Buffy was bored. She had already surfed what pitiful selections offered on the hospital television and had already counted every hole in the 45 acoustic tiles that she could see in the ceiling. She was considering pulling out the school books that her mother insisted she bring when she heard the door open and the squeak of rubber soles announcing the night nurse's arrival.

"You should be sleeping, Ms. Summers," the nurse said as she rounded the dividing curtain.

"I couldn't sleep," Buffy said to the dark-haired nurse as she stuck a thermometer in her mouth while hold her wrist to count her pulse. 'Angel Maldonado, RN' her nametag said. Buffy smiled as the thermometer beeped.

"I know an 'Angel'," Buffy said when Nurse Maldonado removed the thermometer. "Except, he's not a she." *Or a human,* she added to herself.

Nurse Maldonado finished taking Buffy's vital signs quickly and efficiently. "I'll be back later to draw some blood for your labwork. Meanwhile, you should get some sleep."

"I'll try," said Buffy while wondering at the twist of fate that put two 'Angels' in her life who were interested in her blood.

Some time later Buffy heard the door of her room opening again.

"You should be quick about taking my blood, Angel. The sun will be up soon."

A deep laugh answered her. "Well, since you're offering..." Angel stepped around the dividing curtain with a wry smile dancing across his lips.

"Oh, Angel! I thought you were my nurse," said Buffy, blushing. *Great, here I am talking about taking blood to a vampire with about a pint of it rushing around my face.*

"Yeah, I saw her. She's off calming a boy down the hall who claims he saw a monster in his room."

"You didn't..."

"Well, it'll keep her busy for awhile," said Angel ducking his head away from Buffy's sharp gaze.

"How did you know I was here?" Buffy narrowed her eyes in suspicion.

"I heard your Mom talking to your Dad on the telephone about you."

"You were at my house?"

Angel's gaze moved to the bed, the sink, the floor...anywhere but to the Slayer. "I should go," he whispered.

"No! No...I'm SO bored, and maybe a little scared. Please stay and talk to me."

"Ok, what do you want to talk about?" Angel smiled as he settled himself on the foot of Buffy's bed.

"I don't know. Anything. You never did tell me what happened that you got your soul back."

Angel's face took on a look of sheer panic as he leapt to his feet. Buffy could tell he was just about to bail on her. "Or not," she said swiftly. "Whatever you want to talk about, Angel. I'm sorry, I don't want to make you uncomfortable. Sit down and talk to me. Please?"

Angel's panicked look changed to one of self-loathing and resignation as he once again sat on the foot of her bed.

"I suppose I should tell you this story," he said, dropping his gaze to his clasped hands. "I warn you, though, you won't like me very much after you hear what I have to say."

Buffy leaned forward to lay her hand on his. Angel lifted his eyes to glance at her face.

"Why don't you let me be the judge of that," she said tenderly.

He dropped his gaze back to her hand resting on his. A few moments of silence followed and when Angel started to speak, Buffy had to strain to hear him.

"It happened in Budapest, around the turn of the century. There had been a bad earthquake and Darla and I were taking advantage of the confusion in the streets to feed." He glanced at her tense face. When she didn't comment he continued.

Budapest

Angelus sat on a bluff outside of Budapest. He drew one knee to his chest as he watched the fires that still burned in the city. There had been an earthquake earlier in the day and much of the city had been damaged. A fierce smile crossed his monstrous face as he remembered the damage he and Darla had done in the ensuing panic and confusion. They had fed well. Later they parted ways and he returned to the small cave that he had made his sanctuary from the day.

He turned his attention to the meadow a short distance from the city where a small band of gypsies were camped. He remembered he had seen most of the men in the city giving what help they could offer to the earthquake survivors. A quick glance at the night sky confirmed that morning was near, but not so close that he couldn't grab a quick bite. Maybe he would just snatch one up and return to his cave to play for awhile.

Marya closed the door to her grandmother's wagon silently. Garbed in her brother's pants and shirt, she placed a woolen cap on her head and stuffed her long, dark hair under it. Casting a furtive look at the other wagons, she slipped out of camp. She was miffed at being left in camp when the men went to the city to help the people injured in the earthquake. She was a healer. Her grandmother said she had never seen anyone as talented as Marya. Just because she was sixteen...and a girl...they left her behind. Well, she had an obligation and she was going to the city whether they liked it or not!

A distinct sense of *wrongness* halted her just past the edge of camp. Eyes were watching her, hungry eyes. Marya spun around in an attempt to find this watcher. Not seeing anyone, but not reassured, she anxiously continued down the path to the city.

Her breath was driven out of her lungs as an impossibly strong arm wrapped around her while another clamped over her mouth. She began to struggle as her captor's cold breath raised gooseflesh on her neck.

"Come and play with me, little boy," a deep voice growled in her ear.

Suddenly she was aware of being lifted into the air. She saw the landscape pass by her in a blur as the man who held her moved towards the bluffs at an inhuman speed. Before she could think to resume her struggle, she found herself being tossed into the mouth of a small cave.

Angelus bent and entered the cave. His captive's cap had flown off during his dash back and he now knew he had a girl, and not a small one if the generous curves he felt against his arm were any indication. It was dark in the cave, but he needed no light to see her dark eyes flashing with fury. *She has spirit,* he thought. Oh, he would have fun with this one before he ended it. He located a small candle and matches on the floor next to the girl. When he reached for them, she skittered back deeper into the cave. She moved around the corner to the area he slept in, safe from the sun's killing rays.

