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  Suki Blue Fiction 

Just Us

Chapter 8

Angel was confused.

Was this hell? It sure didn’t feel quite as flamey as last time.

But it was dark, so dark. It was blacker than the deepest, blackest pit that he’d ever known. Not that he’d ever known many black pits. Not personally, anyway. But as black pits went, he assumed, it was pretty black.

Actually, it was a total contrast to his last remaining second on earth, when he’d plunged his axe though the two books and thus cursed himself to an agonising and eternal death in the fires of hell. The room had lit up brighter than any star and he could still feel the heat that exploded from the books and engulfed his body.

Huh. And there we are. Back to the whole fiery, burning in hell thing. And why wasn’t he on fire again? And what was….?

Angel sighed against the soft touch trailing gently over his chest. He was sure he wasn’t supposed to sigh while undergoing eternal damnation. He might get caught. Ah, what the hell. The touch returned and Angel heard whispering…no, no that was not whispering. It was…yelling?

“Oh, my god! I think he’s dead!” Cordelia.

“He is not dead!” Xander.

“Actually, Xander. I think you’ll find that…” Giles.

“Yeah, okay. Whatever. Dead already, I know. Back off, crampy!” Xander.

“Now, there is no need for that. I didn’t mean to be evil.” Giles.

“Pfft.” Spike.

“Angel? Can you hear me? Are you okay? Please wake up. You kinda look like a corpse and it’s starting to freak me out.”

“Xander? So dark.”

“Uh, yeah? Not meaning to sound like my normal sarcastic self, but…have you tried opening your eyes?”

Oh god, what had he done? Had he dragged them all into the pits of hell with him? Was that what his damnation was to be? To know that his actions would cause eternal suffering to the ones he loved? And Spike?

“Come on, Ange. Just try opening your eyes. It’s okay. We’re all here.” Xander’s voice – soft, sensual, reassuring. So brave. So much suffering, yet so… Angel tried opening his eyes, just for fun.

“I’m here,” he whispered, looking up into seven concerned faces. “Why am I here?”

Buffy smiled down at him. “Because hell decided it had something better to do?”

Angel tried to sit up, grateful when Xander took his arm and assisted. “I thought… I destroyed the books. I should be in hell.”

“Nope, no hell,” Willow said.

“Are you sure? Hell can be very deceiving.”

Spike nodded his agreement.

“What just happened?” Angel asked. “Is Giles still evil?!”

Xander helped Angel to a chair at the table and sat next to him, keeping his hand in his.

“Giles is no longer evil,” Rupert Devel explained. “When you destroyed the books you broke the hold they had over him.”

“So, it’s really over?” Willow asked.

“Completely,” Rupert answered.

“Bloody great! Who’s for a movie?” Spike said, rubbing his hands together.

“Wait,” Buffy said. “I don’t get. Not understanding here. I thought that anyone who tried to slay the books would go poof.”

“Under normal circumstances, yes,” Giles said, taking another seat at the table. His cramp was acting up again. “But it seems that Angel found the only loophole. Only a true love of mind, body and soul - a perfect connection - can defeat the evil of the Damned. Remember?”

“I’m not getting that. ‘Splainy. Plain English, please.”

“Erm, well, I think that explanation would be up to Angel,” Giles said.

“The ultimate sacrifice in the name of love,” Angel whispered, loudly enough that everybody heard. “I couldn’t risk…I couldn’t let…” Angel fixed Xander with the most serious expression that Xander had ever seen. And considering that this was Angel? It was damn serious. “I love you too much to... I couldn’t bear to think that…”

Xander squeezed back at the hand that was squeezing his. “You really just tried to sacrifice yourself…for me?”

There was silence for a while, eyes dropping to look at the floor while Xander stared at Angel in awe and Angel stared back at Xander with unabashed love.

Finally, it was Buffy who broke the silence. “You…? You love him?”

Angel nodded.

“And he loves you too.” This time it wasn’t a question.

Xander finally drew his gaze away from Angel. “Buff. Oh, god, I’m…”

“Don’t be. It’s all good. For both of you. I wish you all the happiness in the… Although, feel free to shower me with gift vouchers if either if you is feeling guilty.”

“Hey, no fair, Buffster! You know Angel will be feeling guilty, just by default.”

Buffy smiled and bent down to hug her friend.

“Buffy, are you…? It’s just that, you’re taking this *really* well. Do you want to talk about it?” Angel asked.

Buffy straightened herself up and shook her head. “It was time for us to move on. I guess I’m just kinda bummed that you got there first.” She took a deep breath. “Especially since I was suddenly close.”

