Disclaimer: Don't own, no claim.

Author's Note: Here's the chapter I've been waiting for since the beginning. Honest. Hold onto your seats, it's gonna be a bumpy ride from here on out. By the way, I am so sorry for the sudden perspective change in the last chapter! I've been writing a lot in the third person and I completely blanked that this series is in the first. Sorry again, but as always, read, enjoy and review. [:

I paced the small motel room, feeling restless. I could feel frustration seeping out of my skin. I watched Fred and Wesley's faces of a glimmer of revelation. I wasn't good at this sort of thing – research – never had been. I was a woman of action, something they told me their friend Gunn would appreciate.

"Buffy, I think you're wearing down the carpet," Cordelia criticized gently. I stopped in my tracks and looked at the watch at my wrist.

"We're running out of time," I stated flatly. "You can't see anything? Anything that might help?"

"It's not like I'm cable T.V.," Cordelia sighed. "I don't get to control my visions, the Powers do."

"Why aren't they helping now then?" The phone rang, making me jump before Cordelia could explain once again that the Powers That Be weren't like that aunt you could call any time you were in trouble. Fred reached over, grabbing the receiver.

"It's Giles," she announced. I crept closer, even if I wasn't going to be able to hear what Giles was saying. Fred listened, then her eyebrows knitted up. "There's been a murder... two dead. Near the Ever-rest cemetery?"

"That's only a block from the high school," I muttered.

"Close to the Hellmouth," Cordelia added. "That's where they'd want to be."

My watch read 9:49 and I was beyond anxious at this point. "It's late. I have to find them now."

"Buffy, we haven't figured out - " Wesley paused under the harsh look I gave him. "We still don't know exactly what you're up against."

"Let me guess, two vamps and a nocturnal witch?"

"But we still have no idea how strong she is -"

"It doesn't matter, she's still human, so I'm thinking she bleeds like the rest of us."

"Buffy -" I gritted my teeth, annoyed at how very much he sounded like Giles right then.

"I'm done waiting!" I nearly shouted. Even though she still had the phone up to her ear, Fred's eyes shot up to me, along with Wesley and Cordelia's. "They're after my daughter. I can not let anything happen to her, so I'm going to go before this eclipse happens."

"Hold on, Buffy, just -" I rounded on Cordelia.

"Shut up, Cordy. Do none of you understand what's happening here? You guys just swoop in and tell me that my little girl might die tonight and then you want me to hold on so you can figure out exactly how they're going to do it?" I bristled, my hands clenching into fists. "I don't care how! And I'm really not starting to care why! Now, I'm gonna go kill the hell out of some evil."

And I left, slamming the door behind me. A block away, I finally calmed down. Or at least enough to regret snapping at Cordelia like that. I was just so angry, so frustrated. For the past two days, we've done nothing but read and wait. I've been patrolling nearly non-stop, surveying every place I'd known to be a villain hideout. All to no avail. Not a whisper, not a rumor, nothing. Until that call from Giles.

I realized on my trek toward the cemetery that Willow's house was on the way. Although I shouldn't waste any time because it was already sunset, I wanted to stop. Just to see Angela. I'd hardly gotten to spend any time with her lately and I missed her. If I went now, I could make it before Angel arrived to take her home.

I arrived at the doorstep to see Willow and Xander's cars in the drive. She must've just gotten home from class and Xander might be visiting as well. He deserved a break from the endless research Giles had appointed him to do. I walked in the door, knocking as I went.

"Hello?" I called. "It's me!"

"Buffy!" Xander leaned around the corner of the dining room entrance, holding the phone. "I was just trying to get a hold of you, there's -"

"I know about the attack, Giles called Fred and the others."

"You know?" Xander gave me this look as if to say 'are you crazy?'

"Yeah, I was just on my way to Ever-rest," I explained. "I was stopping just to see Angela for a minute. Where is she?"

"Um," Xander's face darkened. "Maybe you should go upstairs. Willow's in the bedroom."

"What?" I turned to the stairs. I didn't like this at all. I climbed them, calling for Angela. Panic started to bubble in my chest when she didn't answer. I went into Willow and Tara's bedroom to find Willow sitting on the edge of their bed. Tara was lying there, her head in Willow's lap, asleep.

