Disclaimer: the characters in this story and eventual quotes from the series "Buffy - the Vampire Slayer" and "Angel" belong to Joss Whedon and co.
Distribution: Take it or leave it.
Spoiler Warning: "Buffy - the Vampire Slayer" season 5, "Angel" season 2. Takes place during Angel's bad phase.
Classification: Same pairings as on the shows. A few surprises might come your way. Buffy/Angel crossover.
Rating: PG-13
Content: End of the world drama with a little touch of humor (hopefully.)
Summary: It's the end of the world...again.
Dedication: Shelly, the angel in my life.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
~Part: 1~
The three former employees of Angel Investigations were sitting on the couch wallowing in despair when the power went out. The Seer only sighed and reached out to light the candle on the table in front of them. The three watched the flickering flame, sadness etched upon their faces.
"What I wouldn't give for one of those mind-numbing, skull-splitting visions right about now." Cordelia told the men.
"Maybe if I slam a heavy object really hard onto your head?" Wesley suggested helpfully.
"Don't even think about it." Cordelia answered, glaring at the Englishman to her left. She turned her eyes to Gunn on her right and raised her gaze to the large book he was holding over her head. "Gunn."
The younger man coughed, slowly lowering the book and placing it on the table. He gave her a grin. "Sorry. Just trying to help."
There was a knock on the door and three hopeful faces turned in its direction. They all came to their feet when the door was kicked open and a group of familiar faces came into sight.
"Buffy? Is that you?" Cordelia said in a shocked voice. "Willow? Xander? What is this? Invasion of Sunnydale losers?"
Gunn paid her no attention; he was too busy staring at the blonde slayer in front of him. "Anne? Hey, what's up, girl?"
Buffy gave him a look, a blush coming to her cheeks as she returned his smile. "Gunn? What...what are you doing here?"
"So you two know each other?" Xander asked them.
"Um, Gunn and I met two years ago during my runaway-phase." Buffy explained. "I was trying to keep a low profile so I used my middle name, Anne."
"You were going out?" Willow asked her, curiously.
"Be careful how you answer that. I got a rep to maintain. Well, fine, let's just say that she didn't give me the time of day no matter what I did." Gunn said, looking straight at Buffy. "Said there was a guy she just couldn't forget. By the way, how do you all know each other?"
"Gunn this is *Buffy* Summers, the vampire slayer, and the rest are, well, not as important." Cordelia said, receiving glares from the slayerettes.
"Buffy?" Gunn's eyes grew big. "Well, I'll be damned, ain't it a small world! You're Angel's little lady!"
"I wouldn't say *little*." Buffy responded, not at all liking when people made fun of her height.
"I wouldn't say *lady*." Cordelia mumbled and a scowl appeared on the slayer's pretty face. The Seer blushed when she understood that her thought had been a little too loud than she had planned and she placed a hand over her mouth, avoiding eye contact with the narrowed, hazel eyes of the slayer. Cordelia knew when she was in trouble and she still remembered when Buffy had attacked her with a stake at the Bronze. There was no telling what she could do here among sharp, mediaeval weapons lying all over the place and by the way, she meant to return them to their former boss as soon as hell froze over.
"Not that I'm not happy to see you but why are you here?" Wesley asked the Sunnydale gang and walked up to Rupert Giles to give him a friendly handshake.
"Well, we were looking for Angel at the Hyperion Hotel but then we found a note on the door saying that Angel Investigations had moved to this address." Giles told them.
"Cordelia, you didn't, did you?" Wesley asked his friend and co-worker. The Seer stuck out her chin to defend her action. "Hey, it's not like he would care."
"Still, I'm amazed he didn't tear it down." Wesley told her.
"I guess he hasn't been home lately. Too busy setting girls on fire and killing lawyers." Cordelia commented, sharing a look with Wesley and Gunn.
"That last part was a joke, right?" Xander interjected.
"Nope. He does that nowadays. Kinda like a hobby." Cordelia told them.
"You couldn't have gotten him a pet?" Buffy asked her.
"What happened?" Giles asked Wesley, understanding the seriousness of the situation. If Angel had indeed turned it would be disastrous for their newest problem.
"Angel has walked away from his duty." Wesley told them. "But someone has to fight the good fight and that's what we're doing."
"What good can you possibly be doing sitting around in the dark of a funky-smelling little office?" Anya asked him and the Englishman rapidly decided that he really wasn't happy to see the ex-demon. Wesley was thankful when no one seemed to wait for him to answer her question.
"I guess we've missed out on a lot." Willow said. "I don't know what Angel has done to you guys but if he's not evil again we kinda need to get hold of him."
"Why?" Gunn asked her.
"I believe something very big is going to happen within the coming days." Giles answered for her. "There's this prophecy. I haven't been able to translate it completely so far but the signs indicate that it will have a major effect on the world."
"I hate to say this, but even if you find Angel, chances are that he won't be willing to help you." Wesley told them.
"Oh, he will help us all right." Buffy said. "Where can I find him?"
"Look, Buffy, you might think that you know Angel but you don't. Not anymore." Cordelia told her. The blonde slayer gave her a stubborn look and the Seer expected Buffy to start stomping her foot, demanding that they take her word for it. Angel *would* help them.
"Where can I find him?" Buffy repeated.
Wesley sighed. "There's this club, Caritas, that we sometimes go to. The Host is a friend of ours and he might know of Angel's whereabouts. It's a karaoke bar for all kinds. Vampires, demons, humans, lawyers and so on."
"Be kind and rewind. Angel goes to a karaoke bar? You all do? No offense but it sounds kinda lame." Buffy said. "You actually sing there and stuff and the demons don't kill you?"
"It's a sanctuary." Wesley explained. "No harm can be done to anyone there."
"Then why go?"
Xander gave the slayer's shoulder a friendly pat. "Our Buff likes the pummeling."
Buffy gave him a look and then turned her gaze to Cordelia and Wesley. "Take us to this club."
~Part: 2~
A horrid version of Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On" assaulted their disbelieving ears as they entered Caritas. Buffy's instincts were reeling and it took all of her willpower not to pull the stake from her waistband and stab it into the nearest demon. It pissed her off that the only reaction she got from the demons was a brief glance and an occasional glare. Trying to calm herself, she fingered the silver cross dipping into her cleavage and looked around her, hoping to see a familiar face in he crowd. One that would make being here worth while. Xander, who was rapidly turning ghostly pale beside her, distracted her search.
"Demon! Demon!" The wide-eyed, young man yelled at the top of his lungs and everyone including the twenty or so demons looked his way.
"Xander, it's a *demon* club." Willow pointed out, not understanding why he was making such a fuss.
"I know that. Just wanted to state the obvious." Xander gulped, a fake grin appearing on his trembling lips. He grabbed hold of Buffy's shoulders and pushed her in front of him as a green demon with red horns and red eyes came to stand before them. "Oh. God. *Demon*."
"Xander, get a grip!" Buffy commanded, shrugging off his hands. She gave him a stern look before turning back to give her attention to the demon smiling at them.
"Welcome to Caritas!" The Host told the newcomers and then gave Cordelia, Gunn and Wesley a friendly nod. A chuckle was heard and the Host made big eyes as Spike pushed his way through the crowd and gave him a kiss on the lips.
"Darling!" The bleached blonde vampire exclaimed, stepping back and grinning widely at the shocked expressions around him.
"Spike, honey, you little scoundrel." The Host blushed. "I never thought I'd see you again."
"Okay. Stop right there! How do you know Spike?" Cordelia demanded to know.
"A gentleman never tells." The Host winked at her.
Buffy wrinkled her pert nose, deciding she really didn't want to know what the green demon wasn't willing to tell. She wanted to get to the point before she had a serious bitch attack and she could feel one coming on. "Where is Angel?"
"Oh, straight to the point, prettyface. I like that. Grace us with a number and then maybe I'll share some information with you." The Host told the slayer, gesturing towards the scene.
"Sing? You want me to sing?" Buffy asked him with disbelief. She turned around and looked at the LA crew. "Are you sure he's not evil?"
"He's harmless." Cordelia assured her. "Of course, he might talk your ears off, but other than that." She stopped talking when she saw the look the Host was giving her. "He's just great. Amazing. Couldn't live without him, actually."
