Chapter 12

Angel dropped down to his knees when her gaze no longer looked upon him. Tears were no longer coursing down his cheeks; he had none left to shed even if he wanted to. Gazing down at the ground he found the imprint of where his feet had been as he had stood before her. But hers, they weren't there. It was as if she had never really even been here at all. If it wasn't for the taste and feel of her, still fresh on his lips, he wouldn't have believed any of it, just chalking it up to a dying mans hallucinations.

"I'm sorry for your grief. I had tried to warn you but you didn't listen." The voice came from a distance.

Angel didn't even have the strength to answer her. Buffy was gone, taken from him once again by forces out of their control. No longer would she grace his life, giving him the hope of redemption. The only thing that would be left of her would be her body, buried six feet under the cold soil.

"Now it's your turn vampire. You have a choice here. You may either try failingly to get her back or spend the rest of your eternal damnation here on this earth, helping her friends finish the fight that she left behind."

Silence followed her ultimatum. He didn't know what he wanted. More then anything he would love to be in Buffy's arms for the rest of eternity, but deep down, he knew that it was wrong. He needed to spend the rest of his life fighting the good fight. It was his penance. Slowly it would eat away at his conscience if he chose to try and be with his love.

"You must choose." The voice had become softer as the night wore on. Was it possible that the body behind the cool hard voice felt some semblance of sympathy for a creature like him? "I know this must be hard for you, but there isn't much time. If you are going to choose, do it now. For if you don't, the consequences shall be dire."

A soft hand brushed over his forehead causing him to look up. About to answer his question, his words got lost as he looked into deep brown eyes. Eyes like his. Long dark hair fell over the young girls shoulders ending at her waist. A simple cotton dress fell off her small form, giving her the air of innocence and beauty when you looked at her.

"Kathy?" he crocked out. Not quite believing just yet that this creature before him could be his baby sister that he lost so long ago.

Kneeling down in front of him, the little girl smiled at his confusion. "I wasn't sure you'd recognize me. It's been so long." Gone was the cold arguing voice that had told him of Buffy's will to die, replacing in was the gentle sweet song that always came from a sister's love.

Angel stared at her long and hard, looking for any source of evidence that she wasn't his Kathy. But she looked exactly the same as she had the moment she died. The sad expression still swam deeply in her eyes even though she smiled brightly for him. "You're dead."

"So are you." She retaliated. Pressing her hand a little bit more into the top of his head she frowned. "You're running a fever."

"Kathy please, you have to help me. I have to get Buffy back." He said, brushing her hands away.

"Liam, I can't."

"You have too!"

"You don't understand, this isn't up to me. I don't control who dies and who lives. It was Buffy's choice to leave and you have to accept that."

He glared at his sister with murder in his eyes. "And if I don't?"

Kathy stood and took a step back, still feeling a little uncomfortable around him even though she knew of all the good he had done once he got his soul back. "Then you'll suffer the consequences."

"Which are?"

"Liam..."

"TELL ME!"

She sighed and placed her hands on her hips. "It's your choice on weather or not you accept her passing, but if you interfere and try to bring her back, you'll suffer at the hands of the guardians. They're people who stand outside the gates of heaven, making sure no one can be pulled away from them, anyone who tries to get back the one they love is immediately sent to the depths of hell."

"I don't care. I'm getting her back."

"Even if it means eternal suffering for you?"

"Yes." He said without hesitation.

"Liam, you'll save her life yes, but you'll die. You'll leave this earth forever and never be able to go to heaven. You'll be banished from that aspect."

"If it means Buffy gets to see the light one more day, then I don't care."

"She told you that she didn't want to live."

"That wasn't Buffy. Buffy would want to stay on this earth, to be with her friends. I don't know what the hell that thing was but it wasn't her!"

Kathy smiled and bent down to kiss her brothers cheek. "You win."

"What?"

She helped him up into a standing position. "The powers wanted to make sure that you actually loved her before giving her back. By not giving up, by being the stubborn person I know you are, you've just won your love back. You've proved to them that you would do anything for her, that you'd die for her, which is exactly what they wanted to hear. The upcoming years are going to be hard Angel, and the Powers that Be are only going to give her back to you on one condition. You can't leave her, if you do, she'll die, and that is not something that this world needs right now."

"I'll never leave her. I love her."

A funny smile spread across her face. "Father was wrong when he said you'd never find true love. Although, it did take you over two hundred years to get it." She said giving her brothers hand a squeeze. "Now go, she'll be waking up soon."

Angel grinned and nearly raced out of the warehouse. When he got to the door though he stopped. Looking back at his sister she gave him a sad smile. "What about you?"

"What about me?" she said in false cheer. "I'm going back."

"To heaven?" He said with hope.

"To heaven."

Walking towards her slowly so many questions raced through his head of things that he wanted, needed to ask her. But when he reached her not one came out.

"You'll find everything out sooner or later, just give it time." She said, reading his mind once again.

"Is... is mother and father... are they...?"

"They're with me. We're all together watching over you."

Bending down he captured her in a fierce hug letting the tears spill over for the crimes he had committed against her. "I'm so sorry."

She reached around him and held him back. "It wasn't you Liam. It was the demon. I know that now. We're all so proud of you." She said trying to soothe her brother's sobs as she too felt the wetness on her cheeks.

"I miss you so much." His pulled away from her and wiped away her tears lovingly. "I have always love you. You hear me? No matter what has happened or what will happen, I have always loved you."

"I love you too." She said giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. "We'll be waiting for you." And in a blink of the eye, she was gone.