Author: Deede
Email: deedej@pacbell.net
Synopsis: Desperation to put Angel and Buffy together despite Joss Whedon's attempts to the contrary.
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: I don't own anything Buffy and so on. The characters will be returned unharmed, if not happier than they are in their current state. Please don't sue, that would be mean.
Distribution: I'd be honored if any one wants it for their site, just ask.
Notes: Feedback is a good thing people, it makes Deede feel loved and appreciated. Please send some, I'll love you forever if you do.
Special Dedication: Mel has been a wonderful help for this story, sometimes beta-ing a chapter and sending it back to me on the same day I wrote it. She's the best and I owe her a great deal. Pamela also deserves credit for her unending support and the fact that there were times when she practically forced a chapter out of me cause I felt too lazy to write one. You guys are the best and I couldn't have done it without you!
Prologue
Angel slowly walked into his Los Angeles apartment on alert, sensing someone inside. He had just gotten back from a night of patrolling and listening to Faith and Cordelia bicker back and forth while supposedly helping him, and he wasn't in the mood for company. He was tired, cranky, and wanted nothing short of getting his undead body into bed before sunrise. Of course fate never did give him a moments peace, he briefly reflected, so why start now?
The Whistler smiled as he watched Angel come into view from the doorway with a scowl on his face. He knew full well that what he was here to tell Angel wouldn't lighten his mood at all, but would probably put him in one of those damn brooding moods he got into that was next to impossible to snap him out of. He could only think of one person who'd had the ability to snap Angel out of his brooding mood, the same person whom the mere mention of her name could also put Angel into the said mood while a look of longing spread across his face. The person that neither of them had seen in two years, but whose reputation always proceeded her in the demon community. The person or slayer, to some, they were going to talk about tonight.
"What now?" Angel asked, exasperated, as he took off his black leather jacket and placed that and his house keys on the coffee table. His heir gave him the look of impatience and borderline tolerance, but the most evident emotion in Angel's demeanor was that of annoyance. It annoyed him to see the Whistler sitting there on his couch, staring up at him so serenely, when he knew damn well the Whistler only came to his place when some sort of catastrophic event was supposed to happen. As much as he owed the guy, the Whistler had a habit of getting on Angel's nerves.
"Touché," the Whistler replied, "did we have a bad night with the hellion and the princess tonight? Or did they, through some small miracle, manage to put their differences aside to help you kill the bad guys?"
"Ha," Angel smirked, "those two need constant reminders that they're not in high school anymore. If they approached slaying with half the energy they use attacking each other, there might actually be a dent in the demon population. I'm thinking a solo career might be more beneficial to the cause."
"Don't burn out your resources," the Whistler replied logically, " those two can get around in the sunlight, besides, on extreme occasion they come through and trust me you are going to need them for something really soon."
Angel examined the Whistler's face closely, looking for any telltale signs of what the Whistler was hinting at. Knowing that whatever it is he wasn't going to like it. The Whistler stared back evenly and finally Angel gave up trying to guess the Whistler's intentions and restated his previous question, "So what now?"
"It's Buffy," the Whistler finally allowed, "something big is coming her way."
It amazed the Whistler how quickly someone's mood could change. Angel went from tired crankiness to absolute shock in the space of two seconds, the amount of time it took to mention her name. At the mention of Buffy, Angel went still, the world for him had stopped spinning and if he could breath, the air would have been knocked out of him. Buffy, the mere mention of her name brought a tidal wave of emotions and physical sensations up that spread through out his body. His heart ached, his blood screamed, and his mind flashed a dozen images, all for her, his Buffy. The woman he could never have, but would always want with every fiber of his being. The person whom he left behind in an unselfish attempt to right the wrong, but whose control over his heart had never been erased by either time nor distance. His Buffy.
For what seemed like hours, Angel stood before the Whistler in quiet reflection, allowing the rush of feelings to engulf him and finally a cognitive thought scattered through out his brain.
"Is she in trouble?" Angel asked the Whistler, ready to take on hell and damn fire for any one or thing that dare cause Buffy danger, even after not seeing her for two years. For all he knew Buffy no longer shared in the love that he still felt for her, but nobody better lay a hand on her, even if she had moved on. He would protect her till the end of his days.
"An army of demons from all walks of life have gathered and decided that the human reign on this dimension has gone on long enough. They want the power to shift back to the time when unspeakable evil ruled the earth. So naturally their target is the hell mouth, opening it is the only way for this to happen. Only Buffy and friends stand in the way of stopping them. She is strong, but not that strong. She is almost at full slayer strength now, one of the few slayers to make it to that point, I might add, but even as powerful as she is, she can not take a whole army of every known bad guy to mankind alone. The watchers council are pulling their resources together to help with this, even with their disagreements towards Giles and Buffy's methods of dealing with things. The keepers of the balance between good and evil also are trying to help prevent this from happening. This is where we come in, you and I are going to Sunnydale."
Chapter 1
Buffy Summers sat behind the drivers wheel of her car bellowing out the lyrics to the song on the radio in perfect unison with her best friends, Willow and Xander's voices. The three of them were on their way to Buffy's house from their college, which was a good half-hour out of Sunnydale. They always car-pooled together, taking turns driving, so as to spend the quality time together that time and life rarely allowed them anymore.
Buffy loved her car, a graduation gift from her absent father, in an attempt to make up for his neglect towards her during her formative years following her parents divorce. Although she rarely spoke to her natural father, and had started referring to him as "the Sperm Donor" awhile back, she still loved the car. The little black Miata served its purpose fluently and efficiently, kind of like she did, so she considered it a perfect match with her personality. Plus it allowed her, Xander, and Willow to travel in style.' Always an important asset' she mused to herself, 'must have style.'
The car rides home also provided the three the opportunities to discuss the more recent demon activities in Sunnydale, which recently had sky rocketed at an astronomical rate, due to the latest prophecy of world domination that was thrown Buffy's way. Today, however, they elected to keep conversation light on the way home, electing to wait to discuss the situation with Giles, Buffy's watcher, at Buffy's house.
For all intensive purposes, Buffy considered Giles her dad. It was he who had lovingly cared for and nurtured her these past five or so years, and he who was always there to lend a hand or a shoulder to cry on. Willow and Xander also considered Giles their father, their home lives no better than Buffy's broken home, and Giles was more than willing to take the needy three under his wing and into his heart. They were his kids. The watchers council had once attempted to severe Buffy and Giles' bond, by firing him as Buffy's watcher, but they had quickly learned that Giles was just about the only person the very stubborn Buffy Summers would listen to. She had sent other watchers sent to her, home with massive ulcers and chronic cases of migraine headaches. Plus the Slayer/Watcher team of Buffy and Giles was indeed one of the most successful in council history, it was for this reason that the Watchers council allowed them to stay together, despite their obvious feelings of family and their unorthodox methods of dealing with the slaying. In the council eyes anyway.
Although the mood in the car was carefree, Willow couldn't help worry about the upcoming war between good and evil, the sane and the insane, and Buffy's chances of winning, and so she decided to break their easy mood.
"Buffy, you did say that the council was sending people to help with this whole 'let's try and open the Hell Mouth yet again' thing right?" she asked in a semi urgent manor.
"We are so not talking about this," Xander said in his usual sarcastic fashion, "there is a time and place for everything, and the Hell Mouth is something we discuss over tea and crumpets with Giles. Geesh, Wills, can't we have a little time to chill after spending the day in the Nazi war camps known as the classroom. I was getting a happy just hanging with my girl type friends."
"Whoa, someone forgot their Prozac this morning," Buffy replied, eyeing Xander with a cross look for speaking harshly towards Willow. "It's okay Will, and yes, surprise, surprise, the council is sending reinforcement. Kind of strange considering their past history of 'let's let the slayer do all the work while we go on retreats and eat scones,' but it will still be funny to see them try at battle. I can just see it now, 'you guys stop acting up now or I'll throw the Slayer's Handbook at you and it's a big volume too,'" Buffy said, adopting her best British accent imitation.
Xander and Willow laughed at her joke, while Xander piped up with, "Ah, we don't need them, do we Buff?There is nothing the Hellmouth has spit at us before that we can't handle. Not with our resident righter of wrong, sender of fear to the undead, the super slayer, Buffy!" Xander called out like he was announcing a WWF sporting event.
Xander's casual attitude towards the prophecy was something that Giles had been getting on Buffy's case about for weeks. Buffy was perhaps the strongest slayer in recorded history. Her success as the slayer had led her to a recent cavalier attitude to her duties. The demons of Sunnydale would rather run the other direction than face her, which was making her slightly over confidant. She was feeling immortal and had reacted to the news of the upcoming events as she would the announcement of the new art exhibit at her mom's gallery, with only casual interest. Perhaps the fact that she had been under the threat of the Hell Mouth opening before also contributed to her not getting too worked up over this, the way she saw it Demons threatening to open the Hell Mouth was everyday news. Still, for Giles sake she was trying to be more concerned, and pretty much reached the concerned level when she pulled into her driveway and saw an unfamiliar white van parked in her driveway.
Chapter 2
Buffy approached the front door to her house tentatively, holding a hand up behind her to signal Willow and Xander to follow behind but allow her to go in first. The years of being the slayer made her suspicious of unknown cars in her driveway, and she thought it best to be cautious. She opened the door with one hand while using the other to reach behind her back and pull out the knife she kept tucked inside the elastic of the back of her bra, under her shirt. A demon had yet to look there as a possible place to hide a weapon when they faced her, and she got a huge thrill out of pulling it out and surprising them with it. It served its purpose.
Buffy heard voices as she quietly walked into her home, followed by Willow and Xander. She recognized the voices of Faith, Cordelia, and Giles, and her heart rate nearly tripled. Buffy quickly sped up towards her living room, putting the knife away as she walked. Following her instinct and her heart, she anxiously anticipated seeing who else had come up with Faith and Cordelia, already sensing his presence.
Finally, in what seemed like an eternity, she reached the source of the voices, and was struck immediately by the sight of him. Her Angel. Buffy's heart rate increased even more and her temperature raised a few degrees. Her knees went weak at the sight of him. Two years, two years it had been since she'd seen him last. Two years since she'd heard his voice or had seen his gorgeous face, and yet she loved him still, as she did back then.
She used to try to convince herself that the pain of being separated from him would eventually fade, that eventually she would stop thinking of him every hour of every day, but she never did. In her dreams he still came to her. They would touch and kiss and make love endlessly, all night long, but her dreams all this time could not prepare her for seeing him face to face again. The real thing stood right there in front of her and she wanted with all her being to reach out and grab him. To hide her face in his chest and wrap her arms around him, but her anguished, deeply in love self, just stood there, unaware of any one else in the room and stared at her lost love.
Angel had known instantly when Buffy was in the house. She had the power to completely fill his senses. His sight drank in her beauty, his ears heard her heart pounding, his mouth remembered her taste as they kissed each other passionately their tongues dueling each other for dominance, and his skin remembered the touch of her warm, naked skin against his equally naked cool skin. Most of all though was her sent, he remembered her scent as he breathed it in and let it fill him, a scent that was strong and beautiful and uniquely Buffy. All his senses were on overload now, as he drank in the sight of her and once again the world stopped rotating on its axis.
Neither one could take their eyes off the other; the outside world didn't exist for them, as they stood there just staring at each other. An unknown gravitational force kept them locked into place, neither of them able to move, to speak, and to think. All they could feel were each other, and Angel felt a pull stronger than the strongest blood lust, to take Buffy into his arms and just squeeze her and never let go. After what seemed like eternity the outside world began to sink into their world and Buffy found her voice.
"Hello Angel," she whispered, barely audible to ears other then that of a vampire. "Hello Buffy," Angel replied, equally soft. And with that exchange, both knew they were doomed once again to give in to the temptation of each other's arms. Somewhere out in the vast universe, the stars and planets and moons aligned and Aphrodite, goddess of love, passion, and lust, smiled down at them in fiendish delight.
Chapter 3
Gradually the outside world began to sink in for Buffy and Angel. The looks of sympathy and curiosity aimed in their direction by their friends was overpowering, especially since they still couldn't look away from each other to see their friends expressions, their eyes only wanting the sight of each other.
Buffy's mind wanted to scream. She knew that the threat of world domination by the dark side of life is what brought Angel here, and she also knew that everyone else in the room was watching them intently, waiting for the show to unfold, but all she wanted was Angel. All she had ever wanted was Angel, nothing else mattered, not souls, or curses, and especially not disapproving looks from Xander. Here Angel was right in front of her after so long, too long, and all she wanted to do with every fiber of her being was to grab him and force him into blissful submission, she didn't care who else was in the room to know it. Her body ached in an intensity that was overpowering and a small moan, barely audible, escaped from her throat. Angel heard it and responded with an equally soft growl.
Slowly they began to reach out for each other, when all of the sudden Angel spun around out of Buffy's way and turned to the Whistler and said, "I need to talk with you in private," leaving a surprised Buffy and company in his wake.
After the Whistler and Angel had exited the house Angel immediately began to pace. "I can't do it Whistler, I can't help her, not when all I want to do is take her in my arms and claim her as mine to anyone who would listen. The reason I left Sunnydale to begin with was because I couldn't be around her and not have her and that feeling has not gone away."
"Do you know what torture is Whistler, torture is being in a room with Buffy and not being able to hold and caress her, torture is having her stand right in front of you and not be able to kiss her and bury my face in her hair. It was easier to be subjected to the fiery pits of hell then be in a room with Buffy Summers and not be able to declare to her my undying love. Fate has presented me with the most amazing being and told me to choose between her and my soul, which is unfair because my soul belongs to Buffy, it has always belonged to Buffy," Angel said almost pleadingly, near the point of breaking down.
