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Thanks a lot to Brainstorm Sorcerer for his help again.

Chapter 19- Compromise

Cordelia and Wesley stood, their faces full of hope as the latter called out. "Fred?"

Illyria walked past them toward the mirror, ignoring them as the denial faded and Wesley called out. "Illyria?"

Illyria turned away from the mirror to face them. "My name..." She approached him. "You would presume to speak my name..." Wes backed away slowly as she approached, Cordelia backing too. "Because I have returned in the body of the human, you think you can speak to me. It's disgusting."

Wesley asked. "Who is Winifred Burkle?"

"I thought the humans would have long died out by now without the aid of your Gods", Illyria looked them up and down. "Instead, you've grown bold."

Cordelia snarled. "We're all kinds of stubborn."

Wesley was quivering with rage. "So you don't know who Fred is."

"Nor care. Bleat at me no longer. We're done", she rolled her eyes and turned to walk away.

"Yes..." Wesley bent to pick up a battle-axe, "we are." He swung it at Illyria's neck.

The blade shattered with a loud, metallic clank when it contacted Illyria's skin; she didn't even flinch. "Oh... now I remember", she looked at her body. "Winifred Burkle is the shell I'm in."

Wesley tearfully sat on the edge of Fred's bed. "She's the woman you killed."

Illyria turned to face Wesley. "This is grief. I'm watching human grief. It's like offal in my mouth."

Cordelia stood in front of the room where Connor was, to prevent Illyria from getting to him if she tried.

Wesley looked up at Illyria, his eyes widening with hope once again as he stood. "If you stay here, you'll taste it every day, every second." He walked to the window. "Look. Humans rule the Earth." Illyria moved quickly to the window, concerned. "They will last for millennia... like roaches crawling everywhere."

He moved to stand behind her, whispering in her ear. "Crying and sweating and puking their feelings all over you." Illyria hung her head. "Go back. Sleep until the humans are gone. They are stupid and weak. They'll kill each other off and you can return to the world you deserve." He held his hand to her shoulder, nearly touching it. "Leave this shell."

Illyria turned on Wesley with a start. "You seek to save what's rotted through. This carcass is bound to me."

Cordelia snapped. "Call her carcass again, you'll become one."

"I could not change that if I cared to, but you have opened my eyes to truth. If the world is truly overrun by humans..." she put her hand on Wes's chest and effortlessly thrust him across the room into Cordelia as both fell down, "then I have work to do."

Then Connor started crying as Illyria turned to the room's direction. "This noise, it displeases my ears, I must end it."

She made to move to the room but Cordelia held out her hand and a beam of pure energy shot out, sending Illyria crashing outside the window.

"Not my baby, you bitch!"

Angel, Faith and Spike were in the private jet again as Spike drunk from a tiny bottle of Jack Daniels, then scoffed at the size. "Can't even get drunk." He cocked his head to the side, addressing Angel and Faith, the latter having curled up on her seat. "Why would anyone ever make a bottle this small?" He held up his tiny bottle of Jack, staring at it. "It's inhuman." He put down the bottle, turning to Angel and Faith in earnest. "Thousands would have died if we'd saved her."

"Yeah."

"She wouldn't have wanted that."

Angel exhaled deeply. "Yeah."

Faith muttered, depressed. "Save the one life at the cost of thousands, why is life such a bitch?"

Angel told them. "I tried calling Cordy and Wes. There was no answer."

Spike sighed, knowing what that meant. "I guess she's gone, then." He ranted again. "It's like a bloody tease." He held up the bottle. "It's like, "Here's what a bottle of Jack would look like if you actually had one," or, "here's a drink, but it's very far away."" He held the bottle at arm's length, holding his other hand to his brow like he's looking into a telescope.

Angel asked. "What does that mean? Really?"

"It's a play on perspective", Spike held up the bottle, wiggling it for Angel to see.

"Gone. What does it mean that she's gone?"

"Well, in the world of men, a person dies, they stay that way", Spike sighed.

Angel realized. "Unless you're a Vampire."

"Or Strange, or someone who was dusted by Thanos", Faith said in reminder, as they realized it may not be the end after all.

Angel got a bit more hopeful. "Death doesn't have to be the end, not in our world. Rules can be broken. All you have to do... is push hard enough."

A bloody, beaten Knox sat slumped in an office chair. His hands were bound at the wrists with duct tape.

Harmony asked Gunn. "Gonna torture him?"

Gunn nodded. "Thinking about it."

"Can I help?" Harmony rubbed her hands together excitedly. "I'm really good at it."

Gunn told her. "Thanks, but this is kind of personal."

Harmony replied. "Why do you think I want to help? Because I've got some kind of blood lust—well, OK, that, too, but Fred's my friend. We went out for drinks all the... once. And if Poindexter here had anything to do with hurting her, then I'm in for a big fat pound of flesh."

Cordelia and Wesley walked into the office, the former having given Connor to Lorne as Wes asked. "Angel?"

Gunn confirmed. "He's on his way back. How's Fred?'

Wesley noted. "You tied Knox up."

Harmony was gleeful. "We're gonna torture him."

"Good. Why?" Wesley inquired.

Gunn revealed to them. "He knows what's happening. Been hiding it the whole time. I just need a few minutes alone."

Now Cordelia was enraged and with a roar, punched Knox hard, sending him falling to the floor and spitting out blood as she made to hit him again. "You bastard! I'm gonna kill you!"

Harmony restrained her. "Cordy, we need to torture him."

Cordelia stomped her foot on Knox's chest, making him yell in pain before she calmed down, and Harmony let go.

Wesley asked Gunn. "So he was involved, why didn't you tell us?"

Knox coughed out some blood then asked. "Yeah, buddy. Why didn't you?"

"Shut up", Gunn snarled.

Harmony reminded. "I thought we wanted him to talk."

Gunn started. "I can handle this. Whatever he knows—"

Wesley cut him off. "Doesn't matter anymore. Fred's gone."

Gunn and Harmony turned to look at Cordelia and Wesley, shock and disbelief written across their features. Grief was making its way too.

Knox giggled. "I'm sorry. It's just... um, it's not what you think. It—it's—it's beautiful." He was writhing, trying to sit up. "Tell them. Tell them what happened."

Wesley stared at Knox. "The infection, Illyria, consumed her. Took over her body."

