Chapter 4: Graduating

Buffy was having hard time breathing. She couldn't believe she was again without a home. All the bad memories rushed back into her mind and she toppled over to the ground clutching her stomach. Her mother had once again given the ultimatum and she knew that she couldn't live without Angel. After a while she got up and kept walking until she reached the mansion. Everything was one big blur. She knocked on the door and a beat later stepped in knowing that Angel couldn't just come and open it since it was still daylight.

“Angel”, she hollered and soon he appeared from the other room, pulling a white t-shirt on. “Buffy? What are you doing here?” he asked with a soft voice and that was what broke her. Dropping her bags to the floor, she rushed to him and wrapped her arms around him, sobbing against his chest. Angel circled his arms around her and soothingly stoked her back, trying to get her to calm down. She was clearly upset, but he didn't know what about.

“It's okay, love. Just calm down and tell me what happened.” He led them to the couch and sat down, pulling her into his lap. She curled against him, finding sanctuary in his strong arms.

“My mom threw me out. Well not exactly, she told me that if I kept seeing you, I couldn't live with her”, she said with a small voice, like a child that had been slapped. Angel immediately felt guilty, this was his fault, he had come between Buffy and her mother and caused her to lose her home.

“Don't even think about it”, Buffy said sensing the change in him and knowing what he was thinking. She lifted her face from his chest and grabbed a hold of his chin, making him look at her. “It is not your fault, Angel. I love you, you are my world. I can't imagine my life without you. So don't blame yourself”, she said with a soft, but still commanding voice.

“But it was because of me, you lost your home.”

“No, it wasn't. I had a choice and I made it.”

He pulled her closer and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. “You'll stay here till your mother calm downs.”

“Are you sure?” she asked and turned to look at him again. Her emotions were all over the place, she was sad of losing her home and at the same time excited of the possibility of living with Angel, but she wanted him to be sure he wanted her there, that she wasn't butting in.

“Positive.”

The school was coming to an end and graduation was just around the corner. The fact that the ascension was on the day of the graduation and as they found out, it was actually at the graduation. In the library the gang met and Buffy found out about Faith's latest victim from Giles. She wished she could have helped her back when she was starting to slip. If only Wesley wouldn't have abducted Faith, Angel really was getting through to her. That was yet another reason why Buffy didn't like the pretentious watcher.

It appeared that Xander's new friend Anya, the very same ex-demon that released the vampire Willow, knew about the ascension and she gave them new information which wasn't all that comforting. Also the mayor decided to drop by. Buffy's day really wasn't going all that great.

After the mayor left, Buffy turned to Giles. “Giles, I need you to get my mother out of town”, she said frantically.

“But Buffy...” he started to protest, but she shook her head, stopping him.

“No, Giles. I trust you, you need to convince her to go. We aren't in the best of terms right now, but I need her safe. Please”, she begged him and he nodded giving in.

“Very well, Buffy. I will visit your mother and tell her to go out of town before the graduation. But I'm not sure she will listen to me. Or be very happy that she will be missing your graduation.”

Buffy just gave him a grateful look, not wanting to tell him, that her mother wasn't going to come to the graduation anyway since they weren't speaking to each other and she had practically kicked her out. She had told him that she wasn't home anymore, but not about the circumstances of why not.

“Thank you, Giles”, she said with a relieved smile. She needed to see Angel. This could be one of the last days she had and she wanted them to be with him. But right now she couldn't, she had to find out why Faith had killed a harmless professor, she knew it was homework, but why would the mayor bother right before the ascension.

Buffy broke into the crime scene and looked around her, going through the papers on the table. She turned around when she heard a noise from the hallway and soon Angel appeared to the doorway, hitting his head while stepping inside.

“Ow.”

“That was stealthy”, she grinned and he sent a halfhearted glare at her way.

“Not my best entrance. I think they were mopping in the hall.”

“Right”, she smiled and turned serious. “What are you doing here and how did you know I'd be here?”

Angel stepped closer to her. “I had a hunch you'd be here since this just screams Faith. But Giles also called me, he wanted me to go along with you.”

