DISCLAIMER: Nothing is mine, except the plot. The rest belongs to Joss and Co.
NOTES: Timeline after Angel left at the end of season 3. No spoilers.
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Buffy stopped abruptly and sliding down the wall she gave a sigh as the vampire she so courageously fought turned to dust. It had been a long night, hours of running and fighting but at last she could rest. Earlier that night Buffy had happened upon a nest of vampires while out on patrol. She was outnumbered about 14/1 and she was scared. For the first time since her calling the bitter chill of fear had coursed through her veins as the realisation of what this night could mean came crashing down around her.

Shaking her head to gain perspective on the situation Buffy took her fighting stance as all at once the vampires attacked. She fought dutifully with every ounce of energy and courage her tired soul possessed and slowly, one by one the vampires turned to dust. But the war had left its mark. A steel railing about 17 inches long had pierced through Buffy's abdomen. A huge gash, glistening with blood, caught her attention as she rolled away from the wall to lie on her back. 'This is it' she thought as the pain started to sub side.

Easiness washed over her and Buffy sighed with relief. She never thought it would end like this, always believed it would be a big fight, like the master of the mayor that would finish her off. Never had she thought that vampires would defeat her. She didn't care though, the peace was beckoning her, calling her seductively. Whispering promises of paradise and she willingly followed into the darkness, silently saying goodbye to all that she once loved.

Part 2

"Oh God, not now…. ANGEL…" Cordelia screamed as a wave of motion swept through her mind's eye. The vision was, like the rest, completely unexpected. They came quick as lightening without giving any warning, shaking her to the core. She held her arms out as Angel appeared before her, supporting her before she hit the floor.

"Wesley, get the pain killers." Angel's eyes didn't leave Cordelia's face as he barked his orders to Wesley. He know it would be a minute or two before the brunette would be able to speak so he sat soothing her hair from her face while he opened the packet of paracetamol that he had been given and gently popped two tablets from the little plastic casing. Cordelia popped the pills into her mouth and took a big gulp of water before she turned to Angel and said simply.

"Angel, it's Buffy, you must go. The old factory in Sunnydale. Angel… you don't have much time." With that Cordelia braced herself with her elbow so Angel could move, and without a word he was gone. The large glass doors shook with pressure, as they slammed shut, echoing through the lobby of Angel Investigations, making Cordelia and Wesley jump with surprise.

"I'm not sure he will make it". Was all that Cordelia said sadly before getting to her feet and walking towards the door.

"Well what happened? Where are you going?" Wesley asked dumbfounded by what was going on. Of course, as a former watcher, Wesley knew about the demon world and the creatures that Buffy and Angel fought on a daily basis. He had no idea that Cordelia was having visions and was connected to the powers that be. Cordelia turned around in surprise; she had thought Wesley would have figured it out for himself.

"Buffy is dying or will be soon. Angel has a little time, but not much. The visions, I've been having them for weeks, since Doyle…. Since he died. I saw Buffy at the factory, there were about 10 vampires."

"But Buffy can defend herself. I've seen her in training myself." Wesley interrupted.

"Normally I would agree, but this time it's different. It's dangerous, Wesley, Buffy doesn't care anymore. I felt it. She felt empty, hollow. She lost her way and doesn't care anymore and if Angel doesn't get there in time…" She let her voice trail off. Cordelia and Buffy had never been firm friends but Cordelia loved Angel and wanted to spare him the pain of losing his soul mate. In the months he had been in LA they had bonded, they were all the family they had and with recently losing Doyle, it was more than they could bear. "I'm going to pack an overnight bag. If Buffy dies we need to be there. I won't let Angel try for a tan. We need to be there for him. Are you coming?"

Wesley picked up his coat and silently followed Cordy out of the lobby and into the car park.

Part 3

Angel had broken every speed limit in his haste to get to Sunnydale. The fear he felt for his beloved was overwhelming. Wondering if he would get there in time, preying that he would, he pushed his foot harder onto the gas pedal as his car careered past the traffic, weaving between the other cars on the freeway. The demon in him growled fiercely with the emotions that ran amok through his heart and mind as he pulled off the exit and headed towards the small town he had left a few months ago. It had torn his heart out to leave her but he was sure he had done the right thing for her.

