A/N I am soooo sorry guys. I accidentally put up the chapter after this
one. Now that you know that Buffy lives.... I'll have to throw you a curve
ball. HAHAHA! Thanks for the reviews.
Chapter 43
The gang has reassembled in Spike's apartment. Wesley, Spike, and Gunn were sitting down while Angel paced the floor. Illyria was standing behind Wesley. Lorne was sitting on the edge of a table off to the side. Buffy leaned against the wall next to the door. "This may come out a little pretentious, but.... one of you will betray me." Angel said. Spike raised his hands eagerly. "Wes."
"Oh." Spike put his hand down, then suddenly hopeful, "Can I deny you 3 times?" Buffy chuckled at the platinum-blonde vampire.
"Vail is the sorcerer of the bunch. You know that game. You've seen his place. He believes you'd make a play for my spot."
"That's not very flattering." Wesley said.
"It'll get you in the door. Illyria.... Izzerial the Devil and 3 other members of the circle dine together almost every night."
"I'll make trophies of their spines." Illyria said.
"Good to have you on the team. Gunn."
"Yo." Gunn said.
"Your friend Senator Brucker has a campaign office in west L.A. You already know she's pure hellspawn, and she tends to surround herself with vampires."
"I was hoping it'd be vamps. I haven't dusted nearly enough this year." Gunn looked at Spike. "No offense."
"That's all right." Spike said.
"Spike." Angel said.
"Right. First off, I'm not wearing any amulets. No bracelets, broaches, beads, pendants, pins, or rings...."
"Fine. All you need is a rattle."
"Ah, the baby."
"And a legion of the Fell Brethren. I want the kid returned to his mother and the foster family dismembered."
"Done and done."
"Archduke Sebassis has over 40,000 demons at his command. The other members of the council fear him. He's the key player...."
"So he's mine." Buffy said. Angel looked at her. "What? He has a thing for me. You think it wouldn't be easy to slip in there and kill him without being noticed?"
Angel sighed. "Fine. Lorne...."
"Uh, I'm not a fighter, Angelwings." Lorne said. "I never had the stomach for it. Looks like I'm your weak link."
"I just need you to back up Lindsey."
"I still can't believe you brought him in." Wesley said.
"He's part of this. It'll be just as dangerous for him as it will be for everyone else on our team."
"So I guess we're not going back to the office after this." Gunn said.
"The alley just north of the Hyperion. Everyone who makes it meets there." Buffy said. "If we do any damage at all, the senior partners are gonna rain hell on us. So be ready."
"Hey, guys, uh, I'll do this last thing for you, for us.... but then I'm out, and you won't find me in the alley afterwards. Hell, you won't find me at all. Do me a favor. Don't try."
Wesley grabbed his coat and walked toward the door with Gunn and Illyria. "The day went by fast, huh?" Gunn asked.
"Try not to die." Illyria said to him. "You are not unpleasant to my eyes."
"Uh, thanks. You.... try not to die, too. Later, then."
Wesley looked at Buffy. "You are truly the best Slayer any Watcher could ever hope to have trained. I like to think that I had a part in that."
Buffy kissed Wesley's cheek and hugged him tightly. "I like to think you did too." Wesley stared at Angel for a long moment before he walked out. Illyria followed. Buffy, Spike, and Angel were the only ones left in the apartment now. "What do you think all this means for that Shanshu bugaboo?" Spike asked. "If we make it through this, does one of us get to be a real boy?"
"Who you kidding? We're not gonna make it through." Angel said.
"Well, long as it's not you." With that, Spike walked out leaving Buffy and Angel alone.
"You know...." Buffy said, turning to her husband. "It's probably our last day on earth together and we haven't done anything about that. Doesn't that seem wrong?"
"I bought us a little time." Angel said, taking her hand.
Buffy started to cry. "I love you so much Angel."
Angel pulled her to him as he started to cry too. "Don't worry, lover. We'll be together again."
"Just make sure you're in that alley. I don't want to fight without you."
"Buffy.... Kiss me."
Buffy raised her face to Angel's and kissed him passionately as he slipped her shirt above her head and led her towards Spike's bed.
