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Finally, we begin Season 4, which I think gets better on rewatches. Now there is a lot of stuff I like (or love) - The premiere and finale, Spin The Bottle, the whole arc starting from 'Apocalypse, Nowish' to 'Orpheus', especially the last 3 episodes which I call the Faith/Angelus Trilogy, Wesley's character arc as well as Wesley/Lilah (it's amazing) and the action scenes, and of course Willow's appearance (Best crossover episode!). Even Jasmine herself after she came out was a fine villain IMO, though that might be due to Gina Torres.
But, there is a lot of stuff that I completely despise too. The Cordelia/Connor bullshit alongside the whole 'Cordelia gets pregnant and gives birth to a fucking woman' bullshit was always the worst plotline of this show, and now knowing the abuse Charisma suffered from Joss the creep behind the scenes, it looks even worse. Like, Joss, Charisma doesn't have to revolve her life around you. Of course you're too much of an egotistical jerk and creep to understand that, you bastard. And come on, there are better ways to handle real-life pregnancies within the show.
Just, you know, give the character played by the pregnant actress an excuse to lie on the bed the whole time, wrapped in a lot of blankets.
Also, Connor, while I still had sympathy for him, receives no growth this whole Season asides from the last 2 episodes, he just remains the same guy, the same annoying little jerk, it gets annoying and after a certain point, even his backstory isn't enough for me to give him any kind of leeway.
And, while Cordelia was obviously done dirty (that goes without saying) this Season also did Lilah dirty. She finally moved up by a lot in this Season, but then they killed her off just to give us the 'Cordelia' reveal. Basically, character-assassinating Cordelia and actually assassinating Lilah in the very same scene. Connor too was done dirty.
Plus, the retcon that Jasmine had been influencing the whole team's lives from the start was just tasteless. All the struggles and hardships that Angel, Cordelia, Wesley, Lorne, Fred, Gunn, Connor and even Doyle and Darla went through were made near meaningless by that bullshit retcon. I hated it so much.
Also, while Cordelia was done dirty, here is another thing that makes it all even worse. Cordelia-Jasmine and Jasmine are completely different characters. Their behavior doesn't have an ounce of similarity at all. If Cordelia-Jasmine acted more like Jasmine, it would have been very, very slightly better, but since that didn't happen, it's even worse.
And, the characters were kind of at their worst in this Season if you think about it, like in Buffy Season 6. In Buffy Season 6, Buffy was depressed and ended up in a violent relationship with Spike, Willow was addicted, Xander ditched Anya at the altar instead of talking about his problems, Spike ended up preying on Buffy's depression to make sure she keeps coming back to his bed and the whole relationship ended up with THAT in 6x19, Dawn ended up going a little too far even if I understood her feelings completely (I love Dawn and am much more sympathetic to her than most of the fandom, and I never could get the hate for her, I find it ridiculous personally, but this Season she did go too far in 6x14), Giles just left like a moron, and Tara was….well, Tara, she was the only one who didn't do anything wrong, and was still a great person, and tried her best to hold the whole group together.
In Angel Season 4, Angel was Angelus (not his fault, but you know what I mean), Cordelia was possessed (again, not her fault, but if you're watching it for the first time, then up until the reveal, she does end up looking unlikable, which makes me wanna throw Joss through many walls), Wesley was a toxic person (narratively, his character was the only one that didn't suffer this Season, his character arc went on perfectly even here, but you have to admit, he was a toxic person to the rest in this Season's first half, even Lilah who was the only one there for him, in her own way obviously), Fred got paranoid like in Pylea again (understandable, but you know what I mean), Gunn got insecure about his relationship with Fred (again, understandable, but you know what I mean), Connor got no growth and it made him an annoying jerk, and Lorne was….well, Lorne, he was the only one who didn't do anything wrong, and was still a great person, and tried his best to share his optimism with the rest of the group.
So praise Tara and Lorne for being the best!
Also, if counting out Lorne, Angelus is the most likeable character, then you have a problem.
Basically, the good is really, really good and the bad is really, really bad.
Anyway, enough rambling, time to begin.
Chapter 84- Deep Down
"Time to watch this one, though I don't think I'm ready", Buffy sighed.
"Me neither", Willow muttered as Buffy started the recording.
Cordelia, Fred, Gunn, Lorne and Connor were all shown sitting around a table, eating and passing food as Lorne said they used to call him 'sweet potato' in Pylea but it meant 'fragrant tuber', bringing chuckles, and Cordelia asked Angel, who was also seated, if he wasn't hungry. Angel said. "No! I'm starving. It's just... I wanna freeze this moment. You - Connor - all of us - safe - and happy - and together. Considering what we went through over the summer..." Wesley, who was also there, leaned forward to raise his glass in a toast. "To family." Angel, smiling, raised his own glass as the others followed suit. "To family." Lorne added. "As long as it is not mine." All laughed and clinked glasses.
"This isn't real, is it?" Dawnster asked. "Because he's in the ocean."
"Yeah, it's in his head", Summers agreed.
"Wesley's there too", Tara pointed out.
"You're saying he still cares about the guy?" Xander asked.
"Yes, that's exactly what she's saying", Maclay told him.
Cordelia pointed out Angel couldn't toast with an empty glass, holding a water-pitcher over his glass, as he asked if it was bad luck, to which she assured it was all over and things were back to normal, nothing could break them apart now. She leaned towards him, saying if anything tried, she'd glow and kick its ass, to which Angel said he liked it when she glowed. The two were leaning closer to each other, about to kiss when Connor asked if he'd to watch this part, so Angel ruffled his hair, joking he could poke his eyes out. Eventually, all started passing food around but it never came within Angel's reach. He finally grabbed a platter but when he looked down on it, it only had some juices left. Angel accidentally knocked his water-filled wineglass to the floor, shattering it into pieces. "Now look what you've done, silly."
"This dream isn't good anymore", Willow muttered.
"Considering where he is, really can't be", Summer said sadly, as the poor guy had been alone there for so many months, and had been thrown by his own son over a lie.
