A/N: I am so sorry I decided on continuing this. I know it has a lot of timeline problems, but since this has two past stories attached, I guess I can call it my own little AU. I'm not sure how many parts this one is going to end up as. It depends on how lazy I am and how much homework I have this weekend and next week. If I have a total brainstorm, it'll probably be done around the middle of the week after next. No promises! Once again, if this is lacking your fave character, (Anya, Xander, Riley, etc...), or your favorite character is Willow, Buffy, or Angel, and I've totally chopped up their personality, or said something they would NEVER have, I apologize. I'm not funny enough to think up of lines for Xander, Riley pisses me off to no end, and it's just I've never really paid attention to the newer episodes I've seen, and I haven't had much time to see any of the newest ones. Is Anya even still a part of Buffy? I promise I'll try to see a recent ep of BTVS. Really! ;)
Oh, as a side note, pretend that's a night class or something, ok? I had to use that beginning!
Buffy sighed and laid her head on the table. Willow nudged the blonde sharply. Buffy's head popped up, and the teacher glared at the student. Buffy ignored her, and smiled lightly at Willow. The bell rang, and the girls gathered their pencils and paper, cramming them into book-bags.
"Buffy, don't act like everything is ok. I know you feel really down about this Angel thing-" Buffy turned sharply to stare at her dense best friend.
"No, Will. I told you, I got over this before. I can do it again. Angel will come back. I know it. He just has to be normal again. We're destined." Buffy looked so sure of this, Willow tried not to cry over the complete impossibility of the relationship.
"But what if it takes 10 or 20 more years? Buff, you don't exactly have all the time in the world here. I wish I could tell you everything was going to end up super, like in Romeo and Juliet, but that's not the case."
Buffy didn't have the heart to correct Willow's mistake. She had seen something, and he wasn't going to get away this time. Willow watched Buffy dash off down a hall. "Buffy! Where are you going? Hey, wait up!" The redhead Wicca dashed after her friend.
'You are not going to hide this time, I'll catch you, and you can bet on it.' Buffy tried not to show her unusual speed as she chased the dark figure out of the doors and into the field. She was gaining on it, and as soon as she was close enough, she leapt onto its back.
The figure didn't make a sound, but was thrown to the ground rather violently by Buffy. "Why are you watching me? Who are you, and what do you want with me?" Buffy straddled the person and turned them over rather abruptly.
"Angel?"
Willow dashed onto the field, and bent over, her hands resting on her knees. She panted, and looked over at Buffy on the darkly dressed man. Buffy's back was blocking the view of a face, but Willow had a hunch. The only thing she was having a hard time believing was that Buffy was able to catch up to the vampire so quickly. 'I mean, come on, aren't they supposed to have super strength? What is he doing here anyway?' Willow caught her breath, and walked over. She steeled herself for the screaming match that was sure to come next.
Buffy stared in disbelief. How could he be back? It had only been about 2 weeks since Angel had left her the brief note, and disappeared again. 'The note that I lamely carry around with me.' The small teen reminded her. She could almost feel his eyes burning through her jean pocket, where it was. "What are you doing here? After last time..." Buffy trailed that thought, not wanting to dwell on their painful past, filled with separation.
"There's a problem. In LA. I would've called, only-"
Buffy looked at him suspiciously. There was more going on here than the vampire was letting on. 'And why was he in such a hurry to get away if he needed my help?' "Not here. Can we go somewhere?" Buffy looked around casually.
"Don't you have class?" Angel looked at the dreary brick building fleetingly.
"Not anymore." Buffy waved to Willow, who was now walking toward them. 'My life is such a soap-opera,' Buffy thought as she walked off with the tall man of the high school campus. 'Maybe if it didn't always end up a tragedy, I wouldn't mind so much...'
PART TWO
Angel walked with his hands thrust deep into his pockets. He was brooding again. 'I know this is going to be hard. I will stay away from her.' Something told him, though, that that would never happen.
"So what's up?" Buffy looked up. The pair was walking down a narrow street, covered with garbage and debris, behind some old, abandoned buildings.