Buffy tried not to grin as she headed to the door. “I’m going home, guys. If anyone needs an escort, then I suggest you get your asses in gear. This Slayer is so ready to slay some sheep. Gotta be better than counting them.”

“Bloody hell, that bird’s puns get worse by the day.”

“I think I’d have to agree with you there, Spike,” Giles said.

“Hold up. Did Buffy just say that she was close?” Xander asked as he whipped his head around to face the door. “Close to what? Madness? Splitting up the lesbian couple from two doors over?”

Wesley gave him a quizzical look.

“The Sims,” Xander explained.

Giles adjusted his glasses and looked thoughtful. “Maybe she means that she, you know…”

“Likes someone?” Cordelia supplied. “Bet your ass, she does. The Buffy-Angel thing was way over. So totally two years ago. Of course she’s going to move on.”

“I wonder who it is,” Willow mused.

“Well, I think you should go get escorted home and find out. Get that gossip, Wills.”

“Xander!” Willow scolded. “Not before you tell all about you and Angel. Is he good in…?” At Giles’ lifted eyebrow and Spike’s smirk, Willow stopped. “Okay, I’ll grill Buffy. But you have to give it up too, Mister.”

Xander saluted.

“I can’t believe you’re gay,” Willow said, suddenly squealing. “Now we can be gay together!”

“Um, Wills? You do know how this works, don’t you? Tara did mention it?”

“Oh, my god…Tara! I can’t wait to tell her! And she always said that you were so gay, Angel.”

“I’m not sure how to take that,” Angel said with a confused look.

“I can’t believe I didn’t see it before,” Willow said, suddenly becoming serious. “You two are in love.”

Xander smiled and turned back to Angel. “Yeah, we are.”

Spike gagged.

**

“Alone at last,” Angel observed as he glanced around Xander’s apartment and lightly kicked the door shut.

“Looks like it. Just us.”

It had been two days since the events at The Magic Box and Angel had been able to stay in Sunnydale for a while longer. Wesley had left on a coach the next day and had promised to call if anything undesirable turned up.

Spike and Cordelia were still in town, mainly due to the fact that Cordelia refused to get on a bus and had also refused to let Spike drive her in his Desoto, which was probably wise.

Rupert Devel was also still in town, taking in the sights and sounds of Sunnydale. Apparently, it was his first time on a real Hellmouth. This made Xander wonder how many times he’d been on a fake one. Rupert had also been spending his time vampire hunting. Seeing as he despised the devilish creatures so much, it made sense that he’d revel in the opportunity to hunt them when they were in such abundance.

He was yet to dust even one.

Still, he was having a fantabulous time trying.

“Us time, huh? Sounds…wonderful?” Angel said

“Yeah. Naked us time sounds even better.”

“Much better,” Angel said as he slipped his coat off and dropped it to the floor.

“I’m gonna need much more naked than that,” Xander purred.

Angel pulled off his sweater. “Better?”

“Kinda. Now off with the rest.”

Angel smiled and toed off his shoes. “I might need a hand with the rest.”

Xander grinned and unbuckled Angel’s belt and slipped it from the loops. The zipper was next and then Xander was sliding Angel’s pants to his ankles. “Just think, one month from now and we can do this every day. Or sometimes even twice. And after a few months, once a week!”

Angel tipped back his head and laughed. “And after a few years, once a month and total silence over breakfast.”

Xander laughed with him and tugged at Angel’s pants where they were caught around his hairy ankles. “Years, huh?” he suddenly said, a wistful look spreading over his face. “This really is for good?”

“Of course,” Angel said, tugging at Xander’s arm until he got up. “I hope you never thought otherwise. I love you.”

“I know. And if I didn’t know before, I know now. I can’t believe that you…did that, for me.”

“I couldn’t live without you, Xander. And it’s kind of a hero, champion thing.”

“Oh, well, I wouldn’t want to be the one that makes you break tradition,” Xander said with a big grin. “Right, okay, you’re naked now…except for one sock. I think it’s time that I got with the naked so that we can play naked games. Just the two of us.”

~RING RING~

“Ooh, hang on. That’ll be Willow. She went for dinner with the Buffster.” Xander rushed across the room and left Angel standing naked, except for one lonely sock, in the middle of the room. “Hello? Willow! How’s my girl?! And more importantly, did you get the gossip?”

Angel rolled his eyes but listened intently anyway.

“Really? You’re kidding me?! No way! Buffy and…No! Angel, can you believe this?!”

Angel wasn’t sure that he did.

“Are you sure about this, Wills? Did you daydream again? Really? Rupert Devel?!”



The End.