Chapter 25

"What happened?"

Buffy was tending to Fred's injuries, Lorne, who had woken up first, helping her. After a night's sleep, Willow and Gunn were still unconscious. "It was the Beast," Lorne answered for the girl. "The big thing lugged in here, said he was taking Angelus, and when we tried to stop him he sent us to Hurtsville."

"Willow tried holding him off with magic but even that did squat," Fred explained.

"So, Jasmine wants Angelus," Buffy concluded. "What is she, an idiot?" They gave her a questioning look. "Angelus. Not a team player, remember?"

"Do you think she'll use his soul as leverage?"

She shrugged, truly unsure. "Maybe."

"Regardless." They all turned to look at Wesley and Connor as they came back down from checking their friends. "We need to figure out how to bring Angelus back alive, and his soul still jarred."

Buffy leaned back against the couch with a frustrated groan. All of her worst nightmares were coming true. She wanted to believe that she could handle facing Angelus a second time, that she was prepared for whatever came, but she knew that would be lying. She had just been granted a chance to be with Angel, only for it to be ripped away from her. There was no way she'd be able to kill him if faced with that choice, not with knowing there was a chance to get him back. "We can't do much else than turn L.A. upside down looking for them," she finally said. "Maybe when Will wakes up we can get her to do a locator spell."

"I've got a brew that might just do the trick, sweetie," Lorne told her as he rushed away.

"Wes, you gonna hit the streets with us?" Connor asked.

"Correction." Buffy pulled herself up and crossed her arms. "He's gonna hit the streets with me. You're staying here."

He gaped at her before laughing. "Very funny, mom-"

"I'm not joking."

Wesley looked away, feeling terribly uncomfortable. He stepped away from Connor, pointing in the direction that Lorne went. "I'm going to… right."

"Same," Fred said hurriedly, not wanting to be left alone with them.

"I'm coming with you," Connor demanded.

"You're not."

"If you think I'm going to let you go out there by yourself-"

"I'll have Wesley."

"Please," he scoffed. "He's good, but not that good. You need me."

Buffy's arms nearly loosened but she stayed firm. "Con, leaving you alone with him crossed the line for me. There's no way I'm letting you hunt him down with me too. He's out of the cage, able to fight back, and dangerous. All bets are off now, which means you aren't coming within seven hundred thousand feet of Angelus if I can help it."

"I'm pretty sure I'm well within that distance, mother," he snapped irritably.

"Please," she begged, changing her tactics in desperation. Buffy grabbed him by his forearms and tugged him towards her. "Sweetie, I can't take care of you dad while I'm worrying about you at the same time. He's smarter and quicker than anything you've ever faced. Just listen to me and stay here. Besides, I need you to protect your family if Angelus decides to come back here and attack them."

Connor knew the game she was playing, but granted her wish anyway. "I don't like this, and just so you know, I'm gonna be really pissed off if you die."

She kissed his cheek before he had a chance to storm away from her. "I love you."

"Yeah, yeah," he responded, but his voice conveyed no real anger. "Gunn got a big box of garlic in one of the rooms, just in case the hotel was swarmed by vampires. I'll start covering up everyone's bedrooms."

"Do the same for whatever rooms you're all gonna be in. And fill up the courtyards with them."

When he was gone, she went to talk to the others, rolling her eyes when they scrambled away from their spots near the door.

"Do I need to cut your ears off or are you all gonna be good boys and girls now?"

"Yes, mommy," Lorne answered shamefacedly. "But what are you really gonna do? As much as I hate to say it, Connie Bear is right. Having him as an extra arm might've been helpful to you."

"I know," she confessed, "but I can't risk his life."

"You think you can handle it by yourself?"

She swallowed guiltily. "No. No I really don't think I can. I don't know what they've done with his soul, but if they found a way to… I don't know, destroy it… If push comes to shove, I don't think I'd be able to kill him. I mean, a few years ago, sure. I probably could have done it. I sent Angel to hell for god's sake, but we have a son now, a family. Killing him just isn't an option, not for me."

"Let's say his soul isn't destroyed because they do need it for leverage," Fred supposed. "Then you don't even have to worry about the big K word. All we gotta think of is how to bag him."

"Which means we'll need all the muscle we got," Wesley stated. "And with Gunn and Willow still unconscious-"

Lorne gave Buffy a sad smile. "That means Connor."

"Maybe not…" Wesley's answer puzzled them.

"Explainy?"

