Whoa, I know I haven't been around for a while!! But I have returned to update again with a new chapter. Let's see, what happened last…oh yeah

Willow & Fred manage to escape the strange winged creatures due to the reality change. They're not sure why it does. Either Lamithra has no hold on its own reality or someone is controlling what's going. When asking for directions, though, they are told they are in Kansas. (Weird, I will explain in the story)

Back in LA, Kennedy, Gunn & Faith marvel over the attitudes and transformations of the two watchers. They are interrupted by Angel demanding news. Wes & Giles say that Cordelia herself is not evil but something in her is—the evil from Quor'toth as we all know how it got there. They know that another sacrifice is needed and the only one to satisfy it at the First both is Conner.

Again, they are interrupted by Lorne, announcing the arrival of the council. Buffy & Co pack up to leave. Dawn & Andrew say goodbye as do Buffy & Angel. Spike is far from pleased. But that is stopped due to the council's arrival.

Returning to Lamithra, Willow & Fred try to make conversation while walking. Willow talks about her descent into darkness, her killing of Warren, much to Fred's horror and her plan to destroy the world. Fred asks if she was mad she never finished the job. It goes pretty much unanswered due to the arrival of strange dwarf like creatures they had to get rid of.

In panic because Willow is unconscious by their attack. She tries a spell that works and kills them. Willow tells her she has done a powerful spell and must be a witch.

Phew, a lot of stuff going on there.

Thanks to everyone's reviews!! Especially to Imzadi (Lindsey will get a girl) Shahid!! Maliek, Tariq, FerretGirl1! And Savage Surprise.

One message to Patrick, lol. I don't know why, but I have a soft spot when it comes to Andrew, lol. I just find him kinda…cute. An easy torn character to write and I know in the Buffy world he and Dawn would never get together, lol. I just enjoy writing him, lol.

Wow, that's a page full of introduction writing. I know I'm really slow at updating. Homework, essays and GCSE coursework is beginning to take its toll. So review for me people!! Keep me comforted in the lonely times that something I write is doing well, lol.

Onto the actual story! I'm all typed out!

Where do we go from here: THE NEW ORDER

There was silence in the lobby. Nobody spoke for a long time and the quiet rang in their ears. Angel stood staring at the newcomers with Spike alongside him. Opposite them, Lorne twitched nervously. He knew what was coming and how bad it was. Andrew stood at the top of the stairs warily. He had no idea what was going on but thought it was best to stay out of the way for the time being. Lindsey stood at the bottom, staring stonily and Wesley remained where he was, in between Gunn and Faith. He seemed angry but not as frightened as he thought he should have been.

"Wesley," one of the members said, looking at him.

"Oh yes, Fisher." Wesley just folded his arms. "One of the more daring members of the Council, but then again, you never particularly liked the rules they played, did you? Decide to go solo, on a mission to redeem the Council's good name?"

Fisher was obviously the one holding the stick. "The Council had a good reputation, not a good name. Despite all its rules and tasks and assignments, it was its fault—its own demise."

Wesley frowned. "Yes, this would have nothing to do with the First deciding that you should be destroyed. It might have got in your way."

Fisher shrugged, obviously not finding in a necessity. He looked around at them all. Fisher was a fairly old man, definitely reaching in his fifties, greying hair but still with a strong attitude which radiated off him. "That is irrelevant. In my opinion, its fall is a good opportunity to start over again. Create a Council which means something more, has different rules…"

"And a different objective."

Fisher walked forward determinedly, pointing his stick at the ex-watcher. "You are a poison, a rat in the system of the Council. You should never have been allowed to remain alive after what you had done. What you are doing here goes against the fundamental law of the Council."

"What, saving lives?"

"Working for a vampire!" Fisher cried angrily. "You should have staked him when you had the chance all those years ago. The Council let you go far too easily, Wesley. They kept waiting in vain, hoping that one day you would have the sense to drive a stake through his heart. But it wasn't to be so. So now you suffer the price for all the trouble you have caused the Council."

"Oh yes, what more have I done?"

Fisher narrowed his eyes and Faith looked at him. Even she knew to be quiet but she could see how determined this man was being. He wasn't insane. In fact, he was perfectly normal but with a corrupt mind. "Do not make this harder on yourself, Wesley. It would be easier if you just came with us and we could sort out this wretched business. I wouldn't want to kill you in plain view."

