“There are rumors,” Wes intoned as if the British flag that they’d often teased him about truly was stuck up his butt, “About this new warrior who’s searching out these so-called rebels Faith informed us of recently. It’s suspected that this warrior is female, but there is no confirmation on that; however, it behooves us to track this warrior and permanently take he or she out as quickly as possible.” 

With a glance around the assembled group, Wes locked eyes with Angelus and took a step backwards. The look of unadulterated fury on the vampire’s face was unbelievable and scared the watcher more than anything had before. While the vampire often made him anxious in the extreme, Wes didn’t trust him one iota and that certainly added to his unease, the look in his blood red eyes was enough to freeze Wes’ blood. 

What possessed the vampire to take such a sudden an interest in all this? What did their alleged ally know about this warrior that he wasn’t sharing? When Doyle initially introduced Angel to the group, Wesley did a cursory look through the Watcher’s Journals, but could find nothing about a vampire named Angel or this ‘curse’ that he was afflicted with, this soul. Wes wasn’t sure if that was because Angel kept a low profile, or the Watcher’s didn’t deem the significance of a vampire with a soul important enough to add to their entries. 

Considering that the most insignificant detail of life was recorded, Wesley found that hard to believe, but he could think of no other reason. Why would, A) these gypsies curse Angel with a soul, and B) why were there no records of either Angel or this curse? Wes looked, but there hadn’t been time, then, to go into to much detail and he was loath to contact the Council and admit that not only was he using a half-demon seer, but that a vampire was helping them as well. 

He preferred to keep Angel’s involvement with them entirely from his own journals. Wesley doubted the Watcher’s Council would appreciate or tolerate Angel’s help the way Faith and her gang did. Plus, at the time they’d met Doyle and Angel, a gang of demons was after both Faith and Doyle, trying to cut them both off from the Powers, and Wesley never got back to researching the vampire with a soul. 

Wheels turning now as another piece of the large and complex puzzle that was Angel taunted him with its presence, and wondering if he should look through the journals again, and much more thoroughly than before, Wes continued. 

“It suits our purposes to perhaps support these rebels, as they seem weaker than those they’re fighting against. If we support them, there’s every possibility that we can get close enough to the leaders and catch them unawares, thereby taking out both players at once. Angel, since you’re our resident vampire expert,” Wes said and sounded nothing more than a smarmy used car salesman, “Do you know any of your kind who could be this warrior?” 

Cocking an eyebrow and letting a small sinister smirk grace his features, Angelus let out a slight chuckle. It really should have been everyone’s first clue that something was wrong with the vampire, as they’d never seen him smile before, let alone laugh. It was a little unsettling. “No, Wes,” the tall vampire replied, “I don’t. There are several leaders among us, but none who command the…support…you suggest this…vampire does.” 

Narrowing his eyes, obviously not fully believing him, Wes huffed and went on. “Faith, I want you patrolling every night-” 

“I do that anyway, Wes,” Faith muttered in a bored tone and didn’t blink an eye when Wes continued as if he hadn’t heard her. She was, after all, used to it. Which was why, contrary to what both Wes and Riley believed, she started training with Angel. She had to beg him to help her, with both Willow and Cordelia’s help, but in the end he did; the slayer didn’t care why, so long as she finally got the workout she’d wanted that was all that mattered. 

“-Riley, I want you to accompany her, of course-” 

“I do that anyway, Wes,” Riley muttered from his position against the wall next to Faith. He didn’t approve of the fact that the girl he was in love with put her life on the line every night, but there was nothing he could do about it. Some things were necessary, and this was one, but so long as he could help, it was better than if he was forced to sit on the sidelines. 

“-The rest of you, I want you researching anything you can find on this warrior, whatever you can discover of his origins, his prowess, that sort of thing. I doubt that he is anything the slayer can’t handle,” and completely missed the snort of derision from Angelus, even if Willow, Cordelia, and Faith did not. But then their attention was often on the handsome vampire. “But that’s no reason to be ill-informed. Now then, Angel,” And there was definite reluctance in Wesley’s voice, “I trust that the moment you learn anything on this vampire you’ll tell us?” 

Angelus smirked again, straightening from his bored stance against the wall. “Of course, Wes,” he said with a mocking half-bow as he grabbed his duster from the chair he’d laid it on when Wes began his speech. “The moment I know anything about the vampire, you will, too.” 

Xander scowled from where he sat next to Willow. “I don’t trust him, he’s so…creepy, and secretive, and what’s with that scowl?” 

Cordelia snorted and rose with Doyle, who’d also noticed Angel’s strange behavior. Once upon a time she’d had a crush on the vampire, but that was before she realized he was a vampire. Sure, immortality had its perks, and imagine all that sexual knowledge he’d have, but frankly, she’d stick with her half-demon. There was a distinctive lack of blood drinking, after all. 

“That’s because, Xander, he can kick your ass in his sleep and not care about it. And look a hundred times better doing it than you can ever dream of being. Did you see those shoes? Two hundred bucks, easy, and that leather duster he’s so fond of? Four times that, no doubt.” 

