Part 14
Buffy stretched and strolled out to the main hall, careful not to wake her sleeping lover. She sang softly under her breath, walking to the window and peeking out the blinds. It was a stunning day outside, the world alive with colour and sound. She smiled softly to herself, knowing that she'd rather be living in a monochrome world than a world without Angel.
A voice behind her startled her, making her jump in fright.
"Mornin' Buffy. Sleep Well?" Doyle smiled, handing her a cup of coffee.
"Sleep? I was supposed to sleep?" Buffy replied with a grin. "Where are the others?"
"Out and About. They're giving our young new friends the tour of Sunnydale."
"Tour?" She raised a quizzical eyebrow. "Haven't they lived here their entire lives?"
"It's more of a what demon did what where tour." Doyle rolled his eyes. "They were comparing stories this morning. You missed it."
Buffy closed her eyes, remembering Angel's soft kisses and whispered words. She opened one eyes, grinning lazily at Doyle. "Yet somehow I'll find the courage to live on."
Doyle chuckled. "I take it you and Angel had fun, then."
"Oh yeah. A whole lotta happiness goin' on there."
"Ahh. Good to know." He looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "Have you thought about what's gonna happen when we have to go back?"
Her shoulders slumped, and she sighed. "I've been trying not to." She glanced at him. "Denial makes the world go round."
He put a hand on his shoulder. "You have to tell him, Buffy. He has to be able to prepare."
She looked at him with sad eyes. "You can't prepare for heartbreak, Doyle."
"I know, love."
They sat in companionable silence, working out the situations in their heads.
************
Faith smiled as her knife slid through the young man's flesh, catching on bone before slicing evenly through. There was nothing quite like the adrenaline rush of taking a life. Nothing like the tortured screams, the feeling of warm blood coating her small hands.
She dropped the body limply to the ground, staring down at her work in satisfaction.
This was what she excelled at.
Faith had never felt special in her life, before that night. That night that had supposedly changed everything.
It hadn't.
The evil was inside of her, just waiting to be fired upon the world, oozing over it like a blanket of darkness. The events of that night had just given it the strength to free itself.
As a girl, Faith had been pretty enough. She had blossomed into a beautiful teen.But she never had the funds, or the motivation, to keep up with the fashions. To stand out. She blended into the crowd, her face blurring so that she was just like everyone else.
When she had been called, she had harboured a secret pleasure at being different from everyone else.
Special.
And then her watcher had started going on and on about *the* Buffy Summers.
The Other Slayer.
The one who had prevented apocalypse after apocalypse.
The one who rendered William the Bloody a cripple and reduced the Master to a pile of ashes.
The one who always shone just a little brighter than Faith.
Faith had gone to Sunnydale expecting to find a rigid, personality challenged butch of a girl.
And then Buffy showed up in the alley, with her laugh and her friends, and her... life.
There was a spark in Buffy that Faith hadn't expected. It unsettled her. She had expected to at least be able to outcool Buffy.
But no, this Slayer had street smarts.
And then she found out about Angel.
She had been more than a little shocked. This slayer, this legendary, respected slayer was in love with a vampire.
Not just a vampire. Angelus, Scourge of Europe. A Master Vampire.
Faith rotated her hands as she delved through her memories.
She had found herself having... thoughts about Buffy. She still couldn't define if those were sexual thoughts, or romantic, or friendly, or just an overwhelming need to be...needed.
Wanted.
Loved.
But Buffy never noticed. Never Knew.
Faith had tried to bring Buffy out of her shell.
When that had failed, she shut down almost completely.
And a killer was born.
Part 15
"And that's where we killed the evil java fairy..." Xander said, pointing to a shadowy corner of the basketball courts.
He led them around a corner and stopped short when he saw Faith standing thoughtfully over a dead boy, hands on her hips.
"Alana...." He said quietly, and she came to stand next to him, her eyes burning in anger.
"I know him." She replied. "Or...knew him."
He just stared at her, knowing that nothing he could say could make it ok.
"It's time for me to fight her." Alana said determinedly.
Xander shook his head. "Not yet." Faith gave one last look at the body, nudged it with her foot, and then turned and walked away.
"Let's follow her. See where she goes." Oz suggested.
Xander nodded, and they slunk off together, following the brunette at a safe distance.
**************
Angel lay on his back, staring up at the high ceiling.
He kept waiting for something to go wrong. Waiting for him to lose his soul.
He knew that was what was bothering him.
He didn't deserve to feel this happy. To experience this level of peace.
But his soul wasn't going anywhere. Doyle had reassured him of that.
He smiled, rolling over onto his stomach and falling into a deep sleep.
*************
Buffy sat in front of a burning fireplace, the dancing flames casting creepy shadows over the empty room.
She felt a presence behind her.
"Why did you bring me here?" She asked, her voice cold and angry.
"I wanted to chat." Faith replied, strolling over and leaning against the mantlepiece.
"About?"
"I don't remember."
"I'm not in the mood for games, Faith."
"Lighten up, B." Faith said, cocking her head to the side. "You're too tense."
"I don't appreciate having my dreams manipulated." Buffy replied, glaring at her. "I was having a nice little fantasy involving Angel and chocolate mousse, and I really wanna get back to it."
Faith snickered. "That's always been your problem, B. Too many unfulfilled fantasies."
"I'll fulfill it. Just haven't had the chance yet."
"I believe you." Faith replied. "But I wanted to make arrangements for our final battle. Chicken or Fish?"
"You're insane."
"You ever doubted it?"
"On Occasion." Buffy replied, looking Faith squarely in the eye. "I think you just pretend to be off your rocker cos you're afraid."
Faith glared at her. "It's a nice though, B, but I don't do fear."
"Everyone has fears, Faith. You're just better at hiding yours than most people."
"Whatever you say, B." Faith said confidently. "So what do you think my fear is, B?"
Buffy studied her. "I'm still working on that one."
"Well, a ballpark estimate."
"Rejection. Getting close to people and then having them hurt you." She eyed Faith. "Something emotional like that."
"Wrong." Faith replied, but her smile had wavered.
She stared hard at Buffy. "'Til we meet again, B."
***************
Part 16
Buffy jolted awake, blinking rapidly. She let out a long, deep breath.
"You ok, Buffy?" Xander was leaning over her, looking into her eyes in concern.
"Uh...I think so..." She slid into a sitting position, looking around the room. She'd fallen asleep on the couch.
Alana was standing in the doorway, head cocked to the side. "What happened?"
"Oh, Just Faith performing a little break and enter on my dreams." Buffy sighed. She stood. "I'm gonna go have a shower." She stood and slowly walked out of the room.
Oz watched her go. "Should we tell her about the kid Faith killed?"
"Do we have to?" Willowasked, biting her lip. "You know she'll only blame herself."
"For what?" Angel walked into the room, pulling on a black knit t-shirt.
