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Disclaimer: I don't own them. If I did, why would I be writing fanfic. I'd be writing the shows. But, I'm not making any money, and I'm just a poor fanfic writer, so please don't sue.
Author's Note: This is post A New Man, and post Expecting. I've never done a story like this before. It's fluff, it's unrealistic, and it's happy, dang nabbit! Or, I hope so. Thanks to Katie and Mark, for giving me the inspiration, and especially to Serena, Felicity, and Genevieve. Tell me how I did.
One by one, four girls fell out of the early morning sky onto the beach. "Ouch," Dreamer said.
"So did we make it?" Genevieve asked.
"How else do you think we fell out of the sky?"
"A hallucinogen."
"Well they certainly had enough of those," Serena said, "Now we know how they come up with the weird stuff."
"No kidding," Felicity replied, "I think this is real though."
"Yeah, so lets get going, I can't wait to get my hands on Angel," Serena said. The other three girls turned to look at her. "Just to talk. I promise. Maybe beat some sense into him." The other girls giggled, as they got ready to set off.
Four girls walked towards the post office. "Tadda," Felicity said, "See! I knew I could find it!"
"We knew you could do it," Genevieve replied.
"So now all we have to do is find the back door," Serena said. They walked around the building. There at the back was a stairs leading down to a small courtyard. "Wow. I wonder if everything's this easy to find?"
"Shouldn't this be hidden or something?" Felicity asked.
"Could anyone get in?" Genevieve replied. The other girls looked at her and back at the sealed up door. She had a point.
"Well, I suppose ... does anyone have a gift?"
"I brought some sand from the beach," Dreamer said.
"Sand?" Serena asked.
"Yeah, I was going to take it home." The girls laughed at her and she smiled sheepishly.
"So how do we get in?" Genevieve asked.
"I could try a spell or something. That's Buffy-ish right? Although it might be a little hard 'cause it's not like back home," Felicity said.
"Don't you need herbs and stuff?" Serena asked.
"I think so. Doyle used herbs."
"Should we ask to get Doyle back while we're in there?"
"Why not? It should make Cordy happy, of course we do have to get in first, but-" There was a loud clang from the door. The others looked over to see Dreamer who was standing in front of it.
"What was that?" Felicity asked.
"I knocked," Dreamer said.
"You knocked?" Serena asked.
"Yeah. Why not? We come from the dimension of the Powers that Be, so we might even outrank them, I figure that means they have to let us in."
"If Joss is part of the Powers that Be, what does that make us? The Powers that Wish?" Felicity asked, "Or like the Powers that Might Be."
"How about the Powers that Aren't."
"But we do have power, now. Not much, but ..."
"We control all the what ifs," Genevieve pointed out.
"But the what ifs don't happen."
"So we control what isn't. They control what is. Thus, they are the Powers that Be, we are the Powers that Aren't," Dreamer concluded. They nodded in agreement.
"So," Genevieve said, "Open up in the name of the Powers that Aren't. We need to speak with you!" Genevieve pounded on the door.
"Yeah! And the Powers that Be sent us," Serena chimed in.
The doors opened in a flash of bright light and the girls walked into the room. The two Oracles stood before them.
"Welcome, Powers that Aren't," the male said.
"What do you wish of us?" the female asked.
"You wouldn't happen to know how to make clones of vampires would you? And maybe be able to make a few changes?" Serena asked. The other girls broke out into giggles. The oracles looked rather confused.
"She's just kidding oracles," Dreamer said.
"Mostly, but a girl can hope."
"We just came to ask some questions," Genevieve said, "before finishing what we came to do."
"A vampire, visited you a few months ago, shortly after he had been turned human. He came here and asked you what would happen to the slayer," Felicity said.
"Yes," the female oracle replied. "We told him that she would die, albeit sooner than most."
"But he didn't ask you whether that was because he turned human did he?"
"No. Mortals often overlook the obvious," the male said with obvious contempt.
"His humanity had nothing to do with when she would die, did it?" Genevieve accused.
"Actually she would have lived longer if he had stayed human. Her happiness is part of what makes her a good fighter. Her alliance with the Initiative would not have been formed however, which will be very important," the male replied again.
"So you let him think that his humanity would kill her off sooner, so she could go out with Riley?!" Genevieve said.
