Chapter 25: Unfinished Business

Filled, with angst, suspense, surprises, and a lot of great stuff. Enjoy.

Liam strode into the lobby with an angry determined look on. He just came from the kitchen where he found his wife's soup spilled and a tranquillizer dart on the floor. There was her scent and an unfamiliar one. His wife was kidnapped and he was not going to stand for it.

Buffy came into the lobby behind him. "They took her? Whose they?" she asked.

"The girl scouts. Delia took their cookies without paying." Liam said sarcastically. "Who do you think 'they' are? Wolfram and Hart." he told her angrily. He had shouted loud enough so that the rest of the team heard him coming in.

"What's going on?" Cordy asked.

"Delia's been kidnapped." Liam told her without breaking stride to the door.

"What? Delia's been kidnapped?" Fred asked.

"Is there an echo in hear?" Liam said angrily.

Angel stood in front of Liam, blocking his way to the door. "Liam, calm down." He told his son.

"Get out of my way dad."

"Not until you tell us what happened and calm down."

"Delia was making soup and she was hit by this." Liam held up the tranquilizer dart. Wesley came up and took it from him, examining it. "She wasn't in the kitchen and there was an unfamiliar scent in the air. Someone else was there and took her. And I bet you anything it was Wolfram and Hart."

"What makes you say that?" Gunn asked.

Liam turned to Gunn. "Who else could it be? Besides us and the Scoobies, Wolfram and Hart are the only ones who know who Delia really is. There is no point in kidnapping her other than that particular reason."

"What do they want with her?" Fred asked.

"They want to know about the future. When I told Lilah about Delia to get her away from Connor, I asked her what was better. A baby born form the slayer and a vampire, or a girl from the future. They want to know about the future and what will happen so that they can manipulate it to their own advantage."

"You used her as bait?" Cordy asked sounding appalled.

"It was the only way to get Wolfram and Hart to back off Connor. Obviously they haven't learned from when Delia kicked their ass. I'm gonna kill them."

"But they won't find out anything right?" Lorne asked. Liam looked at him. "I mean, you guys drink that potion that blocks supernatural forces from entering your mind. And she's a slayer so she won't talk right?"

"They have other means of taking stuff out of people's heads. Literally. After a few days of torture and not getting anything, or hours maybe, they'll use that way to literally get the information out of her head. It may end up killing her. I am not going to let that happen."

"Ok. But you're from the future too. You told them who 'you' were. Why did they go only after Delia instead of you?" Cordy asked.

"They must think that I can still turn into a Van-tal or they know how well adapt I am at magic." Liam looked to his parents. "I tortured Linwood using magic then wiped his memory. He might have gotten it back and realized that they couldn't take me without a fight. So they took the next best thing. My wife."

"Fred and I'll get to work on analyzing the sedative." Wesley said looking at the tranquilizer dart. "Hopefully it will lead us to where it came from."

"We already know where it came from. Wolfram and Hart."

"Or it could be somebody else." Fred said.

"There is no one else." Liam was getting tired of telling them the same thing over and over again. Wolfram and Hart were the only other people alive who knew about Delia and him. They were the only logical option. Buffy put Connor in a bassinet and walked over to Liam to calm him down.

"We'll help you get her back. But you need to calm down." Buffy said.

"Calm down? This is my wife, mom." Liam yelled at her.

"Do not talk to your mother like that." Angel said. Liam glared at his mother.

"I'll find her with or without your help." Liam turned towards the doors. "You can torture me, kill off my family in front of me, but no one touches my wife."

"Liam, where are you going?" Buffy asked.

"To find her."

"Wait. Liam, before you go we should do that thing your father and I do." Cordy said.

Liam turned to face her with a look of confusion. "What thing?"

"That thing we do. You know that thing where I say 'are you sure you know what you're doing, please think about this' and then you ignore me and rush head long into trouble?"

"Right. That thing. - Okay, are we done?"

"Liam, please think about this. In fact, don't go there at all."

"I have to."

"I know. But don't."

"I'm not gonna kill them even though they deserve it."

"No. Stop." Buffy stood between Liam and the doors.

"Move out of the way, mom."

"Not until you calm down and focus." Buffy wasn't going to let her son do anything reckless that could get him hurt or worse. Liam glared at his mother but took a breath and calmed himself. "Ok, now, we are going to help you find Delia. But for that to happen, you need a level head. I can't have you doing anything reckless and putting yourself in danger."

After a beat. "Ok. I'm just gonna….go and….clear my mind." Liam turned away and went upstairs to his room. Buffy sighed. She really want to find Delia too. She was family. Buffy knew exactly what Liam was going through. She remembered when Angel was kidnapped by Spike and Drusilla and tortured. She wanted blood for what they did. And she could see it in Liam. She wanted to help him, but only if he wasn't going to go out and get himself killed. She turned to the rest of the team.

"Ok, let's put our heads together and find Delia." She strode over the reception area. "We're gonna need to find some way to get into Wolfram and Hart, passed all their defenses and get Delia before they know what she knows." Everyone gathered around Buffy except for Cordy who was staring at the stairs where Liam just left the lobby.

"Princess what is it?" Groo asked her.

She turned to the team. "Uh…Buffy? Don't you think it's a little suspicious how Liam just calmed down and did what you asked just like that?"

Buffy looked up at her. "What do you mean?"

"Think about it. The love of your life was just kidnapped and you have the power to move mountains and part seas to get them back. What would you do if it were Angel? Or Connor?" Buffy got was she was saying. This was like Willow and Tara all over again. Only this time, she didn't need to be told twice. She and Angel ran passed everyone and headed upstairs to Liam's room. They opened the door to his empty room. They searched around and found a chest open, the window open, and Liam nowhere in sight.

…

Linwood was at his desk going over different plans on how to get Connor, Liam, or Delia. Ever since Liam told Lilah who they really were, Linwood was on a path to capturing them. He was also on a path of revenge. Thanks to some mystics in Wolfram and Hart, he remembered everything about Liam torturing him with magic. He wanted payback.

