The Aftermath

Angel sighed, looking at the ground as they walked home. John wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"Don't be mad at him, Angel. He's...he's always protected me. He sees it as his job ever since we were kids."

"So he has to be a prick about it?"

"He's really touchy on family...it's his way of caring." Then a thought occurred to him. "Why did you defend Sophie? "

"I didn't want to, but you seemed so worried about Nick killing her."

"Would you have killed her if it wasn't me stopping you?"

"Yes," she whispered lightly, watching the cement.

"Is that what...what mad you made about Nick? That he could've gotten to her before you?"

"No. I would have killed her earlier at your place, but I felt that it was your choice to choose since she is the one that started you onto a new life."

Silently, he nodded.

"I'm sorry for acting like that, my temper sometimes runs my actions at times."

"It's understandable. I'm sorry it happened to me".

"But are you sorry that you are alive?" she asked him.

She frowned a little when he said that, her shoulders dropping a bit, falling silent.

"Angel...it's just...I'm confused, and you make it easier."

She looked up at him, slightly doubtful that she made anything easier. It sure as hell wasn't easy for him to have an undead being as a girlfriend.

He touched her chin gently. "I love you Angel."

A small smile crossed her lips. "I love you too John."

Taking a deep breath, he said, "Besides, there's some pluses to my new life I suppose." He flexed his muscles. She had to laugh softly, the smile growing. A hand moved over his flexed arm, gently running fingertips over the humps.

"Yes, and very nice they are."

He winked at her and patted his gut. She giggled some, slipping her arms around his neck, she rose on her toes to press a soft kiss to his lips.

His own arms wrapped around her. "So...cabin, eh?"

"Yeah.... upper state, more towards Maine." She smiled.

They started to walk. "Maine. Always wanted to go there."

"Eh, I could use a change, couldn't you? I could...keep you warm? I got fur this time."

"True. I warn you though, John. You will hate me terribly by the end of this."

"For you to learn how to use what you now have, I will have to basically hurriedly push you to learn them."

He frowned a little.

"Right down to how quick you can transform into your alter self...or partial parts onto your human form."

"What?" he didn't comprehend.

"I will force you to learn to really quickly turn into a panther, and learn how to transform parts of yourself into that of a panther."

"Maybe you are right...I won't like this."

"And I will make you hunt as a panther."

"Well, by all means, let's get on with it, Yoda."

She poked him in the stomach, glaring lightly. He flashed her a white smile.

"You might want to bring lots of toothpaste and mouth mints."

"Not for me, but because you might be needing them. I don't think you will favor the taste of blood and raw meat.

"You will hunt as a panther, and eat what you catch. Its called surviving."

"We will work for two days, and rest for two days. I will help you on the hunts at first."

He nodded, listening.

"On the days of rest, we can do whatever you want."

"Ok...seems like a plan."

"John... have you been to the church... recently?"

He looked at her then away. "That's another thing...I've decided to leave the church."

"Okay. Have you given your resignation to them?

"I was working on it."

Angel nodded softly. "Okay, we won't leave till after you have turned it in. I don't want anything to distract you, other than me."

He smiled a little. She slipped her arms around his waist as she turned the corner to go down the street towards her loft. He followed afterwards in silence. Angel slipped away from him as they approached her front door, fishing out the keys from her jacket pocket.

He nodded. "Yeah, a little."

"Want to stick to the frozen dinners and catnip... or go out to eat?" She smiled at him as she unlocked the door and opened it, stepping inside.

"Catnip, catnip. Is there vampire nip?"

He brightened suddenly:: "REALLY?!"

"Of course... sex and blood." She walked into the loft, leaving the front door open for him, she dropped the keys onto the table and the jacket on the chair.

"Oh." He frowned slightly. "Isn't sex like…human nip too?"

"Yes, sorta... but that's where the blood part differs from most humans."

"Wanting to try it?" A brow rose above a fiery light blue eye as it stared at John, hands came to rest upon leather clad hips, which were set to the side at a light angle.

"The blo--oh the other thing..." He blinked a little, then walked closer to her. "Might not be a bad idea"

She smiled mischievously as he approached her, head tilting to the side lightly. "You aren't a priest in mind anymore…"

"Animal boy now, actually." His strong arms wrapped around her waist.

Her smaller body pressed tightly to his as she kissed him, her arms moved over his shoulders before she pulled back lightly to whisper, "Are you sure you're ready for this, John?"