So saying, she swept out of the room with Doyle, who had made early dinner plans for them, before Wes started handing out ‘research assignments.’ Xander huffed and turned to comment to Willow, but noticed she and Faith in deep whispered discussion. There was a strange friendship there, the boy thought, they’d often go off by themselves and whisper to each other about things. Xander desperately wanted to know what they were talking about, but whenever he asked, they both shrugged him off. 

He was about to stand and talk to Riley when Wes dropped a really thick book in front of him and told him to start looking through it for any reference about this Warrior of the Continuum. Xander had no idea what that was, he’d never heard Wes use that term before, but didn’t question, he simply sighed in resignation and began flipping through the yellowed pages. 

“Should you follow him?” Willow asked Faith as the pair whispered together. “I mean I know you said he was acting funny lately, even for Angel, but do you really think following him in the right idea?” 

“No, I think it’s a supremely stupid idea,” Faith admitted with a cocky smile, “But I owe him. I know he’s the one who saved me from those demon thingies when we first got here, and I know he’s been keeping an eye out for me since, even if he doesn’t admit it, and Wes and Riley think he’s too selfish to do anything for me. And I’m telling you, Willow,” Faith continued with a glance at her boyfriend and watcher, “That vampire knows more than he’s letting on. I don’t know what, but I do know that whatever it is, it’s important.” 

Willow nodded, squeezing her friend’s arm. “Well, be careful, then, Faith. I know you can take care of yourself, but if even half of what Wes says is true, then there’re things out there you don’t want to run across.”

Grimacing at that, Faith nodded. She was well aware of her abilities and limitations, and knew exactly what she could handle – she just didn’t like to admit it. “I will be, don’t worry.”
~~~~~~~~~~
“I want to go with you, mama,” Ariana told Buffy quietly as they awaited word from their advanced scouts. 

“No, Ariana,” Buffy told her daughter firmly, though there was a definite distracted air about her that she refused to acknowledge. “I won’t have you out there, I don’t know what’s going on and I don’t want you in danger.” When Ariana opened her mouth to protest again, Buffy cut her off. “Darling, I know you can take care of yourself, but this isn’t like anything you’ve ever faced. There are more threats here than the rebels. No one likes us in this realm, there are entire organizations dedicated to eradicating us no matter who or what we are simply because we’re different.” 

She debated telling her daughter that because she was a combination of human, elf, and vampire, that there were more people out there who wanted her dead because of reasons that made no sense to Buffy. Some of the rebels who sprang up after Ariana’s birth spouted nonsense such as pure bloodlines and the like, while some thought she was an abomination. Others wanted to study her, dissect her, figure out what made her work, live, survive. But, Buffy decided in the second it took her to do so, Ariana didn’t need to know any of that. It was enough she knew she was a target of these rebellions; she didn’t need to know everything. 

“Stay here with Nicholaus and Andre, please. I know,” Buffy said with a smile, “That they’ll protect you with their lives. If I need you, you’ll know. But please, Ariana, please stay here until then.” 

Reluctantly Ariana nodded. “Alright, mother, but don’t do anything stupid.” 

Buffy laughed and promised, “I won’t don’t worry. Plus I’ll have Gunn and Oz and you know they’d do it first, if it meant my safety.” Buffy paused and gripped her daughter’s hand. “I’ve allowed Darla to come with us because she’s unswervingly loyal to you. She’s also staying here, I don’t trust her enough by my side, even if I have let her live all this time.” 

“I understand, mama, and I do know.” And Ariana did, but she knew something else about this place, too. Her father was here. Buffy had to know that as well, they shared a bond, after all. So why then had her mother not said anything? 

“Stay with Andre and Nicholaus, Ariana; if the second group moves, stop them, but do not provoke them.” 

Ariana nodded once more and Buffy hugged her daughter before seeking out both Andre and Nicholaus. To them, she reiterated her warnings that, while Darla was with them, trust was an issue. They shared her feelings on the matter; they always had, but agreed with what their Queen said anyway. 

“Make sure Ariana stays here; only and I repeat, only if that second group moves do I want her to do so as well. I don’t trust this place enough for her to leave this house. Do you want me to leave William and Drusilla as well?” 

“No, milady,” Nicholaus said, “Take them with you, we’ve enough guards here to protect the princess and subdue the insurgents.” 

“Good,” Buffy smiled, “If you need anything, Ariana can contact me.” 

The pair nodded and Buffy gave Andre’s hand an affectionate squeeze. He may not yet be married to her daughter, but Buffy already considered him a son. 

“Be safe, my Queen,” Andre whispered to her as she and her group left the large house they were using as their base of operations.
~~~~~~~~~~
Faith returned shortly after she left that night. 

“There’s a really big gang of vamps a few blocks over.” She paused as she looked around the lobby, gasping for breath. Even she was winded from the sprint she’d just done. She never found the vampire she’d set out to trail and wondered how she lost him so quickly. “Where’s Angel?” 

“He left,” Cordelia informed her with a significant look. The three females often talked about the mysterious vampire and what his past held that prevented him from interacting with them. They were wildly curious about him but so far, any inquiry led nowhere. “About the time you did, actually, and we haven’t seen him since.” 

