Part Four

Cordelia was dragged into the office and held in place by the vampire and the guy with horns. They weren't holding her as tightly as they should - and they hadn't noticed the stake still gripped in her hand. They didn't know what she was. They had no idea she could fight back - and she was going to use that to her advantage.

The one behind the desk - the one who seemed to be in charge - peered at her in surprise. 'That's the model,' he said to the others. 'The girl from the photoshoot. What was she doing out there?'

'Hey - get off,' Cordelia wriggled under their grip and pretended to be an innocent, injured party - just a normal girl who'd been grabbed and didn't know why.

'She was just stood there - listening,' the horned dude said.

'Yeah?' The vampire came out from behind the desk and walked right up to her, staring into her face. 'Why were you listening?'

'I wasn't … I was just …' she wriggled again.

'Hear anything interesting?'

'What? No .. just business talk - I wasn't listening. I swear.'

The vampire stared into her face for a moment longer - she held her breath - and then he snorted and turned away. 'Let her go,' he said to the others, 'she's just some dumb broad.' He glanced back at her, 'listen sweet cheeks - don't go sticking that pretty nose where it doesn't belong. Next time it could be terminally bad for your health.'

'You just want us to let her go?' the vampire holding her sounded surprised. 'What if she heard…?'

'What do you suggest? We kill her?' his boss snapped, impatiently. 'She's the face of our brand - we've got a lot riding on her. We're looking for a big return… but no one's irreplaceable, sweet cheeks,' he said, speaking to Cordy, now. 'Consider this a warning shot.'

She shook herself loose from the grip of her captors. 'Thanks.' Then she lunged forward, stake raised and drove it straight through the heart of the boss vampire. Before he had even exploded into dust, she'd snapped her elbow back so it connected with the face of the vampire behind her, and she felt him go down. 'Me, I don't do warning shots,' she told them - and swung a left hook at the horned demon.

The dinner guests stood around, in their elegant clothes, the classical musical tinkling away in the background - waiting for the moon to rise and for the creature tied up on the trolley to transform. 'When I dined on werewolf in Seville, the cocinera used an understated mole sauce to bring out the tanginess of the meat,' their host explained to them. 'But chef Renaud swears serving en neige with a light drizzle of white truffle oil will be quietly surprising.' The guests made appreciative and excited noises of anticipation.

...

There was a knock on the front door and a waiter went to answer it. He peered through the spy hole and saw Dr. Royce standing at the other side. But when the door was opened - Royce was pushed over the threshold and Gunn followed on after him, punching out the waiter as he stepped inside the room. 'I know I'm all up in the law, now, but damn it feels good to get my violence on!' Angel and Wesley followed him into the hall.

'Crane's not gonna like this,' Royce warned.

''You just better hope the girl's alive,' Angel warned him. But Wesley was sure that she would be. 'Once a werewolf dies it reverts back to its human state,' he reminded them. 'She has to be alive through dinner.'

Gunn looked horrified. 'You mean, to eat werewolf, they gotta eat her alive?'

Royce reached the door to the dining room and led them inside. Crane - the host of the party - glanced them over. 'Evan - you brought guests,' he said. His tone was even, his voice not raised - but his severe displeasure was still evident.

'We're just here to pick up a friend,' Angel said to Crane. He picked up a silver dish and used it to knocked the chef out, as Gunn pointed a shotgun at the host of the party. Wesley pointed his at the guests. There was a murmur of disquiet around the gathered guests but Angel paid them no mind and headed straight for where Nina still lay bound and gagged on the trolley. He picked up one of the carrots and stared at it disbelievingly. 'Jeez - they garnished you?' He pulled the gag out from her mouth.

She took a deep breath. 'Just go away,' she said, not turning her head to look at her saviour. 'Let them choke on me,' her voice sounded like it was she who was almost choking - on her misery.

But Angel wasn't going to let that happen. He had grabbed a metal vase from the side and was smashing it down on Nina's shackles, trying to break open her cuffs. 'Listen to me. Tomorrow, you're going to be home...'

