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Chapter 72- Waiting in the Wings
"Here we go with this one", Buffy said as she turned the recording on.
Wesley was looking at a Demon's picture, while thinking and talking about Fred, and then Cordelia looked at the picture, commenting on the 6 breasts as Wesley said Fred didn't have those before Cordelia pointed out she was talking about Sorialus the Ravager from her vision, who'd come to destroy humans that had killed her mate, but not for another month. Cordelia then asked if he was gonna ask her out and Wesley wondered if she meant the Ravager before Cordelia corrected him with 'Fred'.
"Yeah, ask her out already", Xander said. "Not every girl is like Anya, who's gonna come at you first."
"I think he's too shy", Tara told them all.
"Well, that's gonna work against him", Buffy sighed.
Wesley said he'll make his move when the iron was hot and Cordelia quipped at him to get it done so he could talk about other stuff than his hot iron, and he wondered if he was boring on the subject. Cordelia reminded he used to consider her the loveliest thing once, and he said she was an extraordinary woman, to which she said she just liked hearing it, and had gone from the ditziest bitch in Sunnydale who could have any guy she wanted to a superhero whose best action was a ghost who was good with a Loohfah.
"We did not need to know that!" Dawn said for them all.
"And Wes and Cordy? Anyone else found that creepy?" Buffy asked, and Giles looked a little ashamed as he had asked Wesley to dance with her to stop the man from annoying him.
"Yeah, that was weird", Willow said. "I mean, a teenage girl having a crush on an older man is one thing, him having a crush back is another."
"Guess LA was needed for both of them and Angel to grow up by a lot", Tara commented.
"And Cordy wasn't ditzy, that was Harmony", Xander pointed out.
"Oh yes, she is a disgrace", Giles scoffed as the rest chuckled.
Wesley pretended not to hear the last part as Angel arrived, wearing dark clothes, and asked them to ask him why he was smiling, to which Cordelia said she would as he was scaring her. Angel held out some tickets for them all, saying they were stepping out.
"They're all having a night out", Willow said happily as the rest wondered where they were going.
"Where is he gonna take them?" Buffy now wondered.
"Where would you take us for a night out?" Xander then asked Giles.
"Will you just sod off?" Giles asked Xander as they all chuckled again.
In the Hyperion's garden court, Gunn complimented Fred's eating habits as she wondered if she was like a pig, but he said he was just awed where all the food went, and the two talked like that, Gunn calling her gorgeous as she looked at his back while he walked in, greeting all and asking about the tickets, as he thought Angel was taking them to the Mahta Hari band's concert, only to realize it was the Blinnikov World Ballet Tour. Gunn was shocked as Angel tried to convince them to see it, calling it one of the premier companies in the world as Wesley agreed they were ahead of their time.
"Oh they are so masterful", Giles said, having seen them once. "They were quite something."
"So I was right", Xander said as Giles rolled his eyes and everyone else chuckled again.
"Poor Gunn though", Tara commented.
Angel said he'd seen their production of Giselle in 1890 and cried like a baby, and he was evil!
"Wow!" Buffy said, now definitely interested. "They must be something."
"Oh you have no idea", Giles told her.
"Now I really wanna watch! If they can make Angelus cry, they must be something else", Dawn said.
"We all wanna watch now", Willow said.
Gunn wasn't trusting Angel now as Cordelia told him to get over it, deciding she was in as they had to dress up, Angel assured Gunn he'd be trippin' out, making Gunn tell him to not use his own phrases when there was no trust. Gunn still found it a nightmare.
"Oh get over it! It is a masterpiece!" Giles said to Gunn.
"We are not gonna deny that", Buffy assured Giles.
The director of the ballet company, wearing a Russian cross with a red stone in the middle on his tie and another man were walking backstage at the theater, the man finding it honorable that Giselle was being performed here as the director assured it would be the performance of a lifetime. Some grey skinned hands were seen above, with giggling being heard as the director said he guaranteed it.
"And then that happened", Buffy said as they all groaned.
"Why can't anything peaceful ever not be interrupted?" Xander wondered.
"So Team Angel has to save this ballet now", Willow realized.
"If they do, they will be the greatest heroes of all time", Giles said, making the rest sigh again.
"I have no doubt about that", Tara commented.
"Let's see how it turns out", Dawn shrugged.
Cordelia and Fred were in a fancy clothing store to buy outfits. Fred pointed out they were poor but Cordelia said they had a custom to buy a dress, wear it once then return it the next day while hiding the tags. Fred was excited about the ballet, remembering when her family used to go to the Nutcracker every Christmas, and she had her first sexual dream about the Mouseking.
