Summary- After 'Life Taken' and 'Just Existing'. After life is for Buffy is something she has never wanted to face.
Rating- Not sure at the moment, PG13 for now maybe R later.
Disclaimer- Do I look like an acid tripping evil genius to you? Didn't think so.
Distribution- Want. Take. Have. Just ask.
Dedication- Everyone who
AN- You MUST read the first two stories for this to make ANY sense, also, not a 'happy' fic. But not TOO dark either...
AN2- I've made this into a series. Its called 'Life and Living'. There WILL be a number 4. I didn't feel like sending this in parts because I don't have the patience.

The darkness was disorienting. It made her mind fuzzy and go blank. She knew something had happened. Something life alternating. There was a flash of red and orange in front of her eyes. Something was so hot it made her cold skin blister. Buffy slowly opened her eyes and saw the place she never wanted to be again.

Hell.

She had been here once, was not fun. But it wasn't quite like this either. This was hot, brutal, and deadly. She could hear the painful screams of.something. She didn't want to know what it was. Buffy walked slowly around, the ground like hot coals on the tender flesh of her feet. She felt the sense of urgency to get out of here.

"Slayer."

A loud voice boomed and made the red hot walls shake and crumble.

Buffy didn't answer. She looked around, wildly. The feeling of danger was all around her.

"Its pleasure to have you in our *humble* home."

The voce held mockery and amusement.

"I don't belong here." Buffy's voice was quiet but forceful, hiding the fear it held.

"Oh?" The voice held mock surprise, "You don't? I am sure you are mistaken, my dear."

A memory flashed through Buffy's mind. She wasn't the one who had brought it up from the depths of her mind.

//Buffy and Damien were in Europe watching some Broadway-like show. Buffy had gotten bored and during intermission, she and her vampire lover ad snuck backstage and dressed as the show. The had acted out a scene from Othello. Buffy knew the scene from classes in high school. The real actors came out and fought. Buffy and Damien killed them. The audience who thought that it was an act, loved it. That is, until Damien had called out for their minions and they killed everyone in the audience. The old women. It had been so strange. She had been on the brink of death, but she had spoken to her with such a force. It was in a different language, maybe Romany, but Buffy had understood it as if it was in pure English.

"I curse you, young one. I curse you to a life of pain and sorrow. Whoever you are when you are finally put to rest, you will be condemned to the fiery depths of the underworld until those who you have so cruelly taken feel free once again."

Buffy had looked at the old women and laughed. She drained what was left of her and then snapped her neck.

"I never liked old people."//

"No." Buffy murmured shaking her head.

"Yes, my dear Slayer. Slayer.we have never had one of you here. It will be an honor to see what limits you extend too." The voice sneered.

Out of nowhere, demons took her and threw her into a cage. The metal was hot, so she could not break out without burning her palms. Tears formed in her eyes.

"God, I just want to go home." Buffy whispered, wiping the hot tears fro her eyes.

"God cannot hear you here, child." A scratchy voice hissed at her.

Buffy turned slowly, not having the strength to do anything.

A withered old man sat chained to the wall.

"Believe me, I know." He went on.

Buffy turned away as he went on and on about God and such things. She closed her eyes and tried to remember things through her muddled mind. Nothing came. She new who she was, but what had happened? She knew something with Angel. Angel. She missed him.

"Slayer." A voice broke through her thought.

Buffy's head snapped up and her eyes opened. A human like creature stood outside her cage.

"What the hell do you want?" Buffy snapped.

"You." It snarled, opening the cage and tearing her out.

It held her tightly and made bruises on her tender skin.

"Let go!" Buffy yelled, making onlookers forget their own pain and watch her.

"Feisty one, aren't you?" It growled, throwing her into a wall and snapping manacles onto her wrists.

Several other demons came and sneered. They took turned torturing her. They came up with every painful thing they could think of and more. Her skin broke and cracked from the whips. Her eyes were dry from the heat and crying. Her voice was hoarse and did not work from the screaming. After what seemed like eternity, they threw her back into the cage. Her clothes were torn and barely existent. She lay huddled into a corner, away from the leering faces of passing demons.

