The scene that lay before them, was amazing. Lush, green grass, paved roads, and houses streaming with people greeted the Slayer and her team as they walked down the old main street. They had left Angel's GTX outside of town, in case everything collapsed again. Buffy could hardly believe her eyes as she watched people walk in and out of a grocery store.
None of them had a clue what had happened here just a few years ago.
Funny how time can cloud minds, thought Buffy as she and the others made their way towards the location of the school. As they walked down a neighborhood street, Buffy paused. Angel stood beside her and watched her as she stared at an empty lot with a 'For Sale' sign out front.
"What is it?" Angel asked, placing a hand on Buffy's shoulder.
"Nothing, exactly," Buffy answered, not moving. "It's just that, this is the same place on this street where my house used to be."
The other Scooby members also took a moment to take in where they were. A smile crept over each of their faces, each remembering the fun and scary times that were had at Buffy's house. Even Angel had his memories of Buffy's house. Among his favorites were the nights he spent in the tree that had grown outside her window, watching his Slayer sleep. And also the talks they had shared in her bedroom. And even though it was Angelus who had been there, Angel fondly remembered the night he drew Buffy's sleeping face.
A sudden boom of thunder shattered the spell over the Scoobies, and Willow noticed a pink flash coming from the direction of the old school.
"Look over there," she pointed, making all five heads turn and face the East.
"Looks like Jasper's up to something," noted Xander.
"Ya think?" Buffy glared at her old friend. Xander shrunk his shoulders and smiled sheepishly.
"Come on," Angel motioned to the rest, "We can walk down memory lane another time. Right now, we need to stop Jasper."
Buffy took in a deep breath.
"Are you going to be alright?" Giles asked his former pupil.
"Yeah," assured Buffy. "I'm fine. Let's go."
Buffy turned and started heading towards the school.
As the gang crested a hill, they saw not a school, but an elaborate wooden temple, made to look Greek. Buffy rushed up the small set of stairs and burst open the doors. Standing in the middle of the room, was a small platform atop which stood an alter. A Greek looking statue with a scepter stood on the alter looking down at the Slayer and her friends ominously.
Giles and Buffy reached the top of the platform and saw several herbs and candles that had been lit to pay homage to the Greek god.
"Hades," Giles told Buffy. "So he is planning to re-open the Hellmouth."
"I hate being right." Buffy muttered as she glanced at the statue's glaring face. "He's looking like he's taunting me."
"Maybe because that's exactly what he's doing," said a voice from behind them.
Angel, Willow and Xander turned to see Jasper and a group of about twenty Vampires standing behind them.
"Jasper," said Buffy through gritted teeth.
"Oh, Jasper," mocked Jasper as he came closer to the Slayer. "Come on, love, say it with more feeling."
"I'll make you feel alright," Buffy stated as she felt her body tense.
"Please do, I so want to feel what it is about Slayers that makes my Sire so weak-kneed for them." Jasper glanced down at Angel, who was wishing that morphing was still in his repertoire.
Giles then stepped in between Buffy and Jasper.
"Before you touch her," he warned, "you will have to get through me."
Jasper just smiled and said, "okay," before grabbing Giles by the lapels and tossing him into the air as if he were a rag doll. Giles landed with a thud, on top of Willow and the others. Buffy's eyes grew wide as she watched her teacher fly through the air as if he were trash.
"Now then," Jasper said, a smile forming on his face. "Now that we have dispensed with the pleasantries, let's say we get down to business?"
"Fine by me," Buffy grinned, throwing Jasper a right hook. The punch landed, and Jasper shook his head.
"Wow, is that all you got?" He took Buffy by surprise and grabbed her, spinning her around to hold her by the throat. "Let's see what else you got."
"Buffy!" Angel cried as he pushed Giles' unconscious form away from him and darted for the platform.
"Kill them," Jasper ordered, and Angel stopped in his tracks as the gang of Vampires attacked Willow and Xander.
"Go! Go!" Xander cried as he dusted one vamp and flipped another. "We'll hold them off."
Only after Willow's nod, did Angel heed Xander's advice. Angel darted up the steps and stood at the front of the alter. Jasper held Buffy by the neck on the other side.
"Well, Master," Jasper asked Angel, "What do you think?"
"Of what? Opening the Hellmouth?" Angel answered back. "I personally think it's a stupid idea, especially since you know I'll stop you."
