CHAPTER 3

Historical Note: This story takes place during the seventh season of Buffy, during the series finale.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from either Buffy or Angel; although I wish I did!!

Authors Note: After watching the final episode of Buffy, I was a little disappointed that Angel wasn't there for the actual battle, so I decided to re-write the last episode including Angel in the final battle. Otherwise, everything else is the same. Also, since it broke my heart to see Xander's eye get gouged out, I'm just going to pretend it never happened!

Summary: The apocalypse is drawing dangerously close for Buffy and the group, and with the potential slayers being killed off one by one, both Buffy and Faith are realizing this time both slayers may be in over their head.

Then all of a sudden, someone from Buffy's past comes to help them with the fight; causing old feelings to stir. Faced with what seems to be the final battle; Buffy is forced to face her past as well as her greatest love; as he joins her in the last battle.

Disclaimer II: A good amount; not all, but a good amount came from a book called 'Chosen.' I just wanted to make a note of that. I'm not trying to pass this whole story as being all my idea, obviously. But the idea of having Angel stay there for the fight was in fact mine, so there!

"Ok, here's the plan for tonight," she told him as she walked into the dining room. "We rest up. Tomorrow's the last day before the battle, and I need everyone rested and ready," she told them.

"Sounds good to me," Anya said before walking out of the room.

"Me too. Goodnight," Xander said before quickly following Anya out of the room. Buffy looked around the room; her gaze stopped at Angel. The site of him hurt her more then she could bare. Everything was screwed up now for her. She felt she had to choose between Spike and Angel, and she didn't want to have to choose one of them over the other.

"I'll be outside," she told them as she began towards the door, and quickly disappeared out into the darkness. Giles, Willow and Angel watched worriedly as Buffy closed the door.

"I can see nothing's changed around here for the lack of excitement," Angel said as he turned back around towards the other.

"Actually, quite a lot has...." Willow trailed off and stopped. She wasn't sure if Angel knew about Spike and Buffy's relationship, and she wasn't about to be the one to tell him.

"Forget I said anything," she told him quickly. She looked back and fourth at Giles and Angel. "Wow would you look at that. It's getting late, and I...Goodnight," she said as she got up quickly and left the room.

"Like I said," Angel said after Willow left. The two then fell silent for a few moments.

"You should probably go check on her," Giles told Angel as he looked back towards the front door.

"Good idea," Angel agreed.

"She really needs someone that she's...close too to talk to her right now," Giles told him. "She's got a lot on her mind right now, and I have a feeling by you talking with her will help," he told Angel. Angel smiled.

"Thanks," he told him before walking towards the front door.

~*~

Angel carefully shut the door behind him as he stepped onto the porch. As he looked up, he saw Buffy leaning against the railing with her arms crossed over her chest. Angel smiled at the sight of her.

"Hey," he said in a hushed tone as he walked up next to her.

"Hey," she said back softly, still looking out into the darkness. She wouldn't let herself think about choosing either vampire, but a part of her yearned for Angel; the part of her that would always be in love with him.

"Are you alright?" Angel asked her.

"Not at all," she assured him.

"Is they're anything I can do?" he asked her. Buffy turned and looked at him.

"You know, I still think about us," she told him. "I still think about how, and where we'd be if things between us didn't end up...the way they did," she said. She looked down at the ground.

"This may sound like a dumb question, but do you think that things between us would be different now if the curse didn't have a break clause? If, if we hadn't slept together that night?" Buffy asked. Angel looked at her and sighed. He knew this conversation would have come at some point or another; why not on the last night they may have on earth?

"Buffy, that's a question we'll never truly know the answer to," he said. Buffy looked up at him with un-shed tears in her eyes. There she was with the one person in the world that she could count on; could trust; the one person that made her life make since when he was around.

"Do you think we'd be together? That maybe we'd be happy?" she asked as she lowered her gaze to the ground again.

"I wish I could give you an answer, but I can't," he said.

"But I can tell you this; that night we made love? I wouldn't take it back for the world," he told her. He then put his hand under her chin and lifted her gaze to his. "I may not be here anymore, but I still love you. Buffy, you're the only woman in the world I love and nothing will change that," he told her truthfully.

"Not even the end of the world?" Buffy asked. Angle shook his head.

"Not even the end of the world," he assured her. "I know you're really confused right now, because of Spike and I, and I don't want you to feel like you have to choose," he told her

"I accept that you've moved on, and that's why I left to begin with. Buffy, I didn't come here to make you choose me again. Nothing's changed between us; we can't really be together, and as painful as it is to the both of us, we've just gotta do the best we can...every day." There was a pause.

"That's why I came back," he explained. "I promised you that I'd always be there whenever you were in a fight to the death, and I would never go back on my word."

"I don't wanna do this," Buffy admitted, she was now calm again and the tears in her eyes were now gone. "I know that most of those girls in there are going to die; I may even die," she told him.

"That's never stopped you before," Angel told her. Buffy looked at him and laughed.

"Are you ready for the fight?" she asked him seriously.

"This is what I do. I do good to make amends, and if that means kick every demon's ass that lives in the Hellmouth then count me in," he told her.

"I'm really glad you came," she told him truthfully. Angel stroked the side of her face.

"So aren't I," he agreed. The two fell silent. Buffy then reached for Angel's hand as she looked up at him.

"Angel? If I don't win this, or I-"

"You won't. Buffy, you're going to win this thing," he told her with complete confidence.

"Well anyways, I just want you to know that I don't regret that night together or the time we shared together," she told him. Angel smiled.

"I'd better get back inside," he said.

"I'll be inside in a minute," she promised. Angel leaned forward and kissed her forehead before walking in.

~*~

"She'll be fine," Angel assured Giles as he walked back into the dining room. "She said she'll be in, in a minute," he explained.

"That's good," Giles said. The two men then fell silent.

"I should be getting to bed," Angel said as he looked around. "Any thought's where I might do that?" he asked.

"Actually I did; when you were outside talking to Buffy. First I thought of putting you downstairs with Spike-"

"Not one of your smarter plans," Angel said.

"Which is why I think you'd be better off in... Buffy's room," Giles told him. Angel almost choked.

"Buffy's room?" he repeated.

"Why not?" Giles asked.

"Nothing, it's just...." Angel trailed off as his gaze wandered to the basement door. "What would Spike think about this little arrangement?" Angel asked, his voice filled with sarcasm.

"Angel, I can assure you whatever it is that's going on between Buffy and Spike is not as serious as the rest of them say it is," he assured him.

"Although she did...sleep with him, I don't think she returns his feelings for her. I mean, she does feel for him I suspect, but not in the way of, of love," he explained. He looked at Angel and smiled briefly.

"No, I believe it's you that fills that department," he said. "Whether she likes to admit it or not I've always known that she's never stopped loving you, and that's why she's having such a hard time now; she's caught between the one she loves, and someone whom she has feelings for," Giles explained.

"I didn't come here to do that," Angel told him honestly. "Buffy and I went our separate ways a while ago, I just came back to help her," he explained. "But, if it helps, the feelings are still mutual," Angel admitted.

"I know," Giles assured him.

"Well, I'd better..." Angel trailed off as he walked out of the room, and headed for Buffy's new room.