Third Chances

Part 1

Written August 17,1999

Title: Third Chances

Author: Samantha

Feedback: Email me at semi_sweet_16@hotmail.com

Disclaimer: ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ are owned by Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and Warner Brothers. So, please don’t sue, because I’m not financially stable as of yet.

Rating: The story may deserve a ‘G’, but I decided it needed a ‘PG-13’.

Characters: Buffy/Angel/Craig. Craig is mine, so you can’t have him.

Summary: Angel returns to Sunnydale in search of Buffy to rekindle their relationship, but finds a very shocking revelation.

Content: Lots of love and anger. Mainly on Buffy’s part.

Denotes () means inner thoughts.

Angel made his way back to Sunnydale from Los Angeles in about five hours. One thing plagued his mind; Buffy was all he could think about. Her sunshine smile, and golden hair falling in place. It had been a year since he left Sunnydale and Buffy behind, after they had fought the mayor on graduation day.

Angel came into town a little after midnight on an early Sunday morning. He knew that Buffy would be asleep by now. But soon another problem plagued him…he wasn’t even sure if she was still in Sunnydale or even alive. The thought of Buffy being dead made Angel shut his eyes, trying to wash all thoughts of his beloved being dead. Angel turned down the street Buffy lived and parked his ’68 black Corvette up in front of the house.

Nothing seemed to change much, except for the lightblue curtains that hung at the second floor window, which was Buffy’s room. Angel stepped out of his car and walked across the lawn, near some bushes, up into the tree that he had climbed in so many times before. Angel felt his undead heart skip a beat…at least he thought was a beat. The light was still on and anticipation was creeping in. When he reached his familiar perch he looked in to see Buffy laying in her bed, holding the cross Angel gave her, the first time they met, behind the Bronze.

Buffy began to think to herself (God, after a year and I still love him). A tear streamed down her right cheek. She took her right index finger and wiped the tear away. Buffy soon heard familiar footsteps outside her bedroom door and put the crucifix back into her nightstand drawer and closed it.

“Hey, baby, what are you doing in here all by yourself?” a young male asked Buffy as he opened and closed the door it softly. “Well, I was here, thinking about you, honey” Buffy lied. Angel never saw the guy before, but he started to hate him in the two seconds he just seen him. “Come on, Buffy, you know that you weren’t thinking about me…were you?” Craig asked. “Craig, I love you, and of course I was thinking about you. You are my boyfriend after, all” Buffy responded with a kiss on Craig’s lips. Angel felt pain as he saw Buffy kiss him. (Who in the hell is this guy?) Angel thought to himself. He watched as Buffy kissed Craig with more passion that he had never seen in her before.

Craig slid his hands down her arms and eased her back down to the bed. Angel watched as Buffy ran her hands up and down Craig’s back and finally back up to take off the light. Angel watched in complete darkness as the two made love. His undead heart seemed to break into a million pieces.

Angel couldn’t believe that he had truly lost Buffy forever. He climbed down from his perch and walked slowly back to his car.

(It was a big mistake coming back to Sunnydale), Angel thought to himself. He started up the car and pulled away abruptly from the curb down to his old home. The mansion was a place where Angel found some form of sancuatary. He was surprised to see that it was still there. A lot of memories were made in there. Angel knew he was wrong for coming back, but he just had to. To claim the woman he loved back…to…Who was he kidding? He knew he left Sunnydale to help Buffy go on with her life and not to stay in this ‘freak show’ as he called it.

Now, Angel saw that Buffy moved on and had someone to take care of her. (I still love her), he said to himself, knowing that buffy was sharing herself with someone else, besides him. Angel remembered when Buffy would visit him after the attack he suffered by the hands of Spike and Drusilla. She was own private nurse. He stepped out of the car and walked into the mansion.

Everything was the same, just as the way he left it. After he left Buffy standing at the school, looking at him, he came back to the mansion to take his clothes with him. Angel cried as he was reminiscing about the love he had for Buffy. Blood-stained tears engulfed his face. He laid on the bed that they shared for so many nights and cried and whimpered himself to sleep.

Later that morning...

"Good morning, sweetie" Craig said Buffy as he wrapped his long arms around her thin waist. "Hi," she said as she yawned. Her back towards him, Buffy thought of the weird dream she had last night. Angel and Buffy were in the mansion, making love endlessly, until he disappeared into thin air. "So, did you sleep well? I mean that's if I didn't keep you up for most of the time" Craig said as he softly kissed her left shoulder blade. "I guess," Buffy said.

