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Authors Acknowledgment
I'd like to give my heartfelt thanks to my amazing beta, AmyB. There are no words to describe how grateful I am to her for her tireless efforts on this story.
She has proven herself to be a wonderful beta and a gifted writer.

Thank you, Amy

**Hugs**

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“Angel, what are you doing here?”

Buffy had just finished a quick patrol of the buildings surrounding the Bronze, and was on her way home when she noticed Angel standing in the alleyway.

“I had to see you. Cordelia had a vision……You’re in danger.”

“Well, that’s a new one,” Buffy replied sarcastically.

“I know. I’m sorry.” Angel gave Buffy his best kicked puppy look. “Don’t I at least get a hug?”

Buffy dropped her chin slightly in embarrassment and slowly walked over to her first love, even though a voice in the back of her mind was screaming that something wasn’t right. Shrugging off the feeling she leaned into Angel’s embrace, enjoying the feeling of once again having his strong arms wrapped around her small frame.

“I’ve missed you,” She whispered into his chest, allowing herself to fall deeper into the embrace.

“Is that right?...... LOVER!”

Buffy tensed. There was only one person who called her ‘LOVER’.

“Angelus?” she asked breathlessly, desperately hoping that it wasn’t true.

“You were expecting someone else?” he replied in a mocking tone.

Buffy struggled to pull herself free from Angelus’ strong grip. It was no use. She could feel her heart pumping with terror. *How could this be happening? I knew something was different, why did I hug him?* She silently berated herself as she frantically tried to pull free from the monster, who now wore the guise of the only man she’d ever loved. Panic began to fill Buffy’s veins when her protests became futile. With each added struggle Angelus only tightened his grip, slowly squeezing the life out of her. She couldn’t breathe, she couldn’t move and yet he continued to add more pressure. A scream tumbled past her lips when she felt one of her ribs break from the tremendous pressure placed upon her body.

“Uh-uh-uh….can’t make a sound, wouldn’t do if we had any interruptions, now would it?” he mocked, bringing one of his hands up to savagely cup her mouth, giving her an evil smirk he added, “Of course, it would be interesting to see what the almighty Slayer would do. Would you try to save them as I ripped their throats out? Or would you just try and save your own hide? Maybe you’d run back home or perhaps your Watcher’s….. wouldn’t do you any good either way, it’s not like I don’t already have a free pass into those little sanctuaries.” He laughed sarcastically. “One advantage of having a soul, people tend to open themselves up in the most delicious ways.”

Buffy squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out his words and the harsh feel of his hands. He smelt like death, she could practically taste it on him. His words were true; she wanted nothing more than to be able to run away. Turn her back on this monster and pretend that he didn’t exist, let the world take care of itself for once. But she couldn’t- she was the Slayer. This was her calling, even if she wanted none of it. Swallowing deep, she forced away the taste of rising bile and fought back the only way she could. She opened her mouth and bit down hard, tearing a large piece of flesh from the hand cupped over her face.

Angelus was furious. He pulled his hand away from Buffy’s mouth while backhanding her with the other, knocking her to the ground. “You little bitch! You’ll pay for that!”

Buffy inwardly cringed at the harsh tone of his voice, rolling out of his way when he tried to deliver a savage kick to her mid section, painfully jarring her broken rib in the process. A gleeful leer filled Angelus’ features the instant he heard Buffy’s pain filled cry. Knowing that she was in pain only added to his delirium; nothing sweetened the kill more than knowing the intended prey suffered. In fact he was so pleased he was even going to overlook the fact that the little bitch had just bitten a chunk out of his hand. After all, if he let his anger get the better of him, it would all be over too quick, and he really wanted this to last.

Doing her best to ignore the pain that lanced through her chest, Buffy swiftly leapt to her feet, warily keeping an eye on the monster in front of her. “What happened to you?” she asked, all the while searching his face for any signs that part of her Angel remained inside of Angelus. There were none; all that was left was the monster.

