Rating: pg, 14-ish
Disclaimer: If I was walking down the street all I would hear is Not mine, not mine, not mine, and even if I was happy and skipping I would here not-mine, not-mine, not-mine. You see? NOT MINE!!!!!
Summary: Set in an alternate buffy-verse. This roughly takes off after Becoming and goes about three years ahead of then. It's very confusing. I wrote this in the summer after Becoming aired and well, it's long and I thought I'd post it. However, lots of fluff and happy BA-...eventually. Oh, Jenny didn't die in Passion, it never happened, K? Also no Riley or Kate!!!!!!!!! If you don't like it tell me and I'll stop posting.
Note: Dedicated to a very special friend, Kate I don't know what I'd do without you, also to Claire, your encouragement is worth more than you will ever know. And to Jess, r/l can be a bitca, hope you like this fic, I was writing it around the time we started e-mailing each other ::grin::
Feedback: , please let me know what you think, this was my first ever fic!

Prologue

Angel and Buffy walked together in the cemetery, holding hands, both completely comfortable in the quiet silence. The moon bathed the graveyard in an eerie light, it glinted off the tombstones coldly. Not the most romantic of places for a date, but sometimes you just had to make do.

"Angel..... I don't know what I would do if I lost you again"Buffy looked at her soulmate as she said this. But she knew he loved her and knew he would never intentionally hurt her.

"You won't lose me Buffy, I'll never leave you, no matter what happens, I'll be at your side. I love you so much that when we're apart, even for a moment, I feel as if my world might fall to pieces around me. You're my gravity, everything I have ever done everything I will ever do, is for you. Without you, I would be lost. Love is something neither of us can control, no matter how much we try it'll always be there. It's a force within all of us, around us, something we can't see, but we know it's there. If it wasn't we wouldn't be here now, I wouldn't be here now. Without your love I would be in hell."

"Angel, I just get so afraid sometimes that something will go wrong, right now I'm so happy, everything seems perfect, but I've been dreaming..... I saw you turn to dust before my eyes, it scared me Angel, I can't go through that again, I can't lose you a second time. The first time it almost killed me. Love might be here right now, it might never leave us, but what if something neither of us can control happens. What if we...."

"Buffy, listen to me. Just because you dreamed something doesn't mean that it will happen, it might just be a warning or a symbol of your fear of losing...."

"No Angel, I .... it was real, look what happened last time, you ... You lost your soul because of me... what if that happens again? What if you're going to lose your soul again?"

"We're careful Buffy, we won't lose control now, we're been together for six months without anything bad happening. We're going to spend the next six months together, happy..... in fact...." He stopped and pulled a ring from his pocket.

"I want us to be together Buffy, but getting married legally might take a while, so..... Will you marry me?"

Buffy stared at him in shock.... he was asking her to marry him and he was holding the ring she had lost so long ago.

"Where,.... the ring I thought...." "I found it. I was just waiting for the right time to put it back where it belongs. It's... I never told you before, but the ring is an Irish wedding band, for my people the exchange of rings meant we were married. Usually some vows were said with them....."

"Yes, I'll marry you. I love you more that life it's self."

Angel took her slender hand and slipped the ring on her finger. "I love you Buffy Anne Summers and I'll never stop, I'll be with you always, no matter what, nothing, not even death will separate us. I promise this with all my soul, never will you be without me, in this world, or the next."

Tears were silently running down her cheeks, he brushed them away and softly kissed her lips.

He took off his own ring and handed it to her. she nodded in understanding and took the ring. looking deep into his eyes she took his hand and slipped the ring back where it belonged.

"I love you Angel Conner and I'll never stop, I'll be with you always, no matter what, nothing not even death will separate us. I promise this with all my soul, never will you be without me in this world or the next." she stood on her toes and kissed him again, this time they didn't stop, the continued to kiss, then without warning, she felt a warmth on her skin, she opened her eyes and she with a dawning horror saw Angel cry out in pain as the sunlight's deadly rays turned him to dust. A piercing cry of pain and desolation ran out in the silent graveyard.

