Summary- Angel loses his soul due to the contract with Wolfram and Hart. Lilah warns Wesley, and he, Fred and Knox escape from Angelus. Gunn has been possessed by the panther in the White Room. Robin Wood is offered a job at Barrington High, near Sunnydale, and the others decide that a new Watcher's Council is needed. Oz is sent to deal with Gunn. They decide that Lindsey may know how to destroy the contracts, and resolve to contact him. Drusilla visits Angelus, and he rejects her. A military group appears, and Buffy blackmails their general into meeting her. Angry and lonely Drusilla finds Connor and takes him to the warlock who originally altered his memories. Spike appears out of a portal intended to produce a Tarok-Han as a human, but exhibits superhuman strength in escaping from the disappointed cultists. The warlock requires an object from Connor's old life, and Drusilla goes to the Hyperion to get it. Buffy meets the general, who tells her that they are trying to create supersoldiers to fight Suvolte Demons (As You Were), who are becoming inexplicably smarter. Riley Finn is dead, and his wife Sam has gone on a vengeance mission against them. She says that someone may be controlling them, and takes him back to Willow. AI follow Drusilla, and try and fail to prevent her from restoring Connor. He runs away, and Drusilla follows him and tells him how Angelus abandoned her. They find themselves in harmony. Spike's reaction to his resurrection is to get very drunk, and is picked up by a Wolfram and Hart lawyer, and taken to see Angelus. Giles comes to LA to ask Wesley to be part of the new Council. He refuses, but tells him what has happened with Angelus and Drusilla. Drusilla has restored Connor's memories, but not their memories of him. Giles calls the new Watcher's Council, and is told that Buffy and Willow have gone to Belize in a helicopter with weapons, spell ingredients and the troll hammer. Lindsey arrives in LA. Connor and Drusilla launch an attack against Wolfram and Hart. Drusilla senses and rescues Spike, and Connor and Angelus fight. He nearly kills Angelus, but in the end Drusilla saves him by throwing Angelus out of the window. He takes his contract and one other thing, after having a conversation with the First. Angelus has the Order of Taraka sent after them both, and tells them to find Sahjhan. Lindsey tells them that the contracts are spells in physical form, and decides to call Gwen to retrieve them. Angelus finds and releases Sahjhan, then convinces him to try to kill Connor. Wesley and Fred go to collect Cordelia from hospital, but find that she has been taken by the thing Drusilla awoke (Connor). Gwen arrives and agrees to help them, and removes LISA. Angelus is contacted by the Order f Taraka, and he tells them to kill all his enemies, not just Dru and Connor, then leaves in a helicopter. In Belize, Buffy, Willow and Sam arrive at the lair of the creature controlling the Suvoltes, where it is sending them away by plane. Willow is telepathically attacked by the creature, and Buffy and Sam attack at once. Professor Walsh intends to find Buffy and Willow's power sources, and tap them. A person called the Master appears in Barrington. Buffy encounters Angelus in Belize. They fight, and he saves the Suvolte controller and flies away. Willow's magic doesn't seem to work on him. A Tarakan assassin attacks the Hyperion, killing the Slayer Giles brought. Spike appears at the Hyperion. Buffy calls and informs them about Angelus, saying she is returning home. Spike tells them that he has a place where they will be safer from the Tarakans, Drusilla's lair, and they agree to join him. Gunn, completely possessed, warns Angelus that he had better strike soon or he will be replaced. The Master attends the school Halloween party, and tries to kidnap Dawn. The student she is with, Jared, turns out to be a demonic servant of his, and prevents Amanda from interfering while he fights Faith. He beats and hospitalises her, but Buffy arrives back and he runs. At the Watcher's Headquarters a warlock attacks and steals the Scythe. Willow says she isn't sure she can beat him, and can't find him. Amanda suggests that he was trying to kidnap Dawn in an attempt to draw Buffy into one-on-one combat. Buffy orders that Dawn be guarded. Wood discovers that the press in Barrington aren't as gullible as those in Sunnydale. (Incidentally t_geyer, thank you, though I'll admit the actual reason Amanda is still alive is because I haven't seen any of Season 7, and don't know who dies.)
Watcher's Headquarters-Morning
Buffy: Look at this! I mean, it practically accuses him of being part of some shady underworld steroid trade. I mean, is there even such thing as a steroid trade? "Feeble attempts to cover up the truth". Y'know, I'd never really appreciated before just how much the Mayor actually did for us. He had the Sunnydale press so perfectly trained that gang members on PCP would have been accepted without question.
