The night kind of sucked for her because it was raining and cold. She hated having to patrol on nights like this. Her friends were at their homes sleeping the night away while she had to do her duties. It was a curse to her and yet a gift giving to her by fate. She is what you call a slayer. She goes around at night and kills any demons, vampires, or evil darkness that is in need of getting rid of. Thing was tonight she would run into a person she hadn't seen since Sunnydale had become a crater.
He stood in the shadows watching her and wanting her just like he did when she first became the slayer. He knew they could never be together again. The last time that happened he killed quit a few people and then tried to kill her. He told himself it would be better if they never met again. The feelings started to rise in him and he had to close his eyes from watching her.
"Why do I have to do patrols like this alone? Why can't Giles join me?" she said out loud to what she thought was to herself.
She took a deep breath and wandered on the late night knowing she had a class to attend tomorrow. As she finished her rounds she felt a very familiar feeling, like someone she knew was watching her. She shrugged her shoulders and went off into the night to Giles' place to report.
"I wish my love that I could revel myself, but I promised your watcher I would never tell you that I was here. You would never understand, but I'm only here to watch you." He said in the night air to were she couldn't hear him.
She walked in to find that Giles was nowhere to be found. She kept calling his name and yet he never answered. The strangest chill ran up her spin as she walked through the house. She stayed on guard and alert for anything or one to just jump out. The stairs where creaking as she walked up to his bedroom. When she got there she threw her hand over her mouth and took a deep breath in hopes of not throwing up.
Lying on the bed of blood lay her watcher and her sister, Dawn. Stepping in closer to get a good look she wondered who could do such a massive murder. She kneeled down next to her sister's body and started to cry. She looked next to the bed and found a note on the table.
Dear Buffy Summers,
Hope you like the gift I left for you because there will be more just like it on the way if you don't obey my orders. Meet me in park at sunrise, I will be waiting for you. If you don't show then your other friends will die a slow and painful death.
William
In turn she threw the note aside and stood up to call the others. They needed to know about this and they would know of the dangers ahead. She called them and they came as fast as humanly possible.
"Their dead? Both Giles and Dawn are dead? Who and how could this be?" Willow wondered out loud along with tears flowing down her face.
Xander just sat there in horror struck by the story his best friend just told him. The other potentials had gone back to their hometowns and Faith went back to jail to finish serving her time. As for Robyn Wood, he went back to his hometown to right some wrongs he had there.
"I will meet this William at the park at sunrise and met his demands no matter what the cost. I can't afford to lose you guys either. You two are all I have left." Buffy said with a sigh.
"Sorry B, but I'm gonna have to disagree with that statement." Faith called from behind her.
Buffy turned around to find the other slayer standing there with nothing but a mad look on her face. Willow and Xander stood up and walked over to Faith.
"So, what, we have another vampire on our hands or what B? I'm ready for some ass kicking" she stated.
"Sorry Faith I think what we have is a genuine murderer on our hands. A human that apparently just doesn't mess around. I will met whatever demands are made later just let me work through it first." Buffy said looking at Faith with much appreciation for her being there.
They sat there and talked for a few more hours until it was getting to the point where everyone just feel asleep. There was someone standing out side watching them and protecting them.
"So, Giles and Dawn are dead. What is Buffy going to do now? She is going to have a hard time going through this. I think it's about time I show myself to her and the rest of the gang. Thing is I don't want to be a distraction to anyone." He mumbled out loud.
Sunrise was approaching and so he found a way to wake her up, he got into her dream.
"Buffy...you need to wake up. It's getting to be sunrise. You have to go meet William at the park. Remember?" he called out to her in her sleep.
She awoke with a start and looked outside. Seeing that the sun was coming up she got up and left the others where they were and walked out of the house. Of course she had a stake with her at all times, so she felt protected at the moment. That is until she met up with William.
He was a tall gentlemen who had jet black hair and wore a nice suit with a clean shave. He was groomed to perfection. Buffy just couldn't believe this was the guy that had Giles and Dawn killed. She was really pissed off now, but tried to focus on the matter at hand.
"We finally meet. I get to see the infamous slayer. The one girl that has died more that her time and has lived to see another day." William said with a smirk.
"Okay, I'm here now. Let's get the demands over with and I won't kill you on the spot. I will basically met any of your demands, as will, and I will not surpass anything." Buffy told him.
William smiled at the slayer's interest to do just about anything to save the lives of her other friends. He stood around for a minute or so and just thought to himself. When he made a plan he spoke it out loud.
"You can have you precious watcher and sister back only if you do me a favor. Trust me I have the power to bring them back to you and then erase your memory of what happened." He told her with a smile.
"Depends on the job you want me to perform. You must know the I maybe the slayer, but there are lines that are not meant to be crossed no matter what the situation." She told him.
"All I want you to do is kill a certain vampire for me and all is well. Thing is you know of this vampire very well. You may not have the guts to kill him." he said with a somewhat worried look on his face.
"Name your vampire and they will be dusted by midnight." She said in a stern voice.
With a smile he handed her a piece of paper. She took it and stared at the name and then she drew in a quick breath. Of course she knew this vampire very well, because things is she had fallen in love with him.
