"So when do you and Buffy leave?" Willow asked Xander as they stood by the redhead’s locker.
"As soon as she gets the okay from Giles."
"I bet you can’t wait."
"Are you kidding me? Two whole weeks with just me and Buffy. I’m so ready for this."
"XANDER!" Buffy’s voice came from down the hall as she raced towards him and Willow."
"Whoa Buff. Slow down."
"He said yes. He said YES!" She shrieked jumping up and down.
"Awright!" He said picking up Buffy and spinning her around
"Two whole vampire-free weeks in Santa Monica. Is that not the best thing in the world?" She sighed happily when Xander set her down.
"Music to my ears."
"So tell me exactly what he said. I still can’t believe he condoned a non-chaperoned trip with you two."
"Excuse me Wills but Xander and I happen to be responsible and adult."
"And totally horny."
"We are not. Well I’m not. I don’t know about my significant other here." She grinned impishly up at Xander.
"Hey I’m totally not horny. Dating Cordelia all that time cured me of that."
"I still can’t believe that the Pom-pom Princess’s parents moved to Kansas."
"Well I got e-mail from her last night and I told her about you and Xander."
"And?"
"And she e-mailed me back telling me to tell Buffy that she’d better take good care of him or she’ll get Spike to kick your ass."
"Ah yes good old Spike. What will he do with me so far away?"
"He and Angel can fight over Dru."
"Ah yes the Vampiress. Pretty thing for a wacko."
"And a clairvoyant." Buffy added.
"Yeah that too. So Will when do you and the Wolfman leave for Arizona?"
"His name is Oz and we leave tomorrow afternoon."
"What is Giles going to do without us?"
"He’ll be okay. He’ll read and stare daggers at the computer and mutter things like "Damn teenagers."
"Yeah that sounds like the G-man."
The three friends exited the school still laughing and talking.
Giles stared at the screen. Damn thing. He really wished Jenny was here. He could use her expertise. After all it was her disk. He looked out the window and noticed it was starting to grow dark. He quickly shut down the computer and exited the library. As he drove home he thought of what he was doing. He was going to restore the soul of a vampire who was in love with Buffy and who had broken her heart and now just as she was moving on he had found a way to bring him back. And what about Xander? He was head over heels for Buffy and here he was finding a way to restore her former boyfriend and almost assuredly take her away from him. It would be a problem but restoring Angel would give them one less enemy and one more ally in their fight against the creatures of the night. He just hoped Xander would forgive him.
"Pet what is it?" Spike asked when he noticed Dru shaking.
"There’s something wrong Spike. Something’s in the air telling me we should be careful." Dru said in her little girl voice.
"Of what Dru?" Angel’s voice asked as he entered.
"Someone conspires to break up our family."
"Who? The Gypsy wench is gone and there is no trace of her work."
"Are you quite sure of that Angel?"
"I destroyed her computer and her printout. What else is there?"
"Ever heard of a disk?" Spike asked snidely.
"I was watching her the whole time she didn’t have a disk. She would have taken it with her."
"Did you search her?"
"No."
"Well then we have a problem." Spike said and then he turned to his minions. "Go to that dance club. Find the slayer and her friends. Make them talk."
"So did you and Xander have fun?" Willow asked Buffy as they sat in the library two weeks later.
"Immensely."
"Whatcha ya do?"
"Talked, swam, walked, spent the night in a hot tub. I’m telling you Will his grandparents’ house is so cool."
"I remember one summer I went down with him. All we did was play under the waterfall in the pool."
"We did that too."
"So is Xander still a member of the virgin club?"
"None of your business Will."
"What’s none of her business, Love?" Xander said sitting down with them at a table and pulling Buffy into his lap.
"Love?" Willow asked dubiously.
"He picked that up from Spike. Next thing I know he’ll be calling me pet and speaking with an accent."
"No. Pet doesn’t suit you. Now Love on the other hand does."
"What about Baby or Sweetheart? You know something normal."
"Buff the last thing we are is normal."
"He’s got a point Buffy."
"Thank you Willow. Anyway enough about us. How was your trip?"
