TITLE: Kismet
BY: Zorya
RATED: NC-17
CATEGORY: B/A, S/B
DISCLAIMERS: All belong to Joss, none belong to me. Thanks also to Sade for "No Ordinary Love"
EMAIL: LunarMyth
FEEDBACK: Please. It's addictive.


==========


Prologue:


"Leave it alone, Kate," Angel growled as he stalked through the dim alleyway in search of his partners. Cordelia and Doyle were an hour late for their rendezvous.

"Why should I? You can't even look at me, Angel!" The tall woman stood with her arms akimbo as her eyes flashed furiously. "I've stood by you for the past three years! Don't you think you at least owe me an explanation?"

"Not right now, I don't," Angel shoved her aside. It wasn't like those two to be late. Even if they'd had to fight -- or more likely, if they'd found an isolated spot to go at it for a while -- they were never late. And not being able to find head or tail of them was beginning to drive Angel crazy. Not to mention his and Kate's recent incessant bickering.

Not to say that he didn't like the woman. He'd met her shortly after he'd come to Los Angeles; Angel had always believe Whistler had sent her to him. She was an odd mixture of witch, human and demon. But she was a definite aid to their team. Doyle had practically jumped on her offer to lend a hand -- she was an ex-FBI agent after all. She was strong and capable, and she rather reminded him of Buffy. Of course, thinking about Buffy sent his thoughts on a downward spiral. Kate had made no mistake in declaring her interest in pursuing a relationship with Angel. And he'd actually considered it once or twice. He grimaced as he remembered the few times they'd "gone out". That was nothing compared to the way he'd messed everything up now. It was the whole reason behind her anger and confusion towards him. It was also the reason why he now knew nothing could come of their being together.

Angel slammed back to reality as Cordelia and Doyle ran up to him, both out of breath and looking haunted.

"Where have you two been?" he asked, his discontent stemming from his concern.

"Looks like someone's got their boxers in a bunch, laddie," Doyle snorted. "So sorry we're late, but we had a hell of a time getting the damned book away from those crones." He closed his eyes and slumped back against the brick wall, trying to catch his breath.

If Doyle was out of sorts, Cordelia was ten times worse. Her chest heaved and her dark eyes glinted with barely contained anger. "If you wanted a book so bad, couldn't the library have sufficed?" She thrust the spell book into Kate's hands. As she stepped backwards, Cordy felt her shoes sink into something squishy and sticky. "Ewwww," she cried, carefully moving out of the way, not daring to look down and discover what the mysterious substance was. "I swear, if these heels are ruined, you two are going to pay. This would be the perfect topping on my night."

"What happened? What took you two so long?" Angel asked, relaxing now that he was positive his two friends were safe.

Doyle looked up at him and straightened his jacket. "Well, we had an unanticipated encounter with a few old ladies who weren't exactly non-spry. And obviously they didn't want us to have their little bible, so they put up quite the fight."

"The Sisters of Djinn," Kate murmured as her fingertips traced lightly over the old book. In the center of the cover was a small, circular stone that seemed to shimmer with its own light. It was held in the fangs of a golden serpent that twined itself around the stone in a scrolling manner. Her fingertips lingered over the stone before she clasped the book tightly to her chest. "It's rumored that this book is bound in human flesh," she told them as she cradled it to her bosom like a baby. "Legend has it that it holds the secrets of the Universe as we know it."

Cordelia shot her a look. "Okayyy. Is anyone else not loving this? And to think, I'm the one who carried it all the way here. As if we know who's flesh that was." She shivered delicately.

"I'm sure it's been cured," Kate said wryly. "Besides, it's hundreds of centuries old. We're lucky you didn't ruin it with your rough handling. Do you have any idea what kind of magic one page of this book alone holds?"

"No, and I can't exactly say that I care," Cordelia told her. It was no secret that the two women didn't get along.

"Look, I should hold on to this. I can...work on translations and just keep it...relatively safe," Kate told them with a distrustful glance directed towards Cordelia.

"I agree," Doyle said, disregarding his lover's glare. "I'm sure if you bring it with you to the office tomorrow, Angel and I can try to help. As for now, it's almost sunrise and time for all good little vampire boys to be in bed."

