Rating: PG-13
Summary: Follow Countercharge, you best read that first
Author's Notes: This is an old piece as well but it should keep you lovely people happy! I hope so! May be more spelling mistakes than usual!

"We are so screwed!" Cordelia was pacing around her living room while Gunn sat sipping a beer on the couch. She was flipping out in her apartment after they had dropped Wesley off at his home. "What do you mean?" Gunn retorted irritably "We're all fine." "Well there is always some deep brooding, going on after Angel spends time with Buffy"Cordelia acted like a resentful child. "So what" Gunn shrugged off her comment. "Yeah well... He's my friend and he shouldn't be depressed" Cordelia spouted trying to rationalize her behaviour. "Mm hmm" Gunn smiled knowingly and nodded. "Shut up!" Cordelia said angrily. She grabbed Gunn's beer out of his hands. Dennis, the ghost living in her apartment, opened the door, and Cordy pushed Gunn out it. Gunn just smirked at the door as it closed in his face. "I didn't say you were jealous"Gunn teased under his breath as he left her complex.

Buffy rolled over and opened her eyes. She stared blankly for a moment at the deep violet walls. She remembered she was in Angel's room at the hotel. She looked for a clock. Buffy leaned off the side of the bed and lifted the digital clock off the floor. She smiled as she remembered how it got there. It read 7:00 pm, Buffy grabbed Angel's shirt off the floor and threw it over her. She got off the bed and went to the window, covered by heavy fabrics to keep the light out. Buffy gently pulled aside the drapes. The deep orange orb in the sky was fading into oblivion for the night. Buffy knew she'd have to leave soon. Angel stirred and Buffy looked down at him. He stared back at her. "The days gone" Buffy said half smiling at how they spent the day, half dreading that she had to leave into the night. Angel seemed to feel the same way. "I should go" Buffy stated sadly. "I know" Angel agreed. Buffy showered and dressed in new clothes. When Buffy came out of the shower she noticed the room had been straightened and all her clothes sat in a pile on the bed. Angel wasn't in the room. Buffy shoved the clothes in her bag and headed down stairs. We said our goodbyes, she thought, it'd be easier just to leave. Buffy just couldn't find the strength to leave with out seeing him. "How are you getting home?" Angel asked from behind her. Buffy was shocked and she turned quickly to face him. She calmed herself and replied "I'll catch a bus." "No. I'll drive you" Angel offered. Buffy knew it'd be easier if she just took the bus but more time with Angel was an offer she couldn't refuse. "Okay" Buffy said softly. Angel grabbed his keys off the desk and a coat off the rack. Buffy sadly followed him out the door. No matter how much time they spent together it was leading to a goodbye.

Very few people drove down this stretch of the highway at any time of the day, but at night it was eerily deserted. Angel pulled off onto the ramp leading to Sunnydale. It was midnight, and the full moon was high in the sky. Buffy looked at the familiar scenery pass her. Angel took at turn in the opposite direction. He was driving away from her house. "Where are we going?" Buffy asked. "Don't know" Angel said, glancing away from the road to look her in the eye. The scenery changed from clean cut well cared for houses into the run down factories of the "bad side" of town. Buffy gave that up long ago, the whole town was the bad part of town in her line of work. Buffy saw the Bronze's sign come up in the horizon. "It'll be closed" Buffy observed. "Never stopped us before..." Angel leered at her. He pulled up to the front of the building and walked around to open her door. Buffy gave him an amused smile as he broke the lock to get into the club. Angel ran up onto the catwalk and flipped the lights on. Buffy was basked in soft rays from the spotlights above her. Angel came up beside and whispered in her ear "the closest I'll get to seeing you in the sunlight." Buffy smiled again, not at the remark, but the closeness she felt now. Angel walked past her and put a quarter into the juke box. Sensual music came out of the speakers. Angel wrapped her in an embrace and they swayed to the music.

Buffy softly opened the front door. No lights were on, but Buffy knew someone in the house still stirred. Buffy heard a creak in the dinning room. She gave a look over her shoulder and Angel had heard it too. Buffy armed herself with a stake from her jacket pocket. Buffy crept through the darkness, her new found senses coming in handy, she saw everything in the darkness. A shadow moved along the wall in the kitchen. Buffy looked over her shoulder at Angel again, he moved to her side and together they moved silently to the kitchen. A dark clad figure stood in front of the sink. Angel moved to the other side of the island in the centre of the kitchen. The figure at the sink never lifted it's head. Angel got there first and pulled the figure around, Buffy held her stake ready. The bleached blonde vampire stared back at his attacker's. "Is it illegal to stand in the kitchen now?" Spike mocked in a loud whisper. "No. But it's illegal to stand in someone else's kitchen."Buffy hissed back. Angel stared down at the picture in Spikes hand. It was a picture of Buffy, Willow, and Xander, but only Buffy's face was left. The other's had been torn away. Buffy hadn't noticed, and Angel decided to leave it that way. "Get out Spike!" Buffy whispered, showing him her stake. Angel took Spike's shoulders, and pushed him out the back door. "Is he here a lot?" Angel asked, wondering how big Spike's obsession was. "No, but every time I see him, he pisses me off." Buffy explained. It satisfied Angel. "Where were we?" Buffy asked with a seductive smile. Buffy took his hand and they crept up the stairs to her bedroom.

Buffy stepped out of her room at 10am. "Mom?" Buffy called. Buffy bounded down the stairs and into the kitchen. Her mother stood there at the sink, with her back turned to Buffy. Joyce turned around at the movement behind her. "Buffy!" She exclaimed. Buffy thought she sounded relieved. Joyce Summers swept her daughter up into a hug. "When did you get home?" Joyce interrogated. "Late last night" Buffy answered happily. "Do you want something to eat?" her mother excitedly asked. "Sure" Buffy remarked, as she sat on a stool at the island. "Mr. Giles will want to know you're home." Joyce called from behind the fridge door. "I've seen him already." Buffy answered. It had been so much easier to be the Slayer, since her mother had found out. "So, what did you do in LA?" Her mother asked. Buffy smiled to herself at the remark. "Killed a few baddies" Buffy summed up for her mother, leaving out the juicy parts. "You weren't hurt were you?" Joyce sounded concerned. "No" Buffy lied. Her wrist still ached from where Malicus had whipped the sword from her hand. Her neck was healing, but a strategically placed scarf hid that from her mother. Joyce placed an omelet in front of Buffy on a cheery green plate. Buffy quickly ate her breakfast and downed a glass of orange juice. "Thanks a million mom!" Buffy said as she dumped the dishes into the sink. "I have to go" Buffy kissed her mother's cheek and headed out the door with a jacket in her hands.

Buffy walked through the sunny courtyard in the centre of Giles apartment complex. She climbed the intricately tiled staircase. She stopped in front of the heavy carved door of Giles' apartment, she knocked softly. "One moment" Giles called from inside the apartment. Buffy opened the door and entered the darkened home. "Buffy!" Giles said a little out of breath. "Hey" Buffy replied, cutting him off "Where's Angel?" "He' s sleeping in the other bedroom." Giles explained. Buffy seemed relieved to hear that Angel had stayed. "What's up?" Buffy asked getting back on topic. "Glory hasn't made a move since you left." Giles said calmly. "Good" Buffy resolved. "We should step up your training if you can handle it" Giles continued. "I want to see your ability" "Can we train after my classes?" Buffy asked. "Certainly" Giles said. "I wanna see Angel before I go" Buffy said. "Of course" Giles stepped away to let Buffy by. "Um.. Do I need to remind you to not be too rash, this time?" Giles asked tactfully. "Don't worry Giles" Buffy softly pleased him. Buffy stepped into the dark room, and Buffy saw Angel sitting in a chair reading a book. "What are you reading?" Buffy asked teasingly. "I'm trying to read up on Glory," Angel replied flatly, "but there isn't much in here" Angel shut the book and looked up at her. "We can't do this..." Angel said. "I know" Buffy replied softly, "We shouldn't, but I can't stop myself." Angel nodded his agreement. He looked like he was coming over to her but he stopped himself, and resettled in the chair. "After Glory's dead I'll go back to LA" Angel stated as he looked at the floor. "Then let's start hunting tonight" Buffy declared. There was a long pause, "... I have a lecture in 20 minutes.... I should go" Buffy finished. She stepped out the doorway as Angel looked up and said "Bye"

