PART 7

"Do we really have to come here?" Angel asked Buffy as she nearly dragged him into the club.

"Yes we do, I've had the perfect evening and now I wanna end it off in the perfect way!" Buffy said.

"Which means no dancing," Angel said.

"Stop being such a party pooper! Yes there will be dancing! Cordy told me this club was good, it's kinda like the Bronze, she said they don't play that dance music crap, it plays good stuff," Buffy said

"That doesn't mean we have to dance," Angel countered.

"I'm sorry, but I'd like to have at least one dance with you where I'm not wallowing in sorrow over the fact that you'll disappear into the ozone once I let go of you!" Buffy told him, referring to their dance at her Prom.

"Fine, I guess I owe you one," Angel sighed.

Buffy smiled.

"Yay!" She cheered as they entered the club.

"See, it's not that bad, and it's actually clean," Buffy said as they walked down the stairs to the dance floor. It was big with round tables with high stools around them just outside the dance floor, like at the Bronze.

"Okay, so it isn't as bad as I pictured it," Angel admitted.

"And we can sit here and not dance the whole time," Buffy added as they sat down at a secluded table in the corner of the club.

"I'm liking this more and more," Angel said,

Buffy laughed.

"I had a really amazing time tonight," Buffy told him.

"It was only amazing because it was with you," Angel said leaning over to kiss her.

"I never had this much fun with Riley," Buffy pouted.

"You can forget about him now, that's the past, it doesn't matter anymore," Angel told her,

"I know.. I just, the more I think about it, I really don't know what I saw in him. I mean, he really doesn't have a much of a personality, he's not good looking at all, I mean, that hair. And I really never loved him. If there were a contest for those sort of things, you'd win hands sown," Buffy said smiling,

Angel smiled back and laughed, a slow song finally came on,

"Dance with me?" he asked.

Buffy smiled then gave him her hand.

(Just so I don't get sued, I'll mention again that this song is not mine, it belongs to *NSync, and a bunch of other people.)

//.When the visions around you,
Bring tears to your eyes.
And all that surround you,
Are secrets and lies.

I'll be your strength,
I'll give you hope,
Keeping your faith when it's gone.
The one you should call,
Was standing here all along..//

Buffy and Angel listened to the words of the song as they danced, thinking how true it was. They were each other's strength, that was the only was they'd survived all this time together, because they stayed strong through all the hard times in their relationship, and they lived on the hope that they would get to where they were now. And it had taken them seven years to finally realize it, but they were the only ones for each other, they always were.

//.And I will take you in my arms,
And hold you right where you belong,
`Till the day my life is through,
This I promise you,
This I promise you..//

Buffy snuggled deeper into Angel's embrace as he tightened his arms around her, this was where she belonged. This was the only place where she felt safe. She'd never felt this way in anyone else's arms, not even Riley's. Infact, when she thought of Riley now, which was pretty rare, she' couldn't help thinking that he looked like a greasy fish, but she pushed that out of her mind, that didn't matter anymore, her and Angel were together again, and this time, it wasn't going to end.

//.I've loved you forever,
In lifetimes before.
And I promise you never,
Will you hurt anymore.

I give you my word,
I give you my heart,
This is a battle we've won,
And with this vow,
Forever has now begun..//

Angel looked down at Buffy, who had her head resting on his chest, and wondered how he'd let her go. But he thought maybe it was for the best, because now, because of that experience, he loved her more than ever, more than he was sure he ever had if he'd loved her in a past lifetime, more than he ever thought he could love someone. But he knew that this time, it was forever, there wouldn't be anymore pain, he wouldn't hurt her again, they'd finally won the battle, now the rest of their lives could begin.

//.Just close your eyes,
Each lovin' day,
And know this feeling won't go away,
`Till the day my life is through,
This I promise you,
This I promise you..//

Buffy couldn't believe that they'd finally made it. And even though she'd been there with him for two weeks already, she still couldn't believe that it was for real. She'd wake up each morning thinking that that warm, fuzzy, loving feeling wasn't going to be there, but she'd open her eyes and see Angel beside her and it would just make it grow. This isn't ever going to go away again. Buffy told herself.