"It's a problem with the Oracles. There is some sort of tear in the space between dimensions. People were calling in about a tear in the sky. It was just- there- one day. People disappeared inside it. Doyle and I checked it out. It's just the Oracles. They didn't say what was going on, only that it was destined. Cordy suggested we talk to you and Giles, well, she suggested we talk to Giles, so we're here. Only I knew where to find you, so-"
"Yeah. That sounds pretty average. Will and Giles will probably come back with you, and they can do it. I'm not sure, but it isn't that big of a deal, you know, just a little problem. No baddies?"
"Actually, we only lost a few buildings, some with people. But it isn't opening that fast-"
"What! What are you waiting for? Let's go!" Buffy grabbed Angel's arm and dragged him down the street faster.
**On a train**
Buffy sighed and faced the window. She looked over at Angel. He was sleeping peacefully. Now that she was so close, she could see the dark circles under his eyes. He obviously hadn't been sleeping. Restlessly, she tried to get more comfortable on the seat. This was going to be a long trip, and she wasn't looking forward to the explaining she was going to have to do.
"Angel, wake up." Buffy shook the undead man lightly.
"Hmm. Just a second..." Angel turned, and Buffy smiled. He reminded her of a child getting up for school.
"No, hon, we have to go." Buffy gently pulled Angel off of the seat by his arm. We're in LA. Time to get back to business." Angel groaned and stood. Buffy led the way out of the train.
**Back inside Angel Investigations**
Angel opened the door and flipped on the lights. "Home sweet home." He said dryly.
"I always liked this place." Buffy smiled and flopped into the couch.
Angel glanced at the clock. Do you want to get started, or sleep on it? It is kind-of late..."
"God, I was hoping to start, but I'm exhausted. And you need sleep, too. Do you have a shirt or something I can borrow?"
"Oh yeah, sure." Had Angel been human, he would've blushed. He felt stupid he hadn't though of it before. They're in the top drawer in my bedroom dresser.
Buffy smiled. "Thanks." She turned to go into the room, but stopped, and faced Angel again.
"This is going to be really awkward, isn't it?" Buffy's smiling face was gone, replaced by one of sorrow. Maybe regret. Angel couldn't tell. He'd never really been good at reading emotions.
"I...I hope you don't feel that way. But we'll have our moments." Angel tried to fake a smile, but couldn't. His face felt as stiff as stone.
"We always do, don't we?" Buffy, much better in the faking department, smiled grimly, and turned, disappearing into the bedroom.
Buffy looked carefully at the bed and furniture in Angel's dark room. Everything was pretty much the same that it'd been when she last visited. Buffy looked at the bed for a long time, just staring at the white sheets, and the neatness of it. She tried not to see Darla in it, under the covers with her Angel. Shuddering, she hurried to the dresser and pulled out a tee shirt. Something fell out of the pocket, and fluttered to the ground. Buffy bent to pick it up, leaving the drawer open, she retrieved what felt like shiny paper, and something crinkling, and bumped her head on the sharp corner of the open drawer. Crying out in pain, she sat back down, and touched the lump on her head carefully.
Angel ran into the room. "What happened?" He spotted Buffy on the floor, holding her head and grimacing in pain.
"I bumped my head on that drawer. Something dropped from you shirt, and I didn't look out." Buffy felt something trickle down her scalp.
"I'm sure I'll be fine." She glanced at the paper. It was a photograph. Of herself, and Angel, kissing in broad daylight. She didn't remember it at all, and blinked, trying to explain it. It had to be impossible. Wasn't it? Checking the back of the photo, she saw what had made the crinkling sound. It was some drawing paper. A picture of them, again, only it wasn't as happy an image. Angel was holding her, and she was sobbing, looking like someone was dying.
"Angel, what is this? When did it happen?" Buffy looked confused, her brow was wrinkled as she stared at the pictures.
"Um, it's nothing. Just a picture of us." Quickly, Angel scooped Buffy off the floor, and took the pictures from her hands, placing them in the drawer and shutting it.
