Eve hovered over Jack for a moment, watching the sleeping teenager then
turned toward the door. Doyle leaned against the door frame, watching her.
"Hey," Eve said, welcoming.
"'Ey," Doyle replied, pushing himself from the door to stand straight. Eve forced herself to walk over to him despite how much she would have rather to stand beside the only guy who made her feel human. "Heard bout your ghost, how'd you know?" Doyle asked following Eve from the room, quietly closing the door behind him.
"I'm very smart," Eve answered, smiling to herself. "I had an encountered with the one sum 400 years ago, we didn't hit it off too well. But hey, he's dead. He really can't harm anything. That's why he imposters people, so he can hurt them emotionally. He plays with your mind." Eve forced herself down the main staircase, Doyle following. Angel still hadn't returned, it worried Eve, but she wasn't about to show it.
"Thank you," Doyle said, coming to a stop as Eve sat back on the couch.
"For what?" Eve asked, staring up at him, her face empty of expression.
"You brought me back. I know you said that the power that be did, but you know that's not true. And I thank you, thank you for giving me a second chance. Renewing my life," Doyle continued, not bothering to sit.
A grin got past Eve's hard look, forcing her face to break out in a smile. "You're welcome," she said standing, suddenly not feeling like sitting.
The main doors opened and Angel and Connor walked through. Doyle's and Eve's eyes parted from one another's and flew to the two new members.
"Yo, Angel," Eve greeted, waving. Angel helped Connor down the steps and helped him sit on the couch. "Hope you don't mind, I let a friend in, he's up stairs, and injured so he might be here for a while." Before Angel could protest, Eve lifted a hand and continued. "It's no sweat, he knows bout demons, and me and you, Angelus, and he's a good fighter. Okay, well no, actually he sucks at fighting but I'm dealing with it." Eve no longer held a stare that could kill, her face was a smile, not letting Angel remove her from his house.
"Want me to help Connor upstairs?" Eve asked as if she were reading Angel's mind, but then again, she probably was.
"Yeah," Angel muttered, glancing down at Connor who didn't care to argue. Eve lowered a hand to help him up but he rose, pushing the hand a side.
"I don't need any help," Connor hissed and pushed past Angel and Eve.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connor stood in front of his bathroom mirror staring dully at himself. His reflection was changed into that of his friend demon's. "Ready for another taste of Angel's life?" Connor shook his head but the demon ignored him. He reached out his armed and pulled Connor into the mirror.
Connor appeared on the street behind Buffy and Angel who were already arguing. " Look, I don't need an escort. I'm a big girl. Superpowers, remember? I don't need you crowding me," Buffy complained raising her voice.
"I didn't think I was," Angel admitted.
"No, of course you don't. You just show up at the prom and then you disappear into the ozone. For all I know, you left town," Buffy retreated.
"Are you mad at me for being around too much or for not being around enough?" Angel asked, confused.
"Duh. Yes," Buffy answered.
"Which?" Angel asked.
"What?" Buffy asked missing the question.
"I don't get you," Angel complained.
"No, you don't, not anymore," Buffy agreed.
"Are you just making this harder to make this easier on yourself?" Angel asked.
"Could we stop with the brain-teasers? I just wish it was over, done."
"It's not that simple. I mean, once the Mayor ..." Angel began but Buffy interrupted him.
"I know, world in peril and we have to work together. This is my last office romance, I'll tell you that," Buffy continued
"I'll get out of your face," Angel stated, knowing that's what Buffy wants. He drops the box at her feet and turns away.
"Isn't it even a little hard for you?" Buffy asked frustrated.
"How can you ask me that? Just because I'm not acting like a brat doesn't mean I don't feel..."
"It's nice to know what you think of me!"
"What do you expect me to say when you just attack?" Angel asked, his face no longer holding a sad look.
"I just can't do this anymore. I can't have you in my life when I'm trying to move on." The sound of an arrow striking occurs. The arrow was fired above and behind Angel, and has passed through his back so that the point sticks out the front of his jacket. He falls and Buffy catches him. "Angel!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connor and the demon stands besides Angel's bed in his mansion. Angel lies in bed, sweating. Buffy holds his hand, soothes him with a cool, wet rag.
"It'll be okay. You'll be okay," Buffy reassured him. She hears a door opening and goes to the living room, Connor following her. Wesley enters, looking upset.
"Did you reach the council?" Giles asked.
"Yes. They, they couldn't help," Wesley answered.
"Couldn't?" Buffy asked, knowing they could.