The warm, festive light was suddenly replaced with a bluish watery glow as Angel stared down to find his feet ankle deep in water. Angel's skin had turned pasty white and cracks had appeared on his cheeks, chin and forehead. Connor said. "Freeze the moment, dad. It'll last forever." The table was stripped of food and deserted. Angel's eyes snapped open. He was lying in his coffin at the bottom of the ocean.
No one could bring themselves to comment, their hearts just going out to Angel for being lost and alone inside the ocean for so many months. And he couldn't even die to end his suffering since he was already dead.
Fred and Gunn ran down a dark alley, ending up in his truck and after exchanging some banter, drove off, only for a Vamp to jump on the hood as he punched the windshield. Gunn swerved crazily, managing to dislodge the Vamp, and then stopped as a red convertible pulled up, 3 Vamps getting out. The bald one helped the downed one up as Fred and Gunn got out, asking about a girl called Marissa. Eventually, Fred aimed a crossbow bolt at the bald one, and he gave the location, saying he wanted his CDs back. Gunn assured they'd pass it along but then the bald one said he'd do it himself.
"So, time for a fight", Xander sighed.
"It usually ends in a fight", Harris muttered to him.
Fred shot, but the vamp deflected the bolt. Fred dropped one crossbow to pick up another, loaded one, while Gunn attacked, but bald Vamp grabbed her by the throat before she could finish. "I see Angel left you a little toy, huh?" "More than one." Fred staked him using Angel wrist-stake-launcher, then picked up the loaded crossbow.
"Go Fred", Willow cheered as all smirked.
"Even she learnt fighting earlier than I did", Xander muttered.
"Yeah, we really messed up trying to rely on fading army memories after high school was over", Harris told him.
Gunn twisted aside and Fred shot the vamp he was fighting. Gunn grabbed the arrow as the vamp dusted, and staked the third vamp with it, leaving only one. The last one kicked Gunn down and snatched his hubcap-ax from the ground and threw it at Fred. Before either Fred or Gunn could move, Conner suddenly appeared out of nowhere, snatched the ax out of the air before it could reach Fred and launched it back at the vamp, decapitating him. He then grinned and laughed, asking if it was cool.
"It was", Dawnster said in a grudging tone.
"They have been looking for Angel and Cordelia all this time, haven't they?" Buffy asked.
"Yes", Rosenberg nodded. "But not many saw it, and the one who did is responsible for it."
"This sucks", Buffy muttered.
"But I do not think Connor can keep up the façade forever", Giles said to them.
"Oh no, he can't, especially considering what is about to happen", Dawn smirked, thinking about Wesley.
Later, at Hyperion, Fred and Gunn chided Connor for splitting from them, even if the rest of the gang were getting away. Connor agreed finally, then asked again if the ax thing was cool, and Gunn said it was, but he had to clean it, even if Vamps dusted. Gunn then entered the office and turned to see Fred on the desk, as he talked about how all their leads on Angel and Cordelia had been dead ends, while they were getting an eviction now, so they needed Lorne, to which Fred said she'd tried him 60 times. "He's lost the mission, bro."
In spite of the situation, Fred talking like Gunn brought some chuckles to them all.
"Why isn't Lorne helping?" Xander asked then.
"What they don't know is that he is kind of in trouble too", Dawn said.
"It's not even kind of", Summers told them.
"Well, crap", Buffy sighed.
Gunn said she couldn't say bro, to which she asked if she could say dawg, but after Gunn's look, Fred hurried back to her laptop, and then Fred and Gunn said 'she' could tell them where Angel was, so they had to find her, only for Connor to hear them.
"Why did you have to come in right now?" Dawnster asked with a groan.
"He has the worst timing", Rosenberg muttered.
"Well, there is a lead at least", Willow said.
Ocean waves broke against the shore at the bottom of the bluff, sending up plumes of white spray. Angel turned away from the view - only to find Cordelia, all in flowing white, waiting for him beside his car. "Cordelia. - I didn't think you were coming." Cordelia said. "You know me better than that. Better than anybody." Angel gave a slight laugh and stuck his hands his pockets. "I don't know if that's true." "Yes. You do." Cordelia slowly walked over to the edge. "It's so beautiful here." Angel watched her. "Yes. Yes, it is. - Just the way it should be." He frowned as there was a quick flash of him and Connor tumbling down the bluff. "But it's not. This isn't how it happened." Another flash of him and Connor, fighting.
"Another dream, isn't it?" Buffy asked.
"Yeah", Maclay nodded sadly.
"If only this was what really happened", Tara sighed, since Angel and Cordelia deserved a fair chance, which they never got, sadly.
Cordelia agreed. "I know. - I like this version better." Angel trailed off. "It was Connor. He was here. He..." Flash of Connor tazering Angel. Cordelia put a hand against the side of Angel's face. "I can't remember what it was like - not knowing you, not being close to you. I'm in love with you Angel. Deep down I think I have been for a long time. I needed you to know that." Angel pulled Cordelia into a kiss, then pulled back to look at her. "I need you, Cordy. I need you." He leaned in to kiss the side of her neck, then vamped out and sank his teeth in. Cordelia gasped as Angel gulped down her blood. Angel pulled back. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry!" Cordelia let out a scream as Angel returned to feeding - only to wake up wide-eyed and screaming in his watery grave.
The ending of the dream made them all flinch a little.
"Why can't any of his dreams end good?" Dawnster asked. She hated nightmares.
"The watery grave probably makes sure of it", Summers told her with sympathy in her voice.
"Not even in a dream can he get something good", Willow sighed. "Poor guy."
Buffy was too shocked and sad to comment. First stuck in a Hell Dimension by his girlfriend which was her at the time (though that was necessary) and now thrown into the ocean by his own son, over a lie.
Connor was a bit dejected Fred and Gunn hadn't told him, and they wanted to go by themselves since Marissa was just one Vamp, but Connor convinced them to let him come as it was his father and he wanted to know, so Fred finally agreed as he ran from the room with a quick smile.
