Ten feet.

Not long now.

Five feet.

Imminent.  Get ready for battle.  Or whatever this was.

Here.  Arrived.  End of the path.  Ready to face it.

Angel raised his hand, balling it up in a fist and knocked on the door three times.  His knock.  He couldn't hear her come to the door because or his recent metamorphous but he could feel her inside the house; as he always did.  It wasn't Oh My God it's the Slayer!!!  alarm he learned to tune out years ago when he was with her, but the My God, It's Buffy alarm.  It reached into the depths of his stomach, pulling him apart every which way and--

"Hi."

Angel looked up from his sweating hands and saw her there.  About five feet.  Long brown hair.  Smile a mile or three wide and genuinely ecstatic to see him.  Which is more than the other Summers could be.

"Hi Dawny," Angel briefly smiled before remembering anxiety.

"Angel.  I missed you!" She shrieked.  Then she cleared her throat and shrugged embarrassed.  "I mean we missed you.  I mean, oh you know what I mean," she laughed nervously.  "Well are you gonna give me a hug?"

Angel nodded, smiling.  Dawn had been the one, other that Buffy, that had really accepted him and got attached to him.  She'd forgiven him Angelus and doing what he had done to Buffy.

Why?  Because she's a Summers.

Dawn knew that Angel worshipped Buffy and that was fine by her.  Plus they hung out a lot of the time and really got to know each other.  Angel came by personally when Buffy was out after he broke up with her before the Prom to explain to Dawn that he was leaving.  He hadn't seen her for a year and a bit and she'd grown.

He stepped into the house, shrugging off the intense heat on his back and pulled her up into a bear hug.

"I missed you too Dawny."

"Oh my god!" She squeaked pulling back from his warm embrace.  "You're warm!  And stupid Dawn, you were out in the sunshine.  Are you.. God are you--"

Angel clamped a hand softly over her mouth and nodded.

"Yes Dawn.  I'm human.  Have been for two days.  I got my redemption."

"Wow!" She whispered, getting the idea Angel wanted to keep it quiet from Buffy for the moment.  "Well I guess this merits another hug."

"I guess it does," Angel giggled with Dawn and swung her round in his embrace.  It didn't make Dawn feel young and immature when he did that, it made her feel safe.

Dawn let out another high pitched noise and this time, covered her own mouth.

"Are you.. Are you gonna come back and make it work with Buffy?  Oh Angel that is so great...  Riley's such a jerk.  OK he's not really but he's soooo drippy and boring.  And he doesn't even care about me at all.  We used to hang even though you were all grr.  He's Mr Iowa Boring for the fourth year running and he's never once suggested a pizza night for us."

"You know I love spending time with you," Angel told Dawn.  "It wasn't to get into Buffy's good books it was because we had fun."

"I know.  That's why you're sooo much better for us.  Not to mention you wear cologne that doesn't sting my eyes."

"Is he.. Is he here?" Angel whispered.

"No.  Did I mention that I wish I had been there for that ass kicking you gave him last year?"

"No.  And how'd you find out about that?"

"I have my ways."

"Where is she?"

"You are coming back for her right?  Now you're all flesh there's not problem.. Right?"

"Dawny..."

"Angel.. please.."

"You know it's all up to Buffy.  If she.. God if she wants to be with Riley I can hardly stop her.." Angel swallowed.

"Pfft!  She's in her room."

"Thank you," Angel smiled, kissing her forehead.  "I really hope.."

"Me too."

Angel rubbed her hand and then crept stealthily up the stairs.  He gently tapped on Buffy's bedroom door and waited patiently.

"Come in," her voice said from the other side.  Angel pushed it open and saw her with her back turned, packing away some things to go back to college.  She stopped and he knew she recognized the feeling.  Their special sensation when they were in each other proximity.

She turned round.

"Angel."

"Buffy," he returned closing the door behind him.  "You look well."

Buffy laughed and shook her head.  "I haven't seen you for months, since you were last beating up Riley to be precise, and you sneak into my house and tell me I look well."

"I didn't sneak.  Dawn let me in."

"Huh.  So much for sisters. DAWN!" Buffy went over to her door and opened it.

"WHAT?!"

"THANKS FOR THE HEADS UP!" Buffy said sarcastically.

