This is the last part of the story. First of all I want to thank Angie for her
wonderful job as a beta-reader. Without her the story wouldn't be the same.
I know I surprised you all with Willow as the dirty cop. To tell you the truth, I wasn't sure myself who would turn out to be the one. I know it sounds strange
because I'm writing the story, but with each chapter, Willow became more and more apparent. I am glad that you were okay with it and don't hate me for it. I hope this last part will wrap everything up... or not. I'm not talking about a sequel here, because I'm not planning one. I think the story is told. But as in real life, not everything can be resolved. And not everything has a happy ending.
Disclaimer and stuff in the first part.
Unforgettable - Part 11
By Jill
same day, 10.00 p.m., Los Angeles
Angel couldn't stop touching her. He needed to reassure himself that she
was, even looking pale and sad, and lying on a hospital bed, indeed alive.
He would never forget the moment he'd stormed through the door of Buffy's
room and found Willow standing in front of the blonde's bed, the gun still
in her hand, the distinctive smell of a fired weapon in the air.
And he had been sure he'd been too late. Too late to save Buffy, too late to
make his dreams come true. But like a miracle, Buffy, summoning all her
remaining strength, rolled away the very last moment, and so the shot had
only hit the pillow instead of Buffy's head. It was a miracle she was still
alive, and that her roll from the bed hadn't caused further damage to her already
bruised and broken body.
"I still can't believe it," she was saying now, fighting tears again.
In response, Angel took her hand in his and kissed its back. "I know," he
murmured. "It's really hard to believe. She was your friend for so long."
She blinked rapidly and then turned her head to look at him, "The problem
is, I can't stop wondering what part of her affection was genuine and what
part was nothing but acting. Did she ever like me? When did it start to
change? Did she start lying when we were in high school together? I..." her
voice broke and silent tears slipped from her eyes. "God, Angel, how could
this happen?"
He kissed her hand again, this time its palm, and holding it in both of his
hands, he thought about Riley and a life-long friendship that had been
destroyed by jealousy and fate, and realized that Buffy was experiencing the
same thing now. "I've asked the same thing myself," he said.
"About Riley," she replied and it wasn't a question. She understood. "But at
least Riley didn't try to kill you. I still can't believe she tried it
twice. I just can't believe she was the one who planted the bomb under my
car. How can money be more important than friendship?"
It hadn't been about money in the end, Angel knew, and he told her.
Confused she looked up at him, "But what about then? What pushed her so over
the edge that she was willing to kill me? Angel, about two weeks ago we had
lunch at Cara's. She was like... the way she always was. My friend. How
could she lie like this into my face?"
"It was because-," he began to reply when the door opened and Xander's head
appeared.
"Hi," he said, his voice blank, his eyes incredibly sad. "May I come in?"
Buffy's lips twitched into the whisper of a smile, "It's the first time
you've actually asked," she tried a lame joke, but he didn't pay attention.
"Sure, come in."
A little bit uncertain he looked at Angel, but the older man just nodded and
stood. "I'm going to go for a little. I need some coffee. Don't make it too
long," he said, turning at Xander, "She needs her rest." With that he
slipped out of the door.
"How are you?" Buffy asked softly, but Xander didn't look at her, just
stared out of the window, his hands buried in his pockets. She had felt
horrible about Willow, but now she noticed it was nothing compared to what
her friend must feel right now.
He didn't answer at first, just continued staring out of the window. Finally
he spoke. "It's strange, you know. After we knew you were all right, and
after Faith and Kate took... her away, I went home. I needed to see Anya and
the baby. They were the same. Anya kissed me and my son was happy. Nothing's
changed." He paused for a moment and took a deep breath, "And yet everything
has."
"We lost the rest of our innocence," Buffy said thoughtfully, knowing
instinctively that he felt the same. "I already lost most of it through the
mess with Riley, and when Mike died. But today I found out that we never
really know another person. I'm glad Angel and I found each other again.
Without him, I might have given up on life completely." She smiled slightly
when he turned to her and his eyes narrowed. "Hey, I wasn't talking about
suicide. I would've gotten through it. But I might not have been able to
trust anyone again. And without trust life is incredibly empty. Because
without trust there is no real friendship, no real love."