"Now that is a bad idea", Xander said.
"He's going to stall them, right?" Buffy asked.
"Yeah, can't have 'em knowing he is the one responsible for daddy dearest missing", Rosenberg shrugged dryly.
After a small argument, Gunn snapped they had nothing, and Fred pointed out Wolfram and Hart could help, but he pointed out how ridiculous that was, to which Fred said she hadn't called it easy. Gunn said without Angel, they couldn't afford pissing them off, so Fred started asking about Wesley, but Gunn immediately refused, saying he didn't give a damn about them, and must live with the choice he'd made before leaving.
"Wesley isn't even helping them?" Giles asked, sounding a bit judgmental now.
"He did say not to ask for his help again", Willow reminded.
"Actually, it's a bit more complicated than that, see the whole thing before saying anything", Maclay said to them.
A sweaty Lilah sank down onto an equally sweaty Wesley, both naked in his bed, as she said it didn't completely suck other than a little, to which Wesley said they could expand upon it next time. Lilah asked why he thought there'd be a next time, to which he said she couldn't resist him. She grabbed his head back by his hair and licked his face, saying he had it backwards, before rolling off him and getting out of bed.
Most of the past people were now weirded out and disgusted again.
"Banging the enemy", Xander muttered.
"This is so…..wrong", Buffy let out.
"So he refused to help them, and is sleeping with her", Giles shook his head.
"Our Tara just told you it's a bit more complicated than him not helping them", Summers reminded Giles in a sharp tone, making him wince. "This is wrong, we won't deny, but don't judge him completely."
"If anything, he has now embraced part of the Watcher mentality, and even refined it to be better", Rosenberg said, to their shock. "But still, since its Watcher mentality, there are flaws in it."
"Basically, he sees and does the grey stuff now", Maclay summed up. "There are flaws with what he does, and some of it can even be wrong, but he produces results. I don't like it, but I understand why he ended up like this."
"Guess we should see more before we comment", Tara told the rest, and they nodded reluctantly, other than Willow, who could get Wesley, so her nod wasn't reluctant.
Lilah said snack break was over, Wesley saying Wolfram and Hart did its best work after dark. Lilah dressed up, saying sun was bad for complexion and he could ask Angel before saying he couldn't due to the smothering incident, Wesley quipping he hadn't thought kidnapping Angel's son would have such a negative effect on their friendship, Lilah said doing the right thing could be confusing, and he could talk to Angel once he got back, only for Wesley to laugh as he said he'd no idea where Angel was and couldn't care. Lilah sat on the bed's edge, saying that was cold, so they were making progress, wondering if not knowing didn't even bother him a little. "That part of my life is dead- Doesn't concern me now." Lilah looked at him. "No it doesn't."
"Did she look…disappointed?" Willow asked, and the other past people were surprised at that.
"What do you mean, Will?" Buffy asked her.
"She just looked, disappointed at Wesley's coldness", Willow said. "I know it sounds stupid, but it looked like that."
"It was that", Summers told them, to their shock. "Let's just say the whole relationship was a complicated thing, there's a lot of stuff we still don't get about it."
"So, she wants him to go bad, but is disappointed when he starts going bad, contradictory", Xander quipped.
"Remember, complicated", Dawn told him.
Lilah leaned down for a quick kiss goodbye, but Wesley grabbed a hold of her hair and pulled her back for a deeper kiss. After a moment Lilah pulled back and Wesley watched her walk out of the room. As soon as she is gone he pulled on his pants then went to unlock the safety bolt on his closet door. The door swung open to reveal a second one made of metal bars. "It's time." Wesley looked through the bars at a shackled and gagged Justine. "Let's go for a boat ride."
Now all of the past people were horrified.
"He kept her in his…..closet?" Dawnster let out with a dropped jaw.
"What was he….torturing her?" Buffy asked.
"He was", Summers nodded.
"What the hell, man?" Xander shook his head.
"For what, revenge?" Giles asked.
"Yes, revenge, but not just revenge", Harris raised his finger.
"What do you mean?" Buffy asked.
"Wesley was lying when he said he didn't care anymore", Rosenberg told them, as the past people realized what that meant.
"So he is…." Willow trailed off.
"Yeah", Maclay nodded.
"Still, this went too far", Buffy said.
"She sliced his throat", Dawn reminded her. "I like it as much as you do, but Wesley isn't either of us, and he has different rules."
"Wesley makes the hard choices, even if they cost him his humanity and friends, whether it's the right call in the end or not depends on the results", Rosenberg summed up for them all.
Wesley steered a small ship across the dark ocean as Justine mouthed off behind him, though Wesley ignored that and made some markings on the map. Justine asked if finding Angel would change a thing, to which he said it'd change everything. Justine scoffed it was better than filling her bucket all day to which Wesley said. "Perhaps you should have considered that before slitting my throat." Wesley walked back to the steering wheel as Justine snarled. "The great Wesley Wyndham-Price, the shining beacon of all that's good and pure. But wait, no! That's before he started banging the enemy and keeping slave-girl in his closet."
"You really didn't know him that well before then", Summers shook her head. "He always tried to make the hard choices, even if they went wrong."
"Guess her assumption is based on only what she saw", Tara pointed out.
Buffy, Dawnster, Giles and Xander were a bit disturbed since Justine's description of current Wesley was accurate, even if they got their future selves' explanation. Giles did have it in him to make hard choices, but torturing someone like that and locking them in one's closet was too far for even him.
Wesley said. "You were always a slave, Justine. You just couldn't see the chains." After some more scoffing from Justine, Wesley wondered if her sister would be ashamed, since her death made Justine desire revenge, though she called it justice, but Wesley said she'd turned a son against his father. Justine snapped. "Angel got what he deserved!"
"And what do you deserve?" Dawnster now snarled at Justine, any sympathy she'd left within her finally evaporating completely.
"Your revenge was pretty stupid. I mean, you didn't do a thing to the Vamp that killed your sister, to our knowledge, and went after a good one who didn't have a thing to do with you", Buffy said to Justine angrily.