Wesley raised his eyebrows in amusement. "You expect me to come willingly to my death. Obviously the Council doesn't know me that well any more."

Fisher simply smiled. "Well, these are different times. Excuses can be made for anything on account of the world ending. Are you coming?"

"No," Faith said, knocking him upside the head and sending him reeling backwards. The other members of the Council suddenly moved into action, pulling Faith away from Fisher and forcing Gunn away as well.

Lindsey attempted to move up behind Fisher. He had seen the old man with his stick and could sense its power. He knew that just by looking at it that it wasn't good. There was evil in that jewel which shouldn't be in their power. He moved forward in attempt to simply grab the stick and pull it away from him. But as he moved, Fisher turned to look at him. "Do not try anything, boy. You have no idea what this holds."

Lindsey lifted up his hand. "See what I hold," he retorted, lifting up his hand, which was beginning to glow with his anger and frustration.

Fisher raised his eyebrows. "Calatine," he said. "Impressive."

Lindsey let lose a flash of light, aiming towards Fisher. He didn't want to kill the man but most definitely stop him from doing any damage. Fisher simply lifted his stick up and all of Lindsey power seemed to absorb into the jewel. He stared in shock and his delay gave Fisher the time to lift his stick and swipe Lindsey across the face with it. He flew backwards from the force, and held his head in pain. It wasn't the force of the blow so much as the power that had just shocked through him. He lay on the ground, staring at the ceiling, suddenly finding that he couldn't move.

Whilst otherwise in the hotel, Angel and Spike had attempted to help Faith and Gunn by pulling the remaining Watchers off them. Wesley kicked one of them away and watcher how Fisher was simply regarding the display. Not far away, Lindsey lay on the ground, unmoving but with his eyes open.

Angel stood up from where it sounded he had dislocated someone's shoulder. One of the Watchers lifted up a small crossbow, aiming it towards Angel's heart but he didn't notice. Only Wesley did.

And he jumped in front.

Harper, the watcher, paused.

"Could you do it?" Wesley asked. "You'd want to kill Angelus, wouldn't you?"

Fisher walked forwards to stand behind Harper. "Enough of this. Wesley, you are playing a foolish came. Move aside. All this is over. You have lost."

Wesley looked around. Gunn was holding a hand to his bleeding lip and Faith looked at him. He looked back at her. A small communication passed through them with that look and Faith shook her head. "Wes," she warned him, a sharp edge to her voice. Wesley looked away. "Wes, you bastard, don't do this! Get away!" She attempted to lunge forward towards him but Spike grabbed her round the waist, holding her fast. She struggled in vain to get out of his death-like grip, but even he was looking at Wesley in disbelief.

Wesley didn't look at them, he looked straight back at Fisher and then at Harper. "You are torn between choices, aren't you? You instinct would be to go straight for the vampire, because that's what you're trained to do. You'd go straight through the heart and being the Council you would let the bystanders get hurt." He looked back at Fisher. "You can't change the old habits of the Council. You want to kill Angel, but I won't let you. And if you did, the stake would have to go through me first and I bet you wouldn't want that. It's not enough satisfaction for you."

Fisher folded his arms across his chest. "What are you proposing?"

"Leave everyone else here alone. Do not touch them. I give myself up willingly."

"Wes," Angel warned him sternly.

Wesley shook his head, ignoring Angel. "Do you agree?"

Fisher frowned, contemplating the offer. "I suppose it could happen." He walked forward towards Wesley. "No harm comes to the vampire and his friends. I'm glad you finally came to you senses Wesley. It's such a shame it wasn't all those years ago when you were still loyal to the Council."

"They fired me."

"You let two slayers escape. But never mind that for the moment, the list of your failures shall crop up later." He hit Wesley across the face with his stick and he slumped to the ground unconscious. He smiled as he straightened. Harper and Stewart looked up at Angel as they bent down to collect the fallen man.

"Do not attempt anything, Angelus," Fisher said, before storming out of the hotel with the watchers and Wesley.

Once again, there was silence. Angel glared daggers ahead of him. He wanted to run out and take out Fisher now. All this could be over quickly, if he could actually move. But he had seen what that stick had done to Lindsey. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Spike go over to him and check him.

