Fallen Angels

By Kristi

Back in Sunnydale

@--Angel--@

Buffy and I wrap up the night by patrolling. We check out the master’s old lair and the factory. Buffy is quiet and I know this deal with Acathla is bothering her.

“Cordy seriously needs to have visions with names and addresses.” Buffy grumbles.

“She’s a seer, Buffy, not a rolodex.”

“Sorry, didn’t mean to insult your precious seer.” Buffy launches a side kick at helpless lawn gnome and shatters it. I glance at the house, wondering if the people inside will even notice in the morning.

“Buffy, don’t do this.” I plead. I don’t want to add a fight to her list of problems.

“I just need some time to think. You head back to Willow’s, I’ll be there later.” She kicks at rock on the side walk.

“Are you sure? You know you can tell me anything, Buffy.” I try to coax her into talking to me.

“I know, and I will, but right now I need to think. The thoughts in my head aren’t even words yet.”

I kiss her forehead. “Be careful and come back soon. You know I miss every second your gone.”

“Me too.” She says as I walk away, letting my fingers slip through hers.

*

She finally comes to bed around 8am. She slips off her clothes and slides underneath the blankets. She has been crying. I can smell the salty tears and her eyes are red. She stops my words with a kiss.

“Please, just make me forget, for just a little while.” She begs me.

*

We’re back in the magic box. I’m getting frustrated. Everyone looks to me like I have some secret answers to Acathla that nobody else knows. I tried to wake the guy up one time; I didn’t hold a conversation with him. I can hear Buffy in the training room beating on a punching bag. She lost patience with the research a long time ago.

“Look, I wish I had the answers. I really do. I don’t belong to a ‘Tried to wake Acathla’ club and I haven’t been notified by who ever is trying to wake him.” I snap and I regret it as soon as I do. My acceptance into this group is tenuous, at best. “I’m sorry; I just want to make this better for Buffy. She and I will go talk to Willy this evening, see if he’s got any information. Willow, you might try calling some of the equipment rental companies. Whoever is doing this is going to need some excavation equipment.”

“Good idea. I’ll get started.” The red head digs out the Sunnydale phone book.

“Faith says she went by there last night and Willy knows nothing.” Giles says.

I nod. “I’ll check it out anyway. Some of the demons might be more forthcoming telling me things. Faith hasn’t seen anything out of place, I suppose.”

“She has not told me anything and Faith is generally up front about anything she finds on patrol.” Giles sounds proud, and a bit defensive of the former slayer-gone-bad.

I nod. “Have her patrol all the usual spots tonight. Hopefully someone will know something.”

“Mr. Giles and I will continue researching to see if we can find anything to shut Acathla’s mouth for good.” Wes says.

I nod. “I’m going to go train with Buffy.”

I walk into the training room that is now Faith’s. Buffy is pummeling the punching bag with lightening fast punches and well timed kicks. Her body glistens in sweat. She is so focused on the task that she does not notice me.

“Want to hit something that fights back?” I ask with a hint of amusement in my voice.

“Is that a challenge?” She turns to me, using one hand to steady the punching bag.

I shrug. “If you think you’re up to it.”

She grins at me. “Oh, I’m up to it.”

*

@--Buffy--@

I crack my knuckles. It’s been a long time since I’ve bullied Willy. I have to say, I’m looking forward to it. Willy looks at Angel and me nervously as we walk in.

“Hey Slayer! It’s been a long time since we’ve seen the other slayer in here. And you’ve brought Angel with you. Long time no see, Angel.” Willy says this particularly loud. Several demons get up and walk out.

“So, Slayer, what can I get you?” Willy asks, nervously polishing his bar. “I’ve got a pint of fresh O Neg in the fridge, Angel. On the house.”

Angel shakes his head. I take over the interrogation.

“Acathla, Willy, what do you know about him?”

“Demon guy, Angel tried to wake him up when he was evil. He disappeared when Angel did for awhile.” Willy says

“You know Willy; it’s hard to tell when you’re telling the truth because it sounds so much like lying. And I’m really itchy to hit someone.” I crack my knuckles again.

“Okay, okay. New bunch of vampires came in the other night. One of them had an English accent. Don’t get many vamps with European accents in here. They didn’t say much but I got the idea they were doing something big.”

“Any idea where they are staying?” Angel asks.

“I don’t know. That’s the truth. I’d tell you if I knew.” Willy says.

“If we find out you knew more, Willy-“I don’t finish my sentence.

