A/N She or Her means Jasmine. The characters don't have a name for her until later. Just wanted to let ya know.

Chapter 65

The woman smiled beatifically down at Buffy, Connor, and Angel, then walked between them and picked up Cordelia's cloak, slipping into it and covering her nakedness. She looked around. "It's all so.."

"Unworthy." Angel said.

"Wonderful." She looked down at Cordelia's comatose body and kneeled beside her. "Cordelia.. thank you. For protecting me and nourishing me. Your spirit has been my shelter. But you can rest peacefully now. I'm here."

"That's all she wanted. To give you life." Connor said.

"And I can feel all of it. The cold floor, the air. This skin. Everything is perfect."

"No, it's not. We came here to kill you." Buffy said sadly.

"We should be punished." Angel said, holding his sword out to her.

"I can feel your suffering. But now.." She raised the sword. "That suffering is going to end."

Buffy and Angel both closed their eyes and waited for the killing blows. After a moment, when it didn't come, they opened them to find the woman had disappeared. They looked at each other perplexed and then got to their feet, looking around.

"Where'd she go?" Connor asked.

"I don't know." Buffy said.

"We have to find her." Angel said.

"Duh. Maybe she went outside."

They all went out to the front of the building. There was no one there. With dejected sighs, they all walked back in. Angel picked up Cordelia and together they all headed back to the Hyperion. Connor went ahead into the hotel while Buffy helped Cordy out of the car. When they walked in and set Cordy down silently, no one noticed them. They were all too busy standing off with Connor.

"But you're always after me to clean up after myself." Connor said. "I was just going to put it away."

Fred hesitated and looked at Connor's smiling face, confused. "Are you still evilish? Cause I'm confused."

"Guys, it's okay. He's with us." Angel said.

They looked behind them to find Buffy and Angel standing next to where Cordelia lied sleeping on the sofa. Fred dropped the dagger and ran over to her. "Oh, my god! Cordelia. She's not.."

"No, she's not dead. She's just resting. She's in a peaceful place."

Gunn and Wesley entered dressed in stained coveralls. Wesley checked Cordelia's vital signs. Fred looked at Angel. "No, I meant.. she's not pregnant."

"Oh, no, not anymore." Buffy said.

"Then you were too late? The thing was born?" Wes asked.

"I'm guessing it wasn't a chubby little cherub, huh?" Lorne asked.

Angel looked down at Buffy with a serene smile. "Not exactly."

"But you killed it? It's dead, right?" Gunn asked.

"Well, we.. we tried." Buffy said. "We were going to. We just.." She and Angel sat on the stairs and laid their heads on each other miserably.

Connor walked over to them. "You guys've got to stop torturing yourselves. They were like this all the way back in the car."

"It escaped then?" Wes asked.

"Disappeared." Angel said.

"Didn't even say goodbye." Buffy added.

"Is that like baby evil?" Fred asked.

"I imagine we're not talking about a baby." Wes said.

"No." Connor answered.

"Okay, so what are we dealing with?" Gunn asked.

"Eight legs? Three heads? Horns?" Fred asked.

"Hey!" Lorne said offended.

"No offense."

"Two legs, one head, no horns." Connor said proudly.

"Let me guess.. green?" Lorne asked.

"No." Angel said. "Kind of.. mocha."

"We need to find her." Buffy said.

"Agreed." Wes said. He and Gunn headed over to the weapons cabinet.

"Hope this thing's easier to kill than the Beast." Gunn said.

"Kill?" Connor asked. "No. No killing."

"Since when?"

"Since we've all been saved." Angel said smiling.

"Oh, well, that's crazy talk." Fred said.

"They don't understand." Angel said, looking at Buffy and Connor.

"No." Connor said.

"We don't want to kill her. We just want to find her.. so we can worship her. That's all." Buffy said.

