[Sabi]

My Heart Was BREAKING!

Angel: Oh...

He sighs deeply and kisses her on the shoulder.

Angel: Oh, Buffy...

She cries into his shoulder and hugs him back. Behind him Acathla lets out a low rumble. Buffy opens her eyes and stares in shock as Acathla's face contorts. His brows angle down, his eyes glow red, his mouth opens grotesquely and the swirling vortex to Hell opens, small at first, but growing steadily in size and emanating a deep, red glow. Buffy lets go of Angel and looks up into his face.

Angel: (confused) What's happening?

Buffy: (whispers reassuringly) Shh. Don't worry about it.

She brushes her fingers over his lips and across his cheek. She lays her hand on his cheek and kisses him softly. He returns the kiss, and it becomes more passionate. Behind them the vortex has grown to about five feet (1.5 m) across and continues to get larger. Buffy breaks off the kiss and looks deeply into Angel's eyes.

Buffy: (whispers) I love you.

Angel: (whispers) I love you.

She touches his lips with her fingers again.

Buffy: Close your eyes.

She nods reassuringly, and he closes his eyes. She tries hard not to
start crying, and kisses him again gently. She steps back, draws back
her sword and thrusts it into his chest. His eyes whip open in surprise and pain, and a bright light emanates from the sword. She steps away from him. He reaches out to her and looks down at the sword thrust completely through him. He looks at her imploringly, completely bewildered by this turn of events. She can only stare at the sword protruding from his chest, and slowly steps further back.

Angel: Buffy...

Behind him the power of the sword begins to swirl into the vortex. Buffy steps further back, still looking only at the sword in his chest and not into his face. The vortex has enlarged to about twelve feet (3.5 m) across, and the two energies begin to interact. Angel still holds out his hand to Buffy. When the vortex finally meets him it suddenly closes into Acathla's mouth without so much as a spark, taking him with it.
Buffy stares at the stone demon for a long moment, a light of awareness dawning in her eyes as she truly realizes what she has done, what she has lost. She begins to sob, her heart breaking.