Alternative Ending to "I Will Remember You"

Author: Jada

Disclaimer: I do not own anything. The only thing that I am responsible for is what I make the characters in this do. The episodes, "I will remember you" and "Anne" do not belong to me.

Rating: PG or PG13

Spoilers: big ones for IWRY and a little ones for Anne.

Synopsis: It's a alternate ending to IWRY. B/A happy ending.

Author's Note: I didn't want to write out the whole episode, but if you saw it you should be able to understand what's going on, if not, then I suggest that you go and find some place that has the transcripts of the episode and read the there. A synopsis of the episode might do as well, as long as it's detailed. Also, if you have not seen the episode "Anne" you might not understand one part of this.

Author's note 2: If you, for reasons unknown to me, want my fiction on your

site, that's fine. Please let my know if you're taking it and give me the address of your site.

Cut to the end of the bar scene, with Cordy and Doyle.

"At least I can say "good-bye" to those bone crunching, head wrenching, mind numbing, visions." Doyle said, half expecting to receive a vision just for saying it.

"Yeah, that's a plus." Cordelia replied.

Cut to Buffy and Angel in bed.

Cut to end of that scene.

"Angel? I finely feel like I always wanted to feel," Buffy said, awed that the feeling was real.

"How do you feel?" Angel asked.

"Completely and utterly happy, because I can be with you. Are you sure this isn't a dream?"

"I'm sure." Angel said, and they drifted off to sleep.

Buffy opened her eyes and felt a warm body lying next to her. She looked up to see Angel smiling down at her.

"Hey," she said.

"Hi," he said in return.

When he kept staring at her, she had to ask, "What?"

"I just can't believe this is really happening. I'm alive, and you're here, and were together. It's all I've ever wanted. To be able to give you the life you deserve. And now I can, but I need you to be sure that you want to move back to Sunnydale right away, because I'm not."Angel said, looking away from Buffy.

"What? Why not?" Buffy asked, sitting up and clutching the blankets to her chest.

"Well, do you really think it's such a good idea for me to just wedge myself back into your life?"

"Yes! Wedge! Please! I thought we agreed that we didn't want to be apart again. I know I don't."

"Are you sure? Because, Buffy, I want to be with you more than anything, but I'm not so sure your friends and family will be all too happy about me coming back."

"I'll be happy, Angel. And I don't care what they think. But I don't see why they would object to us being together. I mean, you're human. I found a nice, normal, guy. Just like everyone wanted me to. Including you. I'll bet you never thought it would be you, huh?"

Angel just smiled at her and said, "No, I didn't."

"So will you move back?"

"As soon as I wrap up things here,"

Now it was Buffy's turn to smile, and that she did.

Happy with the situation, Buffy lay back down next to her . . . everything.

"So, not that I want to, but don't you think we should get up?" Angel asked.

"Why?" Buffy asked.

"Well, didn't you come here to see your father?"

"Yeah,"

"So, maybe you should see him. Not that I want you to go or anything, but, don't you think that he's probably wondering why you're not there?"

"Maybe, . . . or maybe not. He might have forgotten I was coming all together. With my father you never really know. But right now, all I want is to be here with you."

All Angel could do after that answer is smile.

"Hello, is everyone decent," Doyle called out from the bottom of the steps.

"No! Come back later!" Buffy yelled, smiling back at Angel.

"Sorry, can't do that. I need to speak to Buffy for moment. And so does the man upstairs,"

"What man?" Angel asked.

"He says he's her father," Doyle called back.

"Oh, God!" Buffy said, jumping out of bed and grabbing Angel's previously discarded shirt. After she had buttoned up the shirt, she walked out of the bedroom in search of her clothes, which were, at this point strewn all over the kitchen and livingroom. As she picked up her clothes, she kept muttering, "oh my god" over and over.

Angel soon came out tying his robe. He picked up his pants, which were lying on the floor as Doyle came to stand next to him. They both stood there in silence for a moment just watching Buffy.

"So, looks like you two had some fun last night," Doyle cemented, staring at the broken table.

"You could say that," Angel said, smiling.

Doyle looked over at his friend. Angel was still watch Buffy intensely, and he actually looked . . . happy?

"Whoa, man, who are you and what happened to the dark and brooding guy?"

Buffy rushed past the ex-vampire and half-demon on her way to the bedroom, clothes in hand and said, "I'll be right back."

"She happened." Angel finely answered, staring at the now closed door.

A few minuets later, when Buffy and Angel were both dressed they went to the elevator. Buffy was nervously chewing on her bottom lip as Doyle closed the gate.

