Disclaimer: I do not own Buffyverse or anything else you may recognize
Thank you to everyone who has favorited, followed or reviewed this fic so far.
Before we start, I'd like to say something regarding Trolls, not a specific one (though the latest comment by that idiot did drive me to this) but Trolls in general.
This is only for FF since its easier to deal with Trolls on AO3.
"Evil cannot create, only corrupt."
The great J.R.R. Tolkien said this, and he's right. These Trolls are obviously gonna go down where they belong, but they want to corrupt us and drag us down with them.
So I've decided its time to finally just ignore them. I have some old anti-Troll fics where Deadpool or Adrian Chase roast them, and I've deleted most of them, at best 5 still remain since those ones are more defining than the rest.
But anyway, from now on, best to ignore these idiots, no matter which idiot it is- whether it's the moron with the disgusting sexual comments posing as other people, or the moron with multiple alts, the latest one having Hitler's name and picture, or the moron who gets triggered over an unrepentant attempted rapist/murderer getting his just desserts, or the moron who harasses people over Buffyverse power levels, or WestAllen/Olicity/Lauriver/Tony Stark fanatics, just ignore them all.
All they want is a response from us, a reaction, if we don't give it, they'll keep getting worse and worse and it will drive them over the edge as they continue to pester us before eventually giving up.
They don't have anything else to do in life so trying to drag others down is their favorite pastime. Its not just on fanfiction sites. YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. all have morons like these.
But take their keyboard away from them and dare them to say this stuff to people's faces, and they'll all piss their pants, because at day's end they're all cowards.
I mean really, Trolls, how'd you feel if you spend time writing something, only to get flamed, spammed and name-called by nameless idiots, and being accused of being a rapist or racist or pedophile?
Seriously, if you don't like what I read, you can choose NOT to read it instead of reading and getting butthurt. Really, memorize my name, I'll write it in bold and capital for you- ARAGORN II ELESSAR!
There, now if you see any story with this name next to it, just skip it.
Or, if you want, I know several authors whose works I don't like but I know you all will like their works since you don't like mine, so I can give you their names and works, go enjoy what they write and leave other people alone.
But really, this flaming routine is getting real old.
Plus, to quote a very good friend of mine (won't take their name since I don't want you to go after them)- "I mean, come on, the website is called "Fanfiction" for a reason. If I want to brutally murder a character I don't like out of pure spite, then fuck it, I'll do it. I don't understand why people think it's the end of the world."
Get it through to your heads, all you Trolls.
So from now on, I'm ignoring all Trolls, and you all ignore them too, don't reply to them in anyway. Don't call them out, don't tell them to maim themselves, nothing.
If I get a Troll with an account, I'll block it and move on, if I get a guest Troll, I'll just delete the review and move on, only reason the latest comment is still there is an example to show you all what kind of bullshit Trolls can write on your stories. Like Doom considered Bastardrew as important as the dirt beneath one's boot, we all should consider these Trolls as important as the dirt beneath one's boot, because that's what they are. I mean, one idiot is literally using Hitler's name and picture, while the other is making excuses for an unrepentant attempted rapist/murderer and getting triggered when he gets his just desserts, tells you all you need to know about them as people.
Hilarious they tell me I am too petty to let go of my hatred of certain characters while they can't let go of their obsession with me and what I write in spite of not liking it. But then again, these morons couldn't recognize irony if it slapped them on the face.
At least I'm obsessed with fictional characters, being obsessed with real people is a lot more disturbing.
But anyway, ignore them all, don't give them attention, I'll ignore them too, its not like their daddy owns this site (even if they behave like it), and if any Troll has a buried spark of decency somewhere, hopefully this reached through to them.
"Don't listen to your critics, listen to your fans"- Michael Scott.
I'll just modify it in this case to be- "Don't listen to your flamers, listen to the genuine ones", since that's more in-line with what's happening in my case.
And to any future Trolls I'll get, or any old Trolls who want to leave hateful or disgusting messages again, this is my message in advance to you all, the last message-
"Amin delotha lle. Amin feuya ten lle. Antolle ulua sulrim. Dôl lost lîn. Nostach be Orch gaer. Auta miqula orqu, Athuum."
With that done, time to move on to better stuff.
Guest: Thanks for the review. Glad it was great. Oh I'm ignoring the moron, don't worry. I do plan to check out LoL lore soon, but even if it doesn't interest me, at least I won't insult it and its fans unlike a certain moron. Though I think I'll like it a lot considering how amazing Arcane was.
Chapter 83- Tomorrow
The Scoobies waited for a minute and their future selves arrived, Buffy commenting. "You always arrive on time."
"It's a specialty", Summers quipped as they sat down. "Turn it on."
Buffy did as the recording began.
Groo walked to Cordelia in the Hyperion, having prepared some Mock-Na, and there was also mud in it, Groo adding it wasn't the true one but close to it, Cordelia calling it mock Mock-Na. She ended up taking a sip before giving it back to Groo.
