Part 2
In the background of the orange glow of the spherical sky, the inside surface of Hell, demonic monsters were crawling. The five of them rode in the jeep back to their shelter. The jeep, with special wheels, suited for the terrain, raced at its maximum speed.
"Faster, Giles!" Xander commanded as they were chased by a huge flying reptile, a Pterosaur. The beast, a demonic and a more primitive version of the Quetzalcoatlus, had the size of a small plane and was by far the most dangerous member of its group who was still in pursuit. Its wings wiped out and almost hit Faith as she quickly moved away.
"I can't go faster!" was the not welcomed reply. Angel and Faith had their hands full as they were shooting the shotguns empty on other fast demons. They had emptied almost all the ammo and there was only one arrow left. The tip contained a huge amount of explosive, meant to destroy a Hellbeast. The local resistance equipment was running low as they were closest to the place Earth was sucked into hell. Most demons were here, most ammo was used up here.
"Damn, we have to do something and quick," Xander said, more to himself as he kicked the head of a smaller version of a Pterosaur with his barrel, smashing the reptile down. His mind was racing for options. The 'Rambo' trick wouldn't work as the creature was too close. Unlike the Hellbeast - with a thick iron skin that shielded the explosion, letting it tear the beast from the inside slowly to the outside - this reptile would simply blow away, the group included. But he needed a solution *and* very fast as also other monsters were close.
Buffy was silently looking around, taking in all the horrors of the night around her. Sunnydale didn't exist anymore, the place was one huge wreckage, infested by dark creatures of the night who were constantly fighting each other. Luckily for her, there weren't humans outside anymore to see them being ripped apart.
Xander saw the reptile slowly turn a bit to let its long tail come into action . . .
Internally Xander was broken and moved his head and stared at the blank face of the souled vampire, who was shooting on automatic pilot. From all of them he was the one who had to face the most guilt and pain. Xander couldn't imagine what torment Angel must be going through. He knew what kind of demon Angelus was - his way of teasing, playing with its opponent's mind. He knew it with the way Angelus had tortured Giles with Jenny's death. Or how the demon had tried to get into the head of Buffy, playing with her heart. But maybe most of all from his own experience when he met the vampire in the hospital, outside Buffy's room, when he was waiting.
~~O~~
Angelus paused after Xander's threat. "Buffy's White Knight," he said, mocking him. "You still love her . . ." He leant in closer, staring at him. "It must just eat you up that I got there first," he said, hurting Xander deeply.
Xander fought his nervousness as he stared back, his face an iron mask. "You're gonna die . . . And I'm gonna be there," he teased back, trying not to budge under the demon's pestering, hoping to save his own and, more importantly, Buffy's life.
Angelus slapped the flowers against Xander's chest. "Tell her I stopped by." He gave Xander one final look and then went back through the waiting room to the elevator.
Xander still shuddered as he covered his mouth and let out a breath of relief.
~~O~~
Angel saw the flying beast moving into a killing position and then moved his gaze and met Xander's. They both felt a deep kind of relief, ending this agonizing nightmare, as they faced their death.
Buffy was another huge victory for the demon inside Angel. Liam's soul fought to suppress the mangling of Angelus as the Master Vampire roared in pleasure for the unexpected bonus of the return of the blond Slayer in a devastated mood. Xander watched her and saw the horror reflecting in her eyes. #Buffy . . .#
Xander slowly moved his gaze towards the bow when they were all haunted by painful memories and guilt . . .
*****
Four months earlier
Outside hospital
Xander looked at her sword. "Now, that's a new look for you."
Buffy was determined as she felt she had to end it now and continued walking, stubbornly. #It has gone too far . . .# "It's a present for Angel."
"Willow," Xander said. Buffy stopped and faced him. He hesitated. "Uh, she told me to tell you . . ."
One of his two best friends and his personal hero bored her pleading eyes into his. "Tell me what?"
