Sweethearts 2: A Little Push
By Felicity

Disclaimer: I don’t own them, I just wish I did. And threaten sporkage on those that actually do J
Author’s Notes: My Valentine’s Day fic! If I can get it finished for Valentine’s Day…Anyway, it’s a sequel to my story "Sweethearts" which was X/C therapy, which means in this world Xander and Cordy are together and live together in L.A. Besides that everything is pretty much the same as in the fourth season of Buffy, first season of Angel. This goes through "A New Man" so no B/R sex!!!!
And every heart message used in this fic is really from hearts! I went through ten boxes!
Summary: Buffy has laryngitis and a severe case of Valentine-itis. Which is nothing compared to Angel’s brooding…
Feedback PLEASE!!!!!

Part One

For the first time in the last five years, Buffy was going to have a good Valentine’s Day. Really. There was just the little matter of depression to clear up first.

Oh, and the laryngitis.

She woke up Friday morning feeling just fine, except the kind of off, unsettled feeling from her dream of Angel in which he’d appeared at her school and given her a candy heart that said FOR KEEPS. She climbed out of bed and staggered over to the bathrooms. She took a shower, washed her hair, brushed her teeth and went back into her bedroom where Willow was now awake.

She said hello. Or tried to anyway.

"Buffy, are you okay?" Willow asked, as Buffy’s clothes tumbled to the ground. Buffy had bent to pick them up and looked up at her friend in shock.

You can talk? she mouthed.

"You can’t?" Willow asked. Buffy shook her head emphatically and opened her mouth, trying her hardest to get a sound to come out. Nothing came but coughing. "Do you think it’s the Gentlemen?"

Why can you talk? Buffy demanded, then started coughing and reached for the water bottle beside her bed.

"You had a sore throat yesterday, didn’t you?" Willow asked, watching her closely. Buffy nodded reluctantly. "Then it’s probably just laryngitis."

Buffy’s eyes widened frantically and she began gesticulating. But-but-Valentine’s Day! she mouthed. Big plans! Riley! Not that she was especially excited about his surprise evening, but she knew she should be. And being unable to speak the whole time would really put a damper on it.

"Well," Willow said cheerfully, "At least you still have your messageboard!"

Buffy glared.

"Karma!" Xander exclaimed over the phone. Willow sighed.

"Xander, that’s not nice. Besides, she didn’t take away your voice last year. It was a dare. You accepted," she pointed out. Xander made a face and leaned back in his chair, propping his feet up on Cordelia’s desk. Luckily his girlfriend was out getting coffee. She would have a fit if she saw his feet anywhere near her desk.

"I still say it’s karma," he replied smugly. "So how’s the Buffster doing?"

"She’s pretty upset," Willow replied. "And very grouchy. Actually, she’s been like that all week. You’d think the girl was single or something."

"Hah! You know nothing about grouchiness. You should see Brood Boy. He just sits in his office staring at his desk for hours. I swear, someone needs to know some sense into him."

"Xander, do you realize what you just said?" Willow asked, amused.

"I didn’t say it should be me! And I didn’t mean I want him and Buff to get back together—though I’m still not liking this whole Riley/Initiative deal—but anything’s better than putting up with him like this."

"I thought you didn’t work for Angel. Why do you have to put up with him?" Willow inquired.

"I uh…spend a lot of time with Cordy," Xander replied defensively.

"You’re out of a job again, aren’t you?" Willow accused.

"Not…really…"

"Xander!"

"Well the job sucked!"

"Why don’t you at least get Angel to pay you, since you spend all your time helping him?" Willow asked.

"I called him Dead Boy for three years. You think he wants to give me money?"

"Good point…So how are you? Besides unemployed?" Xander sighed heavily.

"I need a good present. Really good. Cordy’s threatened to dump me twice already today."

"She has not!"

"Uh-huh. She keeps saying she can’t believe she’s in L.A. with all this opportunity and living with me. Also I’m holding her down," Xander replied glumly.

"Yeah, but she wouldn’t really dump you. I mean, been there, done that, right?" Willow reminded him.

"Not reassuring."

"She loved you Xander! Even Cordelia’s not shallow enough to do that twice!"

"Hey! Cordy’s not shallow!" Xander defended her. There was a short silence on the other end of the line. "Maybe once in a while. But she’s got hidden depths!"

"I’ll take your word for it," Willow laughed. "Just go for romantic and expensive. And tell her you love her."

"Thanks Will."

