Part 7

 

“This is really a lot to take in. She said what? Riley made her happy?”

“Yes!” Angel cried. “How many times do I have to tell you?”

Willow shook her head and rubbed her temples wearily. “You’re not getting cranky, right?”

Angel squelched the urge to growl. “I’m *not* going to bite you,” he hissed.

“Okay,” Willow said, but she didn’t sound convinced. “But I don’t think that Buffy really *meant* that she wanted to be with Riley. What exactly did she say?”

Angel paused to think, not because he didn’t remember what she had said, but because he was debating the amount that he wanted to share with the slayer’s friend. “Her mother said she thought Riley was going to ask her to marry him, and Buffy said that would be all of her dreams come true,” Angel answered.

Willow bit her lip nervously and thought how to reply to that. She was sitting on the floor of Angel’s stateroom with her back leaning against his bed. Angel had been pacing back and forth in front of her while he explained the conversation he had overheard Buffy and her mother have.

“You know… this may not be the best time to bring this up but… you do know it’s rude to eavesdrop, right?”

Angel glared at her.

Willow wrung her hands nervously. “Never mind… forget I said it.”

“I wasn’t really eavesdropping,” he protested, “it was more like they were talking, and with vampire hearing, it made it hard *not* to hear what they were saying.”

Willow glanced around the room. Truth be told, it was starting to give her the wiggins with the closed dark interior… she shivered. “So… this means what with the super-hearing and all, you can hear people say… and do things… most can’t?”

“Pretty much.” Angel started pacing again. “If Buffy lo—cares about Riley then I’m happy for her.” He looked unconvinced. “Really.”

Willow let out a long breath to convey her frustration. “Buffy isn’t happy with Riley! You big stupid… vampire!”

Angel looked a little surprised, but his eyes glinted with amusement. “Willow, I know what I heard.”

Willow stood up and drew herself up to her full height—which wasn’t a lot—and glared at him. “If she’s so “happy” with Riley, then why did she cry in my arms over you? Why did she tell Xander about how dull Riley was?”

“I don’t know!” Angel cried, demonstrating the first real hint of emotion since Willow had found him. “I don’t even know if it’s right for me to feel for her! I’m a demon, a monster; she kills things like me. She doesn’t deserve to have me stand in her way if she’s found someone else.”

“I don’t think you’re telling the truth. Riley isn’t the problem.” Willow pierced him with a heavy stare. “*You* don’t know what you want.”

Angel seemed to close up on himself. To Willow’s disappointment, he made his face an impassive mask, devoid of any emotion.

“It’s true.” Willow lifted her chin in defiance, ignoring his surprised look. “You’re scared that if you let her get close, she’ll see you for what you really are. A monster. Someone holding her back.”

“Leave,” Angel said in a deathly tone. Willow froze up and fought off waves of fear, which she tried to hide.

Obeying him, Willow let herself out, but before opening the door she turned back one last time. “I think you’re wrong. Buffy has already seen what you really are. A good man, capable of loving.”

Buffy sat and thought. She really hated thinking. She was aware that her eggs were getting cold, and she still hadn’t taken a bite. But that was okay… she wasn’t really that hungry anyway. Plus, the eggs were full of red and green things. Buffy thought that they might be herbs, but they looked a little off. Her mother would probably love it, but Buffy liked to know exactly what was in her food before eating it.

Humming idly to herself, she shrugged and picked up her fork, experimentally shoved a bite of the funny looking omelet in her mouth.

“Huh,” she muttered in wonder under her breath, “it’s not half bad.”

Swallowing swiftly, she tried not to moan when the food hit her stomach. She was hungrier than she had thought. In fact, she couldn’t remember the last time she had eaten. Pushing all thoughts of soulful vampires aside, Buffy concentrated on eating her breakfast.

Five minutes later the food was done and her annoying thoughts were back.

‘God, I don’t want to think about him,’ she thought, ‘I don’t want to think about how much it hurts. I just want to forget and pretend that I never met him. I want to go back to the Buffy I was before he walked into my life.’

