Part 17

At the Bronze, Buffy leaned against the railing above, watching the band play. She sighed heavily, it was evident on her face that she was not having a good time, no matter how much she tried to hide it. Buffy gave up and turned around, surprised to see him standing so close to her.

"Hi, I'm Ben." He introduced. When he noticed that she didn't remember him, he spoke again. "We had Algebra II last year."

Buffy was a little shocked for words. "Sorry, I..um."

Ben shook his head. "It's OK. So I was wondering, you know the dance tomorrow, are you going?"

"You mean the Sadie Hawkins thing? The deal where the girls ask the boys?"

"Yeah." Ben answered. "I thought, maybe you know, if you're free, you might ask me..."

Surprised. "Oh, I..." She was not expecting this. "I'm sorry, you seem like a really great guy, I'm sort of seeing somebody."

Ben sighed defeatedly. "Ok, well I better..." He indicated that he was going to go , and quickly left.

Buffy watched him go for a moment, before glancing sadly down at the band. The song was making her even more depressed. Lately she'd been getting that way ever since she got out of the hospital. She didn't know where it came from, but it was like everything that has been happening, with Angelus, Jenny's murder; was weighing on her. She took one more glance at the band and headed for the stairs.

When Buffy reached the bottom of the stairs, Willow approached her.

"Hey! You're bailing?"

"Yeah. I'm gonna stop by the library and see if Giles wants me to patrol, then I'm gonna sack it."

Willow looked at her sadly. "You've been doing that a lot. Patrolling and sacking. In fact you've kind of been all-work-and no-play-Buffy."

"I have big fun, I came tonight, didn't I?"

"But your still broody, you need to loosen up, be impulsive like before."

Buffy looked at her friend like she was crazy. "Impulsive? Do you remember my boyfriend, the vampire? I slept with him, he lost his demon, and the demon who wears his face is killing my friends. The next impulsive thing I make will involve my choice of dentures."

Willow sighed, getting just a bit depressed herself. "Ok, the Angel thing went a little badly, but that's not your fault."

Buffy held up her hand to stop her from talking. "Look, I'm gonna go, you have fun." She walked away quickly before Willow had a chance to respond.

*************************************

At Sunnydale High, screams could be heard vibrating the halls. A boy chased his girlfriend as she walked away from him determinedly.

"Come back here!! Were not finished!!" He yelled angrily, grabbing her by the arm, and turned her around to face him. "You don't care is that it?"

The girl continued to sob. "No, it doesn't matter, it doesn't matter what I feel."

Shaking her. "Then tell me you don't love me. Say it!!"

"Will that help?" She asked. "Is that what you need to hear? I don't. I don't! Now let me go." She pulled to get away, but he kept his grip on her.

"No! A person doesn't just wake up and stop loving somebody!!"

Shakingly he takes a step back, and raises his hand that held a revolver. He pulls the hammer back, and aims it at his girlfriend.

She looks at the gun, and back at him frightened.

His hand trembling. "Love is forever. I'm not afraid to use it I swear!! If I can't be with you...."

Buffy unknowingly turned the corner, heading towards the library, and saw the couple arguing; her eyes widened when she saw the gun. "Hey!!"

The girl was panting with hear. "Oh my god!"

Buffy starts running toward them,she knocked the boy down, making him drop the gun.

A janitor came running when he heard the scuffle, he ran to the girl who seemed to be in a comatose state.

Buffy grabbed the boy by his collar, his shock expression wasn't registered to Buffy.

"What happened??" He asked.

Buffy rolled her eyes. "What happened? You just went O.J on your girlfriend."

The boy shook his head. "This is nuts!! I... I don't know why I got so mad."

"Because your a jerk?" Buffy said sarcastically, she couldn't believe the sob story he was trying to push on her.

"He's not." His girlfriend said, coming out of her shcoked state. "We weren't fighting a few minutes ago."

"If you weren't fighting, then why'd you have a gun?" Buffy asked.

The janitor looked around. "I don't see a gun."

Buffy looked at him, and a confused look settled on her face.

PART 18

"Are you okay?" Angel asked. Buffy had shown up at the apartment, she seemed confused and a little depressed. Buffy looked at him, but didn't answer, and that worried him. He sat down beside her, hoping he could help. Angel touched her hand lightly, and tried not to let the confusion flash in his eyes when she moved her hand away. She never cringed from his touch, she always said that his touch was the only thing that gave her comfort.

"Don't." Buffy said. "I'm not your problem to solve, Angel."

Angel couldn't believe what he was hearing. "What?"

Buffy sighed and grabbed her jacket. "I don't know why I came here." She headed for the door, until Angel stepped in front of her.

"We need to talk, now." Angel demanded.

Knowing he wouldn't let her leave, Buffy reluctantly went back to the couch and flopped down. Angel followed her, but made sure to give her enough personal space. "What's going on?" He replied softly. "You used to tell me everything."

She raked her hand through her hair and looked at him. "Maybe I want to keep some things to myself."

"Then why did you come here?"

She hesitated. "I don't know."

"Maybe you were hoping I'd give you a better state of mind."

Buffy glanced down. "I don't know what you mean."

Angel titled her head up to face him. "I think you do." He paused for a moment. "It's not your fault, Buffy."

Buffy snapped her head towards him, she was about to deny it, but he knew her better than anyone,so lying would be futile. "Yes, it is." She whispered.

"Buffy, no..."

Buffy jumped up from the couch and started pacing. "Angel everything that has happened wouldn't be if I hadn't pushed you that night. And I made it worse the night it Jenny died." She took a breath. "I can't help but feel bad because I don't regret what we did."

"I don't regret it either Buffy, but we couldn't have known what would happen when we made love for the first time. And we couldn't have possibly known that he was going after Jenny." Angel explained.

Buffy leaned against the wall. "I'm sorry, for everything." She had completely blocked out everything he said to her. Buffy felt so depressed, she couldn't even cry.

Angel got up to comfort her, she was so distraught she let him. He'd never seen her like this before, the past few months had been eating away at her. "Buffy, it's not your fault."

"How can you be so calm about this?" Buffy asked suddenly. "All I've done is add on to your guilt. How can you forgive me for the pain I've caused you,and everyone else?"

Angel clutched her head with both his hands, his fingers massaging her scalp. "There is nothing to forgive." When she lowered her eyes, he raised her head again. "It's not your fault." He said, sternly.

Sighing, no matter what he said, a part of her was going to remember, and it would plague her. "How do you deal with it. The guilt?"

Angel looked at her lovingly. "I have you."

The next day at school, Buffy and Xander stormed into the library. Xander's shirt was torn, nearly ripped to shreds.

"I'll have you know that I was just nearly ripped to shreds by some kind of locker monster." Xander said, trying to figure out, what to do with the rest of his shirt.

Giles looked up from what he was doing. "Loch ness monster?" He asked confused.

"Locker monster is what he said." Buffy corrected. "It was more like a big arm came out of the locker, but then we opened it again and it was gone. Nothing."

"This was right after Buffy's history teacher starts doing some freaky channeling thing in class." Xander informed.

"Oh." Giles stood up. "Sounds like paranormal phenomenon."

Willow suddenly got giddy. "A ghost? Cool!!"

"So we have a bad boo on our hands." Buffy analyzed. "What does it want?"

"That's the trouble. The spirit is plagued by all manner of wordly troubles, it has no way to make peace, so it lashes out, growing more angry and confused."

"What can we do?" Willow asked.

"Find out what unresolved issues keep it there, and resolve it."

Sighing heavily. "Great." Buffy replied sarcastically. "Now we're Dr. Laura for the deceased."

**********************************

That night, Angelus led Drusilla, and Spike to a deserted mansion, there new home. Angelus wrapped his arms around Drusilla's waist. "Do you like it, baby."

Drusilla spun around in excitement. "Oh, Angelus, it's fairyland."

Spike rolled his eyes while rolling himself further into the room. "It's paradise. Big windows, lovely gradens. It'll be perfect when we want the sunlight to kill us."

Walking behind Drusilla. "If you don't like it Spike, roll out."

"Well our other place was bloody fine til you went and got it burned down."

Chuckling. "Things change Spikey. You gotta roll with the punches, well you pretty much got that part down."

Spike looked at him coldly. "Very funny, mate."

"What can I say?" Angelus grabs Drusilla from behind. "I just love to see you smile." He held up a flower, picked from the garden and brushed it across Drusilla's cheek as he purred into her ear.

"Yeah." Spike muttered, and rolled out of there view.

At Sunnydale High; Buffy, Willow and Xander walked into Jenny's old classroom. They had just came back from the library, where Giles had explained another incident that had happened last night. Especially his belief that Jenny's spirit was haunting the school, that her spirit could not rest. His refusal to believe anything else had the rest of the gang worried.

Willow sat at the desk and began typing at her laptop. "I've never seen Giles be this weird."

"He misses her." Buffy replied sadly. "He can't think."

"Well this ghost stuff is something else. Let me check the school's history." After a little while of searching, Willow scrolled to a newspaper article. "Found something. Student murdered a teacher on the night of the Sadie Hawkins dance. The rumor was they were having an affair, she tried to break it off, so he killed her. After he killed her, he went to the music room and shot himself." Willow thought for a second. "It makes sense, the gun, the Sadie Hawkins dance."

"Which is tonight." Buffy muttered, she ran out the room,when she returned she placed a 1955 Sunnydale high yearbook on the desk and flipped through it. "I dreamt about this woman." Pointing to a picture. "Grace Newman, and ..." Flips through a few more pages. "And this guy."

"James Stanley?" Willow replied. "He did it?"

Buffy stared at his picture. "He couldn't make her love him, so he killed her." She looks up from his picture.

Willow sighed. "He looked so normal, he was smart too."

Xander rolled his eyes. "He killed a person and killed himself. Those are pretty much the two dumbest things you could do."

"I know." Willow responded. "But, don't you feel kind of sorry for them?" She looked at Buffy.

Buffy looked at Willow and the look in her eyes did not hold a drop of sympathy. "He's a murderer and he should pay for it, considering how violent these acts have been, I'd say it's his ghost."

"Maybe we can find a way to communicate with him, find out what he wants." Willow suggested.

"Whos cares what he wants." Buffy snapped. "We need to shut him down, before some innocent guy goes and kills some poor nice girls and then blows his brains out all over the music room wall."

Her tone had scared Willow, it wasn't the normal Buffy speaking, something was wrong.

Part 19

The gang retreated to Buffy's house that night, the school was shut down. The mayhem that occured earlier was the cause, during lunch the entire cafeteria was covered with snakes. And the students fled the building, and no one could explain it. Buffy and the other attempted to stop the spirit that was raging against the school, but they were driven out by a swarm of wasps. That now surrounded the school.

Now the gang was seated around the coffee table, trying to decide what they could do about the spirit.

"So what do you we do, Giles?" Willow asked, before sipping the tea he poured for her.

Before Giles could answer, a knock at the door interrrupted him. Buffy, who was leaning against the door answered the door. "Hey." She said, to Angel.

Angel had come as soon as he could, he had heard about the incident at the school. "I heard about what happened. Are you guys alright?" He asked. walking into the room.

Hurt flashed in Giles' eyes, but he hid the expression. "Yes, were fine Angel, thank you." Giles knew the difference between the Angel and Angelus; but it stil hurt to see Angel. And he tried not to let it come between their friendship.

Buffy closed the door and leaned back up against the wall.

"What's happening with this spirit? Buffy told me what happened." Angel asked, leaning next to her.

Giles cleared his throat. "He's trying to resolve whatever issues that are keeping him in limbo. What they are, I don't......"

