Forever, Always, and Then SomeChapter Eighteen
The next morning, Buffy is awaken by Liam. She brings him into bed to nurse. Angel wakes up and looks at her. Buffy: What? What is wrong? Do I look that bad? Angel: You look perfect, I was just making a memory. I just love seeing you first thing. Buffy: A memory? I get the distinct feeling you are leaving. Angel: You knew I had to eventually. We agreed. Buffy: I know and I still agree. It doesn’t make it any easier. When? Angel: Tonight. I think it is best. Buffy: Especially after last night. Angel: Especially……..hey but like you said absence makes the heart grow fonder. Buffy: Or out of sight, out of mind. Angel: You know that will never happen. He sits up and pulls her and Liam into his arms. Angel: I have a family now……first time in almost 250 years. I am not letting either one of you get away. Buffy: Uh just remember, I came with family……so they are now your family too. Angel: And if I shall recall my new father-in-law is expected for breakfast. Buffy: Yes, and everyone else too. And I don’t cook, just ask Dawn. Angel: I get the hint. He lifts Buffy up and slides out of bed. He finds his clothes and head to the bathroom. He emerges a few minutes later dressed. Buffy is just finishing changing Liam. Angel: Want me to take him down with me so you can get dressed too. Buffy: Thanks. You may have ask around to find out what they did with the swing.. Angel: See you down stairs. Lorne has already taken off for LA. Angel finds a note on the kitchen counter saying he will see everyone back in LA. Angel finds Liam’s swing and sets him in it. He looks around at the mess from the night before. He starts gathering all the trash and dirty dishes. He hears a noise out back and sneaks up to peak out the kitchen window. Xander and Anya are on the back porch. Angel relaxes and opens the door being sure to keep out of the sunlight. As the door opens Anya does not see anyone and becomes concerned. Anya: Hello? Angel: Morning Anya Anya: Angel, why are you lurking behind the door. Xander: Anya he does that, I think it has something to do with not bursting into flames. Anya: Oh yeah the sunlight. That must suck. Xander: Suck is not a good word to use around vampires. Angel: Are you guys coming in so I can close this door. Xander: Sorry dude. Are you the only one up? Angel: So far Liam and I are it but Buffy should be down soon. Anya: Well we came by to help get this place back in order. Angel: I’ve been wanting to thank both of your help the last week. Xander: It has been an experience. Morning Buffy or should I address you as MRS Summers. Buffy: Morning Xander, Anya. Everyone sets to cleaning. Willow and Dawn soon appear and they return the house to almost its pre-wedding appearance. Angel starts cooking bacon eggs. Dawn pitches in by making toast. Willow and Xander are setting the table. Buffy starts a pot of coffee. Everything seems to being going great until Buffy realizes there is no orange juice left and Angel just used the last of the milk in the scrambled eggs. Anya volunteers to run to the store. She runs into Mr. Summers are her way out: Anya: Oh Hello. Hank: Sorry, I know we met but I can’t remember the name. Anya: I’m Anya, Xander’s fiance. And I am on my to get juice and milk. Everyone else in the kitchen. Hank: Thanks Anya Anya leaves and Hank starts walking toward the kitchen. He stops to watch the activity. Buffy: Angel are you hungry? Angel: Uh huh, please. Dawn I think we have enough toast. Save some bread and I can make some French toast. Dawn: Cool. Love anything you can pour syrup on. I am so going to miss you when you head back to LA. Buffy hands Angel his breakfast. He takes a swallow. Buffy: Angel, you have a little mustache. Dawn: Oh that is sick. Someone give him a napkin. Buffy: Dawn shut up. Leave him alone. He is cooking for everybody else. He can eat his breakfast in peace. Dawn: I am sorry. I was just kidding around. Angel: Don’t worry about it Dawn. I know it looks gross. Would you mind helping Willow? Buffy: Sorry honey, that was so ugly of her. Angel: Come here. How can I expect her to be comfortable with it when I am still not comfortable in front of most people? Buffy: Well she should be more respectful. And beside I thought you looked cute with a mustache. Like a little kid drinking kool-aide. Angel: Kool-aide huh? Never compared it to kool-aide before. Buffy: Angel kool-aide. I like it. Angel finishes his breakfast. There is a knock at the door. Buffy looks up and notices