The Portal to Heaven

Buffy was tired.

She was tired of a life of being pushed into things that she didn't want to do. She was tired of her slaying, and of being without Angel. She was tired of being a mom to her little sister when all she wanted was her own mom back to comfort her instead.

All her life revolved around was her duties. Keep the house clean. Look after Dawn. Don't get her wrong. She loves her little sister, and would do anything for her, but Buffy was having her own mental breakdown, and having to deal with her sister's as well as her own was stressful to say the least.

And then came her most troublesome duties. The mother load of all duties. Keep the world alive. Usually that wasn't a problem, but lately Giles had been digging up old texts, and when Giles did this usually some kind of apocalypse came along and endangered her life, and the lives of her loved ones. Not that she had much loved ones left any longer.

Ever since her mother died she had been drifting away from her friends, and felt like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders. Oh wait. She did didn't she? Having to go out night after night slaying vampires wasn't exactly the best thing to put on resumes you know.

It was her slaying that started all her problems in the first place. It made her leave her old home in LA, because she had to burn down her school gym. Not because she wanted to (unlike what nameless principles think). But she had no choice. Her school gym was full of vampires and all of them were burned to a crisp when the gym went down. But of course the school prefers to take ignorance to a tee, and decided that she was disturbed. They politely tried ways to kick her out of the school before they just plainly told her that she shouldn't return to school the next day or any day there after.

Then it made her move to a hellmouth that quite frankly was not a very nice place. Her slaying duties had introduced her to the love of her life. Normally this would have been a good thing, but the key word was normally.

Angel was as mysterious as they come. He took crypticism to new heights. Not to mention the hunkyness factor. She didn't even think it could be called a hunkyness factor. More of a how long can I keep my hands to myself and not drool factor. But that was beside the point. Angel had came and won her heart, and on her 17th birthday in the act of there love Angel lost his soul. Bet your kind of wandering how he managed to do that. Well you see that was the irony of the relationship, Angel was a vampire. How was it possible that a vampire and a vampire slayer could fall in love? Kind of bring a whole new twist to the phrase "love is blind" huh?

When Angel's demon was released he took a sick and twisted interest in Buffy. Angel was no more and Angelus was the name of his body's new host. Angelus took all of Angel's emotions and twisted them to fit his own dark personality. And Angel's love for Buffy was not exempt. Instead of loving her he obsessed about her. About the closest thing to love a demon could come to. He stalked her night after night. Torturing her with memories of her beloved Angel. And even went as far as to kill Ms. Calendar, her computer teacher. A gypsy who was trying to recurse Angelus with Angel's soul.

Eventually he became tired of stalking Buffy and decided that he wanted to send the world to hell. He opened Arcathea a portal to hell. Buffy arrived just as he was performing the ritual. She managed to distract him, but it was to late. Arcathea was open and there was only one way to close it. Angelus's blood had opened it, and now it was needed in order to close it.

Buffy had him pinned when all of the sudden Angelus started to convulse. When he stopped Buffy could tell there was something different about him. When she looked in his eyes she could tell that they were not Angeles's eyes but the eyes of her beloved Angel. Angel looked at her and told her he felt like he hadn't seen her in months.

Buffy hugged him to her as she started to cry silent tears. When Angel felt the tears he pulled back from her embrace and looked at her. Cupping her face in his hand he thumbed away her tears, and asked her what was wrong, never sparing a moment for his own confusion and disorientation.

This thought sent her into more silent tears. She once again pulled him back to her and shushed him with a kiss. Even in his confusion Angel responded to her. And when it was over Buffy was breathless. Buffy was just starting to feel better when there was a bright light behind Angel starting to form.

With horror dawning in her mind Buffy realized what it was. The ritual had evidentially been completed and now the portal was opening. Buffy closed her eyes so that she would not have to watch the thing that nightmares were made of open. She knew of only one thing that could stop it and it was the worst thing anyone could ever be asked to do.

As the portal got bigger Buffy ignored it and turned her attention to Angel once again who seemed content to be held in her arms. Evidentially not remembering the things his demon had done yet. Buffy kissed him once more and told him to close his eyes. He did so without a moment's hesitation.

Laying him down again she lifted the sword that she was using to fight Angelus with as though it were the heaviest thing in the world. She then told Angel that she loved him, and ran the sword through his stomach. When he opened his eyes he looked at her in confusion. She told him she loved him once again as he was being pulled into the portal.

And then he was gone.
Buffy never forgave her self for doing that. And even now as she sat in her room wandering about her god forsaken life, the mere thought of Angel sends her into tears of self loathing. But the sound of her sister's soft steps outside her door made her quickly wipe them away. "Buffy? Are you ok?" Dawn asked through the door.

"Yes of course I am. What made you think I wasn't?" Buffy asked with false brightness.

"Well I thought I heard crying so I thought." She trailed off. "Never mind. Are you sure your ok? She asked again.