Gunn started. "Then its still Fred, right? This thing is just controlling-"

"She's gone", Wesley simply said.

"You don't know that", Gunn said.

Harmony was confused. "Wait, I'm confused. It looks like Fred, but its not?"

"She's so much more than that now. Beyond flesh. Beyond perfection. I loved Fred. I really did", Wesley stared blankly as Knox talked. "She had a warmth that took you in and held you until everything cold and distant melted away. She was the most beautiful, perfect woman I ever met. That's why I chose her. She's the only one that was worthy."

Without changing his blank expression, Wesley pulled his handgun out of his shoulder holster, pointed it at Knox, and cocked it.

Gunn stopped him. "Wes, don't. We need him."

Cordelia then spoke up, her tone dull, her face like stone. "We don't need all of him." Then she lifted up her hand, the palm glowing as if it was a mini sun. "The parts that he doesn't need, the parts that can hurt when taken away, like he took Fred away, we can rip those off so he can feel a smidge of what we feel." She stepped closer, the light in her hand getting brighter and hotter. "Lets start with those corneas."

"Cordy", Gunn pulled her back, restraining her as Cordelia lowered her hand, taking deep breaths. "I know how you feel—"

"Do you know?" Wesley choked up. "You didn't feel her die." He was crying, and now Cordelia was too as her hand stopped glowing. "She was shaking with pain and terrified and so brave. And she was trying to hold up..." with teary eyes, he glanced at Knox, shaking his head, "and she's gone."

"I know." They saw Angel, Spike and Faith in the doorway. "Now let's get her back."

Angel, Spike, Cordelia, Wesley, Faith, Lorne with baby Connor and Lilah were in Angel's office.

Gunn asked. "So that's it? England was a bust?"

Angel informed them. "Not entirely. We found out where the sarcophagus came from. There were thousands of them."

Spike added. "Minus one."

Gunn inquired. "What about this Drogyn character? He wouldn't help?"

Angel confirmed. "Couldn't. We were too late."

Lorne blamed himself. "I should've seen it. Knox. He sang for me and I should've seen this."

Gunn assured him. "It's not your fault."

Lorne started. "If I had concentrated harder, read him better, maybe Fred—"

Faith reassured him. ""Hey, Matt should have also been able to tell something was off with him. If he couldn't tell it that lab coat wearing son of a bitch was rotten, then he clearly he took measures to avoid your aura reading too."

"I'm sorry. I, um... I got nothing", Lorne stood with Connor. "I'm sorry. I'll keep him company." He walked out.

Angel sighed. "Lorne..."

Spike told him. "No, let him go. If he's doubting himself, he won't be any good to us."

Gunn stood and paced. "Lorne's right. We should have seen this coming."

Angel told them all. "Ah, it wouldn't have made a difference. Drogyn said the sarcophagus was preordained to be released. Nothing could have stopped it from arriving."

Gunn stopped pacing. "That's not completely true. I played a round of piñata with lab boy while you were gone. The sarcophagus was stuck in customs and it should have stayed there, but someone got it out."

"Who?" Wesley asked.

Gunn stopped and thought. "I'm working on it."

"You."

They turned to see Groo standing there, his face mixed between grief and rage.

"You let it in."

"What?"

"You….." Groo was about to charge Gunn but Angel, Spike and Faith all restrained him together.

"Hey, calm down, what's the matter?" Faith asked as Cordelia, Wesley and Lilah walked up to him too.

Groo took deep breaths, calming himself down, then took out a piece of paper as Gunn's eyes widened in horror.

"Here, the sarcophagus was at a place called 'customs' but a signature got it out", Groo said as Wesley took the paper and read it.

His eyes widened in shock, as did Cordelia's and Lilah's, as he then handed it to Angel, who also took a look along with Spike and Faith.

"Why?" Cordelia asked, turning to Gunn in anger. "Why? How could you do this Gunn? How could you-"

"What did you do, Charles?" Wesley asked.

Gunn softly confessed. "It was just a piece of paper. I was losing it. Everything they put in my head, everything that made me different. Special. And the doctor could fix it. Make it permanent. So I signed a piece of paper. It was a custom's release form. I didn't think anyone would get hurt."

"Nothing from Wolfram Hart is ever free", Wesley reminded as Gunn looked away, crying. "You knew that."

Gunn looked Wesley in the eyes. "I couldn't go back... to being just the muscle. I—I didn't think it would be one of us. I didn't think it would be Fred."

They all exchanged looks, wondering what to do with the info.

BANG!

Gunn gasped, feeling pain as he saw his side was bleeding, then he fell down in pain, and Lilah lowered her smoking gun.

"A clean shot, through-and-through, more than he deserves."

She put her gun away, and wiped her face, then walked out of the room.

"Call medical", Cordelia ordered.

"Yes", Faith said and called it up. "Yeah, Charles Gunn is injured, a bullet went clean through his side."

She cut the call as Gunn whispered. "I'm…..sorry…Fred."

He then passed out as medical arrived and put him on the stretcher, then took him away.

They exchanged looks as Cordelia told Groo. "Knox was involved in this, Harmony is trying to make him talk, go help her."

"Sure", Groo nodded and walked out.

Angel then said. "Now I know this is horrible, but we must be sharp, for Fred's sake."

Wesley hung his head. "There is no Fred anymore."

Faith told him. "You don't know that."

Wesley exchanged a look with Cordelia and told them. "We watched it gut her from the inside out. Everything she was is gone. There is nothing left but a shell."

Angel assured him. "Then we'll figure out a way to fill it back up."

Spike reminded them. "The thing only took over her body. Just a tip of the theological."

Angel added. "It's the soul that matters."

Spike finished for them. "Trust us. We're kind of experts."

Cordelia then inquired. "What about her— If her organs have been liquefied?"

Spike pointed out to her. "Half the world was dust once, got better."

Wesley looked desperately at Angel. "You really believe there's a chance of bringing her back?"

Angel assured him. "Fred's soul is out there somewhere. We'll find it, and we'll put it back where it belongs." He then stood up angrily. "Then we'll make every son of a bitch who had a hand in this pay. Gunn made a mistake, a fatal one, but he didn't intend this. But Knox and that doctor Sparrow, who is clearly involved, will all pay. We all on the same page?"

Cordelia asked him. "Where do we start?"

Angel said. "We need the big guns."

"The Masters of the Mystic Arts clearly have their own problems", Wesley noted.

