"I close my eyes, and the world drops dead
I lift my lids, and all is born again"
-Sylvia Plath, "A Mad Girl's Love Song"

Buffy sighed contentedly and flopped down onto her bed. Today had been the best day of her life by far. Nothing else could ever compare to the happiness she had felt - and still did - that morning when she, along with Willow and Giles, watched the demon inside Angel fall away and turn to dust. He was human.

It was a dream come true... literally. She didn't know how many nights she'd found herself unable to sleep and instead fantasizing about what it would be like to have him with her at any time, day or night. After Angel reverted back to Angelus, she would dream of him, standing in the sunlight and urging her not to give up. She would get through this. He believed in her.

His image, reiterating his faith in her, kept her going all those horrible months. It kept her from being killed like his family and friends or being driven insane like Drusilla. And soon, that faith was transferred into her, and she began to believe in herself and the fact that somewhere, her Angel still lived on.

He did. She was right about that. Angel was buried somewhere deep inside himself, and a casting of the Ritual of Restoration as well as a large dose of Buffy's blood and Holy Water brought him back completely... and alive.

Lying down and closing her eyes, Buffy brought her mind back to the events of that morning. She had burst out in tears when she realized Angel was all right and he was cured, totally. He had been stuck in limbo between life as a vampire and life as a human and incredibly ill until they found a way to cure him. There was no more vampire in him. His soul had weakened the demon, and the Holy Water finished it off. Angel was given a new chance at life, and he was going to live it as best he could.

She remembered him holding her as she wept, whispering soothingly in her ear, telling her it was going to be all right. He had always been her "rock," so to speak, the one she would always turn to in times of need. It felt so good to have him back with her again.

The sat like that, holding each other on the floor, oblivious to the world around them. After a few moments of consolation, Buffy remembered there were two other people in the room beside them and stood up, wiping the tears away with the tips of her fingers. Her eyes were red and sore, but she didn't care. Her Angel was back.

<< Buffy silently scolded herself for her juvenile behavior before turning to face her friends. "I'm sorry," she apologized. "It's just..." She laughed in amazement, gesturing with her hands to the man beside her. "You're here... all of you... human. It's a lot to handle."

"Yeah. For me, too," Angel agreed, smiling bewilderedly as the realization finally sunk in.

"So what are we waiting for?" Willow asked, breaking into the conversation and smiling mischievously at the others.

"Let's go!" Buffy exclaimed, leading them to the door... >>

<< They skipped right over the preliminaries and moved on to the big stuff. They saw the demon turn to dust. There was no doubt that Angel was in fact human again. He could die as a mortal, have children, live off regular food, and most of all, go out in the sun.

Standing in the doorway
Of my life in this house
Trying to find a way to get out
Looking for a sign
That I should open my door
This craziness is getting me down

But today is the day
We break free
Today is the day
We break free

The group traveled up the staircase together and paused when they reached the main door of the apartment building. Coming to the front, Angel stopped and cautiously opened the door with Buffy behind him in case anything unexpected should occur. After all, this was the hellmouth where the unexpected was to be expected at all times.

Walking down the stairway
To the traffic below
Anything could happen, I know
Hey, but I'm sick of everybody
Telling me what to do
I hear you
Hey, but I already know

'Cause today is the day
We break free
Today is the day
We break free

Squinting against the glaring light he hadn't felt in over two hundred years, Angel smiled. The warmth shining onto his face seemed to be urging him on, and he took a deep breath before stepping out of the doorway and into the sun's rays.

It's clear in my mind
After all of this time
What I feel, my love
There are so many times
That the sun doesn't shine
But I'm here, my love

Today is the day

Buffy held her breath as she watched him walk out of the building and directly into the sun's path. His beautifully angelic face was bathed in sunlight, and he smiled.

Maybe I should wait
Just a minute or two
It's getting cold now
I feel so insecure
The future is a mistress
That is so hard to please
And the past
Is a pebble in my shoe

But today is the day
We break free
Today is the day
We break free

Buffy squealed in delight and ran over to him, practically throwing herself into his arms and giggling giddily. She had never been so happy in her seventeen years of life. Finally, she could have a normal relationship! Well, close to one anyway. She wasn't sure if things between her and Angel could ever go back to the way that they were before.

It's clear in my mind
After all of this time
What I feel, my love
There's so many times
That the sun doesn't shine
But I'm here, my love
And today is the day... >>

Yawning and stretching out her arms, Buffy decided to clear everything from her mind and get some rest. It was one of the first days in a long time she had absolutely nothing to worry about, at least nothing anyone could help her with...