"And in the end, the Huns were over thrown..." the balding teacher droned. Buffy tapped the pencil silently against her leg. Dear God! Shut Up! Buffy thought to herself. Her thoughts drifted from the class at hand. Her mind sifted through all her thoughts of Angel. How he smiled at her. How he loves her. How she loves him. Life filled her with age beyond her years. She knew things with Angel couldn't work. They never would. He was her nemesis, or at least he was supposed to be. She couldn't stop herself, she loved him, as much as she had the night they first made love. A bell rang in the room around her. Buffy shifted her books into her arms and left the classroom with the mob of other students. "Buffy!" Willow called from down the hallway. Buffy walked toward her best friend, and Tara. "Hey Will" Buffy replied. "How was LA?" Tara asked "Same as it used to be..." Buffy said "Did you see Angel?" Willow prodded lightly. Buffy smiled and blushed. "Maybe" Buffy responded, smiling to herself. "What took you so long in LA?" Tara asked. "Angel and I ended up fighting this thing. After that I killed Drusilla and Angel killed Darla." The girls settled down at a table in the school café. "So all is good?" Willow interrogated her friend. Willow looked disdainfully at Buffy. "Yeah, everything is good." Buffy gave her friend a grin. "Angel's here isn't he?" Willow remarked. Buffy looked a little caught of guard but she signalled `yes' to her friend. "Where's he staying?" Tara innocently questioned. "He's at Giles' right now." Buffy answered. She turned to Willow and said "He's leaving after Glory's gone." Willow smiled at Buffy, knowingly. "Can I schedule in a night of girl bonding and moping over chocolate, the next night?" "Oh yeah!" Buffy smiled to her friends and laughed lightly.

"I don't know where she stays..." Buffy said as they walked through the silent graveyard. "She sounds like she likes things classy" Angel remarked. "Yeah, but there aren't many places lavish enough for her that would offer enough privacy, here in Sunnydale." "What about the abandoned mansions?" Angel asked. Buffy motioned for Angel to stop. A hand was rising from a freshly dug grave. They kept silent as the new vampire pulled its self from the ground. Buffy came forward once the fresh demon was fully emerged. "You guys really aren't as smooth as you used to be" Buffy taunted smartly. The vampire lunged at Buffy. He needed something to quench the hurt in the pit of his stomach, which he would later have found out to be blood lust. Buffy didn't fall to the ground under the strength of the vampire. Angel grabbed the vampire from behind and threw him off Buffy. Spike leapt over a grave stone and plunged a stake deep inside the vampire's chest. Angel stared at Spike for a moment and then turned with Buffy and they started to walk away. "Hey! Slayer! Don't I get a thanks?" Spike yelled after them. "Oh I almost forgot" Buffy called over her shoulder. She turned to face Angel, they kissed deeply. "Bloody Hell!" Spike muttered under his breath as he walked back to his mausoleum.

"Damn Slayer!" Spike said through gritted teeth, he took another swig of his wine. He sat in his beat up arm chair watching infomercials. "Oh Angel!" Spike tried to imitate, badly. "Angelus stole Dru. Now he decides Buffy's just his again?!"Spike took another drink of wine. Spike got out of chair and headed for the door. He yanked it open and sunlight spilled into the mausoleum. Spike slammed the door "Bloody Hell!" he called and went back to his wine.

"Hey" Buffy smiled as she walked into the ever darkening kitchen of the Summer's home. "Oh Buffy," her mother called, "could you set the table for dinner?" Buffy pulled the dishes and cutlery off the island where it sat ready to be used. "Sure" Buffy smiled to her mother. Buffy walked into the dinning room and placed the rough cloth placemats on the dark wood table. Dawn came bounding down the stairs and into the dinning room. "Mom–?" She called stopping herself when she saw Buffy. "Hi" Buffy greeted her sister warmly. "Hey" Dawn replied. Dawn pulled out the chair that belonged to her and sat at the table. " So...Did you kick some demon behind in LA?" Dawn asked insinuatingly. "Yep" Buffy replied, not giving her the satisfaction of a fluster. "Cool" Dawn answered. "Who wants lasagna?" Joyce Summers teased and sat at her place at the table a large grin across her face. "Me!" Dawn called to her mother, ignoring Buffy. Buffy leaned against her chair studying Dawn, while her mother talked to her youngest daughter.

"I'm going out!" Buffy called into the living room from the foot of the stairs. "Okay" Dawn called back. "Uh, honey?" Joyce interrupted, "are you going out on patrol?" "Yeah Mom" Buffy shouted as she stepped through the threshold. "Be careful" was what Buffy heard her mother say as she closed the door. "Always am" Buffy muttered to herself as she headed down the sidewalk toward the Magic box.

"Anya, as ever, thank you" Xander mocked. "Well, I thought I'd just mention that Glory's ritual isn't pretty" Anya replied seriously. "Yes, but did you have to suggest what she'd do in such graphic detail?" Xander chastised. "It's not as bad as the pictures" Willow stated and scrunched up her face, basically saying `Eew!' The three Slayerettes were pouring over books the Watcher's Council had provided on Glory. Giles was taking inventory in the back."Hey! Has anyone else noticed that Giles has been doing a lot of inventory today?" Xander questioned. "Well you know it's tax season..." Anya started then she stopped and thought "... in six months" "Yeah right, maybe he's starting early!" Xander kidded. "I'm just happy I'm not doing it" Anya replied as she searched through a book. "Doing what?" the British accent startled them. They hadn't noticed he'd come back into the store. Xander and Willow tried to think of a good answer on the spot, but Anya quickly replied "Having sex!" Giles gave her a quizzical look and continued fiddling with the ancient cash register. "Hey" Buffy called from the door. "Hey Buffy! You just missed Anya pronounce her secret longing for celibacy" Xander bantered. "So sorry I did" Buffy replied. "I suspect you want to see An... A net. A net" Giles tried to catch himself, but badly. "A net?" Buffy inquired. Then it seemed to dawn on her, what he was trying to say. "Uh yes. I want to see your new net!" Buffy smiled to the others and gave a shrug. Once they had slipped into the back again Anya said "what's so interesting about a net?"

"Angel?" Buffy called into the dim lit room. "What time is it?" the darkness replied. "Just after dusk" Giles said. "Wanna go out patrolling?" Angel stepped into the soft light given from the un covered window. Buffy noticed the curves of his chest as he slipped a deep crimson shirt on. "Where are you going to look?" Giles asked. "Some of the swanky places around town." Buffy replied. "We can start with the abandoned hotel's and mansions." Angel suggested. "Let's go." Buffy swept out of the back door. "I'll be back before sunrise." Angel said rushed "I'll leave the door unlocked." Giles called after them, into the alley.

They walked in silence all night. "Your place is next" she said under her breath. Angel matched her step for step as they approached the looming, darkened structure. Angel got ahead of her and opened the door. "Your welcome, your royal moodiness." Angel snorted after Buffy. Either Buffy chose to ignore it or she was biding her time until she exploded, but she didn't respond. Angel stepped into the entrance hall of the mansion and felt a wave of guilt. He had nearly destroyed the earth in that very room. In the end Buffy had, had to kill him there. "I don't see her here" Buffy said as she tried to brush past him. Angel grabbed her arm and turned her around to face him. "What's wrong?" he asked, less than compassionately. Buffy gave a shove on Angel's chest and he flew from her. Buffy was shocked at her own strength. She rushed over to him and helped him up. "I'm sorry" she remarked. Angel was silent and didn't take her offered her hand. He hoisted himself off the ground. "It's just this is confusing...." Buffy stated, Angel looked at her, his eyes unmoving. "I'm frustrated with Glory. She can't be killed but has to be. Then, you were back and we can be together– sort of –and can't be together too." Buffy felt like she was on the verge of tears and Angel must have known that because he slipped her into a hug. "This is hard, but we'll deal like we always do." Angel said softly in her ear. Buffy wanted to kiss him, and melt into him like she had before, but now was not the time. It's never the right time, Buffy thought to herself bitterly. Angel lifted her chin and looked into her eyes. "Want to call it a night?" He asked softly. Buffy nodded and rested her head on his shoulder as they walked back to her house on Revello Drive. Once they reached Buffy's porch she was half asleep. "Goodnight" Buffy whispered. "Sleep well" Angel smiled at her as he slid into the darkness. Buffy watched the night for a few minutes. Not all creatures of the night are bad, Buffy thought to herself, a smile slipping across her face. Buffy entered into her home and was instantly ambushed by her mother. "Was that Angel?" Buffy looked tired, to Joyce but that was how she often looked late at night when she came home. "Yeah" Buffy sighed and started up the stairs. "Is he why you stayed in LA?" Joyce called after her. Buffy turned on the step to face her mother, "A little" "He left for all the right reasons" Joyce said softly, knowing that was not what Buffy wanted to hear, but it had to be said. "I know" Buffy replied so softly that Joyce barely heard her. She watched her daughter trudge off to bed and wished once more that Buffy was normal. Then she realized that if Buffy was normal she would probably be dead.

