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Abused By Tango you seemed real shiny with the sweat of your voice Buffy went straight from her appointment with her new therapist, Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, across town to the high school outdoor basketball court. She had been having sessions with Wes twice a week for the past two weeks and felt like he was becoming a part of her routine. This week, he had even managed to get a detail or two about her life out of her. Sitting down against the giant oak tree off the side of the court, she watched as Angel and Gunn faced off. Both were shirtless and sweating, having been out there for an hour already. She watched her lover's chiseled body move across the court. He looked serious for a moment, keeping his poker face intact as he dribbled the ball close to the ground. With a fake to the left, he spun back to the right and went for the shot. The ball arched high and hit the rim, rolling around for a moment before falling through the metal mesh net. She felt the corners of her mouth twitching to a smile as she saw his stoic expression turn into a smug grin. His mouth moved with his words but she was too far away to hear what he was saying. From the look on Gunn's face, it was probably something rude. Buffy scanned the other side of the court and saw several college females standing around watching. She watched them closely as they eyed the two men who digressed to preteen boys every Wednesday when they hit the courts. Apparently, she wasn't the only one who had figured out their schedule. They seemed to have more and more spectators every week. She opened her book bag and dug through it, emerging with a bottle of water, which she sipped on while she thought about what had plagued her mind every day for the last two weeks - marrying Angel. She kept her eyes trained on his naked upper torso and thought about waking up with her head pillowed on it every morning and falling asleep with it pressed against her back every night. She smiled at the thought, taking a tiny mental step closer to admitting that there really wasn't a reason why she was waiting except for her fears of disappointing him. All of her thoughts flew from her mind as the ball bounced out of bounds and rolled towards one of the pretty girls on the other side of the court watching the show. Buffy watched intently, eyes narrowed to green slits as a lovely brunette, bent over to pick up the ball and gave everyone a glimpse of her cleavage as she did. Angel jogged over casually and waited patiently for the return of the ball while the girl rested her weight on one tanned leg, her hip cocking out flirtatiously. She didn't look like she was planning on handing over the ball anytime in the near future. Scrambling to her feet and dusting herself off, Buffy sauntered toward her lover and the girl who looked like she was three seconds from asking to have his children. She breezed past Gunn, nodding her head at his greeting and kept going. Grinning evilly, she stopped just behind him and slid her arms around his waist and struggling to keep from laughing as he nearly jumped out of his skin at the sensation. "Hello lover," she crooned, circling around him and upturning her face for a kiss. He leaned down with a smile to oblige her, trying to hold in the glee at her obvious jealousy. "Mmmmm..." he moaned as she deepened the peck he was expecting into a passionate dueling of tongues. Breaking away reluctantly, Buffy turned with mock surprise at the girl still standing there with the basketball propped against her hip. "Hey there," Buffy said with a sweet smile, dripping with honey, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude." Leaning in, she whispered, "He's just so sexy when he's all sweaty like this I wanna lick him all over." "I bet," the brunette chirped back. "If you wanna play," Buffy said, threading her fingers with Angel's, "Gunn might need someone to play with. I'm going to keep this one occupied for the rest of the afternoon." "Nice talking to you," Angel said good naturedly, with a look of apology on his face for his girlfriend's behavior as Buffy pulled him away. Once they made it a few steps away, he looked down at her with a grin, "Jealous?" "Of her?" Buffy answered, "Nope. Uh-uh. No way...Did you see how short her skirt was?" "Can't say I did," he answered quickly. *** walk
right out into a brand new day Maybe it was the way he made love to her the night before, swearing she was the only woman for him or maybe it was the thought that she had no hold on him whatsoever, but the following day after her afternoon classes, she made two stops - one to Giles' office for a favor and one to the bank. As she entered the small Sunnydale branch bank, she tried to still her shaking hands as she headed up to the teller's window. She stumbled over her words as she showed the girl the keys, realizing that she had never even seen a safety deposit box, let alone opened one. "Miss Summers," the girl said, widening her eyes as she realized who the nervous blonde was after several minutes of explaining. Everyone who worked at the bank knew who Buffy Summers' was and all of them had heard the story again and again of how Liam Angelus was sharing his entire fortune with a girl he hadn't even married yet. It seemed to take an incredibly long time between the explanation and all the signatures, which looked shaky and scrawled to Buffy, before she could even get