Passions to Wed...The Things We Do For Love

Author: Angel

Summary:Starts at the beginning of "Passions" right before Angel touches Buffy's cheek before leaving the drawing. Buffy wakes, and Angelus has decided to act as Angel to get Buffy to run back to his mansion in Ireland with him to be married forever...Only one problem. Buffy wants her friends to come with. How will Angelus deal with Xander for a few weeks? Angel couldn't even deal with Xander for a few minutes!

Feedback: Please let me know what you think! angelm

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Part 1

Buffy woke, and for the first time in a long time she wasn't afraid. She wasn't scared. She wasn't feeling the world crashing around her like it always found a way to do. She didn't feel any of these things. And above all she didn't feel alone. This is when Buffy realized she wasn't alone.

Buffy didn't know Angelus had followed her tonight. She didn't know of his new passion for her. She didn't know that Angelus had discovered his true mate in her. And she certainly didn't know what an actor he was.

It speaks to us. Guides us. Passion rules us all. And we obey. What other choice do we have? His thoughts were of his passion for the tiny woman before him as he sketched her face onto the paper. He knew that even HIS work would not do Buffy's beauty the justice it needed and demanded. He would leave this picture for her mother. For her watcher. For her pathetic soul-loving friends. He knew Buffy would come with him tonight if he played her like he planned to. His plans were to take Buffy from SynnHell. He would take her where no one would find them, and they would be together for always.

Of course, he didn't want to force her, which was strange-being a vampire and all. His nature should have made him want to punish and hURT Buffy Summers-not love her and hoard her all to himself. But there was something about her that ignited a fire in him. A passion. She was his passion. Tonight he would act upon that and Buffy would be his...Forever.

He gently grazed his knuckles over her cheek in the most sensual caress. She continued to sleep. It was only when she felt the cool, hard surface of his Claddagh against her cheek that her eyes opened gently. She took a brief milisecond to gather her bearings. And then, even in the moonlight she could tell it was him. (Ofcourse that was really all she had ever seen him by. She knew his shadow better than his real face) Her body stiffened, and she sat up. Her hand moved to grab the stake from under her pillow, and Angelus caught both of her hands.

"Buffy!" he exclaimed in a yelled whisper. "It's me. Relax. It's me."

She laughed and said, "I know it's you. That's why I'm reaching for my stake!" She continued to struggle. It called upon all of his patience not to force her still.

He endured her thrashing about as he tried to calm her. He knew he had to make this believable. He had to act. "It's me." he said again, quieter this time. And under his breath-or non breath, he finished with, "Angel."

"Angel?" She asked his name as if it were a prayer that she had just remembered that would save her soul. I couldn't help a little smile as I thought of her one day smiling when she said my name. My true name. Not this pathetic version of it.

"Yes, Buffy." I answered her question. "I'm back."

Her eyes widened, and she relaxed a bit. I loosened my grip and she asked me, "But how?" I chuckled softly and said "I guess the Powers had a bigger plan for me than that. They didn't want me against you. And thank God that they didn't. Buffy, I...The things Angelus has done...They're horrible." I looked away, silently blushing over the compliment I paid myself. Luckily Buffy took the bait. I slumped down against her chest as my vice cracked. Her arms went around me as I sobbed. I tried to imagine what would cause me pain, and think of that. I had to act this well. It had to be perfect.

"Angel...I don't know why you're back, but you are." Buffy lifted my face to look me straight in the eye. "I love you, and God I have missed you so much." With that she kissed me. I felt a bolt of electricity surge through me and for a moment I wondered if I had just gained my soul back. I wanted to pull back for fear that I had. But her touch held me still. When the kiss ended the electricity ceased and I realized that was just the way I would feel whenever I kissed her.

Soon we were talking. I was laying on her bed and we were talking as if we really were lovers that had been apart for a period of time. She told me her thoughts, and I apologized (ha) again and again FOR Angelus'(my) reactions and actions against her. I rushed to assure her that the night in bed was the most wonderful experience of any life I had ever lived or not lived. She agreed and I assured her again and again that she was the best thing that ever happened to me and that whatever Angelus had said wasn't true. (Truth be told I felt bad for embarassing her about going to bed. Now I knew it might make her a little shy in that area later on in our relationship, but then again there would be time for that. Lots of time)

Finally I said it. "Buffy, run with me." She was confused. "Where, Angel? What is it? What do you need?" I moved closer and I whispered, "Run away with me. Let's just leave this place. Kendra can come back and tend to the dust of the vamps and the demons. Just run with me. We'll go and never look back." She started to object, but I wouldn't let her. "Buffy you told me you would follow me anywhere. If you love me you'll come with me. We'll run, and we'll get married. We'll get married back in my mansion in Ireland. "

Buffy looked deeply into my eyes, and I knew she was about to cave. But the thing that threw me off the most was what she said next. She said, "Angel I love you and I'll marry you. But if we go to Ireland to get married we have to bring my family and friend for the ceremony."

My smile suddenly dropped.

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Part 2

Angelus was at a loss for words. On one hand he really couldn't stand Willow and Giles and Joyce and Cordelia-And Xander. God how he wanted to kill that boy. Oz wasn't so bad, but that's because he wasn't yet under the Scoobie-influence which was sure to be a part of him soon. On the other hand-if he told Buffy he didn't want them coming, she'd be suspicious as to his reasons, and even ANGELUS didn't think he could give her a good one off the top of his head. Yet he still tried to talk his way out of it.

"Buffy, uh...Wouldn't it..." he looked away to gather his thoughts a moment and then he looked at her in an almost begging manner and said, "wouldn't it be more romantic if we just...Eloped? You know? Go away and then a few years from now we can come back and you can have a ceremony with all of your friends." He had no intentions of ever coming back to SunnyHell, but if he had to he would lie about everything in order to get Buffy to leave with him.

He saw the disappointment in her eyes, and if Angelus had a heart he assumed it might have hurt some. He had decided to give her whatever she wanted in life so she would never have a reason to want to leave-he wouldn't let her go ofcourse, but he still didn't want her wanting to escape his arms.

Buffy said softly, "I guess we could do that. Come back in a few...A few years for a ceremony with them. I probably wouldn't be as nervous." She shrugged and Angelus sighed. He knew he had to give in to her. Who wouldn't? Passion rules us all and we obey, what other choice do we have?

"Okay." He couldn't believe he had said it. Buffy smiled and Angelus finished the sentance just for that smile she bestowed upon him, "We'll take everyone with us. The younger people can go up in three days and meet us there, and the adults..." he shuddered at the thought. "Giles and Joyce can come up on the weekend and we'll have the ceremony then. I'll fly the preacher up for that day as well." Buffy's smile widened and Angelus knew that no matter how much he didn't want to do this: he had made the right choice.

Buffy dove into his arms. Angelus was surprised at first, and that surprise knocked his vampire face out. Buffy had cuddled into his arms, her head on his shoulder. This bared her beautiful neck to Angelus' now fang-filled mouth. He almost bit down as he held her tightly. Then his mind came in to play. He looked away and shuddered with longing. Buffy felt his shudder and moved to look into his eyes. He held her tighter where she was for just a few moments longer. A few more seconds and everything would be normal. If only she wouldn't excite him like this it wouldn't be such a big problem all the time.

Buffy looked into the beautiful brown eyes of the man she loved. He seemed to be relieved at that second, but she paid it no mind. She had a million other things to do with her time. She had to call Kendra. She had to call Giles. Willow. Xander. Jenny Calendar and thank her for whatever she had done to restore Angel's soul. She wasn't for sure on that-but she knew Miss Calendar had some thing to do with it. She also had to tell her mom. Hell, she'd even call Cordy and have Willow invite Oz. They were all going to Ireland to stay in Angel's mansion and watch Buffy get married! Buffy wasn't sure she could be happier than she was at that second.

Angelus surprised her by pulling out a bluew, velvet box. Like his better half he wanted rings of his people. But unlike his better half he would not do things half way. He opened the box and revealed the white gold claddagh ring. The heart was a flawless ruby, and the crown was a perfect diamond. The hands were flecked with tiny diamonds and sparks of gold as well. He had made the order for the ring at the jeweller's the day after he had returned. He had felt bad about what he said to her about being in bed, so this was his way of making up for it. Ofcourse now he had to tell her that this would be her wedding ring.

"I want this to be your wedding ring." he explained slowly, and Buffy was still in shock. She stared at it; one hand over her chest in surprise. "So you can't wear it just yet, "Angelus teased- knwoing Angel would have done so, and that Buffy would like that. He was right. She smiled at him. "But at the wedding...I just wanted to make sure you liked it." He finished and Buffy looked into his eyes adoringly. "Oh Angel I love it." She leaned forward and hugged him again. "And I love you. God, I love you so much." Her lips met Angelus' in a gentle kiss that sent the familiar electricity through his entire body.

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer. He was about to lay her down on the bed when he realized that if he were Angel-the caring guy-he would have done something romantic like tell Buffy they should wait for after the wedding. However Angelus wasn't sure he could last that long. Watching her dance with Xander tonight had really put a thought into his mind about claiming her and never letting her be near anyone else. This was the main reason why he just wanted to escape with Buffy. He had figured they could get away from civilization. Maybe go to his mansion in the Alps, or the place in the Rainforest. He had ensured that all of his beloved properties were tended to over the years. Besides the apartment building, the Bronze, and the mansion on Crawford street-Angel really hadn't touched much of Angelus' millions. Mark that and re-write BILLIONS. He had spent years collecting every amount of investment and then cashed in on them before they dried up. He had eough money to ensure that he and his family (Dru, Darla, William and Angelus) could inulge their every desires for the rest of eternity. Plus more money was coming in off of interest every day. He was getting richer by the second. He wondered if Buffy knew the beautiful things ahead of her. The custom wardrobe. The long holidays that would never end. The shopping sprees for whatever she wanted. Hell if she asked for a throne, he would buy one or have one custom made with jewels just for her.

~~

Soon he found himself hiding in the stacks of the library while Buffy began telling the group about his "return". She had called everyone together immediatly after he had proposed and said that they needed to have an emergency meeting about Angelus and his latest effort to kill her. Now Angelus listened from where Buffy had told him to wait. She explained how she woke up to find him sitting on the bed. How he had explained his soul's restoration. And then his proposal for marriage. Miss Calendar had said that if his soul was restored it would probably be for good now, and that there was no "happiness clause" in the curse. Angelus chuckled softly. That wouldn't be stopping him from indulging in happiness even if it was there.

