DISCLAIMER: Eeh, did you really think they're mine? There's just one thing in this story that's mine: the plot, Alixandra and the mystical woman.
TIMELINE: Somewhere after IWRY
SPOILERS: Eh, IWRY I think. No more, I think...
SYNOPSIS: Buffy dies and Angel saves her, but it doesn't go as he thought it would. She isn't the same.
DISTRIBUTION: Take it, but ask me first.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: This apocalypse is mine, it has nothing to do with the show.
FEEDBACK: Yes yes yes!!! Please???
RATING: PG-13 I guess

Prologue

Terrified he saw how the demon thrust his long, thin sword into the chest of the petite blonde Slayer as he took his last breath. With something next to surprise, her hands went to her chest, feeling the sword protruding from her chest. The slender, strong fingers wrapped themselves around the blade, and blood ran down her arms.

Slowly, she fell to her knees, pulling the sword out of her chest. She looked up and just looked into his eyes. He could read her confusion and pain there, but most of all, her love for him. With a scream he threw himself towards her, catching her as she fell to the ground. With tears in his eyes he held her in his arms and stroked the golden hair out of her beautiful face.

"No!" he whispered over and over again. "Why did it have to happen?! I love you! Please don't leave me... Wake up! Wake up!"

He lung to her pale body, tears running down his cheeks. Desperately he tried to wake her up, but didn't have any success. "Angel."

A new voice made it's way into his brain. Tearfully he looked up, spotting a beautiful woman in a white dress. She seemed to glow and had a remarkable likeness to Buffy. Tears were rolling down her cheeks too.

"Let me hold her," the woman asked quietly.

Wordlessly he moved away and let the woman take his place holding his beloved. Somehow he knew the woman grieved the young slayer as much as he did. The woman just held her a while, then put her down in the grass to rise.

"She was a brave, beautiful woman," she said softly. "Worth remembering and love. Many will grieve her death."

He nodded sinking to the ground to pull her into his arms once again.

"You loved her," the woman said seriously. "Do you want her to live?"

"Yes," he just said. "She is the light of my life. My reason to live. And I know she means the world to me and many others."

The woman smiled sadly, tears running down her cheeks.

"Yes, she has to live," she decided tenderly. "My daughter, sister and best friend can't die. Let her live, guardian angel. Ask me to heal her."

Chapter One

Buffy woke up with a pounding headache. She was laying in her own bed, dressed in a favorite nightgown and she couldn't understand how in hell she got there. The last thing she could remember was a sword trough her chest, intensive pain and Angel's tortured eyes as she looked into his loved dark eyes in the moment of her death. By all means she should be dead, a sword through your heart isn't easily healed. Confused she sat up and got out of the bed. She had to see Angel.

The slayer took a quick shower and got dressed while thinking of last night. Angel had to know what happened. She opened the door to go out, but found herself standing eye to eye with Anya instead,

"Anya!" she exclaimed.

The beautiful but awfully rough ex demon smiled."Hi Buffy!" she said happily. "Can I come in?"

Buffy blushed and steeped away from the door.

"Thank you," Anya said and entered with two quick steps. "How are you?"

Buffy shrugged."Physically, great," she answered. "But my mind is a little foggy. You know, I died last night. I haven't figured out how I'm alive yet."

Anya smiled."I'm sure you'll get to know eventually," she smiled. "Angel asked me to give this to you."

She handed Buffy a simple white letter which read 'Buffy Summers' with Angel's flowing handwriting. Then she looked at the door. "Can I go now?" she asked curiously. "I don't know what humans tend to do after delivering a message and I wanna find Xander so we can have sex."

Buffy gestured towards the door, busy with opening the letter. Anya smiled and happily let herself out. At the same time Buffy pulled out a paper of the envelope and started to read.

Buffy

When you read this, I will already be gone to Europe. After last night, I've realised my presence only bring you pain. You know I love you, but none of us would stand the kind of relationship born out of our love. We are too different, I'm a vampire and immortal. You're a slayer and mortal. I can't give you a family, no kids, I can't be with you in the sunlight. It hurts more than you realise to leave you, but you have to get the chance to live your own life.

