Buffy opened her eyes and stretched in the large bed. She looked over to
see if Angel was there, but he wasn't. Usually he was in the kitchen
making her breakfast. After that whole ordeal with Kathy, her demon
roommate, Buffy had decided she didn't want to take any more chances on
roommates. Willow had moved in to Buffy's old dorm to get away from her
way too party hearty roommate. She still waited to see if someone a little
less demon-y moved in. Also, Xander had come back from his trip and found
Buffy moping at the Bronze with a severely sprained arm from a fight with a
vampire named Sunday who had stolen her stuff. Buffy had gotten all of it
back while Xander had gone to get Angel and the rest of the Scoobies.
Sitting up and grabbing her robe, Buffy sat up and rubbed her face. Last night she and Angel had gone to a frat party for a little fun, but had wound up fighting Spike and Harmony. Harmony had mentioned the Gem of Amara and Giles had gone into research mode the moment she and Angel had called. The sym was supposed to be a myth, but Spike thought it was true cause he was looking in Sunnydale.
"Angel?" Buffy called as she walked of the bedroom and headed towards the kitchen. She started to untie the belt of her robe, but Angel cleared his throat behind her and she spun to find Giles standing next to Angel.
"Oh, good morning." Giles said.
Angel smiled at her mischievously and raised one of his eyebrows as she started to redo her belt. "Giles, I didn't know you were here." She said.
"Uh, really."
"I was studying at the library. All Saturday night. A-And Angel came and got me and brought me home and by the time we got here, I was asleep. Uh, you know what. I'm an adult now and it's none of your business what Angel and I do."
"I'm sincerely relieved to hear that. Now can we discuss the impending disaster?"
"Giles found something." Angel said.
"A text. It refers to the gem of Amara as residing in the valley of the sun."
"Demon fancy talk for Sunnydale."
"It seems that Spike may know what it's about. The gem may exist after all, in Sunnydale in a sealed underground crypt."
"Why don't you and the guys try and locate the crypt and Angel and I will try to find Spike before he gets there." Buffy said.
"I'll get started." Giles said.
"I'll go call Willow and have her and Xander meet at your place." Angel said.
"Right."
Giles left and Angel looked at Buffy playfully. "Planning on ravishing me again this morning?"
"Maybe. Of course Giles coming over was sort of a mood killer." Buffy said moving closer.
"I can bring it back."
"Is that 'I'm-full-of-myself' attitude coming back?"
"I'll let you know." Angel swiftly picked Buffy up off her feet and carried her to the bedroom. Buffy squealed as he tossed her onto the bed.
"Parker, I like you, I really do.. it's just, I love someone else. We're sort of involved. I'm sorry." Buffy said. She had run into Parker Abrams on her way to class. He had been trying to get with her since their first meeting in the cafeteria while Buffy was hiding from Kathy. He had asked her out for a party that was coming up soon.
"Look, I, uh, really have to go now." Parker said, obviously hurt.
"Parker wait. I did this all wrong."
"No, it's cool. We'll hook up in class later."
Parker walked away and Buffy stared after him. He was cute and she did like him, but she loved Angel. She was going to marry Angel someday. He had even asked her father his permission.
"Now that was pathetic." Spike said behind her.
Buffy turned around and Spike punched her in the face. Buffy looked up from the ground and saw Spike standing above her in a beam of sunlight.
"Birds singing, squirrels making lots of rotten little squirrels. Sun beaming down in a nice, non-fatal way. It's very exciting, I can't wait to see if I freckle." Spike continued.
Buffy grabbed her stake and jumped up. She landed a punch, then he punched her back and she hit the ground. He went to jump on her, but she kicked him back. He staggered, but jumped forward again, right into her stake.
"Oh, do it again. It tickles. You know, in a good way." Spike crowed.
Buffy withdrew the stake and she watched the wound close up instantly.
