Final Intention
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CONTINUED FROM "His reward"
SPOILERS: If you haven't watched THE GIFT then there's a big spoiler here.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters. They belong to Joss & Co.
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PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT NOBODY CAN REMEMBER THAT ANGEL WAS HUMAN BEFORE- (IN "I WILL REMEMBER YOU"), BECAUSE HE TURNED BACK TIME.
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"Thank you" Angel whispered his last appreciation to the Oracles. They had given to him his reward that he had worked so hard to gain.
"Just take care" Lillian smiled and hinted something to him. She and Salos waved a small goodbye to him and Buffy as they left.
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"Wait till everyone sees you" Angel gave Buffy a small smile, but then he turned serious "... I love you and I'm the only person that will love you-"
"Forever?" Buffy completed his sentence and she leaned forward to kiss him.
As their lips touched, Angel felt love circle around both of them and he was certain that he wasn't going to lose it today.
---
"Buffy? ... BUFFY!" Cordelia screamed as she saw Buffy enter the office. She ran over and hugged Buffy so tightly that Buffy could hardly breath.
"Cordelia" Buffy whispered, "I'm back".
Wesley nodded at Angel.
"Good work" he mouthed and then he went over to hug Buffy, "We've missed you, you know, but I knew you'll be back" he told Buffy.
Gunn, who didn't even know Buffy, gave her a smile. That's all everyone seemed to do in her return, well, everyone except for Spike.
"Angel?" Cordelia whispered. She had noticed something. "Your- Your reflection!"
Wesley and Gunn turned to face the mirror and they both gasped in surprise.
"You're human" Wesley straightened the frame of his glasses. He always did that when he figured out something. "You did it, didn't you? You've got your reward"
Angel smiled, "Of course" he told them proudly.
"Man, you can come out to do the morning shopping with me now!" Gunn joked and playfully punched Angel's shoulder.
"Yeah, I can" Angel beamed, "I can".
---
It was the first night of Angel being properly human and he was with Buffy (again).
They were curled up in bed together; happiness was looped around them.
Angel looked at Buffy, Buffy looked at Angel.
"I'm happy" Buffy whispered. Her voice trailed down his ear and his eyes lit up with her words.
"Me too" Angel whispered back.
"I- I wish you were there" Buffy was referring to her death, "Because, well, I wanted someone to save me... You. I didn't think I was asking for much at the time, but it's too fairytale, isn't it?"
"You are your own hero. You're everyone's hero. I'm just a minor hero" Angel responded. He was telling her the truth, "And I'm just glad you're back. Nothing matters now. Nothing. Just me and you"
---
"Please!" Spike had returned to persuade the Oracles to let him become human, "I'd do anything!"
Salos shook his head as a no, "You don't deserve it. Angel did. You saved lives, Spike, but compared to Angel, you're worthless of gaining anything".
Spike took in the harsh comment and sighed.
"I love Buffy. I want to be with Buffy and..." Spike was stuck for words. He knew that he was going to start expressing his feelings again, so he stopped himself.
"NO! That's all. You must go back now. We shall hear no more of you" Lillian demanded and she and Salos left the room.
Spike clasped his head in his hands.
"WHY?! WHY IS IT ALWAYS HIM!" he cried out angrily and wept silently into his hands.
---
Angel was aware that Spike would want a part in Buffy's life, but he was also aware of something else. Something serious?
"Angel!" Buffy waved her hand in front of his disturbed face and she yelled out his name again, "Angel!" She had lost count of how many times she had repeated his name, but then something happened.... Angel screamed out pain.
"Angel?" Buffy whispered, "What's -what's wrong with you?" Buffy asked as she saw Angel squeeze his waist tightly. He was holding back unbearable pain, but it wasn't working. All his features squashed together as he tried to lock up his pain and he collapsed onto the floor. Angel was yelling. He was going mad.
Wesley, Cordelia, and Gunn entered the room.
"Oh god!" Cordelia cried, "Wesley, what's up with him?"
Wesley dashed over to Angel. His friend was in complete agony and he didn't know what was wrong with him.
"Angel, listen to me! You need to get onto the bed and lie down... please!" Wesley cried and he gestured to Gunn to help him.
"Gunn, keep talking to him while me and Cordelia go call for an ambulance!" Wesley cried and rushed off with Cordelia following quickly behind.
"Oh, Angel!" Buffy whimpered and she reached out for his hand and gently glided it down her cheek, "Angel"
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Wesley and Cordelia had managed to get Angel into a hospital and Angel was still in pain.
