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 but he does not know exactly how to destroy them, 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. Jared claims that they can't kill him, because he appears human. Spike delivers AI and associates to Drusilla, then leaves to see Buffy. The Master tries to make Xander accept Anya's death, and says that when the time comes he will be on his side. Sahjhan leaves to kill Connor. Buffy meets the Master in a demon bar, who offers to fight to avoid their conflict killing lots of Slayers. They fight and she defeats him easily. It turns out to have been Jared, magically disguised, making sure she isn't at the Council building. The Master sets his warlock to attack the Watcher's Council. He fights Willow, and when she appears to be beating him, kills Kennedy, and uses some of her blood to power him. Her eyes turn black and she beats him easily. She tries to kill him, but he manages to push her hand into Kennedy's blood, changing her hair and eyes to black and red. He reveals he works for Wolfram and Hart before she drains his power, kills him and is sucked through a portal. Dawn, with Xander and three Slayers escape through the sewers. They are intercepted by the real Master, who kidnaps Dawn and leaves the others unconscious. He tells Jared to go home, and Dawn that they were never after Buffy, it was her, because she is the Key. He starts to bleed her. A black ops group including Matthew Walsh contacts AI. The Master uses the Scythe, which is left on the ground afterwards, and Dawn's blood in a ritual to bring in a being from another world, leaving her to be rescued. As a result of this she gains the ability to see into other dimensions. The Master is Connor, and the ritual was to awaken Cordelia. Sahjhan comes to Buffy claiming to have been sent by the PTB, and offering to help her fight The Master. Willow talks to the demon which brought her through, which sends her to LA to try and cause chaos. Cordelia appears not to remember anything after Jasmine's conception. Sahjhan tells them the Master will try and leave town, and sends them to guard public transport. Willow attacks the Suvolte controller, causing it to lose control and creating enough chaos for Gwen to reach the contracts room. She takes the Angel file, but is distracted by the First for long enough for Angelus to get to her. She manages to escape with the file. Professor Walsh kidnaps the exhausted Willow in their flight. Angel says that Lindsey knows how to destroy the contracts, though he claims not to.  Angel's contract is not in the file, it's empty apart from Jasmine's. They decide that it's too risky to experiment on her contract. Spike arrives in Barrington with Tarakan assassins after him, and he and Buffy continue their relationship (Sorry Shahid). Willow escapes quite easily by controlling Professor Walsh. Cordelia cows some vampires who are sceptical about her usefulness with demonic powers, but isn't ready to travel. Xander talks to Rona about her disobedience, and Buffy offers him a job as a Watcher. Willow returns without Professor Walsh. Spike forces a demon to tell him where Connor is, and he and the Slayers force them out. They manage to escape most of them, but Spike finds Connor and reveals he knows who he is before he escapes, also inadvertently informing Cordelia of his actions since his arrival, who remains with him regardless. Lindsey convinces Gwen to stay after having her confidence shaken by the First, and they embark on a relationship. Oz and Willow get back together, and Whistler visits Cordelia, explaining that the First is one of Wolfram and Hart's Senior Partners, Jasmine had altered Connor's destiny, and that due to a combination of love, decisions and coincidences, Angel and Spike have inadvertently exchanged their intended roles in the apocalypse. He reveals that Jasmine's plan was known and approved of by the other powers, which are manipulative and callous. She has a vision that sends her hurrying to Whistler's car in alarm.

Government Base-Day

(The door opens and General Parker walks in.)

Parker: Matthew?

Professor Walsh: I'm rather busy right now.

(He's facing away from him, hands at about chest height.)

Parker: What are you doing?

(He turns around. There's a syringe in his arm.)

Professor Walsh: Just…testing. What is it?

Parker: I've received a report about an "operation" carried out a couple of days ago.

Professor Walsh: Yes what about it?

Parker: It seems to be more of an abduction

Professor Walsh: Sometimes, the good of the country takes precedence over the rights of the individual.

Parker: Leaving that idea aside for now. This is, difficult for me. I'm afraid I have some bad news for you.

Professor Walsh: Yes?

Parker: Someone's heard about this. I'm sorry, but-

Professor Walsh: What you are saying is that you are terminating my research.

Parker: I'm afraid so. You'll receive-

Professor Walsh: I only ask one thing first. The girl. Rosenberg. Just a few more hours. There's so little left to try, it must be soon.

(Parker hesitates.)

Professor Walsh: You believe her don't you? You think it's magic.

Parker: I've been instructed to shut things down immediately.

Professor Walsh: Don't you?

Parker: Yes, I do.

Professor Walsh: You believe that gibberish she spouts about earth powers. Magic isn't real.

Parker: I'd remind you that the United States Government has yet to make an official decision about magic.

Professor Walsh: I see.

(He grabs his head and twists it off.)

Professor Walsh: And they're going to close down my research. He's dead, my work is gone, and it's all because of her. Interesting.

(He drops the head, walks outside and locks the door behind him, the strolls away calmly.)

Barrington-Bus Station-Day

Connor: Well. Uh.

Jared: Not good on goodbyes?

Connor: Never really had to make them.

Jared: They're usually awkward. Anyway, I uh, I hope you win.

Connor: We will. Good luck.

(He turns and steps onto the bus, pays, and takes a seat. After a while it starts to pull out. A black mist appears in a nearby alley and coalesces into Buffy and Sahjhan.)

Sahjhan: Now! Before it's too late!

(Buffy runs towards the bus. Sahjhan gets there first, but instead of banging on the door, grabs the back of it and lifts it up. Buffy grabs his arm.)

