Title: Opening Doors

Author:VP

E-mail:devilsangel67292@aol.com

Rating:PG-13

Couples:B/A

Summary: Angel never came back from hell. Everything else in the buffyverse happened. As Xander breaks the talisman something is sent back as the other things leave.

Spoilers: Lessons..BIG TIME!

Feedback: If you want a sequel

Disclaimer: I own nothing! Not even the storyline so there!



Distribution: Anyone who wants it can have it,fanfiction.net and my site which has been having problems lately, but all the fics are up and OK(http://gurlpages.com/cherrikiss396//Buffy%20and%20Angel/wel.html)

Authors Note: I got this idea from Lessons, or course, and the episdoe where Connor came back. I thought it would be cool if it happened to Angel.





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As Xander ran down the steps with the talisman he looked around to see Buffy. She was trying to fend off those things in the basement. He snapped it in half. The undead creatures dissipated into dust.

Buffy sighed. She was glad all of this crap was over with finally. Now she could get Dawn the hell out of here and home to where it was safe. As she was about to turn around to find her sister when the air started to sizzle.



"OMG! What is happening?" Xander saw the air turn blue and then silver. It sparked all over. A loud bang tore through the air. A figure fell from the static in the air. Buffy tried to make it out in the bright light. She couldn't though it was hard.

Whatever it was on its hands and knees coughing. She saw his head turn to the side. He looked like he had seen a ghost. His eyes opened like a deer in the headlights. He was shocked and almost had a heart attack.{I know vampires cant have those, but did I say he was still a vampire?} She can't be here? Can she?

Buffy's eyes also opened in recognition. It was Angel. She tried to stand up. He did it but with much hesitation. He couldn't speak. Neither could Buffy. Xander was too stupefied to make a smart comment. His shirt was wide open to reveal marks on his chest. She could see the torn flesh glistening in the slowly lessening bluish silver light.

"Angel? " She hadn't seen him in 5 years. She had been so lonely. She couldn't hold back the emotions she had surpressed for practically half a decade. Her heart reached out to him. She hadn't seem his face in so long. Maybe she was imagining all of this? It was too bittersweet to be true.

His chest was ripped up and the blood fell down his chest. He looked older, but in a more mature way. His body was the same, but his eyes were centuries aged. He looked wary and sad.

She stared at him. Xander backed away. He didn't need to be that close to Angel. He figured getting his distance would be a very good idea. He felt it was his fault Angel had been sent away. After all he hadn't told Buffy that Angel might have been coming back because of Willow's spell.

"B-" He couldn't remember how to say her name. He hadn't spoken English in millenniums. He could never forget her face, his past with her. He searched for the words to express what he was feeling. He hadn't been here in a long time. he knew it would all come back in time. He thought she would have been long gone by now. It was only 5 years later, but so much longer for him. It was an eternity of hell.

"Angel?" She took another step closer. He backed away slightly hesitating. This couldn't be real. It never was. He'd had this dream many times before. He didn't know how he got here, or why he was back.

She was sad that he was acting this way. She had finally stopped blaming herself for sending him to hell. And now he was back. All the guilt found its place on her shoulders again.

He remembered her name. "Buffy" He said it loudly and happily. There was no sign of sadness or regret over their relationship. He smiled wildly. He was extremely proud of himself for remembering. But he knew he could never forget.

"OMG!" She ran into his accepting arms. He held her close to him. She was overcome with emotions. Her body hummed in his presence. "How did you get here?"

He didn't know what she said. He couldn't understand her. He knew talking in the language he knew now would only scare her. So he just held her closely. Bits and pieces of the language floated back to him. "No-speek-" He racked his brain as best as he could. She pulled away. He was frightening her. What did he mean? Her eyes searched him for an explanation. He could feel this was Buffy, but something was off.

Ever since he had been in hell things were bad. He had been tortured for hundreds of years, but they couldn't brake him. He held onto the memory of her, he could remember her long after he forgot who he was. When he overtook the forces down there he slowly got everything back, but something's he would never remember. And in most ways that was a good thing.

He ran his hand down her face. "Buffy-"he gestured to himself. His face scrunched up. "No speak English" Her face fell. He didn't speak English?

"What?" He got the feeling she didn't understand. He walked from her and towards Xander. He thought he remembered Xander taking French. He could remember that one better. Every once in a while there was a French captive he would get to torture. He pronounced a few things slowly. He hoped Xander would understand. Of course Xander had no clue. Angel didn't recall that his living unfriend wasn't all the studious.

Dawn and her three friends walked in. She didn't remember what Angel had looked like. The monks forgot to add that to her memory. Angel tried again to communicate with Xander. He didn't get it.

Buffy was freaking out silently. her body started to shake. This can't be happening

Maybe it was Spanish Xander took. Angel tried that.

Dawn's friend listened in. He started to converse with Angel. As Angel heard the words roll off of his tongue he was relieved. Now he could talk to someone. He told the boy what to say...

"This guy says he doesn't remember English" He looked to Buffy because she was the one who seemed to be the most effected by what was going on.

"Doesn't remember English?"

The boy translated for Angel.

"He says he has been in hell for 3000 years and he has forgotten, but I might have misinterpreted that cuz there is no way that can be true." The Mexican boy didn't get a single thing going on.

"Forgotten? 3000 years? Does he remember anything?" She was torn. He had said her name. That had to mean something!

Angel looked into Buffy's eyes. She smiled and rushed into his arms again. He held her so close to him. She was a lifeline he hadn't had in forever. Her hair smelled like honey. He was back and that was all that mattered. She didn't care if he didn't know anything. He would in time.

"He says that he remembers you"

The End

I am going yo do a sequel if people like this.