"No problem, I live to serve. I have to go Xan. Class and all. You know, what we non-slackers have."

"Very funny. Tell Buff to go get like ten boxes of those candy hearts. They work wonders," Xander advised. Willow laughed, remembering the year before when he’d spent the day handing everyone candy hearts.

"Will do. Say hi to everyone for me," Willow said.

"As should you. And tell Buffy it’s karma."

"Xander!" Xander grinned and sat up very straight suddenly as he heard footsteps in the hall. Cordelia walked in, her eyes narrowing as she saw him sitting in her chair.

"Who are you talking to?" she asked.

"Bye Willow," Xander said into the phone. Cordelia’s eyebrows arched and she set down her purse on the desk, glancing into Angel’s office (he hadn’t come upstairs yet). Willow said good bye and hung up and Xander hung up, standing up and walking over to her.

"Did you get me coffee?" he asked hopefully.

"Did you do any work?" she replied.

"Cor!" he pouted. She sighed aggrieviedly and handed over a cup.

"I don’t know why I put up with you."

"Cause you want my body?" he suggested hopefully.

"Don’t push it Xander."

"Buffy, there you are!" Willow exclaimed, catching up with her best friend. Buffy turned to look at her glumly. Hi, she mouthed.

"I talked to Xander," Willow announced, "He had a solution to your problem!" Buffy arched her eyebrows, waited as Willow opened her book bag and dug into it. She pulled out three boxes of Sweethearts. Buffy buried her face in her hands.

I’ll look like an idiot, she mouthed a moment later, looking up.

"It’s better than not being able to communicate at all," Willow retorted. "Or did you want to use the messageboard?" Buffy’s eyes narrowed and she snatched the boxes from her friend, who grinned. Buffy opened one of the boxes and dumped a bunch of hearts into her hand.

LET IT BE, she handed to Willow.

"See, told ya they’d be good!" Buffy glanced at her watch and grimaced, then grabbed Willow’s arm and pulled her towards Psych, wondering why there wasn’t a heart that said "we’re late".

"Xander said Cordelia’s starting to threaten again," Willow reported as they walked to class.

HOW NICE, Buffy gave her.

"I told him she’s just talking though. She wouldn’t really dump him…not without reason anyway."

Buffy arched her eyebrows and handed Willow another heart. GET REAL. Willow sighed.

"Okay, so maybe she would…But probably not! Right?"

WHATEVER.

"You’re really in a good mood today, aren’t ya?" Willow asked. Buffy stuck her tongue out at her friend. They walked in to the classroom and Riley walked over the moment they entered. Buffy avoided his welcoming kiss, telling herself it was because she was sick, not because she didn’t want to be with him.

"She’s sick," Willow explained at Riley’s hurt look. Buffy nodded agreement and handed Riley a heart. HELLO. "Laryngitis," Willow said.

"Oh…you can still come tonight, can’t you?" Riley asked, looking worried. Buffy nodded hurriedly and smiled reassuringly at him, despite the pang in her heart at the thought of the evening.

SURE LOVE, she handed him, then gestured to her seat to show she had to sit down. He smiled at her and she went and sat next to Willow. Her eyes were on Riley as Professor Walsh began to speak. They’d been dating for almost a month now, and she really liked him. He was sweet, and relatively normal. It shouldn’t matter that she didn’t feel completely happy when she was with him…she didn’t when she wasn’t with him either. And the fact his kisses didn’t send fire racing through her body…not a problem. Right? And you weren’t supposed to love people right away. That came with time.

Maybe.

Buffy stared glumly at her boyfriend, wondering what her problem was. There was Willow right there who had no boyfriend at all, and she was more cheerful than Buffy. Everyone was more cheerful than Buffy. God, she’d been more cheerful the year before while trying desperately to stay away from the man she loved lest she give him a happy. She’d probably been more cheerful when he was evil than she felt at the moment.

Riley wasn’t Angel. And nothing she could do would change that.

Which shouldn’t matter. Except it did.

"Could we move past the brooding now?" Cordelia asked acerbically. Angel looked up, surprised to notice her standing in the doorway with crossed arms.

"I’m not brooding," he replied.

Cordelia’s look was classic. In the front office, Xander began to laugh.

"That’s the funniest thing I’ve heard all day," he cried. "Better than Buffy’s little predicament."

Angel sat up at once. "What happened to Buffy?" he demanded, snapping out of his reverie. Cordelia rolled her eyes.