She shook her head. 'This is what I am. I can't go back there. Ever. This is better.'

'There's nothing better about ending up in a doggy bag!'

But - as Angel worked to free Nina - and Gunn and Wes held the crowd at bay with their guns, a group of men who worked for Crane had managed to sneak up on them - unnoticed - with weapons of their own. The first the team were aware of being surrounded was the sound of the guns cocking. Wesley glanced over at Angel. 'I'm afraid we've hit a snag,' he said.

Cordy was grabbed from behind by the vamp who'd been stood near the window. She used his hold on her to support herself whilst she kicked out at the other vamp - her foot hit him squarely in the chest. He flew backwards and she snapped her head back, headbutting the vampire holding her and, as he staggered back, she span around, grabbed hold of his arm and flipped him to the floor.

Before she could finish him off - the horn job came at her, he swung his fist at her but she ducked the blow - and then another, and then smacked him a hard right cross. He flew across the room and smashed into the window, slumping on the ground.

Whilst he was out, she turned on the two vamps. They were both back on their feet and circling her warily - looking for an in - and she altered her stance, putting her weight onto the balls of her feet the way Angel had trained her to do so long ago - and raised her fists in readiness.

The first one came at her, she threw a punch and - sensing the next attack from behind - used the force of her swing to then jab her elbow into the other vampire's face. The first one came back swinging - she ducked and, as she stood back up, plunged her stake through his heart. She pulled it free and turned on the last vampire, hearing the other turn to dust behind her. He ran at her, snarling, and she grabbed hold of him and wrestled him down to the floor - pinning him on the ground. Once he was down, she killed him - like she had the others.

Then there was just the horned demon left. She dropped her stake to the ground. That wouldn't help her against a demon - she was going to have to improvise here. He was still over the other side of the room, pinned up against the blacked out windows and looking a lot less happy now all his vampire cronies were killed. She saw him eyeing the door. He made a lunge towards it - and she followed him, blocking his way. He tried the other side - but she blocked him again.

Trapped, he tried to back away instead. He shoved the desk towards her, hoping to knock her down - but instead, she rolled across it - grabbing the letter opener as she went - and then landed on her feet right in front of him. His eyes widened in fear - and she rammed the letter opener right through his throat and up into his jaw, puncturing his jugular as she went.

Angel stared around at all the men holding guns. 'We're not leaving without the girl,' he told them.

Crane quirked an eyebrow - unimpressed by the stand the vampire was making. 'I'm willing to let my men die. Can you say the same?'

Gunn levelled his own weapon straight at him, his finger on the trigger. 'I go - I'm taking you with me.'

'It's a risk, what can I say?'

Angel glanced down at the metal vase in his hand - and thought about Crane's question. 'You probably should have told me to drop this,' he answered, and then threw it up into the air before sucker punching Crane right in the face. Crane dropped to the ground - but one of his men fired at Angel, hitting him in the chest - the force of the impact caused him to stagger backwards and fall into one of the guests.

Gunn and Wes took that as their cue to start fighting back and soon fists were flying in every direction, between the three team members, the elegantly dressed guests and the security guys.

Unnoticed in all the commotion, the moon rose outside - and Nina transformed. The wolf ripped itself from its bonds and leapt off the trolley, its jaws closing round the neck of one of the guests and savaging him until he dropped to the ground and bled out.

Gunn pointed his weapon at the werewolf - but then hesitated - not wanting to kill the girl they had come here to save. But in that moment of hesitation, the werewolf dove on top of him and pinned him to the floor, snarling and snapping.

But then - from nowhere - Wesley shot his own gun, hitting the creature with a tranquilliser dart. It went still, collapsing on top of the prone Gunn - and he shoved it off him and breathed a deep sigh of relief, before getting back to his feet. They both then pointed their weapons at the crowd. Angel backed up to stand with them, right above the unconscious and transformed Nina, and looked at Crane. 'This is the part where we take our friend and go,' he said.