When Buffy talked of the wedding and everyone's invites and the plans for it, there were many protests. Angelus swore that he heard even OZ under his breath ask Buffy if she was mad. Buffy turned towards the stacks and said, "Angel come on out." Angelus put on a straight face-one filled with hurt and happiness like Angel was known to have. But this time he made his face guilty and embarassed. He lingered and finally peered around the stacks. At his appearance Xander climbed on his chair and held a book infront of him

"Go to Hell, satin's bitch!" He yelled in fear. Angelus tried to be hurt, although he was mentally making a note to find a way to kick Harris' ass without being too suspicious or obvious. He could always call in a favor from a vamp friend of his.

Buffy shot Xander a look and went to Angel. She whispered in his ear and took his hand, "we have to do this now or never."

Angelus looked into her eyes and said, "how about never?"

Buffy smiled softly, assuming his suggestion was a joke-which it wasn't. "Come on." Her warm hand is what led him to what could be his final death. They stood together infront of everyone and Angelus looked down and away. He hated acting like a puppy dog just because Angel always did. He wished that Angel had been more masucline-had more pride. But then he remembered that Angel was a tortured and abused soul-not a man that gave a crap what anyone but Buffy thought of him. Truth be told Angelus didn't care what anyone but Buffy thought either-but that didn't mean he would act like a pansie just because he didn't care.

"Angel," Giles was the first one to speak. Angelus wanted to laugh at Giles' attempt at being calm. Angelus could hear the rapid beating of everyone's hearts. "Nice to see that you have returned."

"Yeah," Xander said and then added the zinger, "to the ways of the un-dead soul that screws Buffy over and leaves her with a cradle-robbing creature-of-the-night A-hole!"

Angelus didn't flinch. Buffy started to object, "Xander-shut the-"

But Angelus held out a hand to stop her. "It's alright Buffy, I deserve that one. Even if it sounds crude and impolite it is the whole scene of it." He was mentally making a note to have Dru released upon Harris with chains and a whip. Dru always had a taste for the finer things in life with a hot, young male. Angelus looked sincere as he said "I know what I've done is unforgiveable. But Buffy and I do love eachother and we want to get married. We would be pleased and honoured if you would be there at our wedding. All of you." he almost smiled at Miss. Calendar.

She looked thrilled and suddenly he wondered if that was what it felt like to be a tortured soul. He couldn't imagine anything as bad as what he was feeling right now.. Angelus was about to be sick. Everyone was slowly agreeing, and he knew that now he could not back out of this horrid fate. It suddenly hit him of just how bad this was all going to be. It was going to be worse than anything he could imagine. But he'd done it to himself, he had to remember that. He looked over at Buffy's smiling face, and around at all of her friends. One thought was top priority in his head at that exact moment. One thought would play through his mind as long as he kept up this charade...

He was screwed.

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Part 3

Finally Angelus was rid of Buffy's happy and "caring" friends for a few days. Well, only a day and half-but that was abit of a break wasn't it? He and Buffy were flying up to Angelus' place ahead of the time of the "youth". Then the adults would be up in seven days-the weekend. There were four adults besides the preacher: Joyce, Hank summers, Giles, and Jenny Calendar. Then there were the youth: Xander, Willow, Cordy, Oz, and for some reason Amy the witch had been invited.

He sat next to Buffy on the plane and sighed. They had taken a night flight. He really wasn't too sure about flying, but Buffy figured that if worse came to worse he could hind in the bathroom. But they were supposed to land an hour before the sun came up, and the limo that Angelus had arranged to pick them up had windows protecting from the sunlight. He would have a van sent for the kids, and another limo sent for the adults.-Just to act kind and courteous.

Buffy slid her hand into Angelu's larger one and gave him a light squeeze.

Angelus turned his head and looked at her. "nervous, baby?" He asked.

She smiled at his terminology. He never called her 'baby' before this. But he seemed to be doing it a lot lately. She had noticed other things as well about him. Like how he was a little more in to groping than he had been before. Though he'd always liked to touch her before, Angel had never really been over-feely with her. She liked it though. She felt loved and desired now. She shrugged off her musings, and replied, "no. Just curious."

Angels bent over and kissed her lips gently, "about what?" he grinned.

She cuddled closer to him and sighed softly. "I don't know. I mean...Am I allowed to just leave the slayer grounds for however long I want? And why am I so nervous around you still? I mean -I don't want to be nervous around you, but-"

Angelus rushed to reassure her in his best Angel Impression, "you don't have to be nervous, but I'm not upset if you are. The effects of what Angelus said and did...That may take some time. But Buffy time is what we have." Time and millions. "And Kendra's watching Sunnydale. She's as capable as the next slayer. So you don't have to worry about a thing. Just relax and enjoy being pampered. Rest assured there will be a lot of spoiling in this marriage." His words had the effect he desired, and Buffy smiled; content. Angelus lifted his arm and wrapped it around her shoulders tightly. She cuddled into his chest and they sat back to just relax and enjoy eachother's company.

Angelus had never been on a plane before due to the risk of the sun, but the new and faster jets that travelled at night were such a convenience to his time frame. However, he was quite disappointed with what it was like. True-he had travelled in worse than this private jet he had rented, but it wasn't that nice. It was clean, all leather-white, and it had everything he could want. But there was something about being up here in the sky that set his nerves off. He had always been an "ocean" kind of guy. That's what Ireland was meant for. The ocean fishers and lovers. He had always travelled by cruise line with his own suites and staff. He knew now that he would have to get different staff then he was used to. He didn't want any demons serving his beloved except for maybe himself. He would have to hire humans-and be nice to them for a while until Buffy loved him to death. Then he would reveal his true self to her.

But then again, that was a long time away. He had to have Buffy to a point where she could not live without him. Then she wouldn't care who he was-as long as they were together.

Angelus thought back to some of the cruises he had been on before. Then he remembered the trip with Darla on the Titanic. They had swam all night, and not been tired. Although he thought Darla would be tired in her corset. They reached shore a few minutes before sunrise and then had to run to find a cave to rest in for the day. They would have made it to shore sooner and been able to find suitable accomodations had he and Darla not wanted to feed off of many of the victims-already screaming. It was a free-for-all Buffet. So many people were screaming that it didn't matter who screamed louder. No one paid any attention as they took their picks of the richest people, stole their jewels, and drank them dry. Angel had only been gone that one day, and Angelus had been free. Then Angel had returned. He still didn't know why Angel had let him out to go on the titanic with Darla when she asked. He was probably hoping to get killed, and he was just too much of a coward to stake himself.

All in all the journey of the Titanic had been quite boring. Darla had just wanted to stay in bed all day, whereas Angelus wanted to meet and greet the people around him. He knew he would not be out of Angel for long before Angel took control again. So he had wanted to enjoy his time, rather than pleasuring Darla. He had wanted to find a way for his soul to be gone forever.

One thing Angelus never understood about that day, was just why Angel let him have full control that day. Maybe he didn't realize Angelus would try to get rid of Angel once and for all. Or maybe he just didn't care anymore. The point was that for one day out of a hundred years-Angelus had been free. Now that he was free again and he had his true mate, he would be damned if he would let Angel back in control.

He wanted Buffy all to himself, and no one would ever do a thing about that.

Of that he was sure.

~~

The First thing Buffy became aware of was that they were no longer flying. She knew they were driving now. She was cuddled against something strong...And encased in leather. She opened her eyes and yawned softly. She found herself in the back of limo on Angelus' Lap-well she thought it was Angel's lap. She smiled softly at the feel of her fiance and then her smile changed to a grin as she thought of what she could call him in a few days. Her husband.

Angelus noticed the smile and said, "what are you grinning at, my Love?" Buffy looked up at him adoringly and replied, "I can soon call you my husband."

Angelus chuckled softly and said, "You already can." Buffy was confused. "How? We're not married yet."

Angelus chuckled as he remembered that Angel hadn't told Buffy the claddagh was a wedding ring and that they were, in his people's was-married. Angelus explained this to Buffy and she was silent a moment, and then she said, "so our wedding night is the night of my seventeenth birthday?"

"Yes, my love." I answered. "it was." She was quiet a moment longer and then said, "looks like if you forget our anniversary I have the rights to kill you for also forgetting my birthday." Her playful grin made my insides melt in happiness. I chuckled softly and said, "yes, my love." I knew that would be how I answered a lot of her questions. Luckily she didn't object to a term I would use that Angel would probably not use. He was call her "light of his non-life" or "Ioniun" or something like that. Some sweet words in Gaelic would be how he said he loved her, and Buffy would swoon. Angelus knew occasionally he was to use these words to keep her suspisions down. But for now he could call her whatever he liked...well, within reason.

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Part 4

When they finally arrived at Angelus' mansion, Buffy was shocked and thrilled at the sight that lay before her. They entered through the huge gates in the limo, and went up the long, curving driveway that led to what Buffy assumed was a castle.

"Umm...Angel honey?" She asked nervously.

Angelus didn't hear her for a moment, as he was busy looking over the yards to see if the gardeners had done their job as instructed. He didn't want to have to kill anyone before he married Buffy. He finally realized she was asking his name, and he responded, "yes, lover?"

She paused and then asked sounding nervous and a little hesitant, "is this your place?"

He chuckled softly and realized that she had probably never lived in a place like this before. "Don't worry, my love." he assured her. "Soon you will adjust and you'll like it just fine."

Buffy smiled as she gazed at the huge, stone structure they had arrived at and said, "I don't see a problem there."

A special tent had been set up out near the front steps so that Angelus could get to the house without a tan. He and Buffy rushed inside, and she closed the door quickly behind him.

Buffy walked over to Angel and asked, "did you get burned?" her hand reached to cup his cheek, and Angelus felt that electricity.

He smiled at her concern and replied, "only by you." She leaned up and kissed his lips gently. "How about the grand tour?" He asked her with a smirk after they kissed.

She giggled excitedly and said, "sounds great."

He showed her one magnificent rom after another. Buffy particularily enjoyed the Master Wing of the house. This was where Angel and her would live. The master bedroom was amazing in all its splendor. The curtains were thick velvet, the red rugs were gorgeous, and the silk bed sheets were exquisite. The carvings in the wood of the bed posts were of little angels. The chandeliers in the sitting rooms, the marble decks, the marble pillars in the halls-everything made Buffy squeal in delight. She loved the work-out rooms, the pools, the tennis courts, and the ball room. The ball room had a ceiling that reminded Buffy of the one in her favourite childhood movie Beauty and the Beast. It had cherubs and clouds. It looked like heaven was peering down at her. Buffy smiled as she thought of how she could show off her husband's place to Cordelia. Now she definitely had the upper hand when it came to the material hand of things.

