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Chapter 22- Eternity
"Look Buffy, whatever we said, it wasn't to hurt you", Willow assured as they sat back down again. "We just wanted you to understand."
"It's all right, I get it", Buffy said.
"You don't have to change your viewpoint, but you must also understand the other ones", Tara told her.
"Like they said, not all humans deserve to live, so you shouldn't be too bothered if someone like Warren or Darin dies", Xander told her. "And then there's the Demon issue with me."
"I think what we talked there was enough, now we should just get to this", Dawn said.
"I would very much like that", Giles agreed with a nod.
"Yeah", Buffy sighed as she turned it on.
Close-ups of Angel's and Wesley's faces were shown, and they were talking about how to escape from somewhere but then finally concluded they were trapped, though Wesley said they could always shout fire. It was revealed they were in an almost empty theater while Cordelia was on-stage, wearing an old fashioned dress.
"Is this play that bad?" Dawn asked.
Cordelia said some lines as Wesley noted the time left while Cordelia forgot a line which her prompter had to remind her of, and Angel finally muttered that he thought he knew eternity.
"Okay, it's not that bad, it's even worse", Dawn said.
"Cordelia isn't really doing any good, is she?" Xander asked, and all shook their heads. "Damn!"
Angel and Wesley walked down the street at night with Cordelia in-between as she asked them their thoughts on her performance, and the two agreed her projection was excellent, and Wesley said she'd made the role her own. Cordelia asked Angel if he thought she was that good, and he said he wouldn't say it if he didn't, but she reminded he hadn't, to his surprise.
"I don't think lying to her is going to work", Willow said. "She is brutally honest and she likes it when others are brutally honest with her too."
"So, if she finds out they were lying", Xander ran a finger across his throat.
Cordelia then noticed Oliver Simon, a very important talent manager with whom she'd been in a party and remembered Angel had been there too, prompting him to say he had his card, to her surprise as Angel said Oliver thought he'd a quality.
"Yeah, I remember, he was in the first one", Buffy said, as everyone else remembered too.
"Funny how life does that, isn't it?" Giles asked.
Then Cordelia noticed that he was with Rebecca Lowell.
"Rebecca Lowell?" Everyone but Giles went.
"Who?" Giles asked.
"Rebecca Lowell!" Buffy said, surprised Giles didn't know her.
"She was Raven in 'On Your Own'", Willow said.
"It went on for like almost 10 years", Xander told Giles.
"But after it was done, she kind of faded", Tara said.
"I don't think he knows", Dawn told the rest.
"Do you own a TV?" Buffy asked Giles who sputtered.
Cordelia told the two she used to be Raven in 'On Your Own' and it had gone on for 9 and a half years till the idiot network had cancelled it, and wondered if either of the two owned a TV. Angel said he didn't.
"Looks like I really don't own a TV in that case", Giles said as all chuckled at him.
Angel then walked over the hood of a car and pushed Rebecca out of the way of an oncoming car, getting hit as glass broke while he rolled away and Oliver came to help Rebecca while Wesley and Cordelia did the same for Angel and Cordelia asked Angel what Rebecca was like.
"Angel just saved Rebecca Lowell!" Buffy sputtered.
"He just got so much cooler", Dawn said with a smile.
"You know what? I love this guy now!" Xander said too.
"Who wouldn't after that?" Willow asked.
"Him", Tara said, pointing at Giles, and everyone laughed at his expense again while he groaned.
Rebecca inquired about Angel's well-being, trying to talk to him while Cordelia thought it was her before realizing it was Angel and told Rebecca he didn't even know her, which surprised Rebecca as Oliver tried to give Angel money as reward but he refused. Rebecca held out her hand, introducing herself, as Angel took it and introduced himself too, and she asked if this was a habit as Cordelia told Rebecca how Angel was a 'Dark Avenger' but then Entertainment Today arrived as Oliver realized this was going in the news. Rebecca tried to talk to Angel but he was already gone as Cordelia gave her their card while Wesley pulled her off. Rebecca turned to see Angel disappearing around the corner of the next street.
