Another time, another update. So, where were we?

The gang come back from their battle and recover from their injuries. Gunn's neck is fine but Lindsey is still unconscious. Karl is being held downstairs.

Spike reveals how he remembers Karl back when he and Dru were in Prague. He was powerful but they turned him down. Dru had sensed his power.

Andrew receives a vision in the midst of his illness but he doesn't know what it is.

Angel, Lindsey and everyone interrogate a very reluctant Karl but with some threatening he reveals how he worked for the First to draw in the vampires. LA was going to become a demon ground once the First wins as a reward.

He says the First has an ally which they work out is the evil from Quortoth

He says the First is looking for Andrew because he is a threat with special powers. Angel and the gang work out he has the visions and demand to know where to find him.

And he says that more information can be found on the First by speaking to an old widow in another dimension. Angel decides to send Willow and Fred there.

Whilst Angel, Spike, Wes, Faith and Gunn go to find Andrew and Willow and Fred are researching, Karl sees the First in the form of Serpentine. Disappointed by his betrayal, she kills him.

Another dramatic ending. To be followed by another dramatic review. Don't forget, kiddies, read and review. I will give you cookies!!!

P.S I shout out a huge, massive, indescribable apology to shahid for spelling her name wrong. I'm so sorry…

Where do we go from here: INTO DARKNESS

Kennedy wrapped her arms around her knees. The rest of the potentials were all training in the basement. She sat down on one of the crash mats watching. "Kennedy," Rona said. "Aren't you coming? Buffy said we had to get psyched up. She's taking us out into the field tonight to one of the crypts."

"I'm coming," she said, getting up. She took her place by one of the punch bags and started kicking it with her stronger leg as hard as she could. She wished it would just fly into the wall and give her some satisfaction.

Amanda looked on, confused. "Kennedy? Are you okay?"

Kennedy was about to answer when suddenly the phone rang. She abandoned her punch bag and ran up the stairs. Confused, most of the other potentials followed her to the phone. Buffy and Xander were already there. "Put it on loudspeaker," she instructed.

BUFFY: Hello?

WILLOW: Hey, Buffy, it's me.

BUFFY: Willow, is everything all right there?

WILLOW: Don't worry, Buffy, everyone's fine, I'm fine, Spike's fine, Angel's fine. Nothing dangerous has really happened since the last time we spoke.

KENNEDY: Willow?

WILLOW: Hey, Kennedy. Hope you're all right.

Dawn came into the room as well when she heard the phone ring. And when she heard Willow's voice, she pushed her way through the crowd of potentials that were surrounding it.

DAWN: Have you found Andrew?

WILLOW: That's what I'm phoning about.

DAWN: He's not…

WILLOW: Oh, no, no, Dawnie, he's not dead. We roughly know where he is, we just haven't got there yet. Angel and everyone are out getting him. He should be back in no time. But he's going to have to stay here.

BUFFY: Why?

WILLOW: Well, the first was after him. In fact, it was right on Andrew's trail and pretty much ready to kill him. But it seems that it's not because of Andrew's knowledge and the knife. Andrew now has special powers. The visions that Cordelia had? Well, they've been passed on to Andrew. That makes him Angel's link to the high powers.

BUFFY: Andrew? With vision powers? Who would've thought. He's going to be okay, though.

WILLOW: Well, yeah, I think so. They haven't come back yet. I'll be sure to make Angel give you a call as soon as it's worked out.

DAWN: Make sure you do.

Willow hung up after the goodbyes were made. Dawn took a deep breath and sighed happily. Although Andrew wasn't out of complete danger, it seemed that he was going to be all right for the most part. She ha faith that Angel will get there.

"All right, kid?" Xander asked.

Dawn smiled and nodded, hugging Xander.

*  *  *  *  *

Conner walked into the warehouse. It was still pitch black. Cordy was sleeping in one of the other rooms. He turned on the torch and looked around to make sure he didn't trip over. Eventually, he made his way over to the other side and lit a proper lantern. Andrew was still asleep. He was curled up tight and now shivering. Conner could tell that his blood was too fast and his breathing slightly strange.

