Wes disentangles himself from Faith early the next morning and takes a post in the kitchen surrounded by books and scrolls. He has the kitchen fully stocked and coffee brewing by the time Faith and the others join him.
"Damn, man, do you ever sleep?" Gunn asks, yawning as he staggers into the cluttered kitchen.
"In between apocalypses I sometimes find the time," Wes replies, not looking up from his book.
"So what's the plan?" Faith asks, kissing him on the cheek.
"The furniture is on the way. Buffy is bringing the potentials down to help set up…" Wes replies, distracted and not reacting to Faith's touch.
"What are you reading?" Connor asks, opening a box of donuts.
"I'm researching. I think I've found something but I don't want to talk about it yet. I think the First is all around us," Wes replies, looking up finally. He smiles at Faith, as if just realizing that she is there.
"You look beat," Faith comments, putting a cup of coffee beside him.
"Once we get the house set up, I need you three to help with the training of the Slayers in Training. Faith and Connor will get a chance to battle…" Wes starts, his attention drifting for a moment. "And Gunn will be there for sparring with the potentials so no one gets hurt. Faith and Connor are both stronger than normal humans and I don't want anyone hurt before we get to the real war."
"What are you going to be doing while we're distracting the girls?" Gunn asks, testing Wesley.
Wes smiles slightly. "Planning. Willow's at the door, Connor, would you kindly let her in?" There is a timid knock at the door.
Connor doesn't question Wes' prediction, he goes to the door.
"What did you do?"
"Nothing. Willow holds such power that I can sense her." Wes turns to Gunn. "I trust that you will not hurt the Slayers in Training?"
"I'll be as gentle as they are," Gunn replies, quietly.
"Hey, Wes. This is kind of early for me…" Willow says, yawning as she enters.
"Sorry. I'm not a big sleeper," Wes replies. There is a loud knock at the door.
"Movers?" Faith questions. "Come on, boys, let's go get some furniture," She says, leading Gunn and Connor from the kitchen.
"Coffee?" Wes asks, stepping away from his book for a moment. Willow peeks at the foreign text and her eyes widen.
"Is this…" She gasps.
"Let's not talk about what it is just yet. It's a possibility," Wes replies, quickly.
Willow looks at him, confused. "Wesley..."
Inside her mind, Wes' voice is quiet. "I think the First can hear what we say out loud. I don't think it can read our minds. I have a way to keep the First away for a day or so. A spell using the power we took from it. I will need your help. No one else needs to know until it is done."
Willow nods. "How can you do that?" She asks, aloud.
"I've enhanced myself," Wes replies, turning away. "Gathered a few more weapons for my arsenal," He says.
"You know that it's dangerous, don't you, Wes?" She asks, quietly.
"I know. Hopefully I won't need the weapons after this battle." Wes passes her a cup of coffee. "We were visited by the First last night."
"Again? You must have really pissed it off. What happened?" She asks, setting the cup on the counter beside her.
"My nose started to bleed and then I shut down. I don't know what happened but it had already harassed everyone before I snapped back to reality. I used the same spell I used earlier yesterday to solidify it…and I snapped its neck…" Wes finishes.
Willow doesn't ask the questions that are bubbling in her mind, sensing the emotion behind Wes' statement. "Wes…"
"It's getting to me, Willow and we can't afford that. I can't afford that. If this…" He glances away and finishes his statement in her mind. "If this repellent spell works, we'll have a full 24 hours to plan our attack. That's all we need."
Willow replies to Wes inside his mind. "When do we do the spell?"
"Tomorrow night," He replies, silently.
"Excuse me. Are we interrupting?" Faith asks, flanked by Gunn. Wes and Willow realize how stupid they must look standing in the kitchen in silence.
"Of course not," Wes replies. "Willow, look these texts over for a few minutes…" He says, pulling Faith gently from the room onto the porch.
"What?" Faith questions, worried. He pulls her against him, kissing her deeply.
"Oh, that…" She replies, returning his kiss. She pushes him against the wall, ravaging his mouth.
Someone starts to giggle behind them.
"This is not part of the training, is it?" Buffy's voice calls, as Faith releases Wesley. All of the potentials are lined up on the sidewalk.
"He can train me…" One of the girls murmurs.