"She seemed pretty mellow that someone didn't know her", Xander noted.
"Not every celebrity is arrogant", Willow said.
"Like Keanu Reeves?" Buffy asked.
"Exactly like Keanu Reeves", Tara said with a nod.
Next day, in the office, Cordelia arrived with a newspaper, saying she was in the paper due to Rebecca Lowell, pointing at her elbow in the picture, but Angel wasn't interested, saying it was Hollywood so they ran into a celebrity. Wesley noted there was no mention of Angel, and he seemed slightly disappointed but didn't mind much due to them needing to be low-profile, while Cordelia pointed out that since he had protected a star, many would line up at the door, and then Rebecca arrived with two bodyguards. "Glad I beat the crowd then."
"Whoa!" Dawn said, voicing everyone's surprise. "Didn't actually expect to see her here. And since I used to see her on TV, this feels like a legit TV show now."
"But you used to see Angel in real life", Buffy reminded.
"Way to take the fun out of it", Dawn muttered.
"Why is she here though? It's not like she has a reason to", Xander said.
"Maybe Angel had an effect on her", Willow shrugged.
Cordelia was excited as she greeted Rebecca, calling Wesley 'intern', but Rebecca wanted to speak to Angel, and told her bodyguards to stay, while Angel did the same with Cordelia, and they sat inside his office as Rebecca noted the closed blinds, and Angel said he was a night person, Rebecca saying she was too. Angel said she was in the wrong business if she wanted to hide, and Rebecca again confirmed if Angel hadn't seen her show, saying she'd invite him to a private screening, and said she'd been famous since she was 14 so it was refreshing to meet someone who didn't care. Angel said those who surrounded her cared about her but she said they were paid to care, and Angel asked how he could help.
"It's kind of like Cordelia, when she was popular and rich, everyone cared about her in school, when she wasn't, no one cared", Buffy said.
"But I am sure Rebecca wants more than just sharing backstories", Giles told them.
Rebecca showed Angel a creepy letter from some obsessive stalker in blood and said she'd gotten creepy calls at night too, but Angel said it wasn't blood and asked if she'd tried the police, but she said she hadn't as the news people would find out. Angel said he could do the same but Rebecca said he had saved her last night without wanting a thing in return and she felt safer in his office than her own home, plus she was getting a new show so this way she would have peace of mind.
"It may not be written in blood but still, creepy", Tara commented.
"Since I don't know her either, I think she'd like me", Giles said with a calm, almost taunting smirk and now the rest all sputtered.
Angel told her about the car that had almost run her over, saying it was stolen, but couldn't take her case. Cordelia called him insane before turning and pretending to sneeze, and Angel said her people could find the guy without his help.
"Why isn't he helping her?" Dawn asked.
"Because he likes her", Buffy said.
"Shouldn't he really help her then?" Dawn asked.
"Curse", Buffy reminded and everyone's eyes widened, now realizing his reasoning.
"Oh!" Dawn said.
Cordelia was angry at Angel for letting Rebecca go, since she could be famous from helping her out, but Wesley had already figured out Angel's reasons of liking her and being afraid of getting close. Cordelia pointed out Angel could her, as well as Rebecca, but Wesley was understanding of Angel's reasons, so Cordelia pretended to have a vision in which Rebecca was in trouble, but the two weren't fooled by her act, and she got a bit angry, saying she'd do anything to live in Rebecca's world.
"Would you really though?" Willow wondered.
"Since they didn't buy her act, I think that would make her realize they were lying last night", Xander suddenly said.
"I think she is too angry to notice", Tara told him.
Rebecca was lying in a lounger beside a pool, another girl telling her about some procedures to keep her face perfect looking, and then at night Rebecca gave a party, talking to people, but eventually, there were less and less people till just Rebecca was left. She walked up the stairs, then hearing a voice came back down. Then Angel crashed through a glass door, charging past her to kick a guy in a black ski mask coming at her.
"Just in time", Buffy noted as all sighed in relief.
