Brennan struggled as she was led from the small hut into the dusky sky of predawn. The air was cool, and she shivered as the cloaked figures around her parted. None of them showed their faces, the black cloaks obscuring them completely from view. Some laughed, an evil sound and others hissed as she was pulled up toward a wooden platform built in the center of the stone circle of Stonehenge. Her captors lifted her onto the platform and tied her down, the ropes so tight around her, she could barely move.

"We call to you Antiroth at the moment of the sun's ascension that you find our motives worthy of you. We call upon you to arise and lead us to our rightful place on this earthly plain." Brennan looked up at the man performing the ritual. She gasped, his appearance a shock to her. His skin was red and scaly, horns protruding from his frontal bone, growing outwards and curving up. She wanted for one crazy moment to reach up and see if he was real or if his appearance was due to make-up of some sort. As he turned his attention down onto her a shiver ran over her body at the evil he exuded.

Off to the side, there was a bit of a scuffle. Temperance turned her head to find the source of the struggle and saw the young girl who'd brought her the white robed being dragged toward the altar. The girl's head was forced over a golden vessel, and though she appeared as emotionless as she had earlier, there was fear in her eyes.

"Accept our gift of innocent blood to strengthen you on your ascent to our plain." Temperance gasped as the demon man drew the knife across the girl's throat, her blood spilling into the vessel. Brennan closed her eyes tightly, fighting back nausea at the site. Tears began to form in her eyes and she regretted not speaking to Booth before leaving for Ireland. She regretted not telling him she was pregnant, and not telling him that she loved him. Now it was going to be too late, and he'd never know. Please, she thought, praying to a god in which she didn't believe in, please don't let this be the end. Please help me.

The sacrificial table on which she was strapped lifted. Brennan cracked her eyes open to see four of the hooded cultists lifting the table and carrying it out of the ancient ruins.

XxXxX

"I don't care, just get as many of them to Stonehenge as possible. I'm heading there shortly, I just have a few details to take care of." Buffy hung up her phone and flopped back on the couch. Now to find someone to watch Liam while she was out saving the world yet again.

"There a problem luv?" Buffy glanced at Spike as he stepped out of her bedroom. He still looked weak, but now that he was dressed he was much more himself.

"Nothing I can't handle. How are you feeling?"

"A bit peaky, but nothing a good meal can't solve." Spike flopped his long, lanky frame down next to Buffy and took her in. She still looked like the girl he fell in love with, but there was a haunted look to her that he didn't remember her having.

"I can take you to the bar Dawnie works at for some blood if you'd like. I need to see if her boss can keep and eye on Liam until I get back." Spike pulled a face at the mention of blood.

"No offense pet, but what I'd really like is a bloody steak, and I do mean bloody. Just kill the cow and put it on a plate." Buffy regarded the vampire for a moment as he got up off the couch and walked around the living room, looking at photos on the wall.

"What is with you and your sudden craving for food? And why are you suddenly not allergic to sunlight?" Spike shrugged and picked up a photograph from the mantle of the fireplace.

"You've got me. I'll be the watcher knows though. So, this the fiancé?" He pointed to a young man in the picture next to Buffy. Both smile and are obviously happy. The slayer bolted from the couch and took the picture from the vampire, putting it back on the mantle.

"Yeah, that was him."

"Was?" Okay, that had the vampire curious. She didn't look like she was willing to say anything else on the subject, but surprised Spike when she sighed.

"He was turned during a fight. Are you coming with me or staying here?" Buffy shouldered a diaper bag and picked Liam up from his pack and play.

"As if I'd stay behind." He straightened the jacket he wore and followed her from the apartment. He frowned at her general behavior around him, but figured it was just her dealing with the stress. It had been a long time since she was outright rude however, and she was currently bordering on it.

"You okay luv?"

"I'm fine." There it was, that coldness again. She opened the door to her flat and turned to face Spike. "I don't have time to wait. Are you coming?"

"Already said I was, didn't I?" The two looked at each other a long moment before Buffy turned on her heel and left the apartment with Spike closing the door behind them. Something was bothering the slayer, that was certain, and as tight-lipped as she was being, he was determined to get the answer out of her. He loped along after her, enjoying the feel of the sun on his face as they headed down the busy street. Buffy gave one surreptitious glance at Spike, but otherwise kept walking. She shifted Liam in her arms, cursing under her breath that she didn't grab his stroller.

