Buffy and Faith lead the potentials out of home base and toward the high school where Robin and Xander are waiting. Willow, Anya, Fred and Lorne are filling bags with the mystic essentials for the ritual they are preparing for. Gunn and Connor are loading weapons into Wes' S.U.V. Angel stops Wesley and brings him into the kitchen.
"Are you ready for this, Wesley? I mean, are you ready…" Angel begins.
"Yes, Angel. Are you? You haven't met the First…"
"Yes I have. A few years ago. I know what it can do. I'm worried about you, though. You were very sick in LA and no one knew about it until it almost killed you. You jumped straight from that apocalypse into this one and you're still getting used to your new abilities…"
"You think I'm going to be the weak link in the plan?" Wes questions, interrupting him. His eyes are cold as he addresses the vampire. "I can do this, Angel. There is too much at stake for me to fail. We all have to work together here, Angel, and if you don't think I'm capable…"
"I know you're capable, Wes, that's not what I'm saying…" Angel replies.
"Then what? If you think this plan is going to fail, then you should have told us last night…" Wes starts.
"Wes. It's a good plan. It will work," Angel says, putting his hand on Wes' arm to stop his words. "I'm…I'm worried about you."
"I'm not your concern anymore, Angel," Wes replies.
"But you are. You are my friend…" Angel starts.
"Am I?" Wes responds, defensive.
"Yes, you are," Angel states, flatly. "I don't that many friends Wes, and I miss you. After Doyle…I didn't think I would have another friend like that. We've both made mistakes, but I need you on my team…"
Spike walks in, startled by the defensive tone and posture of the ex-watcher.
"Spike. We're talking," Angel says to the other vampire.
"I know," Spike replies. "I'm listening."
"Now is not the time for this, Angel," Wes begins, ignoring Spike.
"Yes it is. It's the end of the world. Again. I know it seems like we do this every day, but we take our friends for granted…" Angel begins.
"Angel. How can I put your conscience at ease? If I die today, you will know that I was always loyal to you and your cause. If I don't die and the world is not turned into the First's personal hell, then we can go out and have a drink and talk about it. Now I have work to do. You and Spike can wait until sunset and meet us at the stadium," Wes says, turning and leaving the room.
"He's a feisty one, now, isn't he? I didn't get how he could be boinking a slayer with that stick up his ass, but he's different now than I remember. What'd you do to him?" Spike asks, smiling with amusement at Angel's sullen expression.
"Spike. I haven't been around here in a while. Why aren't you dust?" Angel asks.
"Forgiveness, redemption, you know all that jazz. Why is he so pissed at you?" Spike asks.
"Shut up, Spike," Angel sighs, walking out of the room.
*****
*****
Wes and Willow decided that the football field at Sunnydale High would be the best place for the battle. They positioned their pentagram in the center of the field and created a mystical barrier around the track assuring that nothing could get in or out without them reversing the spell. Buffy, Faith, Spike, Angel, Gunn, and Connor each have a small group of potentials under their lead. They surround the pentagram, which contains Wes, Willow, Anya and Lorne, the spellcasters. Dawn, Xander, Cordelia, Fred and Robin are positioned on the bleachers around the field with crossbows and high-powered sniper rifles. They are also equipped with a list of protection spells that they can direct at the various warriors. They are all wearing earpieces to enable them to hear warnings and orders from the others.
"Wes?" Faith's voice calls in his ear. "We're set when you are."
Wes glances at Willow who gives him a wan smile. All the speeches and hugs have been given. They are ready to begin. They nod to Anya and Lorne who begin chanting.
Wes and Willow stand back to back as they did in the basement the day before. They link hands as their eyes fill with black. Wes draws from Willow's power to steady himself as he begins to speak the words to summon the First into their protected battlefield.
The First Evil doesn't take a form this time; it starts to seep from the ground beneath their feet in a dark mist. Several of the potentials start to choke on the thick cloud.
Wes quickens his speech, reciting the words he has learned to solidify the First. Willow begins to mirror him and they chant in unison as Lorne and Anya join hands to give each other comfort as the temperature drops drastically.
