Title: Trying My Hand At Therapy

Author: Jeanny

Spoilers: Season 5 BtVS/Season 2 Angel

Rating: PG

Feedback: Yes, please! jeannygrrl@hotmail.com

Distribution: Go ahead, I don't mind, just credit me and tell me where it's going.

Summary: Someone unexpected tries to help Angel - BtVS/Angel Crossover. Challenge fic, challenge requirements listed below.

Disclaimer: Joss & Co. own just about all these characters. I'm only playing in their sandbox with a few of my own toys.

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“Hi, Angel. Is there something you want to say to me?” Angel winced at the sing-song falsetto voice. He shook his head.

“This is stupid.”

“Angel, it’s Buffy. We never got to say goodbye. Tell me what you’re feeling.”

“All right, first of all,” Angel growled, batting the sock puppet out of Xander’s hand, “Buffy doesn’t sound like that. Second of all...is that lipstick?”

“Look, Dead Boy, I’m not happy about this either, but Cordy said you’ve been ignoring her visions, innocent people dying all over the place, your friend Gunn’s in the hospital...and you won’t talk about it. Willow thought the puppet therapy might help.” He held up the tube of lipstick and a blonde wig. “Don’t make me go with Option #2. Please.”

“It’s not going to help,” Angel hissed. Xander’s eyes narrowed in anger.

“Well, something better! Because Buffy sacrificed her life to save the world, and letting it go to hell is like...is like you’re spitting on her memory.” Angel’s eyes glowed golden, and Xander shifted nervously. Then the vampire buried his face in his hands.

“I...I...If only I’d been there-”

“She would have died,” Xander said quietly.

“No.”

“Yes. Angel, you know better than anyone how much I loved Buffy. I saved her life when the Master killed her. This time there was nothing I could have done. There is nothing any of us could have done.” Xander gave a bitter laugh. “If you only knew how many conversations with a sock puppet it took me to be able to say that.”

“Xander?”

“Yes?”

“I dunno. Maybe if we tried it with the wig...”

******