"Yes. The Initiative is disrupting the temporal balance and must be stopped. Misleading him was regrettable, but necessary," the female said.
"So now it doesn't matter does it? Buffy's in, so-"
"If Angel became human again it wouldn't matter. Plus, happiness, and longer life span," Serena finished.
"I suppose that is correct," the male oracle conceeded.
"Then we need to ask a service of you," Felicity said.
"Since you are the Powers that Aren't we are happy to give you information," the male said, "but if you want a service, you must produce a gift."
"We brought you some sand from the beach," Dreamer said holding out a glass container of sand.
The female oracle smiled. "Each particle is so small, yet together they form the sand, which can soften any jagged rock, and is constant through the time. An apt present from the representatives of such a large, unappreciated group," she said. "What do you ask of us?"
"Two things," Serena said. "First the location of a mohra demon, so we can turn Angel human again."
"And secondly, a way of returning his vampire strength to him once he's human, with no strings attached. Hopefully a potion or something," Dreamer said.
"'Tis a simple request," the female replied. "We shall send the mohra demon to go to Angel in two hours time. As for the second, it is easily within your powers as fellow beings from the land of the Powers that Be. Once he has become human, have him mix his blood with the blood of the mohra demon again and command it to restore his strength. Believe this and use your powers of will to command it, and it shall be done."
"That's it?" Felicity said.
"That is all," the male replied. "Now we must be going."
"Thanks," the girls chorused, as the white light enveloped them again and dumped them in the courtyard.
"So, now all we have to do is find Angel," Dreamer said.
"Right, we'll just find Angel Investigations, and go from there," Genevieve said.
"I can't believe this is so simple," Serena said. And they shouldn't have.
Cordy was filing her nails when the phone rang. Angel walked into the room as it continued to ring. He glared at her. "It's probably just Sarina," she replied, rolling her eyes. "She's been calling incessantly ever since I let it slip that you weren't gay."
"Ah, thanks," Angel said.
"No problem. Dating is bad remember?" Angel nodded as the machine picked it up.
"Angel Investigations, we help the hopeless. We're a little busy at the moment, but if you leave a message at the beep, your problems will be solved before you know it ... Beep."
"Hi," a voice said, "This is Felicity. Okay, I hope you don't have one of those answering machines that cuts us off or we're in big trouble, since I've got a lot explaining to do. But then again, you're probably just listening, so-" Angel and Cordelia looked at each other for a moment as there was a commotion on the other end. Angel reached to pick up the phone. "Wait! Don't pick up the phone. I've got to make this quick, and I know that I'm on speaker right now. See an hour and a half ago we we're given two hours to get to you and sort everything out and explain everything before the mohra demon showed up, but we might not make it there, since we're lost and all, so I'm going to have to explain over the phone quick." There was some voices in the background. "I am hurrying," she shouted. "Anyway, see we just came from the Oracles. Now you'll have to believe us on this one, that it's all for the best if you do what I tell you to, we'll explain in depth when we get there. Now, there's going to be a mohra demon showing up in about a half an hour. What you've got to do is capture it or kill it, but not destroy it, just stab or whatever so it stops moving. And make sure that once you've captured it or killed it or whatever you get your blood to mix with it's so you turn into a human, Angel I mean. Then when we get there, we can explain everything and do the second half, which will not only let you stay human, but give you your vampire strength back. We need the mohra demon though, so make sure it hasn't gone poof by the time we get there. We'll explain who we are as soon as we get there, but please you just have to believe us. And now, could someone please pick up the phone and give us directions, so we can get there. Please?"
Angel sat down slowly, while Cordelia picked up the phone. She gave the party directions and then sat down. Angel had a far off look in his eyes.
"Well," Cordelia said, "Do you think these guys are psycho or what?"
"No." Angel said.
Angel was ready for the mohra demon, when it showed up a half hour later. It came through the window again, but this time Angel was waiting with a sword. He quickly stabbed it before it could jump out the window again. Angel could hear the outside door opening as he slit his hand open and soaked it in the demon's blood. They came in as Angel knelt on the floor, once again feeling the heart attack in reverse as his dead heart began to beat again.
"God. He's even hotter in person," Felicity said.
"The word is *BLEEP*," Serena said calmly, until she heard herself that is. "What the hell was that?"
