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TITLE: Love Will Lead Us
EMAIL: Drus1lla@hotmail.com
RATING: PG I think.
DISCLAIMER: The characters obviously don't belong to me because the last time I 
checked I wasn't an acid-tripping guy named Joss Whedon who likes to torment his fans! 
The song 'Flames' is by VAST, off their album VAST.  I suggest you run out and buy it, 
and Music For People immediately!
AUTHOR'S NOTES:  It took a few people to help me with this one.  I need to thank 
Michelle and Angela profusely for helping me with quite a bit of dialogue. I also need to 
thank Juliet (julietlang@iname.com) for providing me with the Gaelic I use in here.  and I 
use the Gaelic because I just don't think Angel would say 'I love you.' to Buffy right in 
front of captain cardboard.  the literal translation for what he says is, "I am in love you.  I 
tried to stop, but I couldn't."  So upon rewatching the Angel season one finale I thought, 
isn't one of Angel's biggest ties to The Powers, the Slayer?  So I figured the demon 
Vocah made another stop before he started the Raising. 
SUMMARY: Angel comes back to Sunnydale for Buffy.  Are you surprised?


The tiles on the hospital waiting room floor began to blur as Riley Finn paced back and 
forth.  He sighed loudly as he ran his hands through his hair, yet again.  He looked around 
at the oddly assembled group of people.  Willow and Tara were immersed in books, 
trying to find the demon that had attacked the Slayer.  Xander was switching from 
looking in a book, to making out with Anya; who was fighting with Spike over the 
remote control.

He looked back out towards the hallway where Giles was currently speaking with Buffy's 
doctor.  One of Giles' arms was crossed across his chest, his other hand resting near his 
mouth, as he looked at the doctor over the rims of his glasses.  There was quite a lot of 
nodding of heads, as the two men continued to speak to each other quietly.  He turned 
towards the two witches once more, who had both switched books.

"You find anything yet?" Riley asked quietly.

"Nothing that resembles that mark on Buffy's hand," Tara answered, turning the page.

"I've never seen that before," Willow commented as she continued to read.  "I still think 
we should call him."

"We're not calling Angel," Riley said through clenched teeth.

Willow narrowed her eyes at him again.  "She's in some weird mental state for four 
hours, then she finally pronounces one coherent word, and you don't want to let the 
person she called for know that she's in trouble.  I don't see how that's helping her!"

"I don't see how Angel can help her," Riley practically growled.

"Both of you settle down," Giles interrupted their argument.

"How is she?" Xander asked.

"She dead yet?!" Spike called.  He didn't flinch under their stunned gazes.  "I don't know 
why you're all looking at me like that, she and I do hate each other.  What's wrong with 
her anyway?  They're all dying to know."

"The doctor doesn't really know, actually," Giles told the gathered group.  "They asked if 
she had a history of mental illness.  According to him she's having a psychotic episode, 
and no medications are helping her."

"A demon did this to her," Willow snapped.  "Medication isn't going to help."

"We all know that's true," Giles replied.  He lifted his head as Buffy's screams echoed 
down the hallway once more.  A blurred figure in black passed the open doorway, 
leaving the people in the room to exchange glances before Riley, Giles, Willow, and 
Xander went running towards Buffy's room.

Angel, Wesley, and Cordelia stepped off the elevator into Sunnydale General.  
"Somehow I don't think we're going to receive a warm welcome," Cordelia commented 
as they made their way down the hall.

Angel turned to say something to her when a familiar shout caught their attention.

"ANGEL HELP ME!!!!!"

"Buffy," he whispered, before he tore down the hallway towards her screams.  Angel 
came to a halt outside her doorway, seeing the woman he loved struggling against the ties 
that restrained her to her bed.  He heard more people come running up behind him, but 
his gaze was riveted on the woman he loved.  "I'm here Ionúin," he said as he walked 
into the room.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" Riley shouted.  "Willow, we said we weren't going 
to call him!"

"None of us called anyone!" Willow shouted back.

"Hey!" Cordelia drowned out their shouts with a yell of her own.  "Good, you've 
stopped."  She caught sight of Buffy, who seemed to have deflated back into the bed 
sheets.  Her eyes were open, welling up with tears, as she was haunted by images only 
she could see. "Oh my God," Cordelia breathed.  She swallowed as she slowly 
approached her one-time friend.  She looked to Angel and Wesley, the looks on their 
faces confirming her unasked question.

Angel stood beside the bed, ignoring Riley's glares.  He lifted Buffy's hand from its 
position at her side, turning it so her palm was down.  The black mark was there.

"Angel, do you know what it is?" Willow asked gently.  "We've been looking, we 
haven't found a trace of it."

"It's the Mark of Vocah, Warrior of the Underworld," he answered.

"Good, so we know what it is.  You've been a great help," Riley sneered.  "Since you 
seem to know so much, how do we kill him so whatever he's done to Buffy stops?"

"He's already dead," Angel replied curtly.

"How do you know?" Riley asked.

"Because I killed him."  Angel turned to Wesley, "Do you have the Scroll?"

Wesley moved away from the doorway, coming to the Slayer's side.  "I wasn't going to 
leave it behind again," he answered, pulling the Scroll from his satchel.

"Is that what I think it is?" Giles asked.  Angel nodded his head as Wesley unrolled the 
parchment.  "May I ask how you got it?"

Cordelia smiled at Giles, "We stole it from some evil lawyers."

"What are you doing?" Riley demanded of Wesley.

"I'm going to help her, now get out of the way."  Wesley found the necessary passage 
and began to read.  "And if the Beast shalt find thee and touch thee, thou shalt be 
wounded in thy soul.  And thou shalt know madness.  The Beast shalt attack and cripple 
thee, and thou shalt know neither friend, nor family.  But thou shalt undo the Beast. Thou 
shalt find the sacred words of Anatol and thou shalt be restored.  Three times shalt thou 
say these words... Unbind.  Unbind.  Unbind."


Faith sat straight up in bed, her breath was coming in uneven gasps as sweat poured down 
her forehead.  Buffy was in trouble.  It was one of those prophetic dreams, the kind 
they'd only shared maybe twice before.  Once when Faith had told Buffy how to defeat 
the mayor, the second time right before she'd come out of her coma.  Buffy needed her 
help again, and somehow Faith had to get her that help.  She stood up, then began calling 
for the guard.

"What do you want?" the woman sneered at her.  "Go back to sleep."

"Please," Faith practically begged.  "Please I need to use the phone."

"It's past time for that, use it tomorrow."  The guard began to walk away again, stopping 
only at the scared tone of Faith's voice.

"Please, she needs my help.  I have to tell Angel, he has to get to her."

The guard turned back to Faith, taking in her worried expression, the pleading in her 
eyes.  "Okay," she agreed.  "You give me any trouble, you'll wish you hadn't."

