After grabbing a bite to eat, Buffy and Kyle drove silently back to
the hotel. Each lost in their own thoughts.
Buffy and Kyle went to bed quietly, when she was sure he was asleep she got
dressed and snuck out. She would take care of this problem, Angel obviously
didn't want to work with her anymore, that was fine. She went to Willow's
and knocked on the door. A sleepy Willow answered "Buffy?"
"I just wanted you to know what's going on Willow. I'm going to the caves
and take care of these vamps. Angel is acting weird, I know something is
wrong, and he won't tell me, so I'm going alone. Don't look at me like
that. If something happens, tell Kyle I love him with all my heart." She
turned and got into the car leaving Willow standing on the doorstep.
Buffy had not been gone ten minutes when Angel showed up at the door.
"Willow, I'm going to go to the caves tonight and take care of these vamps.
I think Buffy's sick, she kept holding her stomach all night. And she
wouldn't tell me what's wrong. If something happens to me tonight, tell her
I love her and to be happy."
Willow had to smile when Angel mentioned the tummy holding instinct to protect had kicked in > She then turned serious "Angel you just
missed Buffy she's taken off for the caves, and Angel, I shouldn't tell you
this, but Buffy's pregnant. You need to help her!"
"Pregnant?" He barely got out the word before he was gone.
Buffy walked the last couple of hundred yards to the cave. She was crouched
outside listening to the vampires inside making plans. She heard someone
approaching from the path. She held in a sigh when she saw it was Angel.
"What are you doing here?" She asked him angrily.
"I could ask you the same thing" He answered just as angry. "Got a plan?"
"We charge in, there are three of them, I'll take two, you take one."
"Why just one for me?"
"Because I'm younger and faster." She hissed.
"Buffy, go back now. Willow told me."
"She what? I'm gonna kill her."
"You don't need to be doing this." He said tenderness in his voice.
"Sorry, it's still my job" She told him as she got ready to enter the cave.
Angel followed her in, Buffy startled the first one staking him easily.
She turned around to find the second one coming at her with a sword, Angel
watched from the corner as he battled the third, finally staking him. As
the dust coated his jacket, ht turned to Buffy she had tripped and fallen
back against the wall. The vamp aimed the sword directly at her abdomen and
went forward to plunge in, Angel ran in front of the sword in the nick of
time. He fell to the ground, the sword in his chest. Buffy looked
griefstricken for a moment, then regaining her balance used a broken shovel
handle to dispose of the vamp. As the dust settled she knelt beside Angel.
* * *
"I can't believe she did this." Kyle repeated for the third time as
he.Willow and Giles drove to the caves.
"Believe it." Giles told him exasperatedly. "This is just like Buffy."
Willow just looked ahead afraid of what lie there.
They entered the cave to find Buffy kneeling beside Angel a sword in his
chest. Willow quickly went to them. Giles and Kyle hung back. Willow
removed the sword. "It's time, Willow. This and the poison, it's time."
Angel whispered. Willow silently shook her head yes, a tear running down
her cheek. She looked at Buffy.
"What poison?" Buffy asked tears forming in her eyes now.
"Angel was poisnoned a few weeks ago, a slow poison with no cure. The sword
wound hasn' t helped. I'm so sorry, Buffy." Willow explained in a broken
voice.
"No, no, he's gonna be okay. DO SOMETHING, WILLOW!" Buffy cried out,
cradling Angels head in her lap.
"I can't this time, Buffy" Willow said sadly and she walked back to Kyle
and Giles. Kyle was watching his wife intently as she cried and stroked
Angels face tenderly.
Willow spoke to him, "Kyle she loves you, but she needs to say goodbye to
him. Please understand.
"Actually, I do. I know she needs to say goodbye. And I think he deserves
to die in the arms of the woman he has always loved. He loved her enough to
give her up. I'll give him this last gesture." Kyle said without wavering
his eyes from Buffy.
"You are a good man, Kyle." Giles said and placed his hand on Kyle's
shoulder.
Angel looked at Buffy through painfilled eyes. She was smoothing his hair
off of his forehead and whispering soothing words to him. "Buffy, I love
you. And I am so sorry for any sadness I ever caused you."
"Shh...you don't ever have to apologize. I' m sorry, sorry that we couldn't
be together. I love you Angel" She said softly tears flowing freely.
"I can hear it, Buffy." He said with a smile.
"Hear what, Angel?"
"The baby, your baby has a strong heartbeat. You are going to be a great
mom." He told her smiling softly.
Kyle looked up startled "Baby?" He looked at Willow. She shook her head to
confirm it.
"Angel, you need to be quiet now. Save your stength," Buffy told him as she
placed a light kiss on his lips.
"I love you." He said in an almost whisper and then in an instant he was
gone. A fine ash covered Buffy and the floor, she lay her head down and
sobbed heavily. Kyle was at her side in an istant. She had not registered
that he was there. She looked into his sympathetic face and put her arms
around his neck pulling him into a tight hug. He just held here silently
for what seem like hours. Giles found an empty urn in the cave to put
Angels ashes in.
"We need to go now, Buffy." Willow said as she placed a hand on Buffy's
back. Kyle stood up with her, he picked her up gently in his arms and
started to carry her to the car. She looked up at him and suddenly smiled.
It was Kyle, Kyle who had a beautiful reflection, Kyle who could run in the
sunlight with her and their child. Kyle who loved her, despite everything.
"We're going to have a baby." She said softly leaning in closer to his
chest as he carried her tightly. She was where she was supposed to be -
with the man that she loved, the father of her child. Angel was gone, maybe
he was at peace now.
"I heard" he said with a smile. Looking down at her, he knew it would all
be okay.
Giles and Willow drove Kyle and a sleeping Buffyto the motel. On they way
over, Giles told Kyle he was taking a trip to England in a few weeks, he
would take Angel's ashes back to Galway while he was there. They said their
goodbyes and Kyle lifted Buffy out of the car. He carried her in and gently
lie her on the bed. He started to take off her boots and she stirred and
opened her eyes. He took off the other boot and lay beside her. Putting his
arm around her she lay her head on his chest. "I'm sorry about Angel,
Buffy. I know you cared for him...you loved him."
"Yes, I did love him. But I love you." She said as she yawned. "I'm going
to miss him so much, but he told me to be happy. And I intend to do just
that. We are going to have a baby, Kyle. A baby! And when you carried me
out of that cave, it dawned on me that you are my life now. I'll never
forget Angel, but it's time to go on"
He kissed the top of her head, "I'm all for that. I'm sorry that your first
trip home in three years turned out so badly."
She cuddled next to him, knowing there was no place she would rather be and
then she spoke. "Kyle, this isn't home anymore, home is where you and I and
our baby are going to live." Buffy was thoughful for a moment and then
added "And Giles is taking Angel home, too, right?"
He nodded "Yes, Angel's going home too. Get some rest, Sweetheart, because
tomorrow we are going back home. I love you."
"I love you, too. It will be good to get home." Buffy said sleepily as he
pulled her even closer.
The end
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