He nuzzled her neck a little. "I gotta grow up some day, don't I?" He bumped her hip towards the bedroom.

She smiled. "Yes... you do have to grow up, and learn how to enjoy life to the fullest." She took one of his hands as she moved towards the stairs leading up to the bedroom area.

John, exhausted, had fallen into a sleep rather fast, spooning Angel and holding her protectively in his strong arms. She smiled softly at his sleeping form; a hand gently brushed down the side of his face as she kissed his cheek softly. Despite his sleeping state, a small smile formed on his lips. She settled down in his arms, pulling the sheets over their bodies as she slowly slipped into sleep, falling asleep listening to the sound of his heart beating, the smell of his body, and the warmth of it.

John woke up an hour later, and untangled himself from Angel to use the bathroom. Making sure he hadn't woken her, he used the bathroom, washed his hands, and came back to bed to hold her. Golden hair lay under her head like a halo, when the bed moved once more, her eyes cracked open a bit to look at him, a soft smile slipped over her lips.

"Hey," he greeted softly, rubbing her cheek softly with his index finger.

"Hi…" she whispered softly, cuddling close to him. "Sleep well?"

"Yeah…but it's overrated." He grinned down at her. "And you?"

Angel leaned up lightly to kiss him softly. "It was good."

"Good to hear." He pulled her closer.

She smiled softly, a hand gently moved over his chest and stomach. "Are you okay, after this?"

"Yeah." John took one of her hands and kissed the fingers of it softly. "Do you have any regrets?"

She shook her head gently, smiling softly. "No, I don't. Do you?"

"No, no. How could I?"

She kissed him softly. "I love you, John."

"I know." He kissed her back. "Love you more."

She smiled softly at him when he said that. "Do you?" She kissed him a bit deeper then the kiss before.

In between kisses, he murmured, "Oh yeah."

"Wanna prove it?" She grinned as she kissed him again, her arms slipped over his shoulders again.

"If you're up to it," he replied, a wild cat grin on his lips, not taking a moment longer to get…carried away.

"Of course I'm up to it, the question is... are you?"

And she was off in the frenzy that they were entangled with.