Wes shrugged, taking charge. “Well, no need to think on it now. Gather whatever weapons you can, we need to stop these vampires.”
~~~~~~~~~~
Buffy hated this realm. 

She hated the stink and the crowds, hated the pollution and the people who would rather kill her than acknowledge her as something other than human. She hated the fact that she was there, and that she couldn’t, as she wanted to, search for her husband. She hated that her daughter was there, too, and not safe in some nice room with no windows and no entrance. Buffy admitted she was a little overprotective. Most of all she hated the fact that she had to be in the mortal realm because of an uprising. 

The second she got her hands on whoever began this they were going to wish she had left them to the judgment of the Continuum. 

“Mistress, duck!” Buffy did so automatically, her feet fanning out to sweep her opponent off his own feet. The second he rose, her sword was whistling through the air, decapitating him in one clean swoop. Grinning in victory, the thrill of the hunt rushing through her, she turned to join the rest of her people when a wave of dizziness raced through her. 

Falling to her knees, Buffy’s hand strayed to the right side of her neck, fingers touching the scar she bore there, even after all the time that passed. It throbbed in time to her heartbeat, crying out for her mate. Angelus…the name floated through her mind but she was certain she was mistaken. It had been so long since she had felt him, since she had seen his beautiful face that Buffy was sure this was only wishful thinking on her part. 

She knew he was somewhere in this realm, but had no idea where to even begin searching for him. The openness of their bond long ago closed off, due to both their wishes, but this…this felt an awful lot like a reopening of it. 

“Milady,” one of her warriors said, rushing to her side convinced she had been injured and it was his fault, “Milady, are you alright?” 

“Fine, Claudius, I’m fine,” she said but didn’t object when he helped her to her feet. Buffy looked into the night and asked, “Where are Oz and Gunn, Claudius?” 

“I’m here,” Oz said quietly as he stepped to his mistress’ side. No matter the fierceness of the fighting, he’d never left her side, freeing Gunn to help the rest of their people. 

“Gunn is finishing the rebels, milady, shall I fetch him?” Eager to please, Claudius fervently hoped that nothing happened to his mistress. Her wrath was nothing compared to that of personal guard or her family’s. 

Buffy nodded, leaning against the brick wall of an abandoned warehouse. Oz said nothing as they waited for Gunn, watching her intently as she allowed the strain of the past weeks to catch up with her. Her shoulders sagged and her eyes closed, and all she really wanted was sleep. Apparently, they had killed the remaining insurgents as Gunn quickly joined Oz by her side. 

“Majesty, what’s wrong?” Oz asked his queen as Gunn joined them. His eyes strayed to Gunn, but the vampire’s eyes darted between the elf and the night. Something was in the air and it was wreaking havoc with his senses. 

“I felt him, Oz, I felt Angelus.” Buffy looked at her First, both of them, and saw the shock echoed in their eyes. There was nothing more in Oz’s as the elf carefully closed off his reaction to that, but Gunn’s echoed a faint knowledge that he, too, felt family. 

“Here? In this forsaken city?” Oz scoffed at that, still not forgiving the vampire for beating and abandoning Buffy, but the elf watched as again both Buffy and Gunn’s eyes swept the night. 

It was Gunn who ventured to ask shock and something else having him drop all formalities. “Buffy, are you sure?” 

“I am, Gunn; he’s here. And I don’t think I mean just in the city. He’s nearby.” 

“Let’s round up the others then, and secure the princess,” Gunn began, already in full protection mode. He doubted Angelus would do anything to harm Ariana, but who knew what anyone else would do if they realized the entire Royal Line of Aurelius was in the same unprotected city. “Oz, you’ll stay with the Queen?” 

He didn’t really have to ask, and Oz didn’t really have to reply, as they both knew the answer. Gunn went to gather William and Drusilla and send a messenger to Ariana. Within moments, they were gathered once more around their Queen. 

“The time draws nearer,” Drusilla murmured to Buffy. “Everything comes full circle with breaks and ruptures, but is whole once again. The time is now.” 

Just then, a group of humans stepped into the night, stakes and crossbows at the ready. The mixed group of elves and vampires growled, raising their own weapons, prepared to defend themselves and their queen against so insignificant a threat. Buffy’s sword was still in her right hand and while a part of her searched for her lost mate, she focused completely on those before her. 

And received the shock of her immortal life when she realized…but no, that couldn’t possibly be. What were the chances he was here, right here…? 

“We have no quarrel with you, humans,” she said, wanting to leave this area as quickly as possible to find Angelus because surely her senses were wrong. But, oh, he was so close. 

One of the men laughed but didn’t lower his weapon. “That’s what all vamps say, right before they sink their fangs into our necks.” 

Buffy growled, a sound echoed around her unit. “I don’t have time for this; can’t you just let it go? Damn humans, no understanding. I’m here for one reason and one only, and it has naught to do with you.” 

She was so close now, closer than she had been in too long and Buffy desperately wanted to make sure that this was the last time and that Angelus evaded her no more. All she wanted to do was to find her mate, leave this realm with him, preferably chained and gagged, and then possibly torture him for a hundred years. Maybe then, she’d forgive him for treating her like a common whore and leaving her. Maybe then, she’d forgive him for deserting both her and their daughter, maybe then some of the hurt and anger she felt towards him could be assuaged. 

Just as she was about to leap forward and attack those who threatened her, Buffy froze. Looking up, every instinct to the fore, screaming to be heard, she saw a black shape flying through the air and knew who it was. 

Angelus landed directly in front of her, his large body effectively blocking her from the human’s weapons. “Buffy,” he said. And the way he said it was reminiscent of a thousand nights when they had lay in bed together, exploring each other’s bodies until they could no longer move, falling asleep wrapped around the other half of themselves. 