"Faith killed Johnny Manson." Alana said, a tear trickling down her cheek.
Angel took a step toward her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "We'll stop her."
She raised her head and stared at him levelly. "Yeah. But how many people are gonna die in the process?"
************
Buffy closed her eyes and let the hot water run over her face and through her hair.
When she first started slaying, she had showered a lot. Almost like she could wash her destiny away. Her tears would mingle with the water and soak into her skin.
Her tears were part of her armour now. A reminder of pain; past and present; Of everything she had gone through; Of the friends she had mourned and the demons she had killed.
They were a reminder of what she was fighting for.
She thought about her dream, and what she had said to Faith.
She knew that something she had said to Faith had been close to home.
< Human weakness never goes away... >
Faith was insecure.
How could she use that?? Could she maybe convince Faith to turn over a new leaf? Buffy doubted it was possible.
Even if it was, she needed to fight with her all. She knew from experience that if you hesitate in a fight you'd end up defeated.
Especially when it came to Faith.
*************
When Faith woke up, she lifted a hand to her face and realized that her cheeks were soaked with tears. Her skin was soft and wet, hot in spite of the cold room.
She'd been dreaming of her family again.
Her little sister Macy, who had long black hair that she always wore in plaits.
When Macy had died, Faith had left home. The little girl was the only thing keeping her in town. She'd been raped and murdered by their stepfather when Faith was 14.
Faith shivered. She hadn't thought of Macy in a long time.
It had been even longer since she had felt something other than anger, too. But she recognized the emotion swirling in her gut.
It was sadness.
She'd had a lot of experience with the feeling, before; When she was 3 years old and her father had died in a truck accident; When she was 9 and her best friend John had left town; Macy's tragic death; And the long, lonely stretch of time when her watcher had been killed.
Faith cursed herself for her misery.
< You're strong, Dammit Faith! Don't back out now, can't back out now. Remember the power in darkness? Remember the knowledge that you're better than everyone else? Embrace it, Faith! Get past your fear, get past your feelings. And be free >
She smiled, a cold, evil curve.
"Get ready to party, B."
No matter what happened now, she'd be free.
Part 17
Alana rested her chin in her hands and tried to focus on the teacher droning on at the front of the classroom. She blinked, cursing herself for not sleeping the night before.
Finally, she couldn't stand it anymore, and she fell into a light sleep.
****
She looked around the classroom, at the colours that seemed much hazier, much paler than usual. She looked down at herself, surprised to see that the red of her silk shirt was still vivid and clear.
She leaned over to talk to Kressa, who was doodling slowly on the pad in front of her.
"What's going on?" She whispered into her ear, but Kressa didn't even acknowledge that she had spoken. "Kressa?"
"She can't hear you." A cool, confident voice informed her. "No-one can hear you."
Alana's head snapped up to see Faith, leaning on the teacher's desk, arms crossed casually across her stomach.
"You can hear me." She replied after a moments pause.
Faith smiled. "I don't count." She looked around the classroom. "This place hasn't changed since B's day." Faith walked around the classroom, watching the faces of the students around her. She knelt in front of Andy Synemeyer's desk, positioning her face only millimetres from his, pulling faces, baring her teeth.
She saw Faith reach under the table, running her fingers up his thigh.
He didn't even flinch.
Alana's eyes widened. That was just disturbing.
Faith grinned. "See?"
She locked eyes with Alana, her smile growing cold. "I can do anything I want..." She ran her tongue up and down his cheek, biting on the flesh of his neck.
Andy didn't blink.
Faith stood up. "I could screw him silly right here and he wouldn't even notice."
"This is a dream." Alana muttered.
Faith smiled. "Bingo. You know you're a lot smarter than I gave you credit for."
Alana didn't reply.
"I was sorry to hear you and Angel broke up." Faith told her, sounding anything but. "Man...you must feel so inadequate."
"Not at all, actually."
"Really? Angel's quite the prize piece."
"True. Which explains why you went nuts when he didn't want you."
"I wasn't all that interested in Angel." Faith sneered.
"Still....he chose Buffy over you. He *rejected* you." Alana paused. "You have issues with rejection, don't you Faith?"
Faith glared at her. What was it with Alana and Buffy? Everytime she tried to have a little fun with them they went all psycho-analytic on her.
It was irritating.
"What's it to you?" She replied cooly.
"Answering a question with a question. A sure sign that I've struck a nerve."
Faith's eyes narrowed. "If you think so." Faith shrugged. "I just dropped by to tell you to be ready."
With that, Faith was gone.
*******
"So you have to leave when this is over?" Angel asked, his voice cracking.
She looked up at him from beneath her lashes, and nodded.
"But..." He was at a loss for words. He'd known, subconsciously, that she couldn't stay there forever.
But when hit with the reality...
Just the thought of going back to life without her was unbearable.
< But we have to bear, right? No other choice.. >
"I'm sorry." She whispered, her eyes filling with tears. "I should've told you sooner, I just..."
He shook his head, pulling her into his embrace, crimson tears filling his own eyes.
"I love you." He murmured, running his hands down her back, memorizing the feel of her silky skin.
"I love you too." She replied, hitching in a breath. She pulled back, gazing into his eyes, wiping away the blood that marked his cheeks with her fingers, then resting her hand on his cheek. "I love you too."
He covered her hand with his own, leaning into her touch. She stretched up and kissed him softly, then wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned her head against his chest.
"Once again we've been sucked into the black hole of despair." She whispered, burying her face in the hollow between his neck and shoulder.
He closed his eyes, holding her tight.
Trying to forget.
Part 18
Faith tumbled out of bed, siting up and looking around the room in a panic. She been dreaming of....
What had she been dreaming???
She concentrated hard, but was unable to recall even the smallest fragment of her nightmare. She groaned, collapsing against the stone floor, staring up at the ceiling, focusing on one of the cracks, trying to ignore the tiny ball of dread that had formed in her stomach, the aching sphere that she was sure had something to do with her nightmare.
She bit her lip, hating the feelings of anxiousness that washed over her.
What had she been dreaming???
*******
Angel panicked when he awoke alone in his bed.
He propped himself up on one elbow, looking around the room before he heard her laugh in kitchen. He sighed in relief, flopping back down on the bed.
He'd thought she was gone already....
An irrational fear, considering he knew that she would wake him if the final battle with Faith were to begin.
They would fight side by side one last time before...
A strangled cry escaped his lips, and he rolled over, burying his face in his pillow.
"Don't leave me again, Beloved...." He whispered into the satin pillow slip, on which her scent still lingered. "Don't leave me...."
********
Willow slipped out of Oz's arms, smiling as she heard him growl softly in respone to the loss of contact. She giggled, leaning over and kissing him on the cheek. "I'll be back back soon, loup-garou." She whispered. She straightened, pulling on a jumper and a pair of sweat pants before padding out of the room.
