Disclaimer: I own absolutely no part of the characters from Buffy: The Vampire Slayer or Angel (I wish I did but…)
Feedback: IF I DINT WANT FEEDBACK I WUNT POST THE STORY! (But if you carnt take the hint n r still saying dus she want feedback it wud be a HELL YES!!!!!)
Summary: Buffy and Angel were best friends as kids. His family moved away but they stayed in touch. They met up again when Angel starts going to UCLA. Angel watches Buffy go through guys and realises he’s jealous, because he’s fallen in love with his best friend, the only problem is she’s oblivious and he’s too shy to tell her. Buffy goes through guys trying to find the perfect guy. When she finally takes a break and looks back at all the guys she’s dated they all have three things in common, tall with brown hair and brown eyes. She realises she’s in love with her best friend. But all he wants is her friendship.
A/N: Since I am not American I have no idea if the two football teams used in this story are any good but I have heard of them and that is why I used them.
*************************************
Buffy sat in the cafeteria of UCLA on her first day. It was lunch, hers was sitting in front of her untouched. Now as cafeteria food went this was probably the best she’d seen but she was so nervous she thought that if she tried to eat she’d be sick. She reasoned with herself that there was no need to be nervous she was in fact meeting her best friend. She’d been friends with said best friend since 1st grade so meeting him shouldn’t make her nervous. The fact that she hadn’t seen him in a little over 6 years might have had something to do with it. She could still clearly recall what she knew was the best day of her life.
~ A small blond girl began to cry as her mother walked away from her. The child couldn’t comprehend what she’d done to make her mother want to leave her.
“Don’t cry.” The tiny blond girl looked up to see a boy looking down on her. His eyes reminded her of her favourite chocolate. His hair was brown and spiky.
“My mommy just left me.” The boy smiled.
“So did mine.”
“Really?” the tears stopped falling from her eyes.
“Yeah everyone’s in here did. They all leave us here and we play then we have something to eat then we play some more and then they come and take us home.”
“So she’ll come back?”
“Oh yeah.” The girl looked around and then started to cry again. “Why are you crying now?”
“Everyone has someone to play with except me.”
“That’s okay. You can play with me.”
“Don’t you already have someone to play with?”
“Yeah but I can play with you too.”
“Okay.”~
Buffy loved her best friend more than anyone in the world. She’d always been smaller than other kids, that and her name made her an easy target for bullying. But Angel was her knight in shining armour, he always stood up for her. They’d been best friends since then. But as clearly as she remembered the best day of her life she could just as clearly remember the worst. She’d been 12 years old then.
~ Buffy walked in from cheerleading practice and ripped the note from her mother she found on the refrigerator off. She wasn’t surprised she found one most nights. Her parents weren’t really happily married so her father worked late and her mother was always at some charity event of wives club. That was why she was so glad she had Angel. He was more than her best friend, he was her family. His parents treat her like the daughter they never had. She opened the fridge and poured herself a glass of orange juice. She flung her stuff down and went into the home gym. Well she called it that but really it was a small room off the kitchen that had once housed her toys. She’d convinced her father, in one of the rare moments he was home, to put some exercise and fitness equipment in there when she’d discovered her budding stomach. She climbed on the walker and started going at full speed. She heard the front door open.
“Hey Angel, I’m in the gym.” She looked up a few minutes later and smiled at her best friend.
“Hey Buff what fun social thing’s your mom at today?”
“Some fundraiser committee meeting or something.”
“Buff we need to talk.”
“Really cos I’m so confused as to what we’ve been doing so far.”
“No I mean really talk.”
“Shoot.”
“Can you stop that?”
“No way, I have to keep going. I don’t wanna get fat.”
“You couldn’t get fat if you tried.”
“Oh you’re sweet.”
“Buff my dad got a new job, promotion. Manager of a new branch.”
“That’s good right?”
“It’s not in LA, it’s in a little town about 2 hours away called Sunnydale.” She stopped then and got off the machine. She grabbed a towel and wiped her face.
“You’re kidding right?”
“No.”
“No?” You’re really leaving?”
“Yeah.”
“You can’t. You’re my best friend. I can’t live with you so far away. What do I do without you?” she was crying now. He wrapped his arms round her and she cried into his shirt. He tried to soothe her but her sobs were too loud for her to hear anything he said.