Buffy grabbed Angel's arm. "No, it is not nothing. I'd like to know why we are in the sun, on a day I can't seem to remember. Look at my hair! This was recently. In fact, I was wearing my hair like that on Thanksgiving last year, wasn't I? Even that outfit is the same. But it couldn't be that day. We talked for about ten minutes max! Where did it come from, Angel? What are you trying to hide?"
Angel looked hurt. "Is it better to forget and be happy, or remember and be sad? I don't remember who said that, but I know that you'd rather be happy. Trust me." Angel sighed, and sat on the bed, motioning to Buffy to sit by him.
Feeling small and clueless, Buffy sat on his lap instead, leaning back slightly. "I want to know. And why don't I remember? How could I forget something like that? If it ever did happen."
Angel smiled, in spite of what Buffy was about to hear. Her hair smelled good, and she comforted him. "It was last year. Thanksgiving. That morning, I'd received my soul. Permanently." Buffy turned sharply, feeling betrayed he hadn't told her.
"Just listen." She relaxed a little, and Angel continued. "I went to see you, and we were happy. You know, and made everything better between us." Buffy raised an eyebrow. So that picture was before, when you told me. That still doesn't say why-"
"I know. After, we went to fight a demon. Buffy, I... I couldn't help! I was a mortal, just as bad as Xander. Oh, sorry." Buffy just nodded, to signal him to go on.
"I watched you die. I knew that the only reason for me to be alive was you. I went to the Oracles. I begged them to give you back your life, to let you live again. They granted me this wish, but for a price. I had to go back to being undead. My life for yours. I told them yes." Buffy stiffened again.
"The world needs you, Buffy. I didn't want to live without you, anyway. They also wiped out everyone's memory but mine. I was so glad for the picture, because it was the only thing to comfort my memory, being in the sun, having a beating heart. But I wouldn't change it. It's supposed to be this way."
"How...how could you keep talking to me! When I didn't even remember, I was so cold to you that day! Why didn't you tell me right when you had the chance?" Buffy slumped into his arms, crying lightly over the loss of a day so precious, but unable to remember, for everything she had.
"I just had to take comfort in the fact that even though you denied it, you still felt for me. I was happy enough knowing that." Angel wiped her damp cheek with his cold hand.
"But I wish, if only those bastards let me remember, too. Things would be so different right now! Wait a minute. Why do you get to choose who's more important? I should've died Angel. I wish I did. I don't even want to know how terrible I must've made you feel. I did everything to hurt you, because you hurt me. I only wanted to prove I didn't love you, even when I did. How can you bear to look at me?" Buffy tried to free herself from Angel's arms, but he held her tight.
"Because I don't matter in the large view. You do." Angel said softly, into her ear.
"No! You deserved it! I didn't. I still don't. I feel sick inside, causing that much grief, just to get back at you. I'm an evil bitch. I know why you left. You were right, I don't deserve it. To be loved, I mean. How can I? After everything?" Buffy cupped her face in her hands, and sobbed her grief of the lost day, and Angel's heartbreak into them.
"I can deal with it, Buffy. I always have. I shouldn't have you because I can't be selfish like that. To ask you to disregard everything your family and friends think, to make you choose is wrong. I knew I had to leave."
"I don't care what they think!" Buffy wailed. "I told you that! But you didn't love me enough to believe me. I don't deserve it anyway."
"No. I love you too much to let you waste your youth on me. It may be years before I can shanshu again."
"And it may be weeks. Can't you see I don't care? That I love you so much it wouldn't matter to me?"
"You think that now. You'll change your mind. What about that guy, what's his name? Riley. He needs you more than I do, Buffy."
"But I don't love him! I can't love anyone like I do you! Why can't you understand?" Buffy was nearly screaming now.
"Shh. Calm down. It's ok." He stroked her hair from her eyes. She looked at his hand, at the silver claddagh adorning it.
She reached out and grabbed it, her heart tearing as she saw its position. Turned in.
"Darla?" She asked quietly, her throat becoming scratchy with the promise of more tears.
