Creative Works   

A Beautiful Goodbye (Part 2)
By Genny C.
morpheous77(at)hotmail.com

Disclaimer: I, unfortunately, do not own any of these characters. They are the property of their creator Joss Whedon and the WB. I am simply borrowing them.

. . .

Buffy kissed him hard, as she playfully slipped her tongue into his mouth, she then allowed him to take control. Angel in turn did what he'd been thinking about all evening and began to nibble softly on her lower lip, careful not to draw blood. The fear lay within him that if he did the demon within him, in his thirst for blood would somehow surface and take advantage of the possibility of drinking even a drop of the Slayer's blood. He quickly pushed such thoughts from his mind allowing himself to enjoy this moment with his one true love.

He was keenly aware of the amount of skin her small, snug-fitting tank top did not cover, and left revealed to the eye and to his fingers as they glided gently down from where they'd rested at the back of neck to her small shoulders and down her slim arms. Angel marveled at the softness of her skin, that hadn't changed at all since he'd last felt it.

When their kisses ended he nuzzled his face in the golden sunshine that was her beautiful blond hair. He allowed himself to be enveloped and taken somewhere safe by the sweet smell of her hair and skin. His fingertips continued to travel up and down the soft skin of her arms causing gooseflesh to form on its surface.

The smell of his skin was intoxicating as she returned his nuzzling with some of her own, her arms held fast to his torso afraid to let go. Afraid that this might only be a dream as it had been over those many months he'd been gone. His touch was so soft on her skin it tickled causing gooseflesh to rise to the surface of her skin and tighten as he continued to touch her so gently. She moaned quietly as he continued to move his fingertips over her skin. Then as his fingertips traced a part back up to and over her shoulders to her neck sending shivers of pleasure throughout her body and causing her to moan louder. This in turn made her blush and smile shyly as he looked down at her with those warm brown eyes that were so filled with love.

It was then that he kissed her forehead softly and drew her fully into his arms tightly, protectively. She couldn't bear the thought of him ever letting go, let alone, leaving her side to go away. She did know and understand his fears, but she was content to have him, her Angel, in her life in any way she could, even if it meant their relationship could never bear fruit the way others might have. That she could deal with, loosing him again she could not. She would be content if all he could ever do was hold her protectively in his arms, as he did now, for the rest of her days. She would be content.

Maybe, she's right, Angel thought. Maybe we can have a relationship without sex. It's worth a try. This thought made him content, but he wasn't worried. Content was far enough away from true happiness that he felt everyone would be safe. Besides, he thought. This time for me to have true happiness I'd have to marry Buffy and have children. And that's impossible.

A smile played on his lips as he felt her nuzzle to his chest. This was right and he knew it now. He couldn't leave now, maybe not ever. They sat there silently in each other's arms for a long moment, enjoying the closeness of each other. It was a comfortable silence that neither felt the need to break. It was a time for both of them to contemplate each other's love and the possibility of a future together, and the need they both had to be close to the other. It was Buffy who broke the silence upon hearing his antique clock chime eleven. She broke this wonderful silent moment only out of necessity, she had to finish her patrol and get some sleep before her math test the next morning.

"Duty calls," she laughed, as she smiled up at him. "I should get going. Ya know, finish patrol, get some rest for that evil thing they call school." She added with her usual sense of humor. He couldn't help but smile.

"Yeah, uh … mind if I come with you? On your patrol I mean and walk you home." He asked, looking down at her with a mischievous sparkle in his brown eyes. "We can take the long way and take lots of breaks." He added his smile growing broader.

"That sounds like a plan to me." She answered her own smile growing.

. . .

The next afternoon, Buffy made her way to the library once her last class had ended. As she slowly walked down the hall Buffy's thoughts drifted to the night before as she and Angel had fought about his leaving Sunnydale.

