"Xander?"
He dropped to his knees in front of her. Her hands were tied to a stake in the ground, and she was blindfolded.
"Yeah, it's me." he answered, removing the blindfold.
"Untie me, quick, before they see us." Xander had just finished untying her hands when she added, "Too late."
"What?"
In answer to his question, a vampire grabbed him from behind, hauled him to his feet, then flung him to the ground again. "I'm sorry I asked." Xander muttered, getting up.
The vampire took a swing at Xander, missed, and took a hit to the stomach. They battled back and forth, until Xander heard Cordelia scream his name. He turned in her direction, and saw Angel let her body slump to the ground.
"No!" Xander yelled, and was just about to charge at Angel, when the vampire he'd been fighting with before grabbed him again.
The vampire threw Xander to the ground, then kicked him in the stomach when he tried to get up. Xander noticed that the stake Cordelia had been tied to was in reach. He pulled it out of the ground, then shoved it into the vampire.
Xander rolled onto his stomach, then got on all fours and crawled to where Cordelia lay dying. He pulled her close to him, tears in his eyes. "You're gonna be alright, Cordy, I promise."
Cordelia looked into his eyes, and smiled. She put her hand on his cheek, and said, "I'm sorry."
"No, don't be. It wasn't your fault."
"I wasn't fair to you. I never once cared about what you wanted, or anything. I was selfish."
"I shouldn't have expected you to make me fit in with your friends." He heard her sigh. "I love you, Cordy." Cordelia shuddered, then went limp. "Cordy?" When she didn't answer, he knew she was gone. Xander sobbed angrily, not wanting to let her go.
Suddenly, he was hauled to his feet when someone grabbed him by his hair. He cried out in pain and anger, as Cordelia slipped out of his arms. Xander tried to pry the fingers away. He felt himself being lifted off the ground, and tried harder to get away.
"You people are so pathetic." It was Angel's voice. He let Xander drop. "Do you really think you can beat us?"
"Oh, so, you're an 'us' now, are you?"
"You know what I mean."
"No, Angel, I don't think I do. Explain it to me?"
"I'm going to enjoy killing you, you know that? You were always jealous of me. I had what you could never get."
"Oh really? And what's that?" Xander got to his feet.
"A steady girlfriend." Angel grinned.
"I had one," Xander glanced down at Cordelia.
"And I killed her." Angel replied, grinning.
"Spike?" I called into the darkness. I heard chains rattling along the back wall. "Spike, is that you?" I moved forward slowly. "Please answer me?"
"I'm right here." he was behind me, and I jumped.
"Spike," I hugged him tightly.
"Ah! Ease up a bit, Pet."
"Oh, sorry."
"Come on. Let's get away from here. Oh, watch where you step. Dru's around here."
"I'm sorry about Dru, Spike."
"There was nothing you could have done." Spike conceded. "I have to find Angel. I have a score to settle."
I heard the chains rattling again. "Spike, who's over there?"
"What? Oh, my jailor."
I nodded, then followed him up the stairs. He stumbled, and I helped him up the rest of the steps.
Dahle blocked another blow from the vampire he was fighting. "Could you stop trying to beat me up, and just - ow! Alright, now I'm - ow! Stop that!"
"You look like you could use some help." came a voice from up the tree.
Dahle turned to face the voice. "Sven? Ow!" Dahle turned back to the vampire, and punched him back a few times.
Another vampire decided to join in the fun. Sven watched quietly from his perch, waiting for his cue from Dahle.
"Why are you just sitting there, Sven?" Dahle demanded, dodging one of the vampires' hits.
"This is actually quite relaxing. It's better than that wrestling show we watched that time."
"Oh, you're funny." Dahle muttered sarcastically. The vampire punched him in the stomach, and he doubled over. "You know, I could use some help."
"Oh, alright," Sven jumped down from the tree, stake in hand, and shoved it into the nearest vampire. The other one was running away, but Sven threw a stake at him, and it lodged itself neatly between his shoulder blades. The vampire turned to dust. "You're welcome."
"Thanks," Dahle replied. "Got one for me?"
Sven pulled another stake off his belt. "Got stakes?" he grinned.
Xander cried out as Angel hauled him to his feet.
"It's been fun, Xand, but now it's time to end it. I hope you enjoyed your life."
"Help me!" Xander yelled, as Angel's teeth sank into his neck.
"Leave him alone." Buffy stated from behind them.
Angel laughed, then threw Xander to the ground, sending him rolling. "Bring it on, Babe." Angel told her.
Spike and I were just crossing the front foyer, when a sea of nausea suddenly swept over me.
"Spike, where's Angel's room from here?"
"That way," he nodded in the direction of another hallway. I nodded, and headed toward it. "What are you doing?"
"There's something I have to do. Will you be alright on your own?"
Spike nodded slowly. "Will you?"
"Yeah," I nodded. "It'll just take a few minutes."
He watched me run down the hall to Angel's room, then limped outside.
Xander got to his feet slowly, pressing his hand against his neck. A mangled scream caught his attention, and he spun around. "Oh, God! Willow!" he exclaimed, seeing his friend hanging from the tree behind him. "I'll get you down." he promised, examining the best way to climb the tree.
He fiddled with the rope, but couldn't manage to untie it. Xander spotted Sven, and called, "Hey, Sven! Throw me a knife!"
Sven paused, examined the situation, then threw his knife at the tree. It hit the rope, cutting it, and Willow fell to the ground.
"Thanks," Xander called after Sven as he took off again. Xander jumped down from the tree. "Are you alright?" he asked Willow, helping her remove the noose.
Willow nodded, then, noticing Buffy and Angel fighting, grabbed his arm in alarm, and pointed.
"She's alright," Xander replied to assure her, as Buffy got back up. "Hey, isn't that Spike over there?"
Willow glanced over at what Xander was pointing at, then nodded.
"I guess we got here in time, then." he thought aloud.
I entered Angel's room cautiously, just in case there were traps set. I'd realized why I'd suddenly lost my powers when we arrived, and now was my chance to recast the spell on the two Eyes. The spell only lasts for fifty years, and separated them when they return. I started the chant.