Rating: PG13 - R
Disclaimers: I am Joss Whedon. Instead of making an episode of my pathetic fanfics I send them around the Net and use the stupid name Muffy to cover my name. I have now confessed. (AS ifŠ.) Fallen and Henj is mine!!
Feedback: I WANT FEEDBACK! I WANT FEEDBACK! (repeat until your mind gives in and you force yourself into typing some lines in a blank mail, address the email to muffy@c... and send it.
couples: B/A, W/X
Spoilers: 1st and 2nd season spoilers here.
Summary: Instead of leaving the cave, the Master returns and kills Xander. Later on a person, remarkably alike their dead friend arrives to town. Also another evil and dangerous enemy, well known to Angel, pokes his ugly face into the dale of sunŠ what a thrill.

Xander sent a sheepishly grin. "I'll be all right," he said assuring. He lay on his back at the ground and let his breath heavily out and squirmed of pain. Buffy hung over him, crying and holding his hand. "I'll manage," he repeated. Then Buffy felt him gasp for air and turn still.

With a scream she woke up. Only a dream, she wished she could say. A nightmare, againŠ a true nightmare. Buffy wandered through the silent churchyard. She let the pad of her finger slid over the stones and she glanced about. Everything had changed. And she wondered why. Though the reason was there, she still didn't know why.

Xander. Her best male friend. He'd died. Why had the master returned? He'd killed her, then returned when Angel and Xander had come. Xander had only managed to save her when the Master returned to the cave. He spotted Xander and killed him by sliding his stomach with his sword. Angel had come too lateŠ

Buffy let a tear fall and gazed over the grave next to her. The grave she'd watered with holy water, the grave containing his corpse. The corpse she'd folded its hands around a cross before he was lowered into the dark earth. He'd looked so sad and vulnerable when they buried him. His mother had cried loudly and Buffy had leaned into Angel.

Willow hadn't gotten over it yet either, she was half the way that Buffy had come. She'd realized she loved him, Buffy knew that. Willow just didn't yet.

She glanced at the in scripted text on his stone and let another tear fall.

"May no harm reach you where you are now. You were loved and are loved. Alexander LaVelle Harris."

Her legs gave in and she collapsed over the bed of roses lying there. She dropped her single; red rose and buried her face in her hands as she cried. Her tears streamed and she felt like an endless hole in her soul had been made.

"WhyŠ?" she whispered with her hoarse voice and swallowed. "I need you. You were a friend. A good, supporting and witty friend. I want you back." She sobbed and cried loudly.

~*~

Willow sighed as she brushed her hair gently. She had an absent look on her face and her thoughts flew.

Nothing was making sense anymore, she felt like the sun was supposed to set, and everyone waited, but no rays showed.

"WhyŠ?" Willow repeated once more. She had no number for how many times she'd said it ever since he died. Not even how many times she'd said it the past day. Countless.

She met her own brown eyes in her mirror, reflecting back at her. Sad eyes. Red around and with black mascara mixed in her dry tears. Her lip began to shiver and she felt like letting go, letting go of everything. Just for him.

God! I hope he knows how much I love him. She thought and began to sob silently, pressing her mouth against her pillow to not scream.

~*~

Buffy rose up and looked about. She'd been crying for almost an hour now and her eyes had turned sore. They had begun to turn sorer quickly now; they didn't get the time to recover from her last sobbing when she began again.

She walked past the church and glared angrily at it.

If there is a God then why did this happen? She questioned with hatred.

"Gal, you cannot choose yer destiny," a voice said. She whirled around and met a man's eyes. He talked funny, like Irish or something.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"I'm Whistler. You may not know me."

"I don't."

"Buffy, why not have some faith in God?" he said, revealing that he'd read her mind.

"I can't." she admitted.

"Why?"

Cause He took my father away from my mother, He let me become what I am, He makes my life suck this much and HE made it so Xander died. Buffy thought, sure that Whistler read her mind. He nodded silently.

"Ever tried praying? It can't hurt ye know." he exclaimed. She looked at her pants. When she raised her glance he was gone.

Buffy sighed and entered the church slowly. She sat down on a bench and began her silent prayer.

"Dear God, almighty, I come to you with a pathetic reason. No, that was wrong. It's a pathetic way. As I know I never come to church, I know it would be inappropriate to just come here because of a wish. But, if you are almighty, then my wish is humble. I wish you could return Xander to me. He was a friend. A friend whom did not deserve, nor want, to die." She whispered.

~*~

The darkness surrounded him as he walked out of the light from the window. He strolled casually towards a house, paused, just like he was waiting for something, and then watched the house explode.

Flames and sounds were all about, but he just walked calmly towards the house, he opened the door and walked inside. He could hear a child's voice cry coughing for his mum. The voice came from the top floor, so he walked up the stairs and looked about. He knew he didn't have long time. The 1st floor already was in flames and he had to get the child out of the house. First, he had to find it.

"Child." He shouted and waited for a reply.

"Help!" the child sobbed, it came from the room on the man's left. The man walked inside and found the boy in his bed, clutching to his covers and shivering of fright.

He smiled to the child, rapped his arms around him and carried him out of the room. When they reached the stairs another explosion occurred and the man jumped for cover. To not harm the boy, he landed above him, but with his hands keeping his own body two inches over him.

"Boy," he began, breathing heavily. "You want to see something cool?" he asked him. He was well aware of that the 1st floor was covered with flames and he would never get out of the house alive if he took the stairs.

The boy looked at him with his forehead wrinkled, but then nodded slightly. He sent the boy a relieved smile and grabbed a hold of the child's waist as he rose up and gazed at the window in front of them.

He backed as fast as he could and clutched the boy hardly towards him as he leaped towards the windowpane, and broke through it. But, instead of falling, he was standing in the air. The child opened his eyes and looked surprised about.

