Forever

Buffy didn’t know if she should be pissed at Angel for his little round of kick-the-Spike, or be flattered that he would revert to his human days and fight for her ‘honor’. But here in lies the problem, she knew that it really was just a vamp pissing contest. Angel marked her, Spike trespassed on Angel’s property, Angel fought to prove his prowess. So she should be pissed... but still, it felt nice.

She glanced over at him, it felt nice just to have him around again. She sighed softly, for now everything was ok.

“You ok?”

“Better than.”

“Good, we should get back to the mansion. Sun will be up soon.”

“Yeah, sounds great.” She purred, running her hand down his chest.

Grabbing her hand before it went any farther he said, “No, we need to rest. There’ll be time after the battle.”

“And you know that how? I could die, you could die, it could be a whole big dieing thing.”

“Don’t say that.”

“It’s true, whether you want to hear it or not. We could die.”

He pulled her to him. Kissing her breathless. When he finally pulled away from her mouth, she was dizzy from lack of air, and from passion.

“We’ll wait. Then I’ll show you just how much I didn’t want to wait.” He said with a smirk.

“Fine, but it’s not fair.” She was not happy. That kiss had left her with need pulsing through her. He just smiled, then started for the mansion once more.

He was cutting it close. But with Buffy next to him, he could have burnt to a cinder and smiled all the way. As they entered to mansion he caught the sent of a demon.

He stopped and searched with his senses for the demon’s location in the sprawling building. Buffy noticed instantly the change in Angel. She to started to feel for the intruder as well.

They both slowly made their way deeper into the mansion, hunting their prey. They both felt the creature in the kitchen area. Angel’s sensitive nose could pick out the smell of... food?

They both silently made their way to the door, just as Angel was reaching to open it, the door swung open.

“Whistler?!” They both exclaimed at the same time. They looked at each other neither knowing that the other knew the demon.

“You know him?” Angel asked.

“Well, it’s about damn time. Do you realize there is no food in this damn place at all? I had to go out and buy some.”

“What the hell are you doing here?” Buffy all but snarled as she grabbed him by the lapels.

“Easy on the suit kid.” When she let go he tried to smooth out the wrinkles. “What’s your problem anyway?”

“My problem? You have got to be kidding me!” She was very close to ridding the world of this particular demon.

“Oh, that. I can’t believe you’re still bent out of shape about that. It was years ago, and look he’s back. I was just delivering a message. No reason for hard feelings.”

“What the hell did you do to her.” Angel did snarl, once more Whistler found himself lifted in the air by his lapels.

“I didn’t do *anything* I just told her how to use a sword.” Whistler could see recognition in Angel’s eyes. So he did remember the sacrifices the girl had had to make in her life. Good.

Angel let the little demon go. Whistler once more tried to get rid of wrinkles. “Well, now isn’t this sweet. You two back together and all. It’s too damn cute. So, Angel, when you leaving?”

“Leaving?”

“Well, don’t you plan on leaving? You have a whole new company to run. Can’t just stick around here for a one night stand.”

“What do you mean one night stand?”

“Well, what about the seer? You were going nuts not two days ago about here where abouts. And now you’re here boning your ex.” He hated this. He didn’t want to hurt either of them. Especially the Slayer, she had been through too much.

“Angel?” She asked softly, Whistler was voicing all of the fears she had been having since Angel’s return.

He rubbed his eyes. Everything Whistler had said was true, except the one night stand. He wanted more, he wanted her forever and always. That was the whole point right? But he didn’t know what to do. He had excepted Wolfram & Hart. He had to run it and he couldn’t do that in Sunnydale. She had the Hellmouth to protect. He had no idea how to make this work. But he was sure of one thing, this trip to Sunnydale had opened his eyes. He knew he wouldn’t be able to truly walk away this time. “I don’t know what I’m doing ok? I have onsionsibilities in L.A. But I want to be with you.”

“Yeah, and what about Cordelia? I won’t play second to her.”

“I wouldn’t dream of asking that. But Buffy what am I supposed to do? You have to stay here, and I have to be there.”

“It doesn’t really matter anyway. I probably won’t live through this battle.”

“Ah, may I suggest something?”