I hope I was right about us being able to keep ourselves in check, she thought worriedly. I don't think either of us could live with the events of last year happening again. More people dying that would definitely be a bad thing. Not having Angel on my side but against me would be unbearable. To have him look at me with those chocolate brown eyes devoid of feeling again, any feeling but hate, that is… Well, let's just say I'd die. Besides I love Giles and the gang too much to put them in that kind of danger again. Even Cordelia, she added to herself with a smile. Cordelia had kind of grown bitter since the whole Willow- Xander smooching and her breaking up with Xander for it. Though her comments of late were hurtful and mean-spirited, Buffy found herself understanding that they were to cover the hurt and betrayal she was feeling.

Someone calling her name startled Buffy out of her reverie. She turned to see Willow hurrying down the hall to catch up to her.

"Hey, Willow." Buffy said with all the cheerfulness that she could to cover her worries about Angel. Besides, she reminded herself. I've got real problems happening right now with the mayor and my old friend, Faith, to worry about.

"Hi, Buffy." Willow replied as she arrived at her side. "What's up? You seem kind of preoccupied." She asked a look of genuine concern crossing her face.

"Yeah, know me," Buffy began making light of it. She couldn't really tell Willow she was feeling sorry for Cordelia of all people. So, she mentioned something else that had been worrying her of late. "Just wonder where my life can possibly go but here considering Faith had to turn bad and all."

"Don't worry Buffy, we'll find a way to stop the mayor and Faith and then you can get on with your life." Willow offered.

"I don't know if it's that easy." Buffy replied as they enter the library.

"If what is that easy?" Asked a British accented voice belonging to the person, they'd both grown to dislike. Okay, maybe it was too much to say that they'd grown to dislike Wesley, it was more like a yuck at first sight for him.

"If it'll be that easy to pass my math test." Buffy answered giving Willow a meaningful look, that meant just go along with me.

"Yeah, I was telling her that it would be a cinch if I helped her study." Willow added.

"Yes, well onto the Slayer's present problem with the mayor's impending ascension." Wesley said in his slightly cold British manner. A manner that it seemed to Buffy, Giles had never adopted towards her or her friends. This new Watcher was quite the stiff.

"Well, unless you've found out something new, we're still at square one of simply knowing that he's planning this ascension for our graduation day. Other than that we're in the dark." Buffy replied in a cold manner of her own.

"Yes, I'm afraid Mr. Giles and I have found nothing more to help us as yet."

"Sorry, Buffy nothing yet." Giles called from behind the stacks of books that surrounded him at the table in the middle of the library.

"Alright, then I'll patrol like usual tonight and report in tomorrow before class. By the way it may help if you busied yourself too Wesley." Buffy replied coldly.

"Yes, of course." He replied sheepishly.

"Bye Giles!" Both girls called as they left the room.

The sun was setting as they walked home, making plans to meet at Buffy's house to go patrolling and then hook up at the Bronze with Angel and Oz.

. . .

Angel stepped out of the shower wrapping a towel around his waist, his chiseled chest still gleamed with moisture as he walked toward his bedroom. As he made his way down the corridor looking at its cool stone walls. It was actually an old mansion of gray stone that had intricate carvings here and there. But he realized upon giving it so much attention, though he couldn't figure out why he'd only noticed it now, that the hall was very plain. He made a mental note to put up a picture or something to liven it up.

Liven it up! The thought made him chuckle softly to himself. A picture to liven up this dreary old mansion. Maybe a portrait of Buffy could do that, her sunshine sure did brighten the place whenever she was here in person. It might work.

Angel made his way to his closet. It didn't contain a multitude of clothes or a great choice of color. They're really all a different shade of melancholy, kind of befitting. He thought sadly. They reflect my disposition. He chose a pair of fitted black pants and the burgundy silk shirt he'd bought with Buffy Christmas day. He smiled as he looked over at his nightstand where a beautiful picture of his sunshine. As he dressed his thoughts drifted to Christmas when he'd almost ended it all.

He'd stood there on the hill, the teenagers called Makeout Point, looking down at Sunnydale. He'd been waiting for sunrise to come and kill him, to end the suffering. Somehow, thanks to some higher power, the sun hadn't shone that day. And he and Buffy had been able to walk through town in the miracle snow that fell. He smiled sadly as remembered how Buffy had tried to talk him into seeking shelter. How she'd told him she'd care if he were gone, that she couldn't loose him again.

