Chapter 18

Angel was sitting in a small restaurant with his friends. He had left work early since he had no cases to work on so he had time to catch up with his friends. He raised the ice water to his lips and while taking a sip, turned his attention to Doyle who was talking.

“How'bout we hit the town tonight. Angel here has been too tide up in the bedsheets to really spend time with his friends.”

“Can't tonight. I'm going to Sunnydale for the weekend”, Angel answered, setting down the glass.

“What's in Sunnydale?” Doyle asked not understanding. The others looked at Angel expectantly.

“Buffy's mother”, was his short answer.

“You're banging Buffy's mother?” Doyle questioned bewildered and everyone turned to look at him strangely.

“No!” Angel cried out. “She's introducing me to her mother”, he explained still looking at Doyle like he had grown another head.

“I can't believe you're meeting her mother. What she do? Withhold sex till you agreed?” Gunn questioned with a grin. All three men laughed but Angel just settled into glaring.

“This occasion needs to be celebrated, for the first time in history, Angelus Liam O'Reilly is facing the mother of the girl he has been seeing, more than three months, I might add, which is another record”, Doyle said and lifted his drink.

“Yes, it is a rare occurrence but I might also add that it is one o'clock in the afternoon, hardly a time for a drink”, Wesley said looking at Doyle pointedly.

“It's never too early”, Doyle stated and drank down half of the whiskey.

“Are you really going to meet the girl's mother?” Gunn questioned, he still couldn't believe what he was hearing. Angel was his idol, a man that could get any woman and never get tied down but now the image was crumbling.

“Yes, really”, Angel spoke slowly, almost like Gunn might be deeply shocked if it wasn't told gently.

“Man, she must be something to get you meet the in-laws”, Gunn said shaking his head, missing the dark glare Angel shot his way. But the look wasn't lost in the other two men in the table.

xxx

It was already dark when Buffy and Angel arrived to Sunnydale. The whole drive there she had been fidgeting, wringing her fingers and biting her lip nervously. Actually sitting in the car in front of the house only made it worse.

After few long minutes they got out of the car but since Buffy didn't seem to be moving, Angel walked around the car and waited patiently. She looked at the house for a long moment, then turned her gaze down to her stomach. She smoothed down her shirt and frowned, soon fluffing it, stretching the fabric to keep it away from her skin.

“Does the bump really show? If you didn't know already, would you notice?” she questioned with a deep frown marring her features. He smiled gently and shook his head.

“No, you're not showing”, he assured her and wrapped his arm around her. He pressed a soft kiss to her neck and started to guide her towards the front door.

“Are we going to tell her about the baby?” he asked. They were walking slowly to the door, he was starting to suspect that it would be light before they got inside.

“I'll tell her next time I see her”, she stated and stopped walking, turning to look at him. “I can't just go and say, 'hi mom, this is my boyfriend Angel and guess what you're gonna be a grandmother because he's also the father of my child'. That's not the first impression I want her to have of you. I will tell her on the next time I see her”, she answered.

She was about to continue walking when he took a hold of her arm and pulled her against his side. Slowly she turned her gaze to his. They looked into each others eyes and he smoothed her hair back.

“Don't worry, everything's going to be alright”, he said in a soft voice and leaned down to give her a tender kiss, his lips barely brushing against hers. Her eyes closed and her hand wandered up his chest to his neck, pulling him into a more thorough kiss. She moaned against his lips and let her body relax, the nervousness vanishing.

As he ended the kiss, she sighed contently and slowly opened her eyes, a small smile playing on her lips. “Okay, panic attack avoided”, she said, her smile widening.

“Good. Now let's go meet your mother before I get cold feet”, he said with a crooked grin and started walking towards the porch, not letting go of her hand that had found its way to his during the kiss.

Buffy rang the door bell and after few short moments later Joyce Summers opened the door. “Honey”, she breathed out and pulled Buffy into a warm hug.

“Hi mom”, Buffy answered with a smile and pulled back to stand next to Angel. “Uhm... This is Angel”, she introduced, signing at Angel. Joyce's gaze drifted to the man standing next to her daughter, he was a very good looking man but older than her daughter. The fact that Buffy was an adult always managed to escape her mind.

“Good to meet you, Mrs Summers”, Angel greeted and shook her hand, the scrutinizing look the woman was giving him didn't go unnoticed.

“Come inside, don't just stand there”, Joyce said and pulled Buffy inside, closing the door once Angel was inside. “Dinner has been ready for some time so take your jacket off and come to the table”, Joyce told them and went to the dining room.

“Is it me or does it seem that your mother doesn't really like me?” Angel whispered to Buffy's ear with a crooked smile on his lips.

