by Mace

Buffy stood in a crowd of people dressed in peasants' clothing. She saw Bex's head being laid on a chopping block. The crowd hissed: KILL THE WITCH. Bex looked out to the crowd and threw her silver cross to the man standing in front of Buffy. Everyone looked to see where the cross was, but no one saw the man catch it. Bex closed her eyes as the ax was brought above her head. Buffy tapped the man in front of her on the shoulder. He turned around to see her.

"Buffy . . . ?!" Angel asked confusedly.

"Angel? Where am I?" Buffy asked.

The sound of the ax hitting the chopping block rang out in the background. Angel looked at the cross. It was the same one he gave her when they first met.

"It's seventeen-seventy-five. They just beheaded a witch. Why are you 'ere, M'lady?" Angel asked with an Irish accent.

"She's not a witch," Buffy said.

"I know, she's a vampire and a demon Slay'r," Angel replied.

"You haven't been changed yet?" Buffy asked.

"Changed what?" Angel asked.

Buffy faded out of synch with the rest of her surroundings. She stood in front of Sunnydale Highschool. Buffy saw herself walking infront of Angel and Xander.

"So, how do you know where the Master's going?" Xander asked.

"I know," Buffy of the past said.

She continued to walk at a fast pace.

"Oh look, a bad guy," past-Buffy said.

Buffy faded out again.

This time, she watched Spike and her deal. Spike argued with her for a moment. They agreed and Spike turns to leave.

"If Giles dies . . ." Spike turned ". . . she dies," past-Buffy threatened.

Buffy faded out of synch with the world. Suddenly, she was staring in a fountain. She had no reflection. She looked down at her hand, the Claddagh ring glinted in the sunlight(?). The pool was perfectly smooth and black. The sky was bright blue, but cast no reflection. A leaf in a tree from above her and fell into the water. It sank into the water and disappeared. Buffy fell into the water and started to drown.

"You may have stopped me, but I am not finished," a deep, rumbling voice rang out.

Her head fell underwater and bubbles rose. Someone's arm reached in and pulled her out. She took a breath before opening her eyes.

"Angel?" Buffy whispered.

"Are you okay?" Angel asked.

"Yeah, where are we?" Buffy asked as she coughed.

"I'm not sure. I've been here for a while. The last thing I remember is you and I were . . . making love. I ran outside my apartment and collapsed on the street, and the rain suddenly stopped. I was on the ground on all fours. Then, I woke up infront of you. We kissed and you told me to close my eyes. The last time I closed my eyes to a woman, Darla made me a vampire. You stabbed me with a sword," Angel said without a hint of accusation.

"I know. A lot's happened since then. I never figured this is what limbo would look like," Buffy said.

"You aren't dead, are you? You were hurt. Did I kill you?" Angel asked fearfully.

"I wasn't when I fell asleep. I know you didn't kill me. That would never happen," Buffy comforted him.

"This is going to sound weird, but were you ever in Ireland watching an execution?" Angel asked.

"I was there. You remember that?" Buffy asked.

"I only just thought about it. I knew you. I said your name. I couldn't figure out how I knew you then, but I did. I remember your face. You looked like an . . . an angel," Angel said.

"I think I'm dreaming." She put her hand on Angel's face and he leaned into it. "This is the best dream I've had in months," Buffy sighed.

Angel leaned over and pulled her toward him. They kissed. They kissed again more passionately. He put his arms around her back and pulled her close. She inhaled softly. They kissed for a third time and she laid her head on his shoulder.

"You were wrong," Angel said softly.

"I've been wrong a lot lately." She paused for a second to think about what she just said. "When was I wrong this time?" she asked.

"You do look good in sunlight," Angel whispered.

They kissed again and she faded out.

She awoke in her bed. The sun was rising. She touched her lips, and her hand slid down to the back of her neck. She stood up and walked around for a second.

"I was wrong," Buffy whispered to herself.