Faith stormed over to him. "How could you do that!" she demanded at him. "How could you let them take Wesley? We could've taken them out. We could've! But you let him go all commando. That's supposed to be your job. You're the one that's supposed to be in danger, not him." Tears started brimming in her eyes but she refused to let them fall. "Get back out there. Get back out there and get him." She looked up at Angel. "Please! Please, you have to go back out there."

She grabbed onto Angel's shoulders and shook him lightly but her energy was now all wasted and all that was left was helpless grief. "Please."

Angel pulled her in and held her close. He was reminded of a time years ago when Faith had begged in his arms. But this time she refused to cry.

Spike looked over Lindsey. His eyes were closed now but he was still. Whatever that sticks was, it had left him immobilized, unable to get up or walk by himself. "It'll come back…" Lindsey managed to say painfully as he squeezed his eyes shut. "Won't it…it'll come back."

Spike was about to say he wasn't sure but then nodded. "Yeah, it will even if we gotta bloody spell it out of you. You're not staying this way."

Gunn looked up the stairs to see Andrew. He was now sitting at the top of the stairs, surveying the scene below. Gunn suddenly felt sorry for him, having to see all that. He seemed to be getting everything recently. "Hey, kid, you all right up there?" he asked. Andrew just nodded.

*  *  *  *  *

Andrew leaned against the counter. He was on the phone with it in his hand and he other doodling on an Angel Investigations pad. The lobby was empty. They had left Lindsey upstairs, hoping the affects of Fisher's spell would ware off. Faith had also gone to bed, feeling completely spent. No one knew where Gunn was and Spike was downstairs in the basement. He seemed to like basements, Andrew thought to himself.

"He what?" a voice snapped through on the other end of the line, bringing Andrew back to the conversation at hand.

"He got kidnapped," Andrew answered Buffy's sharp question. "Mr Lorne was right…the Council were here just after you'd done. There was…a fight and Wesley gave himself up to save everyone else. It's very heroic."

"Andrew, this isn't time for a story," Buffy shouted. Andrew flinched. Even all this distance, Buffy still shouted at him for doing something wrong. "Wesley's in trouble. You had the vision to stop this from happening."

"Hey, I see what happens, all right!" Andrew shouted back at her. He was proud to say it was more of a shout than a whine. "I saw this over and over again, even back at the warehouse. I didn't know what it meant until Angel saved me. I can't fight them, Buffy, they were way too strong. They had their own power." He sighed. "All I do is receive the messages."

There was a pause down the phone and for a moment, Andrew thought that maybe Buffy had cut him off. He was about to say something when Buffy said, "I know. And I'm sorry. It's just…things are different now. In these times, we need everyone we can get. And Wesley's now very important to Angel. They need him back and we can't let something as triffly as the Council get in the way of that, you see? How would you feel if it was Dawn?"

Andrew opened his mouth. "Pretty bad." Then he swallowed, realizing Buffy knew. There was no point in denying. "I'd feel awful. And I'd want to do something, please don't kill me for kissing your sister."

Buffy laughed slightly. "I'm not going to kill you. Yet. Dawn seemed happy. I just don't want you to keep her hopes up. She's still young and you're older than her. Besides with this battle coming on people are going to die. I don't want her getting too involved and then one of you dying. I don't want either of you to die. But be careful."

Andrew laughed nervously. "Hey, I'm the Vision Kid now. At least, that's what Gunn calls me. He has a cool collection of comics But Lindsey keeps on joking that I don't have as much power as him."

There was another pause. "You really like it there now, don't you."

Andrew shrugged to himself. "It's all right. There's not much to eat. Angel's fridge is usually full of blood and all they drink here is coffee…"

"Seriously, Andrew."

The boy shuffled a bit behind his desk. "Yes, I do like it here…a lot. I don't feel so…I don't know. I guess it's because I have something to do now apart from cooking and washing. I have a role, I'm doing something worthwhile as part of my redemption for being evil and killing Jonathan. I can do something right. Besides, no one treats me like an outcast or an idiot here."

