A/N: Okay, we have another chapter! Gah, this one gave me some trouble. I don't know why, but it did. Grr. But at least you guys got an update this week, right? I really am trying to give you guys at least one update a week, but I can't promise any more than that right now.

So, on to bigger, better, and happier things! The AISHB sequel is going SO FANTASTICALLY WELL! You guys have no idea how excited I am to begin posting that story! I've got seven chapters written and it's already over 40,000 words! Yes. I know. It will be a long story because I have it outlined to be 37 chapters, I think. Ah! We'll probably get over 200,000 words! I will tell you that I rewrote a particular episode (of course I won't tell you which one :D) and boy did it go from comical to serious in a heartbeat! I shocked myself with that chapter, but it is definitely one of the best little scenes I've written.

And now that I've got all of you anxious for another story...let's get back to this one... :D

Random Disclaimer: (I do not own Buffy).

Me: Alrighty, guys listen up!

Buffy: What?

Me: You guys got to give me some emotion this chapter, m'kay?

Angel: Seriously...because do you know how tiring it is to be in emotional turmoil?

Me: Well, you're actually more contemplative this chapter, tis true.

Buffy: What about me?

Me: (laughs nervously) Um...this isn't really a good chapter for you.

Angel: (eyes narrowed) What did you write?

Me: (backs away slowly) Remember what you said about 'emotional turmoil'? (waves quickly) Bye!

Eye of the Beholder Chapter 26

Buffy knelt beside Faith and they both looked on in disgust as what appeared to be Balthazar ordered his minions about. Buffy's nose scrunched up in distaste. "Okay, we've got ten, maybe twelve bad guys and one big demon in desperate need of a Stairmaster."

"I say we take 'em all," Faith suggested eagerly. "Hard and fast and now."

"We need more firepower," Buffy shook her head. "We should go back to the library…"

"Well, I guess Jacuzzi boy isn't going anywhere," Faith sighed disappointed. "I just wish we had…" she trailed off as her eyes settled on a sports store across the street. "Ah, that is too good," she said as she began to move quickly towards the store, prompting Buffy to follow.

Faith didn't break stride and kicked in the door, causing Buffy's eyes to widen in shock; but, it was like her legs weren't listening to her brain and instead of staying outside, she followed Faith into the store. Faith looked around and then went to the archery counter. "Ah! Score," she said as she broke the glass case that contained a small crossbow and took it out.

"Faith!" Buffy protested. "We can't do this…"

"Sure we can," Faith retorted exasperated. "When are you going to get it, B? Life for a Slayer is very simple," she explained as she walked over to a glass case containing some nunchucks. "Want." She broke the glass. "Take." She stuffed the nunchucks in her pockets. "Have."

Buffy stared at her and for a moment she actually considered complying. Her eyes found the case of hunting knives that she'd seen immediately, and she actually considered breaking the glass and taking him. Want. Take. Have. It was so simple.

But then she heard Angel's voice in her head.

Buffy stepped away from the case. "Faith, put that stuff back and let's get out of here…"

"What?" Faith questioned irritated. "Come on, B—"

"Drop the weapons and get down on the ground now!" a commanding voice ordered, prompting Buffy and Faith to look up at the two police officers with their weapons drawn in the doorway.

Buffy glared at the steel mesh barrier that separated her from the cops in the front seat. She couldn't believe she'd actually been arrested. Arrested! Again! Well, the last time she'd only had a warrant out for her arrest, but still! This was all Faith's fault.

"What do you say we get out of here?" Faith suggested in a whisper, and if Buffy's hands weren't cuffed behind her back she would have punched the smile right off Faith's face.

Faith slouched down in her seat and positioned herself to kick in the metal barrier. Buffy hesitated. One of the officers might get hurt…

"We can't save the world in jail," Faith pointed out impatiently.

Buffy saw the truth in that and she slouched in her seat too, ready to kick the metal divider.

"One," Faith counted almost silently. "Two…"

They both kicked on the silent 'three' and the action caused the driver to swerve and crash into a parked car. Buffy was catapulted forward and hit the back of the passenger seat. She blinked dazedly and looked around, seeing steam rising from the hood of the car. She looked in the front seat and saw that both officers were unconscious.

Buffy frowned and climbed out of the car, just as Faith emerged with a set of keys. They fumbled to unlock the cuffs, but the moment they were off, Buffy immediately turned to Faith. "We should call an ambulance."

"Five people already have," Faith replied easily. "The racket we made?" she raised her eyebrows before looking back towards the officers. "They're fine."

