Rating: PG 13
Summary: Buffy thinks of Angel and has a little meeting with Angelus
Disclaimer: I dont own Buffy or the lyrics to Garbage's song 'Stroke Of luck'
Distribution: Take freely, on anything I write I don't care :) As usual just tell me first.
Notes: I was just playing around with the idea that if Angel truly wanted to he could fight the demon and win

Buffy was lying on her bed staring at the ceiling, she turned the C.D player on and hugged her pillow closer, the expression on her face was dead, she has no expression, she was so exausted emotionally and physically she looked dead. She started to listen to the music softly humming in the background..

Hanging by threads all made of silver, I could have stayed that way forever. Bad blood and goes wrap tight around me, nothing could ever seem to touch me. I lose what I love most, did you know I was lost until you found me.

Stroke of luck or gift from god, hand of fate or devil's claws, from below or saints above you came to me, here comes the cold again, I feel it closin in, its falling down and all around me falling.

Buffy laughed bitterly, 'heaven sent devil in disguise' she thought. He held her lover's face but ate away at her soul, Buffy truly felt Angelus was going to be her demise, she couldn't kill him, but she couldn't love him either. She sighed wistfully.

You say that you'll be there to catch me, or will you only try to trap me, these are the rules I make, are chains were meant to brake and never change. Here comes the cold again, I feel it closin in, your falling down and all around me falling.

Stroke of luck or gift fron god, hand of fate or devil's claws, from below or saints above you come to me now.

Angelus watched her, watched her innocence fade with every jab and smile he sent her way, it made him feel wonderful. Buffy was his obsession, soul or no soul. Angelus intended to torture her until there was nothing left but emptyness, little did he know he had already accomplished that.

Don't ask me why, don't even try. Stroke of luck or gift from god, hand of fate or devil's claws from below or saints above you come to me now.

Here comes the cold again I feel it closin in, it's fallin down and all around me, falling.

Buffy turned off the c.d player and walked outside, this was going to be the final showdown between her and Angel, but she was going to make sure he won, she didn't bring a single weapon not even a cross.

Angelus saw her walk outside and followed her.

"Angel, I know you're here." Buffy said softly as she turned around to face the darkness.

He loomed out of the shadows. "Hello lover, did you miss me that much, to come looking for me, I'm touched." He said with a giddy expression.

"Here how about a fight to the death, see if you can beat me." Buffy said as she went into a fighting stance

"Anytime Buff, anytime." Angel said as he swinged at her, Buffy didn't even move and his fist connected with her face, Buffy faltered but leveled herself.

"Is that the best you got?" Buffy asked.

"No, but you're getting just a bit too annoying for me, so I'm going to have to kill you now." Angel said as he grabbed her by the shoulders and bit into her neck. Buffy smiled at the pain and pretended to struggle, she was growing weaker by the second.

"Finally free." Buffy whispered. But something surprised her Angel pushed her away, and yelled in agonizing pain, he fell to the ground.Buffy looked down, she was still alive, he didn't kill her.

"Buffy?" Angel said in a hoarse whisper. Buffy looked at him unsure of whether this was a trick or not.

Buffy stared at Angel for a minute unsure of what was happening, it looked like her Angel and sounded like him, but for all Buffy could know this was a trick.

"Angel?" Buffy asked softly as she walked slowly over to him.

"Oh god, Oh god, I'm so sorry Buffy, for everything I've done. I stopped him, I stopped him from killing you. I couldn't just watch you die." Angel said as he rocked back and forth. Buffy rushed to him and cradled him in her arms.

"Shh, it wasn't your fault." Buffy said as she stroked his hair, tears started to stream down Buffy's face.

"No, I don't deserve you." Angel said as he got up and backed away.

"Angel don't do this, it wasn't you fault, don't blame yourself." Buffy said softly as she ran her hand down his cheek. Buffy wrapped her arms around him and hugged him, he reluctantly hugged back.

"Do you know what it was like to watch me torture you, it was hell Buffy. And I prayed that you'd find the strength to kill me. How can you ever forgive me?" Angel asked the sorrow thick in his voice.

"Because I belong to you, I welcomed death tonight, because I didn't have you. I practically begged to die at your hands because maybe I would know some kind of peace. I need you, my heart, soul and body belongs to you." Buffy said as she looked him in the eye. In that one moment the love that flowed between them was immense and true but as quickly as it showed, he put up his mask.

"I don't want to hurt you again, as much as I love you, it's nearly impossible for us to be together." Angel said

"So what, you're just going to give up? That's your plan? I wont listen to that. I can't lose you again." Buffy said as the tears grew more fierce.

"How can I look at you the same, knowing all the hurt and pain I caused you? It wouldn't be right. you deserve more, a normal life, that's why I should probably go." Angel said as he looked down at the pavement.

"A normal life? A NORMAL LIFE?? I can never have a normal life, Im a slayer and even if I were to be with someone else, I'd probably get them killed. I'm not gonna live past 25! At least let my years be happy and with you." Buffy said angrily.

When Angel thought about it, it made some sort of sense.

"How would it work out, I can't give you what you want." Angel said softly.

"You know I don't care about that, if I did what kind of person would I be?" Buffy said solemnly.

"Are you sure?" Angel asked.

"Never more sure in my life." Buffy said as she hugged and kissed him with the passion she had bottled up.

The two walked back to Giles house...

***

Giles was nearly asleep when his doorbell rang. "I'm coming." Giles mumbled as he put his glasses on. He opened the door and thought he was dreaming.

"Buffy? Angel? Buffy he's behind you, hurry." Giles said as he backed away.

"Does the word 'duh' mean anything to you Giles!" Buffy said impatiently. "Angelus was about to kill me, when Angel fought and won, he's back." Buffy said as she squeezed Angel's hand.

"Are you sure?" Giles asked as he eyed Angel carefully, he still didn't quite trust him, the emotional hell he put Buffy through put Giles in over protective father mode.

Giles invited them in and they sat down on his couch. Giles was leafing through a book, when it hit him.

"Of course." He muttered. Giles walked over to Angel and put holy water on his hand. Angel recoiled but then realized he wasn't burning.Angel sat there with a bemused look on his face.

"How come I didn't burn?" Angel asked as he stared down at his hand

"Because your soul is bound to you." Giles said as he sat down. "You fought the demon and won, he can never resurface again." Giles said rather impatiently.

"Angel?" Buffy said as a wide smile crossed her face. "So this means he can.." Buffy trailed off.

"Exactly." Giles said as he smiled at the two, Giles sighed and pondered on calling Jenny for a date.

Angel stood there with an expression of confusion and happiness put into one.

"Walk me home?" Buffy asked as she walked over to the door.

"Of course." Angel said as he pulled her in close.

Giles smiled as he leafed through his book.

* * *

Four months later....

"I'll love you always Buffy." Angel whispered to his bride, kissing the top of her head

Buffy contentedly sighed as she drifted asleep in her lover's arms.

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