Note from Rain: My cousin Sunny wrote this fanfic, I'm just posting it for her because she cannot. Please Read and Review!!! It does an Ego good :)

Disclaimer: Joss Whedon is the god of the Buffiverse. I just borrowed his children for some fun. All the characters in this story belong to him, except the evil ones who belong to Rain. Thanks Rain for letting me play with them.

I do
by Sunny
CHAPTER SIX

Everyone turned to look at Willow who was staring down at her shoes intently. They were all shocked by her statement. How could Angel possibly enter Buffy's dreams?
"Will, what do you mean?" Buffy demanded.


"I'm not actually sure I can do it," Willow said. She wanted to retract her statement. Tell them that she hadn't meant anything at all. The spell she was thinking of was very powerful. She wasn't sure she was ready for that.

"Do what?" Buffy demanded again. She wasn't about to let her friend back out. She had given her some hope and she was going to badger Willow until she spilled the beans.

"A spell."

"What kind of spell?"

"A spell that would allow someone to enter your mind to be with you in your dreams," Willow explained expelling a sigh. "But it's very dangerous."


"I'll do it," Angel spoke up. He would do anything to protect Buffy.
"I am not even sure I can do it," Willow repeated. "And it's very dangerous." She didn't want Angel putting his life in her hands. Why didn't I just keep my mouth shut? she moaned to herself.

"Willow, maybe you had better explain this spell," Giles said with a frown. He had never heard of such a spell and he was a little concerned about where she had gotten her information. He knew she was continuing with her training as a witch, but that didn't mean she was infallible.

"I don't remember it entirely, but I remember reading about this spell that could transport one person into the mind of someone if they shared a close connection," Willow explained.

"Where did you hear about this spell?" Wesley asked curiously. He had conducted some rather successful spells in the past as part of his job at Angel Investigations, but he had never heard of such a spell before. It sounded fascinating to him and he wanted to be able to research it more at a later date.

"I read about it in one of Giles' books. The ones he tried to keep hidden from me. I remember it because I thought I might want to try it on Oz someday. I was curious about what went through his mind sometimes."

Buffy pulled the blanket from her legs and attempted to stand up. She faltered as her weakened legs gave out and was thankful for Angel's strong grasp helping her to sit back down on the couch. "Well, what are we waiting for lets get to the magic shop and get this done."

"Wait, Buffy, we can't just go running off to perform this spell. We need to know what the spell entails and all the dangers it presents," Wesley said. "Willow said it was extremely dangerous."

"And besides she's not even sure she can do it," Cordy reminded everyone. She still liked to call a spade a spade.

"Willow, how much of this spell do you remember?" Giles asked. He was willing to see where this discussion led. They didn't exactly have a lot of other options.

Willow shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She was confident in her abilities as a witch, but she was worried that this spell was a little beyond her at this point in her training. Maybe if she was still with Tara. They had seemed to be very powerful together. But in the end the magic was all they had, and even that had become tainted by their breakup.

"I remember that the spell centers on the connection between the two people. I don't remember the specific ingredients, but I am sure that Giles would have everything that we need at the shop," Willow explained. "I do remember however, the warning that accompanied this spell. That's why I never tried it. The person that is invading the dreams of the host can become caught in the dream world. If Buffy were to die in her dream, than the person in her dream would die as well because they couldn't get out of her dream and return to their own body. Or if she were to wake up before they could get back to their own body then their spirit would be stuck in Buffy's mind and the body would die."

"I'll do it," Angel said again. He didn't care what happened to himself, as long as he could help Buffy.

"But you could die," Buffy said looking at him. She wasn't sure she wanted him to take that risk for her.

"I don't care," Angel replied.

"Or I could do it," Riley insisted. Everyone turned and looked at him like he was crazy. "The spell just says the person has to have a connection to Buffy. Well I have a connection with her. I am her fiancée after all."

"But you could die," Buffy repeated. She didn't want anyone to risk their life to save hers. That was her job.

"Remember the question I asked you last night?" Angel inquired. His brown eyes locked and clashed with Riley's green ones.

"Yes."

"Well, this time its for real. Buffy is right you could die. Are you really willing to give up your life for hers? I am. I meant it when I said I would lay down and die for her with no regrets. How about you would you have any regrets?" Angel prompted.

Riley dropped his eyes from Angel's gaze and looked at Buffy. She was so precious to him, so sweet and beautiful. He wasn't sure he could live without her, but could he really give up his life just to save hers?

"You would really die for Buffy?" Willow wondered her eyes huge with awe. She knew Angel loved Buffy, but until today she had never realized just how much.

"Yes I would," Angel answered. He again caught Riley's eye and asked, "How about you?"

"Angel I can't let you give up your newly restored life for me," Buffy interrupted. She wanted to ask him how they could be together if he was dead, but she couldn't hurt Riley like that, so she kept the question to herself. "I can't let either one of you put yourself at risk."

"Buffy, you are in no condition to fight these demons yourself," Angel said. Trying to assure her that he would do anything in his power to help her. "And there is no other way."

"I know," Buffy replied sadly. She didn't want anyone to die. In fact she would rather die than let either of the men in her life die for her. She was the Slayer. She was the Chosen One. The one chosen to die to save a life, not Angel or Riley.

