Buffy was lying on the hospital bed looking pale and waxen. There was no sign that she had once been the strongest person Angel had ever known. He needed to call Buffy's mom, and of course her friends. But first he wanted a few minutes alone with her. "Buffy I just want you to know, no matter what happens I love you okay? More then anything in my life it's you I love. Please try and hang on for a little while longer, try and wake up please!" Angel watched helplessly as Buffy breathed through tubes-the only thing keeping her between life and death. "I know your close to death right now, but you got to live for me, promise me you'll fight, promise me..." Angel's voice caught on a sob. Angel thought of Buffy before Jadon had gotten to her, how wonderful and beautiful-how alive she had been. Jadon- this was all Jadon's fault. Angel's eyes glowed an impossible red. If it was the last thing Angel did he would find Jadon and he would kill him. Angel closed his eyes for a moment taking a deep breath calming his nerves. Where was he? Angel could often distinguish where the newer vampires were. He was older and had more powers, and Jadon was younger and couldn't put up mental blocks. Suddenly Angel sat up a little straighter. There, Jadon was in Sunnydale park. Angel stood swiftly in his chair and lowered his hand brushing it against Buffy's cheek. "Hold on for a little longer Buffy, I'll be back soon." Angel left swiftly not seeing Buffy's hand move just slightly...

A nurse on duty was walking by Buffy's room when she heard Buffy moan slightly. The nurse quickly walked in to her room staring in disbelief as she saw Buffy blinking rapidly and rubbing her eyes. 'What the hell?' the nurse thought. The nurse ran out of the room crying out in the hall " Doctor she's awake! Miss Summers is awake!"

A small crowd grew outside Buffy's room as Doctor Stevens checked Buffy's vital signs. "Buffy, how do you feel, do you know where you are?" He asked shining a tiny light in Buffy's eyes.

Buffy groaned. Swallowing reflectively. Her mouth felt like a piece of dry cotton. Doctor Stevens nodded understandingly and grabbed a pitcher of water pouring it in to a glass.

He held it up against Buffy's lips. "Sip it slowly now." He cautioned.

Buffy swallowed the water and spoke. "I'm in a-a hospital. I feel-tired." she groaned again and closed her eyes briefly. "Where's my mom?"

"Don't worry, Buffy, you're mom just called she's on her way. And she's very relieved to hear your okay. Why don't you relax until she gets here." Buffy closed her eyes once more.

"Buffy, can you hear me, honey? Buffy, wake up hon..."

Buffy's eyes fluttered open and she started at the people surrounding her. There was her mom, with a bright happy smile on her face, Willow and Giles looking relieved, and Xander standing with a dopey grin on his face and a bunch of dead looking daisy's.

"Hi-guys." She was feeling a lot better. Almost normal again. It's amazing what having slayer blood can do Buffy thought to herself.

"How you feeling honey?" Here mom asked.

"Better..." Buffy licked her dry lips. "Can I have a glass of water?"

"Sure hon, here you go." Joyce said handing Buffy a glass of water.

Buffy seemed to feel a sort of emptiness as she looked around the room. What was wrong? All here friends were there, comforting her encouraging her to feel better. 'Then why do I feel so sad? So lonely and frightened- and angry?' Buffy frowned. 'I don't feel angry, I know I don't so what's the matter with me?' Buffy grimaced. It wasn't just anger, it was furry, a fierce hot furry that reminded her of a hot dessert sun. For some reason her mind went to Angel.

"Where-where's Angel?"

Here mom looked confused but the other three looked sharply at her.

"Uhh your friend Angel couldn't be here Buffy, she-uh sends her regards." Giles said.

Buffy frowned. What were they talking about? Angel was a boy! Then she suddenly realized her mom was still in the room, and she didn't' know about Angel and her. "Uhh mom?"

"Yes honey?"

"Do you think you could-uh get the doctor?"

Joyce Summer's eyes widened in alarm. "Are you feeling okay Buffy?"

