Outside of London
The weather was uncommonly warm for this time of year. It had been nice to be back in England. He knew it wouldn’t last.
Giles sighed and started to clean his glasses with his handkerchief. It was at times like these that he really felt useless. What could an middle aged Ex-Watcher do that was going to make a difference. In the big fights he was more of a background player. Useful but not in a major way. Most of his texts that he had in the U.S. had been to refer to books that had been here in London. All of that glorious knowledge had been lost.
Surprisingly, a wealth of books had been out on loan to Wesley’s Father, Roger Wyndam-Price. He was able to get most of them back from the retired Watcher. He had to endure the biting tongue of the old man for hours in order to do so. It had been worth it. Almost. To think that Wesley turned out as good as he did was a huge surprise. Growing up with a man such as that couldn’t be easy.
He had been able to straighten out most of the financial matters and that left the surviving members of the Council, himself included, well off. He had managed to get an annuity set up for each Slayer so that they wouldn’t have to be forced to deal with financial matters on top of trying to save the world on a daily basis. To think about what Buffy had been through the past two years. She was really an amazing woman. Everything that he had hoped she would be. She made him proud...
He had even been able to get one set up for Dawn since she was mystical in origin. The only catch is that the remaining Council members wanted one interview with her so they could question her more about Glory. They had taken his full report of what had happened. But as with any major event, they tried to get as many eyewitness accounts and Dawn’s role had been pivotal. Buffy would have a fit but, would give in for Dawn’s best interest.
There wasn’t any real need for her to be concerned. The Council that Buffy had known was gone. None of the Elders remained. There was going to be a power vacuum until someone stepped up to fill the position. He had set a date with the surviving member to elect a Council Head but that was weeks away. In the meantime, he had been given authority to use whatever he would need for the upcoming onslaught. This conflict was going to be on a bigger scale that anything that he had faced with Buffy before.
There was organization behind every movement that Wolfram & Hart made. They were always two steps ahead of every move that the Council, at full strength, had ever made. The disaster that had happened to the Council had been noted and every attempt at secrecy was made. Giles thought reasonably that there was little more that he could do. Stress and anxiety was making him want to smoke. He had given it up... The absolute wrong time to have tried to.
Then Willow had come in from the Continent... There was a serenity to her now. She had found something within on that day in Sunnydale. When everyone else had lost so much. He still could remember the lose on everyone's face. They had lost some of the girls. Anya. Spike.
That last name brought back bitter memories for him. He had been so sure of himself. So self righteous. He knew evil. He had danced along the edge of it in his youth. Flirted with it since. But how could he even think to make such a decision for Buffy. She had been the only one to fully trust Spike... Spike had saved them all and he had tried to kill him a week before. He felt full of regret. There was nothing that he could do now to assuage his guilt.
Hindsight was always twenty twenty... Of all of his bad decisions this was the one he most regretted. For losing Buffy’s trust. For not giving Spike a chance. He had been so scared for them all at the end of the siege that the First had imposed on them. It had looked so dark. And he had doubted the two that had shed light upon them all with their actions. Willow had played her part in saving them. He had doubted her, too. He was humbled. His ego had taken a blow. He had so many successes with Buffy, that he had turned a blind eye to the fact, that it was because of her that they always triumphed. He played his part. That’s all it was... a part.
The time he had spent here at the Coven had been the best part of his Holiday. Willow had been progressing so well. He had helped in training her. For some reason the Coven had thought that his past with her would strengthen the lessons. It had awakened in him a spiral of energy. His own power. That he had carefully kept hidden. Buried within himself. Since his youthful summoning of the demon that had killed his friends. When he was the Ripper. Ethan had known that he had buried the power. That is why he he had come to Sunnydale... To see what was left of it. He had left disappointed. Giles had kept a firm reign on himself. Now it was rearing itself up again demanding to be used. Tempting once again.
He saw movement out of the corner of his eye. The Coven’s Seer, Margaret. She had followed him out to the gardens. He had been blindly looking out at the landscape not truly appreciating the beauty of it. Everything was natural and free. The only order was the herb gardens. They were carefully tended and shaped in intricate knots. Margaret smiled at him.
“We are almost ready for you...”
“I’m not sure I am ready for this...”
“I know that you are. Remember I see how it can unfold. You just have to be true to yourself. You have to accept that part of you that you have denied. It is unnatural for you to suppress such a gift.”
“It isn’t a gift...”
“Yes, it is... You have the wisdom now to use it as it should be used. And we have provided you with the training. All of the time that you were helping Willow you were helping yourself too.”
“Why does it have to be me? I would rather not do magicks. I am afraid of the consequences that they bring...”
“You know that we cannot leave the Coven. We are bound to the land. We are the protectors of the sacred stones. Our power’s would diminish outside of our boundaries. That is why we sent Willow back to her friends before she became too afraid to leave here. She is not meant to be a part of us. We must bind our powers to yours so that you both may become our weapon in this upcoming fight. Our vessels. The two of you must go through with this ritual. I know that you did not like the experience before when we sent you to help guide Willow back to the right path. But we know that you have the strength to withstand the ritual and the wisdom to use the power wisely. You also now have the training with Willow that will help you. When you used the power in your youth you were stripping it away from others. You now have the knowledge of how to channel existing energy, to borrow it, not drain it from others. There will be a difference no consequences. No backlash. You both have a certain amount of natural energy but combined with ours you should have enough to turn the tide of this upcoming fight.”
“Are you sure that Willow and I are the right choice?”
The small smile was back on Margaret’s face. “Giles... I am sure. Visions... remember? I’ve known you for years. Do you honestly think that I would mess up on something as important as this?”