*
Buffy was sat on her bed sorting through the photos of her and Angel. Before he left he’d invited her over for dinner, same as most nights but tonight she declined. That would be another thing she’d miss. Eating dinner there was the only time she ever felt loved, like a part of a real family.
“Joyce? JOYCE! JOYCE WHERE THE HELL IS MY DINNER?” Hank Summers’ voice boomed through the house and Buffy heard it clearly. She didn’t answer he’d make his way up there at some point. She didn’t really care, her angel was leaving. Going so far away. “Buffy where’s your mother?”
“Fundraiser meeting.”
“What’s wrong baby?” he sat heavily on the end of her bed and stared at the pictures surrounding her. “Had a fight with Angel?”
“No, he’s leaving daddy.”
“Oh his dad’s new job.”
“You knew!”
“Course I did sweetie. I know most things to do with their family. His dad is my best friend. Has been ever since you brought that family into our lives.”
“You never told me. I acted like a jerk cos of the surprise, you could have warned me.”
“I didn’t think, besides isn’t it better than he told you.”
“Daddy I’m gonna miss him so much.”
“I know princess but after a few months you’ll have a new best friend, maybe a girl this time cos then you can talk about make-up and boys when you get a little older.”
“I don’t want a new best friends and I can talk to Angel about anything.”
“Honey.”
“Go and get your dinner, just needs heating up.”~
That day was so much worse than the day he actually left. The day he left she was mostly numb. Very, very numb. She said her goodbyes to Mr and Mrs Sanderson. She hugged Angel and held him so tight knowing that when she let go he’d be leaving. They’d said their goodbyes before but this was the last thing. The end of it. They’d promised to keep in touch and visit though Buffy doubted very much that her mother would let her. She was jealous of the relationship between her and Mrs Sanderson. She hated the woman for it. But Buffy had known it was her fault. Even now Buffy didn’t get on with their mother. Just because Mrs Sanderson had left didn’t improve their relationship. Over the years true to her word she had talked to Angel about everything. He was her main source of information about boys. He helped her with boys and she helped him with girls. They’d had so many conversations about their love lives she couldn’t even remember most of them. He was the one she called when she was down or when she was happy or just when she felt something, anything. A voice cut through her reverie.
“Buff?” she turned awkwardly in her seat to see Angel. He’d grown up so much since the last time they’d seen each other. Undeniably handsome, most girls in the room were checking him out, even the older ones. He had a dark intense look in his chocolate eyes, which had deepened so much over the years. She jumped up and flung her arms round his neck.
“Angel! I’ve missed you so much.” He pulled away from her a little but left his arms round her waist.
“We spoke yesterday.” She punched him lightly on the arm.
“Very funny I mean…”
“I know.” He grinned at her and she smiled back. They finally let go and sat down and started to talk, to bring each other up to date with their lives. Granted they spoke nearly every day on the phone but being face to face was different.
*
Angel could hardly believe this was his best friend sat in front of him. The girl he’d grown up with, the girl he’d always thought of as a little sister, a best friend who needed protecting. The fierce desire to protect her had grown considerably in the last half an hour since he’d laid eyes on her for the first time in 6 years. She was beautiful. Her blond hair had grown a lot. It had a bouncy curl in it now and reached down to her waist. She was still petite and seemed so delicate. Her green eyes sparkled with life as she talked about her life. She brought him up to speed on her parents. They both felt it was about time they called it quits and just got a divorce. But this new surge of protectiveness was nothing to do with the fact she was his best friend. Because as much as she was, he now realised she was a woman. A very beautiful woman. She was so amazingly breathtaking. He could stare at her for hours and never get bored. He was pretty certain he probably had a stupid grin on his face but it didn’t matter. After discussing all those details of their lives things got round to college. They discussed courses and housing. Since his cousin was a member of the most popular frat he was staying at their frat house and had already become a member. He told her about the party they were having the weekend after next, after they initiated the rushees. He luckily missed out on all that stuff.
*********************
Buffy walked into the Russell House and girls immediately made their way over to her and began welcoming her. News travelled fast. All these girls knew she was Angel Sanderson’s best friend and so could hook them up if she chose to. That was probably why Buffy found herself to be better friends with the guys she’d met from her classes, her building and the frat. Since she and Angel had spent a lot of their time together the frat guys had got to know her. She’d been reunited of a sort with Angel’s cousin Oz. He was in a band, still. He was two years older than them and she’d known him, or rather seen him quite a lot while they were growing up. They had hung around together a lot until he was about 13 and developed friendships with the other band members.