her father watching. Buffy: Dad, where did you come from? How long you been there? Hank: Anya let me in. Buffy I think we need to talk. Buffy: I know. Lets wait until breakfast is ready and I will answer all your questions I promise. Wesley, Fred, Giles, and Gunn walk in. Wes: Here are your car keys. Thanks. Gunn’s truck would have been crowded. Angel: Perfect timing. I think everything is ready. Buffy: Except we still are waiting on the juice and milk. Angel: Well I am done and I am going to go sit and have a cup of coffee. Everyone heads for the dining room. Angel takes a chair in the corner with his coffee. Everyone else sits down around the table. Anya arrives as everyone is filling their plates. As they start eating, Buffy glances over at Angel. He mouths go ahead. Buffy: Dad, I am aware you have some questions that need answers. I think we all here can help. Hank: I am not quite sure what I need to know. Buffy: Let me help you. You noticed some odd occurrences both last night and this morning and they seem shall we say bazaar. Hank: That pretty well sums it up. So wanna try to explain. Buffy: It is fairly simple to explain. Now exactly what did you see that was odd. Hank: I noticed that for some reason beyond my comprehension my new son-in-law appears to have no reflection. Buffy: That is odd and what else. Hank: Now I may be way off but I could have sworn that what I saw him drinking this morning looked like blood. Buffy: It was. Anything else. Hank: Not really, I think that is enough don’t you. Buffy: Sure. Dad, you are probably sitting there trying to rationalize what you saw, but refusing to accept the obvious explanation. Hank: Buffy, there is no obvious explanation. Buffy: Yes there is if you would just believe it and not tell yourself it is insane. Hank: Buffy, what kind of mind games are you trying to play here. Buffy: None dad I just want you to say it. I want you to ask me. Hank: You want me to ask you what? Buffy: Ask me if it is true? Hank: Okay is it true? Buffy: Is what true dad? Say it. Put the thought into words. Hank: This is insane. Fine. I am insane. Is Angel a vampire? Buffy: Yes. Any more questions? Hank: What? You are crazy. Buffy: No you yourself saw the evidence and came to the conclusion. That is why I wanted you to say it first. Angel is a vampire. Hank: This is ridiculous. Does anyone else here believe this? Everyone else raises their hand. Hank: All of you? Dawn, even you? What kind of game are you playing? There are no such things as vampires! Buffy: Dad calm down. This is why we never told you any of this before. I knew you could never accept it Any of it. Hank: Accept what? What am I suppose to accept? That my daughter married a vampire? That she had baby with a vampire? Buffy: Giles, want to step in here please. Giles: Mr. Summers, as Buffy’s watcher, I can assure you that Vampire’s are real and they live both here and in LA. Angel is a vampire, although he has a soul unlike other vampires. Therefore he no longer feeds on humans and actually works to rid of vampires and other demons of the world. Hank: You are Buffy’s what Giles: Her watcher. Joyce knew this before she passed. Buffy is the slayer. The chosen one. Hank: The chosen one. Chosen for what. Buffy: Okay who wants to do this with Giles. We have all heard it sooooo many times. Everyone(except Fred and Gunn): In every generation there is a Chosen One. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons and the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer. Hank: I do not believe any of this. Buffy: That is because you refuse to. Why do you think I got into so much trouble in LA? It wasn’t for fun. I was too busy trying to save the world from vampires. And coming here to Sunnydale was even worse. This town is built on a hellmouth which attracts demons like a magnet. Hank: Look at Angel. Buffy: Not a problem, do it every chance I get Angel: Buffy behave. Hank: He looks perfectly normal, I don’t see any fangs. Wesley: A vampire looks perfectly normal until the feed is upon them. Only then do they show their true face. Hank: True face? What true face? Angel: Aaah hell. Do you really want to see what a vampire looks like? Do you? Because it is not pretty and my son is here. Dawn: Want me to take Liam out of here. Angel: Please, no need scaring the child. Dawn leaves and Angel walks up to Hank. Angel: This is what a real vampire looks like (Game face) Scary huh? (Human face) Hank: Oh my god! Did you see that? Everybody just sort of