Are We Now or Ever Were Chapter 6
Chapter 6:
A Reveling of sorts
It was a natural instinct or a perhaps a memory.
Angel had carried Buffy back to their house.
***
‘Their? Her house anyway. When I got to the door, I wasn’t sure if I’d need an invite or not.
I opened it easily enough and stepped through. I caught her scent and strangely enough mine but a little different..
That answered why I was able to get in the house. Buffy is extremely quiet. I suppose I can guess why.
She pointed down a short hallway and to the right, in there was a family room.
In here, I knew why my scent mixed with hers and why it was a subtle change from what I know.
She had been living with a human version of me.
There were pictures everywhere. Some drawings, but mostly photographs.
Home. Buffy had found home.’
***
“How did you get here? Are you angry with me?” She whispered in a small childlike voice, as if she knew she was going to be reprimanded.. well not from me, I want to hear the whole story.
“I’m not angry with you Buffy.” I lifted her chin gently so she would look at me. “When Dawn called me and told me you were missing…I made sure we went over everything. When they told me it was portals that you kept jumping into; Buffy if I had a beating heart, it would have stopped.” I was still holding her and squeezed her for emphasis. “Willow felt out your feelings. I guess when your emotions were at their highest she was able to open the portal as close to you as possible. She was dead on, don’t you think?” She only nodded.
“It’s your turn..why did you stay?”
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***
Why did I stay?
” I couldn’t leave. I tried a few times actually. Then Liam..”
“Liam? Buffy..”
“Later, let me just get this out.” He looked at me, really looked at me then and at the pictures and he took a deep unneeded exhale as if to reaffirm what he already knew.
“He told me that there had been a magic barrier put over Sunnydale. We are in Sunnydale two thousand nine.. By all rights, I never should have ended up here, or you either. It keeps all magical things out for the most part. It’s been real quiet, occasionally I would stop some vigilante or something but hardly ever any vamps.” I took a breath and exhaled slowly.
Angel shook his head and told me that we needed to leave. He was right. I knew the highlights. I can’t stay here now. I didn’t even think about anyone else here. I didn’t leave a note or anything.
“Buffy, if you want to pack anything, anything we can carry that is, we can pack it but baby we really need to go. I’m sorry. Please?”
This was my home. My real home. A home that I was safe and loved in, a home that was cruelly ripped away from me. I didn’t even want to think about anything else. However, trickling in, like a tiny waterfall, was a thought that perhaps I was meant to come forward to go back and fix things so that …I’m not going to think about it.
“Okay. There’s a closet in the hall; if you could get that bag out and pack the photos? I’ll go get some things.”
I couldn’t stop those damn tears. I grabbed up Liam’s journals, the ones I hadn’t actually delved deeply into. I only read the things he had already talked about briefly. I knew I couldn’t stay, it didn’t make things easier. I packed comfortable clothes and clothes I specifically remember Liam liking. I had to put my three favorite shirts that he wore in too. I guess in way its weird thinking of Angel and Liam separately now. They are right now separate to me.
Anyway I walked back into the family room to see Angel standing at the mantel. I knew what was there. I took a moment to remember it.
/We were standing in front of a preacher. It wasn’t exactly a spur of the moment thing but it was just me, him and a preacher. On the grounds of the church, not actually in it. I was wearing a strapless dress, palest of greens you can imagine with my hair pulled back. He was wearing a black button up dress shirt with slacks. The sun was setting. We didn’t even think to invite Owen to take pictures. It was perfect. A few days later, Owen said a little bird told him that we got “hitched”, his word not mine. He pleaded his case. We felt bad so we let him take pictures.\
“We…you and ..Liam got married?” The wedding certificate stated that Liam Cearul Summers and Buffy Anne Summers were indeed married. I watched Angel look at me and smile ruefully. “I think I would have taken your last name too. I dunno about being Liam but definitely a Summers.” I knew at that moment why this man or vampire as the case may be, why he was able to capture my heart and soul.
Angel grabbed it quickly and said gruffly “We have to go.” And that was that. No questions, no comments. We were silent as we hurried back to the cemetery and into the closing portal.
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