"Yeah, I know," he replied, raking a hand through his short hair. "I just
think I'll ever believe it. It's lost forever. That's why I needed to see
Anya and our son. I needed to touch something that's good, not tainted." He
turned back to the window again, staring into the night, hoping somehow that
the darkness could swallow all ugliness away. Of course he knew it wasn't
possible. "I hate her, you know," he admitted finally, "Not only for trying
to kill you. But for stealing all the good memories I have of her. I always
treasured our time as kids. Now it," he shrugged, a helpless, weary gesture,
"it's all tainted. I'll never be able to think about her with fondness. And
I really, really hate her for it."
"I know," she said holding out a hand to him, glad when he came to the bed
and accepted it. There was a long way to go, but maybe they could try to
heal together. "It's the same for me," she told him when he sat down at the
edge of her bed. "Angel understands it too. It might not be exactly the
same, but Riley turned against him too."
"But at least Riley felt bad for it. He hated himself so much in the end
that he didn't even care he was dying anymore. But Willow-" his voice
cracked and he had to swallow the lump that was forming in his throat, had
to blink away the hot tears, a mixture of anger, disappointment and deep,
painful grief. Helplessly he shook his head, "There was no remorse, no
regret for trying to kill you. God, it's going to kill Oz."
"Have you seen him yet?" Buffy asked, squeezing his hand, hurting for a man
whose wife would go to jail, had betrayed him as much as her friends, and
who was carrying his child. Oz was a taciturn man, he wasn't the kind to
open up and talk. Would he ever get over it, Buffy wondered? Could you get
over such a thing?
"No." Xander took a deep breath and rubbed a hand over his face, stubble
growing in. "I have no idea what to say to him."
"Tell him, you're his friend and that you'll be there for him whenever he
needs you," came Angel's voice from the doorway. He'd entered so quietly,
they hadn't heard him. He smiled briefly at Buffy, who returned it and then
looked at Xander again, "And he is going to need you. Willow's obviously decided
to make a deal."
Xander's eyes narrowed, "What do you mean?"
"She agreed to make a full statement," Cordelia said stepping into the room
behind Angel. She smiled at the woman in the bed, "She'll tell us everything
she knows. About David Griffin, his organization, his contacts, and
everything. The FBI has been informed and it looks as if she could get off
pretty easily."
"Oh, that's rich," Xander scoffed, stood and began to pace the room. "So she
might come off with two years or what?"
"She might not even be charged," Cordelia said, not liking it herself, "The
FBI was talking about a witness protection program." She rubbed her weary eyes
and then combed the hand through her hair.
"Gee, so she just talks a little, and the reward for trying to kill Buffy,
for deceiving all her friends, is a new name and a new life?" Xander walked
back to the window, stared into the night again. "Man, maybe I should try it
too."
"I know it's not fair," the brunette closed the door behind her and leaned
against it. "But David Griffin and Derryl Chambers are the really big fish
in the water here. Willow's just a dirty cop."
Xander snorted but didn't say anything. After a moment of silence, Angel
cleared his throat, "She told Giles and the FBI that one of Griffin's
snipers shot Riley. It seems the whole thing is pretty complicated." He
crossed the room and sat down with Buffy. "With his sister escaped from her
husband, Riley was forced to do something. So he did. It seems that David
Griffin found out everything about Riley's little problem and he
knew Eunice's husband. He threatened to expose her. He blackmailed Riley to
force himself on Simone Chambers. Griffin needed the pictures to keep Derryl
Chambers on track, should he ever consider leaving their little family.
"Riley on the other hand blackmailed Simone, because he found out she knew
certain things about her father. I'm not trying to find an excuse, but at
least his blackmailing had the ulterior motive to save his sister. Of
course, he should've told us everything and tried to find a legal way out of
the mess. But he was already in so deep, and with the guilt he was carrying
around regarding Mike's death, and all he had done to help Eunice," Angel
shook his head, and smiled at Buffy when she took his hand, "He couldn't
stand the idea of going to jail."
"But why would Griffin kill him?" Buffy wanted to know.
