Part 3

Angel banged opened the door to Spike's tomb.  The sun poured in and Spike leapt up from the couch where he was watching Passions.  He jumped into the shadows to avoid catching fire.

"Damn man, are you trying to kill me?"

"I wouldn't object to it."  Angel and Spike stared hatefully at each other.  Cordelia walked over and turned off the television.

"Hey!" Spike objected.  "I was watching something."

"It's just a cheesy soap opera.  Get over it."

"It's not cheesy, so sod off!"  Cordelia started to retort, but Angel interrupted.

"Cor, leave it.  Spike, we need information.  Have you heard anything about where Buffy is or do you know of anyone in town who would try something?"

"Is the Slayer missing?"  Spike grinned.  "Well, well, well.  Isn't this a predicament."  Angel was getting extremely aggravated.  Not knowing where Buffy was had him unbelievably scared and the bleached blonde vampire was grating on his last nerve.

"Do you know anything or not?" Wesley asked, seeing that Angel was about to snap.

"Sorry, mate.  Don't know anything."

"Fine."  They walked out, but Angel left the sun streaming in.

"Hey, you could at least close the door!" Spike called after them.

***

"No leads."  Angel sat down heavily in his chair.  If they didn't find Buffy soon he'd go crazy.  Hundreds of horrible scenarios ran through his mind and he couldn't get them to stop.  There were only a couple of hours until sundown.

***

Buffy closed her eyes tightly trying not to focus on the pain her body was in.  She had been subject to torture at the hands of Angelus all day and she knew there was more to come.  Blood dripped from the most recent slash mark on her cheek.  At this point, Buffy just wanted him to kill her and get it over with, but she knew he wouldn't.  He had told her earlier and in graphic detail how he would kill everyone she loved and how he would make her watch.  He sauntered confidently back into the room, ready to continue his torture.

"Hello lover," he said mockingly.  "Ya know what I was thinking?  Whenever you let me have a taste of that delicious blood of yours, I'm always Soul Boy.  I never get to enjoy as much as I should.  Will you let me have a taste now?"  Buffy just glared at him.  "Well, it doesn't really matter.  I'll have one whether you let me or not." 

He walked over and studied the tools on the table.  He picked one up and tested the sharpness on his finger.  He walked over to her and lifted the knife to her throat.  He was about to cut her when he noticed the silver cross hanging from her neck.  He grabbed the chain, carefully avoiding the cross.  Buffy cringed as he ripped it from around her neck and tossed it to the side.  He pressed the blade down and drew it along her collarbone.  He bent his head down and drank from the thin line of blood that appeared on her skin.  Buffy shuddered in repulsion.  Angelus looked up at her, smiling evilly at her disgust.

"Mmmmmm.  You taste delicious, lover.  But I've learned that blood always tastes best from the source."  He lifted the knife against and cut an 'X' on the upper swell of her breast, over her heart.  He cover the wound with his mouth and drank once more.

Part 4

It was dusk and Joyce was pacing, but it wasn't
helping anyone's nerves.  Dawn sat at the counter, staring at a blank page of paper.  Her mother had instructed her to do her homework, but she was too worried about her big sister to concentrate.  Cordelia sat crossed-legged on the floor, praying for a vision. Everyone else sat around the table, flipping through pages of ancient texts.  They weren't sure what they where looking for, but there had to be something to help.  Suddenly, Spike burst through the door.

"Hello all."  Angel and Giles stood up and Joyce moved next to Dawn.

"Do you know anything?" the older English man asked.

"Yep.  But it'll cost you."  Angel's anxiousness and anger exploded into violence.  He grabbed the platinum blonde vampire's jacket and pushed him up against the wall.

"Where is she?  What do you know?"  Xander and Wesley jumped up to pull Angel off.  He sat down and Willow calmed him slightly by explaining that this is how Spike worked with them.  Giles took out his wallet.

"Is $75 enough?" he asked.

"$75?  Is that all she's worth to you?" Spike asked smugly.  Angel moved to jump at him, but Wesley put a restraining hand on his shoulder.

"Spike, do you want us to let Angel up or will you take the $75?"  Spike held out his hand.

"Give me the money."  Giles handed it to him and he pocketed it.  "Apparently, Angelus has her."  Everyone froze.

"What?"  Angel managed to choke out.

"I dunno, mate."  He nonchalantly lit a cigarette.  "It doesn't make sense to me.  I'm just telling you what I heard."

"It...I...uh," Willow stammered to find her voice. "It's possible that spell we did to make Angel human could have possibly maybe released Angelus in a
different body."

"What?"

"When Spike said Angelus, one of the lines in the spell...I just think it might be possible."

"Ya know what?  It doesn't matter how," Angel interjected.  "We just need to get her out.  Spike, do you know anything else?  Like where she is?"

"No, I came over when I heard this news."  Almost as if on cue, Cordelia fell back, clutching her head.  Willow and Tara rushed to her side.  When the vision ended, she sat up.  She tilted her head back and yelled at an untouchable annoyance.

