A Life to Live

By Jen.

Hello readers yes another story is being posted. I was going to wait on this one when my other stories were completely finished but if you know me how often does that happen? Like never. Anyways this story has been on my mind for a while like since I started typing The Gift Rewrite while. The reason why it hasn't been started is because I didn't have it drama ready. It was going to be the old cliché of Riley being Buffy's ex and she meets Angel. Yeah enough of that I got something new and even cooler thanks to the suggestion of SMGbest. Once she introduced the idea I ran with it so here it is and enjoy.

I own nothing of these characters. All the characters belong to Joss Whedon and their respectful owners. This is merely for entertainment purposes only. Rated M for language, adult situations and sexual content. AU, all human.

Summary: Elizabeth O'Reilly had the perfect life until she found out who her real husband is. She has lost that name and transformed herself in order to hide from her husband who is the most ruthless mob boss that has been seen. She flees New York erasing her past completely and to protect her mother and he son. She makes it to the little town of Sunnydale and begins a new life but no matter what the past will always catch up too. You can't bury it, you can't ignore it so what do you do?

Chapter 1 New Beginnings

Buffy looked to the room one last time. Her room, his room, their room. A room she shared with a man that she loved or at least she thought she loved. But love is blind, it's a flame that'll burn you, it can betray and kill you. It hurts her to know what he has done, what he plans to do. All that mattered now was the little baby boy in the car seat at her feet. It was time to erase this life away. Even her name is about to change and it was time to travel from New York to California to get as far away as possible. She picked up the car seat and headed downstairs. She needed to slip away quietly into the night without being seen. If seen then she'll get caught and what would happen? He could kill her; take her child that's what would happen. Up until a year ago she lived a luxurious life but now she needed to rebuild it. Marrying the biggest mob boss of the state of New York was not what she had in mind but for three years she had no idea what he did in the undergrounds of the city, how many people he's killed, he's tortured, raped.

It sickened her that she shared a bed with this man, a man she trusted, she loved, she opened up to. But now it was over. Her mother was at the door waiting as they were renting a van and small trailer taking only the basics so they couldn't be tracked. Buffy left the apartment never to look back, never to return. She did her duty and testified against him and now he swore to kill her. Of course he was in jail but he had men ready to kill her on command. She heads to car that she and her mother rented under a false name so they couldn't be tracked. She gets her little baby settled in and then climbs into the passenger side as her mother gets into the driver's seat. Behind them was an undercover US Marshal to escort them. They had check points to go through as they needed to get these three out of town.

She and her mother were going to be protected as they were witnesses to this man. The last surviving witnesses and this mob was one that even the cops were afraid of. These two women needed to survive to put more of the mobs members into jail. So they were taking them to the FBI headquarters in Washington D.C. first where they would become Buffy and Joyce Summers. The baby's false birth record would become the true record. Buffy's real name Elizabeth Marie Sherman O' Reilly would die with the victims of her mob boss husband Angelus Malachi O'Reilly. She would now be named Buffy Anne Summers. Her mother's name Victoria Cyan Sherman would become Joyce Lee Summers. And the baby's name on the state birth certificate was Aiden Malachi O'Reilly but the false one is ready to be the official one and it would say Connor Michael Summers. The woman once named Elizabeth now Buffy looked out the window frighten not knowing if they would make it out of this city.

The trip to D.C. was calm but that meant nothing. At each check point the three were handed off to different US Marshals until they came to D.C. where they were handed over to the FBI. The two were in the office signing new records, becoming new people. Elizabeth signed her new birth records and got a new ID. Victoria did the same and now Buffy Summers signed the new birth certificate and her son was now Connor. While this was happening their jobs were also being changed and relocated. Elizabeth was a school teacher and she would remain one just going from a fifth grade teacher to a first grade teacher. Victoria was an art director and now she would become an art teacher. That might be the only thing that remains with them from the old life. Their new names were now on recorded and their old files were now sealed never to be opened again. All the past connections they've had are gone; the people they knew never existed.

Buffy and Joyce after a few days under the watchful eye of the FBI were now were off to start their new life. They packed up and began the trip to California to a little town called Sunnydale. It was time to forget the past and move on. The trip was both eventful with site seeing but a bit scary because it felt like they were leaving behind an old part of them for him and his people to track. A US Marshal followed them all the way to Sunnydale and once the women saw the welcome sign it was time to start all over again.

