Immortal Beloved VIII..."
PG-13
Spoilers for Angel to "The Girl in Question..." However everything here except the reference to the episode's enemy is my own playin' round...
Disclaimer: Not mine, but thine O Joss!...And ME's...
Summary: Yet another view of the upcoming Wednesday rendezvous...
Naturally the last one has to be tragic...
(Ok, so it wasn't the last one...)
***
Rome's most fashionable hotspot for both the quick and the dead...Midnight...
Angel, and a fervently-hugged-by-Buffy William stand over the remains of the Immortal...Destroyed by a lucky stake shot of Angel's just as he was about to use his spell hold over the Slayer to make her his own...
Which leaves the boys a chance to put the magic artifact they've brought to another use...
"It's a head?...Eehew..." Buffy stares, releasing her beloved...
"So...Now what?..." she eyes them... "I mean apart from you and me running off to the nearest chapel, Will..." she beamed...Then glared... "Took your time about it, you know..."
But God, all I care about is...You made it...she hugged him again...Buffy...he whispered in her hair...Oh, my Buffy...
A deep sigh...She pulled away and stared at him...What?...
"Now..." Will looked at Angel... "We have a chance to use this to save another person...But..."
"But what?...Who?..."
"Winifred Burkle...Our friend...Sorta a Willow Jr..." he smiled at her... "Oh...Right, geesh Angel I'm sorry Giles was so rude..." she looked at him... "I didn't know you'd called to ask for help...And you know how Giles feels about you..."
Sure...Angel nodded...No problem...
Especially if he or his Olivia ever needs a legal matter handled...I will personally take him or her for every goddamn penny...
"Well..." Buffy smiled, arm round Will again... "So that's great, lets get to it and save this Winifred..."
What?...Is there a problem...?
"Buffy..." Will sighed... "To save Fred...We have to alter the past..."
O...K...
"We have to prevent Angel from accepting the Wolfram-Hart deal..."
Good, good...Giles and the Council were worried about that...
"Hey, wait...Does that mean we meet again sooner?..." she stared at him...
Buffy...My love...Try to understand...
No...She stared at him...No, not now...Not you...
"When we alter time...My amulet won't wind up with Angel...God knows where it and I may end up..."
With Wolfram-Hart...she said, coldly..."With those bastards..."
"Who'll take great pleasure in destroying you..." she shook her head... "NO!...No, I won't allow it!...I won't lose you again!!..." she grabbed for the head, shoving Angel back...
"Not a step Angel, or I destroy this...Eehew..." she looked at the head... "Thing...I mean it!..."
"No one is taking William away from me!...Not now...No..."
"Buffy..." Will eyed her... "Besides you, there was only one other person who ever tried to help me in my miserable existence since I died back in 1880..." "Winifred..."
"She believed in me and kept me sane and in hope...Just like you did...Until I was saved..."
I hafta return the favor, love...If I am the man you love...I have to...
"If only to prove..." "Shut up!!..." she raged... "I don't wanna hear this...I...You...Belong together...To each other...Forever...I've known that since the day you died at Sunnydale...Oh, Will...You can't leave me...Not for her..."
I don't know her...she looked at Angel coldly... And I think I...And Will...Have saved enough strangers...
"I hafta to do this, Buffy..." Will took her hand...Gently taking the head in its bag from her as she struggled briefly, sobbing...Finally in his arms as he handed the head to Angel...
"If we really are meant to be together...We will find each other...My soul won't be destroyed, I will find a way back...Poor Fred has no other chance..."
You know I have to do this...he whispered in her hair, hugging her...
"All right..." she let go... "But I won't lose you...Never...If I have to kill myself and follow you, I will..."
"Buffy..." I know, she waved a hand...I know, Duty and the Powers that be won't allow it...We'll be separated...
"I was going to say... 'Thanks'..." he grinned...She chuckled through tears...William...
"I won't lose you..." she nodded firmly...Never again...
And to prove it...She glared at him...Before I let you do this...
"Marry me..."
Buffy...he stared...
"I can smash that thing before you two together can stop me...Consider this a shotgun wedding, Mr. Walthrop..."
Yeah...she smiled at his startled face...I looked up your name, William Soames...
"Well?..." she stared...Deal?...My love?...
"Deal...my love..." he smiled...
"C'mon, Angel...You're the witness/best man..." she called to him...
***
October, 2003...
Buffy's and Dawn's apartment in Rome...
"Anything in the mail?..." Buffy's voice in the hall...
"Letter from Angel...His team's trying to get new digs..." Dawn scanned the letter...
"Save it for me to send to the Council...Giles may be able to help them out..."
"Hey...?" Dawn looked at the box, at the bottom of the mail...
"What's up..." Buffy came slowly into the front hallway...Not quite up to her usual pep just yet...
"Any idea who might've sent this?..." Dawn waved the box...Then setting it down, hastily opened it...Buffy frowning...
"You ought to have waited and let me check it out a litt...My God..." The amulet fell out...
And a glow filled the room...
***