Linwood was so busy with looking at different plan and options, he was startled when the lights in his office went out. He looked around the darkened office and stood up. Only to be met by a quick blow to the head, knocking him out.

…

Linwood woke up in a daze. His head hurt and there was a big lump formed from the hit he received. He tried to lift his arm but it was cuffed to something. He looked and saw it cuffed to a track. He looked around and saw that he was lying on a train track and he was definitely cuffed to it.

"Linwood Murrow." A scary growly voice said. Linwood was startled and looked up to see Liam standing over him. Linwood got up on his knees because the cuffs were preventing him from standing fully.

"You. You're him. Buffy and Angel's son from the future." Linwood said. Liam glared at him. "Oh, yeah. I know about you. Lilah told me everything about your little secret when you told her."

"Then you know about Delia."

"Your girlfriend. Yeah, we know about her. She's a slayer. Didn't anticipate on that when Lilah went after her. Like father like son I suppose."

"In more ways than one. Delia is missing. She's been kidnapped. She was sedated by a tranquilizer dart. Now it's time to tell me where you have her being held, or it's time for the 10:15 to the Hellmouth." Linwood heard a sound of something on tracks and felt something coming closer. He looked passed Liam and saw a light coming their way. Fear gripped him immediately. Liam smelled it growing on him and if it was any other situation, he would have smiled. Linwood tried to get out of the cuffs but it was no use.

"Oh, oh, ok, ok. Uh…we know that you two are from the future and we wanted to get one of you to know what you guys knew."

"Not the answer I'm looking for. Where is she?"

"We, we, we haven't sent a team to kidnap her I swear." Linwood looked and saw and felt the train coming closer. Liam stayed perfectly still. "Oh god. Please, please, I...I…I'll do anything. You can have everything we are planning to capture one of you."

"I don't care about the plans. I already read them and know them. I want to know where my wife is." Liam yelled. Linwood didn't say anything. Fear was practically squeezing his insides. He looked at the oncoming train as it approached fast. It would be on them very soon.

"I don't know." Linwood said frantically. "But if you let me go, we can work something out." Liam didn't want to work anything out. He wanted his wife. And he wasn't in the mood for bargaining. He started to walk passed Linwood to leave him to be squished by the oncoming train that was very near. "Wait, wait, don't go." Linwood begged. Liam continued to walk away. "Wait, wait, wait! Lilah. And Gavin. They are always trying to outdo each other. One of them might have sent a team under their orders to kidnap your wife without my knowledge. That's all I can tell you!" Linwood looked back at the oncoming train that was just yards from where he was chained up. "Get me out of here!" Linwood looked back at the train that was just now several feet away. Linwood screamed and felt the chains on his cuffs break from a gunshot. He quickly rolled out of the way, continuing to scream as the train went by. Liam watched as the train went by with a stern look. This didn't get him anywhere near to finding his wife. But at least he had two more leads.

…

Gavin was in his office drinking some coffee and looking over some paper work. He sat very casual in his chair. He didn't to be worried about anything. He received a report about the slug infestation at the Hyperion and believed that the slugs would possibly kill all of Angel's team and their son from the future.

Suddenly the lights went out. Gavin looked up and looked around his darkened office. He stood up and went to the light switch. He flicked it a number of times but the lights didn't come on. He sighed and went to the door to call for maintenance. As he opened the door, he was hit hard in the face and knocked unconscious.

…

Gavin woke up saw everything upside down.. He was swinging from side to side. He realized that he was dangling upside down. He saw a dark figure before him. As his vision came into focus, he realize that he was looking at Angel. Or what he thought was Angel. It was actually Liam. He looked down and saw the streets of LA several stories below. He was dangling upside down on top of a tall building.

"Gavin Park." Liam said menacingly.

"Who are you?" Gavin asked.

"Someone who you pissed off." Liam replied. He took out his new pistol that he bought before arriving at Linwood's office and shot at Gavin's ropes that were tied to a beam above him. Gavin whimpered in fear. Liam missed on purpose. He wanted to get Gavin scarred enough to talk. "Tell me where my wife is." He demanded.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Gavin whimpered. Once again, Liam smelled fear on his victim. He was actually growing accustom to it. People say that they want to put the fear of God into people. He wanted to put the fear of another in Gavin.

"My wife. Delia. She's been kidnapped. She's from the future. I told Lilah. You compete with her. Don't tell me that you didn't know because I know you do."

"I don't know where she is." Gavin said again. He kept swinging from side to side. Blood was rushing to his brain, making him feel so dizzy. "I know that she is from the future like you. But if she's missing, I had nothing to do with it. I swear to God!"

"Swear to me!" Liam yelled and shot his pistol, this time up towards the beam that Gavin's roped were tide to. Gavin whimpered as the bullet narrowly missed the rope. "You're running out of time. And my aim is getting better. You have ten seconds to tell me something I believe or you will be made street pizza."

"I don't know anything. I was…I was planning on ways to get the child from Angel and the slayer. We wanted to know it came into this world and everything. I wasn't so focused on you and your wife from the future. That was always Lilah's focus." Liam glared at Gavin. Gavin was definitely telling the truth. Liam sensed it. When fear grips a man, the man will do anything to be released. Liam raised his pistol up and pointed it at Gavin. "No, no, no. I told you everything." Gavin raised his hands to cover his face and closed his eyes. He continued to swing upside down. He opened his eyes and looked to where Liam was. Liam wasn't there anymore. Gavin looked around while swing for any sign of anyone. There wasn't any.

…

Lilah was in her office talking to two other men about a plan for capturing Liam. She wanted someone from the future so that the firm could know all about the future and either be prepared for it, or change it in their favor.

