Buffy walked at a quick pace through the College campus.  She dug her hands into her pockets and tried to warm herself up.  Southern California could be chilly at nights when it wanted to be.  Or was that just Hellmouth activity playing havoc with the weather?  As she walked, she began imagining all the reasons that Willow might lie.  Maybe she had a new man.  Even though that was one of the best case scenarios, Buffy still felt hurt that Willow couldn’t tell her about it.  Buffy quickened her pace  Or she could be doing a spell.  A dangerous spell with her new boyfriend, which is why she might lie.  Buffy broke into a jog.  Or she could be held captive by a warrior demon from another dimension.  The demon could be forcing her to do a spell with her lover.  Buffy was into a full run.  As she rounded the bushes near to the Stevenson hall, Buffy collided with a something.  She rolled over it’s back and assumed her fighting position.  Buffy saw that it was one of the Initiative.  The camo, blasters, masks all in place.  Buffy remembered she didn’t have time for this.  She nodded to the masked stranger, dropped her guard and turned away to start running again.

“Buffy,” a familiar voice said.  It was Riley’s.  She turned round and saw him pull his mask off.

“Riley,” she said evenly.

“Alpha team continue sweep,” he said into the talkie.  He slid it back into his batman-like utility belt and ruffled his blond hair.  “Buffy,” he repeated.

“Riley, I’m sorry, but I don’t have time for this,” she said glancing over her shoulder.

“Please, two minutes,” he begged.  Buffy chewed her lip and nodded.  Riley took a deep breath.  “OK.  I’ll probably only have one real shot at this so here goes.  Buffy, I miss you.  I love you, I’m in love with you,” he confirmed in his Iowa accent.  “I thought we were good together, y’know, happy.  You’re incredible, you’re amazing.  I love the way you eat, the way you laugh.  The way you kick some serious vampire ass.  You’re my soulmate,” he finished softly.

“Riley, you’re a really great guy.  Everything’s going for you.  Your smart, funny and handsome,” Buffy drew breath ready to break his heart again.  “But we’re not soulmates.  There’s only one person for everybody.  Your true love, your best friend.  Someone you love more than living and you would give up everything for them,” Buffy paused for a moment, thinking about Angel sacrificing his human life and pleasures for her.  She smiled.  “My soulmate’s Angel.  I know it might be difficult to hear right now and I’m so sorry for hurting you,” Buffy touched Riley’s jaw and wiped away a salty tear that trickled down his jaw onto her hand.  “The girl for you, she’s out there.  She might not be a Slayer.  But she’ll be your soulmate.  She’s waiting for a smart, cute, undercover demon hunter to come her way and sweep her off her feet.  When she does get to meet you, she won’t want to let you go and you’ll get to feel the passion and love I feel now.”

“I thought we were meant for each other,” Riley said quietly into his chest.

“Riley,” Buffy said softly, almost apologetically.  She tried to lighten the mood. “If it means anything, you’re my best human boyfriend.”  Riley looked down into her hazel/green eyes.  "The others have either tried to feed me to demons or vampires, screwed me over, nearly got themselves killed because of my Slayerness and just generally treated me like crap."

“Buffy, no,” he said almost in shock.

“Riley, I’m sorry,” Buffy said.

“No!” Riley shouted as one soldier out of a team of six, electrocuted Buffy from behind.  Buffy turned round but it was too late.  She fell to the ground lifelessly.  Riley bent down to check her pulse in her neck.  Thank God Slayers are as strong as they are because it was still going steadily.

“What the hell?” He screamed at the soldiers.  He walked over to the one that had shot Buffy and punched him hard. The soldier was thrown to the ground by the force of the punch.  The masked soldier stood up and touched his lip.  It was a hard blow.

“Finn, that would be ‘What the hell ’Sir,” he ordered taking off his mask.  It was Colonel McNamara.

“You don’t deserve a title of respect and honour,” Riley spat.

“Take her boys,” Colonel McNamara said two soldiers with a wave of his arm.

“Over my dead body,” Riley said fiercely.

“Is that a challenge Finn?” McNamara asked as two soldiers lifted Buffy up onto a stretcher and strapped her in with metal foot and hand cuffs.  They weren’t doing it for Buffy’s protection, but for their own.  “Your girlfriend needs to come back to the Initiative for several reasons.  One is that the scientists back at the lab have created a way to replicate Slayer DNA and implant it into our men.  Another is that this Watchers council in England deposited a fair amount of money into our accounts to ‘take care of her.’  Those guys watch too many Mafia movies, I swear,” he chuckled to himself.  Riley was furious that he had chosen to trivialise the moment.  “And mostly we just wanted the little bitch out of the way,” the Colonel saw the expression etched on Riley’s face.  “Not thinking of hitting me again Finn?”

“No Sir,” Riley said, gritting his teeth.

“Good.  Private?” McNamara said beckoning to the soldier behind Riley.

Before Riley could blink, the soldier brought the gun down across the side of his head and he was lying where Buffy had been only moments earlier.

“I’ll walk you, to your room,” Willow offered.

“OK,” Tara smiled.  Willow shut her door and slid her hand into Tara’s.  She began to think that Buffy might come around the corner and see them.  Would she be freaked?  Willow hadn’t really got used to this new love with Tara either.  If Buffy did come round the corner, it would be OK.  She had to find out sooner or later.  The Slayer failed to appear.

“The spell might work,” Tara said.  “I’ll get the rose essence tomorrow.  We can do the spell tomorrow night-if you want.”

Willow smiled and squeezed Tara’s hand.  “Of course I do.”

They went out Stevenson Hall and down the steps.  Willow saw someone moving about slightly on the grass.  It was hard to tell because it looked like the person was wearing camouflage.  Willow ran up to the man and rolled him over.

“Ohmigod, Riley.  Are you OK?  Can you hear me Riley?”

“Willow?” Riley said fuzzily.

“What happened?”

“Buffy,” Riley said remembering what happened.  “Dammit, they took Buffy.  To the lab.  They electrocuted her and now they are going to kill her.”  Riley dragged himself up off the ground.

“The Initiative?” Willow said, coming to realise what Riley was saying.  “We’ve got to tell Giles.”

BRRRRRRRIIINNNGG.  BRRRRRIIIIIINNNNGGGG

“Can you get that, Giles?  I’m kinda busy with your plat de principal,” Xander called to Giles who was in the living room talking to Sarah about what happened.

“Xander, would you call microwave Macaroni Cheese a ‘plat de principal’?” Giles said.

“It is for a guy who was brought up on the fine art of phoning for a pizza rather than making one.  Or even heating up a frozen one,” Xander argued. He continued in a thick French accent.  “For I am Alexander ‘Arris.  Master chef of de mac and cheese.”

