Pretty Postcards From Hell ~Epilogue~

~Epilogue~

"You have to do it. It's the final test," Andrea insisted to the four people gathered in her office. "Once you've called Unity and seen that she's who she always was, you can start putting the last of your nightmares to rest."

"I'm scared," Xander said honestly.

"Understandable," the doctor agreed. "But I know for a fact that your friends need to get back to their lives in LA, and until they've seen this, too, they're not gonna want to leave." A shadow passed over Andrea's face, and Willow wondered if Buffy and Xander had noticed how close the doctor and Wesley had been growing. She knew Rupe was pushing for the pair, but they hadn't really considered that Wes would soon be leaving. *But LA isn't that far away,* Rupe said in her mind, and the witch visibly brightened. "I say we go for it," she said out loud.

Her lover squeezed her hand, and said, "I'm with Willow."

"Of course you are," Xander said, rolling his eyes.

"Honey," Buffy said quietly, "I think she's right. We have to do this."

Xander nodded reluctantly. Then, just like the first time they'd ever come together, he put his hand out in front of him. "Unity," he said softly.

One by one, they joined their hands with his. "Unity."

"Unity."

Buffy went last, gracing her lover with a comforting and reassuring smile before placing her hand atop the other three. "Unity," she said with confidence. The air shimmered, and they all vanished, replaced by the petite redheaded figure Andrea had begun to wonder if she'd ever see again.

"Unity!" she called out with relief.

"Hey. What an interesting trip through hell that was. I don't want to ever go back."

"I don't think you'll ever have to. We sure missed you." Andrea thought about it for a moment, then reached out and hugged the entity to her. Backing away from the brief embrace, she grinned. "There's some other people you need to see again, but first, I want you to help me with a little thank-you gift for them I've worked out."

~**~

Angel and Cordelia were thrilled to see Unity again, both greeting her like an old friend. Wesley was reserved at first, but her open friendly manner and the quick acceptance by his co-workers of her good guy status finally relaxed his caution, and soon they were friends as well.

When Andrea and Unity asked to see Angel alone, the other two shrugged and acquiesced, going off to pack for the imminent trip home. Puzzled, the vampire followed the two women to the basement, where candles and incense were arranged for an apparent magical spell.

"Okay," he asked, "What's the deal here?"

"I found a spell when we were researching during the crisis that I filed mentally for a time like this. It was tricky, so I wasn't sure I could do it, but Unity is a far more accomplished Wicca than I, so I've asked her for her help." She turned from the table where she'd been fussing, and held up a necklace with a silver anchor charm on it. "With this talisman, we can anchor your soul to your body. Permanently."

"As in, forever? No more 'moment of happiness' clause?" Angel's unbeating heart soared for a moment, then crashed back to earth. "Or, forever, as long as I have the talisman?"

"Well," Andrea drawled, "The talisman is central to the spell. It's the symbol that holds your soul in place."

"So Wolfram & Hart finds out, steals the necklace, and 'bye-bye soul,'" he said dejectedly. "I think I'll pass."

The two women stared at him, and then at each other. They thought this was the perfect gift; that the whole LA contingent would be overjoyed for Angel to finally be free of at least that fear. They'd heard about the prophecy that he'd one day regain his humanity, but this would be another piece of it he could have until that day came. They hadn't considered this little difficulty.

The air hung heavy with disappointment. "Wait," Unity cried suddenly, "I have an idea!"

~**~

Cordy, Wes and Angel all waved furiously as the car pulled down the driveway. Gunn had promised to have Dennis air out Cordelia's apartment, and he and Kate would be waiting at the office to both give and get full reports on the time they'd all been apart. They were finally headed home.

Unity had Divided after saying her farewells, and there had been hugs and tears all around between her four Parts, Andrea and the LA gang. Wesley was practically glowing with the promise of a visit from the good doctor in two weeks. Xander and Angel had shared a manly handshake, and there was respect in both sets of eyes for the first time ever.

Angel pulled onto the highway, the cool evening breeze whipping Cordelia's hair into her face. Wes was already asleep in the back of the car, the vampire noted with some amusement. "Should I put the top up?" he hollered over the sound of the wind. Cordy nodded, and he pulled to the shoulder for a moment, hit the button and fastened the clamps when the top was finally in place. He pulled back into the flow of traffic, and the woman beside him smiled.

"Thanks. I can hear myself think again."

"Whatcha thinking about?" he asked casually, and his eyes widened when she slid over on the bench seat to sit right beside him.

"You." She looked up and saw his expression, which made her giggle. But she quickly grew serious again. "I care about you – I doubt that's a news flash. But seeing Xander, or that Xander-shaped thing, being so evil and all, I realized what a risk I'm taking in feeling anything beyond friendship for you. I mean, I know we don't have to sleep together or anything, I'm not even suggesting that," she was a bit flustered, and he had to smile, "but that kind of relationship could lead to that, and I don't want to screw up your life over a moment of passion, and…"

Angel put his arm around her shoulder, silencing her as he pulled her closer to him. "Cor," he said to the now blushing woman, "I like you too. That way. Why don't we start with dinner – a real date? A not-as-just-friends kind of dinner. We can work the rest out from there."

She relaxed, sniggling into his shoulder. "But what about the whole soul thing?" she insisted.

He grinned. "You never know how things can be worked out. We'll deal with that issue when we have to."

They sat in silence as the highway flew by. After a few moments, Cordy reached out, running one carefully manicured fingernail over the back of his left hand as it gripped the steering wheel. "That's new," she commented. "I don't remember you having an anchor tattooed there before."

And his grin threatened to split his face.

~**~