Title: Chained To You
Author: Tracy G
Email: sissa_003@yahoo.com
Summary: Buffy and Willow visit Cordelia in LA.
Spoilers: None that I know of.
Disclaimer: Joss owns everything Buffy, I own the plot.
Notes: Doyle's in this. He's too cool not to be.
Notes 2: This takes place during a different time line. Everything that has happened on Buffy or Angel hasn't happened in this. Also I got the idea for this while I was watching an episode of Hercules.

Part 5


Angel and Buffy walked out of Angel's bedroom, followed by Willow and Cordelia. Cordelia stopped to get a towel from the bathroom before joining the others in the kitchen.

She tossed the towel to Buffy, who had gotten the worst of the water. "Here. Dry your hair. You look like a drowned rat."

"Gee, thanks," Buffy said half sarcastically, as she tried to, unsuccessfully, towel dry her hair with only one hand. "Now, if only I could change my shirt."

"Grrr!" she growled as the towel slipped from her hand and fell to the floor. She stomped her foot in frustration, and asked, "Cordy, do you have a brush?"

"Uh, yeah. I think I left one in Angel's bathroom. I'll go get it."

"Are you guys hungry?" Angel asked. "I can make breakfast."

"Oh, yes!" Buffy exclaimed. "I'm starved."

"Actually, I told Cordy I'd take her to breakfast this morning, so we'll pass," Willow said.

"We will? You did?" Cordelia asked, returning with the brush in her hand.

Willow gave Cordelia a look.

"Oh, right.. Breakfast. I almost forgot." She handed the brush over to Buffy. "Be careful with it. If you break any bristles...."

Buffy rolled her eyes as she began running the brush through her long hair. "Ugh! Willknots."

"Willknots?" Angel asked pulling her over to the cupboard to get a frying pan. "Eggs okay with you?"

"Yep." Buffy answered. "You know, 'willknot' come out?"

"Sorry, I guess I'm not up with the hair terms."

"I got a really big knot," she simplified, pointing to her hair.

"I get it. Fried or scrambled?" he asked as they walked over to the fridge.

"Scrambled."

"Well, we're going to leave now." Willow said. "It's too late for breakfast, maybe we can catch the lunch specials."

"Oh, do we really have to?" Cordelia whined. "He's such a good cook for someone on a liquid diet."

"Yes, Cordy. Come on, we don't want to miss those specials."

"Oh, fine." Cordelia grumbled, getting up from the chair she had been sitting on.

"Hey, Cor, catch." Buffy tossed her the brush, which Cordelia caught. "Thanks."

"Yeah, whatever," she replied, with a small smile.

"We'll be back here by five. You guys had better be outta them cuffs by then," Willow warned. "For Doyle's sake."

She pulled Cordelia out of the kitchen and they could be heard arguing about Cordelia wanting Angel's food instead of the restaurants.

Buffy hoisted herself up so she was sitting on the counter top, as Angel cracked one of the three eggs on the side of a bowel and let the yolk and the egg white fall into the bowl.

"I didn't know you could cook," Buffy said tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "I mean, you never cooked for me when we were together."

"Well," Angel said, pouring a mixture of egg and milk into the frying pan, "I was lacking a very important cooking tool when I was at the mansion. A working stove."

"Ah, that could be a real downer on the cooking thing."

They sat quietly after that, until Angel asked her to pass him a plate from the cupboard above her head.

They moved to the table so Buffy could eat. Angel had to take a chair from the end of the table and move it to the side so their arms wouldn't uncomfortable.

Buffy ate her meal in silence. When she was finished they took her dishes to the sink, then went into the living room.

"So, I guess we have to talk now, right?" Buffy asked, nervously.

"Yeah," Angel agreed as they sat on the couch.

After couple minutes of silence, Buffy said, "One of us has to start here."

"I know." Angel said. "I'm sorry I never told you about the gem, about leaving, everything. I thought I was doing what was best for you. I want you to have a normal. I want you to be happy."

"But I'm not!," Buffy argued. "I'm not happy. I'm lonely and miserable. I sit alone in my dorm room at night, wishing I could be with you, while all my friends are out on dates."

"You deserve a normal life. You deserve to be with somebody can give you kids and picnics in the-"

"I know what you going to say, so don't even say it." Buffy jumped to her feet. "You can give picnics in the sun, Angel." She grabbed his hand and pointed to the ring. "Immune to sun and curses, remember? And, kids, it doesn't matter. We can adopt. They're are plenty of kids out there who need a home."

"Yes, I remember, but gem or no gem, I'm still a 244 year old vampire, and nothings going to change that." He too jumped up off the couch.

Buffy took a deep breath. "Angel, I love you. All of you. I don't care if your a vampire. I want you to be in my life. You make me happy."

"I want you to be happy, and I want to be with you, but you should be with someone who deserve you."

"Don't you think I should decide who I think deserves me? Stop being so damn noble." she yelled, annoyed that he was being so stubborn.

She reached up with her free hand and grabbed the collar of Angel's shirt, pulling his head down and kissing him hard. He tensed and started to pull away, then relaxed and responsed to the kiss. He wrapped his free arm around her waist and pulled her closer.

There was a bright light and a click and the handcuffs cam apart and fell to the floor with a lond clang.

Neither one seem to notice as Buffy wrapped her arms around his neck and jumped up, wrapping her legs around his waist.

Angel stumbled towards his bedroom, not once breaking the kiss. He kicked the bedroom door shut and they fell backwards onto the bed.




Next Chapter