Rating: PG
Summary: Kate and Riley come across Buffy and Angel engaged in a certain activity. (also my interpretation of one of my challenges...I said I always do my own as well)
Spoilers: Don't think so...but then, I don't think, come to think of it!?! (hehehe)
Disclaimer: I so TOTALLY wish I owned them...do you think I could kill him and claim to be his heir? At least that way the storyline wouldn't ubersuck!!!

It must include at least five of the following:
* Kate and Riley witness something between Buffy and Angel
* A Black candle
* Chains and/or ropes
* The song, 'Affirmation' by Savage Garden
* An Athame
* Fire
* Buffy and Angel's Claddagh rings
* One of Buffy's earrings
* A needle

Crawford street, Sunnydale
11:10pm

Kate pulled up at the funky looking mansion, she had followed Angel out here. She was sick of him always leaving for the weekend. He sometimes went with that bitch, Cordelia, but he never took her along, they were close weren't they? You don't keep secrets in a relationship.

She watched Angel get out of the car and walk towards a doorway. He suddenly lifted his head and turned around. From across the street a blonde walked toward him. They both smiled. He took her into his arms and kissed her passionately.

"Oh, God!" Kate whispered harshly to herself. Another woman, how could he do this to me???

She watched them go inside. As she exited her car she saw a young man in an army uniform sneak out from behind some bushes and move to follow the couple she was after. She snuck up behind him and pulled out her gun.

"Freeze!"

The GI Joe wannabe grabbed her gun arm and tossed her over his shoulder and onto the ground and stuck his knee in her chest.

"Who the hell are you?" he demanded with a smirk.

"I'm a cop!"

"You're not from around here."

"I'm from L.A., I was following my boyfriend!" Kate defended.

"Yeah? I was following my girlfriend, she disappears on weekends with some lame excuse like she's going to visit her father or help her Mom. Well, I found out from her mother that she's never there." he let her up and Kate dusted herself off.

"Yeah, well, my boyfriend does the same thing except the weekend is his 'vacation' time...Why doesn't he take me?!?" she ranted.

"So I take it that the two inside are our..."

"Yeah! And, boy is Angel going to get one Hell of a..."

He cut her off, "Angel? I know the name, but everytime I'm around, everyone clams up. I'm Riley, by the way." he stuck out his hand.

She took it. "I'm Kate. Let's go and find them..." They walked into the mansion...

**************************************************

Inside The Mansion

Buffy was curled up in Angel's lap listening to Savage Garden's new album that Angel had bought for her.

"Angel?"

"Hmm?" he turned to her.

"This is nice, us getting together every weekend, no pressure, just 'us' time." she softly kissed his cheek.

"Yeah. We never did much of this, did we? It was always 'kill the demons, make out'." he smiled at the memories.

"I guess that it's different now. We know what to expect. Mind you, if anyone ever found out that we still see each other..."she started to look worried.

"Buffy, we're not hurting anyone. We talk and just sit here."he kissed her forehead in an effort to sooth her.

They had decided months ago, that not seeing each other at all was killing them, so they decided to spend the weekends together. Not doing anything dangerous, just spending some quiet, gentle time with each other. Sometimes they just sat there holding one another, content to just watch the fire.

Suddenly 'Affirmation' came on.

Angel looked at Buffy and asked, "Dance with me?" when she nodded, he took her hand and led the way to a area of vacant floor and held her in his arms as they swayed to the music.

They failed to notice the couple just outside the doorway...

I believe the sun should never set upon an argument
I believe we place our happiness in other people's hands
I believe that junk food tastes so good because it's bad for you
I believe your parents did the best job they knew how to do
I believe that beauty magazines promote low self esteem
I believe I'm loved when I'm completely myself alone
I believe in Karma what you give is what you get returned
I believe you can't appreciate real love until you've been burned
I believe the grass is no more greener on the other side
I believe you don't know what you've got until you say goodbye

They leaned into each other and held each other tighter. They looked into each other's eyes.

