Disclaimer: Anything recognizable from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and/or Angel belongs to the creators of the show and not me.

Scar Tissue – Chapter 5

Angel watched as Buffy…no, the thing that was taking over Buffy's body, groaned and slightly moved as she began to regain consciousness. He double checked the ropes tying her to the chair as Cordy watched in apprehension.

"You're sure that's tight enough?" Cordy asked. "The girl's strong enough without evil slayers possessing her."

Angel grumbled a little to himself and was glad he wasn't facing her so that she didn't see him roll his eyes at her comment. "Just find the passage in the book that tells us what to do when Wes gets here," he told her.

It turns out that Wesley did know exactly who to call and got in touch with one of his few remaining friends at the Watcher's Council in England. His friend was reluctant to help the slayer that had caused them so much trouble as well as the Watcher that was fired. After a very long phone call, Wesley's friend told him that they had many artifacts that the Shadowmen once possessed, including the box that once held the demon's power that was used to create the slayers. Wesley's friend was fairly certain that even though the First Slayer was possessing Buffy, this box would draw her out.

The only problem was the box was in England. When Wesley said that they could not wait for the box to be shipped, his friend told him that they could try using any box that was made for holding a demon or at least its power.

"Got it," Wesley said as he opened the door to the office and walked in holding a medium-sized, ornately carved box made of sturdy dark wood. "Ronald said that if we use any box designed for holding a demon possessing someone it might be enough to draw the First Slayer out of Buffy."

"So is this like that other box we used for the uh, Ethros demon in that little kid?" Cordelia asked.

"Yes, it's the same theory," Wesley answered.

"But it's not the one designed for the specific demon whose power was used for the slayers. How are we going to be sure it'll work…" Angel asked, trailing off, slightly disappointed.

"Ronald said that any box of this type would work, it just might be a little harder to coax the First Slayer out."

Angel just nodded and went over to stand near Buffy. "Let's just do this," he said looking at the unconscious slayer. Wesley nodded and gave the box to Cordelia and picked up the old book they had been using off the desk. He flipped through a couple pages before finding what he was looking for.

"'Spell to Eradicate the Power of a Demon,'" Wesley read from the book. "That seems to be what were looking for…" he trailed off. Cordelia opened the box as Wesley began to read the Sumerian text.

Angel looked down at Buffy and noticed that she was becoming restless the more Wesley read. She snapped open her dark eyes and started to breathe heavily. She looked wildly around the room and it dawned on her what the others were doing. She gave a wicked chuckle that reminded Angel how unstable she was.

"What a mistake your making…" she said in a raspy, almost sing-song voice. Wesley slightly paused, but quickly caught himself and continued reading, his voice a little louder. Cordelia eyed her cautiously and Angel's jaw tensed as he watched her. "Why do you think she let me in, huh?" This time Wesley did pause as Buffy continued. "She was ready for me. She wanted the power."

Angel just kept glaring down at her and said angrily to Wesley, "Keep. Reading." Wesley read again from the book, his voice a little wary. Cordelia took a step back but kept the lid to the box open. Angel knew that she was trying to distract them, get them to let down their guard so she could escape.

Buffy chuckled darkly again and said a little breathlessly, "Fools. You should have kept me around; the world needs me now more than ever." Wesley ignored her and kept reading. "You'll wish 

you had me when it gets bad. And believe me. It will." Wesley finished the passage, almost yelling, and Buffy took in a deep breath as a dark mist thrust itself from her body, throwing her back a little. It hung in the air for a moment and then shot straight towards the box that Cordelia was opening. She gave out a little shriek as she closed the lid on the cloud. Cordelia was thrown back into the desk but kept standing and held onto the box that was rattling a little.

Wesley placed the book down and went over to help Cordelia with the box. Angel barely glanced at them before looking back at Buffy. She was still tied to the chair, her head drooping and hair hiding her face. Angel approached her cautiously. "Buffy?" he asked in a soft voice.

Buffy stirred a little and brought her head up to look at Angel. Angel looked down into her watery, confusion filled green eyes. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw her eyes and dropped down on his knees so his face was level with hers.

"Angel?" Buffy said, choking on his name a little. Angel reached up to brush a strand of hair out of her face.