"Mock Mock-Na", Dawnster commented. "Accurate name."
"She just gulped a little mud", Xander groaned.
"After blood, I don't think it's that bad", Rosenberg shrugged.
Groo then offered to do more stuff, though his Pylean language first made Cordelia think he was offering to have sex here, but he meant massaging her tense neck muscle, though he'd have sex later at home. Then Angel returned, revealing he'd found Holtz and not killed him, Cordelia saying he was growing as a person. Angel said they'd talked about Connor/Steven, and was told he was still out with Fred and Gunn. Angel said Holtz wanted what was best for Connor, which was living with them, and so she gave him a hug while Groo called this a happy time.
"You didn't kill him, someone else did", Willow sighed.
"That too at his request", Maclay added.
"He couldn't let it go, even in his last moments", Dawn snarled.
Connor cradled Holtz's body, crying, Justine lying he just wanted to talk to Angelus, and Connor now said Angel would pay, Justine offering to help him there as Connor looked up grimly.
"And with that, you lose any points you'd gotten", Buffy said to Justine as all glared at her angrily.
"Told you", Summers reminded them of what they'd said of Justine.
Angel opened a door to a room, saying this one would be good, listing the reasons, but Cordelia knew it was about Connor. Angel wondered if he should get a TV for Connor, and what his allowance could be, before realizing he was out of touch, and also a Vampire who was older than all around him combined, but Cordelia assured Connor would love him for he was- he'd the biggest and best heart out of anyone she'd known, and he was a smart kid who'd figure it out.
"He does have a big heart", Tara agreed with Cordelia. "It doesn't beat, but it's a big heart."
"Problem is, Connor is not gonna be able to figure it out", Harris told them. "For obvious reasons."
Angel and Cordelia had a minor moment again before Lorne arrived, saying Connor could have his room because he was leaving on a midnight train to Georgia before correcting it was a 9:18 flight to Vegas the next day, since a buddy of his had a club, and needed a singer and seer, so Lorne could go there. Cordelia asked about rebuilding Caritas but Lorne said they destroyed it every time he rebuilt it, Cordelia saying it was only 3. Lorne was grateful for the love and hospitality but it was time to move on, assuring it wasn't because of Connor, and knew it was because of how he was raised, but warned them not to turn their backs on him anytime soon.
"He's going too", Dawnster sighed. "Things are changing a lot now, real fast."
"Yeah, but think about how long it's gonna last", Summers told her.
"He comes back?" Xander asked.
"Yeah, it's an interesting story, which you will see soon", Rosenberg told them.
"Will they take Lorne's advice?" Tara asked.
"You'll see", Dawn sighed.
Justine and Connor got out of a truck under some trees of a deserted meadow, since it looked like where Holtz was from. They got his body, Connor telling Justine that Holtz used to tell him about Utah all the time. He then threw the tarp aside to reveal Holtz's body and as Justine flashed back to killing Holtz, Connor promised to honor his teachings and throwing down his body, brought a sledgehammer down on it.
"If he knew the actual reason, he'd realize he just wasted his time", Buffy quipped.
"He'll find out, much later", Summers told her.
"I don't think he will be pleased with himself when he does", Giles commented.
"Not at all", Harris shook his head.
Lilah walked through a bar to see Wesley, asking if he minded her joining him, and he said on many levels with great intensity as Lilah sat next to him, inquiring about his throat, saying she cared about what he thought, and started saying this was as one human being to another, before saying she was kidding, and said she cared that his big brain was going to waste, and they talked about Connor, Lilah asking what he could mean, and Wesley said every child born into the world carried the possibility of salvation or slaughter.
That line hit both the Dawns home, since there was a time they had almost been used for slaughter of the whole Dimension.
"Why does she keep coming to him?" Buffy wondered.
"She sees something there", Rosenberg said.
Lilah said her people rooted for slaughter while Wesley's former people wouldn't know what to do if things turned sour, and they couldn't kill him since he was Angel's son, but he could kill Angel, or the 'Texan girl', and Lilah quipped she liked not having a conscience due to stuff like this. Wesley told her to leave as Lilah asked. "What was it like? When she cut you?" Wesley grabbed her by the throat. "You terribly anxious to find out?"
"If you keep this up, you might end up having your throat sliced", Dawnster muttered.
Harris wanted to make a sex quip, but then it would spoil what was going to happen, and while he loved his crude jokes, Dawn was one of the people he didn't tell them to since he would always see her as a younger sister.
"She sure does have a death wish", Buffy agreed.
Connor and Justine watched as Holtz's body burnt on the pyre, while Groo lay on a settee, and Fred and Gunn returned. Groo explained what Angel and Cordelia were doing to them, and then they walked down the stairs, Cordelia saying she won't tell his 16 year old that, but Angel wanted her to tell him about the whole man/woman thing.
"Way to put her in an uncomfy position", Xander quipped as the past people chuckled again.