"It's so nice to know I'm appreciated." The Host snickered. Cordelia blushed and stepped behind Gunn with lowered eyes. "I *said* couldn't live without," she muttered while hidding behind Gunn's back.
Buffy let out a long suffering sigh. "Okay. I guess I should give you the benefit of the doubt before I decide that your fate is to meet Mr. Pointy." Buffy told the Host. "I'll give you one more chance, because, hey, I'm feeling all give-y today. Where. Is. Angel?"
"Oh, you're just too adorable! But really, I can't tell you, little impatient one." The Host began and then gave a sharp cry as Buffy's hand suddenly gripped his throat. "We have rules here, you cute little vampire killing pixie." He wheezed. "No violence."
"I don't do rules." Buffy told him, squeezing his throat a little harder. "I'm going to ask you this one more time and then I'm going to get testy. Where's Angel?"
"I'd love to tell you, sweetie, especially as you're trying to choke me, but I'm not his keeper." The Host told her. Buffy let go of his throat and got ready to take a swing at him with her fist. Fortunately, for the Host, Gunn and Giles moved quickly and seized her arms and pulled her away from him. He sent them each a smile. "*Gonna* get testy, she says!"
Buffy shook the two men off and glared at the Host once again. The Host took a step back while catching his breath and smoothing his tie.
"Wow, girlie, that's quite a grip you've got." He offered her his most charming smile. She only glared harder. "Look, I really don't know where Angel is. He was in here three nights ago, all blue and rude, but I won't go into details about that, let's just say I had to ask him to leave, and he did. Angel is a good boy, deep down, and he, at least, knows how to follow the rules." He gave the Slayer a speaking glance. "Unlike some people!"
"You're a big, green demon thing. Why should I believe you?" Buffy asked him.
"We're all amigos under the skin, slayercakes. You should talk to someone about your racial issues." The Host commented. "Or sing and let me see what's really bothering you."
"If you mention singing one more time I'm going to rip your tongue out through your ass!" Buffy told him.
"Yikes! Can't say I like the sound of that! Not too much, anyway. Do all warriors for the good have such nasty tempers?" The Host asked no one in particular. He turned his attention to Xander, who was looking at him with fascination. "How about you, sweet thing? Would you like to have a go?"
"Oh, you mean sing in public and have a bunch of demons staring at me? Thinking, thinking. Nope, I'll pass." Xander answered.
Giles looked at his watch. "It doesn't look like we're getting anywhere, Buffy. If you don't mind, I'd like to get back to researching, at least."
"We can set up headquarters at our office." Wesley suggested. "We will of course help you as much as we can."
"We will?" Cordelia whined and Wes gave her a look. "Of course we will. How much fun. Especially since there won't be any pay."
"Just as usual in other words, Cor." Gunn told her.
"I just hate my whole life." The Seer told anyone who would listen.
"I'm not spending the night it that horrid little place!" Anya told them.
"I don't think we will have to." Giles told her. "I appreciate the offer, Wesley, but it's hardly big enough for all of us. God only knows how long we will have to stay here and it would get much too crowded."
"So where should we go?" Willow asked him. "We don't exactly have enough money for a couple of hotel rooms."
"I was going to suggest that we go back to Angel's place. It's likely that he will show up there and it looked to have a lot of space." Giles said.
"Are you crazy?" Cordelia asked him. "He'll kick us out when and if he comes back and when I say 'kick' I mean literally in best case scenario."
"Actually you should listen to her. I've sensed a lot of anger and turmoil in that hunk of a hero-sandwich lately." The Host said.
"Huh?"
"Excuse me?"
"Say what?"
"He can read people's souls. Especially when they sing." Wesley explained and then added: "...and he's talking about Angel."
"That's extraordinary." Giles told the Host. "You could probably be of use to us."
"Well, I'd love to join you on your little save-the-world mission but I can't let the crowd down." The Host said. "My performance is the peak of the entire night for these folks."
"Oh, please." Cordelia spoke up. "Like it would kill them to be spared your latest Christina Aguilera cover. I think not."
"Fine, Miss. Can't Shut Up! I'll come with you but only because the world needs me." The Host snapped.
"It needs you like a." Cordelia started to say when Gunn put his hand over her mouth.
"Shut up and smile, princess." He whispered in her ear.
"I like you, man." Xander told Gunn. "It's nice to see someone finally put a leash on her."
Cordelia's eyes narrowed and her angry protests were muffled by Gunn's hand.
"Yep, really like you." Xander smiled at Gunn as the gang walked up the stairs.
While Cordelia sat between Wesley and Gunn in the truck on their way over to the hotel her eyes repeatedly shot daggers in Xander's car's direction but once there she forgot her thoughts of revenge as nervous tension and fright filled her. Breaking into Angel's home really didn't feel like a wise idea.
~Part: 3~
The sound of breaking glass had Cordelia moving closer to Wesley as she watched with dark, jaded eyes while Buffy broke down the door and headed into the dark foyer followed by her band of do-gooders and Spike. The Spike presence wasn't too clear to the Seer but as long as he kept his teeth and various other parts to himself, she wasn't going to be the one who cried "vampire".
"This place still creeps me out, guys." Cordelia confessed. Gunn slung his arm protectively over her shoulders as they followed the others in.
Wesley, accustomed to the hotel, walked through the dusky room and hit the light switch on the wall. As the bright light fell upon them and chased away the shadows Xander whistled appreciatively.
"So *very* much better than my place." He commented. His girlfriend bit back a nasty remark that would hurt his vulnerable feelings. Instead of talking, Anya patted his arm affectionately and kissed his cheek. She only smiled mysteriously when he looked down at her all bewildered and puppy-eyed.
Buffy, joined by Willow and Tara, came to a stop in the middle of the foyer and looked up at the stairs leading to the second floor. She got lost in her thoughts for a moment and then shook her head looking at Giles. "Big enough for you?"
"Yes. In fact, I believe it will fit our needs perfectly." Giles answered her, taking off his glasses and cleaning them with a handkerchief retrieved from his pocket. "Xander, will you help me carry in the books?"
"Of course, G-man." Xander answered, unlinking his arm from Anya's.
"So what do you all need me to do?" Gunn asked them.
"Perhaps we should retrieve our own books. They might be helpful." Wesley suggested.
Gunn thumped his boss' back, showing his approval. "You're the man, English. Let's motor."
Wesley smiled, his insecurities forgotten for a while and the four men joined each other on their way out to the cars.
* * * * *
"Okay, book me." Cordelia yawned, having finished a dreadfully thick volume in a language that was only remotely like English. At least it read like gibberish to her red, tired eyes. The Seer would have happily dumped it on any of the British guys; Spike excluded of course, if they hadn't been so wrapped up in a book of their own.
"Hmm, wait a moment, this sounds vaguely familiar." Giles suddenly said, looking up at them over his glasses before diving right back into the text. "Yes, I've read of this before. Now where could that have been?"
"My guess would be a book." Xander answered tiredly and the older man gave him a glare that made the brown-eyed, young man reach for his girlfriend's hand.
"It speaks of the seven nights of the full moon." Giles told them. "In case you haven't noticed the moon has been full for six nights in a row now."
"I was the one to notice." Willow added proudly, raising her hand. Having a werewolf as an ex-boyfriend had shown to be very useful and she was glad to see that something good had come out of that heart breaking, first true love.
"And what, exactly, is going to happen on the seventh night?" Gunn asked Giles.
"I don't know yet but I can guarantee you it's not going to be good." The ex-watcher said solemnly. He had an idea of where it all was leading but he wanted to be completely sure before he told them.
"There's never anything good." Xander sighed, rubbing his tired eyes.
Buffy got up from her seat. "I'm heading out."
"Are you going after Angel?" Wesley asked her, worriedly. The girl was no longer his responsibility but he still would hate to see her get hurt.
The slayer nodded, waiting for him to lecture her about it not being a good idea but the tired look he gave her held a little sparkle of hope and she frowned as she suddenly saw him in a different light. Long gone was the man she had gotten to know during her last year of high school. Here was a man who had, just like herself, seen too much of what went bump in the night. A man her instincts told her was worthy of her respect.
