*~* The Courage Love Takes *~*

Part 2

@~>~~~

By: ScarletDeva

Several hours later, Doyle grins foolishly as he bounds into the building. Cordelia sits at her desk, sipping steaming coffee-like liquid out of a ‘Love Me, Love My Vampire’ mug. Doyle had it special-made one afternoon when he was more than half way into tipsy. “Hey Delia,” he calls.

“Shush,” she replies, effectively confusing him.

“Huh?” is all he can come up with.

“There’s a post Slayer-and-vampire-reunion slumber going on in Angel’s office.” She glances up and then goes back to eyeing Ben Affleck’s ass in her People magazine.

“Shouldn’t we be screaming and running like hell then?” Doyle tugs on his rumpled Hawaiian shirt, flashing back to the Angelus-centered conversation he’d had with her a month ago.

“Eww.” Cordelia scrunches her face. “Allan Francis Doyle, get your mind out of the gutter.”

“Well, see Princess, if it wasn’t for the gutter my mind would be homeless.” He grins and, happy with his retort, sneaks over to Angel’s door. He slowly turns the handle and pushes the door open.

Buffy is awake. She is undoubtedly aware of the sound Doyle just made, but she doesn’t stir from staring into Angel’s sleeping face. All the pain and darkness, that surrounds him in his waking hours, has fled under the gentle hand of sleep. He looks as innocent as a child, with the beauty of an archangel. Even awake he is beautiful, but then it is a dark splendor that marks his face. It could be the face of Lucifer, calling down his legions. Now, bathed in Buffy’s light, he is as Adam reborn, without the knowledge of the Tree of Good and Evil. Buffy loves him like this. Yet, in those dark hours of early morning, he comes to her dreams with eyes blazing and axe drawn. That is the Angel that she is part of. That is the Angel, who is her mate. But it is nice to have those bits of peace, these hidden islands in the midst of the stormy ocean of the Great War of Good and Evil.

“Ahem.” Doyle does not wish to interrupt but he has some good news for a change.

Angel’s superior senses are awake even when he isn’t. He stirs and pulls Buffy closer, as though he is afraid that reality will barge in yet again. Buffy refuses to look away.

“Ahem!” Doyle is getting frustrated.

Angel’s lids unfold to uncover his eyes. The sudden flash of gold makes Doyle slightly nervous and he begins to wish he sent in Cordelia.

“What?” Angel growls, then realizes that Buffy is still there and his tone softens immediately, “What is it Doyle?”

“Uh, I’ve got good news.” Still nervous, Doyle grins inanely.

Buffy notices and giggles softly. “Don’t worry, he doesn’t bite.” She stops and bursts into laughter. “Well not anymore, at least.” Doyle snickers and even Angel smiles. The commotion draws Cordelia. She pokes her head past Doyle’s slight frame and looks shocked at the sight of Angel smiling.

“Oh look Doyle,” she exclaims, “Mr. Broody is wearing the happy-Buffy-face.” Buffy raises a brow. Cordelia scrambles to explain, “Well, he’s been wearing the sad-Buffy-face for weeks and that always means extra brooding and lurking and stuff…” She trails off as Buffy begins to giggle. “Ok, I am going to go now.” Cordelia gives up and gets out before Angel decides to get mad.

“Sad-Buffy-face, huh?” Buffy can’t stop the giggles.

“Anyway, what’s the good news?” Angel changes the subject, though he knows that it is only a temporary respite.

“Well, I found where the demon is and where he will be at sundown.” Doyle grins yet again.

“Are you drunk?” Buffy has never seen anyone grin that much.

“A bit lass, a wee bit.” Doyle recalls three or four beers and a shot of something or other.

“So in…” Angel checks the time on Buffy’s watch, not wanting to move his arm from its position on his love’s waist, “two hours we can set off.”

