Chapter 61
Gunn carried Angelus into the lobby. Fred looked up. "Oh, my god! Angelus.."
"Pick up your tranq gun. I don't know how much time we have." Gunn said.
Fred grabbed the pistol and hurried around the counter to where Gunn dumped Angelus on the lobby floor. His hands and feet were bound with rope. "What happened?"
"Wes called. I went." He grabbed the gun from Fred and cocked it, aiming it at Angelus.
"Where is he? Where's Faith? Where's Buffy?"
Lorne wandered into the lobby. "Well, what is all the.. oh! Angelus! He's in the hotel!"
"Get me the steel shackles." Gunn said to Fred. Fred ran back into the office as Lorne stood over Angelus, amazed.
"Oh, but maybe we're already aware of that."
"All I had was rope in the truck." Gunn looked at Angelus and then back at Fred. "The leg irons, too."
"Wesley and Faith and Buffy.. where are they?"
Just then, Connor walked in with Buffy in his arms and Faith in Wesley's. Wes looked at Angelus. "Get him downstairs."
"What happened to Faith and Buffy?" Fred asked.
"Faith stabbed Buffy and captured Angelus."
"God, what did he do to her?"
"Gunn.."
"We got it." Gunn said.
"She looks not well." Lorne said, looking at Buffy's stomach wound.
"She gonna be.." Connor said, but Gunn cut him off.
"Wake up, kid. I need you here. Give Buffy to Lorne."
"I don't.." Lorne said.
"She's not heavy." Connor said. Lorne nodded and took Buffy.
"Follow me." Wes said.
Buffy looked around in confusion. The last thing she remembered was falling asleep in the office after finding out Angel's soul was gone. Now she was standing in crowded city dock and everyone was dressed in early 1900s garb. Steamer ships disgorged immigrants by the hundreds. They stood in lines, hefting everything they owned, waiting to be processed into the United States. Filthy and disheveled, Angel made his way through the teeming throngs.
"Angel?" Buffy asked.
Suddenly Angelus was there, standing right in his path dressed as he was in 21st Century Los Angeles. Angel took no notice, however, and passed right through him. Angelus turned around and watched Angel walk off, confused and angry. "Hey! What is that about?"
"You tell me. It's your flashback." Faith said, appearing next to Buffy. Angelus spun around to find Faith and Buffy standing behind him. He instantly attacked, throwing himself at her, but just like Angel, he passed right through her and tumbled to the ground. Faith looked down at herself, then laughed.
"Faith?" Buffy asked.
"Hey B. Good to have you back. Well.. Sorta."
"What's going on?"
"You don't remember?" Angelus attacked again, passing through both Slayers again. Faith laughed. "You know what the definition of insanity is, baby? Performing the same task over and over and expecting different results. Learned that in murder rehab."
"All right, Miss Blow-it-All. This is my flashback. Why are two you in it?" Angelus asked.
"Don't know. Must be the magick side effects of my incredibly simple ruse."
"Side effects?" Buffy put her hand on her stomach and then she remembered. She remembered it all. "Oh God!"
"Hey, B. It's ok. It wasn't you."
"Great! Now she's not even on my side anymore!" Angelus said. "All right. So what is this, huh? Puff the Magic Dragon City? Fairyland?"
"You'd think. Me, I'm guessing it's more like 'Angelus, This Is Your Life' because.. Lack-of-Hygiene world? It sure ain't mine or B's." Faith looked over at Angel from the 1900s. "Seriously, man. Did you miss the invention of the bath?"
"The whole way over here he crouched in the filth of the animals just to avoid human temptation. This isn't my life. It's his!"
"Angel's?" Buffy asked.
"It annoyed the crap out of me the first time around. This sucks. And why do you get to be Marley's ghost?" He asked Faith.
"Cause I'm dying, dumb ass." Faith said.
"Not soon enough."
"Dying Faith? He only bit you."
"It's the drugs, B. They're in you too."
"When he put his hand on my stomach, our blood mixed."
"Yup. You're not gonna die though. Way I figure, I got one last job. Babysit the psycho until they shove a soul up his.."
"Not gonna happen." Angelus said.
"Then I'm.. whatever. Dust in the wind. Candle in the wind. There'll be a general wind theme."
"I thought those suicidal tendencies got squashed in the big enlightenment."
"I rolled the dice. It paid even odds."
Suddenly, a man behind them yelled, "Even odds, one over. Press on the big six! Boxcar's out. Whistle while you're walkin', boys! You're trollin' a graveyard. Throw the bones!"
Buffy, Angelus, and Faith turned and found themselves on a different street in a different city. Faith started walking and Buffy followed. "Trippy."
"Tell me about it." Buffy said, looking back to find Angelus had followed them.
"Early 20's by the cars. What is this? Chicago?" He asked. Buffy saw Angel sitting on a bench across the street. He was cleaned up now but stared vacantly into the night, obviously haunted by something. "Oh, no. I remember this. I remember this place. I gotta get out of here."
"Why? You freakin' out?" Faith asked.
Buffy smiled, knowing what was coming when she heard the tires squeal. Angel had told her about this once a long time ago. Angelus answered her. "It's coming.. again."
"What's coming?"
"I can't do it again. I won't."
"You don't have a choice lover." Buffy said.
"I can't believe you know about this!"
Suddenly Angel bolted off the bench right in front of the oncoming car. Faith screamed, "Angel, get out of the road!"
He zipped in front of the car and scooped up a small puppy from the road just in time to save it from being run down. Angelus winced. "Ah no!" Buffy smiled.
A pretty young flapper ran out of the club and over to Angel, smiling happily at the sight of the puppy. Faith laughed. "Dude! You just rescued a puppy."
The girl took the dog from Angel's arms and smiled at him invitingly. "Oh, my stars! You saved him, mister."
"I'm in hell. This is hell and I'm in it." Angelus said.