"Little Miss Slay Gal has laryngitis," she replied. "Xander thinks it’s karma. Now, we actually have work to do at some point if you’d like to get past the Valentine’s Day Blues please."

"I’m fine," Angel said sternly.

"Then why have you been sitting at your desk staring at that box for the last forty five minutes?"

Angel looked down involuntarily to the heart-shaped box sitting on his desk. The top was etched with Celtic designs and the Gaelic word for Forever. Buffy had given it to him last Valentine’s Day.

Forever. And here he was, brooding alone in L.A. while she no doubt made plans with her new boyfriend. He couldn’t even be angry that she had moved on, since he had told her to.

He hadn’t thought it would hurt this much.

Cordelia sighed and Angel looked back up. "He’s doing it again Xander."

"Told ya," came the reply from the front office. "I say we leave him here. I can take on…what was it? Some demons?"

"Yeah. Right. Maybe if you got off your ass and stopped eating all those candy hearts some time. You know, you could try working out once in a while!" Cordelia snapped at her boyfriend, turning away from Angel. He nearly sighed in relief that she had moved on, though Cordelia and Xander’s constant bickering was really getting on his nerves. Come to think of it, it’d been getting on his nerves for the last three months…That and the fact that whenever he needed them they happened to be in the closet.

"Hey! It’s a Valentine’s Day tradition!" Xander exclaimed.

"You like candy more than you like me," Cordelia accused. Angel stood up and grabbed his duster, then walked into the front office.

"You two planning on stopping anytime soon so we can go kill these things?" he asked. Cordelia rolled her eyes.

"We were waiting for you!" she replied, grabbing her purse and starting out the door. "Oh, and Angel, I’m getting off early tonight. So we need to hurry this up."

Angel supressed a groan and followed her out the door, Xander trailing behind, asking if anyone wanted any hearts.

"Riley’s gonna die!" Willow squealed as Buffy spun for her. She was wearing a new red dress with a loose boatneck and knee-length skirt. Buffy smiled faintly and flipped her a heart. I HOPE. Though she wasn’t sure if she really did. "How are you going to do your hair?" Buffy shrugged, turning to the mirror and eyeing her reflection. She twisted the edges up into a crown with a practiced hand, and stuck a few sparkly pins in to hold it. She turned back to Willow for approval.

"I like," her friend said, getting off her bed and walking over to Buffy’s dresser. She picked up two red jeweled butterflies and handed them to Buffy. "Put these in."

Buffy obeyed and Willow gave her the thumbs up.

What are you doing tonight? Buffy mouthed.

"I’m in for a cheerful night of witchcraft!" Willow exclaimed enthusiastically. "I found this new spell I really want to try out." Buffy grinned.

GO GIRL, she handed her. Willow grinned back.

"Should be fun. And you are gonna have a perfectly lovely evening with Riley, right?" she asked pointedly.

YES DEAR.

"Okay, I’m going to go to the bathroom. You need a necklace. Something simple and pretty," Willow said with a firm nod. Buffy smiled despite herself and gave a salute, mouthing aye aye captain. Willow walked past her and out the door and Buffy turned to her jewelry box. She opened it, looking through the necklaces. Her eye fell on a heart locket and she took it out at once, before remembering what it was, and where she got it. There was a rose on the front and inside…she let it fall open. One one side was a pencil sketch of her, four years before. And on the other was Angel, a crooked little half smile on his lips, his eyes on something else, away from the camera. Angel…

Buffy felt tears well up in her eyes and dashed them away impatiently. She wasn’t going to ruin her make-up. She closed the locket with a snap and took a deep breath. And then she hung it around her neck. Maybe she’d never have Angel again. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t carry him with her. She always carried him with her.

"Ready?" Willow asked, re-entering the room. Buffy turned, summoning a smile and nodded. Willow spotted the locket. "That’s really pretty, where’d you get it?" Buffy shrugged and turned away, ostensibly looking for her shoes.

There was a knock at the door and Willow went to get it. "Hi Riley!" she said. Buffy took a moment to pull on her strappy sandals and grab her black lace shawl. She took a deep breath and turned to face her boyfriend, summoning a bright smile.

"Hey Buffy," he said, walking into the room and leaning down to kiss her. Buffy turned her face so it landed on her cheek.

I’m still sick, she reminded him. He sighed heavily.

"I have a feeling this may put a damper on the evening," he teased. Buffy wrinkled her nose, then grabbed her purse and pulled him out the door, waving to Willow, who was watching them with an odd expression.