She looked over the different rooms that everyone would be in. It was as if each room fit every person's indivdual style. Xander's had TV's, DVD players, and a million video games. Oz's had band instruments. Willow's had computers and some magic books. Giles' had a million books. Joyce's was just beautiful and elegant. Hank's was rather dull because Angelus did not know too much about him and didn't particularily care about the comfort of anyone that had deserted Buffy...His Buffy. However, he did care about their discomfort. He wondered if Buffy would ever allow him to...No. Stop that thinking. That's Buffy's father!

Amy's room was filled with magic books. Buffy wasn't sure if that was the best idea, but she went with it anyways. And Cordelia' s room looked almost as good as the master bedroom. Buffy had wanted to show off her new wealth by rubbing it in her face. Cordy's room was lacy, white, pink, and beige.

After the tour Buffy found she was quite tired. "Angel, I know this goes against the romance and the excitement of showing me the house, but...Do you think the libraries, music rooms, spas and salons could wait until we found some food?"

Angelus chuckled softly. He could hardly wait until he turned Buffy and she no longer needed human food. But for now he would relish in indulging her every whim. Her every wish would be his destiny. "Let us go to the kitchen." He took her hand and led her in the direction he remembered like the back of his hand.

"Umm...Angel?" Buffy asked unsurely when they entered the huge, industrial kitchen. "Why are all of these people here?" There were cooks everywhere! And maids. And servants! She did not know what to think. She asked the first thing that came to her mind "Are we being robbed?"

Angelus let out a hearty laugh. His lover was so funny when she was oblivious. Buffy laughed nervously and he answered her, "lover if you're going to be my beautiful wife-which you shall be.-You shall have to get used to having people serve you."

She caught on and said, "so how do we get food around here?"

Angelus clapped his hands and whistled. Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to face him. He bowed his head and they returned the gesture. Buffy found it very ancient, but shrugged it off to pay attention. If Angel was ever sleeping and she was hungry, she would need to remember how to do this. "welcome back, my friends," Angelus said and could almost staking himself for how polite he sounded. He would give anything right now to be able to slaughter one victim in this room and drink them dry.-Well he wouldn't give one thing. Buffy was his no matter what. "My bride-to-be wishes for something to eat. Every wish she makes shall be my commands to you from now on. As the mistress of this house-hold I will for her to have her every desire fulfilled."

Buffy blushed from her place behind Angel. She was already having WAY too much fun. The people in the room looked her up and down. Buffy felt a few overly-critical and possibly envious eyes on her. She also suspected some of these people were not human. her spider-slayer-senses were catching some wigging vibes, but for now she shrugged it off to just enjoy hersekf. She couldn't remember the last vacation she had, and besides the occasional slaying from time to time it seemed as if this was her new LIFE. Yes. Now she had a life. No more eternal darkness. Angel was here to save her from the dark and pull her into the light.

Buffy and Angelus continued the tour after Buffy enjoyed a pizza and soda. Angelus watched her eat; perfectly content to just watch her doing this for the rest of his non-life. He showed her the rest of the house, and the explored their new world all day long. He showed her many things she never thought existed.

That night they fell asleep in eachother's arms on the huge bed in the master bedroom. Angelus pulled the blankets tightly over Buffy to keep her from getting chilled. Tomorrow her dreadful friends would arrive. Then he would have to deal with the youth of SunnyHell for a few days. He shut his eyes, just wanting to savor the feeling of Buffy in his arms before the excitement of her friends' arrivals sent her into hyper-mode. He was sure that soon she would be hyped and wired. Honestly he couldn't wait.

The idea of Xander Harris' annoying face, look, smile, voice...everything, was enough to make him cringe, even with the beautiful Buffy Summers in his arms. He wondered if he could ever stop hating that ridiculous, goofy, brown-haired Xander Harris.

Well, Impossible things are happening every day.

THE ARRIVAL

Angelus could tell the moment that Buffy woke up. She twisted around in his arms and kissed his lips. Gently at first, and then more passionately. Angelus' response was immediate as she squirmed to get closer. However, just as he was about to put his arms around her and pull her closer to his aching body-She broke the kiss.

He could have died again. Right then and there. She broke the kiss! He'd been panting for her for what seemed like an eternity, and she'd been so close all night, and now...She broke the kiss!

She smiled down at him and said, "not til the wedding night, Mr. Besides..." She kissed his lips once more. He tried with all of his might to prolong it, but Buffy would have none of that. "We have to get ready for the arrival of our dear friends from Sunnydale." She kissed his cheek and squirmed from his arms. She bounded off the bed and to the bathroom.

Once he was on his own Angelus shut his eyes and dropped his arm over his eyes, trying to hide from the approaching day and the visitors that it would be bringing. He sighed loudly and then murmered, "yes. It would be a tragedy if we weren't prepared."

~~

It didn't take long for Buffy to shower, but it did take a while to keep Angel from coming into the shower with her. She repeatedly scolded him over and over again when he reached his hand into the shower and tickled her hips. However finally Buffy finished, and then Angel/Angelus had his shower. It took a few more minutes for Buffy to convince Angel that it wouldn't be smart for her to join him in his shower. Her reasoning was that they may never get out. Angel had quickly informed her that would not be a problem for him. Buffy had insisted it would be one for her since she desperately wanted to be able to claim that she had waited to her wedding night like a "good girl".

Finally when Angelus emerged from his long, steamy (and sometimes cold) shower, he found Buffy completely ready and waiting on the bed. She had dressed in an adorable pink skirt with a few layers hat almost went to her knees and flowed behind her as she walked, and a black, three-quarter sleeved top that had slits down the sleeves so they were open. Angelus had to wonder why someone would purposely cut up their top. When he quietly asked Buffy she just laughed and said, "you're so unhip." She had twisted her hair into a loose bun, and a few pieces were hanging down in little curls. Angelus' beautiful and natural Buffy didn't need much make-up. She had applied some mascara, black eyeliner, cream eye shadow, and a hint of peach lip gloss: and then she was gorgeous.

Her glossy lips made Angelus want to kiss her again and again. But she continued to resist him. He knew that soon she would not. But for now he knew she was too excited about showing her friends her new place. It was so exciting to her. He decided to give in for now and content himself with having one hand on her body at all times to make sure that Harris knew to keep his hands off his beautiful bride-to-be.

When the butler came and announced an approaching van about three miles away, Buffy went into hysterics. She began jumping up and down, and at first Angelus assumed an attack position. His vampiric nature thought Buffy would start attacking him. Then when he realized she was just excited, he felt a little foolish.

She jumped up and down and screamed, "Ah!" then she came over to Angelus and threw her arms around his neck. She began raining kisses all over his face-during which she said, "I love you. I love you. I don't care about the past. I love you. We'll be together forever. I don't care what you say. I'm never letting you go. I love you."

Angelus smiled his heart-breaker smile and replied, "I love you too, Buff. All the way." Angelus realized he'd said it right after it came out. He smiled at her, and to avert her possibly realizing what he had just called her; he kissed her again. Luckily his plan worked. She was too far gone in excitement to realize that 'Angel' had just used Angelus' pet nic-name for her.

Before he could say anything else to Buffy, she was pulling him by his hand down the many stairs of their wing to the front doors. Just as they reached the platform that led to the last set of stairs infront of the door, the front doors were opened by the chauffer and the butler.

The group of teenagers walked in, and ofcourse the first one to speak was Cordelia. "Oh my God!" She screached, and everyone worried that something was wrong for a brief moment. "Buffy scored more than I ever will!" She pouted, and then noticed Angel and Buffy at the top of the stairs, at which point she put on a fake smile and said, "you guys have a beautiful home."

Buffy laughed and said, "thanks, Cordy."

"Angel never told us about this place before," Willow said slowly as she cautiously stepped into the house. Oz was right behind her and he said, "guy's discreet. Doesn't say much." Xander turned to him and said, "like you, maybe?" There it was. Angelus knew that was the bginning of Xander Harris' famous words before starting in on Angel. He knew it would take all his restraint not to kill the boy before dinner. It was only one o'clock in the afternoon!

"Guys, I am so glad you could make it." Buffy squeezed Angelus' hand, diverting his attention from man-slaughter and said, "WE are so glad you could make it." She smiled up at Angel and he leaned over and kissed her lips gently. It was the bit of possessiveness that he hadn't locked away yet that crept forward and decided to do a bit of claiming infront of her friends. Especially the men.

"I don't know about all of you, but this place has a lot more to offer than a hallway, and I intend to see it all but three. So when does the tour start?" She asked simply. Xander stood behind her and mocked her every move, from mouthing the words she had just used, to brushing his hair back dramatically when she did. Amy was the only one who seemed to find it funny. Until now she had been completely quiet. Now she let out a slight laugh. Everyone looked at her and she asked, "bad timing again?"

Xander looked at her and nodded and said, "yeah, Amy. Just a little."

To distract everyone Buffy said, "let's start with the bedrooms then. I'm sure the chauffer and the butlers can get your things to your rooms just fine. You follow the person that has your bags and they will take you to your room. Then just ask him directions to the library, and we'll meet there in twenty minutes once you're all settled and continue with the tour."

Angelus caught the eye of the butler and nodded at him. He knew that they would need atleast ten people to carry all the bags. Cordy's bags would undoubtedly need three people, and the rest should be simple. But just incase it wasn't. Angelus didn't want to be short-handed.

As soon as everyone was gone following their bag-men, Angelus turned to Buffy. he had his hands on her hips and he said, "have I told you in the last three minutes how much I love you?"

Buffy smiled and said, "no. And to tell you the truth I was starting to get a little concerned about it." She kissed his lips, and the mood between them was so perfect to do more, but Buffy broke it casually by saying, "Angel I know you hate Xander and you really want to do things to him that only Angelus would do to his favourite victims, but...Just don't hurt him. Kay? I want this to be a fun thing, and if you're tearing at eachother's throats-it won't be."

She smiled at him and Angelus admitted, honestly for once, "doctors decide who live and die every day, Buffy. It's called triage. What I want to do is called murder."

Buffy chuckled at the serious expression he held as he said it. "Just be good and the rewards will be full and plentiful." She traced a finger over his muscular chest. She could feel his muscles twitch beneath her touch. "What kind of rewards?" Angelus grinned and stepped a litle bit closer to Buffy, so that their bodies were right up against eachother."I meant after everyone was gone." Buffy replied with a cute kiss on his lips that only left Angelus aching for more.

She turned to go, but Angelus had to have something. "Buffy," he groaned dramtacially like he assumed Angel might if he was going to beg Buffy. Angelus was at the ends of his ropes with being resisted. It had never happened in his human life, his demon life, or his souled existence. He was going to beg now. Beg like he never thought he would. "You can't keep doing this to me. Just one kiss. That's all I ask. Please?" He gave her a puppy-dog face and she laughed and gave in.