"Look above and to your right Serena," Dreamer said. Serena looked up, to see a faint watermark of a PG-13 above her head. The others laughed and Serena just shook her head.
"I knew he tried to get back at us somehow," she said.
"Like getting lost wasn't enough?" Genevieve asked.
"Who are you?" Angel asked, standing up.
"Oh, I'm Serena."
"Felicity."
"Genevieve."
"Dreamer."
"We were the ones on the phone about the whole mohra demon thing," Felicity said.
"Okay, so how about what are you?" Cordy asked.
"We're the Powers the Aren't," Genevieve said.
"You're the Powers that Aren't?" Angel repeated.
"Well not all of them," Felicity said.
"I thought it was the Powers that Be," Cordy said.
"It is. They're different. We come from the same world or dimension or whatever though. See they actually control everything. We just basically control all the what ifs," Serena said.
"Yeah, the main difference being they have power, and we don't," Dreamer said.
"Then how did you get here?" Angel asked. The girls looked at each other and broke out into a fit of giggles.
"It wasn't easy," Serena said, "climbing gates should not be attempted in these shoes."
"And then of course we had to take the acid away from Joss," Genevieve said.
"And wait for him to come back down to earth," Dreamer added.
"Which took forever. I wonder how long he's been on it?" Serena commented.
"Since early season three," Genevieve suggested.
"Probably, but once he came around ... it's amazing how convincing a spork is. So here we are," Felicity said.
"You said something about the Oracles," Angel prompted.
"Oh yeah, well we had something's to work out first, so we stopped there. We found out, that Buffy will die earlier than most, being a slayer and all, but if you're human she may actually live longer," Felicity said.
"Longer?" Angel said.
"Yup. Makes you feel really stupid doesn't it?" Genevieve said.
"Of course, it was also because she had to get inside the Initiative first," Dreamer said.
"Shack up with Riley you mean, because Joss is evil and likes to torture us," Serena said, "I can't believe they almost *BLEEP* on her birthday. I mean come on can anyone say pushing down our throats. I mean she doesn't even think about how two years ago- I mean first slime-ball Parker, and now Lilac Fish Boy. Talk about-"
"Serena," Dreamer interrupted. "I think that, um, you shouldn't say anymore. Lest you upset a certain someone." Dreamer jerked her head in Angel's direction, who was wearing a look of supreme horror and sadness.
"Oh. Oops."
"Who's Riley?" Cordy asked.
"Buffy's boyfriend," Felicity said, wrinkling her nose.
Angel stood up and walked over to look out the open window. "You said you could give me my strength too," Angel said.
"Yeah. You just have to mix your blood with the blood of the demon again and we command the blood to restore your strength," Dreamer said.
"Command it?"
"Well we do come from the realm of the Powers that Be," Genevieve said.
Angel knelt down and slit his now healed hand open again and dipped it in the blood of the mohra demon.
"Blood," Felicity commanded.
"Blood," the others echoed, catching up.
"We command you to restore his strength."
"And healing abilities," Dreamer added.
"And healing abilities," they repeated.
Angel removed his hand and watched as it healed, before his eyes.
"So did it work?" Cordelia asked.
"I don't know," Angel said.
"Trying bending something," Felicity suggested.
"Try moving the furniture," Genevieve said with a smirk.
Angel went out into the lobby and carefully lifted the filing cabinet and set it back down. "So, did it work?" Cordy asked.
"I think so," Angel replied.
"Was that any harder than when you were a vampire?" Felicity asked.
"No."
"Then it worked!" Cheers rose up, but died down again as Angel continued to look at them sadly.
"Thank you," he said before quietly going downstairs.
"Damn, he's back to brooding again," Genevieve said.
"Come on," Dreamer said, pulling the girls out the door.
"Where are we going?" Cordy asked as she was pulled along.
"Your place."
"Why?"
"Because, you've got a TV."
Felicity, Serena, and Dreamer gathered around Cordy's TV, while Genevieve tried to talk to Denis. Cordy sat down by her phone. "What do I say?" Felicity asked.
"Something in another language," Serena said.
"I don't think it will listen to me anymore in French than it will in English," Felicity said.
"Then just command it in English. And make it rhyme," Dreamer said.
