Part 1: The Bronze Crowd As Buffy and Willow made their way through the crowds of The Bronze to their regular table, waiting for the band The Dingo's Ate My Baby that Oz, Willow's boyfriend, was in to come on, Buffy recognized a familiar figure in the far corner talking to Codilia, Xander's ex-girlfriend. Willow noticed the immediate sadness overtake her best friend.
"Buffy, what's wrong?"
Willow asked in her usual caring and concerned manner. Buffy answered her with one word, quiet and uttered in a voice dripping with the sadness of unshed tears.
"Angel."
"Where?"
"Over there, talking to Cordilia."
Willow looked over, shocked that Angel would be talking to The Queen Of The Sluts.
"Buffy, I'm sure it's all right. I mean, he wouldn't try to find a new girlfriend, ever. He loves you way to much to go and do something like that."
"If he loves me so much, then why does he keep hurting me?" Pain clouded Buffy's voice, and Willow put her arm around her friend as she began to cry once again. They hadn't seen Buffy happy in a week, ever since Angel left her, slowly but surely breaking the heart and spirit of the Chosen One, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Angel looked over once again and saw Buffy crying, Willow's arms gently rapped around her as she tried to comfort her best friend. It hurt so much to see her crying like that, and because of him, that he could barely keep himself from running over to her and hugging her. It was breaking his heart to se her in so much pain. He hated watching her, and being unable to help. "Hello? Since when were you so rude?" Cordilia's words broke through his train of thought, and he turned his attention back to the young girl in front of him, rambling on and on about Wesley, Buffy's new Watcher.
As Buffy sat in the crowded hangout, she remembered. He had told her that he loved her, and that he didn't want to be with her. He had called their relationship a freak show. When she thought of their conversation in the sewer, she began to cry again.
"Willow, I don't feel very well. I'm gonna call it a night."
"But you just got here. Don't you wanna at least wait for Xander?"
"Not with Angel hanging around. I can't believe he would talk to her, and not even notice me."
Willow looked at Angel and Cordilia again. Angel was pretending to pay attention to Cordy, but Willow noticed that he was looking at them.
"Buffy, he noticed you. I mean, in the since that he's looking right at you." Buffy whirled around in her seat, and Angel didn't look away fast enough. Buffy took off running, and both Angel and Willow ran after her. As Buffy reached the doors, she ran straight into Xander.
"Hey Buff, what's up?" Xander asked, but Buffy just pushed past him and ran off into the night. Willow ran up and explained everything that had happened while Angel ran into the night to find the Slayer before she found another vampire.
Part 2: Into The Night
As Buffy ran, she could since that someone, or something, was behind her. She knew who it was. The one person that knew where she would be headed.. Angel. The thought that he was following her only made her remember their first meeting. She remembered how she had been caught in the ally, and he came up to her, warned her of the coming Harvest, and gave her the cross she was now wearing. She took off the necklace and threw it to the ground in disgust.
‘Well, if he knows me so well, lets see if he can find me.' she thought, as she ran even faster towards the dark ally ahead of them.
. Angel knelt down and saw the cross he had given Buffy on their first real meeting lying on the ground. He carefully rapped the sleeve of his coat around his hand and, picking up the cross, continued towards the ally he knew Buffy was going to.
Buffy paced the ally, knowing that Angel was there, hidden among the shadows. She was tired, and sad. She knew that she had to tell him that she knew he was there. She just wasn't quite sure how. So, in a tone she had never used before, a tone filled with hatred masking an undying love, in a tone that broke both of their hearts, she spoke out against her true love. "What do you want, Angel? To play Mr. Cryptic and hurt me even more, as if that's possible?"
When Angel heard her talking, heard the sorrow and love masked by hatred, he stopped cold in his tracks, and with a heart full of sorrow, answered her, his own voice full of love, compassion, sorrow, and suffering.
"To talk."
"About what? How you somehow managed to break my heart again, to destroy my world?"
The pain in her voice spoke of unshed tears. It was something Angel knew about all to well, and something that Buff was only beginning to learn about.
"Buffy"
"Angel, no! Why are you doing this to me? You tell me you love me, and then turn around and tell me you don't want to be with me, and you still expect me to want to talk to you?!?"