Faith nodded her head gratefully, then quickly made her way to the phone.  She fidgeted 
with her hands nervously as she tried to remember Angel's phone number. The only one 
that came to mind was Cordelia's cell phone.  It amazed her that the three of them: 
Wesley, Cordelia, and Angel, trusted her still.  That they had offered to help her 
whenever she needed it was nothing short of a miracle.  She pressed the numbers on the 
telephone, listened to the ringing, waited for Cordelia's answer.


Wesley, Cordelia, and Angel all exchanged confused glances.  This time there had been 
no flash of light.  The mark was still there, tears were still streaming down Buffy's 
cheeks.  Nothing had changed.

"Did it work?" Willow asked timidly.

"No," Wesley answered.  "I don't understand why either," he said staving off the 
questions he did not have an answer for.  He turned to Angel, "The Oracle said that the 
words of Anatol were what would bring Cordelia out of this, yes?"

Angel nodded his head.  "That's what she told me."

"So I don't get it," Cordelia interrupted.  "How come these sacred words worked for me, 
but not for the Slayer?"

"Why indeed," Giles replied, taking off his glasses.

"Because what's happening to her was prophesized," Wesley answered, his eyes roaming 
over the text of the Scroll.  "The words of Anatol can't help her."

Angel and Giles were at Wesley's side immediately, reading over his shoulder.  "Where 
are you reading that?" Angel asked.

"This passage here," Wesley indicated.  "The one right after the one about you."

"That does say Shanshu, yes?" Giles looked at Wesley, then at Angel.

"Yes," Angel answered.

"What is this here?" Giles pointed at a passage of the text.

"I don't read Aramaic," Angel moved away from them, towards the opposite end of the 
room.

"I believe it says," Wesley furrowed his brow slightly, trying to remember the proper 
translation.  "The First."

"As in Evil?" Xander questioned.

"Yes," Giles replied.

"No, but we've done this!" Xander exclaimed.  He turned towards Angel, "I don't know 
how you guys did it, but ya beat it.  All gone, right?"

"You can't fight The First, Xander," Giles intervened.  Neither Angel, nor Buffy had ever 
mentioned how Angel's visions had stopped.  The only thing that mattered was that they 
had stopped.

"No, but Xander's right," Willow said, looking around at the Scooby Core.  "Somehow it 
stopped, so you guys must've done something...."

"Willow," Giles cut her off with a look.

"Stopping now," she murmured.

A tense silence engulfed the room, the only sounds heard were Buffy's quiet sobs. Angel 
looked up to find Riley still glaring at him.  He was standing beside Buffy's bed, holding 
her limp hand possessively.  Giles and Wesley were murmuring quietly, the Scroll out 
before them.

The shrill ring of Cordelia's cell phone suddenly permeated the air.  She dug around in 
her purse for a few moments, finally producing the wailing machine.  "Cordelia Chase," 
she answered.  "Whoa...whoa...whoa, calm down.  Yeah, he's right here."  She walked 
over to Angel and handed him the phone.  "It's Faith," she whispered.

"What's wrong?" Angel's concerned voice came across the line.

"I was asleep," Faith began to stammer.  "And then I was in this place filled with fog, and 
B.  Angel you have to help her, she's in trouble.  I don't know what happened to her, but 
all these voices and....."

"Faith calm down.  Start over, and this time a little slower," Angel interrupted.

Faith took a calming breath, then spoke into the receiver once more.  "There were all 
these people screaming, and crying.  They were all blaming her, even me.  But it wasn't 
really me."

Angel heard her voice crack, and he could almost see the tears running down her face. He 
fought to keep his voice calm, "What else?"

"I kept telling her that it wasn't me," Faith answered.  "I think she finally realized it.  She 
asked me to help her, I promised!"

Angel looked up and saw that the others were watching him, Wesley and Cordelia most 
of all.  "Tell me what we have to do."

"You're there with her?"

"All of us are here," he answered.  "You need to tell me what she said.  How do we help 
her?"

"You have to tell her," Faith wept.

"Tell her what?  What do we need to say?"

"No, not them," Faith emphasized.  "_You_."

"Tell her what?" Angel asked again.

"She didn't say," Faith fought back a sob.  "She said, 'He has to tell me, or it won't stop.'  
That's all she said.  You have to help her, please?"

"We're working on it," Angel said quietly.

"No," Faith cried.  "_You_.  You're the only one who can help her,"  Faith insisted. 
"You'll let me know she's okay, won't you?"

"She'll tell you herself," Angel replied, then hung up.  He handed Cordelia back her 
phone, then looked back up at the expectant faces.

"Well?" Cordelia asked.  "So did they do the freaky mind-connecting thing or what?"

"Yeah, they did."  Angel looked over at Buffy, whose eyes were once again filling with 
tears.  "We have to tell her something, but Faith didn't know what."

"Faith?" Riley asked.  "You'd actually trust her to help Buffy?"

"We don't have any other choice here.  Buffy asked Faith for her help, Faith promised 
she would," Angel answered.

"Buffy hasn't asked for anyone, she's lying here practically comatose!" Riley shouted.

"She asked for Angel," Willow snapped.

"What did Faith say?" Giles asked.

Angel looked at the others, deciding that a little selective editing was in order. "She said 
there were a lot of people screaming, and crying.  That they were blaming Buffy."


"So I'm gonna take a wild guess and say she's not seeing what I saw," Cordelia stated.

"What do you mean," Xander asked, "what you saw?"

"What's happening to her right now," Cordelia pointed at the Slayer.  "It already 
happened to me.  Only the words in the Scroll helped me, they made it stop."

"What else did Faith see?" Wesley asked.

"I still don't see why you're trusting her!" Riley complained.  "After everything she's 
done to us."

"To us?!" Cordelia exclaimed bewildered.  "When did _you_ become part of the 
group?!"

"Cordelia," Angel, Giles, and Wesley all tried to stop her.

"Why do the three of you always say my name like that?!" Cordelia snapped.  " And I'm 
sorry, but Faith has done stuff to _us_," she gestured around towards everyone but Riley.  
"She's never done anything to _you_.  Buffy asked her for her help, that's what the whole 
freaky mind connecting was about.  That's why Faith knew Buffy was in trouble in the 
first place.  If we can trust her, if _Buffy_ can trust her, then _you_ sure as hell can!"

"Yes, back to the point," Giles interrupted the silence that had swallowed the room again.

Angel looked over at Buffy.  "She said that we had to tell her, or it wouldn't stop."

"Tell her what?" Xander asked.

"She didn't know," Angel answered.  "Faith just promised Buffy that she would help 
her."

"So we hit the books again?" Willow asked, looking around at the others.

"I don't believe so," Giles answered, rubbing his temples.  He turned to Wesley. "Let's 
translate the rest of that passage, it may give us some answers."

Wesley nodded his head, then followed Giles out of the room.  The five other people 
continued to stare at each other in silence.  Xander, Willow, and Cordelia finally turned 
and went back out to the waiting room, leaving Riley and Angel alone with Buffy.


