This led to all the previous slayers killing themselves soon after being turned.

However, Buffy would be different. Unlike the others, she had a reason to live. Him. She loved him and now they'd be together forever. Angel knew he'd have to be extra attentive to her for a while, though. His cat and mouse games wouldn't work well at all with her if she were depressed; all it would do is give her another reason to die. He'd ordered her cow's blood... knowing she wouldn't go for human.

Sighing, he picked up his book and began to read from his spot in a chair beside the bed while he waited.

Finally, the object of his obsession began to rouse. Angel set his book down and anxiously sat on the edge of the bed beside her.

"Hello Lover." He greeted as her eyes began blinking open.

"Angel, what's going on?" She asked sleepily.

"You just took a very long nap." He informed her.

Buffy looked up at him, confused. She knew there was something she was supposed to remember, but she couldn't put her finger on it. Still drowsy, she pushed herself into a sitting position and the room spun.

"Careful." Angel cautioned, gently pushing her onto her back again.

Buffy frowned… she felt strange. All her senses seemed sharper. The lamp was… brighter… the cool air from the air-conditioned seemed to prickle her skin. She felt intense.

"Angel, what's going on?"

He smiled as he sat on the edge of the bed and looked down at her. "You're like me now, my love… a vampire."

Buffy opened her mouth in shock. After a moment, she shook her head. "No… no, I can't be."

"You are." Angel insisted with a smile.

Buffy sat up again, quickly, and slipped out of the bed to head into the bathroom. However, she still wasn't quite ready for such a maneuver and the room began spinning. She held her arms out to grab something, but there was nothing within her reach.

Before she tumbled to the ground, Angel had his arms around her waist and was holding her up. "I told you, Lover… you have to be careful… you're weak. You need to feed."

Buffy shook her head, tears welling in her eyes. "I need to go look at myself in the mirror."

"It's not possible, you know you have no reflection."

Buffy began to sob, as she fought against him weakly. "I do too! I have to!"

Angel held her firmly as her struggles ceased and she was overcome with tears. When she was limp in his arms, he carried her back to the bed and gently placed her upon it, laying down next to her and stroking her cool bare arm.

As her sobs began to die, Angel dipped his head down and lightly brushed his lips over her forehead. "It's not so bad, you'll see."

Buffy looked at up at him, her hazel eyes sad, as she wished it was true. She was a monster now.

He watched as she calmed, with only silent tears streaming down her face. Deciding she should get used to her new lifestyle as quickly as possible, he got up out of bed and headed downstairs.

After he'd fixed her a mug of cow's blood and heated it a bit, he brought it back up for her. "Dinner time!"

A look of revulsion grew on Buffy's face as she sat up in bed. "I'm not drinking that."

"Oh come on, Lover... It's not even human. I got it at the butcher… it's from a cow. Not unlike hamburgers, which you used to eat."

"I'd rather starve to death."

"Buffy..." He moved the mug slowly back and forth in front of her face. He knew she'd have to be starving and the blood would get to her. She was a fledgling. Even with a soul, she still didn't have the strong willpower to avoid the bloodlust that came with age. Sure, she might not feel it for humans… but the animal blood would do it.

As predicted, Buffy's face slowly morphed. Angel wanted to tell her how beautiful she was, but he suspected telling her about the ridges on her face right then would do more harm than good.

"Come on, baby… just a little sip. It's heavenly, I assure you."

Buffy warred inwardly with herself to resist the temptation. She was a slayer. She was born to kill demons that drank blood… so if she did this would it make her any better?

A voice inside her told her that she wasn't killing anyone. She was drinking blood from an already dead animal. Angel was right; she ate hamburgers, so was this any different?

Overcome by temptation, she grabbed the mug with both hands and pulled it to her mouth, drinking from it hungrily. Angel smiled, pleased with her progress. When she finished feeding, she put her hands in her lap with the mug still in them. She stared down at it as her face morphed back to it's human form, amazed that she had just done that.

And that the blood had tasted so good.

Angel pulled the mug from her hands. "Bedtime." He announced as he set the mug on the nightstand and pulled off his silk shirt.

Buffy lay back down and stared at the ceiling as Angel undressed. When he was nude like his lover, he slid under the covers beside her, urging her onto her side so she faced away from him.

