Okay guys, here is the sequel. Hope you are happy!!! Special thanks to my friends Helen and Carrie who asked for the sequel in the first place. They were sort of pre-reading the story and pointed out it wasn't finished yet. Hope you enjoy!
RATING: pretty much like the show, so everyone should be able to read it
DISCLAIMER: Not mine, don't sue. If I owned them I would at least think that there could be long-distance relationships and not make such a mess! But I own Mike and Andrew and the plot. The title of this story is again a song by Wet, Wet, Wet from their album "End of part one". So it is not mine too.
FEEDBACK: is absolutely necessary. Connemara.Scarlets@t-online.de
SPOILERS: the whole BtVS and Angel-shows. And of course my story "Wishing I Was Lucky". If you do not know it I highly recomend you read that first because it would be difficult to understandthe plot of this one without knowing the other. It should be archived at the Land of Denial. Or if you need any parts just e-mail me.
SUMMARY: Takes places directly after "Wishing I Was Lucky". Last thing we heard was that Angel was human and they went off for breakfast. Well, they went and had also a strole through the city and the park and are coming back now to the office when darkness has set in to find an unexpected guest.
WARNING: CONTAINS ANGST!!!!!

It was already dark outside when they came back to the office. Their voices were loud on the street.

"I cannot believe you were in the mood to buy stuff, don't you ever stop?" Xander teased.

"Hey, we had to celebrate and buying is the best way to do it." Cordelia grinned brightly and was the first to step into the office. She switched the light on and one after one the others entered.

"It seems Spike has finally managed to come out of his coma," Xander pointed out nodding over to the training room where the door was open now.

"I wonder where he has gone," Buffy frowned looking at Angel who shrugged, he certainly had no idea where his childe was.

"I'm still here slayer, but unlike you I can not go off and just forget..." he trailed off. He had come up the stairs while talking to the group and was now standing in front of them, mouth agape and staring at Angel. "Bloody, hell. You were meant to be dead," he finally managed to say.

"Obviously I am not," Angel answered dryly. "Don't you feel well, you look pale," he joked and behind him everyone began to chuckle.

"Yeah, humor me. This is very funny." He stepped closer to his sire. "Something odd is going on with you, your vibe is different... you ... hell, you have a heartbeat," he exclaimed, his eyes widening in surprise.

"Spike, is someone up there?" a familar voice asked from downstairs.

"Mom," Buffy asked.

"Buffy," came the answer from downstairs while Joyce was heading up the stairs. During her way up she started: "Oh baby, Spike told me everything, I am so so.. Angel." She took a deep breath: "Okay, now I am confused." She looked at the ex-vampire: "I thought you were dead."

"You know, that line is becoming old. Maybe we should change it for something else," Xander recommended. When everyone glared at him he rose his hands in defense but the grin never left his face. His mood was too good to be destroyed.

Angel smiled at Joyce: "I am sorry. Yeah, well, I was supposed to be dead, but as you see I am not. In fact I am very much *alive*."

When Joyce only nodded, Buffy added: "No you don't understand, Mom. Angel is alive. Alive in breathing, having a heartbeat, eating normal food, alive."

Joyce's face lightened up: "Oh, baby, I am very happy for you. And for you, Angel." She reached out her hand and he took it. "I am sorry I misjudged you so much. It seems I have closed my eyes for much too long. While I am there and I really hate to destroy your mood, but Buffy. Mike came to see me this afternoon. He tried to persuade me to help him getting you back. When I told him I had no intention to do so he got very angry. I think he could become a problem."

Buffy shrugged: "Maybe, but I am not in the mood to deal with him now. And while I am at it," she pulled her wedding ring off her left hand and threw it out of the door. "Now I feel better."

******

"She is not going to leave me like that. Running off to LA and in the arms of her ex-boyfriend and obviously current lover. That bitch." Mike lay in his bed the arms around a beautiful dark haired woman.

She yawned: "Can we skip that for tonight, I am tired. And why are you talking about her all the time? You have me now, honey."

"Ellen, you don't understand. She. left. me. Nobody does that and gets away. She wants a divorce to be with him. Now I can promise she will hate the day she decided to get me out of her life."

"Okay," his companion said tiredly and drifted off to sleep.

"You are mine, Buffy Summers and you will learn how to behave to your husband." He told the darkness in his bedroom as nobody else was listening.

******

After going out for dinner Wesley offered Giles the guest bed in his apartment because Joyce was staying in LA and Angel wanted her to have his guest-room, so she could be near her daughter and talk. After all they only spoken some words since Buffy had left her mother's house. The others left and so Angel, Buffy, Joyce and Spike were assembled in the kitchen, drinking some whine Angel had offered his guests.

"Champagne in the morning, whine in the evening. You are turning me into a drinker, my love," Buffy exclaimed from Angel's lap. He grinned and looked at Joyce, who had a strange look on her face.

"Are you okay?"

"Oh... sorry," she looked up. "I was just in thoughts. I am fine. Just thinking. I am very happy, you know. I have never seen my daughter glow like that." She smiled.

"Oh hell, do I have to listen to that the whole evening? It's sickening," Spike emptied his glas with one gulp. Willow had left with Cordelia and Xander and he missed her. Even more when he looked at these two love-birds.

"You can go upstairs or out or whatever. Nobody forces you to stay," Angel said without looking at him. His whole concentration was directed to Buffy who was kissing his neck, sending showers down his spine.

"Well, then I leave. Have a stroll round the block, see if I can find someone to beat up. See you later." He weaved a short goodbye and disappeard up the stairs.

Joyce yawned: "It was a long day. So I am going to bed now. See you in the morning." She stood up walked over to kiss her daughter on the cheek. She smiled and surprised the ex-vampire by doing the same with him.

When she had left, Buffy turned to her lover: "You know, she has a point."

"What do you mean?"

"Obviously she thinks you are cute and wanted to kiss you," she grinned with a mischieveous glimpse in her eyes.

"Is that so?" he asked playfully, his hands now roaming up and down her back.

The slayer closed her eyes and sighed delightfully: "Yes, that's so," she whispered. She glanced to the table: "Is this a new one?"

"Pardon?"

"The table. It's not *that* table?" She grinned.

He chuckled: "No. Maybe you remember: it broke. Well it broke the first time, but I could not keep it." His eyes had a sad expression for a short moment: "Too many memories. I threw it out after your wedding," he confessed. "It was ... well, as if you were finally untouchable."

She raised her hand and gently stroke his cheek: "I love you. And we should forget all about it, we are together now, truly together and that is all that counts."

He smiled: "You are right."

"You know, sometime you have to show me. It is a long time ago and I cannot really remember how it was. On the table, I mean." The mischievous expression had again entered her eyes.

"But not tonight, not with your mother only across the apartment," he said but still smiled.

"I can see your point," she said sighing dramatically. "So I have to be patient. But that does not mean, we cannot... I mean." She pointed in the direction of his bedroom and his smile grew to a grin.

"Buffy, we have already lost so much time. I would never lose another day."

With this he took her in his arms. Entering the bedroom he made sure the door was closed this time.

Some feet away Joyce smiled while she was falling asleep.

...

Part 2

Buffy woke up with the feeling of *warm*, strong arms encircling her in bed. She smiled to herself thinking about the previous night, that was what she had ever dreamed of - it was perfect. Angel had been so loving, so careful and yet so passionate and she had never loved him more than now. Instinctively he had felt her hesitation when he touched her intimately. She was still haunted by her experiences with Mike, all the things she had allowed him to do to her. She shuddered slightly thinking back to her nights in bed with her husband, no, no bad thoughts, not anymore. The past was the past, the only important thing was the future and that meant Angel and a better life, she was sure of that. She only wished she could get back Andrew, the only good thing that ever came out of all these past years. She closed her eyes for a short moment having his smiling face in her mind and hearing him saying 'mommy'. Buffy would never forget him.

Angel stirred and slowly opened his eyes. Buffy was laying in his arms, her back firmly pressed at his chest. He smiled, bowed down and kissed her gently on the head: "Good Morning, love."

She turned in his arms: "Good Morning to you." She kissed him again.

"How do you feel?"

"Perfect, I feel just perfect. This is like a dream coming true," a single tear of joy run down her face.

"Why are you crying?" asked Angel, his voice full of concern.

She nodded smiling: "I am just so happy. It's almost unreal. I have never been so happy before. The only thing..."

"You miss your son, right?" He gently stroke her cheek.

"Yes I miss him. I wished... But he is gone, I have to move on." She was touched by his genuine concern and his understanding. He always knew what was going on in her.

"I know, but you had hardly any time to mourn him, Buffy. Mourning is a part of the healing process," he looked at her with a very serious expression.

"Are you sharing some wise knowledge with me again?" she half-joked although she did not feel to do so.

"It's just common sense, ma grian." Angel kissed her forehead.

"What does it mean?"

"What?"

"You called me something." She could not remember the word.

He smiled: "Ma grian. That means my sun."

She smiled as well: "It sounds beautiful." She snuggled closer in his embrace.

"You are beautiful, Beloved." He sighed: "I think we should get up now." Seeing her frown he grinned: "I don't like it either but your mother is sleeping here and the others will arrive any minute. I have closed the door this time but ..."

"Yeah. I see your point, yesterday was too embarrassing," she blushed again remembering Cordelia storming in Angel's room finding them half naked making out. Standing up she reached for a towel and her bath utensils: "I am going to take a shower. Will you join me?"

He sighed: "Not today. Remember, your mother."

"Oh right. Mom. See you soon," she smiled and shut the door behind her.

Angel got up as well, pulled some clothes on and went into the kitchen only to find Joyce already sitting there with a cup of coffee in her hand. When she saw him coming in she smiled: "Morning, Angel. I hope you don't mind that I did help myself," she nodded at her cup.

"Of course not," he said smiling. "Make yourself home. Did you have something for breakfast?" She shook her head no. "Would you like to have some, let me see," he opened the fridge and got a nauseous feeling seeing the blood standing there.

Noticing his expression Joyce asked: "Are you alright?"

"I am fine," he quickly assured her. "It's just funny. After drinking blood for such a long time it now seems to make me nauseous," he shook his head in disbelief and gave her a apologizing smile.

"I can imagine there will be a lot of changes now for you. Angel," she became serious. "I don't want to give you the third degree but Buffy and you, am I guessing right that you are together now?"

He winced slightly but relaxed when he saw that she was still smiling: "Yes, we are. I love her very much and she loves me. I know that you did not approve of our relationship at one point..." He stopped when he saw her rising her hand.

"As I said yesterday, I have learned a lot about my daughter over the last years, well over the last months. One of these things is the fact that she loves you and that you two have a very unique connection. Nobody could reach her in the past four months. You enter my house, be with her for some minutes and she comes back. If this did not teach me a lesson I would be truly lost. So basically, if she is happy with you and I can see she is I am happy with it too. Not that I would have a word in this. My daughter is not a little girl anymore, so she makes her own decisions." She smiled again.

"I know, but she wants you to support her decisions, because she loves you very much."

Joyce reached out and put a hand on Angel's arm: "I am glad we will get to know each other now. I have a feeling I will like you a lot."

Angel blushed slightly and changed the subject: "Coming back to your breakfast. I can see bacon and some eggs in here. So would you like it," he was still standing in front of the fridge.

"That sounds great. Oh, I hear Buffy has finished her shower, I just have a quick run to the bathroom and will be right back."

*******

"Is everybody decent down there?" Cordelia exclaimed when she stepped down to the apartment about an hour later. "I am SO not looking forward to repeat my yesterday experience."

"We are good," Buffy replied. "We are having breakfast."

The brunette entered the kitchen and greeted the three people sitting there, sipping coffee or in Buffy's case some juice. She smiled: "Xander and Willow went to the mall again. They said something about seizing the day. Willow wants to buy some clothes," she rolled her eyes. "Although I doubt she can find something without me, but I have to work, right." She shot Angel a look.

"If this is a request for a day off the answer is yes. Why did you come anyway, you could have called and asked?"

"I just wanted to check if everything is alright, you know. No grrrr."

Buffy giggled and Angel sighed, rolling his eyes while Joyce's face had a confused look.

"Cordelia, I am human now. Why would there be any 'grrr' to say it in your words."

"Actually these are Willow's words but nevermind. I am glad everything is okay. So I am leaving. We will come back after shopping in some hours. Oh and something else. Are you planning to go back to Sunnydale?"

"What?"

"Well you and Buffy are obviously together now, so will you back with her?"

"We have not really talked about it yet," he looked at Buffy who smiled. "But as soon as we make a decision you will be the first to know."

"Good. I'm gone now." She gave them her best smile and left.

"Cordelia," Buffy sighed, rolling her eyes. Joyce immediately burst out laughing and the others joined her.

"She has a point, you know," the slayer finally managed to say. "We should talk about living arrangements soon. I mean you have the business here and I am still sorta bound to Sunnydale, having the hellmouth and all."

He took her hand: "I know. But we will find a way, I promise. Maybe we look for a house inbetween or I come back and go to LA for one or two days a week only. It's not that there aren't plenty of vamps to be slayed in Sunnydale."

"No," she grinned. "There are. Another idea, I could come and live here with you, in LA I mean. Sunnydale is not so far away, so if there is some big, bad evil we could easily go and take care of it. And with Spike there is always someone who can do the patroling."

Joyce smiled and patted her daughter's arm: "I am sure you will find a way. Excuse me now. I will have a short trip to the mall as well and I have to go back home this afternoon. There is a big exhibiton in the gallery tonight."

"What are we going to do today?" Buffy asked Angel when her mother had left the apartment.

"It's Tuesday," he locked eyes with his slayer: "I have to go to jail."

"To jail?," Buffy arched her eyebrows.

"Yeah. I am visiting Faith, I do it every Tuesday. We talk," he explained. "I think she appreciates it."

"You see Faith?" she asked incredulously, but to Angel's surprise there was no anger in her voice.

"Yeah. Do you want to come? I mean, see her in jail."

She thought about it for a little while, then she nodded: "Yes, I think I would like to see her."

*******

Buffy had never been to a jail before and it scared her. So many doors and empty halls, very similar to a hospital. The prison guard showed them to a room and closed the door. Angel pointed to a pair of chairs at a table and both sat down. Only some minutes later another door was opened and Faith appeared, a smile on her face that suddenly faded when she noticed the person who had come with Angel.

"Buffy," she only said and hesitated in the door.

"Faith," Buffy nodded at her. "I hope you don't mind me coming. But Angel asked me if I would like to go with him."

Faith looked at the ex-vampire and when he nodded she slowly approached the table and sat herself opposite to them.

"How are you?" Angel asked.

"Fine," she answered. "Well, almost. Another prisoner, a new one, she attacked me," Faith grinned. "But she never met a slayer before."

"Faith," he said warningly.

"No, not what you think. I only fought back, one punch and she understood. What happened, I mean you are here. At noon."

"I got my redemption, I am human."

Her face lightened up: "That's great. When did it happen?"

"Yesterday." He smiled looking at Buffy who smiled back.

"And you two," she began. "I thought you were married, B."

Buffy frowned: "I still am, but not for long anymore."

"So I guess you are together again."

"We are," the blonde slayer answered.

"Buffy,"

"Faith" they both said at the same time.

"You go first," Buffy said waiting for the other slayer to speak.

"Alright. It's. I just wanted to say I am sorry and that I understand you hate me and all. But you see, I have changed, I had to work hard, but I have and Angel's been a great help. So maybe..."

Buffy smiled: "Yeah, I would like that too," she said understanding what Faith had wanted to ask. "After all you are my sister slayer," she added.

A genuine smile spread across Faith's face: "I will not disappoint you again. I know you reached out your hand to me before and I put a knife in your back. But it won't happen again." Then she looked back at Angel: "I have news by the way. Kate came yesterday. There is a chance that I might be released on probation soon. It's not 100% but most likely."

"Are you happy about it," Angel asked.

"I am not sure, really. A part of me is glad, this whole jail-thing is pretty restricting but on the other hand I do not know what I have to expect. Outside I mean."

"You could always work for me, you know." Angel smiled when he felt that Buffy was squeezing his hand.

"You think so?" She seemed excited. "I mean, you would give a job to me. After all."

"Faith. As you said yourself before. You have changed a lot and it is not a bad idea to have a slayer working for me."

She grinned: "I am not in my best shape. The training conditions here are antique to put it mildly. So the best I can do is running and some other things. I have nobody to spar with me. They are just to afraid."

Angel chuckled: "I bet. We have to go now. You will call as soon as you have news?"

"I will." She looked back to Buffy. "I am glad you came."

"Me too," the blonde smiled. Both were shaking hands. Faith gave Angel a short glance, then turned and knocked on the door, which was opened at once and she stepped out.

*********

When Buffy and Angel were again in his car, he looked over to her: "Are you okay?"

"I am fine. I am glad I came with you. She really seems to have changed. Her eyes are different."

"I know." He smiled softly and took her hand.

"You always felt that she was not completely lost. I am so sorry for yelling at you when I found her in your office. And for being such a bitch then."

He pulled her hand to his mouth and kissed it: "That is the past, Buffy. Let's not dwell on it."

"You are right." Suddenly she frowned: "I have to make a phonecall as soon as we are back at your office. Before I had the accident I was already talking to someone, a friend of my mother's actually, who would take care of all the formalities that are important for a divorce."

"You don't have to hurry."

"But I want to."

"Do whatever you want. I just wanted you to know that you have all the time you need. I would never push you."

"I love you," she said shifting in her seat to make herself comfortable.

"Love you too."

*******

"You cannot buy that, it is so out." Cordelia rolled her eyes. Willow would have been lost without her. Xander stood behind her and grinned all the time. She spun round: "What are you grinning, Harris? Fashion is very important. The right impression can open doors you would've never thought they even existed." She turned again: "Now come out, Willow, let's see."

"I think it is not my style," the redhead answered, leaving the changing room hestitantly.

Xander's eyes nearly bulged out of his head. His childhood friend had never looked so sexy. "Wow," he breathed.

"Oh, Willow," the brunette smiled: "Oz is going to lose it. You look just perfect."

"You think?" Willow was still not sure. She had never worn something like that. The short red dress was tight fit and only held by thin straps.

"Will you look great," Xander quickly assured her and Willow smiled gratefully.

"Why do I bother at all?" she said. "It's not as if Oz will see it the next time. He phoned me before we left Sunnydale. They have another gig in Calgary, so they heading for Canada from New York. Only god knows when I will see him."

"The more reason you buy this and we are going to a dance club. All men will go crazy."

Willow's eyes widened: "Oh. But I don't want that. I mean, I want to look good but."

"We understand, but Willow, you are in your twenties. No more time to lose. If Oz is to lazy to see what he has then you should not waste your time with him." Cordelia gave Xander a short smile.

"But I love Oz," the witch stated.

"I know, but that does not mean you have to sit at home. Go out, have fun. You could stay some more time in LA and come with me and Buffy to some night clubs."

"I could stay too," Xander jumped in. "I phoned my boss and got the whole week off. So I am free." Cordelia smiled broadly.

"Okay," Willow said reluctantly.

"Great. We drag Xander, Angel and Wesley with us. And Giles, if we must."

"We could ask Spike," Willow threw in.