the safety deposit box. She took a deep breath as she signed the last one and said, "I'm sorry these are so bad. I'm a little nervous about signing them." "I don't blame you," the girl answered with a equally nervous smile. "We're almost done. If you would like to pick out your new checks, Miss Summers, we'll be finished." "Doesn't he already have checks?" Buffy asked in confusion, squirming under the scrutiny of the entire bank staff. "Yes, ma'am," she answered, "But Mr. Angelus said he wanted to order new ones with your name on them. He specified that you could choose whatever you wanted." Leaning in confidentially, she almost giggled as she said, "He said even if you wanted flowery ones that was fine." "S-something simple," Buffy answered, flipping through the leather display book quickly, "Which are the nicest, most elegant, business-y ones?" By the time Buffy reached the safety deposit box, she felt like she had aged a couple of years. She was still shaking as she opened the lid of the box, stunned by the numbers on the paper work. Real people didn't have that kind of money and she wasn't even sure it was possible to spend it in a lifetime. She kept checking to make sure her purse was still on her shoulder, which held her new debit card. Peering in, she saw a stack of official looking paperwork and on top was a blue velvet box. She opened it slowly and gasped as she peered inside at the ring. It was a one-carat solitaire with two half-carat diamonds on either side, set in a delicate platinum band. She gingerly pulled it from its velvet encasement and looked at it closely, petting it as if she didn't think it was real. Something inside the band caught her eye and she turned the ring to see the script inside the ring, "Soulmate." *** i
tell you she was cool Angel had been watching Buffy for days and days, wondering what she was thinking. He had kept his silence, not wanting to pressure her to wear the ring or accept his money. He counted his blessings that she loved him, that she had consented to marry him...someday. He couldn't help being impatient though, wondering when she would start the engagement. It wasn't like they had to set a date, so why wouldn't she wear the ring? He was getting more and more frustrated with his own inability to wait. He felt like Buffy was this distant goal that he couldn't quite reach. Even when she was in his arms lately, he found himself struggling not to ask her if she really wanted to marry him after all. Maybe she had changed her mind and couldn't figure out how to tell him. Maybe she thought that he was trying to buy his way into her life. The more he thought about it, the more problems he found with how he handled the situation. That Wednesday when her jealous streak flared, he was thrilled by it, although he couldn't imagine what she thought he might see in the girl who had held his basketball hostage. He teased her about it and reemphasized his devotion for her when they got home. Friday night, two weeks following the safety deposit box mistake, Angel grumbled through an elongated business session with Giles. Although he understood Giles' anxiousness to offload the Angelus business details on Angel, he couldn't see why it had to be on Friday night. Mostly, he didn't understand why it had to last so damn long on Friday night. Finally at nine o'clock that night, he was able to escape Giles' tedious explanation of every single teensy profit margin and rising market value. He hurried across campus in the middle of the night and entered the mansion quickly. He skidded to a stop just inside the front door when he realized that the whole place was pitch black and there wasn't a sound anywhere. If he didn't know better, he would think that every single inhabitant of the whole place was gone, but it wasn't possible. That never happened. Never. He entered the great room and he saw that the fireplace was softly burning, which seemed strange, since most of the guys didn't mess with it. As he moved closer, he realized that the furniture had been pushed back from their regular position. "Buffy?" Angel whispered, almost afraid to break up the peace in the room. "Hmmmm?" she purred, looking up at him when he appeared, looking over the couch to find her naked and nestled in a pile of pillows and silk, her blonde hair streaming out around her. She smiled at him and stretched provocatively in the silks. Not far from her reach was a bottle champagne chilling and two crystal flutes. He opened his mouth, intent on scolding her for being so breathtakingly beautiful and seductive where anyone could walk in at any moment, but he couldn't seem to make the words come. Swallowing harshly, he moved toward her as she sweetly held out her arms for him. "Buffy," he started but was silenced as her mouth covered his, nibbling at his lips. She was warm and snug from being so close to the fire and her perfect naked body was irresistible there, surrounded by silk as she should be, her golden skin flickering with the flames. "Shhh," she hushed him, pulling him closer to her, "No one is coming home tonight." "No one?" he echoed in confusion, as she laved sweet little licks on his neck, "How is that even possible?" "Well," she answered huskily, unbuttoning his shirt and kissing the flesh as it appeared, "When I was at the bank yesterday, it occurred to me that we had never made love in front of the fireplace, so-" "You went to the bank?" he asked, sliding his hands over hers to look