Angel"

Disbelieving, Buffy read the letter over and over again, tears running down her cheeks and her body shaking of sobbing. Then her soul let out a inhuman scream over a love lost."NO!!!!!!!"

Tears of blood running down his cheeks Angel walked away from the love of his unliving life. The pain inside tore him apart but he had to leave her. That had been the price for her life.

***The woman looked at him."But before you ask me," she continued, "you have to know there's a price. If she is to live, you have to give up the most precious thing in your life till she seeks you out."

Not getting it he just stared at her. As his brain took in her words he nodded. "I'll do anything for her," he whispered. "Heal her, make sure she doesn't die."

The woman smiled. "And so shall it be," she said softly and disappeared.

And at the same time, the wound in his beloved's chest healed and she took a shallow breath. Tears in his eyes, he lifted her and then he carried her to her home, sleeping in his arms. He had to leave, but if that was the price for her life, he didn't think twice. Without her, he didn't live.***

Spike was sitting at the bar, bored out of his mind. Since he couldn't hunt after anything living with that damn chip in his head he had to get used to just dreaming 'bout fresh warm blood, but in the last few day he didn't even do that. Of some strange reason, he didn't care about blood or being evil anymore. He just was so tired.

Suddenly, the door opened and Angel strode in, tears running down his cheeks. Spike rose, surprised, and stared at his sire. Tear were running down his cheeks and the eyes were filled by a hellish pain.

"I'm leaving," he said shortly." Take care of Buffy. She needs a friend right now."

Angel swallowed. "Tell her I love her," he whispered hoarsely, "and always will. Take care of her Spike."

Spike looked doubtingly at him. "And how do you know I wont hurt her?" he asked disbelievingly." This chip can make me not hurt people, but her soul? How do you know I won't hurt her?"

Angel smiled sadly. "Your soul is being returned, "he said tiredly and disappeared. Spike looked after him with empty eyes. Soul?! Then his hyper-sensitive ears caught the sound of a tormented soul. Buffy knew Angel'd left her.

*****

"What do you mean you don't think I should go looking for him?!" Buffy screamed at Giles. "I love him, damn you old man!!!"

Giles stared at her."I didn't say anything," he protested.

Buffy glared. "No," she snapped. "But you thought it. It is written all over your face."

Willow stepped forward with an irritated look on her face. "Giles," she said. "She's right. We gotta find him."

"No," a voice said nonchalantly from the shadows.

Buffy turned around with a stake in her hand and threw herself at the blond vamp standing by a bookcase. "Spike!" she growled angrily.

Spike laughed at her and put his arms in the air. "No harming me," he said snidely. "I'm impotent, you remember? Besides, Angel asked me to take care of you. And I will. But believe me, it wasn't my idea."

Buffy looked doubtingly at him. "And you think I'd trust you?" she said skeptically.

Spike shrugged.

"Not me, Angel," he replied. "He came to me when he'd given the letter to Anya. Asked me to take care of you. But I'm not that stupid I believe you'll trust me immediately, but get used to it. You can count on me lurking in the shadows the rest of your life."

Buffy, Xander, Giles, Willow and Anya stared after him as he left the room.

"This is weird, "Giles mumbled.

===========================

Chapter Two

It was very late when Buffy stumbled into her room, completely exhausted. She found the bed ready to climb into and a nightgown was laid out on it. With a thankful thought to Spike she changed and got into the bed, fast asleep.

*****

Spike and Angel sat together on the roof outside.

"She looks so peaceful," Spike commented. "Like an angel."

Angel smiled.

"Yes," he agreed. "I used to sit outside her room every night before, watching her sleep. I miss it."

"I can understand you," Spike sighed. "She is a beautiful young woman."

"Yes," Angel nodded. "You've taken good care of her."

With a last look he rose. "Tell her I was here, and give her the letter, he asked sadly. I have to go."

Spike nodded and gave his sire a friendly smile.

