Disclaimer: I don't own anything, please don't sue me, I have no money. Some of the dialog is from Buffy episode The Prom written by Marti Noxon.
Chapter 1: Twist of Fate
Angel dropped down into the sewers and helped Buffy down. They started walking further into the tunnels, looking around themselves for the vampire that had slipped in there.
”Oh goody. I always say patrol’s not complete without a trip to the sticky sewers”, Buffy said dryly.
”I’m sure I saw him come down here”, Angel stated.
Buffy turned to look at him. ”Can’t we let this be the vamp that got away?” She gestured with her hands, keeping them a good width apart. ”We can tell everybody he was this big.”
”What can I say? I need closure.”
Her eyes raked over his body. ”And clothes. You don’t have a tux, do you?” she said and Angel glanced at her, his eyes questioning.
”Since when did patrolling go black tie?” he asked and Buffy looked at him funny.
”For the prom, silly.”
Angel was clearly uncomfortable from the moment on she said the magic word: prom. ”We have more important things to think about now than a dance, Buffy”, he said. A frown formed to her face and her whole presence was screaming rejection.
”Oh sorry, Giles. I’ll be quiet”, she said and passed him walking with a quicker pace.
”Oh come on, don’t be that way”, he said after her, feeling a little frustrated.
Suddenly the vampire they were hunting jumped at her, starting to attack. ”Not now”, Buffy said in irritation and just plunged the stake into its heart. The vampire grumbled into dust and she spun around to look at Angel. ”I'm not being that way. I say prom and you turn all grouchy.”
”I'm sorry. I'm just worried that you're getting too, invested in this whole thing.
”In what whole thing? This is the stuff I'm supposed to get invested in. Going to a formal. Graduating. Growing up”, she said shrugging her shoulders. She didn't understand what his deal was.
”I know”, he said gloomily and turned away. Buffy followed him.
”Then what? What's with the dire?” she asked throwing her hands in the air. He could be so frustrating at times.
”It's... Nothing”, he tried, but she didn't let him get away with it.
”No. You have a something face”, she said, getting serious herself.
”I think we need to talk. But not here. Not now”, he said, he didn't want to do it in some stinky, damp sewer.
”No. If you have something to say, then just say it.”
”No. No, if you have something to say, then say it”, she told him, but he didn't say anything. The silence was unnerving. ”Angel, drop the cryptic. You're scaring me.” she finally said, biting her lower lip.
Slowly he walked closer to her and started: ”I've been thinking. About our future. And the more I do, the more I feel like us, you and me being together is unfair to you.”
Buffy's face fell. ”Is this about what the Mayor said? He was just trying to shake us up.”
”He was right”, he stated and color started to drain from Buffy's face.
”No! No, he wasn't. He’s the bad guy! We both know that…”, she said desperately and turned when he started to walk away. Neither of them had time to say more when Angel collapsed to the ground in pain. ”Angel!” she screamed in alarm and rushed to his side, dropping to her knees to the ground.
Angel groaned in pain gasping for air that he didn’t need. ”Buffy”, he managed to whisper through his pain. She stared at him nearly panicking because she didn’t know what was happening to him. Then his eyes flashed with a golden light and he fell to the ground, his large form laying on the cold ground.
Buffy stared at him in shock, the memory of him gaining his soul back right before she sent him to hell, flashed in her mind. ”Angel”, she whispered uncertainly afraid he might be Angelus.
Angel lifted his head and looked at her straight in the eyes. ”Buffy”, he whispered hoarsely. He looked around himself, his eyes searching for something, maybe an answer before settling back to hers. ”I feel weird”, he stated after a while.
”We better get to Giles”, she said and helped him to stand up. Together they left the sewers, Angel slightly leaning on to Buffy, he felt weak after the painful episode.
Buffy and Angel walked into the library only to not see Giles but an old woman sitting in front of the long table. ”I have been expecting you two, I believe it worked”, the woman said. Curiously they walked closer to her, she certainly was old, probably in her late 80s, her hair was nearly white with silver streaks and she looked fragile.