"She . . . she told me to . . . " #Kick his ass!# But sighed as the pressure of remembering the words 'resolve face', coming from his childhood friend as she pointed to herself, overruled this thought. The resolve face had always worked for the redheaded girl and she knew it . . . and how could he refuse Willow's will as he secretly was deeply in love with her? ". . . She is performing the ensouling ritual . . ."
Without a word she continued walking. Xander hesitated, clenching his fists as he was disgusted with himself for a moment and then followed.
*****
Angelus' mansion at the atrium
Angelus played with his sword, idly pointing it at Buffy as she had lost her own. She looked up at him, frightened. #Oh, my plan has worked perfectly. Kendra is dead, Giles tortured and that red wicca witch in a coma. And it was all her fault . . .# The demon growled with deep satisfaction as he imagined the pain Buffy must be going through. *This* was what he lived for, his work, and this . . . this . . . was his *masterpiece*. Eternal torment for every living creature was only a bonus. "Now that's everything, huh? No weapons . . . No friends . . . No hope," Angelus teased her, rubbing her face in it.
Buffy closed her eyes and shook her head. "No, there's hope. Angelus. There is always hope," she said with confidence.
Angelus was a bit surprised by her confidence. That was not as he had planned it. But he recovered quickly, smiling again. "Take all that away . . . and what's left?"
He drew the sword back and thrust it directly at her face. Finally his attack was meant to kill her, to 'collect' the mental victory, as he was certain that he had won.
With lightning-fast reflexes she swung up with both arms and caught the blade between the palms of her hands. She opened her eyes and met his.
She remembered it all clearly.
~~O~~
Whistler took a swig and looked back at Buffy. "Angel's the key. His blood will open the door to Hell. Acathla opens his big mouth, creates a vortex. Then only Angel's blood will close it. One blow will send 'em both back to Hell. But I strongly suggest that you get there before that happens, 'cause the faster you kill Angel, the easier it's gonna be on you."
"Don't worry about me," she simply said back.
"It's all on the line here, kid."
"I can deal." She spoke sadly, "I got nothing left to lose."
And she left, not hearing Whisler's last words. "Wrong, kid. You got one more thing."
~~O~~
#But I have a backup plan,# she thought as she whispered with a taunting tone, "There is always a chance . . ."
*****
Outside the Mansion
"I have to get back!" Xander yelled suddenly.
A sweating and hurting Giles looked at him. "Buffy will take care of him, Xander. We have to go, it's too dangerous."
"You go, I have to go back," he said while he dropped Giles from his shoulder.
"Xander!?" Giles shouted, while he was barely able to stand on his own feet.
"I have to!" he exclaimed as he turned away and ran back, leaving a stunned Giles.
Giles shook his head and almost as stubborn as Xander was he stumbled after the teenager. "Oh, bloody hell!"
*****
Back in Angelus' lair
". . . For a *soul* to return."
Angelus was hit by her words and Buffy took advantage of it. She shoved the blade away from her, and the hilt of the sword hit Angelus in the face. He staggered back, and she hopped to her feet and kicked him in the chest. He stumbled back even more and she reached down and picked up her sword. She swung it around a couple of times and thrust at him, but he managed to parry. They exchanged several blows, blocking each other. Buffy spun around and swung her sword down at him from above. He held up his own to block, but she hit it hard and he fell to one knee. She swung again and he blocked. She spun around with a roundhouse kick to his side and he collapsed to the ground.
"I even can stall for a short time," she told him confidently and teasing at the same time.
Angelus was surprised at this unexpected turn. He had killed Jenny. How were they able to get Liam's soul returned to him? It frightened him deeply and brought him in huge disadvantage as the fight continued. The battle was suddenly in Buffy's favor. She kicked Angelus, and he came flying in through the door, hit the floor and rolled to a stop. Before he could get all the way back to his feet Buffy leaped in and swung her sword at him. He almost missed, parrying her blow and he stepped back to get his footing. They exchanged a few more swings. Angelus missed a block and got sliced on his hand. He clenched his teeth and his eyes wettened with the pain as he moved his head quickly away from Buffy to hide his weakness. He was afraid of what was coming, another century of having to bare the torture of a soul? His brain was thinking of a way out.
