Willow sighed and rubbed her eyes sleepily as she flipped through the heavy tome Giles had given her to read through in the hopes there would be some mention of the Chosen. Buffy was out patrolling the neighborhood, Xander and Cordelia were in the stacks; Willow knew better than to see what they were doing, and Giles himself was on the phone with Angel for what had to be the twelfth time that night. She lifted her head and paused in her work slightly as Giles spoke into the telephone, "Is there any specific time that the Chosen will arrive?"

Yawning, Willow turned the next page and tried to keep her eyes focused on the words in front of her. It was already ten at night, and she wanted nothing more than to go home and sleep so that she'd be awake for school the next morning. Unfortunately, helping the Slayer meant keeping late hours.

"I think I found something," Xander said, coming down the stairs with a book in hand, Cordelia trailing behind him. Giles asked Angel to hold on for a minute and put the phone down on the desk.

"What is it?" Giles asked.

Xander walked towards him and handed him the book. "It's a book on threats to the Slayer," Xander explained. "There's something about the Chosen on page forty-nine."

Giles nodded and placed the book down on the desk next to the telephone, flipping through it until he'd gotten to the proper page. His eyes widened as he read further on. "Thank you, Xander," Giles muttered.

"Want to fill us in?" Xander asked.

Giles looked at him curiously. "You found it," he reminded the teenager.

"So? That doesn't mean I read it. It's in Giles language," he explained. "You're Giles, so you get to translate it."

"It's in English," Giles said.

"But it's in Giles language," Xander said again.

Giles shook his head, picked the phone up, and explained to Angel and the others at the same time. "Basically," he started, "this book says that every two hundred years the Chosen is . . . well, there's no other word for it . . . chosen, and must go through vigorous amounts of training before being able to face the Slayer. That's why only one is picked for every hundred years, when they pick one that vampire must train for two centuries before she is allowed to hunt the Slayer."

"So technically there are three of these chosen, one finished with her training and ready to go after Buffy, one halfway through her training, and another just starting?" Xander asked.

Giles nodded. "Yes," he answered shortly. A few moments passed as he listened to Angel and then he nodded. "All right," he said into the telephone. "Call me if you learn anything new." He hung up and turned to face the others.

"Did he find out anything else?" Willow asked, although she couldn't imagine how he could have considering Giles had been on the phone with him all night.

"No," Giles replied. "He's going to check with some of his sources. In the meantime we need to see if we can find out anything about the Chosen's weaknesses. We know her strengths, she's attuned to the Slayer's thoughts and feelings, she's stronger than the average vampire, possibly stronger than the Master according to Angel, which means we have to find some advantage for Buffy before she faces her."

Xander sighed resignedly and sat down on a chair. "This sucks," he said flatly. "This Chosen vamp has been training for two centuries! How can Buffy possibly defeat her if she knows all of her thoughts, all of her feelings, all her techniques, and is stronger than the Master?"

"I don't know," Giles answered shortly. "But we have to find some way, and fast. The Chosen may already be here, we don't have the luxury of time."

Willow blinked and wished she had something she could use to keep her awake. She wanted to help Buffy, absolutely, but she was also extremely tired. Giles saw the look on her face and instructed her to leave. "I can't," she muttered. "Buffy needs our help."

"Would you like me to make you a cup of tea?" Giles offered.

Willow nodded. "I'd appreciate it, thanks Giles," she said, and turned her attention back to the tome in front of her.

Buffy paced back and forth in front of the Bronze, getting more and more impatient with each passing minute. She had not seen even one vampire, and it was beginning to annoy her. "Come on, dammit!" she shouted, drawing the attention of several passerby's. She glared at them and continued to pace, feeling the growing need to work out some of her tension and anxiety. She could think of no better outlet than a vampire, but they weren't being very open and friendly with her tonight.

Giving up, she began to make her way towards the park, usually when the vampires weren't feeding at the Bronze they were at the park. Whistling slightly, she continued to walk down the sidewalk, glancing back and forth in the hopes of seeing a vampire. Suddenly she sensed a presence behind her and she smiled viciously to herself as she landed a kick to the person's kneecap, causing the vampire to fall on his back, she then turned to look at him.

"You know this is the second time you've knocked me to the ground and I didn't much care for it the first time," Angel muttered.

Buffy paled significantly. "Oh my God, are you okay?" she asked, offering him her hand. He accepted it and she helped him to his feet. "I am so sorry," she continued, "I didn't know it was you, I mean, I was just out hunting, and I'm stressed, and . . . " She trailed off and looked at him for an answer.

"I'm fine," he said, smiling slightly. "I came to tell you, I just found out, the Chosen One is in town, she arrived tonight, and she's hunting you as we speak."