"Buffy, let me get something, maybe hold the niblet for you." Liam Squealed with laughter and clapped his hands, reaching out for Spike, but Buffy held onto him tightly.

"No," she practically shouted. "I can manage. I always manage, okay?"

"I get it pet really. I get sent to hell to save you and now I'm just another vampire again." Buffy stopped and looked at him grimly.

"You think I'm going to put my son in danger and just hand him off to anyone? What kind of mother do you thin I am?"

"Oh so I'm just anyone? Pet, it's me, what would I do to him?"

"You bit Dawn! How can I trust you with my son when you attacked someone who's like a sister to you?"

"Bloody hell Pet, is that what's got your knickers in a twist? I needed blood! I didn't attack her, and I wouldn't have gone after the boy." They held each other's gaze, anger flaring between them as Liam looked from one to the other, uncertain. The little boy reached out again for Spike and with a huge sigh, Buffy handed the vampire her son.

"Are you sure you can handle him?"

"I was human once you know. I know how to handle a baby." He looked at the boy as they reached the demon bar. "Now you listen to you Uncle Spike mate. You be good to your mom. None of this stuff like Peaches' kid, got it?"

"I'm curious Spike. If you're Angel's grand-childe, then would his son be your uncle?" The vampire gave her a dirty look and followed her down into the club.

"Oh good Buffy, you're here. I have everything I'll need for the protection spells," Willow said as she zipped up her bag.

"Great. Let me see if…" Buffy paused as Dawn's boss came into the club.

"I heard something about the little nipper needing a sitter…Spike?"

"Lorne." Buffy looked from one to the other. Of course they would know each other.

"Where did you go after that battle in the alley?"

"I don't know, but if I hum a few bars maybe you could tell me."

"Ilyria said you just disappeared. What happened?"

"Look, only thin I remember was finishing that fight and next thing I know, I'm here."

"Lorne, I'm sorry to interrupt this little reunion, but I have to go. Can you please watch Liam for me?"

"Sure," he said and held out his hands for the baby. "I'll take the little guy."

"Thank you so much for this, really. Look, Giles should be here soon. I told him to use this as a rendezvous point, so once he's shown up, he'll be waiting for me here."

"No need to wait Buffy," came a voice from the doorway. All eyes trailed up to where Rupert was standing. "We've managed to get here sooner than I anticipated." As he moved into the room, his group came in as well, fanning out around him.

"Bleeding hell Peaches, did you manage to reproduce when I wasn't looking?" Spike looked from Angel to Booth, just as stunned as the rest of the group. Both Booth and Angela kept their eyes on Lorne, having never seen anything like him before. They were glad that Giles had taken the time to warn them that they were heading to a demon bar, otherwise the sight would have been much more disconcerting than it was already.

"I could say the same thing about you," Angel said as he looked at the baby in Spike's arms. Spike glanced at Liam and shrugged.

"Not mine mate. This here is the spawn of Slayer."

"There is something so wrong about seeing you hold a baby," Cordelia commented as she finally stepped from behind Angel. All eyes were immediately on her. Buffy crossed her arms and looked at the seer.

"Aren't you supposed to be dead?"

"What, are you the only one who's allowed to come back?"

"Can we stop this now," Angela Montenegro said as she stepped forward. "Jesus, what are you all in, high school? My best friend and the love of his life," she pointed to Booth, "is currently in trouble and you're arguing about inconsequential things. Stop it right now." Properly chastised, the group looked to Giles for a plan of action.

"Cordelia knows more about this sacrifice than I do. It was she who alerted me to the details of it, so perhaps we should defer to…"

"Defer to Cordelia? Oh come on Giles, how can you even suggest that?" The look that the slayer received from the ex-cheerleader could freeze over hell itself. For the first time that the two had known each other, Buffy took a step away from the taller brunette.

"Excuse me Miss 'I know how to handle things and you don't'. For your information I've been handling vampire and demon attacks on my own for five years, and since it was my vision in the first place then maybe you should just back off." The two looked at each other for a long time before Buffy finally gave a nod of assent. Angel smirked as he watched the two. It wasn't often that Buffy backed off from anyone, and the fact that it was Cordelia making her do it somehow seemed unusually fitting.

