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Author's Notes: Read previous stories before reading this. Also, very sad story.*Tissue warning*
Buffy walked into the Bronze with an air of confidence about her. Gone was the self-pity, the lonliness, the gut-wrenching saddness and feeling of betrayal.
It seemed like months since the slayer had walked into one of Sunnydale's 12 cemetaries to find Angel and Willow, two people she had trusted the most, locked in a passionate embrace. They were so pathetic after that, leaving her messages and sending her letters until she had disconected the machine and "removed" her mail box (which had been fun, as she has pasted pictures of Willow on it and used a sledge hammer).
She was now ready to confront them, having healed (partially) from the horrifying encounter. She easily spotted them, made eye-contact, gestured them over and stood patiently until they arrived.
Immediately they began spewing apologies and groveling, begging her to forgive them. Instead, she did something so cold, so mean, so.... Cordelia like, it shocked them into silence.
She laughed in their faces.
It wasn't the care free, beautiful, full of life laugh of old. It was a bitter, reducing, pain inflicting chuckle. It was something she had picked up from Angelus.
"Please, stop groveling, you pathetic winers," she drawled in a lazy tone that did not suit her,"this is not what I came here for. I came here to tell you both that I'm over what happened and you to can go screw like bunnies, for all I care."
This, it seemed, shocked them even more than the chuckle of moments before. But, not to be dismissed so easily, Angel spoke up. "We have no intention of doing any such thing. We both love you very much and are very sorry for-
"Oh please shut up, Angel, "Buffy snapped,"I told you I did not want to hear any more apologies. You and that slut can do whatever you please."
"Don't call her that! She's your friend," Angel yelled, catching the attention of many other Bronze goers.
Buffy smiled. "Defending your lover, are you. Why don't you let her speak for herself. And, no friend of mine woult btray me how she did."
Willow piped up (finally, Buffy thought), " We never meant to-
"Get caught?" It was not a question, though Buffy stated it as one.
Willow and Angel had nothing to say at this. "Listen up, kiddies," Buffy said in a singsong voice that held a deep anger, " I never want to see or hear from you again. Stay away from slaying meetings. Don't help with patrol. Don't do any spells. Don't give me any cryptic warnings. Don't come near me."
" How can you do this Buffy," Angel whispered," I tought you how to love!"
"Yes, but you also taught me something I never wanted to learn."
" What was that?"
"You taught me how to hate."
She left then, without another word.Many of the listeners clapped, then booed the two remaining members of the conversation. Angel and Willow did not try to go after her, just stood there, gaping at the spot where she had been, realizing, finally, what they had done. Not only had they ruined their relationships with Buffy, they had ruined any chance at any future relationship for Buffy. The memory of betrayal was something she would always keep with her. And that was why what they had done was unforgivable.
