Disclaimer: I do not own Buffyverse or anything else you may recognize
And now we finally begin with Season 2. While I think it had a lot of great stuff, this Season was inconsistent IMO, due to the tonal difference between the first and second halves, and wasn't really a huge fan of the 'Dark Angel' plotline since it had a great start but then it basically turned into 'Angel being a dick' rather than Angel just being cynical and broken.
And the second half, while fun, was drawn out for far too long and the Season 2 finale is my 2nd least favorite finale of Angel, the least favorite being the Season 3 finale. Best Angel finales are Seasons 5 and 4 finales respectively, with Season 1 finale on third.
Anyway, let us begin.
Chapter 29- Judgment
"So year 2 now", Buffy muttered, remembering her own year 5 as she had her hand on the remote. "I wonder what this will bring us."
"Brutal stuff", Willow muttered and Buffy nodded with a sigh before starting the first recording of Angel's and his team's second year.
A green skinned Demon with horns and red eyes came up somewhere.
"Oh my God! What's he gonna do?" Xander wondered about the Demon.
Willow smirked, knowing who she was watching.
The Demon then started singing into a mic the song 'I Will Survive'.
"Huh? He's….singing?" Xander said out loud. "God, I feel so embarrassed."
"He has a nice voice", Tara commented.
"Yeah, I could listen to him sing all day", Buffy agreed.
"You think you can take him in a singing fight, Giles?" Dawn asked him with a smirk as he sighed.
"I can try, but he's really good", Giles told her, impressed by the Demon's singing ability.
"Meet Lorne", Willow introduced him.
"Oh, so this is Lorne", Buffy now realized, along with the rest.
Lorne then talked to his audience. "Oh, you know what I'm talking about. In this city you better learn to get along. Because LA's got it all: The glamour and the grit, the big breaks and the heartaches, the sweet young lovers and the nasty, ugly, hairy fiends that suck out your brain through your face. It's all part of the big wacky variety show we call - Los Angeles. You never know what's coming next. And let's admit it folks: Isn't that why we love it?"
"He knows more about this city than anyone else can in a lifetime", Dawn said, smitten by his charisma and voice, though not in a 'crush' kind of way, just awed and intrigued.
"And he mentioned both, the human stuff and the Demon stuff", Buffy said. "How do you think he'd get along with Clem?"
"Oh they'd get along real nice I'm sure", Willow agreed.
He then sang again the chorus of 'I Will Survive'.
"And there comes that amazing voice again", Tara said, everyone equally smitten by his singing.
Cordelia was in a play, where her character begged her lover to not leave her, and ended up slapping him, which the lover's actor didn't like but the acting coach found it amazing, and then Cordelia's beeper went off as she said duty called and went off.
"Wow, she has improved a lot", Xander noted.
"Yeah, and in plays, you're usually exaggerating everything a little, and she still played it perfectly as if it was real life", Willow agreed. "At least until she slapped him."
"The acting coach liked it", Tara pointed out.
"But duty calls, you know", Giles said and they nodded.
Wesley was playing darts against two guys in a bar while a blonde looked on admiringly. He told the guys he would give them a rematch but then his beeper went off too so he said it'd be another time and picked up a wad of cash from a table while looking at the blonde, and then threw a dart in the board's direction without looking, hitting a man accidentally so he walked off as his smile faded.
"He's attractive now?" Xander wondered.
"He always was, it just took him losing his arrogance for you to notice it", Buffy told him.
"So you find him attractive?" Xander asked.
"We all do", Willow shrugged.
"Yeah, he's nice", Dawn agreed.
"Well, I'll be damned", Xander sighed.
Angel, Cordelia and Wesley then strode into a big gym together.
"They looked like an efficient, well-oiled machine at this point", Tara told everyone.
"Now if only we were that good", Dawn commented and was shot looks. "It's true guys! Get over it. We can work on ourselves by learning from them."
The attendant tried to stop them since they didn't have a membership but they didn't break stride. Wesley said the place looked too public for a Praetorian sacrifice but Angel said that Carnyss demons loved muscle and mirrors. They came to a stop as the attendant noticed Angel didn't have a reflection. Angel glances back at him. "Huh. No reflection. I'll fix that." Angel kicked in the mirror and stepped through surprising a red robed human and a demon with sword raised to sacrifice two bound and gagged humans. Angel vamped out. "Stop that."