“What?!” Neither were happy to be reminded of the demon’s presence.

“Gesh, well. She needs an army and you just inherited a very large company that just happens to have well trained fighters. Say an army of well trained fighters.”

“Uh, oh, I didn’t think about that.”

“And they have info on just about everything. There’s just gotta be something in there on how to make the First corporeal.” He knew full well there was, why did Angel really think the Senor partners were gonna just hand over the rights to their largest office? They had the Powers breathing directly down their necks. When the Powers wanted something they got it.

“Do you think they’d help us?” Buffy asked hopefully.

“They don’t have a choice. I run it now. I just wish I had thought of it before.”

He pulled out a brand new cell phone. “Call Giles and the others get them here. I’ll we need to set up a plan. We need to get to L.A.”

“There’s no ‘we’ I have to stay and protect everyone.”

“No, that’s Faith’s job now. They appointed her, now they’ll have to deal with what that entails.”

“You don’t think she’ll do it?”

“No, I think she will. But she’s not gonna knowing you’re around to save her ass. She’s their leader now. And it’s *her* job to keep them safe.”

She took the phone and called her house. After a few rings Willow picked up. “Will, I need to talk to Giles.” After a few seconds the ex watcher picked up, “Buffy? Is there something wrong? Did something happen?” Panic coming off him in waves.

“No, Giles. Actually it may be something good. I need you all to come to the mansion. Bring all the books, this will be your headquarters from now on.”

“But, Buffy...”

“Giles, please. We may have found something. Just get over here as fast as possible.”

“Fine, we’re on our way.”

Buffy hit ‘end’. She turned back to Angel and Whistler. “On their way.”

“Ok, I need to make a few calls.” Angel took the phone and headed to the old study. He had to have electricity and water turned on. He also needed to get his car here so Buffy, any one important, and himself could get going. And he wanted the search to be in full swing by the time they got there.

Buffy gave a slight smile to the demon. She had no idea as to what to say to Whistler.

Whistler just gestured to the kitchen and said, “I bet you’re hungry.”

“And tired. But yeah, really hungry.”

“Well, I got some food. So, come on.” They both went into the kitchen. Buffy was completely surprised to find grocery bags littering the counters. She gave Whistler a what-the-hell look.

“I had a feeling you’d be having guests so I picked up some extras.”

“This was all planned wasn’t it?”

“Uh huh, well not ever thing. There was free will involved. But Angel getting Wolfram & Hart, him coming here. The witch taking the curse out. All planned.”

“I thought so.”

“This is your paths, Buffy. I told you once no one saw you coming. Not the way you did.”

“And I never got that.”

“We never saw you and Mr. Champion falling for each other. Love is one of the few free wills out there. Yeah, the Powers made soul mates for every one. But only you have the chance to find them. The Powers don’t know who’s souls are gonna click, they just do. So when a slayer and the only vampire with a soul end up being mates, lets just say blown away is an understatement. But it was good, cause this just made the both of you stronger. But those damned gypsies put the clause in Angel’s curse.”

“That wasn’t supposed to happen?”

He scoffed at her, “Hardly, do you really think we wanted one of our warriors to be able to cross sides in a moments happiness? No, free will can be a bitch sometimes. Then when that little rat friend of yours neglected to tell you the witch was re cursing Angel, more things got fucked up. Angel couldn’t be saved. So he had to go to hell. It took us three of your months to make a deal with the First. We finally were able to retrieve him. But we didn’t know the First had taken over the spell your Witch preformed. The Gypsy had taken out the clause, but the First put it back in. So we were back to square one.” He stopped for a sip of his drink. “We needed Angel to leave, hopefully he would be able to get the clause removed once he was outta Sunnyhell.”

“But he didn’t even look.” She said dejectedly.

“Oh, he looked. When no one was around he would poor over everything he could find in hope of returning to you. if if it was that simple the First would never have been able to fuck with things. Then he was turned human, as you know. That was an accident by the way. The First got to our Oracles, corrupted them. Angel would have gotten his strength back, he would have been able to fight. He was never supposed to stay away from you for long. We needed him fighting wyou,you, but the Oracles told him you would die. They played on his love for you and ripped you apart once more. But it was too late, the damage was done and the Oracles replaced.”

