VIII

Thanks to Zeta, Flames, Smithers, and Nikita.



Chapter 6: Hollywood Soundstage.


The divorce was not swift. Buffy had this image of walking into court and hashing out the problem and the judge telling them to sign a paper or maybe two and then everything would be over.

It would be a neat, easy, fast ending.

But Joyce gave Angel the gallery.

And Angel wanted to give it back, as a partnership with Buffy.

And Buffy didn’t know if she wanted it. Any part of it. But it was a part of her mother. A part that she knew Joyce would want the girls to own. So contracts had to be drawn up. And Buffy knew that she and Angel’s lives would be connected once again. Once again.

She wasn’t sure if this was something she really wanted. When you divorce isn’t that supposed to final? Wasn’t there supposed to be a giant The End sign? Wasn’t that it? The End? And everyone goes on their own marry way and all is right in the world once again?

Why cant life be like that?

But it never was, and Buffy knew that. If it was she and Spike would be friends and or lovers. She would never have left him. And she and Angel would not be going through this.

Or she could have loved Angel as much as he needed to be loved. As much as he deserved to be loved.


LA. 2000.


She felt someone behind her. Following her. Buffy fought the panic rising inside of her. She fought her body telling her to run. RUN NOW. She knew that if she lost her state of mind she could get hurt. ‘Stay calm.’ She thought. Her feet started moving faster. ‘Stay Calm. Stay Calm. STAY calm. STAY CALM.’ She was running. Down the street. Looking for an open door, a club, or a gas station, or anything with lots of lights and lots of people.

‘STAY CALM!’ Her mind screamed. ‘STAY-“

Suddenly Buffy rounded a corner. She didn’t even see the wall.


“Hey wanna open those pretty eyes for me?” The voice was soft. Full of concern. Buffy wanted to comply. But her eyelids were so heavy.

“Everyone back up.” The voice ordered.

She felt hands moving under her body.

“Back up.” She heard the commanding tone in his voice. That was when she realized it was a man talking.

“Are you sure you should move her?” Someone farther away spoke. The hands under her lifted her body up into strong arms.

“I think it is just a concussion. She hit the wall hard.” There it was again. That voice.

Buffy tired again to open her eyes. She whimpered.

“I think she’s coming around. I am going get her to the hospital.”

“ooohh” she moaned. Buffy felt them moving. She knew she was still in his arms, even after he positioned them inside a car. She groaned again when the car shook after the door closed.

She opened her eyes- to the most amazing brown eyes she had ever seen in her life.

The man smiled. “See I knew you had to have the most beautiful eyes.”

Buffy tried to move, but the man held her tightly.

“Who?” was all she could force her mouth to say.

“Angel” was his quite reply.

“Ohh.” She closed her eyes again.

“Oh no you don’t. Gotta keep you awake. You’ve got a nasty cut on your head.” Her hands flew to her head. She felt the warm thick liquid on her fingertips.

“Angel?”

“Yes.”

“Thank you.” And with that everything went black.

When Buffy opened her eyes again, she was surprised by the pain. The fluoresce lights above the bed were too bright. The room was to white.

“Oh god.” She groaned closing her eyes again.

She heard a chuckle from the corner of the room. The only part of the whiteness that was in the shadows.

“Hurts.” She mumbled.

“I know Buffy, but I really need you to keep your eyes open this time. You have a concussion; the doctors said you could fall into a coma if you fall asleep.” He moved from the shadows. The owner of the voice- he was beautiful.

“How did you know my name?” Buffy asked.

“It was in your billfold. The nurse found it. Buffy Summers. Age 19. Blond Hair. Hazel eyes. 105 lbs. And after carrying you tonight I can vouch that is your real weight if not slightly higher than what you really weigh.”

She would have blushed. But the lights still hurt so much.

“Can you…”

He leaned forward. “Can I…?” His face was so close to hers.

Buffy felt her lips dry out. Felt her mouth dry out. Felt him so close to her. “Can you turn out the lights?” she whispered.

A large grin spread over his face. “Cant wait to be in the dark with me? Is that it?” He said as he reached for the switch on the side of the bed. Once the lights were dimmed, Angel leaned forward and met her lips gently. The he was gone.

“Ok lights are down, and we have to find a way to keep you awake.” His voice was full of mischief. And Buffy found herself liking that.

That night the two strangers became friends.

Soon they became lovers.

And then they were married.


It was all so fast. And Buffy just barley managed to hang on for the ride.

Present time

Looking back now. Buffy knew she saw Angel as a knight in shinning armor. She knew it was wrong. Angel was just a man after all. No prince charming. But he was so strong.

And good.

What woman wouldn’t want that? Sure he had problems. She found that out soon enough. He drank too much. A habit formed to avoid thoughts of a harsh childhood. A melancholy vibe that seemed to excel his appeal.

If Buffy could make him feel better than she could make herself feel better.

Because she hurt.

Buffy knew that Angel’s problems were his. Just as her own issues were for her alone. But if she could just fix him…….. fix him……. Then maybe just maybe she would be fixed in the process.

And it was good for a while. For a while Buffy could lose herself in this man.

And she did.

Then Spike came back.

During the wedding she knew she should have just stopped it all. No one would fault her. Not her Mom, not her sister, and not Angel. When Buffy felt the panic, she should have just turned and said, “This doesn’t feel right.” And Angel would have let her walk away.
But she saw Spike. And she knew…… she knew she had to do this. Marry Angel and sever all ties to William.

End any possibilities of being with Spike forever.

End it and be done. As she said her vows, Buffy felt the end as if it really was a black and white sign being lowered on some sound stage in Hollywood.

“But life is not like the movies. And now I am alone. And I think that may just be how it was meant to be.” Buffy said to the empty house she no longer shared with her husband. “This isn’t the end. I have to live my life.”

And she knew that was true.

Buffy was Buffy Summers once again. And she was ready to start living.

And Buffy threw herself into doing just that. Living. Calls to her sister for wedding plan details. Going out with friends she lost years before. Being happy for the first time in so long.

And then the calls started.