I woke up when I heard a buzzing sound. I wondered what in the Hell it could be. A coffee maker? A doorbell? An electric shaver? No. None of those things. I opened my eyes to see what it was, and then I felt an added pressure to my side as someone rolled closer to my chest.
I turned my head to look at the entry to the VIP part of the first class jet we were in. The buzzing was coming from the alert next to the door that was used to signal to us that we would be landing in half an hour. It had been installed twenty years after the VIP rooms were invented. This way, the flight attendant didn�t accidentally walk in on anything that someone really shouldn�t be doing on a plane.
I looked down at Buffy�s blonde head, relaxing on my outstretched arm. My other hand was placed absently on her hip, and I couldn�t resist massaging her skin tenderly. She moaned in her sleep, and started to wake.
Her eyes moved under her eyelids as her conscious mind fought for control over her body. She blinked her eyes open a moment later, and at first she looked confused-she couldn�t remember what had happened.
And then she looked up at me with those big, bright eyes, and a blush crept over her adorable features. She hid her face in my chest and I couldn�t help chuckling softly.
�How are you?� I asked, trying to sound casual to hide my deep feelings of over-protective concern. Now that she had let me in, I was damned if I would ever be put out. After having a glimpse of the real woman that Buffy Summers was, I knew there would never be another for me. She had become the gold standard by which any woman would be measure if ever Buffy left me. Of course, I was intent upon making sure that didn�t happen. Buffy could never-would never, leave me.
I needed her now, like I need air to breathe.
She raised her eyes to look up at me, the questions were evident, and I rushed to reassure her doubts. �I�m not going anywhere,� I assured her, placing a gentle kiss to her temple. �I promise you that.�
She settled against my chest again, resting her hand over my heart, and she didn�t say anything for a moment, and then she asked in a hesitant voice, �Angel?�
�Hmm?� I raised my eyebrows but didn�t open my eyes. I wanted to enjoy and savor the moments we had until we had to get ready. Holding her in my arms was like nothing else I�d ever experienced. I had never held a woman in my arms after sex. I had either gone home, or asked them to leave-to which their replies were usually extremely vulgar.
But now, it felt so natural to lay with Buffy in my arms after making love. After all, that�s what we�d done. I�d never made love to someone before. I�d heard it�s great, but never found someone as special as Buffy to initiate me in to the act. Now, I couldn�t imagine just having meaningless sex. Making love was addictive�So was Buffy Summers.
She knocked me from my thoughts when she asked me, �Angel, was it�I mean, what do you�Do you have thoughts?�
I smiled and laughed once, still keeping my eyes shut as my fingers stroked across her back, being careful to avoid her left shoulder which I had noticed was healing surprisingly fast.
�Sometimes,� I answered, wanting to tease her in to asking me what she wanted to know.
�I mean�Now?� she asked, finally just getting it out. �Do you have thoughts about�Umm�Us?�
I reluctantly opened my eyes and turned my head to look in to her questioning, hazel eyes. �Buffy, I told you what I wanted from you. Forever. I can�t imagine anything else now. I just want to know what you want in return, from me.�
She looked down at my chest to think for a moment, and then she looked back up at me, a soft blush on her cheeks. �I don�t know how to say it,� she whispered.
I accepted her innocence and reluctance on the matter, and nodded softly, �so don�t say a thing. I�m never letting you go, Buffy. So all you need to do is kiss me.�
She smiled. �I think I can deal with that.�
She leaned up to kiss me, and it seemed as if it took forever for her lips to reach mine. I wondered what was going, and was about to say something, when I felt the contact of her bottom lip hit my own. I felt a little awkward at first, for having been speaking when she kissed me, but then all my insecurities smoothed away.
I wrapped my arms around her, and she started to giggle.
**
�Do we have anything set up here?� Buffy asked as we exited our section of the jet, entering in to a small, first class corridor that was clean and tidy, unlike some of the other corridors that led from the jet to the arrivals section of an airport.