"And that's easy, 'cause I know it scares you," she wickedly teased him.
*****
Willow's room at the hospital
Cordelia, Willow and Oz were sitting at a small tray table with the glowing Orb of Thesulahin the middle surrounded by the candles within a sacred circle.
Willow was performing the final stages of the soul binding ritual as she was chanting, "Asa safie! Asa sa fie! Acum!"
*****
Angel's mansion
"And if it takes too long to get you down than *I* will push you to where you belong . . . with or without soul . . ."
Angelus turned his face to her, his eyes with little tears as he stared bewildered into hers. "Buffy?" he softly spoke as he sobbed. "What's going on?" It was easy for him fool her as the demon was a centuries-old master deceiver, always anticipating on the weaknesses of his opponents. The rules were turned toward his expertise: playing with the emotions of humans. Angelus dropped his sword and held his cut.
Buffy stared at him, hoping. She moved slowly forward. "Angel?" She just looked at him, confused but not yet ready to lower the sword. He looked around a bit.
Angelus knew Angel as no one else as he played his role to perfection. "Where are we? I-I don't remember," he whispered.
Finally Buffy realized that the curse must have worked, and she slowly lowered her sword. Her heart filled with hope. "Angel?"
They were standing close to each other. "I... I feel like I haven't seen you in months," he spoke bewildered and then took immediately advantage of her trust with a lightening speed as he turned the direction of her sword to her abdomen . . .
*****
The hospital
Willow spoke the last word of the ritual. "Acum!" The Orb glowed very bright for a brief moment and went dark. Willow suddenly relaxed and looked around blankly.
*****
The Mansion
Buffy fell to the ground, crying. Not from the pain coming from her stomach, but from the pain in her heart. "Angel . . ." she said with a tone that would cut as a razor sharp knife through every soul.
In a last movement Angelus had turned the two of them around with her back facing a tall, horned, stockily built stone demon: Acathla. It's mouth was already open and the beginnings of the vortex, the opening to Hell, had started.
Angel, not realizing what had happened and holding her in an embrace, was on the receiving end of her cry. He pushed her gently back to watch her and saw her wound. "Buffy?" he spoke softly and saw the sword sticking in through her body."What's happening?" he cried out, still confused, scared.
Buffy looked down at her wound and fell his gentle touch on her arm. "Angel," she whispered, seeing a glow in his eyes fading away.
"Buffy?" Angel asked dazed, looking around bewildered. "What's happening?"
His eyes widened when he saw a spiral of darkness and yellow light coming out Acathla's mouth. The vortex had enlarged to about twelve feet across, and it was coming closer.
Angel saw it coming closer and instinctively he moved out of the way, forced by the demon inside him and by his love for Buffy, carrying her along. Hell opened and a light of awareness dawned in his eyes as he truly realized what he had done.
"Oh, my god," he said, seeing again the sword sticking out of the weak Buffy's stomach. She coughed up blood, and then saw his own on his hand. As he pulled Buffy to her feet, he realized his mistake. The first demons came from the vortex, as Acathla readied to suck the whole of Earth into hell. With guilt crushing his conscience he turned away from the vortex, pulling Buffy along who weakly supported herself.
He realized he was the one who could rescue the world and tried to jump into the vortex, but it was to too late as the first demons blocked his way. He looked around quickly as he picked up Buffy. The vortex grew bigger and bigger, while larger and larger demons came out of it - a lot of them. A large tentacle of an octopus-like creature swept out and Angel was barely able to dodge it and then he ran, pulling Buffy's feet of the floor.
Buffy realized what happened, she had lost and knew she was dying. In one last attempt she wanted to repair as much of the damage as she could, and placed a foot on the floor stopping him. A strong understanding in Whisler's words rose in her mind.