"I'll need all that the psychics and fortune tellers can get about Liam and his girlfriend ASAP. We're on something of a clock here." Lilah told them. They nodded to her. Suddenly the window of her office broke and a figure emerged through it with an axe with a knife at the end. The figured rolled on the ground and straightened up. The two men Lilah was talking to stood up and immediately ran for the door. Lilah stood up and looked to the intruder. It was Liam. Liam extended his weapon into the makeshift scythe his sister made. Four security guards entered into the room. Liam punched the first one, swung the scythe, and hooked it around the foot of the second guard, tripping him and sending him to the ground. Liam spun and embedded the axe head into the third guard's chest, then swung and embedded spike part of the head into the fourth guard's chest. He took it out and delivered a clean uppercut swing on the first guard, slicing his face. With his weapon already in the air, Liam twirled the scythe in hand before stabbing the second guard that he tripped, who was still on the ground, in the chest. Liam pulled out his pistol and shot at the desk lamp that was main source of the light in the room. Liam rounded on Lilah. Lilah tried backing up but the wall prevented her from moving. She was trapped. Fear gripped Lilah as she looked into the eyes of her intruder and only saw hate and rage fill them.

"Lilah Morgan." Liam growled and pointed the knife part of his weapon at her. He walked closer to her. Lilah tried going for her desk phone, but Liam shot at it, preventing her from calling anyone. "Stand still!" Liam stopped short of her desk but the weapon he had was long enough to be so close to Lilah that all he had to do was jab and he could kill Lilah with it.

"Ok, ok. I'm standing still. Now, what do you want?"

"My wife, Delia. She's been kidnapped. You are the only one left who knew who she was. I wanna know where she is."

"What?" Lilah asked sounding confused.

"Is Delia still alive!?" Liam yelled. He had no luck with the past two people he interrogated. He was hoping for some now. One way or another, he was going to find his wife, and he didn't care who he hurt.

"I don't know anything about your girlfriend's disappearance. We…we didn't go after her…after she got away last time. We realized that she was a slayer. We've been trying to uncover why you two were back in the first place." Lilah answered fearfully. This was a side of Liam she never truly seen before. If it was, it was a side of Angel she never seen before. Lilah was completely scarred. Liam had a murderous look on and she didn't know if it would end with her. Liam gripped both of his weapons tight. He wanted more than anything to kill Lilah at this very moment. But if she knew something about Delia, Liam was willing to let her live. For now.

Liam moved just a bit closer and the tip of the knife end of Liam's makeshift scythe touched Lilah's blouse. "How come I don't believe you?"

"Ok, ok. If she's been kidnapped, that must mean that it was done by somebody that knows who she is."

Liam inched even closer. The tip of his knife was pushing into Lilah blouse, aimed at her heart. "Tell me something I don't know."

"Maybe it's possible that someone from the scene where you told us has her. We weren't the only ones there."

"The rest are dead." Liam yelled to her.

"That's all I know. We don't have her. Please, please don't kill me." Lilah begged. Liam looked into her eyes and saw the same thing he saw in Linwood's and in Gavin's. Not just fear, but also truth. When one is about to die, or thinks that they are about to die, they would tell anyone anything to live. Especially if they were weak and cowardly like Lilah. But it didn't get Liam anywhere. No one seemed to know where his wife was.

"Tell your bosses, if anyone of my family is hurt in anyway by you, I will come after you. I will come after all of Wolfram and Hart and will kill every last member and burn this place to the ground, while roasting the severed heads of its staff in its flames. My family is off limits. Are we clear?" Lilah nodded fearfully. Liam flipped the scythe in hand around so that the axe head was facing Lilah. He spun around and hit Lilah across the face with the flat end of the blade. She fell to floor. She felt her head where the scythe hit her and felt a large cut run across her temple. She stood up and looked around her office. Liam wasn't there anymore.

…

Groo walked into the lobby carrying a tray decorated with greens and two glass-mugs on it.

"Hi. What you got there?" Cordy asked.

Groo set the tray down. "Well, I know you had grave concern for Liam and Delia's welfare, so I made some Mock-Na."

"Oh. Mock-Na. Which is..?"

"A soothing brew to relieve tension."

"Ah. Kind of looks like muddy water."

"Yes!" Groo picked up a mug and smelled it. "The mud gives it body and flavor. Of course there is no Plockweed in this dimension, so I made due with creeping fig and sour cress in the garden. Though it is not true Mock- Na, it is very close to the real thing."

Cordy smiled brightly. "So it's mock Mock-Na."

Groo offered her a mug. "Please."

Cordy took it with a smile and took a tiny sip. "Well, that's, ah... I mean, I can feel the tension draining already." She handed the mug back to Groo. "And a little sediment going down the wrong..." Cordy coughed a little then smiled at him brightly. "Hmm, tasty."

"And might I further relieve you by at first gently then more rapidly rubbing your Schlug-Tee?""

Cordy looked at the grin on his face. "Ah, I don't really... um. Maybe later at home." She saw Groo's smile melt away and stepped up close to him. Cordy whispered, "I don't feel comfortable doing it in the office, Groo."

"Doing 'it?'"

"Sex."

"Oh, you wish to have sex?"

Cordy threw a quick look around. "What? No! Shh!"

"I was proposing a massage of your Schlug-Tee, your tense neck muscle, but it is always an honor to make sex with you." He smiled then leaned closer and whispered, "Later, at home. I understand perfectly."

Cordy stared straight ahead. "Liam."

Groo pulled back with a sigh. "Is not who I am, princess."

"I know. He's back." Cordy walked past Groo out into the lobby where Liam entered the lobby with a scowl on his face. He went to the only people at Wolfram and Hart he knew would have anything to do with him, his wife, and Angel's team. He went to the only people who could possibly have kidnapped his wife, but got nothing. It was apparent that Wolfram and Hart had nothing to do with it. This did not make Liam feel any better. As he walked into the lobby, the rest of the team was huddled around the reception area. They looked up a Liam entered. Liam's parents were the first ones to move towards him.

"Liam, are you ok?" he mother asked.

