“Morning, my sleeping beauty.”

“Angel! Where are we?” As Buffy looked around, she saw a table set for two in a gazebo on top of a cliff overlooking the ocean. Candles surrounded the gazebo, which illuminated Buffy’s smiling face. Off a ways, the sound of waves gently crashing on the shore blended with the music playing softly in the background; it was too much for Buffy to handle. She turned to Angel with tears in her eyes.

“Oh Angel, this is beautiful. I never imagined a place like this existed.”

“Its beauty is a dim shadow when compared to your radiance and grace.” He bent down to gently capture her lips with his. “But I think I have something that you would like even more. Close your eyes.” As she did, Angel moved behind her, and gently placed a diamond pendant necklace around her neck. With the full moon behind her, he saw an angel standing before him, for its illumination made a soft halo around her.

“May I have this dance, my lady?” Asked Angel as he bowed at the waist.

“Why of course, sir,” answered Buffy as she curtsied.

**Watching every motion in my foolish lover’s game. On a sailor’s ocean, finding love that’s no for shame. Turning every tide into some secret place to hid. Watching in slow motion as you turn around and say, take my breath away. Take my breath away**

Buffy closed her eyes as she felt herself melt against him. Angel slowly bent down to kiss Buffy lightly on the lips. He whispered a soft “I love you.” All Buffy could do was look into his eyes as tears started to form.

“I love you too, with all my heart and soul. I have always wa-“ But Angel silenced her with a kiss.

**Watching every wave, still anticipating love. Never hesitating to become a fade in love. Turning every tide into some secret place to hide. Watching in slow motion as he turns to me and say, My love, take my breath away.**

“I’m sorry it has taken this long to realize my feelings. I was so scared, thinking that you didn’t feel the same. What I am trying to say is that I will make it up to you. I promise.

Buffy wanted time to stop, to freeze this moment for all eternity. Soon, Buffy realized that dawn was approaching and that this moment would be over. Angel felt her mood change.

“Love, what’s wrong? Is it something I said?” he asked as he kissed the crown of her head.

“No, you have said everything I’ve dreamed of hearing. It’s just... dawn is coming and this will all end.”

“Come then. Let’s watch dawn as it brings a new day,” he said, gently taking Buffy by the elbow and guiding her to a spot where a blanket already waited.

Buffy was scared that this would be the last time she would ever see her Angel again. But in her heart, she knew everything would be okay.

Angel held Buffy in his arms just as rays of light graced the world with its presence as it peeked above the eastern horizon. Buffy could feel her heart pounding in fear. Angel knew what she was thinking and pulled her closer to him. Soon the sun was upon them, shining brilliantly in the morning sky.

“Surprise! You are even more beautiful in sunlight.” he softly whispered as he stood up, pulling Buffy with him. He started to bend down to whisper something else to her when Buffy’s body went rigid.

“Buffy...Buffy what’s wrong?” asked Angel, concern written on his handsome face.

“I...I don’t know. I just feel-“ But Buffy didn’t finish. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head as she started falling towards the edge of the cliff, but Angel caught her in time.

“Buffy? Buffy, wake up. Come back to me, please,” begged Angel. But his angel had fallen and taken a turn for the worst in the real world.

Willow was standing over Buffy, trying hard not to cry. As Willow looked at Buffy, realization hit. Buffy looked so worn out. It was as if her will to fight was gone.

She thought as tears started to brim.

Willow said as she scolded herself to herself. As she looked at Buffy, she thought that she saw Buffy smile.

As Willow looked again, Buffy was really smiling, but tears were also descending down her bruised cheeks.

“Giles! Xandar! Get in here!” yelled Willow as she saw both of them running in the room, expecting the worse. “Look! She’s smiling! I think she is going to be okay!”

“Whoo-hoo!” yelled Xandar as he gathered Willow in his arms and hugged her tightly. “I knew it! I knew that our Buffster wouldn’t leave us! Now, if only-“ But Xandar was cut short by a loud piercing noise coming from one of the machines near Buffy. All three of them looked at the machine with dread. Buffy’s heart was giving out. Doctors and nurses rushed in, pushing the three out of the way. Willow broke down and was fighting the whole time as Xandar and Giles forced her out of the room.

