Title: For What I Love

TV Show: Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Rating: T

Summary: A month after Angel leaves Sunnydale, Buffy returns to the place in which their 'love' had been temporarily brought forth: the music room of Sunnydale High. One-shot.

Author's Notes: I have to say that I really enjoy writing one-shots such as this one. Let's pretend that Sunnydale High didn't blow up in season three, shall we? This takes place after season three but before season four and is inspired by the events of the season two episode: I Only Have Eyes For You, which happens to be one of my favorite episodes. Lyrics are from a song titled Inferior by German band Lord of the Lost. I felt it was fitting for this story. It's available on both Amazon and Itunes if anyone wants to check it out. Anyways, enjoy!

Chapter One

Night fell over the sleeping town, and she crept through the empty halls of her alma mater, boots clicking as her eyes studied every distinct feature, absorbing the scents that were both foreign and familiar. She knew that the words were now going to race through her mind. It was inevitable, the voice in her heart casually suggested, as if it was welcoming the torture that it was about to bring forth.

"Tonight's special. I wanted to look my best for you."

"You're the only one. The only person I can talk to."

Her lips pursed together as she took the first step towards the second floor, her mind trapped in the memories of the past. Their past. Without another thought, she took the second step, and a tear began to spring in the corner of her eye. Her vision, however, remained clear. In her throat and wrists, she could feel her pulse beginning to beat.

"Gosh, Buff. That's really pathetic."

"You can't make me disappear just because you say it's over."

She remembers that night vividly, though unhappily. She remembers the way she had placed her possessed cheek on her lover's frigid hand. As if he was really there, and not the vile, heartless monster that he had become.

She recalls the chase towards the balcony, the gun held firmly in her hand. She recalls the bullet grazing through the skin of her nemesis, her lover, as he tumbled over, falling to his death. Or so she had believed then. She attempts to erase the sordid memories, ones that still caused her breath and heart to still almost every night.

Now on the second floor, she dazedly heads towards the music room, memorizing the last moments that she and her beloved had shared together. Until...

"I want my life to be with you."

"I don't."

A second tear could be felt as it trickled down her cheek, her heart and throat beginning to lurch in unison. Minutes had passed and she now found herself before the unoccupied music room. "This is it," she whispered to no one, a hand pressing against the door, pulling it ajar as she cautiously entered. Tears were drying as she blinked rapidly to adjust to the darkness.

Her mind reverts to the memories that she had temporarily forgotten as her fingers flicked towards the power switch.

She slowly raises the gun to her head, seemingly unaware of anything else before a hand quickly takes the weapon away. She whirls to find herself face to face with Angelus.

"Don't do this," he warned.

"But, but, I killed you," she stutters, her eyes flushed with tears.

"It was an accident. It wasn't your fault," he tried to soothe her.

"Oh, it is my fault. How could I…"

"Shh. I'm the one who should be sorry, James. You thought I stopped loving you. But I never did. I loved you with my last breath."

Buffy shook her head furiously, her back leaning against the wall as she helplessly fell to her knees. "Liar," she cried. It didn't matter to her that Angelus had been possessed. "If you loved me, you'd be here. You wouldn't have left me here alone." You wouldn't have left me here to fight by myself."

Her hands cradling her head, she was made unaware of a radio standing motionlessly on a desk, lyrics and and unknown song suddenly blaring into the open from nowhere.

"…I wanna fight for what I love…"

"…I wanna fight for what I love…"

"…Always for you…"

Both startled and annoyed, she rose to her feet, reaching towards the volume knob. In the midst of her anger, the sound of the door opening welcomed itself into the room, leaving her unaware. But for the first time in over a month, her heart and senses began to tingle.

"Always for you," a male voice announced. Both regret and love lingered in that voice. Pausing herself, steeling herself to not take a glance towards that voice, she felt cold arms circling around her waist, whirling her to face what she knew was there.

"You thought I stopped loving you. But I never did. I loved you with my last breath. And I will always," Angel fiercely declared, using the pad of his thumb to wipe her tears away, to ease the pain that he had caused for them both.

A minute of silence, and she reluctantly gave him what she had needed to give, what James himself had needed.

She gave him forgiveness.

Hesitantly, she took him into her arms, his lips pressing against her forehead. "No one else but you. Always for you," he whispered against her ear, and for the first time after, no more tears would fall from her eyes.