***

"Buffy

You looked so beautiful in your white dress yesterday night. I'm so sorry I couldn't be with you as you graduated, but that's the hard part of being a vampire. And congratulations Buffy, to your degree in psychology. Doyle and I have moved the firm to Europe now, but I still own the apartment and the office in LA. The place is yours if you want it, including the furniture. You could live in the apartment and open a practice in the office. I hate the thought of it standing empty.

Buffy, I miss you so much! Sometimes it's so hard remembering I do this for you. I want to be with you so badly! I love you.

Angel"

Buffy's eyes looked suspicously red when Spike visited her that evening. Wordlessly he took her into his arms and let her cry. It still was hard for her to be apart from Angel, and only he knew how hard. Under the five years which had gone by, Buffy and Spike had gotten closer each other. Now they were close friends, they knew everything 'bout each other.

Buffy smiled broadly as she jumped into her graduation present from her father, a black convertible. She loved the car and often drove it. But know she would drive on her first long trip. Today, she and Spike would move into Angel's old apartment.

Spike had changed under the years. He'd stopped smoking as she didn't like it, but most important, he'd started to feel. Not only guilt, but feelings. But he didn't show them for whomever he met. It was actually only for Buffy and Riley.

Riley. After she'd died for the second time, she'd broken up with him. Having Angel by her side again had made her realise he was the only man she could ever fall in love with. But of course, Mr. Boring Fishboy didn't get it and continued stalking her. And that made her irritated, which made Spike hate him with a passion. Three weeks after their break up, they'd found him dead in an alley, his heart ripped out. She had the feeling Spike had something to do with it and she couldn't say she blamed him.

Then he came. The hair as blond as ever, dressed in a pair of leatherpants and a black shirt. He jumped in next to her, and then they were on their way to LA.

******

Buffy opened the door and stepped into the apartment. It was dark and gloomy, 'angely' as Spike called it. The blinds were closed, and everything was covered with sheets. She stepped into the kitchen and found herself stare at the fridge and the table. Something 'bout them made something stir in the back of her mind. She thought about it a few moments, then shrugged. Then she entered the bedroom.

On the bed, she found another note from Angel. She sat down to read.

"Buffy

I guess you wonder why I left the bed made. The truth is that some things in this apartment just remind me of the best day in my life so I decided to leave them with you.

Welcome back to LA! I hope you'll like it here. In the fridge you'll find your favorite icecream as a housewarming gift.

Love you
Angel"

=========================

Chapter Three

Buffy looked around in her new clinic. It was filled by light, calming colors and had soft curves. Spike had gotten her art from the famous gallery Emmiakkie and now paintings and sculptures were all over the place. She sat down in a chair and picked up a notepad from her bag. Already, she had a few patients, the first would arrive in only a few hours. Buffy had feeling the life in LA would be very busy.

=========================

It was Buffy's birthday and Spike had planned a surprise party for her. Joyce, Giles, Willow, Oz, Anya and Xander were coming from Sunnydale to celebrate her. He had even decorated the apartment .

In the morning, he'd given her breakfast in bed and given her his birthday present, a pair of black jazzpants and a black tank top with the text 'Vampires Sucks' in big, bloody letters. She'd liked it of some reason. Now he just waited for the guests to come.

Then he heard steps in the stairs and got up to show them in. But as he looked at them, he got a shock. They were so old! Joyce and Giles were old now, seventy years old with thin white hair, and the others started to get wrinkles and grey hair.

"Hi Spike!" Willow said happily.

"Hi," he said with a forced smile on his face. What was going on?! He hadn't really noticed how young Buffy still looked. She didn't have a wrinkle or grey hair, but looked as a nineteen year old. And her friends were old?!

Deeply in thoughts, he showed them were they could place their jackets. Then he showed them what to do. Joyce and Giles got to place the presents at a table as the others helped him to arrange the furniture.

"You know, Will," Xander moaned. "I've never understood why Buffy wanted to have all her furniture in black! I mean, couldn't she have gotten something in red or something?"

"Yes," Willow agreed tiredly. "And Spike, by the way, do you have any new pictures of Buffy? We haven't seen her in a while."

Spike just gave her a sad look."You will be surprised," he said softly, "but the pictures over there were taken just a week ago".

