Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story except for the ones I may make up.

CHAPTER 29

"So glad that you could join us Angelus" Hamilton said with a smirk as Angelus entered the candle lit lounge.

"Oh that's no problem" Angelus looked around the room and saw Connor tied up nearby on the floor a large red circle drawn around him. He also noticed the lack of security in the room. He was only accompanied by Hamilton and two others. "So Ham how's this going to play out?"

Hamilton rolled his eyes "Well you would know if you had of been around the last 12 hours"

Angelus laughed "Ha sorry, had other plans" he smirked down at Connor, who gave him a deadly stare. "Just give me the short version"

Hamilton threw a knife to him which Angelus easily caught and handed him a slip of paper "At the stroke of midnight say these words and cut the boys neck within the circle. Is that easy enough for you"

Angelus growled slightly "I'd watch your mouth if I were you" he smirked "After all you need me to be able to end the world"

"Just get prepared it's 11.45pm you have 15 minutes"

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"Now what do you suppose we do?" Gunn asked soon after they were thrown back into their original cell

"We still need to track down Illyria" Wesley mumbled

"Good luck doing that from in here, what else you got"

Wesley smiled "Well I did manage to keep a hold of this" Wesley pulled out the Iris from his pocket

Gunn looked shocked for a moment "Well what are you waiting for, smash it!" he went to grab it

Wesley moved it out of his reach "If all things were that simple, we wouldn't have a game Charles"

Gunn looked confused

Wesley breathed out "In order for the soul to return to Angel, we must be within 10 metres of him"

"And if were not?"

"The soul will be lost or enter the closest soulless being"

Gunn looked around "My guess is there's a whole lot of soullessness just in this room"

Wesley nodded "Exactly. Not being super-heroes here we need some extra muscle to get us close enough to Angelus"

"Where the hell is Buffy, shouldn't she of saved the day already?"

"Hmm it is strange that she hasn't come, the fact that she hasn't, only makes it more likely that she's also in danger"

"Well we just need another type of super…."

Suddenly the door of the room burst opened and there was a lot of smoke seeping in

"What the hell…."

The guards were sprawled out on the floor and a figure walked through the door.

"Illyria"

Illyria walked over to the cell and ripped the door off its hinges.

"Girl is it good to see you" Gunn patted her on the back and they began to make their way to the door.

Gunn and Wesley both coughed as the smoke got thicker "What you do, start a fire" Gunn turned to Illyria.

"Yes, started not long ago"

"We have to get upstairs to Connor and Angelus"

Illyria nodded "Follow me"

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"Let the clouds open up to me, open the earth, let the darkness fall and the fire burn…" Angelus spoke off from the paper he was given, he looked over to were Hamilton stood "Anyone else think this stuffs pretty corny"

"Just read it!" Hamilton roared

"Alright, ok" Angelus shook his head and looked again at the paper "I give you this offering in hopes that Hamilton will burn in hell!"

Hamilton growled in frustration "You're a fool Angelus"

Angelus quickly dropped the knife close to Connor's hands and defended a blow that came from Hamilton.

"I'm the fool? You're the one that can't even tell what's really going on here" Angelus cackled

Connor took advantage of the distraction and began to untie himself with the knife. He didn't know what Angelus was playing at, but right now he didn't care.

As soon as the ropes were loose he stood up and took on the 2 guards that charged at him.

Hamilton through Angelus to the ground "You can not defeat me"

"Want a bet"

"You will lose, your just lucky that this time you will die, not get sent to hell for a hundred years"

Angelus knocked him in the face "And what makes you so sure you can defeat me Ham"

"My power is more dominant it runs through my blood…"

Angelus grabbed him by the arms "Blood, perfect" Angelus vamped out and sunk his fangs into Hamilton's neck. Quickly drinking before pulling back and taking advantage of Hamilton's dazed state "Never mention blood around a vamp Ham. I know what your talking about though" Angelus stretched his arms out "I can just feel the power" he then began to pummel Hamilton.

Connor delivered the final blow to his opponent before turning around and watching Angelus kick Hamilton's ass. Connor also noticed the think smoke begin to enter the room.

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"Hope we find them soon, this smokes killing my lungs" Gunn coughed

"Alright this is where they brought us in they might be in here" Wesley said as they all kicked down the door in front of them.

"Wesley" Connor called as he saw his friends enter the room

Wesley looked to see Angelus a mere metres in front of him "Here goes nothing" he mumbled before bringing out the Iris and smashing it on the ground.

Angelus finished off Hamilton just as he felt the pain surge through him "No, the slayer was mine, my Buf…" his eyes glowed over and he dropped to his knees.

Connor ran up behind him and placed an arm on his back "You ok dad?"

Angel panted "Yeah' he nodded "I'm fine. What happened?"

"You had no soul for a while, long story…"

"We've got to get out of here the buildings on fire" Wesley shouted to them over the smoke

"Buffy!" Angel stood up quickly "She's….downstairs" Angel made his way to the door

Connor walked up behind him "I'll come with you…"

Angel turned and stopped him "I don't need to breathe. You do. Lead them out son" he motioned to the others

Connor nodded slowly "Be careful" the others then began to exit

Angel hurried down the corridors, he knew exactly where she was, but it was a little difficult to see through the smoke.

When he finally came to the all too familiar room he smashed open door and ran over to his beloved.

"Buffy" he called to her softly rubbing her face

She moaned her eyes opening slightly "Did you hurt Connor?" she whispered

"Connor? No of course not" he began to bang on the shackles releasing her from them.

She slumped into his open embrace "Oh god Buffy, I'm so sorry" he whispered to her as he took in her damaged state "I've got to get you out of here"

He put his arms around her torso holding her to him and helping her walk along him "Angelus" she mumbled

Angel looked down at her "I'm not Angelus anymore, he's gone…"

She tried to look at him "Angel" she whispered

"Yes, Buffy, it's me" they got out of the room and Angel looked out the doorway seeing that the path that he came from was blocked by the fire. "We need another way out" he moved her along "Come on this way"

They continued down the hall. Buffy coughed she was barely conscious next to him "We need to move faster" he said quickly "Let me carry you"

He turned to her as she nodded slowly coughing at the same time. Angel slipped his arms around her and began to lift her into his arms wary of her injuries.

She yelled out as his hand touched her lower back

"Sorry…" Angel whispered as she settled in his arms, he covered her head into the side of his jacket to slow down the smoke intake. He then began to run. The fire seemed to be coming from all directions. There was only on exit, the window.

He grabbed onto Buffy tightly she was too far gone to care of the pressure he was putting on her body.

Angel knocked the window out before climbing up. Lucky they weren't up to high.

They jumped

They landed, Angel made sure he landed on his back trying not to cause Buffy more damage. He stood back up, checked Buffy who was still unconscious and made his way back to the Hyperion.