"Fine." Liam said without breaking stride to the reception area.

"Where did you go?" his father asked.

"Wolfram and Hart. Had a chat with Lilah, Gavin, and Linwood."

"Did they kidnap Delia?" Cordy asked. Liam stopped at the reception area and stared at the pieces of paper in front of him. He placed his hands on the counter and leaned on it.

"No. They didn't know anything."

"How can you be sure of that?" Gunn asked. "I mean they could have lied to you."

"They didn't. When people are inches away from death, they will spill their guts literally if it meant they could live." Liam was spun around by his father and starred into his eyes. Angel had a look of worry and fear in them. He looked at his son, hoping that what Liam will say next won't be something he would regret.

"Liam, what did you do?" Angel asked pleading.

After a beat. "Let's just say that right now, Linwood has a fear of trains, Gavin a fear of heights, and Lilah….well, she's scared of me."

"Liam how could you…" he mother began.

Liam cut her off. "This is my wife here!" Liam pushed his father off of him. "Anyone that could be involved is not treated any different from the rest. I warned them that you guys were off limits."

"Ok. Is anyone else getting a sense of déjà vu here?" Cordy asked.

"Particularly." Wesley said getting up and walking around the counter towards Liam. "Liam, you are acting just like Angel when he was obsessed over Darla. What you are doing is…"

"It's wrong." Gunn finished for him.

"Sorry to be a downer on your little crusade here AJ, but I have to agree with everyone here." Lorne said. "Going over to Wolfram and Hart to get answers is one thing."

"But going and threatening to let trains run over people is…" Fred said. "It's…"

"Angelus." Angel said. Liam whirled around and glared at his father.

"I am NOT Angelus." Liam yelled. Connor began to fuss and Buffy went over to calm him. "You would have done the same if it was someone you loved. Any of you." Liam directed to the rest of the group. "This is Delia."

"We understand that." Cordy said.

"But you are being a bit….reckless." Fred said in the most sincere way possible, not wanting Liam to rip her head off.

Groo came over to Liam. "Liam, I feel your pain. If this was my princess I would have done the same that you've done."

"Thanks Groo." Liam said. Although he wondered why he said anything.

"But you should listen to your friends. They know what is best for you." Liam walked away from Groo and leaned on the counter again.

"I need to find my wife." Liam slammed his hands hard on the counter. "Fuck!"

Buffy held her hands over Connor's ears.

…

Delia was coming to. She had a major headache. One minute she was making soup, the next she was blacking out and waking up some place she didn't know. She opened her eyes but saw black. There was a bag over her head.

"Hey, she's coming around." She heard a voice say. Immediately the bag was taken off of her head. She let her eyes adjust to the light. She was in a small room and was zip cuffed to a wooden chair. A single lamp hanging from the ceiling lit up the room. She looked around and saw about four men, all of whom had sword's and axes on them. At least one of them had a gun on him. She looked to the person who took the bag off. It was a woman with red hair and had a scowl on her face. She remembered this woman from the night she and Liam went to stop Sahjhan. It was Justine.

"Glad to see you alive." Justine said. "For now." She held up an electric tazer in front of Delia's face. "Now you're going to tell all about you and your demon spawn of a boyfriend. Every detail. You are going to tell me everything about who you are, why you're here, and why you killed Holtz." Delia didn't say anything. She just glared at Justine. "I ask the questions, you give me the answers. Why did you kill Holtz?" Again Delia didn't say anything. She felt the zip cuffs on her wrists and clenched her fists. Justine looked to the rest of her gang and then tazed Delia. Delia screamed in pain from the shock. Justine stopped shocking her and let Delia catch her breathe. "I wanna know about you and that bastard demon spawn. I want to know everything. Tell me, what your plan are?" Delia refused to say anything. This was nothing compared to some of the torture she underwent to gain information in the future. She knew that Liam and the AI team would eventually come looking for her and will eventually find her. Delia didn't have to hold out. She just needed to hold out long enough. Justine shocked Delia yet again. Delia grunted and gritted her teeth to the pain. After Justine stopped, Delia took a moment to catch her breath. She needed to escape. Luckily, these guys didn't know who she was. What she was.

"Ok, ok. Liam approached me." Delia finally said.

"And?"

"He said that he needed me to help him for some mission that could save lives."

"What did he tell you?" Delia took a breath and calmed herself, ready for the coming fight.

She lifted her head and looked into Justine's eyes with a piercing look. "He told me I'm gonna kill you." It was mostly the truth. Delia knew all about how Justine ruined Liam's family lives. And she knew that Liam would want to kill Justine for it. But even so, Delia would be the one to kill her for Liam. Justine looked upon Delia and laughed at her. She looked to the rest of her gang and they too laughed.

"I think that trank did more to your head then knock you out. You're zip cuffed tied to that chair." Justin said. Delia gave a smirk and brought her hands out from behind the chair, showing them to Justine. While Delia was stalling with her talking to Justine, she got her hands free from the zip cuffs.

"Not anymore." Justine eyes grew wide with surprise. As did the rest of her crew. Justine tried to punch Delia, but she was too fast for her. She ducked the blow and grabbed the wooden chair, flipping it between her legs and using it as a shield for the next punch. Justine punched right through the chair, breaking parts of it. Perfect for Delia. Two guys came after Delia. Delia used the chair that Justine had her hand through and moved Justine out of the way, grabbing a broken piece of it and using it as a makeshift stake to stake the first man in the chest and staking the second up through his mouth and into his head. A third man came after her and Delia sucked the swing from the axe. He swung again and Delia caught the axe, singing the man around and using him as a human shield as the fourth man shot at her with his gun. He killed his friend. Delia dropped the body and threw the axe at the fourth man, getting him in the chest. He dropped dead. Delia was distracted by the fourth man, she didn't see Justine come up behind her and knock her unconscious again with a lead pipe. Justine looked upon Delia with disgust.

