Thoughts are enclosed in // //,
The Committee recoiled, bracing for the divine wrath that was soon to follow on the heels of Buffy's careless statement.
Eyes wide, Angel snaked a hand around to cover her mouth. Shaking him off, she advanced on The Big Guy. "Oh, no, Angel, I've been waiting for this moment ever since I was Chosen."
Looking down his nose, The Big Guy asked, "You have a problem with your destiny? What precisely do you want?"
"I *want* to beat the shit out of you, but since you're the Almighty, it would be pretty pointless."
By this point, the Committe in its entirety was pressed up against the back wall of the conference room. All thirteen members had their eyes closed and their fingers crossed. Angel was right behind Buffy, silently begging his girlfriend to shut up.
The Almighty smiled coldly. "Is that right, little girl?"
"Yeah, that's right. You Chose me, ruined my life, hurt my family, hurt my friends, forced me to send Angel TO HELL, LET ME GO CRAZY, AND ALLOWED ME TO DIE IN A POOL OF MY OWN BLOOD IN SOME SLEAZEMOID ALLEY IN LA!!!"
Whistler winced. //We're all going to suffer for this one.//
Just then, The Big Guy raised a hand, readying himself to smite the annoying wench. With a yelp, Whistler dove between the two of them. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, let's step back here and take a look at the tension in this room here."
The Big Guy waved his hand. "Whistler, get out of my way. I'm going to give this impertinent chit what she deserves."
Hearing that, Angel snarled and vamped out, shoving Buffy behind his back. "You have to go through me first."
Whistler's eyes locked with Angel's. "Wrong. He has to go through ME first."
"Gladly!" The Big Guy raised the hand again.
"STOP IT!!!!," a voice shrieked from the back. Lessandra rushed forward. "Stop this insanity! Right this second!" She flung herself in front of Whistler. "My Lord, we cannot condone this action. This is madness! She is Your faithful servant. You would kill her because she spoke her mind? Because she spoke the truth? She was never given a choice. All that has happened to her in her life has been out of her control. I think she is perfectly within her rights to say what she has."
The Big Guy's eyes narrowed. Everyone in the room held their breath, whether they actually needed the oxygen or not. His face was expressionless. "Lessandra, you never learned to hold your tongue." He crooked a finger at Buffy. "Slayer, come here."
Buffy looked up into Angel's worried gaze. Certain she was going to die her final death, she kissed the palm of her right hand and pressed it against his chest, right where his heart was. "Forever, my love. For all eternity and beyond, no matter how long it takes."
Angel covered her tiny hand with his much larger one as he repeated the vow, his eyes suspiciously moist.
Shoulders squared, she turned to meet her fate.
*****
She stood proudly before The Big Guy, showing no fear. He looked at her, noting everything about her carriage: her straight back, her rigid spine, her defiant chin.
At his inspection, her chin went up even farther.
And then He chuckled.
The Committee's eyes widened. This was downright abnormal behavior from him.
Reaching out a great hand, he placed it on Buffy's head. "Be well, Slayer, and continue on your path. You are the greatest Slayer I will ever have, so you are allowed a few impertinences."
Buffy smiled, as all her anger towards this man flooded away from her. He was only doing what was best for mankind, and she understood that. Dropping to her knees before him, she took his hand in both of hers and kissed the back. "As I forgive you, my Lord."
She smiled impishly at him.
He smiled back, and the Committee let out the breath they hadn't realized they were holding.
"I'll be in touch," he continued, clutching her hand. She nodded, stepping back from him. With one fond smile, he disappeared as suddenly as he had arrived.
The inhabitants of the room were left to stare in amazement at the spot which he had just occupied. And then they looked at each other, jaws dropping from the shock.
Buffy was the first to move, finding her way back into Angel's waiting embrace. "Well, I'd say that went well."
Slowly, Whistler regained the power of speech. "Uh, yeah, you could say that, if you don't count the part where HE ALMOST KILLED YOU!"