for the ring and finding her without any jewelry. "So," she continued, "I asked everyone to spend night somewhere else tonight, so we could be alone. I ended up putting a couple of the guys in the motel across town and of course, Spike and Dru needed a room." "Buffy," Angel pleaded, "You went to the bank?" "Take off your clothes," she whispered, kissing him patiently. She smiled at him and slipped her hand beneath one of the pillows at her side and produced the velvet box. "Take off your clothes," she repeated, running the box between the valley of her breasts, down to her belly button and back. Quickly, he stood and shed his clothes. Seconds later, he was back at her side on the mountain of silk. "You've been so patient with me," she said quietly, as her eyes filled with tears, "You've given me everything and I've been so afraid that I'll let you down. I've messed up so many things in my life already, Angel. Then the other day, when I saw that girl flirting with you and the look in your eyes when you saw me, it occurred to me that whatever mistakes I made, being without you would be so much worse. I don't want to lose you." "You'll never lose me," he said, "You don't have to marry me, Buffy. I'm sorry I pressured you. Take your time, love. I'm not going anywhere." "You're always promising me that," she said seriously, flipping them over and coming up on her knees at his side, "Now I'm promising you. I'm not going anywhere, Angel. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I'm tired of making you worry and making myself worry. For now on, no matter what else is wrong, we're going to be together." She tucked the box in his hand and curled a stray lock of hair behind her ear, "Angel, will you marry me? Cause I am completely, madly, head over heels, can't think straight, insanely in love with you." He smiled, hearing his own words tumbling out of her full lips and the tears shimmering in her bright green eyes. "Are you sure?" he asked, rolling the box over in his hand nervously. She nodded and held out her left hand for him. "I didn't want to wear it unless you put it on me," she said quietly. He opened the box and pulled out the ring, nearly dropping it as he slipped it on her finger. She leaned down and squealed as he pulled her against his chest, devouring her mouth greedily. Giggling in delight at his wandering hands as they smoothed over her back and cupped her bottom, she kissed down his neck and chest. She paused in her movements and lowered her gaze to his belly button, then his hardened sex. Giving him an evil smile, she kissed down his belly and kissed all around his pelvic bone, carefully avoiding his sex until he was groaning in anticipation. Finally, when he moaned out a "Please baby," she lowered her head she licked the tip. She smiled up at him as she tasted him, loving the way his eyes darkened in passion, turning a liquid black. Encouraged, she took him into her mouth, sucking lightly as she cupped his balls in her hand. She increased the pressure and the speed, loving the feel of his hardness inside her mouth. Angel gasped in pleasure as she sucked him in harder and deeper. Her eyes locked with his, increasing in pressure and speed, her tiny hand squeezing the base of his cock as she tried to take more of him in. She moaned as she moved up and swirled her tongue around the tip of his cock once more. "Buffy," he groaned between gritted teeth, "I want to be inside you." As much as he loved oral sex, he wanted to make love to her. He reached down to pull her to him but she swatted his hand away, grazing the tip of his cock with her teeth as she reluctantly pulled away and glared at him. "Wait your turn, baby," she whispered, her hot breath teasing over the sensitive tip. He breathed a long, shaky breath and he gripped the silk above his head with white knuckled tension as she laved long, slow licks on the underside of him before taking him in her mouth once more. She continued to look at him, watching his reaction to her actions. She moved more slowly, sucking him harder in long, wet strokes, watching as he trembled under touch. He arched off the bed of pillows as he drew closer to climax, twisting his hands in the silk. It vaguely registered in his clouded brain that he ripped the silk sheet as he groaned her name, releasing into her hot mouth. Buffy smiled in satisfaction, licking her lips like a wild cat, but had little time to bask in the feeling before he pulled her up to his lips, delving passionately into her mouth, tasting himself there. Breaking the kiss, he flipped them over and dove down to take her breasts in his mouth and hands. She moaned with pleasure as his fingers and tongue caressed her nipples. Kneeling over her tiny frame, he sucked in ravenous mouthfuls of honeyed flesh, gorging himself on his lover's taste and smell as he made his way down her body. She cried out as he splayed her thighs apart and leaned in for a taste, resting one large hand on each of her inner thighs. She raised her hips, panting in pleasure as he opened her with his thumbs and laved a long lick of her sex, before delving inside her, stabbing inside her with his rigid tongue. She whimpered, crying out his name and clutching his broad shoulders as he circled her little nub with his tongue, teasing her mercilessly. "Angel," she hissed, "Please!" He growled against her as he finally sucked her clit between his lips, nibbling on it and lashing at it with his tongue, twisting