Title: Miss Fortune
Author: trixie firecracker
Rating: PG 15 some violence and suggestiveness
Disclaimer: Buffy, Angel and the rest of the cast do not belong to me. They
are property of Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. No infringement is intended.
Summary: A big bad is coming and Angel will have to go to Sunnydale to stop
it. Oh no!!

MISS FORTUNE
Angel entered the offices with an air of gloom about him. He frankly did
not want to work that day. Who did? The weather was rainy and unappealing,
and there was a certain smell to the air. It was an evil smell and he didn't
like it. Something was coming. Something bad.
"Hey Cordy," he greeted his resident Girl Friday with a half-grin. It was
more of a grimace though and she winced.
"Wake up on the wrong side of the bed?" she cooed, tapping away on the
computer while he took a cup of coffee and sat down. She looked at him,
perplexed. "Do vamps drink coffee? I though blood was the morning beverage
of choice?"
"Usually," he responded, sipping the aromatic brew, letting the warmth
seep into him. "But I just couldn't face that cold stuff today. It's strange
out, don't you think?"
She tilted her head to one side. "Yeah, it is actually now that you
mention it. It's all freaksome. Yuck and a half."
Just then Doyle entered, a worried look on his face. "I've had a vision,"
he explained and Angel sat up straighter, more than a little alarmed.
"Your girlfriend's in trouble," Doyle announced and Cordelia shook her
head.
"He doesn't have a girlfri---Ohhhh, Buffy. Damnit," she cried. "Why the
hell doesn't that girl leave us alone?"
Doyle shot her a withering glance. "She can't help it 'Delia. When you're
the Slayer I would imagine trouble follows."
"She deliberately does this," Cordelia continued, undaunted. "She's
trouble. Of the big bad kind. If it was up to me--"
"Cordy," Angel cut in, none too gently, "Can I please hear what Doyle
saw?"
"Sure," she replied flippantly, shaking her head. "Whatever floats your
boat."
Both men ignored her, speaking in hushed tones.
"It's the Hellmouth Angel," Doyle told him. "It's going to open, and
well... the Slayer will die."
Angel sat still for a moment and then he said in a pained whisper, "You're
sure Doyle?"
"Yes," the Irishman responded. "I wish I wasn't."
Angel rubbed his forehead wearily. "Well," he spoke, getting up and
pouring the coffee down the sink. "Let's go home Cordy."
****
"Buffy," a whisper intruded on Buffy Summers' dreams. Annoyed, she punched
out with her fist in the vicinity of the voice.
"OWW! Jesus, Buffy!"
That woke her up. Opening her eyes she was faced with her boyfriend, Riley
Finn, who had a disgruntled look on his face as he rubbed his cheek.
"Damnit, why the hell did you do that?"
Buffy almost wanted to giggle, and then she thought better of it. "Sorry
honey," she crooned, kissing his injured cheek. "I was in dream-land."
Riley lost his scowl. "Okay, I forgive you. Um, your Mom's been calling
you for breakfast."
"Great, Mom-time," she bounced out of bed. "She's never home in the
mornings cause of the gallery. This'll be quality time with the Momster."
"Ah...no it won't Buffy," he informed her. "She left when you didn't wake
up. But, I'm here," he added when he noticed her face fall.
"Yeah," she didn't really brighten but made an effort to put on a happy
face. "Hmmm...I've got training to do today. Giles is being a real
workhorse. I think it's a British thing."
"I thought we would hang out," Riley groaned, drawing her onto his lap.
"We will," she promised. "Just not today, okay? I really need to do my
training. Besides, they'll be some time for togetherness while we patrol."
"Yeah," he kissed her. "I guess."
"Okay," she jumped off his lap. "I gotta shower so I'll see you later."
As she turned on the shower she got the weirdest feeling that someone was
watching her. Shaking it off, she took off her pjs and tested the water.
Hot, just as she liked it. "Mmmm..." she murmured, letting the beat of the
jets massage into flesh still aching from patrol the other night.
From the shadows of the window, Angel turned away, feeling ashamed, and
yes, unbearably turned on. he would have to come back later. Even from where
he was, he could smell her skin, could almost taste it. He couldn't be in
the same place at her if she was naked, he just couldn't. It was too
hard...reminding him of what they had had, what they could never have again.
Sighing, he turned to go.
"Angel."
The shocked whisper stopped him. He didn't want to turn around but he had
to.
"Buffy," he acknowledged, trying to sound casual. Her eyes narrowed.
"What are you doing?"