The Whistler watched Angel's anguish sadly, not knowing how to console his friend, but knowing they were here for a reason and that it would all work out in the end. "Angel, do you remember the first time you saw Buffy, right when she was called as Slayer? You knew that she was going to have some major changes in her life and that she would need some help and guidance to help her cope with her new calling. Well this battle is also going to cause some major changes in her life, and she is once again going to need help adjusting and you're the only one who could help her through it. I can't give away what exactly is going to happen, all I can tell you is that she is going to need you more than ever. Is your need for her so strong that you'd let her fend for herself, is it so strong that you'd turn your back on her and risk letting her slip away?"
Angel was stung by the Whistler's words and suddenly a moment of clarity came over him, 'the world needs Buffy' was the thought coursing through his brain. Angel fought to find the words to describe what Buffy brought to the world. He questioned how one could describe the beauty; the warmth, the love, and the light she radiates off of her and how would this description include her as being forbidden to him. "Sunlight," he said finally, "the world needs Buffy because she is the sunlight. Without her the earth would be shrouded in dark misery."
With that said, Angel resigned with all the strength he could muster, to put his ever growing need for her aside and put his concern for her safety up first. After all, the world needed Buffy.
Upon seeing the determined look take over his love struck friend's features; the demon that was the Whistler smiled.
Chapter 4
Upon re-entering the Summers' home, the Whistler and Angel were struck immediately by the old familiar sound of Xander and Cordelia exchanging verbal warfare. An exchange they heard all the way from the entry hall in the Summers' home, a good distance away from the living room in which the battle was taking place. The closer they got the louder the voices. The Whistler just shook his head and clicked his tongue off the top of his mouth in amused disapproval, while Angel just marveled at how some things never change.
"So Xander, how is your job at the car wash going, does it look like you have a future in the company? You know, are they going to promote you to waxing instead of soaping," Cordelia smirked, while looking casually at her fingernails.
"Car wash, huh, well any job would be better than yours I suppose," Xander shot back, "tell me Cordelia, is your pimp aware that your working more than one street corner a night?"
"As far as I'm concerned, you guys are both losers," Faith put in, unable to resist putting herself into the middle of an argument, especially when it involved the two people that annoyed her most in the world.
"Will you guys please refrain from any further...well whatever it is you're doing, you're giving me a headache. I think I need some aspirin, no never mind, not strong enough, I am going to need some vicoden," Willow said, trying her best to look cross, although she wanted to laugh hysterically. She was proud of Xander for the pimp comment, especially since Cordelia used to win these verbal sparring matches of theirs hands down. 'I always did like to vote for the underdog' she thought to herself.
"Hear, hear, I agree to that sentiment, I'm in desperate need of some pain medications myself after witnessing this display. Do act your age. Not one of you are children anymore, it is time to start acting like adults, although of that I have little hope," Giles responded, ever the teacher scolding the naughty students.
"I'm with Wills and Giles on this guys, I know three people who are going to get the blunt end of the stake if they don't shut up," Buffy interjected, this argument between her friends snapping her out of her all consuming thoughts of Angel. "You guys haven't seen each other in a long time and you're still at each others throats. What's up with that? You can at least pretend to like each other so the rest of us sane people don't have to kill you to shut you up."
At that moment, before Faith or Xander or Cordelia could respond, the Whistler and Angel entered the room. Once again the room fell silent and all eyes focused on Buffy. Each person wondering what she was going to do or say to Angel, and how he would respond to her. Once again Buffy and Angel made eye contact, although this time Angel used all the strength he could muster to keep his gaze neutral and unattached, and it taking every ounce of his will to accomplish this act. He may have looked like the epitome of control, but that didn't change the fact that he still wanted her with every atom in his body.
Buffy immediately recognized the look on Angel's face. She had seen it before when she had first found out he was a vampire, and they had decided to fight their mutual attraction and stay away from each other. However, some things are just meant to be and no amount of self-control can change that, and the universe at large marveled at why these two parts of one soul didn't realize this for themselves. No amount of strong will can save them.
The spark of a challenge immediately rushed through Buffy at seeing Angel's expression. She knew logically that they couldn't give in to their desires, but she was hurt that Angel was brushing her off, regardless of logic. She wanted to be reassured that he still loved her as much as she loved him, that their special bond hadn't faded with time, even though she knew on an instinctive level that it hadn't. It was at that point that she vowed to steal just one kiss from Angel before that whole battle to save the world thing took place. She also unknowingly lied to herself at the same time, mistakenly thinking that one kiss could ever be enough.
The doorbell pierced the silence of the room, and as Buffy went to answer it she shot Angel her best I'm-so-cute-you-don't-dare-resist-me look. With that done, she walked out of the room with the grace of a panther stalking it's prey, and Angel once again came to the conclusion that he was doomed.
Chapter 5
Buffy once again found herself cautiously approaching her door. Everyone she knew, that would come over anyway, was already at her house. Her years of slaying had left her slightly paranoid, a feeling that she was trying to rid herself of. She considered it a social obstacle to be so suspicious of people. It made meeting people outside of her circle a drag. Not that she cared really what other people thought of her, especially men. The past two years of Angel's absence had left her feeling hollow. She had tried to date a couple of times and found herself spoiled for other men. Every guy she met was compared to Angel, and she had yet to meet a guy who lived up to that standard, she had already come to the conclusion that she never would. Her Angel was uniquely hers, made for her as she was made for him, no other would do. It was fates way of keeping the slayer in line, to give her a brief slice of heaven that was her time with Angel and then telling her she could have him no more. She knew that she would want him until her dying breath and then after that as well.
Still, she quietly made her way to the door and peeked out the peephole. Two unfamiliar men in nice suits and ties were standing on the other side. Before opening the door to greet them, Buffy grabbed a cross from a small table in the entry hall, ever the cautious slayer. Slowly she opened the door, holding the cross in front of her. Too many vampires had tried to weas el their way into the Summer's home by pretending to be sales men or religious people handing out booklets, and she was too smart to fall for stupid tricks like that, especially after hearing of the story of Cordelia and the bug man.
The two men just blinked when the young blond opened the door with a cross held in front of her. Then one of them smiled, "Good show, Miss Summers, you can never be too careful, the council has repeatedly said you are a clever one, and now I see that my companions are right."
"You're from the Watchers council?" Buffy inquired, realizing that that was a stupid question, they had just stated that they were.
"Yes, I am Thomas and this is Conor. You seem surprised to see us Miss Summers. Did the council not ring you to inform you we were coming? We've been researching a dreaded event involving your Sunnydale and are here to assist you in that manner."
"Yes, yes, come in," Buffy answered, "you'll have to excuse my surprise, we usually don't see council members unless there is some stupid little test that needs to be run that has absolutely nothing to do with the tea in china." Buffy hoped she sounded cross, she was still bitter about the stupid test that they had put her through on her eighteenth birthday, a test that had nearly gotten her and her mother killed. Things involving death, more specifically her and her loved ones' death, she didn't easily forgive.
"Yes, well, there will be no tests this time," Thomas replied, taking Buffy's anger in stride, "we are here to help. Is Mr. Giles present, we would like to discuss this with him as well."
"Yeah, he's here, come this way," Buffy said evenly, deciding to give these guys a break, thinking maybe not all the council members were first rate jerks, they were here to help after all. She gestured towards the living room where everyone was gathered and allowed these two to step ahead as she followed behind, still the cautious slayer.
As Buffy returned to the living room, her eyes were once again uncontrollably drawn to Angel. He stared back at her with a pained expression haunting his face. Buffy heart wept at the obvious emotion on her loves' features, but that did not lesson her resolve to get him to kiss her at lease once. Temptation was the hardest thing to avoid, especially when it came to Angel. In Buffy's eyes a kiss from Angel was the equivalent of winning a million-dollar lottery, it was the equivalent of all her favorite foods in one meal, the equivalent of all that was good in the universe. She longed and anticipated feeling that once more. For the world to spin out of control, with nothing but the safety of Angel's arms to anchor her to the ground. Kissing Angel was like coming home after a long journey, and no matter what the costs she was going to get that kiss.
'First things, first,' she thought to herself as the council members greeted Giles and looked over the small crowd of people gathered apprehensively. She knew what they were thinking, the Slayer is always supposed to keep her identity a secret and each and every person in the room knew what she was. Her friends have become well known to the Watchers council, because Buffy was the first slayer to work as a team with her friends in the efforts to fight evil. This was part of the reason that Buffy was such a successful slayer, she had a strong back up system. Of course the fact that she had a strong will and easygoing attitude also contributed to that effort. She was quite literally the best person for slaying, a fact that kept the council quiet about Buffy's friends knowing her identity. They knew that she was going to need all the help she could get in the latest Hellmouth adventure.
Chapter 6
After introductions were finished the two council members opted to get right down to business, never ones to dally in idle chitchat. Faith, a slayer like Buffy, eyed the council members with obvious amusement. She was beginning to think that all the council members were drones of one another, with the exception of Giles, though even he fit the bill at times. She would have to compare notes with Buffy, but she had yet to see any council member out of a suit, with a single hair out of place, or loosened up. It seemed that the whole organization consisted of tweed wearing élitists, whom all had an object of some kind wedged permanently up their butts. From the barely contained laughter evident on Buffy's face, it was clear she was thinking the same thing. Faith bit back her own laughter and forced her short attention span on what the watchers, Thomas and Coner, were saying.
"As you may be aware of," Thomas was saying, "demons from all walks of life are teaming together to join in an unified effort to return the earth to a stage of demon dominance. The opening of the Hellmouth is, of course, their primary way of achieving this goal. This in itself shouldn't baffle you, I am aware that all of you have dealt with this kind of thing before. However, a unified effort by demons whom under normal circumstances would prefer more solitary warfare, or who wouldn't want to socialize with any demon outside their own species, is what has us concerned. This truce between all these different spawns of the Hellmouth is something we have not seen before."
"That is because none of them are smart enough to know about the 'strength in numbers' bit," Buffy quipped, "I'm surprised they even have the courage to join forces at all, but I'm not worried, even together they still have the combined IQ of a raison."
Every one in the room, save Thomas and Coner, fought to keep a straight face after that comment. All thinking, leave it to Buffy, the queen of demon insults, to come up with something to amuse them in the face of trails and tribulations. From their stern expressions though, it did not look as if Thomas or Coner found that particularly funny, proving to any who doubted, Faith's object up the butt theory.
Angel just glanced at Buffy admiringly, her sense of humor, even in the face of danger, was one of the many things he loved about her. She almost always kept a cool head, always had some kind of smart remark, and always used this skill to her benefit in battle. Her quick wit usually threw her opponents off their mark in enough time to allow her to do serious damage.
"Never under estimate your enemies, Miss Summers, especially in events as serious as these. It just so happens that the leader of this newly joined demon army, and the one that is responsible for gathering everyone to join forces, is very intelligent. Coner, here, will fill you in on the rest," Thomas finished, gesturing to his partner.
"Yes, thank you, Thomas," Coner said formally, as if he had just been given the podium in a presidential debate. "The leader of the Demon Army, as we'll call it..."
"I'd rather call it the gang of ugly, scary, soon to be dead army," Xander interrupted, receiving glares from just about every one in the room.
"What, I'm not allowed to throw out insults like Buffy? She gets special privileges cause she's one of the chosen two, and all that?" Xander asked, but upon seeing Faith flash a balled fist in his direction, he quickly responded with, "right, shutting up now."
"Now, as I was saying, the leader of the Demon Army goes by the name Cain, taken from a biblical story of a man who murdered his own brother and was sent into exile," Coner informed them, "and trust me the name fits the character perfectly. Cain is the very embodiment of evil; he has absolutely devoid of any emotion other than hate and ambition for power. He is a powerful foe."
Now it was Faith's turn to add in her two cents of playful fun. "Oh great, a religious bad guy. We're not going to have to listen to sermons while fighting are we? Hey Buff, might want to bring a pillow and a blanket to this one, we're in for the long hall."
With that, the Watchers gave up trying to relay the seriousness of the situation. It was obvious to them that this group had their own way of dealing with things, and it amazed them that these people had the great reputations in battle as they did. They both wondered how Giles could stand it, not realizing it had taken Giles years to get used to. Giles, however, realized that his younger companions flippant ways were an asset to battle. It kept humor up and spirits high.
"We suggest murdering Cain before all the demons involved arrive in Sunnydale," Thomas put in, wanting to get this little meeting over with. The exuberance and youth in the room was giving him an upset stomach. "You may be unaware, but our sources say he is already here making preparations. You might find him underground, keeping a relatively low profile until he knows he has the upper hand. The army has not yet completely gathered, especially with some of them getting too antsy and coming out now only to be killed by Buffy. Use this time to your advantage, the army will disperse after their leader is killed, none of them being able to carry Cain's torch."
With that done, Thomas and Coner took their leave, promising to meet with Giles in the library in the morning. Cordelia, deciding to be nice, offered to walk home with Xander and Willow, she had not yet seen her parents since her return to Sunnydale. Faith invited herself up to Buffy's room, preferring to stay there than to stay with any of the other Sunnydale residents, including Cordelia's folks house, and Giles and the Whistler walked out making plans for the Whistler to stay with Giles. That left Buffy and Angel alone in the room together.
