Part Three

Buffy walked into the entrance of the hotel and couldn't help being impressed.

**Angel had come up in the world,** she thought as her eyes swept over the magnificence of his new home.

Her small heels were the only sound that broke the stillness as she slowly ventured deeper inside the building, After the conversation with Wesley; Buffy was on full slayer alertness. Although Wesley had refused to go into real detail, Buffy knew that she had to prepare herself for a change in the man that she had once loved. Whatever this darkness was that had caught Angel up in its web, Buffy knew she would have to face it.

Willow had been right, she needed closure. If she didn't face Angel and make her peace her soul would spend all eternity regretting it

Buffy closed her eyes and reached into her heart. She allowed the tingling sensation that always foretold of Angel's presence to rise from its prison and wash over her. Yes, Angel was close.

Taking the stairs two at a time the Slayer changed pace in a sudden need to confront her ex lover one last time. She made her way along the small corridors until at last the sensation that was only ever Angel drew her towards the right room. Her small hand curled into a fist and knocked gently on the door, then without waiting another second Buffy walked in.

Once inside, Buffy was caught unaware for a moment, the room was pitch black cutting off all that was harmful to the vampire that occupied it. Buffy adjusted her eyes to the blackness and with the help from the light in the hall way her vision improved. The room was completely silent apart from Buffy's own breathing. If she hadn't known any better, she would have sworn that she was the only person there but, of course, she did know better. Buffy approached the bed in the corner of the room with slight hesitation, as her small steps brought her closer she caught her breath at the sight of an almost naked Angel spread out across the dark sheets. His pale body was completely still, imitating the sleep of the dead.

Her thirsty eyes drank in the sight of him. The contrast of long dark lashes on pale white skin, his strong nose and exquisite cheekbones, not to mention his blood red mouth, were a sight Buffy feared she would never see again.

Angel had always been beautiful in her eyes but, as Buffy took another step forward, she immediately noticed the difference in his shape. The well-defined muscles beneath his ivory skin were at their peak of physical perfection. His once familiar body was now amazingly new, her fingers longed to trail over his taut flesh and reacquaint themselves with the cool feel that Buffy had never quite been able to forget.

Her gaze swept over his broad chest. She let her eyes linger slightly on his flat coppery nipples before continuing their journey down, passed his hard flat stomach and finally stopping on the faint line of dark hair that disappointingly disappeared beneath a tangled sheet wrapped around his lean hips.

Buffy stood hypnotised watching for some sign of movement. For some reason, she found herself wishing with all of her heart that his chest would rise and fall as it took breath.

"What are you doing here, Buffy?" Angel's voice asked with what sounded like a hint of annoyance. He opened his eyes and slowly sat up not caring that the sheet had slipped, revealing even more of his body. Buffy swallowed hard and fought to keep her eyes above his waistline. It wasn't easy.

" Haven't you been reading the newspapers, Angel? It's the end of the world" Buffy kept her voice remarkably calm.

"Only for humans, the demons will survive. Although I'm not too sure about vampires, I guess we'll get kinda hungry after a while, once the bodies have all gone" Angel shrugged his shoulders without showing any real concern. He ran his hands across his tired face and up into his hair. Angel was long past exhaustion; his mind, body and soul felt fatigued beyond imagination.

Buffy was horrified at the change in the man before her. She could feel the dark side of his nature rising against the light. It was as if the demon was slowly suffocating the soul and Angel was making no attempt to fight it.

"What on earth happened to you?" she asked, trying to look into his eyes. Buffy needed to be sure that Angelus hadn't taken residence again. She felt her fingers move unconsciously towards her jacket pocket and the stake she always carried.

Angel sighed; his face took on a blank look as if an explanation was simply too much trouble.

Buffy recognised the telltale brooding and relaxed her fingers on the stake. The soul sitting on the bed wasn't evil, just defeated.

"It's a long story but if you want the cliff notes version, Darla and Drusilla."

"Darla's dead" Buffy whispered in disbelief. A vision of Angel's Sire turning to dust in the Bronze flashed before her.

"Not any more, like I said it's a long story. Darla was brought back as a human but Dru turned her again. She needed me and I failed to help her"

Buffy heard deep resentment as well as pain in Angel's troubled voice, she finally understood a little of the darkness Wesley had been talking about. Moving to the edge of the bed she reached out her small hand and placed it lightly on Angel's bare arm. Angel didn't move he just continued to stare ahead.

"It all started with this scroll" Without looking at her, Angel started to recall all the events of the last few months. Slowly, the floodgates opened and he found himself telling Buffy things he had buried deep inside. Buffy stood quietly listening as Angel unburdened his soul.

