A/N: Alrighty! I got to say that this chapter is probably my favorite of this story. I'm really attached to some of the earlier chapters in this story, but there's just something about this one that just makes me positively giddy. It's probably because of the episode itself. I mean, it's "Enemies." One of my favorite episodes, so it would kinda make sense for this to be my fav chapter, but alas, I'm beginning to ramble.

On another happy note...this fic has over 500 reviews! You guys, really? That. Is. Awesome. YOU are AWESOME. Really, take a bow, treat yourself to a cookie, do something to celebrate how awesome you are. :D

And may I just say that it is so nice to be updating regularly again? :D

Random Disclaimer: (I don't own Buffy).

Me: (jumps up and down excitedly) I love this chapter!

Angel: (wary) That's either really good or really bad.

Buffy: (frowns) I'm probably an emotional wreck.

Me: Probably.

Angel: (half-hearted smile) That means I get to comfort you though.

Buffy: (brightens at the idea) That is true. I like it when you comfort me.

Me: Okay, what about me? I'm feeling kind of left out.

Angel from the AISHB world: Don't worry, you have me.

Me: That is so true. (looks at Buffy) Your loss. Ha! Suck it!

Buffy from the AISHB world: That pun was intentional, right?

Me: Of course.

Buffy from the AISHB world. Ah, I taught you well.

Eye of the Beholder Chapter 30

Angel kissed Faith a few seconds longer before slapping her away like she was nothing. "Thanks so much," he said empathically. "It's good to have the taste of Slayer back in my mouth. It's like cigarettes, you know? Just when I thought I'd quit," he chuckled as he kicked Faith in the side. "No, don't get up. It's nice to be back in Sunnydale. Nice climate, plenty to eat, no tortured humanity to hold me down…" Angel sighed dramatically; though inwardly he was repulsed at how easy this was—pretending to be him. "But you know what bothers me?" Angel asked grabbing Faith by the neck. "You don't seem to be getting the big picture here, Faith. Now, I don't know why you turned me, but I'm just glad you did."

Faith threw his hand of her neck, and Angel let her. Let her feel as though she was in control. "I've got my reasons," she said as she pulled out a stake.

"Let me guess," Angel raised his eyebrows smugly. "You summoned back the true Angelus because you needed a new boy toy." Angel wondered if there was actually any truth in that statement. "Doesn't work that way."

"You wanna be smart?" Faith challenged. "You listen to me," she threatened and Angel fought not to laugh.

Did she seriously think that he'd listen to her?

"Funny thing about vampires, Faith," Angel said as he took a step towards her. "We don't establish meaningful dialogue with Slayers."

"Not how Buffy tells it," Faith retorted before kicking him in the knee. Angel let himself fall to the ground, and then let her straddle his waist as she held her stake above his heart. "Should have known you'd like it on top," he chuckled.

"You want to listen or you want to die?"

Did she really think she could intimidate him? Angel smirked. "As long as you're there I mostly want you to wriggle, but I'm listening."

"Last time you got like this, Buffy kicked your ass and almost sent you to Hell," Faith reminded him. "You wanna do better this time?"

Angel dropped his vampire visage, showing his human face, making it appear as though he was complying. "Still listening."

"Good boy," Faith replied demeaning, and Angel fought back a growl. If he'd really been Angelus, Faith would have just died. As it was, Angel was even thinking about it. "Now all you got to do is play nice, call a truce, and I'll hook you up with the real power in this town. Interested?"

"Very."

"Then get ready to meet the new boss," Faith smiled before leaning down and claiming his lips.

Wesley stared at everyone gathered in the library. He hated misleading them, but it was better that very few knew about the plan. "Our enemy has us at a disadvantage," he began. "We seem to be consistently one step behind him. Now he has the Books of Ascension and we must take definitive action."

Cordelia had been staring at Doyle the entire time. "Are you really Irish?"

Doyle smiled, his insides doing backflips at the sound of her voice. Sweet music. "Yeah, I am, Princess."

"Way to focus CC," Xander muttered.

Wesley tried not to let his amusement show on his face. "We need everyone working together. Um, where's Angel?" he asked.

Buffy frowned. She hated lying to the gang, but it was necessary. "I don't know," she lied. "I went to the mansion, but he wasn't there."

"And Faith?" Wesley asked the inevitable follow-up question.

"She's missing too." Buffy hoped that there was no bitterness in her tone. She didn't even want to think about the fact that she knew exactly where Faith was. Probably hanging on Angel's arm, thinking she'd won.

