AN: This is the forth episode of my alternate season 5, as such it does follow on from the previous three, so it might be an idea to read those first. This one in particular is part two of a two-part story.

Thank you to everyone who's reading, and those of you who are leaving comments. I'm kind of disappointed with the low number of review for the last episode, love it or hate it, let me know, reviews are very much appreciated.

OVERTURE

There was not a single cloud in the beautiful blue sky.

Standing at the top, looking down the lush green slope, Wesley took in the wonderful sight before him.

The gentle slope of the hill led down to a flat patch of vibrant green grass interspersed with sunshine-yellow buttercups and daisies. A crisp stream flowed, the water ambling by, in no hurry to pass through this glorious landscape.

Down on Wesley's right was a magnificent tree, a monument of nature at its finest splendor. It was strong, all its edges were soft and rounded. The leaves whispered sweetly with the gentle breeze.

The air was so amazingly fresh and clean. Each breath of it invigorated and cleansed.

In the patch of shade cast by the tree Wesley saw the one thing that made this vision of perfection complete.

She was sitting on a bright red blanket looking across the stream. She was gazing upon a mother deer, its coat a wonderfully warm shade of brown, leading its child to the stream. The young deer was reluctant at first, unsure. As it approached the water it paused, glancing back at his mother for reassurance. Then he proceeded; gracefully he stooped and flicked out his tongue. The cool water must have been to his taste for he began eagerly lapping it up. His mother came up beside him and joined him in taking a drink.

Wes looked back at her.

She looked up at him. Wesley started walking down the hill towards her; he couldn't help grinning like a fool. She was beyond amazing. She was everything. Here in this paradise she was still the most beautiful of all things, such a perfect part of this world.

"Wesley," Winifred Burkle smiled as he sat down close beside her.

"Fred," he replied and took her hand in his. It fit perfectly

Fred expression became a frown. "I was lost… My memories… but I remember everything now."

Wesley squeezed her hand. "You had as all worried but…"

"You didn't give up on me. You found a way. You brought me back." Fred returned the squeeze. She was smiling.

"Yes," Wes nodded. "I'm sorry I couldn't figure it out faster, if only I..."

"What's important is I'm alright now, I'm safe. And I'm with you."

"Yes." Wesley looked into her eyes, appreciating completely the woman he had so nearly lost forever. Now was the time. Now was the time to tell her how he really felt about her. "Fred, there's… there's something I've wanted to tell you, something I've wanted to say to you for a long time now."

"I know." Fred's grin widened. She leaned forward and then…

Bang!

The grass was sprayed red. A hole in her forehead.

"No!" Wesley Wyndam-Pryce yelled as he bolted upright. He was sweating, puffing and shaking. "No," he whispered.

It was starting to get dark outside. He had slept all day. He felt exhausted and drained.

Fred was gone.

For now. Not for much longer if he had any say in the matter. He was frustrated that he had wasted so much precious time sleeping.

Already his mind was at work, arranging a plan of attack on the task of finding a way to reverse what been done, to Fred.

Quickly he showered and got dressed

He'd get her back. It wasn't her time. It wasn't fair. No. She had to come back. She had to.

Wesley left his apartment, determined to save her, to return her mind to her body. No matter what it took.

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"Mr White?" Derek Fitzimons said, cautiously approaching the man. Derek was a vampire.

Mr White was standing, looking at his creation.

"Mr White?"

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Mr White said. The device was cylindrical with both ends tapered to a point. It was around four meters long, silver in color and was being held up off the warehouse floor by a pair of three legged stands, one at either end. A panel in the middle of the device's smooth surface was open. Derek couldn't see inside but there was an unsettling dark blue glow emanating from within. Beautiful was hardly a word he would used to describe it. More like weird. But Derek remained silent in his disagreement.

"You have it?" Mr White spun around, tapping his white dragon-headed cane on the concrete floor.

"I got it," Derek confirmed. He wanted this job done and he wanted to get away from here. From his pocket he took out the object he had been hired to deliver; a small green crystal.

Mr White's dark blue eyes widened and fixed upon the crystal. "Excellent," he smiled. "Give it to me." Mr White held out his left palm, his right hand resting on the cane.

Derek was about to argue that he wanted his payment before handing over the crystal (which he had picked up from a shadowy specialist magic shop at the end of a dark alley) but Mr White's tone and gaze made him rush forward and place the crystal in the waiting hand.

Mr White held the crystal up to the light, gripping it between thumb and forefinger. "Oh yes." His eyes sparkled like a child's on Christmas Day. "Yes, excellent craftsmanship." Mr White smiled at Derek. "In an undertaking such as this true care and attention to detail is vital."

"Yeah," Derek looked around the warehouse nervously. Other than Mr White there was no one else here. The rows of containers suddenly made him feel claustrophobic, even though he, Mr White, and the device were in a large open space in the middle of the warehouse. "Right," Derek found that he couldn't look Mr White in the eye. He was afraid. He began to wonder if twenty grand was worth this strange discomfort.

"You have my thanks." Mr White shifted his hold on the cane, grabbing it a third of the way down it's length. Before Derek could react there was a flash of red from the dragon's mouth.

The vampire instantly exploded into a thin white dust, utterly destroyed.

Mr White turned his attention back to the device. He leaned close to the opening and delicately placed the crystal inside. He then took a step back, admiring his handiwork.

There was a final delivery that was due in a few minutes. Then all that remained was to collect the final component from the arms dealer, Theodore Tramore. And then…

Well, then he'd would be activating the device, and changing the world.

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Winifred Burkle was perfectly still.

There was a bullet in her brain.

A bullet that had absorbed all of her memories, everything her brain had learned from the moment of its formation. She retained only the slightest of brain functions, just enough to sustain her vital signs. Other than a head wound she was physically in good health.

In the room next door was Angel. He was heavily sedated, recovering from serious injuries received when he had been thrown through the windshield of a van moving at high speed.

And in a high security room, was the Gunman, the demon that had shot Fred and killed an accountant by the name of Ritchie Evans. The demon was in a healing coma, recovering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was strapped down tightly to his bed, to be extra sure an arrangement of chains were in place to make any attempt at escape impossible if he woke up. His condition was being monitored closely. There were two heavily armed guards inside the locked room, and two more in the corridor outside. The demon was the only solid lead that remained in the investigation into Winifred Burkle's shooting.