"Okay. As long as that kiss doesn't turn into twenty minutes of tongue."

Angelus grinned and said, "let's not limit our passions." He leaned over and kissed her. Of course tongue came in to play when she wrapped her arms around his neck. He couldn't resists tasting the warm cavern of her mouth. He couldn't resist the joining like that. He had to have more of her. He growled softly and moved to lift her up against him, but that's where Buffy drew the line.

"Angel," she broke off the kiss, and Angelus groaned. He rubbed his head into her neck as she explained, "if we do this now someone might walk in on us. We'll do this at a later time, when we're all alone and not in the middle of the stairs. Kay?"

Angelus began kissing her neck, barely hearing(or caring)about what she was saying.. His lips lingered on her jugular and he almost bit down. But he refrained and contented himself with licking her creamy skin. It was rare that a vampire would show this affection to their mate-even if they did love them. It was one of the most sensual acts to lick over a major vein whether it had been opened or not. He could hardly wait to taste her.

Finally Buffy pulled his head up and kissed him one more time. This kiss was firm and promising at the same time. It only seemed to excite Angelus more, rather than sate him like Buffy had intended it to. She gave up and eased from his arms.

She took his hand and led him up the stairs in the direction of the library where she knew Willow was probably already waiting; not wanting to be late.

~~

It took a while, but eventually everyone had gathered into the library, and the tour commenced. Now that Buffy was starting to know her way around a little bit more, she could help explain things. But most of the time Angelus found himself stuck playing the role of the tired tour guide that Xander could rack on.

But every time Xander made a comment that Angelus wanted to kill him for, Buffy would squeeze his hand and change the subject. She'd give him a look when no one would see that begged him to be good. Angelus felt like exclaiming, "tell him to F***ing leave me alone then!" Ofcourse he never said this. It was Buffy's friend, and Buffy would defend him-Angelus knew. However he did pray to God that one day Harris would get jumped in an alley and sucked dry.

Coredlia exclaimed over and over of the splendor of the place, and of the gifts she expected now that Buffy was "loaded". She did her best to hide some of her comments by saying that some things were out-dated. Angelus would then reply with a witty remark like, "some people like the fashion of the old days...Right Cordy?" or something like, "well it's more expensive than your entire wardrobe, Cordelia." Like planned, Cordy would then shut up for a few more minutes until something else caught her critical eye that she admired, and she had to tear down the worth of.

Eventually everyone found themselves at the dining room table, spread out along the one side of a table that could fit about three dozen people comfortably. They all sat down to the amazing meal Angelus had prepared by the cooks that consisted of stake, potatoes, and a million vegetables. He had red wine, white wine, and buffy's favourite Dr. Pepper on hand. He made sure everything was looking elegant and cheery. And he ordered for his steak to be 'black and blue' this way it wouldn't be so bad to eat with the kids.

When Xander got a peak at the condition of Angelus' steak he exclaimed, "Angelus you didn't get yours cooked! Or have they just squirted your blood bag on for marinating it?"

Angelus was fed up, and about to say something when Buffy surprised everyone and didn't just tell Xander to shut up. She turned to Angel and asked, "Love, can I have a bite of yours? I've always wanted to try it like that."

Angelus had to keep from looking giddy and grinning from ear to ear as he cut off a small piece and fed it to Buffy on his fork.

She made it a huge deal by dramatically licking every piece off of the fork and saying, "mm, next time we have steak, I want mine like that." (She later told Angelus that she actually HAD liked it, and that in the future she wished for more. She said that it was salty and zesty, and she could see why he liked it. Angelus had loved that his little darling was falling for his tastes.)

After dinner everyone went to the livingroom and watched a movie on Angelus' double big-screen TV. It was more like a movie theatre, really.

He and Buffy chose the back row, and Buffy chose the movie.At one point Xander asked why she had chosen Scary Movie 2 over Queen of the Damned, seeing as how she had her King of the damned right next to her. Buffy had only replied by nodding at Cordy to slap him upside his head.-Which she got more pleasure out of then she probably should have.

After the rather confusing(but funny to everyone else)movie that Angelus discovered you had to be "hip" and young to understand-everyone retired to bed.

He laid with Buffy in his arms and sighed in pure contentment. If this was heaven than he was thrilled to have arrived. If this was Hell, the devil knew him too well on what kind of torture he liked. Either way he had Buffy with him and be assured she wasn't making plans to go anywhere any time soon. Of that he was sure, and of that he was certain. He would never let Buffy go. Not now. Not later. Not at any point while he lived. When he changed her one day, and if she ever died, he would die right with her.

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

Part 5

The next day was set aside for lounging by the indoor pool (one of them). The day after would be reserved for the engagement party that Angelus was anxiously awaiting. He rather enjoyed when Cordy and Xander fought, and he couldn't wait to see and hear what Xander would have to say when he was "under the influence". Then there would be a day after that for sobering up. Then it would be Saturday, and the adult-officials would be arriving to put an end to all fun and free love.

Angelus, Xander, and Oz waited down by the pool for the girls to decide on their bathing suits. Apparently Cordy had been in charge of that department, and Angelus had overheard that the girls found most of the suits too shocking and scandalous to wear. So he suspected that Cordy would lose the battle of getting the girls into anything remotely drool-worthy, and that the girls would arrive in conservative swimsuits. (Except Cordy, ofourse. He expected this sort of thing from Cordy) But he was nearly knocked off of his chaise lounge, along with the other guys, when the girls arrived in the most scandalous atire he had ever seen.

Willow's suit was a royal blue that contrasted with her red hair and fair skin divinely. It was a pair of shorts bottoms and a tiny top that barely covered whatever cleavage she had.

Amy's suit was a royal blue background with hawaiian type white, silver, and baby blue flowers on it. The bottoms were a pair of barely-there bikini bottoms, and the top was tiny. So far no one had real cleavage.

Then there was Cordy. Ofcourse Cordy had a woman's figure. Even Angelus deterred himself from his one-woman frame of mind for a brief second to gape at her red suit. The top was string-style, and the bottom was a tie-up scrap of cloth that pretty much showed everything. She didn't leave much to the imagination. Angelus heard Xander's heart rate increase when he saw her.

Then there was Buffy.

Angelus' Buffy.

The only problem was what she was wearing. She looked more attractive that ANY of the other girls, and Angelus didn't like that very much. He would hate to have to kill all the men before the party. Plus he sort of liked Oz. Oz had a way of expressing himself without lecturing or taking forever. He wasn't the kind of guy to beat around the bush about anything. He was short, blunt, and to the point. Angelus wished that more people were like that. Why couldn't humans leave the mental games to artists like himself?

Buffy's suit was a vibrant white that went so well with her tanned skin and luscious figure. Her blonde hair was hanging straight around her, but for the most part everything was in view. The bottoms were extremely low-cut and tiny, and the top was a bikini-style that Cordelia had told her gave her an extra boost of cleavage. (Not that Buffy really needed it at all. She had enough)

The girls were all in sarongs that matched their suits, but for the most part the sarongs were see-through. All the men eventually picked up their mouths from the ground, and moved to the women. Amy contented herself with diving in to the people. Angelus suspected she really didn't mind not having a man of her own to gape at her luscious body...Or lack thereof.

Angelus walked to his beautiful bride to be and pulled her close. He whispered into her ear, "you look good enough to eat," this made her giggle. Angelus grinned at the fact that she didn't know that he meant it on two levels. His innocent fiancee was too adorable for words. He would miss her innocence on occasions like this once he crushed and destroyed it. He had big plans for the innocence of his girl. There would be none of it left in his fearless woman once he was done with the changes that needed to be made.

"I don't like how scanty this outfit is, though." He told her, and Buffy just laughed. "Angel baby that's one of the many things I love about you. You're so old-fashioned." Angelus frowned, "no I'm not. I'm just old. I stay with the trends." Buffy wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his lips gently. "We'll talk about the hair later, kay? For now, my love...I am only interested in getting you in the water." Angelus chuckled softly. "Sorry, baby. I don't swim." Buffy raised an eyebrow. "Don't, won't or can't?" He grinned, "too bad you'll never find out." Buffy kised him again and whispered, "shows what you know." With that she pushed him.

However Angelus was a master of reflexes. He grabbed hold of her slender waist and pulled her with him. Buffy screeched as they both toppled into the water. Under the surface, Angelus didn't need to breathe. He began kissing Buffy. He laid back under the water, and held her to him as they continued to kiss. Angelus shared with her the air that he didn't need. Unfortunately Buffy needed more than that. He reluctantly surfaced with her and she gasped a quick breath of air, and then they went under again.

They didn't hear(or care) when Xander said, "God, they can't keep their hands off eachother for an hour? And people say my hormones are raging." Cordy tossed him a look and said, "it's...Hard to deny that you have raging hormones, Xander Harris."

The girls were the only ones who got it, and Willow, Amy and Cordelia laughed while the guys tried to figure out what they meant.

~~

Angelus and the other two guys relaxed on the chaise lounges while the girls danced at the other end of the pool near the pool with their strawberry and Kiwi daiquris. Angelus could briefly stand some of Buffy's music. The R&B or soul was okay, but this music was poppish, and he found himself cringing about the mawkish, human emotions that the singers were crooning over and over again about falling in love.

Love was passion, and unless you were Angelus and Buffy-he doubted anyone knew what passion was. Passion was killing for your lover. Passion was loving everything about the person you loved. Passion was existence. Passion was hate. Passion was death. Passion was what drove him on. He would do anything for Buffy. Now that was love. That was passion. These singers didn't know what they were talking about.

The song ended, and Buffy called out-making Angelus instantly aware. He slipped into gameface for a split second at the thought of Buffy being in trouble. Luckily only Buffy noticed. "Angel, baby?" She called. Angelus relaxed again and nodded that he was listening. "Babe, could you change the track to number eight?" She gave him a puppy dog face that convinced him to do it.

He got up and went to the CD player. He switched the song, and when he heard it he had to laugh outwardly. He had said he'd do anything for Buffy...But could he last through this entire song without smashing the CD player apart and throwing it out the window?

When the girls heard Buffy's latest choice, however, they raised their drinks and declared their approval with little shouts and squeals of enjoyment. Then they started to sing. Angelus settled back in his chaiR> Maybe if he watched Buffy's performance this song would be bareable.

Let me let you in on a secret, how to treat a woman right If you're looking for a place in her heart, it ain't gonna happen over night

Amy took the lead and the girls all laughed as she swayed around and some blue magic came out around her to dance with her. It went away again, and all the girls laughed and cheered for an encore. Amy flipped her hair dramatically and said, "hit it Cordy." Everyone watched as Cordelia Chase began to dance and laugh. She sang the words and even Angelus was laughing.