Sunnydale was different from New York a compete one eighty. They pulled up to the house that they would be in and it was pretty. 1630 Revello Drive was now her new home. Joyce would find a place for herself once Buffy gets settled and on her feet plus she wanted to be close to her grandson. Joyce pulled up to the house and Buffy got out of the car.

"It's pretty isn't it?" Joyce asked as Buffy went to grab Connor from his seat. Buffy nodded and walked next to her mother. Then a woman walked over smiling.

"Ah you must be the new neighbors," She said smiling and they both nodded. "Welcome to Sunnydale I'm Donna," She held out her hand and shook theirs and now it was time to introduce themselves.

"I'm Joyce Summers and this is my daughter Buffy and her son Connor." Joyce managed to say without flubbing and it sounded natural. All the way here both she and Buffy repeated their new names over and over and over hundreds of times to make sure they got it right.

"Well if you need anything I'm right here." Donna assured them and left. Buffy and Joyce then turned to their new house and Joyce put her arm around her daughter's shoulder.

"Well here goes nothing." Joyce said and Buffy nodded and they headed in.

The whole afternoon they were fixing up the place. They would need more things as the place was sparse for the moment. Both of them lived in apartments in New York, huge apartments but this house was bigger and they left a good amount of things behind as not to be tracked. Could the mob track them through a coffee table? Who knows but they weren't going to risk it at all. Connor's crib was set up and the girls were thinking about putting together their beds but instead they just had the mattresses placed on the floors of their rooms and would fix it tomorrow, they were exhausted. The US Marshal would check in on them once a week for six months, then once a month for a year and then every six months thereafter until maybe one day all this disappears.

Joyce made quick run to get some Chinese, tomorrow they would get real food to stalk up on. They ate downstairs on the kitchen floor as the dining room table did not exist yet. Joyce would be out getting some décor for Buffy. But dinner was a quiet one. They didn't want to talk about what has been happening but what else was there to talk about? Buffy would begin her new job when school starts on Monday. Connor was enrolled at the high school daycare program so that was good. Buffy would be at Sunnydale Elementary school just a five minute walk from Sunnydale High school. They could talk about work but that was it.

After dinner Buffy went upstairs to check on Connor and he was in his crib asleep peacefully. She smiled seeing him sleeping so calmly. She couldn't imagine having him raised in the mob life, wondering if he would live another day. She reached into the crib and fixed his blanket to keep him warm. Buffy then just gazed at her baby boy, the best thing she's ever done in her life. But the sweet moment was ruined as she heard a noise, a motor noise going on outside. Really they're living next to bikers and why are they working on their bikes at this time of night. Buffy left Connor's room and headed downstairs and Joyce went to see what was happening.

Buffy walked through the front door, down the step and onto her lawn. The other neighbors she didn't meet were outside in the driveway playing music and had a bike out. They didn't look like bikers though. But they needed to shut up her baby needed to sleep. Joyce knew these guys were going to get it. Buffy was married to a mob boss she knew how to hold her own. Buffy was always tough so Joyce was going to watch. Buffy walked right into their driveway as the music was blasting.

"Hey!" Buffy yelled but they ignored her as she came across the way. A few of the guys saw her as the man causing the motorcycle to rev over and over didn't hear nor see her. Buffy wasn't in the mood, she was tired and it's been a long day. "Hey!" She yelled in the guy's ear and it startled him. He turned around as one of the other guys switched the music off.

"Hey, whoa…whoa," The man was caught off guard as he stood up and a petite blonde stood before him. "Whoa hi," He looked up and down at her and he was love struck. He's seen some pretty women before but this one, on a scale of one to ten she was a perfect twelve. His friends were watching this holding back the giggles.

"What the hell do you think you're doing making all that damn noise?" Buffy asked crossing her arms. The man looked to his friends for help but they didn't say anything.

"Uh well," The man stuttered a little. "You know Friday night and all." He answered and Buffy didn't get it.

"Well stop please ok, it's been a long day and I just want to sleep." Buffy ordered and then the man understood what was going on.

"Oh right you're the new neighbor hi," The man started to feel bad and he held out his hand and Buffy looked at it and then he pulled away. She then started to walk away. "Oh wait we weren't introduced." Buffy stopped and turned around looking to the man.

"I'm the new neighbor there were introduced." Buffy said and started to head back to the house. The man smiled a little she was tough he liked that. The man then chased after her.

"Hey wait, wait if I knew a very pretty girl was my new neighbor I would have done this differently, so," He then cut her off but Buffy wasn't going to have it. "Let's start over ok I'm Angel. What's your name?" He asked.

