Disclaimer: I own nothing, Buffy/Angel belong to Joss Whedon, and Co.
Spoilers: The Ring
Author's Note: I responding to my own challenge, I came out of my writer's block today!!! :) Thanks Andrea for your response, you've just inspired my response.
Feedback: PLEASE!!!!

"I'm not going to kill anyone." Angel said, determinedly.

Jack McNamara smirked. "Is that so..."

Angel glared at him, with murderous eyes.

"Ms. Morgan, predicted that'd you be a problem; but you see Angel, with every slave we acquire, we do a little research as well." Jack said. "You see, I know all about you Angelus, and I know you'll do anything to survive...If you have a reason."

Angel's eyes flickered. "What are you talking about?"

Jack smiled evilly. "The slayer."

Angel snapped his head toward Jack, forgetting about the red line, he lunged for him. Energy shot out, and burned his arm; he pulled back in pain, with a hostile look in his eyes.

Jack stood there, amused by Angel's attempts. "I know what you're thinking. You want to tear my throat out, but you can't. I know all about your precious, blond slayer. Take a look." Jack pulled a remote control from his pocket, and pressed a button. A small screen came on, showing a white room, the camera zoomed in, and showed Buffy laying unconscious on a cot. "She's a pretty little thing, isn't she?"

Angel growled loudly. His anger raged him, the demon roared in him, to kill, to reclaim his property.

"Good, you're all fired up. Cause it's show time." Jack announced proudly.

Announcer: "Baker's challenger makes his ring debut tonight. He's a highly skilled fighter with a taste for blood. Let's welcome – Angel!"

Angel walked into the ring, his mind is purely on Buffy. What have they done to her? Is she hurt? The bell rings and Baker spin-kicks Angel. Angel is thrown against the wall, all he can think about is surviving, staying alive will keep Buffy alive. He bounces back and blocks Baker's kicks and punches without any attempt at fighting back; just staying alive.

Jack and his brother Darin looked on, they noted that Angel wasn't going to fight back, and that was bad for entertainment. Darin nodded toward a guard, and he pressed a button.

Above everyone's head; a screen only Angel could see, showed Buffy still unconscious, but one of the guards was hovering over her. Baker took advantage of an unaware Angel and kicked him in the back. The Guard above of the ring pulled out a short knife and dropped it in the pit, Baker picked it up and sliced Angel across the left upper arm with it and attacked for the killing blow. The demon roared, and Angel morphed into vamp face, the lust to kill overwhelmed him. Lunging at Baker he disarmed him, and Angel took the knife and plunged in to his chest. Baker dropped to the floor, when the lust retreated, Angel looked down at the blood on his hand, he couldn't believe what he'd done.

The crowd chanted his name as he looked towards the screen, he saw the guard leaving Buffy alone, and relief went through his mind.

***********************************

Back in the barricks, Angel leaned up against the wall, his mind on Buffy. He needed to see her, he had to know if she was alright. Angel couldn't help but blame himself for her being captured, maybe if he had been with her this wouldn't have happened. He couldn't help but think what she must be going through. Was she scared? Did she even know why this was happening?

Laughter rang through Angel's ears, and saw Jack walk into the barricks. "Well, that was the most exciting match I've ever seen. My favorite part was when you stuck Baker with the knife." He sees the anger on Angel's face. "What did you think I wouldn't enjoy it, that's what demons are for, my entertainment; and to see the look on your face....was priceless."

Angel resisted against the urge to kill, his fist were balled up so tight, he drew his own blood. He needed to get Buffy out of here, now!! Angel walked up to the red line, sizing up to Jack. "I think someone needs to put you in your place."

Jack smiled. "Maybe, but it won't be you, as long as I have the slayer; you'll be a good little boy."

Angel growled and shot his arm out, grabbing Jack by the throat. "Where is she?!!!" The shock from the red line, didn't even faze him.

The guards approached, with their weapons in tow.

Angel held Jack as a shield in front of him. "Come any closer, and he's dead."

"I don't think so." Darin's voice rang through, as he walked into the barricks. "Let him go." He demanded.

Angel tightened his grip on Jack's neck. "Not until you let me and Buffy go....As well as the others."

Darin cleared his throat. "Last chance." When Angel didn't back down, Darin pulled out a gun and without any blinking, shot Jack.

As Jack fell to the ground dead, Darin nodded to the guards. Angel looked up from Jack's body, and saw 3 guards carrying a struggling Buffy, her hands and feet are chained, and a gag shoved in her mouth; sounds of her trying to talk, vibrated in the room.