"Yes, and Strange is taken", Spike added, shocking them all.

"Willow and Tara, they move around a lot now, after our wedding they had gone to the Himalayas, that's where they were last heard from by me", Faith informed the group.

"Well then let's find them and get them to help us", Angel said and got nods.

An arm broke through the glass wall behind Knox and pulled him out into the lobby.

Harmony yelled. "Hey!" She ran out to the lobby after him with Groo. "Come back here, you little—" she looked at Illyria. "Oh, my God. Fred?

Illyria cocked her head to the side, then backhanded Harmony so hard that she went flying through the air, landing on the balcony upstairs.

Groo charged Illyria with a punch which she dodged effortlessly, then she dodged his next punch too, and then a kick as well.

He tried to punch again but she grabbed his fist this time, and he tried to hit with his other one but that was grabbed too.

Groo roared and head-butted Illyria, slightly staggering her head, though he himself was staggered too.

Then she head-butted Groo and he went flying through the air as well, landing on the balcony upstairs beside Harmony.

Knox chuckled, following Illyria as she walked through the lobby. "I knew you'd come for me. My life is yours. I—I worship you."

Illyria looked around the lobby. "Yes, I know. Worship."

Mephisto flew at Adam and blasted him, sending him flying off, then charging him, pummeled Adam mercilessly before slamming him into a Hellish cliff, and then pummeled him hard, sending shockwaves everywhere while the cliff slowly shattered.

Adam groaned in pain as Mephisto hovered near him and gloated. "Never meant to make a genius, but thought even my own spawn would have a half a brain. YOU CAN'T BEAT ME! Not here, not in my realm. I am absolute, and NO ONE can challenge me!"

A metaphorical light bulb went off in Adam's head.

Adam then flew at Mephisto and grabbing him, tackled him at breakneck speeds as they went through Dimensions and ended up in a Dimension looking like a desert, except with black sand and grey sky.

This Dimension was one of the many Adam had passed while trying to save baby Connor, and he had taken power from all these Dimensions.

"You gain power from your Dimension, we gain power from all of them!"

Mephisto flew at Adam as fists clashed, producing a powerful shockwave that shook the whole Dimension and then they flew at opposite ends, their backs to each other.

They turned to each other as Adam flew at Mephisto, who blocked, then decked his abdomen, and tried to punch a few more times, but Adam blocked and sent Mephisto flying back with a punch.

Adam then roared and flying at Mephisto at breakneck speed, decked his abdomen, sending him flying off and falling down again, breaking the whole ground in the Dimension as that Dimension and ones nearby shook as well.

Adam was then about to stomp on Mephisto's chest but Mephisto rolled away in time to avoid as the Dimension shook again.

Adam tried to stomp a few more times as Mephisto flew off and hovered in the air.

He then formed a ball of dark magic in his hand and flew at Adam, trying to hit him with it, but Adam blocked as both struggled.

Then Adam crushed that ball in his hand and grabbed Mephisto's fist before roaring and slamming him hard to the ground.

He then prepared to hurl Mephisto again, only for Mephisto to blast him as Adam blasted back and both flew back, glaring at each other.

Adam then roared, an aura of power emanating from him as it shook the Dimension again.

Illyria stood over her sarcophagus as Knox stared in awe. "I've been waiting so long for this. I've loved you from the moment I saw you." He wiped blood off of his face with a handkerchief. "I was 11. You were ancient. Pressed between the pages of the forbidden texts. I would stare at you for hours, locked in my room. My mom thought I was looking at porn."

Illyria noted. "You are the Qwa'ha Xahn."

Knox unbuttoned his shirt. "I am your priest. I am your servant. I am your guide in this world." He pulled up his undershirt so Illyria could see his chest. "I've taken your sacraments and placed them close to my heart according to the ancient ways."

Illyria fingered his chest where his skin was cut open, foreign objects were placed under his skin, and he was stitched closed again.

"That's why you were called to me. We're bound together."

"My last Qwa'ha Xahn was taller", she stood, walking away, back toward her sarcophagus as Knox was deflated.

"I—I may be shrinking a bit in the glory of your presence."

Suddenly, the whole place shook, surprising Knox as Illyria looked around. The whole Earth had shaken actually, due to Adam's and Mephisto's brawl.

Illyria commented. "This world... This world, it has gained power, enemies, and defenders."

Knox apologized. "I'm sorry. There's nothing I can do about that."

"But I can", Illyria turned to face Knox, ripping her shirt off. Knox gawked at her naked chest. "Oh...OK."

Doctor Sparrow was washing blood off of his surgical instruments. "Always messy when you have to open 'em up." He sighed. "That's why I prefer the less invasive procedures. Never got used to the sight of blood. Ugh. Still makes me nauseous."

"Dr. Sparrow."

He turned to see Lilah and greeted. "Ah, Miss Morgan, what can I-"

WHACK!

Lilah pistol-whipped Sparrow, sending him crashing to the ground while making a cut as he was knocked out.

"We need to talk."

Angel was pacing around, talking on the cordless phone with Giles. "Okay, so they are in the Himalayas. What about Buffy and the Avengers? What? Missing? Some enemy took them? When? Where? How?"

Wesley softly told Cordelia. "The big guns are always busy when we need them."

"Tell me about it", Cordelia muttered.

"Lilah shot Gunn", Wesley muttered, then confessed with shame. "I almost wanted to do it myself."

"I understand", Cordelia assured as she put a hand on Wesley's shoulder. "But if we start turning on our own, what then?"

Angel angrily put the phone down, as Giles couldn't reach through to Buffy and the Avengers, or Willow and Tara. "We're on our own!"

"Good, 'cause I was wondering", Spike muttered indifferently.

"Well, what do we do now?" Faith wondered.

Angel told them. "Nothing's changed, all right? We find Illyria and-"

Harmony walked into the office with Groo. "Smack her a good one for me." She pointed to her bruised cheek, annoyed. "So gonna leave a mark."

"She is too strong", Groo said as they noticed his forehead had a bleeding gash, then the whole Earth shook again.

"What the hell is going on?" Cordelia asked, annoyed.

A topless Illyria stood beside the sarcophagus facing Knox, as a wind howled in the room. Illyria slapped her palm on one of the crystals that decorated her sarcophagus. A thick, rubbery substance began covering her body, starting from the hand where she was touching the sarcophagus and creeping across the rest of her body. Eventually, she was completely covered in something approximating a body suit.

