Angel turned the pages rapidly, looking for something that could help him. Or, more accurately, Buffy. She'd been turning into a demon on occasion, and had killed three of her closest friends because they hadn't supported their relationship.
Finally, he found something that might help. It was a detailed story of a Slayer betrayed by her Watcher. She grieved, and suddenly the Watcher turned up dead, poisoned. The Slayer was the cause, in her grief, the feelings of hurt and betrayal grew so strong, and they took over in the form of a demon invading her body. While in this demonic state, it continued; they have no control of what they do. The pages also told of the demon completely taking over. A way to remove the demon was never found. The Council killed the only other Slayer ever affected.
Angel slammed the book shut. "I found it. But it's bad news." Cordy frowned.
"What do you mean bad news? Something worse than killing everyone you know, and turning ugly every few hours? Try me, big boy!" Cordelia flipped through the pages of a large volume on her lap, and Wesley chuckled at his computer.
"Buffy can't be rid of the demon. The ancients never tried to cure the only other slayer ever affected. We're going to have to find out own cure."
"Oh, you mean like last time? Where you two got an all expenses pain vacation to the boonies? I doubt that'll work with this tragedy." Cordelia shut the book she'd been skimming loudly. "There's another one with absolutely nothing in it."
"I'm trying, but there isn't much to go on here, either." Wesley looked defeated.
"I'm going to check on Buffy. She's still pretty upset." Angel set the book he was reading down on the table and opened the door to his room as quietly as possible.
When Angel was out of hearing, Wesley looked at Cordelia. "Why wouldn't a little trip work this time? It seems to me that Buffy's emotions are taking over. She felt betrayed by her friends, because they had gone behind her back and told Angel to leave town, right? Well, if they bond again, maybe she won't feel so empty without him. What's to keep her from staying here, anyway?"
"The Hellmouth. If it wasn't for the number of demons and vamps there, she'd be with Angel still, most likely." Cordelia muttered.
"Why are you in such a bad mood? Don't you like Buffy?"
"I like her just fine. Angel is always in a bad mood when she leaves, which upsets me. And I sort-of felt for Xander. One of the dead ones. I'll never be able to tell him that, now." Wesley nodded, wisely refraining from speech. Cordelia sighed and picked up another book.
"Buffy?" Angel whispered into the dark room. Her still form was curled up under his blankets.
Angel walked over to the bed and sat on the edge, stroking Buffy's hair. She turned around suddenly, her eyes flashing.
"I didn't know you were awake. How are you feeling?" Angel thought there was something strange about her, but he decided against bringing it up.
"How would you be feeling in my position? Empty? Deserted? Betrayed? Or would you just feel nothing? Because it seems like you don't feel anything, Angel. You didn't care about us; you don't care about me now. If you did, you wouldn't have left me. You say you love me, but you don't show it. Not at all." Her cold words stung.
"You don't understand what you're saying. You're tired. Go back to sleep Buffy. We'll talk later."
"Oh, that's just great. I should've guessed. Don't give me the benefit of talking to you about everything you did to me. Let's just pretend you never hurt me, right Angel?" Angel reached for Buffy's hand under the edge of the sheet.
"Listen to me, Buffy -"
"No." She gripped his hand tightly in her own cold one. "You listen to me. I love you. And you are not going to hurt me again. I came here to end it. End everything."
"You're still controlled by the demon, aren't you? Buffy, we can help you. There has to be a cure."
"I don't think so, Angel. It's finally over. Aren't you glad?" Buffy's long nails dug into his flesh.
The vampire fell into a poisoned unconsciousness. "Not for long, though." Buffy finished her thought.
Viciously, she lashed out at a chair, kicking it, smashing it. Long shards of wood covered the rug. Buffy began to cry. She couldn't control herself, and she knew she was going to kill Angel. Picking up the longest piece, Buffy felt the sharp wood cut into her soft tissue. The demon's face smiled. Buffy smiled. And ran the stake into her love's heart. He exploded into dust, and Buffy's face dissolved, the demon now vanquished.
Buffy screamed a long, shrill note of pure pain and loss. Crying without restraint, she turned the stake in on her own heart, and felt in pierce its target. Blackness overtook her, and her last thought was of Angel. They could finally be together. Buffy's limp body fell onto the dust coating the rug.
Cordelia and Wesley ran into the room, afraid for Angel, especially after that scream. The pair took in the bloody scene, the dead Slayer, the vampire dust on the floor, some floating in the air after Buffy's body slammed into the ground. Cordelia screamed. And screamed, and screamed. Wesley led her from the room.