Buffy gave them all one last look before she went through the shattered doors and down the patio.
"Restless warriors." The Host mused, watching her go.
* * * * *
It didn't take her long to find him. Word on the street was that Angel was a vamp to look out for, and when Buffy lucked upon someone who had seen him and lived to tell the tale, it took her only an hour to follow one source to the other and hunt him down.
So, here she was, climbing up the fire escape of some dark building, feeling his presence in the throb of her pulse. When her head reached the edge she saw him standing near the edge on the other side, his back to her. She carefully made her way up and began to move towards him. There was something different about him, but she couldn't quite place it.
"Angel."
"What do you want?" He asked her, his voice without feeling. He still had his back against her and she hesitated when she reached out to touch his arm. Angel swirled around, breaking the contact, and stared down at her. Buffy's hand moved to her neck as a chill went through her.
"You look nice." Angel told her, his eyes roaming over her petite, athletic body.
"Uh, thanks." She said, giving him a look over. Nothing bad there. "Um, well, you. . you look nice as well." She shook her head at herself, wondering what the hell she was doing. This wasn't exactly a social call. "So what's wrong with you?"
"You're wondering what's wrong with me?" Angel echoed. "Nothing. What could possibly be wrong with me?"
"Really?" Buffy said, having heard the bitter tone in his voice. "You have your employees, ex-employees, whatever, all freaked out because they think that you're turning into Angelus. I mean, what the hell is your deal? Some lawyers play dirty and you just completely snap? Well, snap out of it and face reality! We're at war here and you just can't give up the fight!"
"There are forces at work here that you know nothing about, so don't act like you know what it's like!" Angel told her angrily.
"So why don't you tell me, Angel?" Buffy sighed. "Tell me what it's like."
Her one time lover stared at her silently and for a second she thought she saw tears shinning in his eyes before they turned to cold stone.
"Angel, please think of what you're doing." Buffy begged him, having heard the rumors circling the city.
"Well, here's a thought, you get out of my face, out of my city and I don't hurt you." Angel told her harshly.
The slayer couldn't believe her ears. "You'd hurt me?"
He looked away and she took a step closer, brought her hand up to his chin and forced him to face her. "Would hurting me make you feel better?" She asked him, coldly. "Then do it. Kick my ass. Bruise my face. Do whatever you want to me as long as you come back with me afterwards."
Angel shoved her away and she stumbled, staring up at him. Her memories brought her back to a winter night when she had begged him to see a reason for his life and wondered if they would always end up like this. Closing her eyes she went down on her knees, loosing some of her dignity in the process and opened her eyes to look into his deep brown eyes. "What gives you the right to just give up now? This is not the time to loose it, Angel. I know we don't live in each other's worlds anymore but both our worlds need you. I need you. I don't know what's coming but I know I can't face it alone. I'm begging you now. Help me stop this."
"Don't."
"What?" Buffy asked him, confused. "Don't what?"
Angel grabbed hold of her arm and helped her up. When he spoke it was from the heart. "Don't ever do that again."
"I had to get through to you." Buffy told him, and leaned her head against his chest. "For you no price is too high."
"I'm a jerk." Angel sighed, stroking her blonde hair.
"Yep. Big, stupid guy." Buffy agreed. "But do you know what?"
"What?"
"I still love you."
Angel smiled for the first time in what seemed like forever.
~Part: 4~
The two warriors walked side by side in silence, along the lit, deserted street. The dark vampire looked down at the blonde slayer, wondering how he could have lost his way after all she had taught him. What he had done shamed him and he hung his head, wishing he knew how to make it right.
"Where are we going?" He finally asked her, breaking the silence that had suddenly grown uncomfortable. Buffy stopped walking to look up at him. He was surprised at how much older she looked; worn out almost and he couldn't help but reach out and cup her cheek, feeling her warmth. Buffy leaned into the tender touch, reaching her hand up to cover his.
"We've made your hotel into headquarters." She told him, trying to keep the edge out of her voice. She could feel darkness coming and it was affecting her mood. "Everyone's there waiting for you, including your former. . .should I say staff or friends?"
Angel sighed at the thought of facing Cordelia, Wesley and Gunn. There would be hell to pay before they forgave him. *If* they forgave him.
"I guess they think I might have taken it a little bit over the edge stalking Wolfram and Hart." Angel said and she tilted her head and gave him a look. "I guess they'd be right." He continued and groaned. "What the hell am I going to say to them?"
"You want to hear my advice?" Buffy asked him and he nodded. "Okay, first of all, nothing you say is going to make it okay. Second of all, you have to say the words anyway. There will be groveling and there will be pain and when you think it's finally over you begin all over again." She smiled.
"Sounds like fun." Angel commented.
"In the end it will be worth it. In the end you will be able to move on." Buffy told him. "All you need is time, but unfortunately for you and the rest of the world, we're running out of it."
"Okay. Now this I'm not too clear on. What is the danger exactly?" Angel asked her.
"I don't know." Buffy sighed. "I think Giles does, though, but it's like he's too scared to tell us. As if that makes us feel any safer. God, he has been a complete pain lately. Look for this. Look for that. But do you think he tells us why? No, sir. I tell you, not knowing what's up is getting so tiresome. But when I left the guys were heading into deep research mode and I think he's planning on letting us in on the big hush-hush as soon as we get back."
"Can't wait to get there." Angel said, looking away from Buffy and into the night.
Buffy watched his face, knowing that it masked the emotional turmoil he was feeling. She wished she could help him, but he had placed himself in this position and it was he who had to find a way out of it. Still, she touched his hand, entwining their fingers, and offering what little comfort she could.
* * * * *
Spike grinned to himself as he felt the familiar tingle caused by the presence of the slayer and his Sire. He knew they were close and he leaned back into the comfort of the sofa and watched the door. He was the only one who wasn't startled when the door opened and the two stepped inside.
"Oh, look. Big Daddy's home." Spike commented.
"Spike?" Angel growled. At the sight of his childe he could practically feel invisible hot pokers pierce through his body and his own memorable screams of agony were loud in his head.
"The one and only. Give us a kiss." Spike said, and spread his arms wide for the dark vampire.
"Angel, don't kill him!" Buffy cried as the vampire rushed towards the leering Spike.
"Oh, shit!" Spike exclaimed, his leer replaced by the look of someone stuck on a track with the train rushing right towards them. He flipped over the back of the sofa and ran up the red-carpeted stairs, followed closely by his growling Sire.
"Should I follow?" Buffy asked her watcher and he shook his head. She sighed, mentally kicking herself for not mentioning Spike to Angel and sat down beside Willow and Tara who looked curiously at her.
"You okay?" Willow asked her.
"Yeah." Buffy breathed, looking over at Angel's former employees. "He's back now."
Cordelia gave an angry glance at the space where Angel had been. He hadn't even so much as spared them a glance, let alone apologized! Nope! In keeping with his new "gotta kill all my vamp family" attitude, he'd gone right for the bleached vamp as soon as he'd walked in the door. For whatever reasons Angel had come back with the slayer, she doubted any of them were for their sake. On the verge of tears, she stormed into the office. Wesley and Gunn silently followed her, slamming the doors shut after them.
The slayer guessed they needed to talk before they confronted Angel so she decided to give them the space they needed and not stick her nose where it didn't belong. She didn't know how well they all knew each other but judging by the tone Angel had used when speaking of them they had been close and Buffy hoped for everyone's sakes that they managed to come to some kind of understanding and were able to work together on this.
* * * *
Spike rushed into the elevator, pushing at the button that said the top floor. He bounced on the balls on his feet, watching the older vampire come walking slowly but determinedly towards him, eyes made of stone watching his every impatient move.
"Move you soddin' piece of machinery!" He muttered, pushing the damn button again. Swallowing, he pressed his back against the wall as the doors began to close, instinctively knowing that he was out of luck. Sure enough Angel managed to squeeze through before the doors closed and the elevator shook, moving on up.
"Guess you got me now." Spike told the dark vampire. Angel's eyes were dark and cold and Spike saw a little bit too much of his old Sire in them.
"Why are you here?" Angel asked Spike, cornering him.
