Buffy was getting a little light headed from the lack of oxygen and regretfully tore her lips away. She pressed her forehead to his taking in much needed gulps of air.
Her eyes never left his soaking in the adoration she could see blazing in their blue depths. Neither of them moved not wanting to break the moment they were sharing.
The knock on her door startled both of them.
"I should get that." She didn't sound very convincing even to herself.
"Probably pet. Can't say that I want you too though." She gave his hand a reassuring squeeze.
Walking to the door she opened it to stare into the glowering face of the ex love of her life.
"Hello Angel. Come on in." He brushed past her and she couldn't help but wonder what the hell he was brooding about now.
Following behind him was Wesley who gave her an apologetic smile as he entered. After him was a man and a woman that Buffy didn't know.
Once everyone was inside she closed the door and motioned for them to take the chairs and couch that had come with the room. With them seated she walked back over to the bed and sat next to Spike.
The action was not lost on Angel and his face took on an even darker look. One she had not seen since he had been Angelus. It was kind of freaking her out.
He hadn't said anything yet so maybe he was waiting for her.
She focused on the two people she didn't know and smiled warmly at them.
"Hi I'm Buffy."
"Dear lord where are my manners? Buffy this is Fred and Gunn." She knew the Englishman was covering for Angel but let it go for now.
"It's nice to meet you. So everybody's wondering what I have to say so why don't we get down to business."
She took a deep breath knowing she was going to stir up a boatload of trouble.
"You need to leave Wolfram and Hart."
Letting the sentence go she worried at the looks of disbelief on the others in the room. This was definitely going to be an uphill battle.
At least they weren't like the Scoobies with the shouting and yelling and all.
"Let me start over all right? I've gotten a visit from someone Angel knows two in fact in the last year but not going there."
"Who would that be?" Bless Wesley.
"Whistler." At the name Angel's head whipped up and his eyes focused on hers. "What? I told you that the Powers that Be contacted me. How did you think they did it?" She moved on not waiting for an answer. "They know how this place is affecting you guys and the fact that it's only going to get worse, much worse. So they sent me here to have a few words with Angel here."
"Worse in what way?" It was Gunn who asked.
"Kind of like the sending the world to hell kind of worse. But I think there's going to be a bunch of stuff in between."
"I don't know what you're talking about. We've done a lot of good by coming here." She could practically hear Angel snarling.
"What the hell is your problem? You've been nothing but all grr since I got here. Am I missing something?"
"You think you can just walk back into our lives and tell us to give up on what we're doing here? You don't have the right after the things you've done."
"Care to explain that a little bit?" Her whole body had tensed knowing that this was going to be very ugly.
"I know what happened between the two of you." He gestured to Spike. "And what happened in Sunnydale. You think you just get to disappear and come back and decide what everyone else is going to do?"
Her temper was flaring out of control now and she found herself standing without realizing it.
"Oh like you didn't teach me that little trick? How dare you. You have no idea what's been going on in my life. I didn't just show up here because I thought it would be a good time you asshole."
A gentle hand landed on her shoulder and she felt the anger fizzle. She gave a grateful glance over her shoulder at the man that now owned her heart.
She turned her attention back to the others in the room.
"None of that matters right now. The fact remains that you need to get out of that hell hole before the crap hits the fan."
"Give us a good reason." What the hell was with him?
"How about that they've been playing us since the beginning. All of this has been orchestrated by the group you call the Senior Partners."
"What do you mean Buffy?"
"Think about it. The Powers have invested all their energy into having certain Champions and Warriors right? It used to be just the Slayer, but then they got a vampire who was cursed with a soul. Then a certain slayer dies for like five seconds and they get a two for one deal. Followed closely by another vampire that does the unthinkable and goes and gets his soul, on his own mind you to prove to a very dumb woman that he loves her. Four Warriors with different destinies all working towards the same thing. So what's the most evil law firm in I don't know how many dimensions supposed to do?"
She could tell she had their attention now.
"Well considering that three of us were in the same house and working together for a while probably freaked them out. So I bet they started to look for way to make us weaker. Well what was the only thing you could do to the Sunnydale Slayer? Couldn't even kill her cause not so much with the staying dead."
"The Scoobies." She smiled tenderly at him.
"You always said it wasn't supposed to be part of the package. Yeah so they hit me where it would hurt the most. They had managed to get a person on the inside I guess to keep an eye on what we were doing. When I got to close to figuring things out they managed to cause enough distrust to get me thrown out of my own house."
"Who was it pet?" His angry snarl caught her off guard.
"Kennedy. She was working for Wolfram and Hart since the beginning. You guys might want to look up what kind of deal she had. Something to do with getting power. Probably not a good thing."
"If I ever see that bitch..."
"Never mind Spike I'm over it. Well not over but you know what I mean."
"I don't see how that would help." Fred said quietly.
"Well seeing as how they did it right before I went to go fight a majorly strong Big Bad, let's just say it was demoralizing. If Spike hadn't of found me you probably would have had to attend another Buffy funeral." The low growl from behind her made a smile creep onto her face. She took a step behind her and felt his strong chest against her back and sighed.
"Maybe they didn't know how much things had really changed between the two of us or maybe they were thinking I wouldn't be able to function without my friends. Not that I'm saying it wasn't hard but it didn't break me. Because I still had someone." His arm had snuck its way around her waist and she couldn't help but smile inwardly at the even darker look she got from Angel.
Her hand dropped to his squeezing it because she knew this next bit was going to be hard on him.