"What's the matter?" Angel asked, noticing Buffy's nervous demeanor.

"Well, if my dad is up there then he knows that I spent the night here. If he knows I spent the night here, well to say that's he's going to freak is the understatement of all time."

"Buffy, your eighteen. He has to know that you're not his little girl anymore. It's probably not going to be as big of a deal as you think." Angel said, reasonably.

"Oh, you don't know my dad. He may be an absentee father, but when he is around he's as overprotective as my mother. Actually, he's worse. He still thinks I'm thirteen. He still thinks kissing is too much for his innocent, little, girl to be doing."

Doyle tried, unsuccessfully, to stifled a laugh at that thought.

"What?" Buffy asked him.

"Oh, I saw the table. Innocent isn't exactly the word I'd use to describe you." Doyle said. "Either of you," he added, as an afterthought, glancing at Angel.

"Buffy, you had to have dated when you lived here. When you lived with him." Angel said, ignoring Doyle's comments.

"That was different, Angel. That was 'hanging out with friends that happened to be guys,' not spending the night at some guys' apartment. Big difference. Wait till our daughter starts dating. You'll see what I mean. You'll probably be the most overprotective father of all time,"

"I haven't even been human for 24 hours and we already have a daughter?"

"Well . . . I thought that . . . maybe . . . one day . . . in the future . . . we might . . . consider -"

"I know what you meant," Angel said, interrupting her with a smile.

"Um, not to interrupt this lovely moment, but is one of you going to push the up button?" Doyle asked.

Buffy and Angel looked at each other and Buffy pressed the button. Up they went.

As the elevator dinged open, Buffy grabbed Angels' hand and held on tight. As the three of them stepped out of the elevator, Buffy saw her father talking to Cordelia, sort of.

"Dad?" Buffy asked.

Hank Summers turned around and gave his daughter a serious look.

"Buffy," He addressed her. Hank walked over to Buffy enfolding her in a hug. After he stepped back there was an awkward moment of silence.

"So, I see you've met Cordelia." Buffy commented.

"Yes, he has," Cordelia said, walking over to the filing cabinet.

"I have to say, it was a . . . unique experience," Hank said, choosing his words carefully.

"Yep, that's our Cordy." Doyle said, silently agreeing with what everyone wasn't saying.

Another moment of awkward silence.

"Well, there's too much tension in this room for me, so Doyle and I will be leaving for lunch now." Cordelia announced.

"Cordelia, it's nine in the morning," Doyle pointed out.

"Yes, well, I don't want to stick around for more of The Buffy and Angel Reunion. I had all I can stomach, thank you very much."

"Doyle, it's okay," Angel said.

"Fine, we'll go." Doyle said.

As he moved past Angel, he whispered, "Good luck, man. You're gonna need it."And he and Cordy left.

After the door closed, Buffy noticed how intently her father was staring at Angel.

"Um, Dad? This is Angel. Angel, this is my father."

"Angel. So, are you dating my daughter?"

"Um, yes?"

"You mind saying that with a little more conviction?" Hank asked.

"Well, we sort of just got back together. Last night." Buffy said, nervously.

"I see,"

"So, um, Dad? How did you know where I was?"

"When you didn't show up yesterday, I called your dorm to see what was keeping you and your friend - Willow? Well, she told me that you were going to see an old friend first and that you probably got held up. I asked her for the phone number and she gave it to me. I tracked down the address and here I am."

"Oh," Buffy commented. "Note to self: kill Willow." Buffy said, under her breath.

Another uncomfortable moment of silence.

"Buffy, could I talk to you for a moment, alone?" Hank asked, looking pointedly at Angel.

After a quick glance at Angel, Buffy turned to her father and said, in a dead serious voice, "Anything you need to say to or ask me, you can do it in front of Angel. We don't keep secrets from each other." "

All right, how long have you known each other?"

"Um, about three years. But we didn't start dating until my junior year of high school."

"So you were seventeen."

"Sixteen actually. It was the beginning of the school year."

"And how old was . . . Angel? -was it?"

"Dad, that really doesn't matter, now. That was years ago. It seems like another lifetime."

"But he is older, a lot older." Hank said, looking Angel up and down.

Angel, speaking up for the first time since the interrogation started, said, "Mr. Summers, I know I'm older than Buffy, I'll be the first to admit that. And probably not the last. But, I love your daughter, very much so."

"And I love him. And whether you or Mom or anyone else for that matter approves or not, I'm going to be with him." Buffy interjected.

"There's nothing I can do to change your mind?" Hank asked.

"No." Buffy said, clasping Angel's hand tightly.