"Wouldn't," Wesley corrected himself. "It's not Council policy to cure vampires."
"Did you explain that these were special circumstances?" Giles asked.
"Not under any circumstances, and yes, I did try to convince them," Wesley defended himself.
"Try again," Buffy ordered
"Buffy, they're very firm. We're talking about laws that have existed longer than civilization," Wesley stated.
"I'm talking about watching my lover die," Buffy snapped. "I don't have a clue what you're talking about and I don't care."
"Buffy, we'll find a cure," Giles assured his slayer.
"The council's orders are to concentrate on..." Wesley began.
"Orders?" Buffy interrupted. "I don't think I'm gonna be taking anymore orders. Not from you, not from them."
"You can't turn your back on the council," Wesley told her.
"They're in England. I don't think they can tell which way my back is facing," Buffy joked but no joke was in her face nor voice.
"Giles, talk to her," Wesley ordered.
Giles walks to Buffy's side. "I've nothing to say right now."
"Wesley, go back to your council and tell them, until the next slayer comes along, they can close up shop. I'm not working for them anymore," Buffy ordered.
"Don't you see what happening?" Wesley asked. "Faith poisoned Angel to distract you, to keep you out of the Mayor's way, and it's working. You need a strategy."
"I have a strategy. You're not in it," Buffy defended herself.
"This is mutiny," Wesley declared.
After a long pause Buffy spoke up. "I like to think of it as graduation. Giles, I can't stay here any longer. I'm gonna see if I can help the others."
"Of course," Giles answered, expecting her to.
"You'll watch him," Buffy asked, knowing the answer.
"I'll call if there's any change," Giles answered.
"Buffy, you don't know what you're doing," Wesley interrupted their moment.
"Get a job," Buffy ordered him then walked off.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The demons hadn't left Angel's room, but as soon as Buffy had left, Connor and the demon appeared in a chemistry lab. Buffy, Oz, Willow and Xander were in that lab as well.
"Finding the poison wasn't that hard. It's a mystical compound. The Latin name translates roughly to Killer of the Dead. Used on vampires," Willow said.
"And the cure?" Buffy asked.
"There aren't a lot of instances of it being cured," Willow admitted.
"But there are some?" Buffy asked.
"One or two," Willow answered. "Pretty vague accounts. How is he?" Willow asked, changing the subject.
"Hold on," Oz said, still reading.
"You got something?" Xander asked.
"I'm not sure," Oz admitted.
"Be sure," Buffy ordered.
"Okay. Killer of the dead. That's our boy, and here's a vamp that walked away from it," Oz continued, mostly reading from the book.
"Does it talk about the cure?" Willow asked.
"Damn," Oz muttered reading ahead.
"Nothing?" Buffy asked, expecting the worst.
"No, it's in here, but..." Oz trailed off.
"Wait, completely reversed the effects," Willow read over his shoulder. "Oh," she said, reading the cure.
"What?" Buffy asked.
"Come on guys, the suspense is killing Angel," Xander pleaded.
"The only way to cure this thing is to drain the blood of a slayer," Oz answered.
"Good," Buffy said after a long pause.
"Good? What did I miss?" Xander asked.
"No, it's perfect. Angel need to drain a slayer, then I'll bring him one," Buffy said indicating Faith/
"Buffy, if Angel drains Faith's blood, it'll kill her," Willow said, as if Buffy didn't know that.
"Not if she's already dead," Buffy said staring into space.
"Now, Faith and Buffy ends up fighting again. And obviously Faith loses. One more scene," the demon whispered into Connor's ear. The scene shifted into that of Angel's mansion again.
Buffy sits down and takes Angel's hand. "Buffy?" Buffy lays her right hand against the side of his face. "Is that you?" Angel asked squinting his eyes.
Buffy gives him a slight smile, "It's me."
Angel tries to smile in return. "I didn't want to go, without seeing you." Buffy puts a finger on his lips to stop him from talking.
"Angel, I can cure you," Buffy told him.
"It's okay, I'm ready," Angel said.
"Angel listen to me." Buffy takes a hold of his shoulders. "Sit up," she ordered. Angel scoots up a little higher, but he is weak and moving clearly hurts a great deal. "You're gonna live. You have to live.
Angel frowns. "What way?"
"Drink..." Angel frowns at her. Buffy takes off her jacket, a determined expression on her face. "Drink me."
Angel stares at her in shock, he shakes his head rejecting the idea. "No."
"It's the only way," Buffy concluded.
Angel keeps shaking his head and forces himself up out of the bed, pushing Buffy aside. "No," he repeated. "Get away," he ordered.