Angel shot his friend a withering look. "I do need to get back to my apartment. I'm working on a case with D.J. and I told him I'd fax him whatever information I was able to glean from the vampire community." D.J. Jackson was a detective with the LAPD who had become a "silent partner" with the agency. He'd discovered how "different" Angel and his partners were when he was investigating a mass number of homicides in the area of their office. In fact, Angel had been his number one suspect for a long time. But the team had pitched in to help solve the crimes and Jackson and Angel had become fast friends. "I'll see you all tonight," he said as he turned to leave. "Remember, keep that safe and don't let *anyone* near it," he told Kate.

"What about -" she started.

"We'll talk about it later," Angel said with a firm finality. His footsteps echoed in the dark alley as he made his way back to the office to pick up his car.

Kate hated the pitying look she received from Doyle, and she wanted to smack the triumphant one off of Cordelia's beautiful face. "Well, I don't think I'll be getting any sleep tonight. I guess I'll just go and brush up on my ancient linguistics."

"Are you sure you don't need any help?" Doyle asked. "If not with the translations, perhaps just to make sure those crones don't hunt you down."

Cordelia elbowed him in the stomach. "Kate's a *big* girl. I'm sure she can handle it herself." Cordy never let an opportunity to make a dig about Kate's height -- and broad shoulders -- pass her by.

"I'm sure I can," she murmured. Kate watched as the two bickering lovebirds joined arms and walked towards Doyle's apartment. She didn't really know how anyone could put up with Cordelia, but Doyle seemed to love her all the same -- in a weird, freakish way.

The book in her arms was warm to the touch and she held it close to her as she walked to her car. For some odd reason, she was loathe to let it out of her grasp. Having it in her arms was comforting, like a sense of hope. Of course, Kate knew exactly what she was hoping for. She was hoping that tomorrow Angel would come in and they would talk and he'd tell her he was in love with her, and not his precious little Slayer down in No Man's Land. Angel deserved better than *Buffy*. He deserved her, Kate. She was the only one who could love him like he should be loved. She was half demon after all; she wouldn't be dying any time soon. Yes, she and Angel were destined to be together.

Kate pulled into her drive and parked the car. Her house was a small two story place -- cozy, but comfortable. She flipped on the lights as she walked into her kitchen and set the book on her island. It was going to be a long night, and Kate knew that if she wanted to stay awake she was going to need a very large pot of coffee. As she set up the coffee pot, her gaze kept wandering to the spell book. It was dark and leathery and she grinned as she remembered the look on Cordelia's face when she'd said it was bound in human skin. The coffee started to drip into the pot, and with a weary sigh, Kate trudged upstairs. She might as well get comfortable. When she entered her bedroom, she hesitated. Just looking at her bed brought back memories of Angel. Since that night two weeks ago, Kate had barely been able to sleep in her bed. She was plagued by memories of his touch -- the way his mouth was cold all over her body, the way he was hard and icy and seemed to burn her from the inside. And then the fury would all come back when she thought of the way he'd treated her since then. Angel had been withdrawn and cool, yet not rudely so. It was only as if he...regretted what had happened. And Kate refused to believe he could regret such an intimate thing.

She kicked off her heels and stripped out of her navy blue slacks and white blouse. Without even looking, Kate pulled out an old pair of gray sweats and pulled on a pair of white tube socks and padded back downstairs. Her gaze fell on the book immediately -- it seemed oddly out of place, as if it had been moved. With a shrug she walked over to the counter and retrieved a clean mug from the dishwasher. Modern times were so much easier. After pouring a cup of steaming hot coffee she picked up the book, along with a notepad and a pen, and settled into her living room sofa.

Hours flew by as she began translating the spell book. Kate was surprised to find that it held more than just spells, but also legends, history, detailed descriptions for ceremonial conduct, prophecies and what appeared to be a completely mapped out timeline of the Universe -- from beginning to...end. Unfortunately, she couldn't translate much. She caught words and phrases -- even ideas -- but trying to fully uncover the meanings of the passages was like beating her head against a brick wall.

After thirteen cups of coffee -- and six hours -- Kate had endured just about as much perusal as she could take. But as she set the book onto her coffee table, she noticed that the stone was again glowing, as if it had it's own inner light. It glimmered in the relatively dark room and cast a light over the dim burgundy walls. Her fingers felt compelled to reach out and touch it. As she did so, the book flew open and settled to a page near the middle. Her breath came hard and she had to force herself to examine what the pages said. What she saw made her heart race. The fact that the words were completely intelligible to her didn't cross her mind.