“Why? Is he afraid I'd bump into Faith. You know, I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself”, she was a little insulted that Giles didn't trust her to go alone and at the same time she was also a little relieved that Angel was with her.

“I know that and he knows that. But we both will feel better if you're not alone”, he said while wrapping his arms around her from behind and pressed a soft kiss next to her ear.

“You really shouldn't do that, I can't stay mad at you if you do that”, she stated with a breathy voice.

“That's good. Why don't we get this stuff together, give it to Giles and make up at my place”, he whispered huskily to her ear and it sent shivers running down her spine.

“Okay, it's not like I understand much of this stuff.”

Buffy and Angel gathered the papers and anything that seemed important to a box and left. The gentleman he was, Angel insisted to carry the box, it was cute and annoying gesture at the same time.

“So how quickly do you think we can drop this stuff to Giles?” she asked turning to look at him with a seductive gleam in her eyes.

“Not quick enough.”

“You don't think he will want us to help with this stuff, do you?”

He didn't have time to answer when an arrow pierced his chest, right under his collarbone. He groaned in pain and collapsed but Buffy managed to catch him before he fell to the ground.

“Angel!” Buffy screamed and they slowly fell to the ground. “Oh God! Oh God! Angel.” She was panicking. Neither of them knew about Faith standing on the roof of the building with a vampire.

Angel was sitting on a chair in the library and Buffy was next to him, hovering over him. Giles had just cut the arrow and now it was going to come out.

“Are you okay?” Buffy whispered to him, wiping the sweat off his face with a tender touch.

“I'm fine. I will heal quick. Just pull it out.”

Buffy nodded and took a hold of the arrow. “On three”, she said and started counting after he nodded. “One...” And she pulled the arrow right out of his with a strong yank. He groaned in pain and gritted through the pain: “I knew you were going to do that.”

“Are you sure, it was Faith?” Giles asked going back to business.

“I've narrowed down our list of one suspect”, she answered, there was no question of who it was, she was just glad Faith's aim had been at miss, even if it was a little suspicious. She lifted his shirt, it was a nasty wound, and she placed the bandage over it, trying not to hurt him anymore.

“Fascinating...”, Wesley said while reading one of the report files.

“What?” Giles asked turning to him.

“It seems our Mr. Worth headed an expedition on Kawaii. Digging through old lava beds near a dormant volcano.”

“I'm not fascinated yet”, Buffy said, all she could think of was Angel, not the fact that the murder victim had been digging holes to the ground.

“He found something underneath. A carcass, buried in eruption”, Wesley continued trying to ignore Buffy.

“Carcass?”

“A very large one. Mr. Worth posits that it might be some heretofore undiscovered dinosaur.”

“A demon?”

“Well, yes, there's something the Mayor would want to keep secret. If this is the same kind of demon he's turning into and it's dead, then that means he's only impervious to harm until the Ascension. In his demon form, he can be killed”, Giles confirmed.

“Great. And all we need is a million tons of burning lava. We're saved”, Buffy said sarcastically.

“It's a start, anyway. If we can...”, Angel started and weakly stood up with Buffy's help, his legs just weren't cooperating with him. He started feeling dizzy and he almost stumbled.

“You are such a klutz today. Maybe you should”, she started to say, but stopped when he started to fall down.

“Damn”, he managed to say before he fell to the floor.

“Angel!” she screamed hurrying after him. She pulled him into her arms placing his head to her chest. She stroked his hair smoothing it back and wiping the sweat off his face.

Giles smelled the arrow and frowned. “We'll have to run some tests”, he said in thought.

Gently Buffy laid her hand to Angel's damp forehead. “You're burning up.”

“My shoulder's completely numb. It's poison, I can feel it”, he whispered.

Giles decided to call the others and Wesley promised to contact the council to find out what the poison was. But Buffy couldn't concentrate on anything but Angel, he was obviously in great pain and she felt lost, she didn't know what the poison was and how to make him feel even a little better.

