Wes sees Faith off at the train station. Connor has latched onto him as a mentor sort of figure and is riding with Wesley to the hotel.
"You are going to help Faith and the other slayers in Sunnydale?" Connor questions, after a long pause in conversation.
Wesley nods. "Yes. They are fighting something worse than we've encountered. Worse than anything you had in Quortoth. The First Evil."
"If you need my help, I will come with you. To help you and Faith," Connor offers, suddenly.
Wes glances at the teenager, curiously. "I'll have to ask your father…"
"He doesn't care," Connor replies quickly, then stops. Wesley and Faith have been trying to convince him to be more cooperative and open-minded when it comes to Angel. "I don't think he will mind."
"After your time with Angelus, I think that your father needs to spend time with you," Wes says.
"I know that Angel and Angelus are different. Same body but different soul. I know that my father…Holtz, I mean, I know that he never met Angel, only Angelus. I am starting to understand. I will still understand even if I'm not in the same city," Connor explains.
Wes nods, thinking.
"I am a part of this war, Wesley. It seems like I was born for a reason. You say I'm not evil…"
"You're not evil, Connor," Wes says.
"If I'm not evil then I must be gifted for another reason. To fight evil. Let me come with you, Wesley. I can help…" Connor says, looking at Wesley for the first time.
"We'll talk to Angel about it. We could use you. It would be good for you to train with the slayers, I think, but I can't take you if Angel doesn't approve. Do you understand?" Wesley asks.
"No. But I don't understand much of anything when it comes to things between you and Angel," Connor sighs.
"They may need you here, in LA, Connor. We'll find out soon enough," Wes says, pulling into the hotel.
Wes leads Connor into the lobby of the hotel. It is early morning so there is no one around. Wes goes into the library and begins to sort through the books.
"I'm going to wake Cordelia. Make sure she's still okay," Connor yells, to Wesley. He has been cautiously checking on Cordelia, but hasn't spent much time with her. He hasn't spoken of the demon child that Cordelia was supposedly carrying. Wes knows that the child was not actually Connor's, it was the Beast's child.
"Wesley? Why are you stealing our books?" Angel asks, behind him.
Wes jumps, startled, but recovers. "I believe that most of these are mine. I was going to tell you. I'm not stealing. I'm borrowing," He replies.
"Borrowing. Okay," Angel nods.
"I'm going to Sunnydale. The situation is steadily getting worse and Giles asked me…" Wes begins.
"You told me yesterday that you couldn't handle it," Angel interrupts.
"Giles asked me to come," Wes replies.
"Faith is already gone, I assume?" Angel questions.
"We just took her to the train station," Wes replies, resuming his compilation of books.
"We?"
"Connor is with me. He's gone to check on Cordelia."
Angel nods. "He's been…civil to me since he started staying with you. I wanted to say thank you. It's like he's trying harder."
"He is. He's coming around. He wants to come to Sunnydale with us. I told him that he had to have your permission," Wesley states, his back to the vampire.
"You want to take him to the Hellmouth? The child of two vampires?" Angel asks, surprised.
"I want to take Connor, a strong fighter, to the Hellmouth to battle alongside the slayers. He's strong, Angel and after the last few weeks, it's pretty clear that he's on our side. I trust him," Wesley says.
Angel nods after a pause. "Okay. You'll take care of him?"
"Of course. As if he were my own son," Wesley replies, quietly.
"Are you sure you can handle the First, Wesley? I spoke with Buffy…she's different now, she's feeling the pressure…" Angel begins.
"I have to try. Giles says that my input will be worth the risk. Giles and I, we're two of the last watchers in the world. We think there may be some in hiding, but basically it's us. Now, I'm not supportive of the Council and their methods, but we are the most educated people in fighting supernatural forces. The First Evil is probably going to eat us all alive, but we have to try," Wesley finishes. "Faith has my back," He adds.
"I bet she does," Angel replies.
Wes glares at Angel.
"She was worried sick about you, Wesley. She wouldn't leave your side. She really cares about you."
"I am aware of that, Angel," Wes replies, distantly.
Connor walks into the room. He glances at Wesley and then turns to his father. "Angel?"
"Hello, Connor," Angel replies, quietly.
"I would like to go with Wesley and Faith. He says I need permission," Connor states as Cordelia appears, yawning despite her shock.
"I've talked to Wesley. You can go. Thank you for asking," Angel replies, stunned.
Connor turns to leave, walking past Cordelia. He turns, slightly. "I know that you and Angelus are different people. But I've only known you for a little while now and I can't put my trust in you. It is going to take time for me to feel like you are my father." He disappears.
Wes, Angel and Cordelia stare after the teenager, stunned.
"What did you do to him?" Cordelia asks, pale. "He's actually talking to Angel? Being honest about his feelings? You really are magic!"
