Chapter 2
//“Be back before Dawn.”
“’Cuz it’s always about blood.”
“It has to have the blood.”
“Buffy, no!”
“Dawnie, I have to.”
“The hardest thing in this world is to live in it. Be brave. Live. For me.”
“If you get killed, I’m telling.”//
“Joyce?” Connor asked. “What is it? What do you see?”
“Call Dawn.” she replied.
“Who’s Dawn?” Cordelia replied innocently.
“Don’t play coy, Cordelia.” Buffy scoffed. “You know exactly who Dawn is, just like I know who you are. Just not familiar with who I am. Connor, get Dawn on that phone, okay?!”
“Okay. Fine. You want to know who you are, Joyce?” Cordelia chuckled. “You’re Buffy Summers, a vampire Slayer. You were in love with a vampire named Angelus, otherwise known as Angel. Killed him, too. Doomed romance, too bad. You live on a Hellmouth, and used to sleep with Spike here all the time. Then one day, a big apocalypse came, you died saving the world like you always do, and everything’s back to normal. The question is, is that why after five years are you here? I mean, we all watched you burn to death. So, did you come back to stir things up?”
“Dawn, it’s Connor. Can you get here soon?” Connor snapped into the phone. “There’s something here that you should really take a look at.”
“Cordelia, shut up.” Angel growled.
“Why?” the brunette yelled back. “I’m just telling her the truth. She wants to know who she is, remember? So not my fault if she can’t handle it.”
//“I want my life to be with you.”
“I don’t.”
“I’m not gonna say goodbye.”
“I can stay in town as long as you want me.”
“It’s gonna be light soon.”
“He is in my heart.”
“That’ll end well.”
“I love you.”
“No, you don’t. But thanks for saying it.”
“You’re not friends. You’ll never be friends. You’ll be in love ‘til it kills you both.”
“Tell me that you don’t love me.”//
“Cordelia, she doesn’t remember any of this, don’t you get it?!” Spike yelled at her. “Throwing your jealousy back in her face doesn’t help at all.”
//“I felt your heartbeat.”
“I’ll never forget.”
“I guess that’s all there really is to say.”
“Yeah, that’s it.”
“Angel’s leaving me.”
“It was like old times.”
“Yeah. Especially with Angel being here and everything.”
“I gotta walk away from this.”
“Come on. Kick my ass.”
“He gets to see you in the sunlight.”
“I don’t look that great in direct light.”
“When I kiss you, you don’t wake up from a deep sleep and live happily ever after.”
“When you kiss me, I want to die.”
“You just want to have coffee or something.”
“You’re sweet. A terrible liar, but sweet.”
“What’s up with your hair?”
“He’s a vampire.”
“Like a carebear with fangs?”
“When it comes to dating, I am the Slayer.”
“I am Kendra, the vampire Slayer.”
“Two Slayers. No waiting.”
“When a vampire combusts, it leaves ashes.”
“I know the drill.”
“Then I did not kill him.”
“And I don’t need to kill you.”//
“I can’t believe you’re taking his side!” Cordelia growled. “It’s always about her, isn’t it?!”
“Cordelia, you’re overreacting a bit, don’t you think?” Angel asked.
//“I love you. I try not to but I can’t stop.”
“This can’t be you.”
“You have to know what to see.”
“I was sent here to watch you.”
“You can’t do it. You can’t kill me.”
“Give me time.”
“This is the wrapping for the gift.”
“You can’t leave me. I can’t do this alone.”
“Angel is gone. Nothing’s ever gonna bring him back.”
“Love is forever.”
“What happened to Angel wasn’t his fault.”
“Let’s finish this. You and me.”
“In the end, you’re always by yourself. You’re all you’ve got. That’s the point.”
“It’s all on the line here, kid.”
“I got nothing left to lose.”
“Hello, lover.”
“Do you really think you can take us all on?”
“No, I don’t.”
“Close your eyes.”
“Buffy…”//
“I’m not overreacting. You always take her side, over mine. Even when she was 6 feet under, she was still more important to you than me.” Cordelia fumed. “God, why couldn’t she just stay away, where she belonged, for once?!”
//“We know Angel is alive.”
“I’m Faith.”
“Check out the lust bunnies.”
“Don’t worry, big guy. Just keeping her warm for you.”
“You still my girl?”
“Always.”//
“Buffy?” Spike rushed to her side, noticing she was jerking back and forth. “Are you okay?”
“Get me out of here, Spike.” Buffy told him. “Take me to Sunnydale. I need to know what happened, what I did.”
“You remember?” Spike asked.
“All of it, yes.” Buffy nodded.
“Why do you need to go there?” Connor interrupted.
“Cuz that’s where it all started.” Buffy explained to the twenty something year old. “That’s where it ends.”
“What?” Connor asked, now intrigued.
“Hell.” Buffy stared directly at Angel.
“Be back before Dawn.” Cordelia mumbled, trying not to hide her smirk.
“I won’t be.” Buffy shook her head. “It’ll be here soon.”
“Okay, cryptic much?” Cordelia sighed. “Figures. You are the Slayer.”
“Just one of many.” Buffy reminded her. “Connor. Call Dawn back. Tell her to meet me at the site.”
“On it.” Connor picked up the phone. “Dawn, it’s me again…”
“What do you want us to do?” Cordelia asked sweetly.
“What you do best, Cor. Watch from afar.” Buffy replied. “And watch me save the world for the zillionth time.”
Buffy grabbed her jacket and she and Spike leave. Before he exits the hotel, he turns to Angel.
“Get your priorities together, mate.” he suggested. “The kid reeks of your scent. Yours and Buffy’s both. Not Darla’s. That kid over there…he’s hers.”
“Does she know?” Angel whispered.
“No.” Spike shook his head. “Won’t until you tell her, either.”
“I’m not going to.” Angel admitted. “It’d only end up hurting her even more.”
“What’s hurting her is Cordelia Chase.” Spike looked at the brunette for a brief glance. “If Cordelia doesn’t curb her rising jealously and fast, Buffy is going to run off. This time, for good.”
“Wouldn’t be the first time.” Cordelia muttered to herself.
“It’s killing her, Angel.” Spike explained when he turned back to the other male. “She’s not the same Buffy. So, either shut Miss Jealousy up over here, or Buffy is gone.”
Spike grabs his jacket and keys. He takes one last look at the evil bitch that is named Cordelia Chase, and walks out to the door where Buffy is waiting.
*Why the Hell did I have to love someone who I dispise?* he thought to himself before turning to Buffy. *This is really going to come back at bite me in the ass.*