"Oh.. gee big fella, how can I thank you?"
Buffy rolled her eyes at both the girl and Angelus. "We haven't fed on a human in decades. She's beggin' for it, you moron!"
"Get lost." Angel said.
"Beg pardon?" the girl asked.
"Take a hike, Betty. Scram."
"Well, pound snow, you mook!" She glared at him and walked back into the club with the puppy.
Faith smiled and wrapped her arm around Buffy's. She looked at Angelus. "We're reliving Angel's good deeds. You are in hell. Wicked."
Wesley, Fred, and Connor were at the counter. The monitor nearby showed Gunn standing watch over Angelus in the basement. Wesley was the first to speak. "There's only one thing we can do for Faith now.. finish what she started."
"You mean re-ensoul Angel." Fred said.
"Impossible." Connor said. "We've been over this. No jar, no soul. No soul, no Angel."
"It's not that simple, Connor. I've been doing some research.."
"It is simple! Angelus is all that's left. First he slaughtered Lilah, now he's killed Faith.."
"She's not dead yet." Wesley said.
"You're lying to yourselves! You all think that I'm taking this personally so that you don't have to but inside you know I'm right. We need to put Angelus down. For mom if anything."
"I don't think so." Willow said from the doorway. They all turned. "I think you need a witch." She smiled and walked down the stairs. "Did I come at a bad time?"
"Willow?" Wesley asked.
"Willow!" Connor hugged the red headed witch.
"Hi Willow." Fred said.
"Hey, Fred. It's good to see you." Willow said. She looked at Wesley. "Oh, and it's the Marlboro Man.. or at least his extra stubbly, mentally unstable, insomniac first cousin.. oh, for the love of Hecate somebody stop me."
"It's okay. I'm a yammerer from way back."
"Are there forces gathering? Did the call of magick draw you here?" Wes asked.
"Oh, no. More like the call of Fred." Willow said.
"Of course. Bring in the only living person to ever re-ensoul Angel."
"She has a fresh brain. I thought she might see some things we missed." Fred said.
"Well, hearing the thoroughness of your research methodology, I don't think that's possible." Willow said.
"Oh.. go on."
"We should probably start the debriefing. Where's Cordy?"
"Unfortunately, the guy who you're all trying to magickally re-ensoul shot her with a crossbow. She's not up for visitors." Connor said.
"I think she'll want to see Willow. After all, she's traveled a long way and they have a history together." Wes said.
"All right."
Willow started to follow Connor upstairs, but Wes called after her. "Um, what can you do about Buffy?"
"Already done. I fixed her on the way down here."
Faith and Buffy were sitting on one side of a booth and Angelus was on the other side leaning against the back of the booth seat. Buffy looked up as Angel walked into the empty shop, his hair long, his clothes typical 70's attire. MacArthur Park played on the jukebox as the cashier wiped down the counter. Buffy burst out laughing at the sight of her husband in the bad 70's clothes. Angelus looked at her sharply and Faith just chuckled. She figured it was a good sign that Buffy was laughing. Angel headed for the jukebox and took out some coins as Angelus watched from the corner.
"Bring on the pain!" Angelus said.
Angel made a selection on the jukebox and a Barry Manilow ballad started playing. He closed his eyes and sighed. Disgusted, Angelus sat down in the booth across from Faith and Buffy.
"Mandy, huh? It must kill you he's got a jones for the power ballads." Faith said.
Buffy and Angelus both heard a buzzing noise, but both chose to ignore it. Angelus looked at Faith. "Worse were the concerts."
"Concerts? Did you know about those B?"
"After I forced it out of him, yeah." Buffy said with a suppressed laugh.
A man and a woman emerged from the back and headed for the door, holding hands. Angel watched them, unable to help the bloodlust within him. When they were gone, he sat at the counter, his head in his hands.
"You know what that's like?" Angelus asked. "Every time he gets close, I feel it. Wanting to tear their flesh apart.. the hunger. It's like a blade in my gut!"
"Only it's not your gut. Angel's the one that belongs on the outside. Not you." Buffy said.
"You think it's that cut and dry, don't you? That if Angel gets his soul back.."
"When he gets it back."
"You'll just hang up your spurs and ride off into the sunset, knowing you put the monster back in his cage. But.. I'm always here, Buff. Deep in."
"Don't think I don't know that. I see what Angel goes through every day."
A man in a leather coat walked in and the cashier looked up. "Hi, can I help you?"
The robber pulled a gun and fired at the ceiling. "Give me your money! Give me the cash in the drawer."
"O..ok."
"Open it! Now!"
"All right, all right.. I.. I just have to.."
The cashier reached in his pocket for the key to the register and the robber shot him through the chest. As the cashier dropped to the floor, the robber glanced over at Angel, then bolted from the diner. Angel got up and went around the counter to help the cashier who was gasping and choking, a bright bloom of blood on his white uniform.
"It's gonna be okay. I'll get you to a hospital. You're gonna be okay. Everything's.." Angel said, rocking the man.
"It hurts.."
"Yeah, I know."
"Doc, I think we're losing him! God, I love this episode." Angelus said. The buzzing came back and Buffy looked around while Angelus swatted at the air. "What is that buzzing?"
Buffy looked over at Angel who said, "God, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," as the cashier took his last breath. Then it hit her what was about to happen. Angel had told her about this one too. It had pained him, but he trusted Buffy enough to tell her about it.
"So.. who's your big hero now?" Angelus asked.
"It wasn't even his fault. God, does the guy gotta pay for everything?" Faith asked.
"Choices, little girl. The ones you make with your heart of hearts."
Angel shook his head and moved toward the door but hesitated, looking back at the dead cashier.
"Angel.." Buffy said softly.
Angelus smiled, knowing that she knew about this. "Uh-oh.. what's gonna happen?"