~~O~~
"In the end, you're always by yourself. You're all you've got. That's the point," Whistler said.
~~O~~
She wrested herself away from her boyfriend, and said, "Go!"
"No," Angel answered her, as he watched her pull the sword free.
"I can still stop it," she said - trying to convince him, hoping he would back off - showing her sword which had been blessed by the knight who first slew Acathla and turned the demon into the statue.
"It's too late, Buffy . . ."
"Go!" Buffy commanded, as she looked back ready to face the demons who were starting to get over their initial disorientation.
"I will not leave you," Angel told her ready to join her in whatever she was planning.
Buffy looked him in the eyes, tears streaming across her cheeks. "I love you," she whispered with all her emotion.
"I love you too," Angel answered confused, and then found himself lifted of the floor and thrown forward, the command 'Go' reaching his ears as he flew. He landed on the floor, tumbled along, and turned himself around to look at Buffy. He watched the girl he loved scream out, and run straight back into the onrushing demons. The sword sliced through the neck of one demon, gutted another, and then his vision of her was obscured. Buffy was engulfed into a mass of demons, only the occasional body part, and flash of sword indicated Buffy was still alive and getting closer to the source.
With a hollow feeling, Angel got up and ran away from the scene, pain and guilt tearing into him with every step. It was too late, Angelus had won and he knew it by the victorious laughter of the demon.
In the main hall he rushed into Xander, who lifted a stake and snarled, "Angelus! Where's Buffy?"
Angel broke down sinking to his knees crying. "Acathla is open. She went back to fight trying to stop it and let me flee," he sobbed out, sinking down to the ground even further.
Xander looked at him, and realized Angelus was one of the mind fuck, but he wouldn't bother with this for him if he had already won. This was Angel, Willow had succeeded. He was about to ram the stake home anyway, but realized that if they had any chance of undoing this, they might need the bastard's blood, and dust wouldn't give him any of it.
Xander looked up and saw the first demons round a corner, then he grabbed Angel by his hair, and hauled him along, screaming, "Get up and run you spineless bastard!"
Angel nodded and they quickly moved out of the Mansion, straight into Giles.
"Giles! The portal is open, we have to go!" Xander warned him.
Giles eyes widened at his words and even more as he saw demons coming out of the Mansion. "A-Acathla?" he stuttered, not able to realize the consequences.
"Yes, his mouth is open, now come!" Xander yelled as he took his arm to follow him. But Giles was not able to follow them so fast and Xander commanded Angel. "Carry Giles, now."
Angel nodded in a stupor and slung the librarian over his shoulder, and ran after Xander.
They rushed out of the Mansion while Xander for brief moment looked back. #We will comeback, Buffy . . . Oh, we will!#
*****
Present
Fueled by the memories Xander picked up the compound bow and the arrow. In a smooth move he placed the arrow on the bow and stretched the pace. Xander's senses combined with the soldier's shooting experience calculated a track as he aimed the arrow . . .
Giles saw Xander aiming the highly explosive material in front of the jeep instead of the back. "Hit the breaks!" was Xander's command. Giles had learned to trust Xander's instincts, and instantly performed the order. There had been enough instances that Xander had done similar things and the command was also a sign for Faith and Angel to drop themselves down.
The jeep jumped to a stand still and the beast flew over them, barely passing Xander who had braced himself for the impact. Just a few seconds after the jeep had stopped he adjusted his aim a bit and the arrow flew straight into the flying demon who was now about sixty yards in front of them. A fraction of a second later it blew into pieces as the wave front almost instantly hit the truck. Several of the other demons were also killed by the explosion while the gang had only minor injuries.
Giles was the only one who sat during the impact and he was safe behind the front window - it was made of a special kind of plastic. And if there was one thing Giles had learned in the last few months it was that *time* was the essence in this war as he immediately hit the gas. The wheels spinned and the jeep accelerated, passing the smoking pile of death, where other demons had found their new food - it was their rescue.
