Part 19

Later that afternoon, Angel was working in one of the old sheds behind the inn. He was trying to tear it down, using the physical labour to clear his mind and work off his frustrations. He heard a few scuffling noises come from above him in the loft, but he figured that it was an animal that made itself a home there. He continued to work for a few more hours. After lunch when he returned to the work, he heard a scraping sound he was about to look up when Buffy appeared in front of him.

"Angel!" she cried her voice frantic, "Move!"

Instinctively Angel ducked and threw himself forward. Something hard and heavy hit him across his right shoulder. Something so heavy, that even now he was trapped beneath it. Had he not moved when Buffy told him to, it would've landed on his head killing him. Pain exploded in his injured shoulder and radiated through him as he lay on the hard, cold wooden floor.

"Angel? Angel, are you all right?" Buffy hovered beside him, wringing her hands. "Can you move?"

He groaned and tried to move the movement sent pain through his body. "No" he gasped, "Too heavy." He tried to look back and see what was holding him down, but his vision was blurry, but whatever it was it weighed a ton. His right arm was numb and he couldn't move his fingers. Something warm and wet trickled down his arm and onto the floor beneath him. "Buffy" he muttered his vision dimming, "Help me."

"I can't" she said sobbing, "I tried to move it, but I can't."

His mind was spinning, the pain almost overwhelming him. "Can you… can you bring someone to help me?"

"I'll try" she promised. "Angel, I'm so sorry."

"Get help" he muttered as he closed his eyes and let the darkness engulf him.

Angel wasn't sure how much time passed before his uncle came. As he drifted in and out of consciousness on a wave of pain, it could've been hours or just a few seconds.

"Angel! What happened?" Giles asked kneeling down beside him. "Can you talk?"

Angel moaned, "Can't… get up."

Giles got up and moved quickly to the shed door. "Cordelia" he called, "Call 911 and then come here. Angel's hurt."

Relieved that help had arrived, Angel tried to fight off the darkness that threatened to retake him. He wanted to stay conscious, to know how badly he was hurt. "What got… me" he questioned slowly through the pain.

"An old bench" Giles told him. "And you're bleeding… there's a cut from your elbow to your shoulder."

Thoughts of Buffy ran through his pain filled mind. "Uncle Rupert… how… how did…"

"Keep quiet. You need to save your strength."

Angel stubbornly persisted. "How… did you know… I needed you?"

Giles looked perplexed. "I don't know. I was in the kitchen and suddenly… I just knew something was wrong. So I came to check on you." Just then Cordy arrived. "Cordelia, let's try to get this off of him."

"Should we? We might injure him more and help is on the way" Cordy said.

Although Cordy wanted to wait, she agreed to help Giles. They took hold of opposite ends and moved the heavy metal and stone bench off him.

Angel's relief at having it removed from him was over-taken by more pain. He finally surrendered to it and to the oblivion that followed. His last thought was of Buffy, and of the fear and helplessness he'd seen in her eyes when she'd seen him hurt.

PART 20

The next afternoon, as soon as they arrived back from picking Angel up from the hospital, they put him in the sitting room. Cordy and Giles took turns giving him his medication and checking on him every five minutes. In his own opinion he was fine, just one large cut and a severely bruised shoulder. He also knew he was lucky to be alive, but he didn't want or need to be fussed over… unless it was by Buffy. But he did the nice thing and sat there silently with the cup of tea (which he didn't even like) from Giles and a newspaper from Cordy, trying to juggle them both in his left hand and failing miserably. He put them both down and sat there brooding over Buffy. He had one thought continuously going through his mind: Was he really in love with her? And if he was, what could he possibly do about it?

The phone rang in the background Angel ignored it. Someone answered it and a moment later, Cordy brought it in to him. "It's for you" she told him, handing him the cordless phone.

"Thanks" he replied sighing. He put it to his ear and said, "Hello."

"I hear yer wrestled a bench and lost" a familiar voice came down the line.