"He won't." Faith said.
Angel pulled the door shut and locked it, then went back to the cashier's body.
"I'm deep in, Faith. Soul or no soul." Angelus said.
"Angel!"
Angel's face shifted and he sunk his fangs into the cashier, drinking deeply. Buffy turned away and leaned against the booth. Faith shook her head, revolted, then winced and put her fingers to her own neck. They come away bloody.
"He was going to save him." Buffy said.
"Or did he choose to be a little slow on the draw? Whoops! Dinner by armed robbery. Look at him, Buff. You're a murderer now. You know just how good that blurry line tastes. You didn't think my hell was private, did ya?"
Angel raised his head from the cashier's neck with a tormented scream. Buffy covered her ears and silently cried. When she opened her eyes again, she was standing in a New York alley.
"It'll all be worth it. Is that what you try and tell yourself, Faithy?" Angelus asked. Buffy turned to find Faith standing up next to her and Angelus lying in the garbage. "Is that the nasty little lie that kept those thighs nice and warm in your prison bunk?"
"You kiss your mama with that mouth?" Faith asked.
"No, but I ate her with it." He levitated to his feet and regarded the two Slayers coolly. "And now for a poem: Faith goes gently into that good night. You're fadin' fast, baby. I can feel it."
"All the same, I hear this holler in the distance.." Faith said. "Tells me you're about to get what's coming to you."
"Or not. I've got friends in high places." A sudden clattering of garbage cans behind them and Angel appeared, chasing after a rat. "Him not being one of em." Angel seized the rat and bit into it, draining the squealing creature dry.
"Ugh.. when is this?"
"Right before he was called to watch over me." Buffy said quietly.
Angelus didn't hear her. "When isn't it? Twenty years after that stupid donut shop and his fingers never smelled of anything but rat! 'I'm so sorry. I give up. I'm gonna live in a sewer.'"
"He's paying for what he did." Buffy said.
"He's hiding from what he is.. which may be a big Psych 101 revelation for you, cupcake, but I already know this crap so why do I have to go through it again?"
"Maybe because it's not about you.. jackass." Angel said behind them.
Buffy turned. "Angel!?"
"It's me."
Buffy ran up and hugged him tightly. "Oh God. I'm so sorry. Everything I did.."
"Shh, it's ok. It wasn't really you." He winced. "Sweetie?"
"Yeah?"
"Can you lay off with the strength? I'm not as strong here as I am in your time."
Buffy eased up. "Sorry." She took his hand and turned back to Faith and Angelus.
"Spare me the love fest." Angelus said. "I don't believe this. You're the one behind this whole true Hollywood sob story?"
"Angel, it's good to see you. Hate the hair." Faith said.
"Faith, why are you and Buffy still here?" Angel asked.
"I'm here because I have no other choice. Dumbo over there mixed his blood with mine." Buffy said.
"And me? Just waiting to see this pervert get stuffed back into the deep crazy ground he came from." Faith said.
"And then what?" Angel asked. "After that, what happens?"
Angelus drop-kicked Faith into the side of the building. "Probably something like that. I had a feeling the rules had changed."
Angel kissed Buffy's hair and then walked toward Angelus, squaring off with him. "She's not who you're after. Neither of them are."
"No kiddin', rat boy. Faith will just be gravy once I finish you off. Oh, but Buff over there.. Can't wait to have another taste of her just before I turn her."
Angel narrowed his eyes. "You won't touch her."
Both Angel and Angelus said, "I've been waiting a long time for this." Angelus attacked Angel who matched his blows move-for-move.
Buffy rushed over to Faith who was barely conscious. "Faith, wake up. Are you listening?"
"B, I'm dying."
"Yeah, it's a lot easier than redemption, huh?" Angel asked, blocking a punch from Angelus.
"Always so concerned with the human condition.." Angelus said. He seized Angel by the coat and hurled him down the alley, then walked over to Faith and kicked her in the head. "It's no big mystery. They suffer, they die. That's what they're there for." Angel tackled Angelus and this time it was Angelus who got thrown across the alley and into the wall. He got back up and went to attack Angel. Buffy screeched and threw herself into Angelus' torso. They rolled to the ground and Angelus had a hard time fending off the powerfully pissed off Slayer. She got him pinned against a wall and kneed him in the groin. "Asshole! You put me through hell the first time." Buffy punched him hard. "I never got to properly kick your ass." Punch, punch. "And by the way.." Kick. "It's not my fault my mother died!" She sent a flying kick to his chest and he flew backwards into the far wall.
Angel watched his beautiful wife kick the crap out of the demon that wore her lover's face. After another second of watching, Angel looked at Faith. "I'm not perfect, Faith. Even with a soul I've done things I've wished a thousand times I could take back."
"Yeah, like those Manilow concerts, you son of a bitch!" Angelus called from the other side of the alley. Buffy punched him in the face and he shut up for the time being.
"Faith! Wake up!"
She reluctantly opened her eyes. "I've rolled the bones. You for me."
"I used to think that. That there'd be a point when I'd paid my dues."
Suddenly, Angelus was there with a metal pipe in his hand. Buffy was struggling to get up from the ground, her stomach bleeding and a large gash across her cheek was spurting blood too. Angelus cracked Angel in the head with the pipe. "Anybody notice a battle with your alter ego going on here?"
Angel picked up Angelus and hurled him face-first into a brick wall. Angelus crumpled to the ground, stunned and barely conscious. Angel went over to Buffy and helped her over to Faith. He set his wife down gently and then pulled Faith to him. She was hanging on by a thread, almost dead. "Faith, listen to me. You saw me drink. It doesn't get much lower than that.. and I thought I could make up for it by disappearing."
"I did.. My time." Faith said.
"Our time is never up, Faith. We pay for everything." Buffy said weakly.
"It hurts.."
"I know.. I know." Angel said.
