The What If Factor

Chapter 13: Epilog

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: If I said I owned them, I lied.

Paige's POV:

My mother was driving me crazy. She refused to anywhere near the city. Anywhere that my father might be, she stayed away from. She didn't want to talk about him. Oh, and then there was the way she had Aunt Willow and Uncle Gunn running us back and forth.

Now, don't get me wrong, I love the old man, but you can only take so much of riding in a car with Uncle Gunn.

Finally, I saw my mom wallowing in her self pity once again. It was right around what would have been thirteen-year anniversary. And my mother was practically a wreck. So, I called my father.

I told him that I knew what had happened.

I told him that they were both acting stupid.

I told him that if he wanted to save their marriage, that he had to get his butt over to the house ASAP.

He told me that I was too young to be meddling in my parents business.

I told him that I made it my business when I had to sit in a car with Uncle Gunn for twenty minuets, having to listen to him talk about his old "life on the street." That's when he said that he would come and talk to her.

After we hung us was when I told my mom that I was taking my sisters to Aunt Willows, and that she might want to consider putting on something other then her bath robe.

I do admit, I was a wicked child.

Buffy's POV:

When the door bell rang, I had just been pulling on my jeans. I went to the door, but stopped. But, you see, I stopped after I had already answered the door, and saw Angel starring back at me. Before I could think, I shut the door. I leaned against it, knowing that he wasn't just going to go away. "Buffy, open the door?" He practically pleaded.

"No!" I yelled back.

"Buffy, please-"

"No! Go home, Angel!"

Did I mentioned that he never told Nina? As in he was still married to her? Well, he was.

"Buffy, please. Just open the door, we have to talk about this."

"What is there to talk about?" I asked myself out loud. Finally, I opened the door.

"What do you want?" I asked.

"I want you." He said, simply. I looked away.

"Angel-"

"Just don't, Buffy. I love you, you love me, what's wrong with that?" He asked.

"You're still married." I said, more quietly.

"Not for long." He said. I looked back at him, but didn't question him. I didn't want to know. If he and Nina were still married, then I didn't have to face anything. He must have known my intentions, because he told me anyway.

"I couldn't stand lying to her anymore. So, I told her about the affair, and she wants out, like I knew she would." I sighed. This was really happening. He and Nina were over, and we were free to be together, but did I really want that?

Paige's POV:

I was quite proud of myself. I had practically handed my father to my mother on a silver plate. But, when I got home with my sister's, I was severely discouraged. My dad wasn't there. I didn't say anything to Mom as I trudged up the stairs.

"Why do you look so glum?" She asked from behind me. "You're father only went to get his stuff." When I turned around, I saw something in my mother's eye's that I hadn't seen since the day before my dad died.

I saw happiness.

Buffy's POV:

Angel and I talked about everything. We told truths, we made promises, we made up. It's strange. For years, I had been asking myself all of these questions. But, the second i looked into his eye's, I knew.

Knew that he loved me.

Knew that we had to be together.

And that was it.

You were expecting some huge, climactic ending, weren't you? But, thats all there was to it. When we could look into each other's eyes, and saw each other's soles, we just knew.

Knew that nothing had changed.

He came back a few hours later, with his things. But, I'd be lying if I told you that that was the end of it. We didn't just fall back into a groove. It took a long time for us to learn to live together again.

For goodness sakes, I wouldn't let him see me naked for a month.

I still loved him, but it's just not an easy thing. See, when we were having an affair, it was easier to be with him in that way because I was running from something. But, when we got back together, really back together, it was hard.

Because I realized that he was the thing I was running from.

The whole time, I thought it was my marriage to Ben, and how I had found that I really didn't love him anymore. But, I was really running from the fact that I didn't love Ben because I loved Angel.

I was just too confused to see it.

But, now that I do, I realize how stupid I was. To marry Ben, I mean. Because, I can never be over Angel. It just doesn't work like that.

Angel is my one.

Fin