Distribution: If you had permission to take any of my other stories, you can use this one as well. Just let me know where it's going. Others, just ask and I will most likely give permission.
Feedback: Please!!! It'll make me write other stories faster if my head's still big from knowing you liked this one.
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Joss, the WB, Mutant Enemy, (the evil)FOX, and whoever else came up with them. If they belonged to me the show would be drastically different. Please don't sue, I'm only a high-schooler without a job anyways.
Rating: Same as the TV show
Spoilers: Set right after third season episode "The Zeppo." Small spoilers for that episode, nothing else after that has happened.
Concept: Buffy goes to Angel's after school to make sure he's alright after what happened the previous night.
Author's Notes: My fourth fluff fic in the let's-change-a-third-season-episode's-ending-so-that-BuffyandAngel-are-togethe r series. Title comes from Buffy's quote "[Angel] was only out for a few minutes. Longest of my life." in "The Zeppo."

"So, we gonna do the study thing after school?" Xander asked her friends as they filed out of 8th period with all their classmates. "Cause, with the Chem test tomorrow and all...."

"Sorry Xand, but I've kinda got other plans after school. Maybe tonight though, if there's not to much 'activity' out and about." Buffy said as they headed for the library. Her mind was totally elsewhere, like it had been ever since she found what was on Willow's computer that morning.

"But Buff, Chem test. Class which you are flun...." Xander cut in as he held the swinging door for the girls and they ducked under the 'closed for repair' sign.

"Yeah, I know. But some things are just more important than school."

"And that would be?"

"A very good question." Said a very British voice as he stepped out from behind the stacks that he was trying to put back into order.

"Giles." Buffy said quickly, "Umm....what's a good question."

"What is more important than studying?"

"Studying?" She stalled

"For Chemistry, I believe Xander said."

"Yeah, well, there's just this thing...."

"What thing?" Giles asked, sidestepping the large hole in the floor and coming towards them.

"My mom." Buffy chirped out. "She needs my help with some things. And I've been so busy slaying this past week, especially with what happened yesterday and all...."

She caught Willow's eye, giving her the I-need-to-see-Angel look. And after what they had just found out that morning, Willow knew exactly why.

"Yeah, her mom has been kinda upset with her. I mean, she's never home and all." Willow added hesitantly. She still didn't like lying, especially to Giles, but she realized that it would be easier than watching Giles's face if he heard the name "Angel." He was still having a hard time accepting that the vampire was back, let alone that he and Buffy were still "friends."

Giles nodded unhappily. "Very well. Just make sure to get some studying in later. Skip patrol tonight if you must, but you cannot allow your grades to slip any further."

"Yes Dad." Buffy retorted as she headed for the door. "Catch you guys tomorrow."

***

Buffy approached the door of the mansion on Crawford street slowly. She was slightly nervous, and spent a moment giving herself a pep-talk. 'What is with you Buffy? It's just Angel. You've seen him a ton of times since he came back. You're just being a friend. Just checking to make sure he's okay. It's gonna be easy. It's gonna work out for you. Especially with what Willow told you. But what if he doesn't....Breath Buffy.' She finally reminded herself. 'God, and if I keep talking to myself; Days of Our Lives, here I come.'

She finally reached up and knocked on the door. There was no answer. She reached for the door handle, turning it slowly to find it unlocked. She stuck her head in, careful to not let in more sunlight than was necessary until she made sure he wasn't in the foyer. "Angel?" She called softly, not wanting to break the heavy silence of the mansion.

There was no answer, so she slowly crept inside. She peaked in the living room and found nothing at all. She went next to the bedroom, realizing that it was probably still kind of early for Angel to be up.

"Angel?" She called as she went into the bedroom. "Are you aw..." She trailed off as she saw him on the bed, sound asleep.

She stood there silently for a minute, just looking at him. He was so handsome. She looked at him, feeling the desire building inside of her. She walked over to the side of the bed. Her eyes trailed over his face, with it's perfect features, up to his thick and slightly tousled brown hair. Seemingly of it's own volition, her hand reached out and slowly touched his cheek.

His face turned slightly into her hand, relishing the touch, and she almost melted.

She continued to stroke his cheek as she sat down on the bed. His eyes slowly opened, coming to settle on her. They were still half-filled with sleepiness and made him all the more desirable to Buffy.

"Buffy? What are you doing here?"

Her fingers trailed for a moment over his lips, still lost in her dreamworld, and then she abruptly pulled back. "I was just, uhh, checking to make sure you were all right. You know, after last night and all. I wanted to come by, I've been thinking of you all day." And thinking about what we can....