Angel took the weapons from Gunn and Wes and put them back in the cabinet. The others stared at Buffy, Angel, and Connor warily. Connor smiled back. "She's amazing. You'll go nuts."

"Yeah, that'll definitely help us relate better." Gunn said.

"When you meet her, you'll understand." Angel said.

"Buffy, Angel, whatever you're feeling right now, it's some form of enchantment." Wes said.

"Yeah." Buffy and Angel said.

"It's a spell. Think. Even before its birth, this thing controlled Cordelia, caused her to do unspeakable things. It's evil. Remember the rain of fire? Permanent midnight, all the horrors done in its name.."

"Must be rectified." The woman said behind them. She walked in through the front door and smiled at the group. Buffy, Angel, and Connor instantly dropped to their knees before Her.

Lorne stared in wonder. "My God.."

"People keep saying that."

"I'm just going to.. do this." Fred said, dropping to her knees.

"For so long you've all been drowning in the fighting and the pain." Gunn kneeled down as She walked down the stairs. "I'd like to help. If you'll have me."

Wesley eagerly kneeled at Her feet. "Tell us what to do."

"Please, get up. This is all too flattering to me." She glided over to stand in front of Cordelia. "May we take my mother upstairs and make her more comfortable?"
Gunn lit candles while the others tended to Cordelia, who lay sleeping in her bed. The woman watched, satisfied. Lorne looked at Cordy and sighed. "Eternal bliss. It suits her."

"Cordelia must be so happy to be the one who brought you here. What an honor." Fred said.

"I'm the one who's honored. By Cordelia.. and by all of you. I can't tell you how good it is to be back." She sat on the edge of Cordelia's bed and everyone gathered around, sitting in various chairs and on the floor in front of her.

"Back? Then you've been here before?" Wesley asked.

"Yes. In the beginning, before the time of man, great beings walked the earth. Untold power emanated from all quarters: the seeds of what would come to be known as good and evil. But the shadows stretched and became darkness and the malevolent among us grew stronger. The earth became a demon realm. Those of us who had the will to resist left this place but we remained ever watchful."

"You're a Power That.. Was?" Gunn asked.

"But then something new emerged from deep inside the earth.. neither demon nor god."

"Man." Wes said.

"And it seemed, for a time, that through this new race, a balance might be restored."

"I guess we really let you down." Fred said.

"But you didn't. It was we who failed you. We became little more than observers. I could no longer bear to just watch. All the suffering.. I had to find a way back. But first, I needed a miracle." She laid her hand on Connor's cheek. "And so I arranged one. Through you, Angel and you Buffy. That was where my parentage began. Two warriors.. Two souls corrupted by darkness. A vampire with a soul falling in love with a Vampire Slayer, a miracle already. I didn't plan that."

"But how?" Buffy asked.

"Through Lorne."

"Huh?" Lorne asked.

"It was you who convinced Angel to go see his once lost love. You encouraged them both. When they fell into each others arms, I bound Angel's soul so they could love freely and then Connor was conceived."

"Buffy was still unhappy." Angel said. "She didn't want a life, not even with me. I failed her."

"No, you rekindled that spark of life in her and there it is." She pointed at Connor. "All these events unfolded that I might re-enter this physical plane. I know there's been chaos."

"All the events we've witnessed these past months, all the madness.. it was birth pains." Wes said.

"But the storm has passed."

"And here comes the sun." Lorne said.

"And Cordelia? Will she wake up?" Buffy asked.

"If we take hold of the world, strip away the thorns, win the battle, then yes, I think she will." She said.

"How do we do that?" Fred asked.

"One evil at a time. Much damage has been done in my name. There are demons, forces of hate, all over this city."

"We're going to destroy them."

"We're going to change the world."

"Finally." Angel said, smiling and grasping Buffy's hand.

"I know the perfect place to start. Come. Follow me and grab your weapons."

They all followed Her out to lobby where they gathered weapons. Once they were done there, She led them out into the night. Letting the others walk ahead of them, She pulled Buffy back. "Walk with me."

