Disclaimer: SC1.
Feedback: Do we have to go over this every time?
AN: LAST CHAPTER! I know, it's tragic. But I had so many great reviews from all of you. I'm glad you enjoyed this, because I thoroughly enjoyed writing it. This is one of my favorites that I've written and am strangely proud of it. So thanks again for all the awesome reviews.
{{{{Story between brackets is a thing from mental institution Buffy's life.}}}}
Normal typing is The Slayer Buffy's life
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
{{{{ "I- I," Buffy stammered, looking furiously between Angel and Pike. "I can't- I don't- I just don't know."
"You have to know Buffy," Angel pleaded.
"Stop pushing me," Buffy said quietly. "I hate that."
"I'm sorry," Angel said softly.
"Buffy," Pike called out. "You don't really believe him, do you?"
Buffy smiled softly to herself as she began to remember everything she and Angel had been through together. The laughter, the love, even the pain. Somehow, she cherished that pain. No normal person could cherish the way she did, she knew that. And Angel's hand pressed against hers felt right.
"You know what Pike?" Buffy stared directly at Angel as she answered him. "I think I do."
"Why?" Pike asked angrily. "Why is it so easy to believe him; so easy to leave this world and me?"
"Because I love him," Buffy continued to stare at Angel as she watched his patented half-smile form on his face.
"He's not REAL!" Pike grabbed Buffy's shoulder and spun her around to face him. "He's all in your head. And it's not REAL! It's all part of your sick fantasies!"
"And I want them!" Buffy screamed. "Don't you have fantasies Pike?"
"YES!" Pike yelled back. "But reality is better. REAL love is better, true love."
"And that's what this is," Buffy turned back to Angel and took back the hand she had dropped. "And this world, this is just a dream. Something I learned in both worlds is that love is when you don't want to sleep because reality is so much better. I need to wake up now; from this dream. I'm sorry Pike."
"But I love you," a tear fell down Pike's face. "I spent six and a half years waiting for you."
Buffy kissed Pike on the cheek softly and repeated. "I'm sorry Pike."}}}}
* * * * *
"NO!" Willow yelled as she felt the magic flowing through the air falter. "Tara! No, you listen to me. You're too close to let go now. Ten minutes. That's all, ten more minutes. Don't let go."
"What's going on?" Dawn asked, running into the room, followed by Xander and Spike. "What's happening?"
"Tara's losing strength," Willow cried. "We're too close to fail now."
"What can we do?" Xander asked.
"Nothing," Willow shook her head, staring at Tara's vacant eyes. "We can't do anything."
Willow sat back and prayed against the odds stacked against Tara. In that moment, she felt a surge in the air, unlike anything she had felt come from Tara.
"What the bloody hell was that?" Spike asked; Willow realized that everyone had felt it when they all nodded in agreement.
"I don't know," Willow shook her head again. "Oh Tara, what did you do?"
* * * * *
{{{{"This is it," Angel insisted, standing in front of the tree he had hidden behind when he saw Buffy slay her first vampire.
"This is hard," Buffy admitted. "My mom's here."
"I know," Angel sympathized. "It always is."
"When we get back," Buffy began. "What are you going to do? Leave again?"
"No," Angel hugged her close to his body. "No. I've lost you too many times."
"NOW!"
"What was that?" Buffy asked, jumping.
"Willow," Angel moved towards the sound, realizing the barrier was breaking. Buffy froze, rooted to the spot. "Buffy?"
"I can't," Buffy cried, tears spilling over. "I want you Angel. But I don't' want to leave here."
"Buffy, we don't have a lot of time!" Angel pleaded. "We have to go."
"I can't," Buffy shook her head.
"Then I'm staying," Angel moved towards her.
"NO!" Buffy argued. "You have a life there, a meaning."
"Not without you!" Angel yelled. "There is no meaning without you. Where you are, I am too."
"I can't let you do that," Buffy insisted.
"I'm going to," Angel resolved. "If I'm not leaving with you, I'm not leaving."
"You mean that?" Buffy asked.
"Yes," Angel nodded. "I love you."
