THE END IS ONLY THE BEGINNING
Disclosure: I don't own any of the characters except for the ones that I made like Joyce and Noxon.
CHAPTER 24-RECONNECTING WITH THE PAST
Well oiled military books loudly clicked against the hard stones of the sidewalk as they marched, four wide and five deep, roaring torches held by the front of the column to light their path. The Scourge were not known for their subtlety, or mercy. They carried no weapons, other than their hatred for anything not fully demon, because they themselves were the weapons. They were instruments of a self induced holy war, fervently intent on achieving their genocidal goals no matter the cost. Their methods were that of the darkest nightmares and stories told around the campfire to terrify the young at heart and elders alike, human and otherwise.
Molly had heard a few of the stories about The Scourge during her time spent in the past. The subject hadn't come up until one night during a seemingly routine patrol with Spike the two had come across a dead body that at first Molly had thought was of as a victim of one of the demons that they were tracking. But upon closer inspection she had nearly fallen over her own feet at the image that lay in front of her. To her the body looked like a failed experiment of the insanely mad Dr. Frankenstein from the novel that she had read a couple of years earlier. She had been about to poke the body before Spike had rushed up, his face paling whiter than a sheet at the sight of what lie on the ground, before he had rudely grabbed her arm and the two soon found themselves being forced to steal a motorcycle to get away from their pursuers. After they had successfully disposed of the motorcycle Molly had begged to know what they had run from but Spike had at first been very insistent that she let the subject drop and to never speak of it again. Never being one to fully listen to her elders Molly had threatened to tell Buffy some of the secrets that the two kept just between them before Spike had relented and explained to her all, or at least as much as he knew, about The Scourge. She had learned enough that night to know to take The Scourge very seriously no matter how few of them she came into contact with. Her heart raced in her chest as she tore down the stairs, hoping against her inner demons of negativity that she would be able to reach those at the Hyperion in time to warn them of the danger ahead.
* * * * * *
"Where is he…," Angel demanded with a frustrated and impatient scowl on his face as he looked around the courtyard searching for any signs of the former watcher.
"I don't know…he was here just a second ago," Kennedy replied with a bored frown on her face as she kept her gaze transfixed on Willow, who was busy talking to one of the female members of the science team that was preparing to open the portal.
"Where do you think he is…trying to hide from Giles and Robin, God I swear those two are like pit bulls when…what…Angel, what is it, what's wrong," Cordelia started to reply with a sarcastic smirk on her face before Angel turned away and tilted his head back, taking a deep breath in the process.
"Damn…everyone inside NOW," Angel growled with a very nervous and uneasy frown on his face before he shouted to everyone in the courtyard and pointed towards the Hyperion's front doors.
"Why…Angel what…oh shit they're here," Cordelia started to ask with a confused and somewhat angry look on her face before she caught sight of the torchlight and it struck a chord in her memory.
"Who is it Cordelia, what's coming," Kennedy asked with a very serious frown on her face as Willow rushed to her side.
"The Scourge…now all of you, get inside…," Angel interrupted with an angry glare on his face as he rushed to the gate.
"Oh no you don't pal, the last time we fought these bastards it took Doyle sacrificing himself to save us…I'm not going to let you…," Cordelia started to shout with a defiant frown on her face as she began to take a step towards Angel but stopped when she was interrupted from above.
"Just do what he said and get back inside, this isn't your fight lady," Molly stated bluntly with a nervous look on her face as she looked down at first Cordelia and then Angel from her spot atop the wall that encircled the Hyperion.
"Who are you," Kennedy shouted with an alarmed look on her face as she got in front of Willow and took up a defensive stance.
"Still a bitch eh Kennedy," Molly quipped with a sly smirk on her face before she stood up and flipped off of the wall and landed beside Angel.
"What did you," Angel started to growl with a very angry expression on his face before Molly held her hand up and stopped him.