	The Aftermath Angel sighed, looking at the ground as they walked home. John wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Don't be mad at him, Angel. He's...he's always protected me. He sees it as his job ever since we were kids." "So he has to be a prick about it?" "Angel!" "Well, its true!" "He's really touchy on family...it's his way of caring." Then a thought occurred to him. "Why did you defend Sophie? " "I didn't want to, but you seemed so worried about Nick killing her." "Would you have killed her if it wasn't me stopping you?" "Yes," she whispered lightly, watching the cement. "Is that what...what mad you made about Nick? That he could've gotten to her before you?" "No. I would have killed her earlier at your place, but I felt that it was your choice to choose since she is the one that started you onto a new life." Silently, he nodded. "I'm sorry for acting like that, my temper sometimes runs my actions at times." "It's understandable. I'm sorry it happened to me". "But are you sorry that you are alive?" she asked him. "Part of me is." She frowned a little when he said that, her shoulders dropping a bit, falling silent. "Angel...it's just...I'm confused, and you make it easier." She looked up at him, slightly doubtful that she made anything easier. It sure as hell wasn't easy for him to have an undead being as a girlfriend. He touched her chin gently. "I love you Angel." A small smile crossed her lips. "I love you too John." Taking a deep breath, he said, "Besides, there's some pluses to my new life I suppose." He flexed his muscles. She had to laugh softly, the smile growing. A hand moved over his flexed arm, gently running fingertips over the humps. "Yes, and very nice they are." He winked at her and patted his gut. She giggled some, slipping her arms around his neck, she rose on her toes to press a soft kiss to his lips. His own arms wrapped around her. "So...cabin, eh?" "Yeah.... upper state, more towards Maine." She smiled. They started to walk. "Maine. Always wanted to go there." "It's cold." "So is New York." "Maine is colder." "Eh, I could use a change, couldn't you? I could...keep you warm? I got fur this time." "True. I warn you though, John. You will hate me terribly by the end of this." "How so? " "For you to learn how to use what you now have, I will have to basically hurriedly push you to learn them." He frowned a little. "Right down to how quick you can transform into your alter self...or partial parts onto your human form." "What?" he didn't comprehend. "I will force you to learn to really quickly turn into a panther, and learn how to transform parts of yourself into that of a panther." "Maybe you are right...I won't like this." "And I will make you hunt as a panther." "Well, by all means, let's get on with it, Yoda." She poked him in the stomach, glaring lightly. He flashed her a white smile. "You might want to bring lots of toothpaste and mouth mints." "Gee. Thanks." "Not for me, but because you might be needing them. I don't think you will favor the taste of blood and raw meat. "Raw...meat..." "You will hunt as a panther, and eat what you catch. Its called surviving." "We will work for two days, and rest for two days. I will help you on the hunts at first." He nodded, listening. "On the days of rest, we can do whatever you want." "Ok...seems like a plan." "John... have you been to the church... recently?" He looked at her then away. "That's another thing...I've decided to leave the church." "Okay. Have you given your resignation to them? "I was working on it." Angel nodded softly. "Okay, we won't leave till after you have turned it in. I don't want anything to distract you, other than me." He smiled a little. She slipped her arms around his waist as she turned the corner to go down the street towards her loft. He followed afterwards in silence. Angel slipped away from him as they approached her front door, fishing out the keys from her jacket pocket. "Hungry?" He nodded. "Yeah, a little." "Want to stick to the frozen dinners and catnip... or go out to eat?" She smiled at him as she unlocked the door and opened it, stepping inside. "Catnip, catnip. Is there vampire nip?" "Yes..". He brightened suddenly:: "REALLY?!" "Of course... sex and blood." She walked into the loft, leaving the front door open for him, she dropped the keys onto the table and the jacket on the chair. "Oh." He frowned slightly. "Isn't sex like…human nip too?" "Yes, sorta... but that's where the blood part differs from most humans." "Oh...hmm." "Wanting to try it?" A brow rose above a fiery light blue eye as it stared at John, hands came to rest upon leather clad hips, which were set to the side at a light angle. "The blo--oh the other thing..." He blinked a little, then walked closer to her. "Might not be a bad idea" She smiled mischievously as he approached her, head tilting to the side lightly. "You aren't a priest in mind anymore…" "Animal boy now, actually." His strong arms wrapped around her waist. Her smaller body pressed tightly to his as she kissed him, her arms moved over his shoulders before she pulled back lightly to whisper, "Are you sure you're ready for this, John?" He nuzzled her neck a little. "I gotta grow up some day, don't I?" He bumped her hip towards the bedroom. She smiled. "Yes... you do have to grow up, and learn how to enjoy life to the fullest." She took one of his hands as she moved towards the stairs leading up to the bedroom area. -xxx- John, exhausted, had fallen into a sleep rather fast, spooning Angel and holding her protectively in his strong arms. She smiled softly at his sleeping form; a hand gently brushed down the side of his face as she kissed his cheek softly. Despite his sleeping state, a small smile formed on his lips. She settled down in his arms, pulling the sheets over their bodies as she slowly slipped into sleep, falling asleep listening to the sound of his heart beating, the smell of his body, and the warmth of it. John woke up an hour later, and untangled himself from Angel to use the bathroom. Making sure he hadn't woken her, he used the bathroom, washed his hands, and came back to bed to hold her. Golden hair lay under her head like a halo, when the bed moved once more, her eyes cracked open a bit to look at him, a soft smile slipped over her lips. "Hey," he greeted softly, rubbing her cheek softly with his index finger. "Hi…" she whispered softly, cuddling close to him. "Sleep well?" "Yeah…but it's overrated." He grinned down at her. "And you?" Angel leaned up lightly to kiss him softly. "It was good." "Good to hear." He pulled her closer. She smiled softly, a hand gently moved over his chest and stomach. "Are you okay, after this?" "Yeah." John took one of her hands and kissed the fingers of it softly. "Do you have any regrets?" She shook her head gently, smiling softly. "No, I don't. Do you?" "No, no. How could I?" She kissed him softly. "I love you, John." "I know." He kissed her back. "Love you more." She smiled softly at him when he said that. "Do you?" She kissed him a bit deeper then the kiss before. In between kisses, he murmured, "Oh yeah." "Wanna prove it?" She grinned as she kissed him again, her arms slipped over his shoulders again. "If you're up to it," he replied, a wild cat grin on his lips, not taking a moment longer to get…carried away. "Of course I'm up to it, the question is... are you?" And she was off in the frenzy that they were entangled with.