"Which means nothing," Willow was quick to defend. "Two unconnected events."

Buffy wished she still had that optimism.

"What should we do?" she asked.

"Buffy, I think you should try to retrieve the Books of Ascension," Giles advised. "Check out the Mayor's office, but be damned careful. Do not confront the Mayor. We don't know a thing about him."

Buffy nodded, accepting Giles' veiled 'good luck.' Time to go into part two of the plan. "I'll go home stock up on weapons…slip into something more breaking and entering-ish," she said as she slung her bag over her shoulder.

In other words, time to wait for Angel to come get her and lead her back to the mansion.

Angel surveyed the Mayor's office casually though he was cataloguing every detail. Faith hung on his arm, and Angel ignored the way his skin crawled where she touched him. He and Faith came to stand in front of the Mayor, who was sitting behind his desk, which was practically gleaming in its cleanliness.

"So, can I keep him?" Faith asked him.

Angel fought a growl. It wouldn't help with the dog analogy she seemed to have going.

The Mayor smiled amicably, almost indulgently. "Let's just take things step by step shall we?" he suggested before focusing his attention on Angel. "Now then, Angelus, may I call you Angel?"

Angel didn't know whether to be insulted or to laugh. Had they really not done any research on him at all? Did they know nothing about him?

"Well, actually, I was thinking along the lines of you calling me 'Master'," Angel said in a perfect imitation of Angelus—smug and arrogant…with a dash of insanity.

The Mayor seemed unfazed. "Ah, you know Angelus, attitude may get you attention, but courtesy gets you respect," he chided with a chuckle. "I am the one responsible for your new attitude."

Angel couldn't stand still any longer, and he wanted to put some distance (however little) in between himself and Faith. He idly picked up the letter opener on the Mayor's desk and casually dragged it along the top before he began to prowl around the office. "That's why I'm here," he said in answer to the Mayor's previous statement.

"No problems with the transition?" the Mayor inquired. "No side-effects?"

"Had a soul, now I'm free."

"That's terrific! Poetic too," the Mayor exclaimed excitedly.

Who the hell is this guy? Angel had never met such an odd, evil being.

"Not that I read much poetry except for the little ones in Reader's Digest," the Mayor continued on conversationally. "You know, some of those are quite catchy."

Angel couldn't take much more of this. "Hey, I don't mean to rush you, but are you getting to some kind of point?"

"Kids today," the Mayor shook his head and Angel fought not to scowl. Did he just refer to him as a kid? Angel hadn't been a kid in over two centuries. "Rush, rush, rush," the Mayor blazed on. "Well, the point, Angel, is that you are a very powerful young man, good for my Faith, and there just may be a future for you in Sunnydale." Angel had the odd feeling that this meeting was almost like he was 'meeting the parents.' "I see that you're admiring my letter opener," the Mayor observed.

Angel had to be honest. "Well, actually, I was thinking of stabbing you through the heart with it."

To Angel's surprise, the Mayor faced him completely and spread his hands wide. "Please do," he invited.

Knowing that there was much more than meets the eye, Angel threw the blade directly at the Mayor's heart. Faster than a normal human being, the Mayor moved his hand in front of the blade and let it slice right through his palm. He didn't even flinch.

"Nice shot," he commended as he casually withdrew the blade from his palm. He held out his hand and Angel's eyes narrowed when he saw the wound heal before his eyes. "You see, I'm what you might call impervious," the Mayor explained with a smile. "Can't be killed or harmed in any way, and that's just the cornerstone of my plans for this little town of ours."

"Hmm," Angel hummed dismissively. He couldn't help but point out, "can't be killed, but you can't stand germs?"

"Uck," the Mayor shuddered in his chair. "Ick, ew, unsanitary," he muttered before looking up at Angel. "But my question is, now that Faith has brought you back, what are your intentions?"

Angel saw his opening. He knew that his next words would be treacherously painful to say, but he knew he had to say them. It was the plan. "Well, gee, sir, I thought I'd find the Slayer that's been giving you so much trouble and torture, maim, and kill her."

"Fine!" the Mayor praised with a smile. "It's nice to see that you're not one of those slacker types running around these days. Torture Buffy," he ordered and Angel just barely stopped the growl in his throat. "Killing her is fine, just make it a slow one."

Angel stared right into the Mayor's eyes. "My favorite kind," he replied darkly.

"Wonderful, wonderful!" the Mayor beamed. "We can't have a replacement Slayer showing up any time soon. They can't all turn out like my girl Faith," he said with an indulgent smile. "Have fun."