"Well, Buffy, I don't know Angel well enough to pass judgement on him personally, but I do feel you are too young to be in such a serous relationship. He's too old for you and I don't feel that you're old enough to really know what love is or the consequences it can bring. I think that your mother would agree with me and I don't want you to see each other anymore. That's all I have to say. Let's go, Buffy." Hank said. He reached out to grab Buffy's hand but she pulled it back from him saying, "No! I am not your little girl anymore. I'm eighteen. An adult. I can make my own decisions, and I've decided to be with Angel! There's nothing you can do about it! What do you think gives you the right to barge in here and pass judgement and make demands on my life?! You haven't been a part of it for years! You do not have the right to start now!" By the time Buffy was finished she was shaking with outrage.

Angel calmly detached his right hand from hers, replacing it with his left, his right hand found a spot on Buffy's back. Angel slowly started rubbing her back. And as Hank watched all the anger slowly drained from his daughter. Then, in a much calmer voice she said, "I think that maybe you better leave. We both need time to process what's been said. I'll come by later on and maybe we can talk then, when we both have had time to think, and when we can talk without all the anger, okay?"

"That sounds like a good idea." Hank started to make his way to the door when he stopped, turned around and said, "All I've ever wanted was what was best for you, Buffy. It's still what I want." With that, Hank Summers turned and left Buffy and Angel standing there together.

After Hank left Angel turned to Buffy and asked her, "Are you okay?"

"As okay as I can be, but really, what did I expect? My father just jumping for joy at the thought that his little girl is all grown up and he missed it? I think not."

"You know, we might get a lot more reactions like that from everyone back in Sunnydale. Can you handle that?"

"As long as you're there, I can handle anything."

With that said Angel enfolded Buffy in a hug, holding her tight while she stared out into space.

Buffy and Angel spent the rest of the day talking about their future. They both agreed that they still had some issues to work out, but they had plenty of time for all that. A lifetime in fact. Right now they just wanted to live in the moment.

Around 7:00pm Buffy headed over to her fathers' house. She walked up the familiar driveway. One she'd walked so many times before. Before she'd become the Slayer. Before her life got so complicated. As she walked the steps of the house, she was filled with an air of nostalgia. She was taken back to a simpler time. Where she was Daddy's little girl, and where there was never any danger or pain. She was taken back to her childhood. So much so that she could almost see herself running out the door and down the steps to meet her friends. But that image faded when she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the window. Buffy was all grown up. She really wasn't a little girl anymore. And for a brief second, she was saddened. But she drew up her courage and knocked on the door.

A few seconds passed until Hank answered the door.

"Hi," He said.

"Hi,"

"Um, come in," Hank said, moving aside and letting Buffy enter.

They both walked into the kitchen where they had both spent so much time over the years. They each took a seat at the kitchen table and silence reigned.

"So, have you had time to think?" Hank asked his daughter.

"Yes, have you?"

"Yeah, a little too much time. I have a lot of questions."

"I pretty much figured that. Go head, ask away."

"How did you and Angel meet?"

Buffy had decided to be as honest as she could be with her father. So, she took a deep breath and started answering his question.

"Um, we met on the way to a club in Sunnydale, called The Bronze. He helped me with something and then we used to run into each other every once in a while, nothing really happened for a couple months, though."

"And when something did happen, what was it?"

"We helped each other out with some things and we ended up kissing. After that we both decided that no matter how attracted we were to each other, nothing could really happen between us. We had too many differences."

"Obviously, you didn't stand behind to that decision for too long."

"Well, we did, for a while at least. He helped me with some things, we got closer. We realized that we couldn't continue to keep our relationship strictly professional. Because it had already personal. So we ignored rules and started dating. We hit our little snags, you know like every couple, but we were okay. I was happy, so happy. For the first time in my life, I felt as if I had found someone that I could tell anything to. Someone I could trust with everything."

"Why do I get the feeling that didn't last?"

"Because it didn't. The night of my seventeenth birthday, something happened that changed both of us forever. Suddenly, Angel was ripped from me without so much as a good-bye. I was hurting so much. It was like that for months, until I got him back. All of a sudden he was back. But then he had to go away again. I had to send him away to make everyone else in my life happy, but I couldn't stay in Sunnydale with all those memories of us, good ones and bad ones, so I left."

"That's the summer that you ran away, isn't it?"

"Yeah,"

"So it's his fault."