“She just really liked Riley but before tonight is over she'll love you”, she said and took a hold of his hand, dragging him to the dining room with her.

They started dinner and for a long moment there was a awkward silence around them. Joyce was watching the couple with sharp eyes, seeing every move they made. “Buffy told me you're a lawyer”, Joyce broke the silence and turned to look at Angel expectantly.

“Yes, I am”, was his answer.

“Where do you work? Do you own your own company?”

“In my grandfather's firm”, Angel answered. Buffy could see the conversation was going to be a disaster so she stepped in, interrupting before her mother could speak.

“Did I tell you that Angel has some great artwork at his place?”

Joyce turned to look at her daughter, shaking her head. “I don't believe you did”, she answered forgetting Angel's occupation for a second.

“Yeah, he showed them to me once and he has an excessive art collection, even a Monet”, Buffy said, trying to keep the conversation on a safe path.

“Oh really? So how did you two meet? I doubt Buffy has needed legal assistance.” Joyce turned to look at Angel, waiting for an answer.

“We met at a club some months ago”, Angel answered and Buffy cringed, it wasn't exactly a fairytale meeting.

“At a club?” Joyce repeated.

“Later he came to my gallery and we had dinner. He made a lasting impression on me”, Buffy said and shared a look with Angel who seemed to understand what she meant by the last part. He had to suppress a cocky smirk from rising to his lips.

“Buffy didn't tell much about you the last time she was here. Actually she didn't tell me you existed before that. So how long have you two known each other?”, Joyce asked giving Buffy a small accusing look before turning her attention back to Angel.

“About three and a half months ago”, Angel answered. Joyce had to bite her tongue not to say anything, Buffy had been seeing this man for nearly three months before telling her about it. She grabbed her drink and took a good sip from it before turning her attention back to her dinner. The uncomfortable silence returned to the table.

xxx

After an awkward dinner, Buffy and Angel moved to the living room as Joyce insisted on cleaning the table and doing the dishes by herself. Angel looked around himself, the living room was very cozy like the rest of the house seemed to be but he couldn't really judge since he hadn't seen the second floor yet. There was few paintings on the walls, some kind of wooden mask and picture frames on top of a bureau. He looked at the pictures, many of them were of Buffy and people he didn't recognize. He picked up one of them, in it she was with a redheaded girl and a goofily smiling boy. He turned to look at her, showing her the picture.

“Friends?” he asked and she nodded. She walked to him and looked at the picture with a fond smile.

“Yeah. We went to high school together. Willow and Xander. They still live here and if you don't have any objections I'd like you to meet them tomorrow.”

“No objections. You've met my friends so now it's my turn to meet yours so I can find out about your rebellious youth”, he said with a smirk and put down the picture frame.

“Now I'm having second thoughts. I don't think I want you to meet my friends”, she said giving him a suspicious look. He chuckled and moved to look at the artwork in the room. He stopped in front of a sculpture that was placed to a small table next to the sofa. He could see it was of Joyce's gently smiling face.

“This is nice”, he stated signing at it.

“I made it some years ago”, Buffy confessed. Angel turned to look at her, impressed.

“You're an artist?”

She gave him a short laugh and shook her head. “Not really. I can't draw. Well, I can but not all that good. But I do make sculptures, whether they're good or not is up to debate. I'm not a full time artist and I don't really want to be but I do make sculptures when I get inspired”, she explained shrugging her shoulders.

“It's really good”, he assured her.

“Really? It's just a hobby really, I have no desire to be a starving artist”, she said with a crooked smile. “Maybe I could let you make sculpture out of me, like those Greek statues. I'd pose for you”, he smirked and pulled her against his side. She laughed and playfully slapped him to the chest.

“You're really conceited, you know”, she said still chuckling.

“I know”, he answered and nibbled at her ear. Buffy pulled back as she heard her mother's footsteps coming closer.

“Buffy, your room has clean sheets but I'll have to put fresh ones to the guest room”, Joyce said and stopped at the doorway.

“I'll help you to change them”, Buffy said and took a step back from Angel before turning to look at him. “Why don't you pour yourself a drink or something while we change the sheets. There's whiskey in the cabinet there”, she said and signed at the small liquor cabinet.

She and Joyce went upstairs to the guest room. Joyce got the clean sheets from the linen closet while Buffy removed the old ones. “So you and Angel have been dating for nearly four months and I've only known he exists for a month”, Joyce started, leaving it hanging in the air.

“Uhm... I didn't want to jinx it. I wanted to see where it was going first”, Buffy explained uncomfortably and turned her attention back to the sheets. She wasn't really lying to her mother, she hadn't been sure where they were going and they had dated only for a month.

“I never thought you'd bring a lawyer home”, Joyce stated, it was no secret that she disliked lawyer not only because of Buffy's father but also because she had a worthless one in the divorce.