'I'm afraid not,' Crane said, his cronies pointing their own guns right back at the team. 'This night might not be salvageable, but my guests have paid a high price.' He glanced down at the man with his throat ripped out, 'some higher than others … And I promised them a werewolf.'

At that exact moment, the werewolf recovered consciousness just long enough to raise its head and snap its jaws. Its teeth clamped around the leg of Dr. Royce, before Wes shot another tranq dart into its hide and it went still once more.

Angel looked from Dr. Royce and then over to Crane. He shrugged, 'and in a month - you will,' he said. Crane smiled and signalled his men, who grabbed hold of Royce and dragged him out of the room - begging and pleading with Crane the whole way.

Thick, viscous, greyish blue blood began to bubble in the corner of the horned demons mouth - and then dribble down from between his lips. With a great gasp of pain, he collapsed to the floor at Cordelia's feet and went still. She looked down at the body, expectantly. 'Aren't you gonna - you know - go poof?' She asked. He didn't.

'Great - that's just great.' She glanced around the room and then grabbed hold of the desk and shoved it back into position. Then she grabbed the horned demon under the arms and manhandled him over to the desk, stashing him beneath it so he couldn't be seen. 'Let's just hope nobody finds you until after I'm gone,' she said. Then she left the office, switching off the lights and closing the door behind her - and crept back to her changing room to get dressed and go home, before anybody realised the company execs were toast.

It had been late before Doyle had heard back from the Goyra clan elder - and it would have been even later still over in Ohio. It was dark outside and the street lamps were casting their orangey glow into the office. Doyle listened to the gruff voice tell him everything he'd been able to find out from Xandra's parents - which wasn't much.

Alix and Herb had been devastated, which was to be expected, but they had tried their best to think of everything they knew. Xandra had been happy: she'd liked her job, she'd liked her apartment, she called home every week - and the last time they had spoken to her had been the day before she died.

'Uhuh - and everythin' was still OK?' Doyle asked his Goyra contact, 'she didn't sound upset, she wasn't in trouble?'

'She was fine. She was planning a hiking trip up in the mountains her next day off. She said they were working her hard at the club, but she didn't mind. It kept her busy.'

'Did her parents know if she had a boyfriend - anyone special?'

'There was no one - she hadn't been out there long. Spent most of her time at work. She was just looking for a bit of freedom and independence whilst she was young. She'd have been back … when she wanted to settle down, start a family. They always come back - but they do like to fly the nest once they reach the 175 mark.'

'Right, well - thanks for all the trouble you've gone to,' Doyle said.

'I'm sorry we couldn't be more help.'

'No - just knowin' that this wasn't a personal attack is a help. Means we can stop chasin' leads around particular victims and focus on the bigger picture. Eliminates possibilities. You've been a real help.'

'You just find this son of a bitch that did this to Xandra - and then get your slayer friend to make him pay.'

'I will - thanks again. I really am sorry about your loss.' He hung up the phone and leaned back in his chair, putting his hands behind his head to think. He hadn't really expected a lead from all the way down in Ohio. Up in Ohio… whichever direction. It was a long way away. But what he had learned pointed to what Vito had told him. This wasn't personal. This murder, as brutal and awful as it was, hadn't been about Xandra, herself. Something bigger and darker was at work.

He got up to pour himself a coffee, and was just sitting back down at his desk when the phone rang, again. 'Yello?' he said, picking it up. Speak of the devil - it was Vito at the other end. 'Hey Doyle,' the Lubbock demon said, 'thought you might wanna know - they just found Arnie.'

'The Skalof demon?' Doyle frowned. 'What do you mean 'found him'?'

'Dead,' Vito said. 'In pieces.'

Doyle sighed and rubbed his face, 'down an alley?' he guessed.

'Yep.'

'Did it look like it was done with swords, axes?'

'Multiple stab wounds - and then his head was cleaved clean off.'