Angel stepped off the private elevator into his and Buffy's apartment. He made a beeline for a fancy wooden box on the table and opened it, taking out a knife with a curved blade. While examining the knife, Angel heard a door close behind him. Hamilton had just walked in.
"Going out?" The man asked.
"Why? You wanna order in?"
"I hear you already have plans. Gonna take that when you visit Sebassis? Why don't I think that's a gift?" Hamilton punched Angel immensely hard, sending him through the penthouse windows, where Angel fell outside for a few stories before finally falling through the glass ceiling into the lobby.
"Oh my God!" Harmony yelped.
"Hamilton...." Angel said.
"He's not my boyfriend. I mean, I certainly didn't betray you."
Angel pushed himself to his feet. "Drop the act, Harm."
"It's not an act. I'm really this nervous."
"I knew you'd turn on me. I just didn't know when."
"What do you mean you knew?"
"Loyalty really isn't high on your list."
"Oh, is that right? I'll have you know I am damn loyal, dumbass."
"You betrayed me. You are betraying me now, even as we are talking."
"Because you never have any confidence in me."
"No, because you have no soul."
"I would if you had confidence in me."
"Get out of the building."
"Are you firing me?"
"Among other things, yes."
"Do you think I could get a recommendation?"
"Yeah, ok."
"But see, if you don't so much live as the other thing, how...."
"It's already in the desk."
"You're the best." Harmony went to the desk to get her things just as Hamilton walked out of Angel's office, slowly heading straight for Angel. "Good luck. Um.... may the best man win?"
"So...." Hamilton said.
"Yeah." Angel punched Hamilton hard in the stomach, but didn't make a dent. "Did that hurt at all?"
"Little bit." Hamilton grabbed Angel by the windpipe and Angel winced as he was lifted off the ground. "But it's all part of the job." He threw Angel across the room so hard that Angel shattered a support post, going right through it. He picked Angel up off the floor and held him by the lapels. "The senior partners have expended an awful lot of time and resources on you. Personally, I would have told them not to bother." He threw Angel across the lobby again, where he crashed into the company logo on the balcony. "You're gutter trash, and that's where you should have stayed, drinking and whoring your way through an unremarkable life. But the fates stepped in and made you a vampire, with a soul, no less. A champion. A hero of the people. And yet, you still managed to fail everyone around you. Doyle. Cordelia. Fred. They're all gone. Now it's time you followed." He grabbed Angel up out of the debris and looked into his face. "Did you really think you were gonna kill Archduke Sebassis?"
"No.... I think I already did." Buffy said behind Hamilton. "I spiked his drink."
"You've signed your death warrant little girl." Hamilton dropped Angel.
"See, I love it when they mistake me for a little girl."
"You're dead."
"Like I haven't heard that before." Hamilton charged, but Buffy sidestepped and kicked him roughly in the back, sending him flying into the elevator doors. "You really should do your homework, Hammy. I defeated a god. What makes you think you're better?"
"I work for more than just one god." Hamilton kicked out and sent Buffy flying back through a wall. She rolled onto her side and spit blood. Angel got to his feet and engaged Hamilton. "Why do you keep fighting? You signed away your Shanshu. There's nothing in it for you anymore."
"People who don't care about anything will never understand the people who do." Angel said.
"Yeah, but we won't care." Hamilton sent Angel flying.
Angel writhed on the floor, groaning as Hamilton picked up a stake off Harmony's desk. Hamilton walked over to Angel, kneeled to pick Angel up by the lapel as he reared back ready to plunge the stake into Angel's chest. But before he could do it, someone punched him in the face, sending him flying across the room away from Angel. Hamilton went through a glass wall, shattering it. Angel looked up to see Buffy and Connor standing side by side, fists pulled back.
"Care about that, dress-for-less?" Connor asked.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Angel asked.
"Come on. You guys drop by for a cup of coffee, and the world's not ending? Please."
"He's definitely our son." Buffy said. She grabbed Hamilton and stomped her foot into his face. "Scummy bastard." He got to his feet and punched Buffy hard, but she still stood.
"Mom!" Connor yelled.
"I'm good." Buffy reared back and backhanded Hamilton.Ha They traded blows for a bit, the guys watching with amazement behind them. Suddenly, Hamilton had a knife and stabbed Buffy in the leg. She cried out and fell to the ground, ripping the knife out. Before Hamilton could punch her, Angel and Connor were on him.