The pain in her voice sliced through Angels already tortured soul, and he emerged from the shadows
.As Angel emerged from the shadows, Buffy felt like her heart had been ripped in two. It hurt so much to see him, even if she did act tough all the time.
"You dropped this." He said, holding out the silver cross, being careful only to tough it with his coat sleeve. Buffy reluctantly took the cross back, tears welling up in her eyes. "Thanks." Her voice was full of a sadness she couldn't stop from overtaking her. "Buffy . . . " He began to try and comfort her, but she cut him off abruptly. "Angel, don't! You have no right to do this! You dumped me, and you keep expecting me to treat you like we were still together! Don't you get it?!?" She was pacing frantically around the ally, trying to avoid his eyes. She knew if she looked into his eyes, all of her self-control would be gone. "You broke my heart! And not just this time. This is like .... like the 6th time, and you expect me to just instantly forgive you?!? Why don't you just save us both the heart ache and leave me alone?!" With her last statement, she ran off into the night, into all the dangers that the Chosen One must face, leaving a fallen Angel behind in a lonely, deserted ally.
Part 3: Fallen Souls
As Angel watched her run off, he could feel his heart rip in half, and he knew that she was hurting even more. He wanted her to know that he didn't want to be apart from her, and that he was only trying to do what was best for her. He wished with all his heart that for once she would listen to him. She never did. As he walked home, he thought back over everything that had happened since he met her. The first time he saw her, when she was called, their first meeting, their first kiss, the night he lost his soul. As he remembered the night, he cursed himself for not being able to recreate that moment. Them together, truly together. He remembered everything he had done when he didn't have a soul, how she had been forced to send him to hell. He also remembered everything they had been through since he had come back. How it had taken months for them to start acting like a couple again. How much he missed her now. He entered the mansion and went into the main bedroom where, only a weeks ago, he and Buffy had laid when she spent the night. The event that had started the changes that had led to him leaving her. He fell on the bed, in tears, as he remembered her warm touch, and the feeling of her warm body lying next to him
As Buffy ran home, she tried to block out all of the memories, but the last 3 years came flooding back. She remembered everything that had happened between her and Angel. When she got home, she turned on the radio, and allowed herself to remember as the lyrics of her favorite songs came on, singing and playing in time with the events of her life.
As Angel lay on his bed, crying all of the tears that had built up in him over the years, a song started to play on his stereo. It was one all to familiar to him, one that brought back painful memories, and yet he didn't turn it off.
It's daybreak And you are asleep I can hear you breathe now Your breath is deep But before I go I look at you one last time I can hear a heartbeat Is it yours or is it mine? I look at your lips I know how soft they can be Did they know what they wanted The times they kissed me? And your hands That I held in mine Now they're reposing on the pillow Will they ever miss me sometime? I'll remember you You will be in my heart I'll remember you And that is all that I can do But I'll remember Your eyes That always make me shiver Now they are closed They just sometimes twitch a little And your body I could own for an hour It sent me to Heaven With its heat and power I'll remember you You will be in my heart I'll remember you And that is all that I can do But I'll remember Sophie Zelmani ~ I'll Remember You As the song played, both of the star- crossed lovers remembered the first time they had broken up. They were in the Bronze, and this song was playing in the background. Buffy was sitting at a table with Willow and Xander when Willow pointed out that Angel was there. Buffy slowly made her way over to him. Angel told her how they couldn't be together, that it wouldn't work. They had said goodbye with a kiss, Buffy's silver cross, the one Angel had given her, burning him.
Take me over, I'm lying down I'm giving in to you I'm a hurricane I can't describe this feeling Now that I've found this love I'll do anything for you Now that I've found this love I'm a fire, burning like a house aflame I am motionless I can't move or see you fly Now that I've found this love I'll do anything for you Now that I've found this love Take me over, I'm lying down I'm giving me I'm a hurricane Hurricane Now that I've found this love I'll do anything for you Cari Howe ~ Anything As the song played, Buffy remembered the dream she had had right before her birthday about Drucilla being alive. At the time she had thought it was silly, she couldn't possibly have survived the church collapsing around her, but she had.
Boyz II Men ~ I'll Make Love To You.
