“I um, I heard a- I thought I heard something break. I wanted to see if you-” she fumbled for the right words and then stopped letting the final words hang in the air.
Mr. O’Reilly turned to his son, lightly set him on his feet, and whispered harshly in his ear, “You better get her outta here boy.”
Angel read the danger in his father’s eyes and turned his focus on the short blonde in the doorway.
“Look Buffy, it’s okay. Just get out of here.” He ordered her. When he saw her hesitate, he yelled, “GO!”
Running out the door, she slammed it shut and jumped in her car. Turning on the ignition she drove away. She was going to see Lindsey and sulk.
Daring to push his father away from him, Angel walked away and up to his room. In one smooth motion, Angel locked his door and rested his head on the wood behind him. Closing his eyes, he heard an extremely soft knock on the door.
“Angel?”
“Go away Connor.” Angel sad bitterly.
“I have some ice for your eye if you need it.” His little brother called from the hallway.
“Thanks Connor, but I’m okay.” He called.
Angel walked around his room and opened his window. Climbing out, he knew the routine like the back of his hand. He’d snuck out so many nights, he’d lost track when he was thirteen.
Jumping the last ten feet to the ground, he took off not waiting to see if anyone heard him. Rounding the corner he made his way to try and find Buffy. He’d heard her car leave and figured she’d gone somewhere like the park or the bluff to think.
As he passed the center of the town, he saw that the jewelry store was still open and got an idea. He walked in the shop and was a man on a mission. He knew what he wanted and he’d be damned if someone got in his way. Looking through the charms, a smile crept on his face as he saw exactly what he was looking for.
Picking it up, he brought it to the front and paid the cashier, and was out the door. Walking around, he made his way to the park and oddly didn’t find her there. There were a few couples, but that was it. No Buffy anywhere. Turing around, he walked up to the bluff. It wasn’t that far, and he remembered her saying once how she liked the view up there at night.
Five minutes later he made his way to Kingman’s Bluff and again, he came up empty handed. No Buffy, there was only him. He was all out of ideas. He didn’t know here that well, to know where’d she go to think. He barely knew her at all. That was NOT okay with him. As he walked back down the bluff, he clutched the little silver box in his hand and thought to himself, “From now on, I’m going to know her, and I’m going to do whatever it takes to get to know her.”
Buffy was ten minutes from Lindsey’s dorm room when her favorite song came on the radio.
“How the hell did we wind up like this? Why weren’t we able? To see the signs we missed, try and turn the tables. I wish you’d unclench your fists and unpack your suitcase, lately there’s been too much of this, but don’t think it’s too late. Nothing’s wrong just as long as you know that someday I will… someday somehow I’m gonna make it alright but not right, I know you’re wondering when. You’re the only one who knows that. Someday somehow, I’m gonna make it alright but not right now, I know you’re wondering when…”
She sang along to Nickelback’s Someday in her car as she pulled into Herrig Dorm Rooms. She braced herself and stepped out of the car, and walked inside.
Looking at the wall, she found room 110 and walked to her left and all the way down to the hall.
She saw a few people that she knew like Linds’ friend Lorne and a girl she’d met named Lilah. She wasn’t so sure about that one, she looked to snobby for Buffy’s taste. She seemed like an older version of Cordelia and that thought just creeped her out. Shivers went down her back as she made it to his door.
Knocking, not two seconds later, he answered the door. He was a little surprised. He wasn’t expecting to see his sister of all people at his door at the moment.
“Buffy? What are you doing here?” he asked.
“I needed to talk to you. It’s about earlier, and I couldn’t wait any longer. I needed to get this off of my chest now, before I let it simmer.” She explained.
Moving to the side to let her in, and she entered his tiny dorm room. She heard the shower going and figured it was Wesley in the shower and it looked like Lindsey had just started to make himself some food.
“Have a seat.” He offered her as he suggested the chair to her right. He sat on the table corner and faced her.
“Okay, about earlier, I don’t know what’s going on with you and Faith, but I shouldn’t have overreacted like that. It’s just not everyday you see your best friend and your brother kissing.” She explained to him, trying to make sense of all her thoughts as she talked.
“Yeah, I can see that.” He agreed with her. It would be REALLY weird to see her kiss Wes. The thought kinda grossed him out on that one. It was bad enough that he left her to be with Angel, he SO did not need thoughts of those two kissing.
“But I just wanted to let you know that I still love you and Faith, but I’m just kinda curious as to why you two were kissing to begin with.” She questioned.
Taking a deep sigh, Lindsey ran his hand through his hair and started, “Well, I’m just gonna tell you the whole truth. Some of it you’re not gonna like, but it’ll be better that you know than if we continue this lie any longer.” He warned her.
An hour later, Buffy let the whole story sink into her brain. Her brother and Faith had had a secret relationship going on behind her back, they lied to her for a year and they’d been screwing each other for that year. Surprisingly Buffy took it rather well. She realized what it’s like to have a secret that you feel like you can’t tell anyone about. She didn’t blame Faith or Lindsey for that. She mostly felt hurt that they didn’t tell her. Now she knew how her friends felt about Spike.
Looking at the time, she saw that it was nearly ten o’clock and she had to get home. Hugging and kissing her brother goodbye, she said, “Thank you for telling me.”
With that she walked out of his dorm and back to her car.