“Well... It is rather hard to grasp the concept that I am going to be using the power that I have been spending my life trying to deny.”
“You are ready.” She extended her hand and walked him into the house heading for the main hall. The floors were made of stone and they had been swept clean. The smell of incense hung heavily in the air. Willow was standing in the middle of an elaborately drawn out pentagram. Many of the symbols Giles had to look twice at to decipher. He saw that she had been dressed like him in linen. She had a loosely flowing gown and looked radiant.
She held one arm out to him as an invitation. He looked at Margaret, who only nodded, and went to join her in the inner circle. Willow grasped his forearm and took his hand up and placed it on her shoulder. And repeated the motion so that Giles hands were now resting on her shoulders. She made a hand gesture in front of Giles’ heart and motioned that he should repeat it. The silence in the hall was overpowering. The Coven sisters had filled in the ranks around them and watched the proceeding with a critical eye. Once Giles had repeated her motion Willow placed her hands on his shoulders... the spell had started and the room filled with warm yellow light.
Low chanting filled the room where silence had been before. In front of each member of the Coven was a ball of energy that when it became big enough its owner would send it to wash over both. Willow and Giles. There was a peacefulness to this. A strong sense of giving. So different than what Willow had done when she had practiced black magicks.
The euphoria that Giles and Willow felt was enormous. Power came washing over them in waves. The training that they went through helped stabilize their centers and kept them focused on what was to come next.
Willow felt her eyes start to turn black. Giles had been waiting just for that to happen. She felt his power expand and help her with her control. His many years of self discipline extending itself to help her. She knew that this wasn’t what usually happened. Giles shouldn’t be able to tell exactly what she would need and be able to somehow give it to her. But she was grateful for the increased control that it gave her.
They felt the room start to fade around them. Energy streaking across each others face. Both lit up with a glow that was ethereal. Giles felt her joy and felt a strange answering feeling coming straight from him to her. A connection was made in the circle that helped tame the immense power that had been bestowed on them. The power was shared between them and the burden was somehow lessened. The support that they gave each other. Each complimenting each others weakness with their strengths. A perfect balance.
The last ball of energy had been absorbed by them and they held each other close as the Coven completed the spell and teleported them outside the Hyperion Hotel.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kennedy fumed. She was on her way from New York to LAX and couldn’t wait to get there. She hated flying. Especially since she wasn’t in first class.
She had been stuck with this passel of brats since Willow and Giles had decided to get spelled up. If anyone should be helping Willow it should be her. She had already assisted her in that spell in Sunnydale and it was a piece of cake. Why the Watcher had to get involved she would never know.
She resolved to talk to Giles about opening a Slayer branch in major cities that could handle emergencies like this one. All this travelling was getting tedious. She had rounded up twenty seven slayers and had bribed their way onto this flight. Giles was going to be so pissed when he saw the bill for this one. That brought a smile of satisfaction to her face.
L.A. here we come.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Buffy had never accomplished anything so fast. The Concorde jet with its 47 passengers had taken off and was making good time in their flight to L.A. The night before had been a blur of action. Everything had been chaos. After Andrews confession, Buffy had called the house where all of the new Slayers were staying at. She filled them in on all of the pertinent details of the upcoming battle and told them to be ready in fifteen minutes since they had to head out as fast as they could. The girls had been trained for emergencies such as this. It constantly amazed Buffy that they were so organized, like a well oiled machine. Each girl had their battle gear and small weapon kits ready for the flight.
Dawn had taken the time to call up and organize their flight. Since the Council was footing this bill Dawn had booked an entire private plane that would take them to L.A. in record time. It also made the weapon kits a viable choice, stowed away of course.
She then put in a call to Rona, one of the surviving Slayers from Sunnydale, she had been put in L.A. to kind of keep tabs on what Angel had been up to. She would be needed to help bring weapons for Kennedy’s group of Slayers that would be arriving from London. Rona had been surprised to get the call and was happy that there was finally going to be some action of the demony kind in Los Angeles. Rona confirmed that no one had been seen around the Hyperion and that it seemed as good place as any for them to meet up at. Dawn hung up the phone grateful that the weapons would be waiting for them outside of the Hyperion.
Now that the dust had died down, Buffy could feel her hands shaking. She had never had such a feeling of fear. She had been desperate to help Spike before when he was taken away by the First. But between fighting the Ubervamp and all the demands of her friends and the slayer-in-training she had buried the terror and desperation down so deep. She knew that she could never do that again. She just didn’t have it in her to hold back all of her feelings anymore. The shaking got worse. She moved to the back of the plane trying to get away from any prying eyes. She was going to lose it. She knocked on the bathroom door grateful when no one answered.
Taking deep breaths she tried to hold back the sobs that were consuming her. Spike. That one word filled her. All other thoughts went away. How could I find out about him being back and have to face the chance of losing him again. I can’t let anything happen to time. I won’t let anything happen to him... this time... I am going to tell him over and over again that I love him and make him believe. I have to make him believe... I don’t know if he can ever forgive me for some of the things that I did to him, but if he can at least know that I love him...That will be enough.
She continued to cry channeling all of her fear and worry into it. She wrapped her arms around herself and slowly rocked back and forth. Slowly the tears stopped flowing and she was able to breath normally again. She went to the sink and washed her face not really caring if anyone knew that she had been crying. It was about time that she stopped hiding her true feelings. She would never be truly happy if she lived her life to make everyone else happy. To live up to their ideals of her. She wasn’t a role model. She was a woman. A woman who had found out that she had another chance at happiness. This time she was going to embrace it.