"Stinking rotten luck is why!" Spike exclaimed, putting his hands on Angel's hard, muscled chest to push him away. His Sire grabbed his hands and forced them to his side before letting go and shoving him painfully hard up against the wall just as the elevator stopped and the doors opened, giving them a view of the top floor.
"You're not welcome here!" Angel hissed.
"You don't say?" Spike said sarcastically. He jumped, feeling like a little boy, trying to look over Angel's shoulder and see if there was an easy way out or possibly a weapon lying around. He rolled his eyes as he once again was slammed up against the wall, Angel taking a firm grip of his leather coat. "You always treat your guests like this?"
Angel raised a hand to strike his childe and Spike ducked a bit putting his hands up. "Whoa, there, big fella. Easy now. I know you're a nasty sorta fellow, Daddy, no need to start beatin' on me to prove it. No, sir."
Angel gave Spike a look but lowered his hand.
"I"ll repeat the question. Why are you here?" He asked his childe.
"Got caught. Got chipped. Can't bite." Spike mumbled, crossing his arms over his chest as if he was challenging Angel to think him a less vampire.
"You can't feed?" Angel asked him, stunned.
"I can't hurt humans, all right, peaches?" Spike answered, a bit annoyed. "Since it's no concern of yours I don't fancy having to talk to you about my shiny new problem so let's say we go back downstairs, have a cup of blood and get things going so I can get out of your face?"
Angel stared at his childe for awhile and then pushed the button to the main floor, knowing that Buffy would never keep Spike around if he were a danger to her friends.
Spike leaned against the wall, eyeing his Sire. "So, the Darla-bitch has been playing her head games with you again, eh? So what? You're a champ at those, aren't ya, peaches? No need to go all insane and Angelus over it, is there? I wouldn't think so--"
"I thought we agreed on not to talk." Angel told him. Spike rolled his eyes and gave his Sire the finger. Angel's eyes narrowed and he cuffed his boy, leaving the elevator silently while Spike stumbled out behind him, muttering obscenities.
* * * * *
Giles looked up as the vampires came walking down the stairs. "Nice of you to join us. Please, take a seat."
Spike elbowed Angel when he passed him and sank down beside the two witches on the round couch in the middle of the foyer. The older vampire straightened his composure, crossed his arms over his chest and glanced at his former crew who were standing behind the counter, heads tall and lips pressed into firm lines of disapproval.
Giles ran his hand over the ancient, leather-bound book that spoke of the future. "I have cross-referenced."
"Pay up!" Xander interrupted, holding out his hand towards Willow. The two received a deadly glare from the ex-watcher as the redheaded witch gave her friend 10 dollars.
Giles waited until they had finished their business and then made sure he had everyone's attention before he continued. "It says that tomorrow is the end of the world."
"That book never has any good news. Let's get a new one." Buffy suggested.
"I'm so glad I met you guys!" Gunn said joining in on the cheerful sarcasm. "I've never had so many opportunities to die before."
"So how do we stop it?" Willow asked Giles, taking a more serious tone. "We can stop it, right?"
"After the things I've seen during my life I believe that miracles can happen so yes, perhaps." Giles said, not too enthusiastically.
"Can anyone remember when every other day didn't end with the end of the world?" Xander asked the group but no one was in the mood to respond. "Come on, show of hands! Anyone?" Xander glared at the morose group. "Fine. Leave my humor hanging."
Giles stood, searched through the book he was holding until he found the right page and then handed it over to Buffy, pointing at a picture.
"It's a Blackworth demon." Giles told them as the book was passed around.
"And that would be a what?" Xander asked him, scratching his head.
"It protects the portal to hell." Giles explained. "On the seventh night of the full moon the Blackworth will have enough strength to open the portal, creating a gateway for all hell beasts to pass into our world."
"Where would this portal be?" Angel asked the former watcher.
"Right now we have the where narrowed down to somewhere." Wesley answered, as he and his co-workers joined the others.
"Pardon me for saying so but you don't exactly seem to have things under control." Angel said.
"If you hadn't been so obsessed with killing people, maybe we wouldn't be in this situation." Cordelia exclaimed. "Let's put the blame where the blame should be put."
Angel looked at her silently, his expression slightly apologetic.
Wesley sighed. "I guess we need to talk." He said and then put his hand gently on Cordelia's arm. "Unless you're not ready?"
"I'm fine." She said, but her stormy eyes betrayed any acting skills she might possess.
"We should take this upstairs." Angel told them, heading that way. Gunn, Wesley and Cordelia moved to follow, Cordy stopping by the desk to retrieve something. The dark vampire followed the object with dejected eyes.
It was a stake.
A stake with his name written all over it and that was literally. The vampire wondered if he'd ever get through the shield of bitterness that had wrapped itself around his Seer's heart.
* * * * *
"A man doesn't change over night." Cordelia mumbled, burying her face into her hands. "It's just not done."
Angel looked down at her, wanting to reach out and touch the softness of her hair. Maybe even hug her. Most of all, he wanted her to look at him, just once, without the pain of his betrayal shinning in her eyes.
"I'm not going to say I'm sorry about all of those lawyers that got killed." Angel said. The others looked at him with disbelief. He shrugged. "They were evil. More so than a lot of demons."
"Oh, and you get to be judge, jury, and executioner?" Cordelia snapped at him. "How'd you get that job?"
"I did what I thought was right!" Angel said, raising his voice at her. He saw the two other men move closer to her, their postures sending of warning signals.
"You went too far, man." Gunn told him. "Don't expect us to welcome you back with open arms after what you did! You left us in the cold! Did you think her visions would stop coming just because you stopped caring?"
"It's not my place to tell you what to do with your life, Angel." Wesley told his former boss and friend. "I'd like to believe that you have learned from your mistakes and are willing to, once again, do good. Everyone here is willing to fight the good fight, but, most of us, we're not warriors, Angel. You are. Whether you like it or not, you have a sacred duty. If you see that as a burden instead of a gift, then it's not only your loss, Angel. It's all of ours. The world's loss. That has to *mean* something to you. You're holding our lives in the palm of your hand; don't let us slip away."
Angel swallowed. This was harder than he ever thought imaginable. 250 years of living and he still hadn't suffered enough. Talk about bad karma.
"I suppose you need time to think things over. We'll leave you alone." Wesley said and the vampire watched them leave. When he heard the sound of the elevator going down the loneliness clawed at him.
Beside the chair where the air still smelled of Cordelia's perfume laid the wooden stake. It was a picture that spoke more than words ever could.
* * * *
In the foyer the Host was practicing some high, ear-splitting tones and finally Giles slammed his book shut so loud it made the green demon give a start.
"I beg your pardon, but if you keep at that, you're going to die within seconds instead of tomorrow with the rest of us." Giles told the Host with a smile that spoke of his intention to flay him alive before killing him.
"Well, someone sure is testy." The Host mumbled, deciding to join Spike, who had gone out for a smoke in the back yard before sunrise.
Anya giggled as Xander kissed her collarbone. She grabbed her purse and pulled out a pair of handcuffs and dangled them in front of his eyes. "It might be our last chance to try these."
"Have you quite finished?" Giles snapped, having been forced to listen to their smoochies for a good long while. "We don't have time for bondage fun. If we did I'd have you all gagged and locked in a room in a second, but I can't afford that luxury. We have to save the world. Again."
Offended, Anya got off Xander's lap, took hold of his hand and dragged him away and towards the office. "Xander, come with me." She told him, giving them all one last angry look before she slammed the door closed behind them.
"What a day." Anya commented with a sigh. "This Armageddon thing is making me horny. Come on, Xand. We're going to die. It doesn't get more romantic than that."
Xander let her kiss his face for awhile but when her hand became a bit too affectionate he pushed her away. "I can't do this, An. My coming death doesn't exactly hurdle me into the mood. This time, anyway."
"You're just cranky because it's the end of the world." Anya told Xander with a pout.
"Yes, I'm irrational that way." Xander said, bringing her close for a hug. He buried his face into her soft, sweet-smelling hair wishing he could tell her he loved her.
* * * * *
Buffy knocked on Angel's door, smiling softly when he opened it, letting her in. He had taken his shirt off and was only walking around in a pair of gray sweat pants. He had obviously been working out and she longed to touch him, feeling the muscles move beneath the skin.
