A few hours remained until the sun would shine again over the town of Sunnydale. The yellow 'DO NOT CROSS' tape wrapped around every corner of the Sunnydale Museum. The police had long since vanished, having combed the area for clues as to what lead to the destruction around them. In the end though, they came to the same conclusion as they had several nights before. A juvenile prank, involving a pipe bomb, taken too far.

The dark figure sidestepped the tape, and made his way into the decimated building, stepping over piles of rubble from where the monster known as Monolith had rampaged a few hours earlier.

Producing a brown satchel, he poured blood, creating a large circle on the floor. He then produced another brown satchel, this one holding thick black ash. Sprinkling the ash within the circle, he began to recite an incantation in the long lost language of the Druids.

Once completed, he stepped back and waited. The waiting seemed to take forever, and he wondered if he had done the incantation correctly. His thoughts were answered as the wind picked up and he saw dust gather within the blood circle.

There was a brilliant flash, and he saw her floating within the circle, her naked form outstretched. Once the light subsided, she fell to the ground unmoving. He stepped forward, removed his coat, and draped it over her.

"Are you okay?" He asked as he helped her to her feet.

"Yes." Cassandra slowly stood, and looked around. "How long have I been dead?"

"Two or three hours." He answered. "Are your powers intact?"

"Not at the moment." She answered truthfully. "It will be a while before I am at full strength." She then looked him in the eye, reaching up and touching his face. "I knew you wouldn't forget your debt to me Angelus." Angel reflexively flinched at her touch.

"No. I didn't forget."

"What kind of hold does she have over you." Cassandra asked. She was clearly hurt by Angel's withdrawal. He was about to answer her when the voice cut the nighttime air behind him.

"Well isn't this cozy."

Angel turned and felt the world stop when he saw her standing there. He so badly wanted to tell her that it wasn't what she thought it was, but ultimately knew it would make no difference.

"Buffy." Was all he could manage to say.

Buffy stood there silent for the longest time. So many emotions played in her head. She wanted to scream in rage, and curse his name a thousand times over, but all she could choke out in the end was, "I thought I knew you." With that she turned and walked out of the museum.

He wanted to run after her. Apologize for being such an idiot. For not seeing how foolish his actions were, when just a few nights ago, he was forced to play that awful game with Faith. He was about to go after her when he felt Cassandra's hand on his shoulder.

"Let her go Angelus." She said soothingly. "You belong with us. Your own kind." Slowly she slipped his coat from her shoulders so that she now stood naked behind him. "Everything can be as it was before."

"Cassandra." His head dropped and an audible sigh escaped his lips. "A long time ago you saved my life." His head rose. "I told you I would repay the debt I owed you some day, and raise you from the dead, if you were ever killed." His actions were fast and blinding as he spun and slammed the stake into her heart. "But I never said how long I would let you live." Cassandra looked up in shock as her form dissolved into ash. "Consider the debt paid in full."

Angel stood still for several minutes. Almost as if he expected her to rise again. He then picked his coat from the ground, and disappeared before the sun rose over the horizon.