" Yes of course I am. I wasn't crying. What reason would I have to cry?" She asked, allowing a trace of bitterness to inter her voice.

Dawn wisely decided to keep quite.

"You must have been tired, and started hearing things. Go to bed, and I will see you in the morning." Buffy said. Once again in a cheerful voice.

" Ok." Dawn said reluctantly after a few moments. " Goodnight Buffy."

" Goodnight Dawn."

The next morning Buffy was awoken by the sound of a phone ringing. Making a grab at the phone she missed and managed to shove it off the nightstand. The phone came off the hook when it hit the floor. And the sound of her watchers voice interred the room.

" Buffy? Buffy are you there. I have some information for you, but I need you to answer the phone first. So if you would be so kind as to let me know that you are alive, it would be much appreciated."

Buffy groaned and grabbed the phone off the floor.

" This had better be good to be calling at 5:00 in the morning." Buffy all but growled at the phone.

" Well I did find something interesting. And I would like you to be over hear to take a look at it." His English accent sounding tired.

" I will be right over." Buffy sighed. She hung up the phone, and got out of her burrow of warm blankets. Pulling her nightshirt over her head she neatly folded it, and set it on her bed before she walked to her dresser to get a pair of comfortable jeans, and a shirt. As she was putting on her shoe's Dawn walked into the room looking for all the world as if she were still asleep.

" Who was it that called?" She asked groggily.

" It was Giles. He said he found something interesting, and wanted me to have a look at it, but knowing him it is probably just an amulet or something. So why don't you go back to bed, and I will go over see what he wants and come back to fix you breakfast? Sound good?" She bribed. She knew how her sister hated to cook in the morning.

" Ok" Was all Dawn said before she walked out the door, and back to her room.

Buffy hurriedly walked down the stairs, and out the front door to her car. A silver Ford mustang convertible. One of the only indulgences of her life. Her car was her baby. When she finally arrived at Giles's apartment, she got out of her car and walked to his front door. Before she had the chance to knock the door was opened.

" Buffy. Come in. Come in." He ushered her in and turned to close the door. The predawn sun shined off of his glassed for a moment as he closed the door. When he turned around he jumped, finding Buffy was right behind him.

" Awful early in the day to be this jumpy isn't it Giles?" Buffy asked in amusement, and slight curiosity.

" Yes, well things must be considered now." He said as he moved passed her to sit on the couch. It was cluttered with parchments and books. Buffy had a fun time trying to find a place to sit.

" What do you mean things?" Buffy asked confused.

" Last night I got immersed in a book." Giles started.

" Big surprise there" She stated.

" And I stumbled upon a very interesting piece of information." He continued as if she hadn't said anything.

" Giles no offence or anything, but I think you could find any book interesting."

" Buffy." Giles said in a reprimanding tone.

" Sorry I didn't get my java in me this morning." She said contritely.

" As I was saying. The book that I was reading was most fascinating! I was up most of the night translating it. Only when I was done translating it did I fully process what the book really was."

" Well what was it?" Buffy said.

" It is a " as Giles was about to say what it was he was interrupted by a knocking on the door.

Giles got up an answered it. There the whole Scooby gang stood. Willow was evidentially the one who knocked cause her hand was still in the air. Behind Willow stood Xander and beside him stood Cordelia looking frazzled at having to be up so early. Also in the group, Oz stood beside Willow.

" You called the Scooby gang to order your majesty?" Xander said with an exaggerated bow, trying to break the tension from the death looks Cordy was throwing everyone.

" Yes I did. Come in and I will tell you why." He usher them in like he had Buffy. Now the sun was fully up. After closing the door and resuming his spot on the couch he began once again. " Last night I was up going through old books when I came upon one I had never seen before. After staying up all night translating it I finally got to read the whole thing in it's own. I then realized its importance." He said trailing off.

"Well are you going to tell us what it is or is that all you dragged us over here to tell?" Cordelia snapped.

" It is a book of records." Giles said simply. " Records? Records of what?" Buffy asked. Saying something for the first time since her friends arrived.

" Of portals that have opened and ever will open on this Earth." Giles stated.

" Please you actually want us to believe that? Yea right!!" Cordy said.

" I didn't believe it myself till I saw proof." He said softly looking at Buffy.

" Arcathea." Buffy simply stated.

Giles nodded his head. That got everyone to shut up. Giles grabbed a book from the middle of a pile in front of him. The book was leather, and looked old. There had gold words on the front that Buffy couldn't read. She wasn't a linguist, but she could tell that it was Latin.

" Giles? What is the name of this book?"

" Roughly translated it means the book of portals."

" Not really one for words was he?" Xander asked. Referring to the author.

" Back then Xander what you had to say was short and to the point. They didn't waste there time on words." Giles said.

" Oh" Was all he replied.

" So why did you have to call us over here at 5:00 in the morning to tell us this?" Willow asked.

