AN: I know it's been a while, but I have a surprise, maybe 2, for all you patient people…Can you guess what it is…
16:00
Angel squinted as he opened his eyes to intense sunshine. He looked around him and sighed. He was standing in the clichéd grassy field. It even had…
"A babbling brook. How original." He muttered. As soon as he said this the scene before him faded and Angel found himself staring at nothing.
"Okay, so maybe I like the sunshine a little better. What's going on? Where am I? Who's doing all this?"
"So many questions." Came a voice, "Curiosity is not the worst of humanities failings."
Angel spun around but couldn't locate the source of the voice.
"Who are you, why won't you show yourself?"
"It is not yet time for our forms to be revealed." Another voice, a female voice, answered
"Well at least I know there's more than one of you." Angel replied. "Okay, so if you won't show yourself, can you at least tell me what's going on?"
"You have been made human by a lesser council on earth. In doing so they have radically altered the lower planes timeline."
"So the council turned me human and screwed with the world. Yippee, but why am I here!" Angel demanded.
"Impatience. Another of Humanities failings!" The first voice concluded, "You are here to make a choice."
"And Buffy says I'm cryptic."
"Ahh yes, the slayer. She has feelings for you. She came to us for help in reversing this situation."
"She's seen you? How come she can and I can't.?"
"It is not yet time for our forms to be revealed to you. The choice you must make concerns the slayer…And her friends."
"Will you just get to the point?"
"We are going to turn you back into a vampire that is without question."
"Why can't I stay human?"
"That is a future choice. The decision now concerns the lives of the people you surround yourself by." The female voice replied
"Okay then, what are my options? I'm sorry to hurry you along but this place is getting seriously boring."
Angel's vision sharpened as he took in the new sight before him. He was standing on nothing yet all around him were stars, constellations, planets…the universe.
"Um…better."
"When we return you to the lower plane, what will you do?"
"Get some major therapy. This is freaking me out." He muttered as a comet soared over his head
"Can't you be serious?"
"Not likely. I've been around Xander too long."
"Ahh yes the boy who accompanied the slayer. I didn't care for his jokes." The male noted.
"We may yet be friends." Angel grinned
"You have no love for the boy yet you accept him as a friend."
"He's a pain but he is also one of Buffy's truest friends and although he may be a hindrance, if I'm not there he will try and keep Buffy safe. So yes I put up with him and I have no doubt he would even help me if it was truly needed."
"And what of the watcher? There is no love there. You killed his fiancée."
"Yea thanks for that little reminder. He's Buffy's father, I can't change what I did but I can try and make it better for him."
"And the slayer?"
"Her name is Buffy, get it right people."
"Buffy then. You have hurt her in many ways yet you still claim to love her."
"With everything I am. I have hurt her, that's quite true yet for some reason she still loves me. I wish, more than anything that I could take back every single amount of pain I have caused her. I would do anything to see her living a normal life.
"I wish I could buy her the world. Take her out on a normal date. Propose and have kids, but none of that will ever happen. What I can do is leave her and give her the opportunity to experience those things. She can go to College. Get a real boyfriend. Go on picnics. Get married."
"Those things are illusionary. She still has her slayer heritage."
"If I leave she can at least start believing she can have a future. She may not ever get them but at least when she dreams of what lies ahead it won't be darkness."
The vision before him once again faded and in its place came a rapid series of flashes, most of which Angel couldn't decipher. What he did catch he didn't like. A guy using Buffy. A guy breaking up with Buffy. Giles in a plane. Pain. Death. Singing? Angel shut his eyes to block out the images.
"What did you see?"
"What was that?"
"That is what will occur when you leave. Buffy will experience the normal life you wish for her and in that will come all the things a normal person will experience."
"But the pain, her heart. No one could live through that."
"People do. its called life. What you and the slayer have doesn't come along every day." The Female pointed out.
"The choice now lies before you. Do you stay or do you go?"
"No matter what, she will suffer."
"Suffering is a part of life everyone, even the immortal feel it. It's the person's character and the people that have around them that make the difference."