"That was the cool thing," he explained shortly to the child, which's eyes widened in excitement. "Now, we'd better get you downŠ."

He got down by floating calmly down towards the ground, on the other side of the house. On the front side the firemen had already arrived.

"Boy," he said, placing his hands on his knees and bowed down towards him. "You must not tell anyone about our meeting." He told him. The boy nodded hesitating, then ran around the corner of the house. The man heard the shouting of a woman as the boy turned it.

"My God!! It's Michael!! He got out!!" she screamed.

He smiled satisfied and strolled towards a car parked next to a house. He sat down at it and watched the burning house.

"One more second there, lad, and you would've been perished." A voice said. He turned and looked at Whistler.

"If I had been a human, yesŠ" he replied with a grin.

~*~

The library contained only three, mourning, persons. Giles, Buffy and Willow. They sat by the table, gazing at each other, waiting for someone else then themselves to break the silence.

Suddenly the doors were pushed open and a man strolled in. They turned their heads and looked curiously at him, without saying a word.

"Not the speaking type, are yah?" He said, with an Irish accent. They all exchanged glances and then gazed over at him again. "Well, anywaysŠ I come to you with a message."

"Is a new holy king born or somethingŠ?" Buffy asked ironically and rose up, jumped off the table and stopped in front of him. He wasn't much taller then her. She remembered him from last night.

"No. I have something for ye." He explained, looking into her eyes. Giles took his glasses off and began to wipe them off with a cloth.

"And that would beŠ?" Buffy sighed, beginning to grow tired of his half sentences. She hated them.

"A friend of yoursŠ I think I'll have to show him to yeŠ" he mumbled and snapped his fingers.

"Is this some sort ofŠ" Buffy began, but paused as she heard a whispering sound. Like someone clinked with chains. She turned and glared into a black hole in the middle of the air. She sighed and backed away. Suddenly a man stepped out of the hole and it self­closed afterwards.

Willow gasped by the sight of the man and collapsed down at the floor.

How can it be?? Buffy thought with a confused mind and tried not to react the same way as Willow, but she was to overwhelmed and astonished by the man, that she fainted and hit the ground hardly. In a dreaming state she could hear Giles talk, feel strong hands lift her into a soft place and she fell totally asleep.

~*~

The sound of coffee cups hitting each other, the smell of hot coffee and the sense of something was wrong made her wake up, open her eyes and look around. She was in Giles' apartment. Willow lay besides her, in the couch, sleeping.

Buffy lifted the covers aside and looked around as she yawned. It had to be a dream. A bad dream. A nightmare. As usual. She tried to convince herself. But, as she walked into the kitchen she screamed. It wasn't a dream. Xander had returned.

Giles and Xander turned their heads quickly and rose up as she began to run. Xander reached her before Giles and held her tightly by the arm. Giles arrived to the living room, glanced at the sleeping Willow and quietly ordered Buffy into the kitchen. She frowned, but followed them.

She just couldn't keep her eyes off Xander. How could it be?

"This is Henj­Urh, an angel. He's sent to us as an assistance against an enemy we're about to face." Giles sent her a glance. She wrinkled her forehead, but nodded silently.

"Just call me Henj." Henj­Urh said and smiled. The smile reminded her of Xander and made her sigh as she recalled all those nice times with her friend. He looked confused at her, but then rose up. "I'll take a walk." He mumbled and left them alone.

Buffy immediately turned to Giles. Her eyes telling him how she felt. 'huh??' would more or less describe it.

"He has only taken the body of Xander. He does not remember Xander's experiences; therefore he does not know either of us. He is an archangel, sent by God to help us." Giles explained.

"How do you know this?" Buffy asked.

"Remember that Irish kidŠ?" Giles replied, Buffy nodded. "His name was Whistler, he told me all about him."

"I know... anyway, why is he here to help us?" Buffy continued to question. A different person then the one it was meant for answered her wonderings.

"You deserved something for fighting on the so­called good side for so long, He decided to send me in this task. I'm looking forward to help you with killing Fallen. It will be a pleasure." He sat down at the chair he'd sat at when he left.

"Fallen?" Buffy asked.

"He was an archangel, just like I am. Then he betrayed us all by turning evil and we gave him the worst destiny we could find." He said, obviously with despite and hatred in his voice and eyes.

"You tortured him??" Buffy asked eagerly.

"He got born as a human." Henj said, with a smirk. "As he turned 23 he never grew any older. We could help this then, but didn't care. Then we got to know the reason. He was getting strength from a hidden source in Heaven, and slowly turning into an angel again, this time an extremely powerful angel. We prevented this by closing this source, but then he'd already gotten powerful enough to resist our strength. So, in 200 years he roamed the world with his evil plans. Now he's come to Sunnydale. And we're gonna stop him, once and for all." He said seriously.

"So, what you're saying is that He, instead of just sending an army of angels, he sends you and pair you up with me? Duh! I knew He was a man!"

"An entire army would be inappropriate. Besides, it's just a matter of humans, not Heaven." He said, smirking.

"This wasn't God's decision, was itŠ?" Buffy asked, referring to his oh­so­not God behaviour and attitude.

"Nope. It was mine."

~*~

When Willow had declared her uncomfortable feelings by throwing up as they told her, Henj just didn't understand why everybody was reacting in this strange way, but didn't say anything.

Buffy and Henj left to get Angel.

"There is one more thing about Fallen," Henj began when Buffy and he stood outsides Angel's apartment. Buffy glanced at him, knocked the door and waited. "He had this brotherŠ" Henj continued, but was interrupted by the door getting opened. By the sight of Angel he screamed. Angel also screamed as he saw Xander.

Angel backed and looked uncomfortably at Buffy.

"AngelŠ this is Henj, an angelŠ Henj, this is Angel." Buffy introduced them, with a raised eyebrow as she looked at the scared archangel.

"ThatŠ" he began muttering. "That's his brother!" he screamed. Buffy wrinkled her forehead and turned to Angel.