The lowly demon scuttled through the hallways of the lavish hotel. He pulled open the door to his mistress' room. "I have news, your excellency!" he called to her. Glory stepped into the sitting room, she hated how ugly the demon was but he served her well and was easily killed if he failed. "What is the news?" she asked irritably. "The Slayer has a friend with her" he babbled. He had such a fear of her, it was exhilarating. "And?" Glory waited for more. "She seems to have a deep past with him, but..." Glory snapped at her quivering slave "But what?" "He's a vampire." The demon stated through trembling fingers. Glory laughed lightly at first then more heartily. "No matter," she said as she laid her arm across the lowly demons shoulders, "All the more games I can play."

Buffy woke up in a familiar room but she felt like her room was foreign. Buffy rolled out of her bed and realized she wasn't in her room, she was in a room done like her room but it was bigger. Things looked more mature. Her stuffed animals were not there. Buffy stepped out of the look a like room and into the hallway of the mansion Angel had lived in. Buffy walked down the cold stone hallway. She reached the end and descended the large stairs. Angel sat on the couch brooding like he always had. Buffy made a soft scuttling sound as she crossed the space between them and he glanced in her direction. Angel smiled at her and Buffy smiled back. She sat on the couch beside him. `What took you so long?' he asked. He took her hand and lead her outside, into his garden. The sun beat down on their shoulders from the open sky above them. Buffy ran her fingers along the delicate petals of a deep red rose. Buffy turned around and Angel stared at her. He swept her into an intense kiss. They stood there in the centre of the sunlit garden. Buffy opened her eyes and her room was her own. Buffy heard her mother in the kitchen down stairs and Dawn showering in the bathroom. Buffy let the air rush out of her lungs. "Why'd I have to wake up" Buffy muttered as she slid from her warm covers. Buffy dressed in a white dress covered in soft pink flowers, as she sifted through her closet she came upon the black leather jacket that Angel had lent her shortly after they had first met. Buffy pulled it out of her closet and looked at it for a moment. She hadn't seen that jacket in so long but it had always hung in her closet. Buffy slipped the jacket on. It didn't look great with the outfit but something told her to leave it. Buffy slipped on some white sandals and left her room. Buffy quickly passed through the kitchen, gave her mom a swift hug, grabbed a bagel of the counter and left. She walked down the street, humming to herself as she headed to the Magic Box. Today was Valentine's Day, and she thought she'd be upset, but oddly enough, today was shaping out to be a pretty good day.

"Hello?" Buffy called as she stepped into the store. Anya stood up behind the counter and smiled. "Where's the Valentine's day decorations?" Buffy asked Anya. "Valentine's Day?" Anya looked puzzled. "Yeah you know the little hearts and the kid with a bow and arrow" Buffy mocked. Anya looked around the store and declared "This used to be my one day off each year, now I'm expected to buy things for people and act all... loving!" Anya stormed out of the store. "I'll just tell Giles you needed a break" Buffy called after her. "What was that?" Angel asked from the shadows of the doorway. "Oh just another delightful day with Anya" Buffy bantered. Angel just looked at her, and Buffy decided to change the conversation. "Is Giles here yet?" "No" Angel replied. "Well then I'll just go" Buffy said spinning on her heel. "Hey!" Angel called softly from the darkened corner of the store. Buffy turned to face him, "Happy Valentine's Day" he remarked. Buffy smiled at him then replied "Happy Valentine's Day" "Whoa!" Xander announced behind Buffy, "Welcome back Dead-boy!" Willow and Anya were with him at the top of the stairs. Willow glanced from Xander to Buffy and Angel, nervously. Anya didn't quite understand and looked puzzled. "Hey Xand" Buffy said hoping to break the tension. Willow took a hint and said "Hey Angel, umm...how's it going?" Angel answered friendly "Hi Willow. I'm fine, you?" Willow pulled a chair out from the table and sat down. She looked into the darkness trying to make him out and said "I'm good." "Good to know everyone's fine," Xander interrupted "now why is Dead-boy here?" "He came back with me" Buffy countered. "Oh I see," Anya declared smiling like an excited child "this is all because if Buffy and Angel have sex and everything falls apart." Willow cleared her throat in an exaggerated fashion and Anya walked over to the table with her head down. Once Anya was seated quietly at the table, Xander started up again. "So what's happening?" Xander asked. "Nothing" Buffy exclaimed "Besides, Angel's soul is permanent now!" Anya looked thoroughly confused. Xander noticed and mocked "You know like the marker!" Angel piped up "I really need to get someplace dark so..." Angel slid along the shadows silently and into the darkened stock room. Buffy glared at Xander for a minute then went into the stock room after Angel. "Ow!" Xander exclaimed as she walked away and she assumed Willow had punched him in the arm like she often did when he over stepped his bounds. "I'm sorry" Buffy called softly into the darkness. "He's right," Angel called back, "I should go" "No!" Buffy said before she realized it. "I – I need you to fight Glory with me." Angel nodded silently. "Right so we stick to the plan" he stated. "Right" Buffy answered.

Glory was lovingly caring for a vase of roses in her suite, when one of her minions returned. "I have what you requested, oh most beautiful one" he announced, keeping his eyes to the ground at all times. He is wise, Glory thought to herself. "You have all of it?" she queried. "Of course, your excellency" Glory pulled the bag from his rotting hands. "Good" Glory turned her back to him. He didn't move at all. "You may go" Glory stated menacingly. "Yes, of course" he apologized as he bowed and exited. "What are you going to do?" asked her confidant. "Well I've decided to play cupid" Glory smiled to herself. "But mistress..." Glory turned to the retched demon and thrust her fingers into this head. A white-blue light erupted inside him and he crumpled to the ground. "Passion causes chaos, and chaos causes diversion" she smiled as she explained to the corpse. The corpses brother's rushed forward and dragged him away. "Never question my motives" she muttered to anyone who would hear it.

The Bronze bustled with life, the band played and couples swarmed onto the floor to enjoy the romantic notes. Buffy felt old in the Bronze, at one point she'd been of the average, but now the only other person she knew to be older than her was Angel, but then again he was older than everybody. They shifted through the crowd trying to get back out to the street. When they reached the door way they could feel the cooler air hit them and wipe away the stuffy feeling that had closed them in. Buffy walked purposefully back into the street, she wore all black but had opted for a soft pink top in light of the occasion. With Angel beside her they walked down the alley. Buffy heard a few gasps from kids far behind her, another advantage to her new found skills. Buffy turned around to look, even though it didn't sound menacing. Buffy looked puzzlingly at the mist that was washing over the alley. Angel looked at the mist as well, he inhaled and smelt a tantalising, yet fearsome odour. He knew there was something odd about this but it seemed comforting. Buffy turned to him and said assertively "Glory." Together they ran down the rest of the alley. As they reached the other end of the alley they saw that the rest of the town swam in the heavy mist. There was nowhere to go. The mist closed in on them from either side, Buffy and Angel watched as the fog rolled over them. Once they were covered things seemed clear inside the cloud. They scanned the alley and watched as couples came bubbling out of the Bronze. Everyone seemed quite content. Couples came out giggling, holding hands, some kissing as they headed towards cars. Buffy glanced beside her and noticed Angel looking at the couples as well. Buffy looked at Angel closer and felt her emotions rising inside her, she watched him scan the crowd then turn to face her. He couldn't help but notice her exquisite form and how badly he wanted to kiss her. He always felt that way, but this time it was stronger. Buffy looked deeply into his eyes and felt all her resistance melt away. She flung herself at him, it was shameless, but she didn't care, and he didn't seem to care either. They kissed feverishly in the darkness of the alley. "We shouldn't do this" Buffy whispered as he kissed her neck. How easy it would be for him to just bite her and drink the warm blood, quickly, passionately, flowing through her veins. Angel withdrew from her. "I'll take you home" he said roughly. Buffy followed behind him as they walked back toward the Bronze. They climbed into his black convertible and he put the key in the ignition. Buffy grabbed his face and pulled it to hers before he could switch the car on. They fell into another round of passionate kissing. Somewhere deep in the back of Buffy's head something told her this wasn't right, that she should be on guard, but she couldn't stop, even if she'd wanted to. Angel and Buffy fell backwards onto the seats of his car as the teen couples around them sped home.