"Come on, let's get out of here," Faith urged, knowing that more cops would eventually show up and that their arresting officers wouldn't stay unconscious forever.

Buffy didn't move.

"Come on!" Faith repeated harshly, grabbing Buffy's arm and dragging her away until she was running on her own.

Buffy dragged her feet into the mansion, barely remembering to shut the door. For a moment, Buffy debated trekking up to the stairs, but she decided against it. It was much further than she wanted to go.

Finding the most comfortable, impromptu bed, Buffy fell onto the couch and reached up to grab the blanket that was draped over the back. With half-lidded eyes, Buffy situated the blanket haphazardly over her, and then sighed, drifting off to sleep.

That was how Angel found Buffy—curled up in a ball on the couch with the blanket tucked around her. He knew that eventually he would get around to sketching this image, but at the moment, he was more concerned as to why she was on the couch instead of in bed.

Angel thought about waking her and asking about what had happened on her recon with Faith, but he decided against it. Obviously, she was tired and she deserved to sleep uninterrupted. With a small smile, Angel carefully scooped Buffy into his arms and carried her upstairs.

Barely jostling her at all, Angel was able to settle her in the bed and climb in beside her. As he lay there, Angel couldn't help but wonder about the future. It was odd, considering that he was much more used to wondering about the past. Things he couldn't change. Things he wished he'd done differently. Decisions he could've made and didn't.

Buffy was graduating in a few short months. Things would change. Buffy would start college, and what would he do? For the first time since being introduced to Buffy by Whistler, Angel felt the need to do something—something important—something that mattered. Meeting Buffy, helping her with her Calling…finally doing something good with his existence…it had helped him see a part of himself that he'd refused to believe. The idea that he could help people and not hurt them…it may have seemed laughable, but it was true. Centuries of horrific memories of torture and pain and malice weren't really conducive to 'happy thoughts'. For the longest time it was all he remembered, but Buffy had changed that. Creating new, happy, wonderful memories and causing him to remember a few happy memories of his own.

Helping Buffy with her Calling was the best decision he'd made in a century. Watching her fight every day, having a purpose…it was something that Angel admired. And for the first time in, well, ever really, Angel wanted to have a purpose. He wanted his existence to mean something. He wanted to prove to himself that he could do something good. Every day he saw Buffy helping people, saving people. Angel himself had helped her, but Slaying was her Calling, her Destiny, her Fate. Angel wanted his own Calling, his own Destiny, his own Fate.

Things were changing. He didn't know if Buffy realized it yet, maybe she had, maybe she hadn't. But, eventually (soon), they'd have to talk.

"You're quiet tonight," Faith noted as she and Buffy walked down an alley, heading for the packing warehouse.

"I just wanna get this done," Buffy replied, her mind on other things. Angel had been quiet today…not brooding, but reflective.

It had been driving Buffy crazy all day.

Faith, however, misinterpreted. "Yeah," she agreed. "I'm dying to test out the longbow. I think it might be my new thing."

"I can't believe you went back for that stuff," Buffy shook her head disapprovingly, but Faith paid it no mind.

"Hey, how do you feel about getting some ribs?" she asked. "You know, after we're done?"

Buffy was about to send back a snappy retort, but she was interrupted when an Eliminatus jumped in front of them, blocking their path.

The vampire lunged at the closest Slayer to him, Buffy, who easily sidestepped the attack and shoved him into a truck. The vamp quickly got to his feet and sent a kick to Buffy's midsection, but she blocked and returned a kick of her own, sending the vampire flying back into the wall.

Buffy jumped on the vamp, and they struggled for a moment before Buffy planted her knees on his chest and staked him. She looked toward Faith in case the other Slayer needed any help, but Faith had just dusted her vamp too.

"I think we've got more comin'," Faith said as Buffy joined her in the middle of the alley, both of them looking down the way.

"I don't think we'll make it to the warehouse," Buffy said as they started walking for the structure anyway.

"If they keep coming one at a time, then we've got a shot," Faith replied just as another Eliminatus jumped in front of them, lunging his sword towards Faith.

Faith's hand shot out, grabbed the vampire's arm, and then shoved him into a stack of crates. Sparing no time, Faith grabbed hold of the vampire's arm again and swung him into another stack of crates. Buffy was there in less than a second and dusted the vamp before he'd even had the chance to realize what had happened.

Sharing a quick smile, Buffy and Faith resumed their trek to the warehouse; but, not two seconds later, a hand grabbed Buffy's shoulder. Buffy reacted instinctively, and grabbed the offender's arm, throwing him into a dumpster.

