By Mexx

Summary: What happens during ‘forever’ in those few minutes before Angel’s departure

Spoilers: ‘The Body’ & ‘Forever’ (Set during ‘forever’).

Disclaimer: I’m not brilliant enough to work the wonders of the show that Joss Whedon and has fantastic team do, although if they wouldn’t mind - in their brilliantness - do you think they could get Buffy and Angel back together???

The songwords are from ‘Heaven can wait’ by Meatloaf, I don’t ow them.

Author’s note: ‘The Body’ has become one of my favourite BtVS episodes, I knew long before I saw the episode what was going to happen and so was not shocked by the events, but I was surprised by the sheer brilliance of the episode. The way each individual character dealt with the loss of such an important person in their lives was so unique that it brought tears to my eyes, from Buffy’s disbelief, to Anya’s inability to comprehend why it happened - Which I personally thought was the most tear inducing part, that everybody loses people dear to them and never completely understand why.

‘The cruellest irony in the world is that pain brings people closer’

Buffy sat curled up in Angel’s lap, his kiss still warm on her lips. She absently stroked his thigh, her lower arm brushing against his groin. Buffy could still feel his erection, amazed that just one kiss could elicit such a reaction in him, after so long, after nearly two years since they had last been together as boyfriend and girlfriend. At least that’s what she remembered.

He still remembered all the fevered kisses, gentle caresses and sensual embraces. He remembered the day that wasn’t, even through the whole Darla catastrophe, he never once wavered in his feelings for Buffy. He loved Buffy and he needed to be here for her, to comfort her in her pain. To help her through even a little of the pain at the loss of her mother, even though her mother and frowned upon their relationship, encouraged him to leave her, and ultimately hated what he was. But he never held a thing against Joyce, he knew that she was just a mother protecting her daughter, a woman protecting someone she loved. And he had always known in his heart that she was right about what she had told him right before Buffy’s Prom, and that’s why he’d left. But he’d come back, knowing she needed him, even if it was only for one night.

"Do you have to go yet?" Buffy asked quietly, already knowing the answer.

"Another minute" Buffy frowned, her face flickering with recognition.

"Promise me that one day you’ll come back to me, I don’t want to leave it a year again. Promise me that one day you’ll come back and love me and kiss me again."

"I’ve never stopped loving you Buffy."

"Promise me?" She pleaded desperately.

"I promise you," Angel said solemnly "That one day I’ll love you and kiss you and never let you go."

"Don’t break this promise Angel, make it one that you’ll keep." She begged of him, turning round in his embrace to face him once again.

"I promise." he whispered huskily as he bent his lips toward hers for a last kiss, confirming his promise with lips forming a gentle caress.

Buffy sighed, emotions - new and those which she though were buried deep within her heart, were all bubbling to the surface, a thousand memories of Angel’s lips pressed against hers, his body against hers, her love for him that had never lessend, although it had been buried. Sad and happy memories of her relationship with her mom, the two of them laughing together, crying at sappy movies together, worrying about each other. A single tear coursed down Buffy’s face as she wondered if everyone that she would ever love would be taken away from her; Riley, her dad, her mom, even Angel had left her although he always be there for her when she really, really needed him.

Angel softly drew his lips away from Buffy’s, tenderly brushing the lone tear off her left cheek "Shh, don’t cry. What’s the matter?"

"Everybody leaves me Angel, and you’re the only one who’s ever come back, the only one who really loves me." She whispered, beginning to sob.

"That’s not true Buffy, of course I love you, I never loved anything else, but everyone who knows you loves you, your friends, Giles, Dawn... they all love you and they’re not gonna leave, not for a long time yet. And me, I’ll be with you forever." Buffy smiled at his declaration and settled down against his chest.

Within minutes Angel was shifting uncomfortably, unwilling to say anything to Buffy, but fearful of the lightening sky. "You have to go now." She observed as she stood up. Angel followed her up quickly, glancing at the sky as he did so. "Are you sure... I mean I can stay if you..."

Buffy smiled, looking down at her feet, shaking her head "Forever can wait."

"Are you sure?"

//Heaven can wait.
And all I've got is time until the end of time.
I won't look back.
I won't look back.
Let the altars shine.//

Buffy looked up at him and nodded, giving him a sad sweet smile, "You get to say goodbye this time."

"I don’t wanna leave you again, are you sure your ok?"

"I’m fine. You have to go, you have a life in L.A now, you have friends that need you." Slowly she began walking toward where his car was parked

"I don’t like leaving you in this state." Angel said, arriving at his car, Buffy at his side

"I’m fine, you just being here has helped, tomorrow’s gonna happen, just like next week will, and the next week, and like forever will happen ."

"So you’re gonna be ok?"

Buffy nodded

"I’d better go then, but I’ll be back one day, I promise."

"Before the end of forever?"

"Before the end of forever." he confirmed.

"Goodbye Buffy." He whispered, placing a final, bittersweet kiss on her lips.

"Bye Angel." She whispered back as she watched him enter his car and drive off.

Forever would have to wait.