Going Back

Everyone in the library was looking at Buffy in anticipation. She looked at Giles, "You said that I sent myself back here? You said it was probably something I was thinking about before I went to bed…something I was wishing would be different," Buffy stopped for a second trying to figure out how to say what she was about to say.

She looked at Angel. "Giles and I were right. I sent myself back here to ask you to stay. Before I fell asleep I was thinking about us. I thought about how much I missed being with you and how I wished I could be in your arms. I thought about how much I wished you would be in the final battle with me…fighting side by side with me."

Giles had a very confused look on his face. "I don't understand. He agreed to stay so if that was it…why are you still here?"

Buffy turned around and looked at Giles. "Because he's not supposed to stay," she said as she fought back the tears in her eyes.

She looked back at Angel who was looking even more confused then Giles. "I don't get it Buffy. This doesn't make any sense."

Buffy smiled at him still trying her hardest not to cry. "I know. You're not supposed to understand. This was my journey. I can already picture what would happen in the future after all of this. Willow won't touch magic anymore and my big weapon will be gone. And…if you stay…something will ultimately go wrong. We could never be around each other all the time with out…with out something happening and you know it. Plus you wouldn't be able to do all the good you've done in LA."

Angel was now getting upset as well. "But…Buffy…"

She stopped him. "When you go to L.A. you help so many people, people that wouldn't be helped if you stayed. Plus we wouldn't have Spike if you stayed," she started to giggle, "he definitely wouldn't be around if you were."

Giles looked at her very confused. "Spike?"

Buffy just smiled. "Long story. The point is…you can't stay…I know that now. I think I was sent back here to understand that. I needed to be sent back to understand that I can't keep wishing for things that can't come true. I need to focus on what's important. I need to focus on saving the world."

Angel looked very distraught. The night that Buffy had come to him and asked him to stay he thought all night about what he should do. When he finally convinced himself that he should stay he couldn't understand why he would even think about not staying. He loved Buffy and he'd do anything for her. He couldn't imagine his life without her. The things she was saying he didn't want to be true. "But Buffy…I could help you…I mean…what if you…what if you need me?" He just didn't want to except that he had to let her go.

Buffy smiled. "Don't worry…I'll know where to find you if I need you."

Giles was starting to understand what was going on but Wesley still looked as if everyone was specking a different language or something. "I don't understand…what happens now then? How do you get back?"

Buffy was pretty sure she had figured it all out. "Well…I'm pretty sure all I have to do is just…wish it. I've learned what I needed to learn here and I think that will bring me back."

Wesley still wasn't convinced. "But…all that's happened? How do you know things won't be drastically different? With all of us knowing that you've come back and Willow knowing all that she knows of her future self?"

Buffy gave a reassuring smile. "Don't worry…when I go back…it will be as if none of this happened, as if it was all just a dream."

"How do you know?" Xander asked curiously.

Buffy smiled at him. "I just know."

Angel was now looking very distraught. He knew she would be gone soon and he didn't want her to go. He wanted to be with her. Some how all of those thoughts about giving her a better life by not being with her just didn't matter anymore. He loved her so much and he couldn't stand the thought of his future being without her. "Wait…Buffy…please…I…" He didn't know exactly what to say. He just wanted her to know how much he loved her. He tried to continue. "I love you."

Buffy just smiled at him as a tear ran down her check. "I love you too." She stood up on her tippy toes and kissed him passionately on the lips. When she pulled away she continued. "But I have to go."

Angel was even fighting back tears now as well. "I know."

The two lovers kissed again and then Buffy heard a buzzing noise. "What the hell?"

She opened her eyes and she was back in her room. She turned off the alarm and rubbed her face. There were empty sleeping bags all over the floor. She looked at the calendar hanging on her wall, the year said 2003. She was back home, back to her time.

A/N: I know this was a pretty short chapter but I think it's the chapter you've all been waiting a long time for so I hope you still enjoyed it anyway. I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who has continued to read and review this story. I love feedback and you guys are all great about giving it to me. Thanks so much!

Oh…and I also wanted to let you all know…it's not over yet. )

To Be Continued…