Buffy watched her lover desperately through the smoke. She not only saw, but felt the pain in his eyes, mirrored in her own. She watched as he drew an unnecessary breath, his chest rising and falling. She shivered, strangely, as the school continued to burn around her…
Through the smoke, Angel was aching inside. It was so hard. The only thing he had to do was turn, and walk away, why did it seem impossible? Angel steadied his gaze on her, and drawing an unneeded breath, he looked meaningfully into her eyes, and slowly turned. He began to walk away, each step harder than the last. Holding back the tears and heartache that was threatening to tear him up inside, he headed to his apartment…
She watched him as he turned, presenting the back of his large frame. Still she watched as he faded into the black night, and long after he disappeared, she watched the space where he had been, hoping, praying…
Her image was still in his mind, as it always would be. He struggled to keep walking, knowing and sharing the pain of the situation. He walked aimlessly through the streets of Sunnydale, eventually ending up at his apartment. He opened the door, removed his heavy black coat, and moved to his bed. Sitting down, he held his head in his hands, ruffling the hair on the back of his head. Then the tears and the hurt came.
"Buffy, I'm so sorry…" his voice was husky and deep, and ache poisoned every syllable.
Getting up, he moved to the wall, and placed his hands in front of him, his head hanging low in between. He wanted so badly to hold her, to feel her small body in his arms. To look into her hazel pools…
She knew he wouldn't turn around and come back, and yet she remained, still and silent in the burning chaos that was Sunnydale High. Sighing, she headed home. As she reached the door she stopped, and turned, facing away from it. She leant against the hard wood, her palms flat against it. Inwardly, her silent hurt raged, and was soon replaced with desperate sobs. She slid down the door, only to find herself hunched, hugging her knees tightly. She didn't know how long she stayed there, but she awoke some time later cold and exhausted, her eyes red from tears. As the first dawn colors crept up from the black abyss of the night she shivered. Moving inside she shut the door, climbed the stairs and crawled into bed…
Angel had packed up everything he would need to start a new life, but had come to realise that it was day, and he wouldn't be able to leave until the evening. With nowhere to go, he could only stay in his apartment, alone with his thoughts…
Buffy sat on her bed, exhausted. She had slept on and off for most of the day, and realized suddenly that it was dark. She looked around her room, and sighted her cross, elegant and silver, dancing in the moonlight. She had to give it back to him; it would only make her hurt more to have it…
Angel stood in the doorway, looking back at his apartment. It was then he smelt it. A smell so familiar to him, so comforting that he momentarily froze. It couldn't be…