Home Before Dark - Part Three
by Debbie Nockels
COPYRIGHT: October 2001
RATING: PG-13 (for now)
DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of the characters from BTVS or ANGEL. They're owned by Joss Whedon (who needs to treat them nicer), MutantEnemy, Kuzui, Sandollar, David Greenwalt, the WB, UPN, Fox, etc.
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������ Buffy raised an eyebrow. �"Back there." �She indicated the hallway behind her with her head. �"I was hiding."
������ "Why didn't my men find you?" Rondell demanded, pushing forward.
������ She shrugged. �"Because they didn't look in the right place?" �She looked from one to another. �"Don't you want to know who I am?"
������ The arrogant man's eyes narrowed. �For once his sneer wasn't in evidence. �"So who are you?" �The crossbow moved higher, pointing at her heart now.
������ Buffy folded her arms. �"I'm the Slayer " - holding her breath that they'd heard of Slayers. �She didn't dare risk a look at Angel, who must be wondering what the hell she was doing.
������ There was a moment of silence. �Buffy moved a couple of steps further into the room. �"The Slayer?" Rondell finally said. �"You mean - the Slayer? �The one who kills vampires?"
������ The arrogant man snorted. �"Come on, man! �That's just a myth."
������ "Far from it," Wesley spoke up. �" �Into every generation a child is born, one girl with the strength and ability to hunt vampires and destroy them. �She is the Chosen One, the Slayer.' �Buffy is the current Slayer." �He looked at her, full of emotion. �"Hello, Buffy. �It's - it's damn good to see you again."
������ "Good to see you too, Wes," smiled Buffy, raising a brow at his uncharacteristic swearing. �"It's been a long time."
������ The arrogant man interrupted. �"Fine. �You're the Slayer. �That doesn't explain what you're doing here."
������ "I wondered when somebody was going to get around to asking that." �
������ Just then there was a bright flash of light, startling everyone. �Angel glanced up at the ceiling. �"Thank you, ladies." ��Then he caught Buffy's eye. �She relaxed a bit. �The spell had been canceled, which meant Angel could fight. �Of course, so could all the other demons, which was a mixed blessing to say the least.
������ She continued as though there'd been no interruption. �"I've been standing back there listening to everything, and there's one thing I don't understand." �She looked at Rondell. �"You say you're friends of Gunn's, is that right?"
������ "We were his friends," Rondell answered bitterly, "before he began hanging with vampires �stead of with us."
������ "How long have you known him?" �Buffy cocked her head.
������ "Two years, maybe," was the answer.
������ "But now, all of a sudden, you don't trust him anymore. �Why?"
������ Rondell stared at her as if she were crazy. �"Because he turned his back on us, that's why. �He'd rather be with demons than with his friends!"
������ "Really? �Why is that?" �Buffy looked around at the blank faces. �"Did you ever ask him why he's now working with a vampire? �Why he comes to a bar that's mostly for demons? �Why he doesn't just shoot them on sight? �I've been listening to all these accusations you've been making, but not one of you has asked Gunn what made him change his attitude."
������ "Can't be for no good reason, can it?" called out another member of the gang. �Several others nodded their agreement.
������ "I don't know," replied Buffy, shrugging. �"Why don't you ask him?"
������ "I know why he's doin' it," Gio cut in. �"I said it before, that's why he let his sister get bit. �He wants to become one of �em." �He cast a knowing look at Gunn.
������ "Yeah, you did say that before and I still don't understand it. �Become a vampire? �Man, why in hell would I want that?" asked Gunn, looking at him with puzzlement. �"Never to go out in the sun again. �Drinking blood, not able to enjoy a chocolate shake . . . or tacos . . . or beer. �What kinda life'd that be?" �He shook his head.