"The attendant saw he doesn't have a reflection", Dawn said. "What will he do?"
"I think he's too shocked to respond", Willow told her.
Angel batted the charging human against the wall and fought the Demon, avoiding his blows. Wesley ducked or deflected blows from the human, then hit him with a right cross, kneed his stomach and dropped him. He nodded to Cordelia who dropped a round metal weight on the guy's head, knocking him out as Angel beat down the Demon, took his sword and stabbed him with it.
"And the day is saved", Xander said.
The attendant watched as they freed the sacrifices and then walked off. "That guy has horns", the attendant said. Angel, back in human face said. "Steroids, not good for you." With that Angel, Cordelia and Wesley strode away.
"I think he got mind blown", Dawn said and they all laughed.
In Cordelia's apartment a whiteboard was shown with 'cases', 'leads', 'progress' and 'status' columns on it with several Demons listed, including Vocah as well as the Carnyss from the night before. Angel was playing with some glass figurines on Cordelia's shelf as Wesley said the sloth Demon they incinerated a month ago could be what Wolfram and Hart raised. Angel was still talking about the gym as Cordelia took the figurine from him and put it back, reminding he was eternal so he didn't have to work out but Angel said he may not be forever.
"What is this new obsession with gyms?" Xander wondered.
"Note, he said he may not be eternal forever", Tara told him.
"So….the Shanshu?" Xander asked. "What does that have to do with this?"
"You see things about us a lot but I think you need more practice with Team Angel", Dawn told him.
"So he's thinking about the Shanshu and how he may not be eternal", Xander realized.
"Looks like it has gotten to his head", Tara told everyone, and now they realized she was right, seeing the signs.
Angel picked up a glass unicorn as Cordelia said it could be the Vartite monster. Angel was still commenting on gyms but Cordelia pointed out he'd have to shower with a lot of men, to which he said he'd always be a loner. Cordelia held up a finger and scrunched her face as Angel and Wesley ran to support her, Angel dropping the figurine, but it was just a sneeze. They gave an 'oh', offending her so Angel said 'Bless you' and apologized for the figurine as Cordelia said they could work out at Wesley's.
"Well, that was funny", Dawn muttered.
Then Cordelia held up her finger and scrunched her face again, saying it was a sneeze, but after sneezing she said it was followed by a vision, and the two caught her as a vision of a blurry gray monster was shown, and then she was sitting on a sofa, Angel kneeling in front of her as he inquired about her wellbeing and she said she'd survive. Cordelia told Wesley she didn't recognize the Demon and Angel said it would feel right at home here.
"They have no idea what Wolfram and Hart actually did raise", Buffy said.
"It was done not to destroy him, but to emotionally mess with him", Willow told Buffy.
At Wolfram and Hart, Lilah was talking on a cell phone as she walked down the hall, telling some guy called Donald he had every right to review the contract before saying if he didn't sign they'd sue him and kill his children, before saying it was a joke, and closing the phone entered a dark room.
"She was so…..casual about it", Buffy said, everyone disturbed by Lilah's casualness while threatening to kill children. The others were right, she realized. Sometimes, humans could be worse than Demons.
Lilah then commented on the room's darkness and gloominess and saw Lindsey failing to open a CD case with his new prosthetic hand as he dropped it, and Lilah said he wasn't handicapped but handi-capable.
"That was darkly funny", Xander commented.
Darla was inspecting an old globe as Lilah inquired about her wellbeing but Lindsey told her to shut up, as Darla wasn't a child but 400 years old. Lindsey and Darla then talked about the music as Darla breathed deeply. "Hm, he's here." Lilah was confused as Lindsey said. "Angel. He's here in town. You can feel him." "Always could", Darla replied. Lindsey told her. "He hasn't been much of a help to us." Darla remembered. "He killed me." She laughed. "I remember now - with a soul in his heart." Lindsey told her. "He's taken from both of us - so when you feel ready - we'll start thinking about giving a little back." Darla commented. "Angel - it's been a long time. - I'd love to see that boy."
"The only one who can call him 'boy' without any sense of irony", Willow said to everyone.
"What are they going to do?" Buffy wondered. "What is she going to do?"
"Something that warrants the future versions of you coming in to explain stuff", Giles reminded them.
