This is the third and final story in my Buffy series, if you haven't read the first two please read The Ring and then Jealousy. This story really hasnt' been expertly corrected gramaticaly wise but people keep begging me for it so here it is, the rough draft!

Author comments: You can give my story to people as long as they know it's by me so they can give me feedback. I hope you enjoy this story and please, please, please E-Mail me feedback. Even if you hate it!

Giles, Willow and Xander, stood on one side of Buffy's hospital bed looking down at the still figure lying there. Buffy Summers was lying on her bed as still as death. The doctors said she was in a coma. A coma they couldn't really explain being as they had done everything possible to bring her out of it. She had lost an enormous amount of blood and the doctors had replaced it. She had lost nutrients and iron, the doctors had replaced it. Nothing seemed to be working though, and Buffy was only kept alive by the machines hooked up to her.

"What's wrong with her Giles?" Willow asked the concern and worry very evident by the dark circles under hey eyes.

"My suspicions, Willow, are that some how Jadon exchanged some of his blood with her, but not enough to completely change her into a full fledged vampire. Her slayer blood it fighting off the vampire blood. It's causing an all out war in her system."

"Will she be okay?" Xander asked.

Giles swallowed visibly shaken. "I don't know Xander, I've heard of this happening once before, she-well, she didn't make it."

Xander paled, and a lone tear rolled down Willow's Cheek.

Angel was sitting in his apartment staring off into space. Buffy was dying, he knew what had happened to her. Her blood was fighting off Jadon's. He had seen it happen before in other slayer's; he hadn't been able to do anything but watch them take their last breath and fade away. Angel closed his eyes. He couldn't, no, he wouldn't let that happen to Buffy. He loved, her, God help him but he did. The idea of him sitting by and doing absolutely nothing watching her die, and leave him, to leave his life, it was too much for him to bear. He only knew of two things he could do. He could sit by and watch her body struggle or he could save her by the only way he knew how.

Make her a vampire.

"How is she?" Joyce Summers asked the doctor in charge of Buffy's care.

Doctor Steven's kind and sympathetic eyes studied her. "I wish I had better news for you Ms. Summers, but the truth is there's been no change. She remains in a coma, and does not appear to be getting better."

Joyce closed her eyes. "Will she live?"

That question seemed to be asked all to often of doctor's. "I-Ms.Summers, I want to tell you she will. But the truth of the matter is, it's hard to say. I've seen people awaiting death's door, and then suddenly pull through."

Joyce's eye's looked up, hopeful. "Then there's a chance."

Doctor's Steven's eyes gave her a sad look. "There's a chance, but I don't want to lie to you. Buffy doesn't seem to be responding well, to her treatments, and although I've seen people pull through, Idon't think that's the case with your daughter."

Joyce Summer's, eyes teared up and she turned away blinking rapidly. "I see."

"I'm very sorry. " Doctor Steven's put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Maybe you should go and have a cup of coffee, get some rest?"

Joyce shook off his hand. "No thanks, Doctor Steven's, I would like to stay here with my daughter."

He gave her a look of understanding. "Very well, let me have a nurse go get you a pillow and a cup of coffee. You look as if you could use some." Joyce nodded thankfully and sat down beside the still figure of her daughter.

The Hellmouth.

"Then you failed!!" Spike glared angrily at Jadon.

"I didn't fail at all Spike, Buffy Summer's is in a hospital bed, practically dead"

Spike gave a snort. "Practically being the key word here. How stupid can you be man, she's been "practically dead" before and she always manages to get out of it."

Jadon grinned. "Because she's never had vampire blood in her before."

Spike's eyes widened. "You did, you actually turned her into a vampire?"

Jadon shook his head. "No, I was interrupted before I could manage that. But I think this is much better. There's no way she'll live through this. She's fighting vampire blood with her slayer blood. I've seen other slayer's go through this, they die every time. Every last one of them."

Spike's eyes gleamed. "Then it's done. She's gone, and we've just lost one of our slayer problems."

The laughter of the two vampires filled the small room, echoing off the cold walls.