"So you're a slayer like his demon whore mother." Justine looked at Delia's unconscious body. "Interesting."

…

Fred was looking through a microscope at the reception area. "Ok, I think I got something." She said. Everyone came over to her. "I believe I've managed to analyze the sedative."

"What's the whole point?" Liam said impatiently.

"Well when you hear what I've found, you might find point."

"What is it?" Buffy asked.

"Pentobarbitone."

"Fred, I barely know what I mitochondria is alright." Liam said. "English."

"It's a type of sedative used primarily in hospitals." Wesley said. "Used in induction of general anesthesia."

"How does this help?"

"Wolfram and Hart uses the latest in everything. Weapons, technology…" Wes held up the tranquilizer dart. "And most likely, sedatives. This common sedative can be picked up at any hospital."

"So it means that the person who kidnapped Delia wasn't all that of a pro." Angel surmised.

"Someone that isn't all high and mighty like Wolfram and Hart." Gunn added.

"I don't buy it." Liam said pacing.

"Why not?" Cordy asked. "This means that some low lives have her instead. Oh – wait. That might be worse."

Liam stop his pacing. "No one else but Wolfram and Hart could have Delia."

"Why is that?" Lorne asked.

"Because they are the only one's besides us who know who Delia really is."

"Did you ever stop to think that maybe this isn't about who Delia really is?" Gunn said. "You threatened Lilah, Gavin, and Linwood and they told you they didn't know anything."

"Then maybe it's some else at the firm." Liam began to walk to the doors again. Buffy stood right in front of him.

"You are not going out again."

"I have to find her." He told her.

"I get that. But you need our help if you are going to find her. And going off and scaring people half to death isn't going to work." Liam glared at his mother. If it was anyone else, he would have shoved them away. But he didn't think he could do that to his own mother. He took a breath and calmed himself, for all the good it would do him. "Ok, now why do you believe that Wolfram and Hart are the only ones who could kidnap Delia?"

"Because they are the only ones who know who she really is." Liam said for the umpteenth time through gritted teeth.

"Are you sure that they are the only ones?" Angel asked.

"Yes, I am sure." Liam said turning to his father.

"And you didn't tell anyone else?" Cordy asked.

"Yes." Liam said louder. "No one else knows."

"How about you go through yours and Delia time here when she arrived." Lorne suggested. "Tell us who talked to." Liam sighed and started walking around, thinking back to when Delia came to the past.

"Ok, Delia arrived and showed herself to the gang in Sunnydale. Then we came here and told all of you guys."

"Does that mean that one of us is a traitor?" Groo asked looking around suspiciously.

"Groo, honey, No one here is a traitor." Cordy said rubbing his shoulder. She then looked to Wesley. "Right Wes?"

Wesley sighed. "Right. No one among us is a traitor."

"Did you tell anyone else?" Fred asked Liam.

"Since we came to LA, we've been pretty quiet. The only times we really went out was to help on cases. We haven't talked to a whole lot of people other than you guys. The next time we told anyone who we were was when we got Connor back and I killed Sahjhan. I told everyone that was there who we were."

"Who was there? Specifically." Buffy asked.

"You were there."

"Just tell me."

"Well, there was Wolfram and Hart, which we already know about. Sahjhan, but I killed him. Holtz and Justine but you and dad killed them both. So really, there isn't anyone else."

"Well, I don't know about Justine." Buffy said hesitantly. Liam's face went into complete and utter shock. He starred at his mother at what she just said. Justine was still alive and his mother confirmed a dark fear in him.

"What do you mean you don't know about Justine? Did you kill her or not?"

"I knocked her out of the car while I tried to get Connor from Holtz."

"Did you confirm the kill?" Liam asked walking slowly to Buffy.

"I was too preoccupied with getting your brother."

"Dad, did you confirm the kill?"

"I drove past her to get your mother and brother." Angel said.

"So that psychopathic bitch is still out there?" Liam yelled.

"What is the big deal?" Cordy asked. "Who is this Justine girl?"

"Justine was the one that murdered my family." Liam told everyone. Everyone starred at Liam at what he said. "She was the one that killed my mother in cold blood, right in front of me and Kathy. She was the one that killed my father and my brother. She made The Crows. What started out as a small group of fighters bent on killing Angel, Wolfram and Hart bought them out, and declared a proxy war on us. After Dad and Connor died, they killed Justine to gain complete control over the Crows and made them an army. It's all because of Justine that my future is hell." Liam turned to his mother with an angry look. "And you let her live."

"Liam… I didn't…" Buffy tried to say with tears in her eyes.

"What? You couldn't pull the goddamn trigger because of your slayer policy?"

"Liam, enough." Angel said. He didn't want his son to vent out all of his anger at Buffy.

"She kidnapped Connor and threatened to raise him to be her own son and to grow up hating you. That isn't enough for you to kill her?"

"Liam…I'm sorry." Buffy said.

"Oh…..g…go…."Liam scrunched up his face and grabbed fistfuls of his hair. Wandering around, trying desperately to not rip off his on mothers head. "DAMMIT MOM!" he yelled at her, making her shed tears. Buffy never wanted to make Liam angry at all. She wanted to give him everything he deserved. Everything he was deprived of as a child. Now she let someone evil kidnap the one person that made him happy in the future after her and Angel's deaths. Liam was hyperventilating at this point. He wife was in the hands of a psychopath who could do anything to her. "I didn't want to kill Justine out of vengeance. That's why I had you and dad go after her. With you, it's justice because you are reclaiming your son. You wouldn't have lost part of you because of it. I would have." Buffy was crying now. She could see it in Liam's eyes. He hated her for what she didn't do. "I'm going to find her. I'm going to go find Justine and kill her because apparently you can't do what's necessary." He started to head for the doors.

"Liam, wait." His father said.

Liam turned to face everyone. "This isn't up for discussion. I'm going to go find my wife. You can either come with me or not. But don't try to stop me. If you do, I will kill you."

