DISCLAIMER: I do not claim to be affiliated with Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, the Warner Brothers, or Twentieth Century Fox. I do not own Buffy the Vampire Slayer or related characters, topics, settings, or personalities. All this is owned by those mentioned above. Avoid suing me. I would appreciate it and so will you.
DISTRIBUTION: Go to my site Mace's Vampyr Library and sign the guestbook. Take afterward. It would be nice if you told me where it was going.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I realize some of this might be off-character. I can't yet write for Faith or really Oz. I'll get better. Upon writing this, I realize that there is very little plot, and it is primarily an emotional piece. I think you like it anyway because it's lacking all that **MUSH** and has some substance.
Part Two
"Faith . . . This is Joyce . . . He came by last night . . . Yeah, I told him . . . He was reluctant . . . Go to step two. . . . Don't worry about the curse. I have that taken care of . . ."
Joyce hung up just as Buffy came down the stairs. She had orange juice and sticky buns waiting for her daughter.
"Ooh- sticky buns! . . .These weren't made by a certain psycho boyfriend, were they?" Buffy asked suspiciously.
"No, of course not," Joyce said with a smile.
"Good then," Buffy said as she took a bite.
"Hey," Buffy said softly.
"Hey," Angel replied.
"I couldn't. . . . I couldn't stay away from you," Buffy admitted.
"You shouldn't be here. You're right, we can't ever be 'just friends.' Even Spike could tell that we'd never be just friends," Angel said.
Buffy looked up into his eyes and planted perhaps the most chaste kiss of his life on his lips. They weren't even touching.
"Maybe I don't want to be just friends," Buffy said.
"Maybe?" Angel said slowly with an amused glint in his eyes.
Buffy crushed herself against Angel, and Angel crushed himself against Angel. And, they held each other. He didn't care what the Watcher or any of her friends wanted. She was his. That's all that mattered.
"I love you," he whispered.
"Angel, I . . ."
Angel shot up in of bed and looked around the room. He couldn't believe it. << A dream? It was a dream? >> He could still feel the kiss on his lips. << No! No, why? It . . . >>
"Buffy," he whispered, his voice filled with pain.
"Hey, Cordy," Buffy said.
"Hi, Buffy," Cordelia said weakly.
"How are you feeling?" Buffy asked as she set some flowers down.
"Like I was stabbed in the stomach by a piece of wood, and someone ripped my heart and crushed it. Oh, wait, it happened," Cordelia said bitterly. "What about you?"
"I'm good. I mean, well, my mom knows Angel's back. I'm not friends with Angel anymore, like we ever could be friends anyway. He'll probably leave Sunnydale now if it makes you feel safer," Buffy said.
"I'm sorry, Buffy," she said weakly. "And, no, it doesn't make me feel safer. I know you liked- loved him."
"I did," Buffy admitted.
"You don't now?" Cordelia asked.
"It doesn't matter," Buffy said, cutting her eyes.
"Buffy," Cordelia said, "one brokenhearted girl to another, get what you want. You need a little less 'I'm-the-Slayer-and-save-the-world' and a little more Cordelia Chase Queen Bitca of Sunnydale. Do what you want, Buffy."
"Last time I did what I wanted, I left town," Buffy said.
Cordelia didn't have anything to say about that. It was obvious the girl still cared about Angel, and everyone had practically stoned her to death when they found out Angel was back. Giles should have understood what Buffy was going through. He'd been understanding *until* Angel had come back. He'd lost someone he loved- Miss Calendar, and Giles would have done anything in his power to have her back. Buffy *had* a chance to get her love back, but no one seemed to understand.
There was a comfortable silence.
"Buffy," Cordelia said.
"Yeah?"
"Out of all the friends I've ever had, you're probably the best. I mean, I harassed you, called you names, and been a bitca to you. And, you saved my life so many times. . . . I've never had a friend like you," Cordelia said. << You've never betrayed me. >>
"It's okay, Cordy. You've really turned out to be nice. I mean, there was that problem with the Homecoming and all, but you're a good friend," Buffy said.
"Thank you. It means a lot to me. You have to go, don't you?" Cordy said.
"Why?" Buffy asked.
Cordy motioned to the window.
"It's dark," Cordy said.
"Oh, yeah, patrol."