"Ok. I'd be more than happy to." Buffy said, holding her sword at the ready.

"You have fought long and hard. You have suffered so many losses in your life and yet you still stand. But now it will soon be over. The world will be at peace and you can finally rest."

"I haven't been this sure of anything since.."

"Since your time in paradise."

"I knew there was a bigger reason I was brought back. I always believed."

"And now you can share your joy with them all."

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Why certainly."

"Will I ever get to be normal again? Will there ever be a time when Angel is human and I'm not the Slayer and we don't have to worry about demons or vampires or Hellmouths? Never mind. It was a stupid question. Of course I'll always be a Slayer and Angel a vampire. That's just the way it was meant to be."

"Don't be so hard on yourself Buffy. Be glad that you are special."

"I just.." Buffy lowered her voice so only She could hear it. "I want to start a family again with Angel. I know I have a great little family now, but.. I kinda want another baby since Connor was, you know, taken from me."

"I promise you. One day after everything is complete and whole, I will give you and Angel another chance to raise a child made out of the love you two share."

"Really?"

"You deserve it. Angel was correct when he said you deserve much more than what you have allowed yourself to have. Be happy grandmother for it is the beginning of a new era."

Buffy giggled. "Hey Angel, you hear that? She called me grandmother!"

Angel turned and slowed so Buffy could catch up. "Everyone should be so lucky." They all walked into the bowling alley that had been taken over by vampires. One was standing in front of a large group. He said, "I'm telling you, something big is coming and when it gets here, we're going to be in prime position for.."

"An ass whooping?" Buffy asked.

The vampires turned around to find Buffy, Angel, and the rest of the crew, along with Her, standing in the door. They charged the vampires, blades and weapons swinging and finding their marks. She circled the fight, keeping her distance from the fighting, guarded by Fred who had a crossbow ready to fire. Buffy lost track as she back-flipped without any hands on the ground away from the vampire's reaching arms. Suddenly one of the vampires broke free from Angel and attacked Her before Fred could raise the crossbow. The vampire sank its claws into Her arm before Angel was able to yank him off of her. Buffy hurled a vampire into the bowling alley's cement wall while the vampire that attacked Her ran back behind the lanes and into the nest of shadows among the pin-setting machinery.

Angel saw him go and gave chase. "Hey! You hurt her, you scum." The vampire ran across the back of the bowling alley and out the emergency fire door.

Buffy and Angel chased the vampire out into the night and through an outdoor café next door. The vampire looked behind him, terrified and ran right into one of the patrons, and they both tumbled to the ground. Angel leapt on the vampire and yanked the creature to its feet just as Connor rounded the corner and tossed Angel a stake.

"Dad!" Connor yelled.

Angel caught it and slammed it through the vampire's chest. The creature disintegrated to the shocked and stunned amazement of the café's customers. Angel looked around at the frightened people surrounding him as the rest of the crew arrived with Her.

"It's all right. It's over. You're safe now." Angel said.

"What.." One woman started, but then she saw Her. "Oh.." She dropped to her knees in awe and when everyone else in the café saw Her, they did the same.

"Everyone, please, stand up. If you wish to honor me, honor each other. We are all one." She said.

"You're hurt." A man said.

"I'll be all right. Everything will be all right."

"All my life.. so empty. That's over now, isn't it?" A woman asked.

"Yes, Margaret. It's over. I know you. I know you all. I've come here for you, to bring you the gift of peace. You will be free from the pains you've suffered. The world will change forever and you will know the power of my love. The chaos will fade and harmony will reign."

A man picked up a knife from one of the café tables and raised it. "Monster.. it has to die!" He charged Her with the knife but Angel's face went feral and he intercepted him. He threw the man to the ground and pounded him, punching him over and over. Buffy ran over and tried to pry her husband off, but Angel would have none of it.