//.Over and over I fall,
When I hear you call,
Without you in my life, baby,
I just wouldn't be living at all..//

They began to think of their lives over the past four years, they had been walking, and talking, and doing everything that suggested they were alive, but they weren't, they weren't really alive unless they were with each other. If they didn't have each other in their lives, they were dead.

//.And I will take you in my arms,
And hold you right where you belong,
`Till the day my life is through,
This I promise you, baby,

Just close your eyes,
Each lovin' day,
And know this feeling won't go away,
Every word I say is true,
This I promise you,

Every word I say is true,
This I promise you,
Ooh, I promise you..//

Buffy looked up at Angel with tears in her eyes as the music faded out,

"Promise this won't end Angel, promise me this is forever. No ending this time." Buffy whispered.

"I promise. This is it Buffy, this is forever now, no more running. I love you," he swore to her.

"No more running. I love you too," she cried softly.

"You want to go home?" Angel asked.

Buffy nodded.

They left the club with Angel's arm around Buffy and Buffy's head resting on his shoulder.

"Angel?" Buffy asked quietly as they walked towards Angel's car,

"Yeah?" he asked.

"I've dreamed about this," she whispered.

"About what?" he asked her,

About us, being together, and being able to be happy," Buffy told him.

"I have too, Love, I have too,"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

PART 8

Six Months Later

"Come on Buffy, wake up," Angel whispered for the thousandth time that night.

Buffy groaned and rolled over.

"No, I don't want to, let me sleep," she moaned.

"Buffy, you can't stay in bed forever," Angel sighed.

Buffy rolled over to face him,

"Oh, I don't know about that, if there was a certain someone with me then I probably could.." Buffy said while grinning mischievously.

Angel laughed while he shook his head.

"Buffy... Come on, I have a surprise for you, now get out of bed!" Angel begged.

"Really?!" Now if you'd said that the first time you wouldn't have had to go through all this!" Buffy exclaimed as she jumped out of bed and started getting dressed.

"I did say it the first time, you were just half asleep and weren't listening to me," Angel told her.

Buffy stuck out her tongue at him.

"If you're mean you won't get your surprise," Angel warned her.

"You wouldn't do that," Buffy replied.

"Okay, you're right, but I'm allowed to threaten aren't I?"

"Not unless you want to end up sleeping on the couch," Buffy replied.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Hmmm, I hear water, are you planning on drowning me again?" Buffy asked Angel as he led her blindfolded down the pier, of course she didn't know it.

"Now why would I do something stupid like that? See, I'm here because you'll probably need someone to hold onto you so you don't fall into the water again.." Angel told her.

"Hmmm, I like the way you think," Buffy said, smiling.

Angel stopped walking then took the blindfold off of Buffy's eyes. Before them stood a big sailboat.

"What's going on here? Why are we here?" Buffy asked.

"Well, I rented a sailboat, so we could go sailing, just the two of us," Angel told her.

Buffy smiled sweetly,

"Aw, you're so sweet. Well then, what are we waiting for? Let's go sail. I'm hoping you know how to, cause when it comes to boats, I'm clueless," Buffy said, walking onto the boat.

"Well, I'm hoping it's like riding a bike, you never forget,"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Buffy and Angel were out on the water for hours, just the two of them, Buffy was having the time of her life, she couldn't believe Angel had done this for her, well, actually, she could, this was Angel, always surprising her in new and interesting ways.

"This is amazing Angel, thank you," Buffy said later on, as she stood with his arms around her in the middle of the boat.

"Anything for you," he whispered, kissing her neck.

"You know what? You make the water seem safe again," Buffy said.

Angel spun her around so she was facing him and caressed the side of her face.

"I love you," he said, taking her hand, he felt a cool metal ring around her finger and looked down, it was her wedding ring.

"I love you too," Buffy said, "what's wrong?" she asked, when she saw the confused look on his face.

"We shouldn't be doing this," he said,

"What? Angel, I'm fine, no more fear of drowning, I'm okay," she said.