Sighing painfully, Buffy glanced down at her hands. ‘That’s never going to happen. And you know it, Buffy.’ For lack of nothing better to do, Buffy played idly with her fork, all the while doing her best to push thoughts of Angel out of her brain. ‘What if he’s evil and he just played the whole “soul” thing to make you care for him, keeping him in the clear?’

Buffy snorted. “If he is evil, and he was just pretending to be so good… then he certainly did a good job of it.” Getting up, Buffy headed off to her room. She had an apology note to write. And a tour of the ship to attend with her Mom and the “wonderful” Captain Smith.

Besides, nothing on this earth could have convinced her that Angel was evil and planning on killing anyone.


Angel stared at the door that Willow had just left through. ‘Would it really be wrong for me to chase after her… and you know, slit her throat before she has a chance to talk to Buffy? Would it really hurt to kill someone, just this once?’

Yes, he decided. It would be terribly wrong to kill someone. Angel felt the demon and the bloodlust roaring constantly, practically begging him to take the thrill of the hunt and revel in a little fresh blood.

But his soul was stronger. His soul was stronger than the bloodlust.

“What am I going to do?” Angel moaned. “I need her. I miss her. But Willow was wrong. Once she sees the real me, she will balk at what she had done. She *can’t* feel for a monster like me.”

Willow also didn’t think that Buffy felt anything for Riley, but annoyance.

‘She was wrong there, too,’ Angel thought, ‘I *heard* Buffy. She likes Riley. She said so.’

Despite Angel’s best intentions to convince himself that Riley was perfect for the slayer, Angel still felt a deep disgust thinking about the boy. And, he had to admit, hearing Willow describe Riley as a nuisance, made him happier than he would have liked.

Angel froze when he heard a noise coming from out in the hallway. Senses on high alert he crept towards his door. He smelled fear and nervousness coming from a person that stood outside his door. Angel could hear the pounding of the person’s heart, and he closed his eyes and willed for strength. The smell of the blood was driving his senses into over-drive. It didn’t help that Angel hadn’t had a real feed since he boarded the ship.

The knock came hard and quick. Angel paused before opening the door. He didn’t think that he’d ever had so many visitors before. First Buffy, then Cordelia, Willow, and finally the nervous-wreck that stood waiting for his answer.

When Angel opened the door he couldn’t quite hold on to the growl that pushed its way out of his chest. “What are you doing here?” he hissed.

Riley took out a cross and held it up level with his face. “I was about to ask you the same thing.”

Angel jumped back in pain and more than a little surprised. “Go away, boy.”

Riley held out his arm firmly with the cross in it. Angel couldn’t help but notice that his fingers twitched nervously around the wood, the only thing betraying the nervousness that the boy felt. That, and the way his heart kept pounding.

“I’m not afraid of you,” Riley menaced, as he stepped into the room.

Angel sneered at him but backed up a few paces. “Get out *now*.”

“Oh, I don’t think so.” Cocky, Riley advanced until he had Angel backed up into the wall. “Now, I really don’t want to be the one to be responsible for the disappearance of a perfectly respectable… dead… first class passenger, but…”

“Don’t make me hurt you, Finn.”

Riley chuckled. “I’m sorry… but aren’t I the one holding a cross up to your face?”

“What do you want?” Angel snapped with a scowl.

“I have it on good authority that you haven’t attacked any civilians during your stay on this ship."

“No, I haven’t attacked any ‘civilians’.”

‘But keep talking like this, Finn, and I might be forced to change my mind.’ Angel resigned himself to see what he wanted first before doing anything. He was pretty sure that he could take him. Riley did have a cross, but Angel was stronger and more experienced than him. And it was fairly clear that Riley didn’t know the first things about vampires.

