British Museum

Great Court

Angelus stepped into the two-acre space enclosed by a glass roof and the world-famous Reading Room in the middle. Visitors gathered in the spacious area talking amongst themselves.

Standing frozen in the centre of the area as visitors bustled around him, Angelus suddenly felt incredibly small and out of place. Never in his entire existence could he ever imagine a building this size. Nor could he imagine cars or aeroplanes or giant shopping malls.

"You look overwhelmed," a young dark-haired woman tore Angelus' attention from the majestic glass roof.

He ran his eyes over her and eyed the hanging badge around her neck, reading her name; Molly. He thought that she looked rather young to be employed at such an establishment.

"Can I help you? Are you looking for something in particular? If you head to the Ancient Egypt exhibition, you can see the coffin of Hornedjitef."

Angelus stared at her unsure where to start with his questions.

She held out a brochure map, "Take this," Molly said. "Inside there's a map of everything on display."

Unfolding the map, Angelus inwardly groaned. This place was much bigger than he realised.

She could be anywhere.

"Might I suggest the Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic exhibit."

Angelus' head shot up.

Molly failed to notice the wide-eyed look etched in Angelus' features as she continued, "We just procured a large collection of weaponry dating back to the twelfth century." She gleamed at him with a smile.

"Aye, t'at sounds interestin'. How do I get t'ere?"

Peering over his arm to look at the map, Molly pointed her index finger at the path to exhibit. "You're going to take the West Stairs. To get there, walk past the shops down that way," she gestured her arm to the left of the Reading Room, "and the café. Go up the stairs until you reach Level 3. Walk down the hallway until you find Room 47. There's a bunch more up those stairs but once you're there, you can find your way."

Bowing his head politely, Angelus tossed the young woman a tugging smile, "T'ank ye, lass."

Watching the employee turn away to help the next visitor, Angelus folded up the map and stuffed it into the inside pocket of his coat.

Following Molly's direction, Angelus walked past a collection of stores with memorabilia than the café, which looked wildly appetising.

He saw a line standing in wait at a wall. Angelus frowned with confusion then watched in awe as a door in the wall slid open. The group of people waiting entered the wall and Angelus watched it close.

"Cad é an ifreann (What the hell)?" He muttered under his breath and began to ascend the stairs.

The hallways were dimly lit.

Angelus quietly walked down the hall glancing into each open doored room with keen interest.

This floor was so big. Angelus rested his back against the wall thinking that he'd never find her at this rate. Looking down at the silver Claddagh ring wrapped around his right-hand ring finger, Angelus found newfound determination to keep searching.

Pushing himself from against the wall, he continued down the hallway, reading the numbers of the room until Angelus stopped in his tracks. His dark eyes glued on the number plaque outside the doorway.

Swallowing his nerves, Angelus slowly entered the rather large room.

Room 47

Sunlight streamed from the large window and into the deceivingly large room.

Six long tables were butted side by side at the centre of the room. There were stacks of books piled on the tabletop with spread and desk lamps turned on. A group of four sat the tables. Their noses were buried deep into the books.

Angelus looked at the walls. One side of the wall was filled with shelves of books, the other side of the longwall was wooden pullout drawers. If Angelus around the corner to his left and right, it led to more columns of pullout drawer shelves and books there were centuries old.

Keeping to himself, Angelus walked further into Room 47. He expected one of the young people sitting at the table to look up at him, but none of them did.

Slowly walking around the room, Angelus tried to appear nonchalant as he scoured for Buffy.

"Are you looking for something in particular?" A woman's voice startled visibly Angelus.

He whirled around to the voice and found an attractive blonde-haired woman standing in front of him. She spoke with an American accent like Buffy. "Are you looking for something? I can help you… if you want." Her eyes rolled over him for a moment. She stepped back and folded her arms across her chest, "You're large and glowery."

Angelus eyed the woman peculiarly, unsure how to respond to that. Shifting uncomfortably, Angelus the asked, "Where can I find B—"

"—Last room on the left." She told him before needing to hear the rest of the question. She walked back to the table where a few others sat. Their eyes were no longer on their books up focused on Angelus.

Angelus shifted under the women's lustful eyes and tossed them a tantalising smirk that would send a shiver down anyone's spine.

Taking a deep breath, the terrified nerves bounced in his stomach once more as he began to walk to the last door on the left.

