Title: Miracles Do Happen

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Sequel to 'Please, Don't Leave Me'. It's been 3 years since her death and The Powers That Be are letting Cordy go back…but it might take some work on her behave.

Couples: Regular ensemble.
Feedback: Yes please! Much needed!
Disclaimer: Angel and crew belong to the magnificent Joss Whedon and company. Nothing is mine, just my imagination. *g*                                   ***************************************************************************************** Chapter Eight *****************************************************************************************

Buffy: "Giles just called and said that they have some bad nasties to take care of and that they would be running a little late…they do know where the beast is going but I told him that we do too."

Willow: "What else did he say?"

Buffy: "That's it."

Dawn: "So they know pretty much the same as us."

Xander: "So basically we're on a wild goose chase with no way to kill the damn goose."

Buffy: "Don't worry guys we'll figure something out."

Spike: "Well it better be quick luv because I see the big and the ugly right ahead." Spike stopped the car and everyone got out.  They watched as the beast headed for a nearby city melting the ice with every step it took.

Dawn: "Damn that thing is big."

Anya: "One question." Everyone turned to look at her.

Anya: "If water puts out fire and ice or snow is made out of water and this thing is made out of fire…um, then how come it's not melting? It just melts the ice back into water."

Willow: "Uh…that's a good question."

Xander: "Ahn…you always seem to amaze me."

Anya: "I know." She leaned in and kissed him softly on the lips.

Anya: "You know…amazement like that requires much reward…"

Xander: "Not now Anya." Anya crossed her arms.

Anya: "Fine but when this is over you owe me a long night of sex." Xander sighed and everyone else just rolled their eyes.

Willow: "Maybe we should call Giles and see if he can give us an explanation." Buffy nodded and flipped open her cell phone. After a few tries she closed it back up and sighed.

Buffy: "I can't get a signal…I think we're too close to the mountains."

Dawn: "So we have no way of contacting the others and that beast is heading straight for that city."

Buffy: "OK, here's the plan. Everyone grab weapons and we'll team up in twos to watch each other's back. Xander and Anya, Dawn and Spike, and Will and I. See if you can distract the beast and lure it away from the city then try and hold it off till the others get here and hopefully they'll have a way to kill this stupid thing. Get ready guys because this is it…we fight to the death."

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Angel: "OK everyone just stay calm…"

Gunn: "Calm? I'm gonna die and you want me to stay calm?"

Angel: "No one's going to die. If we can stop this before the last plague…"

Connor: "But dad that's just it, we don't know when it's coming. It could be the next one for all we know."

Angel: "Well then we'll play by ear. Fred what are the 10 plagues?" Fred flipped through some pages in the book she was holding.

Fred: "OK…there's the plague of blood…"

Gunn: "Wait…blood?! Oh that should be fun."

Angel: "I'll be fine Gunn…"

Gunn: "It ain't you I'm worried about man. It's them damn reincarnations of other people."

Angel: "Oh…I knew that."

Connor: "Sure you did dad." He patted Angel's shoulder and Angel tried to slap him but he ducked.

Fred: "OK guys as I was saying…there's the plague of blood, frogs, gnats, flies, livestock, boils, hail, locusts, darkness, which is now, and the firstborn."

Wes: "Well the plague of livestock shouldn't be a big problem because isn't that where the Hebrew's cattle and herds died?"

Giles: "Yes that's true and since cattle and herds aren't a major industry here in the US it shouldn't be a problem."

Angel: "OK so that's one down and the darkness has already started so that's two down."

Connor: "Well this is kinda a good thing because the sun won't come out so it shouldn't be a problem for you dad."

Lorne: "That's true little nipper but that means more vamps to come out and play."

Gunn: "So what do we do about fighting in this darkness?"

Angel: "You guys will just have to carry flashlights except for Connor and I, vampire eyesight."

Gunn: "Ahright then, lets do this." The fang gang collected as many weapons as they could and headed out into the pitch-black night.

Angel: "Pair up. Gunn take Fred and Lorne, Connor take Giles and Wes you're with me." They were headed out the door, Angel leading. He went to open the door as huge flies began to charge in his direction.

Fred: "Angel close the door, CLOSE THE DOOR!" Angel quickly closed the door as the flies began to charge the door.

Gunn: "That door's glass?"

Angel: "Yeah, why?"

Gunn: "EVERYBODY RUN!" At that moment, each and every glass window and door in the hotel was broken followed by a hundred thousand enormous flies. The gang quickly ran up the stairs but was bombarded by more flies.

Wes: "This is hopeless…where are we…ahhh…going to go…there are…flies everywhere." He swatted at the flies that attacked him.

Lorne: "I say we get out of here?"

Wes: "What? We can't leave…we have to kill those demons that the beast left and get rid of these plagues."

Lorne: "If we stay here we'll never kill off these things. The beast created them so all we have to do is kill the beast."

Angel: "Lorne's got a point."

Giles: "Well then lets bloody get out of here."

Fred: "So what do we do about the chaos here?"

Angel: "Lets just hope the police remember all they were taught in their years of training."

Connor: "We're going to leave this in the hands of the police?"

Lorne: "We have to we have more important things to kill."

Gunn: "Let's bounce then." The gang fled the hotel quickly swatting and killing flies on their way. They climbed in Angel's car and headed to Alaska to meet the others.

Angel: "Giles call Buffy and see how she's doing and tell her we're on our way." He gave his cell to Giles. Seconds later Giles closed back up the cell and gave it back to Angel.

