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Buffy and Angel strolled into the office as Cordelia was shutting the lights out. She looked up when she heard their laughter, greeting the two with a smile as she switched the Christmas tree lights back on and took some of the bags from them.
"What did you two buy?" she asked curiously, peeking in one of the bags.
"Lots of Christmas stuff," Buffy said as she pulled a Santa Claus hat out of the bag and put it on Cordelia's head. She took the other two out and tossed one to Angel as she slipped hers on her head. Cordelia looked up at it.
"*What* did you just put on me?!" she asked, pulling it off her head and staring down at the hat. "Okay, who are you and what have you done with my brooding boss?" she demanded, looking at Angel. He laughed as he began unloading the bag. Silver tinsel, more lights, a poinsettia, and even one of those dancing Santas Xander had gotten Giles were unpacked.
"He got a life," Angel said, causing the girls to crack up. He popped the 98 Degrees Christmas CD that Buffy had made him get into the CD player as they began decorating the office even more.
"So what did you guys do today?" Cordelia asked.
"Angel, can you help me put this up?" Buffy called, standing on a chair to hang the tinsel up on the window. Angel walked over to her, taking some of the tinsel from her and stringing it up.
"Well, we took a stroll, met up with Kate--" Buffy started but was cut off by Cordelia.
"You met Kate? Lucky you," Cordelia said with a roll of her eyes.
"She seemed quite...interested in my Angel," Buffy said with a grin. Angel pinned up mistletoe and pulled Buffy to him, kissing her hard on the lips in the doorway. Cordelia took one look at them and picked up her purse.
"You know...I'm just gonna...go. Now. You two seem to finally be acting on all that pent-up lust you must have...so I'll see you tomorrow," Cordelia said as she inched around them. "Or maybe next week..." she muttered when she saw that they were still going strong.
Buffy and Angel didn't even notice that she left. They were two busy trying to shove their tongues down each other's throats to care. Angel pushed her up against the door frame, his hands roaming freely over her back. Buffy jumped up, wrapping her legs around Angel's waist as her hands grasped at his shirt, trying to remove it as quickly as possible.
Angel suddenly boosted her up again, urging her to wrap her legs even tighter. Slowly, precariously, he carried her through the office into the elevator, closing it and pushing the 'Down' button as they continued to kiss. Buffy felt so empty, so needy...she needed him to claim her again, she needed to remember what it was like to be whole again.
The elevator dinged open and Angel began the task of maneuvering to the bed. He almost tripped once but made it without dropping her. He laid her down gently on the bed, breaking the kiss to look her in the eye. Her lips were swollen with his kisses and her eyes were dark with lust. He nuzzled her cheek with his, gently kissing a trail down her throat.
"Angel...I need you so much," she pleaded, grasping at the sheets.
"Shh, baby, soon," Angel whispered, calming her. "Let me do this."
She whimpered and complied, settling down into the warm sheets as Angel moved down her body once more.
"Oh, God, I'm gonna be sore tomorrow," Buffy moaned hours later. Angel chuckled and gazed into her hazel eyes, loving the way she could make him feel so accepted in a single glance. Buffy was resting her head comfortably on Angel's arm, her body facing his.
"Is that a bad thing?" Angel asked as he drew lazy circles on her arm. She shook her head and nuzzled his arms, kissing his bicep softly.
"Of course not. I just don't know when I'll be able to do that again..." she grinned.
"I give you an hour, tops," he replied, smiling back at her as he kissed her forehead. She sighed.
"Yeah, you're probably right."
"Aren't I always?"
"Do you want me to answer that one?"
"Buffy..." Angel said softly, in that breathy way that always made her feel dizzy. "You know what I did was for the best."
"I know, Angel," Buffy said as she snuggled closer to him, wrapping her arm around his chest and pulling him to her. "For so long, I was confused...and hurt, I guess. When you said you didn't want to be with me, a part of me died."
"I never said I didn't want to be with you, Buffy. I said I didn't want your life to be with me. I didn't want you to feel as though you were wasting it..." Angel said as he leaned down, planting a kiss on her temple. Buffy kissed his chest softly in response.
"I know, I finally figured that out. But it still hurt that you didn't seem to trust me enough to make my own decisions."
"I know that I've made some bad choices in the past, ones that have affected you as much as they've affected me. But if we can do this, and if I stay human I promise you that every decision made that concerns our relationship will be a joint one," Angel said, stroking her hair with the hand of the arm she was resting on. She smiled up at him.
"You don't know how happy that makes me feel," she whispered.
"I think I do," he replied. She scooted up a bit to kiss him softly on the lips before settling back down underneath the warm covers, Angel's body making her skin tingle wherever they touched.
"I think this is a new beginning," she said sleepily, trying to contain her yawn. Angel kissed the top of her head and settled back against the mattress.
"I love you, my little Slayer," he whispered shyly.
"I love you too, Angel."
And the ex-vampire and his lover slept peacefully, safe in the arms of love.
Cordelia sighed as she rummaged in her bag for her keys. She could hear the phone ringing and wanted to get it before the answering machine picked up. Jamming the key into the lock, she opened the door and flew to the phone as Dennis closed the door behind her.
"Hello?" she said breathlessly as she picked it up.
"Hi...is Buffy there?" a male voice asked. Cordelia frowned.
"Who do you think I am, her secretary?"
"Well, no," he said, "but her father gave me your number and said she was staying with you for a couple of days. I'm Riley Finn, by the way."
"Riley?" Cordelia repeated, a smile on her lips. Ooh, this would be fun...
"Yeah, Buffy's boyfriend," he said cheerfully on the other line. Oh, the poor boy, if only he knew what--or actually WHO--his girlfriend was doing right now...
"Oh, of course! Riley, hello. I'm Cordelia Chase," she purred.
"Yeah, I figured," Riley laughed. "So is Buffy there?"
Cordelia shook her head. "No, I'm sorry, she's not. She's staying at a friend's for the night," Cordelia told him.
"Oh, one of her friends from Hemery?" Riley asked.
"No. Her ex-boyfriend, Angel."
Riley was silent for a moment. "Her ex? Why is she staying at her ex's for the night?"
"Maybe so they can have crazy monkey sex all over MY office?" Cordelia retorted. "Sorry, did I just say that out loud?"
"Yeah, you did," Riley snapped. "What the hell is going on?"
"Short version? Angel and Buffy worked out their issues. Angel and Buffy are back together. Angel and Buffy are screwing like bunnies right about now. Any questions?" Cordelia asked as she sat down on her couch.
"Look, I don't know what you're trying to pull here, but can you just have Buffy call me when she gets home?" Riley asked. Cordelia smirked.
"Yeah, whatever. Just don't be surprised if she calls to break up with you..." she warned before clicking off the phone. She smiled down at it proudly as a plate floated over to her, loaded with salad and chicken. "Ooh, yum. Thank you, Dennis. Nothing but the best for Queen C, right?" She chuckled in the emptiness of her apartment and picked up her fork, idly wondering what her friends were doing before wincing in disgust.
Those thoughts led to BAD mental pictures...