Author's Note(s): I know that I haven't visited this universe in forever, but I thought I come over and try to complete this series like it should have been. I had a few people inquire about it, so here I am, back at it. I thought this would be the last chapter, but I need a few more to wrap this thing up. I am also planning another story in this series, but taking place after all these events. It might even be a true crossover with another series. So to those few people who read and reviewed this lately, here's some new stuff. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing. I love reviews, even if the story is years old! Enjoy.

Chapter Ten

"They're gone."

"Kind of figured that they'd bug out faster than we did."

Angel shook his head in amazement. Wes and Faith had baled on he and Spike. Now they'd have to find their own ride to wherever they were going. Where in hell were they going? He didn't want to think about the planning.

"We should bail."

Spike actually looked sad. He actually would not look Angel in the eyes. Women. Well, one woman.

"Willow?" Why was he asking?

"Oh no, no. It's just we should start looking for gainful employment. Blood's not cheap."

Hell yeah to that. Spike was lying though. Women.

"Ouch."

"Told ya you were getting old."

"Don't remind me of that inevitability."

Everything hurt on Wes. Almost everything. Loving a slayer would definitely not be easy, especially when this one would never be still. He had more elbows and more knees in places he wouldn't ever have imagined.

"Would you like to kiss it and make it better?" Faith asked him in a terrible, sing-song voice.

He giggled. Out and out giggled. He hadn't giggled in so long he didn't think it was possible. Faith had made him giggle. The scowl on her face made him pull back just a little.

Wes was in a compromising position right now. If he made her too angry, he might just add to his bruises. Faith sat up directly on top of him, making him groan in other ways.

"Is all you think about is sex?"

He giggled again. "Well, it just here we are. We're completely naked. We broke into some bloke's cottage to have wild, passionate sex just after vanquishing a nasty bad guy. Seemed to be a little funny."

Faith moved her body over his.

"We'll never get out of here if you keep that up." She would be the death of him.

"Laugh it up, Watcher boy. Because you ain't seen nothin' yet."

"Just be careful. I'm still quite sore."

And happy as he'd ever been in his life.

Cordy had hid from the others, to gather herself. They all had assumed that she was this take charge, independent woman of means (hey, Power). How many times had she wanted just to curl up in a ball and let everything go to hell? Too many times to count. She needed to fix this with her friends.

She couldn't risk it. The Powers were already questioning her methods, contemplating reassigning her to another more, could you say, less stressful post. That would mean that someone else would take over here and she'd be pushing paper. Whatever passed for paper in this realm that is.

She wanted this job. She needed this job. It was hers, dammit and she'd fight to keep it. The mess that she made while doing it could not be ignored. Giving Wes those powers (something she couldn't take back) had never been in her plans. It just happened. He had needed them to survive. The dumbass just didn't get it in time and Vail went around her and gave him "all" of the powers, including the bad ones. What the hell was she going to do now? She definitely wasn't going to kill Wes again. Who knows where he'd end up this time?

She hoped that Giles could figure out a way to help Wes. If not, she'd have to deal with it herself. Taking Wes away from Faith was a last resort. If and when this happened, it wouldn't be pretty. But she had some faith in Giles and that big, old brain of his.

Shakily, Cordy got up, stretched and got down to work. Her report would include most of the screw-ups she had made. They didn't need to know everything.

"Anything?" Willow paced behind Giles. She didn't mean to throw off his concentration by asking him a million questions.

"I will tell you when I have something," he answered for the millionth time.

"Just wondering," she mumbled to herself.

She had paced, bounced on her toes, stood on her head, did everything in her power to not get in Giles's way. If she could just keep her mouth shut, he possibly would tell her when he had something.

"Willow, do sit down."

Abruptly stopping in her tracks, she covered her face with her hair, hoping that he wouldn't see her disappointment.

"I am sorry to be short with you, it's just I definitely think I'm on to something."

Willow jumped up and down. "Goody."

Giles rolled his eyes a little. "Yes, goody. Go find whoever might be left, including the two lovebirds."

Lovebirds? Oh, he meant Wes and Faith. If she could find them. She hadn't seen either one of them since the night before. It had been way too quiet too. She hoped that everyone hadn't left while they were holed up in the library. Giles wouldn't let her touch any of the tomes before him because he said that they were cursed. She'd show him cursed when this was all over.

"Errandgirl I am. Back in a jiffy."

He didn't even look up when she slammed the heavy door in her wake. "Men."

"You guys leaving?"

Crap, she caught them. Spike thought they'd get out of Dodge before Buffy had a chance to see him again.

"Yeah, well, we probably should get out of your hair," Angel told her.

"Yeah, about that. You are so not gonna leave until you explain every bit of this. It's just like you to leave before the powwow."

History. Angel bugged out on her without even a goodbye long ago. He guessed that his history with her wasn't any better. Spike left to gain a soul while Angel left to keep his soul. That was her fault, by the way. Reminding her of that might get him punched.

"It seemed a little tense around here. I just thought…"

"No, you just didn't think. Typical."

Buffy crossed her arms, feet spread apart like she wanted to spar with Angel. He'd love to see a good round between the two of them. Might do the poof good to fight someone who could kick his ass into the ground.

"Buffy, it's complicated."