She shrugged. "I called his bluff."
Angel moaned and covered his eyes with his hands, finally realizing the import of the situation. "Buffy, you took an awful risk..."
"It had to be said. And now everything is fine." She looked around the room, for the first time noticing all the faces. "Uh, hi. Um, how is everybody?"
The Committee assembled themselves in front of her, all wanting to have their turn talking to the Slayer. One by one, they introduced themselves. Buffy smiled and nodded at each of them.
From the corner of the room, Angel stood, amused. He watched Buffy greet the Committee like a queen of old, sure in her position in the scheme of things. He caught Whistler's eye, and they both grinned.
Whistler jerked his head to the side, indicating his desire to leave. Angel answered him with a quick nod. He stepped up to Buffy's side, drawing her attention away from Dathan, who was attempting to entertain her with a story.
"Buff, I think it's time to go. We've taken up enough of the Committee's time."
She looked up at him and nodded. She smiled at the Committee and thanked them profusely. The men stuttered and blushed at the impact of her killer smile.
Taking her hand, Angel turned, and together, they followed Whistler out of the room.
*****
Once in the hallway, Angel spoke again.
"Drop us off in Vegas," Angel said, turning towards Whistler.
Buffy's jaw dropped. "You just got out of Hell and you want to go gamble? Haven't you gambled enough for this lifetime?"
Angel shot a withering glare at her. "No, I don't want to *gamble*. The last time I checked, Las Vegas is the closest place you can get married with no waiting and no blood tests."
Her eyes goggled. "M-mmarried?" she squeaked.
"We've just been given your life back, and if you think I am going to let you out of my sight for even ONE SECOND, you are sorely mistaken."
Whistler looked on, seriously amused by the turn of events. //Damn, there's gonna be a happily ever after after all. I love that.//
"But-but, *married*? Isn't that, well, I don't know, sudden?"
Angel grasped her by the shoulders, forcing her to meet his gaze. "Buffy, in my heart I married you the day I gave you that ring. From that point on, it was 'till death do us part'. It may have taken a while for us, but we're finally there." Reaching for her hand, he kissed her ring. "You know the line, 'with this ring I thee wed'." Then he kissed her hand, tongue darting out to lick the skin. "With my body I thee worship."
She gasped, tears welling up in her eyes.
Uncaring that Whistler was watching, Angel dropped to one knee before her. "Buffy, I love you. I love you more than I love my own life. And quite frankly, the thought of my life without you in it makes me want to take a walk in the sun. So, in attempt to prevent a serious sunburn on my part, will you please do me the immense honor of becoming my wife?"
Laughing through her tears, she threw her arms around him, tumbling them both onto the floor. "Yes. Yesyesyesyesyesyes."
He grinned, and drew her head down to his for a kiss that left her aching and needy. So needy that she settled herself closer to his body, her own arching into his.
Whistler cleared his throat. Loudly. "Uh, guys, I'm not needing this imagery."
The couple peered guiltily up at him. "Sorry about that. We just got a little carried away."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. As soon as I'm outta this joint, you two can make with all the smoochies you want." Whistler stood before them. "I'm gonna zap you in front of the Elvis Chapel O' Love, presided over by The Reverends Tamara and Lex. They'll help you get hitched; after that, you're on your own.
Buffy smiled at him, an old Buffy -- a Buffy before Angelus -- smile. An honest to goodness, genuine, happy smile. "Thanks, Whistler. See you around, huh?"
"You know it, babe. You know it." With that, there was a blinding flash of light and they were gone.
Whistler dusted his hands together. "All in a day's work. And what a day it was." He turned around to walk back to the conference room. He had some SERIOUS explaining to do. He just hoped The Big Guy was in a good mood. He was not looking forward to the boils and the blinding torment. At all.
AND THEY ALL LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER, DAMN IT.
The End.