Title: Fated

Author: Isis Blue

Feedback: Always welcome and appreciated.it's like a drug ;) [email protected]

Disclaimer: *thinks hard* Nope, not mine.

Rating: light R

Pairing: B/A? A/C? B/S? read to find out.

Summary: What happens now that Buffy and Angel are face to face? Third and final installment of 'The Remember Trilogy'

Spoilers: Slight for the end of ATS s3

Distribution: my lame li'l fic page, ff.net, BA_Fluff list, and LoD if it wants it, anyone else, just ask first.

Author's Notes - All right, this one was a bit harder to get done than the others. I couldn't decide on 3 scenarios I had. I'm still not quite happy with the final product, but oh well. Hope you'll all like it!

AN2 - Thanks go out to: jenyork102, kolumbyne, lana, Tammy, Kay, Shahid, White Wolf 3, Christine, Queen Boadicea, Court, Ashleigh, brionycain, Kyria, and Zetnnik for the wonderful feedback. You guys make doing all this worthwhile!

AN3 - Not beta'd, mistakes are mine. And I know there is bad grammar.I was never a fan of grammar and proper writing rules anyway.

Warnings: A little fluff.a little angst.who knows? *evil grin*

^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^

His arms, his strong, gentle arms, felt like a soothing balm after a sun scorched day as they tightly cradled her body. She reveled in the feeling. God, she'd missed him. Missed this. It was like returning home. Returning to the one place she'd ever felt at peace.

He felt the same, yet older. Which in fact he was, but not really. He was still Angel, though. Still the only man who could set her heart on fire by just being near.

God, she'd missed him

Her nose immediately picked up on his scent. She'd always loved the way he smelled. Like spices and sensuality.

God, she'd missed him.

And his lips. The way they melded with her own. The way his tongue danced an erotic tango with hers. It was like a slice of heaven.

God, she'd missed him.

If she could stay like this for the rest of her life, she would be completely content. Fulfilled. Nothing else in her life made her feel as safe as she did in his arms.

God, she'd missed him.

Her Angel.

^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^

Her hands caressed the back of his head, tickling the fine hairs at the base of his neck. She always did that. And he cherished the feel of it once again. His goddess, oh how he'd missed her. Missed the sweet, strong aura radiating out of her every pore.

In all of his many, many years on this planet, nothing and no one had ever made him feel like she did. The passion, the fire, the unquenchable need. And most importantly, the love.

His goddess, oh how he'd missed her.

She felt so tiny in his arms as they stood there locked in a lovers embrace. The world around them could have burnt to the ground and he wouldn't have noticed. Not when she was there, overwhelming each and every one of his senses.

His goddess, oh how he'd missed her.

Her sweet vanilla scent, now tinged with the burgeoning aroma of her arousal, tickled his nose. The demon, as well as the soul, within him growled hungrily.

His goddess, oh how he'd missed her.

It should have surprised him that even after all this time had passed, that they still craved each other. That the burning need deep within was there. But it didn't. Their feelings had never been something to be questioned.

His goddess, oh how he'd missed her.

Those feelings, that undeniable pull, had actually been some of what had driven them apart years before. That ever present fear of releasing the demon had been too much to bear. But no more, he wouldn't let that stand in their way any longer.

His goddess.

.oh how he'd missed her.

^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^

The kiss seemed to last for an eternity. Neither wanted to let go. Neither wanted to fall back into reality. They just wanted to be together, that's all they'd ever wanted. But the inevitability arose, and they had to break apart. Both inwardly fearing that they'd never experience the rush they'd just had again.

Their eyes bore into each other for a moment before they exchanged belated greetings. They fought the temptation to once again throw themselves at each other. They knew that there were things that needed to be talked about.

They just wanted to be together, that's all they'd ever wanted.

So they clasped hands and seated themselves on the sofa. Neither knew what to say, they hadn't quite expected the events the night had presented them with. All they'd known was the overwhelming need to see each other.

They just wanted to be together, that's all they'd ever wanted.

The words soon spilled out. Surprise elicited at the realization that they'd both had dreams. The commonality piqued their interest. Why had they both had dreams?

They just wanted to be together, that's all they'd ever wanted.

The other revelations were a bit more tedious. The issue of the almost- significant others, brought forth by the telling of the dreams, incited instantaneous rage in each. But they'd both just been trying to get by, trying to muddle through the chaos of their worlds.

They just wanted to be together, that's all they'd ever wanted.

Understanding had come slow, acceptance even slower. But neither could fault the other. They'd committed the same sins. They'd buried themselves in the present in order to forget the past.

They just wanted to be together, that's all they'd ever wanted.

Hours passed. Secrets, shame and guilt openly shared. Tears were shed, apologies spoken. In the end, whatever they'd done, whatever wrongs they'd committed, didn't matter. As long as they had each other, now and forever, the sins of the present could be safely tucked into the past.

They just wanted to be together, that's all they'd ever wanted.

.and maybe now, they had their chance.

^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^

There were still obstacles to overcome. There always were. Nothing was ever simple in their lives. Challenges remained, threats persisted. Why did everything have to be so difficult? But somehow, someway, they would find a way to work past them.