“You're going to be alright”, she said softly, wiping the wet hair off his face and placing a gentle kiss to his cheek. He had to be okay.

They managed to get Angel back to the mansion. He was writhing in pain and Buffy had never felt so helpless. But soon the feeling changed into anger, once she heard from Wesley that the Council could help him, but wouldn't. That was the last straw. She told him that she wouldn't work for the council and went to her friends, the ones that she knew would help. But the cure wasn't that simple, it was slayer's blood so she made the decision, Faith poisoned him and she would also cure him.

She went after the brunette and they fought fiercely. But it didn't go as planned. She stabbed Faith with her own dagger, but she jumped off the building. Faith's words kept ringing in her ears 'You killed me'. But she couldn't think about it now, Faith wasn't an option anymore, so it was down to her.

Defeated, but determined Buffy returned to the mansion. She met Willow and Oz on the hall, but she didn't want to waste her time, she was too concerned about Angel so she told them to go. She went straight to the bedroom, he was twisting around, sweating and clearly in great pain. She sat to the edge of the bed, she took a hold of his hand and ran her other hand across his forehead. He woke up and looked at her, not quite focusing.

“Buffy? It's you?” he asked uncertainly, he had mistaken Willow, even Oz, as Buffy through the night.

“Yeah, it's me”, she answered with a quiet voice. He smiled weakly.

“I didn't wanna go without seeing you”, he said but she silenced him by placing her finger on his lips.

“Angel, I can cure you.”

“It's okay. I'm ready.”

“Angel listen to me. Sit up”, she said and helped him painfully into sitting position. “You're gonna live. You have to live.”

“What do I...”

“Drink”, she said and he looked at her confused. She shed her jacket off and said: “Drink me.”

Angel shook his head in denial, almost terrified. “No.”

“It's the only...”

“Get away!” he commanded his voice showing his fear and desperation, and quickly he got off the bed. He couldn't stand properly, but it didn't matter. Buffy grabbed his arm, trying to keep him up and from fleeing.

“It will save you!”

“It'll kill you”, he returned.

“Maybe not, if you don't take it all.”

“You can't ask me to do this”, he pleaded, but she wouldn't change her mind.

“I won't let you die. I can't. The blood of the slayer is the only cure.”

“Faith”, he offered, but she sadly shook her head. “I tried. I killed her.”

“Then it's over”, he stated and moved away from her, trying to run, but only stumbling forward. He didn't get far, he fell against main hall the table, scattering the items to the floor. Buffy came after him, pulling him to his feet.

“It's never over. I won't let you die. Drink.”

“Please”, he pleaded desperately. Her face hardened and she punched him with great force. He stumbled from the hit and looked at her in confusion. She hit him again and once more, this time his face changed. She yanked her top to the side and grabbed his head, pulling his face against her neck.

She felt his fangs piercing her skin and he started to drink. He pulled her closer to him and they fell to the ground, him on top of her. It was mix of pain and pleasure, she wanted to scream, but no sound came out. Her hand reaching out to something and slowly she crushed the large metal jug that her wandering hand found. All the feelings hit her and she orgasmed right before everything went dark.

Angel stopped drinking, rolling off of her, his face changing back to his human visage. He slowly rose into near sitting position and saw Buffy laying unconscious on the floor. “Buffy.” But there was no answer.

Angel ran all the way to the hospital carrying Buffy in his arms. He was panicking and he had never been so scared in his life or unlife, except maybe when she died, but that wasn't an option now. The doctor was working too slowly for his taste and made him even more angrier when he implied Buffy would be on drugs.

Finally he was thrown out of the way and he went to call Giles and the others. He heard that Faith was in the hospital too and when the mayor tried to kill Buffy, he had hard time keeping his demon in check. Later the gang came and he confessed that he had fed off of Buffy. It came not as a surprise that everyone were appalled how Buffy ended up to the hospital and Xander was the one that voiced his opinions on the matter. He didn't protest, he felt ashamed of what he had done and he felt like he deserved it all. He wanted to stay with her, but Giles convinced him to leave before the sun came up, he was pretty certain that the watcher wasn't concerned for his well being, more like didn't want to see him. So he left and felt like trapped animal in the mansion, trying to get all the worst case scenarios out of his head with no luck.