Willow got an amazed look on her face. "But she hasn't changed!" she exclaimed. "The hair is longer, but she hasn't changed."

"No," a bitter voice said from behind them. "Not on the outside, but on the inside..."

Everyone turned towards her and stared at Buffy, dressed in a short skirt and a top. She wore Angel's cross around her neck, and his claddagh still encircled her finger as her blond hair were pulled into a pony tail.

"Buffy!" Joyce exclaimed and welcomed her daughter."Hi mom!" the slayer replied softly. "It's great to see ya."

A chaos began as everyone wanted to hug her, but when everything calmed down, the question was asked.

"Why haven't you aged?" Xander asked.

Buffy shrugged. "Maybe it's a slayer thing," she said.

"Maybe," Giles agreed. "You never know."

"Forget it," Xander screamed. "Party time!"

=================

Buffy, Spike, Xander's daughter and Willow's son looked down on the chest they'd just lowered into the ground. She stepped backwards and slowly read on the headstone.

'Willow Kazrahi 1980-2065, loved by many'

The last slayerette was dead. In a moment of anger she hit a tree, the sank to the ground, sobbing.

"Why?" she whispered hoarsely." They die, but I'm left as a eightyfive years old in the body of a teenager. This isn't true!"

Spike pulled her into his arms.

"No, he agreed. But I think there's a reason. I just don't know what it is..."

Chapter Four

Athens, Greece, year 2002

Cordelia Chase, beautiful, sexy combined model and investigator at 'Angel Investigation' was in a big fight with her new lover, Thomas Francis Doyle.

"You don't care a shit about us!!!" she screamed with tears running down her cheeks. "If you did, you wouldn't have lied to me!"

Doyle looked at her with his beautiful eyes filled with pain. "I didn't lie, Deely," he said quietly. "I meant every word. But if you won't believe me..."

He pretended to nonchalantly shrug it off and quickly turned around. Cor looked at him then swirled around and run away, sobbing, as she ripped a thin chain from her neck and threw it on the ground.

She missed Doyle's pain filled face as he turned towards her retreating back and longingly stretched out his hand after his beloved. But she also missed the dark demon standing in the shadows. It looked after her and laughed.

"Well, you didn't believe him," he said snidely. "Now you gotta live with it for all eternity."

Then he pulled out a paper from his pocket and read."Scorned man number two," he mumbled to himself, Andrew Brooks in Australia."

Then he disappeared.

Los Angeles year 2023

Cor knocked at the door to the house she knew Buffy lived in. Twenty and one year had gone by since she'd abandoned Doyle now. Under the time that went by, she'd lived in New York and worked as a top model under the name Buffy Giles, but now she couldn't take it anymore. She hadn't aged a day since she'd left him, and her strength grew more for everyday. Besides, every since she'd returned to USA, she'd had a foggy wish to go to Buffy. She didn't know why, all she knew was that she was her now.

The door opened, and Buffy stood before her. The slayer was different than before. Cor took a deep breath. Gone were the shoulder length blond hair, now replaced by almost waist long hair in her true dark brown color in a thick braid. She had a deep tan and her slender, well muscled body was dressed in red pants and a matching tank top. Buffy had black sandals on her feet and when she looked on her hand, she still wore a silver claddagh with the heart facing inwards.

"Cor!" Buffy smiled. "I've been waiting for you. Come in. I'll show you to the living room and we'll talk." Confused, Cor followed Buffy to a elegant living room and at her gesture she sat down in a white couch as Buffy chose to sit crossed legged on the floor.

"Buffy," Cor said in a confused voice. "You haven't aged."

Her friend smiled a sad smile."No," she agreed. "Neither have you. And no, I don't know why. But I can say this, none of us is a vampire."

Cor couldn't help but laugh."No," she agreed. "What did you want to talk about?"

Buffy smiled nervously."What do you know 'bout what happens when a slayer die?" she asked.

"The new slayer is activated," she said without a thought, "and is gifted with the slayers power. As the council get to know the old slayer died, a watcher is sent to the new girl."

Buffy nodded. "Yes," she said. "And that time for so many years ago when Angel came to Sunnydale and we fought the demon lord..."