"I still think this is too risky," Wesley said. He didn't want Angel to give up his life now that he had gotten it back.

Cordelia was in complete agreement with Wesley. "If you die what will happen to Angel Investigations?" she asked seemingly in an altruistic vein. "And my paycheck?" It seemed that Cordelia really hadn't changed her priorities after all.

"Cordy, you know how broody I've been since I regained my humanity?" Angel asked. Cordelia nodded her head. "Well, if Buffy dies it would be ten times worse. I can't live in this world knowing she isn't in it."

Giles had been thoughtfully pacing the living room and polishing his glasses. He didn't really like this option any more than the others did, but he couldn't think of another way. He had wracked his brain trying to remember the spell Willow was talking about. He was a little concerned that he had no knowledge of the spell. He knew Willow was strong, but this sounded like a very powerful spell. She would need all the help she could get. He wasn't really a witch, but he had worked some spells in the past, successfully too. Of course they had all been spells of which he had some knowledge.

"Giles," Buffy said for the third time.

"Hmm?" Giles responded still pondering the problem of Willow's spell.

"I asked what you thought about doing the spell," Buffy repeated. She respected his judgment even though she didn't always take his advice.

"I am not sure," Giles replied honestly. "However, since another solution has yet to present itself, I suggest that we proceed with the spell. It may be that another option will come to us before we actually complete it." He still had hope of finding another solution. Willow's spell was far from ideal, but Angel was right, they didn't have any other choice.

Willow was sitting quietly in the background determined not to say another word. Look what speaking up had gotten her into. She was very sorry she had ever mentioned the spell.

Xander knowing his friend was regretting her words placed his hand on her shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze. He had confidence in Willow. She had done some amazing things in the past. She was far from the days where floating a pencil was the extent of her powers.

"Okay, Willow, what do we need to do?" Angel asked. He wanted to get this spell started. He had no fears for himself, he had been telling the truth about his willingness to die for Buffy, but he was extremely worried about her. She looked so fragile. She also looked like she could fall asleep at any moment. He knew they had to get this started before she did. Once she was asleep, she would be on her own. The psychic vampires had grown stronger on her life force, while she had gotten weaker. She would not escape them again.

"I guess the first thing we need to do is get to the magic shop. I need to find the book with the spell in it and gather the supplies," Willow replied giving in to the inevitable. She had made her bed and now she had to lie in it.

"Fine," Angel said. "Willow, you, Xander and Riley get to the shop with Giles. Wes, I'll need you to drive my car. Cordy and Buffy will be with us." Angel picked Buffy up from the couch and started towards the door.

Riley wanted to object to the carpool arrangements, but felt it would be too much of a hassle for Buffy. Meekly he joined the exodus out to the cars and joined the other Scoobies in the Gilesmobile.

Joyce managed to bully her way into Angel's car. "Buffy is my daughter," she declared. "I am not going to be left behind to sit and worry by the phone." Angel realizing that he had no choice let Buffy's mother enter the car ahead of him and then he deposited Buffy in next to Joyce. He sat next to Buffy. He wanted to be close to her so that he could keep her awake.

********

"I found it!" Willow shouted holding up a tattered leather bound book. It was quite possibly the oldest book Giles had in his vast collection. The Scoobies had been looking through the collection for almost half an hour when Willow made the discovery.

Angel let out a sigh of relief. He had been trying to keep Buffy awake while the others had searched for the spell. It was getting harder to keep her from drifting off. He wasn't any good at telling jokes or engaging in small talk. Of course when he was around Buffy all he really wanted to do was sit and stare at her. Or kiss her. Those two options were plainly out of the question in the circumstances. He had thought about singing to her, knowing that it would give her a good laugh, but all the Barry Manilow songs that he knew seemed to have flown right out of his head. Besides, he was a still a little self-conscious about singing in front of his friends.

"Let me see that," Giles said jumping up from his seat and hurrying over to Willow. He took the book from her and opened it to the page she had marked with her finger. He frowned in concentration as he tried to read the incantation.

Willow after surrendering the book to Giles strode around the room gathering supplies from the well-stocked shelves. She had managed to read the ingredient list before informing the others that she had found the spell. She had also taken a few minutes to read the spell over; making sure it was the correct one. She didn't want to make any mistakes here. Too much was at risk.

"Wow, Giles, the store is really stocked. I had no idea you would have one of these," Willow said as she pulled a green globe down from the shelf. "I've heard that it is extremely hard to get an Orb of Delego Viridis."

Giles looked up from the book and gave her a smug smile. He was proud of his little magic shop. He had made rather a success of it. And he hadn't gotten himself killed, yet.
"A whaty?" Xander asked confused by words of another language.

"An Orb of Delego Viridis," Willow repeated enunciating carefully.
"Again I say, 'A whaty?'"

"It's a ball of green glass that helps in the transfer of a soul," Wesley replied
slightly embarrassed by the pedestrian name assigned to the magic globe.

Xander stared at him. "Wow, those ancient dudes were really imaginative, weren't they?" he asked with smirk.

Willow took the ball of green glass and gingerly placed it in the middle of the table with the rest of the ingredients spread out around it. There were several bags of herbs and one jar that looked like it held eyeballs of some kind.

