He's going to come back.

I know he is.

He might be walking away now, but there's no way he's actually going to have the strength to leave Sunnydale. How can he, when I'm still here?

No. He's fading with the mist, but I know that's just an illusion.

He could never just leave me. I don't care what he said before. No one just bites someone and then leaves. That can't be proper etiquette. I mean, I saved his life. He has to say something to me.

My neck hurts. I'm not sure if it's from the bite or staying in one place for too long. Fire fighters are looking at me, wondering why I've been standing here for hours. They don't understand. No one gets it. That's ok. I know they all think he's leaving, but it's not true.

I reach up and feel the scar. It's already closing over, and parts of me want to rip it with my nails, let the blood flow. When it closes over my skin will grow afresh and I don't want that. That might mean it's getting over it. That my flesh doesn't miss his teeth. But it does.

He's coming back.

I know he is.

Nothing could ever keep him away from me. Even last Christmas he couldn't stay back like he said he would…he had to come see me and we had to fight and cry and I told him I loved him. I'll never tell anyone, but it was the best Christmas I've ever had. We walked in the snow and he stared at me like I was the only being on earth. I used to feel like I was…to him, anyway.

God, what is taking him so long? Any moment now he's going to come and it's going to be beautiful. He'll hold me and press a kiss to my lips and he'll tell me he couldn't believe that he thought he could go. He'll tell me that he needs me and that he loves me and that he never wants us to be apart. It's going to be a moment to remember.

I'm the strong one out of the two of us. He can never stick to his guns. I'm the one that saves him, and looks after him. I'm the Slayer. Geez…I don't know how he thought he could leave. It's almost funny.

Where did everyone go?

I guess I've been standing here a long time. The fire trucks went away without me even noticing. Wow. Oh well, I have been out of it. I guess I've been lost in drowsy thought.

He's coming back.

I know he is.

I'm so glad the Mayor's gone. He's the one that made him think of doing this crazy thing. Leaving me and heading off to go somewhere else. I know he's going to come to his senses. Seriously, how could he even think about not spending his life with me? He knows we complete each other…that we're meant. Isn't that funny…I always thought it was corny when people would describe each other as 'meant to be'. What a sappy expression. Now I realize how much weight it can have when it actually means something.

My feet are stinging. Must be the boots I'm wearing.

I hear a bell toll. It's morning. The dawn is streaking the sky and its pink and gold.

To me…it's still dark. It's still night and misty. He's still walking away…if I look closely I can see his figure in the darkness.

I barely feel Xander and Giles lifting me up and placing me in the car. Who is that screaming – “He's coming back! He's coming back! He wouldn't leave me! You don't understand!”

I don't know. I just want to sleep. But I have to wait. What if I'm not here when he returns?

Who is that sobbing?

My face feels wet, and I wipe it away, looking out the window at the place where he'll be.

I'll come back tomorrow night for you, Angel.

We can have our reunion then.

end