“Oh god,” She couldn’t deal with the knowledge that they could have been together.

“Every time we got close to fixing things one of the First’s minions fucked it up. Then you died. And it was game over. But at times free will can be great. That red headed witch brought you back. Yeah, we knew how fucked up you’d be. But we needed you to fight. So we allowed her to pull you out. The First was pissed. But it bided its time, waited for the perfect opportunity. And you gave it one.”

“I did?” She had no idea how she had.

“Yes, you and the vampire. It was able to get in and fix things for its own plans. It put a glamour of sorts on the vamp. No, one would be able to tell that he didn’t have his soul. And that chip, the First neutralized it in Africa. The vamp doesn’t even know he doesn’t have a soul. He thinks he does. Why do you think he hasn’t been able to feel remorse for his demon’s doings?”

“No, h, he does. He wants to be good. He wants to make amends. I don’t believe you.”

“Hey, just a messenger remember. I’m telling you shit that’s gonna get my ass chewed out. The Powers want you to find this out on your own. But I think you’ve had to do that enough in your life. Yeah, I’ll given ‘em that it has made you the strongest slayer to ever live. But you’re only human.”

“No, I, I saw it. I know he has one.”

“He doesn’t. Think about it.” He stood. “I know you won’t except anything that anyone says about the demon. But it’s true. You’re allowing your feelings to cloud your judgment.”

“No, I’m not. And I don’t love him.”

“Never said you did. But you became dependent on him. He was your drug, and he’s just as bad for you as any drug you could take. Buffy, don’t let him get you killed. He’s not worth it. You have a future now. Don’t fuck it up.”

“Future? I don’t have a one. I’m not gonna live through this battle. I know it.”

“Really? Well, before you make your decision on living or not ask Angel what ‘shanshu’ is. I think you’ll find it interesting.”

But before she could say anything, shouting was heard from the door. When she turned back to Whistler he was gone. ‘Shanwho? What did he mean?’ But there was no time right now, she had to find Angel so they could talk to the group that just walked in.

She didn’t have much of a search, Angel was just coming out of the study when she entered the great room.

“Everyone listen up,” Angel glanced around. Some how they had all made it in one trip. Unfortunately Spike was one of them. “Buffy and I have to go to L.A. I need Willow and Giles to come with us. I’ll explain on the way. But our car should be here any minute and we have to go now.”

Everyone started talking at once. But Faith’s voice suddenly quieted them, “Buffy can’t leave. She’s gotta stay to fight.”

“No, Faith. That’s your job now. You were elected and this is part of it. I have to go. And I can now. You have to stay and protect them. We’ll be back before sunset. And hopefully with info on how to kill the First.” That got another roar of voices. But Buffy and Angel ignored them. They grabbed Willow and Giles and headed for the door. Angel threw a thick blanked over himself and dashed for the limo that was sitting in the driveway.

They all pilled into the car. As it pulled out, Giles demanded, “Now you will bloody well tell me what’s going on.”

Buffy and Angel told them of what they were going to do. Buffy then told them everything Whistler had said.

 
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They spent the day in the archives of the Wolfram & Hart building. Unfortunately the all knowing being that had manned the archives had yet to be replaced. So they had had to do it manually.

It took over a hundred people and computers to find anything. But they did. The spell would turn the army of ‘uber’ vamps into normal strength vampires.

Everything they could find on the First should just have had ‘indestructible’ on it. They had no idea how to destroy the First but they could stop it. And that would have t eno enough for now.

The original four, with the additions of Fred, Gunn, Wes, and Lorne pilled into the spacious limo. A group of two hundred well train fighters would be following them. They were going to save the world... tonight.

Giles mad the call to Sunnydale. Telling the girls to be ready for war. It had seemed that Faith had had a visit from the First. It tried to convince her that Buffy and Angel would turn against her. Faith had been shaken, but quickly over came it at the prospect of ass kicking.

They rode back in silence. Everyone trying to get as much rest as possible for the upcoming battle.

They all knew that many would fall tonight, friends and loved ones would be lost. They just had to have faith in the Powers, and their leaders.

