"I've been waiting for you, lover." Buffy said walking slowly towards him.

"Buffy? This is not you. It can't be; you're...you're with Spike now." Angel said stepping back.

"Don't be shy Angel, I know you want me too. Spike is nothing to me; he's just useful. I want you so much more." Buffy said unbuttoning her blouse and slipping it off her shoulders to reveal a red, silk bra.

"We can't do this Buffy. You know you don't want this." Angel said despite the fact that seeing Buffy in a bra and leather pants made him want her a little. "And I don't want this, I don't want you anymore Buffy."

"I know you don't mean that Angel," She said unbuttoning her pants slowly, "You want me so much you can taste it. Give yourself to me Angel."

She walked toward him and put her hands on his chest. "Don't be scared Angel, you can have me." She said pulling his shirt off and leaning in to kiss his bare chest.

"Buffy please. I don't want to do this." Angel said trying to push her off. He didn't feel the same love for her as he had, but he still had the sexual attraction to her as he used to.

"Oh Angel, let go, baby. It's okay I want you, and you want me too. Give in to it. Take me away Angel. Take me now." Buffy said pulling him to her and kissing him passionately. She pushed him onto the bed and lay onto him. Angel felt himself letting go. He let her unbutton his pants, and he kissed her neck. Then he thought of Cordelia. All the sexual desire of Buffy melted away as quickly as it had come on. He pushed Buffy down into the soft bed and stood up.

"No Buffy. I will not give into you. Yes you're right I want to, but I don't love you anymore Buffy. Any guy would be sexually attracted to a girl like you, but I'm in love with someone else. This has to stop now." Angel said buttoning his pants back up.

As quickly as the room and Buffy had appeared, Angel found himself in a new place. He was back in the room he had first talked to the Powers That Be in.

"Well done, lower being. Not many could have killed a demon without sight, and even less could have resisted their one temptation." The Powers said.

"Does this mean the curse is lifted?" Angel asked solemnly.

The voice laughed deeply, "If only it could be that easy. No lower being, you're trials are far from over. There is much more to be done here. Your biggest test is next. This test will cure you of your curse forever, but it will be hard, and very dangerous."

"I said I'd do anything. I accept the task." Angel said.

"You accepted this task when you accepted the first two tasks lower being. There is no backing out now if you wanted too." The Powers said laughing again. "You may regret this choice, but it's too late. Go forth Angelus, and free yourself from this curse."

"It's Angel..."

The bellowing laugh of the Powers faded away into the air. "You accepted the task. Go forth Angelus..." They said again, and then there was silence.

Angel felt it, as he had before. The searing pain rising through his body. His head was spinning, his body ached, and he clutched at his heart.

"No...this can't be happening." He said falling to his knees and grabbing his head in pain.

He felt his soul rise through his body, his eyes glowed yellow, and he fell to the ground. Seconds later he stood up and found himself back in Los Angeles.

"Angelus is back." he said laughing.



***

Back at Angel Investigations.

"So he's gone to get rid of the curse?" Gunn asked.

"Yes. He went to the Powers That Be and is trying to persuade them that he needs the curse lifted." Cordy answered.

"But why would he want his curse lifted? I mean he's lived with it...oh, oh I see." Wesley said, blushing, as he looked at Cordelia.

Cordy blushed too, but quickly shrugged it off.

"And how long has he been gone?" Gunn said, not picking up on the last comment.

"A couple of hours." Cordy said looking a little worried.

"Don't worry brown eyes, he'll be back soon I'm sure. It's our Angelcakes; he's a brave one." Lorne said.

"Wait a minute." Gunn said, "Are you and Angel? I mean are you...together?"

Cordelia's face turned scarlet, "Um, well, I guess you could say that." Cordy said embarrassed.

"Oh. Um...that's great." Gunn said. "Uh...congratulations."

"Thanks Gunn, really, but that's really not the important issue here is it?" Cordy said shaking off her embarrassment again.

Just then the phone rang.

"Hello? Oh great. We're in his office." Wesley said into the phone.

"Angel's back?" Cordy asked looking happy again.

"Yeah he's on his way up." Wes said.



Angel walked in and smiled at his friends.

"Hello guys. How is everyone?" He asked still smiling.

"Angel? Did they free you of your curse?" Cordy asked.

"Even better." Angel said, "They freed me of more than my curse. They freed me of the one thing that tied me down..."

"Cordy step away from him." Wes whispered from right behind Cordy.

"What? Why?" She asked. "Angel are you okay?"

"The name's Angelus, babe. And I am perfect." Angelus said. "Did yah miss me?"

"Oh God, oh God! Angelus!" Cordy shouted as she stepped back.



"Yes. I'm back!"

TBC...