Angel: "What happened?"

Giles: "There's no answer."

Angel: "What? Buffy wouldn't turn off her cell."

Giles: "I know…something must be wrong."

Connor: "Oh god…Dawn."

Angel: "Don't worry. I bet she's fine…I bet they're all OK. Let's just get to Alaska and kill this thing."

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The Scoobies followed the beast close to the city. Buffy grabbed a hold of Xander and pushed him towards the beast.

Xander: "Why do I always have to be the bait?"

Buffy: "Because you're the best runner, now go." Xander followed close behind the beast holding his sword tightly in his hands. He was about ready to swing when Anya broke his cover.

Anya: "XANDER, YOU"RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE A LITTLE FASTER…" Willow and Dawn clamped their hands on her mouth but it was too late.

Willow, Dawn: "Shhh!"

Spike: "Bloody hell…(sigh) women." The beast turned around and spotted Xander.

Willow: "RUN XANDER!" Xander watched as the beast walked towards him. He was so consumed by fear that his legs wouldn't move.

Dawn: "He's frozen."

Anya: "Someone do *something*!"

Spike took off running followed by Buffy. The beast caught him first, picking him up and throwing him straight into a running Spike and Buffy knocking them down and him unconscious. The beast walked towards them and Spike and Buffy struggled to get Xander off of them and get up. Spike threw Xander over his shoulder as Buffy tried to distract the beast by throwing punches and kicks at him. The beast blocked each punch and kick leaving her scratched and bruised and tired, but she kept going. Spike finally got Xander across his shoulder and Willow came to help as Dawn comforted a crying Anya from a distance.

Spike: "Don't worry about me Red, help Buffy." Willow looked at Buffy and saw that her clothes were torn and she was bleeding badly but continued to fight. Willow closed her eyes.

Willow: "(telepathically) Run Buffy…I got this one." Buffy looked around to see where the voice was coming from and the beast knocked her down. Willow shot open her eyes and they shown black.

Willow: "Asato dublirs matova!" Buffy shook her head and scooted away from the beast as a big black light consumed it.

Willow: "(telepathically) RUN BUFFY!" Buffy knew now it was Willow and got up and ran towards her. Willow's eyes originated back to their normal color and she took hold of a beaten Buffy helping her run back to the others. Spike laid Xander down on the snow and laid his duster across him.

Anya: "Is he…?"

Spike: "No, he's just unconscious." Willow and a battered Buffy came up behind. Spike turned to see them and saw how bad Buffy was.

Spike: "Oh my god…Buffy." He took her in his arms and kissed her, careful not to hurt her, and stroked her hair.

Buffy: "I'm OK Spike. Just a few scratches here and there. Nothing slayer strength can't heal." She kissed him again a little more passionately to reassure him she was fine. They broke apart and Buffy looked down at Xander.

Buffy: "How is he?"

Spike: "Unconscious."

Buffy: "This is my fault…I shouldn't have let him go after the beast."

Anya: "You're right…" Buffy looked up at her with a bewildered expression.

Anya: "This is your fault if you hadn't…"

Xander: "No…" Xander slowly opened his eyes and tried to get up.

Anya: "Xander."

Xander: "It's nobody's fault. She did what she had to and it worked." He looked up at Spike and held out his hand.

Xander: "Thanks man…for saving my live." Spike looked at his hand for a while and then at him. He smiled and took it.

Spike: "No problem." Spike helped Xander to his feet and held on to him so he wouldn't fall.

Xander: "So where's the bastard?"

Willow: "Over there." She pointed to the beast still confined to his dark prison.

Dawn: "How long will it hold?"

Willow: "For a while." The black light faded out around the beast and it spotted them walking again in their direction.

Willow: "OK, maybe not."

Dawn: "What do we do know?"

Buffy: "Run like hell back to the van!"

Anya: "What about Xander?!"

Buffy: "Carry him!" Spike and Buffy took hold of Xander and they all took off running towards the car. They got in and locked all the doors with the beast only feet away.

Dawn: "Spike, start the car." Spike tried to start it but it was too cold.

Spike: "Bloody hell." Dawn looked out the window and watched the beast come towards them.

Dawn: "Come on, come on."

Buffy: "He's trying Dawn." The car finally started and Spike sped off with the beast right behind them.

Xander: "What do we do now? Drive around while this stupid thing tries to get us until Angel and the others get here?"

Willow: "Or until we run out of gas."

Xander: "Why does this always happen to us?"

Anya: "Because it's our job."

Xander: "Well then…I quit."

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Cordelia looked at the orb showing her the images of the Scoobies fighting and now running from the beast. She had been doing all she could to try and come up with a solution but came up empty every time. Even the damn Powers wouldn't help her. Cordelia sighed and fear started to settle in. She ran her hands through her hair and started to panic.

Cordy: "Oh god…what if we can't stop this thing. The world's…there's nothing…I can't do a damn thing." She lifted her head upward and began to shout.

Cordy: "WHY AREN'T YOU HELPING? DON'T YOU CARE THAT MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF PEOLE ARE GOING TO DIE? I CAN'T DO THIS. I'M NOT STRONG ENOUGH. I NEED HELP. PLEASE HELP ME SOLVE THIS." Just as she was at the peak of her anger a bright light shown blinding her eyes. When she adjusted them she looked around to see what had caused it. When she finally saw what it was she covered her mouth and gasped.

Cordy: "Oh my god!" ********************************************************************************************** Reveiws…you know I love 'em! Happy Holidays to you all! ~Michele~