"So, you will just give up." The old man said to her.

Buffy turned weakly his way and glared at him through hazy eyes.

"Look at me. This is what happens when you give up. I've been year for hundreds of years. Do you want that?" He asked, with a look of question.

"A-a couple of d-days is hundreds of years." Buffy rasped out in her trembling voice, but the look in her eyes was enough to kill.

"You know what I mean. You can still get out." The man said.

"I-I can't. Cursed." Buffy stammered, the length of her wounds straining her and making her faint.

She closed her heavy eyes and let the comforting darkness grab a hold of her.

*

It seemed like only minutes when she next opened her eyes. A hot jolt woke her from the restless slumber. Buffy cried out hoarsely as she was thrown from the hot cage.

"Our guest awakens!" The loud booming voice cried.

Buffy was placed upright and shackles hooked to chains were placed in her wrists. The chains were cranked upwards and Buffy was hanging from a ceiling she could not see. The demons had a party throwing hot molten rocks at her. Everything stopped for a moment and Buffy opened her eyes cautiously. A wicked smile was what she saw before white hot pain flashed through her. Buffy looked down after the wave of pain was gone and saw a hot poker sticking out of her from her belly. The flow of blood dripping was amazing.

//Maybe I'll die.//

Buffy thought fuzzily.

"No, you cannot die for you are already dead." The loud voice boomed.

//God, he can read my mind.//

"Yes, not very bright, are you? Or else you would have noticed that before. But, then again, blonds..." The voice mocked.

//Yeah? Well, read this. FUCK OFF!//

"Heh heh heh." the voice laughed.

Buffy felt fear wash over her. Another poker lodged itself in her chest. This went on for what seemed like hours. Maybe days.

She was thrown into the cage and she just sagged there. The pokers were still lodged in her flesh.

"You might want to pull those out. They'll never heal." The old man said in a way of a greeting.

"I.don't.care." Buffy panted through the pain.

"You should." The man chastised.

Buffy shuddered at the feel of the now cooled metal inside of her skin. She propped herself up and pulled out the one in her belly. Her scream echoed through the cavern walls.

"God, I can't do that again." Buffy whimpered at a point of weakness.

"Why do you keep talking about God? He cannot hear you. He has no interest in you." The old man rasped.

"Expression. And, I don't belong here." Buffy grunted as she tugged at the other poker.

"If you don't belong here, why are you? Denial is an ugly thing, child." The man wheezed.

"I was a.vampire!" Buffy yelled out the last word in pain as the poker slid out.

//Like a knife in butter.//

"Vampire? I don't smell a demon in you." The man stated puzzled.

Buffy thought about this. She wasn't a vampire. How couldn't she have sensed it before. There was only her soul in her body. What the hell?

"Well, then I don't know." Buffy shrugged, wincing and making a mental note not to move too much.

"Why are you here?" The man asked.

"A curse was placed on me while my demon was in control. I was 'condemned' here until my victims feel it is alight to forgive and forget." Buffy answered, not wanting to pull the last poker out. She closed her eyes and too a deep breathe. In one fluid motion, it was out. Her pain filled scream echoed until it disappeared from prying ears.

Buffy sagged on the cool ground. Her wounds throbbed with a renewed pain. All she wanted to do was sleep forever.

"What is it you want most?" The old man said, his voice startling here.

"To get out of here." Buffy answered, not opening her eyes.

"Besides that. What does you heart desire?" The old man asked.

"Angel." Buffy answered.

"Open your eyes." The man instructed.

Buffy did so and she saw a shimmering ball of light. She saw Angel. He was sitting alone in her old room. He looked as if he had been crying. He was beautiful, nonetheless. His pale features glowing in the dim light. Buffy reached out and touched the ball. She was absorbed into the ball and standing before Angel.

"Buffy?" He whispered in surprise.

Buffy's eyes widened. He could see her!

"Oh my God." Buffy whispered.