“Angelus,” Buffy whispered, not quite believing what every sense in her body was telling her to be true. For a heartbeat she was frozen, her broken heart telling her that this was the man to desert her, her brain telling her that there was still danger to them and that Angelus beat her. But instinct intervened, that most basic and primal part of her being, and she couldn’t help herself, couldn’t restrain herself and leapt then. She flung herself into his strong, familiar arms that instantly held her close, her mouth attacking his as her left hand gripped his shoulders, afraid that, if she wasn’t touching him, he’d disappear again. 

The kiss, their first in eons, was passionate and bittersweet, reminiscent of times past and vows made. It was all too brief, for all the years they’d been separated, but it was just as well. Too many things lay between them now, broken promises and shattered hearts, for them to pick up where they left off. 

A clamoring echoed in Buffy’s mind, her feelings and his, it was too much and Buffy did the only thing she could do, she struck out at the source of her hurt. Just as suddenly as she kissed him, she broke away from him, eyes flashing in pain, betrayal, and anger, but couldn’t help the thread of longing that wound its way through their newly reopened bond. 

“Bastard!” She yelled, all her vaulted control gone as her fist connected with his jaw sending him stumbling back the few steps that separated him from the group of stunned and silent humans. He collided with one of them and fell to the ground. “Spawn of a Herr’ash Demon!” She stalked forward as she yelled at him but was stopped by, of all things, the group of humans who were going to try to kill her moments before. They surged forward, surrounding Angelus as if they could stop Buffy from getting to her husband. 

A good-looking redhead helped Angelus up, though it was obvious he didn’t need any, all the while shooting looks at Buffy; obviously Red was torn between concern for an apparent friend and wariness at the woman before her. Buffy, for her part, didn’t care; Angelus was her sole focus. However, if that redheaded human didn’t get her hands off Buffy’s husband, the elfin queen wasn’t going to be responsible for her actions. 

A faint wind whipped around the group though it was a still night. Angelus shook the human’s hands off him and stalked the two paces that separated he from his wife, his eyes flashing blood red with his temper, as they had ever since Buffy’s pregnancy. He grabbed Buffy’s upper arms, holding her in front of him, ignoring the two disparage groups surrounding them. 

“Majesty,” Oz said coming to her side and placing a restraining hand on the queen’s arm as she tried to wrench it free. 

The elf tried to think of something more to say but couldn’t. Instead, he glared at his mistress’ husband, not bothering to glance at Gunn when the vampire stepped to Buffy’s other side. It was clear, to both Angelus and Buffy, where their loyalty lie, made doubly so when Drusilla and William stood each on either side of the Firsts. Dru smiled at her sire but remained where she was.

“He’s returned to us,” she said in what was probably meant to be a whisper. “Everything is completed, the first circle is closed and the time is now.” 

The group of humans behind Angelus regarded Dru with a guarded expression, clustering closer behind a brunette woman, while eyeing the entire group before them with what could only be described as suspicion. Plus, it was clear they were outnumbered, at least 2 to 1. 

“Angelus, well,” William said in the wake of Dru’s sentence. “Been a while, hasn’t it?” Well, that was…inane. 

Buffy snorted in laughter, but it sounded like a choked sob to her husband’s ears; still, the haughty look she maintained didn’t slip. Angelus had yet to say anything, too stunned at her appearance to do more than stare. The feel of her arms under his hand also distracted him and he found his thumbs rubbing circles over her bare flesh. He desperately wanted to hold her to him once more, reassure himself that she was real, here before him and real. Not another dream like the thousand of others he’d had over his long existence without her. 

“Buffy,” he tried again, ignoring the humans now at his back and the vampires and elves at hers. He had thought never to see her again; had hoped, had prayed to whoever listened to a fallen vampire’s pleas that one day they would meet, but…and yet there she was. “What are you doing here?” 

“What an asinine question, Angelus.” Buffy snapped and raised her sword, breaking his grip on her right arm. He let both his hands drop though he was loathe to do so. They both knew she wouldn’t kill him, but that didn’t mean maiming wasn’t an option. The sword did catch his eye, however, but he refrained from asking why she carried the Ancient’s sword. 

“I’m here quashing a rebellion. Something that you should have known about had you been where you belonged.” Damn it, she didn’t want to say that, it was too close to giving away the lie she’d spread all these years. 

For a moment, he looked guilty – guilty? He damn well better feel guilt, though Buffy couldn’t ever remember him doing so, for leaving her like that – before it was hidden behind his usual stoic mask. “I’ve been out of the loop a while, Buffy, you k now that.” He took a step closer, wanting to touch her again but knowing it wouldn’t be welcomed at the moment. Lowering his voice so that even the vampires next her needed to strain to hear him, Angelus added, “I’ve missed you, beloved.” 

He saw the softening in her eyes at the endearment before her own mask fell back into place. “Missed me,” she scoffed, just as quiet, unmindful to their audience, too focused on her husband and the hurt flowing through her, but somehow still conscious enough of their need to keep lowered voices. “Missed me and yet you never bothered to return to me. Missed me even when you accused me of being unfaithful; missed me for two hundred years…” Damn the man, he was still the only being able to make her cry. 

“Six hundred and two days and eleven minutes,” Angelus finished quietly in the silence that followed her words. Cognizant of every second that passed without her. 