He looked her over in her skimpy robe, which covered her wet flesh only
down to mid-thigh, and swallowed hard. "I came to see you...but I could see
you were you busy so I--"
"You saw me with Riley," she stated, sitting down on her bed. He came into
the room again and leaned on the windowsill. He hadn't seen her with Riley,
but the idea sent jealous fire through his belly and up his chest.
"Oh, so he stays over?"
The question angered Buffy, he could see the way her lips tightened and
her eyes blazed. "Yes," she returned coldly. "Do you have a problem with
that? Oh wait, I forgot for a second, I don't care."
Angel closed his eyes briefly. Why did she hurt him so deliberately? But
then, he understood to a degree. After all, hadn't he yelled at her in LA,
told her to get out, to go home. Hadn't he hit her?
"Look Buffy, I didn't come to argue with you."
"Oh, well why did you come?" she crossed her arms. "Cause I certainly
don't remember inviting you to my town."
He winced, but kept his cool. "Something's coming. Something bad. My
co-worker Doyle had a vision and--"
"You came to help me? Oh, so sweet," she cooed. "But I don't need your
help Angel. I'm a big girl. Not the same Slayer I used to be. I can handle
the bad here. You handle it in LA, okay, then we'll---"
"You're going to die Buffy."
It was a blunt statement and not how he had intended to tell her. But,
since she wasn't making this easy for him, he wouldn't make it easy for her.
"What?" she squawked, jumping up. "WHAT? That guy had a vision that said I
was going to die? Angel, what the hell?"
"Calm down."
"Don't tell me to calm down!" she raged. "I'm not a little schoolgirl! I'm
friggin well, nineteen years old Angel! And I can be mad if I want!"
"I know, I know," he soothed, although he felt a little like slapping her.
Since when had she become this way? This shell of the old Buffy. When had
she become a bitch? He hated connecting that term to his old love, but he
couldn't stop it in his mind. She was not that same girl he fell in love
with.
"God, Angel, what? Tell me what the vision guy saw."
"His names Doyle," Angel told her and she made a dismissive motion.
His lips tightened, but he held his temper in check. "The Hellmouth is
going to open and you are going to die. That's all he saw. But it will be
soon, that I know. I found a book of prophecies. The exact date is smudged-
I can't read it, but the year and month aren't."
Buffy raked her hands through her golden hair and let it fall in waves
over her shoulders. "This...this has already happened. Didn't we already do
this? Damnit...oh damnit."
"We should tell Giles," she said in the next breath.
"Cordy and Doyle are on it," he responded, getting up and pacing up and
down her room. It was so strange to be back in this room, after all that had
happened. This was where they had laughed and cried, kissed and whispered
sweet nothings... his mind wandered as it drifted into memories of long ago.
"I better tell Riley," she said thoughtfully, looking at Angel. "He'll
want to help."
Just her saying his name cut into Angel's core, but as he looked at her,
he was struck by the thought that he couldn't remember why he had loved her.
The Buffy sitting before him was not the girl he had fallen in love with.
She was a stranger and he didn't want to know her.

*****

Rain was pouring over Sunnydale. It wasn't even a drizzle, Buffy Summers
thought crabbily as she walked down Main Street towards the magic shop. It
was a full-fledged blizzard of water, and it was making her mascara run.
As she opened the door, she saw the Scoobies all assembled in the back,
obviously deep in conversation. "Hey!" she called, shaking out her jacket
and hanging it on a peg at the front.
Willow jumped up and so did Xander. "Buff!" they yelled, coming forward.
"We are so sorry!"
"What about?" she asked, perplexed. "Oh the death thing? Been there, done
that and not looking to make a return visit. Don't worry, I'm not gonna die.
We'll just find a way out of this is all."
"We know," they assured her, but worried expressions remained on their
faces.
"Sooo..." Buffy began, flopping down on a cushy couch opposite the rest.
"Whats the dire? Have we found anything?"
Giles took of his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "This
torrential down-pour is apparently going to turn into a hurricane," he
informed them, picking up a huge tome which simply read- "PROPHECY" on the
cover. "We'll have to take shelter somewhere and train. The Hellmouth will
open on the fourth day of the storm."
"God," Buffy said a little wearily. "You know this sacred birthright
thing? Sucks."
"Royally sucks," Xander agreed, rubbing her back. He figured he could get
away with it since they were in a time of crisis.
Tara, who had been quiet up until that point, spoke, "We're all with you
Buffy."
The Slayer smiled gratefully. "Thanks. I know you are. Ummm...I guess you
know Angel's here?"
