Title: Hero: An Alternate Ending
Author: Tracey G
Email: rainbowflutterby@hotmail.com
Summary: This takes place during Something Blue (Buffy) and Hero (Angel)
Spoilers: I Will Remember You, Something Blue and Hero
Rating: PG-14
Disclaimer: Don't own 'em so don't sue 'cause ya won't get much.
Notes: This story is kind of weird. You know how sometimes you get an idea in your head and can't get rid of it until you write it. Well, that's where this came from. I guess my imagination was in over-drive :D

Part 2


"Thanks for letting me use the phone," Buffy smiled at Angel as she dialed her dorm number.

"No problem," Angel move behind the desk and set in the chair.

They had just got back to Angel's office after destroying the Scourge's beakon. It was just them. The walk there had been silent and awkward, neither one knowing what to say. Angel spent the time thinking about the last time she had been to LA and Buffy spent it thinking about the dreams she had been having lately, involving Angel. She hadn't told anybody about them, not even Willow, thinking they would think she was crazy.

"Come on, Will, pick up," Buffy muttered tapping her fingers on the desk top.

"Hello?" A familiar sounding male voice answered the phone.

"Oz?" Buffy exclaimed loudly. "What are you doing there?"

"It's a long story. I'll let Willow explain it."

"Okay." Buffy heard shuffling as Oz passed the telephone to Willow.

"Buffy?" Willow asked quietly, knowing her best was probably quite annoyed with her at the moment.

"Willow, what the hell is going on here?" Buffy demanded. "Why am I here and Oz there?"

"I'm assuming *here* is in LA, with Angel, right?"

"Yeah, how'd you know?" Buffy asked.

"Uh, remember my little 'I will it so' spell?"

"The one that didn't work?"

"See that's the thing. It did work. Just not the way I expected."

"Maybe I'm just having a blonde moment here, but I don't get it." Behind her she heard Angel snicker. She turned around and pinched his arm. "Not funny," she mouth.

"Sorry," he mouthed rubbing the spot on his arm where she had pinched him.

Turning her attention back to the phone she listened as Willow asked, "Remember when we were in our room talking and I said, 'You should be with Angel, just like Oz should be with me?"

"Of course. I'm not that blonde. It was only a few hours ago." Buffy paused, thinking for a minute. "Ohhh, now I get it."

They were quiet for a minute. It was Buffy who broke the silence. "Now that we know why I'm here, how do I get back?"

"Well, me and Oz are going to break the spell tonight, before I accidentally wish something I'll regret. We can drive up to get you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Buffy whined.

"Well, I could get Xander and Anya to-"

"No, no," Buffy interrupted, "that's not necessary." Buffy shivered at the thought of being stuck in a car for 2 hours with them. "Tomorrow's good. So you *and* Oz?"

"Yeah," Willow gushed. "He's staying!"

"That's good. I'm happy for you. See you tomorrow." Buffy hung up the phone and turned to face Angel. "Looks like you're stuck with me for the night, uh, if that's okay with you. Or if its too awkward and uncomfortable I can get a room at a hotel or-"

"Buffy," Angel stopped her. "You're babbling." He smiled softly at her.

She smiled sheepishly. "Sorry."

"Of course you can stay here," he told her. "Now, tell me what's going on."

"Uh, um, how about I tell you over a snack?" She suggested trying to stall, not wanting to tell him the truth. Patting her stomach she said, "I'm really hungry."

"Your stalling," he said walking towards the elevator that would take them down to his apartment.

"Yep! Now how 'bout that snack," she said pushing the down arrow inside the elevator.

"Now will you tell me what's going on?" Angel asked as Buffy finished the snack she had insisted on.

Buffy sighed. "You know the story about Oz leaving Sunnydale, right?"

"Yes, but what does that have to do with-"

Buffy cut him off. "Let me finish." At his nod she continued. "Willow's been really down since it happened and she did this spell.

"What kind of spell?"

"I don't know. She calls it an 'I will it so' spell,' Buffy told him. "Anyway, she didn't think it had worked. But tonight when we were talking in our dorm room she said..." Buffy got up from the table and took her dishes to the sink and stayed back to to him so he wouldn't be able to see her face. "She wants to be with Oz and she knows that I.. that I want to be with you so she said 'You should be with Angel, just like Oz should be with me' or something like that."

"And you ended up here, and Oz ended up in Sunnydale," Angel finished for her.

"Yeah. Crazy, huh?"

They set there for a minute or two in an awkward silence before Buffy let out an exaggerated yawn. "Well, I'm totally beat."

"You can have my room. I'll sleep on the couch." Angel offered.

"No, I'll..." Buffy started to argue but decided it would be pointless. "Okay. Do you have a shirt or something I can borrow?"

"Sure." Angel disappeared into the bedroom. A minute later he came back out with a shirt in his hand. "Here"

Buffy reached out to take the shirt from him, her hand brushing his. She lifted her eyes up to meet his. They stared at each other for moment before slowing leaning in and kissing. Buffy wrapped her arms around his neck and he grabbed her waist. They pored all of their emotions and frustrations of the last few months into that kiss.

Buffy pulled back abruptly, breathing heavily. Her eyes wide she opened her mouth to say something but know sound came out.

Angel tried to say something but she stopped him, finally finding her voice. "I-I'm gonna g-go," she gestured toward the bathroom, "change." She turned a fled to the bathroom and slammed the door shut behind her.

Buffy leaned her back against the door and sled down so that she was sitting on the floor. She hugged her knees to her chest and rested her chin on them.

"Oh, god, what the hell was that?" she whispered tears running down her cheeks. "What were we thinking?"

Buffy got up off the floor and walked to the sink. Looking at her tear stained face in the mirror she thought, *Get a grip, Summers, it was just a kiss.*

"Yeah, right, just a kiss," she muttered sarcastically, arguing with herself. "That was more then just a kiss and you know it."

Angel grabbed some blankets and pillows out of the closet and spread them out on the couch.

*How could I have let that happened again.* he thought sitting on the couch and putting his head in his hands. Then first time they had kissed that night he had thought he was going to die and couldn't go without holding her one last time. There was no excuse for this time. He had did it because he had wanted to. He wanted to be with her and have a life with her even thought he knew he couldn't.

He heard the bathroom door open and close. He looked up and saw her standing there wearing only his shirt, which was about 5 sizes to big for her. "Buffy."

"Angel."

"We have to talk," he stated plainly.

"We really do," she agreed whole heartedly. "But in the morning. I need some time to think first."

He nodded. "Alright. Good night."

"Good night, Angel." Buffy walked into his room and shut the door.




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