First you gotta learn to listen-to understand her deepest thoughts, she's gotta know you can be friends-before she'll give you all she's got If you start, from the heart, you'll see love is gonna play it's part

They all stood together and began crooning the chorus together. During this part they kept laughing and giggling at the sound of eachother. Angelus watched Buffy socializing and having fun with her friends. Every once in a while he loved watching her having a blast with her friends like this.

He sadly admitted to himself that he knew that meant every once in a while they might fly her friends out for a visit or take a trip to SunnyHell...Or he could get her some new friends. She might have fun partying with Dru.

Dru was crazy and fun. But then again Dru would be harmful and hurtful, and might try to get rid of Buffy. Angelus decided to face the inevitable of having to deal with Xander Harris at another time.

For now he would watch Buffy.

If you wanna get to know her-really get inside her mind, If you wanna move in closer, take it slow-ya take your time You must start, from the heart, and then if you wanna touch her, really want to touch her If you wanna touch her: Ask

Buffy took over now, and everyone watched as she danced around and swivelled her hips. She made a few joking movements that made Angelus chuckle. She was a complete goof when she wasn't slaying or saving the world from SOME Hell or another.

A little physical attraction, romantic old-fashioned charm, and a lot of love and tenderness- is gonna get you into her arms

Buffy glanced over at Angelus and smiled wryly. She blew him and kiss and he couldn't help feeling his heart was just about ready to explode. The constant nagging in the back of his mind that reminded him she thought he was Angel and that's why she was so happy-was gone when she blew him a kiss and smiled like that. He was so lucky right now. He felt so honored to be the one to have Buffy as his, and everything else in the world was ignored..

If you start, from the heart, you'll see love is gonna play it'd part

The girls finally came over to their drooling men and began dancing infront of them. Xander tried to be slick, but just ended up stepping on Cordy's foot when he tried to dance to her. Oz and Willow began moving to a beat that was much slower than that of the song. Amy was content to just dance on her own.

And Angelus, almost always smooth and suave, danced to Buffy in one swift motion that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. He was always so sexy and smooth. And graceful. He grinned down at her as they danced. Oh yes, eternity with Buffy summers was definitely going to be interesting. There was no doubt about that.

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

Part 6A

The day of the engagement party came around. It wasn't anything huge. It was just to be everyone sitting around and getting drunk and having a good time. Angelus was looking forward to seeing the Sunnydale crew at their worst...Well maybe not the worst he could do to them, but still pretty bad.

He had made sure(for future viewing pleasure)that many cameras were installed in the room they had the party planned for.

Much to Angelus' hate-the girls spent most of the day leading up to the party in Cordy's bedroom. They said that they were preparing to dazzle and shine in their sexiness. Angelus could only hope Buffy's outfit for this evening covered more than her bathing suit yesterday had. The suit truly had proven to be fun later on, however, when Buffy went up to Angelus' bedroom to grab a towel, and discovered him there as well. That suit had led to a heavy make-out session that left everyone down by the pool without a doubt as to what had happened when Buffy returned with her hair tossed and sweaty-looking.

Buffy had blushed. Angelus had nothing to be ashamed of. He was making out with the woman he loved, and the more men that knew she was claimed by him: the better.

One thing that bugged Angelus was that right now, with her friends here to help if she discovered who he was-was that he couldn't tell her what to wear. Soon he would have wardrobe cutom made for her, and he would be able to monitor what other men saw her in. But for now he could only sit back and watch her in those tiny belly tops and low-rise jeans that he was gradually becoming very fond of on her. They always showed her perfectly-toned, tanned stomach and occasionally a bit of her tanned chest was exposed.

Around three in the afternoon, when the girls were all in Cordy's room: Cordy had an idea for Buffy's hair. "BrainsoRM!" She exclaimed and jumped off the bed, making Willow slip and fall to the floor. Luckily Amy had quick reflexes, and she zapped a pillow under Willow to land on. "Oh!" Willow exclaimed as she fell, and then realized she was on a pillow. "Thanks, Amy."

Amy shrugged nonchalantly from where she was on her stomach on the bed; reading a magazine. "No big deal," she replied simply.

"Doesn't anyone care what my brainstorm is?" Cordy was sounding surprised and alarmed at her lack of attention. This didn't usually happen to Cordelia Chase. Buffy lifted her head from where she was looking through some CD's to change the music that was playing.

"Not really," Buffy admitted honestly. "Your ideas, Cordy-often lead to embarassment on my behalf, or my having to save your life...again."

Cordy rolled her eyes, "Buffy this wouldn't be a 'saving-life' situation. This is a 'I am going to do your hair' kind of situation." Three heads shot a look in Cordy's direction.

"How about no?" Buffy asked casually

"How about yes." Cordy acted as if she hadn't heard the refusal. She didn't take rejection lightly. Infact, Cordelia never took rejection at all. She never really listened when someone said not to do something, or not to try something with someone.

"What's the idea, Cordy?" Willow finally asked the question that no one else would. Figures she'd be left with the firty work that no one wanted.

"Red," Cordy answered excitedly, as if that explained it all. Everyone just looked at her blankly. Buffy held out her hands, as if to ask if there was more for her to take. But Cordy just looked around with a smile on her face that slowly changed toa look that wondered why she was surrounded by people who didn't understnd her simple forms of english.

"Red?" Buffy finally asked.

"I want to do red in your hair, Buffy." Cordy said. "It doesn't look good in mine because of my beautiful color."

Buffy sighed, "Gee, thanks." Cordy continued as if she hadn't heard her, "but it would be great in your own hair. It'll be just like Christina Aguilera in her 'Come On Over, baby' video. That was sexy and hot, and extreme. Look how many men she won for that. She even got Carson!"

Buffy frowned. "I don't know Cordy. I appreciated the offer, but...I'm not in to winning more men. I have Angel now." Cordy gave Buffy a pathetic look. "and you want to keep him excited and on his toes for the rest of forever, right?"

Buffy shrugged. "I guess so."

Cordy's smile was triumphant. "See? Then you're going to have to keep surprising him and everyone else. And it's never too soon to start!"

Buffy was reluctant. "Well..." Cordy went over to her and smiled, "please?"

Wanna get rowdy, gonna get a little unruly, get it fired up in a hurry Wanna get dirty It's about time that I came to start the, party, sweat dripping over my body Dancing's getting just a little naughty Wanna get dirty It's about time for my arrival

The girls danced around the room loke complete fools. No one could remember being this giddy or wild before. Cordy had streaked Buffy's hair and added extensions so that Buffy had red twined into her hair. Then Cordy had done everyone's make-up.

They were expected down at the party in a few minutes, and the girls were just getting pumped up and ready to go.

Ah, heat is up, ladies, fellas-grab your cups, body's iced, front to back, ooh your ass-I like that Shake a little something, on the floor

The outfits they had decided upon were sexy and hot, but not as bad as the bathing suits they had worn were. Amy was in a red halter that opened up the center of her stomach and showed a lot of skin. She also sported some low-rise jeans, and a waist chain.

Willow was in a black mini skirt and white and blue-swirled top that cut square at the neckline, and then plunged down her back almost to her low-rise mini.. Cordy had done her hair in little braids and corn rows.

Then there was Cordelia. She was in a barely-there, red dress that she hung out of. It showed everything, and she had the nerve to complain about it covering her body too much.

Willow had earlier exclaimed, "Gees Cordelia! Why don't you just go down naked?" To this, Cordy had replied honestly "do you think anyone would mind?"

Buffy had been the biggest project of the day. Cordy had spent forever finding the perfect outfit to go with the hair. She said she wanted it hot and sexy, yet calmer than the hair. She had decided on a white, three-quarter bell-sleeved top that was tight, with a lot of loose layers of white lace and frills. It looked perfect with Buffy's jean mini.

About an inch of Buffy's stomach showed from between the mini and the shirt. Here she had tied a simple waist chain that actually said "Angel" on it. It had been a gift from a friend that had no idea Buffy's boyfriend was infact named Angel. Buffy grinned at the idea of wearing something of her husband's. Maybe later when she had time, she could stitch his name into her pants or something like that.

Give all you've got, just hit the spot, gonna get my girls, get your boys, gonna make some noise

"I think we should get going now, gang," Buffy said. "I hate to keep the men waiting for us." At this, they all giggled. They were feeling buzzed and giddy-and they hadn't even started drinking just yet.

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

Part 6B

When the girls finally arrived in the bar-room in the North Wing that Angelus had made sure was set up for the night: the party started full throttle, and turned out to be everything that everyone had thought or hoped that it would be. They put the music on, popped open the liquor cabinets that were always stocked with every alcoholic beverage imagineable, and danced and laughed the night away.

Angelus' choice of drink was a brandy. Whereas the other two men were less experienced with drinking, and for the most part they stuck to beer. The ladies, however, were into the drinks that took time and preparation. Cordelia insisted on a Spanish Coffee. Amy wanted a margarita. Willow simply had a strawberry daiquri. And Buffy found herself trying every drink under the stars: from Angel's brandy, to a shot of whisky, to a beer, and for the most part-a lot of weird fruit and alcohol drinks that had a large alcoholic intake.

"Angel, buddy...Can I ask you something?" Xander raised his beer to the vampire in question from where he was seated next to Oz while the girls danced on the dance floor to some Mariah Carey music.

Angelus looked up from his intense gaze upon Buffy as she danced and quirked his brow, "tell me exactly what's the question and then I'll tell you if you can ask it."

Oh when you walk by every night, talking sweet and looking fine- I just kinda kept it inside Oh baby I'm so into you, darling if you only knew, all the things that float through my mind

Xander was satisfied with that answer, so he asked, "have you ever had one of those freaky vampire parties in this house that we've read about in the Watcher's diaries? Like the ones where you tie up humans downstairs for your guests to play with, and serve human limbs for appetizers to your favourite guests?"

Angelus knew what Xander was really curious about. He answered, "Xander, there have been more maneges here than any of my other homes. This is my favourite spot, and unfortunately it was Angelus' too. He had a taste for the worst kinds of making love. His taste was dark and all consuming. Personally I just like passion." he didn't really have to worry too much about Xander or Oz finding his answer suspicious or Angelus-sounding. They were almost drunk, so no one would believe them anyways.

But it's just a sweet, sweet fantasy baby, when I close my eyes-you come out and take me On and on and on I'm so deep in my daydream, but it's just a sweet sweet fantasy baby

"What about drink-offs?" Oz asked in his usual way. He had been rather quiet while watching Willow dance up until now. Now he joined the conversation and added his thoughts. "I hear you've had some nasty ones before."

