DISCLAIMER: Buffy and the Scooby Gang, Angel and his co-workers, belong to Joss Whedon. Macaela belongs to me.
TIMELINE: Season 4
SUMMARY: Buffy finds out the real meaning of a claddaugh ring and goes to confront Angel.
SPOILERS: I'm not sure, so all of Buffy season 1-4 and Angel season 1.
FEEDBACK: Yes please!! I really need it!!! It is greatly appreciated!!

"All right class, today we are going to go off the topic of Psyche and spice up our class. We are going to learn about Irish wedding cultures. Don't ask my why but I was researching things on the net and I found this custom to be very interesting." Maggie Walsh told her Psyche class. She quickly walked over to the lights, switched them off, and turned the projector on revealing what Buffy knew as a claddaugh ring.

Great, Buffy thought. When my 'normal' relationship was getting good, Professor Walsh has to screw it up and bring my past back.

"Will, I think I'm gonna go back to the dorm. I'm not feeling very well." Buffy told her best friend, but before Buffy could get out of her seat, the professor continued on with her speech.

"This class, is a claddaugh ring. It is given to someone as a wedding band. It means you belong to someone."

Buffy felt tears start to well up in her eyes. How could Angel give this to me and not tell me that I was his wife she pondered as she played with her ring.

Oh great, the witch thought. Buffy is about to cry I got to get her out of here before Professor Walsh says something else.

Good thing for Willow, because as soon as Buffy heard what the Professor said she was out of the door. Willow couldn't let Buffy be by herself, so she packed her bag and joined Buffy.

Willow found The Slayer crying on a bench just outside the room. Buffy looked up when she saw her best friend coming.

"How could he not tell me?" she asked in a quiet voice, before she broke down in sobs again. Willow held Buffy in her arms.

"Shh...Buffy...shh. It's all right, I am sure he had a perfectly good reason."

"But Will, I'm his wife and he didn't tell me. He left me. He left his wife." she whispered the end.

"Buffy, he wanted you to have a normal life. If he had told you, you wouldn't have let him leave. He wouldn't have been able to get his self to leave."

"I'm his wife, Will. Isn't that a good enough reason not to leave?"

"It's OK Buffy. Your gonna get through this. It's Ok. Shh...shhh..your gonna be fine." Oz's former girlfriend told her as they walked to Stevenson Hall.

Riley had walked out of the room, wondering what was wrong with his girlfriend. He had heard the whole conversation between the witch and the slayer. Buffy has a husband? How could she not tell me?

*****

Buffy waited until she knew Willow was asleep. When she was certain, she snuck out and took the midnight bus to LA. She had to see Angel. When Willow woke up Buffy's bed was made. She must have gotten up early to shower she thought, but then she saw the note.

Willow,

I went to Los Angeles. I had to see Angel and get everything straightened out. If Riley asks where I am tell him I went to visit my dad. Don't worry I will be fine.

Love,
Buffy

"Uh oh."

*****

As Buffy got off the bus she sensed Angel. She didn't want to see him just yet. She put the hood of her jacket over her head, and started towards her dad's house.

*****

Secretly hoping he was home and not away on business. Angel backhanded the vampire, sending him to the ground. He quickly staked the vamp. He sensed Buffy. She couldn't be here, why would she be here? 'It's just my imagination.'

*****

"Kate, why are you here?" Cordelia rudely asked as the cop walked in.

"Just needed to ask Angel something" the blonde answered.

"Ok, let me go get him."

*****

"Angel, Kate is here to see you."

"I'll be up in a minute Cordelia." the vampire screamed.

*****

"So Kate.." Angel was cutoff by the former May Queen, and then just stared.

Cordelia ran to Buffy and gave her a hug. "Buffy, oh my god. What are you doing here? I mean how have you been?" She said eyeing her clothes.

"I've been better." The slayer answered not taking her eyes from a certain vampire.

"Angel can I talk to you, in private." Buffy asked.

"Um..yeah. Kate I'll be right back."

