. A King Beach Suite for Summers. That'll be five hundred for the first night, sir." Angel handed her a credit card which she swiped and handed back to him, along with two room keys. "Third floor all the way to the right. Have a nice stay!"

"Thank you," Buffy said, taking the room keys.

In the elevator, she asked her questions. "Why'd you use my name?"

"Because you're name is a name you use every day."

"What about you're name, before you were changed?"

"Yours is just easier." He told her.

"What was your last name?"

"Something you'll never find out." Buffy didn't pry any more. Apparently Angel didn't want to tell her, so she wasn't going to ask again.

"Okay. And how can you afford all this? Not that I'm complaining, but Angel, this is an expensive hotel."

"When you're around for a century or two, you pick up spare change."

"Spare change," she scoffed.

The elevator bell dinged and the couple stepped out.

"All the way to the right...King Beach Suite...aha! Here we are!" Buffy unlocked the door and stepped inside. Angel followed her, set the bags on the floor, and closed and locked the door behind them.

She was amazed once again at the beautiful structure of their room. It was white, as well as the rest of the hotel, with grayish-brown carpet. The ceiling was slanted and made out of light wood boards. There were two rooms, not including the bathroom, in their suite. The first, the living room, was wonderful. It had a grayish-brown couch, slightly darker than the carpet, and a light brown chair with a footstool. The coffee table was dark wood with a light golden mat in the center. There was a large built in fire place in front of the couch, and a flat screen TV above that. There was also two floor to ceiling sliding glass windows leading out onto one of the decks. The windows were also adorned with thick brown curtains, perfect for keeping sunlight out. The next room was the bedroom, which Buffy fell instantly in love with. It, too, was creme white with angled walls. There was a couch in this room two. It matched the one in the living room. There was also a chair that matched the one in the living room, minus the footstool. The coffee table was similar, but with a darker green-gold mat in the center. The bed was huge, king sized, and tall. It had creme white sheets that matched the walls and a deep brown throw at the foot. There were creme and brown pillows, too. The headboard was the same dark wood as everything else and almost up to the ceiling. The closet was also huge, Buffy was happy about that. There was two windows identical to the ones in the living room that led out onto the second deck. They were also adorned in thick, sun-blocking curtains, only these were tan. There was a wooden dresser opposite the bed with another flat screen above it.

"Wow," Buffy said.

"I thought it was pretty nice, too."

"Oh! Look, you can see the ocean out of these windows!"

"Yeah."

"It's so beautiful, isn't it?"

"It is," He agreed.

She turned back to face him. "I'm going to go take a shower really quick, and then I'll be right out."

"Want some company?"

"Angel!" She smacked his arm lightly. "No. Like I said, a quickie. You won't even realize I'm gone."

She grabbed the duffel of toiletries and headed down the small hall to the bathroom.

The shower was huge, she noted, which was a very good thing. She unpacked her favorite shampoo, coconut, and soap, Dove. Then she went to the towel closet. She smiled at the big, fluffy white towels. She was beginning to really love this hotel.

While Buffy showered, Angel hung up their things in the large closet and went into the living room. He sat down on the couch, kicked off his shoes, leaned his head back and closed his eyes. If someone had told him two years ago, heck, even a week ago, that he'd end up in a beautiful hotel all alone with Buffy, he would have thought the person was insane. But here he was. He smiled.

Twenty minutes later, he heard the shower stop and the door open. He could smell the fruity scent of her shampoo and this made him happy.

Buffy wandered into the bedroom, wrapped in the large towel, to find that Angel had closed the blinds, along with removing everything from the suitcases and hung it up.. She smiled and picked out her favorite pair of pajama bottoms, ones with little multi-colored polka dots, and a white spaghetti-strapped tank top. She finally found Angel in the living room, kicked back on the couch, a content smile on his face.

"Hi, there," she said, and startled him.

He sat up and looked at her. She was in her pajamas and her hair was wet.

"Hi."

"Whatcha doing?"