"Mom?" Buffy called into her home. All the lights were on but no one moved in the home. Angel was still kissing her neck as she waited for a response. There were no noises and Buffy noticed a note that said Joyce Summers had gone out and would be back soon. Buffy pulled Angel in to the house and closed the door behind them. They laughed as they moved into the living room. Angel fell into an armchair in the Summer's living room as Buffy threw off her coat and sat in his lap. She ran her hands up his chest and he grinned again. Buffy cut off the laughter as she pulled him into a deep kiss. He gently lifted her in his arms and walked up the stairs. Hysterical laughing ensued from the top of the stairs as Buffy and Angel fell to the floor.

"Well hello there" Glory smiled broadly as Dawn woke from the blackness that had enveloped her since the ambush on the Summer's home. Why had her mother gone out and left her all alone? "I was starting to worry I might not have a live one" Glory teased. "Buffy will save me"Dawn spat back at her. "That's what I hoped you'd say," Glory mocked "cause you see, I'm really lonely and I just want Buffy to be my friend, but she stole my key and I need it back...." Dawn just glared at the goddess. "Alright, so theatre is not my forte! I'll level with you Dawn. I need the key and if you know where it is I suggest you tell me." Glory remarked menacingly. "I don't know where it is" Dawn withheld. "You know, I like you Dawn. While the rest of your life hangs in the balance you aren't scared," Glory walked over to a bellhop bound just like Dawn and plunged her fingers into his head, "but just because I like you doesn't mean I won't kill you" Glory smiled politely at Dawn over her victim.

Angel woke up in Buffy's bedroom. Sun had risen and Angel was careful to stay in the shadows. Buffy lay beside him sleeping serenely. Angel noticed all the blinds were closed but shafts of sunlight still entered the room, dancing across the floor. He and Buffy were wrapped in a nest of blankets on her bedroom floor. Angel grabbed his clothing and threw it on. He carefully left Buffy's bedroom to find that the Summer's house was unpleasantly sunny in the morning. Angel got as far as Dawn's bedroom. He glanced in and noticed that Dawn was not there. Last night they hadn't notice Dawn at all. They never looked for her. Buffy must have assumed she was sleeping. A smug smile split his face, How could anyone sleep through last night? Angel quickly realized that there was no time for that. He headed back down the hall toward Buffy's room. Joyce wasn't in her room either. This was not a good thing. Angel slipped into Buffy's room, sidestepping the large patches of light that filtered in. He shook her gently, she looked up at him and smiled. She must have read his face because her smile faded and she got up and dressed quickly.

Joyce Summers slipped back into the house quietly and began to creep up the stairs. When she got half way up the stairs she heard Buffy start down them. Joyce unconsciously primped her hair. Buffy looked relieved to see her and threw her arms around her mother's neck. "What is the matter?" Joyce asked being took off guard by the sudden affection. "Where were you?" Buffy asked her mother shrilly. "I – um...I got lost" Joyce lamely excused herself. Buffy pulled away from the embrace and eyed her mother oddly. Buffy ran everything that happened through her mind. The mist. There must be some connection to why everything was so weird. Buffy realized she still had to tell her mother the bad news. Buffy took her mother's hand and lead her upstairs and Angel was waiting in her room. With one glance Buffy realized it may not have been such a good idea to bring her mother into the still disastrous room. The look on Joyce's face confirmed that. Buffy decided to press on anyway, "Mom, Dawn's missing" Buffy thought her mother might faint but Joyce stayed standing. Angel stood up and lead Joyce over to a chair. Joyce sat silently for a moment then asked sadly "Glory?" "Probably" Buffy concluded. At that instant there was a heavy knock on the door. Buffy went to answer it and that left Joyce alone with Angel. A sudden thought came into her head and Joyce stared at Angel. "It's okay," Angel comforted the petrified woman, "Buffy and I had a visit from the `powers that be' and as a reward for serving them, I can't lose my soul now" Joyce loosened up a little bit, but since Angel said that he confirmed that Buffy had slept with him. Then again, she had known that they'd slept together before, if Buffy found out where she'd spent the night, she would be horrified.

A crash from the floor below them snapped Joyce from her thoughts. Angel moved first but once they reached the steps he stopped. Joyce stopped beside him and asked "What?" "I can't go into the sunlight" Angel explained. Joyce stepped slowly down the stairs past Angel. She noticed Buffy in the living room fighting a demon cloaked in a brown robe. Joyce closed the door which was still wide open. She saw it was still too sunny for Angel. As Buffy distracted the demon Joyce quickly pulled the thick drapes over the large living room window. Before they were even fully shut Angel leaped over the banister and grabbed the demon, from behind. There were scorch marks from where the magic the demon had used to fight Buffy had hit. Angel pinned the demons arms to his sides and restrained the demon as Buffy began to pummel answers out of it. "Where's Glory?" Buffy asked and punched him in the face. Joyce watched in horror. "She is at the Hilton" the demon replied meekly. "Does she have Dawn?" Buffy snapped at him. When the demon didn't immediately answer, Buffy punched him again. "Yes" the demon was nearly crying. "What does she want with Dawn?" Buffy asked, hoping that Glory hadn't realized that Dawn was the key. The demon looked at Buffy and he quickly flashed into blue light then disappeared.

"Well too bad" Glory said pouting at Dawn. "Aren't you going to ask what's wrong?" Glory mocked. "Oh wait, I keep forgetting I gagged you" Glory smiled at Dawn. Glory pulled the scarf from Dawn's mouth. Dawn spat on Glory, Glory immediately froze and stared at Dawn. Glory began to laugh. "You surprise me Dawn!" Glory picked up a photo of Buffy, Dawn and their mother. Glory felt like there was a strong magic on it. She swiped her hand over it, creating her own and instantly Dawn disappeared from the picture. A sly grin crossed Glory's face and she turned her head to look at Dawn.