No sooner were we out of the corridor, did we see a woman with dark hair and dark eyes holding a sign with Angel�s last name, D�Aestas, written in fine calligraphy.
�There�s our plans,� Angel said, giving my hand a delicate squeeze and smiling at me reassuringly.
He led me over to where the woman was standing, and I suddenly felt more insecure than I�d ever felt in my life. For one thing, this girl was standing in such a way that screamed sex appeal and intoxicating allure. I, on the other hand, my hair looked rumpled from the flight, I had not put on make-up after washing off the remains of what I had on at the Chase Ball, and my once-funky top was fitting awkwardly, and had my blood on the back shoulder. I definitely was not looking hot.
The woman had dark brown eyes, a perfect body, and a smile that could melt an iceberg�or freeze a lake. It seemed like the kind of smile that could go both ways. She was dressed in some form-fitting black pants, and a white tank top with a dark jean jacket over top.
�Angel!� she smiled brightly when she saw him. �Good to see you. You�re looking good, as always.�
Angel smiled back genuinely and said, �you too, Faith.�
�Faith� looked to me, and looked me up and down, keeping a polite look on her face as she waited to decide what to think of me. Should she make fun of me? Or should she assume that I was �with� Angel and back off? Oh the decisions.
�Faith,� Angel pulled me a little closer to the two of them. �This is Buffy. Buffy, this is Faith. Faith�s a close friend of mine. She moved here just last year. Left me all alone,� he acted all dramatic and upset.
She responded with an act of her own, putting her hands on her hips and saying, �well, God-Angel! I couldn�t wait around for you forever. You have to make all of the wrong choices before the right one, and watching you with the entire female population in the palm of your hand was kind of heart breaking.�
Angel acted concerned, �Faith, I had no idea. You should have told me you were jealous.�
She rolled her eyes, and hit him playfully on the arm. However, when her hand collided with his arm, I instinctively backed away. I had been through so much in the last twenty-four hours, and for some reason I couldn�t make myself stay still.
Faith noticed, and Angel pulled me close again, babying me slightly by wrapping an arm around your waist.
Faith frowned and asked me as if I was a bug, �Angel, what the Hell is wrong with her?�
�Nothing�s �wrong� with me,� I defended myself. �I just got shot today, so I�m a little on-edge.�
�You got shot today?� she looked at me with wide eyes; dumbfounded. �And you�re walking around just fine? The bullet just skim your fingers, or what?�
I stepped away from Angel, and turned my back to Faith. She checked out the quickly-closing hole with twelve stitches, and said, �woah. You�ve got some crazy healing going on there.�
I went back to Angel�s side. �Thank you?� I had no idea if that was a compliment, but I thanked her just the same.
�Now, on to the road,� Faith clapped her hands together. �You guys are gonna love my new pad. It�s to kill for.� She looked to me then and said, �oh sorry. I�ll watch what I say a little more.�
She turned then and started leading the way. I looked up at Angel, my discontent showing on my face. He leaned down and kissed my pouting lips, �just relax. You�re safe with me.�
**
The entire car ride, I tried to figure out what the relationship had been between Angel and Faith. Had they just been friends? Lovers? Had they been engaged? What were they to each other? They way Faith smiled at Angel, and was always taking quick looks at him made me achingly suspicious, but I said nothing.
I figured that if I absolutely had to live with Faith temporarily, something told me to stay on her good side, or she would have no problem finishing what my shooter had started to do.
�So Buffy!� Faith called to me from the front of the car; looking in the rear-view mirror to catch a glimpse of me. �How did you meet Angel?�
Angel glance din his own mirror to watch me, and I suddenly understood what it felt like to be in a glass fish tank. I thought a moment of what to say, and then I answered, �our fathers kind of know each other. Meeting Angel was sort of forced upon me by my father. I don�t really know him all that well.� I found myself looking down at my hands as I spoke.
