"It’s one of Ms. Calender’s computer disks." Willow answered as she sat down. "I found it while I was cleaning up her classroom." Giles remained silent, as he continued to stare at the disk. Willow decided to go on. "In the days after it had happened, I was asked to teach the computer class. While I was there I decided to sort things out. I wanted to make sure no one found any of Ms. Calender’s personal items." Giles looked up then. "I don’t think there are too many people who would understand most of the things that were in her desk. Well except for us." Giles nodded.
"You’re quite right. And the disk, how does this fit into all of this?"
Xander was the first one to respond to Giles’ question. "Well, when Willow told me what she wanted to do, I decided to help her. I thought she wouldn’t be able to do it alone. And, well you know me…I’m as clumsy as they come. I knocked a bunch of paper between the desk and the filing cabinet. When I went to pick the papers up, I came across the disk."
Willow finished the explanation. "The disk wasn’t labeled, so I decided to be safe I would put it in the box of personal items."
Giles interrupted, "I understand all that, but that was almost a month ago, why are you just telling me all of this now?" Willow sighed.
"Because, I’ve kept the box at home…away in my closet. Giles I’d planned on giving it to you right away, but you were in so much pain…I didn’t want to see you hurt anymore." Willow looked at Giles. He gave her a smile for reassurance. Willow continued. "I got the box out yesterday, and started looking through it. When I came across the disk, curiosity got the best of me. I had to see what was on it." Willow stood and moved to the laptop she always used while she was in the library. She turned it on and popped the disk in. After pressing a few keys Willow turned to Giles. "I think you should come see what’s on here. Somehow I think Ms. Calender was working on this when Angel…" Willow was silent for a moment. "I think that’s why the disk was between the desk and the filing cabinet."
Giles walked over to the computer. As his eyes ran across the screen, his mouth fell open. "It’s the curse that will restore Angel’s soul!" Willow whispered.
"Jenny died trying to bring back his soul." Tears began to well up in Giles eyes. "Damn it!" Suddenly his face grew serious. He turned to face Willow and Xander. "It’s going to be too late for this."
"What do you mean?" Xander asked.
"Buffy has…well tonight she’s going to kill Angel…that is if he doesn’t kill her first!"
Xander jumped to his feet, "We’ve got to stop her. If she goes through with this, she’ll never forgive herself once she knows there’s the curse."
Giles remained silent. Willow looked at him, "Giles?? We are going to something aren’t we?"
Giles looked at Willow and then at Xander. "Bloody right we are. This is what Jenny wanted and By God that is what we’re going to do!"
Written by: angels_lov@hotmail.com
"If only I had just given up being the Slayer when Kendra came to town. Then I could have been at Disney World right now." Buffy thought as she walked out of the Bronze. "But no…instead I’m getting ready to go kill my boyfriend!!" She looked towards the sky. "When do I get my chance at a normal life??? My Angel is gone…forever. I’ll never get him back. I just need to put it all behind me. Man I gotta stop talking to myself. People around here already think I’m insane. I don’t actually have to give them proof." Buffy left the alley. "Okay, so just switch over to Slayer mode. Seek and destroy. And then I can get on with my life. Maybe I can find a new boyfriend. One who’s living!" Buffy thought to herself.
***
Angel was making his way through the sewers, waiting for sunset. "I wouldn’t be having this problem if I’d have just left that damn gypsy girl alone." He said to himself. "Although, she was pretty tasty." A smile began to spread across his face. "Not as good as Buffy’s going to be though."
Angel felt a slight tightening in his chest as he passed the spot where he and Buffy had hid the night Dru and Spike had assembled the Judge.
The same night he had given Buffy the Claddahg ring, showing his love for her. Angel’s face hardened. "Damn it! I’m so sick of that little blonde bitch. Although if it wasn’t for that night, I’d still have that annoying soul!"
From some where deep within Angel’s body, a voice spoke to him. "If you’d have just stuck with your first decision, you’d still be with the only girl you’ve ever loved!" Shock spread across Angel’s face.
"Shut up!" Angel growled. "I wish I’d never even stepped foot in this God forsaken town. If only I had just left her alone!"
Written by:Angellov
"So what are we going to do?" Xander questioned.
"Well…I’m going to need to review the curse."
Willow stood, a pile of papers in her hand. "I figured you’d want to look everything over, so I took the liberty of.." Willow passed the papers to Giles. "…printing the entire file for you."