"No, I mean this," he said gesturing to them, "you're married," he gestured down at her ring.

"Angel, don't bring this up now," she muttered.

"No, it's not right, if you had been just dating it wouldn't have been such a big deal, but you have a husband, you shouldn't even be here," Angel said.

"Angel, couldn't you have brought this up six months ago? Actually, just don't bring this up at all Angel, we're happy, why are you doing this all of a sudden?" she asked.

"I don't know, maybe I'm just finally realizing what I'm keeping you from.." Angel said.

"WHAT? Angel, you're not keeping anything from me! If I'd wanted to go back I would have! I would have had you tell Giles that I was here, recovering from injuries and that I'd be back once I had healed! But I didn't did I? This was MY decision Angel! You're not taking anything away from me," Buffy told him.

"Well, maybe I shouldn't have let you make that decision," Angel said.

"Oh, don't start with this now Angel, can't you trust me to do the right thing? And don't give me the whole "you deserve a normal life" speech again okay? Cause you know what? I'll never have a normal life, or a normal anything! Do you want me to get married to a normal man and have normal kids who can't protect themselves from demons so they can get killed? And then I can end up grieving? Cause you know what? That's what's going to happen if I decide to have that normal relationship," Buffy told him.

"I can't give you what you need Buffy, you know that. But the one who gave you that ring, maybe he can," Angel said.

"You know what this ring is to me? It's a ball and chain!" Buffy yelled, taking it off and flinging it into the ocean, "I DON'T love the guy who gave me that ring! I don't even want to be within a ten foot radius if him! And you can give me what I need Angel, you know that, cause you know what I need Angel? You, that's all, and I'm happy. I just need you to love me, and nothing else. So, so just don't do this, not now, because this is the happiest I've ever been in my life, and it's all because I'm with you," Buffy nearly cried.

Angel, starting to regret mentioning what he had, walked back over to her and wrapped his arms around her.

"I'm sorry Buffy, I just, I saw your wedding ring, and I guess I just realized that you were still married, and started thinking what we're doing is wrong," Angel apologized.

"No, it's not wrong, because we're in love," Buffy told him softly.

Angel smiled then kissed her.

"When you put it that way, it doesn't seem bad anymore," Angel said.

"And it's like when we first started dating, it's secret.. I think it makes it sexy." Buffy whispered.

Angel chuckled.

"Yes, it does.. I suddenly want to go back to bed.." Angel whispered.

"Oh! After you drag me out of it!" Buffy laughed.

"Who says I'm not going to drag you back into it?" Angel teased.

"I do, because it's neandrethalic and not like you, besides, you wouldn't have to drag me," Buffy said.

Angel laughed softly.

"Now I feel stupid for bringing that up before. If you'd said you'd wanted to go back I would have felt like the biggest idiot, and think about what I'd be missing out on." Angel said.

Buffy giggled.

"Just turn this thing around," Buffy said.

"No, not just yet," he replied, then captured her lips in a kiss.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

PART 9

Angel stumbled out of bed the next morning to find Buffy sitting in the kitchen, contently eating.. Ice cream for breakfast.

"Ice cream, Buffy? Nutritious way to start off the day," Angel said.

"Breakfast of champions," Buffy said raising her spoon in the air.

Angel chuckled half-heartedly.

"Someone's tired," Buffy teased.

"I didn't exactly get much sleep last night," Angel began, smiling at Buffy, she smiled back slyly, "I'm also not on a sugar high," he said, when he noticed the label on the tub of ice cream; Double-Fudge-Mint-Chip.

"Yes, but it has milk in it too, `milk, it does the body good,'" Buffy said.

Angel smiled even though he didn't feel like it, That's pathetic, he told himself, a tub of ice cream making you depressed! But it wasn't the ice cream, it was the memories that came with the tub of ice cream.

"You sound like Xander," Angel told her.

Buffy frowned. So did Angel, he sat down beside her,

"You miss them don't you?" he asked.

Buffy nodded.

"Why don't you call them? I'm sure they'd be more than happy to hear from you," Angel told her.