"Why didn't you call me, I could have helped?" she asked when the vampire sank back into silence. Buffy fought to keep the hurt she felt from showing as she squeezed his cold arm.

"We were in different places, Buffy. You had Riley and slaying and I had........" Angel trailed off.

"You were in trouble, Angel. You should have called me, I could have helped you" Buffy found his last statement more hurtful than any thing he had said so far. The thought that they had drifted so far apart, in such a short amount of time, troubled her deeply.

"I simply don't care anymore." Angel pulled his arm away from her grip and stood up.

"Buffy, go home, go back to your family, spend the last few days with that lover of yours" Angel finally looked into her face and Buffy shivered when she saw the emptiness in his beautiful eyes.

" I really don't want you here " he finished with no emotion.

Buffy stood perfectly still as a rage started to build in the pit of her stomach.

"And what about what I want?" she demanded, as the anger boiled past the surface. " Or does that still not matter to you?"

Angel shook his head

" That's not fair I always put you first" he defended quickly.

** Hadn't he walked away from every drop of happiness he had ever known just so she would have a happy life**

"I know" Buffy lost some of the anger she was feeling. It was true; Angel had always put her needs above his own. The only trouble was, he had never asked her what her needs really were. If he had just stopped to listen he would have understood that all she really needed was him.

"Angel? None of it matters any more; it's over as soon as that rock hits " she took a small step forward

Buffy couldn't possibly have known how that simple statement would effect Angel. His face seemed to age as he fought a new wave of bitterness.

"I tried so hard to save you, Buffy. But they lied to me, I gave it all up for nothing" Although he seemed to be looking straight at her, Buffy was under the impression that Angel's eyes were somewhere else.

"All these months I could have been human, we could have been together, making love, eating peanut butter and chocolate" Angel half smiled as if reliving a precious moment. At that point, the Slayer started to really worry about the vampire's sanity. From her perspective, Angel was losing it all over again.

"Angel?" her small voice was lost as he continued to speak.

" You said it was the perfect day and it was, it really was. I know you have no idea what I'm talking about and dammit that makes it worse" Angel stopped talking when he saw how frightened Buffy looked.

" Who lied Angel?" she asked trying to humor him and keep him calm at the same time.

**Surely the first couldn't be haunting his dreams again** she worried as she faced the dejected vampire. If the first had returned, they hadn't filled her head with the memories of making love to a human Angel, Buffy thought sadly.

"The powers that be, It's all been one lie after another. They let me believe that I could save you. Then the scroll foretold that I would be human again and it was so close that I could almost touch it. I wanted so much to be alive again, Buffy." his eyes seemed to glaze over for a moment as he struggled to control his resentment.

"They said I'd be human and then they wipe out humanity. I can't find the strength to stop the darkness anymore"

Buffy reached up on tiptoes and wrapped her arms around the vampire; she was desperate to question him on the things he had said about this perfect day, but knew now wasn't the right time.

Angel gently pushed away.

"Go home, Buffy. There's still time for you to get back to Sunnydale." Angel stepped away before he gave into the overwhelming need that screamed through his veins. He couldn't let his darkness touch her, Angel promised that would to be his last gift to the young woman who had once touched his still heart. His final sacrifice.

Buffy moved forward, her large hazel eyes searching Angel's troubled face for any sign of the love that used to shine there. But no matter how hard she looked, she saw nothing but grief, pain and regret.

Drusilla, Darla, TPTB and fate had all had a hand in Angel's hard fall.

The Slayer knew one thing for sure; there was still time for a little payback.

"I'll go home, but first, let's dust a couple of vamp bitches " she smiled and handed Angel a stake. At first he hesitated, but slowly his fingers reached out and wrapped themselves around the slight weapon.

"Buffy, I'm not sure if I'm strong enough to do this" Angel whispered truthfully. When it came to pushing a stake through either woman's heart, the thought made him shiver.

Buffy smiled

"Don't worry, I was born to do this. Come on Angel" she reached out and offered her hand.

"Lets strike back…One last time?"

******

Part Four

"Wow! Neat car" Buffy grinned as they walked towards Angel's Plymouth convertible, which was conveniently parked on the shady side of the hotel.

Angel didn't speak, he just slipped a hand inside his duster pocket and pulled out a set of car keys. Buffy raised an eyebrow as Angel then proceeded to offer her the keys.

" You want me to drive? " the surprise in her voice was evident as she reached out her hand. For a split second their fingers brushed and a tiny spark tried to ignite. Angel quickly pulled away and shoved his hands deep inside his pockets.