Angel sketched Demon from Cordelia's vision, discussing what it could be with Wesley, who walked towards the books but one flew and hit his face, making him yell in surprise but Cordelia said he'd scare Dennis who was sensitive and trying to help, and was more person than ghost.
"He's still the best", Dawn said with a smile, Dennis lightening the mood for them.
Wesley told Angel they had to get an office and flipped through some pages, when Cordelia let out a scream, making Wesley give another startled yell as she recognized the Demon, and Wesley said it was a Prio Motu Demon. Angel noted it on the whiteboard and said they'd to find it. Wesley said he had broadened their contact base by reaching out to the underlife, and knew a parasitic Demon called Merl who could help. Cordelia said they'd visit him and make with chin-music till he canaried, and then said she'd been watching 'Noir Festival' on Bravo at their looks.
"He's expanded their base", Xander said. "Including keeping contact with Demons. Why did we never try that?"
"Because we are stupid", Giles sighed, shaking his head.
Wesley said Merl hung out at a safe haven for Demons but it was a little outside the box.
"How much are we talking about?" Buffy wondered.
A Demon that looked like Cribb was singing in a club and both Demon and human customers were on the table, a sign saying 'no weapons or violence allowed'. A guy stepped through a metal detector which beeped so the bouncer took a weapon away from him before making him walk through it again.
A karaoke bar for Demons?" Xander wondered.
"It's for both humans and Demons who want to get along", Willow told him, and everyone was awed by it, finding it completely different from anything they had seen.
"So, both just go there and get along?" Buffy wondered.
"Well, if they don't, they just sit and enjoy", Willow shrugged.
"I like it, but wouldn't it be dangerous still?" Tara asked. "Like if Demons want to fight or something?"
"Cordy told me that the place has a spell that prevents Demons from fighting", Willow explained.
"Smart move", Giles said, though he was still concerned about this.
"I love this place, its sweet", Dawn smiled.
"I can't believe a place like this exists", Buffy commented.
"Me neither", Xander sighed.
"Humans and Demons aren't as divided as we used to think", Willow shrugged.
The Demon continued to sing as Lorne circulated among customers. Wesley, Cordelia and Angel arrived, Cordelia finding it weird that Merl would feel safe in a Karaoke bar but Wesley said this was a sanctuary. Lorne went up on the stage and finished the song with the Demon as all applauded.
"Wow!" Xander said, as he, like the rest, was taken in by the charm of this place as well as Lorne. This made him dislike Demons less as he saw them through a different light.
Lorne then said he'd have a word with the Liz while Mordar the Bentback will call the tune, and the two walked off as Mordar arrived, the crowd cheering for him as he crooned on the mike, while Lorne told Liz he knew Liz looked forward to hatching time but there was more to life than eating his young, so now he'd tell him what he saw in his aura.
"So he can read auras too?" Tara asked, surprised.
"More than that", Willow explained. "He can tell someone's future if they sing for him."
"Wow!" Buffy said. "So he tells people their futures or something?"
"No, he is cryptic about that stuff", Willow explained.
"That Lizard Demon is gonna eat its young", Xander said, disturbed.
"Well, it's not human", Willow shrugged.
A gray, bald Demon was sitting on a table as Wesley sat next to him, greeting him as Merl, as Cordelia asked if a cat had gotten his tongue, to which he replied he didn't have a tongue.
"That backfired quickly", Dawn chuckled.
"Then how does he talk?" Xander asked.
Angel leaned down next to him as Merl asked to keep the bloodsucker away, but Wesley reminded he couldn't be hurt. Merl had heard of him and Angel warned him not to waste his time. Wesley slid an envelope with money across the table, asking about the Prio Motu, and Merl started describing how vicious they were, making Wesley give him more money which he took, and he said the Motu would be in a sub-tunnel of the Rodondo line, and were nasty, and not a mosquito that would turn to dust on staking like Angel, but wished them luck.
"He beat a Warrior of the Underworld, what about you?" Buffy asked.