"That would be an interesting conversation", Willow muttered.
The future people were grim again, since Cordelia had done much more than just tell Connor about the man/woman stuff, she'd shown him quite graphically while possessed.
Cordelia said Angel was still telling him but he said Cordelia could fill in the blanks, like what to do with a woman's Schlug-Tee, embarrassing her, and then she whispered something in his ear, making Angel ask if she used that kind of language at home, calling her 'sailor'.
"Now I really wanna know what she said", Xander said.
"It's a secret", Rosenberg shrugged, making him pout.
"Guess you'll never know", Tara said as the rest chuckled.
Fred and Gunn then told Angel that Connor had run away on hearing them, but he said Connor would find an empty room as Cordelia explained that Holtz wanted Connor to live with Angel. Then they noticed Connor walk in as he said Holtz wasn't there, and Angel apologized, giving him the letter, which he read, and Connor said according to Holtz his place was with Angel now. Angel asked him to give it a try and Connor agreed.
"He's not gonna give it a try, is he?" Buffy asked.
"Oh yeah, he's gonna do something huge, and you're all gonna hate it a lot", Summers confirmed to them.
Connor read Holtz's letter on his bed as Angel arrived with a bookcase, saying it was for Connor, along with some of his favorite books from when he was Connor's age, then asked if he was hungry, but Connor wasn't. Angel said they could go out, eventually deciding on a movie, that too an action movie, and they could do anything he wanted, and so Connor lunged for Angel which he easily deflected as Connor asked how Angel fought like that, and Angel eventually agreed to show him.
"I wanna think this is sweet bonding but I think Connor's doing that so he can beat Angel in a fight", Buffy said grimly.
"You're not wrong there", Maclay said with a sigh.
Angel tossed Connor a stake downstairs, both Fred and Gunn wearing cushions as Gunn lunged at Connor and got 'staked', and then he spun around to 'stake' Fred but was told to protect her as she was a civilian. Angel and Connor exchanged blows before Connor ended up awkwardly resting on Angel's arm, Angel saying he'd lost but was doing good and had heart. Fred wanted to be the Vampire, Gunn wanted to be in a hot tub, and Cordelia now wanted to know who was cleaning this up, so Gunn pointed at Fred who pointed at Angel and Connor.
The sweet scene made everyone smile and chuckle.
"They look like a sweet family", Willow said before her expression turned grim. "Even if we know that's not the case."
"We told you it starts falling apart in the 3rd year, but here's where it truly falls apart, though it was never the same after Wesley took Connor", Summers told them with sadness in her voice, only saddening the rest of them more, and it made this scene look bittersweet in comparison.
Connor wanted to learn more as Angel gave him a playful punch which he half-ducked, then asked Cordelia if she wanted to come to the movies with them but she and Groo were having some one on one time. Angel then pointed at Fred. "Okay, Vampire." Fred raised her hands like claws and let out a loud growl. "GURRRRR!" Angel told her. "Vampire. You're not in 'Cats.'" Fred pulled her hands in and let out a small, questioning 'grr.'
Now everyone laughed as Tara said. "That was so cute."
"It was adorable", Buffy smiled. "She's adorable in general."
"Sure is", Xander nodded.
"Yes, she was", Summers agreed, the 'was' being because she would change too in the next year.
"Enjoy all this while it lasts", Harris muttered.
Angel called Gunn the innocent by-stander but he became the by-sitter instead as Angel had Connor close his eyes to feel and fend the attacks, which he did.
"That's gonna make this even worse", Dawnster sighed.
Cordelia returned to her apartment to see Groo standing in the bedroom wearing a brown leather jacket, and on noticing his expression asked what was wrong, to which he said he was wrong for her. "I am not the one you love. He is." Cordelia asked. "He is? Who he?"
"Angel", Buffy said in a whisper.
"And now he's finally doing it", Tara realized.
"Yeah, he was one nice and noble guy", Summers said with a smile.
"He is one of the good ones", Dawn nodded. "Which is why we feel bad for him, even if we want Angel and Cordelia together."
Angel answered a knock on his door which was Lorne, who noted he was in a good mood, and Angel said he was taking his kid to the movies. Lorne had come to say his final goodbye here, and gave Angel some CDs to remember him by- "Songs for the love-Lorne", because lovelorn and his name was Lorne.
All chuckled as Xander said. "He's the best."
"He knows the art of music better than almost anyone", Giles nodded.
"Now here it comes", Summers said.
"What comes?" Willow asked.
"Just watch", Maclay told them. "Carefully."