"He wants forgiveness." Buffy interrupted.

Giles nodded. "Yes, I imagine he does. He's doomed to kill his lover over and over; forgiveness is impossible."

"Good. He doesn't deserve it." Buffy said coldly.

Her response startled Angel, he never expected words like that to come from her mouth.

Giles didn't expect it as well. "Buffy to forgive is an act of compassion, it's not because people deserve it. It's because people need it."

Buffy pushed away from the wall. "No." Her voice held so much anger, it sounded like she was choking. "James destroyed the one person he loved the most in a moment of blind passion. That's not something you just forgive, no matter his reasons. And he's gonna have to live with it."

She looked at the expressions they gave her, and stormed into the kitchen.

Angel watched her go. He didn't follow, he felt that she needed to be by herself. Angel hoped she would get over whatever was troubling her, because it was seriously affecting her. Those words were not hers, and he knew in his heart that she did not mean them; if she did than it meant that she had no compassion and no forgiveness for everything he did in the past, and all her words to him would be a lie.

Buffy walked into the kitchen,shoving her hands in her pocket in frustration. She felt a piece of paper in her pocket and unfolded it. Buffy wobbled on her feet, her eyes rolled in the back of her head, she could feel something flow through her body, and she could hear it. "I need you." It whispered. Buffy opened her eyes, slowly. She dropped the piece of paper and walked out the kitchen door.

A few minutes later, Willow came into the kitchen, to see if Buffy was ok. "Buffy are you....." She didn't see Buffy, but she saw the piece of paper on the table. It read: 'Class of 55 Sadie Hawkins Dance.'

"Giles!!"

Giles ran into the kitchen.

"She went back." Willow said.

Everyone took off to the school. When they got there, the swarm of wasps still surrounded the building. It was impossible to get in.

Catching her breath, Cordelia spoke. "I don't get it, why did she go in there."

"She's under the spirits control. He's calling her." Giles replied. "He needs her to re-enact everything that happened that night, he wants to change things, make a happy ending."

"But it always ends the same, Buffy just went in there to get shot."

Angel stared at the building, he was bout to rationalize what Willow said, that Buffy would be ok, but when he saw his demon go in from the side door, he took off running; with Buffy under the spirits control she couldn't fight.

"Angel, no!!" Giles yelled, his scream did not register, and Angel went in, leaving the others outside to wait.

Angel got in easily, the wasps had let him in. He obviously didn't notice it, he stormed through the school, letting his bond lead him to her. Angel could feel her, her presence got stronger and stronger. He breathed a small sigh, Angel saw her walking idly down the hall.

"Buffy..." He ran towards her, until he was right behind her. "Buffy."

She stopped by the trophy case, and turned around; with tears in her eyes. "You're the only one. The only person I can talk to." She said quietly.

Angel reached his hand out to her, forgetting she was still possessed by the spirit. Angel thought it was her, speaking to him. "Buffy, it's ok."

She stared him in the eyes. "You can't make me disappear just because you say it's over."

Her words made Angel shake his head, he opened his mouth to speak, but all that came was a deep gasp. His eyes rolled into the back of his head, when he focused them, tears were falling. "I just want you to have a normal life. We can never have that, don't you see??"

"I don't give a damn about a normal life!" Buffy yelled back. "I'm going crazy not seeing you. I think about you every minute."

Angel raised his hand.....

James looked up angry, and chased after her.

Angel sobbed in her arms. "It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter what I feel."

"Then tell me you don't love me!" She asked desperately.

"Say it!"

Sniffing. "Is that what you need to hear? Will it help? I don't." She choked, wishing things were different.

"I don't" He repeated. "Now let me go." Angel tried to pull away.

Buffy tightened her grip. "No. A person doesn't just wake up and stop loving somebody!"

She stepped away, and raised a revolver. Buffy shakingly aimed it at Angel. "Love is forever. I'm not afraid to use it I swear!!" She started crying again. "If I can't be with you...."

Angel stared at her frightened. "Oh my god!" He turned around and started running, fear radiated off his body.

James held the gun up higher. "Don't walk away from me...."

"BITCH!" Buffy raced after him, they both run through the double doors that led to the balcony.

"Stop it! Stop it! Don't make me!!" Buffy ordered.

Angel stopped next to the balcony railing, trembling with fear, he turned around. "All right...

Grace took a deep breath, she had to be rational with him, not hysterical. "You know you don't want to do this. Let's both, just calm down." She held out her hand. "Now give me the gun.

Angrily James shakes his head. "Don't, don't do that damn it!!

"Don't talk to me like I'm some stupid...." She didn't release she was squeezing the trigger until the gun went off.

Angel stumbled from the force of the bullet, his hand clutched his chest, blood began to seep through his silk shirt. He looked up at Buffy in agony. "James."

Buffy stared back at him, in shock at what she just did.

Angel stumbled some more, and fell over the balcony. Buffy walked to the balcony, and saw Angel lying at the bottom; dead. Slowly she turned and went back into the hall, she ended up in the music room. Buffy walked to the record player, and turned it on, and music emanated through the room.

Buffy looked at herself in the mirror; James looked back at her. Her eyes filled with tears as he looks at himself, she glances down at the gun, and tightened her hand around it. Slowly, Buffy raised the gun to her head. But a hand takes it and pushes it back down. Buffy turned to find Angel in front of her. "Grace!!"

"Don't do this" He pleaded.

Buffy shook her head. "It's my fault. How could I..."

Angel placed a finger over her lips. "Shh, I'm the one who should be sorry, James. You thought I stopped loving you. But I never did, I loved you with my last breath."

Buffy couldn't help but sob.

He stroked her cheek. "Shh, no more tears." Angel pulled her to him, and they kissed passionately, holding each other tightly. A light appeared above the lovers, an aura could be seen leaving both Buffy and Angel as they continued to kiss. Suddenly the light was gone, and Buffy and Angel gently break off their sensual kiss, and opened there eyes.

"Angel" Buffy said quietly.

A growl vibrated and Buffy flew into a table, hitting her head.

"You two make me sick!!" Angelus snarled, he had saw the whole thing, it made him feel nothing but disgust. He kicked Angel in the chest causing him to fall back.

Both were still a little weak from the possession.

Angelus stormed over to Buffy, she was still a little dazed, especially from the blow she took to the head. He grabbed her by the collar. "I was hoping you'd just kill yourself." He tossed her into the mirror, the glass shattered over her. "But now I think I want to." He started towards her, until Angel grabbed his demon by the neck.

Both vampires vamped out, and attacked. Angel pushed his demon into the wall, and Angelus landed on the floor with a thud. When Angel stormed toward him, Angelus let out a kick to his midsection, and leaped up to head-but Angel.

Angel pulled a stake from his pocket, and lunged at him. Angelus stopped Angel in mid-thrust, they were fighting for control of the stake.

Angelus was obviously losing, the stake was getting closer and closer to his heart. He started to chuckle. "Maybe you should check on your girl, she doesn't look so good."

Angel turned to see that Buffy still had not goten up from the glass.

That distraction was all Angelus needed. He punch Angel in the jaw, and moved away. "Until next time..." He ran from the room.

Angel ran over to Buffy, he kneeled down beside her, carefully moving the pieces of the glass away from her face, and out of her hair. "Buffy."

She moaned abit, Buffy raised her hand to the knot she felt coming on her head. Slowly she raised her head, and tried to sit up.

Angel helped her, he pulled her into his arms, and got her up on her feet. He held her as they made there way to the library, he heard the others calling for them through the halls.

Everyone gathered in the library, they were all seated around the table, except for Buffy who was resting in Giles' office; and Angel was fixing an ice pack.

"Everything seems fine, school can open now." Willow said.

Angel nodded, and went back into the Giles' office. He sat beside Buffy,who was sitting on the couch, and placed the ice pack on the back of her head. "Feeling better?"

Buffy ignored his question. "James picked me. Why?"

"I think he could relate to you." Angel replied. "The both of you wouldn't be at peace until you came to terms with things that happened."

She looked at him.

"He couldn't rest knowing that he killed the person he loved, that wasn't really his fault." Angel pushed a strand of hair out of her face, with his other hand. "And you couldn't deal with the fact that things that have been happening wasn't your fault, and you felt they were."

Buffy leaned into him. "I thought I was over it, but when Jenny died. I couldn't help but feel that way. I should have protected her, I should have spared Giles from the agony of losing someone he loved dearly." She raised her head to look at Angel. "I should have spared you anymore guilt and torment."

Angel nodded, he understood everything now, a bit more clearly than before. "Buffy, you did the best you could, there are gonna be times when you can't save everyone, it'll hurt. But you have to try to move on, and not let it hurt you so much, if you do it will affect you helping someone else."

Buffy let out a little smirk. "How did you get so wise?" She joked.

"Sorry, those wise words belonged to you." He said, kissing her forehead. He repeated the same words, Buffy said to him long ago. When he was feeling really down, she helped him realize that if he dwelled on the past it would alway haunt him, and it would prevent him from things that were good.

Buffy remembered, and nodded. She leaned back against his chest, she stroked her hand against his heart.

Across town, Angelus grabbed Drusilla around the waist, he was ranting on about how he needed a vile kill. The love in the air was making him nauseous.

"We'll find you a nice toddler." She replied, trying to make her daddy feel better. She moved over to Spike, sitting in his wheel chair. "Want to come, Pet?"

Angelus squeezed her waist tighter. "No can do, Dru. I'm sure he'll be hell on wheels, but we don't have much time, gotta travel light." He chuckled. "Try to have fun with out me."

He and Drusilla hurried toward the steps, and left.

Spike watched them go with an pissed look on his face. "Oh, I will." He put his foot on the ground, and slowly got up from the chair. Growling he kicked the wheelchair back, Spike looked back up at the steps, fuming. "Sooner than you think."

Part 20

Buffy dug her feet into the sand, as she watched the waves splash onto the shore. "Beautiful." She whispered to herself, Buffy looked out to the moon admiring the surreal glow; until she felt that familar tingle go through her spine.

"Finally." She rose of the rock she was sitting on, and walked down the shore to meet Angel halfway.

"Hey." Angel replied, putting his arms around her waist. He bent to kiss her, but she moved her head away.

"You're late." She teased.

"I'll make it up to you." He promised and kissed her. Both tuning out the loud cheering behind them.

Angel pulled away, knowing she needed to breath. "How's the party?"

Glancing over to the group of kids behind them. "I guess it's ok, but I think we'd have more fun at home." Buffy grinned at him.

Angel clasped her hand, and pulled her down the shore, until a classmate of Buffy's stepped in front of them.

"Hey Buffy, your not leaving are ya?"

"Hey Cameron." Buffy acknowledged the star memember of the swim team. "Yeah, it's getting late, I should probably go, plus I got to get to school early anyway."

"Well, how about I give you a ride tomorrow, I gotta meet the coach early." Cameron asked, he glanced at Angel for only a second, and acted like he didn't exist.

"Um, that be great, thanks." Buffy said, it was better than walking to school.

"Alright, see ya tomorrow." Cameron flashed a smile, and walked back to the party.

"That was nice of him." Buffy said, except Angel's attention was on the boy trying to make a pass at his wife. "Angel........"

"Hm." Angel replied, but his attention was still on Cameron.

"Let's go." She touched his cheek, Angel turned to her and nodded, and they headed to his apartment.

**************************************

Later on that night, Buffy sat up suprisingly energized. She stetched her arms out, working her muscles. Buffy smiled, her mind going back to the intense make out session she experienced with Angel. His hands all over her body, his lips caressing that spot on Buffy's neck that drove her insane,and bringing each other to full blown pleasure. The intensity was as close to making love as they wanted, and they fell into exhaustion afterwards.