Buffy stared at him for a full minute. “You know down to the exact second we’ve been apart and yet you did nothing about it?” Her voice was still quiet, suddenly tired and she wondered if anything in her life was ever going to be the same. It was highly doubtful. 

“Every second of every day, beloved,” He agreed, his hand hovering over her cheek. 

Gunn stepped further back from Buffy and spoke a few words to the vampire warriors waiting there. The warriors were a part of the Elite Guard he’d formed to find Angelus; now that the vampire was found, it seemed their main purpose was defunct. Just as well, as he’d pulled them from that task ages ago to help with this war, as part of Buffy’s Royal Guard. In the silence that followed Gunn’s instructions, they dispersed, heading back to their house to wait out the approaching dawn. And warn both Andre and Nicholaus that Angelus had – finally – been found. It was left to those two vampires to decide whether the princess should be informed. 

“Angel, what’s going on?” The lead human, the one with the crossbow, asked. 

“Yeah, Angel, who’s the chick?” 

Whirling, Angelus stalked to the unlucky man in less than the human’s heartbeat. Grabbing him by the scruff of his neck, the vampire raised him high off the ground and growled, “Never speak of my wife in that tone again!” 

Flinging him to the ground, Angel turned his flickering red gaze around the startled group before resting on Buffy. He still couldn’t believe she was there and wanted nothing more than to lose himself in her embrace, ease his soul with her love. But he didn’t move back to her, couldn’t; all the reasons he had for not returning to her in the first place still held. 

“Wife?” the redhead asked. She didn’t, however receive an answer.
**********  
Andre Vladimir of Rezov eyed his lover closely as he stood stone still at his position next to her. 

His face was completely impassive, showing not a hint of the love or concern he felt towards the young half elf, half vampire. His eyes, a deep dark blue, held a hint of concern, if one looked closely enough, and a hint of the all-consuming passion he felt for the heir to the Aurelius throne. 

Frankly, when his Ancient first ordered him to Aurelius, Andre expected to woo the Queen herself, thinking all that Gavrie rambled about; this joining of their two kingdoms meant that, with Angelus mysteriously gone, the path was clear for the Queen of Aurelius to take another lover. And at first, Andre was fine with that, Buffy was a beautiful, powerful woman, and he’d be lying if he didn’t admit to a certain attraction to her. 

He hadn’t counted on Ariana, nor on Buffy herself. The mother was strong, fiercely protective of both her daughter and her kingdom, and loyal and still very much in love with her husband and eternal. 

The daughter…the daughter intrigued Andre at first sight, there was no mistaking that, even if she was so incredibly young. Ariana was feisty, intelligent, beautiful, quick-witted, and, above all, intensely loyal to both the mother she adored, and the father she never met. The first – and only – time Andre spoke a word against Angelus during his first meeting with the women of Aurelius, Buffy was, thankfully, not there, but Ariana was and young thing as she was, flew at him prepared to kill him if need be. 

Andre learned two things that day, the first was that he never wanted Ariana angry with him again, she was a passionate girl, prone to violent outbursts, and he doubted that tendency would change with the coming years, and the second was that despite rumors to the contrary, Angelus was revered here, in both his home and his kingdom. 

Turning his attention back to Ariana now, Andre eyed his lover with a critical eye. It was not her beauty he surveyed, though that was exceptional. Her long black hair was currently pulled back into a tight braid so that it did not fly about uncontrollably, distracting her when she fought. Her eyes, usually a deep golden brown, flashed now with her mother’s magicks, causing them to become a pale, pale purple. She was much taller then her mother, a tribute to her father’s heritage no doubt, though the rest of her facial features were definitely a combination of Buffy and Angelus. 

No, now, as they waited either Buffy’s call or the movements of the second group they’d followed from Quebec City, Andre watched Ariana as she paced around the room in long fluid strides. She was distracted, anxious, and Andre didn’t think it had anything to do with the battle they’d fought for weeks now. 

Grabbing her the next turn in front of him, Andre halted her movements and asked in a low voice, “What’s wrong, love?” 

“He’s here,” Ariana said in an equally quiet voice, not wanting to alert anyone else in the house. No one else, here, knew of Angelus’ condition except she and Andre and the only reason Ariana told him was because she needed to trust him. Which she did, but it was more than that. She told him because she didn’t want any secrets between them, none, not even the possibility that she could one day conceive his child. 

“Who?” 

“My father,” Ariana said in an even lower whisper. 

Eyebrows raising unbelievably high, Andre tried to clamp down on the instinctive urge to repeat what she’d said in a shout. That would certainly alert everyone to their private conversation. “You’re certain?” At her silent nod, he asked, “Are you going to tell your mother?” 

“She knows, I know she does.” 

“Ah. Erm…well-” 

She cut him off before he could voice anything else she didn’t want to hear. “I’m going to find him, Andre. I know they’re together now, their magick is stronger when they’re together than when they’re not. I’m going to find him and meet him.” 

“No,” Andre said in a stern voice. “That’s not what-” 

Again she cut him off. “Don’t even finish that. I know mama wanted me to stay here, but this is something I need to do. If it were you and the father you’d never met, what would you do?” Andre didn’t answer and that was enough for Ariana. “Are you coming?” 

“You bet your elfin ass I am, Ariana,” he said as he signaled his First to stay there. “And don’t think I’m going to be the one to take the fall for this. Buffy will know it was your idea.” 

Snorting in amusement as they walked the few paces to where Nicholaus stood guard, Ariana asked, “Scared of her?” 

“Damn straight, she can kick my ass faster and in more ways that I even want to know about.” Besides, it was always healthy to fear the mother of your lover.
~~~~~~~~~~
Drusilla looked at her friend and queen. 