The spark died.

" It's not as if I can sit up front, it's a little too sunny for my taste." The vampire muttered and climbed into the back seat; he then pulled a blanket over his head to fully protect himself from the sunlight. Nodding her head in agreement, Buffy quickly slid behind the wheel and turned the key in the ignition. At once the engine kicked into life and purred like a kitten.

"Right, where too?" she threw her voice over her shoulder and manoeuvred the car slowly out of the hotel grounds and onto the street.

As the car moved away from the safety of the shady hotel parking, the sunlight pierced the windows and fell hot on Buffy's skin.

"Turn left at the bottom and head down town, just keep driving until I say otherwise " Angel's muffled voice came from beneath the blanket. Buffy nodded again and followed the directions as instructed.

As she drove down the street, she immediately noticed the devastation that had claimed the city. Everywhere she looked there were signs of looting or rioting. Shops had their expensive wares strewn all over the street turning the road into an assault course.

Buffy had to swerve violently to avoid hitting a discarded television set ; the front wheel of the Plymouth struck the pavement with a hard thud before returning to the road.

"Buffy! " A soft growl came from the seat behind as the vampire passenger was tossed across the seat and almost fried by a shaft of stray sunlight.

"Ooops, Sorry." Buffy apologised and swerved again as yet more household debris cluttered the road in front of her.

She continued slowly as the evidence of mass panic became more apparent. Abandoned cars, luggage and even pets were all forgotten in the mass exodus that had fallen on the city.

Even with all this evidence of panic, one thing was really starting to bother the slayer, the lack of people. On her journey down, the roads had been packed with travellers desperately fighting their way out of the city, but where were all the others that had stayed?. LA had a population of over nine million and yet all the streets were bare.

"Angel?" she waited but when he made no reply Buffy continued with her question

"Where is everybody?. I mean a whole city couldn't have just up and left" Buffy tried to ignore the heavy sigh that came from the back of the car. The sound was far too condescending for her liking.

**If he takes that tone with me once more he might get a sun tan after all** Buffy frowned and bit her tongue before she repeated the thought out loud.

She then waited as patiently as she could for an answer

"They're all running scared, Buffy. Some are hiding under their beds shaking in terror, while others are living in the land of denial and will until the very last second." Angel turned his head and looked towards the window before continuing.

"And then there are those who want salvation." His voice changed slightly, it was as if there wasn't a drop of sympathy left in him.

"You will find those camped out in every church in the city, desperately trying to find the god they spent all their lives denying existed." Angel sneered as he came to the end of his explanation. He had witnessed it all before, maybe not on this scale but he had lived a long time and human fear never changed. The only difference was, this time the fear was warranted.

Buffy continued to drive in silence, after a few minutes Angel noticed her small shoulders shake slightly

"Buffy, you okay?" this time his voice was almost gentle.

Buffy nodded but Angel could tell she was upset. Reaching out his hand and risking a third degree burn he touched her back.

"Pull over here" he indicated to the right. Buffy turned the wheel and brought the car to a stop.

"What's wrong? I didn't mean to upset you " Angel asked trying to keep the concern he was starting to feel from his voice, the last thing he wanted to do was complicate matters. He had to shut out any emotion that might threaten to surface. When he looked at the girl in front of him all he would allow himself to see was the Slayer, not the sunlight that had once warmed his cold heart.

"Its not you, Angel. Its that" Buffy pointed towards the sky and the promise of death that was growing larger by the second

"Oh, I see." Angel nodded suddenly understanding that Buffy was taking this as hard as every other human on the planet. The strength she had originally shown was a good disguise for the terror that squeezed her heart.

He cursed himself for forgetting that inside the Slayer there was also a frightened young girl facing her mortality.

"Its really coming, isn't it?" her small voice trembled slightly as she tried to overcome the wave of fear and switch back into slayer mode.

"Yes, Buffy. It really is." this was the only answer Angel knew she would accept. This was not the time for lies or even wishful thinking.

Buffy let out a deep sigh; she then pulled out the band holding back her hair and ran her hands through the long blonde tresses trying to relieve the tension that was building inside her head.

"What the hell am I doing here?" the question was more to herself then the vampire sharing the car.

"Buffy" Angel reached out to touch her hair, as it shimmered around her shoulders, but resisted the temptation and pulled back before contact was made.

Buffy turned, her large hazel eyes bright with tears.

"I'm sorry, Angel. I didn't come here to cry in front of you " she ran the back of her hand across her cheeks removing all traces of earlier tears. Buffy then berated herself for allowing him to see her cry, this weakness wasn't part of her plan.