gives a seen it before look. Dawn walks back in with Liam and hands him to his father. Angel: Now can we get back to enjoying our day. Buffy I was wondering if you were up to a little one on one today? Everybody looks over. As a group: Huh? Buffy: Sure we can go over to the room at the magic box. Giles? Up to a little session? Giles: Sure. I think it will be good for you to have a real opponent for a change. Wesley? Wes: I would love it. I have not seen Buffy in action for years. Buffy: Dad, you wanna come and see for yourself what a slayer can do? Hank: Uh Uh Buffy: Take that as a yes. Willow: You guys go ahead, well handle the mess. They head out in Angel’s car. The newlyweds hiding under the blanket in the back seat together, with a confused Hank beside them. Wesley pulls up to the back door. Giles opens it. Angel makes the mad dash. Hank notices the slight smoke in a amazement. Buffy: Angel, want to start with some hand to hand. Angel: Okay but first. ( he runs his hands over her backside and pulls out her standard stake and throws it to Giles) I don’t want any accidents. Buffy and Angel start with some basic blows and move into kicks, each effectively blocking. Hank is amazed. Eventually the blows and kicks get more heated and Angel is able to knock Buffy to the ground, but is she uses her legs to flip him over onto his own back. Both simultaneously kick to their feet. Buffy: I wondered when you would learn to do that. Angel: Hey I’ve been practicing. Learned a lot more too Buffy: Me too. She makes a flying leap that sends him crashing into a wall. He comes up in full game face. Angel: Want to play rough. Then rough it is. Hank: Oh my god, stop them he is going to hurt her. Giles: No he’s not. Even in full vamp mode he is no match for Buffy. Angel and Buffy go at it. Each fighter pulling their best moves until they finally fall on the ground in fatigue. Buffy: Oh that felt good. I have not had a workout like that in ages. Angel: Me either. Darling you have definitely picked up some choice new moves. Buffy: Me? I saw some moves there I never dreamed of. Giles: Okay you two ready for some weapons work? Buffy flips up. Buffy: I am ready. Angel: Weapons? Are we talking swords? Giles: For starters. Angel: Good cause I think I may have an advantage there. Buffy: Dream on dead boy. Angel: That sounds like a challenge. Giles hands them the swords. The blades fly. Giles: Wesley hand me two of those knives. I want to see how well they are aware of their surroundings. Giles throws a knife at the battling duo and Buffy grabs it with her free hand without even missing a step. The second knife follows with in seconds and Angel snatches out of the air. They stop the sword fight and look at Giles. Buffy: And since when did we become a dart board? Giles: Just checking relaxes and I see you both are at the top of your game. I think that is enough physical workout. Lets try a concentration exercise. Buffy: Okay Buffy gets into hand stand on the pummel horse and goes into a deep mental concentration. Giles: Now Buffy close out everything. Let in no distractions. Hold your concentration. Wesley makes a loud crash and Buffy does not even flinch. Even Hank gets into the game. Neither Giles, Wesley or Hank can get Buffy to react. Angel: Can I try? (he walks toward her) Giles: Sure, what are you going to do. You can not touch her. Angel: I won’t I just want to get close enough for her to hear me. Angel sits below the horse and starts whispering to his wife. Angel: (whisper) You are the most amazing beautiful woman I have ever seen. I never knew I could feel this way about another living creature. (no reaction from Buffy) I can still remember the first time we ever made love. The way we slowly removed each others wet clothing. (still no reaction) Then there was the second time in LA, the day we conceived our son ( Buffy moves ever so slightly) The way we lost ourselves in each other. The way you touched me…..The way I touched you (Buffy starts to sway and Angel smiles). You remember too don’t you? (Buffy sways again) Hank: What is he saying to her? Giles: I really don’t think we want to know. Angel: (whisper) If we could only do it again and again and again (Buffy gives in and falls down on him) Buffy: Angel do you ever play fair. Angel: Nope, and who was playing. Giles: I think that is enough for one day. I think we should head home. I think I remember something about a baby. They head back to the house. |
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