Buffy brought a limp hand to Faith's shoulder. "Get up. You have to get up now, Faith. You have to fight. I need you to fight for me."
"You understand what we're saying?"
Angelus kicked Angel in the face and Angel went flying away. "What won't I miss?" He swung the metal pipe and connected with Angel's chest. "The moralizing. Soul's already in the ether, boy-o. I can smell it. How about I send it off to that big puppy rescue in the sky?"
Faith stood up behind Angelus. "Arf, arf, psycho."
Angelus turned around to find Faith on her feet and standing behind him. "Faith.. getting back into the game?"
"I guess I am."
He swung the pipe at her head and she vanished. "Hey!"
Buffy looked around her. She was in her and Angel's room at the hotel. Suddenly, a rush of energy went through her and she bolted down to the basement. Her stomach burned like crazy, and she knew it was bleeding, but she ignored it. Faith was down there already, fighting with Connor. Angel still laid in the cage, his wrists and ankles chained. Buffy broke the locks on the door and then rushed into the cage. She unshackled him and just as she got the last one off his wrist, he woke up. Connor was near the cage. Together, Buffy and Angel grabbed an arm and held him back.
"Connor, it's over. It's us. Really." Angel said, with a glance at Buffy. Connor slumped back against the cage, the will to fight gone. Reluctantly, his parents let him go. He turned to them and Buffy gave him a weak smile and looked down at her stomach.
"Are you ok?" Angel asked, cupping Buffy's cheek.
"Oh, I'll be fine." With that Buffy crumpled. Angel caught her before she hit the floor and held her against him.
"Shh." He stroked her hair. "Wes get the first aid, we need to patch her up better."
An hour later, Buffy and Angel sat out in the garden, staring at the flowers and stars. She was feeling a little better and her wound was healing fast. Angel squeezed her hand and she looked over at him. "How're you doing?"
"I've been better." Buffy said.
"I know the feeling."
"How're you doing? I mean, you're the one that.."
"Yeah. You remember that brooding Angel you once knew? The one that came back after Angelus was loosed after your birthday? I'm not going to be him this time. I can finally let go."
"Because you're not him." Buffy looked away, near tears.
Angel took her chin gently. "Hey, that wasn't you either. That was a soulless Buffy."
"No, I was in there. I knew what I was doing and I couldn't stop it. I couldn't break free. I almost did when Faith stabbed me. I managed to get her name out, but then.."
"Evil Buffy came back." Buffy nodded sadly. "Buffy, I know it wasn't you. There was no trace of a soul anywhere when Angelus looked in your eyes."
"Hey." Faith said, walking out onto the garden.
"How are you feeling?" Angel asked, he and Buffy turning to look at Faith.
"Like I did mushrooms and got eaten by a bear."
"That about sums it up." Buffy said.
"Yep."
"And now you're going back to Sunnydale."
"Yeah. I think I prefer the bear but that's where I'm needed."
Buffy sighed. "We never stop fighting."
"Hey, I was gonna but someone got all pep-talky on me." Faith said with a glance at Angel.
"Yeah. I'm sorry I didn't get to see you.. our little brain-tour notwithstanding." Angel said.
"It's ok. I'll see you when we get home."
"We have a lot to thank you for." Buffy said.
"Well, that vice is plenty versa. Don't even start. It's only gonna lead to hugging and.."
"No, we can't have that." Angel joked.
"No!" They all walked back into the hotel to find Connor talking to Wes and Gunn.
"All right, I get it. I messed up." Connor said.
Buffy walked up and lightly punched him on the shoulder. "Hey, cheer up, punk. That just makes you one of us."
"You all headed out?" Gunn asked.
"Yeah, no tears, big guy." Faith said.
"Nah, I'm good. I just wish I could've seen you kicking the crap out of junior here."
"It was pretty funny." Faith walked over to Wes. "Wes."
"Faith."
"See? Brits know how to say goodbye. Angel here wanted to hug."
"No I didn't." Angel said.
"You ran a good show." Wesley said to Faith.
"Yeah, sit back and let the girl do all the heavy lifting." Gunn said.
Wesley nodded and smiled slightly despite himself. "That's pretty much it."
Fred and Willow entered from the office. Willow carried a large leather- bound book, a gift from Fred. "I think that volume's outdated. You'd know better than me but there's some interesting stuff about Hellmouths. It might help." Fred said.
"This is great!" Willow said.
"I have to say, someday I'd love to bend your ear about the Pergamum Codex. I think some of the really obscure passages are actually Latin translated from a demonic tongue and they're kind of a hoot. All this stuff about bacchanals and spells and.. actually, I think it's probably funnier in Latin. You know how that is sometimes."
"I'm seeing someone." Willow said.
Buffy smiled. "Hey Will, you and Kennedy gettin' it on?" Willow blushed. "I'm teasing.. Unless you are." Willow's eyes widened. "You are!" Buffy's smile broadened. "You know what? I won't embarrass you anymore. Time goes by, Will."
"Okay. Good. Wagons west. See you guys when you get there."
"Willow." Angel said.
"They're gonna tell you how much they owe you." Faith said.
"Oh, don't mention it. I got one Slayer back out of two from the deal so we're even-steven." Willow said. She walked over and hugged both Buffy and Angel. "See you guys." She headed towards the door with Faith, but stopped and turned back. "Oh, next time you guys resurrect Angelus.. Let me first, okay?"
Faith opened the door and waved goodbye and they both headed out into the night. Angel and Buffy looked after them for a moment, then turned to the others. "So we're back." Angel said.
"It would seem." Wes said.
"Look, I know things have been.."
"Sorry, Angel, but if this is the speech about how the worst is behind us.." Cordy interrupted as she descended the stairs extremely pregnant and wearing a provocative black outfit. "You may want to save it for later."
Buffy's jaw dropped and Angel gaped just as much as she did.
