"You are wrong! This one is willing to sacrifice every drop of human happiness and love he's ever known for another. He is not a lower being," the female oracle told the male.

"So what do you suggest we do? Take his plea? Reverse the day so that it never was?" He asked.

She shook her head vehemently. "Look at the hardships he has endured already! And she has suffered much too," she said. "They have both been great warriors for our cause, they deserve more than that."

"Are you hinting that we should give him back his supernatural strength?" He asked suspiciously. She nodded. "They would both continue to serve our cause, yet they would finally be happy too."

"We do not have that kind of power," he argued.

"We do not need it," she replied.

"The Powers That Be would listen to our plea."

"They'd listen to it, but they would never accept it!"

"But they would! His heart is pure," she told him. "And so is that of the Slayer's. A little, all right, quite a bit bruised, yet pure. And they have both averted the apocalypse and saved the world numerous times."

The male oracle studied his partner for a while before nodding reluctantly. "All right," he conceded. "We shall take this to The Powers That Be."

The female oracle smiled before turning back to Angel. "Fear not," she told him. "Return to your Slayer and wait. Within the hour balance shall be restored." Then Angel flew backwards through a flash of light and was outside, looking at Doyle.

"Did 't work?" He asked. Angel nodded. "Yeah," he managed, breathing a sigh of relief and contentment. I won't lose Buffy! He thought happily.

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

"Buffy?" Angel called as he entered his apartment.

"Where were you?" She answered, walking out of the kitchen.

"I went to speak to the oracles again," he told her quietly.

Buffy began to feel uneasy. "And?" She prodded him.

"And they said that we don't have to worry about the End of Days! She said balance would be restored within the hour," he told her, quoting the oracle. Buffy smiled, thrilled. "That's wonderful," she whispered as she stepped forward and slipped her arms around his neck. "Yeah," he murmured, pulling her closer. She tilted her head up and he bent his down, meeting her in a gentle kiss. They kissed again, this time a little harder, with more urgency. She pressed herself against him, exhilarated by their closeness. She pulled back for a second to whisper "I love you." Angel echoed her before covering her mouth with his once more.

Suddenly they released each other in a fit of pain. Buffy swore as her chest began to glow with a metallic blue light causing sparks of pain to shoot through her. Angel doubled over, the same light radiating off his skin, and clutched his heart to try to stop the pain. "A-Angel," Buffy gasped. "What's happening?" "I-I don't know," Angel choked, his words mangled by his pain. Buffy let out a shriek as excruciating pain, like nothing she'd ever felt before, exploded throughout her body, before sinking into unconsciousness. Angel was already out.

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

Buffy opened her eyes to find herself curled up beside Angel on the floor. The pain was gone. She snuggled closer to him and he awoke. He looked down at her and smiled. Slowly they remembered the events leading to their unexpected nap.

"Angel?" She whispered. "Yeah, Buffy?" He answered as he pulled her nearer. "I feel…different," she told him. Angel looked thoughtful for a moment. "You know," he started. "Now that you mention it, I feel different too. I mean, I'm breathing, I'm warm, and I feel human-" "And your heart's beating," Buffy interjected with a smile as she rubbed her hand over Angel's heart. "Yeah," he agreed, smiling back before continuing. "But I also feel like I'm still a vampire…different." Buffy shook her head, trying to clear it. "I feel the same as before, only…weird, sort of freakyish," she tried, struggling to find words to explain what she was feeling. "Angel, did the Oracles tell you exactly what would happen?" Angel shook his head.

"Do you think we should see them again?" Buffy nodded. "Only this time I am going to be the one to go talk to them," she informed him.

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

Angel and Buffy stood outside. Angel handed Buffy an ancient vase of his. "Okay," he instructed her. "When you go in, give this to them, then asked what happened. Politely. You do not want to offend them in any way."

Buffy nodded. "So no sarcasm or anything," she responded easily. "Got it." Angel did the quick ritual and Buffy was inside. The female oracle regarded Buffy curiously. "What have you brought us?" She questioned. "Uh," Buffy held out the vase. "Greek…twelve hundred BC," she recited as the vase was snatched.

"What would you like to know?" asked the male oracle.

"What happened to me. And Angel," Buffy replied immediately.

"He asked that your life be spared, we have done that," he responded.

"But how? Why do I feel all weird?" Buffy questioned, not satisfied with his answer.

"Balance had to be restored. The Powers That Be have made you both immortal," filled in the female oracle.

"Immortal?" Buffy echoed. She nodded.

"You have maintained your capabilities, however, and his strength and skill have been restored also."

Buffy let out the breath that she hadn't been aware she was holding. "So we can be together? Without me dying early?" She asked. The male oracle listened for a second, then nodded. "According to the powers." Buffy finally let herself smile. "Thank you," she whispered. Then she was thrust back and out to where Angel was anxiously waiting.

"Well?" He prompted her. "Angel, honey," she said as she smiled. "We're immortal!" She flung her arms around his neck and he hugged her back instinctively, still registering what she had told him. Then it hit him. They would be together. Forever. Literally. He would still be able to protect her, but he could love her at the same time. He felt a smile spread over his mouth.

"Buffy," he whispered. "What do you want to do now?" She smiled. "Come back with me to Sunnydale," she pleaded, "We could get an apartment, live together. He began nodding, then stopped. "What about Doyle and Cordelia?" He asked. "And Angel Investigations?" "Doyle will get his next assignment or move on, Cordelia will find something else to do – she's pretty resourceful – and I've lived in LA, Angel. For most of my life I've live here. It's a big town, you can't change it. I know you've been trying…but someone else will come. It was fine before you came and it will be fine after you leave," she told him gently. Angel didn't answer. Instead he bent down and kissed her. After a few minutes they pulled apart. "Does that mean yes?" She asked teasingly. Angel's answer was to kiss her again.

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