"Because he found out that Riley had stored information about him. Some kind
of safety assurance. So he killed Riley. Then his men found the dangerous
information Riley had hidden. Yet, it wasn't all of it. They had no idea
Riley had sent copies of everything to his brother. So they assumed you had it.
That was the moment it was decided to eliminate you as well. As you remember,
there were pictures of David Gadget in the envelope. Willow obviously
thought she was in danger of being exposed as well."
Xander who had listened to the whole story, turned back to his friends.
"Where is she now?"
"They brought her to the precinct," Cordelia replied, "But the FBI wanted to
take care of her. Why?"
"If she isn't going to jail, then she's going to keep the baby, right?"
"I suppose so. Oz came to the precinct," she told Xander. "He seemed to take
it well, but that's just Oz. He never shows a lot of emotion. The FBI
offered to take him into the program with her, but he refused. He knows that
she's going to take the baby with her." She paused for a moment, and then
added thoughtfully, "Maybe it's best that way."
"No, it's not," Xander replied forcefully, "How can you say that? He finds
out that his wife betrayed everyone and on top of it, he's going to lose his
unborn child."
"It'll hurt," Angel said, holding onto Buffy's hand, glad he wasn't forced
to make such a horrible decision, "but a clear cut is the only way. For all
of them. It's actually the baby who's going to lose the most in this. Either
it will lose a mother or a father. And it will never know that lost parent."
"God, this is such a mess," Xander crossed his arms in front of his chest
and leaned against the wall, closing his eyes. "Why did she have to do
this?" he asked again. "What is so wrong with this life, that she needed to
do what she did? Can anybody explain it to me, because I'm never going to
understand it."
"Some people aren't as content as you," Angel replied quietly. "They want
more. And they want it any possible way. That's why we're here. To get those
who leave the legal path."
Cordelia looked at the lovers on the bed and smiled, determined not to give
in to depression, "Well, I suppose you aren't in danger of leaving the legal
way. Speaking of being legal, my wedding's in about four weeks. How about a
double wedding?"
"Well," Buffy smiled at her gratefully, understanding what the brunette was
trying to do. She felt terribly sad, but life went on, and looking at Angel
she knew it had beautiful things in store for her, "we haven't actually
talked about a date or marrying at all for that matter."
"You haven't?" Cordelia asked in mocked shock. "Well, then go on, ask her."
Angel chuckled, "I would prefer a more... private moment for that kind of
thing," he told her.
"Oh," she grinned. "Privacy. We can do that, can't we, Xand?" she turned and
looked gently at her old friend.
"Yeah, sure," he tried a smile and his lips twitched. "I need to go home
anyway. I promised Anya not to be too late. See you tomorrow. And," he
paused in the doorway, "I would like a double wedding. Hope the cake's going
to be huge."
"Love you too, Xand," Buffy said when he slipped out of the room. She smiled
at Cordelia who followed him and when the door closed behind them, she
turned to Angel. "I totally understand if you don't want to marry now or...
ever. We haven't talked about it so far. I don't even know if you're going to
stay in L.A. or if you want to move back to New York." She licked her lips
nervously, "I mean, I don't want you to feel-"
He stopped her rambling with a sweet kiss and when their lips parted he
smiled, "I couldn't think of any better timing," he said, stroking her
cheek. "It's like announcing that we still believe in the good things in
life." No, they hadn't talked about their future so far, but with the events of
the last days it was suddenly so easy to see that life was short and precious and
that there was no time to waste a single moment of it.
"Yeah," she agreed, smiling as well. "So are you going to propose, or should
I?" she only half-joked. Inside everything was fluttering. This was about a
marriage to Angel. Something she'd dreamed about for so long.
"You might laugh at me now," he said, his face serious, "but deep inside I'm
a very traditional kind of guy. In my eyes the man does the proposing. So,"
he grinned and slipped from the bed.
Buffy couldn't stop the tear slipping from her eyes when he went down on one
knee.
END
Tell me what you thought! Flame me if you must (ducks for cover), but I'd rather prefer to get nice comments!
Oh, and a sequel is already in the planning. If you want, that is. Cuz, there's still the unresolved issue of Dru and Spike. Who killed Mrs. Philips? What is going to happen with Willow? And Oz? And last but not least, are Buffy and Angel going to make it to the altar?
wonderful job as a beta-reader. Without her the story wouldn't be the same.