"Do you want me to do this Buffy?" Angel whispered to the small body laying on the bed. She seemed so small and incredibly helpless; it was hard to believe she was ever once the strong girl he knew. "Buffy, should I do this? Should I take this final step? I don't know what to do." The hospital was quiet. Only the occasional flapping, of the nurses rubber sole shoes, clapping down the hall could be heard. Angel sighed. He didn't want to live without Buffy. He would miss her to much. He sometimes felt that Buffy was the only thing that fought his darkness off. The dark side of him, his demon that was always trying to force it's way to the surface. But he couldn't let that happen. He couldn't let his demon inside leash out. He had Buffy to think about. Buffy, who was just lying there, lying there dying. "Oh, God, please God, don't let Buffy die. I can't live without her." Angel hadn't prayed in a long time. He felt God didn't even want to listen to him anymore, after all he had a demon inside him. But now, now he prayed, he prayed for God not to take away the one thing that he loved more then anything. "Please God, don't take her away." Buffy's body was still and silent on the bed oblivious to her surroundings. "Buffy please, you don't understand how much I need you, I need you to be here for me." Angel felt overwhelming loss inside him. He didn't see any other way to save her. The world needed the slayer to fight the evil around them, and yet he knew that he was the one who really needed her. "Oh Buffy, I need you so much, I need you to help me-to help me fight the darkness within."

Giles, and Willow were looking rather grave when Xander entered.

"Hey guys, find anything?"

Giles looked up. "It doesn't look good Xander, I've looked through every book I can think of, I can't find anyway of healing her."

Xander spoke grimly. "Then there's nothing we can do."

Giles shook his head sadly. " I don't see anything we can do. It's up to Buffy to fight off what ever is happening inside her-"

"I know a way." Angel's voice broke the silence.

"Angel! What are you doing here?" Willow cried.

"I've been around. I know a way to save her, to make her better again." Angel spoke his voice grim.

"What? Angel, if you know something that can make her better..." Xander's voice was quietly hopeful.

"I know a way. To make sure she'll live. That she won't die, and leave us. I know a way that we never have to worry about her being sick, or dying again."

Xander looked bewildered. "Well what is it man? Spill it out, don't make us sit here all day."

Giles voice spoke abruptly. "No..."

"I know a way, that she'll live. She doesn't have to die!" Angel's voice spoke almost pleadingly to Giles.

Xander's confusion grew. "I don't understand, what's going on? Why don't you want Angel to help Buffy?"

It was Willow who spoke. "He wants to make her a vampire"

Xander sat in obvious shock.

"I can't let you do this Angel. I won't let you do this." Giles spoke firmly.

"You can't stop me." Angel spoke with quiet conviction, though the pain was evident in his eyes.

Xander cried out in desperation. "You can't be serious! Angel think about this, Buffy will be evil, you know Buffy wouldn't want you to do this!"

Angel looked away. "I don't know anything. Anything, except the fact that Buffy is lying there on a hospital bed about to die, when I can save her!"

Willow spoke quietly. "Angel, you wouldn't be saving her. You'd make her a demon. She wouldn't want that, you don't want that."

Angel's face twisted in pain for a moment, and then the demon sprung through changing him. "I don't know that! I'm going to save Buffy, and she'll live! She'll be with me!"

Willow and Xander looked at Angel in open horror, but Giles stood his ground firmly. "Angel, I know your in pain, your hurting, we all are, but you can't let yourself get out of control. You know Buffy would never forgive you if you did this to her. Let us help you Angel. Just calm down, calm-"

"You can not save me from myself!" Angel snarled. "I need Buffy she's the only one who can help me, to save me.....To save me from myself...I love her." Angel whispered. There was a moment of silence before his features changed again back to normal. Angel turned and swiftly went out the door.

"Should we go after him?" Xander asked quietly.

Giles shook his head. "Let him go. He won't change her."

"How do you know?" Willow asked.

"He beat the demon inside him. He's right we can't save him from himself but he can."

The three watched the swinging door of the library in silence.

The moonlight streamed in through the small library windows. It was night, but Giles, Xander, and Willow were unaware of the time. They were frantic to find a cure for Buffy.

"Well, there's got to be some way we can help her, cure her some how." Willow said.