It had come out more spitefully than he intended but he felt strongly about it. He immediately shut his mouth and there was an uncomfortable pause. Buffy cleared her throat nervously. "Yeah, I guess that was a bit wrong. I suppose none of us knew what you were capable of. None of us knew how much the neglect and insults would drive you over the edge to run away. I'm sorry about that. It's just…as you said, you have a role now. You didn't before. You were just the hostage. Obviously, higher powers had plans for you." She finished positively, making her voice sound optimistic.

"Yeah," Andrew murmured.

"Just be careful. Angel will look out for you. And every vision, report it to him. And help with Wesley because they…"

"Buffy, I got it."

Buffy sighed. "Okay, good. Oh, Dawn's here, she wants to talk to you."

Andrew's heart leapt up and a smile unconsciously found its way onto his face at the thought of her. "Hi," he said, as soon as he heard the phone being passed over. He mentally kicked himself for sounding too keen.

"Hey," Dawn's chirpy voice came through. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Nothing happened…to me. Are you?"

"Yeah, we got back to Sunnydale safely." There was a silence but it wasn't uncomfortable. It was natural. "So yeah, Andrew, about us in that room?"

"Yeah?" Andrew asked nervously, his heart suddenly sinking.

"It was great. Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. It's just…all this fighting has taken its toll. I mean, you felt something, right? Up in that room? It felt…right, didn't it? Not stupid."

"N-no. Not stupid. It felt…good."

He could imagine Dawn smiling back. "Well, great. Sorry, didn't get time to patch that up during the whole running from LA scenario. Buffy's calling me. I got to go." There was a pause. "I love you."

Andrew smiled. "I love you, too."

He put the phone down and for a few moments, remained standing behind the counter in the lobby.

Then he turned around and found himself staring into the office. He paused. Angel was there, sitting at the desk, with his elbows on the desk and hands clasped in front of him. He was staring intently at the desk and for a moment, Andrew just watched him. Although the vampires face was expressionless, his soul gave everything away as Andrew looked into him. He himself didn't understand how the process worked but he knew exactly what Angel was feeling. It gave off vibes for miles. He looked up the stairs wondering if he should just leave and go back to his room to Gunn's comics or head into the office.

His feet started moving into the office.

"Angel?" he asked quietly and the vampire looked up. "Hi, sorry. Should I…go?"

Angel smiled in a way which didn't really reach his eyes. He shook his head. "No, it's all right. I knew you were there." He watched Andrew sit in one of the chairs in front of the desk. "Are you okay? You sure you don't want to go back to bed? You've had a rough couple of days."

"I slept through most of it in my fever," Andrew answered nervously, rubbing his hands together and looked around the office.

Angel frowned and sat back. "What's wrong?" he suddenly asked. "You're nervous and fidgeting. Is something the matter? Did you have a vision?"

"A…? No, no, I didn't have a vision." He looked into Angel's face. "Does it always feel this way?" he asked and Angel looked at him in confusion. "Every time something goes wrong, when one of your friends is in trouble, does it always weigh back down onto you? Because it's what I see when I look at you. It's just guilt. Hard guilt."

Angel leaned his head back. "Guilt, huh? I guess it does weigh down on me more than I thought. And if that's what you see…then I guess you must be right. The Powers gave you that ability." He paused. "When my friends are the ones in trouble, I'm the one that gets angry and feels responsible. Even if I wasn't there. But this time I was. I was standing right behind him when he made the offer, when Fisher took him away. I could have stopped it and fought Fisher."

"And got completely toasted by that jewel. It looked like something used to power an intergalactic ship." Angel raised an eyebrow at him. "Battle star."

"This time it's different. I should have done something. Now Faith is upset and Lindsey's hurt and it pulls down on me. Because I'm the champion and the weight of the world rests on me, like it always does. That's how it always works for the champions."

"Hmm. All the heroes feel the weight of the world," Andrew mused.

Angel laughed slightly. "I can't believe I'm pouring my heart out to a teenager."

Andrew frowned. "I'm not a teenager…anymore. I'm old enough. And besides, I have the visions. If…if they'd given us the vision beforehand about what was going to happen to Wesley, they'd send another one, showing how to rescue him or something. Isn't that how it works? I mean…Cordelia had the vision before me, didn't she?"

Angel nodded and paused again, studying the ceiling. Then he looked down at Andrew who was still looking at him. "When you were back there. Conner…"

"Was fine. He's not evil, Angel. Just…probably confused. A little bit scared about what he's doing. But Cordy's evil. She has some kind of hold on him. And he can't break free because he loves her. Sounds a bit like Romeo and Juliet. I hated that play." He fumbled with the hem of his T-shirt.