Willow looked sympathetic. "Well we've seen Cordelia and that guy Doyle. I
guess Angel's first stop was at Casa Summers huh?"
"You got in one," Buffy replied, wincing when she thought back to the
strained meeting. She thought for a moment. "The mansion! That's where we
can
shelter. There's a ton of room for training and it'll be protected from the
storm. I bet Angel's staying there anyway."
"That sounds like a good idea," Giles said. "How about we all meet there
in an hour? Go home and pack and then come as quickly as you can."
As they all began to leave, Riley came through the door with a friend who
the gang had met before but didn't know well. An ex-Initiative buddy they
were
guessing. "Buffy." Riley took her in his arms and kissed her lightly. She
grinned up at him distractedly.
"Hey baby," she cooed, and behind her back Xander made mock gagging
motions until Willow shushed him.
"Buffy, we need to get to a secure location.":
"Ooohhh... military speak," she groaned, "It annoys me. And, we're on it.
We're heading to the mansion."
"What mansion?" he questioned. She wondered how to break this to him.
"Angel's old mansion. We're all going to stay there."
Riley's lips tightened. "Angel? Vampire guy? I don't think so Buffy."
The Slayer stood her ground firmly. "Sorry Riley. No choice in the matter
okay? This is no time for old petty arguments. Its gotta be full-on training
mode for the next while and I need you to behave." She poked him lightly in
the chest for emphasis and then smiled to take the edge of her words.
He seemed to slightly relax, but kept the disgruntled look on his face.
"Fine, but if he even--"
"Let's go," she cut him off and grabbed her coat. "We'll meet at the
mansion in an hour."

***
Rubbing his eyes wearily, Angel glanced up from the huge book he was reading
to look at everyone else working busily in front of the fire. Willow, Tara
and Xander were reading up on the Hellmouth's creatures, and on the
prophecies. A huge box of donuts and several pizzas littered the ground
around them. Looking to his left, Angel saw Cordy and Doyle talking in low
tones as they surfed the Internet, looking for anything that might be
useful. And to his right... well that was where Buffy's lover, Riley sat
with his friend named Christian. They were going over battle techniques in
some sort of training manual. Angel's head ached ever so slightly. He needed
action... he wanted a fight.
Getting up, he moved with stealth like grace into the next room where
Buffy and Giles were training. Sucking in his breath, he watched from the
doorway. Buffy was dressed in nothing more than tiny shorts and a tank top
and she was sweating profusely, so the thin cotton garments stuck to her in
many places. Right then she was working without Giles, simply beating the
hell out of a life-sized punching bag. Giles sat in one corner, monitoring
her technique.
"Feel like fighting someone real?" Angel pushed away from the doorframe
and watched as Buffy stopped her kicking and threw back her head proudly.
"You wanna?" she asked, hands on her slim hips as she stared him down.
Angel nodded. He could feel a thrill going through him, a reaction to the
smell of her sweat and the blood, pulsing beneath her skin, which was
flushed with exertion.
Giles stood up. "Well," he said, obviously uncomfortable. "I think I'll
leave you two now."
The two ex-lovers squared off. Angel removed his shirt with ease, setting
it on the chair. He could see that Buffy was watching him hungrily, and felt
himself go hot. "You think you can take me?" he questioned with a sly grin.
"I've been practicing."
"So have I lover," she sneered lightly. "And I know I can take you. I've
always been able to."
Angel growled in response, as they circled each other warily, each waiting
to see who would take the first punch. It was Buffy, of course. Angel still
couldn't hit her without provocation. She righted him in the jaw and
followed that with a swift kick to his side. He grabbed her leg, using it to
propel her to the ground. Not even winded, she bounced back up and the fight
continued.
Both gave it their all, sweating, panting, punching, kicking, they whirled
around the room in a dance of death, an elemental force taking over as they
each tried to emerge the winner, force the other into submission.
"Don't hold back on my account," Angel snarled, flipping her over his
back. She turned it into a somersault, savagely kicking him.
"I won't," she growled, completely lost in this desperate need to win, to
prove her power over him, even if it was only physical. Angel dropped to the
ground, panting. That kick had knocked it all out of him.
Suddenly Buffy came back to herself. She went down on her knees, grabbing
him. "God, Angel, I'm sorry."
He held his side, "Don't be. And don't pity me. Save that for your
lame-ass boyfriend."
Her eyes clouded with hurt as she snapped, "God, suddenly you sound so
much like Xander. It's disarming."