I know I surprised you all with Willow as the dirty cop. To tell you the truth, I wasn't sure myself who would turn out to be the one. I know it sounds strange
because I'm writing the story, but with each chapter, Willow became more and more apparent. I am glad that you were okay with it and don't hate me for it. I hope this last part will wrap everything up... or not. I'm not talking about a sequel here, because I'm not planning one. I think the story is told. But as in real life, not everything can be resolved. And not everything has a happy ending.
Disclaimer and stuff in the first part.
Unforgettable - Part 11
By Jill
same day, 10.00 p.m., Los Angeles
Angel couldn't stop touching her. He needed to reassure himself that she
was, even looking pale and sad, and lying on a hospital bed, indeed alive.
He would never forget the moment he'd stormed through the door of Buffy's
room and found Willow standing in front of the blonde's bed, the gun still
in her hand, the distinctive smell of a fired weapon in the air.
And he had been sure he'd been too late. Too late to save Buffy, too late to
make his dreams come true. But like a miracle, Buffy, summoning all her
remaining strength, rolled away the very last moment, and so the shot had
only hit the pillow instead of Buffy's head. It was a miracle she was still
alive, and that her roll from the bed hadn't caused further damage to her already
bruised and broken body.
"I still can't believe it," she was saying now, fighting tears again.
In response, Angel took her hand in his and kissed its back. "I know," he
murmured. "It's really hard to believe. She was your friend for so long."
She blinked rapidly and then turned her head to look at him, "The problem
is, I can't stop wondering what part of her affection was genuine and what
part was nothing but acting. Did she ever like me? When did it start to
change? Did she start lying when we were in high school together? I..." her
voice broke and silent tears slipped from her eyes. "God, Angel, how could
this happen?"
He kissed her hand again, this time its palm, and holding it in both of his
hands, he thought about Riley and a life-long friendship that had been
destroyed by jealousy and fate, and realized that Buffy was experiencing the
same thing now. "I've asked the same thing myself," he said.
"About Riley," she replied and it wasn't a question. She understood. "But at
least Riley didn't try to kill you. I still can't believe she tried it
twice. I just can't believe she was the one who planted the bomb under my
car. How can money be more important than friendship?"
It hadn't been about money in the end, Angel knew, and he told her.
Confused she looked up at him, "But what about then? What pushed her so over
the edge that she was willing to kill me? Angel, about two weeks ago we had
lunch at Cara's. She was like... the way she always was. My friend. How
could she lie like this into my face?"
"It was because-," he began to reply when the door opened and Xander's head
appeared.
"Hi," he said, his voice blank, his eyes incredibly sad. "May I come in?"
Buffy's lips twitched into the whisper of a smile, "It's the first time
you've actually asked," she tried a lame joke, but he didn't pay attention.
"Sure, come in."
A little bit uncertain he looked at Angel, but the older man just nodded and
stood. "I'm going to go for a little. I need some coffee. Don't make it too
long," he said, turning at Xander, "She needs her rest." With that he
slipped out of the door.
"How are you?" Buffy asked softly, but Xander didn't look at her, just
stared out of the window, his hands buried in his pockets. She had felt
horrible about Willow, but now she noticed it was nothing compared to what
her friend must feel right now.
He didn't answer at first, just continued staring out of the window. Finally
he spoke. "It's strange, you know. After we knew you were all right, and
after Faith and Kate took... her away, I went home. I needed to see Anya and
the baby. They were the same. Anya kissed me and my son was happy. Nothing's
changed." He paused for a moment and took a deep breath, "And yet everything
has."
"We lost the rest of our innocence," Buffy said thoughtfully, knowing
instinctively that he felt the same. "I already lost most of it through the
mess with Riley, and when Mike died. But today I found out that we never
really know another person. I'm glad Angel and I found each other again.
Without him, I might have given up on life completely." She smiled slightly
when he turned to her and his eyes narrowed. "Hey, I wasn't talking about
suicide. I would've gotten through it. But I might not have been able to
trust anyone again. And without trust life is incredibly empty. Because
without trust there is no real friendship, no real love."