"Ready?" Buffy called into the shadows. Buffy opened the door into the darkened alley from the Magic Box. Angel had his coat over his head still as he dashed inside. The place looked awful, the shelves were toppling over and some of the items spilled onto the floor. "This place looks like my room!" Buffy remarked. Angel only gave her a sidelong glance. Buffy got the point and she blurted "Ew! I don't want to hear about what Giles did last night!" Angel couldn't help but smile. "You know I'm older than he is" Angel teased her. "Yeah, but that's different" Buffy replied smugly as she smiled at him. A grin split Angel's face, making Buffy all the more content. Suddenly Buffy realized why they were here, "Giles?" she called and left Angel in the shadows to look for him. Buffy found him behind the counter. "Um...Buffy!" Giles said as he pulled his glasses from his ears and rubbed his eyes. A nervous reaction, Buffy thought to herself. What's he nervous about? That occurred to Buffy next. "Dawn been captured by Glory" Buffy told Giles. "Dear Lord," Giles exclaimed. "Can you find her?" "She's staying at the Hilton" Buffy replied. "How did you...?" Giles asked "I had a wake up call from one of her uglies" Buffy answered. "Even so we can't kill her" Giles said cautiously. "But what if she figures out Dawn's the key?" Buffy yelled back at him. "Well we don't know how to protect Dawn now" Giles replied, like the voice of reason. "We can't wait Giles" Buffy insisted. "I'm afraid I have more bad news" Giles interjected. "What" Buffy looked tired. "Angel wasn't back this morning before sunrise" Giles stated calmly. "He's fine," Buffy told Giles, " He came back with me just now" Giles knew that was good news. Something went off inside Giles head. Buffy had been with Angel all night and had never checked in. Anya had left early to be with Xander. Willow had never shown up at all last night. Valentine's Day wouldn't do that, they knew that priority was saving the world. Buffy would have heard intruders last night and if they got Dawn while she was out patrolling she would have come last night. Then again, Giles was pretty glad that she hadn't On top of that, no one on the news, knew about the fog that had rolled over Sunnydale last night. "The fog" Giles whispered to himself. "Huh?" Buffy looked at him. "You can love those cloud systems all you want Giles but now is not a good time." "No," Giles retorted "the fog last night, it came out of no where" "... and would be the perfect cover for someone who wanted to, say, kidnap the Slayer's little sister"Buffy finished. "Why didn't Glory just take Dawn though? I mean I wasn't home and Mom had gone out." Buffy asked. "Was there anything weird about the fog?" Giles asked. "I mean near the Bronze, there were lots of couples leaving together, but it was Valentine's so..." Buffy explained. "Maybe Valentine's was a cover" Angel interjected from the shadowy doorway. "Oh," Giles whisked around shutting the drapes and put a closed sign on the door, "..you might be right" Angel stepped further into the store but stayed to the darker shadows. "Last night everyone seemed to have tensions running high" Angel stated. "We... um..people couldn't keep their hands off each other last night" Buffy declared. "That's true," Giles interjected "even Anya who despised the holiday, earlier yesterday, went home to be with Xander" "But why weren't you effected?" Buffy asked, innocently then she realized that he had been effect and she blushed deeply. Things began to click inside her head, Mom came home this morning with a lame excuse. Giles back room looked like a pig sty and he hadn't been able to look at her when she mentioned why he wasn't effected. "My Mother?" Buffy exclaimed loudly as the bells above the door rang. "Hey everyone!" Xander called from the doorway. "What's up?" Willow asked from behind him. "Um... Dawn was kidnapped by Glory" Giles explained, grateful to change the subject. "Oh my God!" Willow said and rushed to Buffy's side. "So we going God hunting?" Xander bantered as usual. "Yes" Buffy asserted Xander. "We can take my car" Angel said and lead Xander and Willow through the stock room and into the back alley. Buffy and Giles grabbed some weaponry out of the gym in the store. Once they were packed and almost in the alley Buffy pulled on his arm. "My mother?" Buffy exclaimed once again. "Buffy," Giles chastised. "All right," Buffy relented, "but we are so going to discuss this later!" The Slayer and her Watcher walked out of the shop and into the alley way.

The Sunnydale Hilton was a massive structure for such a quiet suburban town. In Sunnydale people liked things to be quiet but classy. Which played greatly to Buffy's advantage since the less people wanted to know, the better. It was easy for Giles to ask for Glory's room. As self idolizing as she was, she had left the room in her own name. Buffy, Giles, Anya, Tara and Willow had come in through the front and acted like friends of Glory's to get in. In the shadowy corner of the hotel terrace, Xander stayed with Angel. Once they were inside the main hallways, Buffy opened the doors to let them in. Angel shrugged off the black trench coat he had used to cover himself and the seven of them headed up to Glory's penthouse. "Angel and I will take the stairs. The rest of you act normal and take the elevator." Buffy commanded. "Good!" Anya exclaimed as she pulled Xander into the elevator. Willow and Tara followed after them. "Buffy. Be careful" Giles reminded. "I'm not worried about me" Buffy replied. Giles smiled briefly and stepped into the elevator as well. "This way" Angel said softly as Buffy watched the elevator doors close. Together, Angel and Buffy climbed the stairs, matching each other, step for step. Angel stopped her when they reached the fourth floor landing. "I love you" he whispered to her. "I love you too" Buffy gave him a quick kiss and made her move into the fourth floor. The other four had stopped to get as many visitors out as possible. "You ready?" Buffy asked seriously as they reached Glory's door. "I've been waiting centuries to take a swing at a god" Angel replied. Theological, Buffy thought but she'd have to analyse later.

"What's going on?" Dawn asked into the darkness. A blindfold was pulled from her face but no real light came to her anyway. Once her eyes adjusted, Dawn could see that there was an altar built in front of her. There were arcane symbols drawn there. Soft candlelight was the only illumination. A shadow crossed in front of her and Glory knelt beside her. "Dear Dawn!" Glory teased "I grow to like you even more each day..." Dawn tried to give Glory an angry glare but it turned to more of a puzzled stare. "Now I'm going to untie you...." Glory faked compassion "and if you run or scream I'll knock you unconscious, because you will help my ritual either way." Dawn felt cold metal brush her wrists as her ropes were cut. Dawn wanted to run but even if Glory hadn't held her down, her legs couldn't carry her. Once the ropes were lose Glory grabbed Dawns wrist, surprisingly as Glory dragged Dawn to the altar Dawn's legs held her up. Glory harshly knotted a piece of thick rope around Dawns wrist which she had also looped her own into. Dawn was yanked down as Glory knelt before the altar. "Malum dost ara mi vole" Glory began to chant a pool of black fire sprung to life in the middle of the altar. Dawn felt dread seeping into her system as the fire began to rise off the altar and red engravings of pentagrams glowed deeply.

"Shit!" Buffy exclaimed after Angel and herself had killed all of Glory's demons and neither Glory nor Dawn were here. "They can't be far" Xander tried to comfort from the doorway. Angel gave Xander a look, he didn't mean it to be negative but Xander noticed and seemed to get that impression. "Where else could they be?" Buffy raked her hands roughly through her hair. "She needs someplace quiet and dark, more than likely" Angel interjected. "He's right" Giles asserted. "Should we check tunnels?" Xander asked. "Yes" Buffy agreed. "C'mon Xander" Willow said. The Slayerettes left the threshold and headed down to the car. "Are you coming?" Giles asked softly before he left. Angel glanced at Buffy who seemed very out of it. "Give her a minute" Angel whispered and Giles left. "No" Buffy muttered while lifting a cracked picture frame of the floor. "What is it?" Angel asked more than a little alarmed. "This photo had Dawn in it" She replied as she handed the frame to Angel. "You think Glory's figured it out?" Angel asked. Before Buffy could answer a scream erupted from the basement of the hotel.

"...vole!" Glory yelled over Dawn's terrified screams. The flames erupted into a human form and the figure reached a slender hand toward Dawn. The black flames brushed across Dawn's cheek and seared her flesh instantly. Glory laughed lightly as Dawn screamed harder. The black flames engulfed Dawn, pulling her into oblivion. Glory looked on as a white light burst through the flames. Streaks of white light shattering the fiery orb of darkness. Alarm came to Glory as unearthly screams called from deep within the crackling mass. "No!" Glory yelled as the fire disappeared and Dawn's dead but unharmed form fell to the floor. Glory felt a gust of wind blow past her. Buffy screamed from the basement doorway. The Slayer rushed down and cradled her sister's form in her arms. The man, Glory could only assume to be the "Angel" her minions had spoke of, knelt beside her and felt for a pulse. Buffy saw the look of hopelessness in his eyes and broke down even further. "I hope you're happy," Glory cried at Buffy "I'm stuck on this retched plain of existence for infinity!" Buffy looked up at Glory, for once, with true hatred in her eyes. As the Slayer stood up to face Glory a feeling of weakness washed over her. Buffy walked up to Glory and waited. "Make your move..." Buffy taunted, "kill me too!" Glory smiled knowingly and just stared back. "Your time will come" Glory mocked as her form burst into a ring of black flames and vanished. "What happened?" Willow called from the door, "dear God!" Willow rushed into the room and pulled Dawn away from Angel and into her arms. As tears streamed from Buffy's best friend's eyes the rest of the "scooby gang" flooded into the room and milled around Buffy asking questions, waiting for responses they would never get. Buffy shuffled through them, knocking Xander to the ground with the slightest shove. She fell into Angel's arms where he knelt beside Willow watching Dawn's corpse. Sobs broke the silence as Buffy cried into Angel's chest.