He stood up, faced her. "We're alike in some ways," he told her angrily.
"We were both in love with you once and now probably can't remember why."
Buffy recoiled as if he had slapped her, her eyes swelling with tears of
utter misery. "I'm gonna go," she whispered. "And I'd like you to stay away
from me Angel." Her face flashed with rage, her desire to hurt him back
taking over. "And don't you ever talk to me about Riley again. He's twice
the boyfriend you ever were."
With that, she stalked out, leaving Angel to sit, with nothing to keep him
company but memories.
***
The wind howled and the rain lashed against Buffy Summers' face, but
she welcomed it. Welcomed the pounding torrents of water against her tiny
body...she wanted to be swept away. Forget about everything that was going
on...
"Buffy! Get inside!" the command was shouted, but it sounded like a
whisper compared to the storm.
She turned to look at Angel, who had no trouble standing in the hurricane
just like her. "Stay away from me," she yelled back and anger clouded his
features as he came forward, grabbing her arm and yanking her roughly in the
direction of the door.
"Get the hell inside Buffy. I mean it!"
"What're you gonna do? Try and kick my ass? I think we've established
you're a failure at that," she breathed, yelping slightly as he dragged her
up against his chest.
"We could try again," he growled, and she giggled inanely, feeling drunk
on her power as a Slayer, and most especially, her power over him. Or at
least the power she used to have over him.
"Give it up Angel," she scoffed. "You know you can't take me. You know you
never could."
"I could take you if I wanted to. Right now, right here," he snarled and
she realized they were talking about something very different now.
Buffy whimpered as he held the back of her neck, tracing the scar at the
base of it with his long fingers. "Do you remember that?" he asked her
softly against her ear, letting his tongue trace the lines of it and heard
her moan softly.
Pushing away from him, Buffy faced him off, ignoring the wind and rain
still raging around them. "Hardly," she lied. "In fact, it's slipped my mind
now why I ever let you do that."
Angel took her hand and stared deeply into her eyes. "I bet you can't. The
Buffy that exists now would never sacrifice herself to save someone she
loved would she?"
Buffy wanted to weep, but she couldn't. There was a lump of ice over her
heart and it wouldn't unthaw. "You killed that girl," she told him harshly.
"She doesn't believe in those things anymore."
Angel came closer, drawing her against him ever so slowly. "I think she's
in there somewhere," he breathed huskily, wiping the rain off her face
needlessly.
"You can't force things to come back," she responded softly over the
shriek of the wind. "Sometimes they're just too broken."
He cupped her cheek in his hand. "Don't destroy yourself Buffy. Not for
me--"
Pulling away from him, she snapped, "trust me Angel, I wouldn't do
anything for you ever again. You used to be the person that I ran to. That
mended me. But now... well I don't have anyone like that anymore. I've had
to learn how to mend myself. Alone."
His eyes were sad. "What about Riley?"
She glanced up at him. "I think you know that it's not what we had--"
breaking off, she groaned in despair. "How do you always do this to me? Ten
minutes with you and I'm giving up the guy I love!"
"Do you love him?"
The question was blunt, and it angered her, but she knew he needed to hear
the answer. "Yes," she informed him and saw his face harden into an
expressionless mask. "I love Riley. But not--- not the way I loved you.
Angel... what we had... it is something I don't think I'll ever have again.
But it's over. You made sure of that," she finished bitterly. "So all we can
do is move on. Fight the big bad and try to forget."
"But we never do," he returned, looking straight into her hazel eyes.
"No," she agreed softly. "Never."
And the wind howled and the rain came down but neither moved... not for a
long time.
****
"I'm tired..." Buffy moaned to anyone would listen. Xander glanced up from
his book, obviously weary and irritable.
"Aww...want me to make you some warm milk?" he snarked and Buffy raised
her eyebrows.
"Hello man with a 'tude!"
He looked sheepish and rubbed his eyes. "Sorry, sorry, I'm Mr. Cranky, its
just that we're not getting anywhere and we've been at this since
yesterday...plus, this damn storm is giving me a headache."
"We can barely hear it in here," she pointed out, sitting up from the
reclining position she had been in, tugging on the hem of her sleek
sweatpants with a grimace.
"Huh," Xander responded with a weak grin. "Must be the voices in my head."
Buffy giggled, getting up and stretching before the fire.
"Buffy!" the shout came from Riley.
"What?" she yelled back, not at all inclined to go see what he wanted. She
really didn't want to deal with him right now, and the thought irked her.