She was worried about Angel. Buffy had told him about their imminent departure last night, and she was waiting for him to blow.
She sighed. It wasn't fair. None of it.
She came to a stop in front of his door, pausing before lifting her hand and knocking.
"Come in..." His voice was muffled by the solid wood.
She opened the door slowly, standing in the entrance for a moment, gazing at her old friend.
He sat in an armchair, legs crossed at the ankle, a large, dusty book resting on his knees.
She frowned. "How you doing, Angel?"
*******
Buffy sat in the kitchen with Doyle, giggling over shared stories of their early days in the slaying game. Even as Buffy laughed, she felt the ever present sadness deep in her soul.
Already, she missed Angel, though she knew that he was only metres away, in their bedroom.
She smiled sadly, feeling tears well up inside her.
*Their* bedroom. She'd been sleeping there only a week, but already considered it *their* bedroom. Their bed. Their sheets. Their soft satin edged blankets.
And what killed her was...she knew Angel felt the same. It teared at her to know that he would have to sleep alone, day after day, in *their* bed.
It pained her to know that he would be sad when she was gone.
But there was nothing she could do. As always, their fate was uncontrollable.
She felt her tears flood from her eyes, felt her small frame rack with sobs.
She surrendered to the comfort of Doyle's arms around her, burying her head in her longtime friend's chest.
"I don't want to leave him, Doyle. Don't make me go..." She cried.
Doyle rested his hand on the back of her hair, smoothing down the golden tangles. "Ah, lass, you know the rules. " He said softly, hating to see her so...broken. for the first time, he cursed the Powers that Be. The beings that were so cruel to their greatest warriors.
He wished there was some way....
But he, perhaps more than most people, he knew that wishes were futile.
All you could do was sit back, enjoy the show, and try not to scream at the scary bits.
Part 19
Buffy slipped into the bedroom, taking a deep breath when she saw Angel, facing his dresser, wearing only a pair of black sweats. She moved up behind him quietly, placing her hands on his shoulders and standing on her tip toes to kiss him softly behind the ear. She felt his face move into a smile, his ear twitch slightly. She grinned.
"Missed you." She whispered into his ear.
"Missed you." He replied as her arms slipped around his waist, her fingers dancing over his broad chest. She trailed kisses down his neck and over his shoulders.
One of his hands came up and twined through one of hers. "I love you."
"Mmmm....Bet you do." She said, grinning devilishly against his tattoo.
His back rumbled as he laughed. It felt nice. "I love you too." She said after a moment.
He turned in the circle of her arms, keeping their linked hands behind his back. Leaning down, he kissed her gently, moving his free hand over her back, slipping it under her shirt, finding the sensitive spot at the base of her spine. She shivered, twining her arms around his neck, but not letting his hand go.
Never letting go.
"I love you." She repeated, whispering it like a secret between friends.
He pulled back slightly and just gazed at her. He wanted to remember her like this. Wanted to remember her eyes wide with love, her skin flushed with arousal. He smiled when an impatient little frown flickered onto her face.
He removed his hand from her back, sensing her reluctance to let their hands break contact. He lifted his hand and brushed it over her cheek, running his thumb over her lips, then tucking a lock of blonde hair behind her shoulder.
"*My* Goddess." He murmured, smiling, before his lips descended on hers once more.
********
Faith shivered as she crossed to her closet. It was cold. She didn't remember it being this cold before. She pulled on a leather jacket, but it didn't make her feel any warmer.
The cold was inside.
She took a knife and slid it into the waistband of her pants.
One way or another, this would finish tonight.
Something inside of her despaired at the thought of killing Buffy. It'd be over. No-one to play with when everybody is dead.
Part of her, though, believed that once Buffy was dead, the pain would go away.
It wouldn't though. The pain would never go away. It was a constant companion, it didn't matter if she destroyed every last shred of things that she related to her humanity.
The pain would always anchor her. She hated it.
She sank to the floor, feeling the knife press against her back.
"What am I doing???" She wondered aloud.
The only answer was silence.
*****
Faith slipped through the shadows of the park, trailing Buffy and Angel, who walked, hand in hand, along the deserted path. A strange melancholy accompanied them, the silence of the night air hanging heavy around them.
Faith watched as the came to a stop in front of a familiar grave. They leaned against it, Buffy's arms wrapping instinctively around Angel's waist, resting her head against his chest.
Alana walked toward them, and Faith was surprised to see not even the smallest bit of hostility between Buffy and the younger girl. In fact, they seemed to get on pretty well. Faith felt a stab of jealousy. She shook it off.
< I don't need friends. > She reminded herself. < Look at Buffy. All they do is complicate things. >
Still, though. She'd never really had that many friends. Til she met Buffy, anyway.
< Burned that bridge, Didn't I??? >
Suddenly, Angel looked up, and right at her. She knew he'd seen her. He leaned down and whispered to Buffy, who looked up too.
"Come on out Faith, we know you're there." She called.
Faith stepped from the shadows, and for the first time in a very long time, she was terrified. < Can I do this??? > She wondered. < Can I kill her??? >
She held her breath as Buffy moved out of Angel's arms and towards her.
Part 20
"Do you really want to do this, Faith?" Buffy asked. "Because you know, if we do this, there's no going back."
"There was going back before?" Faith replied. "What lifetime where you at, B?"
Buffy didn't reply at first, just stared at her. Finally, she spoke. "This is your last chance."
"No, B." Faith said. "It's *your* last chance." She sneered. "I know what you're thinking."
"Really?" Buffy stepped up to her, looking her squarely in the eye. "What am I thinking, Faith? Enlighten me."
"You're thinking about how you can help me. How I can reform, and everything can go back to normal. We can be best buds and do facials and paint our nails together." She snorted. "It don't work that way, B." Faith narrowed her eyes, erecting a mask so that Buffy couldn't see the fear in them.
"Do you ever get tired of doing the right thing?" Faith asked, crossing her arms and leaning backwards. "Little Miss Perfect, sitting in a tree."
"That's a label *you* put on me, Faith, not one I put on myself." Buffy said.
"One you always did your best to live up to." Faith snorted. "Answer the question, B."
"Of I course I get tired of it. I'm only human, Faith, and sometimes, yeah. I feel like going a little crazy."
"So why don't you, B?" Faith asked. "Could you be afraid?"
"Could you?" Buffy replied.
Faith snorted. "Afraid? Of what? You?"
"I think you're afraid to let us help you." Buffy murmured. "You're afraid that we'll break down your defences and then decide that you're not worth helping."
"That's bullshit." Faith said. "I'm not afraid of changing. I just don't particularly want to." She grinned. "Being bad is *fun*, B" You should try it." She stood closer to Buffy. "We could cause chaos in this town. This world. We could bring your boy Angelus into the deal. I kinda like the idea of the three of us...."
