Title:  Interlude

Author: Jada

Disclaimer: I own nothing except what I make Joss’ characters do.  Everything else is owned by other people.

Summery: Angel comes to Sunnydale to see Buffy. Fluff.

Rating: PG13 ?(I’m so not good at this)(Is anyone?)

Author’s Notes: This is a sequel to my story, “Alternate Ending to 'I Will Remember You'” It takes place the next day.

Author’s Notes 2: I wrote this story about two years after it’s prequel and I am only going on the beginning of “Something Borrowed, Something Blue.” I have not seen this ep pretty much since it originally aired and am only going on what I remember. So, please bare with me.

Author’s Note 3(Boy, I really do have a lot of these): I want to make this into a series that completely rewrites season 4 of Buffy, including some moments in-between eps. I can’t promise that I will go any further than this story, but I will try. My schedule is crazy. I will try to write when I have the chance, but it will most likely be few and far between for each addition. Sorry. I will try though. And feedback encourages me to write faster. (Hint, hint)

Feedback: Please send me some. But not if you are going to flame me. Please.

***********************************************************************

     Buffy walked the campus of the university. The night before, upon returning from LA, Buffy had called Angel and they had stayed on the phone till late in the morning, or early in the morning, however you saw it. Angel had told Buffy the he would drive down to Sunnydale on Saturday morning. This fact made Buffy HATE Monday mornings even more than she already did. Why does Satruday have to be so far away from Monday? Buffy thought. She slowly made her way to the lounge area and saw Riley putting up a poster for a lesbian group.

     “Is there something that you’d like to share with me?” Buffy asked him.

     “Excuse me?” Riley asked, stepping down off the later he had been standing on. Buffy pointed towards the sign.

     “Oh, “ Riley said smiling, “I guess my secret’s out. Buffy, I’m a lesbian.” Buffy just made and amused gesture at this and the two started walking a few steps. “So, about that picnic we were talking about. I was thinking maybe this afternoon we could go over to the park, have a full spread, if you’re free?”

     “Um, we were talking about going on a picnic?” Buffy asked, quickly trying to recall this conversation.

     “Oh,” Riley chuckled, “that wasn’t a conversation we actually had was it? I have a hard time keeping track of the ones we actually have and the ones I just practice for.”

     “You practice for our conversations?” Buffy asked.

     “Sometimes. So, would you like to go on a picnic with me?”  Riley asked. Before Buffy had a chance to answer, a strong pair of arms encircled her waist and a pair of lips found their way to Buffy neck. Buffy jumped in surprise. Then, she turned around in the embrace and smiled at the face that greeted her.

      “So, is that little smile all I get for coming all this way?” Angel asked.

      “No, but it’s the only thing I can do in public,” Buffy said, smiling. She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Angel’s neck as they kissed. It was getting a little out of hand when Riley cleared his throat loudly. Buffy turned around in Angel’s arms and smiled sheepishly at the tall blonde. “Um, Riley, this is Angel. My boyfriend. Angel, this is Riley, the TA in my psych. class,” Buffy introduced.

     “Hey,” Angel said.

     “Hey,” Riley answered, “Um, Buffy never mentioned she had a boyfriend. I’ve never seen you around campus. Do you go here?”

     “No,” Angel answered, simply. He never was one to over share.

     “Angel used to live here but he moved to LA for a little while. He’s moving back now,” Buffy offered, “as soon as he can. Right?” she directed that last part at Angel.

     “Right,” Angel verified with a smile.

     Remembering what Riley and she had been talking about earlier, Buffy said, “um, Riley, in light of recent events, I don’t think that picnic would be such a good idea. It was sweet of you to ask, though.”

     “Right. Well, if I’d known you were involved, I wouldn’t have asked. Wouldn’t want to step on anybody’s toes, or anything.  I was just under the impression that you were unattached. At least that’s what I heard,” Riley said.

     “Well, you heard wrong,” Buffy said, “I am very much attached.” Buffy leaned back into Angel’s embrace.

     “What do you say we go for a walk outside?” Angel asked Buffy.

      “Sure,” she said, “bye Riley. See you in class.”

     Then off Buffy and Angel went.

     “What picnic?” Angel asked Buffy as they strolled hand in hand down a sunny walkway of the university.

      “Hmm?”Buffy responded, coming out of her daydream.

     “That guy, you said no to a picnic,”

     “That I did.”

     “Back in LA, when we were in the sewers, you said that you were on the verge of something. Was he it?”

     “He was part of it. You know, part of me getting that normal life that everyone wanted so badly for me.”

     “Are you sorry that you didn’t get to pursue that opportunity?”

     “No. Riley was someone that I could have seen myself dating for a while. But realistically, it probably wouldn’t have meant much. He would have been Rebound Guy. And now that I have you back, I don’t need, or want, a rebound guy. I have everything I want with you.”

     After a moment of silence, Angel asked, “have you told anyone about me, yet? About us?”

      “No, I figured that we should tell them together. You know, so they don’t think I’m crazy or that I just made it up or something.”

     “When do you want to tell them? We could do it now,” Angel offered.

     “There are other things that I would much rather be doing now. Better things.”

     “Like what?”

     “Well, I happen to know for a fact that Willow has classes all afternoon, where as I, had classes all morning and feel that I deserve a little compensation.”

     “Do you?”

      “Yes, I do. I also have a free dorm room for the next few hours.” Buffy said, giving Angel a naughty little grin.

      “Whatever will we do to pass the time?” Angel asked, smiling at their playful banter.

      “Why don’t we go there and find out?” Buffy asked, tugging on Angel’s hand.

      They went.

     A few hours later. . .

     Buffy and Angel were relaxing in bed together. Buffy was sprawled out on Angel’s chest and the blankets were only pulled up to their waists. Angel’s hands were slowly tracing up and down Buffy’s back as she drew little circles on his chest. “Angel?” Buffy asked.