"What?" He followed her eyes. "No. You." Buffy, the tears gradually slowing, kissed his hand softly, and showed him her ring, still on her slim hand.
Angel smiled, kissing the top of her head, and examining her cut. It hadn't bled very much, and it was already dry. "Are you still my girl?" He whispered into her hair.
Buffy smiled back, her tears evaporating like rain. "Always." Emotionally exhausted, Buffy fell asleep moments later in the arms of her Angel.
Oh, as a side note, pretend that's a night class or something, ok? I had to use that beginning!
Buffy sighed and laid her head on the table. Willow nudged the blonde sharply. Buffy's head popped up, and the teacher glared at the student. Buffy ignored her, and smiled lightly at Willow. The bell rang, and the girls gathered their pencils and paper, cramming them into book-bags.
"Buffy, don't act like everything is ok. I know you feel really down about this Angel thing-" Buffy turned sharply to stare at her dense best friend.
"No, Will. I told you, I got over this before. I can do it again. Angel will come back. I know it. He just has to be normal again. We're destined." Buffy looked so sure of this, Willow tried not to cry over the complete impossibility of the relationship.
"But what if it takes 10 or 20 more years? Buff, you don't exactly have all the time in the world here. I wish I could tell you everything was going to end up super, like in Romeo and Juliet, but that's not the case."
Buffy didn't have the heart to correct Willow's mistake. She had seen something, and he wasn't going to get away this time. Willow watched Buffy dash off down a hall. "Buffy! Where are you going? Hey, wait up!" The redhead Wicca dashed after her friend.
'You are not going to hide this time, I'll catch you, and you can bet on it.' Buffy tried not to show her unusual speed as she chased the dark figure out of the doors and into the field. She was gaining on it, and as soon as she was close enough, she leapt onto its back.
The figure didn't make a sound, but was thrown to the ground rather violently by Buffy. "Why are you watching me? Who are you, and what do you want with me?" Buffy straddled the person and turned them over rather abruptly.
"Angel?"
Willow dashed onto the field, and bent over, her hands resting on her knees. She panted, and looked over at Buffy on the darkly dressed man. Buffy's back was blocking the view of a face, but Willow had a hunch. The only thing she was having a hard time believing was that Buffy was able to catch up to the vampire so quickly. 'I mean, come on, aren't they supposed to have super strength? What is he doing here anyway?' Willow caught her breath, and walked over. She steeled herself for the screaming match that was sure to come next.
Buffy stared in disbelief. How could he be back? It had only been about 2 weeks since Angel had left her the brief note, and disappeared again. 'The note that I lamely carry around with me.' The small teen reminded her. She could almost feel his eyes burning through her jean pocket, where it was. "What are you doing here? After last time..." Buffy trailed that thought, not wanting to dwell on their painful past, filled with separation.
"There's a problem. In LA. I would've called, only-"
Buffy looked at him suspiciously. There was more going on here than the vampire was letting on. 'And why was he in such a hurry to get away if he needed my help?' "Not here. Can we go somewhere?" Buffy looked around casually.
"Don't you have class?" Angel looked at the dreary brick building fleetingly.
"Not anymore." Buffy waved to Willow, who was now walking toward them. 'My life is such a soap-opera,' Buffy thought as she walked off with the tall man of the high school campus. 'Maybe if it didn't always end up a tragedy, I wouldn't mind so much...'
PART TWO
Angel walked with his hands thrust deep into his pockets. He was brooding again. 'I know this is going to be hard. I will stay away from her.' Something told him, though, that that would never happen.
"So what's up?" Buffy looked up. The pair was walking down a narrow street, covered with garbage and debris, behind some old, abandoned buildings.
"It's a problem with the Oracles. There is some sort of tear in the space between dimensions. People were calling in about a tear in the sky. It was just- there- one day. People disappeared inside it. Doyle and I checked it out. It's just the Oracles. They didn't say what was going on, only that it was destined. Cordy suggested we talk to you and Giles, well, she suggested we talk to Giles, so we're here. Only I knew where to find you, so-"
"Yeah. That sounds pretty average. Will and Giles will probably come back with you, and they can do it. I'm not sure, but it isn't that big of a deal, you know, just a little problem. No baddies?"