Faith frowned and asked, �you don�t know your father?�
�No,� I answered. �My mom and dad were divorced when I was three, and ever since then, my mom�s been raising me in New York. I never really heard from my dad. And now he suddenly wants to mold and control my entire life.�
�What brought about that change?� she asked, actually looking interested and not just acting civil.
I looked out the window and thought of what to say. I answered solemnly, �an accident.�
�An accident?� she asked. �What kind of an accident? Like a car crash that made him realize he�s an ass hole, or what?�
I looked in to her mirror and said, �not exactly. My umm...my mother died about a month or so ago, so now I have to live with my father.�
Her gaze softened then, and she looked away from my gaze. �I�m sorry,� she apologized. There was a moment of silence, and then she said, �my mother died when I was six.� She looked to Angel and attempted a smile, �if it wasn�t for Angel, I think I�d be in prison right now. He sort of�Helped me through every thing.�
I looked up to Angel�s mirror, and his eyes immediately averted from my own. I decided to just throw caution to the wind, and come out and ask what the Hell they had been to each other. �Did you two date?� I asked.
Faith and Angel both started laughing at this.
�Date Angel?� Faith laughed at the thought as if it was absurd. �Who would want to date Angel? He�s dated everyone on the Eastern Border. Working his way West now, I hear.� She smiled over at him as she playfully teased.
�So do I,� I added under my breath.
Angel was dead silent, and I looked down at my fingers. Suddenly Faith clued in. �Oh,� she whispered. She tried to cover then, �I mean, that was a lot time ago though. He�s changed so much.� When still no one said anything, she tried again. �I mean, as hard as it is to believe, he�s really-�
�It�s okay, Faith,� I smiled softly at her. �I already know everything about his past with women.�
She looked at me in the mirror for the longest time, and then she said, �no offence to you-or Angel, but�That seems a little na�ve. Kind of care-free, don�t you think? To just take off on a jet with someone with a past dirtier than a beach that you barely know?�
I took a deep breath, �God knows you�re right, but�Circumstances being what they are�Choices are limited to good or bad. Angel and were shot at twice, and now we�re running from unknown attackers that are trying to kill us for some reason we can�t begin to think of.�
She took a moment to process that, and then an evil smile crept across her features. �You guys screwin�?�
My face blushed red, and I tried to hide as far down in the seat as I could, but I couldn�t seem to convince the earth to open up and swallow me down whole.
Angel looked to Faith and smiled wryly, �why? Still jealous of me?� He joked, earning another playful punch, this time it was also accompanied by one from me.
**
Faith�s beach home really was great. Her dad had let her move out last year, and she had chosen Bora Bora as her ideal place of residence. Her home was clean and expensive, although it didn�t look as elegant as the homes in Devil�s Gorge.
Faith�s home was more modern, more practical. It just screamed out Faith. The cuts of the walls were sharp, unlike the graceful curves of any home I�d ever lived in. She went for a direct approach, with no false pretenses. Faith had things in her home that either meant something to her, or would be used by her. Nothing was there just for �decoration� she explained. Everything had a purpose.
Faith set me up in one of the guest rooms next to Angel�s master suite, and left me alone to shower while she found some clothes for me to change in to. Left on my own, I felt so relieved when I finally took off my bloody top, and tossed it on to a chair in the corner of the bathroom. I turned and looked all around the white room I was in.
On top of the large, white, fireplace on the far wall of the room, I spotted a few pictures in frames. I walked slowly over to look at the mantle. I could hear the ocean waves lapping against the side of Faith�s docks through the open, glass doors that led out to a small, unfenced deck that had a large day bed for tanning on.
This was definitely a beach house.
I peered closely at the pictures. The first was of Faith dressed in a long, black dress, hugging tightly to a man that I guessed to look to be somewhere in his late forties. He had slightly-fading hair, and he was dressed in gray. I assumed he was a father�But could someone that serious and boring-looking be Faith�s father?