"Brother? I have no brothersŠ" he said, unable to understand what the angel was talking about. "And, why is Xander acting like this? And, one little detail, isn't he dead??"

Buffy sent him a glare. Henj had ignored the last remark Angel had come with and continued his cry.

"Fallen's brother!!" Henj concluded as he pointed at Angel. Angel glared at his finger, before he remembered and lowered his glance to his pants.

"Come in, I'll explainŠ" he mumbled and opened the door for them. they entered, Henj still with a wondering look at his face. Angel chose to ignore it and sat down on a chair, Buffy at the bed, which left Henj confused at the floor.

"We're blood­brothersŠ or, Angelus was his blood­brother. They got along very well, as they both were horrible creaturesŠ I didn't even remember Fallen until you mentioned him. I never even wondered where he'd gone after the fight in Prague where we fed on all thoseŠ never mindŠ anyway, is he back?" Angel looked at Henj. Henj looked like if he needed some seconds before it all came to him and he nodded slightly.

"Henj is an archangel, sent by GodŠ he has the body of someone dead, and can't remember what happened to that personŠ" Buffy said, trying to make Angel understand what had happened. He nodded slowly as he understood.

"So, you're here to help us fight Fallen, right?" Angel looked at Henj. Henj nodded.

"Well, I'm not exactly happy to meet Fallen again, but, whateverŠ" he mumbled, trying to hide his fright.

"AngelŠ?" Buffy began questioning, she'd with once picked up his fear. "Why do you fear him?" she met his eyes and he sighed.

"He's powerful. Very powerful. The reason Angelus joined his was if he couldn't fight against him he had to fight with him. They became a mighty team. A deadly team."

"The first thing I think he'll try to do is take away your soulŠ" Henj mumbled. "We have to make it permanent. Quickly."

~*~

Fallen glanced at his companions. Vampires and demons. They were easily convinced to follow him when he mentioned the Slayer. He knew it would be a pleasure to kill her. He just had to find Angelus. They said he was nearby.

"I know about Angelus," a vampire said and stepped forwards, Fallen glared at him. His eyes was intimidating, he knew that, after all, they were red. "ButŠ he's a shameŠ" he continued.

"Hold your tongue! If you come before me to lie about my Brother, then you will die." Fallen warned him and sent him an evil glare. The man did as Fallen had told him and looked down at the ground.

The empty factory was silent. Fallen broke it with a low cough.

"Does anyone of you maggots know where my Brother is?" Fallen peered at them. No­one dared to meet his stare. "Answer me!!" he shouted of anger and they all got startled.

Then they heard two low sounds. A sound of steps in a wet pavement.

"I know where you may find him," a girl's voice whispered, just loud enough for him to understand what she proclaimed. He turned his head towards her, felt his long, black hair tickle his neck and the cape make a sound as the silk slid over the ground.

Fallen stepped down the low steps and walked casually towards the crowd of darkness, he sent them all evil glares as he passed them by. He didn't stop until he reached the end of the crow. There a little girl peered bravely up at him. Her gold hair and her blue eyes shun her pureness and her innocent about, but he could feel her demonic self as he sighed.

He bowed down and laid his hands at his thighs and peered into her eyes.

"Where, darling?" he asked kindly. She sent him a teasing smile and didn't answer; instead she stuck her finger in her mouth and bit it slightly. "I'll throw in a snack for you, if you tell meŠ" he said, tying to persuade her.

"What do I get?" she asked quickly, her interest obviously showing. "What? What?"

"A year supply of fresh meat, darling" Fallen said, grinning. She smiled satisfied and nodded.

"This youth clubŠ The Bronze." She explained.

"Where is it, dear?" he asked and met her eyes. She grinned again.

"It's the only place to be if you're a teen, can't miss it."

Fallen chuckled, moved his head facing the left and then slowly turned it back, peering into the girls face. With a quick and firm movement he grabbed a hold around her precious neck and broke it.

She only got time to let out a surprised gasp before she turned into a lifeless corpse.

The vampires and the demons stared confused at her.

"I hate it when someone never gives me direct answers." He explained absently and left the factory.

~*~

Angel took a look about the place and gazed for Buffy and/or her friends. They were supposed to meet him here. When they met they were going to make his soul permanent. But, no­one was there.

Suddenly, as he let his glance roam the room, he stopped. What had he just seen? Was it what he thought? He let his glance rewind and paused as his eyes met two red ones.

A dark man, black, long hair, red eyes, a mouth coloured in blood, a long, silk cape and an intense, dark peer. He moved his slim body through the people, and kept his eyes locked on Angel's.

He paused as he reached Angel. They were left glaring into each other's eyes.

"Fallen," Angel whispered. He still was a little bit astonished by the sight.

"Angelus." Fallen stated. "My Brother!" he said, leaning towards him and embracing Angel. Angel couldn't do anything but stand still and wait for Fallen to notice the change.

Suddenly Fallen withdrew his body and backed away from Angel.

"Du bist nicht mine Broder!" Fallen screamed. Angel gazed calmly back at him.

How does he know I'm not his brother? Angel wondered. He remembered Fallen and Angelus talking in German. He decided to reply in the same language too.

Now as the language has been decided I'm just wondering what to sayŠ he thought, desperately searching for the right words.

"Nein. Ich bin Angel." Angel suddenly replied. "Deine Broder sind Angelus. Das ist nicht mich." He said shortly. Whether Fallen was gonna jump his throat or just leave he didn't know. The only thing that he could think of was why he'd told him he was Angel, not Angelus.

"Broder..." Fallen whispered and left.

Angel sighed by relief. He couldn't understand why Fallen had let him live. But, he knew, that for whatever reason he had, it was a one­time thing.

Buffy suddenly entered The Bronze and looked at him. She smiled happily as she strolled towards him.