Faith was quick to take out her stake and lunge toward the attacker.

"Faith! No!" Buffy cried, but it was too late.

Their attacker did not turn to dust when Faith's stake sunk into his chest. Instead, a terrible gurgling sound came from the man's shocked, parted lips. Blood seeped from his open mouth and for a moment both Slayers stood in shock and horror as they listened to the dying man's wheezing gasps for air.

Snapping out of her shock, Buffy knelt by Deputy Mayor Allan Finch, trying to staunch the bleeding that was flowing far too fast. "Don't move," she told him shakily as his blood ran over her fingers.

"I didn't—I didn't know," Faith whispered frozen. "I didn't know…"

Buffy tried to force her brain to work. "We need to call 911, now!" she told Faith.

Allan began to convulse and looked up at Buffy, his eyes terrified. "Don't move," she told him again as more blood seeped through her fingers. "I-It's gonna be okay…"

"I-I need…I need something to stop the…" Buffy stammered as panic began to overcome her as Allan convulsed again. His eyes widened and he started to mouth words, but Buffy heard no sound escape from his lips. He meagerly began to lift his arm towards Buffy, but it fell limply and he slumped against the dumpster, his eyes staring up at Buffy lifelessly.

He was dead.

No.

Buffy stared at the dead man in front of her in horror. No. No. No. No…

This wasn't supposed to happen. How could this have happened? She was the Slayer. She slayed demons, not people. She was supposed to protect people. Not kill them.

This wasn't supposed to happen.

He was dead.

Dead.

Allan Finch was gone. They—she and Faith—had killed him. It was their fault, strictly theirs. They'd taken someone's life, a life that wasn't theirs to take.

But it was an accident...

They hadn't meant to. God, they'd never meant to. He'd come out of nowhere. They'd been on alert, they'd been jumpy.

If only she'd realized sooner. If only Buffy had been able to see him for whom he was sooner.

She felt numb.

"We gotta get out of here," Faith said urgently, panicking.

Buffy was too numb to panic. She continued to stare at the lifeless man in front of her.

"Come on!" Faith shouted, grabbing Buffy's arm and hauling her up.

That seemed to be all the urging Buffy needed. Fight or flight kicked in, and she was definitely choosing flight. She and Faith ran down the alley, faster than they'd ever run before—almost as if they thought that if they could run fast enough, they could escape what had happened.

Faith and Buffy didn't stay together though. Faith jumped up on top of some crates, while Buffy chose to continue running down the alley, hopping the fence at the end. She rounded the corner, and ran smack into Angel.

"Angel!" she gasped as she tried to catch her breath.

"Buffy, I've been looking everywhere for you," Angel replied concerned when he smelled blood. He looked down and saw Buffy's hand glistening red in the faint light of the streetlamp. "Your hand." Angel reached out to take her hand, but Buffy jerked it away from him in an uncharacteristic gesture that caused Angel to frown.

"It's okay," Buffy replied quickly, and for a moment Angel let the subject drop.

"I've just been to the warehouse," he told her. "I was waiting for you." Angel couldn't help but add that little detail to watch for Buffy's reaction. She flinched ever so slightly, and Angel's gut clenched. What had happened? But whatever it was, it would have to be put on hold. "They got Giles and Wes."

Buffy's face paled. Worry washed through her as Allan Finch was pushed from her mind. Giles and Wes. She couldn't lose them. They couldn't die. They couldn't die. She could save them. She could get there in time.

She could save them.

"Come on." Buffy bolted toward the warehouse and Angel followed right on her heels.

When they reached the warehouse, they could easily hear Balthazar screaming. They knelt by a window and looked inside. Giles and Wes' hands were bound behind their backs, and Buffy could see Wes' knees shaking.

"THERE IS ONE DEAL!" Balthazar shouted at them. Apparently, Giles had been trying to reason with him, or buy some time. "YOU WILL DIE QUICKLY, OR YOU WILL DIE SLOWLY! THE MAN WHO HAS MY AMULET! WHAT IS HIS NAME?"

Buffy looked to her right to tell Angel that they had to get in there, but he was already gone. Quickly, Buffy followed him through the door and jumped into the fight that Angel had already started. He'd already thrown two Eliminati into the wall and he'd head butted a third.

Buffy backhanded a vamp to her right and then punched another to her left. The vampire on her right raised his sword to slash her, but Buffy grabbed his arm and brought it down as she kneed him in the gut, causing the sword to fall from his grasp. But before it clattered to the ground, Buffy caught it.