"'To Recall A Straying Lover'," she mused aloud.


===================


Part 1:


His sleek torso glinted in the artificial light. He arched and turned and twisted his body in graceful patterns that made the muscles in his body dance and ripple. The soothing movements and restraint of Tai Chi usually helped settle his wandering spirit, but not today. As Angel moved, his thoughts were on the two women most predominant in his unlife.

He sincerely regretted using Kate the way he had. Not that their tryst had be nonconsensual. It was just that they both had ulterior motives, and those motives didn't match up in the end. Angel knew quite well that Kate wanted a commitment. She felt that since she would live forever just as he would, it was a sign. He didn't know how to tell her that lifespan wasn't a factor. From the moment he'd met Kate, he'd felt warmly towards her. She was a friend and she could be trusted. But the fact remained that when he'd had sex with her, it was part attraction, part mindless wish to get Buffy out of his head. Which hadn't happened. Now he felt guilty for betraying Buffy's memory and love, not to mention the love he held for her.

When Angel had woken up beside Kate, he'd felt a tingling sensation in the back of his mind. And then it hit him. There he was, lying naked in bed with one of his best friends...and he still had a soul. At first he'd wondered if perhaps Willow had nullified the happiness clause. Then he realized that he felt no different at all -- except for the gut wrenching guilt. He hadn't lost his soul because he hadn't found a moment of true happiness.

And Angel realized that he wouldn't ever feel that again. Not without Buffy.

Which only strengthened his resistance to seeing her again. But that did not mean he had to deny his love for her. His only problem was trying to figure out just how to tell Kate that there could never be anything between them. Not when his heart -- when his soul -- belonged to another woman. He didn't want to hurt her any more than he already had. She'd been plaguing him for the past two weeks, but he just couldn't face her. Angel knew the time had come. He had to let her know that there was no chance of a future between them.

As soon as he'd made his decision, a bolt of bright white light flashed behind his eyes and he fell backwards into an unconscious oblivion.


==========


Kate gathered the implements that the spell/curse called for and sat down to read through the instructions once more. Had anyone been watching her, they would have noticed that she was a woman possessed -- her every action was calculated and formal. It was as if she wasn't in control of her own body.


~*~To draw your lover home once more
Entrance the goddess of the stars
Bring forth the sigh of true love's kiss
In doing so, you'll have your wish~*~


Kate set up the alter adorned with sacred herbs and flowers, and lit a candle as she whispered to the Goddess.

"I wish...that Angel and Buffy had never met."

The candle on her alter grew into a bright white flame, then extinguished itself, leaving her living room as dark as night.


==========


Part 2:


Angel sat up and rubbed his head. Something wasn't right. He couldn't place it; it was just a feeling he had. As he opened his eyes he saw that he was in bed. Well, not his bed. It was a massive thing with carved mahogany posts and a dark crimson velvet canopy. His fingers roamed over the sheets, only to ascertain that they were of a silken black satin. As he gazed over the room he realized it was very large and almost garishly ostentatious. When he swung his legs over the side of the mattress, Angel discovered another surprise. He was naked.

There was something extraordinarily wrong with this picture. The last thing he remembered was being in his apartment practicing Tai Chi. And before that...there was nothing. It was as if his mind had gone totally blank. Wait. He had an apartment? Where? Angel sat on the edge of the bed and held his head in his hands. So many things were blurry. It seemed as if years had passed him by overnight. Yet he was beginning to know this place. He lived here. With...with....

"Evening, lover," he heard a woman's voice call out cheerily. "Evening, Kate," he said as he looked up. His mind rebelled at his voice. Kate? Why was she here? Well, of course she was here. He lived with Kate. They were lovers. Memories superimposed themselves over each other.

"Is something wrong?" she asked him with concern. Her fingers played over the belt of her silk robe hesitantly. She smiled at her love and walked towards him, settling on his lap easily. "Tell me what's on your mind this morning. We'll see if I can make all the bad things go away," she said as she wiggled suggestively on his lap.

Angel's body responded to her immediately, whereas his mind revolted. Not Kate! What about Buffy? Who? He closed his eyes tight as images swam though his head. Kate's long limbs wrapped around him as they rode each other hard, a tangled mass in the black satin. A smiling, blonde goddess peering up at him impishly as they danced. Whistler introducing him to Kate. An unbelievable aching sensation as he watched the small blonde woman walk away from him, her shoulders sagging in defeat. The first night he and Kate had spent together, losing themselves in each other after a particularly hard night of slaying. Placing a silver claddagh ring on the girl's finger. Moving in with Kate. A sword. A sword? Watching the young girl in Los Angeles as she was called. As she was called.