Buffy takes a hold of his right arm as he stands up, looking up at him. "It'll save you."
Angel is looking down at the floor. "It'll kill you," he shot back.
"Maybe not. - Not if you don't take it all," Buffy answered.
Angel keeps shaking his head, still not looking at her. "You can't ask me to do that."
"I won't let you die. I can't." He still won't look at her. "Angel, the blood of a slayer is the only cure."
Angel finally glances at Buffy. "Faith..."
Buffy swallows and answers quietly, "I tried. - I killed her.
Angel shakes his head and lurches away from Buffy. "Then it's over." Angel stumbles into the main room. He has trouble walking straight. He bumps into the wall, then stumbles and catches himself on the sofa table, spilling a pewter pitcher and plate onto the floor. Buffy grabs him by the arms and pulls him up to face her.
"It is never over! I won't let you die. Drink!"
Angel glances up at her swaying in her grip. "Please..." he pleaded.
Buffy looks at him, then pulls back her right fist and hits his left temple. His head snaps around but he stays on his feet. He turns back to look at Buffy and she hits him again. He still does go down, but it takes him a little longer to come back up. Buffy hits him a third time and this time Angel spins back with a growl, vamped out. He just stands there, staring at her, while Buffy pulls down the shoulder strap of her shirt, then grabs his him by the hair at the back of his head. She looks at him for a moment then firmly pulls his head down against her neck and holds him there. For a moment they remain like this. Then Angel realizes the blood at his teeth and bites down hard. Buffy gasps with the pain but holds still. Angel is holding onto her now, drinking loudly. Buffy's face scrunches up, she mouths 'oh lord' and slowly sinks backwards to the floor. With Angel lying on top still drinking. Buffy's left hand reaches out and finds the pewter pitcher, She crushes it in her hand. Buffy is clearly not enjoying the experience. She puts her hands against his sides as if she was going to push him off, but kicks out with her left leg instead, breaking the sofa table in half. She stares up, a tear in the corner of her left eye. Then her eyes drift shut and her head sinks to the side just as Angel finally rolls off her, panting.
His face morphs back to human and he pushes himself up looking over at Buffy. The redness around the arrow wound is gone. "Buffy?" Angel asked, worried. She lies motionless eyes closed. "Buffy!" Angel shouted bending over her.
"Hey," Eve said, welcoming.
"'Ey," Doyle replied, pushing himself from the door to stand straight. Eve forced herself to walk over to him despite how much she would have rather to stand beside the only guy who made her feel human. "Heard bout your ghost, how'd you know?" Doyle asked following Eve from the room, quietly closing the door behind him.
"I'm very smart," Eve answered, smiling to herself. "I had an encountered with the one sum 400 years ago, we didn't hit it off too well. But hey, he's dead. He really can't harm anything. That's why he imposters people, so he can hurt them emotionally. He plays with your mind." Eve forced herself down the main staircase, Doyle following. Angel still hadn't returned, it worried Eve, but she wasn't about to show it.
"Thank you," Doyle said, coming to a stop as Eve sat back on the couch.
"For what?" Eve asked, staring up at him, her face empty of expression.
"You brought me back. I know you said that the power that be did, but you know that's not true. And I thank you, thank you for giving me a second chance. Renewing my life," Doyle continued, not bothering to sit.
A grin got past Eve's hard look, forcing her face to break out in a smile. "You're welcome," she said standing, suddenly not feeling like sitting.
The main doors opened and Angel and Connor walked through. Doyle's and Eve's eyes parted from one another's and flew to the two new members.
"Yo, Angel," Eve greeted, waving. Angel helped Connor down the steps and helped him sit on the couch. "Hope you don't mind, I let a friend in, he's up stairs, and injured so he might be here for a while." Before Angel could protest, Eve lifted a hand and continued. "It's no sweat, he knows bout demons, and me and you, Angelus, and he's a good fighter. Okay, well no, actually he sucks at fighting but I'm dealing with it." Eve no longer held a stare that could kill, her face was a smile, not letting Angel remove her from his house.
"Want me to help Connor upstairs?" Eve asked as if she were reading Angel's mind, but then again, she probably was.
"Yeah," Angel muttered, glancing down at Connor who didn't care to argue. Eve lowered a hand to help him up but he rose, pushing the hand a side.
"I don't need any help," Connor hissed and pushed past Angel and Eve.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connor stood in front of his bathroom mirror staring dully at himself. His reflection was changed into that of his friend demon's. "Ready for another taste of Angel's life?" Connor shook his head but the demon ignored him. He reached out his armed and pulled Connor into the mirror.