"Well, this time I won't have a Slayer to stop me."
"Well, I'm here aren't I?" Buffy choked.
"Yes, but only for a while," was Jasper's response.
"You know it's a real shame, Slayer," Jasper whispered in Buffy's ear, as Angel inched closer. "I thought you would like this little reunion."
"What do you mean 'reunion'", Buffy gagged as Jasper's arm remained around her throat.
"Why Sunnydale, of course! It's why I chose here to open the gates of hell. I could have chosen any hellmouth on Earth, but I chose Sunnydale especially for you. Then again, if you hadn't been so busy screwing your old flame here, you might have been able to stop me sooner. And save your weakling husband too."
"You son of a-"
"Ah, ah, ah," Jasper increased his grip, "That's no language for a young lady."
"Just ignore him, Buffy," Angel told her rounding the alter. "He's just trying to bait you. He wants you to be blinded by hate."
"Shh!" Jasper tilted his head at Angel. "Don't go telling her our secrets, Angelus. It's not fair."
"That's not my name anymore," Angel said, trying to hold back his own anger.
"Oh, but of course it is," said Jasper, as he edged away from Angel's range. "You will always be Angelus; you just refused your true nature and got a soul."
Angel was about to respond, when he heard sounds coming from behind him. Willow and Xander had finished dusting their company and were now running to join Angel. Xander paused when he saw Jasper's hands around Buffy's neck.
"Let her go!" Xander yelled.
"Now, why would I do that?" teased Jasper. "I have so many nasty things I want to do to her."
Angel reached out to stop Xander from advancing.
"Don't," he warned. "This is between Jasper and me."
"The hell it is!" Xander exclaimed. "He's got Buffy!"
"Xander, Angel is right," Willow said grabbing Xander's shoulders. "He knows what he's doing."
Xander pulled away from Willow but did not move towards Buffy.
"Good boy," Jasper said. "Now sit."
Xander glared at Jasper as he began laughing at his own joke. Buffy saw her chance, and finally jabbed Jasper in the side. He released his grip, and Buffy sprinted towards Angel.
Angel grabbed her as she held on to his powerful arms.
"Took you long enough," Angel whispered.
"Yeah, well, I had to wait for an opening." Buffy looked up into Angel's eyes. He smiled and returned the gaze.
"Aw, how sweet," Jasper gagged. "I just love Hallmark moments, don't you?"
"That's about enough out of you!" spat Willow.
"Oh! The red witch speaks!" Jasper brought his hands up to his face in mock amazement. "That's not all I can do," Willow said as her eyes became pitch black, and a blue light began to swirl around her. Willow extended her arms forward, and the blue light shot from her hands. The light streamed directly for Jasper, but he put his hands out, and the light bounced off him and returned to Willow. A crack sounded through the air, and Willow flew across the room, and landed a few feet from Giles.
"Willow!" Screamed Buffy, watching her friend fly.
"You bastard!" Xander lunged for Jasper before anyone could stop him. Xander was able to get in a few punches before Jasper began to block them and throw some of his own. Xander's head flew back and side to side as Jasper used Xander's face for practice.
"Okay, now I'm bored," Jasper said before bringing back his arm and landing one good punch to Xander's stomach. Xander flew and landed against one of the wooden Greek pillars, shattering it. Xander fell to the floor unconscious. Buffy rushed to his side, and checked for a pulse.
"He's still alive," Buffy looked to Angel.
"Darn," Jasper stomped like a spoiled child. "That one was supposed to hurt."
Angel's eyes lowered and glared at his foe.
"Okay," he said stepping closer to Jasper. "Time to teach you a lesson."
"Uh oh, Daddy's pissed," Jasper mock shivered as Angel inched closer.
"Well, you know, you kinda have been a disappointment."
Jasper smiled at Angel slyly. "And what have I done wrong this time?"
"Well, for one," Angel landed a punch to Jasper sending him flying across the room. Angel jumped and landed a few inches from where Jasper was trying to pick him self up.
"You talk too much," Angel told Jasper, as he delivered a left hook. Jasper countered, and Angel's head swung to the side, but he stayed put.
"Sorry to disappoint," Jasper said as he swung around and kicked Angel's side. Angel fell to his knees, but swung out and kicked Jasper's legs out from under him.
"That's alright," Angel said, landing a punch to the face. "Some kids just disappoint."