"Buffy," Willow said when she saw me. "Did Xander find you?"

"No, I was just passing through... What's going on?"

Tara muttered something indistinguishable, followed by a light moan. She twitched and Willow dropped her eyes, brushing Tara's hair back from her sweaty forehead.

"I – uh – I came home and Tara was unconscious on the floor. That was almost a half hour ago."

"Where's Angela?" Willow's moist eyes shot back up to me.

"I – I don't really know... We looked, but she's – she's gone. And Tara was attacked."

"Attacked?" Willow pulled Tara's hair back, exposing two small puncture wounds on her neck. My jaw clenched – this was the attack Xander was meaning.

"But it couldn't have been Sasha or Miroslav," I said, halfway thinking out loud. "Tara wouldn't invite them in."

"No," Willow sighed. "It wasn't them."

The way Willow said it, guiltily, let me know that she knew something more that she wasn't telling me.

"Will? You know who did it?" I shook her shoulder because she refused to look back at me. She bit her lip and seemed to be forcing back tears. "Tell me!"

Tara stirred, mumbling again. Willow patted her cheek as Tara's eyelids fluttered. She took a breath and said softly, but clearly: "Angel... came... he -"

I took a step back. My throat seemed to close. Xander bounded into the room at that moment, obviously full of news but at the tension in the room, shut his mouth. Willow didn't seemed to be shocked or surprised by what Tara had whispered. She only wiped at the tear rolling down her cheek.

"Angel?" I echoed. "But he couldn't – he's not a vampire, Will."

"He wasn't," Willow answered, turning apologetic eyes to me. "But there's no one else who Tara would let into our house... especially when we're supposed to be protecting Angie."

"No," I shook my head. "It's not possible."

"I called Anya. She said that Angel hadn't been to work at all today or yesterday," Xander added, apparently backing Willow's theory. "She told me that she didn't mention it because she assumed he was busy helping you patrol and the others with research. Damn it, she chose this of all times to be sensitive."

"I don't know how," Willow said. "Miroslav must've gotten a hold of him behind our backs. We've all been in different directions these past couple of days..."

"Yeah, it probably wasn't that hard to single him out," Xander agreed.

"Stop," I said softly. I was staring at the floor, unsure whether to absorb this information or reject it. I felt cold from the inside out. It was like experiencing a system overload; my body began trembling. Angel – turned? Right when we were so close to saving Angela, to going back to everyday things.

"We have to do something, Buffy," Xander pressed, even as Willow shook her head violently at him. "If he's got Angie then there's no -"

"Shut up, Xander!"

I bit my lip as soon as the words were out of my mouth. I felt the press of the wall behind me and that sensation of being trapped. Xander looked shocked by my outburst, but he closed his mouth. Tara's head turned in Willow's lap, looking up at us, more aware than before. I could not feel relieved for her just yet; too many other things were pressing in on me.

"I know – all right?" I breathed and rolled back my shoulders. I had to find some solidarity here or else I was afraid I would just shrivel up and die. "I – I have to find them."

"But - " Willow gulped, pausing her question for a second. "What if you – I mean, what if you do?"

I looked down at the floor. It had been nine long years since I had been forced to face him – the vampire my lover became when his soul was gone. I still harbored some hope that this was all a mistake, a misunderstanding. That Angel couldn't have been killed. But it was my duty, my calling, to expect the worse.

"I'm still the Slayer," I said, lifting my head again. I turned toward the door and Xander stepped back to let me through.

"Wait!" Willow called. "We – we can figure something out, Buffy. Don't -"

"No, Will," I said, over my shoulder. "We're out of time."

I froze in front of the steps to my home. The door was ajar. I swallowed down the lump in my throat and threw myself forward. It was dark inside, giving the illusion that no one was home. I quelled the urge to fly around the house, yelling for my daughter. I had to be smart about this, smarter than him. I shut the door behind me, letting it close loudly.