"So there is someone who wants her dead then", Giles realized.
Angel hit the guy who hit him with something he picked up, then dropped a shelving unit on him, escaping through the broken door while Angel crawled from under the shelf, Rebecca helping him up.
"How did that guy manage to overpower Angel?" Dawn asked. "Surely he was just a human psycho."
"Maybe Angel held back so Rebecca doesn't figure out he's not normal", Xander pointed out.
Rebecca's eyes then went past Angel to the huge mirror behind her sofa and she noticed she was alone in the reflection. Angel looked at the mirror, then both looked at each other when there was a banging on the door as a bodyguard said he'd call the police. Rebecca looked the door and when she looked back, Angel was gone.
"Oops!" Willow said as everyone gulped.
"She just noticed he's not in the mirror", Tara said lamely.
"So, Rebecca Lowell knows Vamps are a thing!" Buffy said.
"Oh stop it with celebrity worship", Giles said. "Children these days."
"But still, she's exposed to the supernatural, and she's a celebrity", Xander pointed out. "Now imagine if this became a high profile thing."
"This is a bloody disaster!" Giles realized.
Police later checked the place as Rebecca told Oliver she'd rather stay alone here and didn't need anyone, so he hugged her and assured he'd deal with the press. Rebecca later watched as he and the police left, and Rebecca said she knew Angel was there. He then came out of hiding, saying he wasn't what she thought, and she turned to him, putting the pieces together and realizing he was a Vampire.
"I thought all celebrities were airheaded", Giles said, surprised.
"Anyone who knows stuff about Vamps, and then sees stuff like that, can put two and two together", Dawn told him. "Plus, while many are airheaded, there are others with basic common sense at least, or more than it."
"So now she knows Vamps are real and that Angel is one, wonder how she's gonna take it", Buffy thought.
Rebecca listed some actors who had played Vamps- Bela Lugosi, Gary Oldman, while Angel said he only believed Frank Langella, and Rebecca now knew he was real and asked if he drank blood, and he said he did but not human. Rebecca realized he'd given up being a killer, and Angel said his story was 200 years old. Rebecca noted he still looked nice in spite of age and touched his face, thinking if it'd be cold, and then said she'd felt colder. Angel realized she wasn't afraid, and she agreed she wasn't, and said she'd lied to Oliver, as she didn't actually want to be alone.
"She took it surprisingly well", Willow noted.
"If the first Vampire you meet is saving you, then I guess that's to be expected", Tara told her.
"So, he's getting close to her then", Buffy realized.
"Yeah, but not too close yet", Dawn pointed out.
"And who the hell is Frank Langella?" Xander asked.
"Bloody children", Giles muttered to himself.
Next day, Wesley and Cordelia talked, Cordelia a bit surprised Angel had taken the case as Wesley said he'd actually kept tabs on her all along. Cordelia was concerned Angel had spent the night with Rebecca due to the curse, and reminded Wesley she had experienced Angelus first hand, but Wesley assured he wouldn't find true happiness with Rebecca the way he had with Buffy, but Cordelia said she owed it to Rebecca as she didn't want Angel chowing down her one link to fame.
"It's not about the sex! Why can't people get it?" Buffy wondered.
"Well, there are always misconceptions floating around, you know?" Willow said. "Plus, for a time, you thought that too."
"Good point", Buffy said lamely.
Cordelia arrived at Rebecca's house with 3 lattes and a cross, to Angel's annoyance but she realized he wasn't evil as evil Angel wouldn't wear those pants, and came in, but Angel told her Rebecca had gone to lunch. Cordelia wondered why she had left Angel to rummage through her stuff, but Angel said he'd told her he was a Vampire. Cordelia thought he was joking till he confirmed it to be true, and she wondered if she'd still be set up with her manager.
"Based on how well she took it, good chance", Tara said.
"I'm guessing she also finds it hard to believe that someone took it that well", Dawn told everyone.