Giles, who had been watching the entire fight, turned his tied hands towards his Slayer, and Buffy swung the sword in a high arc and neatly severed the ropes that bound her Watcher's wrists. Once he was free, Giles quickly grabbed Wesley and moved him out of harm's way.

The fight continued on for a few more minutes. All the while, Balthazar spluttered and stammered his discontent. "Unacceptable!" he repeated over and over and over.

No one paid attention to anything other than the fight…with the exception of Wesley.

After almost having his head taken off, Wesley had backed away from the fight—figuring that it was best for both parties. He'd faced a few vampires at the academy but under controlled circumstances. It was safe to say that these were not controlled circumstances. He'd have to get Angel to help him learn to fight because otherwise he was just about useless in a situation such as this.

Instead of focusing on his less than stellar fighting skills, Wesley watched the abilities of those around him. He was surprised to find that Giles appeared to be in top form. It was obvious that he was very comfortable using a sword, knowledgeable. Although, Wesley supposed that he shouldn't be surprised. After all, Giles would've had to have the skill in order to teach Buffy.

Wesley watched Buffy fight next. She really was spry. Quick. Efficient. Clean. There was such strength and confidence in her moves that it left Wesley amazed. The grace with which she fought was astounding and Wesley wondered how much of this was Giles training and Buffy's natural ability.

Wesley's attention moved towards Angel, and there it stayed. Wesley had read enough about Angelus to know that Angel was considered to be one of the best fighters in the demon world—and Wesley sure believed it now. The power and sheer strength that Angel fought with was mind blowing. Sometimes his moves were lightening quick. Other times it was slower and more fluid. Wesley knew that Angel was using different styles, but he was moving far too fast for Wesley to figure out which ones specifically.

Wesley watched as Angel took a kick to the face, but it didn't even cause Angel to flinch. He blocked a punch from the vampire, and then grabbed his arm and threw him into the wall. That was the second vampire Wesley had seen meet the same fate. The fourth if he counted the two unfortunate souls when Angel had made his rather dramatic, timely entrance.

Suddenly, the air between Balthazar and Angel became disturbed, and Wesley looked towards Balthazar to see that the demon's arms were outstretched towards the vampire.

Buffy looked up when the sounds of the fight dwindled. Her eyes widened in horror when she saw Angel on his back against the edge of Balthazar's pool. Balthazar's hands clutched his head tightly, and Angel couldn't get free, even with all his strength.

Panic laced through her so sharply that it took Buffy's breath away. She couldn't lose Angel. Angel couldn't die. He couldn't die. She wouldn't be responsible for his death. He couldn't die—not like Allan Finch. She would save Angel.

Buffy looked around her quickly, looking for anything that could help her. Her eyes landed on an electrical cable that held a lamp directly over Balthazar. Buffy grabbed the cord and yanked it hard, causing the lamp to fall and break in the pool.

Sparks shot out and the water steamed as Balthazar screamed in agony as he was electrocuted.

Buffy didn't waste time in running over to Angel who had staggered away from the pool. Instantly, Buffy's arms were around him, and she held him tightly, not ever wanting to let go. He hugged her back, and Buffy relished the feel of his arms around her. He was alive and she felt safe in his arms, protected from the world and the horrors in it.

Suddenly, Balthazar spoke, startling Buffy because she'd assumed he was dead.

"Slayer! You think you've won." He chuckled and wheezed as he fought off death for a few seconds longer. "When he rises…you'll wish I'd killed you all."

The walk back to the mansion was silent.

Buffy and Angel walked side by side, each of them consumed in their own thoughts.

Buffy walked with her arms wrapped around her waist, trying to consol herself as she replayed Allan Finch's death in her mind. His eyes had been the worst. She'd never seen anyone's eyes contain such terror. Poor Allan Finch had been terrified of death. He'd known he was dying, and Buffy had known too, but she'd refused to believe it. After all, Slayers didn't kill humans. They protected humans.

What had they done? And where was Faith?

Angel was trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together, but sadly he had very little to go on. He only knew that the blood on Buffy's hands was not hers, and that was not a good thing. It meant that something had happened, and by Buffy's silence Angel knew it wasn't good—at all.

The silence continued between them as they entered the mansion and went upstairs to their room. Buffy immediately went to the bathroom and the shower was turned on within a minute of her closing the door. However, when thirty minutes had passed and Buffy still hadn't come out of the shower, Angel began to worry. He knocked on the door, but Buffy didn't answer.

Angel jiggled the doorknob, but it was locked. Now he was definitely worried.

"Buffy?" he called through the door. "Buffy, open the door!"