his long fingers inside of her. Buffy moved her hips against his fingers, trembling violently as she neared her climax. He scraped his teeth against her clit and sucked her in again, feeling her buck and scream his name in pleasure underneath him. He lapped the honey that poured from her core, feeling her against his ever moving fingers, arching to find her pressure points inside. He continued until she collapsed, shaking violently beneath him. He didn't wait for her to calm before crawling up her body and claiming her lips. He entered her slippery heat without a moment's hesitation, groaning with the sensation of her inner muscles tensing and squeezing around him. He thought he was going to collapse from the pleasure before it even started. Buffy wrapped her legs around him, pulling him inside her deeper, tighter. She knew from the first time he made love to her that she was lost to other men when she first felt him perfectly filling her, stretching her and making her want to die from the overwhelming pleasure of it. Now she was reeling with the knowledge that for the rest of her life she would have him by her side. She bucked up against him, wrapping her legs around his waist. He groaned in response, rolling in waves of pleasure inside her. She dug her nails into his back, writhing against him as he slammed inside her. The claiming of each other, the possession of each other intertwined with reckless calls of love as they tried to invade each other's bodies. "I love you, Buffy," he said hoarsely as he moved inside her. "I love you, Angel," she said back, sliding her hands his skin, memorizing each plane of him. They reached orgasm together, exploding with perfect passion and love in celebration of their sealed commitment. Angel rolled over with a happy sigh, pulling Buffy to lay directly on top of him. Buffy laid with her head on Angel's chest, smiling as she listened to his heart beating. "Ask me later how much I spent tonight on silk and pillows, beer for the guys and hotel rooms," Buffy said, puffing sweet breaths against his skin, "From our new bank account." He squeezed her sides, tickling her and she fell into a breathless heap of giggles, scrambling across the silk makeshift bed to escape his attack. "Are you happy?" he asked, when he finally caught her, pinning her to the floor, half on the marble floor and half on the pillows. "Couldn't be happier," she purred, arching against him, "Are you happy?" "Happy doesn't begin to cover it," he answered, stroking his thumbs on her open palms. Leaning in, he kissed her gently. Losing himself in her kiss, he didn't even notice her hands slip free to tickle him back. He fell back on the pillows as she descended on him, falling into his arms. "Happily ever after is really gonna suck," she announced, pressing her face against his chest. "Tell me about it," he answered hoarsely. *** Abused: Epilogue By Tango LYRICS: All lyrics are from Everclear RATING: R AN:
This epilogue takes place ten years after part twenty-five. DEDICATION: For Vatrixsta. Feel better, sweetie! And for Trammie, for beating me into doing this right. *G* *** they can kiss my ass Angel headed into work in the late afternoon and had been in his office for approximately ten minutes when his secretary informed him that Penn was there to see him. Correction, Penn was insistent to see him. Angel acquiesced reluctantly, already feeling the headache coming on from his employee's arrival. Penn was a bright young man, a brilliant businessman for a person his age and anxious to rise higher than he already had within the ranks of Angelus Enterprises. He was sharp witted and paid attention, remembering almost every single detail of every client to walk through the door, but his shortsightedness about how the company was run and would continue to run was always a pain. "Penn," Angel drawled, "What a surprise." "Hear me out, Angel," he said, perching on the edge of the leather chair opposite Angel's desk. Angel grimaced at the determination on the young man's face and nodded slowly. "What's the emergency?" Angel asked, "Building on fire?" "The new acquisition in the pipeline," Penn said, "No offense, but it's suicide for a company of this size and reputation to continue buying out these sorts of establishments. It's against everything that Angelus Enterprises stands for." "We're not buying a brothel," Angel chuckled, "And how could I ever take offense to you telling me that decisions made here are suicidal?" "I know you don't often agree with my-" "Often? Don't you mean ever?" Angel countered happily. As much as he was annoyed by Penn's constant berating and haranguing, he did take pleasure in knocking him down a few notches. He saw that today, he was finally going to have to give it to him straight. "Fine," Penn snapped, "But you have to admit that I'm right! Your father, sir, built this company shrewdly and brilliantly and now we're buying battered women's shelters and orphanages? What's next?" "Don't speak to me about family," Angel said, narrowing his eyes across the desk and causing Penn to shrink back in fear. Angel stood, raising himself to his full height and flashed a dark look in Penn's direction, pulsing power and authority across the room. "On second thought, maybe we should talk about family for a minute. You know, clear the air." "I didn't mean any disrespect-" Penn gulped, taking in a deep breath. He wasn't sure if he was fearing his health or his job. Of course, to him, it