"You miss him, don't you?" Cor interrupted.

Buffy didn't have to ask who she meant. "Yes, she said in a sad voice, Sometimes more than I can bare. But so far, Spike has managed to stop me.."

Cor stared at her friend. " You've tried to kill yourself?!" she exclaimed.

Buffy laughed dryly and showed Cor the scars on her wrists."Yes," she said with the pain clear in her voice. "But I think I finally have gotten over it."

Then she sobered up. "Back to the subject," she said in a neutral voice. "I died that night, Cor, did you know that?" "No," Cor said, confused. "Angel refused to talk about it, and I can't remember hearing about a new slayer."

Buffy just looked at her. "Giles never knew I died," she explained. "The new slayer never got to know what she was. But I knew she would be drawn to me as a courtesy of the slayer senses. And now she's here."

"What?!" Cor exclaimed. "Who is she?"

Buffy gave her a Look and Cor stared at her.

"Me?!" she said in a strangled voice.

Buffy laughed dryly and nodded.

"Welcome to my world, Cor," she said in happy voice, then got serious. "Now you're a part of it."

Year 2193, Rome, Italy

Spike sat in the cellar to the house Buffy bought in Rome and watched the slayers train hand-to-hand combat. Both moved with a cats grace and the speed of an attacking cobra, the movements were almost fuzzy. And everything seemed so simple.

"It seems like I've finally reached your level, Buffy", Cor smirked.

Buffy just smiled and sat up a higher speed. Soon, Cor was laying on the floor, panting, with Buffy's foot on her chest.

"Oops!" she said with a dazzling smile." I just happened to beat you. Again."

Cor shook her head and sat up.

"How can you move that fast!?" she asked tiredly. "It's inhuman."

Buffy laughed at her. "No, it's not, Cor," she said softly. "It's just about an emptiness inside. Don't look on your opponents body, it's his eyes which will tell you what he intends to do. Let your instincts take over. Train a few years with Spike and you'll learn."

"And under that time, you'll just get faster," Cor sighed.

Buffy just smiled and helped her friend up. They started to say something, but Spike didn't hear what as his attention was drawn to a voice screaming 'Call me maņana' from his pocket. He swore and picked up his black phone.

"Spike," he said shortly as he left the basement to go to his sunfree apartment between the basement and first floor.

"It's Angel," a well known voice said.

Spike cursed whatever god he could remember. He hadn't heard a word from his sire for over ten years. And then he had made it clear that he didn't want to be contacted unless it was absolutely necessary.

"Yes?" he said irritated

"We've got a problem," Angel said. "The Hellmouth in Sunnydale is reopening and the councils slayer has just been called, so she has no experience. Her watcher was killed only a few days ago too. The poor girl does her best, but she can't stop it alone. Doyle and I'm going there to help."

"So?" Spike wondered. "Why are you calling me?"

"You live with *her* latest replacement," Angel pointed out. "Ask her to help."

Spike frowned.

"You still refuse to say Buffy's name?" he asked. "I'd have thought you were over her by now."

Angel sighed. "No," he said in strangled voice. "I loved her, roller boy, I will never forget her. I miss her, but she's been dead for years now..."

"We'll come," Spike said quickly, not wanting his sire go down on another guilt trip. "I think you can count on us being there tomorrow. See ya!" He turned off the phone and went down in the basement again.

"Girls!" he called as he opened the door. "Sunnydale is boiling again, and the new slayer needs some help."

Buffy looked up from the sword she was sharpening."Ok," she said shortly. "Get us a plane to LA. Cor and I will pack. You're going with us?"

Spike nodded.

"Trust me," he muttered. "I wouldn't miss this for the world."

********

Sunnydale High School Library

Alixandra strode into the library and took her weapons out of the locker in there. It was so empty here since her watcher died, and now when the Hellmouth was opening, she was afraid to death. She had no clue about what would happen and her new watcher had yet to arrive. The council had told her that back up were coming, but what if they didn't get here in time?

Suddenly her vampire sense went off and she turned around. She immediately spotted a vampire and a half demon in the door. Both were tall and dark, and by the strong signal she got of them, they were really old. By all means they shouldn't be here, they hadn't been invited.