"Slayer!" he yelled, standing up and tumbling Kate to the ground.

"Angel!" she yelped angrily. "What is *wrong* with you?" Kate hopped to her feet and dusted herself off. "And what about a Slayer? You know there isn't one around here. That's why we go out and hunt every night -- to try to keep the place safe for all those unsuspecting mortals."

Angel paced around the large room, trying desperately to sort out his thoughts. "No, no, no, no, no," he chanted. They were so elusive. If he could just reach out and grasp one of them, he would be able to recall everything. But he couldn't. And they were receding more and more at every passing second, while new memories replaced them quickly.

"Where are we?" he growled lowly.

Kate watched her lover with distress. "We're at home, honey. In California. Sunnydale? Close to Los Angeles? Hellmouth?"

The fact that he was familiar with the place only served to annoy him more. He didn't know why he knew the place. He could see a mansion and an apartment, but this place was obviously neither of the above. And yet he knew this place to be home. So if this was home, what were those two places? How did he know them? Why did he know them? Did they even exist?

Without even thinking, Angel walked to the armoire and pulled out a pair of black leather pants. He looked down at them distastefully before slipping them on. Why didn't he like the leather? And how did he know where to get his clothes? Suddenly a name came to him, but he was afraid to utter it, not knowing if it was from this time or...a dream?

"Giles?" Angel asked. His face was a mask of confusion and rage. Kate half expected him to vamp out and attack her.

"H-he's at the University, I assume. Just like....always. Angel, please, talk to me," she pleaded with him. "I don't understand what's going on." She walked over to him and rested her palm on his shoulder, shocked when he shrugged it off.

"Not half as confused as I am," he muttered darkly as he put on his boots. He pulled out a black shirt and his black leather jacket, some forgotten memory making him smile wistfully at it, and walked towards the bedroom door. "Look, I need to see Giles. Don't ask me why. I just do."

Kate watched in bemusement as Angel stalked out of the room.


==========


"Giles!" Angel barked out as he entered the Watcher's office. He didn't know how he'd known to come here, but he had.

Giles looked up from his books and saw the vampire looming in his doorway. "Uh...er...Angel. What are..are you doing here? I thought you and Kate would be patrolling right now. Willow and Xander were supposed to meet you an hour ago."

"No patrol," he said as he slumped into the chair across from the professor's desk. "I'm having a problem."

Giles waited a moment before slipping off his glasses and cleaning them with a handkerchief. "Which would be...?" he prompted.

"I'm not sure," Angel said shortly, watching as the familiar man placed the glasses back on. "How long have you known me?" he asked curiously.

"Well, ahhh, I'd say for about six years now."

Angel nodded. That sounded right. But did it sound right because it was right? Or because.... Hell! This was never going to get him anywhere. He didn't even know what he didn't remember! "How did we meet?"

Giles peered at his friend. "Angel, tell me. Did something happen between you and Kate?"

"No! Well, I'm not sure," he amended.

"Meaning...?"

"I woke up feeling extremely disoriented. Like...like I wasn't where I was supposed to be. And I was...having all of these inexplicable memories. At least, I think they were memories. But now I can barely remember them. I just know something's wrong with me."

"I see. And you're...ah...sure this wasn't a dream?"

"This was completely undreamlike. Very real. Very frightening. I feel like I'm losing my mind. It was like...I was forgetting one life and stepping into another. And the new memories were taking over the old ones before I could even grasp what was happening." He sighed and slouched down in the chair, kicking his feet up on the desk. The vague thought that he would never have done that before flew through his head.

"Well, is there one thing that stands out more than the others?" Giles asked. He wasn't sure what to make of the story Angel was telling. At first he'd thought it was one of his usual jokes, but this seemed all too serious and real. And if he wasn't going crazy, then where was he getting these feelings from?

"No...well, actually, yes. There's one thing I can't get out of my head. A...a girl."

"A girl? Any particular girl?"

"I...I think she's a Slayer." The words sounded false even to his own ears. Yet, if he was not mistaken, the girl in his "memories" was the girl Whistler had shown to him all those many years ago. The Slayer.