"SPIKE?" Cordelia shrieked. All people in the store turned to look at them. She gave them an appologetic look, smiling sheepishly. "Spike," she said again. "Are you out of your mind?"

The witch shrugged: "He is fun. I hate him sometimes, but he is fun. If I am going to have fun, he could come too."

"Uhm, Willow," Xander said taking his friends arm: "You remember, Spike, he is an evil vampire."

"And?" the redhead asked. "Angel was an evil vampire too."

"Just a second," the former cheerleader looked at her: "you are not really comparing Angel and Spike, do you? I mean Angel had a soul, exept for a short period. Spike is still evil, the only reason he does not bite is that thing in his head." Cordelia shook her head in disbelief, being without a boyfriend had some really frightening side-effects. Stop, she thought, I do not have boyfriend, I have to be careful.

"No I am not comparing them," Willow said. "I only said he was fun."

"He is annoying most of the time." Xander could not believe what his friend was telling them.

"So are you, well sometimes," the redhead shot back.

"Now you are comparing Spike and me, Willow I think you need some treatment."

"Xander, stop it," Cordelia cut in. "Okay, we ask Spike. It's fine with me. We just have to prevent Angel from killing him."

"You are both crazy," Xander muttered.

"You better be good, Harris, or I make you sleep with him in the training room." Cordelia teased.

"Oh. Okay, I'm good."

"So," the brunette asked: "do you take the dress now?"

Willow nodded, she paid and they made their way back to the office.

...

Part 3

"Mom, are your sure you do not want to stay one more night?" Buffy asked, when her mother made ready to leave in the afternoon.

"I would love to, but there is no way. I have organised this whole exhibition so there is no way staying. I am sorry, honey."

"Fine," Buffy sighed. "I see, you have to leave." The both women made their way up the stairs, the slayer carrying her mother's bag.

"When will you come back to Sunnydale," Joyce asked when they stood at her car.

Buffy shrugged: "I do not know. At the moment I do not even want to think about being away from him," she smiled.

"I understand," Joyce laid a hand on her daughter's arm: "Did you speak to Daniel Gold?"

"I did. Today when Angel and I came back from our visit at the jail. He said he would do what he can to have a quick divorce," she frowned: "he said it all depends if Mike will be cooperative or not. And that is the point where I get a really bad feeling. Mom, I want to be free again, I want to be with Angel now we have a chance, a real chance to be together, to live with each other."

"Honey, whatever I can do, just tell me. Besides we are living in the 21st millennium, who cares to whom you are married or not and with whom you are living," Joyce smiled.

"Mom," Buffy replied in mocked surprise. "What happened to you? Is there a demon possessing your body?"

"Oh sweetheart, I have eyes. You have never looked so happy as you look when you are with him. And that is all that counts." She leaned forward, hugged her daughter and kissed her. "I really have to go. Hope to see you soon."

The slayer hugged her back: "Drive safe, mom. And call."

"I will," Joyce replied getting in the car.

Buffy looked after her when the car disappeared round the corner and went back into the office to find Cordelia busy with her nails and Angel on the phone at her desk. She smiled: "Cordelia, did you see Giles?"

"Giles," the brunette said. "He and Wesley are in Angel's office."

"Are you okay?" asked Angel, who had finished his phonecall by then, at the same moment.

"Yeah, I am fine, it's just, I wished the whole Mike-thing was over." She sighed.

"I know," he took her in his arms. "I am sorry, you have to go through that. But we will do it together, I will be beside you all the time." He kissed her softly and then rested his head on hers.

Cordelia cleared her throat: "Ahem... sorry to interrupt that, but I totally forgot to tell you that we are going out tonight."

"What," Buffy's mood changed immediately while Angel looked slightly shocked. "Where are we going?" the slayer asked excited.

"A new club near by. They say it is really great and they have live music," she looked at Angel. "Don't look at me that way. It's going to be fun."

"Fun, sure." He slightly shook his head in disbelief.

"Oh come on," Buffy took his hand. "I am sure it will be fun and besides, you can dance with me all the time."

"Well if you put it that way," he grinned and caught her lips in another kiss.

"Can you two stop that for a minute," Cordelia rolled her eyes. "Spike is right, this is sickening."

"Bloody right," came a voice from the training room.

"Uhm," the brunette began. "There is something else. Uhm... Spike is coming with us,"

"You must be joking," Buffy and Angel said unison.

"No, unfortunately not," she rose her hand in defense. "It was not my idea. As Willow has no partner I thought about Wesley, but she wants to go with Spike."

"Willow?" Buffy could not believe her ears. "The Oz-separation must be really hard on her."

"Obviously," Angel threw in. "And how am I supposed to survive a whole evening with Spike. Can you tell me that?"

"I'll make him behave," Buffy grinned. "I take a stake with me."

He grinned back: "And how are you planning to hide it. I mean you will not wear pants, t-shirt and a jacket, right."

"Oh shit," she exclaimed. "I have nothing to wear. I only took regular clothes with me from Sunnydale."

"No problem, you can take one of mine," Cordelia offered.

"That should do the trick. Cordelia's selection is better than a store," joked Xander entering the office with Willow in tow. The brunette glared at him but he shrugged: "It's true."

"Whatever," she changed the subject. "I think we three girls need to go to my apartment, getting ready for tonight." She looked at Angel: "You will get us there at eight?"

He nodded: "Alright. So I see you in two hours then."

"Oh I have to ask Spike first," Willow said shyly.

"No problem, Red. I'll go with you," came the reply from behind the door. Willow grinned and the girls left the office.

*******

"I cannot believe I am spending an evening with you," Angel muttered some hours later looking at Spike when the three men stood in front of Cordelia's apartment complex.

Xander patted his shoulder: "I am right with you buddy." He and Angel exchanged a smile.

"What happened to the two of you? Has Red done a love spell on you?" Spike was confused, he never believed the two men could be civil with each other.

The ex-vampire rolled his eyes: "Some of us can make women fall in love with them, you know. Only some very pitiful individuals are in need of such spells."

"Shut up," Spike yelled.

"Yeah, and thinking he went through all the trouble for loony-tunes Drusilla," Xander mocked.

The blonder vampire growled deeply: "You two shut up now. What do you know."

"After she left him for a slimy chaos-demon," Angel added.

"And that," Xander grinned.

Spike looked at his Sire: "What happened to you? Do you take joke-pills or what? The slayer must be really great in the sack."

"Spike," Angel threatened.

"Found a nerve, mate?"

The same moment the door was opened and the girls stepped out. Buffy threw her arms around Angel's neck and kissed him deeply: "I missed you," she whispered.

"I missed you too."

Cordelia took Xander's hand. They smiled at each other.

When Willow appeared in the doorway, Spike was a loss of words. The dress Cordelia had persuaded her to buy was perfect. She smiled shyly and took Spike's offered arm.

Because the club was only some minutes away they decided to walk. Cordelia had found it one night, they could also have dinner there as they had a separate restaurant.

They were almost there when Buffy's senses suddenly gave alarm. She glanced over to Angel who nodded slightly and also Spike stiffened.

"What is the matter?" asked Willow feeling the change in the blonde vampire.

"We are being followed," he answered making eye contact with Buffy and Angel.

"Oh great," Cordelia muttered. "We wanted to have a nice quiet evening. Vamps surely have a bad timing."

"What can I say," Buffy said. "The life of a slayer just sucks." She sighed. "Okay, can you come out now. I hate to play games."

Suddenly they were surrounded by 10 vampires.

"Buffy be careful please, this is one of favourite dresses," the former cheerleader exclaimed.

"I can promise nothing," Buffy excused herself in advance.

"What do you want?" Angel asked the vamps.

"What do you think, human?" A tall black haired vampire stepped forward grinning at them viciously. Obviously their leader.

"Sorry, the blood bar is closed for tonight," Buffy told him.

"You will die, girl," a female vampire stepped forward.

The slayer rolled her eyes: "This is SO getting old. Can we just skip this conversation?"

"Angelus," came another voice and a young blonde vampiress stepped out of the darkness.

The ex-vampire arched his eyebrows: "Do we know each other?"

"I've heard about you."

Buffy sighed: "This is all very intersting, but we have plans for tonight." She reached behind her back and produced a stake noticing Angel's look of surprise and grinning inwardly.

The vampires growled and attacked, but they were all quite new and no competition for the trained fighters. They were dust after only some minutes. Even Xander and Cordelia staked one and Willow helped Spike.

"Well, that was fun," Buffy exclaimed while she was patting her dress to get rid of the dust. "And I do not even look that bad."

"You look beautiful," Angel told her while Spike rolled his eyes, took Willow's hand and pulled her to the entrance of the night club.

"Come on Red. They start again and I am not watching it."

Xander and Cordelia followed them while Buffy and Angel were still sunk in a kiss. At the entrance Cordelia turned round and shouted: "Will you come now. You can do this later when you are alone."

Reluctantly the couple pulled away and followed their friends into the club.

...

Chapter 4

Cordelia yawned and slowly opened her eyes the next morning. The bright California sun was shining through her window and hurting her eyes so she quickly closed them again. She felt tired and had a headache. Oh God, all these cocktails and to much fun to realize when one had enough. The evening had been fun after the vamps had been dusted. They had laughed a lot, danced a lot and ... okay she had drunk ... too much. Aspirin. I need aspririn. She turned over to reach for her nightstand where the pills lay for any case of emergency which meant one of her visions. Reaching over her body came into contact with something solid. She opened her eyes at once and screamed.

******

"Mmmm, I like this, I don't ever want to leave," Buffy sighed happily laying in Angel's arms.

"So you are not complaining?" he asked playfully.

"Why should I do that? I feel so great. I never felt so loved, so safe and I love you." She turned to kiss him deeply.

"You don't have to leave. You could stay, move in with me, if you want." Angel said, looking a bit nervous. They had only scratched that subject yesterday.

"I would love to." She beamed. "Actually I was thinking about this, you know because we talked about it yesterday. Why should we go back to Sunnydale, or I? As I said before, Spike can do the slaying. He loves it because he can beat someone," she grinned. "And if there is an emergency case we would be there in less then two hours."

"So it is a yes?"

"Yes. I know your heart is in this agency. It's become an important part of your life."

"It has. And I would prefer staying in LA. Are you sure about this?"

She smiled and kissed him: "As sure as I can be. But I have to get my stuff, I cannot borrow my clothes from Cordelia all the time when we go dancing."

"All the time," he winced.

"Hey, we are still young, we should enjoy life. Part of it is dancing."

"I am not young. I am very old," he stated.

Buffy grinned: "But you look young and don't tell me it wasn't fun yesterday."

"It was," he admitted. "Especially a drunken Cordelia." A grin crossed Angel's face.

"Wasn't it. I wonder how she feels this morning, she must have the hell of a headache."

*******

"What is the matter?" Willow stormed in Cordelia's bedroom and froze in track staring at the scene before her with big eyes.

"Ask him," the former cheerleader answered, the tone of her voice a combination of anger and confusion.

"I... I, I have done nothing, I swear," Xander managed to stutter.

"Then why on earth are you laying in my bed?" Cordelia demanded to know.

"And in your boxers only," Willow added, still in shock.

Xander looked to the ground in total embarrassment: "You don't want me to tell that, believe me." he muttered.

"Of course I want to know, spill it." For the first time Cordelia looked down at herself and shrieked again: "Oh god." Realizing she was only in her underwear she desperately clutched the sheet over her bra.

"You, uhm...," Xander began.

"Go on," the brunette demanded.

"You remember you were drunk yesterday, right?"

"If I wouldn't my head would," she replied pressing the palm of her hand against her forehead. "It hurts like hell."

Taking a deep breath he continued: "Well you were kinda ... kinda acting funny. I had to carry you in your bed because you could not walk anymore."

Cordelia's eyes went wide, she looked at Willow. When she saw her friend nodding she sighed and faced Xander again.

"So I carried you in here and laid you down on your bed and then... you ... you grabbed me."

"WHAT?"

"You grabbed me and kissed me," he said now locking eyes with her.

She swallowed hard: "Are you telling the truth? Because ..."

"It's true, I swear. But nothing happened," he quickly assured her. "Nothing besides kissing and ... ripping clothes off."

"I ripped your clothes off?"

He nodded: "And your own. Your own first actually."

"And nothing happened?"

"Nothing."

"Uhm, guys," Willow threw in. "Do you mind if I leave. I mean you do not really need me anymore, right?"

"Sorry, Willow, of course. I am very sorry I scared you," Cordelia excused herself.

"No it's okay. So, see you both later," she said closing the door behind her.

The ex-cheerleader shook her head in disbelief: "Don't you think I am attractive or what?"

"Pardon?" Xander was not able to follow her thoughts, not at this time of the day and certainly not in his boxer-shorts.

"I mean I offer my body and you don't want it."

"Uhm... I would never take advantage of you, you are my friend, Cordelia."

"Well I am awake and conscious now," she began and patted beside her on the bed. "So why don't you just come back." She looked him deep in the eye, smiling.

Xander swallowed hard and then followed her invitation.

*******

"Do you know about that?" Mike Collins yelled when he stormed into Joyce's office at noon holding a letter in his hand.

"I am sorry, Mrs Summers, I could not stop him," the secretary said when she entered right behind him.

Joyce looked up: "It is okay, Denise. But you could do me a favour, just stay with us for a moment. He will soon leave."

The secretary smiled understandingly and took a seat at the conference table.

Mrs. Summers turned back to her son-in-law: "I suppose that letter is about the divorce."

"You got that right. And it contains an injunction that I have to stay in 100 yards distance from my OWN WIFE. Did you know about that?" His face was red and contorted in anger.

"No, I didn't, but I am not surprised. As far as I understand you went to LA and threatened her." Joyce replied as calm as possible.

"But she obviously forgot to tell you her current lover nearly killed me."

"Did he?" she arched an eyebrow and the corner of her mouth switched upwards in the slightest smile. Denise tried not to giggle. She never had liked Buffy's husband and the image of him being beaten was just to exciting.

"Yes, he did. That guy is dangerous, how can you allow your daughter to be with someone like him?"

"Buffy is an adult, Mike. She and she alone decides what goes on in her life."

"I tried to phone her, but I only get an annoying person there who tells me she is not available." Suddenly his voice changed completely: "Joyce, I need her, I cannot be without her. She is my life. You are the only one who can help me. Talk to her, she has to remember the good times we had."

Mrs. Summers had a sort of déjà vu, Angel's demon had once used a similar tactic. And Riley had once told her only demons were truly evil, Mike was the living proof that this was wrong, she thought.

"Mike. Buffy does not want to talk to you and I cannot say that I am surprised. Finding my husband in my bed with another woman, I would not be pleased."

"She told you that. Well, I cannot deny it, but I tried to explain that to her, I was drunk that night," he lied. "I missed her so much and the woman seduced me. You cannot know how sorry I am."

"I cannot help you. I am sorry. This is between Buffy and you. Would you please leave now, I have a date in twenty minutes."

"I will," he stood up. "But please talk to her."

"Goodbye, Mike," Joyce said coldly and did not even look up when he left the room.

"He gives me shivers," Denise told her boss when the door was closed.

Mrs. Summers nodded: "He does. Could you please make me a line to my daughter in LA?"

Denise nodded and left the room.

******

"What is it?" Angel asked his love when she put the phone down and frowned.

"Mike was at mom's office. He was quite upset to get the letter from Mr. Gold."

"I see," he took her hand. "Are you okay?"

She nodded: "I am fine. I hope he will not bother my mother all the time."

"He called two times this morning," Cordelia threw in from her spot at the desk. The three of them were assembled in the outer office.

"And why didn't you tell me?" Buffy demanded.

"Would you have liked to talk to him?" the brunette wanted to know.

"No."

"So, see. It would not have done any good. That guy is really annoying and has no manners by the way. He called me a bitch. I should get a raise for talking with people like these."

Angel quirked an eyebrow at her and ignored her last comment, then he turned back to Buffy: "Your mom can obviously manage him, right?"

"I think so." The slayer was not entirely sure but her mom had not sounded frightened, not in the least. She had been quite angry.

He laid his arm around her shoulders: "I am sure this will be over soon. You say Mr. Gold was quite positive about that."

She nodded and was about to answer when Xander and Willow entered the building. Buffy greeted her friends and was taken aback when Xander lowered his head to kiss Cordelia - full on the mouth. More disturbing was the fact that she seemed to enjoy it.

Buffy looked at Willow who made an I'll-explain-later face. Angel only shook his head and smiled. He had already noticed that Xander was interested in Cordelia in a more than friendly way.

"So what's up?" Xander asked when he faced Buffy and Angel again.

"Nothing," the slayer answered still in a sort of shock. Xander and Cordelia, wow, she had to digest that.

"How is Spike?," asked Willow.

The ex-vampire shrugged: "Don't know. Since Joyce has left he moved to the guestroom so you can find him there and ask him yourself."

The redhead only nodded and headed down the stairs.

"The surprises keep coming today," came Wesley's voice from Angel's office.

"You can say that," Angel answered him and Buffy giggled getting a glare from Cordelia.

"The vampire attack you told me about," the ex-watcher said while coming out of the office, "it's strange, don't you think. I mean usually there are no vampire groups that attack people in LA. That is more the Sunnydale style."

"What?" Angel asked slightly confused. He suddenly realised that Wesley had not spoken about the new romances but pure business.

"I said..."

"Yes, yes, sorry," the ex-vampire said. "Well it was not a dangerous attack. All of them were young and easy to dust."

Wesley looked at Buffy who nodded confirming her lover's sentence.

"It's strange nevertheless. I have to read a bit more. Just in case," he said, turned and disappeared in the office again.

"Always expecting the worst, our Wesley," Cordelia sighed.

"It's good to be prepared, Cordelia. One never knows." Angel defended the ex-watcher.

There was a knock at the door and when Xander opened he saw a courier holding a letter: "Is there a Mrs. Collins?" he asked.

Buffy stepped forward: "I am Mrs. Collins."

"I have a letter for you, could you please sign here," he gave her a sheet and a pen. When she had signed it he handed her the letter.

After closing the door again Angel looked at her: "Who sent it?"

"Mike," she answered and opened it at once. The second she read the letter, she started to shiver and her free hand flew to her mouth. Angel was at her side in an instant, laying his arm around her waist.

"Buffy, tell me," he said gently.

"Oh God," she only whispered showing him the letter and pressing herself tightly to his chest.

His eyes went wide when he saw the lines.

** Buffy, you want to get rid of me to be with him. So let me tell you I am not done with you yet. You remember our son. Andrew is alive and with me. You do not think the car crash was an accident, do you. I knew you wanted to divorce me and wanted to be sure you would not take my son. The paramedics found a dead two-year old in the car but it was not Andrew. I include a picture of him. You see the date on the front, it was taken three days ago. He is safe and healthy. If you should show this letter to the police or talk about this with the police I will make sure you will never see him again. This could have been so easy and it still is. Come back to me and you will get Andrew. **

The letter was not signed. The included picture showed an obviously scared little boy. He looked so lost, he had Buffy's hazel eyes and her nose.

Buffy began to sob in his chest. Angel handed the letter to Cordelia who had looked at him with big eyes.