"Hands off, ladies. This one's taken," Faith scolds, blushing.
"Back to work," Wes says, ducking inside.
"You guys sure are affectionate," Willow grins.
"You're setting a great example for those girls, though," Gunn teases.
Faith walks in with Buffy, but hears Gunn's comment. "At least we're showing them that life goes on," She says.
"The potentials are getting a lot different training that Buffy or Faith ever got," Willow adds. "The Council taught them to avoid friends and not to have a life. At least they get to see that friends and family are important…"
"It's coming," Wesley says, suddenly. "The First." His nose starts to bleed as his eyes fill with black.
"What…" Buffy asks, but Giles walks through the door into the kitchen.
"Don't I get to join in on the fun?" He grins.
"You are not welcome here," Wes replies. Gunn steps behind him, instinctively, pulling Faith to his side.
"I'm welcome everywhere," Giles retorts, morphing suddenly into the Mayor. "Faith…I've been wanting to talk to you, sweetie…"
Faith is stunned. Buffy and Willow step in front of Wesley.
"Leave them alone," Buffy orders.
"Aw, Slayer, aren't you tired of always playing with me? Can't I make new friends?" It asks, morphing into Angel. "You're always making new friends," He sneers, morphing into Spike.
"You're afraid, that's why you keep attacking our friends," Willow stutters.
"I'm not afraid of you, witch…I know your weakness," It says, becoming Tara.
Wes begins to chant loudly in a foreign language and Tara flinches, suddenly morphing into Angel and then Giles before settling into Lilah's form again.
"You bastard…" She hisses. An invisible force knocks Buffy, Willow and Gunn against the wall, forcefully. Gunn is unconscious and Willow crawls to his side.
Lilah snarls approaching Wes and Faith.
"You stay behind me, Faith…trust me…" Wes says inside Faith's mind.
"You think you can beat me, Watcher, but you're wrong…you don't have the knowledge, you don't have the skills…you will fail…" Lilah says, morphing into an elderly man. "You will fail, my son, like I always knew you would…you are a disappointment to us all…"
"Who is that?" Buffy asks Gunn who is coming to. Gunn shrugs.
"You are not my father…" Wes replies. The kitchen is now swirling with wind.
"You cannot hurt me the way I can hurt you…" Wes' father hisses, reaching for him but moving past him for Faith.
"You touch her and you will find out," Wes replies, his eyes still black-filled.
The First morphs into the Mayor and reaches out for Faith. "You know that you were happiest with me, Faith. We had so much fun…"
Faith is pale as Wes shoves her behind him.
"You may be powerful, but you're still on the wrong side," Wes says, pushing Faith to the floor beside Gunn and Willow. They each take an arm, keeping her from going to Wes.
"There is only one side," The Mayor replies, close enough to touch Wes. He morphs into Wes' father again, leaning into him.
"Exactly," Wes replies, quietly, muttering a few words.
The First disappears.
"Is it gone?" Gunn asks, after a short silence.
"It's gone," Wes replies, still.
"Wesley, are you okay?" Faith asks, shaking herself free of her friends' grip and going to his side.
Wes is blinking but his eyes are filled with black.
"What the hell did you just do?" Buffy demands, standing beside Faith and shoving Wes. "What?"
"You leave him alone, he just saved our asses," Faith says, shoving Buffy.
"He's using dark magic, Faith, he's just making it worse…" Buffy yells at Faith.
"He's doing the best he can, he's the only one that's even had an effect on the First so far!" Faith retorts.
"Guys, come on, calm down…it wants to tear us apart," Willow says, quietly.
Faith and Buffy turn back to Wes who is still standing immobile.
"Wes?" Faith whispers, tugging on his arm.
He nods, and his eyes drain of their darkness, returning to their natural blue.
"You back with us?" Faith asks.
"Excuse me for a moment…" Wes rushes from the room, blasting past Connor into the bathroom.
"What happened?" Connor demands.
"Something's wrong..." Faith realizes. "Something got to Wes…"
"Who was that man? His father?" Willow asks.
"I didn't know his father was dead…I thought he was working for the stuffy Council in England," Gunn replies.
"Shit…they blew up the Council…" Buffy says, realization dawning on her face. "I bet he didn't know his father was dead…"
Faith goes to the door of the bathroom and hears the sound of vomiting.
