Part Seventeen

The next morning...

Buffy told everyone to come down at Giles' house. After spending another night with Angelus, she told him that she didn't want to lie to them again. If they found out on their own then they would never forgive her. So she told Angelus that she wanted to tell them the truth about them. He was surprised to hear what she said, but he didn't protest. Buffy told Angelus that maybe if she told Giles and rest of the gang that he would not hurt them or anyone again, they would let her see him. Maybe they would understand her better once she told them that she loved Angelus and she wanted to be with him.

"So, Buffy, why did you ask us to meet here?" Xander asked.

Buffy stopped pacing in the room and turned her face to where they were sitting. "Okay, I have to tell you guys something and it's important. I know I should've told you this before, but I was scared," she said nervously.

"It's okay Buffy, just tell us what's going on", Willow encouraged her.

"Okay, you asked me to break the deal with Angelus and not ever speak to him or see him. But he was waiting for me in my bedroom after I came from patrolling with Giles, a while ago" Buffy told them and watched the reactions on their faces.

"What? How did that happen? The spell..." Giles angrily said.

"I know, I had the same reaction. I had no idea how he did that" Buffy answered them quietly.

"So, then what happened Buffy? You told him to get lost and told him that you didn't want anything to do with him right? Or you kicked his ass, right Buffy?" Xander asked her in serious tone.

They were all looking at Buffy, waiting for her to answer Xander's question or at least say yes if not explain. But her silence told them that 's not the way it happened. They were already having ideas about what happened.

"No, that didn't happen. I told him to leave me alone, that I made promise to you. I begged him to let it go, but he... he didn't. I wanted him to go, I did and I tried so hard... so hard to fight..." she couldn't finish her sentence. She knew they were angry with her and she felt she had betrayed them again.

"But you didn't try hard enough and you slept with him AGAIN didn't you Buffy?" Xander said it with anger.

"Yes", she answered quietly. "But you have to understand why?" she told them; she was on the verge of breaking into tears.

"How could you Buffy? I mean after all he did. He killed those people when you broke the deal and yet you let him touch you again" Riley said with rage making his voice hoarse.

"It wasn't like that. He only did it because he was angry with me for breaking the deal with him. He would never hurt anyone from now on" she answered, trying to defend him.

"So what? We are supposed to forget what he did to us. Maybe you can do that Buffy, but we can't. You know I'm beginning to wonder if you are under some sort of spell or if you haven't lost your mind Buffy because you certainly aren't the Buffy that we used to know. He must have done something or we wouldn't be having this conversation with you", Giles said.

"Why won't you just understand? I need to be with him, I want him. I love him", Buffy yelled at them.

"No, you think you love him Buffy. Don't you see he has turned you against us? He doesn't care for you. He is just using you to get what he wants and you are letting him win Buffy. You are just trying to replace Angel because he isn't here with you and the only way you could have him again is by being with him" Xander said.

Buffy couldn't believe what she was hearing. He was right. Angelus was right about her friends about not understanding her. They didn't even realize that she needed to be with him. "No, you guys are wrong. I love him and it's not an allusion and he does care about me," Buffy said it with tears.

"Okay this has gone too far Buffy. You are the slayer and it is your duty to kill him. He is evil and he is a demon. He doesn't have feelings for anyone just like the rest of them. He is just obsessed with you. We need to put a stop to this madness of you loving him" Giles told her.

"You know I thought you guys would be able to understand me. I thought you could see what I want and need in my life. But you don't obviously. I just need some time to be alone and think this through, so if you don't mind, I am leaving," she said to them and turned to the door and left.

"Buffy." Willow called out and tried to stop her from going but Giles stopped Willow, "Let her go. May be some sense would come to her if she thought this through".

They were all sitting at Giles' house and thinking of ways of making Buffy understand of whom Angelus truly was and what was he capable of.

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