Prom? Oh, That Prom?

Author: Nitrowugs

Rating: T (for a few off-color words)

Pairings: B/A, W/O, C/X, F/S, Je/G

Feedback: Please. Constructive criticism is always welcomed and appreciated.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything associated with BtVS. Characters, plots and dialogue from the show are borrowed with no infringement intent whatsoever.

Distribution: Please ask and let me know where it's going.

Written: 08/01/2015

Summary: Sequel to 'Prom? What Prom?' and happens the following week. Who's going to admit they were wrong? The girls or the guys?

It was the Wednesday night following the prom, the guys were at their usual table at the Bronze and, once again, Spike was the most vocal in the group.

"I say we get them back, show them that they can't pull a stunt like that and get away with it. After all, we're men, we don't have to take crap like that from our women."

And, as usual, Angel was the voice of reason. "Are you insane? We are the ones at fault here. I am not losing Buffy over this. I don't care what I have to do to regain her trust."

"Aww you're a wimp. What about you guys? Are you with me?"

Xander wasn't. "I'm with Angel on this one, Spike. I've got to get back on Cordy's good side, otherwise I can say goodbye to our summer vacation together." He stood up, collected his money from the table and left.

"Damn. I forgot about that."

Oz stood next. "I'm headed to Willow's right now - damage control."

Angel looked at Spike as they all stood to leave. Xander and Oz kept walking, but Angel said, "I suggest you do the same."

"I know. It just goes against the grain to even consider that with Faith. I guess I'll just have to bite the bullet and do it."

Angel chuckled as he walked off.

Half an hour later he was standing on the Summers' front porch trying to get up the courage to knock when the door opened and he found himself facing the slayer.

"Buffy..."

"You've been out here for a while. I didn't know whether or not you would decide to knock or leave, so I opened the door. I need to leave for patrol in a little while."

"I...Buffy, can we talk? Please."

"Sure." She stepped aside and allowed him to enter the house.

"Have a seat."

Angel sat down on the sofa but did not say anything.

Buffy sat opposite him in the matching arm chair, waiting for him to speak.

After several long minutes, she had had enough of the silence. "Angel you asked if we could talk."

At that moment he could not remember the carefully planned speech that he rehearsed on the walk to the Summers' house. Now words just came pouring out.

"Buffy, what was the reason for the stunt that you pulled this past weekend? Were you trying to get back at me for not asking you to the prom? I just forgot."

She could feel the slayer instinct in her rising as it never had before when she spoke to Angel.

She tried to watch the timbre of her voice as she struggled to keep herself under control.

"Stunt? Get back at you? You think that's what this weekend was about? Well it wasn't. It was about our two adult friends trying to console four broken-hearted teenage girls whose boyfriends had been so neglectful as to not invite them to the prom. The Prom! The most important dance in our high school career, and you guys didn't say a word, not one of you. Do you know how that made us feel? Unappreciated and taken for granted."

She couldn't look into his face; she looked down at her hands that were folded together in her lap.

Angel had no response. She was right. The prom was important to every senior, especially the females, especially Buffy. How could he have been so stupid. He had just assumed that they would go together like they went everywhere together. But then he remembered the Junior Prom last year and the Spring Fling earlier this year, how excited and happy Buffy had been when he asked her to be his date to those dances.

In Angel's mind he had no excuse. He was an idiot. He had the sweetest, most adorable and most beautiful girl in the world for a girlfriend and he neglected to invite her to the prom; hell, he even forgot the corsage. Time for charm was over; he had to do some serious groveling.

"I am so sorry, Buffy; I forgot. I didn't forget the prom, I just forgot to ask if you would go with me. I even forgot the corsage. I am such an idiot. Can you forgive me? Please."

Buffy didn't say anything; she just continued looking down at her hands.

He took her lack of a response to mean that she was not ready to forgive him. Before he knew what was happening, he was on his knees in front of her holding her hands in his.

"Baby, look at me, please."

Buffy raised her head so she could look into his eyes. What she saw there touched her heart. There was so much love in his eyes.

"I love you so much. You don't know how grateful I am to have you in my life and I would never take you for granted or intentionally hurt you in any way."

"Oh, Angel, I love you too. I was just so hurt."

Before they knew what was happening, they were kissing. This was not a stormy, passionate kiss like the ones they often shared, instead this was a kiss of reaffirmation of commitment and love.

"I'll make this up to you, baby, I promise you." He kissed her again.

He could feel her happiness through their link and it warmed his heart.

When the kiss ended, she was smiling. "You just did."

Part 2

Since Mr. and Mrs. Chase were away for two weeks, the Chase's butler escorted Xander, who carried a bouquet of roses, into the living room and went to get Cordelia. Xander was admiring one of their paintings when he heard,

"You think you can win back my affections with flowers?"

"This is as close as I could come to diamonds, so yeah, I was hoping..."

"You don't have to impress me, Xander, not like that. Just be the boyfriend that you've been all of this school year and I will be happy."

"I love you, Cordy."

"You never said that before."

"I didn't know how, but being faced with the possibility of losing you gave me the courage to say what I felt."

"You didn't know if you could trust your feeling for me, or even more, my feeling for you?"

"Yeah. I guess I was afraid I'd end up with a broken heart."

"Come here, you dope."

She kissed him. When he tried to end the kiss, she wasn't having it.

"I love you too, Xander."

A very happy Xander didn't return home until the sun was up the next morning.

Part 3

Since Oz wasn't a singer, he adapted the music for 'Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word' by Elton John for his guitar and played it for Willow.

She didn't recognize the song but she loved the music.

When he finished playing, he simply said, "I'm sorry."

There were tears and forgiveness as Willow stepped into his arms for a kiss.

Part 4

Faith could see that Spike was struggling with himself as he sat on the sofa in her living room. 'I'll give him a few more minutes to say something', she thought to herself, 'then I'm outta here.'

A few minutes longer and Spike still sat there with his customary unlit cigarette dangling from his lips. Faith stood up, grabbed her jacket and headed for the door with, "Forget this."

Spike was on his feet in an instant. "Wait, luv, don't go. I can't stand the thought of losing you - especially over something that was totally my fault. I just took it for granted that we were going together and I didn't have to ask."

Faith snapped. "That's right; you took it for granted...you took me for granted. You assumed that I would just go along without any effort on your part because it was you and I couldn't get another date. Well, let me tell you buddy, you were dead wrong. More than one guy asked me to the prom and I just told them all that I would see them there. I didn't want to make a commitment because I was waiting for you to ask me. Well never again. You will either step up to the plate and be the man I need, or you can find yourself somebody else."

She continues toward the door, but Spike caught her by the arm before she could open the door.

"I'm sorry; don't break up with me, please. I love you. I know that I have trouble showing it, but I d..."

Before he could finish what he was saying Faith stopped him with a kiss.

"From now on, act like you love me."

The grin on his face was one of pure delight.

"Not a problem."

Part 5

Jenny explained to Giles what happened and why she and Joyce took the girls to Las Vegas.

"Next time you are going to be away for four days, please let me know. I was worried."

"If this happens again, depending upon the circumstances, I will let you know that I will be away. That's the best I can do."

"Very well."

Just as they were about to kiss, they heard someone enter the library. They looked up to find four teen-aged girls with their hands over their eyes and grins on their faces as they made gagging noises.

Things were back to normal.