"Yeah what did you and Wolfie do?"
"OZ and I did Arizona things. Rode, swam, ate food. It was very cool."
"Will? Same question you asked me about Xander about you and Oz."
"Same answer." Willow said, blushing the shade of her hair.
"What am I missing here?"
"Nothing."
"Yeah right. Spill Buffy."
"Spill what? It was just a little girl talk."
"Girl talk. Another way of saying, we were talking about guys and what dorks they can be."
"I didn’t say you were a dork, sweetie."
"Me neither Xander."
"Okay what did you say?"
"Will wanted to know if you were still a card carrying member of the virgin club."
"Willow!"
"Buffy you weren’t supposed to tell him."
"Sorry Willow but you don’t know how Xander can be when he wants to know something. It’s really annoying."
"Hey I resent that remark."
The friends laughed at Xander’s statement and then Buffy looked around the library for Giles.
"Hey Will, have you seen Giles since we got back?"
"Now that you mention it, no I haven’t. When I came in this morning I expected him to be here with a book and about an inch of dust on the computer. But it looks like he’s been using it."
"Giles using a computer? Wills I think you spent too much time in the sun when you and Oz were in Arizona."
"I’m with Buff on this one Will. G-man wouldn’t go near that thing unless there was an apocalypse or something."
"I don’t know you guys."
"Okay let me get this straight. For the past four months I’ve been without a soul and I have been tormenting Buffy and everyone else not to mention hanging out with Spike and Dru? Giles what else did I do?"
Rupert Giles sighed. He had cast the spell and it had worked. Unfortunately in the process he accidentally erased his memory and now Angel had no recollection of anything after his soul had been taken away. In short the last thing he remembered was being with Buffy.
"You killed Ms. Calendar and tried to feed off of Xander on Valentine’s Day."
"I killed Jenny on Valentine’s Day?"
"No you just tried to feed off of Xander and in fact it was Dru who saved him. Of course she was under a spell but that’s a whole other story."
"Where’s Buffy now? I need to talk to her."
"Well considering the hour she’d be at school. Angel there’s something else I have to tell you."
"What?"
"Cordelia has moved away and she and Xander broke up."
"So?"
"About a month and a half ago Xander and Buffy started to get closer and they just got back from two weeks alone in Santa Monica."
"Buffy and Xander are an item?"
"Y-yes."
"Oh my God. Buffy and Xander?"
"Yes."
"I have to talk to her. I have to tell her that I’m back and beg her for another chance."
"Angel that’s not the most intelligent idea "
"Why not?"
"She’s very happy."
"With Xander?" Angel sounded shocked.
"In the words of Buffy, Get over yourself Angel. She is capable of being happy without you, you know."
"Yeah I know but I’m not capable of being happy without her."
"So what else did you and Xander do?" Willow asked Buffy later that night as they talked on the phone.
"Would you believe we named our children?"
"Seriously?"
"Yeah. He liked Spencer for a boy and Amanda for a girl. I liked Daniel for a boy and Dominique for a girl."
"Dominique, huh? Pretty fancy Buff."
"Yeah well I heard it one time and it just stuck with me. I think it’s so pretty." Buffy hesitated before saying the next part. "Can I tell you something Will and have you never tell another living soul?"
"Sure. I mean if you can’t trust your best friend, who can you trust?"
"Good point." Buffy laid down on her bed and took a deep breath. "Xander’s the first guy I’ve ever been with that I could see having a future with. I mean I could actually picture the things we talked about. Marriage, a house, children. It’s so weird. I never thought about any of that stuff before. Not even with you-know-who. Especially not with him."
"Can vampires impregnate?"
"I think Giles said no but I’m not sure."
"Can slayers have children?"
"I don’t know. I’d have to ask or get myself checked out."
"I’d go with getting yourself checked out."
"Yeah good idea."
"So Buff it’s just us you know the girls. Did you and Xander, ya know."
"Make love?"
"Yeah."
"Yes." Buffy admitted shyly.
Willow shrieked something unintelligible before she calmed down and asked her next question. "Where?"
"Which time?"
"The first time."
