Spoilers: I Will Remember You and all the eps with Riley
Disclaimer: They're not mine. If they were- Riley would have choked to death on some cookiedough-fudge-mint-chip ice cream by now!!! Yep they belong to Fox and Mutant Enemy and 'ol acid man, Joss Whedon.
Summary: Just fluff and making fun of Riley. This is my Prozac!!! Go back to cattle country Captain Farm Boy! Angel and Buffy are FOREVER!!!
Feedback: Oh yes please!!! Feedback is a good thing.

Part 1

"Hello?" Willow turned down her Dingoes CD and answered the phone.

"Hey Willow," a voice spoke softly on the other end.

"Angel?"

"Yea hi. Is Buffy there?"

"No she's out with R...Giles. Yea. They're patrolling."

"Ok," he didn't pick up on her slip. "Great. I need your help with something."

"Sure. Anything," Willow cradled the phone to her shoulder and grabbed a pen and a pad of paper.

"I was wondering.how is she doing?" he seemed tentative to ask, dreading that Willow would tell him that Buffy had moved on and was living happily ever after with someone else.

"She's been OK I guess. Really busy you know. Sunnydale- home to big brewing evil. and some commandos," she left out the part about Buffy's new support system, otherwise known as army guys led by Captain Farmboy himself.

"Commandos?"

"Never mind. It's not important."

"Ok. Look," he paused for a moment. "The reason I called. um. I'm mortal."

"What?!" she didn't understand.

"Long story. I don't really want to get into it."

"That's wonderful!!!" she knew Buffy would be so happy to learn of Angel's mortality. They could be together. And she could drop Riley like a hot potato. Hee hee. potato.

"Willow?" her long pause had Angel concerned.

"Oh sorry. I was daydreaming."

"Sure. So do you think I should tell Buffy about this mortality thing? Cuz I don't want to interfere if she's moved on."

"You have to tell her, Angel," Willow interrupted. "Buffy will always be in love with you. She could never be happy with anyone else. You have to know that."

Silence.

"Angel?"

"Sorry. Now I was daydreaming. Ok," he sighed. "I need you help. I want to surprise her but I'll need you to make sure that she stays out of her room for a few hours."

"Sure."

"I'm coming in tomorrow afternoon."

"Great. Buffy and I are going shopping. What time do you want her back here by?"

"Before sunset, around six."

"Ok. We'll . I mean she'll be here."

"Thanks Willow. You have no idea what this- what Buffy means to me."

"I have an idea," she muttered recalling Oz's departure. "Hey- it'll be worth it. Buffy'll stop moping around and I'll get the perky birthday Buffy back- that I know and love."

"Thanks again."

"Sure," Willow smiled. "I'll see you soon Angel.

Angel hung up his phone and smiled 'I hope this works,' he thought to himself. His stomach growling interrupted his thoughts of Buffy. "Oh right.-mortal, need nourishment more frequently. Food is good," he smiled at the memory. After pausing for a moment, he took a carton of cookie-dough-fudge-mint-chip ice-cream from his freezer and grabbed a spoon from the cupboard. Suddenly, he reconsidered. He put the spoon away and pulled out a rather large bar of chocolate. Rather ungracefully, he dipped the chocolate into the ice-cream and ate it before it began to drip all over his hand. "mmm, Buffy has got to try this!" he smiled at the memory of her licking melted ice cream off his chest.

Having eaten the entire bar of chocolate and almost half the tub of ice cream he licked his fingers and returned the ice-cream to the freezer. "Alright-let's get started," he picked up the phone book and looked up the number for Sunnydale Florists.

Part 2

"Sorry Riley," Buffy was standing at the door to her room and speaking to Riley, pushing her head through the doorway. "Willow and I are going shopping this afternoon."

"Oh," he frowned, but then suddenly brightened. "Can I come?"

Buffy had to restrain herself from laughing. "You want to go shopping with us? For clothes?"

"Sure. Why not?"

"I um..."

"Back in Iowa," he paused, "I'm from there you know. Anyway, back in Iowa, my mom and my sisters would go shopping all the time and I loved to go along. We'd ride our big yellow tractor for three hours to get the general store-"

"General store?"

"Yup. That's all we had back in cattle country. Sometimes, I'd get to try on my sister's new clothes, if she let me. We didn't have TV or radio or anything so we loved to play cross-dressup! Especially when I got to wear the party dresses! Sometimes, when we ran the dogs by the river, I'd get to wear an old dress and throw some cornstalks to the dogs. That's what we grew-corn and wheat and potatoes. I got to work the corn field once, and ride on the tractor with my pa. It was so much fun. Normally, I got stuck with milking old Bessie, and let me tell you, that wasn't too much fun. Cold hands in the morning- she hated that. She'd kick you into the mud in five seconds flat and your overalls would be all dirty."

"Overalls?"

"Of course! I lived on a farm! Overalls and cowboy hats-it's all we wore."

"Cowboy hats?"

"You bet! And on Wednesdays we had family square dancing night. My mom would cook a special dinner and it was my job to churn the butter. I know ALL the square dancing calls. We should square dance sometime. I can teach you, and I know a place near here where you can buy some excellent cowboy boots."