Angel then met Lorne, who loved the coat and welcomed him to Caritas, asking if he knew what it meant, and Angel said it was Latin for 'mercy'. Lorne asked if Angel wanted to sing but he said he didn't, but Lorne pointed out Mordar was bad too. Cordelia asked Wesley who this was, and he called Lorne anagogic, being connected to the mystic and he saw a soul when a person sang. Lorne said it was about the spirit, but Angel was reluctant. Cordelia wanted to hear him sing and Wesley said it'd be for a good cause, but Angel still refused, reminding he was the boss, and Lorne tried to get him to sing, but he said he didn't do 3 things- tan, date and sing in public, and then he walked off, Lorne wondering how fabulous he'd look in the coat.
"Oh come on! Even if you're bad, I'm sure it's not as bad as your dancing", Dawn told him.
"Yeah, and he can't be as bad as Cordelia", Willow reminded as Buffy, Xander and Giles groaned at the reminder of her singing.
"Now I am going to have nightmares again. Thank you Willow", Giles said sarcastically.
"I wanted to hear him sing", Buffy said with a smile. "Spike sang really well."
"He ain't Spike", Xander shrugged.
"He could still be decent though", Tara said.
Angel was later walking through some tunnels, and heard a noise, moving against a corner to an intersecting tunnel. A pregnant woman hurried down the tunnel, one hand over her belly. Angel stepped out and she gasped in shock as he tried to comfort her when the Prio arrived with a growl and Angel pushed her aside as the Prio threw him down.
"There it is", Buffy said.
Angel punched him a few times before he blocked and kneed him, and threw him into a wall, kicking him away. He got up and tried to punch but the Motu punched his stomach. Angel then blocked the next blow and flipped him down. Then he deflected some more blows and grabbing the Motu in a chokehold, snapped his neck as he fell down, dead. But the woman was now shocked and in tears as she ran to the dead Motu, grieving him and closed his eyes.
"What the hell?" Xander wondered, as shocked as the rest.
"So…he was a good guy?" Dawn asked.
"Looks like it", Willow said.
"Then why did he attack first before asking questions?" Buffy wondered.
"He could have a reason", Tara pointed out.
"Why was he with a pregnant woman though?" Giles wondered. "There has to be a reason for that."
Angel was horrified, saying he thought the Demon would hurt her, but she said he was her protector. Angel tried to help her up but she told him to stay away. Angel tried to apologize, saying he was sent here, and explained about the Powers That Be, saying he helped people, but the woman wasn't interested, and walked off, holding her belly, sobbing, saying she hated this town.
"He was protecting her", Giles muttered, shocked that this could happen. "But from what?"
"I think we're about to find out", Willow said.
"A Demon protecting a pregnant woman, that's new", Xander said. "And I sounded like a bigot again."
"At least you realize it", Dawn told him.
Angel asked what the Motu was protecting her from, and she said it was the Tribunal, telling Angel he had killed her only friend so he should stay away. He watched her leave.
"The Tribunal", Giles muttered, horrified. "What did you do, Angel?"
"What is the Tribunal?" Buffy asked.
"A supernatural court that settles matters via trial by combat", Giles explained. "And looks like the Motu was this lady's champion. Now Angel has killed him."
"Well, that sucks", Dawn said lamely.
"So, the court will kill this lady?" Buffy asked, concerned, and also worried about Angel.
"Yes", Giles said as the atmosphere plummeted.
Angel finished telling Cordelia and Wesley what had happened, as Wesley reminded he was a nasty Demon according to Cordelia but she said she hadn't called it a killer. Wesley said Prio Motus were killers, and he had no idea one would change its modus operandi overnight and become a noble protector, but then he looked at Angel, realizing he had done just that, and Cordelia said she hadn't felt fear on seeing it, sarcastically thanking the Powers for the obscure visions. Angel said he'd killed an innocent being who was a soldier like him, so now the Motu's mission was his.
"It wasn't your fault Angel, you didn't know", Buffy assured him.
"He wouldn't see it that way, and he did kill someone like him", Willow said. "Now the only way he feels he'd redeem himself is by fulfilling the Motu's mission."
"Which means he shall be the lady's champion", Giles realized, and everyone else did too.
Angel put on his coat, asking the two to find out about the Motu, and Wesley reminded Angel he hadn't known, but Angel said somebody else had.
"Merl", Tara said in realization.