'So - we got ourselves another one,' Doyle said, heavily. 'Well, man, thanks for lettin' me know. Hey, Vito,' a thought suddenly hit him. 'You know which alley?' He grabbed his notepad and pen as the Lubbock demon gave him the address. 'Right - and what about that other guy demon you told me about?... Thanks.' He made a note of that address, as well. 'Listen, man, you hear of any more you let me know right away, yeah?'

'Sure thing. Doyle - whatever's doing this, it means business. It needs to be stopped.'

'I know, man - we'll stop it. We will.' He hung up the phone and then opened up the bottom desk drawer and pulled out a map of L.A. He spread it across the desk and took a pen and began to mark on all the places where the murders had taken place. He didn't have a location for the first waitress that had gone missing - there was nothing but hearsay to support her being another victim, though Doyle was sure she was. So far they had three definite victims and three locations. It was too early to get a pattern - they needed more to go on. The only way they were going to find this thing was if it killed more people. He sighed, deeply. 'Sometimes I hate this job,' he muttered, shaking his head. Then he picked up the map and went and pinned it on their crime board.

Fred walked into her office - the men weren't back with Nina yet and she wanted to wait for them and make sure everything had gone OK. She flipped the light switch and then gasped in surprise, as the light flickered on and revealed Spike standing in the corner. He was barely more than a shadow, transparent and faint, it was like he was not really there. She stared at him in alarm. 'Spike, I've been looking for you,' she said. He didn't answer, and she frowned, her voice becoming troubled. 'You were there again, weren't you. Where you go when you're not … here.'

'There. Nowhere. I didn't think I was coming back.'

'But you did.' She laughed, nervously. Her eyes were sad, worried. 'Mostly - and you led me to Dr. Royce's office which was…' she saw his blank stare, '...completely not on purpose was it? But still...' she smiled - a little watery, but tried to make her voice upbeat. 'You're here.'

'One last gasp before eternal fire and brimstone. Let's party.'

'We have to tell Angel,' she said.

'No.'

'But he could do something, talk to The Senior Partners.' This was beyond her - and she needed help. Needed someone with more power to intervene. But Spike wouldn't hear of it. 'I said no,' he said through gritted teeth.

'OK. Then I'm going to help you.' Her voice became louder, firmer and more determined. 'Well - I - I don't know exactly, But I'm gonna find a way to bring you back. Really back. I promise.'

He began to grin. His edges became less blurry, he started to look more solid. Finally he looked just as visible as he always had in the past. 'Well, alright then,' he smirked, 'no need to get so dramatic about it.' She stared at him. He'd played her. The bastard had played her!

When Cordelia finally arrived home, it was to find her apartment empty and in darkness. She switched the lights on and frowned - Doyle must have stayed at the office. She sank down on the sofa and picked up the phone, as she heard the teakettle start to boil on the stove. 'Thanks Dennis,' she called through to him, 'lemon and ginger please.' Then she dialled.

'Hello?' Doyle's voice sounded nervous, as he answered - like he didn't want to have to speak to anyone - hear what they had to say.

'Hey it's me,' she said, 'why aren't you here?'

'Oh, hey Princess.' Now he sounded relieved. 'Sorry - I rang the Goyra demons today, had to wait around to hear back from them. By the time I was done … it was late. I'm just finishing up.'

'Yeah? Any headway?'

'No … except there's been another murder.'

'Another one?' No wonder he sounded tired - no wonder he had been cautious answering the phone. He was probably afraid of what news it might bring.

'Yeah - I knew this guy, sort of - we'd played poker. It was the guy that got us the contact for Xandra's family. Distant relative.'

'So … is that a link?'

'I dunno,' he sounded dejected. 'I think it might just be a coincidence. We've got nothin' to go on. We need more. But the only way to get more is …'

'For more bodies to show up.'

'Exactly.' There was a moment of quiet as they both considered the horrible catch 22 they were stuck in. 'Hey,' he said after a minute's contemplative silence, 'how did it go with you today?'