The ex-vampire embraced the woman who was crying in his arms and desperately clunging at him: "Shhh," he whispered. "Please love, don't cry."

"He has my baby. Oh God, he had him all the time, he made me believe he was dead. Oh, Angel," came her muffled words from his chest. He hold her tightly and gently stroked her hair. He desperately tried to concentrate on her and not let his anger take over. He had never been so angry in his life, well maybe, but not for a long time. How could anyone do this to a mother? He bowed his head and kissed Buffy on the forehead who now looked up at him with her tear-streamed face, her eyes full of fear.

"He looks so scared, Angel. My baby is alone and scared."

"We will get him back, I swear. Buffy, look at me."

"What," she whispered hoarsly looking him in the eye.

"Do you trust me?"

She nodded.

"I promise, we will get him back. I swear." He tightened his embrace because she was still shaking in his arms. He did not know what had to be done but they would find a way. Locking eyes with Xander and Cordelia he saw the same determination in their eyes.

"That bastard," Cordelia finally exclaimed expressing what everyone felt at that moment.

...

Part 5

"I could just suck him dry," Spike suggested.

"Don't you forget that there is still that chip in your head?" Xander pointed out.

"Please, calm down," Wesley said. "This will not lead us anywhere. Our first thought must be for the child. When we have him back Spike can do what he wants with this bastard."

"Wesley," Cordelia shrieked in surprise. "I never thought you were the violent type."

"I am not, but this is even beyond my imagination. To think someone plans a car accident that kills his unborn child and almost the mother. And all this to secure the other child because the wife plans to divorce him. This is so sick." Wesley's face was contorted in disgust.

"Uhm ... guys," Willow said suddenly. "I had a very bad idea. He wrote he exchanged the kids, right? Where did the other child come from? I mean even in Sunnydale dead kids do not plaster the roads."

"Red has a point."

"She has," Wesley said, frowning. "Maybe we should check for missing infants," he looked over to Willow. "Could you search the net for it?"

She nodded instantly: "I'm on my way." She stood up and left Angel's office to use Cordelia's computer.

The former cheerleader jumped up as well: "I am coming with you, I have advanced my computer skills a lot and four eyes see more than two." With this the both girls were gone.

"I say, we need someone watching that guy, day and night. To know his schedule. He might go and visit the child and then we've got him." Spike was really pissed. Even an evil vampire had limits and Willow looked so sad, she was really suffering with her best friend - he wanted to punch the bastard's face - right now. He grabbed his head and winced, even a thought hurt, damned chip.

"He is right," Xander agreed. "I say Spike and me leave for Sunnydale tonight. He can watch him during the nights and I am going to do the days. I have the week off anyhow. So why not playing a little detective." He nodded in Spike's direction and the vampire got up as well.

"You can take my car," Wesley offered.

"You have a car?" Xander was surprised.

"Of course I have," the ex-watcher said a little bit hurt. He was not living in the last century. He pulled out his keys and handed them to Xander. "Just one thing. Spike is not driving."

Xander laughed and Spike muttered while they were leaving the office: "No trust in a vampire's driving abilities, that hurts."

"Come on, Spike," Xander gave him a friendly smack on the back: "the Sunnydale sign knows you far too well, even you have to admit that."

Wesley shook his head and took the phone to call Giles and inform him about the situation.

*******

"Do you feel any better now?" Angel asked his love. They were in his bedroom, Buffy lying on the bed, he sitting beside her, her hand firmly in his.

"I don't know. I always see his face. He must be so scared and lonely. How could he do that? He made us all believe he was dead. God, Angel. He took my baby away and killed the one I was expecting." Buffy's face was wet, her eyes puffy and red, although she had stopped crying for a while. Now all she felt was despair. It had been hell to live with the thought Andrew was dead, but to realise she had gone through all this and he had been alive. She forced herself away from these thoughts or she would go insane.

"I promise we will get him back. I swear," he repeated the words, he had said in the afternoon.

"I know and I trust you," she said and tried a little smile. "How can a father do this to his child?"

"How can a husband do this to his wife?" Angel added another question. "How can anyone do this to a mother? God, Buffy, I am so angry right now. I am really glad I am not a vampire anymore because this time I had to fear my demon would take over out of anger. I am sorry, I did not want to..."

"It's okay, Angel. I understand and I love you." She sat up and gave him a gentle kiss. "Maybe we should get up and see what the others have done so far. I am sure they are in full research mode already."

The former vampire nodded and they headed for the stairs, hand in hand.

*******

When Cordelia and Willow spotted their friend and her lover at the top of the stairs they smiled at them. The redhead stood up and hugged the slayer tightly. "I am so sorry, Buffy," she said. "But we get him back I am sure. And then Mike will rot in jail."

"I second that," Cordelia added. "Buffy, Angel. We are just researching any missing children in Sunnydale. You know for the child that was exchanged and took Andrew's place."

The couple nodded.

"The frightening thing is how many children are missing in Sunnydale. I would have never guessed. There were six in last five months," Willow explained.

"I see. It's a good idea." Angel let go of Buffy's hand and walked over to look at the screen over Cordelia's shoulder. "But there were only two boys in Andrew's age."

"That's right. I have checked the police database. None of them was found so far." Willow recaptured her chair beside the former cheerleader and pressed another button. "You see, only one of both had blonde hair, so I'd say we have him. He just disappeared and was never found again. It happened two days before Buffy's accident," she added glancing over to her friend who still stood at the same spot, arms wrapped around herself.

Angel went back to her and embraced her again. She hugged him back: "I would never make it through this without you," she admitted, pressing herself deeper in his embrace. She felt save and loved. "Andrew would love you, Angel. I wished he was your son, then Mike would have never been in his life," she started to cry again.

"Shhh, please don't cry again. He will be my son, because he is yours and we will love him. You will see."

"I love you so much," she replied.

"I have just talked to Giles and Buffy's mother," Wesley said coming out of Angel's office. When he saw Buffy he immediately stopped. Looking over to his boss he asked: "Is she okay?"

"I am fine," the slayer answered herself.

"I understand," the ex-watcher assured her. "Giles and your mother, I just told them the facts. Your mother wanted to come but I told her not to, because we would all be in Sunnydale soon."

"Thanks, Wesley. I don't know if I could deal with my mother right now," Buffy said grateful. "Where are Spike and Xander?"

"They are on their way to Sunnydale," Cordelia explained. "They will shadow Mike day and night."

"Good," Angel nodded. "Anything else?" he added looking in Willow's direction.

"Well, I've got the address where the other boy lived. I hate that we have to talk to his parents. That must be dreadful."

"We will not, not now," the former vampire told her. "We have to be sure first. We will not tell them their child is dead if we are not hundred percent sure." He looked deeply in Buffy's eyes. The slayer nodded knowing exactly what he meant. Nobody should feel like she did for long four months.

"It is not important at the moment, which child was taken and obviously murdered to serve the purpose. Right now it is enough to know that one child that could easily be mistaken as Andrew, especially if it's face was deformed, disappeared two days before the accident." Angel left no room for discussion and everybody nodded.

"So when will we go to Sunnydale?" Cordelia finally asked.

"We go tomorrow. I am sure Spike has it covered for tonight and Xander will take over in the morning. We cannot do anything before we know the location of the child, is that okay with you love?"

"Yes. You are right," she answered. She looked to the clock. "It is already late. Maybe we all should go and sleep now. We have long days and nights before us as soon as we reach Sunnydale." Her gaze rested on her friends.

"Fine with me," Cordelia stood up, reaching for her purse.

Willow pressed the energy button of the computer off and took her things as well: "See you all in the morning," she took Buffy's hand. "You have to try and sleep as well. As soon as we find him he will need his mommy."

Buffy smiled: "Yeah, I'll try."

When the girls were gone, Wesley left as well.

Angel looked at his slayer: "Hungry?"

"Not really, but suppose you will make me eat something, I know that look," she sighed.

The former vampire smiled: "Exactly. Otherwise you will not make it through the days. How about some Spaghetti?" He hold his hand out for her and pulled her downstairs into the kitchen.

...

Part 6

Again he drove to Sunnydale, the second time within a week back to the little town he had avoided for years. Both times he had been worried, but this time the worry was accompanied by a deep, almost uncontrollable anger. Stay calm, Angel told himself, you are not helping anyone if anger will control your actions. His gaze wandered to Buffy who sat beside him in the car. She was finally sound asleep after she had been tossing and turning the previous night, crying and waking from her sleep every now and then. Now she was exhausted and the movement of the car had lulled her into slumber.

Willow and Cordelia had also noticed it and were quiet. The four of them had left LA about half an hour ago. Wesley stayed at the agency in case they needed information from there.

Now they headed for Mrs. Summers' house, which was to become a sort of their headquarters. Angel had only made a quick phone call to inform Joyce they were on their way, she was in tears and very concerned. For Buffy's sake he hoped that she would be able to control herself, the last thing Buffy needed right now was a hysteric mother.

"She looks exhausted," Willow suddenly said, looking in Buffy's direction.

"No wonder. The guy should be tortured to death, very slowly. Hey maybe Spike can find Drusilla and we can give him to her," Cordelia suggested.

Angel sighed: "You are not helping, Cordy. Although I have to admit that similar thoughts have already crossed my mind."

"See. You hate him too."

"I do, but we don't need that right now. We have to try to think as rational as possible, otherwise we will never find the child." He took a deep breath. It sounded simple but it wasn't, it wasn't at all.

"Angel?" Buffy slowly opened her eyes and blinked.

"I'm right here, love," he said, reaching over to her and taking her left hand in his right.

"How long was I asleep?"

"Only about an hour," Willow answered. "We should be in Sunnydale soon."

The slayer nodded and stretched her legs: "I wonder if Spike is at my mom's house."

"Why would he be there?" Angel asked.

"Oh," Buffy grinned: "he has a bed there, well sort of. Sometimes when he feels lonely he stays there for a night or two. I never understood why but he and my mom like each other. It's strange especially when I think how she treated you, but then Spike never had any romantic interest in her daughter."

"Beside having been engaged to her," he joked.

"Will I ever live that one down?" The slayer rolled her eyes.

"Never," he shot back. "Mrs. William the Bloody, that would have been interesting in signing papers and stuff."

"Thanks," she said with sarcasm in her voice. "To think I kissed him."

"You kissed him," Angel said suddenly jealous. "You never told me you kissed him."

In the back Cordelia and Willow grinned.

"It was only the spell," she quickly assured him.

"Do you remember," Willow said excited. "when Xander was doing the love spell, well sort of, and all women were after hi?. You practically jumped him - oh, sorry," she blushed. When she saw Angel's gaze in the rear mirror, she added: "That was magic too. Even Drusilla was after him - in a purely romantic sense."

He nodded: "Oh I remember that." He chuckled slightly: "She saved his life that night."

Buffy turned to face him: "What do you mean?"

His face grew serious but still hold a slight smile: "Well, he was in your room and ... err ... Angelus was furious. He pulled him out of your window and threw him on the ground. I ... I mean, he was ready for the kill when Dru suddenly appeared. She was all lovey-dovey about him."

"Drusilla was in love with Xander," the slayer asked. She grinned: "Wow, I have to remember that. I bet Spike does not know?" A wicked grin was on her face.

"Love, I do not like that expression, but to answer your question, no Spike knows nothing about that, he was all roller-boy at that time," Angel said but still smiled.

"Well, you never know when it comes in handy to know the secrets of your friends," she chuckled. She sighed and Angel was immediately concerned:

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I feel better. I did not think about Andrew for some minutes. That really helps, thank you guys." She turned and gave her friends a grateful nod.

They passed the 'Welcome to Sunnydale'-sign and reached Buffy's former home after five minutes. The moment the car stopped, Joyce Summers came out of the door and hugged her daughter tightly: "Oh honey. I am so sorry, how do you feel?" Tears were shimmering in her eyes.

"I am okay mom. Angel had to take all my break downs and the crying. But I feel better now." She glanced over to her lover who smiled reassuringly. "Mom, is Spike around?"

Joyce nodded: "Yeah, he is down in the basement."

"Fine. We have to talk to him," she looked at Angel and both headed for the basement.

Mrs. Summers looked at Willow: "How is she doing?"

"Buffy? Much better now. It is hard for her but she is the slayer, she is strong," Willow tried to comfort the concerned mother.

"I still cannot believe Mike did that. I mean he behaved badly the last time, he had an affair and all, but I never thought him capable of something like that."

"None of us did," the witch assured her.

"May I say, I did? I never knew what she saw in him. I mean, look at him, he still wears the last decade's ties."

"Cordy," Willow sighed. "He was really nice. I mean he really seemed to care for Buffy, I was sure he loved her."

Cordelia only rolled her eyes: "Yeah, Xander told me all about that."

"Girls, please," Joyce interrupted them. "Is this really important?"

"No, of course not. We should go in. I am also interested in what Spike has to tell us," the redhead said.

"I think you just want to see your vampire-lover," Cordelia teased.

Willow blushed and quickly entered the house to avoid Joyce's asking gaze.

*****

"So he lives with that woman?" Buffy asked the blonde vampire.

"Sure, they went on it like bunnies," he replied. "I saw them through the window. And may I add that I have seen a lot of things in my long life, but he has interesting sexual ideas."

The slayer immediately became pale thinking back what she had endured for too long. Angel's arms quickly encircled her waist and he pressed a kiss on her head to show her he understood. Looking at his childe he said: "How long did you watch them? I never thought you were for such things."

Spike rolled his eyes: "Sorry mate, it's not that I enjoyed it, you know. But I just thought about something you taught me some hundred years ago."

"And that would be?" Angel arched his eyebrows.

"Know your enemy. The better you know him the easier he is to kill," the blonde vampire stated.

"I remember that. So what else did you see?"

"He made two phone calls, and in one of them he mentioned the kid's name."

Buffy's head shot up: "Do you know to whom he was talking to?"

"No, sorry pet, it was short. But I suggest it was the person who is looking for the boy. I am sure he is fine, luv." Spike reached out and patted the slayer's arm.

She gave him a grateful smile: "Nice to know you care," she said.

"Who cares?" came Willow's voice from behind. She and Cordelia were now entering Spike's basement room. The vampire jumped up and looked at the witch:

"Morning, Red," he smiled. Cordelia only rolled her eyes.

"Spike," Willow said, slightly blushing. She coughed slightly and asked: "So do we know something now?"

"He is living with that girl, I think her name is Ellen or something. I really cannot remember," Buffy answered.

"He is living with her?" Joyce asked coming in as well. "He is such a liar. He told me yesterday he had made a fault sleeping with her, that he had been drunk. I am so sorry, honey."

"No, mom. I don't mind. He can do with her whatever he wants. It's not as if I would care or something. I only want Andrew back."

"And now Xander is watching him?," Cordelia wanted to know.

"Sure. He took over around sunrise. I'm sure he'll call." Spike sat down again. "Look pet," he said gazing in Buffy's direction. "I am really tired, would you mind?"

"No, of course you are tired," Joyce smiled at him. "What about a nice cup of tea?" She looked around and everyone nodded. When they went upstairs, Buffy noticed her friend was missing.

"Willow," she called. "are you coming?"

"Sure," the witch called back. "Just give me some minutes."

Buffy grinned and looked at Angel who also had a smile on his face: "Do you really think there is something going on between those two," he asked her.

"I don't know," she answered. "I hope Oz will be back soon though. Willow feels alone and Spike certainly has a crush for her."

"Can you please change the subject, I SO do not need to hear that," came Cordelia's disgusted shout from above.

Laughing they headed for the living room.

...

Part 7

Spike left the house at sunset and Xander arrived half an hour later. Everyone was anxious to hear his news but one look at his face told them he had none. Mike had been to work and gone home afterwards. There had been nothing out of the usual, the only strange thing Xander had noticed was the fact that the man had made a stop at the butchers and left the shop with a large bag.

"Maybe he was hungry," Mrs. Summers guessed.

"To me it looked much like the bags Buffy used to bring to the mansion," Xander told them.

"You mean he bought blood?" Buffy couldn't believe it. "What would he need that for?" She looked around but nobody had an answer.

"Maybe he was turned, that would explain why he is so evil," Willow suggested hopefully. It would be a relief, so she had not been wrong about him in the beginning.

"Guys, please remember about vampires and daylight. I watched him the whole day and he had no problems with the sun."

"It was just a wild guess," the witch said. "Of course I did not think that. But it is strange. Nevermind we do not even know for sure if there was blood in the bag. We should skip that."

"I agree," Angel put his arm around Buffy's shoulders. "As much as I would like the idea of him being a vampire," he smiled when he saw his love quirking an eyebrow. "It would mean we could just dust him," he explained to her.

"I would hand you the stake," Xander added.

Joyce got up when they heard a knock on the door. It was Giles, he came into the living room, walked over to Buffy and hugged her. "Buffy, I am so sorry."

"It's okay, Giles. We will get him back," she said with certainty. She looked at Angel and saw him smile. He was so proud of her.

The ex-watcher turned his attention to the former vampire: "Angel. It is so good to see you. I am very glad she has you now." Angel only nodded.

"Is there anything I can do?," Giles asked. "I feel so helpless, because it is nothing demon related."

Buffy laid a hand on his arm: "Don't worry, Giles. Just you being here helps." He nodded and smiled.

The same moment Spike burst through the back door and everyone jumped up. The vampire was almost out of breath, although this was of course not possible: "I've got him. I mean I know where the boy is."

"Where," Buffy asked frantically.

"In an old house a bit outside of Sunnydale," he reported.

"Then lets go," the slayer shouted. She was almost out of the door, when Spike's voice stopped her: "Slayer, wait."

"What?" she asked, her voice now a bit angry. "We do not have time."

"Just listen to me." He looked over to his sire. "You are not going to like that, mate."

"What?" Buffy and Angel now shouted unison.

"He is with her. With Dru," the blonde vampire told them finally and looked to the ground.

"With Dru?," the slayer asked unbelieving. "You mean she is guarding my child?"

"Spike," Angel warned his childe. "This is not funny."

"Hell, I know," the vampire's head snapped up. "I couldn't believe it myself, when I saw her. I swear it is the truth."

"I know," Willow said suddenly. "You would not lie to us," she smiled.

"Okay, so the boy is with loony-tunes, then let's go and get him." Xander made a step in the direction of the door.

"She is not alone," Spike told them. "There are about ten vampires in the building, maybe more. Some of them might have been out hunting."

"Is Andrew alright?," Buffy wanted to know. She grabbed Angel's hand waiting for the worst.

"You mean is he turned. No, he is not, I could hear his heartbeat. But we have to be careful going there, they could kill the boy the moment we enter the building," the vampire pointed out.

"What do you mean by we?," Angel looked at his childe. "You are certainly not going with us, I do not trust you around Dru."

"That really hurts peaches. I was the one who reported it, wasn't I?" He looked at the assembled group, hurt apparent in his eyes.

"Angel," Willow spoke. "I am sure we can trust him," she smiled. "I trust him."

"Oh, god," Cordelia exclaimed. "Not now, this is not the time for this. Can we just go and save the child."

Angel looked at the red head for a brief moment and then nodded: "Alright, he can come." Willow mouthed 'thank you'.

Buffy glanced at her mother: "Mom, you and Giles, could you stay here," she looked at ther ex-watcher, who nodded in response.

