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{{{{Story between brackets is a thing from mental institution Buffy's life.}}}}

Normal typing is The Slayer Buffy's life

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"No," Angel shook his head at Buffy's once again still figure. "No, you come back. Come back. I am NOT going to lose you, not again. Please, come back."

Angel let go of Buffy's hand and slumped down to the floor, his head in his hands. She had come back, for a moment; he had felt her. Her spirit, her life; she was there again. But then she left, back to the place where it was better for her.

He knew why she wanted to stay there. It was safe and painless. There was no one there that would hurt her; at least not as badly as he had already hurt her. That had never been his intention, to hurt her. Every time he did, he wanted to stake himself. There were times when he thought he could actually hear her heart breaking. He wondered if she ever heard is breaking.

He didn't know why he loved her. There was nothing terribly special about her. She was smart and funny but every girl had those qualities, even you didn't understand them. Being the Slayer had nothing to do with it.

Cordelia told him once that it was because she was the first reason he'd had in a hundred years to survive. Angel secretly agreed. When Whistler had brought Angel to Buffy, he said that she would need a lot of help. It struck Angel because she was so young and she had no clue that all her innocence was about to stripped away in a few words. And for the first time, there was a way and a reason to live, just to help her.

Darla told him that he loved Buffy because she was new. She was, but try as he did, he couldn't believe that was the reason he had fallen in love with Buffy. It was deeper than that.

"Buffy," Angle sobbed. "What do I need to do to bring you back? I'm not giving up Buffy but I need more help than I'm getting. I need you."

"I thin I can help," Willow said, throwing bags and papers down on the floor of Buffy's room, startling Angel.

"Willow," Angel said, brushing away his tears.

"Yeah hi," Willow said hurriedly pointing to a star map. "Look, I have a plan. But we have to do it fast. It only works when this star," she gestured to a dot on the map and then to another, "and this star are crossed into one star. And the moon is in the crescent shape. And that'll happen in about twenty minutes."

"So," Angel sighed. "What happens?"

"Yeah, um," Willow laughed nervously. "You would want to know that, wouldn't you? Um, see, you can cross two worlds. I don't know if it'll work because this is a person's mind, not an actual world but it's worth shot. I mean, do you know how often these conditions are perfect for this."

"Ok, so let's do that," Angel said quickly. "Now."

"Um, I have to find Tara," Willow said, running out of the room. "It only works if... well, I can't do it. Tara has to."

"Ok," Angel nodded.

* * * * *

"Are you sure this will work?" Dawn asked as Tara pulled out an old book form her shelf. "I mean, Angel's soul's not really lost. It's there."

"It's been replaced in him, but after so many years without it, your body loses the spot that held your soul. Angel's doesn't really fit in his body anymore." Tara explained. "Do you understand?"

"Sorta," Dawn said. "Kind of like when you get your ears pierced and you take the stud out and the hole closes up and then you try to shove the earring back through and it doesn't really go back in like it was before."

"Yeah," Tara laughed. "Something like that."

"How?" Dawn asked. "Like taking a piece of the soul away?"

"No," Tara insisted. "Nothing like that. He's already missing a piece. The gypsy's didn't' give it all back; that's what caused the loophole. In theory, that is. I have to find the lost piece and put it back. I would never take anyone's soul from them, not even a piece. It's dangerous and you're nothing without your soul. It shapes you entire life; your emotions, your morals, your integrity, everything. Ever wonder why vampires are as terrible as they are?"

"It makes sense," Dawn agreed.

"Tara!" Willow panted. "I've got it. I have an idea and I know how to do it. But I can't; you have to. We're sending Angel to Buffy's world. Blur the boundaries between the worlds and send him there."

"Won't that be dangerous?" Tara asked. "If he could go through, couldn't others go through also? And demons?"

"I thought of this!" Willow insisted. "He has a time limit. We give him 24 hours to the second to get Buffy back this way. He had to be back in the place he came through from, hopefully with Buffy, in exactly 24 hours. We tie off the portal so no one can go through, but keep running so we can open it back in exactly 24 hours."

"That's... actually that might work," Tara smiled.

"Good, because you have to do it," Willow smiled back, pulling Tara up the stairs.

"Me? Why?" Tara asked.

"Well," Willow said. "It has to be powered by a witch with inherited powers. Mine were learned, yours came from your mother."

"I'm not strong enough for this," Tara insisted.

"You are!" Willow cried. "I know you are! We have to do this... and in ten minutes."

"I'll try," Tara sighed. "I just hope it works."

"It will," Willow pulled Tara into Buffy's room where Angel was waiting for them. "It has to."

"Are we doing it?" Angel asked

"Yes," Willow turned to Tara. "Here's the spell; everything's set up. Juts read it. Angel lay down on the floor. Now, you have 24 hours. You have to be in the same place that you arrived in to get back. Got it? Ok."

Angel nodded as Tara hurriedly read off of the paper Willow gave to her. It was in Latin, but she translated it into English.

"Break the boundary, break the foundation. Cross Mind's wall, live in Memory. One day is all you have, believe you can make it. Cross Mind's wall, live in Memory."

* * * * *

{{{{ "NO!" Buffy laughed loudly, causing the other people in the restaurant to look towards her table. "You're kidding right?"

"No," Pike insisted. "I'm totally serious. Tyler turned gay after High School. He showed up at the 5-year reunion with, and I quote, his 'boyfriend'. It was friggen' hilarious."

"Oh my God!" Buffy laughed. "I can't believe I missed that."

"You were somewhere else," Pike joked.

"Literally," Buffy agreed.

Buffy heard the little bell above the door jingle as the door opened. She had a habit of looking towards the door to see who came through. It didn't matter what world she was in, she always did it.

In that one second that was born out of habit, she feared she have finally lost all her sanity; that her 'world' had proved to be stronger than her.

Angel was standing in the doorway, sunlight streaming around his figure and glinting off his deep brown hair. And he was staring directly at her, a relieved smile on his face.}}}}

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