"You'll come back tomorrow?" Cordy asked hopefully.
"Yeah, I will if you want me to," Buffy said.
"I do."
On an impulse, Buffy leaned over and hugged the injured girl lightly.
As Buffy left, Queen C could be seen with tears in her eyes.
The Bronze . . .
Oz and Willow were dancing to a slow song. The Dingoes weren't playing that night, and so Oz had a free night. That was how Xander found the two of them. Strangely, though, he couldn't bring himself to feel upset about it. It only deepened the gash in his heart when his Queen was missing.
"Hey, Xander," Faith said.
"Hey, Faith, you look nice," Xander said.
"Thanks, Xander. I'm going to meet someone," Faith said.
"Oh- Faith's got a love interest?" Xander teased. "So, is he worthy of the mighty Slayer?"
"I would suppose so, but it's not like that. I'm just going to see Angel," Faith said.
Xander paled visibly.
"Angel? Buffy's ex-honey, Angel?" Xander asked.
"Yeah. Why?" Faith asked.
"He's dangerous!" Xander declared.
<< And you know you want to follow me, Harris. C'mon. I might get hurt. >> Faith thought.
"It's not really any of your business, is it? I mean, the worst he could do is tie me up and carry me to his lair. At least, that would be fun," Faith said as she sauntered out of the Bronze.
<< She's right. She might get hurt. I'm not letting that freak hurt anyone else. . . . Fun? She thinks it would be fun?!? >>
"Angel?"
Angel's eyes focused on the woman in front of them. << Buffy's mom. >> He dropped his hands to his sides and straightened up.
"Hi," Angel said.
"That that you were doing. What was that?" Joyce asked.
"Ti chi," Angel answered. ((**I'm not an expert. If someone could tell me if I'm right, I'd appreciate it.**))
"Would you like to go for a walk? I want to know what really went on all this time. I ask Buffy, but I know it hurts her to think about it. Rupert is too hung up on staking you to give an objective view. I want you to tell me, in your own words, what 'losing your soul' really was," Joyce said.
"It's not really safe to go for a walk in the dark in Sunnydale," Angel said.
"You'll protect me," Joyce said surely.
"How do you know I won't kill you a drink your blood?" Angel asked, slitting his eyes.
"Because you wouldn't have said anything if you were," Joyce said.
"Let me get a shirt," Angel said.
Faith could hear Xander behind her about a couple of feet.
"Angel?" Faith practically yelled.
There was no answer, for Angel and Joyce had left about fifteen minutes prior.
Faith moved a Queen Anne's chair facing away from the window, so, when Xander eavesdropped (Faith was sure he would), Xander wouldn't be able to tell Angel wasn't there. And, even if he was, Xander wouldn't have been able to hear Angel because he was facing the wall and a good twenty feet away from the window. She surveyed the room and waited until she heard Xander.
<< Hurry up, Harris, I don't have time to wait on your slow butt. . . . >> He stepped on some leaves. << Showtime! >>
"Look, Angel," Faith began, "it wouldn't be like a serious relationship. You have a seriously good-looking bod, and you seem like a nice guy. I know you're worried about Buffy. . . ."
"Even if we did 'do the deed,' I wouldn't cause you a moment of happiness. I'm not Buffy. You don't love me, and will always love her. . . . I'm not upset or jealous. I don't want a serious relationship, Angel. Just some company," Faith said.
<< Not that way, Faith? Angel is Buffy's . . . >> Xander felt like he would spit. << Why do I care who Deadboy dates? >>
"I don't really know if Buffy still loves you," Faith lied to the empty room and Xander. "But, it can't really work out. You've said that yourself. . . . Forget you're a vamp and I'm a Slayer. . . . We can just have some fun- keep each other company- you know, do friend-stuff."
<< This is pretty fun. Not only do I get to help Buffy, but I get to get Xander back for using me as his personal hit man. >> Faith though.
<< I can't believe her! She's double-crossing Buffy! >>
"Well- that's good," Faith said. "You wanna hit the Bronze tomorrow? . . .Where, then? . . .I don't like surprises. . . . Don't make me stake you! . . .I would so!"
There was a pause.
"I gotta go, Angie. Patrol and all," Faith said.
She leaned down as if she was giving the vampire a kiss and left.
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