Buffy scooted over, and wiggled her finger over Angel's ear; she giggled when he swatted her hand away. She sighed in defeat until she got another idea. Buffy stood up on the bed and started bouncing on the mattress. "Angel!!"

Angel groaned. "You've got to be kidding" He thought, and rolled over onto his back, to face her. Still sleepy, "Buffy honey, even vampires tire out."

"I have energy to burn." She started jumping again.

Angel couldn't help but laugh at the innocent act she was doing. "Shouldn't you save that energy for school tomorrow, your training with Giles." Angel reminded.

Buffy stopped jumping. "Maybe you're right. Besides I've got to get up early to make it home."

"Why?"

"Remember, Cameron offered me a ride to school." Buffy said plainly.

Jealousy flashed in Angel's eyes. He was remembering how the teenager approached Buffy, not even acknowledging that he was there. Angel could see Cameron's intentions.

Buffy saw the look in his eyes. She sat down, straddling Angel's waist and looked down at him. "You're jealous." She laughed.

Angel placed both hands on her thighs, making the shirt she was wearing bunch up. "I'm just concerned. He's trying to make the moves on my wife."

"It's just a ride to school. Would you rather me walk." Buffy pouted her lower lip. "All that walking.........."

"I thought you had energy to burn." Angel said, reminding her of her earlier words.

Buffy grinned. "I do, just not for walking." She wiggled her hips, proving her point.

Angel slid his hands into her hair, bring her down into his arms, his exhaustion forgotten.

********************************

Buffy unbuckled her seatbelt, as Cameron pulled into the school parking lot. "Thanks for the ride."

"No problem, I enjoy your company." He smiled at her. Cameron lowered his gaze, undressing her with his eyes. "Are you wearing bra?"

Buffy's eyes widened in disgust. "What?" She turned to get open the door,and the master lock clicked.

"You're not trying to leave are ya?" Cameron replied, sliding closer to her. "I said I enjoy your company. So relax, I won't hurt you."

"Oh, it's not me I'm worried about." Buffy threatened.

Chuckling. "Your into kink..." Cameron reached over to wrap his arm around her.

Buffy grabbed his arm tightly, and used her other hand to smash his head into the steering wheel.

"Ow, you broke my nose." Cameron stuttered, checking for blood.

"Your lucky that's all I broke." Buffy turned to the door, adding just enough pressure, the door opened, and she walked towards the library.

When she got there, Buffy noticed everyone pouring over books. "Can I play too."

Giles looked up, startled. "Buffy, yes, some remains were found on the beach this morning. Human remains. Apparently it was Dodd Atlysct, he was eviscerated, and only skin and cartilege was left.

"Well hand me a book." Buffy replied.

Part 21

The gang remained in the library, up to their necks in books, trying to find out what kind of thing they were looking for, and they didn't have much to go on.

"It should not be this hard to find a demon that eats humans, and only leaves skin." Willow said, frustrated

"No kidding." Cordelia replied. She got up and headed for the door, when Xander nearly knocked her down.

"I saw it!! It got Cameron!" He yelled.

Giles grabbed Xander by the shoulder. "Calm down, and describe what you saw."

"I can draw it." Cordelia volunteered. She pulled out paper from her notebook and began sketching Xander's description. After a few minutes, Cordelia's drawing took form.

Xander sighed. "No, no, no! The mouth's a lot bigger!"

Cordelia rolled her eyes, she put the sketchpad down, and walked over to sit on the counter. "I did the best I could."

Giles nodded glanced at the picture, with Buffy and Willow staring over his shoulder.

"Gross." Buffy muttered. "Anyway, I think this thing is after the swim team. According to the school, Dodd and Cameron were the best swimmers on the team."

"Yeah." Willow agreed. " Which means, Gage Petronzi, the third best swimmer would be next on the menu.

Cordelia frowned. "God, this is so sad. We're never gonna win the State Championship.

Ignoring Cordelia's ranting. "Buffy, I think Gage will need some protecting." Giles suggested.

"On it." Buffy left the library, in search of Gage.

She found him easily and tried to watch him, discreetly as Giles would put it. Later that night Buffy followed him to the Bronze and watched him, thinking he had no idea Gage knew she was there all along. Gage was playing pool, he felt her eyes on him, and turned to her from behind.

"What do you want?" He demanded.

Buffy, surprised by his sudden movements was a little lost for a second. "Um, I'm a swim groupie."

Gage stared at her in disbelief and turned to leave.

"Wait" Buffy stopped him. "OK, there's something out there attacking people, and your next on the list."

Gage rolls his eyes. "You're one twisted chick. Go find someone else to harass." He pushed her aside and walked past her; out of the Bronze.

Buffy sighed and decided to leave; save herself anymore embarrassment.

Gage walked down an alley, anger plastered on his face. "Psycho bitch."

"Gotta be talking about Buffy." A voice from behind said.

"Yeah, how'd you know?" Gage asked.

Angelus walked into the light. "She and I had this thing. Biggest mistake of my life." He said, in his mind he was laughing. "This is too easy" He thought.

"My condolences. What's up with that chick? She acts like she's God's gift or something." Gage asked, turning to conversate.

"I know." Angelus stalked closer. "She really needs someone to knock her down off her notches."

"Yeah, that'd be sweet. Anyone in mind?

Angelus smiled, his face morphed in to his game face. "Yeah, me."

Gage's eyes widened in horror, and Angelus grabbed him; sinking his fangs into Gage's throat. He screamed as loud as could. "Help!!!"

Buffy heard screams, as she left the Bronze, and ran into the alley. When Buffy got there, she saw Angelus drop Gage to the ground and spit out his blood. Buffy ran towards Angelus, she sent a kick to his head, and pulled out a stick that was holding her hair up. Buffy held it ready, to stake him, she was ready to do it now, and would not hesitate.

Angelus looked up at her, seeing her hair tumble down. "Why, Miss Summers, you're beautiful." He quickly bent down to pick up Gage, and threw him at her; knocking them both to the ground. Angelus smiled, and left.

Buffy got up and watched him go, while Gage got to his feet, rubbing the side of his neck where Angelus bit him.

"Was that the thing, that killed Cameron?" Gage asked

"No, that was something else." Buffy answered. "We have a lot of something elses in this town." She looked at Gage once more. "Good night."

Gage looked back and forth between Buffy and the direction Angelus went, and decided he'd be safe with her; besides she is kind of cute, he thought. "Hey,"

Buffy stopped and looked back at him.

He smiled slightly. "Walk me home?"

She smiled at Gage, and motioned for him to follow.

*******************************

The next day Buffy, Willow, and Cordelia; were sitting in the stands, with a box of popcorn watching the Swim team practice. From his position behind the block, Gage saw Buffy and waved at her; he had a grin on his face. Buffy saw him and waved back, while talking with Cordelia and Willow about last night.

"So he spit it out? I thought Angelus liked blood.

Buffy shrugged. "He used to."

"Maybe his eyes were too big for his stomach." Willow suggested.

"Or maybe there was something in Gage's blood that Angel didn't like." Buffy replied. "Say, steroids.

Willow thought about it for a second. "That would explain all their behavioral changes. Whatever's in their blood might be attracting this creature."

Cordelia was about to respond, until she glanced over to a swimmer walking onto the deck, the tight abs that rippled through the red speedos belonged too...

"Xander!" She said in disbelief

Buffy and Willow looked over and giggled at him.

Xander saw the three girls staring at him, and grabbed a kickboard to cover himself

The girls all got up and came down from the stands. Xander scrambled over to them.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Cordelia managed to choke out, while staring at his wet body.

Xander signaled for her to quiet down. "Shh! I'm undercover."

Buffy grinned. "Not under much." Making Willow giggle, with her.

"I'm on the team now, so I can watch when Buffy can't" Xander said.

"When you're nude." Willow replied. "I mean changing." She said, trying to hold her laughter.

"Very funny, Will" Xander glanced over and saw the coach staring at him. "Gotta go, guys." He held the kickboard tighter against his body, and joined the other members of the team.

Cordelia smiled brightly. "I'm dating a member of the Sunnydale Swim team."

"You can die happy." Buffy replied, sarcastically

PART 22

After practice, Buffy waited for Gage outside the boys locker room. Xander had just left, saying that Gage was still getting dressed. She slumped against the wall, getting impatient until Buffy heard a scream. She rushed into the locker room and pulled a terrified Gage away from the creature that stood poised in front of him, Buffy stood up to the monster expecting it to attack; but it didn't move. She turned to Gage who was still screaming, not in fear anymore but instead in agony.

He dropped to the floor pulling at his clothes like they were poison. Buffy stood there watching, not knowing how to help him, her eyes widened when she saw the skin on Gage's hand tear, and a green clawed hand emerged. She continued to watch and gasped at the monster that was once Gage, stand in front of her. Buffy backed off slowly, forgetting about the monster behind her

It roared, advanced on her and took a swipe at her with it's sharp claws. Knocking her into a locker. When she got up, both creatures were gone.

Buffy quickly headed to the library to let Giles know what happened to Gage, she was about to start speaking until she saw the looks on Cordelia and Xander's faces

"What is it?"

"I'm gonna turn into those fishy-thingy's" Xander whined.

Giles cleared his throat. "The entire team absorbs the steroid mixture in the steam room."

"Oh." Buffy replied, and sat on the table next to Willow.

Xander sighed. "What do you mean, Oh? We have to find an antidote, don't you think? The clock is ticking, people

"Calm down Xand, it's not like you were exposed more than once." Buffy said, the worried look of his face said otherwise. "Twice?"

Xander slowly held up 3 fingers.

Buffy jumped off the table. "On that note, I think I'm gonna go have a little talk with our coach. Somehow, I doubt all he's been giving these boys is inspiration." She stormed to the equipment room, knowing she'd find the coach there.

*********************

The Coach was staring over a hole in the equipment room, when Buffy found him. "So you're the one doing all this."

Startled the coach looked up. "What are you talking about?"

Rolling her eyes at his poor attempt to act stupid. "You know what I'm talking about. What's in the steam?"

A smirk crossed his face. He held his hands behind his back. "Just a little experiment with fish DNA." He saw a look of disgust cross her face. "You wouldn't understand, we have a shot at winning state championships."

"You are sick, and in the need of a little thing called sanity."

The coach pulled his hand out, holding a gun. He pulls the hammer back and aimed it at Buffy's head. "Get in the hole!!" He yelled, indicating to the hole behind her.

Buffy looks down at the water below and back up at the coach. She sat down on the edge, Buffy gave him one last look and dropped into the water below. Standing up and wiping the water from her eyes, she looked at her soaked clothes, and the undescribable things sticking to her.'Next time I'll keep my mout shut.' Buffy looked up at the coach leaning over the hole.

He began to rant. "You think I don't care about my boys, my team. But I do, they count on me."

Buffy eyes widened, and she nearly screamed at the mutilated bodies floating around her; especially the body of the former school nurse. She looked back up at the coach. "So, what, you're just gonna feed me to 'em?

The Coach smiled at her. "Oh, they've already had their dinner. But boys have other needs."

"Shit!!"

"What? You're a pretty thing." The Coach chuckled.

Buffy glanced around her seeing the creatures emerge from the water, to lunge at her. One managed to get to her, and pull her down into the water. She splashed, trying to get from underwater, kicking her feet in the murky water, she tried to get free from it's grasp. Buffy got her body free and came back up;gasping for air.

"Buffy!!" A familiar voice came from above her. Xander stood above the hole. "Hurry! Your hand!"