Buffy cried, the tears never stopping. She looked at the pile of ashes, refusing to believe what had happened. In the ash she saw a glint of silver, his ring. With a determination and resolve she picked the ring up and put it in her pocket, then she carefully gathered up the dust and wrapped it in her silk scarf.

"You said you'd never leave, and I'm not about to let you Angel, wepromised..." she whispered to the empty morning.

Part 1

Giles' loft: 3.02am

Giles looked at his alarm clock as the doorbell rang.

"Who on earth can that be?", he asked himself.

Giles pulled on his dressing gown and trudged down the stairs.

"Giles, open up. It's me, Buffy. I need your help."

Giles opened the door to find the slayer standing there clutching a scarf close to her heart in a death grip.

"Buffy, what's wrong?", the watcher asked in a concerned voice. He knew that whatever it was it must be important for her to come to him at this time in the morning. He ushered her indoors

"Giles, Angel's dead. We were in the graveyard when the sun came up and he just turned to dust in my arms. You have to help me please," her voice cracked. Tears started to flow as she collapsed on the couch and curled herself up into a ball.

Part Three:
Flash-backs don't just happen in Sunset Beach

Giles' mind whirled in confusion and disbelief as the news set in. Angel. Dead? Surely this couldn't be. He looked at the slayer and knew he could never imagine the pain she was going through. Their deep love and affection for each other had been apparent from the first time he had seen them alone together nearly three years ago.

1997- October 31.

It was Halloween. After Giles had stooped Ethan and smashed the statue he had slowly made his way home. Unbeknown to Buffy and Angel he had spotted them as they walked to Buffy's house together. Angel had his arms round the slayer holding her close. Buffy was snuggled deep in his embrace her arms around his waist and her head in the crook of his shoulder. The love he had seen in Angel's eyes for the slayer was overwhelming. The one whom the vampire should have despised and feared and who should have been his mortal enemy was in fact his soul-mate. Giles' gaze had switched to the slayer. Her eyes, too, told only of love and happiness at being in Angel's arms- her eternal enemy, her only love, her soul-mate.

That was when Giles had realised that fate would not be kind to the slayer and her vampire.

And indeed it had not.

1998- January 19

Their lives had been threatened by the judge and after a very close escape they had returned to Angel's apartment. There, shivering from cold and soaked to the skin from rain, they had realised that they had nearly lost each other that day. Realised that, again they had faced death and lived. So they had taken comfort in each others embrace and for the first time made love.

She had given herself up to him body and soul. She gave him her virginity and with it a commitment that would be her weakness.That night had given Angel the first moment of pure happiness since he had been cursed. As a result he had lost his soul. The gypsy curse made in hatred was broken by happiness.

Even then, Angelus still only thought of Buffy. He tormented her and hurt her and inflicted every kind of mental torture upon her. Buffy, seeing the face of her lover on the demon was unable to kill him. Eventually when the world was in danger of being sucked into hell Buffy had gone to fight Angel.

Unknown to Buffy, Willow was working on restoring the curse to give Angel back his soul. Xander had lied to her, telling her that Willow said, 'kick his ass', instead of giving the message that she was trying to curse Angel again.

Just before Buffy drove the sword into Angel to prevent Hell swallowing earth, the curse was completed. His soul had been returned to him. Angel, confused and disorientated had looked at Buffy with love in his eyes and was even worried about the cut on her arm. Buffy hugged him and kissed him, overcome with relief and happiness to have her Angel back again. Over his shoulder she saw the demon begin to open it's mouth to suck them into hell. The knowledge of what she had to do had almost destroyed her but the action itself was worse. She told him to close his eyes as she gave him one last kiss and then plunged the sword into his abdomen.

The look of disbelief, confusion and betrayal in his eyes tore Buffy's soul apart with guilt as she watched him being sucked into hell. But, what hurt most, was the burning love that was still in his eyes.

Buffy disappeared after that. No one knew where she had gone. Or, even if she would ever come back.