Willow goes to a book that is opened on the counter in the kitchen. "He used this spell. It's not dark magic, Buffy, it's old magic. Like pre-time almost. He made the First cycle through forms…he tricked it…he pissed it off," She says, looking back at the gathered people.
Wes returns, pale and trembling, but composed. "Okay. Willow, we should get to work on what we were discussing earlier. Faith, take Gunn and Connor and acquaint yourselves with the potentials. Train them and then we can finish moving in all the furniture on the porch," He says, quietly.
"Come on. Girl, come on," Gunn says, pulling Faith from the room outside. "We've got a mission. You can kiss him and make it better later," He says to her. Connor joins them.
"Wes, I'll get Xander and Dawn down here to help move this stuff in. Are you okay?" Buffy asks, her question a whisper.
"Fine. Just a little rattled," He replies.
Once he is alone with Willow, the witch looks at him, concerned. "You sure you're okay?"
"Positive. I think we should start working faster, though. I think we should try the spell tonight instead of tomorrow," Wes says, quietly.
"Are you sure?" Willow asks.
Wes nods toward the window where the potentials are sparring under Connor, Faith and Gunn's supervision. "You guys have done a good job. They look prepared," Wes replies.
"What do I do?" She asks, inside his head.
Wes passes her several books. "Read. I need a few minutes to clear my head. I'll be right down," He says, leaving and going to the bedroom and locking it behind him.
He flips open his cellular phone.
"Angel Investigations, we help the helpless…Can you hold?" Cordelia's voice answers.
"No."
"Wesley?" Cordelia asks, surprised.
"Is Angel available?" Wes replies.
"He's sleeping. I'll send Lorne to get him…" She says.
"No, that's okay. He can call me when he wakes up…" Wes replies.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing…"
"Shut up, Wes. I've known you long enough to know when something's wrong."
"Can you gather your things and be here by nightfall?" Wes asks.
"That really sounds like nothing to me, Wes…" Cordelia replies, dryly.
"Has anyone called the hotel asking for me, Cordelia?"
"Some English guy's been calling every few days but he won't leave a name or message. Do you want me to give him your number next time he calls, Wes? Is it important?" Cordelia asks, sounding apologetic.
"No. It's not important right now," Wes replies, quietly.
"Hang on," Cordelia says.
Wes glances out the window at the practicing potentials.
"Wes. What do we need?" Angel's voice replaces the silence.
"Weapons. Whatever you can fit in the car. Swords, axes, maces, whatever you can spare…" Wes begins.
"What are we fighting, Wes? I thought the First wasn't tangible…"
"I'll explain everything later, Angel, but we are preparing for battle and you're on the front lines. Combined with Buffy, Faith, Spike and Connor, hopefully we won't demand too much from our Slayers in Training…" Wes replies.
"What about Cordelia and the others?" Angel questions.
"I could use them all. Fred, Lorne and Cordy are all a part of the bigger plan if they are able to come," Wes answers.
"We'll start packing. When will you have time to explain?" Angel asks. "I hate walking in blind…"
"Call me in a few hours. Hopefully I'll be able to explain more freely then," Wes sighs.
"Okay. Anything else?" Angel asks, after a beat.
"No," Wes replies. "Connor's fine. So is Buffy."
"Okay. I'll see you soon," Angel replies, satisfied.
"Sure." Wes hangs up. He takes a deep breath and returns to the kitchen to join Willow.
"Feeling better?" Willow asks, perky.
"Slightly. I don't think we should tell the others about this until we're sure it works," Wes says, getting back to business.
"I agree. How will we know it works?" Willow asks.
Wes pulls a black crystal from his pocket.
"Is that…" Willow gasps.
"Don't ask me how I got it, but yes. It's a Marthenium Crystal. See how it's black?"
"It'll be clear if it works," Willow smiles. Wes slips it back into his pocket. "Did you read…"
"I got it. When do we start, Wes?" Willow asks.
"You sure you got it?" Wes questions, surprised at her speed.
"A little weapon of my own. I can pick up spells at a slightly slower rate than you can. If I drank that elixir…it'd be pretty dangerous," She says.