“Hey Buffy.” Buffy looked up into the face of an African-American guy.
“Hey Gunn, what’s up?”
“No much. You?”
“Getting hounded by Angel groupies as usual.”
“Where is the man? He said he was gonna swing by yours on his way back from picking up some more beer.”
“Must have left before he got there, he’ll probably be here soon.” Buffy caught a glimpse of a guy making his way towards her over Gunn’s shoulder. He was almost looming behind Gunn before Buffy grabbed Gunn’s hand and dragged him to the dance floor.
“What the hell was that about?”
“Who invited the psych TA?”
“Finn I dunno, he’s a nerd.”
“Yeah one who’s going stalker boy on me. Every class he’s there all the time. He even got my dorm number and came to visit blech.” Gunn laughed.
“Well crisis averted.”
“Thank you. Did I tell you I love you?”
“Yeah but I’ll let you tell me again.”
“I love you.” They grinned and went over to the food table where most of the other frat guys were.
“Hey guys.”
“Hey Buffy.”
“Oz.”
“Buffy.” Just as Buffy was about to start talking with the guys she felt someone tap on her shoulder. She stopped dead and turned very slowly round fearing it was fish boy on her tail again.
“Willow!”
“Hi sorry to bother you but I don’t know anyone.”
“That’s okay. I thought you were someone else.”
“The TA still bothering you.” Buffy grinned at her shy, red headed roommate and classmate.
“Just a lot. Anyway about you not knowing anyone, great way to solve the problem.”
“Everyone this is Willow, Willow this is everyone.”
“Nice intro Buffy cos I’m sure Willow wanted to meet everyone.” Buffy elbowed the guy to her right that had said that. She was grinning.
“Shut up jerk. Willow this jerk is Andy.” She pointed to each of the guys naming them. “Gunn, Oz, Xander, Doyle, Wes, Kyle and the guy coming over with the beer is my best Angel. Oz is Angel’s cousin, he and Kyle and Andy and this other guy Devon are in a band called Dingoes Ate My Baby. They are so cool. Well it’s these guys frat house and therefore party.”
“Hi all of you.”
“Hey.”
“Hey Buff where ya bin I went to pick ya up?”
“I walked, new concept I know. Angel this is Willow.”
“Hey.”
“Hi Angel.”
“Angel sweetie do me a favour get your fan club the hell away from me in future.”
“Only if you get yours away from me.”
“The whole one member never leaves my side anyway.”
“Hey B.”
“Hey Faith.”
“Willow Faith, Faith Willow. Faith is Gunn’s girlfriend. She’s also someone I knew before college.”
“Hi.”
“Hi.”
“So Doyle where’s Cordy?”
“She’s with Anya still getting ready.”
“Bitching you mean, I swear those two could win a gold medal in bitching.” Willow smiled. “Cordy is Doyle’s girlfriend and Anya is with Xander.”
*
The party was slowing down and people were dancing in couples. Buffy was stood with some of the guys at the food table. Anya and Xander were dancing, so were Doyle and Cordy, Faith and Gunn, Willow and Oz, Dawn and Kyle. Angel was with some blond girl called Darla.
“Hi I’ve been watching you all night and I wondered if you wanted to dance?” Buffy turned to face the guy who’d asked her. He was tall with brown spiked hair and brown eyes.
“Sure.” During the dance she found out his name was Liam and had made arrangements to meet again.
********************
At the party Angel had been intending to have the last dance with her and maybe he’d have found the guts to kiss her, but a girl called Darla had swept him away and by the time he broke free Buffy was dancing with some guy. That particular party had been two months ago and since then Buffy had spent over a month with the guy she met there. Then Pike showed up, Angel had finally been able to put a face to the name. They’d dated again for a while until Buffy ended it. The next day she was with some tall guy with brown eyes and brown spiked hair called George. This behaviour continued for the next six months. Angel was almost certain that he was in love with Buffy Summers, his best friend. She had no clue. What really annoyed Angel about all the guys she went through, which was a lot, was the fact they were all basically the same. They were all tall with brown eyes and brown spiked hair. Which was pretty much the same rough description as him yet she seemed oblivious to that fact.
