Angel scoured the rooftops looking for his Sire.  He felt her.  Inside.  A feeling that only a Sire and a Childe can feel.  It doesn't matter that she's human now.  It's still there.  it always will be.  He caught sight of a blonde woman and he instinctively jumped down in front of her.

"I told you to keep away from me," she said her voice wavering slightly as she wrapped her cardigan round her.

"Darla.  You know I can't," Angel said studying her face.

"Let me pass," Darla demanded.  Angel blocked her as she went to the right, then the left.  "Angel I'm too old to be playing games.  If you won't help me just leave me."

"I want to help you."

"Not the help I want."

"Darla please come back with me.  I know what you're feeling."

"Angel.  My Angel.  You only have to live with 140 odd years of brutality and evil.  I'm 400 years old.  I have to look into a mirror and see those 400 years reflected back at me.  I have become what I hate, what I despise - human.  You want this Angel.  You want a heartbeat.  I don't.  And you won't help me so I'll find someone who will," she said pushing against his strong chest to get past.  "Stop it!  My boy would never do this!"

"I'm not your boy," he told her quietly.

"Please Angel.  Just kill me.  Please put me out my mortal misery!" She practically screamed.

"SShhh," he whispered and held her sobbing to his chest.

"I can't take it.  The pain.  I want to let go."

Darla pushed away from Angel and went the opposite direction.  Angel caught up and pulled her into the alley.

"Remember what we had Angel?  For a hundred and forty years," she asked him touching his flawless, cool face.  She was shaking even more and tears ran down her face.  "I've ached for that cold feeling.  Your coldness my Angel."  She drew a shape on the side of his cheek and Angel shivered.  He stood back from Darla realizing how close he was.  "Are you leaving me again?  Angel?  You never left me until you were cursed.  Never.  Then you did.  And I died."

"Darla.."

"You killed me.  I want it all back Angel.  I want it.  Now.  It only takes a moment.."

"What are you saying?"

"A moment of happiness.  Perfect happiness.  Buffy did it.  And I know you love me more than her.  I feel it Angel."

"I don't want to.. I don't."

"You do."

"No."  Angel turned away and went towards his car.

"Am I tempting you Angel?" Darla challenged.

"I'm already tempted Darla.  You don't need to push anymore buttons for that one," he growled.  She ran up and grabbed his arm back.  Angel threw her backwards and Darla made a small shocked yelp of pain.  Angel swore he heard the sound of something tearing through flesh.

"Darla?" He asked walking towards the darkness that masked her.  There was the sound of the weapon pulling out the flesh.

"Angel?" She said her face crumpling up in agony.  Then Darla fell forward onto Angels chest.  Angel caught her and saw the stab wound in her back.  Perfectly placed at her heart.  Angel looked up.

"Buffy?" He said confused.  He looked back down at Darla who's blood was gushing out the wound.  Angel fell down to the ground and cradled Darla against him.  His hands were covered in blood and he tried to calm her down.

Buffy stood inanimate.  "What?  No dust?"

"No Buffy.  No dust.  She's human.  Buffy.  She's human," Angel said spitting out every word.

"Human?" Buffy asked falling back against the alley wall.  She slid down in shock.  "I just.."

"Yeah.  You just."  Angel's blood soaked hands ran through Darla's blond hair and his thumb rubbed her cheek.  "Darla look at me.  Look at me Darla," he said gently.

"Angel.  My darling boy.  My Angel," Darla said dying in his arms and straining to see him.  "Oh Angel, I love you."

Buffy's tear stained face turned direction from her knees to Angel cradling Darla on the alley floor. Love?

"I love you too Dar," he replied wiping away a tear.

"Will you change me now?  Help me?  I'm going to die.  400 years and it's going to end here in your arms," she told him blood tricking out her mouth.

"Oh God," he said and wiped away the blood from her cheek making more mess with the blood on his hands.  "I can't Dar. I can't do that."

"You can my darling boy, My Angel," she smiled.

"Buffy get a damn ambulance!" He said gritting his teeth.  "Go!"

Buffy stood up still in shock.

"Forget it!" He said frustrated.  He slightly struggled to get up while balancing Darla.  He lifted her in his arms to his car.  Buffy followed behind.  He settled his dying Sire in the passenger seat.  He threw the cell phone in Buffy's lap.  "Call 911.  Tell them we have a severe blood lose and internal injury coming in OK?  Critical."

Buffy nodded silently through her tears.  She picked up the cell that was covered in Darla's blood from Angels hands.  She dialled 911 slowly as Angel started the engine.