"True" Angel replied recognising Doyle's voice.

"Seriously… are yer okay? Someone in town told me that yer arm was cut off. ‘Delia assured me that it wasn't the case."

"Cordy actually spoke to you?" Angel asked in disbelief.

Sighing Doyle said, "Briefly. I wish I knew what she had against me."

"It's probably not you…" Angel said trying to comfort his friend. "I don't think she's looking for a relationship."

"She just needs time to get used to the idea," Doyle said stubbornly. Then he changed the subject, "So what did happen to yer arm?"

"I was tearing down an old shed, when it started to rain benches. I ducked and therefore I am alive to tell the tale" Angel told him, thinking that Buffy probably saved his life with her warning.

"Why was a bench above yer?"

"I don't know. It wasn't there earlier" Angel told him.

There was silence on the other end. "Are yer sure?" Doyle asked.

"Totally" Angel said. "I checked the shed out before I started on it. That bench was outside at the back of the shed."

"I saw a man pull it into the loft, while you were eating" Buffy said appearing next to him. "The same one who pushed it on you."

Angel stared at her. "Who?" he mouthed, frustrated that he couldn't talk to her.

She shrugged, "A man… he looked dirty. He had been watching you before he did it."

"Angel? Yer there?" Doyle asked.

"Someone pushed it on me" he told Doyle.

"Are yer sure?"

"I saw them" Angel said, "But it happened so quickly…"

"'Delia said it was an accident" Doyle said.

"You're the only person I told "Angel said.

Doyle made a weird noise, "Why didn't yer tell the cops? Chief Wilkins would… Oh hell." Doyle reached the obvious conclusion, "The Wilkins'."

"I think I'm close to the truth."

Doyle said, "I'm comin' over. We need to talk."

"Sure, but I don't have any new proof."

"See yer in twenty minutes."

Looking at Buffy, Angel hung up. "Tell me again," he asked.

She repeated what she told him earlier. "I tried to warn you, but I couldn't."

"Why not?" he asked her gently.

"I don't know… maybe I panicked. He almost killed you," she said sniffling.

Angel stroked her cheek, "But he didn't, because you saved me."

Buffy moved away from him, "I was so scared for you. I felt so helpless and then you were lying there…"

Angel got out of the chair and walked over to her, "Buffy it's okay. I'm grateful… you're my hero."

She looked at him, her eyes were so tortured that his throat tightened. He now knew that she could feel pain and that thought tore him up inside. "It was like I wasn't there," she said, "Like I was…dead."

"Buffy…"

She covered her face with her hands. "Don't say anything."

"Buffy…"

"You think that you were attacked because of the investigation?" she asked.

"It's possible," he said nodding.

"I want you to stop now. Forget you ever saw me."

Angel grabbed her arm with his good one. "You don't really believe that I can do that do you?"

"You don't have a choice. I don't want you hurt again, I couldn't stand it."

Angel shook his head, "Nothing will happen."

Buffy looked at his arm, "Something already did. Next time it could be worse."

"I'll be careful."

"Like I was careful?" she yelled.

"You weren't expecting anything to happen, I will be" Angel told her.

"Angel…"

"No discussion Buff. I said I'd clear your name and I'm going to do it" he replied.

She looked at him, "That anxious to get rid of me?"

"I don't ever want to be rid of you," he said staring into her eyes.

"Angel…"

"Do you need me to tell you?"

"No" she said moving away, "Don't… it can't be."

"I know that, but it doesn't make any difference."

"I don't want you hurt" she told him, "By me or anyone else."

"Let me worry about that."

She turned to him, tears in her eyes. "I have to go now" she told him.

"I know," he said as she disappeared.

"Angel?" Giles said entering the room. "Are you in pain?"

"Yeah, it hurts like hell." He wasn't talking about his arm, but his heart. While Giles rushed off to get the pain pills, Angel sat back down in the chair and wondered why this had to happen to him.

