A/N Remember Joyce's warning to Dawn about Buffy? That she won't be on Dawn's side when things get bad. Well kiddies, things are bad. I mean, hello! Angelus. We all know he's getting out and this story line is going to get very interesting in my twisted little head. Enjoy! PS I'm using a line from Cruel Intentions. I couldn't resist the line. It fits perfectly with Buffy and Angelus.



Chapter 48

Buffy walked back upstairs, holding tightly to the jar containing Angel's soul. Cordy walked over to her. "Hey Buffy."

Buffy smiled. "Hi."

"How are you?"

"I'll be ok."

"We heard him talking to you over the monitor. You know it's not him. Don't let it get to you."

"I'm not. He knows that he can't get to me. Doesn't mean he won't try though. I spent all those months fighting Angelus, getting to know his tactics, and I was finally able to kill him. But now.. I'm more in love with Angel than I ever was and I don't know if I can kill Angelus if I have to."

"That's why you have us." Gunn said.

"We won't let anything happen to you Buffy." Fred said, hugging her.

"I know. You guys are the greatest friends anyone could ever ask for." Buffy said. She looked down at Angel's soul. "Can we put this somewhere that's safe? Somewhere Angelus won't be able to get to?"

"We'll put it in the office safe." Wesley said.

"Good."

"Want me to take it?" Cordy asked.

Buffy looked down at the soul again. "Yeah." She lifted the jar so it was eye level. "I love you." Buffy kissed the jar lightly and handed it to Cordelia. "Be careful."

"You know I will."

"I'm going to be upstairs."

"Ok."

"We'll be here if you need us." Fred said.

"I know." Buffy walked upstairs and into her and Angel's room. She picked up a piece of paper and a pen and walked out onto the little balcony. Moving the big chair in front of the French doors, Buffy sat down and started to write.

My Beloved Angel,

As I write this, our friends are putting your soul in the wall safe in your office. I suddenly feel dead inside knowing that your soul is not where it should be. Right now I'm sitting on our balcony staring at the night sky that should be filled with the sun's rays. The darkness is fine with me. I've always been a part of it, just like you. If only you had known that when you left me all those years ago. But it's all different now. My number one enemy is pacing the basement right now. I know he's not going to talk about the Beast and what he knows, so I have a plan. It's not really a very good idea. If it hurts you, I'm sorry. I love you more than anything I've ever known. You made a sacrifice today for the world and now it's my turn (again). I know the others, all of them, will try to talk me out of it, but it has to be done. The camera will be turned off and the door to the basement will be locked and barricaded. If this works, then I will have you back for good. If not, then may heaven and the Powers have mercy on me and the world. Ok, I'll get to the plan. I'm going to offer myself to Angelus in exchange for information. Please don't hate me for it. It's all in the name of saving the world (again). Hey, if this works then I won't have to get near him like that. If not, well, like I said I'm sorry. I belong to you and only you. I always have. I love you Angel, my light, my hope. I have to go now. It's time for me to face my fears. I'm going to conquer them and be forever at peace with myself.

Always yours,

Buffy

Buffy folded the letter and placed it under Angel's pillow on the bed. She was just about to start moving the chair back in when Connor burst through the door.

"Mom! We have a problem!"

"What?" Buffy asked.

"Angelus has Fred. He's choking her."

"Oh God."

Buffy and Connor ran down to the lobby. Wes was heading towards the basement with a tranquilizer gun. Cordy, Lorne, and Xander were grabbing weapons. Buffy looked over at the monitor and saw that Gunn was pulling at Angelus' arm to no avail. Fred was trapped against the bars.

"Wes stop!" Buffy yelled. "I got it."

"Buffy.." Wesley started.

"I got it. Back me up with that thing though."

"Fred!" Gunn yelled as Buffy, Connor, and Wesley ran down the stairs. "Let her go!"

"But she's so cute!" Angelus said.

"Let her go." Buffy said, standing on the stairs.