"How did you come in?" she snapped.

The taller of them, the vampire, smiled.

"Deja vu," he commented to his friend. "Well, Alixandra, we got invited here for hundred years ago, take or give a few years. The invitation is still intact."

Alix made a grimace.

"And who in hell would be so stupid that he invited you in?" she replied.

"She, actually," the man said. "It..."

"...was me," a voice belonging to a woman cut in from behind her.

Alix swirled around as her vamp sense went off again. Before her stood a tall, blond vampire dressed in leather pants, a black shirt and a black trench coat together with a tall brunette with long hair, dressed in dark blue jazz pants matching tank top and armed with a crossbow. But the one of the three which caught her eye were the petite woman with braided waist length dark brown hair and intensive green eyes, dressed in red leather pants, black top and black knee boots with a long slender sword in her hand. She was practically glowing of strength and power.

While Alix stared the woman smiled.

"As Angel and Doyle forgot to introduce themselves or us for that matter," she said, "I'll do it. Well, he in the black leather pants and black shirt is Angelus, or Angel for short. He in the blue shirt is Doyle. My blond friend here is William, also called Spike. The woman next to me in blue is Cordelia Chase and my name is Buffy Summers."

"The lost slayer!" Alix exclaimed.

Buffy rose her eyebrows.

"So that's what they call me," she commented. "But yes. And this is Cor, the third slayer. I died another time."

"How?!" Alix exclaimed. "I've read about you and the others, and I can understand that Angel, Doyle and Spike lives but you and Cordelia?!"

"Good question," Buffy said with a smile, "but I don't have an answer for you. We seems to have a slight problem with aging and dying."

All the while as she spoke she looked grimly at Angel who was staring.

"Buffy?!" he whispered hoarsely.

Buffy's face softened."Yes," she said softly. "Missed me?"

Doyle was staring at the woman he loved. Deely, alive?! Abruptly he turned and left, but not before a cracked sob broke trough his walls. He strode out on the schoolyard and managed to get to the park before he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Doyle?" Deely's soft voice asked from behind him. "What's wrong?"

Thoroughly he turned and looked at her with thundering eyes.

"Wrong?" he said low and icily. "Well, the woman I love most in the world just showed up 191 years after she broke up with me, accusing me for lying about my feelings, when she by all means should be dead. What do you think is wrong??!!"

Deely looked at him in two seconds, then pulled him into her arms, and held him as their sobs shook their bodies. Desperately they clung to each other as they were each others lifeline.

"I thought I'd lost you," Doyle mumbled into her shoulder. "All this time I've tortured myself with the fact you never knew how much I love you."

"I'm so sorry, so sorry!" Deely sobbed against his chest. "I've missed you so!"

He held her until the tears disappeared and she pulled away. Then he smiled at her."Another chance?" he asked softly.

Deely shone towards him."Another chance, "she whispered then kissed him.

Then they returned to the library.

******

Angel stared at Buffy. How could she be alive? Why was she here? Then he remembered.

***

Not getting it he just stared at her. As his brain took in her words he nodded.

"I'll do anything for her," he whispered. "Heal her, make sure she doesn't die."

The woman smiled."And so shall it be," she said softly and disappeared.

***

It was he who'd done it. 'Make sure she didn't die'. She had taken his words literary. Then he realize he didn't care. Buffy was alive! With five quick steps she was in his arms.

"Buffy," he said hoarsely and hugged him hard to him. "You are..." The voice betrayed him and he just held her to him.

'Yes, I'm alive," she said softly. She looked tenderly at him with teary eyes.

"How have you been?" she asked quietly.

Angel straightened up, without unlocking their eyes or letting go of her.

"Empty," he admitted. "I've missed you so! All this time I thought you were dead..."

One of her hands traveled to his cheeks and stroke away his tears.

"I know," she mumbled. "The gods know I've missed you!"

She hugged him again and let herself be swept away by the intensive feelings he woke in her. "Don't leave me!" she whispered. "I can't stand being away from you again!"

Angel held her hard."No," he said softly. "But first we gotta go through this."

