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Buffy awoke the next morning to find Cordelia in the living room, Christmas tree lights strung around the entire room, on every open surface and even hanging off of the brunette. She burst out laughing at the sight of it and Cordelia shot her a dark look from under the bulbs. She sighed in frustration and threw them down, putting her hands on her hips as she surveyed the mess.
"What's the matter, Cor? The big bad Christmas lights giving you a hard time?" Buffy asked, laughing the entire time. She nearly fell off the couch in her fit of giggles, something Cordelia found funny.
"You try untangling all of these," she growled, gesturing around the room. Buffy sighed and stood up, carefully making her way over to the small tree Cordelia had set up in the corner. She gave Cordelia a look as she set out to untangle the sea of colored lights, silently shaking her head all the while.
"Dennis! Music!" Cordelia cried after about ten minutes. The two girls were nowhere near done; in fact, it seemed as though they had managed to tangle themselves up as well. The spirit switched on the radio and the song that always seemed to haunt Buffy began playing once more.
"There were those empty threats and hollow lies.
And whenever you tried to hurt me,
I just hurt you even worse and so much deeper...
There were hours that just went on for days.
When alone at last we'd count up all the chances
That were lost to us forever...
"But you were history with the slamming of the door.
And I made myself so strong again somehow.
And I never wasted any of my time on you since then...
"But if I touch you like this,
And if you kiss me like that.
It was so long ago,
but it's all coming back to me.
If you touch me like this
And if I kiss you like that.
It was gone with the wind,
But it's all coming back to me.
It's all coming back, it's all coming back to me now..."
Buffy stood silently among the mass of bulbs, listening to the song that seemed to describe her predicament oh so well. As much as she tried to deny it, she wanted to go see Angel...so much that she couldn't bear it. Cordelia was silent beside her, torn between her hurt friend and her promise to Angel. It wasn't her place, and for once she was going to keep her mouth shut about it.
"Dennis, change the station," she ordered after a short time. He obediently did as she asked, the sounds of 98 Degrees filling the cheerful room. Buffy heaved a sigh and pushed the memories away, concentrating on helping her friend decorate her Christmas tree.
It took them hours, but finally the lights were untangled and hung around the room. The tree was decorated as Christmas music played from Cordelia's stereo. The girls laughed and chatted as they put the finishing touches on the room.
"I have to admit we make a good team, Summers," Cordelia said as they stood gazing around the room. It was cozy and homy, yet still stylish enough for Cordelia's liking.
"We do, don't we? Just be glad I rescued you from the evil lights," Buffy laughed. The phone shrilled on the end table, and Cordelia went over to pick it up.
"Oh, I am," she grinned, lifting the receiver to her ear. "Hello? Buffy, it's for you."
Buffy took the phone from her. "Hello?"
"Hi, Princess."
"Daddy! What's up?" Buffy asked. Cordelia walked into the kitchen, giving her privacy.
"Something came up and I need to fly to Dallas for a few days. I'll definitely be back for Christmas but I really need to do this. I'm so sorry, sweetie," he said. Buffy furrowed her brow in thought and sadness.
"You're leaving? For how long?"
"I'll be back the twenty-fourth," Hank told her. Buffy sighed and reluctantly nodded. She couldn't stop him from going... "You have a key, and I left you my credit card so you can get whatever you need. Cordelia is more than welcome to stay here with you if you want--"
"Yeah, okay Dad. Thanks. Have fun," Buffy said abruptly, cutting him off. "See you when you get back."
"Buffy, it's only for a few days..." Hank told her.
"I know, I just never get to see you and now you're leaving."
"I wish I didn't have to, but my job depends on it, sweetheart," Hank said. "I have to go, my plane leaves in a few minutes."
"Okay, I love you, Daddy," she said softly.
"Love you too, Princess."
With that, her father hung up. Buffy stared at the phone for a moment before clicking it off and replacing it on the table. Cordelia appeared behind her, arms laden with junk food.
"What was that all about?" she asked as she walked forward and deposited the food on the table.
Buffy sighed. "My Dad is just leaving me for a few days on a business trip. God, this is SO like him!" she said as she plopped down onto the couch and reached for the ice cream again. "Ooh, I didn't know you have Cookie Dough Fudge Mint Chip!"
"God, what is it with you and Angel and that ice cream?" Cordelia asked as she watched Buffy inhale it.
"Angel eats this stuff?" Buffy asked as she licked the ice cream off her spoon. Cordy nodded.
"Oh, yeah, when he was hum--hungry, one day, he...uh...ate it."
Buffy looked strangely at her. "Human?"
"Hungry," she amended, looking away. Buffy raised her eyebrows before deciding to just drop it. There was no way Cordelia could have known that she had eaten it with Angel in bed when he was human...because that hadn't happened. It was just a dream.
Right?
Cordelia had to go to work and Buffy decided to go back to her father's and clean the place up before going shopping--she wasn't about to let an unchaperoned father-sponsered shopping trip pass her by.
Idly walking down the street, bags swinging by her side, she was struck with a Christmas-y feeling. All the stores had lights and holidays themes up, and Christmas carols were being played everywhere. All that was missing was snow...
But it rarely snowed in Los Angeles. Well, it had last year, when the snow had saved her suicidal boyfriend from becoming a little pile of dust...but what good would it do to think of that?
Even then, she had been able to convince him that love would be enough...so why hadn't it worked when they had broken up? Buffy frowned, not liking where her thoughts were going. She shook her head and looked up, startled to see that she was standing in front of a Celtic jewelry store.