PART 21

"I think we should talk to Charlie Gunn" Angel said. He had just told Doyle all of his suspicions about the Wilkins'.

"Yer know, this all sounds like the plot to a bad movie" Doyle replied.

"I know" Angel said, "But it happened."

"Yer really think that Charles Gunn knows something?"

"Why else would the Wilkins', support the old man?"

Doyle sighed, "Do yer know where he is?"

"No, but I'll find him" Angel replied determinedly.

Doyle sighed again, "I'll go with yer when yer talk to him." When Angel looked at him he added, "Yer can't drive like yer are. Besides if yer are in danger… yer need a friend by yer side."

Angel smiled, "Thanks."

"One condition though. If Gunn denies it… you'll drop this nutty ghost chase?"

"I won't have any other choice" Angel said, "He's my last chance."

"And yer will tell me what started all this?"

Angel agreed, knowing he'd have to think of something to satisfy Doyle. He wasn't sure that their friendship would survive the ghost story.

Two days later, Angel was sitting in the passenger seat of Doyle's old Ford headed for a nursing home in LA. Angel hadn't seen Buffy for two days and he had a strong feeling that she was avoiding him. He knew why she was doing it, but he missed her more with each passing second. How was he ever going to be able to stand it when she was gone forever?

"Yer quiet today" Doyle commented, "Am I botherin' yer?"

"No. I was just thinking" Angel replied.

Doyle brought up his favourite subject. "I heard that Cordy's enrolled in some classes at the community college."

"Did Cordy tell you?" Angel asked in surprise.

"Well no. I kinda ran into Snyder, who's the dean… he told me" Doyle answered. "Cordy doesn't talk to me. Everytime she sees me, she all but runs in the opposite direction. Yer know if she keeps that up, I'm liable to get my feelings hurt."

Angel offered a weak smile, "Give her some time."

Doyle shook his head, "Yer probably think I'm nuts, but… this has never happened to me before. I mean, I took one look and POW! She's consumed my thoughts ever since, even though she's done everything but wear a sign that says that she's not interested. Anything like that ever happen to yer?"

Angel thought of Buffy and the way she haunted his every thought. The way he had a constant need to see, hear and touch her. Even though they could never be. "Yeah" he told Doyle, "Something like that."

Doyle glanced sideways, "Yer ex-wife?"

"No."

"Someone since?"

"Yeah" Angel said.

"What happened?" Doyle asked.

Angel sighed, "We have… irreconcilable differences."

"I wasn't tryin' to be nosy, I just thought that yer might have some advice. I've never been in love before… it just never happened. I don't even know if this is…" Doyle broke off. "Hell, I sound like a teenager."

Angel laughed, "You sound like a bewildered guy. Trust me I know." He couldn't help thinking how ironic it was that Doyle thought that Cordy was unattainable, at least she was alive. Angel was in love with Buffy… whoever, whatever and whenever she was. And it wasn't something that he was ever going to get over.

PART 22

Charles Gunn was eighty-five, gravely ill and confined to a bed. He'd only agreed to see them because he had something he wanted to say. "Which one of you bought the inn?" he barked at them the second that he spotted them.

Angel walked towards the bed, "I did. I'm Angel O'Connell."

"You see the ghost?"

"I… er…"

"I saw her ten years ago, on Valentine's Day. That's when I had my heart attack and they stuck me in here" Gunn told them.

Angel looked at him, "You saw her?" He wondered why Buffy had never mentioned it.

Gunn nodded, "I know why. She wanted me to tell the truth."

"The truth?"

Gunn looked at Doyle, "You that reporter fellow?"

"Yes" Doyle answered.

"Bring a notebook?" Gunn asked.

Doyle pulled one out of his pocket, "Never leave home without it."

"Well, write fast. I'm only saying this once and no questions."

Doyle exchanged a look with Angel, sat down and said, "I'm ready."

"I've been blackmailing the Adams' and the Wilkins' for sixty years. I kept quiet, but I ain't gonna be around much longer and I want them to pay."