Faith smiled when she heard Angel growl, low and menacingly. "Oh, you like that idea, huh?" She moved around behind Buffy, brushing a hand across her shoulders as she moved. "Of course, that little Permanence of soul might be a problem." She crossed to Angel, leaving a hand on Buffy's shoulder leaning close to his ear. "I bet if we made him really, really happy. Y'know. Teamwork." She grinned when a muscle twitched in his jaw. She was getting to him. He was pissed.
"Don't. Touch. Me." He hissed.
"What's the matter, Angel? Not in the mood for fun?"
"With you? Not particularly." He replied, walking away from her and leaning against a headstone.
"Ah well. It'll come later." Faith smiled.
"Never gonna happen, Faith." Buffy said. "Oh well. Seems you've made your choice."
She assumed a fighter's stance, and Faith felt a twinge of fear in her gut. She'd been waiting for this for centuries, ut now that the time was here....she realised, suddenly, that she shouldn't have given herself so much time to think. Thinking led to doubt, and doubt was a weakness.
They stood there, regarding each other for a moment. Faith swallowed when she realized that she was no longer looking at Buffy's face. It had morphed slowly into Macy's, her little sister's eyes looking up at her.
"Faith." She whispered. "Please, Faith. It's so lonely here."
"I'm trying, Mace. It's hard...." Faith murmured back, her voice breaking slightly.
A tear rolled down Macy's face, and then it transformed into the Mayor's.
"No one can tell you who you are, Faith." He said, his voice loving and paternal.
She smiled thinly. "I can only be who I want to be." She said bravely.
"And who do you want to be?" He asked.
Faith blinked, shaking herself back to reality when she realized that she'd been hallucinating. Buffy still stood before her, ready to fight.
She pushed away the knot in her stomach, instead throwing a punch. It landed on Buffy's jaw, and Buffy's head snapped back, but only for a moment before she returned the punch, with just as much force behind it.
They pummelled furiously, hands a feet darting, kicking and punching, ducking and spinning. They'd trained together so often that they knew each and every move that the other would try next.
Fighting energized Faith. She could feel everything around her on a higher level. It was like a burst of adrenaline that coursed through her veins, leaving a delicious tingle all throughout her skin. The wind whipped through her hair, her leather jacket rustled against her neck. Buffy's fingers were warm when they slapped against her cheek, and the cool feel of the polished metal of her knife empowered her.
Problem was, every time Buffy hit her, Faith could feel how much stronger the other girl was. Buffy could have killed her long ago, but hadn't because she cared about Faith.
That should have given Faith the upper hand, but it didn't, because Faith felt the same way. Part of her was screaming in rebellion at the thought of killing the only friend she'd ever had.
The other part just wanted so desperately for the whole thing to be over.
And she didn't know who to listen to.
She fell to the ground when Buffy landed a particularly nasty punch on her temple.
The vulnerable part of her pushed to the surface, dying to take a breath, and stop being smothered by the evil within.
*****
Buffy paused when Faith sank to the ground. She took a few deep breaths, waiting for Faith to rise.
Finally, the brunette snapped her eyes open. "Help Me, B." She whispered. "*Stop* Me." Her eyes were scared and vulnerable, and her lips where trembling.
And then, just as quickly, it was gone. Faith was hard and cold again, sneering as she jumped up, reading herself to fight again.
A scream sounded on the other side of the cemetery. "Buffy..." Angel started.
"Go!" She yelled.
Alana immediately obeyed, but Angel hesitated before running off in the direction of the shrieks.
Faith executed a perfect spin kick, taking advantage of Buffy's distraction.
Buffy turned her attention back to the fight, raining punches down on Faith's back.
****
Faith could feel herself tiring. There was only so long she could keep up the pre-show.
It was time to get to the big finish.
Using all her strength, she hauled Buffy off her and throwing her against the cemetery wall. There was a distinct crack as Buffy's head hit the concrete.
Faith jumped down, straddling Buffy's waist. She gave her a hard backhand to wake her up, then slid the knife from the waistband of her pants. She flipped it in her hands, then pressed it to Buffy's neck, smiling when she whimpered.
"End of the line, B." Faith whispered. "Sleep tight."
Part 21
Faith slashed the knife across Buffy's throat. Buffy's eyes opened wide, and she looked at Faith, her eyes large and watery with fear, pity, and betrayal as she died.
Her body shimmered and disappeared seconds later.
Faith collapsed against the hard dirt, her own tears filling her eyes. Her sobs were bone deep as she shivered on the ground, guilt overcoming her as her anger washed away. It felt like her soul had been dipped in acid. It burned. The darkness cleared from her mind, but she took no joy in it. She'd killed the first real friend she'd ever had, and it gave her no joy. She was a monster. But there was no way to take it back.
"I'm sorry, B. I'm so sorry." She whispered, over and over again.
"Really wasn't worth it, was it?" A soft, gentle voice said from behind her.
Faith gasped, twisting slightly.
Buffy leaned against a large, ornate headstone, arms crossed, an eyebrow raised.
"But...." Faith whispered. "I killed you!"
"I've been dead for a hundred and fifty years, Faith." Buffy reminded her. "I just needed to recharge." She walked over to Faith, crouching down next to her. "You didn't answer my question. Was it worth it?"
Slowly, Faith began to shake her head. "No. I'm so sorry, B. I mean, I don't expect you to forgive me, but-"
Rolling her eyes, Buffy held out her hand, standing. Faith just stared at it.
"Aren't you going to get up?" Buffy asked. "Cause it's sorta dirty down there."
"B...." Faith started.
"Faith, I forgive you. No harm, no foul You've learnt your lesson. Get up." Buffy said softly.
Faith paused for several moments before hesitantly taking Buffy's hand and letting her pull her to a stand.
"What about the others?" Faith whispered.
"I can't guarantee anything for Alana and her crew, but the Scoobies will come around pretty quickly. They might not trust you at first..."
"And Angel?" Faith asked.
Buffy looked at her. "I think he *might* understand, Faith." She said finally, as if this should've been obvious.
"I tried to turn him back into a monster, B. I'd never forgive anyone if they pushed me back into the dark."
"The fact that you don't want to go back there is progress in itself." Angel said from behind her.
Slowly, Faith turned. "Really?"
"I wouldn't say it if it wasn't true." Angel assured her.
Faith nodded, and her gaze travelled to Alana, who stood next to Angel, looking extremely uncomfortable.
They stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity before Alana stepped forward.
She extended her hand. "Hi. I'm Alana. I don't think we've met."
"It can't be that simple." Faith murmured.
"Sometimes it has to be." Alana replied easily.
"Ok." Faith said after several long moments, reaching out and shaking Alana's hand. "I'm Faith."
"Nice to meet you."
"Well isn't this sweet." An amused, sarcastic voice said from beside them.