"Okay. Here goes nothing," Felicity said taking a deep breath. "TV, TV, won't you please, show me what I want to see." Everyone held their breath as Felicity turned the TV on, except for Cordy, who just looked at them like they were crazy. That is of course until she saw what was on the TV. It was a picture of Angel, taking some obvious frustration out on the punching bag.
"Figures," Genevieve muttered, as she joined the rest of the, giving up on contacting Denis.
"Nice work though Felicity," Dreamer said.
"Yeah, now. Show us Buffy," Felicity said, in the most commanding voice she could muster. The screen blinked out for a minute before switching to Buffy and Willow's dorm room. Buffy was sitting at the computer, typing something up. Willow was sitting on her bed, studying a book in her lap.
The PTAs motioned to Cordy that she should call. She picked up the phone numbly and dialed Willow & Buffy's number. The phone rang on the TV set.
"Hello," Willow said picking up the phone.
"Hey Willow. This is Cordy," Cordy said.
"Hey Cordy," the Willow on the TV said, as the picture zoomed in on her. "What's up?"
"I need to talk to Buffy. It's about Angel."
"Is something wrong with him?" Willow asked worriedly. Buffy glanced over, wondering who she was talking about.
"No, well not exactly. Can I talk to her, please?"
"Sure," Willow said, numbly. Willow held out the phone to Buffy. "It's Cordy."
Buffy's eyes widen. 'Angel' she mouthed. Willow nodded. "Cordy?" Buffy asked.
"Hey Buffy."
"Cordy, what's the matter? What happened?"
"Nothing's the matter?"
"Then why are you calling?" Buffy asked confused.
"Because something did happen," Cordy said.
"Oh."
"Look, here it is. These four girls came to town. They're calling themselves the Powers that Aren't. Anyway, these PTAs sent a mohra demon to Angel's place. His blood mixed with the demons, the PTAs cast a spell, and poof, Angel's human." Buffy sat down on the bed, her face gone slack with surprise. "I thought I should tell you, since it didn't look like Angel was going to."
"Human?" Buffy asked. Willow's eyes widen and she started bouncing on the bed, before calming down and watching Buffy intently.
"Yup, human. You should have seen how much food he took down the stairs. You think in two hundred years he would have eaten something. He acts like he's starving."
"He wasn't going to tell me?" Buffy asked, her mind trying to catch up to what Cordy was saying.
"I don't think so. He heard that you had a new boyfriend and went to do his brooding thing."
"Probably assuming I'm happy and doesn't want to interfere," Buffy said.
"Probably. So are you going to come talk to him or what?"
"Yeah. I'll be out right after class tonight. I won't have another one 'til Monday," Buffy said.
"We have such good timing," Dreamer said.
"Can I crash at your place, while I'm out?" Buffy asked.
"What?!" Serena screamed, "Her place? What about his place? When are we going to get to the-"
"Shhh," Cordy hissed.
"Who was that?" Buffy asked, hearing the yelling in the background.
"One of the PTAs. Anyway, you can crash here if you want, but I kinda expected you to be staying at Angel's," Cordy said.
Buffy smiled sadly. "If he's brooding, and he won't call me, he might not want me to stay," Buffy said.
"Yeah, right. If he doesn't, he's even stupider than I would have guessed."
"Thanks for telling me," Buffy said.
"No problem," Cordelia said. "If I don't see you, I'll assume you're staying at Angel's. Bye."
"Bye."
Buffy looked over at Willow. "He's human?" Willow asked. Buffy nodded. Willow started shrieking happily and Buffy joined in laughing with her. The PTAs laughed too and pointed at Serena, who finally stopped biting her tongue.
"What?" she asked, "So I forgot I can't yell at the TV, here."
The girls laughed and watched as the TV quickly seemed to zip forward through time to Buffy packing her bag in her room, after her class that night.
"Wow," Dreamer said.
"Yeah, I thought we would have to wait," Genevieve said.
"I guess Joss is as impatient as we are," Serena said.
There was a knock on the dorm room door. "Come in," Buffy called.
Riley walked in and closed the door behind him. "Riley, just who I wanted to see," Buffy said taking only a moment to glance up from her packing.
Riley walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist and leaned over so he was flush up against her back. "What about?" he asked, suggestively.