"Any other vampire but Angel." She thought to herself fighting back the tears. Then she saw the image of Giles and Dawn and the puddle of blood they were still lying in. A shiver went up her spine, but she knew what she had to do.
With a nod of her head in understanding she turned and walked back to Giles' place. The whole way there she couldn't think straight. She had seemed to lose the awareness of her surroundings. When she got back everyone was standing around waiting for the results.
She walked in the door and put the paper down on the table.
"New plan everyone. We need a plan to kill a vampire, but the vampire we must kill...is Angel. I promised William I would kill him by midnight and he would bring Giles and Dawn back." She said in a small voice.
Everyone just stood around had a very sad look on them. Xander, of course, was all up for killing Angel. Willow understood Buffy and was with her on this and the non-killing way. Faith was always up for a killing, but this was something else. Angel had taken care of her in the past, so she was not up to killing him.
"This is my job. I will not allow anyone to come with me or to change my mind. I want Giles and Dawn back. No matter who or what I have to kill to get them back." The slayer stated to everyone.
No one rejected what Buffy said. They all knew that she was determined to get her watcher and sister back. Everyone agreed so they helped her on a plan on how to kill him. Buffy would bring his necklace back to William to show proof that he was dusted. Thing is they didn't even know where to find him.
"You don't have to look very far to find the vampire your looking for. I'm right here so do your worst because I'm ready for it." Angel said standing in the shadows.
Everyone turned in surprise to find the vampire with a soul standing there in the house. Buffy walked over to him. All she could do was stare at him for the few minutes in awe. He looked down at her and showed a weak smile to her. Then they hugged for the longest time. Buffy was fighting back the tears as she hugged her first love. She could feel her heart beating faster.
"Well look who decided to finally show himself in a somewhat public eye. It's about time you told Buffy you were here." Faith said to him with a smile.
"My apologies for not telling you Buffy. I had to lay low for a while until it was time to show myself. I didn't want you to worry about me." Angel said looking around the room then to his love. "I heard the plan and I'm ready to go on. I have made my decision that you should dust me. Dawn and Giles mean more to you than me. Do me a favor and make it fast though."
Buffy looked at the clock. It read 6:30 in the evening. She swore under her breath and really was not able to kill her lover. He meant more to her than he realized. Just by standing there she wanted to have him again and nothing else meant more to her in that moment in time. They both knew that they couldn't do that again and risk the lives of the remaining scoobies.
"Buffy can we talk outside for a little while" Angel asked her.
With a nod of her head and then looking back at everyone else and them nodding she knew it was okay. They walked out the door and sat on the porch. A loud silence went over them. No one knew what to say or who to talk first. Angel broke the silence by an explanation.
"Buffy, I've been roaming this earth for centuries now. I have seen more than my time and then some. I know that it's hard for you to do what William wants you to do, but I think it's time for me to leave. I don't want to leave this world because of you, but I know that we can't be anymore. I know that you will always love me and I will always love you. I want you to move on with your life and forget about me. Now, you have two people to save. Lets stop stalling and get it over with." He told her never looking at her, but with a serious tone in his voice.
All she could do was look at him as he stood up. She followed him and took out her stake. He handed over the cross that William wanted as proof that Angel was truly dead. Angel turned to face her with nothing or no one to hold him back. Buffy stood in front of him and started to cry as she brought the stake higher. Angel closed his eyes as Buffy ran the stake into his chest where his heart would be.
"Thank you, Buffy." Were his last words to her as he turned to dust.
She stood there and dropped the stake to the ground, but held on the cross. Tears were flowing now as she knelt down to his ashes. She cried until there were no more tears to cry. Then she stood up and took the stake then turned on her heel and walked into the house.
"It's time to go see William now. Everyone is coming with me, please." She said looking around the room.
Everyone got their shoes on and followed Buffy to the park. It was about 11:25 when they entered the park and saw William. Buffy walked up to William and threw down the cross at his feet.
"Well, you actually had the guts to kill the first person you loved to save the lives of those who are close to you. You truly are a good slayer." He said with a smile. "Now it's time for your precious ones to get their life back."
He raised his arms and shouted something to the sky. A bright white light came upon them. Everyone's arms went up to block the brightness. When the light faded no one was left standing but three figures. When their hands went back down to their sides they stood there in awe. Giles, Dawn, and Angel were standing there in the flesh. Willow, Xander, Buffy, and Faith ran over to them to see if it was truly them.
After Buffy had hugged Dawn and Giles she walked over to Angel and he handed her a note. She opened the letter and after a read over she smiled.
Dear Buffy Summers,
Glad to see that you passed my test. My real test is to test the love of true lovers. That is my job title, please don't be mad at me. Your reward is that instead of a vampire lover I have turned him into a normal human. Take good care of him and teach him your ways. He will need to learn how to live like a human again. Once again congratulations on passing your test.
William
Everyone walked over to her and she handed them the letter. Xander was of course not very happy. Willow was always happy for Buffy. Giles just couldn't decide on the emotion. Buffy, well, lets just say she was one of the happiest people on earth that night.
Everyone walked home arm in arm and happy that the other three were safe and sound. Buffy finally had her lover back and he Watcher and her darling little sister.
"So, Buffy what are we gonna do now?" Dawn asked her.