Buffy sagged against the chains that held her.  She could feel blood from her torn mouth 
trickling down her chin, mixing with her tears.  The metal around her wrists was biting 
into her flesh, loosing more blood to run down her arms.  The fog around her shifted once 
more, another figure approaching her.

"You recognize this?" the voice asked, holding out a carved piece of wood.  "She gave 
this to you, she trusted you.  When she died, she blamed you for it."

Buffy turned her head, emitting a cry of anguish as Kendra clutched at her throat and then 
fell to the ground.  Her blood began pooling on the ground, surrounding them both.  
Another sob escaped her lips, as she tried to reach for her friend, unable to help her.  She 
felt more tears threatening to spill, but instead forced herself to close her eyes, to try and 
block out her surroundings.

"You may not have cut her throat, but you killed her," the voice called again.

"Is there a point to all this?" Buffy asked.  "Cuz you know I'm missing Passions. Spike 
turned me onto it, and I just can't get enough."

Buffy groaned in pain as the figure before her punched her in the stomach.  She looked 
up into the person's eyes, recognizing Faith immediately.  "You're missing the point," 
she whispered.  "I can make it all stop."

"Seeing as you're...the one doing...this, well...yeah," Buffy coughed, "you'd be the 
one...to make it...stop."  Buffy heard the voices start again, the screams of agony, all 
because of her.

"Their deaths are all your fault," Faith's image taunted as she paced in front of Buffy.  
"They knew it, you know it."

"B?!" a frightened voice called out.

Buffy turned her head and saw Faith standing there, staring in horror.  "Two of you," 
Buffy's head fell forward.  "Cuz one just wasn't enough."

"Buffy!" Faith cried, as she raced towards her sister Slayer.

Buffy looked at the Faith kneeling next to her, then the one looming over her. "Isn't my 
life...just so...wonderful," Buffy was breathing heavily.

Faith put her hand to Buffy's face.  "Look at me," Faith pleaded.  "Over there, that's not 
me, I'm right here."

The person in front of her shifted images, and Buffy now found herself looking at Riley.  
"She was even better in bed than you were," he taunted.

Faith hung her head, then reached out to Buffy again.  "What's going on B?  Let me help 
you."

"You can't trust her," Riley sneered.  "Everything she is, is your fault too. Because if 
Kendra hadn't died, she would never have been called.  And we all know Kendra died 
because of you."

"Buffy, tell me how to help you," Faith stated, a little more firmly.

Buffy's head fell down, her chin meeting her chest.  She felt the pain intensifying as she 
struggled to answer Faith.  "Help me?"

"You know I will.  I need to make it better between us," Faith answered immediately. "I 
promise you, I'll get help.  Tell me what to do."

"I can make it all stop," Riley said in a singsong voice.  He held Kendra's stake out, 
putting it in Buffy's hand.  "All you have to do, is kill Angel.  It'll all stop."

Faith's eyes widened in horror as the screams began again.  But this time as she looked at 
Buffy there was a determined fire in the other Slayer's eyes that hadn't been there before.  
She looked up at Riley, glaring at him even in her submissive posture.  "Never."

"Angel?" Faith looked from Riley to Buffy.  "Should I get Angel?"

Buffy cried out in pain.  It felt like a vice was tightening around her ribcage, cutting off 
her ability to breathe.  "Yes!" she choked out.  "He has to tell me, or it won't stop."

"Tell you what?!" Faith cried.  And then the fog shifted again, and she was gone.


Riley and Angel glared at each other with unmasked hatred.  Angel was desperately 
trying to figure out what exactly he was supposed to tell his beloved in order to wake her, 
he doubted it would only take a kiss like the fairytale.  He was finding it hard to 
concentrate when being stared at with such intense hatred.  They were running out of 
time as well.  Dawn was approaching, only three hours left before he would need to 
escape the sun.

Riley shifted in his seat, clearing his throat.  "Why are you still here?"

"I'm here to help her, it's got nothing to do with you," Angel replied.

"Yeah, you've been a great help so far," Riley sneered.  "You're not a part of her life 
anymore.  Why don't you just leave?"

Angel was about to reply when Faith's precise words repeated themselves in his mind. 
*She said, 'He has to tell me, or it won't stop.' *  He stood up, returning to Buffy's side.  
He saw Riley's questioning gaze as he picked up Buffy's hand, pressing his palm to hers.  
He felt her fingers curl around his, holding to him tightly.


Buffy lifted her head as the pain began to ebb away.  The room around her was taking on 
a more distinct and familiar shape.  The fog was forming walls, and she found herself 
standing in Angel's old apartment.  "Yes," she murmured.  "Angel hurry."

"He never loved you, you know," Riley was standing in the room with her.  "But then 
you never loved him either.  I mean, isn't that what this whole past year has been about?  
Isolating yourself from your friends, telling him about your new lover just to cause him 
pain."  He came around to stand in front of her, holding up the stake once more.  "I mean, 
that's all the two of you are about isn't it?  The pain. Hurting each other.  It can all end."

"No," Buffy said again, instantly recoiling from the blow that followed her response.

"He doesn't even want you anymore!" Riley spat.  "He left you.  He turned back time to 
be rid of you."  Riley smiled at her obvious confusion.  "I'll show you," he whispered.

Buffy's eyes widened as the memories returned, as twenty-four missing hours of her life 
suddenly came back.  The tears ran freely down her cheeks as she saw Angel sacrifice 
their happiness for her life.  But this new knowledge didn't have the desired effect, she 
couldn't hate him.  It only made her love him more, that he could give up his humanity 
for her.

"I won't kill him for you, or anyone," Buffy said, watching portions of the room begin to 
fade.  

"I'll kill you if you don't," Riley stated with a satisfied smirk.

"You _can't_ kill me," Buffy drawled.  "You need us to kill each other.  You've tried this 
before on him.  It didn't work then, it won't work now!  That's how you'll get more 
powerful, if we finish each other off.  Well I won't do it!!"

The fog began to grow dense again, enveloping everything around her.  Somehow, she 
had to let Angel know that only his love could save her now.  She could feel he was 
close.  The entire room shifted once more, and Buffy suddenly found herself on the floor 
of the mansion.

As Angel held onto her hand, everything started to change.  He looked down at Buffy's 
face, and then the scar on her neck caught his attention.  The wound had re-opened, her 
blood was now pouring over the sheets.  Angel looked to see if Riley had noticed, but he 
wasn't even watching.  And when had Cordelia, Wesley and Giles come back into the 
room?  He looked down at Buffy, then noticed that the room had changed too.  They
were lying on the floor of the mansion, her body beneath his.

Blood was flowing freely from the wound at her neck, but her eyes were open, looking 
back into his.  She reached up to touch his face, and Angel realized he was in game face. 
"You are here," she whispered, before raising her lips to his.  Buffy wound her arms 
around his neck, her body arching up to meet his.  She felt his face change, the fangs 
withdraw, and when she opened her eyes his human face was back in place.