Dawn noticed that Buffy had left and knew that this was a hard time for her. She was grateful that they both had another chance with Spike. He had been there for them during such dark times. He had been like older brother to her and sometimes understood her better than Buffy ever could. She hoped that they could get past some of the harsh words that had been said. She had said them in anger and was sorry for them now. They were landing in about ten minutes and Buffy still hadn’t come out of the bathroom... She started to get out of her seat to see if she was alright when the door opened. Buffy looked up at Dawn both silently communicating that this was it. They weren’t going to lose him again. A small smile hovered on Buffy’s lips as she sat down next to Dawn and grabbed her hand. They touched down.
Rona was waiting for them at the Hyperion. In front of her, fingers pointing was Kennedy. Buffy could tell that this wasn’t going to end well. Of all the new Slayers these two had never gotten along.
“You call these weapons? Half of them are ginzu knives!” Kennedy huffed. Eyes rolling.
“Kennedy, you don’t have to use them then! You can go into the fight with your bare hands, bitch!”
The other Slayers had been watching this exchange with wide eyes. No one wanted to get in the middle of these two when they went at it. Buffy sighed.
“You two need to stop right now.”
Rona looked over at Buffy and looked embarrassed. “Uh... Hi Buffy. I tried to get the weapons you asked for...”
“You didn’t try hard enough...” Kennedy broke in. Buffy gave her a dirty look and she trailed off. There was something about Kennedy that rubbed her the wrong way. She looked at the array of weapons that Rona had scraped together. Seven swords, an ax, two spears,
five crossbows, a mace, a flail, two broadswords and an assortment of knives. All in all not bad for a last minute scrape up.
“Well it looks like we’re in pretty good shape. Nice work Rona you managed to gather up enough weapons for us. We can share from our extra weapon kits that we brought. We couldn’t gather up enough on our own...” Buffy shot a withering glance at Kennedy daring her to pipe in. “You helped out a lot...”
There was a bright flash and the girls raised up their arms to shield their eyes. Standing off to one side was Willow and Giles. They looked radiant. Each of them wrapped in each others arms. Willow looked so tiny next to Giles frame. Seconds passed neither one let go. There was an embarrassed cough from Xander. They blinked finally becoming aware that they were surrounded by their friends. Giles stepped back fractionally and reached for his glasses while Willow nervously wrung her hangs in front of her.
Kennedy was shooting murderous glances at Giles while she demanded, “What the hell was that?”
“Uh..Ah... a teleport spell.” Willow said as way of an explanation.
“You know what I meant...” Kennedy began but was interrupted by a huge screech that filled the air. Looking up they saw an impossible sight. A dragon.
Buffy looked in the direction that it was headed and nodded to the others. “Everyone knows what they are supposed to do.” Buffy was already in motion tossing weapons to the other girls. She paused a moment and asked, “Willow do you think you can get us there?”
Willow nodded and shyly grabbed Giles hand, “We can get us all there...” At the plural Kennedy’s eyes snapped back to Giles seething with rage. Buffy shot a questioning glance at Giles but there was no time to ask now.
Giles shifted a little bit uncomfortable at the sudden curious looks he was getting from the girls. “Ahh... It would seem that we would be able... rather, Willow and I could do a spell of sorts that would get us to the location of the fight.” Willow smiled at him reassuringly.
“Giles here is the souped up version... We’re gonna mojo all of us to the site. Just give us a second to get the spell right...” Willow said breathlessly. Her other hand grasped Giles and everyone could see the energy surround them. Surging back and forth like a closed circuit. They mumbled a few words sounding suspiciously like, "Clatto Verata Nicto." And a energy band surrounded the girls and started to constrict.
Buffy yelled to Dawn, “Remember you, Xander and Andrew head to the roof... You have to guide us to where we are needed.” She touched her two-way that was clipped to her belt. The rest of the girls switched theirs on. The band tightened and they were gone...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Angel nervously waited for the game to begin... He picked up the curved knife he used as a paperweight on his desk and started to put it in his belt when Marcus walked in. Accusing him of trying to take out Arch Duke Sebassis. Game on...
‘Marcus knew what his plans were. Good. Harmony is an open book and I know exactly how to read her.’ Angel thought with satisfaction. ‘Sebassis should be already lying cold by now. His slave being the only one he drinks from... I poisoned him with a toxin that will slowly kill him inching its way through his system. But by taking the blood directly it will instantly kill Sebassis. If there is one thing I know... its blood...’ Angel thought darkly. ‘Now I’ve got to focus on my real problem. Marcus.’
Angel realized somewhere between him not connecting with Marcus’ face and being thrown through the glass ceiling that he might have underestimated Marcus. The lobby was deserted except for Harmony who was protesting her innocence. Angel quickly told her to grab her stuff and get out. With references. She scurries off after a wave and a bright, “You’re the best!”
Marcus came striding toward him and Angel was ready this time hitting him with a couple of gut punches. Marcus didn’t flinch. Uh-Oh...
Marcus grabbed him by the neck easily lifting him off the ground.
Angel not needing to breath ground out, “Did that even hurt... at all?”
Marcus cocked his head to the side his lips pursed in thought, “Well I guess it did... A little. But, Hey, it’s part of the package around here...” He threw Angel toward the balcony hoping to crack a few of the banisters. Jackpot. Angel went crashing through, obviously shooken up, and lay there on the floor.
Hurrying up the stairs he told Angel that the Senior Partners wasted valuable time on him and that now they had no interest in keeping him around anymore. He had a chance and he had failed, just like he always failed the people he cared about. Like Fred. Like Darla. Like Cordelia. It was time for Angel to follow in their footsteps. He picked Angel up easily.