Willow: Yeah, well on the other hand in this town the Mayor isn't trying to eat us all alive. It's a fair trade.
Buffy: Okay, so we have to deal with this guy calling himself the Master-
Amanda: Actually, he didn't call himself the Master, Jared did.
Buffy: Whatever. An' at the same time make sure that no-one finds out about it. Great. And Dawn aren't you going to be late for school?
Dawn: Buffy, we have some Big Bad trying to hold me hostage so he can fight you. You want me to go to school?
Buffy: Dawn, if every time someone was after me I didn't go to school I would have had to crash graduation day. Amanda and Rona can keep an eye on you, and come on, I doubt this guy's gonna try anything in broad daylight.
Barrington High-Morning
(Amanda, Dawn and Rona walk to a locker. Rona especially doesn't look very pleased about having to do guard duty. Jared walks casually up to them.)
Jared: Hey Dawn. How are you?
Dawn: You are totally insane.
Jared: Okay, sorry, just last night, before the dance you asked if you could borrow my biology notes, so-
Amanda: You attacked me!
Jared: Hey keep it down will you. I do not need that kind of reputation.
Rona: You actually think you can just stroll up to us an' get away with it?
Jared: Well, what are you gonna do?
Dawn: Hmmm, well, let me think. Oh, I know! How 'bout we kill you?
Jared: Okay fine with me. Right here in front of everyone? Or are you gonna make it just a little harder for the police by not doing in the middle of a crowded hallway?
Rona: But you're a demon.
Jared: Oh yeah. I'd forgotten about that. Well, I'm sure when you tell them, they'll let you off. Well, actually, pleading insanity is probably the best tactic. But they'll still lock you up. You're not the brightest, are you? I mean my family have lived here for more than three hundred years. You really think we never managed to get citizenship? If you kill me, you'll be caught, and trust me we can ensure that parole will be along time coming.
Amanda: Jared can I ask you a question?
Jared: You can ask. I can't guarantee an answer.
Amanda: Okay. Why? I mean we met about ten years ago, and you've never done anything against us, then suddenly this? I mean you got me into the choir, don't try to tell me that was part of an evil plan.
Jared: Actually I could've done that to make you trust me, but no, not everything's about evil plots. I mean why do you think I asked you to go the dance with me?
Dawn: So that you could make sure I was there for your evil Master to kidnap me.
Jared: Well yeah, that too. But also because I like you. Y'know, I wasn't really expecting him to show up so fast. An' I didn't know Faith was gonna be there, so I wasn't expecting to have to reveal my demonic form.
Amanda: I thought he asked you to make sure no-one interfered.
Jared: That was kind of a general instruction, not for that specific occasion. How is Faith anyway? She looked pretty banged up.
Dawn: Fractured skull. Broken arm. She'll heal, and come after you.
Amanda: You haven't actually answered my question.
Jared: Huh? Oh, right. Well basically, thing is… well, okay it's kinda hard to explain. But when the First came, we didn't fight. On either side. I mean we like this world, we don't want it destroyed or dominated, so we were actually hoping you'd win, but my parents ran with the rest of the humans, an' I came with them. And then the Master came. And when he told us what he wanted, I knew this was my chance to be part of something… significant. Something that matters. An' that if I didn't take it, I'd always wonder what would have happened if I had. Anyway, my biology notes. Don't worry, and feel free to check them for homing devices if you have to. I'll see you later.
Drusilla's Lair- Day
Lindsey: This place is surprisingly classy for a vampire lair.
Spike: Dru's always had taste.
Gwen: Yeah, there's stuff in here I wouldn't mind stealing.
Wesley: So your plan is what? Send out vampires to attack Wolfram and Hart?
Spike: 'Fraid not. It woulda been, but the Miracle Child's already done it once. We don't have enough left to take the offensive.
Wesley: Miracle child?
Spike: Some kind of Dark Messiah Dru calls her little brother. You wouldn't remember if I told you.
Giles: Alright, so when Willow returns she can restore Angel's soul. Then he can help us get your contracts.
Lindsey: You really think it'd be that simple? Wolfram and Hart isn't a bunch of vengeance crazed gypsies who would just throw his soul into the ether. It'll be protected.
Gwen: Uh, excuse me. You did want me to steal the contracts right? Doesn't say much for your faith in me if you just assume I'm gonna fail.