In the background of the orange glow of the spherical sky, the inside surface of Hell, demonic monsters were crawling. The five of them rode in the jeep back to their shelter. The jeep, with special wheels, suited for the terrain, raced at its maximum speed.
"Faster, Giles!" Xander commanded as they were chased by a huge flying reptile, a Pterosaur. The beast, a demonic and a more primitive version of the Quetzalcoatlus, had the size of a small plane and was by far the most dangerous member of its group who was still in pursuit. Its wings wiped out and almost hit Faith as she quickly moved away.
"I can't go faster!" was the not welcomed reply. Angel and Faith had their hands full as they were shooting the shotguns empty on other fast demons. They had emptied almost all the ammo and there was only one arrow left. The tip contained a huge amount of explosive, meant to destroy a Hellbeast. The local resistance equipment was running low as they were closest to the place Earth was sucked into hell. Most demons were here, most ammo was used up here.
"Damn, we have to do something and quick," Xander said, more to himself as he kicked the head of a smaller version of a Pterosaur with his barrel, smashing the reptile down. His mind was racing for options. The 'Rambo' trick wouldn't work as the creature was too close. Unlike the Hellbeast - with a thick iron skin that shielded the explosion, letting it tear the beast from the inside slowly to the outside - this reptile would simply blow away, the group included. But he needed a solution *and* very fast as also other monsters were close.
Buffy was silently looking around, taking in all the horrors of the night around her. Sunnydale didn't exist anymore, the place was one huge wreckage, infested by dark creatures of the night who were constantly fighting each other. Luckily for her, there weren't humans outside anymore to see them being ripped apart.
Xander saw the reptile slowly turn a bit to let its long tail come into action . . .
Internally Xander was broken and moved his head and stared at the blank face of the souled vampire, who was shooting on automatic pilot. From all of them he was the one who had to face the most guilt and pain. Xander couldn't imagine what torment Angel must be going through. He knew what kind of demon Angelus was - his way of teasing, playing with its opponent's mind. He knew it with the way Angelus had tortured Giles with Jenny's death. Or how the demon had tried to get into the head of Buffy, playing with her heart. But maybe most of all from his own experience when he met the vampire in the hospital, outside Buffy's room, when he was waiting.
~~O~~
Angelus paused after Xander's threat. "Buffy's White Knight," he said, mocking him. "You still love her . . ." He leant in closer, staring at him. "It must just eat you up that I got there first," he said, hurting Xander deeply.
Xander fought his nervousness as he stared back, his face an iron mask. "You're gonna die . . . And I'm gonna be there," he teased back, trying not to budge under the demon's pestering, hoping to save his own and, more importantly, Buffy's life.
Angelus slapped the flowers against Xander's chest. "Tell her I stopped by." He gave Xander one final look and then went back through the waiting room to the elevator.
Xander still shuddered as he covered his mouth and let out a breath of relief.
~~O~~
Angel saw the flying beast moving into a killing position and then moved his gaze and met Xander's. They both felt a deep kind of relief, ending this agonizing nightmare, as they faced their death.
Buffy was another huge victory for the demon inside Angel. Liam's soul fought to suppress the mangling of Angelus as the Master Vampire roared in pleasure for the unexpected bonus of the return of the blond Slayer in a devastated mood. Xander watched her and saw the horror reflecting in her eyes. #Buffy . . .#
Xander slowly moved his gaze towards the bow when they were all haunted by painful memories and guilt . . .
*****
Four months earlier
Outside hospital
Xander looked at her sword. "Now, that's a new look for you."
Buffy was determined as she felt she had to end it now and continued walking, stubbornly. #It has gone too far . . .# "It's a present for Angel."
"Willow," Xander said. Buffy stopped and faced him. He hesitated. "Uh, she told me to tell you . . ."
One of his two best friends and his personal hero bored her pleading eyes into his. "Tell me what?"