Part Four: Flash-backs are also endless like SB plots.

1999- July

Six months ago Buffy appeared. Thin and with a haunted look in her eyes she had turned up at the library clutching a very old volume of spells she said she acquired from an old woman who lived in eastern Europe.

It contained a spell that would bring back a person from hell on the premise that they had a soul.

Jenny had asked to see the book. Reluctantly she gave it to Miss Calendar, knowing that for the spell to work, she needed the help of anyone who had knowledge of the black arts.

Willow, after giving her friend a hug had also asked to look at the spell. It took another month with both Jenny and Willow working on deciphering the spell before they could attempt it. For the spell to work they needed the blood of someone who loved the person sent to hell and also the blood of an enemy to be mixed and for that enemy to put their differences aside and profess their friendship. But, more difficult, it meant that Buffy, too, had to forgive Jenny her betrayal. Buffy however was willing to do anything to get Angel back so the two spent a night together working out their differences.

Both had emerged from the library with tears in their eyes, hugging and smiling.

Five months ago they performed the spell to bring Angel back from hell.

August 1999

Standing in the middle of a sacred circle within a pentagram of power drawn on the library floor sat Buffy and Jenny. The rest of the Scooby gang and the watcher stood outside of the circle but within the pentagram. Willow sat with the spell book in her lap along with the translation. She directed Buffy and Jenny in the ritual, although both already knew it by heart.

Jenny took up a silver blade and slit her palm, letting the blood run into the chalice filled with holy water. Next, Buffy did the same, hardly even noticing the pain. The one thing running through her mind was 'Angel, we'll be together, we will, Angel, we will.'

As their blood mixed with the holy water and as the blood of enemy and lover mixed together an unnatural wind whipped inside of the circle. Touching only Jenny and Buffy the wind blew their hair up and tore at their clothes. Outside the circle Willow began the chant.

"Gods of the Ancients, hear our plea
Gods of old, listen to our prayer
Gods of our ancestors, heed us now

We renounce evil and embrace that which is good
We work to abolish the demons and the spread of their evil
In this, our sacred duty, one of our number was lost

Restore him to us, we ask
She, who loves this soul, would beg of you to return him
One who was an enemy, would forgive and also ask for his return
Both, do this with truth in their hearts
They would give their souls, if you do not find this to be right

We beg of you, return the one called Angel
Give him back to the earth, that gave him life
Into the arms of true love, restore him
This we ask of you, with hope in our hearts
Return this soul from Hell
Return to us our Angel"

A powerful yet kind voice rang out in the silence as the wind stilled.

"You have called upon the powers that rule. We have heard your plea and judged your cause. In all of this we find that you do this with truth in your souls. We are the ultimate power. We foresee all that has been and all that will be. Your acknowledgment of our power pleases us. The one who lives with a demon in his body, yet has a soul- the one you name as Angel shall be returned to you.

The wind started up again and a light began to form in the center of the circle.

Out of the blinding light a form appeared. A body dropped to the ground.

Part Five: The End (of the flash-back)

At first it was unrecognisable as human. The body shivered in cold and pain, the scarred flesh started to heal with amazing speed. The hair which was pure white fell away as rich dark hair began to take it's place. It was Angel. Buffy ran to him and fell on her knees beside him. He was completely healed by now but still shivering. She gently gathered him into her arms. He clung to her in fear thinking that again they had found another way to torment him. Perhaps they would show him the night he had made her cry after they had made love. The physical pain he had endured in hell was nothing compared to the mental torment he had suffered from his own memories which had returned to him. The memories of what he had said to her tore his soul apart. Slowly, as he felt her arms holding him and the soothing sounds she was making, he noticed the absence of the physical pain and as the disorientation cleared he saw where he was. The library. Buffy held Angel close to her.

Part Six: A soul story.

New York: 3rd September 1999

Dru sat in a plush chair in front of a burning fire. Her mind wandered back to what had transpired before leaving Sunnydale.