"ANYTIME!"

"She makes me crazy," Buffy sighed, shutting her door again.  "Why were you--"

"We were talking.  Me and Dawn," Angel explained.

"Why?  Oh I forgot you and my sister were like that," Buffy said, demonstrating by crossing her fingers together and holding them up.

"How are you?" Angel asked.

"I'm fine.  Always fine.  Riding the I'm Fine train.. What about you?  Is Wesley or Cordelia here?  Is there more trouble?"

"I'm good, no and no," he answered.

"Angel it's two in the afternoon.  You couldn't drive.. Unless you blacked out your windows.  Which is illegal you know."

"They're not blacked out," Angel smiled and went over to the window, absent mindedly.  Buffy leapt and threw him down on the ground, landing awkwardly on top of him.

"Angel!" She shrieked.  "What are you insane?"

"Yeah I'm insane for going over to your bedroom window," Angel dead panned.

"Yes you are!" She yelled.  Her hands were still placed on his chest.

"Put your hand a little further down," Angel told her.  Buffy, confused, did so.

"Wh-What?" Buffy gasped.  "Angel.. I feel your heartbeat.."

(That's a good sound... )

(I felt your heartbeat..)

"Is it?  Is it really your heartbeat?"

"Yeah it is," he assured her.

"Oh God," Buffy sobbed, covering her mouth with her hand.  "You're alive.  Stand up.. Let me see you in light."

Angel helped both her and him up to standing positions again and he stood by the window.

"Oh God," she repeated.  "You look great in light.."

"Thanks.. I think," Angel smirked lightly.

"Are you here to--"

"I'm here to tell you what happened.  I fulfilled the prophecy to shanshu - become human.  My destiny.  I thought you deserved to know," Angel said quietly.

"You don't want to--" Buffy started, alarmed that he would leave now.

"No!  I mean yes.  I do.  I do.  I'm just.. Well it's all up to you.  I'm not forcing you to make a choice or--" Angel explained, rushed, before Buffy smothered her lips on his, giving him a deep kiss.  When they parted, Angel checked a tear on her face.

"You feel so warm," she shook with happy tears.

"Yeah, I do," he laughed as she kissed him again.  Buffy moved her hands under his shirt.

"Buffy.." Angel said softly, forcing himself to stop kissing her and tear away from her luxurious touch.  "What about.."

"Don't speak.  Don't think.  Just.. do," she breathed.  Angel smiled and kissed her with their ever lasting passion.  They moved to her bed and Buffy swept her bag with her clothes in it, off the bed and pushed Angel back.  Gently, she crawled on top of him and kissed him fiercely.  Angel took a soft hold on her hips and tossed her over the side of him so her head was on the pillow.

"We're going to do this right," Angel told her.  "For the first time at least."

Buffy giggled as Angel moved sleekly, like a cat, on top of her.

"Hey Buffy--" A voice came from behind them.

Angel rolled off Buffy in shock and fell on the ground in a heap.

"Hey Angel," Dawn smirked, crossing her arms and leaning on the doorway.

"Dawn," Angel smiled sheepishly as he picked himself off the ground and stood up.  Buffy stopped giggling long enough to turn to her sister.

"God, Dawn, don't you knock?" Buffy half yelled, still giggling at Angel's aloofness.

"Knock?  Wow, some say that's a lost art," Dawn smiled.

"And those some are not the pain in the ass you are to me," Buffy retorted sitting up.  "What do you want?"

"I'm going out," Dawn told her.  "I just wanted to tell you I'll be back for dinner and I wanted to check you weren't trying to stake Angel.  He is human now.  Hence the display."

"Thank you Dawn, my darling sister.  So would you go out already."

"Sure," Dawn said taking a hold of the door handle.  "Feel free to make Buffy scream as loud as you want now I'm out of the house.  I'm sure the neighbours would love to hear you guys."

Buffy made a face at Dawn which the younger sister returned, shutting the door.

"She's definitely in your corner," Buffy told Angel.

"Of course she is.  Dawn has excellent taste in suitors for her big sister," Angel told her with a kiss.

Buffy woke up slowly and then quickly closed her eyes and opened them again, convinced this was still the dream.  When he was still there, she sighed with relief and snuggled closer into his chest and shoulder.  Angel moaned softly and flickered his eyes open.

