Eternal - A Buffy And Angel Story

8

It was nearing Christmas. Angel sat from his apartment window at night in deep thought.

"Hey, baby, don't brood. Come back to bed" Buffy yawned, half asleep.

Angel chuckled, and jumped into bed, snuggling closely. He purred softly.

"You're purring..." Buffy murmered.

"'Cause I'm happy" Angel grinned.

"I love that sound" Buffy kissed his forehead.

He purred louder, like an overgrown happy cat.

"Mmm... Love that noise" She kissed his forehead.

"Vamps are like cats, y'know?" Angel purred.

"So they lick themselves?" Buffy laughed.

"No!" Angel chuckled "They purr when they're content, happy and hiss when they're angry. And- Oh! Oh, God, no!"

Angel's voice rose in panic.

"Angel?" Buffy asked worriedly "You okay?"

Angel went into game face as he backed up against the wall.

"No... I didn't do it... I'm sorry!" He cried.

"Angel?!?" Buffy looked up and finally saw what he was seeing.

It was Jenny. Angel whimpered softly and shut his eyes.

"You can't be real!" Angel repeated in a sort of mantra.

"You killed many, Angelus..." Jenny said.

"It wasn't him!!!!" Buffy yelled.

"SHUT UP!! Do you remember Hell, Angelus?" Jenny whispered.

With a muffled sob, he buried his head in Buffy's neck. Buffy rocked him.

"You're a killer..."  She then turned into Marieanna, a victim of Angelus'.

"You waited until I was screamin', bleedin' before y'thought I had enough.   Then y'drank me dry"  Marieanna hissed.

Then, the most painful of all, she turned into his sister, Kathy.

"Liam....?"  She sang.

Angel rose his head, unable to resist looking at his beautiful sister.  She looked so innocent, so pure.  But this wasn't her.  Whatever that was left of Liam knew that.

"I thought you were an Angel, Liam... Why did you hurt me?"

Then, at that moment, something amazing happened.   A bright light appeared in the room, dimming until Angel could see the real Kathy.

"Leave my brother alone, you monster!"  she hissed.

Three other figures appeared.  Angel's parents and Jenny.  They grabbed the false Kathy and it screamed.  Finally, it exploded into light.  The figures turned towards Buffy and Angel.

"Father?  Mother?  I'm sorry..."  Angel cried "I'm sorry to all of you!"

Angel's Father rested a gentle hand on his shoulder.  Angel bowed his head, expecting to be struck.              Instead, his Father tilted his head up.

"Listen, Lad.  In life, I should've been nicer to you.  You couldn't have helped going down the road you went.  Now you are doing much more good than I thought you were capable of.  I'm proud of you, son"  he told Angel.

Kathy put her hand on her brother's wrist.

"I forgive you, Liam.  You'll always be my brother"  she told him.

His mother met his eyes and said "My dear, dear boy.  I will always love you, no matter what, son"

She leant forward and kissed his forehead.

Jenny gently caressed his cheek and whispered "I forgive you, Angel.   What Angelus did, you should not be blamed for it"

Angel nodded, the tears streaming down his face.  Then, they were gone.   Sobbing, Angel returned to the comfort of Buffy's arms.

As he cried, Buffy whispered "I know, I know.... Shhh"

Eventually, he fell asleep, his arms around Buffy's waist, head in her lap.  Buffy just whispered comforting words and stroke his hair.

"I love you"  she whispered.