“If you answer my questions correctly, and the way you think I want you to, then you may get out of this alive.” Angel barely concealed his grin. That was about the worst threat he had ever heard. “I want,” Riley continued, bringing the cross closer to Angel’s face, “to make you pay for everything that you have done as a blood-sucking fiend. But I believe that we have a common interest.”

“And what’s that?” Angel asked smoothly.

“Buffy Summers.”

Angel could literally feel his blood run cold at the mention of her name. Keeping his voice neutral he asked, “Whose Buffy?”

Riley snorted. “You know who I’m talking about.”

“What do you want with her?” Angel couldn’t keep the anger out of his voice. ‘If he hurts her…’

“Ah, so we do remember the lovely Ms. Summers.”

“Some of us soon won’t,” Angel sneered.

“That’s right,” Riley agreed mildly, “especially if we keep up this ‘billowing coat of pain’ attitude.”

“I could rip you to shreds, boy.”

Bringing the cross to Angel’s eye level, Riley shook his head. “No. I don’t think you could.”

Angel felt his muscles flex with the need to crush the individual daring to have such disrespect for his elders. But he kept himself in check. He didn’t want to be in a mad fury when it came time to show Riley what he was really up against. It wouldn’t do if Angel accidentally let him go.

“So, anyway, I finally get to know the lovely girl yesterday. Her mother even accepted me. Have you met the elder Summers woman? Quite a charmer, I must say. Thanks to her, I finally get to talking with Buffy. She even showed the first hints of paying attention to what I said.”

“Well, if you didn’t go on so much, maybe she would.” Angel muttered.

Riley glared at the vampire but continued. “She’s paying attention… leaning closer as if she’s straining to hear what I’m saying. It was all going very well… until I notice that her attentions, were in fact, completely else where.”

“And where would that be?” Angel said questioningly even though he knew the answer.

Riley got right up into Angel’s face. “Stay. Away. From. Her.”

Angel sneered and grabbed the arm holding out the cross. Ignoring the pain of having his flesh burned, Angel twisted his arm behind his back and shoved him up against the wall. Riley’s fingers jerked and let the cross tumble to the floor. Aware that he was suffering from a number of wounds, Angel grit his teeth and held on to a struggling Riley.

Finally, Riley’s movements ceased and he lay panting against the wall, at the mercy of his captor. “Kill me now!” he begged, “I won’t tell you anything!”

Angel rolled his eyes and tightened his grip. “If you’re lucky,” Angel leaned forward so he could whisper in his ear, “I might kill you quickly.”

Riley shuddered. “I don’t know anything!” he cried, “those are Walsh’s weapons! Classified!”

Angel shook Riley a little in order to shut him up. “The girl, idiot.”

“You mean Buffy.”

Angel sighed. “Got it in one.”

Riley blushed. “I won’t tell you anything.”

“You were willing to tell me about… who’s Walsh?”

“My superior.”

“Your what? Never mind… don’t want to know.”

“My superior,” Riley repeated, annoyance creeping into his voice. “You know, the Initiative?”

“The who?” Angel snapped.

Riley sighed painfully. “As a vampire you should be aware that there are people that kill you. I’m one of them. I’ve bagged 17 hostiles all by myself. And Walsh’s new weapon hasn’t even been approved yet.”

“Great,” Angel mumbled. “I really do have something to worry about if they’re all like you.”

“You should. I was planning on killing you, you know. No matter what you said.”

“Scary,” Angel said sarcastically.

Riley shrugged, painfully. The movement was kind of hard since Angel had his arms locked behind him in a vice-grip. “I’m not telling you anything else. I’m just going to die anyway.”

“I don’t know,” Angel mused, “I might keep you alive for a while. For my own amusement.”

“I’m not saying anything about Buffy.”