"I would say good morning, but it's just after nightfall," Buffy whispered.  Angel smiled and stroked her hair back repeatedly, loving the feeling of her hair through his fingers.  She was here.  With him.  He could reach out and touch her.  And he was allowed to.  Angel leaned down for a kiss and pulled the sheets further up their bodies.

The soft kiss was interrupted by knocking on the door.

"Ignore it, it'll go away," Buffy murmured into his lips as he pulled her closely.

"Your mom.."

"No she's out of town."

"Good--"

"Buffy!  Buffy it's me!" The voice shouted through the letterbox.

"Oh my god, Riley!" Buffy jumped up, hugging the sheets to her chest.

"God no," Angel breathed and leaned back the wrong way, falling heels over head out of the bed.  "Ouch."

Buffy giggled again.  "God I love you being a klutz."

"My head doesn't," Angel protested standing up, holding his head.

"It makes you more--"

"Human?" he grinned.  Buffy gazed at him standing there fully.

"My God Angel get dressed before I jump you again," Buffy begged covering her eyes.  Then the pounding at the door came again.

"You jumped me?" He questioned, smirking.  Buffy wrapped the sheets around her.

"I want to be with you so badly Angel," she said in between kissing him.  "Only you."

"You know I--"

More beating down of the door.  Then it stopped.

"He's going round the back.  Angel, Riley doesn't deserve to find out like this," Buffy pleaded with her Love.  "He does love me and it would really hurt him."

Buffy heard the back door creak open.  She picked up Angel's pants and gave them to him.  Angel pulled them on and zipped them up, looking at her the whole time.  He slipped on his sweater and Buffy pushed him down onto the bed, helping his boots on.  She bundled him over to the window and he climbed outside onto her tree.  She handed him his coat.

"You'll come and see me later in the mansion?" Angel asked hopefully.

"I wouldn't be anywhere else," she promised, kissing him again as she heard Riley's footsteps on the stairs.  "I'll be there."

Angel kissed Buffy deeply again, followed by little kissed as they attempted to part.  His head ducked down and then back up again.

"You'll want you bring by my underwear and socks," he grinned and then disappeared.  Buffy watched him stumble down the tree, not as efficiently as he used to do, but as gracefully as ever.  Then Riley knocked on her door like the perfect gentleman.

"A minute," Buffy called, tearing her eyes away from Angel running into his car.  he paused and looked up at Buffy, softly blowing her a kiss.  Buffy giggled and did the same back before running over to her bed and grabbing Angel's black Calvin Klien underwear and both socks.  She threw them into her cupboard and called for Riley to come in.

"There's something going down," Riley started.  "Vampire action.. Are you naked under there?"

"Yes I am," Buffy smiled, slipping back into Other Buffy mode.  The Buffy she had to become when Angel left.  The Buffy that cared for Riley.

"Why?" Riley leaned in to kiss her.  "Waiting here for me?"

Buffy swerved her head, not wanting to feel his lips right now, but Angels.  Even as the Other Buffy, she still craved Angel so much.  And now she could still taste his peppermint trademark taste on her lips.  Even before he became human, she could taste it from him.  A wonder as how he didn't eat.

She snapped herself out of Angel thought quickly and looked at Riley.

"What Vampire action?"

Cuz I just had a little ex-vampire action.  Thank God he doesn't know what Angel's car looks like..

"Spike has a beat on the Vamp gang that crashed the Expresso pump."

"Spike's out of cash."

"I suppose," Riley said sitting down on the bed while she looked for something to wear.  "Went for a nap?"

"Yeah.  Yeah i did.."

"And yet your clothes are scattered about."

"Being untidy is a big yay when my moms out of town," Buffy rushed out her words.

"Where's Kid?"

"Dawn?  She's.. out."

"Giles and everyone won't mind if we're a little late," Riley murmured, getting up and slipping his arms around Buffy's waist.

"I mind," Buffy protested, pushing him off.  "I want this vampire gang gone and Spike.. Paid and on his way well away from us."

"OK."

She searched for something to wear in her bag and then went to her closer.  She saw Angel's underwear lying there and she smiled happily.  Buffy paused and turned round to Riley.