"Just think of me of the girl next door who likes it quiet." Buffy said and began to walk away again but Angel wasn't done yet. He had to get to know this girl.

"No wait, hey, hey." Once again he cut her off and Buffy sighed she was getting annoyed now. "Hey how about to apologize I take you out for a dinner ok, show your around town." Angel offered and his buddies could hear him and they snickered. "Give me your number and I'll do it the right way, call you and everything. I mean I've got your address so you can't get away." Angel smiled trying to be charming but Buffy wasn't buying it. As of now she's sworn off men. It was time now to show this man just who she was. She's the ex-wife of the biggest and most ruthless mob boss in New York.

"Which one…Angel?" Buffy asked and Angel looked confused but the way she said his name he liked it.

"Angel I like how you say that. You've got more than one number?" He asked and she nodded.

"Yeah like the number six," Buffy said. "That's how many months my baby boy is." Angel couldn't help but smile a little.

"You've got a baby boy?" He asked and Buffy nodded.

"Hot mom right. How about this for a number, two thousand four hundred and sixty one miles is how far I've traveled, nine o nine four one three seven two seven three, that's my phone number. And with all the numbers I just gave you I 'm thinking zero is the amount of times you're going to call them." Buffy then walked away she was done now. Angel was left standing there and that has never happened before. Then he chased after her again as Buffy went inside.

"How do you how far you've traveled. See now that impresses me to know that." Angel said but it was too late Buffy was inside and he stood out in her front lawn. "You're dead wrong about those numbers." And then he heard the door clicked meaning it was locked. Angel stood there for a moment and smiled and headed back to his house as his friends waited. Angel then went to one knee and then to the other meaning that was maybe the most beautiful woman he's ever seen. She was fierce and witty and he liked that. His friends laughed at him knowing he had an instant crush on the woman.

Buffy head back up to her room not telling her mother what happened mostly because Joyce saw it. Buffy went to her room and laid out on the mattress and then thought about the man she just saw. It was strange though, he looked so familiar, his face both made her body chill with delight and tremble with fear. She rolled to her side and sighed. No more men.

Three Days Later.

Buffy woke to a knock on her door and she looked to the clock, it was time to wake up for school. It was her first day on the job. She got up informing her mother that she was up. Joyce then went to get Connor and dressed him and brought him downstairs and sat him in the high chair. A few minutes later Buffy came down and smelt breakfast.

"Hi Connor," Buffy smiled seeing her son and he smiled back and she reached out and picked him. Then she sat down and held him. "How's my boy?" Buffy asked and kissed his head. Joyce then came over with a plate of food. "Thanks mom." Joyce then reached and got her plate and sat down and they started to eat. Joyce was going out to see the UC Sunnydale campus; she had a week before her classes started for the semester.

Joyce dropped Buffy off at the high school so she could drop Connor off at the center. After saying good bye Buffy walked to the center seeing very young babies to four year olds. Then a young red head came over.

"You must be Buffy," The woman said and Buffy smiled. "I'm Willow we talked over the phone."

"Oh yeah," Buffy smiled nodding.

"And this handsome man must be Connor." Willow said and Buffy nodded.

"Yup my little man." Buffy said smiling as Connor studied Willow. "Don't let his looks deceive you." Willow smiled.

"Welcome to Sunnydale by the way." She added and Buffy nodded.

"Well I need to get going." Buffy said and Willow smiled and handed Connor off to her. "You be good Connor." She kissed her son. "If you need anything I'm just a hop and a skip away." Willow smiled and nodded and then took Connor with her. Every time Connor left Buffy was always sad. She felt like she missed out on so much even if it was just a cough or a sneeze. Buffy left the daycare center and headed to the elementary campus to begin her first day at work and school.

Meanwhile Angel walked through the office building looking totally different from the night he met Buffy and he still didn't know her name. That night he was in jeans and a Led Zeppelin t-shirt now he was in a suit and tie. He had a cup of coffee in his hand heading to his office. As he walked down the hall a man on a phone held out a handful off papers to him and hung up the phone. He then joined up with Angel.

"Got two cases mate," The man stated and Angel nodded looking at the papers while sipping his coffee. "Dead girl."

"Not blind Spike." Angel said to the man as he flipped through the papers and walked into his office and set the papers down on his desk. Angel took off his jacket and out it around his chair. He had a gun holster around his shoulders with a gun in it ready and loaded. Also on his belt he had another gun along with his badge too. The badge said "Sunnydale Police" and under that it said "S.W.A.T." Around his office he had tons of awards and on the wall he had a folded American flag and next to it were medals. Angel sat down in his chair and the day started with a dead girl, got to love Mondays. Angel then looked at another file. "What the hell is this?" Angel asked not recognizing the folder or anything.