"Actually, we only lost a few buildings, some with people. But it isn't opening that fast-"
"What! What are you waiting for? Let's go!" Buffy grabbed Angel's arm and dragged him down the street faster.
**On a train**
Buffy sighed and faced the window. She looked over at Angel. He was sleeping peacefully. Now that she was so close, she could see the dark circles under his eyes. He obviously hadn't been sleeping. Restlessly, she tried to get more comfortable on the seat. This was going to be a long trip, and she wasn't looking forward to the explaining she was going to have to do.
"Angel, wake up." Buffy shook the undead man lightly.
"Hmm. Just a second..." Angel turned, and Buffy smiled. He reminded her of a child getting up for school.
"No, hon, we have to go." Buffy gently pulled Angel off of the seat by his arm. We're in LA. Time to get back to business." Angel groaned and stood. Buffy led the way out of the train.
**Back inside Angel Investigations**
Angel opened the door and flipped on the lights. "Home sweet home." He said dryly.
"I always liked this place." Buffy smiled and flopped into the couch.
Angel glanced at the clock. Do you want to get started, or sleep on it? It is kind-of late..."
"God, I was hoping to start, but I'm exhausted. And you need sleep, too. Do you have a shirt or something I can borrow?"
"Oh yeah, sure." Had Angel been human, he would've blushed. He felt stupid he hadn't though of it before. They're in the top drawer in my bedroom dresser.
Buffy smiled. "Thanks." She turned to go into the room, but stopped, and faced Angel again.
"This is going to be really awkward, isn't it?" Buffy's smiling face was gone, replaced by one of sorrow. Maybe regret. Angel couldn't tell. He'd never really been good at reading emotions.
"I...I hope you don't feel that way. But we'll have our moments." Angel tried to fake a smile, but couldn't. His face felt as stiff as stone.
"We always do, don't we?" Buffy, much better in the faking department, smiled grimly, and turned, disappearing into the bedroom.
Buffy looked carefully at the bed and furniture in Angel's dark room. Everything was pretty much the same that it'd been when she last visited. Buffy looked at the bed for a long time, just staring at the white sheets, and the neatness of it. She tried not to see Darla in it, under the covers with her Angel. Shuddering, she hurried to the dresser and pulled out a tee shirt. Something fell out of the pocket, and fluttered to the ground. Buffy bent to pick it up, leaving the drawer open, she retrieved what felt like shiny paper, and something crinkling, and bumped her head on the sharp corner of the open drawer. Crying out in pain, she sat back down, and touched the lump on her head carefully.
Angel ran into the room. "What happened?" He spotted Buffy on the floor, holding her head and grimacing in pain.
"I bumped my head on that drawer. Something dropped from you shirt, and I didn't look out." Buffy felt something trickle down her scalp.
"I'm sure I'll be fine." She glanced at the paper. It was a photograph. Of herself, and Angel, kissing in broad daylight. She didn't remember it at all, and blinked, trying to explain it. It had to be impossible. Wasn't it? Checking the back of the photo, she saw what had made the crinkling sound. It was some drawing paper. A picture of them, again, only it wasn't as happy an image. Angel was holding her, and she was sobbing, looking like someone was dying.
"Angel, what is this? When did it happen?" Buffy looked confused, her brow was wrinkled as she stared at the pictures.
"Um, it's nothing. Just a picture of us." Quickly, Angel scooped Buffy off the floor, and took the pictures from her hands, placing them in the drawer and shutting it.
Buffy grabbed Angel's arm. "No, it is not nothing. I'd like to know why we are in the sun, on a day I can't seem to remember. Look at my hair! This was recently. In fact, I was wearing my hair like that on Thanksgiving last year, wasn't I? Even that outfit is the same. But it couldn't be that day. We talked for about ten minutes max! Where did it come from, Angel? What are you trying to hide?"
