Because nobody likes a vague disclaimer: Characters belong to the fantastical Joss Whedon.

Angel POV.

What you need to know: This picks up right where Nina's chapter left off.

Chapter XV: False Love, Desire, And Beauty Frail, Adieu. Dead Is The Root Whence All These Fancies Grew.

from A Farewell To False Love by Sir Walter Raleigh

†

I wake to the sound of the phone ringing, and Nina reaching over to pick up the cordless at her side. Though I'm still in the throes of sleep I manage to ask her who's calling when I quickly register the lateness of the hour.

"I don't know. They hung up."

I feel a jolt go through me at her words as I instinctively know who it is, and as relief fills me I suddenly realize just how much i've felt her absence these past two months.

hardly able to avoid it, I sit up quickly and ask, "Did you recognize the number?"

When she doesn't immediately answer I realize the error in my actions. She nearly throws the cordless at me before getting out of bed.

"Here. Check for yourself. I'm going to the bathroom."

Without another word she leaves the room and considering the damage is already done, I hit *69 on the phone and as it dials, I watch the bathroom door.

After two rings, an unknown voice says, "Las Palmas Inn, how can I help you?"

I lose focus of the door as I quickly turn towards my own nightstand and jolt down the address being narrated to me on the other end of the line. I say thanks then, and push on the end button.

"It was her, wasn't it?" Nina says from behind me, resignation in the tone of her voice. Turning to face her, I nod.

"What did she say?" she asks stiffly.

Seconds tick by before I admit self-deprecatingly, "I didn't ask to be put through."

"So not to scare her off."

She sees through my words, and I suddenly remember that Nina always knows what I'm really saying.

"She's probably..." I start to say, but then she cuts me off.

"I don't need to hear it, just go. But I won't be here when you get back Angel."

I walk over to her, but at her outstretched palm, I stop a few feet away.

"I think it's time you stop lying to me, to yourself, that you're not still in love with her."

I open my mouth to speak, but she continues.

"I've always known that your heart belonged to her, I just thought maybe someday that'd change, but I know now, it won't. I can't pretend anymore that when you go to her, it's just worry and duty that leads you there. I know some part of you loves me, Angel. Just not as much the rest of you loves her. And I deserve more than that. "

Nina walks up to me, places a hand on the side of my face, "I don't blame you Angel, nor her. I'm just sorry I stood in the way for this long."

I want to speak so badly, but I know that she doesn't want to hear my voice, so I kiss her for the last time instead.

I leave Nina with a sorrow in my heart, a disdain at myself for hurting such a wonderful woman. But her words finally knock some sense into me. How had I been naive enough to think that what I had with the blonde slayer was all in the past? Her pain had always been my own, and I understand now the reason her out in the world plagues me so. I still want to shelter her heart from all the horror in her life.

I drive as fast as I can into the night, to her.

I reach the Inn knowing full well that she won't be there anymore, and I'm not disappointed. She checked out that morning, and so I head to the next logical place, the bus station. I use my decades of experience in persuasion, and an old photo of her to pinpoint her direction. The money helps too. When I discover that her destination is Cleveland, my urgency to reach her increases ten-fold.

I want to call Faith, to help me find Buffy. But I know how tenuous their relationship still is, and I can't help but feel that she might just scare Buffy away. So I don't, I have to do this on my own.

Hours later, I cross into Cleveland, the sun already gone, and stars filling the night sky. I head for the school at first, but instinctively know she won't be there. There is only one place she'd go to.

There are no lights on from what I can see, but I know she's there. I park on the street, and walk up to the house. Turning the doorknob, it's open, and I walk in, gently closing it behind me.

a/n: Since I'm actively editing this story still, I'm retracting my claim of 'no more drabbles', sorry bout that.

Buffy next.

thanks again!