"Nothing. How was your shower?"

"Amazing. That shower is huge!"

"Glad you liked it." He held out his hand to her. "Come here."

Buffy took his hand and allowed him to pull her to him in a comforting embrace.

"This is nice. You, me, amazing hotel suite, no demons or Hellmouthy things, no friends who enjoy barging in uninvited..."

"It is nice," he agreed.

"Never thought we'd be here, you know? I always thought it was going to be, 'Happiness is bad. No happiness for Buffy and Angel'."

"If that were still the case, I think I may have lost my soul hours ago."

Buffy giggled.

"I love you. And I love your amazing sense in hotels."

"Thank you." He pressed a kiss to her still-wet blond hair. "I love you, too."

"Do you want to order something to eat?"

"They have room service at this hour of the night?" He nodded. "Okay. Mmm. Now that you mention it, I am hungry."

Angel leaned forward slightly and snagged the room service menu off the coffee table and handed it to her.

"Hmm," she said, looking through the menu. "I think I'll get...the macaroni and cheese. Good old fashioned comfort food."

Angel smiled and disentangled himself from Buffy. "Be right back."

After he ordered her food, he came back and sat beside her.

"What about you?" she asked.

"What about me?"

"What are you going to eat?"

Angel ducked his head. This was one subject he didn't like discussing with her.

"I...in the car I brought a cooler for me."

"Oh. Okay." She gently kissed his cheek.

The two sat in comfortable silence until there was a knock at the door. Angel hopped up and payed the man, then came back with her bowl of macaroni and cheese.

"Thank you," she said taking it from him.

"How is it?" he asked after she took the first bite.

"Really good."

"Good. I think, if you don't mind, that I'm going to take a shower now."

"Why would I mind?"

"Just wanted to make sure you wouldn't be lonely."

"Nope. Go, inspect the amazingly large shower."

When he saw the size of the shower, he realized she wasn't kidding. It was huge. The bathroom still smelled like her, he realized, and inhaled deeply.

Several minutes later, he came into the bed room in a pair of grey sweats, rubbing a towel through his hair. Buffy sat cross-legged on the large bed. She had pulled back the covers and taken off all the extra pillows they didn't need.

She looked up and smiled. "Hi."

"Hey." He discarded the towel and went to sit beside her.

She yawned and he looked at the clock. It was close to four in the morning.

"Why don't we get some rest? Then we can do something fun tomorrow," He suggested.

Buffy nodded and pulled the blankets up. Angel reached over and flicked off the lights before laying down beside her. She rested her head on his shoulder and he wrapped an arm around her petite figure.

"This is a dream," she said.

"If it is, I don't want to wake up."

"Me either." She gently kissed his chest. "Good night, Angel."

"Good night, Buffy. I love you."

Buffy smiled in the dark. "I love you, too."

* * * * * *

"She said she'll take pictures. Do you think she even has a camera? Are we ever going to find out where she went? What if it's too nice there and she doesn't want to come back? What if--"

"Willow." She looked up at her boyfriend who was lying on the couch with her.

"Sorry. It's just...I'm not used to Buffy going places without us, you know?"

"Yeah," Oz said. "She'll be back. Five days, not that long."

"True. Maybe I can call her! No, wait, that's the emergency number only..."

"She may call you. It's going to be fine. Just get some sleep, okay?"

"Okay." Willow closed her eyes. "But what if--?"

"What if nothing, Will. She's fine and so are we."

"Fine. G'night."

"Good night."

* * * * * *

It was dark in the room when Buffy awoke, despite the noon-time hour. Thick curtains, she reminded herself. She rolled over and realized Angel was already awake and gazing at her.

"Morning," she said groggily.

"Good morning."

"Sleep good?"

"Better than I have in a long time," she told him and sat up.

"Me, too," he said, then asked, "Would you like some breakfast?"

"You mean lunch?"

"Yeah, lunch."

