Author:
Pairing: Buffy/Angel.
Setting: Post-NFA.
Rating: G.
Words: 240.
Buffy stands near a tree at Dawn's graduation from the Watcher Junior Academy, as she calls it much to Giles' annoyance. Truthfully, she's avoiding the others. Willow and her stories communing with the Amazon forest. Xander and Africa. He's different, more mature, in a way she thought he'd achieved in Sunnydale, but realizes he hadn't. And Dawn busy with her new friends and fellow Watchers.
She shivers in the slight breeze, wondering how England can be so damn cold even when the sun's shining. Maybe Rome has made her soft. She laughs and misses California.
"I can't believe she's all grown up."
Buffy turns at the familiar voice, one that always produced more shivers than the air. "I didn't know you were here." Maybe she can't sense him anymore. She'd heard of the prophecy about the souled vampire coming true. And which one was finally answered.
"Andrew told Spike. I thought..." Angel stops moving toward her. He looks paler than she remembers and wonders why he hasn't tanned. "I don't know what I thought. I wanted to see you. The last two years. Well, Spike and I. God, Wes and Cordy and Illyria-"
"Angel," Buffy says, "shut up." She realizes that she wants to see him to and moves forward, bridging the gap between them. Besides everyone knows the story of the battle of Los Angeles. Leaning up, she places a light kiss on his warm lips. "I'm glad you're here."