*****

"Ok, first off who the hell do you think you are giving me this ring and then leaving me?" Buffy screamed loud enough for Kate and Cordy to hear her in the other room.

"What do you mean?"

"Well it's a funny thing, Angel, yesterday in Psyche we decided to study some Irish wedding culture. Do you know what we studied? We studied claddaugh rings. Oh and did you know that they are wedding bands in Ireland?" she screamed once more.

"Buffy I can explain."

"Yeah. I was hoping you could tell me why my husband decided to give me a wedding ring and then leave town." she started crying.

"I was going to tell you, but if I did you wouldn't have let me leave. You would have had a reason for me to stay...and if I stayed you wouldn't get to have a normal relationship and be happy."

"Normal relationship? Be happy? Angel don't you get it I'll never have a normal relationship. I am only happy with you. I am the slayer. Anyone I get involved with would want to know why I am always hanging out in cemeteries, or why I have to leave in the middle of a date. He would probably wind up getting killed." She barely got the words out she was crying so much now.

"What about sunlight, and making love? I can't give you those things, Buffy."

"I don't care about those things. I live in darkness. I don't care about not making love. Kissing is enough. We...we might even be able to find a way for Willow to make the spell permanent."

"Buffy, this can't work. It never will. We tried and we tried again. Everytime we thought that it was going well it turned around and bit us in the ass. I'm sorry, but this won't work. I love you with all my heart. But I can't be in a relationship with you. It's doomed."

"I have to go."

*****

After hearing that Buffy walked out of his office. She was intending on leaving him and LA and then going home to cry herself to sleep. Angel followed Buffy. He was about to say something when Cordelia beat him to it.

"Found it." she muttered. "Hey, Buffy, you want some Cookie Dough Fudge Mint Chip?"

As soon as Buffy heard those words a million memories of Angel poured into her mind. Them making love on his table, the table braking, killing the Morah demon, then kissing on the pier, her falling asleep to his heartbeat, and then finally her crying with him because he was being changed back.

She was crying again, she turned to Angel and put her hand where is heart would be.

"I felt your heart beat." she whispered. "I told you I wouldn't forget and I did...I did." Angel embraced her.

"Oh god Buffy..I'm so sorry. You weren't supposed to remember."

"You know what, Angel, I think I am just gonna go. I'll talk to you later about what I needed to see you about." Kate said as she walked towards the door, knowing she would never get a chance with Angel.

She had come to see him that day to ask him out to dinner, but obviously he had other things on his mind. Angel nodded towards Kate letting her know that they would get together and talk sometime soon about whatever it was that she needed to talk about.

"Buffy, lets go downstairs and talk about this. Cordelia, if Kate calls tell her I will call her later."

*****

Angel entered the elevator with Buffy behind him.

They stood in silence on the way down. Each of them stayed on one side of the elevator. When the elevator stopped they each walked out.

"So.." Angel began.

"Angel I understand why you did this. And I am angry, but I'm willing to put this behind us. Angel I love you so much. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have you. Ever since you left I haven't been the same. Willow and Giles and Xander, they all see it, they just don't tell me. I tried the normal thing. It doesn't work. I found someone, he is charming, sweet, he even helps me patrol, I thought he was everything thing. I thought I could love him, but I can't. Do you know why I can't? Because he isn't you Angel. He doesn't even compare. I have loved one person my whole life, and that has been you. It's always going to be you. I love you."

"I love you too." He stepped towards her and tilted her chin up, catching her lips in a passionate kiss. They broke apart, but only because Buffy needed air.

"We'll make this work, right?"

"We will."

*****

"Brother, look at these lower beings. We must help them. They deserve happiness now that she has remembered." the female oracle noted as she watched Buffy and Angel through some sort of mirror.

"They are lower beings. It does not concern us."

"But it does. He gave up his life for her. She remembers and she understands."

"It does not concern us, sister." he said forcefully.

"I want to give him his life back. Make him mortal."

"It is not up to us. It is up to the higher powers."

The female oracle raised her head up as if she was looking at something above her.

"They say, that we may give them the happiness they deserve." she answered.