"Gross," Cordelia said as she picked up the jar of eyeballs. "Why does every spell have to include eyeballs?" She set the jar back on the table and looked at Willow.

Willow shrugged her shoulders and turned back to the shelves of magical supplies. She grabbed a few candles and a box of chalk. According to the directions for the spell they needed to make a sacred circle enclosed by burning candles.

"So what can we do to help?" Riley asked. He felt extraneous. Like he had no place among the Scoobies. For years he had been a part of the group, maybe not the core group, but definitely a member. Now he felt like an intruder. He needed to become involved. He needed to feel useful.

"We have to draw a circle around Buffy and Angel," Willow replied handing Riley a piece of magical chalk. She turned to instruct Angel and Buffy to lay down in the middle of the floor but was stopped by Riley.

"We haven't decided for sure that Angel is going to be the one to do this." Riley had been thinking about Angel's questions on the way to the magic shop. He had come to the conclusion that he was willing to put his life on the line to save Buffy. Whatever, she might feel about him, he loved her and he couldn't let her face these things without being there to help her. Besides, he didn't really take the dangers seriously. He was young and felt that nothing would actually happen to him.

Angel looked up at this taking his attention from Buffy. They had been talking quietly about nothing in particular and he had been enjoying himself. He frowned at Riley and said, "I thought it was all decided."

"You decided it. I never agreed," Riley pointed out. He realized he was being difficult again, but he didn't really care. He wanted to be the one to save Buffy.

"But there has to be a connection," Willow said. She didn't want them to argue. Not now. She didn't need any added stress. Just trying to do the spell would be enough.

"I have a connection with Buffy," Riley reminded her. "In fact the connection between us is probably stronger than the one between her and Angel. After all I have been with her for the last five years."

Joyce having been completely silent up until this point suddenly chose this moment to get involved. "I should be the one to do it," she spoke up. She couldn't just sit around and let these outsiders save HER daughter. "I am her mother, what bond could possibly be stronger than that?"

"Mom, no," Buffy said. She wasn't about to let her mom get any more involved in this mess. She needed to keep her safe. "Its too dangerous."

"Buffy," Joyce began trying to reason with her daughter.

Buffy held up her hand to silence her mother. "Mom, I need someone to help me fight. Do you honestly believe you can help me against these demons?" Buffy snapped in annoyance. She didn't mean to snap at her mother, but she was so very, very tired.

"No," Joyce said. She was disgusted with herself. Why couldn't she have been blessed with at least a fraction of her daughter's preternatural strength? It didn't seem fair.

"Besides, I will need all the help I can get to cast this spell," Willow said. She understood Joyce's need to be involved in saving her daughter. She had felt the same way. That was why she had started getting involved in witchcraft. She had felt so useless when patrolling with Buffy. All she could do before her Wiccan Days was step aside and watch as Buffy bravely took on all kinds of monsters.

Angel helped Buffy to stand and walk over to the middle of the floor. He spread the blanket down and then helped Buffy to lay back down on the floor. "Okay, so it's all settled then, right?"

"No, its not," Riley replied. He went over to Buffy and knelt down beside her. He took her hand in his and looked into her eyes. "Buffy, I know that focusing on your personal problems will only weaken you, so I am not suggesting that you do that. I am only suggesting that I might be able to help you in there," Riley said tapping her head lightly with his forefinger. "I am certainly strong enough to help you and we do have a connection."

"This is not the time to make her choose between us," Angel said angrily. He desperately wanted to hurl Riley out of the nearest window. He wasn't afraid that their connection would prove to be stronger than the one he shared with Buffy, in fact he knew it wasn't, but he was afraid that this new conflict would deplete what little resources she had left.

Buffy's eyes bounced from Angel's face to Riley's and back again. She didn't know what to say. She didn't want to have to decide their fates. If something went wrong one of them would die. Sighing heavily, Buffy closed her eyes and willed these demons to leave her alone.

Xander raised his hand and cleared his throat gaining the attention of everyone in the room, except Giles who was still absorbed in the text of the spell. "May Switzerland make a suggestion?" he asked tentatively.

"Who?" Buffy asked her eyes snapping open.

"You know the neutral guys," Xander said. He had learned some things in high school. Or maybe it had been those old WWII movies.

"Oh," Buffy said in annoyance. "I guess."

"Why don't I do it," Xander said. "I have a connection to Buffy, too. In fact everyone in this room does."

"Great, why don't we all go, then," Cordelia suggested. This was getting to be ridiculous. By the time they get this figured out I am going to have my first wrinkle, she thought to herself.

"Yeah, maybe we could play Red Rover with them," Xander suggested sarcastically. "If we capture one of their guys does that mean he has to be on our side?"

"Or," Cordelia said a mischievous smile spreading across her face. "We could send Giles and Wesley and they could bore them to death."

Wesley chose to take the high road by ignoring Cordelia's provocative remark and Giles was still too caught up the book. He hadn't even heard her.

Xander, however, couldn't let this remark pass. "Or," he began copying Cordy. "We could just send you and you could be yourself. That should do the trick."

Cordelia glared at Xander. "Or," she said planning on giving him a major set down.

"Stop it!" Buffy cried interrupting the rest of Cordelia's insult. She reached up to rub her forehead. Her headache was coming back.