She needed a normal life, school, and friends. He bitterly remembered the day he told her he was leaving. Telling her that she should have someone who could make love to her, someone who could walk with her in the sun. Now she may die, without ever having any of the things Angel had wanted for her, and it was all his fault. If he had stayed, protected her, fought with her instead of running away. He was so weak and afraid of his demon that he left the one thing that had bought him peace. His cowardice had killed the most precious thing in his existence. If Buffy died he knew he would greet the sun. He would welcome the release from this life, knowing that Buffy was not in this world left nothing to live for. His entire existence would be pointless if he couldn't take comfort in knowing that she was safe. Angel had never given up hope that their love could work. When he left, it was the hardest moment of his 244 years but he had to be strong, watching Buffy's face on that night not long ago as he walked through the mist and out of her life, he preyed that one day they would be together and if she died now he wouldn't live.

The factory loomed ahead as Angel pulled the car over and jumped over the door. It was a dark night, even though the stars shone bright, and Angel stumbled on the uneven ground. His senses shook as he smelled the blood, Buffy's blood. He couldn't see her but he knew she was near.

Angel climbed over the fence with ease and walked past the burned remains of the factory. He winced as he recalled Giles burning it to the ground on the night that Angelus murdered Jenny. He had never forgiven himself for the pain his demon had inflicted on the people he cared about. Buffy had taken the brunt of it in his relentless methods of torture, although he hadn't harmed her physically, he had left his mark on her soul. But Buffy's love for him was so strong that she managed to separate in her mind the man whom she loved with her entire being from the demon that lived in his body, and it was this that made him cherish her.

Angel heard muffled shouts coming from the other side of the charred building and set off at a run, thankful that she was still alive, but the feeling was short lived. Angel rounded the corner in time to see Buffy fall back against the wall as the last vampire turned to dust, and as the dust settled Angel watched as she slipped down t he wall, looking confused by the blood pouring from her once smooth flat stomach.

Part 4

Angel squinted against the bright lights as he ran into the hospital with Buffy lying limp in his arms. He could still feel her heart beat against his chest as he ran the length of the corridor towards the nurse's station shouting roughly for a doctor.

"Here, put her on here and tell me what happened" The doctor appeared from behind Angel and walked towards one of the many spare beds that lined the A&E department of Sunnydale's hospital.

"She was attacked" Angel breathed before touching Buffy's face and growling "save her."

"She's in the best place now…" Angel didn't wait to hear the rest of what the doctor was saying. He understood medical jargon but knew that Buffy's only hope lay in the speed of the doctors now so he backed away slowly and headed toward the payphone in the hospitals main reception.

"Giles, It's Angel… I'm at the hospital… No, I'm fine, it's Buffy… No Giles she's alive but only just…yes just hurry." Angel impatiently hung up the receiver before Giles could say anymore. He knew this would be a painful shock to the watcher but he couldn't talk. Every part of him was screaming out for Buffy's life and he needed to focus. If he could just concentrate then maybe Buffy would pull through, he would hear her laughter again and feel her soft small hands holding him. He couldn't lose her now. Not this time.

Giles arrived within minutes of Angels call and shortly after that Willow, Oz and Xander arrived. All three of them looking anxious and subdued, unable to accept that this was real.

"How did you know Angel"? Willow asked the pacing vampire. She saw the pain in Angel's eyes and wanted to reach out to him but she knew that there would be no comfort for him until Buffy was ok.

"Cordelia… She saw it in a vision." Angel carried on pacing, a serious frown covering the pain etched onto his face. Willow looked at the others, not understanding what Angel had told her, but unwilling to ask him anything more. Giles and Xander took seats in the waiting area outside the operating theatre while Oz pulled Willow into a warm embrace and whispered soothing nonsense into her hair. They stayed that way for a long time, each lost in their own thoughts and worries, sending silent prayers for the friend whose life most certainly hung in the balance.

"Angel" The name was spoken so softly that Angel was the only one to hear.

"Cordelia, Wesley… what are you doing here?" Angel asked as he turned in disbelief to see that they had followed him.

"We had to come" Cordelia walked slowly toward Angel and rested her hand on the worried vampires arm. "What happened?"

"I was too late… She was unconscious when I got there… The blood…" Angel couldn't say more. It was too painful for him and Cordelia understood his pain. She had felt a small fraction of it when Doyle had died but she wouldn't dream of comparing it to what Angel was now going through.

"Shh, Angel…" Words escaped her and she looked her friend in the eye, hoping that he would understand all that she couldn't say. Angel gave a small sigh and rested his hand over Cordelia's.