"I'm here," Angel answered, crushing his mouth to hers once more.  There was no way 
this could possibly be happening.  Only it felt too real to be just a dream.  The feeling of 
their skin, their mouths, every inch of their bodies pressed together felt familiar.  He 
finally tore his mouth from hers, unable to keep the questions from his face.

"Tell me," she spoke softly, her breath caressing his skin.

Angel swallowed as he looked down at her.  "What about?"

Buffy silenced him with a kiss.  "I'll take care of everything else.  Just tell me, so I can 
come home to you."

They both closed their eyes and when Angel opened them again, they were sitting on the 
bed in his old apartment.  He swallowed hard as he put his arms around her, already 
knowing what was to come.  She turned then, leaning her face in towards his, looking up 
at him expectantly.  "I..."

Buffy's lips were close to his as she replied, "You what?"

Angel was about to tell her when he felt himself being pulled away.


"Come on Angel," Cordelia shook him.  "Not you too.  Come on, snap out of it."

Angel put his hand to his head as he looked up at her.  "What happened?"

"I come to see if there's any change," Cordelia began.  "And you're like the lights are on, 
but nobody's home.  You started saying something, and she answered.  So Watcher guys 
came a-running."

Angel looked up from his sitting position on the floor and saw Riley holding Buffy's 
other hand, her fingers limp in his grasp.  He hadn't been before, his presence had 
probably been what had severed their connection.  He got up, knowing what he needed to 
do.  All he needed to tell her, was the truth.  That he still loved her.  That she was his 
reason for existing.  That the last year without her had been almost as torturous as Hell.  
"I..." he began again, taking up her free hand, feeling her hand tighten on his.

"You what?" she asked.

"Come on Buffy, wake up," Riley encouraged.

Angel looked at her, he could still feel her inside.  Riley's touch was building the block 
between them, he had to tell her now.  "Tá mé in ngráth leat."  Wesley and Giles both 
stared at him in slight shock as the Gaelic rolled from his mouth, understanding every 
word he was saying.  And just as he remembered, Buffy's eyes widened in wonder, 
glistening with tears.  "Deanaim iarracht stopa, ach ní fé idir liom."

"M-me too," her voice cracked slightly.  "I can't either."

A brilliant white light flashed through the small room, and a clap of thunder resounded 
down the hallway as the Slayer slowly blinked her eyes.  The people who had been in the 
waiting room once again made an appearance in the doorway, watching as Buffy looked 
around the room in confusion.


Buffy felt dazed, like someone had just been bashing her head in with a bat, and now she 
couldn't gain her balance.  The room was spinning around her, she couldn't seem to 
make it stop.  She groaned at the pain in her head, trying to raise her hand to rub her 
temples.  Her brow furrowed in confusion when she couldn't lift her arms. She tried 
again, and then felt the restraints on her wrists.  It hadn't stopped, any moment now she 
knew the pain would start again.  "No!" Buffy cried, as she started struggling.  She pulled 
at her bonds, heard the bars of the bed begin to creak.

"Get these off her, get these off her now!" Angel ordered, pulling at the restraint on 
Buffy's wrist.  Willow pushed past Riley, moving him out of her way to free Buffy's 
other hand.

"Angel?!" her voice was uncertain, questioning, as her eyes flew open, and locked with 
his.  The two of them stared at each other for what seemed like hours.  Days and months 
flew by in the space of a few seconds, as Buffy and Angel's gazes remained steadily 
locked one to the other.  A thousand questions flew between them until tears began to 
well in Buffy's eyes, and she shut them tightly.

Buffy sighed heavily, finally able to raise a hand to her forehead.  Almost as soon as her 
fingertips had touched her flesh, she drew her hand away.  There was no blood, there was 
no wound.  She looked at her arms in shock, there were no tiny rivers of red tracing their 
way across her skin.  She looked back to her wrists to make sure she wasn't just seeing 
things.  The manacles were gone.  "It wasn't real," she whispered, trying to reassure 
herself.  "It's over."

"Are you okay?" Cordelia asked timidly.  Confusion was etched across the features of 
every person in the room.

"No," Buffy answered quietly.  She swallowed and let out a slow breath before speaking 
to no one in particular.  "Get me out of here."

"Buffy," Riley said immediately.  "I think you should stay here so the doctor can make 
sure you're okay."

"I'm not staying here," she said, not even bothering to look at him.  The tone of her voice 
changed as she opened her eyes to look at her Watcher, it sounded almost like a plea.  
"Giles."

"I'll take care of it," Giles took her hand in his to reassure her.  "We'll get you home."

Buffy nodded her head gratefully, then paused to look around at the people standing over 
her.  "Hey guys," she said weakly.

"Hey, Buffy," Xander smiled at her.  "We're all here."

"Hey," Buffy couldn't help but smile in return.  "Here we are.  It's all of we." Willow, 
Buffy, Cordelia, and Xander all laughed together at the memory.  Everything still felt a 
little muddled, but staying in the hospital was the last thing she wanted to do.  "I'm so 
tired," she whispered.

"That's why you should stay here," Riley insisted.  "So you can rest."

"Rest at home," Buffy mumbled.

"Yea, her bed's better than any bed," Willow began.

"That's not her bed," Cordelia finished.

"We'll get you home," Angel said quietly.

Buffy's eyes immediately met his once more.  There were so many things she wanted to 
say to him, but now was not the time or place.  As she looked at him, the image of him 
walking towards her in the sunlight would not leave her mind.  It was as if a movie reel 
had set up shop in her head, and the only things it would show her were pieces of the day 
Angel had been human.

Their gaze was finally broken when Angel looked away.  Riley had once again made his 
presence known, moving from where Willow had shoved him out of the way, back up to 
Buffy's side.  He reached out to touch her, to reassure her that he was there and things 
would now be fine.  Her reaction was not what anyone in the room had expected.

Buffy flinched away from Riley's touch, bringing her hands in towards the side of her 
face in a defensive reaction.  She closed her eyes again, turning her head away so that she 
wasn't looking at him.  The tears that had been building up inside her finally spilled over, 
coursing their way down her cheeks.  Buffy finally opened her eyes again, finding herself 
looking into Angel's penetrating gaze.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, before burying her face in Angel's shoulder and letting her 
tears run free.

Angel slid his arms around her, holding her tightly as she wept.  She couldn't stop the 
sobs that were escaping her throat, and wasn't sure she wanted to.  Buffy cried for what 
she and Angel had had, for what he had given up for her, for the way she had treated him 
the last time she'd seen him.  And all the while as she wept, she apologized to him, 
repeating the words over and over again.

"Come on guys," Willow immediately began ushering the others out of the room.  "Get 
out," she practically shouted, when no one moved.

"Oh come on Red," Spike whined.  "I want to see the fireworks, this is better than 
Passions!"

Cordelia pulled the door shut behind them as Willow finally shoved Riley into the hall. 
The two of them exchanged a worried glance before turning and looking through the 
window at Buffy and Angel.  The vampire still had his Slayer in his arms, trying to 
soothe her tears.  "Spike was right in one respect," Willow whispered to Cordy.