"I'm ready to begin."

Angel walked into the lab, followed by Cordelia, Spike, Faith, Wesley, Groo and some guards armed with machine guns. "Or we could just hang out."

"A warrior. I was beginning to wonder if this world was void of your kind."

Spike challenged. "Plenty of us to go 'round, luv."

Faith added with a snarl. "Why don't we show you?"

Illyria noted. "3 half-breeds, a Slayer, a former Power That Be and a band of primitives. Is this all that challenges me now?"

"It's all we need", Cordelia retorted.

Angel added. "And a whole lot of bullets."

The guards cocked their machine guns and pointed them at Illyria. Wesley said. "Enough to temporarily incapacitate even you."

Angel walked to her. "We know what you are, Illyria. We've seen the rest of your kind. All the Old Ones, sealed away forever, like you were. Where you should've stayed. You've taken something of ours, something very precious. The last few people who did that, are either dead, in Hell, or wiped from existence, and you're next." Illyria cocked her head. "Stand down and I promise we won't destroy you taking it back. Your choice."

"I decline."

Illyria grabbed Angel and threw him through the window; he fell to the ground outside.

Groo ordered. "Take her!"

With a wave of her hand, Illyria created a wave of some sort that, when it reached the others, slowed their movements down to super-slow-motion. As Faith, Cordelia Wesley, Gunn, and Spike tried to approach her, they were virtually frozen in their anger.

Illyria, able to move in real-time, grabbed Knox by the lapels and walks out of the lab past the others without their notice, accidentally knocking beakers and vials to the ground, shattering them on her way out.

Illyria walked out of the building, followed by Knox as Angel dropped to the ground in slow motion above them.

When Illyria's trick wore off, Angel fell to the ground at a normal rate, landing on his belly amid shards of broken glass. He groaned, pushing himself to his feet, and stumbled back to the building.

The bell dinged, and a bloodied Angel got off the elevator, accompanied by Harmony.

"Sorry, boss", she shrugged. "Maybe if I stopped her back in Gunn's office—"

Angel was pained, holding his arms crossed in front of his chest. "Did she toss you out a window?"

"No."

"Then you're one up on me." He saw Cordelia, Wesley, Faith and Spike walking down the steps.

"You okay?" Cordelia asked as she hugged him.

"Yeah", he replied as he hugged back, then asked the rest. "Hey, what do you got?"

Spike muttered. "Smoke and mirrors."

Wesley added. "No trace of either of them."

Groo joined them. "I put tactical on Code Black. If Illyria shows up again—"

Angel said. "She won't. She got what she came for."

"Knox?" Harmony asked.

Spike added. "And some spiffy new threads."

Angel inquired. "Any idea how she got past you?"

Cordelia told him. "One second she was standing there, the next, poof."

Angel asked. "She's a teleporter?"

Wesley replied. "I don't think so. No characteristic displacement of the atmosphere around her."

Spike then revealed. "I fancied I saw a blur just before she went Houdini."

Faith asked now. "Wait, so was she going really fast or did she make us really slow?"

Angel scoffed. "Great. She's super strong and she can alter time." He sighed.

Harmony threw up her hands. "Well, that's not fair."

"None of this is, lady Harmony", Groo said as they exchanged a look.

Angel told them. "It makes it complicated, but doesn't change what we need to do. Wes, take the lab apart. Check Knox's files, the sarcophagus, anything that can help us get Fred back."

Harmony decided to join him. "Come on. I got a degree in tearing things up." She went upstairs with Wes.

Spike commented. "Never a truer word."

"Lilah was trying to make the doctor talk, I'm joining her", Cordelia said as she walked off, Angel sharing a look with Spike at that.

"I will try to reorganize everything", Groo said as Angel nodded, and Groo went off.

Angel, Faith and Spike walked into his office as Spike asked. "Any thoughts on how we're supposed to track Fred or Illyria or whatever the hell that thing was?"

"We just do it, that's all", Angel grabbed a weapon off the wall.

Spike informed Angel. "Back in the lab, she was standing right there in front of me, but there was no scent. Nothing. It's like she wasn't even there."

Angel hung his head. "I know."

"What?" Faith asked. "She is….she is gone?"

Spike nodded regretfully, then tried to tell Angel. "Look... I want Fred back as much as any of us... but seeing her there, like that... maybe she really is—"

Angel firmly declared. "I have nearly lost so many people in my life, but by some miracle, I still have them. Connor, Matt, Cordelia. I didn't lose them, and no way in Hell will I lose Fred."

Harmony pushed glass lab equipment to the ground; it shattered at her feet while she rifled through files stacked on a filing cabinet. "Never trusted that little nerd. The rumpled hair, socks that didn't match, the cute lopsided grin." Wesley was just standing there, calmly staring at the sarcophagus amidst the chaos and ramblings of Harmony. "So totally playing it up." She used a crowbar to open the filing cabinet. "I mean, who did he think he was fooling?" She kneeled to look inside the cabinet. "Besides all of us."

Wesley reached out to touch the sarcophagus.

"Um, shouldn't you be wearing one of those moon suits?"

"I think this has done all the damage it's going to", Wesley walked around the sarcophagus slowly.

"Right. Mind if I put one on?"

Wesley was still walking around the sarcophagus slowly. "She was curious. That's why Fred didn't put it into containment immediately." He stopped walking, standing at the head near the iris where Fred stood when she was infected. "How things work. What makes them special. She was always searching for what other people couldn't see. She was just curious. I think I hate her a little for that."

Harmony softly said. "Wes..."

Wesley ordered. "Hand me the pry bar."

Harmony grabbed the bar and walked to Wesley, handing it to him. "Be careful."

Wesley used the pry bar to whack the sarcophagus repeatedly with all his might.

"Wes! Stop it! Wes!" Wesley stopped. "I appreciate the urge to smash, but that's not helping."

Wesley put down the pry bar. "No." He picked up one of the crystals he dislodged from the sarcophagus. "But this might."

Harmony commented. "I thought that was supposed to be unbreakable or something."

Wesley was staring at the crystal. "Time. The markings refer to a series of concussively timed intervals. This gem is the focal point of the sarcophagus. It might be useful if it isn't already drained." He put it in his pocket.