“Did you really think that you could hurt Arch Duke Sebassis. Let alone kill him.” he taunted.
“Well, seeing that he is already dead... Yeah, I do think I could hurt him. Y’see Marcus, m’boy, you really are the one I want.”
“Well I’m happy to oblige.” He picked him up and tossed him over the balcony. “I could keep this up all night.”
Angel lay in a heap groaning. Marcus had took his time savoring the hopelessness he felt coming off of Angel in waves. He picked up a splinter of wood from the banisters and made his way downstairs. Whistling a jaunty tune... He made his way over to where Angel lay and brought up the stake so that Angel knew what was coming. It was the moment he had been waiting for since he had signed his shiny new contract and booted Eve out of the position of liaison to the Senior Partners. Time to dust his boss.
Angel saw the wood come down and couldn’t do anything to prevent it from striking home. He closed his eyes in regret for his failure. He felt the weight on top of him shift and heard the sound of flesh hitting flesh. His eyes flew open. Connor stood over him and offered a hand up. Gratitude then instant terror flashed through him. He couldn’t even protect himself let alone Connor.
“What are you doing here!” It came out a lot harsher than he expected it too.
“Like YOU just stop by for coffee... Give me a break! I knew the world was ending, or something like that.” Connor rolled his eyes.
Marcus recovered from Connor's punch. The kid has a mean left hook. He got up and advanced on Connor who was fast but couldn’t get away in time. With both hand on Connor’s arms he head butted him and tossed him into the elevator.
Angel felt sick. Connor lay still against the elevator door. The metal on the door was dented in from the force of the blow. He could feel all encompassing rage take hold. This wasn’t good. He needed to keep his head in this fight. He rained blows down on Marcus but they didn’t leave any lasting effects. It was like it all just rolled off him.
Marcus started punching him, in time with each blow he said, “You cannot beat me... I am part of them. The Wolf. The Ram. And The Hart. Their power flows through my blood.”
Angel stood up got behind him and vamped sinking his fangs into his neck. “Guess which one of those words you shouldn’t have said?”
Marcus is shocked at first and Angel is able to get a good quantity of his blood before he grabs him and pulls him off. He throws him away from him but Angel flips through the air and lands back down before him again.
The blood flowing through him combined with Drogan’s blood is extremely powerful. He can feel the injuries that he sustained before vanishing within seconds. He starts matching blow for blow with Marcus each of them now an equal in strength. Angel saw an opening in his defenses, and just like that, he snapped his neck with one blow. Marcus lay there another piece of the game removed from the board.
Angel felt the building shake. Running over to Connor he took him by the shoulder and shook him awake. “We have got to get out of here. Connor! We have to go... The building is collapsing...” He looked at his son overjoyed that he is fine. “Thanks for the help, but you have to get out of here NOW! Go home where you’ll be safe.”
“I can help though...” Connor stared at him stubbornly for a second then seeing the fear behind his eyes trailed off. “Alright... Dad.” He embraced him quickly and in a flash he was gone, running out of the building. Angel watched him go. Pride and fear fighting each other for dominance. He might also be a target for Wolfram & Hart but, if he stayed he wouldn’t have a chance in hell of surviving. The building shook harder.
He ran to tell Eve to clear out. She looked at him with pleading eyes and asked for Lindsey.
“Lindsey won’t be coming for you...”
“How can you you...”
“He won’t.” Angel broke in with finality. “You have to go...”
Eve looked at Angel finally understanding that her worst fear had come true. There wasn’t going to be any redemption in the future for her or Lindsey. There definitely wasn’t anymore Lindsey. Her heart was breaking. The walls shook menacingly and Angel looked back once more at her gesturing for her to follow him. She couldn’t move. She knew now that she couldn’t follow Angel and all of Wolfram and Hart was after her already. She stood stock still as a chunk of the ceiling came crashing down between her and Angel. Angel retreated running for the lobby doors. She had no where to go...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lindsey was pumped. This was going to be fun. Working on Angel’s side was a bit of a kick but, hell, he was ready to step up and take the reigns at Wolfram and Hart. Eve would be his second in command. That girl had proved herself to him in so many ways.
He never thought that he would fall for her. He hadn’t started it out that way. She was supposed to fall in love with him and do what he wanted with no strings attached. Soon he found that he needed to be around her and she had understood him. How ambitious he was. Helped him.
She was already a liaison to the Senior Partners and she was only twenty seven. He knew what it took to move up at Wolfram and Hart and harbored no illusions about her. She had full access to his file and knew thing about him that he hid from all others. Yet it was there. This feeling. It was precious because of all that they had sacrificed for the company. Their morals. Their innocence. Their hope. All that they had left was love.
The door burst open and Lindsey started swinging his sword with all his might. Arms were severed. Then heads. He was covered in filth. He could feel demon blood splash against his exposed skin. He heard himself yelling at the top of his lungs. Each breath that he took was expelled in one loud scream. His face split into a wide grin.
Lorne scampered in behind Lindsey. He batted at some of the Sahrvin that had managed to escape Lindsey’s beserker rage. He shooed them back toward Lindsey and watched as Lindsey mowed them down. The man was a killing machine. It didn’t make what he was going to do feel any better. Angel had better leave me alone as I asked. After this I never want to see him again. The bitterness was there. He was through with Angel and the others. It seemed that after Fred was gone all light had went with her.
This is my tribute to her my only way of striking back at Wolfram and Hart. The woman that made it through Pylea hell and could face me everyday with a smile and a laugh. She was a gem. And they stole her away from me. Us. The Sahrvin tried to run by him and out the open door. Lorne hit the highest note registered on the human ear. (Also piercing to demons)
Lindsey swung around decapitating him and nearly Lorne as well. Lorne jumped back out of reach, “Hey!” Just what I need... a decapitation to make this day complete.