"No, I can't. They'd probably only get mad at me. I-I lied to them, I made them believe that I was dead, I made them worry about me, I made them mourn over me. They'd probably only hate me if they heard from me. I mean, Willow might understand why I did it, she was always the most understanding when it came down to you, but I'm not so sure about the rest of them," she told Angel.

She hadn't even noticed it, but she'd had a spoonful of ice cream hanging over the table the entire time she'd been talking, it suddenly dripped onto the table, Buffy was about to get something to clean it up with when an image of her and Angel in bed with the ice cream and Angel dripping it down his chest flashed through her mind. Whoa! Where'd that come from? That never happened! she thought, Not a bad idea though.Suddenly she saw herself licking the ice cream off Angel's chest, Also not a bad idea... she thought, but these didn't feel like just ideas, they seemed more real, like memories, like they'd actually happened. Then an image of her and Angel... on the kitchen table, flashed through her mind. What's going on?

"Oh!" she groaned as the memories flooded her mind and she toppled off her chair. Angel, who had been talking the entire time, and who Buffy hadn't been paying attention to, rushed to her side.

"Buffy? Are you alright?" Angel asked.

Buffy looked back up at him, shaking and with tears streaming down her face,

"Buffy? Wh-what's is it? What's wrong?"' he asked, concerned.

Buffy sat up and shakily put her hand on Angel's chest, over his heart.

"I.. I felt your heart beat." she whispered.

Angel jumped back when he heard those words,

"What?" he asked in shock.

"You.. You were human." Buffy wept.

"No, no, that never happened," Angel told her, although it was more to convince himself, as he stood up and backed away from Buffy acouple of steps.

"It did! It did! I know it did!" She choked back a sob once she realized what she'd just said.

"But. but how? How do you remember?" Angel asked.

"It was the ice cream, it dripped on the table, then I started seeing us. and we were. Oh god! This is too much!" she sobbed.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I. you must hate me right now," Angel said as he turned to walk away.

"What? Angel?" Buffy exclaimed as she got up and grabbed his arm to stop him from leaving.

"Why would I hate you?" she asked.

"I was human. and we were happy, and I took that away from us," Angel told her.

"No, no you didn't Angel. Look at us now, we don't need you to be human, we're happy, right now. These past 6 months have been the happiest in my life, and you weren't human," Buffy said.

"But think about what we could've had!" Angel told her.

"What? What we have now, that's what we could've had, and now we have it," Buffy said.

"I could've taken you in the sunlight." Angel sighed.

"So? That doesn't matter to me Angel, it really doesn't,"

"No, it does matter," Angel told her.

"What? So you'd prefer to stay human and get killed? You are a very complex man," Buffy replied.

"Somehow I remember this argument being the other way around,"

"I was eighteen! What did you want me to do? But I understand why you did it now. Granted, I would've been a little happier if you'd let me make the decision before you did it, but if we'd stayed that way it would have been too dangerous, for both of us, we might not have had a chance to get this far. You mad a hard decision, it doesn't make me hate you, it makes me love you more," Buffy told him.

"What? Angel asked.

"Angel, you could've been selfish, you could've decided it didn't matter what would happen to us in the future as long as you were human and we could be together, but you didn't do that, you sacrificed being alive, not being human - because you have more humanity in you then most humans I know - so I could stay safe. Why would I hate you for that? It just proves to me how much you love me, and it makes me love you more," Buffy explained.

Angel stared at her in wonder then hugged her,

"You are a very complex woman," he said.

"All the more reason why we belong together, we can be complex together," Buffy joked.

"Yeah, one of the many aspects of our relationship," Angel laughed.

"Yep, definetly."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

PART 10

A Year Since Buffy's Accident

"Doyle!" Buffy shouted as she ran down the street towards him, "Doyle! You seen Angel?" she asked.

"Yeah, went to get office supplies,"

"Office supplies?" Buffy asked.

"Weapons," Doyle replied.

"Ah," Buffy replied as she nodded her head.

"What? You seriously think he's gonna go shopping with you and Delia? Come on! He may love you but he's not crazy!" Doyle said.