"How's that?" Cordelia asked.

Willow looked from the couple in the hospital room to Cordelia, then to Riley. "The 
fireworks are going to start flying."


Buffy, Angel, Cordelia, Giles, Willow, Wesley, Spike and Riley all sat around in Buffy's 
living room, the silence covering the house like a blanket.  Since leaving the hospital, 
Xander and Anya had headed for home, promising to visit Buffy later. Tara had headed 
back to the dorms, still feeling out of place among the Scooby Gang.

Buffy stared into space, ignoring everyone and everything around her for the time being.  
To say she was confused at this point was putting it mildly.  She looked up at the others, 
Willow and Cordelia were chatting quietly, as were Giles and Wesley. Angel was 
standing in a darkened corner of the room, arms crossed, bearing the same thoughtful 
expression as she had been only moments ago.  Spike was ensconced in shadow as well, 
only he bore a smirk of bemusement.  She turned her gaze slightly and saw Riley staring 
at her, a scowl crossing his face.  She knew he didn't understand her reaction at the 
hospital, a part of herself didn't quite either.  But then again, she knew exactly why she 
had reacted that way.

She and Angel had known heaven together, they had been happy.  After knowing that he 
had been human that day in November, her world was completely different.  If she had 
been allowed to remember, she knew that everything that had happened between them 
since would have occurred differently.  That her life right now, would be different.  And 
Riley couldn't possibly understand that.  Buffy moved away from the wall, walking 
across the room to answer the telephone that had just started ringing.

Cordelia turned to Willow, "Ever notice how a ringing telephone always interrupts 
awkward silent moments?"

Willow stifled a laugh, then looked up as she heard Buffy greet the person on the other 
end of the line with a strained laugh.  She didn't know what her best friend had seen, but 
judging from the tension in the room everything was about to change.

Buffy kept her back turned to everyone as she spoke into the receiver.  "Hey," she greeted 
softly.  "I'm, well....better," she said finally, searching for an appropriate word.  She knew 
she wasn't fine, she wouldn't be until she talked to both Angel and Riley.  "You up for a 
visitor?"

Faith was hesitant to answer, she found it almost hard to believe.  "Yeah, I'd really like 
that," she said softly.

Buffy smiled into the phone, "Okay then, I'll see you in a couple days.  Faith?" The others 
raised their heads when they heard Buffy say the other Slayer's name.

"Yes?"

"Thank you," Buffy replied gratefully.

Faith sighed in relief, "Anytime B.  Just do me a favor, and don't scare me like that 
again."

"I promise.  Bye."  She hung up the phone and finally turned back to the people in her 
living room.  She saw the questions on their faces, then moved back to where she had 
been standing before the phone rang.  "She was worried about me," Buffy finally 
answered them.

"I'm surprised she cared," Riley said, a trace of bitterness in his voice.

Buffy turned to look at him.  "Okay you get to leave now."

"What?" Riley asked, completely bewildered.

"You can keep your comments about Faith to yourself, or you can leave," Buffy stated. 
"If it wasn't for her I'd still be lying in a hospital bed being tortured..." she stopped, taking 
a moment to breathe deeply.

"What are you talking about?" Riley asked.

"The First Evil," Giles answered, but it sounded more like a question.

Buffy bit down on her trembling lip and nodded her head in answer.  "Any idea why?" 
she asked.

"It wants you as dead as I do," Spike cut in.

"Shut up," Buffy and Angel both chastised him.

Spike smirked at them, "Oh look, Mummy and Daddy are scolding me."

"Going back to why." Buffy repeated.

"From what we've read, and the information Angel provided," Giles began.  "The demon 
Vocah, did this to you.  Opened your mind to..."

"Visions," Buffy finished.

"Yes," Wesley answered.  "But the unexplainable part is why you didn't see what 
Cordelia saw.  From what Faith said earlier, we were able to ascertain that much."

"No, I don't think Cordy and I saw the same things," the Slayer said quietly.

"What did you see?" Riley asked.

Buffy shuddered at the memories of what she had seen.  "I can't, I can't talk about it," she 
whispered.

"Are you okay?" Cordelia and Willow both asked.

Buffy smiled at them gratefully.  "I will be.  So basically what you guys are saying," she 
addressed her former Watchers.  "Is that I was vulnerable and the First took advantage of 
it."

"That seems to be the basics, yes," Giles answered.

"And there's also," Wesley began.  "Buffy, we found a prophecy."

"Let me guess," Buffy quipped.  "I'm gonna die.  Won't be the first time."

"That's not funny," Willow chastised her friend.  There was a hollow look in Buffy's eyes 
that she hadn't seen there for a long time.  For the millionth time that day, she wondered 
what the Slayer had seen.

"Oh I think it's bloody great news!" Spike smirked.  He waited for a reaction from the 
Slayer or the pouf but got none, they were too busy with the googly eyes bit.

Buffy met Angel's gaze, the two of them staring at each other across the vast expanse of 
the room.  She knew exactly what he was thinking, he wouldn't let anything happen to 
her.  Her brow furrowed as she felt a tingling sensation in her stomach, like a pull she 
could not ignore.  She turned her head sharply, her eyes falling on the scroll Wesley held 
in his hand.

"Wow," Cordelia breathed.  "Hey, could the two of you do that again?"

Buffy glanced over at Angel, noticing he had had the same reaction.  There was 
something eerily familiar about the feeling and yet, she didn't know it at all.  Wesley was 
looking back and forth between Angel and herself, and she knew the others were as well. 
She didn't know how she knew, but she had a feeling her life was about to change.

"What is that?" Buffy asked as she walked towards Wesley, not taking her eyes off the 
parchment he held.

"Buffy this is the Scroll of Aberjian," Wesley explained.  "It contains a set of prophecies 
about the future that were thought long lost.  I'll just be brief.  You're drawn to it, yes?"  
The Slayer nodded her head in answer.

"We thought you might be," Giles picked up.

"Why?" Buffy asked.

"For the same reason Angel was," Wesley answered.  "Because, there is an entire passage 
about you."

"What?" Angel asked.  "You didn't find this before?"

"I hadn't finished translating all of it, no.  It mentions neither of you by name," Wesley 
continued.  "Only that the Slayer..."

"That doesn't mean Buffy," Riley interrupted angrily.

"If the events of last night had not occurred, then there would still be no doubt in my 
mind that the Slayer described here is Buffy.  It can be no one else," Wesley replied 
curtly.

"You don't seem surprised Buffy," Giles commented.

"No, I'm not," she agreed.

"But Buffy, I thought you didn't know what this was?" Riley asked.

"I don't but," Buffy answered.

"Somehow you did," Angel finished, repeating the same words Wesley had said to him.

"Yeah," Buffy said quietly, looking over at Angel.  "What's the prophecy?"

