*Saying Goodbye*
Buffy stared out into the dark night sky. The stars were shining brightly as she stood at the entrance to the cemetary and waited for her companion to come. He had called her out of nowhere. They're short conversation kept running through her mind. "Hello?" "Buffy?" She had recognized his voice instantly. "Angel." "Buffy, I need to talk to you. It's important." "Okay, talk." "No, in person is better. Uh...can we meet somewhere?" Buffy had remembered all of the questions running through her mind. "Um, yah. Meet me at Greendale Cemetary at 1:30." "Okay. Uh-bye." And the dial tone rang harshly in Buffy's ears. And now Buffy was standing there, waiting for Angel to show up. It was roughly 1:45 when she felt someone tap her shoulder. She whirled around and came face to face with her old lover. The flame in her stomach that was embering roared to life. She tried desperately to keep her calm. Everytime she saw him, this happened. They would either yell and fight, or kiss desperately, trying to have everything they once knew and loved come back to them. Angel smiled his cryptic half smile. "Hey." "Hi." Angel looked around. He scuffed the ground with his shoe, and looked around some more. Anywhere but at Buffy's face. She picked up his akward vibe immediately. She had never seen him like this. He seemed so much more less brooding, and more human-y. Maybe these times away from her had been good to him. Buffy felt her heart drop at that thought, but she had more important thoughts than about whether her ex - lover had lost his desire for her. For instance, she had no idea where Spike nor Giles was. Spike could be off right now, being commanded by the first evil, and killing all sorts of people. Suddenly, the thought of the first evil brought her attention back to Angel. She remembered when they had taken over Angel. She realised he was saying something. "Buffy, this is realy hard for me. I-I dont know how to say this." "Angel-before you talk, I need to ask you a question. The first evil, when it was controling you, was there anyway you were able to momentarily fight it off?" Angel shook his head and looked at Buffy in confusion. "Why do you ask?" "No reason...it's just that the first evil might be making an encore visit here in good ol' SunnyHell." Angel nodded. Buffy sighed. She wished she could tell him the truth, but then should would have to explain why she was concerned Spike was killing and how he got a soul and why he was living with her when he disapeared and lot of other uncomfortable questions. Buffy mind flew to Giles. Where was he? Not answering the phone, no word from the Watchers Council, nothing. Angel coughed loudly. "Do you uh- want my help? I mean I can help if you want. . ." Buffy could tell by the look on Angel's face he really didn't want to. "No, that's alright. Uh, so what did you want to talk to me about?" Angel sighed and sat down on the cemetary wall. Buffy followed suite, and they both sat and looked around. "Buffy, we haven't really been in each other's life much. I only see you every one in awhile, and at first, it really hurt. You where all I could think about, and I thought that wounded part of my heart filled with you would never heal. And maybe i didn't want it to. But, like it or not, it has. I can't keep running back and forth with emotions for you, and emotions-emotions for other people." At this, Angel looked down at the ground. Normally, Buffy would have felt stung, sad, angry. But dying and coming back had made her grow up. She realised if she could move on and have sex with other people, then so could Angel. But it still hurt he, deep down in the 'Angel Only' part of her heart. Buffy turned her eyes to Angel. "So, what are you saying?" "I'm saying I will always love you. We were soulmates, and will always be connected. But we've moved on. Your older now, more grown up, and i've grown into this talking to people thing. I realise I can actually communicate with people, and not need you by my side to make me feel human." Buffy nodded. God this hurt. "I know Angel, I know. It's funny though, I always thought we would last forever, and that you would always be mine, and I yours. But it can't happen. Angel, for the past 7 years i've known you, we have never fully said goodbye. That's why we're holding on to each other." Angel nodded. When had his girl become so grown up? Angel cleared his throat and reached out his fingers. He ran them slowly down Buffy's cheek. Something seemed off about her, something different. He could sense death all around her. . . but he figured that is from her coming back from the dead. She nuzzled into his hand as he placed his whole palm on her face. "I guess this is it then, huh Angel? The moment we finally say goodbye?" Angel's throat began to close. This had all seemed so simple in his head, and now he couldn't get the words out. "Uh-g-" He couldn't bring himself to do this. Memories swirled through his head...Buffy's words pounded in his ears. 'I'll never forget! . . . Close your eyes. . . .I want you in my life. . . .' If only Angel could have one last, sweet kiss from her soft lips. He closed his eyes and wrapped his fingers around the back of her neck. He pulled her towards him. She leaned into his lips and their lips touched, hot against cold. Buffy gasped, and her lips parted, darting her tounge out. As thier mouths remastered each other one last time, Angel and Buffy inside both sobbed with anguish. It was almost over. The time was coming. And try as hard as he could, Angel couldn't hold on to her any longer. