Disclamer: None of the characters are mine unfortunately – much as I wish they were! A/N: sorry if some of the dates are wrong – I'm sure you'll figure out what I'm talking about! And I'm sorry if I'm slaughtering someone's favourite scene but I kinda hafta – it feeds the plot you see. Honest - there's method to my madness....most of the time!

Chapter 1: It wasn't meant to be this way!

Sunnydale – 1998

"You don't really believe you can take us all do you?" Angelus sneered at the petit slayer in front of him. She must be dumber than he thought if that was the case.

"I really don't!" She replied, confidence filling her voice.

Angelus was a little thrown off by the cruel smirk curling her lips, strangely reminiscent of...

"Hurts doesn't it?" Spike commented coolly, no emotion in his voice as he beat his grandsire repeatedly with the crow bar. Intent on his work, he barely felt Dru's fists as she hit his back, desperate to help her daddy.

Buffy half smiled, shaking her head as she watched the three vampires. It took her a second to remember she was there for a reason, alerted by Xander's yell for help as he tried to fight off a vamp standing between him and Giles. Forgetting about the three Masters in the room, Buffy ran to the aid of her friend. Efficiently taking out all other threats in the room while Xander helped the badly injured Giles to safety.

Eventually Spike became aware of the fact Dru was still in the room when she tired of hitting him, tackling him instead, sending him flying across the floor. Scrambling back to his feet, Spike kept his eyes on the mad vampire as she circled him.

"It doesn't have to be like this Dru!" He tried to reason with her.

"Naughty Spike!" She scolded, as if speaking to a particularly dim child. "Bad boys don't get to play games after super!"

Spike shook his head, wondering not for the first time, how he'd ever been able to see logic in what she said.

"I'm Sorry baby." He said simply, earnestly, just before hitting her with a hard right cross which landed square on her jaw, knocking her back several steps. Recovering from the blow, Drusilla turned wet eyes back towards the childe who adored her.

"It's too late now Spike, I can already see the pretty colours. I'll save some for you."

Spike barely had time to try and make sense of what she said before she ran at him, screaming like a banshee, scratching at him with her nails. So preoccupied was he with trying to avoid getting his throat cut that Spike didn't notice Angelus rise groggily and head towards Acathla. Buffy decapitated the last vampire, turning back to help Spike, just in time to see Angelus pull the sword from Acathla's chest accompanied by a blinding flash of light. Angelus spun to face her, sword in hand, grinning from ear to ear.

"Too late Buff!" he taunted "You're going to Hell!"

"Save me a seat" She replied before rushing at him with her own sword. They fought furiously, matching each other blow for blow. As Buffy gained the upper hand, she noticed the portal beginning to open. *I am too late* she thought, tears unexpectedly stinging her eyes. Noticing her distraction Angelus took advantage and quickly swept her legs from under her...

Drusilla also noticed the opening of the portal. She suddenly stopped attacking Spike and walked towards it, as if she were a moth drawn to the flame. She easily brushed off Spike's attempts to hold her back...

Just before Angelus could deliver the killing blow to the slayer sprawled dazedly on the floor, he was suddenly hit by a very familiar wave of pain. *Oh God no, not again* we're Angelus's last coherent thoughts as his soul was slammed back into his body, causing him to fall to his knees in front of the now rapidly expanding portal.

Regaining her feet, Buffy looked at the vampire who only seconds ago had been trying to kill her, confusion written all over her face....then she looked into his eyes and she understood with perfect clarity what had happened. She wasn't looking at Angelus anymore; this was Angel, her love.

"Angel." She whispered, smiling, tears falling freely from her eyes.

"Buffy?" He asked uncertainly, not at all clear about what the hell was going on.

Buffy began to sob. Her Angel was back, everything was going to be ok now...

"NOOOOOO!!"

Buffy's movement towards Angel and all her happy thoughts were cut short at the agonised wail of Drusilla, whom neither had noticed getting closer, Spike someway behind her struggling to get to his feet – Dru was a lot stronger than she looked. Before anyone else had time to move Dru dived at Angel, his confusion, and the beating Angelus had taken from Buffy making him weak. She collided with him with such force as to send them both rolling back into the portal.

Buffy leapt forward to try and stopped them as soon as she regained her senses, her hand reaching towards the portal to try and pull Angel back through. Before she could reach him however, she felt her wrist held in an iron grip. She turned her head angrily to see Spike, who it appeared was barely suppressing tears.

"You touch that thing and you'll be sucked in too!" He told her, his voice wavering. "We've lost them Slayer." Spike let out a choked sob "Oh God...what have I done." He fell to his knees, releasing her wrist.

Buffy turned back to the portal, determined to jump in after Angel. They'd be able to find a way back, and if they didn't...well she was the slayer, she'd be able to protect them. He had his soul, and he shouldn't be in hell! Angelus should be the one in hell, not Angel! But before she could make the leap into God knows where, the portal suddenly blinked out of existence and she was left staring blindly at the now dormant Acathla. Behind her she could hear Spike's sobs, and right now, breaking down didn't seem like such a bad idea. She could just curl up into a ball and cry until the world saw fit to end her torment and let her die...but she knew that she wouldn't do that. She was the Slayer; she would not give into that despair....well not yet anyway.

Spike didn't struggle when Buffy pulled him to his feet, but he didn't help either. He felt himself being dragged somewhere but didn't care enough to ask where, and when he felt Buffy searching his pockets for the keys to his prized De Soto he didn't even protest at the thought of someone else driving his baby. He just let himself be led.

A few hours later, Spike was aware enough to know that the skyline he was seeing was LA. He bloody well hated LA...not that he really liked anything anymore. What did it matter if Dru wasn't there with him?

A/N: I know not a lots happening right now but I do have a plan – and there will be spuffyness – never doubt the spuffyness!