Eden
by Anat

Buffy woke up a couple of hours later, she walked pass Giles, opened the door and picked the newspaper from the threshold. She walked back into the room, seething with anger. "I'm going to kill whoever the hell responsible for this!"

"Uh, good morning". Giles raised his head. "I suppose you had trouble finding a rest, in the two hours since I've last seen you". He said.

"You bet I had!" she threw the morning paper on his desk.

The headline said: "A YOUNG WOMAN WAS FOUND DEAD IN AN ALLEY". Giles kept reading the article.

"Her body was drained of blood..." he stopped reading and raised his head. "Work of Angelus I suppose?"

"You suppose right!"

"I tried to reach Angel's number. There's no answer".

"Do you think Angelus hurt Cordelia?"

"I don't know. Cordelia knows to take care of herself", Giles said, picking up his phone again.

"A real Sunnydale woman..." Buffy smirked. She moved again to the window, staring outside.

"Maybe you ought to tell Riley about Angel. Perhaps he could be of help", Giles suggested.

"Yeah, sure. 'Riley, I gotta tell you something. My ex boyfriend is a vampire, he was cursed and had a soul, but now he's evil again and he's out loose on the streets'. Sure, I can tell that to Riley!" she huffed frustrated and started pacing back and forth, brooding. Her eyes fixed on the floor.

"Maybe this group of his will help us catch him", Giles offered. Buffy lifted her head. "No way!" she protested. "No way on earth will I let them hurt him!"

"They'll just make him harmless".

"They don't settle with that Giles. They torture the demons, they study them.. God knows what they are doing there! I will not let them hurt him until I'll be convinced there's absolutely no way to bring Angel back", she said determined. "And then I rather just kill him and put an end to this". She closed her eyes.

There was a knock on the door. Buffy and Giles exchanged looks and Buffy went to open the door.

Cordelia and Wesley were standing in the doorstep.

"What are you doing back here?" Buffy looked at Wesley. "I thought you were back in the motherland".

"I'm a rouge demon hunter".

Cordelia stepped inside. "Wesley quit the council. Wesley works for Angel now... " she looked down sadly, "Or worked"...

Giles took off his glasses and cleaned them with his handkerchief.

"He really pays you to work with him?"

"Yeah! Can you believe how much money this guy have? I wonder where he got that", Cordelia said.

"His father was rich. After Angel killed his family he kept the money safe", Buffy said knowingly, straight faced.

"How do you know that?" Cordelia asked.

"He told me. We used to talk a lot when we couldn't... uh..." She blushed. "You know..."

"Angel is rich and he never told us! His faithful subjects! That's rude".

Wesley took off his glasses and coughed. "Well, as much as I'd like to participate in this chitchat, we have great worries upon us. Angel has turned".

"We are aware of that", Giles said, handing him the newspaper.

"You are?"

"Yeah, what happened?" Buffy asked, staring at Cordelia.

"He was helping this actress, Rebecca Lowell..."

"Rebecca Lowell? Raven from 'On your own'??" Buffy asked, surprised.

"Yeah! He didn't even know who she was can you believe that?"

Giles and Wesley both coughed. "Oh yeah," Cordelia nodded. "So anyway, she was stalked, or wasn't stalked. Turns out, she wanted be famous again and wanted Angel to make her a vampire... she drugged him and he was Angelus, until I played a trick on him, and knocked him out cold..."

"You?" Wesley cut her out. "If I recall correctly, it was I who pushed him into the elevator!"

"But I dazed him with my wonderful act!"

"Um, is that it? I got the part where you caught him, then what?" Buffy interrupt their argument.

"Then we tied him up until he was back to himself".

"And what has changed?"

"I guess there were side effects. That lady was using Doximall". Giles looked at him. "Good heavens! Synthetic contentment!"

"So that Rebecca is responsible for the situation?" Buffy asked.

"Okay, what's up?" Xander asked, as he entered the apartment along with Anya and Cordelia.

"Cordy!" Xander called when he saw her in the apartment. She looked at him up and down. "You haven't changed at all! Still a loser", she said.

He smirked and nodded. "I am an advanced loser now".

He saw Wesley behind her. "And you're still with Queen

Elisabeth".Cordelia huffed. "We are work colleagues now".

Buffy walked into the room, with bleary eyes. "Hey", she approached them. "Buffy! Good morning!" Willow smiled widely.

Buffy sighed. "Not so good, Angelus is back".

"Angelus?" Anya looked at her. "As in evil Angel Angelus?" Xander looked at Buffy, an angry expression on his face. "I knew it was going to happen!"

Buffy folded her hands. "I knew you'd say that!"

"Buffy, is it true?" Willow's voice was trembling. Buffy lowered her eyes.

"What? Did he came back to town and you just gave him a happy?" Xander sounded furious.

"I didn't do anything!" Buffy yelled at him.

