:( I'm so sad this story is over... Thank you all for following along :) THAT means the world to me... Believe it or not I'm a little heartbroken about this one because I really enjoyed writing it. I hope this additional chapter leaves you all satisfied, I'm a little nervous about your response... but anyways... I ask you check you my other stories. Currently working on a BA set at the end of The Girl in Question in Angel.
On to the show :) xoxo
Again I thank you deeply! For the last time on this story I would LOVE for you to review.
Chapter 15
Years later… Buffy reflected over her life...
The whole gang had left the battle of Sunnydale behind them as they moved forward…
It had been interesting, when they'd arrived to The Hyperion, they had come to realize that it had been remodeled and put up to code. Apparently something that Angelus had arranged before he'd taken off back to Buffy in Sunnydale… one of the many surprises they would find.
Lorne had been more than excited that Angel had allowed him to turn the under ground hall in the hotel to a version of Caritas Karaoke Bar, that lucky for him, had its own personal entrance outback.
The first thing that had happened as soon as they had arrived in LA… was some very required rest…
Buffy and Angel had planned on getting there to pack and leave, but when they'd gotten home… informants had told both fierceless leaders, the name of the new head at the firm at Wolfram & Hart. Knowing that they needed to figure out what that meant was what kept them in town longer than they'd intended.
Giles, Willow, and Xander… had tried to mend their relationship with Buffy, but she'd been uninterested. She'd been nice, polite, and friendly but no more than you would a stranger. A couple of days later they had decided to leave and rebuild the watcher's council from the ground up. Buffy promised to help and be in touch… they just hoped that she'd forgive them soon. The decision being made, they had decided to pack their bags and leave for Europe… Anya, Kennedy, and Andrew, of course, by their side…
Her and Dawn had made up as Dawn had understood why she had tried to make that sacrifice, though she would've never forgive her if she'd gone through with it. As everyone was making life changing decisions, she'd asked her older sister for permission to follow Giles to Europe as she wanted to become a watcher herself… Buffy had agreed, but only under the condition that she'd go to school and finish a career in college and that she'd call and visit often…
Faith had said that even though there was technically no war between the Scoobies and the AI team… because they were at odds, she was playing Swiss… or in her words she had said, 'I'm Swiss babe…' She had made sure she'd trained the now slayers still with them while they remained in LA, and then she'd announced that she would be headed to Cleveland and check the status on that hellmouth.
A couple of the slayers that liked the way Faith worked and her quirky attitude had decided to follow her as she'd formed a plan… She was going to take a road trip there and find any other slayers on the way and have them either sent to LA to Buffy or Europe to Giles. She stated that she would keep in touch with the both of them as the goal remained the same for all… world peace. To her surprise, Wood had asked to tag along which she had happily allowed.
The AI team remained in place… Fred was managing the investigative growing business that became Angel Investigations, while they handled normal cases day to day, and the rare ones under the table. Connor continued to get visions that they would follow… Wesley was still their best researcher and contributor… Gunn was their muscle, though they'd financed him to study law to go up against W&H when needed, which he was actually really good at, and Lorne continued doing what he did best…
Buffy now focused on managing the business aspect of the hotel as wife of the owner… that had been another surprise… because Angel had given Buffy the Claddagh ring many years ago, the first time that Angelus had returned, he'd apparently had one of his lackeys file a Wedding License in Ireland and had it registered in the US. She'd been legally married to him since the age of sixteen without her knowledge… he'd done it out of possessiveness to make sure that if she tried marrying… she couldn't.
At first she'd been somewhat bothered but then she thought it cute in a psycho kind of way… plus the perks of what that meant had been immense. Angelus had a fortune hidden away to be claimed by his wife and Angel still held under his possession, the monetary value of his family's wealth that he'd invested in her name. Thus far to summarize… she was rich… because both men she loved had taken the time to claim her and have her be financially set.
She wished she would have known this information sooner… it would have kept her from trying to work in fast food locations and struggling money wise, but it had all worked out. Her bank hadn't told her about her money because Angel had registered her under the name of Buffy Anne Liam, as his fortune had been managed under Liam as a last name.
Not the brightest choice, but she'd just been happy he'd thought of her that way. They were now the Liam Family. Buffy had hyphenated her name to Liam-Summers, she'd done the same for Connor, and Angel… had registered their business under Angelus Liam, though everyone went back to calling him Angel.
Buffy still remembered the conversation they'd had about that… a conversation they'd been trying to avoid since the moment they'd walked into their bedroom… who was he really and what did that mean for them…?
"I'm never leaving you again, Buffy… I promise…"
"Angelus promised…" Buffy pointed out… walking to stare out their penthouse window…
"I am him, me… I'm both… I really don't know how else to explain it…"
"So what am I suppose to call you? Angel or Angelus…"
"You can just call me like I call you, beloved…"he said hugging her tight, "or either one… there is just one of me… one man that loves you with all he has…"
Buffy kissed him lightly, "Well I think I'll call you Angel when you're being sweet and Angelus when you're being evil…" she joked.
He rolled his eyes, "whatever works for you…"
Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on their bedroom door… followed by a "Mom… Dad? You decent?"
