Angel winced as Cordelia failed to hit the right note again. He leaned back on his hands as he sat cross-legged on the catwalk, and tried to filter out the occasional off-key note. He was alone up here-lacking someone who could actually be trusted not to damage the lighting board, Giles had bullied the drama teacher into setting up the spotlights in positions where he could work around them.

Buffy and Willow had told him a little about the sophomore year 'Talentless' show something involving a demon hunter's soul trapped in a dummy. Angel frowned as he tried to remember why that sounded familiar. From what he'd overheard lurking around the Bronze, Snyder had scheduled the Talent Show early this year, Buffy and the Slayerettes had once again been drafted.

None of the Slayerettes knew that he was there, neither did Buffy or Giles. Angel had mostly stayed away from all of them since his return, he still felt too guilty about what his body had done when the demon had controlled it. He still couldn't look at a goldfish without wincing.

In many ways he had gone back to the time between when he and Buffy had decided that their love could never be anything, and when Buffy had decided that she didn't care and had persuaded him that he shouldn't either. Watching over her as best he could, but never letting her see him. Loving her, but not speaking to her, touching her--Angel cut off that line of thought sharply. It was painful, but nothing like the agony he dreaded of Buffy looking at him and telling him to go away forever.

He'd actually enjoyed Oz's band, which he hadn't expected, and the comedy routine that Buffy, Willow and Xander had done had been funny--at least, Angel had heard the audience laughing, though he hadn't really watched. He had spent the whole time staring at Buffy, his entire being focused on her.

Angel came out of his reverie with a start as the applause grew louder. It was the end of the show, with everyone who had taken part on stage. His searching eyes found Buffy immediately. In that time during the Slayerettes' sophomore year he had developed the ability to find Buffy in any crowd, no matter how big. It was an extension of his own version of Buffy's spider-sense.

Buffy was standing between Willow and Xander, like she usually did these days, with Cordy on the other side of Xander and Oz next to Willow. He saw Buffy look for Giles in the audience then smile at him, Willow and Xander did too.

Angel frowned. He was worried about Buffy the shadows behind her eyes hadn't gone away with his second curse and she was still far too thin-she'd always been slender, but now she was downright skinny. She had looked tired on patrol the last few nights, too. Angel ached to see her smile whole-heartedly again, but he didn't think he had any right to that any more.

Angel stayed there on the spotlight catwalk for another half-hour, watching as the Talent Show participants left in pairs and groups. Snyder or Giles had obviously told all the students not to walk alone. He saw Oz leave with the bass player from his band, followed a few minutes later by Xander, Willow and Cordy, arguing about whether to grab a snack from a drive-through. He waited another ten minutes, but there was no sign of Giles or Buffy. Knowing Giles, he had probably taken Buffy home, or on patrol.

Angel kept an eye out for anyone in the auditorium as he came down from the catwalk and jumped up onto the stage. He closed his eyes and concentrated his sense of smell in a vain hope that he could detect that combination of apple-scented shampoo, freshly hewn wood and the scent that he could only identify as a part of Buffy.

Angel opened his eyes and sat down on the piano bench. Willow had told him once that she played a little, but he hadn't told her that he had learned the piano at the age of six. His mother had taught him. It was just about the only memories he had of her when her attention had been his alone not taken up with running the estate or his father or one of his older brothers.

Angel lifted the lid and gently ran his fingers over the keys, trying a few experimental notes. After he had been cursed the first time, he had started to play again. He had quite a collection of sheet music, although he didn't have a piano. His apartment didn't have many wide-open spaces, so a synthesizer had to suffice. It sounded amazingly like a piano though, only a vampire or a Slayer would have been able to detect the difference.

Angel thought once again of Buffy, on stage tonight. Truth be told, he didn't think about much else, hadn't since the night they had kissed for the first time. His fingers began to play on instinct and it took him two bars to recognize the song, one of his favorites. It expressed the way he was feeling so well, he didn't even decide to sing the lyrics. He just did.

Buffy yawned as she walked into the wings of the stage, Giles close behind her. Giles had agreed to drive her home, she badly needed to catch up on her sleep a little. As the soft music floated into the air she stopped dead, Giles almost bumping into her. Buffy quietly walked to the threshold where the wings met the stage and looked across to the piano.

She didn't need the eyesight of a Slayer to recognize the man at the piano. She would have known him anywhere. She didn't need a Slayer's hearing to recognize the song either, Willow had lent her all of Sarah McLachlan's albums months ago and Buffy had ended up buying her own copies. Buffy hadn't listened to any of them since the week that Angel's curse had broken the first and only time she'd listened to 'Do what you have to do' she had cried for three hours straight.

Buffy had never known that Angel had such a nice tenor voice, but it didn't surprise her at all.

Angel closed his eyes for a split second before continuing.

Buffy bit her lip and a silent tear ran down her cheek as Angel sang the chorus.

Buffy started as she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder. She turned her head to find Giles smiling at her gently. He nodded towards where Angel sat playing. Buffy looked at the man she loved, then back towards the man who had become every other kind of relation-friend, teacher, mentor and father-and raised her eyebrows in a silent question.

Giles nodded again, still smiling. He understood that Buffy needed Angel more than even she knew, and Giles finally realized that he didn't mind any more that Buffy still loved and needed Angel. In fact, he was grateful that Buffy had someone who would kill to protect her and die to keep her safe. Buffy gave him a brilliant smile then silently moved onto the stage, starting to sing just as Angel opened his mouth.

Angel's fingers froze on the keys as he heard the beloved voice. Only when he heard her walking up behind him could he start playing again, taking up the music at the point Buffy had reached.

Buffy came to a halt behind Angel, resting her hands lightly on his shoulders as she started the chorus in return.

Buffy slowly ran her hands along the line of Angel's shoulders and back again as she waited for him to start the final verse. Angel swallowed hard as he started to sing.

Buffy dug her fingers into Angel's shoulders as a signal as she took up the lyrics without a break.

Buffy took a deep breath to keep her tears from affecting her voice as she and Angel sang together.

Buffy laid her head on top of Angel's as they sang together.

Their voices trailed away and Angel took his fingers from the piano keys to lay his hands over Buffy's. As they stayed there, frozen, Giles quietly let himself out the stage door. He had the feeling that Buffy would find her own way home tonight.

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