I believe you can't control or choose your sexuality
I believe that trust is more important than monogamy
I believe your most attractive features are your heart and soul
I believe that family is worth more than money or gold
I believe the struggle for financial freedom is unfair
I believe the only ones who disagree are millionaires
I believe in Karma what you give is what you get returned
I believe you can't appreciate real love until you've been burned
I believe the grass is no more greener on the other side
I believe you don't know what you've got until you say goodbye

Angel stared straight into Buffy's eyes, "I love you more than anything, Buffy. I'd give anything to be with you forever..."

She gazed into his beautiful eyes and saw the truth there. She closed her eyes to guard against the pain that came with the knowledge that any day one, or both of them could be dead and the other would have to go on. For now, the time they spent together was enough.

I believe forgiveness is the key to your unhappiness
I believe that wedded bliss negates the need to be undressed
I believe that God does not endorse TV evangelists
I believe in love surviving death into eternity
I believe in Karma what you give is what you get returned
I believe you can't appreciate real love until you've been burned
I believe the grass is no more greener on the other side
I believe you don't know what you've got until you say goodbye
I believe in Karma what you give is what you get returned
I believe you can't appreciate real love until you've been burned
I believe the grass is no more greener on the other side
I believe you don't know what you've got until you say goodbye

They finished their dance and sat down once again. Buffy just sat there in his arms again and thought back to her 17th birthday when Angel had given her the claddagh ring that still held its place on her finger. She wished that she had something for him to represent her love for him.

Oooh, bad idea, Buffy. Angel would never go for that...would he???

Buffy looked up at Angel with her best 'cute little puppy' look. Angel look skeptical even though he knew that he wouldn't deny her anything.

"I want you to have something to remind you of me..." she began.

"Buffy, nothing could ever make me forget you..."

"No. Wait, Angel. This is important to me. I want you to have this." she pulled out what looked like a small silver stake from her purse. He recognized it as one of a pair of earrings that Joyce had had specially made for her daughter last summer. Buffy treasured them. It was a sign that her mother had truly accepted her calling.

Angel didn't understand. "You want me to have your earrings?"

Buffy smiled at him. She lifted her hand and indicated the claddagh ring on her finger. "Angel, this is my connection to you. I know that you wear one just like it, but I want to give you something as well. I want you to wear this earring. I'll have to pierce your ear, but, I want you to do this. Please?"

Angel's gaze softened. He just couldn't say no. "Of course, Buffy. But what will you do with the other one?"

"I'll wear it in my other piercing. I have three on this ear." she showed him. "That way, we'll both wear one on a different ear."she smiled brightly. Their mood had lightened.

Buffy got up and and began looking for things. When she returned she had in her hand a needle, a black candle (the only colour he actually had), and her earrings. She put everything on the table except the candle. She walked over to the fire and lit the candle and brought it back to the table. She sat next to him, ready to do it. She picked up the needle and held it over the lit candle to sterilize it. She quickly pierced his ear and because of his healing abilities, she had to be fast when she put in the earring.

When it was done, she kissed his ear and then slowly made her way to his mouth. She couldn't believe he had let her do it.

Neither could Kate and Riley...

"How could you do this to me!?!?!?"came the screech. Buffy and Angel looked around to see who it was that interrupted them. Angel saw Kate.

"What are you doing here, Kate?" The woman was starting to become a nuisance.

"What?!?! I thought you and I were..."

"WHAT??? How could you think that?!?! I could never be with anyone but Buffy! Get the Hell out of here!" she didn't wait for anything else, she ran.

Buffy saw Riley. "What do you think you're doing, Riley? Did you follow me here?" her expression became stormy.

Riley stood his ground, "Well, what did you expect, Buffy? You disappear every weekend with crap excuses that have no truth! I had a right! Now I know why you are the way you are. Goodbye, Buffy." With that he left.

Buffy smiled, thankful that she no longer had to find a nice way of dumping him. She turned back to Angel and gave him a hug.

"I guess it's just you and me again, my Angel." And she looked so depressed about the fact that she had just been dumped. "The way it was always supposed to be."

Angel knew how she felt, knew the pain she was going through, not because of Riley, but for themselves, their own destiny, to be without each other. He looked down at her and knew that forever, no matter what happened from then on, that they would always be a part of each other.

"I'll always be a part of you, Buffy."

Go to the next story Birthday Weekend

Send feedback to Alicia

Back to the Fanfiction Archive