"You're so beautiful, so perfect." He told her as he placed kisses along the side of her neck and stroked her hip. His hand moved over her belly, electrifying her skin under its path. Gently, he lifted her leg and laid it across his hip. His fingers slipped between her folds and found a bit of moisture there. He used it to wet his fingers as he probed and teased her.

Buffy's body instinctually reacted to his, although she mentally was not in the mood. Soon, her body took over and all she could think about was him, with his strong fingers.

Once she was ready, Angel pulled his fingers away and slid them one by one into his mouth, sucking her sweet nectar off them. "You're even more delicious now." He told her as he rubbed the head of his erection against her slit.

With an almost painful slowness, he slid his length inside of her. As he filled her, both of them hissed in the pleasure. They never felt so right as when they were connected.

As they made love, they were silent, save for a few moans and grunts. As always, they were very passionate, kissing each other and forcing their tongues to imitate their lower bodies. As his need for release grew, he began thrusting harder inside her, lifting her thigh with his hand to open her wider for him.

Angel was about to come, and he wanted her to join him. Entwining their fingers, he moved their hands down between her legs and teased her sensitive nubbin. Buffy came immediately, moaning his name as her body shook. Her muscles clenching on his cock was enough to push Angel over the edge. Spilling himself inside her, he whispered her name.

As they came down from their orgasms, Buffy pulled her leg off Angel's hip, but stayed in the same position, hoping she could fall asleep and find this all to be a dream. Deep down she knew it was not, though. Now that she'd had a chance to wake up, she remembered him biting her the last time they'd made love. Why hadn't he just let her die and rest in peace?

The same voice that had urged her to drink the blood reminded her that it was because he wanted her so much. He wanted to spend all eternity with her. Most girls would kill for any sort of commitment from their boyfriend.

Angel reached over and turned off the lamp. In the dark room, he wrapped his arms around his lover and snuggled her from behind. "This is how it will be, Buffy. You and me... always."

The words sounded so nice, but then she thought about it. Always. Always was... a long time. Long after her parents and all her friends would die. As much as she could enjoy Angel's company… there were many times she would be so lonely. She had a whole new respect for Angel… the soulful version.

Buffy awoke the next afternoon to Angel teasing her nipples with her tongue. She moaned in pleasure, causing him to look up and give her a devious smile.

"Hello, Lover."

Buffy let her lust for him overrule her depression over being turned. She soon forgot about everything… everyone else in the world besides the demon in bed with her.

He worshipped her body, made her feel like a goddess, then gave her ultimate pleasure. She felt as though when he was inside her, filling her, he completed her. She hadn't even realized a part of her was missing until he'd made love to her for the first time.

After they had both climaxed, Buffy stared up at the ceiling, contemplating how much she hated herself. Angel watched her with interest for a few moments, then sighed, exasperated.

"You're being very irrational, Buff. Okay, I turned you. Is that your fault? Of course not! Why do you hate vampires? Because they kill people. You don't kill people. Hence, you're still all good and sickening. So… stop with the brooding."

Buffy pushed herself up into a sitting position and glared at him. "Why? What do I have to be happy about? Living forever with you? Well excuse me Angel, but the idea of an eternity with *you*, the one who did this to me, is not going to make me want to party. Because of you, I will have to watch all my friends die. Because of you, I won't ever have any babies! Because of you... my mom is being held captive… probably living in terror!"

"Actually…" Angel decided it was time she knew. She wouldn't run home now, and it might earn him brownie points. "Your mother is fine. Safe at home."

"What?" Buffy asked, bewildered.

"I never held her captive. She's been home and free this whole time. I only told you that so you wouldn't run away."

Buffy put a hand to her mouth in shock. "What makes you think I won't leave now?"

Angel smirked. "Oh yeah… I see you running back to her. And how will she take the news of you being undead, Buff?"

His newest childe was silenced. She lay back down on her side, making sure to leave a lot of room between them.

Angel sighed, he hadn't intended on depressing her even more. After she made no move to say anything after a few moments, he got out of bed and showered. He came out of the bathroom and found her in the same position. Chalking it up to her being pissed at him, he decided to go drink. He figured if he went out, she might at least get out of bed.

With that thought in mind, Angel dressed and told her he was going to Lucien's. Buffy didn't even appear to hear him. Angel started getting angry, but instead of doing something to her that he might later regret, he stormed out of there.

It was a good idea, because he had a fun night of getting shit-faced with the guys. He spent quite a few hours there, and only left because the sun was coming up in a few hours. Figuring, he'd get a thorough bitching out by Buffy, he opened the front door.