Angel didn't risk asking questions that might annoy the man. He just nodded and waited for the story.

"My mama worked for Joyce Summers and when my dad ran off, Joyce promised ma she'd have a job for life. My ma adored Joyce and Elizabeth… especially Elizabeth, she was like a daughter to her. After Joyce died, she promised ma that she'd always call the inn home. She… Elizabeth was different from other girls, all she cared about was the inn. She wanted to own a whole chain of them, in her own way she wanted to continue her daddy's dream."

"Was that why she turned to bootlegging?" Doyle asked, "To finance the dream?"

Gunn snorted, "Elizabeth Summers never ran a bottle of hooch in her life."

"Yer were ten when she died" Doyle said, "How would yer know what she was like?"

"My mama knew" Gunn insisted. "Besides I saw what happened to her. I know she didn't do what Harris said."

"You witnessed her murder? You know who killed her?" Angel asked shocked.

"I've always known."

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Angel asked.

"Cause he told me he'd kill me, me and my ma and I believed him. He fired ma and we lived practically on the street until she died."

"Who killed her, Gunn?" Angel asked him, "Was it her step-father?"

Doyle's pen stilled over the notebook waiting for the answer.

"It wasn't George" Gunn answered.

PART 23

"Well… who?" Angel questioned impatiently.

"It was her step-brother, Charles. He was the bootlegger and the murderer."

"Really?" Doyle said shocked.

"Yep. Money was all he cared about. He and Buck… the bootlegger and Xander Harris had a nice little operation going."

"Harris was in on it? Yer sure about it?"

Gunn scowled at Doyle; "Of course I'm sure. I've been collecting on that memory for sixty years. Think they would've paid me if I was wrong?"

"Tell us what happened that night?" Angel said giving Doyle a warning look.

"I was outside because of the party… Elizabeth's birthday. I heard some voices over near the old caretaker's shack, so I snuck over to see what was going on. I heard them talking about the bootlegging… about killing that law officer and how they thought that they were close to being caught." He paused for a moment; "They heard someone coming and froze. I saw it was Elizabeth… I wanted to warn her, but I was scared. Then before I knew it all hell had broken loose. She said something to Xander and Charles shot her. Next thing the bootlegger was killed."

Doyle looked up from his notes, "This is… incredible."

"And true" Gunn added.

"We believe you" Angel told him, "I already suspected something like this."

Gunn nodded, "I sat there terrified. Charles told Harris what to do and say… that their problems were over."

"She was killed so they could blame her for the murder of the lawman?" Doyle asked.

"Yep. Then Harris died in the… hunting accident."

"Charles killed him" Angel murmured.

"Most likely" Gunn agreed.

"Why did he threaten you? Did you confront him?" Angel pressed.

"He saw me," Gunn said. "That night he snuck into my bedroom… I was scared still, lying there awake. He had a knife and said he'd cut me into little pieces if I ever said a word… then he'd go after my ma."

"That S.O.B" Doyle said, "Yer were just a kid."

"He made his point… I never said a word."

"When did yer start the blackmail?" Doyle asked his disapproval evident.

Gunn said, "I was twenty-five, my ma was dead and I was on the streets. I went to him and said that he owed me. I told him that I wanted a lifetime job and looking after and I'd keep my mouth shut for all eternity."

"How could you?" Angel exploded, "Because of you, he got away with murder."

"By that time, I didn't care and he gave in. I stayed on with him and his rotten family for fifty years."

"The whole family's in on it?" Doyle asked incredulously.

"No" Gunn said. "He told them I was to stay on for family honour or some such crap. He wrote in his will that I was to be taken care of for life. The only one who knew was Shirley."
"Shirley knew?" Doyle asked.

"I told her myself" Gunn told them, "She despised me, but the bucks never stopped."

"And now you're telling the truth?"

Gunn laughed, "Sure and I want it all printed."