Buffy was trying to use some of the meditation both Giles and Angel had taught her. She was having a difficult time, she was to wired. Spending nearly forty-eight hours up straight would do that to you. Twelve of which was spent having amazing sex with the vampire sitting next to her. Another twelve was just spent researching, never a strong point. And she had had her ass kicked at least twice in that time. She wasn’t sure she could do this.

But she knew she had no choice. No matter who was fighting beside her, no matter who was the ‘leader’, she knew if she didn’t save the world no one would. It was how things always went for her. The weight of the world was on her slim shoulders. She didn’t know if she had it in her to save the world one more time.

That brought up another thing. Whistler had said something about, Shampoo? She was about to ask Angel when the driver announced their arrival in Sunnydale.

They were soon ambling out of the limo. Stretching cramped limbs. The group in the house were soon outside, a million questions flying.

“Quiet,” Giles shouted. “We do not have mtimetime. The First will soon know our intensions. We have a group of two hundred fighters and shaman right behind us. Willow has a spell that will weaken the Turok-Han.” The group of W&H people started to pull in. It was a tight fit but they were able to cram the two hundred plus in the surrounding area. “This is it, we are going into battle. Buffy is going to out line the battle plan.” Giles stepped back and allowed Buffy to the front.

She looked over the group. She had not had time to get to know any of the Wolfram & Hart people. She had lived with the SIT’s and did not allow herself to know them. Now she would tell all these people how they were to spend their last minutes on earth. Taking a deep, calming breath she began to out line the plan.

The shaman and witches, including Willow, would be in the back. They were going to conjure a protective shield that would keep the Turok-Hans in the Hell mouth for as long as possible. The W&H soldiers, Faith, the SIT’s, and the Scoobies would be in front of the magiks. This group would be fighting the Turok-Hans.

Buffy, Angel, and Spike would find Caleb and the First. They would be keeping the Hell mouth closed and killing Caleb. The addition of Spike had been a large fight for a good part of an hour. Buffy would not believe that Spike was soulless until she saw it. It had resulted in Angel and she nearly coming to blows. Only Willow’s intervention had prevented things from getting physical.

Spike was a sore spot between them. It had been all Angel could do to not drag Buffy off and ‘convince’ her that she should let him stake Spike. But not matter how much he had wanted to, he couldn’t. So all he could do was bide his time and make sure Spike did not survive long in this battle. He knew how the First worked, it would wait until the worst possible moment to release Spike. Angel was not about to lose Buffy so soon after getting her back. Especially not at Spike’s hand or fang as it were.

 
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She was terrified. She had no fucking idea why she got herself mixed up in this. She should have ran the moment people started electing *her be be their leader. Especially when they had someone like B to lead them. This was just wrong.

Hundreds or more bad ass vamps were about to come pouring out of this giant fucking hole in the ground. She could *see* their fucking ugly asses! They were literally clawing at the invisible force keeping them in there. The high school was once more demolished. When the lid on the Hell mouth blew, the school had went with it.

B had told her to protect the Scoobies, and she would. She’d die before she let down B and Angel ever again.

That was funny to hear again, B and Angel, Angel and B. But she was glad she could say or in this case think it again. She could see the difference in the both of them. ‘Guess one good fuck from your soul mate did that for ya.’

She gripped the hilt of her sword tighter. Red and the others were working the mojo to keep the uber vamps in for as long as possible. But Faith could see that they were slowly moving towards the surface. She hated this waiting. It fucking sucked... well not ‘sucked’, that would come later.

Faith glanced around at the SIT’s that surrounded her. These girls were the next generation? Oh hell, she spent way to much time with that Andrew guy, she just knew that line came from something he said. Anyway, they were next? Was she ever that young? She couldn’t seem to remember loo tha that young and innocent before. Was she ever innocent? Her neighborhood in Brooklyn didn’t exactly promote the innocent atmosphere. And it just wasn’t her style.

Her neighborhood. Was her mom still alive? Did she really care? Her mom was one of those types that sat on her couch and got drunk all day. Faith had learned quickly to stay out of the apartment for as much as possible. Her mother hadn’t cared if she went to school, if she had ate. She wasn’t sure her mom even knew how to cook.

