I had no idea what I was going to say to the gang in Sunnydale. I didn't want to talk with all of them so I ended up telling Giles everything that had happened. He was completely devastated by the news that I brought to him. But I could also sense that he understood it all. He didn't tell me how he did, but I just felt as if he did. When a few minutes had past and we both collected our thoughts, I told Giles that there was no point in me staying here. I told him that I was going back to LA. When he didn't put up a fight or tell me that I should stay, I knew he thought it'd be best.
So, I walked out of Giles' flat for the last time, before I left he gave me a hug. I knew that Giles was a good man, but after this, I realized he was a great man. He was my friend. I cherished that, because at that time I didn't have to many of them. Then I walked out on that life in Sunnydale and started this one in LA.
It's been two years since I left Sunnydale. So much has happened in these past two years. Having friends like, Wesley, Cordelia, Gunn, Lorne, and Fred, has really made me think less and less about my time in Sunnydale. But, not a day goes by where I don't think about Buffy and what she said to me, "We will be together again!"
"I know," Angel began. "I know that this is a little confusing to you. You're asking yourself, Why is he telling all of this to me now? The reason why, it probably has something to do with the fact that, an apocalypse might happen. I've thought a lot about my life lately, simply because the world might come to an end, I still don't understand it all, but I know I will someday."
Angel paused looked up at the sky and saw the Rain of Fire falling from the sky. He smiled looked down and began again, "Connor, I know that Darla isn't your mother. I don't know how or why! I just know! Since the world might come to an end, and you haven't had anything consistent in your life or anything to cherish. I want to give you something to hold on to. I wanted to tell you that Darla isn't your mother."
Connor stood up and frantically paced around the inside of the Hyperion. He was in complete shock. He then angrily yelled out, "How could this be true? I was born from the womb of Darla. How is this something that I can hold onto."
"I know it's hard to believe son," Angel said as he walked back inside the Hyperion, where Connor had commenced to. "I don't have all the answers, but two vampires having a child is impossible. I do know that. The Powers That Be, had to of done something."
Connor sat down on the floor with his back up against the circle lounge couch in the center of the Hyperion. Angel could sense that Connor was tired of being surprised by all the new revelations about his life. Angel walked over to his son, and sat down next to him, and said, "Son, one day, we'll all this will make sense, and you'll understand your place in this world, I promise."
Connor looked at Angel and then dropped his head. Angel pulled him close and embraced him. Conner looked up at Angel and asked, "then who is my mother."
Before Angel could respond, there was a knock at the front door. Cordelia walked out of the office where her and Wesley had been working, well, working on listening to Angel and Conner's conversation. She opened the front door of the Hyperion and shockingly mumbled, "Giles!"
Angel jumped up and awaited Giles to enter. "It's a pleasure to see you again Cordelia! May I come in?"
Cordelia smiled and let Giles in. She hugged him, much to Giles' shock. But he smiled nonetheless and thanked her. She helped with his coat and scarf and then proceeded slowly back to the office where Wesley and her could begin their work of listening again.
Giles looked around the Hyperion and then to Angel, who was anxiously awaiting the explanation of why he had come.
"Hello Angel," Giles nervously began as he continued to gaze at the inside of the hotel.
"Hi," Angel replied, he wanted to ask, right away why he had come here, but he didn't want to be rude.
"This place is remarkable Angel," Giles began as he continued to peer around the lobby and then to the weapons closet. "Remarkable indeed. I know you're probably wondering why I'm here, since we haven't spoken in two years. This sudden visit probably makes your mind wander a bit. You see Angel, I've been in England for the last two years."
Angel's face scrunched up in confusion. Noticing this Giles continued, "Since, um, right! Since, my services as a watcher were no longer needed, I felt the best place for me would be back in England. There I could tend to some of the relationships I had lost while being Buffy's watcher. I found that to be a little more difficult than I imagined. But, that's not why I'm here Angel. The reason why I've returned to America is," Giles didn't know how to say it so he pulled something from his pants pocket.