As the song played, Buffy turned out her light and climbed into her bed. She began to remember the night Angel had lost his soul, the night they had made love. The song brought tears to her eyes, as well as to his. But the memory also brought a soft smile to their lips. It was the night of her 17th birthday. After Buffy's surprise party, and after she and Angel had discovered that the Judge was fully assembled, they had ran out of the warehouse through the sewer system, and found it raining outside, so they went to the nearest dry place ... back to Angels apartment. They had sat on the bed, Angel looking at Buffy's wound, and started kissing. Well, the rest is history in the demon world.
Angel remembered to. He remembered how he had awoke in such pain, his soul being torn from his body, and him being powerless to stop it. He remembered how he had cried out for Buffy in the ally, but she hadn't heard him. He remembered everything he did to her as the demon Angelus after that.
Buffy tossed and turned in her sleep, dreaming, remembering. She dreamed of the morning at Angels apartment when she found out he no longer had his soul. He had told her that she wasn't the first, and that she had a lot to learn. He had been so cruel. Telling her that the hardest thing was pretending to love her, and that if he knew she would be this easy he wouldn't have bothered pretending.
As the song played, Buffy began to dream about the morning at the mansion when Angelus had opened the demon Acathla's mouth. Buffy had been forced to fight Angelus, and as he had her cornered he said. "No friends, no weapons, no hope. Take it all away, and what to you have left?" She grabbed his sword as he thrust it at her. "ME" And then she caught him in in front of the demon without any weapons for him to defend himself. She kicked him, knocking him to the ground. Right as she was about to send him to Hell, closing the portal, Willow had restored his soul. They had kissed, said ‘I love you' to each other, and then she had been forced to kill her one true love and allow him to be sucked into Hell.
She dreamed of her life in L.A., on the run for the summer. Of the friends she had made their, and of her friends in Sunnydales reaction when she finally came home.
As the sad love song came on, both Angel and Buffy remembered the events of the last week. Their break up in the sewers, their meeting at the butcher shop, their one dance at Buffy's Senior Prom. Buffy remembered how much it had hurt to have him come and hold her close to him again, and then tell her it was just a one-night thing. She had missed him so much. Angel had missed her, too. For the first time in 243 years, he was truly crying from emotion, instead of physical pain. Nothing had ever hurt him as much as having to do this to Buffy, not even the memories of him killing his family.
Angel tossed and turned, knowing that the song said everything he felt about Buffy, except for how much he missed her. He knew that he was doing the right thing, but his heart just wouldn't except the fact that he was once again living his life without Buffy.
Buffy woke up at 6 in the morning, just before the sunrise. She knew she would have to tell someone what had happened between her and Angel the night before, and since it was Saturday, she only knew of one person who would be awake. Giles. She would rather have discussed it with Willow, but she didn't have a choice. She put on her black leggings and a light pink tank top. She packed her bag with stakes, Holy Water, and several crosses, as well as a few changes of clothing. She didn't know how long she was going to be gone. She really didn't feel like talking to her mother about this, and she knew that her mother would know something was wrong as soon as she saw her face. As she walked out of the door, she saw the sun begin to climb in the sky with an amazing flash of purples, blues, and reds.
When she reached Giles' apartment door, she knocked twice. When the door opened, she looked right into the face of a very surprised Giles.
"Buffy!"
"Hi. Can I come in?"
"Yes, yes. Of course."
She quickly stepped into his apartment. She looked around and saw that Giles had been in full research mode. Probably all night.
"What's wrong, Buffy? You look, rather, well, troubled."
"You first. Is their some demon rising again?"
"Well, no. I was just trying to find ... a way to stop the Mayors Ascension. Now, tell me, what is wrong with you?"
Thinking back over everything that had happened, she could no longer keep her cool, and collapsed into Giles' open arms crying.
"Shhh. Buffy, it will be all right. Come now, perk up. I bought ice cream in case you came over. Would you care for some?"
Buffy pulled away and asked in a small, childish voice, "What flavor?" Giles smiled.
"Rocky Road. Willow said that it is you favorite."
"Okay. Why not. I could always use comfort food." So the two walked into the kitchen. Giles took out bowls and spoons and dished up two very large bowls of the ice cream. "Now, Buffy, tell me what happened." So Buffy told him everything that had happened between her and Angel in the last week as they slowly ate. She told him what he had said to her in the sewers, how she had found out that her mother had gone and talked to Angel, and the things she had said to him in the ally after she had left the Bronze. When she finished, she waited while Giles sat thinking about what she had just told him.