She wasn't in sight.

Rushing up the stairs, he found her in the same position that he left her. Concerned, he frowned and knelt in front of her. He realized that she didn't look angry at all. In fact, she looked as though she were dead... not undead.

"Buffy?" He asked, gently shaking her shoulder to try to get her to look at him.

She blinked and looked at him, as though she hadn't noticed him before. Her big hazel eyes welled with tears as she whimpered.

Angel sighed. "Why are you so upset?! Now I see why all the other slayers just killed themselves."

"Please kill me! Please?" Buffy began to plead.

"What? No way in hell! Face it, babe, you're here. We're eternal. The sooner you accept it, the sooner the fun begins."

Buffy shook her head and cried. "No… it's not fair… I had no choice."

Angel took a deep unneeded breath. She just couldn't let him turn her and make it easy, now could she?

Over the next few days, Buffy wouldn't do anything. She just lay in bed and cried constantly. She wouldn't even eat when he brought her a mug.

Angel was at a loss at what to do. It was driving him crazy, because as much as he hated to admit it, he was worried about Buffy. He cared very deeply for her. And his lies to himself that she was just a great lay weren't even close to convincing.

He thought back to when Buffy had been her happiest. It was mostly when she was alone with his ensouled self. He'd tried tender with her, and it wasn't working now. When else had she been happy?

When she was with her friends.

Her friends. So supportive… no matter what they'd be there for her. Maybe she needed them. She was so angry with him right now. She needed love and she didn't want his.

Love? Did he just say love?

She needed love, they would give it to her and she didn't want his even if he wasn't offering it, he corrected himself.

Sighing, he tried to develop a plan.

The next day, about an hour before sunset, Angel stripped and carried Buffy out of bed. He took her into the shower and carefully bathed her as she stood, practically catatonic, under the spray.

Angel had never imagined the slayer could be so depressed. Hopefully, this would work. Otherwise, he'd have another Drusilla on his hands. A worse Drusilla. At least the insane one talked and got out of bed.

Once she was clean, Angel dressed the both of them. He managed to get her to walk, as long as he held onto her hand. Making sure that he had all their clothes packed, Angel led her out of the apartment and to his car.

"What are you doing?" Buffy asked.

Angel could tell she was crying. They'd been sitting in the parking lot of Sunnydale High for several minutes. He'd seen Giles' car, so he knew at least he was there.

"I'm taking you to your friends." He answered her.

"Why?"

"Because… you're depressed… and depressing. You're not at all fun anymore. Why would I want you?"

Buffy looked down; wishing his words wouldn't hurt her. He was an asshole, why did she want him to care about her?

"Let's go." He said, opening his door and getting out.

Buffy remained in the car. She didn't know what she wanted, but it wasn't to see her friends. They would hate her.

Angrily, Angel yanked her door open and pulled her out of the car. He half dragged her into the school and down the hall to the library. He gave her the impression he was furious and fed up with her, but on the inside he was petrified that he would lose her. This was a risk, but he had to take it.

He burst through the doors to the library with Buffy in tow. Her watcher looked over at them from where he sat at the large table in amazement.

"Buffy! Are you okay?" He asked.

Angel could tell that the man had spent every moment she'd been gone worrying about her. He didn't look as though he'd slept a wink the entire time.

"She's annoying, is what she is." Angel growled.

Giles looked at him with worry, trying to figure out why Angel was bringing her back. They had deduced that is was highly likely he had taken her, so now that he was bringing her in... Giles was confused.

Angel shoved her towards her watcher, and she tumbled into his arms. She couldn't seem to figure out what to say.

"Oh, yeah… I turned her." Angel informed him. "Unfortunately, she's got her soul."

"Yes… Slayer's always keep their souls." Giles replied dully. His Buffy was a vampire?

"Yeah… well, that's the problem. I'm sick of hearing her cry all the time and begging me to kill her. It's no fun if she doesn't fight." Angel complained. "Which is why I brought her to you. *You* deal with her."

With that, he stormed out of the library before he lost his nerve and dragged Buffy back into his arms.

Left alone, Buffy looked up at her watcher and wondered what he'd say.

Giles looked down at her, so much like a daughter to him, and wanted to cry. He could tell Angel had put her through a lot… and he dreaded finding out exactly what he'd done to her, but it was inevitable if he was going to help her through this.

Where did they go from here?

The End

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