Her mother hugged her briefly and whispered: "Be careful honey."

******

Spike showed them the way to the building. They left the cars about half a mile away from there so the vampires wouldn't hear them coming. Angel, Spike and Buffy were in front, the others followed. Through a window they could see about 15 vampires who were gathered round a table, most of them were playing cards. Drusilla and the child were nowhere to be seen. Buffy looked at Spike. The vampire shrugged: "There is a room on the left, she might have gone there."

"We have to split," Angel said.

"I am going with you," Buffy grabbed his hand, she would not let him go alone this time.

He smiled understandingly and nodded: "Buffy and me go to the back, Spike you take Xander, Willow and Cordelia. But you go in on your own first. Talk to them, maybe Dru will come out of the room as soon as she hears your voice. Willow, Andrew knows you, right?"

She nodded.

"Then you go and take the child as soon as it is safe. You, Cordelia and Xander take him and run to the car as fast as possible. Do you understand me, no staking, no helping. The boy." His voice left no room for discussion and the three humans nodded. He looked at Buffy: "Let's go."

*******

Spike entered the building and looked at the assembled group of vampires. He tried his best smirk: "Now, now," he said. "I heard Drusilla is around, but now I do not see her."

One of the vampires, a red head, stood up and walked over to him: "Who are you?"

"That is none of your buisness, mate," he replied. "Is she here or not?"

A door opened and a female vampire in a long purple gown appeared, holding a boy in her arms, Drusilla and Andrew. "My Spike," she smiled, her eyes showing even more insanity than ever.

The vampire who stood in front of Spike relaxed immediately. The blonde vampire grinned and walked over until he was only some feet away from his former lover. He looked at her: "Drusilla. You came back." She was still beautiful but he suddenly realised he was comparing her to Willow, the witch with her big eyes and her fiery hair. Drusilla stood no chance, he was free.

"My Spike, look," she patted the child on the head, the boy immediately started to cry, he was scared. "I got us a little baby. My daddy never wanted me to have a baby. I always liked little children. They are so soft and yummy."

"What do you want with the baby, Dru?"

"We could keep him for a while and then eat him," she suggested.

The blonde vampire looked around: "You have no man with you? Where is you chaos demon?"

"There is only you, Spikey. My Angel, he is gone," she whined.

"I am here, Dru," came a voice from the back door.

The insane vampire spun round: "My daddy. Look baby, my daddy is here. But he is a bad daddy. He betrayed us." She tilted her head and listened. "You are human."

"Give me the boy Drusilla," the former vampire ordered.

"It is the slayer's baby," she said. "We cannot let him live, he will be strong."

"His father is human," Angel tried to calm her. "He will be a normal human boy."

"But I want to keep him. You cannot have him, you were mean to me." Suddenly she changed into her game face. "Maybe I should eat him now. Little babies taste yummy."

"Now Peaches," Spike cried. He jumped forward and grabbed Drusilla's upper arms from behind. In surprise she loosened her grip on the child who was about to fall. In a flash Angel moved towards her as well and caught the boy. The same moment Buffy was beside him. He handed Andrew to her and shouted:

"Take him and then go, take Willow, Cordelia and Xander and run away."

"I am coming back," she said stubbornly.

"No, he needs you," Angel replied pointing at the baby. "We can handle this. And now go."

Buffy looked at him and then left. She met the others outside.

Inside the building the vampires cried out in rage. Spike pushed Drusilla out of his way and smashed her against the wall. She fell on the floor, unconscious. The other vampires now jumped Spike and Angel. The fight was tough but after a while they go the upper hand. After all they had the experience of almost 500 years behind them. Spike was now fighting with two minions and Angel had just staked his last when he suddenly felt a grip around his throat. Drusilla.

"Now, now, my Angel." Her fingernails cut the flesh of his neck and he felt blood running down. He could feel her nails were cutting deeper, searching for the pulsing artery running there. He was not able to move, fully aware that if he did, she would kill him in an instant.

Spike staked his last vampire and turned towards Angel. He got the situation at once. His eyes never leaving Drusilla's he stepped forward: "Dru, baby. What are you doing?"

"I will kill him," she hissed. "He betrayed me and now he took my baby away."

"Dru," Spike sighed. "He was not your baby. Vampires cannot have babies. You cannot kill him. He is your sire."

"He is not my Angel anymore. The slayer took him away."

And suddenly Angel was free, the grip around his neck was gone, he turned and saw Buffy, a stake in her hand, a pile of dust was everything that remained of Drusilla. The slayer looked at her lover and let out a cry, her hand moving towards his neck: "Angel, are you okay?"

"I am fine," he assured her. "This is nothing. Spike prevented her from doing any serious damage." He embraced her tightly and kissed her head, looking at Spike: "You saved my life today. I will never forget that."

The blonde vampire shrugged: "No need mate, I didn't do it for you."

Angel smiled: "I know," he said. Spike smiled back. He knew that Willow would never again lay an eye on him if Angel had died tonight.

The former vampire put a finger under his lover's chin: "Are you okay?"

"I am fine," she sniffed looking deep in his eye.

"You came back," he said to her and smiled.

"Of course. I would never leave you. Never again." They kissed. Angel stroke her cheek:

"Is Andrew alright?"

She nodded: "He is fine. I left him with Willow. He likes her. But he is scared and confused. I told them to bring him home to my mom."

"Let's go then," Spike interrupted their conversation. "I need hot chocolate and marshmallows now."

Buffy looked at him: "We will, but we have to make a stop before."

When both men arched their eyebrows she simply said: "Mike."

"What a coincidence," a new voice came from the front door. "I am already here." Mike stood there, smiling, the gun in his hand pointing towards Angel's head.

...

Part 8

"Isn't this an interesting situation," he began, never leaving his eyes from Buffy and Angel, who still stood in a tight embrace. "My wife and her lover. What a sweet picture, sorry I had to interrupt that Kodak moment for you both." He smiled coldly now walking slowly into the old house.

Spike was thinking if he could take him with his vampire speed and all. He exchanged a short glance with his sire, but when he saw him carefully shaking his head no, he only sighed and hung his head.

Angel had immediately noticed his childe's intention, but with the chip in his head this would be to dangerous. Nobody could know if Spike would really be able to actually do the final kill.

Buffy was frozen in place. She only stared at her husband, saw the gun in his hand, saw him pointing it at Angel. Only the thought her lover could be hurt made every movement impossible. Actually she did move but only so far as her body was shivering all over. Angel could feel her trembling hands on his chest. And he was also the first who was able to speak:

"Why are you doing this?," he asked. "I do not understand." Let him talk, you need time, think Angel, think.

"Why?," Mike shouted. "The bitch wanted to divorce me. She refused to have sex with me, she told me that could hurt the baby. Look at me, I am a young man, so I was looking for some temporary replacement in bed and found it. And she was angry with me. She had to run out of the house and to mommy. God isn't she pathetic? A grown up woman who runs to their mother as soon as a *little* problem occurs." He now circled Buffy and Angel, waving with his left hand but still pointing the right with the gun towards them and Spike, who stood near by.

"And she wanted to leave you because of that?," the blonde vampire suddenly jumped in. "Women are really strange, don't you think mate." He had realised Angel's tactic.

"You understand me," Mike gave him a short smile. "I mean I had needs and wishes and she refused to fulfill them. I told her I loved her but she would not listen, so I had to make sure she would not take my son away. Men need sons."

"B...But," Buffy was now able to speak as well, tears running down her cheeks. "The baby I was expecting was yours as well. Did it mean nothing to you?"

"It was a girl, you told me it was girl," he shrugged. "A girl means nothing. I told you men need sons. They carry on our name."

Angel heard Buffy gasping and tightened his embrace immediately. What sort of person was this man? "I see," he said taking a deep breath.

"Yeah," Mike spat. "You see. She wanted to take my son away. My son. I thought, maybe she would think about it afterwards, but the bitch gets back into life and the first thing she does is running to her former lover. Angel," he looked at the former vampire. "Do you know how that name has haunted me, how I hate your name. Do you know how often she shouted your name when we..." he trailed of. "How often she whispered your name when she was laying beside me, dreaming. She even said your name when my son was born." Suddenly he laughed: "But I realised she felt guilty, didn't you darling," he said looking towards Buffy. "I knew how I could use that, I could live every fantasy I had with her. She felt bad because she did not love me. She actually thought I was in love with her. As I said before, she was so unbelievable pathetic." He rolled his eyes and circled them again.

"What I do not understand, mate. How does Dru fit in that picture?" Spike asked trying to sound deeply interested. "How did you find her and involved her in this plan."

"Actually she found me," Mike explained. "One evening she stood in front of my house asking for the slayer. It was one week before the accident. We talked a little and found a common interest. Revenge." He looked over to the blonde vampire: "Do you know that vampire?"

"I did," Spike answered, his voice barely sad. "We were ... involved for *some* years."

The blonde human laughed: "This is something new. A vampire and a human have an affair. Or did you know her before she was turned?"

"I am not really sharing my love life with you, mate. And let me tell you, just for the records, vampires and humans, that happens," gazing over to Buffy and Angel he gave them a small smile.

"However. We are leaving the topic here," Mike pointed his gun again towards Angel's head. "I know you have taken Andrew. But I will make sure you will have no time to enjoy this, and when you all are out of the picture Andrew will be mine."

For Buffy the next seconds happened in slow motion. The first thing she saw was that Mike's eyes narrowed and that the gun suddenly pointed towards her head, then she heard him pull the trigger and a shot echoed through the house. The same moment Angel spun round covering the slayer with his body. She felt his body tensing, then relaxing. Then Angel fell to the ground pulling her with him and burying her underneath. She started to scream and saw Spike jumping in Mike's direction, the next moment he was laying on the ground holding his head and wincing in pain.

The only thing she could think was that Angel's lifeless body was laying above her. Then she saw Mike approaching them with the gun, ready for the deadly shot, he aimed at Angel's head and his trigger-finger was twitching.

Suddenly there was a noise at the back door and her husband shot twice in that direction, Buffy was not able to move under Angel's weight, but Mike seemed distracted for a moment and then the slayer saw Xander with a bat. The next moment Mike Collins lay on the ground unconscious.

"Buffy," came Cordelia's voice. She was running towards the couple. "Are you okay?" She kneeled beside them.

"Angel," Buffy whispered in panic, trying to pull herself away from him. "Angel," she said again. Her eyes were wandering over his body and froze at a red spot on his back. "Angel," she cried, touching him. "Please speak to me. Oh god."

"We have to get him to a hospital," Xander kneeled beside his friend.

"His cell phone," Cordelia exclaimed, searching for the thing in his pockets. Pulling it out she dialed at once.

The slayer was now sitting beside her lover, his head in her lap she was stroking his cheeks and kissing his lips from time to time, whispering his name again and again, pleading him to talk to her, to wake up. But he remained unconscious. With a desperate expression she looked at Xander: "Mike wanted to kill me and Angel saved my life," she cried.

"It's okay," Xander tried to comfort her. "I am sure he will be okay."

"Okay?," she cried out as if she was in pain. "He is shot. Oh god, Angel." Suddenly her expression was hard: "Did you hit him hard?"

"Yeah."

"Make sure he will not wake up again," she said, her eyes never leaving Angel's face. He was still breathing and she could feel his pulse. Suddenly his eyelids flickered.

"Buffy," came a soft whisper.

"I am here, Angel, I am here"

"Are you okay?" he asked in a broken voice.

Tears sprung in her eyes, he was always thinking about her, never about himself. "I am fine. You saved my life."

"Good," he whispered. Then he fell back into unconsciousness.

******

They heard the loud noises of the ambulance. Angel was loaded into the van and Buffy stayed beside him all the way to the hospital. She hold his hand and stroked his face.

"You cannot come with him now, please wait," a nurse told her when they arrived the EU (emergency unit).

"But I have to stay with him," Buffy cried.

"No, Miss, please. The doctors have to do their work. They will come and inform you as soon as possible."

They rolled him away through the doors, leaving the slayer alone in the waiting area. She leaned backwards to the wall, her knees were so weak and she slowly slided with her back on the wall to the ground, pulling her knees to her chin and embracing them with her arms. He had to be okay, Angel had to live, she told herself again and again like a mantra.

And then Xander and Cordelia were there, they had followed the ambulance.

"How is he?," Cordelia wanted to know.

Buffy looked at her with fearful eyes: "I don't know. They just took him into the EU. Oh god, Cordelia. I cannot lose him, I cannot," she said in a broken voice.

The former cheerleader pulled the trembling slayer into her arms and hold her tightly. She looked at Xander, a single tear running down her cheek. Her boyfriend reached out and put a hand on her shoulder.

They sat there for almost an hour, then the door opened and a doctor came out, looking at them. They jumped up at once.

"How is he?" Buffy asked him.

"He is doing pretty well, I have to say. We removed the bullet from his shoulder. We only needed a local, so he should be..."

"Buffy," came Angel's voice from the doors. The slayer run over to him and hugged him carefully, trying not to hurt him in the process. He had a taped shoulder, but seemed fine beside this.

The doctor walked over to the couple and put a hand on Angel's arm: "You were very lucky, young man." Then he looked at Buffy: "You make sure, he will have enough rest, Miss. And he has to come in two days so we can check the wound and change the tape."

"I will," Buffy smiled happily at the doctor. He smiled back and left in the direction of the EU.

"So you are okay, Boss," Cordelia grinned.

"Well, so far," he looked at the slayer: "Your husband is a pretty bad shot."

"Don't make a joke, Angel. He could have killed you."

The ex-vampire bowed his head and kissed her gently on the forehead: "I am fine, okay. I am sure the wound will heal quickly. I can feel it. We should better go to your home. Andrew will be waiting for his mommy." He smiled and put his good arm around her waist.

"Let's go," Xander said.

"Xand, do you know what happened with Mike?" Buffy wanted to know.

"He should be somewhere in this hospital too. On our way over we called the police and told them what happened. I am sure they will come and talk to you both tomorrow. They said he would have a guard at his room while he is here."

Angel shrugged: "Good. Now let's get out of here. I've never been in a hospital before - at least not as a patient. I don't like it."

"See. Now you can understand why I hate them," Buffy added.

"Gee, it's a hospital, you two cowards," Cordelia rolled her eyes. "They help people here, you know."

"Doesn't matter. Hospitals just freak me out." Buffy buried her head in Angel's chest while they left the hospital.

...

Part 9

When Angel woke up at night he immediately realised that Buffy wasn't lying beside him. They had come back from the hospital and received lots of concerned looks from Joyce, Giles and Willow. Andrew was sound asleep at that time, so Buffy had only given him a kiss and let him sleep. They had spent about an hour in the living room, talking about the events of the evening, before the slayer had insisted her lover should lay down. She herself was completely exhausted and they instantly fell asleep.

Angel tried to move his injured shoulder and was surprised it didn't hurt anymore, he could feel that some of his advanced healing was still working. Getting out of the bed he went in search for Buffy and found her in Mrs. Summers little sewing room which now served as a room for Andrew. They had changed it when Buffy had left her husband two weeks before the accident. The slayer sat in a rocking chair, her son in her arms and she was humming to him. She looked up when she saw her lover standing in the doorway and smiled: "Hey," she whispered.

"Hi," he smiled back, walked to her side and sat cross legged on the floor. "This is a beautiful picture, like one out of my dreams. You sitting with our child." He reached up and touched her cheek very gently.

A single tear ran down her cheek and he wiped it away: "Are you okay?"

She shook her head and a sad look crossed her features: "I am fine. It's just, I would wish it was our child. He would be very lucky to have you as his father."

"He is our child, Buffy," Angel replied.

"I love you, so very much," she said smiling again.

"Marry me?"

"Oh Angel, I will, of course I will," tears of joy were running down her face. "But I am technically still married."

He made a gesture with his hand: "Details. I think after the events of last evening the divorce is no problem anymore." Then he raised on his knees and kissed her gently. "The only thing I am sorry for is that I was not able to protect you from the experience with him."

"Don't," she said, cupping his face in one of her hands. "Maybe we both needed that to grow up and develop. Maybe we can only feel so strong now because we were apart. Maybe it was meant to be this way. We shouldn't dwell on the past. It's the future we should talk about." She looked at his shoulder: "How is the arm?"

"Fine," he answered. "It's much better than I would have expected. I think I still heal fast. I almost feel it." He looked at the child in her arms: "Is he okay?"

"Yeah," she smiled. "He is fine. I just woke up and wanted to look for him. I cannot believe he is really alive, but he is. He woke up shortly and smiled to see me, but he is tired. I only hope he will not have nightmares someday. Just to think that he was with Drusilla makes me shudder."

"I am sure she didn't do anything to him." When he saw her astonished gaze he explained: "She had always a thing with children. She kept asking me if she could have one. My demon was not very fond of them so he refused it. As a substitute she stole puppies and kept them until they were grown up. Maybe some motherly instinct, I don't know."

Buffy grinned: "It is hard to see insane Drusilla as a mother."

"I know. By the way have you seen Spike?"

"No," she said. "I suppose it must be hard for him."

"Maybe, but the look on his face was strange. Almost relieved. We should talk to him tomorrow. Am I really saying this, am I caring for Spike?" He frowned.

Buffy laughed silently: "Well, he saved your life, that binds."

"Obviously," Angel shrugged. Then he looked at the child: "He is beautiful, he looks like you, he has your eyes."

"His eyes are closed now," Buffy teased.

"I know, but I saw them before." He gave her a quick kiss. "We should go back to bed, love."

"Yeah," she answered. "I just put him back in his bed."

"Why don't we take him with us?" he suggested.

She smiled and the three went back to Buffy's bedroom.

*******

Spike had been wandering through the streets of Sunnydale for a while that night. He had been restless but now he felt at peace. Drusilla had been part of his un-life for so long. For many years he had been madly in love with her, he always knew she was not in love with him. Her obsession with her sire was one reason the other her inability to love at all. She must have felt something for him at one point, after all it was Drusilla who persuaded Angel to turn him. He and his sire had never been friends, but then nobody had ever been Angelus' friend. The demon had been so self-centered and cruel, it had always surprised Spike to see his deep connection with Darla. They were almost inseparable. Then Angel had been cursed and that had caused a change Spike had never thought possible.

Spike looked up and found himself at Willow's house, there was still a light in her room. Could he be in love with her, that thought had been running in his mind for several months. He knew she was in love with her boyfriend but he wasn't at home very often, the bloody idiot was touring with his new band. Stupid wanker, how could one leave home when someone like Willow was waiting there. He shook his head, if she would be his...

Suddenly the window was opened and a red head looked down to the street: "Spike," came her lovely voice. "Are you down there?"

Surprised he looked up: "Pet?"

She smiled: "I knew you were there. Just wait a minute."

Only a second later she was at the door: "What are you doing here?"

He shrugged: "I was wandering around."

She reached out and stroked his cheek: "It must be hard. You loved her a long time."

"Yeah," he answered. "But I am glad it is over. It is easier now."

"Why don't you come in?" she offered, taking his hand and pulling the surprised vampire inside the house.