Without thinking, she walked in, causing the little bell on the back of the door to chime. On autopilot, she went to the counter and asked to see the male Claddaugh rings, quickly selecting a silver one. Her mind protested, but her heart said it was for Riley.
Yeah, and Giles was going to profess his undying love to Willow.
She quickly paid for it and left the store, holding the bag to her chest. She didn't know what had possessed her to go in and buy it...well, Angel had given her one and she hadn't given him one. He had already had his. Buffy wanted him to have one from her, and only from her...
It was growing dark once more and Buffy headed back to her father's quickly. She ordered a pizza and set to work at cleaning up the mess her father lived in, all the while a nagging feeling in the back of her mind. She felt something, something subtle but powerful, a warning of what was to come. It wasn't necessarily malicious, persay, but it was there and it bothered her.
Buffy sat at home alone that night, watching Showtime and eating leftover pizza. She didn't want to go out and risk seeing him again. It had taken all her control not to go to him last night, she knew she wouldn't be that strong again...
She fell asleep curled up on the couch, her mind and body exhausted.
And from above, the Oracles watched.
"She is stronger than I thought," the female said as she watched the Slayer sleep. The male stepped up behind her, out of her line of sight but still visible to her. He too stared at the sleeping girl, who had the faintest smile upon her lips while she dreamed yet again.
"Don't you think she's getting a bit tired of these dreams? They have been the same every night," he said, partly disgusted, and turned away. She mimicked him.
"Does she *look* like she's getting tired of them?" the Oracle asked,
gesturing to the glowing window. The Slayer moaned softly in her sleep and a
look of pure, unadulterated ecstasy graced her face as she arched off the
couch, thrusting up to an invisible body.
"I hope you know what you're doing," he said menacingly, taking a step toward
her and looking into her dark eyes. "The Powers will *not* be pleased."
"Oh, but they will," she argued, turning her gaze on the blond girl once
more. "She is strong, and so is he. But together they are stronger.
Everything will come to pass, I assure you of that."
He looked at her helplessly before spinning around and dissolving the orb
when he walked through it, leaving their haven. She shook her head and sighed
, calling it forth once more. Her gaze fixated on the Slayer, she said
softly, "Yes, everything will be all right, little one. He will be yours
again."
Buffy awoke feeling extremely refreshed. While she had woken up distraught
and filled with sorrow and pain the day before, she was at peace now. A
voice, a heavenly voice, had spoken to her and told her that everything would
be all right. Angel would be hers again.
She realized she had fallen asleep on the couch and stretched leisurely,
working the kinks out of her back and neck. After a quick shower, she
brushed her teeth and got dressed before wrapping the gifts she had gotten
for Angel and Cordelia. Just as she applied the last piece of tape, the
phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Buffy, it's me."
"Hey Cordy," Buffy said cheerfully as she stuck a bow on the present and
pushed it out of her way. "What's up?"
"Well, seeing as how my boss isn't back yet, I'm thinking early lunch break.
Wanna come?" she asked. Buffy smiled.
"Sure! I'd love to...wait, Angel's not back yet? Is he okay?"
"Nice attempt at subtly, Buff," Cordelia laughed. "Yes, he's fine. I had
one of those God-awful visions and Angel went to check it out. He'll take
the sewers home and probably won't be back for a while."
"And he won't mind you leaving early?" Buffy asked, biting back a grin.
"Oh, he'll mind. But he won't be able to yell at me until later, and by then
I'll just guilt him into dropping it," she replied.
"You're evil."
"Oh, but I'm so good at it!" she laughed. "Come here and then we'll go to
this cute little cafe I found."
Buffy stood and made her way to the bathroom. "Give me a few minutes, I have
to look presentable."
"Take as much time as you need, I know it's hard for you," Cordelia joked.
"*Later*, Cor," Buffy said, trying to pretend she was angry. She hung up the
phone and shook her head. "Will she ever change?" she asked her reflection.
"Oh, yuck. That's the last time I'm sleeping on a couch. I look like death
warmed over."
That said, she set to work making herself look halfway decent.
"Why are you so happy today?" Cordelia asked when Buffy walked into Angel
Investigations. Everything seemed so familiar, as though she had spent more
than five minutes there. She wondered...if she went downstairs, would
everything would be the way it was in her dreams?
"No reason," Buffy said with a shrug, looking around a bit apprehensively.
Cordelia sighed and shook her head as she grabbed her sweater.
"He's still not back yet, don't worry," she said as they moved to the door.
"Worry? Me?" Buffy joked. Cordelia shot her a look. "Okay, okay, there's no need for that. Just because I don't want to see my ex-honey right now
doesn't mean I'm totally paranoid..."
"Buffy?"
"Hmm?"
"Shut up."
The door slammed shut behind the girls.
Buffy and Cordelia walked back into the office three hours later, laughing
hysterically as they replayed what had happened at lunch back again. Two
guys who had tried to pick them up using every lame come on in the book, and
they had just laughed and brushed them off. Cordelia flipped on the lights
and tossed her keys onto the desk as a voice sounded from the couch.
"Buffy," Angel said, his tone almost desperate. Buffy froze, staring
helplessly at her lover. Cordelia stopped smiling and set her packages down
on the floor.
"I'm just gonna go--" she pointed to the door leading to Angel's office, "get
some water."
"Hey Angel," Buffy said, mentally chastising herself for sounding so lame.
He stood slowly and walked over to her.
"Want to tell me what's going on?"