The quartet turned, ready to face the intruder.
And simultaneously gasped.
Before them stood a team of ferocious looking monsters, demons, and vampires.
The leader smiled coldly. " I'm so sorry you've decided not to join us, Faith. We could've had such fun."
"Eat me."
"Planning on it." The vampire grinned, displaying a full set of glistening fangs. He steeped up to Buffy, looking down at her with a cruel smile. "Why Miss Summers, we meet again."
She swallowed, regarding him with fierce hatred. "Gorlock."
Part 22
"It's nice to know that you remember me. Of course, I was probably in your every nightmare for the past 150 years." Gorlock mused. "After all, I did kill you."
"Holy shit...." Alana whispered, her eyes widening in realization.
"You got lucky." Buffy said. "It won't happen again."
"Maybe so." Gorlock said. "But where are your little friends? They aren't going to come running to help you this time."
"You're right." Buffy said, grabbing the hands of her three companions. "We're gonna go to them."
There was a flash of bright light, and when it cleared, they were gone.
"And so it begins." Gorlock said, a smirk crawling across his face.
****
Adrian jumped and dropped a book as Buffy, Angel, Faith and Alana materialized in the Mansion.
"Would you stop doing that?" He snapped, and then his eyes fell on Faith and he backed up in fear.
"Guys!!" She called, and a few moments later the Slayerettes, past and present, trooped into the room. Their reaction to Faith was much the same. "She's on the home team again, no time to explain."
What's going on?" Willow asked, her eyes wide and anxious.
"Gorlock." Buffy said simply.
"Gorlock? Is here?" Xander said, and then it dawned on him. He whirled on Faith. "You brought him here, didn't you?" He screamed. "Didn't you?"
Faith swallowed, trembling. "I-I did."
"How could you do something so stupid?" Giles said, whipping his glasses off.
"I-I" Faith stuttered, tears streaming down her face. "I'm sorry."
"Sorry ain't gonna cut it, sweetheart." Cordelia said angrily.
"Guys!" Buffy yelled. "Can we do this later? Please? I zapped us out of the cemetery, but he'll be here soon. We need to keep level heads."
"She's right." Oz said. "We're prepared this time. Besides. We can't be killed. Banished, but that's not so bad..."
"Facing your fears is the only way to conquer them, people." Doyle said with a nod and a swig of whiskey.
"Easy for you to say, he didn't murder you." Cordelia seethed.
"Oh. Yes. Bickering is going to help." Angel said, glaring at them. "We need to work together. Can we do that?"
Everybody took a moment to collect themselves, closing their eyes, breathing deeply, calming themselves. Regaining focus. Their eyes snapped open as one, identical smiles gracing their faces.
In that moment, Adrian and the current Scoobies knew that they were going to win.
*****
Gorlock smiled to himself as he swaggered into the mansion. He gestured to the minions of hell the followed him, and they followed him down the passage to the Great Hall.
He had such wonderful plans for the Slayer and her kin....He'd been planning for so many years now....
An endless millenia sitting around and being tortured had given him some time to ponder the finer things in life.
"The clan are a free for all, boys and girls." He said with an air of authority. "The Slayers are for *me*."
The demons glared at him behind his back, but had had a glimpse of his power and did not argue.
He walked with a flourish into the hall, and stopped.
The room was filled with a bright green light. The witch, Willow, if he recalled, was standing in a corner, chanting, her hands raised. The light got stronger and stronger, and Willow finished with a shout.
Gorlock barely had a moment to flinch before he was thrown backwards by the bolt of energy that she had conjured.
Willow smiled to herself. "Go me." She whispered under her breath.
Gorlock's face shifted and he growled as he stumbled to his feet. "That wasn't very nice."
"We're not into nice anymore." Buffy said, surprising him as she kicked him in the back from behind, sending him flying into the shelves. "Fairness and freedom in this world is an illusion."
"Now, luv, that's awfully cynical." Spike said, ramming his fist into a large, ochre coloured demon's horny face.
Buffy didn't reply as she turned her attention to pummelling a large scaly lizardy looking thing.
Gorlock stood, and was immediately pounced on by a very wolfish Oz. The two tumbled to the ground, rolling around, clawing at each other, swiping, slapping, punching kicking. Gorlock mumbled in Latin, and seconds later, the back of Oz's neck burst into flames. The werewolf leapt off the vampire, howling as he galloped into the wall, quenching the flames against the stone.
"Oz!" Willow cried, then glared at Gorlock. "You big Meanie!" She yelled, lifting her hands and squeezed her eyes closed. "Pan, hear my plea...."
Angel watched Willow conjuring up her next spell, and looked at Faith. "Help Xander." He said firmly.
She spun around to see Xander trapped against the wall, a slobbering Meglomite demon crushing his neck between two long fingered hands. She ran to him, pulling the bulky demon away , hooking her fingers under it's strange shaped ribcage and-
She smiled as she heard a distinct *crack*.
She held out a hand, and Xander looked at it for a moment before taking it and allowing her to pull him to his feet. "Thanks for the save." He mumbled, running off to help Anya.
She turned and began to fight another demon.
*****
Angel waited for Willow's spell to do it's work.
He smiled when Gorlock's eyes went a milky white colour. He was blinded.
Angel grinned at Willow. "Good job."
"I do what I can." She shrugged.
Angel dove at Gorlock, pinning him to the floor, repeatedly driving his fist into his solar plexus. The other vampire groaned, unable to defend himself. Angel whipped a stake out of his pocket, spinning it to the right position in his hand. He brought it down, but Gorlock's eyes cleared of their milkiness, returning to the blazing yellow that belonged there.
Angel took a moment to glance in Willow's direction, wondering what hhad happened.
Panic filled his stomach when he saw her, held down by two demons, struggling against their strong hold.
He had more important things to worry about, though.
The split second that he'd looked away had given Gorlock the opportunity he'd needed.
Gorlock slammed his hand against Angel's chest, and suddenly he couldn't move. Power threaded through his veins, swirling into his stomach, flooding his head, and it had him frozen in place. He couldn't budge. He couldn't see. He was powerless to stop the hostile takeover of his body that the power was demanding.
He felt himself being sucked away, pulled to into the light, away from the material body that he knew and into the deep abyss of peace.
His soul was pulled away from his body, and he could do nothing to stop it.
His last action was to shove the stake through Gorloack's heart.
****
Alana glanced over to where Angel and Gorlock had been fighting, and shrieked.
Angel lay face down on the ground, and Gorlock was just a pile of ashes next to him. She quickly dispensed the demon she was battling, and then rushed to his side to help him up.
She gently touched his shoulder, kneeling beside him. "Angel? Are you ok?"
He rolled over, smiling up at her with cold, amber eyes and a demonic grin.
"Never been better."
Part 23
Alana gasped at the black, empty depths of his eyes that she was unaccustomed to seeing.