Angel resisted the urge to snap the insolent boy’s neck. “Let me guess. You were terribly fond of her. Knew that she wasn’t interested, but her mother made it very clear that there wasn’t anyone else. You figure that if you hung around enough, pay enough attention to her, she might start to come around. Finally you get your chance. At dinner. She’s sitting next to you… leaning closer, maybe touching your arm a little. You start to get excited. Then you realize that she couldn’t care less about you. It’s all a show that she’s putting on for a man sitting at a table on the other side of the dining hall. At first you’re hurt, don’t know where you went wrong. But then you realize that the man looks familiar. Finally, you recognize him as a vampire that you and the rest of your intentive have identified on this ship. Me. So you come here, plan on warning me to stay away from the girl. Ruff it up a little. Make yourself seem nice and manly. Afterwards, you’ll kill me and then comfort the poor little Summers girl on her loss. Isn’t that right Riley?”

“It’s the Initiative,” Riley bit out angrily.

Angel shoved his face into the wall. “Am I right, Riley?” he growled.

Riley gulped. Angel could feel his fear increased, and it disgusted him to know that he was thriving off the fear that Riley was sending out in waves. “It’s right,” he finally squeaked.

With a shove Angel threw Riley down on the floor. “Get out.” When Riley’s eyes shifted to the cross that lay abandoned, Angel moved in between him and it. Without preamble, Angel lifted his booted foot and stepped on the wooden cross, enjoying the crack that he heard. “GET OUT!” he roared.

Riley scrambled towards the door.

“And don’t ever try to get between me and Buffy again… or I’ll kill you.”

Riley barely heard as he ran down the hall and away from the vampire as fast as he possibly could. His heart pounded in his ears because of the deep betrayal he had committed. Running harder, Riley only had one objective in mind.

He had to find Buffy. And warn her. Before it was too late.

Buffy, the current lady in question, sat, fidgeting, at her desk, trying to figure out how to write an apology to someone that she didn’t particularly like, and someone that she didn’t feel particularly sorry to. After thinking a while, Buffy put down the first thing that came to mind.

Dear Riley,

Buffy paused. This was good so far. ‘Dear, it’s personal, but not too personal.’ Smiling to herself, she continued scribbling on the sheet of paper spread out before her.

I’m sorry.

Yours truly,

Buffy Anne Summers

Nodding her head Buffy folded up the letter, and shoved it into an envelope. Getting up, she figured she’d drop it off at the room number that her mother had blatantly slipped under her door. Then she would proceed to suffer through an hour of Mad Mommy, and Boring Captain.

When Buffy reached Riley’s stateroom, she knocked and was delighted when she didn’t get an answer. “Hmmm, maybe I do have some luck today after all.”

Riley nearly ran straight through Buffy’s door in an effort to get to her. Fortunately, he managed to stop his running rampage before knocking it down. Taking a deep calming breath, Riley managed to relax slightly. He knocked lightly and politely against the door.

There was no answer

Riley used both fists and pounded against the door yelling her name at the top of his lungs. Finally, someone else in the hall opened the door, gave Riley the evil eye before saying, “I don’t think she’s there.” The man slammed the door and Riley stopped his frantic pounding.

Without giving another minute to consider his options, Riley tore down the hall.


Buffy was barely late for the big tour. Although, she was just in time to earn a glare from her mother. “Did you give Riley your note of apology?” Joyce hissed without even saying hi.

Buffy smiled pleasantly. “Why of course, Mother!”

“You haven’t seen him have you?”

Buffy blushed. “Actually, no,” her mother sent her a glare. “But I left a note under his door,” she said quickly.

Joyce humphed and turned towards the captain, “This,” she declared proudly, “is my daughter, Ms. Buffy Anne Summers. Buffy, this is Captain Smith.”

“Ms. Summers,” the Captain greeted pleasantly, “it’s an honor to meet you.”

“This is your last voyage ever, right?” Buffy blurted.

“Buffy!” Joyce snapped.

The captain’s eyes twinkled. “Yes it is, actually. I hope to break all the speed records. Hopefully, if things go as well as they have been, we’ll reach New York by Tuesday.”

“Wow,” Buffy muttered. “Isn’t that a little dangerous?”

The Captain shook his head and patted Buffy on the shoulder lightly as if he was comforting a small child. “Don’t be ridiculous, dear, this ship is unsinkable.”