"Riley, I have something to tell you," Buffy said, furrowing her eyebrow and kneeling between his open knees as he sat on the bed.

"What?  You can tell me anything."

But she couldn't.  Buffy couldn't break his heart there and now.  She would have to sometime soon.  But not that way.  Not fresh from love making with Angel, his scent, his musk all over her and their mingling scents in the sheets that she was wearing.  Their love and tears and former pain becoming something so needed and beautiful she couldn't begin to describe.

"I.." Buffy paused.  "I think we should run Spike out of town."

"Yeah.  So you've been saying for a year. What's new?"

"I don't know.  I'm sorry.  Dramatizing it all," she laughed it off and went back to selecting an outfit.

Riley stared at her back and breathed out.

Angel stoked up the fire and then called Cordelia to see how she was.  She'd made him promise to call when he told Buffy.

"Hello, Angel Investigations," Cordelia greeted

"Is Angel there?" He said in a gruff voice.

"No he's not.  He's.. out."

"Out where?"

"Wouldn't you like to know.  Angel, you forget that we have call ID."

"No I don't.  I just don't know what that is," he defended.

"So?"

"So."

"Did you tell her?"

"Yeah I did.  Or well she saw me in sunlight and freaked out.  She felt my heart beat."

"That's romantic, beautiful, soppy, Buffy&Angel trademarked mush.  Skip it.  Big yawn.  I wanna know what she said.."

"We never talked much to tell you the truth," Angel admitted, sitting on his chair.

"You guys didn't?  Well of course you did.  You've been apart in that sense for years."

"That she remembers," he referred to Thanksgiving '99.  "And I'm not saying if we did or didn't.  It's between us."

"What about that and I quote from the last time you went to Sunnydale, Ugly-Stupid-No-
Brainer-Iowa-Squeals-Like-A-Little-Piggie-Will-Never-Be-Good-Enough-For-Buffy-Hair-Like-A
-Womans-And-I'd-Love-To-Crush-All-His-Bones-And-Drain-Him-Drier-Than-The-Sahara?"

"How did you remember that?"

"The way I remember my lines.  And your expression was something to treasure, and fear. It just stuck.. And you're totally not answering the question."

"I left before he got there.  Well i left as he got there."

"So he doesn't know?"

"Not yet.  buffy says--"

"It's always been you.. I've always loved you.. yada yada yada.  When are you--"

"When am I seeing her again?  Well she said she'd come by tonight but so far, I've been stood up," he sighed, sadly smiling.

"better late that never," Buffy said behind him.  Angel spun round with his cell phone and smiled at her.

"That's her isn't it?  I can practically feel the love.  *GAG*," Cordelia made noises down the phone.  "go on.  Go to her.  Boink her senseless."

"You know what Cordelia?  You're my best friend," Angel said softly, transfixed on Buffy moving towards him.

"You're my best friend too Angel," she smiled, making kissing noises down the phone.  "Love you.  Have a good night."

"Love you too.  Goodnight."

Angel flipped the cell phone shut and placed it on his chair.

"So I hear you're dumping me for that fancy woman on the phone," Buffy grinned, walking closer to him.

"Yeah.  Sorry," he feigned acting absent mindedly.  "Me and Cor are eloping tomorrow."

"Oh.  Send me a postcard?"  Angel took another step and had the whole of his body pressed against hers, with the fire's heat burning warmth onto one side.  He slipped off her jacket which fell to the floor.

"I never knew you and Cor had gotten so close," Buffy murmured, making light conversation as she stepped out of her shoes and kicked them to the side.

"We are."

"I'm glad," Buffy whispered before pulling him into a kiss.

"Did you tell him?"

"I couldn't just then.  I th--"

"I understand," Angel nodded, interrupting gently, and kissed her again.

"Make love to me Angel.  And promise me you'll never leave."

"I promise you I will never leave again."

Buffy kept her eyes closed and her hand crept up onto his chest.  The sunlight burned through her eyelids as she struggled to stay in her dreams.  She murmured into his shoulder as she caressed his skin and he rolled towards her.  Angel pulled Buffy on top of him and they kissed as if it was going out of style.  Buffy accidentally threw a sideways glance at the clock, half covered with one of Angel's black socks.

