Disclaimer: I don't own 'em. Song by Lara Fabian and kinda has nothing to do with the fic, but I love the song, so hey!
Distribution: Just let me know. Unless you're Aaronlisa or me, obviously.
Spoilers: "Soul's Purpose" and "Chosen"
A/N: Inspired by a challenge from Gretchen on BA Lovers United, but I'm not following it very strictly. I wrote it as soon as the challenge was issued, which was right after the ep aired, I believe, but I'm posting it now because I wasn't (and still am not) happy with how it turned out. I get depressed every once in awhile and I can't really write anything, and this was written during one of those periods.

~*~*~*~
Yaliel my angel, know that I can feel you
And when I fall I feel your arms around my destiny
Protecting me
~*~*~*~

The voices broke through his haze, but he had no power to respond. All he could feel was the soft hand gently caressing his cheek, reminding him that he could not be asleep. Her hand only hit in nightmares, and he'd stopped his dreams of her long ago.

"How long has he been like this?"

Her voice, all softness and fear for him. Both Angel and Angelus know how to make that voice, the voice of an Angel far greater than he was, tremble in entirely different ways.

"A week," Wesley's voice answered and her hand shook on his face. "Maybe more."

A lifetime. Since Riley.

"A week? And none of you tried to get him help?" her hand resumed its steady pace, but her voice wavered. He moaned without meaning to, and her warm lips brushed over his face before her cheek rested on his. "Wh... what happened?"

I left you. I was stupid and I left you. Make it stop, love me, please, God, make it stop.

"He and Spike have been... at odds with one another over a prophecy," Wesley sounded closer than before, and he felt the significantly male presence beside him. "Claiming the vampire with the sould will regain his humanity."

"Spike did this to him?"

The venom in her words destroyed any fears that she'd fallen in love with his Childe and forsaken him. She sounded ready to kill the peroxide blond, and had he been able to open his eyes he would have seen her wide eyes radiating with a need to protect him, even from her former lover.

The darkness clogging his being receded for a fraction of a second and then he remembered her words through Andrew. Who do you think gave the orders? ... No one on our side trusts you.

"I don't believe Spike is to blame personally, no," Wesley answered. "Rather, I think he's facing more emotional complications than he is used to. I believe he's quite simply worn out."

"It's more than that," her hand ran over his shoulders. "Wes, he's in physical pain. Why didn't you call me sooner?"

"Honestly, I didn't think you'd care," Angel whimpered at the coldness in Wesley's voice. He didn't know how sensitive Angel's beloved truly was. She wasn't supposed to hurt over him anymore, didn't Wesley know that?

"Of course I care..."

"That's on what Andrew said," a female voice, sweetened but malicious, entered the conversation.

"Andrew?" now Buffy simply sounded confused. "I haven't spoken to Andrew since England, and never about Angel..."

"Buffy..."

The tortured whisper was his own and Buffy was back at his side in milliseconds, her hands on his face once more.

"I'm here, Angel, I'm right here baby," her lips brushed his and he tasted salt. "I'm here and I love you."

He forced his eyes open and saw her face swimming above him. There were at least four of her, but he focused on the still Buffy. "Hurts."

"I know love, shhh," her devoted cooing calmed him, and the darkness once more. "I will help you."

"Actually," the other female interrupted, "I can help him, but it requires privacy."

"N-no, don't leave," Angel gripped Buffy's hand in fear. "Don't let go."

"I won't," Buffy answered, glaring at Eve. "Anything you want to do you can do with me here."

"I really can't afford the distraction," Eve argued. "It's a complicated spell."

"I'll be as quiet as a mouse."

Eve seemed to realize she had no way to win against the determined Slayer and gave in, reaching for a box at her feet. Suddenly she pulled out a horrid looking bug demon. "Angel, this is going to suck the poison out of you and then I'll perform the healing spell..." she was cut off by her own scream as Buffy's foot flipped up and knocked Eve across the room.

"I should have known," she murmured, pulling back Angel's blankets. She ripped a similar parasyte off of his stomach and threw it at Eve. "Faith's boyfriend got infected with one of these last week."

"Good Lord," Wesley muttered. "Faith has a boyfriend?"

Angel heard no more of the conversation, as he promptly passed out.

~*~*~*~

When he woke, Buffy lay sprawled on his chest, her hand brushing over the scars there. "I love you," she whispered. "And I'm not cookies yet, but I promise I will be really soon. I've never loved anyone but you, ever, and I'll come back before you miss me again, I promise..."

"You're leaving?"

"Not for good," Buffy whispered, her voice shaking. "I just need to finish baking..."

"Finish baking here," Angel begged. "I need you here."

"Meet me in Italy on my next birthday," she responded. "My Dad owns a villa near Florence. There's a huge fountain... you can't miss it."

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