"We're gonna pretend we didn't hear that, right?" Buffy asked and got nods from all. "Good."
Cordelia looked through the dresses as Fred wanted to ask something, and Cordelia said 'you guys' were perfect for each other, reminding of her magic powers. Fred found him sweet and commanding, and was comfortable around him, though she had no idea if he felt the same way, but Cordelia assured he did, and if there was a good outfit for tonight, there would be actual feelings.
"I think they're talking about different people", Dawn quipped.
"Yeah, Cordy is talking about a handsome intellectual while Fred is talking about a handsome muscular guy", Tara told her.
"This looks like it's gonna be a mess", Willow groaned.
Fred said they had to pick something for Cordelia to make Angel crazy, to which Cordelia said he was crazy, as Fred said he'd want to look his best for her, and Cordelia sarcastically said the world's champion would worry about his outfit.
"For you? Totally", Xander shrugged.
"I've a feeling we're gonna get at least one couple by this recording's end", Dawn said.
"Which one?" Buffy asked.
"Considering what future us said, definitely not Angel and Cordelia, sadly", Dawn sighed. "One of Wesley and Fred or Gunn and Fred."
"Sounds about right", Xander agreed.
Lorne was wiping the back of Angel's tux with a rag, reassuring him he looked fine as Lorne reminded Angel of an Irish lullaby he'd just sung to Connor, and decided to talk about Cordelia, as he'd ended up reading Angel while he was singing, and couldn't blame Angel, as she'd become a hell of a woman. Angel denied as he put his shoes on but Lorne said it wasn't just when he was singing, and mentioned 'Kyrumption', which Angel knew, but still denied.
"Don't deny it, we all know, and I approve, even if you don't need my approval", Buffy said to Angel. "When did you get so shy? You had no problem stalking me when you liked me. Now you're denying your feelings?"
"People in love are stupider than people who are lovesick in obsession", Giles shared some of his own wisdom.
"When did you become such a love guru?" Buffy asked with a chuckle as he rolled his eyes.
Lorne assured Angel. "You're a man of many limitations, Angel. But you're a man. You got a heart. And Cordelia is a hell of a lady. I mean, if I thought she'd like to wear green, I'd be elbowing you out of the way. But she's out of my league. She's a champion, Angel, old school. And besides, we all know you got a thing for ex-cheerleaders."
"Can't deny that", Willow said, exchanging a look with Buffy who sighed.
"Yeah, but she's better for him than I am", Buffy told her.
Angel wondered what he had to offer her as Lorne said he shouldn't miss his shot. Angel started saying 'she's', when Cordelia arrived, asking what, and they turned to see her showing off her black, beautiful dress, jaw dropping them both.
Everyone was jaw dropped at how Cordelia looked as well, even Giles and the straight girls that were Buffy and Dawn (well, Buffy had a relationship with a woman that was Faith once, but she still wasn't sure if it made her bisexual, since she hadn't felt attraction to any other woman).
Xander started. "She looks-"
"Stunning", Willow finished for her.
"Make your move Angel", Dawn now encouraged.
"With how she looks, I think he's too frozen to do it", Buffy said.
"Can't say I blame him", Tara shrugged.
Giles made no comment.
Angel said he was saying she wasn't much of a ballet fan as Lorne quipped he'd forgotten how homely she was. Cordelia swayed into the room, saying tonight they were like a couple of young sophisticates enjoying an evening of classical dance, which Angel agreed to, while she fixed his bow tie.
"Definitely into him", Dawn said with a smile.
"Now he really should make a move", Buffy encouraged.
Gunn asked Fred to promise not to laugh and she did before asking him to stop being a little girl, and he arrived wearing his tux. She burst out laughing, making Gunn comment on broken trust but she said he looked pretty, making Gunn comment not many could say that and live but he just couldn't fight her. Fred said tonight felt magical.
"It is going to be", Willow smiled before it became a frown. "Till you remember there are some weird giggling creatures around."
"Right, those", Tara said as all groaned.
Wesley then draped Fred's stole over her shoulders as both he and Gunn complimented Fred, while Cordelia arrived on Angel's arm, joking there won't be any visions tonight because she had one, making Wesley drape her jacket over her shoulders, though she said the iron was hot. Then they all walked out of the lobby.
"There they go for a night of fun", Buffy said. "Though it's about to get much less fun."
"Still hoping they can enjoy the show before anything bad happens", Dawn hoped.
They arrived at the theater lobby, sitting on their seats with Wesley, Fred and Gunn in one row and Angel and Cordelia behind them. Angel apologized for the seating order but Wesley didn't mind, Angel quipping back in the day he got box seats or ate people who had them, making Cordelia quip that they shouldn't reminiscence.
