The door bell rang to Giles’ house.

"I’ll get it!" Buffy bounded up, eager to get away from the rest of the Scooby Gang in their research mode.

However, she was still nervous. It had been eight months since she last saw Angel through the smoky aftermath of graduation. Eight months since she had started the process of the state of denial which had eventually lead to Riley. In other words, eight months of mental hell.

Buffy now stood at the door, eyes closed, clenching and unclenching her fists.

She sighed and opened the door and the eight months of denial came crashing down around her as she looked deep into her lover’s eyes.

The two stood there in complete silence, feeling the shock of finally being complete again in each others’ presence after eight months of withdrawal.

That is, until the May Queen had something to say about it.

"God, Buffy, how long’s it take for you to open a door?"

"Hi Cordy." Buffy murmured, looking away from Angel’s intent gaze.

Cordy and Doyle bustled past the love-struck couple and deposited themselves in the middle of the research party.

"So what brand new grizzly has come to plague my favourite Hellmouth?"

Riley walked anxiously to the door. He had heard about Angel.

Kate tugged at Angel’s shirt, "Honey, it’s not polite to stare. Aren’t you going to introduce us?"

"Oh," Angel snapped back to the real world, "Buffy, Kate; Kate, Buffy."

Riley enveloped the Slayer in his arms as Buffy flinched away by instinct.

"Oh, erm," she started uncomfortably, "Kate, this is also-"

"Riley," Kate jumped in, surprised to see the boy.

"Kate." Riley answered tersely.

"So, I see you’re finally back to dating girls your own age."

"You two know each other?" Buffy asked curiously.

"Oh, we go back."

"Way back," Riley hastily added, "So far back, it’s not even worth mentioning." Riley quickly flashed a smile. "Buffy, why don’t you start filling Angel in on Rimmon while I have a word with Kate?"

"Sure."

Riley lead Kate to the hall, "What the hell are doing here? I thought we agreed we’d never see each other again."

"Whatever. I’m here with Angel, okay? We’re going out. See, I finally found someone who genuinely cares about me. Deal with it." Kate looked over to where Angel and Buffy seemed to be having an argument of their own. "Whatever happened to Walsh? I thought she was the majorly possessive type."

"Oh she still is." Kate narrowed her eyes, not understanding, so Riley continued, "She let’s me go out with Buffy. It’s more of an alliance than anything; convenience. She fights the Big Bads and so does the Initiative. Plus she’s just so darn cute."

"So," Angel tentatively started, "How’ve you been?"

"Cut the small talk, Angel, I know you don’t give a damn."

"Buffy, what the hell are you-"

"’This doesn’t mean I don’t love you’?" Buffy snorted as she nodded in Kate’s direction, "Gee, feeling the love here."

"Buffy, you know it wasn’t like that."

"Wasn’t it? ‘Cos it all just seems a little too convenient to me. You get rid of me and-"

"Buffy," Angel stopped her rant, "You know I’ll always love you."

Angel held her gaze. Something clicked. Of course she knew.

"Yeah........I know.........." she conceded, "But we can’t."

"Can’t?"

"Shouldn’t. You’re with Kate now, and I’m with Riley. It just wouldn’t be fair."

Angel nodded, then remembered, "But, hey, if you ever need me-"

"I know," Buffy smiled, almost sadly, "You’ll be there."

"So," Kate’s voice brought them back to the group, "this Rimmon....."

"Yeah, who decided to resurrect him?" Doyle added.

"Did we mention Spike’s back?" Xander quipped in his usual manner, "In a big fat I’ve-got-an-unstoppable-demon way?"

"Unstoppable?" Cordy whined, "Why doesn’t Slay Gal just take him out with a bazooka?"

"Tried it." The Sunnydale Gang replied in unison.

"Oh," Cordy moaned, "This means more research, huh? Anyone for donuts?"

"Ooh and coffee," Kate added, "Who wants-"

"Uh, how bout some tea?" Buffy interrupted.

"What, Buff, and here I was thinking you liked Columbian lighter fluid. I’ve seen you wolfing down mochas by the dozen." Xander commented.

"No, it’s just," Buffy jerked her head toward Angel, "makes him over there all jittery."

Four rounds of lighter fluid and English stereotype down and still no luck.

"This is hopeless!" Willow cried out, burying her head in Oz’s shoulder.