But still, she was her mom, and no matter what that little girl deep inside of her was crying out for mommy. That little voice wanted mommy to come and tell her that the monsters weren’t real and that she was safe. That her life was all a bad dream... and why in all that was holy was she thinking of her fucking dead beat mom right now?

‘What the fuck was that!’ her mind screeched as a body went flying through the air. On second look it was the little blonde body of her sister slayer. There was a mighty roar that could only be Angel’s. The body of Spike quickly followed. With Angel coming soon after. ‘Angel is gonna kill the Billy Idol wanna be!’ her mind cheered. She was about to go hand l a l a stake when the ground began to shake.

Faith realized that the uber vamps were clawing at the fucking *edges* of the Hell mouth! It was time. As the Turok-Hans broke free the spell kicked in. They were as strong as any ‘normal’ vamp she had faced. She jumped into what was once the basement, she charged the first to break free.

Everything that had been jittering and jumpy was calmed. Her body and soul knew *this* was what she was here for. Every trial she had had in her life had lead her to this moment, this fight.

This was her destiny. For the first time in her life she was Faith the Vampire Slayer.

 
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[AN: I had all of the previous writing done before the Btvs ep on 5/13. I do not plan to change anything so that I followed cannon better. Just so ya know.]

 
She couldn’t believe it. Whistler had been right. Just as she was about to strike the fatal blow to Caleb, Spike had turned on her. He surprised her, and had easily sent her flying.

God, she had been so stupid. Whistler had warned her that this would happen. Giles, Angel, and Willow had all tried to make her see reason. But it was no use, she couldn’t give up on him. She hadn’t even know why she felt the need to believe in him.

No, she was lying to herself again. She knew exactly why. He wouldn’t leave her. They all had left her at some point. Some come back and others did not, but every one she loved had left her.

She knew she didn’t love Spike, she had tried to but couldn’t. Every time she thought she might be able to her soul cried out for some thing else... some one else.

Yes, Spike had left but he came back. He wasn’t going to go away unless she made him. Her friends, her family they would leave. Giles had a new life in England, and Buffy suspected he had rekindled his affair with Olivia. Willow would have left eventually, the power that the Hell mouth had would have become to much for her. Xander and Anya would make it work, they always ended up back together. And Dawny, she’d stay unthe hhe had graduated then she’d go to college somewhere far away from demons and hell mouths.

And Buffy would be alone, all alone as always. She needed Spike, as Whistler had unerringly it, it, he was her drug and it wouldn’t have been long before she needed her fix.

The deafening roar that came from the area she had just been fighting in brought her to her senses. Angel was about to kill Spike, she knew it. But she wanted to have that honor. She climbed to her feet and ran to where the fight was.

She could hear the Hell mouth crack open, the growls of the uber vamps followed her flying feet. But that was Faith’s battle.

Buffy made it with out incident. But not for long. Caleb had recovered somewhat. He had the scythe and was not about to let her have it back.

Caleb swung at her head, trying to decapitate her. She easily ducked his sloppy move. As she ducked, she moved under his arms getting in a quick succession of body punches. He doubled over in pain. She elbowed him in the face, then kicked out. The kick caught his arm, sending the scythe flying. As she landed, Caleb hit her, sending her stumbling. He got in a few punches before she recovered.

As she started to attack once more, the ground started to shake. ‘That can’tgoodgood.’ The ground cracked open, she stumbled once more but couldn’t hold her footing. She went strait through a fissure that formed under her feet.

She landed hard on her back. She was dazed for a few moments. Buffy slowly sat up, she looked around and saw the destruction around her. There were Turok-Hans coming out of the Hell mouth in an endless stream.

There were bodies littering the floor, some Turok-Hans to injured to rise and fight. But others were human. She realized even with their army they weren’t going to win like this.

The Hell mouth had to be closed. She looked around her for the scythe, pure luck had let it fall fifty feet away. All she had to do was battle her way to it. She rose to her feet, feeling the strain of the last few months pull at her. Buffy did not let that stop her. She knew what she had to do.

Finally, after five Turok-Hans (that weren’t as weak as they had hoped they would be) she got to the scythe.