Buffy got off the bus with her bags at Sunnydale bus depot. She looked around for a second and the station cleared.

"Okay, I'm here, Sunnydale, what do you want?" Buffy asked.

She got no reply. She began walking in the direction of her house, watching the sunset. Meanwhile, Giles was searching through the stacks. Bex saw Giles. Giles turned his head and was startled by her presence.

"Can I help you, miss?" Giles asked.

"I think I can help you. Your Slayer is home," Bex replied slyly.

Bex turned and walked out. Giles grabbed the book he was reading and rushed out the door. Giles pulled up at Buffy's house. He rushed to the door and knocked vigorously. Joyce answered the door.

"Is she here?" Giles asked.

"Who?" Joyce asked.

"Buffy! Is she here?"

"No, did she say she was coming?" Joyce asked.

"I, I, um . . . someone told me she was home. I, I'm sorry for the inconvenience, Misses Summers," Giles finished lamely.

Buffy walked up the sidewalk and saw Giles at her front door. She turned around and walked back down the street. Buffy walked in Angel's old apartment and closed the door behind her. She took a look around and sat on his bed. She lied down and went to sleep.

"I used to be terrified of scary movies," Willow said.

"After seventeen years of living on the Hellmouth I don't see how that would be possible anymore," Xander said sarcastically.

"Well, living here could just make you paranoid. I mean you see a shadow and you . . ." Cordelia said, but was interrupted by her own scream.

"Without the sound effects please!" Xander offered in.

Cordelia screamed again shrilly. Xander turned around and saw that a vamp had Cordelia by the neck. The vamp winced and dropped Cordy. Behind them, Oz was holding a cross.

"Never leave home without it," Oz commented.

Another vamp grabbed Oz. The first vampire went for Cordelia again. Cordy's assailant suddenly turned to dust, and Cordy fell in his ash on her butt. Buffy punched the vamp in the mouth that was about to bite Oz. He hit the ground, roared, and stood up.

"Who are you?" the vampire asked.

"You mean you guys have already forgotten me? I'm hurt," Buffy said with mock-indignation.

She spun around and staked the vampire. He turned to ash. The Slayer turned to her friends as they stared at her, mouths agape.

"D'you guys forget me too?" Buffy asked nonchalantly.

Willow hugged Buffy followed by Xander, and even Oz and Cordy. Buffy grinned at them all. She looked down at the pile of ashes.

"Not gonna happen. When did you get in?" Xander asked, holding in his questions.

"This afternoon. I've been hanging around. You guys out to get bitten?" Buffy asked.

"Oh, thank you, Buffy. I can't believe you saved us. I thought we were dead," Cordelia said.

"If you're anxious to die, I'm sure we can find some hungry vamp around here," Buffy said.

"Hello, Miss Summers, I see you had a good night's rest," Bex said from the shadows.

"Did you do that to me? I saw you in Ireland. What was that?" Buffy rambled acusingly.

"You were in Ireland?!" Willow squeaked.

"I was in Los Angeles," Buffy responded impatiently, trying to question Bex.

"Does Giles know you're back?" Xander asked.

"I haven't told him. I wouldn't be so sure cryptic-girl hasn't." Buffy said, glaring at Bex. "And it's gonna stay that way, right?"

"You aren't gonna tell Giles?" Willow asked, shocked.

"What about your mother?" Cordelia asked.

"Hey, where did that girl go?" Oz asked.

Buffy spun around, but there was no one there. She shook her head and cut her eyes behind Xander. She glared for just a second and drew a stake. Xander moved out of the way. Drusilla approaches her.

"Hello, Buffy, isn't this a nice night?" Drusilla asked, her false sweetness ever-present.

"The day was much prettier, but- oh- guess you didn't get to see that. Spike said he was leaving the country. What are you doing here?" Buffy asked, getting down to business.

"My Spike stayed in Prague," Drusilla said almost sadly.