" That is a very good question." Giles said smiling at Willow. " In the book it tells the year the month and roughly the week that the portals have opened. Almost as if it weren't sure of it. What is interesting though is that each event has one date on top and then another date below it. And the question you would have to ask your self is why would there be two dates. And even on some of them there are three dates. I hypothesize that the first date is a rough estimate of when the portal is going to open. The second date is the date of the actual event, and the third date is the date of the return or the time the portal opens again."

" That still doesn't answer why we got the 5:00 morning bugle call." Buffy said.

" As I said before it is a record of all portals that will open and ever have. The book has a date in here that I think Buffy will find very interesting."

" What is it?" She asked.

" In the books are also symbols beside every single portal. I can't be absolutely certain; but there is a date in here that states that a portal is about to open this week. The symbol by the date is the same symbol that is by the portal of Arcathea."

" Oh my god." Willow gasped

" You mean that the portal that dead boy opened is going to be opened again?" Xander asked.

" No that portal can never be opened again. But something is going to happen. Of that we can be assured. It takes a very powerful being to open a portal to hell. And I have a feeling that what ever it is isn't going to be good."

" So you want us to be on our guard incase any big mean portals decide to open up and let the wrath of hell on Sunnydale?" Buffy asked

" Pretty much. Buffy you have to understand that if this book is telling the truth that Hell may once again come to Earth."

" Earth already has it's own personal man made hell. What makes you think I would let the real thing come?" Buffy said bitterly. " Listen I have to get home. I left Dawn alone and I promised to make her breakfast this morning. So I will see you guys later."

" Buffy will you please take some weapons with you just in case?" Giles asked.

" Giles I really don't need them. I am a big girl. I can take care of my self."

" I know this, but as a favor to me that would really make me feel better. Would you please take some weapons in a bag with you where ever you go?"

" Yea. Give me the key to the weapons cabinet so that I can get some out."

" I already have a bag packed for you. It has the basic essentials in it." He said as he got up. " I have something packed for the rest of you too." He called back as he walked down the hall. When he came back he had five different bags with him. One of them was bigger than the rest. He handed the biggest bag to Buffy, and then handed the rest of the bags to the group.

" Call if anything happens ok?"

" Yea. Yea." Buffy said as she walked out the door.

" That's odd." Giles said looking down at the book.

" What is it?" Willow asked looking over his shoulder.

" The dates are messed up on this portal." He said pointing to a date. " What do you mean, " The dates are wrong."? Xander asked.

"On the rough estimate of this portal the date is ok, but the date of the actual event and the time of the return are exactly the same." He said confused.

" You mean like the portal never closed or that the portal opened for a split second and closed right away?" Oz asked.

" I have no clue as to what it could mean." Giles said.
Buffy drove around in a daze not even realizing where she was going until she turned off her car. When she looked up to see where she was she saw that she was at the mansion.

Talking about Arcathea had made her think of Angel. She knew that if she didn't go right then and there she would have broke down sobbing.

She opened the door and walked in to the room. Looking around she felt a familiar smell hit her nose. It was his scent. She walked over to the couch and sat down. The little indent that he and she had made was still there in the cushions. To her it felt like the grand canyons without him.

Buffy set the bag of weapons that she promised Giles to carry with her everywhere on the floor beside the couch. She relaxed into the couch the tears she had been holding back finally fell like tiny rivers down her face. After crying for half and hour she fell into an exhausted sleep. It was about noon when she finally woke up.

When she did wake up she looked at her watch. Noticing the time she cursed and hurry out the door. She got into her car and started it up and began driving to her house. Using her rear view mirror she checked to if the tearstains on her face were too noticeable. Noticing that her mascara had ran a little she pulled off the road to touch it up.

Reaching for her bag she noticed that it wasn't there. Then she remembered that she had put her make-up bag in her weapons bag to help reduce the things she was carrying. She then started looking for her weapons bag. Then she remembered she took it into the mansion with her, and in her rush she had forgot it.

Starting the car again she turned it around and headed back to the mansion. She pulled into the driveway. Opened her door and ran in the mansion. She saw that her bag was right where she left it. Running over to the couch she slipped and fell just as a bright light exploded into the room. Buffy shielded her eyes from the brightness of it. Then as suddenly as it started it was gone. Buffy hurriedly grabbed her weapons bag, and grabbed the first two weapons she could get her hands on. It just so happened that a crossbow and a sword were there.

Getting up cautiously she looked over the couch. What she saw was not what she was expecting. On the ground laid a man in tattered clothes. Buffy cautiously walked around the couch. She pointed the crossbow at the man's heart. All of the sudden the man looked up.

It was Angel.

Authors notes: The first time I posted this story I had people commenting on my lack of paragraphs. Finally having getting off of my big fat tush I decided to fix it. Also I was really let down that I only got two reviews, but life goes on. I am hoping that this time I will get more than two reviews, but that of course is up to you fine people. So! If you want to write a review move you fingers. If you want to write a review move you fingers! If you want to write a review and you know you really do. If you want to write a review move your fingers. (Don't ask) Please please please review.