"Let's do it," Faith said, her voice dripping with anticipation as she took Angel's arm and began to lead him out of the office.

"Uh, try to have her home by eleven," the Mayor asked in such a paternal way that Angel fought not to do a double take.

Angel let Faith lead him through the Mayor's offices and out into the street. "Any idea where B is?" Faith asked as they walked.

"Probably her house," Angel replied like he was guessing.

Faith raised her eyebrows. "Thought she was shacking up with you," she shot back before she grinned. "Oh, wait, that wouldn't be happening, would it?"

Angel didn't even bother to answer. He was fighting off the anger that was boiling his blood beneath his skin. The only thing that was preventing him from turning on Faith now and knocking her back into reality was the deep disappoint he felt for her.

"But that's not a problem now, is it?" Faith pulled them to a stop and pressed her body to his, her meaning clear.

Angel smirked and grabbed her hips, his fingers digging in hard enough to bruise. He leaned in to kiss her and she surged up to meet his lips, but at the last second he turned his head to whisper in her ear. "Later," he promised.

He had no intention of keeping that promise.

But Faith didn't need to know that.

She shoved him away with a scowl. "The baddest vamp is a tease?" she asked. "Figures."

Chuckling darkly, Angel threw his arm around her and resumed their walk to Buffy's house. He had to get this over with soon. They continued to walk in silence, and as they turned down Buffy's street, Angel saw Xander in the distance.

A stream of curses ran through Angel's mind that would have made the toughest sailor blush.

Xander finally saw right was in front of his face and noticed them. He immediately began to run toward them. "Hey guys!" he greeted as he walked towards them. He looked at Angel. "Man, where've you been? You gotta go find Buffy. She's at her place stocking—"

Angel didn't even break stride as he punched Xander in the face, knocking him out with the blow.

For the first time since the charade had started, Angel didn't feel the least bit repentant. "That guy just bugs me."

Buffy froze when she heard the knock on the door. Hastily, she began throwing things into her bag. It was all for show, but she couldn't resist.

Holy water.

Stakes.

She heard Angel comment on her mother's hair.

Crossbow.

More Holy water.

More Stakes.

She heard their footsteps on the stairs.

A bigger crossbow.

Arrows for both crossbows.

She heard her door open.

"Knock, knock," Faith said as she entered the room.

Buffy put on a fake expression of relief. "Where have you guys been?"

"Been looking for you," Angel said and Buffy fought not to tense as he came towards her. She knew that at the moment he was pretending that he was himself. A show for her. It was almost more uncomfortable than him pretending to be Angelus. "Good thing we found you before we left," he continued as he kissed the top of her head. Buffy didn't know if it was all a part of the charade or if he was trying to reassure her.

"We got the books," Faith lied.

"They're at the mansion," Angel explained. If he thought that playing this part was difficult with Faith, doing this to Buffy was a strike away from unbearable. He was hurting her. He could see it in her eyes, the pain she was hiding.

"We'd take 'em to Giles ourselves, but I think that strength in numbers is the way to go," Faith continued, oblivious to the duplicity in the air. "Come on."

Angel bent down and lifted the weapons bag. "Let me get those for you."

Buffy looked up at him and their eyes met for a moment. For a split second, both of them slipped. Buffy saw the tortured pain in Angel's eyes, just as Angel saw it in hers. But beneath it all was love, and that tendril of hope wrapped around their hearts.

Angel's mask melted back into place, as did Buffy's, and the charade continued.

"Okay, let's get these books somewhere safe," Buffy said as they entered the mansion. Her nerves were a knot in her stomach. This was the part she truly hated. "Where are they?" she asked.

"Actually, there's been a slight change in plan, Buff," Angel replied lightly, dropping all notions of 'pretending' to be Angel. All the warmth, all the love from his voice was gone. He was smug. He was arrogant. He was evil. He was insane. He was Angelus.

"Buff?" Buffy repeated, the fear in her voice not faked. "You just called…what's the matter with you?"

Angel fought the urge to throw the whole act to Hell and pull Buffy into his arms. "Nothing." Angel vamped out. "Matter of fact, I haven't felt this good in a long time."

"Angel?" Buffy's voice cracked, though she didn't mean for it to.

It was like half of her was present and half was in the past, six months in the past to be exact, when this was real. This was like one of her dreams where the past months had been nothing but a figment of her imagination, and now she'd woken up to the Hell she'd tried to escape.