was one in the same. "You've heard the rumors, Penn," Angel said, flicking the blinds open to look out the window. He saw the green grass swaying softly in the breeze and it reminded him that he hadn't planned on being in the office long today. He would clear up this little misunderstanding, take care of a few things and be on his way as soon as possible. "Sir," Penn said, hoping the added formality would help his cause, "I didn't mean to suggest..." "Angelus Enterprises is a very large, very successful global company," Angel droned, showing his boredom in his words. He moved to his chair and sat back down, before continuing, "And you've worked here for what? A couple of years?" "Four," Penn replied hoarsely. "And in those four years, has it occurred to you who runs this company?" "Angel, look, I'm just saying-" "Penn, who runs this damn company?" Angel demanded, leaning over his desk. Penn squirmed in his seat, showing none of his usual cool demeanor and callus business sense at that moment. Angel lowered his voice and repeated, "Who runs this company?" "Mrs. Angelus," Penn answered weakly, gripping the sides of his chair in white knuckled nervousness. He looked up in shock as Angel laughed heartily at his answer. "Yes," Angel replied, "My wife runs this company. The rumors about me not making any decisions are true. People say that I'm a decoration on her arm. Well, guess what? Right again." Angel paused a second to let the shock run through his employee. Everyone in the company would tell you, should you sit still long enough, that Liam Angelus was simply a man lead around by his cock and that his wife held all the power. It had not gone unnoticed that no decision Buffy ever made was contradicted by her husband. In fact, if any opposition came up, he reinforced her move, no matter how strange it seemed. "Just because she is beautiful and blonde, doesn't mean that her authority should be undermined," Angel added seriously, "Buffy runs this company. If you have a problem with a decision she's making, then you need to take it up with her...and a great deal more politely than you brought it up with me. I am not the key to changing her mind. Know why?" "No," Penn lied uncomfortably. "Yes, you do," Angel protested, "Why don't I care?" "You never cared about this company," Penn answered finally, "You have never shown one ounce of concern for its welfare. You spend more time golfing and playing chaperone on your children's field trips than you ever have in the office." Gathering steam and anger, Penn continued, "You let your wife and that smart ass, flaming bitch side kick of hers to control everything!" "Exactly," Angel agreed nonchalantly, "I could care less if Buffy took an interest in ant farms and spent all day staring at them while the company goes down the drain. What I care about, Penn, is my wife's happiness and my family. That's it. End of list. The minute she gets tired of working, she's done. This corporation ranks about as high as my gym socks. The only reason I even show up is because Buffy wants my help from time to time. I don't give a shit if you dislike her or if you hate Faith, but you will respect them. Get used to it, buddy, your boss is a woman and she has more power than most people on the West Coast." *** like
magic in the hand Since Angel didn't really handle that many things in the company - just a few details here and there that Buffy didn't want to do - he was able to wrap things up quickly. He gave instructions to his secretary, Cassie and made all the travel arrangements for their family trip to Ireland. Considering how quickly they were leaving, he paid a pretty penny for four first class tickets overseas. "Cassie?" Angel asked as his secretary headed toward the door, "One more thing. Is Faith in the office today?" "Yes sir," Cassie chirped, happily. "She's in Mrs. Angelus' office." "Great," he said, unfolding himself from his chair and standing up, "I'm headed that way and then we'll be leaving tomorrow morning. Please make sure that whatever calls come in for myself or my wife are diverted to Faith McDonald. She will be controlling all top priority decisions while we're gone, which means, don't call us." "Course sir," she answered with a smile and cheerful wave. She already knew that all calls went to Faith. She hadn't transferred a phone call to him that wasn't family related in years. In fact, the only thing she did for him was redirect calls and clients. Much time was left during the day for long lunches and rousing games of Solitaire. "Have fun in Ireland!" Angel strode languidly down the hallway to his wife's plush office and stopped just outside her door, eyeing a strange sight. His normally impeccably dressed wife was in her office in a little tank top and cut off shorts, which needless to say was unheard of while she was working. Course, she wasn't working. She couldn't be when they had specifically discussed that she would take a day off. The fact that she was in the office at all really wasn't what was bothering him, though. She was leaning over her desk, writing down something - no doubt, a long list of things for Faith to do while she was gone - and the top of her little shirt gaped open giving a tantalizing view of her breasts. Her male secretary, Connor, whose existence Angel begrudgingly tolerated, was staring down her shirt with a lustful look on his young face. Angel cleared his throat loudly, causing Connor to swivel in his chair toward