Lorne was just about to prepare himself a Sea Breeze, when he noticed Fred was still sitting in a corner, alone, looking pensive.

"What are you still doing here, Freddiekins?", he asked and decided to mix her a drink too because she looked like a sad puppy.

"They didn't need me. Angel is all about Connor and Buffy now. I'm just a girl he got out of Pylea, not a team member."

"Non-sense. Chin up, you're the one wearing smarty pants in the family."

"That would be Wesley. I'm a physicist, not a specialist in supernatural phenomena.", Fred sipped a Bloody Mary Lorne had mixed for her.

"I know for a fact that Wesley would LOVE to work more with you.", Lorne had to smile because Wesley was totally crushing on the girl, and she was the only one that was completely unaware of it. "You lived in Pylea, sweet cheeks. You underestimate your familiarity with the world of wacky things. Why don't we finish this drink and then head to The Hyperion together?"

Softening up a little, Fred gave him a shy smile. "I better stop feeling sorry for myself. Angel will always love Buffy, that's obvious from space. And since I got back I haven't even been out much. But, I think I should spend the night here, the storm is pretty bad."

"Yes, it's time for you to start living again, Fred. But, yes, by all means, spend the night."

Cordelia, Wesley and Gunn all ran out of their rooms, still half asleep but ready with stakes when they heard screams in pre-dawn hours. Cordelia ran straight to Angel's room, to make sure that Connor was ok, and Gunn and Wesley ran to Buffy's room.

Buffy was, thankfully, fully dressed, and Angel… well, Angelus, was passed out of the floor as Buffy was trying to pull his pants up.

Her eyes were big with fear, but also determination, and her chest kept rising with hard breaths. Angelus had no time to say anything to her, but the way he looked at her when he got to his senses made her skin crawl. It was obvious that he was disgusted because she made Angel feel so many things, made him feel so happy… but before she kicked him in the head hard enough to make him pass out, Buffy had noticed a bit of something else in Angelus' eyes. Was it gratitude for setting him free, or passion he felt despite himself?

"Are you all right?", Wesley and Gunn asked as they burst into the room, holding stakes and axes.

"I'm ok. A little wigged. Got chains?"

"Yeah.", Gunn said and ran out. He was impressed because Buffy managed to knock him out just like that, and he'd heard stories about Angelus' evil and strength.

Connor was crying, and Cordelia kept trying to soothe him by walking around and humming a melody. She didn't want to leave Angel's room in case Angelus was up for a killing spree. Buffy's ability to make him the happiest vampire ever was still there, working like a charm. She really hoped that Willow would be able to help, otherwise things wouldn't end well.

Wesley and Buffy placed Angelus on the bed, and when she turned around to give a hand to Gunn who was carrying heavy chains, Angelus gripped Wesley by the throat and bared his fangs.

"You're strong Buff, made me real dizzy for a while, and since I don't breathe, it was easy to fool you. You should have known better.", Angelus' smirk hurt her deeply, but she tried to keep her cool, she couldn't let Angelus kill Wesley.

"Come on, let Wesley go. It's me you want.", she said and glanced toward Gunn and the chains.

"Drop the chains, muscle boy.", Angelus squeezed Wesley's neck tightly and Buffy nodded to Gunn, who reluctantly put chains down to the floor.

"Angel, come on, let go of Wes."

"Angelus in the house, lover. Hey, you were a little spit fire last night… Have you been a little slut, practicing with that cardboard guy?"

Buffy looked at Wesley questioningly and he nodded, barely visibly, but he nodded.

"Fine. Kill him. But then I'll kill you. And I think you wanna live. You wanna make up for the lost time, don't you? But a big ass shaped pile of dust won't be able to do anything."

The smirk on Angelus' face faltered, he somehow believed she would be able to follow through with her threat. This wasn't the Buffy he'd remembered. There was darkness in her, he could feel it. He couldn't help imagining what it would be like to turn her and travel all over the world, leaving a trail of bodies behind. He blinked, but didn't say anything, he just pushed Wes onto Buffy and ran as fast as he could.