"She's here already?" Buffy asked, and he nodded. "Well, that's just great," she muttered. "Like I don't have enough problems . . . I mean . . . oh . . . um . . . thanks for telling me," she finished awkwardly, nervously fingering the cross around her neck.

"No problem," Angel answered shortly, already moving to go.

"Wait!" Buffy protested. Angel stopped but didn't turn around. "Keep me company?" she asked. "I mean, according to Giles no slayer's ever faced this chosen vamp and won . . . but no other slayer ever had her own guardian angel, either. It can't hurt."

Angel, who had already intended to watch over her from the shadows, turned back. "All right," he agreed, repressing a sigh.

"Thanks," Buffy said, smiling in relief as he walked back towards her. Her smile faded when she noticed that he was putting more pressure on his right leg than his left. "I didn't kick you that hard, did I?" Buffy asked, sounding nervous and concerned again.

Angel shook his head. "No, it's not that," he assured her quickly. "It hadn't healed entirely when Spike . . . well, you know . . . so it's just a little weak. It's not a big deal."

Buffy nodded and bit the inside of her lip, feeling a pressure around her heart at the mention of Spike and all that had occurred in that short period of time. She really hadn't wanted to be reminded of that, she'd been trying to repress. "I was just going to the park, to hunt," Buffy said uncomfortably, swallowing against the tears that threatened her once more and silently wishing things weren't so damn awkward between them.

"Well then we should probably get there," Angel said, and Buffy nodded again.

"Good idea," she confirmed, pushing away the memories that flashed through her mind of her and Angel in the park in the day; of her and Angel kissing in the park in the day, actually, she reminded herself. The memories held no joy for her, she knew very well why those memories could never again occur. She shook her head to push her thoughts away and began to make her way towards the park, Angel following behind her.

"Xander? We need to talk. Now."

Xander turned around to look at Willow and frowned at the expression on her face. Her eyes were cold and hard, sleep deprivation had obviously taken it's toll. "About what?" he asked worriedly.

"Not here," Willow said quickly, standing. She grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the stacks where he and Cordelia had been kissing a few moments before.

"What's this about?"

"You and Cordelia," Willow replied. "I don't understand it, Xander. I mean, I've been trying to, really trying to, but it's just not . . . I just don't get it. I don't want her to ruin our friendship, Xander, so I want you to try and explain it to me."

Xander cleared his throat nervously, this wasn't what he'd been expecting. "I don't know how to explain it, Will," he answered honestly. "It just . . . it just kinda happened, and it's kinda continued to happen. I didn't mean for it to, honest, but . . . "

"Do you love her?" Willow asked.

Xander paused at the question and thought about it. "I don't know," he said again. "I . . . I think I might." He looked shocked when he realized what he'd just said.

So did Willow. "You think you might?" she repeated. "As in you think you're in love with her? As in you want to spend the rest of your life with her?"

Xander hesitated, then closed his eyes for a moment. "I . . . Willow, I don't know. Why do you care so much?"

Willow looked hurt for an instant. "I care because I care about you," Willow said softly. "I don't want to see you get hurt, Xander. I'm sorry, but I just don't trust Cordelia."

Xander looked amused by that. "You don't trust Cordelia? You have no qualms about Buffy dating a vampire, but you don't want me to date Cordelia? You have no qualms about dating a werewolf, but you don't want me to date Cordelia? I'm sensing some major weirdness in that."

"I don't . . . I do have some reservations about dating Oz," Willow admitted. "But it's not for the reasons you think. It doesn't have anything to do with the werewolf thing. I just want to know if you have any about Cordelia. Any at all."

"No," Xander answered quickly. "None. What's wrong with you and guitar boy?"

Willow sighed. "Never mind," she replied softly, making her way towards the stairs. Xander reached out and grabbed her arm before she could make it down.

"Willow, tell me what's wrong," he demanded. "This can't all be about Cordy, you've been giving me this major attitude for months now. Even before the whole spell thing, geez, even before Angel had that soul-loss thing you've just been totally different, and I want to know why."

"I really don't want to talk about this, Xander."

"Hey, you started this conversation," Xander reminded her. "Now we're going to finish it. What is this all about?"

Willow's eyes narrowed dangerously. "You want to know what this is all about?" she repeated. "Fine! I'll tell you what this is all about. You're an idiot!" Xander's eyes widened at the anger in her tone. "You're a total blind idiot!" she continued. "Everyone else, and I do mean everyone else knows, except maybe Cordelia and I think even she kinda suspects."

"Suspects what?" Xander demanded.

"That I'm in love with you!" Willow hissed. Her eyes widened in complete and total shock as she realized what she'd just said, and she hastily continued, "I mean . . . I . . . ya know, love you . . . like a friend, and I don't want to see you get hurt, and Cordy has a long string of guys that she's hurt and . . . "

"No," Xander interrupted. "No, you didn't say you loved me. You said you were in love with me." Xander's tone was slow and hesitant, as if he was trying to understand something extremely complicated; something he couldn't comprehend for the life of him.

