Just To Be With You

Author: Skylar

Disclaimer: Joss and company own everything

Summary: Fixing The Prom

AN: Third story in my Remedy series. For this series, I've just decided to pick episodes at random to rewrite trying to fix Joss' mistakes. Spoilers: Everything up to The Prom, plus the first two stories of this series.

AN: For this series, there's no happiness clause in Angel's curse, so there was no Angelus, and no Angel being sent to hell. However, Angel has moved into the mansion on Crawford street. Jenny was killed, only by Spike. And Xander and Willow never kissed, so everything's still peachy between W/O and X/C.

AN: "Neon" belongs to John Mayer, "More Than Anything" belongs to Hanson, "Chained to You" belongs to Savage Garden.

Rating: I'd say PG-13.

Distribution: Want it- take it. Just let me know where it's going.

Feedback: As always, greatly appreciated.

Part 1

When sky blue gets dark enough
To see the colors of the city lights
A trail of ruby red and diamond white
Hits her like a sunrise

Outside, the sky had lightened to a blue that was almost crystal clear. A newly rising sun lit the tops of the buildings, but found it hard to penetrate the heavily-covered windows of the old mansion on Crawford street. On several mornings, the owner would awake sweating, tangled in damp sheets, overtaken by his nightmarish memories. Other mornings, he would thank the heavens above to awake holding the precious beauty who had captured his heart.

On this particular morning, Angel was wide awake, carefully studying the exquisite features outlining Buffy's face. He was careful not to wake her as he inched his face closer to hers, a curious smile forming on his lips.

As Buffy went to go lay back down on top of the nice, soft spot that she had become accustomed to stretched out across Angel's body, she noticed that he was awake as well, facing her with a huge grin. "What? Do I have funny bed hair or something?"

"Or something..." he murmured, letting out a small laugh.

"Mmm...I guess we got a little carried away with the whole post-slayage nap thing," she sleepily smiles, reaching a hand up to feel the mess that was her hair. "Ohh- not good..."

"Where are you going?" Angel makes a soft grab at her arm, not willing to let her leave his side just yet.

"To go kill a cat on my head."

"No mirrors..." he solemnly reminds her.

"You know, this place isn't really girl-friendly. You'd think after all the time I spend here it would have more of a woman's touch. I mean, no mirrors, no natural light-"

"I think you look perfect," he earnestly tells her, reaching out a hand to caress the side of her face.

"Oh yeah-" she brushes off his compliment. "I'm sure I look- ok..." she shrugs, giggling as she leans closer, submitting to his touch as they laid back down together. "You know, maybe we should think about getting a few mirrors. And, maybe a drawer, you know, for some of my stuff. Because that's what couples do- they have drawers."

"Hmm. That's right..."

"That way I'd always have some stuff here for when I spend the night. You know, like after the prom tomorrow night, it would be nice to just come back here and spend some time together."

"The prom?" Angel had overheard her talking about the event with her mother and friends, but was still a little uneasy discussing it with her himself. Mostly because of her latest conversation with Willow regarding the Scoobies plans for afterwards.

"End of high school, rite of passage thingy," she explains. "Think cotillion with spiked punch and electric slide. I can't wait to see you in your tux."

"Right..."

"Don't worry, it's at night. And lots of girls have older boyfriends. You'll blend..." she smiles up at him.

"Probably none as old as me..." he sighs, his grip around her waist loosening.

"And none as wonderful as you," Buffy corrects him, reaching over to kiss him, but surprised when he turns away. "Angel, what's wrong?"

He'd planned how he would do it for days now; he would sit her down in the lamplight- the only light he would ever be able to see her in- and tell her. "Buffy..." he would say, "I have to leave you..." But he wouldn't be able to continue; he would never learn how to let her go and would spend hours trying to convince himself that he would be doing the right thing. He was amazed, in fact, that he'd managed to fool himself for so long. This was the simple fact that had upset him most- fooling himself for so long into thinking he could ever give Buffy a normal life while at the same time fooling her too.

Often times, the nights she would stay over, he would stay up just to watch her sleep, allowing his mind to drift over the few memories he allowed himself to recall of his own humanity. He remembered the feel of the wind on a summer day- how it used to billow through his house with the smells of the town. As he would finally lay his head down on the pillows beside his sleeping love, he would see before him one final image that he would never be able to grant her- a small child laughing as she ran towards Buffy on a sunlit beach.

"Angel...?" It only now occurred to Buffy that something more was bothering him. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing. You should get going, hmm?"

"Mmm...there must be a few more hours before sunrise." Reluctantly, Buffy stumbled out of the bed, heading over towards the curtain-draped balcony. As she peeled back the heavy wool, light burst out, a blazing streak radiating across Angel as he let out a moan in pain. He leapt off of the bed, fleeing the sun's harsh rays as Buffy clasped the curtain shut, turning to make her apologies.

"Sorry...guess it's later than-"

"*That's* what's wrong!" Angel's words came out more as a shout than he meant.

"Angel...honey, I'm- I'm sorry..." she managed to stammer out, still shocked by his yell.

"No- Buffy, I didn't mean..." He slowly approached her before continuing. "It's not you...it's me." There was a deep, studious silence before Buffy responded.

"What do you mean?" she asked, her eyes scanning his distraught face. Angel, as if it were him who had been struck by his own outburst, averted his face sharply and stared away at some distant point.

"The other night...I overheard you and Willow talking about after the Prom."

Buffy's eyes widened as she finally realized the only place Angel could be going with this. A certain embarrassment accompanied the slayer's frown as she thought back on her best friend's news that Cordelia's parents had given her the okay for her and the rest of the Scoobies to spend the weekend at their beach house just down the coast. Unwilling to leave Angel's side, Buffy had turned down the offer, not knowing that Angel had overheard them.

"So that's what this is about," she says, slowly stepping over to the bed.

I can't be her angel now
You know it's not my place to hold her down
But it's hard for me to take a stand
When I would take her anyway I can

"That's just a small part of it," Angel sighs, moving over to sit back down on the bed beside her. "Buffy...you can't tell me that you're happy..."

"You're right..." she breathes out, much to his surprise. Sliding over to place herself in his lap, she leans forward in an attempt to kiss him. " *Now* I'm happy..."

"Buffy, I'm serious," he pulls her off of him, settling her back down onto the blankets as he stands before her. "I think we have to talk. But not now- and not here. You have to go home and get to school-"

"No. You think I'm going to be able to go to school like this? Angel, come on- you're scaring me."

"I've been thinking...about our future. And the more I do, the more I feel like us, you and I being together, is unfair to you. You deserve more. You deserve something outside of demons and darkness. I mean, look at what just happened. You deserve someone who can take you out into the light. And children-"

"Children? Can you say jumping the gun? I killed my goldfish! Angel- I don't care about any of that-"

"Today. But you have no idea how fast it goes, Buffy. One day before you know it, you'll want it all- a normal life."

"I'll never have a normal life," she cries, as she tries to find some way to edge into his pointless rant. "Angel, *you* make my life normal. Having you is what gives me something normal outside of demons and darkness. I want my life to be with you, and it's as simple as that." With a no-nonsense, determined look, she stands up to head out of the room. "Now, since we're done here-"

"We're not done," Angel races over to her, grabbing onto her hand. "Buffy- think about this rationally, will you? You know how much I love you-"

"Exactly my point. Now, if you don't mind, I have to get to school, so..." She knew she should've left right then and there, but she didn't. Instead, she turned and gazed at the cloth-covered window, slightly tilting her head to the side.

"Buffy, I'm trying to do what's right here," he urged, searching her face with pleading eyes as he took off after her down the staircase.

"What's right?!" By now, Buffy's eyes were filling with tears as they both reach the bottom of the stairs. "Angel- what's right is you and me...together. I've never known anything more right than that. You don't just give up on someone that you love."

"I'm not giving up on you!" he responds, still trying to make her understand. "I love you, and I've told you that nothing will ever change that!"

"Then what is all of this stuff about us not being together about?!"

"I just..." A heavy sigh followed as he tried justifying his case. "I don't know..."

"I have to get to home and then get to school..." Buffy absent-mindedly ran a hand through her hair. "So I hope by the time I come back here tonight to meet up for patrol you can come up with a stronger argument, because even if you can, nothing is ever going to change how I feel about any of this...especially you." Without giving him a chance to respond, she turns on her heel headed out the door. "I love you...there *is* nothing else..."

Alone with his thoughts for the next few hours, Angel wandered throughout the mansion, fidgeting with various odds and ends. As he walked past the couch, he took notice of the notebook Buffy had in haste left behind after her quick departure. Picking it up, he couldn't take his eyes off of the design that adorned it's back cover. ‘Buffy and Angel forever...why does this have to be so hard?’ The sudden knocking at the mansion's front doors took the sullen vampire by surprise. Dropping the notebook off to the side, he makes his way over to let his guest in.

"Hello Angel..."

"Joyce..."

******

Part 2

For a brief moment, an awkward silence passed between the two, until finally Joyce spoke up. "Did I come at a bad time? I- I can come back later if you were sleeping. You...sleep during the day...don't you? I- I mean, that's what I've always heard about..."

"No...no, come on in. You know you're always welcome here." He moves aside to let her in, closing the door behind her as he runs a nervous hand through his hair. "Can I get you something? I- I don't have any coffee, but-"

"You don't drink coffee?" Joyce's spirits were dampened even further by the atmosphere of the elaborate building. By it's lack of light, the certain grim spareness that accompanied it. She almost wondered if he was feeling a bit under the weather, considering all the other happier times she had spent dinner with both him and her daughter at the dining room table.

"The caffeine makes me jumpy. And Buffy doesn't really like it either, so I don't usually keep any. But I've got juice, and a lot of other stuff."

"If I could just have some water," Joyce asks, sitting down on the nearby coach as Angel hurries into the kitchen. Handing her the cold glass, he takes a seat across from her, anxious to find out why she was paying him such an early morning visit. "So you...slept last night?"

"I slept a little..." he replies.

"I understand Buffy spent the night too."

"She did. I know it was a school night, but we were both exhausted after patrol."

"Mmm...Buffy seemed a little tired when she came home this morning." Joyce slowly places her glass onto the sidetable before she presses on. "She was also a little upset..." Angel noticed her concerned glance give him a quick once-over, until finally she reached her point. "Angel...Buffy told me about some...things that happened this morning. That's why I wanted to stop by. Maybe see if I could get the full story from you."

"Joyce..." he took an unnecessary breath, gently rubbing the back of his neck as he lowered his eyes towards the floor. "I didn't mean to upset Buffy. You know that I would never hurt her-"

"Oh I know that, Angel. I know..."

"But...in the long-run...I think I am hurting her. I mean, you can't honestly tell me that I'm who you pictured your daughter to be with."

"Angel, I won't lie to you. I mean, a year ago I never would've believed that vampires even existed, let alone the fact that my daughter is a slayer and in love with one..." Angel's eyes quickly averted to the side until he saw Joyce lean forward, addressing him with such sincerity in her eyes. "But that doesn't mean that I'm not thrilled she has you." A small smile was shared between the two before Angel stood, beginning to pace around in front of the fireplace.

"But she deserves a normal life, Joyce," he insisted, leaning an arm over the mantle. "I love her so much...and it kills me to know that our relationship, our bond, exists at the cost of all her other dreams. Children...just being able to have someone to hold her in the sunlight. There's so much that she deserves, and so little that I can give her. Joyce..." his eyes lifted, staring into hers with such despair, "what is she really getting out of our relationship?"

"Everything. You give her everything, Angel. All the things she's never had before." She quickly stood, sauntering over to his still frame beside the fireplace. "Her life is so full of complications and risks...she'll never have a simple, normal life, Angel. Even I've come to accept that. But...what the two of you share goes beyond all that. You, and Mr. Giles, and all her friends give her the only normal life she'll ever know."

"And you," he adds, causing the corners of Joyce's mouth to lift into a warm smile. "You've been...incredible about everything. She's very lucky to have you."

"Well...I wish you'd come to realize how lucky she is to have you." She watched as he moved back to the sofa, wringing his hands in front of him. Following his lead, she sat down beside him, setting a hand on his sleeve. "Angel...perhaps one day, your..." she searched for the right wording, hoping not to offend him, "...situation will...change. But...isn't what the two of you have worth more than everything else?"

There was a pause. You could pluck this single moment out of all time, Joyce thought, and still discover so much about her daughter and Angel's relationship. Buffy was always so brisk and breezy, but Angel?she'd always thought of him as being somewhat opaque, a reflecting surface flashing the better parts of your own self back at you, giving you no hint of the wonderful person that he was.