Conner looked away, trying to get rid of his conscience. He wanted to badly to help the boy but he couldn't.  He knew he couldn't. He couldn't give him anything—juice or a biscuit—because that would help his recovery.

Andrew coughed and opened his eyes slightly. Conner smiled faintly. "Hey."

Andrew closed his eyes again. "Let me go," he muttered incoherently as he turned around. "And give back the knife. Don't let her control you. The darkness is coming…the First is coming…"

Conner frowned. It sounded as though Andrew was awake when in fact, he was still sleeping. He felt very warm and his shivering form suggested that he was ill. Guilt welled up inside Conner again. As he peered over Andrew, the boy's eyes opened wide and scarily. He looked at Conner without actually seeing him.

"All going to die," he muttered. "I saw it. I saw it in the vision. Someone." He half closed his eyes again and turned onto his side. Then he gave a scream that sounded like someone in agony. It made Conner jump and he backed away. "Jonathan!" he cried. He started flapping wildly. "Go away! Go away, it's not you. I killed you, you're dead. Leave me alone, First." His demand turned into pleading sobs. "Please, leave me alone." He brought his hands up to his voice, as if to blot out images that only he could see.

Cordy came out of her room and looked at Conner who was still watching the confused Andrew. "What's going on?" she asked. "I thought I heard some kind of scream."

Conner nodded. "He cried out in his sleep. I think he's ill. He's been talking nonsense, tossing in his sleep and seeing some kind of imaginary things." Conner shivered slightly. "It's scary. Cordy, this isn't right. We can't just kill him because something comes and tells you to. If it's not for our baby, let's just let him go. Let him go to Angel and battle this stupid war."

"No!" Cordy retorted harshly. "We are not letting him go. Eventually, it all boils down to our baby. He needs to die in order for the plan to work out." She walked over to Conner and ran her hands through his hair whilst looking down at Andrew, still muttering something in his sleep. "It won't be long now, Conner, just don't think about him."

"It's hard."

"Then you shouldn't have made friends with him. You knew he was going to die either way. That was no reason for you to start sharing stories."

Andrew tossed wildly again. "Warren! Go away! You murdered her. You murdered Katrina. How could you."

Then, as soon as he said, he was quiet, his breath evening out slightly but still laboured. He still shivered. There was silence once again in the warehouse. He remained perfectly still. Conner watched and then turned around, feeling angry at himself. He wanted to hit something badly but there was nothing to hit. Ideally, he would have gone out and staked some vampires but he didn't want to leave Cordy alone in case that thing came back.

A crash sounded from somewhere and both Conner and Cordelia turned to the direction of the door. "What was that?" Cordelia asked fearfully, preparing to grab some kind of weapon if she had to.

Conner shrugged. "It came from one of the other warehouses though. I'll be back in a minute."

In fact, Angel had just burst out of one of the other warehouses and met up with the others in the middle. He shook his head. "There's no one in there. Most of them are bolted and abandoned."

Lindsey shook his head. "We're close," he said. "I can feel something." He led the way to one of the other factories, passed a pile of steel drums where Conner was standing. Quickly, he ran down the other side of the warehouse and went through the door.

"Cordy!" he said. "We have to leave now. Angel and everyone are here. I don't know how they found us, but they did." He grabbed his sword and a stake whilst collecting a bunch of blankets and rations they still had. He glanced over at Andrew once, realizing this could be a way to save him.

"We have to take him," Cordelia said, walking over to Andrew.

Conner wrenched her hand away from his arm. "No. He will only slow us down if we have to carry him. Angel will catch us easily. He's not important to us, Cordelia, only getting out of here and keeping our baby safe is. Now go." Cordelia looked worried for a moment. She looked at Andrew and then Conner. Realizing that she wasn't going to be able to do anything she nodded. There was no way that Conner would be able to kill him. The Powers had taken care of that.