Finally, he found something that might help. It was a detailed story of a Slayer betrayed by her Watcher. She grieved, and suddenly the Watcher turned up dead, poisoned. The Slayer was the cause, in her grief, the feelings of hurt and betrayal grew so strong, and they took over in the form of a demon invading her body. While in this demonic state, it continued; they have no control of what they do. The pages also told of the demon completely taking over. A way to remove the demon was never found. The Council killed the only other Slayer ever affected.
Angel slammed the book shut. "I found it. But it's bad news." Cordy frowned.
"What do you mean bad news? Something worse than killing everyone you know, and turning ugly every few hours? Try me, big boy!" Cordelia flipped through the pages of a large volume on her lap, and Wesley chuckled at his computer.
"Buffy can't be rid of the demon. The ancients never tried to cure the only other slayer ever affected. We're going to have to find out own cure."
"Oh, you mean like last time? Where you two got an all expenses pain vacation to the boonies? I doubt that'll work with this tragedy." Cordelia shut the book she'd been skimming loudly. "There's another one with absolutely nothing in it."
"I'm trying, but there isn't much to go on here, either." Wesley looked defeated.
"I'm going to check on Buffy. She's still pretty upset." Angel set the book he was reading down on the table and opened the door to his room as quietly as possible.
When Angel was out of hearing, Wesley looked at Cordelia. "Why wouldn't a little trip work this time? It seems to me that Buffy's emotions are taking over. She felt betrayed by her friends, because they had gone behind her back and told Angel to leave town, right? Well, if they bond again, maybe she won't feel so empty without him. What's to keep her from staying here, anyway?"
"The Hellmouth. If it wasn't for the number of demons and vamps there, she'd be with Angel still, most likely." Cordelia muttered.
"Why are you in such a bad mood? Don't you like Buffy?"
"I like her just fine. Angel is always in a bad mood when she leaves, which upsets me. And I sort-of felt for Xander. One of the dead ones. I'll never be able to tell him that, now." Wesley nodded, wisely refraining from speech. Cordelia sighed and picked up another book.
"Buffy?" Angel whispered into the dark room. Her still form was curled up under his blankets.
Angel walked over to the bed and sat on the edge, stroking Buffy's hair. She turned around suddenly, her eyes flashing.
"I didn't know you were awake. How are you feeling?" Angel thought there was something strange about her, but he decided against bringing it up.
"How would you be feeling in my position? Empty? Deserted? Betrayed? Or would you just feel nothing? Because it seems like you don't feel anything, Angel. You didn't care about us; you don't care about me now. If you did, you wouldn't have left me. You say you love me, but you don't show it. Not at all." Her cold words stung.
"You don't understand what you're saying. You're tired. Go back to sleep Buffy. We'll talk later."
"Oh, that's just great. I should've guessed. Don't give me the benefit of talking to you about everything you did to me. Let's just pretend you never hurt me, right Angel?" Angel reached for Buffy's hand under the edge of the sheet.
"Listen to me, Buffy -"
"No." She gripped his hand tightly in her own cold one. "You listen to me. I love you. And you are not going to hurt me again. I came here to end it. End everything."
"You're still controlled by the demon, aren't you? Buffy, we can help you. There has to be a cure."
"I don't think so, Angel. It's finally over. Aren't you glad?" Buffy's long nails dug into his flesh.
The vampire fell into a poisoned unconsciousness. "Not for long, though." Buffy finished her thought.
Viciously, she lashed out at a chair, kicking it, smashing it. Long shards of wood covered the rug. Buffy began to cry. She couldn't control herself, and she knew she was going to kill Angel. Picking up the longest piece, Buffy felt the sharp wood cut into her soft tissue. The demon's face smiled. Buffy smiled. And ran the stake into her love's heart. He exploded into dust, and Buffy's face dissolved, the demon now vanquished.
Buffy screamed a long, shrill note of pure pain and loss. Crying without restraint, she turned the stake in on her own heart, and felt in pierce its target. Blackness overtook her, and her last thought was of Angel. They could finally be together. Buffy's limp body fell onto the dust coating the rug.
Cordelia and Wesley ran into the room, afraid for Angel, especially after that scream. The pair took in the bloody scene, the dead Slayer, the vampire dust on the floor, some floating in the air after Buffy's body slammed into the ground. Cordelia screamed. And screamed, and screamed. Wesley led her from the room.