*****

When Joyce opened the door to her daughter's bedroom in the morning, she stopped in the doorway and a smile settled on her face. Buffy and Angel were lying on both sides, their heads and hands touching. Between their chests Andrew was sleeping soundly.

She softly knocked on the door: "Morning, you three."

Andrew was the first to wake up: "Gramma," he cried and waved his little arms in her direction, grinning.

Angel only mumbled something while Buffy opened one eye and blinked: "Mom? What time is it?"

Mrs. Summers smiled: "It is almost noon, sweetheart."

"Wow," was the slayer's only comment. "We must have been tired."

Andrew crawled out of the bed and run over to his grandmother: "Gramma, gramma," he cried happily. Joyce took him in her arms: "Morning, my darling," she kissed him on the cheek and looked again at her daughter: "I take him with me, feed him and you two come whenever you are ready." With this she shut the door behind her.

Buffy reached over to Angel: "Morning sleepyhead."

"Mmmm."

She laughed: "You cannot be that tired. It is almost noon."

He opened one eye: "I was a vampire for a long time, dear. I am used to sleep during the day."

"Whatever. I am getting up now, have a nice shower and breakfast. I am starving." With this she swung her legs from the bed and disappeared in the direction of the bathroom.

When she came back Angel was already fully dressed and waiting for her. After she got dressed as well they made their way down to the living room. They were surprised to see Willow sitting there with Joyce, Andrew on her lap: "Mommy," he cried, wiggled from Willow's lap and run to his mother. She scoped him in her arms and he kissed her soundly.

"How is my little boy?"

"I miss you, mommy," he said. "Dru had dolls, but I miss you."

Buffy smiled: "Did Dru play with you?"

He shook his head: "No. Boring." Everyone laughed. Then the boy saw Angel: "Who?" he asked his mother.

"Andy that is Angel, he is mommy's friend. We are going to live with him. Would you like that."

"Andel," Andrew said.

"No, Angel," Buffy corrected him.

He frowned and tried again: "An-gel." He looked at his mother grinning proudly.

"That is right. You are a clever boy. So would you like us staying with him?"

As a response Andrew reached out for Angel and Buffy handed him over to her lover. The boy reached out and touched the face of the stranger who smiled at the little boy. Andy frowned again and seemed to study the face for a long time. "Daddy," he suddenly said.

Buffy looked at him surprised, while Angel gasped: "You want to call him daddy?"

Andrew nodded yes. Angel smiled: "You can do that, if you want." Andrew nodded again and repeated: "Daddy."

"How are you both?" Willow wanted to know.

"We are good, thanks Willow," Buffy went to the table and poured tea for herself and Angel. He also settled down, Andrew still on his lap.

"How is your shoulder?," the witch asked the former vampire.

"Fine," he replied. "Almost healed."

"Did you hear anything from the hospital. I mean about Mike?"

Buffy shook her head: "No, nothing. But I suppose the police will contact us."

"They have been with Xander and Cordy already," Willow told them. "Xander phoned me an hour ago, that they were with them. I still cannot believe they are a couple again. When I found him in his boxer shorts..." she trailed off suddenly blushing.

"In his boxer shorts?," Buffy looked at her friend.

"Yeah," the red head smiled sheepishly. "When Cordelia was drunk they fell asleep together in her bed," she laughed. "Cordy looked as if she wanted to kill him in the morning. Those two," she sighed.

"If I remember correctly it was always like that. They were shouting at each other, the next moment they were kissing." The slayer took another toast and buttered it.

Angel looked at Joyce: "Have you seen Spike?"

"No, he never came last night. I hope he is alright. Wasn't that Drusilla his former ... girlfriend?"

Willow almost choked in her tea and blushed: "Sorry, just the term girlfriend for Drusilla is..."

"Odd," Buffy finished her sentence.

The witch nodded: "Very true. Spike ... uhm ... he is at my apartment." She blushed a little bit more.

"What?" Angel and the slayer asked unison.

"Geez, he is in my apartment. He came last night and we talked. Hey, don't look at me like that, we *only* talked. We are friends, nothing else. I have a boyfriend, don't forget that."

"As long as you don't forget that," Buffy muttered in her toast.

"Hey, I heard that."

"Thirsty," Andrew exclaimed suddenly.

"What do you want, honey?" Joyce asked, getting up.

"Milk."

"Then come with me, Andy. I will give you some milk in the kitchen." She held out her hand for him. He jumped off Angel's lap and followed her.

Buffy leaned over to her friend: "You are not going to sleep with Spike, promise me that."

"Buffy," the witch exclaimed. "What do you think of me? But even if I would, what is the problem?"

"Willow, he is ... a vampire."

"And? You slept with a vampire," she looked at Angel. "No offense."

"None taken," he said biting his toast. "She has a point, love."

Buffy glared at him: "But he is ... Spike."

"It's none of your business," Willow replied now slightly angry.

"Sorry," the slayer laid a hand on her friend's arm. "I just don't want you to get hurt. I know you love Oz."

"I do," Willow sighed. "But I feel so lonely sometimes. He is gone for some weeks now and I miss him so badly. Spike is easy to talk to, he is really very nice."

"Just be careful, will you promise me that?"

"I will."

There was a knock on the door and Joyce went to open it with Andrew on her arm. It were two police officers who wanted to talk to Buffy and Angel. They asked some questions about the shooting. They told them that Mike would be arrested for double attempted murder (shooting Angel and trying to kill Buffy in the accident) and kidnapping and as there were so many eye-witnesses they said it would be an easy and quick trial. They also assured Buffy that there was no need for her to see him outside court. Angel then told them about their suspicion that Andrew was exchanged for another child that might have been killed in that process. The shocked detectives wrote everything down and promised to contact him as soon as they would know anything for sure.

When they left the house Buffy phoned Mr. Gold who told her that the divorce would be a matter of weeks now.

*****

Angel and Buffy went to a picnic in the afternoon, their first. Andrew stayed with Joyce who had offered to babysit him as she saw the lovers wanted to be alone for a while.

The ex-vampire stroked the slayer's hair. When she looked up he smiled and reached in his pocket, producing a little velvet box: "You already said yes, but I think a ring would be nice."

She gasped when he opened the box and she saw a wonderful gold ring with a green marble stone.

"It is Connemara marble," he explained. "Nothing very expensive, but very precious for me. Connemara is a part of County Galway, it is the most beautiful part of Ireland for me. Maybe we will go there one day and I can show you."

"It is beautiful," she whispered. "I love it."

"I love you," he replied slipping the ring on her finger and kissing it afterwards. "I always dreamed I would put an engagement ring on your finger, I can hardly believe it is true."

She put his arms around his neck and kissed him deeply: "It is true. And as soon as I get rid of Mike we will marry. Mr. Gold promised me to call and tell me when I will be officially divorced. As soon as I know we will set a date. I don't want to wait any longer."

"Me neither." He sighed and laid back on the grass, pulling Buffy with him in the process.

*****

"Are you serious?" Cordelia looked at Xander, a shocked expression on her face.

"I have never been more serious in my life," he answered.

"It is just ... a bit unexpected."

His face fell: "I am sorry. I shouldn't have asked." He turned round.

Immediately she reached out for his arm, smiling: "I never said I wouldn't say yes."

He turned back to her: "So you..."

"Yes. The answer is yes, I will marry you, Xander Harris. I love you." She launched herself in his arms and kissed him deeply.

"I love you too," he replied, kissing her back.

...

Part 10

The next weeks went peaceful and slowly in Sunnydale and LA. Buffy and Andrew had been moving in with Angel a week after they had rescued the boy. There had been a lot of tears spent by Buffy's mother who didn't want to part from her daughter. Sure she had lived with Mike for some years but their house had only been round two corners. On the other hand Mrs. Summers was happy for Buffy, she seemed to have found what she always wanted. Plus Joyce had come to like Angel a lot.

Giles was not surprised at all to hear about his slayer moving to LA, he was happy for her of course but concerned nevertheless to have her in a certain distance to the hellmouth, but Buffy convinced him that Spike was very capable of fulfilling her nightly slaying duties.

The blonde vampire had offered his help immediately, hoping it would make an impression on the woman he admired. After the night and day he had spent at her apartment where they were talking a lot, she had become more distant. She was friendly and warm as ever but she seemed to avoid being alone with him. He could only guess it was because she was not sure about her feelings or - and he prayed it was not - she was disgusted by the fact he was a vampire. For the first time in over 200 years Spike wished he was something else - he was so pathetic. It was good he could not see himself in a mirror. Was he the same who had laughed about his sire's devotion towards the slayer. And now a red head *human* made his head spin and his heart race when she just entered the same room.

It had been no surprise to everyone that Buffy and Angel would marry as soon as possible but the news about Xander's and Cordelia's engagement were completely unexpected.

"Cordelia? You will marry Cordelia," Willow had exclaimed for the fifth time when her childhood-friend told her about it.

"Can you just calm down, Will," Xander was ready to shout every second. "I love her, okay. And we are going to get married. Why is this so hard believe?"

"I don't know," the red head's voice was still full of disbelief. "It's just ... it is ... Cordelia. I mean it was even hard to believe you would kiss her all those years ago and I was ... surprised that you seemed to be lovers now. But that. That..."

"I'll better go. This is ridiculous," he turned to leave her apartment.

"No, Xander. Wait. I am sorry. I have no right to behave like this," she was trying to excuse her words. "I haven't seen Cordelia for a while, well some years actually. You certainly know her much better than I. Angel seems to like her too, so ... I guess she really has changed. I am very sorry and ... congratulations."

Xander smiled: "It's okay. And thank you. I am really very happy. We love each other and we know each other. I think we can make it work. Speaking about it, how is Oz?"

Willow's face fell immediately: "He won't be back for another two months. I miss him so much. I know he has to tour with the band but ... I just feel lonely."

He put a hand on her shoulder: "Maybe you should talk to him."

"Maybe I should," she said but it did not sound very convincing.

********

It was six weeks after rescuing Andrew when Angel opened his eyes one morning to find his lover standing beside the bed, hands at her hips and grinning broadly. He looked at her quizzically: "What? You seem awfully cheery this morning."

"I am," she exclaimed in excitement. Waving an envelope in front of his face she continued: "Guess?"

"I have no idea," he yawned. "Just tell me, my mind is not working at that time of the day."

"Oh you," she playfully hit his arm. "It's from the court. I am an official single again."

"It's over?," Angel asked in disbelief. "Oh god, it is really over," he exclaimed finally, reaching out and pulling her back to bed on top of him.

"Hey, you are going to ruin my skirt," she laughed.

"It's not important. We should set a date now."

"I don't know," she teased. "Maybe I am going to like the idea of being a single mother, you know, enjoying life, dating lots of interesting men who will spent money in exspensive restaurants, for jewelry..."

She was cut off by lips closing firmly over her mouth making her forget all about other men and food. The kiss deepened immediately, she felt his hands working at the buttons of her shirt.

"Mommy!" With this a little body launched himself on the bed beside the entagled lovers. "Morning, Daddy," he squealed, jumping up and down on the bed at the same time.

Angel began to laugh in Buffy's mouth, pulling away from her he sighed: "Hey you," he reached out, grabbed the child and began to tickle him. Andrew squealed more and laughed at the same time. His mother sat on the end of the bed enjoying the sight of them together. They had become very close during the last weeks. Angel was a wonderful father, exactly how she had pictured him in her dreams and Andrew simply adored him. When Angel was reading a book the boy often climbed on his lap sitting there and watching him full of interest. The ex-vampire used to smile at him then and it made Buffy's heart melt. She sighed, her world seemed just perfect for once.

Angel had stopped tickling Andrew but held him in his arms instead, looking at him seriously: "Andy, what do you think. Your mommy and I are going to be married, you know to be a real family."

Andrew nodded, his face serious as well.

"There is one thing. You are very important in this, because we need rings for the ceremony. And someone has to bring them to us and I wanted to ask you if you could do that?"

The boy looked at him. It was apparent that he did not understand the full meaning of the words, but the word important was familiar to him. He was going to be important. Still the serious expression on his face, he nodded: "Sure, daddy."

"Good, because without you, we could never do that," Angel told him making the child grin broadly. He launched himself in the ex-vampire's arms who looked at the mother and saw her smiling, deep love radiating from her eyes. 'I love you' she mouthed, he just blew her a kiss.

*******

When Cordelia and Buffy went for lunch some days later the former may queen asked: "So do you and Angel have a date?"

The slayer shrugged: "As soon as possible, maybe four weeks."

"We could have a double wedding. If you would like it, that is," the brunette looked at her expectantly.

"I don't know, I mean Angel and Xander have one wedding together?"

"They do not have to marry each other," Cordelia said dryly. "And I also think they are much better with each other now."

"At least they are civil," Buffy sighed. "I would like the idea, but I have to ask him first."

"Of course, do that. As soon as you know, we should set the date. Wow, I still cannot believe I am going to marry Xander Harris." She grinned.

"But you seem very happy."

"I am. Extremely in fact," she sighed happily. "Thinking that this all began with kissing in a cellar because we were hiding from bug-man."

Buffy grinned: "Don't tell me. Thinking my fiancée vamped out when we had our first kiss and I kicked his ass when I first met him," she giggled. "Things like these can only happen on a hellmouth."

"Yeah. But I wouldn't have it any other way." She leaned back in her chair. "I was just thinking, what about an engagement party. For our friends. We could have it at the Bronze. Just to celebrate old times. What do you think?"

"Well, why not," she giggled again. "I can just see Angel rolling his eyes and saying 'a party, again'."

Cordelia laughed: "So we will do it. I am going to phone Xander, he knows the owner, he is a friend of the notorious uncle Rory. Oh god, I am a part of his family then..."

"Hush, Cordy. You are marrying Xander, right. Not uncle Rory."

"Well, nobody can choose his family," she grinned again. "However I am going to phone him later. What do you think about Saturday next week. And I am trying to get Oz. Maybe he could come down with his band."

"That would be so great. Willow really misses him," Buffy said with a concerned gaze.

"I know," the brunette answered. "And I have also seen Spike's eyes when he looks at her. I only hope she will not do something she is going to regret later on."

"Me too," the slayer sighed. "Me too."

******

It was two days before the party at the Bronze. Willow was almost out of the apartment when her phone rang. She swore, she was already late for patrol and Giles was waiting for her. They were doing the patrol together as Spike had some urgent business as he told them.

"Yes," her voice sounding a little bit angry.

"Willow?" a male voice at the other end asked.

"Yes, who are you and what do you want," she asked, still sounding annoyed.

"Is it a bad time, I can call later?"

Who the heck is this? Willow thought. The voice sounded familiar but she was not able to put it somewhere. She sighed: "No, it is alright. I just have a date in some minutes. Who is it?"

"Oh sorry, it's me, Riley."

"Riley," she exclaimed, rolling her eyes at the same time. She took a deep breath: "That is a surprise. Why are you calling?"

"Oh I tried to call Buffy, but the number I have of her and her husband is not working."

"Oh, well she does not live there anymore," the witch told him.

"Did they move?"

"Sorta. They split up some weeks ago."

"Oh, I see."

Was there hope in his voice? Willow looked at her watch and sighed: "Riley, is there something I can do for you?"

"Yes, your date, sorry. Well I am in Sunnydale for the weekend, seeing a friend. You remember Floyd, no of course not. He was in the Initiative once. Nevermind. What did I say? Yes, I am in Sunnydale for the weekend and I would like to see you guys."

"Oh, well there is a party on Saturday night at the Bronze, why don't you just show up there. Everyone will be there." Absentmindely she played with her pen on the desk.

"That's great, thank you Willow. Is it okay when we both come, Floyd and I?"

"Sure, it's at eight and with open end." She again looked at her watch. "I am sorry, Riley, but I have to go now."

"Of course. See you on Saturday."

Willow put the phone back to the station, took her keys and rushed out of the apartment. Standing in front of the door it finally hit her. She had invited Riley to Buffy's engagement party. "Ooops," she giggled, that would become an interesting evening.

...

Part 11

"You know Cordy, I am beginning to love this double wedding thing," Buffy exclaimed gazing over to her friend. The two women were driving in Cordelia's new car from LA to Sunnydale for the party at the Bronze. Angel would follow later on, he had some errands to run he had told his fiancée and they would need his car anyhow to drive back on Sunday.

"Yeah, I love the idea too," the brunette replied. "Xander was actually delighted about it. He really seems to like Angel now. But then the boss has changed a lot. He already had before... you know ... but it is more apparent now. He still broods but ..."

"... yeah," the slayer nodded. "He is a whole new Angel. He laughs a lot and I love it," she smiled. She turned to look at the backseat, turning back to Cordelia she said: "Andy is sound asleep. Cars are the best babysitters. Mom is really looking forward to have him tonight."

"She is the perfect grandmother then. I cannot imagine my mother to look for her grandchild," the former cheerleader sighed.

"Cordy," Buffy exclaimed. "You are not..."

"No," Cordelia rolled her eyes. "I am not pregnant. But I want kids, one day."

"Poor children."

"Hey," the brunette playfully hit the slayer's arm.

"No. Sorry Cordy," Buffy grinned. "I thought about Xander. They will learn a lot of nonsense from him."

"I guess. But then, he has changed a lot. The whole Anya-thing made him grow up. And I grew up in LA, working with Angel. In fact he was the first person who gave me his friendship and didn't expect anything in return. He is a very special person and I am glad he can be happy now."

The same moment Cordelia pulled into the driveway at Mrs. Summers' house, Buffy took Andrew and the kid seat out of the car and handed the boy to her mother who greeted them in excitement. She hadn't seen her daughter and grandchild for three weeks.

"Thanks for the ride, Cordy," Buffy smiled at her friend.

"No prob. I enjoyed the company. I'll go and get Xander now. See you and Angel later." The brunette waved goodbye and drove off.

*******

A knock on her apartment door pulled Willow out of her deep thoughts. She wasn't expecting someone and went to open the door with a frown. Her eyes went wide.

"Hey Will." Oz stood there, smiling sheepishly, holding a red rose in his hand.

"Oz," she breathed. "I thought you would come next week."

"That was the plan. But ... well Cordelia sorta got us back for the party tonight and ..."

"So you came for buisness," her eyes were suddenly cold.

"No, well yes. But ... I missed you, Willow. I missed you so much." He looked at her in typical Oz manner, but she could see love in his eyes.

"I missed you too." She simply answered, stepping back to let him in.

*******

"Come on Riley," Floyd Rollins rolled his eyes at his friend who was holding two shirts in front of him, staring into the mirror. "You are behaving like a girl. This is a simple party we are going to."

"You don't understand. I am going to see her again." Riley decided for the blue shirt, she had always liked him in blue.

"Buffy," Floyd exlaimed. "You still have the hots for her. Man, she dumped you what four or five years ago. You had several girlfriends and some of them - let me say that - I would not threw out of my room. What's so special about her."

"I don't know, I can't explain. She's still in my head," Riley looked in the mirror. He looked good, well alright. He sighed, he had matured. His face had lost the boyish look, his hair was short by now. He smiled, he would see Buffy again today. Last time he saw her was at her wedding with that annoying Mike-guy. Riley never liked him, the way that man was behaving around Buffy as if she was his possession, but she obviously loved him. But maybe not as much as he had once believed. After all the marriage had only lasted for about three years.

