The Return: Part 1
by Jenna Poo
Buffy walked through the dark hallways of the old mansion. She walked slowly untill the hallway lead into the main hall of the mansion. She walked into the dark room. The only light came from candles, which sat scattered around the room on large candlesticks, and cast gloomy shadows all around the room. In the middle of the room sat a large statue, which Buffy immediately recognized as Acathla. In front of the statue was a man kneeling with his head down, as if in prayer. He was dressed in a white t-shirt and black pants.

Buffy came up behind the man then knelt down beside him, bowing her head as well. As soon as she had knelt down, the man turned to look at her. She looked up into his face, getting lost in his deep brown eyes.

" I'm glad that you came."

She smiled at him, then cocked her head slightly, suddenly very sad.

" Its hard." she said

" I know."

" Will the pain ever stop?"

He laughed, a beautiful laugh that made Buffy feel very warm inside. He turned to her fully now, and brought his hand up to caress her hair, and then let it rest easily on her shoulder.

" It lessens, yes. But it never stops."

" Is it as hard for you as it is for me?" she whispered.

He let his hand fall down to his side again and looked hard into her eyes.

" I feel a different kind of pain."

He turned his head toward the statue, then stood up, facing the statue. Buffy got up and stood in-between him and the statue. Noticing that he seemed to be looking at something on the statue behind her, she turned around to find what he was concentrating on. She felt his hands come up around her waist and pulled her closer to him. She fell into his embrace, needing so much to be near him.

" Angel..." she whispered

He leaned his head down close to her ear, but didn't say anything.

" I'm so sorry." She let the tears fall silently down her cheeks.

He turned her around in his arms. He brought his hands up to her neck and gently kissed her tears away. She looked up into his face.

" Its time to go."

Fear registered on Buffy's features. She put her hands on his waist, slightly tugging at his shirt. " No, no! " Buffy pleaded. " It's early! I can't do this with out you!"

He kissed her head lightly and then stepped away.

" You can. You Will."

She shook her head fast, her mouth contorting in sadness and pain.

" I need you!" she whispered at him.

He looked at her, sadness coming into his expression, the first hint of any emotion in the entire conversation. As if he just realized how vulnerable she was.

" Just remember, my love will always belong to you." He put his fingers to his lips and the vanished into the shadows.

Buffy awoke with a jult. She sat up in her seat, trying to regain her bearings. She looked down the aisles and then out the window. She watched the landscape rush by in a blur. She relaxed and sat back down in her seat.

She remembered the dream vividly, she always did. She shuddered in her seat. The dreams were getting more detailed, she noticed, the closer she got to Boston. * Maybe its just the bus * she thought. She looked at her watch. 5:55 pm. * Only three more hours till we get to Boston. *

* * *

Willow sat on her bed, going through her scapbook from the past two years. She paused on a picture that was taken of her, Xander, and Buffy last year at the prom after they had destoyed the master. They were all smiling happily, enjoying the time they were spending together.

Willow missed Buffy so much. She wanted to know what it was that drove Buffy to running away. Buffy had never been one to completely embrace her role as the slayer, but she was big on responsibility. She knew someone had to save the world, and if it wasn't her, then who would it be? So it didn't make any sense that Buffy would leave with out letting anyone know. The only thing that she could come up with was that something major had happened between Buffy and Angel.

Willow had put alot of thought into what might have happened that morning in the old mansion. She was almost positive that the spell to restor Angel's soul had worked. She had felt something go through her, and after she was done with the spell the orb had dissapeared.

" If it had worked...." Willow said out loud to herself. A feeling of joy came over her, and then left just as fast when a feeling of sadness and worry overtook her. If it had worked, and Buffy had to kill him...that would have created a great amount of pain for her. It had been hard for Buffy, dealing with all that Angel had been doing to her and everyone else. Willow knew that Buffy already felt guilty that she couldn't kill Angel when he was bad, but to -have- to kill him him after he had returned to her....Willow shuddered involuntarily. She closed the scrapbook and replaced it under her bed. She hoped desperately that that had not been what Buffy had been forced to do.

* * *

Buffy got off the bus and stretched.

" Wow, that was a long ride." Buffy yawned and then walked over to the side of the bus to retrieve her bags.

The bus guy tossed a black duffel bag onto the pavement. Buffy picked up the bag and started to walk into the bus depot. She walked through the doors and squinted, letting her eyes adjust to the light difference. She glanced around the room, looking for a pay phone. She spotted them on the far wall and rushed over to them. Buffy dropped her bag on the floor next to the phone and then fished through her overall's pocket to find a quarter. She picked up the phone book from under the telephone and flipped to the hotel section. She let her finger slide down the page easily until it stopped under a name.

" The Sunset Motel. That sounds cozy!" Buffy picked up the phone and dialed the number.

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