Rebecca met Oliver in a restaurant and after some talk, he revealed she'd to read for her new part. She later ranted to Angel while running on a treadmill about how it had been ages since she'd read, so now she was a nobody again, and the tabloids weren't trustworthy. Rebecca said she hadn't played the game in a long while so she was afraid of losing, then went to answer the door.
"Their lives look glamorous and perfect, but they clearly are not", Tara said.
"I know right? They have to look perfect all the time and all that. And if they end up failing, they get discarded no matter how much of a big deal they were before", Willow agreed.
"So, why did Cordy want to be one again?" Xander asked randomly.
"Probably bought into it all", Buffy said. "She just wanted the fame, she didn't think about the rest of it."
A maid brought Rebecca a garment bag and she turned to Angel, saying she was going to a premier and he was her bodyguard.
"Now I'm jealous, he is her bodyguard", Xander muttered.
'So, wanna be a Vampire?" Dawn asked with a smirk.
"Nope", he shook his head.
Angel later got out of the limousine as cameras snapped while the crowds yelled 'Raven', and he helped Rebecca out as the crowd broke into applause, while he scanned the crowds. Rebecca joked how they thought she was her character and as they walked up the red carpet, a guy with a gun was shown among spectators with a gun stuck to the waistband of his black suit.
"So this stalker is here already", Buffy noted grimly. "Perfect timing and situation to kill her, if Angel isn't the one protecting her."
Angel later opened the door to an alleyway, wondering why Rebecca was here as she said she just came for the photo-op and didn't sit through these. Her driver was going to pick her up here. Then Angel saw the man from the crowd going up the stairs and pulling out his gun, making him push Rebecca to the side. He then jumped on the landing and grabbed the guy's gun hand while Rebecca hi. He knocked the guy's hand down the railing, making him drop the gun and they rolled down the stairs together. Angel then pushed the guy to the wall, kicked him, threw him to the railing, hit him, then punched him out before hugging Rebecca to comfort her. She seemed to recognize the guy.
"Stalker is down", Willow said.
"And since he was just a human, didn't take much effort", Tara agreed. "So Rebecca is saved."
"Which is a good thing", Buffy added. "But she seems to know the guy."
"Wonder how that is", Xander muttered.
Later, Rebecca stood as the police took Angel's statement while the stalker was led away in cuffs. Oliver then arrived, but now Rebecca was cold to him, saying she knew the stalker as he was a stuntman Oliver represented, and the guy knew her private phone number, how to get into her house and also that she skipped the movie at the premier, which only Oliver would know. Oliver said he wouldn't have hurt her, but the publicity would have helped her get the series, it was done out of love.
"So you were the one, and you did out of love, really?" Dawn asked, all getting angry at the guy. "How sick are you?"
"Even if he wasn't going to let her get hurt, she thought someone was stalking and trying to kill her, it is going to have an effect on the brain, you know?" Buffy said. "So even if she gets the series, it's going to remain in the back of her mind."
"If he really thought the publicity would help, he could have let her in on it first, together they could have made a better plan regarding this", Tara agreed.
"Maybe he did it because he loves controlling her emotions like that", Xander said. "He loves being in-charge of her."
"Could be true, you never know with some people", Willow agreed.
"Also, since she believed someone was trying to kill her, what's to say her or any other bodyguard wouldn't have killed this stuntman in self-defense?" Giles pointed out. "This was a stupid and risky thing the manager did. So he is clearly one of the airheaded ones."
Rebecca now realized she hadn't got the part, and Oliver said they needed distance between her and Raven. Rebecca said Raven would always be there being younger and prettier than her. Oliver said life wasn't over at 24, and Rebecca tried to correct him regarding her age but he shushed her. Rebecca reminded Raven would always be 22, and Oliver said no one stayed young forever, causing her to look at Angel.
"Is she thinking what I'm thinking she is thinking?" Dawn suddenly asked.
"Well, let's see- she's an actress, she didn't get a part, and is now insecure about her age, I think you're right Dawnster", Xander said.