Angelus smirked. He really did like Oz, and the way that the werewold worded things was even more reason to be kind to the boy. "Not in this house yet," Angelus replied. Oz almost smiled, and Xander had to carry on that topic. "So why haven't you had one here before?" Angelus chuckled softly and said, "because, Harris...You haven't been my apponent before tonight. I have not had an honor worthy of bestowing upon my favourite house."

Xander was confused until he noticed Angelus head for the bar. He rang a bell, and was soon accompanied by a little butler at the bar.

"Stefan," Angelus smiled, "do be so kind as to set up a little game of Jack Daniel's for my good friend and I." Xander jumped out of his seat in anticipation. "Yes. This is really a party now. My first drinking game. How the excitement grows in the house of the living dead."

The girls finally stopped dancing around when they noticed the boys move to sit at a small table. Cordelia was the only one that knew what was going on. "Ooh! Drinking challenge!" She squealed excitedly and raced over to Xander. She stood behind him and bent over his shoulder. She kissed his neck and licked at his throat, "if you win I'll buy you a new car." Everyone chuckled or giggled at this, and eventually everyone was gathered around the table.

Angelus held out his arms to Buffy, and she settled herself in his lap. Angelus kept one hand on her stomach, and the other held the first shot glass in. He smiled at Buffy, and she leaned down and kissed him gently on the lips, "I may be buzzed and close to seeing double...but if you win you'll be even hotter than ever."

Angelus grinned at how competetive his love was. He could hardly wait to take her to the race tracks and watch her reactions there. It was silent for a moment, and then Angelus lifted his first glass and toasted to Xander. "May I win, and you lose horribly...And may Cordelia buy me that car you won't win."

Cordelia huffed out defensively, "likely. Xander's gonna kick axes here."

Xander lifted his glass, and toasted back to Angel. Then it began. Angelus downed his glass in a swift motion, whereas when Xander took the first chug of hard alcohol, he felt queezy. He sputtered around his mouthful, and some came out of his mouth. But he downed the whole glass, while the viewers laughed at his antics, and then he slammed the glass back onto the table. He grinned widely and said, "I've always wanted to do that...Hit me," he glanced at Willow and said excitedly, in a giddy tone, "I'm playing drinking games now, Wil."

Stefan refilled the glasses, and everyone watched in anticipation as Xander and Angelus both downed their glasses again. Angelus ofcourse had no trouble, and Xander surpisingly didn't spit any of this glass out.

"Hit me," he smiled at Angelus, and Angelus nodded at Stefan-who in turn refilled the glasses.

Being a vampire, it would take about twenty three of these glasses to make Angelus pass out, and right now he was having a blast. However, humans could only tolerate about fifteen before they were wiped for good.

When Xander finished off his fifth glass, everyone thought for sure he was going to throw up. He started to gag, and everyone squealed and hollered in anticipation. But he somehow kept it down, and the glasses were refilled again at his request.

"Come on, Lavelle. You're not giving up on me yet, are you? You still need to get some color on those pale cheeks of yours."

Xander snuffed at Angelus and said, "Dead boy, you can look forward to an entiernity of sun tanning if you keep up that taunting."

But Angelus was only more amused. "Just make sure you don't throw up all of your K-Mart shoes and your girlfriend's Gucci dress. Opoosites do attract, huh? Well here we have Cheap Al and Expensive Tracy ready to get their anty on."

Xander tossed back then, "opposites is right. You and Buffy should talk. Pure darkness and holy light forever intertwined."

Angelus raised an eyebrow and said, "jealous boy?" Xander sighed, "just hit me already."

They downed the next glass, andthis was the point that Xander gave up. His eyes rolled into the back of his head and he fell over. Everyone laughed and cheered for Angel, and then they heard Xander say, "just cause he doesn't have a need for stopping alcohol, is no reason for him to win this game."

Everyone just told Xander that he was jealous and a stupid loser. So then it was settled that Angelus had won, and now the real fun could begin.

For Xander was completely hammered, and the girls were moving back to the dance floor. Angelus could hardly wait to see what crazy things he could get the boy to do now that he was completely intoxicated and insane.

*****

Part 6C

Alcohol Loosens His Tongue!

Angelus knew that he shouldn't. He knew it was completely un-Angel-like, but he just couldn't resist. The idea of having the pathetic Sunnydale Scoobies completely hammered and giddy was an offer he just couldn't refuse. No, he wouldn't go as far as killing them, due to the fact that it might look a little suspicious if Buffy woke up and all of her friends were dead by vampire bite. However, he wasn't opposed to a little death-by-embarassment.

As Angelus was silently going through the millions of embarassing things he could make Harris do, Buffy and the girls had gone back to the dance floor, and were swaying around like a bunch of crazed lunatics.

The idea dawned on Angelus. It was perfect! What was better than having a tape of Xander dressed in drag, singing some pop song? He couldn't think of anything worse. Xander had said he'd have to be near death to dress in drag, but Angelus distinctly remembers when Xander was wearing lipstick at some fraternity party that Angel had to go to, to save Buffy from a giant snake and some money-greedy frat boys. It was perfect.

"Hey Harris!" He called with a slight smirk.

The boy turned around, his eyes crossing as he moved a little too fast for the amount of alcohol in his system. "Yes, old friend?" he asked with a giddy smile that made him look like he'd been sucking laughing gas for two hours.

"I have a proposition for you." Angelus smiled.

"I'm sorry man," Xander was suddenly serious. He came over to me and put a hand on my shoulder, as if comforting me. "I know you've done lots of guys before, but I'm just not in to it. Kay? Don't kill me for it. We still have eachother."

Angelus was torn. Punch the boy out? Or make him dance like a chick? The thought of the satisfying crunch that Harris' nose would have when his fist connected with the bone was enough to make him dance. But then again, the long-term humiliation and teasing that Harris would suffer from a cruel and unjust prank would be all the more fun.

He sighed, "Harris, I don't mean it like that."

"Then what can I do for ya, buddy?" Xander asked, swaying from side to side unsteadily. "What would make you happy? I aim to please."

"Since when?" I couldn't help asking. I shook my head and focused on the matter at hand, "I'll pay you to do something for Buffy."

"For Buffy?" Harris was suddenly attentative.

"Oh yes. For Buffy," I grinned. I knew he still loved her. Harris would do anything for Buffy, and this was probably something on that list. "She mentioned to me that she thinks it would be really...hot," I cringed inwardly at the word I had to use. "If you were to do a Britney Spears impression," I hoped I had gotten the name right. I wasn't too "up" on the latest celebrity hotties. I was too focused on the one I was about to marry.

"Really? That doesn't sound like something Buffy would say," Harris scratched his head like a little monkey in his cage at the zoo. It occured to me that soon he could be compared to one in full: On display for the world to laugh at. Maybe this was a video he could send in to some show to be played again and again. Or he could be a television station and replay it a thousand times until the whole world knew of the embarassment of Xander LaVelle Harris.

"It is," Angelus assured him. "I know Buffy better than anyone, and I know that this is something she really wants. It could be like your wedding present to her...To us." He added that last part with a broad smile.

"What do I do with the Donkey Kong game that I bought her for her present?" Xander asked, looking confused and concerned.

"Save it for Willow's wedding," Angelus suggested.

"Okay!" he smiled brightly.

"What do you say?" I asked.

"For Buffy?" he clarified, and when I nodded, he exclaimed, "where's my pink thong?!"

~~

Twenty minutes later, the lights dimmed down. A spotlight shot to the stage, and Xander Harris stepped in to the light. Just the sight of him in tight jeans with a pink thong overtop, and a pink belly top, was enough to make me hurl and laugh at the same time. Xander's not-so-elegant stomach was hanging out for the world to see, and he didn't seem to be concerned that his lipstick was all over his cheek. He had even put glitter on his body!

The girls fell over with laughter when they saw him. It was just too funny. The sat in a heap on the dance floor, laughing at LaVelle like he was the funniest thing since that movie, Scary Movie. True, I didn't think that was funny, but this was hilarious.

"Hit it Oz!" Xander said, his hand going on to a microphone that was placed infront of him on a stand. Suddenly a song started. This was too rich! he was actually going to go through with this in full! Oh what wouldn't a fool do for love!

It dawned on me for a moment that I was doing something stupid for love, but then again, atleast I wasn't wearing a pink thong over my pants.

It was even worse when Xander started speaking the lyrics in a supposed-to-be-sexy, low voice.

*I know I may be young, but I've got feelings to. And I need to do, what I feel like doing. So let me go, and just listen*

Suddenly Xander launched in to a full dance routine. His bulky frame and nervous form made the dance sloppy, not to mention the amount of alcohol in his system that had the desired effect of making him able to stumble around like someone with no leg muscles.

Xander jumped off the stage, and started singing the words to the girls, who were still on the floor laughing and pounding the floor with their fists at the hilarity of the situation.

*All you people look at me like I'm a little girl*

Oh that was priceless! A little girl? I was laughing so hard now that I almost fell off of my stool at the back of the room. Truly, this was the best wedding present I could ever have received. This was definitely my paradise.

Suddenly Cordy's face got serious as Xander moved a little closer. "That's my thong!" she announced, pointing at the pink strap of material over Xander's tight jeans. "Xander, I told you never to take my underwear again!"

This made everyone laugh it up even more.

*Get it, get it, oh! Get it, get it, oh!*

Harris was completely oblivious to anything but the song. He was shaking his hips like a go-go dancer of some kind...A disgusting go-go dancer.

Suddenly he stopped moving. His eyes crossed, and he fell backwards. This made everyone laugh even more. Oz cut the music, and for the first time in my life, I saw the impossible.

Oz pointed at Xander and said, "burned!" at the top of his lungs. Then he burst in to laughter, along with the rest of the shocked crowd.

Buffy stumbled to her feet and came over to me. "A--Angel!" she laughed out my name. "Did you...Did you see?" she was laughing so hard that tears were rolling down her cheeks. "That's Cordy's thong!" her laughter made her face an adorable shade of pink. "OH I have to stop laughing," she giggled. "My stomach hurts."

I pulled her in to my arms. "I guess you don't want to know about his tap shoes then, huh?" I kissed the top of her head.

She started laughing even harder. "Angel!" she wailed. "That's not helping!"

I knew it was sort of cruel, but playing with Buffy was so adorable. This was playful teasing that made me love her all the more. The way she laughed at what I said. It was enough to make me love her for another thousand eternities.

"I guess you don't want to know that make up was originally created for men, then," I said with a sigh, making her laugh even more. "And high heels." She was shrieking now. "And then there's those scottish kilts. Just be glad that Britney isn't scottish. I don't think Cordy has a skirt big enough for Harris."