Joyce observed him in silence, glancing at him confusedly tugging at the shock of her visit and intentions. He'd always liked Joyce and took a sort of pride in the fact that she was so fond of him as well. But never had he imagined her to be the one to explain the significance of his relationship with her daughter and why they would never be able to exist without each other. Angel's pensive stare and eventual half-smile and nod was all it took to let Joyce know she'd accomplished her mission. "Joyce..." for a lack of word, unable to produce any further sounds from his mouth, Angel's eyes were his only form of expression.

"I know," she patted him on the shoulder before rising to her feet. "That's what mother's are for, dear." She paced over towards the front door, preparing to leave until she turned to face him. "So...I take it you two will be able to fully enjoy the prom tomorrow night? I've already bought five rolls of film," she flashes him a quick smile as she secures her purse over her shoulder.

"Absolutely. And Joyce...would you mind if Buffy spent tonight here? I mean, I know it's still a school night, but tomorrow's Friday, and I know she gets to go home from classes early to get ready for the prom, and-"

"Not a problem, Angel. I understand," she nods, giving him a final pat across the chest. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow night then."

"Tomorrow night," he replies, pondering for a brief moment before deciding to pull her into a friendly hug. "Thank you, Joyce."

"Just happy I could help," she says, pulling out of their embrace to face him. After he shut the door behind her, Angel returned upstairs, already planning how he would apologize to Buffy once she arrived later that evening.

******

Part 3

"Angel actually said that?!" Willow had a hard time all day trying to believe the conversation her best friend had been stressed out about. "That's like...gosh, I don't even know what to tell you," she pouts, noticing Buffy's worried stare. "But he's wrong though!" she quickly adds as an afterthought. "He's so wrong! Isn't he guys?" the redhead turns to the others sitting outside the front of the school. She received only an appreciative nod from her taciturn boyfriend, expecting nothing less, but still happy to see him agree with her.

"Absolutely," Cordelia chimes in, receiving a confused glare from Buffy. "Hey- don't look so surprised. I can be sensitive too! Isn't that right, Xander?" she turns to her own boyfriend.

"Sure, Cordy. You're sensitive..." he smiles. "Whenever it comes to fashion..." he adds under his breath, Oz being the only one who picked up on it, sharing a small chuckle with him.

"See, even Xander agrees," Willow cheers.

"Who said I agreed?! This is one guy who's learned to stay as far away as possible from the whole Deadboy/Slayer love issue."

"Well...you don't count!" she snaps back at him, turning once again to her best friend. "The point is, Angel's wrong! And I'll go tell him that personally if you want. I can be very intimidating. Just lemme at him!"

"By all means, you try telling him that, because he wasn't listening to me this morning," Buffy sighs. "And then I come home and mom goes all postal on me because I was upset."

"What'd she say?" Cordelia asks.

"Just to go to school and that she was sure things would turn out for the best. Wait..." Buffy's mind finally clicks with the realization of what her mother's words could've implied. "You don't think that mom would've talked with him, do you? Maybe she put him up to this?"

"No..." Willow resolutely answers her. "Buffy- you're mom really likes Angel. You've said before how you think she's only spending more time with you to spend time with him," she smiles.

"That's true...I don't know what to do," the small blonde wimpers. "I just hope we can straighten things out tonight."

"Sure you will," Willow, the eternal optimist that she was, tried cheering up her friend. "You have to. You two are still going to the prom tomorrow night...aren't you?"

"I don't know, Will. The way he was talking...I just hope he's still here."

"He'd better be!" Cordelia suddenly shouts out. "After all the preparations I had done to our beach house just so he can come along...ooops..." the brunette cracks an apologetic smile as the others flash her angry stares upon hearing her blurt out their big surprise for Buffy and Angel.

"What're you talking about?"

"It was supposed to be a *surprise*," Willow squeaks out between gritted teeth. "We all kinda figured that you and Angel would be bummed about not coming with us this weekend, so Cordy and Xander drove down the other night to fix up the windows for Angel. Oz taped up the back windows in his van and tinted his front ones so we could all take it down for the weekend. Surprise..." she manages a weak smile, horribly upset that Cordelia had ruined their plans. Buffy, a bit taken back by all that her friends had done for her, finally passed them all a warm smile before getting up to head into the library for some training with Wes and Giles.

"Thanks guys...now all I have to do is convince Angel..." After finishing up training at around 8, Buffy was half tempted to rush straight over to the mansion, but resisted and instead found herself walking into her kitchen to find her mother just getting off of the phone.

"Hi honey," Joyce's voice was a little too perky for Buffy's liking. "How was school?"

"Fine...same old, same old. Who was on the phone?"

"Oh- that was Angel." Buffy's eyes immediately shot up as she heard his name. "He wanted me to tell you he wouldn't be able to make patrol tonight, but if you wanted to stop by afterwards, he would probably still be at the mansion."

"*Probably* still be at the mansion?" Buffy's smile soon faded as her mother confirmed what she was just told.

"That's all he said, honey. You think you'll be spending the night at the mansion? Or haven't the two of you made up yet?"

"Okay- what is going on?"

"What do you mean?"

"Something is going on and I'm the only one left out! You talked to him, didn't you? You probably put him up to this!"

"Buffy, don't be ridiculous! I would never do that! But I did talk to him..."

"I knew it! What- what did you say?" Joyce hesitated, debating whether or not to let her daughter find out from her or straight from the source. "Mom...I swear, if you-"

"Why don't you take a few things with you in a bag and go talk to him yourself after patrol. I'm sure eveyrthing will be fine by now. He's had a whole day to think things through." Not giving a response, Buffy races upstairs to grab her duffel bag, slamming the back door behind her as she hurries over to the mansion. ‘The hell with patrol! If I need a workout I'll just practice knocking some sense into him!’

After her third knock, an impatient Buffy came storming into the mansion. She moved rapidly through the great hall, noticing that there was something pinched and starved about the décor. Not a single book or sketch pad was strewn about on the tables or couch. Only a few pictures were left hanging on the walls. Even the side tables were completely bare. Through clenched fists, Buffy began searching through some of the drawers. Seeing that for the most part they were bare, she straightened, feeling panicky. ‘He couldn't have left. He wouldn’t have...’

She decided to check upstairs, hoping against hope that she would find some trace of him still being there. Her proof came as she walked down the upstairs hall, noticing a few mirrors had been put up along the wall. Stopping to stare at her own shaky reflection, she was startled as she felt two strong arms encircle her waist from behind.

"You're beautiful..." Angel whispered, placing a gentle kiss to the side of her head.

"Angel..." she breathed out, turning in his arms to face him. "You're still here."

"And I'm not going anywhere," he silences her, placing his lips over her own in a soft kiss. "Buffy, I'm so sorry. This morning, I just...I don't even know what I was thinking, and I'm sorry. The only thing I really know is that I'm not leaving your side for anything." He sees the glimmer of unshed tears in her eyes, taking her by the hand and leading her further down the hall to the master bedroom. "I want to show you something else..."

As they enter the room, Angel leads her straight over to a bureau she'd never seen before. She runs a hand along it's smooth finish, admiring its simple design. "It's beautiful."

"It's yours," he grins, stepping alongside her. "I know you said you only wanted a drawer, but I thought you'd like this a little better."

Buffy reaches up to give him a soft kiss, deepening it as she wraps her arms around his body. Angel smiles in between kisses, laughing with her as they both walk back towards the bed, his arms still wrapped around her as he lifts her up by the waist, placing her onto the sheets. Buffy gasps as she notices the wonderful array he has set-up, a large blanket with big throw pillows, the flames of the brightly lit candles sending flickers of light playing across his features.

"Angel, this is wonderful," she smiles. "I love you..." Angel feels her soft lips graze the side of his neck, making him jump a little. She moves her lips across his neck, up to his waiting lips, gently sliding her tongue into his mouth, as they share an intimate kiss. After a few minutes, she pulls away, sitting up. "And if you ever pull something like that again, I swear..."

He sits up, tenderly taking her into his embrace, running his thumb along her jaw. "I won't. You and I together is worth more than everything else," he whispers, repeating Joyce's all too true words from earlier. "I love you..." Buffy sighs as she feels Angel come to rest on top of her. "I love you...so much," she says, wrapping her arms around him, pulling him down closer to her, meeting his lips for a deep kiss and a smile, as the couple lovingly continues their gentle affirmation, falling asleep in each others arms towards the early hours of the next morning.

******

"So where's all of your stuff?" Buffy asked, tracing random patterns across the arm that lay around her waist.

"I moved some things around in case you wanted to bring over any of your other stuff. You know, make this place more girl-friendly," he smiles, placing a kiss to her bare back. Letting out a small chuckle, Buffy snuggles further into his embrace, not wanting to have to leave for school in an hour. "I can't believe they're actually making us go to the first four classes today before we get to go home and get all ready," she pouts. "I mean, how do they expect us to look our best in such a short time?"

"Well, you have nothing to worry about...you always look perfect."

"Again with the smooth talk," she smiles into his chest. "You'll be a regular Bond tonight in your tux. You do have your tux, don't you?"

"Of course...I think your mother would kill me if I showed up without one. She's already bought five rolls of film."

Buffy tipped her head back, all the more curious to find out just what had transpired during her mother's talk with her boyfriend. "Just what did mom say to you anyway?" Angel could only look at her, a small smile forming upon his lips. "Something I should've already realized..."

"Whatever it was...remind to thank her." Realizing that she had to start getting ready to check in with her mother then head off to school, Buffy reluctantly rolled out of bed, Angel following suit behind her. As he fixed her a light snack, the two began to make plans for the evening's big event.

"Okay- Xander and Cordy will be here at around 6 with their limo..."

"A limo? With- with Xander??"

"Believe it or not, it was his idea to come pick you up," she flashes him a surprised look that almost matches his own.

"Should I be worried then?"

"Nah- Cordy will be there to protect you," she skips over to him, reaching up to give him a playful kiss. "Oh- that reminds me. Make sure you have a few things packed for the weekend."

"I don't understand..."

"You heard Cordelia invite us all down to her family's beachhouse for the weekend," she reminds him. "You've gotta have something more than a tux to wear for two days."

"Buffy..." he sighs, a grim bleak look threatening to break out across his features. "Please...don't even-"

"We're driving down tonight in Oz's van- Will and him sun-blocked it. Plus, Cordy and Xand already put up some heavy curtains at the house. We've got everything taken care of. Angel..." she grabs his face between her small hands, urging him to look at her. "I promise, everything is going to be great. We'll all go swimming once the sun sets and just have fun."

"But I still won't be able to take you out into the sunli-"

"Who cares?! I don't! I don't know why you do..."

"Because you deserve-" Angel's protest is quickly silenced by Buffy's warm lips fervently capturing his in a strong kiss.

"What I *deserve* is to enjoy my prom and the weekend with my friends and boyfriend. Now if you have any objections to that, I'd be more than happy to beat and toss you around a little bit until you came to your senses again, but I've got to get going to school." She races over to the couch to grab her bag, turning to face him as she approaches the front doors. "Any questions?"

"Just one...do we have to play any more board games with Xander like we did the last time we were all together?"

"So long as you promise not to glue him to any more furniture...I'll see what I can do." The slayer's face melted into a warm smile as she gave him one final kiss before leaving in extreme anticipation of the prom.

******

Part 4

"Ready to roll, Deadboy?" Angel couldn't help but give a slight chuckle at Xander's remark. "Hey- you clean up pretty good..." the tuxedo clad boy told the vampire between mouthtfuls.

"Thanks. So do...Xander...what are you eating?"

"Twinkie," he smiles, a smudge of cream filling oozing out the side of his mouth. "Want one? I've got a couple extra," he says, already looking through his jacket pockets.

"No, no- I'm good, thanks. Where's Cordelia?"

"Out in the limo. Something about not wanting to expose her new shoes to the dreariness and dampness of this place...by the way..." he points over towards the couch, noticing a single piece of red fabric peeking out from under a pillow. "Is that your bra or Buffy's?" Looking back to see what the grinning Xander was referring to, Angel was sure he would've blushed if it were still possible. "I'm hoping it's Buffy's, cause if that's what you moonlight in, that just puts the most disturbing image into my mind, and I really don't think you want your floor covered in spongy twinkie goodness."

"It's mine...I thought it might make a nice change from all the black leather," he brushes off his teasing, gently pushing past him towards the door.

"Oooo...Deadboy made a joke! I was beginning to think I was the only one around here with a sense of humor."

"Not neccesarily...I've always thought Cordelia had a great sense of humor. After all- she goes out with you? That's either a wonderful sense of humor, or she's really into charity work. I'm more apt to go along with the first scenario." Before Xander can retaliate, Angel is greeting Cordelia by the limo. "Here Cordelia..." he says, handing her one of the four roses he was carrying along with Buffy's corsage. "You look great."