"Oh God," She hissed into Angels mouth, before rolling off him and onto the bed.

"What is it?"

"I should have been at Giles's half an hour ago," Buffy told Angel pulling on her lace underpants.

"Are you coming back afterwards?"

"Oh course," Buffy grinned, kissing him and scooping her bra from the headboard, pausing to place a tender kiss on his lips.

"You need to shower," Angel told her, scratching his head.

"That's romantic," Buffy scoffed, buttoning her trousers.

"No.  I just meant.. Cuz you smell like.. Me," Angel murmured playing with her hand band between his fingers before handing it to her.  Buffy pulled her hair back into a tight pony tail and looked at Angel with a furrowed brow.

"Angel I don't really want to hide it," she started softly.

"I know you don't.  But you don't want to face it either.  We both don't."

"I just want some time for us before we introduce the rest of the world."

"I know.  And that's why you should shower."

"I love the way you smell," Buffy smiled kissing him once more.  "And it's the best I've smelled in ages."

Angel laughed loudly and Buffy pulled him in for another kiss.

"You know what I mean.  I know there's been a lot of Scooby rendezvous but--"

"It's OK.  I would never try to hinder Slaying."

"It's just with Drac--Dragons.  Uh.. Dragon like demons around we should be on guard," Buffy white lied.  It would only hurt Angel to know she'd been bitten.

"You should go," Angel glanced again at the clock.

"I really should," Buffy said pulling away while holding his hand.  They dropped grips and she walked out of the mansion leaving Angel to stare at the ceiling.  Buffy ran back and put her head around the corner.

"You couldn't stay there, could you?" She asked him.

"I'll wait all day."

"A-And that concludes today's meeting," Giles said, preoccupied with the way Buffy was acting.  She hadn't stopped smiling since she came through the door 45 minutes late, shied away from physical contact with Riley and was impatient for the meeting to end.

"Great, we're done?" Buffy asked eagerly.

"Guess so," Riley half smiled.  "I have a surprise for you?"

"You do?" Buffy sighed.

"I do," He rubbed her hand softly.  Buffy nodded and exhaled again.

"Let's go then because.. I have.. patrol," she stammered for a plausible excuse.

"Good, I can come."

"No you can't," Buffy said quickly.  Having Riley tag along would spoil the mood with Angel.  However if he was along for killing things, it would motivate me a little... No BAD Buffy.  don't think of Riley like that.  He loves you and you care about him.  Angel's a little like helium..

"I can't?" Riley asked.  "Why not?"

"Because..." Buffy searched for an answer.  "I work best alone."

"Totally not true!" Willow cut in, out of place.  "We've always helped."

"Yeah you guys have always helped," Buffy compensated.

"We've done more than help Buffster," Xander nodded.  "Don't think you can go all chosen one on us."

"No--" Buffy started.

"And we're an advantage.  Angel was a big plus cuz with the anticipation of each other's ---ohhh," Willow screeched to a halt.  "Sorry, A-word," she scrunched her face up.

"Not a problem," Riley tried to smile.  "He's gone now.  And I have Buffy all to myself.  Right?"

"Right," Buffy forced a smile back.

The next day Dawn opened the fridge door, taking out Buffy's can of Diet Coke and cracking it open, sipping loudly.  She kicked the door closed with her heel and went to the breakfast bar, leaning on her elbows to look at the open Seventeen magazine.  She looked to the side and saw a shadow pass over the window and an eye peeking through.  It hid when she looked at it.

Smirking, she walked out of the kitchen for a few seconds, placing her can on the coffee table in the living room.  Then she crept back in and opened the door quickly.

Angel fell over the threshold, tumbling over his own feet.

"Hi Dawn," He smiled sheepishly.  He seemed to be like that a lot lately.  Bashful little boy.

"Hey Angel.  Riley's not here if that's why you're hovering."

"Oh.  OK.  Buffy here?"

"Nope.  She just called to say she was on her way home from Giles's."

"Oh.. OK," Angel nodded.  "Wanna watch some TV?"

"Beat you there," Dawn challenged.

"On my count."

"No.  On three.  One two th----" She teased as Angel got ready to move, grinning wildly at her.