Wes nods. "I know. When I was…unconscious…the First showed me many things. He showed me a world where you and I were evil. Angelus was there as well," He looks at her, chilling her with his eyes. "It was not a happy existence…"
"Wow…that does sound pretty…pretty sucky," Willow replies, surprised. "If you're up to it, one day…I'd like to hear about it. It could be a good reminder of why I'm on this side…"
"Sure. Is there anyone here that could assist us? We shouldn't need it, but it would work better if we had someone who could read the incantations while we're working…" Wes starts.
"I don't want to move furniture. I am a delicate female specimen according to the sexy black man outside and I shouldn't have to lift heavy things," Anya sighs, walking into the kitchen and glances around.
"Anya, do you recognize this?" Willow asks, handing her a book.
Anya squints. "Sure. This is such an ugly language, though…why are you reading this?"
"We need your help, Anya," Willow smiles. "Where's the spot?"
"I've set up the basement. If…" Wes begins.
"When, Wesley, not if," Willow corrects.
Wes nods. "When it takes effect, it will affect a large area, a few miles. If we center it here, it should cover all our bases."
"What are we doing?" Anya asks, studying the text more intensely.
"We'll explain downstairs," Willow says, leading the ex-demon to the stairs.
"Where are you going?" Connor asks, sweaty and standing in the kitchen.
"Connor. Can you do something for me?" Wes asks.
"What?"
"Don't let anyone come down here. I don't care who comes up to you, Faith, Buffy, anybody. No one is allowed down here," Wes instructs.
"Okay," Connor nods. "Are you going to explain?"
"After. We should only be an hour or so…" Wes replies. He leads the two girls into the basement. He has already drawn a pentagram on the floor and arranged the candles.
"Blood…whose blood, Wesley?" Willow asks, realizing that the ritual calls for human blood.
"I'm performing the ritual so the spell is going to be linked to me. It's my blood," Wes replies.
"Are you guys sure about this?" Anya asks, concerned but not raising her eyes from the book.
"Yes," Willow and Wes say in unison.
"Anya. You'll be sitting in this protective circle reading the incantations when needed. You should be able to follow our lead," Wes hands her the crystal.
"Marthenium?" Anya gasps. "Where did you get this?"
"When it turns clear, the spell has worked…"
"I was a demon for centuries, I know how Marthenium crystals work," Anya says, dryly.
"Really? I wasn't aware you were a demon…" Wes replies, surprised.
"Ex-vengeance demon. It's an interesting story," Willow grins.
"I'm sure. Maybe I'll get to hear it after this is done," Wes smiles. He goes to the corner and retrieves the box housing the power he took from the First.
"Oh…" Anya sighs, looking up from the book. "This is a great idea. This might even work."
"We're about to find out. Ready, Willow?" Wes asks, stepping into the pentagram. Willow nods, stepping in. They stand back to back and link hands.
Upstairs, Connor is drinking a bottle of Gatorade when Faith and Gunn step inside.
"I'm telling you, she's a hottie," Gunn says to Faith.
"She's an ex-vengeance demon who just got left at the altar by her fiancé. She's not the rebound for you," Fred replies. She turns to Connor. "Where's Wes and Willow?"
"Downstairs. No one is allowed down there," Connor replies, indifferent.
"Why not?" Faith asks, immediately suspicious.
"Because Wes said so," Connor shrugs. "Willow and the hottie are with him."
"Her name is Anya, not 'the hottie'. That nickname's reserved for me," Faith replies, ignoring Gunn and Connor's smile.
"Okay, all the furniture is inside the house," Buffy sighs, leading Dawn and Xander into the kitchen.
"Wes, Willow and Anya are downstairs. We aren't allowed," Faith tells the other slayer.
"Why? What are they doing down there?" Buffy asks, alert. Everyone looks at Connor who shrugs.
"They didn't say. Wes said he'd explain after he was done," Connor replies.
Faith looks at Buffy.
"Now, ladies, there's no need to get excited, I'm sure Wes knows what he's doing," Gunn says, sensing that the Slayers are about to rush the door. He goes to Connor's side.
"Why didn't he tell anyone?" Buffy demands.
"I'm sure there's a good reason, Buffy…" Xander says, sensing the rising tension.
Buffy and Faith glance at each other again. Xander goes to stand beside Connor and Gunn, blocking the door.