"Hello Alana." He said, smiling lazily. "I've heard so much about you."
She slowly, shakily got to her feet. "You're....You are....You aren't...."
"Half a hottie?" Angelus smirked, stretching his legs out before him, cocking his head to the side, leaning back on his elbows as if preening slightly. "Well, it's nice of you to say so. I have been working out."
"B-Buffy." Alana called. "He's..."
"What?" Buffy asked, quickly dispensing the demon she was battling and joining Alana, sensing the other Slayer's tension, fear growing in her stomach when she saw the way Alana was gazing at Angel.
Buffy swallowed when she looked into his eyes. "Angelus."
"What, Buff? No Welcome Home Party???" Angelus asked with a lazy grin as he leapt to his feet. "Well, I cna't say I'm surprised. I suppose you want to go some place private, huh?" He pursed his lips, then looked Alana up and down suggestively. "Of Course, *you* are *welcome* to join us."
"Really not interested, Angelus." Alana said, her voice quivering.
"Oh well. Faith seemed pretty eager to earlier. Maybe we can take her up on her offer."
"Never gonna happen." Buffy said, her lips set in a grim line, her sadness only evident by the tears that welled in her eyes.
By now the group had formed a semi-circle around her, and she took minor comfort in their presence.
She knew that they wouldn't make her kill him. She knew that they'd take care of it.
She turned her back, and pushed through the crowd behind her.
She gave Angelus one last look. "You shouldn't have come back again, lover. It'll go badly for you."
"Oh, and it will be just wonderful for you, I suppose." Angelus said cruelly, raising one eyebrow, his perfect lips curved in a cold smile.
She smiled, then, a soft, content, rainbow. "He'll be waiting for me."
Angelus narrowed his eyes, knowing that he had lost, before the fight had even begun. He would not get a chance to destroy her, and his presence actually solved one of the problems she'd been facing. Now she and the Soul would be together again, for always.
And he would spend an endless eternity in hell, without her.
Buffy looked at Alana and friends. "It was nice meeting you all, but if you don't need me, I'll be on my way."
Alana looked uneasily between Buffy and Angelus. "Buffy...I don't know if I can fight him."
"You won't have to. They'll take care of it." Buffy said, then glanced at her friends. "Don't be too hard on him. He's an old bastard, but he loves me in his way."
She looked at Alana. "I guess this is it, kid."
Alana frowned. She would miss Buffy. "Will you ever be back?"
"I'll be around." She laughed a little. "Gotta make sure that you are taking care of *my* town."
"It's mine and you know it." Alana shot back.
On impulse, Buffy leaned forward and gave Alana a quick hug. "Take care of yourself, kid."
She shimmered, and then was gone.
Angelus knew without a doubt that he would never see her again.
The thought depressed him more than he cared to admit, to himself, or others. She was right. He did love her. And he always would. Every time he closed his eyes, she would be burned into the backs of his eyelids. Every unneeded breath he took would carry her scent, and every sound he heard would magically turn into her voice.
What could he say. She was a little brat, but she was his brat. Or she had been. It seemed, over the years, his Buff had grown some. She no longer quivered in fear before him.
"My little girl is all grown up." He drawled, staring at the spot where his lover had been.
"Yeah. " Xander said. "You'll find we all have." He narrowed his eyes. "And I'm still the White Knight."
"I bet you are." Angelus said. There was several minutes silence. "You know I'm not gonna go without a fight."
"It's your cremation." Cordelia said, flicking her hair over her shoulder.
"Seriously, man." Doyle said. "You don't wanna be fighting us."
"I will not carry myself down to die, when I go to my grave my head will be high." Angelus quoted.
"Bob Dylan." Giles recognized.
"Let's do this, people." Willow said, raising her hands. "Let's get it done."
****
Angelus put up a hell of a fight. The gang left the mansion several hours later, nursing open wounds and limping.
Ross had not survived.
"He's gone." Kelly whispered, wrapping her arms around herself. "He was our friend and now he's gone." She thought of Angel, then. "They both are."
"Not gone." Oz said softly, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Just relocated."
"Look after him for us?" Alana murmured.
"Of course." Giles said, removing his glasses. "He'll be fine. Heaven...well, it's paradise."
"It doesn't make it easier to accept." Lee said softly. "We're two down, now. Our team is being torn apart."
"And it be built up again. You just gotta go with the flow, sometimes." Doyle said.
"We're never gonna see you again, are we?" Alana said. IT was more of a statement than a question.
"Not in this lifetime." Xander said. "Look after yourselves."
"Always have." Alana whispered. "Thank you guys." Her gaze wandered to Faith. "What's going to happen to you."
"I'll live out my life til I die again." Faith said.
"You should stick around." Alana said casually. "Our reserves are depleted. We could use another able body."
Slightly shocked, Faith could only nod.
"Cya, guys." Willow said with a wave.
"I'm so sorry, guys. I never wanted to..." Faith whispered. "Ross is dead because of me."
"Faith...there is nothing we can say right now to diminish your guilt. The coming months, years, maybe even decades, if you live that long, will be hard. But please, don't surrender to the darkness once more. We're looking forward to seeing you again." Giles said, his voice paternal. "And we won't if you go back to hell."
"Okay, G."
"Goodbye." Wesley said. "It was wonderful to make your acquaintance."
"We'll be waiting." Doyle said, as they faded, and then disappeared from view.
"That was *so* weird." Lee muttered. "Can't they just use a door, like normal people?"
****
Angel opened his eyes slowly, his eyes adjusting to the dim light.
His heart was beating.
That was the first thing he noticed as he eased himself up into a sitting position.
"Where am I?" He whispered, looking around the room he was in. He didn't recognize the bed he lay on. He didn't recognize the paintings on the walls, or the large, comfortable looking armchairs scattered with soft cushions.
"Paradise. The other side. The Great Nightclub in the Sky. Up there. The Blissful Existance."
"Heaven. I get it." Angel said softly, remembering his encounter with Gorlock. He turned around to face the speaker. "Hello."
"Hello." The young man said.
"I have to get back to my body. My friends...."
"Are our finest warriors. They are doing quite fine."
"Angelus is a monster. They shouldn't have to fight him."
"Everything happens for a reason, young one. A lonely warrior is as good as dead, anyway."
"You- You did this on purpose. So that Buffy and I could be together."
"You catch on quickly."
"Why?"
"You had fulfilled your duty to us. You destroyed the monster Gorlock. He is currently trapped in the deepest pits of hell, screaming his innards out." A lazy smile crept across the angel's face. "Ain't life grand?"
"I don't want Buffy to have to fight Angelus again." Angel said stubbornly. "She shouldn't have to."
"She isn't. Fighting him, I mean. She has returned to her home, and her friends will follow shortly."
"She's...She's here."