Standing outside the cracked open wooden door with a blurry glass panel, Angelus frowned unable to see if the office was empty or not, it was then he felt as if his heart stopped beating in his chest.

He heard her voice.

"The extra money that was raised through private donations has created great interest in the Benty Grange Helmet as well as Coppergate Helmet."

Angelus heard her say to someone possibly in the room. But it was strange, he couldn't hear anyone else's voice.

Gathering his nerves, Angelus gently pushed the office door open and felt all of the air in his lungs dissipate.

She sat in a black office chair with her back facing him but Angelus could know that sun-kissed hue of blonde hair anywhere.

"Mr Snyder, I assure you if you let us display your artefacts in our next exhibition, I can almost guarantee you that our next conversation will be something with the colour… green."

Angelus smirked, hearing the familiar cheekiness in her voice.

"Yes, yes, we'd love to have your artefacts to become a part of our permeant collection," Buffy said as she spun around to face the computer to type information in the documents she had spread open on the desktop. Balancing the telephone on her shoulder to her ear, Buffy used her two hands to type. "The board of directors would be so pleased and if—" Buffy's eyes went to man standing at her doorway and all words were lost from her tongue.

Staring at a ghost, Buffy's complexion paled and she forgot to breathe and to blink. Her throat felt dry and her heart dropped in her chest to the pit of her stomach. Emotion clenched in her throat, suffocating the air from her body.

"I have to call you back," Buffy found her voice, though it was shocked and distant. She hung up the phone and stared at Angelus standing in her doorway.

The minutes drew longer as they stared at each other.

In disbelief, Buffy stood from the chair. She moved around the large wooden desk and crossed the office to stand in front of him.

Angelus only just realised just how petite she was despite the tall shoes she wore. He eyed her slim figure, which was shown perfectly in the formfitting clothing she wore. It was strange to see her in modern clothing. It was much, much different in the layers upon layers of clothing she wore in Ireland. He felt a pang of jealousy that men could admire her curves and the soft mounds of her breasts.

Remaining unblinking, Buffy felt her every breath as she forced herself to continue to breathe.

She sighed heavily and felt her eyes well with tears of overwhelming shock and confusion. Her eyes went to his face. "How…? When did you…? But you're…? Huh?" Buffy only manage a string of incoherent words of half questions.

She reached out a hand slowly and laid a hand gently over his chest. A soft gasp of breath escaped between her lips, "You're real."

Angelus stared at her with only love showing in his dark eyes. He laid a hand over hers that was on his chest before wrapping his long fingers around her hand and brought it to his lips.

A tear escaped the corner of Buffy's eye as he tenderly kissed the palm of her hand. He then guided her hand around his neck forcing her to take a step into him.

Her fingers immediately buried into his short dark hair. His arm wrapped around her back and held her into his chest then captured her mouth in a searingly passionate kiss. A kiss he's been waiting for, for seven years.

As if no time had passed, their tongues slipped into each other's mouths in a familiar battle for dominance.

Feeling her knees weaken, Buffy kissed him deeply, overwhelmed by the familiarity of the taste of his tongue. There was still something cinnamon about his taste, it was addictive and comforting.

Suddenly, Buffy broke the kiss off and took a few steps back, creating a semblance of the distance between them.

Panting for breath, Angelus eyed her in confusion.

"Oh, God…" she said, catching her breath. Her thoughts were muddled and confused as she struggled to process Angelus' sudden return.

"Buffy…" his brows pinched together.

Holding a hand to her forehead, Buffy looked at him, "What am I doing?" She looked up at him. "What are you doing?"

Frowning, Angelus shrugged taken a bit aback by her accusing tone, "I thought…"

"No. We can't. We-we-we-we have to stop and think." She looked at the ground unsure of her scattered brained thoughts. "How is this possible? How are you here?"

"Do ye really 'ave to ask t'at?" Angelus tossed her a smirk that always made her feel like a puddle.

Pushing herself from the metal cabinets, Buffy wrapped her arms around his neck and crushed her mouth against his in another searing and intense kiss.

Holding her tightly against him, Angelus took a step, walking her back against the metal cabinet as he continued to kiss her. He held her face between his hands and gently bit her bottom lip when Buffy suddenly pushed him away again.

He eyed her frustrated and almost released audible moan as she licked her lips.

"We really have to stop."

"Okay," Angelus agreed, though he didn't quite agree.

Pushing her hair back from her face, Buffy began to pace back and forth trying to comprehend the fact that her husband from another lifetime was here and alive.