"Isn't this kind of thing what got Wes into so much trouble in LA? Keeping things from his friends?" Buffy asks, looking at Gunn.
"I think he's paid for that mistake," Gunn replies after a long pause. "That's why I think he knows what he's doing. Willow and…Anya went with him, he didn't force them. Is there any trust here?"
"No," Faith and Buffy say in unison.
"Let's go check on the potentials, guys. They've been on a break for a while. Come on," Dawn says, taking charge. She pulls Buffy and Faith by their elbows reluctantly from the kitchen.
"So what are they doing down there, you think?" Xander asks, perching on an empty counter.
"Something witchy most likely," Gunn answers. "So how do you survive here with all these women?"
"Very carefully. Anya and I were engaged but…"
"Why would you give up a hottie like that?" Gunn interrupts, surprised.
Xander sighs. "She used to be a vengeance demon…"
"That's a good reason," Connor nods.
"That's not why. She's changed," Xander replies, quietly. "In this business, it's hard to escape the supernatural baggage. I'm not the type of man that makes a good husband. At the wedding, I got to see how bad a husband I would really be. So I choked."
"So you two aren't…" Gunn asks, raising an eyebrow.
"Just platonic friends. The story of my life," Xander sighs. "Why, are you interested in Anya?"
"He's with Fred," Connor replies.
"Fred? I'm sure he's a nice guy," Xander replies, choking on his drink.
"Winifred. A lady. And we're not exactly together," Gunn replies, glaring at Connor.
"On a break?" Xander asks, knowingly.
"Yeah. A break. A reasonably permanent break. She's got the hots for Wes," Gunn says, quietly.
Xander nods. "Wesley seems to have learned the broody sullen style from Deadboy…I mean, Angel."
Connor smiles. "That's a good one."
Xander smiles. "Angel's your father, I hear?"
Connor nods.
"Your father and I, we don't exactly get along. But he's on our side so he's excused…most of the time," Xander remarks.
"We don't get along that well either. I was raised in a hell dimension and I didn't make it back here until recently," Connor says. Gunn is surprised that the teenager is talking so much.
"Willow filled me in. That sucks. The whole thing sucks. But I know Angel, I don't necessarily like him, but I do know him. He would do anything for you. You must have been a miracle for him…I can't imagine how devastated he was when you were taken from him," Xander replies.
Connor nods. "That's what I hear. But I don't know him."
"You will," Gunn says.
"Can you kick his ass?" Xander grins.
"I sealed him in a steel cage and sunk him into the ocean a few months ago," Connor states, flatly.
"Connor!" Gunn scolds.
Xander doesn't respond, his face surprised. Finally, he starts to laugh.
"It's not funny," Gunn says.
"I know…around here, we've learned to laugh about stuff like that. Willow, she went nuts a few months ago. Her girlfriend was shot and killed and she snapped. She raised some hell, skinned a guy alive, almost destroyed the world…but she's okay now and we can talk about it," Xander shrugs.
"That's pretty…damn…" Gunn replies, unsure of what to say.
"Forgiveness is the key. It's what makes us human. It keeps some of us alive. Like Angel," Xander adds.
"What?" Connor questions.
"Angelus…he did some pretty shitty things. Giles…" Xander's mood darkens as he mentions the dead watcher's name. "Angelus killed his girlfriend and kidnapped him…but Giles forgave him. Buffy, Cordelia, everyone forgave him…not Angelus, but Angel…"
"Buffy and Angel used to be pretty tight?" Gunn asks, changing the subject.
"Yeah, eternal love and all that jazz, but they can't be together. That's how he lost his soul, Buffy-love," Xander explains.
"She seems to like vampires a lot for a slayer. The way she looks at Spike…" Connor says, letting his words drift off.
"Ever since she died, things have been a little out of whack…" Xander starts. He stops, seeing their confused glances. "That's a long story, too. We have an apocalypse every few weeks here. It's the Hellmouth," He shrugs.
"Damn, man. I thought LA was a tough town," Gunn sighs.
Downstairs, Anya is getting anxious. Willow and Wes are both black-eyed and pulsing with power. They opened the box with the First's power and it is glowing inside the pentagram. She is reciting the incantations as instructed, but Wes' nose has started to bleed. Between passages, Willow has been calling his name but getting no response.