"Aww...thank you, Angel. If I would've known you'd look so great in that tux I would've asked you to the Prom the first night I saw you at the Bronze." ‘How unfair is this? Buffy gets already dropped-dead gorgeous Angel in a tux, and what do I get? A twinkie munching clown who I wish would drop dead sometimes...’

"Hey- where's my rose, Deadboy?" Xander whines, hopping in beside them.

"I'll tell you what...if you can go the rest of the night without calling me Deadboy, I'll bring along all the Twinkies that I know Buffy has stashed away in my kitchen this weekend."

"You're coming!" Cordy cheers. "That's great! It'll be a lot of fun, Angel. Well, except for the rest of these lameoids being there..."

"Yeah- so long as you keep your distance from me and the glue," Xander adds, shifting a little in his seat before mustering up his pride to make his confession to Angel. "Look...you'll never, I repeat- *never* hear me say this again, so you'd better have those vamp ears tuned up all the way." Taking a deep breath, he blurts out his statement. "Imgladyourenotleaving."

"What?" Angel had a pretty good idea what he'd just heard, but still, any opportunity he could get to see Xander squirm was more than welcome.

"Ugghh...I'm glad you're not leaving," he repeats, slower this time as he rolls his eyes at having to say it again. "For what it's worth, you're alright...and I think we all pretty much know how much you love Buffy. And even though she's got this fine guy right here to drool all over..." he gives a sly grin which quickly disappeared once he saw his date's angry glare. "You're all she sees and needs. So I'm glad you're staying."

"Thanks Xander," Angel finally gets out, more than a little surprised at Xander's words. "That means al-"

"Yeah yeah- don't go getting all mushy on me. This wild man's up for some prom-partyin!"

******

"How do I look, mom?" Joyce, smiling at the fifth hairstyle her daughter had tried on tonight, approached Buffy with open arms. "You look wonderful, princess. Absolutely wonderful. Angel won't be able to keep his eyes off of you...well, not that he can't keep his eyes off of you just wearing jeans and a sweater," she laughed. "Try not to be so nervous, honey.

"I know. I just want everything to go great tonight- and this weekend." Buffy unfolded herself out of her mother's supportive arms with a start in response to the doorbell. "He's early," she whispered, and slipped on her shoes as Joyce made her way to the door. She smiled, and swung it open.

"Hello Angel. We seem to be seeing a lot of each other these past few days, she laughed, welcoming him in.

"Well, it's certainly always a pleasure, Joyce," he smiles stepping through the doorway. "This is for you," he says, pulling another small rose from behind his back.

"Why thank you, Angel. It's beautiful."

"Speaking of beautiful, is Buffy ready?"

"Yes she is," answered a finally calmed Buffy as she appeared from the dining room. Angel couldn't pull his eyes away from her. Her sleeveless pink dress was simple in design, but her natural beauty gave it such grandeur. Her golden tresses just barely covered her shoulder, and her face seemed to glow in response.

"You look amazing, Buffy," he smiled, handing her the one white rose that stood out from the others he carried, placing the beautiful corsage he carried with him over her wrist.

"Thank you, Angel." As her mother talked with Angel about their plans for the evening, Buffy's gaze fell quickly upon him. ‘Definitely have to make the tux his official patrol attire.’

"You two look so beautiful together. Just perfect," Joyce beamed, already working on her third roll of film.

"What's the hold up?" Xander's voice boomed into the living room. "Queen C is bustin' my eardrums with her complaining out in the limo, and- whoa...Buffy. Very nice..." he smiles, eyeing her appreciatively.

"Not so bad yourself, Xand," she pulls him into a hug, feeling something squishing against her in the process. "Xander- what have you got under your jacket?"

"Don't get him started," Angel warns, lacing his fingers with hers.

"Say mom, grab a picture of these two-" Buffy grins, gently nudging Angel and Xander together towards the fireplace. After a brief moment of hesitation and debate, Xander casually slipped his arm around Angel's shoulder in a friendly manner, passing him a sideways smile as he did the same. After flashing a few more pictures of the three, Joyce walks with them out on the porch. "You all have fun," she smiles, giving Buffy a final hug as Angel offers her his arm to escort her to the limo.

"Okay- so who's ready to get down with their badself!"

"Xander-" Cordy snaps as he slumps down next to her. "Don't make me sorry I'm taking you out in public! You'd better behave tonight!"

"Hey- I make no promises. I'm still trying to get in some last minute votes for class clown."

"I would've thought he would win by a landslide," Angel mutters, leaning over to give Buffy a quick kiss.

"Hey, I heard that! If I've told you once, I've told you a hundred times- leave the humor to an expert like me!"

******

Part 5

We were standing all alone
You were leaning in to speak to me
Acting like a mover, shaker
Dancing to Madonna
Then you kissed me
And I think about it all the time

By the time they reached the gym, they were all laughing and blushing- already having an awesome time. As the music blasts throughout the crowd, Angel and Buffy slowly make their way over to Willow and Oz, hand in hand as Cordelia and Xander follow from behind.

"Buffy- you look awesome!" Willow cheers, pulling her best friend into a hug.

"So do you. How's the prom?"

"Strangely affecting," Oz grins. "I got all teared up when they played 'We Are Family'. "

"Everything's perfect," Will says, suddenly passing an eye to the stunning vision who's hand was firmly clasping Buffy's. "Angel...you look great in your tux."

"Thanks," he passes her a half-smile, handing her the single rose he had left. "You look wonderful, Willow."

"Thank you..." she tries hiding her faint blush, turning instead to face her date, proudly beaming from ear to ear.

Sweet temptation rush all over me
And I think about it all the time
Passion desire so intense
I can't take anymore

The friends walk through the huge group of dancing seniors, which wasn't as bad as Angel had expected, finally meeting up with Wesley and Giles on the other side of the gym. "Whoa- G-man! lookin' good in the monkey suit," Xander smiles, giving him a pat on the back. As the englishman sighs, looking to the oblivious Wesley for help, he pulls Buffy off to the side. "How do you all expect to put up with him for an entire weekend?"

"We've managed before," his slayer giggles, watching in amusement as her goofy friend began dragging Cordelia onto the dancefloor. "So long as we can keep him and Angel from torturing one another, everything will be peachy. I can't wait for him to see the ocean, Giles." She turns slightly, looking on as her date was busy talking with Oz.

I feel the magic all around you
It's bringing me to my knees
Like a wannabe
I've gotta be chained to you

"So Angel's going?" Giles' eyes held an uncertainty that Buffy immediately picked up on. "I take it you've already...made preparations?"

"Of course. He'll be fine, Giles. Besides, this is our big chance to make him feel like he really belongs. You know...normal like us. Well...as normal as we all get," she chuckles, half-tempted to go save Cordelia from Xander's two left feet on the dance floor, but deciding to see Angel's moves first.

She immediately grabs his hands, pulling him out to the dance floor. He chuckled and shook his head at her, knowing full well he'd probably look like as big a klutz as Xander was dancing to the fast-paced rhythm of the current song, but suddenly not caring. Buffy.

When you looked into my eyes
Felt a sudden sense of urgency
Fascination casts a spell
And you became more than just a mystery
And I think about you all the time

Is this fate, is it my destiny
That I think about you all the time
I no longer pretend
To have my hand on the wheel

"Have I told you how..." Buffy was at a loss for words, subconsciously dancing even closer to Angel as she noticed the hundreth girl that was shamelessly checking him out. "...incredibly sexy you look in that tux?"

"I'm gonna have to take your word on that," he leans into her ear, trying to speak up over the blaring music.

"If you don't believe me, I would think having every girl's eyes all over you would give you a pretty good idea."

"What are you talking about?"

"Okay- how can you be so perceptive when it comes to everything else except the effect you have on the female population? Let me explain it to you, honey...I don't think there's a girl at this dance, including Will and Cordelia, who hasn't undressed you with their eyes," she gives him a sly smile, loving the feel of his hands grasping her around the waist to pull her in closer.

"I could say the same things about every guy in here who thinks they're worthy enough to feast their eyes on you," he smiles as he traces his hands alongside her bare shoulders and arms, feeling her slight shiver in response.

I feel the magic all around you
It's bringing me to my knees
Like a wannabe
I've gotta be chained to you

The song faded as Xander's moment to shine was approaching. Dragging Cordelia along behind him, he raced over to the other Scoobies, wanting to share his glory with the friends who had put up with his antics for so very long. As his classmate took to the stage, Xander's eyes widened in anticipation, already preparing an acceptance speech as the announcement was being made.

"And the award for Sunnydale High's class clown for 1999 goes to...Jack Mayhew."

With his outlandish balloon crown and ensuing happy-dance, Jack was a sight to behold. As he breezed past a shocked and disappointed Xander, the others did their best trying to console their distraught friend. However, Cordelia, as usual, made no attempt to hide her amusement at her boyfriend's loss.

"Expert in humor, huh? More like the king of fools!" she laughed, noticing that Angel and Oz seemed to share her sentiments as they expertly held back their own laugher.

"Please! Anybody can be a prop class clown!" Xander whined. "You know, none of the people who vote for these things are funny!"

"And according to them, neither are you," a grinning Angel smirks, giving him a pat on the shoulder, for a brief second actually feeling sorry for his loss. ‘As far as clowns go, I can't imagine any worse clown than Xander. Shame he doesn't have an award to prove it.’

As Buffy and Angel followed Willow and Oz over to get some punch, a nervous Jonathan took to the stage. "We have one more award to give out. Is Buffy Summers here tonight?" The gym filled with murmurs, the anxious crowd looking amongst themselves for the small blonde they'd all often wrote off as a misfit. "Did- did she, umm..." Buffy's head finally turned towards the stage, looking on as he continued. "This is actually a new category. First time ever. I guess there were a lot of write-in ballots, and, um- the prom committeeasked me to- to read this," he stutters, fumbling through his jacket for the sheet of paper.

Buffy turned to her friends, looking for some sort of explanation as to what was going on. "We're not good friends. Most of us never found the time to get to know you. But that doesn't mean we haven't noticed you. We don't talk about it much, but it's no secret that Sunnydale High isn't really like other highschools. A lot of weird stuff happens here..."

"Zombies!" one eager student shouts out.

"Hyena people!" another cries.

"Snyder!!" the third receives a few hushed laughs from the crowd. Jonathan gives his own slight chuckle before continuing.

"But whenever there was a problem, or something creepy happened, you seemed to show up and stop it. Most of the people here have been saved by you, or helped by you at one time or another. We're proud to say that the class of '99 has the lowest mortality rate of any graduating class in Sunnydale history." A huge round of applause erupted from the crowd. Angel turned to his side to see Buffy begin to blush, still unclear as to what was really going on.

"And we know at least part of that is because of you. So the senior class offers it's thanks, and gives you, uh, uh, this." Jonathan turns to grab the small pedastal, slowly popping it open to read it's inscription. "It's from all of us. And it has written here, 'Buffy Summers...Class Protector."

Buffy's beaming features floated down the cleared aisle, extremely surprised and overwhelmed by her classmates' actions. Gently taking the award that Jonathan handed her, she turned to face the crowd, still in an uproar of cheers. Finally making it back to her friends, she was swept up in a giant hug by all of them.

"Alright Buffy," Oz was the first to speak up. "Way to make a scene."

"That was so cool," his date giggles, taking the small umbrella from her best friend to take a closer look.

"I'm so very proud of you, Buffy." Giles' pride was evident as he gave her another hug, quietly rejoicing in the admiration and love he had for the girl who'd come to be more of a daughter to him than a slayer.

"And so am I..." Angel wraps her up in his own hug, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. The friends were so busy celebrating Buffy's big moment that they almost succeeded in drowning out Xander's complaints.

"Buffy gets a golden umbrella...Jack gets class clown honors...even the girls got roses from Angel. And what do I get, huh? When do I ever get something good?!" he whimpers, his sulking face finally getting to Cordelia.

"Uggh! You get *me*!! Isn't that enough you big baby?! Now come on- let's dance!" This time she drags his unwilling frame out to the floor to begin swaying to the gentle, slow song that had just started.

"May I have this dance?" Angel gives his date a wide smile before leading her wordlessly out to the center of the gym. Clasping her small hand in his own, he wraps his other arm around her waist, his hand gently caressing the folds of her dress.

I love you more than anything
Than anything, I do
And I'd give anything
And everything I have
Just to be with you

These feelings I hold inside
Are emotions I cannot hide
These feelings will not subside
I'd give anything, anything

"So what do you think of your first prom experience?" Buffy looks up with a huge smile across her face as Angel pulls her closer.

"Definitely not what I expected," he grins. "But it's been great...can't help but feel bad for Xander though," he steals a glance at the still-pouting Xander, starting to feel sorrier for Cordelia for having to put up with more whining.