She was going to end the fight with Caleb and find a way to close the Hell mouth. She scaled the wall back to ground level. She saw Angel and Caleb trading powerful punches, and Spike was no where to be seen.

She saw Caleb knock Angel down. She easily took Angel’s place. With a second, or maybe that was fifth, wind she took Caleb down. This time when she struck the killing blow she was not stopped. Caleb’s head went rolling several feet away.

She turned to Angel, he gathered her in his arms for a brief embrace. As she pulled away she was Turok-Hans climbing out of the hole that was once Sunnydale High.

“We have to end this now.”

“I’ve got the amulet.”

“Do we even know how it works?”

“I have an idea. A vampire has to hold it, say a chant, and it should do the rest.”

“Does it have to be a vamp? Can’t I do it? It’s my destiny.”

“The vamp thing is the only part I’m certain on. Come on we don’t have much time.” He said as the earth shook again.

They raced to the edge of the ‘school’. They had to fight several uber vamps to get there. They looked at each other and jumped in the sea of moving forms.

They lost track of one another. Buffy made her way to the Hell mouth. Angel ended up not far behind.

“Cover me.” He yelled to her. She barely caught his words. He started to chant, and there was a sudden light. It was hot, it felt like the sun.

Buffy heard a screech and suddenly the First and Spike were in front of her, but careful to stay from the light the amulet gave off. The First took on the form of Spike and then suddenly disappeared into him.

Spike spoke to her. An echo of his voice, but also a deeper, malice filled voice. “Slayer, Slayer, Slayer. You know you can’t beat me. I’m always here, I’m in every thing. Even you, the warrior for the light has me in her.” ‘Spike’ growled out.

“Can we just fight?” This new ‘Spike’ was unnerving her.

“But Buffy, I love you. I don’t want to fight you.” It mocked her.

“You’re not Spike any more.” She stated.

“You do understand that I controlled him. That the only reason that he stayed is because I wished it?” The First knew how to play with her feelings. It knew the one thing she feared above all else.

With a scream Buffy attacked. The fight was short, Spike’s body had been severally weakened by Angel. As Buffy put a stake through his heart, the First relinquished control. “Buffy?” Spike gasped as he turned to dust.

She slumped back, but soon realized that she was still needed. Angel had activated the amulet. She whirled around and there he was, bathed in light. The Turok-Hans were turning to dust, including the ones still in the Hell mouth. As sudden as the light had been it was gone. Angel stood still for maybe a second, then he slowly started to turn to dust.

Buffy tried to run to him, but it was like slow motion. By the time she was there she was there the only thing left was a pile of dust and her name floating on the wind. She crumbled, trying to pick the ashes from the ground.

Willow had seen the whole thing. She untangled herself from Kennedy, ignoring her protest. She slid to the ground next to her best friend and gathered her up. Buffy hadn’t said anything up until that point.

“Will, he’s not gone. He can’t be gone.” Willow’s friend begged. Tears forming her eyes for her friend’s loss.

The rest of the gang had gathered around, they could do nothing as they watched the last of their slayer brake.

She shook, but no tears fell. Her whole being denying the loss of its other half. She could feel her soul slowly crumble under the weight of its loss. Then everything went black.

 

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The last thing he remembered was saying her name, then it all went black. Now he was in a softly lit room.

A disembodied voice said, “It’s awake.”

“Creature you have a choice. You were promised a reward for your services to our cause. Now you may chose how you would like to be rewarded.” A second voice said.

“I thought my reward was to shanshu.” Angel stated.

“It is.” The first voice answered.

“But then how is there a choice?”

This time it was a new voice, “The Watcher assumed it had to mean life. It is your choice if it is to mean life or death. To pick life you will go back and fight for us until your final death. To pick death will mean eternal paradise.”

“Heaven?”

“Yes, Heaven.” the second voice answered.

“If I chose life it would mean I’d be mortal?”

“Yes, that is your choice. To live your life as a human warrior and have the chance to lose your place in paradise.” The first voice explained.

“Lose my chance?”

“All humans have the potential to go to Heaven, as you call it. Yet the decisions they make is the deciding factor.” The third voice tried to clear things up for Angel.

“Will she be there?”