Giles took the papers. "Thank you Willow. I’ll go to my office to read this." Willow and Xander looked at each other. "Oh, I almost forgot. We’re going to need to get in touch with Buffy…before sun set. Or this…" Giles held the papers up. "Is going to be useless."
"I’m on it." Xander headed to the phone.
"Willow, why don’t you read the curse on your computer, while I read the paper version. We can’t afford to miss anything." Giles looked at the clock. "There’s only 35 minutes until sunset."
"Right."
Xander joined them again.
"Did you get in touch with Buffy?" Giles asked.
Xander shook his head. "I called her house and let it ring and ring. I hung up when I remembered her mom’s in New York this week, so there was no one home to answer. I did beep her though. Let’s hope she has her beeper with her.
"Now what do we do Giles? I mean Buffy’s probably already started to look for Angel."
"You go start reading, Xander and I will figure out the next step."
Willow went to her computer. Xander turned to face Giles. "So, what do you want me to do?"
"Perhaps, she’s on her way here!"
"What Buffy are you talking about Giles?? ‘Cuz it can’t be the same Buffy I know."
"Giles, it looks like we need to do some shopping."
"What on earth are you taking about?" Giles asked.
"In order for us to actually restore Angel’s soul, we need to buy some sort of orb…the orb of Thesulah I think!"
"So shopping it is!" Xander smiled.
***
Beep…Beep…Beep…
Buffy reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out her beeper.
…EMERGENCY AT LIBRARY…HURRY…
"Go figure. They can’t be left alone for half an hour, without getting into trouble." Buffy muttered. "I guess Angel will just have to wait."
She stuck the beeper back into her pocket and turned in the direction of Sunnydale High. The sun was just beginning to set.
***
"Giles. We’re back." Xander shouted as he and Willow entered the library.
Giles emerged from his office. "Good. That means you were able to get the orb of Thesulah I imagine?"
"Yup.’ Willow pulled the glass orb out of a paper bag. As she held it up, the light sparkled off of it.
"You know what the funny thing about those orbs is? They just don’t seem to stay in one piece around here!"
They all turned in the direction of the voice, and saw Angel leaning against the doorway.
"Look what happened to the last person that bought one of those. Will the living ever learn?" Angel began to walk towards the group.
"I guess we’re just slow!" Angel spun around, he now stood face to face with Buffy. "But look on the bright side, at least we’re all gonna be here when the night ends. You on the other hand…" Buffy pulled the crossbow from behind her back. "Will not be. Night night Angel!!" Buffy’s finger tightened around the trigger.
"NO!!!" Willow, Xander and Giles shouted simultaneously.
Buffy stood still, with a look of utter confusion on her face. Angel kicked the crossbow from her hands. Before Buffy could react Angel grabbed her arm, spun her around and pinned her against him. Angel brushed Buffy’s hair away from her neck, as she squeezed her eyes shut.
"This is where it gets fun!" Angel whispered in her ear. His lips brushed across Buffy’s neck.. Buffy felt her neck begin to tingle as his cool breath touched her skin. "See you in hell, lover!!" Suddenly Angel drew his head back and gasped.
Buffy opened her eyes, she couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Willow stood with her arms out stretched. In her hands she held a glowing ball.
"No…not again…" Angel whispered. Buffy felt Angel’s grip relax. Willow’s voice began to fill the room, she chanted continuously. Buffy turned around, and slowly began to back away from Angel, never taking her eyes from him. The room was now full of a bright light, which began to encircle Angel. Finally the light began to fade, as the glass ball began to disappear. Willow became silent. The room was still as they all stood starring at Angel.
Written by:Angellove
Angel looked at Buffy "Buffy??" Tears began to slide down his cheeks.
"Angel…is it really you?"
Angel stood up. "It’s me. What’s been going on? I can’t remember…" Angel gasped, his face became a mixture of shame, grief and pain. "Oh my God…what have I done"
Buffy wrapped her arms around Angel’s neck. "It is you. You’re really back!" Her eyes filled with tears as she kissed him. "I’ve missed you."
Angel held Buffy close and tilted her face towards his. "I love you Buffy."
Buffy smiled, "I love you too."
Angel buried his face in Buffy’s neck. "But can you ever forgive me?"
Buffy pulled back and looked into Angel’s eyes. "Forgiveness!?!"
The End