"The Gem of Amara." Spike held his hand up and showed her the ring just before he backhanded her. "Official sponsor, of my killing you." He vamped out then went in for the kill. She backhanded him before he could reach her neck. He kicked her and she went down.
Buffy was on her knees as she blocked a punch from Spike. He redirected her into a pole then kicked her in the stomach. She got up and tried to kick him but he blocked her and threw her into the pole again. He pressed her against it, then she grabbed him by the throat and began to choke him, then she threw him off her. Buffy kicked him in the stomach, which sent him spinning to the ground. He leapt back up and tried a spinning kick, which Buffy blocked, then kicked him with a roundhouse, then another, followed by redirecting him over a bench, sending him rolling. She jumped up on the bench and tried to kick him in the chest, but Spike blocked her, grabbed her arm and threw her into a metal frame table, who's glass top shattered under her. She rolled off and Spike strolled after her.
"Getting tired Slayer?"
Buffy got up, only to be hit with a series of punches and floored again. In the background, Buffy saw Xander running up.
"Xander, get out of here!" Buffy called to him.
Spike grabbed him, kneed him in the face, and sent him flying into the pole.
"So, did you let Parker take a poke when Angel wasn't looking? Didn't seem like you know each other that well. What did it take to pry apart the Slayer's dimpled knees?" Spike asked.
"You're a pig Spike." Buffy said.
He jumped from the few stairs he was on above her and kicked her full on in the face. "Did he play the sensitive lad and get you to seduce him? That's a good trick if the girl's thick enough to buy it."
Buffy flew up and delivered a roundhouse, however Spike followed it with an equally vicious hit that sent her flying forward.
"I wonder what went wrong. Were you too strong? Did you bruise the boy? Come to think of it seems like someone told me that. Who was it? Oh, yeah. Angel. I'll send him your regards.." Spike smiled cruelly. "And your broken, drained body."
Buffy was up in an instant. She threw a round house, then a punch, then another and another. She redirected him over the edge of a planter, jumped on it and, while coming down, kicked him, sending him flying into another planter knocking over an earthenware pot. She grabbed him, punching him twice in the face, and then grabbed the arm with the ring on it.
"Take it off me this way, we both burn." Spike said.
"Really? Let's see." Buffy jerked the ring off his finger and his face instantly contorted into a visage of pain. He started to smoke then run off crying out in agony. Buffy, exhausted sat down inspecting the ring.
Xander got up and came over to her. "Are you ok?"
"I'm fine."
"We should get that thing to Giles."
"Yeah. We should."
Buffy got up and helped Xander walk to his car. They drove to Giles' apartment and got out. When they got in, everyone gathered around the table where Buffy set the ring down.
"I like it." Willow announced.
"It's small." Oz said.
"Really worth getting my ribs bashed in." Xander said.
"It's also very dangerous. And we're destroying it." Giles said sternly.
"We don't destroy it." Buffy said.
"Well, Buffy, any vampire that gets his hand on this is going to be essentially unlikable." Giles looked at Buffy for a moment. "Oh."
"What's going on?" Xander asked.
"She's giving the ring to Angel. Don't make a fuss." Willow said.
"Buffy, are you sure?" Giles asked.
"He should have it." Buffy stood up and stood over the ring. "I'm headed home for a long shower, or possibly a bath, anyway." She picked it up and started for the door. Before she walked through, she turned and looked back at her friends. "Maybe when I'm done, Angel and I will swing by. He's got a lot to see." Buffy walked out.
When she reached the mansion, she could tell that he was there. She could sense him. Buffy walked in quietly and shut the door. She pulled out the ring and looked at it before she went into the large room any further. A voice startled her and she looked up to find Angel looking at her worried.
"You're hurt." Angel said, walking up to her and touching her bruises and hurt arm carefully.
"I'll heal. Will you come sit with me?" Buffy asked, the ring clutched in her fist.
"Anything." He led her over to the large couch with a hand on her back and helped her sit down before he sat.