"Wes is going to Sunnydale to help the cause," Angel tells her.
"Really? Does that explain why he has a hickey on his neck?" She asks, approaching him. She tugs on his shirt before he can stop her. "And all over his chest and back? You are a bad, bad man," She smiles, teasing him, tentatively.
"Maybe…" Wes replies, flushing.
"Are you sure it's a good idea to take Connor into a pit of hormonal teenage girls, Wes? I mean, we're adjusting him to the real world, but Sunnydale is never a good place to start, especially at his age," Cordelia says, perching on the desk.
"You guys are noisy…" Fred yawns, blinking away sleep. "Wesley…"
"Morning, Fred," Wes nods. He nods to an equally drowsy Gunn that follows Fred by a few steps.
"Is there anything that you need, Wesley? Help with research or talismans?" Angel asks, breaking the tense silence.
"You going somewhere, English?" Gunn questions.
"Sunnydale. Faith is already on her way…" He starts, interrupted by his phone. "Excuse me." He steps outside of the library.
"He's here…that means something, right?" Fred asks, hopeful.
"He's here to get his stuff. But he's being surprisingly…like he used to be," Angel replies.
"He smiled when I made a joke. That's new for the new Wes," Cordelia shrugs.
Wes returns, several shades paler. He seems dazed.
"Wes?" Angel calls
He starts to gather the books he has removed from the shelf.
"Wesley, what is it?" Fred asks, sensing the change.
Wes glances at her, as if seeing her for the first time. "Yes, Fred?"
"Who was on the phone, Wesley?" Fred asks.
"It was Willow…I have to leave now…" Wes replies, distantly.
"What is it? Is it Buffy?" Angel asks, concerned.
"No…they just lost Giles…"
Cordelia gasps, paling several shades.
"What happened?" Angel asks.
Wes doesn't respond, distracted. He continues to stack his books in a stack.
"Wesley. What did Willow say?" Cordelia asks, calmer.
"Xander and Dawn discovered him in the attic. He had went up to find a box of prophecies he had shipped from England…anyway, he took a long time coming back and when he did return, there was something strange about him..." Wes' voice drifts.
"Wesley. What happened?" Angel urges.
Wes' eyes clear. He refocuses on the task at hand, overcoming his surprise. "They found him in the attic with his throat cut…he had to have done it himself…"
"Giles would never do that," Angel replies.
"The First cannot take corporeal form, it cannot touch anything. It didn't kill him. Maybe…" Wes starts. "Someone must have killed him, listening to the First…but the First in Giles' form had already given the potentials instructions…" Wes' attention drifts, then he snaps back. "Willow says that Buffy's losing it…they're all losing it. Faith's walking right into a madhouse. If I leave right now, hopefully we can settle things down and…avenge Mr. Giles…"
"Are you sure I shouldn't come, Wesley?" Angel asks, after a long pause.
"I really think you should stay here, Angel. Get yourself back together. I need to see what their facing for myself…it may be better if you stay here to be backup…if we fail, there will be hell to pay," Wes replies.
"Could you use me there?" Gunn asks, surprising everyone.
Fred looks at the floor, ignoring Cordelia's concerned glance.
"You could be a welcome ally, helping the slayers patrol…" Wes replies, unsure of how he to react.
Connor appears from the doorway. "Is something wrong?"
"Gunn, if you want to go, go pack now. We need to leave immediately," Wes decides. Fred rushes out of the room.
"I just need to get away from here for a while," Gunn says, turning to Angel and Cordelia. "We're giving it some space, but living here together isn't enough. I could use a good evil-killing spree," He finishes.
"Okay. We'll take care of things here in LA and be on standby," Cordelia says, stopping Angel from speaking with a hand on his arm.
"It's been a rough few weeks. You could use the rest, both of you," Wesley says as Gunn leaves to pack and speak to Fred.
"Wesley, you aren't yourself. Are you sure you're ready to go charging into another apocalypse?" Angel questions.
Wesley nods to Connor and the teenager picks up a load of books and takes them from the room. He turns to Angel and Cordelia.
"From Willow and…Giles' details, the Sunnydale people have been struggling for quite some time now. The First Evil is corrupting everything about their lives. It is taking the form of Buffy's mother in order to get to Dawn. It's telling lies about Willow's dead lover. It's driven Spike insane. They've had no sleep. They have around 20 girls living in their house that they are trying to train and the First is picking them off one by one…"
"How does it kill?" Cordelia asks.
"One potential killed herself. The Bringers are the minions for the First. They're blind with scarred eyes and they know only one purpose, kill the potential slayers, their watchers and everyone nearby. Without Giles, I feel that Buffy and the others will be fine, but it's going to take them a while to get through their grief in order to focus on the bigger picture. Willow could barely speak, she was crying so hard," Wes says, quietly.