Buffy struggled in the arms of these strange men, she had no idea who they were, or what they wanted her for. All she knew was that she was in danger, and that was all she need to know. A feeling in the pit of her stomach indicated that she was near demons, but one feeling stood out through out her body, she felt her heart speed up and a tingle go through her body. She only felt that way when..... "It couldn't be," she thought. Buffy raised her head and Angel's face came in view, her struggling stopped as she gazed at him, hope flooded her senses; she knew that some way Angel would get them both out of this mess.

When she stopped struggling, the guards threw her to the floor. Buffy tried to move, but Darin turned her onto her back, and hovered over her; stroking her face with the gun.

Angel roared. "DON'T TOUCH HER!!!" His game face slipping into view.

Darin smirked, and grabbed Buffy by her hair, jerking her head up; so that Angel had a great view of her face. "You 2 will fight Trepkos, if you don't...." Darin put the gun to Buffy's head, his finger tapping the trigger. "Well, you get the idea." His attention went to Buffy. "And if you don't fight......." An arrow from a crossbow shot across the room, embedding in Angel's shoulder, a guard to the right lowered the bow to the floor. "Next time it won't miss."

Angel could feel the fear going through Buffy's body, the special bond that connected him to her, showed everything she was feeling. As a single tear slipped from her eye, he knew she feared that she was going to die in front of the love of her life and there was nothing she could do about.

Darin dropped Buffy to the floor, and motioned for the guards to take her. She struggled to get away, but the chains weighed her down, and she was still weak from the blow she suffered when they captured her.

Angel looked at her with a longing. His thoughts reached out to Buffy, reassuring her that he would save her, and that he loved her.

*****************

The crowd cheered on as Angel stepped out into the ring, Angel looked around and saw Darin standing among the crowd, with a smile on his face; his eyes trailed to the left, and Angel followed in that direction. 2 guards were holding Buffy, with a knife to her throat, as insurance that Angel would not forget who held the power over him. At Darin's signal, Buffy was dropped into the pit, Angel rushed to her side, he tried to help her up; but a kick to the head by Trepkos, sent him crashing into a wall

Trepkos loomed over Angel, a look of reluctance crossed their faces, this was a fight for freedom, for his love.

"Trepkos!" Darin called, "Kill them both and you have your freedom."

He turned to Buffy, and backhanded her fiercely, blood trickled from a split lip. She retaliated with a kick to the abdomen, it didn't even faze him. Trepkos grabbed her by the throat. The crowd cheered him on, demanding a killing blow, he was about to snap her neck, until Angel kicked Trepkos in the back. The force of the blow was enough for Trepkos to drop Buffy to the floor, gasping for air.

The two demons strike blows with the intent of killing, there was no other option for either of them. Angel took a kick to the head, his attention wasn't on Trepkos, but on Buffy. Angel, all bloodied looked at Buffy in hopes of reaching out to her.

Buffy cringed at the blows Angel suffered, she wished she could help him in some way, but she was powerless. Fear crossed her eyes, as the guards dropped 2 wooden staffs into the ring. Trepkos caught the staff in mid air, and swung at Angel's head, he block's Angel's blow, and stabs him through the gut with his staff. Angel groaned in pain, and broke the staff in two, a piece still embedded in his stomach. He grabbed Trepkos, and kicked his feet from out under him, Angel pulled out the piece stuck in his side, and pressed the sharp end to Trepkos' throat. They looked into each others eyes, and the urge to kill roared in Angel; but he couldn't do it. Angel couldn't kill someone who was trying to survive the same thing as him, he couldn't kill someone he considered a friend.

He dropped the staff and looked at Trepkos. "Don't fight me. Help me fight them."

Gun shots fired in the ring, and the crowd screamed in terror while running for their lives. Wesley could be seen holding a gun to Darin's head, demanding he release all the prisoners. The guards attacked Trepkos, and Angel trying to electrocute them with their rods, even though injured, they managed to knock them unconscious.

The frantic crowd trampled into Wesley and he knocked Darin into the ring. Trepkos, now having his wristband removed, stalked towards Darin, he placed the band on his arm, and threw him across the red line; where he disintegrated.

Angel walked over toward Buffy, he knelt down beside her, and pulled her into a fierce hug. He was so concerned about her that the pain in his side had no affect on him. Her safety was all that crossed his mind. Buffy held him tightly, his scent filling her senses. She knew she was safe, whenever she was in his arms, she was protected from everything; in Angel's arms, no harm would ever come to her. No one would dare hurt her, while in an angel's embrace.

Angel stroked her hair away from her face, he looked into her eyes. A passion that only Buffy knew, shone in his face silently telling her that everything was fine.

Buffy stroked his cheek, she needed to feel more of him. One look in his eyes, and she could tell he was thinking the same thing.

"Hold me, and never let go." Buffy pleaded, without any hesitation, Angel pulled her to his body once more, vowing to never let her go...ever.

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