"Buff! Great of you to come talk to me finally! I was getting bored with old Wes there."

"I said let her go."

"What do I get in return?"

"You get to live."

"I'm thinking no."

Buffy walked calmly down the steps and right up to the cage. "You get me for ten minutes in the cage with you."

"Buffy, no." Wesley said.

"No wonder I married you." Angelus said, letting Fred go. She stumbled over to Gunn and he hugged her to him. "Don't worry Gunn. She's not my type anyway."

"Go to hell." Gunn said.

"Already did. Thank you honey." Angelus said, looking at Buffy.

"Wesley, give me the keys." Buffy said.

"No." Wesley said.

"Do it Wes. I can take him."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Do you want a weapon? Or someone to stay down here and watch your back?"

"I'll call when I'm ready to come out."

"What are you doing?" Gunn asked.

"Get out of here."

"I'm not leaving you here alone with this thing."

"You don't have a choice. Get out. All of you."

"Mom.." Connor said.

"Just do it Connor." Buffy turned to look at him. "I'll be fine. I've done this before."

"Back when you were my age which was five years ago."

"I'm stronger now than I was back then." She kissed his forehead. "Now go."

Connor stared at her a moment and then helped Gunn help Fred up the stairs. Wesley looked at her, keys in hand. "Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"I've already talked to him, he won't say anything about the Beast."

"I'll get him to talk to you."

He handed her the keys. "We'll be watching." Wes walked out the door. Buffy followed him up and then locked the door. She walked back down and looked at Angelus.

"Alone at last." He said. Angelus watched her as she unplugged the camera. "Oh, is this a congical visit? I don't know if ten minutes will be enough."

"Stand back. You come anywhere near the door while I'm unlocking it, I'll kill you." Buffy said, moving to undo the locks.

"With what?"

"My hands."

"Oh.. I know real well what you can do with your hands."

"Shut up and move against the wall."

He did as she said and leaned against the wall. "Do I get strip searched now?"

Buffy didn't answer. She undid the locks and stepped into the cage. Angelus watched her the whole time, knowing her strength and knowing full well not to test her. She redid the locks and stuck the keys in her back pocket.

"How do you know I won't go after those?" Angelus asked.

Buffy turned to him. "Because you know my strength. You know that I could turn that table into about 100 stakes and you'd be dust before the keys hit the floor." She walked over to the table and jumped up. "So, are you going to talk about the Beast or are we going to play ring around the twenty questions?"

"I thought we could chat it up. Last time I saw you we were fighting to the death."

"And who was winning that one?"

Angelus ignored the question and looked over her body. She rolled her eyes and let him take his time. Buffy knew his games already and knew that he was just stalling. "I really love how much you've filled out Buff. Nice rack. It's amazing that you just got hotter after you became a mom.. To my son."

"To Angel's son. You're not Connor's father. He knows it too, so don't even try and hit him below the belt like that."

"I don't think he'll even talk to me. Why's that?"

"Because I won't let him. I know you. I know what you can do.."

"That's the thing Buff, you're so damn high and mighty. You think you know everything, but you don't."

"I never said I knew everything."

"You don't have to say it." Angelus moved in front of her, but Buffy didn't even flinch. "I just know because your precious Angel thinks it."

"You're a liar."

"Geez Buff! I'm in here all the time." Angelus said, pointing to his head. "I know exactly what he's thinking every hour of the day. You wanna know what he was thinking earlier while you two were fighting? He thought 'Damn, will she just get over herself and let me do this?'"

Buffy stared at him and laughed. "You're full of yourself. You just like the sound of your voice. Well guess what Angelus. You're nothing. You're pawn scum that wears my husband's face. All you are is a pitiful demon with testosterone problems. Always have been."

"Are you sure you were in heaven?"

"What?"

"Because I can't imagine anyone like you would go to heaven. All the things you've ever done. Running away, using Riley, letting Dracula bite you, letting ME bite you, trying to kill Faith, allowing your mom to die, letting Spike touch you the way he did.. Which, by the way, I'll have to pay him a visit one of these days. You're mine and he knows it."