“I’ll get it,” Angel offered.  He closed the book he was reading and picked up the phone.

“Hello,” Angel said.

“Angel, it’s Willow,” the other voice said.

“Hi Willow, did....”

“The Initiative took Buffy.  They’re gonna chop her up into little pieces and clone her, like that sheep,” Willow said in almost one breath.

Angel almost dropped the phone with shock.  He felt numb, like he had lost a limb.  He couldn’t absorb the knowledge.  He tried to clear his head but all he could think about was Buffy and how much he loved her and how much danger she was in.

“We need to get to her,” Angel said.

“It’s in a big, underground government lab under the college.  We can get clearance.”

“I’ll be there,” Angel said putting down the phone firmly.

“What?” Xander asked.

“The Initiative’s took Buffy.”

“What?  We need to go, now.  Mac’n’cheese on hold.  Let’s go,” Xander ordered taking off his apron that said ‘Kiss The Chef.'

“Is Buffy your girlfriend Xander?” Sarah asked.  Xander seemed so determined to save her and was willing to go almost blindly to his death.

“Nope, she’s Deadboy’s.  Uh,  I mean, she’s the girlfriend of this dead great guy here,” he said slapping Angel’s shoulder.  In a low voice he added “Buffy’s my best friend.”

“Will you be all right here?” Giles asked Sarah grabbing his jacket off the rack.  He had know her for not a long time but already trusted her.

“No, I better go home.  Thanks for everything,” Sarah said to them, ready to follow them out.  Giles scribbled some digits down on paper and handed it to Sarah.

“If you need anything or remember something.  Or want to speak to someone.  Call us, OK?” Giles said.  Sarah smiled.

“OK.  Thanks Mr Giles.  Can I get a ride back to campus?”

Angel drove his T-Bird over the college lawn and almost right up to the door to Stevenson Hall.  Angel, Giles and Xander piled out and slammed the doors shut in succession.  Sarah, who’s dorm room was in Stevenson Hall as well, followed them in.  Angel ran faster than he could remember in a long while, to Buffy and Willow’s room.  Giles and Xander were behind him.  He opened the door and tried to run through but he was thrown back.  After regaining his senses, Giles and Xander were inside and Willow invited him in.

Angel shut the door behind him and scanned the room to see who was there and who wasn’t.  Anya and Wesley weren’t there yet but everyone else was.  Angel noticed that someone that he had seen at the Bronze was there.  Buffy’s old boyfriend.  Angel saw that he had a big cut down the right side of his head.  Willow was trying to bandage it up.  Angel stood in front of him.

“You’re one of the men that took Buffy,” Angel accused.

“I didn’t know.  We were talking and they came up from behind...” Riley started trying to explain.  He was in alot of pain and couldn’t finish his sentence.  Angel grabbed the shoulders of Riley’s camouflage bodywarmer and pulled him up.

“Anything happens to her, it’s you I’m coming after,” Angel snarled.  He was so angry that he had to stop himself from turning into his vampire face.

“You think this is my fault?  You’re the one that slept with her and then tried to kill her.  She doesn’t love you.  She fears you, she hates you.  You hurt her, you’ve always hurt her and you always will hurt her.  You’re too selfish to see the truth.”

In a rage, Angel punched his face.  The force was so strong that Riley ended up sprawled on the bed.

“You know nothing about me and Buffy,” he yelled.  “Everything you just said was a lie.  You think Buffy fears me?  Then you don’t even know Buffy.  She is the most amazing, strong, fearless, beautiful girl and if I lose her tonight because of you, I will devote all my time to getting the guys that did it and making your life a living hell.”

“He’s being literal when he says that.  Angel’s been there.  He could model it around you,” Cordelia warned.

“I’d like to see you try, Vampire.  I’d put a stake through your undead evil heart,” challenged Riley.  Angel sprung to hit Riley again.  Xander and Giles struggled to hold him back.

“Guys, GUYS!” Willow shouted.  “This isn’t helping Buffy.”

“What isn’t helping Buffy?” A voice said from behind.

Everyone turned round and stood in silence.

“Oz,” Willow breathed, catching her breath.  “Oz,” she repeated.  Then she smiled.  “Oz.”  Willow ran to her ex-boyfriend and hugged him.  Oz, who was not sure how she would take the news that he was back, closed his eyes and smiled in relief while stroking her hair.  They broke away and looked at each other.

Oz looked round at the people in Willows room.

“Xander,” he said and nodded.  “Cordy”

“Oz,” Cordelia said hugging him.

“Giles,” Oz said shaking his hand.  “Angel, back in town.  You’re that TA in professor Walsh’s class right?” Oz said to Riley.

“Also Buffy’s cast off,” Cordelia said casually.

“See, this picture makes sense now.  All the gang here and Angel’s beating up one of Buffy’s boyfriends.  Where is our Slayer?” Oz asked.

“Riley works for a government demon hunting army.  They took Buffy,” Willow updated him.

“Let’s go get her back then.”

The scooby gang, decked out in green and brown camo gear, skulked in the shadows, looking for the back entrance to the Initiative.  Riley pull up some grass which revealed a hidden stairway leading down to a stone door.  He crept down the steps and entered the passcode into the electronic security lock pad.

Angel watched as the numbers illuminated green.  9-6-4-5-7-3-1.  The vampire made a mental note to remember that.

Silently, Riley opened the door and crept inside.  He beckoned to Willow, Oz, Xander and Angel to do the same.  Cordelia was at Giles’s house where they were waiting for Wesley to return.

‘Yeah, so Buffy’s saved the world and all a few times, but there’s no way I’m wearing THAT and crawling around in dirt to find a James Bond secret entrance and then to be shot by some soldier guys when I get in.  And anyway, green and brown together totally clashes with me.’

Willow wanted to help and she would go crazy just sitting around researching.  She was worried sick about Buffy.  Also, she didn’t have time yet to process that Oz was back.  If she stopped, she would think about it.  Then she would have big, serious, deep thoughts that she didn’t want to have right now.

They were all inside a small, white room with nothing in it.

“So what’s the game plan?” Xander asked.

“Are there any cameras in here?” Angel asked, scanning the room.

“No,” Riley said

“Good, cause I’m going to do an incantation to block the electricity,” Willow told them.

“Will, that spell is becoming your theme song,” Xander said, remarking on the amount of times she’d used it.

“Sure you’re OK to do this?” Oz asked concerned.