Giles shook his head clearly frustrated. "I don't see anything Willow, nothing definite at least, and believe me I've looked. I've searched through all the Watcher Diaries and any text book I can think of.."

"What do you have that isn't definite?" Xander interrupted.

"Well, some how someone needs to speak to Buffy, I mean really talk to her, try to drag her out of her dark place. Try and get her to fight the vampire blood off. But it's impossible, there's nothing I can see that would allow us to actually communicate with her."

"What about a psychic?" Willow asked hopefully.

"No, even if we could find a true psychic, she wouldn't have enough of a bond, a connection if you would, to draw her back and get Buffy to fight." Giles looked at Xander and Willow helplessly.

"Well I'm not giving up," Xander said with determination, "As long as Buffy has a chance to live, there's got to be a way to try and help her."

Giles nodded. "Of course, Xander, I wasn't suggesting we just give up... We'll find a way." Giles tried to speak with more determination then he felt.

On the second floor of the library the shadow of an Angel watched in silence, listening to the conversation below. He could only pick up bits and pieces.

"-Someone needs to speak to Buffy-impossible-there's nothing-that would allow us to-communicate with her."

"-psychic?"

"No,-wouldn't have enough bond-draw her back- get Buffy to fight."

Angel's breath caught. So there was another way....Without a word Angel slipped back into the shadows and disappeared.

Angel sat by Buffy's bedside. He felt uncomfortable as he slipped the ring that Willow had returned, back on Buffy's finger. He knew she had taken it off, and although Xander had said Buffy was under a spell, he still felt awkward replacing a ring she might not want.

"Buffy, I'm sorry, if you don't really want this ring, I understand. I just hoped there would be some way of bringing you back, of saving you. And I hope you can forgive me for what I'm about to do."

Angel took out a small knife, took a deep breath and made a small incision into Buffy's finger, wincing as Buffy let out a slight moan. "I'm sorry." he whispered. Then he pulled out a small vile and began fill it with her blood. Suddenly the smell of the Slayer's blood filled his whole world. Angel let out a low growl, and felt the change in him begin to take place. "No!" Angel cried out loud. He wouldn't let this happen, not here, not now, not with her. Angel fought the demon inside of him, Buffy meant to much to him for him to let something so evil win. He closed his eyes and turned his body away from the sight of Buffy. With a shudder he cut his own finger and let a few drops of his blood fall onto Buffy's finger. The wounds heeled instantly. Angel all but leapt out of the hospital room and rushed out the door. He had work to do.

Angel sat at a table with a deep frown of concentration on his face. He carefully took a brush made of horse hair and dipped it in Buffy's blood. Next he brushed her blood over the tip of a circlet of cold and watched as it slowly turned into a single perfect ruby. It was magic gold. Gold he had come across in the eighteenth century in London, from a shop of gypsies. It had power's he didn't even know of. But one thing he had found was the power to connect with someone's thoughts. Angel had used the ring when he had wanted to keep track of Drusilla, when he had first made her. Eventually Drusilla's ring had been lost over the decades. Although he didn't know where the ring had disappeared to. The process of making the token ring was actually quite simple. It was usually getting the blood that was the hard part. Angel mournfully let his head fall forward. It had been too easy to get Buffy's blood. He wish he could do something more. If only he had been able to kill Jadon. 'I'd do anything to get a chance to get my hands on Jadon.' Angel thought. 'Not right now, Angel, you must focus on the ring.' The ring worked quite simply. Who ever possessed the blood of a person on the gold circlet would be able to sense the other's thoughts. Buffy's ring had Angel's blood ruby on it; therefore he could sense her thoughts. Now he had to make Buffy's. Once the blood ruby was made he had to wait till dusk the next day before he could slip the ring on to his finger. Then she could sense his thoughts. He just prayed to God it would be enough.

Angel slipped quietly and unseen through the doors to Buffy's room. In order for the ceremony to work he had to be in the presence of the blood ruby's owner. He sat down in the chair next to Buffy who still laid silently in the hospital bed. "Buffy.. The final moment of choice has come. If you don't choose life over death over the next few days I don't' know what I'm going to do." Angel looked sorrowfully down at her still figure. 'Please God, let this work.' While holding on to Buffy's lifeless hand he slipped the ring on his finger. Angel felt something, like a flash of life. He groaned suddenly overwhelmed by the feeling of two beings connected mentally. He dropped her hand abruptly and stood up on two shaking legs. "Buffy, please get well, please feel better, for my sake, for your sake, for the world's sake." Angel stared down at Buffy his gaze full of love and hope, and Buffy, Buffy remained silent and still.