������ Gio snorted. �"You gotta be puttin' me on. �What kinda life? �It'd be a life of power, man!" �His eyes glowed. �"You'd live forever. �You'd have the strength of ten men! �You gonna try and tell me you haven't dreamed about being able to send your enemies flyin' across the street with nothin' more than a shove? �Or tearing the head off some smart-mouthed cop that's hasslin' you for standin' outside a store with your friends? �You tellin' me you ain't thought of all that? �Man, bullets'd go through you like butter, and they wouldn't even hurt ya!"
������ "Well, that's a lie!" Wesley exclaimed, as Angel said, "That isn't so." �Gunn shook his head and said, "Ain't true, man. �I've seen Angel get hit by bullets, and axes and knives and other things, and I'm tellin' you, maybe those things don't kill vampires but that doesn't mean they don't feel �em." �He turned his head. �"Ain't that right, Angel?"
������ "Getting shot, or stabbed, or slashed, hurts, just like it does for you," said Angel flatly. �"The injury isn't as serious and we heal faster, that's all."
������ "Uh-huh." �Gio made a contemptuous sound, obviously not believing a word.
������ Buffy walked up to him. �"Wow. �I can tell you've been thinking about this - a lot," she said, as though impressed. �The young man smirked a little. �Her brows drew together in a puzzled frown. �"I wonder why." �His smile faded, eyes narrowing.
������ The horned, green-skinned man - demon - Buffy had noticed standing against the bar stepped forward. �"He's been thinking about it for a long time," he said quietly. �"That's why he had to leave Florida. �How could you do that to her? �She trusted you."
������ Gio swung around. �"I told you to shut your mouth," he said viciously, leveling the crossbow at the creature. �"I ain't gonna say it again."
������ Gunn immediately stepped in front of the green-skinned demon, shielding him from the weapon. Gio laughed. �"You think that's gonna save him? �You want to die with your demon friend, that's just fine by me."
������ Buffy yanked the crossbow out of his hand. �In a flash, the bolt was touching his throat. �She stared him in the eye. �"You know, I'd kind of like to hear what he has to say. �Especially since you seem so anxious to shut him up."
������ "Yes," Wesley said, also coming forward. �"So would I. �Lorne, please continue."
������ Rondell and some of the others stirred uneasily, but didn't interfere. �Lorne maneuvered around Gunn and confronted Gio, who glared at him angrily. �"Her name was . . . Linetta. �She was his cousin, and she was fourteen when she died." �Gio's eyes widened.
������ "What happened to her?" asked Buffy, watching Gio intently.
������ "Vampires," Lorne said. �"They were being chased. �When they started closing in he deliberately threw Linetta to them. �He thought that the vampires would concentrate on her and he'd be able to escape, which turned out to be correct. �But they didn't kill her, did they?" �His red eyes glowed fiercely. �"No, they Turned her, and three nights later she came tapping on your bedroom window, wanting revenge. �You see, she'd trusted you, Gio, and you betrayed her."
������ Sweat broke out on Gio's forehead. �"Shut up!" he said hoarsely. �"It's a lie!"
������ Lorne ignored him. �"She offered to Turn you into a vampire too, fed you a line about how powerful and invincible that would make you. �That sounded real good to you, didn't it? �Right out of your dreams, in fact. �So you invited her in and let her bite you. �You didn't know your father was in the hallway and had heard every word. �You know, you're really lucky he staked her when he did - �cause somehow I don't think she would have kept her word to you. �What do you think, Angel-cakes?"
������ Angel shrugged. �"I doubt it. �Why would she reward the one responsible for her death by giving him unlife? �No, she'd have drained him dry, then gone on to everyone else in the house." �There was pain in his voice, and Buffy spared a quick, concerned glance in his direction, knowing he was remembering the slaughter of his own family.
������ "Reward?" Rondell repeated, incredulously.
������ "She would have thought of it that way," Angel told him. �"Remember, her soul was gone by that time. �the demon had control of her body, and it would have wanted vengeance for her betrayal."