“I can't believe it either but it just happened. He's a great guy.”

“He's older”, Joyce simply said and turned to look at her daughter. Buffy stopped what she was doing, not quite believing what her mother was saying.

“Mom, I'm 24 years old so I'm not exactly a kid anymore. Besides he's 32, eight years isn't such a big age difference.”

It didn't seem to ease her mother's mind. “I know you're an adult but Riley...” Joyce started but was silenced as Buffy raised her hand.

“Mom”, she sighed. “I know you really love Riley but we broke up. We're not getting back together and I'm with Angel now. And it's serious.”

For a long while Joyce just stared at her until she continued changing the sheets in silence.

xxx

Buffy was laying in bed, for nearly an hour she had been trying to fall asleep but it didn't seem to be working. She had been tossing and turning, trying to get the pillow to cooperate but sleep just wouldn't come. Her thoughts were running loose, Angel was sleeping just a door away from her as at the same time her mother was on the end of the hall. She turned to her side facing the window and tried to get a comfortable position. The house was quiet except for the sound of her room door opening and closing. She turned around and found Angel nearing her bed looking absolutely sinful in crimson silk boxers that looked black in the dark.

“You can't be here. Go back to your room”, Buffy whispered harshly but Angel just shook his head and climbed into the bed with her.

“I got lonely”, he said with a husky voice that made her hot all over. He kissed her neck, shedding wet kisses along the soft skin.

“Angel”, she started to protest but lost the track of her thought as he suckled the sensitive spot on her neck. “Angel, we can't. My mom will hear”, she finished with difficulty. It felt ridiculous, worrying about her mother hearing her and her boyfriend.

“Then we better be quiet”, he said with a smirk and continued what he had been doing. She wanted to push him away, actually she knew she should but somehow she just didn't find the will to even try.

He lifted the sheet and chuckled as he saw what she was wearing. “Are those cows?” he asked with a crooked grin. She was glad it was dark so he couldn't see the blush on her cheeks.

“Yes, they're cows. I thought I would be just sleeping. Without company”, she said defensively and slapped his hand away. He just laughed.

“It's cute”, he stated and got another slap from her. “But I bet you look cuter without it”, he added and bend down into a kiss while his fingers unbuttoned the pajama shirt.

A soft moan escaped her lips as his hands parted the shirt and cupped her breasts. His lips traveled down on her bare skin, not leaving any visible marks since he had no doubt his future mother in-law would have no problem in sending him into a hotel. He slipped under the cover and let out a groan when her hand found its way into his boxers and her fingers wrapped around his hard member. She giggled at his reaction.

“I thought we were supposed to be quiet”, she smirked.

“Funny”, he whispered wryly and pulled her into a hungry kiss.

xxx

Before sunrise Angel sneaked back into the guest room and during the breakfast Joyce gave him suspicious looks but didn't say anything if she suspected something. In the afternoon Buffy gave him a quick tour through the town and after dark dragged him to the Bronze.

“I know it's not like clubs in LA but it's the only one in town”, Buffy said as he was guiding Angel to the building by his arm.

“Only one club?” Angel questioned not believing it.

“Yeah. Come on, let's dance”, she answered and tried to pull him to the dance floor but he wouldn't move.

“Buffy, do you forget, I don't dance”, he reminded her. She turned to look at him with a pout.

“Sure you do. Come on, there's no one you know in here”, she said and leaned against his side, her finger drawing slow circles on his chest. She batted her eyelashes at him and he gave her a half glare. A bright smile rose to her lips, she knew she had him and with little resistance she dragged him to the dance floor.

Willow and Xander were sitting in a table, they both had left their significant others home and come to meet their friend. Willow glanced at her watch, it would be at least twenty minutes before Buffy would be there. With a sigh she turned her eyes to the dance floor.

“Is that Buffy?” she questioned, surprise clear in her voice, not only was Buffy early but she was dancing with someone. Xander followed her gaze and found Buffy and Angel dancing close to each other.

“Who's the guy?” he asked. Willow turned to look at him and shrugged.

“I don't know. I haven't seen him before. Unless he's the guy Buffy was talking about.”

“The boyfriend. I don't think so. It's too early to introduce him to Joyce”, Xander said shaking his head.

“She introduced Riley soon after they started dating”, Willow reminded him with a small frown.

“That's different”, he answered and turned to look at Buffy and her date.

They danced several songs before Buffy noticed her friends sitting in a near table and grabbed Angel's hand, dragging him off the dance floor. “Hey guys”, she greeted with a happy smile, tugging Angel to stand by her side.

“Hey Buffy!” Willow answered with a upbeat voice and a wide smile.