"Don't they need you downstairs?" Angel asked her as they sat down on the bed.
"Nah. Actually, Giles sent me up here. While the brains work the muscles must rest as he so wisely told me." Buffy told him.
"Giles actually said that?" Angel asked her with disbelief.
"I might have changed it a bit." Buffy admitted. "Anyhow, tomorrow might be the end of the world. I got more plans tonight than just prepare to die."
"What are you planning on doing?" Angel asked her.
"Remember when things were still good between us? We used to spend hours just kissing and just the feel of your lips used to make me forget everything else." Buffy said, a blush coming to her cheeks.
"I remember." Angel told her, his fingers brushing her lips. "You used to taste so sweet and no matter how much I tasted you I couldn't get enough. For awhile it was all I lived for."
"Make me forget, Angel." Buffy begged him, kissing the palm of his hand, tracing the lifeline with her tongue. "I don't want to lie awake thinking of the future."
Angel kissed her tenderly, slipping his tongue past her open lips. However long their future would be, he was going to make sure she never forgot this moment.
~Part: 5~
Angel came down the stairs to find Giles behind a pile of books spread across the desk. Something in the text he was currently reading appeared to have caught his interest, as his eyes seemed to be moving over the same lines again and again. One look at the watcher's rumpled clothes and tired, red eyes told Angel that the watcher hadn't gone to sleep at all last night. The vampire figured that pointing that fact out to him and advising him to take a break and maybe close his eyes for more than a few seconds would be nothing other than futile, so he casually walked towards the desk, making sure the old man knew of his presence.
"Is there coffee?"
The watcher looked up at him over his glasses. "There's tea."
Angel made a grimace. "I'll pass. Anything new?"
"Hmm? Oh, yes. There's mention of something called the sword of Vladir, which may prove to be useful in our upcoming fight against the armies of darkness that will arise from the portal." Giles told him, leaning back in his chair. He looked at the vampire, his dark eyes narrowing slightly. He knew his next words could set things in motion, yet he couldn't make any choices but his own and Angel was entitled to know. "It will probably interest you to know that I have, at several occasions, come across a name that will sound very familiar to you. Apparently, this law firm, Wolfram and Hart, that you've been keeping your eyes on, are the ones pulling the strings. Still, I must advise you to. . ."
Angel was out of the door before Giles had time to finish his sentence. The watcher sighed tiredly, absently rubbing has this aching neck. He opened a drawer of the desk and took out the bottle of whisky he had stashed there in case of an emergency. He stared at the liquor splashing around before opening the bottle and gulping some down.
* * * * *
Buffy stopped at the head of the stairs, and rubbed her sleepy eyes before pulling her cardigan tighter around her shivering body. With her hand on the railing, she came down the stairs, stopping to look at the group of people gathered below. She immediately took note of one missing someone. "Where's Angel?"
"Oh, here we go again." The Host muttered.
Giles saw everyone looking at him and he sighed, feeling a tad bit guilty. "He left."
"Just like that?" Cordelia asked him, snorting. "He just left? Well, I, for one, exhibit no surprise."
"I had some new information about the, ah, people behind this and he acted rather, um, quickly and left. However, I'm sure that once he has time to think things over, he'll be back." Giles told them, not wanting to speak ill of Angel. There was enough hostility directed towards the vampire thus far and Giles had no desire to add fuel to the flames.
"Wolfram and Hart." Wesley said.
Giles nodded. "Precisely."
"Yeah, well, of course. This has Wolfram and Hart written all over it." Cordelia said with a heavy sigh.
"So, okay, fine. Wolfram and Hart is behind this, but does it really matter at this point? 'Cause, I'm thinking no." Buffy said, walking closer to the group. "I mean, everything is already set in motion, right? Tonight is the end of the world if we don't find a way to stop it. Does the source mean a whole bunch of much?"
"Yes, all correct. Tonight is the final fight and we can either panic or do something about it." Giles agreed.
"I choose to panic." Anya replied.
"I really don't think he meant that as an option, Anya." Xander told his girlfriend with a grin. "But I'm still loving the answer. It's, gosh, the pride, something I would have said."
"If it's not an option then why say it?" Anya asked, sharply, glaring at Giles. She accidentally knocked over his cup of tea and it poured out over the open books. "Oops."
The Englishman sighed, grabbing hold of the edge of the table so hard his knuckles turned white. "Xander." He said all too sweetly, looking at the young man with eyes speaking of his rage. "Would you mind awfully if I told you to remove your girlfriend from my sight?"
Xander was getting tired of the watcher's moodiness, especially when it concerned snapping at his ex-demon. "Give it a rest, already! So your books got a little wet! It's not the end of the world!" Xander's eyes widened. "Um, okay, that last part? Forget I said it. Really." Xander grabbed Anya's hand and ran out of Giles' sight and hearing.
The ex-watcher slumped down in his chair, resting his face in his hands. Cordelia motioned for Willow to come closer, discretely pointing out the half-empty bottle behind the desk. Willow made a grimace and stroked the seer's arm in a gesture of thank you.
"Giles, maybe you should go and rest for a bit." The redhead suggested.
"As we're going to be facing the armies of darkness soon, I really don't think resting is essential. I can sleep when I'm dead." Giles told her. He glanced at his watch. "Which, by my calculations, be in a few short hours."
Buffy clapped her hands. "Right. Armies of darkness, and just what are they up to these days, anyway? Am I the only one feeling all out of the loop on this?"
Giles blinked. He could have sworn they'd had this conversation already, or perhaps, he was just so tired he wasn't able to separate his dreams from reality any longer.
"When the Blackworth opens the portal to hell, the armies of darkness will enter our world, bringing all types of hell beasts with them. They will cross the earth, killing and ravaging until only a few righteous remain. These unlucky souls will be kept as playthings." Giles explained slowly. "It's not very clear, but I believe the General, the leader of the armies, will be drawn to a type of, well, a headquarters, if you wish to call it that, and I believe that place is this very hotel."
"Now what would be the odds for something like that?" Gunn said.
"Have you read the hotel's history? It's rather interesting once you get into it. People suffered here for decades and I think it was caused by-"
"A paranoia demon." Gunn finished for him.
"Yes." Giles said, a bit surprised.
"But I thought you cleansed this place." Cordelia told Wesley, giving him a glare.
"I did. The hotel is not evil in and of its self, just a place where evil lived in the spirit of man, so to speak." Wesley told her, a bit defensive. "I assume that's what attracts the armies."
"I've also come across a weapon that may be needed in the final fight. The sword of Vladir, said to be located near the hellmouth. We need to find out where and as soon as possible." Giles told them.
Cordelia raced to her computer, throwing herself in her chair, her hands flying across the keyboard. Willow's lap top flew through the air, landing on the redhead's lap where she sat and Tara shook her head, smiling at both women. Giles didn't bother saying anything. After all, competition, however ridiculous and inappropriate, was good for the cause.
"O, I win! According to city records the sword is in the Viking section at the Northern Museum!" Cordelia cried out, pointing excitedly at the computer screen.
"Well done." Wesley whispered into her ear and the Seer's face lit up like the sun.
"Where did I go wrong?" Willow asked herself sullenly, crossing her arms over her chest.
Tara tried to look serious but grinned all the same and put her arm around her girlfriend's shoulders in an act of comfort. "Poor baby."
"So I'll go collect this Vlada sword and check up with you guys later." Buffy said, ready for some action.
"We should probably go with you." Xander spoke up, having sneaked back.
"Yes, good. Strength in numbers. Very wise." Giles said on a sigh. He loved the boy like a son, but it wasn't often he had anything of use to say.
"I was thinking more along the lines that anyplace is safer than here, but okay, we'll go with your version." Xander said, grinning as he headed towards the door. "Bye, bye!"
The witches got up from their seats to follow their friend but the blonde suddenly laid a hand on the redhead's arm.
"Before we go, I-I want to give you something." Tara told Willow, pulling out a beautiful green charm from her pocket. "It protects the wearer." She continued, placing the charm around Willow's neck, loving how it looked against Willow's pale skin. "I want you to have it."