When Buffy still didn't answer, Angel threw his shoulder into the door, breaking the lock. Steam swathed the room in a dense, foggy, heat and Angel had to blink because it was almost as if he had water in his eyes.

"Buffy?" Angel called again pulling back the curtain slightly.

What he saw nearly broke his heart. Buffy had scrubbed her hands raw. Tears poured down her cheeks as she continued to feebly scrub her hands. Angel stepped into the shower quickly, not giving a thought to the fact that he was fully clothed.

His white t-shirt quickly stuck to his skin, but Angel didn't pay it any mind as he stilled Buffy hands and took the sponge from her. Buffy clutched his forearms as she continued to cry. "I-I look down at m-my hands and—and all I-I s-see is the blood," she managed in between sobs. "H-he came o-out of nowhere, Angel, and I—I didn't—didn't realize until it was…" Buffy shuddered and Angel pulled her to his chest. "It was t-too late. Faith had already—she'd," Buffy shook her head. "She'd already stabbed him…"

"I-It was an, an accident," she pleaded with him, like she thought he wouldn't believe her.

Angel's mind was spinning, but he would think about all this later. Right now, Buffy was all that mattered. "I know," he assured her. He turned off the water, and helped her out of the shower, wrapping a towel around her. "It was just an accident," he told her and Buffy nodded against his chest.

"Just an accident," Buffy whispered. "We—we didn't mean to…"

"I know," Angel replied as he gently dried her hair with the towel. He grabbed one of his shirts that she'd commandeered and slipped it over her shoulders. Numbly, Buffy stuck her arms through the sleeves and Angel buttoned it for her.

"Go to bed," he told her gently. "I'll be there in a minute."

Buffy nodded and shuffled out of the bathroom. Angel quickly got rid of his wet clothes and climbed into the shower. He was out and dressed in his favorite sweatpants in a little more than five minutes. Angel slid into the bed and Buffy was on him and kissing his neck before he could blink.

"Buffy." Angel gently moved her off on him. "No."

Tears sprung to Buffy's eyes. "Please," she begged before sealing her lips to his.

Once again Angel pulled back. "No."

"Make me forget," Buffy pleaded as tears slid slowly down her cheeks. "Why won't you make me forget?"

Angel debated giving in. The temptation to take her pain away for only a moment was nearly overwhelming, but he knew that it wouldn't do Buffy any good in the end. "I want to," he told her honestly as he caressed her cheek with his thumb, brushing away a tear. "But it won't change anything."

Buffy nodded, defeated and Angel pulled her into his arms. Buffy laid there until she'd stopped crying and then she was silent until she could speak. "Sorry."

"For what?" Angel asked softly.

"For attacking you," Buffy clarified.

"You did take me by surprise."

"That was the plan."

"I wish I could make it go away, Buffy," Angel whispered as he held her tighter. "I really do."

"I know," Buffy snuffled. "I just—he came out of nowhere," she repeated. "And Faith, she didn't realize he was human. I didn't either until it was too late." Buffy looked up at Angel. "We killed someone."

"It was an accident," Angel replied soothingly.

"I know, but—I should have realized who he was, right?" Buffy began. "I mean, I'm a slayer. I know the difference between a human and a vampire. I should have known. It doesn't matter that we kept getting jumped by the Eliminati. I still should have—I should have realized…"

"It's not your fault," Angel consoled her as he rubbed her back.

"I don't even know where Faith is," Buffy continued. "She went one way and I ran into you…"

"You can talk to her tomorrow." Angel kissed her hair. On the outside he was completely calm, but on the inside his mind was racing. Faith had mistaken a human for a vampire and staked him. Buffy felt incredibly guilty and Faith was M.I.A. Angel was debating the best course of action when Buffy spoke up quietly.

"There was so much blood," she whispered. "I tried to stop it, but it kept—it kept running over my fingers no matter how hard I pressed. And his, his eyes were so scared. He—he kept looking at me…he didn't want to die. I tried to—I tried to save him, Angel." Buffy blinked back more tears. "I really did try."

Angel's heart clinched and he closed his eyes briefly as he kissed her temple. "I know."

Aw, poor Buffy. It always kinda ticked me off that in canon we didn't really see Buffy breakdown and really think about what she and Faith had done. She was so quiet, and then she did have her crying session with Willow, but I always thought that there should have been more to it. I mean, a man died right in front of her. I wanted more trauma! So...I made it so...

And I know that I said Doyle would be in this chapter, but alas, once again I wrote more than planned. BUT never fear my doves becuase the next chapter begins with Angel and Doyle! :D

Lots of love,

ArthursCamelot