"Well, not here, but close by. You can go find her, if you would like."
"Are you sure...Are you sure that this isn't some kind of trick...or dream???"
"The Powers do not trick, Angel. This is entirely real. Go."
Angel looked at the man before him for several moments before standing, moving to the door that had appeared. He pulled it open, pausing a moment. "You never told me your name."
The angel smiled. "Bernard serves me in this realm."
"And in the other?"
"I was known as Riley. Surely you recognize me."
"Riley...."
"I hold no ill will towards you, Angel. She never really loved me. It was always you. I was not born for her, as you are. I knew I was merely a distraction."
"I'm sorry."
"Do not be. I found my own love. I refuse to deny you of yours."
Angel gave a small nod of thanks, and then quickly exited the room.
< All I see is you...All I want is you... >
He searched for her.
Part 24
Angel moved along the path, in the middle of a meadow. He frowned to himself, spinning around.
He couldn''t feel her. She wasn't here.
The meadow was beautiful, the sun shining down on wildflowers and long, lush grass and sparkling off the water of a small pond.
Absolutely beautiful, but not what he was looking for.
And, come to think of it, extremely cliche.
He groaned in frustration. "Buffy, where are you?" He whispered.
"She's around." A voice said. "She's waiting for you."
He swivelled to face the voice.
Jenny.
"It's nice to see you, Angel." She said warmly, smiling. He opened his mouth to speak, but she held up a hand. "Please don't apologize. It wasn't you. I always knew that." She looked at him seriously. "They all did, subconsciously."
"If she's waiting for me, why can't I find her?" Angel asked, his concern for her evident on his face.
"Your confusion is a result of your own doubt and anxiety." She told him, taking a step towards him. "Focus on her. *Know* her presence, and you will find her. Be patient. It might take you some time."
Angel looked at her doubtfully. She sighed, wrapped her arms around him, giving him a quick squeeze. "You'll find her eventually. And we'll all be around later."
"I want to find her *now*." Angel said, brooding.
"Go on." Jenny said. "I'll catch up later."
Angel stared at her a moment longer, and then started walking once more.
And suddenly, he no longer stood in the meadow, but was walking through the streets of Galway, as they had been when he was a youth. A figure stood before him, and he knew who it was, despite the fact that she looked 3 or 4 years older than she had when she had died at his hands.
"Katherine." He whispered, and broke into a run to get to her.
She turned, a radiant smile on her face. "Liam!" She shrieked, and threw her arms around his neck. "Dear Brother, We've waited so long." She murmured into his cheek. He hugged her back, his tears mingling with hers.
She pulled away, taking his hand. "Oh, Liam, I've missed you."
"It's Angel now." He said quietly. "It has been for a long time."
"I know." She replied. "We know everything. We've watched you."
He turned his head to face his mother and father. "Hello." He said softly.
"Hello, son." His father said, lifting his chin. His stance was dignified, but his smile was warm.
His mother moved towards him, enveloping him in her embrace, whispering to him in gaelic. "You've come home."
"Mother." He murmured.
"Come in for some supper?" She asked, but Angel's father put a soft hand on her shoulder.
"L-Angel seems rather anxious to find his love." He said in a gentle voice. "Let him go, he shall return."
"Thankyou." Angel whispered. "I *will* be back. I need to find her."
"Bring her here?" His mother asked. "We've never been able to meet her."
Angel nodded. "I love you all."
And then he stood on the street outside Buffy's house. He smiled softly to himself. He could feel her moving about inside. Smell her soft skin.
He'd found her.
Her window was open, in case he dropped by, as it had always been. Always.
The daylight shone down on him, warming his skin as he took several steps towards the house. He scurried up the pine tree outside her window, swinging himself from the tree to the window sill. It was no harder than it had ever been. He realized, with a start, that while he was alive, and no demon resided in him, he was still strong.
But he wasn't dwelling on the thought for the moment.
Buffy stood before him, her blonde hair shining, dressed in a maroon sundress, silver jewelery glinting in the sunlight that streamed through the window.
She turned to face him, grinning broadly. "Well? Aren't you coming in?"
"No." He said with a smile, reaching out and tugging on her hand. "You're coming out." She laughed, allowing him to pull her out the window. He climbed down the tree first, and then helped her down.
She took his hand as they walked along, then slowed him for a few moments to bestow a quick kiss onto his cheek. "I love you."
He stopped altogether, looking down at her. He didn't talk, just captured her lips in a passionate exclamation of love and lust.
And then, without a word, started walking again.
She watched him walk away, breathing heavily, smiling. And then she ran after him, pouncing onto his back, laughing.
He gave her a piggy back ride to the beach.
AN: Okay, Tara is in this part. Some of you are gonna say, hey, you can't do that, she's a lesbian, but to me, she seems like the type of person who would love anyone, no matter their sex/age/race, y'know? They'd just have to be a good person, or whatever. Have a good soul. So no nitpicking, okay? She's one of the best characters, IMHO, and I wanted to have her in this, and it sorta just worked out this way...I'll stop now.
Part 25
Buffy clasped Angel's fingers as they walked, hand in hand, away from the beach. The dying sun burned amber at their backs, their hair dripping wet, smelling of salt and sand.
Buffy held Angel's hand tighter, stood closer to him, part of her still unable to believe that he was there with her, and had no intention of going anywhere anytime soon.
They turned onto the long drive of the mansion, an unspoken agrement passing between them that this would house them, for now at least.
Maybe soon, when Angel was more used to his new dimension, they could create their own, new place. A medley of everywhere they loved.
But for now, they were content to curl up together in what they'd recently come to think of as *their* bed, and fall asleep. For the first time in many centuries, both were content in the knowledge that their mate was safe.
****
Angel woke before Buffy, smiling even before he opened his eyes when he felt the weight of her small body draped across his chest. He gazed down at his love, the heavyness that had weighted down his heart for so long releasing itself all at once.
It had been a long, hard, bitter, century and a half after her death, not knowing where she was, what she was doing...He'd always hoped she'd reached paradise, and now that that suspicion had been confirmed, it gave him such unimaginable joy that he couldn't quite form the words to describe it.
It defied description.
Buffy shifted in her sleep, mumbling something incomprehensible into his chest, her palm rubbing across his stomach, in search of his hand. He clasped his fingers through hers, and she settled once more.
She was so cute when she slept.
****
Angelus roared with pain as yet another spear sliced through his abdomen, splitting the burnt skin around the wound. He didn't know how long he'd been there, htough the guard insisted that it was at least three hundred years. It didn't matter. Didn't make a difference.
He knew his way around the deepest caverns of hell, knew the weaks spots it the fabric of this reality. He would escape, eventually. Of that he was sure. He just had to hold on...hold on to his mind, not let it drift away like it had last time, only to be jarred back to consciousness when he smelt her perfume...it had taken the soul a few days to catch on...his human doubt believing that she was an illusion...a mirage that the cruel minions of hell had instigated to torture him further.