"No, I know he wouldn't come, guys and shopping don't mix. I just wanna know where he is,"

"It's the store two blocks ahead, on the left side of the street," Doyle instructed her.

"Thanks!" She shouted and took off running.

"Buffy got to the crosswalk and waited for the light to change so she could cross the street.

"Buffy?!" she heard someone gasp. She turned to face the person and her heart stopped - it was Riley. Oh God! What am I going to do now!? she thought in a panic.

"Buffy! Oh my God! Y-you're alive!" he said.

"Yeah, that's usually a good thing." Buffy replied.

"I'm Riley. and you don't live here, you live in Sunnydale. Oh! Your friends have been so-"

"I don't have amnesia Riley. I chose to stay here," Buffy replied.

"What?" he asked, "But. why?"

Buffy took a breath,

"Because I did," she said.

"That's it? That's your big important reason?" he asked.

"No.. I don't love you," she said.

"What?" he asked.

"I don't love you. I decided to stay here with Angel, because I don't love you, I finally realized that I never did," she told him.

"Wait.. You're staying with Angel? But. he's a vampire!" riley almost shouted.

"I know. And I don't care, I love him, I mean really love him, and he loves me. And I'm happier here then I've ver been before in my entire life," Buffy told him, for some reason, the words suddenly just rolling off her tongue.

"How can you be happy with him? We were happy Buffy, don't you remember that?" he practically pleaded.

"No, I wasn't happy with you. I only thought I was, I made my self believe that I was, because I'd been so hurt. I was vulnerable and I was afraid of being alone, so I turned to someone safe who I was sure wouldn't break my heart, that person was you. But I didn't really love you, I was just going through the motions, because I wanted to prove to Angel that I could do what he wanted me to."

"How can you say you still love him? After he left you? How do you know he won't do it again?" Riley asked.

"Because we've worked past that! We've been together this entire year and we've had absolutely no horrible, horrible problems that we weren't able to talk through," she explained.

"He was evil, he killed people!" Riley said in discust.

"And you helped an army to create a deadly demon out of bits and pieces of humans and other demons and I don't think you any less of a man," (I do! Oh I do! Oops! Not supposed to do that!) Buffy retorted.

"Buffy-"

"No, you listen Fish-Boy! I love him okay?! I can't help that! I didn't get a choice in it! It just happened! Love has no bounds! It's blind! In love, stuff like that doesn't matter!" she shouted.

"We're married!" he shouted back, "Were married.." He added quietly.

"What? WERE married?"

"Yeah,"

"What do you mean?" Buffy asked.

"I-I got an annulment about two months after you disappeared out at sea. I thought you were dead, I though you weren't coming back," he said.

"Then why are you arguing me? If we're not even married anymore then why would you care who I'm seeing?" Buffy asked.

"Because maybe I want us to have another chance," he replied.

Buffy laughed.

"Please! You expect me to choose you over Angel? I think not!" Buffy scoffed.

Riley, a look of pure anger on his face, stormed away from Buffy,

"Your friends are gonna hear about this!" he yelled.

"You do that!" she shouted back.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Angel watched the entire scene from across the street. He didn't know who that man was, the one who was yelling at Buffy, but if the light changed and Angel actually got over there before he left that guy was going to get an earfull. Suddenly he remembered something from about four years ago, when Doyle had had a vision of Buffy in danger, it was right around Thanksgiving, he remembered seeing Buffy standing on the sidewalk talking to that guy, that was Riley! Oh no! he thought, he didn't know what to do, he wished the light would hurry up. Would Buffy go back to him? No, you have no reason to think that! She wouldn't! Angel thought.

"You do that!" he heard Buffy scream over the traffic just before the light changed, Angel ran across the street.

"Buffy! Was that.."

"Riley? Yeah," she replied.

"What was going on? What did he say?" Angel asked.

"Nothing really important, he was basically yelling at me for being with you," she replied as she took his hand and they began to walk back to Angel's apartment.

"Well, he is your husband.."

"Nope,"

"Nope?"