"Fine then, what do you suggest?"

"There's at least one hundred vampires and a bunch more demons besides that. They're performing some sort of ritual to raise a demon… Antiroth."

"Oh, that's not good," Giles said. "Antiroth is one of the Ancient Ones, a group of demon gods and goddesses said to hold immense power. He is a god of war and destruction, banished from earth several millennia ago because of his lust for power. If they're trying to raise him, then we'd better make sure we're prepared. Buffy, how many slayers were sent ahead?"

"On such short notice? We only had ten available. Give me more time and I can send a lot more, but that's all we've got."

"Well between you, ten slayers, Angel, Connor and Spike we should have them pretty well surrounded. I know I can ensure the vampires aren't an issue," Cordelia said.

"Look, it's not like we need vamp bait or anything," Buffy replied, but stopped at the smirk on Booth's face.

"Vampire bait my ass. She almost blinded me with that nifty little light trick of hers. Look, I just want to get Bones out of there. Can we worry about killing off everyone later and just get her out of harm's way?"

"Agent Booth, I understand your concern, but with us being that vastly outnumbered…"

"You guys keep everyone busy and I can guarantee that I can get her out. I don't want to stand around here another minute when Bones could be murdered because we were talking the issue to death."

"We can't just walk in there unprepared."

"Just get me a damned gun and get me up there. We can talk more about this on the way. Once she's safe, then you can catch up or fight some more. I really don't give a shit. Just get her out safely."

"Booth's right," Angel said as he looked over the group. "The longer we take, the more trouble she'll be in. Let's go." Everyone agreed to those words and left the demon bar together, leaving Angela and Lorne behind with Liam. Lorne looked at Angela as she held the baby in her arms, and she couldn't help but be scrutinized by him.

"You are sending off some pretty deadly vibes," he said as she sat down. "I know you're worried about your friend but what I'm getting goes way beyond that."

"What, are you like a mind reader or something?" Lorne took a sip of his cocktail and offered her a small shrug.

"I'm not a mind reader, but think of me as someone who could give you a heads up on your destiny. I can't really do anything unless you sing or hum, but you… you've got some major waves coming off of you."

"No offense, but I'm in a club in London run by someone who looks like the devil. Yeah, I'm a little tense. Plus my best friend is in danger and I had to sit here and listen to people bicker. If anything happens to her, then someone's going to get their heart cut out with a spoon." She bounced Liam a bit, making him laugh.

"Why a spoon?"

"Because it'll hurt more."

XxXxX

The sun was rapidly descending in the Western skies, its rays reaching out toward the reconstruction of the southern circle within Durrington Walls. Tears streaked Temperance's face as she lay on the sacrifice table in the center of the wooden circle. Followers of the demon Antiroth continued to file inside and around the wooden circle, a replica of Stonehenge built about two miles from the stone ruins. Her white robes were soaked after a sacrificial bathing in the river Avon, none of the cloaked figures coming near her save those carrying her on the table.

Each step toward the wooden circle was one step closer to her death, and one more moment of hope slipping away. This couldn't be the way she was supposed to die. She had to live, had to carry to term and have her child, but most of all, she had to get back to Booth. She had to get back so she could tell him how she felt. She couldn't die without him knowing she loved him. Another tear rolled down her cheek as she bit back a sob. She had to get herself under control. Temperance was determined to not die in fear. From somewhere deep within, she sent out one simple plea to the universe and whoever might be listening.

"Please," she whispered. "Please don't let it end this way." She needn't have worried, for as she lay on the table, sixteen saviors stood on the outer circle of Durrington, waiting for their moment to strike.

XxXxX

"Are you sure about this," Willow hissed at the girl standing next to her. Both were shrouded in long black robes thanks to a quick attack on two stragglers by Angel and Spike, taking out three of the shrouded followers to infiltrate the ranks. It wasn't that Willow didn't trust Cordelia… okay it was exactly that she didn't trust the ex-cheerleader. The last time they'd had any contact, Cordelia had held Angel's soul hostage, putting up a good fight, but eventually losing control from Willow.