"Yeah, we didn't need to know that", Xander groaned.
"Well, no eating now", Tara pointed out the bright side.
The curtain opened and the ballet began while the Russian director watched the performance. Cordelia snored in her seat, jerking so her head lay against Angel's shoulder, while Wesley glanced at Fred and Gunn leaned forward with a smile on his face, and Fred smiled at Gunn. Angel watched the performance with a frown.
"Gunn looks smitten", Willow smirked.
"Looks like he's eating his words", Xander told her.
"He should, this is so masterful", Giles said, smitten as well, even if he was watching it on a screen. "I wish I could be there."
"Why is Angel frowning though?" Buffy asked. "Isn't he supposed to like it?"
"Yeah, that doesn't make sense", Dawn agreed with a nod.
"I'm sure he'll tell us why soon", Tara said.
The act came to an end as all applauded, Gunn even saying 'bravo' as Cordelia jerked upright and said she loved it but Angel told her it was just intermission. Cordelia looked at her drool on Angel's jacket and was a bit embarrassed but he said it matched the back as they walked out of the lobby.
"You are an idiot to sleep during that", Giles said to Cordelia as all chuckled lightly at his behavior.
"Is he gonna tell us why he's frowning now?" Dawn asked.
Gunn now found it really great as Wesley agreed they lived up to their reputation, asking Angel if the choreography had changed much, but he said nothing had changed. Wesley found it wonderful till Angel said nothing had changed, the dancers were the same too. Fred found it impossible that this was the same troupe from 1990 but Gunn remembered he'd said it was 1890, and now Fred was shocked too, Angel wondering how they were watching a show starring people who should have died 60 years ago, and Cordelia called it a puzzler, asking for snacks.
"Okay, what?" Buffy asked. "Exactly the same? Everyone's the same?"
"Are they Vampires or something?" Xander now asked.
"No, that is impossible", Giles shook his head. "I have never heard any reports of any massacres during their performances, and they are not behaving like Vampires either."
"Yeah, I don't think they're Vampires", Buffy agreed.
"Then how are they still here?" Dawn asked. "Is Angel just looking too much into it?"
"No, if he thinks they're the same, they are the same", Tara told her.
"Question is- how?" Willow asked.
Wesley suggested Vampires but Angel would have sensed it, and eventually decided to check it out now. He could snoop while the rest could go back, but Cordelia wanted to snoop too as the magic of the ballet didn't get to her, Wesley joking how the dancers couldn't keep time without her rhythmic snoring.
"You are ignorant!" Giles said to Cordelia, and the others were amused again.
"Time to snoop, that's what we're all good at", Dawn quipped, making the rest chuckle.
The lights flickered as a soft chiming indicated intermission's end, Cordelia telling Wesley this would haunt him. Angel and Cordelia then descended down some stairs, seeing a big security guard. Cordelia thought she could distract him but Angel told her not to be stupid, because if he was the guy and the most beautiful girl he'd seen was making eyes at him, it'd be a bachelor party or scam. Cordelia asked what Angel had called her so he apologized for calling her stupid but she meant the other thing.
"Come on, just say it", Buffy said.
"Yeah, unfortunately, he won't", Tara sighed.
Angel decided to knock him out but Cordelia wanted to be more subtle, and later asked the guard if he liked bribes, giving him some money to let them go backstage, but this was more of a tip than a bribe so he refused, only for Angel to knock him out, saying that's how they did it.
"I don't think you should try bribing unless you've really good money", Willow quipped.
"At least they're in now", Xander said to the rest.
Angel and Cordelia entered, but were shocked to see the corridor was never ending, and Angel realized it was a spell or time flux so Cordelia decided to get the others and talk options, but on turning around they saw another endless corridor, making Angel comment it worked in theory.
"Well, now any suspicion that Angel was looking too much into this is out the window", Buffy said.
"Even I'm not sure what exactly this is, whoever did it is good", Willow complimented the person. "But clearly up to no good."
Wesley, Fred and Gunn watched the dance, and so did the director in his box. Angel and Cordelia walked down the corridor, opening the prima ballerina's dressing room, which Angel found unchanged as Cordelia sat down on the dressing table and picked a little chain with a cross on it, noting she'd wait for him here, and Angel found it very warm. Cordelia and Angel felt something had happened here, and then Cordelia asked Angel to undress her.
Everyone's jaws dropped.
"Okay, I approve and all that, but moving way too fast there, Cordy!" Buffy said.
"I don't think she was that impulsive even in high school", Xander commented.
"And it is so random!" Willow said.