"It's quite personal Buffy, you might want to..." Giles gestured that they go elsewhere.

"Oh we're all going to find out anyway," Spike interrupted.  "Might as well just blurt it all 
out so I can promptly make appropriate cutting remarks."

Buffy rolled her eyes at Spike.  "As much as I hate to say this, he's right.  So what's the 
prophecy?"

Wesley cleared his throat as he unrolled the Scroll.  "The vampire with a soul, once he 
fulfills his destiny will Shanshu.  And the Slayer who bears his mark will face Vocah, and 
know the truth.  And with the truth known, the wrong shall be mended.  And the Warriors 
shall become one again.  And neither man, nor magic, shalt come between them. And 
with their joining the One shall be born, and the Darkness shalt fall.  And the First will 
know no power."

"What does that mean?" Riley asked.

Spike was the first to recover from the shock.  "You're joking right?  Bugger me, he's 
serious, he doesn't get it."  He looked around at the others, from the expressions on their 
faces they were just as shocked as he had been, they knew exactly what the prophecy 
meant.  "You pansy-ass twit!  That's bloody obvious!"

"Spike," Giles warned.

"Okay, that just doesn't work on me," Spike laughed.  "Aren't you supposed to be smart 
or something, Mr. College Man, government guy?  Oh wait!  Not a direct order, no 
wonder it doesn't make sense!" he taunted.  "Let me spell it out for you, you stupid 
jarhead."

"Spike!" Willow yelled.  She looked over to Buffy, wondering what the Slayer would do 
to the platinum vampire.  But she wasn't even listening to what he was saying.  She and 
Angel were too busy staring at each other.  She nudged Cordelia, drawing her attention 
away from Spike and Riley.

Cordelia turned to look at her boss.  "Oh here we go again," she muttered.  "Um guys? 
Angel?"

"Buffy?" Riley called to her, trying to draw her gaze away from her ex.

"Does this mean I get to keep up with the insults?" Spike asked gleefully.  He began 
talking to Riley in a condescending tone, "See the prophecy means that the Slayer and my 
pouf of a Sire are destined to be together.  You're not in the picture, so don't let the door 
hit you in the arse on the way out."

"Buffy, Angel," Giles called out to them.  They slowly turned to look at him, and Giles 
had to stop himself from wincing at the pain etched across both their faces.  "I wish I 
knew what to say to the both of you."

"What's there to say?!" Riley demanded.  "You're not a part of each other's lives 
anymore," he turned back to his girlfriend.  "Buffy, say something."

Angel remembered what she had said to him before, that she was building a new life. A 
life without him.  It didn't matter what the prophecy said, they didn't know when it would 
happen, when he would be granted his humanity.  And he would not keep her from the 
normal life she could have with someone else.  He broke their gaze and looked down at 
the floor.

The Slayer felt like screaming out at the injustice of her life.  Here was some important 
prophecy telling them that they were supposed to be together, and Angel wasn't even 
going o give it a chance.  He wasn't going to try.  After what had happened earlier in the 
hospital, after the newfound knowledge of his humanity, and he was just going to make 
all he decisions and walk away again.  She tried to swallow down the pain that was 
clogging her throat, tried to tell herself that the First Evil hadn't been right, that he did 
love her.  But the expressions she was reading on his face were telling her she was 
wrong.  Buffy turned quickly, and fled from the house.


Xander slammed the front door behind him as he followed Willow into Buffy's house. 
"Nada!" he announced to the people waiting inside.  "You know if Buffy doesn't want to 
be found, we're not going to find her."

"This is Sunnydale," Riley said, slightly infuriated.  "We should be able to find her."

"Right it's Sunnydale," Angel answered.  "Home of the Hellmouth and 14 million square 
miles of sewer."

"Don't forget the natural cave formations, mate," Spike added.  "And if the Slayer doesn't 
want to be found, she won't be.  I thought the Annoying One over there already covered 
that part.  Did you lot try the mansion?"

"Not there," Willow answered.

"Not at my place, Giles' apartment, or Willow's house," Xander added.

"She's not anywhere in the vicinity of the high school," Wesley joined in the 
conversation.

"Giles, Anya, Tara and I covered as much of the campus as we could," Cordelia sank 
onto the sofa beside Willow.  "She's not there."

"That bartender she's friends with hasn't seen her either," Riley muttered.  "She wasn't at 
the Bronze."

Angel furrowed his brow as he thought over the places she might go.  "She wouldn't want 
to be around people right now," he said quietly.  He looked up at the window and saw 
that the sun was beginning its final descent in the sky.  Somehow, he had an idea where 
she might be.

The others were silent, not knowing what to do next.  "So what do we do now?" Xander 
voiced the obvious.

Spike slowly stood up as the remaining rays of the sun began to disappear.  He turned his 
head slightly, looking at Angel who had joined him at the window.  "She hasn't been 
quite as fun with Captain America over there," he said quietly.  "I owe her one for not 
running a stake through my heart.  I know you know where she is.  So, how about I keep 
farm boy busy while you two make up?"

"What makes you think he'll listen to you?" Angel asked.

"I'm a convincing liar," Spike deadpanned.  "Besides seeing her back with you will crush 
that loser immensely."

Angel stifled back a laugh at Spike's expression.  "Let's go," he said, picking up his coat 
and heading for the door.

"Where are you going?" Riley demanded.

The two vampires looked back at Riley over their shoulders.  "We're going to do what 
you couldn't," Spike answered.  "We're going to find her."

"Well what makes you think you can?!"

"Point out the obvious," Anya exclaimed.  "Vampires," she said indicating Angel and 
Spike.  "Buffy's a vampire slayer, I think they'll find her."

"I'm coming too," Riley announced.

Angel looked over at Spike.  "I'll start with Restfield."

"I'll take Shadyhill," Spike replied.  Their eyes met for a brief moment, and a smile 
slowly spread across Spike's face.  "Catch up with you in the middle?"

"Something like that," Angel answered.  Riley started to follow behind Angel, when he 
suddenly spun around.  "You're going with him."

"I think I'll stick with you," Riley countered.

"Not wise mate," Spike spoke up.

"And why's that?" Riley asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Because if I have to put up with you for more than two seconds I'll kill you," Angel 
answered, then headed down the street, disappearing from sight.


The building seemed to simply rise out of the night and loom before him.  It had been so 
long since he'd seen it.  The memories it housed were simply too painful to bear. Angel 
slowly made his way inside, then to the familiar door.  Her nearness assaulted him even 
out in the hallway.  The tingling sensation started in his stomach, before slowly spreading 
through his veins and wrapping around his heart.  She was here.

Angel opened the door, and crossed the threshold.  Everything was exactly as he had left 
it, except for the thick layer of dust that blanketed it all.   He moved soundlessly, 
rounding the corner towards the bed.  Buffy lay sleeping against the musty blankets, 
taking him back to the last time she'd been in his bed.