Darla passed out on the way to the hospital.  When they got there, Angel lifted her out and ran into the E.R.

"I need help!" Angel yelled.  "Somebody help us!"

"You're the critical that called in ?" A nearby doctor asked.

"Yes," Angel confirmed.  Darla started to wake up.

"I need a bed!" The doctor yelled.  A bed was wheeled in and Angel lay her careful but quickly on it.  Two male nurses came to wheel it away.  "What happened?"

"We were attacked.  Stabbed her in the back and ran away.  Couldn't see.  Happened so fast," Angel half lied.  Buffy stood by the reception frozen as Angel chased by Darla's side.

"How long ago?"

"10 minutes."

"Her name?  She allergic to anything?"

"Darla.  I don't think so."

"On medication."

"I don't think so."

They were up to the surgery entrance.

"Can you help her?"

"We can try.  But she should of been here 9 minutes ago."

"Angel..." Darla said groggily holding out her hand.

"Stay with me Darla," Angel begged.

"Sir you have to wait here," the nurse said directing him behind the swing door.

"I love you," she said choking.

"I love you."  The bed battered through the doors separating them and Angel looked through the glass part as they took her away.

Angel held his head in his hands as Buffy sat beside him on the waiting chairs in the relative room.

"Thanks back there," she said quietly.

"You weren't to know she was human," Angel admitted to himself.

"It's like Faith and deja screwed all over again," Buffy said staring at the wall.  "What am I gonna do?"

"Not worrying about that right now Buffy."

Then the nurse came through.  They'd been working on Darla for two hours.

"Any news?" Angel said standing up quickly.  Buffy followed.

"No.  I came to see if any of you needed attention.  You're covered in blood Sir."

"Darla's.  It never got to me," Angel said staring straight ahead.  "It's just blood."

"Perhaps I can get you a change of clothes." Angel nodded and the nurse left.

"I can't take it.  her blood all over me.  Part of me's revolted.  The other wants to... y'know," Angel said grimly sitting back down.

"Angel I am so sorry.  But it was the same Darla right?  She's the same human as she was a vampire."

"She has a soul.  That means I'm, the same as Angelus.  If you're about to argue that she deserved it then kill me, because I would too.  And when I became human you might have well of staked me there too."

"What?  Became?  Back to what?"

"Last thanksgiving," Angel sighed.  "When you weren't fucking your toy soldier, you came to LA remember?  I became human for a whole 24 hours.  Then I asked the Oracles to turn back time so nothing happened for you.  For you.  So you wouldn't die.  Then what do you do?  You come back and rub your great new life in my face and expect me to jump for joy.  You expect me to be happy when I learn that Riley Finn has been sharing everything with you that we could have had.  And it kills me.  Because I know that he wouldn't have gave up his humanity for you.  I know that.  And that is the only thing keeping me from a sunny morning walk down Santa Monica Pier."

Buffy stood speechless and stunned.

"You... why?"

"Because I love you."

"Not anymore it seems.  What about Darla?  Your wonderful human non-Sire huh?  Isn't she the reason of your every waking moment now?"

"No.  You were always the reason Buffy.  I devoted myself to Darla passionately for 140 years but never got close to what you and I had.  Love."

"Have."

"No not anymore.  You're too busy with well rounded Iowa Boy everybody's fucking hero and big cuddly softie and I'm sick of it."

"You just told her you love her!" Buffy roared, tears flowing freely.  She gritted her teeth and stared at him through icy eyes.

"Love between a Sire and a Childe Buffy.  You can't know what that feels like.  It's not something you can control or turn on and off.  It's completely different.  Hell - Spike, Drusilla, Penn, they have that love for me as their Sire as I do for my childe.  It's blood inside Buffy.  It's not something you can stop.  You just have to deal."

The doctor came in, head low and eyebrows knitted.

"She's gone," Angel concluded swallowing.  The doctor nodded.  "Can- can I see her?"

Angel stared at the pretty blonde corpse marred by blood.  He pulled her hair gently away from her lip and ran his hand down her face.  He turned away feeling like crying and he noticed a foot sticking out behind a bed trolley.  He walked over and saw a nurse slumped against the cabinet.  Two clear puncture marks in his neck.

The doctor came in and closed the door.  Angel spun round.  The doctor was now wearing a vampires face.  The same doctor that was supposed to be helping Darla.  "Good puppy," a familiar female voice purred.

"Drusilla?"