"Heya," she grinned and kissed him. "Sorry I'm late. We gotta hurry." She grabbed his hand and led out of the club. Angel was silent all the way and decided to keep the episode to him self.

~*~

Fallen looked at the demon.

"As Angelus has his soul restored permanently, we're gonna need some help. I need you to get me somethingŠ"

The demon nodded and waited for the commando.

"The belt of Ehyluos."

~*~

Giles cleaned the library as he hummed a show­tune. He lifted some books and placed them easily at the top shelf to the left. Luckily the permanent restoration spell had worked perfectly and they had a true and good fighter in Angel.

As he carried on, singing, he didn't hear that the doors opened and someone entered. He continued cleaning, but got startled when the person cleared his throat. He dropped the four books at the floor, whirled around and met the dark eyes of a well­known man.

"I startled ye, sorry." He excused with his Irish accent. "But, no time for interruptions in my mission, no, I have this information for ye." He continued quickly. Giles had to let the words sink a little before he quietly understood what he'd said.

"And that may be?" Giles picked up the books with a firm movement and placed them calmly on the table.

"Fallen that may be. He's an evil lad, yes. With only a commando or request he gets it the way he like. It makes me angry, yes." He mumbled.

"If you would like to share this with be before I leave it would be niceŠ" Giles exclaimed and looked impatiently at Whistler.

"Oh, I really do not think ye will be leaving, no. Ye will be forced to stay here all nigh, yes. Searching for information on the belt." Whistler sent him a grin before he left.

Giles wrinkled his forehead, but grabbed the phone and dialled the number to Buffy's. He knew that Angel and Willow was there, if he was real lucky Henj might be there too.

"Yo, Buffy here." Buffy answered as she got the phone. Giles muttered.

"Um.. I, Whistler..."

"Giles. English." Buffy reminded him irritated.

"I knowŠ Whistler was hereŠ and IŠ"

"Lemme guess, research time?" Buffy shot in and didn't even wait for a reply, in the background Giles could hear four moans. "We'll be there in ten minutes." More moans occurred and Buffy sighed. "Let's make that twenty minutesŠ" she corrected and hung up.

"ChildrenŠ" Giles mumbled irritated as he hung up too. He grabbed a blank paper and quickly wrote down whatever he could link 'belt' to.

"Aphrodite, Greek, Ehyluos, Mithj." He mumbled as he wrote the exact same thing. Suddenly, just as he was finished writing someone entered. He startled and the paper fell down behind the counter. He turned and looked straight into two yellow eyes.

"Well, hello there." The vampire said, grinning. Giles sighed heavily and looked for escape possibilities. Nothing. "How'd ya like to die?" the vampire asked him, following his moves. Giles swallowed and bit his teeth hardly together.

"Old, please." He replied before he leaped towards a cross lying by the table. But, the vampire was too quick and jumped towards him too. They rolled around and he got on top.

"Wish I could fulfil your request, butŠ Fallen ordered me to kill you. Apparently you know too much, or somethingŠ you're kinda old anyway, so in a way you should be happy." He began to babble.

"Oh, cut the crap," the bookworm exclaimed angrily. "Just get it over with."

"All righty thenŠ" The vampire leaned towards his neck and sank his teeth into it. Giles moved his hand towards the cross as he could feel the life strength disappear. With a last movement he clutched hardly around the wooden cross and pushed it towards the vampire's back. The vampire screamed and rolled off him. With a quick movement he rose up and walked towards the bent vampire.

"You should never come alone." Giles taught him and grabbed a stake on the counter.

The vampire turned it's head and Giles met his vamped out face and eyes.

"Why do you presume I did?" he laughed. Giles turned as he heard a growl behind him. A vampire. Another growl, from his left. He turned again. Again a vampire. He was surrounded.

~*~

"No, the white dress is so last month!" Buffy said, giggling, as she tried to sound like Cordelia. She made an excellent work. They all grinned and Angel pushed the doors open and they entered the library.

With once they spotted the mess in the library. Books, tables and everything were in a wrong place and it looked as if it had been visitors there. The first thing on their mind was the same. Giles.

"Oh. My. God." Buffy muttered silently. She stepped inside and looked about.

"That was exactly the same I was about to sayŠ" Henj mumbled with a smirk, but frowned as he noticed a blood pole by the cage. "UmŠ guysŠ" he said lowly.

"I smell bloodŠ" Angel informed them, walked over to Henj and stared surprised and shocked into the cage. Buffy noticed them crowding up by the cage and joined them.

"What are youŠ" she paused and gazed into the cage. Giles, hanging from a rope, his eyes closed and the neck dripping of blood. On the wall it was written, apparently in his blood, 'Want him backŠ?'

Buffy closed her eyes and felt Angel grab a hold around her. Willow screamed and ran out of the library. Henj stared absently at the corpse, dangling down from the ceiling.

"I'll do something with the corpseŠ get home together and I'll bring some books we can do the research inŠ" he commanded. They walked silently out of the library, making no discussion.

~*~

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They buried Giles as quickly as they possibly could, next to Xander. Poured holy water over him and held a private ceremony. This was the second friend they had to berry the last month. It was hard, but with each others help they got through the greatest sorrow. But, the heart-ripping thing was to see Henj in Xander's body, every single day, and being forced to act like nothing was wrong.

With no clue on how to kill Fallen or any info about him, they were left on a bare ground.

Willow was cleaning the library with heavy sobs and a sad face. Buffy leaned into Angel and they relaxed. Henj was out, God knows where. He always disappeared, and then returned.

Suddenly he rushed the library, holding his hands to his head, screaming loudly. He threw himself down at the floor and squirmed.

Buffy rose up and walked calmly over to the body, squirming on the floor. Suddenly he stopped and lay still, breathing heavily.

"HenjŠ?" she asked and noticed Willow staring at them from behind the counter. Angel had rose up and was also paying attention. "Are you okŠ?" Buffy asked, trying not to fall apart. What if they were about to loose another friend?