Her slender hands ran up her arms and over her chest as Rosaline tested her form. A smile lit the girls face as she said softly "perfect." Rosaline was tall and lithe. She had flowing blonde hair that hung straight down her back, she was as young as ever and her curves fit her perfectly. As a parody of herself, she was dressed in a flowing white gown covered with ivory lace. "Finally," Rosaline turned to Glory, "you release me." "I am sorry, mistress" Glory repented. "You have not succeeded in killing the Slayer?" Rosaline asked harshly "No, I thought the honour should be yours" Glory excused. "You failed!" Rosaline snapped back at her. "Then I apologize deeply, most beautiful one" Glory again exalted. " As you should," Rosaline retorted as Glory burst into the deep red flames of hell, "oh, and, don't suck up!" As she smoothed her hands down her figure once more the white turned to black with grey lace over the top. Since a reflection was one of the great gifts she had, Rosaline smiled in the mirror and ran her tongue along her pointed fangs. "As lovely as ever" she told her reflection and walked out of the vault and into the bright daylight of Sunnydale, California.

"Dawn was the key?" Xander restated. "Yes" Giles replied and looked at Buffy who was still crying softly in Angel's arms. " I think we need to learn what Glory's spell brought about," Giles told the group, "whether it was completed or not." "I can't" Buffy muttered softly. She pulled away from Angel and looked through red rimmed eyes at the rest of the group. "Buffy we need you!" Xander reminded her. "I have to help mom!" Buffy told the group. "You are the Slayer!" Giles remarked. "She was my sister!" Buffy yelled back shrilly. Buffy leapt away from the table and ran out of the store. Giles watched stricken, as Buffy pushed hard on the door, snapping it from it's hinges. Angel took off after her, the sun was low but had not set and once Angel was out the door he ran carefully in the shadows. "Buffy?" he called down the alley behind the Magic Box. Stifled sobbing echoed in the darkness and Angel walked into the alley. "Buffy?"he called softer this time and heard a shuffle from behind a box in the alley. Buffy sat behind it, she sat in a soft pool of orange sunlight but Angel stepped in anyway and kept himself covered in his trench coat with his back turned to the sun. "Are you okay?" Angel asked her. Buffy sobbed lightly and looked up at him. "Why did you follow me?" Buffy asked and turned away from him. Angel gently pulled her around to face him once again, if she had wanted to she could have made that impossible for him, but she didn't. "I love you" Angel told her. Buffy looked at him again, "I love you too" she replied and curled up against him. "I'm so tired..." she murmured after a long silence. "Sleep," he whispered to her as they sat together, "It's almost night and I'll take you home." "I can't–" Buffy started. Angel interjected "I'll take care of Sunnydale tonight."

1873– Galway Bay, Ireland– "Don't go..." Rosaline begged her brother. "You know I have to!" Angelus replied to her. "Father is just a silly old man! You could make him proud!" Rosaline told Angelus. "I can't stay!" Angel answered her. "It's all that wench's fault!" Rosaline said irritably. Angelus took his sister's wrist harshly "Don't call her that!" Angelus responded "You don't want to disappoint father like I did." "Must you go?" Rosaline asked her brother once more. "Yes" he told her quietly. "Here," Angelus gave his sister a small box, "use this so I know the letters are from you" Rosaline opened the box to find a stamp to seal all her letters with. Instead of her usual family crest, there was a large rose engraved into the metal tip. "I will write often" Rosaline said through tears. Angelus hugged his sister. "We will meet again soon!" Angelus said as he left her in front of their house. Rosaline watched him walk into town, then she stood and stared at the road where he'd been. "Dear Lord," Rosaline prayed "protect my brother, for I worry the worst is yet to come."

"I can't believe she acted like that!" Xander remarked into the night. "You know maybe you should think her way!" Willow scolded him, "I can't believe you don't realize this was her sister!" "It wasn't her sister!" Xander yelled back at Willow. Willow cringed at Xander's sudden outburst. "I don't know about you but I feel a little miffed that everyone knew except those of us who are suppose to help Buffy protect her!" Xander told Willow irritably. "Giles knew" Willow added quietly. "Oh right I forgot about the almighty Watcher!" Xander mocked. "How could those guys play with our minds to make us think Dawn was real?" Xander called over his shoulder as he continued down the quiet road. " Dawn was real!" Willow replied to him rationally. Xander turned around and looked at Willow who was on the verge of tears. "I'm sorry Will" Xander murmured as he pulled his best friend into a hug. As they hugged in the street and Willow cried softly, a tear slid down Xander's cheek.

"Here" Giles flopped the newspaper down on the table, in front of Buffy. "What is it?" Buffy asked sarcastically, "Did you win the lottery?" Giles looked down at her, she looked so haggard. She cradled a cup of coffee, which was the only thing that seemed to sustain her. Buffy shifted in her chair uncomfortably under his gaze and took the paper from the table. "Crap!" Buffy uttered. Buffy threw the paper back on the table "What?" Angel asked. "Someone murdered a girl near your old place." Buffy said flatly. Giles explained,"She had a rose carved into her right cheek. The coroner said that no hand prints were anywhere on her body even though her neck was snapped." Angel fell quiet. "Thanks Mr. Morbid Details" Buffy mocked. She looked at Angel, he looked back her, a scared look on his face. "Angel?" Buffy asked.

1873 –Galway Bay, Ireland– Angelus sunk his fangs deep into his sister's neck. A strangled scream was the last sound she made. "Are you done yet, my angel?" Darla called from the door way. Angelus turned to face her and let his sister's body fall to the floor. "Almost" he smiled malevolently. Angel walked over to his stepmother "You know as odd as this may sound, I'm doing him a favour." Angelus pulled the tightly bundled baby from the quivering woman. Angelus placed the baby in a basket on the table near by. "Please," his stepmother wailed, "Don't harm him" "You don't have to worry about that" Angelus whispered to her. Angelus pulled the terrified woman to himself and snapped her neck simply. "Wench" He spat at her corpse. Darla cradled the baby in the basket. "Would you spare him?" Darla asked vindictively. "Never" Angelus replied, leering at his sire. He took the bundle from her and hung it on the spire that was meant to hold a pot over the brightly burning hearth. The baby cried as he was licked with flames, and Angelus and Darla left their latest conquest. "Where to now?" Darla asked once they were in the beautiful night. "To take care of my father's last wish" Angelus remarked. He tugged Darla down the quiet path that lead to the stables and into the countryside. He had never noticed Darla supplying Rosaline with the blood that would turn her into the creature her brother had become.

"Angel?" Buffy called again. "Do you know something about this?" Giles asked. "It couldn't be..." Angel muttered. "Who? What?" Buffy asked, frustrated. "My sister" Angel muttered. "What about her?" Buffy exclaimed. Angel looked at Buffy and knew this would be the end. "Darla.... Darla made her. I didn't know...." Angel stammered "What about her, Angel?" Buffy asked as she rose from the table and came to him. "I had left with Darla to kill the man that was coming into to town to be married to my sister," Angel explained, "We reached his camp late because we had stopped to ruin a village. When we got there, everyone had cleared out. We headed back to my town thinking that he must have continued on. When we reached the room we had kept for ourselves my sister's fiancé and all of his attendants were dead and waiting for us. Each one had a rose burned into their right cheek." "Rather like our newest friend" Giles added. Angel ignored him and continued "My sister had killed each of them. I had given her that rose stamp for her letters to me. She was strong, right from the start. She was stronger than any vampire should have been, even after centuries of life. Darla explained she had just changed her on impulse. Rosaline stuck with us for the next five years, but after a while she realized how lowly vampires are on the chain of existence in the demon world. She hated that and started practising magic, powerful magic, she created a spell that could pull the attributes of choice from her victims or superiors. She left us and spent years terrorizing both realities, human and demon. After a while she disappeared, no one heard from her at all. There was a myth that she had reached perfection and was adopted into hell to rule at the Overlord's right hand." "She became a God?" Buffy asked. "It was a rumour, but she hasn't been seen in a century and a half, and so it was just assumed to be true." Angel answered. "She has attributes of demons as well as magic and vampirism?" Giles asked hesitantly. Angel only nodded heavily. "Could she be what the key released?" Buffy requested. "I–I don't know" Giles stammered, "if it released her, who knows what else it released" Giles stated. Buffy sank back into her chair. "Glory was evil, but she was only a minion to Rosaline" Angel remarked. Buffy moaned from her chair and raked her hands through her hair. Angel looked as weary as Buffy and Giles felt bad for both of them. They give up so much for the fight that is bigger than them, now they are asked to give up their lives. It wasn't fair, Giles thought.