"Thank you for coming." Was all he could say before the doctor emerged, still wearing his green operating garments, and walked toward Angel.

"How is she?" Angel asked, half afraid of the answer.

"Buffy sustained a serious injury to her lower abdomen," The doctor said in a deep steady voice. "We managed to stop the bleeding and fortunately no major organs were damaged but she lost a lot of blood. Buffy is in a coma and there's no telling when she will wake from it, if at all. The next 24 hours will be critical, I am sorry to say that the outcome looks bleak."

"Can I see her?" Angel didn't recognise his own voice for it came out in a painful rasp.

"Of course, there are monitors checking her vital signs and a nurse will be right outside." The doctor paused and glanced around at the group of sad faces before him. "I could arrange for the priest to …"

"NO." Angel growled so fiercely that everyone took a step away from him as he walked into the room where Buffy lay.

"Buffy wasn't particularly religious." Giles mumbled to the doctor.

Knowing that Angel would not leave Buffy's side now he realised that having a priest in the room would be of no comfort to Angel.

Part 5

Angel took a seat next to the bed and sat quietly looking into Buffy's peaceful face. She looked so young and innocent, it was hard to believe this was the face of the slayer, a young woman who fought everyday for the lives of others. Buffy had saved the world on more than one occasion and tears sprang to Angel's eyes as he thought how unfair this was. Buffy didn't deserve this, she should have a full life, full of laughter and sunshine, love and happiness. Not the ugly bruises that frequently covered her small body or the empty look that had appeared in her eyes on the night that Angel had left her. It all seemed so stupid now. Angel cursed himself for walking out on his love, he should have stayed, and he could have stopped this. He left because Joyce had asked him to. Not outright of course but she had made it seem like the best thing for Buffy and because Angel was still racked with guilt for the pain he had caused after making love to Buffy on the night of her 17th birthday, he thought Joyce was right and shortly after he had left. Many times he had sat, long into the night, wondering if he had done the right thing. Wondering if he should have stayed, if he would have had the courage to fight alongside his soul mate while never being able to take comfort in the silkiness of her skin, the warmth of her heart. He had tried to call her many times but couldn't bring himself to speak when he heard her voice. It was fear that stopped him, fear that he would bring her more heartache, fear that he would crumble. He held her hand gently and tried to smooth her matted, blood soaked hair from her face. Buffy's left eye was swollen and black, as was her right cheek. Her bottom lip split. She had a cut on her neck that Angel recognised as an attempted bite and he thanked the powers that the vampire had not succeeded. To lose Buffy was tragic, to have her turned would have been too much to take in.

Angel didn't hear the others enter the small dimly lit room but he could feel their presence, smell their pain. Willow cried openly as she tried to take in all that she could see, holding onto Oz for support. Xander tried unsuccessfully to hide his tears and Giles removed his glasses, cleaning them on the cloth that he carried with him. To all who knew him, Giles looked like he would fall apart. Buffy was his slayer but the bond went much further than that. He looked upon this small blonde girl as the daughter he had never had, and he knew that she felt for him as one would a father or close uncle. The respect between them was great, even through the tears and pain, they held love and respect for one another, and they had become a family in the few short years since Buffy moved to the Hellmouth.

Xander stood watching Angel, he had never understood before the love that passed between his friend and the vampire he thought she should have killed on more than one occasion, but the expression in Angel's eyes was almost unbearable.

It brought physical pain just to look into the eyes that looked almost all of his 244 years. And in this moment Xander found a respect growing for his one time enemy.

"Get the doctor…Now!" Angel demanded as the machine next to Buffy's head started to beep. Angel was on his feet holding Buffy's hand when a team of doctors came rushing in.

"Give us some room." barked the surgeon who had operated earlier. "Everybody out."

Again they paced the corridor, all lost in their own thought; sure that Buffy had just lost the battle for her life. Angel knew that she was still alive although he doubted that she could hang on much longer. She was so small and weak. So vulnerable and trusting. His heart ached more now that he had ever imagined possible and he thought that if he had been alive, the pain of this would have killed him. He loved Buffy from the first moment he saw her and that love had grown with each day, each battle they fought, and even after he had left, the love kept growing.

They had been in the corridor for almost an hour when the doctor emerged, a grim expression on his face.

"We have managed to stabilise her but I must tell you that I don't think she will survive the night. The wound to her abdomen is quite severe and the internal bleeding… I am so sorry." The doctor looked at the pained face of a devastated man and whished there was more that he could do. He himself was quite shocked that the girl had survived surgery and preyed that a miracle would happen.

