Author's Note: FINALLY THE ENDING!! This is the very last chapter of TbaAoN. I hope everyone enjoyed the story and enjoys this ending. I worked very hard to make this good enough for my faithful readers. As to the sequel, well the beginnings of that will hopefully be out by the end of this month. For the moment, I'm more focused on my HP XOver, The Transfer, which everyone should checkout and review.

Thanks goes out to all those who continued to read and review even when I thought the chapter sucked. And to all those who just read, thankyou for enjoying my story and hopefully next time will review. And especial thanks to AngstAddicted because it was thinking of you that made me get up this morning and finish this story.

Love, USkohakuchan

Buffy slowly blinked awake and looked around. ‘Is this heaven? Ugh, I didn’t know it would smell this bad. Like rotting carcasses…’

She sat up quickly and patted her stomach in amazement. No broken bones. Her clothes were soaked in blood, but there weren’t any wounds. She tried to remember what happened, but her memory was foggy and fragmented. She could see scenes, but they held no significance to her drowsy form. Medusa. Silver. Death.

“What the hell happened?” she questioned the barren landscape as she stood up on shaky legs. “Oh god, that’s, oh god.” She had just caught sight of the Medusa, its eyes glazed and its broken neck bones poking out from under its flesh, er, skin. She wasn’t sure what to call the unevenly textured thing that covered it.

She sniffled slightly, the smell causing her eyes to tear. After a moment of adjusting to the smell and using her legs again, she walked in the direction of the city.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

“Where do you think you’re going?”

Darla spun to face Angelus’ angry form. He was always so adorable when he was angry.

“I’m going to finish what that thing started.”

“You are not.”

“Like you could stop me. It’s against the rules to interfere, Angelus. And you know what happens to those who break the rules,” she stated, her voice mockingly innocent.

She watched as his eyes clouded with uncertainty and smiled in victory.

“I’ll catch you later, my darling boy.”

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

“Darla.”

“Blondie.”

The two foes stared each other down. Buffy glanced over Darla and smiled to herself. ‘She’s got more bruises than me. Ha, does that mean I won Part 1?’

“So, you’re not dead yet? I guess I’ll have to amend that,” Darla stated, her icy glare still focused on Buffy.

“What’s with all the hostility? You would think I stole your boyfriend or something.”

Darla began to pace in a circle and Buffy followed suit.

“Shut-up, bitch. You’re just a fling to him.”

“That’s not what he said.”

“And you believed him? You’re an even bigger fool than I assumed.”

“Assumptions, assumptions. They make an ass out of you, but not me. Do you still think that he wants anything to do with you? Come on, he’s basically told you to fuck off how many times already? 4? 10? It’s so hard to keep track of the numerous times he’s said he doesn’t want you.”

“And how could you know what he wants? I’ve known him since he was a babe. You’ve known him all of three days.”

“Do you know how disgusting you make yourself sound? That’s pretty much pedophilia you know.”

“Oh, what would you know? Not even age can overcome true love.”

“Oh god. You really make me sick.”

“Right back at you, bitch.”

Darla chose that moment to pounce and Buffy jumped away just in time. Recovering quickly, Darla sprang up again and landed a punch on Buffy’s shoulder, which Buffy soon returned. They exchanged blows and then backed away. Buffy’s lip was now swollen and bleeding and Darla had the beginnings of a black eye.

“You know what really gets me. You’re not even worthy of Angelus’ love yet you seem to have deluded yourself into believing that.”

“If I’m not worthy of it, than what does that make you? Not even fit to shine his shoes.”

Darla’s eyes narrowed and Buffy could tell she hit home.

“You know what, I’ve decided. I’m not only going to kill you, I’m going to mutilate your corpse so badly Angelus won’t remember what he saw in your flat-chested, cheerleader ass!”

They moved back in, this time fighting harder than before. Buffy kicked Darla’s legs out from under her before pounding on her hard. Buffy took a moment to breathe, giving Darla the chance to push her off. She rolled into a crouching position as Darla got up and tackled her back to the ground. They fumbled with each other for a moment and Darla got a grip on Buffy’s hair. Fighting the tears that sprang to her eyes, she dug her nails into Darla’s wrist causing her to let go.

“Looks like this is getting too much for you, blondie. Ready to die?” Darla panted out, despite not needing to breathe. She was now standing a foot away from Buffy, who was breathing heavily.

“After you, of course. I mean, ladies, first.”

They dove in again, kicking and punching furiously. With a simple uppercut, Darla had Buffy on her knees.

Buffy looked to the side as she felt rocks slide from beneath her. Just her luck. Not only was she on her knees before her enemy, but she was on the edge of a cliff. Could this day get any better?

“I like that position for you, Bunny. Bowing down to me. It just feels so right,” Darla sneered grabbing Buffy’s hair once again. “Pity, you won’t get to bow down to me when I’m queen. I plan to finish you before then.”

Pulling her up roughly, Darla bit into Buffy’s unprotected neck. Blood spattered across Buffy’s shirt and she felt her vision blur. Pushing backwards, she caused them both to topple over the cliff. By sheer luck, or something else, both ended up clinging to the cliff face. Buffy tried to pull herself up, but to no avail. She’d lost too much blood and her strength was ebbing away.

‘Maybe I should just fall. Better than hanging here until I collapse…’

“Buffy!” She jerked her head up to see Angel standing before her.

“Angel.”

He kneeled down quickly and extended his hand.

“Grab on Buffy and I’ll pull you up.”

“That’s interfering Angelus, and you know what happens if you do. You need to help us both up, or you’re breaking the rules,” Darla stated from where she hung on the wall. Her fingers were bleeding from holding onto hard rock, but she still wore her triumphant grin.