"I'm not yours. I'm Angel's. You just happen to have the same face."

"I just can't imagine what the Powers were thinking letting you go to heaven. Did you see your mom?"

"Shut up."

"Make me." Angelus closed the last couple of feet and stood towering over Buffy. This time she did flinch and she shoved him back. He laughed and put his hands behind his back casually. "So, what else is new with you Buff?"

"It's time for you to shut your big mouth and listen for once." Buffy stood up off the table and walked to the center of the cage. Angelus stayed leaning against the bars. "You're going to tell us everything you know about the Beast. One lie about any of it, you don't get the reward. I got tired of your games five years ago. This is your final shot Angelus."

"And what do I get out of this deal?"

"You get me. Any way you want me. Front, back, hell.. Even the mouth. If you just tell us everything you know about the Beast."

"What makes you think I'll take that deal?"

"Because I'm the one person you can't have and it kills you."

"There are other Slayers in the sea. There's Faith and then we have those lovely little potentials. Kennedy could be fun. I've seen the way she looks at Willow. Something tells me that she's not swinging with a straight bat."

"Come on! We're not talking about Slayers here." Buffy moved forward and stood coolly as she watched Angelus' expression. "It irks you that you can't touch me. You tried once to break me and found out that it's not so easy. You're furious because I was the one that made you FEEL and it crawled under your skin until you couldn't take it anymore and you tried to destroy the world just to get rid of little old me. But I was there to stop that too. Face it Angelus, there's no way that you could pass up this deal and you know it."

A pounding on the door stopped Angelus from answering. "Buffy! Are you ok? The door's locked and the camera's out." Wesley called.

"I'm fine Wes! Don't worry!"

"Is he talking yet?"

"Almost. Be up in a minute."

"All right." She turned back to Angelus who was standing right behind her. She moved closer and got in his face. "So, what do you say lover?" Angelus growled deep in his chest as he looked at her with lustful eyes as she pressed against him. "I'll take that as a yes." She turned on her heel and walked to the door. Without turning, Buffy held out her hand. "Keys." Angelus rolled his eyes and put the keys in her hand. "Thank you." As she started to undo the locks, Angelus moved in and grabbed her waist, pulling her to him. He turned her to him and crushed her lips in a kiss that would have smothered a normal human. Buffy gave into it for a moment, but then shoved him back. "Only a taste." She darted out of the cage and secured the locks as he watched her with a predator's eyes. Keeping her cool, Buffy plugged the camera back in, walked up the stairs, and unlocked the door. "I'm sending Wes down to talk to you. Tell him everything you know." With that she was gone.

Connor waited on the settee for her. "What happened mom? Why was the door locked?"

"I didn't want anyone coming down there and ruining it. Wesley." Buffy called. The ex-Watcher came out of the office. "He's ready to talk."

"What did you do?" Gunn asked.

"Nothing you guys need to concern yourself with."

"That's not a good answer." Xander said.

"Good enough for you. Wes go down there before he changes his mind."

"Something tells me that won't be happening anytime soon."

"I'd watch what I was saying if I were you."

"Well, you're not me. Thank God."

"What is your problem?"

"Buffy, I know you. I saw what losing Angel did to you the first time. I'm willing to bet that there aren't many limits holding you back this time."

"Shut up Xander." Cordy said.

"No! You didn't see her after we brought her back Cordy. She's not the same Buffy she once was. This Buffy shuts herself off at the drop of a hat and I'm pretty damn sure that putting Angel's soul in a jar was the last hat."

"Well, we wouldn't have this problem if you had just left me in my grave!" Buffy said. "I don't know who you're trying to fool Xander Harris, but I see right through this grown up act that you've put on. That whole thing with Anya.. That was a great way to try and show that you grew up. But you know what? I saw right through you. You've never gotten it. You don't understand that when it comes to things like this, I am the law. I told you once, but it didn't get through that thick skull of yours."