“Hey, Buffster”, said Xander with a wave of his hand. His eyes traveled to Angel, sizing him up and he quickly made his mind about the tall, dark and handsome man by his friend's side. “So, who's your friend here?” he asked nodding at Angel.

“Oh, this is Angel. Angel, these are my friends Willow and Xander. And talking about my high school years is strictly forbidden”, Buffy answered and sat down to the table, pulling Angel to sit next to her.

“Angelus O'Reilly, nice to meet you”, Angel said and offered his hand to Willow who smiled shyly before shaking it.

“So this is the boyfriend”, Willow clarified.

“The one and only”, Buffy answered with a crooked smile. She shared a look with Angel and took a hold of his hand under the table, giving it a small squeeze.

“So how long exactly have you two crazy kids been seeing each other?” Xander asked with light tone as he stared at Angel with scrutiny.

“About three and a half months”, Angel answered returning the stare, not at all unnerved by it.

Xander turned his gaze to Buffy. “Well that was quick”, he said and Angel could feel Buffy stiffening next to him. He gave Xander a hard glare that was known to make men wither in front of him.

“What was that supposed to mean?” he asked ignoring the slight tugging Buffy was giving his hand.

“Just that she just broke up with Riley. Do you know about him?” Xander answered, not allowing himself to back down.

“I know enough”, Angel ground out.

“Angel”, Buffy whispered to him, catching his attention. “Let it be”, she said with a soft voice, looking into his eyes pleadingly. She knew Xander had liked Riley which was a rarity when it came to her boyfriends and he had probably taken the break up harder than she had. Noticing the look in her eyes, Angel let out a tired sigh and nodded, letting it go for the time being.

“Buffy told me you like art”, Willow steered them away from the uncomfortable situation. Angel turned his attention to her and they started a conversation that lasted till girl named Amy came to ask Xander for a dance. As Xander was dragged away, Buffy informed she was going to the bathroom.

“I'll go with her. Uhm... so she doesn't get lost”, Willow said awkwardly, signing at Buffy's retreating back and quickly followed her friend. Willow walked into the bathroom and stood next to Buffy who was fixing her make up. She looked at the blonde through the mirror.

“So that was the mysterious boyfriend”, Willow said leaving the sentence hanging in the air.

“Yeah, that was Angel”, Buffy answered not even noticing the small smile that was tugging her lips as she said his name. It didn't go unnoticed by Willow.

“Does he make you feel all tingly?” she asked with a raised eyebrow. It had been a long time since she had seen her friend so tide up over a guy. Buffy turned to look at her with a smile.

“Tingly all over”, Buffy stated and the two women shared a laugh.

“I'm thinking he's all possessive and growly since for a moment it looked like he was going to leap over the table and attack Xander. You do know he didn't mean it like it sounded, right?” Willow said with a frown and Buffy nodded, giving her a small reassuring smile. Willow had always been defending Xander when he let frogs out of his mouth.

“I know. He really liked Riley and it's not like he's ever been nice to any of my boyfriends with the exception of Riley.”

She let out a deep sigh and the two women left the bathroom. “I think I'll get drinks for us”, she stated, talking over the loud music.

“You need help?” Willow asked but she shook her head.

“No, I'll manage. Just go back to the table before Xander returns. I don't think it's safe to leave him and Angel alone together.”

Willow smiled and nodded before making her way through the throng of people back to their table. As she sat down, Angel looked around himself looking for Buffy before turning his eyes to Willow.

“Where's Buffy?” he asked.

“Getting drinks”, she answered shortly. For a long while she just stared at him till he turned to look at her with a questioning look, not saying anything. “Hurt her and I'll beat you to death with a shovel”, Willow threatened while looking at him sweetly. He raised an eyebrow.

“A shovel, huh? Faith discreetly mentioned a knife collection”, he said and a quirky smile rose to Willow's lips.

“Yeah? Well, I bet she'd help me bury you. Buffy's been my best friend since high school and I don't want her to get hurt. That's why I'm warning you now.”

“I don't want to hurt Buffy”, Angel stated truthfully. He really didn't, just the thought that he was bound to do just that made his stomach twist in a unpleasant way. Willow looked at the man with observant eyes and she believed him.

Buffy chose that moment to return to the table, she set the drink to the table and looked at the occupants suspiciously. “What were you two talking about?” she asked.

“Oh, nothing”, Willow said with her best innocent voice but the look on her face screamed guilty. Buffy looked at her friend and boyfriend in turns.

“Willow was just telling me about your career as an actress”, Angel answered and her eyes widened, turning to look accusingly at Willow.

“You told him about that?!”

“No, but now I want to know”, Angel smirked and Buffy turned to glare at him only half serious.

“Not gonna happen, mister”, she swore.


To be continued...


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