Gathering herself, she faced him and said, "We should talk. Talking is good. We really need to talk—We have a lot to talk about."

Angelus smirked loving the fact that no matter how much time has passed between them, she still rambled when she was nervous.

"Ye're right," he agreed.

Buffy's green eyes were glued to his slanted lips. She wanted nothing more than to kiss him again and never stop. She began to lean closer to him, drawn to his mouth. Only inches from his mouth, Buffy withdrew and swallowed her desires. "Talking… is, uh, something that we should… do."

They looked at each other from across the office.

Pratt's Residence

Kitchen

Standing at the stove staring down at the kettle of water, waiting for it to boil, Buffy could hear the beating of her heart in her ears. A continuous shiver went down her spine feeling Angelus' eyes on her as he sat at the one of the kitchen table waiting for her.

Breathing in deeply, Buffy's shock was still catching up with reality to the fact Angelus was back and he was alive. After all this time, he was alive.

Angelus twisted his fingers finding this entire reunion turned out to be much more awkward than he had anticipated. He wasn't sure just what he expected but he felt Buffy's distance. He knew she needed time to rationalise the situation but guilty, Angelus was impatient. He wanted her.

His eyes were on her back, watching her carefully as she stood at the stove waiting for the kettle to whistle. He could easily see her tension in her shoulders and it left him with an unnerving feeling.

Fweet!

Buffy turned the stove dial off and picked up the kettle by its plastic handle. She turned to the kitchen table and set it down on the kettle pad placed in the centre. She took a seat down in a chair at the opposite end of the kitchen table.

Angelus reached out and poured the boiling hot water into a teacup then placed the kettle back down on the pad.

He watched as Buffy did the same.

In silence, they slowly sipped the dark brown liquid and shifted their gaze around the room, avoiding one another.

Releasing a breath, unsure how to break this awkward unsaid tensions between them, Angelus looked at her and watched her stare down at the teacup between her hands.

"It never used to be like t'is," he broke the silence.

Buffy lifted her gaze to him wearing a set frown, "I know. Which is odd considering the sheer volume of words spoken throughout the course of our entire relationship."

"We used to be able to talk about everythin'," he recalled.

"I know," Buffy agreed and lowered her eyes again.

Angelus was at a loss for how to rectify the situation so he decided to say, "I'm sorry I kissed ye like t'at."

Buffy's head shot up, "You are?"

"Well, not for t'a kiss itself…"

Releasing a sigh, Buffy said, "Good. I mean, 'cause—as far as kisses go I thought it was well above average."

Angelus smirked, realising for the umpteenth time just how much he missed her. "It was incredible." He shook himself for the stupor of his love and said something he thought she wanted to hear, "I-I just t'ink, maybe we'd be askin' for trouble rushin' back into t'ings." Buffy looked at him. "Not t'at I don't want to—rush. Believe me, lass, I do. But I…"

"You're right." She said, looking sheepishly away.

"Buffy," Angelus felt his heart clench, "we were both deceived."

"How so?" Buffy frowned.

Angelus sat forward, resting his elbows over the table as he explained what had happened. "Lindsey had led ye to believe t'at I was dead durin' t'at night. But in fact, I was wi' Willy. I killed him. For ye."

Buffy kept her expression neutral as he spoke.

Angelus continued, "All of t'is was created by Darla. She wanted me and she wanted ye out of t'a way. She used Lindsey—a man t'at held great affection towards her and she took advantage of t'at." He swallowed feeling the anger creep back through his veins. "He led me to believe t'at ye escaped while he wasn't lookin'. I am so angry and ashamed of myself for believin' him. I believed him when he told me t'at ye never loved me."

Did he actually think I never loved him? Buffy felt a pang of hurt at this. Her heart has always been his.

"It was easier t'at way. But I never stopped lovin' ye, Buffy."

Sitting up straight, Angelus recognised that posture. Buffy pursed her lips together for a moment then her expression softened as she said, "We've been out of each other's lives for a long time now and it's all very complicated. One minute I think you're dead and the next…"

Angelus begrudgingly agreed, "Aye. I'm not sure what my purpose is. And I can't be selfish enough to just wedge myself back into yer life again. It wouldn't be good for either of us."

"Right, 'cause that would be a real travesty," sarcasm dripped through her words as she shifted in the chair, trying to hide the fact that she was upset.

