Bittersweet Memories: Part One
by Kitty Angel-lover
Buffy sat alone at the Bronze, miserable and aching for her Angel. She wondered what he was doing at that moment. He must be up at the mansion practicing his Tai Chi or something, she resolved. She smiled at that memory when he was teaching her, the memory of their first kiss since his return from Hell. Buffy's smile quickly vanished as she felt another pang of guilt and sorrow as she remembered what terrible deed she had had to do to save the world that time.

The Slayer sat at the small, circular table at the Bronze, staring into the depths of her cappuccino. She'd gone patrolling earlier but hadn't found many vamps; it was a quiet night. Buffy sighed and wondered why she was still sitting there. Then she remembered...her mother. They'd had a huge fight that night, just before she left for slaying. The fight was about Angel. Joyce Summers wasn't convinced that her daughter was practicing perfect abstinence with that "beast". Buffy had blown up in a fury...a very bad thing for a Slayer to do. It had gone violently. She'd told her mother how much she still loved Angel, and that she'd make love with him again if she knew he wouldn't lose his soul. Buffy couldn't stand it, by the end of the argument her mother was cowering against the wall, sobbing. Buffy had stormed out without a backward glance. Now, she didn't know how she could go home.

It was late, and most of the Bronzes loyal patrons had called it a night and left. Buffy finished her cappuccino but still lingered until almost closing time. She wandered aimlessly, bored. She was still hurt by her mother's sharp words. The fleeting thought to go to Angel's passed through her mind but was then quickly dismissed as she realized she would have to explain what she was doing out so late, almost sunup. She didn't think she could really talk to anyone about her mother right then, so she decided to patrol one last time before the sun rose. The Slayer walked around, twirling her stake. In all truth, she was exhausted, but she kept right on. She heard a scuffle to her left and whipped around, prepared to strike. But who emerged from the shadows was not who she expected.

"Pike." She breathed in shock.

"Buffy! How are you? I heard you lived around here." There was something strange about Buffy's old friend, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

"Uh...yeah. I'm fine. How have you been doing?"

Pike smiled, almost evilly. "Never better." With those two words Pike's face transformed into that of a demons. Buffy gasped in shock and horror. Pike lunged and grabbed for her but the Slayer easily eluded him. Buffy couldn't react; it was like her brain had shut down. She did the only thing her brain was able to tell her body to do; run. She ran for at least a mile or so before she realized he was no longer chasing her. She looked to the sky and saw why; the first rays of dawn were already peaking over the hills. Buffy looked around to gather her bearings. She stood in shock when she realized that Angel's mansion was not far away. Exhausted as she was, she took off at a sprint towards her Angel.

She saw the mansion up ahead and tried to pick up her pace as she ran towards it. She couldn't wait to be in Angel's comforting arms. She burst through the doors and leaped up the stairs, searching for him. He had just been getting ready for bed when he heard her race into the mansion. Worried, he stepped out of his bedroom shirtless. As soon as he opened the door she was upon him. She hugged him tight enough to crack a mortal's ribs. Angel just wrapped his arms protectively around her and didn't say a word. Buffy's breaths came out in painful sobs as tears slid down her cheeks. All of a sudden, her knees buckled and she started to fall, but Angel caught her and held her against him lovingly, supporting her.

"You've been out all night, haven't you?" He asked softly, she did nothing but nod wearily. She didn't want to talk just yet. He backed up a step and urged her to follow. "Come on." He commanded gently. Buffy tried to take a step but her knees gave out on her again. Angel caught her and easily lifted her up and carried her into his bedroom. He laid her down on the bed with a worried frown. He gently kissed her forehead and whispered, "Sleep, love."

Buffy sniffed and nodded but when he tried to leave she called out. "Wait! Stay...please?" He read the fear in her voice and was at her side in an instant. Buffy pulled him under the covers with her and cuddled against him as his arms came around her. They both fell asleep in each other's arms.


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