"What manner of fool would want to turn into a Vampire?" Giles asked, clearly annoyed. "My initial assessment of her was wrong. She is airheaded too."
"Or just really desperate so she isn't seeing how stupid this is", buffy pointed out.
"But still, while Vamps look cool, being one isn't actually cool", Willow said. "Why can't people understand that?"
"Well, there was a teenage Vampire romance book series written a few years ago, it got everything wrong about Vamps, and made it look like being a Vamp is actually cool", Tara said. "And for some reason, instead of combusting, the Vampires sparkled in daylight in those books. Never read them, just heard things from some people who have."
Everyone now burst into hysterical laughter.
"Vampires who sparkle? How lame is that?" Xander said in between laughs. "How does this book make being Vampires look cool? Anyone reading it wouldn't want to be one at all with all this sparkling."
"What was the person writing this on?" Willow wondered.
"Same thing Rebecca is on apparently", Dawn told her.
"I'm wondering what actual Vampires would feel about that book", Giles said.
"The author is probably going to be someone's food", Buffy said, then shuddered at the thought. "Let's just watch."
Next morning, Angel and Wesley talked, knowing the bullets were blanks and Angel had checked the area so there was no indication of bullets, and now he knew this was fake too, but wondered how to tell Rebecca.
"Good for you, she knows already", Buffy said.
Cordelia and Rebecca were out with shopping bags, Rebecca assuring Cordelia she would make it big, making her squeal happily before apologizing, then Rebecca wondered what to buy a 200 year old Vampire, and Cordelia wondered too, thinking if he'd need more socks. Rebecca then asked his story and Cordelia asked if she'd 8 hours, making her respond with she'd the whole day, making Cordelia squeal again before apologizing.
"She is changing, but man, this is a lot like the old Cordelia", Willow said.
"Well, just because she genuinely wants to help doesn't mean she changed her dreams too, so it's kind of understandable", Tara pointed out.
"But again, Rebecca is being stupid if she thinks she can be a Vamp and still have a normal life", Buffy told everyone.
At night, Angel was about to leave his apartment when Rebecca walked downstairs, and after some talking, Rebecca lifted up a bottle of champagne, saying this was all she could think of buying him, and he let her sit down while he opened the bottle and got glasses. Angel joked about coffins while pouring the drink and started telling about the stalker but she knew, and after listening, Angel realized it was Oliver, and Rebecca said she hadn't gotten the part, making him apologize.
"Well, what's the plan here? Vamps don't get drunk easy, definitely not with just that much, so she's going to romance him till he agrees to her?" Xander wondered. "Or does she want to sleep with him so he loses his soul, then turns her? Because that's next level stupid, and he might even eat her for dinner."
"I think we should just sit and watch what she actually does", Buffy said.
They sat together as Rebecca talked about a good luck charm of linking arms and sipping drinks, and they did that before Rebecca spilled the drink on Angel's shirt, then apologized as he went to change while Rebecca poured a pinch of powder into his drink as he returned with another shirt, and then she poured more champagne into his glass. They sat down and made a toast before drinking.
"So, she's gonna drug him?" Willow wondered. "Unless it's magical, won't do much."
"And I don't think she'd find any magical shops that quickly", Tara said.
Wesley arrived at Cordelia's place, and she told him about Rebecca's questions on Angel, including how to turn into a Vampire, and they realized she was going to maneuver him into turning her so she could remain young and beautiful and fail her saving career.
"She didn't realize it then?" Buffy wondered.
"Was probably too busy fangirling over Rebecca", Dawn suggested.
Rebecca was leaning over a slightly woozy Angel twirling his champagne glass as he told her a little about his past, including hurting people and helping save the world a few times, though he had also almost sucked it into Hell once. Rebecca said he deserved some happiness now but Angel said it wasn't a good idea before saying she smelt good, and she ran a hand under his shirt while he looked spaced out, and then said her hand was warm which he missed. Rebecca said he didn't have to as both could have what they wanted forever and Angel tried to sit up, realizing what she wanted.
"Damn! Looks like it did affect him after all", Dawn said.
