Buffy Summers was walking to the Bronze, when she sensed someone behind her. She slowed down a bit, but then hurried again. There was no need to attract attention this late at night. An alley comes up. Buffy turned, and headed straight down the alley. What can she do? She wanted to surprise the vampire, giving her the full advantage. She looked above her, and saw a pole.
Angel walked into the alley at that moment. Confused, he looked around; where did she go? He took a few more steps forward when something slammed into him from behind. He hit the ground, and felt someone's foot being pressed into his back. He knew it was the Slayer.
Angel grunted. " Is there a problem… ma'am?" He felt that he needed to call her ma'am.
" Yeah there's problem, why are you following me?"
" I know what you're thinking, don't worry; I don't bite." Angel said that with a little grin. He sometimes did bite. The Slayer backed off, and let him up then, but Angel noticed she was still in a fighting stance.
Buffy studied the stranger in front of her, half amused, half embarrassed. He was very tall, and with his spiked hair and dark eyes, he was kind of cute.
" What do you want?" She asked, irritated.
" The same thing you do." Angel answered quietly.
Buffy stood normally. " Ok, what is it I want?"
The stranger took a step towards her, " To kill them. To kill them all." Buffy smiled a fake smile.
" Sorry, that's incorrect. What I want is to be left alone!" She answered coldly, and started to walk away.
" Do you really think that's an option anymore?" Angel snapped. She was being so childish, not to mention selfish! " You're standing at the Mouth of Hell, and it's about to open." Buffy stopped in mid-step and turned around to face him, her eyes wide. Angel was sad to see how young she was. She couldn't be more then 17.
" Here," He said, tossing her a velvet box. " Don't turn your back on this, you've gotta be ready."
" What for?" Buffy asked, confused.
" The Harvest."
Buffy was tacken aback... the way he said it, it sounded like he was fearful. " Who are you?" She breathed.
" Let's just say I'm a friend." Angel answered, starting to leave.
" Yeah well, maybe I don't want a friend." Buffy whispered huffily.
" I didn't say I was yours."

Frustrated, Buffy jerked at the lock, angry that she has no key. She dropped it, feeling someone behind her, sighing.She turned, and saw it was the man from the alley.
" I don't suppose you have a key on you?" She asked him.
" They really don't like me dropping in." Angel said shortly. Buffy faced him.
" Why not?"
" They really don't like me." Buffy could tell he wanted to change the subject. Buffy chose to be sarcastic.
" How could that be..." She mumbled. He changed the topic himself.
" I knew you'd find this entryway sooner or later." He smiled. " Actually, I thought it'd be a little sooner."
" Sorry you had to wait." Buffy snapped. " Look, if you're just going to be popping up like this here and there, can I have a name?"
" Angel."
" Angel." Buffy repeated, smiling softly." It's a pretty name."

" Nice tatoo." Buffy commented, beginning to bandage him. " I was lucky you came along."
" I live nearby. I was out walking." Angel said it like an excuse.
" So you weren't following me?" Buffy smilied slyly. " I just had this feeling you were following me."
Angel smiled back. " Why would I do that?"
" You tell me." Buffy answered, finishing the bandaging. " If you are hanging around, I'd like to know why."
" Maybe I like you." Angel stated it right then and there. Buffy looked up, startled.
" Maybe-" She started to reply, gazing in his eyes.

Buffy leaned back into Angel, cuddling her face to his. She was so cold, and frightened. She couldn't stop shivering. Angel put his arms around her, not wanting to let go.
" You almost went away today." Buffy whispered.
" We both did." Angel answered. To his surprise, Buffy sobbed.
" Angel," She sniffed. " I feel like I lost you. But you're right. We can't be sure of everything."
Angel held his lover comfortably. " Shhh... I..."
Buffy faced him. " You what?"
" I love you." Angel whispered. " I try not to... but I can't stop." Buffy smiled, as if in relief.
" Me- me too." She stammered. " I can't either." Buffy suddenly started thinking. Were they... could they really do it? They almost died this night, and Buffy didn't want to regret this night for the rest of her life.
Sure of herself, she kissed Angel tenderly. After a moment, Angel breaks it off.
" Maybe... maybe we shouldn't." Buffy put her finger on his lips.
" Don't. Just kiss me."