When I look into your eyes
I see something special about you
And when I hold your hand
You seem to understand

That I love, you more than anything
Than anything, I do
And I'd give anything
And everything I have
Just to be with you

These feelings I hold inside
Are emotions I cannot hide
These feelings will not subside
I'd give anything, anything

Angel felt Buffy lay softly against his shoulder as he brought one hand up from her back and placed it gently against her head, brushing against her hair and tucking it back behind her ear. The room seems to go silent as all he can think about is how much he loved holding her soft body in his arms, knowing he'd never be able to leave her.

"I don't know how I could ever go on if you ever left my arms," he whispers against her neck, pressing his lips against her smooth skin.

"That's never going to happen," she emphasizes, pulling his lips down to hers, delighting in the feeling of his mouth devouring hers.

When I, think of life without you
It brings me, it brings me right down to my knees
Cause I, I can't imagine life without you
You are the thing...
The thing that keeps me holding on

I'd do things that can't be done
I'd fly to the moon and around the sun
If you'll just say that I'm the one
I'd do anything

I love you more than anything...
More than anything...

The song ended as softly as it had begun and the couple remained trapped in one another's embrace. Until Cordelia's sharp voice called them to attention. "If we don't leave now I just might tie up Xander and shove him in a locker!"

"You know," Xander approached them from behind, his pouty face slowly returning to it's usual smirk. "You'd think you'd be a little more sympathetic!"

"You lost class clown- big freakin' deal! Isn't it enough that we all think you're a big goofball?! Now are we going or not?" Not wanting to put up any argument with Queen C, Angel and Buffy roamed the gym to grab Willow and Oz. Giving their last goodbyes to Giles and Wesley, the friends quickly changed out of their formal attires and gathered into Oz's darkened van, all set for two days to relax together.

******

Part 6

"Nice place, Cordy." Xander was grinning ear to ear as he followed his girlfriend and the others into the spacious beachhouse. The others set their bags down, nervously looking on as Xander made his way through the house. Inside was a virtual museum of old family knickknacks and antiques. Candles, books, and various porcelain ornaments surrounded the highly-priced furniture and for some reason, Xander insisted on touching whatever breakable items were in arm's reach.

"God- could you have any more painted glass around this place?"

"Well I won't if you keep touching everything!" she snaps, snatching the small glass tree he was tossing in his hands. "Just...don't touch anything that looks valuable, okay?"

"Valuable?"

"You know- as in anything that could be considered above *your* price range. So pretty much everything in the house qualifies."

"You know what-" Xander angrily puts down the porcelain bear his hands were fumbling with, "you are the most-"

"Okay- do you think we can hold off on the world war until tomorrow?" Buffy intervenes, already knowing that before their two days were up, Xander and Cordelia would come to blows.

"Guys..." she turns to address the others as she sets the tree back down on its table. "Just make yourselves at home. You can decide which rooms you want to take- mine's straight down there at the end of the hall."

"You mean that extra really big one with the balcony?" Willow passes her a look.

"Hey- be grateful any of you are even here," she answers the redhead's stare. "If it weren't for me, you'd probably all be at some lame party for freaks-anonymous."

"And what's it saying about you when you were the one to invite us freaks to spend two days with you when you could've invited Harmony, Anya, and all those other flakes?" Momentarily stunned by Buffy's quick retort, the brunette decides to change the subject. "Anybody feel like something to eat?"

"Pizzas are always a good standby," Willow offers, settling down onto the couch with Oz.

"Great," Buffy stands, grabbing Angel's hands along with her. "I saw a pizza place about a block away. Looked like they were still open. We'll go get a couple."

"We will?" Angel raises an eyebrow at her, yet still allowing himself to be dragged towards the front door.

"Sure," she smiles, wrapping her arms around his waist. "I think a little walk would do us good."

"Why do I get the feeling that it's going to be more of a smooch-fest instead of a walk to get food to feed your starving friends?!" Xander shouts to them, watching with a disgusted look as the two head out the door, already in the middle of a make-out session. "Whatever. I just hope they come back with food!" His girlfriend passes him a sudden glance, somewhat sharing his sentiments.

"I just hope they find the time to come back in between kisses period!"

******

"Buffy..." Angel pulled away from their kiss long enough to just breathe out her name. "Mmm...Buffy? Aren't we supposed to be...bringing the pizzas back?"

"They'll stay hot," she passes the two boxes a glance before capturing Angel's lips again.

"I would think after twenty minutes the heat would kind of wear off," he smiles, just imagining Xander's angry glare and whining back at the beach house- an image that gave him all the more reason to continue his activities with Buffy.

Finally realizing that they'd been gone for almost an hour, the lovers share a final short but sweet kiss before heading back to the house. As they walked along the pier, with only a few houses left before reaching Cordelia's, Buffy couldn't help but appreciate the view. Although it was close to 11 at night, she could still clearly make out the waves that were rolling in gently. Angel was too busy appreciating her rather than the scenery, enjoying the almost serene look on her face. He could hardly believe that such a young, gentle young woman could be the fierce warrior that she was.

"So whadya think?" her voice brought him to attention as she pulls him over by the arm to get a closer glimpse. "Pretty peaceful, huh?"

"Yeah...even better than I remember. Probably because you're here with me," he sets down the two boxes on a nearby bench, wrapping his now free arms around her, taking a moment to fully appreciate all that he'd been given in Buffy. He lovingly looks down into Buffy's eyes, seeing the same love he has for her reciprocrated for him in her glossy eyes. Buffy pulls Angel into hug, running her hands through his hair as he leans in for a soft kiss. "Okay..." he wills himself to pull away as the kiss lingers on. "Unless we want everyone to send out a search party for us, we'd better finish this at home.

"Oh fuck them," she giggles, pulling him back in for another kiss.

"Buffy! I'm surprised at your language! You know, everyone thinks you're so prim and proper...now I've got a thing or two to tell them about you and the words that come out of your cute little mouth somtimes when we get back."

"You might want to rethink doing that...unless you'd like this cute little mouth to limit it's 'visitations' with your cute little mouth," Buffy threatens, inching closer to his face.

"Duely noted," Angel says and he captures her lips, laughing, in a passion-filled kiss.

"I knew it!! I...knew...it!!" Xander's semi-naked form came storming onto the pier. Clad only in his boxers, the highly upset young man was shivering slightly from the cold breeze coming off of the ocean as he approached the two. "You two probably never even made it to the pizza place! Now what are we gonna eat!"

"What do you call those?" Buffy points towards the two boxes resting on the green bench, passing Xander a glare. Without hesitation, Xander grabs the pizzas, pacing his way back to the house, still yelling. "First my big loss, and now this! And to think- an entire two days with these two wild bunnies!" He looks towards the sky, beginning to shout to whoever was listening.

"What did I do to deserve this, huh! What else do you have in store for me this weekend? A few bolts of lightening maybe?!"

"You should be so lucky!" Angel shouts after him.

"Oh zip it, Deadboy! If you two were able to go one minute without touching each other, I would've already eaten and been in bed by now!" Buffy and Angel merely shake their heads in laughter as they follow behind him from a distance, already looking forward to what the next morning would bring.

"Hey guys!" Willow welcomed the couple back. "Sorry about Xander springing on you like suburban commando or something. We tried to stop him from going out. Buffy- there's still some pizza left in the kitchen. Angel, there's..." the redhead thought for a moment about what food to offer him. "Umm...there's..."

"It's okay," he grins, sensing her awkwardness as to just what he would be eating in the house. "I...fed...this afternoon before the prom. And I...brought my own...container, just in case." He walks over to his bag beside Buffy's, reaching in to retrieve a small plastic container. As he walks into the kitchen to place it in the fridge, a painfully loud sneeze erupts from the living room. He turns at the sound, seeing Cordelia eyeing Xander suspciously.

"Look at me," she demands, grabbing his chin in her hands to observe his features. "You're getting a cold!"

"What?" Xander screeches out, reaching for a tissue in the process. "I am not!"

"Yes you are! I can tell these things- I have a sixth sense."

"I thought that was only when it comes to shopping," he argues, sitting up with his plate. "I'm going to bed. I think I've had just about all I can take tonight." Watching as he heads towards her own room, Cordy jumps up to grab his arm from behind.

"Oh no- you are *so* not sleeping with me tonight! You're not gonna get me sick with all your disgusting germs!"

"I am *not* sick!"

"Define sick..." Angel whispers to Oz, the two usually taciturn men having developed a strong friendship over the past year.

"Icck! Don't touch me!" Cordy brushes away his hands as she races into her bedroom, slamming the door behind her. After a few seconds, the door opens, much to Xander's delight.

"I knew you were only playing- umph!!" The flying pillow and blanket almost whacked him off balance as he turns back towards the living room, a nervous smile breaking out across his face. "I'm gonna...sleep out here tonight," he explains, still nervously grinning as he slouches down between Oz and Willow. "So...anyone want to watch a movie or something? Maybe play some cards?"

Willow and Buffy share a look of panic as they grab their boyfriends and head back towards their own rooms. "Guys!! Come on! I am not getting sick!! It was just a sneeze!!" His pleas go unnoticed as the couples continue walking. "Geez...I don't even know why you're so worried, Angel!! It?s not like you can even get sick!!"

"I may not be able to get sick *from* you, but trust me, I can get plenty sick *of* you," he chuckles, picking up Buffy from behind, slamming their bedroom door behind them.

"No good, lousy..." Xander mutters to himself, soon finding that late night tv had very little to offer at one in the morning. "Mom said there'd be days like this..."

******

Part 7

Buffy lay in the quiet darkness, too content to open her eyes, and wondered idly why she was awake at such an early hour in the morning. A welcome summer sun peeked in through a corner of their heavily-covered windows and she could feel the tiny fragment of weak brightness on her eyelids as she slowly woke. When she finally opened her eyes, lying on her side facing Angel, Buffy kept as motionless as she could, unwilling to disturb the priceless scene before her. For some reason, she felt no inclination to get out of bed just yet, electing, instead, to memorize the smile that crossed her lover's face as he held her in his arms.

Last night, she wanted to melt into him, become a part of him; to be his heart. There were no words that could express what it was about him that had stolen into her soul and woven him so inextricably within her very being. She had known him far more intimately than any others. But, it went beyond, and was more than the physical sharing of their bodies. It was the joining of everything that made them what they were, separately, and fused into one living wholeness. He was what made her life truly beautiful.

She leans her head against his shoulder, smiling as she feels his head bend slowly toward her mouth, capturing her lips in a kiss. "Morning..."

"Morning..." She leans up to give him another kiss, and snuggles into his chest, planting several kisses there, until finally laying back down on top of him, hoping to catch a few more minutes of sleep. Her disappointment in not being allowed to do so was clearly evident as she moaned her protest at Angel sliding out from underneath her, pulling on a pair of boxers, headed down the hall.

"Mmm...just five more minutes?" she mumbles into his pillow, making sure she moaned loud enough for him to hear.

"Come on," he calls back. "I'm making you breakfast." Sighing in defeat, Buffy hops out of bed, beginning to get dressed. After about twenty minutes, Buffy emerges in the kitchen wearing a pair of khaki shorts and a grey t-shirt. To keep her eyes from becoming too engrossed in the sight of her boyfriend, still wearing only shorts, she takes a seat at the table as Angel turns around, finally noticing her watching him with her loving eyes. "Hey sleeping beauty," he says almost as a whisper. "Enjoy..." he places the plate of food in front of her, giving her a soft kiss. Before she can even take a bite, she notices him headed back towards their guest room. "Where are you going?"

"To get dressed," he replies, still walking down the hall.

"Get back here buddy," she demands, patting the seat next to her at the wooden table. "Sit with me for breakfast first, and then maybe I'll help you get dressed-"

"You just want me to stick around to do the dishes when you're done," he smiles, seeing right through her act.

"Well...that's part of it," she admits. "But I always enjoy watching you get dressed..." she says, wrapping an arm around his neck to pull him down for a kiss, "...though I prefer watching you get undressed."

"Please!" the sudden outburst breaks the couple out of their embrace. "It's eight in the morning! As of this moment I'm making a rule for this weekend- no PDAs before noon!"

"Good morning to you too, Cordelia..." Buffy greets the waking brunette.

"Well it was until I walked in here to see the two of you sucking face," she mutters, running a hand through her slightly messed hair. "Nice of you to make *everybody* breakfast, Angel," she jokes, stealing a piece of toast away from Buffy's plate. She pulls up a chair alongside them, throwing a surprised stare towards the couch as a loud moan escapes from the body resting across it.

Xander stumbled into the kitchen blearily. His feet shuffled along and he kept his head bowed low as he made his way instinctively towards the coffee machine. Buffy, Angel and Cordy traded concerned glances. The brunette's suspicions from last night seemed to be accurate as they collectively agreed that something was obviously wrong with their friend.

He flopped down into his chair lethargically, his famed exuberance tamed. Just as Buffy was about to question him, Xander sneezed, violently, three times in succession. He sniffled and took a sip of his coffee as though nothing were out of the ordinary.