“Sure.  I need two minutes.  Most of the soldiers are in the changing or training  rooms so it also keeps them locked in.  Only thing is, they’ll know we’re coming and the scientists won’t stop doing whatever it is they’re doing to Buffy so we gotta be quick.”

Wesley stood outside a small shop near to the Expresso Pump and waited for the owner to appear.  He had been waiting for almost an hour.  The ex-Watcher had been to many of the usual places that he might find his old friend.  Willies Place, the Park, Sun Cinema, the Motel.  All places where his ‘associates’ could be found.  Wesley turned round when he heard the shutter rolling up half way and he turned to see a small man ducking under it and pulling the shutter back down.  The man locked the bottom part and put the keys in his pocket.  He turned to start to walk home when he saw Wesley towering in front of him.

“Hi,” Wesley said smiling.  He looked at the sign above the door. “ ‘Harry’ is it now?”

“Price,” the small man said in a thick New York accent  He tried to stand up straight.  “I ain’t afraid of you.”

“Good, because I need to talk to you.  Preferably without you running away.”

“You always were a funny guy Price,” the small man laughed nervously.  He faked a look at his watch.  “Is that the time?  Wife’s making steak tonight.  Don’t wanna be late.  I’d invite you but she gets nervous around people-other people that she doesn’t know.  So, see ya around,” ‘Harry’ said trying to push past him.

“I think you’re going to be rather late for diner tonight.  There’s someone I want you to meet.  You know him.  Does the name ‘Ripper’ ring any bells?” Wesley asked innocently.  ‘Harry’s’ face turned white.

“I’ll lead the way, shall I?”  Wesley asked.

Willow had just finished chanting the last part of the electricity blocking spell.  She opened her eyes and saw the lights flicker then go off.  Then a computerised female voice said ‘Power is down on all levels of the Initiative.  Temporary lighting activated.’

“You did it Will,” Xander congratulated.  “Wait a minute, if the power’s gone all haywire, how do we get in?”

“This way,” Angel snarled in his demon face with his yellow eyes shining.  He smashed the glass of an emergency fire axe’s case and pulled it off the wall.  The vampire swung the axe at the security panel at the side of the door.  It short circuited and then Angel hit the door rail.  It fell off and it took a large chunk of the door with it.  Angel pushed the axe through the gap in the door and twisted it so it caught on something.  Angel then pulled with all his superhuman strength and his will to find Buffy.  The door came flying off and Angel threw it and the axe across the small room.  Angel strode throught the door, even more eager to find Buffy.  As he walked, he changed back to his human appearance.

“Ten points for stealthy, subtly guy,” Xander muttered to himself.

“How’d he do that?” Riley said in awe.  “That’s a governent door.  Strong enough to withstand big explosions and the strongest of demons and surely a vampire.”

“Mind over matter?” Willow suggested as she passed through the broken doorway.

Angel stopped in the middle of the tinted blue lit corridor.

“Where would she be?” Angel asked.

“She might be in a special lab.” Willow said.

“Or the pit,” Riley said in fear.  That meant they had probably already started to test her.

“Where’s that?” Angel demanded.

“This way,” Riley said jogging off down the corridor.  Angel, Oz, Willow and Xander followed until the came to another steel door with a window.  Angel looked through it.  Through the darkness he could see about six or seven soldiers toting some big guns running a course.  He saw two other soldiers lead a hairy, demon through a caged tunnel into another room.  Scientists and technicians were running about trying to get the power back on.  The knew a assault was being planned on the Initiative.  They didn’t know if it was the Slayer or Adam.  In the middle of the room he saw something which looked like a empty swimming pool covered in tinfoil.

“The pit,” he concluded.  Angel pulled the door handle but it was locked.  He looked around.

“Gee, where’s another fire axe when you need one,” Xander said bitterly.

Angel was about to rip the door from it’s hinges.

“Hey!” Xander shouted to get Angel’s attention.  He projected a little canister from his pocket.

“Xander, Buffy’s life is in danger.  Now is not the time to freshen your breath for the hottie scientists,” Oz joked.

“Ha ha.  No, this is something I picked up last time Buffy and I raided here.  It’s partly liquid nitrogen.  It works like a blow torch.  But cold,” Xander explained.

“You stole from the Initiative?” Riley asked.

“They stole our Buffy!”  Xander protested.  He gave it to Angel who took of the cap.  He drew an outline round the door handle with the white frothy material coming out of the can.  It fizzled and melted away the steel.  Angel passed the can back to Xander  Angel pulled the handle and it came away from the door like a piece out of a jigsaw puzzle.  Angel pushed the door and it opened.

“Wait,” Willow said.  “What do we do now?”

“We improvise,” Angel said and turned to go out of the door.

Angel strode towards the pit with his duster flowing behind him.  A team of soldiers with hand held temperature monitors raised the alarm of a Sub- Terrestrial invasion.  Five soldiers ran towards Angel.  Angel stopped and turned around.  He grabbed a nearby crate off of a truck.  He pushed it down onto a soldiers head to temporarily blind him.  Angel roundhouse kicked the soldier across the floor.  The vampire turned round and immediately ducked a volt blast.

Willow, who’s first accompishment in Wicca was to float a pencil, willed a small truck to hit three soldiers attacking Angel.  It worked but the truck didn’t stop and crashed into the stairs.

Xander shot several soldiers with the blaster that Maggie Walsh had given Buffy.  Riley engaged in some hand to hand combat with some of his colleagues.

While Angel was fighting two soldiers at the same time, Oz saw three crossbow catapulted stakes aiming for Angel.  Oz ran towards Angel and with part of his werewolf strength, threw him down.

“Thanks,” Angel said giving Oz a hand to get up.

Angel could see into the pit and he saw Buffy strapped onto a metal operating table.  They had stripped her down to her underwear and they were feeding her something through a tube.  A scientist placed a gas mask over her mouth and nose.

“Buffy,” he growled.  Angel took a long run and leapt into the pit.

Xander stopped firing his gun and watched Angel land.  He grabbed Willow and pulled her towards the pit.  Riley swung a pipe against the side of a soldiers face and he fell to the floor.  Riley dropped the pipe and sprinted after Xander.

“Now, Ms Summers.  This won’t hurt all that much.  Just think what you’re doing for America.  With a l’il bit of you in every Private, Lieutenant, Captain, General and Marshal in the Armed Forces, we’ll be a shoo-in come world war III,” the 314 scientist said into the Slayers ear.  Dr. Rhinestone was a genius- but a bit insane.   He filled a syringe with 20 millilitres of a red liquid.  He tried to find a good vein in her neck and then he pushed the needle in but didn’t inject Buffy with the drug.  Buffy showed an expression of pain from under the mask.