"You're. You're dead!" Angel gasped.

He pulled her too him and hugged her. Tears tracked down Buffy's cheeks.

"Oh God, Angel." Buffy sobbed.

His gentle hug changed and turned into a fierce grip.

"Angel?" Buffy whimpered, pulling back and looking at him.

His face was that of a demonic glare. His eyes gleamed and shone with hatred. Their surroundings turned into the red hot, molten walls she had been accustomed too.

"Angel.?" Buffy whimpered again.

His hands, the hands soft hands that once caressed her with such love, gripped her arms, turning into demonic claws and tearing her skin.

"Angel! Stop!" Buffy screamed.

"Not now, lover. You think I'll save you? Not a chance. You sent me here! Now its your turn!" Angel screamed, his voice full of contempt and hatred.

The man who wore the face of her lover began mental and physical torture for hours. Days. Maybe more. He took precious memories and tore them to shreds. He took her body, what he once worshiped, and practically tore the skin from the muscle. Buffy opened her eyes and found herself back in the cage. She must have passed out. But, what he said, what he did, couldn't be true. Angel couldn't be here. He wasn't. It was a trick. Angel once told her about the mental torture they did to him. The demons used her face and their memories to try and break him. That's what they were doing to her. She looked around and saw the old man.

"You tricked me!" Buffy screamed with renewed rage giving her strength and adrenalin

"What can you say? No rest for the wicked." The man sneered.

"No rest?! I'll show you no fucking rest!" Buffy screamed, her mind crazed from endless hours of torture. She ran to the cage and flung herself against the scalding metal. The metal burned, but she didn't feel it. Only the fiery anger within her. She shook the metal bars. They bent and squealed under the pressure. The man looked genuinely frightened.

The bars were old and soon broke. Buffy ran into the other cage and punched the guy. He tried to fight back but he didn't have a chance. Buffy beat him to a bloody pulp in her blind rage. He didn't fight back anymore, but Buffy wasn't done. She picked him up and threw his limp body into the bars. She picked him up and heard he was trying to mutter some Latin words. She gripped his neck and then snapped it. She fell to the floor, her muscles giving out. Her body started to shiver. She had no strength left. None whatsoever. She didn't no how long she had been there. At this point, she didn't care. Maybe.she should jut face it. She wasn't leaving. Not for a long time.

*

Angel watched as Buffy turned to ashes right before his eyes. Her eyes had been pleading and scared. Inside, every part of Angel was screaming. She was gone. The room was deadly silent. Her ashes rested on the ground, right in the middle of everyone. Xander stood there none moving, the stake still in his hand. Angel's demon managed to surface and all control was lost. Every part of Angel was raging at the loose of his love. His eyes glowed a feral yellow as he lunged at the shocked by. Xander called out in terror as the crazed demon raged.

"Angel!" Faith yelled and tried to stop them.

"You staked her! YOU KILLED HER!" Angel raged.

Spike managed to pull Angel off before he could do any real damage.

"As much as I would *love* to watch you kill the fucking bastard, you can't." Faith snarled, glaring a death stare at the boy.

"Is that what you do? Stab your friends in the back? Maybe *you're* the demon here. Did B hurt you? No, she NEVER did. I should rip you about. Inch by fucking inch." Faith stepped foreword menacingly.

"You claimed to be her best friend, yet when she tries to make piece, YOU KILL HER!" Faith shouted, jumping over the table separating them. She had lost it. He had just killed the girl that was like her sister. Her fingers wrapped around his throat and squeezed for all she was worth. She watched as his face turned an interesting shade of blue. Spike grabbed his love away from Xander.

"I'm the one who hates you the most and I'm saving your life!" Spike yelled, death promised in his eyes.

Angel had fallen to the floor, staring at his love's ashes. Faith had broken down in Spike's arms. She cried for the girl she loved as a sister. Spike soothingly stroked her back to calm her down. Willow stood in the corner on the room just staring.

After a long time, no one had spoken.

