A Celtic Dance (Part 4) by Safarigirl
Carrying the seal and Giles' instructions, they drove out to the peninsula overlooking the
bay and the Claddagh as the last bit of sunset colour slipped from the sky. Buffy thought
that she'd never seen such a lonely or beautiful spot. They climbed to the top of the
windswept hill and just paused for a moment.
The stars were slowly sparkling into existence. They'd never looked so clear or close in
California, nor had she ever seen so many. Against the inky backdrop of the sky, she
could even see the glowing cloud of the Milky Way.
Angel stood beside her, one hand casually across her shoulders.
"We have a lot of work to do, Buff," he reminded her gently.
He understood her wonder. The stars over Galway Bay were something he hadn't seen in a
long time, either.
She was silent so long he wondered if she was reconsidering the task before them. When
she spoke, her voice sounded unnaturally loud in the stillness. He jumped.
"Angel, are you ready for this?"
With all his heart, he wanted to tell her yes. She needed to know she could depend on him
in the test ahead. Truth was, he didn't even trust himself.
"I don't know."
She turned in his arms, staring into his eyes. "I'm pretty sure I'm not. Angel, what do we do
if it takes us? If we can't stop in time? I don't want to lose you again."
He closed his eyes against the agony he saw in hers. It was an agony echoed in his own
heart.
"I don't want to lose you, either. Buffy, you're strong. You can stand against this. If you
have to, you'll kill me. If anything goes wrong. Right?"
It was Buffy's turn to reassure him. "I can't promise that," she said. "But I'll do what I
can."
Angel had known what her answer would be. He shook his head.
"You'll do what you have to." He semi-smiled. "You always have. You're much better at that
than I am." He let go of her. "Come on, we've got a pile of digging to do."
By the time they had exposed the carved spiral in the bedrock that Angel told her was the
portal, It was nearly midnight. Buffy was filthy, her hair had come loose, and she was
sincerely glad Angel couldn't see the rip in her blouse. Digging was not her forte.
Angel glanced at the sky, sensing the time in that vampiric way of his. "It's almost time,
Buffy. Get into position."
She remained where she was. "I don't know which way is north."
Yet another thing he never knew about Buffy. She was directionally challenged. Would she
never cease to amaze him? He pointed in the appropriate direction and took his own place
on the south edge of the rock. In the centre of the portal, he placed the seal, design side
up. He began to strip off his shirt.
"Hey, it doesn't say that nudity is required."
He almost smiled. "Relax. I just have to have my tattoo exposed."
"Oh. I knew that." Buffy swallowed as Angel's defined chest became visible. To her eyes,
that smooth expanse of hard muscle was temptation incarnate. She quickly looked up at
the stars. Slayer thoughts, think Slayer thoughts, she told herself. Not Angel thoughts.
He took a small silver object from his pants pocket and handed it to her.
"Here. Love symbol." His voice was gruff.
"The Claddagh ring you gave me? Where did you get it?" She cradled it in her cupped
palm.
"Found it in the mansion one day. I had a feeling you might want it again, so I kept it."
Buffy stared down at the small silver band, with the hands, heart and crown design. She
remembered when Angel gave it to her. She had thought the prospect of him leaving for a
year was agony. Then she'd discovered how much love could really hurt. A single tear
splashed onto the ring, and she quickly placed it beside Angel's on the stone.
"Now what?"
"Now we dance. Just follow my steps."
"Giles said nothing about dancing."
"It's done to activate the portal before we seal it."
Standing very tall, arms straight by his sides, Angel raised one knee, pointed one foot, and
began to tap the rhythm. Buffy did her best to imitate him as his feet flew over the stone,
creating a lacework of staccato beats that echoed in the night. Heels and toes flashed in
synchrony as the two lovers danced in the starlight. Buffy felt as though she were floating
above the earth, occasionally reaching down to touch it. She began to smile, but Angel's
expression remained grim.
They finished the dance in a flying flourish of high kicks. The spiral lines in the stone
glowed a warm gold, then green, then blue.
Angel produced a knife from somewhere. There was a light sheen of sweat on his chest,
and the curves of his muscles were darkly shadowed in the night. Buffy realized her
sudden warmth had nothing to do with the dance they had just finished.
Hastily, she pulled out her own Swiss Army knife. Opening the blade, Angel mirroring her
every move, she was poised to slice her palm when he buckled to the ground, crying out.
Not daring to abandon her post, she yelled, "Angel, what is it?"
"The tattoo - it burns -" She could see the weird winged cat glowing red against his skin.
The design on the Seal, too, was starting to glow.
"Hurry, Buffy - it's about to open!"
She dashed forward, seized his arm, slashed his palm, then her own, and clasped his hand
with both of hers. He squeezed back with all his strength, and their mingled blood welled
between their fingers, splattering on the stone below. A small trail of smoke rose from the
first drop as it sizzled on the hot rock.
"Kiss me - now!" Angel was in full vamp-face; the magic was having that effect on him.
Not thinking now, just reacting, Buffy did what her heart had been screaming for her to do
for so long. She crushed her lips against his, willing her warmth into him, wrapping her
arms around him. He was kissing back, with all the longing, desperation and desire he'd
ept bottled inside. It was wild, it was wondrous. She was drunk with the joy of being in his
arms again.