Hamilton head-butted Connor. "What is with you people?" He threw Connor into the elevator doors, where he collapsed to the floor.
"Connor!" Angel yelled. He tried to get to his son, but Hamilton blocked the way. Angel tried to fight Hamilton but was instead thrown across the room by him again. Angel landed on the concrete steps.
"Let me say this as clearly as I can. You cannot beat me. I am a part of them. The Wolf, Ram, and Hart. Their strength flows through my veins. My blood is filled with their ancient power."
"Can you pick out the one word there you probably shouldn't have said?" Angel asked. He transformed into his vampire facade as he attacked Hamilton, biting him painfully in the jugular. Angel drank from him, holding on tenaciously as Hamilton struggled to get free. Hamilton was finally able to pull Angel's head away from his neck, and he threw him across the room again, but this time Angel controlled his motion, managing to rotate in the air and land on his feet. "Wow. You really are full of it." Hamilton swung at Angel, but Angel ducked. "What was that you were saying about ancient power?" Hamilton threw another punch at Angel, but Angel caught his arm and punched Hamilton in the ribs. Hamilton swung with his free arm, hitting Angel in the face, but Angel returned the favor, punching Hamilton in the face.
Hamilton managed to haul Angel up by the throat. "You don't really think you're gonna win this, do you? You don't stand a chance. We are legion. We are forever."
Buffy staggered up behind Hamilton and yanked his head back by his hair. "I've been shot, stabbed, broken, killed, electrocuted, and pinned to the hood of a Chevy. What makes you think a knife in the leg is going to stop me?" Buffy punched Hamilton repeatedly in the chest and stomach. Hamilton stumbled backwards, and Buffy sweep-kicked him in the ankles, bringing Hamilton to the floor. Hamilton struggled to get up. "And for the record.... Forever just got a hell of a lot shorter." She grabbed his head and twisted viciously, snapping Hamilton's neck and turning his head completely around. Hamilton fell to the ground with a final grunt. Buffy grabbed her leg and limped over to Connor. She helped him get to his feet.
"Is he dead?" Connor asked.
"Yeah, he's dead." The building started shaking and rumbling. Windows were cracking. The building was coming apart.
"Uh, that's not good, is it?"
"Wolfram & Hart." Angel said.
Buffy ripped off the bottom of her black shirt and tied it tightly around her leg above the wound. "Looks like they're taking the gloves off."
"What do we do?" Connor asked.
"You go home."
"Huh?"
"She's right, Connor." Angel said. "This is our fight."
"That's some serious macho...." Some of the building debris falls on him. "Aah!" The concrete support beam fell from the ceiling onto the lobby floor.
"Go home.... Now." Buffy said, hugging Connor tightly.
"They'll destroy you."
"As long as you're ok, they can't." The building rumbled as yet another concrete ceiling joist fell, crushing the balcony. "I love you, Connor. Go." Connor looked at Buffy and Angel before running down the hallway to leave.
Angel looked around as the building crumbled before his eyes. He went into his office to get Eve. "What the hell is going on?!" She asked.
"Looks like we're getting kicked out of the garden, Eve." Angel said.
"Where's Lindsey?" Angel turned to go, but she grabbed his arm. "Where is he?"
"He's not coming for you."
"You...."
"Time to go." Angel walked over to Buffy and scooped her up as he ran out of the building and to the alley where they were supposed to meet. He ran down the alley behind the Hyperion, carrying his sword and Buffy, running through the pouring rain. When he got to the chain-link fence at the end of the alley, he set Buffy down and they looked around for the others, but didn't see anyone. The sky thundered above them as the heavy rain continued.
"Boo." Spike said, walking out of the shadows.
"Anyone else?" Angel asked.
"Not so far. You feel the heat?"
"It's coming."
"Finally got ourselves a decent brawl."
Gunn came running down the street toward them, carrying his homemade battle- axe. "Damn! How did I know the fang boys and our number 1 Slayer would pull through?" His steps became progressively less sure, weaker. "You're lucky we're on the same side, dogs, 'cause I was on fire tonight. My game was tight." He almost collapsed, but Angel and Spike caught him, helping him to a box on which he could sit down.