"Will’s right," Xander joined in, "Look, if the heavy artillery can’t get it done-"

"Wait, tell me more about the last time you confronted him. It might help in analysing any weaknesses." Angel suggested.

"Umm okay..." Buffy stumbled, not quite sure where to start. "Well..... we got to the Bronze with that wonderful little bazooka and all he does in his great big chunks of metal-"

"Wait," Doyle stopped her. "metal?"

Buffy nodded.

"’Cos last I checked, Rimmon had not been introduced to the Bronze age."

"Maybe he got upgraded." Oz offered.

"I’m guessing Spike got himself a whole other bunch of friends after Dru." Willow agreed.

"Good thinking guys. I think maybe Angel and I should go back to the factory and check these guys out."

"Why you two?" Kate asked, possessively squeezing Angel’s hand.

"Well, you guys are welcome to come along, I just don’t want to put any of you guys in danger."

"So, what, the ex is expendable?" Riley joked behind Buffy, perched on his lap.

"No," Xander replied, understanding, "the ex has super powers."

"Oh stop exaggerating Xander, Angel’s just a vamp." Cordy said, downplaying her boss's ability.

"Not just any vamp." Oz remarked, "I can smell the strength rolling off of him."

"Ew." Cordy remarked, "More residual werewolf."

"He’s right." Doyle added quietly. "Not every vamp gets to feed off a slayer’s blood."

"He fed off your blood?!" Riley exclaimed.

"Uh, okay, anyone who wants to join the super-vamp and me can get stacked up on weapons and haul ass outta here." Buffy said, taking charge before Riley could say any more.

The entire Scooby Gang had decided to join in on the fun. Each toting their own piece of hardware, they trudged along behind Buffy and Angel who had naturally taken the lead.

"So Buffy," Kate huffed as she hurried to catch up with them, "How’d you meet Riley?"

"Oh, I met him in my psych class at UC Sunnydale."

"Is that the psych class that Walsh teaches?"

"Yeah, how’d you-"

"What, did she set you up too?" Kate asked Riley, increduously.

"Huh?"

"Buffy pay no attention to her. She doesn’t know what she’s talking about." Riley replied hurriedly, annoyed that Kate would betray this confidence.

"Oh really? ‘Cos the last I recall, she’s what broke us up."

"You were going out?"

"You went out with Walsh?"

Angel and Buffy simultaneosly answered, both shocked.

"Oh, you didn’t know?" Kate asked, feigning innocence. "You mean you haven’t told her you’re still going out with Walsh, Riley?"

"What?!" Buffy shrieked. "You’re STILL going out with Walsh?"

"Buffy, don’t listen to her, she’s just jealous. Kate, why don’t you just-"

"I just thought Buffy deserved to know the truth, Riley. Does she know about the Initiative?"

"The what?"

"Oh, I see not. See, Riley likes to play commando sometimes with Walsh. Must be all that rolling around in the dirt that does it for him."

"Buffy, please I can explain-"

"You..." Buffy struggled to get a hold of her emotions, "are you using me ‘cos I’m the Slayer?"

"Buffy, listen-" Riley pleaded.

"Are you?" Buffy asked, her final question.

"I’m sorry Buffy, I-"

Angel stepped in between the two and menacingly growled at Riley, "Stay away from her."

"I just-"

"Leave," Angel stepped even closer to the boy, "before I make you."

As Riley retreated Angel turned towards his shaking Slayer and closed the gap between them.

"I thought he was such a nice guy." Buffy started weakly before breaking into tears.

Angel drew his love close to him and tried to shield her from the hurt with his arms around her. "Ssh, baby, we all thought so."

"I mean, is it me? Why does everyone walk away from me?" Buffy asked, hiccuping, "Why can’t anyone like me for who I am?"

The Scooby Gang stood at a side awkwardly, least of all Kate.

"I’m just gonna go."

And no one paid any mind to the blonde's departure. Quite frankly, no one cared.

As Buffy collected herself she pulled herself away from the comfort of Angel’s now tear-stained shirt.

"You okay, Buffy?" Willow asked, concerned.

"Yep. Deal with my love life later. Right now we got a big fat demon to stop."

After reaching the factory with two less people than they started with, Buffy turned to face the group. "Okay, you guys stay out here while Angel and I go in to check out the situation-"

"Buffy, you know-"

"No buts. I don’t want any of you guys dead over this. Angel and I will be in and out in ten minutes, max. Any longer than that and I want you guys to bolt, you hear?"