Jasper stood and swung at Angel. Angel caught Jasper's fist in his hand and landed one of his own. Jasper swung around and kicked, but Angel jumped up, avoiding contact.
When Angel landed, Jasper suddenly lunged forward as if thrown off balance, Angel just tossed him aside, and saw Buffy in fighting stance in his former place.
"Got bored," she said, shaking a stray hair away from her face.
"I can tell," Angel said, admiring the way Buffy looked when she was mad.
"Look out!" Buffy called out, and Angel turned and kicked, landing his foot into Jasper's chest.
"That's it!" Jasper cried as he stood up from where he fell. "Enough with this!"
Jasper then began to mutter some type of incantation, and electricity seemed to engulf his fingers. His eyes opened to reveal a blood red pupil. Jasper clasped his hands into fists, and as Buffy and Angel watched, Jasper shot his hands forward, lightning striking Angel and throwing him up into the air. Angel clutched his chest, as Jasper moved his hands up over his head, and then motioned them away from him. Angel went flying through the side of the temple, and made contact with a tree trunk outside. Buffy darted down the steps of the platform, and past the unconscious forms of her friends, to the doors that led outside.
The sky outside, was a pale pink, and a small rumbling could be heard coming from all around. Angel's body was lying on the ground, cuts bleeding and a large purple bruise appearing on his stomach. Buffy kneeled before Angel, his head in her lap.
"Angel," she cried as she stroked his face.
"I'm fine," he coughed making him groan in pain. "Just a little bruising that's all."
"Oh, God, Angel," Buffy said, as tears came to her eyes.
Angel coughed and lightening engulfed the sky.
"Buffy," he said weakly and pointed above her. Buffy looked up to see Jasper floating through the sky. He landed softly on the ground at Angel's feet. Jasper wore a smile as he saw Angel on the ground in Buffy's lap.
"Poor Slayer," he said, shaking his head. "You've managed to lose everything you love. Your friends, your husband." He looked at Angel. "Your lover."
Carefully, Buffy placed Angel's head down on the ground and stood to face Jasper.
"Well, come on, tough guy." Lightning flashed in Buffy's eyes. "Let's go."
Buffy then spun around and kicked Jasper. He landed against a tree but stood up as if he felt no pain.
"Is that all you got?" Jasper laughed dusting his sleeves. "I thought you were a Slayer."
"I am a Slayer," Buffy exclaimed punching and jabbing at Jasper. Fists and feet went flying as Jasper and Buffy fought. Overhead, the sky was turning from pink to red, and the lightening flashed with greater intensity. Below the two fighters, the ground rumbled and cracks began to form in the earth.
Jasper smiled and looked at Buffy. "You can't win. I have unimaginable power. One of the perks serving the God of the dead, you know."
Swinging his arm across, he flung Buffy through the air. She landed on top of a trash can, crushing it as she rolled. Buffy strained to pull herself up. Jasper caught up to her and, as she tried to get up, he kicked her in the stomach, rolling her. Buffy rolled over onto her back, coughing and gasping for air.
"Now that's everything, huh?" Jasper smiled as Buffy used her elbows to scoot away. "No weapons... No friends... No hope."
Buffy's eyes narrowed as images from her fight with Angelus years ago began to replay in her mind. As Buffy continued to try and inch away from Jasper, her hand landed on the trash can lid. A bolt of lightening flashed across the sky, hitting a tree branch and severing it from the tree. Buffy then had an idea. She closed her eyes took a deep breath.
Jasper smiled as he now stood above her, hands clenched, ready to destroy her with a bolt of electric charge.
"Take all that away... and what's left?"
"ME." Buffy said, grabbing the lid and using it like a shield, blocked Jasper's shot of electric energy.
The bolt bounced off, striking Jasper. Jasper cried out in pain and agony as he began to glow a bright white. Lightening intensified, continuously striking Jasper as he cried out. The light grew whiter, and soon the sky itself seemed white. Buffy shielded her eyes, as the light exploded, sending white rays of light through everything. When Buffy finally looked back, the light was gone. The cracks in the earth were gone, and the sky had returned to a peaceful blue. Buffy looked in front of her, and saw a small, smoldering, pile of brown ash.
Jasper's gone, Buffy thought, smiling. Buffy got up and dusted her clothes, before heading to look for Angel. As she crested the hill, she saw Willow, Xander and Giles, approaching from the other side. Buffy rushed towards her friends, engulfing them in a group hug.