"Tara, it's. . .oh, I don't know what to say." Willow babbled. She gave up and hugged her instead. "I love it."
"Really?" Tara blushed. "Really you do?"
"It's perfect." Willow assured her, fingering the sparkling amulet. She gave her girl a soft kiss and they closed their eyes, enjoying the sweet moment.
"I like seeing two birds kissing as much as the next bloke but we should get a move on." Spike told them, bringing his arms around the two embraced witches. "Unless you want to let Spikey here in on the fun as well, then we have all the time in the world."
Tara and Willow broke apart and the redhead glared up at the vampire. "You get your hands off of me and my girl right this instance!"
Spike put his hands up in the air, grinning as he backed off. He loved to see the redhead get all worked up and yes, he was a very rude man and he loved every second of it.
"I'll call if something else comes up." Giles told Buffy and she nodded. On her way out she smacked the back of Spike's head when she caught up with him. He glared down at her but the devilish smile that still shone in his eyes hadn't faded. The slayer could smack him around whenever she felt like it. At least then she was actually touching him.
"What are we going to do about Angel?" Cordelia asked her friends.
"I'm going over there to make sure he doesn't get himself killed." Gunn told them.
"Don't you mean we? We'll go." Wesley argued.
Gunn shook his head. "Not this time, English."
"The hell you say! I'm going with you." Wesley argued. "It could be very dangerous and I'm not letting you face death alone."
"Wesley's right. You shouldn't go alone." Cordelia told Gunn. "Not saying I am volunteering. I'm not the one with the death wish."
The young man glared at her and she gave him a shiny smile.
"Fine." Gunn sighed, motioning for Wesley to follow him. "Let's go and save his dead, white ass!"
Cordelia watched them go, hoping that they'd be safe. If they got hurt while looking for Angel, the vampire would be so very beyond sorry. If he thought he was the only one that knew how to hurt people, he was dead wrong. Cordy was positive she'd have no problem dusting Angel should anything happen to Gunn or Wes. Pushing her morbid thoughts away, she went to Giles and put her arms around her former librarian.
"You okay there, Giles?" She whispered into his ear and patted his chest. "You look tired."
Giles leaned into her embrace, her soft, firm breasts pressing into his back. "I'm just going to sit and rest for a bit, I think."
Cordelia tightened her arms around him before pulling away. "Okay." She told him. She picked up the bottle, hiding it behind her back as she moved away from him. She went to the kitchen and poured the remaining liquor down the drain."
"Why did you do that?" The Host asked her.
Cordelia gave a start, having forgotten all about the Host and turned around to look at him. "If the others don't come back, not saying they won't, because they will, but if they don't, I want that English genius in there to be sober enough to save my life."
"Have you had a vision?" The Host asked her, curiously.
"No." The Seer told him. "I seem to be vision-free at the moment and that, my green friend, is what worries me. What if there's no point in saving anyone because no one out there has a future?"
The Host turned greener.
"Come on, gorgeous." He said, putting his arm around her slumped shoulders. "Let's make that English muffin some coffee."
~Part: 6~
Wesley and Gunn searched through the sewer tunnels leading to Wolfram and Hart's headquarters hoping to run into Angel.
"This is just so typical of him! Running off like a child at the very mention of them." Wesley complained about Angel's irrational behavior concerning Wolfram and Hart. Gunn nodded absentmindedly, tightly holding his ax close. He was sure he heard noise coming from the shadows ahead of them but if Wes kept yammering on about Angel, he wouldn't be able to hear his on thoughts. The tunnel they were in was dividing into two directions and there seemed to be something moving in the one on the right. As they moved closer, Gunn held out his hand towards Wesley, stopping him. He cautiously moved closer to check it out. What he saw made his eyes widen and he quickly moved back, pressing up against the wall, his heart pounding in his chest.
"Wesley." Gunn hissed.
"And after the talk I had with him and everything? Did my words of wisdom mean nothing to him?" Wesley continued. Gunn gave the Englishman a glare before looking around the corner again.
"Yo, Wes, man, shut it!" He snapped finally, lowering the ax as he turned to glare at his friend.
Wesley looked offended. "I beg your pardon?"
"Does that look familiar to you, English?" Gunn asked with a toss of his head towards the tunnel. Wesley, against his better judgment, left the safety of their hiding place to investigate. He paled at the sight of the enormous monster in front of him. It looked prehistoric, almost like a dinosaur. Or perhaps it generated from the dragon family. Either way, it was extremely fascinating to the former watcher. It wasn't everyday you ran into a Blackworth demon that was going to lead the world to its destruction and make history end.
"Sweet mother in heaven." Wesley whispered, trembling with a combination of excitement and fear. He was paralyzed as the demon began to move and turn its hideous head. "We're doomed."
Gunn grabbed hold of Wesley's jacket and pulled him back.
"Don't move a muscle!" Wesley exclaimed. "If that thing sees us. . .well, I shudder to think of the consequences."
Gunn stared hard at Wesley and then held his breath when a tentacle of some sort swished in front of them. "Oh man, that's nasty!" He exclaimed. "What do you figure he does with that thing?"
"I think. . .oh my. . .that is it's reproduction organ." Wesley answered.
Gunn made a grimace of distaste. "I wouldn't wanna be a female Blackworth, if you know what I'm saying."
"Quite so." Wesley told him, shuddering.
"Do we really want to fight that thing?" Gunn asked him, his nostrils flaring as a foul smell hit him. Then he felt something wet and sticky spurting into his face. He wiped off his face, looking at the foul-smelling, glistening globs on his hand and looked up at Wesley. "This is where we bail right? 'Cause I'm not too happy about this situation."
Wesley was holding a handkerchief pressed against his mouth. He could taste bile at the back of his throat and behind his dirty glasses, his eyes were turning red and teary.
"I'm not sure we're in a position to pick our fights, Gunn." He told the other man, his face turning a paler shade of pale as a stronger wave of nausea hit him. His legs gave way and he would have fallen into a puddle of stagnant sewer water had not Gunn acted quickly, taking hold of his arm and holding him up.
"I'm getting you out of here." Gunn mumbled, putting Wesley's arm around his broad shoulders and one of his own around his friend's back. "I don't think we should die just yet."
Behind them the swishing sound continued and when they struggled to come up into the fresh, open air they were grateful for the silence around them.
~Part: 7~
Buffy kept her gaze on Gunn as he describe the size of the Blackworth demon and its whereabouts. She pressed the sharp tip of the sword of Valdir into the floor, resting her hands on the hilt. Collecting the sword had been easy. Smash glass, take sword, and then run from the security guards. Piece of cake really. Which had made it so very boring.
"It was right there in front of you and you didn't kill it?" She snapped, frustrated at the thought of an open invitation to violence being passed up.
Gunn tiredly turned his head to look at her. "Don't you be using that tone with me, slayer-chick."
Buffy's hazel eyes narrowed and she traced the blunt edges of her teeth with her tounge as she looked Gunn over, head to toe.
Willow knew that furious look and after hesitating a moment, she gave a half smile and moved to her friend. Willow wrapped an arm around Buffy's waist. The blonde tensed but didn't move from Willow's embrace.
"Hey, mortals here be, ya know." Willow told her with a hug. She cast her eye in Wesley's direction; he'd seen better days, certainly, but he did seem to be perking up with Cordelia's motherly attention. Buffy flollowed her gaze and sighed. She no longer remembered what it was like to just feel...normal.
"I'm sorry." Buffy apologized and it came out more half-hearted than she had intended. She cleared her throat to try again, but gave up with another sigh. She stared at the wall praying for Angel's return. She needed someone who had a slight understanding of what she was going through. She was loosing the ability to think straight as the slayer in her moved closer to the surface, readying for the fight. Buffy Summers was slipping away, leaving the slayer, restless warrior, to watch and see through hazel eyes.
* * * * *
One hour later Buffy was pacing the floor, her whole body shaking with supressed rage because she'd once again been told to stay put and not act irrationally like someone that shouldn't be mentioned and, God, the urge she had to pummel something was powerful.
"We know where it is! We have to act, Giles." She finally exclaimed impatiently. She was close to tearing down the walls. "Now!"