"So they had Faith all alone with my friends which I hear not as good. But Spike and I were still supporting each other in Cleveland. So they had to find a way to separate the two of us. But this time they didn't go after me. They went and did the one thing that they knew would hurt a vampire." He had dropped his arm from her waist and took a step back. She turned and looked at his face and read the look of pain in his eyes.
"It was in Mexico. They trailed and cornered her in an alley. I'm sorry." Her hand reached out and touched his chest. He wrapped his hand around hers for a moment before letting go.
"I'll kill the miserable wankers." The feral quality in his eyes shone brightly.
"What the hell are you talking about?" She turned and gave him a frustrated glare.
"Are you not listening Angel? Wolfram and Hart hired mercenaries to kill Drusilla."
"They wouldn't dare."
"Please why not? You think just because you signed up with them that they wouldn't touch anyone else you knew? Are you that naive?" She turned back to look at Spike for a moment making sure he was okay.
He gave her a slight nod his jaw clenched in anger that had no outlet for now.
"What exactly were they hoping to accomplish?"
"I think you know the answer to that as well as I do Wesley. I'm not sure about the final result they wanted but you know the effects of a vampire losing a closely bonded sire."
At the look of confusion on the other two's faces she gave them an apologetic smile.
"Sorry it's one of those rare vampire things. Wesley can explain it later. What they apparently didn't count on though was me sending Spike to Angel."
"Surprised me too luv."
"You needed him." She shrugged. "But they didn't know that I knew that or that I would do anything to make sure it happened. So they weren't counting on the two of you working together."
"But what about you?"
"Honestly? If they wanted me out of the picture? I don't know. The last few months have been rough."
"What's this got to do with things now?"
"What you think the mind games just suddenly stopped?" She thought for a minute. "Had any Mountain Dew lately? Oh wait that was Spike." She smirked at the dark vamp.
"How...?"
"Oh please so not hard. Whistler gave me the highlights." She had more but thought it best to wait until they were alone.
"So the point is they are using you like a bunch of puppets. I say you cut the strings. Walk away from them."
"Do you honestly believe they would just let us leave?"
"No I don't. I don't know about you Gunn but I hate to be played. At least this way your forcing their hand making them come out and fight in the open."
"And if we don't?"
"I don't know short term wise. But every choice you make is something they've planned for. And in the end?" She didn't bother to elaborate letting them figure it out for themselves.
She took in the looks of thoughtfulness of the three humans in the room. If they were considering it she was making progress. Letting her eyes drift to Angel she was disappointed to see his face had not changed. He wasn't buying a single word too intent on not trusting her. She sighed deeply.
"Why don't you let them sleep on it pet? See how they feel in the mornin'."
She gave a short nod. "Is that all right with you?" She only addressed the living in the room.
"It is a lot to think about Buffy."
"I know Wesley really. If you want to ask me anything I'll be right here."
They stood up to go and Buffy walked towards the door. Opening it for them she let them pass. When Angel approached she stopped in front of him blocking his path.
"I don't think we're done yet." She closed the door.
"Funny I thought we were."
"Just sit down Angel." At his glare she felt her hands settle on her hips. "Sit or I'll make you sit. Either way doesn't matter."
He took in her stance and the tilt of her head for a moment. Something flickered behind his eyes and he turned and retook his seat.
She went and stood directly in front of him.
"So do I get an explanation now or what?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Is that so? Well considering I've had nicer conversations with Angelus I'd say you have something to tell me."
He flinched at the name. Good she had touched a nerve.
"Look you have what you came for. You've got the Bleached Wonder over there so why don't you go ahead and go."
"Have I been talking to myself for the last half hour? As much joy as it brings me to see Spike he isn't the reason I made this little trek. What do I need to say to convince you of that?"
"I don't think you could say anything. Seems like you've made your choice a while ago."
"Oh my God. You're jealous? Is that what all this is about? Because I left town and didn't come running to you?"
"It's where you belong."
"Hello deluded much. Since when did I belong out here?"
"You love me." She ignored the slight snarl from the other vamp.
She gaped at him unable for a moment to form words.
"I love you?" She let the words roll out in a question trying to make them make sense. She shook her head and lowered herself into another chair.
"You still love me I know it." The cocky sound of his voice made something scratch in her mind.
"I still care about you Angel but that doesn't mean I'm still in love with you. Considering you've thrown every chance we've had of being together out the window I have to wonder what it is you feel about me." She could feel Spike's eyes boring into her back trying to figure out what was going on.
"What are you talking about?"
"Us Angel. You left Sunnydale not me. You were the one who had the chance to be human and got the oracles to turn back time." His shocked look spurred her on.
"Yeah Whistler dropped that little bomb. So you made sure you were still a vamp so I wouldn't die and erased my memory of the whole thing. News flash Angel I still died and you were no where in sight."
"You are the dumbest oaf I have ever seen. Your not a poof you're a impotent git." Her head whipped around to look at the disbelieving blond. "You had the chance to be with her and you decided that being a vamp was better? Do you know what I would do for a chance like that?"
"I did what I thought was best. I still love you Buffy."
"Do you? I thought that you loved Cordelia or at least that was the impression she got before she died. And I could have sworn you were dating a werewolf. Make up your mind Angel."
"But..."
"I did love you for a long time. But not the way you think. I was in love with the idea you represented. The oh my God it's so romantic and tragic kind of love. That's not real. If you want to know the truth I'm in love with him."
She could of heard a pin drop in the room and was kind of thinking of walking over and picking Angel's jaw off the floor.
"So now that's out in the open can we please talk about the apocalypse I'd like to stop?"
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Thanks for the reviews! Just a little explanation for some things before our blond couple can be alone. Please continue to let me know what you think and I will keep writing as fast as my fingers can type. Thanks again!