AUTHOR: Goddess Isa
EMAIL: [email protected]
SUMMARY: It's Buffy's first date in awhile - how will the gang react?? Set three years from now
SPOILER: Mild everything, major nothing
DISTRIBUTION: Sandee, of course - My site - http://planetslaythishomestead.com - Crystal and Butterfly if they want it - A Soul's Redemption - Anyone else - sure, just email me & lmk where it's going - I like seeing my name in print =)
FEEDBACK: Please, I'd hate to have to Slay for it. =P
RATING: TV-14
DISCLAIMER: Joss owns the characters. Joss is the man. Damn the man.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: The idea came from an *old* episode of FRIENDS (the best season really was the first) and that's also how I got the title.
DEDICATION: To Marta Kauffman, Kevin Bright and David Crane, for creating FRIENDS and coming up with the zany ideas that keep me in stitches every night via syndication, and to Matt LeBlanc 'cause he was really hot the first year.
"Okay," Buffy came out of her room playing with her earrings. She ran down the stairs, her hair flying behind her. "He'll be here any minute, and--"
She stopped talking and stared at her living room. Yes, it had been two years since her mother died.
Yes, it had been two years since Willow and Xander began living in the house.
But when had her life turned into that of Monica and Rachel?
Willow and Giles were at her mother's desk, searching the Internet and making notes.
Oz and Spike were on one side of the living room trying to teach each other about real music. Xander and Anya were on the other side, making out and groping madly.
"Look," Buffy put her coat on and sighed. "He's gonna be here any minute, and I know how you can be when I bring a guy home."
"Yes, but sometimes we have reasons." Willow said. "Take Riley, for instance."
"Ugh." Buffy made a face in memory of the demonic loser. "Riley was....I can never thank you enough for that rescue." she shivered just picturing him.
"It's so cute how he and Parker finally found each other." Xander said between kisses.
"I'm glad they were able to overcome their insecurities and make their relationship work." Spike said with a smirk.
"They're meant for each other." Oz added.
The doorbell rang and Buffy froze. Everyone stared at the door with anticipation.
"I gotta start living on my own," Buffy muttered.
She took a deep breath, checked her reflection in the mirror and opened the door.
Wearing his classic black pants and a denim button-up shirt obviously picked out by Cordelia, Angel entered.
He was smiling and carrying a single rose.
"Angel!" Willow ran over and hugged him. "How are you? What are you doing here?"
"Yeah, 'cause Buffy's got some bloke comin' to pick her up any minute now." Spike said though Angel didn't hear him.
He smiled at Willow. "I'm taking Buffy out on a date. How've you been, Willow?"
"Busy! I--"
"So you're taking out our Buffy." Xander said as he walked into the foyer with Spike and Oz at his heels. Anya was lying on the couch, wiped out and breathing heavily.
"You'd better not keep her out late," Spike warned.
"Nice shoes," Oz complimented.
"So...." Xander began pacing around the vampire interrogation style. His time as a rookie cop had paid off. "So, Angel, is it? You work?"
"Yeah." he gave Xander a strange look but decided to humour him.
"Where?" Oz queried.
"I own my own investigative agency."
"Make good money? Can you support our Slayer?" Spike asked. "Our little girl here is gettin' to be the marrying age."
Buffy took her purse and hit each guy on the head with it. When she approached Giles, he ducked. "I did nothing Buffy, and I kept my mouth shut, hard as it was."
"I know," she smiled. "And I'm very proud of you. I was just giving you a hug." she gave him a tight one. Then she opened the door to leave and peeked back in saying, "Don't wait up." Then she was gone.
"I didn't like him." Xander said.
"He's a bum." Spike opined.
"He'll never amount to anything." Giles added.
"Shut up." Willow said. "Angel's great and you all know it."
"Eh," all the guys said in unison, most of them shrugging.
"He makes Buffy happy," Willow said. "That is *all* that matters."
"God, I've missed you," Buffy said as she and Angel laid together in a bed at the Sunnydale Motel, usually called the Sunnydale Shithouse by anyone who's ever stayed there. Buffy didn't seem to mind the crappy decor or vibrating bed. She laid in the sheets with her lover and snuggled closer to him.
"I've missed you," Angel said. "Are you happy?"
"How can you ask me that? Don't you know?"
"I just had to be sure."
"I'm so glad the spell worked. Willow's gonna freak when she finds out Anya and I went behind her back to re-curse your soul."
"Why did you?" he asked. "Go behind her back, I mean."
"Willow's in love with Giles. She feels a strange responsibility to him and won't cast any spells without his approval."
And he wouldn't have approved of the spell for my soul." Angel assumed.
"Hell, no. He wants me to marry Xander."
"XANDER?" Angel's fangs appeared immediately at the thought of that Zeppo touching his woman.
She giggled and Angel looked ready to jump out of the bed and kill both men right that second. "He knows Xander's quote-unquote, in love with Anya, at least now. And it would never, ever happen Angel. I have always loved only you."
"Except for the spells that made you love Xander and Spike for a day or two." he grimaced as his human face returned.
"It was just magick," she pointed out.
"Everything is." he pointed out. "You, me, we're both here because of magick."
She looked at him, waiting for the breakup blow she'd gotten to know well over the last few years.
"And I don't give a rat's ass anymore. Will you marry me?"
"Tomorrow," she said, sliding on top of him and kissing her way down her chest.
"Buffy?" he asked. "Can I tell you something?"
"Uh-huh." she kept kissing lower and lower.
"I really love you, and I can't wait to be your husband, but......I just can't stand your friends."