Buffy knew she had loved Craig, but Angel was freshly embedded in her mind for all eternity. (Oh, my God. Why can't I get him out of my head. Angel's not even living in Sunnydale anymore) she thought. If he ever came back, she wouldn't even care. That's really a lie in itself. Craig moved his arms from her waist up to her chest, but Buffy pushed them away and replied "Craig, why don't you go downstairs and make me some tea." "It sounds like you're kicking me out of bed, Buffy." "No, honey, it's just I have to go to school early, that's all" Buffy responded, slightly annoyed. Craig moved out of the covers and put on his blue jeans, and walked downstairs to the kitchen. Buffy felt relieved that he was gone. She hadn't gotten used to him asking her about her whereabouts and such. Angel would never bully her so much. (There I go, comparing him to Angel again. He's not Angel, he could never be Angel). Buffy removed the covers from her naked body and grabbed her towel to take her morning shower. She never thought of Craig as a real 'boyfriend'. Ever since, Angel left Sunnydale, Buffy had become lonely. Everything that reminded her of Angel, she put away or burned.

Buffy turned on the faucet and stepped into the spray of water. She recalled when Joyce, her mother, finally told her that she had visited Angel, Buffy never forgave her. Buffy's feelings toward her mother never changed; she loved Joyce but, Buffy couldn't help but think if it weren't for Joyce...Lord only knows.

Buffy and Craig kissed each other goodbye and went their separate ways. Buffy felt relieved that she didn't have to see Craig until 10:00 at night. (Another day at Sunnydale University) Buffy thought as she walked down to school. Even though, she didn't have to be in school until 1:30 in the afternoon, she decided that she would do some shopping.

Buffy approached the mansion and spotted a car parked in front of the deserted palace. In the four years Buffy lived in Sunnydale, not one person ever parked near the mansion...unless Spike was back to cause more problems for her. (Damn him)! she thought as she stormed towards the dark house. Buffy looked around to see if anyone was there but found no one, except a black leather jacket that she recognized. (Angel)? Buffy thought. She looked inside the bedroom and her heart skipped five beats when she saw Angel laying in bed.

Angel felt a presence that felt all to familiar. He opened his eyes to see Buffy standing at the foot of the bed. "Buffy"? Angel said in a surprised tone. "Hi, Angel," Buffy responded with a stiffness in her voice. Angel got up from the bed and walked towards the living room behind Buffy. "What wrong? Going to runaway again, Angel"? she asked.

"Buffy, that's not even the case, I came back for a reason" Angel replied, looking away from her. "So, what is it, huh? Oh, let me guess, you came back to SunnyHell to be with me" Buffy said as she moved closer to him. "Yes! Alright, I wanted you back, Buffy. I came back for you." angel said as he stared into her piercing blue eyes. "What did you think? It was your damn choice, not mine!" Buffy shouted as she turned her back towards him. "You're right, it was my damn choice, Buffy. I chose to leave because I couldn't give you happines!" Angel replied with hurt creeping into his voice. "So, you thought you can give me happiness now? Angel, you made your choice".

"Buffy, I love you and I'll always will. I never knew love, until, I met you that night at the Bronze. You captured my heart". "Heart? It's not even beating" Buffy said as she faced him again. "Don't do this to me, please"? Angel begged. "Do what? Love you, again. I can't Angel, I just can't. I'm happy now...without you" Buffy replied with tears in her eyes. "I came back, because I was miserable in Los Angeles. I needed you so badly in my life, Buffy. I came back to get the woman I love, instead, I see you moved on" Angel replied. "You saw me with Craig last night"? Buffy asked.

"Yes, I wanted you last night. I felt sick, I wanted to make love to you as many times as possible; I wanted to say 'I love you' one more time, Buffy" Angel replied moving towards Buffy, trying to hug her, but she stepped back two paces. "I love Craig, Angel, please leave me alone and don't come back" Buffy said as tears ran down her face. "Buffy, I-" "No! Angel, I don't love you anymore" Buffy said. "You don't love me"? "I believe the lady said that, man" Craig responded.

