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Buffy stepped groggily down the stairs, to find Willow placing the table. Which was something Buffy hadn't seen her do in awhile, she usually left it up to magic. That's odd. Tara stood at the center of the mess, creating a boquet of flowers.
"Where's Dawn?" Buffy asked sleepily. "I had a dream about her."
Dawn marched through the door, carrying a bucket of chocolate almond fudge ice cream. After her came Xander, Anya and Giles, all with arms full of food. Tara rushed over to help them. Buffy looked confused.
"No magical food tonight. Home cooked." Willow explained, her eyes beaming toward Tara. Who smiled lovingly.
"Oh." Buffy smiled supportively. "I guess I'll be, upstairs until dinner then." Buffy turned to walk away, only to be stopped be her watcher's hand.
"First things first Buffy, how is your scar." His hand moved to the flesh wound, taking it in its entirety.
Buffy's face eyes hit the ground, in almost guilt. "Its fine. Just a little irritated."
"I have been researching all the watcher daires, and nothing has surfaced yet."
"But don't worry, because Angel is working on it." Willow's voice piped up, seeing Buffy's dispair.
"Angel?" Almost a whisper, but still present.
"Yeah. Cordy she had a vision, you were in it. He's just worried." Willow knew she spoke too soon, which would probably have been a bad thing if Angel hadn't been standing in the doorway at this very second.
"Angel!" Willow's eyes caught onto his figure. He only smiled, averting his eyes from all the others on him.
"Hey. Sorry to just drop by..."
"No we aren't, I'm sorry but Buffy's life is a little more important than a Sunday dinner." Cordelia walked in smiling. "Hey everyone!"
"And she still knows how to make an entrance." Xander's witty remark, earned him a punch from his wife to be. "Sorry."
All was quiet, until Buffy turned to face Angel. "Hey." Her smile, yet sad, seemed to light up the room. Angel smiled and she lost herself within him.
::
"You know I shouldn't be here." Angel's voice grabbed Buffy.
These were the first words spoken. What a reunion.
"I know. I shouldn't either. Saving the world, seems to be a fulltime job these days." The slayer's eyes averted his, when he tried to search her.
"Still. I'm glad. I haven't seen you..." Angel stopped himself, warning himself not to go too deep.
"I know."
"How are you?"
"Fine. I guess."
"Home life?"
"Everyone's been great."
"Good."
Buffy's feet shuffled, against the sound of the ocean waves. They had decided to meet somewhere inbetween, somewhere they could get lost. Which was something, neither of them had had the courage to do just yet.
"So.." Buffy looked up, to find Angel inches away.
"I missed you. Everyday." Angel's words rang music to Buffy's soul.
"I missed you." Buffy let a tear slid down her face.
Angel silently kissed her tear, only to have more fall in its place.
"God. Why can't everything feel this good?" Buffy moved her hands up to intertwine with his.
"Only with you, do I ever feel this good." Angel softly spoke into her ear, sending her into his arms.
"Diddo." With this she felt her eyes searching for his, and her soul searching for his. Wanting nothing more than to be right here, forever. Looking into his eyes, she felt young again, she felt pure. Which was something she hadn't felt in a very long time.
Before either one of them could object, they found themselves lost in a kiss. Just one. That's what it was supposed to be, one sweet and tender moment, to look back on. But it turned into passion and longing, something they both felt. Moments passed before they found composure. Pulling apart, smoothing clothing, they looked once more.
"So I'll be seeing you."
"Yeah. Be seeing ya." With that the two departed.
::
Buffy lost herself in their memory, until she felt all eyes on her. She cleared her throat. "So what's the deal?"
Angel, who was obviously reliving it as well, stayed quiet. "No further visions, as of now, but I am really hungry." Cordy's voice popped into view, once again. As she darted for the bread on the table.
"I'll get some more plates." Dawn ventured out of the room.
"So Angel, how have you been?" Xander pretended to care, although he earned a puzzled look from everyone.
"Fine. Buffy, can I talk to you... (notices everyone move closer.) alone." Angel's eyes averted to the crowd.
"Sure. I'll be down in a few minutes." Willow nodded, watching the two ex-lovers walk to her room.
"Wow." Dawn smiled dreamily.
"Back to the kitchen, young lady." Willow ordered, as everyone else also gathered in the kitchen, to help.
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"So, here we are again." Buffy decided the straight road, was best.
"Listen Buffy, something's happened." Angel's face turned sour, with bad news anticipated.
"Something? What?" Buffy self-consciously covered her neck.
"Nothing like that. Darla and I..."
"Darla?" Accusation filled her voice.
"We sort of... have a child. Actually, I don't know if its even that."
"A child? How could you have a child?" Buffy's voice went to histerical.
"I don't know. We can't, that's the thing. But somehow we did."
"So you.. and Darla..."
"Buffy." Angel's head fell defeated in shame.
"Oh. Well. Oh." Shock filled Buffy's entire body.
"Ahh!" Buffy craned her neck, as blood dripped from her scar. Angel fell to her aid. "Buffy? Are you ok?" Buffy could do nothing to answer, only scream.
Only seconds after Buffy went down, Cordelia's body fell. Angel hurried down the stairs, carrying Buffy. "Is she alright?" Angel rushed over to Cordelia.
After moments of pain, Cordelia began to recompose herself. "Damn these visions! They made me spill my dip." She self-consiously grabbed a paper towel.
Buffy's scar healed, in no time flat. And again Buffy was normal.
"This time, there was a little girl. Blood. And Buffy. They keep giving it to me in peices. Damn it! Just send the whole message, already!" Cordy looked up at the ceiling in anger.
Angel turned his attention to the girl in his arms, she awoke feeling very disoriantated. Giles looked at his slayer with worried eyes. "It seems Cordy's visions, may have something to do with your scar. Or vice versa." Giles removed his glasses, only for a moment, while studying the scar. "It has a tremendous healing rate."
"Nice to know your taking an interest, in all the pain involved in that process." Buffy rolled her eyes, as Angel set her on the ground.
"I said I could help!" Willow budged into the conversation, only to receive a wary look from Tara. "Advil. Want some Advil?" Willow's correction went un-noticed.
"Right. Well in any case, I should get back to research." Giles set in study mode face.
"But... meal, homecooked." Willow whined, but it was no use. "Don't say I didn't try." With that Willow zapped out on to go dinners for everyone.
"Hey will. Ever feel like cooking up some extra food, send it over to our place. Anya's not too big on the traditional cooking thing." Xander smiled sheepishly at his friend.
"Xander!" Anya slapped his arm, causing him to moan in pain.
"Again with the hitting!" Xander accused.
"Sorry Will, but if this thing is headed our way, we have to find out what's going on. I don't intend to bleed from the neck, eternally." Buffy glanced at Angel, guilt washed over his face.
"Buffy's right this is no time to relax. Although I don't approve of this." Giles headed out the door, resisting the food.
::END THREE::