Angel smirked, a cold chuckle escaping from him. Buffy tried to see through his façade. She tried to see past the mask, but she couldn't. Whether it was her anxiety or Angel's Oscar-worthy performance, Buffy just couldn't see through the mask. The horror that caused her body to shudder was real.

"Yeah," Angel grinned as Buffy pretended to make the connection. "I was wondering, where I do start? Card? Fruit basket? Evisceration?" he asked as he grabbed her arms in a hold tight enough to bruise.

Angel fought back the revulsion that coursed through him as he forced himself to tighten his hold even further.

"No," Buffy shook her head, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes.

At the sight of the moisture in her eyes, Angel's façade cracked everso slightly, but it was long enough for Buffy to see through to his pain that he was hiding. Buffy hated herself, but she took comfort in that pain.

That pain reminded her that this was all an act.

"Yeah, I know what you're thinking," Angel got back on his internal script. "Maybe there's some good still deep down inside of me that remembers and loves you. If only you could reach me," he mocked. "And then we have reality."

Buffy broke away from his hold, backing away. "I will kill you before I let you touch me." She glanced at Faith, looking panicked but determined. "Faith, we need to get out of here now."

Faith smirked. "Speak for yourself, B." Buffy didn't have to force a sad, disappointed realization to appear on her face at Faith's tone. "Me? I like it here."

Angel knew he was about to do the one thing he would always hate himself the most for. He growled sharply and Buffy turned to him.

He punched her, sending her to the floor.

Angel knew that she wasn't really unconscious, but he'd still had to put enough force behind the blow to make it appear to Faith as though Buffy had been knocked out. Buffy would probably bruise.

And it was Angel's fault.

But Angel didn't let any of this show. He merely turned to Faith. "One thing I learned about Buffy," he said with a sadistic smile. "She's so cute when she's sleeping."

Buffy remained limp on the floor, ignoring the dull throb in her cheek. She lay utterly still when Angel picked her up, but she could have cried at the gentleness with which he did so. He carried her for a few feet and she fought the urge to curl into his chest. He stopped suddenly, and Buffy knew that he'd reached the chains. She felt his hand caress her back as he sat her down, and Buffy knew it was his silent apology.

Buffy decided that it was time to wake up when she heard the clinking of the chains. She opened her eyes blearily. "Morning sleepyhead," Angel commented lightly as he pretended to chain her up. He placed the manacles around her wrists, but he didn't shut them. "You know what I just can't believe?" he continued. "All our time together and we never tried chains."

Buffy didn't know whether to laugh or not. She knew that half of that statement really did come from Angel and not 'Angelus.'

"Well, can't dwell on the past," Angel sighed dramatically. "Especially with the future we have planned ahead…"

"Bondage looks good on you B," Faith commented graciously. "The outfit's wrong, but hey!"

"You don't know what you're doing," Buffy told her truthfully.

"Really?" Faith questioned lightly. "Weird, because all of this just feels so right. Maybe it's one of those unhappy childhood things. See, when I was a kid I used to beg my mom for a dog. Didn't matter what kind—I just wanted, you know, something to love." Buffy glared at Faith as she paused to kiss Angel. Fury bubbled in her veins at both of them. "A dog's all I wanted," Faith went on. "Well," she amended. "That and toys."

Faith pulled back a sheet on the table, revealing the torture instruments from Angel's trunk.

"But mom was so busy you know? With the drinking and passing out parts of life that I never really got what I wanted." Faith scowled in remembrance but then looked at Buffy and smiled. "Until now."

"Faith, listen to me very closely," Buffy played her part. "Angel's a killer." It hurt her to say the words. "When he's done with me, he'll turn on you."

"She's right. I probably will," Angel couldn't stop himself from adding.

"Yeah?" Faith seemed unconcerned. "Huh. Guess we'll just have to keep you around for a while then." Faith moved closer to Buffy. "Before we get started, I just want you to know. If you're a screamer, feel free."

Time to start digging for information. "Why, Faith?" Buffy asked honestly. "What's in it for you?"

"What isn't?" Faith retorted. "You know, I come to Sunnydale, I'm the Slayer. I do my job kicking ass better than anyone. What do I hear about everywhere I go? Buffy." Buffy grimaced at the bitterness in Faith's tone. "So I slay, I behave, I do the good little girl routine. And who does everybody thank? Buffy."

"It's not my fault."