Buffy turned around and pushed him away. He stepped back, a little confused. "Us actually," Buffy said. "You see Riley, this just isn't working. I mean, I've really been trying and everything, but we just don't work."
"It seemed to be working alright to me."
"But it wasn't. I'm sorry Riley, but there's just no chemistry between us."
"Is this because of the Initiative again?" Riley asked, looking annoyed, "because I thought we had worked that out."
"No it's not about the Initiative," Buffy said, "Although we never did actually worked that out, you just kept yelling at me and I finally gave in rather than put up with you yelling at me." Buffy sighed for a moment, before looking back up at him. "Look Riley. I don't like you and I don't want to go out with you, and that's all there is to it. I'm sorry," Buffy said going back to her packing.
"No," Riley said, grabbing a hold of her arm and spinning her around. "You don't just quit. You work things out."
Buffy pushed him away sending him back, to land on Willow's bed. "I don't want to work it out!" Buffy said sternly, "I don't want to go out with you. I'm liking you less every minute and I'm breaking up with you!"
"Why?"
"Because I don't like you?" Buffy said exasperatedly, "Or I don't like you like that. You're fine as a friend, but ... just not as a boyfriend."
"Where are you going?"
"LA. I'm just going to visit for awhile."
"What's in LA?"
"A dear friend."
"Is that why you're breaking up with me?" he said jumping to conclusions, "To get together with some bum you used to know? What did he call you and ask you to take him back and them make you make the trip?"
Buffy turned on him suddenly furious. "You know nothing about me. Or him," she told him sternly. "He practically came back from the dead. And he doesn't even know I'm coming."
"But you are going to him aren't you? You're dumping me for some piece of shit you-" Buffy slapped Riley across the face, with all her might, tears in her eyes.
"He's more than you will ever be. And if you fool yourself into thinking for one minute, that you were anything but another rebound boy, you should get your head examined by one of those scientists in the Initiative. Now. Get. Out." Riley slowly picked himself up and walked toward the door. "And tell Professor Walsh I'll be by on Monday for my tour of the Initiative." Riley walked out the door without another word.
Buffy walked into the dark front office of Angel Investigations. "Hello," she called. She walked into Angel's office and took the elevator down. "Hello," she called out again, walking into the room.
"Buffy," Angel said, coming in from out of the kitchen.
"Angel. Uh, I came in from upstairs. It wasn't locked or anything, although I locked it behind me."
"I must have forgotten to lock it. What are you doing here?"
"Cordelia called. She told me what happened," Buffy said.
"Oh," Angel said.
"Yeah, I- I thought ... well, I just ... you didn't call me so I figured I'd come talk to you in person. At least see how you were doing," Buffy said. Angel eyed the overnight bag she had slung over her shoulder. Buffy followed his eyes to her bag. She blushed and tried to hide it behind her. "Oh, I figured if I was in town I should stay awhile. Cordy said I could crash at her place." Angel nodded.
Buffy looked at him, worriedly. "Are you okay. I mean, are you really human?" Buffy asked stepping closer.
"I'm really human," he answered with a half smile. She slowly walked toward him and stretched out her hand. Ever so gently, she put her hand on his neck, all the while watching his eyes. She smiled as she felt his pulse. Slowly her hand reached up to bury itself in his hair and pulled him down for a kiss. Angel pulled away, though before it could get anywhere and headed for the kitchen.
"What's the matter?" Buffy asked, following him to stand in the doorway. He stood with his back to her as he stood over a pan on the stove.
"Don't you have a boyfriend?" Angel asked.
"Nope," Buffy said smiling again.
Angel jerked his head around to look at her. "But- I'd heard you had a boyfriend," Angel said in confusion.
"Had," Buffy said, "Past tense. At the moment, I'm quite single."
"Are you okay?"
"What? Me? Oh yeah. I dumped him, so ..." Angel nodded and turned back to the cooking. Buffy came up behind him to look over his shoulder.
"When did that happen?"
"Not long after Cordy called."
Angel looked at her in a mixture of confusion and love for a moment. "You- you dumped him, because you found out I was human?"