Chapter 7
Both Buffy and Angel were acutely aware of being left alone in the living room together, and Buffy decided now was the perfect time to steal that much wanted and anticipated kiss. She moved slowly and deliberately to stand in front of Angel, invading the laws of personal space. Angel swallowed non-existence fluids in a nervous fashion, knowing what Buffy was about to do and not finding the least amount of strength to stop her. Not when he wanted it with everything in him, everything that made up the vampire which was Angel.
"You miss me, Angel?" Buffy asked, her lips not two inches away from his face.
"Yes, Buffy, I missed you so much, more than anything, but Buffy we really shouldn't...,"
Angel's voice trailed off as Buffy came even closer than before. All thoughts of protesting any further completely left his brain. All his senses were once again filled with his Buffy. He could see, hear, and smell her and his mind and body was screaming for the touch and the taste of her, something that was just within his grasp for the first time in two long years.
"I know we shouldn't," Buffy was saying, although Angel was barely able to form cognitive thought at this moment, his eyes on her lips as she licked them with her silky tongue. "But for once I'm going to break the rules and you're going to love it. I missed you Angel," Buffy whispered is a husky voice, yet closer to him.
"Buffy," was all Angel could squeeze out before contact was made and life as they knew it ceased to exist. The earth spun rapidly, fighting to keep up with the beating of Buffy's heart, and a giant wave of emotion swept over them in an all-consuming fashion.
The kiss was so strong, so powerful, that the world quivered in its intensity. A whirlwind of feeling engulfed them and both were lost, spiraling out of control in a kaleidoscope of color and life. The foundation seemed to shake and the room breathed, all for the beautiful lovers locked in passion's embrace. Space and time stopped existing for them and they knew instinctively that only the two of them existed in this wonderful new dimension that they had created together. Out in the night birds sang, flowers bloomed, and ocean waves crashed against the shore, all in mock surrender of a love strong and pure. A love felt through out the universe and from here to eternity.
Buffy and Angel fought, with all the strength of a vampire and a slayer, to pull each other inside one another, never able to get close enough. The contact of their bodies ignited fires and set sensory perception into over drive, and both longed for the feeling to last forever.
Then, after what seemed like a lifetime, the two lovers slowly parted, making eye contact. Tears stained both their cheeks, wetting their lashes and causing their eyes to shine bright. The tears were both tears of happiness and tears of pain.
A dark cloud of sadness filled the room and with it the weight of the world crashed on their shoulders. Most of the weight came from the recognition of finding the one that each was meant for, but knowing that their love was doomed by fate and a curse. So, in mortal anguish, the two lovers clung to each other in a tight hug, not willing to let go just yet.
The Whistler had watched the whole scene unfold, having come back to invite Angel to stay with him at Gile's condo. He stood there quiet and still, not wanting to interrupt anything. Buffy or Angel had not been aware of his presence, both being so wrapped up in each other.
The Whistler knew it was time. Angel had spent the last two years risking his neck to make penance for the deeds of his evil counterpart Angelus, deeds that weren't Angel-with-the-soul's fault in the least. What both Buffy and Angel had yet to realize was that each needed this brief time apart, Angel needing to know he was basically good and deserving of love and Buffy needing to reach full maturity. The Whistler knew that they were both ready now to take on the world and each other. The time had come for them to be allowed to love fully and work together as an unstoppable force against evil.
Chapter 8
Gradually the real world began to sink in for Buffy and Angel, and slowly they began to disentangle from each other, albeit rather slowly. Neither could form words to speak, all each could manage was what seemed like permanent look of sadness and longing. Still maintaining eye contact, they took a step back from each other, and dealt with the withdraws their bodies were feeling from the break of contact.
Buffy turned to leave, wanting to be alone to deal with her anguish, and definitely not wanting to break down in front of Angel. The last thing she needed was him comforting her, an act that would sure enough bring her back into his arms once more, and Buffy didn't think she would be able to leave if she found herself once again in Angel's arms. She knew that if she were ever in that situation again that that is where she would be permanently, end of story. With all the strength and will she could muster, she walked out of the room and out of Angel's sight, fighting back the tears threatening to overflow until she was somewhere where she could cry in private.
Briefly recalling that Faith was in her room, Buffy sprinted to her mother's den, sank to her knees, buried her face in her hands, and let loose the pent up emotion that threatened to drown her. A cry of mortal agony sounded through out the night sky, and all went silent save the sound of Buffy's sobs in penance for one so sad.
Buffy blamed herself for everything; the sadness she felt, her punishment for what she thought was her major sin, the wanting, and touching of an Angel. She had willed herself to kiss him, wanting to show him, as well as herself, that after two years of separation they still belonged together. However, in this wanting of the kiss she forgot to take into account the intensity of their bond, the depth of their love and the black clouds that hovered over them in the form of a curse. So she cried; for herself, for Angel, and for the hand fate had dealt them.
A warm hand came down, lightly touching Buffy's shoulder, and Buffy looked up through tear stained eyes to find Giles looking down at her in sympathy and fatherly love. He quickly bent down, held out his arms, and took his slayer into his embrace, letting her cry on his shoulder.
Giles knew the moment Angel had walked into the Summer's home that this was going to happen, that both Buffy and Angel would be reminded of what they couldn't have the moment they laid eyes on each other. Never had Giles, in all his reading and years of experience come across anything so strong and so tragic as the love of the vampire and the slayer. It defied all rules of logic, it was forbidden to them by fate, but it still lived on, fierce and strong.
Giles had long ago forgiven Angel for the torture and death brought on by Angelus, but he could never forget. He knew more than anyone, save Buffy, that Angelus should never again be allowed free rein in this existence, but he couldn't help wish that both Buffy and Angel could for once in their turbulent lives be allowed the peace and freedom of each other. Never before had two people battled evil so courageously and so selflessly, they more than deserved any comfort they could find in each other. Of course, Giles knew that nothing in life was fair, and so he rocked his slayer in his arms, murmuring soothing words, trying to help her ward off the pain.
Back in the living room Angel was also wallowing in self misery, he sat on the couch, elbows resting on his thighs, wishing with all he held dear that there was no such thing as a happiness clause in his curse. All he wanted was Buffy, and he had to exist with the knowledge that he could never have her. He almost wished to be returned to Hell, because the torture distributed to him there was nothing in comparison to this. Tears silently fell down his cheeks, as he looked up towards the heavens in mock surrender.
The Whistler slowly approached Angel, breaking him out of his reverie. Angel just looked at him, willing him to go away and let Angel brood in peace, but Whistler would have none of it.
"There has been a change of plans," the Whistler stated briskly. "I need to leave town briefly to discuss some affairs here with the powers that be, you know, my bosses, the keepers of the balance of good and evil? Well, anyway, I won't be gone long and I'll try to get back before you guys do some major damage to that Cain guy. Can you handle yourself while I'm gone? Cause you know, from the current stand point, you look like you are about to break."
Angel just nodded his head, solemnly resolving once again to help Buffy from the shadows. Even if not being able to get too close with her killed him.
The Whistler smiled at his friend. "Good bye for now then, Angel, I'll see you in a bit." The Whistler turned and started slowly walking out of the room, but before he had left completely he looked over his shoulder and announced, "Don't be so down Angel, you just might get what you want in the end." With that said he left the room, leaving Angel to wonder what exactly the Whistler meant by those words.
Chapter 9
Angel walked into the old mansion tentatively. A thick mass of dust blanketed everything that was left behind by him two years ago, including the walls and floor. The place looked deserted and completely uninhibited, but Angel knew that the imprints of events and memories tied to the place would never die. The room, in which he stood whispered evilly for him to enter, ever dark and foreboding, and Angel sank to his knees, willing the memories to come and flood his senses. He had rejected Giles' offer for him to stay at his place and instead had come here, to his old home. His hope was that reliving the memories of the events that took place on these grounds would help him remember why he couldn't give in to his fierce desire for Buffy, and to help him remember why he needed to keep fighting against the constant threat of darkness.
Memories of the evil surrounding Angelus and Acathla pierced Angel's soul like sharp needles, as did the memories of hell and torture. There were also memories of confusion, of returning from hell, of chains and shackles and of Buffy, caring after him while struggling to heal his wounds, both physical and mental. Angel sank further to the floor, wrapping his arms around his knees, laying in fetal position. The images in his mind didn't stop, but continued until he slipped into an uneasy sleep.
Buffy curled up in her mom's bed, thankful that her mom was out of town, relishing in the childhood belief that no monsters would get her here, in the safety of her mom's room, even though she knew that that was a false notion. It wasn't really monsters that Buffy was hiding from, it was memories, ones that she would never be able to get rid of but ones that threatened to return nevertheless from the dark recesses of her mind. Memories of moonlight kisses from Angel, the sinister, taunting face of Angelus, and the return of her love, weak and battered, suffering from the eternal torment that she herself had damned him to. Buffy fell asleep with the tears again making tracks down her cheeks.
A light fog covered the ground of the dream realm where both Buffy and Angel found themselves, yet they only had eyes for each other. From across a small distance they approached each other, grabbing a hold of one another as if each were a life preserver and both were drowning. Slowly they sunk into the mist, neither letting go as they fell horizontally to whatever lay below.
They found themselves surrounded by red satin sheets in a setting that looked remarkably like Angel's old apartment where they had first made love. Angel was above her, naked, holding her hands in his above her head on the pillow. Buffy, also naked, cried out as Angel swiftly entered her, trailing soft kisses down her cheek and on her throat. They moved together rhythmically, the pace picking up and the tension building. Hurricanes waged the shores, tornadoes swirled in a dizzying circle, destroying all in their path, and earthquakes shook the foundation of the earth all the result of a passion so fierce that the gods and the heavens bowed in its dominance. Animal strength and lust took precedence, and both Buffy and Angel were lost in a swirling world of powerful desire and unconditional love. Together they reached a point of uncontrollable feeling and emotions as both lost themselves to each other, colors flashing before their eyes and blood rushing forcefully through their bodies.
They lay there wrapped in each other's arms, their bodies shaking and struggling to recover from the intensity of what had just happened. Buffy was panting hard while both she and Angel were covered in a light mist of sweat. Gradually things stopped spinning and both knew that they didn't have much time.
"We will be together soon," Angel whispered in Buffy's ear. "We will be together forever and no force alive or dead will keep us apart."
"I know," Buffy replied equally soft, "I'm waiting for our chance, I've been waiting."
With those words, both Buffy and Angel were thrown apart and out of the dream that they had just shared. Both returned to earth, sitting up in their positions and mouths gapping in shock and Buffy in her mom's room and Angel in the old mansion, wondered at the significance of their vision.
Chapter 10
Buffy stood in front of the library door and just stared, not really in too much of a hurry to enter. Despite the fact that Buffy, Willow and Xander had graduated from Sunnydale High, Giles was still the librarian and so they still met there when whatever they were facing caused for research and extensive use of Giles' books. The training and weaponry part of the slaying had been moved to Buffy's basement, an area her mom had cleaned out and decorated for that purpose, thinking that moving Buffy and Giles close would help involve her more in Buffy's slaying. It also allowed her to watch her daughter at work, for Buffy was a sight to behold, training or in battle, moving effortlessly like in a ballet.
Buffy didn't usually mind going to the old high school library, despite the negative memories associated with high school, but this time she knew Angel was in there with the rest of them and her cheeks glowed bright red at the memory of lasts night's dream. Having been faithful to Angel's memory since her one and only time of sexual intercourse, she wasn't all the conversed in the morning after edict, even if it was just a dream in which she had indulged in the pleasures that was Angel the night before. It was awkward for her to know that Angel shared the same dream with her and she had to stand in the same room with him discussing the let's-stop-the-end-of-the-world thing.
Luckily for the world Buffy didn't like being afraid of anything, even if it was her own embarrassment, and so she squared her shoulders, took a deep breath, and entered the doom room, prepared to come out alive and hopefully unscathed.
The whole gang was present and accounted for. Willow, Xander and Cordelia sat at what they considered 'their table', the spot the gang had sat at and talked around for the years following the knowledge bestowed upon them of Buffy's slayerhood. Faith stood separate, as she always did, never fully a member of the group, especially considering the stunts she had pulled on them during the high school year she was present in Sunnydale, and Giles stood as well, with, not surprisingly, an open book in his hand. Thomas and Coner, the ever dreaded Watchers Council members, were at a book shelve thumbing through Giles' collection of volumes and Angel was leaning against a wall, arms folded and eyes closed with visions of Buffy dancing through his head. His eyes were to soon fly open though as the presence of Buffy again assaulted his senses. Curiously, the only missing member of Team Slayer was the Whistler, apparently missing in action and no where to be found.
Buffy's eyes traveled only to Angel and she quickly turned them away when he returned her gaze, her cheeks once again coloring a bright red. Angel smiled softly to himself, thinking how adorably cute Buffy was embarrassed, far too cute to ignore and so he sauntered over to stand behind her, pushing the thought that he was playing with fire aside. Buffy was acutely aware of Angel standing behind her, the hair on her arms stood straight up while goose bumps marred her flesh, but she stayed turned away using all her slayer will to concentrate on the rest of the group.
"Hey guys, what do we know, anything new?" Buffy asked, trying to repress the warmth that spread through her system at Angel's nearness. Angel recognized Buffy's attempt to ignore him and the predator in him surfaced, forcing him to take a little step closer. He smiled when he heard Buffy's intake of breath. Both of them gave off only the subtlest hints of sexual tension to the untrained eye, thus escaping the scrutiny of the rest of the group. To them, Angel had moved closer for conversation purposes.