Angel smashed Merl against a chain-link fence, saying now he wasn't on protected ground, asking why he had lied about the Prio, and Merl said there was a price on the kid, a daughter, who'd be some powerful force for good, so the dark ones wanted her out of the picture, and hard cash was offered, but no one could get close enough due to the Prio. Merl suggested with that gone they could get the cash, but Angel smashed Merl into the fence again, inquiring about the woman, which Merl didn't know. Angel told him to send out word that no one touched the woman, but Merl said it was a ltitle late. Angel asked where the Prio lived, and Merl told him somewhere underground at Boyle Heights, and Angel smashed him into the fence again, walking off.
"You rat bastard", Xander snarled at Merl.
"So he lied for money, typical of bad guys", Willow shrugged.
"The woman's baby is supposed to be a force for good", Buffy said to Giles. "You have any idea about that?"
"Even I can't tell everything, Buffy", Giles told her. "This is beyond me."
"Well, she's in trouble though, Angel needs to do something", Dawn said.
"He will", Tara assured.
Four young men, 2 with their hoods up walked around a corner as a guy prepared to get into his car but on seeing them, ran off as they chased him. The guy ran into a Vamp who was about to bite him when one guy, who was Gunn, leapt at the Vamp, pushing it off the man and staked him, shocking the man.
"Mind-blown", Dawn quipped.
"Gunn is back", Willow said with a smile.
"And still at it", Buffy muttered.
The man ran off as Gunn said 'you're welcome' and Angel arrived, saying it killed people to say thank you nowadays, and the two greeted each other. Angel told him he needed a little help as Gunn told the other 3 to sweep the place and then they'll meet at the crib. They walked off as Angel walked with Gunn, asking where he lived now to which he said he lived on the place of a friendly landlord off eighth, and kept the block safe for democracy so he hooked them up with rent.
"Good arrangement", Tara said.
Angel then asked about the Prio Motu but Gunn didn't know, and Angel said it was a warrior Demon living here. Gunn asked what it was up to and Angel said he was dead but they needed to find out where it was living, and it was urgent.
"Very urgent, a pregnant lady might die", Dawn said.
The two later walked through some tunnels as Gunn asked what the Motu was up to, and Angel revealed he was protecting a pregnant young woman, shocking Gunn who realized the Motu was on their side. He asked if Angel had found the scumbag who killed him, and Angel said it was him, surprising Gunn again.
"Sounds weird when he says it like that", Dawn said.
"He took it pretty well", Buffy said about Gunn.
"Maybe he's more mature about this than we are", Tara pointed out and Buffy and Xander had to concede.
"Well, let's try to be more mature. I'm sure this will show us", Xander said.
Gunn then noticed a vent that hadn't been around before and they walked to it, feeling no air, and Gunn pulled open a latch as they walked in, closing it behind them. They looked at the place, Gunn saying it kept a clean house, and they looked around the place, Angel finding a book from where he found out its name was Kamal.
"Kamal", Willow said. "Good name."
"He's feeling really guilty", Buffy commented. "Not that I blame him, but I hope he pregnant lady takes his protection."
"If she's still alive that is", Xander said but Willow smacked his arm. "Ow!"
"Don't talk like that", Willow told him.
Angel went to open a carved box but closed it again and lay his hand on its sides, and then Angel pulled open a drawer and took out a round metal disk. Angel then handed Gunn his business card and told him to give the disk to his people, telling them it could have something to do with the Tribunal. Gunn agreed and asked if Angel was going to soak up the guilt, and he said he was as Gunn left.
"Don't do this to yourself", Buffy said sadly. "Please."
Angel picked up a mortar, flashing to the fight, then he saw a Buddha statue, flashing to the fight again. He replaced the candle in front of it with a new one, lighting it again.
"He is trying to honor Kamal", Tara realized. "Only way to do that is to finish his mission."
He heard a noise and picked up a sword. The door opened and he jumped out, pointing his sword straight at- the pregnant woman.
"Now this is gonna be weird", Xander said.
He was relieved she was safe, but she was still angry with him. Angel told her Kamal's mission was his now, and she was annoyed, saying she just wanted to protect her baby. Angel understood. She said he couldn't, as 6 months ago she was working the register at Costco, and was moving up so she could provide for the baby, now she had to make sure she was born.
No one commented, their hearts going out to the woman and her condition, which had clearly fallen by a lot.
The woman said this baby was her daughter, not a holy mission, and Angel said it was his job, talking about cards and his office, though now they were working from an apartment in Silverlake, and she looked at his card as he told her to let him help. The woman said they needed to find a coat of arms, and Angel asked if it was a round bronze talisman. The woman confirmed it was, and Angel said he'd found it, her asking where it was. He then told her he had sent it away as she started walking off and he followed, saying he could take her there but she told him to stop helping.