"I know someone who could help… but I don't know how willing you'd be to take them on."

"Hey, as long as it isn't my son. Can we trust him? Her?"

"Angel trusts her."

Buffy walked down the prison corridor with her head down and her hands behind her back. It was hard to find a guard that was remotely near her size, but knocking him out and stealing his clothes was an easy task when they finally did. Wesley had gone ahead of her to the visiting room, where she was to meet him after finding the quickest escape route out of the building. On her way to their rendezvous point, she noticed one of the security guards giving her an odd look. With a sheepish grin, she tugged at the loose clothing and laughed. "New transfer. They didn't have an extra small."

He gave her an amused chuckle. "Oh, so you're the new guy they told us about. They warned us you were… tiny. No offense. Where have you been assigned?"

She kept on with the act, although she was surprised with her stroke of good luck. "Visiting room."

"All the way down and to the left."

"Thanks."

Buffy got there just in time to hear Wesley tell Faith they needed her. She couldn't hear what Faith was saying, but could see how skeptical the slayer was. She nodded at the other security guards, before pacing the room to get closer in hopes that she could hear the conversation. Curiously, she wondered if Wesley had told the brunette that he'd be teaming the two slayers up together again.

Wesley seemed unaffected by Faith's sarcasm. "You need to know-" The slayer cut him off, leaning forward with an annoyed frown on her face. "Angel's gone, Faith."

Buffy checked the woman's reaction from the corner of her eye. Wesley's grim announcement left her visibly stunned.

"Angelus is back."

Whatever Faith said afterwards had Wesley scrambling away, toppling his seat over in the process. She watched the guards when Faith stood and jumped through the glass. One ran towards the tumbling girl, his baton out. Buffy lunged at them, using her own baton to block him from hitting her. "Hey, sis," she greeted cheerfully. She swung her baton up, forcing the guard to stumble backwards. "Need some help?"

Faith pushed Buffy to the side to kick another guard away from her, unsurprised to see her. So Wesley had informed her that she was around. "From what I hear, you're the one who needs backup."

The slayers smirked at each other before subduing the rest of men coming at them. "Come on, I found a quick way-" Not paying attention to her, Faith grabbed Wesley and jumped through window, soaring down towards the ground. "Or that… why does she always have to do it the insane way," Buffy complained, following after them.

She landed on the hood of a car with a groan.

"You ok?" the other slayer asked their ex-watcher.

"Five by five," she heard Wesley respond sarcastically.

Faith laughed. "Come on, let's get out of here."

"A kid," Faith deadpanned. "You and Angel got a kid?"

"His name's Connor," Buffy said lovingly.

"A teenage kid, born last year…"

"I told you he grew up in a hell dimension," Wesley remarked calmly.

"Right." Buffy looked at her through the rearview mirror. Faith was clumsily changing into clothes Buffy had brought for her in the backseat. "And now, Cordelia's been taken over by some-"

"Fallen divine power that wants to wreck the world… or make it Bright and Shiny. Depends on how you look at it," Buffy answered this time.

"And you unleashed Angelus to help you stop this demon…And then thought you'd bring your best friend Faith into this?" Faith inquired cautiously.

Buffy sighed. She knew she'd be questioned eventually. "Listen, Faith. The way I see it, as you proved today, you could've escaped prison anytime you wanted to, but you didn't. Angel wasn't entirely wrong about you a few years ago, and maybe it's taken my desperation to see that…" She turned to smile at the girl. "But I'm willing to give you a twentieth chance."

"Wow… mom Buffy's way forgiving."

"Meet my son. You'll see why. Kid's got a temper on him. I gotta do all the forgiving for the both of us. Which reminds me, we probably shouldn't mention a lot of your past to him… he's got this whole thing about evil and forgiveness."

"And people trying to murder his mother," Wesley added.

She grimaced. "But you'll love him. Takes a lot after his father."

"Speaking of, I get why you pulled me out, B. You don't have the stones to kill him, right?" Wesley and Buffy glanced at each other. "I don't care what you thought you sprung me for. Angel's the only one in my life who's never given up on me. There's no way I'm giving up on-"

"Good," Buffy interjected. "Because I don't care for what you thought we sprung you out for. You're gonna help me hog tie the bastard and bring him home for dinner."

"That sounds dirty."

"Oh, it's gonna be dirty when I shove that soul back into him."

"I think Angel's gonna be doing the shovin'."

"You got that right!"