Lindsey grinned and shrugged his shoulders in way of apology and got back to business. There were three Sahrvin left and they were looking for escape routes. He started wielding his sword in long sweeping movements. Catching two of the Sahrvins in the knees and decapitating another one. Lindsey quickly beheaded the two rolling about on the floor. Looking around the bodies strewn about the room Lindsey quickly makes sure that none are still living. Walking back to the bar he turns on the water and starts to wash the muck off his face.
“Nice work, toodles. I haven’t seen swordsmanship that good since back in Pylea...”
Lindsey grins, “Well I couldn’t have done if it weren’t for the high note from Macarthur Park.” The blood washed off he dries his face on a handful of cocktail napkins. “Any phone calls? Have you heard anything from the team?”
“No I won’t be hearing from them again.”
“Why not? I like this team thing... I think I could get used to this.” Seeing the look on Lorne’s face he asks, “What? You don’t trust me?”
Lorne sighs, “This isn’t about what I think, This is about what Angel thinks.This is Angel’s plan.”
“Listen, I’ll sing for you...”
Honey, I’ve heard you sing before...” Lorne pulls out a gun and shoots twice. “This is my last job. You aren’t part of the solution.”
The look of shock then pure horror dawns on Lindsey’s face. Lorne knows that it will haunt him. This was it... he was gone. This was for Fred. A lone tear slipped down his cheek. He drops his cell phone on the floor and walks out into the night. Not looking back.
“Goodnight folks.”
Inside Lindsey takes a labored breath. This isn’t how it was supposed to happen. He was supposed to fight with Angel. He would kill Angel or Angel would kill him. Not death by Kermit... He couldn’t breath and the pain was overwhelming. His last thought was about Eve. “My love...”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was time to clean house. He was looking forward to this. Outside of the campaign office, Gunn checked his weapons one last time. Everything was in place. It was game time. The door burst open...
It was funny how easy it was for him to kill vampires now. His reflexes were trained to react to the predictable moves he was getting from the vampires in the office. How Angel and Spike had ever survive this long was a mystery to him... But they really weren’t like the average vampires...
Dust was flying everywhere. Senator Brucker looked up from the phone call she was taking cooly eyeing Gunn. After noting that he was only the human she dismissively waves at her bodyguards. Continuing on with her phone call she answered each question brightly ignoring the fight that was going on in front of her. Gunn raised his arm throwing an axe and it buried itself in the Senators head killing her instantly. Well that was easy...
The vampire guards arrive and seeing their boss dead enrages them. A huge group of them surround him. Gunn holds out his wrists two mounted stakes eject. Time to fight old school style. They try to rush him. The first to try to touch him gets staked through the heart. The others grab one of his arms and he is reduced to staking any various vampire parts that are in his way with the other. The vampires scream in pain falling back.
A couple get in close and while he is dusting one the other reaches in and cuts him deep in the side with his claws. The scent of blood reinvigorates the few remaining vampires. Gunn starts to think that maybe he might not get out of this. He starts to doubt that he can get through this. The pain in his side is flashing through him.
Alonna and Fred. The thought of them refocuses his mind. There is no way that he is going down to a pack of vampires. He looks at the golden eyes in front of him and grabs a pencil from off the desk. Good ole number two. Pushing it through the back of the vampire in front of him he turns his wrist and depresses a button and the stake launches out of the wrist mount. Dusting vampire two. That leaves one.
The vampire seeing that he isn’t going to make it through this tries to leap out the front window. Gunn depresses the second button and the vampire explodes into dust.A rich hot feeling of satisfaction flows through him. He did it. He leans back on the desk, blood flowing freely down his side. He grabs the Senator’s jacket tying it around him as a makeshift bandage and heads for the alley north of the Hyperion.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
She could feel the spark. It was angry. Hurting. It wanted to lash out at what had hurt it. That was something that she could understand. It felt good to finally do something that made sense to her. She could feel the power in this shell. She still had vast strength at her disposal. The spark was telling her something... The targets. They had come from the building and entered their vehicle. The headlights went on. Illuminating her body as she stood in front of the car. A smile played on her lips.
She walked in front of the car and slammed both hands down on the hood. Both tires blew out and the engine sputtered and died. Izzy and his three companions poured out of the car.
“What do you think you are doing?” Izzy yells jumping out of the car.
The others jump out and run towards her with fists raised. Illyria smiles.The first one comes near her and hits her in the face. She starts laughing They gather close around her... blows raining down on her over and over. Izzy is standing in front of her his face split into a leer. His horns lowered as if he was going to impale her.
Her diminutive fist shoots out punching through the shell of the being before her. The flesh parting easily she reaches in and takes hold of the spine
and tears it free. Before the two on either side of her can react she has punched through their chests and repeated the process. The last attacker seeing that he was outpowered brought up a small glyph and flashed it before her face.
She shook her head dazedly. The worm must not know what he is truly dealing with. Paltry magicks. They have no effect on one such as I. The small smile came back to her face.
He backed away as fast as he could. There was no explanation for what was happening. The fear glyph that he had used was the highest class of magick. This... thing... just kept coming. It wasn’t afraid. He felt the blow he never saw it coming. The pile of bodies made four. She was done. Leaning down she picks up the spines of her fallen victims and raises them up the the night sky. Proclaiming her victory.
She staggered back. The trophies falling aimlessly to the ground. She put a trembling hand to her temple. The spark. It was screaming. The fear it felt flooded her body urging her to go. She must go now. Hurry to Wesley.