"Remember when I told you we spent the night in a hot tub? Well take a wild guess what we did all night."
"Wow." Willow breathed. "What was it like?"
"Incredible. So different from anything I’ve ever experienced."
"Even with good ole what’s his name?"
"It was better because I knew this time there was nothing between us. No curses or being a member of the undead club. We were just a guy and a girl expressing love for each other. It was wonderful Will."
"So did you and he make love anyplace else?"
"The shower, the bed, the pool, the couch."
"Okay Buff? Does the phrase sex-crazed mean anything to you?"
"I am not." A noise on the roof drew her attention. She sat up and peered cautiously at her window.
"Buffy?"
"Huh?"
"What’s wrong?"
"What makes you think something’s wrong?"
"You got all quiet."
"I thought I heard something."
"Where?"
"Roof."
"Visitor of the undead kind with pointy teeth?"
"I don’t know. I didn’t look." She said getting up and walking out of her room and into the bathroom. She peered out the window. She caught sight of Angel. His back was to her and he was cautiously peering into her bedroom window. She looked out on the street and caught sight of Druscilla on the sidewalk. "Gang’s all here." She muttered.
"What?" Willow asked.
Buffy walked back into the hall and opened the hall closet she slipped in and shut the door. "I’ve got Angel on roof and Dru on the sidewalk."
"Oh brother." The phone beeped.
"Oh listen that’s call waiting and Xander said he’d call me before he went to sleep. I’ll see ya tomorrow Will."
"Kay, bye Buffy."
"Bye Wills." Buffy clicked over to the other line. "Hello?"
"Hi honey."
"Hey. Ya call to kiss me goodnight?"
"If I kissed you goodnight over the phone I’d get that weird phone taste in my mouth." Buffy giggled. "So did you go on patrol tonight?"
"No I stayed in. Besides I’ve got two of Sunnydale’s most dangerous felons outside my house. One on the roof and one on the sidewalk."
"Who’s where?"
"Angel’s on my roof and Dru’s on the sidewalk. Promise not to get mad at me?"
"Okay."
"I kind of told Will some private stuff and I think Angel heard."
"How private?"
"Very. It was about what you and I did in Santa Monica." Silence. "Xand? Say something please?"
"I’m not mad."
"That’s good. What are you?"
"Did you have to tell Willow?"
"Sweetie she’s not gonna tell anyone. Just be glad Angel can’t get into the house anymore."
"Small favors, right?"
"Right." The doorbell rang just then. "Oh my God."
"What?"
"The doorbell just rang."
"So?"
"Dru is outside and she’s got that helpless thing down pat."
"So go answer the door and besides isn’t your mother in Palm Springs?"
"Oh yeah. Do you wanna hang up or shall I bring you with me?"
"Bring."
Buffy let herself out of the closet and went downstairs. She cautiously peered out the window and spotted Dru on the porch, looking sad and frightened.
"Oh yeah it’s definitely the Vampira. Working her innocent act." She said into the phone.
"She’s very good at that isn’t she?"
"Not half as good as I am." She said still watching. "Here goes nothing." She opened the door. "Hello Dru. Did I disappoint you? I know you were expecting my mother. Sorry she’s not home right now so I’m afraid your little plan ain’t gonna work. Nice of you to stop by though. See ya."
"Don’t you know?"
"Know what Dru?"
"Your Angel has returned. He’s gotten his soul back."
"That’s not funny."
"She’s not joking." Angel said from behind her.
"Xander? I’m gonna have to call you back."
"Okay. Love you."
"Love you, too." She hung up the phone and looked again at Dru and Angel. Dru looked satisfied and Angel looked like someone had run him over with a truck. "Now what do you two want?"
"I believe Angel can help you there. Can’t you love?"
"I’m not your love Dru."
"Aren’t you though Angel? Spike thinks you are."
"Spike’s wrong."
"Look I don’t care whose love is whose. I just wanna know what the two of you are doing here." Buffy said, getting a little annoyed.
"Oh Angel’s here to see you. But he didn’t expect to hear your conversation about you and Xander, did you Angel?"
"Dru you’ve done enough. Leave now."