"But how will they know?"

"I will go to them."

*****

The next morning Buffy needed to go home and explain something's to Riley. She went to her father's house, picked up her stuff and caught a bus home. Angel would be coming to visit her this weekend, which would be tomorrow.

Buffy knocked on Riley's door, hoping he was home. After waiting for about 30 seconds the door opened.

"Hey." he said leaning in for a kiss, but Buffy side stepped him.

"Riley we need to talk."

"Ok. Come on in." Riley answered knowing they did need to talk after what had happened with Faith.

"Riley. This is hard for me to say...and I am so sorry, but I can't see you anymore."

"Buffy I thought we had something here. I love you."

"I can't say the words you want to hear. I am sorry Riley. I just can't be with you. It's selfish of me to be with you when I don't feel anything for you. It's unfair to you and to me. I'm sorry."

And with that she was out the door leaving a very shocked Riley.

*****

As soon as Buffy got back to her dorm sleep overtook her. She was exhausted; her and Angel hadn't slept but 2 or 3 hours the night before.

They had stayed up all night talking about what had been going on since they had seen each other and every now and then sneaking a little kiss.

Angel and Buffy walk into a room with glass statues and vines hanging from everywhere.

"Where are we?" Buffy asks

"You, lower being, are in a land far from yours." the female oracle answered before continuing "when you wake up lower being, you will breathe and be human. Do not ask us how this happened, but we asked the Higher Powers and they have agreed to let you live the rest of your life as a mortal. Now go."

Jolting upright in her bed, Buffy awakened. Was the dream real? Were the oracles really making Angel human so they could be together? She needed to call and Angel and see if it was true. Picking up the phone, she dialed the number she now knew by heart.

*Ring*

*Ring*

*Ring*

"Angel Investigation, we help the helpless. No one is in right now. Leave a message and we will get back to you soon. Bye." Cordelia's voice ended.

Angel wasn't home. Where could he be? Oh well, I will just have to wait until tomorrow when Angel comes to see me.

Little did she know that Angel had had the same dream and was now on his way to Sunnydale.

*****

Willow woke up to a knocking on her door. Who could be at the door at 4:00 in the morning?

"Angel!" She yelped upon opening the door. "What are you doing here?"

"Hello to you to, Willow. Is Buffy here?"

"Oh yeah sorry, you just took my by surprise. Come in. She is sleeping right now. You can wake her up because last time I tried to she turned around and punched me real hard. I am just going to get dressed and go get something to eat."

"Ok, thanks." Angel said chuckling to himself lightly as Willow walked out the room.

"Buffy, honey, wake up." Angel shook her gently. When that didn't wake her up he tried a different approach. He planted a soft kiss to her lips.

Buffy moaned into him before breaking apart from him and opening her eyes.

"Morning." she said.

"Hey"

"Angel, last night I had the strangest dream. This woman in a toga with blue skin told us that you would be human."

"I am."

"Omigod!" He bent down and kissed her. Pulling back when he saw her face had tears running down it, he asked, "what's wrong?"

"It's just so perfect and I'm so happy. I love you."

"I love you, too."

*****

Epilogue: 3 years later, Buffy and Angel are happily married with one child.

"Momma, I had a bad dream." Macaela, Angel and Buffy's daughter walked into their room.

Shaking her mother slightly, Mac as they called her, woke Buffy up.

"Hey, sweetie, what's wrong?"

"I had a bad dream, the mean monster with a scary face was taking me somewhere and you and Dadda didn't come and get me." she said shakily.

"Oh, honey, you know we would never let that happen. Come here and sleep with us." Buffy motioned to her daughter to jump between her and Angel, slightly waking her father up.

"How did we get to be so lucky?" Buffy whispered to Angel as Mac drifted into a deep sleep.

"I don't know, but I'm glad someone thought we deserved happiness." Angel answered as he looked up towards the ceiling, knowing the oracles were watching down on them.

*****

"We have succeeded brother and they are now happy. Our task is done," the female oracle said happily.

"Indeed we did, indeed we did." Her brother agreed.

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