She bowed down towards him, stretched out an arm and was two inches away from touching him, when he spun around and screamed.

Buffy got startled and backed into Angel, whom grabbed supporting around her waist to calm her down.

Henj suddenly removed his hands, which had been firmly planted on each side of his head and gazed out in the air.

"Who owns this body?" he asked, out of nowhere. They exchanged glances and had no idea on what to say. "I asked a question, what about answering?" he mumbled and rose up.

"WhŠ why?" Buffy muttered, trying to stay still and not jump his throat for reminding her about Xander.

"I saw thisŠ flashbackŠ it was the owner of this body, talking to you." He glared at Buffy, she moved her glance to her pants. "You knew him, didn't you? Why didn't you tell me?"

Angel stepped forwards and looked at Henj.

"They had a close relationshipŠ best friends. Willow, Buffy and Xander. They were all close friends." He explained.

"I weren't supposed to know about thisŠ why did it happen?" Henj mumbled confused.

"Looks like God isn't al-mighty after allŠ" Buffy spat out angrily. She still blamed him for Giles and Xander's death.

Henj didn't answer, but sighed and looked at Willow. She was behind the counter, reading of a piece of paper. It had blood drops on it.

"Here are some notes of Giles'Š He must've written them before heŠ he got killed. It says something about 'belts'Š"

"BeltsŠ? Well, Giles said he had gotten some info from this Irish Whistler guyŠ" Buffy added. Angel turned quickly to her with an open mouth.

"Whistler?? Here??" He questioned loudly. Buffy got startled and moved backwards by his sudden out burst.

"UmŠ yeah."

"My GodŠ" Angel mumbled. "He was the one guiding me to Sunnydale, the one who helped me on the right path in my lifeŠ he is my rescuer."

"That little man? Did he rescue you? Oh, Angel, at least try to be funnyŠ" Buffy said, not believing him at all.

"He did, Buffy."

"Oh."

"BeltŠ?" Henj suddenly said. "What does the note say?" he turned to Willow. She fumbled a little with the paper before she managed to hold it the right way and she cleared her throat.

"Aphrodite, Greek, Ehyluos, Mithj." She replied and glanced up from the note.

"The belt of Ehyluos!" Henj said suddenly. "He's trying to get the belt of Ehyluos!"

"UmŠ Is that badŠ?" Buffy shot in with a smirk.

~*~

"The belt of Ehyluos is considered the most dangerous part they found after princess Leileah of Greece died, year 688 BC. Apparently it will, after a short ceremony, fasten around it's masters' waist and stay there until he dies." Henj stated and looked about. He received three confused glances.

"So, the belt is a threat to us in which way?" Willow asked.

"The belt is powerful. It can make things appear from nothing, only by the wish of its master. It can turn you into a pole of blood in 0.00001 seconds and it can make you beg for it to kill you." Henj declared, obviously proud as he knew everything about it.

"Picture it, you in front of a belt, begging to get killedŠ" Buffy said sarcastically. No­one laughed. They'd gotten more depressive ever since Xander and Giles died.

"We'll have to attack them tomorrow." Henj noticed them quickly.

"Why?" Angel questioned and rose up from the chair.

"Tomorrow it's a full­moon, the ritual has to be done in a full­moon night, and if we manage to track down their hiding place and stop the ritual, we'll maybe stand a chanceŠ" Henj said, revealing that they actually had a tiny little percent of surviving. "Buffy, go down to Willy's, someone there must know where they are. Willow, go to Giles', get me a book named 'Depths of Myths', and Angel, stay here."

"What're you going to do?" Angel replied quickly and met Henj's eyes. Henj with once looked away and mumbled something about some business he had to take care of. Angel chose to oversee it and turned to Buffy. She was pulling out two stakes and four crosses of the cage. She returned and handed a stake to Willow and kept one herself.

"I guess you angels have your own protectionŠ?" she asked them and slightly grinned. Both nodded. She threw a cross towards Henj, he caught it and sighed.

"I miss heaven." He mumbled.

"Here," she handed a cross to Willow and kept two to herself. She went over to Angel and kissed him passionately. "I miss you already," she whispered and kissed him once more.

"Hey, are we gonna work or hand out smoochies to everyone here???" Henj bursted out with hatred and jalousie in his voice. Buffy paused and turned to Henj. They all looked surprised by his out burst and exchanged glances.

"I'mŠ IŠ" Henj muttered before he ran out of the library.

"Something weird is going onŠ" Buffy mumbled, kissed Angel once more and left.

Willow sent Angel a shy look before she grabbed a firmly grip around her stake and cross, smiled slightly, and left Angel alone.

~*~

Buffy entered Willy's without drawing any attention. She sent glances about, looking for any threatening movements from any of her sides, but the customers kept completely still.

She strolled casually over to the counter and watched Willy dry some glasses with a black cloth. He noticed her, startled and almost dropped the glass in surprise. His eyes widened and he looked about to see if anyone was leaving.

"SlayerŠ" he whispered lowly, causing some of the customers to slightly shrug and growl lowly. "You can't come here! Are you crazy? Don't you know aboutŠ" he lowered his voice another bit, "About FallenŠ?"

Buffy ignored his warnings and leaned towards him, trying to seem as intimidating as possible. She made a pretty good job.

"Listen. Understand. Act." Buffy said shortly. "I know about him. I just want to know if you know where he's staying."

Willy peered into her eyes, his sweat streaming down his forehead.

"I don't know. Honestly. Believe me, I would've told you if I knew, it's not like I wanna have you hanging around hereŠ" he explained.

Buffy sighed and turned to the customers in the dark bar.

"Demons, vampires and other ugly­looking things, listen!" she exclaimed and caused them all to look at her. "I need to know where Fallen is staying. And, believe me, if he's threatening with death on you if you reveal it, he'd better get in line." She said, unapproachably and quickly.

