- "You realise you have to be completely repentant for your crimes," Haidee said.
"I am. Believe me, I am." Angel looked at Giles. "I regret every life I took as Angelus."
Haidee nodded, satisfied. "O.k., you two. Hands over the bowl. Now, Buffy, with your left hand, slice the palm of Angel's right hand. Then hand the knife into his left, and Angel, slice the palm of Buffy's right hand."
As she laid the knife across his palm, Buffy looked up into Angel's eyes and saw the complete trust and love there.
When their blood ran into the bowl, the amount Haidee needed, she handed them both a strip of gauze to wrap around their hands. Then she ushered everyone else out of the small, windowless room and shut the door, locking Buffy and Angel inside.
Haidee set the bowl on the floor. She opened the spell book and read the spell aloud. It sounded kind of hokey to Xander, who was in a bad mood, anyway.
Gods of Earth, ancient
Goddess Danu, Mother
Daghda, Father
We beseech thee
Lift the curse
Unbind
Remorse is his
Love is theirs
She recited it two more times, then said, "Through Danu, I release thee."
Haidee pulled a match from her pocket and took a deep breath. Then she dropped the match into the bowl. It lit by itself, combusting instantly.
There was a flash, and the world disappeared.
Buffy sat up, slowly. "Angel?"
"Yeah?"
She turned to look at him. He wasn't Angelus. She thought, anyway. "Did it work?"
He smiled. "I haven't killed you, yet, have I?" he asked. "I've still got my soul. It worked."
She blushed and looked away. He reached over and turned her face to his, then kissed her.
There was a commotion in the hall, then a pounding on the door.
"You guys still alive in there?" Xander called.
Buffy got up and slipped back into the simple dress she'd worn. Angel pulled on his jeans and his dark green silk shirt.
The Slayer tried the door. It wouldn't budge. "Yeah, we're alive. It worked."
There was a cheer in the hall, more for that Buffy wasn't dead than anything else.
"Haidee? Let us out," Angel said.
There was a silence on the other side of the door, then Giles said, "Miss O'Finn seems to have, uh, disappeared."
Buffy and Angel exchanged glances. "What do you mean, disappeared?" Angel demanded.
"She's not here, guys," Xander said. "There was a big light, and she was gone. Her stuff's here, though."
Angel sighed and motioned for Buffy to move out of the way. Then he ripped the door off it's hinges and dropped it to the side.
Willow was holding Haidee's book. "Uh, guys?"
"What?" Buffy asked.
Willow looked around, then read the last few lines on the page. "'She who casts the spell must be willing to give their life, for Danu demands a price for the removal of a curse.'"
Angel wrapped his arms around Buffy. "She knew that would happen, and she helped me anyway."
Willow looked like she was going to cry. Oz put an arm around her shoulders.
Cordelia was silent for a long time, then said, "She didn't even know us, and she did it anyway."
"Puts it in persepctive, doesn't it?" Xander said.
Willow started flipping through the book. A page fell out, an ancient parchment. She picked it up, and stared, amazed.
"What?" Westley asked.
"She left her stuff to me," Willow said. "It says here that she wants me to have her magick stuff."
Buffy smiled. "I don't think there's anyone more deserving of it, Will. You and Haidee are kindred spirits."
"Are?" Oz asked. "Isn't she kinda dead?"
Angel smiled. "Her body, maybe, but her soul isn't."
Cordelia looked around, then at Buffy and Angel. "O.k., am I the only one who remembers that we've been standing here while those two-"
Xander clapped a hand over Cordy's mouth. "Cordy, you know, you've really gotta learn some tact. If anyone needs me, I'll be tying this one up in Oz's van."
Westley sniffed and pushed his glasses up on his nose. "Yes, well, I suppose your mother is wondering where you are, Buffy."
Buffy took Angel's hand. "Yeah. She's gonna flip when she hears about this one."
"Will her head spin around and explode?" Oz asked.
"Maybe," Buffy replied.
Everyone laughed, and left the tight little corridor in the mansion basement.
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