"Goddess, its great to be home," Willow sighed, putting her suitcases down
at the front of the door.  The others, who quickly joined her on the couches
that were scattered among the living room, followed her into the house.
"Pacey, don't take this the wrong way, but I so don't think I'll be going
back to Capeside anytime soon."
"No problem," he answered.  "I'm pretty much in total agreement with you
there."  Cordelia sat by her boyfriend, taking his hand in hers.
"I still can't believe that your friends actually tried to make you decide
between them and us," the cheerleader commented.  "I mean, that's just so
wrong.  So what if you aren't exactly living their idea of the perfect life,
but that doesn't mean it's wrong."
"Yeah, well, it didn't help matters when they found out that I didn't have
a parental figure living here.  No offense, Angel."  The vampire smiled at
the newest addition to the Scooby Gang.
"None taken."
"When Dawson and his parents found out that Willow's parents gave her the
house for her seventeenth birthday, not to mention that I never even met
them, didn't exactly endear Sunnydale to them," Pacey finished.
"I bet," Cordelia sniffed.  "And they don't even know that I'm here with
you."  There was a noticeable hitch in the brunette's voice that the others
pointedly ignored.  They knew Cordelia's living situation was a major
sticking point with the young girl, because it reminded her that her parents
had run off when the IRS threatened them with bankruptcy and prison without
even so much as a backward glance or thought towards their daughter.  In the
two months since they've been gone, the Chases hadn't so much as contacted
Cordelia to let her know where she was, so she had moved in with Willow,
whose own parents had left on her own.  Faith had already moved in, choosing
to live in a real home instead of the cheap rat-infested motel, which she
had been living in.  The Rosenberg home was now the unofficial meeting place
of the Scooby Gang, which made sense since five of its members lived there.
Six if you count Xander, who doesn't live there officially but never seems
to go home. Pacey pulled his girlfriend closer to him and kissed her gently.
"They didn't want to know," he told them.  "They only cared about the
things that affected them.  All they saw was that the Pacey they knew wasn't
so easy to push around anymore.  That he grew up and away from them."  He
shook his head as he thought back to his old friends.  "You know, until now,
I never realized how selfish they were.  How little they really thought of
me."
"I know they hurt you, Pacey," Giles began, "but you have to understand
that its only because they've lived such a different life from you these
past few months.  You've had to grow up quite a bit while they've still been
allowed to remain innocent.  It was bound to change you.  Give them time,
maybe they'll eventually come to accept those changes."  Pacey shook his
head.
"I don't think so, G-man, but thanks anyway."  Pacey looked around at his
friends, his family, and was grateful to them.  They had given his life a
purpose.  Something other than just to have fun and he was grateful to them
for that.  None of them had the perfect family life.  In fact, none of them
had a family except for the others in their group and Pacey thought that was
exactly how it should be.  That they were meant to all be together.
"I just can't believe that we ran into Buffy there.  Not to mention how
much she's changed," Willow said softly.  The red head could still remember
the hatred the blonde Slayer had when she realized that Angel had chosen
Willow over her and missed the young girl that had once been her friend.
"I know kitten."  Angel kissed Willow's forehead, holding her close to him.
  He looked over at the older couple that had become the surrogate parents
to the group of teenagers, knowing that they were even more affected by the
changes and attitude of the former Slayer.
Joyce Summers had been heartbroken when her daughter had made it clear, in
no uncertain terms, that she would not be returning to Sunnydale.  She
didn't even ask her mother to stay in Capeside with her.  It was like, if
she couldn't have Angel and her old life back as it had been, with only a
few minor changes, than Buffy didn't want anything to do with it.  Joyce had
said good bye to her little girl, not even recognizing the woman that she
had become and decided to finally move forward with her life. She took Giles
up on his long-standing offer for her to move in and was already making
plans to sell the house that had once been her home.  It was a decision that
she had put off, hoping that one day Buffy would come home.
"Well, I must say, this wasn't exactly the holiday I had in mind when I
first suggested it," Giles started.  He looked over at Joyce, taking in her
tired eyes.  "And I think now would be the perfect time to end it."  He
stood up, taking Joyce with him.  When Willow made to stand also, he waved
her back down.  "Don't.  Trust me, I know the way.  Take care all of you."
Giles led Joyce out of the home, leaving behind three tired couples.
"On that note, I think I'll head up to bed," Faith chimed in.  She looked
over at Xander who nodded at the silent question and joined Faith.  Cordelia
and Pacey followed a few minutes later, leaving Willow and Angel alone in
the living room.  The two lovers sat quietly together, relishing the feel of
the other in their arms.  Willow cherished whatever time she had with Angel;
her demons of what would happen if Buffy returned finally put to rest with
his decision to stay with her.
"I never thought I would be so happy to see Sunnydale again," Willow joked,
finally breaking the silence.  "Its like, it finally hit me that this is
home, even as bad as things can get here."
"That's because this is where you grew up," Angel said. "This is where all
your memories are.  Both good and bad.  No matter what happens or where you
go, nothing will ever change that."
"Yeah.  It's just weird, you know.  Before all of this, I figured that I
would really enjoy leaving Sunnydale behind when I graduated and going to
college somewhere."
"And now?"
"Now, I can't even think of going somewhere else, no matter what
opportunities I have to pass up.  This is my home.  This is where I belong."
  Angel leaned over and took Willow's lips with his own in a gentle, loving
kiss.
"Always, kitten."  Willow looked up at Angel and saw the love she felt for
him mirrored in his eyes.  He placed another kiss on her lips before
standing and pulling her up with him.  "Come on, kitten.  I think its time
that we head to bed.  I feel the need to say welcome home."
"I'm with you there."  Willow and Angel headed upstairs to the room that
they shared after checking the locks on the doors.  The two of them didn't
know what the future held for them, but they were sure that, together, they
would have no trouble in dealing with it.
 

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