Lorne nodded. "Yeah, my publicist's idea. Her name is mud now but the tunes are good. And, ah, and that's not my real gift. This is: it's mutual." And then Lorne told Angel. "The way you feel about Cordelia is pretty much exactly how she feels about you." Cordelia asked Groo. "I love Angel? What are you talking about? I - love... you know... us." Groo just looked at her. Lorne told Angel. "You two are so obviously connected." Groo started. "You finish each other's..." Lorne continued. "...sentences. You laugh at the same..." Groo took over. "...jests. When he grieves, when he is hurting..." Lorne finished. "...her heart breaks for you." Groo told Cordelia. "In my heart I have known the truth for some time. I've just been - struggling - to find the courage to do what is right." Lorne said to Angel. "Bubela, all I'm saying is: stay open. Connor's back. Your whole life is coming together. Sometimes things do work out. I got to skiddoo."
"That was", Buffy trailed off.
"Something", Dawnster finished.
"More reasons why they should have been together", Tara sighed sadly, sad because everyone knew it wouldn't happen.
"Yeah, should have been", Dawn nodded grimly.
"But you know, happiness never lasts here", Rosenberg sighed.
"The two were so in sync while speaking, if I wasn't convinced on those two before, I'd be after this", Willow told the rest.
"I was", Summers shrugged.
"Yeah, they do make each other better", Xander sighed.
"Can't argue", Harris shrugged.
"But Angel's life, it's not coming together, is it?" Giles asked.
"No it's not", Summers shook her head sadly again.
"Why can't he be happy? Or she? They both have earned it", Buffy said, sounding both angry and sad.
"It's all unfair", Dawnster agreed with her.
Angel told Lorne. "Take good care of yourself - and keep in touch." Lorne assured. "I'll drop you a line. Let you know where to send the gift basket." Lorne waved over his shoulder as he walked towards the door.
"Goodbye Lorne", the past people said.
"It's not for too long", Maclay assured.
Cordelia told Groo. "I don't know what to say, Groo." Groo asked. "Tell me I'm wrong. - That I should stay. - That you love only me." Cordelia blinked away tears but stayed silent. Groo then picked up his bags as Cordelia was just standing there. Groo walked to the door, turning to look back at Cordelia just standing there, and left as Cordelia was standing there.
"Goodbye Groo", everyone now said together, feeling sad for him, but also proud that he had the courage to do the right thing.
"People like him are hard to come by in our Dimension", Tara said.
"Yes, he was one of a kind", Summers nodded.
"Does he ever come back after this?" Dawnster asked.
"He does, but we won't be seeing that here", Rosenberg told them. "He was still the same noble and sweet guy when he did come back."
"That's good to know", Willow nodded with a smile.
Angel, Connor, Fred and Gunn were watching a movie on a screen in a drive-in theater, and they found it cool before Gunn walked off to refill the tub, and Connor was startled by a helicopter in the movie when suddenly a real one hovered over the screen, and all stared as lines were lowered from it and people in combat uniforms came down.
Everyone groaned as Buffy asked. "Wolfram and Hart, right?"
"Cheap Holland is back for his revenge", Dawn rolled her eyes.
"Linwood", Giles growled in realization.
"Yes, it's him", Maclay nodded.
They got out of the car as Gunn leapt at 2 commandos, throwing them down while Linwood and Gavin watched on screens in a van. Gavin noted the kid was good as Linwood said he'd love to cut him open and see what was inside. Angel, Gunn and Connor continued fighting as Gavin noted Connor too wanted to protect Angel so badly. Gunn got thrown over Angel's car and as the commando jumped at him, Fred, lying in the backseat, kicked his crotch as he went down and Gunn thanked her.
That brought some chuckles as Xander said. "Never underestimate the adorable nerd."
"Yeah, that's always a mistake", Harris said as the 2 Willows smirked.
Angel beat down one more as the commandos were told to abort, and the helicopter went off too. Angel then ended up on the van's backdoor before it could drive away, Angel dragging Linwood out by the collar, saying he was dead. Linwood asked if he'd kill a human in front of his son, but Angel said he wasn't. As police sirens came closer, Connor pushed Angel aside and took a hold of Linwood. "Stay away from my father." He pushed Linwood to the back of the van as Linwood assured they could help him, calling him 'Steven', but he said. "My name is Connor." Fred and Gunn exchanged a smile as Angel led Connor away while Gavin tried to help Linwood up but was shrugged away. "Let's go home", Angel told his son.
"Did he actually change his mind?" Dawnster asked. "Because I don't believe that."
"No he didn't", Rosenberg said.
"Then why?" Xander asked.
"He wants to punish Angel himself", Summers said with narrowed eyes in a serious tone, and the past people were horrified again.
"That bastard really poisoned him bad", Buffy growled with clenched fists again.
Cordelia looked at an old photograph of herself with Angel and Wesley on her side, saying it was impossible when she heard herself say it's ridiculous, and looked up to see in the window across from her an apparition of herself framed in white light. "Maybe on some level I've always known it's true." Cordelia asked. "I have? It is?" Phantom Cordelia said. "I'm in love!" Cordelia asked. "I am? I am! - With Angel, right?" Phantom Cordelia said. "With Angel!" Cordelia quipped. "Just checking." Phantom Cordelia said. "I'm scared. But I know it's right. I know somehow it's all gonna be alright." "It is? Really?" The apparition vanished. "Thanks for the tip."