"Yeah, I know," he replied, raking a hand through his short hair. "I just
think I'll ever believe it. It's lost forever. That's why I needed to see
Anya and our son. I needed to touch something that's good, not tainted." He
turned back to the window again, staring into the night, hoping somehow that
the darkness could swallow all ugliness away. Of course he knew it wasn't
possible. "I hate her, you know," he admitted finally, "Not only for trying
to kill you. But for stealing all the good memories I have of her. I always
treasured our time as kids. Now it," he shrugged, a helpless, weary gesture,
"it's all tainted. I'll never be able to think about her with fondness. And
I really, really hate her for it."
"I know," she said holding out a hand to him, glad when he came to the bed
and accepted it. There was a long way to go, but maybe they could try to
heal together. "It's the same for me," she told him when he sat down at the
edge of her bed. "Angel understands it too. It might not be exactly the
same, but Riley turned against him too."
"But at least Riley felt bad for it. He hated himself so much in the end
that he didn't even care he was dying anymore. But Willow-" his voice
cracked and he had to swallow the lump that was forming in his throat, had
to blink away the hot tears, a mixture of anger, disappointment and deep,
painful grief. Helplessly he shook his head, "There was no remorse, no
regret for trying to kill you. God, it's going to kill Oz."
"Have you seen him yet?" Buffy asked, squeezing his hand, hurting for a man
whose wife would go to jail, had betrayed him as much as her friends, and
who was carrying his child. Oz was a taciturn man, he wasn't the kind to
open up and talk. Would he ever get over it, Buffy wondered? Could you get
over such a thing?
"No." Xander took a deep breath and rubbed a hand over his face, stubble
growing in. "I have no idea what to say to him."
"Tell him, you're his friend and that you'll be there for him whenever he
needs you," came Angel's voice from the doorway. He'd entered so quietly,
they hadn't heard him. He smiled briefly at Buffy, who returned it and then
looked at Xander again, "And he is going to need you. Willow's obviously decided
to make a deal."
Xander's eyes narrowed, "What do you mean?"
"She agreed to make a full statement," Cordelia said stepping into the room
behind Angel. She smiled at the woman in the bed, "She'll tell us everything
she knows. About David Griffin, his organization, his contacts, and
everything. The FBI has been informed and it looks as if she could get off
pretty easily."
"Oh, that's rich," Xander scoffed, stood and began to pace the room. "So she
might come off with two years or what?"
"She might not even be charged," Cordelia said, not liking it herself, "The
FBI was talking about a witness protection program." She rubbed her weary eyes
and then combed the hand through her hair.
"Gee, so she just talks a little, and the reward for trying to kill Buffy,
for deceiving all her friends, is a new name and a new life?" Xander walked
back to the window, stared into the night again. "Man, maybe I should try it
too."
"I know it's not fair," the brunette closed the door behind her and leaned
against it. "But David Griffin and Derryl Chambers are the really big fish
in the water here. Willow's just a dirty cop."
Xander snorted but didn't say anything. After a moment of silence, Angel
cleared his throat, "She told Giles and the FBI that one of Griffin's
snipers shot Riley. It seems the whole thing is pretty complicated." He
crossed the room and sat down with Buffy. "With his sister escaped from her
husband, Riley was forced to do something. So he did. It seems that David
Griffin found out everything about Riley's little problem and he
knew Eunice's husband. He threatened to expose her. He blackmailed Riley to
force himself on Simone Chambers. Griffin needed the pictures to keep Derryl
Chambers on track, should he ever consider leaving their little family.
"Riley on the other hand blackmailed Simone, because he found out she knew
certain things about her father. I'm not trying to find an excuse, but at
least his blackmailing had the ulterior motive to save his sister. Of
course, he should've told us everything and tried to find a legal way out of
the mess. But he was already in so deep, and with the guilt he was carrying
around regarding Mike's death, and all he had done to help Eunice," Angel
shook his head, and smiled at Buffy when she took his hand, "He couldn't
stand the idea of going to jail."
"But why would Griffin kill him?" Buffy wanted to know.