May 1998

Spike carried Dru to the car and didn't bother to look back at the slayer who was battling Angelus. Too bad, he thought, I kinda liked that one. She had spunk. He dismissed her from his mind and started the car. He knew he and Dru needed shelter for the day so he went to the only place he could think of. Angel's old apartment.

The Hospital

Willow began to chant the curse, hoping that it would work with all her heart. Right now she was very weak and half way through the curse she felt her hold on reality slipping. Suddenly a strong presence entered her mind.

'Don't worry child I'm hear to help you.' Then it muttered to it's self about killing three birds with one stone. The spirit took control of her body and started to say the curse in Latin. As it did so it altered the curse to channel not one soul through the orb but three.

From a long distance away Willow felt an amazing amount of energy course through her. Channeling so much energy was giving her such a high. All her senses were heightened. She could see so much with her mind and for an instant all the answers of the universe were in her grasp and for a moment she understood everything. Then as the power channeled out of her body she fell back dazed.

Cordelia and Oz stared at Willow in shock. What on earth had just happened. It was like she was possessed. Each lost in their own thoughts held onto the hope that it had worked. But Cordelia wondered. Some how the spell had sounded different, longer.

What did she know about Latin? Ok, so her father was a world famous historian who almost never spoke in any other language . As a child she had been encouraged to learn it as well as French, German, Spanish and Italian. But hey she had an image to uphold. She couldn't let anyone think she was some sort of geek like Willow. Still that curse had sounded different, she was sure more names had been added and there was a mention of three in it somewhere which she knew should have read as one. Maybe if she remembered she would tell Giles later.

The Mansion

Angel knelt in front of Buffy. Just as she was about to plunge the sword through his neck he doubled over in pain and his eyes glowed. His soul had been restored.

Angel's Apartment.

Drusilla had just woken up and was trying to kill Spike. Suddenly she doubled over and fell to the floor moaning in pain. Spike tried to get to her, but he too suddenly fell to the floor. Then both their eyes glowed.

Spike and Drusilla lay on the floor shaking. Drusilla slowly sat up and looked around in confusion and surprise. She was in a small room that had some very strange objects in it. The man that lay a few feet away from her looked familiar, but he scared her. He looked so dangerous. Why was she here? The last thing she remembered was seeking refuge in a convent when an evil man had tried to kill her, like he had killed her family. Then slowly it came back to her. He had killed her. She was a vampire. She shook her head in denial. No! She began to cry as she remembered all the lives she had taken when the demon had had control of her body. Of the tortures she had inflicted and the pleasure the demon had gotten from it. The memories were a kind of personal hell. My god if this was how Angel felt no wonder he stayed away from our kind for so long.

A few feet away Spike slowly sat up and tried to figure out where the hell he was. The room was small and the only other occupant was a young girl who was crying her eyes out. She looked so sad. The last thing he remembered was meeting a man at one of the London Season parties. They had played cards and had laughed about the debutants'simpering empty headed ways. Then he had introduced him to a blond haired woman, she had asked him if he would like to join their group. Young William had gladly agreed. It would serve as an amusing diversion to this tedious marriage mart. Then it came to him in a deluge of horror. The man, Angelus, had killed him. Had turned him to the dark side. God help me Spike silently cried. Then a nasty voice piped up and reminded him that after all he had done god would never help him now. He was evil, a monster masquerading as human. As he recalled all the evil he had done he shook as dry sobs racked his body. The cold blooded murders, the torture and then... Drusilla. The guilt of what he had done to her tore his soul. She had been so sweet and chaste. It was he that Angelus had had track her and then help kill her family. When Angelus had tired of her it was Spike who had been left to care for her. He had resented it at first but slowly he had begun to take pleasure out of making her happy. Usually involving helping her re-enact her sister Edith's death with numerous innocent children.

He had to get control of himself, it wasn't he that had done these things, it was the demon. He could here it now taunting him with his memories. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Drusilla reach for a stake lying on the floor. All thoughts going from his head he swiftly moved towards her and grabbed the stake as she tried to plunge it into her heart.

