Chapter 15

Angel ran after Buffy and finally caught up to her. She was in a rage over Xander and Buffy was dangerous when she was truly pissed. He grabbed her arm and yanked her to a stop, matching her fury.

"Buffy, stop!" Angel said.

"Do you want me to kill you again?" Buffy asked.

"Personally, no. Not wanting to feel the wrath of Buffy again. I just want you to calm down before you go off and do this."

"Are you trying to stop me? Let Xander get in there and save his beloved Anya?"

"No, I'm really not. I understand why you have to do this. I really do, but I don't want you to go in there and end up mercilessly killing Anya because you're pissed off at Xander."

"I have to be merciless Angel. I'm the Slayer. I don't get to be merciful. I can't."

"I know. Speaking from experience here. You've always had to put your heart aside in situations like this. Xander's never gotten that."

"He needs to. Angel, I can't have him interfering in these types of things anymore. I could have.. I.."

"You could've what?"

"I could have saved you. Because of Xander, I had more heartache than I could ever imagine."

"What?"

"I heard Willow. And I believe her."

"What are you talking about?"

"That morning I went to kill you, Willow tried the spell again and it worked. I didn't know about it though." Buffy flashed back to that morning five years ago when she had killed Angel. The confusion she had felt when she realized that Angel was back. The last kiss, her plunging the sword through Angel's heart. "Willow didn't tell Xander to tell me to kick your ass. Xander was told to tell me Willow was trying the spell again so I could distract you. Stop you from awakening Acathla." Buffy flashed to Xander telling her to kick Angel's ass. "Because of Xander, I had to kill you."

"Buffy.."

She ignored him, shoved her emotions to the back of her mind, and walked on towards the campus. Angel followed and Buffy followed her senses to the frat house. She stepped onto the threshold and listened to Anya.

"I have a job to do. And so does Buffy. Xander, you've always seen what you wanted to. But you knew, sooner or later, it would come to this." She said. Xander turned to the door and saw Buffy standing there. "Buffy, get out of here."

"Get out of my way, Xander." Buffy said.

"No." Xander turned to Anya.

Anya was in demon face and she looked cruelly at Xander. "Get out of her way, Xander."

Anya backhanded Xander and he fell down out of the way. Buffy lunged at her with the sword, but Anya pushed her off. Angel stood back, waiting to jump in if Buffy seemed to be losing at any point. Buffy and Anya continued to fight while Anya continued to talk.

"This is getting to be a pattern with you, Buffy. Are there any friends of your left you haven't tried to kill? C'mon, Buffy. Don't you have a clever retort for me?"

The fighting was fairly even, but it looked as if Anya may have had the slight upper hand. Buffy was thrown onto the floor. She looked up at Anya and stood.

"Anya, I'm sorry." Buffy said.

"You're apologizing to me. What fight are you watching? Or is this like one of your little pop-culture references I don't get, 'cause I'm a vengeance de.." Anya lunged at Buffy who pressed her against the wall and stabbed her in the heart with her sword. Anya groaned and morphed back to human face. She slumped, but didn't fall. Xander regained consciousness and was still on the floor. He looked over and saw Anya's condition.

"Anya!" he yelled.

Angel walked up to Buffy, thinking the fight was over and Buffy had done her job. She took his hand and watched Xander. But Anya wasn't down and out. Anya, face tear-streaked and bloody, suddenly gasped for air and opened her eyes. She looked down at the sword in her chest.

"Forgotten how much swords through the chest hurt." Anya pulled the sword out. "Aaahh!" She breathed heavily. "You know better than that, Buffy. It takes a lot more to kill a vengeance demon."

"Oh, I'm just getting started." Buffy said.

Anya came at Buffy with the sword. Buffy pushed a stool at her, knocking her off balance. She fell to the floor, dropping the sword. Anya was lying with her back on the floor. Buffy took the sword, straddled Anya, and prepared for another thorough double-fisted stabbing of Anya. Xander pushed Buffy out of the way. They all stood up.

"Stop trying to save me, Xander!" Anya yelled.

Lightening bolts flashed in the room, knocking everyone down, then D'Hoffryn appeared. "Oh, please, don't mind me. Continue with whatever it was you were doing." He said, walking to look in an adjacent room. "Oh, breathtaking. It's like somebody slaughtered an Abercrombie and Fitch catalog." Buffy stood and grabbed her sword. "Easy now. I'd be gone before you could swing." The demon sighed and offered a hand to Anya to help her stand. "Isn't that just like a Slayer. Solving all her problems by sticking things with sharp objects. I talked to your friend, Miss Rosenberg. She's a firebrand. I have high hopes for her."

"Stay away from Willow." Xander said.