"I told you that you were getting sick, didn't I?" Cordy asks kindly, though very amused by the situation.

“Mm fine...?” Xander mumbles so quietly that it was almost inaudible as he sniffles again. "Wuz fer bekfust?"

"Xander, maybe you should get into bed," Angel suggests, genuinely concerned about his friend. "You really look sick." Seeing that Xander was giving no response, Cordelia grabs him by the point of his chin and raises his head without protest. She leans forward on instinct and places a hand on his forehead. He was burning up and she announced as much.

Once allowed, Xander immediately hung his head again as though holding it up was too much of a struggle. “..mm fine,?” he mumbles again, his tone a little more forceful. “Tuk pillz laz night,?” he manages to get out before coughing a few times.

“Xander Harris,” Cordy begins authoritatively, “you are not going out until this fever is broken and you can string three words together. Do I make myself clear??” Silence follows as Xander's jaw drops open, his eyes slowly closing.

Buffy frowned, her eyes widening as she took in Xander’s ragged, yet rhythmic breathing. She tries to rouse her friend but knew from the start it was no use. If it was a battle just to get Xander to go to sleep, waking him up was twice the hassle. She tries to force annoyance into her sigh as she loops one arm around his shoulders, Angel supporting him from the other side, and the two began to drag him down the hall to Cordy's bedroom.

Cordy followed wordlessly, opening the door to her room and slipping off her poor boyfriend’s duckie slippers when Buffy and Angel lay him on the bed. They put a blanket over him and Cordy sits down by his bedside as Buffy goes to get some cool water and a face cloth.

She comes back a moment later, laying the cloth over Xander's forehead as she passes Cordy and Angel a smile. "Maybe this will teach him to go running around outside in just boxers." Angel returns the smile, something catching his eye suddenly. He reaches over, pulling a nearly empty package of Sudafed out of Xander's shirt pocket. He glances over at Xander's completely still face. "No wonder the bottle says do not operate heavy machinery."

Cordelia motions for the couple to head out with her into the living room. "Now who amongst you is going to question my sixth sense, huh?" she asks once they all sit down.

"Poor Xand," Buffy sighs. "I just hope it's a 24-hour deal cold. I'd hate for him to be sick all weekend while the rest of us are out enjoying the beach."

"Hey guys." Willow, along with Oz, comes trudging out of their room, rubbing her eyes sleepily. "What's up?"

"Xander's sick," Buffy informs them. "We've got him in bed right now, but I think somebody should stay with him today to keep an eye on him. Without giving anyone else a chance to sacrifice their afternoon, Angel speaks up.

"I'll do it."

"Great!" Cordy cheers. "Problem solved! If we hurry, maybe we can still get a good spot on the beach..."

"Cordelia!" Willow passes her a shocked stare. "Your boyfriend is in the other room, sick as a dog, and all you're worried about is getting a good spot on the beach?"

"Xander would want me to enjoy myself," she answers matter-of-factly, heading towards her bedroom, but stopping in her tracks about midway. "Uh...could someone else go in their and grab my clothes from off my bureau. I don't want to catch his cold."

"You'd rather one of us get sick," Oz states.

"I knew you'd understand," she flashes him a smile, turning towards the bathroom. "When you get them, just toss them in here, will ya?" The friends share a frustrated look until Angel starts walking towards Cordelia's room to retrieve the clothes. Upon entering, he notices Xander's eyes flutter open, beginning to wake.

"Angel?"

"Yeah- just have to get something. Go back to sleep, Xander. If you need anything just let me know."

"Whadya mean? You're gon' be watchin' me tuday?"

"That's right." Angel's eyes widen in amazement as Xander tosses off his blanket, helplessly trying to crawl out of bed as he calls out to the others. "Help! Cordy! Buuffyy!!"

The rest of the Scoobies, including Cordelia, come running into the room, shocked to see Xander sitting up in bed, eyes wide with panic. "Xand? What are you doing?" Buffy asks as she approaches the bed. "What's wrong?"

"That!" he points to Angel, his ability to speak coherently suddenly returning. "*That* is what's wrong. I'm in bed dying and you're all gonna leave me with Nurse Ratchet over there?! I thought we were friends?!"

"Oh come on, Xander," Willow chastises her friend. "You should be grateful that Angel's willing to wait on you hand and foot."

"Grateful?? What else is he gonna be doing during the day- sunbathe?! You're crazy if you think I'm gonna...did you say 'hand and foot'?" he raises his eyebrows at the thought of being able to order around the vampire for a whole afternoon.

"Did I say that?" Willow passes an apologetic look towards Angel who was already visibly concerned about what her statement implied.

"You know what..." he says after a moment, "it's okay. You guys all head down to the beach or the pier for the day. I'll be fine...taking care of...him..." he trails off, noticing the evil gleam that was in Xander's eyes."

"Are you sure?" Buffy asks, hoping he would come to his senses. "I'm sure we can just leave him alone for the day. He shouldn't get any worse."

"I'm sure...and what's all this 'we' stuff? You're going out today with the others."

"Angel-"

"Buffy, please. I'll be fine. Go and enjoy yourselves. You and I will be able to go out tonight after sunset, okay?" Knowing not to even bother arguing with him, Buffy sits with him for awhile until the others get dressed.

Finally around eleven, everyone was ready to go out. Buffy followed the others, turning to face Angel once she reached the door. "I'd rather stay here with you..."

"And I'd rather you go out with your friends," he lies, wishing he could just let his selfish side take over and let her spend the day indoors with him. "Besides, you need some more sun...I'm pale enough for the both of us," he kids, rubbing his finger alongside her jaw. He softly brushes the hair out of her eyes and kisses her on the lips. As he goes to break the kiss, he sighs as she pulls him back, making the kiss longer and deeper.

"Okay- this is ridiculous!" Cordy's voice approaches from outside as she climbs the steps back up to the front door. Quickly retreating from the opening door, Angel walks backwards, Buffy still in his arms, as Cordy storms into the house. "You've already broken rule number one!" In an instant, she hastily grabs Buffy's arm, spinning her away from Angel and dragging her along out the door and down the steps.

"Have fun..." Angel sighs to the closed door.

"Aaannngggeeelll!" Xander's voice, now returned to 'sick-mode' calls out to him. "Cun I 'ave sum waater?" The vampire, suddenly realizing that he was too generous for his own good, sighs, heading into the kitchen to retrieve a glass.

"An sum bekfust!"

"This is going to be fun..."

******

Part 8

One hour, twenty-seven minutes, and thirty-one seconds later, Angel was steadily observing the living room clock, calculating when Xander's next command would be shouted. He'd caught on pretty quick to Xander's system- almost every half-hour, his surprisingly recovered voice would cry out for something else. Whether it was breakfast, orange juice that had to be freshly-squeezed, fluffier pillows, ice cream, or just calling Angel into his room to tell him he wasn't feeling any better, Angel was certainly getting his workout for the day. But what had bothered him so much above all else was the fact that Xander had discovered one particular item Cordelia had in her room.

*Ding ding ding*

The vampire made a mental note to ask Cordelia why in god's name she kept a small silver bell in her room. ‘Probably to give her parents the same treatment Xander's giving me when *she's* sick...’ he smiles to himself, getting up from the couch to see what Xander wanted.

"What do you need, Xander?"

"Took you long enough! I thought vampires are supposed to have super hearing or something."

"We have *sensitive* hearing," he corrects him. "And that bell isn't doing my ears much good you know."

"I need a tissue." Angel glances over to the sidetable, seeing that a box of tissues were clearly resting within arm's reach of the sick boy.

"They're right there. You can't grab one?"

"Ooohhhh..." Xander begins to moan. "My head...my stomach...my liver...it all hurts."

"Fine." He reaches over, handing him the box, then turns to leave, stopping only when he hears the bell ring again. "What?"

"I need a drink too," he says between sniffles.

"You have a glass of orange juice, *freshly squeezed*, right there," he points to the young man's hand.

"But it's cold. Can I have some fruit punch...please??" he pleads, stealing one of Buffy's puppy-dog pouts that he knew Angel always fell for.

"Sure..." Angel sighs, walking out towards the kitchen. Within a few seconds he returns, glass of punch in hand. "Here...now is there anything else I can get you right now before I sit down to read again?"

"No, nothing I can think of. What're you reading anyway?"

"I don't really know...I haven't had the chance to finish reading the *cover* yet," he replies, his tone a little sharper than Xander anticipated. Deciding to let his servant rest for a little while, Xander relaxes back against the pillows, sipping away at his fruit punch with a wide smile. ‘Being sick isn't so bad after all. So long as I've got good ol' Jeeves to take care of me...’

******

"So how do you think Jeeves and Xander are getting along?" Cordy asks from underneath her sunglasses. The four friends had decided to stroll the pier, opting to spend the night on the beach when Angel would be able to join them.

"I'm sure they're fine..." Buffy rolls her eyes at the brunette's comment, wishing the others would suggest heading home soon. As much as she was enjoying her time out with her friends, she would've still rather have stayed home cuddling with Angel.

"I wonder how Angel's holding up," Oz mentions, stealing a piece of Willow's cotton candy in the process.

"What are you worried about Angel for?" Cordy asks. "Xander's the one that's sick-"

"Oh, you mean the Xander who's your *boyfriend* and who you wouldn't stay home with to take care of?" Willow blurts out.

"I would've stayed home with him...but...Angel offered to first!" she asserts, still receiving a disbelieving stare from the three others. "You know...it was really nice of him to offer. I mean- even though he would've been stuck in the house anyway...just goes to show you how nice Angel is, right Buffy?"

"Mmm-hmm..." the blonde agrees, still eyeing her suspiciously. "Wish we could say the same for *some* people."

"Alright, alright- fine! Tell you all what...I'll stay home with him tonight while you all go to the beach, okay? Happy now?"

"Well gee...don't do us any favors or anything," Oz mutters.

"Whatever. He'd just better not get me sick! I don't do sick very well."

"Or anything else for that matter..." Willow mumbles to her best friend.

"What'd you say?" Cordy overhears her.

"I said look at all that funnel cake batter," she nods towards the nearby foodstand.

"Oooo- let's get some!" Cordy cheers. "I'm starved."

"We should bring home one for Xander," Buffy smiles. "After twinkies, I think that's his favorite food."

"Yeah...I'd say bring back one for Angel too...but...considering the whole lack of tastebuds thing..." Willow pouts.

"Yeah," was Buffy's simple response. "Do you know how weird it is that for someone who can't really taste anything, he's the best cook I know?"

******

"You know, for someone who doesn't eat, you cook pretty good." Xander was happily sitting up in bed, eating off of the tray of food Angel had brought in for him.

"Thanks...I think. Is there anything else you want?"

"Ooo- some barbecue sauce would be good on this chicken."

"I thought your stomach hurt?"

"It does..." he answers, rubbing his ailing tummy appreciatively.

"Don't you think you shouldn't have anything too spicy then?"

"No way! I've got a cast-iron stomach. Besides, that's just one of those old superstitions. An old wide tale or whatever you call it..."

"An old wive's ta- never mind..." Angel sighs, headed into the kitchen for what he estimated to be the hundreth and third time. "Here..." he hands him a bottle once he returns. "But don't blame me when you get sicker."

"Never gonna happen my man. In the past eighteen years I've never gotten sick from food..."

An hour later...

"This is the worst I've gotten sick from food in eighteen years..." Xander mumbles, emptying his stomach once again in the bathroom as Angel looked on, letting out a sigh that was halfway between a laugh and a desperate cry.

"I'm really beginning to hate vacations..."

******

*Ding ding ding*

"Well...at least I managed to finish a whole chapter this time," Angel sighs to himself, setting his book aside as he gets up to answer Xander's latest call. "You rang?"

"There's nothing on tv," he whines in between coughs.

"Why don't you read something?" Angel suggests, anxious to return to his own book.

"Who do I look like...you? Newsflash Angel- books and vacation do not mix."

‘Vacation? *This* is a vacation?’ "Okay...why don't you play cards with yourself or something? Maybe draw, or...play with the fish," he smiles, eyeing the tank resting on Cordy's bureau.

"And exactly how do *you* play with fish Angel, cause to us normal folk, fish aren't exactly the play kind of pets."

"I don't know Xander! Just...find something else to do besides annoy me, okay?"

"I wanna watch a video!" Angel looked around Cordelia's room, noticing that a vcr was nowhere in sight.

"The only vcr is in the living room. If you want to watch a tape, come lay out on the couch and I'll put one on for you."

"I don't wanna move! I'm nice and comfy right here."

"Well Xander, it's either that or me bringing the thing in here...oh no. Xander come on! I don't know the first thing about setting these things up, and Cordelia would have a fit if I ruined anything of her's."