She took off at a dead run.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wesley knew now. All of the horrible memories had come back when he had smashed that box at Vail’s house. The thing that he had done to Connor and Angel was inexcusable. He had done it with the best intentions but he had failed his friend when he had needed him the most.
There wouldn’t be a repeat of that tonight. Standing outside of Vail’s receiving room he let the servant take his name and waited to be escorted in.
After being led into the room Vail proceed to cut to the chase. No pleasantries or small talk. “Ahhh... Mr. Wyndham-Price I was wondering why you arranged this little meeting... Is there any reason that I shouldn’t kill you?”
“Well, I am doing fine thank you for asking. But as to your question, I believe that you have your doubts about Angel. You are right in having them. How are you supposed to trust him. He unpredictable and has... a conscience.” He said it like it was a dirty word. “I believe that you would be better off with some one who is more qualified for his position. Someone a little bit more agreeable to bending the rules.”
Vail slowly nods and shuffled a little bit closer. “You have a point there... I am listening...” The breathing tubes hooked up to him are hissing obnoxiously. He dials it down a bit and motions for Wesley to continue.
Wesley grinned and opened his hand there on his palm was a glowing swirling ball of power. “It gets better...” He said as he wills the ball at him. Vail crashes against the far wall tubes and machinery falling away from him.
“Your evil influence is over. The Circle will wither and die...” In his hand there is another globe of power.
Vail struggles to raise his arm up off the floor. He senses the power coming from the upstart and gathers the power within himself. With his outstretched arm he commands the power to be his. He laughs as the globe harmlessly transfers itself to his hand and is absorbed. “Now Mr. Wyndham-Price let’s see what a real wizard can do...”
With a flick of his wrist Wesley was suspended spread eagle in the air in front of him. “You actually thought that you could beat me with that pathetic excuse for magicks? In my own domain? How foolish...”
Wesley couldn’t believe that things were going so badly. He should have focused all of his energy in the first shot but he truly never dared to hope that Vail would have had his guard down. There was no way that he was going to fail this time. His father. Angel. Connor. Cordy. Faith. Fred.Each face flashing quickly through his mind. Finally focusing on Fred. He found the energy within himself to resist the magical bond that were holding him enough so that he could bring out his knife.
Vail seeing the struggle laughed as he saw the knife Wesley produced. He leaned over and plucked the offending knife from Wesley’s hand. “You want to play it with knives now, do you?”
He motions to a weapon display that is on the wall and a large dagger goes sailing across the room into his waiting hand. He plunged it into Wesley’s stomach twisting it cruelly.
He felt the burning pain explode in his stomach. The pain forcing his body and mind to another level of survival mode. He calls forth a huge ball of energy that surprises Vail once more as he is blasted against the wall and lies motionless on the floor. The spell broken Wesley crumples to the floor.
The door burst in briefly showing the lifeless body of the servant on the floor. Illyria covered in gore sees Wesley laying on the floor. Blood pooling around him. She rushes to his side.
She see the wound and knows that it is mortal. Why does that bother her? Why the sudden pain flowing through this shell? The spark was raging now. Completely insane. Illyria doesn’t understand this new pain that is assaulting her. No blow has befallen her. No wound was upon her. But the pain was staggering. Confused she looks to the spark to tell her the answer. It hit her then with all the rage and power focused. The spark took over. There was nothing she could do and she felt herself changing becoming more soft and weak.
Wesley looked up. “Fred... Fred is that truly you?” his voice full of wonderment.
She held him tenderly on her lap her hand stroking his face.
“I’ve missed you..”
“I’ve missed you so...Hush... The pain will be gone soon...”
“I love you...”
“I love you too... Oh my love...” she is crying hysterically. There in the arms of his love he died. Deep inside of her she feels an howl of pain answering from Illyria.
She let him go and slowly stood up numb. The pain too deep.
The wizard recovered from the energy blow that Wesley gave him, looked at the frail little human girl standing in front of him. “How touching... I’ll let you take your best shot before I finish you off... like him!”
She turns fury igniting back in her eyes. As she throws her punch she changed back into Illyria once more. One punch that goes straight through Vail’s head like a rotten cantaloupe. He fell to the floor next to Wesley. She kicked him far away from her love.
Still shaking with rage Illyria kneels down to Wesley and scoops him up close to her chest. Cradling him. Tears leaking from her eyes. A soft glow surrounded him centering on his chest. She held him tighter. The glow became brighter and then stopped. Wesley’s head fell to the side and he let out a faint cough. Then sucking in huge lung fulls of air he tried to sit up. He couldn’t break Illyria's hold.
Her eyes blinked twice. A new emotion surged inside of her even more unfamiliar than the one before. Joy. She reached down with her hand and stroked his face. Imitating the movements of the spark. It felt right to do this. It helped her.
“Wesley looked up at her when he regained control over his breathing. “Illyria... Thank you. You can let go now.”
She awkwardly released him from her grasp. “You were dead. How is this happening?”
Wesley was pulling up his shirt to see where the knife wound should have been. “I did die. I just had a charm to help bring me back. Osiris’ charm that I stole from Wolfram and Hart. It seems as if they have a rather extensive collection of white magick items that they call contraband. I just helped myself to a bit of it. Angel and I knew I was out of my league in doing this. This was my fail safe.”
“Illyria I want... to thank you... for trying to save me and for pretending to be Fred earlier...” his reached up and smoothed away the tears that had fallen.
She fought against the spark. It had been desperately trying to come forward again. This was unacceptable. Her will pushed it back down again.
“We must go..”