"You can't win this battle…" The First hisses, its voice instilling fear in everyone that hears it.
"What's taking so long, guys?" Buffy's voice calls through the headsets.
"Patience, pet," Spike replies, anxious to start the battle.
Suddenly the mist condenses to form a huge ubervamp, taller that the flagpole on the edge of the stadium.
"Goddamn…we can't beat that…" Xander says, his words in everyone's ears.
"Just hold your positions, guys," Faith urges.
Wind starts to rush around the warriors as Wes and Willow's spell reaches its peak.
The jumbo ubervamp slowly melts with a tormented scream into smaller, more deadly monsters. Xander steadies his rifle and fires, causing one's head to explode.
"Go!" Buffy, Faith, Angel and Spike say in unison.
The monsters are gray, like the ubervamp, but have spikes protruding from their bodies. Their claws are huge and retractable and they are fast. They're slightly smaller than Buffy but stronger as she finds out when one of them hurls her across the field.
Swords seem to work best as Angel and Gunn slice through the monsters' thick skin, dismembering them. Several of them burst into flames as Dawn and Cordelia have taken seats on the bleachers and started directing fire spells at the closest monsters.
Faith is holding her own, finding herself back to back with Kennedy, fighting the still-multiplying gremlins.
"Gremlin at four o'clock, Buff," Xander warns, reloading his rifle. "On your left, Spike…Behind you, Gunn!" He yells, but the monster's head explodes as Robin takes him out.
The potentials are yelling at each other as they team up in pairs to hurt the monsters. One girl is holding an axe and hacking at the twitching body of one of the monsters yelling about her murdered watcher.
"JUST KILL THEM!" Spike yells, his game face emerging as one of the monsters knocks him down and leans over him. He bursts into flames before sinking his fangs into Spike.
Everyone is bloody now because the monsters' blood is identical in appearance to human.
"They're still coming guys, they're still coming," Fred says into her microphone.
"How many more?" Buffy pants, back in the thick of battle.
"They're not regenerating, they just haven't stopped sprouting from the big monster yet," Dawn replies.
Wes and Willow's chanting has reached a fevered pitch. Wes starts to levitate but his link with Willow keeps him grounded. She squeezes his hands tightly and as her power fills him, she feels his pain. His nose starts to bleed.
"Keep them away from the circle! They're getting through!" Xander yells, firing and killing two gremlins with two rapid shots. Fred nails another one that is limping past a potential headed for Willow.
"What's happening to Wesley?" Cordelia asks into her microphone as she sees that blood is trickling from his mouth now as well. The people in the field are too busy fighting to reply to her question.
Connor has two monsters on each side and he slashes, hurting one as the other three attack. One bursts into flames as another one knocks him to the ground. The other leaps over the struggling duo and sprints into the pentagram, slashing Wes across his chest.
Wes doesn't falter in his chanting as the blood starts to soak through his shirt. Connor pulls the monster away, beheading it.
"Connor, go help Gunn!" Fred calls, seeing her ex-lover in trouble. Connor glances at Wes, worriedly but rushes back into the battle.
"They've stopped coming! There's maybe twenty-five baby gremlins and one mama gremlin at…Xander?" Cordy stutters.
"Twelve o'clock! The mama is at twelve o'clock pentagram time!" Xander finishes for Cordelia, firing at the smaller ones rapidly as Faith, Buffy and Angel leave their weary troops to attack the bigger monster.
"You think you have defeated me but you have only begun…" The huge monster growls as Angel hacks at its arm with his bloodied sword.
"You …will…not…keep…fucking…with…my…town…" Buffy pants as she swings her axe each time, penetrating the skin and injuring it.
"Wesley, it's almost time," Willow gasps, breathless from Wes draining her power.
Only a few gremlins remain a few minutes later but the larger monster has yet to fall. Several of the potentials, injured and bleeding are regrouping in a clearing near the bleachers.
"Go help the others, we'll take care of the stragglers," Xander calls over his microphone, picking off two more of the monsters with his rifle. Dawn, Cordelia and Fred have joined him, loading their guns and passing them to Xander as soon as his rifle is empty since he is eliminating so many of the gremlins. Robin stands nearby chanting the protection spell for the injured potentials.
