Disclaimer etc.: see chapter 1

Xander and Anya arrived first, around teatime. Xander looked as if he was expecting the worst as I showed them in and made them tea and called Mum down from the attic. She emerged covered in dust, holding a sort of glass ball to her chest carefully.

In the living room, as I passed out mugs, Mum put the ball down on the coffee table and they all looked at it in a worried way.

"Is that … what I think it is?" asked Xander.

Anya put down her cup and picked up the ball.

"It's an Orb of Thesulah. Pretty mucky. Where've you been keeping it?"

"Sweet Jesus, no," said Xander, his face white. "Will, tell me this is a dream and you need a paperweight. Please?"

Mum shook her head sadly.

"Lizzy ran into him last night." Three faces swung to me in the doorway.

"I'm fine," I said quickly.

"It's time to end the whole thing for once and for all, in some way," Mum continued.

The doorbell rang, and I went to open it to Cordelia and Wesley who hurried through to the others. I made more tea. The atmosphere was pretty tense and nobody said anything as they sipped tea and watched the clock and watched the diminishing light outside.

"Giles is coming?" asked Wesley, once, and Mum nodded, and they all went back to clock-watching.

Tara came back from her expedition to the magic shop about sixish, loaded with sacks of supplies. I brought out the brownies and Anya nibbled one. Nobody else touched a thing. The clock hand swung round. The sun started to set. And then, with a harshness that made us all jump, the bell rang again.

I glanced through the spy hole just in case before opening, and saw a distorted image of an elderly man I had never seen in my life before. I undid the chain and opened up.

"Good grief," said the old man. "You're Willow's daughter, I presume?"

"Come in," I invited. "Mr … Giles, is it?"

"Just Giles," he replied, giving me his coat. "All through here? Good, good." He walked through into the living room slowly, and I followed him and closed the door.

The council of war lasted a good few hours, and for most of it I didn't really get what the adults were talking about. They kept referring to odd bits of ancient history, always beginning with, "Remember when," or, "How about that time," but nothing was really decided.

Eventually, they did stop reminiscing and turned to the present and I woke up a bit. The old man, Giles, seemed to be in charge, though I couldn't imagine for the life of me where they'd picked him up. He sipped some cold tea, repressed a grimace, and looked round at them all.

"The question is," he said, "what do we do? I see we have two choices. We, erm, attempt to restore the soul, or we destroy him for good."

"Destroy," said Xander instantly. "You all know I never liked Angel. I never trusted him and I couldn't see him again if we brought him back."

"Destroy," Anya added. "So maybe it's the vengeance demon speaking, but if ever a candidate existed …" She ended her sentence with a decisive nod. "It's him."

Tara wrinkled her nose and surprised me by speaking up.

"Destroy," she said, a little timidly (that didn't surprise me.) "I didn't know Buffy very well, or Riley, or Angel, but I saw what you all went through, and I don't want that to happen again." She clutched Mum's hand.

Those who had spoken looked at those who hadn't. Both Cordelia and Wesley were frowning, exchanging a look, and finally Wesley spoke for them both.

"We spent more time with – with Angel, than the rest of you," he began. "We worked with him, went out with him, shared meals …"

"He cooked," broke in Cordelia.

"He looked out for us and worried about us. And I have utterly no idea why he didn't kill us instantly when he lost his soul again. Let's just say we were lucky to have simply ended up with those few weeks in Intensive Care. Somehow, though, I can't bring myself to hate Angelus. I fear him. We all do. But he's a vampire, and he's doing what vampires do."

"He killed Buffy!" exclaimed Xander.

"Vampires and Slayers are mortal enemies," Wesley pointed out. "If we destroy Angelus we destroy Angel and we destroy an old friend. I vote for restoring the soul."

"Me too," Cordelia said. And uncharacteristically fell silent.

Giles and Mum were the only ones left to speak. Mum had her head bowed and that worried expression on her face, thinking. I thought I knew which way she would go. Giles seemed to be staring into space, his eyes blank. Eventually Mum lifted her head.