"Angel, I have something for you." Buffy said. "And before you say anything, I just want you to consider using it, just for a while."
"Hmm, sounds like fun." He said playfully.
"Angel, please! I'm serious. This really isn't the thing to take lying on our backs."
All smiles gone, Angel looked at her intently. "Buffy, what's the matter?"
"Well, technically nothing yet. Before I tell you exactly what this is, I want you to put it on." Buffy opened her hand and showed him the ring. "Give me your hand." Angel did as he was told and Buffy put the ring on his finger.
"Buffy, is this..?"
"The ring of Amara. Yes. Spike found it. Then he found me and tap danced a little on me, then I beat the crap out of him, and then I took the ring from him."
"I can't take this. It's too dangerous."
"Angel, please. I don't want to lose you.. ever. This is the only guarantee that you will. I also thought that you could fulfill one of the things you've always wanted."
"What's that?"
Buffy stood up and took his hands, pulling him up. She led him to the door and opened it. Stepping outside, Buffy turned to look at Angel. He was still standing in the shadows of the house. She grabbed his hand and pulled him gently into the sunlight. He winced from the brightness and threw his hand up to shade his eyes. Buffy walked further out in the sun, Angel's wrist still clutched in her hand. After a few minutes, his eyes adjusted to the brightness and he looked around at the bright world.
The trees blew slightly in the gentle breeze and birds chirped, flying out of the tree suddenly. The sun shone down on his skin and he could feel the wonderful warmth. The windows shone beautifully around him, reflecting the light on the ground. A man ran down the street a little ways away, calling for his dog who had broken away chasing after a cat. Angel's eyes fell upon every little thing in the sun around him, seeing the beauty everywhere. Then his eyes fell upon Buffy. The slight wind blew her baby blue peasant top lightly, causing it to ripple. Her hair shined from the sunlight that fell on it making her look as if she had a halo. The sun brightened her smiling face and reflecting in her eyes that were already bright with love. She was even more beautiful than he had ever imagined.
Buffy saw a tear fall down Angel's cheek as he stared at her. She walked up to him and pulled him into a tight hug. He squeezed back so hard she thought she might break. It worried her that he could cry when he looked at her.
"Angel, say something." Buffy pleaded, looking into his eyes.
"You're beautiful. You're the most astounding thing I have ever laid eyes on. I am so lucky that I have you in my life. God Buffy, I love you!" Angel said.
"I love you Angel!"
They embraced again, tighter than the first time. She took her hand in hers and they walked through the streets of Sunnydale. Angel had never remembered the sun being so beautiful before. He had never really cared that much when he was alive. After being turned into a vampire those 246 years ago, he had missed the sun. The night had been all he had known for 246 years. Now Buffy had given him the light back. It was the most amazing gift in the world. She was the most amazing gift in the world. Nothing compared to the beauty that walked at his side.
They arrived at Giles' apartment before Angel had realized where they were headed. They had been walking everywhere through Sunnydale for hours and now it was almost sunset. He wanted to watch the sunset with her and in the morning, watch the sun come up. Angel could see him and Buffy sitting out on the balcony of the upstairs study in the mansion, both wrapped in each other's arms and in sheets. The sun shining down so perfectly, warming them both as they held each other.
"Giles?" Buffy called, breaking his thoughts. She pounded on the door again. "Open up, it's Buffy!"
A minute later, a red, puffy eyed Willow opened the door and looked out at them. Fresh tears fell as she saw the two standing at the door. Buffy grabbed Willow into a hug.
"Willow, what's wrong?" Buffy asked.
"Buffy.. it's Cordelia." Willow said.
"What about her?" Angel asked.
"I can't.. I can't tell you! It hurts too much. I never thought that it would hurt so much."
"What? What hurts Willow?" Buffy asked.
"My heart."