"You're okay!" Willow exclaimed as she hugged her best friend.
"Of course I'm okay," exclaimed Buffy. "I'm a Slayer; I always come out on top!"
"Man, we were so worried." Xander cried.
"Yeah, we all woke up in the temple and everything started rumbling and getting darker!" Willow told Buffy.
Buffy explained to her friends what had happened.
"What about Angel?" Giles finally spoke up. "I don't see him here."
Buffy's eyes grew wide.
"Oh, my god! Angel!" Buffy darted down the hill, towards where she had last seen Angel. When she reached his body, Buffy checked his wrist for a pulse.
"He's got a pulse but it's faint." Buffy said, as tears formed. Willow knelt beside her.
"Let me see." Willow placed both hands over Angel's chest, and closed her eyes. Beginning to chant, a orange glow came from Willow's hands. After a few minutes, the glow dimmed, and Willow fell back.
"Sorry," Willow said after catching her breath. "There's nothing I can do."
"We need to get him to a hospital," Giles suggested.
"He's right, Buff," Xander agreed. "We need to get him out of here at least."
Buffy sighed nodding her head. "Right, come on guys," Buffy stood and began to lift Angel up. "Help me get him to the car."
Willow, Xander, and Giles each grabbed a limb and helped Buffy lead Angel out of Sunnydale. When they reached Angel's car, the four friends carefully placed him the in the backseat. Buffy opened the driver's door, and got in. Willow and Giles took the back, and Xander rode shotgun. Buffy started the engine and turned the car around.
As Buffy glanced back at Sunnydale through the rearview mirror, she spun the car around suddenly, squealing the tires.
"What's the matter Buffy?" Willow exclaimed.
"Yeah, did you forget something?" Xander asked as Buffy continued to stare at the road to Sunnydale. Buffy didn't answer, but then, she didn't have to. A rumble below them led under their feet and shot through to Sunnydale. Suddenly everything vanished. The trees, the buildings, the people. Sunnydale just disappeared.
"It was all an illusion," gasped Willow.
"It was some kind of glamour," Giles stated, "A spell to make us all believe that Sunnydale was real."
"A sick joke, if you ask me," Xander said.
Buffy remained silent, as she turned the car around and drove away.
"Sunnydale's gone," she said finally connecting to the main highway. "What's important now is getting Angel to a hospital where they can get him proper medical attention."
Everyone silently nodded, as Buffy took one last glance at Angel's sleeping form in the rear view, before merging with highway traffic and speeding for L.A.
The hospital room was quiet, except for the beeping from the monitors attached to Angel's body. A tube in his nose provided him with oxygen, while other electrodes told the machine behind him that his heart still beat. The rhythmic beeping acted like a lullaby for the person who slept at his side. Her arms were folded, becoming a pillow on which she rested her head. Her blond curls fell around her like a canopy, blocking out the light from above Angel's bed.
Her head snapped up when she heard the rhythm on the monitor jump, and Buffy looked at her sleeping angel. His eyes remained closed, arms lying stoically on either side. Buffy looked up at the monitor and saw that the rhythm was still normal. Breathing a sigh of relief, Buffy brushed her hands against face, pushing back her canopy of hair.
"Don't scare me like that," she said to Angel as she combed his brow.
Outside, Xander, Willow, and Giles sat or stood in the waiting room, hoping for any word from Buffy. Xander had walked over to the door to Angel's room, and peeked through the tall, narrow, window.
"Anything?" asked Willow.
"Nothing," replied Xander. "She's been in there for three days now. She hasn't left to eat or anything."
"Maybe one of us could take over?"
"I'm afraid that would be impossible," Giles answered Willow, cleaning his glasses. "I offered to watch him myself and let Buffy go home and rest, but she would have none of it."
"But what about Dawn? I know she's in school and all, but Dawn needs her sister."
"The only thing Buffy is concerned about is Angel," Giles explained. Willow hung her head before turning to look at Xander.
"What are we going to do?" she asked. "She can't just stay there forever! I mean yeah, the doctors said that he might wake up any day, but what if he doesn't? Is she going to stay in there forever?"
Willow exchanged nervous glances with Giles and Xander. Giles looked down, and Xander looked at Buffy beside Angel. And I thought Angel was broody, thought Xander as he looked at the somber scene inside.