"Dearest?" Rosaline mocked concern as she talked to the demon. "I don't know where they are" the demon wailed. Rosaline pulled the glowing red poker from the bonfire and rammed it through the demon's abdomen and into the plastered wall of the gothic church that she was calling home. "You don't?" Rosaline asked innocently. She lifted a stick from the fire and held the flaming end toward the demon. "I swear" he cried. "Well, if you swear" again Rosaline mocked sincerity. She thrust the flaming piece of wood into the demon's chest and watched him begin to burn. "I won't die" the demon bellowed through the flames. "I know that" Rosaline smiled to him. "I don't care if you die, but you'll burn" The demon glared at her "What are you?" he asked. "How do you feel about eternal torment?" Rosaline returned. The demon looked puzzled, Rosaline swiped her hand over him and he disappeared, leaving behind only a charred wall where he had been. "I guess I'll have to find brother dearest on my own" Rosaline told the air where the demon had been. She turned around and smiled to wide variety of mangled demons chained to the other walls of the church. "Can we go?" a trifling demon asked from behind her. "Of course!" Rosaline grinned at them and waved her hand releasing all the chains. She walked out of the church and as she shut the heavy doors behind her, unearthly screams echoed as red flames burst out the windows then subsided. Once the flames vanished, all the windows reformed and were instantly boarded. "Now, where do Angelus and his new love go to hide from the day?" Rosaline questioned the daylight.

"You can't stay here" Angel said rashly. "What do you mean?" Buffy asked as she packed a bag of supplies for slaying. "Mom doesn't need to hear that Dawn's dead and her other daughter is leaving." Buffy reminded him. "You don't have a choice" Angel stated, "If you don't leave she'll die. Glory warned you, Rosaline has an all access pass to everywhere and she won't hesitate to kill your mom." "If I'm not hear she'll kill my mom anyway!" Buffy remarked. "She's looking for us. If we're not here she won't be drawn here to find you"Angel told Buffy calmly. "Alright" Buffy said wearily, "Give me a minute." Angel waited silently in her room, he walked around looking at her things. He saw her stuffed animals and her photos of herself and her mother. Dawn was in none of the photos, the spell was already fading. Angel listened for movement downstairs, he heard a conversation between Buffy and her mother. Joyce was crying and Buffy was trying to be rational. She could always be rational through the hardest of conversations, Angel thought to himself. Angel noticed picture on Buffy's desk, he looked down at the photo. He moved to lift the picture from the desk but he knocked a box off. Angel bent down to pick up it's contents and noticed the silver cross he had given her when they had first met, in the mess. He gingerly lifted it by it's chain, this cross had burned into his chest when they had kissed at the Bronze. Angel wanted to kiss Buffy and give the cross back to her but he realized he couldn't even hold the cross in his palm. Just another reminder of how they didn't work together. Angel was lost in thought when Buffy came back into the room. "I leave you in here for one minute and you trash my room!" Buffy exclaimed. Angel quickly shoved the rest of the items back into the box and placed it back on her desk. A smile crept across Buffy's face and then was instantly replaced with tears. "What is it?" Angel asked in concern. "It's just I used to tell Dawn the same thing" Buffy replied softly. "You know the spell is starting to wear off" Angel said gently. "What?" Buffy looked angry. Angel motioned to Buffy's pictures and Buffy pulled one off the shelf. "No!" She yelled to the photo. Buffy threw the photo across the room and in left a crack in the wall where it had hit. Buffy stared at the crack. Angel put his arm around her shoulder. "You need to pack." Angel told her like a child. Buffy went trough the motions of packing. Once Buffy was outside the house and in Angel's convertible she couldn't keep herself together any longer. "I want to go some place loud" Buffy told Angel. "Where?" he asked. "Let's go to the Bronze" Buffy replied, "I want to let loose" "Okay" Angel said as he put the car in gear and headed to the Bronze.

The music was as loud as Buffy had hoped and welcomed the swarm of people around her. Buffy practically dragged Angel to the dance floor. Buffy moved fluidly to the music and smiled mischievously at Angel. Angel began to sway to the music as well and grinned back at her. Buffy loved being with him but pretending to be normal was even better. Stares began to move their way. When the song ended a slower song came over the speakers and Angel pulled her into his arms. "This is good" Buffy whispered to him as they danced. "This is good" Angel whispered back to her. The night faded into music and, Angel and Buffy loved every minute of it. For once it would be nice to have a night like this and not have to think in the back of her mind that it would have to end. At midnight the Bronze closed and Buffy headed out into the street with Angel and they got into his convertible and headed for the abandoned mansion. From deep in the shadows a pair of glowing green eyes watched them.

"So, pick a room?" Buffy asked Angel. "All your choice" Angel told her as he lifted her bag onto his shoulders. "Which rooms yours?" Buffy asked. "I took this one" Angel motioned toward the door their left. "I'll take that one" Buffy stated, and pointed to a room on the other side of the hallway. She walked away from Angel's room and down the hall in the opposite direction. Buffy pushed open the door to the room. It was worn like all of the rooms but unlike most of the rooms it was very feminine. The walls were stained and peeling but you could see a coat of pink paint underneath. The curtains were lacy and covered the boarded windows. "It was his daughter's room" Angel explained as he stepped around her and put the bag on a couch with a tarp over it. "Huh? Who's?" Buffy declared as she woke from her haze. "The original owner of this house. In the early 1940's, he had this place built for his second wife and their daughter. This was his daughter's room" Angel told Buffy. "Interesting," Buffy mocked, "... so is that all?" "Goodnight" Angel said softly as he left her in the room. "Goodnight" Buffy told the closed door.

"Oh, thank God!" the young blonde girl exclaimed as she huddled behind Xander. "It's alright," Xander declared, "that guy won't hurt you any longer." Xander pulled out a cross out from under his coat and headed toward the mausoleum. "I'm batman. I'm batman" Xander whispered to himself as he headed into the darkness. Once Xander stepped around the tombstone he saw the vampire hanging from a cross on top of a tall statue that marked a nearby grave. Smoke rose from the point where the top of the cross pierced through his chest. "Help me" the vampire rasped. Xander just looked on in horror, he wanted to make a snappy comeback but the image of this demon impaled was too horrible. "If you insist" a female hissed from behind Xander. Xander looked at the demon on the post who had a look of terror on his face, when Xander turned around he could understand why. The blonde girl who had been desperately looking for help know beared pointed fangs he hadn't noticed before. Her face was not demonic like most vampires but she was definitely not human. "You,..." Xander stuttered "you're not human." "No doll" she mocked. "What are you?" Xander asked. "Honestly," she teased "I'm not quite sure." "Are you a good guy?" Xander asked hoarsely. "I might be," Rosaline explained, "I can be good when the mood suits me." "Are you in a good mood right now?" Xander asked hesitantly. "The best you can hope for." Rosaline replied as she leered at him menacingly. Xander gagged as he clawed at the air around his neck. Rosaline walked back through the tombstones and Xander was dragged, 2 feet off the ground, behind her.

