She fell for what seemed like an eternity, though it was only a short second before a strong and sturdy hand caught her own, pulling her to safty. Once on solid ground, Buffy fell into the person who had pulled her from an uncertain death and looked up into his eyes.
"Angel" she breathed.
"Hey." he replied, "Are you okay"
"I'm fine." she answered.
"What the hell happened?" Angel questioned. Buffy knew he would not be satisfied until he knew the whole story.
"Well, I was just looking down at the snow because it was really pretty, and I slipped. Then you came and caught me. Oh, thank you, by the way." came Buffy's reply.
"Come on, I'll walk you home." Angel swept Buffy into his arms and proceaded to carry her.
"You know, I'm a big girl, I do know how to walk."
"Do you want to walk?" Angel asked, smiling down at her.
"No" she decided. 'I could get used to this' she thought with a smile.
"What's with the happy face? You just nearly fell off a cliff." Angel questioned, obviously confused.
"Oh, nothing." Buffy answered. Her smile grew widder and she just nuzzled into his chest and closed her eyes. The rest of the trek home was walked in silence.
When the reached Buffy's dorm, Angel carried Buffy onto her roof. The window was already open, wich was good because the sorority she and Willow had joined had strict curfew. Buffy had been caught entering the sorority house doors after midnight and did not want to go through a lecture again.
Buffy stepped inside her room and took a recap of her thoughts and the turn of events. Angel broke her thoughts with a question, "Where's Willow?"
Buffy thought of her friend whom she shared a dorm room with for a moment before the answere came to her. "She's staying with her parents over Christmas break." she answered.
"Oh." was all Angel could say. He did not want to further this subject for he knew Buffy's mom had been killed in a car inccident three years before, and he did not want to inflict any painfull memories on the girl, for he loved her more than he knew how. So he decided to leave. "I better be going. Goodnight, Buffy."
"Wait" Buffy demanded as he turned around. She thought for a moment if she really wanted to do this. 'Yes" she decided, 'heartbreak or not.' Buffy pulled Angel into the dorm room. "Could I ask a favor of you?"
"Sure" Angel answered, he would be eager to end his own life if this girl were to ask him to.
"Could I have a kiss?" Buffy asked unsure of her words.
"Buffy-" Angel started.
"Please?" Before Angel could respond to this, Buffy stood on tip-toe, supporting herself with Angel's arms, and gently pressed her lips to his. The kiss was heaven and hell at the same time; heaven being one together, hell knowing they would have to seperate. The kiss grew more passionate as Angel's arms encircled Buffy, pulling her closer, deepening the kiss. Suddenly there was a loud knock on the door and someone calling Buffy's name. Buffy pulled away and turned to look at the door. When she turned back around, Angel was gone. She looked out the window and saw his standing there. He gave her a loving look and then disapeared into the night.
It was nearly 5:OO in the morning when the phone rang. In a groggy and sleep depribed state, Buffy reached for the phone.
"Buffy!" came Willow's excited voice on the other end, "have you found a gift for Angel yet?"
"No, what does that have to do with anything?" Buffy asked.
"I'll explain, just come to the library right now. It's important." Before Buffy could protest to getting out of bed at such an early hour, the line went dead. Buffy crawled out of bed and started to get dressed, her curiosity peeked about what could be so important at 5:00 in the morning.

Buffy hurried to the library, figuring whatever made Willow call upon her at 5 in the morning was very important. 'Maybe it's just the menace of the week' she inquired. Suddenly, her thoughts turned to Angel (as they often did). She absentmindedly reached up and touched her hands to her lips. She could still taste his mouth on her own. She could still smell his hair. She could still feel the pain the kiss brought with it. She picked up her pace a bit and was at the library in a short while.

"You know, I really need a car. That trek from the collage to the highschool library is lond, even for yours truly." Buffy said, entering the library. Willow turned to look at her. She couldn't hide the utter happiness from the expression on her face. "Willow, whats up? By the look on your face, I'm guessing this isn't just a monster of the month urgent meeting kinda thing, huh?"

Willow cast one look at Giles then spoke. "Buffy?" she asked, "Have you found the gift you ant to give Angel yet?"

"No, you know I was thinking maybe a minifridge that would acuatually match the decore of his apartment." Buffy quipped.

"Well, I have a gift that will top all other gifts you could possibly think of" Willow proudly stated.

After a moment of silence, Buffy spoke. "Well?" she prodded.

"How about-" Willow started before she burst into giggles. She was too giddy to complete a sentence so Giles broke in and spoke for her.

"Buffy" he started, "I've been doing some extensive research on ways to restore a vampire to his former self. Make him human, if you will."

Buffy's eyes widened at this. "And you didn't tell me this because?"

"Well, I didn't want you to get your hopes up." Giles answered. "Up until this point, all of the spells and rituals were ment to be used quite soon after the vampire had been made. The spells would restore the vampire's humanity, but only under the condition that when the vampire returned to his human form, his body and his health would detiriotate the the age of the vampire. if the vampire was made a vampire at the age of 20 and was returned to humanity 20 years later, he would have the body and health of the average 40 year old male or female. For a vampire like Angel, he would die because he is past the life expectansy. But I have come across a spell that would restore a vampire's humanity, and, well, read here in the text." Giles said, handing a book to Buffy and pointing to a certain exerpt.

And the Vampire shall be what he was before, he shall once again rome in daylight among his fellow man. It will be as if his life was put on delay. When the spell is completed, the vampire will have the body he had during his last minutes of life. A breath of Heaven shall be breathed into him, carrying with it an angel, who will destroy the dark demon from with in the blackened soul. Then, rid of this great burden, the vampire will be once again a man.

Buffy looked at this with an indiscribable look of joy and suprise on her face. "And this will really work?"

"It has before." Giles answered.

Buffy lept into his arms, folding him in a great bearhug. Then she shared a hug with Willow. "Thank you! Thank you so much!" she exclaimed. "We have to find Angel. Um, does anyone know where he lives."

Willow and Giles looked at each other blankly before a new voice broke the silence. "I know where he lives." Xander said.

Buffy's head snapped around to look at him. Xander had practicaly disbanned himself when he went to collage in New York. He had been away for 2 years and he could still come through when needed. After her innitial shock was over, she ran to Xander, almost tackleing him, giving him a great big hug. "Buffy, I think you just cracked my ribs" Xander said with a smile.

"I'm sorry I'm just really happy to see you." Buffy said with a smile. "And you're really here?"

"And I really know where Angel lives too." Xander said, returning the smile. "Come one. Let's go find your undead lover boy."

Xander escorted Buffy and Willow out of the library, Giles trailing behind making sure to loch the doors.