"My Angel," she replied in her unfazed London accent.  "I got here just in time."

"Time for what?" Angel asked.

"For me," Darla said sitting up.  She shook her head and turned into her vampire face.  "God I missed that.  Our Drusilla broke in just as these idiots were losing me.  She killed them all making the Doc. a vampire and told him to get you here.  She sired me and here me all are."

"Last piece of the puzzle is to get my Angel back," Drusilla whispered into his ear.  "Ssshh.  It's a secret."

"Of course it is," Darla nodded grinning.  "How about that perfect happiness Angel?"

"Me."

Angel turned and Buffy stood at the door brandishing a stake.

"I'm his perfect happiness."

"Oh what a reunion," Drusilla said with glee.  "Angel and the Slayer!  My head feels all dizzy."

"Of course it does," Darla nodded again.  Then she burst into laughter.  "Buffy.  You killed me this time didn't you?  And you think Angel belongs to you?  And they say revenge is sweet.  This my dear Buffy, will be more than revenge.  This will be pure fun."

"We must get Spike and have a proper reunion!" Drusilla suggested laughing.

"Actually Drusilla, we might just do that.  Spike."

"Can't fight anymore," Buffy informed them.  "So no third Slayer for him."

"Second for me," Drusilla smiled showing her fangs.  "Daddy you loved this."

"And I promise you that you will again," Darla said.  Drusilla and Darla both turned and smashed through the hospital window into the night.

"Angel how'd the search go?" Cordelia asked him as he came through the door.

"Crappy.  Drusilla made Darla a vampire after Buffy staked Darla as a human," he said throwing off his blood soaked jacket and shirt.  He climbed the stairs

"Good," she said leafing through papers.  Buffy stood at the bottom of the staircase.

"Angel we need to talk."

"Go home Buffy," Angel called behind him without turning round.

"No cause last time I did and you came back to Sunnydale to apologize."

"Don't look for that to happen anytime soon."

"..And pounded on my boyfriend."

"But that could."

Buffy ran up the stairs and then to the door of Angels room.  She knocked twice and then went in.  He was wearing only his boxers and the shower was running.  She caught a glimpse of his tattoo.  She remembered the first time she ever saw it.  Angel was bending over and folding his trousers.

"Angel.."

"Go home Buffy."

"No."

Angel didn't argue anymore and stayed silent.  Buffy went over and slowed touch his tattoo.  Angel shivered at her warm touch.

"Remember the night i first saw this?"

He nodded still turned away from her.  She continued to trace the outlines softly, her nail tickling slightly.

"I didn't know what you were.  Or who I was really.  Next night when we kissed before I saw... I felt so found.  I knew who I was for the first time in my life."

"Who?"

"Buffy."

"You never knew that before?" He asked gently bowing his head as she traced the inner parts of the tattoo.

"Buffy Summers was just a name.  It wasn't who I was.  I mean, I never knew I was Angels' Buffy.  That's really what i meant.  And I am still."

"You're not.  You're Riley's Buffy.  You're not even that.  You're Buffy's Buffy.  The last time you remember us kissing was the morning you woke up after patrol in my arms.  That night we broke up."

"We never broke up.  You broke us up," Buffy said biting her lip and still tracing the tattoo.  Her fingers swirled and Angel smiled.  "When was the last time we kissed?"

"The last minute of our forgotten day.  You put your arms around my neck really tightly and said over and over again I'll Never Forget.  It broke my heart."  Buffy stayed silent for a long time.

"You're right."

"About what?"

"Riley would never have sacrificed what you did for me.  And I would never sacrifice that much for him.  But I would for you."

Angel turned round and caught her hand in mid air.

"You can't talk like this Buffy."

"Oh you think that's bad.  Here's one for you; I still love you."

Angel dropped her hand and she trailed a finger down his chest.

"Or how about this.  I can't stand not touching you anymore.  I can't stand the thought of anyone else touching me anymore.  I can't play games of 'Lets Pretend We're Over Angel' anymore.  The make believe land where Buffy is the queen and everyone - apart from the occasional vamp - is happy and merry is getting a little old.  Together we were powerful, alone you are dead."

"What?" Angel said shocked.

"What?"

"The last part."

"Make believe land?"

"No.  Together you are powerful bit."

"I don't know where the Hell that came from."

"I do.  Mohra.  Buffy why did you say that?"

"It just came into my head just there."

"From where?"

"I don't know and who's morray?"

"Mohra demon.  I need to see the Powers That Be.  But then the Oracles are dead."