**********************
Buffy had just broken if off with the third guy that month and collapsed back onto her bed. Over the months since she’d started college she’d made some good friends. She was very good friends with Willow, Cordy, Faith, Anya and Dawn, as well as the frat guys and her friendship with Angel was very strong. She’d dated too, a lot. She was tired of dating though. No one seemed to be what she wanted. As she went through the guys she’d been out with in her head she assessed their eyes. Sure they were brown but they didn’t remind her of pools of chocolate. She didn’t really understand why she really wanted a guy whose eyes reminded her of pools of chocolate but she did. She wanted someone with eyes like pools of chocolate, someone whose tall, broad frame matched her tiny one perfectly. Someone who could make her laugh and cry and smile. Someone who knew her inside out and still loved her. Someone who had brown spiked hair that she could grab onto during a passionate kiss. Someone who knew her pretty much like Angel knew her. Someone who was a quarterback like Angel. Someone who looked like Angel. Someone who towered over her and protected her like Angel. In fact no she didn’t want someone like Angel, she wanted Angel. All those guys who had brown eyes but not like chocolate, the reason she wanted brown eyes like pools of chocolate was because she was in love with the person she knew that had brown eyes like pools of chocolate. Oh god! She was hopelessly in love with her best friend and had been ever since they’d met up again, but she’d never known. She’d not even guessed. How was that possible? What should she do? Could she just be the same best friend who gave him advice on girls? He hadn’t guessed. He knew her better than anyone and he hadn’t guessed. He didn’t know her true feelings and since he’d given her advice on guys he obviously wouldn’t care if he did. The only thing telling him would achieve would be hurting herself, or rather him rejecting her and hurting her. No she would stay quiet and not tell him she loved him. That was for the best.
************************************
“Buffy this is Darla.”
“Darla hi.”
“Hello Buffy.” Buffy tried to smile but found it almost impossible.
“Buff what’s wrong?”
“Nothing I’m fine.”
“Liar.”
“Really I am have fun bye.” Buffy walked away. She’d seen him with her before, several times. This was not good.
*
Could it be she was unhappy because this was the first girl that he’d introduced her to ever since he’d come here? Sure over the phone they’d talked about stuff like that but if the same could be said for what he had in his head when she talked about guys then maybe it was understandable that Darla would bother her. This was a good sign right?
****************************************
Darla and Angel had been dating for the past 6 months and they were close. It made her almost physically sick. What was even worse was the fact that he was spending most of his time with Darla and none of his time with her. They hardly saw each other anymore.
“Hey Buffy.”
“Hey Oz. Willow said to tell you that…what the hell was it? That she…that she…oh god. Sorry I forgot you better call her and ask her.”
“You been doing that a lot lately. Forgetting stuff.”
“Lot on my mind, not much space for anything else.”
“Wanna talk about it?”
“Nah it’s cool.”
“Angel tell you about the party tonight?”
“Haven’t seen him. He’s been with Darla.”
“Is that what’s wrong?”
“The fact that I haven’t seen my best friend in over a month no that’s annoying. Really he should be happy and if being with her makes him happy, cool. I’m glad for him. I’ll see you at the party.”
*
Buffy sat down on the stairs. She’d been at the party for about 2 hours now but wasn’t as joyful and partyish as usual. She’d hung with the guys for a while. Danced a little but she wasn’t in the mood. She heard someone coming and moved over to let whoever it was past. The person didn’t go past but sat beside her.
“Hey Buffy like the last set?”
“Yeah Oz it was great, you were great.”
“Seen Angel?”
“Nah he’s probably with Darla.”
“You changed your mind?”
“Bout what?”
“Bout talking bout it.”
“Nothing to talk about.”
“So why you up here?”
“Taking a break. Come on let’s go. Your girlfriend will probably wanna dance with you now anyway.” She linked her arm with Oz’s and went downstairs. He went off with Willow and she stood be the drinks table.
“Hi Buffy.”
“Riley hey.”
“How are you? You seem distracted in class the last couple
of days.”
“I’m fine thanks Riley.”
“Would you like a drink?”
“No thanks.”
“Do you wanna dance?” It was then she heard that annoying laugh. She looked over to the door and Darla and Angel were just coming in. god that woman was disgusting and so fake. She then remembered Riley standing by her side and waiting for an answer. Even if she said she didn’t really feel like dancing he’d stay and try to talk to her. She glanced at Angel again and finally he pulled his gaze away from Darla to look at her. But he didn’t acknowledge her. So him being her last hope meant she would actually have to stay with the big dumb jerk in front of her. She sighed.