"Owww!" Xander let out a sharp moan in response. "My pancreas...my gallbladder...my lower thorax!!"

"You don't have a lower thorax Xander! That's only in insects!"

"Well I told you I was really sick! I'm so sick I'm starting to sprout bug parts! Owww..."

"Okay, okay! I'll bring it in here..."

To Angel's, as well as Xander's amazement, setting up the vcr wasn't as hard as he'd anticipated. Within a few minutes, everything was all hooked up. "Okay...what tape do you want to watch?"

"How the Grinch Stole Christmas!"

"It's the middle of June and you want to watch something having to do with Christmas?"

"Hey- it's an all-time classic movie!" Angel goes back into the living room where Cordy's tapes were collected and grabbed it from the shelf, reading the back of the box as he headed back into the room. "This isn't even a movie, Xander, it's a thirty minute cartoon."

"Who cares? It's awesome! You should stay and watch it with-"

"Oh no. I'm good...thanks anyway. Just be quiet and watch your cartoon, okay?" Xander joyfully scoots near the end of the bed, drink in hand, to get an upclose view of his cartoon.

After about an hour, Angel figured that Xander had fallen asleep after the tape and began to thank god for small miracles. For the entire afternoon, he hadn't been off of his feet for more than twenty minutes and was practically clawing at the door, waiting for the others to come home.

*Clank! Zapp!*

"Oooopps..."

Upon hearing the noises and Xander's accompanying 'oops', Angel knew he'd spoken too soon. Hopping up from his seat, he raced into the bedroom only to find Xander's now-empty glass laying beside the fruit punch covered vcr.

"Xander...please tell me you didn't..."

"It slipped...next thing you know...poof! I think it's broke..."

"Cordelia...is going...to skitz!!"

"Hey- you've been practicing since last time! Good use of the word, Angel. And here I thought you'd forgotten my little lesson in modern language!" Angel's angry eyes shifted slightly up to meet Xander's, wondering just how one person could be so annoying and clumsy all in one. "Oh well...no use crying over spilled fruit punch, which, by the way, I need another glass of," he asks, shaking his glass in front of him as a not-so-subtle hint. "Only, can you make it lemonade this time?"

Having no other clue as to how to react, Angel wordlessly grabbed the glass, marched into the kitchen and poured him a glass, making sure to put in the straw that Xander had consistently reminded him to include with his drinks whenever he wanted lemonade. "Here..." he wimpers, handing him the glass as he passes a look to the broken vcr.

"Thanks- hey, wait a minute! Angel, what did I tell you before? The straw is facing the wrong way..."

"Oh, here, let me get that," Angel smiles, taking the glass out of Xander's hand and turning it upside down over his head, spilling the drink and ice all over him.

"What the hell- are you crazy!!"

"I think I'm pretty close to it after taking care of you all day!" He slammed the glass onto the bureau, finally having had enough of Xander's lunacy.

"Well this is just great!! Now I'm all wet, and I'm probably gonna go into a relapse thanks to you!!"

"Oh give me a break! You're probably not even sick!" Xander's eyes widened as he pulled himself off the bed, slowly pacing towards Angel.

"Are you calling me a liar?"

"No...liar is too good. You're a deceitful charlatan!"

"Hey- if you're gonna insult me, you'd better do it in english!" Angel could only roll his eyes as he left the room, willing to just drop the subject and return to his book. Xander on the other hand wasn't willing to let things go that easily.

"Don't you walk away from me!" he shouts, running after him. "I haven't thought of a good comeback yet!"

"Xander- let's just drop it, okay?"

"No! Apologize for dumping that lemonade on me!" Angel was willing to drop the matter, not apologize for it.

"After the way you've treated me?! And especially now that you've ruined Cordelia's vcr?!"

"On accident!"

"There seem to be a lot of those whenever you're around!"

"Oh that's it! That is it!! This sick man's taken just about all he's gonna take from you, you big...you big...vampire!!"

"You're losing your touch, Xander. Now I know why you lost class clown!" Angel turns his back on him, hoping the two of them would be able to calm down without saying anything they'd regret. "Look..." he takes a deep sigh, rubbing a hand across his forehead before continuing. "Maybe I shouldn't have dumped that- umph!!"

Angel was completely thrown off balance as Xander jumped him from behind, wrapping his arms around his neck, trying to choke him down to the ground as he wraps his legs around his waist.

"Xander!! Aggh! What are you doing?!"

"Trying to choke you! Now hold still, will ya?!" Angel was finding it difficult to maintain his footing as Xander started punching him on the top of his head. Suddenly, tripping over the rug that laid in the living room, both men are sent spiraling to the ground, continuing their impromptu wrestling match.

"Get off of me!" Angel shouts, grabbing him by the leg.

"Apologize first you gargoyle!!"

"Do you really want to resort to childish name-calling?"

"Yes!"

"Good- so do I, you simpering twit!!"

"Lousy excuse for a corpse!!"

"Ummm...excuse me?" The two managed to disentangle themselves long enough to look up at the front door, nervously grinning as Buffy, Cordelia, Willow, and Oz all stood, mouths dropped wide open at the sight before them. "Is this like quality time?" Oz spoke again. "Do you want us to go?" Both Angel and Xander were dumbfounded, though Xander still managed to keep his arms firmly gripped around Angel's neck.

"Angel, what's going on?" Buffy demanded, giving the both of them an angry stare as she tries to hide her amusement at the situation. "What the hell did Xander do to you?!"

"Me!" Xander finally released his grip from Angel, pulling himself to his feet. "He started it!"

"Maybe it's just me..." Willow shyly speaks up, "but I find that really hard to believe."

"Sure- take his side! Don't worry about the fact that your *sick* friend has been harrassed!"

"Funny..." Oz steps towards Xander, giving him a quick once over. "You don't look so sick to me."

"Well who can afford to be sick when they've got the Dark Angel of Death to deal with!" As Angel gets up himself, Xander begins walking towards Cordelia's bedroom. "I'm going back to bed to get as much rest as I can, cause I'll be damned if I'm gonna stay sick and be stuck in this house with him again tomorrow!"

"Unbelievable!" Cordelia tosses her bag onto the couch, throwing her hands up in the air. "We leave for a few hours and return to When Wild Idiots Attack!"

Xander sneezed loudly as he reached the bedroom, causing the others to stare down at him. It was Cordelia's sudden sneeze that finally drew their attentions away from Xander.

"This doesn't bode well..." Oz surmises, watching as the brunette lets out another sneeze.

An hour later and Cordelia still couldn't believe it. She was a head cheerleader, one of the most powerful girls in school. Queen C did not get sick.

A wicked bout of coughing was proving it's point to the contrary. Xander looked at her sympathetically as they were cuddled together in her bed. Somehow, he had a feeling that this was his fault. He reached over and handed his girlfriend the Sudafed. Cordelia stared at it for a moment as though not comprehending what it was. Reluctantly, she swallowed two tablets. "This sucks..."

"Welcome to my world," Xander muttered drowsily.

******

Part 9

"Okay guys...there's some soup on the stove and a bunch of orange juice in the fridge, so you two should be okay for the night."

"You're leaving the both of us!" Cordy hacks out, reaching for another tissue.

"You can take care of each other. Xand's getting better so this will be *his* turn to start waiting on someone hand and foot."

"Wait a minute-" Xander sits up in bed at her last remark. "I didn't go and open my big mouth like Deadboy did and volunteer to play nurse for *her*!" he shoots a pointed stare over at his girlfriend.

"And just what is that supposed to mean?" Cordelia pouts.

"You wouldn't even stay here with me when I was sick! Why should I have to take care of you now that you're sick?!"

"Because you're the one who got me sick in the first place! Now shut up and get me some more orange juice."

Leaving the lovebirds to sort out their caretaking arrangements for the evening, Buffy turns into her own room, passing by Angel to change into her bathing suit. "Xander and Cordelia both getting sick...I never expected that. But then again, I never expected that they'd ever wind up dating either."

"Neither did I," Angel answers, tossing on a white t-shirt over his black shorts. "I don't think much of their taste in people, but at least they have each other...no matter how twisted, cheap, arrogant, and annoying they may be." Buffy reemerges from their bedroom in her bathing suit, laughing at his remarks.

"Plus, they're out of our hair for the night, so that's a huge note on the positive side," she beams. "Whatever makes them happy, I guess. Ready?"

"Yeah...let's go." He grabs her hand, preparing to head out the door with Oz and Willow when he suddenly remembers something. "Give me one minute." He races into the kitchen to grab a glass, filling it with lemonade and a straw.

"Here you go, Xander..." he smiles, handing him the drink as he enters Cordelia's bedroom. "Thought you'd like some lemonade. And I've even got the straw facing the right way so you won't *spill* it all over yourself like the last time..." Without giving him a chance to respond, Angel happily strolls down the hall to meet up with the others, already outside on the porch.

"All set?" Oz asks him.

"Yeah...just wanted to get Xander a drink, that's all."

******

"What was that for?" Buffy tried to sound angry as she yelled at Angel for dunking her under the wave, but her smile gave her away. Before Angel had the chance to answer, she splashes him directly in the face. Angel rubs his face with his hands, then submerges them into the water, pushing them forward and upward, sending another stream of water in Buffy's direction.

For a good hour, the two couples act like children, splashing about in the ocean, and dunking each other under the water, trying to make the most of Angel's first visit to the beach in years.

As a final splash, Buffy musters up all her strength, and spins around in a circle, creating a mini tidal wave just big enough to drench Angel. When she stops spinning, she notices Angel was underwater. As she looks around herself to see just where he is, Angel comes up from the water directly underneath of her, and Buffy now found herself helpless atop his broad shoulders as he stood up completely in the water.

"Don't you think you've gotten into enough fights today?" she squeals out, never knowing her creature of the night boyfriend could be as playful as a bunch of teens.

"That was not my fault," he insists. "Xander literally jumped me from behind. He said he was trying to choke me," he laughs, running a wet hand over Buffy's thigh eliciting a giggle from her as well.

"That would've taken a pretty long time...his fever must've made him delusional," Willow jokes, splashing Oz in the face again. "Poor Cordelia though. Now she's stuck sick too. But who knows...maybe this will teach the two of them to appreciate one another. You know sometimes I think those two are really good for each other-"

"More like *deserve* each other," Oz reminds her.

"Yeah," Buffy agrees. "That relationship is like the blind leading the blind, or the dumb leading the dumber- take your pick." As she feels Angel start to shake her from her position atop his shoulders, she lightly smacks him on the head. "Alright, alright, you win. Come on, let's head back to the house. We can check up on Twedledee and Tweedledum, then relax in the pool."

Buffy slides herself down from Angel's shoulders and onto his back, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, as Angel picks up their stuff and makes his way back to the house carrying her piggyback around his back as Oz and Willow followed alongside them.

Once they arrived back at the house, Willow and Oz decided to call it a night, volunteering to check on the beachhouse's sick ward before turning in. Meanwhile, Angel, with Buffy still wrapped around him, makes his way out onto the back deck to relax in the pool.

"Buffy?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't think that I'm complaining or anything, but it's going to be a little rough settling down in the pool if you're around my back," Angel says with a laugh.

"Ohhh? I see what ya mean. No problem," she says, and she proceeds to climb down off of Angel's back, only to jump on top of him, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, holding on for dear life as Angel falls backwards into the pool.

"See..." says Buffy, trying to keep a straight face, "problem solved. We settled into the pool just fine." She runs a hand through Angel's drenched hair and pulls him in for a kiss.

The couple spends the lazy evening just holding each other, talking about anything, from the gorgeous scenery to some new ideas for slaying.

Buffy's lips soon make their way to Angel's chin as she begins to deeply kiss his soft spot along the underside of his jaw. "You know," says Angel, thoroughly enjoying Buffy's toying with him, "two can play at this game." He tilts Buffy's chin up as he relinquishes an arsenal of kisses to her neck, stopping only at her own soft spot at the nape of her neck to dish at the same kind of loving torture to Buffy.

"Mmmm...ok...uuh...you win, you win." Angel pulls his head up to face her after she surrenders.

"I always do," he says, giving her a quick kiss.

"Yeah...well we'll see about that tonight," she says with a seductive smile.

The two sat in peaceful silence as they watched the overlook of the quiet ocean, the graceful moonbeams glimmering as they hit the ocean's horizon, disappearing into shattered fragments of white and crystal blue.

******

By early the next morning, Xander was feeling almost one hundred percent better. Cordelia on the other hand was an absolute mess. "You’re just going to rest today," he informs his girlfriend, leaning over in bed to brush his hand across her forehead as she sneezed. "How do you feel?"

"Ugh," was Cordy’s weak reply. "Like an ogre’s tap dancing on my head." Xander couldn’t help but smile at her typical dramatic reply. As much as he really did love Cordelia, the two often spent most of their time arguing and this was probably the longest they had ever gone without fighting.