Angel landed in front of the table and stood upright.

“Don’t do that,” Angel growled at Dr. Rhinestone.  Angel grabbed a nearby scientist.  Angel pulled a knife from his boot and held it to the mans throat.  “Let her go, or your boy hear starts filling this pool with his blood.”

The scientist laughed.  With his free hand, he took Buffy’s metal cased profile off of the table.  He flicked to the history page and skimmed it.

“You must be Angel.  Her ‘forbidden, one true love.’  A real Romeo and Juliet in the making.  Well Angel, you’re going to watch here as I kill her slowly - and painfully,” he grinned.

Angel snarled in disgust.  “How the hell did you get a job with the government?  You’re a psychopathic, sadistic loose cannon.  Now, take-the-needle-out.”

“I came across some very incriminating pictures of some people in high places,”  The doctor ignored Angels demand and laughed.  “Psychopathic, sadistic?  Bit like you in your hey day and then again about a year and a half ago.  How is Hell these days?  Soon Ms Summers here will get to experience it.”

At that Xander, Willow, Riley and Oz appeared behind Angel.  Riley aimed his guns laser cross hair at the scientists head.

“Finn, you disappoint me,” he said shaking his head.   “I can see I’m out-numbered here and won’t have a chance to inject Buffy with this because you’ll shoot me.  So in fairness, I’ll take this out..” Dr Rhinestone said drawing out the syringe.  He looked to be putting it in a waste basket under the table.  Instead he ripped a hand gun out of the duck tape holder he made on the metal beds frame and held it to Buffy’s temple.  “..And replace it with this.”  He removed the safety catch.  “So you kill me, you kill your Slayer here as well.  Two for the price of one.  How’s that for a deal?”

“The other choice?” Oz ventured.

“Well, you’ve taken out the team that was patrolling out here.  The rest are in D-Section.  You let me back away and get out here.  I stay alive-she stays alive.  For now,” Dr. Rhinestine offered.

Angel who was not interested in justice or getting the bad guy, only saving Buffy, immediately agreed.  The doctor nodded and smiled.

“See you then,” the doctor said.  He sprinted to the ladder and climbed it at an incredible speed for an older man.

Angel released the hostage scientist who fell to the ground wheezing and spluttering.  Angel stepped over him to Buffy’s bedside and placed down the blade on the wheely table.

“Buffy,” he said smoothing her hair away from her face.  Angel lifted the gas mask off her face.  “Can you hear me Buffy?”

Buffy stirred and opened her eyes groggily.  Everything was blurred.  She recognised his voice. “Angel.  I can’t....I can’t see anything.  It’s all blurry.  I hurt all over.  I can’t....”

Angel put a finger on her lips. “Ssshhhh,” he said soothingly.  He took his black duster off and wrapped it around her.  “I’ll be a minute OK?”  Angel kissed her hand and walked over to where the other scientist lay.  Angel grabbed his white coat and threw him over three metal stechers and into a surgeons prep table.  Angel strode over to him again and pushed him against the wall with one arm.

“What did you do to her?” Angel said threateningly in a low voice.  The man winced in fear.  Angel had him by the throat.

“We, oh God,” he pleaded.  “We gave her a drug to weaken her muscles and slow down her motor functions.”

“Reverse it,” he ordered.

“I can’t...” The doctor started.  Angel threw him to the feet of Xander in the middle of the pit.  Xander pointed the gun at the scientist

“Try again,” Xander said casually.  “Dr.. Bad man,” was the best he could come out with.

“Dr. Stevens.  I worked....” Dr. Stevens started.

“Uh, Angel..”  Willow started.  Angel looked at her and Oz.  They were staring upwards.  Angel looked up also.  Xander and Riley followed suit.

There was a metal screen closing over the pit at a lightening speed.  Before anyone could speak or act, the right side had met with the left side in the middle over their heads.

There was all but darkness as the blue light dimly lit parts of the pit.

“Ssshhh...” Xander started.

“What’s that smell?” Angel asked.  “It smells like some sort of gas.  You guys getting drowsy ?”

Willow and Oz nodded.

“It’s ‘Sleepy In the Hole.’ Dr. Stevens said.  “It’s only used if HST’s break their restraints or attack and we can’t control them.  We close the screen and release the number 3 gas.  It acts like bacteria.  Eating into the oxygen with carbon dioxide and knocks out most demons and monsters.  It kills humans.  We don’t usually bring vampires into the pit, it doesn’t harm them. ”

“So Angel, you’re safe,” Oz said.

We’ll only live about 8 minutes in this,” Dr. Stevens said.

“Hey, there is no ‘we’, pal!” Xander shouted at the scientist who was now standing up.  “You tried to kill Buffy.  That kind of separates *you* from *us*.”

“Xander, please,” Angel said nodding to Buffy.   “Willow can you use magic against this?” Angel asked.

“I could use it to open the screen...”

“If you mix this gas with oxygen out there at once, we’ll take the Initiative and the college with us,” Dr. Stevens warned.

“..That and it takes about 20 minutes to set it up and prepare for the spell,” Willow said chewing her lip.

Angel went over to Buffy and stroked her soft, pale face.  He held her hand.  Buffy started shaking and throwing her head from side to side.

“What’s in the gas mask?” Angel asked Dr. Stevens.

“Normal oxygen to replenish the blood we took.”

Angel placed the mask back over her face and she calmed down.

“Is there an air vent here?” Angel asked with his back to everyone except Buffy.

“Yes, but it’s closed for ‘SITH’,” Dr. Steves said.

“But there is one?” Xander asked.  He looked around and saw Riley in the corner, working on a emergency shut down pad.

“Yes.”

“Then we use it to escape,” Angel said.  “Where?”

“In the east wall.”

Angel left Buffy’s bedside, ran over and found a grating with a block behind it.  He hit the sides of it with the heel of his palm.

“Xander, gun,” Angel said.  Xander threw it to the vampire who immeditely swung it at the middle.  Angel dented the grating and the sides splayed outwards.  Angel pulled one side and tore off.  There was now a white block behind it.

“Xander, stolen liquid nitrogen breath freshener,” Angel half joked, half ordered.

“Wow, I’m just the deadboys favourite supply guy today,” Xander said tossing the small can to Angel who caught it in his right hand.  “You want something on the inside, I’m your man.”

Angel pulled off the cap and sprayed it round the edge of the block and down the middle.  After a couple of seconds, Angel pushed the two parts inwards.  They fell over like cardboard.  He pulled them out and threw them to the side.

There was a long, good sized tunnel to crawl in.

Xander appeared over his shoulder to examine it.