Faith howled with laughter, throwing an arm around her sister slayer's chest. "So mom Buffy is wank-tastic too, huh?"

Wesley, through his new, tougher exterior, was blushing furiously. "I'm going to ignore everything that I've just heard, and instead warn you, Faith, that it's a vampire, demon free-for-all now. Maybe you're a little rusty." He slowed the car to a stop, though Faith barely noticed.

Instead, she raised a brow, winking at Buffy. "Looks like Wes is trying to play watcher again, B."

Buffy patted Wesley's leg to show her support. "I think he's just trying to make sure you're prepared."

"Well, what do you two have in-"

She grunted when a vampire reached in through her window and dragged her out of the car by her hair. "Catch!" Buffy called out to her. Faith caught the stake that was tossed her way. It took less than two minutes to dust it, and the two others that came along. "How was it?"

"Like riding a biker."

She rolled her eyes. "Get in. We'll check back at the Hyperion before hitting the streets."

Buffy eyed Connor suspiciously when she noticed how wide eyed and rosy cheeked he suddenly was after meeting Faith. There was no doubt he had taken an instant liking to her, as she and her friends did when they first met the slayer in Sunnydale, and she wanted to believe her son was having the same platonic feeling, but something was telling her that he was having more of a Xander-reaction to her.

"So, Faith?" He asked cheerfully. "She'll be your backup? You sure I can't come?"

She narrowed her gaze and poked him in the chest. "Stop that."

"Stop what?"

"You know what I mean, mister. She's too old for you."

He reddened, shaking his head furiously. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Buffy huffed, but decided to move on. "So Will still knocked out?"

"Unfortunately. Gunn's awake, but limping. He won't be able to go."

"Looks like we're still gonna do this the long way. Follow a trail, hope it leads to him."

"Mom… you aren't going to hurt him, are you?"

All teasing and jokes aside, Connor looked almost scared. "Bub, Faith and I are going to do everything we can to bring him home," she promised.

"And what if he hurts you?"

She knew what he was really trying to get at. "I'm not gonna give him that chance, Con."

"But what if he's with the Beast? You haven't seen that thing. It's-"

"You know Angelus isn't one to make friendships. He'll be alone. Trust me, okay?"

"Knock, knock." Faith nodded when the pair gave her their attention. "Hate to break this up, but we gotta go."

Connor hugged the tiny blonde before she could walk away. "Promise me you'll be safe."

"Don't you worry, junior," Faith drawled, grabbing Buffy and dragging her behind her. "I'll take care of mama bear."

Buffy glowered at her after being shoved into the backseat of Wesley's jeep. "Faith! He's sitting in there thinking this could be the last time he sees his parents!"

"Well it won't be," she snapped back. "I'm making sure of that. Now, settle down, tiger, and save the fuel for Angelus."

It took them an hour to start hearing whispers about Angelus, and another two hours to actually start picking up the trail. The car parked, they continued their search on foot. The trio took it slow, making sure it wasn't Angelus they were about to kill. Through a maze of fences and buildings, they finally found a sign. Literally. A large banner baring the words "WELCOME BUFF" hung from the side of a warehouse.

"I guess he's heard we're on the prowl."

"So much for the element of surprise," Wesley muttered.

"No, we still got a chance," Buffy disagreed. "He must've heard a slayer was out on the streets, but I haven't picked any fights. Faith did."

"But he doesn't know it was me so, surprise," she added. "Is it weird that all I can think about is how long it must have taken him to make that?" She winced when Buffy slapped her arm. "Right. You two, take him low. I'll hit him high." They watched her take a running start towards the building and jump up onto the lower roof.

"Let's- UGH!"

The vampire that had lunged out and punched Wesley startled both of them. Buffy readied herself for a bout, but loosened her form when he waved her off. "I've got this. Go."

"Don't take long," she ordered as she jogged ahead. Buffy let out a breath of relief when she found a door, unlocked and waiting for her. As quietly as she could, she pulled it open a few inches and squeezed herself in through the crack. Despite her carefulness, her hopes of sneaking up on the vampire were shattered when his voice called out to her.

"I'm happy you found me, lover. I hope you understand… patience has never been a virtue of mine so I just can't wait to get my hands on you."

Her heart pounded hard against her rib cage while she took a few steps in. "Well then why don't you come out and give me that cuddle you were so desperate for?"

His laugh bounced off the walls. "How about you come find me? If you win, I'll give you a little nibble on my mark."