"Let him go. I'll deal with him. But… I'm gonna need some help.", Buffy sighed, sat on the bed and rubbed her temples.

"What do you need?", Wesley asked, as he rubbed his sore throat.

"Faith.", Buffy said, surprising both men.

Faith was working out in the backyard, trying to avoid everyone. They'd all tried to kick her ass, and they'd failed, of course, and they hated her for that. She had to be alert at all times.

The only person that ever visited her was Angel, and when a guard approached her and said "You got a visitor.", she instantly thought of him. "What kind of a name is Buffy anyway?", the guard marveled at the silliness of the name, and Faith stopped in her tracks, surprised off her head.

Well, that was ominous. Dear old B wasn't one for social visits, she was one for forgetting her old almost-friend and rival. Faith couldn't really blame her, as much as she wanted to.

Buffy was sitting on the other side of the glass and she started reaching for the phone as soon as she saw Faith. Faith thought that she looked thinner, sadder, way too serious. Something was wrong and she got really worried.

"Hi, B. What do I owe the pleasure? Is the world ending?"

"Faith… You look good.", Buffy was surprised, she expected Faith to be thinner, sadder, more serious, kinda like herself. She thought Faith would be able to understand the darkness she's been drowning in. "But, yeah, something happened and… I need your help."

Despite trying really hard not to mock her, Faith laughed. "Oh, do you? Aren't you the Best Slayer That Ever Lived?"

"It's Angel, Faith. Angelus is back."

After staring at her for a moment, Faith whispered "Step away from the glass."

Before Buffy knew what was happening, Faith shattered the glass and landed beside her, missing her just for an inch. They grabbed each other's hand and ran. There was a battered looking truck parked by the door, and the girls jumped in.

Gunn was at the wheel, and he sped up, leaving jail in the cloud of smoke. It was early in the morning and they didn't have to worry about Angelus right then.

"Did you join a gang, B?", Faith lifted her eyebrow, still not believing what was happening.

"A badass vampire slaying gang. I'm Angel's friend and employee, Charles Gunn."

"Shoulda known. Angel always talks about you, Cordy and dear old Wes."

A pang of guilt made Faith shut up abruptly when she remembered what she'd done to Wesley.

"So, how did Angelus return?"

"Well, you know…", Buffy blushed and looked down, and Faith couldn't help herself; she punched the blonde as hard as she could.

"You fucked him despite knowing what would happen! How fuckin' selfish are you?!"

Buffy flinched and rubbed the spot that Faith had punched. The girl's right hook was still damn good.

"Willow can return his soul and make it a permanent thing. We can be together, for real.", Buffy defended her actions, knowing that Willow was already on her way to L.A.

The explanation didn't sit well with Faith, it earned Buffy another punch in the face.

"Stop punching me!", Buffy yelled, she really didn't wanna fight Faith. Gunn actually kinda hoped he'd witness them fighting.

"B, if anything goes wrong and I have to… kill Angel…", she swallowed hard, "If your actions lead to me killing the only person that ever looked after me, I will kill you."

Buffy believed her. And her heart broke for Faith. For the first time she could see how deeply she cared, how ready she was to sacrifice everything to save Angel, and she had to respect that. She didn't need to say anything, she and Faith understood each other. They spent the rest of the ride home in silence, but it was a mostly comfortable one.

Angelus was having fun. As soon as he ran out of The Hyperion, he headed to Holtz's place. He owed the bastard more pain. Hurting Holtz really was a festivity Angelus just couldn't wait to continue. He must have made a great impression on the short demon hunter when he'd actually managed to freeze himself and come back to slay him.

The bugger that usually spoke in low, threatening voice was now screaming. Angelus had him chained up and there were spikes protruding from his palms. Hanging out with Spike hadn't been all bad, the bleached douche sometimes had had good ideas.

"My goodness, Holtz, it was so thoughtful of you to come back and let me finally have my way with you. I've always regretted not torturing you the old fashioned way. Now, these modern times are just so helpful. Chainsaw, Holtz… invention of the century. But, don't wanna spoil the big finish for ya.", Angelus smirked and cut a deep gash in Holtz's chest. He continued slashing until he carved the word Angelus on Holtz.