She nodded and took a deep breath, Buffy crouched down into the water and leaped up to grab Xander's hand. He held onto her, while the creatures below paw at her legs, trying to pull her back down. Buffy kicked and flailed to get them off. Xander tugged harder and Buffy climbed from the hole with her legs and slid onto the floor.

Panting. "Thanks Xand." She started to climb to her feet, Buffy noticed something. "Where's the coach?"

Xander tumbled to the ground, being hit from behind. The Coach stood over his prone body with a large pipe. He takes a swing at Buffy, but she ducked away and tripped him with her leg. Unable to keep balance, the Coach fell into the water below.

Buffy reached down, to help. "Grab my hand!"

The Coach doesn't hear her, he backs up against the wall while his creatures stalked toward him. "Boys!! No!!" He screamed, he struggled while they pulled him under.

Buffy closes her eyes and pulls her hand back. She goes over to a groaning Xander, trying to get to his feet. "You okay?"

Sighing. "I'll live. Next time I'll hit harder."

With Buffy's help, Xander got to his feet. "What about the fish? Shouldn't we hunt, kill, and other stuff?"

Buffy thought for a second. "No, I don't think we'll be seeing them anymore. They're going home."

As usual Xander was confused but let it go. They both limped to the door.

"Speaking of home, I definitely wanna get there." Buffy replied.

"I'm not arguing with ya."

"Man do I have a story for Angel." Buffy thought.

Part 23

Angelus stealthily walked through the cemetery, moving slowly while watching Buffy and Angel fight off a group of his fledglings. He watched the precise, yet graceful attacks the lovers made. Angelus could not help but snicker, in his mind he knew it would not be easy any longer. He moved closer to the fight, when Buffy began talking to the vampire she was currently beating into a pulp.

"I want you to get a message to Angelus for me. Tell him I'm done waiting.

Angelus smiled as he listened.

Buffy punched the fledging in the jaw. "You got that? Need me to write it down for you?"

The vampire got up and charged her. Expecting his movements, Buffy grabbed him and pushed him to the ground, and plunged her stake home. It burst into ashes.

Buffy sighed. "I'll tell him myself." She dusted her hands off and walked over, behind a gravestone, where Angel was finishing off the vampire he was fighting.

Angel turned to her. "Something's up, 5 vamps in three nights?

Buffy nodded, looking disappointed. "But no Angelus."

"Are you sure you're ready to go against him? Angel asked, curiously.

"I want it over with."

Angel nodded. It was time for Angelus to die, his reign of murder and mayhem needed to end, now. Angel just hoped that Buffy was truly ready.

Buffy grabbed Angel by the hand. "We might as well go." She stopped in her tracks when a thought hit her. "Oh God! I haven't even started studying for finals. Just shoot me!"

"You'll do fine." Angel encouraged.

Buffy smiled. "I'll just look on the bright side. It'll all be over soon." They left the cemetery unknowingly under the watchful eyes of Angelus.

Angelus smirked, and muttered under his breath while leaving in the other direction." "Yes, my love. It will."

Angel paused in his tracks, a feeling unleashed itself in the pit of his stomach. Like a dormant power had been released, and it's source was coming from his body. He tried to ignored it at first, but it got stronger, he remembered the first time he got a similar feeling, many years ago. And it bothered him greatly. Buffy turned and felt the worry vibrate from him, she could feel his concern.

"Is he here?" She asked, ready to grab the stake from the pocket.

Angel shook his head. "No." He looked around a little bit more, and the feeling in his stomach began to mellow down. After a while, Angel gave up. "Let's go."

"Are you sure?"

Angel just grabbed her hand and began to walk, not really caring if he was dragging her or not. The tingle was gone, but it left a rousing aftershock in him. His thoughts traveled to a moment in his deep past, when he became someone.

********************************************

Drusilla hummed a little song her mind kept repeating, and the lyrics were running through her mind. She walked down the stairs in the Mansion toward Spike. He was reading the local newspaper, he looked up when she started to dance around him.

"What's up pet?"

Drusilla started twirling her hair around her finger. "The Moon started whispering to me, like a song." She runs her fingers through her hair. "A song about all sorts of dreadful things."

Angelus came down the steps behind Spike. "Well, what did it say?"

Spike rolled his eyes. "Look who's back."

Angelus slapped Spike on the back of the head and walked over to a swaying Drusilla. "What did the Moon tell you? Is something coming?"

Drusilla's gaze became intense. "Oh yeah." Her voice was deep and husky. "Something terrible."

He smiled with surprising excitement. "Where?"

Her intense gaze lost it's form and showed the look of an excited child awaiting a gift. "At the museum, a tomb, and it has a surprise inside."

Angelus held his hand up to stroke her hair, mainly her head. "You can see all that in your head?"

Spike sighed, tired of this nauseating display. "No stupid. She read it in the morning paper." He held out the paper to Angelus.

Angelus snatched the paper from his childe and read the headline. "Excavators Discover Ancient Artifact."

"That's what's been whispering to me." Drusilla said in a whisper.

Folding the paper in his hand. "Don't worry precious. Soon it'll stop." Angelus glared at Spike. "Soon it'll scream."

"Goody." Drusilla exclaimed.

Part 24

"Let's rock some chemistry!" Willow said excitedly.

"Ready to rock." Buffy replied. They met up in the late Jenny Calendar's classroom, which now belonged to Willow, during their free period. Willow offered to tutor Buffy in chemistry, and Buffy couldn't say no. Willow explained to her, the meaning behind covalent bonds and what there functions were, Buffy sat their trying to figure out what the hell Willow had just explained to her, when she tried a solution on her own.

Buffy gave up, and slammed her pencil down. "This is pointless! When am I ever going to use covalent bonds in the real world." She looked at Willow with a frustrated scowl. "I really don't want to do this."

"Buffy, I know you don't want to, it's frustrating, but it's part of the exam." Willow rationalized. "You've got everything else down perfectly, so this is just one more thing."

"I'm sorry, Will. I've got a lot on my mind, and it's getting on my nerves."

Willow nodded, understanding her best friends frustration. She had to save the world and get good grades, Willow couldn't imagine what that must be like for her.

Buffy sighed. "Look let's try to get this done, I have to patrol."

"Again? Do you really expect Angelus to come tonight?"

"No, I don't expect him to. But that's usually when he does." Buffy replied, twirling her pencil in her hand.

"Are you sure you're ready to fight him?" Willow asked worriedly.

Sighing. "I wish everyone would stop asking me that, I'm capable and ready." Buffy snapped. She was sick and tired of hearing that same question over and over. Angel had drilled her last night, Xander bugged her all morning, and now Willow was starting.

Everyone knew Angelus could manipulate her so that she was weak and vulnerable, and he worked it to his advantage. The only reason he was still alive, was because of that, could she fight him, knowing he could use the power he has over her.

Buffy quickly apologized to Willow for snapping at her. Understanding as always, she let it go, and they decided to get back to their study session.

Buffy dropped her and it rolled off the desk onto the floor. She reached down and grabbed the pencil, not paying much attention to the object that she bumped. Buffy sat back, and motioned for Willow to continue.

She listened for a moment, a thought hit her. "D�j� vu."

Willow looked up from the book she was reading. "Really?"

"Yeah, the pencil rolled to the floor." She let her pencil roll to the floor, the same way it did before, and looked over and sees an unlabeled yellow disk. "You dropped this." Buffy handed the yellow disk to Willow, who looked at it curiously.

"It's not mine. It might be something of Ms. Calendar's." Willow inserted the disk into her laptop and pulled up the files on it.

Buffy was about to comment on how morbid this felt, until she read the title of the file. "Restoration.." She whispered and kept reading the text. Her eyes widened, after reading a few lines of the text. "Oh God." Buffy felt a moment of sadness run through her, she had been so awful to Jenny, and she died trying to regain Buffy's trust.

Willow quickly printed out copies of the text. And the girls headed straight to the library. Buffy and Willow ran in, where Giles and Xander were standing and explained to them what they had found.

Giles looked stunned. "What are you saying?"

Buffy held out the print out. "The curse, this is it. She was trying to replicate the spell to give Angelus a soul."

He took the paper and looked over it.

Xander shook his head in disgust. "So he killed her, before she could tell anyone about it."

"She was trying to help us." Giles muttered.

"Should we curse him?" Willow asked, cautiously, she saw how Xander was on the brink of blowing up, and she did not want to start anything. Unfortunately she did.

"Will, are you crazy?!" Xander yelled.

"Let's not start arguing, it won't solve anything." Giles intervened. "Willow may have a point, this is a similar situation to Angel's.

"Here's an interesting thing, who cares?" Xander said coldly.

"I care." Buffy replied.

"Well, I'm not surprised." He taunted, everyone looked at Xander. "What? All is forgiven, I can't believe you people!!"

"Cursing Angelus seems to have been Jenny's last wish." Giles said, trying to be rational to Xander.

"Well, Jenny's dead!"

Before Giles could reply to Xander's harsh remark. Buffy intervened. "Stop it, you two, this isn't going to solve anything." When they quieted down, she continued. "Cursing him could help us......"

"You mean, it could help you." Xander interrupted.

Buffy looked at him in shock

"What? One Angel isn't good enough for you." He looked at her with disgust. "You need two, just so you can screw their brains out." Xander pointed his finger at her, being her judge, jury and executioner. "The way I see it, you wanna forget about all the things Angelus so you can get your kicks."

She held his hard gaze, and resisted the tears that threaten to spill. Buffy refused to listen to any more, and walked out of the library to head home. Willow and Giles just stared at Xander in surprise and shock. Wondering how he could be so..... The words cold and harsh could not compare to his behavior towards Buffy.

***********************

Later on that night, at the Sunnydale museum, a young man was observing a huge statue that was found earlier that morning. He was taking samples of the rock when he hears someone whispering. He looked around, but no one is there. "Hello?"

The whispering got louder. Suddenly a hand wrapped around his mouth from behind, Drusilla pulls his head back to expose his neck, and sank her fangs in his flesh as he struggled to get away.

Angelus walked in with a smile on his face, he motioned to his fledglings. "There's are baby, be gentle."

The younger vampires rushed toward the statue with ropes in their hand, planning to haul it out of the museum.

While Angelus busied himself with his task, Buffy was piling all her weapons into a bag, while talking to Willow on the phone. "I'll do a couple of sweeps, and then I'll stop by." She listened to Willow, for a while when Angel came in through the window. Buffy turned around and smiled at him. "Gotta go Willow." She hung up the phone, and sat it down on the dresser.

"Ready." Angel asked, grabbing her slayer bag on the bed.

"Yeah." She replied, she grabbed her jacket, and they headed out to the park.

They walked around for a while, not seeing anything but still keeping their eyes open. Angel noticed she was a little distant. "You wanna talk about it?" He said, referring to the argument she had with Xander, when she came home earlier that day she called him, upset and nearly crying. A rage roared within Angel when she told him what Xander had implied to her, and he knew she had to be upset over it,if not angry.

"I'm starting to believe that saying, your best friend is your worst enemy." Buffy replied, she knew that when it came to Angel, Xander could get a little harsh, but this time harsh is child's play to him. She could not understand how someone she thought of as good friend could be a malicious jerk.

"I think this is his way of saying he's scared." Angel said

Buffy shook her head in confusion. "I can't believe you of all people would defend him."

"I'm not defending him." He clenched his hands. "The things I wanna do to him, would make my demon proud, he hurt you, but Xander has a problem with letting the wrong things come out of him mouth. He's worried, that what happened to Jenny will happen to him, or any one of us; if you don't kill Angelus."

Buffy hesitated, she thought for a moment. "What do you think we should do? Kill him or curse him?"