"I'm coming with you." Buffy said. Liam looked to her and saw that she was still crying but she now had a look of determination on her face. "Delia, is my family. And nothing is more important than my family." Liam nodded to her and looked to everyone else.

"What about the rest?"

"I'll come to." Wesley said. "I owe Justine for slashing my throat."

"If she really is the reason the future's screwed, I'm coming too." Gunn said standing.

"Groo and I are with you." Cordy said stepping forward with Groo.

"Yes. This woman is evil and must be slain for good." Groo said.

"You can count me in." Angel said standing next to his wife. "No son of mine is going to lose his love."

"Fred, Lorne, stay here and protect Connor." Buffy said.

"No." Liam said. Everyone looked confused.

"Liam, Connor is still in danger."

"Which is why he needs to be protected by our strongest people. Dad and everyone else will stay and protect Connor. Buffy, Wes, you two are with me. And no back talk from anyone." No one said a word. Liam turned and went out the doors with Wesley and Buffy behind him.

…

Water was splashed onto Justine to wake her up. She awoke to a splitting head ache. Her head hurt from where Justine hit her. She tried moving but found that her hands were again bound. But this time they were above her, chained. She looked around. She was in the same place that she was imprisoned before. Justine walked into the room and stopped just a few feet from Delia.

"You are quite a fighter." She told her. "You took out four of my best men all by yourself."

"Guess I'm just that good."

"Not good enough. I know that you are a slayer like that demon whore. And I also found out that you're one too. Bedding her evil spawn. How can anyone willingly bed with a demon?"

"Liam isn't evil. If anything, he is as good as anyone can be. He is willing to sacrifice his life for everyone."

"He may have you believing that. But he is a spawn of a demon. It's in their nature to be evil."

"You're wrong. And you're wrong about thinking that you can hold me." Delia twisted her wrists so that she could grab hold of the chains. She tried to yank on them to break hold of them, but nothing happened. She tried again and again but the chains wouldn't budge. Delia realized just how weak she felt. She didn't have her strength with her.

Justine began to walk around her. "Don't bother wasting what little strength you have. That is you have any left. I read up on the slayer after Holtz told me about the whore."

"Her name is Buffy."

"Whatever. Point is, I read up on them. I also came across an interesting read about a slayers rite of passage." Delia was stunned. She was told stories about how the Watchers Council put Slayers through a rite of passage of sorts. They were deprived of their strength and abilities. Made ordinary girls and forced to face a vampire, using only their wit. "I found the cerium that deprives you of your strength and injected it into you." Justine stopped right in front of Delia. "You have no strength. No way out." Justine pulled out a knife. "And I'm looking for a way to get payback on you for killing my men and killing Holtz. As well as payback on your boyfriend."

"You touch him and I'll kill you."

"With what? Your words. Cause I'll keep injecting you with the cerium if I have to. But I'm gonna kill you, slowly. And when your boyfriend comes looking for you, he'll find you dead in the street. He might come looking for me to beg for death." Delia glared at Justine.

"Liam has lost so much in his life. You murdered his entire family. You sent him to five years living in a hell that no one deserves to be in."

"He and his family deserve it for what they've done."

Delia scoffed. "You are crazy. Buffy hasn't done anything but save this world time after time again. Liam's saved it and literally gave up his life for it. And you want to kill them?"

"They killed Holtz."

"He tried to kidnap an innocent child from his parents."

"One of them is a vampire! He deserves to die! They all deserve to die! The way my sister died." Justine stepped closer to Delia. "And you will join them. But after I make sure the spawn has lost everything he held dear. Like me." She held up the knife to Delia. "You will suffer like me." She took the knife used it to cut open Delia's shirt, exposing her torso. She proceeded to cut several deep lacerations on her torso. Delia screamed out in pain with each stroke.

…

Liam looked through a pair of binoculars at Holtz' hide out. He spotted several guards patrolling the perimeter. He was on a roof top several yards from Holtz's hideout with Buffy and Wesley.

"What does it look like?" Wesley asked.

"Guards patrolling the perimeter." Liam said. "Looks like they've managed to get their hands on some hardware. Assault rifles and sorts. At least six I count. Two guard the entrance. The rest circle the perimeter."

"Too much for ya?" Buffy asked. Liam looked at his mother with a stern look.

"No." He was still angry at Buffy for not killing Justine and letting her kidnap Delia. Buffy couldn't blame him. After everything he went through in his life, Delia was what made him happy. And Buffy let that be taken away from him.

Liam looked back through the binoculars. "I can't get eyes inside. We'll need to take out all the guards. Otherwise they could warn Justine, she'll have Delia killed, and we're cancelled."

"I'm still surprised that Justine still occupies this same place when Holtz was alive." Wesley said.

"Maybe she isn't the market for a new place." Buffy suggested.

"She wants us to come to her." Liam said. He lowered the binoculars. "She wants to set up some sorta trap or something."

"And that's bad."

"We'll be walking into a trap." Wesley said.

"Exactly." Liam said not taking eyes of the hideout.

"So what do we do?" Buffy asked.

"Spring the trap." Liam stood up. "Wes, go back to the car and check our weapons inventory." Wes nodded and left the two alone on the roof top. Liam starred down at the hideout. Buffy shifted her feet. She felt so sorry for Liam and what she had done. She never wanted to put him in this situation.

"Liam…"

Liam cut her off. "I'm sorry." Buffy looked at him. "I'm sorry for yelling at you. This is more of my fault than it is yours. I didn't tell you about Justine when I should have."

Buffy walked closer to him. "I forgive you. I know that you want everything to turn out perfectly so you tell us something's and don't tell us others. You want to make sure everything turns out for the better." She placed a hand on Liam's shoulder.

"It won't be better if Delia isn't there."

"She will be. Once we save her…"

"No. I mean….I realized that what I'm doing will save you and my family. But I may just lose Delia in the process."

"What do you mean?"