**Kill vampires, say goodbye and get the hell home** she inwardly repeated the agenda.

Angel felt a shiver cover his soul. Only a few years ago he would have been the only person she would have felt comfortable with seeing her cry, now his very presence brought her embarrassment.

" It's funny, I always expected to face Armageddon fighting, be it the master, the mayor or even your alter ego" she reflected without considering the effect the words would have.

Angel hid the look of pain he felt at the last comment, the memory of clashing swords and the subsequent trip to hell was still painfully clear.

It was true; his alter ego had very nearly brought about Armageddon that time, all with the help of a big lump of rock,

** wasn't that what Spike had once called Acathla?**

**It was rather ironic that a bigger lump of rock was already floating around just waiting to finish off the job.**

Angel turned back to the Slayer.

"But at least with demons I had a fighting chance" Buffy's eyes blazed with anger.

" I get so annoyed knowing that it's only the human race that's so damned. Most of the demons will walk away from this."

" We're all dammed in our own way, Buffy. Although some more than others" Angel replied quietly, their eyes locked for a moment and then Angel looked away.

Buffy nodded, understanding that if Angel survived the destruction of the meteorite he would have to face a world populated only with evil. His fight for redemption would be over.

"Come on, let's get the job finished, there's not much time left and I want to go home as soon as possible" The corners of her mouth turned in a small smile as all traces of fear left her lovely eyes. The temporary lapse was over, it wouldn't happen again

Angel swallowed hard but his face remained a blank page.

"You can go home now, Buffy. Take my car and just go. I'll take care of Darla and Drusilla" he offered without a second thought for the consequences.

Angel still wasn't sure if he really could kill the women in question. Saying it was one thing, plunging a stake into their hearts was something else. But if Buffy wanted out, now was the best time for all concerned.

Buffy shook her head

"No, this is something I also need to do. There was a reason for me coming here; I think this was it. The human race maybe on it's way out, but I intend to take as many bad guys with me as possible" she replied feeling stronger with each word.

Buffy then tied her hair back and restarted the car, with her resolve refocused on the last slaying she was ever likely to do, she turned the car back on to the road again.

Without argument, Angel sat back into the safety of his blanket and watched how the small, frightened girl became the Slayer once more, and for a moment he felt the darkness lift from his shoulders.

With nothing more to say the rest of the short drive was conducted in silence.

Twenty minutes later

"Buffy, take the next right and then head for the underground Car Park " Angel quietly instructed.

Buffy did as she was told without question. She recognised this part of the city; she and her father had shopped here many times in her younger years. Pulling the car into the safety of the darkened car park the slayer killed the engine.

Angel threw the blanket from his shoulders.

" The mall?" Buffy asked checking that she still had her stake tucked safely in the waistband of her jeans. Mr. Pointy was safely concealed and would be ready when needed.

"This is where I last saw them, if they haven't gone underground to hide yet, this is where they'll be" Angel replied with little emotion

Buffy stopped, reaching out her hand she gently touched his arm.

"Angel, I can do this on my own if it's too difficult for you. As much as I hate them, I also know what they must mean to you"

Angel turned his head and looked straight into her eyes. Buffy couldn't help the shiver that passed down her spine as memories of Angelus returned. The dark empty pools that the demon had smiled from were almost the same as those facing her now, only the tiny flicker of a soul could be seen in their darkness.

Sensing her fear, Angel dropped his gaze and pulled away from her hand, he then turned around and continued walking.

**I know what they must mean to you** Buffy's words continued to reverberate inside his head

"I seriously doubt that" he muttered without looking back. Buffy just shook her head. It seemed the longer she spent with her ex lover the more of a stranger he became. She hoped for both their sakes that when the time came, Angel wouldn't get in her way and try and stop her. No matter what, Buffy knew that when she finally met up with Darla and Drusilla again it was going to end in either dust or blood, one way or another it really was going to end.

*****

The Slayer and vampire continued to sweep through the mall in silence, ignoring the few humans that wandered aimlessly around them. Some were drunk but mostly they were just lost and confused, looking for answers that nobody had.

"This way" Angel indicated and moved quickly towards a large dress shop.

As they approached the entrance, Buffy's spider senses alerted her to vampires' presence inside. She stood still for a second trying to evaluate the situation. There were at least six, maybe more.

When Angel realised that Buffy had stopped, he turned and looked back

"This is it, are you really sure you want to do this?" he asked his dark eyes searching her face for any signs of uncertainty. Whatever happened next, death was certain for most of them.

Buffy smiled and holding her head high she swept passed him.

"Oh, yeah. I'm way past sure."

****

Go to Part Five