"This mess is getting worse", Willow commented lamely. "Wrong timing to send the coat of arms away."
"Well, it's not like he knew", Dawn pointed out.
"Yeah, just saying, bad timing", Willow told her.
She opened the door and there was a Demon waiting to take a swipe at her. Angel pushed her out of the way and kicked it back. He then avoided swings, telling her to stay back and asked if he could kill this one, since it may be good. She told him to kill it as the Demon made a scratch at Angel's abdomen, and he punched its face, kneeing and kicking it back. Angel threw it at the doorway and slammed the door into it, taking it out before leading the woman away.
"Well, now he's proven himself", Buffy said, slightly relieved. "A little."
"They still need the coat of arms or the Tribunal kills her", Giles reminded.
Cordelia and Wesley were working when there was a knock and Cordelia asked who it was, to which Gunn said from the other side. "Gunn." Cordelia and Wesley were a bit afraid, Cordelia thinking it was a Demon with a gun while Wesley started they were well-armed and knew how to battle, when Gunn said his name was Gunn and Angel had sent him, making Cordelia open the door as she let Gunn in, saying this was embarrassing. She then reminded Wesley that Angel had talked of Gunn and he was a great guy with a really fly street tag.
"I got a gun and my name is Gunn", Dawn sang while doing a silly dance, making everyone laugh.
"Can't believe they actually thought it was the other gun", Tara said.
"I can", Xander said. "Because I would too."
Cordelia said his name meant all knew he meant business, but he said he had two 'n's in his name, Cordelia deciding to shut up. Wesley introduced himself and Cordelia as Gunn said he'd seen her in bed before, surprising her as Wesley started this wasn't his business, then Gunn said he'd seen him too, offending him before Gunn said it was in the hospital after Angel's building had blown so he was keeping an eye on them, and then said he was messing with them.
Everyone laughed as Buffy said. "That didn't come out right."
"Which was his intention", Willow reminded.
Gunn then gave the talisman to Wesley, saying it might have something to do with the Tribunal, and Wesley wondered what it could be while Gunn noted the whiteboard, calling them a well-oiled machine, and Cordelia said they set them up and knocked them down till Angel knocked down the wrong one, though he would be on it.
"He is trying to", Dawn said.
Angel lead the woman through the sewers, going through a grate to a basement, and walked up the stairs to a deserted lobby, the furniture covered with sheets. Angel then asked about the Tribunal and she said it was an otherworldy court which could protect her and her baby but one had to have the charm and Kamal was supposed to her champion. She decided to screw this and get out of town but Angel said she couldn't since they'd always find her, but she wasn't believing him. Angel told her to get to his friend's house and heard a noise. The woman ran as 2 Demons arrived and Angel tripped them before beating them down.
"You think she'll go?" Xander asked.
"She doesn't seem to be thinking rationally", Buffy told him.
Angel later walked into Cordelia's apartment as she and Wesley jumped at his appearance, asking what had happened, while Angel realized the woman wasn't here, and said she had no reason to trust him, hitting the whiteboard. Cordelia told him he couldn't see everything and was a Vampire like the rest before realizing that hadn't come out right.
"Maybe you should shut up", Buffy said.
"I thought I was out of the tunnel", Angel slumped down on the sofa. Cordelia said. "Sure you did... because the tunnel is - you know, it's something we all... Are we talking real tunnel or symbolic? Just give me that much." Angel told her. "I-I saw the light at the end of the tunnel - that someday I might become human. - - That light was so bright, I thought I was already out." Cordelia sat down beside him with a sigh. "Yeah. We all got a little cocky, didn't we? - It's gonna be a long while - until you work your way out - but I know you well enough to know you will. - And I'll be with you until you do."
"I take it back, talk more, you're doing great Cordy", Buffy said, impressed by her, never having thought she would see this Cordy more.
"She's great", Willow said. "And she helped him out with his problem."
"Thanks Cordy", Buffy smiled.
"This life has made her wiser", Tara noted.