'Oh you know, just as we expected. Took some pictures. Killed the bad guys.'

'Yeah? They give you any trouble?'

'Not really,' she shrugged. Her cup of tea came floating in from the kitchen and was placed on the coffee table in front of her. She picked it up with her spare hand and took a sip.

'Anyone see you … y'know … kill 'em?'

'I don't think so.'

'So … you're still the face of 'Unleashed'?'

'Yep,' she smiled, 'still making the big bucks.'

'Well, that's great! Hey, we'll have t' celebrate properly tomorrow. We'll get in some champagne. The good stuff - from a bottle this time.'

'Yeah - are you staying at your place tonight, then?' she stifled a yawn.

'Yeah - it's late. I'll stay here tonight.'

'I'll miss you,' she said to him. 'The bed will be all cold and lonely without you.'

'So … you didn't bring Fabio home to warm it up?'

She threw her head back and laughed. 'No I did not. Besides - I think he might prefer to spend the night warming your bed than mine.'

'Really? I'm in with a chance?' he chuckled, 'what makes you think that?'

'He listens to Gloria Gaynor.'

Doyle whistled. 'Pretty damn conclusive! Y' didn't happen to get his number for me did y'?' They both laughed. 'I'll see y' in the mornin' Princess, yeah?' He said once they were quiet again.

'Uhuh, night Doyle.'

'Night Cordy, love you.'

She hung the phone up and then carried her tea into the bedroom, where she got undressed and then drank it under the covers. She sat right in the middle of the bed, determined she would at least make the most of having it all to herself … but it didn't really work. She still missed Doyle.

Nina had woken up in the containment facility at Wolfram and Hart again, herself once more. Once she was dressed, Angel had let her out of the cage and now he was driving her home. But the butterflies in her tummy were frantically beating their wings against her insides. She felt sick. After yesterday - the fight with her sister - knowing what she was, now, she just didn't know how she could go back. That life - art school and babysitting Amanda and just being a regular girl, that wasn't the life of a werewolf. She didn't know what her life was supposed to look like now - but she couldn't see how it could ever look normal. How she could pretend to be normal around normal people.

They pulled up outside her house. Jill and Amanda were out on the lawn, Amanda was drawing. Nina watched her. 'She's a really good artist,' she said.

'Well, my refrigerator's always available if she's looking to show.'

She tore her eyes away from her family and looked at him. 'How do you live with it?' she asked, 'knowing that you've … killed people.'

'Nina, they were gonna eat you for dinner.'

She looked back at her family - he was right, that was true. But she'd still ripped a man's throat out. And she'd still wanted to do the same to Amanda, when she'd smelt the blood. This was in her now - always would be - and there was no going back. When just three days ago, her life had been completely ordinary. 'I just wanna wake up, you know?'

Angel sighed - yes he knew. 'At some point you'll just be at the grocery store, or with Amanda and the whole werewolf thing - it'll just be a part of who you are.'

'Next you're gonna tell me you actually like being a vampire,' she smiled.

'Being practically indestructible is pretty cool... This is a big adjustment, Nina, it's scary and it's new - but it only has to be a big deal if you let it. You're not the first werewolf I've ever known. The guy I knew - he was just a kid in high school when he got bit. He coped, he graduated, he had relationships. He lived a normal life - still does, I bet. But then I knew this one guy, he wasn't a werewolf - but he found out he was part demon. It hit him really badly, he took to drinking - lost everything. It took him a long time to claw his way back out of the funk he got himself into. But even he's adjusted now - he's doing fine. You just have to accept yourself, Nina, not let this define you. We can keep you safe during the full moon and you can be exactly who you were the rest of the time.'

'I'll never be exactly who I was.'

'That's the nature of change - any change. But change doesn't have to be bad.'

She nodded, frowning thoughtfully at his words. 'I can't tell them,' she said, softly. How could she go about explaining this to her sister? The thought was too much - especially when it was all so new, so raw for her. Hell, she didn't understand it - she couldn't expect Jill to. 'You ever think of just letting go, disappearing somewhere?' she asked.