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ They pulled away, Buffy breathing heavily, her face turned away from Angel. Angel reached for her but Buffy moved farther down the wall. Suddenly, she turned to him, and Angel's heart died again. Her once lovely face was contorted into the face of a vampire. He soft hazel eyes were now an unforgiving yellow. Angel jumped out and Buffy followed. They circled each other, both snarling, and both equally aroused. Buffy lashed out at Angel and used her teeth to tear open a hole in his chest. Angel flung her off and flipped her over his shoulder. She landed hard and rolled and swept Angel's feet out from under him. Angel groaned in pain as he hit the unforgiving pavement hard. Buffy laughed evily and jumped up. She flipped over onto Angel's lap as he lay. She growled at him and whispered low in his ear. "Well guess what LOVER, I don't want to say goodbye." Buffy threw back her head and laughed. Angel took this oportunity and ran with it. He threw his fast up at her jugular and Buffy yelped and lept of him. Angel jumped to his feet. "I don't either. . . but one of us is going tonight. And personally, I don't want it to be me." Buffy giggled again and dove for Angel, he sidestepped her, but was immediately on the ground as Buffy kicked out her foot while she was falling at his head. He growled, his game face at full attention, and looked around desperately for something resembling a stake. As much as he loved Buffy, he knew how dangerous a slayer/vampire could be. She would be stronger than anything in the world, more evil than the evil's from the depths of hell, and more irresistable than ever. He grabbed an American Flag and flung himself over to where Buffy was. He slammed the stake into her chest, and watched in horror as his beloved exploded into dust. She reached out her finger to stroke his face, before she was gone forever. Angel sat there for about 10 minutes weeping over his lost love. He cried until he thought his face would freeze from the cold that had settled in his body. He scooped up some of her ashes and rubbed them along his face. His baby was gone, his girl was taken. He laid down in the ashes and cried more for her innocence, and for her utter sadness that had taken over her existence. Angel looked around and saw sunset coming up. He braced himself for the inevitable. He was going to join his girl, and he couldn't have been more at peace. He whispered into the ground where Buffy had fallen 'I Love You' and then he burned away into dust wich melted with Buffy's into the ground. They never did say goodbye.
Buffy stared out into the dark night sky. The stars were shining brightly as she stood at the entrance to the cemetary and waited for her companion to come. He had called her out of nowhere. They're short conversation kept running through her mind. "Hello?" "Buffy?" She had recognized his voice instantly. "Angel." "Buffy, I need to talk to you. It's important." "Okay, talk." "No, in person is better. Uh...can we meet somewhere?" Buffy had remembered all of the questions running through her mind. "Um, yah. Meet me at Greendale Cemetary at 1:30." "Okay. Uh-bye." And the dial tone rang harshly in Buffy's ears. And now Buffy was standing there, waiting for Angel to show up. It was roughly 1:45 when she felt someone tap her shoulder. She whirled around and came face to face with her old lover. The flame in her stomach that was embering roared to life. She tried desperately to keep her calm. Everytime she saw him, this happened. They would either yell and fight, or kiss desperately, trying to have everything they once knew and loved come back to them. Angel smiled his cryptic half smile. "Hey." "Hi." Angel looked around. He scuffed the ground with his shoe, and looked around some more. Anywhere but at Buffy's face. She picked up his akward vibe immediately. She had never seen him like this. He seemed so much more less brooding, and more human-y. Maybe these times away from her had been good to him. Buffy felt her heart drop at that thought, but she had more important thoughts than about whether her ex - lover had lost his desire for her. For instance, she had no idea where Spike nor Giles was. Spike could be off right now, being commanded by the first evil, and killing all sorts of people. Suddenly, the thought of the first evil brought her attention back to Angel. She remembered when they had taken over Angel. She realised he was saying something. "Buffy, this is realy hard for me. I-I dont know how to say this." "Angel-before you talk, I need to ask you a question. The first evil, when it was controling you, was there anyway you were able to momentarily fight it off?" Angel shook his head and looked at Buffy in confusion. "Why do you ask?" "No reason...it's just that the first evil might be making an encore visit here in good ol' SunnyHell." Angel nodded. Buffy sighed. She wished she could tell him the truth, but then should would have to explain why she was concerned Spike was killing and how he got a soul and why he was living with her when he disapeared and lot of other uncomfortable questions. Buffy mind flew to Giles. Where was he? Not answering the phone, no word from the Watchers Council, nothing. Angel coughed loudly. "Do you uh- want my help? I mean I can help if you