“The warrior for light?” At his nod the first voice continued, “Yes, her fight is not done. She has the new slayer to look after.”

“New slayer?” He choked out.

“Yeah, looks like I bit the big one, big guy.” A familiar voice said from behind him.

“God, Faith. No. You were just getting on the path to redemption.” He said with tears in his eyes.

“I’m touched. No, big guy, that last battle was my path to redemption. It was my destiny to die down there. It’s no big. I get to do the heaven thing for my part in saving the world.”

“So you’re going be alright?”

“Hell yeah. I’m gonna show this place what fun really is. You know all anyone wants to do is sit around? Boring!” He smiled. “But you, you’re not ready to come party with me. B needs you down there. She can’t do it alone anymore. What I saw of her wasn’t pretty.”

“She’s hurt?” He said as fear rushed through him.

“Naw, not to bad physically. But watching your ass turn to dust didn’t do much for her mind. Like I said B can’t do it with out you. She’ll try to follow you, you can’t let that happen. Plus you get to do that human thing you’ve been jonzin’ to do that one for awhile.”

“Yeah, I have.” He walked over to her and gave her a hug. “I’ll be seeing you.”

“Not to damn soon. Get your ass down there before B does something stupid.”

“The decision is made?” The first voice inquired.

“Yes, I want to live.”

There was s sudden flash of light and then Angel found himself standing in the exact spot he had turned to dust in. He looked around no one living was there anymore. The bodies still littered the ground.

But his love was no longer there. He then realized that he was standing in the sun light.

He stood, basking in the sun’s beautiful rays. He knew if any one happened to walk by they would think him crazy. He was standing with his eyes closed, face tilted towards the sun, in an area covered in corpses. But he didn’t care.

Soon he came back to reality. He had to find Buffy and now, Faith had said she wasn’t handling his death well.

He took off at a run, but after a few blocks he realized that he had to breath as well. So he had to slow. It took longer but he finally got there.

Angel stood at the sidewalk for a few minutes. Trying to collect his thoughts, they would have a lot of questions. But all he wanted was to find Buffy and make love to her for hours on end.

He decided to sneak in. So he ambled up the tree in front of Buffy’s window. It was more difficult then before, but not much.

He looked in the widow, but the room was empty. He tested the widow, and found it unlocked. Angel climbed in and headed for the hall.

He silently checked the rooms up stairs, and found them empty. So he made his way down the stairs, he found what was left of the group. Most of the SIT’s, Faith, Spike (to Angel’s delight), Xander, Dawn, and his gang were gone. He could only hope that his friends had made it through and they had simply went back to L.A. to mourn him.

He turned and left. He had no reason to stay here. Buffy was not in the house.

He climbed back out of Buffy’s window. Angel closed his eyes and focused on their link, time and separation had weakened it. But now that he was focusing he could feel her pain. So he followed that.

He soon found himself on Crawford St. He smiled, it was so like her.

He made it into the great room without detection, he had not lost his stealth with the loss of his demon.

Angel watched her for sometime, she just sat there staring at thinthing in her hand. She didn’t looked up as he came to her side.

“Buffy,”

“Go away. We won. Just fucking leave me alone” She sobbed.

“Buffy?” He was confused. Who did she think she was talking to?

She was suddenly in front of him, pounding on his chest, “I said leave me alone! We won, you don’t have any reason to be here! He’s gone, I know who you are. Just LEAVE ME ALONE!” She screamed.

He grabbed her little hands, stopping their painful actions. He realized she thought he was the First trying to get one last dig in.

She stopped moving, and stared at the hands holding hers. “I can touch you.” She whispered

“Buffy, it’s me. I don’t know how to convince you it’s me.” Still she stared at his hands. “Buffy, please say something.”

“You’re warm.” The reply was more a whimper than anything else.

He smiled, “I am.”

“You can’t be real. I saw you d If If you were real you wouldn’t be warm.” Her voice shaking as she yanked her hands from him. Buffy backed away, not trusting herself with the imposter. She wanted him to be real far to much.

“Love, I don’t know how to show you it’s me. I have no idea how to make you see.” He ran his hand through his hair, his claddah ring glinting in the light.