Liam turned to look at his mother. "I was never supposed to come back now, mom. I was never supposed to save Connor. I supposed to go back to when you died when I was four. When Connor was in his twenties and technically eight years old and still Darla's son. I was supposed to stop your death then. Not come back and make Connor's yours and dad's and save him from Holtz." Buffy looked at her son and what he was saying.

"Why did you come back then?"

"Because mom, I wanted to save all of my family. Not just chose to save my parents and let my brother have the childhood he had given the opportunity to do both. For me, it's save all of my family, or none of them. I don't choose between family." Buffy took in his words. He never was supposed to save Connor. He was never supposed to bring his parents together the way he did. He was to save them in the future and that was it. Instead he decided to save more of his family. "And it's because of me changing everything the way I did might make Delia and I never meeting."

"What?" Buffy asked sounding surprised.

"Delia and I met in LA, a year after dad and Connor died. We met on the streets as we were walking. I was walking because I was angry that the scoobies couldn't find Justine. They couldn't avenge yours and their deaths. I was pissed that night." He paused and began to chuckled, remembering the night he met Delia like it was yesterday. "I bumped into her and her stuff fell. I yelled at her and she yelled at me. I immediately apologized and that was when we first met. But if dad doesn't die, I won't be angry and I probably won't be on that street when we meet. If that doesn't happen, I don't know when or if I'll ever meet her." A single tear escaped Liam's eye. Buffy placed a hand on Liam's cheek and wiped the tear away. "I can't live without her. I can't do anything if I don't have her. If she dies, if Delia dies, I'm done." He told her. "There will be no me saving the past. There will be no me helping you out with anything. If she dies, I quit. I quit my mission, my life. I quit." Buffy brought her son in for a hug. He cried silently into her shoulder.

"It's ok my son. It's ok." She soothed him. "We will find a way. I'm not going to let my son sacrifice everything to save the future, all for him to lose the love of his life. I will not let that happen." She rubbed his back as he calmed down, listening to her words soothing him. "I will ensure that you two meet. I promise."

Liam laughed. "My mom playing matchmaker for me. Every kid's dream."

Buffy looked at her son smiling. "Only when I know that the person I'm matching him with is the love of his life."

Liam laughed once more and hugged his mother. "I love you mom. I'm so sorry."

"I love you too my son. I forgive you for everything. Now let's go get your wife back." They pulled away and they both put on the same determined look.

"Let's end this."

…

Delia was hanging from the roof of the ceiling. Her hands chained above her. Her face bloody and bruised, drooped to the floor. Her shirt opened and deep cut marks all over her torso. Blood dripped from her wounds onto the floor, creating a small poll of blood.

Justine came to her front, cleaning the knife she used to cut Delia. "You're stronger than I thought. I would think that you would have told me everything about you and this Liam fellow. But you are here now, dangling, bleeding, and still haven't given me anything." She paused, looking at Delia. "I'd actually hoped your boyfriend would have come in and tried to save you. That way he would see you die right in front of him." Justine shrugged. "Maybe he doesn't care about you after all." She thought for a moment, then held up the knife to Delia. "Or maybe I'm not sending the right message to him. Maybe I should just kill you right now and leave your body in the streets for him to find. Maybe I can do more. You know, some of my men haven't really been with anyone lately. Maybe I can let them have a little fun with you before I kill you." Delia slowly lifted her head to look into Justine's eyes. Her face was bloody and bruised from Justine's torture.

"I…I will…not die today." Delia said with slight smile. "The same cannot be said for you."

…

The rest of the Angel Hunters were in the main room of the hideout. Some were cleaning and sharpening their weapons. Other were sparing with one another. Outside the compound, the six guards patrolled the perimeter. Everyone was prepared for anything that they thought might come. Justine anticipated that Angel and his team would arrive to rescue Delia. They were surely mistaken.

One of the guards outside was walking along the perimeter. He was suddenly hit by an arrow through the chest. He fell down dead. A second guard came around the corner. And arrow hit him as well. Wesley sat on the roof adjacent to the compound with a crossbow in hand. He loaded up another arrow and took aim through the scope. Liam and Buffy were on the ground crouched behind a car. They saw a guard about to round a corner. Liam hoped that his father's talks about Wesley being a good shot were true. Wesley took aim and shot at the man rounding the corner. He hit him straight in the heart. He fell around the corner dead. Unfortunately he fell and tried to grab on to some planks of wood. The wood fell and that alerted the two guards by the door and the fourth guard that was several feet in front of him.

"Shit." Liam said.

"What now?" Buffy asked. She looked to her side where Liam was, but he had disappeared. She sighed. "I think I will get him a bell for Christmas."

Liam ditched his mother and silently ran to building that was right next to the compound. He kicked off the wall of the building and leaped right over the fence. He rolled and pulled out a throwing knife. He threw it at the fourth guard and got him in the chest. The two guards by the door came to check on the third guard that toppled over the planks of wood. Liam ran to them while simultaneously activating his wrist stakes. They weren't vampires, but Liam knew from experience that stakes could kill more than vamps. He leaped into the air and slammed the stakes into the guard's chests, sending them to the ground. He pulled out the takes and retracted them. Liam stood up and signaled for his mother and Wesley. Wesley gathered up his crossbow and head down the fire escape. Buffy came out from behind the car and went over to Liam.

"That…that was really…something." Buffy said remarking Liam's kills.

"You can thank the Scoobies for their training me." Liam replied.

"They taught you how to do all that?"

"No." Liam turned to face his mother. "Kathy." Buffy starred at her son. Wesley came over to them with two axes in hand.

"Are we ready to do this?" he asked, handing an axe to Buffy. Liam turned to face Wesley and stepped closer to the both of them.

"Remember. We go in there and we take out all of them. Especially Justine. She killed my mother. She killed my father and brother. And she was indirectly responsible for the death of my sister. Now she's taken my wife. No matter what, she dies tonight. Understood?" both Buffy and Wesley nodded to Liam. They held up their axes. Liam took out his tomahawk and knife and clasped them together.