Buffy nodded. "I'm fine mom, I just want to ask him a few questions."

Here mom nodded and headed toward the door calling over her shoulder "Be right back hon."

Buffy turned back to the other three. "Now guys' where's Angel? Is he coming later?"

Giles shook his head. "I don't' know where he is Buffy, we stopped by his apartment on the way here to tell him of your condition. He wasn't home."

Buffy's sense of dread grew. Something wasn't right. It was like Angel was in her mind, screaming out in frustration. Buffy shuttered. "There's something wrong with him. I've got to go to him."

The other three looked at her in shock and disbelieve.

"Don't be ridiculous Buffy, your hardly in any condition to get out of bed! I'm sure Angel is fine okay? Now there's no need to upset yourself." Giles said consolingly.

"I have slayer blood remember Giles? I'm fine."

Giles shook his head. "Slayer blood or not your not going any where except for this bed." Now we'll be back in the morning. Take care of yourself."

Her three friends turned to leave as her mother entered with Doctor Stevens.

"Hey Buffy, how are you feeling? I heard you had some question's for me?"

Buffy nodded. "Ya how soon can I leave?"

Doctor stared at her in astonishment. "Buffy, you've been in a coma for a little over two weeks. You can't possibly think you'll be going home any time in the near future!"

Buffy shook her head stubbornly. "I feel fine! I heal fast! I got to get out of here, I have stuff to do!"

Doctor Stevens looked at her sternly. "Your not going any where young lady, so you best get comfortable because your going to be here for a while. Not try and relax. I'll be back in a few hours to check on you."

Buffy looked at Doctor Stevens retreating back with tears of frustration in her eyes.

"Now honey, Doctor Stevens knows best, try and get some rest I'll be back in the morning." Her mother soothingly stroked the hair from her face and leaned down to plant a kiss on her forehead. Joyce's fingers gave a little wave as she left the hospital room.

Buffy glared angrily. The doctor, her friends, even her own mother thought she was crazy! She knew though, she could feel there was something terribly wrong with Angel. She could feel his anger like radiation waves. It pulsed down her body sending tremors through out her system. There was no doubt something was terribly wrong, and nothing was going to stop Buffy from finding out what. Buffy managed to lift her body up and swing her legs on the side of the bed. She stood up and for a moment the room titled and spun sending large red blobs across her vision. She blinked and her vision cleared. Buffy could already feel her body getting stronger as she walked across the room towards the window. Opening the window Buffy looked down to see how long of a drop it was. She was on the second floor. 'Not bad, it will only be a little jarring.' she thought, as she walked to the closet and grabbed her clothes. Changing swiftly in to them she opened the window and prepared to launch herself into the darkness. When she landed she stumbled and caught herself from falling with her hand. Buffy winced. 'Well not to bad, no broken bones or anything. Now where could Angel be?' Buffy closed her eyes trying to get her slayer senses to kick in. When she opened them she had the general idea of where to head. She began to walk swiftly in the direction she sensed him to be in. Buffy glanced down at her hand and was shocked to see the ring on her hand. It was at that moment that she remembered everything. Jadon was a vampire- he had tried to kill her. Buffy groaned overwhelmed with memories, and rubbed her eyes. 'There's no time for this! There's something wrong with Angel you've got to find him!' She scolded herself silently. Buffy continued to journey into the darkness, in hopes of finding Angel.

Angel stalked quietly up behind Jadon who seemed to be in search of something.

"Looking for someone?" Angel asked with quiet menace.

Jadon turned and smiled. "Hello Angelus, you, actually. Thanks for making my job much easier! I was sent here to kill you."

Angel stared at Jadon. "No, it was my pleasure, and you can try and kill me but I don't think you'll have much success."

Jadon glared angrily at Angel. His cold handsome features quickly changed into the demon that laid beneath the surface. He leaped at Angel. Angel quickly rolled out of the way, and Jadon landed on his side coughing angrily. Angel growled low in his throat and swiftly let his leg fly kicking Jadon smack in the face. He watched with pleasure as Jadon let out a howl of agony clutching at his face.