While it was true, they hadn’t always been friends, it’s difficult to be friends with one who rules, over the years, they had developed a closeness that would have shocked Buffy at their first meeting. When Angelus had…disappeared, they had grown even closer. It was partly due to Drusilla’s desire to see her sire’s kingdom remain intact, but mostly out of a respect for the elf who had so thoroughly entranced the mighty Angelus. 

Plus, Drusilla genuinely liked Buffy, finding more in common with the elf than either thought possible. And when Ariana was born, that common bond grew, between the elf and the vampiress and then between the newborn Princess and the vampiress who guarded her with a fierceness that rivaled her mother’s. 

There wasn’t much the vampiress wouldn’t give to be able to share this burden with Buffy, but she realized it wasn’t hers to share. 

“Nice digs, Angelus,” William said with a scowl, the only one talking at the moment. “Or are you going by Angel now? Didn’t expect you to ever give up your name, so not you,” he commented with constant sarcasm instead, glaring at the other vampire briefly before looking around the spacious hotel once more. “Not quite as grand as home, of course, but what do you expect from the mortal realm?” 

Angelus shot William an angry look before refocusing on his beloved mate. How many nights, he wondered, had he dreamt of their meeting? Every single one of them they had been separated, he admitted. There wasn’t a moment that went by when she hadn’t been in his thoughts. He took a moment to look her, really look at her, comparing the changes in her with the memories he held so closely to his heart.

She had definitely changed, that much was certain even at first glance. Her clothing was leather, loose enough for freedom of movement, but tight enough to make him scowl with the curves she revealed. And leather, since when did his wife wear leather? That was his trademark, it was what he wore, Hunter Leather, while she wore flowing gowns made of the softest silks and satins that made her look ethereal, otherworldly, goddess like. 

She carried the Ancient Sword as if it was her right, and he supposed it was, as she was the one to take up his duties. If she let it lie, if she hadn’t taken it as her own, it would have left her wide open for a challenge. Angelus noted the insignia of Aurelius around her neck, and wondered if she still wore the necklace he’d given her another lifetime ago. Her hand still bore her wedding ring, identical to his, and the vampire noted, with no small amount of pride, that the rings glowed together, pulsing with the light that should never have stopped. 

Raising his eyes to hers, Angelus noted another change. Her eyes, no longer the softness of green grass on a lazy sunny day, now they held a pain and hardness Angelus knew was because of him. Before…everything, her eyes always, without fail, lighted up whenever she saw him, felt him, sensed he was there. Now there was no such acknowledgement, now they bore into him as if trying to imprint all her pain, all the pain he’d caused, onto his soul. 

His soul…the reason he never returned to her and the reason he never could… 

“So let me get this straight,” the de-facto leader of the group spoke up, trying to work his way through all this new information. 

Before he got any further, Gunn cut him off with a scowl and a staff pointed at his throat. “Who in all the realms are you?” 

“Wesley Wyndam-Pryce,” he said surprised that the vampire didn’t know that. Then again, niceties hadn’t exactly been foremost on his mind but he supposed the group of vampires before him would want to know about Angel’s life. Angelus? Why did that name sound vaguely familiar? 

Realizing that they were all probably waiting for the rest of the introductions, Wes hastily added, “That’s Willow,” he said pointing to the redhead who hadn’t stopped looking at Buffy with a jealous look in her eye. From the look she continued to give Angelus, the elf knew the redhead fancied herself in lust with, if not in love with, the souled vampire, and scowled in Willow’s direction. Separation or not, Angelus was Buffy’s husband and nothing, especially not this slip of a human girl, was going to change that. 

“Xander,” the dark haired boy who had called Buffy a chick – William was going to get a good laugh out of that for a long time to come. Xander, for his part, stared at Buffy as if she were the only thing in the world. He had no idea how close he was to being killed. Angelus noted the look of awed lust and growled low in his throat, a scowl prominent on his face as he forcibly restraining himself from ripping the insolent whelp in two. It was nothing less than Xander deserved, not only for calling Angelus various names over the years, but for that annoying – and insulting – look of enthrallment and lust in the boy’s eyes as he stared at Buffy as well. 