"Oh you know Buff, the usual, ugly demon, bad attitude, yadda yadda yadda," Xander remarked casually, waving a hand lightly in the air to emphasize his bored expression.
"Hardly a time to be cavalier Xander," Giles replied, somewhat sternly, briefly looking up from his book. "This situation must be dealt with in all seriousness, it requires our full attention."
"I agree Mr. Giles," Thomas put in, looking disapprovingly at the young people, wondering if he was in for more indigestion. "We must find where Cain is hiding and gathering his forces so we can dispose of him quickly and efficiently."
"Sounds like the job research girl and her trusty side kick the Internet," Willow commented, "city plans here we come."
Buffy fought to pay attention as her friends made plans to help around her but she found that increasingly hard when Angel reached out and slowly ran his index finger lightly up the back of Buffy's arm. An action which caused her to gasp, which caused Giles to look up once again from his book.
"Are you all right?" Giles asked his slayer, not seeing Angel pull his hand away from behind Buffy.
"Yes, fine" Buffy replied tensely, hearing Angel's soft laughter behind her and feeling him take a small step closer to her proximity. Buffy knew she should move, but some unforeseen force kept her glued to the spot, mindful of Angel's sexy teasing.
"Good then maybe you can find the information we need from Willie," Giles prompted, ignoring the raised, questioning eyebrows of the council members.
"Willie, yeah, great idea," Buffy said, barely able to respond since Angel was blowing cool air in the direction of Buffy's ear.
"I'll go with you," Angel replied, briefly giving up his oh so sweet torment of Buffy to worry about her safety. No matter how strong a slayer, Angel did not like the idea of Buffy going anywhere alone with this Cain guy on the loose and his goons gathering in numbers by the minute. He would protect her at all costs even if he had to fight himself off her the whole time.
Giles realized the necessity of Angel's offer and so quieted his objections to Buffy and Angel being alone together, even if it meant holding her afterwards for another bought of tears as she mourned the love of her Angel.
He simply shook his head approvingly at the two and replied, "Be back in an hour, the rest of us will get to the researching."
"Researchiiiiinnnnngggg," Xander, Faith, and Cordelia whined simultaneously, taking Giles' mind off the star crossed lovers.
"Yes, research," he said, again looking authoritative.
"It's not like we do enough of that already for school," Xander replied under his breath, always needing to have the last word.
Giles simply glared at him while Buffy and her Angel slipped quietly out the door in search for answers.
Chapter 11
The moon bathed the night's earth in an eerie glow, while soft gusts of wind blew through the leaves in the trees serenading the night with the sound of their rustle and below the surface of the trees two lovers walked in silence, unable to find words to speak. Buffy and Angel walked side by side, their minds struggling with what could possibly be said. Words of comfort, declarations of love, verses of faith and devotion all hung at the tip of both their tongues, but both exherted will and held back, neither wanting to hurt the other with promises fate wouldn't allow them to fulfill.
The night surrounded them in all its glory, allowing the silence, letting them bask in each other's presence. Both were creatures of the night, one out of blood and the other out of duty, but both in appreciation of the dark mystery the night provided. So, they walked on to Willie's bar surrounded by their world, searching still for the right words to say or the right words to leave unsaid.
Angel's "Buffy" was said at the same time as Buffy's "Angel," and both smiled softly to each other, again in synch like they were before Angel's departure from Sunnydale two years earlier.
"How have you been?" Buffy asked awkwardly, filling the silence with the soft sound of her voice.
What Angel wanted to say was something along the lines of 'not complete without you by my side' but thought it too corny and sentimental and not appropriate to their situation and so he replied with the age old answer of "I've been good."
Angel briefly wondered at how many people in the world had similarly lied to that question since the dawning of spoken language. No one ever answered truthfully like 'I'm barely making it' or 'I'm under a lot of stress' or 'I've missed you every waking moment of day and night,' but those answers were always hidden in the shadows behind 'I'm fine' or 'I'm good.' Tonight was no exception.
So, in the natural flow of small talk, Angel followed his reply with "And you? How have you been?" expecting to be answered in a similar fashion. Buffy, however, was not one to conform to the unwritten laws of society. She had seldom lied to Angel in the past and didn't see the need to lie now, even given their hands off situation. She knew that he could see right through her anyway, he knew her too well, and just like she knew his 'I've been good', reply was false and inaccurate.
"Not a day has gone by when I haven't thought about you," Buffy replied, stopping in her tracks to turn and look Angel in the eye. An immediate change took over Angel's face, a look of love powerful and strong again donned his features, and he reached out and crushed Buffy to him, unable to stop himself from doing so. They stood like that for an eternity, wrapped in the comfort of each other, trying to use the time to briefly forget who and what they were. Gradually they pulled apart, the night again closing in and both started walking in silence once more.
It was at the entrance to Willie's bar that Angel finally answered Buffy with "I've thought of you constantly too, in my dreams and while I'm awake. I could never get you out of my head nor do I want to. I just wanted you to know that, though you probably already did."
Buffy just smiled sadly, willing the tears building up in her eyes to go away. She nodded her head slightly and slowly turned away, opening the door to Willie's bar and letting herself in. Angel followed behind her, morphing into his vampire visage and changing from lover to protector.
A good deal of the bars occupants felt the sudden urge to go to the restroom and crawl out the small bathroom window when they saw the Slayer and her recently returned vampire lover enter the bar. Willie just stood behind the bar shaking his head and mumbling about how beautiful blonde slayers were bad for business, though visits from Buffy were usually very interesting so he really didn't mind all that much. He actually loved the game of cat and mouse he and the kid played over information, and for days after visits from Buffy, he would have visions of her as dominatrix filling his fantasies. He tried to put those thoughts aside for now though because Willie could tell from Angel's close hovering over the Slayer that the vamp still had intense feelings for her and he was paranoid that the nearly two hundred and fifty year old vampire could read his mind.
"Angel, buddy, long time no see. Welcome back to Sunnyhell," Willie said with false sincerity. Angel scared the pants off him and so visits from him always led to intimidation. The Slayer scared him too and could do equal damage to his bone structure, but the thought of getting beat up by Buffy was a little more pleasant than the thought of getting beat up by Angel. Angel just didn't do it for him, but to each their own though was Willie's line of thinking. Besides he and the kid had a rampart now and Buffy rarely had to use physical violence to get anything out of him anymore, he just hoped she told Angel that little bit of information, still he couldn't help but annoy the vamp a little bit, it was his nature.
"And hello there gorgeous, want a drink on the house from your old friend Willie?" he asked, his eyes traveling up and down the Slayer's body. That soon stopped though as Angel growled in his direction, causing him to shrink back a step or two.
Buffy just rolled her eyes at Willie, wondering how it was humanly possible to be that stupid as to annoy an angry vamp whose demon had been itching for a fight since resouling. The man had absolutely no common sense but she sort of found him amusing at times in a gross, annoying kind of way. It was for that reason that she let him live without the constant threat of cracked ribs.
"Nothing for me today but information Willie," the Slayer replied coolly, standing as tall as her 5'3' frame would allow, shoulders squared. Despite her pettiness the Slayer still managed to look intimidating, an heir she carried quite well, which was especially useful considering her line of work.
"In the old, abandoned church just outside of Sunnydale, the large stone one with all the stained glass windows. That's where you'll find what you're looking for. A large number of demons have been working the past month or so to connect the church to Sunnydale's underground tunneling system and I think they've almost got that complete," Willie whispered conspicuously, not needing to be asked as to what the Slayer needed to know.
"Taking up mind reading lately Willie?" Angel asked, amused at the quick response out of Willie. Back in his reign of Sunnydale it always took a good beating to get Willie to talk, the demons of Sunnydale supported Willie's business and so he wasn't all that willing to share most of the time. Of course, Angel really didn't blame Willie; one look from Buffy's beautiful hazel eyes would cause him to spill information too.
"Oh ha, ha," Willie spit out sarcastically, not liking the fact that Angel realized and took pleasure in the fact that Willie was Buffy whipped. She seemed to have that hold over the male population of Sunnydale. "Just remember you owe me one for this kid," Willie said turning his attention to Buffy, "I've been getting more business with all the new demons coming to town and I'm going to miss the extra cash flow after you do them all in."
"Consider not getting sucked into the Hellmouth your payment Willie," the Slayer shot back, turning on her heels and motioning Angel to follow her out the door. "Oh and thanks for the info, be seeing you," she called over her shoulder as she left, Angel in tow. Angel merely smiled evilly his goodbye to Willie and followed the slayer back to the library.
Chapter 12
The library was quiet when Buffy and Angel returned, each member of the Scooby gang plus the two council members had their noses stuck in books, while Willow typed away at the computer. Angel and Buffy both looked at each other and then started to laugh, both thinking that only on the Hellmouth could you put Xander and Cordelia in a room full of people and have there be utter silence. Giles looked up at his slayer as she entered the room with Angel, searching for any sign of tears, or anger, or frustration, but finding only a faint glimmer of sadness, barely visible, that Buffy was busily trying to cover up. He could see it though; there beneath the surface. Buffy never really was very good at hiding her emotions.
"Was your visit with Willie productive?" Giles asked, putting the Hellmouth situation first and placing the Buffy and Angel situation temporally on the back burner of his mind.
"Yes," Buffy answered as she and Angel went to take a seat at the table. "According to Willie, Cain and his gang are taking up residence in a large abandoned church just outside of town. They're trying to connect it with the underground tunnels of Sunnydale."
"These guys need to get more creative," Cordelia shot out, "it's always abandoned warehouses or churches. Really, how unoriginal. I'm surprised we didn't see this one coming."
"I'm not surprised you didn't see this one coming," Faith replied under her breath, receiving a glare from Cordelia who wisely chose to remain silent at the moment. She decided to ask Buffy to beat Faith up for her later.
"Ooh, ooh, idea," Xander announced anxiously, raising his hand to speak as if he were in elementary school. "Why don't we just plant a bomb and blow the place up with all the demons in it. That saves us the hassle of all that messy fighting, decreases our dry cleaning bill, gets rid of the ouch factor and takes out a bunch of demons with one blow. God I'm a genius."
"Oh what a brilliant idea Genius." Faith snorted, "A: where are we going to get explosives large enough to blow up a church that is made of rock, and is large enough to house the Spanish inquisition, and probably old enough that it did? B: Buffy said that some of the demons, probably most of them, are under ground connecting tunnels, the bomb wouldn't harm them. Besides the fact that an explosion of that size would have cops and firefighters hassling us in a heart beat. I prefer the idea of hand to hand combat myself, just let me have a crack at that Cain guy. I'll show you guys how it is done."
"We know you prefer hand to hand combat Faith, among other things, but we want to kill the evil demons, not sleep with them," Cordelia smirked, pleased that she had gotten her moment of revenge.
Faith was about to reply when a stern look from Giles shut her up. The two watcher's council members, Thomas and Coner, looked on the group with pained expressions, one rubbing his temples and the other shaking his head in utter disapproval. They were still amazed that this group ever got anything accomplished.
"That's enough of that," Giles replied, almost, but not quite at the point of raising his voice. "Xander, although your idea has merit, I'm afraid Faith is right. Explosives would not be the wisest move at this juncture. We need to come up with a strategy, especially since we are greatly outnumbered. The time to attack is now, before any more demons find their way to Sunnydale. We just need to come up with a viable plan to sneak into the church, block the entranceway to the tunnels, hopefully trapping some demons in the process, while Buffy and Faith go after Cain and kill him. Hopefully without their leader the rest of the demons will be easy for us to take."
"I could cast a spell of confusion over the demons in the church," Willow inserted into the conversation excitedly, "I read about it in my spell book last night, it's a spell that will send the occupants of an enclosed area into a state of confusion and dizziness. The witches of Salem came up with the spell to escape angry mobs during the witch-hunts. I could totally do that spell, it's not that hard, and it would help us out."
"I don't know, Will, is it dangerous to you, like a few of your other attempts at the black arts?" Buffy asked worriedly. She had been with Willow on more than one occasion when Willow's spells had backfired. She was not anxious to see it again. "I don't want you to get hurt," she added as a second thought.
"I know I've messed up in the past, but I can do this spell, it's easy and it shouldn't hurt me in the least," Willow said defensively, wanting everyone to take her witchcraft seriously.
Giles also looked uncertain but realized that the spell would help them a lot and so he nodded his head in approval. "All right Willow, that sounds like a good idea, however, I will perform the spell with you and we will take all safety precautions."
Willow simply squealed in delight, clapping her hands together in excitement, while the rest of the gang set to making plans to meet at Buffy's tomorrow to prepare for battle. It was during the commotion that the Whistler walked unannounced into the library. He simply smiled a hello to everyone, ignoring the inquisitive looks sent his direction regarding his brief absence. He didn't need to know what the group had been discussing while he was away on his trip because he already knew. Just like he knew how the battle was going to turn out and like he knew a certain vampire and slayer were going to be very happy tonight.
The Whistler turned his gaze to Angel and asked "Angel, can I speak to you for a minute?" He gestured for Angel to follow him out side of the library and turned on his heels, exiting the door he had just come in. Angel simply got up and followed, curiosity evident on his face, while everyone else was left behind to wonder at what was going on.