"Alright dear. Good-bye Buffy. Sleep tight don’t let anything bite." Dru smiled wickedly and disappeared into the night.
"Explain yourself and then leave."
"Buffy somehow Giles found a spell that Ms. Calendar had been working on before she died to restore my soul and it worked but it also destroyed my memory of the time when I was without a soul. The last thing I remember is us being together."
"I see."
"Please tell me you believe me."
"I do. But it doesn’t matter anymore."
"How can you say that?"
"Because I’m happy where and with who I am. There’s none of the desperation or fear there was with us."
"Buffy…"
"Go away Angel. Forget you ever knew me."
"How can you expect me to do that?"
"Find someone else."
"Like you did?"
"Xander and I are none of you business."
"I’m never giving up on us."
"There is no us. Not anymore. I don’t think there ever really was."
"You’re lying to yourself."
"No. For the first time in a long time I’m telling the truth." She took a deep breath. "Good-bye Angel." She closed the door and turned off the lights and Angel sat down on the steps and for the first time in over two centuries he cried.
"He did WHAT?!?!?!??
"Xander calm down." Buffy said looking around.
"I will not. What the heck was he thinking?"
"One less enemy to fight?" Willow said hopefully.
"This is completely amazing. Just as things were starting to have some semblance of normality Giles has to resurrect Angel’s soul." When he finished his sentence he noticed his girlfriend and best friend staring at him. "What?"
"Who have you been talking to?" Buffy asked.
"You sound like Giles." Willow added.
"Oh. Sorry I guess his use of large words is starting to rub off on me."
"I think it’s kinda cute. You look really sexy when you said semblance." Buffy said.
"Did I now?" Xander put his arms around her waist and pulled her closer.
"Hmm-mmm." She smiled suggestively.
"You guys not now. We have a problem."
"What problem Will?" Buffy murmured as she and Xander started to make out.
"Angel. Soul. Curse. Memory loss. Is any of this ringing a bell?"
"Who’s Angel?" Buffy asked Xander as they continued to kiss.
"Haven’t the foggiest." Xander asked as he started kissing her neck.
"You guys. A little concentration here." Willow said trying to bring them back to earth. She shook her head and leaned back against her locker. She looked around and brightened when she saw Oz. He spotted her at the same time and walked over to her.
"Hey. Are they trying to reproduce in the hallway? Because I don’t think Snyder would like it." He asked indicating the heavily making out Xander and Buffy. He studied them for a minute. "How do they breathe when they do that?"
"Heavily." Willow said. "Look you guys either you stop on your own or I’m getting the hose." Willow heard Buffy sigh and she and Xander reluctantly pulled apart.
"Okay fine. We’re done Will." Buffy said, delicately wiping her mouth.
"Xander you have lipstick all over your mouth." Oz said.
"I think he looks good like that." Buffy giggled.
"Whatever. Listen we should go talk to Giles."
"’Bout what? So Angel’s got a soul. Who cares?"
"Buffy."
"Look as far as I’m concerned this means we have one less scary thing in the dark to fight."
"Are you sure?"
"Druscilla can have him." She looked at Xander. "I have who I want." He slipped an arm around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head. "So we Bronzing it tonight?" she asked brightly.
Angel was fighting not to walk up to Xander and tear his throat out. He and Buffy were sitting a table alone talking and laughing. Every once in a while Xander leaned over and whispered in her ear. She giggled at what he said and smiled that sweet special smile that had once been directed at him.
"Having fun Angel?" A voice said in his ear. He turned to see Dru.
"What are you doing here?"
"I wanted to go out and have some fun."
"Spike know where you are?"
"No. Why do ask?"
"He always kept you on a pretty tight leash."
"He just cares about me and my safety. You used to, too"
"That was a long time ago."
"Not so long."
"Look Dru why don’t you go home to Spike and tell him he doesn’t have to worry about me anymore." Angel said as he watched Buffy and Xander walk onto the dance floor. She put her arms under his and then hooked her hands onto his shoulders and laid her head on his shoulder. He rested his cheek on the top of her head and his arms around her waist. They swayed to the music and Angel had to restrain himself from marching over there and pulling them apart, knocking Xander out, and throwing Buffy over his shoulder and taking her back to his apartment till she wised up.
