A/N: This is Part Nineteen of the CLOSURE series. This is a sequel of the ENOUGH series, so please read that one first or this won't make any sense. I apologize for the delay. This little thing called my day job kept me somewhat busy.

Disclaimer: You should know that this belongs to Joss Whedon and the parties involved in getting the show on the air.

Feedback: As you wish.

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The Dark Princess

Three days.

It should have been easier, life was how she dreamed it to be four years ago. She had money, her friends were all right, Giles was happy, and her sister was doing great at school.

And there was no Spike around.

But that was one of the things that were not all right now. She wanted the entire list plus that annoying vampire around.

Because she owed her financial welfare to that vampire, she owed her sister's choice in career; she owed Jean's help and many other things.

Not even having Angel around helped. He had insisted on coming over when he heard no news from her in two days. The souled vampire had asked Buffy to call him and let him know how things worked out between her and Spike.

She really couldn't say what had happened.

Were they good news? Had the disappearance of the unsouled vampire been a good event?

And Angel's presence was even worse, because when he embraced her he reminded her of that other vampire.

The one that left and wouldn't return.

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Three days.

It shouldn't take this long. He had contacts all over the world. That blessed Internet had been his only aid for the last three years. A few calls here and there and he had located her still in America.

Argentina.

He didn't remember being in there. He recalled that she had once asked him about the silver country, but he had dismissed her ramblings and really didn't care where they went.

As long as he was with her.

Now, Spike regretted having ditched Drusilla all those years ago.

She was the only thing that made sense in his mind. Even when she had dumped him numerous times, not caring what he felt. Once he caught up with her, he'd make sure that noting would separate them again.

But, was that what he wanted?

He wasn't sure anymore. He did remember fondly all those years of mayhem and slaughter, but he didn't want that anymore.

Did he?

Of course not, he had been leading a different kind of life ever since he left Sunnydale. He didn't want to return to that state of mind. He had killed millions of humans and, while he felt no remorse, he found no challenge in defeating humans.

He still needed blood, but his mind was set on the different rush that came when fighting demons. Killing a human was so easy for a vampire who had roamed this earth for over a century. Killing demons that were several feet taller than him, several pounds heavier than him, faster than him, now there was a rush.

Or fighting a slayer; nothing topped fighting a slayer.

No.

He didn't want to think about that.

Anything but that; anything but the thought of a slayer in his mind.

"Don't think about it!" He shouted to himself, as he walked outside of the hotel he had been staying in Buenos Aires.

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"The truth."

"What?" Buffy asked. Angel frowned and stared at her.

"Spike loves you. What do you feel about him?" He asked.

"Why does everybody keep asking that?" Buffy felt tired. Angel was supposed to leave that night and he didn't look to be trying so hard to leave.

"Only because it's important. A lot." Angel pushed a bit.

"Important? Why?"

"Do not avoid the question, Buffy. It's as simple as a 'yes' or 'no', do you love him?"

Buffy stared at Angel, but then she turned around. They were still on the kitchen, waiting for the night to fall so that Angel could finally leave.

"I don't know."

"Don't give me that. You either love him or don't. Answer."

"I told you I don't know!"

"You think you'll hurt me if you tell me what you truly feel."

"No! It's not that, it's just that…"

"He doesn't have a soul."

Buffy spun around quickly and faced Angel again.

"No. I'm over that already, I just…"

"Oh."

"What?"

"He told you the same thing he told me."

"What thing?"

"It's kind of true, actually. I did ruin your life."

"Huh?"

"Well, it seems that you don't think he can love without a soul. He's not me, Buffy."

"Again, huh?"

"He's not Angelus."

"I know that."

"No, really, he is not Angelus."

A single tear ran down Buffy's cheek.

"Don't you think I know that already?" She asked, "But he's gone now. All the things he did for us and I couldn't even say thank you."

"So you've forgiven him for all the things he did in his past?"

"I forgave you, didn't I?"

"Ouch. That was different."

"The soul thing, again?"

"A bit, yes. Not all is on the soul, but the part that I regret what I did."

"Yes, he doesn't, but then again, he helped us not because of a soul."

"The chip, then?"

Buffy blushed a bit, and then she straightened herself up.

"Because he loved me."

"Ok. Please. Be honest with me. Do you love him?"

"I think so." She answered, almost whispering.

"Oh. We have to find him, then."

"There's no use, Angel. He'll fight us and run again."

"So you'll give up?"

She sniffed and some more tears fell from her eyes.

"I don't have any other choice."

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"Bloody hell."

"Yes, sir, she checked out yesterday. I believe that the recent events led her away."