"Are you okay?" Willow asked in concern. She had been watching Buffy during this exchange of insults between Cordy and Xander. She had lost more of her color and looked like a corpse. The tension in the room was weakening her.

"No," Buffy said glaring at her so called friends. They weren't making this situation any easier. She still had to choose between Riley and Angel. Why couldn't she have a third choice? She didn't think Xander counted as her third choice. He wasn't strong enough.

Giles, finally feeling the tension around him looked up from the book and gazed around the room. "What's wrong?" he asked. He hated admitting that he hadn't been paying any attention to the occupants of his establishment, but this spell was simply fascinating. He passed the book to Wesley who had been trying to read the book over his shoulder. He knew the other British scholar would be as fascinated by it as he had been.

"Hey G-man glad you could join us," Xander replied.

Willow knowing how much Giles hated that nickname grimaced and said, "Buffy's dream is going to be a little crowded."

"Oh and how is that?" Giles did not even seem to register the fact that Xander had called him by that hateful nickname. In fact he had gotten so used to it that he didn't even hear it anymore.

"Everyone wants to be in my dreams, Giles," Buffy told him sleepily. "Can you please tell them that we only have the budget for one guest star."

Giles looked confused, but only briefly. "Ah," he said as he took in Angel and Riley's tense stances. He was afraid something like this would happen. Things were so much easier when Buffy restricted herself to one boyfriend at a time.

"I don't want to go," Cordelia said. She didn't want to be lumped in with Xander. "Dealing with the stuff in my own head is annoying enough. I don't think I could handle what goes on in Buffy's head." Cordelia gave an expressive shudder and turned away from the group to explore the shop. She had never been in this shop before. When she had been a resident of Sunnydale she had tried to keep her distance from all the strangeness that seemed to surround Buffy and Co., especially post Xander.

"And I can't go," Willow reminded everyone. She had to actually run the spell.

"So that leaves the three macho men," Cordelia replied as she placed a jar of rat-tails back on the shelf. "Unless the two wise men would like to get into the act?"

"Do you really think you can handle these guys?" Riley asked Xander skeptically. Xander shrugged his shoulders in reply. He didn't really want to confront the demons in Buffy's head he was just trying to make a point. "I think I could hold my own."

Cordelia gave a snort of disbelief. "Yeah you could hold your own mouth to keep the screams in, you mean."

Xander glared at Cordelia but withheld his withering comeback. Of course he didn't really have a withering comeback at the moment so it wasn't that difficult.

"I am afraid that Cordelia has a point," Wesley said trying to be tactful. "These vampires seem to be quite strong, especially now that they have fed off of Buffy."

Again Xander shrugged. He was a little hurt that his friends thought he was too weak to help out someone he cared about, but he wasn't that upset since he had had no intention of going into Buffy's head. He would leave that job to Angel and possibly her shrink, if she ever got one.

"So do we have this settled now?" Angel asked impatiently. He could see that this discussion was taking a lot out of Buffy.

"No," Riley said crossing his arms over his chest and glaring at Angel.
Giles sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He looked at Buffy and realized that they were running out of time. Her eyes kept drifting shut and her breathing was getting deeper. She looked like she was asleep. "Buffy," he said sharply and was relieved when her eyes opened and she gave him a sleepy smile.

"Riley, give it up. Can't you see that the more you argue the more danger Buffy is in," Xander said pointing to the weakened Slayer.

"Exactly," Riley responded. He wasn't about to give up. He wanted to save Buffy. He wanted to save the woman he loved. What was so wrong about that?
"Giles," Buffy pleaded. This was too much for her.

"Yes, well," Giles hemmed. He wished that Riley would back down. He didn't want to have to hurt the young man's feelings by telling him that Angel was the only one who could enter Buffy's mind. He didn't want to have to tell him that the connection between Buffy and Angel was stronger than any other connection she would ever make. "Giles," Buffy repeated in the same pleading tone. She was asking her friend and mentor to take the decision out of her hands. She was too weak to make any decisions right now.

"Right," Giles said. Fortunately, for him, the decision lay in the text of the spell. "Willow is correct in saying that this spell is very dangerous."

"I am aware of the dangers," Riley replied holding his temper in check. He realized that all of this turmoil was only weakening Buffy, but he couldn't understand why she couldn't just pick him and let them get on with the spell. He didn't really believe that Angel was the best person to help her. He couldn't believe that or he would know that his relationship with Buffy was really over.

"Not all of them," Giles told him. "Even if this spell is successful you will still need an incredible amount of strength to overcome the effects of it."

"What effects?" Riley asked cautiously. He thought he had had all the information about the risks of this spell. He had been able to overcome his natural aversion to dying in order to help Buffy, but that was before he knew there were other dangers.

"There are the dangers of the vampires to deal with of course, but there is also the dangers of returning to the body. Willow mentioned a few of them, but she didn't know about all of them. You see your spirit will be leaving your body and entering Buffy's mind. This leaves your body weakened and vulnerable. You will have to maintain some kind of link to your own body so that when you are ready to return your spirit can find its way back. Not only can you become trapped in Buffy's mind, but also you can lose your way and never return to your body. You will be cast adrift, again ensuring the death of your body." Giles hoped that this would be enough to scare Riley out of his determination to be the one to save Buffy. He really didn't think his spirit was strong enough to handle the rigors of the spell.

