Special thanks to Delia Winters, SMGbest, annekebb4ever, escot, angelplusbuffyequals4ever, and Angellufy for the reviews and to everyone else who alerted and favorited this. A lot of you had questions after the last chapter, they should hopefully all be answered by the end of the fic.

When Buffy woke she noticed how sore she was and smiled at the reason. She yawned and stretched before realizing that Angel was still in her bed. He was lying face down and his wings were visible and neatly tucked against his back, the tops touching the headboard and the tips hanging over the end of the bed. With careful movements she rolled out of the bed and made her way to the bathroom after checking that her mom was still asleep.

After clicking the bathroom door shut she turned on the light and stared at her reflection. Her hand went to her neck and she pulled back her hair to look at the small scar next to her collarbone. Thankfully it wasn't bruised and too obvious. Her gaze drifted downwards next to her hip where the skin was darkened like a bruise but it didn't hurt. She eyed the shape for a few seconds trying to decipher what it was but didn't recognize the design. With a content sigh she tiptoed back to her room and smiled at the sight of her sleeping angel. She knew he didn't need sleep so she took it as a compliment that he was so tired. Knowing it was a most likely a rarity to see him so relaxed and vulnerable she let her eyes rake over his nude form. He really was beautiful and it was a shame so much of him was hidden by his wings.

"Are you done checking me out?"

She jumped and looked at his face where he was watching her with an amused expression. He beckoned her over and she frowned when he rolled over and suddenly had black boxers on, his wings nowhere in sight. "That's not fair."

He pulled her down for a kiss, "No it's not, but necessary. We need to talk."

She sat down hesitantly next to him on the bed and fiddled with her fingernails, "What do you want to talk about?"

He grabbed her hands to still her, "Nothing bad. I was just wondering how you're feeling."

Buffy smiled shyly, "Sore but good."

He smiled at her bashfulness, "Good, now how are you feeling about everything else?"

She smiled and placed a hand on his cheek, "I don't regret it Angel, I love you. Forever."

He leaned into her touch before turning and kissing her palm, "What's the mark look like?" He inspected her neck carefully before leaning over to kiss it and waited for her to show him his other mark. She stood in front of him and lifted her shirt to show him. His hand reached out and pulled down the side of her panties to look at it.

He let out a small laugh, "Alpha in Enochian. Makes sense I guess." His fingers traced the design absently, "It'll darken as we grow closer. Eventually it should be black, or at least I'm assuming it will be. For others angels the marks lighten until they're completely white but I think mine will darken. It's already pretty dark."

She climbed on his lap, "What's your mark look like?"

"Angel's don't get marks like humans or demons do." He gently moved her off of him and onto the bed before he stood and rolled his shoulders as his wings appeared. He allowed his right to expand as much as it could in the small room showing a small streak of silver on the underside near the tip

Buffy stood and walked over to touch the spot, her fingers gliding along the lighter colored feathers. "Do other angels' look like this?"

"It's always on the wings but some show up as different colors, some as designs. It has to do with auras or something, I wasn't really paying attention."

She hummed in approval and looked at him, "And how do you feel about everything?"

The question caught him by surprise and he opened his mouth to respond but stopped to really think about the answer. "I feel pretty good. I feel… relaxed, for once. More serene I guess. It's kind of foreign so it must be coming from you."

Buffy laughed, "It's terrible that relaxed and serene are foreign feelings for you."

"I know," he chuckled. "It's nice. I just feel lighter in general." A frown covered his face, "You're not getting any emotion from me right?"

She shook her head.

"Good. That'd be bad. I really don't want you to feel what I feel on an everyday basis. Kind of nice feeling good from you though."

She smiled brightly, obviously pleased with everything and hugged him before pulling back, "I have to get ready for school are you going to be there later?"

"Of course." He dropped his head to kiss her deeply before disappearing.

The next day in the library Giles sat in his office deep in thought about the previous night and his conversation with Angel. He wasn't blind or stupid and knew his slayer and the angel were definitely attracted to each other. A part of him hated the idea that Buffy was attracted to Angel, after all more questions about him than answers remained. The other part of him though acknowledged that Buffy was a sixteen old girl and that he should allow her to experience some things on her own and not under his watchful gaze. After all he wasn't her parent even though he thought of her as his own. He sighed and took a sip of his tea while he wondered where in the world Buffy was.

Buffy groaned as Angel pressed himself against her and continued kissing down her neck. She had been walking to the library for training after school when she suddenly felt a strong pulling sensation in the hallway and a moment later Angel was grinning down at her from behind the stacks. She had jumped into his arms and wrapped her legs around his thin waist before they had attacked each other.

"Angel, I have to train."

He grunted in acknowledgement but didn't move away from her. They continued for several more minutes until she repeated herself with a harder tone. With much reluctance he set her down and stepped back panting slightly even though he didn't truly need air.