"Buffy we can’t leave you here."

"No, Willow. If we don’t make it out and they find out about us, I want you guys to have a head start. Xander, don’t start with me, that’s all there is to it. And come on, I got super-vamp with me."

"Okay," Xander conceded, "But be careful."

"We will. And meanwhile, I’d appreciate it if you’d stake anything without a pulse." Angel started herding Buffy towards the door, "But run if you see anything other than a vamp."

Upon reaching the door Angel and Buffy stood silently, each remembering the ordeal with the Judge. "You ready?" Angel asked softly.

"As I’ll ever be."

They took each others hands unconsciously as Angel gently turned the door knob and slid the two of them into the factory.

Knowing from experience not to make any more advances, they simply stood by the door and eavesdropped on the plans that Spike and his new friends were making.

"So, mates, how are things goin’?"

"Well, vamp, there have been a few set backs after the incident with the bazooka, but other than that, we should be back to schedule."

"Good. So two days, at the Bronze, we take out this pathetic little town?"

The man nodded as another sidled up to them. "Say, Spike, we’re glad you came around to The Resistance’s way of thinking."

Spike shrugged. "Thought it was about time to bring the fight against humanity to the twentieth century."

Angel and Buffy stealthily exited the factory and faced the group urgently.

"Willow, Oz, I want you guys to find out everything you can on a group called ‘The Resistance’. Everyone else, it’s back to research on Rimmon. We’ve only got two days."

"Okay," Willow came out from behind the computer with a print-out. "These guys, The Resistance, they’re, well they’re......"

"Insane." Oz offered.

"Yeah, thanks. Anyway, they’re just a bunch of guys who got sick with the world."

"What?" Xander asked, "You mean someone with humanity just decided to take out the whole world cos they got pissed off? Damn."

"Yeah, well anyway," Willow continued, "these guys are like major computer geeks, well, geniuses, and I think they must have hooked up with Spike. He must’ve told ‘em about the unstoppable Rimmon and they probably resurrectd him in a new improved body, almost like Moloch."

"Almost?" Buffy asked, worriedly.

"Well, yeah, Rimmon ain’t exactly internet ready, from what I saw of him. I guess they must’ve been scared that someone would’ve infiltrated their system and wiped out Rimmon before they’d built him."

"So from anything else you’ve seen of Rimmon, as a computer system, is there anything else we could use?" Buffy asked, catching on that this would be one of Willow’s specialities.

"Well, he has a disk drive. That’s about all I saw of him."

"Giles, anything on your side? How’d they get rid of him last time?"

"Well, from the research that we have been able to execute, which, I must say is sketchy at best-"

"Giles." Buffy prompted, in warning.

"Oh, sorry," Giles realised his rambling. "Umm, I think they did it with a basic spell while Rimmon had been knocked unconscious, you see the participant must be completely still for the spell to work."

"How the hell are we gonna get him completely still?" Xander asked, exasperated.

"Umm, guys, I think I have an idea..." Oz, the other genius of the group, volunteered.

"So here’s the plan. Angel and I will temporarily faze him with the bazooka while Xander and Doyle will insert the disk that will put him out of action for about ten minutes. At this point Oz, Willow, Cordy and Giles will perform the spell, then it’s adios Rimmon. Everyone clear?" Everyone nodded to Buffy. "Everybody got the necessary gear?" Nodding. "Good. Let’s get set to party."

The Gang had evacuated the Bronze and were all set for fifteen minutes before Spike turned up with his new pals.

"Oh," Spike cried, throwing his hands in the air, "Don’t tell me you guys forgot to send out the invites!"

"Alright, Spike, parties over." Buffy stated from behind the bazooka, aimed and ready.

"Aw come on Slayer, we’ve already been through this. You’re little toy gun ain’t gonna cut it on this big guy."

Rimmon stepped forward and leered at them, moving to protect Spike and The Resistance from the bazooka. Xander and Doyle moved toward him, unnoticed, disk in hand.

Buffy fired the bazooka as Angel held her against the kick-back as Rimmon stood still, absorbing the shock of the shot. Xander and Doyle took their cue as Xander took out some of Spike’s group as Doyle slipped the disk into Rimmon.

Rimmon fell face forward in response to the virus in his system and remained paralysed on the floor.

Spike bolted out the door, recognising defeat when he saw it, as members of The Resistance were tied up in a bundle by Xander and Doyle.