Buffy smiled and grabbed Angel's hands and closed her eyes as she pulled them through the shivering scene. }}}} * * * * *
Buffy jolted up on the bed just as Tara lost consciousness. She looked wildly around the room and realized she almost forgot what her room looked like.
"Buffy!" Dawn yelled, jumping on the bed and pulling her into a hug. Xander followed and Spike hesitated a second before he joined them. Buffy laughed as she hugged her friends back, relieved to be back.
"Is she okay?" Buffy heard a soft voice asked and looked over their heads to see Tara lying on the ground with Angel and Willow leaning over her.
"I don't know," Willow shook her head.
"What happened?" Buffy asked, getting off the bed and dropped down next to the fallen witch.
"The magic she used to help get you out drained her," Willow explained.
"No," Buffy said. "She is not going to die because of me. Not another one."
"I'm fine," Tara whispered, her eyes fluttering open. "I just need to rest."
"Tara," Willow smiled.
"You were right," Tara smiled back. "You were right. And Angel, don't fight it."
"Fight what?" Angel asked. Tara drifted off to sleep just as a small stream of white magic flowed from her fingertips and enveloped both Buffy and Angel. Angel began to shake violently as yellow strips passed back and forth between Buffy and him, interweaving intricately and vanishing into the other. Angel leaned against the dresser form support as Buffy, who seemed unaffected by the spell, was pulled with him.
And then, it ceased.
Pain enveloped Angel's chest as he felt his dead heart begin to beat violently and his lungs desperate for air. He struggled to remember what breathing was really like, not the feigned breath he had drawn for so long. It wasn't long until his instincts took over and he began to breathe; his heart slowed down and for the first time he realized exactly what he was doing.
"I'm-,"
"Breathing," Buffy finished, followed by laughter. "You're breathing! And your heart- it's beating! You're alive, Angel; alive!"
"I'm alive!" Angel laughed as Buffy threw her arms around him. "I'm alive."
"Oh my god," Spike and Xander said, shocked.
"Oh my god," Dawn echoed.
"Tara," Willow realized when happened. "You brilliant little witch."
* * * * * EPILOGUE * * * * *
"Did it work?" Tara asked, sitting up as she woke up and realized that Willow was there.
"Yes," Willow answered. "You brought Buffy back and you made Angel human. Funny thing is, he's strong enough to be a fair match for Buffy."
"That's because she's interwoven into him," Tara explained with a smile on her face. "Never will they truly be apart."
"I love you," Willow snuggled up against Tara.
"We all do," Buffy said from the door, Angel's arms wrapped lovingly around her body.
"Welcome back Buffy," Tara laughed.
"Thank you," Buffy said.
"Yes, thank you," Angel echoed, kissing Buffy lightly on the neck.
"For what?" Tara asked.
"For giving us back to each other," Angel said.
"You belong together," Tara smiled. "Anyone can see it."
Spike nodded to himself as he registered Tara's words. She was right, anyone could see it. He knew now, he had no chance; not that he ever did. He had fooled himself into thinking it. He had long outstayed his welcome here. He turned and walked quietly down the stairs and out the door.
"Leaving?" Dawn asked from the porch.
"Yep," Spike answered. "No reason to stay."
"You never had a chance," Dawn said sincerely. "I don't think anyone ever did. I don't think it would have mattered you showed up first, Angel would have won her heart."
"I figured that out," Spike nodded. "Just tell- tell her I loved her okay?"
"I will," Dawn nodded. "Spike?"
"Yeah?"
"Some see me okay?" Dawn asked.
"Will do."
Dawn walked back into the house and up the stairs. She walked into Tara and Willow's room and found herself smiling at the scene in front of her. Xander was sitting on the bed talking and laughing with Tara and Willow.
Over in the corner, stood Buffy and Angel, wrapped in each other's arms.
"Perfect," Dawn smiled as Buffy kissed Angel lightly on the lips and smiled contently.
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
THE END
So, it's over. It's kinda sad. Still, I want you to review.
