A/N: Okay, new chapter is up. I hope you guys enjoy it. Please don't forget to review, and I'll see you guys next chapter.

Chapter 3

I kicked in the doors to the high school, and wasn't surprised to hear commotion from down the hall. I was, however, surprised when a big hunk of flying fur rammed into me from the side. I grunted and fell to the floor as the creature raked its claws across my chest and snarled in my ear.

Regaining my senses, I socked the animal in the jaw, sending it flying the other way. I stood up, shifting into my game face, ready for a battle, when I halted. Something about the creature seemed familiar…

"Oz?" I said carefully. The werewolf snarled in response and lunged towards me. I hit him mid-jump with a side thrust kick to the chest that pushed him back again. My chest throbbed, and I felt blood drip down my shirt. Goddamn it!

From down the hall, I could hear voices, "Faith, get him!" Was that Willow?

"I don't have time for you," I groaned at the furry creature. He didn't seem to care. He got up again and jumped towards me once more. This time, I caught him in the jaw with a right hook, and my wound screamed in protest to the sudden movements. He fell to the ground, and I slammed my fist into his cranium. He slumped down, and I got the feeling he was going to stay there.

I looked up as the sound of footsteps neared, hissed in frustration, and bolted down the hallway. Behind me, I could hear Willow shout, "There's Oz! Shoot him!" He should keep them busy for a while, I thought.

I continued weaving my way through the halls, looking for any signs of the Slayer. Once she was dead, I could move on to Willow, maybe finish what I started with Giles. And this new Faith character sounded interesting…

Then, I smelled blood. I paused and inhaled deeply. The scent entered my nostrils and made me wrinkle my nose in distaste. This blood had been tampered with. It left a strange chemical taste in my mouth. It definitely didn't belong to a werewolf. So there were two monsters in the building. If I found this one, maybe I'd find Buffy.

I followed the trail to a window near the ceiling. I jumped up and grabbed the edge, then crawled through the small opening onto the roof. I jumped off and looked around. My eyes focused on a door to a supply room. The lights were on inside, and the smell of blood was stronger – both the chemical one from the hallway, and regular, human blood.

"All the same! You're all the same!" I heard someone screech inside, as well as shouts and grunts from a girl. It was then that I recognized the smell of the blood. It was Buffy's.

Without thinking, I burst through the door, practically knocking it off its hinges. Buffy was on the ground, getting pummeled by some veiny creep with long fingernails.

Time seemed to freeze. I realized that he was going to kill her. I could see it in his face; he wasn't holding back, and Buffy seemed off her game.

He was going to kill Buffy. Why did that bug me?

Oh, yeah. Because that was my job.

I launched into action just as Buffy kicked the guy back into some crates. The wood crashed and splintered as his body collided with it. Buffy struggled to her feet but failed, falling back to the ground. The creature emerged from the wooden wreckage.

I rushed forward swung my fist around. It collided with his temple, making his head jerk to the side. Before he had time to react, I caught his left cheek with my other fist. He fell to his knees, and I took the opportunity to knee him in the throat. As he fell onto his back, I swung my leg up in a high arc and brought my heel down, aiming for his nose. He rolled out of the way just in time, and my heel connected to the hard floor, sending pain shooting up my leg. I gritted my teeth and spun around just in time to feel clawed hands wrap around my throat and push me backward.

The creep bent me over a crate. He bared his teeth at me and hissed, "Are you that whore's boyfriend? I'll tear her to shreds once I'm finished with you."

I let loose a roar and socked him in the nose. His grip loosened when he snapped his head back, and I quickly kicked his kneecap with all the strength I could muster. A sickening CRACK filled the air, and he howled in pain as his leg gave out.

I lunged forward and circled behind him. Then, I wrapped my arm around his neck, trapping him in a headlock. I jerked my arm to the side. There was another CRACK, his head lolled forward, and he went limp.

Behind me, I heard the scuffling of shoes, and I remembered Buffy. Letting the body drop to the ground, I turned slowly to see her. She had climbed to her feet while I was dealing with Veiny Boy. Her golden hair had been pulled into a bun, and a few loose strands hung in front of her face. A thin line of blood dribbled down her chin from a cut on her lip. Her large, black-rimmed eyes were staring at me in shock. Her mouth opened and closed a few times, and finally, she was able to say, "Angel?"

She took an uncertain step towards me. I saw tears glimmer in her eyes. "You're alive," she whispered.

Hunger gleamed in my eyes and a smirk curled my lip. This was the moment I'd been waiting for. I was going to relish every second of it. Carefully, took a step forward, my face morphing back into its regular human features. I quietly assessed her demeanor while planning exactly how to play this out.

She had just gotten a nice beating from Veiny Boy, and was saved by her supposedly dead boyfriend. Understandably, she'd be a bit confused as to what to do. She wouldn't be thinking clearly enough to be cautious. I could use that to my advantage.