"Have fun!" she called, then closed the door after them. Willow turned back to the empty room and walked over to her bookshelf, pulling out her magic book and opening it to the spell.

"I’m insane," she told herself. "I don’t know whether this will help or mess everything up." She sighed and put the book down, pulling on her shoes and grabbing her coat to go over to Tara’s. This was one spell she wasn’t going to try without help.

On the bed, the book lay open to How to Make a Curse Permanent.

Part Two

"Is it good?" Riley asked, taking a bite.

NICE, Buffy handed him, smiling brightly and swallowing down another piece of her dinner. He’d taken her to a great restaurant. It was one of those really romantic places with violin players and candles everywhere. She was not getting in the mood.

"This whole laryngitis thing really puts a damper on the conversation, doesn’t it?" Riley asked with a grin. Buffy smiled in reply, opening her mouth to tell him about the year before, when Xander had been unable to talk for a day, then closed it again, realizing it was too big of a concept to get across without words. She settled by handing him a heart that said IT’S TRUE.

"So…Are you feeling all right? I have plans or after dinner, but I wouldn’t want to tire you out," Riley said, reaching a hand across the table to touch hers. She stopped herself just in time from jerking backwards.

HOW SWEET, she handed him. He smiled, not understanding the fact she meant it sarcastically. She withdrew her hand and cut another piece of fish, then took a bite, swallowing it down despite the dryness in her throat.

She didn’t want to be there.

Why didn’t she want to be there?

Buffy put down her fork and looked around the restaurant, awkward silence descending over the table. There was a clink as Riley set down his fork too.

"I have a present for you," Riley said. Buffy looked back to him, her eyes widening as she realized she hadn’t gotten him a present. She’d meant to, she just…hadn’t put her heart into it and she’d forgotten. "It’s not much, but…here." He handed her a little jewelry box and she went completely still. This could not be what she thought it was. She opened it slowly…and saw what she’d been afraid to see. A heart shaped locket.

"Let me put it on," Riley said, standing up and walking around to her back. He reached underneath her hair, for the clasp to the locket. The locket that Angel gave her. She looked down at the table, at the spill of sweethearts across the table. Her eye fell on one. ANGEL.

She pulled away abruptly, her hand clutching the locket she wore and turned to face Riley, who was looking at her with confused eyes.

I’m sorry, she mouthed.

"What is it? What’s the matter?" Riley asked.

I can’t do this, she said silently.

"What do you mean? You don’t have to wear the locket, or—" She put a hand on his arm to silence him.

Any of it. She stood up suddenly, picking up her purse, box of hearts and shawl and pointed to the door. I’m going.

"Why?" Riley asked. "Buffy, I-I thought we worked through this." She shook her head and pulled her arm away.

Goodbye Riley. She slung her purse over her shoulder and rushed out of the restaurant, not looking back at her stunned ex-boyfriend.

"Okay, I’m off," Cordelia called. There was no response from Angel’s office. She sighed and put down her purse, peeking into the office. "Angel?"

"Aren’t you going?" he asked, looking up. Cordelia put her hands on her hips.

"Are you going to sit here and brood the whole night?" she asked.

"Wasn’t planning on it," Angel replied.

"I’m so sure. Come on Angel, why don’t you go out? You could meet people…have fun. Without the too much fun," Cordelia suggested. Angel smiled slightly at that.

"I’ll be fine," Angel assured her. "Go have fun with Xander. And don’t make him feel too bad." Cordelia grinned brightly.

"Who, me?" she asked sweetly. "Good night Angel."

"Night."

Cordelia turned away. A moment late Angel heard the front door shut.

He wondered what Buffy was doing at that moment.

"Well Riley was good for one thing anyway," Buffy muttered, putting her foot down on the gas. Her mother was out of town on business so she’d…borrowed the car to get to L.A. Which was probably not her brightest idea of all time, since she was very likely to get there and find Angel unwilling to talk to her, but she had to do it.

She’d been pretending she didn’t miss him for a long time. She just couldn’t do that anymore.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Willow asked again.

"Of course. It’s for a friend of yours, right?" Tara asked, lighting the last candle. Willow nodded, setting the Orb of Thesulah through which Angel’s soul had been channeled in the center of the circle.

"I just hope it works. And that it helps."

"What kind of curse is it making permanent?" Tara asked. "I mean, that doesn’t seem like a good thing."

"Well it is this time. It’s…well he has tempermental issues. The curse solves that…but it can be broken. So if I fix it, he’ll be good all the time," Willow explained.