"Something new." Spike answered as he sat on Angel's desk folding his arms. Spike had the same type of equipment Angel had on too. "US Marshal, sealed documents type new." Spike added. "It's sealed records and all we are to know it's that once in a while we'll see the US Marshals around here." Spike said Angel nodded. "Has to come through the boss." Angel was head of operations of the tri-county Special Weapons and Tactics or known as the S.W.A.T team. Angel is a retired Marine sniper so in all he's one guy you do not want to mess with. While not dealing with terrorist, hostage type situations Angel acted like a cop. Just as he was about to sip more of his coffee a dispatch call went out.

"All units, all units we have a hot pursuit in progress," A woman's voice came over the radio and Angel leaned forward to listen.

"Can't this wait until like ten in the morning?" Spike asked and Angel just listened in.

"Highway 18, suspects are part of bank robbery; one white male might be the suspect from a prior shooting." Angel stood up and Spike was ready to go. "There is a possibly three others are with him. All units are advised to use extreme caution as they armed and very dangerous." The woman said and the two left Angel's office.

"Don't you love Mondays?" Spike asked as Angel left his office ready for a day's work.

School was over and Buffy was picked up with Connor and the three went home for the afternoon. Joyce had gone out and bought more things for the house like pots and pans, dishes and silverware.

"You did buy us food so we don't starve right?" Buffy asked and Joyce smiled and nodded. Buffy seemed anxious but after a while she'll settle down from all this. Angelus was in prison and she was able to testify against him and gave a list of numerous amounts of men in the mob that will give Angelus a triple life sentencing. But with every human you always have the gut telling you something and hers was saying don't let your guard down.

The hot pursuit didn't go well. Angel didn't lose any men, a few got hurt but nothing major. But the four men had to be taken out. It meant he needed to write a report of each bullet fired and why he gunned down one of the suspects. He hated killing people. It doesn't matter if they're bad people he hates killing them, to take a life, to pull that trigger. In the Marines he was trained to kill and to love his rifle but it didn't make killing easy. He's taken many lives and it takes its toll on you. Angel came up to a church like he always does when he kills someone.

Angel walked into the front and dipped his fingers into holy water and made the sign of the cross and genuflected before the Alter. Some people looked at him because he will in a vest with his guns in holsters. Sometimes he didn't change out of them. It wasn't to show off it just he forgot to take them off before entering church. It wasn't scary for the scattered people just a little odd. Then he went to the confession booths and got in one and closed the door. Angel sat down seeing the silhouette of man on the other side.

"Forgive me Father for I have sinned," Angel began. "I killed a man today." Angel started. This was the only way to feel better about killing people. He did it for his country and his fellow countrymen but it's not easy. But those four men might have someone who does love them and he took one away from a loved one whether it was for the greater good or not.

After confession Angel walked out into the church the church he was baptized in, received first communion in, confirmation and maybe one day be married in. He wanted to marry someone someday but his job the type of job he has he wouldn't do it. He wouldn't put a woman, a woman he loves through that anxiety of not knowing if he would come home that night. He would not leave that woman a widow or a widow and a single mother. He was too much of a good man to do that. So that new girl next door, no matter how pretty she was and how attracted he was or what he felt towards her, he wouldn't do it. He wasn't going be selfish.

So that's chapter one. Buffy and Angel don't hit it off like they normally do. Buffy's quite reserved and she has every right to be. So I didn't give you guys much information. I will give you information as this story continues but just enough. So far we know Buffy was married to Angelus O'Reilly a very bad mob boss. She's on the run not completely from him but from his men. So wait a minute Angel and Angelus aren't they the same? Wait what's happening? Told you just enough information. Although I've made it pretty clear who Angelus is and who Angel is. Both are pretty bad when you think about it. Angelus a ruthless mob boss and Angel a retired Marine sniper turned into head of Special Weapons and Tactics. But if Angel and Buffy hook will that make her feel safe or not?

Lots of questions to be answered like always. Yes more will be on the way.

I have a forum/blog up called The BuffyAngelWhedonVerse where you can chat with me about all things of those universes. I also have a poll up on my Bio page for any The Walking Dead fans so check that out.

Comments and reviews are welcomed thanks for reading.