"Jealous Angel?" Dru asked in that lilting voice of hers.
"Is it that obvious?"
"Yes. If looks could kill Xander would be with my parents."
"I don’t want him dead I just don’t want him with Buffy."
"Why? Do you still love her? It was her fault that you lost your soul, wasn’t it?"
"No. It wasn’t her fault. She didn’t exactly force me to make love to her Dru."
"Oh of course not. But she could have said no." Dru smiled. That smile that used to thrill Angel. Now it just chilled him. "Bye Angel. Have fun brooding." She said walking out of the club.
Angel sighed and looked back at Buffy and Xander. Dru, as much as he hated to admit it, was right. He was brooding. Buffy had pulled back a little and she and Xander were talking. He didn’t like this. Now he knew how Xander had felt all those times he had watched him and Buffy together. This without a doubt sucked.
"Okay so after we graduate from the University of Connecticut, why are we going there again?"
"Because it’s three thousand miles from Hellmouth." Buffy said.
"Oh right. Okay after that we get married."
"I was thinking Baja."
"Not a bad idea. Who do we invite?"
"Parents, Will, Oz, and Giles."
"That’s it?"
"Somehow I don’t think Cordy would come and watch you marry another woman, do you?"
"I guess not. But I think we should invite Spike and Dru."
"Oh absolutely. Ya know it’s too bad that Darla’s not still around."
"We are having the wedding during the day right?"
"During the day in a church and all the bride attendants are going to carry cloves of garlic in their bouquets."
"This is why I love you. Always thinking ahead."
"What else do you love about me?"
"The way guys stare at you when you walk into a room, the way you can kick any guy’s ass, the way that two hundred and some odd years old vampire is staring at you like he’d like to club me over the head and drag you off somewhere."
"Angel’s here?"
"Behind you at the bar and he’s been staring since he noticed you were here."
"Let’s go. I don’t feel like being stared at."
"Where to my lady?"
"Anywhere."
"Next stop, anywhere."
"Hey Will?" Willow looked up at her friends. "We’re leaving."
"Later Wills."
"Bye guys." Willow called and turned back to Oz
Angel watched as Buffy and Xander left and then he got up to follow them. He got outside just in time to see Buffy and Xander climb on a motorcycle and speed off. Where and when had she gotten a motorcycle? And now he couldn’t follow them and he had no clue as to where they were headed. TV was right. Life sucked. Even undead life. There was only one thing to do now. Go to her house and wait and hope that she decided to spend the night at home.
"Ever wish you could just take off?"
"You mean forget everything and everyone and just say see ya?"
"Yeah."
"Only once a week."
"Good I’m glad I’m not the only one." Xander and Buffy were lying on his bed side by side.
"So where were we before we got rudely interrupted by the specter of Angel?"
"We just got married in Baja."
"Right. What do you do?"
"Architect. You?"
"Lawyer."
"My hubby the lawyer. Well if I ever get arrested I know I can afford an attorney." Buffy turned on her side and laid her head on Xander’s chest and he put his arm around her.
"Okay kids. How many?"
"Four."
"You’re gonna go through labor four times?"
"Xander, I’ve killed vampires, sent a witch to God knows where and found out a werewolf. I think I can handle childbirth."
"Good point. Okay what do think will come first? Boy or girl?"
"Boy. Daniel. Looks just like his dad and then Amanda and Spencer who are mixtures of us both and then Dominique who looks like me."
"Right down to the button nose."
"Right. What else?"
"Where do we live?"
"As far away from Hellmouth as humanely possible."
"Sounds like a plan. What kind of house?"
"I’ll design one. With two offices and a big kitchen and a porch and a huge master bedroom with a big ole bed and a hot tub and a pool."
"I like this house."
"Me too. Xander?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you ever actually picture these things when we talk about them?"
"In great detail."
"Good. Because so do I and tomorrow I’m gonna ask Giles if I can quit after high school."
