"Anyanka, we have summoned you here because we have been watching you. You have lived as a human for close to five years," one of the gray-haired Elders spoke. "Have you learned anything?"

She bowed her head in respect for them. "Yes, I have."

"Tell us."

"I've learned that there are people who care. They save people; protect them. And I have learned about love. That sometimes it hurts, but in the long-run, it is a precious gift," Anya explained.

The Elders turned to each other, re-forming their secret conference. After a few minutes, the gray-haired Elder spoke again. "After deliberating, we have decided to return your powers."

Anya couldn't believe it. "You're kidding."

"In order to return to your former persona, you will have to prove yourself, Anyanka."

"Anything. I will do anything I have to." Anya wanted to be rid of her human form more than anything.

"You will be granted the power of one wish. After leaving here, you will be given twenty-four hours to use the wish for the power of good. If we feel that you granted the wish correctly, your powers will be restored."

"So, basically, what you are saying is that I have to grant one good wish to get my powers back." She wanted to make sure she understood correctly.

They nodded. "The wish has to prove worthy."

Anya smiled. "I understand."

"Very well. You have twenty-four hours."

"Thank you."

Anya knew right away what she would do. Upon hearing her task, she had decided who she should give the wish to. She walked quickly down the streets of Sunnydale, her path illuminated only by the dim street lights and the moon. She had to get to her destination fast, before he left and her chance was gone.

When she reached the front door, Anya knocked loudly. HE SHOULD BE AWAKE BY NOW. The knob turned slowly, then the door opened, revealing her intended recipient. He looked at her in surprise, for she had never stopped by to visit him before. "Anya?"

She smiled at him. "Hi, Angel. Do you mind if I come in? There's something I need to talk to you about."

He opened the door wide enough for her to step inside. She looked around, impressed by his artful style of decorating. It shocked Anya to see that a man could still have some taste.

"What can I do for you?" the vampire asked, after motioning for the girl to sit down on the couch. "I'm sorry. Am I interrupting you?"

Angel shook his head. "I was getting ready to go out. But it can wait."

"Well, I'll get right to the point. The Elders summoned me to a meeting a little while ago. They said that they want to give me my powers back. I've been given the ability to grant one wish. It has to be a good one. I don't think I can use it on myself."

"What does this have to do with me?"

Anya sighed. "I can't think of anyone who deserves this wish more than you do, Angel. I still find men to be contemptible, but you're different. You are remorseful of the things you've done. And you deserve this."

"What's in it for you?" Angel couldn't help but be suspicious. Anya didn't always have the best of intentions.

"Like I said, if the Elders feel I granted the wish correctly, I get my powers back. Permanently." She could see that he didn't know how to respond. "I want to grant you this wish. It can be anything, Angel. Please think about it. I will come back at sunrise."

Anya stood up to leave. Before walking out the door, she turned to him one last time. "I'll grant you anything you want." She opened the door and exited the mansion.

He'd been mulling it over for seven hours. Angel had stayed at the mansion instead of going out. He understood that these kinds of opportunities didn't come along every day. To be granted anything he wanted made his decision even harder.

Sitting on Buffy's bed, he listened to her breathing. Slow and rhythmic. Whatever he decided, it would not be for him, but for her. Watching her sleep brought a smile to his usually sullen face. He put his hand on the blankets that covered her body, feeling her heart beat. It was then that he came to his decision. Angel knew what he would wish for.

Five minutes after sunrise, there was a knock on the door. SHE'S HERE, Angel thought. He walked to the door, opening it for his awaiting visitor. "Come on in."

Anya entered, but opted to remain standing. "Well?"

"I've decided," he said simply.

"Okay." She took a deep breath. "Tell me your wish."

Angel blinked long and hard. After 247 years, he was ready. "I wish to be human again, so I can be with Buffy and grow old with her." There, he'd said it.

Anya reverted back to her demon persona to grant his wish. "Done."

He felt a strange sensation pass through his body. Words couldn't describe it, only that he could sense the demon leaving him. When it was over, Angel was breathing heavily. He'd felt the same way when his should had been ripped away six years ago.

"Angel?" Anya asked. She feared something had gone terribly wrong. "Are you okay?"

Dazed, he nodded very slowly. Then he smiled. "I don't remember ever feeling this good. Happy. Nothing holding me down."

"We'll have to make sure the wish was granted. It's past sunrise. Go outside, Angel."

He didn't need to go out in the sun to know for sure. His nerves were rattling and his heart beat rapidly. It was the only proof he needed. "It worked. I can feel it. Thank you, Anya."

"Good luck. I wish you and Buffy nothing but happiness." Anya grinned and left Angel alone in the mansion.

Buffy sat at the kitchen table, eating a bowl of oatmeal and waiting for Willow to come over for their trip to the mall -- their Saturday tradition. She was dressed and ready to go, even though her friend wouldn't be there for another half-hour.

The doorbell rang, interrupting Buffy's attempt to put a spoonful of Quaker Oats into her mouth.

"Coming!" She ran to the door, expecting to see Willow standing on the porch. When she opened the door, she found Angel standing there instead. "Angel, what the-"

She never got the chance to finish her sentence. Angel grabbed her, pulling her into the sunshine for a tender kiss. He loved being able to kiss her, hold her in the sunlight. Nothing in his life had ever felt better.

"What's going on? Angel, it's daylight! You're standing in the sun!" Confusion swept through her mind.

Angel held her hands in his and looked lovingly into her eyes. "It's a long story."

"Short version, then."

"Anya made me mortal."

"You mean you're human again?"

"Yes. Just like you. There's nothing I wanted more than to grow old with you, Buffy. Anya granted me that one wish."

She started crying, but they were tears of joy. "You did this for me?"

"I did it for us. And now I'm free to be with you. We can have everything we couldn't have before. I love you, Buffy. Will you spend the rest of you life with me?"

She sniffled. "You never had to ask." Buffy threw her arms around her now-human boyfriend, raining kisses on his sun-warmed face.

"You have done well, Anyanka," the gray-haired Elder said to Anya. On the screen behind him she watched the tender union between Buffy and Angel. "Your wish was selfless and you have proved yourself worthy. Your powers will be restored."

Anya saw how happy the wish made her friends. It made her think about her life as a demon. "I thank you. But I don't want them back."

"Why not?"

"Angel gave up immortality to be with Buffy. He did it out of love, so he could be with her. That's true love if I ever saw it. "I've lived a long time and I have seen many things. Many of the evil things men have done. But seeing Angel give up his existence of being immortal gives me hope for mankind. Not all of them deserve to be punished. And I have seen what love makes humans do. Living as a human for the past five years has made me aware that love can be found in the most unexpected places. Like a vampire loving a Slayer. And I can feel it now; I love these people. And I love a man."

"We know. Alexander," one of the Elders interrupted.

Anya grinned at the thought of him. "Yes, Xander. I want to be given the chance at love that Buffy and Angel share. With Xander, I think I can achieve that. Being an immortal demon doesn't even compare to the love I feel around Xander. I'm sorry, but I would rather have that. I love him more than I love immortality."

"We respect your decision, Anyanka. And we wish you good luck in life. And in love."

"Thank you." Anya was transported back to the earth, where she went off in search of Xander Harris - her love.

The End

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