"Another new power?" Dawnster asked and got nods. "Wow! Did she just see the future?"
"Yeah, she did", Maclay nodded.
"It's different from what it looks like, right?" Willow asked.
"Yes, real different", Harris said.
The phone in the lobby rang as Angel went to get it, whistling, and Fred and Gunn realized he was really happy while Connor closed the door behind them all. Angel picked up and it was Cordelia, and after some basic pleasantries Cordelia said. "Uhm, Angel, I sort of need to talk to you, in person." Angel asked. "Is it something - bad?" Cordelia assured him. "No! No, it's something good. I think. Well, it sort of depends on how you feel." Angel asked. "About what?" Cordelia finally revealed. "Well - about me." Angel said, "Oh." Cordelia then asked. "Could you meet me tonight?" Angel agreed. "Tonight? Sure. Okay. Where?" Cordelia said. "I've always loved Point Dume. There's a viewpoint. It's the first turn north of Kanan. Really pretty spot." Angel wrote down the directions. "Point Dume. Viewpoint. First turn, north Kanan. We'll meet there. - About an hour?" Cordelia agreed. "Yes." Angel said. "Okay." Cordelia also said. "Okay." Angel nodded. "Yes." Cordelia then said. "Good. Okay then, we'll do that." Angel slowly hung up the phone. Cordelia hung up the phone and looked around her room. "Oh, god, oh, god."
"It's time for the confession", Xander quipped before realizing. "Or not."
"Something is going to happen again, isn't it?" Giles asked.
"Yes, and it's going to be ugly now", Summers said.
Angel saw all looking at him and told Connor he'd to go out, and he knew it was with Cordelia, saying she was beautiful, cared about him, and Angel liked her, and Connor was glad to see him happy. Angel walked away, humming as Fred poked him with a stake to see if he was perfectly happy or not, but he wasn't, and Angel walked out, no longer smiling or humming.
"I think he keeps that in check after last time", Buffy cringed.
"And it works…mostly", Rosenberg said, sharing a look with her younger self.
Wesley, not wearing any clothes, rose. "Hmm. You know that sinking feeling you sometimes get the morning after?" Wesley rolled off Lilah, also naked, and lay down on his side of the bed. "It arrived early." Lilah stretched. "It's like a little death. Several, in fact."
The past people were completely mortified now at what they had witnessed.
"…..Whaaaaa….?" Xander trailed off.
"Huh?" Buffy said.
"Ewww", Dawnster muttered.
Giles trailed off. "How did this…..?"
Willow and Tara were silent as Summers said. "Just wait."
Wesley said. "Get out." Lilah rolled out of bed with a little laugh. "What? No sweet kiss? No 'when can I see you again?'" Wesley gave her a look. "Watch the dirty looks. That's what got me going in the first place." Lilah began to pull on her clothes. "I'll give you this: you sure know how to channel your rage, frustration, and hate. Always a bigger turn on than love." Wesley asked. "You still here?" Lilah chuckled. "I'm starting to like you, Wes. Don't go making more of this than it is. I'm not one of the doe-y eyed girls of Angel Investigations. - Don't be thinking about me when I'm gone." Wesley replied. "I wasn't thinking about you when you were here." Lilah told him. "So - your former boss - has a soul - and you're losing yours. - Why, you're just new all over - aren't ya?" Lilah picked up her jacket and her bra and walked out of Wesley's apartment. Wesley lay staring at the ceiling.
"This…" Buffy shook her head in disgust. "Wesley…."
"Ewwww", Dawnster said again.
"He has fallen far", Giles said, straightening his glasses. "He truly has."
"You've screwed up, Wes", Xander scoffed. "Sleeping with an evil bitch from Hell."
"I had a feeling you'd all react like this", Summers said before turning to Willow and Tara. "What do you two think?"
"I don't approve, obviously, but neither of them are in a good place, are they?" Willow asked.
"No, they aren't, and you all know that", Rosenberg said to them.
"And that's why they got together", Tara realized.
"Yeah, that'd be it", Maclay shrugged.
Buffy asked. "What does that even mean?"
"All they had was each other", Dawn shrugged.
"Again, 'ewwww'", Dawnster said.
"None of us like it, but it kind of makes sense", Harris told them.
"It only shows how much he has fallen", Giles snarled.
"Okay, just stop with the judgmental tone", Willow told Giles.
"He's sleeping with the enemy!" Buffy snapped.
"And weren't you?" Tara asked as Buffy shut up, her eyes widening.
"That's different."
"How exactly?" Summers asked. "Spike may have tried to be good at the time, but without his soul, it was impossible, and he still behaved like an enemy."
"I didn't judge you for it, so why are you judging Wesley?" Tara asked Buffy.
Buffy trailed off. "I….I…."