“No thanks Riley, not really in the mood for dancing right now.”
“Oh are you sure you’re okay Buffy?” she looked towards Angel again and saw Oz had pulled him away from Darla and they were both looking over to her. Angel turned to Darla and said something to her and then began to come over to her.
“Hey Buff.”
“Angel. How’s Darla?”
“She’s good.”
“Well if you don’t mind Riley and I were talking.” The huge grin that appeared on Riley’s face was very unattractive and Buffy knew she shouldn’t have used him to brush Angel off.
“Actually I do mind. Excuse us Riley.” He grabbed her arm and dragged her away. She shook his hand off.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“You don’t wanna talk to him and we both know it.”
“Maybe I don’t like speaking to him, but right now I’d rather be speaking to him than to you!” She started to walk away. Is she jealous? Did it actually work? It did, yes! He grabbed her arm again.
“What’s wrong with talking to me?”
“You don’t wanna talk to me.”
“I wouldn’t be trying to talk to you if I didn’t.”
“Oh really, you looked right at me and didn’t acknowledge me, you only came over cos Oz told you to. Funny isn’t it how you’re my best friend yet Oz noticed something was wrong and you didn’t. But that might have something to do with the fact that he hasn’t ignored me for the past month.”
“Jealous?” He gave her a wicked grin.”
“Of what? Have you ever considered I might have possibly needed to talk to you, best friend to best friend? God! Stay the hell away from me, better yet go back to your girlfriend cos our 13 measly years of friendship can’t compare to the 6 months of passion and love you’ve had.” Buffy turned and stormed away.
*
Last night had not been good. Angel had purposely spent all of his time with Darla to make Buffy jealous. But it didn’t work, the only thing he achieved was to make his best friend hate him. So maybe making her jealous wasn’t the best way to get her to want more than friendship. So after she’d screamed at him he’d broken it off with Darla. She’d been confused and he’d simply said he loved someone else and being with her wasn’t fair to her and she should find someone who wanted to be with her and not someone else. He knocked on the door in front of him.
“S’open.” Angel walked in. Buffy was laid stomach down on her bed reading a magazine. She looked up. “What do you want?”
“I broke up with Darla.”
“What you want me to play the best friend who consoles you over the breakdown of your relationship, try going to someone who cares.”
“I’m sorry I ignored you.”
“Whatever.”
“Buff.”
“Don’t call me Buff. Only my best friend is allowed to do that.”
“I’m sorry I hurt you, I never meant to.”
“All the guys I dated and I didn’t let any of them come between us, not one. And your first girlfriend messes us up to the point where I’d hang with fishboy than you.”
“That hurts.”
“Yeah it does.” Angel sighed and sat on her bed.
“So tell me.”
“Tell you what?”
“What it was you wouldn’t tell Oz.”
“Why should I? I wanted to talk to you for about 3 weeks now and you haven’t been around.”
“Just tell me.”
“My parents have split up.”
“That makes you sad? You’ve said it should have happened years ago and you started saying that years ago.”
“He moved straight from their house to his other house. With his girlfriend who is about 8 years older than me and their daughter, who is 11. They’ve been carrying on since she was 16 years old. I was 8! I was 8 years old and he finally gets the guts to leave my mother when I’m 19. I have a sister Angel, a sister who I found out about 3 weeks ago, who I met 2 weeks ago and she’s 11.”
“I’m sorry I wasn’t there.”
“She didn’t even know. My mother never even knew. But why would she, I believed he always worked late and had business trips at weekends, why should she know the truth if I didn’t. She’s a wreck Angel.”
*******************************
It had been 3 months since Angel dumped Darla and came back to being my best friend, problem was he was too blind to see that part of the reason I was so upset about the Darla thing was cos I love him. He’s too blind. But tonight, tonight he’ll know. The frat is having yet another party tonight. She was ready. She was wearing knee high black leather boots, a short black leather skirt with a very daring slit up one side. Her hair was down and she’d had it cut and styled today. Her make-up was perfect and she was wearing a red, very tight figure hugging tank top with a low neckline. Okay so maybe she looked a little slutty but the only person she cared about was Angel.