She sidled against tall crates and boxes, following his voice deeper into the warehouse. "Roughness just doesn't do it for me." It was a lie, one that she knew he'd have a winded insult for her to help find him faster.

"Now we both know that's not true, Buff." Satisfied that her plan worked, her pace quickened when she sensed his presence getting closer. "You were begging for it a week ago." She walked out into a clear space, slowly spun around to look for him, before stopping and looking over her shoulder. Angelus stood behind her, leaning on a crate. "Pulling your hair, squeezing your thighs. Mm, and all the biting. It was quite a... delicious experience. It seems you learned a lot about men while I was gone."

The sound of heavy thuds made her whirl around. "Holy Stonehenge…"

"Honey, just in time!" Angelus chirped at the Beast.

"What is this, Angelus?"

He gave the large demon a condescending smile. "This is the slayer, darling. Say 'hi' to the nice Beast, Buffy."

"You dare to bring a slayer here?"

"Hey! I'm doing you a favor, Stonehenge," he taunted, using the slayer's own insult. "She's here to seriously mess up Jazzy's plans. So what're you gonna do, hot shot?"

Buffy punched the Beast in the stomach then delivered a hook to its chin but, unfazed, he grabbed her throat and picked her up off the ground. Her eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets as she slammed her forearm down on his repeatedly, trying to force his hand to loosen. She struggled for air, kicked at the wall of rock in front of her, but it was of no use.

"Oh, god, Buff! I'm so sorry," he put on his best contrite frown. "I had this all prepared thinking you might enjoy a threesome! Silly me for forgetting how prim and proper you are."

"Actually," she gritted out. Finally wrestling out of the vice grip holding her, she bent down, slid her leg behind one of the Beast's knees and then grabbed at the other rock pillar in front of her. Loudly groaning from the amount of force she had to put into it, she pulled on his ankle and sent him falling on his back. With the larger demon down and out for a moment, she didn't waste time to get up and punch Angelus in the throat. The vampire stumbled back, choking. "Maybe with another girl around, I'd feel more at ease. How's a foursome sound, Faith?"

A kick to his back had him flying into a wall of crates.

"I'm game, B," the second slayer purred. "But I think we'll need a bit more lube for Stonehenge."

"We already used that one," Buffy scolded. "Haven't you been listening?!"

"Well, sorry! I was a little too busy checking out the game!"

"A good slayer can do both."

"Well, I guess Wes was right. I'm a bit rusty. Maybe a round with these two will sharpen me up again."

"Two of them," The Beast growled when he was back on his feet. "You brought two of them here?"

Angelus was also up, holding onto a box for support. "Well, I didn't know she brought little sis with, but I'm sure you can handle it."

"Come on, baby," Faith beckoned to the Beast. "Let's get it on."

Buffy and Faith charged at the Beast from two sides, from the back, the front, and all around, but it seemed they were the ones getting drained. The very few blows the Beast got in were doing more damage to them than they were to him. They were slowing down rapidly, becoming sluggish and sloppy in their attack. After what seemed like an eternity, the Beast barked out a deep chuckle. "Enough." A hit to each brought them both to the ground. He knocked them back to their stomachs every time they tried to get back on their feet. The two slayers were heavily bruised and bloodied. "This is all you are? I had heard the slayer possessed great strength." Faith tried her best to crawl towards Buffy, the blonde whimpering in pain as she pushed herself up on her knees. "My master's power is beyond all limits, beyond your petty imagining. Two of you, and yet you are still weak nothings. You could not even defeat me."

"Ain't that the truth!"

Buffy and Faith looked up to see Angelus standing at the Beast's side.

"I mean, look at this guy, hm? Pretty much the only thing that could do damage to that thick, stony hide is himself. Or , maybe, I don't know…" He pulled a long, thin knife out from behind him. "A piece of himself."

"The hell is that," Faith grumbled. Awestruck, they watched Angelus stab his partner in the back, literally. The Beast roared, shoving the vampire away and pawing for the blade manically. A bright light shone from the cracks in his skin and he screamed in agony, realizing he would be unable to stop it. Buffy grabbed Faith and pulled her close, trying to shield her when a burst of light erupted from the Beast's body. "God, you're such a mom!"

"Not the time, Faith!"

Angelus was gleefully watching the demon suffer. "I knew it… I knew it!"

The Beast crumbled before them, his body in pieces on the ground. The room seemed suddenly brighter without the giant casting its shadow.

