The clouds above crowded the sun, it couldn't breath, it was... overwhelmed. The grass that Buffy stood upon was the greenest that she had ever seen. So fresh, and lush, so full of life. She, too, was surrounded by people. Weeping. No smiles were given where she was at. Her spirit was as damaged as anyone else's around at that moment. Perhaps, in her case, more. The preacher gave his blessings to the best, and gave worthless hopes that her loss went to heaven. As everyone departed, separating from one another, leaving the cemetery to rest, leaving their lost family member, and friend there she laid a single rose on the casket. Buffy stared at the crafted wood that carried the past. Everything from her past laid in that box. And everything from her past was being buried. Most dead, others...alive. Either way, they were leaving her forever. Of course, she would always have her memories of the special times she had with her mother. Tears rolled freely down her face as these thoughts webbed her mind. Everything was different now. Although the good had finally come into her life, it was only following the bad. She wasn't sure of whether she deserved the happiness that she and Angel were given the oppertunity to have. At the expense of her mother's death, figurativly, she didn't know if she could live with it. Would guilt override it, the fun, the sweet nights that Angel and her would have...The joy of children? Oh gods...Children. Where did that come from? Buffy Asked herself.

Angel came up from behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder, letting her know of his presense. Buffy was preoccupied to hardly notice. She had entered a world of darkness the day she was born. For years she has fought for good against the evil that planned to overrun the light, but she was now being betrayed with everything going wrong. The world had turned it's back on her. W hy? Have I done something- "Buffy?"

Her head snapped, startled by Angel's voice. He gave her a "I'm- Sorry- I-didn't-mean-to-scare-you" look. His arm was wrapped completly across the top of her back and shoulder. Buffy leaned into his chest and simply took comfort in that position for a time. She needed to recoop before confronting her friends. She didn't like being sad. Not even for something like this. She wanted to keep it all together. Move on. Make it feel like nothing has changed and hope that her life will go on just so.

Angel kissed the top of her head and turned them to walk to the limo. There seemed to be double the people that had been expected at the funeral. Concidering all of her mother and father's friends from L.A. plus those from Sunnydale. Buffy let Angel guide her to the oversized car and set her inside. Sitting next to her, Angel not only kept his grip on her shoulder but he also placed his open hand on her knee, softly rubbing the smooth skin with his fingers. Buffy seemed to calm emensly since they had gotten settled into their seats. It almost made Angel sick to know that it wouldn't last once they arrived at the reception. One of Joyce's friends had offered to host it at her house. Everything was taken care of. Buffy and her friends didn't have to worry about clean up duty once everyone left. She didn't even have to stay the whole time if she didn't feel comfortable.

The house was emense, it was a no wonder that this woman had offered up her place for an equal amount of bodies. Punch and other beverages were set out on the tables as well as cookies, brownies, tarts and other treats for people to snack on. Buffy walked in with her hand in the crook of Angel's arm. Her fingers squeezed the material of his suit. She seemed to be nervous to Angel, she was sweating. Angel could understand why she was though. Buffy didn't like new people, they always made her uneasy. She didn't mind meeting new people, as long as they were good and not some demonic immitation of a human being. This was a little overwhelming. Too many people would give her unwanted sympathy. Either that or want to tell her, "She was a very loved person," or, "We'll miss her," and Buffy didn't want to hear anything that would bring up any related topics to her mother at the moment. She wanted to relax and do something that would get her mind off of all the bad things. Buffy could only think of one thing, but it was highly over rated concidering the moment at hand. She would just have to bare with it.

Buffy kept to a selective group of people. Willow, Xander, Giles, sometimes Anya, Cordelia, who was surprisingly being very conciderate of everything and was Willow mentioned? Oh, and of course Angel was included in that group. He didn't leave her side the whole time. When one of them had to use the facilities the other would wait close by at the door. They had been away from Buffy's house for over five hours now and Angel had gone to the rest room once they had arrived at the reception, it was again, his turn to visit the restroom. Buffy leaned against the wall connecting to the frame of the door and waited patently for him to finish.

Around the corner were two women who seemed to resemble the age of Buffy's mother. Possibly collegues of her's as well. They each held punch in their hands. Not knowing that Buffy was nearby, they continued their conversation. "I don't know how she's doing to deal with this. It must be so hard. Who did you say her daughter was going to stay with? She can't possibly want to stay here with all of the memories and continue college." The red head pointed out her obvious opinion of where Buffy should go after this was over with.

"I don't know. I don't think they've discussed it." The "dyed" blonde queried. After taking a sip of her punch, "But one thing's for sure, things aren't going to be easy on her. I can't imagine the pain this girl is induring, loosing her mother just as she moved out on her own."

Buffy's eyes went wide and what was being said. All of her weight was dependent on the wall and her feet. Her feet failed her and broke out beneath her body just as Angel was exiting the bathroom. Buffy was now scrunched in a huddle of her arms wrapping her legs, crying. Her sobs were not noticable to other people, but Angel knew better. He panicked, he was only in for a minute and now he has returned to a girl that seemed to have been seperated from her heart. "Buffy? Whats wrong?" Angel knelt down in front of her. He lifted her head with his hands and moved some of her perfectly organized curls from her face. He wipped some more tears away from her soft skin, looking at her for an explaination of what was going on.

"Taking me home, Angel. Please." Buffy cried out in whispers.

"Okay. Okay. Lets go." Buffy clung to his neck and hugged him close to her. Angel knew that he couldn't get out of the house without someone knowing that she was crying and distraut. He looked around him and noticed that the kitchen was now empty. He scooped her up into his arms and carried her through the kitchen and out of the back door. Angel carried her the whole way home, not wanting to take th limo, the only ride for the others. The two finally arrived to Buffy's living room and sat down together on the couch. Angel scooted into the corner and guided Buffy's body near his to rest her head against his chest as she sat next to him. Buffy shot up her head just as she seemed to have gotten comfortable.

"Angel?" He looked at her.

"Hmm?"

"I lost my ring." Angel knew exactly what she was talking about, but he didn't understand what had brought on the question.

"I have it." Angel let the origin of her question lay unanswered.

"What? Why didn't you give it back to me?" Buffy was shocked. Ever since she left it in the mansion, she had just plainly forgoten about it. Until now.

"I thought that you didn't want it anymore. We knew that we couldn't truly be together. So, I figured why not save you the pain or remembering what we couldn't have." Angel saw the hurt in her eyes and the mention of remembering something.

"I understand...But everything's different now. You're different. We can...We can be together." Buffy caught herself, but was still able to say what needed to be said. She pushed herself up a little, not too far away from his body though. "I love you." Buffy came right out and said it.

"I love you too." Angel reverted his eyes from her lips. But Buffy was no help at all to keep that evening neutral. Buffy put her unavailable hand on his cheek, in which Angel leaned into, and kissed him. What started as a sweet casual kiss, grew to something more of meaning and passion. Their love for one another was expressed through this kiss and they continued where they sat. Without worries and a conscious mind of what was going on, Buffy and Angel made love. They had just forgoten that Hank Summers was invited to share the house with everyone else. While Willow and Xander stayed at their places for the night. Oh, the explainations they would have to come up with...

Part Three

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