Connor appeared on the street behind Buffy and Angel who were already arguing. " Look, I don't need an escort. I'm a big girl. Superpowers, remember? I don't need you crowding me," Buffy complained raising her voice.
"I didn't think I was," Angel admitted.
"No, of course you don't. You just show up at the prom and then you disappear into the ozone. For all I know, you left town," Buffy retreated.
"Are you mad at me for being around too much or for not being around enough?" Angel asked, confused.
"Duh. Yes," Buffy answered.
"Which?" Angel asked.
"What?" Buffy asked missing the question.
"I don't get you," Angel complained.
"No, you don't, not anymore," Buffy agreed.
"Are you just making this harder to make this easier on yourself?" Angel asked.
"Could we stop with the brain-teasers? I just wish it was over, done."
"It's not that simple. I mean, once the Mayor ..." Angel began but Buffy interrupted him.
"I know, world in peril and we have to work together. This is my last office romance, I'll tell you that," Buffy continued
"I'll get out of your face," Angel stated, knowing that's what Buffy wants. He drops the box at her feet and turns away.
"Isn't it even a little hard for you?" Buffy asked frustrated.
"How can you ask me that? Just because I'm not acting like a brat doesn't mean I don't feel..."
"It's nice to know what you think of me!"
"What do you expect me to say when you just attack?" Angel asked, his face no longer holding a sad look.
"I just can't do this anymore. I can't have you in my life when I'm trying to move on." The sound of an arrow striking occurs. The arrow was fired above and behind Angel, and has passed through his back so that the point sticks out the front of his jacket. He falls and Buffy catches him. "Angel!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connor and the demon stands besides Angel's bed in his mansion. Angel lies in bed, sweating. Buffy holds his hand, soothes him with a cool, wet rag.
"It'll be okay. You'll be okay," Buffy reassured him. She hears a door opening and goes to the living room, Connor following her. Wesley enters, looking upset.
"Did you reach the council?" Giles asked.
"Yes. They, they couldn't help," Wesley answered.
"Couldn't?" Buffy asked, knowing they could.
"Wouldn't," Wesley corrected himself. "It's not Council policy to cure vampires."
"Did you explain that these were special circumstances?" Giles asked.
"Not under any circumstances, and yes, I did try to convince them," Wesley defended himself.
"Try again," Buffy ordered
"Buffy, they're very firm. We're talking about laws that have existed longer than civilization," Wesley stated.
"I'm talking about watching my lover die," Buffy snapped. "I don't have a clue what you're talking about and I don't care."
"Buffy, we'll find a cure," Giles assured his slayer.
"The council's orders are to concentrate on..." Wesley began.
"Orders?" Buffy interrupted. "I don't think I'm gonna be taking anymore orders. Not from you, not from them."
"You can't turn your back on the council," Wesley told her.
"They're in England. I don't think they can tell which way my back is facing," Buffy joked but no joke was in her face nor voice.
"Giles, talk to her," Wesley ordered.
Giles walks to Buffy's side. "I've nothing to say right now."
"Wesley, go back to your council and tell them, until the next slayer comes along, they can close up shop. I'm not working for them anymore," Buffy ordered.
"Don't you see what happening?" Wesley asked. "Faith poisoned Angel to distract you, to keep you out of the Mayor's way, and it's working. You need a strategy."
"I have a strategy. You're not in it," Buffy defended herself.
"This is mutiny," Wesley declared.
After a long pause Buffy spoke up. "I like to think of it as graduation. Giles, I can't stay here any longer. I'm gonna see if I can help the others."
"Of course," Giles answered, expecting her to.
"You'll watch him," Buffy asked, knowing the answer.
"I'll call if there's any change," Giles answered.
"Buffy, you don't know what you're doing," Wesley interrupted their moment.
"Get a job," Buffy ordered him then walked off.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The demons hadn't left Angel's room, but as soon as Buffy had left, Connor and the demon appeared in a chemistry lab. Buffy, Oz, Willow and Xander were in that lab as well.
"Finding the poison wasn't that hard. It's a mystical compound. The Latin name translates roughly to Killer of the Dead. Used on vampires," Willow said.
"And the cure?" Buffy asked.
"There aren't a lot of instances of it being cured," Willow admitted.
"But there are some?" Buffy asked.
"One or two," Willow answered. "Pretty vague accounts. How is he?" Willow asked, changing the subject.
"Hold on," Oz said, still reading.