Back inside, Buffy held Angel's hand and watched him sleep. With her free hand, Buffy placed it on Angel's chest, and felt it rise and fall rhythmically. Yes, the doctor's had said that he didn't need a respirator, and Buffy thanked God for that. The last thing she needed was an instant replay of Brian's hospital stay. But, the doctors were all cautiously optimistic that Angel would awaken any day now. And Buffy wanted to be here when that happened.
But Buffy had heard the conversation outside, and knew that Willow was right. What if Angel never wakes up? Tears formed in her eyes, as she rolled over the possibility that Angel would, or could, never recover.
Everyone I have ever loved has died, she thought. Well, Riley's still out there somewhere, but he's married now, or is he divorced? Anyway, he doesn't count. They all died.
Buffy brushed back Angel's hair and looked at his closed eyes. To never see his chocolate eyes again, I would rather die. Then Buffy had an idea. She knew that the odds were stacked against Angel ever getting out of that bed. So, she would wait until her friends went home before she would put her plan into action.
But that didn't happen until way after midnight. The graveyard shift nurse had already come in and performed the usual vitals check, asked Buffy if she needed anything, and after being turned away, left to finish her rounds. Buffy knew it would be a while longer before the nurse returned, so Buffy grabbed a note pad from the table behind her, and wrote out her plan into existence. As she scribbled, Buffy would glance up every now and then, to see if Angel would wake up.
Buffy sighed as she finished, and saw that Angel still slept. Next, Buffy tore the page from the pad and, taking the pen, stood over Angel's body. She watched for a minute, as his chest continued it's rhythmic rising and falling. Buffy leaned over and gave Angel a kiss, once on the forehead, and again on the lips, before placing the note on his chest under his oxygen tube.
Buffy then gathered her coat and purse, before heading for the door. Turning the knob opening the door, Buffy turned and looked back at Angel. He continued to rest, arms at his sides, as the light above him illuminated him with its off white curtain. Buffy smiled, before turning away from Angel and closing the door behind her.
Willow, Xander and Giles arrived and dawn the next morning and found Angel's room empty. All signs of Buffy had disappeared. The three friends stared at each other in bewilderment. The doctor came in and told them that Angel's prognosis was good, before handing Willow the note that Buffy had left on Angel. The doctor then left, and Willow unfolded the note.
It was addressed to Willow, but what it said blew all of them away.
Dear Willow,
I wanted to let you know that I can no longer wait for the inevitable. Angel will never wake up, and so I am going to do what I had told Angel I wanted to do after Brian's death. I am going to travel the world. It's not fair to me, or Angel, to sit around and wait on someone to die. Plus, this is what Angel would have wanted. Who knows, I might even go to Ireland, and see where he came from.
Please don't look for me, I will send you postcards, showing you where I have been. Tell Dawnie to be good in school, and that I hope she does well for herself. Tell the gang that I will miss them terribly.
To Xander, in my desk at home is Brian's will. Inside are instructions to turn over everyday operations to you. This was Brian's wish. Good luck, you deserve it!
To Giles, you are the best father anyone could have, and the best Watcher a Slayer could ask for! And I am proud and thankful to have known you.
Well, I guess that does it! I love you all very much, and always will. And perhaps someday, when my traveling has worn me out, we will meet again.
My love always,
Buffy
Willow looked at Giles and Xander who both had tears in their eyes. After wiping their faces, Xander was the first to speak.
"So what prompted this?"
"She must have overheard what we said last night," Giles deduced.
"But it was only hypothetical!" protested Willow. "It's just not right!"
"I agree," said Giles, "but Buffy has made her decision and we have to respect it."
Suddenly, a rustling came from behind them. The three friends turned around to see Angel moving in the bed. He was shuffling his legs, and turning his head. Slowly, Angel's eye lids fluttered open. Opening his eyes, he saw Willow, Xander and Giles, standing at the foot of his bed. They had the most peculiar looks on their faces. Lifting his head just slightly, he addressed the group.
"What happened? Where's Buffy?"
End Chapter.
Sorry it took sooo Long! Computer not liking me lately! Soory to leave you hanging, but it's what the characters wanted! Plus Willow has a BIG surprise in store for her friends! Also, good/bad news; just two chapters left! Waah! As Always Read &Review! THat's what keeps me typinggg people! LOL Update soon!