"Wait, if it is random, it could be something else", Tara pointed out, and all realized that could be true too.
Cordelia called it a costume, since she wanted him to see who she really was, and Angel realized this wasn't them, rather they were acting this out. Cordelia was now shocked she'd asked him to undress her, and he walked closer, asking if she wanted him to make love to her here, and she did. He caressed her cheek as they leaned closer, Angel saying she was afraid because he could find them, but Angel wasn't afraid of anything. Cordelia said she was only alive when he was inside her, and they kissed.
Everyone was really uncomfortable now.
"This is so, so weird", Dawn muttered.
"We've been possessed by ghosts once", Buffy remembered that time with Angel and herself. "It was really weird."
"As weird as this?" Willow asked.
"Nope, because there I just killed him, and almost killed myself before he stopped me", Buffy said.
"These two are already entering home run", Xander said, only to get a smack in the arm from Willow. "Ouch!"
The prima ballerina danced with the lead dancer, while Angel and Cordelia kissed passionately but there was a hissing sound and Angel jerked away, putting a hand against the side of his mouth and cheek. He apologized and she said they had to get out, and both breathed fast as they moved back together. Cordelia said this wasn't out and Angel agreed as they were on the verge of another kiss while moving across the room. Cordelia turned her back to Angel, snaking her arm up his neck, asking him to open the door, and he said 'kinda hard', which she noticed.
"Again, too much information", Willow said, everyone uncomfortable watching this.
"Yeah, we didn't need to know that", Tara nodded.
Giles took off his glasses and cleaned them while Xander just groaned.
"Possession sucks", Buffy muttered.
"Well, as long as they're not dying from it", Dawn pointed out the bright side.
Angel still didn't lose touch with Cordelia's body but twisted the door handle. Breaking apart, they hurried through the door as Angel slammed it shut behind them. Cordelia wondered what kind of place it was as Angel said there was spiritual energy trapped in time there that had taken them over. Cordelia found it a good thing it wore away as she chuckled, then both looked down as Angel took off his tux jacket and folded it over his arm, strategically positioned in front of his body, agreeing it was a good thing.
"We all know why you did that", Xander said to Angel, as he'd been in similar scenarios before.
"Good thing it wore off", Buffy sighed in relief, because that would have been so weird to see.
"Especially since it's not even them", Willow pointed out.
Lorne placed Connor on the crib in Angel's room, singing softly, then sat by a desk, picking a magazine, and continued singing. Something moved up the stairs, and Lorne sensed it, deciding to go check as he picked up an ax, and moved to the door, turning around to tell Connor he won't be gone long, but when he turned back, the door was open, and his eyes widened on noticing the person. "Oh my God."
"Who is it?" Dawn wondered. "Holtz? Justine?"
"Wolfram and Hart?" Xander wondered.
"Well, crap", Buffy groaned. "Things have to get bad already."
"They're being possessed by ghosts in a ballet and he is being confronted by something", Willow sighed sadly.
Angel and Cordelia walked down a hallway, though none of them had any idea where to go. Cordelia then remembered she'd said in the room about someone finding them, and Angel realized she had a secret lover. Cordelia agreed they were afraid of someone, and he was the reason they were stuck here, so they'd left too soon, they had to go back in to figure it all out by playing the scene, no one needed to get happy. Angel wondered if there was no more talking, remembering he'd been possessed by spirits of old lovers before and it never went well.
"Tell me about it", Buffy said with a groan, as she knew exactly what Angel was talking about.
"So they are supposed to go back in there?" Giles asked and got nods. "Bloody hell."
Cordelia held up the necklace with the cross, saying she had it if things got out of hand. Angel was uncomfortable even if they were possessed as Cordelia quipped he was fine having demon gore up his ass but wigged when asked to mack on a hottie, sarcastically calling him her champion.
"Well, it's because he feels about you", Willow told Cordelia.
"And she?" Xander asked.
"She feels the same way but she's in denial right now", Tara spoke up.
"Well, none of us wanna watch that", Buffy told them.
"Yeah, that's not something we need to watch", Dawn sighed. "Maybe it won't go that far."
Fred watched the ballerina and lead dance while Wesley's hand slowly rested on Fred's knee, but so did Gunn's, and then she whispered 'Angel', making them jerk their hands back as Fred said he and Cordelia had been gone too long, so Wesley agreed they should go too. Gunn said they'd miss the end and Wesley apologized.
"At least he can understand its brilliance now", Giles said, happy that Gunn was not ignorant like Cordelia.
"Still, ghosts, more important", Buffy said lamely.