"Yeah, Holtz had a way with words, but at the end, she is responsible for what she did", Rosenberg agreed.
Wesley said. "We all get what we deserve. - You and Holtz deserved each other. You two have so much in common. Pain, loss, deep seated lack of anything approaching humor." Justine quipped. "I don't know. We had a few laughs. Getting you to steal Angel's baby, now that was a good one." Wesley asked. "Better than tricking Connor into sinking his father to the bottom of the ocean?" Justine told him. "Well, that was worth a couple of yuks, too." Wesley pointed out. "Not much of a plan though, was it, really? Easy to figure out which door to kick in when Angel went missing. And not much harder to persuade you to betray everything Holtz had given his life for. Not that it was worth very much. Well, you should know. You're the one that ended it."
"Why didn't Fred or Gunn try to look into the matter this way?" Xander asked.
"Wes took Justine before they could reach her", Harris told him and he nodded.
Justine picked up the wrench that was holding down the maps and hauled back to hit the back of Wesley's head. Wesley, without turning to look threatened. "I'll take away your bucket." Justine tossed the wrench back on the table.
"He…..broke her", Giles said, the past people disturbed again, even Willow and Tara, though they understood at least. Even Giles didn't remember having gone this far with anyone.
Basically, all Justine had was the barest of meals, and a bucket for her excrement. How could the bumbling Wesley become that ruthless?
But then looking back at what he'd been through, it made sense why he was like this now. He had evolved, for better and worse both.
"Little bit of both revenge and justice", Dawn told them darkly.
Connor burst in with a sword, Fred and Gunn behind him, and it looked like Marissa was gone due to the cluttered room, only for Connor to flip up a blanket and pick up some headphones where music was playing. At that moment Marissa dropped down from the ceiling, knocking Fred and Gunn to the floor, and ran to attack Connor. They exchanged some blows then Connor pushed Marissa up against a pillar and lay his sword across her throat, Fred and Gunn trying to question her, and she had seen Angel based on her description, as Connor pulled the sword back but she punched his gut, then knocked Gunn away, then ran past him and launched herself through the window across the room, Connor jumping up as Gunn chided him again but Connor launched himself after Marissa. Fred and Gunn ran to the window but there was no sign of either of them.
"I don't like the feel of this", Buffy muttered.
"Connor is gonna kill her, isn't he?" Willow asked.
"Yeah, he doesn't want his dad found", Maclay sighed.
"Especially since Marissa did see him", Tara added.
Marissa runs down a dark alley, takes a quick look around, then scaled the side of one of the buildings - only to find Connor on the roof, waiting for her. He asked she'd seen but she said it didn't matter as she morphed into human face, only for Connor to stake her. As Fred and Gunn arrived, Connor ripped off his shirtsleeve and scored his arm with the stake, telling the two he'd no choice due to being attacked, but Gunn called him out for running off like that. Connor tossed the stake away and ran to building's edge, jumping off as Gunn snapped their only lead in 3 months was dusted, though Fred defended him, calling him just a boy, and Gunn pointed out what he could do, reminding they'd called him the Destroyer in Quortoth, and that wasn't a good thing unless there was 'Conan' in the front. Fred said the only thing that mattered was that he was Angel's son, then walked down the stairs as Gunn followed with a sigh.
"Son who threw his father in the ocean and doesn't want him found", Dawnster snarled.
"Guess he got his acting chops from daddy", Xander groaned.
"Yeah, which is a bad thing", Summers told them.
Connor was crouched on a rooftop, overlooking the city, as Angel arrived, trying to talk to him, and then some Vamps arrived and both laughed. The Vamps attacked as Angel struck one down, then kicked another down, who rolled to Connor and got kicked, and as he got up, Connor punched him away. Angel kicked another and went down as another jumped over him and fell. Angel flipped up and ducking a Vamp's swing, punched another away before smacking another. Connor kicked another before putting him down, then kicked another while Angel threw one of them at another. Angel and Connor then both exchanged a significant look.
"If only this was real", Buffy sighed sadly.
"Another dream, right?" Willow asked.
"Yeah, more of them", Rosenberg nodded with another sad sigh.
Angel dodged another Vamp's kick, then exchanged blows, as Connor did the same with another, and both beat their opponents before one came at Angel with a stake from behind. "Dad!" Connor yelled as Angel turned, and Connor kicked the stake away before the Vamp grabbed him by the throat, but Connor freed himself as Angel punched him, and Connor tossed him off the roof. Angel thanked his son with a smile before snapping his neck, and then Angel woke up in his coffin, screaming and straining.
Buffy had a hand on her mouth, Angel's screams breaking her heart as her sister noticed and held her hand.
Seeing Angel's condition reduced the past people's sympathy for Connor by a lot, even after what he'd gone through.
"How could one do that to his father?" Giles asked to no one. Dusting Angel, while also horrible, would have been merciful revenge (for no reason obviously, since Holtz killed himself) at least, this was eternal torture.
Lorne was in Vegas in a furry blue coat, getting ready for his show when a guy handed him a cell phone and it was Fred, who tried to talk to him, Gunn next to her. Fred asked for his help, asking if his connections had anything on Angel or Cordelia. Lorne said he didn't have a peep, and before leaving, asked them to make sure fluffy is getting enough love. Fred hung up the phone, annoyed, and asked who fluffy was, Gunn wondering if he was fluffy. Fred wondered if anything of hers was fluffy, because that'd be inappropriate. Gunn said he was deserting us and they'd be out of this place soon, but Fred assured they'd find Angel and Cordelia.
"So, was he making some joke with the fluffy thing?" Dawnster asked randomly.
"Actually, there is a deeper meaning behind it", Summers revealed to the past people's surprise.
"You will see what it means in a few recordings, and it will also explain why is unable to help them right now", Rosenberg said.
"So it's a matter of 'can't' and not 'won't'", Tara realized.
"Oh if he could help them, he'd help them in a heartbeat", Dawn assured them.