“No! Let me stay with her, please!” sobbed Willow as she hit Xandar in the chest as he held her close.

“Shhhh, its okay. It’s going to be okay.” Xandar stated with more confidence then what he was feeling. They all knew that their slayer had taken a turn for the worse.

Angel stepped off the bus that took him back to Sunnydale and memories flooded his senses. It had been a while. To long for that matter, but he needed to be back. He needed to see her again. His soul cried out for her every day and it was tearing him apart.

‘Okay, she’s most likely slaying.’ He thought as he made his way to the graveyard. ‘Thank God she is on my side.’ He thought as a soft chuckle escaped his lips.

When he reached the graveyard, the scent of blood filled his vampiric senses. Angel’s soul cried out as he raced towards the scent, praying that it wasn’t his beloved Buffy.

When he reached the smell, he knew a battle had taken place. Things were broken and a stake was laying there with blood on it. Hesitantly, Angel bent down to touch the stake when something caught his eyes. The cross that Angel had given to Buffy to protect her was laying in the grass, blood marring in shinny complexion.

With that, Angel let out a blood-curdling growl into the night, which alerted two vampires Angelus was back in town.

“Hey there Angelus. Welcome back to Sunnyhell.” Said the first vampire as the two approached him. Angel didn’t even know they were there.

“We thought that you might like to know what happened to that bitch, the slayer. Well, Tanor and me took care of her.”

“Sure did. We beat her up bad. She isn’t dead, though. She would have been, but Montrovont interfered. He said she couldn’t be killed. Not yet any ways.” By this time, Angel was enraged.

“You said that she was still alive.”

“Yeah, well, at least she was when we left. Her two friends showed up.”

“Why do you care Angelus?”

“Come here and I’ll tell you.” As the two vampires came closer, Angel pulled out a stake and dusted them before they knew what hit them.

“That was for Buffy!” Angel growled as he left in a mad dash for the hospital.

Angel finally reached the front desk and demanded to know where Buffy was. However, no reply was forth coming.

“Where is Buffy Summers!” he demanded again.

“Take a seat, one of us will be with you shortly. And control your voice!” one of them snapped.

“Wrong answer.” Angel grabbed one of the receptionists by the shirt and asked again. When Angel finally received the answer he wanted, he wasted no time in trying to find Buffy.

As the elevator reached its destination, Angel rushed through the doors as soon as they opened, and started in a mad dash, trying to find Buffy. Angel knew that he had knocked off some guy, but didn’t turn around to make sure he was all right. People farther down the hall heard the commotion and didn’t hesitate to get out of his way. Those who where too slow to move were thrown up against the walls. With his vampiric senses, he could hear crying, and what sounded to be like Giles and Xandar. Angel ran at brake neck speed and came to a sudden halt just short of landing on Xandar. Angel’s sudden approach startled them all.

“Where’s Buffy?!” However, no answer came. They were all too stunned at the sight of Angel to answer. Angel was growing impatient and gripped Giles by the collar of his shirt and growled.

“A-Angel! She’s in there.” Angel threw Giles into a chair and took off for Buffy’s room when Xandar stepped in the way.

“Get out of my way!”

“No! Why are you here? You have no right to..” However, Angel just shoved him aside and walked into the room as the doctors were leaving. Angel grabbed one of them, demanding answers.

“We-well, she is stable for now. But it was close. It was as if she gave up trying to live. She is still comma tose though. Only time will tell. I’m sorry.”

Angel slowly entered the white, sterile room. What greeted his eyes made his heart brake and his soul cry out. “Oh Buffy. What did they do to you? Why couldn’t you stop them?” Angel stopped and closed his eyes, trying to push back the tears that were threading to fall. “ Come back to me, please. I need your strength.” Angel knelt next the bed and couldn’t hold back the tears anymore. “ I don’t want to walk the earth, knowing that I would never see your beautiful face, or the smile that shines like a beacon in my darkened world. Please Buffy. I need you. I love you.” Angel cried harder as put his head on the mattress and held her hand in his. He prayed to whatever gods that might be listening, begging them to bring Buffy back to him.

Willow, Xandar, and Giles all stood in the doorway watching Angel profess his undying love. It broke all three hearts to see Angel like this.