Chapter 13
The cool, crisp night air struck the Whistler and Angel as they stepped outside, caressing them the way a lover might. If Angel were a mortal he might have shivered, but he wasn't one nor was he giving the cold a second thought. His mind was occupied with other matters, like what the Whistler wanted to speak to him about. During the course of his somewhat odd relationship with the Whistler, Angel had grown accustomed to his frequent disappearances. He would leave, usually just before some catastrophic event, and return after not too long with some helpful hints and words of guidance. The Whistler always seemed to know what was going on and he kept a tight lip whenever Angel had asked him where he had gotten his information or who exactly it was that he answered to. All Angel really knew about the Whistler was that he was a demon brought forth to keep the balance between good and evil, which Angel would admit was curiously close to knowing nothing, especially considering that he and the Whistler went back a few years.
The Whistler was staring at Angel, slowly going over in his mind what was okay to tell Angel now and what would have to wait until a crucial moment after the battle. Lives were about to change, and he knew it, some for the good, some for the bad. For the Whistler's line of thinking, however, one couldn't exist without the other; the good existed with the bad and happiness existed with sadness, and never was a life totally void of one without the other. Although there were times when it seemed that the balances were greatly unbalanced, one aspect overshadowing another, they still existed together, strengthening and building, demon or not.
Angel was one of those whose life was greatly unbalanced. He had seen more sadness, despair, and hardship in his time then any ten people could endure, and yet he existed on. He continuously fought against evil, putting the needs of others above the needs of himself and asking for little in return, save resolution for his evil counterparts soulless deeds. Angel's only pure form of happiness and joy were centered around a little, petite, hazel eyed blonde; whom like him had suffered, but who also gave herself unselfishly to the battle against evil, asking for little in return.
The time had come to grant these two selfless beings joy, to give to them a more equal balance, to make the two halves of one soul complete. The Whistler and his superiors realized that only in each other would these two find the strength and courage to survive the hardships ahead. Love was the most prominent tool in any battle, whether it be a battle against the Hellmouth or a battle against loosing one's self into a black abyss of darkness. Buffy and Angel needed to survive the disasters that befell them, the balance of the universe depended on it, but to survive that they needed each other and the Whistler was just about to give them just that.
The Whistler couldn't help but to smile at Angel, pleased to be the one to tell his friend some news that would undoubtedly make his friend very happy. He decided to draw it out as long as he could. So he finally said, "The balance between good and evil has been disrupted. In the latter few years the number of evil beings has increased and there just isn't enough good to fight it all."
"I know," Angel replied, looking at the Whistler in slight confusion. He was wondering why the Whistler was stating something that was so blatantly obvious. They had known for years that the balance had been disrupted; it had been for quite some time. It was the ever-increasing forces of evil that allowed two slayers to live at the same time and it was the ever-increasing forces of evil that called for a slayer with the strength and persistence of Buffy to exist. It was no coincidence that the strongest slayer in recorded history was called at this point in time. Buffy was a part of the Whistler's much needed balance, though the job was rapidly becoming too big, even for her.
"Yes, well it has been decided that certain things need to be done to maintain a closer balance. You yourself have been instrumental in helping maintain that balance in the past few years and so it has been decided that your curse should be a permanent factor. There is no more happiness clause; we need you on our side no matter what. The actions of the demon are forgotten and as far as I am concerned not your fault. As long as you continually fight against the bad guys, you are free to get as happy as you want," the Whistler stated with excitement for his friend, waiting for the news to sink in, Angel looked completely shocked.
After spending years repressing his love for Buffy and spending years convincing himself that they could never again consummate their love, Angel had a hard time initially believing the Whistler's words. Shock was the first emotion he experienced, but as the words sank in and upon glancing at the seriousness in the Whistler's expression, Angel slowly came around, the dawning of truth evident in the eyes that had just started to water. Angel's mind and body were overcome by a thousand different emotions at once; happiness, joy, elation, freedom and unconditional love without restraint were among the more recognizable, and Angel gloried in them all.
Gradually Angel collected himself, a beautiful smile lighting up his face, the smile of one that had just been given the world. "Thank you," he told the Whistler, not finding any other words powerful enough to express his gratitude.
"No, thank YOU," the Whistler said in return, watching as his friend quickly turned to head back to the library in search of his love. 'Boy would I love to be a fly on the wall in Angel's old mansion tonight' he thought, chuckling to himself before following Angel back into the library. In all seriousness though, he hoped that whatever new bonds Angel and Buffy created tonight would be strong enough to last the drastic change that was about to befall the beautiful slayer.
Chapter 14
Buffy tentatively stepped into Angel's old mansion, having not set foot in the place since Angel's departure from Sunnydale two years ago. Buffy glanced around in wonder, remarkably everything looked the same, save the large amount of dust that covered just about everything on the inside. She shivered slightly, memories both good and bad surfacing from the resources of her mind. She silently followed Angel into his former home wondering again, at what she was doing here.
Angel had been quiet and evasive the whole walk home, having insisted that he had something important to tell Buffy and asked her to accompany him home. Buffy wasn't sure what was going on, but her instinct told her it had to be something earth shattering because Angel was openly smiling when he asked her to come home with him and she knew from experience that Angel rarely smiled, especially since his return from hell. Whatever it was he had to tell her had changed his whole demeanor; Buffy had noticed subtle changes in him on the walk home. She couldn't put her finger on it exactly but there appeared to be an almost, but not quite, bounce to his step and he no longer carried the brooding heir about him, that constant shadow of doom that he used to wear like a cloak was all but gone. His back seemed straighter, his shoulders less sunk, and he waltzed home as though the weight of the world had been lifted off his shoulders. Buffy wished she could be that happy about impending doom, but she had a feeling that what ever it is Angel was about to tell her that it probably had nothing to do with the battle they were set to face tomorrow night.
Angel had a hard time waiting until they reached the mansion to crush Buffy to him and flood her face and throat with his kisses, but the minute they reached the inside of the house, he did just that. Only a slayer could have survived the sheer force Angel used as he squeezed Buffy with all of his might, tears filling his eyes and shock waves of sweetness filling his being. Buffy was gone the moment Angel's lips touched hers, a hurricane of lust and emotion taking her body by force, the knowledge of the curse lost to the recesses of her mind as the sheer essence of Angel took control of her being. The world again spun out of control and Buffy returned Angel's pressure with equal force, anxious to pull his very being into hers.
The moon light shone through the window and bathed them in it's glow as they kissed, love's passion causing them to glow even brighter than the moon allowed. Eternity came and went as the two lovers stayed locked in embrace, sharing a world together that was completely different from any other. Gradually the sound of crickets and of rustling leaves dawned in and Buffy and Angel pulled slightly apart as she recovered her breath and her balance from the dizzying high of emotion. Their eyes locked and Buffy could tell with in the dark pools of Angel's beautiful brown eyes that they were free to love like this, she didn't have to be told she just knew and suddenly the world was a much brighter place.
Buffy let out soft laughter of joy as Angel picked her up and spun her around, both glorying in the light of one another. Forgotten was tomorrow's battle, the duty of the slayer, the curse of being a vampire, all was temporarily shoved aside as the two beings loved freely for the first time since Buffy's 17th birthday. Again their lips locked in uncontrollable passion and the ground beneath fell away as they soared into an abyss of love and longing. The need to touch, to feel, and to love grasped a firm hold over the lovers, beating any other drive known to mankind. The need for food after going for days with out or the need for water after an extremely hot day of dehydration paled in comparison of the sheer raw intensity of the need Buffy and Angel currently felt for each other.
The parts of the two, soul and body, that had been dead the past couple of years were suddenly sprung alive, demanding action and fulfillment after such a long drought. Without a spoken word exchanged between the two, Angel once again picked Buffy up, this time carrying her like he would a bride over the threshold. Silently through the rooms she was carried, the night jasmine that surrounded the outside of the mansion filtered their sweet potent fragrance to the inside, blanketing the lovers with their intoxicating aroma while combining with the sweet smell of desire. Shadows of light and darkness danced across the walls, but the two lovers only had eyes for each other.
At last, a room was reached and Angel slowly carried his love inside. On the inside stood a large canopy bed, a sheer red fabric curtained it while red satin sheets donned it's mattress, looking inviting and promising to the lovers as it metaphorically whispered to them that they were in for a truly seductive experience. The room looked archaic, the furniture antique while paintings and old-fashioned weapons complimented the walls. A single large window allowed the light of the moon and the stars into the room, surrounding it in an unearthly glow. Buffy was in awe, completely taken in by the romanticism of the room, the moment, and the man she was with. Tenderly Angel lay Buffy on the bed, placing her carefully as if she were a precious piece of art that could not be broken.
Buffy held up her hands, beckoning Angel to take them so she could pull him down to join her on the bed. Angel responded instinctively, interlacing his fingers with hers while his eyes marveled her beauty. Buffy placed their joined hands on the pillow above her head, an action which caused Angel to move down on top of her and the whole world breathed in anticipation.
Chapter 15
The universe at large began to fade into the background, and the earth spun into a dizzying circle as a pair of brown eyes met a pair of hazel ones. A wave of love and lust resounded through out the great tapestry of space. Stars were born, planets surfaced, and a world based entirely on love, devotion, passion and contentment was created, but the two creators of this world were lost to anything but the completeness that they filled in each other.
Buffy's breath caught as Angel lay over her, starring down at her as if she were the most precious, and beautiful thing on the planet. In what seemed like slow motion his lips came down to meet hers in a kiss, sweeping them both away in a whirlwind of feeling. Buffy's body instinctively arched towards Angel's, her mind unconsciously pleading for him to fulfill her aching need. Angel groaned, a sound that vibrated throughout his body, and he gave in to the sheer drunken pleasure that was Buffy.
Slowly he pulled himself up, staring down at her the whole time, his eyes telling her that the brief separation was temporary and necessary. He released his hand from her grip and used it to stroke the length of her body. Buffy gasped as her body was engulfed in the all-consuming sensation of heat and feeling. She became dizzy and high at the same time, reaching up with animal lust to pry Angel's shirt off his body and over his head, revealing to her love filled eyes the beautiful columns of hard muscle and porcelain skin. Slowly, eagerly, she ran her hands over the naked flesh, tingling sensations running from her fingertips where she touched his skin and up through her arms, causing goose bumps to form on her flesh. Angel moaned from deep within his being, completely lost to the smell, sight, and touch of Buffy.
Slowly he began to unbutton her shirt, going one button at a time and softly kissing each new inch of skin that was revealed to his waiting gaze. Buffy lay quivering, her heart rate rapidly increasing more and more as her mind shut down to anything other then the experience of being loved and touched by an angel. A magical spell was being woven, and Angel was the master craftsman, wanting nothing more than to feel, taste and fulfill the love of his life. The love that he felt for her was the strongest thing he had ever experienced in his life. It transcended life and logic, it consumed them both with emotions so intense that space and time could not touch it, and it completed them, forging two beings into one soul.
Buffy couldn't get the button to Angel's pants undone fast enough, her blood boiling in feverish haste as her shaking fingers fumbled to undo the obstacles that lay in her way. Angel used his hands to roam all over her body, using his fingers to make lasting imprints in his memories. When Buffy was done unfastening him, he quickly moved down the length of her body, teasing her with the intention of taking it slow. He lay a big kiss on her bare stomach, using his teeth to lightly graze her skin while his fingers circled around her nipples through her lace bra. He moved down further, moving his hands to cradle the small of her back as he buried his face in the warmth between her legs.
An uncontrollable shiver raged through Buffy, and Angel smiled a soft smile as he slowly lifted his head and moved down further until he reached her feet. One at a time, he removed her shoes, kissing each toe as he completed his task. Buffy was no longer coherent; her hands were clutching the sheet on either side of her and her body again arched in need of fulfillment. Angel started back up, running his hand up the inside of her leg and thigh as he moved, stopping at the top of her pants to use all of the force he could muster to pull them off. When that task was completed, he again made his way up her body, again leaving a trial of kisses in his wake.
Buffy's eyes burned with uncontrollable passion and she reached the point where she wasn't going to sit there and take it without getting her share. With the strength of the all mighty Slayer she reached down and tugged his already unfastened pants down over his body, reversing their positions and moving over him as she did so. As she pulled the pants down, she grabbed the underwear as well, pulling both down with enough force to cause Angel's shoes to fall off with the rest of his garments. There he lay in all the glory and beauty that was his exquisite body and Buffy drank in the sight, knowing she could stare at him into eternity and never get enough. Loving the role of seductress and drunk on its power, she moved up Angel's body much the way he had done to her, kissing each little curve, nick and cranny that she discovered on the way.
Angel's body throbbed and burned, he had to have Buffy and he had to have her now, no man or beast on the planet could get in his way. The predator surfaced, a growl resounded, and muscles corded. Once again Angel was on top, he used one hand to take both of Buffy's wrists and pin them above her head, the other hand he used to viciously tear off her bra and panties, not caring of the damage he did to them. Buffy shook and moaned, sensations filling and controlling her entire being. Her body flamed and her mind screamed for release. All her lips could form was Angel's name, which she chanted over and over again, like a song. In that moment their eyes met and held as Angel moved with animalistic force to swiftly enter Buffy's body.
A bomb exploded and both were casualties to its force. Everything spun out of control and stars flashed before their eyes. In synch they moved with strength and speed, finding a rhythm all their own. Soft gasps and moans echoed throughout the room. Fingers interlaced above Buffy's head on the pillow and all the while eye contact was maintained. Round and round the earth spun, creating a dizzying circle and whirlwinds of color surrounded the couple as both screamed in powerful releases, coming instantaneously at the same time. The two parts of one being had found their way home.