No­one reacted.

"All right then, I'd better introduce you to my friends," she began, pulled her stake and held it up. "My stake." She pulled the two crosses. "The Cross­siblings, and," she pulled her holy water, "Jesus' drinking water, better known as holy water."

Again, no­one reacted and Buffy was running empty on ideas. Suddenly she heard someone enter; she whirled around, only to get a fist punched into her face. She flew over the counter and landed besides a whining Willy.

Buffy moaned and rose up, glared at the thing which had punched her and noticed her eyes widen. Henj??

The demons and vampires kept quiet, only gazing at the brave man who dared to challenge the Slayer. Henj stepped towards the chosen one behind the counter, glared into her eyes and smirked cruel.

"Well, isn't it the pathetic Slayer. How could you possibly get your posh butt dragged down here, to us, the low­life?" He asked, with a hurting tone in his voice. Buffy was so confused she didn't reply him, nor did she react when he grabbed her hair and pulled her over to the other side of the counter.

Not only was it hard for her to fight Henj, but also he had Xander's body and Xander's voice.

He sent her into the wall and watched her hit it hardly. With a firm movement he grabbed her arm, pulled her against him and threw her once more into the wall.

"HenjŠ" she whispered and fell down at the ground.

Henj turned to the dark forces and smirked. They were astonished to their dead hearts. No­one had yet defeated the Slayer.

"I'm gonna give Fallen a proposal he cannot refuse. Who will direct me to him?" he asked loudly and looked at them, one by one.

A demon cleared his throat a rose up.

"The old factory, by the Riverside Church." He grunted and sat down. Henj nodded and bowed down to Buffy. She was still unconscious. He rapped his arm around her still body and lifted her up in his arms. "Bait." He whispered, just loudly enough for them to hear, grinned and left Willy's.

~*~

Willow spent some time on decided whether to enter Giles' abandoned apartment, or just leave with her tears streaming down her cheeks. She sighed heavily and laid a hand on the doorknob, twisted it and entered with a firm push.

I have to be strongŠ I have to. She repeated.

She gazed about and sighed once more. It was hard. It had only passed a week, and still she tried to get over him.

Sadness can wait. I have to help save the worldŠ but what is the world without my friends? Nothing.

The book was easily found and she grabbed it quickly, rushed out of the apartment and found herself in the condition of crying. With big sobs and sniffles she hurried towards the library.

Suddenly she spotted a shadow walking out of the shadows. She was standing on the lawn in front of Sunnydale High School, two minutes from the library.

That's not an excuse for not protecting myself! She told herself, grabbed around the hidden stake inside of her jacket and was ready to stake whatever crossed her road. She widened her eyes as she realized who it was. Xander. Carrying Buffy on his shoulders. She was either dead or unconscious.

Willow's hear pounded faster and she stumbled by the sight of the man whom she loved. Then she remembered. It was Henj, not Xander.

The memories of Henj filled her mind and she sighed depressively and walked casually towards Henj.

Suddenly Buffy awoke and realized where she was and what Henj had done. She began to scream and tried to squirm herself out of his tight grip.

Willow paused and looked at Buffy with her eyebrows raised.

"Willow!! Run!! He's evil!!" Buffy managed to cry out, Willow immediately reacted and quickly began to run towards the library. Henj dropped Buffy and followed Willow.

Willow didn't dare to turn, she just ran as quickly as her legs could move. Just 20 feet away from the stairs, Henj suddenly appeared in front of her. She paused and glared as she breathed heavily. She'd held tightly around the book all the time, afraid to lose it.

"Willow." Henj began. "I'm not evil. Let me explain." He moved towards her with his hands stretched out towards her. Willow backed.

"Get away from me!" she screamed and staggered backwards. She grabbed her stake and poised it towards him. He let out a chuckle.

"You really think that'll stop me? I'm an archangel, Willow. Don't you think that if I wanted to I would've killed you ages ago?" he chuckled once more and watched her fear act instinctively.

She turned, ran towards the unconscious body on the lawn and kneeled besides her.

"Buffy!" she cried and shacked her hardly. She heard Henj getting closer every second. "Buffy!!" she cried once more. Now Henj could only be 10 feet away and her hopes darkened.

~*~

Angel quietly read 'Silence of the lambs' and had gotten to the part where Hannibal escaped. The sound of the doors opening and closing made him raise his glance and turn to them. Nothing.

FunnyŠ I was sure I heard somethingŠ He thought wondering and sighed. Then he saw her. A dark girl, with dark, long hair and deep, dark eyes.

"Vampire. Ready to die?" she asked with her African accent. Angel sudden arose and batted his eyes a couple of times. Who was she?

"Who are you?" he asked. She strolled casually towards him.

"You are Angelus. That's what matters." She replied.

"I'm not Angelus." He answered and met her confused eyes.

"You are not?"

"Well, in a way, butŠ"

"I know you are a vampire. Angelus or not, I'm gonna kill you." She replied with a steady voice and pulled a stake. Angel's eyes paused by the glance of the wooden stake.

"Who are you?" he repeated, beginning to fear the young woman in front of him.

"I am Kendra, the vampire Slayer." She replied as the leaped towards him. Angel moved away and turned to her.

"Vampire Slayer??" he mumbled confused. Then everything cleared up and he began to explain. "ListenŠ I'm a vampire with a soul!! And, the previous vampire Slayer is still alive!"

Kendra paused.

"Vampires do not have souls. And, I would not have been called unless the vampire Slayer before me wasn't dead." She stated and walked towards him again.

"I have one! Some gypsies returned it to me! And, Buffy, the vampire Slayer, is alive! She's actually my girl friend!" he explained, backing as she walked towards him.

"Is this some sort of a bad joke?" she asked irritated.

"No, Buffy was given CPR and woke up again, but still she was dead for three minutes or so."