"So, not lost the mission then", Xander said as the past people were relieved at that.
At Wolfram and Hart, Linwood told Lilah that Gavin had a breakthrough with the psychics, and he said they knew Angel was safe and immobilized. Lilah pointed out it was all vague, and told Linwood that the Senior Partners wanted Angel as a major player. Linwood said Gavin's work with psychics had uncovered invaluable intel in many areas, asking him to enlighten them, to which Lilah said what she did in her personal time wasn't Gavin's business, to which Linwood said everything was his business. Lilah assured she wasn't sleeping with Wesley for information, as Linwood said they could play his confidence in her to their advantage, but Lilah said there was nothing to take advantage of. Linwood said they could take advantage of her, and said there'd be a staff meeting, leaving with Gavin as Lilah watched.
"So he knows, why am I not surprised?" Buffy quipped.
"Well, I hate Lilah, but yeah, what she does in her personal time isn't really his business, no matter what he says", Willow said. "Plus, we've seen it- she isn't sleeping with him for information."
"No, she is just trying to recruit him", Xander shrugged.
"Still, I mean, there is, well, something there", Maclay pointed out. "None of us can tell what it is, but there is something there."
"So cheap Holland is just being snoopy", Dawnster quipped.
"Cheap Holland, I like it", Harris said as they all chuckled.
"It's funny because it's true", Summers said.
"For some reason, I think him threatening her was a mistake", Giles told the rest.
"Well, wait and watch", Dawn shrugged.
"We will", Tara nodded.
Wesley's radar beeped, and he knew it was something metallic, so he gave Justine diving gear and made her jump down. Eventually, her flashlight's beam found the lid of Angel's coffin, illuminating his pale and cracked face, making him blink, and later Wesley and Justine watched as the ship's hoist slowly hauled the coffin aboard.
"They got Angel!" Buffy sighed in relief, feeling a huge weight lifted off her shoulders, and the other past people were relieved too. "He is saved."
"So he does care", Xander commented.
"Yeah, but he's not gonna show it", Harris shrugged.
"Also, he has been trying to find Cordy as well", Rosenberg added, adding to the past people's surprise.
"So, hardass, but inside, he still cares", Willow muttered.
"At least Angel is back, I think Angel should forgive him now", Tara hoped.
"Yes, now he will", Summers assured. "Their friendship was never the same after the incident with Connor, but yeah, it does get as normal as it can get after this."
"Well, better than nothing", Dawnster shrugged with a smile.
Wesley lit a blowtorch and burnt through the welds securing the sidebars, before sliding the bars out as he and Justine lifted the lid off the coffin. Wesley cut the steel cords holding Angel immobile. Justine sarcastically congratulated Wesley when Angel's hand shot up, grabbing Wesley by the throat, his eyes snapping open, and his brow drawing together in a slight frown as he focused on Wesley.
The past people flinched as Xander started. "Dude-"
"He is not in his senses, Xander", Summers said. "He doesn't even know Wesley is there, he just grabbed whatever he thought it was."
"Oh!" Xander said lamely, feeling embarrassed.
Wesley took a hold of Angel's hand who let him pull it away and lay it back down on his chest. Wesley then lay Angel on the table in the main cabin before pulling glasses with animal blood, trying to get Angel to drink it, telling Justine the damage to higher brain functions without feeding indefinitely could be catastrophic. Angel started to cough as Justine taunted Wesley that he'd never be taken back.
"Angel had a lot of time to think down there", Maclay told the past people.
"And what conclusion did he reach?" Buffy asked.
"That Wesley is more loyal than his son now", Rosenberg said grimly as they sighed.
Connor arrived at the Hyperion's lobby to see Fred and Gunn sitting there, and they assured they wouldn't yell, Connor apologizing for running off alone. Gunn smiled, saying it was like Angel. Connor said he wasn't like Angel, to which Gunn he wasn't as strong yet, making Connor say he didn't care what Gunn thought, and things got tense again as Fred stepped in between them, telling Connor to wash up, so he went off as Gunn said Connor wanted him to lose it. Fred said Connor was testing him because with Angel gone, Gunn was the alpha male, which he agreed with, and eventually they kissed but the phone rang, so Gunn reluctantly decided to pick it up.
"I think the time for gentleness is way past now", Willow said with folded arms. "He threw Angel into the ocean, and he is disrespectful to Fred and Gunn who're both trying to take care of him."
"At least Fred saved him this time with the alpha male comment", Dawnster quipped as the rest chuckled.
"Oh don't worry, like we said, Angel had time to think there, and now, he knows the time for gentleness is past", Summers assured the past people.
Angel was lying on a table in the ship in a rolled up blanket as he hallucinated Lorne, telling him all he touched became ashes. Lorne said only thing turning to ashes was his patricidal pup and he'd take him out himself if he wasn't a hallucination.
"Angel's actually thinking of killing his son?" Buffy asked in shock.
"Well, the thought did enter his mind sometimes", Rosenberg shrugged.
"But it's his son!" Buffy snapped.
"That's the only reason Angel didn't go through with that thought", Maclay said to the past people, and while they wanted to say it was wrong to have that thought, after what Connor had done, it was unfair to Angel to say he was wrong to at least think that, even for a few seconds.
What Connor had done was unforgivable, and anyone else in his place would have been killed by Angel for this.
Wesley came downstairs, inquiring about Angel's condition before walking to the table. Angel tried to get up as Wesley put a hand on his shoulder to stop him, Lorne singing the mockingbird lullaby to calm him down. Angel then saw Connor standing over him and said. "I should have killed you." Wesley looked down at Angel as Justine laughed.
The past people sighed again as Dawnster. "Not you! Connor! Which I'm not sure is a good thing either, but not you!"
"He actually gets Angel is not in his senses, so he wasn't even sure who Angel was talking to", Summers assured the past people.
"Well, that's good I guess", Xander sighed in relief.