Chapter 16
Buffy awoke in a state of panic. Before even opening her eyes she knew that Angel wasn't at her side in the bed. She felt his absence and it scared her, brief glimpses of memories from another time she awoke alone after a night of passion with Angel resurfacing from the dark hidden corners of her mind. Her panic was short lived however, as she spotted Angel, bathed in moonlight, standing naked in front of the window with his front turned away from her. Her breath caught in her throat as she observed the picture he made silhouetted by the light of the moon. He reminded her of a Greek statue, with skin as cool and smooth as marble and a body shaped after the noblest of gods. A body that radiated strength and power, a body that provoked unrepentant thoughts of hot times between cool sheets. Buffy smiled softly to herself, comfortable with her previously repressed sensuality for the first time since that one night all those years ago, the night of her seventeenth birthday.
Quietly she got up and went to stand behind Angel, running her fingers softly down the contours of his back while placing a small kiss on his shoulder blade. Angel swiftly turned and gathered Buffy in his arms, his eyes drinking in her beauty as warm skin once again contacted with cold. He smiled down at her, a look of uncontained love radiating off of his face. Slowly he brought a hand up and ran his fingers through her silky blonde hair, loving being with her like this, being able to touch her when ever and where ever he wanted. It was the little things like touching her hair, or stroking her face, or gathering her in his arms for a kiss, which he had missed most since loosing and regaining his soul. The little intimacies between man and women that most took for granted he would forever appreciate because he knew what it was like not to be able to have them.
"What are you thinking about?" Buffy asked him, breaking the silence with her soft voice as her eyes gently sought out his.
"I'm wondering if it's considered bad taste to be so content and happy just before a potential life and death situation like tomorrow's battle," Angel replied, his fingers now gently roaming over her face. He still couldn't get over the fact that she was right here in front of him and that she belonged to him. Their previous lovemaking had been so profound, so intense that he considered it a life altering experience. It was one of those perfect moments in time when everything made sense, one of those moments where a dense fog had suddenly disbanded and clarity of life and magic touched one's soul.
"I think it is okay as long as another participant in tomorrow's little adventure feels the same way," Buffy replied laughingly, marveling in the fact that being with Angel caused her to feel giddy. For some reason she wasn't shy or uncomfortable, everything that had happened previously had been so right and so perfect; it was as if they were made to love each other and to love all the pleasures that came along with it. To not give in to the prowess of their love and desire for each other would be a mockery to something strong and pure. Their feelings for each other were like a higher state of consciousness; one that even the threat of death couldn't touch. Buffy felt separated from tomorrow's battle, as if it was a bad dream or a movie, something not real. The only real thing to her currently was Angel and her love for him.
"You know what else I was thinking?" Angel asked devilishly, the light of mischief gleaming in his eyes. The close proximity of Buffy was beginning to reactivate his limbedo. He thought it slightly funny how all she had to do was breath and he wanted her, it didn't really take much effort on her part. God how he loved her, his love for her was almost fierce at times, and her beauty and light would forever move him to distraction. He gloried in it.
"What?" Buffy asked, warmth running through her veins as passion flared up within her system. If a serious, broody Angel was a turn on, this playful one was a sight to behold. Within seconds her blood was boiling with the familiar rush of desire. 'God he is so sexy' she couldn't help thinking to herself.
"That you, Miss Summers, are beautiful," he replied, lifting her feet off the ground as he embraced her in another tight hug. He felt the words didn't do justice to the depth of his admiration of her beauty, a beauty she possessed on the inside as well as the out, but he also had a feeling that Buffy just knew what he meant and how much he worshipped her. Their bond was so strong at times that their minds and feelings were open books to one another.
"So are you," she softly gasped, the feel of his arms around her sent shock waves of pleasure through her system. The room around them seemed to fade in the background and Buffy was all but consumed by the presence of Angel. His muscles rippling beneath her hands, his beautiful eyes gazing into hers, the sheer power and mystery he exuded off of his demeanor, all drove her to a high more powerful than any drug. She wanted him again, now, as soon as possible.
"Men aren't beautiful Buffy," he said, softly kissing her ear and nipping at her earlobe. His nose allowed him to take in her sent, an intoxicating combination of soap and perfume, desire and sunshine, and a separate exotic creation all her own, uniquely Buffy.
"They can be, you are," she followed, burying her fingers in her hair, thinking how he made other men look like pale, weaker versions of the race known as the male species.
With that Angel just smiled, carrying Buffy to a large cushioned chair and sitting down on it, setting her on top. Buffy sat facing towards him, straddling him while wrapping her legs behind his back. "I just can't believe how beautiful you are, so soft and warm and smelling so good," Angel managed to whisper out as he leaned slightly forward and took one of Buffy's creamy breasts in his mouth, his hands firmly grasping the lower portion of her back. Buffy arched towards him as waves of sensations engulfed her and passion took control over her being. Her hands grasped his head and held it there, not wanting it to move away and stop administering the pleasure that she felt from this act. The world all but fell away, tossing them into a dizzying rush through space as stars exploded in their eyes.
Buffy started to unconsciously move and rub against Angel, her body responding to the aching need that took control of her mind. Angel let go of her nipple, threw his head back and gasped; his body completely consumed in sensations beyond words, sensations that left him flying through the night air, each and every part of his body felt awake and alive. Once again a combination of love and lust crashed through his body and took possession over his soul. In a moment of glorifying pleasure, strength and need he found his way home, once again becoming one, body and soul with the one he loved and worshipped. This act more intense than the last, the two lovers pushed, screamed, and grasped with the force and intensity of two very powerful beings desperately drowning in oceans of unfathomable feeling. As colors flashed neon bright before their eyes, a mighty earthquake seemed to rock the foundations of their very beings, causing them to find together the very peak of heaven and earth. Shaking and gasping, they held on to each other tight, their bodies starting to come down from their ultimate high. The peace of the night settled in the room and thoughts of tomorrow's foretold doom purposely kept hidden out of respect for the moment.
Chapter 17
Buffy watched the sun slip peacefully over the horizon; its golden brilliance lying to rest as the night slowly declared it's dominance over the world. The sky was transformed into a brilliant collage of color. Beautiful pinks, oranges, and purples shimmered across the large canvass of sky looking like a breathtaking watercolor painting, the kind that Buffy's mom often had in her gallery. A cool breeze caressed Buffy's skin, ruffling her hair, and as the night awoke from its slumber, so did Buffy. The day was her time of peace and normalcy, the time when she lived the life considered the norm for a human female in her age bracket, but the dawning of the night awoke the hunter within. Adrenaline would rush through her veins as her senses would become more in tune with her surroundings. The transformation of day into night enticed her, it drew her attention like a beacon, delving into her mind and calling forth her passions. A million thoughts raced across her brain, thoughts pertaining to love and longing, as well as thoughts pertaining to battle and bloodshed and death. The calm serenity of that short period between night and day was gone all to soon, shadows falling across the earth as the stars and the moon made their welcomed appearance across a darkened sky.
Angel found Buffy in the garden in front of the mansion. She stood as still as a statue, just staring off into the night's sky. Her beauty and aura of life moved him as he started to make his way over to this most precious being, his lover as well as his best friend. They had spent the remainder of last night and most of the day in each other's arms. They had shared the pleasures of their own secret haven and had relished in their unbreakably strong love of one another. They had laughed, they had cried and they had made love constantly, falling asleep in each others arms only to wake up a little while later for some more. The lingering threat of tonight's battle had not touched them during the past day, so lost were they in their own world, but as was always the case in their past, the looming of danger could not stay away forever.
Angel came to stand behind Buffy, his hands resting on her shoulders in loving affection. Neither said a word, both were trying to hold on to the peace of each others company for as long as they could before they had to face the inevitable and go into battle with the rest of the gang. Angel's thoughts became consumed with his familiar protectiveness over Buffy. He would gladly give his own life to protect her from harm. At times he felt the strongest urge to grab her and hide her somewhere safe while he fought all her battles for her. The worldly and knowledgeable part of him recognized that Buffy was a warrior, just like him and she would never be happy hiding from what her fueled her blood, what drove her very instinct, and what called for her to act upon that desire. All he could do tonight was fight by her side to the best of his ability and hope with all his heart and soul that that was enough, that they would be triumphant and live to spend another day in each other's arms.
"I can't see it," Buffy said, her voice breaking the silence and echoing through the stillness of the night. "I can't see tonight's battle. The past year, when I concentrate hard enough, I've been able to see scattered glimpses into the future. The prophetic dreams that used to come to me only at night slowly started coming to me during the day as well. Giles said it was because I am coming into full strength as the slayer, and that in time I would be more prophetic than Drusilla, but I can't see anything about tonight; a big, fat nothing. Maybe this battle isn't like all the others I've fought for the past five or so years. Maybe this is the one Angel, the one that all slayers face at some time or another, the one that brings them to their death," her voice was somewhat hollow and detached, as if she herself didn't believe her words, but that the thoughts had briefly scattered across her mind. In her head she kept telling herself that she was strong, that no son of a bitch was capable of doing anything to her, and that she and Angel would celebrate their victory tonight by coming back here and glorying in life.
Angel felt as though a bolt of lightning had just struck his heart, and anger and denial crashed through his system like a giant ocean wave. Nothing would dare take Buffy away from him, not when he had just gotten her back into his life. For a moment he wanted to scream his outrage, to yell at her and tell her not to think that way, to reassure her that she absolutely would not die and to threaten her that she had better not die or he would torment her in the afterlife. Gradually reasoning set in. Angel remembered the Whistlers words, he had said that some serious changes were about to befall the slayer, changes that the Whistler had said that only Angel could help her through. If he was destined to help her with changes in her life then that meant she still had to be around. Soft love and understanding took control over Angel's soul, as he reassured himself that she would be in his life after tonight's battle.
"You will not die tonight Buffy," Angel stated, his voice slightly cracking, " I once told you that we can't be sure of anything, and we can't, but let me assure you now that I know that you will not die tonight. It is not meant to be, I know this much. We will fight and we will win and I will love you in this life and beyond. That is what is meant to be and that is what will happen."
Buffy turned and stared lovingly at Angel, not sure if she believed him, and still feeling the slightest doubt, but loving him none the less with every fiber of her being. No matter what fate threw at them her love for him would never change. She drew from his confidence, while his unbending love and support rebuilt the small, temporary damages in her own. "I love you," she told him, placing her fingers under his chin to draw him close for a kiss. The night melted into the background as the two lovers embraced in love's passion, warm lips devouring cool ones, the rush of love warming them both against the night air. They parted feeling dizzy, love flowing from every pore of their bodies as they stared into each other's eyes. Buffy held out her hand and Angel took it and together they walked to face the night.
Chapter 18
Two slayers, three watchers, a vampire, a witch, a demon, and two humans slowly made their way to battle. The silence on the ride to the old stone church was deafening, no one daring to speak, each holding their hopes and fears internal in a false belief that if nothing was voiced out loud then maybe the worst might not happen. Angel was surrounded by the light hum of racing heart rates and quickened pulses, amazed at the courage the group exhibited. None of them, save the Whistler, knew how the outcome of the night's struggle between good and evil would turn out, but no one had backed out nor bowed down when meeting at the library to gather weapons and join forces. Each member of the gang appeared to be approaching the upcoming match of forces with their own quiet dignity. Years of fighting a nightly war against the Hellmouth left little to the imagination, though experience still couldn't stop the racing of hearts and the adrenaline rush that comes with being faced with life and death. The most amazing thing, Angel reflected, is that even Xander, Cordelia and Faith were quiet, and he decided to take this rare and almost pleasant event as a possible omen.
Angel could feel the heat radiate off of Buffy, who was sitting next to him. The expression on her face lacked any sign of anxiety while her demeanor held a quiet strength. Angel felt love swell inside of him at the sight of her, amazed still at her persistence and her courage, realizing that she would never cease to amaze him and that he would never tire of looking at her. The fears she had spoke of to him earlier seemed to be put aside for now, for she was the silent leader of the group, the one to carry most of the responsibility on her own shoulders, the one the others relied on to be strong in events like these. The safety of the world depended on her now, as it had so many times in the past, and Angel knew from experience that she would do what it took to win and insure the safety of her friends and family. She was the most noble creature he knew, and he again marveled at how someone as beautiful and wonderful as she could be his to cherish and love.
Giles was also starring at the slayer he had grown to love like a daughter, and at her loyal friends whom he also loved. He felt a pang of regret that each of the young people in what he considered to be his family had given up the last few years of their childhood to keep the world safe from harm. The last of their innocence had been cruelly ripped away and replaced with the knowledge of all that is cruel and evil in the world. As they headed to face yet another prophecy of foretold doom, Giles wished with all his heart that the people in this van were to find some sort of peace in their lives. Even though most of them had joined willingly in the cause that he and Buffy had been born into.
He was glad that the watcher council members Thomas and Coner were here to witness this event. None of the council save those few who have been out in the field, could possibly understand what was truly going on with out living it first hand. Giles' interaction with Buffy these past five years had taught him an invaluable lesson, that the council is not always right and that some of their rules and traditions were in serious need of changing. Buffy had shown him that having friends and family kept the slayer grounded and strong. She had shown him that love and friendship are the strongest tool against evil. She had proven that a slayers ability and courage didn't need to be formally tested by some insane tradition of the council's because it was already tested every night as she stepped out to face what ever fate threw her way.