Finally, She walked over and put her hand on Angel's shoulder. "Angel, that's enough." The man lay helplessly on his back staring at Her. "Don't you see it?" She stepped forward and looked down at him. She extended her hand toward his bloody face. "No, don't you touch me!"

She caressed his cheek. "Poor thing. Wesley?"

"I'll call an ambulance." Wesley said, running off.

She turned to the crowd. "All of you.. so loving, so strong. How can I ask you to understand that a man like this, so full of fear, anger, so alone.. he will always be alone. But we have found each other."
Later, Buffy and Angel sat out in the garden holding each other. They were happy and in love. Angel stroked her face and kissed her lightly on the nose. Buffy had told him the news of what She had said to Buffy earlier. They were going to have another baby one day and this one would not be taken from them.

"Maybe it'll be a girl this time and we can name her something pretty. Like Angel." Buffy said.

"Or we'll have another boy and we can name him Angel." Angel said.

Buffy laughed. "It only works on you." She sighed and laid her head on Angel's shoulder. "It just gives me a reason to keep going knowing that it'll all be ok. That one day we can raise a baby in a world without hatred."

"I hated that man tonight."

"Awe, sweetie. That's in the past. She doesn't hate you for it. You were doing what you thought was right to protect her and me."

"Everything I do is for you."

"I know."

She walked out into the garden. "That fragrance.. it's lovely. What is it?"

"Must be the jasmine." Angel said.

"Mmm.. night blooming. So beautiful. Like you two."

"I shamed you."

"No."

"I did. I almost killed that man. I think I would have if.."

"Angel, you were only trying to protect Buffy and I. There can be no shame in that."

"See, I told you." Buffy said.

"I don't want to fail either of you again." Angel said.

"Then don't." She said.

"It's not that simple."

"Why isn't it?" She and Buffy asked.

"Because of what I'm feeling."

"You must let go of your anger toward that poor soul." She said.

"No, not anger. Happiness. I'm so happy that you're here and I'm with the woman I love so much."

"And that's a problem?"

"He thinks if he gets too happy, if he allows himself to feel what we're all feeling, Angelus might.." Buffy said. "We don't know if the Shaman took out the loophole when he took Angel's soul and then Willow put it back in. And Angelus kinda equals bad. Especially since he got a taste of evil Buffy."

"I know. But soon, none of that will matter. Evil will be banished by the deeds we will do. Even the evil that's inside of you, Angel. That too will be gone and all that will be left is the beauty."

"Eradicate all evil?" Angel asked.

"Yes."

"Is that even possible? We've been fighting for so long." Buffy asked.

"I know. I've seen it all. It's why I've come back. You are my generals. I have faith in you."

"You have faith.. in us?"

"I have faith in all my warriors." Buffy and Angel followed Her gaze to the balcony where Gunn, Wesley, Connor, and Fred stood watching. "Each and every one of you. You are all up to the task. You're not alone anymore. I will be with you everywhere you go. I'll be at your side, guiding your hands, giving you strength. With my help, there will be no doubt.. No worry.. no fear.. for you will know you cannot be beaten." She turned back to Buffy and Angel. "And be perfectly happy together. His soul is bound." Huge smiles spread across Buffy and Angel's faces. They were just given permission to be together without fear of Angelus. Angel brought Buffy to him and kissed her passionately in front of them all. "Let this be the beginning my warriors."

Everyone went back inside except Buffy and Angel who held hands and kissed fervently. After a little while, Fred came out. "I don't mean to intrude on the happy fest, but could I ask you a favor Buffy?"

"Sure." Buffy said with a smile, still gripping Angel's hand.

"Well, I just can't get this dagong stain out of Her shirt. I thought maybe if we put a little womanly super-strength behind it, the thing would come out. Will you help?"

"Of course I will." Buffy looked at Angel. "I'll be back. Keep that beautiful smile and dirty thoughts right where they are."