"You're wrong… Buffy will be ok." Angel searched the doctor's face desperately looking for hope but it wasn't there. "I'm staying with her" He growled as he turned and walked away from the doctor.

As Angel waked back into the room Giles motioned for the others to join him in the waiting area. Each of them were desperate to see her again but they understood Angels grief and respected his need to be alone with her.

They sat in silence, Heads bowed respectively as they listened to Angel cry on the other side of the hospital swing door.

Part 6

"I love you Buffy." The souled vampire whispered into the slayers hair as he held her hand, kissing her fingertips and gently stroking Buffy's bruised swollen cheek. "Don't you leave me… If I lost you…" The words were coming in small breaths, gently spoken between the painful sobs that threatened to rack through his body. "You have to be strong… I need you… I don't care about the curse… I won't leave you again… Buffy…" Angel fought for control over his emotions. He had caused ugly death to thousands of people over the years, watched as the ones he couldn't save died helplessly before him, but nothing in this world could have prepared him for the feelings that vibrated through his body as he sat there begging her to live. He sat like that for what seemed like forever, just talking to her, reminding her of all the things that they had done, the patrols they had pretended to be on while just using it as an excuse to be alone together. The stolen kisses at her bedroom window when her mother had grounded her. He kept talking, needing to tell her all the things that he couldn't tell her before. When he left he was sure that Buffy would move on, would have a normal life and now he felt he had betrayed her. He had left her alone in the world to die an ugly death at the hands of a demon.

Angel sat silently while the nurse checked the monitors and he refused to leave while she checked Buffy's wounds. He needed to be here. Needed to see what was happening. "Can she hear me?" He asked quietly, his eyes never leaving Buffy's face.

"I like to think so, we have no proof one way or other, but I believe that some part of her knows you're here."

Angel looked at the nurse for the first time and gave a small smile. She had an old but kind face with honest eyes and a warm smile. "Thank you" Was all that he could say and the nurse smiled and left them alone again.

It had been hours since Buffy had been brought into the hospital and Angel knew that the others were still waiting outside but he didn't want to leave her side. The pain he felt just thinking of leaving her for a few moments was unbearable but he wanted to give the others a chance to see her.

"Giles is here Buffy, and Willow, Xander and Oz." He didn't mention Cordelia or Wesley as they had never been close and he didn't see that they could help her. "They want to see you for a while… I'll be right outside the door… I wont leave you again I swear…" In turn Angel kissed each of Buffy's fingers then leaned slowly, kissing Buffy's eyes, her nose then finally kissing her ever so gently on the mouth, whispering 'I love you' after every kiss. Angel rested Buffy's hand back on the bed and shook with pain, without her touch he was drowning but he knew he had to let her go for a few minutes.

Slowly he turned, and as he got to the door he stopped, too afraid to turn around for fear it was his imagination.

"Angel?" It was the faintest whisper but as he turned around he saw her right eyelid flutter ever so slightly and a wave of feeling almost took him to his knees. "You said you wouldn't leave" her lips barely moved and again it was so quiet that he could hardly understand but he rushed back to the bed and kissed her again.

"I'm right here Buffy and I'll never leave you again. I am so sorry …Oh Buffy" Angel started to sob again but the tears were of joy this time. He just couldn't understand how relief could hurt as much as the grief.

"Shh, it's ok now" Buffy's voice was barely audible.

Angel fought the urge to hold her for fear of causing her more pain and was completely overwhelmed with love for the brave young girl that lay before him.

"Let me get the doctor Buffy, I wont leave the room I promise."

"Angel... I… Love you." The faintest smile played across her bruised mouth as she opened her right eye and looked up into the face from her dreams.

"I love you Buffy." He reached the door with three paces and opened the door with such force that the others sitting outside jumped with surprise.

"Get the doctor" Angel said to the group as they looked up at him with fear in their eyes. "Buffy is awake."

Part 7

The doctors spent almost forty-five minutes with Buffy, checking and rechecking all her vital signs. She should be dead, they couldn't imagine how this young girl had defied the odds, but she had. It was nothing short of a miracle and when the doctor left the room to speak with the patients family he had a spring in his step.