"If anything, they are better than we were with Spike when he was soulless", Summers told her. "For one, they don't have consent issues, for another, Wesley never tried to beat Lilah into unconsciousness if she tried to make him do something he didn't want to."
Buffy sighed. "So you're saying they're-"
"Wesley got into this to punish himself", Rosenberg told the past people.
"By banging the really hot enemy?" Xander asked.
"Hotness is a factor, but not the biggest one", Harris told him.
"They are both in a bad place, and being with each other increased their self-loathing, but in a strange way, they had each other", Maclay summed it up for the past people.
"Still can't get behind it", Dawnster shook her head. "It's just….wrong."
"Never said it wasn't, but we're just saying don't judge", Summers told them all.
"We'll try", Buffy sighed as they went back to watching the recording.
Angel's convertible pulled up beside Dune and he got out, sighing, then checked the smell of his breath. Cordelia, driving down a crowded freeway, honked at the car in front of her then pulled all the way from the right, across the middle and into the left lane. "Slow poke! I'm late. I'm late. And it's not a date." Cordelia lifted a hand in front of her mouth to check her breath. Angel walked up to the edge of the cliff and checked his watch. He sighed, checking his hair, then pulled out his cell phone. He flipped it open and began to dial, but the phone tipped out of his hand and tumbled down the side of the cliff. "I hate those things." Cordelia was saying. "We're just gonna talk like two grown-up adults. I have some feelings. You may have some feelings. He may not even know I'm insane until he hears my feelings."
"He has feelings too, don't worry", Dawnster assured her.
"Angel and cell phones is fun", Harris said as the rest chuckled.
Suddenly Cordelia began to glow from the inside. "Oh, no! No, no, no! Not now!" White light was streaming out of its windows, pulling across traffic and over onto the left shoulder while everything around it slowed and came to a stop. Cordelia, no longer glowing, looked around her and saw that her fellow motorists were frozen in time. "Oh, sh..."
"And that happened", Buffy groaned.
"Yeah, her powers can pop up at anytime", Rosenberg said.
Angel, at the edge of the cliff, checked his watch again. He pulled out his keys and started to walk back towards his car - only to see Connor walking up beside it. "Connor." "Dad", he greeted back. Angel asked. "What are you doing here?" Connor told him. "We're family. And I wanna show you how I feel about that." With that Connor launched himself at Angel and they both tumbled over the edge, down the side of the cliff and onto the beach below.
"What's going on?" Dawnster asked. "This is so bad."
"Yeah, now he's gonna do something really bad", Dawn confirmed. "And it will never be the same."
"Yeah, now it's falling apart", Willow sighed.
Angel and Connor picked themselves back up off the sand. "Connor. Connor." Connor attacked Angel, who fends off his blows. "It's all about balance. You lose it", he tossed Angel onto the sand, "you lose." Cordelia, dressed exactly like the earlier apparition of herself was, got out of the car and walked over to look into the window of a car at a woman frozen in the act of fixing her lipstick. "Don't be", Cordelia jumped and gasped on seeing Skip, "frightened." Cordelia told him. "It's a little late for that!" Skip asked. "Sorry. You remember me? I'm..." Cordelia replied. "Yeah. Skip. You tend to remember your demon guides. What is going on?" Skip told her. "I think you know." Cordelia said. "I'm dying." Skip assured. "No. No, you're not - dying." Cordelia asked. "Not dying?" Skip said. "No." Cordelia punched him. "Say that part first!" Skip told her. "Sorry. It's not the end. It's the beginning. You're a great warrior, Cordelia. The battle that we're all a part of is fought on many different planes and dimensions. You've outgrown this one. You've become - a higher being."
"What?" Buffy went.
"Yes, a Higher Being", Rosenberg nodded.
"Because of all she did, huh", Tara noted.
"Don't trust Skip", Summers immediately said.
"Why?" Xander asked. "He seems-"
"There", Maclay said. "Seems."
"So, he is not a benevolent guide?" Giles asked.
"No he's not, he is working for something dark and evil", Dawn snarled. "And they've been manipulating Cordy all along."
The past people now had a sinking feeling in their guts as Buffy realized. "This is what led to her coma, didn't it?"
"Yes, this started it", Harris nodded grimly.
"You bastard", Dawnster growled at Skip now, angry at him as well.
"So this is how it all happened", Willow finally realized in horror.
Cordelia asked. "Me?" Skip told her. "You. You took on the visions, and even when you could have traded them in for a happy, normal life, even when they were killing you, you wouldn't let them go. The big test came when the Powers made you part demon. They bet the farm on you. Power corrupts. And they gave you a lot of power." Cordelia realized. "The glowy thing." Skip said. "Which you used well - to fight evil, and heal Connor." Cordelia reminded. "And only that one time as a night light. - Bad dreams. - Skip, I don't understand." Skip said. "I think you do." Cordelia told him. "It's ridiculous. - I'm just a somewhat normal girl - who - has visions, glows, and occasionally blows things up with her crazy new power." Skip looked at her. "I'm a higher being." Skip said. "Yes." Cordelia realized. "And when you say I've - outgrown this level, that sort of implies..." Skip confirmed. "You're moving on to a new one." Cordelia said. "Now I'm really scared." Skip agreed. "I know. But I also know you're ready."