"I know I can do the spell again," she said. "And I think I want to. But what will it do to Angel?"

Giles put his glasses back on.

"Angelus has to be stopped," he said bluntly. "I confess I have to disagree with Wesley when he says that he's just doing what vampires do. Angelus was never a normal vampire. They kill to feed. Angelus, and Spike after him, and because of him, ki – killed for pure pleasure." A shadow of ancient pain flew across Giles's lined brow. "Normal vampires don't torture people."

Torture, I thought from my corner. Owch! And, I added to myself, I was having a nice little chat with this thing?

"B – but," continued Giles. "In the same way, normal vampires don't help us, don't help Slayers, don't fall in love with them. Like Willow I'm concerned about the … the effects of restoring the soul now. With the mem … memory of what he did to Buffy, it might just break Angel. We risk ending up with a mad vampire on our hands, and that could be more dangerous than anything." He paused. "I'm sorry. I'm very sorry. If we could turn back time …"

"Too difficult," chorused Mum and Tara.

"I know. She's gone, and there is nothing we can do about that. We will have to destroy Angelus for good."

Silence fell. Wesley and Cordelia huddled closer together. Mum bit her lip. Only Xander seemed at all content.

"But how?" I found myself saying suddenly. Everyone looked at me, seven pairs of eyes like headlights. I felt a bit like a rabbit. "If he killed your friend, who was supposed to kill him," I offered, "how are we going to manage?"

I fell asleep in my corner before the plan got finished, and I woke up the next morning still there but covered by a blanket. The room was empty, but from the kitchen I heard voices, and I got stiffly up and followed my ears (not quite, I mean, if I'd done that I've have been walking like a crab, but you know what I mean.)

None of them seemed to have had much sleep. Even Cordelia was looking the worse for wear, and Xander was positively haggard. When I came in they all looked at me, as one, and I guess that was when I first realised something was up.

Mum sat me down at the table and pushed a mug of coffee into my hands, and they explained.

"No!" I said. "Mum? I can't. I'm scared." I was. I was utterly terrified.

"You're our only hope," returned Wesley. "He knows us. All he knows about you is that you're Willow's daughter."

"But I can't!" I repeated. "What if it goes wrong?"

Giles shook his head.

"It won't. Trust us."

"You'll be safe," murmured Tara, patting my shoulder.

"You have an advantage. You know what he is. He doesn't know you know."

"Oh Christ," I swore, and surprisingly Giles smiled.

"He'll be with you too."

I slept most of the day, but I had nasty nightmares (or perhaps that should be daymares?) about fangs and things. Mum came and woke me at fourish, and by five thirty, with the trunks of the cars loaded, the adults all left and I was alone.

I dressed carefully in the clothes Mum had told me to wear. A v-necked shimmery green top I was rather fond of, black skirt and knee-high boots, a touch of makeup and a spot of perfume. I left my hair loose. I was pretty pleased with the effect, in the end. In my purse I found a chunky wooden cross, a phial labelled 'Holy Water', and a pointed stick like the one Buffy had had in her hand in the vision Tara had shown me. I assumed I was supposed to try and defend myself as a last resort.

Half an hour after it had got dark, I gathered together my courage and left the house, setting out down the street as if I was going somewhere. This time I knew the sensation of being followed was probably accurate, and sure enough, a block en route, he caught me up.

I stopped and turned and was surprised to find it easy to smile at him. (Though it's always easy to smile at men in leather pants and maroon velvet shirts.)

"Elizabeth," he said. "Good evening."

"Hi," I returned. "Mum's friend."

"Oh, call me Angel," he invited. "Are you on your way somewhere?"

"Just the Bronze," I replied, offhand. He laughed.

"That old place? Still there? Wonders will never cease. May I invite you for a drink?"

"I'm not old enough," I said, stupidly.

"That's no problem. I know somewhere where they won't mind."

I nodded, gripping my purse and its precious contents tightly.

"All right."

He took my arm and we set off.