Wesley said pig's blood wouldn't be enough nourishment, and took out a knife, horrifying Justine, who said she wouldn't feed Angel, but Wesley said her blood was too thin, and sliced across the inner side of his left forearm then moved to the table and held the cut down over Angel's lips. Angel's hands came up and he held Wesley's arm in place as he drank, but he didn't morph into his vamp face.
"He'll be okay now, right?" Buffy asked.
"Yeah, he'll be fine", Harris assured.
"He's more like Lilah than thought", Giles commented, as this reminded him of the time Lilah had tricked Linwood into thinking she'd cut him before cutting herself.
Lilah was in the meeting room alone, caressing the headrest behind Linwood's chair, and the doors opened as Linwood, Gavin and the rest arrived, Lilah taking her seat. Linwood then said all had reviewed Lilah's file, asking for recommendations. Lilah tried to speak up but Gavin cut her off, saying her record spoke for itself. Linwood said her failures outstripped her successes by a huge margin, so she should be at a less central office, Gavin adding it could be a third world Dimension, so Lilah apologized, saying she'd make mistakes but fear wasn't among them.
"As much as I hate to say it, she is right, she was the only one who did do anything at all", Tara said to the rest.
"So, she deserves punishment, but at the same time, doesn't, God this is killing me!" Xander snapped, now actually missing his black and white morality to some extent.
"The others are actually just jealous that she could do it better than them", Rosenberg shrugged.
"She failed, but that's because she tried, unlike them", Maclay nodded.
Lilah pointed out they didn't have Connor in custody, and they hadn't pinpointed Angel's location either, to which Linwood said he decided stuff since this was his corner of the sky, so he could decide when the sun rose and set. "Lack of long-term vision has always been one of your shortcomings." Lilah stood up, holding a Palm-pilot and stylus. "And lack of courage has always been one of yours. You're afraid - of Angel and his son. And that's the reason for your daring strategy of 'wait and see', isn't it? You're afraid. And fear breeds weakness."
"Okay, you know what? For this once, I'm gonna cheer for her, give it to 'em", Buffy said.
"Yeah, she is evil and I hate her, but they're all useless and jealous", Dawnster agreed. "And Gavin is the most useless worker in this firm."
"I know right?" Dawn said. "I don't know a thing about the guy sitting next to Gavin, but I know even he is more useful to the firm than Gavin."
"Yes, that'd be true", Summers shrugged.
Linwood said. "Oh. I'm hurt. Is that really what you think of me?" Lilah nodded. "Yes. And Mr. Suvarta agrees with me." Linwood was now angry. "You spoke to a Senior Partner?" Lilah told him. "He was really very helpful. He had some great hints on office furniture." Linwood snapped. "This is outrageous! Are you actually telling me that you went over my head?" Lilah touched her stylus to the palm-pilot in her hand. There was an electronic beep - then a blade whipped out of the backrest on Linwood's chair slicing quickly and neatly through his neck. "Just under it, actually." Linwood's head, staring eyes fixed, slowly tumbled forward and rolls down the table.
Now the past people were in shock, not having expected that.
"Okay, I take it back", Buffy said. Linwood was a horrible person but she wasn't comfortable with him dying like that.
"I think he did something useful by dying finally", Harris shrugged coldly, not caring one bit about him.
"But, that means she'll be head now, right?" Willow asked and got nods. "Crap!"
"Even higher position than before, so they must watch out for her", Tara realized.
"Will she continue her relationship with Wesley?" Giles asked out of curiosity.
"Oh yeah, that's gonna go on for a while", Summers told them.
Lilah said. "Mr. Suvarta didn't think Linwood's sky was sunny enough. You're all reporting to me now." She sat down. "Get out." Everyone quickly and quietly got up and filed out the room. "Gavin." Gavin froze. Lilah gave him a slight smile, then indicated the decapitated head with her stylus. "Please - remove that." Gavin gave a nervous smile.
"Not so arrogant and condescending now, are you?" Dawnster asked with a smirk.
"Now he knows exactly how useless he is", Dawn told her.
"It's funny, they all gathered to kick her out, instead their boss got his head chopped off, and now they work for her", Xander quipped. "Disturbingly funny."
No one else made a comment.
Connor was playing a handheld video game when Fred arrived with a sandwich and glass of milk, giving it to him, and having Connor thank her before he took it. He ate the sandwich as she stroke his hair, Connor asking if Gunn was still mad, and she asked what he should say, to which he said sorry. Fred told him. "I can't imagine what you've been through, Connor, being taken away by Holtz, raised in that place. It must have been horrible. I know you're still hurting but - I promise, it's not nearly as much as you're gonna hurt for what you did to your father." Connor stopped chewing and looked up at Fred, who pushed a tazer against his chest and fired. Connor arced back in pain.
The past people were all caught off-guard as Buffy asked. "How did she know?"
"It's explained in a minute", Summers assured.
"Wow, she went from caring to tazing in a second", Xander said in shock.
"She was trying to show him love and affection so far, when she found out what he did, it made her angry at both herself and him", Rosenberg explained. "Herself because she was kind to him after what he'd done to Angel."
"So she's taking that out too", Willow realized and got nods.
"Well, even I think it is time to not be gentle with him, and the tazing was a precaution, since he'd beat both her and Gunn if he was up and running", Tara pointed out to them all.
Connor sat in the office, tied to a chair with Fred standing over him, tazer in hand. "You think that's what Angel felt? When you did it to him? Did he scream like you?" Connor asked. "Why are you doing this?" Gunn told him. "Nah-ah. Don't even try it." Fred revealed. "We got a call form an old friend tonight."
"The phone call from earlier", Buffy realized as they put two and two together. "Wesley."
"Yeah, once he was done, he called them, and he knew it was Connor, since Justine told him", Maclay explained to them.
"Well, busted now", Dawnster smirked to Connor.