"Woah, woah.  Powers that be doing what?"

"The Higher power on the earth Buffy.  They turned back time."

"Those bastards.  I say we kill it."

"You can't kill them Buffy."

"Torture?"

Angel took a clean shirt off the chair and turned off his shirt.

"Let's go, now."

"OK.  Where?" Buffy asked following behind him.

"Wesley," he called from the top of the stairs.  "Are there any other channels to the Powers?"

"No, I don't believe that there are," Wesley said looking for a book.  "Not locally.  You could call upon... no that's too dangerous."

"Wesley what?"

"You could call upon the Powers directly.  Usually Warriors aren't accepted into the Gardens of the Great Ones.  But if their hearts are pure.."

"Define pure," Buffy challenged.

"No evil intent in their Souls."

"That kind of pure," Buffy nodded.  "So what happens?"

"They would test you.  If you fail I'm rather afraid you would die," Wesley said apologetically.

"Crap," Buffy remarked.  "I mean cuz I'm not totally worthy huh?  Every now and then I wanna break some good guys leg.  Like Cordelia's," Buffy gestured.

"Thanks," she said not looking up from Vogue.

"And there was Darla," Buffy said biting her lip.

"Dru would of turned her either way.  She nearly got to die free," Angel said comforting Buffy.  "And there was that whole she damned me for eternity and killed a lot of people deal."

"She damned you," Buffy repeated.  "You wish you weren't made a vampire.  So you wouldn't be here today.  With me."

"I'm not with you," he reminded her gently.

"Us..  The past..."  Buffy said.  Cordelia motioned to Wesley to come out the middle and they went outside to leave Buffy and Angel in private.

"Buffy I hurt a lot of people," Angel reminded her.

"Including me.  But I still loved you.  You gave me this scar--" Buffy said pulling her collar back.

"And I hated it," Angel protested.

"No.  You didn't.  You love that.  Us being that close.  Sharing that much.  Bet you dug lying on top of me slowly draining my blood.  I bet you loved it--"

"--No.."

"Because I did.  Darkness Angel.  I love that.  The way I felt as if I was slipping, as if you were taking me.  I was yours Angel.  This maybe sadistic but the most erotic moment in my whole life was that.  Darkness, blood, fangs, us and nothing else in that moment.  Us in a room you on top of me, dominating and slowly killing me.  That I love."

Angel stepped back with a bemused expression on his face.

"You liked me biting you ?"

"The way you did it, I wanted to die if you didn't touch me.  I needed it so bad."

"This is... Buffy. Vampires find bloodplay sexy."

"Slayer.  Vampire.  There really is not much difference.  I'm probably closer to vampire in blood than to human.  The Slayer was probably made from vampire or vice versa.  These past months I've been on a destiny searching journey.  I know I've got a long way to go but I think I already know this.  You weren't keeping me in the darkness, I found it myself.  I have darkness Angel.  Big darkness.  And it craves the darkness in you.  Like crazy."

Angel was speechless.  Darkness and Buffy never had went together but now it seemed to fit perfectly.  Angelus wanted this part of Buffy as well.  Angel closed his eyes and tried to repress every thought.  Tried to picture Buffy in white and clear all the dark images from his mind.

He opened his eyes and then Buffy leaned over and kissed him.  They kissed with a soft violent intent.  Angel tried to stop but she wouldn't let him.  Buffy pulled Angel over to the sofas and lay down on one stretching out.  She sat up momentarily and pulled him on top of her.  The heat, the closeness was driving them both crazy.  Buffy pulled her collar and it ripped her top.

"Do it," she said breathlessly.  "Angel bite me.  Please God do it.  Angel do it," she said looking straight into his eyes.  Her hands had wandered up his shirt and her fingernails were softly digging into his back.  "Do you know how long i've been needing.. wanting you under my skin again.  Way too long.  A year and a bit apart."

"I can't.  Buffy..  Last time..  I had to.  You hit me.."

Buffy pushed Angel back off the couch and onto the ground.  He stared up at her, shocked.

"You want me to hit you again Angel?  Cuz I will.  There's something about the blood Angel.  Making us close.  Making us within a heartbeat within each other.  It's been driving me crazy.  You know i found myself staring, gaping would be a better word, when a vamp was feeding on this girl.  He just took her life in his hands and teeth.  I snapped out of it and y'know, stopped it but for that moment.. I felt the vampires hunger and I felt what the girl was feeling.."

Angel stood up.  He needed to shock Buffy.  She seemed serious about this.  It couldn't go further.  Her obsession has to end here, tonight.

