The Wheel
Book Three: The Fool
by Cynamin

When Angel awoke, he knew without a doubt that he’d been sleeping for several days. For one thing, he desperately needed to feed. More important, though, was that the horrible wounds he had received in the last battle seemed to nearly have healed. He might heal abnormally fast, but not that fast when the injuries were that serious. Also, he was incredibly rested, like he had just woken from a long, dreamless sleep. Which he had, after all.

Well, except unconsciousness couldn’t exactly be considered sleep. And it hadn’t been exactly dreamless, either. *What a strange dream…*

His eyes still closed, Angel sighed. “If only…” he whispered.

“If only what, sleepy head?”

Angel’s eyes snapped open and he couldn’t move. He stared up at the ceiling, afraid that he’d lost it. Afraid that when he looked *she* wouldn’t be there.

Ghost or not, her words…her presence begged to be answered. “If only you were here,” he whispered.

“I’m here,” came the soft reply.

Angel turned his head oh so slowly. There she sat, like a vision, sitting in a chair next to the bed and smiling. She was so incredibly beautiful…so alive. “How?” he managed to ask.

Buffy stood and came to sit on the edge of the bed. Ever so gently she took his hand in her own. Her hand was warm – not dead at all. Could that have been the dream? Were the past weeks just a nightmare?

She smiled at him warmly. “You made a deal, didn’t you?” she pointed out. “Did you think the Powers wouldn’t follow through?”

“Not at all,” he protested. “I thought it was a dream.”

“It wasn’t a dream.”

Angel almost didn’t dare to hope. With a trembling hand, he brought his fingers up to brush her cheek. She leaned her head into the gesture and Angel could feel her breath on his hand. “You’re really here,” he whispered.

“Yeah,” Buffy whispered back.

Sitting up in bed, Angel looked at her for a long moment in silence. It wasn’t awkward at all. On the contrary, it was only strange in its familiarity, like they’d never been apart. It shouldn’t have been so comfortable. It shouldn’t have been at

all.“So,” Angel said, only to break the silence, “how are you?” As soon as the words were out he grimaced. That sounded so

*stupid.*Buffy chuckled slightly. “Alive,” she said easily. He smile slipped a bit.

There was something in her expression that made him uneasy. “I…” he faltered, unable to think of a good thing to say. *I’m sorry for asking the Powers That Be to bring you back to life without asking you first* wasn’t quite right. And in truth Angel wasn’t at all sorry that he’d done it. But anything that caused Buffy pain… “That is, umm…I’m sorry-“

“Don’t,” Buffy said quickly. “Stop it!”

“What?” Angel asked, shocked.

“Don’t you *dare* start acting all guilty!” Buffy demanded. She softened almost immediately. “You didn’t ask for anything I didn’t want. I told you I wanted to return with you if I could. I wasn’t expecting you to go to such extremes, but…it’s good to be back.”

“You remember,” Angel said in surprise. Everything they’d shared in the places between life and death…

“In a dream-like way, but yeah,” Buffy said, smiling slightly. “Even things I didn’t remember before.” She looked at him seriously. “I still can’t believe you’ve actually given up the chance to be human *twice* now for me.”

“Human life isn’t worth living unless you’re in it,” Angel replied without thinking. He was instantly embarrassed. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”

Buffy just smiled at him. “It’s alright,” she said. Her expression seemed pleased, but it was probably just his

imagination.Silence fell between them again, more awkward than the last. “I’ve been a bit out of it,” Angel said, smiling slightly. “How…how is everyone?”

Buffy saw right through his innocent question. “Everyone you know survived. Willow has a broken arm, Xander had a concussion, and Cordelia has a badly sprained ankle. A couple of the guys from the Initiative didn’t make it, but no one you know.”

“And Riley?” Angel asked hesitantly.

“He’s good. Not a scratch.”

“Oh.” Angel forced a smile. “Well…that’s good.”

Buffy smiled at him tolerantly. “You don’t have to pretend you care that much about him. It’s alright,” she said, obviously very amused. “You weren’t listening very well, were you?”

“What?” Angel hadn’t had a moment free of confusion since he woke up, it seemed.

“I said I wanted to come back and be *with you.* That I wanted my life to be with you. I meant it. I meant every word.”

“But…” Angel tried to protest.

“No excuses,” Buffy said quickly. “I’ve heard them all before. We both know the curse is now a non-issue. Everything else could have been, too, but you gave up that possibility so that I could have another chance at life.” She looked at him strongly. “I think I’m going to finally get what I want out of life. And I want you in

it.”Angel just stared at her in surprise. “But what about

Riley?”Buffy squeezed the hand she held in reassurance. “He knew what I wanted before I did.”

“He did?”

Buffy nodded. “So,” she said, scooting closer to him, “are you going to keep being an idiot or are you going to do what the girl you brought back to life wants?”

To both of their surprise, Angel laughed. Then, instead of saying a word, he kissed her heartily.

When they separated again, Buffy laughed as well. “I think I like that answer.”

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