"No, Dru. It won't help. Killing yourself is the cowards way out. I know you have more strength than that. We'll get through this together." He reached out an arm to comfort her.

"Don't touch me. I want to die. I deserve to. I've hurt so many people, little children, Spike, I killed them for fun. I killed that slayer, she was only protecting her friends. That poor watcher. I made him see her, the gypsy. He loves her and I used that to get what Angelus wanted. Did you see the look in his face when he realised that he had betrayed his slayer?" she burst into fresh sobs and curled into a small ball.

This time when he reached for her she just shook. He carefully lifted her to the bed and laid her down on it. What were they going to do? Then he thought of the slayer at the mansion and cursed himself for ignoring her when he could have helped. Still the world wasn't in hell yet so she must have won.

They had to leave Sunnydale. After all he had promised the slayer. He and Dru could go to New York. It was quiet there. Not many vampires lived there because of the number of demon hunters, witches, and other being that inhabited the city. But they would be safe there. For now. He lay down on the bed and closed his eyes trying to block out the memories that were bombarding him, trying to sleep. When sleep finally claimed both he and Dru their dreams were far from pleasant.

3rd September 1999

Dru heard the downstairs door open and footsteps on the stair. It was Spike. Since coming to New York she and Spike had realised that their relationship was more like that of brother and sister. Each had used the other to try and give purpose to their existence before. Now they were the closest of friends. In the past few months they had slowly been battling a sudden influx of vampires. For some reason they were coming to NY and trying to form new enclaves. Dru looked up as Spike walked into the room. Her smile was sad but some of her old light was coming back. As she learned to deal with the demon and the crimes it had committed, she was slowly separating their identities.

"Hello luv. That's the last of them. I took care of their leader and got the rest to leave. They weren't too happy but too scared to try and take me on. It seems my reputation precedes me." He said dryly. "Anything different come in tonight?"

"No, just the usual, humans, a few witches nothing else." She replied. With the money they had collected during their long life they had opened a bar. It was a useful source of information for them. If anything out of the ordinary happened they usually heard about it right away. In the past month alone it had been a vital asset for finding the whereabouts of the new enclaves. After all NY was a big place.

"Lets go and get a drink" he said leading her out of the office. "You work too hard with those books, trying to interpret your dreams. If what you see happens then it happens. Don't worry so much."

Part Seven: Is there some good news? or/ Jealous much?
The Library

"Angel's dead?" Willow asked in disbelief.

"What happened?." Jenny questioned Giles.

"It seems they were caught unaware by the sun. Last night the sun rose two hours earlier than normal. It seems a space anomaly caused the earth to spin faster for a day, a meteor or something passing very close to earth's atmosphere.

"So, dead boy's really dead this time." Xander quipped. "No more 'lets get him back'. Right?"he asked with half concealed glee.

Everyone glared at him. Even Cordelia looked disgusted. Xander had always resented Angel's easy manner and what he thought of as a mixture of arrogance and self assurance that the older man possessed. In short he was jealous of the attention Angel got from everyone, especially Buffy.

"There is no way to get him back, right" He stated anxiously.

"Wrong" Willow asserted. "If Buffy has his remains we could try and find a revivification ritual to bring him back."

"Yes, it's possible. But we can't be completely sure of what would happen. In the past revivification spells have worked, but we have to remember that Angel is no ordinary Vampire. He has a soul." Jenny added in a soft voice.

"This is going to take some time. I suggest that we start researching right away. We need some good news when Buffy wakes up." Giles declared.

Part Eight: Dared to Dream
Giles loft

Buffy was dreaming.

"Angel?" She called into the empty darkness. "Please I need you. Come back, don't leave me. I love you!"

The darkness faded. Buffy found herself by a lake the sun shining down upon it. She felt strong arms wrap around her. It was Angel. She burrowed into his embrace as happiness descended to enfold them. She lay her head against his chest lulled by the steady sound of his heart beating. This registered in her mind.

Angel had a heart beat!

Suddenly she found herself looking at a couple standing on the shore of the lake. She was looking at herself and Angel.

