Breathe
By: spoiledsquish
Disclaimer: Not mine. If you don’t believe me, then watch Waiting In The Wings or A Hole In World for further indication that I don’t, nor never will, own them!
Author's Note: This is the sequel to “Life Of The Party Series”. I’m urging you to read that before you read this because there are many references to it. You won’t get them unless you’ve read the other series. There is a club in L.A. (according to MY version of the Buffyverse) that is called the Bronze. Let’s just say that when SunnyD crumbled, the owner of the Bronze (who won’t be in the fic, by the way) decided to rebuild it in L.A.
Distribution: My site, Seductive Web, PPA, Enchanting Place, Fanfiction.net, WTTS, PFYL, TEF, Sempiternal Beloved...If you host my fics regularly, feel free. If you don’t, just ask and most likely you shall receive.
Summary: A year and half after catching Angel and Eve in bed together, Buffy has come back to Los Angeles to congratulate Wesley and Fred on their engagement. Will her feelings for Angel get in the way of her friendship with Spike or will she finally realize what her heart wants?
Pairings: Buffy/Angel, Wes/Fred, Buffy/Spike friendship (sorta) mentions of Angel/Eve, and Buffy/Spike.
Rating: PG-13. I’m trying to keep it clean so my parents don’t find me doing weird stuff. Sucks, but that’s what you get when you still live at home with your parents.
Spoilers: Everything up to Angel Promo of S5 Halloween Episode. Takes place a year and a half after Book 1. Angel has become human, and Wesley continues to worry, because Buffy was supposed to help Angel achieve his Shanshu.
Dedication: To Akay, because for some god forsaken reason, she is obsessed with this fic. I, for one, will never understand why. Love you nonetheless, babe, and thanks for supporting this series!
Chapter 1: Boundaries
~Los Angeles: Spring 2005~
“Congratulations!” Gunn hugged his friends, Fred and Wesley.
“Thanks, Charles.” Fred giggled.
“I’m just glad to see some happiness in this place.” Lorne explained. “With Angel Broodaholic in bitch mode everyday….kind of depresses you, you know?”
“He’s still…?” Gunn motioned.
“Quite.” Lorne agreed. “Never knew that one person could have such an effect on someone.”
“You don’t have any idea.” Wesley spoke up. “Their relationship…when Angel decided to leave Sunnydale back then….it was bad. Faith had poisoned him, Buffy cured him and things just….There was a lot of heartache on both sides…”
“Understatement.” Spike smirked. “I was there for a good portion of it, and trust me, mate….You have no idea what their relationship was like. What you witnessed was a small portion of it.”
“What are you doing here?” Wesley asked angrily.
“None of your business, mate.” Spike turned to Fred. “You wanna know the story, love? Cliffnotes version….?”
“Some other time.” Wesley interrupted.
“Aww. Isn’t this sweet? What’s the occasion?” Eve chuckled as she walked in.
“Eve.” Spike growled.
“Down, boy.” She winked. “I just came to congratulate the happy couple on their engagement. Senior Partners couldn’t be more ecstatic.”
“I’m sure they couldn’t.” Wesley muttered. “Where’s Angel?”
“He went to take care of something. Said it was a annual event or whatnot.” Eve rolled her eyes.
“Cordelia.” Gunn remembered. “She was put in that coma today two years ago.”
“Right.” Fred shook her head. “I guess we should wait for him, then? Somewhere else?”
“The Bronze?” Lorne asked.
“Yeah.” Gunn nodded in agreement. “We’ll just wait for him until he gets back.”
~ The Bronze- 10:47 p.m.~
“Hey.” Angel greeted his friends. “Eve said you guys wanted to talk to me?”
“Yeah.” Fred smiled. “Wesley and I…we’re engaged.”
“That’s…”Angel smiled sadly. “That’s great. I’m happy for you.”
“Then what’s with the cloudy face, Angelcakes?” Lorne asked.
“I went to see Cordy.” Angel told them. “She’s awake.”
“That’s bad?” Gunn wondered.
“No, she just…she doesn’t understand what’s happened since she’s been in a coma.” Angel told them. “She thinks that things aren’t as they are.”
“Where is she now?” Fred asked.
“On a plane to Sacremento.” Angel told them. “She’s….she went to see Xander.”
“Xander, who’s that?” Gunn asked.
“Her first love.” Wesley eyes diverted to the ground. “So, they’re all in Sacremento?”
“No.” Angel shook his head. “Giles is back in England, Willow’s in Boston with Faith and Oz, the Potentials spread out all over the country, and she’s….well, no one would tell me where she went to.”
“Why not?” Spike scoffed sarcastically. “After all the things you did….Who could blame them, mate?”
“Why are you still here?” Angel asked.
“I just love to see you squirm.” Spike winked. “She’s in New York, bud.”
“How would you know?” Angel asked.
“Well, Peaches, Willow told me.” Spike explained. “She wasn’t too eager to give the tidbit out, but I managed. Buffy’s in New York, building a life for herself, outside of the world we pulled her into. Isn’t that what you wanted for her? To move on with something that was outside of lore and demonology? From what Willow says, looks like you finally got your wish.”
“Spike, go. Before I decide to do something really stupid.” Angel growled.
“Whatever.” Spike rolled his eyes and left. “Oh, there’s one more thing, mate. She’s also seeing Riley Finn again. Guess his marriage didn’t last too long, eh?”
The blonde vampire disappeared out of the club. Angel stalked off, leaving the gang in shock and confusion and wondering one thing.
Who in the Hell was Riley Finn?