Finally, he said; "Well, it looks like we need to find a spell that will permanently restore his soul. I suppose that we should go back to the library and see if we can't turn something up?" "Lets go. I'll call Willow later and tell her to meet us there." "Right. One moment. I just need to put these things away." "k." So, after Giles had cleaned up the dishes and put the ice cream away, they headed out the door and towards the Sunnydale High library.
Part 5: Revolutions
Buffy was sitting on the steps leading up to the stacks in the library. Giles was looking through the secret volumes he had stashed under his desk. As Buffy continued to research the old magic books Giles kept in the library, Giles paced the floor, eager for Wesley, Willow and Xander to come. As he was pacing, the doors flew open and a very excited Willow Rosenburg rushed in.
"Buffy! I'm here!"
"Hey, Will. Were's Xander?"
"He said he'd meet us here a little later. He went on a doughnut run before you guys got a chance to send him." Just then, Xander and Wesley walked into the library. "Hay! Doughnut boy reporting for duty!" he said as he set the Duncan Doughnuts box on the table. Giles came in then to greet the new arrivals.
"Hello. Willow, did you find anything at home?" "No. But I did find a Web Site a couple of weeks ago that had the name of a book as a reference. It was called the Book Of The Living Dead. Maybe we could ask Angel to find it?" "Well, perhaps. But first we need to find something about the original curse we put on Angel. Maybe if we reword it it will make a difference." "Okay. I'll check the Net."
As Buffy was reading the volume in her hands, she suddenly looked up with a surprised look on her face. "Guys! I think I found something!" Willow rushed over to take the book from Buffy. "It says ‘A spell to permanently restore the soul of one with a pure heart and a true love.' " As she continued to read, Giles came over to stand behind her. "This would work! And I could do this!"
As everyone started cheering, Wesley suddenly came forward. "I do hope this has something to do with stopping the Mayors Ascension, which happens to be in a weeks time. And any other projects are not of concern as of right now." "No. Were making Angels soul permanent." Willow was very excited as she explained the situation to Wesley. He then turned to Buffy. "Buffy, if Angel has lost his soul, you will have to kill him." "He hasn't. We're just making his soul permanent."
That was all she said in reply, but it was said with such determination and force that no one would have dared to cross her, least of all Wesley. But he knew the legend of Angelus, and he was determined to have Buffy destroy the evil creature, even if he had his soul now. "Well, I think you should just kill the demon and get it over with." "Wesley, back off! We're restoring Angel's soul, permanently, and if you don't like it, then, then, just deal!" Everyone turned to Willow with a shocked look. "Okay, well, I'm not sorry. You, you needed to here that! Your to stuck up to be a good Watcher! Buffy would rather listen to Giles any day, and its about time you faced it!" "What?!?" Wesley still had a shocked look on his face. "It's true." Buffy's answer was simple and quiet, but to the point.
Everyone in the room looked at her and Willow, shocked at what had just happened. "What'd I miss here?" Nobody had noticed Oz walk in, and no one made a move to answer him. "Buffy, I really don't think you should be saying this now." Giles took off his glasses, wiping them on his handkerchief. "This is hardly the time nor the place." "No, Giles. Willow was right. It is about time he faced the fact that I don't like having him as my Watcher, and that I'd rather have you." With that, she turned and walked out of the library and into the bright Sunnydale afternoon. The only reaction other than shock at this outburst was Oz saying "Wow."
That's when I decided to intervene. I'd had enough of seeing the Slayer fighting with a Watcher she couldn't stand. I stepped out of the shadows in the stacks, being careful not to frighten the nervous humans below me. "She's right, you know." Everyone turned toward me, surprised by my sudden input. "She could never listen to another Watcher. She needs you Giles. She won't listen to anyone else. You're the only one she wants for a Watcher." "Who are you? And how do you know what Buffy wants?" I could only chuckle at Giles' answer to my statement.
"They call me Whistler. I was sent to help Angel. And now, I'm staying to help the Slayer. The soul of Angel is needed to stop the Mayors Ascension. I'm here to help you find the spell that will hold his soul permanently in his body. But first, you need to find the Slayer. She ran to the one place she feels safe. Good luck, and remember to check the Vampyre." And with that statement I left to fine the slayer and Angel, and to tell them of the prophecy.