Its cause of Angel, she groaned inwardly. I don't want to talk to him cause
of Angel.
Riley strode into the room, his expression menacing. He held in his hand a
slim leather-bound book, which he waved in front of her face. "Well, so, I'm
gonna kill Angel!"
"WHAT?" she whispered, in a deadly soft voice. "Riley, what are you
talking about? What is that book?"
"Its not a book," he laughed almost manically. "Its a journal. Dead Boy's
journal."
Buffy felt her throat go dry and her body tighten with rage. "You read
Angel's journal?!"
"No, I didn't," Riley informed her. "Christian did. Oh yeah, and he found
some sick fantasies about you in there Buffy. What do you think about that?"
"Sick... what are you talking about?" she asked, at a complete loss. Angel
would never write perverted things about her. She knew that.
Riley looked triumphant, but mostly he just looked furious, in a way she
had never seen him before. "Well there was one about him drinking your
blood. It was this whole thing about how you risked you life to--"
"That happened,' Buffy cut in quietly. "Now why don't you give me that all
right?"
His fingers kept a firm grasp on it as he said, "Well then what about you
guys kissing in a skating rink? It actually says that you kissed when he was
all 'game-faced', I know you wouldn't do that so--"
Buffy felt herself go cold. "That happened to. Riley... give me the
journal."
"You did that?" his face crumpled. "Buffy, how could you do that? That's
disgusting."
"It's not disgusting," she snapped. She could feel something coming apart
inside her. "It isn't. Angel and I were in love."
"Well what about this then?" he opened the book and pointed to a page. "I
know this didn't happen. It talks about this whole day where he was human...
that didn't happen!"
Buffy was perplexed. "No," she said softly. "I don't think it did."
"Sorry Buffy," a voice said from the doorway. "It did happen."
"Angel?" she blushed as she saw him look pointedly at the diary that had
somehow gotten into her hands. "No, it's not what you think..."
"So, Riley's buddy didn't steal it and take it to him and then Riley
didn't
confront you with it?"
"Okay," she amended. "It's exactly what you think. But seriously Angel...
I would have made him put it back."
"What I want to know," Riley broke in, his mouth a compressed line from
built-up anger, "is what gives you the right to pen down these fantasies
about MY girlfriend--"
"You're wrong you know,' Angel told him.
"About what?"
Angel walked forward, cupping Buffy's face in his hand and looking down at
her. "Well about two things actually," he said to Riley while still holding
Buffy. "That she's your girlfriend. She was never yours. She's my girl and
she always will be."
Frustrated, Riley shouted, "Well what about the other?"
"Oh yeah," Angel glanced down at the Slayer, shaking his head regretfully.
"I never wanted to tell you this way Buffy. But everything in that diary is
true."
"You weren't human," she said firmly. "I would remember that."
"I was," he insisted. "But I had to get changed back. And the day was
erased."
"Why didn't I know about this?" she questioned, her hand stroking his
shirtsleeve.
Pained, Angel gazed into her eyes. "It was the day you visited me in LA.
We-- well, maybe I'll just let you read about it in the diary. It might be
easier that way."
"Angel..." she protested, but he pushed her gently into his old bedroom,
closing the door.
Buffy sat down on the bed, reeling from the shock of all that had
happened. After a moment, she curled up on the coverlet and opened the
journal to the marked page.

~~ Buffy.... her name torments me each night and each day. Echoing through
this room is her voice- "I'll never forget, "I'll never forget...". But she
has forgotten. That day. That day only I carry in my heart, in my memory. I
can still remember the shock of seeing her at my doorway and how strained
the conversation was. It wasn't always like that with us, but now that is
what we're reduced to. Simple pleasantries, each of us disguising our true
feelings, our true desires. The demon changed all that, however briefly. For
one moment we were united, however tenuously, in the battle, in deciding to
kill it. Although the trek through the sewers was not as heart wrenching as
one not too long ago, it was still difficult. Her sweet and girlish way of
expressing how strange she felt around me touched my heart and made me
remember... how much I loved her, how much I missed her, just her simple
presence. But we still couldn't give in. We both acknowledged that it
wasn't going to work and so we went out separate ways- her to her world- the
world of the daylight, and me to the dankest and darkest parts of the
sewers.
How the demons blood came to change me is nothing short of a miracle. If
our hands hadn't connected... but they did, and when the Oracles told me
that I was human again, I didn't know what to do. My place in the world was
no longer clear. However when Doyle asked me what I wanted, I knew... I
knew... I wanted Buffy. She was the only bright light in my shadowy world in
centuries. God... the memory of that kiss. That kiss in the sunlight. Her
lips were like honey, her arms and her heart embracing me like she would
never let go. It was the greatest heaven just then, being in her arms; I
have never felt so safe or protected.