"Oh, he's gallant, isn't he?" D'Hoffryn said to Anya. "I understand what you saw in him. Look, Miss Rosenberg seems to think Anyanka would be better suited outside the vengeance fold. I think we already know what Lady Hacks-Away wants. And the young man, he sees with the eyeballs of love. But I'm not sure if anyone's bothered to find out what Anyanka herself really wants."

"Her name is Anya."

"Actually, funny historical side-bar, her original name was.."

"I wanna take it back." Anya said, crying.

"I'm sorry. What was that?"

"I wanna take it back. I wanna undo what I did."

"Hmm. You want to take it back. Must be twelve bodies in there. Such a thing.. not easily done. But not impossible. You're a big girl, Anyanka. You understand how this works. The proverbial scales must balance. In order to restore the lives of the victims, the fates require a sacrifice. The life and soul of a vengeance demon."

"Do it."

"Wait!" Xander yelled.

"Stay out of this Xander."

"Ok, all right. That seems smart. He just said you have to die! Perhaps there's some sort of alternate price."

"Xander, you can't help me. I'm not even sure there's a me to help." Anya turned back to D'Hoffryn. "I understand the price. Do it."

"You're sure? This is your wish?" D'Hoffryn asked.

"This is my wish. Undo what I did."

"Very well." D'Hoffryn gestured with his hands and a flash of light appeared.

"No!" Xander yelled.

Where the flash was, Halfrek showed up, smiling sweetly. "Anya!"

Anya looked at D'Hoffryn, realizing what was going to happen. "Hallie!"

Halfrek burst into flames and light shot out of her eyes. She shrieked and disappeared. Anya started to cry as D'Hoffryn berated her. "Who did you think you were dealing with? Did you think it would be that easy to get away?"

"Why?" Anya asked.

"Why? Because you wished it!"

"But she was yours."

"Like you were mine? Haven't I taught you anything, Anya? Never go for the kill when you can go for the pain." Xander started for D'Hoffryn, but Buffy stopped him. "Hold him back, Slayer. Wouldn't want anyone to get hurt. I've got plenty of girls. There will always be vengeance demons. But now you, Anya, you're out. Congratulations. You're wish is granted."

"You should've killed me."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that. From beneath you, it devours. Be patient. All good things in time." In a flash, D'Hoffryn disappeared.

Anya looked at Xander, Angel, and Buffy and walked out. Buffy sighed and looked at Xander.

"Go. We'll check on the boys." Buffy said.

Xander ran out of the room and went after Anya. Buffy and Angel walked to the room D'Hoffryn had commented on. The room looked normal. No blood, no bodies, nothing.

"I guess they went about their lives." Buffy said.

"Hey! What are you.. You're cute!" a guy said to Buffy, coming from upstairs.

"Back off." Angel told him.

"Whoa! Just sayin'!"

"I think I liked him better dead." Buffy said.

"Whoa! Freaky chick! I like."

"Down boy. I'm not in to frat boys. Not anymore."

Buffy walked out of the frat house and out into the fresh night air. "I'm pretty sure they're all going to be fine."

"Yeah. Horny little bastards." Angel said.

"Let's go home!"

"Fine by me."



"Buffy, are you packed?" Angel asked.

"Yeah. Just finished. Where are you taking me?" Buffy asked.

"Away. Vacation." Angel turned and called, "Be right back!" He walked downstairs and found Willow and Xander sitting in the living room. They looked up when he walked in. "Ok, you sure you guys want to do this?"

"Angel, go. You and Buffy deserve this." Willow said. "She needs to forgive you and you guys need to talk more."

"Ok, the keys to the van are in the kitchen by the phone. Conner and Dawn aren't allowed after eleven."

"Angel.. we know. I live here, remember?"

"Go. Have fun. Make nookie. Lose money." Xander said. "Things are fine here."

"Thank you guys." Angel said.

Buffy walked down the stairs with the suitcase. "You know, you're the man of the house. Why aren't you hauling bags?"

"Give 'em here." Angel took the bags and headed out the door to the convertible.

Willow and Xander came over to the foyer where Buffy stood with Conner and Dawn, getting ready to leave. She turned to them and said, "I guess I'll see you guys in a few days. He's not telling me where we're going."

"You'll love it, Buff." Xander said.

"I better." Buffy turned to Conner. "Be good. I love you."

"I love you too mom." Conner said, hugging Buffy.

"Bye Dawn. Behave yourself. I love you."

"I'll try. Love you too Buffy." She and Buffy hugged.

"Get outta here. Go have fun." Willow said. She and Buffy hugged then Buffy and Xander.

"Bye guys! Love you all." Buffy walked out to the convertible. Angel started it up and backed out into the street. With a honk and a wave, Angel sped off.