For some reason, the system was not saving my author note. So maybe this time.

Work sometimes sucks. I can't update my fictions as much as I like. Besides it, my muse decided to fly away for a while. Thank God, it decided to come back. Right now I have two more stories that popped out of my head and I will publish them as soon as I have some chapters ready.

Thank you for the reviews and sorry for the wait. Darla will make it soon.

/

Buffy came upstairs and found everyone in the living room waiting.

"What he said?"

"Cordelia, who is Kate?"

"Kate, Kate. She is a cop back in LA. Why?"

"Angelus said Angel fed from her."

Willow stopped her work with the computer and gasped for her friend. She could see all the pain in Buffy's welled up eyes. That reminded her of their graduation year in high school. Angelus knew what to push to anger the Slayer. He was toying with her.

"Buffy. Angel bit her, but he had to so he could save the bitch. Gunn was there with him. She hates Angel right now because he could not save her father. She blames him. Please, don't let Angelus toy with you."

Buffy looked at Cordelia and saw nothing more than compassion.

"He said... he said Darla is back."

Everyone in the room looked at Buffy and then exchanged looks. The situation was getting pretty serious.

"Yes. There is this law firm in LA and Angel has pissed them off. They cooked the perfect punishment against him... well, besides the whole gipsy curse. They brought her back. Human. He went downhill trying to save her, which ended with her turned by Drusilla in front of him. He... he... started a vengeance game against them. He locked Darla and Drusilla with some lawyers of the said firm."

Buffy brought her hand to her mouth and breathed hard.

"Oh, God! My dreams"

"Buffy?"

"I was having dreams of Angel and me... together. Of course, it could not be. I would never ever risk everyone's lifes. Sometimes Darla, Drusilla and Spike appeared in them, biting elegant people. I... just thought... I thought they were just dreams. I could not deal with Angel and everything again. We couldn't... we can't be. Darla was dead and Spike neutralized. Oh, God! I should... I should have know better"

Willow left her place in front of the computer and rugged her trembling friend.

"Buffy. It will be ok. I'll curse him again"

Cordelia then resumed her tale.

"We... we tried to make him see where he was going, but he... he... fired us. Then, I had the vision of you and him... well, you two... you get the visual. Anyway, I saw him killing you... and here we are."

Buffy closed her eyes for an instant and breathed hard again.

"That is a nice employer, huh?"

"Xander!"

"He said something more. He said that it had a soul. My soul or at least a part of it. That it was why Angel couldn't see the difference. There is something going on around here."

"Yes. There is."

"Willow?"

"Buffy. I finally could take something out of this thing using magic. She is one of The Initiative's projects. I did some spells in her and it seems some of your soul was somehow input in her so she could fake you even for Angel."

"God! How did they?"

"Buffy, maybe Riley…"

"No. Riley. He understood when we ended it."

"Maybe he didn't understand that well after all, Buffy."

"Hey, we are talking of Riley here. He likes Buffy. He would never do something like that."

"Xander, Riley never made Buffy happy. I was the first one to ignore Buffy's pain and push her into a new relationship. Then, I lost Oz and it all seemed not fair. Yes, I found Tara and I am happy, but it was on my time. I don't remember anyone pushing me into a new relationship. We weren't right into pushing her into anyone. Riley may like Buffy, but she never gave it back. *And* not every man is Angel who left so she could be happy. So, shut up because we don't really know of what Riley is capable off."

Something clicked in Willow's head.

"Buffy. Did you tell Riley about Kathy?"

"Yes. I think so. Why?"

"Buffy. Maybe he found a way to do what Kathy did. Take some of your soul. Remember that you sometimes got tired."

"I know, but… but it was not frequent and the slaying…"

Giles was the one to speak.

"God good! Buffy. Maybe that is it. He only did it when you were prone to be tired in the next day so you would blame the slaying and wouldn't suspect of something else."

"You can't be serious, Giles. This… this can't be. What kind of monster is he?"

"A jealous boyfriend?"

\\\\\\\

Twenty-four hours later, Angelus knew his time was coming to an end. He knew that Darla was coming. He could feel it. Maybe she would find a way to protect him from the soul, found Linda, but if not, he would be back to his cage.

He snickered. He had to tell her. That would shatter the damn slayer… and she would hate soul boy. Hummm… to feel her and his pain inside his prison would be a nice compensation for being there. Maybe he would get a chance to escape… and kill the damn witch in the process… well, kill all of her friends… and turn Buffy. She would be a wonderful consort.

"SLAYER! SLAYER! SLAYER! SLAYER!"

Buffy sat alone in the couch of her living room. The rest of the people went to the kitchen, but she couldn't. Even with Willow's spell to protect the house from the supernatural, she felt uneasy about something and couldn't wait for it to come. She decided to go check on the screaming Angelus.

"Slayer"

"Yes, Angelus. That is my name. Don't waste it. What do you want?"

"Just talk. I'm a little solitaire here, you know!"

"Why should I care?"

"I don't know. What if I decide to kill this body?"

"No. You wouldn't."

"Well. What do I have to lose? Besides… there is a lot of wood around here. I could even break the legs of this chair and do it. I don't want that stupid, whimpering, disgusting soul inside *my body*. I'm not that strong like soul boy… I mean reverse the time so he would be a vampire again… so he would be *me*again… that is a great deal. And for what? To protect you! Or maybe he just did not want you… and was not vampire enough to *break your heart*."

Buffy was looking in horror to Angelus. Her dreams. The dreams about him being alive. Kissing in the beach. Kitchen table. How they had fun while eating. How she felt loved and safe and normal. It could not be. He could not have possibly…

"What… what are you talking about?"

"Oh, yeah. You don't remember, do you? There was a whole day erased when you came to Los Angeles. Soul boy was human; you two banged each other to oblivion. Then, he decided to be me again because he had enough of you… funny huh? Not even your *soulmate* could take you. Maybe you really have to improve your act."

Buffy slapped Angelus hard in the face, turned around and ran away.