"She . . . she told me to . . . " #Kick his ass!# But sighed as the pressure of remembering the words 'resolve face', coming from his childhood friend as she pointed to herself, overruled this thought. The resolve face had always worked for the redheaded girl and she knew it . . . and how could he refuse Willow's will as he secretly was deeply in love with her? ". . . She is performing the ensouling ritual . . ."
Without a word she continued walking. Xander hesitated, clenching his fists as he was disgusted with himself for a moment and then followed.
*****
Angelus' mansion at the atrium
Angelus played with his sword, idly pointing it at Buffy as she had lost her own. She looked up at him, frightened. #Oh, my plan has worked perfectly. Kendra is dead, Giles tortured and that red wicca witch in a coma. And it was all her fault . . .# The demon growled with deep satisfaction as he imagined the pain Buffy must be going through. *This* was what he lived for, his work, and this . . . this . . . was his *masterpiece*. Eternal torment for every living creature was only a bonus. "Now that's everything, huh? No weapons . . . No friends . . . No hope," Angelus teased her, rubbing her face in it.
Buffy closed her eyes and shook her head. "No, there's hope. Angelus. There is always hope," she said with confidence.
Angelus was a bit surprised by her confidence. That was not as he had planned it. But he recovered quickly, smiling again. "Take all that away . . . and what's left?"
He drew the sword back and thrust it directly at her face. Finally his attack was meant to kill her, to 'collect' the mental victory, as he was certain that he had won.
With lightning-fast reflexes she swung up with both arms and caught the blade between the palms of her hands. She opened her eyes and met his.
She remembered it all clearly.
~~O~~
Whistler took a swig and looked back at Buffy. "Angel's the key. His blood will open the door to Hell. Acathla opens his big mouth, creates a vortex. Then only Angel's blood will close it. One blow will send 'em both back to Hell. But I strongly suggest that you get there before that happens, 'cause the faster you kill Angel, the easier it's gonna be on you."
"Don't worry about me," she simply said back.
"It's all on the line here, kid."
"I can deal." She spoke sadly, "I got nothing left to lose."
And she left, not hearing Whisler's last words. "Wrong, kid. You got one more thing."
~~O~~
#But I have a backup plan,# she thought as she whispered with a taunting tone, "There is always a chance . . ."
*****
Outside the Mansion
"I have to get back!" Xander yelled suddenly.
A sweating and hurting Giles looked at him. "Buffy will take care of him, Xander. We have to go, it's too dangerous."
"You go, I have to go back," he said while he dropped Giles from his shoulder.
"Xander!?" Giles shouted, while he was barely able to stand on his own feet.
"I have to!" he exclaimed as he turned away and ran back, leaving a stunned Giles.
Giles shook his head and almost as stubborn as Xander was he stumbled after the teenager. "Oh, bloody hell!"
*****
Back in Angelus' lair
". . . For a *soul* to return."
Angelus was hit by her words and Buffy took advantage of it. She shoved the blade away from her, and the hilt of the sword hit Angelus in the face. He staggered back, and she hopped to her feet and kicked him in the chest. He stumbled back even more and she reached down and picked up her sword. She swung it around a couple of times and thrust at him, but he managed to parry. They exchanged several blows, blocking each other. Buffy spun around and swung her sword down at him from above. He held up his own to block, but she hit it hard and he fell to one knee. She swung again and he blocked. She spun around with a roundhouse kick to his side and he collapsed to the ground.
"I even can stall for a short time," she told him confidently and teasing at the same time.
Angelus was surprised at this unexpected turn. He had killed Jenny. How were they able to get Liam's soul returned to him? It frightened him deeply and brought him in huge disadvantage as the fight continued. The battle was suddenly in Buffy's favor. She kicked Angelus, and he came flying in through the door, hit the floor and rolled to a stop. Before he could get all the way back to his feet Buffy leaped in and swung her sword at him. He almost missed, parrying her blow and he stepped back to get his footing. They exchanged a few more swings. Angelus missed a block and got sliced on his hand. He clenched his teeth and his eyes wettened with the pain as he moved his head quickly away from Buffy to hide his weakness. He was afraid of what was coming, another century of having to bare the torture of a soul? His brain was thinking of a way out.