“Well, to make a long story short, I had a soul, and now it’s gone.” Angelus let out a gleeful laugh and gave Buffy an evil grin, “and I’ve gotta say, it feels great!” He suddenly grabbed Buffy by the throat, holding her up so he could look into her eyes, “And now, as an added bonus I get to kill you,” he stated cruelly.

In a flash Buffy twisted herself out of Angelus’ grasp, instantly falling into Slayer stance. “You can try….but I wouldn’t count on it!”

Angelus barked out a laugh. “Oh, but I have no doubts, Lover. You see I know something about you that no one else knows,” stalking one step closer, Angelus gave Buffy a cold leer. “I know you can’t kill me.”

Buffy scoffed at this. “Oh come on! Do you really think I can’t kill you just because you look like Angel?” To demonstrate her point, Buffy lunged at Angelus, stake perfectly poised for the kill.

Angelus easily blocked the attack, grabbing Buffy by the wrist as she lunged at him. With a painful twist, he forced Buffy to release her grip on her only weapon. “No Buff, I don’t think you can’t kill me because I look like your beloved Angel. I know you can’t kill me because you always drop your shoulder when you attack from the right.” As though to demonstrate his point, Angelus gave Buffy’s wrist one more savage twist, breaking the bones with an audible crack. He practically purred when she cried out in pain.

Buffy struggled to pull herself free from Angelus, but his hold on her injured wrist was too tight. With each move, he only added more pressure, sending white hot sparks of pain through her arm.

A moment of panic filled Buffy. It was true, she did always drop her shoulder when she attacked form the right; Giles was forever rousing on her about it, and Angelus knew it! With more strength than she thought she could muster, Buffy wrenched her wrist free from Angelus, following through with a powerful kick and catching him on the chin.

Angelus responded with a hearty laugh. He had to give it to the girl, she sure had spirit. Seeing her standing before him, clutching her shattered wrist to her chest, trying for all the world to look threatening as she once again fell into fighting stance, a look of determination plastered upon her face….. Let’s face it, she looked adorable.

“See something amusing?” Buffy asked in disinterest.

“Well, actually, I was just thinking how cute you look, all puffed up, ready to take on the big bad wolf, even with a shattered wrist and a broken rib. I’ve gotta say, Buff, pain really suits you….Maybe I should make this last, you know, really let your true colours shine.” As he spoke, Angelus stalked closer, taking a deep breath and drawing in Buffy’s scent. He could smell her power as well as her fear and anger, tainted with a slight tang of her blood. “I’ve been waiting a long time for this, Buff.”

“Well then, I guess I better not disappoint,” Buffy ground out through clenched teeth, instantly attacking Angelus with a hurricane of powerful blows. She moved with a graceful flow, pouring all her strength into each blow, only to have Angelus block her every move. He knew her fighting style too well. Hell, in a roundabout way he’d helped train her.

“Are you even trying, Buff?” Angelus mocked as he blocked yet another blow, “I thought that I would have at least a little opposition….. Actually this is really rather pathetic. How you survived this long, I have no idea.”

“Pathetic! Do you want to know what’s pathetic? You actually had to trick me into believing that you had a soul!” Buffy spat back. “What, were you afraid to face me in a fair fight?”

Angelus simply laughed and grabbed Buffy by the shoulders roughly pulling her closer to him.

“No, Buff I’m not afraid of a ‘fair’ fight, it’s just that this way is so much more fun,” he practically purred out, as he leaned closer to her neck, allowing his true demon face to surface. “I’ve never killed a Slayer before. I hear they taste just like chicken.” He leant forward and licked Buffy’s neck.

“Mmm…… finger licking good.”

Buffy closed her eyes, allowing a single tear to fall down her cheek. *So this is how it ends,* she thought, *Please make it quick, just let it be over with,* as this thought entered her mind she felt Angeles’s sharp canines enter her jugular. Buffy opened her eyes and let out a sharp hiss in pain as he ripped at the tender flesh on her neck. She could feel herself weakening. She simply had no more fight left in her, closing her eyes Buffy whispered her goodbyes to her loved ones and waited for the darkness to engulf her.