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"Ooh, do we have any more of those cookies I made yesterday?" Buffy called from her seat on the floor. "Or did you eat them all..."
"Got 'em," Angel replied from the kitchen. He returned swiftly, carrying a package of strawberries and the cookies Buffy had made. He set them down gently and let Buffy sort through it while he turned the lights of the Christmas tree they had decorated on and lit the dozens of candles he had placed around the room. It was Christmas Eve and Buffy's father had gotten tied up with last minute business. He was flying home on Christmas morning, so Buffy got to spend Christmas Eve with her newly-human boyfriend.
Angel lit the final candle and blew out the match, turning the special radio he had on low. There were no advertisements, just music. He joined Buffy on the living room floor, lying down on the red satin coverlet they had placed in from of his electrical fireplace. He turned it on and set it to the lowest heat, wanting it more for atmosphere than warmth.
Buffy snuggled up to him, feeding him a strawberry as she kissed him. The song playing softly throughout the room caught her attention, and she smiled when she realized it was the one she had been hearing for the past few days.
There were moments of gold,
and there were flashes of light.
There were things we'd never do again,
but then they'd always seem right.
There were nights of endless pleasure.
It was more than all your laws allow.
Baby, baby, baby.
When you touch me like this
And when you hold me like that.
It was gone with the wind,
But it's all coming back to me.
When you see me like this,
and when I see you like that.
Then we see what we want to see.
All coming back to me.
The flesh and the fantasies
All coming back to me.
I can barely recall,
but it's all coming back to me now.
"This song helped me remember," she told Angel, looking down at him. His head lay in her lap, his face illuminated by the fire. He looked so mysterious, dark and handsome like the stranger she had fallen instantly in love with. He smiled up at her and kissed her bare calf.
"I'm glad you did," he said.
"I'm sorry you had to carry that for so long," she whispered, leaning down to brush her lips against his forehead.
"It all worked out in the end," he said softly, suddenly sitting up and reaching for the coffee table. "Speaking of working out, here's your gift." He handed her a small box, wrapped in silver paper and tied with a blue bow. She grinned at him and pulled his presents out from under the couch. He eyed them. "You first."
Buffy obliged, ripping into the paper eagerly. She took the lid off and gasped when she saw the contents of it. The Claddaugh ring Angel had given to her on her seventeenth birthday, the one that had technically married them, sat in a sea of cotton. She removed it with trembling fingers, grasping the cool metal as she turned it over in her hands in wonder.
"Look on the inside of the band," Angel urged. She did, turning it to the fireplace so she could see the inscription. "No matter what, I love you always," she read aloud. Looking up at Angel with tears in her eyes, she smiled and handed him the ring. "Will you put it on me?"
Angel nodded and slipped it on her finger, loving how right it felt. Someday he would slip a real wedding band on her finger and become her lawful wedded husband, but for now the symbol of their love was enough. He murmured something in Gaelic as he leaned over and placed a gently kiss on the ring.
"What did you just say?" she asked, holding her hand up to the light. The silver glittered in the candlelight, reflecting the dozens of candles round the room.
"With this ring, I thee wed," he whispered, tugging her hand up to his mouth to kiss it softly. She wiped away the tears that had formed and was about to put down the box when Angel stopped her. "No, there's more."
Curious, Buffy picked through the cotton to find an antique gold locket. She pulled it out by the chain, watching it dangle and dance with the fire. On the front was inscribed 'Buffy and Angel' and there was a diamond heart in the middle of it.
"I didn't put any pictures in because I thought you'd want to," Angel told her. She smiled at him and leaned over to kiss him deeply.
"Thank you," she murmured, nuzzling his cheek with her own. "They're both perfect." She carefully set aside the necklace and focused her attention on Angel. "Your turn."
He chose to open the larger present first. It was actually two things wrapped as one and he was surprised to see this. First was a beautiful framed picture of the two of them. Actually, it was several pictures made into one collage. Cordelia had taken them two days before when the three of them had gone out for the day, to the beach and shopping and the boardwalk. Buffy and Angel were goofing off in one, kissing in another, touching foreheads in a small one and smiling broadly in the corner. He stared at it for a long time, the memories of that day rushing back to him.
The second item was a beautiful journal with a picture of a sunrise on the cover. On the first page, Buffy had written a few words for him and he read them silently.
My love,
I know how much you love to write your poetry or just your thoughts down. This sunrise is a symbol for the dawn of our new relationship as equals on every front. I will spend eternity with you and love every moment of it.
Yours forever,
Buffy
Angel looked up at her joyfully. Leaning over, he gave her a sweet kiss on the lips. "Thank you," he breathed, reaching for the third package. Tearing off the paper and the top of the box, he was surprised to see a matching Claddaugh ring sitting in it.
"Guess we think alike," she laughed as he took it out. "I wanted you to have one that was from me only."
Angel handed it to her and she repeated what he had done to her, minus the words in Gaelic. Angel set his presents aside too and got up to throw the paper in the garbage, taking the food back into the kitchen. He returned a moment later to find Buffy stretched out on the blanket, looking relaxed as could be and wearing nothing but a sexy grin.
He quickly shed his own clothing and joined her on the blanket. They shared a long, tender kiss before Buffy spoke.
"Come to my father's for Christmas tomorrow," she said softly, pulling him on top of her.
"Are you sure I won't be imposing?" he asked. She nodded.
"Cordy's coming and my dad's housekeeper is gonna come cook for us," she said, kissing the tip of his nose. "I really want you there."
"Anything for you, my love," he whispered as he kissed the scar on her throat.
If you forgive me all this.
If I forgive you all that.
We forgive and forget,
And it's all coming back to me.
When you see me like this
And when I see you like that,
We see just what we want to see
All coming back to me.
The flesh and the fantasies
All coming back to me.
I can barely recall, but it's all coming
back to me now.
"I love you, Angel," she whispered, arching off the coverlet. Angel covered her mouth with his.
"And I love you."
"This is the best Christmas ever," she said. "I guess miracles really do happen."
"Only to people who deserve them."
And with those words, both promptly forgot how to speak as they became lost in each other.