Gunn said. "Been playing a little Ahab. He's out there right now puttering around on his boat." Fred added. "With Angel." Connor stayed quiet. Gunn commented. "That's right, Sparky, Daddy's coming home. And I'm guessing there's going to be a spanking." Fred was angry. "He's been down there, all alone, for three months - and you knew!" Gunn asked. "Is that what you did to Cordy? Stuff her in a box some place?" "How could you do that to us?" Fred stepped closer to Connor, the tazer in her outstretched hand shaking a little. "We took you into our home. We cared for you, and all this time... How could you do that?!" When Connor only looked at her, Fred suddenly buried the tazer against Connor's chest. Connor arced back, screaming. "How could you do that?!" Gunn pulled her back: "Fred!" Fred buried her head against Gunn's shoulder and started to cry.
The past people were disturbed on seeing Fred so brutal after she'd been so kind, bubbly and caring from her first appearance to this point.
"She was snatched from her life and thrown into a different Dimension for 5 years, Angel, who saved her, was now snatched from his life, or unlife, and thrown to the bottom of the ocean for months", Rosenberg pointed out why Fred was taking this so personally. "She hates Connor now for that."
"The extra tazing wasn't necessary, but can't say I blame Fred", Willow told the rest in a grim tone. "And that shows how much of a mess this has become."
"This year is horrible, and it's only the first recording", Buffy muttered.
"Buckle up, it will be worse", Summers warned.
Wesley deposited Angel in the passenger seat of his car then looked down at Angel's pale and cracked face. Angel's eyes drifted open and their eyes met. Justine screamed. "He'll turn on you!" Wesley closed the passenger door and walked around to get into the driver's seat. "He won't be able to help it. That's what he is. Sooner or later he will turn on you - and all your friends!" Ignoring Justine, who was handcuffed to a net-draped railing, Wesley got into the car, buckled up and started the engine. "You're just gonna leave me here?" Wesley held up the keys to the cuffs, looking at her, then tossed them at her feet. "You can continue to be a slave, Justine - or you can live your life. Your choice." Wesley drove off, leaving Justine behind.
"That's the last we will see of her", Dawn told the past people.
"So, what did she do after this?" Giles asked out of curiosity.
"Finally made the right choice", Summers said. "Decided to live her life."
"It was too late, since she already made a mess but yeah, she decided to live her life after this", Harris shrugged.
"I think Wes traumatized her too much to try that crap again", Xander said, half-joking, half-serious, and that creeped out the past people really.
Fred was sitting in a chair in the outer office with Gunn rubbing her back. "I would have done anything for him. Now all I wanna do is hurt him." Connor, through the open door of the inner office said. "Go ahead. Hurt me some more, Fred." Fred snapped. "Shut up!" Connor asked. "You think I care? You get used to it." Fred got up. "You don't feel anything, do you? There's nothing inside." Connor challenged. "Why don't you open me up and find out." Fred demanded. "How could you do that to your father?" Connor snarled. "That thing is not my father." Gunn quietly told him. "Yes, he is." Connor sneered. "He got what he deserved." Fred quietly asked. "And how soon before we deserved it?" Connor just looked at her.
"Your thinking is flawed, kid, if Angel deserved it, you do too, you're a kid of 2 Vampires", Willow told him.
"He has bought into Holtz's bullshit so much he doesn't see it", Harris said.
"Still, how soon before they would have deserved it?" Tara asked, and all were silent, pondering.
The lobby doors opened and Fred and Gunn ran out to see Wesley, one of Angel's arms draped over his shoulder helping Angel down the steps into the lobby. "I believe you're looking for this." Angel raised his head and looked at them. Fred called out. "Angel." Fred and Gunn hurried towards them and Gunn helped Wes lead Angel to the settee. Fred said. "Oh, my God." Gunn asked. "Is he gonna be all right?" Wesley said. "In time - maybe." Angel dropped onto the settee with a groan, his head rolling to the side against the headrest. Gunn noted. "He's out of it." Fred was horrified. "Oh god." Gunn assured. "It's okay." Fred pointed out. "Look at him." Gunn assured again. "It's gonna be okay." Angel slowly looked up at them.
"He is back", Buffy said with a relieved smile, and the other past people were relieved too. "Finally, he is safe now, and back where he belongs."
Wesley began to back away from them towards the doors. Fred asked. "What do we do? Wesley..." As Angel's eyes slid shut again, Fred turned, only to see that Wesley was already on the landing. "Where are you going?" Wesley stopped and turned back. "I'm done here." Gunn asked. "What took you so long to tell us about Connor?" Fred pointed out. "You knew what he could do to us." Wesley told them. "You're human. He wouldn't have hurt you. I thought you were safer not knowing." Fred was incredulous. "We were safer? You really don't care anymore, do you?" Wesley only turned to walk towards the door. "He'll need more blood. I'm fresh out." The door closed behind Wesley.
"Ummmm, he just brought Angel back", Dawnster pointed out.
"Feelings are complicated", Summers pointed out. "Fred feels hurt Wesley didn't warn them, even if his reasoning is kind of sound."
"The old Wesley would have warned them, new Wesley is more practical, less emotional", Rosenberg summed up. "But yeah, he does care, though Fred's side is understandable to some extent too."
No one made any more comments on that.
Angel let out a sight groan. Fred said. "It's okay. God, he's freezing." "I'll get some more blankets." Gunn turned to go, but stopped as there was the sound of a chair toppling coming from the office. "Connor!" Fred and Gunn ran for the office. Connor was waiting for them and easily tossed Gunn to the side. Fred tried to tazer him, but he grabbed it away from her and used it against her instead. Fred dropped to the floor in a heap.
"No!" Buffy snapped.
Connor turned - only to find Angel standing in the doorway. "Sit - down."
Now the past people were all interested in what was going to happen next.
"What will he do?" Buffy asked.
"It is time for some parenting, the tough love kind", Summers smirked, and now the past people were even more interested.
Connor backed up a little never taking his eyes off Angel. "You're too weak to take me." Angel challenged. "You really think that?" Connor looked at Angel for another moment, then turned, picked up the chair, slammed it down on the floor, and sat facing Angel.
"It's like whenever I got grounded, just infinitely worse", Dawnster quipped.
"We said and did silly stuff, he threw his dad into the ocean", Dawn said.