"You couldn't have sent it a little earlier?"

"What did you see?" Giles asked anxiously.

"They're down by the wharf."

"Weapons," Angel said, heading towards the back room.  Everyone retrieved their share of weapons and waited in the main room.  On the way out, Wesley stopped Angel.

"Angel, do you have a plan?"

"Yes.  I go in, kill Angelus and save Buffy."

"Do you think maybe we should have a more detailed plan?"

"We don't have time."

"Angel, if you just go barging in, you have a good chance of getting everyone, including yourself and Buffy, killed.  You're no longer a vampire, you don't have the same strength."

"Wesley, I know his weaknesses and how his mind works.I was him once.  If you guys want to stay here,that's fine but I'm going to Buffy."

Part 5

Buffy hated the fact the she could stop the horrible thoughts running through her mind.  Her mind had created images of friends' deaths based on the descriptions Angelus had provided her with earlier.  Thinking of her friends, she realized there was so much that she wanted them to know but she had never gotten to say.  How she never could have gotten through the past five years without them.  How much she appreciated and loved them.  She wanted to tell her mother and sister the same.  In a last ditch effort, she threw her full weight against her chains.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk.  We're not trying to escape, are we?  Silly girl.  Are you hungry?  I'm hungry.  Stay for dinner won't you?"  He smirked at her and moved right in front of her.  He vamped out and got ready to feed. Buffy was pretty sure he wasn't going to kill her now.  He would bring her very close to death and then come back to torture her again and again.  And there was nothing she could do to stop him.  She closed her eyes, waiting for the sharp pain in her neck.  Instead she heard an angry, but familiar voice speak.

"Don't touch her."  Buffy's eyes snapped open.

"Angel," she whispered in disbelief.  She couldn't stop staring.  Right in front of her was a vamped out Angelus and by the door was a human Angel.  "How?"

"I'll explain later."  Angel glance quickly at the woman he loved.  "I have something I need to deal with first."  Angel & Angelus were locked in a staredown to see who would make the first move.  In the background, they could hear the sounds of battle between the Scooby Gang and Angelus's minions.

Angelus made the first move.  He lunged for Angel, knocking them both to the ground.  Angelus hit Angel three times, causing his nose to bleed.  Angel pushed his evil counterpart away and jumped up.  He hit Angelus squarely in the chest with a roundhouse kick.  Angelus swung back, but Angel ducked.  Angel had lost some of his strength and reflexes when he became human, but had a gained a lot of it back by training with Buffy.  He kicked out again and Angelus caught his foot and flipped him onto his back.  He landed with a thud.

"Angel!" Buffy screamed.  Angelus was on top of Angel, hitting him mercilessly.  The others had killed some of the other vampires and others had run away.  They had come running when they heard Buffy scream.  Giles barged in with his crossbow ready, but froze before shooting.  Angel & Angelus were grappling on the floor.  The Scooby Gang stood shocked at seeing the two identical men fighting.  It was the epitome of good vs. evil.  Quickly, they snapped themselves out of their stupor.

"Giles, shoot him!" Xander cried.

"I can't get a clear shot.  I don't want to shoot Angel.  Try to get Buffy out," he instructed.  Willow, Anya, & Tara moved close to the wall and to where Buffy was chained.

"Are you okay?"  Buffy nodded unable to keep her eyes from the fight at hand.  They searched frantically for a way to undo the manacles.  "Is there a key?"

"I don't know."  Buffy was distraught as she watched Angel get beaten without being able to do anything.  Giles, Wesley, Xander & Cordelia looked around desperately for a way to help without hurting good Angel.  Angel pulled out a stake, but Angelus knocked it away.  Angel managed to roll away and made a wild grab for the stake.  Angelus scrambled after him, but their separation gave Giles a clear shot.  He let the arrow sail and it lodged in Angelus' back.  It missed its mark, but distracted him for a second.  Angelus' pause gave Angel enough to grab the stake.  As he lunged for his counterpart, Buffy cried out.

"The key!  His neck!"  Angel grabbed the key from a chain  around Angelus' neck and plunged the stake into his heart.  Angel stared as he watched his evil twin explode into dust.  He paused for a second to let it sink in, then rushed to Buffy's side.  He unlocked the chains and she fell into his arms.  She hugged him tightly to her.  She pulled back and examined his face.  It was bruised and bloody, but she had never seen such a beautiful sight.

"You're hurt," she said cradling his face in her hands.

"You too," he said, brushing his fingers against the wound on her forehead from when Angelus knocked her out.  She took a deep breath, composing herself as emotions threatened to overwhelm her.

"We should get out of here," Giles suggested.  They turned to leave, but Buffy cried out.

"Wait!  My necklace.  My cross.  Angelus ripped it off.  I need it," she rambled.  Everyone looked around and Tara spotted it on the floor.  She handed it back to Buffy who was still leaning on Angel for support and they all left.