"What about Riley?" Willow asked.

"There's no need to blame Buffy, apparently, something else caused the reappearance of Angelus". Giles walked towards them.

"Who's Riley? Your new boy toy?" Cordelia asked.

"You mean you didn't give him a happy and still he turned into the demon again? Some trustful guy you got there". Xander said angrily.

"Xander! I'm sure Buffy didn't have anything to do with it. She loves Riley now. Right, Buffy?" asked Willow.

"Yes, well", Giles interrupted the silence. "Willow, I suggest you start working on the curse again".

"Again? Oh no, I think we better cure Angel once and for all. I say we slay him". Xander looked firmly at Buffy's face, waiting for a response. Willow stepped forward. "Xander, no. I think we should try the curse again. I already know I can do it".

"Yeah, but this time, make it a little permanent?" Cordelia interfered.

"No, Willow. Xander has a point". They all looked surprised at Buffy.

"What are you saying? You want to kill him?" Willow couldn't believe her ears.

"I don't want to kill him. But I also don't want him killing anyone else. If he touches one of you... I couldn't live with myself".

"Then I'll do the curse right now! Except... I don't have the materials and the curse here, right now". Willow bit her lips.

"Willow, I can't. I just can't. I can't come to you to do the curse every time he gets mean again". Buffy's eyes were filled with tears. "I think it's better if he were dead. I wouldn't have to worry he will turn evil ever again". She walked silently out of the apartment.

Giles and Wesley exchanged stares.

"That was harsh. It's nice to see that after he gave so much for her, she gives him up!" Cordelia huffed.

"What did he give up for her? Give up more opportunities to make her miserable?" Xander asked.

"It's true, Cordelia. It was better for Buffy when he left. Now she has a new sweet boyfriend. And he's human, and he hunts demons". Willow said.

"Boy, Angel should hear that! He mourns about her being all broody and heart broken and she has a new boyfriend anyway". Cordelia sighed.

Xander chuckled. "So he should move on. Into the dead".

"You don't know..." Cordelia shook her head.

"What are you talking about, may I ask?" Wesley asked, stepping closer.

"That's right, you don't know. Angel turned human when he fought with some yucky demon. He and Buffy spent the day and night together. Then Angel learned from the Oracles..."

"The Oracles?" Giles and Wesley both asked, stunned.

"Yeah, anyway, it turns out he's a warrior and supposed to help Buffy fight the apocalypse, yadda yadda, but he was human and it would have get her killed sooner, so he asked them to turn back the day so he won't be turned into a human and that day never existed. Only Angel remembered this day... he told Doyle, Doyle told me and died..." it seemed like Cordelia's eyes were moist for a moment, she paused but recovered soon. "And now you know too".

"Wow, that's amazing. Did they have a lot of sex when he was human?" Anya asked, stealing all the stares.

"Ewww gross, Doyle never told me that part!"

"That's so sad. Now I must do the curse!"

Xander looked at the ceiling, then back at the others. "I still think we should kill him. He's dangerous. He's not Angel right now".

"We're not going to kill him". Said Willow, looking over at Giles. "Are we?"

"No, I don't want to kill him. I want to seek for a way to make the transition irreversible". Giles took off his glasses, pondering.

"Irreversible? You mean making him have a soul forever?" Anya asked. Cordelia smiled widely. "You think it can be done?"

"I don't know. I must consult..." he pondered again, not finishing his sentence.

"Books?" Xander offered.

"I'm going to try and find the remainders of Miss Calendar's Clan".

"The Kalderash tribe? The Romany?" Wesley lifted his eyebrow.

"Yes. I will find them, with the help of the council". "Good luck". Xander muttered.

"And how would you convince the council into helping you? They turned their back on us".

"I'll find a way". Giles collected his books from the table, putting them back to their places.

"Go on to your business". He hurried them.

"What should we tell Buffy?" Willow asked, just before going out.

"Nothing, for now. I need you to gather materials for the curse. If I fail, we shall at least try and get Angel's soul back. I shall go now and buy a ticket to the next flight to England".

"England?" Xander turned around. "You're going to England?"

"Yes. I'm afraid that's where the council is located".

"Then I'll be going with you!" Wesley announced. Giles looked at him. "I am capable on doing it on my own".

"Angel is my boss as well as well as a good friend. I know he would have done the same for me".

"You sure have changed from the last time you were needed to help Angel".

"I have to remind you I did try to help. The council refused my request, which is the main reason I think our trip to Great Britain will be a waste of time".

"I'm going to England, join me or stay here", Giles said, determined.

"You leaving me to do the curse alone?" Willow asked frightened.

"Yes, I'm sure you'll do fine. With the help of Xander and Cordelia". Anya coughed.

"Perhaps Anya could be of help too", he said. "As for Buffy... Keep an eye on her. Before she does something she'll regret". "We'll watch her". Willow assured him.

Part Five

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