In Sunnydale…
Angel looked up at his house, dreading his return. He did NOT want back in that house tonight. Twiddling the box he’d bought earlier in his hand, he turned away from his house at 1632 Revello Drive and walked over to Oz’s house to crash. He usually didn’t mind, so he headed over there to sleep until tomorrow. Then hopefully he’d be able to talk to Buffy and give her, her present and show her how truly special she really was to him.
The weekend went by and still Angel hadn’t talked to or heard from Buffy. He had spent the rest of the weekend at Oz’s, and Willow hadn’t heard from her either. He hadn’t dared go back home, to even see if she was there. He didn’t want to risk being seen by his father yet. Still he knew that he had to go back. Not for himself, but for Connor and Faith.
Sunday night at nine o’clock, Angel walked into his house. Thankfully their father had already gone to bed. Apparently he had a business trip he had to leave for at three in the morning.
Faith and Connor were sitting on the couch watching Pirates of the Caribbean when he walked in.
When the door shut, Faith looked up over the couch and saw her brother walk in. Getting up, she paused the movie and stood up to meet him. Connor looked up and saw his big brother standing in the door.
“Hey.” He said simply.
“Hey.” Faith replied the same.
They both crossed their arms at the same time and a little smile between them happened. They used to always be in sync with each other with stuff like that. They guessed it was because of the whole ‘twin’ thing, but Faith and Angel had a running joke that it was just because they shared the same mind.
Connor stood there like a third wheel on the side, almost like a referee, waiting for the first thing to be said and the games to begin.
“Where were you?” she asked him.
“Oz’s.” he answered.
“You talk to Buffy?” she asked him still in the same monotone.
“Not since Friday.” He answered quickly with a straight face. He felt for his pocket. He made sure that it was still there. Tomorrow he needed to give this to her. To show her that he was falling for her, and fast.
“She’s home if you want to see her.” Faith gave him the information that Buffy had given to Faith earlier.
Looking right at the door, he punched it to the other side of the house and went straight to her house. He looked up to see if her light was on, and there were no lights on in the house. He thought, “They’re probably all asleep. I’ll see her tomorrow morning anyway.”
Sulking and going back inside, Angel sat down on the chair and watched the movie with his family. Reaching into the popcorn bowl, he got himself a handful and munched away as he watched Johnny Depp act drunk and heard Faith ‘ooh’ and ‘ahh’ at Orlando Bloom. Rolling his eyes, he’d never understand it.
Two hours later, Angel looked at his watch and saw that it was eleven. Glancing over at the couch, he saw his brother passed out on his sister and Faith leaning towards heavy sleepiness herself.
Angel turned the TV off and picked up his brother. Carrying him to his bedroom on the first floor, Angel set him on the bed and pulled the covers of him. Running his hand over Connor’s forehead, he thought about how much life was easier at that age. He envied his brother in that way.
Walking out of the room, Angel saw Faith starting to conk out too, so he picked her up and carried her up the stairs to the room across from his. Setting her down on her bed, he whispered, “I love ya Faith. No matter what.”
“Love you too big bro.” she whispered as she fell asleep.
He got up off his knees and turned the light off while he closed the door to her room. The quick two steps to his room, were dragged as he opened his door and closed it, locking it again. Flopping on his bed, Angel put his hands and legs spread eagle and laid there for a few minutes, until he shut his lamp off and threw his shirt off. He pulled his Old Navy jeans off and threw them in the dirty clothes hamper. Climbing back into bed with just a pair of blue stripped boxers, Angel promptly fell asleep.
The next morning he woke up feeling wonderful. He had a good night’s rest on his shoulders and he was going to see Buffy very soon. Plus his father was gone for two weeks. Life was great.
Half and hour later, Angel was walking out of the house when he saw Buffy walk out of hers. Knowing that while he was excited to see her and give her his gift, he expected it to be a little awkward.
“Hey Angel.” Buffy called.
“Hey Buffy.” Angel greeted her as he walked up to her by the edge of their driveways. He was tempted and went in for it, he didn’t kiss her mouth, but he kissed her cheek, and she seemed to be okay with that.
“How was your weekend?” He asked her dumbly.
“Umm, it was okay. After Friday night, I went up to see Lindsey and we got it all worked out. Then last night, I went over to your house and I talked with Faith, but she said you were over at Oz’s, so I didn’t get a chance to talk to you.”
“I wanted to explain about that Buffy, I’m sorry I snapped at you. I got something to tell you how sorry I am, and how much you mean to me.” He told her as he pulled out the little silver box.
She was a little taken aback that he got her something. Not that she was complaining, but it was just so sweet of him to think about her like that. Though they were “dating”, it was still a weird concept in her mind.
She opened the box and saw the little charm that he had gotten her. As soon as she saw it, she knew what it meant. It was making her teary. She pulled it out and held it in her hand. The little pink pig with wings on it, was so cute, with the wink and everything. Buffy understood the symbolism perfectly. It was the whole notion of ‘when pigs fly’ that she said earlier that week about ever dating him. It was so cute.
“Thank you.” She said to him. Her smile was so bright, Angel could have sworn she could have lit the sky with all her happiness at the moment.
She was so grateful to him, she stood up on her sandal tippie toes, and kissed him hard on the mouth. Gods, how did she ever find a man as sweet as him? Especially since she was positive he was nothing more than a pathetic bastard not even a week ago? Whatever, the only thing that mattered was right now and right now she had him and she was going to make sure that she didn’t lose him.
“Gods, I love you.” She said out loud in between kisses.
Oh fuck! Had she really just said that she loved him?
TBC...