She helped him rise up and walk out of the house and head for the alley...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
‘It figures Angel would give me the babysittin’ job. Off they all went to a major battle and I’m left holding the wet nappie.’ Spike ran a hand through his hair thoroughly frustrated. The cloak he had wrapped himself in smelled fouler that foul and he couldn’t wait to get the thing off and hose himself down.’He knew the Fell Brethren were rank.’ His nose wrinkled and he barely restrained the urge to pinch his nose closed. ‘The only way he could have made me more miserable was for him to give me some jewelry to accessorize. The man has crap taste in amulets... If I were a Fell Brethren where would I put my sacrificial baby? Hmmm....’
He heard a faint wailing down the corridor to the left. Bingo. He walked swiftly down the hall trying not to attract too much notice. He slipped in the room and walked over to the bassinet. Looking down he smiles at the little baby and scoops him up and puts him in a sling that is fastened over his chest. He turns to leave and sees three member of the Brethren who demand that he put the holy vessel down in his crib.
He grins. Throwing off the hated cloak he brings up a sword that he had been concealing ready to fight. With the baby securely in the sling he has both hands free to fight. He lunges at the three and lops off two of there heads before they even react. The third one races for the wall and depresses a button there a low gong reverberates through the mansion.
This might not be so boring after all. Spike grins evilly slowly swinging the sword through the air. He see the throng of demons swarming to him. “The ponce might have been right in sending me here...’
Chop. Stab. Parry. This went on for a while and then he realized that he really wasn’t going to get any sort of fight from these blokes. They were too afraid of by chance hitting the child. Their bodies piled up around him. Several of them more desperate to to stop him actually slashed at his head or aimed for his legs. They followed the rest of their Brethren into death.
‘This was the saddest excuse for a fight that he had ever been in. Truly angry now he slaughtered the few remaining Brethren. They all lined up to die for this bloody baby... He would never understand it.
He looked down into the baby’s face and saw the bluest eye looking back at him the little fist snuggled tight to his cool chest. The warmth from the child spread through him and he lightly touched the downy curls on the top of the child's head. “You safe little one... Your mummy waiting for you.”
After getting the child to his mother Spike headed toward the alley hoping the other would be there waiting for him...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The rain started to slash down. Half blinding anyone that was unfortunate to be stuck outside in it. He had been waiting in the shadows for what seemed like an eternity. ‘Where the hell is everyone. They should be here by now.’ Then he smelled it... the faint smell of human blood. He swung himself away from the wall and pivoted his head back and forth trying to scent out which way it was coming from.
There. It was coming from the north end of the alley. It had to be Gunn with the heavy footfalls and the harsh breathing. Wesley was much leaner in frame and had watcher training that made him surprisingly harder to scout for him. Unless he wanted to be found. He started down the alley to bring Charles into the dubious shelter of the overhang of one of the few doorways opening into the alley way. He could tell that something was wrong. Charles was stumbling and his breathing was harsh and gasping. Halfway down he felt another presence. Another vampire signature. Angel. It was funny that he felt something akin to relief.
Out of his one remaining good eye, the other having swollen shut halfway from the Senator's office and here, Charles could see the bright white glow of Spike’s head coming toward him. ‘Man that dude's whiter than white bread with mayonaisse on it. Why would he dye his hair that color to top it off?’ A feeling of euphoria swept through him... God it felt good knowing that at least one more “Thorn” had been killed. He put his hand to his side. A fresh gush of blood leaked out from where his hand pressed against it. He knew that this couldn’t be good. The field bandage that he had put on had loosened in the walk over. It needed to be fixed fast... actually it really might not make a difference at this point. He struggled a couple more steps. Spike reached him.
He put an arm around Gunn’s shoulders and supported him the rest of the way back to the doorway. “So how’d it go Chuck? I can see the you came out of it in one leaky piece... Did you get our good Senator?”
“I got her and then some. What’s with vampires anyways... There’s always and endless supply of worthless minions. Do you all go off and sire everyone you bite?... I thought you all were all solitary and broody and such...Not vampire rabbits.”
“Can’t say about everyone else, mate but the Ponce here is the only broody one in the family. Even when he was Angelus....”
“I can hear you, hello, vampire hearing.” Angel stepped out of the shadows.
“I knew you were there the whole time. What’s the fun of talking behind you back when I can get a full fledged reaction from your face.” Spike grinned infuriatingly.
Breaking out of their old pattern Angel counted to five before continuing, “Alright, enough about that... Did you both accomplish what I asked you to?”
Both of the men briefly told Angel what had happened in their fight.
Angel looked at his cell phone. “Good. I received a text message from Lorne.” Across the screen flashed ‘Gnite.’
“His end held up. That leaves Wesley and Illyria... Have either of you two seen...”
A small figure plummets from the rooftop. Across her shoulder kicking and wriggling was Wes.
“This is most uncalled for Illyria. I can walk fine. I am fine. There is no need for you to carry me...”
The others just stared at them for a moment before Gunn started to laugh. Then Spike and Angel joined in.
Gunn winced in pain. The laughing had reopened the wound on his side and blood was leaking from it again. Angel moved closer to him.
“Gunn are you alright? I can tell that you aren’t... The wound let me see it.”
Gunn started to pull open the bandage. Fresh blood came out. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea...”
“Trust me...”
Gunn pulled the soaking jacket that he had used for a bandage away.
Illyria took one look at it and said, “You are fading fast. You will last ten minutes if you are lucky. Unless you too have stolen an item from the Wolf, the Ram and the Hart.” Her head tilted as she thought about this theory. She set Wesley down as she stared intently at Gunn. “Must I cradle you for it to work?”