Riley frowned as he tried to assimilate this new information. It sounded like Giles didn't want him to be the one to help Buffy. It sounded like Giles didn't think he was strong enough, and maybe he wasn't. Again Angel's question popped into his brain. Was he really willing to give up his life to save Buffy? He thought he had answered that question, now he wasn't sure.

Giles could see that Riley was having second thoughts about his participation in this spell. He was glad. "This spell is going to take a lot out of both Buffy and the person who enters her mind. It takes someone with amazing strength to survive it."

"Someone who has the strength of a Slayer," Angel said. "And a very strong soul." Angel believed that his body and soul could stand the rigors of his leap into Buffy's mind. His soul had fought his own demon for over a century, it could certainly face the demons in Buffy's sleep and the dangers of this spell.

Riley nodded his head in defeat. He finally recognized that he did not have the strength to save Buffy. He would just end up getting himself killed, and maybe he wasn't quite ready for that after all. "Fine. Is there ANYTHING I can do to help?" Riley asked in frustration. He wanted to help Buffy. He needed to help.

Willow let out the breath she had been holding. She was thankful that Giles had been able to get through to Riley. She felt better about attempting the spell. She knew that Angel was the right one to save Buffy. "Of course there is something you can do to help," Willow said going over to Riley and putting her hand on his arm. It was the only way she could give him some comfort. "I will need the help of all of you."

"I hope we don't have to touch anything," Cordelia said. She had no intention of going anywhere near the eyeballs.

"No, Cordy, you don't have to touch anything," Willow replied in exasperation. "It will be your job to help Angel keep his link to his body. He will need your spiritual vibrations to find his way back."

"I mean is there anything I can do help Buffy," Riley objected. He didn't want to have anything to do with saving his rival. He had too much hatred for Angel. He hated him because he seemed to be everything that Buffy wanted and needed. He hated Angel because he was everything that he was not.

"This will help Buffy," Giles said sharply. "Angel will need the link to his body if he is going to be able to protect Buffy. If he loses that link the body will die and his soul will leave this realm. If this happens while he is trying to help Buffy she could be left without his help."

Riley again nodded his head in defeat. It seemed that he was going to have help his rival after all. "What do I have to do?"

"We sit in a circle around Buffy and Angel and chant an incantation. It means that you will have to keep positive thoughts about Angel, can you do this?" Willow asked Riley. She knew this would be hard for Riley but it was vitally important for the spell.

Riley looked over at Buffy who was sitting on the floor staring up at him. Could he do it, would he do it? she was asking him silently with her eyes. He honestly didn't know if he could think positive thoughts about the ex-vampire, but he was willing to give it a try if it meant saving Buffy's life. "Yes," he answered and was rewarded by the blinding smile that Buffy sent his way. He hoped she truly appreciated the sacrifice he was making for her. This was going to be very difficult for him.

"Thank you," Buffy told him softly. She was relieved that he had stepped aside. She felt that she could now focus on the fight that was ahead of her. She didn't give any thought to the sacrifice Riley was making, she didn't have any room for his feelings at this time. She only had room for the fight.

"So is it all settled now?" Angel asked a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"Yes," Riley said avoiding Angel's eyes.

"Good," Angel replied. "So now what?" Angel looked towards Willow. She was in charge of this operation now and he was willing to take her orders.

"Xander draw a circle around Buffy and Angel," Willow said handing the chalk to Xander. "Cordy place the candles at even intervals around the circle and light them."

"I've been thinking," Wesley said looking up from his study of the spell.

"Uh, oh," Cordelia said sotto voce as she bent over to light the black candles. "We're in trouble now."

Wesley glared at Cordy and then resumed his speech. "I believe we may be able to enhance this spell. Make it more effective and safer for both Angel and Buffy."

"What are you suggesting?" Giles asked his curiosity piqued. It was nice working with someone who had also been trained in the Watcher knowledge. He knew that he could count on Wesley's suggestion to be feasible and free of any school boy humor.

Wesley's finger tapped the cover of the book containing the spell. "I have been re-reading Flint's treatise on the efficacy of gemstones. He suggests that the use of gemstones during a spell, which does not actually use them as part of the ritual, can in fact increase the effects of the spell," he explained.

"Well diamonds are a girls best friend," Xander quipped. He had finished drawing the circle that would enclose the chosen pair and was sitting at the table watching the two Watchers.

"Has anyone else been able to prove his findings?" Giles asked. He had read the treatise as well, but hadn't been very impressed with it.

"No," Wesley answered, "but I believe it is worth trying in this particular situation."

"Sure, why not?" Xander said. "What do we have to lose?"

"Um, that would be me," Buffy replied raising her hand. She wasn't sure she wanted to be anyone's guinea pig.

"I don't believe it will actually harm the spell in any way," Giles told her. In spite of himself, Giles was intrigued by Wesley's suggestion. He moved into the back room where Buffy trained and pulled an old black satchel off of a shelf. He brought the bag back into the front room and placed it on the table. "There is one remaining question, however," he said as he began to place several gemstones onto the table.

"Go ahead G-man, lay it on us." Xander picked up a large white crystallized stone and began tossing it into the air catching it on its descent.

