Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. And I'm not all-knowing about roller derby either. But I try.
Part Two
"Tomorrow we're having a competition down the coast in San Francisco. Everyone get on to the bus at 4:00 and we'll ride down the coast. See you all tomorrow!" Angie, the team captain told the team. Angie was a forty-year-old roller derby favorite, with bright red hair and a fiery personality to go along with it. Buffy said goodbye to her teammates and stepped out of the ice cream shop into the crisp night air.
"Hey, Buffster, you need a ride?" Kim called out from her rusted Oldsmobile.
"No thanks, I'll walk. See you tomorrow," Buffy called back, and waved before turning down a dark street to her cheap motel. She got to her room with no vampire trouble and got ready for bed. She was very exhausted and fell asleep immediately. But she wasn't left in peace for long, dreams came to her. She dreamed about the good times she had had with all her friends. Mainly, she dreamed of Angel. She spotted him across a sunlit field of flowers, and they ran to each other in slow motion, like it happens in the movies. Their bodies met and they threw their arms around each other. Buffy woke up suddenly and scanned her room for the cause. But there was nothing unusual, unless you count the unnatural layer of dirt on the window sill. The dream still vivid in her mind, she lay back down and tried to shake the feeling of Angel's presence.
Willow woke the next morning with a crick in her neck from the hard cot. She got up and looked at Angel. He was sleeping peacefully, his mouth pulled up into a tiny smile. In his dream he and Buffy leaped toward each other across a sunny field. They came together in a warm embrace. It was then that Angel was startled awake. His eyes struggled to focus on the figure looming over him.
"Buffy?" he whispered hoarsely.
"Hi, Angel. It's Willow."
"Willow? What's going on?" Angel asked, confused.
"We retrieved you from hell. How are you feeling?" she asked.
"My body burns. Why...I was in hell?" Angel asked, confused.
"Don't you remember? Acathla, Spike, Drusilla, Ms. Calendar? Ring any bells?" Willow asked.
Angel's mind raced to remember. Slowly, the memories came to him, smothering him as they had done before, and he was filled with guilt for his murders. "Why bring me back?" Angel croaked out. "I killed so many."
"We forgive you, Angel. All of us."
"All of you?"
"Yup."
"Xander?" said Angel, disbelieving.
"Yes, eventually."
"Buffy?" Angel managed. This was the most important question. I determined whether or not he would kill himself.
"Um, we don't know. She left, after Acathla had been put back to sleep. We don't know where she went."
"She must hate me," Angel said sadly, tears welling up in his pain filled eyes.
"I'm sure she doesn't hate you. She could never hate you. She loves you so much," Willow comforted the tearful man.
"We have to find her," Angel said determinedly, struggling to sit up. Willow gently pushed him back down to the bed. He was too weak to resist.
"We will. First you have to get strong again. We'll find her, I promise," Willow assured him. "You need food." She held a blood bag up to his face. "Open wide," she said.
Angel made a face and pushed the blood bag away from him. "Maybe some soup," he requested.
Willow put the blood bag down with a confused expression on her face. "Okaay," she said, and left the room to get him some soup.
Angel stared remorsefully at the ceiling waiting for Willow to return with his soup when a hesitant knock sounded at the door. Giles poked his head in the room.
"Willow?" he called. His eyes fell upon Angel. "You're up." he said curtly, entering the room.
"Hi, Giles," Angel said. After a pause, he spoke again. "I'm sorry about Jenny and all the pain I've caused you."
"Quite all right. It wasn't you, I...I realize that now."
"Thanks for giving me a second chance," Angel said.
"For Buffy," Giles said, with a quick smile. "We have to get her back. Those damn vampires are organizing again." The men were silent for a moment when Willow came back into the room carrying a steaming bowl of soup.
"Hi, Giles," Willow greeted the librarian as the set the soup on a tray in front of Angel.
"What is this?" Giles asked, waving his hand indicating Angel.
Willow looked at him sipping the soup. "What?" she asked.
"Angel is eating soup." he stated. "Are you all out of blood?"
"No, he wanted it," Willow responded.
"Angel, do you not like blood anymore?" Giles asked.
"I don't know. I just wasn't hungry for it this morning."
"Very interesting. I'll have to consult my books. Meanwhile, Willow, we should begin our search for Buffy."
"Okay, I'll come down to the library later and start looking," she agreed.
"Good. I will see you later then." Giles said, and left the room.
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