"Ready for your master's big plan", Summers sneered angrily at Skip.
"So when she ascends, that thing is gonna come for her, isn't it?" Buffy asked with a gulp.
"Yes, it is", Rosenberg confirmed, and their dread only increased.
Cordelia shook her head. "Oh, no, I'm not." Skip told her. "Ah, the universe begs to differ. And deep down inside, I think..." Cordelia snapped. "Yes! All right? Stop saying I know! - Maybe I do know. Maybe. If given enough time, I might even get used to the idea, but - I don't have enough time, do I?" Connor kicked Angel across the face. "Easy", Angel caught Connor from behind in a nelson. "Talk to me! Talk to me, okay?" Seeing that he couldn't get free Connor stopped struggling. "Okay." Angel let go of him. Connor pulled something out of his pocket, then turned and zapped Angel full in the face with a tazer. Angel flew back, landing in the surf. Connor jumped on him and started to slug him across the face. A wave rolled over them, and Angel used it to roll on top of Connor. He held Connor's face under the water for a moment then pulled him up. "I don't know what the hell is wrong with you but you're gonna talk..." Connor slugged him across the face with the tazer. Angel dropped to his knees, and Connor kept zapping him until Angel lay facedown in the water, no longer moving. Pulling a flashlight from his back pocket, Connor turned it on and signaled to a boat waiting off shore. The boat flashed a light in response, Justine steering the boat closer to shore.
"Oh, it's you, losing all sympathy you could get", Dawnster snarled at Justine.
"Yeah, she could have been free, instead she chose to be Holtz's loyal dog even after he betrayed her", Harris shook his head.
"And now she has done this", Buffy shook her head. "Helping separate father and child."
"Yeah", Dawnster growled.
Their dad was a deadbeat, Connor's wasn't, so him being parted from his dad like this was heartbreaking for the Summers sisters.
Cordelia was angry. "No, of course not. Why would the Powers give me time to have the most important conversation of my life? I'm on my way to..." Skip just looked at her. "I'm in love! With Angel." Skip told her. "What you're being called to do - transcends love."
"Nothing transcends love. Nothing", Tara shook her head. "Love is pure."
"He knows that, but he has to say whatever he can", Rosenberg spoke up.
Cordelia asked. "How is that fair? I can't leave without telling him! I won't. - He has to know how I feel! Why does this have to be now?" Skip told her. "There is work to be done in the higher realms." Cordelia then asked. "Can you at least tell Angel for me?" Skip shook his head. "Sorry. Not allowed." Cordelia replied. "Then I'm not going. - How can they possibly do this to me now? - This is the last test, isn't it?"
"Because it is not them, even they won't be this cruel", Giles said. "Or maybe they would but its not them this time."
"You're not wrong", Summers sighed.
Angel woke to the sound of a screw-gun. He was lying on his back inside a metal casket. Connor was tightening the screws on it. Thick steel cables were wrapped over Angel's ankles, thighs, abdomen and chest, confining his arms at his sides and holding him motionless. "Connor. - Why are you doing this?" Connor accused. "You murdered my father." Angel defended himself. "No. I didn't. I swear." Justine said. "He's lying." Angel said. "I'm not lying. And she knows it." Connor told him. "You're the prince of lies." Angel finally realized. "That's why you wouldn't let them kill me at the drive-in. So you could." Connor said. "Killing is too good for you. You don't get to die. You get to live - forever."
"How could you?" Buffy shook her head in disbelief at Connor. "He loves you."
"What are they doing?" Xander asked.
No one else commented.
Skip asked. "Cordelia." Cordelia turned to look at Skip and he tapped his left wrist. "I ever come face-to-face with those Powers That Be, we are going to have a talk, a big talk." Skip assured her. "You're doing the right thing." Cordelia came to a realization. "I'm scared. - But I know it's right. I know somehow it's all gonna be alright." She sighed. "What do I do?" Skip replied. "Just say yes." Cordelia said. "I already have." Golden sparkles appeared around Cordelia as she started to float up in a corridor of white light. Connor was still tightening the screws on Angel's coffin. "Some day you'll learn the truth - and you'll hate yourself. Don't. It's not your fault." Justine looked over at Connor and Angel. "I don't blame you." Connor sneered. "Liar!" Angel told him. "Listen to me. I love you! Never forget that." Connor and Justine went to pick up the lid of the coffin. Angel told him again. "Connor?! Connor, never forget that I'm your father and that I love you." Justine and Connor started to lower the lid in place. "Connor? Con..." Angel's voice was cut off as the lid came down. Connor looked down through the wire-mesh glass window at Angel's face, then he and Justine slid the two rods that locked the lid in place into their channels, and Justine welded them into place, while Connor kept looking at Angel.