As Conner was about to leave, he felt someone grab his wrist and he stared in shock. Andrew seemed to be awake. His glazed eyes and sweat covered face were turned towards him. "Don't go," he said. "It's death. You'll die. She's a black queen—fiend queen. She's leading you to her death."

Conner shook her head. "Our baby. Our love, it won't…"

Andrew shook his head. "It will find a way." He closed his eyes and threatened to collapse. Conner wasn't sure if this was Andrew hallucinating again or not. But he looked up again. "Conner," he tried to say. "Don't."

The doors to the warehouse suddenly burst open and Angel walked in, with Wesley, Faith, Lindsey, Gunn and Spike, all armed with something. Angel sensed someone running away but it too dark and whoever it was, was much too fast.

"Don't go!" a desperate shout cried through the warehouse and there came the sound of thrashing. "Why are you leaving? Why did you leave me! Warren, Jonathan! Why."

Spike looked forward. "Holy crap," he said and ran forward towards the boy. "Andrew. Andrew! Wake up you little brat!"

Andrew turned his eyes over to the vampire. "Get the knife. Must get the knife. Mustn't let the First get it or use it. Could make people die. I could make people die. Get the knife." He tried to get out of Spike's grip. His eyes were open but darting everywhere around the blackened factory. It was like he was claustrophobic and trying to get out of something. Spike looked down on him in amazement.

Gunn approached with the others. "He looks ill," he said. "Like some kind of fever."

Spike stood up. "Find the knife," he instructed. "The boy's talking bollocks but we do need to find that knife."

As Spike, Angel and Lindsey looked for the knife, Gunn helped Faith getting Andrew up. Gunn lifted him up easily. The boy was shaking in his arms. "Have you found it?" he asked. "'Cause this kid is sick. He needs help right now. This ain't no type of vision sickness either." Angel found the knife, scattered amongst some stuff that had been hurriedly collected and dropped.

As they ran out, Angel turned round and looked back in. Spike came in to grab his arm and pull him along. "C'mon, mate. We can't stay here. What's wrong?"

"Conner. And Cordy. There were here."

*  *  *  *  *

Willow sat on one of the chairs in the rooms of the Hyperion. Spike was next to her. On the opposite side of the bed was Lindsey and then was Angel. She looked at Andrew who was lying down in the bed. He still had a fever and was hot but Lorne was trying to calm him down with a damp cloth. "Jeez, what happened to the poor fella."

Lindsey stood up from the wall. "This isn't magical if that's what you mean. It's jut a normal fever. They must have not given him anything to eat or drink."

"I'm guessing the visions didn't help him either," Wesley said from the doorway, his arm around Faith. "Angel, if you say Conner and Cordy were there then they had left Andrew like this. They were going to let him die. Why do you think that would be?"

"I don't know, Wesley. The First probably had something to do with it. Or this other evil from QuorToth. My son wouldn't kill anyone like this and neither would Cordy. It's not like them." Angel had been trying to convince himself then this on the way back from the warehouses. He had been certain that it was Conner who was running away from Andrew when he had been telling him to stop in his confused stupor. He refused to believe that his son would let a normal innocent boy die like this.

Lorne replaced the damp cloth. "He keeps on muttering the same things over and over again."

"What?" Fred asked.

"Names. War—"

"Warren and Jonathan." Lorne nodded and Willow sighed. People looked at her questioningly. "Warren was the one I killed when I was evil. Andrew's friend. And Jonathan is his other friend who he murdered. He must be seeing them."

Angel stood up. "We'll take care of it. Willow, Fred, you go get yourselves ready."

"I'll help." Lindsey walked out of them in the room.

Lorne looked back down at Andrew who turned his head slightly to the side and sighed. "Something tells me it's not just hallucinations. There is a different kind of feel to this." Everyone looked at Lorne questioningly now. "Well, don't get me wrong on this but the Powers have been fairly chatty lately with their visions. And Andrew has a different lot of visions. If he has the power to look into people, their subconscious and that, then he's a special person to the powers. They could be communicating with him."

"And telling him what."

"What he is now. We don't know anything until Andrew wakes up and tell us."