"Sounds good. Here, you read the Latin and I’ll help channel," Tara said. Willow nodded and they joined hands.

She probably should ask Angel before doing this, Willow reflected. She didn’t want to get his hopes up though. And she was kind of afraid to tell Buffy. She didn’t know how the Slayer would react. On the one hand, Riley was a really nice guy, and Buffy seemed happy, but there was this odd undercurrent that made Willow think maybe she missed Angel after all. Oh well, she’d see wouldn’t she? Assuming this spell worked.

It was so odd. She’d looked through this spell book a hundred times and never seen this spell. She must just not have noticed what it was really saying. Three days before though, she’d gotten it out and it had fallen open to the page. She might not even have read it then, except she reached for some of those sweethearts and one fell out of her hand onto the book. When she bent to pick it up—it said TRUE LOVE—she’d read the spell, and realized what it was.

Maybe it was fate.

"Ready?"

"Ready."

Willow closed her eyes and began to chant.

"Xander?" Cordelia called, unlocking the door to their apartment and stepping inside. "Xander?"

She stopped short when she stepped inside. The room was lit solely by hundreds of white candles, lining the walls, on the mantle piece, on the floor…in a path towards the bedroom. "Xander?" she called again, setting her purse down. On cue, romantic music began to play. "Hi Dennis."

She took off her jacket and hung it up and then took a step forward, stopping when she noticed something next to one of the candles. She bent and picked it up. It was one of those little candy hearts. GOT LOVE? It said. She made a face and ate it, then took another step forward, noticing a second heart, beside the next candle. This one said I DO. She smiled despite herself and noticed a third. BE MINE. She sucked this one slowly and took another few steps, bending to pick up the next. LOVE ME. Cordelia wondered when he was going to show up and went to get the next one. She was getting nearer to the bedroom. The door was open and she could see more candles inside, but no Xander.

I WILL, the next heart said. Will what? Cordelia wondered. She picked up the last, by the door to the next room. LOVE YOU.

"Will you?" a voice whispered near her ear. She started and turned to him, putting her arms around his neck.

"Love you?" she asked.

"Mhmm."

"Is this your whole Valentine’s Day present?" she asked teasingly.

"Shut up Cor," he murmured, and kissed her.

"It worked," Willow breathed, looking up at Tara. "It worked!"

The other girl grinned at her. "I’m glad. Thanks for letting me help you."

"Of course!" Willow exclaimed. "I needed the help."

"Do you have to go?" Tara asked. "I mean, do you have a boyfriend or something?" Willow sighed, thinking of Oz. She still missed him. Constantly.

"No…I’m in for a girl’s night of depression if you are?" she suggested. Tara laughed softly.

"D-depression it is," she agreed. Willow grinned.

"I just have to call someone…Do you have a phone I can use?" Tara nodded and pointed her to it. Willow smiled and went to pick it up, pulling the piece of paper out of her pocket and smoothing it out. She’d written it down earlier and hidden it when Buffy came in. She hadn’t really wanted her friend asking why Willow was writing down Angel’s number before she was sure this was going to work.

Which it had.

Sometimes, despite all the trouble it could cause, Willow loved magic.

"Hello?" Angel asked, picking up the phone and wondering who was calling at nine on a Friday night.

"Angel?" a familiar and slightly nervous voice came on.

"Willow?" he asked, surprised.

"Yep, that’s me!" There was a pause.

"Xander’s not here," Angel sad after a minute.

"Oh, I know! I mean…I figured. Um, you know I’ve been getting into magic, right?" Willow asked.

"A little."

"Well…I find this spell. It kinda…makes curses permanent. And I performed it. Tonight. On you. So…your curse is permanent now. You can be happy and everything," Willow said.

Angel didn’t know what to say. He wasn’t quite sure his throat was even working.

His soul was permanent. Nothing could get rid of it.

Buffy had a boyfriend.

"Angel?" Willow asked after a moment.

"Oh…sorry. I…thank you. I don’t know what to say," Angel breathed.

"Just to know you’re happy is thanks enough!" Willow said cheerfully. "I mean…that you can be happy. I…I haven’t dol Buffy."

"Oh."

"I can, if you want," she offered.

"No, that’s all right. Don’t tell her. I…I have to think," Angel said. There was another short pause.

"She’d want to know Angel," Willow said. "She’d be happy I mean. She has a boyfriend but…but I think you should tell her."

"I will, I just need to think," Angel replied.