"Thanks," Angel said, standing up. "I'm going to bed. If you have a vision about Wesley, tell me. Straight away."

Andrew nodded. "I understand now," he said, making Angel stopped before e opened the door to the office. "Why you all keep on fighting. I see it when in look at everyone. They all have a reason. I didn't understand at first, when I was with Buffy. It made no sense. I was pretty much beginning to believe I was the one going to die now. But I see why no one wants to. And why I don't have to."

"You're protected," Angel said. "Nothing will happen to you."

"Do you think we'll win? Us? Our small band of desperate fighters?"

Angel shrugged. "Well, we're fighting a war. Always nice to be on the winning side." He walked off, leaving Andrew alone to think in the office. 

*  *  *  *  *

Wesley opened his eyes. His head felt heavy and when he tried lifting it, it was like holding up tonnes of weights. He sank back down, his head falling onto a head, uneven stone surface but he barely noticed. He closed his eyes and waited for the pain in his throbbing head to go away. When he opened next and sat up, he found himself in a small dark room. It only had window and it was pitch black outside. The only light came from the small amount of moon that was out that night. The stars were all blocked by clouds.

He got up and looked around, finding that there was no forth wall. He could simply walk out if he wanted to but he supposed there was some kind of catch to it. He frowned.

"Remarkable set of weaponry," Fisher said, now dressed in a simple suit. He was sitting down on a chair which was next to a table and Wesley saw that his portable weapons had been taken. The stakes, the blades, the zip line. He didn't say anything. "The Council should have taken up on your idea form of weapon handling. That way, the deaths would have been reduced." He picked up one of the adjustable blades, looking at it.

"I didn't design them."

Fisher shrugged and put it down. "No matter."

Wesley looked around him at the barren empty space. Then he looked back down at Fisher. "Where am I?"

"I believe it was once a film studio," Fisher answered walking up to Wesley. "A small company which went bankrupt last year but even more useful for us. Nobody bothers to come. It makes it ideal for our little visit."

Wesley frowned. "You don't plan on staying then."

"Not in Los Angeles, no. Our plans then move on elsewhere."

"Rupert Giles."

Fisher raised his eyebrows in admiration and walked towards Wesley. "Your contacts are very well informed. Then again, I do believe that you get help from the Powers that Be. You vampire is the very same lover of the Slayer. And the now reformed 'William the Bloody.' Add that precious boy with the Calatine and an anagogic demon…well, your little friends are well suited up for a battle, aren't they." He glared at Wesley as he stood in front of him and the ex-watcher had to restrain himself from hitting the older man.

Instead, he glared back. "How did you survive?" he asked frostily.

Fisher laughed and turned back towards the table. "The details are not important. Let us just say that several members of the Council were given some leeway."

Wesley frowned. "The First let you go, did it? Found a few more allies within the Council that were corrupt from the beginning? Those who didn't like the rules of the council could follow it to victory."

Fisher shrugged. "Something along those lines, yes."

"And what do you propose to achieve from killing me and Mr Giles?" Wesley demanded. "A chance to live after the First wins? A little more leeway."

"And some self satisfaction, yes," Fisher replied, returning to him, carrying his stick. "There shall be a Council again, Wesley, only with a different ruling. Now is the time for the new order. And my friend, you are standing in the way with your rebellious streak." He lifted up the stick towards Wesley and the ex watcher fell to his knees, clutching his head in pain as a red hot feeling passed though, rendering him almost unconscious.

He lay back on the cement floor, gasping for air and opening his eyes to stare at the ceiling. Fisher's face appeared over his. "Do you really think the Council would have let you go after all these years? Any of them?" He attacked Wesley again and the man screamed out in pain, his shouts echoing throughout the warehouse. Wesley could see black spots dancing before his eyes and the blood rushing to his head as he withered on the ground, trying to force the pain out of his head.

"Here your trial begins," Fisher said darkly, swiping Wesley across the head just as he'd managed to get to a sitting position. He fell back, unconscious.

Reeeevvviiiieeewwww!!!!!!!! That is all I have to say. Oh and thanks :-)