"Nope. He got an annulment around two months after I ended up here. Isn't that great? Now we can be together with absolutely no worries. Not that Riley was ever one.." Buffy said.

"That-that's great! I-I. wow!" was all Angel could manage to stammer.

"Don't hyperventilate now." Buffy said sarcastically.

"Funny,"

"Well, it was supposed to be, you don't' breathe!" Buffy explained.

Angel smiled then stopped abruptly.

"Angel?"

"Buffy, there's something that I've been meaning to ask you, I know it's a little sudden, and I know what just happened, but... Will you marry me?" he almost whispered the last four words.

Buffy stared at him in shock not knowing what to say or do, it felt so unreal..

Angel started to feel sheepish, Oh! Perfect timing! She just finds out that her ex-husband got an annulment and you ask her to marry you! Idiot!

Suddenly Buffy threw herself into his arms laughing happily and repeating "Yes! Yes! Yes!" over and over. Angel smiled and started laughing too. Buffy suddenly pulled back.

"I think it's maybe time I call my friends," Buffy said.

"Took you long enough! What prompted this?" he asked.

"Oh come on! You expect me to get married and not have them there? Yeah right!" Buffy replied.

"Completely agreeing," Angel said.

Buffy smiled, still not able to believe what had just happened.

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too," Angel replied as he leaned down to kiss her.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

PART 11

"You're not nervous?" Willow asked Buffy as she stood infront of the mirror adjusting her veil.

"Nope,"

"Not even a teeny bit?"

"Nope,"

"But you were so nervous you were practically puking when you married Riley," Willow said.

"Well, I'd be puking too! I take it none of you really looked at that guy," Cordelia said.

"I was nervous because it wasn't right. But this is Angel, this is what I've always wanted. Now I'm just excited!" Buffy exclaimed.

"I can understand how you would be," Willow replied.

"God Will, thank you! Thank you so much for forgiving me! I don't know what I would've done if you guys hadn't," Buffy thanked Willow.

"I can think of a couple of things. most of them involve Angel.." Anya replied.

"Ew! Mental pictures! Please! Even I have more tact than that!" Cordelia retorted.

"No problem. I mean, I get why you did it. I mean, it's Angel, you two are, like, meant to be together, you're soulmates," Willow said.

Soulmates.. Buffy thought and smiled at herself in the mirror,

"I like the sound of that.." She said.

Just then Doyle burst into the room.

"Hey Buff! You'd better be almost ready! The ceremony starts in less than fifteen minutes!" Doyle said.

"I'm ready. And fifteen minutes is way too long if you ask me!" she answered.

"Good, just makin' sure," he replied then left the room almost as quickly as he came.

"Oh! He doesn't have to say hi to me or anything!" Cordelia complained.

"You know, I'm really surprised he puts up with you," Willow said.

Cordelia scowled at her.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Doyle stepped back into the room Angel was pacing impatiently back and forth in. He stopped when he saw Doyle.

"So?" he asked.

"It's all good," Doyle replied.

"How does she look?" Angel asked.

"Well, how about we make a trade? You can have Delia and I'll take Buffy..?" Doyle joked.

Angel laughed.

"Not in a million years," Angel replied, but he wasn't joking, "She really looks that good?"

"Come on! It's Buffy! She always looks good!" Xander piped in.

"Hafta agree with you on that one.." Spike added.

Angel growled at them.

"She's exquisite," Doyle said.

"I know," Angel replied smiling.

"You're a lucky guy Angel," He added.

"What do you mean?"

"You found her man, 'the one'. Some people never find that person," Doyle replied.

"What about Cordy?" Angel asked.

"Well, I'm a lucky guy too," Doyle replied, grinning goofily.

"You people make me sick! Would you sodd off already? You and your lovey-dovey talk! I'm goin' outside!" Spike said.

"I miss Anya.." Xander said suddenly muttered and left.

"Love.." drawled Giles, who'd been sitting quietly listening to the entire conversation.

"Love indeed.." Doyle replied as he watched Angel stare into space with a look that Cordelia called "happy Buffy face".