Kendra paused and sighed.

"Vampire, I believe you. But, still you must die." She moved towards him with her stake poised. Angel didn't know what to do. If he killed her another Slayer would come. And, a vampire Slayer would be hard to fight.

~*~

"Willow, I had to hit her. The vampires at Willy's didn't believe her, so I interrupted and defeated her, then they trusted me. I would've killed her by now if that was my intentions." Henj explained and looked at Willow. She met his eyes and seemed, as she believed him.

"Are you sure?" she asked the angel, carrying her love's body and using his voice.

"Yes. Would this face lie?" he asked her, grinning in his oh­so Xander way. She shacked her head sadly and sniffled.

"No, it wouldn't, but you do not have that face in reality. You're just borrowing it."

Henj nodded, peered at Buffy and sighed.

"We'd better get her to the library." He lifted her up in his arms and they walked towards Sunnydale High School.

As they entered they could hear fighting. Their eyes paused by the sight of Angel fighting a young woman. She managed to get on top of him, raised her arm and moved the stake quickly towards his heart.

"No!!" Willow screamed and Henj lifted his arms. He made his hand palms face the girl and a silver glow was extended and hit her. She moaned and fell unconscious down at the floor, besides the exhausted vampire.

"Thank God you cameŠ" he mumbled, but then saw Buffy. He ran over to her and helped Henj with placing her safely at the table. "What happened??"

"I sadly have to inform you that it was I whom caused her this, but it was necessarilyŠ"

Angel raised his arm to punch Henj, but Willow stopped him and looked into his eyes.

"It's the truth."

Angel believed her and let his arm fall down again and he turned to Buffy.

Willow glanced over at Kendra and wrinkled her forehead.

"Who's the chick?" she asked and waited for a reply from Angel.

"The vampire Slayer. Kendra. She's the new Slayer. Buffy died for some minutes, remember?" he mumbled, Willow nodded and sighed.

"She may be a good fighter for us," Henj analysed and walked over to her, lifted his hands at the exact same way as he'd done when he sent her into the coma­like condition she was in now, and a silver ray extended from his palms. She woke up again with a squirm and peered about. She met Henj's eyes and grabbed his arm. He helped her to stand and watched her carefully.

"Who are you?" she asked, with her accent obviously revealing her being an alien.

"I am Henj, an archangel. That's Buffy, the vampire Slayer, Willow and Angel, a vampire with a soul." He explained and pointed at the crowd by the table.

"Is that the vampire Slayer? I thought she'd look moreŠ intimidatingŠ" Kendra mumbled and peered confused at Willow.

"Oh, I'm not the vampire Slayer, she is." She explained and pointed at Buffy.

"She is the legend I've been told of?" Kendra asked and looked at the unconscious girl at the table with her vampire­boyfriend besides her.

~*~

Once Henj got to explain everything to Buffy, she understood, or, more or less pretended she did. Kendra's appearance was a shock, but they all accepted her quickly and began to prepare themselves for the long day until next night. The night with the full moon.

"I still do not understand how we can fight them." Kendra mumbled and gazed at the crowd by the table. She sent two round house kicks into a person­like puppet she'd brought and then punched in with an uppercut.

"We fight, we kill, we either lose or win." Buffy summed up. They all held in some sighs revealing their fears.

"Is there not anything belt­related in those booksŠ? At all?" Henj asked Willow, desperately reading through three books. She shacked her head.

"I'll let ya know when I find somethingŠ we've got," she glanced at her watch, "fifteen hours until deadline."

"Oh, goodieŠ" Buffy said ironically and sat down besides Angel, kissed him and hardly spotted the jalousie glare she received from Henj.

Suddenly he ran out of the library, as usual.

"Anyone care to explain?" Kendra asked and watched the doors slam.

"He just runs off. That's the story."

~*~

"Heey!!!!!!!!!" it sounded from the counter. "I found something!!!" Willow cried. They all turned to her and awaited her explanation. She cleared her throat. "The belt was used as a torture and killing method before. Now it is lost, but will be a great danger."

"I am so getting happierŠ" Buffy mumbled ironically.

"Wait, here's the thingy about how to destroy it," Willow said and cleared her throat once more. "To destroy the belt use blood from the pure, the chosen and the unconventional."

"Huh?"

"I'm a chosen, right?" Buffy mumbled. Willow nodded slightly. "Which also includes Kendra," Buffy added with a grin. "But the pure and the unconventionalŠ"

"Angel. You having a soul is unconventional. So, we just need blood from the pureŠ" Kendra shot in with a proud grin.

"Nothing on this earth can be considered pure anymore," Buffy mumbled irritated.

"Well," Willow began with a grin revealing that she'd figured out the riddle. "That may be because we're not gonna look for the answer on earth. In Heaven. And Henj is an archangel, pure to the bone."

"Then we only have to find himŠ where could he be? The city is too huge to find him. We've only got three hours. He could be everywhere."

"The Bronze?"

"I'll drive."

~*~

Buffy stepped out of the car, Angel followed and Willow stayed inside of it. As they walked towards the Bronze they suddenly heard fighting from one of the alley's. The Slayer and her Angel only used one second to exchange glances before they ran towards the noises.

As they rounded the corner they paused. Henj, fighting vampires, like he was trained for years. It took him five seconds to finish the three vampires off and sigh heavily.

That's when he noticed the lovers.

"Oh. You." He mumbled, sending Angel a look filled with hatred. They both ignored it.

"Look, Henj, we've found the way to destroy the belt." Buffy informed him, trying to get his glare off his face. It worked. He turned his face towards her and grinned.

"You did? Mortals actually have a brain?" he said, joking.

"No. we just pretend so." She replied, not too amazed by his sarcastically remark. "Look, we need your blood."

"Huh?" he questioned, obviously not getting the point.

"We. Need. Your. Blood." She spelled. He rolled his eyes.