the sound. Guiltily, he faced the husband of the woman he had been having wet dreams about for the past couple of years. "Mr. Angelus," he croaked out, pulling on the edge of the desk to roll his chair to it. "Connor," Angel answered in greeting. Stepping closer, Angel propped his hands on the boy's desk and leaned over, "Ogling my wife is something I can't control, but if you ever make a pass at her you'll be out of a job. Do you understand?" "Yes, sir," Connor answered nervously, trying to hide the scowl of contempt that curled over his face. He hated Angel more than any other person. He couldn't understand how Buffy could be married to someone so obviously unworthy of her affections. Liam Angelus went out and played golf while his wife worked her ass off and did next to nothing to help her. Despite that fact, they seemed deeply in love, which made him even more furious. "Good boy," Angel growled before standing up straight and heading into her large office. He watched a moment from the doorway, knowing his large frame was blocking Connor's view of her full breasts. He felt a tightening in his groin as he always did when he first saw her. Over ten years of being with her and he still had a erection every time she crossed his path. Some things never changed. "Somebody's totally busted," Faith said grinning from the corner. Her feet were propped up on a coffee table while she lounged on Buffy's leather couch. "We're both supposed to have the day off, B," Faith reminded her, "So I'm gonna go before your lump tells Linds." "I'm sure you're terrified of what Lindsey would say," Buffy said dryly as Faith headed out the door, checking Angel playfully with her hip as she did. It had taken Lindsey three times as long to drag Faith to the alter as Angel had to convince Buffy to marry him. Sometimes, over beers, they both chuckled on how hilarious it was that they, of all people, had begged their women to marry them. They both would have been happy to remain bachelors forever a couple of months before they met their wives. Course, Lindsey was still trying to talk Faith in bearing his children. Angel and Buffy had both joked that he would be fatherless for life unless some unforeseen miracle occurred. "Faith!" Buffy called out, "Remember, the Gregory case-" "Got it, Pollyanna," Faith called back without breaking her stride, "Get the hell outta here!" Buffy smiled invitingly at Angel as he stepped in and swung the door shut. She wrapped her arms around him and nuzzled his neck before kissing him hungrily. "You're not going to charm your way out of this one," Angel rumbled, "You were supposed to be home today." "I just needed to-" Buffy started and then squealed as he picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder. "Angel!" she shouted in protest, "Put me down! I have work to do! Just a few more hours and then after I make sure everything is done...Angel!" "Promise me we're leaving right now or I'm carrying you out of the building this way," Angel said, holding her squirming body firmly against his broad shoulder. "Angel, please!" Buffy pleaded, "Just a few more hours. I'll be home way before dinner and have plenty of time to pack for our trip." "Alright," Angel sighed, grinning when she relaxed and prepared to be set back on her feet, only to start kicking and wiggling again when he said, "Guess I'm going to have to carry you out." *** i wake up weird in the middle of the night That evening, Angel checked and double checked the security system and all of the doors and windows in the mansion before he settled uneasily in bed, curling around Buffy. He laid in quietly, softly caressing his wife's stomach in an effort to calm himself, but only managed to become more agitated. He had kept the door open a crack every night for the past three and had kept his ears sharply tuned to every sound in the house. During the day, the possibilities of his house being broken into seemed far away and nearly impossible, but at night tension soaked through him. If they could just get through one more night, he would have them all safely on a plane to Ireland. He curled more tightly around her body and closed his eyes, burying his face in her blonde curls, inhaling that familiar, precious scent. "We're safe," Buffy whispered finally, caressing the large hand covering her belly. "I know," he choked out in a tone that was less than believable. Slowly, she turned over in bed and looked into his eyes in the dark, which were glittering pooled mirrors of tense fear. "Angel," she whispered again, "Do you think after all this time he'd try something? We're safe, honey." "I think he's been out of jail for three nights," Angel growled in the darkness, "And he's had ten years to think about getting his revenge. He's in Sunnydale, love. He'll come. I don't know when, but I'm not going to close both eyes until he does." "He's not that stupid," Buffy chided in a strangled voice. She didn't want to admit that she had been worried too, that she checked the windows and doors when Angel wasn't looking, knowing he had just done that himself. Riley Finn had sent at least a letter a year to the mansion since he'd been in jail, sometimes more. They both knew he hadn't forgotten. "When he comes close to you or the girls..." Angel warned. "Don't," Buffy whispered. It hadn't escaped her notice that he said "when," not "if." She snuggled against him and tried to soothe him with soft whispers and gentle caresses, but three nights of