"Xander's missing?" Buffy asked, alarmed, into the phone. "He never came back last night?" Angel was already throwing on his duster and handed Buffy his leather jacket. "Angel and I will be there soon" Buffy promised. "We can head to the Magic Shop" Angel said as he opened the door. "We're on our way, Gi–" Buffy stated as Angel was backed into the room by a young blonde girl who had an unconscious Xander in tow. "Tell your watcher that Xander's as safe as the rest of you" the young girl told Buffy. "Who–" Buffy started but she was amazed as the phone was ripped from the wall and flung away from her. "Rosaline"Buffy whispered. "Glad to have made you acquaintance, sister" Rosaline mocked. "Leave her alone" Angel rasped from the other side of the room. "You see dearest, that's just not possible." Rosaline replied. "So you are the most honoured Slayer of the `powers– that–be'?" Rosaline continued. "I wouldn't know" Buffy responded. "You know, believe it or not, I admire you. You are a true creature of immeasurable power. I'm fascinated," Rosaline remarked as she began to move in on Buffy, "I respect that." "Do you?" Buffy replied nervously. Buffy could sense the power that radiated from Rosaline, it was supreme. "I think you realize that even if I admire you it won't save you" "Rosaline!" Angel yelled at his sister. Rosaline spun around and flung her hand out toward Angel. Angel flew back from his spot on the ground, and slammed hard into the wall. "Shhhhh" Rosaline mocked. "You know I used to idolize him. He was my world. Nothing he could do would upset me. Then he went with Darla," Rosaline told Buffy, "She was a hussy. She used him to do her bidding. So, he got a soul and I lost my chance to play with his soul in hell, for all eternity. Then he found you. You love him, he loves you. In it's own disgusting way, it's beautiful." Buffy cringed as Rosaline lay her hand on Buffy's shoulder. "You realize I could have killed Xander hundreds of times before I even got here but I didn't." Buffy only looked at the girl before her. "I will give you a chance to save both of them," Rosaline offered, " if you fight me one on one." "Can I win?" Buffy asked with feigned confidence. "No" Rosaline replied pleasantly. "Let's do it" Buffy countered. Rosaline looked back at her latest victims and they hovered from their respective places and into the courtyard. "Did I mention that to save Angel you'd have to beat me before sunrise?" Rosaline asked. "Well then let's not waste time" Buffy replied. "As you wish, sister." Buffy jabbed for Rosaline's face but the goddess backed away before the punch landed. Rosaline threw a volley of red, fiery bolts of lightning back to Buffy. Buffy dropped to the ground and felt the heat of the streaks fly above her. "Buffy!" Angel called from behind the doors to the courtyard. There was no way Buffy could win if Rosaline had magic to use against her. Buffy heaved herself off the floor and back into a fighting stance but Rosaline was ready for her and instantly threw Buffy back to the ground with a strong right hook to the jaw. Buffy felt her own energy fade away. Around her the lights dimmed. Black pools to oblivion floated at the corners of her vision and began to engulf her. Angel called her name from somewhere outside. Buffy felt a hand on the back of her head, it was strong and it pressed her head into the hard floor beneath her, cracking her skull. Angel was her last thought.

Angel watched in horror as Rosaline knocked Buffy to the ground once again. Buffy didn't move and Rosaline looked almost dejected that it was that simple. Angel called to Buffy but she still didn't move. Rosaline kneeled beside Buffy and pressed hard on Buffy's skull. Once Rosaline seemed satisfied that the job was complete she brushed the hair from Buffy's face and kissed her cheek. Angel wanted to die then as well. More than likely he would join her shortly. Rosaline looked from Buffy's body to where Angel stood in the window. She gave him a quick half smile and began to move toward the door. She didn't walk, she hovered. Angel watched her approach and knew the world's fate was sealed. Rosaline leered at him then smiled just past him. Angel turned around and noticed that the sun was rising over the horizon. When Angel turned back Rosaline was on the other side of the window and past her Buffy's body was no longer on the floor. "I will miss you so, brother." Rosaline said though it was muffled through the glass. Rosaline smiled once again, but then, a look of pure pain crossed her face and she sank to the ground. Behind her stood Buffy who was not truly alive, her eyes looked straight through Angel and she carried herself with the strength that Rosaline did. That wasn't Buffy, just a host using her body for it's own purposes. Buffy smashed through he glass and then turned her attention back to Rosaline. Angel grabbed Xander and carried him into the mansion. Rosaline looked as scared as anyone else would have been. Buffy returned all of Rosaline's strength and magic with the same ease. "What are you?" Rosaline yelled in frustration to Buffy. "I'm everything you're not" the host said through Buffy's voice, almost convincing Angel for a moment that it truly was Buffy. Buffy's host threw up her arms and a glowing blue vortex grew above Buffy's head. Rosaline screamed in agony as the winds whipped around her. Red fire shot from her hands and flew into the centre of the vortex which threw Buffy's body back from the blast. Angel ran forward and tried to distract Rosaline while she was weak and disoriented. Rosaline fought admirably but not like the goddess that she was. Angel got in kick after kick but he began to wear thin and couldn't keep up the attack that kept her weak. Buffy was crumpled against the wall and not even a spirit lived inside her. While Angel looked at Buffy, Rosaline threw him into an small window which shattered around him and rained down like tiny pieces of ice. He slid down the wall, while Rosaline stood before him. Angel swung out his leg and hit her in the side which threw her to the ground beside him. Angel got to his feet and watched Rosaline crouch low at his feet. She muttered softly and just as Angel made out what she was saying he was hit with a blaze of red light. He was thrown to the floor and now he lay at her feet. "Do you surrender?" Rosaline asked evilly through her panting. Angel glared back at her. Over her shoulder Angel could see, in a mirror, the sun creep into the courtyard. She was regaining strength and he couldn't hold her back. He couldn't chase her into the day. He had to stop her while she stayed inside the mansion. Rosaline began chanting again, soon another blaze of red would fly at him. Angel ducked away from her. All he could hope to do is stay away from the ball of fire. Angel ran around the couch and behind Rosaline. Just before Angel got to the stairs she released the magic. It flew at him and he jumped forward to avoid it. The fiery red flare hit the mirror and smashed but the mirror had reflected the fire and it zoomed back at Rosaline. Angel watched as his sister screamed in agony. Her body was draped in red flames and she crumpled to the floor. The floor caved under her and she sunk into the hole while her screams echoed through both realms. Angel watched as her hand shot through the floor and she tried to pull herself out but her arm turned to stone in the sunlight that was now spilling into the room.

Angel surveyed his home. Everything was disastrous, and worst of all Buffy lay still on the floor. Angel ignored the pain of the sunlight on his skin as he ran to sit beside her. Buffy was cold and beginning to grow stiff. Angel felt a tear run down his cheek, as he looked down at Buffy. A wash of white light ran through the room, everything became blanketed in it's golden radiance. "We promised you your final reward" the voice boomed. Angel looked up at the figure that stood beside him. "Is Buffy dead?" Angel asked. "The Slayer is dead," the voice replied, "but we must grant your final rewards." "I don't want my humanity if Buffy is dead!" Angel yelled back at the spirit. "Buffy Summers is not dead," the voice responded "her final reward is her life." Angel looked at the spirit, "How?" he asked. "She will join you in this realm of mortal existence, as any normal girl" the spirit replied. Buffy gasped, and Angel felt her move slightly in his arms. Angel looked up for the spirit but he was gone. Angel felt a shock of pain as his heart jolted to life inside his chest. He felt warmth spread through his body. Buffy opened her eyes and looked up at Angel who stared back at her. "Are you okay?" Angel asked her. "Sore and weak, but fine. You?" Buffy returned. "I'm good" Angel told her. "Hey guys?" Xander groaned from the other side of the room. "Xander!" Buffy exclaimed and tried to sit up but she fell back, gently Angel helped her up. Xander was staring at the rock hand that was protruding from the giant crack in Angel's floor. Buffy carefully walked to the hand, she carried a poker from the fireplace with her. Buffy raised the iron stick high over her head and brought it down hard on the rock arm, smashing it to unrecognizable pieces. "Let's go" Buffy said darkly. Angel helped Xander up, then joined Buffy as they headed toward the door.

Angel and Buffy sat watching the surf rush over the shore as the sun set across the horizon. "How is humanity so far?" Buffy asked Angel softly. "Better than ever" Angel whispered back to her, and rested his chin on the top of her head. "So how's this going to work?" Buffy asked sadly. "I don't know," Angel told her, "but I know I love you." Buffy closed her eyes, inhaled deeply and snuggled against Angel's chest. "I love you" she replied. As the sun sank into blackness Buffy smiled, it was the first night in six years that she would get to live her dream. She fell asleep in her boyfriend's loving arms.

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