She shuddered, she could *feel* Angel. But she couldn’t let her self believe it was him. The moment she did, he’d leave and she couldn’t do it again.

Sighing he said, “Tell me what I can do to make you believe me.”

“You’re gone, you’re not real.” She turned away, but was stopped by his hand on her shoulder.

She gasped as once more the feeling of electricity raced through her. Only one being could do that to her. “Angel?”

Angel couldn’t help the half smile that crept across his features as he nodded. It took a few more seconds before Buffy would except that he was who he said he was.

Then he suddenly found his golden goddess in his arms. She was plundering his mouth, not that he minded.

Then she suddenly pulled away and slapped him, hard, “Hey,” he yelped, “that hurt!”

“Don’t you *ever* do that to me again!” She cried, tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

He pulled he against him. “Never.”

He leaned in to capture her mouth once more but she pulled back, “What happened? I saw you die.” The tears that had been gathering in her eyes spilled over. He gently wiped them away.

“It’s a long story I don’t want to get into right now.”

She seemed to accept his answer. Then a thought struck her, “What’s Shansue?”

He sighed, “Shanshu, it’s part of that whole big thing that I didn’t want to get into right now. There are many other things we could be doing.” He pulled her to him once more, allowing her to feel his arousal.

A wicked grin appeared on her face, “Really?”

“Yes,” he swept her into his arms and carried her to the bedroom.

“You realize I can walk.” She mumbled as she pulled his earlobe between her teeth.

He gently tossed her onto the unmade bed, they had never gotten around to making it after their last bout of love making. He laid beside her, he leaned in to her running his tongue across her bottom lip.

She instantly allowed access to her mouth. Their tongues dueled, neither really caring who won this show of dominance. She pulled him onto her, wanting to feel his weight on her. His hand went up her shirt.

Buffy flipped them over. She grabbed his shirt and ripped it open, buttons flew in all directions. She leaned down and hungrily took mouthfuls of his skin. She licked, nibbled, and sucked his chest.

She soon found herself at the top on his pants. She quickly undid the fastenings. He lifted his hips so she could rid him of his pants and boxers. She racked her lust filled gaze up and down his beautiful form. She then leaned down and delicately licked the head of his penis.

He tried to suppress his moan. But as she took her hot little tongue down the underside of his dick he knew he was done for.

She slowly took him into her mouth. Then released him until just the head was in her mouth. She sucked on the head until her checks were hollowed, then started to take him in again.

He was fighting the urge to fuck her scalding mouth. Then all thought went out the widow as she deep throated him. Her little hands were caressing his balls, nails lightly racking over everything. It was all to much.

With a shout he came in her mouth. She hungrily swallowed his seed. She was extremely surprised to find herself enjoying this act as much as she was. She gently licked him clean, and then crawled up him stretching like a cat.

Angel panted for a few minutes. After recovering, he rolled on top of her. He rid himself of what was left of his shirt, and made quick work of her clothing as well. He pulled her legs over his shoulders.

He took her clit in his mouth as he thrust three fingers into her dripping pussy. It didn’t take him long to have her withering and moaning beneath him. As she was about to come he withdrew his fingers and released her clit.

Her eyes flew open and she whimpered her protest. He licked his fingers clean, her eyes following his tongue’s every move.

He climbed up her body, positioning himself at the entrance of her tight sheath. He rammed himself home. Buffy arched into him, screaming his name as she climaxed.

He didn’t give her time to recover. He slowly pulled almost completely out then thrust, hard and fast, home. She met him thrust for thrust. His hand found her clit, giving it a pinch. She came a second time. But he didn’t slow his pace.

She suddenly flipped him. She lifted herself off of him, then slammed down. He moaned and arched up into her. She set the pace, ridding him hard and fast. She leaned forward, her hands on his pecks for better purchases. He captured one of her nipples, she cried out at the sensation.

He knew he wasn’t going to last much longer, so his hands went in search for her clit again. She was soon screaming his name with her third climax. Her name followed as he shot his load deep within her.

Buffy collapsed on his chest. A contented sigh escaped her lips as she pressed a kiss to him. His hands gently ran up and down her spine.

“I love you.” She mumbled into his chest.

“Forever,” He replied.

 
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End