"Don't get all tetchy now Angel, the Scourge are coming and you and I are the only ones here that can fight them so let's stop it with the bloody twenty questions alright…you're worse than Mr. Giles was when I first met him in London…," Molly stated with a hurried edge to her voice as she slipped the spear from its sheath and tested its weight in her hands.
"When he first met you in London…wait…Molly…," Kennedy started to ramble softly to herself before she spoke the missing new slayers name loudly enough to catch Molly's attention.
"Took you long enough, yeah it's me…look I'll explain later just get inside will you…," Molly replied with a half smile on her face as she turned her head to look across the courtyard at Kennedy.
"Buffy…tell me…is she here…is she okay…where is she, tell me damn you," Angel demanded with a very threatening tone to his voice as he grabbed Molly's arm and made the young slayer look him in the eye.
"Let go of me…you're going to have to watch that language of yours around Joyce you know," Molly shouted with an angry and slightly pained expression on her face as she tore her arm back out of Angel's grasp and took a step back.
"Watch my…wait who's Joyce," Angel asked with a confused look on his face as he started to take a step towards Molly but stopped when she raised the tip of the spear.
"You'll find out…bloody hell…here they come," Molly started to reply with a casual smirk on her face before she spun around as the commandant in front turned the corner and came into view.
* * * * * *
"I didn't think that it'd get this bad…," Buffy gasped out softly with a shocked look on her face as she kept her nose to the van's window and gazed at the sights.
"It's going to get a lot worse before it gets better luv…we both know it, that's why we're here, we're going to help Angel put a stop to this hell on earth," Spike said with a very serious frown on his face before he pulled the van into its parking space in front of their hotel room.
"Are the two of you going right away," Jenny asked from the back seat as she leaned down to retrieve a toy that Joyce had flung away in a fit moments before.
"I am…you and Buffy and Joyce are going to stay here and wait for me to call you…we'll think of the rest later," Spike answered with a very serious look on his face as he unbuckled his seat belt, an act that he had almost never done as a vampire but now felt compelled to do it out of his love for Joyce and the want to see her grow up.
"But shouldn't you both go and…," Jenny started to ask with a half confused look on her face before Buffy broke in and interrupted her.
"We can't both go because one of us has to stay with you and Joyce at all times, or at least until we get in touch with Angel and Giles, then we'll stay in the Hyperion with them," Buffy interjected with a serious look on her face as she got out and took Joyce from Jenny.
"We will…all of us…," Jenny asked with a noticeable stutter in her voice as she climbed out of the van.
"Don't worry Ms. Calendar, Angel won't try anything…I won't let him," Spike jumped in with a very serious and hopefully reassuring tone to his voice as he got out and started to unpack the van.
"Me either…and as long as Spike gets there quickly enough we can get the introductions out of the way quickly…wait…Spike where's Mr. Fribble…," Buffy added with a frustrated frown on her face as she pulled a couple of bags out of the back of the van.
"He's in your blue bag," Spike answered with a nonchalant look on his face as he hefted the heaviest of the suitcases out of the back of the van and set it down at his side.
"No he's not, I checked yesterday…," Buffy said with a very certain look on her face as she crossed her arms and looked to Spike.
"But I remember putting him in…bloody hell," Spike started to argue back before he threw his head back and stared up into the sky, growling something angrily to himself.
"I told you we forgot something…," Buffy stated with an almost mocking tone to her voice before she grabbed one of the suitcases with her free hand and walked away towards their hotel room.