Willow, Cordy, Oz and Giles formed a circle around the fallen Rimmon, chanting and pouring various magical potions over his body.

The spell performed, the gang watched as even the light indicating the machine was on, flickered off.

"So, what are we gonna do with the body?" Willow asked.

"Anyone bring a sledgehammer?"

"Knock knock." Xander barged in on the mansion, unminding of the rays of sunlight that peeked out from behind him.

"Xander!" the three from LA scolded in unison.

"Oops, guess I forgot about Dead Boy’s skin condition."

Angel scowled at the boy, but let it pass.

"So, Cordy, Doyle, all those not allergic to the sun, how ‘bout we go out and have some fun Sunnydale style while we wait ‘til it’s safe for Angel to return home without turning into a crispy critter."

Everyone murmured their consent until Buffy spoke up. "I think I’m gonna stay, keep Angel company."

"Good," Cordy agreed, "Maybe Angel will finally get up the courage to finally tell her."

"Tell me what?"

"Oh that Angel has-"

"Cordy." Doyle butt in. "Princess, maybe we should let Angel tell her."

"Fine." Cordelia grumbled, "Spoil my fun."

"Well, we’ll be off then, you two try not to kill each other." Doyle began to leave.

"Yeah, and try not to have any sex."

"Xander! They can do what they want!" Cordy reprimanded.

Buffy laughed at the already bickering twosome as they retreated toward the door, excitedly discussing which old haunts they would show Doyle.

"So," Buffy began, turning to her soulmate, "What is it that you have to tell me?"

"Buffy," Angel fidgeted nervously, not sure how she would take the news, "maybe you should sit down."

"Okay....." Buffy said warily, but complying. They both sat down across from the fire place, facing each other.

"Oh, God, where do I start? Umm, okay, so I guess, I guess it started when, umm, when-"

"Angel," Buffy smiled at him, "Stop Giles-ing on me. Just tell me already. Honey, nothing you say will ever change what I think of you"

Angel smiled sadly back at her and sighed. Taking her hand, he brought up the courage to tell her. "Buffy, I’ve got my soul back."

"I know that, otherwise you wouldn’t be sitting here with me. You’d be off terrorising-"

"No, Buffy, permanently, forever. No more clause."

Buffy dropped his hands and stood up abruptly. "Wh-what? I-I mean how?"

"Well actually-"

"No, hang on, I don’t care how." Buffy said hurriedly as she rushed back to him and knelt before him. "Oh my God Angel, this is so great. I mean, we can be together now, we can have a life together. There’s nothing to stop us and-"

"Buffy, hang on. You know that’s not true."

"Wohw, wohw, wohw, Angel, there is no way in hell you are sprouting some bullshit reason ‘cos I don’t give a damn. Angel," Buffy took his hands again and kissed the claddagh that she knew he still wore. "We’ve been through way too much to get to here, okay? I couldn’t take you walking away from me again, Angel."

Angel held on, feebly, tears already clouding his eyes, like his slayer’s. "But you moved on before, you found Riley."

Buffy laughed. "No, baby, he found me. You saw how well that turned out. I can’t be with anyone else but you. There’s no one else but you, Angel, no one."

Angel wiped away the tears that were cascading down Buffy’s face and he hugged her fiercly against his chest as both let all the pent up longing and pain flow freely as they were now in each other’s arms.

"Oh, God, Buffy, I’ve missed you so much."

"Never leave again, Angel, never." Buffy cried as she clung onto him with her life.

"Buffy," Angel held her at arms length as he looked into her eyes, "promise to tie me down the next time I threaten to leave."

Buffy smiled. "You know," she started as the smile turned into a sly grin, "that could sound promising."

Angel chuckled at his eager little slayer, then turned sullen. "But what are we gonna do about moving. I mean, I can’t leave LA, I’m already all set up there. And you can’t really leave the Hellmouth any time soon-"

"Angel," Buffy said before she silenced her love with a short, sweet kiss. "We’ll figure it out."

Angel smiled, his first real smile since he had lost his soul for the second time. He gazed down at the slayer before him and his words were filled with everything within him. "I love you."

"I love you." Buffy returned with equal emotion as their lips met in a fury of passion, each showing everything they had felt within the eight months they had been apart.

"You know what would make this moment perfect?" Buffy broke the kiss.

"What?"

"Cookie dough fudge mint chip ice cream"

-The End