"You look good enough to eat," Angelus said chillingly. I forced a smile.

"Thanks."

We went through the town centre and down some steps and he pushed open the door to a dark little bar. I couldn't see the faces of the other customers; Mum said later it was probably just as well. Angelus sat me down in a booth and went to the bar. I noticed that the barman (a thin little man with a face like a shrew, a bit younger than Giles) left another client to serve him. In a minute he was back with a glass of vodka and lime for me and whisky for him.

"This is nice," I said cheerfully. We clinked glasses and drank. "So, er, Angel, how d'you know my mum?"

"Oh, she tutored me in maths for a few months once," he answered lightly. "She didn't say?"

"She wasn't interested," I lied. "Just said lots of people know her, which is true."

"I seem to remember she used to be interested in magic," Angelus said, seemingly offhand.

"She stopped that years ago!" I exclaimed, hoping I wasn't overacting. "Says she grew out of it. Just a phase and all that."

"Very likely." He leant forwards over his glass and examined me very intensely, his dark eyes running over me. I giggled for no apparent reason, and he smiled back in that disarmingly seductive way. The vodka combined with nerves had gone straight to my head.

We talked about small nothings for a little while. He said he was interested in what I did, but he kept looking at my bare neck. Although this was the intention of the green top, it made me even more nervous. After the second drink I was getting a little tipsy, not a good idea, and so I grinned and said I was hungry.

"Hungry? You haven't eaten?" He drained his glass and stood up smoothly. "Neither have I. Come to my place and we'll eat there."

I knew what he meant by eating, but I got up, exaggerating my drunkenness.

"Okay. But I need to phone my mum and tell her I'll be late."

In a flash a mobile phone was produced and placed in my hand, and he helped me up the steps and outside. I moved a little away and dialled Cordelia's number (she was the only one who had a phone), and she answered almost immediately.

"Hi, Mum?" I said. "Lizzy."

"Where are you?" Cordelia said. "Are you with him?"

"I'm going to be late home tonight," I said urgently, "I'm going to a friend's house for dinner."

"Well done, Lizzy," she said. "Watch out."

"No, I won't do anything stupid. Yes, he's a friend from school. See you. Bye."

I ended the call to Cordelia's hasty warnings and handed the phone back.

"Ready!" I said.

To get to Angelus's place we had to go round the cemetery, which was spooky now I'd seen what Mum and the others had. He knew his way around it well enough. I giggled a bit more and pretended to be a carefree teenager, but he failed to respond. He had gone cold and silent and he was starting to really scare me now.

The 'house' was actually an old, half-ruined mansion set in secluded grounds at the other end of the cemetery. There wasn't a proper door, only some thick curtains. But inside everything was really swish, all art-deco furniture, candlesticks and things. I stood in the vast hall and stared. Angelus threw off his leather coat and watched me.

"Like it?"

"It's wonderful," I said. I did like it, but I was starting to wish Mum and the others would show themselves. He was circling me a bit like our cat circles birds in the garden.

"Really? It's dark and cold and dusty. Are you cold?"

"No," I said, "just hungry."

"Rubbish," he laughed, "you're not just hungry. You're completely terrified. You've listened to Willow's stories and you're hoping she'll turn up and cast a spell or something any second." He clicked his fingers and a curtain was drawn back by unseen hands, and in a shock of cold fright I saw the seven adults, each held in a tight grip by a vampire. Angelus waved his hand at them.

"I was guessing maybe Xander and Willow, not the whole little gang," he said. "Cordy. Wes. How are you?"

Wesley's eyes widened and he tried to speak under the vampire's hand. Angelus nodded at the creature who let go enough for his prisoner to talk.

"Better before seeing you," Wesley spat out.

"How did you know they'd be here?" I stammered, my voice hoarse. I opened my bag with one hand, feeling for the cross.