Suddenly, energy surges through Wesley, pushing him from the pentagram and against the wall with a crash. The glowing box flashes, and is empty. Willow goes to Wes' side as Anya realizes that the Marthenium crystal is clear.
"Wesley?" Willow calls, her eyes back to normal.
"Wait…" Wes whispers, convulsing on the floor.
"What's going on?" Anya calls, yelling over the wind that has started to swirl around the room.
"I don't know!" Willow yells back then returning her gaze to Wesley.
"…release me…it is not time…release me, now…" Wes mutters, his skin deathly pale.
Anya has left the protective circle and joined Willow. "This isn't part of the spell, it's something else," Anya realizes.
Wes gasps and the darkness drains from his eyes as color returns to his skin.
"Wesley?" Willow asks.
"Did it work?" He replies, sitting up quickly and holding his head.
"We think so," Anya answers, handing him the crystal.
"What happened to you?" Willow asks.
"When I was casting the spell…I slipped away somewhere…someone was calling for me…"
"Lilah?" Willow asks, quietly.
He nods.
"You were asking her to release you…is she in hell?" Anya asks, sensitive for once.
"No. She's somewhere worse," He replies, shuddering. "What time is it?"
"It's noon," Willow replies.
"Shit, I bet the others have gotten curious by now as to where we are," Wes says, getting to his feet.
"Wesley, wait…" Willow stops him from going to the stairs. "Lilah…she's been reaching out to you…"
"Willow, I know it has to be dealt with but…" Wes begins.
"It must be dealt with, Wes. You haven't been able to snap out of it by yourself and if she keeps pulling you down with her…" Willow sighs. "We need you here. Not half here and half there but here."
"You have to sever the connection with her. Can you do that?" Willow asks.
"How?" Willow responds.
"It's a simple spell. Dissolves the bond between the dead and the living," Anya chimes in.
"You know the spell?" Wes asks, surprised.
"Sure. I had to use it a few times when the men I would punish would reach out to the women that cursed them. You want me to do it?" Anya offers.
"You can do it now?" Willow questions.
"Sure. Come here," Anya replies, waiting on the stairs.
Wes steps up to her. Anya puts a hand on each of Wes' cheeks. She closes her eyes and mutters a few ancient words in a language Willow doesn't recognize. There is a small flash of light and then she releases him.
"Wow…I feel…better. Thank you, Anya. Thank you, Willow," Wes gasps, surprised.
"No problem. Let's go tell the others the good news," Willow replies, smiling at Anya.
Willow walks through the door first. Connor, Gunn and Xander are sitting side by side on one counter facing Faith, Dawn, Kennedy, and Robin who are sitting on the opposite counter.
"Thank god, what the hell were you doing down there?" Faith speaks first, rushing to Wes as he walks into the kitchen.
"Where's Buffy?" Willow asks, accepting Kennedy's arms around her.
"I sent her to work," Robin replies. "Her curiosity was getting dangerously violent."
"Wesley?" Faith calls, pulling him into the other room but finding it filled with potentials. She pulls him outside onto the porch. "What the fuck…"
"The First knew all our moves because it was all around us," Wes interrupts, putting his hands on her shoulders and holding her at arm's length. "If we had told you what we were planning, the First could have stopped us. It didn't take long and it will be worth it," Wes finishes, releasing her.
"What?" Faith asks, calmer.
"We used the power I took from the First against it. We manipulated it and turned it into a spell to repel the First, like a shield. It'll hold for 24 hours," Wes says.
"Seriously?" Faith asks, surprised. She hears happy yelling from inside the house.
"It'll give us time, Faith. Time to come up with a plan," He smiles. She shoves him gently and before he can react, she has pushed him against the house, kissing him.
"Time for other things, too…" She whispers, moving her lips to his neck.
"I swear to God, you guys are like porno-supercharged!" Dawn comments, smiling at the door.
"I guess…Thank you?" Wes replies, pulling away from the seductive slayer.
"If you can keep your hands off each other long enough, that is…" Dawn says.
"How about we just keep our clothes on?" Faith offers, taking Wes' hand and following the girl into the house.
"We can work with that," Dawn replies.