"I'll find something. I'll find a cure," Wesley told his sick friend as he went back to the office to do research, "I'll be back soon with an answer" Wesley promised.
"Hang on there, Angel" Gunn whispered as Wesley left the room and he reached out for Angel's hand, "Don't go. Be strong"
Buffy was crying her eyes out. She felt touched by Gunn's words. She realised how much people appreciated Angel. They all loved him and (possibly) as much as she did. They all cared about him.
"You'll a good friend," Buffy told Gunn through tears.
"Friends? Brothers" Gunn corrected her and went back to look at Angel, "Come on, man, get better. We need you"
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After some time, Wesley came rushing back into the hospital room with a book in his hand.
"I think- I think I know what's wrong with him" Wesley cried in short breaths. He had run all the way from the car park that his legs were tired, "Angel- Angel can't be human! He's GOT to be a vampire. He's too weak to live. He hasn't got the energy to live. Angel- Angel is Angel. You can't change him and now I think we're too late to-" Wesley hesitated. He couldn't say the words.
"Say it" Buffy ordered him. She knew what he had planned to say, but she wanted to hear it all. The truth.
"Save him," Wesley continued, "We're to late. Angel's going to die" Wesley took a huge breath in. It had taken him a lot of courage to tell that to everyone (especially Buffy).
"So, that was his reward? What a great reward that was!" Buffy cried angrily, "He saved me, I've come back from the dead and now he's going to die? What good is my life going to be without Angel? I NEED him, Wesley! Don't you understand?" Buffy yelled and tears came streaming down her eyes, "Please... please, find something," Buffy begged.
"I can't-"
"You can. It's never too late" Buffy interrupted Wesley.
"I'll try"
---
Buffy sat quietly out of the room. She couldn't tolerate to see Angel in so much pain. This was all too much for her.
"Buffy?" A familiar voice broke up Buffy's thoughts.
"Spike?"
Spike looked into Buffy's eyes and Spike immediately cut off the connection.
"I- I bumped into Wesley before and I heard about... well, you know, Angel" Spike mumbled. He could tell that this was hurting her more than anything.
"I don't want to talk about it" Buffy whispered and she stared at the carpet.
Spike decided to leave Buffy alone. She needed some time to herself. He was going to see Angel.
---
Luckily, no one was there to bark off Spike's head. Gunn and Cordelia had disappeared to get some food, so Spike was on his own with Angel. This was good. He needed to talk to Angel personally.
"I'm sorry" Spike whispered as he looked at Angel. He could see and feel the pain.
"Doesn't matter" Angel's voice was so quiet and soft. He didn't have the energy to talk. He was in too much torture.
"You- you're meant for Buffy. You do know that, right?" Spike fiddled around with the silver bed-knob.
"Spike?" Angel started to talk louder.
"Yeah?"
"Spike, I'm going to die. I know this" Angel confessed and Spike's expression turned surprised.
"What?"
"Wesley won't find anything. He can't help me. No one can, because I knew that I was going to die if I got turned human, because that was the final line in my prophecy. I didn't tell anyone I knew this, because.... I wanted to spend my moment of happiness with Buffy. Just one. I wanted to take her out in the blazing sun and walk her through the shopping mall without getting on fire. I wanted to give her a wonderful picnic in the park and I wanted to curl up in the bed with her. You know, all the things that couples do? I wanted just one day to do everything with her and now I have" Angel explained to Spike.
Spike was stunned, "I can't believe that" he whispered amazed, "You knew".
"And- and I want you to take care of her now, okay? I want YOU to live a life with Buffy, because I trust you to give her a good life, Spike. I've thought long and hard about this, because I knew that I was only going to have a short time to live and my conclusion was that you could give Buffy what she needs. You are right for her too." Angel gulped as he told Spike this and then he continued, "I've never liked you before Spike and I've never thought that you could do anything right, but this you can. You can prove to me now that you're a man. That you can give a wonderful life to someone."
"Me? But I'm- I'm a vampire with a bloody chip in his head. What good life could I possibly give the girl?" Spike pointed out.
"Spike, after tonight, you'll be human. I talked to the Oracles before I left. They knew about this too. I told them not to tell you though, so after tonight, they will grant you the wish of becoming human and from there.... Keep Buffy happy. Promise me. Look after her. Take care of her. Please." Angel smiled and then his eyes began to close slowly.
"I promise. With all my heart" Spike assured Angel, "I promise for eternity".
THE END