The days slipped by and Oz didn't have any impulse to leave. He and Willow were getting along so well and everyone was so familiar that Oz just felt as if he'd been welcomed into their lives once more. One look at Willow's brightened face when he entered a room was enough to make him want to stay. He'd never hurt her again.

Meanwhile, Angel's mind was constantly on Buffy. He and the gang had succeeded in damaging the big bad once again and somehow Angel didn't want to look for another fight. All these years he'd put aside his love for the good of those around him. He'd hidden all the pain, the longing, the sadness. Angel just didn't know if he could keep it up much longer.

That was why, somehow, Angel found himself standing outside of a rustic looking building. He had no excuses not to go, everything was fine in L.A, there was nothing that needed his attention. Nothing but the pressing ache in his heart that had been screaming in pain for the past six years. It couldn't be delayed any longer. Angel took an empty breath and walked into the building. He glanced around the gloomy darkness and sniffed the air. Through the musky ancient smell of wood, Angel easily picked up on the scent that had once been so familiar to him. Whenever he was lonely, whenever he let his thoughts wander, this was the sweet smell that always wafted through his imagination.

Buffy stiffened. She could feel the presence of someone in the room with her. A vampire. She silently gripped the pencil she was holding and waited for the creature to approach her. A beat passed and then Buffy flew around and flung out her arm with deadly precision. Angel just barely stopped the pencil with his hand and looked down. The pencil's tip had poked a hole in his shirt and was just about to graze his skin.

Buffy let out a gasp and let go of the makeshift stake.

"Sorry. I should know better than to attempt to sneak up on a slayer," Angel smiled.

"God! This has got to be the fiftieth time I've nearly killed you!" she swallowed, "Announce your presence or next time you might not be fast enough!" She didn't really know what to say. His being there was such a shock to her.

"Hello to you to," Angel said. "And don't you worry. I'll always be faster." Buffy broke out into a grin and somewhat stiffly gave Angel a brief hug.

"How come you never call?" Buffy poked him. "You nearly died and you can't even give me a shout out?"

"Actually, it would've been your place to call. I didn't want to impose. When you didn't call after you lived through the First, I sort of thought you didn't want to talk. I mean, I got that you finished baking and decided who it was you wanted to…uh, enjoy you and it wasn't me." Angel shrugged.

"I should have called. I'm sorry, you were the one who brought the amulet that saved us and everything…I should have called." Buffy apologized. "But, I actually am not with anyone right now, I guess you could say I'm a very slow cookie."

"Listen Buffy, I know I probably shouldn't have come here, but I just needed to see you. Oz came over and I just felt nostalgic for good ol' Sunnydale. I don't think you realize how much I miss you. I'm probably out of line right now, but it's been over a year since we've seen each other. We've both escaped death once again and- it just wouldn't be right for us not to see each other. We're like strangers now, and I can't stand that." Angel told her.

"I think that could be one of the longest things you've said to me," Buffy joked. She gave him another hug but it was much warmer than the first one. "I've missed you too, Angel." Buffy put her hand over his and continued, "And don't think I haven't been thinking about you. I've heard about your werewolf girlfriend."

"Ex." Angel corrected.

"Oh, that's too bad." Buffy said sympathetically.

"Buffy, why can't we try to be friends again?" Angel looked into her eyes. "We're both older now and circumstances have changed…we've got more will power. Not being near you is driving me insane."

Buffy's blue eyes melted and she took his face in her hands and laid a sweet kiss upon his lips. The feeling of his lips on her drove the kiss further, more passionate. It was filled with hunger and driven by the longing that had developed over the past year apart. With a twang, Buffy pulled back.

"Why can't we be friends? That's why." She looked down. "We'll never be able to be friends, Angel, you know that. After all this time I still love you more than ever. After all this time, I still want to be with you. After all this time, I still feel like a high school girl deeply in love."

"Buffy…" Angel brushed her cheek.

"This is the way of the world. Nothing is ever easy or fair." Buffy entwined her fingers in his hand that was against her cheek. "God Angel, I need you more than ever, with you around everything hurts so much but without you I'm not whole!" A few tears dropped from her clear cerulean eyes onto his cold hand.

Angel bent to kiss the tears away and reassured her with soft words, "You've always been so strong, Buffy. You can last through pretty much anything… Don't worry. It's not possible for you to crumble."

"I'm tired of being strong," she said in a small voice. "I was strong when my mom died. I was strong when my own friends turned me out onto the streets. I was strong my whole life. I just want it to stop. I'm not the one slayer anymore, why can't things be right? Why can't we be together? I've done my duty, for Christ's sake!"

Angel held her in his arms and kissed her forehead, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come. I…I'm sorry I've caused you so much pain."

Buffy shifted closer to him and shook her head. "If you didn't come, my cowardly self probably never would have gotten the guts to call you. I wanted to, of course."

"You're many things but a coward is a far cry from any of them," Angel smiled.

"Will it always be so hard between us?" Buffy asked rhetorically with a sad sigh.

Angel stroked her arm and tried to commit the feeling of this woman in his arms, knowing full well it could be another year before he had this chance again. She was so beautiful, so courageous, so wonderful. Even in the darkest of times, she always had a witty quip to make a smile tug upon his brooding lips. It broke his heart to know that the tears she shed, the hurt she harboured, was due in part to his being there. It was selfish to come down, he just wanted to see her to relieve his own pain, not knowing the pain it would inflict upon her. Angel kissed her lips again, never wanting to leave her side. She was his light, his true love. And now that he was here, would he be able to gather the strength to leave her side once more?