Few Weeks Later
 
 

Do you know what it's like to make love to woman you are so blindly, madly in love with and to know she's never there when you touch her?  She's never kissing you and never holding you?

We haven't made love in a month and we hardly ever kiss now.  I don't know what this is anymore.

Do you know what it's like to wake up to her crying out someone's name in her sleep?  I do.  And it's His name.  And it cuts me up inside.

And hearing Willow say it today, it just sliced open old wounds.  I've still got a scar from last year when we fought.

Buffy isn't going to move on until she's done with him.  Completely.

I can't kill him.  One: Buffy would hate me and Two: I can't kill him.  He's smarter than the average bear and tougher too.

Maybe I should talk to him.  Explain how I feel about Buffy and explain I love her too much to ever hurt her.  And happiness for her is what he wanted, or so Willow says.

He'll understand.

But if I was him, would I want to let Buffy go?

I pull the Angel Investigations card out of my pocket.  I took it from Buffy's dorm in a fit of jealously after his 'visit' last year and dial the number.

Recorded message.

"Sorry, this number is temporarily unavailable.  To forward the call to the new number, press 1."

Duly I press 1 and my palms start to sweat.  Then a female voice.

"Angel investigations, we help the helpless, how can we help you?"

I remember someone said Angel was trying to atone but I never figured he would be like this.  He really cares about people.

"H-Hi.  Can I speak to Angel please?" I stutter.

"Angel's not here right now, can I take a message?" She asks politely.  "No job to big, for a not so big fee."

"I just need to speak to him  -- urgently.  Where did he go?"

"Who are you?"

"A friend of his.  From a while ago.  I need to talk to him," I half lie.

She sounds skeptical to believing my story.  "That's a nice accent you got there," she muses.

"Thank you," I croak.  "Please, could you tell me where he is or how to reach him?"

"He won't be back for well.. A while at least," she tells me.

"Where is he?"

My heart pounds.  "A little pokey town."

"Which would be..?  This uh.. Demon problem is urgent.  I really think I need to see him.  He'll be happy to see me."

Lie upon lie here, Finn.

"If it helps, I can pay him.. Uh.. Handsomely."

"How handsomely?" She queries.  Pushed a button.

"Well.. About.. A few thousand of so."

Blackmail.  it'll be worth it.

"Really?"  I can practically hear the smile.  "He's in Sunnydale.  Two hours for LA.  Want me to give you directions?"

"My uh.. Uncle stays there.  Where does Angel stay?  Motel?"

"God no, have you seen it?  This mansion on Crawford Street.  Angel owns it.  So, he can start on that demon problem worth a small fortune?  Hell, a comfortable fortune," she asks.

"As soon as I see him," I trail off.  "Bye."  I put down the phone, my head spinning.

Buffy weird.

Angel in town.

Not seen much of Buffy.

She's there now.  Oh god...

Where's Crawford Street?

"Anyone call?" Wesley asked Cordelia as he came in her apartment from handing out leaflets.

"No.  No wait.  Yeah.  One guy.  Offering a few thousand for this demon thing.  Half an hour ago  Major jones for Angel.  Told him Angel was in Sunnydale."

"You realize that could have been very thoughtless?" Wesley sighed.  "Assassins?"

"Oh get over it.  Who'd wanna kill Angel?"

"Top of the list; Wolfram and Hart.  Shall I move further down because that isn't even the top of the tip of the iceberg?" Wesley asked her sarcastically.

"No, he sounded nice enough.  Soft accent, he'd never hurt a flea," Cordelia dismissed.

Wait.. Wait.. Wait..

That accent.  I've heard Angel mimicking that accent.  A lot.  It's Buffy's boyfriend's.

He was eager to know where he was.... DAMMIT!!

He ISN'T gonna pay us a comfortable fortune.

DAMN

Oh crap.  Angel.  Phonephonephone Cordelia...

"I love this," Buffy murmured into Angel's ear as he tucked her hair behind her ear.  They were curled up on the couch by the fire.  Angel had a book in his knees and she was draped over him.

"Me too," he sighed.  "I couldn't be happier than I am now.  Ever.  I want never to leave you.  I don't care what gets in our way now Buffy.  It's trivial," he waved a hand.