The next picture, was an older one, of a woman that looked so similar to Faith. Those same dark eyes. Same dark hair. Same perfect complexion that would tan so easily. In the picture with this woman, was a little girl that had a necklace on that said �Faith�. I smiled as I observed how happy Faith was with this woman. This must be Faith�s mom.
The final picture surprised me. It was of Faith and Angel. Angel was laying on his back, and a red-checkered blanket like the ones you use for a picnic, and Faith was laying on top of him. Her face was only a few inches from his, and they both seemed happy-though they were completely focused on one another.
Were they really just friends? Did Faith want more? Did Angel ever want more? Whatever the case was, I found myself determining that I would have to watch the two of them as closely as I could without seeming overprotective of someone that I wasn�t even sure belonged to me.
Which led me to the thought of Angel and I. He had waved Faith�s questions with cute jokes or funny remarks about her that would divert the attention and heat so that we didn�t actually have to answer, but I was starting to wonder what he would have said. What he would have answered, if Faith hadn�t been there.
Perhaps I should just ask him�
My thoughts were cut off as Faith knocked a few times in a rock-rhythm, and then bounced in to the room with a bright smile. �Hey!� she smiled. �Couldn�t wait to get changed, huh?�
I smiled, �you have no idea.�
She came over to me and presented a large pile of clothing and accessories. �I found whatever I figured would fit. You�re a little shorter than me, so I was wondering about the hem on the jeans, but we�ll just have to wait and see.�
I smiled, �thank you.� I took the pile of clothing from her, and walked over to the bed. I set them down, and picked up a black, thick-strapped tank top. I pulled it on over my head and adjusted it.
�I think that there�s a bathing suit there to, in case you want to take a dip in the ocean when your shoulder�s all healed.� She waved her hand towards the open doors, indicating the ocean. Or I have an indoor pool on the bottom floor that you�re welcome to.� She explained, motioning over her shoulder towards the stairs that led downwards.
I turned around to face her and smiled softly. �Thank you for letting me stay here with you. It�s very kind.�
She smiled, �well, there�s a first for everything.� Then she sobered slightly and said, �Angel�s a good friend of mine. He�s always been there for me, and I want to be able to be there for him.� Her eyes locked on mine and she said, �I should really try to warn you more about his past �cause you seem so sweet and all, but�The way he�s looking at you...Touching you�I can�t imagine trying to disrupt the bubble of happiness he�s floating around in right now with you.� She laughed slightly.
I found myself starting to blush again. I tucked a stray strand of my straight, blonde hair behind my ear.
�I love Angel,� she told me. �Like I said, he means a lot to me, and�I just want to say that I�ve never seen him look at anyone the way that he�s looking at you. I honestly mean that,� a faint hint of a smile slid across her face as the irony of the situation doddled in to her mind nonchalantly. �Strange. I never thought I�d see the day where I�d say this, but�I hope you two last. I mean, I don�t know if that�s what you want or anything-or if you�re even together, but I really do for some reason.�
I smiled at the young woman before me. She was really sweet, though she�d rather jump in to a pool of vinegar with a thousand cuts than admit it to anyone. �Thank you,� I smiled.
I motioned with my good hand, to the mantle next to her and asked, �is that your mom?�
She looked to it and smiled. �Yeah,� she smiled. �That�s her. Real hottie, huh?� People say they see a resemblance, but�I don�t know, I think I see more of my dad�s looks in me.� She motioned to the picture of her father in the gray shirt.
I laughed slightly, �I don�t mean to sound rude, but�I would have thought Kurt Cobain was more your father than that man. He�s a little too�� I searched my head for a word.
�Boring?� she offered.
�I was going to say �dull� but boring works too,� I nodded, and then smiled. She smiled back and we both laughed. Maybe hanging out with Faith wouldn�t be so bad after all�
**