*  *  *  *  *

Lindsey watched Fred working downstairs as she collected old jars for Willow to store her things in. He smiled slightly. "Do you need any help with that?" he asked, noticing how she was struggling to collect all of the glass jars without knocking any of them over.  Fred looked around and turned to face Lindsey.

"Oh, no, it's all right, really. I think I have everything I need."

Lindsey walked towards her. "I'll help anyway. It doesn't take super powers to carry a collection of jars." He frowned at them. "Although it might be quicker." Fred laughed. Lindsey paused for a second. "So—err—when are you and Willow leaving, you know, to go to this alternate dimension?"

Fred's smile faded and she shrugged. "I don't know yet. Probably as soon as possible. I mean, Angel will probably want it that way. What with two evils and Conner's death coming up soon. I think we might have to go there and come back with our answer for the First. If we defeat it then everything else will be a lot easier."

Lindsey nodded. "Yeah, I suppose it will be." He picked up three of the glass jars. "Are you nervous?"

Fred shrugged. "I don't know. I mean, I'm not the one doing the spell. Willow's good with all that stuff. I'm just there to help, probably because of all my physics knowledge and stuff like that. Yeah, that's what I'm there for."

Lindsey looked at her for a moment and could see that her hands were shaking slightly and she looked more than nervous. "Are you afraid?" he asked quietly, taking hold of her hand.

Fred looked up at him and nodded ever so slightly. "Yes. I mean, I've been in another dimension before. My experiences with dimensions have never been good. Pylea was…it was horrible. I don't want to ever go back to something like that. And Conner…he grew up in a hell dimension. If I ever got transported back to one of them, I don't know what I'd do."

Lindsey looked at her. "You won't get taken back there, I promise."

"I mean, it took me ages to get out of my old habits and become me again."

"Fred," Lindsey said gently. "Nothing will happen to you. Willow will look after you. You said so yourself that she's good at the witch stuff. Everyone has some kind of power within them and you're more than just a useful sidekick." He laughed slightly. "I'm not saying you shouldn't be afraid but don't let it take over you. We all have a lot to worry about and in the end, once we defeat this evil, we have all the time in the world to worry."

Fred looked up at him. "You think that."

"It's what I'm beginning to believe."

"Oh. Well, that's promising then." She wasn't quite sure who started it. She wasn't even aware that she had been inching closer towards Lindsey until her lips met his and they were kissing in the basement. Lindsey abandoned the jars he was holding and pulled her closer, his hand sweeping through her long brown hair gently, it an almost comforting gesture.

Eventually, though, both of them had to break off for air. It wasn't a fiery hot passion kiss, it was sweet and gentle, nothing forceful. Fred smiled when she pulled away. "Wow. I certainly wasn't expecting that," she said.

The door was heard opening above the staircase and Willow's voice rang through. "Fred?"

"Coming," she called up and they started to collect the glass jars again.

"Fred." The girl turned round to the sound of Lindsey's voice still at the bottom of the stairs. Lindsey looked up at her. "Be careful, okay?" She nodded and then smiled at him before continuing up the stairs.

Willow already had the preparations for the spell laid out already. She took the ingredients she needed from the jars and the rest she put in the two bags they were taking to them to the other dimension. Willow had set out a circle on the floor of the lobby and Fred swallowed slightly. Circles on the ground never went well, she knew that from experiences but this wasn't black magic. This was standard magic. She knelt down and lit the candles that were around in the circle.

Lindsey stood from the side and watched as they both stood in. From the balcony, Gunn also watched, worried about his ex-girlfriend going to places she had been trying so hard to avoid. He did worry for her and although she wouldn't have any of it, he was trying hard to get their relationship back on some sort of road. They weren't avoiding each other as much but there was still a rift and Gunn would do anything to stop it from cracking from anymore.

They sat down in the circle and Willow sprayed some sand in front of them. "Tue esta Dominae. Reigns of above, we beseech thee to transport us to a world of darkness. We seek information. Ala maji, ala mahili, tue esta Dominae. Grant my wish now."