Angel asked. "What about your inevitable stardom?" Cordelia said. "I'm not saying I won't have a day job." Wesley then said they had to present this coat of arms to the Tribunal, which was an ancient court to settle grievances. Cordelia asked if lawyers were involved, but Wesley said it was trial by combat. Wesley said the Tribunal could appear in their reality whenever they wanted, so Angel said. "Look, we got to find her right away - whatever it takes. - There's only one way."
"What would that be?" Dawn wondered.
Later, at Caritas, Angel was singing Mandy in a very bad voice.
Everyone was groaning.
"Please chop off my ears, I don't care, just do it", Xander said.
"Okay, his singing is worse than his dancing, that made me laugh, this is horrible!" Dawn said.
"Cordelia is better than him", Buffy sighed, groaning. "Why did I want to hear him sing?"
"We make terrible wishes", Willow said.
"Here I thought he was decent", Tara muttered.
"I am going to have nightmares again, butchering a beautiful song", Giles muttered.
"Please don't rewind this!" Dawn said.
"Wasn't planning to!" Buffy told her. "His singing is horrible."
"I think he should have been in town when Sweet was let out, his singing and dancing would make Sweet bolt", Willow said, and now all laughed imagining the mental image.
"That man would do anything to save a life", Cordelia said as Wesley looked at her. Lorne eventually took the mic from Angel as all gave half-hearted applause, and Lorne called him a performer they could call 'Angel, Vampire with a soul', and said he'd have a chat with him while the next one could sing. He then lead Angel off the stage and they sat down as Angel asked what he could tell him, Lorne commenting it was all business. Angel reminded the woman was in danger as Lorne said he was feeling guilty and that he'd made an honest mistake. Angel told him to tell him where she was, but Lorne asked why he had sung Mandy. Angel said he knew the words and leaning closer, said he found it pretty.
"So, Angel likes Barry Manilow!" Dawn said, and all were surprised.
"Right! Never thought about that", Buffy commented, as she thought of Spike. "I thought he'd be more of a rock guy."
"Hey, all Vamps have different tastes", Willow shrugged.
"I am surprised he likes this, but he has good taste", Giles said to them.
"Sure does", Tara agreed.
"Yeah, I like him more now", Xander said. "But he still shouldn't sing!"
No one objected.
Lorne agreed, saying no destroyer of worlds could argue with Manilow so Angel was right to 'fess up, and told Angel the woman would be at Forth and Spring for the trial, and he told Angel the rest was up to him. Angel got up to leave. "Can I save her?" "Try-and find out", Lorne told him.
"I think he can, and he will", Buffy said confidently.
The pregnant woman was hurrying down an almost empty street at night, one hand on her belly. Suddenly three stone thrones occupied by dark robbed figures rose out of the ground behind her. A horse whinnied and a knight in armor rode up the street towards them. The knight threw down a bronze disk as the Judge asked where her champion was, but she said he was dead, and the Judge realized she'd no coat of arms or champion. The woman asked for asylum but the judge was unmoved, saying the ancient way was one would protect her life, the other would take it, so her life was forfeit.
"Gee, they're so nice", Xander commented sarcastically.
"Not everything is rainbows and sunshine", Giles said to him.
The Judge said. "You have no champion." The knight pulled his sword as the woman backed away. A bronze disk landed on top of the other one. Angel arrived. "Yes, she does." Judge said. "The trial by combat will begin."
"He's here!" Dawn said as they sighed in relief.
The woman asked if Angel could do this, and he said he'd grown up around horses and hadn't forgotten about it. She walked to the side as Angel told the horse to not make him look stupid.
"You looked stupid enough when you were singing", Willow said and they laughed again.
Angel mounted the horse, taking a shield and lance and the middle judge dropped the red cloth, making the other knight charge so Angel did the same. They clashed and while the Demon was knocked back, he was on the saddle. They turned and charged at each other again. Angel got knocked clear off his horse and landed flat on his back on the street. Angel picked himself up and hurried to his horse to get his sword and mace while the other knight dropped his lance, pulled his sword and rode at him. Angel knocked him out of the saddle with one blow and they continue fighting on foot, sword to sword. Their weapons clashed as Angel avoided some blows before the Demon did a spin motion and stabbed Angel through the gut.
Everyone was tense, now worried for the woman. Could Angel save her? Sure he couldn't die from this, but could he recover in time?
