|
|
Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy and angel, so please don't sue. They belong to Joss Whedon, The WB, Mutant Enemy, and 20th Century Fox.
Author's Notes: This is another angsty Buffy/Angel piece. Sorry, I haven't figured how to do Graduation Day without angst. Enjoy. Oh, and it's a little sad. Sorry.
She turned around, knowing he was there.
She was right.
She didn't move, just looked at him, a sad smile on her lips. "You came." She said quietly, unable to keep a little bit of the pain she felt, had felt for the last three years, out of her voice.
He looked away. "Could I not?" He asked, unable to look at her.
She couldn't look at him either, and she hated herself for it. She hated the fact that they were strangers, that she felt so awkward being around the man she had once loved more than life itself.
"Buffy." he started, finally looking at her.
"Don't." She said sharply, tears in her eyes. "What changed?" She asked, looking him in the eyes.
"We did." He said simply, sadly.
She nodded, knowing it was true. She stared at him, fighting the memories that were threatening to come to the surface. The memories she had buried three years ago. They looked t each other for a few minutes, not saying anything, just remembering.
Then they both remembered why they were there.
"I'm sorry." Angel said simply.
Buffy fought a laugh. She was the sorry one. Her boyfriend had just died, she couldn't even mourn for him. She had never loved him, she had pretended, but she hadn't. She loved Angel, she couldn't deny that. But she had wanted to.
She would have done anything to not love him. She did though, and nothing would change that.
She would love Angel forever, but did he feel the same? She took a step towards him. "Angel?" She asked, unsure how to do this.
"Yes?" He said gently, knowing how hard this had to be on her. She had loved him, he knew that. But it didn't hurt any less, it didn't change the fact that he loved a woman who no longer felt the same about him.
"Never mind." She said, realising that even if Angel did love her, it wouldn't change anything.
They still came from separate worlds. They weren't supposed to be together, she knew that. Nothing could change that, not even her love for Angel.
Angel nodded slowly. He knew what she had been going to ask, he also knew why she didn't. She was right, that part of their lives was over.
Nothing could change that.
They watched each other for a moment, neither ready to let go, but both knowing they had to. This was it, once they parted ways but was over. They both knew that.
Finally he turned around and walked to the door, just as he had walked into the smoke three years before.
Buffy watched him go, not saying anything. When he reached the door he turned around. "Goodbye." He whispered, pouring so much emotion into that one word.
"Goodbye." She said, tears rolling down her cheeks.
It really was, there was no turning back now. This was it. He left, and she watched him. Watched him walk out of her life, never to come back.
"Goodbye Angel." She said gently. She knew he couldn't hear her, he was already gone, but she had to say it. She had to let go.
She closed her eyes, remembering. Angel had meant so much to her, and now he was gone.
She opened her eyes, and stood up. She had to let go of the past, he was gone. This time he wasn't coming back.
That was the part she found hardest to accept. Every time he left her he came back. When he lost his soul. When she sent him to Hell. When he walked away into the smoke after Graduation. This time, was different, he wasn't coming back.
It was truly over. She started to cry, letting the pain engulf her. She needed to let this out, then she needed to move on.
To let go of that part of her life. To say good bye to Angel, as hard that would be.