*
He was standing with the guys at the food table when she walked in. god she looked gorgeous, too gorgeous. Every guy in the place was staring at her. Not that her outfit left all that much to the imagination.
“Wow Buffy looks good tonight.” She came over.
“Hey guys how do I look and be honest?” she was smiled so hard her face looked like it would crack soon. The guys were very appreciative of her outfit. Didn’t she get it? How she was making him feel? The guys in here staring at her were making him very jealous. She finally noticed he hadn’t added his comments about her outfit to the others more than appreciative ones.
“Like a slut.” Hurt marred her beautiful face.
“Thanks Angel.”
“Why are you dressed like that anyway?” Didn’t he get why she was dressed like this? What an idiot!
“There’s this guy and I really like him but I don’t think he likes me as more than a friend so hence the sluttishness. Trying to get him to notice me. Behold my success.” Didn’t she get that she didn’t need someone else to notice her while he was?
*
The party was drawing to a close. Angel finally came over to her.
“Dance?”
“Sure.” They made their way to the dance floor. He held her close as they swayed to the music. God how could they be this close and yet be so far away. Buffy had always been able to tell Angel everything except the one thing she really needed to tell him. But not anymore she was not going to tell him. She’d show him. Once she got the nerve to actually kiss her best friend. Then her world exploded as their lips met and she heard the hooting of the frat guys. She looked up her face a mask of pure shock.
“God Buffy I’m so sorry.” He didn’t know what he’d been thinking when he kissed her, but she had seemed to enjoy it and now just looking at her face he knew he’d wrecked their friendship. He was about to walk away from her. She’d finally figured out that she hadn’t kissed him, he’d kissed her! There was now the huge possibility that all the time she’d been thinking how dense he was he’d been thinking the same about her. She grabbed his arm and stopped him. She pulled herself up and kissed him. Her arms snaked their way around his neck and tangled in his hair as his arms circled her waist and pressed her close to him. Finally they pulled apart gasping for breath.
“We need to talk Angel.” He took her hand and they went past the whistles and cries coming from the guys to his room. They both sat on his bed. The room was filled with an uncomfortable silence as neither wanted to start. Finally Buffy took a deep breath and started.
“Angel we’ve been friends a long, long time and then when we met up again it was just the same. At least I thought but then I realised it wasn’t. Over the phone I still pictured you as the 12-year-old Angel who I had last seen. You never grew up and now I see you and you have and you’re very, um well let’s just say not giving me best friend thoughts towards you. And I know you think I look like a slut but I was only trying to get the guy I liked to notice me and he never and now it looks like he is and I’m confused.”
“I was jealous.”
“What?”
“I didn’t like all those guys looking at you like that when I like you so much.”
“You like me?”
“Let me put it this way, we could be a couple from one of those romance novels. Guy falls in love with his best friend.”
“Falls in love?”
“Yeah.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
“Wow, that is probably good cos the twist ending is that she fell in love with him too. So we get the happy ever after thing.”
“Buff I got drafted for the Dolphins.”
“Or maybe we don’t get the happy ending.”
“I’m not saying I’m gonna go.”
“Yes you are, just after we figure this all out.”
“I got it all figured out, I love you.”
“I love you too. Angel you’re my best friend in the whole world and it’s so perfect cos now I get the guy I love and my best friend in one.”
“I know the feeling.”
*************************
6 YEARS LATER
Angel had spent the next 6 months after they had declared their love, with his best friend and his girlfriend. They’d gone to see his parents. His mother had been so happy they were together. He had been playing football for the Dolphins for the past 6 years now. They were still together. He was going out now for their Superbowl match against the Rams. He knew Buffy was in the crowd cheering for him just like she had been every match. Once she’d graduated from college she’d moved to Miami. She was now the one of the most known photographers in the world, she travelled a lot but still always made his games. He looked over to where he knew she’d been and smiled at her. She waved at him and blew him a kiss.
*
It was half time and Angel didn’t go with the rest of his team. He stayed on the field and went to the stage where the half time performers were waiting to start. He went to the microphone stand. The crowd went wild when they saw him and he waited until they stopped shouting before he started to talk.