rigid fear had left her exhausted. It was only a matter of minutes before she was asleep against his chest. Angel held her tightly as she slept, struggling to keep himself awake without leaving her side. After almost a decade of marriage, he still couldn't believe that she was his, that his daughters were from her body. It was like a long, wistful dream that he suddenly was afraid he would wake from. The prospect of everything turning nightmarish was frightening. Every night he thought about hunting Finn down and killing him just for peace of mind. It was a strange feeling to think that murder would ever bring anyone peace, but in this case he was willing to make an exception. He must have fallen asleep as well, because he woke with a start when he heard a scream coming from the direction of his daughters' room. Foggily, he untangled himself from his wife's warm body and moved to stand. Just the twinge of sleep he had been afforded was enough to make him forget, even momentarily, that he had spent more time in wakeful terror than pleasant slumber. "Molly," he yawned as if Buffy had asked him a question, "Just another nightmare-" He interrupted himself as he realized that the scream of terror was not one of his daughters, but both of them. He bare feet slapped against the floor as he ran toward the door, but halted as he heard Buffy's terrified gasp and the sound of her jumping from bed. "Stay here," he commanded harshly, barely seeing her slender silhouette scrambling from the bedclothes in the darkness. "Angel!" Buffy shouted, following him closely, unwilling to be commanded when her children were screaming. "I can't lose you," he choked out hoarsely as if he had been torn in half, "Please stay here." He closed the door behind him and followed the sounds of screams. Halfway to their room, he heard heavy footsteps behind him and spun, kicking his leg out to strike at someone who made a much larger sound than Buffy could have made. "Bloody hell," Spike whispered harshly, jumping out of the way. "It's me, you bleeding moron." Without apology, Angel ran forward once more, livid with his brother for slowing him down, even if he only meant to help. A few long strides later, he burst through the door to the room his two daughters shared and flipped on the light. Spike nearly slammed into his brother's bare back as he skidded to a halt behind him. "Daddy," Kathy sobbed. She ran across the room as fast as her eight year old legs would carry her with one hand attached to her equally mortified six year old sister. The two Angelus girls were like night and day. Kathy had her father's velvety brown eyes and chocolate locks. She had high cheekbones and sculpted features. She was tall and slender, a spitting image of Angel's late sister. Molly, on the other hand was tiny and petite, a bursting ray of sunshine with blonde hair and green eyes like her mother. Normally, Molly was braver, even though she was the younger one. She had a motherly demeanor that was odd for a six year old. At that moment, however, they were both crying and clinging to their father's legs as he stared at the battered criminal coming slowly to his feet. From the time they were old enough to walk, Molly and Kathy Angelus had been trained in self-defense, not only by their father but by Uncle Spike. Both men had vowed that no one would hurt the girls the way that Buffy had been hurt. Knowing that they were trained weekly did nothing to stop Angel and Spike's shock at seeing a felon on the floor of their bedroom, clutching his head while he clambered to his feet. "Go check on Mommy," Angel said brusquely, pointing in his daughters in that direction and giving them a nudge without taking his eyes off of Riley. Addressing his brother, he barked, "Go make sure they're okay, Spike, and then call 911. Tell them I just killed an intruder." "You arrogant fuck!" Riley cried as Spike left the room. He hadn't expected the children to fight back and was completely caught off guard when a hard object struck his temple. The surprise of their little hands and feet had actually knocked the wind out of him. He was prepared, however, for what Angel was going to deal out and he took a deep breath as the only person he truly hated stepped toward him. Spike walked down the hallway quickly to check on the girls, reaching for Drusilla as she met him down the hall. She was shaking and moaning quietly as she felt the impending death fill the house. He tugged her toward his brother's bedroom and closed the door firmly behind them, but the solid oak did nothing to block out the sound of blows striking human flesh. *** something
bad is going to happen Buffy was already out in the hallway and creeping toward her daughters' room when her two girls came running toward her at a frantic pace, their faces sheet white and their mouths hanging open in silent screams. "He cut the window," Kathy sobbed, hitching terrified breaths as she clung to her mother, "And I woke up when he climbed in and then he was coming over to our beds and I knew it wasn't you or Daddy and I picked up the alarm clock and threw at him and hit him in the head." "I screamed," Molly explained tearfully as Buffy extracted herself from her daughters' vice grips to check on them, looking for wounds or bruises on their bodies, "And Kathy got up and kicked him, Mommy, so I ran and hit him at hard as I could in the sullen plexy." "Solar plexus, Nibblet," Spike offered quietly, ruffling her blonde