Distribution: If you had permission to take any of my other stories, you can use this one as well. Just let me know where it's going. Others, just ask and I will most likely give permission.
Feedback: Please?
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Joss, the WB, Mutant Enemy, (the evil)FOX, and whoever else came up with them. If they belonged to me the show would be drastically different. Please don't sue, I'm only a high-schooler without a job anyways. Parts of the binding spell are from the Buffy book "Prime Evil." (Although I used it for a slightly different purpose.) The rest is mine, which is why it may not translate well to anyone but me, my Latin is rather rusty.
Rating: Same as the TV show
Spoilers: Set after the third season episode "Gingerbread." Spoilers for that episode, nothing else after that has happened.
Concept: Buffy talks to Angel once again, but instead of 'slaying being fruitless' and all, this time it's about her mom trying to burn her at the stake. At least, that's where the conversation starts...
Author's Notes: Fic number nine in my little I'm-changeing-a-third-season-episode's-ending-so-that-BuffyandAngel-are-togeth er. Thanks to Janice for recommending this episode and giving me the basic idea. It's not my greatest, but it's okay. Is anyone still reading these?

Having given up the idea of trying to explain to the parents what had happened (most of the parents didn't remember or if they did wouldn't admit they did), Willow, Buffy, and the rest of the gang walked out of Town Hall and into the night.

"'Never again the burnings.'" Willow quoted, finding it ironic that MOO's "Never again" slogan was part of one already used by witches themselves. "Boy, some of my Wicca groups could have a field day in court with this one."

"Yeah, discrimination is bad enough, but being burned at the stake? That's overkill." Buffy added.

"But it wasn't really the parents fault." Giles reminded her. "They had no control over what they were doing."

"Yes, they did." Buffy protested. "If they had just stopped to think...."

"That would be a first." Xander replied glibly.

"True." Oz added.

"Yeah, well, deal with it." Cordelia replied. "Even if they had stopped to think, that wouldn't have mattered to most of them. People have never liked witches."

"She's got a point." Willow told Buffy. "Throughout the ages, witches, or people accused of witchcraft, have been tried and convicted for all sorts of ridiculous things. That's what we're trying to put a stop to these days."

"Well, you ever need help stopping it, give me a call. I'll personally beat-up any and every one who says something bad about witches."

"Thanks Buff, but we're not gonna win anything that way." Willow smiled.

"Yeah, I know. Just a thought." Buffy grinned back.

"Well, you better all be getting along home." Giles said, getting into his old car. "I'll see you all tomorrow. And we'll try to find a way to undo Amy's Hecate spell." He added, noting that Willow still held the rat wrapped in the bottom of her shirt.

They all said their goodbyes, and Oz, Willow, Xander, and Cordelia all climbed into Oz's van. Willow looked back for Buffy. "Aren't you coming?"

"Nah, I think I'm gonna patrol for a little while. I'm not exactly looking forward to going back to downtown MOO." Buffy quipped.

The others nodded and said their goodnights, driving off to leave Buffy alone. She waited until the van was out of sight, then headed in the opposite direction. She had no intention of going on patrol that night. She was headed instead, towards Crawford Street.

***

Upon reaching the mansion, Buffy went slowly up the front walk and knocked on the door.

Angel opened it after only a few seconds. "Buffy. What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Buffy responded. "I just wanted to talk with you some more." Angel motioned for her to come in, and then led the way to the living room. When they were comfortably seated on the couch, he turned to face her, asking, "What did you want to talk about?"

"Well, we could start with MOO along with most of the town trying to burn Willow, Amy, and me at the stake."

"Trying to what?!?" Angel responded. "And what the heck is MOO?"

"MOO- Mothers Opposed to the Occult. Founder- Joyce Summers. First task- Burn three girls at the stake."

"But....but you're all okay?" Angel reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder, very concerned.

"Yeah, we, we're all fine. The gang arrived in time to stop the fire and kill the demon that had taken control of the town." At his puzzled look, Buffy briefly explained what she had found out since the last time they talked.

"You're sure you're okay?" Angel's hand ran slowly up and down her arm, and Buffy shivered slightly. Her eyes closed for a moment when he reached her shoulder again and his thumb began to slide over her neck.

As a small gasp escaped her lips he abruptly pulled his hand away. "Sorry." He whispered.

"I'm not." Buffy managed to say a moment later. She locked eyes with him then, seeing in his face everything she knew must also be in hers at the moment.