"Square dancing? I don't think so..."

"Oh. Well that's Ok. I can go with Forest."

"Forest can square dance?"

"Oh yea! He's a killer on the floor!"

"Oh. I see," Buffy bit her lip to keep from bursting into fits of hysterical laughter.

"So, Can I come?"

"Um..." she paused, and finally sighed. "I guess so. Just give me a few minutes to get ready."

"Sure!"

Buffy closed the door in Riley's face and turned to Willow who was in tears because she was laughing so hard.

"I'm sorry," Willow struggled to catch her breath. "He's just so... funny... and pathetic!"

"I know, I know. I'm dying to get rid of him."

Willow though for a moment. "You still miss Angel huh?"

"Yea," Buffy sat down on her bed. "I started seeing Riley because I wanted to forget about Angel-its only made things worse. He's made me realize that I can't be happy with anyone but Angel."

"Oh," Willow tried to look sad." I think I know how you feel."

"Still missing Oz huh?"

"Yea. In a big way."

"Well let's go out! Excessive spending always makes me feel better."

"Yup. Me too."

"And later, we can come back here and drown our sorrows in chocolate. Lots of chocolate."

"Sure," Willow thought for a moment and then realized what she was doing. "Wait, I can't. I have to go the science library to study."

"Oh," Buffy tried not to sound disappointed. "That's Ok. We can have chocolate tomorrow."

"Great. Let's go."

The two left the room and met up with Riley who was waiting patiently outside the door. "Hey Buffy?" he tried to grab her hand and she pulled it away. "Did I ever tell you about the time that my sisters and I put on a fashion show? I tried to put on my mother's wedding dress and..."

'Oh boy,' Buffy thought. 'He even takes the fun out of shopping!!!"

Part 3

Angel looked around the crowded hallway. Willow and Buffy were nowhere to be seen, as promised. "Excuse me," he stopped someone. "Can you show me where room 212 is?" "Sure. It's on the second floor. Third room on the left."

"Thanks," Angel turned and headed for the stairway carrying two grocery bags.

When he walked into the room he stopped and sat on Buffy's bed. He took a moment to take a few deep breaths, her sweet scent of Vanilla filling his nose. After a moment, he opened one of the bags and took out some things: A 4L tub of cookiedough-fudge-mint-chip icecream (which he put in the freezer), several large bars of chocolate, a container of crunchy peanut butter, some strawberries and Mr. Gordo. He'd snuck into Buffy's old room and brought it with him, knowing she treasured it. He placed Mr. Gordo on her pillow and began to set up. He put all the food in the fridge, lay his shirt on the bed and pulled out one of his business cards. He looked at his watch, "Now, where is the florist?"

No sooner had he said it-there was a knock at the door. "Come in," he called.

A pretty girl with brown hair and green eyes came in carrying three huge bouquets of roses. "Good afternoon sir."

"Hi," Angel stood from the bed and helped her with the flowers.

"Whoever you're giving all these to is really lucky."

Angel smiled at her, "Where are the rest?

"In my truck," she wiped her hands on her jeans, then brushed some stray hairs from here eyes. "Do you want to help me?"

"Sure," he lay the flowers down gently next to Mr. Gordo.

"I'm sorry. I never introduced myself," she held out her hand. "I'm Lindsay. I just moved here from Vancouver to go to school."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Angel," he shook her hand."

"Cool name."

"Thanks. It's a family name. It goes back a few hundred years."

Half an hour, and fifteen trips to the truck later, they'd brought all the roses upstairs to Buffy and Willow's room.

"Thanks for your help," Angel handed Lindsay a twenty.

"It's really no problem. It's kinda my job."

"Well thanks anyway."

Lindsay smiled and looked at her watch. "It's been nice meeting you."

"You too," Angel smiled at her as she turned and left. Afterwards, he turned and stared at the mountain of roses on the bed. and the desk.. and on the floor, and just about everywhere else. He set to the task of arranging them

Part 4

"Well that was a big waste of time," Buffy grumbled. "I didn't buy anything."

"That's OK, Buffy," Riley smiled at her. "We can go shopping again next week"

"Sure," she tried to smile."

"Well , I'm off to the science library. I'll be home later alright," Willow gave Buffy a quick hug.

"I'll talk to you later." She walked off down the hallway, leaving Buffy and Riley alone.

"So, do you want to go and get some dinner?"

"Um, I don't think so. I have a lot of work to do."

"Ok," Riley's face fell. "Can I come in for a while?"

Buffy paused as she thought, 'Be nice.' "Well, alright but just for a few minutes." Buffy opened the door and was bombarded by the fragrant smell of hundreds of red roses. Suddenly, she shut her eyes to keep from tearing up. "Did you do this?" she stepped into the room, trying not to crush any of the flowers.

"Of course not! I would never. I mean. no. it wasn't me."

Buffy walked over to her bed, "Mr. Gordo?" she lifted up her old friend, and a business card fell from his paws and landed amongst the roses. She picked it up and looked at it. "It looks like a bird or something," she flipped the card over and read: "I missed you." She dropped the card, and her heart began to pound in her chest. Unsteadily, she turned and pushed Riley out of the way. Riley, move," she waked around him and threw open the closet door.