"We should go now," Floyd looked at his watch. "It's almost eight."

Riley nodded, took his coat and the two men headed for the door.

******

"It's like old times," Xander exclaimed when he entered the Bronze together with his fiancée.

"Hopefully not," Cordelia smiled at him. "I wouldn't have married that old Xander Harris."

"You kissed him though," he teased back.

"I did," she rolled her eyes. "Don't remind me."

"Hey you two," a voice came from behind them.

"Willow," Cordelia turned and hugged the witch. "How are you? You look better now."

"Yeah," she smiled looking at the stage.

The brunette followed her gaze: "I see. Did you two talk?"

The red head nodded: "Yeah, we did."

They turned right at the moment when Riley and his friend entered the Bronze. When they saw Willow, Riley smiled: "Hey Willow. Good to see you and thanks for the invitation."

Willow smiled nervously avoiding Xander's and Cordelia's gazes. "Hey Riley and..."

"Oh, sorry. This is Floyd, my friend. Floyd Rollins," Riley introduced his friend. "Floyd these are Xander Harris and Willow Rosenburg and this is," he looked at the pretty brunette. "I am sorry but I do not think we've met."

"That is Cordelia Chase," Xander introduced her. "My fiancée," he added proudly. "In fact this is a *private* engagement party tonight," he said looking sharply at Willow who seemed to shrink under his gaze.

"Oh I see," Floyd replied. "I hope we are not intruding," he felt uncomfortable, he didn't know anyone really. He had seen Willow and Buffy and also Xander once or twice, but they weren't friends, not at all.

"No, it's okay," Cordelia said quickly, squeezing Xander's arm. "I invited two of my friends from LA, they are coming later. They are both female and single and they might need a partner to dance. So you are welcome. Just help yourselves with the bar. Music will be on in a few minutes." She gave them a smile then walked over to the bar for a drink pulling Xander with her.

Willow looked at Riley and Floyd and sighed. Giving them her best smile she tried to get them into a conversation, after all it was her fault they were here tonight.

*******

Spike stopped in front of the Bronze when the band started to play. He immediately knew it was the Dingoes' sound. So he is back now, he thought. He is back in her life and I have to leave. That's nonsense old boy, you have never been there. But at least you can dance with her. The boyfriend will play the whole night, so be a supportive friend and dance with her. He took a deep unnecessary breath and stepped into the club.

*******

Leaving Riley and his friend with drinks at a table Willow walked over to Xander, a guilty look on her face: "I am really sorry, about Riley, I mean."

"I hope you are. Not for me, well I didn't like him but I don't mind him being here. I just ignore him. I am more thinking about Buffy."

"I know. He phoned me the other night. I was already late for patrol and not really paying attention. He told me he would be seeing a friend and I just said he could come here," she sighed.

Xander put his arm around her shoulder: "It's okay, Will. After all Buffy is still the slayer and Angel has superpowers too, so I think they can handle it." He gave her a smile: "What about a dance?"

********

Angel pulled his convertible in front of the Bronze. He got out, walked around and opened the door for Buffy. She smiled: "I like these old fashioned manners, you know."

He smiled back: "Well, all for you milady." He bowed his head slightly. "Did I tell you that you look stunning tonight?"

She laughed: "You did, about ten times. But don't hold back. A woman can never get enough compliments."

"It isn't a compliment," he told her, holding out his hand. "It's just an observation."

She took his hand: "Whatever. It's nice to hear."

Thy walked to the entrance of the Bronze and he held the door open for her. She looked around: "Seems most of the people are already here. I told you we would be late."

He shrugged: "Sorry, but there was something important I had to take care of." She arched an eyebrow and he smiled: "You will see - later," he gave her a quick kiss on her nose.

"Angel," came Cordelia's voice. "I was waiting for you," she looked at Buffy. "Do you mind if I borrow your fiancée for a dance?"

Buffy laughed: "Not at all. Just go on you two." Angel gave her a smile and followed his employée to the dance floor. The slayer spottet Willow and Xander at a table in the far corner and walked over. She was greeted with brilliant smiles from her friends.

"Hey, Buff. We thought you'd never show," Xander grinned wickedly.

Buffy hit him playfully: "You have dirty thoughts, Xander Harris, but you are wrong. Angel had some urgent buisness so *he* was late."

"Where is he," the red head looked to the dance floor.

"He is with Cordelia, she wanted to dance with..." Suddenly Buffy froze and blinked. Xander followed her gaze. She shook her head and looked back at her friends: "Just tell me I am having a vision."

"No, you don't," Xander told her.

"Oh god, what is Riley doing here?"

"Uhm... well," Willow stuttered. "I kinda ... invited him ... by accident."

The slayer whirled around: "You what?" she almost shouted.

"I am really sorry. It was a ... well he phoned me and it just slipped out. Sorry." The witch looked truly guilty now.

Buffy gave her a small smile: "It's okay, Willow. I just ... last time he and Angel met," she rolled her eyes. "They will certainly not be thrilled to see each other. Riley won't because Angel kicked his ass and Angel, well he didn't like Riley."

"He didn't?" Xander asked.

"No, he told me before he left."

"You should have told me. Angel and I would have been friends much earlier," Xander could not help but grin broadly. Buffy glared at him and his grin faded, but only a little.

The slayer suddenly rolled her eyes: "There he comes," she said.

"Buffy!" Riley had seen his ex-girlfriend talking to her friends from the other side of the room. His breath was caught in his throat. She looked even more beautiful then he remembered her. There was an air around her tonight, he had never seen before. She looked so vibrant and full of energy, her eyes were sparkling. When he walked over to her she gave him a smile:

"Riley, hey," she greeted him. When she spotted the other man who was with him she frowned. "I have seen you before. Boyd?"

"Floyd," Riley's dark haired friend answered.

She nodded: "Right, Floyd. You were at the Initiative as I remember."

"Yeah, I was. Until I found out they were not exactly what I thought they were," he sighed and Buffy gave him an understanding nod. Then she turned back to her former boyfriend.

"What are you doing here, Riley?"

"I came to see Floyd and tried to phone you. I only got the information that the number wasn't working anymore, so I tried Willow," he smiled at the red head who wanted to disappear right then.

"Why did you want to see me?" Buffy asked. "We haven't seen each other since the day I got married."

"Well, I just thought I could drop by and we talk a little," he coughed slightly. "I hear you are separated now?"

The slayer arched an eyebrow, looking at Willow. The witch shrugged and Buffy turned back to Riley: "Yeah. Actually I am divorced now, but..." She wasn't able to finish her sentence because Cordelia joined them the same moment.

"Buffy, why didn't you tell me he dances like a god," she exclaimed.

The slayer giggled: "Did you tell him that? By the way where is he?"

"He'll be here soon. But seriously, he really. can. dance. Wow," she was almost breathless. She grinned: "I worked with him for five years, no even longer. God, I'll better stop that or everyone will know my real age. Nevermind, I know him for a while but I never imagined this hidden talent."

"That's what I always say. He never ceases to amaze me," Buffy sighed, a happy look on face. Then a wicked grin spread across her features and she leaned over and whispered: "And dancing is only one of his hidden talents."

Cordelia giggled immediately, Willow blushed and Xander only rolled his eyes: "Buff, I *so* do not need to hear that."

"What?" a male voice asked and hands slipped around Buffy's waist.

She grinned at him: "We were talking about your hidden talents."

He grinned back and kissed her behind her right earlobe making her gasp: "I see," he whispered.

Riley stood in shock. He had recognized the vampire at once. He would never forget him. And now there he was, right in front of him, his arms around the woman Riley was still dreaming about. The ex-commando was not able to move or speak.

When Angel finally looked up he met Riley's gaze. He was surprised but only arched an eyebrow and turned his questioning gaze back to his fiancée. She rolled her eyes in his direction, but smiled again when she turned back to meet Riley's gaze. Angel barely managed not to chuckle. It was very obvious that Buffy wasn't enjoying Riley's presence at all.

Buffy took a deep breath: "Oh, sorry. Riley, do you remember Angel? Angel, Riley and that is his friend Floyd. They were together at the Initiative."

Angel greeted both with a nod. Floyd nodded back, Riley was still to much in shock to do anything.

Cordelia looked back and forth between the two men. She knew who Riley was, had been and she had also seen the way he had looked at Buffy. She felt it was her duty as Angel's friend to make things clear, so she coughed slightly and when she saw everyone was looking at her, she said smiling sweetly: "Oh, we forgot, Riley. We are actually celebrating a double engagement party tonight. Me and Xander," she turned to face the other couple. "And Buffy and Angel. We are also going to have a double wedding in three weeks." She leaned back at her fiancée's chest enjoying the look on Riley's face when the words finally hit home.

...

Part 12

"What!?" Riley exclaimed after he had found his voice again. "Buffy, this can't be serious. Are you teasing me again?"

The slayer quickly glared at Cordelia then looked back at her former boyfriend: "What's your problem? I haven't heard a word from you in more than three years. I haven't asked for your opinion and so don't give it!"

"Buffy," the former commando's voice suddenly became pleading, he reached out and took her hand over the table. "I am concerned about you. I know we haven't talked a lot during the last years, but I still care for you. We," he looked at his friend who stood beside him: "have learned that they," he glared at Angel: "can invade your mind and let you do things. Things you would never do at your own will."

Buffy quickly pulled her hand away: "I think you need to leave now," she said, her voice low and deadly. "You have no right at all to talk to me like that. And nothing here is any of your business." She turned round to face Angel: "Can we dance?"

The former vampire smiled at her but shook his head: "Sorry, baby, but I think we have to settle this first." He looked at the ex-commando: "Riley, I know we've not been on best terms, but maybe we can just be civil, for Buffy's sake. It's her party too and I don't want her to be upset like that."

"I will never be civil with a vampire," Riley hissed at him.

Angel took a deep breath and tried to stay calm: "Although it is none of your business, I am no vampire anymore."

The ex-commando looked at him in disbelief: "What do you mean, no vampire anymore? How would you be something else? I have never heard of such a thing."

"And that means it doesn't exist. Talk about a narrow mind," Cordelia rolled her eyes.

Riley looked at her for a long time then turned back at Angel: "So you are no vampire anymore. Let's say I believe that. What are you then?"

"He is human, like you Mr. stun-gun fishboy," came the well known British voice. Spike approached the table and patted Riley on the back. The ex-commando jumped slightly because of the unexpected touch and then gasped when he recognized the blonde vampire.

"Hostile 17," he said with wide eyes.

"Spike," Willow smiled at the vampire and he walked over and pulled a chair to sit beside her.

Recovering from his shock about seeing Spike Riley looked back at Angel: "You are human? How is this possible?"

"I cannot believe we are having this conversation," Buffy cut in, her voice sounding deeply annoyed. "This is our engagement party, I want to enjoy it. Riley, either you deal with it or you leave. There is no reason we should explain anything to you. And now," she turned to her fiancée: "we are going to dance." With this she pulled Angel away.

"Willow," Riley turned to the red-head. "Can you explain that to me?"

"No," she almost shouted. "I am explaining nothing. Oh god, I invited you and you ... you. This is so embarrassing. How can you behave like that? What the hell is the matter with Buffy's former boyfriends." She jumped up and looked at Spike: "Come on, let's dance." The blonde vampire grinned and both left the table.

"Xander," Riley now tried Buffy's other friend.

"Just. leave. it. Angel is human now. It is realy not important for you to know why and how. Just be the nice ex and don't ruin the party."

Cordelia looked at Riley for a long while, then it suddenly hit her: "You are jealous."

Riley looked confused: "What?"

"You are not concerned about her," the brunette told him. "You are jealous. You came because you still have feelings for her. Did I win the prize?"

The former commando looked to the ground, then he faced her again and shrugged: "Well, sort of."

"Let me give you an advide," Cordelia leaned over the table. "If you want to stay on friendly terms with Buffy you have to deal with Angel. You will never come between those two especially now that he is human. If you can't deal with him you better leave because I *SO* am not looking forward to a fight on *MY* party, did you get that," she now glared at him with dead in her eyes and Riley slightly stepped back.

"Never mess with Cordy," Xander tried to soften the situation but only got a glare from his fiancée as well. He raised his hands in defense.

"It's just so hard," Riley said finally. "But I think I can try."

"Good," Cordelia nodded. "Now, why don't you go and find yourselves a nice girl and enjoy the party."

..

. Part 13

"It seems all vampires are good dancers," Willow said while she was swaying to the music with Spike. When she saw him looking at her quizzically she explained: "Cordelia said Angel would dance like a god," she giggled.

"Bloody hell, now I have to listen to compliments about my sire," Spike rolled his eyes but a smile was playing on his lips. Then his face became soft: "Do you feel any better now, pet?"

She sighed: "It's just. Riley caught me on the phone when I was distracted and I invited him without thinking. Afterwards I thought it wouldn't be a problem, because he was nice." When she saw Spike's face, she grinned. "Okay, I thought he was nice and now he behaves... like this!"

"Don't be upset. I think Peaches and the slayer can fight for themselves and as far as I can see that the sexy brunette is giving him a hard time." He grinned enjoying every minute Riley would feel bad. He deserved it - bloody chip!

Willow's head shot up: "You think Cordelia is sexy?"

"Yeah, I mean for the common eye," he said casually. "A woman like her could have ... well almost everyone and she takes him," he sighed. "No self respect in women today."

"Hey," she playfully hit him. "Xander is my friend."

"Sorry, Pet," Spike said trying to look sorry but he did not really succeed in doing so. He quickly tried to change the subject: "Are you happy now?"

At her questioning gaze he looked over to the stage and nodded at Oz.

"Oh," she smiled. "Well we talked. He came to me this afternoon." Spike was almost shocked when her hand came up to touch his cheek: "He said, he would leave again. I understand it, he wants to become a famous musician. I thought I would be sad, but I wasn't."

"So you will have a long distance relationship now?"

"No," her smile grew wider. "You don't understand. I told him ... well, I told him there was someone else." With this she leaned closer to him and gave him a short, gentle kiss.

Spike was a loss of words. His moving to the music was automatically, but mostly he stared at her. She giggled, her eyes were shining. Then she suddenly laughed: "If anyone had ever told me I would make Spike speechless, I would have never believed it."

"Pet, I am a vampire."

"I know. I am a witch," she stated matter of factly.

"I am evil," he said, but a grin spread across his face. "Only the chip in my head ..."

"Just be quiet. Even without the chip you were desperately in love with Drusilla. I experienced it first hand," she reminded him when he had kidnapped her and Xander to do a love spell. "You never were the usual vampire. And I just ... I don't know if I will love you, but I love being around you and," she slightly blushed: "I think you are damned sexy."

Spike laughed and tightened his grip around her waist.

********

"Oh this is a nightmare," Buffy groaned at Angel's chest. "It was supposed to be a nice party. Willow is supposed to be my best friend, how could she do that."

When his response was a slight chuckle, she looked up, a flash of hurt in her eyes. He bent down and caught her lips in a sweet kiss. Then he said: "I just see Cordelia giving Riley a really hard time."

Buffy's gaze went over and now she chuckled as well: "Remember me to buy something special for her."

"I know I once told you I didn't like him and I still don't, but mostly I have to admit because I was jealous."

"You were," her voice was a hoarse whisper, the sort that was driving him almost crazy.

Angel rolled his eyes: "Don't do this, not here in public."

"Fine," she sighed in playful frustration. "I'll be good. So, you were jealous?"

"Of course I was, jealous as hell. Nevermind. What I wanted to say, I think he really cared for you."

"Yeah, he did. The problem was he did too much. The moment I realised he was falling in love with me I had to stop it, because I could never give him the same. But I was still so angry with you for leaving me that I convinced me being in love with the next best which unfortunately was Mike. And we all know now that this was a huge mistake."

Angel tighened his embrace and kissed her on the head: "I am sorry for the things you had to endure with him. Mike. When I left you, after defending the mayor it broke my heart. I wanted so badly to stay, but I knew it couldn't work."

"I understand, really I do," she reached out to caress his cheek.

He shook his head: "I am not sure. I wasn't even sure myself when I left. But later I understood. We both had to grow and mature. I know it sounds funny when talking about someone who has lived as long as I have, but the guilt I felt nearly drove me insane. You were so pure and good and I ... I didn't feel worthy of being with you."

"I know," she whispered softly. "But you do now."

He nodded: "Yes. I began to understand that I couldn't have done anything against the demon in my body. I always told that to myself, but it needed years for me able to believe it. I now feel I have really become someone, a man who is worthy of your love." When he saw tears in her eyes he asked concerned: "Are you okay?"

She smiled: "I am fine. I am so happy and I tend to cry when I am really happy. I love you so much and I want nothing more to be your wife and grow old with you."

"And fight some evil," he joked.

"And that," she said. "As long as we do it together."

"We will, forever."

"Angel?"

"Hmm," he murmured in her hair.

"Do you think it would be really bad of us if we just quit the party and go somewhere more private?" She licked her lips.

Angel felt his passion grow and sighed: "Maybe." When he saw her eyes getting dark he suddenly grinned: "But the hell who cares?" he laughed and pulled his laughing lover to the door, leaving the party and Riley behind them.

....

Part 14

Willow hesitated when she finally stood in front of the Summers' house. She glanced at her watch, it was ten o'clock in the morning, still early, but she had to talk to Buffy, she still felt so bad for the last evening. It had been Buffy's party as well and then she and Angel had just disappeared.

She took a deep breath and knocked. A smile spread across her face when Angel answered the door, Andrew in his arms: "Hi, Angel. Hello Andy."

The little boy reached out with his arms: "Auntie Wiwo," he cried.

Angel smiled and handed the boy over to the red head: "Hi Willow, what are you doing here at that time of the day?"

"I wanted to see Buffy," she answered and stepped into the house making her way to the living room.

"She is still asleep," the former vampire informed her. "Joyce had to get up early, she has a Sunday morning brunch with two of her friends, so I took care of Andrew."

"Daddy made bweakfast for me," the kid exclaimed, grinning at Willow.

"Did he? Isn't he great," she told the little boy.

"Gweat," Andrew said and nodded in assurance. Then his concentration went to Willow's necklace and she let him play looking back at Angel.

"I came ... well to apologize, for inviting Riley to the party," she frowned.

"Nothing to be sorry for," the ex-vampire said. "And I know Buffy isn't angry with you, it just caught her by surprise."

"I feel so bad about it," Willow told him. "I didn't think when I told him he could come, then I thought it wouldn't be a bad thing, but I never expected him to ... to insult you like that."

"He didn't insult me," Angel smiled at her. "He is nobody I care for, he could never insult me. He is just a poor, jealous boy. I just feel sorry for Buffy. After the whole thing with Mike she didn't need anymore ex-boyfriend dramas." When he saw the guilty look on Willow's face again, he quickly added: "But Cordelia took care of him, so actually I think he might have finally regretted he ever came."

Her face brightened: "Yeah, you can always count on Cordy and I mean that in the best possible way. I am sure she gave him a hard time," suddenly she giggled: "Spike saw it first, I think he really enjoyed it."

Angel became serious: "Is there anything going on between you and he? I know it is none of my business but I see you as a ... friend and for that I am concerned."

