Two angels were sitting in the empty, pristine white living room of Angel Headquarters. Rina, who at 17 was the younger angel by five years, was sitting at the computer in the corner. Against Angel rules, she had hacked into a Buffy site and was engrossed in a heated NC-17 story. Krissy, the other angel and Rina's best friend, was bored out of her mind. She walked all around the room, inspecting every corner of what she had already memorized.
"Krissy, come here," Rina ordered without taking her eyes off the screen. "You have *got* to read this."
Krissy rushed over, thankful for something to do. She looked at the screen excitedly, and the sighed. "I already read this one. Don't get attached. She dies."
"Hey!" Rina protested. "Meanie." She stuck her tongue out at her friend as she closed the story window. Despite the fact that she was about half way through writing one, she hated character deaths. She turned to Krissy. "Now what? That was the last story!"
"Sorry, sweetie," Krissy apologized. "I didn't mean to spoil it, I'm just bored."
Rina had to laugh. "That's a switch. Usually I'm the bored one."
"I know, I know. Hey, wanna watch a Buffy tape?" Krissy asked suddenly. "I have Doppelgangland."
"Yeah! Willow and Giles huggage!" Rina said, jumping up and down. She ran to the VCR, popping the tape into the machine, and they got comfy on the couch. As the opening credits started, Rina got a contemplative look on her face. She paused the tape, still staring at the screen.
Krissy looked concerned. Sure, Rina had her odd moments, but this took the cake. Then she saw Rina's face and knew exactly what she was thinking. "Another Angel turned Cupid mission?" she asked, trying not to show how desperate she was leave AH and do something.
Rina nodded, still staring speculatively. Krissy glanced at the TV. "We’re going to Sunnydale, aren't we."
"Uh-huh."
"Let me guess. Willow and Giles."
"Uh-uh."
Krissy was surprised. Willow and Giles were Rina's absolute favorite couple. And Rina had a lot of favorite couples, most of which, like this one, Krissy disagreed with. "Willow and Xander?"
"Nope."
"Willow and Angel?"
"Nuh-uh."
"Willow and Spike."
"Negative on that." Now Rina was looking at Krissy and grinning.
"Willow and. . .Ripper?"
"Nein."
"There isn't anyone else for Willow!" Krissy exclaimed.
"That's because we're not helping Willow," Rina informed her, her brown eyes sparkling.
"Cordy? Faith? Xander? Joyce?" Krissy guessed, completely blanking. Willow was Rina's favorite character, and she couldn't imagine Rina not doing this for her.
"No, nope, uh-uh, and yuck," Rina giggled. "Give up?"
"Yes."
"Buffy. . .and Oz." Rina sat back, satisfied. Krissy stared at her. "Well, I need to check their Guardian Angelships, but think about it. We both like Willow with other people, so where does that leave Oz? And Angel's leaving Buffy high and dry. So, let's put them together," she said, practically skipping to the files. "Oh, and by the way, Mulder and Scully are doing great. They love Mulder's waterbed and mirrors," Rina laughed. "All right. Here we go. Summers, Buffy Anne. No problems here. And. . .Krissy? Does Oz have any other names?" Rina questioned, looking up. That had never occurred to her before.
"Uh, no?" Krissy said uncertainly.
"Okay. Oz. Just Oz. No problems here, either. It's a very unprotected bunch over in Sunnydale." She put the cards back and faced her partner-in-crime. "Ready to go?"
"Oh, yeah," Krissy laughed. "So ready."
Ten minutes later, the duo found themselves in Sunnydale, California in front of the Bronze.
"Well, now what?" Rina asked.
"I have no idea," Krissy admitted.
"Not a one?" Rina teased. "I mean, seeing as how you were desperate for a trip out. I'm not completely stupid, you know."
Krissy grinned. "I know." There was a silence as something else occurred to her. "Rina, Oz and Willow are still going out. How are you going to set up Buffy and Oz if Oz is already taken?"
Rina shrugged. "Already taken care of. They're currently inside breaking up because they realize that their hearts belong to other people."
"Okay," Krissy nodded. Then what Rina said registered. "They? Their? Other people?! Rina, who's Willow thinking about?"
Her friend smiled mysteriously. "Wouldn't you like to know?" she tossed off with a grin. "That's a hint in itself, but it's not our focus right now. Oz is, and we know who he's thinking about. If I did this right, anyway." They saw the redheaded hacker exit the bronze looking sad. "Well, there's our cue. Don't worry about Willow. Things will work out really well. Are you ready?"
Krissy decided to push Rina's plans for Willow out of her mind. She had a vague suspicion that the man Willow was thinking about was not Xander. "Okay, Rina. Let's go."
They walked inside the crowded hangout and looked around. "Do you see him?" Rina shouted to her friend.
"What?" Krissy screamed back. Somehow it didn't seem so loud on TV.
After a few minutes of searching, the Angels located Oz sitting at the bar. Rina pointed, Krissy nodded, and they pushed their way to his side. Flushed, the thrust themselves out of the crowd, landing one on each side of their new victim. . .um, guardee.
"Hi!" they chorused, sitting on the seats next to the now blonde-haired boy.