"Aw, crap! I didn't think killing him would bring the sun back! Oh, well what're you gonna do? Take the bad with the good, I always say." They looked at the dirty window, comprehending that the sun was back, but had no time to celebrate. Both of them were too weak to even stand and Angelus was advancing towards them. Faith glanced at a large hook and chain that was hanging near them. As quickly as she could, she grabbed onto it, hauled herself up and stood between Buffy and Angelus. "Anyway, I just wanted Beastie boy to soften you up. I like my meat nice and tender."

With a cry, she shoved it forward and watched it slide slowly towards him.

"Woah!" He bellowed, dodging it easily. "Swing and a miss, slugger. Sorry, but-" His eyes widened when he realized he wasn't what she was aiming for. Angelus dove for cover when the hook slammed into the window and sunlight poured in. He just made it into the shadows, his leg smoking slightly. "God! Okay…" He laughed but glared at her all the same. "Well, I gotta give you props. Nice move, really. I guess us three can take a rain check on that threesome thing." He winked and turned his back on them. "Catch you later."

Buffy wasn't sure where she got her second wind from. Maybe it was from how desperately she missed Angel or from the thought of Connor waiting at home for both his parents to come home, but she was on her feet, running after him. "No!" She shouted, making him stop.

"Buffy, wait!"

Angelus smirked, pivoting and catching her when she tumbled into him. "Or we could do it now if you'd like." Buffy wriggled in his embrace and grunted when he picked her up. "Come on, Buff! Try a little harder!" She spit in his face, startling him, and then head-butted him hard. "Agh!" She landed effortlessly on her feet, another burst of energy fueling her forward as she swept his leg. Buffy cried out when he did the same to her, landing her right next to him on the ground. Faith was just about to run over and help when she heard glass shattering from the other side of the warehouse.

"What was-"

"God, lover, you're a pistol."

"Buffy!" Faith exclaimed. "I think we got company!"

"Go," the other slayer insisted, seeing her hesitance. "I got this."

Angelus looked entertained. "Yeah, Faithie. She's got this. Run along." The brunette gave him one last glare before rushing away. "Just you and me now, lover. You sure you up for it? Looks like the Beast hurt'cha bad."

She shrugged. "It's not as painful as having to listen to your dumb ass."

The two tangled in combat, neither one able to land a solid hit on each other. "How. Are. You. So. Juiced up!" He growled through clenched teeth.

"You always did bring out my best," she spat, grinning when her foot made contact with his chin. She threw a hook, a jab and another punch to his stomach, her head pounding in excitement as she gradually got the upper hand. With Angelus weakened, she took advantage of the moment and kicked a thick metal handle off of one of the crates. Buffy picked it up, and stood over Angelus's prone body. "Say goodnight, lover."

She brought the handle high, but before she could swing it down, Angelus had turned and jumped back onto his feet, his face vamped out. He caught her wrist and twisted it, forcing her to drop her weapon with a squeal. Buffy's eyes stung with unshed tears and the ache in her wrist told her that it was probably broken.

"Goodnight, lover."

She yelped a high-pitched wail when she felt a sudden, sharp sting in her gut. The pain was blinding, and she was quickly seeing nothing but white, but she was able to look down and see a knife sticking out of her. Angelus' fist was gripping the handle of it tightly. She stared at it, wondering where he had hidden the blade and how it was damn smart that he didn't bring it out sooner, lest she steal it from him. Buffy trembled, unable to stop herself from leaning forward into the vampire, her hands clutching his shoulders desperately. She tried to say something, anything to get Faith back to her, but she could barely even breathe, let alone speak. Her eyes trailed up to Angelus' face, wishing it were his counterpart looking back at her.

"Enjoy hell. Say hi to my old friends for-"

Angelus gasped and threw his head back, a familiar light shining in his eyes. He dragged her down to the ground with him when he fell to his knees. Buffy groaned when she fell against him, the knife digging deeper into her stomach. She listened to him pant a second longer until finally his breathing slowed.

"Wha- where am…"

"A-Angel?"

The souled vampire turned his gaze to her.

"Buffy? What's- oh god. No, no, no. Buffy? Buffy, look at me."

She blinked him blearily, a ghost of a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "Angel," she whispered reverently.

"Buffy, keep your eyes open," he pleaded. "Please. Please!"

"B…"

Angel ripped his gaze away from the woman kneeling against him to see Faith walking towards them, her jacket wrapped up in a ball in her hands. "Get help! Now!"