Creative Works   

Saved by a Technicality
By Dreamer
lalaland(at)crosslink.net

Summary: An alternate ending to Becoming Part 2
Disclaimer: I don't any of the BtVS characters.  They belong to Joss Whedon, WB, etc.  I'm not making any money, I'm just in Becoming.

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Angel's eyes suddenly glowed a strange yellow as Buffy leveled the point of her sword at his throat.  The yellow left his eyes and he looked up at her, completely bewildered.  "Buffy?"   Buffy said nothing, she simply continued staring at him trying to convince herself this was a trick, but the point of her sword sagged.

"Buffy, what's going on?" he looked up into her eyes, completely confused and there was love in his eyes.  Something she hadn't seen in months.  She hadn't seen it since that fateful night when her world had fallen apart.  That look, told her he was back.

"Angel?" she asked, her sword arm dropping to her side, as he slowly stood up.  She took a step towards him and placed a hand on his check.  He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close.

"What happened?  It feels like months since I've seen you"

"Shh, I -"

"BUFFY!! What the hell are you doing?" Xander yelled coming into the room and seeing the couple.  Buffy straightened, but did not turn around.

"Did Willow tell you she was going to try the spell again?" Buffy asked quietly.

"What spell?" Angel asked looking from Xander to Buffy.

"It's another trick don't listen to him!" Xander shouted desperately.

"Did she?" Buffy demanded.

"Yes," Xander admits softly.  Buffy nods her head sadly.

"It worked," she said softly, looking into Angel's eyes.

"I lost my soul didn't I?" Angel asked, tears rolling down his cheeks as her arms tightened around him.

"Yes," Buffy replied.

"I'm sorry for whatever he did... I ... How can you let me hold you?" he asked when she didn't pull away, but only smiled up at him.

"I love you," she said looking up into his eyes and kissing him long and passionately.  She tried to put all the passion she had felt during the nights of the last few months into one kiss.

"I love you," Angel whispered hugging her close, oblivious to the vortex opening up behind him.

"I know.  Shh, now close your eyes," Buffy told him pulling away. He looked confused, but trustingly closed his eyes for her.  She kissed him longingly on the mouth before backing up a step and pulling her sword arm back for the stab.  Xander watched, his eyes fixed to the scene in a mixture of sorrow, horror, and awe.

"There's another way," Whistler said.  Buffy kept her eyes fixed on the point of the sword, but halted her thrust.  Angel's eyes flew open at the familiar voice.  In an instant, he saw his love poised to skewer him on a sword and Whistler a few feet behind her.  His eyes widened in horror and shock.

"Wonderful, cryptic again" Buffy said sarcastically.  "What's the other way?" she asked in a cold calculated voice, she knew was about to crack.

"I said you need his blood.  I didn't say you need to skewer him.  Don't you ever listen," Whistler said.  Angel's mind was racing as he tried to understand what was going on around him.  Why were his love and his good friend talking about hurting him.  He wished and prayed for an acceptable answer, as he watched.

"What you mean?" Buffy said trying to keep her voice unemotional, but her hope slipped through.

"The other sword has your blood on it, and you’re not skewered or dead," Whistler pointed out.  Buffy glanced down at her arm, as a smile spread across her face.

"You're hurt!" Angel said, his concern pushing all the confusion of the situation aside.  He took an involuntary step forward.  Buffy quickly lowered the sword point and used the step to stab Angel in the thigh.  He let out a howl of pain and betrayal as she pulled the sword back out and roughly pushed him aside.  She lunged with all her strength, sending the sword through the vortex and into the stone behind it.  Angel's eyes widened as he realized what he was looking at, and the meaning of the conversation was suddenly clear.  The vortex began to close around the sword.  The vortex tried to pull her in, as she held onto the sword with all her strength.  A scream escaped her lips, as she realized what was happening.

"Grab her!" Whistler yelled at Angel.  Angel pushed himself to a standing position and grabbed her hand.  He didn't have the strength to pull her out, so he simply threw himself backwards using his weight to pull her out.  He hit the floor with a thud and she landed on top of him and the vortex closed behind her.  She looked up at him with tears in her eyes.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly.

"I understand," he said pulling her in for a kiss.

"Let's remember what started this mess," Xander said sarcastically, shaking himself out of his daze.  Angel looked puzzled, but Buffy only groaned as she stood up and offered Angel a hand up.

"We'll fill you in on the last few months on the way to the hospital," Buffy said, letting him lean on her shoulder.  "Then we'll try and find a spell that won't break.  Don't worry, if there is one, Giles'll find it.  Oh my god!  Giles!  Xander what did you do with him?"

"He passed out on the steps, so I dragged him to an out of the way corner and drenched his neck in holy water.  Any vamp who tried to feed on him will get an unwelcome surprise," Xander said.  "So who is he?" Xander asked with a nod towards Whistler, as he led the way towards Giles.

"Another cryptic guy," Buffy said disgusted.

"He's Whistler," Angel said, "He's a friend of mine."

"Great just what we need.  Another old friend of yours," Xander said sarcastically.

"We can figure it all out when we get Giles to the hospital," Buffy said, as Xander and Whistler support Giles between them.

"What are you going to do about the police?" Xander asked.

"You tell them, I didn't kill Kendra, I get off with minor charges for assaulting an officer," Buffy replied.

"What?  Kendra's dead?  Assaulting an officer?" Angel asked.

"It's a long story"

"What about Spike and Dru?  They get away?" Xander asked.

"They are on their way to some other country, that was the deal," Buffy replied.

"A deal with Spike?!?" Xander practically shouted.

"It's a long story," Buffy laughed, "Come on, Willow's probably can't wait to know if the spell worked."

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The End

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