She smiled: "I appreciate your concern. About Spike, well I am doing the space thing with Oz. He will leave again, actually he might have already left. They have several gigs in Canada at the end of the week. It looks as if they have a real chance in the business." When she saw Angel was about to say something she raised a hand to stop him. "Oh, I understand that. It was always his dream to become a good musician and earn his money that way, but I am not going to sit around again waiting if and when he is about to show up. Spike is easy to talk to, he is great fun and I like him. Maybe it could become something more, but I am not sure and NO, I haven't slept with him."

"Slept with whom?," came a sleepy voice from the doorway. Buffy was standing there in her pyjamas rubbing her eyes. She walked over to the sofa, giving Angel a good-morning kiss while passing him and then sat beside Willow and her son.

"Mommy," Andrew exclaimed, crawling from Willow's lap over to his mother. She greeted him with a gentle kiss and he curled in her lap, for the moment content just to sit there.

Then she frowned at the witch: "You slept with whom?"

Willow laughed: "Nobody. Angel was just asking about Spike and I, and I told him, that I like him. Period."

"Good," Buffy said and turned at her lover: "Would you mind bringing me a cup of coffee, love?"

Angel nodded, blowing her a kiss he disappeared into the kitchen. Buffy looked back at her friend: "Why are you here?"

"To apologize, for Riley," she again looked guilty.

"Hush. No need. It's not your fault he was annoying, you didn't expect him to be this way and I didn't either. I mean he was a bit clingy and all but he was not all bad."

Willow suddenly saw something at her friend's neck, reaching out she held a golden locket in her hand, it was the shape of a heart surrounded by little rubies: "Wow, that is beautiful, I have never seen it before."

The slayer grinned: "Angel gave it to me, last night. It was his present for me, for the party, the reason why he came late. Turn it," she ordered her friend.

The witch did and read *Love, Always*. "This is so romantic," she exclaimed. "He is so thoughtful."

A dreamy look crept up Buffy's face: "Oh yeah, he is. I love him so much, Willow. Sometimes I think I have to burst from happiness."

"I am happy for you. If anyone earned this it is you."

"Mommy, I want a cookie," a voice interrupted the emotional moment and both women laughed. Buffy looked at her son: "You just had breakfast, my darling. Later you can have a cookie."

"Want it now," he pouted.

"No," the slayer's face was serious. "You get it later."

He made a face and jumped from her lap: "Wanna play," he crossed his arms before his chest and Willow could barely hold back a giggle. He looked just like his mother now when she wanted to have things her way.

Buffy looked at him: "You can go in your room, play with your toys."

He turned and ran up the stairs. Willow grinned broadly: "He is so adorable and he has your whole attitude."

"There we go," Angel returned to the living room, carrying a tray loaded with three mugs of coffee and some buttered toast. He put it down on the table: "I hope you'll have a coffee too, Willow?"

She nodded gratefully and took her cup: "Another thing. You wanted to tell me when we will meet at the dresser about the wedding clothes."

Angel rolled his eyes: "Don't remind me. I hate wearing a tux."

Buffy giggled: "Poor man. You have to suffer so badly." Then she turned to Willow: "You will never believe, Wesley will be Angel's best man. He wanted to ask Xander but with the double wedding he is not available."

"Oz will be Xander's best man," the witch informed them. "He will just come for the day."

"So the date for the dresser," the blonde came back to the former subject of conversation. "We will have two. Next Saturday and on Wednesday night. I hope this will cover it. If you would like you could come on Saturday and stay with us until Wednesday - if that is okay with your job?"

The red-head shrugged: "We will see." She put her mug down: "Oh, and there is another thing. Giles called me this morning about some research, when I told him I would go and see you both he asked if you could come over to him this afternoon. When will you both go back to LA?"

"Tonight," Angel told her. "Do you know why Giles wants to talk to us?" He was suddenly alarmed, they were preparing a wedding and he was not looking forward to some evil popping up.

"No," she shook her head. "Sorry. But I do not think, or lets say I hope it is nothing serious," she sighed. "I think after the last events we have deserved some rest."

"You are right, but my experience tells me the only thing you can always be sure of is that some evil will cross our ways," Buffy said, rolling her eyes and then smiling at ther fiancée, who smiled back. "So we see each other at Giles?"

"Yeah," Willow got up. "I am going now. So see you later." She waved her hand goodbye and left.

Angel came over to the sofa, sitting beside his love: "Hey, are you okay?" he asked seeing the worried look on her face.

"Yeah, I just don't want something to disturb the wedding. We have earned to be happy - this time." She leaned her head at his shoulder and closed her eyes.

********

"Riley, man. You are still staring in your coffee. Come out of your daze," Floyd was really getting annoyed with his friend's attitude. They hadn't barely talked after leaving the club the last night. And this morning there seemed no change in Riley's mood.

The ex-commando looked up from his cup: "I still cannot believe she is really marrying him."

Floyd rolled his eyes: "Get over yourself. They are in love, every idiot can see it. They look at each other as if there's nobody else in the world."

"Somehow I have to make her see she is making a fault. I still don't know how, but there has to be a way." Riley didn't even listen to his friend.

"I think you really need help," Floyd stood up and laid a hand on his friend's shoulder. "You have to get her out of your head, soon."

Riley looked up: "That guy is ... was a vampire. How can she marry someone who has killed hundreds of people. Tell me, how can she do it?"

"I don't know," his friend sighed. "But she is a grown up woman, it is her decision and I repeat: she. is. in. love. with. him. You have to get that in your mind. I don't know their story but as far as I understood they both go way back. The brunette, Cordelia, said something about that she met him when she was 16. So she knows him way longer than you. She is 25 now, so it is nine years - a long time to know each other, don't you think. Vampire or not? when I have learned one thing it is that nothing is just black or white, there are always different shades of gray."

"I still have to talk to her. I have to or it will drive me crazy. I want to talk to her - alone." With this Riley jumped up and left his friends house.

Floyd sat at the table shaking his head: "Did he even listen to one word I was saying?"

...

Part 15

Everyone was assembled at Giles' small apartment the same afternoon. The ex-watcher was sitting in a big chair and looking at the group. They had all been there for half an hour but he had nothing done so far then serving tea.

"Sorry to interrupt this wonderful silence," Xander's voice cut in. "But you called us here for a reason? It's not that I mind the nice company, but maybe Cordy and I could have done nicer things on a lovely Sunday afternoon." He looked around and smiled when all the others nodded as well.

"Well I have nothing better to do," Spike said, but when he saw the others glaring at him he shrugged. "I could sleep I guess."

"Sorry," Giles began: "I just don't know how to say that with the wedding preparations and all..."

"Then just don't," Buffy cut him off. "I don't want to hear about evil or prophecies or whatever. I just want to prepare my wedding with the man I love. God won't this ever stop." She was almost in tears and Angel immediately wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in his lap in the process.

"Shhh, love. Everything will be alright. I promise, nothing will disturb the wedding," he tried to calm her.

"NO," Giles almost shouted. "Buffy, please. I wasn't talking about some evil. I am so sorry I upset you."

She looked up: "No evil?" she asked doubtingly.

"No, I swear," he held his hand over his heart. "It's about me. I don't know how to say that, but I am leaving. Sunnydale, I mean. I am going back to England, the week after the wedding."

Everyone stared at him. Giles had been such an important part of their lives for a long time, none of them could imagine being without the Englishman.

"B-But you cannot leave," Buffy looked at him with tearful eyes. "I am still the slayer and all..."

He held his hand up to stop her: "I am not leaving forever. Just for a time. You should all know I have a sister in England. She is seriously ill and I have to go and look for her. Care for her ... for the last months ... she's got." His voice almost broke at the end of his speech.

"Oh, Giles," Willow stood up and laid her hand on his arm. He looked up and smiled gratefully.

"I haven't seen her for a very long time and our connection isn't very great but she is still family and when we were children we were close, so I just feel I have to go," he focused on Buffy now. "I don't know exactly how long I will be gone, but I am sure Wesley will help you in this time as good as he can *and* you have Angel by your side. I am sure you can manage."

The slayer stood up and approached him: "Of course we can. We will manage and you take care for your sister. But before you go you could make me the great honour to lead the bride down the aisle. Would you do that?"

He smiled, tears were shining in his eyes: "I would be so honoured." He stood up and embraced her tightly. He pulled back after a short while: "So that was the reason I called you here," he looked at the people in his room, facing one after another. "I just wanted to tell you all together."

*******

Riley rang the bell at the Summers' house with a flying pulse. He was incredibly nervous. He wasn't even sure Buffy was alone, all he knew was he had to talk to her, make her listen.

A very surprised Joyce Summers opened the door: "Riley," she exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"Uhm... I came to see Buffy. Can I talk to her?" Riley nervously played with his fingers.

"Buffy? Well she's not at home. She and Angel went to see Giles. They have a meeting there. But why don't you come in, I am sure they will be back soon." She stepped back and motioned him to enter the house.

"So," she tried to start a conversation. "What are you doing in Sunnydale? I haven't seen you for a while."

"I am here to see a friend. Just thought I would stop by and see Buffy," he told her. Obviously her daughter hadn't told her about their meeting at the party.

"I see," Joyce nodded.

"Gramma," Andrew stormed into the living room, carrying a stuffed bear. He stopped immediately when he saw the stranger sitting on the sofa. "Who?" he demanded looking at Riley.

"Andy, that is Riley," Joyce explained the little boy. "He is a friend of your mom." She patted on her lap: "Come here and sit with me, my darling."

Andrew stepped over and jumped in his grandmother's lap, sticking his thumb in his mouth and watching the stranger with interested eyes.

Riley eyes were wide: "He is ... Buffy's son?," he asked in disbelief.

Joyce smiled: "Yea, he is and he is such a wonderful boy." She stroked the little boy's head with a gentle hand.

The ex-commando was still recovering from the news that the woman he adored and loved had a child, when the door opened and said woman entered the house. Andy jumped from his grandmother's lap and stormed in his mother's open arms.

"Hey sweetheart," the slayer greeted her son, kneeling in front of him and embracing him tightly.

He pulled back from her after a short while and frowned: "Where is Daddy?"

"Daddy is still with uncle Giles. He will come soon." She looked to her mother and ... Riley. She closed her eyes for a second, why the hell was he here? "Riley," she greeted him. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you," he answered.

"Well," Joyce stood up. "Why don't Andy and I just go into the garden. What do you think," she asked looking at the child. When he nodded she held out her hand for him and the two disappeared into the hall.

Buffy stood up again and gazed at her former boyfriend: "Why did you come here?" she asked him, her voice showing her slight anger. "Don't you think it was enough yesterday?"

"I," he began, standing up himself: "I couldn't sleep the whole night. I was thinking about you."

She sighed: "That's your problem, Riley. If you have sleeping problems go call a doctor, I am not medically trained."

"Buffy, I know we do not have a relationship anymore, but believe me I still care for you. And it bothers me that you ... you cannot be serious about marrying him. Please think about it," suddenly he stopped, and Andy's words hit him. "Did your son talk about Angel, when he said Daddy?"

She nodded: "Yeah. They have a wonderful connection," she smiled, not at all thinking about telling Riley Angel wasn't Andrew's real father. It didn't matter at all because soon he would be his father in every way that counted.

"But you were married then," he exclaimed totally confused. "You cheated on your husband with a ... vampire! I thought vampires couldn't have children. You once told me that."

Buffy only stared at him, anger was rising in her that was about to burst out any minute, her voice slightly rising she finally said: "What the hell do you think you do. You are coming to Sunnydale, appearing at my party and behaving like a jerk. Do you think because we once had sex together this gives you the right to have a say in my life? Big news, you don't. I am making my own decisions and the next is: You. are. leaving. now!" With this she stepped to the door and holding it open.

"You are making a fault," Riley tried again, but was cut off by her now definitely angry shout.

"Go. Now."

"Please think about it, Buffy, I..." he was not able to say another word, because she just pushed him out of the house slamming the door behind him.

...

Part 16

Angel was deep in thoughts when he left Giles' apartment, he had stayed there for a while after the gang had left. He wanted to talk to the ex-watcher about the time he wouldn't be there to help Buffy. Sure, Wesley was a fully trained watcher and perfectly capable to take over background research but Giles had been more a father replacement during the last years and Angel was sure the slayer would miss him a lot. Giles had finally agreed to keep his apartment in Sunnydale to give Buffy the feeling he would come back in the end and as a plus his books and files would stay there as well. It was not very likely that he would need them in England while taking care of his sick sister. The key for the apartment would stay with Joyce and one of the gang would look for his plants and clean the flat from time to time.

"It must be a very familiar feeling for you to walk alone through the streets at night," a voice came from the left side.

Angel turned round and quirked an eyebrow: "Now that is a surprise," he said, his voice sounding all but that.

Riley was leaning at a tree, his arms crossed in front of his chest: "I bet it is," he pushed himself away from the tree and approached the former vampire. "We met like this before, do you remember," he began: "in a dark alley."

"Yeah, I do remember. I also recall that you didn't look very well after that," Angel replied, giving him his best smirk.

"You enjoyed it, didn't you," the ex-commando narrowed his eyes slightly. "To hurt me, to beat me up, to feel my pain, because I had fucked your precious Buffy. I could have her when you couldn't - man, that must have hurt. Poor ensouled vampire. So in love and not able to live it - nasty curse." He was now standing only a few feets away from the ex-vampire and grinning triumphantly when he saw the flash of pain that crossed the other mans features.

"That was low you know, even for a bug like you," Angel said still standing at the same spot. "Can you imagine that I truly believed you cared for Buffy? I didn't like you, still don't but I thought you loved her. Now I am not sure anymore."

"I loved her," Riley shouted, anger apparent in his eyes. "I still do, don't you dare question my feelings for her. Our love was true and pure. And I made her happy." He suddenly grinned: "Every time we made love, she loved it, she is very passionate and I could satisfy her needs."

Rolling his eyes and sighing loudly, Angel said: "Look, Riley. It is getting late, Buffy is waiting for me and this conversation doesn't get us anywhere. Is there anything else you wanted to say, because if not I just go now." He looked at the younger man for a short time and when he didn't say anything he turned and was about to leave when he felt a hand at his shoulder.

"Not so fast, vampire-boy," the ex-commando's voice came again. "You mentioned our last meeting in a dark alley and I think as you are human now it could be worth a try to get us even."

Angel turned and faced the blonde-haired man: "Let me give you some advice. Let it go."

"Look at you. No vampire anymore and already afraid," Riley laughed triumphantly. "Now you see how I felt that night and you will feel it - soon."

"I just don't want to hurt you."

The former commando laughed and launched himself on the other man. Angel stumbled backwards but didn't fall and pushed Riley away from him. The blonde cried out in rage and attacked again, but was easily blocked. He shook his head in disbelief and stepped back: "What the hell are you. You cannot be that strong," he cried.

"I can't? Says who?"

"If you are human. Humans are not that strong. The only one I know is Buffy and she is the slayer," he shouted. "So what are you."

"It's none of your business, soldier-boy," Angel replied. "And now go and leave Buffy and me alone."

"You are not going to marry her. Whatever you are now, you were a vampire. Do you think you are worthy to be her husband? You have killed hundreds of people."

His face not showing any emotion the ex-vampire said: "I haven't. I have never killed anyone who didn't deserve it. There was a demon in my body, a demon I couldn't control. You have been hunting vampires, you've studied them, you should know that."

Riley stared at him, Willow once had told him that Buffy's vampire-ex-boyfriend was all brooding and guilt-ridden. The ex-commando had had high hopes to crack him by giving him a guilt-trip, making him feel unworthy and getting him to leave Buffy as a result. But it didn't seem to work. He moved his hand into his pocket, reaching for the knife he had hidden there. His hand gripped it, but he didn't pull it out. He had never attacked a human being with a knife before, he saw himself as a peaceful person, reasonable and trustworthy. He couldn't believe he was really entertaining the idea of pulling out a knive and attacking another human being with it. But then he rememberd the strength with that Angel had blocked his attacks and all his scrouples flew out of the window.

As the former vampire was about to turn to leave, Riley gripped the knife tight, pulled it out and launched himself again at his opponent. The former-vampire was surprised by the attack and fell to the ground with Riley on top of him. Suddenly he felt the knife at his throat and heard the ex-commando laughing triumphantly.

Riley felt great, now he had the upper hand. But he was taken aback by the look in the other man's eyes. They showed no fear. The former commando hesitated for a moment. A big mistake he soon found out as his world went black.

*******

"I am so sorry, Spike," Willow said avoiding the vampire's gaze.

He reached out gently touching her shoulder: "I am okay, Pet. Forget about it."

"I am still sorry," she sighed and pulled her shirt over her head while sitting on the edge of the bed. "I really wanted it, you know. But then all I could see was his face and suddenly I knew it was wrong."

The blonde vampire sighed and reached out for his pants. "You still love him, Red. You are angry with him for leaving you, because you feel he is giving his career the preference over you. It might all be true, but that doesn't change the love you feel for him. You are not the person who goes out and jump into bed with another. And let me tell you, it wouldn't help. It would only cause more pain."

Willow turned round to face him, smiling: "Buffy once said, Angel was sometimes driving her crazy with all his wisdom of his long life. But I kinda like it."

Spike looked at her and smiled too.

*******

"What happened ... Faith," Buffy exclaimed with wide eyes when she found her lover and the other slayer standing in front of her door, an unconscious Riley between them.

"We'll explain, just let us in so we can drop him on your sofa," Angel told her. She stepped back and they carried the heavy man into the Summers' living room, laying him down. Quickly Faith reached in her backpocket, producing handcuffs and using them on the former commando. Having done that she looked at Buffy:

"Hey B, sorry for that, but this sick bloke tried to ...", stopped when she saw the look in Angel's eyes. "Whatever, do you mind me being here?," she asked, hesitation in her voice.

"No, it is okay," the slayer said, trying a small smile. "We made peace, remember."

Faith smiled back: "Yeah, we did," she sounded relieved.

"Faith," came Joyce Summers' voice from the doorway. "What are you doing here?"

Buffy turned to her mother: "It is okay mom. Faith and I talked and we are cool now. She will not try to hurt anyone."

Joyce nodded: "Fine, but what is he doing here," she pointed at Riley.

Angel took a deep breath locking eyes with his fiancée: "He waited for me. We talked, he tried to insult me, he failed and then he attacked me."

"What?," Buffy gasped. "Attacked you," her voice rising. "Oh god, do all my former boyfriends go psycho now?"

"Hey," the ex-vampire reached out and touched her cheek: "Nothing happened. Luckily Faith was there in time. She knocked him out."

Buffy turned to look at the brunette slayer: "Thank you," she whispered with a trembling voice, then she turned back and embraced Angel tightly. "What the hell happened to him? Is it me, is there something about me that makes them go nuts?"

"It is not your fault, love. He believes he is still in love with you, but that is not the point. I think, he couldn't get over the fact that I was a vampire. Remember that he was trained to fight vampires at the Initiative. He strongly believes all vampires are evil and not fit to live. He is just not able to process the fact that I am human now."

"Don't you dare defend him, he attacked you," she looked up at him with teary eyes. "God, just to think I could loose you because one of my former boyfriends goes mental."

"I am fine," Angel told her.