"Cool toy. Where'd you get it?" Buffy asked.

"Kathy." Liam extended the ends of the weapon so it was the makeshift scythe. "She always was like you, mom." Buffy smiled and then turned serious. Liam faced the door and kicked it open, breaking it off of its hinges. All three of them entered the compound. "Honey, I'm home." Liam called out. Everyone inside went for weapons and held them at the ready. The entire crew went after the three. Liam blocked a blow and slashed the guy across the face before finishing with another slash, sending him to the ground. Buffy blocked a slash from a guy's sword, kicked him and slashed him the same manner as Liam. Wesley hit a man in the gut with the blunt end of his axe and brought his axe in a downward arc onto his back.

Justine turned to the sound of the fighting that erupted outside their room. Delia smile mischievously. "This is the end." Delia said.

"No." Justine said and turned to Delia. "This is the beginning."

A guy went after Liam but Liam spun to dodge the blow and used the spin as momentum to embed the blade of his scythe into the man's back. He took his weapon out and used the knife end to stab another guy as he came to him. Two men, armed with swords came after Liam next from either side of him. Liam blocked one guy and then the other. He quickly disarmed the first guy and slashed him across the face. The second guy attempted to punch him but Liam ducked and hit him in the gut with the knife end of his scythe. H went back to the first guy and chopped at his back. Then he went back to the second, parried a strike and chopped at his neck. Two guys went after Wesley. Wesley did what Liam did before and spun to dodge a blow. And proceeded to hit the guy in the face with the blunt of his axe, dodging another blow by the second guy before tripping him his axe. Wesley quickly slashed at the first guy's throat before chopping at the downed guys back. There was only one guy left. He was big and had two axes in hand. He twirled them around in his hands in an intimidating manner. Liam shook his head, placed his weapon in his other hand and drew his pistol, shooting the man.

"Nice job Indy." Buffy commented.

"We have to find Delia and Justine." Liam said.

"Present." They heard a female voice say. They all turned to the voice and saw Justine come out of a room with a gun pointed at Delia's head. Delia had her hands tied behind her back and she looked bloody and beaten. Rage rose in Liam's body seeing his wife the way he did. Her shirt was torn open and he could see deep cuts on her body. Her face was beaten and bruised. And he could tell that one of Delia's arms seemed to have been dislocated.

"Delia. What did you do to her?"

"Oh nothing. Just injected her with a special cerium that temporarily deprives slayers of their powers."

"The Cruciamentum." Both Buffy and Wesley whispered.

"You drugged my wife?" Liam accused.

"She tried to escape and killed four of my men. It was nothing personal. Well….maybe it was a bit personal."

"Let her go. It's over Justine." Wesley said.

"I thought I killed you."

"For a brief moment then so did I. Until a friend of mine saved me."

"Well that's great and all but you guys aren't getting out of here alive."

"Funny. We were going to say the same thing to you." Buffy said.

"You know he kidnapped him. He kidnapped your son." Justine taunted. "The great Wesley Wyndham-Price, the shining beacon of all that's good and pure. But wait, no! That's before he betrayed his closest friends. Before he betrayed you. A demon slave-whore."

"You were always a slave, Justine. You just couldn't see the chains." Wesley told her.

"Thanks, Swami, I'll meditate on that."

"You think she would be disappointed?"

"Who?"

"Your sister. That's where it all began, isn't it? Sister murdered by a vampire, consumed by a need of revenge..."

"For justice!"

"Is that what you call it?" Liam asked. "You think justice is trying to kidnap a man's son and raise him to hate his parents? You think Justice is killing off a man's family and letting the world go to hell all for a vendetta?"

"I'm saving the world."

"No you're not." Liam lowered his weapon and stepped closer to Justine and Delia. Justine pushed the gun into Delia's head. "Justine, I've seen the future. I'm from it. What you are doing, what you will do will seal the fate of the entire world. My parents are key in the earth's survival. If you kill them now, the world goes too. Are you really willing to let that happen?"

Justine didn't look convinced. "I don't believe a word you say. Now drop your weapons, or I kill her." Nobody moved. Liam clutched his scythe in his left hand and his pistol in the other. He could easily raise it and shoot at Justine, but he didn't know if he would be quick enough to kill Justin before shot Delia. "She dies!"

"Wait! Wait!" Liam dropped his scythe and pistol to the ground. Buffy and Wesley did the same. "It's me you truly want. You can have me. Just let her go." Delia looked up at Liam. Their eyes met. She knew what he was doing. He was giving himself up again, for her. She could read his eyes. They were filled with fear. Not from the fact that he could die. But from the fact that she could die. He truly loved her. And she loved him. She maneuvered her hands that were tied behind her back.

"Wait." Delia said. Justine looked to her. Delia looked right at Liam. "Liam, remember…" Liam looked at his wife. "I love you." She gave him a weak smile. Liam saw it in her eyes.

"Delia..." Delia bowed her head. Then she slammed the back of it into Justine's face. She quickly brought her foot back and used it as a hook to trip Justine back. They both fell. Delia landed right on Justine. Justine gasped and fired her gun. Delia's head jerked to the side, blood spurted on the wall. "DELIAAAA!" Liam screamed.

Think I'm cruel ending it this way? Well, to be fair I have to have some horrible cliffhangers don't I? Otherwise, what sort of writer am I? The next chapter will clear up a lot of detail about Liam, Delia, Liam's plan, Liam's past, and whole bunch of other things. Just as soon as I get more into it. I don't have a lot at the moment. But I will and will post the next chapter as soon as possible. However, I am also thinking about the next sequel and how it will all fit into Buffy and Angel and Liam and Delia and everything. So it might be awhile. Sorry if that disappoints anybody. But don't worry. This story is constantly on my mind and I am always thinking of new ideas.

If you have any ideas you want me to write in, PM me or post in review or something. I am always opened to suggestions. Stay tuned.