Disclaimer: Only the story belongs to me. "Are you sure" is copyright Willie Nelson, "You set me free" is copyright Michelle Branch, and Buffy and the gang are copyright Joss Whedon, the WB, and so forth. No infringement intended or implied.

Rating: PG (I Guess)

Author's Note: A one-shot look at an alternate ending for "Dead Man's Party," assuming the zombies have already been dealt with, inspired by two of my all time favourite songs.

Dedicated to: Erin, for making me the Buffy freak I am now, and for being my first Beta reader.

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"No, let them go Oz," Willow quipped. "Talking about it isn't helping, we might as well try some violence."

"Fine by me," Buffy replied, as she drew back and clocked Xander. With that, she stormed up the stairs to her room, with her mom and her friends trailing behind her. She locked the door, blocked it with her dresser, and turned on her radio as she made sure her bag was packed. She stopped to listen to the old song, one she had never heard before, tuning out the yells and door-pounding.

"These are your friends

But are they real friends

Do they love you the same as me

Are you sure that this is where you want to be

You seem in such a hurry to live this kind of life

You've caused so many tears and misery

Look around you, take a good look

And tell me what you see

Are you sure that this is where you want to be

Don't let my tears persuade you, I had hoped I wouldn't cry

But lately, teardrops seem a part of me

Oh, look around you, take a good look

At all the lonely used-to-be's

Are you sure that this is where you want to be..."

Buffy sank to her knees, sobbing uncontrollably. "No, this isn't where I want to be. Angel, God, I'm so sorry.If I could just see you one more time, I'd go away with you forever. I don't want to be here anymore."

The voice she'd longed to hear replied from the window. "Buffy?"

"Angel? ANGEL?" She ran to him and held him tight, as if to keep him from escaping again. "Am I dreaming?"

"No. You're not dreaming. I came back for you."

"But how-"

"It doesn't matter. Will you come away with me? We need to leave now."

Buffy looked back at the door, where the pounding and the voices of her mother and friends continued to yell at her and call her name. "Yes, God, yes. Please take me away from here, my Angel."

He gently lifted her and carried her down from the window. He kissed her deeply and tenderly, as a new song played on the radio in her now vacant room.

"'Cause I wanted to fly, so you gave me your wings

And time held its breath so I could see, yeah

And you set me free"

The End