By Goddess Isa
SUMMARY: You all knew I would do it, right?? This is my newest series, entitled To Have And To Hold. Buffy & Angel have just over a month to find the Thousand Eyes and kill it to save their lives, and their happiness, but will it happen?
SPOILER: Basically, this hints on ALL the Buffy & Angel eppys so far, because there will be some flashbacks during the series, I hope.
SPECIFICALLY Pangs & I Will Remember You though.
FEEDBACK: Please, I'd hate to have to Slay for it. =P
RATING: TV-14
DISCLAIMER: In case you didn't know, all the characters I'll mention (probably) belong to David Greenwalt and Joss Whedon. I am SO furious at the both of them right now, I cannot even tell you. This stuff also belongs to all the writers that have ever written for both shows. The title comes from 'It Doesn't Matter' by Alison Krauss & Union Station, though the lyrics will not be featured in this story.
Buffy was pacing when Angel returned. He paused on the stairs for a moment, just staring at his lover.
She was absolutely beautiful. He loved the way she'd clipped her hair back from her face, showing off just how round her hazel eyes were. She was wearing a long red dress that flattered her every curve, and he blushed just the teensiest bit at the thoughts that spun through his mind while looking at her.
He realized he'd never seen her wearing red before, and he thought it was definitely her color. Red had always been his favorite and he could picture her in a red silk nightgown, the fabric clinging in some places, flowing in others. She'd be lying on his bed and--
"Well?" she asked, snapping him out of his daydream. He realized he'd wasted precious minutes telling her nothing, and that he needed to get on with it already.
"I talked to the Oracles," he began, not knowing how else to start something like this.
"I talked to Willow and Giles."
He was visibly surprised. "Why?"
She went over to the counter and brought back a legal pad full of quickly scrawled names and locations. "Giles and Will did some fast research on the Thousand Eyes for me. What I smashed was actually just a very small part of a huge rock somewhere in Europe. It's around five feet in diameter, and Spike thinks he's seen it. Of course, Spike is drunk ninety percent of the time, but--"
"Spike?" he demanded. "What the Hell are you doing talking to Spike?"
"He's staying with Giles."
"Giles?!" Angel was ultra confused and momentarily forgot about the ticking of the clock.
"It's a long and disgusting story I'd rather not share." she crinkled her nose at the thought of the blonde Brit driving them all insane. "We need to destroy the rock."
"I don't--" Angel started to tell Buffy the truth but she cut him off.
"Your friend Doyle has a really big mouth when he drinks, which according to Cordelia, is every day. Turns out Cordy's mouth is even bigger, surprise, surprise. I know all about the 'End Of Days' thing, that's why I called Giles in the first place. We all found it kind of ironic since Xander drug us to see the film at midnight last week."
"There's a movie?" Angel was more confused than ever now.
"You don't get out enough," Buffy said. "Giles said that we can destroy the Thousand Eyes in time, you'll stay human forever and I won't be killed."
"'In time'," he repeated. "How long do we have?"
"Until New Year's Eve," Buffy said softly. "At midnight."
"Wow."
"That's enough time, right?" she began walking around the room nervously as she talked. "I mean, if we give Spike blood, he'll be strong enough to go look for the rock, and we can send Xander with him 'cause that way, we can be assured they won't kill each other."
Angel smiled as he used one of Buffy's lines. "Be kind, rewind."
She smiled back, touching his cheek. "I like when you talk like me. Long story short, there's a group in Sunnydale called The Initiative. They're human, and they're vampire hunters. They did something to Spike, and he can't bite anyone, which is so amusing!"
"I bet."
"You'll have to hang out with him sometime," Buffy was beaming. "It'll just kill him that you can go out into the sunlight."
"Buffy," Angel glanced at the clock and saw that only an hour remained before he had to give the Oracles a final answer. "I have to tell you something. The Oracles said--"
She grabbed him and kissed him, hard. He got so caught up in the kiss that he almost forgot.
He pulled away, panting, a feeling that he adored. No wonder Buffy enjoyed their kisses so much. Being human definitely made all his senses more acute.
"Look Buffy. The Oracles, they said that--"
"It doesn't matter," Buffy said. "If you don't go back, the future will progress as it is, right?"
"I think so."
"So we find the rock and I smash it or blow it up or throw toothpicks at it, whatever." she rested her hands on his shoulders. "We'll do it, Angel." she leaned against his chest. "We have to."
He held her for the longest time, tears stinging his eyes. "I love you Buffy."
"I love you too."
They held each other for most of the day, in bed, and Angel prayed that they would find the rock and save Buffy's life. He prayed that being selfish wouldn't cost his lover his future. He prayed for their happiness.
The End
Go on to the next story, I Could Have the Life You Do
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