"The only Slayer is -"

"Faith," Angel continued. Again, he didn't know why that thought unsettled him. "But this isn't Faith. She's...she's.... Dammit! I don't know her name!"

"I've had the pleasure of knowing the last three Slayers. Perhaps you could describe her to me?"

"I know she was a Slayer. Is a Slayer." For some odd reason, Angel didn't want to believe that this girl was dead. "Whistler showed her to me. I was supposed to help her. But then, I got called away. She was...so tiny. And beautiful. And her hair was like the sun -"

"I think I know of whom you speak." Giles opened his desk drawer and pulled out a framed photograph. "Is this the girl?" he asked.

Angel touched the picture gently, cherishing it. A feeling of peace washed over him as he saw the golden haired girl sitting with his two friends -- Willow and Xander. "Where is she? Who is she?" he asked softly, the awe and appreciation evident in his voice. He remembered the feelings he'd had as he watched her. If he hadn't known better, Angel would have said he'd fallen in love with her the minute he set eyes on her. She was so warm and fragile; she wore her heart on her sleeve for everyone to see.

"Her name was Buffy Summers. She had great potential as a vampire slayer, but alas she was no match for the Master. She was able to defeat him, but died in the process. You came here shortly after that -- and we all dealt with the aftermath. Don't you remember?"

He did. Well, he remembered different things. He remembered coming back and hearing that a Slayer had died. And yet, he also remembered seeing...Buffy...laid out, apparently dead.

"I just...I'm having so many vague memories of her, of being with her, I don't understand." Angel's voice was hoarse and he was on the verge of breaking down. Plus, he couldn't accept that this girl was dead. It seemed inconceivable to him.

"I don't know what to tell you. I suppose Willow and I could research...though I have to admit, I'm...I'm not sure what I would be researching."

"Just...anything would be better than nothing, Giles. I'd really appreciate it." Angel stood up. "I guess I should go patrol. No use in letting Will and Xander walk around without any protection," he grinned.

"Ah, yes. I'll start now, in fact. Have fun," he called out, his nose already stuck in another book.


==========


"Angel!" Willow cried out as she saw him approach the playground. "How are you? Kate was just telling us that..." she trailed off as she observed the dark look Angel shot Kate. "That, ummm, you were with Giles and you'd be late." It was obviously better if she didn't bring back up everything Kate had been saying.

"I'm fine, Willow," he said deliberately, driving the words home for Kate.

"Well, Lover Boy, it's about time you got your butt in gear. I've been looking for you for the past five hours. I wanted to talk to you about something," Xander said, jumping down from the monkey bars.

Angel was a bit unsure how to react. The foremost part of his brain told him that this was Xander, his best friend. Yet the nagging part in the back of his head whispered that Xander was a threat. "What about?"

Xander walked up to him and slapped him on the back. "What else do us guys talk about?" he said in his annoyingly loud voice. Then he whispered, "I need some advice on what to give Willow for her birthday."

Angel nodded. "Uhhhh, ok. Well, if these two ladies can hold down the fort, I'm sure we can figure something out."

With a grateful nod to Willow and Kate, Xander threw his arms around Angel's shoulders and they walked off into the park. "Look," he started. "You're like, my best friend. You're the only guy I can talk to. I'd say it's 'cause Giles is too old, but that wouldn't make much sense, now would it? And I'm pretty much pointless right now, so I'll get to it. Willow's been my best buddy since before I can remember. How do you tell someone like that...you love 'em? She knows everything about me. Do you have any idea how embarrassing that is?"

"Don't worry about it, Xander. Willow loves you. No matter what you give her, she'll love it. 'Cause it's from you."

"Maybe. What about you and Kate? I mean, you two love each other. What would you give her?"

Angel listened to his friend. He and Kate in love. Were they in love? If they were, what were the feelings he was having over this mysterious...dead...girl? Love. "Well, I'm not sure. It would depend on the level we were on. I don't know if you and Will are at that same, you know, stage."

"Meaning, have we had sex? No. Not that I'm not all, pumped and ready to go. Well, not 'pumped' in the sense of the.... No. We haven't," Xander sighed.

"Listen, Xander. I'd say your best bet is to think of something special that the two of you share. Go from there. I don't know what else to tell you. I remember, I gave Buf-" Angel paused. He'd given Buffy what? He hadn't even known the Slayer.