"Everyone always asks, 'Why can't you be more like Buffy?'" Faith continued on in her rant. This felt good. Look at Buffy now. She had nothing and Faith had everything. 'Bout time. "But did anyone ever ask if you could be more like me?"

"I know I didn't," Angel muttered.

"You get the Watcher. You get the mom. You get your little Scooby gang," Faith sneered. "What do I get? Jack squat. This is supposed to be my town!"

"Faith, listen to me!"

"Why?" Faith shot back. "So you can impart some special Buffy wisdom, is that it? Do you think that you're better than me? Do you? Say it!" Faith demanded. "Say your better than me."

"I am," Buffy replied evenly. "Always have been."

"Um," Faith glanced pointedly at Angel. "Maybe you didn't notice, but Angel's with me."

Oh, Buffy had noticed alright. She sure as hell had noticed.

"And how'd you get him Faith?" Buffy asked disdainfully. "Magic? Cast some sort of spell? Cause in the real world Angel would never touch you and we both know it."

Buffy fought not to smile as Faith backhanded her across the face. Her plan was working. She needed just a little bit more prodding.

"You had to tie me up to beat me," Buffy pointed out with a superior smirk. "There's a word for people like you, Faith—loser."

"Uh huh," Faith tried to seem unaffected, but Buffy saw through it. "You're just trying to make me mad so I'll kill you. I'm too smart for that. Stick around."

"For what?" Buffy asked casually. "The Mayor's lame Ascension? Like I couldn't stop it."

"You can't."

"I will."

Faith scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Keep dreaming. No one can stop the Ascension. Mayor's got it wired, B. He built this town for demons to feed on, and come graduation day, he's getting paid, and I'll be sitting at his right hand." Faith smirked, before adding. "Assuming he still has hands after the transformation. I'm not too clear on that part. And all your little lame ass friends are going to be Kibbles N' Bits." Faith's eyes were alight in smugness, and all Buffy felt in that moment was pity. "Think about that when your boyfriend's cutting into you."

"I never knew you had so much rage in you," Buffy admitted quietly.

"What can I say?" Faith grinned. "I'm the world's best actor."

"Second best."

Faith whirled to face Angel in surprise.

"Graduation day," Buffy repeated, dropping her façade with relief. "Think we missed anything?"

"I think we know everything she knows," Angel replied steadily, his eyes on Faith.

Buffy couldn't help but gloat a little bit. Just to get back at Faith for kissing Angel. "May I say something?" she asked with a smirk before easily pulling her hands free from the manacles behind her back. She showed off her un-chained wrists in front of Faith with glee. "Psych!"

"You played me," Faith mumbled disbelieving. "You played me!"

Suddenly, the Scoobies burst in, heading straight for Angel, wielding crosses. Giles even had a crossbow. While Angel was forced back by the crosses, Faith turned on Buffy, rage in her eyes. Buffy blocked the punch to her temple and returned one of her own, hitting Faith square in the nose. Faith used the momentum and spun around, swinging her leg out in an attempt to knock Buffy off her feet. Buffy knew this, however, and jumped, spinning. The heel of her boot connected with Faith's jaw, causing the dark-haired Slayer's head to whip to the side.

Buffy tried to capitalize, but Faith blocked her and the fight continued. Buffy tried to gain the advantage, but what Faith lacked in skill and technique she was making up for in unrestrained strength due to her rage. They were evenly matched at this point.

Eventually, both of them ended up on the floor wrestling. A glint of silver caught Buffy's eye just as Faith wrapped her hand around it. Acting quickly, Buffy shoved Faith away from her and reached back to the table of torture instruments and blindly grabbed a knife.

She spun back around and placed the blade at Faith's throat, just as she felt the blade of Faith's own knife against her neck.

"What are you gonna do, B?" Faith taunted, slightly breathless. "Kill me, you become me. You're not ready for that yet."

Buffy didn't respond. She didn't know if she could. Faith lurched forward, grabbed her neck and pulled her forward. She planted a smacking kiss on Buffy's forehead before shoving her back and fleeing the mansion.

Willow was immediately at Buffy's side. "Are you okay?" she asked worriedly.

Buffy didn't look at her best friend, though. Her eyes sought out a pair of chocolate brown eyes, and when she found them, she couldn't look away.

Later that night, after a meeting the Scoobies explaining how the night's earlier events had all been an act and discussing the Ascension and the information their trickery had gleaned, Buffy made her way back to the mansion. She didn't hurry. It may have been cowardly of her, but she didn't want to face the confrontation she knew was to come. She and Angel would have to talk about tonight. They'd reopened wounds that had only just begun to truly heal. It had been painful on both sides.