"That's one strong girl you have there" The doctor couldn't help but smile as he looked at each of the people in front of him. "I have to say that she isn't out of the woods yet but she had shown tremendous strength and I would say her chances are good. Go and sit with her but don't wear her out. She still has a long fight ahead of her. I will be back to see her in the morning, in the mean time you should all try to get some rest." With that the doctor shook hands with everyone and walked away from the group.

His shift had finished almost 3 hours earlier but he felt compelled to see this one to the end. He had honestly expected her to die during surgery and felt warmth run through him at the thought that he helped save this plucky young thing. Never in his 12 years at the hospital had he seen someone survive against the odds that had faced this girl. As he left the hospital that night on his way home to his wife and young son, he felt at peace, he had seen so many deaths at this hospital, so many unexplained injuries, and now a miracle had happened. It was this day that made it all worthwhile.

"Try not to speak Buffy." Giles said from the side of the bed. The smile never leaving his face as he looked down at his slayer.

"How do you feel Buffy? Uh never mind, dumb question." Willow didn't know what to say. The relief after such a shock made her feel weak and her mind was exhausted.

"I'm ok guys" Buffy's voice was very quiet and raspy but she was managing to speak slowly.

"It's good to have you back Buffster" Xander added, feeling inadequate at not being able to say something cool. Even though he had dated Cordelia a few years before and had what he had with Faith, He had always had a love for Buffy. That was part of the reason he had hated Angel so much and carried so much anger. He had tried to kill Angel with Faith once but he had been wrong and it was sobering to realise that.

"Well the swelling is going" Always the level headed one it was Oz who noticed this. "Must be the slayer healing?"

At this Angel started looking closely and sure enough the swelling had almost gone. Buffy could now open her left eye although it was still a violent shade of purple and her lip was starting to heal.

"You really had us worried there" Angel kissed her hand over and over; savouring the touch of the precious skin he had thought he would never feel again. "You had me worried." The world stopped for a moment as Angel and Buffy held eye contact, the look saying everything that they couldn't say in front of the others. Promises of the future, apologies for the past.

"I'm sorry… I…"

"Shh" everyone started at once.

"Don't be sorry Buffy, It's not your fault, it's ok now." Angel tried to reassure her. "Just concentrate on getting better" He kissed her hand again.

"Why do you… all… try to make… me concentrate?" Buffy asked smiling, much to the joy of the others. Concentration was never Buffy's strong point.

"I think you should rest now, get some sleep." Buffy's eyes widened at Giles words and she looked to Angel in panic.

"I'm staying here Buffy, You can sleep safe, I told you I won't leave you again."

"Quite, and we will come back in the morning." Giles reassured her.

"And we'll bring gifts." Willow chirped up.

One by one they kissed Buffy's forehead and left the room, all worry free, as they knew that Buffy would be ok now.

"Buffy… I want you to know how deeply sorry I am about all that happened in the past, I…"

"Wesley," Buffy interrupted "It's ok. Don't worry about it." Then looking past Wesley she saw Cordelia standing behind him. For the first time ever she was trying to stay out of the limelight.

"Cordelia, Thank you for coming." Buffy whispered with the last of her strength.

"Just get better Buffy. If I have to put up with Angel brooding for one more day I'll quit. Get better so you can be happy… together." And lightly touching Buffy's hand she turned and followed Wesley out of the room.

Buffy turned to Angel with tears in her eyes. What Cordelia had said pulled at her heart. The thought of Angel being so unhappy hurt to the core and she preyed that they would never be apart again.

After the others had left the nurse entered the room quietly, she had been amazed by the recovery taking place before her very eyes but it was the love in the room that had got to her. She walked over to Angel and handed him a blanket and a pillow and when Angel looked up into her face, he saw that her eyes were damp.

"I'm sorry" She said, "It's not everyday that we see someone pull through a battle like this. We didn't expect you to survive." She said honestly, looking from Angel then to Buffy.

"I was dying… I could feel it… but… Angel" Buffy started, and then turning, she looked straight into his eyes. "I was saved by an angel."

Angel's eyes became damp at that and he lent over Buffy, sliding one hand under her head, the other cupping her cheek and he kissed her as his tears fell freely. The nurse smiled and left the lovers to it. There was no doubt in her mind that Angel was indeed the one who had saved this remarkable young woman.