If we hadn't made love, things might be different today. But we did, and I
knew we would. It had been too long since we lost ourselves in each other,
simply felt and took and gave and let our passion take over. When she lay in
my arms she told me that she had never felt that way before "like a normal
girl falling asleep in the arms of her normal boyfriend." My heart felt like
it might explode from happiness- I could never love her anymore than I did
in that moment. So many new things in that day... I got to watch her sleep,
watch the way her chest rose and fell with her breathing, see her eyelids
flutter and wonder if she was dreaming of me.
If only I hadn't gone after that demon with Doyle. I should have known I
wasn't strong enough, the smell of blood made me gag and any fight knocked
me out. As always, Buffy saved me, and held me and nursed my bruises. It
broke my heart as I lay there clutching her knee, because I knew what I had
to do. I couldn't help her like this. I couldn't help anyone. So I did what
I had to do. I went to the Oracles and asked them to change me back. I
regret that everyday, every moment, every single second. Telling Buffy was
the most painful thing I have ever had to do.
All we could do was weep and hold each other and kiss, desperate kisses
because we only had a minute before the Oracles gave us back the day...
before they made Buffy forget. Her words are etched in my brain- "How am I
supposed to go on with my life? Knowing what we had? What we could've had?"
I don't know how I go on, even now. The day might have been erased for
everyone else, but for me, it lives, it breathes, it has force that consumes
me. But it is the Day that Never Was. I must remember that, and never tell
her. Never tell my love... my Buffy. ~~

Blankly, Buffy stared down at the page, watching the ink run as wet
splotches fell all over the page... as it melted and swirled. Dimly she
wondered if the rain was leaking inside from the roof. It was only when she
lay her hand on her face that she realized she was crying.

****

"This mansion is way too big," Buffy grumbled to herself as she navigated
through the narrow halls, glancing up at the cobwebs on the ceilings,
hearing
the wind howling outside. She shivered, rounding a corner and finally saw
him. Her destiny. Her only conceivable future. ~Why have I fought this for
so long?~ she wondered, taking a moment to watch him.
Angel. He sat on the floor in a deserted hallway, leaning against the
wall, his eyes closed. But he knew she was there. Just like she had felt
when he was near. "Buffy," he said softly, proving her thoughts to be true.
"Hey," she responded quietly, sitting down next to him and handing him the
journal. "It was a good read. I give it five stars!"
He half-smiled, turning his head to look into her eyes. Impulsively she
leaned over and kissed him ever so gently. He didn't fight it and their lips
melted into each other, as they both scooted closer, laughing when their
foreheads bumped.
"I missed this," he told her lightly, pressing his forehead against hers.
"Giving me head injuries?" she quipped and he laughed slightly, kissing
her again, and again.
"Mmm... Angel, we have to talk," she grinned, but slid onto his lap,
liking the way his arms went around her right away, protecting her, making
her feel safe.
"So," he began. "You know now."
"Yes I do," she agreed, snuggling against him. "And I want to say thank
you."
Angel reared back, so shocked his eyes practically bulged out of his head.
"WHAT?"
She gathered him against her heart, telling him softly. "I don't think
I've ever said that enough. Why you have put up with me lately Angel, I'll
never know. I've been a bitch and you're just trying to help me."
"Shhh..." he soothed, caressing her hair. "You had a right to be mad...I
left you."
"Yes you did," she responded. "But I made a mistake to. I shouldn't have
let you go."
"I had to," he insisted and she nodded.
"Maybe you did, ya know? And I think in some ways this time away has made
you... stronger...better. You've changed Angel... and I like it."
He smiled against her mouth. A full smile, and she almost wept with joy at
the sight. "Do you..." she faltered. "Do you still--"
"Do I still what?" he questioned tenderly, tucking a lock of hair behind
her ear. "What is it Buffy?"
Her voice was barely discernible, but he heard her. "Do you still love
me?"
"Sweetheart," he grinned gently, tilting her face up so she was looking
him straight in the eye. "I have always loved you. And when we're old and
still pretty," he winked and she giggled through her tears, "and we're
sitting on our porch watching the sun go down each night, I'll still love
you. It will never end--"
Buffy stopped him. "Old? Angel," she spoke to him softly. "You're not-- I
mean, are you okay?"