The mansion loomed in the distance, but Buffy kept her steady pace. One foot in front of the other.

Left.

Right.

Left.

Right.

Left.

Right.

Left.

Right.

Steady. No rush. She didn't want to rush. She wanted everything to slow down. She wanted everything to rewind. She wanted it all to be a dream.

Buffy almost laughed. This had all been her idea in the first place! She'd brought this upon herself.

It was just that, in theory, she'd known that this would be difficult. In reality, it had been so much worse.

Finally, she reached the door to the mansion. She let herself in and made her way into the main room. Angel was there of course, waiting for her. He was standing, his arms hanging limply at his sides, the most nonthreatening pose he could take without being overtly obvious.

They were both quiet for a moment as they stared at each other.

"How you doing?" Angel asked softly, and Buffy focused on the genuine love and worry in his eyes.

"Been better," she replied truthfully.

"Not hard to believe." Angel looked like he was searching for something to say. "You were a real soldier tonight, Buffy."

Buffy smiled weakly. "That's me," she agreed. "One of the troops."

"I know how hard it was for you."

"I really doubt that," Buffy returned without thinking, flinching at the obvious pain her statement caused Angel.

"Is there anything I can do to make it better?" he practically pleaded.

"I know you only did what I asked," Buffy said softly. "And we, we got what we wanted."

"I never wanted it to go that far," Angel replied regretfully.

"I know that," Buffy assured him quickly. "I know that, it's just, after…" Buffy trailed off, looking at him pleadingly and yet not knowing what she was pleading for.

Slowly so he wouldn't frighten her, Angel stepped towards her. When she didn't back away or try to stop him, he took another step, and then another until he was right in front of her. With all the love and tenderness within him, Angel reached up and cradled her face in his hands. Gently, so softly his touch was barely there, his hands slid down her neck, across her collarbone, over her shoulders, and down her arms. One hand came to settle at her waist and the other gently lifted her chin up with a finger.

He held her gaze for a moment before leaning in. He paused just before their lips touched, hesitating, giving her time to move away.

Buffy didn't move.

Taking that as permission, Angel touched his lips softly to hers. So light was the kiss that Buffy barely felt it, and yet it sent a shock through her. A warmth spread within her that was comforting and familiar.

Love.

Angel kissed her again, this time with more passion, and Buffy didn't fight him. She couldn't fight him. This was Angel, her Angel. The Angel that loved her, that moved her, that cherished her. He was not him. This was Angel. This wasn't a dream. This was Angel.

Her arms locked around his neck, and Angel took that as permission to go further. He gently prodded her mouth open and deepened the kiss. Buffy moaned, and Angel took it a step further, his hand slipping under her shirt.

Angel steered Buffy toward the couch, never breaking their kiss. He plopped down and leaned back, taking Buffy with him. He rubbed soothing circles on the bare skin of her back as he placed feather light kisses all over her face, her cheeks, her nose, her eyelids, her lips. All her weight lay on him, and Angel cherished the feel, but he didn't act on the desire within him. That would be too much for Buffy at the moment. She just needed to know that he loved her. That he was here, with her.

Buffy sighed, burying her face in his neck, breathing in his scent. It calmed her, reassured her. She felt like she was wrapped in a warm, safe cocoon. She was wrapped in Angel's love, and she drew from the comfort it provided.

They laid there together for hours, just Angel holding her, occasionally kissing her hair, her temple, any place he could reach. His hands were continually moving though, roving over every inch of her. It was comforting, his caress. Reassuring. Loving.

Finally, Buffy spoke. "You're not him," she stated.

"No," Angel agreed.

"You didn't leave me."

"No."

"You love me."

"Yes."

Buffy lifted her head off his chest and met his gaze. Angel ran a hand through her hair. "You still my girl?"

Buffy smiled. "Always."

And there you have it! Woo! That was fun! Like I said, I really love this chapter. It was fun to write both Angel and Buffy's POVs during the charade. I felt like we didn't get enough of what they both went through on the show. At the end, they only really focused on Buffy's feelings, and I felt that the experience tore Angel up just as much as it did Buffy, even though it wasn't as apparent. I think Angel's old enough to know that it was all an act. His age and experience really comes into play in that aspect I think, the ability to, in a twist of words from one very Special Agent Seeley Booth, "Put his heart in neutral and his brain into overdrive."

At least, that's my thought.

So...review?

Lots of love,

ArthursCamelot