"There is always time for precaution, Buffy." Giles told her in a scolding tone. "You can't just act without having a plan all the time. That is not how things get done. Not properly at any rate. You have to think things through, and-"
"Do lots more talking, yeah." Buffy cut him off. "Cause, that sure gets the job done." She ignored Giles' chiding look and stormed off, leaving the others to do the brainwork.
* * * * *
Everyone stared at Angel as he entered, holding a struggling lawyer by the scruff of the neck.
"Lindsey." Cordelia gasped as the young man was flung to their feet.
Lindsey MacDonald looked up at them angrily before he gracefully rose to his feet, looking over his shoulder at Angel as he dramatically brushed off and straightened his suit. The vampire was right behind him, moving so close to him he was brushing up against Lindsey's back. Lindsey swallowed hard but refused to show any other sign of fear. After all, violence and threats were parts of his every day life. Just because he'd never been able to whole heartedly embrace them didn't mean he didn't know how to use them to his advantage. He could handle this situation. He'd been brought here against his will and he wouldn't be bullied into cooperating.
"I wanna know what game you and your firm are running, Lindsey." Angel hissed in the fair-haired man's ear, his vampire visage brushing against Lindsey's warm, smooth face.
The young man eyed the people surrounding him but his words were aimed at the looming vampire behind him. "Give me one good reason to why I should tell you."
"How about if you don't I'll kill ya." Angel threatened him.
"Angel." Cordelia exclaimed, shocked and disappointed, but the vampire only stared at her until her gaze flickered and fell away.
"Everybody dies." Lindsey murmured. "I'm not afraid."
Angel buried his face against Lindsey's neck and the shorter man swayed, panic shining in his light, gray eyes for a moment as a cold, wet tongue licked across his salty skin. "Are you sure you're not afraid, Linds? Hmm? There are worse things than death, Lindsey, even you know that much."
"That's quite enough, Angel." Giles interfered.
Angel looked at the ex-watcher and then backed away slowly, circling Lindsey, refusing to let him out of his sight.
Cordelia, deciding to take the matter into her own hands, walked up to the lawyer, her high heels clicking against the floor.
"Don't you care that we are all going to die?" She asked him, with hands on her hips, demanding an answer. "
Lindsey smiled towards her charmingly. "I care. I just don't mind." He told her and his smile turned cold as ice. "Especially when it comes to you folks."
"Okaaay. Does anyone else wanna smack this guy?" Xander asked the group, glaring at Lindsey. Several hands were raised in the air. "Well then. Can't we just let Angel eat him?"
"Xander." Giles began.
"I'm so glad I got to meet you all." Lindsey said. "It makes your death so much more pleasant." He grinned. "More personal."
Angel growled, grabbing hold of the suit's lapels and yanking Lindsey to him. "Don't push me, boy! If you know what's good for you you'll keep your mouth shut until you're told otherwise."
Spike who had enjoyed the show so far snickered loudly and Angel's head snapped up and turned in his direction. "That goes for you too, son." He warned his childe.
Spike arched an eyebrow and gave his Sire a challenging look.
"I don't think we're really getting anywhere." Wesley murmured, and looked at his watch. "Father Time doesn't seem to be on our side either."
Angel unwillingly pushed Lindsey away. "We're done for now. Let yourself out."
Lindsey grinned, adjusting his tie. There was a mischievous gleam in his eyes as he gave the group a silent nod good-bye.
Once he had left Angel attacked the furniture.
Xander shook his head sadly. "Having many issues, are we?"
Angel growled.
* * * * *
"Um, Giles?" Willow approached the ex-watcher. "I can't find Buffy anywhere."
"What? But where would she go?" Giles said and then paled. "Oh heavens no! You don't think she would be foolish enough to."
Willow gave him a look.
"Damn that child!"
Everyone winced at Giles' raised voice and looked curiously in his and Willow's direction.
"What's wrong?" Angel asked them, coming down the stairs after a calming, cold shower.
"Buffy's gone." Willow told him, fear and worry in her voice.
"The Blackworth." Angel sighed.
"But surely you don't think Buffy went there to fight this thing alone?" Wesley asked Angel, paling. "It would be. . ."
"Suicide." Angel finished for him, grabbing his coat that lay neatly over the couch. He looked at Gunn and Wesley, swallowing.
"Stop giving me that puppy-look already." Gunn complained. "We'll go with you."
"You don't have to." Angel told them. "Really."
"Of course we do. We're a team, aren't we?" Wesley argued. There was a hint of a smile on Angel's lips as he nodded. The Seer walked up to them, wondering what the sudden male-bonding thing was about.
"What's up?" She asked them.
"It's Buffy. She's in trouble and we need to find her." Angel explained, pulling on his leather coat.
"So go already." Cordelia said, motioning for them to head out. "Um, guys?" She called them back before they went through the doors. "If you even get a little bit dead I'll be kicking your asses, okay?"
The three men didn't get a chance to answer her threat as a blonde vampire came running up to them.
Angel stared down at Spike. "I'm not taking you along."
"I'm not a dog, you bastard." Spike growled and pushed his way passed the men and walked out the door.
"Spike!" Angel hissed, walking to him. "Go back inside the hotel."
"No, peaches. You're really not seeing the big picture here, are you? I, as always, do as I please." Spike told him.
"He might be of some use to us, Angel." Wesley said, surprisingly, taking the blonde vampire's side.
"No!" Angel growled and glared at his childe. "I don't have time for this."
"You're not the only one who cares for the girl, you know." Spike told him.
Angel's eyes narrowed. His childe's obsession with slayers wasn't something new; but this new interest in Buffy disturbed him more than when the younger vampire had spent his every waking hour planning to kill her.
"Take the truck." He told his friends. "We'll meet you there."
"Wanna be alone with me, do you?" Spike said, a sexy grin on his face. "Why Angel, I don't remember you being the romantic type."
"Shut up!" Angel growled, hitting the back of Spike's head.
"Now this part I remember." Spike mumbled, gingerly touching his aching skull. One thing was for sure, his Sire knew to hit where it hurt.
* * * * *
"You kissed Buffy?"
Spike sighed. Why had he let himself be led into the trap? Oh yeah. Curiosity.
"Yeah, but let's not get sidetracked." Spike answered, brushing off Angel's question. He fell flat on his ass when he received a blow to the face. He grunted in pain, pressing his palm over his bleeding nose. "Calm down, will you? It wasn't like it was mutual."
"You forced yourself on her?" Angel asked him and threateningly moved closer to him, his fists closed at his sides.
"The girl's got slayer power for god's sake, it's not like she needs you to protect her!" Spike told him, slightly defensive.
Angel took hold of Spike's leather coat and pulled him up on his feet, holding him close so they were face to face. "I should beat your hide off, boy."
He got a red, toothy smile from his childe. "Yeah, maybe you should."
Angel pushed him away.
"Tease." Spike muttered.
* * * * *
The four men met up in the tunnels. As they came closer to the portal a scream pierced their souls and made them stop dead in their tracks, shivers running up and down their spines.
"That doesn't bode well." Wesley whispered.
"Buffy." Angel said, following her scent. She was afraid and hurt and he couldn't stand it a single minute more. He fell hard into the muddy, sewer water and heard it splash around him as something blonde flew past him. He didn't bother to wipe of the muck from his vampire face just stumbled to his feet, following his soon-to-be-mutilated-boy.
* * * * *
Buffy's eyes widened in terror as the Blackworth held her above its face, sharp, razor-like teeth grinning below her. Blood was dripping from her bare leg where its claws had ripped deep into her flesh and she whimpered as the demon let the drops fall on its purplish, scaly tongue. She did something she rarely ever did. Cried for help.
* * * * *
Spike growled when he saw her writhing in the demon's grasp, pain and defeat shining in her eyes. He lept onto the Blackworth's back, trying to avoid the stinging pus that was leaking from the cuts the slayer had made. The sword of Vladir was sheathed inside the thick skin below the Blackworth's neck and Spike tried his best to push it in deeper. Something swished through the air and hit his face, numbing him, and he fell to the ground, receiving a vicious kick in the ribs. It sent him in a roll across the floor and he whimpered, clawing at his burning eyes as he felt something hover above him.