Angel remained quiet, he didn't know how to answer that. He wondered why he was even trying to decide what the demons fate would be, but his personal experience in the past played a huge part. Killing the demon would satisfy everyone and make life easier. Cursing him would also make everything easy, but his double would have to endure all the blood and horror he bestowed on innocent people.

"Kill him." He finally answered.

Buffy nodded, understanding his opinion on the matter, and agreeing with it. She wanted to know how Angel felt about the situation before she made a decision, Buffy knew that Angel had gone through the exact same thing, what his demon did in the past wasn't his fault, because he had no conscience for his deeds. She needed to know that the redemption she was giving to Angelus would be his soul or his death.

"We kill him." Buffy stated.

Angel nodded and they continued to patrol, heading into some bushes. The lovers stop and look around when they hear a twig snap. Slowly, they continued through the bushes, to investigate, another twig snap behind them, and they both pull out their own weapons and turned to their attacker. Buffy sighed when she saw who it was.

"You know, polite people call before they jump out of the bushes and attack you." She informed, her sister slayer.

Kendra grinned. "Just wanted to test your reflexes." She looked toward Angel. "Hello." She regarded him. "And I apologize.

"For what?" Angel asked confused.

"I never got to say I was sorry for trying to kill you."

"You helped save me, that was good enough." Angel replied, with no hard feelings to the other slayer.

"Don't think I'm not glad to see you, but why are you here?" Before Kendra could answer, Buffy kept on going. "Let me guess, a dark power is about to rise, yadda yadda."

"Dat about it."

"Well, lets be good slayers and tell Giles out this dark power." Buffy jokingly remarked, and lead them to the library.

Part 25

In the main hall at the Mansion, Angelus and Drusilla walked in across the marble floor, where they had placed the statue. Spike rolled in behind them in his wheelchair. "It's a big rock." He said, sarcastically. "I can't wait to tell my friends, they don't have a rock this big."

Angelus popped him upside the head. "Spike you never did learn your history." He strolled over to the statue, running his hand over it. "Acathla the demon came forth to swallow the world. He was killed by a virtuous knight who pierced his heart, Acathla turned to stone, and was buried." Angelus turned to his minions. "Do it."

Two vampires standing in the corner ran up to the tomb with crowbars, and pried it open. The lid crashed to the floor, when the dust cleared, inside the tomb was a tall, horned stone demon with a sword protruding from it's chest.

Drusilla closed her eyes and moaned in pleasure. She raised her hands to the side of her head. "He fills my head. With such naughty things."

Annoyed Spike turned to Angelus. "Let me guess. Someone pulls out the sword."

"Someone worthy" Angelus replied proudly

Drusilla slowly lowered her arms. "He will swallow the world."

"And every creature living on this planet will go to Hell."

At the library, Giles walked out of his office, to join the others. "I've been on the phone to the museum, the statue is gone, and the curator is dead."

"Are you sure this was the tomb of Alfalfa?"

"Acathla." Giles corrected. "And yes, the information from Kendra's watcher seems conclusive."

Angel plopped a book down on the table. "He's gonna suck the whole world into hell."

"I think we should try the curse." Buffy suggested.

Xander raised his cold eyes toward her. "I think we should kill him."

Kendra nodded. "I agree, Angelus should be eliminated."

"We'll kill him if we have too." Buffy said, when she noticed the look Xander was giving her, she glared right back. "I'll kill him if I have too, but if I don't get there in time, or I lose, then this curse will be our only hope." Her tone was hard, and Xander didn't even bother with a comment.

"I'm not gonna let you go alone." Angel proclaimed. He didn't even let Buffy reply, the tone of his voice was more serious than he'd ever been. "I'm going with you."

Kendra cleared her throat. "If all else fails, we have this." She reached into her bag, and pulled out a sword. "Blessed by the knight, who first slew him. It should stop Acathla, I tink."

"Good, now were prepared." Angel said. "He has a ritual to perform as well, so that should take time, enough time for us."

***************************

Angelus stood before Acathla, and looked down to where a young man was tied up on the floor. "I will drink, the blood will cleanse me, and I shall be worthy to free Acathla." Angelus grabbed the young man and drank his blood, he smeared his hand on the wound, letting the blood coat his palm.

"Everything that I am, everything that I have done, has led me here." Angelus walked up to the statue. "With this act, we will be free." He grabbed the hilt of the sword, a blinding light surrounded him, and emanates the room. The statue began to shake from it's power, Angelus tugged on the sword, trying to draw it out of Acathla. A flame of red flashed, and Angelus was thrown to the floor by the force.

Spike let out a laugh. "Someone wasn't worthy." He teased.

"Damn it!" Angelus yelled frustrated.

Angelus' rage was barely contained. "We will have Armageddon!!" He stormed out of the room, knocking furniture out of his way.

The next day, Buffy, Willow and Xander were in class, taking their final exam. Everyone was concentrating hard, except for Buffy, she got that tingling feeling that told her a vampire was near. She looked up from her test and looked around the classroom, her eyes focused on the door, and someone comes in.

"Tonight....In the graveyard." A vampire stood in front of the classroom.

Startled everyone moved away from the figure, when smoke formed around it.

"You will come to him or more will die!" The vampire pointed at Buffy, as it's body bursts into flames. "Tonight!!"

Buffy glared at the vampire, as it turned to dust. The teacher was baffled by what happened, and dismissed everyone. Buffy, Willow, and Xander took off to the library. Giles came out of his office, with Kendra behind him when he heard them come in. "What's going on??"

"Angelus sent us a message." Buffy said, she went to the weapons locker, and pulled out a notebook, and a bag. "Willow start getting ready."

Willow took the bag and the book. She set them down on the table and took out the supplies that she needed to curse Angelus with a soul.

While Willow gathered everything she needed, Buffy eagerly awaited sunset. She had no choice, she had to confront him tonight. Sunset came all too sudden, and Buffy prepared to leave. "Will, everything set."

"Yeah." Willow answered nervously.

Giles stopped Buffy. "You're not going to wait for Angel?"

"The vamp said, more will die tonight, I can't wait for him."

Kendra stepped to her. "Den I should go with you."

"No. I need you here just in case." She heads for the door. "As long as Angelus is fighting me, then he can't do this end-of-the-world ritual thingy."

Kendra nodded, she reached over into her bag and grabbed a stake. "Here." She handed it over to Buffy, enclosing her palm over it. "Dis is my lucky stake, I have killed many vampires with it." Kendra smiled a bit. "I call it Mr. Pointy."

Buffy smiled back at her. "Remind me to get you a stuffed animal." She held the stake up, examining the sharp tip. "Thank you." Buffy took one last look at all of them and headed out the door.

Xander got up from his chair. "Be careful." He shouted to her. When Buffy turned around and smiled at him, acknowledging him, it made him feel good. No matter what hard feelings they had, neither one wanted the other to die.

Buffy took a deep breath, as she walked into the cemetery. This was the moment she had been waiting for, and she was ready to face him. She walked passed a few headstones.

"Hello lover, I wasn't sure you'd come."

She paused in her steps and turned around. "Sorry to disappoint. Shouldn't you be out destroying the world right now?"

Chuckling. "Oh, there's plenty of time for that live." Sighing, Angelus skimmed over her body with his eyes. "You are the one thing in this dimension that I am going to miss."

Annoyed. "This is a beautiful moment we're having. Can we please fight?"

"I didn't come here to fight".

Buffy looked at him confused. "No?"

Angelus walked closer to her. "I was hoping we could get back together. What do you think? Do we have a shot?" Seeing the confused look on her face, he dropped his smile. "Alright. We'll fight." He rushed at her.

Buffy moved to the side, grabbing him by the arm and twisting it behind his back. Angelus used his other arm to elbow her in the jaw, Buffy ducked and punches him in the jaw instead. He spinned around, and landed a kick to her midsection.

"Is it me or is your heart just not into it." Angelus taunts. "Grabbing her by the front of her coat, and throwing her into a headstone.

Buffy rolled onto her feet shakingly. "Come on Willow." Her mind whispered.

Back at the library, Kendra paced in front of the door, ready for any kind of attack, while Willow continued to get ready. Kendra pulled a stake from her pocket, and waited; she lowered it, when she saw Angel walk in.

He saw the display before him, and knew something was wrong, Angel definitely didn't miss the fact that Buffy wasn't there. "She went after him." He said, angrily

Giles cleared his throat. "She had no choice, Angelus sent a message, and she went to fight him."

He glanced over at Willow. "Do it."

Willow nodded and sat on a table, holding the orb of thessula. Xander and Cordelia, stood to the side, waving herbs and incense around her as she began to chant.

"Not dead nor not of the living. Spirits of the interregnum I call..."

Willow never got to finish the sentence, vampires burst in from all over, the sky light, the stacks, and the front entrance. Angel grabbed a vampire off of Giles' back, he looked at the others. "Get out, now!!!"

Xander grabbed Willow and Cordelia and headed toward the stacks, there were only two vampires their, and he figured they could get past them. While Angel fought the vampires blocking their way, he didn't notice Giles' being knocked unconscious.

Kendra held her own with the 5 vampires surrounding her, she attacked them all at once, and eventually shoving her stake into their dead hearts. A scream vibrated the room, Angel and Kendra turned to the source, and saw a bookcase falling on a helpless Willow. Xander was grabbed by a vampire and was thrown over the railing, Cordelia was no where to be found. Angel ran toward the stacks to help, and did not see the chair that was aimed at his head.

Kendra was on her own now.

The library doors burst open and Drusilla walked in, smiling. She stood in front of a cautious Kendra. "Come on dearie."

Kendra began a series of attacks, all were blocked by Drusilla, soon her body began to tire. Drusilla had enough fun, playing with her, she blocked one more punch, and grabbed Kendra by the throat. "Be in me. Be in my eyes." She said, in a hypnotic tone, waving two fingers in Kendra's eyes.

Kendra swayed on her feet. Drusilla smiled, and swung her hand, slicing Kendra's neck with her sharp nails. Blood spilled, as Kendra collapsed to the floor.

Drusilla blows a kiss at her dead body. "Night-Night." She turned to the remaining vampires. "Let's get what we came for."

Her minions grabbed an unconscious Giles and dragged him out of the library.

**************************************

Buffy pushed Angelus to the ground, and pulled out Mr. Pointy. She gained the upper hand in the fight, and was ready to end it. "Let's finish this. You and me."

Angelus chuckled, rising to his feet. "You never learn do you? This wasn't about you. This was never about you."

A look of horror flashed on Buffy's face. She backed away from him slowly, and then broke into a fierce run.

"And you fall for it every single time!!" Buffy used all her strength to get to the library, in her mind she prayed to anyone that would listen, praying that her friends were OK. Buffy got to the school, an and crashed into the library. She gasped at the damage the room was in, her eyes widened when she saw Kendra lying on the floor. Buffy slid to her knees, next to Kendra's dead body, held her hand. She reached with her other hand and stroked her cheek, still feeling warm as if she was still alive.

A moan could be heard across the library, Buffy looked up from Kendra and saw Angel rise slowly to his feet. "Angel" She sobbed, unable to hold her emotions. He held his bloody head up and wobbled over to her, he observed the carnage and closed his eyes in pain.

Buffy opened her mouth to speak, when a light flashed down on both of them.

"Freeze!!!"

Part 26

"Stand up both of you!!" The police officer, put his flashlight away, and held his gun up. "Let's go."

Buffy and Angel moved away from Kendra, while the officer checked for a pulse.

Buffy saw the look the officer gave her, and shook her head. "We didn't do anything"

"Quiet." The officer turned around, to his partner. "Get them out of here!!"

