aired on: November 23, 1999

written by: David Greenwalt and Jeannine Renshaw

directed by: David Grossman

When we last left the gang, Doyle had a vision, and Buffy was involved. Now Angel's just gotten back from a trip to Sunnydale. He was there just to protect Buffy, he says, and she didn't even know he was there. But it turns out that Buffy did know, and she's upset. She says so as she strolls into the office. She doesn't know what she wants from Angel, but she knows that when he's around, whether she sees him or not, she feels him, inside, and it throws her. Angel says it throws him, too. Buffy suggests they stick to their original plan, and keep their distance, until a lot of time has passed. As they agree to try to forget, an uninvited demon smashes through the window, brandishing a sword. Buffy helps Angel defend himself, but before they can finish the thing off, it jumps back out the window.

As they track it through the sewer tunnels, they talk about how confusing and difficult things are for them both. Talking draws them nearer, until they're close enough to kiss, but Buffy takes a step back. She knows nothing has changed, and that if something happens, they'll only have to leave each other again. Back to the demon hunting, Buffy suspects it's gone up into the daylight, where Angel can't follow. Though Angel doesn't like the idea of Buffy hunting alone, he suggests a demon hangout where the thing might have gone. But the demon isn't there - it's lurking in the sewer tunnels, and it jumps out after Angel. As they fight, the demon slashes Angel's hand, which starts to bleed. The fight continues, until Angel drives the demon's sword into its gut, killing it. As it dies, green demon blood oozes from its body. Some of the blood gets on Angel's hand, and sinks into his cut, surging through his body. He's in pain, but he's still alive.

And that's the rub - he's alive. The demon blood mixed with his, making him mortal. Some research into the demon reveals that its blood has regenerative properties, which explains what happened to Angel, but not why, and he wants to know. He wants to talk with The Powers That Be.

The Powers That Be can't be spoken to directly, but only through channels, so Doyle leads Angel to an oracle, where he seeks answers. There he's told that he isn't poisoned or under some spell, and that from this day, he will live, and die, as any mortal man. He is released from his duty, free to do whatever he wants. What he wants is Buffy. When he finds her, walking by the sea, in the daylight, they embrace in a passionate kiss.

Back at Angel's, the lovebirds talk. Despite the kiss, Angel feels they should be patient with the relationship, and "see if this mortal thing takes." Even if it does, things are still complicated. They agree to be mature and take their time, but as Buffy turns to leave, maturity goes out the window, and clothes fall to the floor. Buffy and Angel make each other very happy.

As Cordelia and Doyle lament their newfound "unemployment," Doyle's head slams to the bar with another mind-numbing vision. He rushes over to Angel's, to tell him that the blood of the demon has regenerated more than just Angel - the demon has regenerated itself.

As Angel and Doyle track it down, Doyle does some research. This demon not only regenerates, it comes back bigger and stronger. When they find it, the fight doesn't go as usual - Angel's a human now. Angel had left Buffy behind, fast asleep. When she awakes to find him gone, she persuades Cordelia to reveal where Angel went, and heads right over. Before the demon can plunge its sword into Angel's back, Buffy arrives, ready for slaying. But the demon won't go down easily. Finally, Angel remembers the key to killing it, and Buffy does the deed, saving them both.

Before it died, the demon said the end of days had begun. Angel goes back to the oracle, to find out if this is the truth; the oracle confirms that it is. And this means that the lives of slayers - Buffy in particular - are in danger. Angel begs for her life - and asks them to take his back. He says he can't protect her, or anyone, as a man. He knows they have it in their power to make it right. They offer to swallow this day, to take back the 24 hours from when the demon first attacked him. That would make it so that none of what happened between he and Buffy happened. Only Angel would stop it from happening again, and Angel alone will carry the memory of that day.

Back home, Angel tells Buffy that he asked the oracles to turn him back. "Because more than ever," Angel explains, "I know how much I love you. If I stay mortal, one of us will wind up dead, maybe both of us." Buffy, far from happy, tries to understand. In Angel's last few minutes as a human, he and Buffy kiss, and they cry. When those minutes are up, Angel and Buffy are back in his office, right before the demon's first attack. Angel remembers everything that has happened, but Buffy does not. When the demon bursts through the window this time, Angel knows just how to kill it instantly. And Buffy, impressed but not remembering a thing, walks out of Angel's life yet again.