"I'm not sure I can print it" Doyle said, "its just hearsay. Your word against the Wilkins'."

"How stupid do you think I am?" he said glaring at Doyle. "Get that Bible off my table. Inside the back cover you'll find a letter in Charles' handwriting. It tells everything he did."

"How?"

Gunn's smile was evil. "This time I was the one with the knife."

Shaken Angel clutched the Bible in his left hand. The whole sordid tale made him sick. Buffy was the only innocent involved in this whole mess.

Gunn motioned to Angel's sling; "You mess with them already?"

"Yeah."

"They won't bother you now."

Angel hoped that he was right. He hated every second of this mess, but he was happy in the knowledge that Buffy's name was cleared. Even if it was seventy-five years too late.

"I ain't saying I'm proud of the things I've done, but this should make up for some of it. If you see her… you say…"

Angel sighed, "I'll tell her that you told the truth."

Gunn nodded, "Get out of here. It's all in the letter."

Angel and Doyle left without saying a word.

PART 24

Angel was lost in thought during the ride back to Sunnydale. The old Bible lay in his lap, within it's covers lay the proof of Buffy's innocence. His satisfaction at finally clearing her name was overshadowed by his grief that his success would take her forever beyond his reach.

Doyle left Angel to his thoughts; he was preoccupied by whet they had just heard from Gunn. They were almost back at the inn when Doyle broke the silence, "Yer saw her didn't yer? The ghost."

"What makes you think that?" Angel countered.

Doyle just looked at him; "Can't yer just tell me the truth?"

Angel hesitated and then shrugged. "If I tell you, you have to promise that you won't tell anyone… not even Cordy. I don't want the world to know I got my lead from a ghost."

"Damn" Doyle shook his head, looking even more dazed. "What in the hell is going on?"

"I wish I could tell you, but even I don't understand" Angel said thinking about his upcoming separation from Buffy. Why did he have to be the one to help her? Why had he finally found true love with a woman he could never have? And why did it have to hurt so much?

Doyle parked in front of the inn. "I don't think I'm gonna come in" he told Angel. "I think I'm going to go home and get drunk."

Angel didn't urge him to stay. He had his own mission, one he dreaded. "Are you going to print the article?" he asked climbing out.

Doyle nodded, "As soon as I can figure out how to word the damn thing."

"You'll need this" Angel said handing him the Bible.

"Thanks."

"See you, Doyle" Angel told him, "Be careful."

"Maybe I should say that to yer."

They both knew that Shirley Adams-Wilkins knew the truth, but Angel didn't care he just needed to see Buffy.


Giles was just walking into the lobby when he came inside. "So you and Doyle are back from your secret mission" he commented, "Were you successful?"

"Yeah. I promise I'll tell you all about it later" Angel said thinking about how patient his uncle had been.

Giles saw pain in his eyes and didn't press him for details. "You need some rest," was all he said, "Does your arm hurt?"

Angel shook his head; "It's fine."

"Go upstairs and rest" Giles ordered, not believing Angel.

"Okay" Angel agreed, trying not to sound too eager to be alone. "I'll be in my room… if you need me."

Giles nodded watching him with concern. "Are you sure that you're all right?"

"I'm sure, Uncle Rupert" he said knowing that he was lying, "Aren't I always."

Angel felt his uncle watching him as he left the lobby, but he didn't look back. He was concerned that Giles might realise that he wasn't all right, that he may never be all right again. He headed straight to his room, thinking that Buffy would be there waiting for him, impatient to hear his news. He hoped he was given the chance to say goodbye, to touch her, to kiss her, to tell her that he'd miss her, that he'd never forget her and how he'd never ever stop loving her.

She wasn't in his room when he entered. "Buffy?" Was she there watching him? "Buffy, I've found what you were hoping for. Doyle and I have proof of your innocence." There was no response. He looked around, but there was no one there. "Buffy?" he said again, "Are you here? I need to talk to you."