“We are go,” he said to Willow, Oz and Riley.

Angel ran to Buffy.  She was looking even paler and more helpless.  He noticed the tube he had seen before in her other arm.

“Dammit,” Angel said to himself.  He was angry at not noticing it sooner.  He took it out carefully and a clear liquid spewed out of the top.

“What’s this ?” he demanded, pointing it at the scientist.

“The muscle depressant,” Dr. Stevens said nervously.

“Why didn’t you say something sooner?”

“I...I...I,” he stammered.

“Give her something to reverse it,” Angel snarled.

“I don’t have the antidote in here.  I..I...didn’t mean to...hurt her...”

“Are you in love with someone Doctor?  So blindly, so completely.  Someone you would lay down your life for, who is the purpose of your every waking moment?” Angel said.

“Yes,” the scientist said looking down.

“Then you’ll help me get her out of here.”

“Angel we have to go,” Oz shouted.  He, Willow and Xander were at the vent.

Angel pushed Buffy’s metal table over to the open vent.  He placed a metal stretcher beside her.

“Xander, help me lift her,” Angel asked.  Together they lifted the girl they loved onto the stretcher.  They put her arms in Angels’ duster’s arms and buttoned it up at the front.  Angel strapped her in at one side and Willow the other.

Willow helped lift Buffy’s stretcher to the wide vent mouth.

“Xander go in front of Buffy and Angel,” Willow ordered.  “Watch for holes and stuff.”  She wheezed slightly.  They didn’t have a lot of time left.

“Yessir,” Xander half-saluted.  He crawled into the vent.  He helped pull the end of Buffy’s stretcher into the hole.  Angel pushed from the head.  Dr Stevens followed the cursed-vampire.

“Riley, we have to go,” Willow yelled across the pit.  Riley ran through the now partly mistly air.  Oz beckoned for Willow to go in front of him.  Riley crawled last in behind Oz.

They should be back before now,” Giles said pacing the floor.  He sat down, gulped his tea then stood back up and started pacing again.

“OK, rewind much,” Cordelia said irritably.

“Oh do shut up!” Giles burst out.  Cordy’s eyebrows arched.  “Sorry, coffee makes me tense.  Sorry.”

“It’s OK,” Cordelia said.

“I should have went.  I should be there.  Dammit,” Giles said scolding himself.

“It wouldn’t make a difference even if you did go.  Angel’s got the strength.  With Willow it’s the teen witch complex- or the 20 something witch complex.  That Riley guy has got the inside track.  Oz has the secret werewolf strength thing and Xander has got the, has got the um, youth.  You’ve got none of that so really you would have just got in the way.”

“And what part of that was supposed to make me feel better?” Giles asked walking into the kitchen to brew another coffee.

“The part about the.. Wesley !” Cordelia greeted.  She walked up to him and slapped his chest.  “Great timing.”

Cordelia went to shut the door and saw a small guy outside Giles door.

“What is this?  Stripograms by balding dwarfs?” She asked the little man.

“No Cordelia that’s a friend of Giles’s.  Come in,” Wesley called.

“Like I said stripograms by balding dwarfs,” Cordelia said as the man timidly entered Giles place, not knowing what to expect.  The man looked at Cordelia.

“I ain’t a dwarf and I ain’t bald,” he muttered.

“Yeah, you woke up one morning and the world was like this.  Also, you’re just folically challenged.  It’s a phase every man goes through.  It’s called receeding,” Cordy scoffed.  The man said nothing in response.  He knew better than to say anything in front of Ripper.

Giles drank his coffee and read a book as he walked into the sitting room.  He looked up at Wesley standing with a small, familar man.

“Giles, you no doubt remember ‘Harry’. “ Wesley beamed.

“OK, there’s obviously something missing here and it’s me with the knowledge of who the homeless, scruffy little man is,” Cordelia said.

“When I was training to be a Watcher,” Wesley started.  “Mark was sharing a dormitory with me.  He boasted about his experience in dabbling with the Black Arts with Giles and Ethan Rayne.  Of course I had no idea who Giles was.  When Giles and...”

“Was this pre-’I-raised-a-demon-that-killed-a-guy-so-now-I-feel-all-guilty-about-having -a-life‘ Giles?” Cordelia interrupted.<

“Yes, Cordelia.  It was that as you so elegantly put it,” Giles said.  “My first venture into Black Magic was with Ethan and Mark.  Mark and I had know each other since we were five years old.  Mark left the triangle to join a chaos demon worshipping group.  He almost killed Ethan and I by leaving while a demon we raised was on the loose.  I bound him in another dimension for a while.  When I was training to be a Watcher, he attempted to kill my girlfriend at the time. ”

“So the little guy is your nemesis and Wesley’s ex-Watcher mate.  Hey, does that mean you’re a Watcher too?” Cordelia realised.

“Ex.  After the lil’ incident of trying to kill Ripper’s girl, I got thrown out.”

“Gee.  Spot the odd one out.  You’re all ex-Watchers.”

“We had a lot of good times huh Ripper?  We were pretty alike.  Both destined to be Watchers, both liked to rebel a little.  You wouldn’t hurt me, would ya ?” Mark said nervously as Giles advanced on him.  “After all it was me who coined in the nick name ‘Ripper.’ “

“Sorry to be the big intimidating tension breaker but it’s gonna bug me.  Why have you got a New Yorker accent if you grew up in the Star Wars free environment that is England?” Cordelia interrupted again.

“Did I also mention I was an actor?” Mark said in his native accent.  “Wow, that feels weird after all these years,” he said in his New York accent.  Giles stood over Mark.  “Fine, hit me.  Go ahead!  Just remember that she was mine first...” Mark admitted defeat.  He closed his eyes.  Then they flew open.  “Hey,” he said to Cordelia.  “Did you say Ripper was an ex-Watcher?”

“Yeah.  Long story.  He actually had a Slayer before they fired him.  He bended the rules so much they snapped with Buffy..”

“Oh dear lord Buffy!” Giles said in shock.

“He’s just realised that he’s wasting valuable worrying time by threatening to beat the crap out you,” Cordelia said putting mint flavoured gum in her mouth.

“I should thinking of her instead of dealing with you.  Sit,” Giles ordered and Mark obeyed and Giles went back into ‘pace mode.’

“It’s just a little further,” Xander said encouragingly.  To Angel behind him he said, “How’s she doing?”

“Better than most of us because she’s got the gas mask on.”

A circle of light given by the moon fell on the floor before Xander.  Rain from above also fell on the floor.  He looked up and saw an open man hole and a ladder running against the wall.

“Angel, there’s an open drain above us,” Xander whispered.