'Look, if you separate yourself from the ones you love - the monster wins.'

'You make it sound so simple.'

He shook his head, 'well it's not.'

She smiled at his honesty. 'See you next month,' she said - and opened the car door. She got out and Angel watched as she crossed the lawn and joined her family.

When Cordelia arrived at the office that morning, the first thing she saw was a massive and expensive looking bouquet of the most beautiful flowers sitting on the desk. There were orchids and lilies and pale pink roses all tied up in a silk ribbon. Her face lit up into her thousand kilowatt smile. 'Doyle! We can't afford this. You shouldn't have…'

From somewhere behind the bouquet he cleared his throat awkwardly. 'Uh - I didn't. You should read the card, Princess.'

She picked up the card nestled in the leaves and glanced at her boyfriend. She caught sight of his expression - it was pretty grim. 'What's wrong?' she asked.

'Just read the card. '

She looked down at it:

Congrats, Cara Mia, on your big break! A face that beautiful deserves to be splashed everywhere - and now, thanks to a little sprinkle of fairy dust, it will be. Can't wait to see what campaign we can book for you next time. You're gonna be huge, my little starlet.

Love, Lorne

The note dropped from her fingers and she looked back at Doyle, 'you read this already?' she asked. He nodded.

'Lorne booked me that gig?'

'I'm sorry, darlin'...'

'From Wolfram and Hart? That's how the company knew to ask for me?' They didn't remember me from 'Stain Be Gone' at all. They work for Wolfram and Hart. Lorne sold me to them.' She sank down in the chair opposite Doyle, and put her hand to her brow, pushing her hair from her face. 'I can't believe this.'

'I'm sure he was just … tryin' to help, y'know? I'm sure he didn't mean …'

'To buy my soul for evil incorporated?'

'It was just getting you some work.'

'No - it was more than that! Don't you see? If I take this job, that Wolfram and Hart got for me … then I owe them, they own me.'

'And buyin' themselves a slayer probably seems like a pretty sweet deal,' Doyle nodded. 'I really am sorry, Princess. I know you wanted this.'

She shook her head. 'I should have known,' she said, though her eyes were still wide and her tone betrayed her disbelief. 'I should have known it was too good to be true. And once I knew there were vampires on set - that should have tipped me off something was wrong!' Her eyes grew even wider. 'Everyone else there must have known the score. No way nobody just wasn't noticing the guy had horns. They all knew it was some big underworld scamola. I heard the vampires talking - about the returns they were gonna get - from me! They were talking about me! They were gonna use my face for the campaign and trade my soul in the underworld to make sure it was a success. That's what they said, I just didn't realise.'

Doyle shifted uncomfortably in his chair. 'I'm sure Lorne had no idea about that, darlin'. I'm sure he just thought he was doin' y' a favour.'

'Doing Wolfram and Hart a favour,' she muttered darkly. 'And here was me thinking I was there because I was good. Because I deserved to be there.'

'You do deserve to be there! You are good - but you know - that kinda business, it's more about who you know than what y' know.'

'And I just happen to know the person who runs all the evil show business in the whole of Los Angeles! Lucky me.'

Doyle leaned forward across the desk and took hold of her hand. 'I know this is a setback,' he said to her, gently, 'but it's better we find this out now - than when it's too late. And you will get booked for more modellin' gigs, I swear. Maybe not as good but … ones that don't come with selling your soul to the underworld, or even to The Senior Partners. Things will get better. I promise.' He squeezed her hand.

'Yeah,' she sighed, not looking convinced. 'Well, I guess I better go ring Jenkins tell him I'm not doing any more work for that company.'

'And tell him to check where people found out about y', in future. No more accepting gigs from people with sketchy backgrounds.'

