Title: Sacrifices
Author: Tracey G
Email: sissa_003@yahoo.com
Spoilers: IWRY
Disclaimer: I own nothing BtVS or Angel related.
Summary: What if it was Buffy who went to the Oracles in the end of "IWRY", instead of Angel?
Thanks: Big thanks to my beta readers, Wendy and Shirl. You guys are the best!

Prologue : Oracles


Buffy sat on the edge of the bed watching Angel sleep. The sheet had slipped down a little and she could see the bruises that littered his chest. Bruises from the fight with the Mohra demon. The fight he had almost lost. If she hadn't shown up when she did....

*Stop it,* Buffy told herself. She leaned over and kissed him softly on the cheek. She put her hand on his chest, over his heart, savoring the feel of his heartbeat, knowing it could be the last time she ever felt it.

"I love you," she whispered softly, as she got up and walked out of the room.

"What have you brought us, lower being?" the male Oracle asked in an annoyed tone.

*Uh, oh,* Buffy thought, *Knew I was forgetting something.*

She patted the pockets of her dress for something to give them. She touched the cross around her neck. The cross Angel had given her in the alley after she knocked him on his ass. She reached behind her and undid the clasp. "Here," she said, reluctantly handing them the cross. It flew from her hand into the female's hand.

She held it up to inspect it. "This means a great deal to you, does it not?"

"Yes, it does," Buffy answered sadly. "Angel gave it to me."

"Enough chatter," the male ordered. "Why have you bothered us, lower being?"

"I came about Angel."

"What about him? He's human, isn't that what you've always wanted?"

"Yes, of course," Buffy snapped. "It's not even a question of that."

"Then what is it?"

"It's just... He takes risks for me. And now that he's human, it's gonna get him hurt or killed. Last night he almost died."

"How does this concern us?"

"If he dies you lose your most powerful warrior. I want..." Buffy paused and took a deep a breath. "I want you to change him back. He may hate me for it but at least he'll be around to hate me."

"What is done can not be undone. We cannot help you."

"But you have to!" Buffy protested. "For the last four and a half years I have risked my life to keep this world safe. All I want in return is for Angel to be safe. If you can't turn him back, at least give him strength. Damn it, give him mine if you have to. Just keep him safe," she cried desperately. "Please."

"Done," the female said.

"Done?" the male asked.

"The slayer shall share her strength with her Angel."

"What do you mean? Share?" Buffy asked, confused.

"Angel shall be given half of your strength and healing abilities. That way you both will remain warriors for the Powers That Be."

"So, I'll only be half as strong as I was before?"

"Do not worry, warrior. As long you and Angel stay together and fight side by side, nothing will be able to over come you."

"Why are you doing this?" the male demanded of the female oracle.

"She loves him deeply and is obviously ready to give up everything she owns to keep the man she loves safe. Besides," she admitted, "I have a soft spot for lovers."

"Fine," the male snapped, not at all pleased by her decision. "Do as you wish." He turned to Buffy. "Be gone and don't bother us again."

With the wave of his hand, the room was gone and Buffy was standing alone in the room under the post office.


Part One: Confessions


"Where were you?" Angel asked worriedly as Buffy descended the stairs into his apartment.

He'd woken up a couple of hours beforehand to find her missing from his bed. He figured she had just gone to the bathroom, but when he couldn't feel her presence,he had gotten up to look for her. He was worried when he never found her, only a note saying she'd be back soon,and began pacing back and forth in front of the stairs.

"I've been worried sick." He rushed over to her and pulled her into a tender hug.

Buffy buried her head in his shoulder and tightened her hold on him. "I'm sorry," she apologized, a tear running down her cheek, "I didn't mean to frighten you."

Angel pulled back to look at her. "You're crying," He wiped at her tears with his thumb "Why? What's wrong? Has something happened?"

"No. I'm fine. Everything's fine." Buffy placed her hand over Angel's beating heart. "That's the best feeling in the world," she smiled softly through her tears.

"No," Angel disagreed. "Being with you is the best feeling. That's only the second best." He leaned down and kissed her softly. "Now, tell me why you're crying."

