Part Two

Angel had known something was different when he regained his soul again. Buffy was hesitant to come to him, and she kissed him desperately, holding onto him tightly. He had the feeling he had forgotten something, and could not remember how he had gotten to this place. He had been very confused until the moment the sword shot through him. His eyes snapped open and he suddenly knew. He remembered everything he had done. Buffy could not even look him in the eye, she was so full of guilt. He felt the vortex's tug on his body and felt himself being drawn in. His love's name escaped his lips before the vortex closed around him. Had he been able to continue he would have told her how sorry he was for everything he had done. He would have said that he forgave her for sending him to hell. He understood her duty to the world.

Hell was awful. Demons wandered around torturing the unfortunate human souls that happened to be there. But Angel was left alone. His torture was much worse. He was forced to watch, on an enormous TV screen, the days when he was evil. Each individual death he caused replayed with surround sound, so his victim's screams assaulted his ears and made him wince. When Angel slept, he got no relief from the horrors. All the killing would replay in his dreams, or sometimes he would dream of Buffy. Not happy dreams of their good times together, this was hell after all, but nightmares of killing her friends and family and everyone dear to her. The worst was when he would eventually sink his teeth into her neck and make her into what she hated most - a vampire. He would wake up calling her name only to have holy water splashed in his face to shut him up. Every day he was forced into a shower stall where holy water rained down upon him. His own pain and the screams of other demons made it almost intolerable. But he never blamed Buffy for sending him to this nightmare. Angel remembered so vividly the love they shared, he knew he would willingly jump into a hell a million times worse than this for her. He suffered day after day, his guilt constantly growing, for there was nothing he could do to make amends. He was incredibly weak and was listlessly watching one of his violent killings, when he felt something pulling him upwards. He looked up and saw white light shining through the dank ceiling. The white light tugged at him, and he floated gloriously up toward the opening.

"Grant he who does not belong release. Come, Angel. You are freed." Willow spoke, concentrating hard. She pulled him up and up with her willpower, out of the grasp of the Hellmouth. Angel emerged into the room through the twirling energy mass. He was spat out and lay curled up and unconscious on the floor.

Giles took a sledgehammer and brought it down on the mirror, smashing it into shards. The vortex began spreading without a focus point. "Passage from our world to yours, you are closed." he said, then turned his attention to Angel. Willow examined him and found his whole body covered with burns.

Angel's eyes slowly opened and he lifted his head and looked around. "Buffy...?" he murmured groggily.

"Shh, Angel, it's Willow. Just lay down and rest," she soothed. Angel slipped back into unconsciousness. "He's really weak," she told the group. "He needs nourishment."

"I was prepared for this. Blood!" Xander said triumphantly. He held up a bag of blood.

"Good thinking, Xander." Cordelia congratulated her boyfriend.

"First we have to get him to bed." Willow directed.

Xander and Oz carried Angel outside to Oz's van. They all hopped in and Oz drove them over to Xanderıs house. His mom was out of town, so there was no fear of being discovered. They lugged him inside and lay him down in Xander's mother room. They set up a cot and chair next to the bed.

"I'm going home. Do you need anything?" Cordelia asked. Willow shook her head.

"I need to leave, too," Oz said. "Will you be okay here?"

"I'll be fine. In fact, you can all go. Thanks for your help. See you tomorrow." Willow said, ushering everyone out of the room. "He needs his rest." She gave Oz a quick kiss. They all said their good-byes and headed home. Xander went to sleep in his own room, while Willow came in with Angel. She covered the worst of his burns, Angel still very unconscious. Willow climbed into the cot and snuggled up under the thin covers. She began to fall asleep. Through heavy eyes she watched Angel sleeping peacefully, his chest rising and falling with slow, peaceful breathing. 'Breathing?' Willow thought fleetingly as she drifted off into slumber.

Please, sir, I'd like some more.

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