"I did not," Willow denied weakly.

"Willow . . . you have to believe me, I had no idea," Xander said, still looking slightly shocked.

"Idea about what?" Willow asked. "I never said that I was in love with you, I mean, I said that I love you like a friend and . . . " She never got to finish her sentence as Xander's lips moved closer to hers. Thoughts of Oz, Cordelia and anything else flew from Willow's mind and she stood on her tipy-toes to meet him half-way.

"Well . . . " Buffy muttered, looking around the park then glancing back behind her at Angel. "Here we are." He nodded but didn't say anything. "While we're waiting for the vamps to show up and party we might as well talk about that thing we were going to talk about," Buffy said softly.

Angel looked away for a moment, obviously not wanting to, then turned back and nodded slightly, moving to sit beside her on a vacant bench next to the swings. "So . . . " Angel started, looking towards her and obviously expecting her to start the conversation.

Buffy cleared her throat and closed her eyes for a moment before opening them and turning to look at him fully. "You need to let me explain," she started, her voice wavering slightly. "I mean . . . you have to let me try and get you to understand . . . "

"Buffy, there's no need for an explanation," Angel said quickly.

"Yes, there is," Buffy replied. "I know there is. You can't say that you have absolutely no problems with what I did, I mean . . . Angel, even Giles has problems with what I did, you have to . . . it was selfish, it was . . . it was beyond selfish. I knew you wouldn't have wanted it, but I didn't care as long as you were still around. I had no right to make that decision, I . . . it wasn't my place." Her eyes watered slightly and she blinked back tears before continuing. "But I have to be completely honest about this, or I'll never be able to forgive myself. If I could go back and change it . . . I wouldn't." This was obviously the hardest part for Buffy to admit, her voice caught on the last word and a low sob escaped her before she could stop it. Angel almost immediately moved towards her, but she held up a hand to stop him. "No. I have to say this and get it out in the open now . . . while I can. I wouldn't change it, because I . . . I can't live without you. I tried, when you were evil and all, I tried to live without you and it hurt so much I wanted to die. I welcomed death, anything to get away from the pain. The thought of having to go through that again, only without the hope that somehow, someway you'd come back . . . I don't have it in me. I'm not that strong, I'm . . . I was selfish, yes, but there was nothing else I could do."

"Buffy," Angel said softly, "I already told you I don't blame you. After everything I've done to you I have no right to blame you or be angry at you."

"Angel, you have every right to hate me right now. What I did was way beyond wrong, and you should hate me. If you had made me a vampire to save my life I would be furious. Maybe I wouldn't hate you, but it would be a long time before I could look at you and not have that lurking in the background. It would be like a betrayal, to everything you ever said or did to me. That's what I did to you. There's no point in denying it, and I'm not even going to bother to. I betrayed you. You have to blame me, you have to be angry at me . . . you have to be. I don't believe that you're not."

"I'm sorry," Angel apologized, "but I don't. You were absolutely right. I can't be human, it's suicidal at best, downright idiotic at worst."

Buffy raised a skeptical eyebrow. "You're saying that if it were entirely your choice you would choose to be a vampire rather than human?" Angel looked down towards the ground, then looked back up at her. "I didn't think so," she said softly.

"Buffy . . . " There was a warning note in Angel's voice that confused her slightly. "Buffy . . . " he said again, more intently. Getting the message she whirled around and stared straight into the eyes of the Chosen. Somehow Buffy knew instinctively that this vampire with full 'game-face' in effect was the vampire who'd been sent to kill her.

"Well," Buffy said conversationally, absently noticing Angel rise from behind her and come to stand by her side. "Guess you're the vamp I have to kill, huh?" Without a word Buffy launched herself at the vampire, who easily side-stepped and avoided each kick and throw she attempted. Angel joined the battle and skillfully the two of them fought side by side against the female vampire. At any other time Buffy would have been slightly bothered by the unfair numbers in the fight, this time however she wished there were more people on her side. This vampire was definitely talented in the extreme when it came to fighting, every move, every action was carefully controlled. Buffy used up the last of her stakes and missed, hitting the girl in the stomach rather than the heart, and groaned silently to herself; this was definitely not a good thing. Angel finally managed to kick the Chosen vampire hard in her back, and she fell to the earth, much as Angel had previously. "Get me a stake!" Buffy ordered Angel, falling on top of the vampire and struggling to keep her still.

"Angelus . . . " The girl on the ground stared up at Angel with wide eyes, her face morphing back into human form when she got a clear look at the vampire. As soon as her face returned to normal Angel stopped and stared at her in complete and utter shock, his mouth falling open slightly.

"A stake!" Buffy repeated, glancing at him with wide, panicked eyes.