"You're a dreadful actress," he said cuttingly, sitting gracefully in a chair. "And anyway I checked the number you had called on my phone. There can't be two C. Wyndham-Pryces. A stupid plan that bears all the hallmarks." He beckoned with one long pale finger and the vampire holding Giles dragged him past me. "Rupert, Rupert," admonished Angelus. "I worked with you long enough – or the pathetic part of me did – to recognise your scent anywhere. You're looking a little aged. Years not hanging well?" He paused. "By the way, I don't remember seeing you when the Slayer failed so valiantly to save herself. Great Watching."

Giles visibly sagged. I got hold of the stick in my bag and began edging very slowly towards the others. Everybody was intently watching Angelus; he seemed to inspire a sort of magnetic attraction. They seemed to have forgotten about me.

"So what are you doing these days?" the vampire continued. "Researching? Indexing? Drinking too much?"

"The only thing concerning you," said Giles with an effort, "is how quickly we kill you."

The other vampires all laughed, a horrible sound. Angelus smiled with them, but then he leant towards Giles and the smile switched off like a light.

"You're going to kill me? You and your little band of nobodies? Ex-Watchers, couple of witches, an ex-demon, the world's worst actress and a comic writer – who, by the way, Xander, is not funny? Oh, please. Rupert, you're getting far too confident in your old age."

I had been inching closer to Mum all the time, and as Angelus completed his sentence and stood up, I rammed the stick into the back of the vampire holding her, hoping to knock him off balance or something. To my utter astonishment the thing disappeared in a cloud of dust. Mum threw me a grateful glance and instantly began chanting in Latin. I got the cross out and shielded her from the other vampires, who seemed not to know what to do.

Angelus's attention was torn away from Giles, and he actually growled. Everything got confused then. My head was spinning from Mum's chanting and the smell of the herbs she was waving. I was waving the cross at Xander's vampire, who had let go of him and was trying to get me. Xander pulled a stick out of his waistband and stabbed the creature in the back before attacking Anya's captor.

In the centre of the room Angelus had thrown Giles's vampire off him and had grabbed the old Englishman himself.

"Stop!" he shouted, and we all froze except for Mum who kept right on chanting. She'd changed from Latin to a funny foreign language, and in the silence her voice rose, commanding. "I know that," Angelus said, and still holding Giles he moved towards us. "Shut up, Willow," he threatened, "or I kill Rupert here."

Mum looked back at him but kept going and now Tara, who had wrenched herself free of her confused guard, joined in. Angelus's face changed to match his minions', and he bent and for a second we saw the glint of candlelight on fangs.

"Giles!" said Wesley. "Willow, stop."

Mum raised her hands and there was a flash of blinding light. We all blinked, and when we could see again, Giles was flat on the floor, and by his side there was a figure curled up, shaking uncontrollably.

The vampires still around ran (sensibly, in my opinion.) As a group we went towards Giles, Wesley getting there first and bending over the prostrate figure.

"He's still alive. Thank God."

Mum had gone to the shaking figure, and gently, concern all over her face, she touched its shoulder. And Angelus started and looked up.

Yet somehow it wasn't Angelus anymore. The face was the same, but in his eyes and his posture, the shaking and such, it wasn't him. He looked up and around.

"Willow?" he said, when his eyes fell on me. "Willow."

"I'm Willow," Mum told him, bobbing down to his eye level. "Angel, are you all right?"

"You're Willow? But Willow's young. Where's Buffy? I don't remember. I don't remember anything." His eyes flitted around the room. "Why am I here? I was in Los Angeles. There was …" And suddenly realisation must have hit him because his eyes widened. "No. Oh, no. Buffy." The sound was a wail, a horrible sound of grief and guilt and hurt that made me want to stop up my ears. "Buffy." He fell into Mum's arms and sobs filled the room.

We watched him cry. Wesley had produced a bandage from somewhere and bound Giles's wounds, and helped him sit up. Suddenly Xander moved, an angry movement not like himself at all, and followed by Anya he turned and ran out of the hall.

"Don't follow him," Mum said, her words slightly muffled by the shaking creature in her arms. The rest of us began quietly to clear up the bags and things.