I write, you read, you review, I write no more – not for this one anyway. ;)
Feedback: Do we have to go over this every time?
AN: LAST CHAPTER! I know, it's tragic. But I had so many great reviews from all of you. I'm glad you enjoyed this, because I thoroughly enjoyed writing it. This is one of my favorites that I've written and am strangely proud of it. So thanks again for all the awesome reviews.
{{{{Story between brackets is a thing from mental institution Buffy's life.}}}}
Normal typing is The Slayer Buffy's life
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
{{{{ "I- I," Buffy stammered, looking furiously between Angel and Pike. "I can't- I don't- I just don't know."
"You have to know Buffy," Angel pleaded.
"Stop pushing me," Buffy said quietly. "I hate that."
"I'm sorry," Angel said softly.
"Buffy," Pike called out. "You don't really believe him, do you?"
Buffy smiled softly to herself as she began to remember everything she and Angel had been through together. The laughter, the love, even the pain. Somehow, she cherished that pain. No normal person could cherish the way she did, she knew that. And Angel's hand pressed against hers felt right.
"You know what Pike?" Buffy stared directly at Angel as she answered him. "I think I do."
"Why?" Pike asked angrily. "Why is it so easy to believe him; so easy to leave this world and me?"
"Because I love him," Buffy continued to stare at Angel as she watched his patented half-smile form on his face.
"He's not REAL!" Pike grabbed Buffy's shoulder and spun her around to face him. "He's all in your head. And it's not REAL! It's all part of your sick fantasies!"
"And I want them!" Buffy screamed. "Don't you have fantasies Pike?"
"YES!" Pike yelled back. "But reality is better. REAL love is better, true love."
"And that's what this is," Buffy turned back to Angel and took back the hand she had dropped. "And this world, this is just a dream. Something I learned in both worlds is that love is when you don't want to sleep because reality is so much better. I need to wake up now; from this dream. I'm sorry Pike."
"But I love you," a tear fell down Pike's face. "I spent six and a half years waiting for you."
Buffy kissed Pike on the cheek softly and repeated. "I'm sorry Pike."}}}}
* * * * *
"NO!" Willow yelled as she felt the magic flowing through the air falter. "Tara! No, you listen to me. You're too close to let go now. Ten minutes. That's all, ten more minutes. Don't let go."
"What's going on?" Dawn asked, running into the room, followed by Xander and Spike. "What's happening?"
"Tara's losing strength," Willow cried. "We're too close to fail now."
"What can we do?" Xander asked.
"Nothing," Willow shook her head, staring at Tara's vacant eyes. "We can't do anything."
Willow sat back and prayed against the odds stacked against Tara. In that moment, she felt a surge in the air, unlike anything she had felt come from Tara.
"What the bloody hell was that?" Spike asked; Willow realized that everyone had felt it when they all nodded in agreement.
"I don't know," Willow shook her head again. "Oh Tara, what did you do?"
* * * * *
{{{{"This is it," Angel insisted, standing in front of the tree he had hidden behind when he saw Buffy slay her first vampire.
"This is hard," Buffy admitted. "My mom's here."
"I know," Angel sympathized. "It always is."
"When we get back," Buffy began. "What are you going to do? Leave again?"
"No," Angel hugged her close to his body. "No. I've lost you too many times."
"NOW!"
"What was that?" Buffy asked, jumping.
"Willow," Angel moved towards the sound, realizing the barrier was breaking. Buffy froze, rooted to the spot. "Buffy?"
"I can't," Buffy cried, tears spilling over. "I want you Angel. But I don't' want to leave here."
"Buffy, we don't have a lot of time!" Angel pleaded. "We have to go."
"I can't," Buffy shook her head.
"Then I'm staying," Angel moved towards her.
"NO!" Buffy argued. "You have a life there, a meaning."
"Not without you!" Angel yelled. "There is no meaning without you. Where you are, I am too."
"I can't let you do that," Buffy insisted.
"I'm going to," Angel resolved. "If I'm not leaving with you, I'm not leaving."
"You mean that?" Buffy asked.
"Yes," Angel nodded. "I love you."
