SPOILERS: IWRY, Surprise...nothing and everything if you know what I mean, its not really referring to much other than IWRY (which I haven't actually SEEN!) but I'm writing it after seeing Fear Itself, and I fall to pieces.

SUMMARY: I answered the CHALLENGE!!

AUTHOR's NOTES: hmm. My first of two answers to this challenge. The second has nothing to do with this whatsover, but it has humour, which I find hard to write, so it'll take me longer! The speaker is indicated at the top of each part.

Buffy

UC Sunnydale

Monday night.

I woke up with a start. I knew it. I'd done it again. Why does this happen to me? Everytime I try to put it behind me, to push those feelings so deep that they aren't part of my life, this happens. I don't expect to forget, or even get over it, because I know its not possible, but I just want to move on. But everytime I try this happens. We share dreams. It all started that Christmas when we were trying to be *just friends*. Ha, how well that one turned out. I get to the point where it makes a horrible kind of sense to me that we shouldn't be together, and then WHAM! I'm guest-spotting in his dreams again. Or we're sharing a dream.

This was a really nice one. They've been worse. I dreamt that we were together, and Angel was human. We kissed, and then he cleared his kitchen table and...

***

Angel

L.A.

Monday night.

I sat up breathing heavily. We share a connection deeper than love. Deeper than life. It's an all encompassing, all forgiving, captivating love. And with this connection, come the shared dreams. This one was a memory of a day which as far as anyone else knows, didn't exist. My perfect day, when all my fantasies came true. Whenever I smell that ice cream we ate, the memories flood back to me. Thats three times we've shared a dream this week.

Buffy

UC Sunnydale

Tuesday morning.

"So basically I've had this dream so many times, and I know he has to be sharing it too. The emotions are too encompassing, too real to not. There's things there that I can't be remembering because I didn't know them to remember. Like Angel's kitchen table." I finish with a deep breath, telling Willow of my recurring dreams.

"Wow. I mean, not wow. Not good. Bad Buffy. Lusty feelings towards Angel isn't a good thing...right?" She's having trouble deciding whether its a good or a bad. Trying to be the good friend.

"I don't know. but Wow..." Wow seems to be the general theme here...sounds very like a conversation Willow and I had the day before my 17th birthday.

***

Angel

L.A.

Tuesday night.

The Oracles are here. Oh no, its this part. This part hurts me so much each time. They turn to me and our conversation is very much as it was last time. The scene changes, and Buffy is in my arms, and we're both crying. "I'll never forget." Buffy's saying it like a mantra, over and over again.

Buffy

UC Sunnydale

Wednesday morning.

"Buffy. BUFFY!!" I'm aware of Will's voice in my ear.

"I'llnevrfoget" I mumble something and sit up. I'm conscious that my pillow is soaking, and my face feels wet. Oh no, drool. Ick factor.

"Buffy, are you okay?" She looks concerned. Why wouldn't I be?

"You were sobbing and crying, 'I'll never forget' repeatedly." I feel the tears on my face, and it all comes back to me. I crumple back into my bed.

"Angel. I said I'd never forget and I did, I forgot. And then I yelled." I know I'm not making sense to her. She pulls me into a hug, and I cry on her shoulder, unashamedly sobbing my heart out to my best friend.

Angel

L.A

Wednesday Evening.

She remembered. She remembered and she called me. She called me. She cried to me, and she yelled at me, and she cursed me, and she loved me. She knows everything now, everything that could have been and isn't. She doesn't know of todays dream. I don't think so anyway. Today I dreamt of her calling me. Before she did. And I realise that its meant to be this way. She was meant to remember today. And I dreamt of seeing the Oracles again. So I'm taking a leap of faith, [although not literally, considering hers put her in a coma. That was bad humour, and i apologise!] and am contacting them. I suddenly find myself with the two beings which foretold me of the circumstances which caused me to give up my humanity.

"Angelus. What have you brought us?"

"Angel. " I figure I can correct them.

"Angel." I hand over a pair of fuzzy bunny slippers that Cordelia had given me when I rushed through looking for a gift. Cordy must've thought I was getting a gift for Buffy. I look shamefacedly at the female oracle. And am surprised. She's smiling, and laughing. She *likes* the slippers.

"We summoned you here. The path that once was no longer is."

I've been alive for 240+ years, but that statement didn't make sense to me, and in true Sunnydale fashion I eloquently reply;

"Huh?"

"The End of Days is no longer nigh. It has been prevented, not forever, but for a long time. A millenia must pass before the demon spawn can attack. But you don't need to know of this. You have paid your debt to humanity. You have made amends. You may live in peace with your lover."

There's nothing I want more, but who am I to kid myself? Buffy is the slayer, and just because one form of the apocalypse has been prevented, doesn't mean that she won't die on another. Because I wasn't there to help her. And it's with this in mind, that I regretfully inform the oracle.

"I can't do that. Much as I'd want to..." My voice is getting crackly, as I realise that I'll never be with Buffy again. "There's always another war, and there's always another enemy to be fought. Like you told us, 'together we are powerful, apart we shall fall.'"

The male oracle...smiles? He thinks my pain is funny? He must sense the anger forming in the pit of my stomach because he explains himself.

"Very good. You really have made Amends now, because should you have taken up our offer, you would have been human, and Buffy would have died. Since you put her safety first, before your own humanity, we give you the gift of humanity. You shall retain your strength, and supernatural senses and healing, but you shall live as a man. You will win this way. Together you are powerful, alone you shall fall"

I can't believe it. All my dreams came true. Wow. Oh my god. I'm speechless. I find my self back in my office, and suddenly I feel it. boom-boom. My heart is beating. I'm breathing. I'm alive.

**

Buffy,

UC Sunnydale

Wednesday night.

It's as though my burdens were lifted suddenly. I felt lighter, and happier than I had in weeks, make that months. I don't know why, but I was suddenly filled with the sense that everything would be okay. I would manage. I would survive. I change it to my pajamas, and say goodnight to Willow. It's 11pm, and although earlyish for me, I want to sleep. Those dreams were telling my about my lost day. I lose my self in my thoughts. I smile at the memory of Angel eating and then jump as there's a noise. Will is fast asleep, and then my door opens. Standing in the doorway, dressed in blue jeans and a cream sweater is Angel. Angel in blue jeans, i ask myself? Hold that thought. And I run to him, compelled by some force which is greater than heaven or hell. I launch myself into his arms, and suddenly realise my spidey sense isn't going haywire like it should with Angel. Then while I'm hugging him, I realise he's warmer than normal, and that his heart is beating. He's human. Angel is human.