Angel woke with a start, gasping and swallowing. He blinked as the full force of sunlight hit him. He didn't flinch in pain. Angel sat up, still not used to the sunlight. He looked at the spot beside him, and saw that it was empty.
" Buffy?" He mumbled, getting out of bed. He stretched, yawning. Angel stumbled out into broad daylight, and looked around. Buffy was sitting on the sandy beach, watching her daughter. Angel walked over to her, planting a kiss on her head. She smiled as Angel sat on the sand next to her.
Angel watched his daughter, Elizabeth, for a moment. When the waves would pull in, she would creep at the very edge as close as she would dare. When they crashed back in, she would run up the beach yelling and avoiding the water in pure pleasure.
" I had those weird dreams again." Angel said. Buffy looked at him in concern.
" Really? The same ones?" She asked. Angel shook his head.
" No." He answered, " This time... I don't know. I mean, they're the same 'experiences' but their told in a different way. I can't explain it."
Buffy nodded. " I'm sure it's just a phase."
The dreams started about a year ago. Angel couldn't understand it. He was happily married with an amazing daughter, nothing made him unhappy about his life. He met Buffy in his senior year at High School. It was basically love at first sight. They met, dated, went to college, and then got married. Had a kid. They now lived on the California coast. Angel truly believed Buffy was his soul mate.
" I hope so." Angel answered softly.

Later, that evening, Angel stood in front of his house, gazing steadily at the setting sun. The sight was truly beautiful. Just like his Buffy.
She came up, wrapping her arms around him, then moved to stand in front of him. Angel placed his arms around her small waist with his hands on her belly. Buffy leaned her head against his shoulder, sighing. Elizabeth was running around, playing with their German Shepard.
" I want another one." Angel said to Buffy, jokingly.
" I'm ready." She answered, not joking. Angel's hands tightened around her belly.Buffy leaned her head back to tenderly kiss him. Angel broke away.
" Are you sure?" He said, hesitating. " Maybe we shouldn't." Buffy silenced him with her finger.
" Don't." She whispered. " Just kiss me."
After putting Elizabeth to bed, Angel did.

The next day, Angel had this worried feeling in the back of his head. He felt paranoid, and was always looking over his shoulder. Like someone was watching him. It happened a bit after noon.
The family had planned to take the sail boat out for a ride, since they hadn't done that in a long time. They were just climbing into the boat, when Angel remembered that he had forgotten his snorkelling kit. He jogged back to the house, takinghis time. He came back, not sure which kit was whose. He looked back up the pier, seeing his family.
A speedboat had just pulled up beside Buffy and Elizabeth. Angel frowned, not remembering any new houses being built or toured. Maybe they were family. Then, a sinking feeling hit Angel's stomach. It just wasn't right. He dropped the snorkelling kit, and began to jog back.
To his horror, a few men jumped out of the boat. Angel could dimly make out his family. The men raised thier guns.
" No!" Angel screamed. He heard Buffy screamed, andsaw her grabElizabeth, putting herself in front of her child. The gunshots pierced the air, and Angel's heart.
" No!" He screamed again. He kept running, and the bullets kept ripping the air. The shots finally stopped, and the men jumped back into the speed boat. Angel collapsed next to his dead wife, his heart tearing into two.
" Buffy, Buffy," Angel whispered fiecely, his hands outlining her hair. He picked her up, holding her tightly. " No, please God, No!" He turned to his daughter, and did the same.
What was happening? Angel heard steps behind him, and he turned, rage filling his heart. Three men stood in front of him, coming from a truck that sat in the middle of the pier. Two carried guns, and the other seemed like the cowardly leader.
Before Angel could say anything, three bullets tore through his torso. Angel yelled, and gasped, collapsing. Strange, there was no pain. He knew he was going into shock. He couldn't move, maybe he was paralyzed. Maybe a bullet hit his spine. The leader nodded, and one of his bodyguards handed him a gun. The other one lifted Angel, and threw him on the edge of the pier, next to the water. Angel cried out in pain.
" The other bodies- burn them." The leader said. No! He then faced Angel, his eyes drilling into his.
" So sorry, Angel." He said. " But I have to fix this." Angel felt the cold metal being pressed into his forehead.
Buffy...
The bullet ripped through his head.

Yes, I know the beginning is similiar to the Punisher begining. I was inspired by that bloody movie. But the rest of the story is my idea. Who killed his family? When Angel gets the answer, the universe is never the same. ( I am thinking of entering Faith.)