Buffy smiled and grabbed Angel's hands and closed her eyes as she pulled them through the shivering scene. }}}} * * * * *
Buffy jolted up on the bed just as Tara lost consciousness. She looked wildly around the room and realized she almost forgot what her room looked like.
"Buffy!" Dawn yelled, jumping on the bed and pulling her into a hug. Xander followed and Spike hesitated a second before he joined them. Buffy laughed as she hugged her friends back, relieved to be back.
"Is she okay?" Buffy heard a soft voice asked and looked over their heads to see Tara lying on the ground with Angel and Willow leaning over her.
"I don't know," Willow shook her head.
"What happened?" Buffy asked, getting off the bed and dropped down next to the fallen witch.
"The magic she used to help get you out drained her," Willow explained.
"No," Buffy said. "She is not going to die because of me. Not another one."
"I'm fine," Tara whispered, her eyes fluttering open. "I just need to rest."
"Tara," Willow smiled.
"You were right," Tara smiled back. "You were right. And Angel, don't fight it."
"Fight what?" Angel asked. Tara drifted off to sleep just as a small stream of white magic flowed from her fingertips and enveloped both Buffy and Angel. Angel began to shake violently as yellow strips passed back and forth between Buffy and him, interweaving intricately and vanishing into the other. Angel leaned against the dresser form support as Buffy, who seemed unaffected by the spell, was pulled with him.
And then, it ceased.
Pain enveloped Angel's chest as he felt his dead heart begin to beat violently and his lungs desperate for air. He struggled to remember what breathing was really like, not the feigned breath he had drawn for so long. It wasn't long until his instincts took over and he began to breathe; his heart slowed down and for the first time he realized exactly what he was doing.
"I'm-,"
"Breathing," Buffy finished, followed by laughter. "You're breathing! And your heart- it's beating! You're alive, Angel; alive!"
"I'm alive!" Angel laughed as Buffy threw her arms around him. "I'm alive."
"Oh my god," Spike and Xander said, shocked.
"Oh my god," Dawn echoed.
"Tara," Willow realized when happened. "You brilliant little witch."
* * * * * EPILOGUE * * * * *
"Did it work?" Tara asked, sitting up as she woke up and realized that Willow was there.
"Yes," Willow answered. "You brought Buffy back and you made Angel human. Funny thing is, he's strong enough to be a fair match for Buffy."
"That's because she's interwoven into him," Tara explained with a smile on her face. "Never will they truly be apart."
"I love you," Willow snuggled up against Tara.
"We all do," Buffy said from the door, Angel's arms wrapped lovingly around her body.
"Welcome back Buffy," Tara laughed.
"Thank you," Buffy said.
"Yes, thank you," Angel echoed, kissing Buffy lightly on the neck.
"For what?" Tara asked.
"For giving us back to each other," Angel said.
"You belong together," Tara smiled. "Anyone can see it."
Spike nodded to himself as he registered Tara's words. She was right, anyone could see it. He knew now, he had no chance; not that he ever did. He had fooled himself into thinking it. He had long outstayed his welcome here. He turned and walked quietly down the stairs and out the door.
"Leaving?" Dawn asked from the porch.
"Yep," Spike answered. "No reason to stay."
"You never had a chance," Dawn said sincerely. "I don't think anyone ever did. I don't think it would have mattered you showed up first, Angel would have won her heart."
"I figured that out," Spike nodded. "Just tell- tell her I loved her okay?"
"I will," Dawn nodded. "Spike?"
"Yeah?"
"Some see me okay?" Dawn asked.
"Will do."
Dawn walked back into the house and up the stairs. She walked into Tara and Willow's room and found herself smiling at the scene in front of her. Xander was sitting on the bed talking and laughing with Tara and Willow.
Over in the corner, stood Buffy and Angel, wrapped in each other's arms.
"Perfect," Dawn smiled as Buffy kissed Angel lightly on the lips and smiled contently.
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
THE END
So, it's over. It's kinda sad. Still, I want you to review.
I write, you read, you review, I write no more – not for this one anyway. ;)
