42:40

About four hours later Angel stirred and found Buffy sound asleep, the only problem was Angel's head was still in her lap and she was sitting up. Angel got up slowly so that he didn't wake her, bent down and picked her up. He carried her to the bed and placed her under the covers. She stirred but didn't wake. Angel turned to sit on the couch when he heard Buffy's voice call him softly.

"Angel. Angel."

He turned around but she was still asleep. She was sleep talking. Angel smiled and sat next to her on the bed. He took her hand and kissed the back of it.

"What's up darling?"

"Angel?"

"Sweetheart I'm here."

"Don't go Angel."

"I'm not going anywhere my love."

"Angel. Don't leave, stay, I need you."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Angel."

She gripped his hand so tightly that he had no choice but to stay where he was. But he didn't mind. He was content just to watch her, forever.

About 20 minutes later Buffy woke up.

"Angel. You're awake."

"Yeah."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I'm sorry for getting all emotional before."

"Honey its fine."

She got up and paced the room.

"I am so tense. Being couped up with nothing to pummel. It's annoying."

"How about we do a little training then I give you a nice massage."

"You know how to massage?"

"Sure I do. I'm over 200 years old; I think that I've picked up a few things."

"Sounds like a plan."

"Okay you change and I'll get the weapons and set up a big place to train."

"Okay. Be back."

"Sir they are about to train."

"Good. Now watch this, she is meant to be the strongest and most skilful slayer ever, according to Mr Giles. We'll soon see."

By the time Buffy returned, Angel had a few weapons laid out on the table. Nothing fancy and nothing that could do him any serious damage.

"We're going to train with weapons?"

"Bit of both actually. I kinda want to teach you some manoeuvres with a sword."

"Angel that would be kinda like de ja'ing a vu. We did this remember."

"Yes I do but if Willow hadn't cured me when she did we would most defiantly not be having this conversation."

"Please don't say that."

"Sorry. Come on, hand to hand first."

Buffy and Angel circled each other. He was waiting for her to make the first move. She kicked out and around. Angel just managed to step aside. They sparred for nearly ten minutes matching each others moves perfectly. In the room outside Quintin could only stare. Buffy moved so fluidly that it almost seemed she didn't touch the ground.

"Sir is she floating or something?"

"No Andrew but I do believe that Mr Giles was right. What we are witnessing is the most powerful slayer ever to walk the earth. There has been none like her and there will never be again."

"Your sure."

"As it was written so shall it be."

"Don't tell her that. I have the feeling she'll kill you if you mention any prophecies."

"I got that feeling too. This will be kept between us."

They looked back at Buffy and Angel who had stopped hand to hand and were reaching for the swords. Over the next hour Angel instructed her on the finer points of fighting, showing her where she went wrong and how Angelus or any other opponent might beat her. Finally they re enacted the scene from the morning they both wished they could forget. Buffy found that there were quite a few ways that she could have beaten Angelus before it came to that crucial moment where he was changed.

"Good Work sweetie. Now I don't have to worry as much about you coming up against Angelus. You fight beautifully."

In the outer room Quintan and Andrew could do nothing except agree.

Reviews are wonderful things