'Yeah.' She stood back up with a sigh, used her right hand to sweep the bouquet off the desk and into the trash can, and then picked up the phone to ring her agent to tell him she was cancelling her contract with 'Unleashed'.

Angel was in his penthouse. It was night time, Connor was sleeping and he was enjoying the view from his home on top of the world. He always loved being high up - loved the way the world seemed to fall away, its problems shrink with the distance, the peace that came with being far above it all. But tonight he wasn't enjoying it alone. He had finally invited his friends up to the apartment - and they were admiring it too. 'Talk about a room with a view!' Lorne said, standing by the plate glass window.

'Wow. Is that the hotel?' Fred was stood next to him - she pointed at a tall building in the distance. Wesley followed the line she was pointing in, 'uhm - no, I think that's the centre for Scientology.'

Fred giggled. 'Right. They look nothing alike at all.'

Gunn was looking around the place, at the large living area that Angel now called home. 'I was starting to think we'd never see the inside of this place,' he said.

'I'm sorry, I should probably have had you guys over sooner,' from his place on the couch, Angel glanced around at the luxury room. 'I was just trying to get used to it myself.'

Lorne turned away from the window and noticed the bar in the corner of the room. 'Look at this - I'm home! Cosmos all round?' He began to pour the drinks. Gunn settled down on the arm of the sofa. 'Don't mean to talk shop but, Crane's bistro of the bizarre….?'

'Permanently out of business,' Angel told him. Though it had been a bind having to free Royce, who deserved everything he got. But he'd done it - he was a champion.

'What if I have a craving for sasquatch soup?' Wesley joked.

'Is that something you English eat with your beans on toast?' Gunn teased him. But all this food talk was making Fred hungry. She picked up the Chinese menu and offered it around.

'Just order the usual, Freddikins,' Lorne said.

'I'm buying.'

Everyone stopped and stared at the vampire. 'Ladies and Gentlemen... Hell just froze over!' Lorne announced - and everyone laughed.

'So - werewolf girl?' Gunn asked Angel - as Fred made her phone call to the takeaway - 'think you got a shot?'

'Maybe - she gave me a look.'

'Really - a look?' Wesley sounded impressed. 'And she's neither a teenager or currently dating your best friend, or the human resurrection of your sire come back to haunt you. This is progress.'

'Still blonde though,' Gunn pointed out.

'Yes, there's still work to be done,' Wesley smiled. They all laughed again - and Fred finished making her call and hung up the phone.

Clink! The champagne glasses nudged together, again - and Doyle smiled at his girlfriend. They were cuddled up on her sofa - their Chinese takeout was in cartons on the coffee table. 'I'm sorry we couldn't afford the good stuff this time, darlin',' he said to her. They were drinking the boxed champagne again - and the bubbles were stinging their noses, once more. 'It could be worse,' Cordy said, she leaned across and gave him a kiss.

'Yeah - here's to not bein' owned by Wolfram and Hart and The Senior Partners.'

'To being free,' she toasted, they clinked glasses again and took another drink. She shuddered. 'Although it would be nice if we had a bit of money coming in.'

'Ah - somethin' will turn up - you'll see. It always does.'

'I know.' She smiled. 'We'll be fine. As long as we have each other - everything will be OK.'

'As long as we have each other, then all is right with the world - and there's not a power out there who can change that.' They kissed again, and then Cordy scooched round so she could snuggle up closer and rest her head on his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her and they settled down to watch T.V and drink their cheap champagne.

Brent ran through the streets, cutting down sideroads and bolting through alleyways - trying to shake them off. But nothing was working. And he was getting tired - whereas they were only just warming up. He heard the pounding of their footsteps grow closer and closer - thumping the earth in a steady rhythm - and he knew this was it. He was suddenly grabbed from behind and slammed against the wall. He stared fearfully up at his attackers - and then the sword swung, and he fell...

A/N There won't be an episode next week because of the holidays. Happy Christmas to everyone celebrating and a wonderful New Year to you all.

Episode 4 is 'Hellbound' and will start posting in January.