The small group leaves their wounded and goes to help the Slayers and the souled vampires now that Spike has joined Angel in attacking the larger monster.
"Mama wants to play, does she?" Gunn says, wiping blood from his eyes with a broken arm. He charges, running in pace with Connor as they jump onto the back of the creature, knocking it off it's feet.
Xander takes out two more gremlins as they sprint for the injured group.
"You are not strong enough to defeat me…" The monster snarls, slashing violently as it is pinned to the ground. One of its arms makes contact with Faith, hurtling her into the fence, knocking her unconscious. Seconds later, Buffy lands beside her, letting the darkness take her.
"We have casualties, take it down now!" Xander yells, finishing the last gremlin and aiming at the monster that the others are attacking. Angel and Spike have managed to sever one of its arms but it is still struggling. Xander sees an opening and fires several shots into its head.
"Everybody back up and give Xander his shot!" Dawn yells, realizing that the silver bullets are hurting the monster more than the hack and slash approach.
Angel and Spike pull Connor away from the monster as a bullet whizzes past him into it's eye. Seconds later, another bullet enters it's other eye. There are several rapid shots and finally the monster lies immobile and dead, its blood pooling on the grass.
"Wes, it's time," Willow says, hoping that the man is still focused enough to finish the spell that will banish what is left of the First Evil from rising again.
"Let's do it then," Wes replies, quietly. He starts to shake as he summons forces that have been inactive for centuries. He uses the spells embedded in his mind to force the First Evil back into the depths of hell where it belongs. Pain overtakes him, trying to pull him into darkness but he fights it, trembling more violently as he keeps his grip on reality.
"Wesley…"
He hears his voice being called from a distance but he continues to focus his power and Willow's on the First Evil, pushing it deeper into the pit.
"Wesley!" He recognizes Willow's voice.
"You are banished…" Wes mutters finally, finishing the spell with a whisper. His strength leaves him suddenly and he crumples to his knees when he releases Willow's hands.
"Wesley?" Lorne is at his side first as Anya steadies Willow who is still standing.
"I'm okay. It's done," Wes replies, quietly, his eyes still filled with black. He stands up, trembling and makes his way to the group of injured warriors.
"We did it. We didn't lose anyone," Kennedy tells the ex-watcher with a smile.
"Where is she?" Wes asks Willow, quietly. His eyes are still filled with darkness. They walk further to where Buffy and Faith are surrounded by their friends. Buffy has woken up, but is confused.
"What the fu…what happened?" Buffy asks, sitting up. "We did it, Buffy!" Willow says, falling to her knees and embracing her friend.
Wes ignores all the rejoicing and questions and kneels beside Faith's unconscious form. His face is blank as he feels for and finds a pulse. He caresses her bruised face, thoughtfully and then leans back, sitting beside her.
"Wes, we did it…" Gunn grins.
"We should get you to a hospital. I'd say call an ambulance but we have…a lot of demon corpses lying around," Wes replies, his eyes draining of black.
"She's okay, Wesley, she's just knocked out," Lorne says, watching Wes with worry.
"Okay. Everyone else is okay? Gunn, your arm looks pretty nasty," Wes says, his voice cold.
"It's broken but I'll live…" Gunn replies.
"We did it!" One of the potentials shrieks, happy. There is rejoicing a few feet away and soon Wes is left alone with Faith. He gathers her into his arms and hugs her.
"Wes?" Angel calls, a few minutes later, approaching with Fred.
Wes doesn't respond. His eyes are glazed. Angel shakes him but his eyes are empty. The warriors gather around him.
"Do you think it was the spell? Maybe it took too much out of him?" Anya asks, looking to Willow.
"He was fine until…until he saw Faith…Let's just get him home," Willow replies.
*****
Faith sits up, abruptly with a gasp.
"Faith?"
Angel and Gunn are at her side.
"God…what happened?" Faith pants.
"We won. The First is back where it belongs. Not here," Angel replies.
"Wesley…what happened to everyone?" Faith asks, her head starting to pound.
"No casualties or maiming, just some broken bones…" Gunn says quietly.