������ "It was an accident!" Gio hissed, his eyes darting to Rondell's face. �"We were running and she fell. �They were all over her before I could do anything. �If I'd stopped . . . tried to help her . . . they'd've gotten me too!"
������ "No," said Lorne flatly. �"She fell, but she was right behind you. �You had time to help her up - but you made the deliberate choice not to. �You forget, I saw your memories . . . your soul."
������ "What're you talkin' about?" demanded Rondell, confronting the green-skinned being.
������ "Lorne is anagogic," Wesley explained. �"He can see people's souls, especially when they sing, the way this - person - did a while back, before he shot up the karaoke machine." �The look he gave Gio held distaste. �"And he can read their immediate futures."
������ "And yours isn't looking too hot, compadre," Lorne said, picking up the narrative. �"Because right now a lot of these fine people are finally beginning to think again. �They're remembering all that Gunn did for them when he was their leader; how he protected them and helped them - and not just by killing vampires. �He took them in, gave them shelter and schooling. . . helped them find jobs."
������ There was shuffling of feet, and quiet mutterings. �Weapons were lowered. �Lorne continued, "They're remembering that they've only known you for a few weeks, and that almost the first thing you did was try to tarnish Gunn's reputation. �And now - way overdue in my estimation, but, hey, better late than never, I guess - they're asking themselves why."
������ "Seems to me there's a whole lotta questions shoulda been asked, that weren't," Gunn said quietly, but with emphasis, looking at Rondell. �"Remember the demon you killed in the sewer a couple of days ago? �The one that was drinking a soda? �Did you have any idea what kinda demon it was before you hacked it to pieces?"
������ Absolute silence.
������ "It was a Yarnbie," Wesley said. �"They're balancing demons, completely nonviolent - as were Samuel Larch and four others that you killed."
������ "Don't forget Merl," Angel put in grimly.
������ "I wasn't," Wesley replied. �"Merl was our snitch. �He'd given us several leads in the past that helped us hunt down those who were truly evil."
������ "Merl," said one of the gang, a tall man with long dreadlocks tied at the back of his neck. �"Short dude, bald, really ugly, whiny voice? �Snivelled a lot?"
������ "That's him," said Angel and Gunn together. �"Not a winning personality, I grant you," Wesley admitted, "but hardly a threat to anyone either. �All Merl wanted was to be left alone, and he was happy to return the favor."
������ Just then Gio made a grab for the crossbow, surprising Buffy. �He'd been standing so quietly, seemingly subdued, that she'd relaxed her vigilance, and he took advantage of it. �Giving her a shove that sent her reeling into Lorne, almost knocking him off his feet, Gio aimed the bolt at his target. �
������ "Angel!" shrieked Buffy. �Desperately she kicked upward and managed to hit the crossbow just as he shot it. �As everyone ducked, the bow went flying and the bolt missed Angel, burying itself high in the wall above the bar. �Buffy followed it up with a right uppercross, and Gio went staggering back several feet. ��"You really shouldn't have done that," she snarled, advancing on him, fists clenched. �"Before I was just disgusted with you, but now I'm pissed!" ��
������ One of the armed men took a step in her direction, beginning to raise his gun. �Angel caught the gun by the muzzle, yanking it from his grasp, and "No," came simultaneously from Gunn and Rondell. �The young man hesitated, caught their gazes �- and stepped back again. �Angel held out his weapon. �The man looked from Angel to the gun, then back at Angel, then slowly took the gun and resumed watching the room, still alert but no longer threatening.
������ Gio recovered from the shock of such a slip of a girl packing such a powerful punch. �"Why do you care what happens to him?" he taunted Buffy. �"I thought you were supposed to kill vampires, not protect them!" �
������ "You haven't learned anything, have you?" �Ducking his vicious swing at her, Buffy hit him again, followed it up with a kick to the ribs. �Gio fell across a table, scattering glasses and napkins. �He staggered for a moment before he regained his feet and rushed her, his face twisted with rage. �She neatly sidestepped his charge, kicking his feet out from under him as he passed, and he thudded to the floor with an impact that knocked his breath out.