Angel looked down at his wounded childe and then up at the only woman he had ever loved getting her life snuffed out and felt something snap inside of him.
"Angel?" Wesley whispered, laying a hand on the vampire's arm. He pulled it back as if he'd been burned when the yellow, feverish eyes rested on him for a few seconds. Wesley's eyes widened in pain and surprise when Angel's foot slammed into his ribs, sending him crashing into Gunn. The two rolled out of sight of the fight and decided that they were happy there when Spike came flying through the air landing softly on top of them.
* * * * *
Angel cradled Buffy to his chest. She hugged him close, making sure he was really there, ignoring the wild look in his eyes. They were what they were and because of it they were still alive.
"Hey, you're not alone." Angel assured her, having tasted her fears when he had licked her wounds to help them close. "When this thing goes down I'll be right by your side."
The vortex roared, lights flashing around them and Angel lifted her up in his arms, stumbling out into the next tunnel where three gloomy faces looked up at him.
"We lost the battle." He told them. "But we sure as hell aren't going to loose the war."
Wesley picked up the pieces that seemed to be his body and looked tiredly at the two warriors, his glasses crooked and hanging loosely.
Spike got up and stared at his Sire as he passed him.
"Who died and made you into freaking Arnold Schwarzenegger?" He muttered at Angel's back as they hurried away from the roaring gates of hell.
~Part: 8~
To keep himself from pacing through the floor while impatiently waiting for the others to return Giles rummaged through his bag, putting up one weapon after the other on the table in a neat order.
"What's with the arsenal?" Xander questioned him, looking curiously at the shiny, deathly arms of steel and wood. "It's not like we're taking down an army."
Willow touched his arm and he bent his head so she could whisper something in his ear. He rose his head looking wide-eyed at the group surrounding the table. "We are? When did this happen?"
Giles shoved a crossbow into Xander's arms and the young man swallowed when the ex-librarian gave his shoulder a fatherly squeeze before handing out weapons to the other reluctant warriors.
"Into battle I go." Xander mumbled to himself and Anya, his ever-present girlfriend, put her arms around his waist, cuddling.
"My hero." She mused and his deep, chestnut eyes glittered in pride and fear. He let her lead him away from the others to a far away corner, hoping to receive some smoochies before all hell broke loose.
"What do we do if the others don't come back?" The ex-demon asked him, pressing her face against his chest as to gain comfort.
"Boy do I don't know."
"I kinda think we die." Anya answered for him.
Xander sighed, fed up at his ex-demon. "An, as usual you can help by making this a quiet time."
"Sorry." She told him, understanding she had done things all wrong but her apologizes was said to deaf ears as her boyfriend, who was more interested of surviving than making up with his girlfriend, walked off to help preparing for the main fight.
****
Tara paced the floor nervously. "You seem so calm." She told Willow who sat on a chair, her pale, slender fingers tightly wrapped around a wooden stake. "How can you look so calm?"
Willow smiled with effort; she was in fact scared out of her mind but she knew it only would make things worse if she too jumped on the train to hysteria-land. "Call it a witch's intuition." She said softly. "I have absolute faith in us. We're going to make it."
"You're not even worried at all?" Tara asked Willow, stopping in front of her. "If you haven't noticed things aren't exactly going very well."
"Baby, you are definitely, without a doubt, going to survive this." Willow assured her girlfriend but inside she was screaming at the dreadful images filling her head.
"How can you be so sure?" Tara's voice was weak and desperate as she got down on her knees before Willow so she could rest her head in the redhead's warm lap.
"I can't see a world existing without you." Willow whispered, holding back the tears.
The two witches gave a start as Wesley, Gunn and Spike came rushing in through the door.
"There's been a slight change of plan." Wesley told them, panting, as he leaned his weight against the counter. "It seems-it seems like surviving no longer is an issue."
"What do you mean?" Cordelia asked him.
"There's an army of thousands marching down the street. I hate to be gloomy but we're all gonna die now." Wesley panted and happily sank down into a chair offered to him by Xander.
"Have some faith, Wesley. Mr. and Ms. Like-to-fight won't let us die." Cordelia told him. "At least not alone."
"Yes, where are Buffy and Angel? I thought they were with you?" Giles asked the three. He had a hard time keeping the fear out of his voice.
"Oh, they're out there fighting, bleeding…" Spike answered and gestured towards the door. The sound of the vicious fight finally came within their hearing to their fright.
"Oh God, we're all going to die!" Cordelia whimpered, clinging onto Xander to Anya's disapproval.
"No, no. We-we're not going to d-die." Giles assured her.
"Very convincing. Again without the stuttering." Spike commented evilly.
"How much time do you think we have?" Willow asked the ex-watcher.
"About 30 seconds." Giles answered, taking the moment to rub his glasses clean. He swore as his violent rubbing broke the glass.
"Not loving the odds then." Willow commented and Giles looked up at her. She didn't complain when he suddenly hugged her so hard she got trouble breathing.
Everyone took a deep breath in relief when their protectors, Angel and Buffy, finally barged in. Xander immediately grabbed his crossbow, standing straight and ready to fight. "What's the plan? There's a plan, right?"
"Oh, well, the usual. We fight, we win and then we party." Buffy told him, pushing her blood-streaked, blonde hair away from her eyes.
"Works for me." Xander said enthusiastically. "You're the best slayer ever!"
"You guys want a situation update?" Willow asked Buffy and Angel. "Well, they're attacking." She squeaked as the soldiers came crashing through the doors and windows. Keeping her breath she protectively shielded Tara with her small body daring anyone to come near them with her stake. Her eyes darted worriedly around the room hoping to not see an image that would fill her with grief. She let out a sigh in relief when everyone seemed to be handling their own. Then she choked as a sword came flying through the air towards the witches. All spells forgotten she stared at the flying death that had come to play.
"Oh joy. Here comes the pain." Willow mumbled. The two witches cried in shocked relief as Buffy shoved them back and grasped the flying sword in midair. Willow gave her a thankful smile. "Have I ever told you how much I love you?"
"Yes." Buffy grinned. "But you can tell me again when all this is over."
Then she was gone, disappearing like the wind into the midst of the battle. Then as quickly as it had begun it was over. A ghostly silence filled the air. The survivors rose, separating themselves form the dead, and a cry of joy replaced the silence.
"Wow, look at us, not even a little bit dead." Willow commented happily.
"Always a pleasure to see." Giles said.
"Look, I killed the hell out of them." Spike said proudly, poking his elbow into Angel's side.
"You did well." Angel mumbled reluctantly. Spike turned his head to glare at his Sire and then grinned when he saw the pride in those dark eyes. Pride of him and yeah, there was something more in there…what was that feeling? Hell, yeah, Daddy loved him.
"What?" Angel growled at him and Spike's grin turned wider, knowing that his Sire probably didn't know how much his eyes betrayed his feelings.
"This is a very sad day." Anya said, stomping around the dead bodies of demons.
"She's having ex-demon issues." Willow told the Host, who was looking with interest at the brunette. "Don't ask."
"They were an ugly way of looking." Cordelia said to Gunn as he helped her up on her feet. "The person who makes their wardrobe must be evil but I guess that goes without saying."
Giles was waking up a few feet next to her.
"I'm going to feel like hell in the morning." He complained.
"Well, it beats being in hell." The Host told him and clapped the watcher on the back. "Besides I know a drink that will drown your pain away in the morning."
Giles seemed to cheer up at that.
Angel walked over to Buffy and she smiled taking his hand. "We survived."
"The gods must love us." Angel told her and stroked her cheek affectionately. "So…when are you going back to the hellmouth?"
"I'm quite comfortable right here." Buffy said, snuggling in his arms.
"Is that so?"
"You know, a couple of hundred demons ago I would have let you walk out of my life again." Buffy told him, looking up at him.
"What changed?" Angel asked her with a smile.
"I grew up."
Xander sighed as he watched the two warriors kiss.
"Might as well face it. Those two are bound to get pelvic again someday." He said to the others. "And when they do they'll probably end up destroying the world for real this time."
Anya sniffled, bringing a handkerchief to her eyes. Bless her boyfriend's romantic heart.