They would have to deal with the others. No one had ever quite accepted their relationship. And why should they? Heartbreak had always ensued from their pairing.

Why did everything have to be so difficult?

But that was then. This time it would be different. This time they knew the risks, knew what they were sacrificing. They would persevere, and hope for acceptance.

Why did everything have to be so difficult?

Of course there was also the issue of him living in LA and her living in Sunnydale. That would be a tough obstacle to overcome, but not an insurmountable one.

Why did everything have to be so difficult?

And considering the fact that, at the moment, both wanted nothing more than to tear the others clothes off, the curse was also an aspect to be rectified. So he told her about the book from his dream. The one he didn't even know if it really existed.

Why did everything have to be so difficult?

She told him they'd search. That they would scour the earth for the magical words that would allow them the closeness that had always been denied.

Why did everything have to be so difficult?

In their hearts, they, for maybe the first time, truly believed that this was what was supposed to be. That *they* were supposed to be, even when so much seemed so wrong about them.

Why did everything have to be so difficult?

How could the not believe they were fated? Not with all they'd been through. Not with the recent dreams. Or maybe they were messages. They had to believe, regardless of the past.

Why did everything have to be so difficult?

It would work this time. Disapproving friends, sacred duties, and curses be damned. They were owed this. They'd sacrificed so much, been dealt endless shards of pain. There would still be bad times. But together, the impact would be greatly lessened. All they needed was each other.

.God she'd missed him.

.his goddess, oh how he'd missed her.

.they just wanted to be together, that's all they'd ever wanted.

.why did everything have to be so difficult?...

They almost didn't hear the knocking at the door.

^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^

"Cordy?!" That was definitely not who either expected to find at the door. Her and Buffy had never really been friends, and it had been over two years since they had even seen each other. She really was not who they were expecting to see.

"Nice to see you too, Buffy," Cordy chirped grouchily.

"Cordy? What are you doing here?" Angel questioned in complete surprise.

Cordelia shuddered inwardly. Her mind flashing back to the horrible nightmare that had plagued her dreams after being stood up by Angel at Point Dume. That dream, with its scenes of being dumped by Angel the second his precious little Buffy came for him, followed by a return appearance of Angelus, and then her violent death, was the reason precise she was there.

"Here," she shoved a book into Angel's hand. The book, and the spell it contained, had been shown to her in the final part of the dream.

Angel's eyes widened in recognition. The book he was now holding was the very one he had seen in his dream. The one that held the spell to forever bind his soul to his body.

"W-what?" stuttered Angel, not understanding how she knew about the book.

"Don't. Ask," Cordy shuddered again, the dream still vivid in her mind. Plus, it had also made her realize that she never had a chance with Angel. Buffy would always come first for him. And she wasn't about to play second best. Still, she didn't like being the one to give them the spell that would let them get it on like a pair of rabbits.

Momentarily, Angel just starred at her, wondering what was going on with his friend. It made no sense. They had been on the verge of.something.between them. And now, here she was, finding him with Buffy, and giving him the book she should have known nothing about.

He glanced at Buffy, telling her with his eyes that he needed to talk to Cordelia. Buffy obliged, despite feeling slightly threatened at the other woman's presence. But she would trust Angel. They had nothing if they couldn't trust each other.

^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^

"Look, I know you want to know why I had the book and why I'm here. But really, I don't want to talk about it. Just take it and..just be happy," Cordy sighed. It wasn't easy to tell him to go to someone else.

"You'll tell me sometime?" Angel questioned gently. He knew she was conflicted, and he wanted to know what had happened. But really, at the moment, his mind was already exhausted from the evening's events.

"Yeah.sometime," she shrugged before turning to leave the house.

"Hey.are you all right?" he asked softly. The things that had gone on between them couldn't have made this easy on her. He cared about her, but not in the way he had almost been forced to feel.

"I'm fine.just tired," she replied hesitantly. Getting into a heart to heart with Angel was not what she wanted at the moment.

"I'm sorry," Angel suddenly said. What else was there for him to say?

"It's.ok. I should have known. I was there to see it all between you two," Cordy answered, referring to Buffy and Angel's early relationship. "I don't know how I could have forgotten."

"Ignorance is bliss," smiled Angel slightly.

They'd all tried to forget it. Tried to pretend their love had never happened. But they had only been fooling themselves. True love is never really over. It can be disregarded, it can be run from, but it is never really gone. It only bides its time until it can once again flourish.

^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^

Up above, the Irishman smiled and leaned back in his chair as he watched the scene below him unfold. His work was complete. The Powers would be satisfied that their Warriors were happy and reunited.

They would still face tough times. There would be challenges. But that's all part of living. It would make them stronger. They would be able to face anything as long as they remained together. After all, it was fated to be that way.

^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^

THE END.

AN4 - So.there it was, the last part of 'The Remember Trilogy'. No dream sequence this time.I had 2 ways to work a dream sequence, but I opted for some fluff. The last parts were a bit unrealistic, I realize, because so much is skimmed over. But the point of this fic was not really the 'how they got back together' but rather just that they did get back together.