Giles snatched the stone out of the air and returned it to the table with an annoyed thud. "The question is, which stone do we use?" Every Watcher was trained in the properties of gemstones so that they could pass that knowledge on to their Slayers, but that knowledge did not provide Giles with the answer to this specific question.

"The prettiest one," Cordelia suggested running her hand over the smooth surface of a large specimen of rose quartz.

"The prettiest one is not always the best one," Xander said trying to bait Cordelia. She decided to ignore him.

"Isn't there one that has something to do with being a medium?" Buffy asked trying to remember the little bit she had managed to learn about gemstones. They had never interested her very much, unless they were small enough to fit on her finger or in her ears.

"Ugh, who would want to be a medium?" Cordy asked. "Of course I guess it is better than being a large."

Xander laughed. Willow tittered. Cordelia glared.

"No, Cordelia a medium, like Madame Valenska," Angel told her using the name of the phony psychic, who had charged the brunette fifty dollars to assure her that her acting career was going to be long and prosperous.
"If someone is a magical medium then
they are able to receive spiritual energy from other beings," Wesley added before Cordelia could insist that Madame Valenska was definitely an extra extra-large.

"Like Whoopi in 'Ghost'," Willow clarified after she had gotten her amusement under control.

Giles, who had been rooting around in the black satchel during this exchange, pulled out a round glass object. He placed it on the table where the overhead lights glinted on the copper flecks embedded in the glass. "I do believe you were listening to me," he said looking at Buffy with a pseudo-shocked expression on his face.

"Its been known to happen," Buffy said impishly.

"Is that a Goldstone?" Wesley asked picking up the stone to examine it closely.

"Yes," Giles said. "And Buffy is correct. It is also known as a transmitter stone. It allows light to pass through the intended receiver of the spiritual energy, preparing them to share their minds and souls with the conveyor. If Flint is correct this stone should aid in the transference of Angel's soul into Buffy's mind."

"I should think it would," Wesley replied. He was impressed with Giles' Goldstone. He had never seen one quite this big before.

Willow picked up another small rock and held it in her opened hand. "And we can use this to help strengthen Angel for that transference."

"Ah, yes, Sard," Giles said. "Excellent idea, Willow." He began to extract several more lumps of the agate and placed them on the table. "That should do very nicely to bind Angel's soul to his body."

Willow had a pleased smile on her face as she scooped up the other pieces of Sard and entered the magic circle. "Well that's everything," she said indicating that all of the ingredients for the spell had been assembled. Then she turned to instruct Angel to lay down next to Buffy. Angel was about to comply with her direction when Giles spoke.

"We've forgotten something," Giles said. He had retrieved the book from Wesley and had been going over the spell one last time when the mention of one final ingredient caught his eye.

Willow looked at him in confusion and stepped out of the circle. She was sure that she had all of the ingredients placed on the table. "What?" she asked and then her eyes lit up with remembrance. "We need a symbol of their connection." She remembered the all-important ingredient suddenly. When she had contemplated using this spell on Oz she had planned to use the PEZ witch he had given her.

Buffy looked at Angel and suddenly smiled. She knew of the perfect symbol. "Riley can you do me a favor?" she asked gently.

"I guess," he replied cautiously. He didn't know if he was going to like doing this favor, but he would do anything she asked of him.

"I need you to go to the apartment and get something out of my jewelry box," Buffy said. "Do you know where it is?"

"It's on the dresser," Riley responded. "What do you need?" He couldn't think of anything she had in her jewelry collection that was a symbol of her relationship with a vampire. He had looked in the box once and had seen a varied collection of crosses and earrings.

"There is a drawer under the box. In it is a black velvet bag. Bring me the bag," Buffy told him. She waited until he nodded that he understood her directions and then looked back at Angel with an intensity that was felt around the room.

Riley watched as the connection again flared between the ex-vampire and Slayer. He felt an overwhelming sadness over take him. He could never compete with the intensity of their bond. "You will wait for me to return?" he asked Willow tearing his eyes away from Buffy and Angel.

"Yes," Willow assured him and started to push him out the door. She knew that they didn't really have a lot of time. "Hurry."

Angel and Buffy were still shooting messages at each other with their eyes. They were telling each other that they remembered that night. That night that had started out so well, but had ended in tragedy. The night that had changed their relationship forever. Angel's eyes were conveying the same message he had given her then. He was telling her without words that he loved her, that she was the most important thing in his life. Without taking his eyes from Buffy's he reached into the collar of his shirt and pulled out a silver chain. And dangling at the end of the chain was the perfect symbol of their connection.

Buffy's eyes filled with tears and her lips trembled as she gave Angel a wide smile. His claddagh ring glistened in the light as it twisted on the upheld chain. She couldn't believe he still had it, still kept it close to him. She had been hoping that he would remember the ring as a symbol of their love, but she never dared to dream that it would still be in his possession. She rapidly blinked back the tears that threatened to roll down her cheeks. She was tired of crying. She didn't want her emotions to interfere with her ability to fight the vampires that were closing in on her. On the other hand, she was grateful for the emotions. She was glad she was able to feel the passion that Angel always brought to the surface in her. She had been afraid that she would never feel that way again. Everything was more intense with Angel. The highs were higher and the lows were lower. She didn't have that passion with Riley and she had missed it very much.