want. . ." Buffy could tell by the look on Angel's face he really didn't want to. "No, that's alright. Uh, so what did you want to talk to me about?" Angel sighed and sat down on the cemetary wall. Buffy followed suite, and they both sat and looked around. "Buffy, we haven't really been in each other's life much. I only see you every one in awhile, and at first, it really hurt. You where all I could think about, and I thought that wounded part of my heart filled with you would never heal. And maybe i didn't want it to. But, like it or not, it has. I can't keep running back and forth with emotions for you, and emotions-emotions for other people." At this, Angel looked down at the ground. Normally, Buffy would have felt stung, sad, angry. But dying and coming back had made her grow up. She realised if she could move on and have sex with other people, then so could Angel. But it still hurt he, deep down in the 'Angel Only' part of her heart. Buffy turned her eyes to Angel. "So, what are you saying?" "I'm saying I will always love you. We were soulmates, and will always be connected. But we've moved on. Your older now, more grown up, and i've grown into this talking to people thing. I realise I can actually communicate with people, and not need you by my side to make me feel human." Buffy nodded. God this hurt. "I know Angel, I know. It's funny though, I always thought we would last forever, and that you would always be mine, and I yours. But it can't happen. Angel, for the past 7 years i've known you, we have never fully said goodbye. That's why we're holding on to each other." Angel nodded. When had his girl become so grown up? Angel cleared his throat and reached out his fingers. He ran them slowly down Buffy's cheek. Something seemed off about her, something different. He could sense death all around her. . . but he figured that is from her coming back from the dead. She nuzzled into his hand as he placed his whole palm on her face. "I guess this is it then, huh Angel? The moment we finally say goodbye?" Angel's throat began to close. This had all seemed so simple in his head, and now he couldn't get the words out. "Uh-g-" He couldn't bring himself to do this. Memories swirled through his head...Buffy's words pounded in his ears. 'I'll never forget! . . . Close your eyes. . . .I want you in my life. . . .' If only Angel could have one last, sweet kiss from her soft lips. He closed his eyes and wrapped his fingers around the back of her neck. He pulled her towards him. She leaned into his lips and their lips touched, hot against cold. Buffy gasped, and her lips parted, darting her tounge out. As thier mouths remastered each other one last time, Angel and Buffy inside both sobbed with anguish. It was almost over. The time was coming. And try as hard as he could, Angel couldn't hold on to her any longer. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ They pulled away, Buffy breathing heavily, her face turned away from Angel. Angel reached for her but Buffy moved farther down the wall. Suddenly, she turned to him, and Angel's heart died again. Her once lovely face was contorted into the face of a vampire. He soft hazel eyes were now an unforgiving yellow. Angel jumped out and Buffy followed. They circled each other, both snarling, and both equally aroused. Buffy lashed out at Angel and used her teeth to tear open a hole in his chest. Angel flung her off and flipped her over his shoulder. She landed hard and rolled and swept Angel's feet out from under him. Angel groaned in pain as he hit the unforgiving pavement hard. Buffy laughed evily and jumped up. She flipped over onto Angel's lap as he lay. She growled at him and whispered low in his ear. "Well guess what LOVER, I don't want to say goodbye." Buffy threw back her head and laughed. Angel took this oportunity and ran with it. He threw his fast up at her jugular and Buffy yelped and lept of him. Angel jumped to his feet. "I don't either. . . but one of us is going tonight. And personally, I don't want it to be me." Buffy giggled again and dove for Angel, he sidestepped her, but was immediately on the ground as Buffy kicked out her foot while she was falling at his head. He growled, his game face at full attention, and looked around desperately for something resembling a stake. As much as he loved Buffy, he knew how dangerous a slayer/vampire could be. She would be stronger than anything in the world, more evil than the evil's from the depths of hell, and more irresistable than ever. He grabbed an American Flag and flung himself over to where Buffy was. He slammed the stake into her chest, and watched in horror as his beloved exploded into dust. She reached out her finger to stroke his face, before she was gone forever. Angel sat there for about 10 minutes weeping over his lost love. He cried until he thought his face would freeze from the cold that had settled in his body. He scooped up some of her ashes and rubbed them along his face. His baby was gone, his girl was taken. He laid down in the ashes and cried more for her innocence, and for her utter sadness that had taken over her existence. Angel looked around and saw sunset coming up. He braced himself for the inevitable. He was going to join his girl, and he couldn't have been more at peace. He whispered into the ground where Buffy had fallen 'I Love You' and then he burned away into dust wich melted with Buffy's into the ground. They never did say goodbye.