"Well, I said it won't do much, but it can affect him for a decent amount of time before wearing off, it just won't be harmful is all", Willow gave a better explanation.
Rebecca exposed her neck to him but Angel said she had no idea what she was asking for, but she said she knew the price, reminding she hadn't been afraid on seeing the mirror or finding out. Angel said she'd looked into the mirror and only seen herself as that's what she always saw. She had been corrupted into something unrecognizable and she didn't really want to stay the same, she wanted it to disappear.
"That….surprisingly makes perfect sense", Buffy said.
"People keep thinking how being a celebrity is the best thing ever, but no one really knows what goes on in their minds either, or what they are up to", Giles pointed out.
"They are just like the rest of us, just more popular is all", Willow agreed.
"What I'm worried about is what's going to happen here", Dawn said as all watched with narrowed eyes.
Rebecca asked him to help her, so Angel grabbed her arm and dragged her to the fridge, opening it and taking out a blood bag. "It's a big decision, Rebecca. Eternity." He squirted the bag on her face, spraying blood into her mouth as she tried not to gag on it and then Angel was horrified at his actions, backing off and dropping the bag, apologizing.
Now all were tense as they realized this was getting out of hand.
"What did she put in there to make him act like that?" Xander wondered. "She thinks she's smart about this, but she's being one hell of an idiot."
"What was your first hint?" Dawn asked sarcastically.
Angel looked at his glass and realized she'd put something, and after some asking she confessed it was a happy pill to lower his defenses, apologizing, while he'd grasped her shoulders.
"Happy pill?" Buffy asked angrily. "She is stupider than I thought if she used THAT of all things."
"So, has he lost his soul?" Dawn asked, now scared.
"Can a happy pill do that too?" Xander wondered. "But they didn't ask us for help regarding his soul at that point."
"No, a pill won't make anyone lose their soul", Willow said. "Maybe the line between Angel and Angelus is thinner than we think. So now the pill has lowered his inhibitions."
"I mean, even us with souls, most people do end up having negative thoughts, psychotic ones inside them, even if they don't act on it", Tara pointed out. "Imagine if it's someone like Angel who used to be Angelus once now."
"Bloody fool!" Giles said to Rebecca.
They hugged as Rebecca said she wanted both to be happy and Angel said he was, confusing her. There was a crunch as Rebecca backed with a scream, holding her shoulder where Angel's face was and Angel straightened in Vamp face. "Perfectly happy."
"And this is what you get for being this stupid", Xander said to her.
"So, the pill is making him think he lost his soul?" Dawn wondered.
"Probably, or like Tara said, it lowered his inhibitions. Even good guys have psychotic thoughts at times, and for someone who was one of the worst killers in history, it's even worse", Willow told them all.
Angelus now mocked her, saying he was free as he picked up the glass, drinking the remainder and liking it before shattering it, and said he'd get the name of her dealer before killing her. Angel twirled the broken glass, walking to her as she backed off, saying he'd never killed a famous person so this was new, and as proof he'd have her head on a stake, or a pike instead while throwing off the broken glass. She said he was trying to scare her and it wasn't working so he threw her to the stairs to the sewer, asking how about now.
Seeing the evil Angelus again, even though Angel had been around just a minute ago, was really disturbing for them all. They'd seen him before in recordings but it was in flashbacks, and now they'd seen Angel become Angelus again, even if for a little while, and it wasn't too long ago either.
"She may be stupid and all, but she doesn't deserve to die like this either", Xander said.
Angelus laughed, saying he could help her loose some pounds too and said he was a happy fellow. She tried to run but he cut her off, saying he'd torture her till she decided if she wanted this lifestyle, and he cut her off from running again. She ran up the stairs but he grabbed her hand and tossed her down. She got up and leaned over the edge of his table, reaching for a brass candleholder behind her, and then hit him across the face with it twice, making him fall back into the chair while she ran to the elevator as Angelus shook his head. "Women." Rebecca went up in the elevator and then stopped it almost past the office. She pushed the grate and climbed out through a gap below the ceiling. A hand grabbed her to help and she screamed but it was Wesley.