"Because he found out that Riley had stored information about him. Some kind
of safety assurance. So he killed Riley. Then his men found the dangerous
information Riley had hidden. Yet, it wasn't all of it. They had no idea
Riley had sent copies of everything to his brother. So they assumed you had it.
That was the moment it was decided to eliminate you as well. As you remember,
there were pictures of David Gadget in the envelope. Willow obviously
thought she was in danger of being exposed as well."
Xander who had listened to the whole story, turned back to his friends.
"Where is she now?"
"They brought her to the precinct," Cordelia replied, "But the FBI wanted to
take care of her. Why?"
"If she isn't going to jail, then she's going to keep the baby, right?"
"I suppose so. Oz came to the precinct," she told Xander. "He seemed to take
it well, but that's just Oz. He never shows a lot of emotion. The FBI
offered to take him into the program with her, but he refused. He knows that
she's going to take the baby with her." She paused for a moment, and then
added thoughtfully, "Maybe it's best that way."
"No, it's not," Xander replied forcefully, "How can you say that? He finds
out that his wife betrayed everyone and on top of it, he's going to lose his
unborn child."
"It'll hurt," Angel said, holding onto Buffy's hand, glad he wasn't forced
to make such a horrible decision, "but a clear cut is the only way. For all
of them. It's actually the baby who's going to lose the most in this. Either
it will lose a mother or a father. And it will never know that lost parent."
"God, this is such a mess," Xander crossed his arms in front of his chest
and leaned against the wall, closing his eyes. "Why did she have to do
this?" he asked again. "What is so wrong with this life, that she needed to
do what she did? Can anybody explain it to me, because I'm never going to
understand it."
"Some people aren't as content as you," Angel replied quietly. "They want
more. And they want it any possible way. That's why we're here. To get those
who leave the legal path."
Cordelia looked at the lovers on the bed and smiled, determined not to give
in to depression, "Well, I suppose you aren't in danger of leaving the legal
way. Speaking of being legal, my wedding's in about four weeks. How about a
double wedding?"
"Well," Buffy smiled at her gratefully, understanding what the brunette was
trying to do. She felt terribly sad, but life went on, and looking at Angel
she knew it had beautiful things in store for her, "we haven't actually
talked about a date or marrying at all for that matter."
"You haven't?" Cordelia asked in mocked shock. "Well, then go on, ask her."
Angel chuckled, "I would prefer a more... private moment for that kind of
thing," he told her.
"Oh," she grinned. "Privacy. We can do that, can't we, Xand?" she turned and
looked gently at her old friend.
"Yeah, sure," he tried a smile and his lips twitched. "I need to go home
anyway. I promised Anya not to be too late. See you tomorrow. And," he
paused in the doorway, "I would like a double wedding. Hope the cake's going
to be huge."
"Love you too, Xand," Buffy said when he slipped out of the room. She smiled
at Cordelia who followed him and when the door closed behind them, she
turned to Angel. "I totally understand if you don't want to marry now or...
ever. We haven't talked about it so far. I don't even know if you're going to
stay in L.A. or if you want to move back to New York." She licked her lips
nervously, "I mean, I don't want you to feel-"
He stopped her rambling with a sweet kiss and when their lips parted he
smiled, "I couldn't think of any better timing," he said, stroking her
cheek. "It's like announcing that we still believe in the good things in
life." No, they hadn't talked about their future so far, but with the events of
the last days it was suddenly so easy to see that life was short and precious and
that there was no time to waste a single moment of it.
"Yeah," she agreed, smiling as well. "So are you going to propose, or should
I?" she only half-joked. Inside everything was fluttering. This was about a
marriage to Angel. Something she'd dreamed about for so long.
"You might laugh at me now," he said, his face serious, "but deep inside I'm
a very traditional kind of guy. In my eyes the man does the proposing. So,"
he grinned and slipped from the bed.
Buffy couldn't stop the tear slipping from her eyes when he went down on one
knee.
END
Tell me what you thought! Flame me if you must (ducks for cover), but I'd rather prefer to get nice comments!
Oh, and a sequel is already in the planning. If you want, that is. Cuz, there's still the unresolved issue of Dru and Spike. Who killed Mrs. Philips? What is going to happen with Willow? And Oz? And last but not least, are Buffy and Angel going to make it to the altar?