"Would you just trust me, I know what I'm doing," was the whispered reply. From Cordelia's left, Booth gave her a sharp glare. They were going to give up their disguise if they didn't quiet down. "Just have the spell ready when I say." Willow nodded and stilled as a couple of the cult members glanced at them. The whole situation gave her a serious wiggins, not from lack of experience, but the sheer number of vampires and demons was a lot to overcome.

The three turned their attention toward the circle as the last rays of the sun shot through the large wooden posts of the Southern Circle. Once the last piercing beams died down, all of the shrouds were lowered, the vampires now safe from harm of sunlight. In the circle's center, the red, scaly demon stepped up to the sacrificial table, a large knife raised in the air.

"Antiroth, hear our pleas. We call out to you in your infinite strength to lead us to the position of rule we crave." Cordelia glanced at Booth and gave a small nod. She briefly crossed her fingers that this ruse would work and get the FBI Agent close enough to Temperance for the next stage of the rescue.

"Oh please," Booth said loudly, drawing the attention of the throng of followers onto him. "Do you honestly think that a demon like Antiroth would be willing to share power with any of you?" Murmurs rolled through the crowd as he strode through the demons casually, his emotions tamped down deep and a look of absolute boredom on his face.

"Who speaks such blasphemy," the red demon called from his position at the table. Demons and vampires parted to let the interloper through toward the altar.

"Anyone set on war and destruction does so for their own means. He's not going to allow you to rule alongside him. If you ask me, you're making a mistake trying to raise him." As Booth got closer, the demon at the altar looked him over and sneered.

"Angelus, I should have known. Your own attempt to bring hell on earth failed, so why would you want anyone else to succeed?" Brennan turned her head to look in the direction of the oh so familiar voice and could have wept tears of joy. She didn't know how he had found her, but he was there. She glanced at Booth, their eyes meeting for a brief moment before all of his attention returned to the demon priest.

"Who said anything about Angelus," was Booth's reply. The priest looked confused for just a moment until Cordelia and Willow lowered their hoods from their positions flanking Booth.

"Humans? How did you get in here?"

"Doesn't really matter," Cordelia said with a smile. "What does is that I'm about to bring a little sunshine to your lives."

"What?" Cordelia took in a deep breath and as she exhaled, she rose a little off of the ground, bright light shooting off of her and over the Southern Circle, filling it with light. From the outskirts of Durrington Walls, their allies raced toward the burst of sunlight ready to stop anyone fleeing the scene. Angel ran into the fray full tilt, his broadsword swinging to the ready as he struck down his first opponent. From all sides, they were attacked. It had been too long since he'd had a good fight and yet it seemed only yesterday at the same time. Adrenaline soared through his system as he slid on his game face.

When the bright burst of light died down, Booth ran toward the table, his window of opportunity narrowing the longer it took. He grabbed the priest by the arm and tossed him to the ground, loosening his grip on the knife.

"Evil shall rain down upon you and yours for this abomination," the priest screamed as Booth wrenched the knife away from him.

"Save it for the devil," Booth snarled and plunged the sacrificial knife into the demon's heart. The priest let out a gasping breath as Booth removed the knife and sliced through the ropes binding Temperance to the table. Scooping her into his arms, he ran from the circle praying that the others could keep the attention from him as he escaped with Temperance into the night.

As fighting swirled around her, Willow stood in a bubble of safety as she chanted. With any luck, the protection spell would keep Booth and Temperance safe from notice as it protected herself. She only needed to keep it up until they escaped the stone circle and then she could stop and help her friends. Willow shuddered as the power of her magic surged through her and out to the fleeing agent. Only a few more feet and they would be safe. She watched, muttering the protective spell over and over until the night swallowed up the fleeing figures.

Willow dropped to her knees, spent from the force of the magic, and gasping turned toward Cordelia. The plan had worked. Temperance was safe and the others were able to provide enough distraction to allow for escape.

"Wow Cordelia I didn't think that plan was going to work but…" Willow stopped and gasped. Next to her in a crumpled heap on the ground was the seer, pale and unmoving. "No, Cordelia, come on. Get up." The witch nudged her, shaking her shoulders, but there was no response. As she looked up, her eyes locked with Angel's and it was all she could do to not cower at the bellow of absolute rage ripping from his lungs.