"I'll kill you for that Angelus!!!" Jadon screamed launching himself at once more. Angel grunted going down on one knee as Jadon head butted him in the stomach. Angel let out a angry scream and grabbed Jadon by the hair pulling his head back, and sending a punch towards Jadon's stomach. Jadon rolled out of the way screaming curses at Angel. Suddenly Jadon rolled out of the way and in his hand appeared a small stake. Jadon taunted Angel with the stake, egging him forward. Angel charged swinging his forearm at Jadon's hand knocking the stick out of the way. Jadon angrily glared at Angel and swung his fist up ready to slam his fist in to Angel's mouth. Angel reflexively blocked his punch with his arm, and landed a swift kick causing Jadon to land on his back. Angel wasted no time in leaping in the air and landing on Jadon. His aim was purposeful going for the throat. Jadon, finally defeated, cowered.

"Please Angelus, friend, spare me!"

Angel snarled. "The way you spared Buffy? I don't think so friend." Angel leaned in and bit deeply in to Jadon's neck, feeling the pleasure wash over him as the blood filled his mouth. The sweet taste of revenge.

Buffy ran towards the sound of the fighting, terror filling her. Angel he was going to die, someone was killing him. She ran faster then she thought possible clearing benches and bushes, in a hurry to get to Angel. Suddenly she stopped, a feeling of such animal like pleasure filled her senses shocking her. Buffy stood frozen, not sure what was happening. "Angel?" She whispered. Horror filled her senses, such a deep horror that it left her trembling and shaking. What was Angel doing? She hurried around the next bend and stopped up short. The scene before her was horrifying. Angel with his 'demon' face on blood covering his face and Jadon's body still on the ground. "Angel!" She cried out. Angel's face filled of a mixture of furry and pleasure turned towards her. For a moment she didn't think he recognized her, he just sat staring at her with an alien glow to his face, and licked the blood from his lips. Buffy couldn't stand it a minute longer. She was filled with such horror, of the past year he'd known Angel she had never seen such a side of him. She took off running towards the empty darkness.

Dimly Angel was aware of a feeling of overwhelming horror. 'What, what's that.' he thought hazily. He blinked slowly as if awakening from a deep sleep. He saw Buffy running towards darkness the sound of her labored breath echoing off the tree tops. He instantly felt such a deep shame for what he had done. He had lost control and Buffy had seen him at his worst. His face changed back to normal and he wiped impatiently at the blood around his mouth.

"Buffy wait-no!" He cried giving chase. He stumbled up beside her and grabbed her arm. "Buffy, wait-I'm sorry! So sorry!"

Buffy wrenched her arm from his grasp. "Angel! I can't believe you-you were so much like an animal." Her voice trembled in disbelieve.

"I lost control Buffy, please, believe me, I would never hurt you! Give me a chance- a chance to explain! "

Buffy looked at him with a deep sorrow. She wanted to forgive and forget but the feeling of Angel's animal pleasure kept coming back. It was the most horrifying thing she had ever felt in her 16 years. "Angel I need some time. Time away from you. I don't' want to hurt you, but I can't be with you right now. I just can't not after tonight. "

Angel grabbed desperately at Buffy's hand. "Please Buffy, give me another chance, I love you! I won't let anything like this happen again!"

Buffy shook her head rapidly. "Please Angel, just let me go, I got to have some space, some time for a little while. I think you'd better take this. " Buffy took the ring off her finger and cupped Angel's hand dropping the ring in to his hand. Then she began to walk away from him.

"Buffy! I'll make this up to you, I swear it!" Angel cried after her desperately. He could hear the sound of her quiet sobs as she walked away from him, and he too felt cold tears on his face. Buffy walked further up the park's grassy hill and away from him.

And now it was Angel watching Buffy, watching as she was swallowed up by the night fog. Then she was gone-and he was left alone, always alone.

Want to read the next story, "Jealousy"? Go here.

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