"Welcome back," he said, trying to smile for her.

She looked around in confusion and then gasped as she remembered. "Oh god," she said breathing heavily. "I tried to…oh god, all of you," she said looking at Cordelia and Wesley.

"Shh, it's okay, it wasn't your fault. It wasn't you Buffy," Angel said reassuring her. He moved to untie her from the chair and help her up.

Cordelia visibly tensed when Angel helped her out of the chair and said, "Shouldn't we-"

"Cordelia," Wesley said cutting her off and silencing her. The two looked on as Angel guided Buffy into the elevator and descended into his apartment.

"Well that's just great. We almost get pulverized by a psycho-slayer and not even a word of apology," Cordelia said a little miffed. She dropped the box, which had stopped rattling, onto the desk with a thud.

Wesley, who had gone over to the bookcase to replace the book they had been using, said with a glance at her, "Give them some time. They have a hard few days ahead of them."

"Oh yeah, they'll talk, they'll fight, they'll kiss and make up. Typical Buffy and Angel show- did you say days? We have to put up with they're moping for days? She's back to normal; they'll be all googley-eyed in the morning as usual."

"I don't know Cordelia, Buffy's experienced something that had never happened before, or at least never been documented before. It might take a while for her to get back on her feet." Cordelia just rolled her eyes at this and tidied up the desk a little. Wesley continued talking when she didn't say anything. "Being possessed by a demon is…very much like getting a very bad cut." Cordelia looked up at him doubtfully but didn't say anything. "Bear with me," Wesley said. Cordelia shrugged and continued to clean up the desk.

"When a demon possession happens, it needs to enter your body, and your soul, to truly take you over, like what happened to Buffy. When this happens, your soul, your spirit, is...torn open, like a cut. If and when the demon is exercised, or the cut is stitched back up, the tear may be gone and closed, but there will be a scar remaining, so to speak. A scar like the one Buffy must have in her will take time to heal and fade, like any scar does. Although, like some scars, it may never fully fade."

"Great, so she's going to be messed up forever?" Cordelia asked.

Wesley tried to ignore her blunt comment and said, "Maybe, maybe not. Angel is probably the best candidate to help her now. There's not much we can do but give it time. Let the scar fade. Even then, she may never really be the same again. Possibly more distant, more hardened by the experience. She may always have the scar tissue."

"Jeeze Buffy, what is this, the fourth suitcase?" Angel asked as he hauled the bag out of the elevator.

"It's the last one, I swear!" Buffy said with a smile as she stepped out of the elevator with a large purse over her shoulder that could be carried on a plane. She stepped closer to him and said, "Thanks" quietly as she brought her face closer to his. Angel just grunted at her and turned his face away. "Oh come on!" Buffy said laughing as she brought her hand up to his face and brought it back to her. "Let me thank you," she said gently. Angel finally cracked a smile and kissed her on the lips softly. The kiss that was meant to be a quick thank you was quickly heading away from that direction and the two jumped apart when they heard someone clear their throat.

"You know what Wesley? I'm glad we're not going," Cordelia said crossing her arms.

Buffy looked guiltily over at Wesley and Cordelia and muttered "Sorry" under her breath. A few weeks after the whole First Slayer mess, Buffy and Angel decided that a little time away was exactly what they needed and Angel made the plans for the European vacation that he wanted to take Buffy on. Buffy felt a little guilty for leaving Wesley and Cordelia alone to run the business for a month while they were gone, but she reassured them that her friends in Sunnydale were only an hour away and if things got really bad they could be on the next flight home. While Cordelia was a little jealous that Buffy and Angel were escaping LA for a European tour, Wesley agreed with them that this is probably exactly what they needed after the incident with the First Slayer. He told Cordelia that this would do wonders for Buffy's healing process.

After all their bags were in Angel's car (most of them Buffy's), the couple said a very brief goodbye to Wesley and Cordelia, gave them a list of the hotels they were staying at in case they needed to contact them, and were out the door.

Cordelia looked at the door they just exited all too quickly, huffed in anger, and said to Wesley, "Healing schmealing."

A/N: Well that's it! Hope you enjoyed, please review!

-sailor's delight