They didn't look any older. Two children run up to them. A boy and an older girl The boy had dark hair and green eyes, the girl had blond hair and chocolate brown eyes, just like Angel's.

"Mom, look what we found!" The little girl said to her. She held out her hand with a heart shaped stone in it.

She saw herself bend down to look at the little girls find.

"It's beautiful honey, show daddy." She said

Angel knelt down beside Buffy as the little girl threw herself into his arms and held out the stone to him.

"Daddy, why don't you give it to mommy as a present." She whispered into Angels ear.

"Thank you honey, that's just what I'll do. Why don't you and your brother go and see what else you can find."

The children ran off laughing. Angel stood up and held out his arms to her. She stepped into them and looked into his eyes.

"I love you"

"I love you too, forever."

She smiled at him.

"Forever, we'll never be apart."

Buffy smiled in her sleep. As she slowly came awake she noticed there was something odd. Angel usually had his arms around her when she woke up. Where was he? Then the memory of what had happened the night before came back to her. She felt sick to her stomach as pain and fear of life without him washed through her like a tidal wave.

Part Nine: Grim realities or/ Rude awakenings.

She was at Giles' house.

"Buffy? Are you awake?." It was Willow. Concern tinged her question.

"Yeah, I'm awake, Will." She replied.

Willow's heart twisted with fear for her friend when she heard the emptiness in her voice.

"Buffy, Giles told us what happened. We've been researching a way to bring him back. We've found some spells that might work but... Buffy we can't be sure how they will work."

A small flicker of hope lit her eyes at Willow's words.

"You could bring him back? Will, I don't care the risks involved I'll take them if there's a chance to bring him back. Please, Will, I can't live without him"

"I got a change of clothes for you, so take a shower and then come and get something to eat. After that we'll go to the Library and Giles can tell you everything we've found." Willow pleaded with her.

The Library

Everyone looked up as Willow and Buffy entered the library. Giles, Cordelia, Jenny, Oz and Xander were all pouring over two very old books.

"Buffy, how are you feeling?" Giles asked, worry clearly present in his voice.

Buffy was like a daughter to him and at times like this in a small corner of his heart he acknowledged it. He knew that watchers weren't meant to become emotionally attached to their charges as the council felt it was potentially a risk to the watcher. They did not like risks and they did not like losing their best watchers. Giles was the best, as his father and grandmother had been before him.

They needed his expertise. After all no other watcher had managed to keep their slayer alive for as long as Buffy had survived and Giles wasn't about to let anything change that now. If he had his way Buffy would be the first slayer in history to have a life apart from her duty and to hopefully have a family one day.

"I've been better. So what have you found? Can you bring him back?" She demanded to know.

"Well we do have two choices. But I'm not sure how safe they are. It's a little hard to tell. Now you said that you and Angel made vows to each other last night. Can you tell us exactly what the wording was?"

"Why is that important?" Buffy frowned in puzzlement.

"Well, you made a promise to each other on Holy ground. That vow you made could make getting him back much easier if he has some sort of duty left in this world. A sacred promise would be a very strong anchor point. We could use it to draw his soul back to his body when the revivification ritual works. You see there is no guarantee that when his body is revived that his soul will join it." Giles explained.

"We said that we would be together always, that not even death could part us. That he would be with me in this world and the next, he promised with his soul, never to leave me..."Buffy's voice shook as she remembered how Angel had looked at her as they had said those words. A single tear ran down her face.

"Good. That's just the sort of wording I was hoping for. The fact that you didn't add the usual 'until death parts us' clause is very fortunate." Giles smiled.

"So what are the two rituals?" Buffy asked impatience clear in her voice.

"Yes, well, the first one will bring him back with his soul intact. We think, Jenny and I, that it has a very high chance of being successful. The second ritual is a little more complicated. You see, if the ritual works then he, Angel, would, that is to say there is every chance that, he could.. Well he could be..."