"And her saying Angel's name when they put their hands on her knees, wonder how they felt about that", Willow chuckled.
Angel and Cordelia were in the dressing room again, deciding to take it from the middle where Angel undressed Cordelia. They eventually played the scene out again, Angel awkwardly holding her shoulder and pulling her closer, saying he wasn't afraid of anything, and then she squinted her eyes to give him a quick smooch. They looked around as Angel started that perhaps it only worked once but Cordelia pulled him into a passionate kiss, her cross necklace dropping from her fingers behind Angel's back.
"Why are we seeing this?" Giles groaned, cleaning his glasses again.
"Yeah, please make it stop quickly", Dawn agreed with a nod.
"Right there with ya", Buffy added.
Wesley, Fred and Gunn came across the unconscious security guard, then mixed laughter and crying was heard as two shapes moved away. The three stepped through the door while the director watched his ballerina dance from above. There were two pairs of white-gloved hands on his chair's back as the laughter and crying was heard but he told them to deal with those as he couldn't be bothered, and the shapes moved away.
"So he is the ringleader", Xander said as all came to the realization. "Honestly, should have seen that coming."
"What are those things?" Buffy asked Giles.
"Even I cannot tell yet", Giles told her honestly.
"They sound really creepy", Dawn said.
Angel and Cordelia continued as she warned Stephen had unnatural power, and he could do worse than kill them. Angel said Kurskov owned the company but not her, to which Cordelia pointed out he didn't know that. A Russian accent entered her speech as she said he was a deluded fan who thought she loved him, while Angel assured they could come away together. Cordelia said all she'd worked for was here, but Angel said she could still dance. Eventually she sank back onto the lounge as he went back to kissing her neck.
"So the director is a delusional idiot", Willow realized.
"I'm being reminded of Gene now", Tara said as everyone realized how bad this was.
"Please let this end", Dawn muttered.
Wesley, Fred and Gunn walked down the corridors, and heard low moaning as 2 shapes followed them. Angel worked his way south of Cordelia's belly button, covering her bare skin with kisses when she came back to her senses and noticed something. Angel straightened up just in time to get knocked to the floor by one of the director's minions. Cordelia peeked over the back of the lounge and watched as the minion, wearing a gray 'comedy mask' hit Angel across the chin with a hard right, feeling relieved. Angel hit back, knocking the minion to the floor. Cordelia pulled up the straps of her dress, realizing the lovers could have been interrupted by these as she threw up her hands to shield herself as Angel charged at her. Cordelia let out a scream as Angel launched himself over her, tackling the minion set to attack Cordelia from behind.
"I'm not sure to be relieved that they were interrupted or be concerned at how they were interrupted", Buffy said what she was feeling.
"At least it's over now", Dawn said.
"Yes, that is true", Giles agreed with a nod.
"These things are so weird", Xander said, creeped out.
"This one is wearing a 'comedy' mask", Willow noted.
"So a tragedy one has to be nearby too", Tara realized.
The others out in the corridor followed the sounds of the fight. One of Kurskov's minions, wearing a gray 'tragedy mask' came up behind Gunn. Gunn let out a scream as the minion stabbed him from behind with a sword, making Fred call out to him.
"Oh no, no, no, no", Xander said, shocked.
"Now things are going south", Buffy sighed and groaned.
"Best fighter outside of Angel is wounded already", Dawn muttered.
"We sure he is better than Wes though?" Tara asked.
"I don't think so", Willow said. "He was better than Wes, but now I think Wes is better at fighting than him."
"Both formal training and experience are better than either one alone", Giles pointed out.
Gunn elbowed the minion out as another minion confronted Wesley, who asked Fred to stay between them. Gunn dropped to his knees as Fred picked up a prop and walloped the tragedy minion, and tossed his sword to Wesley, who engaged the comedy minion, smacking him away and asking if Fred could handle the other. In response, Fred continued to wallop the tragedy minion so Wesley told the comedy minion it was just them as they continued fighting.
"Looks like we underestimated Fred again", Buffy piped up.
"Yeah, the tragedy guy is realizing he's on the receiving end of a tragedy", Xander quipped as they all laughed again.
"So, the comedy guy is gonna be beaten comically then", Dawn said and they all chuckled again.
Cordelia was throwing cushions and whatever else came to hand at a laughing 'comedy' minion, while Angel had the 'tragedy' minion on the floor, choking it. The 'comedy' minion slashed at Cordelia with its sword. Cordelia picked up a short stick, decorated with swaths of ribbons. She looked at it as she dodged another swing, then over towards Angel, asking for help. The 'tragedy' minion pulled out a stiletto and stabbed Angel through the heart with it. Angel thanked him and pulled out the stiletto, knocked the 'tragedy' minion across the chin, then stabbed it through the heart with its own sword, at the same time throwing the stiletto to skewer the 'comedy' minion through the throat. Cordelia watched the minion drop to the floor then hurried over to Angel who wondered if they were dead or not while she said he looked really hot doing that, so they jumped up and ran out the room, Angel taking the minion's sword with him.