* * * * * *
As they had prepared to make the trip back to the present Molly had gone over in her mind hundreds of times the fight with the Scourge that she knew was coming. Most of those times she had come out the victor and had done pretty well in the fight, but those had all been in her mind. Reality however was proving to be an entirely different monster in and of itself. The Scourge had struck quickly and with a force that Molly had previously not encountered. Kennedy had pushed Willow back inside the hotel before almost throwing Cordelia in after her. She had been about to follow when one of the demons had gotten to close and she had turned to confront him. Angel had quickly let go of his fears and slipped into his game face and attacked with a vengeance, using the memories of losing Doyle to the machinations of the Scourge as a weapon. Wielding the spear with deadly accuracy Molly had for the most part been able to hold her own, killing two of the Scourge early in the fight. After that the rest had seemingly figured out that there was something odd and special about the spear that Molly wielded and changed their plan of attack against her. Molly was rudely snapped out of her momentary lapse into memories when two of the Scourge grabbed her from behind and threw her across the courtyard and into the wall. Upon meeting the ground with a sickening thud Molly grimaced at the tightness in her chest and dreaded silently that at least one of her ribs was broken. When she coughed up some blood only seconds later her initial fears seemed more valid. Angel too seemed to have lost some of his vigor after a few early kills and was starting to falter. Kennedy hadn't managed as well and when Molly had been thrown into the wall she was frantically trying to kick out of the hold of one of the bigger members of the Scourge that had his hands encircling her neck and trying to strangle her.
"Willow, they're getting killed out there," Cordelia shouted with a frantic look on her face before Faith came flying down the stairs, scythe in hand, followed behind by a gun toting Wesley.
"Out of our way," Faith shouted with an almost frantic look on her face as she and Wesley got to the front doors.
"I have to help Kennedy," Willow exclaimed with a very worried look on her face as she started to open the front doors.
"Stay here Willow," Wesley shouted, before Faith could, before the two were out of the Hyperion and out into the fray. Wesley instantly began firing at anything that moved, being careful to not hit Angel or Molly, who by this time was slowly getting back to her feet. Faith though rushed to Kennedy's defense, burying the scythe's blade into the back of the demons back that was strangling her. Kennedy gasped out several desperate breaths as she slid to the ground before Faith yanked the scythe free and used it first to block a punch by one of the Scourge before then swing it in an underhanded motion and slicing that Scourge's chest and face open. Angel used Wesley and Faith's entering the fight to catch his breath, so to speak, and try to take the fight to the Scourge instead of trying to fend them off. Even though their original number had been cut in half the remaining Scourge kept fighting with the same level of zeal that they had possessed when the fight had first begun.
"Molly…are you," Angel shouted over the fight before he stopped at the odd sound of someone honking their horn. One of the Scourge stopped from attacking Angel and ran out into the street, only to be run over moments later by an old and well traveled van. Two of the other Scourge saw their comrade get mowed down and rushed out to kill whoever was driving the van.
"Who dares," One of the Scourge shouted more as a declaration of intent rather than a real question as it got to the van and ripped the passenger door open.
"That'd be me," Spike declared with a triumphant smile on his face before he climbed over the seat and slammed his boot into the jaw of the closest Scourge, causing it to go staggering backwards and knock the other to the ground. Before either could get up Spike leapt from the van, drew the sword, and drove its point first through the top Scourge and then the bottom one, killing them both.
"Spike…," Angel said with a shocked and confused look on his face as he caught a momentary break in the action and stared out into the street.
"Miss me…," Spike quipped with a cocky grin on his face before he spun around and finished off the Scourge that he had hit with the van, slicing its neck open from ear to ear. Angel began to ask another question but was stopped abruptly by a fist slamming into his jaw.
"Spike," Molly screamed through the pain in her chest before she was forced to use the spear as a crutch to keep herself from collapsing to the ground.
"Molly…don't worry pet I'm coming," Spike shouted back with an alarmed expression on his face as he rushed into the courtyard and cut a swath through the remaining Scourge. He got to Molly just as Faith lopped off the head of the Scourge nearest to her and Wesley plugged the two fighting Angel with a bullet to the back of the head.
"I don't feel so good," Molly mumbled out through gritted teeth before she started to double over in pain. Spike acted quickly enough and caught her before she hit the ground.