hair. Buffy looked up and smiled at him gratefully, but as her gaze shifted over to Dru, she froze. Dru was trembling violently and her dark eyes were filled with terror and pain. Her mouth was clamped closed in a thin line as if only the children's presence kept her wails at bay. "That's what I said," Molly sniffled defensively. "Stay here with them," Buffy said crossing the room and gripping Spike's hand, "Make sure he doesn't hurt them." "Buffy, don't go in there, pet," Spike said, squeezing her hand gently, "Let your big ponce of a husband take care of him." "He's here because of me," Buffy said, looking down at her nightgown with despair, which was just one of Angel's shirts. She had been sure to wear one to bed every night since Riley was released and now she wished she had gone to bed fully clothed instead. "He hurt Angel before," Buffy whispered, hoping the girls wouldn't overhear, "And I can't let him hurt him again." "What if he hurts you, love?" Spike offered as Buffy tiptoed from the room, intent on stopping the nightmare once and for all. Buffy shook her head and hurried from the room, urged on once she was in the hallway by the sound of Riley and Angel fighting. She stopped just inside the doorway and looked on at the combat. Angel and Riley were both bleeding and bruised, trading fierce blows. Riley had bulked up while he was in prison. He looked like a giant looming over her husband, casting a dark shadow. His eyes, which used to be blue and almost innocent looking, were filled with an murderous, icy glare that made her want to run away, take her daughters and not look back. She gasped out loud as Angel flipped Riley onto his back. Riley roared as he hit the floor and then reached behind him, flinging a large dagger-like knife into Angel's shoulder. He jumped to his feet and retrieved his weapon, yanking it roughly from Angel's body. Angel grunted in pain as the knife was pulled from his body. He saw it coming again and tried to dodge the blade, but was slightly too slow to avoid being cut. "Bitch," Riley sneered as he looked in her direction, "I was hoping you'd show. Looks like all my time spent studying this house worked to my advantage. Your security system is shit, you know that?" He dodged a blow from Angel and kicked out, forcing him to the floor. Riley stomped down on Angel's back and a sickening crack reached Buffy's ears. "Too bad I didn't wait to get a gun first," Riley sneered, pointing the bloody knife at her, tilting it back and forth for her to see, "or you'd all be dead by now." "Get away from him and deal with me," Buffy demanded as clearly as she could over the lump in her throat. "It's me you want, not Angel." "Buffy, get out of here," Angel shouted, bucking against Riley's leg and reaching out to knock him back. A scream erupted from Angel as Riley stabbed through Angel's right arm and stomped on him harder. "No, sweetheart," Riley sneered. "You're wrong. He was the one who ruined everything for me! He took you away. Those little girls should be mine, but instead I've been rotting away in prison! Not rotting, actually. I've learned quite a few things since I've been away." "Looks like you want to go back," Buffy said, inching forward. "You stupid bitch," Riley growled out, "You're even more beautiful than I remember. After I kill this bastard, you're going to be mine again." "You won't make it out this d-door," she stammered, moving forward a little more with every word. "Spike already called the police. You'll never have me. Never again." "Sunnydale isn't prepared for a hostage situation," Riley explained angrily, slamming the knife into Angel's arm again as he tried to move. "You'll go out the window with me just like I came in and they won't be able to stop me. I know every inch of this house now. An hour from now, you'll be in a warm bed with me again." With a loud snarl, Angel flipped over and kicked up, knocking Riley back a pace. He scramble to his feet, only to be kicked in the mouth. Blood flew from Angel's mouth and Buffy saw in slow motion, the large knife swinging down. With gasp of terror, she ran forward to save her husband. Her slender, bare leg swung out and she kicked him as hard as she could, striking him in the center of his chest. Riley stumbled back with the unexpected kick. Buffy closed her hand over her mouth as his black boot landed on Molly's doll. He slipped further and trying to regain balance, was propelled backward. He let out a deafening scream as he fell through the window he had climbed in. Buffy fell to her knees beside Angel with a muffled sob, burying her face in his shoulder. Bloody arms wrapped around her as he crooned in her ear, trying to drown out the sound of Riley screaming and falling to his death. "You're safe," Angel murmured in her ear as she clung to him, "We're all safe now." "I thought I was going to lose you," Buffy sobbed into his neck, "I can't live without you. I need you, Angel. We need you." "Everything's alright now, love," he whispered as Spike, Dru and his daughters came running into the room. He ignored the pain of his body being jostled about as their daughters joined the embrace. Sirens screamed in the distance, getting closer to the house. "Everything's okay now," Angel assured them all, holding his whole world in his arms as tightly as he could. The End Home - Navigation - Affiliates - Random - Fanfiction - Links - Updates - About Tango |
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