Harmony quipped. "Got me beat. All I found was a cell phone and a cheese sandwich. Cordy and Lilah are getting more than I am for sure."

Sparrow was tied up as Cordelia asked. "Everything you know."

"The sarcophagus contains the essence of an old one, a race of ancient demons dead and buried for millions of years in a place called the Deeper Well."

Lilah shot his kneecaps, making him scream in agony. "Nothing we don't already know."

"So say something useful", Cordelia added. "How do we bring Fred back?"

"You can't", Sparrow said with gritted teeth.

"What?" Cordelia asked. "No, there must be a way!"

"Get the sarcophagus released from customs in exchange for making Charles Gunn's cerebral alterations permanent. That was the bargain and the extent of my involvement."

Lilah shot both of his hands, making him yell and cry out in agony again. "You are in no position to bargain, tell us what we need to know. How do we bring Fred back?"

"There's nothing left to bring back. Miss Burkle's soul was consumed by the fires of resurrection. Everything she was is gone."

Cordelia and Lilah shared a look, then Cordelia glared in rage and a light shone from her hand as she touched Sparrow's eyes, making him yell again as his corneas were burnt off and his eyes bled.

Cordelia then lowered her hand and snarled. "No, she can't be gone!"

"She is. Forever. For better or worse, your friend made a deal. I suggest you all learn to live with it."

"We will", Lilah said as she put her gun down. "But you won't learn to live with it." Picking up a knife, she walked behind Sparrow and grasped the side of his neck, whispering to him. "This is what you get for going against firm policy."

"No! Stop!" Sparrow begged. "She is going to Vahla ha'nesh! I swear!"

"Thank you for your cooperation."

Then Lilah slowly drew her knife across Sparrow's throat, making him choke and gag as blood poured down his throat, and he convulsed, but both Cordelia and Lilah watched coldly as he finally died from his sliced throat.

Cordelia and Lilah arrived at Angel's office as Angel, Spike and Faith got up.

"Anything?" Faith asked.

"Fred's soul….." Cordelia was breaking down. "Her soul was destroyed resurrecting Illyria."

She started crying as Angel hugged her and she hugged him back, while Lilah shared a sad look with Spike and Faith.

Later, Wesley put a book on the table, opened to a page with a drawing of a temple with a statue inside. The statue was enormous, as tall as the temple's ceiling. It had four arms, and its body is composed of snake-like creatures coiled around a torso, having dozens of snake-tails where feet should be. The statue was holding two bladed weapons. In the background, thousands of dots filled the temple floor.

"It's her temple. This is where she was supposed to be resurrected."

Angel noted. "That's Illyria."

Wesley confirmed. "In its native form."

Spike pointed to thousands of dots in the background behind the statue. "What are these smaller bits?"

Wesley realized. "Her army of doom."

Spike noted. "There's a shock."

Angel read. "They were entombed with her."

Wesley added. "Waiting for her return."

Spike asked. "To Los Angeles?"

Wesley explained. "This is where her temple was millions of years ago, and it's still here."

Angel commented. "Well, you think I would've remembered seeing something like this parked next to The Ralph's."

Wesley revealed. "It's out of phase with our time stream. Only Illyria can open the gateway."

Angel asked. "Any idea how we stop her?"

"We have a whole army to fight now", Faith muttered.

Illyria walked over the bloody body of a security guard followed by Knox.

"Your breed is fragile. How is they came to control this world?"

Knox explained. "Opposable thumbs. Um, fire. Television. What they lack in strength, they make up for in extraordinary sneakiness."

Illyria commented. "You are deceivers."

Knox agreed. "Yes, all of them. They deserve to be punished."

Illyria asked. "They? You don't consider yourself part of your race?" She stopped walking.

"Not anymore. I'm with the king", Knox rubbed his hands excitedly. "Open the gateway. Raise your army. Wash humanity from the face of the Earth and reclaim what was lost to you so many millennia ago, when the world was ruled by—"

"Be silent."

Knox nodded. "Right." He bowed. "Sorry." He backed up. "My bad."

Illyria held her hands up in front of her face, wiggling her fingers, causing a gust of wind to blow past her, but no portal was opened. She cocked her head, sighing. "The gateway is blocked."

"I was afraid of that", Knox walked forward. "Wolfram & Hart probably threw a lock on it. They're big on things happening on their timetable."

Illyria was surprised "The Wolf, Ram, and Hart? In my time they were weak, barely above the Vampire."

"Huh. I guess they beefed up. But not to worry", Knox revealed. "I brought my skeleton key. Just in case."

Gunn was lying in a hospital bed in Wolfram & Hart when Harmony walked in carrying some papers. "There's some stuff you need to sign." She walked towards Gunn.

"I don't think Angel wants me to be signing anything right now."

Harmony said. "Yeah. Um... that's what these are about."

Gunn strained to sit up, taking the folder from her. "Nobody else could stomach bringing these down?" He signed the papers, handing them back to Harmony.

"Is it true? What they're saying about you?"

Gunn sighed. "I guess it is."

Harmony asked. "How could you do that? To your friends? To Fred?"

"Because I was weak", Gunn scoffed. "Because I wanted to be somebody that I wasn't." He shook his head. "Because I don't know where I fit. Because I never did. Because a thousand other reasons that don't mean a damn 'cause she's gone." He cried. "She's gone... and she's not coming back because of me." He nodded. "I did this, and I'm sorry." He sobbed. "I'm sorry."

Harmony patted Gunn on the shoulder as he doubled over, sobbing and repeating 'I'm sorry' over and over again.

The Earth shook again for a but Gunn didn't care.

Strange had finally driven Mordo away and was back in the Sanctum, weakened but recovering his strength. Then he felt the clash of power between Mephisto and his spawn.

"Oh boy!"

Johnny Blaze and Robbie Reyes had taken out various Demons when they felt the clash themselves.

"What should we do?" Reyes asked just as the Dimension they were in shook brutally too.

"Break it up", Blaze said grimly. "Even the pillars of the Universe are shaking now. Let's go."

Adam and Mephisto were now in a Dimension colder than the arctic, a human would have had a frostbite there in a second.

They charged at each other as Adam threw two punches which Mephisto teleported to avoid, then tried to punch as Adam blocked, the shockwave again shattering various things.

Adam flew up and fired down at Mephisto who avoided again as the landscape started getting destroyed. Mephisto flew up at Adam and fists clashed as another shockwave was emanated.