The other officer pulled out his gun, and aimed it. "Come on, nice and easy."

Angel grabbed Buffy's hand and they followed the officer, Buffy reluctantly let Angel pull her, she was waiting for the officer to see if the Xander and Willow were OK. His partner saw hre stalling, and grabbed her arm. "Let's go!"

"Don't touch her!!" Angel growled, stepping to the officer.

He held his gun up. "Move it." He said angrily. They walked out into the hall, where Principal Snyder was waiting.

The smile on his face showed the satisfaction he was feeling at the moment. "Well, we finally got you."

"You stupid little troll." Buffy yelled. Angel tightening his grip on her hand, for support, he didn't want Buffy to do something she would regret later.

The officer saw her yelling as a threat. "All right that's enough." He grabbed Buffy and shoved her up against a locker, and pulled out handcuffs; another officer did the same to Angel. The policemen started reading them their rights.

Angel made eye contact with Buffy, he focused his thoughts on her. She nodded her head, understanding his intentions, and without warning; the couple backhanded their officer, and shoved them into the lockers. Angel grabbed Buffy's hand and ran away from the scene, he glanced back and saw one of the officers pull out his gun, without thinking he pulled Buffy into his arms, blocking her body with his as the shots were fired. They made it outside, Angel set her down on her feet and they headed to his apartment for safety.

*********************************

"Sorry." Buffy winced, she was cleaning the wounds on the back of Angel's head and back. They had gotten to his apartment, a few moments ago, and Buffy felt the blood run on her hand, when he tried to comfort her. By the looks of it, it would take a long time to heal. She gently ran her and over the other cuts and scrapes. "I should have known it was a trap."

Angel winced again, she dabbed his wound with a cloth. "You couldn't have known Buffy." He said, clenching his teeth.

Shaking her head, Buffy bandaged his wounds, and got up. "No, I should anticipated this."

Angel pulled is shirt back on letting it hang open. He walked to her, and pulled her in his arms. "Don't."

She tightened her arms around his waist, letting her head rest against his chest. Buffy let her pent up emotions go and tears fell. Angel felt her shake in his arms, and realized she was crying, He just let her cry, not trying to let his words comfort her anymore, and let his physical presence reassure her that she was not alone in this. And that he loved her very much. When the tears stopped, she relaxed a little, Buffy pulled away from him to wipe the tears from her face.

"I love you so much." Buffy proclaimed.

He stroked her cheek, smoothed her hair, and leaned in to kiss her tear streaked face. "I love you too. Angel raised a hand, and she let his fingers entwine with hers. "We'll face this, together we're strong, apart we're dead."

Buffy nodded. Adrenaline flowed through her, this challenge was no match for them, and she felt it in her heart. Buffy kissed him again. "I need to go to the hospital."

"Alright." Angel began buttoning his shirt. Buffy went to his closet and pulled out a black jacket, it was an old one, but it fit OK. They were on the run, and Buffy didn't want to be caught just yet. She pulled a wool cap on, and they left.

They got to the hospital quickly, Buffy and Angel made sure to avert their eyes from the passing doctors and nurses. Buffy checked the names on the rooms they passed looking for the rest of the gang, they walked further down they hall. Behind them, Xander spotted them and tapped Buffy on the shoulder, she gasped, relieved to see him standing there.

"Xander." She hugged him tightly, and he returned the embrace. There anger toward each other was forgotten for the moment. Xander avoided contact with Angel for a second, but nodded his head at him as a greeting.

"I was so worried, I didn't know if you were okay. The cops were..." Buffy stopped remembering.

"Yeah, I, I heard them chase you out. I was just coming out of it." He held up his arm. "Souvenir."

Buffy sighed. "What about the others? Are they okay?

Xander turned his face down looking sad and very worried. "Come on"

Buffy glanced at Angel.

"Go ahead, I'll wait here."

She muttered a thank you, and followed Xander to a room in ICU. Buffy and Xander walked in seeing Willow lying unconscious in the bed, she had a bandage going across her forehead, and a black eye.

"The doctor said it was head trauma." He told her sadly. "She can wake up at any time, but, um ... the longer it lasts, the ... less likely it is."

"Does Oz know?" Buffy asked.

"Not yet, I'll call him."

"I already did." A voice from behind said. Cordelia walked into the room, she kissed Xander, and held onto him. "I decided to stop and come by, when I realized I didn't need to keep running a marathon anymore."

Buffy smiled at her joke, hoping to brighten everyone up a little. "What room is Giles in?"

"He's not here." Xander told her.

Horror flashed in Buffy's eyes and she took off down the hall. Angel didn't even bother to stop and ask what was wrong, he followed her out of the hospital. The two made it to Giles apartment in record time, the door was open, and they walked in.

"Giles!! Giles!!" She looked around. Angel glanced around as well, a feeling ran through him, the same he felt from in the cenetery.

"I don't think he's here." A man walked down the stairs of Giles' apartment.

Buffy turned to him. "Who are you?" She demanded.

"Whistler." Angel answered for him, realizing the tingle in his body was from him. Angel's mind traveled back to the day he met the demon that changed his life. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm waiting for you two." He said cryptically, walking down the steps to stand in front of them.

Buffy watched the two interact, it was obvious they had a history.

"Will you stop being cryptic!" Angel demanded, his patience with Whistler never was very high.

Whistler looked at the two seriously. "It wasn't supposed to go down like this." He moved away from Angel and walked to Buffy. "Nobody saw you coming, all loving with the smoochies." He pointed at her. "I figured this for Angel's big day, to stop Acathla, and now his twin brother wants to bring him forth."

"What are you talking about?" Angel asked, annoyed that Whistler would associate him with his demon.

"This is your destiny, now what are you going to do?" Whistler left them with that thought, and sat down in Giles' chair.

Annoyed, Buffy pushed kicked the chair from under him, and placed her foot on his chest. "If you have anything useful to say, I'm grateful, if not." She pressed her foot down harder. "Stop pissing me off."

Angel knew she wouldn't hurt him, so he let her act out her frustrations, he knew not to get in the way of a pissed off slayer.

She let Whistler up and he stood up slowly. "I do have something useful...." Whistler dusted off his clothes and stood up to Angel. "The sword isn't enough, you gotta know how to use it."

Not seeing the message behind, Buffy groaned, and walked out of the door.

Angel took one more glance at Whistler and followed Buffy. Whistler took his arm, and looked Angel in the eye. "Be careful, it won't be as easy as you think."

Part 27

Giles moaned as he regained consciousness, he took an unexpected gasp of breath, and lifted his head. He opened his eyes, and saw Angelus sitting in a chair; obviously waiting for Giles to wake up.

"Hi Rupert, I wasn't sure you were gonna wake up, you had me worried." Angelus stood on his feet, and kneeled down eye level with Giles.

"What do you want?" Giles managed to get out, the pain in his back throbbed beyond belief.

Angelus smiled. "I wanna torture you." He looked Giles in the eyes. "I'm so good at torture." He got up and strolled over to Acathla. "Plus it's been a long time, so I wanna catch up."

Giles turned slowly watching Angelus touch the stone demon, and Angelus noticed.

"Oh, Acathla. He's a little harder to wake up than you, I mean I performed the rituals, said all the right things, and poof; no hell on Earth." Angelus faced Giles. "I figure you know the ritual, and could probably tell me what I'm doing wrong."

Giles looked down avoiding his evil gaze.

"But to be honest, I hope you don't, cause I really wanna torture you."

Behind the door, Spike listened to everything Angelus said. He wheeled away into his room, knowing he would be alone for awhile, Spike stepped out of his wheelchair, and left the mansion making sure he wasn't spotted. He strolled the streets hoping he'd run into the slayer, he walked a few more blocks, and stopped when he saw the slayer and Angel talking under a tree.

"Buffy will you listen to me." Angel said calmly, he had just caught up with her after she stormed out of Giles apartment, she was angry that Whistler had wasted time that they did not have to save Giles and the world. "He had a point."

"What point?" Buffy asked. "Other than the fact, that this was suppose to be your gig."

Angel placed his hand on her shoulder. "He was trying to explain the sword we need to stop Acathla, he told me not to get close, there's a reason he told me this."

"I understand, but if your the one whose suppose to stop Acathla, why would he tell you not to get close?"

Angel searched for something to say, all that came to him was. "I don't know."

The two were so engrossed in their conversation, they didn't notice the police car approach them. The car pulled aside the curb, and stopped; the police man got out, with his gun drawn.

"Hold it!!" He yelled.

Buffy's eyes widened when she heard the command, and turned to the officer. Angel stood in front of her, blocking the shot if he had to.

"Put your hands on your head!! Do it!!

Angel raised his hands slowly, not wanting the officer to get worried and shoot at them.

The officer stepped away from the car, and approached them; he stopped suddenly and doubled over in pain. The gun was kicked from his hand and his body was flung onto the hood of his car.

Buffy stepped from behind Angel and looked at the attacker.

"Hello lovebirds." Spike replied. He took a step towards them,and Angel immediatley attacks with a punch to the jaw. "Hey!!"

Buffy took a swing at him as well.

Spike jumped back and held his hand out in surrender. "Hey! Whiteflag here, I quit."

"You know what I've had enough." Buffy pulled a stake out.

Spike shrugged his shoulders. "Look if you wanna stop Angelus, were gonna have to play this differently.

Angel looked at him curiously. "Were listening." Buffy lowered her stake.

"He's got your watcher, probably torturing him right now."

"What do you want?" Angel demanded.

"I wanna stop Angelus." He sits on the hood of the car, and pulls out a pack a cigarettes. "I like this world, it's got everything I need, happy meals with legs, and great entertainment." He lights the cigarette, and takes a long drag. "And I'm not so keen on the idea of hell of Earth.

"Okay you're not down with Angelus." Buffy walked to him, flicking the cigarette out of his mouth. "Why come to us?"

Resisting the urge to hit her, he answered calmly. "I want it like the way it was before he came back."

His answer was reasonable. "Alright, let's go." Buffy replied, and she headed down the street. Angel waited for Spike, not trusting him for a second, he specifically made sure he did not kill the unconscious police officer.

The three headed back to Buffy's house where they could construct a plan, when they got to the front door, Joyce pulled up in the driveway, she almost broke her leg trying to get out.

"Buffy!!" Joyce yelled, pulling her daughter into a tight hug. "Where have you been? The police were here!!"

"Mom, calm down, let's just get inside." Buffy said, trying to calm her hysterical mother.

Joyce looked behind Buffy, she already knew Angel so she didn't bother greeting him. "Who is this?" She pointed at Spike. "Never mind, what have you been doing??"

Spike chuckled. "What, your mum doesn't know?"

"Know what? What is he talking about?" Joyce questioned. She had no idea what was going on, all she knew was that her daughter was a murder suspect, and she wasn't getting the answers she needed to figure this all out.

Buffy paused for a moment. "Well ... I'm in a rock band" She said quickly, saying the first thing that came to mind. Buffy turned to Angel and Spike; motioning for them to play along.

"Yeah." Spike confirmed. "She plays the drums."

Buffy breathed a sigh, and turned back to her mother. "You know what? Let's go back inside."

Before Joyce could answer, she saw a man with a disfigured face running across her lawn.

Buffy and Angel jumped off the porch, quickly grabbing the vamp, Buffy did a few attack moves, before Angel plunged the stake in it's heart, and burst into ashes.

"One of his minions?" Angel asked Spike, dusting of his shirt.

"Yeah."

Joyce was in a state of shock. "Buffy, what is going on?"

