AN: Yeah, I'm finally updating. I seem to have dug myself into a hole with all these characters, but the interactions were really intriguing me. I just finished watching SEASON 2 of Angel on DVD, so expect more out of Lindsey and more delving into the relationships between Angel, Wes, Cordy and Gunn. Hopefully this will whet the appetite of any readers I have left and for once, stuff seems to be coming together for this story, at least the next part of this still expanding saga. And more of the Scoobies are on the way! Woohoo!

"…Come down hard and roll to my feet
And rain washes blood now off concrete
People turn away and I just had to laugh
Cause I'm still flying
Living and dying…"

--Third Eye Blind

"You really think this is going to work, Wes?" Faith asks, helping him outside to his SUV.

"I hope so…" Wes replies, staggering suddenly.

Faith steadies him by wrapping an arm around his waist.

"Where are you guys sneaking off to?" Xander calls from the doorway.

"We'll be back in a few hours, Xander…" Faith starts.

"Come on, Xander, hop in," Wes interrupts. "Let's take a short break before the calvary arrives."

Xander glances at Faith, curiously, but jogs up to the SUV. Faith helps Wes into the back seat as Xander climbs into the driver's seat.

"Where are we headed?" Xander asks, starting the truck.

"There's a sorcerer that might be able to help Wesley. We're going to see him," Faith explains, glancing over the seat to check on Wesley.

"Her name is Gretchen…" Wes starts.

"Gretchen?" Xander questions, disbelieving.

"She's a high priestess…she's been asking me to come to her for weeks…"

"Why haven't you gone?" Faith asks, gasping as Wes' nose starts to bleed.

"I have…the spell purges my system of the damaging magic but it…supercharges me with power…I have…" Wes closes his pained eyes. "I have to embrace the darkness…"

"That doesn't sound good," Xander comments. "Maybe we should talk to willow or…" Faith begins.

"There's no time…" Wes replies, quietly.

"What do you mean there's no time?" Faith repeats, cautiously, meeting Xander's eyes in the rear view mirror.

"I'm dying," Wes states flatly.

"Shit," Xander whispers.

*****

Angel, Gunn, Spike, Lindsey and Riley are gathered in the basement, looking over a map of the city of L.A.

"What's this meeting? Is this safe?" Cordelia enters, glancing at the strange group of people gathered.

"Gunn and I know L.A., Lindsey knows about the vision, Spike has a good eye for places of evil and Riley's military," Angel explains. "He can help us come up with a battle plan."

"We're already starting on a battle plan?" Cordelia questions.

"Damn…" Lindsey gasps suddenly. "Everybody step back," He says, pushing his chair back and staggering away from the group.

"What is it?" Riley asks.

"Vision?" Cordelia questions.

Lindsey falls to his knees as blue energy surrounds him.

"Bloody hell…do you feel that?" Spike asks Angel.

"Pain," Angel replies, wincing.

The blue light disappears with an audible 'pop' but Lindsey remains crouched in the corner.

"Lindsey?" Riley calls.

"Did you know that Pryce is dying?" Lindsey asks, his eyes still clenched closed.

"Wes?" Gunn asks.

"Did Lilah do something to him? He's dying, his body's giving out," Lindsey replies, falling to a sitting position.

"Are you sure?" Cordelia gasps, tears in her eyes.

Lindsey shakes his head, trying to clear it. His eyes are slightly glazed. "Faith and the kid…Xander…they really need to hurry…"

"Hurry where?" Angel demands.

"The witch…sorceress…they're taking him for help but…" Lindsey covers his face with his good hand. "Something's wrong…ambush…"

"Ambush?" Riley questions.

"Lindsey, can you make a little more sense?" Angel growls, impatient.

Gunn is dialing a phone and Spike disappears upstairs.

"Lindsey?" Cordelia calls, calming Angel with a hand on his shoulder.

"Faith and Xander are taking Wes to a witch. So he can do something incredibly stupid and no die. We have to get him there," Lindsey says, struggling to his feet.

"What? That's not sense…" Angel mutters.

"Keys. Now. We have to get Wes to the witch so he can not die. I get it. Keys," Riley demands, standing beside Angel and holding out his hand for the keys to the car.

Cordelia pulls Angel's keys from his pocket and hands them to Riley before he can respond. Riley pulls Lindsey upstairs, followed closely by Gunn.

"Cordy…" Angel gasps, startled.

"No. You wait. It's sunny out and they'll be faster," Cordelia explains. "It doesn't seem like we have too much time to waste…did you see Lindsey's face? He knows that it's desperate." They hear tires squeal.

Angel stands up, turning to Cordelia. "I just…I just got you back…and Wesley…I can't…I can't do this…"

"Can't do what?"

Angel and Cordelia both glance up in surprise.

"Buffy," Angel says.

"What's the crisis?" Buffy asks, walking downstairs. "Where is everyone?"

"There's no one upstairs?" Cordelia asks.

"A green guy let me Dawn and I inside," Buffy replies, her concern growing as she sees Angel and Cordy's surprise.

"Where's…" Cordelia starts.

Dawn lets out a piercing shriek and Angel and Cordelia follow Buffy upstairs in a rush.

"Spike?" Dawn gasps, latching onto Buffy as she appears at the top of the stairs.

"Oh my god…" Buffy whispers.

*****