"Easy…I've got you," Spike rushed out with a worried look on his face as he slowly knelt down with Molly in his arms and turned her so that she was facing him.
"I think…my ribs hurt…," Molly began to say before wincing badly in pain and coughing up a bit of blood.
"That's what you get for being reckless luv," Spike joked back with a scared look on his face as he gently laid a hand on Molly's side, taking it off like he had touched fire when she hissed in pain.
"Angel, are you okay," Faith asked with a confused look on her face as she helped Angel back up to his feet and stared across the courtyard at Spike and Molly.
"Yeah Faith, I'm fine…are you okay," Angel replied with a thick look of concern on his face as he brushed some of the dirt off of his coat while Wesley hurried to kneel down beside Spike and Molly.
"I'm fine but she's not," Faith answered with a grim look of concern on her face as she turned her gaze from the stone cold look on Angel's face to the young slayer cradled in the arms of the former vampire.
"I…I'm fine Spike…really, I just need a good nights sleep and my bloody slayer healing to kick in," Molly stammered out over short gulps of air punctuated with a painful grimace each time.
"Spike," Angel asked softly with a confused look on his face and well hidden tone of relief in his voice as he started to walk towards his former grandchilde.
"Not now Peaches, can't you see that Molly's hurt, the interrogation will have to wait until later I'm afraid, you need to tend to the flock while I get this one some help," Spike growled with an annoyed and worried look on his face as he picked Molly up in his arms and stood up before he started to make his way back towards the Hyperion's gate, but not before grabbing the spear and handing it to Molly.
"Stop Spike, I'm not letting you go anywhere until you tell me where she is…," Angel demanded with a very aggressive edge to his voice as he jumped into the gate and barred Spike from leaving.
"Now's not the time to get jealous ya bloody wanker, you lost that opportunity years ago, now get out of my way before I'm forced to hurt you," Spike shot back with a very impatient and angry scowl on his face as he and Angel seemed to be dead set on staring each other down.
"I'd like to see you try…," Angel growled back, slipping his game face on, as he started to take a step forward but stopped when Faith spoke up.
"Let him go Angel…if these two are back then B's probably back to, think about it," Faith exclaimed with a serious look on her face as she walked over to Wesley and helped him back to his feet.
"But…," Angel debated with an unhappy frown on his face as he wasn't entirely ready to let Spike go just yet, especially with how heavily Buffy's scent was intermixed with his former grandchilde's.
"Get out of the way Angel, you'll see Buffy soon enough, and trust me when I say that we'll all have plenty to talk about, but right now I need to…," Spike started to say with a very serious expression on his face before Angel surprised him and moved out of the way.
"Fine Spike, but you'd better not be lying to me," Angel declared with a thinly veiled threat in the tone of his voice before Spike stepped back out into the street and gently placed Molly back into the van, throwing the spear in the back.
"I don't lie when it comes to Buffy Peaches, you should know that, especially not since Joyce…," Spike started to yell back at Angel before Molly interrupted by collapsing back into her seat in a fit of violent coughing. Angel started to reply but by the time that he got out to the street Spike was already speeding away in the smashed up van.
"This was all too easy, Angel the way that you described the Scourge they sounded to be much stronger than this," Wesley mused with a very deep in thought and nervous look on his face as he studied the bodies.
"Maybe these were the newbie's…," Kennedy offered up with a slightly sickly look on her face as she gingerly rubbed her neck before not getting an answer and walking into the Hyperion to find Willow.
"No…these weren't new recruits…something's wrong here…that spear that Molly had seemed to take care of them a little to easily…," Angel trailed off with a confused and somewhat worried look on his face as he paced back and forth amongst the bodies.
"Almost like the scythe…," Faith added with a confused look on her face as she cocked an eyebrow and stared at the scythe, hopeful that the answers to all of their questions would soon be forthcoming.
END OF CHAPTER 24