"Really hope you get yours", Dawnster snarled at Justine.
"She will, very soon", Dawn assured.
"Though even that's disturbing", Harris spoke up.
"Now what's gonna-" Buffy trailed off.
Justine looked at Connor. They moved to one end of the coffin and pushed it off the back of the boat. Connor and Justine watched as the casket floated for a moment, then one end dipped down the casket sinking straight down leaving behind a small trail of bubbles. Connor looked over at Justine, then back at the spot where the casket went down. The engine of the boat revved up. Connor stayed at the stern, watching, as the boat pulled away into the night. The boat then zipped across the distance into LA.
"And now he is gone", Tara sighed sadly.
"Bottom of the ocean? This really happened?" Buffy asked, confused, since she didn't remember being told of that.
"It did", Summers nodded.
"Then how come we were never told?" Willow asked. "Well, I was at the Devon Coven, but Buffy, Xander and Dawnie would know."
"Yeah, we were never told of this either", Dawnster confirmed.
"Why didn't they tell us?" Xander asked too.
"It's...complicated", Summers said.
"Can you uncomplicate it?" Tara asked.
"Not yet, just keep watching", Maclay said sadly. "Either way, Angel is gone."
"For months", Buffy said hoarsely. "Down there, all alone, like in Acathla's Dimension."
Giles now wrapped an arm around Buffy to comfort her as Dawnster held her hand.
Gunn walked down the steps to the lobby, cell phone in hand as Fred asked. "Connor didn't want to come with us for a midnight snack?" Gunn just looked at her. "It's okay. I'll just scrounge something up here." Gunn asked. "He's not in his room. You - didn't see him?" Fred was surprised. "No. He's gone? Again? Did you ask Lorne if... No, because Lorne doesn't live here anymore. Not used to that yet. - I'm sure Connor will... I'm sure it's nothing, but - we should probably get a hold of Cordelia or Angel." Gunn informed her. "Yeah, I've been trying. No one's answering." Fred told him. "I don't like the sound of that." They were standing all alone in the lobby as Fred asked. "Where did everybody go?"
"Wesley has been kicked out, Lorne is gone, so is Groo, and now Angel and Cordelia", Willow sighed. "They are the only ones left now."
"Without any idea what happened to those two", Xander added sadly.
Skip watched Cordelia rise up inside the cone of light. The metal casket drifted deeper into the ocean. Angel's face was seen through the window as the casket descended. Cordelia was smiling as she disappeared above with a small flash of light. The top of the casket disappeared into darkness, then a soft swoosh was heard. The screen went black.
"Cordelia ascends and Angel descends", Giles summed up the sad tragedy for everyone.
"All because some evil people couldn't let go of their evil plans", Dawnster snarled.
"With that ends Year 3", Summers told them all.
"Wesley and Lilah get together but Angel and Cordelia don't", Buffy shook her head. "Not judging them, just saying."
"Yeah, I get it", Rosenberg nodded.
"So, shall we start Year 4 then?" Willow asked.
"Yeah, that one was real hard to watch", Harris cringed.
"It's going to be an even bigger mess, ain't it?" Xander asked.
"Yes, it is", Maclay told him.
"And we have to see it to understand it all", Tara sighed.
"Yep", Dawn nodded.
"Let's go then", Buffy sighed, everyone still absorbing what they'd seen in this one, especially Angel being sunk in the ocean by his son and them not even aware of it till now, but knowing they had to watch the next one as well.
This is my least favorite finale in the whole Buffyverse. Not a bad episode, I think it was a good episode, but it just doesn't seem like finale material. Outside of the ending, it was quite uneventful.
The best parts of this episode were the Cangel stuff, the tragic ending, Fred's sweet growls (who doesn't love that adorable scene?) and Wesley and Lilah getting together.
It's just so dark and disturbing and wrong…and I love it!
But as much as I love it, I don't see any of the characters getting behind it, no matter how much some of them may understand it, and so I don't want to make these characters my mouthpieces regarding Wesley/Lilah.
Though I make it clear again, what the characters feel about Wesley/Lilah does NOT reflect what I feel about it. It may not be the healthiest but its compelling as hell, and is among my favorite Buffyverse pairings too. I even have a MCU/Buffyverse crossover series where Lilah gets a genuine redemption arc and becomes a good person, and gets a healthier relationship with Wesley, and it ends with Lilah being the one to shoot Lindsey instead of Lorne, and I also posted a Wesley/Lilah smut one-shot titled 'Perfect that way', so if you like Wesley/Lilah and also explicit smut (though that one's more inner monologue-y with the hot stuff going on at the same time), feel free to check that out, and if you're familiar with MCU (including the Netflix shows), feel free to check out the MCU/Buffyverse series too.
Anyway, next up we start Season 4 *sighs*
Hope all enjoyed and see you all next time with another chapter.