������ Buffy stood over him as he lay gasping for air like a stranded fish. �"Angel's different, which is something you really ought to try to remember. �Oh, and keep this in mind too - anyone who tries to hurt my lover has me to deal with."
������ Every head in the room swivelled as if pulled by a string, from the furious Slayer toward Angel. �Most of the faces were full of shock and disbelief, though�Gunn's and Wesley's looks held startled, concerned inquiry; but Fred's was one of sadness and she quickly averted her eyes to gaze at the floor. �Angel came out of his own shock, gave Wes and Gunn a reassuring shake of his head and walked over to Buffy. �He put his hand on her shoulder as Gio slowly got to his feet, hunched over and still wheezing, but glaring at the Slayer. �"I think he got the message, Buffy." �She was trembling beneath his hand.
������ "He almost shot you." �Buffy was finding it difficult to talk, shaking as she was with the aftermath of panic and rage.
������ Angel turned her toward him. �"But he didn't. �I'm fine - thanks to you." �He planted a quick kiss on her forehead and Buffy managed a smile. �"Good," she whispered. �A sound behind her made her whirl around, but it was only Gio moving to the center of the floor.
������ "You guys are pathetic!" he panted, one hand pressed against his stomach. �His furious gaze swept the gang. �"Listening to lying demons and traitors! �I'm done with you people. �I don't even know why I came out to this coast. �L.A. sucks; I'm goin' back to Florida. �You're just lucky I don't have my old crew here, is all I can say." �He backed into the gray demon that had been moaning they were going to die, turned, and kicked it contemptuously. �Then he whirled around and pointed at Angel. ��"And you! �I'd drag your butt out onto the beach for a little sunshine and toast your - "
������ Behind him the gray demon's head had suddenly, and silently, split, the skin hanging down limply on either side as an enormous insect-like figure surged from the husk and towered above the ranting man. �Before anyone could do more than gasp, the figure bent down and snapped off Gio's head. �Instantly Rondell and several others shot off their weapons, hitting the demon right in the chest. �It fell with a loud thud, only seconds after Gio's limp body dropped. �Blood spurted from the stump of the neck, spraying the floor and furniture with bright red before diminishing to a thin trickle. �After a few seconds that too stopped.
������ Fred gasped and turned away from the sight, hiding her face in her hands. �Wesley rushed to her side and held her comfortingly, Gunn right behind him. �Angel made a move as if to go over also, but checked himself. �Buffy smiled at him and made a little shooing motion with her hands. �"Go on. �She needs her friends right now."
������ "I will," said Angel, "but first I need to call Cordelia and get the spell put up again." �He dialed as he was speaking.
������ "Good idea," Buffy agreed, looking around at the several extremely angry demons left in the club. �Rondell and his group were also noticing this, and reacting by displaying their weapons but not, Buffy was pleased to notice, with any overtly hostile acts.
������ "Cordy," Angel said into the phone. �"It's over and we're all fine. �Would you ask the ladies to please renew the spell? �Tell them I'll come by in a few days to thank them personally. �Fred's a little upset right now but I think she'll be okay. �Yeah, we'll see you back at the hotel."
������ He clicked off and went over to Fred and the others. "How're you doing?" Buffy heard him say. The young woman gave him a rather tremulous smile; Buffy had to admit that she was - not pretty exactly, but - cute maybe. There was something very appealing about her. She watched a moment longer, then felt someone come up beside her. It was Lorne.
������ "You've got nothing to worry about, you know," he said softly. She glanced over at him; he too was watching Angel. "He's grown a lot since you two parted. He's learned how to open up to people and let them into his heart and into his life - and it hasn't always been easy. But it's a good thing."