But Angelus had known immediately. He'd known that the object of his lust was real, because he had the confidence to believe it so.
The same way that he knew that he would escape from this pit.
Eventually.
****
Faith walked into her apartment slowly, for the first time noticing that the large room was a shambles; the fabric on her sofa was coated in so much dust that it looked more grey than black. The floor was covered in shattered glass, and the curtains were in tatters, hanging off their rod in filthy strips.
Her apartment looked like the rest of her life.
A big, stinking mess. And, like the rest of her life, it needed cleaning desperately.
She sighed, shivering slightly as she dropped to her knees, gathering articles of clothing from the stone floor, throwing them in a pile against her wall to await laundering. When that was done, she fetched a dusty old brushpan from beneath the sink, sweeping up all the glass, scratching herself several times in the process. She didn't stop.
There was so much pain. So much blood. She just had to get through it...she had to hold on to the pain until it dissapated. The pain would anchor her; Stop her from slipping away again.
It would remind her of her purpose.
She suddenly realised that she wasn't thinking about cleaning anymore....
She cleaned until dawn, when there wasn't a single speck of dirt, dust or grime to be seen.
Then she collapsed in a fit of sobs, curling against the wall, arms around her legs, her bone deep wails reverberating throughout the near empty apartment.
She cried herself into oblivion.
She cried until she was cleansed.
And then she cried some more.
****
Ross eased himself up into a sitting position, looking around himself. He was in a comfortable room, and through the window, he could see a mass of coloured cloud, the swirling mist parting occasionally to let him see the scenery that lay beyond. Thing was, every time he caught a glimpse, the landscape looked different. One moment, it was the beach, the next, the mountains. It changed from Yosemite park type forest to Native Australian rainforest, right before his eyes.
He raised his eyebrows. "Huh." He said simply,then moved to stand. He stretch, striding towards the door. He was intercepted by the appearance of two blonde women.
One was the typical American beauty, all wide eyes and curly, shiny hair. The other was beautiful, but in a softer, shyer way than her friend. Her hair was a less vibrant blonde, and her body was fuller, curvier. Her eyes were large and gentle, and her wide lips curved into a soft smile.
"Hello, Ross." She said.
Ross snapped out of his reverie, blushing, knowing that his staring had not gone unnoticed. She was just so beautiful...
"Uh...H-Hi. Hi. Hello. Hey." He said nervously. "Where am I?"
"You mean you haven't worked it out yet?" The other girl said, rolling her eyes. "Dense much? You're in heaven."
"That explains it." He muttered, his eyes once again transfixed on the beauty. She *had* to be an angel. As if she could read his thoughts, her lips twitched, and she seemed to preen a little.
"Are you angels?" He asked aloud.
She nodded. "We are. My name is Aquarius, and this is Ophelia. Well, here it is, anyway. In life, I was known as Tara. She was Harmony."
Tara. His lips formed the name, but he didn't speak it. Instead, he just listened as she spoke of his transition into heaven, and how he would find his friends. He couldn't help but watch her mouth move....
Tara grinned at the boy. Ross. He had such a sweet, innocent aura. He would be a dear friend to her, she knew, if not more...intimate.
"I know your friends." She told him quietly. "We both do. In life, I was close to Willow. Harmony was once friends with Cordelia, and her...alter ego...was Spike's lover. You are under our protection, and theirs. Travel the roads of heaven in safety, and I shall see you soon."
Ross' heart soared at her gentle words.
"Thankyou." He said, turning, and stepping through the door into the coloured fog.
****
Buffy smiled as she settled into Angel's lap, turning her face up to kiss him. He returned the kiss eagerly, his arms sliding around her waist and tightening, his thumb stroking her back lightly.
She broke away, a little out of breath, nuzzling her nose against his.
"Guys, can you give it a rest??" Cordelia asked. "I know you're happy about how this whole thing worked out, but we are *trying* to hold a conversation with you. It's hard enough with Angel as it is, Buffy. I don't need you blocking his verbal skills."
"Sorry." The lovers said in unison.
"He's just so cute and kissable." Buffy said. "I mean, look at what sunlight does for him. Did you know anyone could be so perfect???"
"Yes." Angel told her. "All I had to do was look at you." He said, his lips twitching into an even bigger smile.
"Awww....That is so sweet!" Buffy cried, her lips reaching his once more.
"She's right." Oz said casually. "That is pretty cute."
"He's a born romantic, my man is." Doyle said, leaning back against the couch cushions.
"How come you never say anything like that to me???" Anya asked Xander. "I want mushyness. Why don't you give me mushyness??"
"I-I-I" Xander stammered, glaring at Angel. "Deadboy, look what you did."
"Sorry." Angel said again, rather sheepishly. "I can't help it. It's in the blood."
"The need to stir up trouble??" Xander asked. "Is this a residual demon thing??"
Once, the words would have stung. But the tone Xander spoke in was good natured teasing, and Angel knew not to take it to heart.
"Nah. I'm living demon free nowadays. " Angel said firmly.
The group sat around Willow and Oz's charming abode, munching on a pizza that seemed to magically replenish itself everytime the box reached emptiness. They discussed their recent adventure, torn between joy to be home and sadness because they missed their new friends already. Ross was quiet, perhaps a little overwhelmed. It wasn't every day that you died and went to heaven.
Outside, the night grew darker, and stars danced across the sky, the moon a full, bright orb shining down on the water, making glittering sparkles upon it's rippling surface.
Inside, the group of friends reaffirmed their status as family, unspoken words mending bridges long burnt, and joyful laughter blazing a new trail towards bliss.
They were home.
***
Epilogue
***
Two and a Half Years later.
****
Alana tried not to be scared as the demon advanced on her, holding her down. She couldn't move. She felt it's scaly fingers brushing across the skin on her neck, felt it's long fingers clamping around her neck, squeezing the air out of her....squeezing the life out of her.
She coughed once, twice, and then everything went black....so black.
And then, nothing.
****
The smell of Frangipani wafted into Buffy's nostrils, and she moaned in contentment, snuggling deeper into Angel's embrace, her cheek rubbing against the bare skin on his chest.
They were all at the beach, the mid afternoon sun gently warming their skin, the waves lapping softly at the shore. Their laughter as the others played catch with a frisbee caused a smile to spread across Buffy's face, and she pulled Angel to his feet, ready to join the game.
She never made it, because she saw Alana standing in the distance, her hair blowing around her face. Buffy's smile grew, and she ran towards the other slayer, surprised at how happy she was to see her. She hugged Alana tightly, and then pulled away, the slayers smiling at each other warmly.
Buffy didn't think about her words as she spoke them, but instinctively knew that they were the right thing to say.
"Welcome home, little sister."
Can I say finally????
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