"And that's easy, 'cause I know it scares you," she wickedly teased him.
*****
Willow's room at the hospital
Cordelia, Willow and Oz were sitting at a small tray table with the glowing Orb of Thesulahin the middle surrounded by the candles within a sacred circle.
Willow was performing the final stages of the soul binding ritual as she was chanting, "Asa safie! Asa sa fie! Acum!"
*****
Angel's mansion
"And if it takes too long to get you down than *I* will push you to where you belong . . . with or without soul . . ."
Angelus turned his face to her, his eyes with little tears as he stared bewildered into hers. "Buffy?" he softly spoke as he sobbed. "What's going on?" It was easy for him fool her as the demon was a centuries-old master deceiver, always anticipating on the weaknesses of his opponents. The rules were turned toward his expertise: playing with the emotions of humans. Angelus dropped his sword and held his cut.
Buffy stared at him, hoping. She moved slowly forward. "Angel?" She just looked at him, confused but not yet ready to lower the sword. He looked around a bit.
Angelus knew Angel as no one else as he played his role to perfection. "Where are we? I-I don't remember," he whispered.
Finally Buffy realized that the curse must have worked, and she slowly lowered her sword. Her heart filled with hope. "Angel?"
They were standing close to each other. "I... I feel like I haven't seen you in months," he spoke bewildered and then took immediately advantage of her trust with a lightening speed as he turned the direction of her sword to her abdomen . . .
*****
The hospital
Willow spoke the last word of the ritual. "Acum!" The Orb glowed very bright for a brief moment and went dark. Willow suddenly relaxed and looked around blankly.
*****
The Mansion
Buffy fell to the ground, crying. Not from the pain coming from her stomach, but from the pain in her heart. "Angel . . ." she said with a tone that would cut as a razor sharp knife through every soul.
In a last movement Angelus had turned the two of them around with her back facing a tall, horned, stockily built stone demon: Acathla. It's mouth was already open and the beginnings of the vortex, the opening to Hell, had started.
Angel, not realizing what had happened and holding her in an embrace, was on the receiving end of her cry. He pushed her gently back to watch her and saw her wound. "Buffy?" he spoke softly and saw the sword sticking in through her body."What's happening?" he cried out, still confused, scared.
Buffy looked down at her wound and fell his gentle touch on her arm. "Angel," she whispered, seeing a glow in his eyes fading away.
"Buffy?" Angel asked dazed, looking around bewildered. "What's happening?"
His eyes widened when he saw a spiral of darkness and yellow light coming out Acathla's mouth. The vortex had enlarged to about twelve feet across, and it was coming closer.
Angel saw it coming closer and instinctively he moved out of the way, forced by the demon inside him and by his love for Buffy, carrying her along. Hell opened and a light of awareness dawned in his eyes as he truly realized what he had done.
"Oh, my god," he said, seeing again the sword sticking out of the weak Buffy's stomach. She coughed up blood, and then saw his own on his hand. As he pulled Buffy to her feet, he realized his mistake. The first demons came from the vortex, as Acathla readied to suck the whole of Earth into hell. With guilt crushing his conscience he turned away from the vortex, pulling Buffy along who weakly supported herself.
He realized he was the one who could rescue the world and tried to jump into the vortex, but it was to too late as the first demons blocked his way. He looked around quickly as he picked up Buffy. The vortex grew bigger and bigger, while larger and larger demons came out of it - a lot of them. A large tentacle of an octopus-like creature swept out and Angel was barely able to dodge it and then he ran, pulling Buffy's feet of the floor.
Buffy realized what happened, she had lost and knew she was dying. In one last attempt she wanted to repair as much of the damage as she could, and placed a foot on the floor stopping him. A strong understanding in Whisler's words rose in her mind.