“I make the rules, Darla. I can change them at any point in time. But, I’ll help you up. I want to kill you myself.”

“Ooh, big words. You think you could kill me?”

“Oh, I know I can,” he stated, smiling at her coldly. He extended his other hand to her which she grabbed onto.

“Shit, you’re too heavy. I guess I won’t be killing you after all,” he stated through clenched teeth. Darla’s eyes rounded in shock as he released his grip on her.

“Angelus, no-”

Her body tumbled downwards disappearing into the shadow at the bottom. He focused his attention back on his real reason for being here and pulled her up. She tumbled on top of him, and he held her tightly.

“God, I thought-I thought you died,” he stated, his words catching as he fought back tears.

“I did,” she replied, her voice slightly muffled by his shirt.

“You’re bleeding,” he stated as if finally noticing.

She pulled out of his embrace to stare into his eyes. The chocolate orbs were swirly darkly and she forced herself not to look away from the depth of emotion in them. “I’ll be alright. But, Angel, I didn’t hear her body fall.”

They both turned to look back at the cliff edge. Buffy gasped slightly, noticing the man standing there, watching them. He would’ve been almost human looking if not for his all black eyes and sharp features. He resembled a bird more than anything else, and his gaze was predator like. What really frightened her was the fact that Darla’s broken body was floating by his side.

“Who the hell are you?” Angelus demanded, pulling Buffy toward him as he stood up.

“It does not matter. You will not even remember this encounter.”

Waving his hand toward them, the birdman watched as the slid to the ground unconscious.

“Now, where was I? Oh yes, disposal. This form will come in handy.” He looked at Darla’s crumpled body, before muttering under his breath. A wind arose, scattering dust around his body. When the dust disappeared, he was gone.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Buffy sat up in bed abruptly. That dream was so odd. Wait, dream. When did I go to sleep? Hey wasn’t I just on the cliff with Angel a second ago? She took in her surroundings. Angelus lay in the bed next to her and he looked so peaceful.

“Buffy, you’re awake!” shouted a voice from behind her and she jumped and then winced in pain. She looked at her side to see blood pooling around some wrappings.

“Oh god, Buffy, sorry. Um Giles, I think she needs new stitches,” Willow apologized as Giles walked into the room carrying a large white box. Angel chose this moment to awaken and Buffy smiled at him while Giles applied new bandages.

“Hey sleepyhead, you wanna tell me what happened?” she said, confusion crossing her features. He stared at her blankly in response, before turning to Giles.

“Giles?”

“Neither of you remember?”

They shook their heads, and Willow took that as her cue to chirp in.

“Well, Darla beat the Medusa and Buffy beat the Pygmy twins.”

“I thought I fought the Medusa,” Buffy cut in confused.

“No you didn’t. You fought the pygmy twins. Where’d that idea come from? Moving on, then Buffy went looking for Darla, who was on this barren cliff place. When she got there, they started fighting, which by the way Buffy, you’re amazing at.” Buffy smiled as Giles finished bandaging her.

“So anyways, Darla punched Buffy pretty hard and she was a little dazed. Then you showed up, Angel, and started fighting Darla while Buffy recovered. Then Darla kinda hit you over the head with Buffy’s sword handle-”

“Aah, so that’s where the splitting headache is from,” Angel cut in this time.

“Stop cutting me off! Continuing, Angel’s knocked out and Buffy’s starts wailing on Darla big time and Darla slices her with own sword. But, of course, her being Buffy and all, she grabs a really old root from the ground and stakes Darla with it. Then Buffy fainted and that’s when the gang and I caught up with you guys.”

“So, I didn’t die?” Buffy asks.

“No…”

“Oh, so that really was one weird dream,” she replies, gazing at her hand.

She looks back at Angel, who’s staring at her oddly. Willow nudged Giles slightly and they quietly exit the room, leaving Buffy and Angel alone.

“So.”

“So.”

An awkward silence ensues and they look around the room carefully avoiding each other’s gaze. Finally, Buffy looks up again and sighs.

“So, does this mean I won?”

“Um, yeah. You won,” Angel replied, still not looking at her. Buffy sighs again, before standing up and walking over to him. Grabbing his hands, she forced his gaze back up at hers.

“So tell me something, Angel, cuz I’m kind of confused. Does the wedding have to be right after the Ludos Tempestatis or can it wait for a couple of months?”

His eyes widened, and he choked out, “You still want to marry me? Even after I nearly got you ki-killed?”

“Well, obviously, Sherlock,” she replied sarcastically before smiling at him.

He pulled her down into a long deep kiss and they rolled across the bed.

“Hey! No rough housing in there! Buffy you know better, what with the stitches and such.”

“What exactly are they doing Wills? Cuz if deadboy’s compromising her safety in anyway I want to kick his ass first, you know?” Xander called from somewhere further away.

“Um, well, I er- Xander what did I tell you about calling him deadboy?” Willow replied, her voice growing fainter as she travelled further away.

“Don’t change the subject, Willow. I’ll have you know I’m not stupid enough to fall for that?”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course, I’m sure. Are you questioning my intelligence?”

“No…”

“Liar! Get back here!”

Willow’s squeals and Xander’s shouts disappeared. Buffy looked at Angel a moment before laughing hysterically.

“So,” he began when she had quieted down, “How does July sound for you?”

“July? That’s like seven months away.”

“Well I don’t know about you, but I’d like to get to know the woman I’m going to be spending my life with a little better.”

“Oh,” she said blushing as he stroked her arm lightly. “Then July’s perfect.” She leaned up to kiss him and neither of them noticed nor cared as they rolled off the bed.