Angel angrily moved among the shadows, making his way to the mansion on Crawford Street, his new home.
I keep trying, but he never lets it rest. I am not the demon. When will he see that? The only one who seems to see it is Willow, and maybe Oz.
Angel sighed as he reached the mansion, and looked up at the lightening sky. Sun'll be up in a few minutes. He walked into the building, and found himself walking into The Room. He gazed desolately at the place where Buffy had entered the portal of Hell, and closed his eyes as the memories overtook him.
How long he stood there, he did not know. He only knew that one moment he was lost in his memories, and the next jerked back to the present by a hand on his shoulder. He quickly turned around to see who would dare come near him, and relaxed. He chidingly said, "Willow, you should not have done that." He paused, and gazed at Willow in confusion. "Why are you here?"
"You really didn't give me a choice…you're even worse than Giles on fazing out!" Willow said defensively. "It was either this, or thrust a cross into your face, and I wasn't about to do that. Also, I was worried. You left rather suddenly, even though I understand the reason. Don't worry, I ribbed Xander out for what he said about you."
Angel smiled faintly, wearily. Willow: my steadfast defender. No matter what happens, she always defends me, he thought, then said, "I hope you didn't do it in front of the Watchers, Willow."
Willow's eyes flashed as she said self-righteously, "I sure did! I don't care for them, they're a bunch of snotty nosed…bitcas that think they can boss us around! They don't live here, so they can't tell us what is right or wrong about what we do here."
Angel gazed wide-eyed at Willow, then blinked, before he deadpanned, "You drank coffee today, didn't you?"
Willow smiled chirpily, before blithely replying, "Yep!"
"Thought so," Angel muttered. He sighed, then said, "Why don't you go home, Willow. I'd walk you, but the sun's up." At the wiccan's look of stubbornness, Angel said insistently, "I'm fine, just a little worn out from last night. And--"
"It's your bedtime." Willow murmured loud enough for Angel to hear, then said in a normal tone, "Alright, I'm going. Thank goodness it's Sunday. You get some rest, and I'll see you tonight then."
The sun had just set, as Angel strode into The Room. He stopped at the spot where Buffy had entered Hell, and knelt down. He placed one white rose and one red rose on the ground. With tears threatening to fall down his face, Angel took a small jewelry case out of his coat pocket. Carefully he opened it to reveal a woman's silver Claddagh ring. He remembered when Willow had given him the ring.
"I-I think she would have wanted you to have this, Angel," Willow had said hesitantly, handing him the ring. "She never stopped loving you, even when the demon within you did all those bad things to her and us. I know that what Buffy did she did willingly to save you, when she went into that portal."
Angel took the Claddagh ring, picked up the two roses, threaded them through the ring, and placed them onto the ground. He bowed his head, and closed his eyes, as a single tear fell onto the roses and ring.
"I will never forget you, my beloved Buffy," Angel whispered, before standing and leaving the mansion.
A moment after the door to the mansion closed, a white light shone down upon the memorial of Angel's love for Buffy. The ground trembled, before an explosion of light filled the room. When the light disappeared, a body lay trembling on the ground, exactly where the roses and ring had been. The body was of a small female with blonde hair…and rags for clothing.