Buffy narrowed her eyes suspiciously at him. She could feel her slayer sense start to tingle and she had no idea why. Brushing it off, she tried her best to appear interested. “Of course. Silly me.”

Joyce saddled up to the Captain and batted her eyes at him. “How, is it, exactly, that this ship is unsinkable?”

Captain Smith gave a little chuckle and Buffy rolled her eyes. “Please, Giles would be more than happy to share,” she mumbled.

“Probably would be best to pose that question to Sir. Andrews, the man that designed the ship,” the Captain said, while offering his arm, which Joyce gladly accepted. Buffy sighed and resigned herself to trailing behind. “There are five air tight compartments that can be closed if a leak should spring up. The ship can stay afloat with only two of those five working….”

Buffy groaned and practiced her interested smile. Her eyes were blurry as the Captain showed them around the ship. The Perisian Café, the boat deck, and the telegraph, where Buffy actually managed to sum up some interest. Two men were busy listening to a pair of headphones and tapping away frantically.

“Another one,” one of the men said grimly to the Captain.

The Captain picked up the message and read it over. Without blinking he dropped it into the garbage. “Ignore it,” he commanded.

“But Captain,” the man protested, “that’s the third warning we’ve gotten of burgs! Don’t you think we should slow down?”

“I’ve been sailing for long enough to know when to trust my instincts. In fact, I’m going to keep increasing speed.”

The man seemed to mull over. Finally, he shrugged as if it wasn’t worth arguing over and went back to work.

Buffy’s mind reeled at the news. Something told her that things weren’t as right as they should be. A good Captain wouldn’t just ignore a warning of ice, especially if it was the third one. ‘But the ship is unsinkable,’ her mind protested, ‘it doesn’t matter if there is ice ahead.’

While her mind agreed with that statement, she still couldn’t shake the feeling of impending doom. Buffy decided that it might be a good time to have a little chat with Giles.

Before she could make some excuse and slip away, however, a loud screeching of her name rang out. Buffy blushed crimson in embarrassment. She was fairly certain that the yell could be heard all the way to New York.

Her heart sunk a little when she realized who was running towards her like the world was ending. Her mother smiled happily and gave Buffy a little nudge. “Mom,” she whined, “I want to see the rest of the ship.”

“No you don’t,” Joyce Summers answered primly. “You’re on a ship as grand as this one, and yet you still manage to look unimpressed.”

‘Well, when you’ve seen as much blood and destruction as I have, it’s a little hard to be impressed by a little—okay big—but dumb ship.’

“Go have fun with Riley,” the slayer’s mother urged.

Buffy sighed, and because she hated to disappoint her mother, walked towards Riley who was waving frantically at her. ‘I never knew one little crappy note could have such an effect on someone,’ she thought tiredly.

“Buffy!” Riley exclaimed, “I’m so glad that I found you!’

“Get my note?”

Riley gave her a baffled look. “You’re in grave danger,” he blurted out.

Buffy raised her eyebrows. “What?”

Riley grabbed her arm and led her outside to the Promenade. “Buffy, I’m going to tell you something,” he whispered, “and it’s going to be a bit of a shock. But I just want you to know that I *will* protect you, nothing will hurt you.”

Buffy was wondering whether to slap him for leading her farther and farther away from people while he kept a strong grip on her arm, or to laugh because he sounded so serious and he didn’t realize how ironic his words were.

Once Riley was satisfied that they were out of earshot of any passengers, he released Buffy’s arm. Stepping in front of her, he looked at her with a worried expression. “Buffy, what I’m about to tell you is true, but I don’t want to worry you. I’m only telling you for your own good.”

Feeling her curiosity peak Buffy finally looked at him in interest. “And what is that?”

Taking a deep breath, Riley decided to get it over with. “Buffy, vampires are real.”

Buffy burst out laughing.

Riley frowned, feeling hurt. “I’m serious Buffy! And they’re after you!”

