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Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters of BTVS. They are owned
by Joss Whedon and Co. The Story is mine though. The song "Angel"
is by Aerosmith.
Going Home
By A. Price
Buffy left the soup kitchen with Giles and Xander, waving at Anna
as she left. Giles had called a taxi to take them to the airport.
He and Xander had brought their bags with them. Giles was taking
no chance of losing Buffy again.
They got to the airport very early. Giles bought Buffy's ticket and
decided to get something to eat while they waited. They found a
pleasant enough restaurant. Buffy had been very quiet in the taxi
and did not seem willing to do much talking now.
"Hungry, Buffy?" asked Xander trying to ge a conversation out of her.
She answered absentmindedly "sure, I guess so." Giles knew that
Buffy was going home. He was afraid she was still a long way from
coming back to them. He was worried, he needed to find out what had
happened before she left. He was almost afraid to question her, she
looked so fragile.
They ordered burgers and fries and sat in silence to eat. Buffy
was deep in thought about Angel. "When would she see him again?
Would she see him again?"
Giles went to pay for the food, Xander went with him. Looking at
Buffy sitting alone at the table, Giles said "Xander see if she will
talk to you. I'll go to the newstand and leave you two alone."
Xander went back to the table. "Where is Giles going?" asked Buffy.
"He needs reading material, this is Giles, he goes into withdrawal."
Buffy almost smiled at his joke. Xander thought "Well that was close
to a smile. He continued to talk hoping she would open up to him.
"Willow will be so glad to see you, she has been so worried. And
your Mom well she needs to see you Buffy."
Buffy looked at him with hurt in her eyes and spoke "I know Xander
I hurt everyone I love. But I couldn't stay, not after what had
happened."
"Okay, I'm just gonna blurt this out in my usual tactless way,
Buffy, what happened? I got Giles out and ran, we went back the
next day and Acathla was pretty much a rock. We didn't have a
clue what happened, when you didn't show up. What happened?"
Buffy looked at him, bad memories were showing in her eyes.
Xander could tell she had been through hell. She thought a
moment and finally spoke softly "I did what had to be done Xander
You know my slayers duty. I fought Angel and was going to kill him
then a funny thing happened, his soul was restored."
Xander interrupted her "So Angel is alive, why aren't you with him?"
"Xander the way to close Acathla was with the blood of the one who
opened the vortex. I got to tell Angel I loved him, he loves me,
even now." She was in deep thought again.
"Buffy, please finish. Angel still loves you, I'm in Shock!"
he said sarcastically. Then he quickly apologized. "I'm sorry
Buffy, you didn't deserve that."
Buffy had barely registered what he said and continued her story.
"I had to run a sword through him and send Angel into the vortex
to close it. I did it and I will never forget the look on his face
when I did." Her voice was full of emotion.
"But he's alive. You said he loves you even now?" asked Xander.
"I ran away, I couldn't deal with everything I had done. Whistler
found me here, he's a demon of sorts. Well, he brought Angel back."
She had a small smile on her face.
"You've seen Angel? Then why the great depression, everything is
okay now? Right?" Xander was confused.
Buffy shook her head "No, its not OKAY! Angel has to atone for
thing he did. We don't know when we will see each other again.
Does that sound okay to you? Yeah, you like that idea don't you?
Its not like you and Angel were ever close, now is it?" she spit
the words out at him, like little stakes going in his heart.
Xander looked hurt, these words hurt more then a stake through the
heart. He thought to himself, "I deserve this, and if she knew the
rest it would be worse." He finally spoke "Buffy, you're right Angel
and I aren't close. But you love him and I want you happy more then
anything else. What can I do to help?" he asked her.
Buffy was shocked by the sincerity in his voice. "Xander I'm sorry,
I'm just muddled with everything that has happened. You can help by
being my friend, just like you are. Angel and I will work this out
somehow." She silently hoped her words were true.
Giles walked into the restaurant he had a bag full of magazines,
and a book under his arm. Buffy smiled when she saw him. She was
fond of Giles and she had worried him. Giles brightened up at the
smile.
The overhead called their flight number and the three went to board
the plane. They had somehow managed seats together. Buffy took
the window seat. "Guys, I am just going to put on the headphones
and sleep. Giles ask Xander about it. I told him everything, ok?"
She smiled at them and closed her eyes.
Giles looked at Xander "Well?"
Xander spoke "Shes had a rough time Giles, a weaker person wouldn't
have survived. I guess thats why shes the slayer." He told the sad
story to Giles. Giles shook his head and sighed alot. "No wonder she
ran away. She does love him, and I know despite everything, he does
love her. I would have liked to keep them apart, but I fear that
it was as much their destiny to fall in love, as it is hers to be
the slayer. You can't play with destiny." he said sadly.
Buffy was somewhere between conciousness and sleep, she could hear
Giles and Xander, but she was also listening to parts of the song
on the earphones. She was thinking of Angel.
Aerosmith sang as Buffy dreamed of Angel. In her dream he was there
with her, they were happy. She woke slightly when the plane hit some
turbulence. The song was still playing.
I'm alone
yeah I don't know if I can face the
night
I'm in tears
and the cryin' that I do is for you
You're my Angel
come and save me tonight
You're my Angel
Come and make it alright
You're my Angel
Come and save me tonight
Buffy sat up fully awake now, she thought to herself "Maybe it will
be alright. If we love each other enough. Do we?" The last verse
of the song seemed to answer her question for her.
You're the reason I live
You're the reason I die
You're the reason I give when I break
down and cry
Don't need no reason why
Baby, Baby, Baby,
The song ended and Buffy Summers had her answer, she would wait
forever to be with Angel, her Angel.
The plane touched down in Sunnydale. "You okay?" asked Xander.
"Never better" she answered almost honestly with a smile.
Giles looked relieved, maybe she wasn't just coming home. Maybe
she really was coming back to them. Completely back to them, this
slayer had been through so much. But he knew if they all stuck
together, it would be alright.
Giles spoke "Lets get you home. I called your Mom. I told her we
would bring you home from the airport. I thought you might need
some time.
"Thanks, Giles. I'm okay" said Buffy as she headed home. Buffy
the Vampire Slayer was home.
The End
© 1997 jared@hsnp.com
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