"Sure. I'll run down and get some." When he gave her a 'Why can't I come' look, she said, "I saw the dining and kitchen area when we checked in last night. There's a bunch of windows."

"Oh."

"And I'd prefer to have a non-flamey boyfriend."

She got up out of bed and headed to the closet. After quickly dressing in a pair of khaki shorts, orange tank top, and a pair of matching flip-flops, she grabbed the room key and car key and bounded out the door. They could have just called room service, but Buffy wanted an excuse to go downstairs. She wanted to pick up the cooler of blood for Angel, but she knew he'd object if she told him.

First, she ordered a plate with a hamburger and fries, then she went out to the car. The cooler wasn't too big, and had wheels and a handle so she wouldn't have to carry it in, thankfully.

Angel had just finished getting dressed and was sitting on the bed again when he heard Buffy come in. She stashed the cooler by the mini fridge, grabbed one pack of blood and a glass from the cooler (he brought his own glasses so the hotel wouldn't suspect anything), her food, and came into the bedroom.

"I've got lunch!" She announced, and waved the blood and glass.

"Buffy--"

"Nope. I don't want to hear it. I need to eat, and you need to eat. Here." She shoved the things at him. He took them reluctantly, but made no move to open the packet.

She kicked off her shoes and climbed onto the bed beside him. "What? Are you embarrassed? Come on, Angel. It doesn't bother me."

He sighed. "You shouldn't have to...you shouldn't have to see me..."

"Feed? Puh-lease. I've seen messier, nastier, way uckier things than that."

He looked at her. She truly was amazing.

"Oh, fine." She grabbed the blood and glass from him and walked into the bathroom. Buffy managed to open the packet with a nail file and poured it into the glass. Then, she wrapped the plastic in paper towels and stashed it at the very bottom of the trash can.

"Take this." She held the glass under his nose. "You know you want it..." When he didn't move, she said, "Okay. Be that way. But I won't eat 'till you do."

"Buffy, you need you're--"

"Nutrients? Yeah, and so do you."

"I can go longer without blood than you can without food."

"Mmm-hmm. And when was the last time you fed?"

Angel looked down. "Three days ago."

"That's what I thought. Are you going to take this or not?"

He didn't want to, but he knew how stubborn she could be and he really wanted her to eat. His resolve broke. "Fine."

He took the glass and she kissed him on the forehead before returning to her seat beside him. "Thank you. And besides, I'm really hungry."

The day was spent mostly in bed, lounging around, catching up on lost time. Around eight, Buffy turned to Angel and said, "Let's go to dinner. Then we can go for a night time swim. Have you ever had a night time swim?"

"No," he said.

"You're in luck. Neither have I. Well, unless you count that one night I went to the beach with some friends back in Hemery and they pushed me in..."

"I don't," he said with a smile.

"Neither do I."

"Okay, so we'll go down to dinner, then come back here and change into our bathing suits before-- Angel! Do you even have swim trunks or anything?"

"One pair. I figured you'd probably want to do something like this."

She smiled. "You were right."

"So, dinner?"

The two sat in the outside dining area. It was a beautiful deck that overlooked the ocean. The tables were the weaved wood material, as were the chairs, and they had a small candle in the center. Large grey umbrellas were stationed throughout the deck.

"Hi, I'm Charlene and will be your server tonight. What can I get you?" the woman that had approached them asked.

Buffy glanced over the menu. "Um, I'll have the Penne Primavera, please, and a glass of sparkling water."

"No appetizers or salad?"

"No, thank you."

"Okay," Charlene said, as she jotting things down on her note pad. "And you, sir?"

"Just bring me a glass of wine."

"Nothing to eat?"

"No, thanks."

Charlene disappeared back inside.

"This is wonderful," Buffy told him.

"It is."

She giggled.

"What?" He asked.

"This is our first real date."

"We-we went to the movies once."

"That wasn't--I don't count that."

"Then you're right. This is our first real date."

"Wow."

Several minutes later Charlene came back with their food.