Cordy sneezes loudly, groaning and resting her head against the pillows to gaze at the ceiling. "Why do these kind of things always happen to me? What did I ever do to anyone?"

"You starting to feel like that too?" Xander chuckles. "You'll be fine by this afternoon...maybe we'll even get a chance to go on the beach together this weekend after all. I was starting to think I would've been better off just staying-"

"Xander, do you mind? We're talking about *me* here, remember? The really sick one?"

"Oh- like I'm the picture of health?! I'm still sick ya know!"

"Not sick enough to stay in bed with me all day, and I know that's what you're planning on doing! I barely got any sleep last night because of all your tossing and turning. I mean, it's bad enough I had those two wild bunnies' moaning to deal with. So just shut up and get me some breakfast would ya?"

"If it'll shut you up..." he mumbles, getting out of bed to head for the kitchen, cringing as he heard the sudden ringing coming from her bedroom. ‘I knew I should've hidden that bell in a better place...’

Smiling to himself as he heard the familiar sound, Angel runs his fingers through his lover's hair, sighing down at her sleeping form as he wraps his arm around her, snuggling back down into the covers with her. With his lips pressed against her back he smiles as he feels the vibrations of the soft sigh escaping her lips. "Hmmm...I hear bells?" she tiredly announces, rolling over to face him.

"I think Xander's finally getting a taste of his own medicine," he laughs, lightly brushing lips with the beauty he held firmly in his arms.

"It would serve him right," Buffy giggles, nuzzling against Angel's neck. "But I still feel kinda bad for him. I mean, when it comes right down to it, Xander's really a great friend and he's really gotten the full shaft job this week." Hearing his moan of agreement, Buffy's eyes dart up with an idea. "You know what would be really great? What if tonight before we leave..." After hearing her plans to surprise Xander, Angel had to admit he thought the young man deserved some sort of compensation for everything that had happened to him.

"Hey Angel!" Xander's steady pounding at their door wasn't helping the couple capture a few more peaceful moments of sleep. "Do you know how to make french toast?"

"You were saying..." Angel sighs, sharing an amused look with his beloved.

"I said he was a great friend...I didn't say he wasn't annoying as hell!"

Receiving no answer, Xander was still apprehensive about just barging into their bedroom, knowing full well just how he was likely to find the over-affectionate couple. "Angel?? Come on...Cordy will be bitching all day if I don't make her her damn breakfast. Do I have to beg?" Reluctantly pulling himself away from Buffy, Angel pulls on his shorts, headed for the door. "Now that is something I'd like to see."

"Ha! I just wanted you to open the door!" Xander blurts out, grabbing him by the arm and attempting to pull him along into the kitchen.

"Xander..." Angel stares at the poor boy, tugging helplessly at his arm and soon realizing the vampire wasn't budging.

"You don't seriously want me to beg..." he turns around, somewhat exhausted from his efforts to move him. "Do you...?"

"No...I suppose not."

"Good-"

"But I do!" Buffy excitedly cheers, emerging in the doorway behind Angel, a wide grin plastered across her face. "So...come on, Xand." With the surprise she was planning for him later that evening, she just had to get out this last form of humiliation. Seeing him not making any effort to utter the words to Angel, she brushed past her boyfriend, approaching Xander to lean on his shoulder. "I'm sure by now Cordelia has taught you to beg," she giggles, finally getting to him.

"You two are gonna pay for this..." he mutters, rolling his eyes as the words finally escape his lips. "I'm begging you to help me, Angel..."

"Now was that so hard?" Buffy pats him on the head affectionately, strolling into the kitchen to sit down at the table alongside Willow and Oz. "Oh...and while you're at it, you can make the rest of us breakfast too!"

"Oooo...I want pancakes!" Willow shouts.

"I'm an omlette man myself," Oz smiles.

*Ding ding ding*

"Xander!!! Where's my breakfast!" Cordy's scratchy voice calls out from her room. "What did you do- go to France to get the damn toast?! I'm starving!"

"What would it take for you to go in there and snatch that bell from her?" Xander whispers to Angel as they walk down the hall into the kitchen. "Cause I would definitely beg you to do that."

"And deny you the fun of waiting on an ungrateful whiner, hand and foot, answering to every single ringing of a bell?" Angel places a hand across his chest in mock sincerity. "Xander- I like you way too much to deny you that privilege." He hands him some bread, pointing him towards the stove as he sits down beside Buffy, ready to instruct Xander's cooking lesson.

"Hey Xand," Buffy grins, taking full advantage of the situation, "I think I want some chocolate chip pancakes instead of french toast."

"Oh, and how about some bacon with my omlette," Oz suggests, following Buffy's lead.

"Muffins are always good with pancakes," Willow chimes in.

"What's this look like to you guys- a buffet?!" Xander slams down a few more pans onto the stove in frustration. "You'll eat whatever I make you!"

******

Part 10

"And don't put in too many ice cubes this time!"

By the time Cordelia had finished her lunch, Xander had made a solemn vow to never again take advantage of anyone's generosity. ‘Well...at least not for a month...’ "Here honey..." he smiles through gritted teeth. "Here's your juice."

"Bout time- wait...did you just call me honey?" Cordy sits up in bed to grab the drink from him.

"Huh? Well...yeah, I guess I did," his eyes glance over her with a sweet glint, hoping his term of endearment could possibly change her irritated mood.

"Aww...that's really sweet, Xand," she shyly smiles, leaning over to give him a quick kiss before he turns to leave. "Hey wait- this has four ice cubes in it! I only wanted two!" she shouts, resorting back to her typical Queen C fashion. A frustrated Xander walks back over to her bed and reaches in a hand to remove two of the ice cubes.

"Well don't do that! You think I'm gonna drink it now that your hand's been in it?!" Silently wondering how Angel was able to put up with this kind of abuse yesterday, Xander simply tilts his head to the side, giving his girlfriend a silly grin and laugh. "You know what...you can get your own damn drink, *honey*..." He inches his face closer to her's as he casually slips a hand down the back of her shirt, releasing the ice cubes he held. "I quit!"

"Xander Harris!!" As she flails around in bed to remove the ice from her skin, she continues shouting after him. "You get back here you little toad! Uggh! Why I even gave you the time of day is beyond me!!"

Ignoring her latest round of complaints, Xander slowly found his way into Buffy and Angel's room, spotting Angel sitting on the bed, appearing to be drawing something.

"Oh- Xander," Angel looks up from his sketch, shifting a bit on the bed. "You startled me..."

"Didn't think that was possible." He walks over to him, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Are Buffy and the others back yet?"

"Nah...probably stopped to get some lunch or something."

"Gee..." he sighs in the sarcastic voice he'd been picking up from both his girlfriend and Xander, "I can't imagine they'd still be hungry after that *wonderful* breakfast you made them."

"And how would you know? You didn't even taste any of it!"

"No, but listening to everyone else's complaining was enough to give me a taste," he grins, picking up his pencil again.

"Ha freakin' ha! So what're you drawing?" Angel turns the pad around to show him the almost completed scene he was drawing from memory. "Hey, that's pretty good. Needs a little color though...oceans always look better when they're blue."

"Hello? Where's everyone?" As the sound of Buffy's voice wafted down the hall, Angel left Xander staring at his sketchpad as he went to greet her.

"Hey," he leans in to give her a gentle kiss. As their embrace becomes more heated, Willow and Oz cleared their throats from behind Buffy. "Hey guys..." Angel finally acknowledges them, taking a few of the bags Oz was carrying and placing them onto the kitchen table. "Did you get everything for tonight?"

"Yep," Willow answers him. "Buffy even got the special thingy made up at this store on the pier. It's really shiny. Xand's really gonna like it-"

"Xand's gonna like what?" The four turn to see their friend coming down the hall, headed straight for the bag-covered kitchen table. As he goes to peek into one of the bags, Buffy quickly slaps away his hand.

"We were just saying how you're gonna like picking up dinner for us tonight," the slayer quickly covers, hoping he hadn't heard all of their conversation.

"Hey- I thought maybe I'd make dinner for us tonight. I'm kinda getting into the whole cooking deal...thought I'd try my hand at some seafood tonight. Sound good?" he asks, immediately noticing everyone's apprehension.

"Uh...well..." Will tries refusing his offer as gently as possible, not wanting to be the one to crush his hopes.

"You're cooking sucks!!!" Hearing Cordelia's tactful shout as the brunette comes trodding into the kitchen, blanket wrapped around her, Willow can only nod her head in agreement along with the others. ‘Why worry about crushing Xander's spirits when we've got Cordelia around?’

"Well look who finally decided to crawl from her lair..." Xander grins, taking in his girlfriend's disheveled state. "The creature from the black lagoon."

"Oh, drop dead you scum," she groans, brushing straight past him to take a seat on one of the stools.

"I take it you two are still fighting?" Buffy asks as she takes a seat on Angel's lap, feeling bad that she had left him alone to deal with the bickering couple for the afternoon.

"It's what we do best," Xander answers.

"Speak for yourself!" Cordy snaps back. "I never knew there was anything that you could do best!"

"You know, I've got half a mind to-"

"Oh that's good! Maybe in another 18 years you'll develop the other half!"

"Hold it!" Buffy hops up from Angel's lap to step between them, stretching her arms out to keep them from striking distance. "Cordelia, why don't you just go back to bed and try and get some more sleep, and Xand, you can-"

"I'm not going back to bed!" Cordy cuts her off. "I've been stuck in there for the whole day!"

"Fine- go curl up on the couch or something with Will and Oz. Xand, you can go grab us dinner now. Everybody happy?"

"Does it matter?" Xander retorts. "I haven't been happy since I had my big moment stolen at the prom. And then after being stuck here with the Angel of Death and Miss Sunshine," he throws a stare at Cordy, already sprawled out on one of the couches in the living room, "I can't imagine a better vacation or a faster road to suicide!"

"Just go get dinner, Xander," Angel cuts in, not really appreciating the tone his voice was taking as he argued with Buffy. "Maybe the walk will help you blow off some steam, huh?" Only slightly surprised by Angel's overprotective defense of Buffy, Xander heads for the door, turning back around with a sly glint in his eyes as he turns the knob. "Say Angel- why don't you grab a *video* for everyone to watch," he suggests, noticing the vampire's immediate angry glare.

"Good idea, Xand," Willow smiles, looking for the vcr. "Hey wait..."

"Where's my vcr?" Cordy lifts her head from the stack of pillows she was resting against. "You heard me- what happened to my vcr??"

"Xander!" Angel yelled, letting out a low growl as he saw him quickly shut the door behind him, racing off to the pier, thanking god that the sun hadn't set yet, preventing Angel from pursuing him. ‘That should fix him. Let's see how much *he* likes the wrath of Queen C...’

******

By the time Xander returned with dinner, the sun was just beginning to set and he blinked a few times as he approached the front door. ‘I just hope Angel's not too mad...’ But as he went to turn the doorknob, he found it to be locked. "Guys..." he shouted, still fumbling with the knob. "Hello? I've got food..." he tried coaxing them out, but received no answer.

He decided to try his luck at the back door, balancing the paper bags he held in both hands as he tries the knob, only to find it locked as well. Fed up, he drops the bags to the ground, beginning to pound on the door. "Guys!! Come on! Lemme in!"

"Xander?" he hears Angel's voice call. "Hold on- I’m coming." Picking up the bags, Xander grabs the doorknob just as Angel opens it and pushes straight past him.

"Ahhh..." Angel jumps back a bit, not having a chance to pull away from the door as Xander, as well as a bright glare of remaining sunlight struck his face. "Xander...be careful."

"After leaving me to stand outside all that time I oughta toss you straight out into it, Deadboy!" he snaps, tossing the bags onto the kitchen table. "Why's it so dark in here anyway? Where is everyone?"

"Asleep," Angel answers, still rubbing a hand across his streaked forehead.

"Asleep? It's only seven!"

"Well...we finished watching the movie, and-"

"And you're still alive...er, umm...well, as alive as you can be? Cordelia didn't kill you?"

"Once I explained what happened, she said she'd deal with you later." Seeing Xander's shocked face turn even paler, he continued. "Everyone was just really tired and-"

"And decided to turn in before I even got home? Typical! Just typical!!"

"Xander-"

"You know what, I don't wanna hear it, especially from you! This whole week has been pick-on-Xander week, and I'm sick of it! First the prom, than I get sick, then I get attacked-"

"Excuse me? Who was the one who jumped on *my* back first?"

"Whatever! Then Cordelia turns me into her personal french maid..."

"Thank god she didn't make you actually wear the outfit..." Angel mumbles under his breath though Xander clearly heard it.