"Well, at least they are not unbeatable", Dawn pointed out the bright side.
"No one is unbeatable", Willow told her.
"At least we don't have to see too much again", Giles said with a groan.
Wesley dueled the comedy minion, dodging some swings before getting punched, then he pulled out a curtain, using it to help in defending himself and eventually stabbed the comedy minion. "Who is laughing now?" The minion let out a weak laugh. "Well, you. But I still win." He pulled out the sword, letting the minion drop.
"Go Wes", Buffy said, everyone clearly impressed by his fighting style.
"I think he was laughing in pain, because no way a normal person would laugh after that", Dawn told them.
Fred performed some first aid on Gunn's wound, who asked if she was hurt. Fred apologized for falling apart as he joked if she was worried he'd die on her, and she was aghast. He then started declaiming, asking for one last kiss, and laughed, only distressing Fred further, but he assured it was just a scratch. He then pulled her against himself, stroking her shoulder and asking if she was really that worried about him, and she called herself an idiot but he said if she cared that much, the wound was deep. Eventually, the two ended up kissing softly as Wesley stood a little ways away, watching them, his face reflected in a polished brass mirror. He slowly turned and walked away.
No one knew how to feel about this now. While they were happy for Fred and Gunn, they still felt bad for Wesley.
But it was obvious that this was gonna end up with one of Wesley or Gunn getting hurt, sadly.
"Honestly though, I thought she and Wes would be the ones ending up together", Dawn said. "Nothing against Gunn, but I don't find him and Fred that compatible."
"Yeah, not feeling it", Xander agreed. "Still, only gonna hope the best for them."
"They weren't a thing when I visited", Willow remembered sadly.
"Things happen", Buffy muttered lamely.
"Well, as long as all of them are mature about it all", Tara pointed out to the rest.
"They still have the director to deal with, don't forget", Giles brought their focus to the important stuff.
Wesley walked away, dragging his sword, then dropped it and fell to his knees, and bowed his head before looking up as music played while Kurskov watched the prima ballerina on stage.
"Poor Wes", Dawn summed up for everyone, since they did feel bad for the guy. "And did he just hit a hotspot?"
"Yeah, looks like he did", Buffy said with a nod, as now they were interested.
Fred and Gunn got to their feet as Angel and Cordelia arrived. Fred and Gunn updated the two on their situation as Angel noted the downed minions and noted these were the same ones who'd attacked them. Fred noticed Cordelia's tag was showing and tucked it away as Angel informed he and Cordelia had hit a mystical hotspot in the dressing room, and Cordelia said the prima ballerina had a lover back in the day but Count Kurskov had a thing for the girl, and also had powers. Wesley arrived, saying he was a wizard. "He was obsessed with the girl. - When he found her with the other man, he went insane with jealous rage - pulled her out of time", he slowly walked towards them, "out of any reality beyond his theater, his company. He swore she would dance for him forever." He revealed he'd hit a hotspot too.
"Why do I think he's relating to the Count?" Xander asked randomly.
"Don't be silly, he's not crazy", Willow told Xander.
"This Count is a real piece of work", Buffy said. "I think he's even worse than Gene."
"I can't decide who is worse", Tara told her.
Wesley said this temporal shift had to be maintained so power and concentration was required and they had to overload him. Gunn liked his plan as Wesley said the overloading required some energy. One of the dead minions was slowly rising, beginning to shake, then split in two, one wearing a tragedy mask and sobbing, the other wearing a comedy mask and laughing. Angel grabbed them both in a head lock under each arm and broke both their necks. As soon as they hit the floor they started shivering and splitting each into a new pair of theater minions. Fred realized more will be made if they were killed, but then Cordelia noticed the corridor wall wavering and another reality behind. Wesley said that drained his energy so Angel must find a way to the stage, and he walked away as Wesley told him to destroy the power center while the rest loosened his hold. Gunn now found the plan frightening.
"Plans involving battles are never smooth", Giles told Gunn.
"The plan makes sense though, overload and destroy", Dawn said. "They just need to work real fast."
Angel spin kicked a minion, breaking its neck before heading past. The others moved into a corner Cordelia indicated as she picked up a minion's sword and handed Gunn the stiletto, while Wesley told him and Fred to stick together. Cordelia hoped he was in a killing mood and he assured he'd do all right.
