Couples
“I think you should tell her. It’s the right thing to do.”
Cordelia traced Angel’s jawline with her fingertips. “You should go to Sunnydale.”
He caught her fingers in his hand and kissed them. “I know you don’t want to hurt her, but it
was over years ago. She won’t
care.” He knelt behind her.
“I care. I don’t her
to find out from anyone but you. Umm…”
She twisted her body as his strong fingers worked the muscles in her naked shoulders. “You are trying to distract me.” She frowned as the fingers stopped. “Okay, distract me.”
He smiled as he started massaging farther down her
back. “I’ll go if you come with me.”
“What about Connor?” she moaned.
“We could take him with us.
Oh.” She had turned towards him
and was kissing his chest. “Or Fred
could watch him for one day. They’d all
protect him.”
“You’d let him out of your sight for five minutes?” Her eyes widened as he pushed her back on the bed. “Okay.” She wrapped her arms around him and decided they could discuss it later.
It was late and dark when the convertible pulled up in front
of the house on Revello Drive. “We
should have called first,” he said. “They’re
probably all asleep.” He smiled. “Or
maybe they’re all out.”
“Just walk up to the front door and knock, you big chicken,”
replied Cordy, pushing him out of the car.
“I’m still not sure what to tell her.”
“Just break it to her gently.” She leaned back in the seat.
“I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
“Geez,” he said, leaning over to kiss her, “I was going to yell ‘I’m in love with Cordy’ and run back to the car.”
He hated to wake her, but he had to get back to LA before
daybreak. The house was dark, but he
could hear sounds of struggle inside.
Concerned, he turned the knob.
The front door was unlocked.
Something was going on in the living room. “Buffy,” he called, as he flicked on the light switch. He stopped.
Dead. Stared in shocked
surprise.
“Yunno, Angelus, ya could have knocked,” said Spike,
sprawled naked on the living room carpet.
Buffy was trying to
cover herself with a comforter from the couch.
“Angel,” she shrieked, “What the hell are you doing here?”
Angel tried to answer, but the words wouldn’t form. The world had gone insane.
A concerned Cordelia burst through the door. “Is everything okay, darling? The lights went on so quickly…” She looked
at the couple on the carpet. “Oh, my
God…”
“Did she just call you darling?” Buffy asked.
“Could you share a corner of that comforter, love?” Spike
pulled on the Afghan and covered his lower body, drawing closer to Buffy as he
did so. “Hate being ogled.”
“What, what…” Angel tried to articulate.
“Buffy,” cried Cordelia, “You cut your hair. It’s adorable.”
Clothes restored, the quartet sat in the Summers’ living
room. “I didn’t expect you to find out
that way. We were meaning to tell you,”
Buffy said. “Someday.” She poured Cordelia a cup of coffee. “We’ve been going through a lot of
changes. Things have been a bit
hairy. I think we’re through it, now.”
Spike put his arm around Buffy’s shoulder, as she leaned
back on the couch. “So what was so
bloody important that you had to come callin’ in the middle of the night,
then?” he asked.
“Well, we wanted to tell you,” he took Cordy’s hand, “We’ve
been working together for awhile, and things have developed, I mean, we…”
“Angel asked me to marry him,” Cordy said, showing her left
hand to Buffy, “I said yes. We are so
in love.”
“Ah, honey, is that what you mean by gentle?” Angel asked.
Cordy shrugged, and gestured to Buffy and Spike. “Didn’t think it was an issue anymore.”
“Isn’t there the problem of that pesky curse?” Spike
queried.
“Uh, yeah, see...that’s the funny thing.” Angel took a deep, physically unnecessary
breath. “There is no curse. Hasn’t been
since I got my soul back. Weird, huh?”
“Let me get this straight.”
Buffy sat up and templed her fingers together. “You left me because of that curse, and you didn’t even have it?”
“Don’t hit him, Buffy,” said Spike. “Let me.”
“No,” she said, “It’s fine.
Be happy Angel. I’m glad you
left. Glad you put me through
hell. Left me with Riley, who put me
through hell.” She snuggled next to
Spike. “You made me start to grow up. That was hell too. Ask Spike.”
“It was hell,” he concurred. “But it was worth it.” He
wrapped his arms around his lover.
“Cause I’ve got a little piece a’ heaven now.”