She smiled at his completely black eyes and disheveled hair as she fixed her shirt and smoothed down her own mussed hair. Once they were both more presentable Buffy bit her lip and looked at her angel. "Should we tell Giles about everything?"

Angel instantly shook his head, "I don't think he'd take it very well."

"You're probably right," she said with a frown. "Maybe Xander and Willow?"

He shook his head again; "I think it would be best to keep this between us for right now."

She nodded and looked at Angel to ask for him to get her out of the library so she could walk in like nothing happened but she kept quite at his focused expression. He was obviously speaking to another angel.

"I have to go," he said suddenly. "I'll be back tonight sometime. I love you."

Buffy opened her mouth to respond but he was already gone. She pushed away her hurt feelings knowing his sudden departure must have been necessary and snuck to the front of the library to train with Giles.

It was just after four am when Buffy woke suddenly. She sat up and rubbed her eyes and looked around but didn't see anything. With a yawn she climbed out of bed and walked to her window where she saw Angel lying on the roof and staring at the stars. She climbed out the window once she opened it and made her way towards Angel. "Everything ok?"

He nodded absently.

She sat down next to him and frowned when she saw his clothes and skin were splattered with blood.

Hearing the question before she could vocalize it he jumped in. "It's not mine and I'd really prefer if you didn't ask who's it was."

It bothered her how detached his voice seemed and how he hadn't cleaned himself up yet. "I won't but can I ask where you went?"

A shiver made its way through her body so he removed his leather jacket and laid it over her shoulders, "I needed to speak with Azrael shortly then Puriel needed help with something in Brazil. He was able to find what he had been looking for and needed assistance in getting some questions answered."

Buffy paled slightly, "You mean you tortured someone?"

"Something, not someone. Demons aren't people Buffy."

Knowing she couldn't say anything about it she shut her mouth and scooted closer to him, a content smile spreading across her lips when his hand snaked up the back of her night shirt to rub her back. She focused her thoughts and energy and tried to feel calm hoping it would transfer to her angel.

Angel felt a surge of serenity and closed his eyes to take it in and let it consume him. "Thank you."

She smiled and kissed him before sitting back up. "We should go on a date. You need to take me on a date."

He chuckled, "Is that so?"

"Yes. A movie is a traditional date choice," she said with a nod.

He laughed again. "You make me feel young. Like I don't literally have the fate of the universe riding on my shoulders."

She lowered herself next to him and kissed along his ear and jaw, "Good. Girlfriends are supposed to make you happy."

He moaned when she nipped at his ear lobe, "You definitely make me happy slayer."

She knew she would be tired tomorrow but she really didn't care at this moment, "Show me your wings. I want to see your mark."

A grin covered his face as he sat up and pulled her onto his lap. "Hold on tight."

A moment later Buffy turned her head and laughed happily. "Where are we?" They were seated in the sand on a beach, the sun just about to peek over the ocean to start a new day. The water was lapping idly at their feet and Angel buried his toes underneath the damp sand.

"Rio," he answered as he let out his wings, the large feathered objects lazily sitting on the white sand and the silver streak on his right clearly visible. A shiver rippled through his wings when Buffy gently touched the spot.

"Does that tickle?" she asked with a smile.

He ruffled his feathers slightly, "A little." Buffy instantly started touching the spot again and couldn't help but laugh when Angel's wings started flapping wildly. A giggle unwillingly escaped his lips and it warmed her heart that she could make him so relaxed and happy. "Buffy. Buffy stop," he gasped between laughs.

She continued her assault but suddenly found herself sputtering in the water about fifteen feet from where she was. Her feet found the sand and she stood and glared at Angel who looked sheepish. "Sorry. I just wanted you to stop, I wasn't paying attention to where I put you."

She glared harder and looked down when she noticed Angel's attention was not on her face but on her chest. Which was soaked. In a white sleep shirt. A blush quickly covered her entire face and neck as she ducked down below the water.

"Don't be shy slayer," Angel shouted good-naturedly. "Not anything I haven't seen before and if anyone else looks I think they'll notice my wings first."

"Angel…" she whined.

Still smiling he rose and walked to the edge of the water and held out his arms, "Come here." She walked towards him with her arms wrapped around her chest and stood a few feet away with him. As soon as his hands grabbed hers she felt the familiar pulling sensation before she was standing in her room completely dry next to Angel who had a distracted look on his face.

"What?" she asked.

"I'll be right back," he said before disappearing onto the front lawn where he let out his wings and ruffled and shook them a few times. "That's better," he said when he reappeared in front of her. "Sand," he explained at her confused look. "Got stuck between my feathers."

Buffy yawned and looked at her bed, "Think I could get away with a little more sleep?"

Angel nodded and walked her to her bed before helping her into it and tucking her in. He kissed her forehead and stepped back to fly away but paused at Buffy's sleepy voice. "Stay."

He glanced at her clock before nodding slightly and sitting on the edge of the bed while she slept.