Okay, I amend that.. They can be happy. They can have stolen moments of bliss. But there will always be sorrow in their souls. They will never be lighthearted; not fully.

No one ever is, really. They'd be as happy as two people who've been through hell can be. But happy as a state is not an all-the-time thing, and it's not always a synonym for lighthearted. It's more moments of light that shine though the dark, the little pinch of something that allows for a measure of contentment. They'd still be able to laugh, to smile, to enjoy waking up together.

Ignorance isn't bliss, it's just ignorance. Babies have moments of deep terror and unhappiness without knowledge. It's part of the human condition, as is finding something to get us through the day. Humans: flawed design, but able to take a hell of a lot.

t / personal feelings on happiness

You're right... But I think that because they know of true evil, because they fight it, and because the fight will never end, they can never be without sorrow and dread. Or, you know, maybe that will make them cherish the good times all the more. Because they know how transient they are; how ephemeral; how utterly necessary to life.

I don't think that Wes has good times anymore... That makes me fear for him a great deal.

Oh, I'm completely terrified for him. Because you're mostly right. And, the few he has (and he's had a few moments of genuine lighthearted pleasure), are all wrapped up in his self loathing. Which, of course, is perhaps the main reason for the ship I sail on, Captain Logic bedamned.

Oh, yes. He's had one or two smiles... Generally involving topping Lilah (take that as you will) and helping Fred get revenge. It's not really a good thing, though. He needs to forgive himself. And he needs Angel and the MoG to forgive him. And he needs to forgive them. And then there can be oil and nakedness and gay stuff.

Sadly, I've a sinking feeling that the closest we'll see to a group hug is Wes with his arms around the bloodied and battered Gunn.

Poor loves.

I'm torn between wanting to torture them even more, and wanting to feed them soup.

I'm okay with bloody and battered hugs... Hell, I loved Boromir's death scene. If Gunn and Wes could have themselves one of those...

I really need to watch LoTR again.

Plei and Elena speak for me--or they did last night. Happiness isn't skipping hand-and-hand through fields of daisies, happiness is having a reason to get up in the morning other than a job you have to do. Or, more importantly, a reason to go home at night because you know there's someone there who can make everything better just for a while.

Or, more importantly, a reason to go home at night because you know there's someone there who can make everything better just for a while.

I hope not too much more importantly, since I've never had one.

Cats count. Heck, a perky fish will do the job.

Cats count. Heck, a perky fish will do the job.

TTT: Aragorn had a horse. Oh, dear. Oh, dear.

Did I mention oh dear?