Gunn carried Angelus into the lobby. Fred looked up. "Oh, my god! Angelus.."
"Pick up your tranq gun. I don't know how much time we have." Gunn said.
Fred grabbed the pistol and hurried around the counter to where Gunn dumped Angelus on the lobby floor. His hands and feet were bound with rope. "What happened?"
"Wes called. I went." He grabbed the gun from Fred and cocked it, aiming it at Angelus.
"Where is he? Where's Faith? Where's Buffy?"
Lorne wandered into the lobby. "Well, what is all the.. oh! Angelus! He's in the hotel!"
"Get me the steel shackles." Gunn said to Fred. Fred ran back into the office as Lorne stood over Angelus, amazed.
"Oh, but maybe we're already aware of that."
"All I had was rope in the truck." Gunn looked at Angelus and then back at Fred. "The leg irons, too."
"Wesley and Faith and Buffy.. where are they?"
Just then, Connor walked in with Buffy in his arms and Faith in Wesley's. Wes looked at Angelus. "Get him downstairs."
"What happened to Faith and Buffy?" Fred asked.
"Faith stabbed Buffy and captured Angelus."
"God, what did he do to her?"
"Gunn.."
"We got it." Gunn said.
"She looks not well." Lorne said, looking at Buffy's stomach wound.
"She gonna be.." Connor said, but Gunn cut him off.
"Wake up, kid. I need you here. Give Buffy to Lorne."
"I don't.." Lorne said.
"She's not heavy." Connor said. Lorne nodded and took Buffy.
"Follow me." Wes said.
Buffy looked around in confusion. The last thing she remembered was falling asleep in the office after finding out Angel's soul was gone. Now she was standing in crowded city dock and everyone was dressed in early 1900s garb. Steamer ships disgorged immigrants by the hundreds. They stood in lines, hefting everything they owned, waiting to be processed into the United States. Filthy and disheveled, Angel made his way through the teeming throngs.
"Angel?" Buffy asked.
Suddenly Angelus was there, standing right in his path dressed as he was in 21st Century Los Angeles. Angel took no notice, however, and passed right through him. Angelus turned around and watched Angel walk off, confused and angry. "Hey! What is that about?"
"You tell me. It's your flashback." Faith said, appearing next to Buffy. Angelus spun around to find Faith and Buffy standing behind him. He instantly attacked, throwing himself at her, but just like Angel, he passed right through her and tumbled to the ground. Faith looked down at herself, then laughed.
"Faith?" Buffy asked.
"Hey B. Good to have you back. Well.. Sorta."
"What's going on?"
"You don't remember?" Angelus attacked again, passing through both Slayers again. Faith laughed. "You know what the definition of insanity is, baby? Performing the same task over and over and expecting different results. Learned that in murder rehab."
"All right, Miss Blow-it-All. This is my flashback. Why are two you in it?" Angelus asked.
"Don't know. Must be the magick side effects of my incredibly simple ruse."
"Side effects?" Buffy put her hand on her stomach and then she remembered. She remembered it all. "Oh God!"
"Hey, B. It's ok. It wasn't you."
"Great! Now she's not even on my side anymore!" Angelus said. "All right. So what is this, huh? Puff the Magic Dragon City? Fairyland?"
"You'd think. Me, I'm guessing it's more like 'Angelus, This Is Your Life' because.. Lack-of-Hygiene world? It sure ain't mine or B's." Faith looked over at Angel from the 1900s. "Seriously, man. Did you miss the invention of the bath?"
"The whole way over here he crouched in the filth of the animals just to avoid human temptation. This isn't my life. It's his!"
"Angel's?" Buffy asked.
"It annoyed the crap out of me the first time around. This sucks. And why do you get to be Marley's ghost?" He asked Faith.
"Cause I'm dying, dumb ass." Faith said.
"Not soon enough."
"Dying Faith? He only bit you."
"It's the drugs, B. They're in you too."
"When he put his hand on my stomach, our blood mixed."
"Yup. You're not gonna die though. Way I figure, I got one last job. Babysit the psycho until they shove a soul up his.."
"Not gonna happen." Angelus said.
"Then I'm.. whatever. Dust in the wind. Candle in the wind. There'll be a general wind theme."
"I thought those suicidal tendencies got squashed in the big enlightenment."
"I rolled the dice. It paid even odds."
Suddenly, a man behind them yelled, "Even odds, one over. Press on the big six! Boxcar's out. Whistle while you're walkin', boys! You're trollin' a graveyard. Throw the bones!"
Buffy, Angelus, and Faith turned and found themselves on a different street in a different city. Faith started walking and Buffy followed. "Trippy."
"Tell me about it." Buffy said, looking back to find Angelus had followed them.
"Early 20's by the cars. What is this? Chicago?" He asked. Buffy saw Angel sitting on a bench across the street. He was cleaned up now but stared vacantly into the night, obviously haunted by something. "Oh, no. I remember this. I remember this place. I gotta get out of here."
"Why? You freakin' out?" Faith asked.
Buffy smiled, knowing what was coming when she heard the tires squeal. Angel had told her about this once a long time ago. Angelus answered her. "It's coming.. again."
"What's coming?"
"I can't do it again. I won't."
"You don't have a choice lover." Buffy said.
"I can't believe you know about this!"
Suddenly Angel bolted off the bench right in front of the oncoming car. Faith screamed, "Angel, get out of the road!"
He zipped in front of the car and scooped up a small puppy from the road just in time to save it from being run down. Angelus winced. "Ah no!" Buffy smiled.
A pretty young flapper ran out of the club and over to Angel, smiling happily at the sight of the puppy. Faith laughed. "Dude! You just rescued a puppy."
The girl took the dog from Angel's arms and smiled at him invitingly. "Oh, my stars! You saved him, mister."
"I'm in hell. This is hell and I'm in it." Angelus said.
