"Angel?!?"
They had not spoken since her birthday, almost a month ago. The night Angel had lost his soul, returning him to the vicious beast of his former self; Angelus. The figure moved out of the shadows.
"It's me..."
Buffy jumped out of bed and grabbed a stake from her dresser drawer.
"What do you want?"
"You..."
Angel took a step towards Buffy, in response she raised the stake.
"Buffy...wait, I'm not who you think I am. I'm not the vampire I was!"
"You don't say! You know Angel I was there, I do remember."
"I'm your Angel."
"Wrong, the Angel I knew and loved doesn't exist anymore!"
A tear slid down Buffy's cheek, her grip tightened on the stake.
"Now, leave before I end up having to dust."
She knew her voice had begun to shake, she hoped he hand't noticed. Angel's eyes fell to the floor.
"I know the horror I've caused, not to mention all the pain I've put you through...I wish I could erase it all..."
Pain? The only one who is going to be feeling any pain, is you!"
"Don't you understand? I wish I had never done any of it. It tears me apart seeing you this way, escpecially since I know I'm the cause of it all."
Angel sighed, he lifted his head so his gaze met Buffy's icy stare.
"Can't you see it? I'm feeling guilt and sorrow for what I've done...God help me Buffy, I'm back..."
As another tear threatened to fall, Buffy turned and walked to her dresser. She took a deep breathe, wiped the tear away and abruptly turned back around.
"What makes you think I'd believ a story like that? Why would I believe a singel work that comes from your vhenimous mouth? I'm not that nieve little girl, who once swooned at the sight of you. I've changed too, but unlike you I've changed for the better. So go tell your lies to someone who cares, because I for one don't want to hear another thing that you have to say!"
"Even if it's the truth?"
"What does a soulles, blood sucking, jerk like you know about the truth?"
As soon as the words had passed her lips she regretted them.
"I can see coming here was a mistake."
"You can say that again!"
"I just thought you of all peoplel would know I wasn't lieing."
"Why, because I loved you?" Buffy hissed.
"That is SO over. Now if you're through some of us do actually sleep at night!"
She turned to get back into bed. Angel started to leave, he took one last look at Buffy.
"To hell with this."
Before Buffy could even process the thought of what was happening, Angel had her in his arms.
"I'll be damned if I let it end like this!"
Suddenly he pressed his lips against hers. Buffy's body stiffened but then relaxed. She slowly pulled away, her hand flew to her mouth.
"Oh my God, Angel..."
The tears finally escaped from her eyes, and slid down her cheeks.
"How??"
Slowly Buffy's eyes opened, the sun was shining through the window. Immediately her heart dropped, it had all been a dream! Angel was still 'Angelus', the soulless demon who had already killed so many. Her eyes began to fill with tears, she knew what had to be done. Angelus must be stopped and it had to be done tonight!
'Angel...' she thought. Her hand moved to her chest, touching her cross. The cross that Angel had given her. She wasn't sure why she wore it still. She started to remember the first time she had met Angel, that night in the alley by the Bronze.
"Who are you?"
"Let's just say I'm a friend."
"Well maybe I don't want a friend!"
"I didn't say I was yours."
Then there was that night, here in the cemetery, they had been talking about the future, she'd told him...
"WHen I look into the future, all I see is you...all I want is you."
But what she mostly remembered was one of the last times she had talked to him...
"Angel!! I love you..."
"Ya, love ya too! I'll call ya!"
All he could do was joke. Buffy shoke her head.
'I can't be thinking of these things, not tonight.' she thought to herself.
She was brought back to reality when she heard a twig snapping off to her right.
"I was wondering when you'd show up! I've been sitting here for almost forty-five minutes!"
Buffy turned her head to look at who she had been talking to. She gasped.
'Man I knew this was going to be hard, I just didn't think it would be this hard!' she thought as she looked into Angel's face.
"Gee, if I'd have only known, I wouldn't have kept you waiting so long!"
Taking a breath, Buffy jumped off of the grave stone.
"Well I'm here, and you're here, so I say let's just get you dead!" Buffy said smugly.
"Well you're right about one thing, someone's gonna be dead, but it's gonna be you!"
Angel stepped closer to Buffy, he stroked her cheek. Buffy sent him flying, with an upper cut to the jaw. Angel fell on his back laughing.
"Now there's the fiesty little slayer I remember."
Angel jumped up, and lunged at Buffy. As he connected with her, they both fell. Angel landed on top of Buffy.
"Doesn't this feel familiar!" Angel laughed.
Buffy pushed him off of her, jumped into a crouch and as he stood, kicked his legs out from under him. Angel was once again laying on his back. Buffy stradled him and pulled out a stake.
"Don't you just hate De-ja-vu?"
Angel was obviously startled.
"This I wasn't expecting, ah but it does add a little excitement to the night. You couldn't kill me before, what makes you so sure you can do it now?
Buffy's gaze turned cold. "Becuase I don't love you now!" She raised the stake, but hesitated when she looked into Angel's face. 'But I do love him, so how can I kill him? He's not my Angel anymore that's how. Just think of all of the innocent people who have died because of him.' she thought as a tear slid down her cheek. By her hesitation, Angel was able to grab her by the arms, sending the stake flying through the air and flipped them both over.
"Now this is the way it should be! Don't cry, I won't hurt you....well not too much."
Buffy knew she had to think of something and it had to be thought of quick, because in about five seconds she would become a vampire smoothie.
"Well, if this is the way it's going to end, then could I at least have one last kiss?" Buffy pleaded.
Ah, I see we have a last request, now who am I to deny you that."
As he leaned closer his grip on her arms loosened. She pulled her right arm free, tore the necklace from her neck, and quickly shoved it in Angel's face. Angel jumped up and growled in pain. Buffy got to her feet, holding the cross in front of her.
"Ya know, I don't think I ever thanked you for this necklace." Buffy smiled.
Angel glared at her before turning to flee. She may have won this time, but Buffy knew that this was one fight that was far from being over!
"Why couldn't I kill her?" he screamed into the darkness. Walking over to the couch, his hand rose to his left cheek, how it had been burnt when the cross touched it.
"That's not gonna heal quickly," he said sitting down. "How could I have ever been stupid enough to give her that damn necklace?" Angel sat forward. "You're definately going to pay for this, slayer girl."
If only that little nagging part inside him, would stop telling him he was just kidding himself, then maybe he would be able to believe that he could actually harm her.