Part 6

Giles dropped Angel and Buffy at the Summers'
residence where Joyce and Dawn were waiting anxiously. Joyce jumped to her feet as they entered.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes."  The older woman hugged her daughter and Angel as well.  "We're gonna go upstairs and clean up."

The exhausted couple trudged up the stairs and into Buffy's bedroom.  He pulled a first aid kit from under her bed and she got a basin of warm soapy water and a washcloth.  She tenderly washed and bandaged his wounds.  He repeated the actions for her.  He pressed the bandage on her forehead and trailed his fingers down her cheek.  He leaned in and brushed his lips gently against hers.  They hadn't kissed since he had unchained her and the softness of his lips caused something inside her to break.  Tears flowed freely from her eyes.  Angel pulled her to him, rocking her gently as she wept against his chest.

"I thought I lost you," she said, her words disjointed due to her tears.  "I thought that somehow you were changed back.  I can't live without you.  I can't."  Angel stroked her hair and whispered comforting words.


"Shhhh.  It's ok, baby.  You don't have to live
without me.  I won't ever leave you."  Buffy sniffled and dried her eyes.

"I love you, Angel."

"I love you too."  He kissed her forehead. 

"How did it happen?" Buffy sniffed.

"We're not really sure," he replied.  "We didn't waste much time with research when we found out what was going on.  But Willow thinks the spell that made me human actually split me into two parts, the demon and the soul."

"Oh," Buffy lay her head on Angel's chest listening to the reassuring heartbeat that proved that he was not the monster she had been with the past days.

"Why don't you take a shower and get some sleep?"  Buffy nodded, suddenly extremely exhausted.  He kissed her again and left her alone.  She followed his instructions and settled in for some much needed rest.


*****

Buffy turned in bed, wrapping the covers tightly
around her body, hoping that if she cocooned herself in the blankets it would block the thoughts that were in her mind.  A few minutes later, she rolled to face the window and gasped.  A shadowy figure was sitting on her window sill.

"It's okay, Buffy.  It's me," Angel said, stepping into the moonlight.  Buffy let out a shaky breath.

"Angel."

"I'm sorry, Buffy.  I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's okay.  What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to see you."

"Why didn't you wake me up?"

"I just wanted to watch you sleep."  He walked over and sat on her bed.

"Do you do this often?"

"Not as much anymore.  I used to a lot...when I was a vampire.  When you're asleep, you look peaceful and so beautiful.  Our world is so complicated, but watching you makes everything seem so simple.  Whatever is going on in my life just fades away and all I know is that I love you."  He leaned in and brushed his lips against hers, but she didn't respond.  He pulled back.


"What's wrong?"  She squeezed her eyes shut tight.  She didn't want to say this and didn't know how.

"Angel, I love you.  I really really do.  But after everything that happened, I need some time and space." Angel's brow furrowed as he comprehended what she was saying.

"Oh."

"Angel, I..."

"Buffy, you don't have to explain.  Just know I'm here for you no matter what."

"I know," she said softly.

"I love you."

"I know."

"Whenever you're ready," he said, slipping his hand over her cheek and disappeared out the window.

*****

Three days later, after hours of lonely thought, Buffy knocked on Angel's door.  She heard him shuffling around inside and then he opened the door.  When his gaze fell on her, a rush of warmth went through her body.  She couldn't believe she had chosen to spend anytime away from him.

"Hey."

"Hey."  He smiled softly at her.  "Come in."  She stepped shyly into his apartment and they sat on the couch.

"Angel, I want to explain to you what happened with Angelus and what's been going through my head the past few days."

"Buffy, you don't have to..."

"I want to.  I need you to know.  She paused,
contemplating how to start.  "I finished my paper and went out on patrol.  I saw him from behind and thought he was you.  The next thing I remember is waking up in the warehouse.  It was horrible.  He hit me and cut me and drank from me.  He told me explicitly how he was going to kill my family and friends and make me watch.

It was horrible.  And the whole time I thought I had lost you.  When you guys showed up at the warehouse, I was so relieved to see you.  But afterwards, it was confusing to see you because he IS you in a way.  And I have so many issues with him.  I just needed some time to sort things out.  Thanks for understanding."  She finished speaking and they lapsed into silence.  After  a few beats, Buffy spoke again softly.  "I missed you."  Angel slid his hand along the couch and laced his fingers through hers.

"I missed you too."  Buffy raised her eyes from their joined hands to his soulful eyes.  Without speaking, she crawled onto his lap.  She closed her eyes and ran her hands over his face, shoulders, and chest memorizing the feel of him.  She buried her face against his neck, inhaling his scent.  She felt his fingertips drawing along her jawbone to her chin.  He tilted her head to the perfect angle and covered her lips with his.  She kissed him back eagerly, wrapping her arms around his neck.  His hands on her leg and back pressed her closer.  Her lips pushed unrelentlessly at his.  After a minute, they pulled away slowly.

"I love you."  She looked up into his chocolate irises and saw every emotion she felt reflected there and she knew everything was going to be alright.

"I love you too."