I played with my features to make myself seem hurt, confused. I squinted and furrowed my brow, as if I couldn't belief what I was seeing. "Buffy…" I said, making my voice choke with emotion. "I…I had to be here. I had to come back for you."

"What are you doing here?" Her voice was barely audible, but I heard it shake.

"I couldn't stay away, Buffy," I said, starting to walk towards her. Soon, I was close enough to touch her, to hear her heartbeat. "You brought me back. I love you so much."

Then, clarity spread across her face. I don't know what it was, but she saw something, or felt something, that she didn't like. "Angelus." Her voice trembled.

I couldn't stop the wicked grin from spreading across my face. "Oops," I said, before delivering a quick uppercut to her jaw. She stumbled backwards, and grabbed hold of a crate for balance. She looked up, her eyes full of horror.

"How are you here? How is this happening?" she stammered, trying to steady herself. I was getting the perfect reaction. She reeked of instability.

"You set me free, Buff," I said, casually stepping towards her. I continued thoughtfully, "What I don't understand is how I only came back once you decided that I wasn't important enough to think about anymore. I mean, you make the only guy who ever cared about you think that you love him, and then shove a sword in his gut. You'd think that something like that would stick with a person, but no." I shrugged nonchalantly. "I guess you're just not human enough to care."

"This isn't happening. You're not real," Buffy said frantically.

"I'm the only real thing you've got, sweetheart. I'm the only person who ever understood you. You think you can get rid of me so easily?" My voice began to rise, and I found myself growing angry. "Do you think that stabbing me in the stomach will make me go away? No. I'll always be here, lover. Even if I'm just a thought in the back of your mind, I'll never leave you alone."

She tried to stare at me unwaveringly, to appear strong, but tears rolled down her cheek. This was destroying her. I was supposed to enjoy this, but her tears only made me madder. "You're not Angel. Angel is dead," she stated, tears choking up her words.

My eyes flared with wrath. "We'll see how dead you think I am when I'm draining every drop of – ack!" Sharp pain went shooting through my skull. My step faltered, and I clutched my head in between my hands. Memories force themselves through my mind, trapping me inside them.

I see Buffy slowly dancing by herself in the music room. A gun is in her hand, and she sobs quietly as she lifts it into her mouth.

I come forward and push it down. I can't control myself. The actions aren't mine.

Buffy turns around and stares at me, eyes wide and tear-filled. "Grace!" she whispered.

"Don't do this," I say.

"But – but I killed you," she stammered.

"It was an accident. It wasn't your fault."

"It is my fault. How could I…"

"Shh," I say. I'm not the one who's talking, but as I say the words, something stirs inside of me. Thoughts and emotions that should have been gone. "I'm the one who should be sorry, James. You thought I stopped loving you, but I never did. I loved you with my last breath."

I love you.

The words twisted painfully in my mind. I was vaguely aware that Buffy had taken the moment to grab a jagged block of wood.

I love you.

I gasped painfully and fell to my knees. The memories replayed in my head. Not just that night in the music room, but every moment we spent together, every kiss we shared.

I love you. I love you. I love you.

Everything hurt. Just existing in that world was more painful than anything. Being there, facing Buffy…it was worse than Hell.

I love you. I love you.

"I love you," I choked painfully as the sentence kept spinning around my mind.

"What?"

Buffy's voice brought me back into reality. She was standing before me, stake in hand, ready to strike, but my words had frozen her in place. I suddenly realized what I had said.

Crap. I hadn't meant that. I was just in the memory – I didn't mean it like that! I thought frantically, but Buffy was still in shock. Her eyes were locked onto mine, her brow furrowed in confusion.

But didn't I mean it? My mind was still reeling, and there was a pounding in my head.

"I can't do this. Not now, not like this," I muttered. I made to get up, but Buffy raised the stake threateningly.

"I'll do it," she said sharply.

I sighed, "Buffy…"

Suddenly, the door opened again, revealing Willow and a dark-haired girl with a tranquilizer gun. "Buffy, we found Oz," said Willow. "Did you –" She stopped mid-sentence when she caught sight of me.

No. This couldn't be happening. It was too much. I leapt to my feet and pushed Buffy to the side before sprinting for the exit. Willow and the other girl were too shocked to do anything as I shoved passed them and ran out the door. "Faith, shoot him!" I heard Buffy cry. There was the sound of something being fired, and I felt something sharp hit my lower back, but I was too full of adrenaline to care.

I was already at the nearest cemetery before I started to feel the effects of the dart. I started to slow and stumble along the grass, my movements sloppy and lethargic. I struggled into a crypt and collapsed onto the stone floor. Everything felt meshed together, and my eyelids became heavy. Before I knew it, everything was black.