“I just wanted to come up here and say hi to a girl in the crowd. She’s my best friend in the whole world and has been since I was 6 years old. But she’s my girlfriend too and I love her very much. She is so funny and smart and beautiful and perfect. I know that I can’t stand the thought of ever being without her because she’s my world. My reason for living and love is not a good enough word to describe what I feel for her. She makes me smile, she’s always there when I need her. She’s my everything and she has showed me so much, the most important of which is how different the world looks when you’re with someone you love. She’s shown me all the beauty and love there is and whenever she touches me, or smiles at me I feel heaven and I know my life can’t get any better. And I want to spend my everyday making her feel the same. Buffy, will you marry me?” Buffy was crying as he spoke and gasped when he proposed. She then realised that Angel along with half of the stadium were looking at her. She got up and slowed walked down the stairs. Some of the security guys helped her over the barrier and onto the field. When she stepped on the field she was no longer able to stay calm and ran over to the stage. Angel held out his hand to her and helped her up. She clasped his hand in hers and looked into his eyes. The whole stadium disappeared and it was like it was just the two of them. The fact she was stood so close to the microphone the whole stadium could hear her meant nothing.
"My angel," she
pronounced softly, "years ago, I was fortunate to come across a
very sweet little boy, who told me not to cry because my mother hadn’t really
left me and that she’d come back soon. From that day I spent almost every
second with him because he was best friend. Then his dad got a new job and they
all left. He left me alone. But when I started college I saw him again, because
he was there too. I was only eighteen then, and the emotions that were born
within me the moment I looked into the softness of your eyes were the most
wonderful thing I was ever to experience. Something that I didn't understand
then, turned out as my love for you later. There is no way to describe my love
for you, but there is every way to describe your love for me. I feel Heaven on
earth when you hold me in your arms, and the thought I'm standing in front of
you now, and you are asking me to commit myself into those arms forever, is the
most wonderful concept ever. My heart was always yours, my love. In the hardest
times we had, I was confident in your love, and I trusted you to remain by my
side forever, no matter what. I can never thank you enough for you. I can never
thank you enough for any of those amazing things you have given me and done for
me, and especially, I can never thank you enough for loving me, for being my
lifeline, my hopes and my dreams, in those precise times I needed you the most.
Whatever we’ve said or done in the past that has hurt us and each other has
been forgotten of our love. I know that we’ll always be joined because we’ve
been joined ever since we met. And now our love binds us together in a way like
no other bond could. And you won’t have to spend every day of your life making
me see everything you do since you fell in love with me because I already do.
You have given me everything I ever dreamed of and more because even in my
wildest dreams I could never have hoped for a love like ours. All there is left
to say now is that I will love you forever and yes I’ll marry you.” Angel swept
her into his arms and they both cried as they kissed. The whole stadium burst
into applause and they pulled apart and looked round. A guy from Angel’s team
came running across the field and handed Angel a small box. Angel turned to Buffy
and opened it. He took out the ring and slipped it on her finger.
“I love you so much Angel.”
“I love you too.”
*************************
“Morning.” Buffy looked up at her husband.
“Morning.”
“I love you.”
“Love you too.” their bedroom door opened and three faces peered round it. Once seeing that Buffy and Angel were awake they bounded into the bedroom. A girl came in holding a baby.
“Happy anniversary you guys.” Buffy snuggled back against her husband’s chest and then held out her arms for the baby.
“Thank you sweetie.”
“She’s all fed and changed. I arranged for Gunn and Faith to swing by after we take you out for lunch and we’ll all go stay at theirs for the night. That’s my present.”
“You are the best daughter in the world.” Angel pulled the girl into his arms.
“Aw dad!” She pretended to protest at the sloppy outburst but was smiling. The three small children were bouncing about.
“Adam, Liam, Aaron stop it! Sorry mom, it was meant to be good. They were meant to be good.” Buffy used her free hand to hold her daughter’s. The past 13 years had been good. The best of her life. She looked round at her family now and knew that her life couldn’t be any better. After Angel had engaged on the football field they had married very shortly after. They’d had Gemma 6 months later. Adam had come 4 years after and then the twins 3 years later. Last year they’d had little Kayla. And Buffy and Angel were as in love as ever. Her life was perfect, she had the best husband and father in the world and her best friend all rolled into one. She had their five children and they had lots of friends. Yep life was just about perfect. Angel completely agreed with Buffy and he wondered, not for the first time, if life would have ended up this perfect if he hadn’t kissed her that night. Would they both have just kept quiet and never told the other and gone on to separate lives, apart. He didn’t even want to think about that, he loved her too much to ever imagine his life without her.