“Then lets go up.”

“Buffy...”

“Look, I’ll go up first and you can take her off the stretcher and pass her up.”

“Right,” Xander said pulling Buffy past the moonlight to the other side so Angel could climb up.  Angel climbed up the ladder and checked around to make sure it was safe.  It was raining heavily and soaked Angel quickly.  They must have crawled far because Angel didn’t know where they were.

“OK,” Angel said lying on the ground, With the top half of his body dangling down the tunnel.

Xander unstrapped Buffy’s legs while Dr. Stevens unstrapped her arms and body.  The scientist helped her to sit up and he slid the mask off her face.

“Where...?” Buffy said groggily.

“It’s OK Buff, we’re in a tunnel.  Take Angel’s hand and he’ll pull you up OK?” Xander said softly.  Buffy nodded.  With the strength she had left, Buffy reached up and grabbed Angels wrist with both hands and he grabbed her’s.  He pulled her up slowly and then out of the hole.  Angel dragged her away from the opening so the others could get out.

When Xander hauled himself out, he saw Angel lying on the ground cradling a weak Buffy in his arms, trying to shield her from the rain.  He could see how much Angel really loved her.  In his heart of hearts he took back everything he ever said and promised himself never to say anything nasty to the vampire again.

Like that would last, he thought as he helped Dr. Stevens.

Xander took Willows hand and pulled her up, boosted by Oz below.  Oz got a boost from Riley because he  was a small guy/ werewolf.

Riley pulled himself out of the hole.  He stood up and looked over at Buffy and Angel.  Angel was whispering soothing words to the Slayer.  Even though she was a wreck, Buffy smiled weakly and had a
twinkle in her eyes.  Angel pushed strands of her wet blonde hair away from her face and he kissed her forehead.

‘Soulmates,’ Riley smiled sadly to himself.

Angel looked up at the group who were watching him and Buffy.

“We need to get her to a hospital,” Angel said.

“You can’t.  The government will find her and kill her,” Dr Stevens warned.  He looked at Angel, remembering his words and now seeing proof of them. “But I’ll stay with you, as long as you need me.  Do whatever you need.”

“Thank you,” Angel said.  “Willow, could you do a healing spell?”

“Yeah,” she said realising that it could work.  “Tar... I mean, me and one of the wicca group performed a healing spell on a bird that was dying.  It worked.  We could try.”

“Then we go to Giles.  What do you need?” Angel said.

“For a person, the spell’s different.  I don’t know what they would be, but I know someone who does.”

BBBRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIINNNNNGGGG

Tara sat Miss Kitty Fantastico down on her bed and picked up her phone.

“Hello,” Tara said, although she was pretty sure who was calling.

“Tara, hi, Willow.”

“Willow.  I knew it was you.  Did you find Buffy ?  Is she OK?”

“No.  I mean yes we found her and no she’s not OK, or she won’t be.  We need to do a healing spell at Giles.  Can you come?”

“Of course, yes.”

“Good,” Willow said relieved.  She was calling from a payphone.  The red-headed witch looked over at Angel.  He was holding Buffy in his arms like a small baby.  Her arms were wrapped round his neck and he held her head and her legs.  “We need different ingredients for a human healing.  Do you have a list there?”

Tara slid a book off her dresser with one hand and flicked through to the page her and Willow had used for helping the bird.  Tara leafed to the page before it which was about healing people.

“We need a few herbs - I have them all here, I can bring them.  We also need the blood and presence of her next of kin- her mom or dad.  Someone with her house blood.  We also need blood from someone else who has been or is close to her.  Where her love is most passionate,” Tara read.  “Also three wiccas to perform the spell.  We only have two.”

“That’s OK.  We can get Giles.  He dabbled.  Buffy said her mom got back today.  I hope she has.  Bring the book and the herbs to Giles’s and we can do it there.  You know where to go.”

“Yes.  You told me once remember?”

“Mm hm.  My money’s running out, I have to go.  There’s something I have to talk to you about.”

“OK.  See you at Giles.”

“Bye,” Willow said as she replaced the receiver with a click.  She turned to the gang.  Angel was looking worriedly at Buffy’s face almost porcelain face.  He looked at Willow, hoping for good news.

“Well?” Xander said.

“We need to go to Giles’s.  She's bringing everything there.  We only need to get two things.”

“What?” Xander said.

“Her family blood and the blood of her strongest love,” Willow said biting her lower lip.  Everyone looked at Angel.  His face looked paler than usual, if that was possible.  He shut his eyes to try and clear his head.  In it, he saw Buffy’s beautiful face smiling at him.  Then it twisted into a vampire’s ugly visage.  She smiled again showing her fangs.  Angels eyes flew open.  He swallowed hard.

“Her mom..” Angel said with difficulty.

“Should be back tonight.  I hope,” Willow said.

“I’ll take Buffy to Giles.  Xander, Oz could you go to Joyce and explain it to her,” Angel asked. His eyes were full of so many thoughts and fears.

“Sure,” Xander said.  He and the werewolf turned to go the opposite way from Giles house.

Angel started running with Buffy still in his arms towards Giles, with Riley, Willow and Dr. Stevens in tow.

Xander ran up Buffys front steps and knocked on the door three times.

“Xander, the car’s here,” Oz said joining him in front of the Summers door.

“Good.  Oh god good.”

Joyce looked through the glass pane and then opened the door wide.  She smiled at them

“Hi Xander, Oz what’s..” Joyce stopped dead when she saw the expression on their faces.  “What happened to Buffy?” Joyce said the fear clear in her voice.

“We’ll tell you on the way to Giles,” Xander said.

“Is it bad?  Can I help?” Joyce said looking at each of the boys in turn.

“As a matter of fact, you can help,” Oz said while Buffy’s mom got her coat.

“Honestly, how bad is it?” Joyce repeated as she locked the door.  Her hands were shaking.

“Honestly?” Xander said looking at Oz, saying Help Me.  “Let’s go to Giles’s.”

Giles poured out tea for Wesley and coffee himself.  As he stirred the milk into Wesleys tea, all the things that could have happened to Buffy ran through his mind.  Quickly, but very vivid.  What if Buffy had been....

“Giles!” Angel called kicking the door open.  Giles dropped the spoon and rushed out of the kitchen to see Buffy in Angels arms looking very pale and sickly.  Her breathing was faint.

At least thank God she’s breathing, Giles thought gratefully to himself.

Angel carried her to the couch that Cordelia had been sitting in moments earlier but she had just gone to the bathroom.  He laid her head on a cushion and turned to Giles.  Willow, Dr. Stevens and Riley followed Angel in a couple of seconds later.  Even carrying the petite Slayer, Angel was extremely fast.