"Penne Primavera," she said as she sat the plate of pasta in front of Buffy. "Sparkling water, and a glass of wine. All set?"

"Yes, thank you," Angel said.

"Okay. Enjoy you're meal!"

Buffy picked up her fork and began to eat. "Very good," she told him.

He smiled and took a sip of his wine.

"When did Cordy and Doyle go home?" she asked.

"Yesterday, I think."

"Doyle seemed very nice."

"He is. You'll like him."

"I'm sure I will."

They sat in a comfortable silence as Buffy ate. Angel took this quiet time to study her. She was breathtakingly beautiful, with her hair pulled back and just a little bit of make-up on. Sitting here in the soft glow of the candle, it was easy to forget she was the Slayer. Here, she looked like just a girl, so young and innocent. He loved the way she scrunched up her nose every time she took a sip of her sparkling water because the bubbles tickled. Her fingernails were a unique shade of brown. It used to be her favorite in high school, he remembered, and felt happy to see her wearing it again.

When Buffy was finished, Charlene came back with the check and Angel paid. After he handed back the small black book, he looked up to find her staring at him expectantly.

"Ready?" she asked and he nodded.

After a quick change, the couple headed down to the beach. Angel's trunks were black, big surprise there, and Buffy's bikini was white. She smirked. He had always said they were from different worlds, light and dark, and now even their clothes represented that. She stood down by the water, just watching the waves roll in. Angel wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, and she leaned back into his broad chest. Tears welled up in Buffy's eyes. When she ran away after killing him, she had had a dream just like this. Apparently the tears started falling, unbeknownst to her, because Angel asked, "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing. Don't worry about it."

"No, Buffy, it is something. Tell me."

"I...after I...after you went away, I-I had a dream just like this. And you blamed me for what I did to you."

Angel turned her around in his arms to be able to look in her eyes.

"I would never, do you hear me? never, blame you. I understand what you did and why you did it."

He wiped away the few tears that still cascaded down her face and said, "How about we make some better memories?"

She smiled up at him. "Okay."

He took her hand. "Come on."

Angel led Buffy into the water until it was about up to his waist and her stomach. He leaned down to kiss her, but she darted away laughing.

"You have to catch me first!"

He couldn't help the huge smile that broke out on his face. She was being slightly childish, yet he loved it. It showed she was carefree and so much different than when she had the weight of the world on her shoulders. Buffy swam out into the ocean until the water came up above her shoulders and waited for Angel. When he was an arm's length away, she hurried off. She slipped on a rock and went under. Angel took this asset, and dove under after her. He had only swam three times before, twice when he was human, and once on her seventeenth birthday when he dove into the water for her after a vampire had knocked her off the docks, but he was good at it. When he got close, she got a look of mock fear on her face and began kicking up sand to cloud the crystal clear water. She had to come up to breathe, though, and that's when he got her. Buffy laughed as he placed his hands on her hips and pulled him flush against him.

"Caught you," he said.

"You did. I suppose you get a reward."

She reached up and pulled his head down to hers. Just as their lips touched, a monstrous wave washed over them. She chuckled against his mouth. When she finally pulled away, he rested his forehead against hers.

"You're all wet," she said.

"You are, too," he said and brushed the wet hair out of her face.

Angel wrapped both arms around her protectively and they stared up at the almost-full moon.

"Everytime I think this can't get anymore perfect, it does. How do you do it?" Buffy asked him.

He rested his head atop hers. "It's a gift."

"I love you." He'd heard it a million times over the past few days, but each time she said it, it had the same effect on him. He felt like he was on fire.

"I love you, too. You have no idea how much."

"Oh, I think I do."

* * * * * *

Several hours later, they were back in the hotel room. They had showered and were curled up together in the bed when Buffy's cell phone started buzzing. She groaned and buried her head in Angel's shoulder.

"Do I have to get it?"

He didn't answer, but instead handed her the tiny black phone. She glanced at the screen. Willow.

"What?" she asked when she flipped it open.