������ "I know," Buffy replied. "Before, he was always so alone . . . except when we were together."
������ Lorne turned his red eyes on her, cocking his head to one side. "And you kind of liked it that way, didn't you?" His voice was understanding. "Hey, who wouldn't be happy, having someone who was so completely devoted to you that he hardly even noticed other people? You didn't have to worry about losing him to someone else."
������ Buffy looked away, but she couldn't deny it. It had been warming to know that in his long, long existence Angel had never loved anyone but her, and to feel that she would never lose that love. Which was one reason his rejection of her and his departure from Sunnydale had sent her into such a tailspin that for months afterward she'd hardly known what she was doing.
������ The Host continued, "But you know yourself that the situation back then wasn't healthy. The word for it is �obsession,' and that's never good in the long run. Angel made a giant step toward reclaiming his humanity when he left the Hellmouth, and you, even though it almost killed him to do it."
������ Swallowing, Buffy said in a small voice, "Are you saying that we shouldn't get back together? I mean, I know that nothing's really changed with his curse and everything, but - "
������ To her surprise the anagogic demon laughed out loud. "Sweetie, I feel sorry for anyone who tries to keep you two apart! You said that nothing has changed, but that's not true. He's changed, and so have you. Death has that effect on people sometimes - and so does life. No, you're not the people you were two years ago. What you need to find now is an acceptable compromise." He cocked his head, red eyes boring into hers. "But I see you know that already."
������ "Yeah," she admitted. "I do."
������ Lorne nodded, then chucked her gently under the chin. "Keep a stiff upper," he said. "You've got some tough times ahead."
������ "What else is new?" muttered Buffy.
������ "But you're still first in his heart," he assured her. "And that will never change, not in the foreseeable future anyway."
������ "Thanks." Buffy smiled for the first time in a while. Just then Angel approached, with Fred in tow, and the Host melted away. "Buffy, I want you to meet Fred. Fred, this is - "
������ "Buffy," interrupted the young woman, flashing a quick, somehow brittle smile. "I know." She thrust out her hand and when Buffy took it, gave hers a hearty shake. "Hi. It's good to meet you. I've heard - well, not a lot about you, which has been kind of frustrating at times, but I've heard your name quite a bit, lately. And, and during the summer too. I mean, well, with Angel going off to a monastery and, and being gone for so long when we'd only just gotten back home, I was, you know, curious, and so Cordelia and Wesley told me about you - some. And - and, wow, it was just great watching you whale away at Mr. Sneery."
������ She realized she was still pumping Buffy's hand, dropped it and smiled nervously. "Sorry. When I said Mr. Sneery I meant that Gio person, I just called him Mr. Sneery to myself because all he did was sneer at everyone that wasn't him. He was really obnoxious, you know? I mean, mouthing off all the time about how evil vampires are and I just kept wanting to shout at him that Angel isn't like that! I mean, he rescued me from slavery and everything, and brought me home and . . . and I guess maybe I'll just stop babblin' now." She subsided, looking abashed.
������ Somewhat dazed, Buffy tried to cope with the flood of words. "Uh, hi! It's good to finally meet you too, Fred. Angel's told me a little bit about you, but I'm looking forward to getting to know you better."
������ "You are?" Fred couldn't seem to imagine why. "Well . . . thanks! I'm, I'm nobody special, though."
������ "You're very special," Angel told her firmly. "Isn't she, Wesley?"
������ "Absolutely," Wesley agreed.
������ "Damn straight," Gunn contributed, nodding his head with emphasis.
������ "Um, thanks." Fred began nervously combing her fingers through her long hair and dropped her gaze back to the floor.
������ "Shall we all get back to the hotel?" Angel asked. "Cordelia's waiting for us, and you know how she gets if she's kept waiting."
������ "Right," Gunn said. "I'll, uh, catch you up in a bit. I need to go talk wit' my guys." He looked at the doorway, where the last of his old group was filing out.