Easily reading her body language, Angelus stood from the chair and moved to the seat adjacent to her. "Nay, lass, I'm not sayin' I don't want ye. Believe me, Buffy, I want ye… I'm just sayin' it's worth t'a wait to be sure t'is is right. I need to be sure ye won't get hurt again."

Realising a breath, Buffy stood from the chair and carried the teacup to the sink as she said, "You know it's a good thing I didn't fantasise about us being together again about ten zillion times because today would have been a real let down." Angelus shook his head and opened his mouth to respond when she continued, "—So how does the mature plan go? You can call me—assuming you know how to use a phone. Or I call you? What?"

Angelus stood from the chair and walked over to her, "We stay in touch—just not…"

"Literally—Funny," Buffy looked at him and immediately fell into the depths of his dark brown eyes. "Okay, you'd better…" she limply swung her arm into the direction of the door.

Angelus nodded, "Right. Remove temptation."

Without thought, Buffy's hand fell on top of his on the counter. They both looked down at their touching had. Angelus turned his hand to grab hers. He pulled her closer and fell into a kiss.

Buffy's hand cupped the back of his head and her other arm wrapped around his shoulders. Angelus hugged her into his front.

They stumbled up against the refrigerator, stilling passionately kissing.

Lifting up her pencil skirt, Buffy jumped up and wrapped her legs around his waist, never breaking the fervent kiss. Sliding his hands from her back to her bottom then the backs of her thighs, Angelus gripped his fingers and carried her over to the kitchen table. He swiped an arm, knocking the teacup and kettle off of the table and laid Buffy over it.

Bunching his short hair in her hands, she moaned into their unrelenting kiss.

Lifting her from the table with her legs still wrapped around his waist, Angelus carried her across the kitchen.

"Upstairs," her voice was muffled against their mouths continuing to kiss.

Sliding her hands from his hair, Buffy's fingers began to unfasten the buttons of his shirt desperately needing to feel his skin under her palms.

Finally making up the stairs and down the long hallway, Angelus slammed her back against the closed bedroom door. His hands rubbed back and forth over her thighs to her backside.

Buffy pushed his shirt off of his shoulders and her hands were immediately over the breasts of his muscular chest. Angelus clenched his jaw and moaned wanting to have his way with her.

Reaching behind herself, Buffy turned the doorknob opening the bedroom door.

Practically falling into the master bedroom, Angelus caught his footing only to lay her down over the bed.

Breaking the kiss for the first time since it started, Angelus sat up a bit enabling himself to unbuckle the front of his trousers as Buffy quickly untucked and unbuttoned her silk blouse then tossed it away.

Angelus paused for a moment eyeing her in a white lace bra. He had never seen any woman ever wear such a contraption. He laid a hand over her lace bra breast finding her to look incredibly sexy in such a strange article of clothing.

Slowly his eyes met hers and he once again lost his breath. She looked right back at him with a half-sheepish smile tugging at her heart-shaped lips.

Buffy reached behind her back and unclasped the bra.

Tilting his head slightly to the side, Angelus watched as she slid the straps of the bra off of her shoulders and down her arms.

He released a chuckle when she tossed away with the blouse and his shirt.

Taking a moment to drink in her natural beauty, it has been so long but the curves of her hips, the arch of her back, and the soft mounds of her breasts were exactly as he remembered them to be. Angelus reached out and slid a hand between her breasts to her stomach than paused at her pencil skirt.

Finding the odd clap at her hip, Buffy guided his hand to pull the zipper down. She lifted her hips to push the skirt from her hips, over her thighs, and down her legs when Angelus took it from her before the skirt hit the floor.

He eyed the zipper and its metal teeth when Buffy tore the skirt from his hands and threw it far away from him. She cupped the back of his head with her hand and crushed her mouth against his.

Angelus grinned into the kiss and toed his shoes off then clumsily kicked off his trousers. Buffy gracefully took off the final article of clothing—her panties.

Running is mouth over her sun-kissed skin, Angelus created a path from down the column of her neck, over her collarbone to her breasts.

Laying her back onto the bed, Angelus settled between her legs and continued to pepper her breasts with kisses.

Buffy released a sharp gasp when his mouth covered her nipple. She moaned as his blunt teeth gently scraped over the sensitive nub.

Sneaking a hand between their bodies, Buffy wrapped her petite feminine fingers around his girth. His mouth released its sucking hold over her nipple and looked up at her. She wore a mischievous smile as her hand stroked his length.

