- Sunnydale, CA
Buffy Summers sat in one of the chairs at the large, rectangular table in the library of Sunnydale High, which she'd graduated the month before.
But Buffy wasn't leaving Sunnydale. She was staying practically glued to this chair. For the rest of her probably fairly short life.
Westley Wyndam-Pryce stopped talking and looked at the Slayer, who was lost in thought. "Buffy?"
She looked up. "Hmm? What?"
Westley sighed. "Buffy, you really must stop moping. It doesn't help your Slayer duties by daydreaming."
Rupert Giles, who'd been Buffy's Watcher until the Council had deemed him "too close" to Buffy, didn't say anything. He knew what was bothering the girl, but not much could help her. He'd lost a loved one, as well. Ironically, it had been to the very vampire Buffy was moping about.
"Yeah, well, excuse me if all of my friends are leaving Sunnydale, and I have to stay and put up with two stuffy Brits," Buffy said. "Sure, we're on the Hellmouth, but after last month, I think we all deserve a break."
Giles stepped forward. "Actually, Westley, I think Buffy's right. She did take out the Mayor, and Faith, and healed Angel . . ." Westley glared at Giles. "You are not her Watcher, Rupert. I have that distinctly stressing position."
"Uh, guys?"
The two men turned to Buffy, who had a stake in her hands. "Yes?" they asked in unison.
"Far be it from me to say this, but you two have got some serious issues." Buffy jumped up to sit on the table edge. "And not to open old wounds or anything, but Giles has been here longer, he does know me better, and I'm not your conventional Slayer, as I've been told many times.
"As for you, Wes, all I have to say is, Faith?"
Westley's face flushed at that. Faith had been the Slayer Westley had originally been responsible for. When she went rogue, it was generally presumed to be partially his fault. He'd been so caught up in Cordelia Chase, and in putting down Giles, that he hadn't noticed his Slayer had gone bad.
"Buffy . . ." Giles began.
"No, Giles," Buffy said. "I mean it. I'm risking my neck day and night, and what do I get for it? My vampire boyfriend skips town, and I'm forced to listen to you two bicker."
Buffy slid off the table. "Watchers usually go through two or three Slayers, right? well, I've gone through three Watchers: Merrick, and you two. I know how important Slaying is. I've been fed that for almost four years. But, guys, I need a life. Between you and my mother . . ."
She sighed as she sank into her chair. "I just want Angel back, she whispered.
Los Angeles
Haidee dragged her spell book off the shelf. She stuffed it in her duffel bag, along with all her other magickal implements. She had noticed that the vampire came to the bridge every night, so she was going to approach him tonight.
She made her way to the park, and hid in the shadows, waiting. Haidee didn't have to wait long.
Angel walked down the footpath, his hands shoved into the pockets of his duster. Haidee held her breath until he stopped at the rail. Then she stepped out of the shadows.
"I was wondering when you were going to finally talk to me," Angel said, turning around.
Haidee jumped. How had he known? But then, he was a vampire. "What do you want?" Angel asked. Haidee saw that his face was full of pain and anguish.
"I- I'm Haidee O'Finn. I- I'm here to help you," she said.
Angel stared at the girl in front of him. She couldn't have been much older than Buffy and Willow. "Yeah? How?"
"I dreamed about you. It was just after I found the spell, between two pages in my book that were stuck together. The woman in my dream told me I had to help the old one with the angelic face, who was in torment for his sins."
"Well, that would be me," Angel laughed, without humour. "The only vampire on the face of the planet with a soul."
"Actually, you're not," Haidee said.
Angel's head whipped up. "What?"
"You're not the only vampire to regain its soul. My- my family, a long time ago, helped another vampire, who'd been cursed just like you. The Gypsies who cursed you weren't the first ones to have that idea," Haidee added.
It disturbed Angel how much she knew about him. But if she knew that much, maybe she knew how to . . . "Did your family lift the curse, while he kept his soul?"
Haidee nodded. "They did."
"And you have the spell?" Angel demanded, hope rising in him.
Again, the girl nodded. Angel saw she had long, deep red hair.
"Help me," he said, after a moment. "Help me be with Buffy."
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