Rating: PG
Summary: My take on what happened after the season 5/2 finale. Very short fic.
Disclaimer: I don't own 'em...

"No, wait. I wanna say it," Angel laughed as he and the others reached the double doors of the Hyperion Hotel. They all laughed with him as he opened up the large doors and stepped inside. "There's no place like-"

Angel's joy turned to confusion as he recognized the person seated on the chair in the lobby. "Willow..."

Willow stared at the group, her broken heart trapped in her eyes as she wondered just what she was going to say.

Cordelia's smile fled her face as the happiness of the day faded.

The young witch stood from her seat and continued staring at them all, Angel, Cordelia, Wesley and two people she didn't recognize. Not that she really cared. Here she was, not knowing how to tell Angel, only to be confronted with a group of people who were quite obviously happy with the world that was revolving around them.

Realization hit Angel with a wave of intense pain. "It's Buffy..."

"Willow?" Wesley rushed forward to greet the girl. Cordelia followed at a slower pace, but Angel stood just inside the doorway, his gaze locked onto the redhead who hadn't taken her eyes off of him since his arrival.

Willow hugged both Wesley and Cordelia, but continued to watch Angel.

Sensing the tension in the room, both Gunn and Fred stayed silent, opting instead to watch the scene unfold.

Willow broke away from her two friends and took two or three steps toward Angel, pausing half way to him. She didn't even notice the two strangers leave Angel's side and join Cordy and Wes behind her. They were all silent as they watched Willow and Angel just stand there and look each other in the eye.

"She's dead, isn't she?" Angel asked, no emotion evident in his even voice.

A sob escaped Willow's throat as tears flooded her eyes once more. She placed her hand over her mouth to try and stop herself from crying once again. "I had to come here and tell you, Angel. I couldn't let you find out any other way..."

Her eyes followed him as he walked passed her, as if in a daze. "She's not coming back this time, Angel. There's no CPR that will save her, there's no spell that will make it all go away." Willow looked away from his tense back as she whispered, "She's already been buried..."

Willow jumped, startled, and closed her eyes as the lamp smashed against the wall. No one moved as Angel picked up random items of furniture and hurled them away as hard as he could, tears falling down his cheeks.

Finally, Angel collapsed into a heap on the floor, his body trembling as harsh sobs wracked his large frame. "Buffy..." he murmured. He'd always believed to the very depths of his soul that he would know when her time came. He knew that it wasn't her time, not yet. Not for a long time. She wasn't supposed to die, at least not until the End of Days. Unless the Oracles had lied to him.

Cordelia slowly crossed the room and laid a hand on his shoulder. At the first touch of her fingers, Angel turned on her, vamping out and getting out of the way.

"Angel," Cordelia murmured. "You can't do this. Buffy wouldn't want you to be like this."

Fury was first and foremost in Angel's mind. "What? She wouldn't want me to love her? She wouldn't want me to grieve for her?!? Tell me the truth, Cordelia, do you feel anything at all?"

Wesley stepped forward. "That was unfair of you, Angel. Cordelia is just trying to help you."

A harsh laugh escaped the vampire's throat. "Come on Wesley! When it comes to Buffy, there's nothing Cordelia wouldn't do not to have to her name spoken around here. I have a right to my emotions and if she can't live with that, then it's her problem. Buffy was the best *and* the worst part of my life. I wish you could believe that I can handle that."

Angel got up and walked out of the hotel. Cordelia turned back to the group in disbelief. "What's he think he's doing? Where's he going??"

Willow watched through the glass doors as Angel got into his car and slammed the door. She wasn't surprised when his wheels screeched in protest as he did an illegal u-turn in front of the hotel and took off.

"He's doing the only thing he *can* do, Cordelia. He's going to say goodbye."

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