Buffy: What the Hell are you doing? You'll kill them! (She stops and considers what he's doing for a second) You're not human.

(Sahjhan elbows her, knocking her back several feet. Buffy leaps up and gets ready to fight.)

Buffy: Let it go!

Sahjhan: They're dead anyway if he gets away!

(He flips over the bus. Connor leaps out of a window seconds before it hits the ground and runs towards them. Buffy lowers a crossbow at him and he flips back to shelter behind the ruins of the bus. Jared throws a knife at her, but isn't very good at it, and hits her wrist with the hilt. The Slayer, Samantha, who was guarding the bus station moves towards the bus. Jared gets in her way, transforming to demon form. Before anyone can do anything else, a car screeches to a halt and Cordelia runs up to Buffy. She turns to look at her nonplussed.)

Buffy: Huh?

Cordelia: Don't kill him.

Buffy: Getting a little lost here. Who?!

Cordelia: Connor.

Buffy: Who's Connor?

Cordelia: Teenage, pale, kidnapped your sister. He's not evil.

Buffy: For some reason I'm finding it kinda hard to buy that. What's going on?

(Jared and Samantha move closer to the others in confusion. Connor creeps around the other side of the bus to about ten feet away from them.)

Sahjhan: Ignore her. You've seen what he's done, why are you hesitating? Kill him and erase his evil forever.

Cordelia: The only person here who's evil is you! (Glances over at Jared.) And possibly him.

Jared: Hey y'know, evil's such a judgemental term-

Buffy: Shut up!

Cordelia: I can't explain properly, you'll have to trust me. We're on the same side.

(Buffy looks at the bus and the blood seeping from under it. Sahjhan grabs the other Slayer by the neck and shoves her against a wall, his own face becoming demonic.)

Sahjhan: What is wrong with you people?! Why does this keep happening!? Kill him or she dies!

(Jared grabs his arm and pulls it away from her. Sahjhan grabs him by the collar and lifts him up.)

Sahjhan: Oh, a K'Klathjon. (Shakes his head sadly) What a waste of a good demon.

(He drives his hand up through his throat into his brain, and rips out horizontally, removing his brain and most of his face with it. He drops the body contemptuously. The three of them close in on him, then are thrown away as a portal rips open, exposing the flaming sky of Quor'Toth.)

Sahjhan: If you want something done properly around here, do it yourself.

(He turns towards where Connor was hiding in time for him to hit him across the face with a bus rail. The portal vanishes due to his distraction.)

Cordelia: Sorry Tinkerbell, Neverland is closed.

(Buffy and Connor both pound him for a moment. He shrugs off the blows and swings at her. She ducks and kicks him in the leg and he drops to one knee. Samantha tries to punch him but he grabs her arm and throws her into Buffy, standing up. Cordelia grabs the crossbow Buffy dropped, and he throws himself to the side as she fires it at him. It doesn't shoot, having been damaged in its fall. Connor hits him with the bus rail again before being knocked backwards. He raises his arms to open the portal, and Cordelia throws the crossbow at him. He blinks as it bounces off him, then begins again. Buffy sweeps out his legs, then kicks him in the ribs, He jumps up and punches her. Samantha hits him several times, then he grabs her shoulders and tosses her over his head. Connor comes up behind him and drives a knife towards his back. He twists so that it goes into his shoulder instead, then lashes out with a cry of pain. Connor ducks, reaches up and pulls out the knife. Buffy grabs the crossbow bolt and moves towards him. Sahjhan leaps back so he's against the bus)

Sahjhan: All I wanted was one person, who should never have existed in the first place, to die. Is that too much for a man to ask?

Connor: You're not a man.

Sahjhan: Look who's talking.

(Both of them lunge at him. He grabs Connor's wrist and Buffy's crossbow bolt plunges into his stomach. His eyes widen in disbelief.)

Sahjhan: That wasn't meant to happen.

(He throws out his arm, sending her flying. Gritting his teeth he grabs Connor and pulls him too close to stab him, another portal opening.)

Connor: You're dead anyway! Give it up!

Sahjhan: This wound is nothing. Only you can kill me. It's written. It's destiny.

Connor: Oh. (He grins.) Well, I've always done my destiny.

(He rips out Sahjhan's throat with his teeth.)

Angel's Office-Night

Angelus: You total idiot.

Gunn: You suggest my intellect is inferior to yours?

Angelus: What's the point of having a human host if you don't use it? Isn't it meant to be the best of both worlds?

Gunn: When necessary I will access this one's fighting abilities. I provide the intellect.

Angelus: Listen panther-boy, you can talk as fancy as you like, but you still haven't got a clue about this world. You know nothing, about anything that matters. How people work, why they do the things they do. But he… isn't exactly an expert, but he does understand the basics of human nature. Take advantage of that.

Gunn: I will bear your suggestion in mind. In the meantime I will not be dissuaded from my current course. Your methods have proved inefficient, and time is running out.

Angelus: It's called defence moron. Wait for them to come to you and you can trap them.

Gunn: Your method of trapping them would appear to be to allow them to escape with one of our most important contracts unscathed.

Angelus: Oh right. You're just ignorant.

(He types in a password and the television screen changes to a map of Los Angeles. A red dot is flashing on it. He zooms in until it shows the street.)

Gunn: What is this?

Angelus: Where we'll find them. The wonders of E-bay. You can sell a protective amulet with a tracer spell attached and no one knows it's you.

Gunn: Interesting. I assume you intend to attack rather than simply gloating over being a step ahead?

Angelus: Of course. Tonight.

Please please please please review.