Everyone sighed in relief before Giles asked. "And how exactly are he and Cordelia going to stop Angelus?"
Everyone tensed again.
Wesley helped her out as Cordelia called her a slut, and eventually Rebecca revealed she had put Doximal in his drink, and Wesley said it induced bliss, making Cordelia realize it was like perfect happiness, but Wesley said it was an illusion. Rebecca said he'd bitten her so they decided to leave for safety and Wesley said it'd wear off, but then the power went off as they realized Angelus had done it, and he arrived, quipping about electricity bills and phone lines.
"Now it's just him against them", Dawn muttered.
Wesley tried to tell him he was feeling a chemical suggestion and started warning him but Angelus mocked him, saying he didn't just have an inferiority complex, he was inferior, and picking him up, tossed him to a corner, knocking him out.
"One down", Xander said as all were even tenser.
Angelus then mimicked Cordelia's acting, saying it was worse than going to Hell and told Rebecca how all were laughing, then told Cordelia that she could have 'Raven' coach her so she'd actually suck. Cordelia pulled off the top of her water container and threatened Angelus with it, saying she was prepared for stuff like this since she had a stake in her desk and cross in her bag, and managed to make him think this was holy water, then splashed it across his face, making him back off before straightening, unburnt, and Wesley then tackled Angelus with a scream, pushing him into the open elevator shaft while he and Cordelia looked down to see he was out cold.
"They did it", Buffy said to Giles, who sighed and nodded.
"She sure did act here", Willow said. "Guess she needs to be under life threatening pressure to act."
"You heard the phrase 'so-so can't do so-so if their life depended on it'?" Xander asked and all nodded. "Well, at least Cordy can act if her life depended on it, which is nice."
"And Wesley tackled Angelus, how cool is that?" Dawn asked.
"Yeah, that looked a lot like this 'badass' Wesley", Tara said.
"Maybe he's coming out already", Willow smiled.
"The question is what happens next", Buffy said.
Angel woke up next day in bed but was chained up while Cordelia and Wesley watched him, and then apologized before asking about Rebecca and Cordelia assured she was gone, joking trying to murder her had cost him his bodyguard gig. Angel started apologizing but Wesley said there was no need since drugs were involved and true things were said but they could move on. Angel thanked him as Wesley said he walked a fine line and he didn't envy him. Angel then complimented Wesley on his moves back there and started to talk to Cordelia but she also told him to forget about it, and then said while Angelus was evil, he was honest, so she should expect the same from her non-evil friends. Angel realized they were okay and she said was too big a person to let something this petty get in the way of friendship. Angel then asked if she wasn't going to untie him and she walked out with a 'pfft' as Angel called out to the two and it went to black.
Everyone chuckled as Buffy said. "That went much better than imagined."
"The worst that happened is that Angel will be tied to his bed for most of the day", Willow added.
"All this because a celebrity got in way over her head", Giles shook his head.
"Well you know, some people are stupid", Dawn said. "And now I can't see Raven the same way again."
"No can do, Dawnster", Xander agreed.
"And I am glad never having seen her", Giles said to them all.
"Plus, Cordelia told him to be honest to her too, so if anything, it mended the fences they could have", Tara said.
"Well, they didn't meet truly evil Angelus, then it would be horrible", Buffy pointed out.
"It's time for the next one now", Dawn said and al remembered the future Scoobies saying these would be something, and wondered what that would be.
"Let's see what the fuss is all about", Buffy said as they came to the next one.
Well, this episode was fun, but it's the next one I have waited for. 'Five By Five' is my favorite episode of not only Angel Season 1, but my favorite episode of the first four Seasons of Angel, and 3rd favorite overall since there are 2 episodes in Season 5 better than this IMO- 'You're Welcome' and 'Not Fade Away.'
Anyway, hope everyone enjoyed and see you all next time with another chapter. Stay safe from the coronavirus ya all!