Buffy laughed, "Yes… come in…" she'd been standing in that same spot where the memory had taken her, as Angel was coming out of the bathroom from a shower.
Connor crept in slowly holding a file to his face, looking away from them "We've got a new lead from you know who about more evil business…"
"You can look you know…" Buffy said amused.
Connor turned around slowly, "I just don't want to walk in on anything anymore…" he smiled blushing.
"One time…" she said hands on her hips, "and we said sorry…"
"Yet, I'm still scarred for life…" he retuned accusingly…
"Okay…" Angel said, walking towards him… "No matter…" he said interrupting, "show me what you've got…"
Buffy gazed at Angel and Connor discuss the case… God it melted her heart to have gotten them both back. She hadn't been too happy to have had to postpone her trip with Angel, but it had turned out great as she'd been able to reacquaint herself with her son…
She'd gone crazy attentive with both of the men in her life… every day Buffy had bought Connor a gift and every week since they got settled, she threw a party for him celebrating the birthdays that she'd missed… As awkward as it sounded… in the middle of all this madness, the three of them had actually gone out of their way to spend family quality time together… whether it was doing something as mundane as watching movies or going shopping, to their other life duties such as the three of them investigating or patrolling together…
Buffy had made sure she'd learned everything she needed to know about her son… likes, dislikes, favorite foods, etc and in turn, she answered all of the questions he had in regards to her and Angel…
She still remembered like it was yesterday the day she'd made the deal with the Oracles… she'd begged for Angel's and Connor's lives without caring of the consequences or what they would be put through… all that mattered was that they would be returned to her at some point in time to have a life… Buffy knew that the reason she'd been so broken inside was because she had pretended not to remember that wonderful forgotten day… and because deep inside, she knew something had been ripped away from her. Now she knew that something had been her son.
"Beloved?" Angel questioned…
When at the same time Connor said, "Mom…?"
Buffy snapped out from walking down memory lane saying, "Sorry, what?"
"You feeling okay?" Angel asked concerned, as him and Connor approached her…
"I'm fine…" she grinned, "now what's going on?"
They once more reviewed the file with Buffy so they could plan their move of action. It seemed there was a big war coming in place… and Angel didn't like that he felt Buffy different. It wasn't a necessarily a bad different… but different none the less…
Connor began to leave when Buffy said, "Did you think about what we talked about?"
He rolled his eyes, "Yes…" he said walking back to her, "I'll let you know when I decide… okay?" he held her with his hands on her shoulders…
"Okay…" Buffy said skeptically raising an eyebrow…
"Okay…" he returned, he gave her a tight hug and pecked her on the cheek, "I'll go fill in everybody so we can get our forces into town…"
"Right…" Angel said watching them oddly as Connor left… "So what did you talk about?"
Buffy beamed at Angel walking towards him wrapping her arms around his neck, "College…"
"Seriously…" Angel cocked his head to the side…
"Yes…" she pressed, "This life… this supernatural stuff, him and Dawn can be apart of it... I won't negate their choice to stay, but I want them to have a back up plan. Should they at some point in their lives decide that they want a normal human life; then I want them to have that choice. Protecting this world is your duty and mine… you and I, the slayer and the champion… but no one else's."
Angel sighed… she sort of had a point. He understood why she felt compelled to protect them… she wanted to give them the option she didn't have.
"They're still young Angel…" she said caressing the hair at the nape of his neck, "all they see of the future is adventure and doing good… but one day that'll change…"
"You realize that they are in this just by being who they are to us… your sister and our son…" he reasoned. He noticed she was about to argue so he quickly added, "BUT… you're the boss…" he kissed her.
Buffy scowled at him shutting her up with a kiss, but let it go… they needed to build up their front for the coming war. Spike had clued them into going after the heads of the Circle of Thorn.
She was suddenly reminded about the day they'd gone into Wolfram & Hart to beat the shit out of him for agreeing to take over an evil firm. After getting some blows in… he'd acted weird giving them a box that would contain all the answers.
When Buffy and Angel had brought it home, they'd realized it had all these odd insignia and signs, that when researched, Wes found it to be a way to keep someone or something hidden from ALL eyes…
They had found a note in there explaining that he'd agreed to take over for their help to close the Sunnydale hellmouth, but when he'd realized how much he could accomplish in bringing them down from the inside, he'd taken all the measures necessary to keep in contact with them through this box and magical paper… acting as an enchanted mail box directly between them. It had worked for them for years but it seemed this was the last straw…
Angel held Buffy possessively against him as they began to make their way down the stairs to join the rest of the team. The moment the gang came into view and Connor's eyes locked with Buffy's… something just suddenly dawned on her…
The last time she'd had out of the ordinary dreams, reminisced about the past, and felt her body ordinarily exhausted had been when… she froze…
The Scoobies had just finished walking in, as Faith loudly made her entrance with her posse, and everyone gathered in the center of the lobby…
"Buffy…" Angel faced her…
She looked up to meet his auburn concern filled eyes as she glowed in tender happiness and said…
"I'm pregnant…"
~ The End ~