"Where's Wes then? Why isn't he here?" Faith demands starting to get up.
"He's…" Gunn stops, looking at Angel.
"He snapped, Faith…not in an evil way, he's just…lost touch with reality…" Angel says. "When you wouldn't wake up…he just…"
"Let go," Gunn finishes.
"What?" Faith gasps.
"He let go. He let his pain consume him," Angel answers, softly.
"I have to see him," Faith says.
"Sweetie, he doesn't acknowledge anyone. You need to realize that you might not be able to reach him," Gunn says, quietly.
"When he talks…he doesn't know who he's talking to," Angel adds.
"Take me to him." Faith is stern.
"Faith…" Angel starts.
"Goddammit, Angel, take me to him!"
Willow opens the door. "Come on, Faith."
Faith goes to Willow who silently leads her down the hall in Buffy's upstairs.
"Faith, we've tried everything…but its like he's not here anymore…"
"What went wrong, Willow? I thought everything was going okay," Faith comments.
Willow sighs. "Nothing major went wrong. The potentials were fantastic, but we took too long…Wes…he started to bleed and one of the evil things got away from Connor and…"
"And what?"
"It slashed him with its claws…tore him up but he held the spell, he didn't even flinch until we killed them all…he found you and you were out cold…he was fine for a few minutes and then once everything was settled…he just shut down. He wouldn't believe us when we said you weren't dead," Willow explains.
"How long have I been out?" Faith questions.
"Four days. He didn't speak until yesterday," Willow says. "He's in here. Connor's with him. The kid blames himself."
Faith opens the door. Connor glances at her. He realizes who she is and stands up. "You're awake."
"I'm fine," She smiles, squeezing his hand. Her eyes search the room for Wesley.
"He's sick," Connor nods to the corner.
Wesley is unshaven and sitting in the corner, his eyes are glazed and empty.
She tears up as she goes to him. "Wesley? Oh, Wes…"
Wes doesn't respond as she pulls him to her.
"Blood…too much blood…" Wes mutters, gasping.
"Wesley, it's me…" Faith says, taking his face in her hands and turning it to hers.
"You're not real…I'm not real anymore…they don't see me…I'm dead to them all…" Wes mutters.
"Wes," Faith cries.
"She will never love me," Wes says, meeting her gaze suddenly. "Only hate…she's too beautiful…I killed her…I kill them all…"
"Wes, it's me…" She says, snapping herself from her sobs. "Come back to me, say that you hear me, baby, please…"
"I would never hurt you…unless it was to protect you…but I couldn't save you…I only fail…Connor…Lilah…now you…blood on my hands…please forgive me…" Wes says.
"Kiss me," Faith orders.
"No…you're not real…" He replies, pushing her away.
"Faith. Come on," Angel is beside Connor now, stricken.
"Blood…blood on my hands…drowning…" Wes whispers.
"Maybe we should let him get upset. Maybe it would help," Connor says to Angel.
"Don't touch me…burns…" Wes gasps, trying to protect himself from Faith's reaching hands.
"Wes, don't you feel me?" Faith pleads.
"Not real…"
"I'm real, baby," Faith cries. She shrieks as her hand touches his arm and cold fire surges through her.
"You're dead," Wes whispers, his eyes hardening. The temperature in the room drops, chilling everyone.
"Faith. You have to give it time," Buffy says, on crutches beside Angel and Connor.
"He's in there…he can't be gone…he said he wouldn't leave me…" Faith cries, pushing herself away from him and hugging herself in tears. She reaches for him again, pulling his motionless body to his, clinging to him.
Buffy and Angel go to them, pulling her away. Faith cries in Angel's arms.
"I lost him…I should have stopped him…he wasn't healthy enough…" Faith weeps.
"It was his choice…" Buffy says.
"He doesn't deserve this," Faith says, pulling away from Angel and kneeling quickly beside Wesley.
"Baby, it's me, just come out! You can hear me!" Faith screams at Wes.
"Faith," Angel calls.
Faith hits Wes hard across the face. "Snap out of it, Goddammit!" She yells.
Wes spits blood on the floor beside him.