"Angel?" I called out, watching the shadows carefully. I wasn't sure yet if he'd been alone, or if there might be others. For all I knew, he was dead and Miroslav was waiting to capture me. I couldn't let that happen. A lamp flicked on in the living room, startling me only for a moment. I walked in, taking slow, cautious steps. Angel was standing with his back to me, holding something.

"Buffy?" The sound of his voice almost broke me. I lifted my hand, almost reaching out to him, "Angel, I'm here."

I think I truly wanted to believe that Angel was safe, that nothing could ever happen to him. For years, he had been a staple in my life. Always strong, brave, intelligent. Always swooping in to help me at the last minute. Our history had been dark at times, but we always came through in the end. Our love had survived a lost soul, a hell dimension, a forgotten memory, even my death. Somehow, he always came back to me. There was no reason for me to believe that this time was any different.

"You're late," he said, turning to face me. I inhaled sharply when I saw what he held in his hands. Angela's bear. I looked him in the eyes, searching for an answer. Those once beautifully soulful brown eyes were now glazed over – empty, vacant. "I've been waiting a long time for you, Buffy."

"No," I whispered, my lips trembling as I fought back tears. This could not be happening. This was just a nightmare and I would wake up soon. Angel took one step toward me, the bear rotating in his hands until its stuffed face was turned to me. His hand gripped it by the throat. I saw the ghost of a smirk of Angel's lips and my heart sank. I was too late.

"Angelus." I murmured and watched as humor and pride filled his eyes. My husband was gone and what stood before me was his old demon come back to life. The tears burned my throat, but I couldn't let him see that weakness. I couldn't let him get to me like that.

"Good to know that you still know me," he said, grinning. "I was beginning to feel left behind. Of course, that witch had heard of me, but we'd never been introduced before. I remembered my manners, don't worry. And then Angela. We should be proud, she's so beautiful. So trusting."

"Where is she?" I tried to tune out most of what he said. "What did you do to her?"

"Me? Nothing." Angel kept his grin as he brushed his cheek against the fur of her bear. "I can't say the same for Miroslav."

I wanted to ask why. I felt the plead bubble up inside of me, but I couldn't let myself sink that low. I had to be strong for Angela. "When?"

"Midnight," Angel answered. He tossed the bear away but his eyes never strayed from me. "You'll never make it in time."

"I will." I reached behind me and let the stake fall into my hand. He saw my movement and he feigned hurt.

"You want to fight me?" He pouted. "What about those vows we took? Didn't they mean anything to you?"

"Just one," I said, steeling myself. He took in a great, false breath and narrowed his eyes.

" 'Until death do we part'?"

"Angel is dead."

He flew at me, but I was ready. I deflected his blow, kicking him back. I advanced, throwing a left hook into his jaw. He staggered backward and dodged my other swing. Then he grabbed my arm and used my momentum to throw me into the wall. I dropped to the floor to avoid his fist and tripped him up.

"Tick, tock, Buffy," he jeered after he rolled away and got back to his feet.

I stood, ignoring him. I lunged at him and grabbed his arm before he could swing at me again. But he twisted and slammed his knee into my stomach. The air rushed out of me and I couldn't recover fast enough to keep from faltering when his elbow came down on my spine. I let go of my stake and heard it clatter on the floor. He pushed me back and I straightened.

Time was wasting away, however. I had to be better than this. But he was keeping his distance from me. Every time I advanced, he countered. And even when he had me in a position close to attack, he merely threw me back. I got the sense that he was only buying time, trying to keep me busy. He didn't change into the vampire features either, which confirmed my suspicions.

This meant I had to catch him off-guard. I dodged and feinted, trying to locate a weak spot. I let him cast me around the living room for a while until I saw it. He was leaving his right side open. When he aimed a punch at me, I ducked and pounded my fist into his rib. He doubled over and I was able to uppercut him.

As he stepped away, stunned, I knew that this was it. I was going to win. I shifted my weight back and planted a kick to his midsection. His back hit the corner of doorway and I had him pinned. I dashed forward, scooping the stake into my hand. He was just reopening his eyes when I was on top of him.

"For my daughter," I said, raising my arm. I sunk the stake deep into his chest, piercing through skin and flesh and muscle.