Lost and Found

Rated- PG13 (there might be some NC17 parts posted separately)

Spoilers- Buffy: Chosen, Angel: Soul Purpose

Summary- I’m fixing everything Joss messed up. How? With a spell, a ghost, some visions, an awakening, and a revised prophecy. Still don't know what this is about? Well, then read it and find out. B/S, A/X, A/C, D/C, and maybe F/W (that’s Faith and Wes. What do you think?)

Disclaimer- I don’t own Buffy or Angel. If I did I wouldn’t have to write this story

Buffy smiled when she gazed upon the crater that used to be Sunnydale. Peace had washed over her. The battle was over and there was finally a chance to rest.

She smiled when she ordered hot cocoa at a rest stop, nine hours later. She savored the rich chocolatey goodness, wishing she had squishy little marshmallows to plop into it.

She smiled when she ‘accidentally’ stumbled upon Passions while channel surfing at the hotel. She watched the whole thing, her attention glued, despite that she had no idea who Eve, Theresa, Julian, Tabitha, or Ethan were. The story made no sense, and the acting was pathetic, but Buffy enjoyed it anyway.

She smiled when she bought The Sex Pistols and The Ramones at Media Play. Hey, they were on sale. It was good to have a variety of musical exposure.

She smiled when she saw Billy Idol on the cover of a magazine. The supermarket cashier had looked at her funny when she mumbled, “Damn poser.”

In Rome, she smiled when she saw a tourist wearing a black leather coat. She had even complimented him about it.

Six months and not once had she cried.

“Buffy, what is this?”

“Huh?”

Dawn held up the bucket of spicy buffalo wings. She arched an eyebrow.

“Dinner,” her sister simply answered.

Putting the carton down, Dawn sighed. “Buffy, I know you miss him, but I’m getting worried.”

Buffy opened the cupboard. She got down two plates. “Don’t you like spicy chicken?”

“That’s so not the point here. Buffy, you need to stop.”

The slayer feigned ignorance. “Stop what?”

Dawn swept a hand around the small kitchen. “This. Whatever this is you are doing.”

Buffy placed the plates on their round table. She supplemented it with cloth napkins. “Dawn . . .”

“We can talk about it,” Dawn offered. “We can grieve together.”

“I don’t need to grieve,” Buffy said.

“Oh really? What do you need to do? Eat his favorite food? Watch his favorite shows and movies? Listen to his choice of music? Next thing you know I’ll catch you smoking Marlboros.”

Dawn was caught off guard when Buffy spun around to face her. She had expected a frown, anger maybe, or even tears. Instead there was the smile. The smile that she just couldn’t get Buffy to shed.

“The thought of him makes me happy. I see things so clearly now. As if a veil has been lifted from my eyes. He set us free, Dawnie,” Buffy told her. “I don’t need to cry.”

Buffy went over and grabbed the container of chicken. She opened it, taking a moment to sniff the salivating aroma. Then she brought it over to the table and selected pieces to put on the plates. The entire time Dawn watched her with amazement. This display didn’t make sense to her, but she knew somewhere in Buffy-logic it did.

Buffy had loved Spike and she was dealing the only way she knew how.

***********************

Angel didn’t visit Cordy as often as he used to. He was extremely busy running Wolfram and Hart but that wasn’t the real reason. The truth was that it hurt too much. Each time he saw her it got a little harder to bear. There never was any change. The probability that she might not wake up was high.

This morning Angel felt the odd compellation to see her. He needed someone to confide in and he wanted it to be her, even if she couldn’t give feedback.

The infirmary ward was quiet. Too quiet. He glanced into the rooms as he passed. Most of them were empty, bare rooms with unused equipment.

He rounded the corner. He abruptly stopped in his tracks.

“What are you doing here, Eve?” Angel demanded.

She smiled at him. That smile that really wasn’t a smile at all. She wore a white skirt with a red button-down shirt. Silver dangly earrings adorned her lobes. She stood too close to Cordelia’s room. Her proximity brought out the protective animal instinct in him.

“I was checking up. The senior partners want to know how things are going in each department,” Eve informed.

“If you’ve got what you came for I suggest you leave,” he growled.

Her grin widened. She glanced at the door behind her. “Easy, I’m not here to harm your little girlfriend. How is she by the way?”

“That’s no concern of yours.”

She made a mocking attempt at looking sympathetic. “The same, huh? I’m sorry.”