"You see this Angel," Giles said as he displayed the object, then tossed it to Angel. Angel looked it over and said, "Her Ring. I'd forgotten!"
"You threw that to me the night Buffy died, "Giles began. "It made me believe that everything was going to alright. I hung on to that belief all this time. And now, I think you'll need this more than I."
"What does that mean," Connor eagerly inquired as he jumped to his feet and stared Giles down.
Giles looked at the young man that stood before him and commented, "So this is your son! This is Connor!"
Again, Angel was shocked with Giles' knowledge. "How did you know Giles?"
Giles diverted his attention from Conner back to Angel and said, "I'm more than just a watcher Angel! But that's a story for another day. Right now, I think I'd better address your son's question."
Giles looked back at Conner and began, "Brilliant! Conner, I'm giving this ring back to your father because, he's going to return it to it's rightful owner."
Angel fell back, luckily the lounge couch was there to catch him. Connor didn't quite understand what Giles meant. Angel hadn't told him about the significance of that ring. So he yelled out, "What, who's the rightful owner?"
Giles smiled and said, "Buffy! This ring belongs to Buffy. She's back. She's alive in Sunnydale."
Something dropped in Wesley's office. The group looked directly at Cordelia. She smiled and said, "Oops! Sorry about that. Wesley just told me something and it..., oh forget it! Buffy's really alive!"
"Yes," Giles responded. "Willow called me and told me she brought Buffy back. So I got here as quickly as I could. I thought I'd come here and tell you, because I knew Willow wouldn't. I don't think they still know what to say to you. Anyway! I want to know if you want to come back to Sunnydale with me to see her."
Angel collected his thoughts and then responded, "I want nothing more than to see her right now. But, I don't think the time is right! You go back and help her adjust to being back. When the time is right, we'll meet."
Giles was taken back by Angel's reluctance to come back to Sunnydale and see Buffy. But he understood. The same way Giles always understands. Giles was about to leave when So, Giles left and headed back to Sunnydale without Angel.
Angel looked at the entire gang who'd gathered in the lobby of the Hyperion. They didn't know what to say to him. Finally Angel broke the silence, "I'm doing the right thing. I'll be in the basement if anyone needs me."
A couple of weeks passed, and nothing on the apocalypse front. One day the phone rang at Buffy's house and Giles answered. He then told Buffy that the phone was for her. She walked over to the phone and talked with the person on the other end of the phone. It was a brief call. She hung up the phone and walked out.
"Who was that Buffy," Dawn asked.
"Angel," Buffy responded. "He wants to meet."
"Great," Giles began. "We'll get you on a plane first thing tomorrow morning."
"No," Buffy replied. "I have to go now. We have a place where we meet. I just have to go now. I can't explain it."
Buffy quickly walked out of her house and headed for the meeting place. Angel did the same.
They both arrived at the same time, at a unknown cemetery. Angel looked Buffy all over, because he couldn't believe she was actually standing in front of him. He didn't know how to begin. He didn't need to. Buffy's tears made him say, "I never lost faith that you'd return Buffy."
Buffy smiled as the tears strolled down her cheeks and said, "If I had a choice in the matter Angel, I wouldn't have come back."
Alarmed by Buffy's comments, Angel asks, "What does that mean Buffy?"
"I was in heaven Angel," Buffy responded. "If it was possible to stay in heaven, I would've. But, since I've been back I've had a lo of time to think about things Angel. I realized that I didn't belong in heaven. I belong here, fighting, and being with you. I'll see heaven again, but there's so much still to do here."
Buffy saw that angel was ridden with confusion so she began to explain, "Angel, we've been chosen by he Powers to protect those who can't protect themselves. It's been so difficult, because so many predicaments have been thrown at us and swayed us off course. The hardest thing that I've done since being the slayer was killing you. I almost gave up after that. But then, you were given back to me."
Angel quickly interrupted before Buffy could continue on, "The hardest thing I've ever had to see was watching you almost bleed to death, and I couldn't do anything about it. Then you jumped. I felt so helpless Buffy, I almost gave up."