“Great.” Buffy is energized and itching for a fight. “That gives me enough time to call Wills and then we can all go together.” Doyle is about to protest and then remembers that he really shouldn’t argue with the Slayer. Buffy drops a kiss on Angel’s cheek, jumps up and races out of the office, leaving her boyfriend startled. Angel rises up and follows her. “Can I use the phone?” Buffy asks Cordelia, who nods and pushes it towards her. Doyle walks in after Angel and they watch her dial up Sunnydale.

The phone rings and soon a familiar voice comes on the line. “Hello?”

“Wills?”

Willow smiles. “Took my advice huh?”

Buffy blushes. “Well who am I not to take my best buddy’s ever excellent advice?” Willow’s smile grows into a grin. An incurable romantic, she always thought the Buffy-Angel story needed a happy ending.

“So… I’m guessing Research Girl is needed?” she asks, alluding to Angel’s little sexual problem.

“Yeah, that, and could you cover for me until I get back and tell everyone myself?” Buffy grimaces at the thought of telling Xander.

“Sure. Willow to the rescue.” Willow taps her fingers against the phone,

“And if you get all pelvic, use the chains and call me immediately.” She holds her breath and waits for the shriek.

Buffy doesn’t disappoint. “Willow! Shame on you!” The three who only hear Buffy’s side pass a curious look around.

Willow snickers. “Call me when you’re coming in.”

“Ok,” Buffy agrees, sighing. “We have to get some slayage done first and we’ll be there ASAP.”

“K, talk to you later.” Willow laughs and hangs up. Buffy hangs up at her end and is immediately attacked with questions.

“What did Willow say?”

“Why’d you yell at her?”

“What was that all about?”

She glares and they back off. “Food sounds good,” she muses. She didn’t eat breakfast and didn’t get around to lunch.

“Take-out?” offers Doyle, knowing that if they don’t order in, they’ll send him to pick up something. He doesn’t feel like walking.

“Chinese,” Buffy replies and Angel shrugs. Cordelia looks up the number and dials the closest Chinese food place.

After placing the rather large order, she looks up. “It’ll be here in a half hour.”

“So how’s everyone?” Angel asks tentatively. Cordelia perks up, still eager to hear about Xander’s well being, in a strange mix of resentment and kinship.

“Willow’s been the Mope Queen ever since the Veruca mess.” The memory of her best friend being hurt makes Buffy want to kick some major ass.

“Veruca mess?” Cordelia isn’t up to date and wants to be.

“Yeah.” Buffy chews on a strand of hair. “Boy werewolf met girl werewolf, groiny things ensued. Then boy werewolf left and girl witch is sad.”

“Umm, yeah…”

“Oh and boy werewolf had to kill girl werewolf and did I mention Slayer was mad?” Buffy adds, her eyes full of angry sparks.

Angel sees that it’s time to change the subject. “How’s Xander?”

Buffy eyes him suspiciously. “Well Xander and our resident ex-demon are all pelvic and we get to hear all about it.” Cordelia frowns. Doyle notices her frown and frowns.

“On the up side, Spike is still neutered and it provides for hours and hours of wholesome fun.” Buffy grins. Angel can’t help but laugh. “Giles is like still depressed ex-Watcher man.” Buffy seems to think for a moment. “Yeah, so we’re just a bunch of Prozac-needing demon-hunting Scooby-gangers.”

At this moment the doorbell rings.

“Ooh food!” The excited Slayer sprints off.

“Yeah, so the path to her heart is really through her stomach.” Doyle shakes his head. “I thought that only worked with men.”

Two hours and many cartons of food later, Buffy checks her watch. “Demon slaying time,” she calls. Angel pulls out his large chest of weapons.

“So what is it this time?” Cordelia wonders.

“Beheading,” Doyle replies.

Angel pulls out a two-handed axe with silver designs over the handle. Buffy rummages around and draws out a large claymore with a sickle design on the blade.

“Let’s go,” Angel says, decisively.

The three warriors move silently through the darkened streets.

Finally, Doyle holds out a hand to halt them, “Here.”