"Buffy..." he began hesitantly. "There's something you should know."
She looped her arms around his neck. "You can tell me anything."
Angel took a moment to thank whatever powers that be for bringing the old
Buffy back, and then looked her straight in the eyes. "Buffy... I'm going to
be human one day."
About ten different emotions passed over her face... but the last was the
most important. It was joy. Knocking him to the ground with the force of her
kiss, Buffy laughed and laughed, embracing him as they rolled around on the
cold floor, neither noticing the hard stone beneath them.
"This can't be real..." she said sweetly, grabbing his face and kissing
him again. "You're perfect. Everything is perfect!"
"Not yet," he cautioned her, but without any real conviction. "We have to
get through the battle."
"We will," she vowed with the utmost confidence. "Cause I want that dream.
I want to watch the sun go down with you."

*****

Sometime during the night the storm ended. It was not immediately apparent
to all in the house; the insulation protected it too well. However Giles was
the first to notice the sudden absence of wind and rain, and frantically ran
all over the house waking people up, and gathering weapons.
"Where is Buffy?" Giles shouted over the din, raking his hands through his
hair. Everyone glanced around, stopping what they were doing for one quick
moment.
"No Giles, I think the question we should be asking is, 'where's Angel?"
Willow said softly, and Xander looked worried.
"You don't think she gave him a happy do you?" he snarked. "Cause that's
the last thing we need... a big bad Angel on our hands."
"No, I don't think she gave him a happy," Willow snapped. "But they must
be together somewhere."
As if on cue, Buffy and Angel walked into the hall, holding hands and
smiling. "Whats the what?" Buffy asked, glancing around confusedly.
Giles looked exasperated. "The what Buffy is that the storm has stopped."
"Oh God!" she exclaimed, "We didn't even notice!"
"Buffy," Riley said, his voice dead quiet. Everyone stopped what they were
doing. It was unfortunate, because up until that second they had all
forgotten his existence. And that had clearly made him angry. "What the hell
is going on here?"
She swung her head around, "We don't have time for this Riley. Okay, do we
have all the weapons?"
"Check!" Doyle called.
"Okay, I want Angel, Riley, Christian, and Doyle to come with me. We'll be
fighting the actual creatures. Giles, Tara and Willow I want you to do the
spell
I know you've been working on. Xander and Cordy... you'll be in charge of
the
weapons. We'll need you on hand cause I can't carry them all at once. All
right, everyone's got a job, let's move!"
"I'm not coming!" Riley shouted, obviously still pissed at Buffy, and
everyone looked at each other, shrugging.
"He'll get in the way anyway," Xander surmised and so they left him
behind.
The odd looking troupe exited the mansion and walked outside. The air was
still. Unnaturally so, and everyone shifted uncomfortably. Choked with dust
and the scent of evil, the oxygen around them swirled and shifted, alerting
everyone to the upcoming Apocalypse.
"Damn," Xander muttered succinctly.
"I second that," Buffy returned, coughing slightly. Angel took her hand
and squeezed it. Just that small gesture was enough to make her stand
straighter and regard the upcoming battle with a shred more confidence.
"All right," she fired out as they continued walking-running to the
school. "I don't want anyone worrying about me. I don't plan on dying so
lets not wig about it. Just watch your own backs and get out of the fight if
you're hurt. Got it?"
As they neared the school and got read to go in, everyone simply looked at
each other. There was no need for hugs- they all knew how important they
were to each other.
Buffy's nostrils were overwhelmed with the stench of decay and death as
they entered the school. ~It's already opening~~ she thought warily. It was
the smell of the Hellmouth. The smell of demons and darkness and all that
good stuff.
She forced herself to keep running in the direction of the library, and
finally reached the rotted out, burned double doors. She could barely
believe this place was her old High School.
Kicking open the doors, Buffy was faced with her destiny. The Fight.
Armageddon. She had a feeling that this battle would be it. This was the
biggie that would decide it all.
Gulping, she entered the library and saw snake-like creatures beginning to
emerge from the Hellmouth, their tentacles waving madly as their grotesque
bodies round around the pillars by the doors. A couple of vampires had
risen, and Buffy swallowed.
"So this all like an all-you-can-kill buffet huh?" she snapped. "Well come
and get it."
With a swing of her sword, she entered the battle. Everyone else was with
her at this point as well. Angel, her and Christian fought the vampires and
other moving demons that were coming out with full force. Xander and Cordy
and Doyle were busy fighting off the tentacle-waving creatures that were
trying to cover the library with their chokehold. Willow, Tara and Giles
were
preparing the binding spell.