He turned his back to her as he lit the small candle, setting it in a shallow niche in the wall. Turning slowly, he presented his true face to her.

"Vampyr," she gasped before she brought her shaking hand to her mouth, stifling a scream. Her eyes were huge and round, dominating her frightened face.

Sunnydale

"But Angel, you weren't hungry," objected Buffy. "You and Darla had just made a smogasboard of Budapest."

"You would think so, wouldn't you? No, for a vampire, there is no such thing as 'enough'." Angel stood up and paced around her bed. He stopped at the window to gaze unseeing at the night sky.

He was lost in his own tortured thoughts when Buffy's touch on his back startled him. He whirled around to look at her with tormented eyes.

"So you made a snack of her," Buffy said lightly, attempting to ease his misery. "I don't think any less of you. You aren't that vampire anymore."

"I didn't just make a 'snack' of her," said Angel looking intently into her eyes. "There's more to it that just that."

"Ok, so tell me," said Buffy as she turned to return to her bed. As she did she presented him with a view of her delicate backside through the gap in the back of her hospital gown. Angel bit the inside of his mouth in an effort not to show the grin attempting to materialize on his face.

Buffy settled into her bed once again and looked up at his expectantly. Reminded of his tale, he felt the brief levity leave him. Sighing, he returned to his place at the foot of her bed and took up the story once again.

Budapest

An evil smirk appeared on his lips as he crept deeper into the cave. Marya gasped as she pressed her body into the wall at her back. Angelus regarded the frightened girl as he settled back on his heels. She was lovely despite, or maybe because of, the terror reflected on her face.

"What is your name, girl," he demanded sharply.

Marya pressed her lips together defiantly, refusing to answer him. In the space of a breath, he seized by her arms and threw her to the cave floor, pressing the length of his body down on hers.

"I asked your name, girl. Or perhaps you want to die right now?"

"Ma...Marya," she stammered into the demon's face pressed so near her own.

"Marya," Angelus said, his lips curling in a cruel smile. "You are very beautiful, Marya. Your skin is so very soft." His voice had lowered to a whisper as he ran his fingers over the silky skin of her cheek.

Her turned her head away from his touch, a shiver of disgust working through her small body. He grabbed her chin and forced her gaze back to him.

"Does my true face distress you?" he purred dangerously. He lowered his eyes, concentrating as he put his human mask on. "Perhaps this is more to your liking."

Marya stared at the beautiful, tantalizing man above her. But she was not fooled. No matter what guise this creature wore, she still knew he was a demon at the core. "No matter what pretty face you put on, vampire, I still know what you really are," she spat at him.

His rage swept the attractive mask from his face. He grabbed her wrists and yanked them roughly above her head, holding them effortlessly with one hand.

"Very well, little gypsy, have it your way," he snarled as he took the claws of his free hand and tore through the boy's shirt she wore, tearing her undergarments along the way. "I would have made your death pleasant for you," he ground out as he roughly fondled her exposed body.

She opened her mouth to let out a piercing scream, but Angelus quickly covered her mouth with his own. Marya felt her stomach clench when his tongue invaded her mouth. His hand roamed to lower areas.

Sunnydale

"STOP! Oh, please stop!"

"I killed her as I raped her," Angel went on relentlessly.

"Oh, God...oh, God," moaned Buffy as she rocked back and forth, her face buried in her hands.

"The men of the tribe met me at the cave entrance that next evening after I awoke with crosses in their hands. They brought me in chains before the tribal council and after they finished, they performed their magic to restore my soul. Even to this day, I couldn't tell you exactly what they did. All I know is suddenly the horror and shame of all the killing I did for over one hundred years poured into my mind and my newly restored soul." Angel's chin rested on his chest, the weight of his guilt seemed to press heavily on him. "What happened then?" asked Buffy, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Angel raised his head to gaze with empty eyes at the ceiling. "They just let me go," he whispered. "Every person in the camp turned their backs to me and walked away. As I sat there stunned by the visions of my life pouring into me, I felt a gentle touch on my hair. I turned to find an old woman watching me sadly. She told me of her own mother, Marya's great grandmother, who was a great healer in the tribe. She had only died recently. But before she did, she taught Marya all of the old knowledge she had, including an ancient cure for vampirism. You have no idea how many times since then I grieved for the knowledge I killed that night." Angel looked intently into Buffy's tearful eyes. "Especially now that I've met you."

The sound of the door opening and the squeak of rubber soles abruptly interrupted them. Angel leapt to his feet and swiftly ducked behind the dividing curtain. Buffy wiped her face on her sheets.

"I'm here to get your labwork, Ms. Summers," Nurse Maldonado said as she rounded the curtain.

"Ok," Buffy said quietly, thinking over all Angel had told her.

The nurse worked swiftly as she drew the blood and was soon gone, taking her tray of instruments with her.

"Angel?" hissed Buffy.

"I have to go," he murmured from behind the curtain.

"Why?"

Angel drew back the fabric, but he continued to stay in the shadows. It was dark, but Buffy could still see his demonic visage and gleaming eyes fastened on the blood-soaked cotton ball she held to the inside of her elbow.

"Come see me after I get out of here?" she asked. "I won't be able to talk very much and I'll need another story to keep me company."

Angel stared at her, astonished. "You still want to see me, even after what I told you tonight?"

"Yeah."

"Why?" he asked, mystified.

Buffy just shrugged. "I told you before. You aren't that vampire anymore."