"You said you wouldn't leave me…" She sobs as she lets Angel pull her from him. "You can't leave me…I need you…"
"You don't need me, Faith, you don't need anyone…I always fail…" Wes replies, his eyes still unfocused.
"Come on, Faith…let's give him a break…"Angel urges, pulling her to her feet. "Connor, you too."
Angel finally calms Faith down enough to leave her with Buffy and her friends. She is devastated but listens to their advice to stay away from him until she is calmer.
Two days later, she is sitting on the back porch of the house Wes is renting, smoking a cigarette when Gunn comes walking slowly across the backyard from Buffy's house.
"Gunn?"
"Hey, Faith…" He replies, distracted.
"What's wrong? What happened?" Faith asks, seeing pain on her friend's face.
Cordelia comes running up, out of breath. "Gunn, you know he's out of his mind…" She says, not seeing Faith until too late.
"What happened? Is Wes okay?" She demands, standing up.
"He's fine…well, not fine, but he's alive," Gunn replies, turning from her to face Cordelia. "I know, Cordelia. He just…he hit a nerve."
"What did he say to you?" Faith questions, putting an arm on his shoulder.
"What didn't he say…" Gunn remarks, under his breath. He turns to Faith and gives her a hug.
"How is he?" Faith asks.
Gunn releases her. "Faith…"
"Don't upset her," Cordelia says, before he can speak.
"She's going to see him, eventually. Are you going to let her walk into that? Look what he's doing to Angel, Cordelia…" Gunn replies, frustrated.
"Tell me, Gunn," Faith says, concerned.
"We had to tie him down. He can levitate things. Xander found him sitting in the corner the other day, a knife levitating in front of his face. Willow distracted him so we could get the knife, but he sliced himself pretty good. He wants us to kill him, he wants to die…there's vines and stuff growing from the walls now and…something's happened to him, Faith. He's not the same. He talks to the dead, he won't let anyone near him…" Gunn looks away. "He burned Fred…"
"Burned? Like when she touched him?" Faith gasps.
Gunn nods. "And Angel…"
"What about Angel?"
Cordelia answers, seeing that Gunn is upset. "Wes is taking Angel down with him. Wes is in such a dark place and he's pulling Angel into it, too."
"God…" Faith gasps.
"We're researching, Faith, but we…we're not Wes, we aren't finding anything," Cordelia says, quietly.
Faith takes off in a run toward Buffy's house.
"Where?" Faith asks, stopping at the door of the house.
"Faith, wait," Connor says, standing by the door.
"Have you seen him?" Faith asks, almost panicked.
"He's not himself. The things he said…shouldn't be said…he's lost…" Connor says, quietly.
"It's okay, Connor, Gunn and Cordy filled me in…"
"Don't listen to Angel, Faith. You have to help him. If it was any of us in there, he wouldn't give up," Connor tells her. "He's upstairs.
Faith runs past several concerned people up the stairs to the room where Wes is sequestered. She steps inside.
Angel turns, surprised. "Faith."
Vines are growing on the walls and there is a chill hanging in the air. Wes is strapped to the bed, his wrists bandaged and bloody from struggling with his bonds.
She doesn't go to him, stopping with Angel by the door.
"He's gone, Faith. I believe it now," Angel says, sadly.
"Shut up," She replies, slapping him. "How dare you give up on him."
"I haven't but…" Angel has a tear on his cheek. "He's lost in his pain and he doesn't want to come out…"
"Get out," Faith orders. "Get the fuck away from him. He'll come back to me," She says, pushing him out of the room and slamming the door behind him.
"Wesley Wyndham-Pryce, you are such a fucking asshole!" Faith yells, pouncing on him and untying his arms and legs. He watches her with dead eyes.
She stands beside the bed. "You're such a dick! You promised me you'd stay with me! You'd fight beside me! How could you do this to me?"
"You don't need me, Faith," Wes replies calmly.
"Fuck you! You're all I need!" Faith retorts, angrily.
"I'll drag you down here where I am," He snarls suddenly, and Faith is in pain, breathless and scared. "And you'll die with me, dark and cold…"
"Stop…let me go…" She gasps.