      “Hmm?”

      “I think we’re getting better with practice.”

      “What?”

      “I said, that I think-”

      “I know what you said,” Angel interrupted, “ what do you mean?” he continued.

      “I mean, well, on my birthday, it was so incredible, I felt so loved. But, I was also terrified. You know, all those insecurities that come with the first time. Then, last weekend, it was wonderful and so intense. I mean, we had been playing ‘look but don’t touch’ for so long and then someone said ‘touch’ and we could and . . . but now, it’s just, us, and it feels so right. I don’t know. I’m probably not making much sense.”

     “You’re making perfect sense to me.”

     “Well, you always did seem to understand me better than anyone else. Angel, I’m so glad that you were the one.”

     “The one what?”

     “The one who was my first. The one who is going to be my last. The one who has always been and always will be my only.”

     “Really?”

      “Of course really.”

      “No, I mean about the only. Look, Buffy, if something had happened between you and some guy, I wouldn’t hold it against you. I mean, I left. You had every right to find someone else.”

      “Angel, what are you talking about? I’ve never been with anyone else. You do believe me, don’t you?” Buffy asked, moving off of Angel and clutching the blankets to her chest.

     “Buffy, Spike told me about that guy a couple months ago. You don’t have to lie.”

     “I’m not lying! That guy, Parker,  is a total jerk, and then some. Yes, he did ask me out and yes I did go, but that’s it. He wanted to go back to his place, and for a moment, I was weak. I went and we started kissing and-”

      “Buffy, I don’t need to hear this.” Angel interrupted, starting to get out of the bed.

      “Yes, you do need to hear it,” Buffy said, grabbing his arm and making him stay in the bed. She continued, “ We were kissing and he started touching me and when he tried to take off my shirt, I panicked. I couldn’t go though with it. I mean, you and I were so much in love when we made love that I just couldn’t do something so precious and intimate with someone who I didn’t love. Who wasn’t you.  So, I left and the next day I saw him using the same lines on another girl. Spike overheard him tell me that it was fun but that was all it was. Parker, that jerk, was making it like we had done something and we hadn’t. But Spike thought that we had. I guess that’s what he told you. But I swear, Angel, I did not sleep with Parker Abrams or anyone else. You’re it for me.”

     “Really?” Angel asked.

     “Really.”

     “I’m sorry I didn’t believe you. I mean, I should have known considering, but-”

     “Wait, considering what?” Buffy interrupted.

     “Well, this weekend, when we . . . you know, I could tell.”

     “Really.” Buffy asked, her face dropping.

      “Yes. No! Not because of that. It just . . . I can tell because, when you’re with somebody, you pick up things, likes and dislikes, even if you don’t notice it you do pick this stuff up. But you, you were just like the first time. A little shy, a little innocent, completely endearing, but just a little bit more self-assured because you didn’t have those first time jitters.”

     “But, was I . . . okay?”

      “You, my love, were incredible. You always were.”

     “Really?” Buffy asked.

     “Really.”

     “Well, you know what they say, you get better with practice.” Buffy said, shifting closer to Angel.

    “Is that an insinuation of something?”

     “That depends, is it working?”

     “You are insatiable.” Angel said, wrapping an arm around Buffy.

     “Only when it comes to you, and shopping for shoes. But you more,” she answered back.

     Angel smiled and pulled the blankets up over their heads and the sound of Buffy’s giggling could be heard throughout the room.

     Later that night . . .

     Buffy and Angel were doing a quick patrol in the park before he had to go back to LA.  “I’m going to miss you,” Buffy said.

     “It’s only five days. You’ll survive. I, on the other hand might show signs of Buffy withdrawal.” Angel told her.

     “We are pathetic. We’re two, reasonably mature adults and we can’t even stand the thought of spending less than a week apart. Even after the fact that we spent, like, six months apart.”

     “Well, back then, we were apart because we couldn’t be together. Now we can be together, and we will be. Just as soon as I wrap things up in LA.”

     “Good, because I’m not going to let you go after that, Mister. You are stuck with me,” Buffy said, wrapping her arms around Angel’s neck.

     “Oh, I can think of worse fates,” Angel replied, leaning in and kissing Buffy.

      In the nearby bushes, three figures in army fatigues watched the happy couple. “Ri, I hate to be the one to break it to you, but I think your girl is already taken,” said Forrest.

     “Gee, you think?” Riley responded, sarcastically.

     “Sorry man, I guess you’re just going to have to get someone else to crush on,” Graham said.

     “I don’t know. I met him and something about him just rubs me the wrong way, you know?” Riley asked.

     “All I know is that whether he rubs you the wrong way or not, he is definitely rubbing her the wrong way. If you know what I mean,” said Forrest.

     “I know what you mean,” Riley gritted out.

     “ You’re better off without her, man.” Forrest said.

     “Yeah, just forget about her,” Graham said.

     “I don’t think I can,” said Riley.

      When oxygen became an issue, Angel broke off the kiss. They were both out of breath and Buffy smiled.

      “What?” Angel breathed.

     “I like being able to make you breathless,” she responded.

     “I like it too.” With a glance up Angel said, “I have to go.”

     “I know. I’ll see you Saturday.”

     “You’ll see me Saturday.” Angel assured her.

     “You’ll call me when you get home?”

     “No, I’ll call you when I get back to LA. Sunnydale’s my home. You’re my home,” Angel corrected.

     “I love you,” Buffy said, kissing him one last time.

     “I love you,” Angel responded. Then he walked off, duster flapping in the wind.

     “I really love it when he does that,” Buffy said to herself. But in the bushes, the figures in fatigues heard her. And one boy with a crush felt his blood boil with jealously.