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Chapter 43: ‘Bye, Bye Hellmouth!’


The cordless phone by her side of the bed rang shrilly and out of pure habit, Buffy picked it up.

“Buffy?” Angel greeted her from the other side of the line.

‘Oh God!’ Buffy sighed, ‘what was I thinking and how the hell did he know I was here?’ Then it dawned on her, Maggie or Jenny had called him, Angel, and informed him of his wife’s present where abouts.

‘Probably Jenny,’ Buffy realized finally, ‘in fact, Jenny had probably been the one who backed Angel all along. Why she had not figured that little fact out in the first place irritated Buffy, but no matter, she would get rid of Angel quickly.

“I’m just on my way out, Angel,” she stated evenly, “don’t worry, I didn’t take anything you want. I am taking the Camaro, but I’ll take over the payments immediately and I’ll even repay back payments. Otherwise, I don’t want a damn thing from you, just a divorce.”

Angel broke in when she had mentioned ‘divorce’ again, “look Buffy,” he sighed, “it doesn’t have to be this way. Can’t we talk about this, I mean face to face? I don’t want a divorce Buffy, I want you and a life together. But, if that’s impossible, can’t we at least be civil about this? Come to my office, right now and we’ll work something out, something that everyone can live with, please? I mean for God’s sake Buffy, six years of marriage and we can’t even talk in person?”

Buffy had to give her husband that much, they had been married six long years, there was so much history between them. Besides, if she went to his office complex, Buffy could check with Andrew, the law clerk, and get a good reference for a divorce Lawyer. It certainly couldn’t hurt, but when Will got wind of this, he’d throw a fit.

“Let me think about it, Angel,” Buffy finally answered carefully, “I’ll call you right back on your cell phone. Just stay where you are and don’t come home, if you come anywhere around while I’m here, I’ll leave and you won’t see me until we are in a courtroom. Do you understand?”

Angel agreed to that and the minute she hung up the phone, Buffy pulled out her cell phone and dialed Will.

“Buffy!” came his anxious voice, “where are you? Just get out of there, please, baby,” he pleaded, “I’ve got a bad feeling.”

She smiled into the cell phone, ‘you’re such a worrier,’ she thought lovingly. “I’m fine, Will,” she assured him tenderly, “Angel called, but he’s going to leave me alone here. He does think we, he and I should meet at his office, though and discuss divorce proceedings. Isn’t that great! Maybe this won’t be so bad after all.”

Spike felt the air leave his lungs in a gust, he felt afraid again, “no,” he said gruffly, “you are not going anywhere near that fuckhead, Buffy!”

She was silent for a moment, “Will it’s okay. If we meet, Angel and I in his office, I’ll be as safe as can be. What’s he going to try with his law partners and staff around? I’m thinking that he may be wise to all of the information you and Clem have been leaking to the police, he’s beginning to run scared, I can tell. I’m pretty sure that Angel’s self preservation instinct has kicked in and he’s more concerned about the legal trouble he might be in then saving our marriage. If I go to his office, today, right now, get him to agree to a simple divorce, then we’re free of him. He’s on his own to get himself out of this legal mess. Good riddance, I say. Besides, I’m a big girl, honey, I’ll be fine, especially in such a public place.”

He could tell that Buffy had made up her mind, Spike would not be able to persuade her to not meet with Angel in public.

‘Maybe it’ll be okay,’ he thought, trying to remain calm and sure of everything.

“All right,” he relented, “but I’m going with you,” his voice was determined.

Buffy gasped, “you can’t sashay into the Firm with me, Will! Do you know what Angel will do if he even thinks….”

Spike chuckled, “I know, sweetheart, I mean I’ll follow you there, wait in the parking lot. I don’t think your asshole husband has the parking structure staked out, do you?”

She giggled in relief, “no, even Angel isn’t that paranoid! Okay, I’ll call him back, tell him I’m on my way and to make damn sure Anya and the other staff members are around and in my view. How does that sound?”

Spike nodded, lit another cigarette and took a deep breath, “okay Princess,” he agreed in a quiet voice, “we’ll do this your way. But, you call me on your cell phone if there’s any problem and when you step out of that fucking office. Okay?”

Buffy assured him that she would call him the minute she was done securing her freedom from Angel Travers.

Buffy grabbed her little overnight bag and the car keys, “bye bye Hellmouth,” she called to the bedroom as she exited it for the last time.

When she got downstairs, she went into the kitchen and told Maggie goodbye. The loyal cook didn’t look all that surprised when Buffy explained that she was leaving Angel, for good, in fact, she looked relieved.

“It’s for the best, Mrs. Travers, I’m sure of it. I’ll miss you though, it was you I liked working for.”

After she hugged Maggie goodbye again, Buffy went in search of Jenny. She found her in the living room, staring out the front window.

“Jenny?” Buffy approached her carefully, “I’m leaving Angel. I won’t be back, but I’m sure he’ll keep you and Maggie on.”

Jenny turned to her, tears in her brown eyes, “I’m sorry Mrs. Travers, really. I don’t know why I listened to your husband, told him things, checked up on you for him. Like I told him, you were a Saint, he never should have doubted you, hurt you like he did. It pushed you away from him and I know you won’t be coming back. Please forgive me?”

Buffy took Jenny’s hand and squeezed it gently, “I forgive you, I do. I know how persuasive my husband, or should I say my soon to be ex-husband can be, Jenny. I’m sure he made everything he asked sound perfectly reasonable. Please, take care and be happy.”

Buffy picked up her bag and left through the front door of the house. Even as she walked through the door, for the last time, she realized that this residence had never really been a home. Her place, her home was with William.


A/N: Short, short, short, chapter! Sigh, I needed to get the ‘plan’ out on the table and set up the final confrontation between Mr. Broody and Buffy. The next chapter will be long, long, long, long and longer! Okay, I’m going to give you all a hint, there is something that Angel has been keeping from Buffy. Not just other women, Buffy’s onto him about that, but this revelation will be a ‘big betrayal’ in Buffy’s eyes, by Angel. So, please read this chapter, the next and then the final part of the tale. Please???!!! Thanks, Luv, Spuf





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