”Who are you? And what worked?” asked Buffy suspiciously, she knew that appearances could be deceiving.
”I am Olga, dear girl. I am from the Kalderash clan that cursed the souled vampire. They certainly didn’t see you coming”, she answered and smiled at Buffy.
”What are you talking about?” Buffy asked, her face creasing in confusion. She glanced at Angel and he looked just as lost as she was.
Olga kept on smiling warmly and explained: ”The happiness clause, Angelus was not meant to be unleashed ever again. It was made in anger. If there weren’t for you, it would have worked, it was not about consuming your relationship, Angelus could find lady friends and never loose his soul. Like I said, they never saw you coming, a girl that would love him despite what he has done and what he is, you are meant to kill creatures like him and you have seen what he has done in the past, yet your love is still strong. The elders were sure that no one could truly love a demon like Angelus.”
For a long moment there was silence. Both Buffy and Angel were trying to process the information.
”So why are you telling this to us?” Buffy asked with a weak voice, she didn’t like the reminder of Angelus.
”Because we have decided to correct the wrong of the past. He has changed, he regrets, he suffers and he is correcting the past by being a warrior of the light. We have given him his soul, it is now his to keep. The demon is still in the body, but the soul is what controls the mind”, Olga explained and she could see the unshed tears in Buffy's eyes.
”His soul is bound?” she asked with a small voice full of relief, love and tears that she wouldn’t let surface. Angel grabbed her hand, he was in such a shock that he couldn’t even think. He also feared his legs might give out.
Olga slowly got up from the chair and came to the lovers. ”Yes, my child. The soul is his. And so is the burden of the past as well”, she said and placed her hand to Buffy’s shoulder. She sweetly smiled at the couple and placed a warm kiss to both of their cheeks. ”The love you two feel does not come often. Be wise and be happy. But remember that being in love and having that someone in your life is not always just dancing on roses, so do not forget what you share. Be well, children”, she said and started to leave.
Buffy turned and said after her: ”Thank you.”
”Yes, thank you”, Angel repeated in a hoarse voice. He still couldn't think straight, his head was so full.
Olga stopped by the door and turned to the couple. ”You two deserve some happiness in your lives”, she stated and with that, left.
Buffy turned to Angel with tears in her eyes and a wide smile on her lips. ”Angel, did you hear that, your soul is permanent, it’s really yours”, she said her voice full of happiness and movement from the happy news.
”It really is, isn’t it”, he said still trying to wrap his mind around the fact. A small smile rose to his lips and he lowered his gaze to her eyes. ”It is, isn’t it.”
”Yes”, she answered breathily. ”No more fear of Angelus”, she continued and wrapped her arms around his neck. Automatically his arms circled her waist and he pulled her closer. But then his thoughts went back to giving her a normal life, his soul was bound but he was still a vampire. He pulled back sighing in defeat.
Buffy saw the change in his face and she grabbed him by his chin, pulling his gaze back to hers. ”Stop thinking and kiss me”, she commanded.
He pulled her closer and she let out a startled yelp, then a happy giggle fell from her lips. There was a new light in his eyes, playfulness she hadn't seen in over a year. He leaned in and kissed her softly. But then he pulled away and looked at her straight in the eyes. ”Buffy. Things haven’t changed, not really. I’m still a vampire…” he started, but didn’t get to finish when Buffy hushed him and placed her finger to his lips.
”I have never cared that you are a vampire. You are my very own creature of the night boyfriend. You are all I want or ever will want. I know you are worried because of what the mayor said, but I could never hate you, after all you did to me as Angelus, I couldn’t hate you. I will always love you more than anything in this world, now we don’t have to be afraid of Angelus, we can be together without fear. I love you, Angel”, she said, but he still had to protest even if it wasn’t done full-heartedly.
”But…” Again he was silenced by Buffy.
”No buts. I love you, I can’t live without you. I have only one question: do you love me?”, she said and he looked at her for a long while, making her heart beat faster by every second he was silent.
”I love you, Buffy”, he whispered and earned a bright smile from her.
”Then kiss me”, she said and pulled him into a passionate kiss.