Giles, Xander, and Willow, were surprised to see Angel enter the hospital room that night. It had been a few day's since they had last saw him, and they had begun to think Angel had gone in to hiding.

"Hello, Angel." Giles said quietly.

"Hello...I-I have some news."

The three looked at him questioningly.

"I found a way that might save Buffy."

Xander jumped up from his seat, and walked over to where Angel was standing. "If you've found something-something besides turning her into a vampire tell us."

Angel began to speak. "The ring I gave Buffy, it enabled me to sense her feeling's, I made the same ring for her. There's no guarantee's that this will work, but it's the only thing I can think of besides- well besides making her something she's not."

Giles looked doubtful. "You really think this will work?'

Angel had a look of utter determination on his face. "It has to work, it has to."

Xander and Willow looked at each other doubtfully.

"Sure man, whatever you say." said Xander.

The four fell silent staring out the small hospital window.

From some dark place Buffy could faintly sense Angel's desperation. Her mind cried out 'Angel, God Angel, help me, I can't get out.' Her body hurt every where. 'Angel are you there?' Buffy knew Angel must be there but she couldn't see him. All she could see was inky blackness that seemed to surround her like a blanket. She could feel Angel, sense his desperation. His need to see her, touch her, consumed her senses. 'Angel?' She struggled against the invisible dark bonds that held her. For a moment she thought she saw a faint glimmer of light, but then it shimmered and died just as quickly has it had come. Buffy felt her body groan in frustration. She wanted out of the dark place so bad, she knew that whatever the darkness was, the darkness that sucked at her pulling her down, was the source of her pain. 'Angel, help me..." But she was left alone. All alone to face the insane darkness.

"You mean she's still alive?! You told me she would be dead by now!"

Jadon winced and stared up at Spike. "Look, everything's okay, she won't make it, it's just taking a little longer then I thought it would for her body to give up. All the slayers die-"

"She's not just any slayer for God's sake! She's faced the master!" Spike interrupted.

"Look I did what you told me to do it's hardly fair to be blaming me and besides that I-"

"You did not do what I told you to do! You blubbering moron, I told you to make her a vampire! Now she's still alive!"

Jadon grinned. "But not for much longer." The grin was wiped from Jadon's face when he felt Spike smack him hard in the face.

"Keep you mouth shut! You better make sure she dies. I'll make you suffer if she lives! And another thing I want you to make sure Angel isn't meddling. I'm sure he could come up with a way to save her even if you can't."

Jadon snorted. "Angel? That idiot! I could take him out in two seconds."

Spike glared angrily at Jadon. "I seem to recall finding you beaten to unconsciousness by your 'idiot.' Just don't' let me down, Jadon. I mean it! Go find Angel and make sure he doesn't interfere!'

Jadon was about to send back a nasty retort but then Spike grabbed him by the labels of his jacket and threw him across the room.

Jadon groaned and managed to get a few words out. "Sure boss, what ever you say."

Spike nodded just once.

Angel woke up to sense an unbearable agony. "Buffy..." he groaned. Something was terribly wrong with Buffy. He knew it in his soul. Angel scrambled out of his bed to the phone on his night table. He hastily dialed the number to the reception area, and waited impatiently for someone on the other line to pick up.

"Sunnydale hospital, how may I direct your call?"

" I need to find out the status of a patient that's there."

"Umm, and your relation to the patient sir?"

"I'm Buffy Summers, brother." The lie rolled easily off his tongue.

"Okay, Mr. Summers, let me go get a doctor, hold please."

Angel waited in agony feeling Buffy's discomfort grow. Finally someone picked up the line again.

"Mr. Summers, you best get back to the hospital it seems Miss Summers condition has taken a turn for the worst. I advice you to get here as soon-" but Angel had already hung up the phone and was out the door, on his way to the hospital.