He was awakened from his memories by a noise, it was barely a noise at all a human probably wouldn't have noticed it. He made his way through the house finding nothing. Angel, you're loosing it, he told himself, as he shrugged it off. He made his way toward the front door, when he felt something hit his head. He fell to the ground, and just before everything went black he saw the faces of his attackers as they smiled down at him.

Once he was unconscious, his captors brought Angel to their car. Then the blond-haired demon returned to leave the Slayer a message. He made a cut in his hand with his pocketknife, he then used the blood from the cut to smear his message on the wall and left.

. . .

"Why?!" Faith said waving her hands in an exasperated manner. "Why haven't we done something to get rid of Buffy and her annoying friends?" She paced the floor in front of the mayor's desk impatiently.

"Are you still upset about what that Willow girl said to you?" He asked his voice calm so he wouldn't upset her more than she already was.

"No, what do I care what she says she's wrong I've got all I need, I've got you. Like I need little friends to help me through everything. I do things on my own." She answered smugly. "Seriously though they know too much about your ascension. We have to cut them out of the festivities, ya know." She added as she made a slicing motion across her neck.

"All, in due time my dear, Faith." He answered in his ever-calm voice. "Cookie?" He asked with a smile. She accepted one and began to think as she chewed.

Though she wouldn't admit it her motives were fueled especially be the though of wiping the satisfied smirk Willow had worn the night she'd had the courage to stand up to Faith and tell her what she'd lost. What did Willow know, she had the mayor and all the protection working for him could provide not to mention the power.

"I can't just sit around here and wait! I need to do something."

"Fine then go see what they're up to." He answered a slight note of annoyance creeping into his voice.

"Thanks boss!" She yelled as she walked quickly toward the door. She was happy to have something to do.

"Oh, Faith?" The mayor called stopping her in the doorway.

"Yeah?"

"Don't kill anyone, I want you to watch them."

"Yup!" She answered as she left the room.

. . .

"Yeah, so I think I'm gonna buy the pink dress, the one we saw last week, for the prom. It'll make Angel crazy!" Buffy said as she staked the last vampire or a small group they'd encountered on their patrol. As Willow watched her best friend throw punches and kicks as she'd fought, she'd marveled at the grace with which Buffy made her every movment. It was beautiful. She thought sadly that she would never possess that kind of grace, klutzy forever, she sighed.

"You know the strapless one with the trail." Buffy added when her best friend didn't answer.

"Oh… yeah," Willow answered finally seeming to have been torn from her thoughts. "Angel's gonna go wild!" She added excitedly.

As they continued toward the Bronze, Buffy seemed to drift off again, so they walked in silence for a few minutes, until Buffy finally spoke her thoughts.

"Seems kind of quiet on the vampire front tonight." She stated seeming slightly on edge, she had a bad feeling about that. "Yesterday there was like a zillion and tonight, alas only three."

"Maybe they went on vacation." Willow joked her usual shy smile playing on her lips.

"Whatever, I'll bring it up to Giles and the watcher tomorrow when I report in. Tonight I want to have fun and boogie with my buds!" She laughed.

. . .

"She won't come for me she'll just think I left town, I told her I was going to." Angel stated to his captors who he recognized to be Druscilla looking crazier than ever and Spike. Still now after hundreds of years, since he'd made her and he'd been returned his soul he felt the guilt that came with knowing that he'd driven her completely mad before he'd made her a vampire. In his days as his first incarnation of Angelus he'd loved to cause that type of pain to his victims, he recalled how he'd waited until the day Druscilla had taken he vows as a nun to cross her over to his dark world. Not before killing her whole family in front of her, of course.

"Oh, she'll come mate don't you worry your soulful little head about that, I left your slayer a little message on your wall." Spike answered smugly between puffs of his cigarette.

Angel watched worriedly as Dru walked toward Spike and himself carrying a bottle that he knew would be holy water. She loved to torture her prisoners.

"May I?" She asked Spike softly. "I'd like to have a little fun until the slayer gets here and we make a toast with her blood and drink it down in front of her."

"Sure baby have yourself a ball just don't kill him or else he's no good to us as bait."