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Xander walked into Buffy's room to see Buffy sitting on a couch drumming her fingers impatiently on the arm of the couch and looking up at the clock every five seconds.

"Hey! Looks like Angel isn't the only one going insane! He's pacing around in the other room like a caged tiger or something.." Xander said.

"Is it time yet?" Buffy asked eagerly.

"Sorry Buff, ten more minutes," he said.

Buffy let out something between a sigh and a growl.

"Why can't I see Angel?" she whined.

"Because it's bad luck!" Willow said.

"Yeah, and you two don't need anymore of that!" Cordelia piped in.

"Funny. Oh come on! You guys are too superstitious!" Buffy complained.

"Oh come on Buff! You spent an entire year with him! And from what Cordy and Doyle told us it was like you too were joined at the hip! I think you can go a couple of hours without him!" Xander said.

"I'm sorry," Buffy said.

"Naw, don't be, I'm only teasing!" Xander said.

"No, I mean for last year, for what I put you through. I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't forgiven me," Buffy said.

"No, you don't have to apologize again. I know I've been an ass about it in the past but I know how you and Angel feel about each other. And if I'd been in your position I probably would have done the same thing," Xander replied.

"When did you get so mature?" Buffy asked.

"I'm not really sure.." Xander answered.

Buffy hugged him.

"Thank you Xander,"

"No, thank you's required,"

"Hey guys! Time to go! Spike's gonna come get you in a couple of minutes Buffy," Oz said stepping into the room.

Buffy nodded.

Everyone left the room leaving Buffy to sit there all alone, way too anxious and excited. She was only there a couple of minutes before Spike walked in.

"Hey Slayer!? You ready?" he asked.

"More than ever!" she replied.

"You'd better be glad we all forgave you! Otherwise that hall in there would be pretty empty!" Spike said.

"Oh! I don't know what I would've done without you Spike!" Buffy exclaimed sarcastically.

"Damn straight! Spike replied, "I missed this Slayer, I had no one to fight with verbally," Spike said.

"Whoa. did I hear right? Did I just hear William the Bloody say he missed me? What is the world coming to?" she asked.

"Yeah, you got me Slayer, you happy?"

"Quite,"

"Fine then. Well good luck to ya," Spike said then disappeared into the church hall.

"Are you ready?" Giles asked her.

"I've been ready for the past eight years," Buffy replied.

"I know you two have,"

"Thank you Giles, thank you for understanding, it means a lot to me," Buffy said.

"Yes, well, I am not too happy that you made us believe that you were dead for an entire year, but I'm glad that you are alive, and that you are happy. And I guess I should be thankful that it was Angel who found you and took care of you," Giles said.

"Thank you Giles," Buffy repeated, just as the music started.

"It's time," Giles said.

"It definetly is!" Buffy said then took Giles' arm and let him lead her into the church.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

(I was going to write the ceremony here but I decided it was better if I didn't screw up Buffy and Angel's wedding!)

Buffy stood in Angel's arms on the balcony of their hotel room, while looking out over the Irish landscape.

"It's beautiful here," Buffy whispered.

"Yeah, it is. But I still think that you're more beautiful," Angel replied.

Buffy slapped him lightly.

"Don't get all cheesy and sappy on me!" she said through a smile.

"You know you like it," Angel whispered.

Buffy smiled again.

"This is it, isn't it?" she asked.

"This is what?" Angel asked.

"The end. We made it. It's happily ever after now. We don't have to fight anymore," she said.

"No, no more fighting. We made it," he replied then kissed her shoulder.

Buffy laughed,

"Took us long enough didn't it?" she asked.

Angel laughed too.

"It certainly did. But you know what? If things stay the way they are now, I think it was worth it," Angel said.

"Yeah, it was. We fought, and we struggled, and we broke each other's hearts, but you know what? It just made us love each other more," Buffy replied.

"It did. But now it's over. And we can just be together, and be happy," Angel said.

"I like that idea," Buffy whispered.

"I love you,"

"I love you too."

I know.. Cheesy ending, not my fault! I wrote this part at 2:30 in the morning!

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