"What do you mean quit?"
Buffy sat up and crossed her legs Indian style. "Xander any child we have is always going to be a target for Spike and the crew. I just think it’d be better if I had Kendra take over the slayage duties."
"And then what?"
"We get the hell outta Dodge."
"Sounds like a plan." Buffy smiled at him and he reached out a hand. "C’mere." She laid back down and closed her eyes, listening to his heart beat.
"I love you." She whispered before falling asleep.
"I love you too."
"So did he wig?"
"Not totally. But he did try and talk me out of it."
"Of course he did. He doesn’t want to lose his favorite slayer."
"Yeah well. I want a normal life. College, marriage, career, kids, the whole nine yards."
"You and me baby."
"For the rest of our lives."
Buffy and Xander smiled at each other in the student lounge.
"She wants to WHAT?!?!?!"
"Quit. Hand over the slaying duties to Kendra."
"Has she lost her mind? She’s the slayer. She has a sacred duty."
"Yes I know. But she wants a life. Some kind of normal life."
"Normal’s not an option for her." Angel paced Giles’ office.
"I agreed." Angel stopped and stared.
"What?"
"I agreed. She deserves this. After everything she deserves to be happy."
"But why does she want out?"
"She wants children and any child she has is automatically going to be a target for Spike and his army."
"So when does she want out?"
"After high school. She’ll go to college and get as far away from here as possible."
"And as far away from me as possible, right?"
"You didn’t enter into the conversation."
"But I was there in the back of her mind. I’m always there Giles."
"I fear you’re right."
Just then they heard someone come into the outer library.
"Giles?" It was Buffy. Giles saw Angel flinch and move to the door.
"Hey G-man, you here?" Xander. Angel backed away.
"Guess not. Let’s just leave the box. It’s pretty self explanatory."
"Cool. Now where?"
"Costume shop. Remember? We have to find costumes for Willow’s parents’ party."
"Oh yeah. So what are going as?"
"Bonnie and Clyde?"
"Sounds good to me. Let’s go Parker."
"Right behind you Barrows."
The pair left the library and Giles and Angel left his office and went into the library. Angel went over to the box and opened it up. He began taking things out. It was his things. The ones he had given Buffy. The leather jacket, the cross, and the ring. After he took them out he just looked at them for a while.
"She really wants me out of her life, doesn’t she?"
"Yes. I’m sorry." Giles said quietly.
"It’s alright. I always knew I never deserved her. Now she knows it to. Tell her something for me?"
"Alright."
"Tell her I’ll always love her."
"Alright." Angel packed up the box and left the library.
"Will what is up with this music?" Xander asked his friend.
"It’s Natalie Cole Xand." Buffy answered for her friend, who was making out with Oz.
"Who?"
"Natalie Cole. You know daughter of Nat King Cole. Unforgettable."
"I’m drawing a blank here honey."
"Well I like this song so we’re dancing." Buffy took his hand and lead him on to the dance floor. "So having fun?"
"Sorta."
"What would you rather be doing?"
"Ravishing you."
"Sounds great."
"Where’s your mom?"
"Over there talking to Giles." She said nodding. "Where are your parents?"
"Some medical conference." He said his eyes downcast. Xander’s parents were very busy doctors who were hardly ever home. The other night when Buffy had spent the night they had both been on duty at the hospital all night.
"I’m sorry."
"Why? Your mom actually spends some time at home." He said sarcastically.
"But she didn’t always." Buffy pointed out gently.
"I know. I’m sorry. I just wish my parents would spend more time with me and less with their patients."
Tears stung Buffy’s eyes and she moved closer to him. She wished with all her heart that Xander’s parents would realize what a wonderful son they had. She for one already knew.
Angel watched the party from the outside. More accurately he watched Buffy. Watched her dance, talk, laugh, move. She was so beautiful and she looked so happy. She and Xander stood with Willow and Oz. Xander had his arms around her waist and her head rested against his chest tilted to the side and every once in a while Xander kissed the curve of her neck. He backed away from the window when another couple blocked her from his view.
"Goodbye Buffy." He whispered and disappeared into the night.