Buffy and Angel walked Willow into the room and found a very solemn Oz sitting on the couch next to an almost comatose Xander. Giles sat in the chair in the corner. He didn't even register that Buffy and Angel had walked in. Buffy ran to Xander and hugged him before lifting his head to make him look into her eyes.
"Xander, what's the matter? What happened to Cordy?" Buffy asked.
"She's.. she's gone." Xander replied.
"Gone? Gone where?"
"She's dead."
Sitting up and grabbing her robe, Buffy sat up and rubbed her face. Last night she and Angel had gone to a frat party for a little fun, but had wound up fighting Spike and Harmony. Harmony had mentioned the Gem of Amara and Giles had gone into research mode the moment she and Angel had called. The sym was supposed to be a myth, but Spike thought it was true cause he was looking in Sunnydale.
"Angel?" Buffy called as she walked of the bedroom and headed towards the kitchen. She started to untie the belt of her robe, but Angel cleared his throat behind her and she spun to find Giles standing next to Angel.
"Oh, good morning." Giles said.
Angel smiled at her mischievously and raised one of his eyebrows as she started to redo her belt. "Giles, I didn't know you were here." She said.
"Uh, really."
"I was studying at the library. All Saturday night. A-And Angel came and got me and brought me home and by the time we got here, I was asleep. Uh, you know what. I'm an adult now and it's none of your business what Angel and I do."
"I'm sincerely relieved to hear that. Now can we discuss the impending disaster?"
"Giles found something." Angel said.
"A text. It refers to the gem of Amara as residing in the valley of the sun."
"Demon fancy talk for Sunnydale."
"It seems that Spike may know what it's about. The gem may exist after all, in Sunnydale in a sealed underground crypt."
"Why don't you and the guys try and locate the crypt and Angel and I will try to find Spike before he gets there." Buffy said.
"I'll get started." Giles said.
"I'll go call Willow and have her and Xander meet at your place." Angel said.
"Right."
Giles left and Angel looked at Buffy playfully. "Planning on ravishing me again this morning?"
"Maybe. Of course Giles coming over was sort of a mood killer." Buffy said moving closer.
"I can bring it back."
"Is that 'I'm-full-of-myself' attitude coming back?"
"I'll let you know." Angel swiftly picked Buffy up off her feet and carried her to the bedroom. Buffy squealed as he tossed her onto the bed.
"Parker, I like you, I really do.. it's just, I love someone else. We're sort of involved. I'm sorry." Buffy said. She had run into Parker Abrams on her way to class. He had been trying to get with her since their first meeting in the cafeteria while Buffy was hiding from Kathy. He had asked her out for a party that was coming up soon.
"Look, I, uh, really have to go now." Parker said, obviously hurt.
"Parker wait. I did this all wrong."
"No, it's cool. We'll hook up in class later."
Parker walked away and Buffy stared after him. He was cute and she did like him, but she loved Angel. She was going to marry Angel someday. He had even asked her father his permission.
"Now that was pathetic." Spike said behind her.
Buffy turned around and Spike punched her in the face. Buffy looked up from the ground and saw Spike standing above her in a beam of sunlight.
"Birds singing, squirrels making lots of rotten little squirrels. Sun beaming down in a nice, non-fatal way. It's very exciting, I can't wait to see if I freckle." Spike continued.
Buffy grabbed her stake and jumped up. She landed a punch, then he punched her back and she hit the ground. He went to jump on her, but she kicked him back. He staggered, but jumped forward again, right into her stake.
"Oh, do it again. It tickles. You know, in a good way." Spike crowed.
Buffy withdrew the stake and she watched the wound close up instantly.
"The Gem of Amara." Spike held his hand up and showed her the ring just before he backhanded her. "Official sponsor, of my killing you." He vamped out then went in for the kill. She backhanded him before he could reach her neck. He kicked her and she went down.