Angel stood staring at Buffy the ring twisting in the light at the periphery of his vision. He was amazed that she still had her ring. He had expected her to get rid of it after everything that had happened between them. He knew for a fact that she had stopped wearing it after the return of Angelus. She hadn't even worn it when he had returned from Hell and they had resumed their relationship. He had been afraid that she was rejecting the gift of his love. Now he knew better. She would never reject his love. It would always be a part of her just like it was a part of him. His heart lifted and he gave Buffy a happy smile as he realized that maybe coming to Sunnydale to win her back was not such a bad idea after all. Yes, they had a lot of hurt between them, but they also had this ring. They would always have the love and passion that flared between them with just a look. The love and passion that was symbolized by the ring that he kept close to his now beating heart.

"Does that mean that Riley was sent on a wild goose chase?" Xander asked. Not that he really minded. The guy was beginning to get on his nerves.

"No," Willow said. She had located a pestle and mortise in Giles' supplies and was now pouring a bag filled with basil leaves into the stone bowl. "The connection will be strengthened by having both rings."

"Well they do say that two are better than one," Xander replied with a shrug.

"And 7 is a crowd," Cordelia said nodding her head in the direction of Angel and Buffy. They were still gazing intently at each other. Angel had joined Buffy on the floor and was removing the chain from around his neck.

The five other occupants of the room moved away from the two lovers and congregated around the table that held the supplies for the spell. Giles and Wesley were slightly embarrassed by the depth of emotion that was flowing off of Angel and Buffy. Willow thought it was very sweet. Cordelia was mildly disgusted. She wasn't looking forward to the rerun of the Buffy and Angel show. And Xander was amused. He was imagining what Anya would have to say about the situation. It was at times like this that he missed her. It had been hard to let her go, but she had needed to come to grips with her humanity. She had been a demon for a very long time and the loss of her powers had slowly eaten away at her. At first she had seemed to accept her fate, but as the years passed she had become angry and withdrawn. Her leaving had been for the best but he still missed her.

Buffy and Angel remained oblivious to the others as they continued to feed the connection that bound them together for life. "You still have your ring," Angel finally said bemusedly.

"Yes," Buffy replied. She still had a smile on her face and was not feeling the least bit tired. "You still have yours." Buffy reached out and touched the ring where it lay on the floor between them. The metal was still warm from the heat of Angel's body.

"Yes," Angel said. He wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss her breathless. He wanted to carry her to his bed and make love to her all night long. He settled with trailing his fingers along her cheek and then over to trace her lips.

Buffy sighed expelling her breath to tickle Angel's questing fingertips. She wanted him to kiss her. She wanted him to carry her to bed and make love to her all night long. She settled for placing her hand over his heart, where she could feel the thumping beat of that organ as it pumped life through him.

Over at the table Willow was explaining the ritual to the others. It was important that they understood their roles, especially Xander, Joyce and Cordelia.

"How come these spells are never written in English?" Xander complained. "I seemed to have skipped the foreign and obscure language class at Sunnydale High."

"Xander," Willow said rolling her eyes. "You don't have to actually understand what you are saying, you just have to say it."

"Oh, well in that case I guess I feel much better about my ignorance," Xander returned.

"Grow up, Xander," Cordelia said. "Its just Latin."

"And I suppose you speak Latin fluently?" Xander mocked. "I am sure it really helps with all the rocket scientists you date in LA right?"

Cordelia gifted Xander with a withering stare and returned her gaze to the scribbling in the book. She decided not to give Xander the set down he deserved. It was time to concentrate on the spell, and her role in the ritual. "We just have to say these three little lines?" she asked Willow. She wanted to make sure she had it right. She didn't think there would be room for any mistakes.

"Just those three little lines," Willow confirmed. She looked over at Joyce noticing that she was mumbling the lines to herself. "You can write them down if that would help."

Xander leaped up from his seat at the table. "Boy, would it!" he exclaimed as he ran towards the cash register and the pad of paper that Giles kept close beside it. He grabbed three pens and took them back to the table where he doled out pieces of paper and the pens to the three novice witches.

"Are you sure you can handle this spell?" Wesley asked Willow in some concern. She had much more than three little lines to say.

"No," Willow answered honestly. "But we haven't come up with another plan, so I have to handle it don't I?"

At that moment Riley returned to the magic shop. He went over to Buffy clearing his throat to gain her attention. Buffy swiftly removed her hand from where it had been tangled in Angel's hair. Guiltily she raised her gaze to Riley's stormy glare and blushed. Riley dropped the velvet bag into Buffy's lap and moved away in disgust, his pride coming the rescue, keeping him from sobbing out loud.

Angel retrieved the bag from Buffy's lap and opened it. He dumped the small ring into his palm and closed his fingers over it letting the sharp edges of the crown bite into his hand. He immediately felt the magic of his connection to Buffy flow through him. He closed his eyes and let his mind drift back to the night he had given her the ring. He let himself feel the emotions that he had felt on that night. Love and hope along with sorrow and guilt. Love and hope because he had finally found the only person that could take away some of the pain that troubled his soul. Sorrow because he was leaving her behind while he tried to save the world from Spike and Drusilla's evil intentions. And guilt because of what he was.