"Yeah, he is. Hey B., Angel is strong. Have a little faith in him," Faith tried to comfort her.

"I know," Buffy pulled slightly back from her lover. "I just. We went through so much and finally we are together. The thought I could lose him," she stopped, a slight shiver running through her body. She took a deep breath, changing the subject: "What are you doing here?"

"I got my probational release this morning. I went to Angel's office and Wesley told me you were all in Sunnydale. He was so nice to take me here. I checked in with Giles first because Wesley wanted to see him and he told me that Angel had just left, so I followed him."

"Right in time," Angel added and Faith shrugged, feeling uncomfortable with all the thanks from the people.

Buffy turned to look at her former boyfriend: "What are we going to do with him?"

"Call Kate and give him to the police," Faith recommended.

"Good idea, the police," the slayer turned to pick up a phone, when Angel's gentle hand stopped her.

"Buffy, this won't solve anything. I told you he didn't really know what he was doing. Maybe we can just wait until he wakes up and talk to him."

"How can you be so ... forgiving?" she shouted.

"Because I do not think he is the killer type. Let's just try and talk to him, we can always call the police if it doesn't work out."

She sighed: "Fine, give it a try, but I cannot guarantee I am not beating him up."

Angel could not help but chuckle, Faith only rolled her eyes.

...

Part 17

Buffy was surprised when there was a knock on the door. She looked at Angel and Faith and then shortly at the still unconscious ex-commando, then she went to answer the it only to find Xander and Cordelia standing there smiling.

"Hey Buffster," Xander exclaimed.

The slayer motioned them to come in: "Hello you two. What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to talk to you about some details for the wedding ... what happened?," Cordelia pointed at Riley. The three of them had reached the living room by now. That was also the moment Xander spotted Faith:

"And what is psycho-slayer doing here?" he asked, unconsciously rubbing his neck. He still remembered that she had once tried to kill him.

"Nice to see you both," Angel said giving both a look. Then he explained the whole situation. When he was finished Cordelia glared at Riley:

"So commando-guy went all psycho, geez what happens with your ex-boyfriends Buffy? Dammit and I thought, I set him in his place last night, I seem to loose my touch." The brunette frowned slightly then took a place on the sofa watching Riley carefully. Suddenly she grinned: "But seeing the bruises on his face I would say he couldn't really enjoy it, and the big bump on his head," she contorted her face in disgust: "that will be a headache to remember."

"He deserved this, the bastard," Faith said still sitting on the single chair in the corner. "God, to think I actually slept with that loser."

"Thanks for the reminder," Buffy sighed while rolling her eyes at the same time. "At a point I almost thought I loved him, maybe you can find some comfort in that."

Angel smiled slightly, walked over to her and squeezed her hand: "Think about it as mistakes of the growing up process, a way to learn." She smiled back and gave him a soft kiss. He always found a way to make her feel better.

"So Faith knocked army-guy out. Question, what happens next," Xander stepped closer still watching the brunette slayer with one eye. She seemed different, more at peace.

"The slayers thought calling the police would be the best idea," she said. "But good-hearted Mr. detective wants to talk to him, give him another chance."

"Yeah, that's our Angel, always looking for a way to save a lost soul," Cordelia sighed, grinning at her boss.

He only shook his head but grinned back.

*******

"Oz, it's me... yeah, I bet this is a surprise for you ... I know what I said. ... Listen, I was wrong ... about what, about us," Willow sighed, leaning back against her pillows: "I ... I still love you ... I thought I could just go and move on but there is no way. ... I am sorry I said that, I thought you were putting your music above me. I know ... I know. WHAT? Oh god, oh Oz. ... Yes."

When she finally pressed the end-button on her phone a huge grin spread across her face. She had made the right decision, finally she knew exactly what she wanted.

*******

The first thing Riley felt when consciousness came back was his head. He couldn't remember his head ever hurting that much. He seemed to lay on something soft but he couldn't remember how he had ended there. He did remember waiting for Angel in the shadow of a tree, talking to him, having the upper hand. But then everything went black. He slowly opened his eyes, blinking.

*******

"He wakes up," Faith said not leaving her seat.

"It's about time," Buffy crossed her arms before her chest. "Riley, can you hear me," she asked stepping closer to the sofa.

"Bu... Buffy," his voice was hoarse and he tried to focus on the voice.

"Yeah," she was sounding angry. He knew that tone all to well. The same moment he realised his hands were bound behind his back. Handcuffs. He frowned:

"Why?" he asked turning his head slowly, nodding in the direction of his bound hands.

"You should be glad, that's all we did," the slayer hissed, her eyes shooting daggers. "Are you crazy, running around and attacking my boyfriend?"

"I ...," he began. "I never wanted to attack him. I guess at some point I just lost it," he smiled sheepishly, his eyes pleading for forgiveness.

"Oh no," Buffy shouted. "Don't give me that 'I am the poor defenseless boy from Iowa look'. It doesn't work with me. Not anymore."

"Buffy," came Angel's soft voice and the slayer relaxed immediately. She turned:

"I am sorry, but I told you I would be pissed."

He chuckled slightly but became serious again, stepping beside her and facing Riley as well. The ex-commando's eyes widened and he swallowed hard.

"Fishboy, Fishboy," Xander said, shaking his head, "I never liked you, but I never thought you would be the homicidal type. People really surprise you, hidden depths and all." Everyone turned to glare at him, he shrugged but his grin never faded.

"Why did you do this?," Angel asked the man who was still laying on the sofa.

"Because I think it isn't right," he answered. Angel felt Buffy stiffen and laid a hand on her arm.

"What isn't right?" he asked again.

"You. You and Buffy I mean. You are ... were a vampire, you should be punished for your former deeds, not be rewarded with a normal human life." Riley's voice was still angry, but Angel could hear it wasn't as confident as it had been only some hours ago. "Let alone having a child with her," the ex-commando added.

"A child?" The former vampire looked confused.

Now the slayer laid a hand on his arm, looking him deeply in the eye she simply said: "Yes, love. He's talking about Andrew, our son."

"Oh," Angel only said and looked back at Riley: "What is wrong about him?"

"A vampire who has a child with a slayer. Does this sound right to you?"

"Frankly. No," when he heard Buffy gasp he gave her a reassuring smile and went on: "When I fell in love with her all these years ago I knew it couldn't work. I knew I had no right to come near her. And believe me I tried to stay away, but it was too strong. Stronger than we both. So we came together and learned the hard way that ours was a forbidden love. Still we couldn't get away and although it was more than dangerous we came together again." Angel looked Riley straight in the eye: "You will never know how hard it was to give her up. I could only do it because I loved her so much, because I made myself believe she deserved a better life." He laughed bitterly: "Only to learn it wasn't better at all."

Riley listened to the speech, different feelings went through his head, anger, jealousy, but also the slightest understanding what had happened between Buffy and Angel. He would certainly never truly understand their bond but it was obviously there. Still there was this one question: "How did you become human? I have never heard of something like that."

Angel smiled slightly: "It was foretold. In a prophecy, it said if I was ever able to make amends for my past crimes this would be my redemption. A higher force obviously decided now was the time." He looked at Buffy who smiled lovingly at him.

"I really hated you," Riley answered after a while. "I was told vampires were pure evil. The thought one could be not ... well, let's just say it wasn't part of my book. It's hard to process, let alone the fact one turned human," he gave a short laugh, but didn't feel about laughing at all. His mind finally proceeded the fact that he had lost the woman he was still in love with. Lost to a former vampire. The fact she had always loved the other man cut even deeper.

"You actually think we believe this nice act?" Faith stood up and placed herself beside Angel.

"I swear I mean what I said," the ex-commando said.

"I know you do," Angel said quietly, reaching out his hand to Faith. She rolled her eyes and sighed but gave him the key for the handcuffs. In a second Riley was free. He stood up and looked at the former vampire.

"You could have called the police, I attacked you with a knife. Why didn't you do it?"

"That wouldn't have solved the problem, would it?"

"Maybe not," Riley told him. "But I would have called the cops if I would have been in your position." Then he turned to face Buffy: "I am really sorry. I was way off line, maybe one day you can forget that and we can be friends again."

The slayer was not as forgiving as her fiancée: "I think you better leave now."

He gave her a last look, then he nodded. Almost out of the door he turned again: "I hope you will be happy." Then the door shut and he was gone.

"Puhh," Cordelia sighed. "Frustrated much."

"I am glad he is gone. And hopefully he will never come back," Buffy looked at Angel: "How do you do that? How can you be so forgiving?"

He just smiled at her. When he spoke he had changed the subject: "Cordelia, didn't you say something about the wedding?"

The slayer shook her head, sighing slightly. He would never cease to amaze her.

...

Part 18

"You should thank the Powers That Be for this double wedding, Buffy. So I was right by your side to take care of all the arrangements, robes and stuff." Cordelia glanced around the small preparation room. When her eyes fell on another brunette sitting in a corner nestling with her dress and looking uncomfortable in the unfamiliar outfit, she frowned: "If anyone would have told me I'd choose you for a bridesmaid..." She trailed off and shook her head in playful disbelief.

Buffy only grinned and looked at her red haired bridesmaid who was busy arranging the blonde bride's hair.

"It was your idea if you remember, I am not dying to wear this," Faith pointed at the light blue dress she and Willow were wearing.

"As far as I am concerned, this is the nicest outfit I have ever seen on you," Joyce said entering the room with a huge smile on her face. "You are such a pretty girl. Why do you hide yourself all the time?"

Seeing the brunette slayer blushing Buffy quickly changed the subject: "Where is Andrew?"

"I left him with your father so he is occupied. He is still a little bit hurt because you wouldn't allow him to walk you down the aisle."

"He did it once, that's enough for a father who refused to be a part of his daughter's life." The Blonde looked in the mirror and attached another bit of rouge.

"He loves you honey," her mother replied, walking to her daughter and laying a hand on her shoulder.

"Maybe, but his ways of showing it are still mysterious to me," she looked at Willow determined to skip this special subject. Why did her mother always try to protect her father's actions. She had divorced him dammit, so at one point she must have felt his faults too. "How was your reunion?" she asked her friend.

The witch blushed and a happy smile appeared on her face: "It was good, well actually more than that. I cannot believe I am going to England with him, on tour with the Dingoes. I also get to meet a witch at Salisbury, Giles arranged that for me," she sighed happily.

"When will you leave?" Faith stood up and leaned against the wall unconsciously playing with her hair.

"The day after tomorrow, I am so looking forward to it."

"Would you stop that?" Cordelia suddenly shouted. She walked over to Faith and shoved the slayer's hand away from her hair. "It took me half an hour to get youpresentable. Don't ruin it. The looks of a bridesmaid always fall back on the bride. Geez, what are you so nervous about? You are not going to marry Xander Harris," she exclaimed but her face was betraying her words. A happy smile played around her mouth.

"I hate that. Look at me, I am wearing a stupid dress and everyone will have their eyes on me in the curch. Church," she echoed: "I never thought I would enter such a building for a holy ceremony."

The other girls giggled and Joyce laughed. Everyone could see how uncomfortable Faith felt. But she looked beautiful in the plain, long dress. Cordelia had curled up her hair and attached only the slightest shade of make-up. The result was smashing.

"You look so sweet," Mrs. Summers assured her.

"Swee," she echoed. "I am not sweet. I am a slayer, I hunt demons at night - they don't care about my outfit."

"But it doesn't hurt to look nice for a change, does it?"

"Yeah alright, Mrs. S. I look sweet." She sighed dramatically giving up any further discussion. The others were barely able to hold back hysterical laughter.

******

"I should wear a tux more often. It suits me." Xander looked at himself in the mirror and smiled.

"Actually you remind me of a penguin. A big one for sure, but still a penguin." Spike leaned back in his chair, a huge grin on his face.

"And that from the guy who didn't change his shirt since Woodstock," Xander shot back. "What are you doing here anyway. I mean it is a church with crosses and Holy Water you know."

"Guys, can we just have peace for today," Angel wasn't going to let this day be ruined by the constant arguing of two overaged teenagers.

"How do you do that, I mean you dressed and prepared yourself without looking into the mirror once," Xander changed the subject and looked at the former vampire.

He shrugged: "I had centuries to improve this particular skill. And looks are highly overrated. It's the inside that counts in the end."

"Sure mate, that's the reason you fell for the slayer at first. Because of her precious soul." Spike didn't believe his sire for a second. The slayer was hot, he had noticed that from the first minute they'd met.

"Actually that was the reason, but I do not expect you to understand."

"Hey guys," the door opened and Oz stepped in. He quickly glanced at Spike then greeted Xander and Angel.

"My best man, good to see you. How is the music doing?" Xander pattet his friend on the shoulder.

"Music's going great. We've improved our sound a lot."

"The Dingoes on a tour through England. Who would have expected that."

Oz only shrugged and then noticed Wesley standing in a corner. The ex-watcher had been very still and was only watching the others. They greeted each other with a nod.

"I should be hurt, mate," came Spike's voice again. "We know each other for centuries and you preferred the whining English-guy as a best man over me."

Angel quirked an eyebrow: "You actually expected me to ask you," he laughed shortly. "You tried to kill me, almost sacrificed me to cure Dru and you hired someone who tortured me."

"That's such old news."

"I can still remember the hot pokers being driven into my flesh. That kinda spoils a friendship."

"Oh, come on, a bit of bickerin' between old pals. You have no sense for fun. And actually I owed you one for playing with my girl while you were back to your evil self."

Angel only shook his head and looked at Wesley: "You have the ring?"

The ex-watcher smiled and nodded: "Are you getting nervous?"

"I am nervous," the former vampire admitted. "I am finally marrying the woman I love, something I never thought possible. I want this to be perfect."

"Calm down. She will take you any way she can get you. Buffy has been in love with you for almost 10 years, do you really think she cares for details," Xander tried to comfort the man he now saw as his friend. Now that his view wasn't anymore clouded with jealousy he had learned what a great friend Angel could be and how much Buffy and he loved each other. His involvement with Anya had also told him, that a person wasn't responsible for the deeds of the demon possessing their body. "Maybe it helps if I admit I am a nervous wreck. I can almost hear Cordy muttering about my tie or the tux or whatever."

"You look wonderful," Mrs. Harris had entered the room and inspected her son. "I just came to wish you luck. Cordelia is so sweet." She kissed him on the cheek, then she turned and left the room again.

"How long have we got?" Angel wanted to know.

"Ten more minutes," Wesley answered looking at his watch.

******

"Isn't it about time?" Buffy was nervously tipping the floor with her right foot.

"Ten more minutes," Willow exclaimed with a grin. "Why the hell are you so nervous. It's Angel you know."

"I know, believe me, I know that. And that's the reason why I want everything to be perfect."

"Honey, you look so beautiful and your eyes are shining," Joyce beamed at her daughter.

"You look great, B. Angel's gonna loose it."

"Hey, you are my bridesmaid. Doesn't anyone see how great I look," Cordelia exclaimed in playful annoyance.

"You do not nee assurance, your ego is big enough, already. But you do look good." Willow exchanged an amused look with Faith. I am exchanging looks with her, the witch thought, wow I must be an adult now.

"Of course I do." The Brunette looked at her dress. "Thanks to my boss who gave me a special gratification for the wedding."

"I still cannot believe he gave you his credit card. He had a lot of faith in you." Buffy took a last critical look in the mirror. Yes, she was presentable now.

A knock on the door interrupted them and Giles entered the room: "We have five more minutes." He went over to look at his slayer. "You look absolutely stunning."

"Thanks," she smiled.

"And awfully happy, if I may add."

"That's because I am. Sometimes I am afraid I am going to wake up from this dream or the Powers would intervene, because they are jealous."

"They won't. You both have earned it," Giles took her hand and squeezed it tightly.

"Oh great. Another one in the Buffy-fan-club. God what is that about you?" Cordelia turned around in front of the full-length mirror.

"You look beautiful too," Giles walked over to her. "Your father just arrived, he will be here any minute."

"Does he look alright?"

Giles only nodded and grinned.

******

It was time. Angel and Xander were standing at the altar together with Oz and Wesley. Willow and Faith were the first walking down the aisle, Willow's eyes locked with the ones of her boyfriend. When she passed Spike he gave her a friendly smile but she didn't even notice. He sighed but almost lost his breath when the brunette slayer walked by. Faith had never looked so beautiful before.

The wedding march started. Cordelia stood there on her father's arm, her full length dress was classic and modern at the same time. The veil hid her huge smile only a little bit. Xander looked at her and grinned back. Yes, she was what he wanted.

Angel was lost in Buffy's eyes when she walked down the aisle on Giles' arm. He had difficulties to remember breathing, his heart was jumping in his chest and love radiated from his eyes like the bright summer sun. She smiled at him, her expression matching his. The dress of the purest silk flattered her feminine body. To Angel she had never looked so beautiful.

Behind the two brides Andrew walked on the hand of his grandmother, proudly holding the little cushion with the four rings that were now attached to it.

******

The ceremony was over. The cake was eaten, Willow and Faith were each holding flowers in their hands, the witch leaned deeply into her boyfriend's embrace, who smiled at her. They were all waiting for the two couples to come back and leave.

******

"I am Mrs. Cordelia Harris now, boy that should be a warning for all the girls starting with a closet-romance." She sighed but smiled at her husband. Husband, wow, that sounds good.

"I love you," he told her, standing behind her and smiling at her in the mirror. "I cannot wait for the honeymoon."

"Hawaii," she said happily. "This is to good to be true."

"It is true, baby. Now, come on, we have a plane waiting for us."

******

"I love you."

"I love you," Buffy repeated. "And I cannot believe we are married. It's still kinda unreal."

"Really," he smiled at her. "Now. How can we change that." He slipped his arms round her waist and lowered his head. "Is this more real to you?"

"I don't know," she said playfully. "I like the closure."

"Do you?" With this he caught her lips in a passionate kiss. When they finally broke it because they had to come up for air they were almost panting. "Real enough now?"

"Yeah," she whispered. "Can't wait for more."

"Then we should go, they are waiting for us."

*******

"Here come the newlyweds," Hank Summers exclaimed when the couples appeared on the stairs. They had their reception at the Summers' house. Both couples stepped down the stairs, each of them grinning. The guests were assembled in front of the door with flowers and bird-seed. Buffy kneeled for a second to look at her son, who was standing at the bottom of the stairs, a hand firmly clasped into his grandmother's: "Promise to be very nice to grandma."

He smiled: "I will. I miss you mommy."

"Miss you too." She kissed him briefly and stood up again as tears threatened to fall. Angel took her hand firmly and squeezed it.

"Have fun," Joyce said, smiling at the two of them.

"We will," the former vampire smiled back.

With this both couples turned for the door and ran through seeds and flower petals to their cars heading for their honeymoon. They stopped for a minute. And hugged each other, wishing each other luck.

"See you in two weeks," Xander exclaimed while he jumped in the driver's seat.

"Yeah, have fun in Hawaii." Buffy grinned at him.

"And you in Ireland." Cordelia waved at her friends.

They drove off. Angel took the hand of his wife and kissed it gently. "This time," he said: "This time we made it."

"Yes, we did." She smiled back.

Hope you enjoyed it - don't forget to send feedback. You were great so far!!