“How is she?  What happened?” Giles asked Angel.  Dr. Stevens stepped forward to examine her.  “Who’s he?”

Angel couldn’t speak.  He opened his mouth to say something but only a small, strangled sound came out.

“That’s Dr. Stevens from the Initiative.  He said he would help us,” Willow said.

Dr. Stevens turned round after checking her breathing, pulse and throat to speak to them.  “They gave her a muscle depressant that also alters the performance of her five senses.  With being exposed to the ‘SITH’ treatment, she doesn’t have much longer.  Your only hope is the spell you talked about.”

“What spell?” Giles asked Willow.

“A healing spell.  We need you to finish forming the triangle,” Willow said.

“Who will form the other, em, point?”

“I could do it,” Mark said.

“Shut up!” Giles shouted.  Willow jumped.  She was’t used to seeing this ‘Ripper’ side of Giles.  To tell the truth, it kind of freaked her out.

“Who’s that?” Willow asked.

“That’s Mark.  He’s a small balding dwarf who dabbled with Giles and tried to kill his girlfriend,” Cordelia said walking in from the bathroom.  “Rude much!” Cordy exclaimed when she saw that someone was lying on her seat.  “Oh, it’s only a dying Buffy.”

“She’s not dying,” Angel said in a low voice.

“Yeah, and Mark here is neither bald nor short.”

“Are you always so mean ?” Mark said standing up, annoyed.

“I don’t know.  Sunnydale always brings out the bitch in me,” Cordelia answered shrugging.

“I noticed.”

“Oh do shut up you ponce!” Giles said and Mark sat down again.  Willow’s eyes went wide again.  “You were saying Willow?”

“Tara, from my Wicca group.  She’s bringing everything we need here.”

On the mention of Tara’s name, there was a knock at the door.  Willow went to answer it.  Tara was standing in front of the door with a backpack.

“Hi,” Tara said.

“Hi.  Come in,” Willow said.

Tara stepped inside the Spanish style apartment and closed the door behind her.  She saw a brown haired beautiful girl sitting begrudgingly next to a smaller man.  Tara saw two older men looking very worried with one of them pacing the floor.  Tara recognised the tall blond man clothed in army gear to be a TA from college.  He was leaning on the wall next to a scientist in a white coat.  Lastly, Tara looked at the dark man kneeling next to the couch where the ailing Slayer lay.  He was whispering comforting words to her and kissing her hand softly.

“Is this what it is usually like?” Tara whispered to Willow beside her.

“Tara, I need to talk to you,” Willow said leading her to the side.

“What is it?”

“Remember I told you about the boyfriend I had in high school, Oz?”

“Yeah.”

“He’s here."

 Tara raised her eyebrows and looked over at the dark haired man, assuming he was Oz.  "He's very..."

"Not in this room here.  He’s went to get Buffy’s mom.  We’re not... together or anything.  Are you still OK to do this?”

“Yes, I am.  Don’t worry about it,” Tara soothed.

After that there was another knock at the door.  Giles went to open it.

“Mr Giles,” Joyce Summers said.  “Where’s Buffy?”  Oz and Xander appeared behind her.

“In here,” Giles said opening the door wide for her.  Joyce rushed in.

Angel stood up but kept holding Buffy’s hand.

“Angel.  You’re back in town.”  Joyce didn’t know what conclusion to come to when her daughter was lying on the sofa and her demon ex-boyfriend was holding her hand.  Had he done something to her?  What happened?

“Yes,” was all that Angel could manage to say.

Angel kissed Buffys hand and let go.  Joyce noticed that Buffy was only wearing a buttoned up duster coat.  From what Xander and Oz told her in the car, the government had did this to her.  Captured her and tried to kill her.  Joyce went to her daughters side and smoothed back her hair.  It broke her soul to see her like this.  Was this the price of saving lives ?  That Buffy would lose hers ?  She was pale and fragile, yet still she managed to smile.

“I’m here honey,” Joyce said softly.

“Mom, I’m so sorry.  I’m so ...”

“Sssshhhh,” Joyce said.  “Ssssshhhh.  I need to see Mr Giles for just a second OK?”  Joyce smoothed her hair, kissed her daughters forehead and stood up.  She walked over to Giles.

“Mrs Summers,” Wesley said.  She nodded in return.

“Oz said I could help Buffy.  What do I have to do ?” Joyce asked desperately.

“Willow, her friend and myself will be trying a healing spell.  This includes us reciting incantations and Buffy ingesting a mixture of herbs and the blood of the family and her most passionate love.”

“I’ll do it,” Joyce said immediately.

“I had no doubt you would but there’s a problem,” Giles said tactfully.

“What?”

“Buffy’s most passionate and strongest love outside the family.  It’s clearly Angel and that presents us with a problem.”

Riley overheard the part about Angel being Buffy’s strongest love and looked down hurt.  He was angry that the months he and Buffy had been together had meant nothing and he was sad that the love he felt for Buffy wasn’t equaled by her.

“He’s a vampire,” Joyce said slowly.

“To change someone into a vampire, there has to be the sharing of blood on both parts.  So it might have been all right but...”

“Mr. Giles, are you trying to say that he fed off my daughter?”  Joyce was disgusted.  She couldn't look at Angel.

“It was strenuous circumstances.  Angel was dying and it was the only cure.  Buffy forced him.  He would never hurt her.  Ever,” Giles said quickly.

“Mom.. do-don't blame Angel.  I ma-made him.  I couldn't l-let him die..” Buffy broke in with a raspy voice.  Angel put a finger over her lip.

“Buffy, please, Buffy, don't speak.  You know I shouldn't have let you.”

"I threw you onto my n-neck Angel," she hissed.  "It wasn't yo-your fault."

“Giles, if we’re going to do the spell, it has to be now,” Willow said.

“Right.  Angel ?” Giles said calling the vampire over.

“About the spell....” Giles said tactfully.  He saw the worried expression on Angel’s face.  “Willow, will this spell work with Buffy’s strongest human love?”  Giles said eyeing Riley.

Willow looked at Tara.  Tara shook her head and looked down.  Willow swallowed.  “No.  We can’t risk it.”

“But we can’t risk Buffy becoming a vampire,” Angel blurted out.

“It might be all right.  It was almost a year ago and Buffy won’t be drinking from you, it will be mixed with herbs and ...other things.  You must be near death in order to welcome the vampire demon into your body,” Giles said thinking out loud.

Joyce stared into Angel’s eyes for a second.  She could see everything that he and Buffy had been through and felt for each other in one look into Angel’s eyes.  The trust, the pain, the love.