Angel sank down on the edge of his bed, his head bent and the pain of his injury mixing with the aching of his heart. "Buffy" he whispered, "Don't leave me like this."

PART 25

Angel still expected Shirley Adams-Wilkins to refuse to see him, when he showed up on her doorstep that evening. He found her sitting in a chair, with her son the mayor right beside her. Angel looked at her, "I guess this means that you were expecting me?"

She nodded, "Charles Gunn called this afternoon, to talk about your visit. He wanted me to know all about it."

"What's going on here?" the mayor complained. "Why would you want to visit Gunn, O'Connell? Why do you want to destroy my family?"

"I don't" Angel replied, "Or I didn't until someone dropped a bench on me."

"What?" the mayor asked, "You can't think we had anything to do with it?"

Angel looked at Shirley, "How much does he know?"

She just sat there with the same expression on her face. "Nothing, I am the only one who knows the truth."

"So you were the one…"

"I asked that you be warned off… not injured" she cut in.

"Who?"

"The son of someone I once knew" Shirley said, "It isn't the first favour he's done for me."

The mayor stared at her in disbelief, "Mother?"

"Sit down, Richard. This won't take long." Shirley drew in a deep breath, "How much do you want?"

Angel glared at her, "You think that I want money?"

"Why else? I had you investigated, you do need it."

"Mother, what is going on?" the mayor demanded. "What does O'Connell have to do with Charles Gunn."

Shirley sighed, "You need to know, since you will probably have to support Mr. O'Connell like I had to support Charles Gunn."

Angel waited to hear her explanation.

"My father murdered Elizabeth Summers and the bootlegger" she said. "He covered it up and later killed Xander Harris, who had been his partner. Charles Gunn knew the truth and blackmailed my father. I found out when it was my turn to pay."

The mayor was shocked into silence.

Angel concentrated on Shirley. "You didn't care that an innocent person was killed and her reputation ruined?"

"I didn't know her" she replied. "I couldn't let my father's good name be ruined."

"Did you cause trouble for Doyle when he started his book about the murder?"

Shirley hesitated for a moment, "I only made it clear that the locals didn't want to see their dirty laundry on the front page." Shirley looked at her son; "I will pay for Mr. O'Connell's and Mr. Doyle's silence."

"No" Angel told her, "You won't. I don't want your blood money. I just came here to let you know that the story will be printed in the Sunnydale Daily, worded the way Charles Gunn told it to us. We have a letter written by your father as proof."

"You… you are printing it?"

"Yeah."

"Why? It will destroy my family."

"No one will blame your family" Angel said.

"It'll destroy my father's name and mine." She looked at his arm, "Are you going to press charges?"

"No" Angel told her, "I just want this over. Sunnydale is my home and I have an inn to restore."
"Does that mean…"

"I want people to know the truth… the article will be printed."

Shirley just sat there, "Richard, please escort Mr. O'Connell to the door and be polite. As Sunnydale's mayor, you must support the local business owner's."

PART 26

Buffy still wasn't there when he returned from the Wilkins estate. While he waited for her, he told the whole story to his uncle and Cordy. He naturally left out the Buffy bits, saying only that he'd had a feeling that something was wrong with the legend.

"That's fascinating" Giles said when Angel had completed the story. "You solved a seventy-five year old mystery and unmasked a murderer. You must feel just like Sherlock Holmes."

Actually all Angel felt was tired and empty. "It wasn't exciting, Uncle Rupert. I just did some research."

"And risked your life" Cordy pointed out. "I can't believe that you're letting the old biddy off with it. She should be in jail…"

"What?" he asked when she stopped.

"I wouldn't have to testify… would I?" Cordy said panicked.

"No" he reassured her, "I'm not pressing charges. It's over." Over, the word echoed in his mind. Was it over? Was Buffy gone already? Had she left without saying goodbye? "I think I'm going to take a walk" Angel told them, "I need some fresh air."