"Oh.. gee big fella, how can I thank you?"
Buffy rolled her eyes at both the girl and Angelus. "We haven't fed on a human in decades. She's beggin' for it, you moron!"
"Get lost." Angel said.
"Beg pardon?" the girl asked.
"Take a hike, Betty. Scram."
"Well, pound snow, you mook!" She glared at him and walked back into the club with the puppy.
Faith smiled and wrapped her arm around Buffy's. She looked at Angelus. "We're reliving Angel's good deeds. You are in hell. Wicked."
Wesley, Fred, and Connor were at the counter. The monitor nearby showed Gunn standing watch over Angelus in the basement. Wesley was the first to speak. "There's only one thing we can do for Faith now.. finish what she started."
"You mean re-ensoul Angel." Fred said.
"Impossible." Connor said. "We've been over this. No jar, no soul. No soul, no Angel."
"It's not that simple, Connor. I've been doing some research.."
"It is simple! Angelus is all that's left. First he slaughtered Lilah, now he's killed Faith.."
"She's not dead yet." Wesley said.
"You're lying to yourselves! You all think that I'm taking this personally so that you don't have to but inside you know I'm right. We need to put Angelus down. For mom if anything."
"I don't think so." Willow said from the doorway. They all turned. "I think you need a witch." She smiled and walked down the stairs. "Did I come at a bad time?"
"Willow?" Wesley asked.
"Willow!" Connor hugged the red headed witch.
"Hi Willow." Fred said.
"Hey, Fred. It's good to see you." Willow said. She looked at Wesley. "Oh, and it's the Marlboro Man.. or at least his extra stubbly, mentally unstable, insomniac first cousin.. oh, for the love of Hecate somebody stop me."
"It's okay. I'm a yammerer from way back."
"Are there forces gathering? Did the call of magick draw you here?" Wes asked.
"Oh, no. More like the call of Fred." Willow said.
"Of course. Bring in the only living person to ever re-ensoul Angel."
"She has a fresh brain. I thought she might see some things we missed." Fred said.
"Well, hearing the thoroughness of your research methodology, I don't think that's possible." Willow said.
"Oh.. go on."
"We should probably start the debriefing. Where's Cordy?"
"Unfortunately, the guy who you're all trying to magickally re-ensoul shot her with a crossbow. She's not up for visitors." Connor said.
"I think she'll want to see Willow. After all, she's traveled a long way and they have a history together." Wes said.
"All right."
Willow started to follow Connor upstairs, but Wes called after her. "Um, what can you do about Buffy?"
"Already done. I fixed her on the way down here."
Faith and Buffy were sitting on one side of a booth and Angelus was on the other side leaning against the back of the booth seat. Buffy looked up as Angel walked into the empty shop, his hair long, his clothes typical 70's attire. MacArthur Park played on the jukebox as the cashier wiped down the counter. Buffy burst out laughing at the sight of her husband in the bad 70's clothes. Angelus looked at her sharply and Faith just chuckled. She figured it was a good sign that Buffy was laughing. Angel headed for the jukebox and took out some coins as Angelus watched from the corner.
"Bring on the pain!" Angelus said.
Angel made a selection on the jukebox and a Barry Manilow ballad started playing. He closed his eyes and sighed. Disgusted, Angelus sat down in the booth across from Faith and Buffy.
"Mandy, huh? It must kill you he's got a jones for the power ballads." Faith said.
Buffy and Angelus both heard a buzzing noise, but both chose to ignore it. Angelus looked at Faith. "Worse were the concerts."
"Concerts? Did you know about those B?"
"After I forced it out of him, yeah." Buffy said with a suppressed laugh.
A man and a woman emerged from the back and headed for the door, holding hands. Angel watched them, unable to help the bloodlust within him. When they were gone, he sat at the counter, his head in his hands.
"You know what that's like?" Angelus asked. "Every time he gets close, I feel it. Wanting to tear their flesh apart.. the hunger. It's like a blade in my gut!"
"Only it's not your gut. Angel's the one that belongs on the outside. Not you." Buffy said.
"You think it's that cut and dry, don't you? That if Angel gets his soul back.."
"When he gets it back."
"You'll just hang up your spurs and ride off into the sunset, knowing you put the monster back in his cage. But.. I'm always here, Buff. Deep in."
"Don't think I don't know that. I see what Angel goes through every day."
A man in a leather coat walked in and the cashier looked up. "Hi, can I help you?"
The robber pulled a gun and fired at the ceiling. "Give me your money! Give me the cash in the drawer."
"O..ok."
"Open it! Now!"
"All right, all right.. I.. I just have to.."
The cashier reached in his pocket for the key to the register and the robber shot him through the chest. As the cashier dropped to the floor, the robber glanced over at Angel, then bolted from the diner. Angel got up and went around the counter to help the cashier who was gasping and choking, a bright bloom of blood on his white uniform.
"It's gonna be okay. I'll get you to a hospital. You're gonna be okay. Everything's.." Angel said, rocking the man.
"It hurts.."
"Yeah, I know."
"Doc, I think we're losing him! God, I love this episode." Angelus said. The buzzing came back and Buffy looked around while Angelus swatted at the air. "What is that buzzing?"
Buffy looked over at Angel who said, "God, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," as the cashier took his last breath. Then it hit her what was about to happen. Angel had told her about this one too. It had pained him, but he trusted Buffy enough to tell her about it.
"So.. who's your big hero now?" Angelus asked.
"It wasn't even his fault. God, does the guy gotta pay for everything?" Faith asked.
"Choices, little girl. The ones you make with your heart of hearts."
Angel shook his head and moved toward the door but hesitated, looking back at the dead cashier.
"Angel.." Buffy said softly.
Angelus smiled, knowing that she knew about this. "Uh-oh.. what's gonna happen?"
"He won't." Faith said.