Wesley: It's always good to have a backup plan. So, Spike. Um. Well as you died and came back, I think it's safe to say that some power wants your help in the apocalypse. Rupert and I will try to find a prophecy relating to it. In the meantime-
Spike: You can keep Dru company. I'm going.
Giles: Where?
Spike: Sunnydale. I mean that new place you've moved into. Borrowdale or something.
Giles: Barrington. No, this is not the time.
Wesley: What? Why are you going there?
Spike: I need to see her.
Wesley: Buffy? She would want to see you?
Spike: Yeah she would. Have fun with Dru.
Giles: And if she kills us? What would Buffy think about that?
Spike: She won't. She won't do anything her "little bwother" wouldn't want her to do.
Giles: Drusilla isn't the most stable of creatures.
Spike: You're preachin' to the bloody choir mate. But unless Angelus shows up an' offers to take 'er back, you're safe.
Wesley: The roads are guarded. You can wait until this is-
Spike: I have waited. I waited to make sure you people would be safe, I waited to make sure Dru would help, bloody Hell, I waited for her to accept me at all. I have to see her now. DRU! They're here! (He walks out, then sticks his head back) Oh, don't tell her I'm coming. I want it to be a surprise.
(Drusilla opens the door and looks around at them. She smiles happily.)
Watcher's Headquarters-Evening
Willow: Hi Kennedy. I'm back.
Kennedy: Oh, you. Yeah, I think I remember you. I think we met once. At a fete.
Willow: What's gotten into you?
Kennedy: Hmm, maybe that you went away for five days and let me find out from Xander, and didn't bother to call me.
Willow: Kennedy, there was an emergency. Even as it was we were just too late. And I wasn't allowed to call you because the other people didn't want their heads ripped off. I mean I'm sorry I couldn't-
Kennedy: Whatever. It's not like I didn't manage to keep myself busy.
Willow: What! Oh my Goddess, are you saying you… I mean… but… FIVE DAYS! For Hecate's sake FIVE DAYS!
Kennedy: Hey don't get so worked up about it, I mean it didn't mean anything. You're-
Willow: I had been able to call, would you even have had time to talk to me? Kennedy, if our relationship means so little to you that you can't, well okay, that you can't stay faithful to me for five days, then, I don't think we can continue this.
Kennedy: So you're breaking up with me?
Willow: Look I'm sorry but, this has to end.
Slayer: Ahhh, that's sad.
Willow: Have you been here the whole time?
Bar-Barrington-Night
(Xander is very quietly getting drunk at the bar. The Master comes to sit next to him.)
The Master: That won't help. You're just lying to yourself with it, and lying more if you think it'll help.
(Xander looks up. The Master is looking at him with a strange expression of rage and respect)
Xander: What are you, a wannabe psychiatrist?
The Master: Alexander LaVelle Harris. God what a name, but I guess I can't talk.
Xander: You're that guy aren't you? The Master. You don't look like much.
The Master: I suppose it must be hard for you, losing the woman you love. It was for me. But you've got to pretend it doesn't bother you. 'Cause she died protecting someone else, who's still around. And he feels bad enough about it anyway. But this can't last.
Xander: What are trying to do?
The Master: All this lying you're doing, to yourself and the others, it won't protect you forever. And the drink isn't helping. Drunkenness is a state of sin. Yu have to mourn, to accept reality. I thought you saw better than that
Xander: I don't see anything as well as I used to.
The Master: No? You're the one-eyed man in the kingdom of the blind. You saw what had to be done. You will again.
Xander: Are you trying to help me or something? Why the ego boost?
The Master: Because you'll see what has to be done, when the others don't. I'm sure of it. When the time comes, you'll be on my side.
Xander: That'll never happen.
The Master: You will be.
Xander: Well, I'm sure the non-superpowered guy with no depth perception will be of real use to you.
The Master: You're underestimating your worth. And you're lowering yourself with this. You saw where the others didn't. (He reaches out to Xander's beer can, and crushes it. Beer spurts across the counter. As he does so the metal splits, and a sharp piece of aluminium slices shallowly into his hand. He drops the can on the bar, stands and walks out. In the bar, Xander breaks down and starts to cry. The Master goes around the corner to an alley, and stares at his hand. The cut has already mostly healed. He drives his fist into a brick wall, and looks at it again. The torn skin of his knuckles slowly but perceptibly starts to heal. He sobs as he drives his hand repeatedly into the wall until it is completely coated in blood.)