"Get out of Sunnydale. If I ever see you again, I will kill you." Angel said in a deathly low growl.

Xander would live with the guilt of her death for the rest of his life. And this, made Angel a teeny tiny bit happy.

Xander numbly nodded his head.

Nothing else was said.

Buffy was gone.

Forever this time.

*

She had awoken. She didn't know how. But, now she was awake. Angel stood before her, a look of fear and concern in his eyes.

"Buffy." He whispered.

Buffy flinched away. She wouldn't fall for it. Not this time. She was smarter than all the other times. Those many, many times. Not again.

He kneeled down beside her, touching her shoulder softly. Buffy expected heat from his touch. There was nothing. Still, she shrank away and hid her scared eyes.

"What? What is this?" Angel asked, anger taking his voice.

Buffy whimpered.

"You, you think I'm him!" Angel exploded.

"No." Buffy pleaded.

"You do! I come here to *save* you and you think I'm Angelus!" Angel's angry voice echoed against the walls.

"No!" Buffy screamed, trying *so* hard to make him see.

"Yes! I CAN'T believe you! I thought you loved me! You *said* you knew the difference!" Angel screamed in blind rage.

"No! No, I love you! Angel!" Buffy cried back, tears forming and rolling down her blistered face.

"No! You don't! I was a fool. You *lied* to me. You stupid BITCH! I'll show you what happens when people lie to me!" Angel attacked her viciously.

He pushed her body into the sharp rocky floor and took out a knife which seemed to come out of nowhere. He stabbed and carved her body. Buffy lay in a daze in the pool of her own blood. She had clawed him and ripped at his skin. He had laughed. She forgot the Angelus enjoyed pain. So she just gave up. She just lay there until he left, laughing cruelly. Buffy's finger's traveled up her stomach and fingered her wounds. They were raw and left sticky blood on her hands. She sat up and looked at what he had carved on her. Long jagged letters spelled out one word.

Mine.

Her breath caught at the word. She felt like she was going to be sick. Her stomach cramped and dry heaves wracked her body. The smell of rotting flesh did no better to help nausea. She looked over and saw the old mans decaying body.

"Ugh." Buffy moaned as another wave of sickness washed over her.

"Ohh, do you need a break, young one?" A smooth soft voice asked.

"Leave me alone." Buffy moaned, her trust already broken.

"You don't belong here." The voice said. Buffy looked over and saw a shimmering blue and golden colored women.

"I don't?" Buffy asked, deadpanned.

"No, Slayer. You don't. You weren't supposed to come here." She said.

"How do I know I can trust you? You're just a trick from *them.*" Buffy sneered.

"I am not. I am from the Power The Be." She said.

Buffy shrugged and rolled her eyes.

"You do not believe me? Fine. But you *can* get out of this.hell." The women said.

"How?" Buffy asked, her hope rising against her will.

"Confront you victims. Tell them how you feel." The women replied.

"How?" Buffy asked, slumping to the ground.

"Seek them out." The women answered.

"But how? *They'll* see." Buffy exclaimed waving her hand around at the prying ears.

"They won't know." The women advised.

"They will. They know everything. Why can't you just take me out of here if I don't belong here?" Buffy asked, beginning to doubt her.

"We have no control, down here. The only way you can get out is if your victims grant you forgiveness." The women said fading away, slowly.

"Don't leave!" Buffy pleaded.

The look on Buffy's face broke the women's heart.

"I am sorry, but I have too. The magic's I used to contact you are fading away. I grant you the best of luck." The woman said as a goodbye.

She faded from site and Buffy was left alone again.

Buffy hoisted herself up and to her feet. She walked to the broken part of the cage and went through it. The old mans cage was broken and easy to get out of. She was finally able to walk around. But, it wasn't so good. People were in pain. The glared at her and cursed her for being free.

