AN: This is just a short lil fic brought on by the last ep and the news of the cancellation. I thought it’d be a nice way to nip the Angel-Nina thing in the bud as well as take care of some other things…Takes off right after the end of Smile Time, but remember, he’s still a puppet…
Feedback: Always, at crunkn_munky@yahoo.com or castle_in_hell@hotmail.com

They were seated more or less comfortably, considering Angel’s height as a puppet, in the expensive bistro. The waiter had offered Angel the baby chair, but he’d pleasantly refused it.

“So what do puppets eat?” Nina asked Angel, who only reached about a foot above the table top.

“Um…I’m still not sure…” he replied, reading the menu. “I don’t really have much experience with food from this century as it is…” he rambled on “I mean, the last thing I had to eat was…crunchy peanut butter…”

He noticed Nina’s quizzical look. “I didn’t know they had peanut butter back when you were turned?”

“Oh, no…” he tried to explain, not wanting to give her the wrong idea. “It’s a long story.” His mind flashed back several years, to that warm bed,…with the peanut butter ….and snacks… and….Buffy…. He shook his head, trying to dissipate the memories of that one day that never happened.

“I think you should try some ice cream.” Nina suggested. “I mean, after my transformations, I always get a craving for a certain ice cream…”

“Oh, really?” Angel asked looking up from his menu. “Which one?”

“Cookie dough fudge chocolate mint chip.” She replied with a faint smile, but it was quickly replaced with concern when she saw Angel’s jaw almost hit the table top.

“Angel? Are you ok?” She could have sworn she saw tears actually forming in his eyes…Could puppets even cry?

For a moment, he couldn’t hear anything, his mind being completely over-run with images of the lost day, forcing him to relive everything from the first breaths of air, to the way he had kissed Buffy on the pier, their attempt at not rushing things in his kitchen, the precious moments in his bed, and the heart wrenching taking back of the day….Buffy…someday…

“Angel?” Nina said, trying to get through.

“Yeah?” he said, snapping back to reality, but the trip of emotions and images threatening to resurface.

“For a moment there I thought I lost you.” Nina said, still concerned. “You just zoned out…”

“Listen, I don’t think this was such a good idea.” Angel interrupted. “Us, I mean. It’s hard to explain and really complicated, but I’m just not right for you.”

“Huh?” She tried to make sense of it all.

“I’m a vampire, and you’re not. It just wouldn’t work out between us. I can’t give you everything you want, and sure it may seem like that’s not important right now, but believe me it will be later. I hope we can still be friends though.”

Nina just stared at him for a while, dumbfounded. “Was it something I said, or..”

“Let’s just say that ice cream means something completely different to me.” he said.

*****

Buffy Summers was hungry and furious. She was supposed to be looking around the amphitheater today, but instead was stuck playing diplomatic dignitary for Giles. She’d received a phone call early this morning from one of the new Council’s secretaries, who oddly sounded like Harmony, the sheep back from high school, saying how an important Council affiliate was due to arrive in Rome and because of personnel shortage, Buffy should greet them.

Just who did Giles and the council think they were now? Buffy wasn’t just some errand runner, and she certainly wasn’t the right person to play nice tour guide. But the secretary said that Giles had warned it was urgent and that the visitor was too important to have someone else less important take care of it. Well, it would have helped if they’d told her who or what she was supposed to be greeting, Buffy thought.

All she knew was that they’d be arriving in a private jet from the States, which was what she was doing right now at 10 in the morning standing in front of the hangar for private planes. The phone call had woken her up before dawn, and rushed her out the door without breakfast …or coffee! Not to mention it had taken the car that was sent for her an hour and a half to get out of morning traffic in the city and to the airport.

Now, on top of everything, the plane was running half an hour late! What else can go wrong?

Just as she thought that, Buffy saw the plane land, and read the black letters shinning off the side of the plane. Wolfram & Heart. Oh, no! It was probably Wesley or that nice girl Fred come to tell her that something’s happened to Angel. He’s been hurt very badly, she imagined them say, or…what if he’s gone…

The plane stopped to a halt and turned off the engines, Buffy’s heart did the opposite. She tried to keep still and not hop from one foot to the other from anxiety, or have her heart jump from out of her chest.

The doors opened and the ladder lowered. Buffy’s heart pounded so hard she could hear it in her ears.

Just when she thought it couldn’t beat any faster, it surprised her, just like the figure coming out of the plane.

It…It was Angel. But it couldn’t be. The warm morning sun was shining down upon him, it was too good to be true, it couldn’t be him.

He walked down the small stairs, looking too gorgeous for words in a pair of black slacks and a red tailored shirt.

With every step he was coming closer and closer to her, her breathing having a harder and harder time continuing.

Finally his face was inches away from hers, and she could breathe in his scent. Yep, it’s still Angel…

He put his hand on her cheek, caressing it. His hand felt warm, a tad sun burnt even.

“I don’t know whether to ask all the logical stuff or just say to never wake me up from this dream?” she said, looking into his deep brown eyes which were now illuminated by sunshine.

He smiled sincerely at her.

“I just have one question…” He waited patiently for it.

“Is it permanent?”

“If you’re still my girl, I’m here to stay for as long as you want me.” He replied with another smile.

“Always.” she said and kissed her own personal Angel. The kiss was sweet and gentle at first, but gaining on intensity. Moments later they broke away, both beaming with happiness.

“So, how did this transformation happen to come along?” Buffy asked as they walked to the car, hand in hand.

“Lets just say it’s a really long story, for which we have all the time in the world, but it does involve puppets, a certain prophecy and Wesley somehow turning me human instead of back to vampire…” he said.

“Wow, and I though me trying to speak Italian was a conversation piece…” They got into the car and shut the door.

After a moment of silent gazes, Buffy spoke “So, now I’m wondering if you’re ready to enjoy some freshly baked cookies?”, giving him a sly seductive look.

“Oh, no. I’m not going along with another food metaphor. In fact, I’m through with food all together.” Angel said, leaning over Buffy, getting close to kiss her. She just smiled.

Then her stomach growled.

“You think you can be done with food as soon as we get some breakfast?”, she gave him a sheepish look.

“I love you, Buffy Summers.” he added, finally kissing her again.

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