Angel looked hurt. "Is it better to forget and be happy, or remember and be sad? I don't remember who said that, but I know that you'd rather be happy. Trust me." Angel sighed, and sat on the bed, motioning to Buffy to sit by him.
Feeling small and clueless, Buffy sat on his lap instead, leaning back slightly. "I want to know. And why don't I remember? How could I forget something like that? If it ever did happen."
Angel smiled, in spite of what Buffy was about to hear. Her hair smelled good, and she comforted him. "It was last year. Thanksgiving. That morning, I'd received my soul. Permanently." Buffy turned sharply, feeling betrayed he hadn't told her.
"Just listen." She relaxed a little, and Angel continued. "I went to see you, and we were happy. You know, and made everything better between us." Buffy raised an eyebrow. So that picture was before, when you told me. That still doesn't say why-"
"I know. After, we went to fight a demon. Buffy, I... I couldn't help! I was a mortal, just as bad as Xander. Oh, sorry." Buffy just nodded, to signal him to go on.
"I watched you die. I knew that the only reason for me to be alive was you. I went to the Oracles. I begged them to give you back your life, to let you live again. They granted me this wish, but for a price. I had to go back to being undead. My life for yours. I told them yes." Buffy stiffened again.
"The world needs you, Buffy. I didn't want to live without you, anyway. They also wiped out everyone's memory but mine. I was so glad for the picture, because it was the only thing to comfort my memory, being in the sun, having a beating heart. But I wouldn't change it. It's supposed to be this way."
"How...how could you keep talking to me! When I didn't even remember, I was so cold to you that day! Why didn't you tell me right when you had the chance?" Buffy slumped into his arms, crying lightly over the loss of a day so precious, but unable to remember, for everything she had.
"I just had to take comfort in the fact that even though you denied it, you still felt for me. I was happy enough knowing that." Angel wiped her damp cheek with his cold hand.
"But I wish, if only those bastards let me remember, too. Things would be so different right now! Wait a minute. Why do you get to choose who's more important? I should've died Angel. I wish I did. I don't even want to know how terrible I must've made you feel. I did everything to hurt you, because you hurt me. I only wanted to prove I didn't love you, even when I did. How can you bear to look at me?" Buffy tried to free herself from Angel's arms, but he held her tight.
"Because I don't matter in the large view. You do." Angel said softly, into her ear.
"No! You deserved it! I didn't. I still don't. I feel sick inside, causing that much grief, just to get back at you. I'm an evil bitch. I know why you left. You were right, I don't deserve it. To be loved, I mean. How can I? After everything?" Buffy cupped her face in her hands, and sobbed her grief of the lost day, and Angel's heartbreak into them.
"I can deal with it, Buffy. I always have. I shouldn't have you because I can't be selfish like that. To ask you to disregard everything your family and friends think, to make you choose is wrong. I knew I had to leave."
"I don't care what they think!" Buffy wailed. "I told you that! But you didn't love me enough to believe me. I don't deserve it anyway."
"No. I love you too much to let you waste your youth on me. It may be years before I can shanshu again."
"And it may be weeks. Can't you see I don't care? That I love you so much it wouldn't matter to me?"
"You think that now. You'll change your mind. What about that guy, what's his name? Riley. He needs you more than I do, Buffy."
"But I don't love him! I can't love anyone like I do you! Why can't you understand?" Buffy was nearly screaming now.
"Shh. Calm down. It's ok." He stroked her hair from her eyes. She looked at his hand, at the silver claddagh adorning it.
She reached out and grabbed it, her heart tearing as she saw its position. Turned in.
"Darla?" She asked quietly, her throat becoming scratchy with the promise of more tears.
"What?" He followed her eyes. "No. You." Buffy, the tears gradually slowing, kissed his hand softly, and showed him her ring, still on her slim hand.
Angel smiled, kissing the top of her head, and examining her cut. It hadn't bled very much, and it was already dry. "Are you still my girl?" He whispered into her hair.
Buffy smiled back, her tears evaporating like rain. "Always." Emotionally exhausted, Buffy fell asleep moments later in the arms of her Angel.