Buffy laughed a little harder.

He grabbed her shoulders and shook her until her laughter was reduced to quiet giggles. “Listen to me! This isn’t a joke!”

“I know,” Buffy gasped out, “I know. But… oh Riley… you don’t know what you’re saying.”

“I know it sounds farfetched…”

Buffy snorted. “It doesn’t sound farfetched at all. Actually, it’s entirely plausible that a vampire is after me. It happens all the time.”

Riley’s mind tried to grasp the meaning of her words. “What?”

“I’m a Vampire Slayer,” Buffy clarified.

“A what?”

“Vampire Slayer. It’s my job to kill the ones that walk in the darkness. One girl in every generation blah, blah, blah….”

Riley was beginning to wonder if it was Buffy who maybe needed to go to an insane asylum. “You know vampires are real?” he asked uncertainly.

Buffy nodded. “Oh, yes. Known for a long time. What about you?”

“I’m part of the Initiative.”

“The intentive?”

“No,” Riley hissed, “the Initiative. Highly classified.”

“Sure,” Buffy replied easily. “Now, tell me about this vampire that’s after me.”

Riley paused. Wondering if it was wise to continue after all. “Remember that guy that was staring at you at dinner last night? The one that you kept trying to make jealous?”

Buffy felt her stomach to a flip flop. “I have a vague memory.”

“Name is Angel. My team isn’t clear on why he came aboard the ship in the first place. He hasn’t hurt anyone since entering the premises. Only two other hostiles were registered as passenger, both mysteriously disappeared.”

“Oh, I remember them! The stupid fat one knocked my stake overboard!”

“You fought them?” Riley muttered in disbelief.

“Well, yeah. It’s my job.”

Riley shook his head in order to clear his tangled thoughts. “Buffy, are you sure that you know what you’re talking about? This isn’t a game, this is real. Vampires are real.”

“And Angel’s a vampire.”

Riley nodded his head. “Exactly.”

“Riley… look, I don’t want to seem…mean. I’m serious about being a Vampire Slayer. But you have it all wrong about Angel. He has a soul. He’s good.” Buffy spoke slowly like she was talking to a little child.

“No! You don’t understand.” Riley held out his arms where bruises were covering his flesh. “He did this to me. He said that he would torture me unless I told him what he wanted.” When Buffy looked at him in disbelief, Riley continued, “He warned me to stay away from you.” He looked at her in sudden fear, “He said that if I ever got between him and you again he’d kill me.”

Buffy walked with her head high and her back straight. Her body language was ridged, from all outwards appearances it looked like she had a specific place to be. She held a cross firmly in her hand, which was steady by her side. There was no way that she was letting him get away this time.

Marching up to his door, she banged on it once, and without waiting for an answer, kicked it in. A loud crack echoed through the hallway and she could only hope that no one paid attention to it.

Upon entering she could immediately tell that she had awakened him. He sat ramrod straight on his bed, looking slightly disoriented. She blushed a little when she noticed that he wasn’t wearing a shirt, then cursed inwardly when she was aroused by it.

Holding her stake firmly in hand, she advanced on him. “What gives you the right?” she hissed.

Angel looked surprised, and his eyes showed traces of more than a little fear. “Buffy… are you all right?”

She gave a bitter laugh. “I’m fine. Never been better. But, thanks to you, Riley might never be able to hold a pen the same way again.”

Angel winced. “Buffy, I’m sorry.”

“It’s a little late for that, don’t you think?” she snapped.

Angel noticed the stake in her hand. “You came here to kill me.”

The slayer paused, momentarily confused. She’d almost forgotten her original purpose for coming here. “Why, Angel? Why pretend to care for me? And then why did you go and do that to Riley?”

Angel struggled with himself. Part of him wanted to run and cower from the mighty slayer before him, part of him wanted to take her down, and yet, another part of him wanted to hold her in his arms and make her feel better. “I’m sorry,” he took a deep-shuddering breath, “about Riley. If you care about him…I’ll stay away.”