Wesley made a show of brushing himself off and straightening his clothes but, at the last question, he got a strange look in his eye. Almost tender. “No Illyria... I don’t think that Gunn needs you to do that.”
Gunn shook his head ‘I have no idea what she is talking about. But I don’t want that thing near me. Wesley may be able to look it in the eye but I will always see my guilt. My failure to Fred.’ Gunn mentally shook himself he was getting a bit light headed. Funny that the sight of his blood made him feel faint when he was usually covered in demon blood or even more unsavory fluids.
Angel caught Gunn’s attention. He was dying. Right before his eyes. What he was going to suggest Gunn would probably refuse.
Well he wasn’t going to give him an option. He would give him a chance to live. He was going to do everything he could to help what few friends he had left. Angel focused on the wound. Swiftly before Gunn could react he vamped out and started lapping the wound his tongue pressing deep within the flesh. The capillaries responded immediately. Closing over and the veins soon after that.
Both of Gunn’s hands had come up to either side of Angel’s head in horror when he saw him vamp out. Then it dawned on him what Angel was really doing. His hands slowly relaxed on head and drifted to Angel’s shoulders to support himself. Angel finished licking the edges of the wound and it sloppily closed over on itself. It would do for now. If Gunn didn’t go into shock from too much blood loss.
‘Bloody hell, Angel is now going around glutting himself on his friends blood. I hope that Chuck is alright but this is too weird even for me. Angel literally starves himself of human blood for a century (or so he claims) and now he has drank from three in the course of one day. Drained one dry. A champion for good at that.’ Spike took a quick look around. Wesley’s eyes had narrowed in thought.
‘Wes isn’t stupid. I can tell he has his doubts about Angel’s actions. I’m going to have to talk to the head boy soon... I can smell the power that Angel has drank from. He stinks of evil. Marcus. I’m starting to wonder why the git left out that part of the story. Does he think that I wouldn’t know? Things aren’t adding up...” He ran his hand through his hair completely frustrated. Feeling the need to say something to break the awkward silence that had grown between all of them he said, “Peaches for the record here... I ever get injured, be it a limbs amputated (again) or a stubbed toe, at no point do I give you leave to put your tongue upon my person. I always knew you were a bloody poof...”
Gunn stepped back a bit from Angel and with his fingertips he probed at the scar. A little tender but he had fought with WAY worse. He nodded to Angel in way of thanks too overcome with mixed emotions to put anything into words.
Angel had closed off from all of them. His full brood on he bounced up from his semi crouching position. Turning to scan all of their faces he noted their expressions ranging from shock to faint disapproval. He would have to do damage control after this, if they survived. There wasn’t any time for the games they usually played with each other. Wolfram & Hart would hunt them down and the battle would just begin. ‘We need Gunn. He can fight. I couldn’t chance the fact that he could have told me no. His wound had to be sealed.’ Angel’s tongue darted out to the corner of his mouth where a speck of blood had escaped him. Even this small amount of blood had his head swimming in throbbing pulsations. Pure bliss. He shook it off.
Illyria seeing Gunn’s wound healed tells them that she wishes to do more violence. Vail’s attempt on Wesley’s life and Gunn being wounded had brought the spark dangerously close to the surface again. Illyria knew that the only thing that would keep it at bay would to let herself get lost in fighting. There the spark and her became one in harmony. She heard them before she saw them. A horde of shrieking demons heading their way. Her eyes flashed pushing Wesley behind her she grabbed a brick from off the ground. Above her twirling and diving ever closer was a dragon. How meager.
“Our plan is to fight,” Angel said eying up the competition.
“A bit more specific...” Spike said rolling his eyes while lifting up his sword ready to fight.
Angel looks heavenwards and says, “Well I kind of want to slay the dragon.”
Not even a second later the dragon wheels towards them. Angel stands braced for impact.
Illyria looks at it dismissively and launches her brick at it. Rocketing toward the dragon it narrowly misses its head and slams through the membrane of the wing and into the bone attaching the wing to its body. Its wing is in tatters the dragon plummets to the ground taking out a third of the army in the rear. Unable to fly the dragon thrashes about its long tail sweeping the ground its nails gouging the ground in pain. There is complete utter chaos in the ranks of the army that is racing towards them. The loosely organized bands were now scattered and it was every demon for himself.
Angel stood there sulking. “I can’t believe you did that... I just can’t believe it... I called him. I had dibs...”
Spike stood there grinning, “That was bloody amazing Blue! You’re brilliant.”
Illyria ignored them both and stood her ground waiting for the horde to reach her. Wesley had come up beside her in his hand was a knife. A small part of her noted that it was the knife that Vail had tried to kill him with. “You may need this,” was all that Wesley said. She accepted it. The fury inside of her had blazed to a higher level.
She shoved Wesley behind her again and told him roughly, “Stay close.” It was all that she could manage without the spark taking over and making her all weak. Wesley was annoyed but nodded knowing that she was his biggest chance at any sort of longevity. Gunn slide in right beside him holding a baseball bat. Heck it was better than nothing.
The army was upon them the sound of fighting in close quarters was deafening. The line that had been separating the two opposing sides had blurred and there were demons all around them. That the group had taken their stand with their backs up against the wall was both figuratively and literally. That made it easier to target their opponents. But they just kept coming... The dragon had stopped writhing in pain and came closer. Angel took one look and was off running towards it...
Spike screamed at him to stop. That they needed to stay together if they were going to get through this. United front...
He realized that Angel didn’t hear or didn’t care. Either way he was heading to do battle with the dragon. A sword whistled by his ear. Whoa... too close. Angel was on his own. There was nothing that they could do for him now. The four remaining members closed ranks and tried to repel the demons as best they could...
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