CHAPTER FIFTEEN: TEAL

(Takes place at the end of the episode 'The Price' and will continue on into 'A New World'.  Definitely helps if you've seen these eps!)

The crew from Angel Investigations had relaxed slightly, the problem at hand had been solved, albeit in a way that Angel didn't entirely approve of, but his judgement hadn't been too brilliant lately, so he was unable to comment.  Gunn had brought Wesley back onto the crew momentarily, and even though Angel understood that desperate times called for desperate measures, he hated the fact that someone he despised was still helping them.

Lorne however, hadn't forgotten that their problems hadn't been completely solved. 

"Is everyone forgetting we got a little unexpected company on the way?" the green demon asked incredulously.  As glad as he was that Fred was alright, there were more important things to be worrying about.  "It goes by the initials 'the destroyer'."

The group suddenly tensed once more, not even allowed to enjoy a moments victory.

"Yeah, we got that," Cordy said, a little annoyed by their lack of reprieve.  "Any idea when?"

Fred's eyes went wide as she saw static in the air above the pentagram that refused to erase from the Hyperion foyer floor.  She swallowed hard and looked pointedly at the discharges in the air.

"Uhm…I think now."

The group turned as a whole to see the air crackling.  Without warning, a demon dropped to the ground, landing on its feet.   The demon roared fiercely, glad to finally be free of the dimension that had imprisoned it for centuries.  Of course, as the demons luck would have it, its freedom was short lived.

The tiny blonde dressed in black flew through the portal seconds later, landing on her feet and quickly engaging in battle with the demon, her movements too quick to really be seen by the group.

Angel stood watching in shock, wondering what the hell was going on.  If the demon was meant to be the Destroyer, what was the small creature that was defeating it.  Unless the smaller creature was the Destroyer.  Of course, the small creature couldn't be that dangerous, taking its size into account.

Of course, that was Angel's thoughts before the small black-clad creature made easy work of the large demon that had landed only seconds before.  The demons head rolled and the body disintegrated into a pile of green goo.

Buffy grinned as she stood with her crossbow aimed directly at Angel's heart.

"Hello lover."

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The last of the demons proved to be something of a challenge for Stephen.  It obviously wanted out of this dimension, for which Stephen couldn't blame it.  Of course, he wasn't about to let the demon go.  It took nearly a minute to subdue the demon and kill it.  He turned back to the space where Buffy had disappeared into only moments ago, the portal seeming to be a little smaller.

He gasped as he saw the portal begin to close up.  Running back to it and quickly grabbing his pile of weapons, he threw himself into the portal finally free of the prison that had held him for his entire life.

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"Oh…"

"My…"

"God…"

Buffy would have usually smiled in that situation.  Cordy, Angel and the green skinned demon's reactions would have been comical if it weren't for the severity of the whole thing.

Anegl's mouth went dry as he stared at the girl he believed to be dead.  The one girl he had loved in two hundred and twenty years.  The girl that he had attend a funeral for over seven months ago.

"Buffy," Angel whispered.

Cordy looked completely baffled.  She was torn between complete disbelief and a lack of shock.  She had, after all, lived on a hellmouth for most of her life and had suddenly become part demon to hell fight the good fight.  Surely something like this shouldn't seem too unusual.

Groo looked the girl up and down, having no idea of what her connection with Angel was.

"She is the Destroyer?" he asked quietly to Lorne.

Buffy shook her head, having heard Groo's question.

"I'm the Slayer, nothing more."

Angel swallowed, still unable to form words.

"But…the Destroyer was meant to be coming.  Those…those creatures were terrified of it," Fred said frantically, her voice a loud whisper.

Buffy grinned and looked up at the static still crackling.

"He probably just wants to make a big entrance," she explained.

"Who?" Gunn asked, read to race to the weapons cabinet the second he had a chance.

The air shifted again and Stephen fell through the portal, tucking into a roll at just the right moment so as to land on his feet.  He recovered his balance and directed his newest weapon at the dark vampire.

"Hi dad."