Buffy tried to ignore them and kept walking. That was when she saw her. Her name had been Kathryn. She had been one of her first kills. Damien had been trying to teach her to stalk and get to know the victim. Buffy wouldn't have any of it. She just hunted the girl late at night. The longer the hunt, the more enjoyable the kill. Anyways, she had chased the girl into the woods and led her into the caves. She let Damien have his fun with her first. Then, Buffy killed her. Slowly, tantalizingly, and temptingly. It had been great. Guilt flooded her. Buffy approached the girl.

"Kathryn?" Buffy asked.

The girl looked up, confusion shadowing her eyes.

"You." She whispered.

"Yeah. Me. I'm sorry. It wasn't me who did it." Buffy started.

"I know. You much different from your demon, you know." Kathryn stated.

"You." Buffy started.

"Forgive you? Yes. It. Was. Not. You. But, let me warn you. Not everyone will see it that way." Kathryn said as she walked away.

"I wish you luck." She soft voice echoed the words in Buffy's ears.

Maybe, just maybe, what the golden woman had said was true.

Just maybe.

*

5 months. That how long it had been. How long since she had been killed. How long since Xander left the state.

"I know where she is." Willow stated one morning. Angel roused from his sleep. His mind was fuzzy and disoriented.

"What?" He mumbled.

He had been having a dream. Buffy was in it. He shook his head. Only a dream. Like every other time. A dream.

"I said I know where she is." Willow repeated.

"Who?" Faith asked, in one of her moods again.

"Buffy." Willow said, looking uncomfortable under all the intense gazes.

"What do you mean, Red?" Spike asked slowly.

"I came over this prophecy from the Codex. It referenced Buffy and I looked into it." Willow explained.

"Where is she?" Angel asked afraid to know the answer.

"She's.in hell." Willow whispered, not wanting to cause commotion.

"What?!" Angel hissed.

Damn the Gods! They told him she would be safe and she was in Hell!

"Holy Shit." Spike murmured, shaking his head.

"What did the prophecy say?" Faith asked, feeling rage boil in her veins.

" 'The Chosen One has fallen. The hands of darkness grip her power. A battle shall rise among past enemies and lovers. Cursed, as she was in darkness, condemned as she is to hell. The One will rise only when forgiveness is once again granted once. The blood of the sky will shine down on the gate. Same, she will not be. Different, she will not be.' " Willow read.

Angel's fist slammed into the wall. Everyone jumped from the sudden noise.

"Can we get her out?" Faith asked, on the brink of killing someone.

"I don't know. From the sounds of this, she might have to get out on her own." Willow said.

"No. The longer she is there, the more animalistic she'll be when she comes out." Angel murmured to the group.

"Peaches, we should go see those Powers of yours." Spike suggested.

"What good'll that do?" Faith snapped.

"We can convince them to get Blondie outta there" Spike said.

"Um, Spike? She wasn't blond when she was here." Willow offered.

"Oh sod off, Red. You and your goddamn technicalities." Spike sighed "Peaches, get your ass up. We're goin' to pay a lit'll visit to these Powers."

*

Torn, tired, hungry, and in pain, Buffy kept walking around this terrifying hell. She was so scared that they would find her. She had managed to dodge them for now, but she couldn't keep doing this. There was a loud crack of a whip nearby and Buffy hid behind a large rack formation. Loud voices passed her.

"She escaped."

"How could she?! We have her now, there is *no* way she can get out. Those blasted Powers have no rule here." Another voice growled.

"We can't keep her here, as much as I'd like too."

"Who says we can't? She's just *one* Slayer. Another is already called."

Buffy froze. There was no way out. But there *had* to be. To hell with forgiveness. There just wasn't time. Immediately, she felt guilt, but didn't care anymore. If she ever wanted peace again, she had to get out of here. She let out a small whimper and the footsteps stopped. Buffy froze and prayed to Gods that couldn't hear her that they would not find her. Slowly, the being crept closer and Buffy held her breath.

//Oh God, oh God, oh God.//

"Here!" One of the demons yelled, finding her.

"No!" Buffy screamed, kicking him away.

The other grabbed her and Buffy flipped him over her shoulder. He landed on the floor with a heavy thud. The other got up and fought hard. Their touch burned her. Left blackened skin in their wake.