"Nothing was ever very simple for us, was it?" Buffy asked. She had watched Angel's face as the emotions rippled across it. She knew what was in his heart because it was in hers too.

"No it wasn't," Angel said letting a small humorless laugh escape him. Talk about the understatement of the century.

Willow cleared her throat and waited for Angel and Buffy to look at her before she spoke. "Are you two ready?" She had the mortise in one hand preparing to sprinkle the crushed herbs on the floor around them.

"Wait," Buffy said looking around the room. She was looking at all the important people in her life. How would they feel if she didn't wake up? She had to say something to them, especially to her mother and Riley.

Willow stepped away from the sacred circle and nodded her head in understanding. She realized it was important for Buffy to say her good-byes just in case. Her mind shied away from this morbid thought, she couldn't afford to have doubts about her ability to perform this spell. It would doom it before she ever began.

"Mom," Buffy said motioning for her mother to come closer. "I will be coming back, but just in case I don't I want you to know that I love you and I am sorry that I couldn't be the daughter you deserved." Tears streamed down Buffy's cheeks as she apologized for not being the normal girl they had both wanted her to be.

Joyce entered the circle and knelt down next to Buffy. "I have always been proud of you Buffy, and I have always loved you as much as I do now," Joyce replied. She leaned down and hugged Buffy, thinking that it could be the last time she did so. She released her grip on Buffy and stepped out of the circle.

"Riley," Buffy said next. She had a few things she had to say to him. She couldn't leave this world without letting him know that he meant a great deal to her. He had been there, ready to love her, when she was convinced that she was unlovable.

Riley stepped into the circle and sat down next to Buffy. He needed to be close to her. He needed to tell her that he loved her one more time. He couldn't let her go without telling her that she was the best thing that had ever happened to him. He started to tell her everything that was in his heart, but her fingers on his lips stopped his confession.

"No, let me go first," Buffy said. "Riley, I know things have been tense between us these last couple of days and I just want to apologize. I really do care about you and my life would have been empty without you to help fill the void. I will always love you for that."

Riley didn't try to analyze what Buffy had said to him. He knew that if he thought about it too much, he would be disappointed and possibly even hurt. He decided he would just treasure her words and the fact that she had chosen to speak to him before she embarked on this journey to save her life.

"I love you," Riley said and then kissed her lightly on the lips. He wanted to say more, much more, but he was aware that time was running out. Buffy had to confront the psychic vampires while she still had enough strength to defeat them. He stood up and joined the rest of the Scoobies outside the circle.

Buffy looked at the rest of her friends and smiled at each of them in turn. They all meant so much to her. Giles, a better father to her than her own father was. Willow the sister she never had. Xander, her best friend, and the one clown who could never scare her. She would even miss Cordy, the friend who wasn't always a friend unless you were in trouble. And of course there was Wesley. He had grown from the dork she disliked into someone who was worthy of her respect and admiration.

"I will come back," Buffy said again. "But if I don't I love you all." It was a short message far from what she wanted to say to each of them, but it would have to do. She was beginning to feel tired again and knew that she didn't have the time for lengthy good-byes.

She turned to Willow and said, "Now I am ready. What do we have to do?"

"You need to put your rings on and then lay down. Once you are asleep, Buffy, I will begin the spell which will allow Angel to join you," Willow replied. She wiped a small tear from her eye, the only sign of her emotions that she would allow. She had to stay strong and focused.

Buffy picked up Angel's ring that still sat on the floor between them. Then she picked up his hand and slid the larger claddagh ring onto his finger. She smiled at him, raised his hand to her lips and kissed the ring, mimicking the gesture she had used so long ago.

Angel tightened his grip on her hand squeezing it with a silent message. Then he opened his hand and looked at the tiny ring that sat in his palm. "My people, before I was changed, they exchanged this as a sign of devotion. It's a claddagh ring. The hands represent friendship, the crown represents loyalty and the heart represents…well, you know. Wear it with the heart pointing towards you. It means you belong to someone," Angel explained using the same words he had used on that fateful night. Then he slid the ring onto Buffy's finger with the heart pointing inward.

Buffy smiled at him with tears shimmering in her eyes, making them look like deep blue pools of water. She remembered that same speech and she was touched that he had thought to use the same words.

Angel leaned towards Buffy with the intention of kissing her. Their lips were almost touching when a sound from the group gathered around the circle reached his consciousness. He had almost forgotten that they had an audience. He pulled back sharply not willing to put all of his feelings on display. He was a private man by nature and not even Buffy could break through his reserves. "I love you," he whispered instead guaranteeing that she was the only one to hear him say it. He felt like he needed to say that he still loved her.

"I love you, too," Buffy whispered back. She was glad he had said it. She had needed to hear him say those three little words. Her eyes told him that she was grateful that he had admitted his feelings. Then Buffy and Angel lay down on the blanket that was covering the cold floor of the magic shop. Willow placed one of the Sard stones below Angel's feel, one above his head and one on his chest. He would need the stones to help strengthen his body and soul for the transfer. She also placed the Goldstone in Buffy's hand. Then she stepped out of the circle and indicated that they were ready to start the spell.

Buffy closed her eyes and let the exhaustion she felt carry her towards the dream world where the vampires were waiting for her. The last thing she felt before she drifted away was Angel taking her hand in his and whispering "Be careful," into her ear.