"Giles, spit it out. Just say it, stop stepping around it." Buffy scolded him

"Yes, well, because of his nature, the fact that he has a soul, and because the ritual uses blood of the person closest to him physically, your blood, he could very well be able to retain his soul without fear of losing it ever again. There is also every chance that because the blood is that of a slayer he would become human."

Part Ten: A dream come true?

Buffy stared at him in disbelief as a huge grin spread across her face. She jumped up and did a wild dance, grabbing Willow and spinning round with her. She stopped and turned to face Giles

"What does the ritual involve?" She asked breathlessly.

"Well, therein lies the problem. You see the ritual requires quite a large amount of blood and we will need a black Orb of Thessalia. The former would leave you extremely weak and the latter, lets just say there is only one that I have ever heard of and it belongs to a very powerful sorceress called Andrade. If we call on her we must be prepared to grant of her anything that she requests of us. In the past when people have gone to ask for a service she exacts one in return."

"Fine" Buffy bit out. "How do we contact her.?"

"You don't! I come to you."

Everyone started as a woman appeared in the room. She was tall and slender and had midnight black hair. She looked strangely familiar, especially her eyes which were very large and were hazel in colour.

"Andrade, I presume." Giles said respectfully as he executed a flawless bow. "We are honoured by your presence Lady."

"Please, Watcher, no need to stand on formalities, especially in this day and age. It is not often that my name is spoken so when it is I want to know why."

Willow stood up and looked at the woman whom she could sense was very powerful.

"We need a black Orb of Thessalia to complete our revivification ritual." She said in a strong and very un-Willow like voice. "Will you let us borrow yours?

Andrade turned to face Willow.

"You know that when a service is asked of me I request something in return?" Willow nodded her head to this question. Andrade continued. "On your twenty first birthday you will come to live with me at my home to learn how to use your power and direct it in the black arts. This is my request."

"How long will I be with you?"

"Exactly one year. If you wish I will return you to the exact moment that you left. Are the terms agreed?"

Buffy cut in.

"Willow, we can do the other spell. You don't have to go through with this." she said, concern in her tone. Willow was like a sister to her and her safety mattered more to Buffy than her own happiness.

"It's fine, really. I think it's a good idea. I don't mind doing this, after all I won't miss anything if Andrade returns me to the same time I left." Willow loved Buffy and felt like a sister to her. They were closer than just best friends. Right know she knew without a doubt that the best thing for her friend's happiness was to have Angel human. Willow smiled at Buffy and then turned to face the sorceress.

"I agree to your terms" she told her. Andrade nodded her head and then looked at the people in front of her.

"The spell you seek to do is very dangerous and should only be performed by someone with naturally strong powers. Willow is the only one among you capable of doing this but because her powers are untrained it makes the spell even more unstable. I will perform the spell for you. Thus ensuring the safety of all involved. The best time to do the ritual is tomorrow at sundown when the sun and moon are both in leo. I will meet you here at four o'clock tomorrow. Do not be late." With this Andrade disappeared as if she had never been.

There was silence in the library. Then all hell broke lose. (Well, not literally.) Everyone was speaking at once asking Willow if she was sure about going. Xander strongly opposed.

"Quiet." Giles shouted. "Everyone just calm down. Willow doesn't need you questioning her decision like this. It only belittles her judgement by doing so."

"Giles is right." Jenny said, calmly taking control of the situation. "I think it would be a good idea for everyone to go home and get some rest. Buffy when you go home have some healthy food and try and get as much sleep as possible, you'll need it tomorrow."

Jenny sent everyone home with the instructions to meet at the library the following day at two o'clock.

Giles sat in his office a contemplative look on his face.

Jenny stood at the door watching him for a moment. Then she went in. Giles looked up at her and gave her that cute, almost shy smile. Wordlessly she went over and settled on his knee. His arms came about her and she sighed in contentment. She knew what he would ask even before he said it.

"Did you notice?" He questioned her.

"Yes" she replied. Almost immediately Andrade had appeared, Jenny had noted her features and was struck by her likeness to Willow.

"Is she Willow's mother?

"Almost without a doubt." The Englishman replied.

Go to Part 11