"Stop. Please. I'm begging you," she wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me down to bury her head in my neck. "Please. Please. Please." she was chanting that word now.

"Okay," I finally gave in, but not without one last punch. "I wonder what he's wearing under those jeans, if his thong is outside."

"Double thong!" Buffy exclaimed, turning fast to point at Xander on the ground.

The girls and Oz were gathered around Xander as he layed on the floor, his eyes open and his face crinkled up with laughter. Amy pulled out a red tube of lipstick that seemed completely out of character for her, and she started decorating his stomach with big hearts and some rather disturbing images that I don't want to tell you about.

"Cordy," Xander said, pulling himself in to a sitting position. "Can you clarify something for me?" She could only nod her response since she was laughing so hard. Xander laughed slightly and said, "you know how you told me you had a crush on a member of the school staff?" She started to blush, but nodded; openly honest due to the amount of alcohol she had consumed. "It wouldn't happen to be the janitor, Old Man Sparky with the wired, grey hair and sock stuffed in his pants, would it?" He burst out laughing.

But Cordy, even in her drunken state, was ready to retalliate. "How would you know it's a sock?" she asked, her hands on her hips. Everyone laughed harder at this.

"Okay, what about that time that you made out with Jonothan?" Xander asked. Everyone stoppd laughing and stared at Cordy. Xander kept going though, not seeing the danger of the situation. "And that time you thought that vampire was a new high school student, and you let him do you in the alley behind the Bronze?" Xander was the only one laughing. Everyone else was staring at him with their mouths hanging open, literally. "And I heard a rumor about you and Harmony. Would that be before, or after, you hooked up with Anya?"

I was trying so hard to contain my laughter, but it was still coming. The look of shock on everyone's faces, and the idea of what was to come for Harris from the pissed-off cheerleader, was more than I could hold in.

"And there's the time I walked in on you with the school mascot from Darrickville. That poor fighting bulldog. He didn't have a chance. You didn't even take off his costume! Just opened him up! You did a dog under the bleachers!" He was laughing so hard now that his words were barely more than shaky murmurs.

Xander never even saw it coming. There was no way he could have in his present state of mind. The fist connected with his eye, and was by far the best moment of the whole night. Cordy stood, suddenly so proud of herself as Harris fell back to the floor; unconscious.

"Now, can someone tell me the most embarassing thing they can think of to do to him?" she asked the room of laughing people.

I raised my hand, but Buffy put it back down. However, Cordy had seen it go up. "Angel?" she asked. "Do you have something for me?"

I nodded and raised an eyebrow with promises of cruel pranks to come. "Speak up, I don't have long before I pass out," she said, folding her arms over her chest.

"I have a bull riding machine," I said with a smirk.

Cordy's face lit up. "Where?" was all she could say in her ecstatic state.

"Someone get his legs!" I laughed, sliding Buffy off my lap and going over to where the boy was passed out. "Stefan!" I called my servant. He appeared and I said, "bring me some duck tape!" I spoke through my laughter as I gazed down at the quickly-blackening eye of Xander LaVelle Harris. This moment was priceless.

~~

Xander woke around five in the morning to the odd sensation of being rocked in a boat. He opened his eyes despite the throbbing pains in his head. He was rocking! He tried to move a limb, but found he couldn't. I'm paralyzed! He realized in fear. Then he looked at the ductape that covered him from neck to feet. He saw the horns of the fake bull's head infront of him and groaned. He was never going to live this one down.

If that wasn't bad enough, there was a wall-sized television infront of him, playing a video of him dressed up in a Britney Spears outfit, complete with the pink thong over the jeans. He recognized the thong almost at once. It was Cordy's. Oh No! He'd stolen her underwear again! Boy was he in for it! He was gonna get creamed!

It dawned on him then when he shut his eyes from the stinging pain, that perhaps he already had gotten creamed. He remember revealing Cordy's sexual escapades to the laughing Scooby Gang. Suddenly there wasn't a place low enough for him to sink...

Because he was already there.

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

Part 7A

My head is pounding. All I can think of is that little cartoon character in that show I used to watch-"Road Runner"-where the road runner puts a little devil inside the coyote's head, and it hacks away at his skull with a jack hammer. Could it be possible? What happened last night?

I opened my eyes finally, facing the unthinkable. There it was. It hadn't been a dream…Or a nightmare. I was still rocking back and forth. And there was the screen. There was my Britney Dance. How ironic. I had used to joke with Willow about that when Britney first came out four years ago. Of course it had been slightly more acceptable to dress up in a schoolgirl outfit and dance around my bedroom in front of Willow when we were fourteen. Now, what I had done was unimaginable, and I had to wonder why I'd even done it.

The thought came clear and pounding. Angelus. The drinking game. The "Wedding Present" that I now understood was specifically for his own drunken amusement, and the humility of my pride.

"How could I have been so stupid?" I asked out loud to no one in particular. But then again, I didn't think there was anyone there to hear me.

"I can answer that, you jackass," Queen C stepped in to my line of view looking pissed with her hands on her hips. My still-slightly-blurred line of view as I rocked back and forth on the mechanical bull. I had a feeling that if I ever got down from here, I would have one difficult time closing my legs to what they'd once been. I felt like I'd been born with my legs spread.

"Cordelia!" I smiled brightly, hoping the goofy, poke-fun-at-the-situation approach was the best one for now.

"You stole my underwear, Xander," she said, her voice low and menacing. She was like a time bomb, and I figured I didn't have enough time to get out of the tape and escape from her before she blew. So I braced myself for more. "You told things that I don't even remember telling you! And then you made a complete joke out of my pain! And you didn't even win the drinking contest with Angel! What the Hell kind of boyfriend are you? How could you do this to me?"

I took a deep breath to calm myself, and then I said, "I'm sorry, Cordy, but I seem to me taped to a mechanical Bull at the moment! Maybe we can fight when I'm not losing my dinner all over my clothes!"

She smiled, "you want off the bull?" The knife I hadn't been aware she was holding, came in to view. She let it gleam in the light.

"Cordy," I said nervously as she approached me with a devilish look in her eyes. "Cordy, you know I'm sorry. I can try again at the drinking contest. Maybe Angel will take me on in a re-match. What do you say?"

"You want down, right?" she asked.

I was afraid to reply, but then I found that I didn't have to. She stepped up to the moving bull, and sliced some of the tapes around my legs and my hands. "So get down yourself," she said and walked to the entrance once more.

"Cordelia!" I called. "Can't you just help me down?"

She glanced back at me and smiled genuinely, "I guess so." She crossed her arms and thought for a moment, leaning against the doorframe. Then her face lit up into that famous Cordelia Chase smile. "I know!" she walked to the corner of the room, and grabbed hold of the switch to the bull's speed.

"Oh thank you," I sighed and smiled dreamily.

But then she did the unthinkable. She flicked the switch to Full, and started laughing. "Bye Xander. Breakfast is at eleven."

The bull started to speed up, and I looked all around me, freaked out to the max. These tapes wouldn't hold! I was going to be thrown off the bull! Apparently that's a very painful experience.

It went faster and faster, until the point where one buck from the bull couldn't be distinguished from another, and I found myself shaking uncontrollably on the machine as it flew back and forth. Smoke started rising from the fake bull's plastic nostrils. This was bad. This was very bad.

I let out the loudest girlish scream I could, hoping that Angel would hear it and think Buffy was in trouble. Or maybe Oz would come. Good old Oz. But then again, Oz had helped with the dance last night. Basterd!

However, I was terribly wrong that anyone would come to my rescue.

The tapes began to rip as the door to the pen opened once more. "Cordy," I sighed in relief, but then the bull spun around, and I discovered not Cordelia Chase...But Angel…With a video camera.

"No!" I yelped, trying to hide my face from the camera.

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, we have found the jackass of the party," Angel said, circling around to the side of the bull that Xander had his head leaning. "Children, it is very important that you remember that when you ride a bull, you should always wear the proper safety equipment. If you were to fly off without a helmet…" He trailed off as he pulled out a knife, and cut the remaining pieces of tape.

I flew off the bull, to the other side of the room. "Ah!" I screamed the whole way. I hit the barely-padded walls with a large THUD! And fell down on to the mats. My head was spinning. My heart was pounding. My legs wouldn't close. And worst of all, my ass felt like it had been poked by a thousand of those metal needles that my Aunt Janet uses for knitting blankets.

"You could get hurt," Angel finished his sentence. "Thus concluding the chapter of this documentary. I have now successfully ruined the boy." With that, he headed for the door, calling over his shoulder, "breakfast is at eleven, Britney."

Left on my own, laying on the thick blue mats, I sighed. "Everyone's suddenly a comedian now, huh?"

**

"How can my entire body pound so much?" I asked, struggling to sit up on the big bed that was currently occupied by Buffy, Amy, and myself.

"I know how you feel, Will," Buffy moaned, putting a hand to her head, where the now-warm face cloth was laying. Buffy looked to Cordelia then as she bounced into the room, looking extremely proud of herself. "Cordy, can you please explain to me why you're not considering a mass suicide like the rest of us? Why aren't you in any pain?"

Cordy looked at us all and laughed. "You're just not used to it, girls. Eventually, id you do enough of what we all did last night, your head becomes immune to the pain. You don't feel anymore."

"You never felt at all," Amy groaned from her place on the far side of the bed. We were all lounging in our not-so-sexy pajamas.

"I think I broke my brain," I said, snuggling in to my cow-printed pajamas and burying my head in the pillow I had been holding.

Just then, there was the sound of a scream, and it was followed by a woman shouting, "there's my future son-in-law!"

Buffy's eyes widened in horror. "No! It's my mother!"

"She's not supposed to be here until tomorrow!" I said frantically. "She can't be here! It's too early!"

Cordelia froze. "Oh screw that!" She slid off her top and jeans, and jumped in to her pajamas as quickly as she could.

"Somebody shut the blinds!" I squeaked, hearing Buffy's mother running up the stairs to see us all.

Amy came to our aide, waving her hand to have the commands obeyed. Cordelia dove in to the bed, knocking me in to Buffy in the process. "Ow!" I said, and shut my eyes to keep the spinning from returning to my vision.

"Sh!" Cordelia hisses, then shutting her eyes to make it look like she was asleep. We all took our cue from her, and shut our eyes.

Buffy's mother entered the room, "Buffy!" she called excitedly. Then she noticed we were all asleep, and she shut her mouth abruptly and turned to Giles. "They're asleep. I'd better let my little angel get her rest before the big event."

Giles looked in to the room, and caught sight as Amy shut her eyes again as fast as she could. He frowned, "something tells me the big event already took place."

