Disclaimer: Joss and Marti have destroyed B/A. I would never do such a terrible, terrible thing
Rating: PG
Author's Notes: Here I am, taking a break from my B/Aus/S obsession for a quick moment! *g*
Summary: Alternate ending for "Into the Woods" (an episode that needs major fixing)
Dedication: to Sara-Lee, for begging me to write *something* B/A. Here ya go, doll!
Muzak: "Here With Me" Dido

Buffy stared at Xander with blank incredulity. Was he actually uttering these words? She got 'burned' by Angel? A guy like Riley came along once in a lifetime? What drugs was he taking? Buffy gazed at her lifelong friend and saw right through him. He was projecting a lot, as he said what he was saying. His feelings for her, his frustration over Angel, his anger, his love for Anya. She loved him for trying to help, but he was way off. It wasn't her decision whether Riley wanted to take off.

She couldn't stop him, and parts of her didn't even want to. Why should she have to? He was being simply selfish. After all, it was he who got himself eaten by some vamp whores and then expected her to accept some lame-ass excuse about how he felt like she didn't *need* him or something.

"Xander," she said softly, cutting him off mid-speech. "I don't want to talk about this.not with you."

He appeared frustrated and angry and raked one hand through his hair. "You can't let him go, Buff. He's worth more than that."

"Well, gee, Xand, maybe you should run after him," she murmured sarcastically. "Since you seem so gung ho about it."

"You're taking him for granted, Buffy," Xander went on as if she had never spoken. "You always have. Look, after Angel-"

"Don't," she slashed one hand through the air. "Don't even start. Look, Xander, what me and Angel had.you will never understand. What losing him did to me." she paused and swallowed, "you will never, ever understand. I don't care what you think right now. All I care about is.well, waking up finally. This year and a half.since he left. I've been messed up. I won't deny it. I shut down. But that does not give you the right to rail into me cause suddenly you feel like you know my relationship with Riley better than I do."

He went pale and just stared at her. "Lose the attitude, Buff. No one appreciates it. And for your information, I'm just trying to help. You haven't been the same since Dead Boy left and-"

"You call him that one more time and I will beat you to a pulp," she warned him quietly and then stopped for a moment, a light entering her green eyes. "Xander.what you just said.its true you know."

"True?" he asked incredulous that she would actually agree with him. "Which part?"

"The part about me not having been the same since Angel left. I haven't been. And I did treat Riley like rebound guy.cause that's what he was. Don't you get that? I couldn't have Angel so I picked up Riley. I wanted to believe he was the one.but he's not."

Xander looked sad, and reached out to touch her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Buff. I swear.I was just trying to help. I was never that great about Dea-Angel.and I wanted to make up for that."

"I know," she said softly and smiled. "I do know. Look.I have to go.can you keep an eye out for Dawn tonight?"

"Going to stop Riley?" he inquired and she turned, a slight smile gracing her mouth.

"No.I'm going to talk to the person who I should've stopped two years ago."

~~~

Walking up the steps to the Hyperion Hotel, Buffy grimaced with a new -found nervousness. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. Who knew what kind of reception she was going to receive?

Opening the doors, she entered the front lobby and saw Cordelia, Wesley and a man she didn't know standing around the desk with shell-shocked looks on their faces. "Hey guys."

Cordelia looked up and her face dropped. "Oh. Great. Just what we need."

Wesley came forward and nodded to her. "Is there some trouble in Sunnydale?"

"Nope." Buffy returned. "Just need to see your boss. He in?"

In low tones, Gunn turned to Cordy. "Damn.who is that?"

"Buffy. The Slayer. Miss likes to Fight, Miss Annoying. Miss Bad Fashion Sense," Cordelia answered in weary tones and Gunn shrugged.

"She Angel's piece?" Gunn asked, looking Buffy over with interest. He liked a girl who knew how to fight. And she was hot looking as well.

"No!" Cordy exclaimed. "Well.she was. But they have this forbidden thing. So not anymore. But ya know, she might be able to fix him."

"Fix him?" Buffy broke in, hearing the tail end of the conversation. "What's wrong with Angel?"

Wesley sighed. "He seems to be experiencing difficulties. You see, Darla and Drusilla are in town, wreaking havoc, and Angel is.well.having difficulties," he repeated and Buffy blinked in astonishment.

"Darla.she got staked. I was there."

"Resurrected," Cordelia stood up and then said politely, "This is Gunn, Buffy. He works for Angel to."

Buffy extended her hand and they shook. "Well, used to work for him, might be a better description," Gunn added.

"Used to?" Buffy repeated. "Did Angel fire you guys?"

"In a moment of insaneness," Cordelia said dismissively. "It'll pass and he'll realize he can't do without us."

"I don't see that happening."

They turned to see Angel standing in the doorway, his eyes cold and his mouth a pained slash across his face. Barely noticing the others, his gaze bore into his former lover with ill-concealed malice.

"Angel," she said quietly, nodding to him, and he laughed, stepping down and walking forward with a glint in his eyes Buffy recognized and didn't like.

"Buffy, come to save me? What is this, intervention?"

She blinked and realized he was the edge. Of what she didn't know. It wasn't despair that was driving him. It seemed to be anger, rage.what the hell had Darla done to him? At that moment she felt like killing the stupid bitch, but knew she had to deal with Angel first. Throwing back her head so her golden curls streamed down her back, she placed her hands on her leather-clad hips and faced him squarely. "You think you need saving?"

He shrugged and took a step closer, his eyes following her every move. "Do you?"

"No.I think you need a good kick in the ass," she replied and Gunn let out a hoot of laughter, silenced when Cordelia elbowed him in the ribs.

"Get out," Angel said softly to his employees, not even sparing them a glance. They looked at Buffy and she nodded, so they gathered their things and quickly left.

"So.an ass kicking, hmm?" he purred. "You up for the job?"
"More than up," she answered, throwing off her coat and facing him. "I've been training harder than ever."

"So have I," he said with a grin and it began.

Punching, kicking, swearing and duelling, the two ex-lovers fought with all they had. Buffy threw Angel against the wall and watched the paint crack, then he got up and it continued. She righted him, he kicked her in the side, tossing her over his head and she quickly somersaulted, facing him once more. He grinned and punched her clear across the face. Not winded, Buffy followed that with a savage kick, and he grabbed her leg, propelling her to the ground.

Bouncing back up, she hit him across the face as hard as she could and watched her fall to the floor, his split lip bleeding profusely. "Is this what you want?" she cried. "For us to fight? To kill each other?"

He didn't look at her, so she knelt down and grabbed the sides of his face, forcing their eyes to lock. She tilted her head, and offered him her neck. "Go ahead then. Kill me."

Angel jerked away but she grabbed him again and held his lips to her neck, making sure he could smell her vanilla perfume and the scent of her flesh, making sure he had time to feel the scar from where he had bitten her once before. "You wanna be all evil?" she breathed. "Kill me. Taste my blood again, Angel.and you'll have what you want. You'll be evil guy again."

Panting against her, for one quick moment time stopped and she thought he was going to obey her softly spoken words. But then he flung her away and she stared at him, her chest rising and falling with her breathing. Angel's eyes glanced up and he looked at her fallen body. Groaning suddenly, he crawled across the floor and dragged her to him, his arms crushing her as he buried his face against her shoulder and his body shook with sobs.

Buffy was stunned immobile for a moment and then breathed deeply, tears sliding from her eyes as she wound her arms around him and rocked him back and forth, murmuring words that meant nothing and everything all at once.

She held him till dawn broke and the sky was blanketed with brilliant pinks and golden light.

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