“Faith, our slayer,” Wes pointed to a brunette girl leaning negligently against the counter. Faith, for her part, merely looked smug as if all her puzzle pieces already fell into place and she knew what the picture was supposed to look like. In fact, Faith did. Everything was explained now, much clearer than she ever would’ve guessed and Angel’s actions, his reactions, his inactions all coalesced into something that made sense: he was somehow separated from this woman, his wife, and hadn’t ever got over her. If the looks the couple shared were any indication, it’d be longer than the few years Faith knew him before Angel got anywhere near ‘over’ this woman. 

“Riley,” a dark blonde guarding the doors, also looking at Buffy with something akin to longing in his eyes, and also not realizing how close to death he was. Angelus didn’t like anyone looking at his wife, let alone the humans he somehow found himself working with (on occasion) and especially not the ones he couldn’t even stand. Faith, too, looked at Riley with anger; they were mostly exclusive, but Faith was known for her bouts of freedom. Riley, however, professed his love for her every chance he got and never held her need to vent her energy against her. For that, if nothing else, Faith loved him, too. But this licentious look he was casting Angel’s wife was pushing it… 

A low growl rumbled through Angelus, causing the humans to eye him warily and the vampires of the group to smirk. Some things, they noted, didn’t change; their King and Queen were back together and nothing was going to change that. Buffy studiously avoided looking at him, knowing that the moment she did everything she’d suppressed for the past decades would rush back and there’d be no shoring up those defenses again. 

“Doyle,” Wes pointed to a man sitting on the steps with a bottle of whisky in his hands, looking more interested in Angel’s reactions than anything, and a dark haired woman next to him, “And Cordelia.” Cordelia looked worriedly at Doyle, also ignoring the new group. 

“Slayer?” It was the first word Buffy had spoken since they left the alleyway and made their very uncomfortable and super silent way back to the hotel. Why they all agreed to Wes’ suggestion was beyond her, but she wasn’t in the mood to argue. Well, she was, but only if it ended in violence – Buffy needed to work off some of her energy. Plus, the redhead still eyed Angelus with something approaching desire and the man – Doyle – said something about knowing more about the group of vampires they’d just killed.

Oz and Gunn still said nothing, but it was clear that they were less than happy. Drusilla shook her head and tittered, “Shame on you, daddy, losing your edge the moment you left.” 

Buffy frowned at her friend, but said nothing. Then, “Where’s her Watcher?” And the way she said it made it sound like the Slayer was nothing more than a dog to be kept on a leash. Which, the sad fact was, Faith sometimes felt like. 

“I am, more or less, her watcher,” Wesley said. He noted the aggressive look Buffy shot in Faith’s direction then his, but didn’t say anything. She was dangerous, that was certain, and Angel was not going to protect them, though Wes never expected the vampire to do so. “And you are?” 

Buffy looked at Angelus again, not surprised he had never told anyone of her. Not who she was, they didn’t deserve to know that, but the mere fact about her. And while she couldn’t blame him for not trusting these measly humans, it still hurt that he’d not said he was married. Her voice regal and proud, she announced simply, “I am Buffy, Joined Mate, Wife, and Eternal to Angelus, Ancient and Master of Aurelius, King of Vampires.” 

Get out of that one, baby.  

“Wife?” Willow squeaked, but again no one listened to her. 

Wesley’s gaze snapped to his not very friendly ally. “Angelus? Aurelius? Th-th-that Angelus?” 

Angelus, for his part, said nothing, shrugging indifferently at the news. He never lied to the group before him; he just never divulged, well, anything to them. Much of his past was a constant source of guilt to him and best, or so he thought, left behind. How could he possibly explain to any of these people, friendly or not, what it was like, what he had done…? He wasn’t sure he could explain it to Buffy and she was the one being he trusted, still, above all others. 

“You’re Angelus of Aurelius, one of the Ancients?” At Angelus’ indifferent nod, Wes stuttered, “Why have you never said anything?” 

“I knew,” Doyle said from his spot on the stairs.

“Me, too” Cordelia added, her fingers entwining with his. 

“As did I,” Willow chimed in with a raised hand as if she were asking permission. The rest of the group stared at the trio in shock. 

“I think that’s a little unimportant at the moment,” Gunn cut in, smirking at the start of what seemed to be a very entertaining verbal fight. Shame they hadn’t the time for that, it would no doubt be extremely interesting, and his money was on Buffy. He, too, had never forgiven Angelus for deserting them all, though he knew the reasons and wasn’t sure what he would do had it been him, Gunn, rather than Angelus. 

Visibly collecting himself, Wesley nodded, “Right, then, right. Ah…what, um, what are you doing here, then, ah, Buffy?” 

In two strides, Oz was in front of the watcher, his sword to the human’s throat. “She is our Queen and you shall address her as such, human.” 

Angelus suppressed a grin at Oz’s actions and just nodded, not at all surprised at the elfin First’s move. Not much, it seemed, had changed in the last few hundred years. However, the master vampire did catch the elf’s look of interest at Willow. Interesting. When was the last time Angelus saw Oz express interest in anyone? Clara came to mind, and the vampire suppressed his instinctive growl over all the trouble and harm that vampiress caused and returned his attention to the conversation. 