Giles hoped the other council members saw the same things that he had, that they would learn from Buffy and her friends and go tell the other council members about it. Only those who have been forced into the middle of battle, those who have been both the hunter and the hunted, those who have faced both death and life in the same instance of time, could possibly know the truths that he and Buffy had grasped together. The time had come for the secret society known as the watcher's council to come into the 21st century and start a new more beneficiary program for the slayer and her watcher. This battle might be the only key allowing those changes to happen. After what seemed like an eternity the old grey stone church came into view. Buffy caught her breath, willing her anxiety to calm down and her heart to slow. Another prophecy was about to be defeated and in her mind she continued to replay Angel's words to her previously, the ones that claimed she was going to be okay, and that she would live despite this close attempt at fate. She knew she had to be strong, for the others as well as for herself, and so she used every amount of will power she could muster to lock away her feelings of insecurity. She would deal with those feelings latter, when the balance of the world didn't rest in her hands. For now she thought of anything she could to distract her from thoughts pertaining to doom, she thought of Angel and of how much she loved him, the memory of last night sent pleasant shivers through her body. She would survive this battle and then celebrate life with Angel; that was the plan. Finally somewhat relaxed, she amused herself with how the old church in which the demon Cain and his equally demonic army resided in looked like something out of a cheesy horror movie. It had the right atmosphere for what was about to occur, looking dark and dank, with just a hint of something sinister surrounding it like a dense fog. Strangely there were no sound of crickets, nor life of any kind surrounding the building, it was as though it was aware of its dark reputation and it had to look the part. The faintest glimmer of candlelight could be seen through the cracked stain glass windows.
The gang exited the Whistler's white van in silence, Willow holding her spell book to her chest while the rest of them grabbed their own weapons. The beginning of the end was about to occur, and Buffy's life would never be the same as a result.
Chapter 19
The night lay quiet and still, seeming as if it was holding its breath in anticipation for the battle about to commence. The gang was quiet as they sorted through the artillery, each person or demon using the silence to mentally psych them up for the battle that lay just a few minutes ahead. Electricity was felt in the air as adrenaline radiated off everyone like heat waves from the sun. Every piece of weaponry was checked and double-checked; the contents of Giles' intimidating locked closet were now laid out over the bottom of the van. Spears, cross bows, stakes, daggers, knives, swords, and the ever-famous tranquilizer gun were all prepped and ready for use. Willow busily prepared the ingredients to her spell as Giles kept a watchful eye over who took what, intentionally making sure that Faith stayed away from the sharper objects, she tended to get over zealous when it came to anything used for stabbing.
Giles half expected Buffy to grab her cross bow, the weapon that had become her safety blanket over the years, the one she felt most comfortable behind, but instead he was surprised when she pulled out a long duffel bag instead. The bag had been stashed by her under the seat of the van during the confusion of loading it back at the library and no one had thought to question at the time as to what she had needed to keep hidden from the rest of them. Angel stopped what he was doing to watch her as she slowly opened the bag, his battle ready predator instinct suddenly turned to alarm as he noted her expression, she looked like she was in pain, it was as if the contents of the bag upset her. He started over to her as she looked up and stopped him in his tracks with a single gaze. Her eyes were large dark pools, her pupils grew to encompass almost the whole iris of her eyes, and the expression on the rest of her face was fierce and tragic. Slowly, maintaining eye contact with Angel the whole time, she brought out what the bag had kept hidden.
A shinny, silver sword came into view, a sword that told of dark times and of mortal agony, the sword that had once been the sole guard between hell and earth. The site of this sword sent Angel into a blind panic as a tidal wave of memories and voices assaulted his mind. The reminiscence of a battle from a different time raged in his head and tears filled his eyes as he remembered where he had encountered the sword before. The sword had been pulled from the chest of the demon Acathla in an attempt to create hell on earth. The one that Angel's evil counterpart Angelus had used to wreak havoc and nearly destroy the world with, the sword that had been forced from Angelus' hands as Buffy knocked it from his grasp in a battle to the death. Imprints of the pain of a returning soul, the site of Buffy hurt and crying, and the fiery torments of hell surfaced from the dark corners of his mind, consuming his thoughts, and he stood, drowning in Buffy's eyes, on the verge of breaking down.
The rest of the gang stopped what they were doing to watch as the tension began to unfold. Those who did not know of the events that went on surrounding the sword looked on with curiosity while those who had lived through it with Angel and Buffy stood teary eyed as their own tragic memories resurfaced from the depths of each of their minds. Giles was rapidly wondering why it was that he had never thought to ask Buffy what had happened to the second sword, knowing full well that the first one she had used had gone to hell with Angel. It was apparent that she had kept the second sword hidden in her possession all the years following the battle that had caused the group their greatest heartache, the one that had almost cost them their slayer and their soul filled friend Angel.
Giles shook his head in an attempt to dry his own eyes, examining in his mind why Buffy would bring out the sword now of all times. It was obvious that she felt that the sword was prudent in the upcoming battle or she would not have risked upsetting Angel or herself or any one else for that matter to bring it out. Giles hoped against hope that she didn't bring it because she had a vision of death and dying before the events that had led them here this evening. Suddenly his love for her as a father took control of the duty of the watcher and he made a silent wish in his head, a wish not uncommon to most parents, the wish that his slayer, his child, would out live him. No parent, watcher or not, in blood or through a different kind of bond, should be forced to watch their young one die.
A single question kept running through Angel's mind, the only question he could think to ask while his mind showed no mercy with the assault of memories. "Why did you keep it?"
Buffy's own heart lay broke in a million pieces as she to relived the events surrounding the sword. She couldn't think of a single answer to give him and so she decided to give him them all. The time had come to bring the past out in the open and finally lay it to rest, now was the time for complete and total honesty. "After you were swallowed in the vortex I picked this up and just kept swinging it in the air where you had disappeared, I wanted to either pull you out or follow you in, and I didn't care which one happened. When I finally realized that the vortex was completely closed, I hung on to it thinking it might be the only key to getting you out. I used to keep it under my pillow at night in the hopes that the answer to releasing you from hell would come to me in my dreams. Then you came back, and I loved you still, I had never stopped loving you. I kept the sword after that to remind me why I couldn't give in to my very strong and selfish need to just loose myself in you and never come back. I wanted so much, more than anything, to just pick up where we had left off before you lost your soul, but I couldn't and the sword was my masochistic way of reminding me why I couldn't." Buffy smiled at Angel, the tears in her eyes making them shine brightly in contrast to the stars in the sky. "I brought it tonight because I thought you might want to use it to help me send some demons to hell. Demons that actually deserve to go there this time. I thought that maybe it's not too late to use the sword for some good."
With that said Buffy took the few short steps it took to stand directly in front of Angel. She slowly held out the hand holding the sword in the air, allowing him to take it from her grasp. With this act, the vampire Angel was given the final redemption for Angelus' deeds. He would use the sword for good, the way Angelus had used it for evil and he would lie to rest each ghost from the past with every killing stroke he made. The time had come to again to defend earth from hell and this time he was going to fight side by side with Buffy, the love of his life, who he would never be separated from again.
Chapter 20
Everyone held his or her breaths as Angel grasped the sword offered to him by Buffy. Like an actor in a well-rehearsed scene he took hold of it and swiveled it in his hand, getting used to the feel and the weight of it, and then he made a single, smooth slash downward through the air. A loud swishing sound echoed through the hollowed night as a result of this movement and the gleam of the predator awaiting battle once again returned to Angel's eyes. Now was the time for battle. He focused his gaze on Buffy, the gleam in his eyes almost frightening, and made a single comment, "Let's do it."
That was all the invitation the rest of the group needed to finish preparing for battle. Faith was so excited she could barely breath, her blood was rushing straight to her head. Situations like this always made her extremely hyper, no one could get the thrill out of battle that she did, or so she thought. She loaded herself with weapons, grabbing a few stakes and a dagger, though mainly just for show. Underneath the waste band of her pants she kept a small revolver, one that she kept hidden from the rest of the group knowing Giles would disapprove. She figured that what he didn't know wouldn't hurt him and that the loaded gun might just prove to come in handy if the situation got rough in there.
Xander, Cordelia and the watchers Thomas and Coner also grabbed weapons, prepared to be back up to the rest of the warriors if they were to need it, though none of them were planning to involve themselves unless the situation called for it. Cordelia and battle didn't exactly mix, though Buffy never doubted that Cordelia would be able to hold her own if she was pushed hard enough. Cordelia was always full of surprises, one of them being a sharp tongue that could throw any demon off of their mark. Only Giles and the Whistler were going to join the others on the battlefront, each having the readiness and the years of practice to fend for themselves in situations such as the current one they were stuck in.
Willow busied herself with her spell; her face held an expression of total concentration as she poured little baggies of powder into a large clay bowl that she had brought with her. One by one she added more things to the mixture, her mind struggling to stay focused on her task, and to not think of her friends who were about to risk their lives, again. After completing the mixture she looked up at Giles, doing her best to keep all anxiety off of her expression. "Everything is ready to go. Once I complete the spell all of those within the church will be rendered in a state of complete dizziness and confusion, it will look as if they are completely drunk. However, if any are to escape outside the confined space within the four walls of the church they will regain a clear head. Shall I go ahead with it?"
Giles simply nodded his approval; he was also noticing a change in his demeanor as a result of the upcoming battle. The Ripper, his strong, aggressive, alter-personality, was making a comeback. This side of him only came out certain situations, like battle or anyone threatening any of his kids, especially Buffy. He was the watcher, the father and the fighter all in one package, with a dash of finesse in there for thrill, and he was thoroughly intimidating in this state of being. Adrenaline crashed through his system in waves, and his mind was screaming for action. He swiftly grabbed his own sword, ready to take on hell and damn fire to fight along side his slayer in the balance for good and evil. The time had come, again, like it had so many times before.
Willows voice filled the silence of the night as she murmured her incantation, throwing in even more ingredients into the pot as she chanted. An orange smoke started to rise from the depth of the pot, and it danced and curled as it made its way up into the sky. The smell of sulfur mixed with something else struck the nostrils of all that were close to her and the monotone of the voice she used to complete the spell lulled the senses. Willow, the kind hearted witch, slowly, methodically, completed her task and then once again looked up from her work. "It is done."
All eyes then turned to Buffy, the girl who was without a doubt, the slayer. Buffy had just completed her own metamorphosis, gone was the mild, loving Buffy Summers and in her place was the warrior, the slayer to top all slayers. Every muscle in her body tightened in anticipation and her body, as a whole was springy and ready for action. Her mind was amazingly calm and clear, strategies and tactics working they're way across her brain. Every breath she took fed the blood that was crashing through her veins in a battle ready speed and her posture took the heir of strong confidence. She held the glance of each of her brave friends, her eyes conveying the respect that she held for each of them. At last her gaze rested on Angel, who had already changed to game face and was anxiously awaiting battle, sword in hand. She gave him a small smile, and then she reached down and grabbed her cross bow. Nodding her head to the group at large, she smiled to all of them in turn. "Let's kick some demon butt."
Angel laughed, his golden eyes twinkling in loving adoration for his fearless beauty. Buffy smiled at him once more and then turned and slowly led the way to the church, the others following not far behind. The time had come for battle and the fates of the universe were about to be determined.
Chapter 21
Slowly the gang made their way to the foreboding church, each member trying desperately to keep their minds focused and to not let fear seep in and throw them off track. Buffy was aware of every step, every movement and every breath that was taken around her. She cringed at even the little sounds of dry leaves crackling beneath their feet, not wanting to alert the demons inside the church to their presence. The church seemed to glow as a result of the pale lights that shown through the windows from within, causing the building to look sinister and unholy. Whether the others shared the impression of the appearance of the church or if it was just a figment of Buffy's imagination, she didn't know.
She could feel the presence of Angel by her side without even looking in his direction. Energy radiated off of him and into her. It was as if they were feeding each other strength, preparing to fight side by side in battle. They group as a whole got closer and closer to the church; weapons were clutched to bodies as if they were life preservers thrown to a drowning victim. The anxiety was so thick in the air that Buffy could sense and feel it, almost as if it were a living breathing thing with a life all of its own.
Finally they reached it, the large wooden double doors that were an entrance into the nest of the demons, an entrance into hell. Everyone paused and stood frozen, all eyes looking to Buffy for instruction. She took a deep breath, willing herself to breathe nice and easy to slow her heart rate down. By the expressions of the faces of her friends, she knew that each one of them was trying to do the same thing. She took a mental inventory of all her friends, committing their images to memory in the chance that this was the last she saw of them. Her gaze paused on Angel, and she tried desperately to reach out with her mind to his, to convey through her expression her complete and total love of him. To let him know without the use of words that she loved him so very much and that she always would. Angel eyes showed recognition, and Buffy knew that he understood the urgency in her gaze. He understood it, excepted it and sent her one with an equal aura of devotion. Finally Buffy nodded her head and turned to open the door.
No one dared breath as the large doors opened with a very loud squeal and the inside of the old, deserted church was revealed to the gang's waiting gaze. The site before them might have actually been amusing if Buffy and friends were in any other type of situation. Thanks to Willow's spell, a large group of demons were found stumbling around clumsily clutching their heads as if dizzy. Buffy was the first one to actually step into the church and the demons made no notice of her as they each struggled to regain their equilibrium. Angel, Giles, Faith and the Whistler were soon in as well, and Faith couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle, "Oh this is going to be way too easy," she said quietly under her breath, while the others filed in behind her.
Weapons were raised immediately and Buffy gave the signal to charge. As a result chaos insued, those demons that were closest to the entrance were first to be hit, and although they tried to fight back the spell had been immensely effective and each demon was dispatched easy. "Whistler and the rest of you, stay by the door and if any demons make a run for it or try to get out, you guys stop them," Buffy shouted. She didn't turn her head to give this order she was currently preoccupied with aiming her cross bow at a snarling, charging demon that was heading in her direction.