������ "I'll go with you," Wesley said, earning a surprised look from Gunn. "There's something I have to speak to you about. After you're through with your . . . guys, of course." They walked out together.
������ "Uh - " Fred began backing away with awkward, uncertain movements. "I'll just go . . . look for the ladies' room and meet y'all outside, okay?" She bumped into a table. "Oh! Oops. Uh . . . I'll see you in a few minutes." Still chattering away, she disappeared around a corner.
������ "So that's Fred," Buffy commented.
������ "Yeah." A tiny, indulgent smile curled Angel's lips.
������ "I see why you like her so much. She's very . . . likeable." Buffy smiled too. "Where's she from? I mean, her accent - is she southern?"
������ "Texas. You like her?" Angel's smile grew broader, tinged with relief. "That's great! I was hoping you two would hit it off."
������ "I bet you were." Buffy cocked a knowing eyebrow at him. "Were you afraid I'd be jealous?"
������ "A little," he admitted. "You're not, are you?" He looked anxiously at her.
������ "I was at first," she admitted in turn. "But not now."
������ "Good, because there's no reason for it." Angel smiled at her, that engaging little crooked half-smile that always melted her heart.
������ "I love you," she whispered.
������ "I love you to - " The word ended as they came together. Fred, coming out of the restroom shortly afterward, saw them entwined and stood watching for a minute before sadly going outside.
������ "Hey, hey, hey!" The Host's voice finally broke them apart. "None of that here, kids. Go find yourselves a hotel or something!" He ushered them out then firmly closed the door behind them. The warm night air washed over them as they stood in the entrance. Buffy became aware of voices. A voice, rather. Wesley's.
������ "If you ever withhold information or attempt to subvert me again, I will fire you. I can't have any one member of the team compromising the safety of the group, no matter who it is. If you do it again you will be dismissed, bag and baggage, out of a job, onto the street." With those words Wesley left Gunn standing there and got into a taxi - with Fred, Buffy noticed.
������ "Wesley has changed," she commented, rather stunned. "A lot."
������ "Like I told you," Angel agreed. "He's shaping up to be a fine leader for our group."
������ Buffy nodded thoughtfully. She'd been more than slightly dubious when Angel had told her of the change in leadership for Angel Investigations, based on her memories of Wesley when he'd been her Watcher; but after what she'd observed tonight she was closer to believing in him. The old Wesley would never have confronted Gunn like that, with quiet, stern authority rather than pompous blustering. However, there was something she just didn't understand.
������ "Angel, why did you . . . abdicate as the leader?" she asked. He gave her a hesitant look. "I can't believe it was because you thought you weren't a good one," she went on. "You and I both know that Wesley, however well he's coming along, can't begin to compete with your centuries of experience in tactics."
������ Angel was quiet for a moment. "No, you're right. But after my epiphany last spring I realized I needed to understand better how humans . . . operate, I guess is the word I want. I needed to understand what moves them, what motivates them."
������ Buffy frowned. "I've always thought you understood people pretty well." Memories of Angelus flashed through her mind.
������ "Only from a predator's point of view," he said evenly. "I needed to experience it from the other side, Buffy."
������ "As a victim?" One eyebrow arched incredulously.
������ He smiled faintly. "No, not as a victim, but as someone who wasn't in authority. Buffy, before Darla Turned me, when I was just Liam, I never felt in control of my life. My father had financial, if not legal, control over me, I had no money of my own, and the society we moved in exerted an incredible amount of influence. I wanted to draw but artists were looked down upon - unless of course you were a genius, in which case you were respectfully tolerated, but no one really understood you. And I simply didn't have the strength of character to stand up for myself, so . . . I drank and wenched and drank some more, hoping to sink into oblivion. Well, I sank into vampire existence instead, and the first thing I did as a vampire was try to seize control of my unlife - by killing my entire family and as many of my neighbors as I could.