"Recent events?"

The clerk of the hotel shrugged, and looked back at the inquisitive guest.

"Yes, sir. Some bizarre murders around town."

"Oh."

"Strangely enough, the man who drove her in his taxi has not returned, maybe if I locate him he could tell you where he dropped her."

Spike smiled, knowing the true fate of the cab driver.

"No need, mate, I'll find her on my own."

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"You're awfully chipper about this."

"Do you prefer me brooding?"

Buffy chuckled a bit.

"Nope, but I thought that you'd tell me how crazy I am, and that you left so I could have a normal life or stuff like that."

It was now Angel's turn to chuckle.

"Look, I may be a vampire but I'm also a man. I want to believe that he loves you and can make you happy."

"What made you think that?"

"Honestly? The beating he gave me."

"Weird."

"Yeah. But his words hit pretty close home."

"Close home?"

"Things that frightened me. He noticed them all and showed them to my face."

"Like what?"

"I'd rather not tell you. Let me keep it a secret."

Buffy frowned but decided it wasn't worth to fight.

"And you're comfortable with Spike knowing your secret?"

"No."

"And you're not freaking out."

"No. I know Spike won't tell."

"How come?"

"I know him."

"You do? After all that's happened, you think you still know him?"

"We have something in common."

"Care to explain?"

" I can relate to Spike's pain because in a way, you have been the bane of both our lives."

"Oh, I feel flattered."

"I can't help but feel a little ashamed, as well." Angel said, staring into the sky. The night had fallen and it was time for him so say goodbye.

 "Ashamed?" Buffy asked, noticing that Angel was ready to leave, feeling relieved that this time, she got to say goodbye to him.

"Yes. You turned me into a monster, but you turned him into a man."

Buffy's eyes once again filled with tears, but she fought hard to keep them at bay.

"He's no longer that man."

"I can't say anything that could make you feel better, Buffy. My own life is a mess."

"I know. We're good at that, aren't we?"

Angel smiled. He looked around and finally understood that now there was nothing that held him in Sunnydale. Buffy loved someone else. Her heart was no longer his home.

"Gotta go now, Buffy." He said.

"Ok. Thanks for coming."

He hugged her. Their love had been strong, but there was nothing of it right now. They both had moved on with their lives.

"I hope everything works out. Should you need help…"

"I'll call you. Thanks."

Angel nodded, and walked to his car. He didn't feel sad at all; he just felt that strange notion that comes when something has ended. He knew that he could always return, but things would never be the same. She had been his home in many ways, but now she was home to somebody else.

Then something clicked in his head. He turned around and ran towards Buffy.

She frowned but walked towards him.

"Forgot something?" She asked.

"More like remembered something." He answered, "I think I have an idea about where Spike is."

"What?" She asked, her eyes growing.

"He may be looking for the one person who gave sense to his life before he came here."

Sudden recognition and understanding shone in Buffy's eyes, next to a wild feeling of jealousy.

"Drusilla."

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He noticed two things.

One: that he had been walking in circles.

And two: that Drusilla was very easy to track.

She had left behind her a path of murder and blood. He wondered if that was how vampire hunters so often found them. He smiled at the memory. Plenty of times stupid humans who wanted to claim that they had killed the black plague chased them. And all those humans died the same way; by Drusilla's fangs or in a fight with him.

After that, he liked to lay low. He really didn't enjoy all that gore.

He only loved to fight.

He kept walking, until his feet carried him to the outskirts of the city. He was now wandering aimlessly and his memories were engulfing him.

After an hour or two, he noticed that he was in the middle of nowhere and he had no idea how he had arrived there.

"Stupid prick." He muttered to himself as he walked back, retracing his steps. Then he noticed where he was. He had stumbled upon the farthest cemetery of the city. He then felt that something was wrong. Something or someone was luring him to the place. Some unknown force had drawn him there.

A crypt, much like his own had its door open. He stumbled in and looked around.

"Hello!" He asked, "Anyone here?"

He laughed at his own idiocy. No living thing was ever found inside a crypt.

Indeed, no living things.

"William? My sweet Spike?" A voice asked from the darkest corner of the crypt.

Spike looked at the spot, changing his eyes so he could see in the dark. A figure clad in black rose and almost floated towards him. Her eyes acquired a mischievous glint and she ran at him. She hugged him and then threw her arms around his neck.

"My William has returned!" She squealed like a little girl.

She kissed Spike and he kissed her back as well. When they parted lips, they both had their eyes golden and a smile on their faces.

"That's right, my dark princess." He said as he smiled at her.

"I'm back."

End of Chapter.