"Got that partŠ" Henj mumbled.

"OhkeyŠ then I guess that leaves us done here and ready to go to the librŠ" she said, trying to finish it off and turned to leave. Henj reached for her arm and pulled her back.

"What do you mean 'need my blood'?" he asked, with a harsh tone. The tone surprised Buffy a slight bit, she wasn't used to have either Xander or Henj talking to her in that way. She frowned.

"Henj? What's wrong with you?" she asked, leaning towards Angel.

"Nothing. Nothing's wrong with me. I'm *fine*." He blew her question off and began walking past them.

"Something is not spelling cheese right hereŠ" Buffy said suspicious.

"No, deffinetly more chess­like." Angel added.

"We just need chess­mate." Buffy mumbled.

~*~

They all sat in the library. Henj hang by the cage, Kendra sat in the stairs, Angel sat on the table and Buffy leaned into him. They all watched Willow pace back and forth, mixing something in different urns together. Herbs, elecsieres and saying words she finished and went over to Angel.

He reached his hand out with a closed fist and the back facing down. She slid a sharp blade over and poured some drops of blood into a glass. She did the same with Buffy and Kendra, just to be safe they used both's blood, and she reached Henj.

Not exactly willy, he slowly let her cut him. He bit his lip slightly and swallowed. /How can I do this? They will notice. I've betrayed them, and God/ he thought angrily. /God, forgive me/

Willow finished the mixture and poured it all into a tube­shaped glass.

"Then we just gotta go to the old factory." Angel concluded.

~*~

He stopped the engion on the car and they exchanged silent glances, not saying a word.

"Some of might not return after this." Buffy began, whispering. "I just want you to know that I care about you all. And I would sacrefice my life for all of you." She ended. They were quiet.

~*~

"The Powers in this Belt. Come and let it REGAIN the strength, the powers, the posiblities it had before, now to the new Master." Fallen repeated loudly in front of all his minions.

He stood on the platform, with the belt in his hands, highly raised. Thunder began. He grinned evil and waited for the powers to re­arise inside of him.

Suddenly an arrow hit him in his chest. He gasped and dropped the belt. The factory turned quiet. All eyes on Fallen. He grabbed the arrow and firmly pulled it out, arose from his kneeling position and gazed about the factory.

"Hey, Ugly­looking, we're here!" Buffy exclaimed. He peered around and founf what he was looking for. The demons turned around and faced Buffy and her friends. "Let's fight with attitude, people!" Buffy said with a smirk and shot three vampires with three arrows with her crossbow.

"Oh, ten points for me!" she exclaimed and fought on.

"Fallen's mine!" Henj said between kicks. Buffy sent him a confused glance, but didn't object. Henj fought his way through the crowd and jumped onto the platform next to Fallen.

"Fallen." He said calmly.

"Henj­Uhr?" Fallen said with a chuckle in his voice. "So, the pussy up there sent *you* to get me? I knew it had to be some of God's all­mighty plans involved in this. He's like a pregnant wife who shriekes about the man being out three minutes too long, accusing him for betrayal. Can't just let a mistake pass." He said with hatred filled in his voice.

"Who's the sissy, Fallen? You didn't fight the war, you didn't get apprechiaed. It was your choice." Henj walked closer to him, suddenly a sword appeared in his right hand. He threw it at Fallen. Another sword appeared in his hands. He kept it there, raised it towards Fallen and watched him do the same thing.

Buffy frowned by the sight on the platform.

"Angel! He's fighting him!" she stated and kicked a vampire attacking.

"I know. Where's Willow?" he questioned and looked about. No sight of her.

"I don't know." Buffy said, sting a vamp. She could be dead. She could be a vampire. She could be anything.

Fallen swung his sword and Henj blocked it easily. Suddenly the belt on the floor began flashing. Fallen noticed, jumped towards it and locked it around his waist. Henj paused and let his sword sink.

Fallen laughed loudly and a blue flame shot out of the belt, sending Henj into the wall, moaning he managed to stand half­ways. Fallen chuckled again. Another blue flame. Henj now lay at the floor, coughing blood. The sword lay three inches away.

Buffy finished off the last vampire and gazed for Henj. She spotted him. On the floor, completely helpless, in front of Fallen.

"Angel!" she shouted. Angel sighted it and they ran towards the platform. Fallen laughed again and was just about to send the last flame at Henj when he paused by a voice.

"Fallen!" Willow shouted from behind him. He turned. "Lookie here!" she said, opened the bottle and threw the liquid at him. Nothing happened.

"Blood?" Fallen questioned. "What's that's gonna help against?" he chuckled, ignored the stuttering Willow and turned to Henj again.

"Why didn't the mixture work??" Buffy asked Angel. He shook his head.

Suddenly Henj began flashing a bright light. Fallen made a cap out of his hand and backed. Buffy and Angel did the same. Willow already had done it.

A shiny figure walked out of Xander's body and stopped in front of Fallen. Fallen screamed as it grabbed a hold on him and pulled his head off. The life­less (and headless) body fell down at the ground.

"Huh?" Buffy said.

"I am the real firgure of Henj­Uhr. You're getting your friend back, as a thanks for the lend of the body." He did something which resemblied a grin. Buffy smiled thankfully and watched the shiny figure disappear.

They ran over to Xander and he coughed.

"So, you missed me, I know." he grinned.

~*~

"Well, bye. Just call me if you ever need any help. Ever." Kendra said and hugged them all goodbye, before she left with the airplane.

Buffy, Willow and Xander left the airport chatting like nothing had happened.

"Promise me that no­one of you leave me again!" Buffy said, hugging them.

"We promise." Her friends replied unison.

"Best friends?" Buffy asked.

"Best friends." Xander hugged Buffy.

"Hey!" Willow objected. Xander smirked and kissed her.

"OkŠ you and I'll stay lovers, but we're also best friends."

"That's more like it!"

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