To his relief no one accompanied him. They must've thought he needed to be alone. But that wasn't true, he just needed to be with Buffy.

He walked slowly along the garden path, in the dark. It was after midnight, so it was February fourteenth… Valentine's Day. It was… would've been Buffy's one-hundredth birthday. He walked to the end of the path where he'd first felt that cold feeling, the place where he'd turned and saw her watching him. He saw nothing now, but emptiness with caused him more sadness.

"Buffy," he whispered to the darkness, "I miss you."

"Angel?"

At first he thought that he'd imagined her voice. But then he heard it again.

"Angel?"

He turned around and saw her standing on the path. His sense of relief was overwhelming.

"Buffy" he said stepping closer to her. "I thought you weren't coming back."

Her smile was sad. "I know what you did for me. I just couldn't go without telling you how grateful I am… and I had to say goodbye."

Angel had wanted the chance to say goodbye, but it hurt so much he wondered if he'd live through it. He wasn't ready to let her go. "I…" he choked, unable to speak around the lump that had formed in his throat.

"You're a special man, Angel O'Connell," she whispered. "I don't think anyone else would've helped. You risked so much."

"All I did was ask some questions" he replied.

"I know you're going to do great with my inn" she told him, "I have a feeling."

"Buffy…"

"I'm going now. It'll only hurt more if I stay."

He grabbed her hand with his good one. "Do you feel any different? Or know where you're going?"

"No" she said, "But I don't belong here anymore. It's your home now."

"I don't think I can stay here without you" he told her. "I'll miss you too much."

Buffy was upset, "You have to stay here. You promised me."

"I don't care about that… only you." Her tightened his grip on her, "I wish I could go with you."

"No" she told him softly, "Don't ever say that. You have your entire life ahead of you, don't waste it."

He looked at her; "I love you."

"Angel… I can't…" she said on the verge of tears.

"I love you" he repeated, "I wish…"

Buffy understood what he meant. "So do I" she said, "I'd give anything to stay here with you. But not like this… with us in two different worlds. It wouldn't be fair to either one of us."

"But you'd stay if you could?" he asked.

She looked at him, "Of course… I love you."

He pulled her close and held onto her as though his life depended on it. Angel wondered why love was so good and yet so painful.

PART 27

It started so subtly at first, that Angel didn't notice that anything was different. Then he felt a strange warmth spreading through Buffy, like the barrier that was separating them was peeling away. He stroked her cheek and then slowly he moved his fingers down her throat, finding her pulse beating there.

"Angel?" she whispered, her voice sounded normal and not far away like it usually did.

"Buffy" he said watching as her chest rose and fell with each breath that she took; he could barely believe what was happening.

"I feel… Angel, I'm…" she brushed her hair out of her face. "I think I'm alive."

"Buffy!" he said grabbing her and kissing her, ignoring the pain shooting up and down his injured arm.

She broke the kiss, "How is this possible?"

"Does it really matter?" he replied.

"No."

"Good." Angel touched her all over. She was alive, he didn't know or care how. All he knew was that now that he had her he was never letting her go. "I love you," he said before kissing her again.

"I love you too" she replied happily.

"Are you going to stay with me?" he asked.

"For the rest…" her voice broke and then steadied. "For the rest of my life. However long that may be."

He pulled her back into his arms and kissed once again.

It was late when they snuck inside the inn, hand in hand. Everyone else was asleep as they snuck up the stairs. They closed themselves in Angel's bedroom, trying to be quiet.

"How are we going to explain who I am?" she asked him.

"We'll think of something" he assure her, pulling her close, "Later."

"Uh… Angel, I've never…"

Angel looked down at her, "We don't have to."

"No. I want to… I'm just nervous" she told him.

"Don't worry. We'll take it slow."

Buffy slid her arms around his neck and then eyed his bandage. "What about your arm?" she asked, "You'll hurt it again."

"I don't care" Angel said trying to kiss her.

"I do" she told him, "It's my job to take care of you now."