“A warehouse?” whispers Buffy, aggravated. “Why is it always a damn warehouse?” She then carefully sneaks to the other side and waits for the signal. Angel concentrates and, not hearing anything suspicious, nods. The Slayer and her warrior appear inside and settle into identical fighting stances.

Suddenly, three demons charge at them with a battle cry. They are armed with broad swords and daggers. Buffy somersaults over them and swings her sword in an arc, swiftly taking off a head. She spins around and brings her foot into a demon’s knee. He falls.

“Find the master demon,” calls Angel as he slams his palm into a demon’s nose and turns to chop off the other demon’s foot.

She dashes off into the darkness. The main demon is expecting her. He is red and covered in small bulbous protrusions. He raises a short spear and grins demonically. Buffy speeds up and launches into a flying sidekick, propelling herself into his chest and knocking him back into the wall. She lands into a crouch and prepares herself to repel his attack.

Meanwhile, Angel ducks the flying dagger and twists to sweep the demon off his feet. He leaps to the right and brings his axe across to neatly separate the one-footed demon from his head.

The main demon charges Buffy, his spear pointed outward. She swiftly steps out of his way and pushes him forward, his own momentum bringing him down. His spear twists and impales him.

Angel charges his last opponent. He jumps away. Angel swerves and juts his elbow into the demon’s ribs, then turns and chops the head off quickly.

Buffy grins and brings her claymore down to finish the job. Blood spews forth and she jerks away to avoid it.

“Yuck,” she exclaims.

“All done?” Angel calls.

“Yes, my Angel,” she replies, happily. They stalk out, dusting off their clothes. They find Doyle leaning against a building, yawning.

“All done?” he echoes Angel. They nod and the three set back to the office.

Cordelia is waiting at the door. “Well that was quick… Can we go now?” Buffy drops her claymore and walks toward the phone. Angel follows her, tossing his axe off to the side. She dials her dorm as Angel wraps his arms around her, sighing contentedly. She feels right in his arms, like the piece to his very own puzzle that he has been missing for over 240 years. He doesn’t plan to let her go ever again.

“Willow?” Buffy speaks.

“That’d be me,” Willow replies. “Your very own Willow shaped Research Girl. Comes with a library and a laptop.”

“Cool.” Buffy smiles. “The slayage is over, so in about two hours gather the mob and get rid of the stones, and the stakes, too.”

Willow chuckles. “Got it. Two hours. Mob. No sharp objects.”

“Are you ready, beloved?” Angel whispers in her ear, internally shuddering at the thought of facing the Sunnydale Scooby Gang.

“With you, I am ready for anything, anytime.” Buffy smiles.

“Ok, eww!” Cordelia pouts. “Quit with the mushiness.” Doyle grins and opens the door.

Two and a half hours and three gas stops later, they are greeted by the ever familiar “Welcome to Sunnydale” sign.

“More like SunnyHell,” Cordelia mutters.

“Now, now, Cordy.” Even the thought of the Hellmouth can’t spoil Buffy’s Angel-inflicted euphoria.

Finally, they get to Evans St. Angel parks the car carefully and nervously grabs Buffy’s hand. She squeezes his fingers in reassurance. She knows that what they face now is scarier than the Master and the Mayor combined. Yet, it has to be done. Buffy represses the shiver that threatens to overtake her body and pulls Angel closer to Giles’ apartment.

“Ok guys,” she commands, “stay behind me.” Cordelia and Doyle nod. They walk slowly up to the door and Buffy raises her hand to knock.

Then she brings it down.

Then she raises it again.

Then she brings it back down for the second time.

Angel tugs on the hand he’s holding and she flashes a tiny smile at him. Buffy takes a deep breath and raps on the door three times.

“I’ll get it,” they hear Giles’ voice. The door draws open and Giles stands back to let her through.

She stops at the entrance and announces, “I have a… surprise.” The group inside looks at her in anticipation. She throws open the door to reveal a paler than usual Angel, with Cordelia and Doyle peeking out from behind him.

“What’s Deadboy doing here?” Xander hollers.

TBC…