"Oh he's gonna do much more than that", Xander said.
The ballerina was dancing on stage, the gang fought the minions, and Angel looked for a way out of the corridor maze. The wall next to Angel flickered and after a split second's hesitation, Angel leapt at it - and landed in the wings off the stage. He saw the ballerina standing there watching from just off stage, waiting, at the same time the ballerina also came dancing off the stage, her image shivering and dissolving as she passed from the view of the theater audience. He called out to her as she said he was new, but he said he was quite old and had seen her dance before, all the time on Giselle. Angel then saw Kurskov in his box and noted he was punishing her, and she said he made and owned her so she danced only for him.
"That is such a load of crap", Buffy said, angry at Kurskov. "He may have helped your career, but he doesn't own you."
"He is just a delusional fan who happens to have power", Willow said sadly.
The reality continued breaking as Angel asked if she believed that and she said it didn't matter, so he reminded her of her lover and she said she'd waited too long, and now she'd lost all that mattered. She said the performance was the same every time, including an accidental slip, and she begged him to make it stop. The whole gang was fighting with swords now, and there were dozens of minions, though Wesley knew it was weakening his hold.
"Oh it is", Dawn nodded. "Just need to save the prime ballerina."
"For that, she must stop waiting in the wings", Tara told her.
Angel reached his hand to the stage but it vanished from view mid-air as Angel told her he'd help her but she must change the ending and dance new, assuring her that he was losing control. The 1890 backstage dissolved into present day stage for a moment as he told her to take the stage and change things.
"Yes, only you can make the change", Giles agreed with Angel.
"I think she will", Buffy smirked.
The ballerina looked from Angel to the stage. She slowly stepped towards the stage, looking back at Angel once, then went out and began to dance around the lead dancer, lying stretched out in the middle of the stage as the rest of the company left the stage. She raised her head from bowing down over the fallen body to look towards Angel, waiting in the wings, then stepped back and struck a different pose. Up in his box, Kurskov jumped up out of his chair. "No!" As the ballerina began to dance again, the body of the lead dancer shivered and dissolved. The ballerina stopped, holding a pose, and looked up defiantly at Kurskov's box.
"And she has done it", Willow smiled. "You go girl!"
"Bet he didn't see that coming", Xander quipped. "And now he is really gonna lose it all."
"Shouldn't have enslaved her in the first place like an obsessed creep", Dawn said with no sympathy.
Angel ran out onto the stage and with two great leaps landed in Kurskov's box. He grabbed him by the lapels and pulled him close. "Hey, where is your power center?" Kurskov sneered. "How dare you?" Angel said. "I'll guess." He smashed the jewel in the center of the Russian cross-shaped medal hanging around Kurskov's neck. A wave of blue light raced out, washing over the ballerina on the stage, washing over the minions attacking the gang. Gunn stopped in mid-swing to look around as his sword, the minions and the corridor dissolved into a modern day back stage room. On the stage the ballerina looked up at Angel. Angel gave her a slight nod and she sank down, folding her body on top of her outstretched leg, in something like a deep bow, before dissolving away.
"She's at peace now", Tara said, everyone happy for the poor ballerina who this creep had imprisoned for so long.
"And far away from him, which is another good thing", Buffy added.
Kurskov sneered. "You have no right." Angel told him. "Save it." Out in the audience people began to applaud. Kurskov ranted. "She - was my love. She danced only for me!" "Yeah. You love her that much?" Angel hauled back and clocked Kurskov on the chin, dropping him to the floor. "Start a website." Angel left the box.
"She wasn't yours, you're just delusional", Willow snarled at Kurskov.
"At least she is free of him now", Giles said. "No longer does she need to wait in the wings."
At Hyperion during the night, Wesley treated Gunn's wound as Fred smiled at him and Angel watched, turning away with a slight smile. Out in the lobby, Cordelia was brushing at her dress. "Do you think I can still return it? Because otherwise we're gonna have to take on a lot more cases." "Cordy." Cordelia said. "You know, we should probably just not talk about - our little adventure. Anything that might have been seen, anything that might have been, oh", she let out a laugh, "perky." Angel turned away. "I just wanna pretend it never happened." "Exactly." Angel agreed. "Wipe it from my memory." Cordelia asked. "What? - Was it, like, disgusting?" Angel assured. "No! I, ah... I would, I would just want... If we were to... - I would just want it to be... - new. Start at the beginning." Cordelia shook her head. "Lost me in the middle." Angel started. "Cordy - you and I, we've been working together for - a long time." Cordelia let out a short 'duh' kind of laugh. "What I mean is, you've become a truly extraordinary woman." Cordelia grinned and chuckled.