“Just do it, with Angel,” she said finally.

“Are you sure?” Angel said.

“If you can’t cure her, nothing else will,” Joyce said.

“We have to go now Giles,” Willow reminded him.  “While Buffy's body can withstand the force.”

She handed him a copy of the book that she and Tara had.  Tara had already prepared the set-up around Buffy who was lying on the couch.  Xander had helped take away the other chairs and the coffee table.  Everyone else stood back as Giles and the two witches formed a triangle around Buffy.  They each held a candle and Tara held a gold-plated goblet.  Joyce and Angel stood at opposite sides of Buffy, Joyce at the front and Angel at her back.

“Goddess of the ill, the sick, the ailing and the dying.  Goddess Purgeoness hear us,” Tara said.  She dropped three tree buds in the cup and ground them up.  “With these new-born buds of a tree, a second chance shall be bestoyed upon thy.”

Tara passed the cup to Willow.

“Goddess of the ill, the sick, the ailing and the dying.  Goddess Purgeoness hear us,” Willow repeated.  Willow placed three pinches of ready ground mixed herbs in the goblet.  “With these herbs, life shall be granted freely again.”

Willow passed the goblet to Giles.  The ex-watcher had a needle ready.

“Goddess of the ill, the sick, the ailing and the dying.  Goddess Purgeoness hear us,” Giles said clearly.  He held out his left hand and Joyce placed hers in his palm.  With his right hand he pricked her index finger with the needle.  Joyce winced slightly.  He turned her hand over to let the blood run into the goblet that he was holding in his right and along with the needle.  “From the blood of the mother, she was brought forth.  Let it heal her and complete her.”  Giles put his hand out and Angel put his hand in Giles’s.  Giles paused slightly before pushing the needle into Angels finger.  He turned in over and let the vampires blood run into the goblet.  “From the blood of the lover, she was made stronger.  His love completes her, let it heal her both outside and in,” Giles said.

He passed the goblet back to Tara who picked up a jug of water and poured a little into it.  Tara walked into the triangle, over to Buffy’s side.  Painfully, Buffy sat up.  She took the cup from Tara with both hands.  She looked into it then put it to her lips.  Buffy tilted her head back and drank it until there wasn’t a drop left.

Everyone held their breath with no-one quite sure what would happen now.  Giles, Willow and Tara chanted together.

“By the blood of the kin and of the lover, let her rise again!  Let her be restored!  Let her be restored!  Let her be restored!”

On the last word, Buffy let out a noise of pain and felt as if she was being lifted up by the chest.  She closed her eyes and when she opened them, they were clouded with a navy blue colour.

Joyce whimpered Buffy’s name in fear.

In a female voice that was not her own, Buffy said, “Goddess Purgeoness grants restoration.”  Buffy closed her eyes and dropped back on the couch.

Joyce ran to her daughter and held her up.  Buffy slowly opened her eyes and they were back to normal.

“Mom?” Buffy asked quietly.

“Oh Buffy!” Joyce cried out softly.  She cradled Buffy’s head on her shoulder and put her arms around her.  When Joyce released her, Giles crouched down eye level with her.

“How do you feel?  You don’t have any sudden.....urges?”

“Now that you mention it, I feel I sudden need to chew on someone’s neck..” Buffy said coyly, smiling deviously.  Giles eyes grew wide and Buffy burst out laughing.  “Kidding!  Kidding!” Buffy insisted and put Giles hand on her neck vein.  To Giles relief, it was going strong.  “You’re gonna have to give me more next time,” Buffy said smiling at Angel.  “Thank you.”

“For what?” Angel asked puzzled.

“For being you, for being here, for loving me.  Oh, and that little incident of breaking into a high security government lab and saving me before I was chopped up into itty-bitty pieces.”

“Just trying to make a dent in all the times you saved my ass,” Angel smiled.  He took Buffy’s hand in his.

Riley, who was watching the ‘soulmates’, scoffed and walked over to Buffy.

“I have to go now,” he said into her ear.

“OK.  Thank you, for everything,” Buffy said.  She was almost sure that it would the last time she ever looked into his eyes because she knew that they could never be friends.

“No problem.  Feel better,” Riley said and he shyly kissed her softly on the cheek.  Buffy watched him go out Giles door and out of her life.  Buffy looked at Angel, turning his head away, pretedning to inspect the wall.  He was biting his tongue in jealous and Buffy could swear she seen a distinct colour of green cover his face.

“What you looking so jealous about?  Come on!  I am just recovering from a life threatening condition and you’re envious of a goodbye kiss on the cheek from someone I probably will never talk to again?  Overreaction much?” Buffy said rolling her eyes sarcastically.

“Sorry,” Angel said quietly.

“Were we not supposed to get you some new boxers today?” Buffy said.  Feeling back to full strength, Buffy got up off the couch and leant on the back of the sofa.

“Are you sure that you should be straining yourself so soon?” Giles asked.

“Yeah, I’m ...” Buffy said losing her balance and falling onto Angel. “Fine.”

“Sit down,” Angel said to her. “Do you want a drink?”

“Sure. Anything without herbs, bits of trees or blood.” Angel went into the kitchen.  Joyce sat beside Buffy and put her arm around her.

“Oh this is good,” Buffy said smiling.  “Being waited on hand and foot.  TLC from mom.  Not bad.”

Angel pulled out a carton of fresh orange from the fridge.  Xander was waiting beside the microwave for the Mac’n’cheese.

“Uh, Xander.  I just wanted to say thank you-for everything today.  I know you hate me, and... why shouldn’t you?  But you put that aside to help Buffy.  I shouldn’t be here and I can’t but I don’t want to leave her again.  Anyway, thanks,” Angel offered his hand.  Xander looked at his hand and then at Angels' face.  He shook it.

“Anything for Buff.  Ooh, I feel all grown up and civilised now.  Do you know if this is this gonna last?”

Angel laughed slightly and looked down. “Probably not.”

“Oh that sucks.  Well I better say this in our touching moment here before I immature again.  I can understand why you can’t leave her - I know you really love her.  I remember the Buffster back in high school when she was seeing you and you’ve brought her back.  You know this would be a totally different conversation if my best friend in there had turned into a walking demon-inhabited corpse.  What I’m trying to say is, I’m a little closer to giving you my blessing.  As long as it’s a no groin kind of deal.”

“Thank you,” Angel repeated.  The microwave beeped to signal the end of it’s run.

“What are you two ladies gossiping about?” Buffy shouted.  “Giles is about to pummel on some small guy.”

**END OF CHAPTER FIVE**
 

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