Caitlin gathered her thoughts. It was probably a good thing that Connor enjoyed the research and theories so much, because he seemed so comfortable leading. Even though she knew everyone here, she hated being the center of attention. A part of her wished she'd just shared her ideas with Connor in private, and let him tell everyone. "Okay. So, I was reading the other day about Acathla. When activated, he opens a vortex, sucking the world into a demon dimension. So far, so good, right?"
She saw some nods, so she continued. "So Angelus activates him and he starts doing his sucking thing. Buffy knows the only way to stop him is with this special sword and the blood of the one who activated him. So even though Willow gets his soul back at the last minute, she runs Angel through and he disappears into the vortex as it closes behind him."
"So far we know all this." Faith said. "Angel got dead."
"Did he? No sunlight, no fire, no wooden stake, still has a head."
Connor said slowly, "So he went into the hell dimension alive?"
"If that were true, why don't I remember it?" Angel said.
Spike looked up. "That's strange. I remember most everything about my time in Hell."
"We're different." Angel said defensively.
Caitlin nodded, getting a little excited. "You are. And I think I have an idea as to why. First, Connor, Lorne, you guys met Angelus, right?"
"Yeah." Connor said shortly.
"Yes, but I've tried to forget." Lorne told her.
"Would you agree he's a different person than Angel?"
They both nodded.
She turned to Angel, who was looking uneasy. "Angel, you knew Spike before the chip, before the soul. Is he pretty much the same guy?"
"Yeah, but-"
She rushed on. "So I was wondering, why did Angel's soul make him a different guy, but Spike still the same guy?"
"Not completely the same." Spike pointed out.
"Well, no, you do have a soul and all that comes with it, but you only have one personality. Angel, on the other hand, developed multiple personalities."
"Like Sybill?" Faith said. "You guys ever she that flick?"
"You think I'm insane." Angel said flatly.
"No! Listen, I was reading Connor's psych book and it said multiple personalities can develop as a defense mechanism. But that's in humans. You aren't human, so there's a supernatural element there, and that's how you get the two separate people in one body."
"So what was I defending?"
"I don't think it was you. I think it was Angelus who couldn't handle the guilt and emotions that came with the soul, and he's the one that split off. So when you were sucked into the other dimension, it was so overwhelming, especially since you had just barely gotten control back, that you just let Angelus take over."
"And somehow, Angelus found a way back." Faith said.
"So if we want to know how," Connor mused, "We have to ask Angelus."
She saw some nods, so she continued. "So Angelus activates him and he starts doing his sucking thing. Buffy knows the only way to stop him is with this special sword and the blood of the one who activated him. So even though Willow gets his soul back at the last minute, she runs Angel through and he disappears into the vortex as it closes behind him."
"So far we know all this." Faith said. "Angel got dead."
"Did he? No sunlight, no fire, no wooden stake, still has a head."
Connor said slowly, "So he went into the hell dimension alive?"
"If that were true, why don't I remember it?" Angel said.
Spike looked up. "That's strange. I remember most everything about my time in Hell."
"We're different." Angel said defensively.
Caitlin nodded, getting a little excited. "You are. And I think I have an idea as to why. First, Connor, Lorne, you guys met Angelus, right?"
"Yeah." Connor said shortly.
"Yes, but I've tried to forget." Lorne told her.
"Would you agree he's a different person than Angel?"
They both nodded.
She turned to Angel, who was looking uneasy. "Angel, you knew Spike before the chip, before the soul. Is he pretty much the same guy?"
"Yeah, but-"
She rushed on. "So I was wondering, why did Angel's soul make him a different guy, but Spike still the same guy?"
"Not completely the same." Spike pointed out.
"Well, no, you do have a soul and all that comes with it, but you only have one personality. Angel, on the other hand, developed multiple personalities."
"Like Sybill?" Faith said. "You guys ever she that flick?"
"You think I'm insane." Angel said flatly.
"No! Listen, I was reading Connor's psych book and it said multiple personalities can develop as a defense mechanism. But that's in humans. You aren't human, so there's a supernatural element there, and that's how you get the two separate people in one body."
"So what was I defending?"
"I don't think it was you. I think it was Angelus who couldn't handle the guilt and emotions that came with the soul, and he's the one that split off. So when you were sucked into the other dimension, it was so overwhelming, especially since you had just barely gotten control back, that you just let Angelus take over."
"And somehow, Angelus found a way back." Faith said.
"So if we want to know how," Connor mused, "We have to ask Angelus."