Then Mephisto hurled Adam away. Adam roared and formed a massive ball of energy in his hands, and hurled it at Mephisto.

Mephisto blocked but the ball slowly pushed him back and detonated. The icy mountains and glaciers all exploded a second later as fire rose.

Adam's attack had turned an icy Dimension into a fiery and volcanic Dimension.

A lot of smoke was rising too.

Mephisto used his hands to wave away the smoke and raising both hands, fired a massive beam of Demonic magic.

Adam countered with a powerful blast of Hellfire from his mouth.

Both beams clashed, and a second later there was a massive explosion that shattered the whole Dimension into pieces.

Adam and Mephisto ended up in another Dimension then, this one of nothing but absolute darkness.

They were about to charge again when two flaming chains appeared between them and then so did a barrier of Eldritch magic.

"By the vapors of the Vishanti, STOP!"

The two turned to see Strange hovering in the air, as Blaze and Reyes both stepped up, in Ghost Rider form before depowering to normal.

"You….." Mephisto sneered.

"Your grudge match is destroying Dimensions, shaking other Dimensions AND the pillars of the Universe!" Blaze snapped as Mephisto himself was a bit surprised now.

Due to how powerful Adam was.

"So its best to stop or even your Dimension will go, Mephisto", Reyes added as Mephisto glared at all four of them.

"What do you say?" Strange inquired.

"Fine", Mephisto scoffed, then glared at Adam. "You are no spawn of mine! If I see you again, either as yourself or as the human filth Murdock, I shall make you long for something as sweet as PAIN!"

He then dissipated into complete smoke, disappearing, as Strange opened a portal and he, Adam, Blaze and Reyes walked back into the Sanctum.

Adam then fell to his knees with a roar and turned back into Matt who panted as Strange asked. "Are you INSANE? What madness possessed you to go fight with Mephisto?"

"Yeah, once he made you beg, remember?" Blaze reminded.

"Things have changed since then", Matt told him.

"What happened?" Reyes asked Matt.

"Fred", Matt revealed as they walked together to the room with the Orb of Agamotto. "A mystical infection took over her. Willow and Tara were not available", Matt then said to Strange. "Neither were you."

"So you decided to ask the Hell-Lord, smart Matthew, real smart", Strange scoffed as Matt sighed, then he narrowed his eyes at what he had found via the Orb. "Illyria."

"Who?" Matt asked.

"An Old One, she is what took Fred over, possessed her, destroyed her soul, and is running in her body", Strange revealed.

"What?" Matt asked in horror. "Fred is….."

"The clash between you and Mephisto was so powerful that Illyria's presence wasn't even registered here till we stopped you two", Strange told Matt.

"But Fred…" Matt trailed off.

"I am available now", Strange pointed out.

Illyria stood back as Knox performed a spell using a pile of small bones on the floor in front of him. He watched as the bones disappeared. Knox stood. "Showtime."

"Any seats left?"

Knox and Illyria turned quickly to see that Angel, Cordelia, Spike, Wesley, Faith and Groo were standing behind them.

Angel said. "If not, we could just stand in the back."

Illyria sneered at them as they approached and Knox said. "Guys, you should scan the headlines here. You can't win this."

Wesley declared. "Then we all die trying."

Illyria cocked her head. "Why?"

Angel pointed out. "You want the short version? Let's start with you walking around looking like the woman you murdered."

"You think your actions will restore her?"

"No."

Illyria noted. "Yet you seek a confrontation you cannot win."

Angel sauntered towards her. "What you're trying to do, raise your army, reclaim your world, innocent people would die. Like Fred. I can't let that happen."

Illyria asked. "You are the protector of these creatures?"

Angel nodded. "Yes, one of the many, and when they learn what happened, they'll come for you. Men in iron suits, Super Soldiers, Slayers, monsters, Sorcerers, even Gods and Devils. We may not have been able to save Fred, but you can be damn well sure we'll avenge her."

Illyria asked. "You'd all fight for their lives?"

Angel confirmed. "Yes."

Illyria looked at Knox. "Even this one?"

Knox was nervous. "Is that an issue? Is my life in peril, boss? King?"

Angel gave a speech. "You're about as low as it gets, Knox, but you're a part of humanity. That isn't always pretty, but it's a hell of a lot better than what came before. And if it comes down to a choice between you and him, then yes, I would fight for his life, just like any other human's. Because that's what people do. That's what makes us—"

A gunshot echoed in the room. Knox looked down at his chest to see he was bleeding from a gunshot wound to the heart. He collapsed.

Wesley was holding the smoking gun. Cordelia commented. "Thank God someone finally shut him up!"

Illyria looked at Knox's body on the floor at her feet. "You've destroyed my Qwa'ha Xahn."

Spike replied. "Yeah, OK, but you gotta admit, he had it coming."

Faith added. "You took one of ours, now we got one of yours."

Illyria told them. "It offends me that you think he matters."

Angel agreed. "You're right. He's not the problem. You are."

Angel swung his sword at Illyria, but she ducked. They began to fight, and the others joined in. Illyria threw Angel across the room. She punched Spike in the chest, knocking him into the opposite wall. When Wesley shot at her, she kicked Knox's body at him, knocking him down.

Angel got to his feet and started swinging his sword at her, but she outmanoeuvred him, ducking his blows and kicking him across the floor again.

Spike came at her next, swinging his sword, but Illyria avoided his swings as well.

Cordelia, Faith and Groo then swung at her too as she dodged, then Angel attacked as she fought off all of them.

When they swung at her, she grabbed all blades simultaneously with her bare hands, and she swung the five off the end of the swords, flinging them against opposite walls, then threw the swords down.

"Unimpressive."

"Unimpressive my ass", Cordelia snarled as she raised a hand and a blinding flash of light went off, making Illyria shut her eyes, temporarily blinded.

She staggered up as Faith leapt up and charged Illyria, flip kicking her face as Illyria staggered, and then she punched Illyria thrice in a combo before kneeing her gut, and flipping, kicked her chin as she was thrown back by a few feet.

Landing, Faith flip kicked but Illyria stood up and recovered this time, grabbing the Slayer's foot, and then she hurled Faith at Cordelia, sending them both down again.

As Wesley got to his feet, Illyria waved her hand, creating another slow-motion time wave before he could fire at her again.