Buffy was on her knees as she blocked a punch from Spike. He redirected her into a pole then kicked her in the stomach. She got up and tried to kick him but he blocked her and threw her into the pole again. He pressed her against it, then she grabbed him by the throat and began to choke him, then she threw him off her. Buffy kicked him in the stomach, which sent him spinning to the ground. He leapt back up and tried a spinning kick, which Buffy blocked, then kicked him with a roundhouse, then another, followed by redirecting him over a bench, sending him rolling. She jumped up on the bench and tried to kick him in the chest, but Spike blocked her, grabbed her arm and threw her into a metal frame table, who's glass top shattered under her. She rolled off and Spike strolled after her.
"Getting tired Slayer?"
Buffy got up, only to be hit with a series of punches and floored again. In the background, Buffy saw Xander running up.
"Xander, get out of here!" Buffy called to him.
Spike grabbed him, kneed him in the face, and sent him flying into the pole.
"So, did you let Parker take a poke when Angel wasn't looking? Didn't seem like you know each other that well. What did it take to pry apart the Slayer's dimpled knees?" Spike asked.
"You're a pig Spike." Buffy said.
He jumped from the few stairs he was on above her and kicked her full on in the face. "Did he play the sensitive lad and get you to seduce him? That's a good trick if the girl's thick enough to buy it."
Buffy flew up and delivered a roundhouse, however Spike followed it with an equally vicious hit that sent her flying forward.
"I wonder what went wrong. Were you too strong? Did you bruise the boy? Come to think of it seems like someone told me that. Who was it? Oh, yeah. Angel. I'll send him your regards.." Spike smiled cruelly. "And your broken, drained body."
Buffy was up in an instant. She threw a round house, then a punch, then another and another. She redirected him over the edge of a planter, jumped on it and, while coming down, kicked him, sending him flying into another planter knocking over an earthenware pot. She grabbed him, punching him twice in the face, and then grabbed the arm with the ring on it.
"Take it off me this way, we both burn." Spike said.
"Really? Let's see." Buffy jerked the ring off his finger and his face instantly contorted into a visage of pain. He started to smoke then run off crying out in agony. Buffy, exhausted sat down inspecting the ring.
Xander got up and came over to her. "Are you ok?"
"I'm fine."
"We should get that thing to Giles."
"Yeah. We should."
Buffy got up and helped Xander walk to his car. They drove to Giles' apartment and got out. When they got in, everyone gathered around the table where Buffy set the ring down.
"I like it." Willow announced.
"It's small." Oz said.
"Really worth getting my ribs bashed in." Xander said.
"It's also very dangerous. And we're destroying it." Giles said sternly.
"We don't destroy it." Buffy said.
"Well, Buffy, any vampire that gets his hand on this is going to be essentially unlikable." Giles looked at Buffy for a moment. "Oh."
"What's going on?" Xander asked.
"She's giving the ring to Angel. Don't make a fuss." Willow said.
"Buffy, are you sure?" Giles asked.
"He should have it." Buffy stood up and stood over the ring. "I'm headed home for a long shower, or possibly a bath, anyway." She picked it up and started for the door. Before she walked through, she turned and looked back at her friends. "Maybe when I'm done, Angel and I will swing by. He's got a lot to see." Buffy walked out.
When she reached the mansion, she could tell that he was there. She could sense him. Buffy walked in quietly and shut the door. She pulled out the ring and looked at it before she went into the large room any further. A voice startled her and she looked up to find Angel looking at her worried.
"You're hurt." Angel said, walking up to her and touching her bruises and hurt arm carefully.
"I'll heal. Will you come sit with me?" Buffy asked, the ring clutched in her fist.
"Anything." He led her over to the large couch with a hand on her back and helped her sit down before he sat.
"Angel, I have something for you." Buffy said. "And before you say anything, I just want you to consider using it, just for a while."
"Hmm, sounds like fun." He said playfully.
"Angel, please! I'm serious. This really isn't the thing to take lying on our backs."
All smiles gone, Angel looked at her intently. "Buffy, what's the matter?"
