Lorne, Gunn, Fred and the two Peprimda demons wait for Xander, Dawn and Wes beside a rented boat.
"What do you think about this kid, Lorne?" Gunn asks, suddenly.
Lorne sighs. "I think he knows where Angel is. He's haunted and damn scary, but I think he's on our side."
"Cordelia told me about him sometimes. I wonder what happened in Sunnydale to make him this way," Fred says, quietly.
"Whoa," Ike, one of the demons, interrupts. "Are you guys talking about the Slayer's friend? Harris?"
"Yeah, what do you know about it?" Gunn questions.
"Just that the Slayer's witch friend lost it a few months back when her lover was murdered. She went psychotic and almost destroyed the world but the Harris guy stepped into her channel of power and snapped her out of it," Trina, the other demon explains, excited. "They say power just oozes out of him, that he's a magnet for psychic energy. That's the guy we're helping? I'll have to get an autograph…"
"No wonder the kid's a little shaky," Gunn says, quietly.
"He should be dead. A mortal isn't meant to hold such power," Ike adds. "He's a walking miracle. They say he's a sign that the laws are malleable, that things are changing."
Xander's car pulls into the parking lot.
"Sorry we're late…the closer we got to the ocean…" Dawn starts, pausing as Xander darts away into a darkened corner of the marina. "…the sicker Xander got…"
"He sounds really sick," Fred says, hearing the sounds.
"We can't talk him out of going. He says we have to get Angel tonight," Dawn says.
Xander returns from the alley, looking better. "Okay. Sorry for the vomiting, are we ready?"
"What did you do?" Dawn demands, surprising everyone. She notices him cradling his arm under his jacket. She pushes the jacket out of the way to reveal his crushed hand.
"It's nothing, Dawn. Look at me," Xander says, soothingly, calming her with his placid brown eyes. "I have to save something for the boat ride…come on," Xander warns the others from confronting him with a glance.
"How exactly are we going to find him?" Gunn asks, helping Fred onto the deck.
"I can feel him. I can find him. Can you guys dive?" Xander asks Ike and Trina.
"Our specialty. You tell us where and what and we'll bring it up for you, sir," Ike bows toward Xander, awed.
"Gunn? I need you and Wes to get those bags from the backseat of my car…and no arguing please, tonight is about finding Angel." Xander has started to shake again.
"It's not working," Dawn whispers, only Fred hearing her.
"What?"
"He hurts himself because it distracts him from the flashes but he's already shaking again…I think he's feeling Angel and you guys too much…I think we should have told Buffy…" Dawn says to Fred.
"You didn't tell the Slayer? Buffy?" Lorne questions, hearing their conversation.
"Things are really hard in Sunnydale. Xander and Buffy bust their asses…he said he could handle it…" Dawn starts.
"Dawn. I can handle this. Buffy doesn't need the stress and I don't trust Willow with anyone else. Now. Let's go find Angel," Xander finishes, turning to them.
"Blood. You're bringing blood on board?" Gunn questions, dropping the bags beside of Wesley's.
"Angel hasn't eaten since he disappeared. He's on the bottom of the ocean, starving to death…do you know how quiet it is on the bottom of the ocean? It's deafening…" Xander's voice trails off.
"I'll drive," Gunn volunteers. Wesley follows him to the back of the boat.
"Are you sure you aren't pushing it, Xander?" Dawn asks, quietly.
"I promise. I'm fine. Will you go tell Gunn to head east?" Xander reassures her with a hug.
"The kid's right, Xander. You're in no shape for this. The closer we get to Angel, the worse you're going to get," Lorne says, once Dawn is out of earshot.
"He's not dead…well…at least not spiritually…anyway…I won't break down until Angel is out of the water…I have his voice…he's in my head, Lorne, and I have to make him quiet…" Xander explains, his attention somewhere else.
Wesley returns to Xander's side. "Your eyes, Xander…" Wesley says, realizing that one of Xander's eyes is turning icy blue.
"It's okay…it happens when the pain gets bad." Xander reaches out and takes Lorne's arm. "Can you help me to the front…I can't see so well…"
Wesley helps Lorne lead Xander to the front of the boat where Ike and Trina are watching the water.
"Wes. Don't let Dawn see that I'm blind," Xander says, quietly.
"Blind?" Wesley asks, startled.
"Just temporarily, I promise…it's happened before but she doesn't know…" Xander says.
"Are we close?" Ike asks.
Xander gasps, paling. "We're there."
Gunn shuts off the engines and drops the anchor into the ocean.
Xander sits down on deck, cradling his head but still focused.
"Lorne?" Xander calls.
"Right here."
"Tell Ike and Trina that he's right underneath us…his feet are under the sand but the top half of the coffin is sticking out…there's a plant beside him, " Xander says, his voice hoarse.
"Xander?" Dawn is beside him, concerned.
"Dawn…in the bags we brought…one of them has a blue bag inside it…its blood from a slayer…"
"Buffy?" Fred questions, startled.
"No…Faith…long story…will you get it, Dawn?" Xander replies.
"Are you alright?" Dawn doesn't move. There's a splash as the demons jump overboard.
"I've been better…get the blood for Angel and give it to Gunn."
Dawn sighs, but obeys.
"Xander, you aren't looking so good…" Fred whispers.
"Wait…" He clenches and unclenches his mangled hand, blood dripping from the scraped knuckles. "They've found him…they're bringing him up…Wesley, Lorne, left side and help them…"
Fred waits for Dawn to return to Xander's quaking form.
"Fred? Sit here with me…you shouldn't see him right now…" Fred sits down beside Xander and Dawn joins them.
"Xander?" Dawn asks, concerned.
"Yeah?" Xander replies, both his eyes crystal blue.
"What do you need?"
"Tell me what you want to go shopping for tomorrow," Xander replies, his voice dreamlike.
Dawn realizes that Xander needs the distraction from his psychic bombardment and begins to talk about the good stores in L.A. Fred catches on and enthusiastically helps Dawn discuss shopping as the demons and men haul the steel coffin on board.
"Xander?" Wesley calls.
"First give him some blood…he's starving and…he can't keep the demon under control with the hunger…" Xander replies, calling across the distance. He opens his eyes and they have returned to brown.
There is growling from Angel's coffin.
"It's okay, buddy, we're all friends here," Lorne coaxes, squeezing a bag of blood through the mesh covering.
"Ugh," Dawn frowns, hearing the slurping sounds.
"He needs more…he's too weak…he doesn't believe that he's up from the water…give him another one…" Xander's eyes are glazed slightly.
Lorne squeezes another bag into the box. "Can't we get him out of there?"
"He's insane from the hunger…he's coming around…" Xander replies.
There is coughing as Angel starts to cough the water out of his lungs. "Lorne?" He asks, in a whisper.
"Yeah, buddy, you okay in there?"
"Connor?" Angel croaks.
"Give him the blue bag," Xander says.
"We'll explain everything in a little while…here's some more juice for you…" Lorne evades.
"Slayer's blood…" Angel drinks it, thirstily.
Xander's head has started to loll to the side, resting on Dawn's shoulder.
"In a box…in a box in the ocean…in a box…" Angel mutters.
"Get him out…show him you're real…he's too tired to fight you…Dawnie?" Xander calls, distantly.
"Right here, Xander," She answers.
"Shopping at noon…promise…" Xander manages before his eyes fall shut.
Dawn makes sure he is still breathing and pulls his head against her, protective as Gunn starts to weld open the steel coffin.
***