"No. Angel had no control. It was all me, so don't blame him. I had to leave because I needed time to find me again, and when I realized I wasn't gonna find me "out there", I came back. About a month later Angel came back. I never thought that I'd see him again and then suddenly there he was. Over the next couple of months we tried to just be friends. It didn't work very well. But that's when I found me again. The part of me I'd thought I'd lost. It had been with him the whole time. We had tons of problems but by prom we were almost back to the place we were before everything went bad the first time. We were happy, or at least I was. Angel thought I deserved more, more than he could give me. So he left, so I could find the life he couldn't give me. But in doing that he broke my heart into a million pieces. I didn't think that I was going to survive. I almost didn't. When he left that part of me left with him. For the past six months I've just been getting by. Struggling from day to day not to fall apart. But when I came out here to see you I made a stop to see Angel. I had some stuff that I had to say to him, things I couldn't say over the phone. When I got there stuff happened, things have changed since he left. All the stuff he couldn't give me before, he can give me now. You know, all that stuff, it never really mattered to me before. I could have lived a lifetime without it as long as he was there. But suddenly, it matters now, because I get to have it all with him."

After Buffy finished pouring her heart out there was an awkward silence. Hank finely said, "He's hurt you so much. How can you just forgive him like that?"

"I love him. It's as simple as that, Dad. I love him."

By the time Buffy finished she was in tears. Hank moved down to where Buffy was sitting and put an arm around her. He said in a voice the hindered sadness, "You really do, don't you?"

Buffy raised her head, looked her father straight in the face and said in a clear voice, "Yes."

"I guess you're really not my little girl anymore."

"I'll always be your little girl, Dad, just not like I used to be."

"Well, if you're really serious about him, then I guess I should get to know him a little better."

"I'd like that,"

"You know, while I'm at it, maybe I should get to know you a little better, too. I've missed so much time that I can't ever get back, but I'd like to try now, if that's all right with you?"

"I'd like that very much."

"Okay, I just have two very simple questions and then I'll let this go for now." Hank said, pulling back his arm.

"What is it? Or should I be afraid to ask?" Buffy questioned.

"Depending on your answers."

"Oh, boy."

"Question number one, does your mother know about you and Angel?"

"Yes. She found out about a year and a half ago. But, she still thinks we're broken up. She doesn't know we got back together yet, no one in Sunnydale does."

"Oh, okay, then question number two, have you . . . slept with him? I know that there is an answer staring me right in the face, but I have to hear it from you. Have you?"

"Yes, Angel and I have made love. But it's because I wanted to. He has never pushed me into doing anything I didn't want to do. He never would."

Silence.

"So where do we go from here?" Buffy asked.

"Why don't we go out for lunch tomorrow and get to know each other? All of us."

"That'd be nice."

"So why don't you go call Angel and see if he want's to meet us?"

"Want's to?" You mean he has a choice?"

"Very funny."

"No, I'm serous. He has a choice? . . . Don't worry, he'll be there if he knows what's good for him."

Buffy called Angel later on that night while lying in bed to ask him to lunch.

"Hello?"

"Hi, it's me." Buffy said.

"Hey, I was just thinking about you."

"You were?"

"Yeah, I've been staring at the wreckage that once was my kitchen table and wondering if I should even bother getting a new one."

"Well, I have a theory. Do you want to hear my theory?"

"Of course."

"Okay, my theory is that if you get a new table now, then you'll just have more stuff to lug back to Sunnydale."

"You mean if it doesn't get broken before then?"

"Yeah, unless that happens."

"So, how did things go with your father?"

"Okay, I guess. He wants you and me to meet him for lunch tomorrow."

"Name the time and place and I'll be there."

"Thanks Angel."

"For what?"

"Being you."

"That's pretty easy."

"No, it isn't. I haven't been me for a while. Since you left, in fact. And to tell you the truth, the person that I'd become, I didn't like very much. But, lying in bed with you last night, I found me again. The me that I thought I'd lost forever. So, thank you, for being you, and helping me find me again."

"You don't have to thank me for that, Buffy, I'm just glad to have you in my life, again."

"As much as I hate to, we should probably hang up."

"Why?"

"I don't want to keep you up too late. Neither of us got a whole lot of sleep last night."

"I wonder why that is?"

"Ha, ha, very funny."

"Well, I don't want to hang up yet. Can't we talk a little more?"

"Sure,"

And they talked long into the night. Angels' words comforting her when his arms couldn't.

The next day Buffy and Hank drove up to the restaurant around noon. Upon parking the car Buffy spotted Angel standing in the sunlight. She took a moment to appreciate that fact. Then she quickly exited the car and walked over to Angel.

"Hi," She said.

"Hi," He answered back, pulling Buffy into his arms.

"I missed you," Buffy said.