Part 8

It was three days before the doctors would allow Buffy to leave. They had tried to make her stay longer; She was at deaths door only 70 hours ago and all that remained to show for it were the stitches in her lower abdomen. Her healing rate was phenomenal and the doctors expressed this to one another as they watched Angel carry her into his car. She had been discharged, with a bag full of pain medication, on the condition that at the first sign of trouble she would return to hospital. They had examined Buffy very carefully over the last few days, using x-rays and ultrasound, and were happy that she would feel no long-term affects. Her vital organs were intact as was her reproductive system; her blood count normal and the doctors could find nothing wrong with her beside her wound, which they found to have healed remarkably. Congratulating himself on a job well done the doctor had wished Buffy well and happily signed the hospital release form and stood proud as he watched the lucky young lovers leave, Angel standing tall, holding in his arms the most precious thing he had found in his unnaturally long life.

"Where are we going"? Buffy asked sleepily as she noticed that instead of turning into town, Angel had in fact taken the turning for the freeway.

"I cleared it with Giles. We decided that you need peace and rest so I'm taking you home…my home, in LA." Angel corrected himself as he noticed Buffy turn to look at him in surprise. "We thought it would be good for you to leave town for a while, get your strength back, we could train together…"

Angel stopped talking when he realised that Buffy had fallen asleep. She had been through a lot in the last few months and Angel was determined that she would rest and be well enough to return to Sunnydale stronger than she had been, He would not let her risk her life again. He didn't have the strength to fight without her. He remembered the fight they had had when the first evil had tormented him, making him want to greet the sun. He had told Buffy that night that he wanted to lose himself in her, told her that he knew it would cost him his soul but a part of him didn't care. He still didn't care. After all these months of being without her, he still couldn't think of her with out his un-beating heart constricting. The pain it bought him to love so unconditionally, the one person that he cannot be with, was the worst kind of torment imaginable. The gypsies had indeed conjured the perfect revenge.

"Buffy." Angel called softly as her lifted her out of the car. He hated to wake her, she looked so peaceful lying in his arms, and looking down at her he thought that this was probably the worst idea he had ever had. The temptation they offered each other was not something they could easily resist and know matter how much Angel had wanted her to have a normal life he knew he had to be part of it.

Angel carried his love through his office and into the elevator, lowering them into his apartment. Without stopping to turn on the lights, Angel headed to the bedroom, he knew every step of his lodgings and Buffy stirred in his arms as he walked into the bedroom and lowered her softly onto the large bed. Seating himself on the edge of the bed next to the small body of his soul mate, he reached and turned on the lamp, filling the room with a soft glow.

Letting her eyes adjust to the light Buffy rolled onto her side and looked up at Angel. Sensing her watching him, he asked gently if there was anything he could get her, not actually looking at her as he spoke.

"A drink would be good." Buffy said shyly, feeling Angel's suddenly distant mood. He was sitting looking down at his feet, elbows resting on his thighs as he wrung his hands together. "Angel...is everything…are you ok?"

"I'm fine, honestly… it's nothing." Angel turned his head and was instantly lost in the love he saw in Buffy's eyes. He had seen that look before, the look of doubt, worry. He himself had put that look there after her last birthday, after they made love, when she asked if she had been no good. Angelus had loved that, Angel did not. "I'll get that drink." He said as he all but ran from the room.

The fridge in the office was almost full thanks to Cordelia. Bottles of mineral water and natural yoghurt and ice bag for her complexion were stacked neatly in the little compartment. Taking a bottle of everything Angel started for the elevator then stopped. He needed to compose himself before he went back downstairs. Seeing Buffy in hospital had grieved him immensely but he had not prepared himself for the feelings he was having now

Slowly he walked to his desk and lowered himself into his chair with a deep sigh. He wondered how he would get through Buffy's stay, having her there all the time, while he could not even touch her. He remembered every touch, every kiss, every word like it was only yesterday, and it pained him to know that walking away had been his choice. Buffy had asked him not to leave, begged him and fought him but he had gone anyway.

"Angel?" The voice had been so unexpected that Angel shot out of the chair, knocking two of the bottles over and hitting his knee in the process.

"You startled me." He explained quickly, pleased that the lack of living blood in his body would prevent him from blushing.

"I couldn't work the elevator so I took the stairs." Buffy almost whispered.

She could feel the tension in the room and it hurt her. She didn't understand why Angel was being so closed off from her after everything he had said at the hospital. It had been his idea to bring her to LA, she hadn't asked him for anything and was confused by the change in him since they started the journey. Eying him cautiously she decided not to say anything. Taking the mineral water that was offered her she thanked him and walked back down stairs.

Go to Part Nine