At that moment, Xander burst through the other door to the room, looking dazed and extremely strange as he tried to walk with his feet three feet apart. "Cordelia!" he announced. "I admit it! I have stolen your thongs! And I'm giving them back!" With that, he opened Cordy's dresser drawer, and tossed the underwear inside.

Cordy couldn't keep up the act of being asleep. She shot up in the bed, "no! Ewe! You had that shoved up your ass!" She pointed at him in a rage.

Xander looked in to the drawer, and smiled broadly. "Well, Cordy, looks like the fun's never that far from you." He pulled out a red, lace, body suit that would barely cover anything on anyone.

"Xander Harris, you will never see me in that! Ever again!" Cordy jumped up from the bed. "I swear to you that!" She went over to him, and kicked him out of the room, locking the door behind him.

We all knew there was no way normal people could have slept through that, so we'd given up the charade and sat up in the bed.

Cordy stomped back over to the bed, and looked to the doorway where Buffy's mother, father, and Giles, and Angel were standing. Angel was trying like Hell not to laugh his ass off at the chaos. And it got even harder when Cordelia announced in a rage to the adults:

"We're all hung over, okay! God!" Buffy, Amy, and I all shut our eyes and moaned in embarrassment(and pain from the headaches and loud noises)as she announced it. With that said, Cordelia Chase pounced down on the bed again, and covered herself completely with the covers.

"Who here really needs a drink?" Hank Summers asked.

"Would you like tea, Giles?" Angel asked, trying to sound polite and civil.

He turned to look at Angel and said with a white face, "Jack Daniels. Just give me the whole bottle."

Angel, Hank Summers, and Giles left then, heading for the nearest liquor cabinet, and behind them they could hear the sudden screeching lecture that was pouring fluently from Joyce Summers' very-pissed-off mouth.

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

Part 7B

Joyce Summers was ready to tear each girl apart. She lectured and lectured. "How could you?" and "Do you have any idea what this sort of thing leads to?" were two of the sentences that were repeated again, and again, and again...

Buffy sighed, wishing that she was anywhere but here. She caught Willow's glance just then. Willow was smiling uncharacteristically for someone getting lectured for three straight hours about the misconceptions of under age drinking. Willow raised an eyebrow, and her eyes gleamed with a sly excitement that Buffy had never seen on her before.

Willow inclined her head in the direction of the door to the bathroom. She nodded at Buffy as Buffy realized what Willow was implying. Buffy mouthed her question of, "are you sure?" Willow smiled at her friend, and nodded positively. Buffy was sure that she would be owing her big time for this favour for a long, long time to come.

Willow mouthed her countdown of "three...two...one" and then she jumped up from the bed. Joyce shot backwards a few steps in started surprise. She didn't have long to question, however, for Willow launched in to a full-on verbal attack on herself.

"You are SO right, Mrs. Summers!" Willow exclaimed. "My God! What the...What the HELL were we thinking?" She stressed her words, showing she was serious.

"We?" Cordelia scoffed. "I don't remember having any say in anything here."

"But you did!" Willow pointed at Queen C accusingly. "You had the choice! You made the wrong one! We all did! How could we have thought that drinking and dancing was right? I mean, what if people like... Like...Gangbangers! What if gangbangers came in to the mansion and found us all in no state to defend ourselves against their....Their...Gangbangs!"

"Gangbangers?" Cordelia was completely confused, and oblivious to Buffy as she slipped from the bed to the floor with practiced ease.

Amy spotted Buffy leaving, and realized then what was going on. She shot up from the bed like Willow and agreed, "my God! You're SO right! What if they had brought in their...Gang banging tools, and decided to make us all...Um..."

"Gang bang!" Willow shrieked.

**

After slipped from the bedroom undetected, I had never been happier to have Willow as a friend. After curing my head ache with a much-needed hot bath, and big meal, I went in search for my fiance. Angel. I had been SO angry when he left me there with Joyce on the rampage. But then again, how could I blame him? I sure as anything didn't want to stay around to hear my mother lecturing me.

I finally found my future-demon-husband in his library, sitting at a large, mahagony desk. He was on the phone, and upon noticing my entrance, he ended his conversation abruptly, and set his phone down.

"Escaped, did you?" he raised an eyebrow at me.

I smiled, wandering around the room aimlessly. "Something like that. Gangbanging Willow came to the rescue and got me out."

"What?" Angel's face was filled with confusion.

"Don't ask," I laughed slightly, my hand trailing over a book case. "This place is just filled with musty, old books. Giles would love it. Did he flip when he saw it?"

Angel laughed, abandoning his large, leather chair and wandering over to where I was. "Actually, he wasn't too interested in the books after a few shots of English Whisky. I believe he headed in the general direction of the DVD collection downstairs. He mentioned something about finding a movie called 'Nashvile Rebel' with some country music star named Waylon Jennings in it, who died recently. He said that he was curious to find out what could make a nation mourn the death of a country music star for so long. But, that was a little slurred, so he might have said the 'breath' of a country music star."

I laughed as Angel wrapped his arms around my waist. "So, what do you have planned for today, Mr Angel, sir?"

"Well, my darling, I have arranged for the stylist to come to the house today, to plan your dresses and such for the wedding. I thought that since she'll be her ein about two hours with her assistants, that perhaps you and the whole Sunnydale Crew could get together and plan your tuxes, dresses...Some of Xander's dancer thongs, perhaps?"

"You know those were Cordy's!" I protested, feeling sorry for Xander after all he's been through recently. "He returned them this morning!"

Angel laughed, "okay, my love. Whatever you say." He wandered to the center of the room, and slipped his hands into his pants pockets.

I crossed my arms stubbornly in a mock-anger. "So, who were you talking to on the phone? Or should I just be flipping out like a good little wife because you didn't rush to tell me how great I looked, and assume that you're cheating on me?"

Angel laughed slightly, and shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "Actually, I was making some arrangements for our guests."

"But Angel, everyone's already here. We have..." I trailed off then as I realized I hadn't even bothered to ask Angel if there was anyone he wanted at the wedding. My hand flew to my mouth in horror. "Oh Angel, I'm so sorry. I didn't even think. I just assumed that...Well, you must have some great great great great grand nieces to invite or something, right? Or maybe some old friends that you've kept in touch with by letter every week? I'd love to meet your family."

Angel frowned slightly as he brought up his past, explaining, "Buffy...I killed my family."

My face was hollow and blank at this. I blinked dumbly, and fumbled around to find my compassion button. I pushed firmly, and my face fixed to one of thoughtfulness, "well, you surely must have some friends, then. Who did you want to bring?"

Angel looked down, and then mumbled his answer.

My eyes widened.

~~

"Angel, are you crazy?" I heard Buffy shriek, before something glass, and probably really expensive, crashed in to the open door the led in to the library filled with old, musty books. I couldn't begin to think of what the perfect couple were arguing about.

"But Buffy, they're the closest thing I have to a family!" Angel tried to reason with her. "And I can't do anything about it now, anyways."

"Yes you can!" Buffy reassured him. "You can UN-invite them! If you don't-I sure as Hell will. With a big, fat cross and stake festival! I am not having them at my wedding! I spent the last year and a half trying to survive them, Angel!"

"But Spike and Drusilla are a part of my past. As horrible as it all was, I have to accept it, because it brought me to this wonderful Now," Angel rationalized.

My eyes widened in horror, and I burst in to the room. Privacy be damned! This was a life or death situation! "Angel, are you crazy?!" I exclaimed.

"Willow, if you'd just wait," Angel tried to talk to me in a calm voice.

"No! You wait!" I was freaking. "I did not come to my best friend's wedding to get eaten by the groom's guest list! I don't feel like dying right now!"

"But I'll make sure that they don't-"

I cut Angel off, saying, "Angel, the last time I saw Spike, he added 'Hey Pet, wanna die?' to my book of the Worst Pick-Up Lines Ever! Granted, the book's not very big because I've never been picked up before, but that's still pretty bad!"

"What's all the shouting about?" Xander asked, wandering in to the room, walking less than normal, with his legs spread apart like he was crouching down.

"Angel invited Spike and Drusilla to the wedding!" I informed him.

"Like Hell he did!" Xander exclaimed.

"Oh Hell no!" Cordelia stomped in to the room. "There is no way that I'm spending the night in the same house as crazy doll lady."

"See?" Buffy exclaimed. "Angel, my guests are freaked out at the thought of your guests! I don't know about you, but I don't feel like having a million interruptions to fight off chaos and death in the middle of the wedding ceremony."

Angel went over to Buffy and tried to calm her. "Buffy, baby, you say that you trust me, now all I'm asking is that you show it. I promise that I will keep Spike and Drusilla calm. They won't hurt anyone at all. I swear to you."

"Not even the bus boys?" Buffy asked innocently.

Angel smiled, "especially not the bus boys."

Buffy melted in to his embrace then, reminding me for the millionth time in the last hour, why they were so perfect for eachother. She snuggled her head in to her demon lover's chest, and sighed happily. "I trust you, then. But if Spike steps out of line, once!" she pulled back slightly to point up at Angel's face in warning. "I have no problem introducing him to splinters as an art form."

Angel smiled, "I'll take care of things."

I had relaxed somewhat, and I knew I had to be there for my best friend, so I agreed, saying, "It's okay with me too, then."

Buffy smiled appreciatively at me, and came over to where I was. She hugged me tightly, and said, "thank you, Wil. For everything. I couldn't ask for more."

I smiled back at her, and then we both turned to look at Xander.

He huffed out his chest and said, "if crazy doll lady even dares to touch my but again, I'll have no problem removing her hand!"

"She's touched your ass?" Buffy asked, surprised.

Xander's demeanor faltered at that, and he admitted shamefully, "no. But I always dreamt somehow, that she would."

"You are seriously disturbed, but thanks for your lack of support," Buffy laughed slightly.

Everyone turned then, to look at Cordelia.

She sighed dramatically and said, "I don't care what you all do. I am SO not okay with this, but since my opinion doesn't matter, I'll try to be civil. But if doll lady even DARES to come near my hair brush to make a doll out of my perfect hair, I am beating her over the head with her precious Miss. Edith, and feeding her to the sunrise."

"That won't be necessary, Cordelia," Angel assured her. "I'll personally make sure that none of you get anywhere near dange-"

He was cut off as the doors on the other side of the room swung open, and in waltzed Spike, with his precious, crazy, dark queen at his side, with the usual crazy gleam in her eyes and Miss Edith tucked tenderly under her arm.

"Part's here, mate!" Spike announced. Then he frowned and asked, "Where's the pub parties? Thought this was a wedding then, poof?"

I looked at Buffy and offered, "at least there's divorce."

Buffy sighed, "thank God for that."

... tbc???

please feed Angel

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