Buffy slowly opened her eyes as she felt someone's weight make the mattress sink. Angel 
reached out, taking her hand in his own.  Their fingertips touched, brushing gently before 
their palms finally met one another.  She had known he would find her, known that he 
would come.  He searched her face as she sat up beside him, then slowly moved closer, 
until their lips were barely touching.

Angel wrapped his arms around her waist in an effort to pull her even closer than she 
already was.  She had climbed astride him so that she was sitting in his lap, running her 
hands over his face while their mouths continued to dance.  He closed his eyes, lifting his 
arms as she raised his sweater from his skin, pulling it over his head.

Neither one of them said a word, they merely let was happening between them happen. 
Buffy buried her fingers in Angel's hair, opening her mouth in a silent moan of pleasure 
as his lips brushed the sensitive skin of her neck.  Angel finally opened his eyes, looking 
into hers as he slid her shirt off her shoulders.  Their lips met again, and Angel's hand 
slowly trailed up her back before stopping at the nape of her neck.

Buffy couldn't stop the moan of pleasure that escaped her mouth as Angel continued to 
kiss her.  His hands were everywhere, setting her skin on fire.  The rest of their clothing 
seemed to just disappear, leaving them intimately pressed together on the bed. Angel 
gazed down at her, memorizing every detail of her face.  She reached up, cupping his 
cheek with her hand, bringing his lips down to hers.

"Make love to me Angel," Buffy whispered, shattering the silence that had consumed 
them both.  She closed her eyes and pressed another tender kiss to his mouth.  "I need 
you."

He moved forward, sliding inside her with a sigh.  Buffy held him there for a moment, 
relishing the feeling of his skin against hers once again.  Angel's hand stroked her hair, 
his lips trailed along her skin, making contact with her closed eyelids before venturing to 
her neck.  Buffy traced his jawline with her fingertips as he began to move, running her 
hands down his arms, then around his back.  The small room was once again filled with 
their sighs of pleasure.

Their eyes locked to each other, their souls rejoicing at being one.  Angel drew his arms 
from underneath Buffy's body, bracing himself on his elbows.  Their fingers intertwined, 
hands coming to rest on the pillows below her as they both neared their release.  Buffy 
called out his name as she wrapped her body around his, arching off the bed as Angel 
finally shattered inside her.

Angel rolled onto his back, pulling her with him.  Buffy snuggled into his side, letting her 
head rest on his shoulder.  He could see that she was hesitant to let sleep claim her again, 
trying to fight back the weariness like she had been all day.  "I love you," he whispered, 
then felt her smile against his chest.  He needed to reassure her, everything was different 
now.  Spike was right, they were destined for one another, and he wouldn't fight it 
anymore.  "I promise you I will be here when you wake up."

Buffy pressed a kiss to his chest, letting him know how glad she was that he'd said that. 
She wrapped her arm around his waist, pressing her body even closer to his.  "I love you 
Angel," she replied, before falling asleep in his arms.


"Are you sure she's here?" Riley asked Spike in disbelief.

"Not really, no," Spike answered, as they wandered into yet another of Sunnydale's 
cemeteries.  He was beginning to regret being stuck with the soldier boy, he didn't know 
how the Slayer had put up with him as long as she had.  "Come on farm boy, this way."

"Why do I have a feeling you're leading me around on a wild goose-chase?"

"That'd be Slayer-chase mate," Spike mocked.  "What am I still doing out here anyway? 
She and Angel are probably shagging by now."

"What'd you just say?" Riley demanded.

"You heard me.  Oh, did I forget to mention that my Sire already knew where she was?" 
Spike couldn't stop a goofy grin from spreading across his face at Riley's expression. 
"Guess it slipped my mind.  Old memory isn't what it used to be since you lot put this 
thing in my head," he made a show of tapping a finger against his temple.  "Well I'll be 
off then."

"Wait, you're saying Angel's known where she's been this whole time?!"

"Maybe not the whole time, no," Spike answered.  "But he sure as hell knew where she 
was when we left that house.  And like I said, they're probably in bed now.  I said it 
before, you're not in the picture," he drawled, slipping off into the night.


Buffy lazily trailed her fingers along Angel's chest, watching him as he slept.  His eyelids 
were fluttering, indicating that he was dreaming.  He whispered her name, then tightened 
his hold around her.  "I'm right here," she whispered.  "I'm not going anywhere."

"Good," he answered, slowly returning to the waking world.  "Because I'm never letting 
you go again."

Buffy couldn't stop the smile that spread across her face at his words.  "Really?"

"Really," Angel answered her, kissing her forehead.  "What did you see earlier Ionúin?" 
Buffy nuzzled her face against Angel's chest, not wanting to answer the question.  He 
reached down and tipped her chin up so she was looking at him.  "I'm here now," he said 
simply.

"I saw all the people I couldn't help, people that died because of me," she answered 
softly.  She felt the tears slowly building in her eyes, clogging her throat.  "And I saw us.  
I saw what you gave up.....for me."

Angel traced the tear that was running down her cheek, before gently wiping it away. "I'd 
do it again in an instant.  Being human doesn't mean anything to me if I don't get to share 
it with you."

Buffy laid her head back against his chest, taking comfort in Angel's embrace.  "I never 
want to leave this room," she said quietly.  "Outside there are all these problems we have 
to face, and in here......"

"And in here it's just us?" Angel asked.

"Yeah," she replied.  "I just want it to stay that way forever."

"It will be that way," he replied.  "But we have to go back Beloved."

"I know."

Buffy slowed her pace as she and Angel approached her house, finally stopping 
altogether. He turned to look at her, trying to read the expression on her face.  "I love you 
too," he whispered, before gently pressing his lips to hers.  "Come on."

They continued to walk in silence, and eventually ended up on the front porch.  Angel 
opened the front door, and Buffy kept his hand firmly in her grasp.  They both noticed 
that everyone was still present, with the exception of Spike.

"You found her!" Cordelia exclaimed as she leapt to her feet.

Willow and Xander immediately detached from the group and threw their arms around 
their friend.  "I was so worried about you," Willow chastised.

"I'm okay," Buffy replied, hugging her back.  "I'm sorry.  It was just a lot to take in."

Giles immediately set to clearing the house.  "I think we should discuss everything later. 
Right now you need your rest."

"Oh who wants to rest?" Anya cut in.  

"Whatever you're going to say," Giles interrupted.  "It will be completely inappropriate 
and should be left unsaid."

"Well fine," Anya tried to feign indignation.  She rolled her eyes at the look Xander sent 
her, then glanced over at the Slayer and Angel.  "Feel better Buffy."

"Yes, and everyone was leaving," Giles reminded.

"Let's go to the Bronze," Cordelia called as they walked outside.  "Buffy's feeling better, 
no imminent peril, I say we party."

"Like a farewell shindig before our L.A. Team heads back to the big city?" Xander asked.

"Very much along those lines," Cordelia agreed.

"Still have to leave," Willow spoke up.

Cordelia and Wesley turned towards Angel in question.  "I'll pick you up there," he 
answered.