Angel dropped down onto his knees and one hand, the other clutching the sword. The demon knight turned towards the Tribunal. The Judge said. "The champion is defeated. She and all her issue are yours." The demon drew a knife and moves to slit the woman's throat as Angel got up, pulling the sword from his body. "I move to appeal that ruling." He beheaded the demon with one clean sweep, then dropped the sword and stood there, panting.
"He did it!" Dawn said and everyone finally felt relieved.
"Great job", Buffy smiled. "I knew he could do it."
"The woman should be safe now, right?" Xander asked Giles.
"The court may be ancient, but it is honorable", Giles told him.
The Judge said the woman and her daughter were now under their protection till the daughter came of age. The Tribunal vanished while the woman helped Angel up, asking if he was okay and he said he was, and she said he bled a lot, to which he told her it was part of the job.
"Though I'm wondering, how come no one saw this?" Xander asked.
"The Tribunal could have done a spell to conceal this", Tara told him.
Later, at Cordelia's apartment, Angel took down the whiteboard as Wesley thought they'd start over with a fresh slate, but Angel said they'd start over with no slate, and Wesley agreed, since they were saving souls, not running a race. "You guys hold the fort, I've somewhere to be", Angel told them.
"Where would that be?" Dawn asked.
"Somewhere important", Buffy said.
Angel picked up the phone at a prison visitor booth. "Hey." "Hey", Faith said back.
Everyone was surprised, not expecting that.
"He…visited her", Buffy muttered, now feeling guilty that she never had, since Faith had turned herself in, yet she'd still not tried to hear her out.
"Makes sense, that's why they're best buddies now", Willow told Buffy.
"I didn't", Buffy muttered.
"You still have ages to make that right", Dawn said to her. "Just don't get competitive again."
"I don't think I can get competitive with 1800 women", Buffy pointed out.
"How you doing?" Angel asked. Faith said. "Pretty good, I guess. I did sign up for this." Angel asked. "Regretting the choice?" Faith told him. "Bad day. One of the girls in the yard tried to build a rep by throwing down with me. She had low self-esteem, and a home-made knife, so.." Angel asked. "Oh. - Is she - you know - alive?" Faith said. "She lives to tell the tale. Took the knife away - and I can't say much for the wrist it came in." Angel commented. "So you didn't kill her." Faith said. "I really wanted to. - Took a big beating from the guards, too." Angel said. "Sorry." Faith told him. "Earned worse. Guys like us kind of got it coming."
"We do", Willow muttered, now relating. "The road is always hard."
"But I know people like you and them can get through it", Tara said to Willow as they held hands and smiled at each other.
Angel said. "I had to sing Barry Manilow." Faith was interested. "You're kidding." Angel told her. "In front of people." Faith tried not to laugh. "And here I am talking about my petty little problems." Angel said. "Just wanted to give you a little perspective." Faith asked. "Copa cabana?" Angel told her. "Mandy. I don't wanna dwell on it." Faith said. "The road to redemption is a rocky path." Angel agreed. "That it is." Faith asked. "You think we might make it?" Angel said. "We might. - - Food getting any better?" Faith told him. "You know, it's not that different from what I grew up on. It's a little one note. Eating the same thing every day." Angel said. "I wonder what that's like." Faith nodded. "Right." They continued talking.
"You two can make it", Buffy said, having faith (no pun intended) in both of them, while feeling guilty she had been competitive with Faith when they'd first met and not tried harder. "Even if I have no part in it."
"Okay Buff, the past is the past, stop beating yourself up over it", Xander said to her. "We all have done stupid things, thinking about it won't change a thing!"
"Right", Buffy sighed.
Then Angel was shown singing in Caritas again 'Oh Mandy' in various different takes. The screen went black.
All were groaning again.
"What was that?" Buffy finally asked.
"Probably his imagination", Willow said.
"Why did we have to suffer through it?" Dawn asked.
"Yes, butchery of a beautiful song", Giles muttered.
"I hope we never see him singing again", Xander said.
"We all do", Tara told him.
"Future us said they'd watch the next one with us", Buffy reminded.
"Let's wait for them then", Tara said and Buffy nodded, agreeing.
The end of this one, next up is 2x2, which is gonna be intense. Poor Scooby Gang for seeing Angel sing though, LOL!
Hope everyone enjoyed and see you all next time with another chapter. Stay safe from the coronavirus ya all!