"Ah-hh!" Buffy cried out in a mix of burning pain and anger.

She pinned one into the hot rock and snapped its neck. The other grabbed her by her waist and flipped her over its shoulder. Its long ragged claws dug deep into her skin. Buffy screamed and struggled. She managed to get free, but there were long, deep, bloody gashes on her hips. She was in a crazed rage and she snapped his neck too. Pain and insanity took over her as she ran through the horrid sulfuric place. Anyone and anything that came in her way, she killed with barely a flick of her wrist. She finally collapsed, her blood mingling with that of the demons. Her eyes flickered shut as she slipped into the back oblivion.

*

"We beseech knowledge from the knowing ones."

Angel chanted as they stood under the post office.

A bright white light and Faith, Spike, and Angel himself were sucked into the portal and before the Oracles.

"What have you brought us, Warriors?" The female asked them.

Angel held out a rose red vase.

"Made in Italy. 1874. Original." Angel said shortly.

Faith held out a diamond necklace.

"Tiffany's latest in the Spring catalogue. Oh, and Angel? You have to by Cordy another." Faith smirked.

Spike chuckled.

He held out an ancient sword.

"Found this in Giles's shop. Take it or leave." Spike glowered at the higher beings.

"What would you like to know?" The female asked, instantly liking this group.

"Buffy Summers, Slayer '96-'01. Where is she?" Faith asked when her vampire friends didn't say anything.

"Hmm, she was a great warrior. Died before her real time, I'm afraid." The male mused.

"Not the question, mate. Where is the bloody Slayer?" Spike asked.

"She is in the underworld." The male answered.

"Yet, she does not belong there. A curse has altered fate and changed its course." The female said more to herself than the group.

"I paid her a visit. To get out herself, she has to make amends and get through with the curse. " The female continued.

"There has to be another way.." Angel demanded, knowing it was true.

"Yes, but we have to wait for the right time." The male offered.

"And when'll that be?" Spike asked.

"There has to be a right time for everything and anything. The time for that is when the light aligns with the night." The female said and they were all back in the dank sewer.

"Now what the hell did that mean?" Spike asked, brushing off his pants and helping Faith up.

"Light aligns with night." Faith murmured.

Something pulled at her mind, but she couldn't quite grasp it right now.

*

Buffy awoke with a fuzzy mind. Something was going to change. Soon. The rational part of her brain had shut down. Her lust to kill anything in her way overpowered her. The smell of sulfur and blood had permanently coated her nostrils. She stalked around, trying to figure things out. Out. There had to be a way out. A low growl erupted from her throat. Something was near. Something threatening. A figureless, faceless.thing stepped in front of her. Buffy blinked, not really sure what she was seeing. When she opened her eyes again. Angel was standing before her. Buffy circled him warily.

Angel?

Or Angelus?

Her glazed mind couldn't figure out the difference here.

"Buffy."

His lips saying her name. The way he said it. Rolling over his tongue. His lips shaping perfectly. This broke Buffy's last thread of sanity. She lunged at him with a wild snarl. Angel's eyes went from shocked, hurt, afraid, and then angry. His brown eyes went dark, almost black, with fury.

"Huh, you're growing smarter Buff." He sneered.

Words were nothing to her now. Just a jumbled mass of sound to her now. The Slayer was truly coming out now. Nothing was holding her back. Her humanity broken, the bloodthirsty warrior was making a full front. They attacked each other with a fury of a thousand demons.

Clawing, tearing, screaming, fighting.

Buffy struck him several times, noticed his skin had a slick feel to it. It didn't struck her as odd. Nothing did. It didn't matter. Killing him did.

"Its funny, you, the 'Slayer'. Ending up in hell. Gotta tell you, Buff. Didn't see that coming." Angel sneered.

A deadly snarl was all the reaction he got from the blond.

"What's the matter Buff? Cat got your tongue?" Angel asked.