Spike, Cordelia, Faith and Groo tried to get to their feet, and Angel reached into his pocket. Illyria turned to continue with the portal opening, but stopped when she saw Angel standing in front of her in the flash of an eye.

"What's the rush?"

He punched Illyria hard in the face, sending her across the room.

"How?"

Angel revealed he was holding the crystal in his fist. "From your sarcophagus. It's connected to you, I'm connected to it." He tossed it in his hand.

Illyria smirked. "Sneaky."

She swung her leg at Angel's ankles, knocking him to the ground. Spike swung at her as she got to her feet, but she punched him hard in the gut.

Groo tried to attack but she grabbed him and hurled him away. Faith then tried to elbow in a spin motion but Illyria dodged and kicked her away into Cordelia again.

Wesley saw that she was about to make a run for it, and shot at her, but her hands were out in front of her, and she was opening the portal.

As Illyria made a dash for the portal, she was suddenly thrown back as an Eldritch formation appeared over the portal like a barrier, preventing her from going through.

Illyria groaned in pain and shock, shock because she was in pain.

"Magic….." She muttered in shock as she and the others looked up to see Strange floating down from above.

Upon seeing him and the Eye, Illyria was visibly nervous, which the others noted.

"What? Scared now?" Faith taunted.

"Agamotto", Illyria whispered.

Illyria's own portal changed into a fiery kind as both Blaze and Reyes stepped in through it, followed by Matt.

"Matt!" Faith ran to him and they shared a hug and kiss. "You okay? Did he hurt you?"

"We both hurt each other", Matt said before revealing. "The Earth shaking you felt earlier was me and Mephisto."

Now they were all visibly shocked as Cordelia muttered. "Oh boy!"

Matt's heart broke on feeling the hollow shell that used to be Fred, with Illyria now running around in her body.

Illyria then got to her feet, whipping her head to look at the four newcomers.

"Zarathos and Mephistopheles! Have the enemies and horrors of the past truly emerged victorious?!"

"No one emerged victorious", Blaze said as Illyria cocked her head at him. "Everything just exists now."

Illyria waved her hand to slow time again but the Eye around Strange's neck glowed as he pushed his arms away like he was opening a window, green runes surrounding his arms and wrists, and Illyria fell down, groaning, her time powers now rendered useless.

Blaze and Reyes then moved towards Illyria, Matt following as his Hell-Mark and eyes glowed, and then Angel, Cordelia, Spike, Wesley, Faith and Groo moved to take on her as well.

"No, stop", Strange shook his head as they all stopped, turning to Strange in surprise.

"Why mate?" Spike inquired.

Strange opened another portal and addressed Illyria directly. "If you wish to enter your temple, we won't stop you."

Illyria wasn't so convinced. "This is some trick, like the Qwa'ha Xahn said, your kind are deceivers."

"No trick, not this time."

Strange looked at the rest of them. "Stand down."

"Fine", Angel said as they all did, realizing Strange had a plan.

Strange turned to Illyria and gave her a nod. "After you."

Illyria looked reluctant but getting up, walked into the portal, with Strange walking in after her.

Illyria stepped in through the portal, then turned around to see Strange had also walked in after her.

Illyria walked down the steps commandingly, heading for the nave of the temple. "You're foolish, Sorcerer Supreme, for sending me here. My army will rise. This world will be mine once again."

She arrived at the nave of the temple, only to see her statue had been toppled and her army was dead.

"No."

Illyria looked around the temple. The columns were broken. The place was silent as a grave. Her temple was in complete ruin.

"It can't be." She panted, crushed. "It's gone."

She fell to her knees, running her hands through the sand.

"My world is gone."

"Time. We can have never have too much of it, or not enough." Strange told Illyria as he stood beside her fallen form. "That pain you feel, the agony, grief, that's what's like to be human."

"You knew."

It was a statement, not a fact.

Strange nodded. "I did. Even Demons have an expiration date. Your army reached its a long time ago. That's why the Sorcerer Supremes of the past never bothered to destroy the rest of your kind, what power you once had is now long gone."

Illyria looked back across the remains of her temple, as Strange looked down on her.

"Earth is not yours, it never has been, and never will be, you better accept that if you wish to remain."

Illyria looked at him, broken, yet confused.

"Remain?"

Strange was in Angel's office as he explained to them all.

"Illyria's possession over, Fred, was it?" Strange asked to confirm, and they nodded. "It left remains of the human inside of her being, memories, feelings. It's what connects her to Illyria even after her soul was destroyed."

"What's your point, doc?" Spike asked.

"I'm saying these fragments of Fred's being have tied with Illyria's presence. It'll be harder when I bring her back."

That got shocked reactions.

"You can do it?" Cordelia asked.

"Don't lie to us, Strange." Faith said, still in disbelief.

"I'm the Sorcerer Supreme, there's not much I can't do. That being said, when I reverse Fred's personal timeline to before she dies, the same fragments that cling onto Illyria, will also cling onto Fred when she returns."

"What, you're saying Fred's got a freeloader?" Lilah asked.

"More like a parasite." Groo noted.

"Both are essentially are correct, now I could try and remove Illyria all together, but she has a certain connection with time. Now I can remove Illyria, but the process would likely prove painful, maybe even deadly to Fred, I can't be certain."

"Then what are you certain of?!" Wesley snapped this time.

Strange took the rage filled shout and brushed it off calmly.

"There's an alternative: symbiosis. Coexistence."

Recognition started dawning on their faces.

"Fred will be like me then? Have her own version of Adam?" Matt asked.

"It's a bit different from you and your Devil, but essentially, yes. Fred, like you and Dr. Banner, will have to share your being with another."

"That's the only way?" Angel asked.

"It is the safest way."

That was when Stick finally reappeared, the protection spell back on.

"What did I miss?"

Illyria was standing in the lab as the team arrived there.

"You all grieve still….for a single life." She then looked around. "This place…..was part of the shell."

"The woman has a name!" Cordelia snapped.

"And you better remember it, because you shall share your body with her", Strange told her.

"Degrading myself into sharing myself with a vermin like these?" Illyria asked.

"Well, you wanna go?" Strange asked.

"I've nowhere to go. My kingdom is long dead", Illyria softly said. "Long dead. There's so much I don't understand. I've become overwhelmed. I'm unsure of my place."

Wesley told her. "Your place is with the rest of your people: Dead and turned to ash."