"Oh my God, he's confessing", Dawn said excitedly, everyone forgetting for a moment that the future people had told them that this romance wouldn't come to pass, sadly.
"I know we haven't always gotten along, but - I think that we, you know, we..." "Groo?" Angel agreed. "Yes! We - we-we grew - closer together, I think..." Cordelia ran past Angel yelling. "Groo!" "Princess!" Angel turned to see Cordelia throw herself into the Groosalug's arms as he came down the stairs. Groo caught her in a tight hug, swinging her around, as she was overjoyed. Fred and Wesley came out of the office at the noise. Groo was looking deep into Cordelia's eyes, saying he feared she'd forgotten him, and she asked him to remind her as they kissed.
"Screw you!" Dawn said, now angry, and the rest were really not in the best mood either. "I hate this guy now!"
"Why did he have to come at this point?" Willow groaned. "Like seriously, everything was going just the right way and then-"
"He came", Buffy sighed, rolling her eyes. "Just to mess them up, what an awful timing."
"It wasn't his intention, but yeah, that is some really bad timing", Tara agreed with the rest.
"Can't believe I'm relating to Angel now, poor guy", Xander said about him.
"His love is going to be unanswered even though he did not wait in the wings, unlike Wesley", Giles said to the rest, and they were only disappointed and angry at this interruption.
Lorne walked over to stand next to Angel, who wasn't taking his eyes off Cordelia and Groo. Lorne told Angel that the political situation in Pylea got sketchy once all got their freedom so Groo was deposed and a republic of people was formed. Angel sighed it was good for Cordelia and decided to check on Connor as Lorne said he was sleeping upstairs. Angel then just kept walking up the stairs.
"He needs a hug", Dawn said about Angel.
"I'll go give him one if I could, and also give Groo a punch", Buffy muttered. She knew it wasn't Groo's intention to come between Angel and Cordelia, but that was what had happened.
Fred told Wesley. "Well, that's a surprise. I thought for sure she was meant to be with Angel. I guess you never can predict those things." She turned to look at Wesley. "You know?" Wesley looked at her and said after a beat. "No. I guess you never can." Fred gave him a smile, then turned back to watching Groo and Cordy. The screen went black.
"So Angel and Cordelia didn't get together, and neither did Wesley and Fred", Willow sighed. "Poor them both. Especially Angel, he was so close."
"Groo has really bad timing, I hate him now", Dawn growled.
"And besides, I mean, it really just seems like a crush to me", Tara told the rest. "From her side, nothing more."
"I know right?" Xander asked. "She was more into me than she is into Groo."
"Can't really deny that", Buffy said. "Though as long as she doesn't realize her true feelings, she's gonna hurt herself, Angel and Groo."
"No one is rational when it comes to feelings, Buffy", Giles told her. "No matter what kind of feelings they are."
"This turned from a really nice recording to a really nice recording with a downer for an ending", Dawn groaned. "And for some reason, I don't think it's gonna get better."
"I know", Buffy sighed as she pressed the remote to go to the next recording.
This episode is like 'Game of Thrones'. Amazing all the way through but with a horrible ending, because Groo showing up to mess up Cangel is one of the biggest FUs I've experienced in my life, and one of the TV moments that really pissed me off, the others being Tara's and Cordelia's deaths and also Laurel's death in 'Arrow', the GOT, HIMYM and Merlin series finales, the entirety of Arrowverse post the 2016-2017 Season (and the entirety of Legends of Tomorrow from start to whatever is currently going on in it, as well as the entirety of Supergirl). Yeah, that'd be it.
I actually ended up liking Groo from next episode onwards, I even paired Groo and Harmony (Season 5 version) in another crossover story of mine, but in this moment, I'll always hate him for interrupting Cangel like that, how dare he? And how dare Joss interrupt Cangel again?
Like, we can have 3 Seasons of annoying and pointless Bangel melodrama but not one episode of Cangel being happy together? Who does Joss think he is? Wait, we know the answer to that already.
Not a Fred/Gunn fan either, as I like Wesley/Fred a lot (though Wesley/Lilah is my OTP for Wes) but I am mostly indifferent to it, and I could live with that, since they didn't have too much drama, not even in Season 4, but Cangel being messed up like that always infuriates me. For Gunn, I liked him a lot with Gwen, they looked nice together.
This ending scene is the first time in my life I've said 'fuck you' so many times and it wasn't directed at me but Groo and Joss.
Anyway, hope all enjoyed and see you all next time with another chapter. Stay safe from the coronavirus ya all!