"Guys, calm down!" Fred said.

"You're not the law Buffy!" Xander said. "You're not SANE enough to be the law."

"I'm not sane enough? Well, I guess I can blame that on Sunnydale. What don't you get Xander? I'm the Slayer. I don't get to make good choices."

"I don't get why you're prepared to sell yourself to your enemy when the guy you love is just a shaman away."

"I'm thinking of how to save the world, just like Angel did when he turned his soul over to that jar! I don't get to listen to what my heart is saying. I know it's wrong! I know it's dangerous! My heart is screaming at me to NOT do this, but I have to. You think Angelus would have talked otherwise?"

"We would have found another way to make him talk."

"I'm through with this discussion. It's done. Get over it." Buffy walked into the office and slammed the door. She closed the curtains on the window and sat in the chair behind the desk. Closing her eyes, Buffy put her face in her hands and then moved her hands back to push her hair out of her face and rest on the back of her neck. After a minute of calming breaths, Buffy sat back and started to go through a couple of files she had on Angelus. 15 minutes passed before her eyes got blurry with tears of frustration and fear. She sighed and went to the water fountain in the office. A light knock on the door echoed in the silent office. "Go away!"

"It's me mom." Connor said.

"What do you want Connor?"

Connor opened the door and walked in, shutting it behind him. "What did you do down there to get him to talk?"

"Connor.."

"Please don't tell me I'm too young, or it's none of my business. Mom, that's the demon that wears my dad's face down there. If you just put yourself in danger, I think I have the RIGHT to know. I love you mom and I don't think I could stand it if Angelus did something horrible to you."

Buffy stared at her son for a long moment. She brushed a strand of dark blonde hair that had moved over his eye. He stared at her with those intent eyes that he got from Angel. With a deep sigh, she went back to the chair behind the desk and plopped down exhaustedly. "Sit down." Connor did as he was told. Buffy stared at him for a minute, taking in all the features that definitely came from Angel. Then she saw the things that came from her. His hair, his eyes, his smile, his warrior confidence that everyone said oozed out of her in battle.. All that came from Buffy. It wasn't the longest list in history, but she was the proudest mother ever. She wished her mother could be here. Joyce would be so proud of the way Connor turned out.

"Mom?"

Buffy blinked. "Sorry."

"You ok?"

"Yeah, just admiring my son." Connor smiled and Buffy could have sworn she saw him blush a little. "So, you wanted to know what I did to make Angelus talk?" He nodded. "Well, you pretty much know the whole story of when I first met Angelus. What you don't know is the back-story of it all."

"Back story?"

"Angelus tried so hard for months to try and break me, make me insane like Drusilla, but it didn't work. It got under his skin and pissed him off. That's the reason he tried to send the world to hell, destroy it with Acathla. He couldn't take it anymore. It really annoyed him that he couldn't touch me."

"What's this got to do with how you made him talk?"

"I played on that annoyance."

"Huh?"

"I offered myself to him. I told him that if he told us everything he knew about the Beast, I would let him have me."

"Mom, that's.."

"Dangerous? Insane? Stupid? Go on and tell me, just like Xander did. I already know all of this Connor."

"Well, it's all of the above and more. But I was actually going to say smart."

"What?"

"Yeah! No one knows Angelus like you do.. Well, no one alive that is. You knew the one thing that would get him to talk and even if it was degrading to you, you offered anyway. I understand the whole champion thing now. Doing things that are the best for YOU, but it's best for the world. Well, as long as you don't screw him, I'll be ok with it."

"That was actually part of my plan."

Connor scrunched his face up. "Screwing him?"

"No! NOT screwing him."

"Oh! You make him tell everything he knows and then restore dad's soul so you won't have to look at Angelus ever again."

Buffy smiled. "Exactly."

"So, do you wanna come here what he's got to say about the Beast? Wesley is going down there now."

(More to come once I get the transcript for the eppy. Yeah, I winged this chapter! Go me!)