Buffy took Angel by the hand and led him to the couch. "You promise you won't hate me?"

"Buffy, there's nothing you could do that would make me hate you. It's just not possible," he replied with a small smile.

"Maybe," Buffy frowned. "I went to see the Oracles."

"The Oracles?" Angel asked, confused. Why would she want to see the Oracles?

"Yeah. I did something really stupid. Well, almost, anyway. Thankfully, they wouldn't do what I asked."

"What did you ask them to do?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

"I-I... I asked them to turn you back. Back to a vampire." Buffy's voice cracked and she choked back a sob. "They wouldn't do it."

"Why? Why would you do that?" He couldn't understand. Him being human was what they had always wanted.

"I am so, so sorry," she sobbed. She felt so guilty. She had almost ruined their one chance for happiness.

"Shhh," Angel soothed, pulling her to his chest and gently rubbing her back as she cried into his shoulder. "It's okay, Buffy. Don't cry. I love you."

After she had calmed down a bit, Buffy pulled away and looked at Angel, her eyes red and puffy. "I was so scared last night, Angel. When Cordelia told me you had gone after the demon by yourself, I was terrified you were going to get hurt or... worse."

"So, you asked the Oracles to change me back?"

"You take risks for me, Angel. Before it was all right, but now you're human. Now, you can get hurt or killed. I can't stand the thought of losing you again, not after I just got you back. That's why I did it. I figured if you hated me, at least you'd be here to hate me. They wouldn't change you, though."

"Probably not," Angel said, rubbing her back as she leaned her head on his shoulder. "What did they say?"

"They said, 'what was done could not be undone', blah, blah, blah. So, I asked them to do something else." She paused before whispering. "I asked them to give you my strength."

"What!?!" Angel jumped up from the couch in shock. "How could you do something so reckless?" he shouted.

Buffy grabbed his hand and pulled him back down onto the couch. "Would you let me finish?" she begged. "They didn't do it. Instead they gave you half of my strength and half of my healing abilities."

"Oh," Angel sighed with relief, slightly embarrassed by his outburst.

"They also said that as long as we stay together and fight side by side nothing will overcome us." Buffy reached for Angel's hand and entwined her fingers with his. "You're not mad at me, are you?" she queried.

As a reply, Angel gently took her face in his hands and captured her lips in a long, passionate kiss.

"Guess not," Buffy murmured.

"What are you doing, 'Delia?" Doyle asked, sneaking up behind Cordelia, who was standing at the top of the stairwell to Angel's apartment.

She jumped, startled. "Doyle," she reprimanded, turning to face him. "You scared me." She punched his arm. "You shouldn't sneak up on people."

"Sorry. What are ya doing?" he repeated.

Cordelia grabbed his arm and pulled him into the lobby. "I was eavesdropping."

"Cordy..."

"I know, I know. But get this, Buffy went to the Oracles this morning and asked them to turn Angel back. They wouldn't do it. Instead they gave Angel half of her powers."

"What?" Doyle crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Angel has half the Slayer's powers?"

"Apparently," Cordelia nodded, sifting through some files on her desk. "I heard them fighting, that's why I was eavesdropping. They're groping on the couch now."

Doyle smirked at that. "I don't think Angel's gonna be needing us here today, Cordy, so how 'bout me and you go for lunch?" he suggested.

Cordelia pretended to think about it for a minute. "Okay." She grabbed her coat and they headed out the door.

"I want you to stay here with me," Angel breathed into Buffy's ear as they lay cuddling in bed later that night.

"What?" Buffy asked, surprised.

"If you want to," Angel explained. "You don't-"

Buffy cut him off with a kiss. "Shh. I want to. I definitely want to stay. I was just making sure I heard you right." Buffy frowned, "But what about school and slaying and stuff?"

"There are plenty of good colleges here in LA. And Giles and the rest of the gang can take care of the slaying. If there's something really big going down, we're only two and a half hours away."

Buffy rested her head on his chest. "Okay, I'm convinced," she said running her fingers up and down his arm. "I can't wait to tell Willow."

TBC