Giles took Buffy into his arms, giving his Slayer a fierce hug.  "I've aged twenty years 
since I became your Watcher."

"I'll try to control how many prophecies are written about me in the future," Buffy 
mocked. She gave a sheepish smile at the look he gave her.  "I'll see you later."

"Right," he commented, glancing from Angel to Riley.  He gave her another quick hug 
before leaving her alone with the two of them.

Buffy looked up at them both, trying to decide what to do.  She swallowed as she met 
Angel's gaze.  "I have to talk to Riley," she whispered.

Angel nodded in understanding.  He wanted to take her in his arms and kiss her before he 
left the house, but somehow it seemed unfair to rub it in.  "I'll be outside," he said.

Buffy nodded, then turned to Riley as she heard the door close behind her lover.  She saw 
the pain in his eyes and knew there would be no easy way to say what needed to be said. 
She didn't really want to say anything at all.  But it wouldn't be fair, to any of them.

Riley stared at her, trying to meet her gaze.  She wouldn't raise her eyes to his.  The 
silence between them grew, until finally he could take it no more.  Somehow he had 
known this would happen.  "This is it?" he asked quietly.  "Isn't it?"

Buffy met his gaze, then looked away.  She closed her eyes and nodded her head.

A bitter laugh escaped his throat.  He could feel the anger rising in his stomach, anger at 
her for making him love her so much.  "If you still loved him...never stopped loving him, 
then what was my role in all this?"

Buffy walked away from the front door and into the living room.  "Don't do this," she 
began.  "I tried, I tried so hard to want what everyone else seemed to think I should. I did 
care about you.  I," her voice got suddenly quiet.  "I do care.  But I can't love anyone else.  
I don't have it in me.  And I'm ...I'm not sorry about that."

He grasped her hand between his, trying to hold onto what he knew he was losing. "Buffy 
you trusted me.  You told me everything.  A-about you, about your time with him. We 
started building something together, a life....maybe a future.  Weren't you happy at all?"

Buffy pulled her fingers from his grip then ran a hand through her hair, sinking down to 
the sofa with a sigh.  How could he possibly understand?  "I thought I was," her voice 
trailed off.  She looked up from her hands to meet his eyes and shook her head.  "But 
now...I know I wasn't.  Have you ever loved someone so much, that you would die so 
they could live?"

"Buffy..."

"No," she cut him off.  "I mean it.  It wouldn't matter if you were dead, just as long as 
they weren't.  You'd give up every dream you ever had, every hope?"  She felt the tears 
stinging her eyes.  "You'd turn back time so that one person would live?  Have you 
_ever_  known love like that?"

Riley stared at the tears that had begun coursing down her cheeks, listened to the pain in 
her voice.  "No," he admitted.  "But what you're talking about doesn't exist Buffy. It's the 
kind of thing you hear about in fairy tales, it isn't real.  What we have is real."

"Yes, it does exist," she whispered.  She wiped at the tears on her cheeks before 
continuing.  "And I want the fairy tale, I can have the fairytale."

Riley shook his head in disbelief.  "So that's it then?"

"That's it," Buffy answered.

"Fine," he stated.  He gave her one final glance, then turned and walked out the door.

Angel carefully opened the front door, looking inside for Buffy.  He had been talking to 
Wesley when the both of them had seen Riley storm from the house.  It hadn't taken but a 
moment's thought for him to rush to see if she was all right.  She sat on the sofa, her face 
buried in her hands.

Buffy looked up when she felt him enter the room.  His eyes settled on her for a moment, 
not sure what to do.  She reached a hand out towards him, and he quickly came and took 
her in his arms.  She rested her head on his chest, letting his arms bring their familiar 
comfort.  "I never wanted to hurt him," she said quietly.

"I know," Angel answered.

"But it would never have worked between us," she continued.

"You......" Angel began.

Buffy stopped him from saying more by pressing her index finger to his lips.  "It couldn't 
have worked because I'm in love with you.  Because I'll always love you, forever.  
Because you're the other half of my soul, and no one else could ever measure up to that."

There was no reply to her heartfelt statement, so Angel simply pressed his lips to hers and 
held her.


Riley picked himself up off the pavement with a grumble.  It seemed the patrons of 
Willy's bar were in agreement that he wasn't welcome.  He brushed off his clothing, then 
headed towards the Bronze.  Right now his only desire was to get roaring drunk, and 
maybe have a meaningless fling.  It wasn't like it mattered anymore.  The dark, brooding 
vampire had shown up.  Buffy had returned to Angel and broken his heart, just as he'd 
known she would.

Throngs of people were moving together on the dance floor as Riley made his way inside. 
It seemed wherever he walked that someone was in his way.  He brushed by them 
angrily, ignoring the muffled 'heys' as he went by.  The bar finally came into view and he 
immediately ordered a drink.  He needed to forget everything that had happened to him in 
the last year.  He needed to forget her.

The last time her ex had shown up, she had reassured him that she wasn't going to leave 
him for Angel.  But he should've known, it was only because there were still obstacles 
between them.  Now the only obstacle had been him, but Buffy hadn't even let that stop 
her. She had hopped right back into the vampire's bed without giving her boyfriend a 
second thought.

The empty beer bottle slammed down onto the bar with a loud thunk, clinking against the 
ones that had preceded it.  Riley quickly picked up his next bottle, raising it to his lips as 
he looked about.  He stopped suddenly when he saw Buffy and Angel, their arms 
entwined around one another, looking at each other like they were the only two people in 
the world.  He quickly drained the bottle, the last thing he wanted to see was the woman 
he loved in the arms of her demon lover.


Close your eyes
Let me touch you now
Let me give you something that is real


Buffy followed Angel into the Bronze, looking around for the others.  They had said they 
would be here.  In a matter of minutes she would be leaving with Angel, Cordelia, and 
Wesley.  They were getting their second chance.  She couldn't stop the smile from 
crossing her face as Angel's arms wrapped around her.

"So are we going then?" Cordelia asked, looking at her boss and his Slayer.

"Give us a minute," Buffy said quietly.  She took Angel's hand, leading him out onto the 
dance floor.


Close the door
Leave your fears behind
Let me give you what you're giving me


Angel drew Buffy into his arms, resting his head on top of hers as they swayed gently to 
the music.  He didn't know what he had done to deserve this chance.  His arms tightened 
around her, never wanting to let her go.

Buffy drew her head away from his chest, looking up into his eyes.  "I love you," she 
whispered, her fingertips trailing over his lips as she caressed his face.

"I love you," Angel replied, brushing his mouth over hers.  "When do you want me to 
bring you home?  You still have school and...."

"Home is where you are," Buffy stopped him.  "We'll worry about everything else later. 
Right now, just dance with me."


You are the only thing
That makes me want to live at all
When I am with you there's no reason to pretend
That when I am with you I feel flames again
Just put me inside you
I would never ever leave
Just put me inside you
I would never ever leave you


The End