Angelus combed his fingers through her long blonde hair, he returned her devilish smile and covered her lips again with his kiss.

Shifting over top of her, Angelus drew her knee up and with a single thrust, he slid into her body.

They released a simultaneous gasp and paused all movements.

They stared deep into each other's eyes, relishing the moment of finally being together again.

Angelus cupped her cheek and gently rubbed the pad of his thumb over her cheekbone as he whispered in Gaelic, "Gheobhaidh mé tú i gcónaí (I'll always find you)."

A haze of emotion clouded Buffy's vision as she thought back to all over her heartache, all of the dreams, all of the arguments she had about this man and he was here. He was alive.

Lifting her head slightly from the pillow, Buffy kissed him. This is was very much different from the first several kisses they've shared in the last few hours. It was slow and tender. The shock and awe like the first kisses at the museum were gone. The unrelenting yearn of wild passionate desire from the kisses in the kitchen lightly burned, fuelling their lust.

In place of all that, their current kiss ignited the unwavering, undying love that travelled through centuries.

Angelus began to move inside her. He pulled almost completely out then buried himself back inside. He repeated this slow thrust over and over.

The manicured fingernails of Buffy's fingertips gently scratched his scalp. Her tongue licked the roof of his mouth and then slid against his tongue.

Bracing himself on his elbows, Angelus kept a steady but mercilessly slow thrusting rhythm. He listened to her frustrated moans that grunted at him to move faster. Angelus smiled into the kiss and refused to comply with her moaning request.

Impatiently, Buffy took him by surprise and rolled Angelus onto his back. An amused grinned crossed Angelus' face. His hands were on her hips as she moved over him.

He watched as she threw ahead back as she took pleasure in his body.

Angelus sat up, hooking an arm around her back and rolled onto her back and hastened his thrusts. She moaned loudly near his ear, holding his head into her neck as Angelus pounded into her.

His mouth manipulated the sensitive spot of her neck that always riled her up. With his free hand, Angelus slipped it down between their bodies to stroke her nubbin.

It didn't take long when Buffy released a climatic moan and a breathless gasp. Angelus covered her mouth with his own and continued to thrust in and out of her body.

Showing him the same sort of manipulative treatment, Buffy kissed, bit, and sucked his neck. Her fingers buried into his dark hair. She removed her mouth from his neck and whispered seductively into his ear, "My Angel…"

Angelus spilt his seed deep inside of her as he moaned something in Gaelic.

Trying to pacify their panting breaths as they calmed down from their climaxes. Angelus sweetly tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear wearing his signature slanted smile that would've made her knees weak if she was standing.

Sharing a few lingering kisses, Angelus moved off of her and settled in his back at her side.

Just like she always did, Buffy pressed herself down the length of his long body and laid her head over his chest. She listened to his heart beating.

Tilting her head upwards to look at him, Angelus lent forward and softly kissed her mouth.

When the kiss came to its natural end, Buffy took his hand and brought it to closer. Angelus watched as she placed a kiss over each fingertip.

Angelus cupped her cheek with the hand she was kissing and tilted her head back up to look at him. He kissed her lips again then placed a loving kiss over her forehead.

Laying back over his chest, Buffy hugged her arm that was dropped across his stomach tightly. "I can't believe that you're really here." She said as everything within the last four hours had finally processed.

"I apologise t'at it took me so long."

She looked up at him with tired green eyes, "We'll make it work, right?"

"Aye, we will." Angelus twirled a strand of her blonde hair around his finger, "I'm never lettin' ye slip from my fingers again."

Buffy tiredly gave him a soft half-smile and let her eyes close, "I'm so sleepy,—but I still want…" she cheekily smiled.

"What?" Angelus eyed her with surprise. "Ye couldn't possibly. Not t'at I wouldn't, I just need a moment or t—"

"—No, no," she happily smiled, "I'm spent. Pleasantly numb even. You?"

Angelus tightened the arm around her and smiled into her blonde hair, "For now."

"I want to stay awake—so this day can keep happening."

Angelus took her hand and brought it to his mouth, placing a kiss over the Claddagh ring that sat there after all of this time, she never took it off. "Sleep, lass. We 'ave an entire lifetime," he breathed in the floral fragrance of her shampoo.

"I like the sound of that," she softly said with her eyes closed on the verge of sleep. "Forever and ever?"

Angelus smiled placing a kiss on the top of her head and whispered, "T'at's t'a whole point."