"Perhaps... but I exist here. I must learn to walk in this world."

"If you want to learn, abide by our terms", Strange demanded immediately.

"We are not killing you, remember that", Matt reminded. "In spite of what you did to Fred."

"So I must now co-exist with my shell", Illyria whispered.

"You have to learn to change", Wesley then said.

"You mustn't kill", Angel added.

"If you want to live among us, then these are the terms", Faith finally laid them out.

"And you have to take them", Lilah said.

Illyria turned to where her sarcophagus lay. "We cling to what is gone. Is there anything in this life but grief?"

Matt held hands with Faith. "There's love. There's hope...for some. There's hope that you'll find something worthy... that your life will lead you to some joy... that after everything... you can still be surprised."

"Is that enough?" Illyria looked at the Devil and the Slayer. "Is that enough to live on?"

"For some it is", Stick shrugged. "Who knows something might happen with you too?"

Strange then held up his hands and crossed them, making a strange sign with his fingers as the Eye of Agamotto glowed around his neck.

He uncrossed his arms and the gold medallion around his neck opened up, revealing the Time Stone glowing brightly.

Strange then raised his hand and a circle of green energy formed around it. He then started moving his hand in a rotatory motion, flexing his fingers as he did so. His fingers were pointed at Illyria, who now glowed as green runes appeared around her as well.

Strange turned his hand counter-clockwise as the shelling around Illyria disappeared and so did the royal blue as normal clothes, the ones that Fred was wearing before, formed around her, making her normal at last.

Strange stopped and lowered his hand as Fred, now alive again, looked around in confusion.

"What happened?" Fred asked. "I remember I was-"

"Fred!" Cordelia cried out as she hugged Fred tightly, and then Wesley joined her, then Angel did the same, followed by Matt and Faith, then Groo, and finally Spike.

They were like that for half a minute, all weepy and tearful, then Fred cried out. "Lungs!"

"Sorry", Angel said as they all let her go, while Fred looked at Strange, Stick and Lilah.

"Hey", Lilah simply greeted her with an awkward wave.

"Hi", Fred greeted with a smile, remembering when Lilah had put a hand on her shoulder to comfort her. Lilah then turned around and walked off, wiping her face to prevent anyone from seeing her 'weakness'.

"Good to see you back", Stick said with a genuine smile of his own as he tapped her shoulder, and she smiled at him.

"Thanks", she said.

"I never thought I'd see you again", Angel confessed.

"This is a miracle!" Wesley smiled, turning to Strange. "Thank you."

Strange simply nodded as Matt sighed. "At least it all worked."

"Yeah, finally", Faith muttered.

"Everything is all right now", Groo said just as Lorne came in with Connor.

"Holy mother of me! You're alive, Fredkins!" Lorne cried out as he handed Connor to Cordelia and hugged her. "Oh, this is great, miracles are real."

"Nice to see you again, Lorne", Fred smiled as she hugged him back.

Harmony then came in and cried out. "Oh my God! Fred! You're back! We can be besties again, go out for drinks!"

And then she hugged Fred as well who awkwardly hugged her back. "I look forward to it Harmony."

She turned to Strange and said. "Whatever you did, thank you. What happened? Was it just a dream?"

Strange approached her. "No, it was all real." The mood plummeted a bit. "You did die, but now you're back, and take it from someone who has died over and over again at the hands of an interdimensional conqueror, you look good."

That brought some chuckles.

"Illyria is still inside you, the two of you need to work it out now", Strange said, surprising Fred. "Good luck."

And then he opened a portal and walked into it, disappearing.

"So, care to explain in detail what happened?" Fred asked.

A while later, they were all sitting, the explanation done.

"Huh?" Fred muttered, looking at her hands. "So me and her, we exist together now."

"Yeah, looks like it", Faith shrugged. "It's both of you, I'm guessing you to need to find some common ground."

"Yep, like you and Adam", Fred said as she looked at Matt.

"I'm sure you two will work it out", Matt assured Fred.

"I hope so", Fred muttered when suddenly Illyria's covering covered her body and she went royal blue again, looking at herself.

"Illyria", Wesley muttered with a sigh.

"All of you have affection for this Winnifred Burkle", Illyria commented as she stood up, pacing. "It is sickening."

"Aw come on, its sweet", Lorne said as Illyria shot him a strange look.

"Empath", she commented. "Stay out of my head."

"Wasn't planning on getting in", Lorne shrugged.

"Well, our terms are still the same, rest easy", Angel said when suddenly Illyria turned back into Fred, her normal clothes appearing too.

"Whoa, that was weird", Fred commented with a cringe. "And really random."

"Don't worry, you'll control it", Cordelia told her. "You're really strong."

"I can help you out there", Spike assured.

"I can help with the mental stuff so you two can talk and you can establish yourself in case the blue bitch tries something", Stick told Fred.

"We're all here for you", Matt assured.

"Yep, thanks everyone, just hope Illyria comes around", Fred sighed before remembering something. "Gunn-"

"I think you should rest for now", Stick told her.

"Yeah, he's right, a lot happened to you", Lilah nodded.

"Yep, take some rest, process your new situation alongside your", Angel pointed to his head, "roommate, then meet Gunn."

"Guess you're right, I should take some rest", Fred said, sharing hugs with all of them, even Lilah and Stick, and then walked off to rest.

Fred was back, and fused with an Old One alongside whom she had to co-exist as a compromise.

And she thought ending up in Pylea was the strangest her life would get.

And this is the end. Much happier ending than the canon episode.

So like in the comics, Fred and Illyria are one now and must learn to co-exist like Bruce/Hulk and Matt/Adam.

Because I love Fred and her death will always be heart-breaking, but I also love the dynamic that Illyria brought to the team, she was quite compelling.

This way, we keep them both, and now Illyria's dynamic with the team will be even more interesting since she is fused with Fred.

I don't hate or blame Gunn for what happened tbh, okay, I blame him a little, since he should know the consequences for such a deal, but I don't hate him, I feel bad for him as well. Though I feel a Lilah who has started caring about people, getting close to them, would react like this to losing someone she actually did start caring about, hence the non-fatal shot at Gunn.

Fred and Gunn will talk in next chapter, don't worry, and she won't hold it against him.

Thanks a lot to Brainstorm Sorcerer for his help again. Hope all enjoyed and see you all next time with another chapter.