To the members of the gang that stood by the door on the sidelines the battle actually looked captivating. It looked as if it were a choreographed movie scene with spectacular use of marshal arts and flashy weaponry. Faith was gleefully beating up one demon she had pinned to the ground; each hit she made caused her already large smile to brighten even more. Giles and Angel were forging ahead with their swords, each making stroke after stroke of precision filled movement, barely killing one demon before heading to the next. The Whistler stood at the door and easily handled any demon running to escape, then looked down at his nails as if bored. Then there was Buffy, fighting and leaping and kicking her way to the front of the building, to a place that used to be an alter for worship. It was there that a tall, dark man stood one that looked completely unaffected by the spell as he stood there and watched the little blonde slayer get closer and closer to where he stood.
From all outward appearances he looked like a normal mortal, it was the heir he carried that gave Buffy the hunch that he was a demon, the dark aura that surrounded him that told her that this was the demon Cain whom she had come to kill. Eerie mystery glowered off the man like heat waves and his expression gave no indication of surprise or disgust or even anger at the battle that was carrying on in front of his gaze. His large black pools of dark eyes followed Buffy's every movement as she made her way to where he stood and the edge of his mouth twitched in a sinister smile. True evil was about to encounter true good, and each was ready for the confrontation.
Chapter 22
The sounds of struggle became muffled in the back ground as Buffy came to stand in front of the powerful demon that had named himself Cain. He made no immediate move to engage her in battle, but instead looked her up and down, his eyes glowing with amusement. "So this is the undefeated slayer I've heard so much about, you'll have to excuse my frankness, but I'd thought you'd be bigger," his facial expression held a smirk to it that Buffy was just itching to remove permanently from his face.
"I'm so sorry to disappoint you, if I ever meet up with you in hell, which is where I'm about to send you by the way, I'll be sure to wear heals," Buffy responded, not allowing herself to be the least bit intimidated by the demon. Though her body was on defensive mode, all tensed up and ready to spring at any moment.
"And how, little girl, do you propose to accomplish that? Your nothing more than a child and no matter what your track record may or may not be, there is no possible nor logical way you can prevent me from opening the mouth to hell. Though I must admit, its going to be amusing to me to see you try," Cain remarked, still wearing the smirk that Buffy was already tired of having knowing the guy for two minutes.
"I thought I'd try violence first, that usually works for me and trust me I can be pretty inventive when it comes to killing your breed, it gives me a tremendous happy," Buffy replied, equally casual though different ways to kill and maim him were flashing across her mind. During the course of the conversation her brain had been analyzing his size and possible strength and Buffy knew that she would have to take him by surprise to gain the upper hand. She was almost positive there was more to this demon than the eye beheld or he wouldn't have been so well known and intimidating. Plus he had a strong confidence about him that clued to her that he wasn't used to loosing. It all added up to the inevitable, she would kill him or die trying and she had to move fast.
"Your in over your head this time little girl. I'd start running now if I was you, and to be fair I'll give you a five-minute head start. It is more fun that way, for me anyway," Cain's eyes flashed deadly and a red glow seemed to over take them, Buffy knew it was now or never. She took a deep breath, dropped the crossbow she had been carrying and grabbed a knife from her pocket and plunged forward, aiming blindly for the demon. He moved with inhuman speed out of her attack and then laughed amusedly as she stumbled. "Is that all you have?"
Buffy felt her rages grow and with that rage power surged within her. Her own eyes took on an unearthly glow and an expression of strong resolve hardened her features. She moved to attack again, adjusting her timing and aim to accommodate the speed of the demon. This time she made contact and both of them fell tumbling to the floor. A wrestling match took hold, this one meaning life or death.
"You are going to be so sorry you did that Slayer," Cain gritted out angrily, the red pupils of his eyes now grown to encompass his whole eyeball. He was stronger than Buffy and faster and he quickly had her pinned beneath him, his face the epitome of evil rage.
"You know what Cain..You talk to much," Buffy breathed out before she moved her knee to make powerful contact with every man's, demon or no, extremely sensitive area. Cain glowered in pain and Buffy used that time to reach behind her and pull out the dagger she kept hidden in the back of her bra strap. With out a moment's hesitation she made her strike, aiming straight for the heart. Strong electrical currents flowed from Cain's body into hers as her hand held the knife that had pierced the heart of her foe. A dark green blood started to flow freely onto Buffy from the demon and amazingly enough the demon still held a smirk.
"You may have thought you won Slayer but what was mine is now yours," the demon spat out as the electrical charge grew even stronger. Trapped beneath the demon she was powerless to move from out of under him and her whole body was encompassed by a painful, fiery sensation. Every cell through out her entire being felt as it was going to explode and though she didn't know it, her eyes took on the demon's bright red glow. She had never felt so much genuine pain in all her life, and tears formed in her eyes as she fought to hold onto her sanity while this assault to her system raged its deadly war. At last the demon known as Cain slumped dead on top of her and the pain abruptly stopped.
She quickly moved out from underneath him, taking hold of a hand that was offered to her. While she had been fighting Cain, Angel had made his way over to her, his heart in his eyes and he watched Buffy take on the powerful enemy. He had tried to get to her as fast as he could but he couldn't get there in time to help her out with the demon. Luckily she didn't need any help, and Angel helped her stand to her feet before grabbing her and holding her in a tight and powerful hug. "Buffy, you did it, you killed him and out smarted him. It was so amazing to watch," Angel mumbled softly into her hair as he repeatedly stroked it with his fingers.
Buffy pulled away to face him and to give him a smile when she noticed Angel's face took on an expression of alarm. Not knowing what was wrong she frantically looked behind her to see what could have possibly brought this change over him. "What is it?" she asked, not seeing anything alarming behind her or otherwise.
"Buffy, your eyes, they're red," he stammered, at a loss of what to do or how to react.
Chapter 23
The church looked as if it had been struck by a tornado, with the bodies of demons laying on the floor and blood splattered on the walls. The two visiting watcher's council members felt nauseous not used to this site or the violence. When the saw that the battle was done they both quickly ran from the church, their minds working fiercely to block out the image of the blood shed. Denial was the only form of medicine their brains could accept. Everyone else was making a mad dash for Buffy, Angel's exclamation having each member of the scooby gang in panic for his or her friend. Buffy looked confused and hurt her eyes releasing silent tears down her face as she remembered Cain's last words to her. The world came crashing down on her as she realized finally at what the demon might have meant.
Angel's heart broke when he saw her tears and moved to immediately gather her in his arms again. He didn't really care what color her eyes were, this was Buffy, his Buffy and though he had an idea of what might of happened he loved her no matter what, without condition. Angel had a sinking feeling that Buffy was going to have a hard time with what his instincts told him had happened when she had killed Cain. He held her even closer and murmured things in her ear, wanting to show her desperately that he was here for her and he wasn't letting go. Surrounded by his love, Buffy's eyes started to slowly return to their natural color and the rest of the gang stood paralyzed as to what to do or say to her.
Only the Whistler didn't seem the least bit surprised. He stepped forward, ready to brake the news to the kid. He knew she was strong enough to handle it but he was not looking forward to seeing her upset. The slayer had done nothing but good in her time and she deserved a life of peace and happiness. Unfortunately she wasn't going to get it, though at least she did have her soul mate to help her through the tough times that lay ahead. Angel was the only balance they could give her to combat the sacrifices that she would have to ultimately make. The Whistler hoped it was enough.
"Buffy," the Whistler said gently, all eyes on him. "Everything happens for a reason, and what has just happened to you was intended to happen. We've been waiting for this for years, since before your birth. You are the one sent to be the balance between good and evil and your coming against Cain was inevitable. Cain was an immortal, and his life essence was passed on to you through his death, as was always intended. The prophecies have been fulfilled and the immortal slayer has finally come to her complete calling. The slayer line will continue, as it already has but you are so much more, it is you that will keep the evil from becoming to great. You and Angel."
It took awhile for the Whistlers words to register in Buffy's brain; her mind could not fathom the truth to what he was saying. Finally the realization hit her as did the rage at what this implied. She pushed away from Angel and stepped back, not wanting to be touched or held by anyone, including him and a fresh stream of tears made their way down her cheeks.
Angrily she started to speak, each word punctuated and filled with inner turmoil. "So what you're saying is that I have to spend eternity fighting for my life. They'll be no retiring from the slaying gig, no house with a fence and a dog, no freakin college degree, no future cause I've been chosen to be the balance?! Where is my say in this, why do I have to sit by and watch my friends and family grow old and die while I'm left at twenty? Why do I have to endure lifetime after lifetime of death and blood and violence? Does it ever end? What did I do to deserve this, why me?"
The rest of the room was silent as Buffy ended her tirade. No one knowing what to say to comfort her, to make it better. Buffy was openly sobbing out loud, her face red and swollen from her hard crying. She wanted to scream, she wanted to run, she wanted to start throwing any object she could get her hands on really hard against the wall, that is until a pair of hands landed softly on her shoulders. Through tear blurred eyes she glanced into the eyes of the man before her, the one she would now get to spend eternity with, her Angel.
She found herself once in again in his arms, wetting his shirt with her tears as they fell more softly this time from her eyes. Angel just held on tight and tried for all he was worth to absorb all the pain from her and take it for himself. He knew what she was going through, when he had regained his soul for the first the thought of living eternity surrounded by death did not seem the least bit appealing and it had nearly driven him mad. In those early years he had contemplated walking out into the sunlight so many times but he never could do it and now he knew why, it was because he was destined to meet Buffy, his partner, his equal, his love and his best friend. They would do this together.
Gradually Buffy's tears subsided and she looked up into Angel's beautiful brown eyes. "I'm glad I get to spend eternity with you," she finally said softly, "even if we have to spend it fighting the bad guys. I love you, Angel." With that said she rested her cheek against his chest and just stood there comforted in his embrace. "I love you too Buffy," he replied, tears filling his own eyes as he gently kissed the top of her head and then rested his face on it, closing his eyes and breathing in the scent of her hair. The rest of the gang slowly approached them, each member putting their own arms around the two until everyone was involved in the group hug, and like that they all stood for many moments, in love and in support.
Letter to the Watcher's Council:To Fellow Colleagues and Friends,
We have just witnessed courage, love and sacrifice in its truest, purest form. The Sunnydale team has taught us a great deal the past week, the least of which is true honor and integrity. Never have either of us witnessed anything remotely of the kind as we have seen displayed for us here, and we will be the first to admit that the council has been wrong all these years in its assessment of the Slayer and her network of support. This group works together in a way that no paid or assigned army could, each member contributes and offers a variety of help and love and support. The Slayer is strengthened by this and it keeps her focused on the main objected while offering her the chance to share the burden of responsibility with others. And then there is our colleague Rupert Giles, a man in which our respect has grown tenfold for in this past week. The bond between slayer and watcher is based on trust, which is something that Miss Summers and Mr. Giles share for one another. His love and concern for her has resulted in his joining her in battle, actually fighting along her side instead of remaining on the sidelines, the cautious observer. This makes them informidable, a deadly father/daughter team. The respect the slayer has for her watcher is obvious and this respect he also shares for her. The decisions they make they do together, resulting in combined interest and ingenuity. Bottom line, the slayer thrives in this environment. This battle has shown us that we members of the council might need to re-evaluate our dealings with further slayers. It is entirely possible that the early death of a countless number of slayers could have been prevented had those slayers shared in the circumstances that this one does. We will speak further of this matter upon our arrival home and hope to be welcomed with an open mind and a listening ear.
Sincerely,
Thomas Butler
Coner Jones
Chapter 24: The Epilogue
Fifty years later:
The Innkeeper eyed the young couple that walked in to his hotel, noticing right away the love and affection they obviously shared for one another. They walked holding hands, their fingers interlaced and their noses nuzzling gently together. It was a wonder they were able to walk straight and not bump into objects that got in their way. From the Innkeepers guess, he would have to say they were both in their early twenties, their whole lives ahead of them. Slowly they approached the counter, temporarily pulling apart to address the Innkeeper.
"My wife and I would like a room, please," the tall, dark haired man requested, his gaze turning briefly to look at the beautiful blonde by his side as he gave her a look of total adoration. She looked back at him in much the same fashion and the Innkeeper had the sudden urge to go home to his wife of twenty-five years with a bouquet of flowers and a bottle of wine.
"You two must be newly weds," the Innkeeper remarked while punching in their request on his computer.
"Oh, well, it seems as though we've been together a life time," the blonde replied, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
"Buffy," the man at her side playfully warned, squeezing her hand in silent communication, but the Innkeeper just nodded, complete unaware of any context to Buffy's words. "It felt like that when my wife and I first got married too," he replied, having no way of knowing that these two beings were older than both he and his wife. "Enjoy the newness of your relationship while you can folks, before the thrill is gone. Here you go you're all set in room 311 on the third floor. Have a good evening and enjoy your stay here at our fine establishment," the Innkeeper said as he handed over the laser/voice-activated key.
"Thank you," the man replied, his gaze once again completely concentrated on his partner.
"Hey Angel," the woman, Buffy, called out in a musical voice as she ran ahead of her soul mate, looking back at him as if he were the only man left on the planet. "I'll race you to the room, I want to get there before the thrill is gone," she said teasingly.
Angel laughed at his love and raced to follow her to the room, eager to see what she had in mind. Fifty plus years and he would never get tired of this, that he knew for sure. The Innkeeper just shook his head in amazement at the couple's antics while mumbling under his breath, "Newlyweds!"
The End!
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