"And I've been dreaming of you all day." He said, totally honest and still not totally awake.

She just stared at him, not quite believing it.

It suddenly seemed to register with him what he'd said, and he looked at her sheepishly. "Sorry, I'm not totally awake yet, just forget I...."

"Forget you said that. Never." Buffy whispered, still staring into his eyes. He reached out then to take her hand, and just held it for a moment.

"You said you came by to check on me. I'm doing pretty good." He said finally, starting to get out of bed. The sheets fell down to reveal a bare chest.

"Umm, Buffy..." He looked over to the pair of jeans sitting on the chair in the corner.

"You sleep n...." She trailed off. "Okaaaay." She went over and grabbed the pair of pants and set them on the bed, then stood with her back to him. She heard him pulling them on, then heard the sounds of him getting up and walking to the closet. "You can turn around now." He said.

She did so, seeing for a second his marvelous six-pack before he pulled his shirt on all the way.

It flustered her for a second and she couldn't think of anything to say. She knew what she wanted to say, and do, but just couldn't bring herself to it. Finally, she came out with, "Yeah, well, I just came over to see that you were okay, which you obviously are and all, so I guess I was kinda worried for nothing, I didn't really mean to wake you up, I'm sorry I came here, I...and I'm babbling now so I'm just gonna go..." She turned, face red, and started to leave.

"Buffy, wait..." Angel said, moving quickly over to take her by the shoulders. He turned her around so that she was facing him. "What's wrong?"

"Wrong? Nothing." She said, not looking in his eyes.

He tipped her head up so that she was looking at him. Buffy let her face by tipped up, almost melting as she met his chocolate eyes. "Angel, I..."

"You what?" He whispered, trying hard to concentrate on her words. It made it really hard with her this close to him.

"I can't do this anymore." She whispered, pulling back from him slightly as she tried to think.

"Do what?" Angel asked.

"This!" She said, gesturing with her hands. "See you all the time and fight demons and hellmouths with you and..."

As she trailed off she tried to look away but Angel wouldn't let her. Finally, she finished softly, "And pretend we're just friends."

"We are friends." He said, stroking her hair softly as he tried to calm her down.

"But not JUST friends!" She said exasperatedly. "I've been trying to convince myself and everyone else that we could be, but Spike was right all along. Remember what he said at Christmas?"

"That we'd be in love till it killed us both." He quoted softly.

Buffy nodded. "He was right. At least in my case." She looked up at him sadly, as if fearing he didn't still feel the same way.

"Mine too." Angel said finally. "You know that. But we can never..."

"Yes, Angel. We can."

He didn't say anything, just looked at her in confusion.

"Ever since you came back, Willow's been working on translating the spell of restoration that she did. When you were...in hell...it didn't really matter much what she'd done. But when you came back, she started working again with Miss Calendar's program to translate the old texts. Luckily she had the program on disk. And the stuff Miss Calendar had saved on that yellow disk Willow used to do the spell, well, it was different from the one the gypsies used the first time." Buffy said it all in one breath, knowing she had to get it out before she froze up again.

He was silent for a moment as he took that in. Then he put it together with her earlier statement and asked, "You mean it didn't have...." He trailed off, not able to believe it.

"Any conditions." She finished for him. "Willow finished all the translations and research this morning. Jenny wasn't trying to curse you, she just didn't want any of us hurt any more. She knew how much it hurt me with you like that.....and she knew how much in love we were. To make you good again and then say we could never....Well, Jenny wasn't like that I guess."

"So, Willow's spell?"

"Willow's spell gave you back your soul. Gave. No conditions, no clauses. No nothing. It's a permanent lock." She told him, looking straight into his eyes.

She saw that settle in, and slowly his eyes changed. They always held a hint of sadness around her, that look of wanting what they could never have. Now that look was gone. And it was replaced by joy, total love, and a little bit of wonder.

"You're sure?" He said, running a hand down her cheek.

"I wouldn't risk it if I wasn't." She whispered, rising up onto her tiptoes. He leaned down then, kissing her with all the love and passion that was within him.

"I love you." Angel whispered as he released her moments later to catch her breath.

"Just kiss me." She retorted, echoing words she had spoken the first time they made love.

He didn't argue, kissing her again as they slowly backed up towards his bed.

***

Buffy never made it to patrol, or study, that night.

She never even made it home.

But in a sense, she did. Because she was home. She was back in Angel's arms, and she knew that for as long as she lived, that was where she would always be.

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