Buffy looks at her mother for a moment, exchanged a looked with Angel and she realized she couldn't hide her secret any longer. Buffy walked up to her Mom, hoping she wouldn't freak out to bad. "Mom...I'm a vampire slayer."

Joyce shook her head, in complete confusion.

*********************************

Giles breathed deeply trying to restore air back to his lungs, he hung limply in a chair with his hands bound behind his back, his wrists were bleeding from the ropeburns.

Angelus, sitting in chair across from Giles, watched him while he polished and cleaned Giles' glasses. "Rupert, buddy, I gotta tell you I'm impressed." He laughed, and got up, he slid the glasses on Giles face. "Hey, how you holdin up?"

Giles looked up at him weakly." Never...b-better." He stuttered.

Angelus smirked. "Glad to hear it." He kneeled next to him. "Now, tell me when it hurts."

Part 28

Xander stayed by Willow's side, she was still unconscious. He sat in a chair watching her, Cordelia had just left to get some coffee, and he took this time to express his deep thought.

"Come on Will, you gotta wake up." Xander pleaded. "I know lately that I've been horrible to you and Buffy; but I can't lose you two, especially you." He stopped to for a moment, struggling with his emotions as he pleaded with his best friend. "You've always..... I love you."

Xander's eyes widened with hope, Willow's hand tightened around his. "Willow?"

She took a few deep breaths. "Oz?" She whispered, trying to open her eyes.

"Oz?

Oz heard her as he walked into the room. "I'm here.

Xander scooted away, to let him get near her. Oz took her hand, and smiled when she opened her eyes. "Hey baby."

"Hi." She said weakly. "My head ... it feels big. Is it big?"

Oz smiled. "No, it's head size." He leaned over and gently kissed her forehead, careful not to touch her bandage.

She smiled when he started to stroke her hair. "Is everybody okay?" She whispered.

"Not really." He told her, Oz could never lie to her.

She sat up slowly, letting Oz adjust her pillows to make sure she was comfortable. "Where's Buffy?"

"We don't know, the police are after her."

Willow sighed in disbelief, and reached for the phone on her bedside table. Oz stopped her and grabbed the phone himself, he didn't want her to over exert herself. She smiled, and dialed Buffy's home, hoping she would be there.

The phone rang and Buffy answered it cautiously. "Hello."

"Buffy?"

"Willow! Are you okay?" Relief spread through her system when Buffy heard her voice, just knowing that she was conscious made her feel so much better.

"I'm okay, Buffy, really." She assured her friend. "I mean, I don't feel good, but... I'm awake, and I know my name and who's President and how many fingers, so I don't think my brain got mushed at all."

Buffy sighed. "Thank God. I'm so sorry I can't be there."

"Don't be, just talking to you is enough." Willow said excitingly.

"I know the feeling."

Willow laughed a little, but got serious. "Any luck finding Giles?"

"Yeah, I know where he is, I think he's still alive." Buffy hoped. "Angel and I are gonna head out soon."

"Good luck, and be careful; the both of you."

"We will." Buffy assured her and hung up the phone, she walked into the living room, where Angel, Spike, and her mother were waiting.

"How's Willow?" Angel asked, he heard Buffy shout Willow's name.

"She's fine, she wished us luck." Buffy said, glaring at Spike. "Okay, what's the deal?"

Spike stood up to her. "Simple. Dru and I leave, you get what you want."

Buffy shook her head. "Forget it, she doesn't walk."

Joyce listened to both conversations. "Whose Dru?" She asked, clutching the glass she held in her hand, alcohol seemed like a good thing right now.

Everyone tuned her out. "There's no deal without her."

Angel pushed him. "She killed Kendra." He growled.

Spike chuckled. "Pet, killed a slayer, good for her." He stopped his ranting, when he saw the deadly looks her he received.

Joyce sighed in relief. "You didn't kill that girl?"

"Of course not!" Buffy yelled, upset that her own mother thought she was a murderer. "She was a slayer."

"Like you." Joyce realized, and sat back down; taking a sip of her drink.

"I'll take her out of the country and you'll never see us again."

"I don't believe you." Angel stated.

"Well, I'm all you got, so we got a deal?"

Buffy reluctantly nodded. "Get back to the mansion, so you won't be noticed."

Spike agreed and headed to the door.

"If Giles dies, she dies." Buffy threatened. Her reply was the door slamming.

"We need to get ready." Angel exclaimed.

"Hold it!" Joyce yelled. "What are you two gonna do?"

"We have to go Mom." Buffy explained.

"No! Buffy you aren't going anywhere til I get some answers." Joyce demanded, she looked over at Angel. "And you stay the hell away from my daughter, all these things started to happen when you two started dating."

Angel was about to protest, and she cut him off with her deadly tone, he now knew where Buffy got it. "This stops now, the slaying, everything!!"

Buffy took a deep breath, and walked over to Angel, not wanting to deal. "Mom, there is nothing you can do, so just have another drink, and calm down." She headed to the door and Angel followed, not wanting to get in the middle of this confrontation.

The glass Joyce was holding exploded on the floor near the door, stopping Buffy and Angel from leaving.

"Don't you ever talk to me like that!! Joyce fumed. "You don't get to just dump this on me, and pretends it's nothing!!"

Trying to remain calm. "Mom, I don't have time for this."

Her eyes widened. "You better make time, and explain yourself."

"I told you I'm a vampire slayer."

Joyce shook her head no, not wanting to believe it.

Buffy walked toward her mother, leaving Angel in the doorway. "Open your eyes, Mom. What do you think has been going on for the past two years? The fights, the weird occurrences. How many times have you washed blood out of my clothing, and you still haven't figured it out?"

Angry. Well, it stops now!!"

"No" Buffy yelled. "It never stops, I'm the slayer, I was chosen to do this, and it's who I am. I would love to be the innocent, naive girl you want me to be." She sighed. "But I'm not, I'm the slayer, and I have to save the world . again." Joyce was expecting more, but nothing else could be said. Buffy turned around and headed to the door, where Angel was waiting.

Joyce glared daggers at her daughter. "You are not leaving this house with him, I want you upstairs in your room, where your safe." She pointed.

"You can't stop me." Buffy muttered, she was almost out the door, until her mother screamed her last demand.

"If you leave this house, don't ever think about coming back."

Buffy paused in her stride, pain flashed in her eyes, she looked back and forth from her mother to Angel. He grabbed her hand, giving her reassurance. Buffy breathed a sigh and followed Angel out of the house, and into battle.

***********************************

"So the big battle's coming huh?" Cordelia asked, settling into a chair by Willow's bed.

"Yeah, and let's hope the world doesn't get sucked into hell." Xander replied, slumping into a chair

"I have faith in Buffy and Angel, they'll do great. I just hope they know how the use the sword." Willow said, eating a bowl of red Jell-O.

"What do you mean." Oz asked.

"If Angelus opens Acathla, only the sword can close it, and Angel can't be anywhere near it."

"Why?" Xander asked curiously.

"Because Angelus' blood can open the portal and close it; and he and Angel share the same blood, so they'll both be sucked into the portal."

Cordelia turned to her worriedly. "Does Buffy and Angel know that?"

Willow stopped for a second. "I think so, but I don't know."

Cordelia got edgy. "Maybe we should warn them, just in case."

"Good idea." Xander said unexpectedly. He quickly got up from his chair and grabbed his jacket. "I'll go warn them." Xander stalked out of the room, before anyone could say anything. He ran toward Crawford Street, that's where Buffy said the battle was going to be. Xander saw Buffy and Angel heading towards the building, she had a sword in her hand, the sword that would save the world, and make life easier; for some.

"Buffy, hey."

They stopped. "Xander what are you doing here?"

"I'm at your service."

Angel shook his head. "Your gonna get yourself killed.

"Yeah, well while you two fighting deadboy 2, whose going to get Giles out?"

Xander questioned.

Buffy handed him a stake. "All right, you get Giles out, that's it."

"Got it." He saw the way she was handling the blade. "Nice sword, looks good on you.

"A nice present for Angelus."

"Willow." Xander stopped for a moment, but only for a moment, and he felt no guilt for what he was about to do. Angel was the cause of all this, and Xander made a choice. "She said kick his ass."

"No problem." She responded. "If Acathla opens his big mouth, I send him and Angelus straight to hell."

Angel looked in her eyes, silently saying this was it, and the three walked to the mansion in determined pace.

***********************************

"Just tell me, what I wanna know." Angelus asked Giles. He was bleeding more from new wounds and old ones that were reopened.

"Please." Giles whispered, panting and shaking in pain.

"I can make the pain stop, just tell me."

Giles raised his eyes weakly. "To be worthy, you must perform the ritual ... in a tutu."

Angel growled. "All right.. Someone get me a chainsaw!!"

"Now, now." Spike said, wheeling to the room. "Let's not lose our temper."

"Keep out of it, sit-n-spin!!"

"Look you cut him up, and you'll never get your answers." Spike rationalized.

"Well, genius what do you have in mind."

Spike smiled. "Drusilla, darling."

She swayed into the room.

"Wanna play a game?"

"Oh yeah" She moaned. Drusilla kneeled in front of Giles, wiping his forehead with her hand. "Poor thing, let's see what's inside." She held her hand on his forehead, for a moment, and closed her eyes. "Ohh, so pretty." Drusilla held his head up, and stared into his eyes. "Look at me. Be in my eyes." She waved two fingers in his eyes, letting her hypnosis take hold of him.

Giles felt a calmness rush over him, he blinked and saw Jenny kneeling infront of him.

"Jenny." He stuttered, Giles managed to smile. "I thought I lost you."

Drusilla played along with her game. "I'll never leave you, darling."

"We have to get out of here." Giles muttered.

Drusilla caressed his cheek, he smiled a bit more, thinking it was his beloved Jenny embracing him.

Drusilla touched his lips. "Did you tell Angelus about the ritual?"

"No, but he'll figure it out." Giles began to struggle desperately. "We have to get Angelus way from Acathla."

"He's the key?"

Giles began to loose the little bit of strength he had left. "H--his blood, he must not." He stuttered.

Drusilla smiled. "Shh." She placed her lips on his, and stirred up a passionate kiss.

Angelus and Spike smiled as they watched, pleased with the result

"Blood of course, the blood on my hands must be my own." Angelus began to chuckles. "Okay, kill him."

"Uh, but what if he's lying?" Spike said quickly, trying to keep Giles alive for as long as possible.

"Yeah. Good point. Don't kill him."

They both look over at Drusilla, still locked in a deep passionate kiss with Giles.

Spike raised his eyebrow. "Uh Drusilla."

She keeps on kissing him,

"Honey." Angelus called.

Annoyed. "We're finished ducks.

Drusilla stopped and looked back at the smiling evilly. "Sorry." She licked her lips, sensually. "I was in the moment."

Part 29

All gathered into the main hall, to began the ritual. Angelus stood, poised before the demon that would bring pure hell on Earth. "Acathla..I am cleansed, my blood makes me worthy." He held out his hand to Drusilla, she placed a dagger in his palm. Angelus slid the blade across his hand.

"You will be free, and so will we all."

A scream interrupted the finale, Drusilla and Angelus turned to look at Buffy and Angel standing over a pile of dust.

"Hello brother." Angel mocked.

Bored. "I don't have time for you."

Whistler's words ran through his mind, Angel stepped forward, taking the swordfrom Buffy's hand. "You don't have much time." He understood now. His destiny, not only to protect Buffy, but to confront his demons.

Buffy understood, this was his personal battle and needed to do this, she didn't object to his challenge.