Buffy jumped on him and started to claw his face. Her once delicate hands were disfigured into sharp claws. His cold blood spurted from the long gashes. Then, his face wasn't Angel. It was a gray, slimy, and blobby. It had no bones.

In Buffy's confused mind two words made there way through the abyss.

Shape shifter.

She killed it. It lay still, unmoving. She crumpled to the ground and crawled into a fetal position. She body shook with hard, heaving shakes. The rational part of her mind was hurled deeper into the fog of her mind and she knew nothing except the animal within.

*

Faith wrestled with her mind to figure out what that stupid message meant.

//When light aligns with night.//

"Giles!" Faith shouted as she ran into the house where everyone was.

"Giles!" She called again, banging on the door.

"Yes? Faith, you're here." Giles noted, letting her in.,

"Whats wrong Pet?" Spike asked.

"I got it. An eclipse. My watcher, my first watcher, said something like that and said it meant an eclipse." Faith explained.

"Lunar or solar?" Giles asked.

'Damn'

"I don't know. I'm guessing lunar. Cause, y'know, she was a vamp when she died." Faith said.

"Good work. I'll check my books and see if there is any mention of an eclipse." Giles said.

"No, too much work. Just check online." Faith said, signing on and searching for any news about soon to come lunar eclipse.

"There! Actually tonight. A little after midnight." Faith told them scrolling down the page.

"Will she just burst out or is there some sort of incantation-y shit we've got to do?" Spike asked.

"I-I-I'm not sure. I will have to look it up." Giles flustered around.

Angel, who had been quiet, spoke up.

"Most likely she will come from the hellmouth."

"There is a spell for when it is time." Giles announced.

Everyone was quiet for a long time when Faith spoke up.

"How long has it been?"

"Almost 6 months." Angel answered immediately. He had been keeping track.

"No, I mean there."

"600 years. Give or take a few decades." Spike answered this time.

"God."

"Here we go. I found the ritual. We'll meet at the hellmouth before midnight."

*

She was going insane. Swirling hazes of color appeared before her eyes. Her wounds burned with smoldering pain. She writhed and thrashed at the pain. No one dared to cross her. If anything came within a threatening distance, she would snarl and attack them. Blood of dozens seeped into her hands, mixing with her won. She was just a shell of the human she had been. Sanity, gone. Rationality, gone. Anger, fury, insanity, and bloodthirsty was all that was left inside of her. Memory of anything had left her. She was all but a rabid animal. She had been looking for a way out, but there was none. This is where she belonged. She didn't know how long she lay on the scalding floor. Nor did she care. Time was nothing now. How long she had been here, days, years, hours, seconds, meant nothing to her now.

Nothing.

*

A quarter to midnight is when everyone met at the burnt school. Angel would not let himself get his hopes up. If this didn't work. He sighed. If it didn't work, she would b stuck there forever. And he would have to live with that. Forever.

"Here we go." Faith muttered as she watched the sky.

The moon moved and started to cover the sun. An unearthly red glow covered them. Giles started to chant and the earth started to shake. The sat in a circle around the hole that led to hell. Steam and fog came out of the hole and the smell of sulfur arose. Angel closed his eyes as hot tears burned his eyes as memories of decades of torture. He hoped to God that Buffy was not there. That they were wrong. That she was in Heaven where she belonged.

//God! Please don't let her be there!//

*

Buffy looked up. She smelled something. Dirt. Soil. Earth. Something was happening. She scrambled painfully to her feet and looked around wildly. There was a shimmering tear in the middle of her sight. Something told her to go through it. Everything would be better. But, soon those thoughts were lost in the fog that was now her mind. Then she smelled blood. The primal thing in her made her jump.

*

A loud explosion shook the air and a blinding white light appeared in the sky. The light disappeared and the red glow of the eclipse left. In the corner of the burnt room was a whimpering, snarling, naked form. They looked forward and saw a flash of blond hair. The hands were formed into sharp claws. Angel and Spike smelt blood. Open wounds. But none of that mattered at the moment. All that did was, that it worked.

They did it.

She was back.

Alive.

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