"What?" Xander questioned. He almost thought that Angel was about to speak Buffy's name -- something no one did in Xander's presence -- but Angel hadn't even known her.

Angel cleared his throat. "Nothing," he said. They started walking back to the women. "Oh, have you heard from Faith lately?"

"No," Xander told him. "Last I heard she was gallivanting around Europe with Wesley, fighting off baddies in Paris and Milan. God forbid she come back to the Hellmouth. I guess she figures we can take care of it ourselves."

"She's probably right. I think she's a few cards short of a deck anyway."

Xander shot him an odd look. "Okayyy. I don't know her that well, but I'll take your word for it."

"So fill me in on the activity tonight," Angel said, trying to get his mind off of things he was unsure of.

"Well, we encountered more fledglings. Still don't know who's creating them, though. If you think about it, most of the vampire activity for the last few years has been risings. No end-of-the-world plans except from demons. Since the Master, well, it's almost like someone's trying to raise a vampire army."

"I'm thinking we don't kill the next one," Angel said as they walked up to the girls. "I think the next fledgling we see, I follow. I want to find out who's behind this mass manufacturing deal."

"No, Angel," Kate said. "It's dangerous. I mean, that's why we haven't done that before. None of us knows *what* could be going on. Following a newly risen vampire could just lead us into the lion's den. I won't have you risking it."

Angel looked at his lover in disbelief. "It's a chance I've got to take. How are we *ever* going to know if we don't try to find out, Kate? We at least have to find out what we're up against, and I, for one, am not willing to sit back and wait anymore. And if I die, I die. In fact, it's best if no one else comes with me. That way the rest of you will stay safe, and you'll know something bad is going down if I don't come back. If I do come back, I'll be able to tell you what's going on."

Willow and Xander looked at each other, thinking the same thing. They hadn't heard anyone speak like that since...well, since Buffy. She'd always been so brave and foolhardy, wanting to head off danger before anyone else could feel the effects. But she'd gone too far one night and she and the Master had killed each other in the process. It was something Xander would never forget, because he'd been the one to find them. He'd tried everything he could think of to resuscitate her, but nothing worked. It had been a deep and painful loss for him because he'd been drawn into Buffy's golden aura the minute he'd laid eyes on her. Years had passed and now Buffy was only a memory in their minds, but that didn't mean she had touched their lives any less. They were warriors in a nightly battle against evil because of her. And they wouldn't have it any other way.

Willow nodded to Xander, "I agree with Angel," she said softly. "It's time we stopped ignoring the bigger picture here. We stake vamps night after night, but they never stop rising. There's got to be a stronger force behind it, and we've got to put an end to it. Kate, I know you don't want Angel to get hurt, but he's the only one with enough skill to pull it off."

Kate looked around at her friends. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Of course you think it's a good idea, Will! It's not *your* boyfriend going out there to risk his life!"

Willow's green eyes sparked. "Excuse me? I'm not a demon or a vampire, and neither is Xander. So I think it's safe to say we both risk *our* lives every night we come out here to fight!"

"Hey," Xander interrupted. "We've all taken our fair amount of risks. But the fact remains that Angel's a vampire and I'm not. If I get caught, I'm vamp food. If he does, well, he has a greater chance that I do. Willow and you too, for that matter, Kate. It's our only choice."

Kate grudgingly agreed. "Fine. I don't have to like it, but fine. When exactly do we put this little plan into motion?"

"Tonight," Angel answered immediately. "I'll head over to the cemetery and see if I can scrounge up any new arrivals. The rest of you should just go home. Except Willow." Willow looked up, confused. "Giles. He, uhhhhhh, he wanted to see you about something. Research, I think."

Willow nodded sagely. "Of course. I swear, that Brit would be lost without me," she quipped with a smile. She leaned up and kissed Xander on the cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow, right?" At his nod, she waved to Angel and Kate. "Don't forget about the party this Saturday," she said. "I only turn twenty-one once." With that she headed off to the University.

Kate gripped Angels neck in a tight hug. "Be careful, ok? I want you to come back to me in one piece."

Angel looked down into his lover's bright eyes and tried to muster a smile. "I will. Don't worry about me."

"Good luck," Xander told him as he clapped him on the back. "Try not to get into too much trouble. I don't wanna have to come save your ass again."

Angel laughed. "No problem. I have this completely under control."





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