Summary
Buffy arrives in L.A., furious that Angel did not tell her that he was in Sunnydale. While they are talking, they are attacked by a Mohra demon, and some of its blood gets onto Angel. After a brief hunt, they kill the demon, but its blood is having a strange effect on Angel. He feels short of breath, dizzy, and disoriented, and then suddenly his heart begins to beat.
Now fully human, Angel must decide how this will affect his relationship with Buffy and whether or not he can still be a Champion.
Plot
Angel returns from Sunnydale, having successfully helped keep Buffy alive. He thinks she has no idea he was even in town. Until Buffy appears at his office, none too pleased. Angel tries to explain that he thought it was easier for both of them if they didn’t interact while he was there. Buffy chalks it up to another case of Angel thinking she can’t handle things. Their conversation is interrupted when a demon bursts in through the window. Angel and Buffy battle with him. Angel wounds him just before he jumps out h window.
Buffy and Angel track him through the sewers. They have another “heartbreaking sewer talk”. Buffy decides it would be better if they split up to look for the demon. She heads up to the surface to look for it while Angel continues his search down below. He meets up with the demon and they fight. Angel is cut during the skirmish. He slays the demon but is infected by its blood when it seeps into his wound. Suddenly his heart begins to beat. He’s alive.
Angel returns to the office and reveals his newfound humanity to Doyle and Cordy just before he gets the munchies. He sends Cordy to find Buffy while he and Doyle try to figure out what happened. They discover it was a Morra demon (hired assassins) but still have no answers. Doyle and Angel go to the Oracles to ask if The Powers That Be had anything to do with the change in his status. The Oracles inform him that The Powers had nothing to do with it. He’s no longer a warrior. He’s a mortal man. Permanently. Angel immediately goes to find Buffy. He walks to her in the sunlight and kisses her.
At first, they decide to be rational and mature and take things slowly. Moments later they are in each other’s arms, making up for lost time. They have a perfect evening together. Until Doyle has a new vision. The Morra demon has regenerated itself and is more powerful than before. Angel and Doyle leave to kill it. Buffy awakes and finds Angel gone. Cordy slips and tells her where Angel went. She takes off after him. The newly mortal Angel isn’t doing well against the demon. Buffy shows up and destroys it. But not before the demon announces that there are soldiers of darkness approaching to bring on the end of days. Angel goes to see the Oracles again to ask if he was telling the truth. The Oracles reveal that Buffy will die. Angel offers to give up his humanity. He feels he can be of more help to Buffy as a vampire. They agree to turn back time. The last 24 hours will have never happened. Only Angel will remember what events have transpired. He returns to Buffy and tells her what he’s done. They share a heartbreaking final moment before time is turned back. This time when the Morra demon bursts in on Buffy and Angel’s conversation, he destroys it immediately. And Buffy walks out of his office and his life.
Dialogue
All quotes in Italics are from the time that did NOT happen. Except, it happened for Angel. *sigh* Whatever.
Batten down the hatches. Here comes hurricane Buffy.
Maybe he's over her.
You have so much to learn, little Irish man.
Look, Buffy will always be a part of me, and that's never gonna change but she's human...and I'm not...and that's also never gonna change.
I didn't want to stir things up.
You don't want to stir, but if my ex came to town and was all stalking me in the shadows and then left and then he didn't even say hello, I'd be...
A little upset. Wouldn't you?
Well, ummm...it's good to...can I get you anything?
It's complicated how this all happened, Buffy, you know. It's kind of a long story.
Your new sidekick had a vision, I was in it, you came to Sunnydale?
Okay, maybe not that long.
I was in the neighborhood...skulking.
Where we going?
Oh, they'll be into this for awhile, we still have time for a cappuccino and probably the director's cut of the Titanic.
It was rude. We should go kill it.
I'm free.
I feel weird.
I know. I do too. I...I mean, I only came to see you so I could tell you face to face not to...see me face to face anymore. And I know there's a flaw in that logic ointment somewhere but the next thing I knew we were being attacked by this mutant ninja demon thing and then we're on the floor, on top of each other and...it's just really confusing being around you.
No, I meant I felt weird from the demon's blood. It's powerful.
Oh. 'Kay. Let's just rewind Buffy's little outburst and pretend it never happened.
I'm alive.
He's alive, Cordelia.
I'm mortal now. I have a mortal body and...I...am...so...hungry!
Look out! He's gonna eat...everything in sight.
Oh my God. Food. This is unbelievable...this is so...I forgot how good it all tastes when you're alive.
Yeah, they didn't even have cookie-dough-fudge-mint-chip in your day.
Oh! I want some. Can you get that?
It'll go straight to your thighs.
Chocolate! Ohh, chocolate! I love chocolate...but not, as it turns out, yogurt. Ugh!
Hey, what difference does it make, man? The demon's dead, you're alive. It's happy-fun time.
The gateway for lost souls...is under the post-office?
Makes sense if you think about it.
Next time, remind me to bring a gift.
I knew I forgot something.
Oh please. They've got the forbidden love of all time. They've been apart for months, now he's suddenly human? I'm sure they're down there just havin' tea and crackers.
I'm really sorry I kissed you like that.
You are?
Not for the kiss itself.
Good...I...I mean cause as far as kisses go, I thought it was well above average.
It was incredible.
I think maybe we'd be asking for trouble rushing back into things. Not that I don't want to rush. I do. Believe me.
You spoke to the Oracles. And they did say you were cured for good. But, how do we know that they really speak for the Powers? I mean, they could be pranksters.
It would be smart to wait awhile, see if this mortal thing takes.
And peanut-butter! Preferably crunchy.
Got it.
You're human, for like a minute and already there's cookie-dough-fudge-mint-chip in the fridge.
God, I love food.
Why didn't you ever tell me about chocolate and peanut-butter?
I'll finally be free to go out and make me own mark in the world.
We had a cat that used to do that.
What am I gonna do? I'm good for exactly two things: International superstardom or helping a vampire with a soul to rid the world of evil.
Don't you wanna wake the girl?
Not for the world.
I asked them to turn me back.
What?! Why?
Because more than ever, I know how much I love you.
How can we be together if the cost is your life?
Everything we did?
It never happened.
It did! It did! I know it did. I felt your heart beat.
I'll never forget. I'll never forget. I'll never forget. I'll never forget.
That was unreal. How did you know how to kill it?
It's a Mohra demon. I ummm....I've had a lot of time to catch up on my reading.