"But you didn't," Buffy emotionally began. "I know you didn't. I watched you go back to La and start your new life. I saw your bravery when you saved Fred, I saw your compassion when you allowed Gunn to join your group, and I saw your pain when Wesley betrayed you. Don't you see Angel. The reason you could go back to your life was, you knew deep down I'd return. We always do. We are meant to be together. To fight and to love."
Buffy and Angel continued to look into each others eyes. Buffy smiled and began again,
"Do you remember this, 'She'll choose him over you. And you'll fall into the arms of another.' Remember that Angel?"
"Yes," Angel responded and continued. "But, I thought Gideon made the demon say that?"
"No, Angel," Buffy replied, while taking Angel's hand in hers. "Before I jumped, the Powers showed me what that truly meant. They made the demon say that. Gideon didn't know anything about that."
"Why, what does it mean Buffy, I don't understand," Angel anxiously asked. "Why would they tell me, if the message was meant just for you?"
"Angel," Buffy said with ease. "The message was man for the both of us. Angel, after graduation, you started your life in LA. Remember I came to visit you a few times. But there was one time in particular Angel that only you had the pleasure of ever remembering."
Instantly Angel knew what Buffy was talking about. Angel tried to explain but Buffy didn't allow it.
"Don't worry, Angel," Buffy calmly responded. "I don't blame you. It's just the way it was planned to be. The Powers knew you couldn't live as a human again. But they knew you'd hurt so much they gave you a moment of true happiness without repercussion. But there was one repercussion that they didn't see coming."
"Repercussion," Angel anxiously and confusingly asked!? "No! Way back then. It's impossible. But you never showed Buffy."
"I know," Buffy began explaining again. "It was all a part of their plan Angel. The powers allowed me to get pregnant. Conner is special, he's the son of a vampire and a slayer. He's destined to do great things. Anyway, the Powers didn't count on was Gideon moving so soon. They knew that he was planning to come after me, but not at the time he did. They knew I was going to die to save the world, so the Powers had to think of something and they did."
"Which was what Buffy," Angel eagerly asked?
Buffy looked at Angel and said again, "She'll choose him over you, and you'll fall into the arms of another."
"Buffy, I..." Angel tried to ask?
"Angel," Buffy began. "I chose Conner over you. And you fell into the arms of Darla."
Angel released Buffy's hand and turned his back to her. Then said, "I knew that it was impossible for Darla to get pregnant with my child. Two vampires and all. But, I just didn't know. I can't believe it, We really are meant to be together."
Angel turned back, looked at Buffy, and saw her beautiful smile. He grabbed her hand, then pulled the ring, which Giles gave back to him, from his pocket. He then said, "Buffy, with all of my soul, I want to be with you. But that true happiness would lead to you having to kill me again. I just think it's about time that we stop having to do that."
Tears began to well up in Buffy's eyes as she let out a few laughs.
Angel smiled and continued on, "I want you to have this ring back Buffy. It's my heart, and you are the only one who'll ever have it. Man, this is so hard."
"I know it is Angel," Buffy said as the tears continued flowing. "But, it has to be this way."
Angel pulled Buffy close and embraced her with all the love he had and said, "one day we'll find a way to be a family. I know we will."
"So until that time," Buffy began explaining with tears continuing to flow. "We can't tell Conner that I'm his mother. It'll only make things harder for him, and for us."
The sun was about to come up and Angel needed to get back to LA, and Buffy to Sunnydale. They agreed not to tell anyone about what they talked about here, it would be to emotional to do so. They also wouldn't tell anyone else about Conner, not until the time was absolutley perfect. When they could be together forever.
Before they parted ways, Angel kissed Buffy on the lips and then said, "I can't promise you that I won't look in on you from time to time. It's just something that I have to do. It'll make being without you, a little easier to bear."
Buffy wiped the tears from her eyes, responded as she placed the ring on her finger, and slowly began walking away, "I wouldn't have it any other way. You are A Slayers Angel."