"Angel?"

He was standing in the closet wearing her favorite black leather pants, and velvet shirt with the buttons partially undone. In one hand, he was carrying a bouquet of white roses, and in the other, a tub of her favorite ice cream.

"Angel," her eyes shone with unshed tears. She slowly stepped forward, and threw her arms around him, completely disregarding the roses and the ice cream.

"Ow!!!! Thorns!!"

She stepped away from him. "Sorry," she sighed happily. "I missed you so much!" she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him gently. After a moment of indulgence, the two were interrupted by Riley, who was still standing behind them.

"Um Buffy."

"Opps!" she turned from Angel for a moment. "Angel, this is Riley," she gestured. "Riley, Angel."

"Buffy I." Angel's face fall and his heart sank. "I didn't know. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"No Angel. Riley and I." she stopped midsentence as she noticed something she hadn't before. The sun was only beginning to set, and all the windows in their room were open. Slowly she walked towards Angel, lay her hand on his chest and felt his heart beat beneath his skin. "You're. alive."

"Yea. Long story. That's why I'm here. I thought we could." he paused and looked at Riley. "Buffy I didn't know you were involved. I'm sorry," he pushed her hand from his chest and ran from the room, crushing the roses as he went.

"Buffy? Who was that?"

"Riley look-I have to go after him. Sorry. I'll talk to you later." She didn't wait for a response.

"Angel!!" she ran off down the hall way and out the side door. "Angel!" After a few minutes, she found him sitting alone on a bench, staring into the setting sun. "Hey," she started.

"Buffy, I'm so sorry. I feel awful. If I had known you were seeing somebody I wouldn't have done that," he gestured towards her room.

"Stop Ok. Stop," she put her hand under his chin and lifted his face so his eyes would meet hers.

"Yes I was dating Riley, but that doesn't mean anything. I'm not happy. He doesn't make me happy. Whenever I was around him, I felt lonelier, and I missed being with you even more. I could never be happy with anyone but you."

"Really?"

"Of course. I'll always be your girl remember?"

He smiled at her.

"I can't believe you're mortal!"

"Yea, well it came as a surprise to me too."

"So? How did it happen?"

"One of the oracles," he thought for a moment. "The oracles are,"

"I know who- er- what they are. They speak for the Powers, gray FOX alien autopsy skin only sparkly, dressed like they fell out of a toga party."

"How do you."

"I remember everything. I told you I'd never forget."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

She paused as she thought for a moment. "I wasn't sure how you'd react. Besides, I was in need of a giant mental tidy-for the past eight months."

"Well, anyway, one of the oracles felt bad for me after I was changed back. I was never really the same afterwards, and she liked me, so she made me mortal again. When the powers found out what she had done, they threatened her life. They told her to change me back or they'd kill her.

She gave her life so that I could spend my mortality with you."

"Oh," she stared at her feet. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It was her decision. And believe me- I'm really grateful."

Buffy smiled at him. "So, what's it like to watch a sunset after all this time?"

"What sunset?" Angel leaned forward and brushed some stray hairs from her face. Slowly he leaned in and kissed her, pulling her tiny body onto his lap.

The two sat that way, together at last, until the sun fell below the mountains-although, neither really noticed.

"So," Angel finally broke the comfortable silence. "I brought along some chocolate and peanut butter."

"Crunchy?"

"You bet. And ice cream. Your favorite kind."

"Ooo you know what I like."

"Let's go back up to your room and have some fun with food!"

Buffy stood and grabbed Angel's hand. He slowly stood and followed her towards Stevenson.

"Um Angel- my bed is sorta covered in roses."

"Right. Well, I'm sure Willow won't mind if we borrow her bed for a while."

"I don't think she has a choice in the matter," Buffy laughed.

They hadn't even opened the door when Buffy and Angel were in each other's arms. With one arm still around his neck, she used her free hand to open the door, and they stumbled into the room, ignoring the bewildered stares around them. Quickly, Buffy began to undo his shirt, but getting frustrated, she simply ripped it off and slid it down his shoulders. She lay feather light kisses up his chest, and was about to move to his mouth when she heard someone behind them.

"Buffy!!!" Riley was standing by her bed.

"Oh Riley," Buffy started to laugh. "Hi."

"What's going on?" he gestured angrily to Buffy and Angel.

"Well," she paused and whispered to Angel "Play along." "Well, Angel and I are getting married."

"You're kidding right?" he pleaded desperately. "Some big joke to make me squirm, give me a hard time?" he stood from the bed and walked towards Buffy.

"Nope. Sorry Captain farmboy. This time it's for real." To prove it, or to rub in it his face, she threw her arms around Angel and kissed him passionately.

And Riley, being the baby he is, ran from the room blubbering.

"Now where were we?" Buffy looked into Angel's eyes, and was about to kiss him again, when he grabbed her gently by the shoulders and stopped her advances. "What?"

"Buffy, what did you mean by 'This time?'"

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