“Leave,” Angel ordered.

She held out her palms. “Fine. I’m going.”

He didn’t move until she was out of sight.

Angel stood in the doorway, staring at the bed. There she was, Cordelia Chase, who used to be so full of energy, now motionless and pale. He slowly closed the door and stepped inside. He went to the chair by her side and sat down.

He slipped her hand into his. “Hi, Cord, I know I haven’t been around for awhile.” He sighed. “I’m feeling a little lost. Seems that Spike is the new champion. I think I might have made a huge mistake coming here.”

He bowed his head, the only reply being the steady beep of the heart monitor.

*********************

The three Scoobies gathered in the new council library. Rupert Giles, head watcher, stood at the front of the square table. Shelves of books surrounded them, a good amount but not as ample as they would have liked. He cleared his throat and glanced from Willow to Xander.

“I received a call from Buffy today,” he announced.

Xander sat up straighter. “Buffy. How is our dear Buffy?”

“Oh, and Dawn!” Willow added. “How is Dawn?”

“Buffy assured me they are doing fine. They have run across another slayer in Rome,” Giles informed.

“Wow, two slayers in Rome,” Willow said.

“They just keep popping up,” Xander remarked. “It used to be demons. Now instead of them we find slayers all over the place. Although, slayers good. So um. . . finding good.”

A small smile was sent his way from Willow.

Giles just shook his head. He would never understand the way these young people thought. They babbled too much and half the things they said were irrelevant.

“Quite,” Giles found himself saying. “Buffy told me she wishes to escort the slayer here herself.”

Brightness spread over the redheaded witch’s face. “Oh yay!”

“The Buffsters coming for a visit. I’m thinking yay too,” Xander commented.

“I have to show her that store at the mall. The one with the clothes that are so Buffy,” Willow said with excitement.

“And the coffee shop. So better than Starbucks. She’s so going to love this town.”

“Except for that thing called the hellmouth.”

Xander frowned. “Oh, yeah. There’s that.”

Giles removed his glasses. He pinched the bridge of his nose. He had given up a long time ago. There was no hope in getting them to focus when they were in these moods.

**********************

Eve glanced around her. There was no one in sight. She faced the white wall, digging into her purse for her cell phone. She pressed in a few numbers and waited for the other end to pick up.

After a moment she smiled.

“Hey there, cowboy.”

She paused for a moment.

“Yeah, I gave her the good stuff. Close call, though. I was almost caught by Angel.”

She listened carefully to the reply.

“I know. I’m thinking we shouldn’t risk it during active hours. It’s too risky.”

She nodded. “Uh huh.”

“How’s our champion?”

She waited before asking, ”You sure he trusts you?”

“Good.”

Laughter spilled out of her. “Later. Tonight. It’ll be the best night of your life. See ya then.”

Eve hang up, pocketing the phone. She continued down the hall with a very satisfied look on her face.

***********************

The dream hit suddenly. Buffy shot up in her bed. She breathed heavily, her heart pounding. She gripped the sheets tightly.

Oh God, she thought. Oh God.

She sprang out of bed. She went over to the window. The blinds were shut. She opened them to let the full moon’s light stream into the room.

“Buffy?”

The slayer spun. She hadn’t even heard her sister enter. The sixteen-year-old stood before her wearing blue-striped pajamas. A concerned expression was on her face.

“Are you all right?”

Buffy opened her mouth to speak. And that was when it happened. She covered her mouth with her hand and let out a retching sob.

Dawn stepped forward. “Oh, Buffy. What is it?” She wrapped her arms around the older girl.

“I saw him, Dawn. He was burning. Flames were all around him and. . .” She couldn’t go any further.

“It was just a dream.”

Buffy shook her head. “Yes, it was just a dream. It wasn’t slayerish or anything. But-But it is a possibility. What if-What if he really is in hell?”

“He saved the world, Buffy,” Dawn pointed out.

“So? He was still a vampire.”

“He had a soul.”

“Angel had a soul when I stabbed him and sent him into that Acathla vortex.”

The darkness swirled around Buffy, engulfing her. She pulled away from her sister and turned toward the window again. The tears had stopped, but her cheeks were still wet. She stared up at the moon, transfixed.

“Funny,” Buffy said. “I never thought about him being in hell until now.”

Dawn frowned. She looked up at the moon as well, feeling its pull.

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