“Damn right you’ll stay away from him! What? I’m not allowed to have “feelings” for anyone else?” Buffy yelled.

“I’m sorry,” Angel repeated.

Buffy advanced again. “I DON’T CARE! YOU’RE NOT A PART OF MY LIFE!!!!”

Angel reeled back from her as if he’d been staked. It certainly felt like it. She was piercing his skin with her stake… driving it down through his heart. “If that’s what you want,” Angel whispered, “I’ll never bother you again.”

Buffy exploded. “How WOULD you *KNOW* what I wanted? DO you EVEN CARE about me??? You said you did, and then you turned away once you saw Cordelia! CORDELIA! I don’t even LIKE Riley, but you wouldn’t know that! Because you’re TOO STUPID!”

“Buffy, look…”

“NO… I *won’t* “look” so don’t even bother trying to sedate me with your petty words—“

“YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT THE HELL YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT!” Angel shouted, standing up. He was angry at her now. Angry at himself. Angry at Riley. And angry that it was all a misunderstanding. “How could you think that I don’t care about you? When I heard you and your mom talking about Riley out in the hall yesterday… it shattered me. I didn’t feel worthy of you, or the things you offered.”

“So you thought that beating up Riley was what? A fun alternative?”

“He came to me first. He tried to kill me… I got the upper hand. And I let him go.” Angel fixed her with a heavy stare, “I said I wouldn’t get in your way, and I won’t. But please… just leave.”

Buffy stared at him in shocked silence. “Angel… I had no idea.”

“Apparently not,” he said shortly, looking away from her.

She took a trembling step forward and lay her stake down on the ground. “What… what conversation did you hear me and Mom have?”

“Buffy,” Angel begged his voice hoarse, “please just leave. Don’t make this harder for me.”

Buffy continued walking until she was nearing where he towered over her. “I’m defenseless,” she whispered, “completely, totally, defenseless. You’re a vampire. What are you going to do about that?”

Angel stared at her in surprise. Completely blown away by the trust she showed in him. Remembering Willow’s words from earlier, he thought that maybe he had been a little afraid of allowing himself to receive Buffy’s love.

“Your mom said that Riley was going to propose to you… and you said that it would make all your dreams come true,” Angel admitted, staring into her eyes.

“Oh, Angel,” Buffy sighed. “All of this? The anger, the pain, the confusion was because of one conversation that I don’t even remember having with my Mom about Riley?”

“But he made you happy,” Angel protested. “And you were mad enough at what happened today to want to kill me.”

Buffy shook her head. “Riley doesn’t make me happy. I was saying that to get Mom off my case. And I wasn’t mad about what you had done to Riley, I was mad about what you had done to me.”

Angel closed his eyes. No, he hadn’t wanted to hurt her. That was the last thing that he had wanted to do when he had lay eyes on her for the first time. “What did I do to you?”

“You turned my life completely upside down. I didn’t realize how much I needed having you until you yelled at me out in this hall.”

“Buffy… love… I’m so sorry.”

Trembling slightly from being so emotionally overwrought, Buffy collapsed into his arms, which greedily encircled her. “You make me happy,” she breathed.

Angel held her tight and breathed in the sweet scent of her hair. “I want to make you happy. All that I want is to make you happy. I don’t want to cause you pain.”

“I know,” she whispered. “Don’t do that again.”

“What?”

“Think I’m better off with someone else.”

Angel allowed himself a short bitter chuckle. “I wouldn’t dream of it,” he said dryly.

“I’m only happy right here,” Buffy murmured, already beginning to feel content, “in your arms.”

 

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“I know,” she whispered. “Don’t do that again.”

 

“What?”

 

“Think I’m better off with someone else.”

 

Angel allowed himself a short bitter chuckle. “I wouldn’t dream of it,” he said dryly.

 

“I’m only happy right here,” Buffy murmured, already beginning to feel content, “in your arms.”

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