"Okay. Well…"

"Thank you," Angel repeated, staring at the box again. The box she’d given him. Did she still feel that way? Did she still want to be with him?

"Of course! I’m glad I could help. You…have fun, all right Angel?"

"I will. Thank you Willow."

"You’re welcome," Willow said. It was obvious that neither really knew what to say, how to end it. "Bye."

"Good bye," Angel replied and hung up. He sat, stunned, staring into the dim light of his office and wondering what to do, what she would want him to do.

He’d dreamt about her the night before. They’d talked, and danced and he’d told her he was wrong, that he missed her and loved her and would stay with her forever. She’d asked if he meant if, if he really was hers. He’d given her a heart that said FOR KEEPS.

He wasn’t the one with prophetic dreams though. His were only wishes, which he had no idea if she shared.

Which was when he heard the footsteps in the hall outside.

Buffy paused outside the door, nervous suddenly. What was she doing? It’s not like she could even talk to him. All she had were the hearts. And what if he was out? Or didn’t want to talk to her?

She dropped a heart in her nervousness and bent to pick it up. It said LOVE HIM. I do, Buffy whispered silently, then stood up and walked into the office.

It was dim, but a few lights were still on. No one was in the front office, and Angel’s was dark. Was he out? Or downstairs? Should she go look? How could she just go into his house? What if he came home and was angry?

"Buffy," a voice said quietly. His voice. She looked up and saw him, standing in the door of his dark office.

Angel, she mouthed, before she realized he couldn’t hear her, and in the dim light it was doubtful he could real her lips either. She walked toward him until she was fully in the light and whispered it again.

"What are you doing here?" he asked. "Don’t you have plans? You’re all dressed up." Buffy looked down at herself, and then back up at him.

HI LOVE, she handed him. His mouth twitched upwards, almost despite himself it seemed.

"Hi."

She swallowed and took another step torward him. MISS ME, she handed him, her eyes making it a question. He sucked in a breath, though they both knew he didn’t need it.

"You know I did. Do. All the time. Buffy, why are you here? I thought—" She put a hand up to silence him. This was going to be difficult. How was she supposed to get across the fact that she loved him and wanted to be with him, that she was miserable without him?

Well, she had to try.

ONLY YOU, she gave him.

"Only me what?" he asked.

MY LOVE.

"Am I?" he whispered. She nodded quickly.

If you will be, she mouthed. He frowned, not understanding her. She nearly growled in annoyance. She wanted to be able to talk!

ASK ME, she gave him.

"Ask you what?" he asked. She scowled at him and he smiled suddenly. "You look so cute when you do that."

Buffy’s eyes widened and she put her hands on her hips, torn between hitting him and kissing him. Xander’s getting to you, she mouthed. He got at least part of that, because he almost laughed and touched her arm.

"Buffy…you have a boyfriend. A human boyfriend." Buffy shook her head quickly and Angel frowned. "You don’t?"

Nope, she mouthed very clearly, then frowned slightly and held up a heart for him to see.

"Love him," he read, and frowned. "Buffy, I understand, if you do, it’s all ri—"

Buffy threw the heart on the floor and ground it under her heel, then smiled up at him triumphantly. ANGEL, she handed him, then ONE I LOVE.

"Are you sure?" Angel asked softly.

I’M SURE.

"You’re not doing this because…you haven’t talked to Willow?" Angel asked. Buffy stared up at him, surprised. What did Willow have to do with this? What was he talking about? "Obviously not." Buffy crossed her arms, then uncrossed them and began searching for a heart that said something like "explain now". As nice as these things could be, they had serious limitations. Like she would really have liked it if they had a way to tell Riley to shove off…

"She called a minute ago," Angel said. "She…She fixed the curse. I can’t lose my soul anymore." Buffy stopped, dropping the hearts in her surprise. She didn’t bother to pick them up, just stared up at him as he continued. "I know it doesn’t really change things, I just thought I should tell you…so you’d kn—"

Buffy gripped his arm. Hard. He looked into her eyes. Buffy mouthed at him, very slowly and very clearly,Shut. Up.

"Buffy?" Angel asked, confused, a tiny smile playing on his lips. Buffy gave him a look.

What did I tell you? she mouthed, and then made very sure words weren’t needed again for a long, long time.

A form spiraled upwards into the night sky, smiling lazily. There were other couples to save, other true loves gone astray…but it was nice to know that some only needed a case of laryngitis, a few candy hearts, and a push in the right direction.