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"Hello, Angel," the psychiatrist greeted him at 7:00 the following evening. "I'm Dr. Jacobs."
"H-hi," Angel returned the greeting, shaking the doctor's hand. "Th-this is Buffy."
"Hey," Buffy said.
"Are you a relative?" Dr. Jacobs asked.
"No. An old friend," Buffy clarified.
"Ok. Angel, if you'd come with me. Buffy, if you'd please wait here," Dr. Jacobs said.
"Can…can't Buffy come w-with m-m-me?" Angel stammered.
"Would you be more comfortable if she did?"
"Yes," Angel said, smiling at Buffy. "I would."
"Very well," Dr. Jacobs said. He escorted the two into his large office. He motioned for Buffy to sit on the couch near the door and Angel into a chair by the desk. "Alright, Angel. I've been instructed to give you a series of tests by the doctor who examined you. The tests are relatively simple. All you have to do is give my your honest answers."
"O-ok," Angel responded. He looked back at Buffy, who nodded her head in encouragement.
"Super, then let's get started," Dr. Jacobs said. "First, what is the furthest back you can remember?"
"A c-c-couple of days ag-ago," Angel told him. "I re-remem-remember waking up on-on-on the f-floor in a big m-mansion."
"Anything previous to that?" the doctor asked.
"No," Angel answered.
"How do you know your name?"
"Buffy t-told me," Angel said. He looked over at her again and smiled.
"Do you know how old you are?" Buffy stifled a laugh, earning a glare from the doctor.
"Sorry," she said.
Angel concentrated, trying to answer the man's question. "No."
"How about family? Or friends? Do you remember any of them?"
"I…I don't have any f-f-friends," Angel said. "Th-that's what Buffy asked m-me."
"When?"
"At the c-c-cemetery. I w-went to…to warn h-her," Angel said, letting the words flow out of his mouth without thought.
Buffy gasped. "Buffy? Would you like to say something?" The doctor asked.
"That happened over two years ago," Buffy told him, staring at Angel.
"Hmm," Dr. Jacobs said. "Angel, did Buffy ask or tell you anything else that day?"
Angel frowned in thought. "I don't know."
"Let's switch gears here," Dr. Jacobs said. He pulled his chair around the desk, holding a pile of drawings in his lap. "I'm going to hold up a picture. I want you to tell me what it's about."
"O-ok." Dr. Jacobs held up the first drawing. It depicted a family of four having a picnic, the sun shining brightly in the sky. "Um…eat-eating?"
With a nod, the doctor held up the second. It showed a woman sitting on her bed, crying. "She's sad because she thinks she's alone," Angel said without stuttering. "But she's not."
"Why is she not alone?" the doctor asked.
"Because someone is outside the window, watching her," Angel stated, pointing to the window in the drawing.
Buffy gasped again and the doctor shot her a puzzled look. She made a gesture, telling the psychiatrist it was a memory. Dr. Jacobs looked at the picture, then added it to the discard pile. He held up another. It was a father and son fishing.
"I….I d-don't know," Angel confessed after a moment.
"That's ok," Dr. Jacobs said. He held up another. This one showed a room filled with flames, a young man standing terrified in the middle.
Angel's whole body tensed. He pushed with his feet away from the picture, the chair moving back with a loud scrape. "C-c-c-close y-y-y-you-your eyes," he said, his own features reflecting the terror of the boy's in the picture.
Buffy let out a strangled cry at his words. Tears started to fall as she went back to that terrible morning so long ago.
Buffy raised her sword, preparing to deliver the final blow ending Angelus' life. Suddenly, he cried out, his eyes glowing an unnatural yellow.
"Buffy?" Angel said, looking up at her. "What's going on?"
She stared down at him, confused.
Angel slowly got to his feet. "Where are we? I-I don't remember."
Buffy realized that Willow tried the curse again. She slowly lowered her sword, looking into her love's eyes. "Angel?"
"You're hurt," Angel said, taking her arm. He looked into her eyes, then stepped to her, embracing Buffy tightly. "Oh, Buffy…god, I…I feel like I haven't seen you in months." He bent his head and kissed her on the shoulder. "Oh, Buffy…"
Buffy started to cry, holding him to her. *Oh, Angel,* she thought. She heard a slight rumbling sound and opened her eyes, looking over his shoulder. Acathala's mouth was open. She could see a red glow start to grow in front of the statue. Eyes wide, Buffy let go of Angel and looked into his face.
"What's happening?" Angel said, concerned.
"Shh. Don't worry about it." Buffy brushed her fingers over his lips and across his cheek. She leaned over and kissed him softly. After too short of a time, Buffy broke the kiss and looked deep into his eyes. "I love you," she whispered.
"I love you," Angel whispered in return.
Buffy touched his lips when he went to say something more. "Close your eyes."
Angel paused and at Buffy's nod, closed his eyes. She kissed him gently, stepped back and thrust her sword into his chest.
"It's ok, Angel," Dr. Jacobs said, putting the pile of pictures down. "We'll stop now."
Angel nodded, his hands gripping the arms of the chair. He took a few, deep breaths to calm himself. "I…I'm ok."
The psychiatrist looked over to Buffy, silently crying on the couch. She quickly wiped her eyes with her sleeve, pushing her emotions deep into her. She had no doubt the doctor would ask her about this later.
"Why don't we do something else," the doctor said. He picked up a notebook and a pen from his desk. "A word association game. I'll say a word, and you say the first thing that comes to your mind."
"Al-alright," Angel responded, relaxing his body.
"On," Dr. Jacob's said.
"Off," Angel answered.
"Up."
"Down."
"Near."
"Far."
"Rich."
"Poor."
"High."
"Low."
"Black."
"Night."
"Dog."
"Miss Sunshine."
"Good."
"Evil."
"Happy."
"Evil."
"Sun."
"Burns."
"Life."
"Eternal."
"Love."
"Buffy."
When the last word came out of his mouth, Angel blinked in shock. He had been responding without thinking to the words the doctor presented. He turned his head to see Buffy staring at him, surprise clearly written on her features.
"Angel, I think that's enough for today," Dr. Jacobs said, breaking the former lovers gazes. "If you don't mind, I'd like to speak to Buffy a moment."
Angel nodded. "Th-thank you," Angel said, standing. He looked at Buffy. "I…I'll be out th-there."
"Ok," Buffy said. She watched as he left the office, closing the door behind him. When she looked back at the doctor, she sighed. "What's up, doc?"
"It's obvious from Angel's reaction to the picture of the fire that something happened in the past," Dr. Jacobs said. "And it is also obvious that you know what occurred. Tell me about it."
Buffy closed her eyes briefly, trying to come up with a story. It's not like she could tell him the truth. Tell him that Angel was sent to Hell on the tip of her sword. She opened her mouth, snapped it closed, then opened it again. "That's what I said to him the last time I saw him in June," Buffy said. "We had a big fight, and I told him to close his eyes, then left."
"And you didn't see him after that?"
"No. I left town for the summer," Buffy said, sticking as close to the truth as she could. "I thought he had left, too. That is, until he showed up at the Bronze the other night."
"You do realize that he still loves you," Dr. Jacobs said. Buffy nodded. "How do you feel about him?"
"I love him. I always have loved Angel," Buffy said honestly.
"Thank you, Buffy," the doctor said, standing. "Please be sure to make an appointment for Angel for next week."
"Will do," Buffy replied. She moved to leave the office.
"One more thing, Buffy. Be careful. Angel's amnesia has been caused by a
severe trauma. You never know when those memories will return."