"Well, technically nothing yet. Before I tell you exactly what this is, I want you to put it on." Buffy opened her hand and showed him the ring. "Give me your hand." Angel did as he was told and Buffy put the ring on his finger.
"Buffy, is this..?"
"The ring of Amara. Yes. Spike found it. Then he found me and tap danced a little on me, then I beat the crap out of him, and then I took the ring from him."
"I can't take this. It's too dangerous."
"Angel, please. I don't want to lose you.. ever. This is the only guarantee that you will. I also thought that you could fulfill one of the things you've always wanted."
"What's that?"
Buffy stood up and took his hands, pulling him up. She led him to the door and opened it. Stepping outside, Buffy turned to look at Angel. He was still standing in the shadows of the house. She grabbed his hand and pulled him gently into the sunlight. He winced from the brightness and threw his hand up to shade his eyes. Buffy walked further out in the sun, Angel's wrist still clutched in her hand. After a few minutes, his eyes adjusted to the brightness and he looked around at the bright world.
The trees blew slightly in the gentle breeze and birds chirped, flying out of the tree suddenly. The sun shone down on his skin and he could feel the wonderful warmth. The windows shone beautifully around him, reflecting the light on the ground. A man ran down the street a little ways away, calling for his dog who had broken away chasing after a cat. Angel's eyes fell upon every little thing in the sun around him, seeing the beauty everywhere. Then his eyes fell upon Buffy. The slight wind blew her baby blue peasant top lightly, causing it to ripple. Her hair shined from the sunlight that fell on it making her look as if she had a halo. The sun brightened her smiling face and reflecting in her eyes that were already bright with love. She was even more beautiful than he had ever imagined.
Buffy saw a tear fall down Angel's cheek as he stared at her. She walked up to him and pulled him into a tight hug. He squeezed back so hard she thought she might break. It worried her that he could cry when he looked at her.
"Angel, say something." Buffy pleaded, looking into his eyes.
"You're beautiful. You're the most astounding thing I have ever laid eyes on. I am so lucky that I have you in my life. God Buffy, I love you!" Angel said.
"I love you Angel!"
They embraced again, tighter than the first time. She took her hand in hers and they walked through the streets of Sunnydale. Angel had never remembered the sun being so beautiful before. He had never really cared that much when he was alive. After being turned into a vampire those 246 years ago, he had missed the sun. The night had been all he had known for 246 years. Now Buffy had given him the light back. It was the most amazing gift in the world. She was the most amazing gift in the world. Nothing compared to the beauty that walked at his side.
They arrived at Giles' apartment before Angel had realized where they were headed. They had been walking everywhere through Sunnydale for hours and now it was almost sunset. He wanted to watch the sunset with her and in the morning, watch the sun come up. Angel could see him and Buffy sitting out on the balcony of the upstairs study in the mansion, both wrapped in each other's arms and in sheets. The sun shining down so perfectly, warming them both as they held each other.
"Giles?" Buffy called, breaking his thoughts. She pounded on the door again. "Open up, it's Buffy!"
A minute later, a red, puffy eyed Willow opened the door and looked out at them. Fresh tears fell as she saw the two standing at the door. Buffy grabbed Willow into a hug.
"Willow, what's wrong?" Buffy asked.
"Buffy.. it's Cordelia." Willow said.
"What about her?" Angel asked.
"I can't.. I can't tell you! It hurts too much. I never thought that it would hurt so much."
"What? What hurts Willow?" Buffy asked.
"My heart."
Buffy and Angel walked Willow into the room and found a very solemn Oz sitting on the couch next to an almost comatose Xander. Giles sat in the chair in the corner. He didn't even register that Buffy and Angel had walked in. Buffy ran to Xander and hugged him before lifting his head to make him look into her eyes.
"Xander, what's the matter? What happened to Cordy?" Buffy asked.
"She's.. she's gone." Xander replied.
"Gone? Gone where?"
"She's dead."