"Buffy, I, uh, I know you said this was for emergencies only, and this is kind of an emergency, so I guess it's okay that I be calling you--"

"Willow? What is it?"

"You're mom. She's...she's sorta flipping out because you didn't tell her where you went, or who you went with."

"Did you?"

"I don't know where you went!"

"I mean did you tell her who I was with?"

"No. I said you were with a friend."

Buffy looked up at Angel, eyes wide, when she said, "Does she want me to call her?"

"Uh-huh."

"Okay. Thanks, Will. I'll see you soon. Bye." She hung up the phone and turned to Angel. "My mother. I forgot to tell her I was going somewhere because she was out of town..."

"Call her. Make sure she doesn't report a missing persons."

She nodded and her hands shook slightly as she dialed the numbers. One ring. Two. Three. Maybe she wasn't home, Buffy hoped. Four. Five.

"Hello?"

"Mom, it's--"

"Buffy Anne Summers! I want to know where you are and I want to know now!"

"Mom, it's okay. I'm okay. I'm down by Carbon Beach."

"Carbon Beach! Why are you there? Who are you there with?"

"For a vacation. We all needed a vacation after the latest demon. Mom, you understand, right?"

"Yes. But you didn't answer my question. The rest of your friends are still here in Sunnydale. Who are you with?" Angel, with his enhanced hearing, could perceive everything that her mother said and instantly became afraid. Not for him, but for Buffy. He had no clue what lengths her mother would go to to try to keep them apart.

"I'm...I'm here with Angel." She gripped his hand tightly when she said that.

"Angel? Buffy, that's too dangerous. I want you to come home this instant!"

"Mom, you don't get it. His soul's bound, he can't go evil if he gets happy. I'm safe."

"He's still a vampire--"

"Yeah. And I'm still the vampire Slayer. If he were to go evil, which he won't, I could handle him."

"That doesn't change anything. Come home!"

"I'm eighteen, Mom. Legal adult. I can do whatever I want."

"Oh, no you can't. Not when you're--"

"Living under your roof. I know. But it's barely you're roof. You're gone so much, it's more my house than yours. But besides, I live mostly in the dorm now, remember? Listen, Mom, I'm sorry, but I don't have time to argue about this right now. I'll be home in four days. We can talk then. Bye."

"I'm sorry," Angel said after she had turned off her phone and curled back up in his arms.

"Not your fault."

"I know. But I also know how much your mother--"

"Can we just, not? Okay? I don't really want to discuss my mother."

"Okay." He ran his large hand up and down her back in a soothing motion.

She sighed and closed her eyes, a happy little smile playing on her face.

"Love it when you do this."

"Do what?" He asked.

"Make me forget all my problems."

Angel smiled. She had that effect on him, but he never knew he did on her. This sent a feeling of incredible warmth through him and he held her closer. For a long while neither said a word. They just held each other and nothing else mattered. Eventually, Angel heard Buffy's heart beat and breathing slow. He looked down at her. Even in sleep she refused to let go of him. She had one arm draped over his stomach and her legs intertwined with his. Her head was resting over his silent heart and her blond hair was splayed out behind her. As far as he was concerned, she was the real angel in the room. He reached over and turned out the light, being careful not to wake her up, and pulled the blankets tighter around them. He was, for once, grateful for his vampire night vision because this meant he could still see the radiant woman he held in his arms. Halfway through the night, he fell asleep to the rhythmic sound of her heart beat.

* * * * * *

Joyce tossed in her bed. She couldn't get comfortable, not knowing that her little girl was out there with that...that...thing. She was going to have a very long talk with Buffy when she got home. And possibly Angel, too. Angel. What was he doing back? She had made it very specific that they belonged to different worlds, and that he could never give her what she deserved. Yet here they were, back in each other's arms. How could Buffy love something so terrible, so disgusting? Vampires were creatures from horror movies. Things that were evil, and drank human blood. Not things that took your only daughter to the beach. Joyce could imagine what Buffy would do if she ever heard her saying that. She'd roll her eyes and say, "Mom, you've seriously seen too much TV."