"You got something?" Xander asked.
"I'm not sure," Oz admitted.
"Be sure," Buffy ordered.
"Okay. Killer of the dead. That's our boy, and here's a vamp that walked away from it," Oz continued, mostly reading from the book.
"Does it talk about the cure?" Willow asked.
"Damn," Oz muttered reading ahead.
"Nothing?" Buffy asked, expecting the worst.
"No, it's in here, but..." Oz trailed off.
"Wait, completely reversed the effects," Willow read over his shoulder. "Oh," she said, reading the cure.
"What?" Buffy asked.
"Come on guys, the suspense is killing Angel," Xander pleaded.
"The only way to cure this thing is to drain the blood of a slayer," Oz answered.
"Good," Buffy said after a long pause.
"Good? What did I miss?" Xander asked.
"No, it's perfect. Angel need to drain a slayer, then I'll bring him one," Buffy said indicating Faith/
"Buffy, if Angel drains Faith's blood, it'll kill her," Willow said, as if Buffy didn't know that.
"Not if she's already dead," Buffy said staring into space.
"Now, Faith and Buffy ends up fighting again. And obviously Faith loses. One more scene," the demon whispered into Connor's ear. The scene shifted into that of Angel's mansion again.
Buffy sits down and takes Angel's hand. "Buffy?" Buffy lays her right hand against the side of his face. "Is that you?" Angel asked squinting his eyes.
Buffy gives him a slight smile, "It's me."
Angel tries to smile in return. "I didn't want to go, without seeing you." Buffy puts a finger on his lips to stop him from talking.
"Angel, I can cure you," Buffy told him.
"It's okay, I'm ready," Angel said.
"Angel listen to me." Buffy takes a hold of his shoulders. "Sit up," she ordered. Angel scoots up a little higher, but he is weak and moving clearly hurts a great deal. "You're gonna live. You have to live.
Angel frowns. "What way?"
"Drink..." Angel frowns at her. Buffy takes off her jacket, a determined expression on her face. "Drink me."
Angel stares at her in shock, he shakes his head rejecting the idea. "No."
"It's the only way," Buffy concluded.
Angel keeps shaking his head and forces himself up out of the bed, pushing Buffy aside. "No," he repeated. "Get away," he ordered.
Buffy takes a hold of his right arm as he stands up, looking up at him. "It'll save you."
Angel is looking down at the floor. "It'll kill you," he shot back.
"Maybe not. - Not if you don't take it all," Buffy answered.
Angel keeps shaking his head, still not looking at her. "You can't ask me to do that."
"I won't let you die. I can't." He still won't look at her. "Angel, the blood of a slayer is the only cure."
Angel finally glances at Buffy. "Faith..."
Buffy swallows and answers quietly, "I tried. - I killed her.
Angel shakes his head and lurches away from Buffy. "Then it's over." Angel stumbles into the main room. He has trouble walking straight. He bumps into the wall, then stumbles and catches himself on the sofa table, spilling a pewter pitcher and plate onto the floor. Buffy grabs him by the arms and pulls him up to face her.
"It is never over! I won't let you die. Drink!"
Angel glances up at her swaying in her grip. "Please..." he pleaded.
Buffy looks at him, then pulls back her right fist and hits his left temple. His head snaps around but he stays on his feet. He turns back to look at Buffy and she hits him again. He still does go down, but it takes him a little longer to come back up. Buffy hits him a third time and this time Angel spins back with a growl, vamped out. He just stands there, staring at her, while Buffy pulls down the shoulder strap of her shirt, then grabs his him by the hair at the back of his head. She looks at him for a moment then firmly pulls his head down against her neck and holds him there. For a moment they remain like this. Then Angel realizes the blood at his teeth and bites down hard. Buffy gasps with the pain but holds still. Angel is holding onto her now, drinking loudly. Buffy's face scrunches up, she mouths 'oh lord' and slowly sinks backwards to the floor. With Angel lying on top still drinking. Buffy's left hand reaches out and finds the pewter pitcher, She crushes it in her hand. Buffy is clearly not enjoying the experience. She puts her hands against his sides as if she was going to push him off, but kicks out with her left leg instead, breaking the sofa table in half. She stares up, a tear in the corner of her left eye. Then her eyes drift shut and her head sinks to the side just as Angel finally rolls off her, panting.
His face morphs back to human and he pushes himself up looking over at Buffy. The redness around the arrow wound is gone. "Buffy?" Angel asked, worried. She lies motionless eyes closed. "Buffy!" Angel shouted bending over her.