Buffy could feel the strength surging through her as she fought the
biggest battle of her life as a Slayer. These were no ordinary vampires and
demons. They were super-charged, ten times stronger, faster and wilier. And
they were thirsting for a good fight. But then, so was she. Buffy punched
and kicked and staked another demon with all her might, but was then
distracted by a pained shout.
"Buffy!" Angel cried as a demon thrust a stake through his heart and he
gazed at her with shocked eyes.
"Angel..." She reached out a shaky hand to him, and he tried to grab a
hold of it. One last touch. But it was too late. Angel, her only love, had
crumbled to dust and died before her very eyes. Buffy felt her ears begin to
roar, her head burn, her body shake. The pain was coming. It spread like a
fiery bird, opening its wings over her belly, breasts and throat, crushing
her lungs. It made her want to cry out but all she could force was a husky
word.
"Angel...."
It was only then that she realized a vampire was grabbing her and as it
began to strangle her, she let it. What was life without him anyway? What
did she have left if he wasn't in this world?
~~Nothing...~~ she mind intoned dully as she felt the room begin to blur and
knew it was because her heart was running out of oxygen to pump.
Buffy fell to the floor. As the room spun, she thought she saw Angel
before her and smiled weepily, gladly. Why did he look so terrified?
"You came for me," she whispered. "now we can be together."
"Buffy...I love you."
Those were the last words she heard. Buffy Summers blacked out. She died
with Angel's name on her lips.
"Buffy!" Angel shouted, grabbing her. As he held her in his arms, weeping
uncontrollably, he glanced up to see that they were alone in the library
suddenly. Except for two other people. The Oracles.
"What--"
"Do not speak yet, warrior," the woman Oracle snapped gently. "We have
come to rescue you. We have come to save you."
"I don't need to be saved- Buffy does," Angel moaned, holding up his
love's limp body. "Please... help her. I'll die again... if that's what it
takes. But please.... help her...."
"You know you have received your Shanshu," the male asked and he nodded,
tears on his face.
"I know I'm human, yes, but I'll give that up again if you would bring
Buffy back. Please... the world needs her. I... need her."
The woman Oracle smiled. "This love... it moves me. We will grant your
wish. And know it now, after this moment, the fight is done. You and the
Slayer have stopped Armageddon. You have closed the Hellmouth for good and
there will be no more. She will no longer be the Slayer and you will be
human. Live out your lives in peace. Your breath and your breath alone will
revive her. And remember... together you are strong, alone you are dead."
The Oracles disappeared in a flash of light and suddenly Angel was back in
the library, no longer holding Buffy. Glancing around frantically, he saw
the Scoobies all crowded around her fallen form. Xander and Willow were
holding her, trying to perform CPR on her. Everyone was crying. Xander and
Willow most of all.
Angel came over in two quick strides and parted the group. "I've seen the
Oracles," he said. "I can revive her."
Xander looked up at him with rancour. "You bastard. If you had never left
her..."
Angel for once felt pity for the boy. "Let me do it Xander. I promise
you... I promise I can save her."
Xander studied him for a moment and then picked Buffy up tenderly and laid
her in Angel's arms. "You better save her Angel. Don't let her down this
time."
Angel gazed down at Buffy's closed eyes as he opened her mouth and covered
it with his own. He breathed into her, filling her lungs with his newly
human breath. That was all it took. Coughing slightly, Buffy came alive, and
everyone exclaimed all at once, crying and hugging and laughing.
"Hey," Angel smiled. Buffy raised her hands to her neck, wincing as she
felt the tender flesh.
"Am I dreaming?" she wondered. "You died."
Angel smoothed the hair away from her face. "Yeah, but I was reborn. It
was my reward. We stopped the Armageddon. Now I'm human."
"I almost forgot about that," she joked weakly and he grinned, kissing her
forehead with the utmost care and then her injured neck.
She embraced him, holding him close. "Angel... things are going to be
different aren't they?"
"Yes Buffy," he said, picking her up in his arms. "They're going to be
better."
"Mmm..." she murmured, as they joined the celebrating group. "I can't wait
for our lives to finally start."
"Together," he said firmly and she smiled at that thought.
"Always," she whispered contentedly. "I told you that once but you didn't
believe me"
"No," he said. "But I believe you now."
Buffy kissed him. "So do we agree on that? The Always thing?"
"Yeah," he grinned and held her against his heart. "We agree."

END. Hope you liked it. Please send me feedback cause it took me forever to
finish!