* * * * * *

On their last day in the hotel, Angel awoke to the sound of music. He wandered into the living room and found Buffy sitting on the couch with the stereo on. It was turned down low because she was trying not to bother him.

"You're up," she observed.

"Yeah. How long have you been up?"

"About a half an hour."

Angel was about to say something when he stopped to listen to the song on the radio. It was pretty much summing up their relationship.

"Dance with me," he said and took her hand.

To anyone else, they would have looked strange. Without her shoes, he was almost a good foot taller than her and she looked so tiny in his strong arms.

"I'll be your crying shoulder, I'll be your love suicide, I'll be better when I'm older, I'll be the greatest fan of your life." The soft melody floated through the room and Buffy nestled in closer to him. "You're my survival, you're my living proof. My love is alive, and not dead." He couldn't believe a song could be so accurate to what they had been through, what they were still going through. The next line blew him away. "And I've dropped out, I've burned up, I've fought my way back from the dead." And he had. Literally.

"I don't want to leave," he heard her say softly.

"I know. I don't, either."

"The last few days have been the most amazing days of my life." They'd spent the entire day locked up in their hotel room, and then at night, they'd go dancing, or to the beach, or to dinner. He always had some sort of romantic thing to do.

"Mine, too." Buffy smiled. That made her feel special. He had an incredibly long life, yet five short little days with her had been the best.

The song ended, but Angel didn't let go of her. Instead, he bent his head down to kiss her, long and slow. When they finally pulled away, she was light headed and out of breath.

"You sure we have to go back?" she asked as he rested his forehead against hers.

"The demons aren't going to wait forever, you know."

Buffy's eyes grew sad. "I'd forgotten about that. I guess I've just been feeling so...normal that I forgot all about slaying."

"You're not alone. I've forgotten about it, too. Hey, if it weren't for the fact that I can't see myself in the bathroom mirror and that we have a cooler full of blood, I'd have forgotten about being a vampire."

She laughed a little. "To tell you the truth, I have forgotten you were a vampire." This made him happy. She was the only one that could ever see past the fangs, and that was one of the many reasons he loved her.

Angel kissed her nose. "We still have to pack."

"It can wait," she murmured before meeting his lips once more.

* * * * * *

Hours later, the couple was headed back into the mouth of hell, literally. They had vampire slayings to catch up on and an irate mother to deal with. It wasn't going to be pretty. Buffy's hands were shaking a little bit.

"Nervous?" Angel asked.

"Mom problems," she told him.

"You'll be fine."

"You've never seen her mad before."

"That bad, huh?"

"She makes the Mayor look like a fluffy bunny."

"Ascended Mayor?"

"Way ascended."

"Wow."

"Yeah. I'd say if you want to not be a pile of ash, stay out of her way for a couple of months."

"I'll try."

"I know you will."

Angel took Buffy's hand in his free one and gave it a light squeeze. "Everything's going to be fine."

"You say that now," she grumbled.

He spared a quick glance toward her. She didn't look very happy.

"I love you," he told her.

She couldn't stay upset after that. "I love you, too. I wonder if Will's going to be mad about the pictures. I mean, it's not our fault that the dark doesn't put off good lighting."

He smiled. "She'll understand."

The rest of the trip home was taken up by Buffy rambling on and on about this and that, but Angel wouldn't trade it for the world. Eventually, though, she fell asleep and he was forced to drive in silence. He, too, was sad to leave the beach, but it had to be done. There were duties they both had, demons they both had to slay, friends they both had to keep in line. But as he sped through the distance, he couldn't quite keep his mind on the things that had to be done, all he could think about was the slumbering blond beside him. For now, they had peace. When they reached Sunnydale...well that would be a new story.

To Be Continued...

A/N: Okay, well I'm very nervous about this chapter for some reason. I'm hoping it's good. Review and let me know what you think!!!!!