"Okay- I may have to take everyone else's crap, but I'm not taking anymore of yours!" Without another word, Xander charges Angel, spearing him to the ground and rolling with him into the living room. The two are so caught up in picking up where they left off the last time they met in battle that the sudden burst of light in the room takes them both by surprise.

"Here's that quality time thing again..." Oz grins, trying to hold his laughter at the familiar sight of Angel and Xander entangled on the floor. As Xander looks up, he finally notices the balloons and decorations that filled the living room.

From the ceiling hung a long banner reading "We Love You Xander" in bold letters and Cordelia was standing in a fit of giggles holding what appeared to be, upon closer inspection, a small plaque with his name on it.

"What's goin' on?" he asks, removing his hands from Angel's leg as he adjusts his position a bit.

"A surprise party..." Willow answers, still standing in disbelief at the sight before her.

"For you..." says Buffy, eyeing her lover laying with an amused smile on his face from underneath Xander.

"Surprise..." Angel adds, trying to crawl out from under the guest of honor. Xander makes no attempt to move as his eyes dart from each one of his friends to the beautiful scene they'd created for him.

"Oh...boy...do I...look...stupid..."

"I've been telling you that for years..." Cordy replies, still laughing at her boyfriend's jaw dropped wide open to the floor. "You're just now realizing it?"

******

Part 11

After pulling a very shocked Xander off of Angel, the friends gathered around to give him the small but thoughtful gift Buffy had picked up for him on the pier. "You guys did all this for me?" he smiles, running his hand over the plaque's small inscription- The Scoobies' Funniest Friend. "Wow guys...I- I really don't deserve this."

"You're telling me-" Cordy agrees. "You've done nothing but whine, complain, and annoy all of us for as long as I can remember. Plus, you got *me* sick, which is a severe offense in itself! But..." her face breaks out into an earnest smile as she wraps her arms around his neck. "You're still a great friend...and a great boyfriend," she reaches up to give him a quick kiss. "And you'll always be our favorite clown, so we just had to throw you a party."

"Aww..." Xander sighs, capturing her lips in another kiss.

"And besides- we've gotta have a little more fun and excitement before we head back to the ever so pleasant hellmouth tonight. So come on- someone go grab the food. I'm starving!"

"I'll get it," Buffy and Angel offer simultaneously, grinning as they reach for each other heading into the kitchen together. "This was a really great idea you came up with," Angel smiles, more intent on grabbing her instead of everyone's food. "I think Xander's really surprised."

"Try more like stunned," she laughs. "Especially after he tried choking you to the ground again right in the middle of his own surprise party. What is it about you getting beat up all the time, huh? I mean, what kind of guy am I dating when he gets attacked by Xander all the time?" she teases, leaning back into his embrace.

"*Sneak-attacked*," he defends, turning her around in his arms.

"Excuses, excuses..." She grins playfully as she pulls him in for a kiss. Being so caught up in one another, they never hear Cordelia walk in until she's standing right beside them.

"Please! There's *no* excuse for the two of you!" she blurts out, grabbing the few bags they'd brought back from the pier. "Just don't get any ideas with my kitchen table, okay!"

"Cordelia..." Buffy grabs hold of Angel's hand as they stroll past the brunette. "It's way past noon so we're not breaking any of your *rules* so just let us enjoy, ok?"

"You two can enjoy all you want! But why should we be forced to listen to it?!" she calls down the hall to them, letting out a frustrated growl as she watches their door slam shut behind them.

"Willow...turn up the music, will ya?" she pleads, putting down everyone's food and rolling her eyes as she can already hear Buffy's giggles. ‘Thank god we're leaving in a few hours. It'll be nice to get some sleep without having to put up with *that*!’

******

By around eleven-thirty, everyone had agreed that they'd better start back for Sunnydale if they wanted to get enough sleep for school the next morning. "Why are they even making us go to classes tomorrow?" Xander complains, helping the others to clean up from the party. "I mean, don't they realize that after prom weekend we all need a few extra days to recover?"

"Just another attempt by the dreaded school board to ruin our young lives..." Oz smiles.

"Well, I don't know about recovering from prom weekend," says Cordelia, "but I'm definitely gonna need some time to recover from having a room right next to Buffy and Angel. Is someone gonna go in there and tell them we're ready to go?"

"Maybe we should just leave them here," Xander raises his eyebrows at the thought, but his ensuing smile soon fades as he realizes just what repercussions he'd have to deal with from both the slayer and her vampire counterpart once they got hold of him. "I'm sure as hell not going in there to get them."

"And we've still gotta pack," Willow announces for herself and Oz, already knowing Cordelia would volunteer one of them to approach the couple.

"Fine, fine! I always get stuck doing the dirty work!" she pouts as she cautiously heads down the hall. "And I don't see anyone throwing *me* any parties or giving *me* any plaques for what I put up with!" Letting out a huge sigh, she turns the knob, already averting her eyes to the side.

"Alright you two- stop whatever you're doing, and..." Hearing only silence as she enters the room fully, Cordelia breathes a sigh of relief until she decides to raise her eyes to the bed, spotting nothing but a huge Buffy and Angel sized lump completely concealed under the covers. "Oh god! Would you two stop!" Still hearing nothing, she begins thinking that maybe the couple had already made a run for it and left their pillows in their place. Knowing full well that she'd probably regret doing so, she approaches the bed, intent on lifting the covers until she hears Angel's muffled voice.

"Cordelia...what are you doing in here?"

"Gee, I'd ask you two the same thing, but my totally scarred for life mind has already got a pretty good idea."

"We were sleeping," Buffy lets out a tired yawn, not really caring whether she believed her or not.

"Uh-huh. Well that's not what it looks like from up here," she eyes the tangled lump suspiciously, quickly turning away her eyes as she sees Angel's arm reach out to lift the covers off of them.

"Cordelia- it's okay," Angel says, pulling aside the covers to show that the two weren't completely naked. "We started to get dressed, but we kind of-"

"Got distracted?" Cordy smirks, raising an eyebrow at them, Angel clad only in a pair of black boxers and Buffy covered only by her own undergarments and Angel's arms.

"No...we fell asleep," Buffy corrects her, snuggling back down onto her lover.

"Like that?!" the brunette raises another eye at their position. Buffy was sprawled out completely on top of Angel, her head resting soundly across his chest, arms folded underneath of his and her legs straddling his waist, while Angel's arms enveloped her, one wrapped around her back while the other was gently resting behind her head. "How can anyone sleep like that?"

"We always sleep like this," Buffy smiles, placing a soft kiss across Angel's chest, thoroughly enjoying the fact that she was really getting to the high-strung brunette.

"Yet another example of how you two are the freakiest of the bunch!" Cordy yells, lifting her arms in defeat. "Whatever- just finish getting dressed 'cause we're leaving in a few minutes."

Waiting until Cordelia is fully out of hearing distance, Buffy raises her head from its comfy spot, turning to face Angel. "How fun was that?" she beams. "I always love messing with her."

"Mmm..." he agrees, his own smile radiating as he reluctantly pulls himself out of bed.

"Do you think they'd mind if we took just a little while longer getting dressed..." she reaches over, grabbing him around the waist before he can finish getting dressed. "Like say...another few hours..." Angel can't help but laugh as he lays back down with her on the bed. "What is it?" Buffy asks, laughing herself.

"Nothing honey, but when you want to, you know, you get this look on your face and it's just really adorable," Angel says with a smile.

"Oh yeah? Well when you get, uh...let's say, 'happy' you start to give this classic snare," Buffy retaliates.

"Probably not as bad as the one you give when I-"

"What?! Shut up," Buffy says as she playfully slaps Angel's bare chest.

"Well I just thought you'd like to know," Angel laughs at her reaction.

"So exactly how is this snare I give?" Buffy says with a smirk.

"Well I could show you but..." Angel is cut off as she pulls him flush against her and starts to kiss him tenderly.

"Buffy...as much as I want to, we really should get dressed." Seeing her initial pout, he reaches up to place another gentle kiss on her lips. "Come on...you don't want Cordelia coming back in here, do you?"

"Not without you being dressed first," she says, crawling out of bed herself to gather her things together. "I don't know if you noticed the stares she was giving you while she was in here, but I sure did."

"Buffy...she's dating Xander," he argues.

"Try telling *her* that!"

******

Within another hour, the friends are only ten minutes away from Sunnydale, and Buffy was counting every minute until she and Angel were dropped off at her house. For the entire ride back in Oz's van, she'd been forced to watch Cordelia and Xander groping alongside of her without the slightest care. Normally this wouldn't have bothered her. ‘God knows they've seen Angel and I do more than that...’ But after listening to the two of them fighting for the entire weekend, almost coming to blows on several occasions, it took all of her slayer strength to restrain from slapping the hell out of both of them.

"Would you just look at the two of them," she whispers to Angel. "Happy as ever making with the major smoochies as if everything was just peachy this weekend. I bet by third period tomorrow they'll be at each other's throats again, and guess who'll have to break up their fight?"

"I'm sure you'll be able to handle it," he shushes her with a kiss to her forehead.

"First stop guys," Oz calls from the front seat, jumping out to open the doors for them. "Been fun, man," he nods his head, patting Angel on the shoulder. "Maybe our next group trip will be skiing."

"That's a good idea. It'd be easier to ditch Xander in the mountains," he shares a small chuckle with him. After exchanging their goodbyes with the others, he and Buffy walk up to her front door, surprised to find Joyce waiting for them.

"Mom-" Buffy gasps, returning the hug her mother offered as she walked with them into the house. "I thought you weren't going to be home until tomorrow afternoon?"

"I wasn't. But I managed to move a few things around, got everything straightened out for the gallery, and here I am. I was just so anxious to hear about the prom and your weekend." She turns, pulling Angel into a quick hug. "How'd you enjoy it, Angel?"

"It was amazing, Joyce. The prom was really enjoyable."

"What about your weekend at the beach?"

"Let's just say it was...interesting."

"To say the least," Buffy adds, nudging him softly. "Oooo- and look..." she reaches into her duffel bag to retrieve her small golden umbrella. "I even got an award!"

"Wow..." Joyce smiles, reaching in to take a closer look. "Where are you going to put it, honey?"

"Well, why don't you start looking for a place while I say goodnight to Angel," she hints, grateful that her mother was quick to pick up on it and began scurrying into the dining room.

"Goodnight, Joyce," Angel calls out to her giving her a small wave.

"Goodnight, Angel," she smiles back, turning back around as she suddenly remembers the invitation she wanted to offer him for next week. "Oh- Angel! I almost forgot- Buffy's father will be arriving in town next week for her graduation. I was hoping you'd join us all for dinner one night?"

"That sounds great, thank you," he accepts, beaming from ear to ear as Buffy walks along with him onto her front porch.

"I always hate saying goodnight," she gives a faint smile, pulling herself to him.

"Me too...but you need your sleep for school tomorrow."

"I guess..."

"Hey-" he tilts her chin up for her to face him. "Patrol tomorrow night?"

"As usual," she sighs.

"How about before patrol I take you to see a movie?"

"A movie?"

"Or the mall. I could take you shopping. Maybe Willow and Oz would like to go too. But not Xander and Cordelia...please. I think I've had enough of them these past two days to last me a good few years."

"Okay...who are you, and what the hell did you do with my broody boyfriend?" she steps back in mock horror. "Where's all this coming from? I mean, I know you're always sweet and romantic, but this is crossing the line into sheer giddiness." Matching her huge smile with one of his own, he cups the side of her face with one hand, bringing her just inches from his own.

"This weekend really helped me to see things a lot more clearly...and not just how annoying Xander can really be." Sharing a small laugh with him, she smiles as he continues. "Buffy...from the moment I saw you, you captured my heart. But I think now I'm just starting to realize just how incredible that is...how incredible our relationship, our bond, really is. Just to be with you...just loving you...I can't even put it into words, but I'm not taking anything for granted. I want to take advantage of everything."

"So no more talk about leaving me 'for my own good'?" she quotes him, using the words that he knew would come back to haunt him.

"No...I swear it," he whispers, shaking his head softly as he leans down to capture her lips. "Sleep sweet..." he whispers, sharing one final kiss before turning to leave. "Love you..." he calls back to her, smiling into the darkness, sure that she would see it.

"I love you." Watching as he walks back to the mansion, never shifting her gaze, even once he was out of sight, Buffy's taken by surprise when she feels a hand come to rest on her shoulder.

"Geez mom! Eavesdrop much?"

"I didn't hear much..." she grins, wrapping an arm around her daughter's shoulder. "Nothing I don't always like hearing from the two of you anyway. So the weekend really went well, huh?" she asks, walking back into the house with Buffy.

"It went great...and I think Angel's finally realizing what just about everyone's already known."

"That's good to hear."

"Now we've only got one more problem," Buffy sighs, slumping down on the couch, curling up next to Joyce.

"And what's that?"

"Do you think dad's gonna like him?"

THE END

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