After waking from the prophetic dream starring Faith, Buffy said her goodbyes to her sister slayer. She found her friends in the hall and she couldn't help but feel a little disappointed when Angel wasn't there. But it seemed to be day, so it was for the best that he wasn't. Her head was clear and she had a plan.

They all met in the library and Buffy told them about her plan. She knew it was a little crazy, but it also could be done. The choices were narrow. After the plan was set in motion, she stopped by at Faith's apartment. Once finding what she needed, she returned to the library, knowing Angel would be there. Together they gathered the weapons.

“How are you?” he asked and gently touched her neck, tracing the bandage with his fingertip.

“I'm fine. I'm the slayer, I heal fast”, she answered and sensing the guilt coming off of him, she turned to him, taking his face between her hands. “Angel. I'm fine. I made you do it and I'm glad. I don't ever want to lose you”, she said looking into his eyes, begging him to understand. He tried to shift his gaze away, but she wouldn't let him.

“But...”

“No, I love you, more than anything in this world. I made you drink, you didn't really even hurt me. There is nothing to feel guilty about, do you hear me?! No brooding about this”, she stopped him and placed a gentle kiss to his lips.

“I can't make promises about the brooding”, he said and she smiled, pulling him into a more passionate kiss.

“We'll work on that after we stop the ascension.”

The graduation came, to everybody's shock and horror, the mayor actually started his speech. But also the ascension began, turning the mayor into a large and ugly snake demon. The students pulled out the weapons and the fight started. Since the sun was out, Angel was also joining the fight.

The fight was bloody, but only the mayor was a real threat since vampires could be killed more easily. Many fell in the battle and to many students joy, principal Snyder was eaten. Buffy taunted the mayor with Faith's dagger that was still covered with her blood. Faith had been right, human weakness was still there and the mayor chased Buffy through the school without realizing it was a trap. Buffy lead him to the library, where she jumped through the window while Giles pushed the detonator. The school blew up, the mayor with it. Yet another apocalypse prevented.

The fight was over. Ambulances and fire department were on the scene. Buffy kept searching for Angel with her eyes, he had survived, she would feel it if he hadn't, right.

Giles came to her. “How are you?” he asked placing a comforting hand to her shoulder.

“Tired.”

“I'd imagine so. Quite a couple of days.”

“My brain hasn't processed everything yet. It's not really functioning at the higher levels. It's pretty much, 'fire bad, tree pretty'. Anything more complex...”

He gave her a small smile. “Understandable. Well, when it starts working again, congratulate it on a good campaign. You did very well.”

“Thanks.”

Giles reached into his pocket and pulled out the diploma from his jacket pocket. “I uh, I ferreted this out of the wreckage for you. You may not have any interest, but...”, he said and placed it into her hand. “I'd say you've earned it.” He looked around himself and continued: “There is a certain dramatic irony in the way things turned out. A synchronicity that almost borders on predestination, one might say.”

“Fire bad. Tree pretty”, she reminded him.

“Right. Sorry. I'd best check on Wesley, see if he's still whimpering”, he said and left her. She looked around her, once again trying to find Angel. Finally her eyes landed on the figure standing in the middle of the smoke and mist. She could recognize him anywhere. She started to walk towards him and he did the same. They met in the half way, he pulled her into his arms and buried his face into her hair, breathing her in.

“I'm glad you're okay”, she whispered, breathing deep and placing her head against his shoulder.

“It's over now”, he confirmed and soothingly stroked her hair and back.

“Yeah, the mayor really isn't ascending anywhere.”

“I love you”, he whispered and kissed her forehead. She lifted her gaze, looking straight into his eyes.

“I love you too.”

“Maybe we should go home, you deserve some rest”, he said and started guiding her away from the scene.

“Yeah, I think I'm gonna sleep for a week.”

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