They parted as Doyle and Cor entered the library, hand in hand. Angel smiled at his friend at the same time as Buffy greeted Cor.

"Everything all right?" she asked her softly.

Cor smiled broadly."Yes," she said happily. "You?"

Buffy looked up at Angel who smiled back and pulled her to him again."It's heaven," she smiled. "It..."

She stopped as the voices of Slip Knot screamed trough the room at the same time as two well-known persons materialized with a thundering flash. It were Xander and Anya.

"Xander!" Anya exclaimed irritated. "Couldn't you be a *little* more quiet entrance?!"

Xander laughed.

"No," he replied. "It hadn't been just as funny."

"We're not here to have fun!" Willow said sharply as she made her entrance in a flash of light.

"Sure," Xander pouted. "Spoil my fun."

Then he smiled.

"I can do my Charlie Chaplin number then!" he exclaimed.

"NO!!!!" Anya and Willow said as one person.

Xander pouted.

"Eh, guys," Buffy interrupted. "I hate to interrupt your quarrel, but what in hell are you doing here!?"

'We're oracles," Willow explained happily. "The Powers to be sent us to fix a few things."

"Oracles?" Doyle said skeptically. "You gotta excuse me, but something doesn't seem right here. You isn't like the oracles I have contact with."

Anya rolled her eyes."No," she said. That's Delilah and Bryan. They are fools without even a glimpse of a fashion sense. I mean, togas? They went out of fashion millennia ago."

"Girls," Xander interrupted. "You are getting' off the subject."

"Yeah!" Willow exclaimed. "That's true. Ok, let's see. What did they want us to say?"

"Weren't it something 'bout ice cream?" Anya wondered as she started to chew on an apple. "I'm almost sure it was something 'bout ice cream."

Another flash was seen and Oz was standing in the middle of the room.

"Have you told them yet?" he asked Willow.

"No," she answered. "We can't remember what we were going to tell 'em."

Oz rolled his eyes.

"I'll help you," he said kindly. "1:Angel's soul is permanent. 2:Cor, Buff Angel and Doyle's kinda obviously immortal. 3:when Buffy wake up tomorrow she'll remember the forgotten day. 4:Hellmouth opening was just a trick to get you here. 5:Angel's 'allergies' is gone. That's it. C'mon, guys. Giles want us to help him with a prophesy."

"Coming!" Willow, Anya and Xander said and disappeared to music of Bach. The five warriors stood as statues and looked into the empty air.

"That was...," Cor started and swallowed.

"...strange," Buffy continued, shaken. Then she smiled.

"Can things be better?" She exclaimed.

Angel looked suggesting at her."Much better," he promised and with a smile on their faces they rushed out of the library.

====================
(think X-rated)

====================

***-You don't want to stir, Cor said, but if my ex came to town and was all stalking me in the shadows and then left and didn't even say hello I'd be...

-...A little upset, Buffy interrupted from the door. Wouldn't you?

-Buffy! Cordy exclaimed. Buffy's here! In town, What brings you to...

-I came to see my father, Buffy said looking at Angel. Thought I'd stop by.

Cor laughed.

-What a surprise! she said dryly.

-Cordelia, how are you? Buffy asked politely.

-I'm good, she answered. You?

Buffy looked at Angel.

-I've been better, she answered.

-Uhhu, Cordelia said. Well, this is Doyle. And he gets visions of people in trouble.

Doyle smiled at her.

-Nice to make your..., he started.

Cor grabbed him and dragged him out.

-And this is us leaving you two alone, she said.

Buffy closed the door after him and turned to Angel who seemed to have some trouble meeting her eyes.

-Well, umm, Angel started nervously. It's good to... Can I get something?

Buffy looked at him.

-What about, she said, an explanation?***

***Buffy looked after the demon.

-Friend of yours? she asked.

-Never saw it before, Angel answered.

-It was rude, Buffy decided. We should go kill it.

-I'm free, Angel told her.

-Got somewhere I can change? she asked.***

***She was walking in the park, looking out over the sea when she felt him. Buffy turned and saw him, stepping through a shadowed arch in a hedge. She watched as he walked out in the sun. Then he arrived to her and they kissed.***

***She saw how he rose and went over to her.

-We stay in touch, he said. Just not...