She grinned slyly as she walked toward Angel with the bottle, and swiftly began to pour small amount of it on his chest, burning him so painfully he began to scream which of course made Dru smile and pour larger amounts of the holy water each time. He hoped Buffy would know it was a trick and stay away, but he'd knew trick or not she'd try to save him.

. . .

They'd been at the Bronze for well over an hour when Buffy really began to worry. They'd eaten, they'd danced, then they'd spoken of impending graduation and still Angel had not arrived. He'd been late before running into a vampire she hadn't but a it had never taken this long.

What if he left town? Buffy asked herself worriedly. Could he have decided after our conversation that he still should leave? These questions plagued her as the three of them Willow, Oz and herself listening to the music played by a band that could only be described as listenable, no more.

"Uh, Buffy?" Oz said tentatively as the band sat down for a break seeing his chance not to have to yell. When Buffy didn't respond he waved his hand in front of her eyes that were staring off toward the door of the club.

"Huh?" Buffy jumped slightly not realizing the music was over and that Oz was attempting to speak to her.

"Do you think we should go looking for Angel?" Willow asked, jumping in when Buffy had finally turned her attention Oz and her way. "Ya know, make sure everything is okay." She added softly.

"Yeah, I guess that would be the best thing to do considering he's never been this late or stood me up unless he was in some kind of trouble or if he was…" She paused then continued a bit uneasily. "Unless he wasn't himself." She finished adding a you know kind of glance letting them know she meant when he was Angelus.

"Shall we then?" Oz asked cocking his head toward the door of the club, both girls nodded as they stood and walked toward the door. As they opened the door in walked Cordelia.

"Why hello losers." The coldness in her voice matching the ice-queen smile she gave to Buffy and her companions. She continued to make her way into the Bronze not waiting for a response. Willow looked uneasily at her friends knowing Cordelia was being especially cold because of what she and Xander had done.

"And that ladies and gentlemen was Cordelia Chase being Cordelia Chase." Buffy said attempting to lighten the already dark mood of their little group. Once they'd reached the sidewalk Willow turned toward Buffy for guidance as to which way they should head.

"This way" she said answering her friends unasked question. "Angel always takes the same route from the mansion."

"He' s a creature of habit then?" Oz offered with a smile.

"Quite." Buffy answered simply mirroring his smile. Willow could help but giggle at the two with their silly smile pointed her way. They made their way toward Angel's expecting to bump into him along the way.

. . .

Faith walked behind Buffy and her two scooby-gangers, keeping to the shadows. She followed closely enough to overhear their conversation, but far enough that Buffy, hopefully, wouldn't sense her behind them.

So, they don't know where Angel is, Faith thought a cruel smile forming on her red lips. Maybe he's lost his soul again, for real this time, or maybe he's been sucked back into hell where he belongs. Faith's smile grew as she thought of Buffy's pain.

Faith continued to follow them towards the mansion where she'd tried to seduce Angel into changing sides and changing girls, where they'd fooled her into thinking the plot she and the mayor had hatched to have his soul taken from him had worked and that he loved her. She hated the place and all the memories it possessed for her. As they grew closer her thoughts drifted to how much fun it would be to torch the place with all of them in it, to rid herself of them all.

. . .

When they finally arrived, they found no one in the house as they made their way through each room until Willow stumble onto the message Spike had left smeared in blood.

"Buffy…you'd better come here." Willow yelled nervously. Spike was back in town that wasn't good. The last time he'd been in town he'd lock her and Xander in the basement of the abandoned warehouse where they'd thought they would die. It was there that Cordelia and Oz had found them kissing and Cordelia had fallen through the ruined stairs and been badly hurt.

"What is it Will?" Buffy asked as she followed her friend's voice to the front room of the mansion. Before Willow could answer she'd arrived beside her and was reading Spikes message.

It said: Hello Love, I've got your honey at the big old church on Maple street. If you want to see him alive be there at eight o'clock sharp tomorrow night. Your pal Spike.

Buffy knew it was a trap, it had to be but she also knew she couldn't just let him kill Angel.

"I need to talk to Giles." She said as she turned hurriedly to leave and they followed.

. . .

Page 2 of 2
To be continued...?

. . .

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