������ "That was why I refused to accept the Master, and why Darla and I started our own 'family' - if you want to call it that - by siring Dru and Spike. We wanted to be the ones in control."
������ "So, after your epiphany," Buffy supplied slowly, thinking it through, "you wanted to reconnect to your humanity. And you thought the way to do that was by relinquishing authority of your own company."
������ "One of the ways," corrected Angel. "Yes."
������ Buffy nodded thoughtfully. This was a new side to Angel - another new side - and it was forcing her to readjust her thinking about him - again. Lost in thought she started toward Angel's car, but stopped when she realized he wasn't coming with her. Rather, he went over to Gunn, who was apparently deep in his own thoughts.
������ "So, now you're gonna get on me about all those things I said to you in there," Gunn said, a little defensively, Buffy thought.
������ "No," replied Angel.
������ "You understand I had to stall, had to keep it going." The two men were looking each other in the eye.
������ "Yeah. I get that," Angel nodded.
������ "Doesn't mean I meant any of it," Gunn declared.
������ Angel gave a quick shake of his head. "No, you meant all of it, but that's okay."
������ Okay? Buffy wondered. How can it possibly be okay? This is someone he thought of as a friend, and that person just told him he can't be a friend because of what Angel is, even though he admits that isn't Angel's fault.
������ Gunn's chin tilted upward, just a trifle - another indication of his defensiveness. "I can't help the way I feel, man. That's just the way it is. Doesn't mean I don't wanna work with you. Doesn't even mean that I don't like you." For the first time he displayed signs of uncertainty. "Maybe some day . . . I don't know."
������ "I don't know either," Angel said, "but I've got time." He started to walk back to Buffy, but stopped and turned around at Gunn's call.
������ "Hey! No matter what else, I think I proved that you can trust me when I could have killed you and I didn't." There was just a hint of pleading in Gunn's voice.
������ "No," Angel told him gravely. "You'll prove that I can trust you when the day comes that you have to kill me - and you do." He went to Buffy and together they walked to his car. Gunn watched them silently then turned and headed for an old pickup truck parked a few doors down from the club.
������ "Did you mean that?" Buffy asked Angel a few minutes later. "What you said to Gunn?"
������ He didn't have to ask her which thing she meant; he knew. "Every word."
������ Buffy was quiet for several minutes, letting the streets and lights pass by without really seeing them. Finally she asked, "Have Cordy and Wes agreed to - to do that?"
������ "A long time ago," he answered, "and they promised me again after what happened last year." He hesitated, giving her a quick, sidewise glance. He'd told her the highlights - or should it be lowlights - of his descent into darkness the previous year, with one glaring exception. His night of sex with Darla. "Buffy, there's, there's something I need to talk to you about."
������ "Yes?"
������ "Not now," he added quickly. "Later, when I don't have to concentrate on traffic."
������ "Okay," Buffy said quietly. Silence descended again. She turned her head, gazing out the side window. She was pretty sure she knew what Angel was going to say, that they shouldn't see each other again. The few days they'd spent together must have proved more difficult than he'd anticipated. Why else would his thoughts be running on the possibility of becoming evil Angelus again, as was indicated by what he'd just said to Gunn? And . . . maybe it wasn't fair to him to try to maintain a relationship. After all, it wasn't her soul that was at risk, was it?
������ Tears came to her eyes but she blinked them back. No, her soul was safe enough; it was her heart that was in danger - of being broken again. But if he really admitted that it was simply too hard for him to be around her, then for his sake they needed to part. Again. She blinked again, hard, driving back more involuntary tears. She could do this - for Angel's sake she could be strong. She could.
������ Then suddenly Lorne's words came to her: "I feel sorry for anyone who tries to keep you two apart." And, "What you need to find now is an acceptable compromise." Strength flowed back into her veins, and determination. There had to be a way, and by God, they were going to find it!
END OF PART THREE
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