Gunn began to stir and sit up. Angel lowered himself into a chair across from Connor with a slight sigh. "So - how was your summer? Mine was fun. Saw some fish. Went mad with hunger. Hallucinated a whole bunch." Gunn quietly helped Fred back to her feet. Connor's eyes never left Angel as he sneered. "You deserved worse."
"Shut up!" Buffy snapped, now pissed off at Connor completely. "I am sorry you were raised in a Hell Dimension by a psycho, but you're not getting any leeway over that now."
"Yeah, time for tough love", Xander quipped.
Angel revealed the truth finally. "Because I killed Holtz - except I didn't. I tried telling you that while you were busy offshore dumping me, but I didn't know the whole score. - Holtz killed himself. Actually - he had your buddy Justine do it with an ice pick. Just to make you hate me." Connor said after a beat. "Even if - you still deserved it."
"What do you deserve then?" Buffy snarled now.
Angel told him. "What I deserve is open to debate. - But understand there is a difference between wishing vengeance on someone - and taking it. - So now - the questions becomes: - what do you deserve?" Connor suddenly jumped up from his chair and ran for the door, but Angel intercepted him, tossing him against the wall. He was calm. "Daddy's not finished talking."
"So you better shut up and listen", Dawnster smirked. "You're gonna get parented now. Bet that never happened to you before."
Angel crouched down next to where Connor sat, scrunched up against the wall. "Wesley told me everything that's been going on. So, as far as I'm concerned what you deserve rests on one answer", Angel leaned in closer. "Did you do something to Cordelia?" "No", Connor said immediately. Fred snarled. "He's lying." Connor looked at Angel. "No, I'm not." Gunn pointed out. "No way she just happened to disappear the same night." Connor didn't take his eyes off Angel. "I'm telling the truth, okay?"
"Yeah, Cordy disappearing the same night was an unfortunate coincidence", Willow sighed sadly.
"The Universe's cruel joke", Maclay muttered.
Angel quietly said. "I know. - I can tell." Angel slowly straightened up and backed away a little. "You've done enough lying for me to know the difference. The truth has a better sound to it, less nasal, you know? - Get up." Connor stood up. Angel told him. "What you did to me - was unbelievable, Connor. - But then I got stuck in a hell dimension by my girlfriend one time for a hundred years, so three months under the ocean actually gave me perspective."
Buffy and Summers exchanged a weird look as the former said. "Well, that was necessary."
"Yeah, this was horrible", Summers nodded as they turned back to the TV.
"Kind of a M. C. Esher perspective - but I did get time to think. About us, about the world. - Nothing in the world is the way it ought to be. - It's harsh, and cruel. - But that's why there's us. Champions. It doesn't matter where we come from, what we've done or suffered, or even if we make a difference. We live as though the world was what it should be, to show it what it can be. - You're not a part of that yet. - I hope you will be." Angel moved to stand in front of Connor. "I love you, Connor." He quietly said after a beat. "Now get out of my house." After a beat Connor left and Angel let out a slight sigh. The lobby doors closed.
"So….that's it?" Xander asked.
"I think it is fair", Giles spoke up as they looked at him. "If it was anyone else, Angel would have taken their life. But Connor is the only son he will ever have, so he wouldn't do that to him. However, what Connor did was wrong, since Angel was innocent here, and even if he wasn't, it would still be too far, so kicking him out of the house is a fair punishment under the circumstances."
"I miss the days when I was new to Sunnydale", Buffy muttered.
"I don't, because I didn't have her", Willow said as she and Tara held hands with a smile, making their future selves smile too.
"One flaw though, Connor still has people wanting his head, or ear", Tara remembered. "Being alone would make him more vulnerable."
The rest realized she'd a point as Dawnster hoped. "Maybe Angel realizes it and will do something else."
Angel swayed on his feet then leaned against the wall. Fred and Gunn ran over to him. "Angel!" Angel quipped. "All that talking really takes it out of you." Fred said. "You need rest." Angel countered. "I need Cordy - now. Wherever she is, whatever she's going through, we have to find her."
"Cordy", Tara sighed. "She is still up there, isn't she?"
"Yes, unfortunately", Rosenberg said. "Though it doesn't look too bad yet."
A panorama of glowing, heavenly clouds was shown. There was a bright, white light. Cordelia's face became visible in the center of it. "God, I am so bored." The screen went black.
"Oh boy!" Buffy summed it up for everyone with her reaction.
"So, she's bored there?" Xander asked.
"There is nothing to do, she is just being kept there, and she has no idea what's going on", Maclay told her. "She is not a proper Higher Being yet, since she was tricked into ascending."
"How do they get her out?" Dawnster asked.
"You'll see that soon, but for now, I think we've watched enough with you", Summers said as the future people got up. "Now we'll come back for the 7th recording of this year, and stay till, well, probably the end."
"That bad, huh?" Buffy asked.
"Yeah, that bad", Harris said, as the future people all left one by one.
"So, do you want to continue?" Willow asked.
"Well, like we have any other choice", Buffy sighed as she brought the screen onto the next recording.
Wesley/Lilah is still awesome as ever, Linwood got what he deserved, Gavin got put in his place, Lilah is now boss, and Angel is back. Justine being revealed in Wesley's closet was one of the biggest 'WTF' moments of this show,
The ending where Connor finally gets parented by Angel was nice. He was behaving exactly like the rebellious teenager, and got his.
Also, it's ironic that I am more invested in Fred/Gunn now in Season 4 when it is falling apart than I was in Season 3 when they were going strong.
Plus, forgot to say this last time but a week ago, this story turned one year old, and now we've reached Season 4. Time flies fast.
And, 2 funny stories- I recently got a Billy Idol video in my recommendation and my first reaction was- "WTF? Spike?!" LOL!
Second one- I'd a weird dream about my school crush from 3 years ago last night. Went a lot better in my dream than in real life, then I woke up and got sad, HA!
Anyway, hope all enjoyed and see you all next time with another chapter. Stay safe from the coronavirus ya all!