"OH!" M squeaked as she flew from the basement. "That was so much fun, little anxiety enhancing, but the adrenaline makes me tingly."

"Yes," Wesley groaned. "let's make the evil vampire more angry by spitting holy water in his face."

"How did you get it so fast?" Willow asked.

"Willow Rosenburg." The slayer smiled broadly and made her way to the witch with an out stretched hand. "M the vampire slayer."

"Pleased to meet you. Unless you're evil."

"Not right now."

Willow scrunched her nose and the others turned a questioning glance her way.

"Oh come on." M huffed. "We all go evil once in a while, and try to kill our friends." She turned back to Willow. "Except Dawn right? But she has done enough stupid stuff to make up for it. Anyone hungry?"

...:...

Willow stood chanting over a marble in the palm of her hand. Glowing, the marble flew from her hand.

Cordelia watched patiently as the round jar shattered. With a sigh she picked up the pieces.

In the basement Connor stood, cross bow at the ready, near the bars. White light floated from the ceiling and struck Angel. His eyes held regret and sorrow, but mostly relief.

"It's all right Connor." He said. "It's me."

...:...

"What about Marty Mc-Slayer?" Faith asked Willow on their way out.

"She says her place is here." the witch said. "That our battle is our own and she cannot be there."

"Cryptic."

"Yes much, I think she's taking this 'I'm from the future' thing way to serious."

"Good luck to her."

The two Sunnydale bound women made there way into the night.

...:...

Angel watched them retreating. He turned to address each of his friends with hugs and apologies all round.

M sat on the banister filing her nails as she watched the intimate exchange. Angel's smile vanished when he locked his gaze with hers. Never breaking eye contact she watched him make his way to the stairs, on his way to her.

The others look on in confusion. Angel made his silent decent. He stepped onto the landing, but as he turned toward her M bolted off the banister landing on the floor below. Wes felt the swish of the slayer by him, Gunn unfortunately must have been in the way, in the next second he was on the floor.

M came close to escaping, the front doors to the Hyperion in her reach. But, the vampire had speed to match. Angel was over the banister hit the floor running and at the entrance steps had M by the color, slinging her back into the lobby.

"Ooff!" she huffed from the floor. "You know everybody else trusts me." She staggered to her feet.

"They were stupid." Angel commented stalking toward the slayer. "No offense."

"None taken." Wes began, "But Angel she did help save your soul not to mention your life."

"Hey Don't!" Fred cried.

The vampire slammed the girl in question against a support column. He effectively held the back of her head, pressing her face against the hard surface with her right arm twisted behind her back.

"Your not a very good slayer." He taunted. "I took you down pretty quick. STAY BACK!"

The last directed to Gunn as he was about to intervene.

"On no." M groaned. "I'm very good at what I do I just don't want to harm you. Not that I could..." She managed slyly. "There's only one slayer who could kick your ass. Even Faith had to drug her blood to bring you down. Well would have done so."

The lobby was silent for a moment. An unneeded breath tickled M's ear in a whispered voice.

"You spit holy water in my face." He said.

"Do you want me to apologize?" This said with true puzzlement.

"You said something right before you did." He tightened his grip. "A secret?"

"Oh yea, that one. Shall we step into the office?" The side of her face was being rubbed raw, but what could she say? She was warned this is the way he would take it. "You know that bad things could happen. Depending on who hears my little secret."

"No one will know If I kill you now."

He released her and backed away. Turning to face him, the slayer touched her cheek as if she had been slapped.

"It didn't end with the Beast Angel." She said. "The world depends on this."

"I don't believe you." The others were beginning to doubt whether his soul had been returned. One thing was for sure, he hated this slayer from the future. "There's another way. There has to be."

"Do you if there was one you wouldn't have found it?" M pleaded. "Why would I have come back, if this were not necessary?"

There had been several instances during the exchange that Wesley had wanted to comment or interject but the passion in each of their voices grew in desperation. She had a goal. Something that Angel clearly did not want to be fulfilled.

"How do we know?" His growl had lessened. "You could be lying, you could be here to stop us. Did we kill your demon boyfriend in the future?"

With a visible swallow the vampire slayer looked down. An emotional conflict with in her bubbled over.

"Is that it?" Wes asked gently. "Are you heart broken, trying reset an even-"

"I can make you believe me." She look up right into Angel's eyes. "But you're not going to like it."

"You better make me believe." Angel said. "Cause there is no way what you want will happen."

"Something no other living person knows."

"Just spill it!"

"One minute."

"Oh what are you waiting on-"

"No." She whispered "No It's not enough time."

Angel was silent.

"How Am I suppose to go on? Knowing what we had? What we could have had."

She walked slowly to Angel and laid her hand on his chest.

"I felt your heart beat." When she looked in his eyes, tear shone. From hers as well. "I'll never forget."

The moisture broke free from his eye and trickled down one side of his face.. In a movement almost a blur, he snatched her wrist away from him. He turned keeping the grip on her arm pulling them into his office and shutting the door.

"You of all people should know." She began. "About having to sacrifice someone you love."

"Yes," He said. He was facing the desk, she figured her couldn't look at her. "but hasn't that happened enough? Can't I save her?"

"She's not there. It's not her."

"I understand." He turned back to her, tranquilizer gun in hand. "But I just don't accept it."

The dart hit her shoulder in her attempt to run. She ripped the office door open, already feeling the numbness spreading.

"DAMN IT!" She yelled, pulling the dart out and throwing it. "I hate those things."

"What's wrong?" Fred ran to M's aid, only to be shoved out of the way.

The slayer desperately looked around before spotting her bag. As she staggered toward it the drug coursed. M fell to her knees, her hand on the strap of her bag, the world grew dark.

"You don't understand." But that was all she could get out before the nothingness took over.