"Craig, what are you doing here"? Buffy asked. "I followed you, you didn't think that I wouldn't realize that today is Sunday not Monday. You Have classes at 1:30 on Sunday and at 10:00 on Monday's. Buffy I'm not stupid" Craig said as he rubbed a hand through his short blond hair. "We were having a conversation, pal" Angel said in an angry tone. "Listen, pal, don't piss me off. Number 1: you are messing with the wrong guy". "You don't want to get me angry, Craig, I have a tendency to bite people" Angel responded, holding up all his defenses.

"Hey, calm down, both of you. Craig, Angel and I were just talking, it has nothing to do with you" Buffy responded wiping tears from her eyes. "It has everything to do with me, Buffy. You don't get it, Buffy, you should learn not to sleep with a person you barely know" Craig said to her. "What the hell are you talking about"? "Exactly, what the 'hell' it is" Craig said. Buffy looked into Craig's eyes and noticed it had a mysterious glow... a red glow. "Craig, don't you think you're being too harsh"? Angel asked. "Shut up, you sonafabitch" Craig said as his voice changed in a demonic form. "Who the hell are you"? Angel asked. "Who the 'hell' am I'? I'm your worst nightmare.

Before Buffy could blink Craig transformed into a giant devilish hellhound. Soon, Angel transformed as well and backed away from Craig towards Buffy. "Buffy, get the hell out of here, now!" Angel said as he growled at the 10 feet tall hellhound. It's bloodshot eyes pierced through Angel's golden irises. "Angel, no. I can't leave you here" Buffy responded.

The hellhound leapt toward Angel with so much force that it knocked both Angel and Buffy back into the table. Growls and blows were traded back and forth. The hellhound growled at Buffy and hit Angel in the jaw with a right hand. Angel came back with a right knee in the breadbasket, and a left cross to the right side of the beast's face. Angel pushed the hound off of him and sent it flying onto the couch. Angel quickly stood. "Come on 'bigboy'. Want a piece of me? Come and get it, dog breath" Angel hissed. The hound lunged at Angel and he threw the monster off of him, sending it crashing into the coffee table. "Angel!" Buffy screamed at the top of her lungs. "Stay out of this, Buffy!" he said as he looked back at her and growled.

Angel jumped on the fallen hellhound and landed left and right combinations across it's horrible face. "I need a crossbow" Angel said as the hound grabbed him by the neck and slowly lifted Angel high in the air and tossed him him to the far side of the room. "All right, Craig, you want to play games, come and get me, dogboy, come on!" Buffy shouted as the hound got on his feet. "You will pay for this, Buffy" Craig said. "How?" Buffy asked.

Buffy had grabbed a crossbow in her duffel bag and drew the arrow out. "You think you can hurt me, little girl?" "Who are you calling 'little'?" Buffy asked as she put the arrow in the chamber. "You can't hurt me, you love me, Buffy" the hound said as he stepped closer towards Buffy. "I beg to differ" she said as the arrow shot straight into the monster's heart killing him instantly.

Buffy dropped the crossbow and rushed over to Angel. "Are you alright?" she asked. "Nothing, a little bedrest can't cure. Besides, I should have been used to you catering to my needs" Angel replied, trying to get to his feet. "Well, you need to get up first" Buffy said as she lifted Angel and ran her arm around his waist.

Buffy brought Angel to bed and said "So, what are we going to do with 'dogboy' out there?" "Well, you'll think of something" he said as he grimaced in pain, trying to lay down on the bed. "You know, I owe you dinner since I got back into town" Angel continued. "No, you don't, besides, you never took me to dinner, and you need to rest for a while" Buffy replied taking off his boots and dropping them on the floor.

"At least a cup of coffee, for old time sake" Angel replied. "Are you asking me out?" "Well, you can call it that if you want" Well, I want," she continued. "I want you for as long as I could remember. I missed you so much". Buffy hovered over Angel to look into his golden eyes. "I wanted you, too, Buffy. I couldn't sleep at night without you...ever since, Willow gave me, the restoration spell to fully revive my soul, I desperately wanted to make love to you" he said. "She did, did she? Well, I'll just have to talk with her, when she gets back from her sabbatical with Oz" "Buffy, I made a mistake leaving in the first place. I want to be with you, now. Right now" he said as he transformed back in human form.

"All you had to do was ask" Buffy replied. Angel swept her into his arms and began kissing her pouty lips. He had almost forgotten how it felt to touch her. For the first time in a while, it felt good to really love again. Buffy washed away the past as Angel made love to her the second time around.

The End