Angel pulled the door shut and locked it, then went back to the cashier's body.
"I'm deep in, Faith. Soul or no soul." Angelus said.
"Angel!"
Angel's face shifted and he sunk his fangs into the cashier, drinking deeply. Buffy turned away and leaned against the booth. Faith shook her head, revolted, then winced and put her fingers to her own neck. They come away bloody.
"He was going to save him." Buffy said.
"Or did he choose to be a little slow on the draw? Whoops! Dinner by armed robbery. Look at him, Buff. You're a murderer now. You know just how good that blurry line tastes. You didn't think my hell was private, did ya?"
Angel raised his head from the cashier's neck with a tormented scream. Buffy covered her ears and silently cried. When she opened her eyes again, she was standing in a New York alley.
"It'll all be worth it. Is that what you try and tell yourself, Faithy?" Angelus asked. Buffy turned to find Faith standing up next to her and Angelus lying in the garbage. "Is that the nasty little lie that kept those thighs nice and warm in your prison bunk?"
"You kiss your mama with that mouth?" Faith asked.
"No, but I ate her with it." He levitated to his feet and regarded the two Slayers coolly. "And now for a poem: Faith goes gently into that good night. You're fadin' fast, baby. I can feel it."
"All the same, I hear this holler in the distance.." Faith said. "Tells me you're about to get what's coming to you."
"Or not. I've got friends in high places." A sudden clattering of garbage cans behind them and Angel appeared, chasing after a rat. "Him not being one of em." Angel seized the rat and bit into it, draining the squealing creature dry.
"Ugh.. when is this?"
"Right before he was called to watch over me." Buffy said quietly.
Angelus didn't hear her. "When isn't it? Twenty years after that stupid donut shop and his fingers never smelled of anything but rat! 'I'm so sorry. I give up. I'm gonna live in a sewer.'"
"He's paying for what he did." Buffy said.
"He's hiding from what he is.. which may be a big Psych 101 revelation for you, cupcake, but I already know this crap so why do I have to go through it again?"
"Maybe because it's not about you.. jackass." Angel said behind them.
Buffy turned. "Angel!?"
"It's me."
Buffy ran up and hugged him tightly. "Oh God. I'm so sorry. Everything I did.."
"Shh, it's ok. It wasn't really you." He winced. "Sweetie?"
"Yeah?"
"Can you lay off with the strength? I'm not as strong here as I am in your time."
Buffy eased up. "Sorry." She took his hand and turned back to Faith and Angelus.
"Spare me the love fest." Angelus said. "I don't believe this. You're the one behind this whole true Hollywood sob story?"
"Angel, it's good to see you. Hate the hair." Faith said.
"Faith, why are you and Buffy still here?" Angel asked.
"I'm here because I have no other choice. Dumbo over there mixed his blood with mine." Buffy said.
"And me? Just waiting to see this pervert get stuffed back into the deep crazy ground he came from." Faith said.
"And then what?" Angel asked. "After that, what happens?"
Angelus drop-kicked Faith into the side of the building. "Probably something like that. I had a feeling the rules had changed."
Angel kissed Buffy's hair and then walked toward Angelus, squaring off with him. "She's not who you're after. Neither of them are."
"No kiddin', rat boy. Faith will just be gravy once I finish you off. Oh, but Buff over there.. Can't wait to have another taste of her just before I turn her."
Angel narrowed his eyes. "You won't touch her."
Both Angel and Angelus said, "I've been waiting a long time for this." Angelus attacked Angel who matched his blows move-for-move.
Buffy rushed over to Faith who was barely conscious. "Faith, wake up. Are you listening?"
"B, I'm dying."
"Yeah, it's a lot easier than redemption, huh?" Angel asked, blocking a punch from Angelus.
"Always so concerned with the human condition.." Angelus said. He seized Angel by the coat and hurled him down the alley, then walked over to Faith and kicked her in the head. "It's no big mystery. They suffer, they die. That's what they're there for." Angel tackled Angelus and this time it was Angelus who got thrown across the alley and into the wall. He got back up and went to attack Angel. Buffy screeched and threw herself into Angelus' torso. They rolled to the ground and Angelus had a hard time fending off the powerfully pissed off Slayer. She got him pinned against a wall and kneed him in the groin. "Asshole! You put me through hell the first time." Buffy punched him hard. "I never got to properly kick your ass." Punch, punch. "And by the way.." Kick. "It's not my fault my mother died!" She sent a flying kick to his chest and he flew backwards into the far wall.
Angel watched his beautiful wife kick the crap out of the demon that wore her lover's face. After another second of watching, Angel looked at Faith. "I'm not perfect, Faith. Even with a soul I've done things I've wished a thousand times I could take back."
"Yeah, like those Manilow concerts, you son of a bitch!" Angelus called from the other side of the alley. Buffy punched him in the face and he shut up for the time being.
"Faith! Wake up!"
She reluctantly opened her eyes. "I've rolled the bones. You for me."
"I used to think that. That there'd be a point when I'd paid my dues."
Suddenly, Angelus was there with a metal pipe in his hand. Buffy was struggling to get up from the ground, her stomach bleeding and a large gash across her cheek was spurting blood too. Angelus cracked Angel in the head with the pipe. "Anybody notice a battle with your alter ego going on here?"
Angel picked up Angelus and hurled him face-first into a brick wall. Angelus crumpled to the ground, stunned and barely conscious. Angel went over to Buffy and helped her over to Faith. He set his wife down gently and then pulled Faith to him. She was hanging on by a thread, almost dead. "Faith, listen to me. You saw me drink. It doesn't get much lower than that.. and I thought I could make up for it by disappearing."
"I did.. My time." Faith said.
"Our time is never up, Faith. We pay for everything." Buffy said weakly.
"It hurts.."
"I know.. I know." Angel said.