"I mean, it's Giles…he was like…he was Giles," Cordelia says, starting to cry. Angel embraces her. Wesley continues gathering books and scrolls.
Wesley freezes suddenly, putting a hand to his head and dropping the heavy book he is carrying.
"Wesley?" Cordelia calls, seeing the stricken look on his face.
"Wes, what is it?"
Wesley blinks as the sharp pain in his head clears. He finds himself in a barren desert. Heat radiates from the sand.
"The darkness will return the light," A voice says from behind him.
He turns and recognizes Lilah.
"What?" Wes asks, confused. "Where am I?"
"It's not where you are, it's where you're going…you must fight the darkness with the darkness, Wesley, it's the only way to win," She says.
"Fight evil with evil?" Wes questions.
"Not evil, darkness, Wes, you know what that is…" She approaches him and caresses his cheek with her fingertips.
"Lilah, you're not Lilah," Wes replies, pulling away.
"I never said I was, I'm whoever you want me to be," Lilah smiles. "That was our game, remember?"
"Who are you?"
"Someone who cares…" She says, turning her back on him. "Nothing can defeat the First…"
"That's supposed to help me?"
"Nothing has ever been able to defeat the First. However, I think…several of us, actually believe that it can be done. Buffy…she's like nothing we've ever encountered before. She is gathering a band of warriors worthy of defeating the First." Lilah turns back to face him.
"What do we have to do?"
"You know better than that. I can't just tell you. You have to solve the puzzle. You have all the pieces, you just have to find out where they fit," Lilah smiles.
"I need to know more…" Wes says.
"Your time's up…I'll be here, if you need me…" Lilah says, melting into a puddle of blood before his eyes.
"Wesley!" Cordelia yells as he snaps out of his trance. He is lying on the floor with blood dripping from his nose.
Angel and Cordelia are leaning over him, concerned.
"What did you do to him?" Connor asks, rushing into the room.
"He collapsed…his eyes turned black…" Angel says, stepping away so Connor will accept that Angel is not intending harm.
"I'm fine. Just had someone needing to talk to me. I'm fine," Wes says, sitting up and wiping his face.
"What's going on?" Gunn asks, carrying a dufflebag in one hand and holding Fred's hand with the other.
"Wesley…" Angel starts.
"Is ready when you are," Wesley finishes, giving Angel a warning look.
"You sure?" Cordelia questions, helping him up from the floor.
"Yes. We should be on our way," Wesley says, standing. "I'm going to get cleaned up and I'll meet you out front," He says, walking into the lobby.
"I know Faith told you that I called," Lorne says, standing behind the counter.
"Yes, Lorne, but I've had a lot of stuff on my mind…" Wes replies, accepting the Kleenex that the demon passes him.
"I read you. I read you after you drank the elixir," Lorne says, quietly.
"I know. Things are a little blurry, but I seem to remember that," Wes replies.
"You don't care if you come back from this, Wes. That's not a safe way to be in this business. You don't have a death wish, but indifference isn't much better."
"What happens to me is inconsequential," Wes begins, paling.
"No, it isn't. You've got that little slayer to worry about, if you don't stick around, she's going to switch sides again. You've also got all those people in that room right there. They just got you back. If something happens to you, they're going to blame themselves…" Lorne begins. "But that's beside the point. You have to find something worth fighting for, Wes."
Wes opens his mouth to reply, but stops. He nods, slowly. "I know. I'm tired of feeling this way, Lorne, but the only way I know to pull out of it is to keep busy. I will protect Faith and the others with my life. In Sunnydale, those kids…they shouldn't have to go through this, but they are. I have to try and help. I can't worry about this shit…"
"You have to worry about it sometime. The First is going to be worse than Angelus, Wes, it's going to know everything about you, all your fears and your weaknesses. It's going to be hell, Wes." Lorne finishes.
Wes nods. "I know. I have to go. Faith will need all the guidance she can get," He says, starting toward the bathroom.
"Lorne? You talk to Wesley?" Cordelia asks.
"Yeah. He's coming around," Lorne replies.
Connor and Gunn walk out of the library and start toward the door.
"Faith?" Wes has his cell phone to his ear when he walks out of the bathroom. "I have news. I'm leaving now. Connor and Gunn are with me. Giles is gone. Dead. I thought you should be prepared when you get there. I'll be a few hours behind you. Call me when you get there?"
"We ready?" Gunn asks, throwing his bag over his shoulder.
"Two more stops and we'll be on the road," Wes replies, slipping the phone in his pocket.
"Where?" Connor asks.
"My apartment so I can throw some things together and then to a shop nearby. For supplies," Wes replies. He turns to Angel. "I'll call you as soon as I know how you can help," He says.
Angel nods.
Wesley leads Connor to the truck as Gunn says his good-byes.
*****