"Very trivial," Buffy smiled, moving in for a kiss, clutching his jumper.  "Never leave."

"You keep saying that like I'm gonna walk out in five minutes," Angel chuckled.

"I keep thinking I'm going to wake up and it's going to be with You Know Who and I'll spend the night crying into my pillow."

Angel studied his watch and turned to Buffy.  "Well, five minutes up.  See you later babe," he kissed her quickly and picked her up, letting himself out from under him and placed her back on the couch.  He walked towards the mansion door.

"Angel!" Buffy squealed, jumping up and vaulting over the couch.  Angel opened the door and Buffy jumped up on him, wrapping her legs around his waist, distracting him with a kiss while shutting the door.

"I saw that Miss Summers," he mumbled into her lips as she frantically kissed him.

"Not leaving."

"Ha!  I'm not packed yet," Angel teased her.

"What do I have to chain you down?"

Angel looked away, shaking his head and then he looked her straight in the eyes.  "Typical women.  Two minutes and already they're bored with the sex life."

"Oh not me," Buffy assured, kissing him furiously.  Angel tangled his hands in her hair and kissed her deeply.  Neither of them heard the door open just beside them and a small noise escape.

"Angel," Buffy whimpered as they kissed deeply and she slipped her hands through his shirt.  Angel kissed her neck and slid her shoulder straps down to kiss more of her skin.  His eyes drifted upwards and saw him.

Riley.

"Oh Angel, I love you," she moaned, sweetly kissing his ears.

"Buffy.." Angel said slowly.  She looked at him and he turned her by the cheek, gently, to see Riley.

She slid down from Angel and words escaped her.

"Buffy.. How could you?" Riley asked her finally.  "How COULD you?  With a VAMPIRE?  WELL?" He roared.  "Is he EVIL?"

Buffy shook her head and moved closer to Angel.  "No."

"Not made him HAPPY enough YET?" He screamed, his face turning yet.  "Don't YOU do it for him ANYMORE?"

"Oh please," Buffy scoffed.  "Happy as a happy thing."

"You slept with him?  You had sex with THAT.. THAT THING?" Riley tears of desperation spilled down his red cheeks.  He fumbled for a stake and found one.  He lunged at Angel, in spite of Buffy.  She reached up and twisted his hand.  The stake dropped and Riley yelled in pain

"Sorry.. Sorry," Buffy apologized quickly, letting go.  "I just.. Angel's not a vampire.  Yeah that would kill him but he's human."

"Out with the new, in with the newly human?" Riley shook with fury and hurt.

"I care about you, I do."

Angel's cell phone started vibrating in his pants.  He slipped it out and switched it on.  "Hello."

"Hey Angel..  I did something kinda bad.  I think Riley just called the office and I sorta didn't know cuz I've never met the guy but I think he might come to see you so Buffy should get out of there," Cordelia said, rushing to get the words out.

"Thanks for the heads up Cordelia," Angel said dryly.  "He's here."

"Oh.. Oh.  Oh..  I should go," she whispered.

"OK.  Don't worry about it," he reassured her.

"Check, no worry.  Kinda love you," Cordelia groaned.

"Love you too.  Bye."

"Bye."  Angel hung up and turned his attention to Riley and Buffy.  Riley had been listening to Angel's phone conversation and stopped arguing with Buffy.

"It was Cordelia," Angel filled in.

"Riley I'm sorry for you finding out like this and I do care--"

"No you don't.  You've been LYING to me," he wept into his hands.  "I don't know who you are anymore.." He whispered.

"I'm sorry.  And Riley, believe it or not, I do care for you a lot.  A very lot.  And I'm sorry.  Because I can't fall out of love with Angel so I can love you."  Her sentence finished in a hush.  She stepped forward and went to lay a hand on his shoulder.

"Please leave me alone," he whispered and fled from the mansion.

"Should you?" Angel gestured to the door.

"No..  It's done," Buffy shrugged.  "I can't say anything to make him feel better.  But he knows now.  And I can tell everyone else.  And we can be together."

"I like that ending," Angel nodded, smiling, sealing his approval with a kiss.

"Me too."

finis
 

"Can I get you something?  A knife to our throats so you can run away?" I'll pass on the knife thing but how about some feedback?