He laughed, "Buffy, this is the twenty-first century. Women don't ‘take care' of men like that anymore."

She frowned, "People still fall in love, don't they?"

"Some do."

"Then they should take care of each other" she replied, "That's what love's all about."

"I love you Buffy."

"I love you too."

He lowered her slowly to the bed and not much more than whispers were spoken for a long time.


Buffy lay snuggled against Angel's left shoulder. His arm was killing him, but he chose to ignore the pain, in favour of having Buffy in his arms. He looked at her and suddenly asked, "Marry me."

Buffy looked at him, "How…"

"We'll find a way… just say yes."

Buffy smiled, "Yes."

"Good" Angel replied kissing her. "By the way, did you know it's your birthday?"

"It is?"

"Yeah. Happy Valentine's Day… and Happy Birthday" he told her.

Buffy groaned, "I don't even want to think about how old I am."

He laughed, "We'll start counting at twenty-six. I'm still having trouble with believing this."

"Hey, I was the one who was dead for seventy-five years" she replied. "I know it's crazy, but it feels like it's meant to be."

"Yeah. Definitely meant to be," he said kissing her again. He snuggled closer to her, "I'm afraid to go to sleep. What if I wake up and you're gone?"

"I'm not going anywhere. I'll be here when you wake up."

And she was.

PART 28

Buffy's white dress was wrinkled and dirty, so she refused to wear it to meet his uncle and Cordy. So Angel dug out an old black sweat suit for her to wear. The shirt hung to her knees and the pants swallowed her. When she looked in the mirror and saw herself she laughed. "Do I look like a modern woman or a modern boy?"

"You look adorable," Angel assured her as he got dressed.

"Your family is going to think that you dragged home someone off the street" she told him.

"My family is going to love you," he said kissing her.

They had prepared their story and now it was time to test it. Buffy couldn't remember being more nervous.

Giles and Cordy were already eating when Angel came into the dining room. "We thought we'd let you sleep" Giles told him and then he saw Buffy hiding behind Angel. "We… oh! Why… who…"

"Uncle Rupert, Cordelia… this is my fiancée Buffy."

Giles was staring at Buffy with a mixture of fascination and disbelief. "Your fiancée. She looks like…"

Angel never faltered, "Buffy is the great-granddaughter of Thomas Summers, Hank Summers brother. That makes her a distant cousin of Elizabeth Summers. We met when she helped me with the research on the inn."

"You're engaged?" Giles was shocked.

Buffy stepped forward and took Giles' hand. "Please forgive us for springing this on you, Mr. Giles" she said. "But there were… circumstances that kept me from meeting you sooner."

"Of course" Giles said, "I was just taken by surprise."

They spent the morning telling their story, improvising when it was necessary. Buffy and Angel felt bad about lying to everyone, but if the truth ever got out they'd never have a normal life.

"It's such a shame that the airline lost your luggage" Giles said to Buffy.

"Yes" Buffy agreed guiltily. "All I have is a dress and I can't go around wearing Angel's clothes."

"You can borrow some of my things" Cordy offered.

"Thank you" Buffy said smiling. She had high hopes that she and Cordy would become friends.

Doyle stopped by a little while later with a draft of the article. Cordy as usual, busied herself elsewhere after showing Doyle into the sitting room. Doyle was introduced to Buffy and given the same story that they'd given to everyone else. Although he seemed to accept it, he kept looking at Buffy. He didn't stay long and he took Angel aside just as he was leaving.

"Something tells me I don't wanna know the truth about Buffy."

"Trust me" Angel told him, "It's better if you don't."

"That's what I thought." Doyle looked around, "Uh… Angel… anything you need… say papers, certificates… well, I still have some sources."

"Thanks. I'll probably be giving you a call."

Doyle nodded and gave Buffy one last look as he left. "It's been a hell of an adventure O'Connell," he said.

Angel smiled at his friend and pulled Buffy close, "The adventure is just beginning."

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