Angelus grinned, finally the moment he'd been waiting for. "Look at you, all dressed up in big brother's clothes." He glanced over his shoulder to look at Acathla, and back at them. "Do you really think you two can take us on." His minions filled the room from every direction, surrounding the couple.

Buffy smiled. "No."

Angelus cried out in pain and collapsed to the ground, unconscious. Spike out of his wheelcahir stood over him, continiously striking him with a lead pipe.

Seeing their master taken down, the fledgings under Drusilla's command attacked. Buffy and Angel had atleast 10 of their own, while Spike fought off a raving Drusilla.

Xander moved from his hiding spot, with everyone occupied, he could easily find Giles without distraction. He dashed into another room, finding Giles still bound to a chair. "Giles."

In his weakened state, Giles tilted his head back. "Xander" Recognizing the boys voice.

"Come on." Xander untied the ropes, sliding his arm around Giles' frame, he helped him out of the chair. They went unnoticed out of the building.

Moaning in pain Angelus awoke, he stumbled to his feet reaching Acathla, he grabbed the hilt of the sword with his bloody hand.

A light emanated from the once dormant demon.

Angel looked up in time to witness Angelus pulling the sword out of Acathla's heart. He staked the vamp in front of him and grabbed the blessed sword. Angel made eye contact with Buffy, she nodded, understanding his request. Buffy moved slowly into another room, making sure the remaining vamps followed her, she motioned to Spike to do the same with Drusilla and he complied. Giving Angel the oppurtunity he needed, leaving him and his demon alone.

Angelus twirled his sword, admiring the blade. He looked at his twin and chuckled. "You know, she's the one thing I'm gonna miss."

Angel ignored his demon's taunting. He got into his fight stance, and it began. Both charged each other and their swords clashed. Both anticipated every move the other made, and niether one faltered on an attack.

Angel did most of the attacking, trying to end this as quickly as possible, his anger increased every moment of this fight, and the force of his blows became more harder. Fueled by his determination, Angel knew he would come out the victor.

Behind them, the once dormant Acathla opened his mouth, and a portal began to rise.

Angelus blocked as much as he could, but he began to weaken,and Angel used that to his advantage. With one more blow, his sword flew to the side, Angelus dropped to his knees in front of Acathla. Angel took one last look at his tormentor his demon and thrust his sword into his chest. The demon roared in pain but only for a moment, he may have lost the fight, but Angelus knew he won the battle. His scream of pain turned to a manical laughter.

Angel's eyes widened, he looked down and saw the portal surround him. His intial shock remained for a second and realization set in. They truly were brothers; bound by blood, and fate. He looked out and saw Buffy run back into the room, she looked exhausted which made her look even more enchanting to his. Her hysterical scream brought tears to his eyes, it would be the last time he would hear her voice,and it pained him that her sweet voice was filled with such agony.

Angel held out his hand, hoping he could touch her one last time, let his fingers brush her outstetched hand. Angel closed his eyes and let his body go. "I love you."

*********************

Buffy ducked from an attack from behind, she retaliated with a roundhouse kick and continued with the vamp in front of her, landing her stake home. The remaining vamp became dust in a matter of seconds. She turned to see Spike choke Drusilla unconscious, as much as she wanted to stake the both of them while she had the chance, a deal was a deal, and she wasn't the type to go back on a promise.

Without a word, Spike carried Drusilla out of the mansion through a sewer tunnel, not bothering to even look at Buffy.

Buffy stumbled as her adrenaline wore off, and the ache in her muscles set in. She ignored it and rushed into the main hall.

A gut renching scream startled her, even more because it belonged to her. Buffy watched the love of her life, disappear before her eyes. She held out her hand to him, maybe he could grab it.

The light dimmed out, and Angel was gone.

Buffy shook her head in disbelief, her mind was blank, she couldn't speak. She didn't even hear her name being called.

"Buffy!!" Xander called, he got Giles to the hospital quickly and made his way back to the mansion. "Buffy!" He stormed into the room and saw her standing alone, with her arm stretched out, in a comatose state. He watched Angel get sucked into the portal, and saw Buffy witness it herself. Xander knew that Angel was gone forever, and he felt no remorse. He sighed and walked over to her, touching her shoulder. "Buffy come on."

She shook her head frantically, thoughts came to her mind, and she started to mumble. "No, no, no."

"Let's go." Xander persuaded, but she ignored his plea, and anger builded. He didn't know where it came from, but it overcame him. "Buffy come on!!" He grabbed her by the arms, and shook her. "Angel's gone, he's gone." He yelled, no real emotion coming from his voice.

Buffy looked into his eyes, like a frightened child. "Why was he taken from me?" She asked, calming down her hysterical sobbing

Xander sighed. He put Buffy's arm over his shoulder, pulling her to the door,she kept asking why, and Xander blurted out. "It was the sword Buffy."

His answer ran through her mind, she pushed him away, her face deathly white. "How did you know?" She choked out.

Xander tried to ignore the stare she gave him. "Buffy just come on, it's done."

Her fist clenched, she didn't want to believe what she was thinking, but she couldn't help it. "You knew?" She stuttered.

Xander rolled his eyes, uncaring. The look of betrayl he saw shine in her eyes didn't affect him at all. He knew what he did was right, and wasn't going to apologize for it. Angel was the source of all the death and pain, and getting rid of the him was a good idea.

"You knew what would happen if Angel used the sword and you didn't say a word." Without hesitating, Buffy grabbed Xander by the throat, using both hands, wanting to choke the life out of him.

Xander clawed at her hands, trying to get free. Frightened by the blackness in her eyes, he started twisting his body.

She dropped him to the floor, he layed their trying to regain his breath. Buffy clenched her hands together trying to keep herself from killing him. "Get out." She demanded, her cold voice, striked even more fear in Xander

Without a word, Xander crawled to the door,leaving her there, alone.

And she was alone.

Tears continued to fall from her eyes, she began to sob even harder, and in the midst of her grief, Buffy collapsed, screaming injustice.

Part 30

Sprawled out on the floor, Buffy stared at the ceiling. She wished for death,sweet death, to cure the agony filling her once warm heart. Turning it to ice, cracking from the cold, and eventually shattering. But that would be mercy and she knew that whatever power was higher than her had none. The man she loved was taken from her, when he put his life on the line to save others; the one she called friend betrayed her, because of his anger and jealousy. And the mother, who was suppose to love her unconditionally, told her to never return to her home. No mercy.

She sat up slowly, like a zombie rising from the dead and gazed at the ring on her finger, her wedding ring. Buffy closed her eyes, she could still remember him putting it on her hand, declaring his love to her, and sealing it that same night. She brought her hand to her lips, letting the cool metal caress her lips, imagining it was his lips.

"I love you. I love you. I love you." She repeated, over and over. Wishing he could hear her, hoping that her chant would sooth him in the hell he was enduring. Her voice vibrated in the hall, it sounded of misery.

Buffy covered her mouth, trying to muffle the sobs that came behind her chants. Her body began to shake, fury rose through her once again. Buffy retched herhand away, clenching them into fists, so hard that blood began to seep through her fingertips. She stared at the demon Acathla, and her rage boiled over.

"I love him!!" She screamed, rising onto her knees as if in prayer. "Why?!! He did nothing wrong!!" Buffy begged and begged for a reason, she fell onto her hands, her blood smearing the floor. Panting,she raised her head. "I love him!!" The tears she tried to hold back once again fell from her eyes.

Buffy calmed her sobbing when the room began to shake around her, she looked up and a beam of light shined down on her trembling body. Unable to move, she watched the light enlarge, blinding her. Suddenly a flash emanated the room and a body fell from the light, knocking her to the ground. Buffy shook her head, dazed from the weight falling onto her and looked at the form lying across her, if it was possible the pieces that was now her heart began to put itself back together again. Her eyes widened, unable to believe she was staring into the face of her Angel. He was shaking, his clothes were shredded hanging loosely from his pale body, and the expression on his features was of terror. But that did not register in her mind, Angel was here, in this room, and touching her. She struggled to her knees, Buffy rolled Angel onto his back, and kneeled overhim. Buffy raised her hand slowly, she hesitated at first, scared that if she touched him he would disappear again. Gently she placed her hands on his face, tracing his features; she breathed a sigh of relief. Buffy leaned down and laid beside him, her cheek against his, and reveled in the feel of his cool skin.

"I thought I lost you." She finally spoke.

His shaking calmed from the feel of her, unknowingly he purred under her ministrations, Angel forced his eyes opened. His vision swarmed, he blinked rapidly clearing his eyes and leaned his head closer; nuzzling her cheek. Angel felt the tearstains, the feverish heat on her cheeks, but more than anything he could feel the emptiness in her. He opened his mouth to speak, his body was so drained of energy Angel knew it would be difficult, but hearing his voice is what she needed.

"I..." He choked out, his voice hoarse. I'm ... Here."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Buffy pulled Angel off the floor, now that she was more calmed; she wanted him to be comfortable. Angel wobbled a bit, but he made it to a nearby couch, with Buffy's help.

"How do you feel?" Buffy asked, checking him for bruises, she found none, but he could still be hurt.

"I'm okay, I wasn't there long enough to get hurt." Angel explained, he barely managed to get away from the numerous demons and monsters that were chasing him, including his own demon; until a light surrounded him, and he found himself back in the mansion.

"Oh." Red flushed her cheeks, she could feel a rage build up in her again, it wasn't as intense as before, but it was enough to give her murderous thoughts. "You shouldn't have been there." Buffy fumed.

"Buffy, we didn't know what was gonna happen." He struggled, but he managed to wrap his arm around her.

"Xander did."

"What?" Angel asked, confused.

"Xander knew what would happen, he tried to hide it, but I could see it in his eyes, and he admitted it." She said slowly, making sure that Angel understood the betrayal she felt. "I could've killed him, I had my hands around his throat, I felt him struggle for breath, and I didn't care if I killed him or not." Buffy wringed her hands, to keep herself from grabbing something. "But I let go."

Angel glanced at Buffy and was taken aback by the disturbing gleam in her eye. He took her hands, rubbing his fingers across her bloodstained hands, feeling the tension leave. He had nothing to say what was done was done, and they hadto move on from this. "What do you want to do?"

"Leave." Buffy answered without thinking, but when she realized what she said, it was what she wanted. "Everything I love has betrayed me." She turned to him. "Everything but you."

"Buffy think about this." Angel suggested, trying to be rational, he would follow her anywhere, but he needed to know if Buffy knew the consequences of leaving her friends and family behind, they may have scorned her, but he didn't want her to regret anything.

"If I stay, they'll destroy me, more than they have already." Buffy answered.

"I won't let that happen."

Epilogue

Buffy hid behind a nearby tree, she watched her friends gather in front of the school. She smiled, seeing they were all OK. Buffy knew they were waiting for her to show up, wanting to know if she was safe, and that made her feel good.

She was starting to have second thoughts, maybe they all didn't betray her, she thought. Until Xander walked toward the group, she watched everyone embrace him with smiles. The smile dropped from her face, her gaze sharpened on the bandages wrapped around his neck, watching him touch them with a goofy grin on his face. Buffy took one last look at her once called friends and turned away, she strided toward a car with tinted windows parked on the curb.

Buffy got in, and fastened her seatbelt. "I'm ready." She said, sadly

"Are you sure?" Angel asked, sitting behind the wheel, with Mr. Gordo in his hand.

Buffy looked in the rearview mirror, watching Xander hug everyone innocently; she turned back and looked ahead. "I'm sure."

Angel leaned over and brushed his lips across her forehead and handed her the pig. He started the car, and sped off. The car drove on, passing a sign:

"Now Leaving Sunnydale. Come back soon."

The End.
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