"I'm trying," He replies, releasing her.
She cries in frustration.
"I wish you would kill me. Give me my peace or my hell. Then I wouldn't make you cry anymore," Wes says, quietly.
"Why won't you try? Wes, my Wes, you have to be in there, why won't you fucking try?" She sobs.
"Leave me. Leave me…please," He pleads, turning away from her in his bed.
"No! I'm not like you, I won't give up, I won't leave you!" Faith says, pulling him up.
Her hands start to burn and she screams, releasing him.
"I'm poison," Wes whispers, as Angel and Connor rush in and catch Faith.
"You can't touch him," Angel says. "You untied him."
"No problem," Wes mutters, lying down. The ropes tie themselves around his thin arms.
"We have to do something, there has to be something we can do," Faith chokes.
"Kill me. There is nothing else to be done," Wesley says. Blood starts to drip from the ceiling and walls.
"Come on. Leave him," Connor says, urging them from the room.
Wes starts to sob as they close the door.
"I don't know…Angel, I don't know what to do…" Faith sobs, Connor supporting her.
"Wes would find a way, if it was any of us," Connor repeats what he told Faith.
"There's no way. This isn't something we can fight. It's not evil. He's sick…" Angel says.
"He's not sick. He's lost…" Faith says, slowly.
"Faith?" Connor calls.
"We have to find him. He's lost and confused but he has to be in there somewhere, in his mind…"
"How are you going to get into his mind, Faith? He's…dangerous and not exactly sane right now…" Angel responds.
"Magic is what made him this way. He let the darkness consume him," Connor says quietly. "He can't find the light to show him the way out…a man can only take so much before he gives up…"
"That's what he told you?" Faith asks.
Connor nods. "He's in the dark."
"Could we purge his system?" Angel asks, suddenly. "What if the magic is poisoning him?"
"Is Lorne here?" Faith asks.
"I'll stay with him," Connor offers as they rush to find the horned demon.
Connor steps into Wes' room, sitting down in the chair beside him.
"You're not a weak man. You're just too concerned about other people to take care of yourself. The dark magic isn't good for you. It's killing you but you use it to protect us all."
Wes watches him, silent.
"You made Faith goo. She told me. You loved her and forgave her. You taught me to forgive. You taught me a lot. You have done so much good but you let yourself give into the pain," Connor adds.
"I didn't give in, Connor. I lost the battle."
"When you lose a battle you have to recover. You have to pick up the pieces and salvage what you can. You keep fighting and never give up."
Wes meets Connor's gaze.
"What if I don't know how?" Wes asks, quietly.
"Fight the darkness, Wesley. Get it out of yourself. Let it go and come back to your family. Faith, Angel, Cordelia and I…we need you, Wes," Connor says quietly.
Wes closes his eyes.
"Wesley?"
The chill descends on the room and suddenly Wes takes a desperate breath. A cloud of black mist rises from Wes' body, swirling around the room. There is an inhuman scream so loud that Connor holds his ears. There is a flash of light and then silence.
Faith and Angel burst into the room.
"Connor?"
Buffy and Xander bump into Faith and Angel as they come running.
"I'm fine…" Connor replies, looking to Wesley.
"What happened?" Faith asks, approaching Wes cautiously. His eyes are closed.
"He let the darkness go…" Connor whispers.
"Wes?" Faith calls, touching his face, tenderly.
He opens his eyes and looks at her, sadly with clear blue eyes.
"You're back?"
He doesn't respond. He looks away and nods. "I'm sorry…"
"Oh, baby, don't be sorry…" Faith breathes, untying him and kissing him, desperately.
"Well I'll be damned," Xander smiles.
Wes gasps, suddenly and pulls away. "Faith…you're not dead? You're real?"
"I'm right here, baby…" Faith replies, crying.
"You were gone…" He starts, pulling her against him. "I didn't know what happened…you were gone…"
"I was right here waiting for you, Wes…you left me…" Faith replies.
"Don't cry, Faith…please stop…" He whispers.
"Tears of joy, baby, tears of joy…" Faith replies, hearing her friends close the door, leaving them alone.
*****