“I know, I know, which is why I told you everything. I haven’t been beat up in a long time. I’d like to keep it that way.” He sounds as greasy as he looks, but I think he’s telling us everything he knows.

Angel and I walk out of Willy’s. “Well that was nostalgic.” I say.

Angel smiles at me. “Now we’ve just got to see if we can come up with any ideas of where this English vamp is staying.”

“We haven’t checked Spike’s old crypt. It’s possible he’s holed up there, especially if Dru has anything to do with this.”

“Alright, anyway we can sneak up on them. I don’t really envision storming in there in the middle of the night without any idea of how many there are.” Angel says.

“I don’t have any idea. We could have Willow pull up the plans for the electrical tunnels and sewer systems.” I dig in his coat pocket and pull out the cell phone he never uses.

“Will, it’s me. I need the blueprints for the electrical tunnels and sewer systems. I need to know if there is access to Spike’s old crypt from either one. Give me a call on Angel’s cell when you find out.” I rattle off.

“Will he actually answer it?” Willow asks me.

I smile into the phone. “Nope, but I will.” I hang up and stick the phone in my jeans pocket. Angel watches me with an amused grin. “What? It’s not like you actually use it anyway.”

He snakes his arm around my waist and pulls me closer. “Nothing. It’s just nice to see you weaving your way into my life. I like it.”

“Good, because I’m just going to keep weaving until I’m like a real wife.” I tease him.

He grows serious and stops, looking down at me. I tremble on the edge of panic. I’m afraid that serious look means another talk about how many things he can’t give me and how I deserve all those things.

“Do you want to be a real wife?” he asks.

Now I’m even more scared. “What do you mean?” My mouth has gone dry and I swear there is no oxygen left in the air.

“I mean do you want to be a wife.”

God, he sucks at this. You would think two hundred and fifty years of dating would give a guy some finesse. I don’t know what the right answer to his question is. If I say yes, is that going to launch him into a lecture about how he can’t be a normal husband, because he’s creature of the night husband and I deserve a normal husband and so forth and so on with the Angel speech. If I say no is that going to give him the impression I don’t want to marry him? Because there could be nothing further from the truth.

“Angel, I want my future to be with you, whatever that means to you, in whatever capacity you want and I know that sounds pitiful, even to me but the truth is I tried having a future without you, it got me exactly no future. And I don’t know what your asking me and I’m afraid if I give you the wrong answer your going to take off because you can’t be Joe Normal Husband, but guess what I don’t want Joe Normal Husband, I want Creature of the Night Husband and I could care less about sunlight and children and besides, you know people adopt all the time so that’s not even a real issue so before you open your mouth and come out with some kind of lecture about the things I want and the things I need, try asking me first.”

He looks at me confused, which I don’t understand because I spoke perfect English, or perfect Buffy, which maybe why he’s looking at me like I grew a second head.

“Buffy, I think that’s what I was trying to do, ask you.”

“Oh,” I scuff my foot. “Let’s just rewind the little Buffy rant then.” I look up at him. “Could you rephrase the question?”

He gives me that lopsided grin and my stomach does its little flip flop. “Buffy, what I’m trying to ask you is-“he pauses and looks around the cemetery we have somehow walked to. He drops down on one knee. Oh God, I’m going to have a heart attack. It will be in Sunnydale’s paper tomorrow on the front page. Girl’s creature of the night boyfriend finally asks her to marry him and she drops dead of a heart attack at his feet. More on the 6 o’ clock news.

“Buffy, will you be my wife?”

I really really can’t speak. I mean Angel makes me breathless all the time but eventually I can you know, breathe. This time I’m going to hyperventilate and won’t that be a lovely story to tell when we’re old and gray, ok so when I’m old and gray living at the Old Slayer’s Home. I squeaked.

“Buffy,”

I nod. I can only nod and throw my arms around him. I knock him flat on his back and we both lay there giggling.

“Is that a yes?” he finally asks. “Because a guy likes to know for certain.”

“That’s an absolutely without a doubt hell yes.” I say with a smile.

“That’s the answer I was hoping for.” He said.

“This was planned?” I arch a brow at him.

“Actually, I was going to ask you next Friday. I have tickets to an opera in LA. I have a limo reserved and dinner for two in the Blue Room at the Pig and Whistle. Somehow it seemed right to ask you tonight.” He says.

He planned this! He actually planned asking me to marry him. I get tears in my eyes and I squeeze them shut tight.

“If this is a dream, please don’t wake me up.” I whisper.

“Not for the world.” He smiles at me and kisses me with one of those trademark all the emotion in my body Angel kisses.

Continue