"Buffy...we...." Angel started to say even as his lips descended unto hers.

"Shouldn't...I know." Buffy replied even as she tilted her head and leaned up to meet his lips.

They kissed, softly at first, then with a growing intensity. Finally pulling away from him to catch her breath, Buffy whispered, "I love you." before she could think about it and not say it.

"I love you too." Angel replied, again without thinking.

Those words hung in the air for a moment, simmering along with the waves of desire rising off of the lovers. Then they slowly pulled themselves away from each other.

"Buffy, we..." She put a finger to his lips, "Don't. Don't say that this can't work. Or that we can't. Because I know that Angel. And at the same time, I know it has to work. And we can't not be together."

"But Buffy, the curse...."

"We'll find a way around it. Or we won't. I don't care anymore, Angel. I really don't. Cause I've tried the normal boyfriend and the normal life, and guess what? It sucks. Totally. Plus, even without you, it's not possible. I'm never gonna be normal, Angel. And if normal means without you, then I'd rather be abnormal. As the Slayer, that's pretty much what I am anyway." As she spoke, Buffy took both of Angel's hands in her own, willing him to understand.

"You've thought about this a lot, haven't you?" Angel questioned softly.

"Yeah, I have. And I've decided I'll take whatever I can get where you're concerned. Plus, if you really think about it, since I love you, even if I tried to see someone else, I'd never love them. So I'd never sleep with them. So why not be with someone I love and can't, then someone I don't love and don't want to. At least this way I have the love."

"You'll always have my love, regardless of anything you do."

"I know that, but this staying away from each other and being friends, it just doesn't work Angel. I love you too much."

"Same here." Angel confessed. "I just thought it would be easier for you, but....it's been killing me to be away from you so much. And then to see you and not hold you and kiss you...." Angel trailed off as Buffy leaned back into him, kissing him softly on the lips. They both held back this time, knowing they couldn't lose themselves in the kiss. But it was still so good just to be together.

"We'll make this work."

"We will." Angel replied as he kissed her again.

~A few weeks later~

"I found it. I found it!" Willow yelled excitedly, looking up at Buffy.

"You did?"

"Yeah, it was in another of the texts Jenny had translated. I finally thought to look on that disk, just in case there was more than the curse."

"And there is?" Buffy asked her friend.

"Yeah. I'm guessing Jenny was planning on doing both spells. First, "curse" Angel with his soul. Then bind it to him so that the curse has no conditions. It's really a simple spell too. Some Latin, some Romani. Only a few supplies."

"But it needs a dark moon." Buffy read over her friend's shoulder.

"Yeah, but that's in three days." The witch replied knowingly.

"Oh! This is awesome!" Buffy reached down to give Willow a hug. "I've gotta go tell Angel."

"Go. I'll make sure I get everything we need. Only three more days!"

~Three days later~

"Ego excite meus Dominus! Ego excite meus Domina! Necto suus anima contra acerbus, contra malum! Imperium iussu una!" Willow chanted in Latin, already glowing with power. Angel sat across from her, translating roughly in his head as she spoke. 'I call forth my Lord! I call forth my Lady! Bind his soul against dark, against damage. Control at the command of the one.'

Buffy sat outside the circle, having no clue what Willow was saying. She simply trusted that the red-head knew what she was doing.

'Bind his soul to his body.' Angel continued to translate to himself as Willow spoke, now in Romani. 'Let nothing separate the two, for the two have become one. The soul is a part of the vampire. They are one! For eternity!' Willow was now shouting, bringing with her voice the power of the spell.

Angel glowed golden for a moment, then silver, as both Lord and Lady added their power to the spell.

Buffy watched with amazement as everything in the circle glowed gold, silver, then turned to a blinding white. Buffy's eyes snapped closed. When they opened again, the light was gone. Angel's eyes glowed a second longer, then returned to their chocolate color.

"Suus anima esse sui! Pro infinitas infinito!" Willow shouted a final time.

'My soul is mine. For eternity.' Angel repeated to himself in shock. "For eternity." He said again, outloud. He moved immediately towards Buffy, but Willow told him to stop. He waited as she closed the circle and thanked the elements and the Deity. When she nodded that it was safe, he moved to Buffy and swept her up into his arms.

"I love you." Each said as they kissed. There was nothing that stood between them now.

And so they lived happily ever after.

Send feedback to Lady Callista

Back to the Fanfiction Archive