Still Angel didn't move, and the graceful chosen vampire flipped over, pulling Buffy off of her easily and standing. "We'll continue this another day," the Chosen said with a small smile, pulling the stake from her stomach and tossing it onto the ground at Buffy's feet . Within a heartbeat the girl had disappeared.

"Xander?" Cordelia called, holding a book in her hands and wandering into the stacks in search of her boyfriend. She stopped short and the book fell from her hands in surprise as she spotted Xander and Willow . . . kissing.

Immediately the two broke apart and turned to her, their eyes widening in similar expressions of shock as they looked at each other, then back towards her. "Cordy, I can explain this . . . " Xander started lamely.

Cordelia gave him a cold look. "I'm sure you can," she said coolly. "Only I don't want to hear it." The look in her eyes was pure hurt, and Xander felt his gut clench in sorrow at the pain in her eyes.

"Cordy, please just listen to me!" Xander begged her.

Cordelia had already turned and began to make her exit. Xander hurried after her, leaving Willow alone with the books and her thoughts.

"What the hell was that all about?" Buffy asked, whirling on Angel with wide eyes. "I could have killed her!" she continued. "All you had to do was get me a stake and you just stand there and stare at her . . . I don't believe you! I was so damn close to killing her and you . . . God, what the hell was that all about?" Buffy asked again, staring at him. She blinked to clear her vision, wincing at the pain she felt in her hand, she was pretty sure she'd sprained her wrist at some point during the fight.

Angel closed his eyes for a long moment and wavered on his feet, looking very close to passing out. Buffy saw this and her anger dissipated somewhat as she helped him to sit down. He looked at her, opened his mouth to say something, then closed it again and continued to stare straight ahead.

"Angel?" Buffy asked, her tone quieter now. "Angel, what's wrong? Who is she?"

"She's my . . . " Angel stopped and took a deep breath, if Buffy didn't know better she'd swear he was close to hyperventilating.

"She's your what?" Buffy queried, staring at him with growing concern as she watched him fight for some semblance of control.

When Angel did finally reply a full minute later his voice was little less than a whisper as he said, "She's my wife."

"WHAT?" Buffy's jaw snapped open in shock, her eyes practically bulging out of her head as she looked away from Angel and back, doing a double take of complete and utter shock.

"She's my wife," Angel repeated, still in that same soft wife. He sounded damn close to passing out.

"That's not possible," Buffy said. "You . . . you killed your entire family, remember?"

"Of course I remember!" Angel replied harshly. "I . . . I did kill her . . . but she's here . . . somehow . . . I . . . I don't know how she could have survived though, I . . . I didn't make her into a vampire, Buffy, I didn't, she was just dead, you know? I bit her, drank all her blood, left it there . . . I don't . . . I didn't make her into a vampire, I swear, she was just . . "

"Dead?" Buffy supplied.

"Yes!" Angel answered passionately. "Just dead! She wasn't . . . I didn't make her into a vampire . . . "

"I got that part, Angel," Buffy said dryly.

"This can't be possible," Angel murmured softly. "It can't be . . . how can she be the Chosen One? She's dead! I killed her! She can't be a vampire. No . . . she can't be . . . this isn't possible."

Buffy slid closer to him, sensing that he was in desperate need of comfort. "Ssshh," she muttered softly. "We'll figure this out."

"She can't be!" he said again. "I killed her!"

"What if some other vamp let her drink his blood?" Buffy speculated out-loud. "Wouldn't that work just as well? If she was drained or whatever, then some other vamp gave her his blood, that would make her a vampire, right?"

Angel nodded shakily. "Yes, it would," he replied. "But who . . . ? The only other person there was Darla . . . " His eyes widened at the realization. "I don't believe this! Why wouldn't she tell me? Why would she do that? I mean if she was the Chosen sure, bring her across, make her a vamp, but why wouldn't she tell me that? Why wouldn't she tell me before I killed her? And why would she make me a vampire only to make her one? I don't . . . this doesn't make any sense!"

Buffy bit her lip slightly in concern, the only other time she had seen Angel this upset and disoriented had been when he'd first regained his soul, and she had no idea how to comfort him. "Angel . . . " she started hesitantly, but was interrupted by a terrified scream. Immediately Buffy leapt to her feet and began running towards the sound, Angel following slowly behind her, still in a state of shock.

"Oh my God," Buffy whispered, skidding to a stop when she arrived at the front doors of Sunnydale High. The sight that greeted her made her blood run cold, and she desperately wanted to throw up as Xander opened the double doors and stared down at the same thing her eyes were fixed on. Immediately Xander took a step backwards, a low moan emitting from his throat. Angel arrived seconds later, and had to grip the stairs banister for support against another influx of shock to his already rattled mind.

Lying stretched out across the steps leading up to the school was the body of Cordelia Chase.

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