Her eyes locking with Angelus’ Buffy resisted the urge to move closer to him. It was truly no one’s business but his but it didn’t look as if these humans were going to be leaving them alone anytime soon. Privacy obviously wasn’t a notion with which they were familiar. Buffy wondered how much chaos casting a small disappearing spell over her and Angelus for some privacy would create. But they hadn’t the time for that and Buffy had no desire for those before her to realize the extent of her powers. 

“We’re here,” Buffy said carefully, “To suppress a rebellion that’s spilled, unfortunately, into these realms.”

Angelus said nothing, clearly remembering her words addressed to the group before, ‘I’m here for one reason and one only, and it has naught to do with you.’ So it wasn’t because of him she returned to this realm, it wasn’t because she’d finally sought him herself that she was here. It was because there was a rebellion and that rebellion happened to land in the mortal realm. It wasn’t because she finally wanted to find him herself. 

Betrayal slashed through him and while Angelus realized that Buffy had reason to feel that emotion, at least he’d tried. Tried to mend things between them before that fateful night in the Romanian Woods. She’d had two hundred years – forty of her years – to seek him out and while he never made it easy for the elite troops sent after him, if she’d searched herself, Angelus knew he’d meet her half way. Since their first meeting, he was helpless to resist her. 

“We’re heard rumors,” Faith said with a strange look at Angelus as she addressed the woman before her. Granted, the blonde insulted her, but that could wait until later. There was something about this Buffy that Faith couldn’t help but like. Maybe it was the possessive way she looked at Angelus; Lord knew that vampire needed looking out for, and perhaps a nice long shag. Or maybe it was the fact that she commanded such loyalty among her people, something Faith longed to be able to do. 

Eh, it was probably just the way she insulted Wes; he certainly deserved it. 

“Rumors that indicated a war going on,” She noted the dirty look Wes shot her, but ignored it. He wanted information; she was going to get it. Just because he had this idea about joining forces with the rebels meant little to Faith at the moment. “Some big vamp war was going on and that something was happening in some vampire land and that some famous vampire warrior was sent to stop it.”

Buffy said nothing, merely looked at the slayer with a raised eyebrow. She knew, Buffy thought, this slayer knew even if she wasn’t saying it outright, Faith knew more than what she said. Why, the queen wondered, had she simply not said it? 

“There are rebellions; I think war is a little extreme.” Buffy admitted with a small smile for the brunette slayer, “Rebellions that need to be put down before they spread any further.” 

“And you’re here to stop that?” This was from the watcher and Buffy was tempted to ignore everyone else and kill the bothersome man for no other reason then he existed solely to destroy Buffy and her family. Plus he was an annoying pain in her ass who insulted her, her family, her heritage, her husband, and didn’t realize the power that pulsed within the room. And she’d only known him several interminable moments. 

“No,” she said, not sparing the Watcher a glance. “We have no interest in other realms; we’re simply here to stop them.” 

That seemed to be a signal for everyone to start talking at once, though the Slayer and the redhead remained quiet. The couple on the stairs offered their opinion every so often, but mostly talked between themselves, watching the new group, same as Faith and Willow. The argument was more between Wesley, Riley, and Xander, who argued – rather loudly – about this rebellion. Buffy was sure they hadn’t listened to a word she said in regards to it and they simply wanted to dust some vamps. 

Wesley was calling for order, trying to show he had control over the situation, when the lobby doors of the hotel opened and another group entered. A staff-armed guard took point, with another formidable looking man behind a beautiful woman. Riley, ‘guarding’ the doors, stood with his arms folded across his chest. 

“Vampire,” he said and immediately reached for a complicated and fancy looking weapon in his belt. It’d taken him a while, but he was finally able to discern vampires from humans. He raised his weapon, not saying anything more, and tried to stop the entering beings. The guard raised his staff, but the woman brushed past him, ignoring the scowl he sent her way. 

Without really taking the time to look at the man in front of her, Ariana let fly her fist, followed immediately by a swift kick to the stomach and laid out Riley in no time flat. Giving the man, now prone on the floor, an amused and disdained look, she calmly stepped over him. Quickly surveying the group before her, Ariana ignored all of them and stepped up to her mother, bowing slightly to the rest of the vampire group. 

Buffy vowed to have words with both Andre and Nicholaus later. 

“Hello, mother,” she said with a twinkle in her golden eyes Buffy didn’t like. She shot a look to Andre and Nicholaus, but they merely shrugged. Buffy eyed her daughter with a scowl already on her face, while Drusilla laughed. The humans, now remembering themselves, quickly picked up their weapons and once more pointed them at the intruders.

Then, in a move that shocked the humans anew, the tall, beautiful stranger walked up to Angel and bowed again. Eyes of gold bore into the being in front of her, thoroughly inspecting the father that she had only known through stories and the tenuous strands of the bond that joined mother to father then finally to daughter. It didn’t take a genius to see why no one ever challenged the veracity of who her father was, even if said father doubted it himself. It was like looking into a mirror and her father could no longer deny the truth staring him in the face; she truly was the quintessential mixing of her mother and father there was no doubt about it. 

And that pleased her on several layers as she tilted her head, smirking. “Hello, daddy.”

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