She looked up at him and smiled. "I'd drop everything for you," she said quietly, "even for just a chance with you." He gazed down at her lovingly and cupped her cheek in his hand. She leaned into his hand and looked up at him. He wrapped his arm around her and leaned down. Their lips met softly, neither pulling away. Buffy wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. It was finally the smell of the food, and the heat of the stove that made them pull away, actually remembering there was something cooking before it burned. Angel continued to look into her face for a moment though, before going back to the stove, keeping one arm wrapped around her waist.
"I've got more than enough here for two," he told her. "If you'd like to stay."
"I'd love to. When did you learn how to cook?" Buffy asked, smelling the savory aroma coming from the pan.
"Since back around Thanksgiving. I picked it up as sort of a hobby. The only time I really got to practice is if we were out on a case all night, I used to treat Cordy and Doyle to breakfast."
"Well, it certainly smells good. What is it?"
"Um, just stir fry, I guess. Potatoes, meat, I threw some other stuff in there." Buffy smiled and went to get plates and silverware.
Serena, Dreamer, Genevieve, and Felicity sat glued to the TV back at Cordelia's. "Aren't they sweet?" Genevieve asked.
"Yeah. And I'm so happy she dumped stupid Fish Boy for him. Can you believe what a jerk he was being?" Felicity.
"I loved that part," Serena squealed, "She finally started standing up for herself again. And I was so happy when she slapped him, although I would have kicked his ass, but-"
"She wasn't standing up for herself though. She was standing up for Angel," Genevieve pointed out.
"But now that she's with Angel, the self confidence should come back. She was already looking all playful and confident again," Dreamer said.
"I can't believe them," Cordelia said watching the TV. "They're like the ultimate love and they're just sitting and talking!?" The other girls exchanged knowing glances.
"Well, they couldn't let the food get cold."
"Yeah, then they'll get to the *BLEEP*- Damn Joss!" Serena said, as her language was once again censored. "He let ass through, why not *BLEEP*."
"Have you ever heard them say *BLEEP* on the show?"
"No."
"Then that's probably why," Genevieve said.
"Still. I mean, they better keep the table."
"Um, in progress-" Felicity said. They all looked back to find that Buffy and Angel were now making out on the table. Angel was already losing his shirt and Buffy wouldn't be long behind.
"What happened to my warning crash?" Serena asked, her eyes never leaving the screen.
"There hands touched when they were putting the dishes away so there weren't any dishes on the table to go crash," Felicity said.
"Okay," Cordy said standing up, "that's enough." Cordy reached over and turned the TV off, to the dismay of all the PTAs.
"Why'd you do that?" Genevieve asked.
"Because soon it was going to go porno, and I've already seen enough to give me nightmares all night long."
"But-" Serena said.
"No. Denis, if they try to turn it back on, please don't let them," Cordy told the open air.
"Come on, we can come back in a little while, when we hopefully won't catch them in action," Dreamer said.
"Yeah, but last time they were pretty active," Serena said.
"I hope we get to see the ice cream scene," Felicity said.
"Oh yeah."
"So do we get to go kill Riley, after that?" Genevieve asked.
"Maybe we shouldn't, I mean the B/Rer's will already be pretty upset," Dreamer said.
"So, we've suffered since the middle of second season!" Felicity said.
"But if we don't do it, then Riley gets to meet Angel, when Angel goes to visit Buffy."
"And more importantly, Angel gets to meet Riley," Genevieve said, an evil smile on her face.
"Ooo, he better not be talking about being able to beat Buffy up then," Serena giggled.
"I can't wait to see that scene. I hope Angel gets to beat up Parker too!" Felicity said.
"So are we done?" Genevieve asked.
"Maybe we should try to find Oz and bring him back?" Dreamer suggested.
"Or what about bringing Doyle back?" Felicity said.
"Hey, if we can't kill Riley, can we at least kill Kate?" Serena asked.
"I like Kate," Genevieve said.
"Me too," Dreamer added, "As long as there's no flirting, which there won't be now that Buffy and Angel are back together."
"But that won't stop Kate," Serena said.
"But then we'd get to see Buffy beat up Kate," Felicity said.
"And go to jail," Dreamer added.
"That could be fun," Serena said.
"What about the evil Professor Walsh?" Felicity asked.
"I don't know. I don't think we can take down the whole Initiative," Genevieve said.
"Take out or take to bed?" Serena asked. The girls laughed and the talking continued long into the night. With quick peeks every once in a while at the enchanted TV.