For Angel, Buffy was his entire universe now. Her racing pulse thudded in his ears; he
could smell her desire, almost taste it. He raked strong hands through her beautiful hair,
not caring that it was dusty, not caring if he got tangled in it and never got out again.
Yes. Her heart jumped. He was coming to her. All the sadness, all the hurt was swept away
as she pressed her body against his. Every nerve tingled, every inch of her skin burned for
him. She slid her soft hands over the smooth skin on his chest, feeling the muscles tense
and relax under her touch. As he slipped eager hands under the hem of her shirt and lifted
it over her head, she practically screamed her triumph. She couldn't remember ever being
so wild for him before.
Angel was lost in her, his senses filled with her. He felt only the smooth satin of her skin,
smelled only the scent of her, heard only her heart beating, tasted only the sweetness of
her mouth, and saw only starlight bathing her in its magic glow. A small part of his brain
was trying to tell him he shouldn't, couldn't do this...
As Buffy slid her hands down his cool shoulders, she felt an unfamiliar warmth. Part of her
brain registered the fact that it was Angel's tattoo. She froze. What were they doing?
She stood there, breathing hard, fighting to regain control as Angel's soft, tantalizing lips
roamed her body. In the distance, she could hear screaming laughter - the Sidhe! Icy fear
stabbed her guts. She jumped back from her vampire lover. Breaking their embrace was
searing agony.
Angel snarled in protest.
" Don't tease me, Buffy," he growled. He was still in vampire mode, lost in the moment. She
could feel the waves of sexual heat rolling off him. Every ounce of her being urged her to
return to his arms.
"Angel - the portal! We have to destroy it..." He advanced on her with glowing eyes. In a
moment he would pounce on her. Now what?
He did pounce, grabbing her arms and drawing her towards him.
He lowered his head - for a kiss or an attack, Buffy wasn't sure. By some instinct, she got
her stake between them. He halted, fangs inches from her throbbing carotid artery, and
growled softly.
"Don't make me use this, Angel." Her voice broke on the words.
His face morphed back to normal, but he didn't release her.
"I thought you loved me."
"I do. That's why I'm stopping this now. Do you realize what we were about to do?"
For a second he hesitated. Then, fast as a lightning strike, he seized the stake. She lunged
after it - a second too late. Angel turned from her, raising the stake high above his own
heart.
"NO!" The scream was ripped from her throat as he brought the stake down, sharp and
fast, and plunged it-
Into the glowing centre of the Seal.
Light exploded from the rock, streaming heavenward. The portal yawned open; Angel
teetered on the brink, trying to brace himself against the howling wind that followed the
light. The night rang with demented screams and sobs.
Buffy sprang forward. The Seal slipped over the opposite edge of the portal, tumbling
down, down, down into the abyss below. The shrieks were bursting her eardrums now. A
final burst of light caused Angel to stumble; before her horrified eyes, Buffy watched him
go over the edge.
No! Not again! Reacting with a speed that impressed even herself, Buffy threw herself
down at the edge of the pit. She caught Angel's outstretched hand just before it passed out
of reach. He was unbelievably heavy. If it weren't for her Slayer powers, Buffy's arm
would have been jerked out of its socket.
The portal was closing. She had to move fast. Bracing herself against the rock, she pulled
with all her strength. It wasn't enough.
The hole was closing faster now. If she didn't get Angel out soon, he'd be gone and her
arm would be stuck in solid rock. Forever. It was not a fate Buffy cared to think about.
Angel realized it too. "Buffy, let me go!" He shouted. "I'll be all right!"
Ha. Why did guys always have to say such stupid things?
"I don't think so, Angel. If I pull you high enough, can you grab the edge?"
"Sure. Hurry!" His eyes held a glint of panic in them. Despite his bravado, he wasn't
anxious to spend more time in Hell.
Buffy took a deep breath and focussed, the way Giles was always telling her to do.
Everything narrowed to her single task.
Pull Angel up. That's all she had to do in this moment.
With a massive effort, she got to her knees, then her feet. She yanked on his arm with all
her might and love. He grabbed the edge, and slithered out of the rapidly narrowing
crack. Then they were rolling away from the portal, crying in each other's arms. They
came to rest at the edge of the rock and sat up.
"Do you think we did it?" Buffy asked. She was breathing hard. Even for the Slayer, this
was a close call.
Angel paused a moment before replying. In her bra and jeans, Buffy looked like
everything he wanted in a woman. A small sigh escaped his lips. She was everything he
wanted, and could never have.
She was also waiting for an answer.
"Look at the stone." Angel told her. "It's smooth. The portal is gone, Buffy."
"Oh." Then, tentatively, "Are you all right?"
One hand rubbed absently at his tattoo. "I think I'm in one piece. How about you?"
She smiled. "Well, as long as you don't count being massively sexually frustrated, yeah, I'm
fine."
He almost returned the smile. "I know what you mean."
Her laughter was muffled as she pulled her shirt back on. Handing him his, she gazed out
across the tranquil scene.
"It really is beautiful here, Angel. Can we stay a few days?" Her voice was wistful.
"You sure you want to? You have school."
She shrugged. "Two or three days won't make much difference. I want to learn more about
where you come from."
Angel did smile, now. Ireland was working its magic on her. "Well, maybe I could be
persuaded to play tour guide."
"I'd like that."
"Then we'll do it." He stood, offering her his hand. Arm in arm, they strolled down the
hillside, back towards the glittering lights of Galway City.
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