"I missed you more," Angel said releasing Buffy from his arms. "I have something for you." He continued. Angel reached inside his coat and retrieved a white rose.

"Angel, it's beautiful." Buffy said taking the rose and smelling it.

"It's beauty pales in comparison to you." Angel said.

"There's something we agree on." Hank said, coming up behind Buffy and putting an arm around his daughter.

"Stop it you two." Buffy said, suddenly shy.

"Why don't we go inside and get to know each other better, Angel?" Hank said.

Then they went inside.

They got through lunch pretty well. Hank asked a million questions and Angel answered all of them. Buffy was usually left out of the conversation, but she didn't mind because her father and Angel were getting along. She was grateful for that.

After lunch, they all decided to go for a walk on the boardwalk. They walked and talked and shopped for hours. Or more accurately, Buffy shopped, and the men watched her do so.

The sun was just beginning to set as the they made their way back to the parking lot. Buffy was walking along quietly, vaguely listening to the conversation that her father and boyfriend were having, when she suddenly turned and started walking down the steps that led to the beach. She didn't know why she was walking down to the sandy beach, only that something compelled her to do so. Maybe it was the way the orange and red of the sun's last rays were hitting the rolling tide, or maybe it was something in the back of her memory. A memory of a long ago dream. Whatever it was, it was making her want to feel the sand under her feet. Buffy slipped off her sandals, picked them up, and walked closer to the shore. By this time Hank and Angel had noticed Buffy missing and had started after her. When they got about ten feet away from Buffy, Angel stopped. He watched Buffy standing there in the sunset, the wind whipping off the ocean, gently blowing her hair and dress. She was looking out over the ocean with a longing that tugged at his newly beating heart. When Angel had come to a stop, so had Hank. It wasn't to Buffy that Hank was looking, but to her boyfriend. Hank saw the love in the eyes of the man before him, a love that had such longing and passion and care. Hank knew, in that moment, that this man before him was really, truly, in love with Buffy.

Angel motioned for Hank to stay where he was and then Angel approached Buffy asking, "Buffy, Honey, are you okay?" When he received no answer he called again, this time a mere yard away. "Buffy?" Again he received no answer. Angel approached her from behind and slipped his arms around her waist. She leaned against him, laying her hands on his.

"How did you find me here?" She asked, a far away tone to her voice.

Angel didn't know what compelled him to say what he said next, "If I were blind I would see you."

Buffy continued in her far away voice, asking, or more accurately, pleading, "Will you stay with me?"

"Forever, that's the whole point. I'll never leave you. No matter what."

"That's not how it goes." Buffy said, her voice sad.

"It's not?" Angel asked not knowing what she was talking about, or, for that matter, what he had been talking about.

"You're suppose to say, "forever, that's the whole point. I'll never leave you, not even if you kill me." Then I wake up. Alone." Buffy said, her voice cracking as she said the last word.

Angel didn't know exactly what she was talking about, but decided not to push the subject, at least not now. Now, he had to make sure she was okay. He held her tighter and whispered, "That's not how it goes anymore. I'll be there when you wake up."

"This is a dream," She whispered.

"No, it isn't."

"How do you know?"

"Because if is, then I don't want to wake up."

"I don't either."

And they stood there in silence.

Hank stood there for minuets that seemed like hours. He watched the couple, so much in love. A pain tugged at his heart. For the first time Hank truly realized that his daughter had grown up. And he had missed most of it. True, he and Buffy had talked about this exact thing the night before, but it never really seemed all to real, until now. So with this new sadness, Hank Summers watched his daughter and the man she loved, standing there in the ocean breeze and fading sunlight, and he bid his little girl good-bye, saying at the same time, hello, to the woman she'd become without him even noticing.

After a while they all walked back to the parking lot and Hank left Angel and Buffy to say good-bye.

"So, I guess this is it," Angel said.

"Yeah, just for now though," Buffy answered back.

"Are you sure you don't want me to drive you back to Sunnydale?" Angel asked.

"Yeah, I'm sure. I think Dad and I need some alone time, to talk. But, I'll see you next weekend, right?"

"Right. Call me when you get there?"

"Sure."

"I love you." Angel said, pulling Buffy into a hug.

"I love you too." She answered back.

They started to pull back and Angel placed soft kiss on her lips. They pulled away from each other and Buffy walked back to her father's car. As soon as Buffy had closed the door, Hank started the car. Buffy blew Angel a kiss through the window and Angel pretended to catch it with his hand. He then placed the same hand over his now beating heart. Angel caught one last glance and saw Buffy smile. Then, he smiled and went home to wait for that phone call.