Oz looked at them both, non-plussed. "Hi."
"I'm Rina, and this is Krissy," the younger Angel introduced.
"I'm Oz," he said, drinking his Coke.
Rina and Krissy's eyes met over his head. 'Should we?' Rina mouthed. Krissy nodded.
"We know who you are, Oz," Krissy told him.
"Okay," he said.
"We're Guardian Angels," Rina explained.
"Mine?" After a year or so knowing about the Hellmouth, nothing was too unusual.
"No, Jax's. But Jax has a few thousand others, and we had nothing to do, so we decided to help you, and that sounds kinda mean, but I didn't mean to sound like you were a charity case or pathetically in need of help, because you're not and. . ." Rina trailed off as Oz and Krissy stared at her. She blushed. "Sorry."
"'So okay," Oz reassured her.
"Anyway, here are our IDs. See?"
Oz took the proffered cards and read them.
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Rina Stewart March 1996
Emrald11@aol.com NC-17 Approved
IL/IA State Leader, Guardian of Jax's Hot Kisses
IRFC Newsletter Asst. Editor
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Kristine Locatis March 1996
MsKrissy76@aol.com NC-17 Approved
NW States Co-leader, Guardian of Jax's Dreams
IRFC Newsletter Editor
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Cool," he said, handing them back. "So what do Guardian Angels do?"
"Lots of things," Rina chirped. "Beyond what's on our cards, Krissy's the Angel Quote person and does pretty much anything they ask her to. I'm second in charge of the Angel Quotes, and I used to recap. Plus we're both Big Angel Sisters. There are tons and tons of other jobs, though. This assignment we're on with you is self-designed, not endorsed by the Angels in any way, and is basically a Cupid mission."
"For me?" Oz asked.
"Yep. Don't worry, we've done this before with good results," Rina grinned.
"Twice, actually. We're two for two. Can't beat that record!" Krissy added.
"Well, okay, but. . ."
"Oh, don't worry about the girl. We know who you want," Rina told him.
"Really? Then you know that she's rather unattainable," he told them. "That was my despondent voice, by the way."
Rina raised her eyebrows. "You have so got to work on those emotions, sweetie. Anyway, we're Angels! Nothing is impossible." She stopped and reconsidered. "Well, almost nothing. Otherwise I'd be a size 2, and Nicky Brendon, Tony Head, Ryan Phillipe, and Aaron, the cute student teacher at my brother's school, would be my loving boy toys. While, of course, I was Mrs. David Duchovny. But I digress," she said hastily, noting Krissy's amused expression, and knew her friend was thinking about when Rina had met Mulder. "As I was saying, we can help. Um, you do want Buffy, yes?" Rina suddenly realized that neither of them had said Buffy's name yet.
"Yep," Oz nodded. Rina breathed a sigh of relief. "But she's my now very recent again ex-girlfriend's best friend. And in love with Angel, to boot."
"Oh, that's nothing," Krissy shrugged. "We did almost the exact same scenario for Pacey and Joey a few months ago."
"Yep," Rina agreed. "Stay here, okay? We'll be right back." They disappeared into the crowd and Oz shook his head.
"Huh." With that, he went back to his soda.
Twenty minutes later, the duo reappeared next to Oz.
"Okay, here's the deal," Rina said, all businesslike. "Buffy's on her way over here now. Will called her earlier and explained why you guys broke up, and told her that she would understand if you guys started dating, because she wants you both to be happy. Buffy was going to wait a few days, or weeks, but we got into her mind and made her come now. It was fun," Rina grinned.
"So, here she comes," Krissy told him, catching sight of the blonde slayer.
"Great," Rina said, excited. Anyway, Oz, it was a pleasure helping you. You were by far the easiest person we've worked with," she laughed. "Good luck," they called as they disappeared once again into the crowd.
Oz watched them go with some admiration. They had that mysterious-in-a-giggly way thing down to an art, he mused. He felt a presence at his side and turned to find Buffy there.
"Do you really love me?" she asked without preamble.
"Yeah. For a few months now, actually, it just took me awhile to realize it," he explained.
She smiled. "I love you, too, Oz. I always thought it was Angel, but it hasn't been for a long time. You're the one for me."
He nodded. "I feel the same way."
They stood there in silence for a moment, until Buffy broke into a grin. "Just so you know, Oz, I'm not nearly as patient as Willow in regards to smoochies."
He smiled at her. "I have no problem with that."
As he leaned forward and kissed her, Rina gave a mushy sigh from the crowd where they had been watching the unfolding scene. Satisfied their mission had succeeded, they turned and fought their way to the exit.
"That was so sweet," Rina gushed when they had finally made it outside. "his living vicariously has its perks sometimes, although I would love for someone to come set me up with my true love like this."
"What about Willow?" Krissy asked. "Have we left her in the lurch?"
Rina smiled. "Nope. I have plans for her now."
Krissy groaned. "It's Giles, isn't it. You have her dreaming about Giles."
Rina shrugged. "Well, geez Louise, Lady K, you know that we can't set anyone up who didn't already love each other. Giles is dreaming about her, too. So, this is the right thing. Are you ready?"
Krissy sighed. "I guess. Let's go."
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