~~O~~
"In the end, you're always by yourself. You're all you've got. That's the point," Whistler said.
~~O~~
She wrested herself away from her boyfriend, and said, "Go!"
"No," Angel answered her, as he watched her pull the sword free.
"I can still stop it," she said - trying to convince him, hoping he would back off - showing her sword which had been blessed by the knight who first slew Acathla and turned the demon into the statue.
"It's too late, Buffy . . ."
"Go!" Buffy commanded, as she looked back ready to face the demons who were starting to get over their initial disorientation.
"I will not leave you," Angel told her ready to join her in whatever she was planning.
Buffy looked him in the eyes, tears streaming across her cheeks. "I love you," she whispered with all her emotion.
"I love you too," Angel answered confused, and then found himself lifted of the floor and thrown forward, the command 'Go' reaching his ears as he flew. He landed on the floor, tumbled along, and turned himself around to look at Buffy. He watched the girl he loved scream out, and run straight back into the onrushing demons. The sword sliced through the neck of one demon, gutted another, and then his vision of her was obscured. Buffy was engulfed into a mass of demons, only the occasional body part, and flash of sword indicated Buffy was still alive and getting closer to the source.
With a hollow feeling, Angel got up and ran away from the scene, pain and guilt tearing into him with every step. It was too late, Angelus had won and he knew it by the victorious laughter of the demon.
In the main hall he rushed into Xander, who lifted a stake and snarled, "Angelus! Where's Buffy?"
Angel broke down sinking to his knees crying. "Acathla is open. She went back to fight trying to stop it and let me flee," he sobbed out, sinking down to the ground even further.
Xander looked at him, and realized Angelus was one of the mind fuck, but he wouldn't bother with this for him if he had already won. This was Angel, Willow had succeeded. He was about to ram the stake home anyway, but realized that if they had any chance of undoing this, they might need the bastard's blood, and dust wouldn't give him any of it.
Xander looked up and saw the first demons round a corner, then he grabbed Angel by his hair, and hauled him along, screaming, "Get up and run you spineless bastard!"
Angel nodded and they quickly moved out of the Mansion, straight into Giles.
"Giles! The portal is open, we have to go!" Xander warned him.
Giles eyes widened at his words and even more as he saw demons coming out of the Mansion. "A-Acathla?" he stuttered, not able to realize the consequences.
"Yes, his mouth is open, now come!" Xander yelled as he took his arm to follow him. But Giles was not able to follow them so fast and Xander commanded Angel. "Carry Giles, now."
Angel nodded in a stupor and slung the librarian over his shoulder, and ran after Xander.
They rushed out of the Mansion while Xander for brief moment looked back. #We will comeback, Buffy . . . Oh, we will!#
*****
Present
Fueled by the memories Xander picked up the compound bow and the arrow. In a smooth move he placed the arrow on the bow and stretched the pace. Xander's senses combined with the soldier's shooting experience calculated a track as he aimed the arrow . . .
Giles saw Xander aiming the highly explosive material in front of the jeep instead of the back. "Hit the breaks!" was Xander's command. Giles had learned to trust Xander's instincts, and instantly performed the order. There had been enough instances that Xander had done similar things and the command was also a sign for Faith and Angel to drop themselves down.
The jeep jumped to a stand still and the beast flew over them, barely passing Xander who had braced himself for the impact. Just a few seconds after the jeep had stopped he adjusted his aim a bit and the arrow flew straight into the flying demon who was now about sixty yards in front of them. A fraction of a second later it blew into pieces as the wave front almost instantly hit the truck. Several of the other demons were also killed by the explosion while the gang had only minor injuries.
Giles was the only one who sat during the impact and he was safe behind the front window - it was made of a special kind of plastic. And if there was one thing Giles had learned in the last few months it was that *time* was the essence in this war as he immediately hit the gas. The wheels spinned and the jeep accelerated, passing the smoking pile of death, where other demons had found their new food - it was their rescue.