Gunn's eyes widened as he watched the candles' flames suddenly grow a lot larger and glowing furiously. The sand in front of them disappeared and a light came from around the edge of the circle reaching towards the ceiling—like a large white sheet around the perimeter of the circle. Gunn had to close his eyes to stop it from blinding him but Lindsey could keep his open and he watched in wonder at the spell taking place before him.

When the light finally faded, the candles had been extinguished, the circle remained but Fred and Willow were gone.

Gunn stood up. "Is that it?"

Lindsey looked up at him, all the time knowing that he was there. "I guess so."

*  *  *  *  *

One minute, Fred had her eyes closed, the light blinding her and forcing them shut unless she wanted to lose her sight. She could feel the floor of the Hyperion beneath her, the sand gritting her skin and the candles nearby. She knew that Lindsey was not far off, watching the proceedings with confidence and comfort. It was a place that she didn't want to leave. Half of her wanted the spell to backfire but she didn't know if that meant remaining in LA or transported somewhere else.

But the next time she opened her eyes, the place was black. It was cold and dark and a light breeze swayed over her. She looked around. Willow was not far away, lying on the ground with her eyes still closed.

She ran over to her. "Willow? Willow can you hear me?" She lifted the witch's head up and suddenly, she coughed, opening her eyes slightly.

She smiled at the physicist. "Wow, that was some ride. Slightly tiring, though and I have a headache. I didn't think I'd need aspirin." She stood up and looked around them. "Then again, I didn't think we would be here."

For the first time, Fred looked around their surroundings. They were at the end of a piece of jutting out rock. It was dark but it wasn't night. There was a sun but it was blackened and not giving out any heat. Below there were sea and waves, grey waves that crashed against the rocks below them. In the distance were hills of black and grey. To them, it looked like a smudged charcoal painting.

"Well, this place looks full of life," Willow commented sarcastically.

Fred laughed slightly. "Yeah. And I don't see anyone…or anything for miles. It's like this place is barren."

Willow nodded. "It looks like our world…in some sense. Only, it feels different as well."

As soon as she said that, the setting seemed to change and the appearance before them seemed to shift. They were still standing on the rock but the sea was no longer there. It was as though it had all evaporated and left the sear bed. At the bottom, there were a few forests, deep caverns and hills. In the distance, there were no hills and other rocks. The sun was still the same but it was as though everything had shifted forward.

"Willow, what is this?" Fred asked.

Willow shrugged. "It's as if…as if the dimension has no form of control of appearance of itself. Its reality keeps on changing so that we jump backwards and forwards in time so the setting changes. It is possible that it is moving in and out of itself…if you know what I mean."

Fred frowned. "Is that physically possible? I mean, the laws of physics prevent this from doing so…moving backwards and forwards in time? It would make a great change to our universal structure."

"Fred, we're not in our universe anymore." Willow looked towards the girl as she said so. "This is our side of the world. Law of physics probably work different here, the same as the laws of chemistry. Magic I'm sure can still be used and their affects should still be the same. They could be stronger, or if possible weaker…which would be a lot worse."

"Did we being any weapons with us?"

Willow laughed nervously. "A few."

They surveyed the scene before them, in silence until Fred spoke again. "How often do you think the reality shifts and the time changes?"

Willow shrugged. "It's probably uneven." Fred looked around again. Suddenly, the setting changed yet again. Now the hills had returned, the sun was slightly warmer and the sea was back only this time, it was quite higher. Fred could have reached down and touched it and nervously, she watched as the lapping waves threatened to spill over the side. In a storm, this would have meant disaster. "I'm guessing we went back in time."

"This dimension has weird creatures in their own prehistoric times," Fred said, pointing towards the darkened sky. In the distance, Willow could see it too, a collection of winged creatures flying towards them. As they came closer, they could see that they were like large reptiles with wings, like pterodactyls and they made strange screeching noises.

Their direction had been straight until suddenly, it changed and Fred noticed how they were not heading towards them, the whole flock of about thirty winged creatures. "Uh oh," she said.