Mr. Complicated, meet Ms. I Don't Care About That Excuse. Buffy scowled his way.

"Listen, you kids have a talk. I'll be right outside." Spike looked outside. The sun was still shining. Outside was not a good idea. "I'll just find a quiet place."

Buffy pointed to Spike. "Don't even think about it, mister. You are so on my hit list too."

Spike was not amused, but gave her the "Me?" look. "Along for the ride, Buffy. I'm just the muscle here."

"Bullshit," Angel spit out.

The front door abruptly swung open, making both Spike and Angel jump to the sides of the room. Spike hated doors that faced west. At least he could tell that the sun was going to set soon. Then he'd be on his way to bigger and better things.

"Oops. Didn't know the two of you were standing there," Faith said as she swung it shut.

The grins that the Watcher and Faith had on their faces were just sickening. Angel's eyebrows went up while Buffy's mouth stood open. Spike decided the best course of action would be to make a gagging sound and point to his mouth like he was going to upchuck. The sickening display of affection between the watcher and the slayer ought to be banned just because it was too sweet.

"OK," Angel said to break the tension in the room.

With just that word, Wes tensed up too. If the two of them didn't work out their differences, he'd bash both of their heads together.

"Where might Giles be?" Wes asked.

"Library. He and Willow are researching," Buffy explained, moving closer to Angel.

Yeah, researching. More like those two who just came in the door, he thought.

"Not so much with the researching," Willow called from the stairs. "Giles doesn't think I can help."

The sulk that came out in Willow's voice hurt him to the core. Willow always helped with the research with the Scooby gang. What the hell was Giles's problem?

"He's really not been that nice to you, pet, now has he," Spike agreed, trying to sympathize with the witch.

Faith then made her own gagging noises. His middle finger gave way to her middle finger.

"Children. Enough with the posturing. I assume that Giles has found something in those tomes that are probably cursed, which is why he doesn't want Willow near them," Wes said as he moved forward to follow Willow back to the library.

"Yeah, I guess," Willow sighed.

"What are you? Two? Get over it, Willow," Xander announced as he came into the room.

Not that woman again. Clarisse had attached herself to Xander's side too. This romance thing is for the birds, he thought. Sex was so overrated.

Giles wasn't sure he comprehended what he was reading, but it didn't sound good. There may not be anything he could do about Wesley for the moment. His power was in a controlled state. That he was sure. It was inevitable that one day something would set him off and the world would be destroyed. It either said that or Wesley was bound to save the world. Tricky translations made his head spin.

The bickering children could be heard as they came down the hall. He heard Faith's loud voice challenging Buffy, mixed with Xander saying he'd love to see that happen, mixed in with Wesley's not in this lifetime, along with Spike's laughter and Angel's growl. Kids these days.

As they all filed into the library, Giles pulled his glasses into his hands to stall. He wiped and he wiped until Buffy cleared her throat for him to get on with it. He'd do what he must.

"The solution that presented itself isn't exactly what I had anticipated."

Wes straightened himself up to full height, like he wanted to take the news like a man. The old Wesley would have slumped over into a mass of jello.

"Good or bad, Rup," Faith asked as she took Wes's hand in hers.

"Both. The translation isn't forgiving. I believe I will have to do more research. I do know this, Wesley. For the moment, you are not a danger, unless you lose control."

Now he saw the shoulders slumping, if just a little. "What must I do for this not to happen?"

"I have no idea other than what you are doing at the moment. It could be any number of factors. You gained some knowledge from our previous visitors. You have learned to control the power that you possess. Cordelia might have given you some knowledge."

"No. Nothing from Cordelia," Wesley spit out.

Giles wasn't going to go there. "It could be this place. I just don't know."

It could be Faith, but Giles didn't know that for sure. For her to have a calming effect on him just might be the ticket. The slayer could have that kind of connection with her watcher. He fondly looked over at Buffy. She had pulled him out of one mess after another. Her small smile his way helped, if just a little.

"I think it's best to return to London, consult any more texts that I can find," Giles started.

"Burnt to a crisp," Angel whispered to Spike.

"I have my sources, Angel," he continued. "I'd like for you to accompany me, Wesley."

Faith stepped in front of Wesley, like she was protecting him. Good for her, Giles thought. Bad for him.

"To help with the research, Faith."

"Oh. I just thought that you'd shackle him up somewhere and throw away the key. Kind of like what you wanted to do with me."

And if he had done this in the first place, Faith would have been stopped from joining with the Mayor. Things would have been different for all of them. Better though? Probably not. Giles didn't necessarily believe in fate, but sometimes you just had to roll with the punches.

"Me," Willow said while raising her hand. "Research. My specialty."

Giles was more concerned with Willow than he was with Wesley. His connection to her was much stronger. They fed off of each other. Granted it was Ethan's fault for the most part. Giles was still sore in many places from being slammed up against a wall. In the end, it was Willow who knew how to use her power the best. He just didn't want to see her get hurt.

"Indeed. We all should go to London."

"To read books?" Buffy asked as they all made their way to the door of the library.

"Kind of have to read books to research, Buff," Angel replied to her.

"I'll be on guard duty then," she answered. "My specialty."

Read and review! Thanks to all who have read this epic trilogy. I appreciate the comments.