"Oh you want a vampire?" He growled.

"I want you."

His resolve softened slightly but he snarled as he morphed into his demonic face.  "You want this?"

"Yes," she told him standing up from the couch.

"You want me to hurt you?"

"Yes," she swallowed nodding furiously.  Angel reached out and grabbed Buffy's shoulders, holding them tightly.  "Angel.."

"IS that who you want?  Or is it Angelus?"

"No it's you," she persisted.

This isn't working, Angel swallowed.

"It's always you and I.  My blood, your teeth.  Us in a sweating, writhing heap on the floor.  God Angel it's making me crazy for this.  It's all I think about.  I thought about cutting myself, seeing if the blood would feel the same if it drained out itself rather than by you.  I'm a walking, smiling, talking zombie waiting for you to come back and finish what you started.. killing me."

She looked into his chocolate eyes again begging for the darkness.  Angel resigned to himself and all he stood for. He lowered his head and spread his hands across her back, gripping her close.  He remembered Buffy's scent.  Only she could smell like this.  Buffy.  He placed his mouth gently on her shoulder knowing the caring and painlessness would end here.  Angel sank his fangs into the vein.  Buffy made a small sound that couldn't be interpreted either way.  Angel went to withdraw his teeth but Buffy placed a hand on his back to stop him.

"Faith once told me that a part of me dug it when you went psycho," Buffy breathed heavily as Angel lay on top of her, still with his fangs in her neck but not moving.  Afraid to move.  "I denied it Angel..  But she was right."  She nodded and Angel pushed them back in further.  Angel's lips sealed the area around it.  The blood started spilling out of the wound and onto Angel's lips.  He pulled her closer and she sounded out his name with her tongue as they fell to the ground, tangled and wordlessly.

Blood Angel thought. Buffy's blood.  She likes the darkness and so do I.

He tried not to but he wanted, needed, more.  He sucked harder and drew more blood.  Buffy arched her back and moaned.  Angel was surprised how aroused she was by this.  He continued.  Some blood trickled down her shoulder onto her half exposed breast and Angel ducked.  He licked it slowly and Buffy let out a satisfied sound of want.  Angel went back to the puncture marks where blood was abundant.  Angel took another suck and hungrily gulped the blood.  Buffy let out an orgasmic like moan and yelled his name.  He withdrew from Buffy's neck and looked to her.  She was in bliss.  She smoothed his hair back.  Angel reverted back to human form.  Some of Buffy's blood was on his cheek.  She softly pulled his head towards her and licked it.  Angel kissed her and they shared the taste of her blood.

"I told you I loved darkness," Buffy said finally stretching her arms out and round Angel's neck.  She kissed him.  "But I love you more."

"Darkness," Angel repeated.  "Is that what we are?  Darkness?"

"No.  it's not all we are.  Just another little piece of the Buffy/Angel puzzle."

"I can live with that.  Your neck.. it's OK?  You don't need a transfusion?"  He stood up and then pulled her up.  Buffy put a hand over to stop the blood running.  She took her hand away and then licked her fingertips.  He sighed, smiling and scooped her up in his arms, placing her on the couch.

"No.  It's fine.  Y'know Wesley called me and said you were going crazy with this Darla thing," she told him as he kneeled down in front of her.

"I was going over the edge," he nodded.  Buffy put her fingers to Angels lips and encouraged him to lick some more off of it.  Angel closed his eyes and then kissed them slowly but didn't take any blood.  He couldn't tempt himself anymore.

"Am I tempting you Angel?" Buffy challenged grinning.  Angel snapped his head up and looked at her.  She smiled back at him and he could only stare.

//  "Am I tempting you Angel?" Darla challenged.   //

"Buffy, you feeling OK?"

"My Angel," Buffy said touching his face.

//  "My Angel," Darla told him.  //

"Angel.  My darling boy.  My Angel," Buffy whispered, pulling her face close to Angels, smudging her nose on his cheek.  "Oh Angel, i love you."

//  "Angel.  My darling boy.  My Angel," Darla said dying in his arms.  "Oh Angel, I love you."  //

"Buffy?"

"Angelus."
 
 

Cue *evil* laughter.  Know what that's all about?  LJSAngelus me back and tell me cuz there's loadsa meanings. Angelus is getting fed up of not getting any feedback so don't say I didn't warn you 

And if ya want a sequel, LJSAngelus needs a little encouragement.  Like a few Riley Lovers and an email.
 

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