"We will return you soon; it's not only your choice in this matter that will determine the final outcome. We will meet again pending the conclusion."
Angel sighed as once again he sunk into darkness.
Buffy and Xander reached the hospital in half the time, each with a million thoughts running through their heads. Buffy took a deep breath before going into the room. She found Angel just as she left him. Giles came over and took her hand as Xander explained what had happened.
I thought that maybe…I hoped…What did I do so wrong?"
"Oh darling." Giles pulled Buffy into a hug.
Hank had looked a little spaced during Xander's story but upon seeing Buffy accept such a move from a teacher his brain focused. He took in for the first time the scene before him. In the three years since he and Joyce had divorced, his little girl had grown up. She had a very devoted group of friends. She was obviously in a fairly deep relationship with the man currently lying in a coma and as he looked at Buffy and…Giles, he came to the sudden realization that his role in Buffy's life had changed forever. He was no longer the father figure so much as the guy who shared the same DNA. He still cared for daughter and always would just as he still cared for Joyce, but he was longer part of the family.
Hank sighed and got up. Joyce frowned but when she looked at her daughter, realization overtook the confusion and she followed Hank outside.
"Let me know what happens."
"I will. Hank…I'm sorry."
"I'm not. When she was born we vowed she would always have a loving family. It's what she deserves."
Joyce gave a small smile before Hank turned and left. Joyce stood at the door for a few moments. What hank had said was the absolute truth. They had vowed to give their child all the love and support a person could bare. Each person in the room was a part of that vow whether they knew it or not. Even Angel. Joyce didn't like him, and that was no major secret. She wanted the best for her daughter. Looking into the room she realised that the best was in the bed. Angel loved Buffy and really, what more could a mother ask for her daughter.
Giles kissed Buffy's head and looked her in the eye, "Buffy, you have done nothing wrong. All this is happening because the council screwed up…I screwed up. The council itself was established to help guide the slayer through her nightly war. You are the first Slayer ever to question that authority and in place of it you found someone who will not only guide you but also walk with you. It's hard for a father to accept that his little girl no longer needs him and that he is no longer the only man in her life. I don't blame Angel for Jenny. I know it wasn't him who killed her. I can't tell you that I am a hundred percent in support of your relationship with him, but I can accept it and I promise I will try to be more understanding. But only if you can look me straight in the eye and tell me you are happy."
Buffy kissed him on the cheek and smiled as she did as he asked, "Yes. I'm happy."
Giles nodded and took the ring from Buffy's hand. He looked at both it and the man who held his daughters heart before replacing the ring on Buffy's finger.
In that instant the heart monitor went crazy and Angel began convulsing. Doctors and nurses rushed into the room bringing all types of equipment with them. The Scooby's were all pushed out of the room. There was such a panic caused by all this that everyone failed to notice an unconscious Buffy curled up in the corner of the room.
15:00
Reviews!
nextgensuperstar: Camper Happy:p hehehe, you'r prob still confused :P i know i was. hope the update clarifies :)
FeralElektra: thanx heaps, update as requested :)
yummy0o0: lol, i love ur reviews. u get so excited :) hope the wait was worth it
dreamergirl18: luv ya 2 babe. thanks heaps 4 everything
Kathrine212: this may not help, but maybe my suprise will :)
BloodThirstyGoddess: Thanx heaps :)
Buffy and Angel forbidden love: Your wish is my command :P
RebelGoddess: I'm glad u liked the speach. i was hoping it would b in character :)
chosen-1: hope it was all 2 ur liking...maybe not. we'll c :P
vampiric.princess: lol, thats my porogitive as fic writter :p 2 leave u all hanging :p hope u enjoy the update :)
buffstuff500: oh thankU :)
rachel: will do. yea the hand is fine :)
buff: thanx :)
SWChica2005: lol, ur lucky u dont have 2 wait long 4 the end :p hope u enjoy
michebabyblue: lol, there is an end. maybe sooner than u think :p we'll c :)
ryansperfect: oh thankyou. i was hoping for originality. im glad ur liking :)