Buffy brought a limp hand to Faith's shoulder. "Get up. You have to get up now, Faith. You have to fight. I need you to fight for me."
"You understand what we're saying?"
Angelus kicked Angel in the face and Angel went flying away. "What won't I miss?" He swung the metal pipe and connected with Angel's chest. "The moralizing. Soul's already in the ether, boy-o. I can smell it. How about I send it off to that big puppy rescue in the sky?"
Faith stood up behind Angelus. "Arf, arf, psycho."
Angelus turned around to find Faith on her feet and standing behind him. "Faith.. getting back into the game?"
"I guess I am."
He swung the pipe at her head and she vanished. "Hey!"
Buffy looked around her. She was in her and Angel's room at the hotel. Suddenly, a rush of energy went through her and she bolted down to the basement. Her stomach burned like crazy, and she knew it was bleeding, but she ignored it. Faith was down there already, fighting with Connor. Angel still laid in the cage, his wrists and ankles chained. Buffy broke the locks on the door and then rushed into the cage. She unshackled him and just as she got the last one off his wrist, he woke up. Connor was near the cage. Together, Buffy and Angel grabbed an arm and held him back.
"Connor, it's over. It's us. Really." Angel said, with a glance at Buffy. Connor slumped back against the cage, the will to fight gone. Reluctantly, his parents let him go. He turned to them and Buffy gave him a weak smile and looked down at her stomach.
"Are you ok?" Angel asked, cupping Buffy's cheek.
"Oh, I'll be fine." With that Buffy crumpled. Angel caught her before she hit the floor and held her against him.
"Shh." He stroked her hair. "Wes get the first aid, we need to patch her up better."
An hour later, Buffy and Angel sat out in the garden, staring at the flowers and stars. She was feeling a little better and her wound was healing fast. Angel squeezed her hand and she looked over at him. "How're you doing?"
"I've been better." Buffy said.
"I know the feeling."
"How're you doing? I mean, you're the one that.."
"Yeah. You remember that brooding Angel you once knew? The one that came back after Angelus was loosed after your birthday? I'm not going to be him this time. I can finally let go."
"Because you're not him." Buffy looked away, near tears.
Angel took her chin gently. "Hey, that wasn't you either. That was a soulless Buffy."
"No, I was in there. I knew what I was doing and I couldn't stop it. I couldn't break free. I almost did when Faith stabbed me. I managed to get her name out, but then.."
"Evil Buffy came back." Buffy nodded sadly. "Buffy, I know it wasn't you. There was no trace of a soul anywhere when Angelus looked in your eyes."
"Hey." Faith said, walking out onto the garden.
"How are you feeling?" Angel asked, he and Buffy turning to look at Faith.
"Like I did mushrooms and got eaten by a bear."
"That about sums it up." Buffy said.
"Yep."
"And now you're going back to Sunnydale."
"Yeah. I think I prefer the bear but that's where I'm needed."
Buffy sighed. "We never stop fighting."
"Hey, I was gonna but someone got all pep-talky on me." Faith said with a glance at Angel.
"Yeah. I'm sorry I didn't get to see you.. our little brain-tour notwithstanding." Angel said.
"It's ok. I'll see you when we get home."
"We have a lot to thank you for." Buffy said.
"Well, that vice is plenty versa. Don't even start. It's only gonna lead to hugging and.."
"No, we can't have that." Angel joked.
"No!" They all walked back into the hotel to find Connor talking to Wes and Gunn.
"All right, I get it. I messed up." Connor said.
Buffy walked up and lightly punched him on the shoulder. "Hey, cheer up, punk. That just makes you one of us."
"You all headed out?" Gunn asked.
"Yeah, no tears, big guy." Faith said.
"Nah, I'm good. I just wish I could've seen you kicking the crap out of junior here."
"It was pretty funny." Faith walked over to Wes. "Wes."
"Faith."
"See? Brits know how to say goodbye. Angel here wanted to hug."
"No I didn't." Angel said.
"You ran a good show." Wesley said to Faith.
"Yeah, sit back and let the girl do all the heavy lifting." Gunn said.
Wesley nodded and smiled slightly despite himself. "That's pretty much it."
Fred and Willow entered from the office. Willow carried a large leather- bound book, a gift from Fred. "I think that volume's outdated. You'd know better than me but there's some interesting stuff about Hellmouths. It might help." Fred said.
"This is great!" Willow said.
"I have to say, someday I'd love to bend your ear about the Pergamum Codex. I think some of the really obscure passages are actually Latin translated from a demonic tongue and they're kind of a hoot. All this stuff about bacchanals and spells and.. actually, I think it's probably funnier in Latin. You know how that is sometimes."
"I'm seeing someone." Willow said.
Buffy smiled. "Hey Will, you and Kennedy gettin' it on?" Willow blushed. "I'm teasing.. Unless you are." Willow's eyes widened. "You are!" Buffy's smile broadened. "You know what? I won't embarrass you anymore. Time goes by, Will."
"Okay. Good. Wagons west. See you guys when you get there."
"Willow." Angel said.
"They're gonna tell you how much they owe you." Faith said.
"Oh, don't mention it. I got one Slayer back out of two from the deal so we're even-steven." Willow said. She walked over and hugged both Buffy and Angel. "See you guys." She headed towards the door with Faith, but stopped and turned back. "Oh, next time you guys resurrect Angelus.. Let me first, okay?"
Faith opened the door and waved goodbye and they both headed out into the night. Angel and Buffy looked after them for a moment, then turned to the others. "So we're back." Angel said.
"It would seem." Wes said.
"Look, I know things have been.."
"Sorry, Angel, but if this is the speech about how the worst is behind us.." Cordy interrupted as she descended the stairs extremely pregnant and wearing a provocative black outfit. "You may want to save it for later."
Buffy's jaw dropped and Angel gaped just as much as she did.