Buffy punched at Drusilla. Everyone else moved away. Drusilla punched Buffy. Buffy flipped Dru on her back. Buffy moved in to stake her. Drusilla kicked the stake out of Buffy's hand and kicked her feet out from under her. Buffy hit the ground with a *thud*. Buffy quickly got to her feet, and Drusilla slammed Buffy's head into a neighboring tree. Buffy searched around for her stake. Drusilla grabbed Buffy by the throat. A stake landed in Buffy's hands. She held it to Dru's heart. They spun to where Drusilla was against the tree.

"Help me. Help me," Drusilla whimpered.

"Me? Right?" Buffy said sarcastically

"You said . . . please?" Drusilla begged.

"I already told you. I'm not one for company," Bex said from behind Buffy. <>

Buffy stabbed Drusilla, and she exploded into ashes. Buffy turned around to look at Bex, but Bex had disappeared. Buffy looked around for a second and saw nothing. The Scooby gang reassembled around Buffy.

"What is with the disappearing act anyway?" Cordelia asked.

"Vampires tend to do that sometimes," Buffy said.

"She seems kinda' reserved for a vampire. No fangs, no wrinkles, and she tossed you that stake," Oz commented.

"Are you sure she's a vampire?" Willow asked.

"Angel seems to think so. . . . I mean . . . well . . . yeah," Buffy stuttered.

"Angel is alive?" Xander asked, trying to ease his conscience.

"Not really. I'm not even sure if it was real, but it's not like any vision I ever had before," Buffy said more to herself than anyone else.

"So did the spell work?" Willow asked hopefully.

"It did. I just wish I had known that's what you were trying to do. I probably could have stalled," Buffy said, sighing.

Willow looked at Xander, but Xander wouldn't meet her glare. Xander shifted his weight from one foot to the other.

"It was kinda scary. Will started speaking Latin like she was possessed or something. Then, the orb did this cool glowing thing," Oz said in his usual Oz-ness.

"I'm sorry it didn't work out like you had hoped," Willow said as she looked at Xander again.

"So now that you're back, what are you gonna do?" Cordelia asked.

"I don't know, are the cops still looking for me?" she asked.

"Buffy Summers, fugitive from the law . . ." Cordelia said. Everyone gave her a 'Look'.

"I take that as a yes," Buffy said.

"Not really, I mean, it's kinda obvious with Willow's, Xander's, and Cordelia's statements that you didn't kill her," Oz said.

"You should have heard my mother when I walked up to the house. She said, 'Well, now that we know you didn't do it . . . '" Buffy said.

"She didn't mean it, Buffy. She was really broken up about you leaving," Willow said.

"She said you came up to house with Spike. What happened?" Xander asked.

"When I called you guys, Spike was at my house. He saved me from some cop. He helped me kill Angel on the condition that he and Drusilla got off scot-free," Buffy said.

"We had to let your mother read almost every Watcher diary and book we had on the subject of Slayers before she believed us. She thought we were all crazy," Xander said.

"So, you aren't gonna go home?" Willow asked.

"Nope," she replied.

"Where are you staying?" Xander asked.

"Uhhh . . . Angel's apartment. I tried to sort stuff out in L.A., but it's nearly impossible to get unconfused there," Buffy said.

"Morbid much?" Cordy asked no one in particular.

"I guess I could take my chances with sleeping in the park. I wanna lie low for a while, and I feel safe there," Buffy replied sadly.

"We won't say anything, right guys?" Willow asked.

"Oh absolutely, no one saw you kill Drusilla . . . Hey, you killed Drusilla!" Cordelia exclaimed with . . . proudness(?).

"I gotta go, you guys should probably get inside someplace," Buffy said, Slayer logic kicking in.

Buffy turned and left. Everyone else watched her go. As Buffy left, she had a broad smile on her face.

"I killed Drusilla," Buffy whispers to herself.

Go here for part three.

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