It was morning now and he couldn't get out, but he really wasn't complaining about it. Holtz was such a great source of entertainment… Angelus really wanted it to last a long time. But there was another thing that he wanted… Buffy. She was so close now, and so out of reach. His mind wandered to their time together and he licked his lips.

He was so thirsty suddenly. Thirsty for Buffy and blood. Holtz was hanging there, chained up, and Angelus wondered if that two-hundred-year old blood tasted better than the new one… if it was like good wine, getting better as it aged? Holtz gasped when he saw Angelus' game face. He didn't wanna die like that, drained by the creature he hated the most- but being turned by Angelus would have sucked even more.

Angelus was a twisted creature, and he knew Holtz like the back of his own palm. He was about to turn Holtz's worst nightmare into reality. Holtz screamed when Angelus's fangs pierced his neck, but he soon quieted down- the blood loss was too severe. He was barely hanging on when Angelus cut his own wrist and leaned it onto his lips. Too tired to resist, Holtz let vampire's blood drip into his throat. His worst fear was about to come true. There was nothing else Angelus could have taken from him.

There was light, such blinding light… He started thinking he was going to heaven, that maybe he would get reunited with his family that had been stolen from him… but there was also shrieking and sounds of violence… Holtz couldn't see right, everything was blurry. He got one final blow to the head and passed out.

The blinding light engulfed the room when Buffy, Faith and Willow burst in through the window. Angelus, always fast on his feet, cowered in a dark corner, snarling at them.

"Come on then, lover… not so scary anymore, are you?", Buffy taunted him, enjoying it a bit too much. She looked at Holtz and felt disgusted and sick. Her Angel could have never done it, to his worst enemy… but Angelus… She hoped that the poor guy wouldn't get turned, those gashes on his neck looked bad, and there was some blood on his pale lips…

"Damn, Buff, too chicken to face me you had to form a girl band to take me down.", Angelus couldn't help teasing, but he could tell that it wasn't getting to her this time. The bitch had something up her sleeve, he could tell from the look on her face.

"Damn, Angelus, you're going away for good this time.", Buffy smirked when Willow started chanting.

"You should thank Willow, though, you'll get to experience some mind blowing sex.", Faith chuckled and looked at Buffy, suddenly wondering just how naughty she actually was under that cutie façade.

"You just gotta be crude, Faith?", Buffy asked, and Faith just shrugged. She loved to see Buffy squirm. The blonde was clutching her fists as she stared at Angelus, who stared right back into her eyes. He couldn't hide fear, and he hated being helpless. He had never been the helpless one- it sucked. There was nowhere to go. It was either get re-ensouled or get toast. He preferred being alive, even if he was just a passenger on the Angel train.

While Buffy was staring at Angelus, waiting for Willow's mojo to work, Faith unchained Holtz and dragged him to Gunn's truck. She didn't know why she wanted the guy to live, maybe cause she didn't want Angel to have one more life on his conscience.

"Buffy?", Angel whispered as something passed through him. She ran to him and covered him with a big, thick blanket.

"You're ok… I got you.", Buffy whispered and kissed his lips, which were shivering a little. "Come on, let's go home."

"Oh god, Buffy… Is Holtz dead? I didn't mean to…"

"He's alive, burka boy. Barely, though. Gotta take him to a hospital.", Faith said, happy to have her friend back.

"Will, are you ok?", Buffy asked, and realized that Willow wasn't even phased by the spell. Her best friend was too powerful, sometimes it even scared her. A part of her couldn't help imagining fighting Willow. She just hoped that would never happen, cause she didn't think she stood a chance against the big bad Wicca.

"Peachy. All is well again."

They drove away, dropped Holtz off to a hospital and carried on to the Hyperion, where Lorne, Fred Cordy, Wes, Gunn and Connor were waiting for them. Maybe their little family would manage to catch a break now.