Legal Stuff: Buffy the Vampire Slayer concept & characters (Buffy, Angel, Oz, Willow, Cordelia, Xander, Giles, Drusilla & Kendra) are tm & (c) Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, and basically belong to them, Joss Whedon, The WB Television Network and Mutant Enemy (Rrrr...Argh...). They were created by Joss Whedon, and I have absolutely nothing to do with it (wish I did). Atherlae is an otherwise original work that is (c) Fox Lee 1999, (yours truly). Any similarity between events in this story and in real life (yeah, that happened to ME and MY vampire boyfriend just the other day!) is purely coincidental and unintended (so deal with it). If you like this story and want it posted on your page, lack of frequent e-mail access prompts me to say 'feel free - in fact, please do', so long as you don't edit any bits and you make sure my name's on it along with this message. If you do re-post it, please e-mail me to let me know.
Last edited: 10-3-99
Timespan: This would either have to take place before Angel turned evil again, or after his return (he ain't back yet in Australia...*SOB*...). I began writing it just after the episode "Ted". Please note that I can't be held responsible for any inaccuracies that I wasn't aware of at this point, and that I've only actually seen about five or six episodes (not including the comics or what I've read on the Internet). What I'm trying to say is if I've screwed up, don't be too disgusted (but e-mail me and tell me so I don't embarrass myself too much!).
E-mail: Compliment me, criticize me, yell at me, insult me...heck, I don't care. The place to send it all is cyberslayerfox@yahoo.com. If that doesn't work properly (it ain't my fault) try fox_lee@hotmail.com.
Gimmicky promo stuff (!!!!!): Keep an eye out for my second Buffy the Vampire Slayer fanfic, There Can Be Only One, in which a summer adventure camp and a mysterious girl tied to Angel's past cause some serious trouble for the Slayer and her friends. Also, a decidedly out-of-the-ordinary school dance in A Night To Remember. Coming soon from Cyberslayer (hey, that's me!).
Oh, by the way: If you've got this story on your page and would like a decent-looking html version with groovy graphics, decent fonts, formatting etc. (I REALLY hate .txt files), please contact me.
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Part Six
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"Hold on, she's coming out of it," Willow said, taking Buffy's hand as she noticed the Slayer opening her eyes. "You okay, Buff?"
"I've...felt better..." Buffy muttered, moving her other hand to her head.
"Understandably so," Giles commented.
"Who - "
"Xander," Willow replied, anticipating her question. "I guess his 'Angel-paranoia' comes in handy sometimes. Just after you left, so did he. Said he thought that creature might attack again."
"Of course, it was quite obvious that he simply didn't trust Angel," Giles added. "I don't think he'll ever really get past it."
"Not after this, anyway," Buffy groaned as she sat up. "How is he?"
"Xander? Don't think I've ever seen him happier."
"I meant Angel."
"Oh. Well...uh..."
"Buffy, I don't really think you should see him at the moment," Giles interceded.
"I've got a right to!"
"Yes, of course, but it just might be better for all concerned if - "
"Giles."
"All right. Fine."
"Don't say he didn't warn you," Willow advised, helping her up.
In grim silence, they directed Buffy over to the weapons locker, the corner of the library that was blocked off by barred screens and used for storing various implements of destruction. It had been employed more than once as a holding pen for demons, vampires or the like. Now, the weapons had been evacuated, and in their place was a small, makeshift bed, which Angel lay on, quite still, staring at the ceiling. She could see that he had been tied down. A large padlock was on the door, and Xander stood guard with a dutiful expression.
"He's conscious again," Xander reported as they approached.
"It's about time," Cordelia commented. "You must've hit him pretty hard."
"Hey, I saved Buffy's life," Xander protested. "Who cares whether I hit him hard or not?!"
"Nobody's questioning your actions, Xander," Giles quickly cut in, glaring at Cordelia.
"Except the part where you came back gloating," Willow muttered under her breath.
"Let me in," something lumped in Buffy's throat as she gave the order.
"Uh...do you think that's really smart, Buff?"
"Just do it, Xander."
"You're the Slayer." Shrugging, Xander took out the key and unlocked Angel's prison.
Buffy felt tears threaten as she entered. Flushing, she turned away from the others. "Hey. A little privacy, you guys?"
"Yes, of course," Giles ushered the others away.
"But - " Xander began.
"She's a big girl now," Willow silenced him. "She can take care of herself."
"Yeah," he grunted, "like she did before."
Ignoring their comments, Buffy moved to Angel's bedside, wondering if he would still react as he had to her. As it was, he didn't move at all, just continued to fix his gaze upward.
"Angel?"
"Don't come near me, Buffy. " He firmly closed his eyes. "You know what I did."
"You weren't yourself then! Angel, I - Angel, look at me, please."
"Don't ask me to, Buffy," he shook his head, slowly. "I want to, but I can't. You can't let me. Make sure I can't, Buffy."
"I won't. It's okay. You're going to be all right, Angel." After a moment of thought, she reached up and pulled away the hastily applied strip of bandage around her head, and tied it over his eyes, making an effective blindfold.
"There's blood on this," Angel observed. "Is it yours?"
"Angel - "
"Is it yours?!"
"Yes."
"Did I do it?"
"Yes."
He swore, then turned his face toward her.
"That's why I can't look at you..." he said. "...I already know what I'll see..."
"What?" she asked. "What will you see? You have to tell me, Angel."
"I can't..." he began to struggle against his bonds. Buffy bit her lip, another tear falling, and wondered if it was his intent, or someone else's. "I can't say...it's too...too...it hurts...too much..."
"Shhh," she soothed, placing a hand on his chest. "Relax. It's okay."
"No...you said...I have to tell you..." he breathed heavily, forcing out the words.
"Not if it hurts you." Her voice was choked with emotion. "Nothing matters more than you."
"I can see her...hurting you..." he continued, ignoring her, "...not killing you...but I can hear you screaming...and I can't reach her...I can't reach you..."
"Angel - "
His fingers were beginning to turn white, the muscles along his arms taught and trembling with the strain of...of what? Was he trying to break free, or trying to stop himself from doing so?
"You scream my name..." his voice stepped up in volume and intensity as he spoke, and by the end of his sentence, he was shouting. "You scream it over and over again...and the others are all dead...and I can't save you...but I can hear you, over and over...I have to kill her, Buffy! I have to! Let me go! I have to kill her!"
"Angel!" the tears were a torrent, and her own voice practically a scream, as she gripped his shoulders with both hands, trying to hold him still. "Stop it! Just stop it, Angel! I'm here! I'm okay! She can't hurt me!"
"But I can see her," he choked out weakly, his struggles slowly coming to a halt.
"Listen to me, Angel. Nobody's hurting me. Something's wrong with you. Once I find out what it is, you'll be back to normal, and - "
"I hit you, didn't I?" Angel asked, suddenly calm again. "We fought. I almost killed you."
She didn't answer. She couldn't bring herself to.
"Buffy, if I try to hurt you again, do whatever you need to. Kill me, if that's what it takes."
"No..."
"I love you." He seemed suddenly exhausted as, deprived of his sight, he found her face with his hands and kissed her. "Nothing matters more than you."
She gently moved her hand along the lines of his face, barely touching him, and kissed him back, wondering if he noticed her tears on his forehead as she did so.
"Remember," he repeated weakly as she rose to leave. "Do whatever you have to."
"I love you," she whispered through tears, but she was somehow sure he couldn't hear her.
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