-Literary, she nervously replied. Funny.

She stared at him then walked past him.

-Okay I'd better, she started.

Angel voice interrupted her.

-Right, he said. Remove the temptation.

Buffy spun around.

-So, she said, we'll...talk soon.

She put her hand on top of his on the counter. They stared at their hands, then Angel grabbed her and pulled her into a kiss. Together they stumbled into the fridge, and she jumped up to wrap her legs round his waist. He carried her to the kitchen table, swept the stuff on it away and laid her down on it.***

***She was lying peacefully in Angel's arms with her head on his chest.

-It's a good sound, she said sleepily. Thump-thump. Thump-thump.

Angel smiled.

-It feels pretty amazing, he told her.***

***-I went to see the oracles, he told her. I asked them to turn me back.

-What? She exclaimed. Why?

-Because more than ever I know how much I love you, he said with pain in his voice

She backed away from him.

-No, she said. No, you didn't.

He followed her.

-And if I stayed mortal one of us would wind up dead, he said, maybe both of us. You heard what mohra said.

-Mohra is dead, she said desperately. We killed him.

-He said others would come, Angel pointed out.

-They always come, Buffy said. And they always will. But that's my problem now, not yours, remember?

-No, he said in a pained voice. I won't just stand by and let you fight, maybe die, alone.

-Then we fight together, she replied.

-You saw what happened last night, he pointed out. If anything I'm a liability to you. You take chances to protect me, and that's not just bad for you, it's bad for the people we were meant to help.

-So what? She said in a strangled voice. You just took a whole 20 hours to weigh the ups and downs of being a regular Joe and decided it was more fun being a superhero?

-You know that's not it, Angel said. How can we be together if the cost is your life, or the life of others? Buffy just stared at him and a moment he embraced her.

-I know, he said sadly. I couldn't tell you. I wasn't sure if I could do it if I woke up with you one more morning.

Buffy sniffed.

-I understand, she said. So, what happen now?

-The oracles are giving us back the day, he explained. Turning back time so I can kill the mohra before his blood makes me mortal.

-When? She asked.

-Another minute, he answered.

She started to cry.

-A minute? She cried. No. No, it's not enough time!

-We don't have a choice, he told her. It's done.

-How am I supposed to go on with my life knowing what we had? She asked, crying. What we could have had?

-You won't, he said. No one will know but me.

-Everything we did, she started.

-It never happened, he continued for her.

She frantically shook her head.-It did! She cried. It did! I know it did!

She put her hand on his chest.-I felt your heart beat, she whispered.

-Buffy, he started.

They kissed and Buffy looked at the clock.

-No, she exclaimed. Oh God, it's not enough time!

He's crying too. Ssh, please, he whispered. Please.

They held each other close as they cry.

-No, she whispers in his ear. I'll never forget. I'll never forget. I'll never forget. ***

====================

Buffy woke up and sat up. She remembered. She remembered everything. The day he gave up for her. But the thing that tore her apart was that he'd nothing for it. She'd died anyway. They could have had it all. A sleepy Angel gazed at her.

"What is it, beloved?" He asked sleepily.

Well, she did have it now. Almost, only better. She smiled and pushed her hair out of her face.

"I love you," she said softly.

Suddenly totally awake he smiled towards her and pulled her down to him.

==================================

A woman materialized herself next to them and looked down at the sleeping couple. She stroke the cheek of the woman in the arms of her lover and smiled. Then she lifted her head as a voice was heard in the silent room.

"Come, Anne," a mans voice said softly. "You can't guard her forever you know. Our child in this dimension is happy. Other children in other dimensions needs our help."

Anne smiled. "Yes, Brennan, "she said. "But I love this child."

The man laughed. "All of our children are her," he pointed out. "Miara's and mines heritage is carried out to her."

"That's true," she mumbled. "So true."

Then she disappeared.

That's it. The references on Miara, Brennan and Anne in the end are about three characters in another series I'm writing. But as it isn't BA until the fourth part I won't send it here.

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