Buffy looked over Gunn's wounds. "You're know supposed to wear the red stuff on the inside, right?"
"Any word on Wes?"
Illyria jumped down from the chain-link fence to stand behind Angel. "Wesley's dead." Buffy looked heartbroken and Angel went to her, holding her tightly. Gunn cried and Spike hung his head. "I'm feeling grief for him." A crowd clamored in the background. "I can't seem to control it. I wish to do more violence."
"Well, wishes just happen to be horses today." Spike said.
"Among other things." Angel, still holding Buffy, looked at the approaching crowd. It was hundreds, if not thousands, of demons of all sorts, shapes, and sizes. A huge winged dragon flew angrily toward them overhead.
"You take the 30,000 on the left...." Gunn said.
"You're fading. You'll last 10 minutes at best." Illyria said.
"Then let's make 'em memorable."
Buffy and Angel stepped forward and Spike, Gunn and Illyria followed. Spike was standing off to Buffy's right side. Angel was flanked a step behind by Gunn on the right and Illyria on the left. Buffy, of course, was at Angel's immediate right. They stared at the horde of demons approaching them in the alley. "In terms of a plan?" Spike asked.
"We fight." Buffy said.
"Bit more specific, ducks."
"Well, personally, I kind of want to slay the dragon." Angel said. The demon horde attacked. "Let's go to work." Angel swung his sword as Buffy did the same. They cut into the demons on all sides. Buffy knew the odds were stock piled against them and then some as the demons came at her in droves.
"Don't you boys know that you're supposed to make a circle and attack one at a time? It makes things easier." Buffy swung harder and jumped as a demon tried to grab her legs.
"Buffy!" Spike yelled.
Too late. The dragon grabbed her and threw her into the brick wall. She was dazed and bleeding, but not out. She couldn't see any of her comrades and she prayed that they were ok as she threw herself back into the fray. She didn't know how many demons she had slain, but it had been too many and the Slayer found herself tiring.
"Buffy!" A familiar voice cried. Xander? No.
"Buffy!" Another familiar voice. "Angel!"
That was Willow! Buffy felt her confidence level soar as she spotted Willow running towards them with Xander, Giles, and Faith at her side. Faith ripped apart the chain link fence and allowed the others to go through. Buffy couldn't turn to hug them or thank them for coming because the demons were swarming again. She cut a path and found her way to Faith's side. They moved back to back and fought viciously just like old times. The blonde Slayer saw Giles helping Angel to his feet and them fighting side by side. The dragon burst into a purple goo that showered the fighters. Buffy saw Willow nod in satisfaction and start working up another spell.
Buffy no longer felt Faith behind her and she turned just in time to get sucker punched in the face. It went down hill from there for her. The demons took her sword and then worked on her. She was too tired and she was bleeding from what seemed like a million different wounds. Her arm hung limply at her side, broken. A glimmer of hope for her friends passed through her as she saw that the demons were thinning. A demon grabbed her head and slammed her into the brick wall. The world went black.
Chapter 43
The gang has reassembled in Spike's apartment. Wesley, Spike, and Gunn were sitting down while Angel paced the floor. Illyria was standing behind Wesley. Lorne was sitting on the edge of a table off to the side. Buffy leaned against the wall next to the door. "This may come out a little pretentious, but.... one of you will betray me." Angel said. Spike raised his hands eagerly. "Wes."
"Oh." Spike put his hand down, then suddenly hopeful, "Can I deny you 3 times?" Buffy chuckled at the platinum-blonde vampire.
"Vail is the sorcerer of the bunch. You know that game. You've seen his place. He believes you'd make a play for my spot."
"That's not very flattering." Wesley said.
"It'll get you in the door. Illyria.... Izzerial the Devil and 3 other members of the circle dine together almost every night."
"I'll make trophies of their spines." Illyria said.
"Good to have you on the team. Gunn."
"Yo." Gunn said.
"Your friend Senator Brucker has a campaign office in west L.A. You already know she's pure hellspawn, and she tends to surround herself with vampires."
"I was hoping it'd be vamps. I haven't dusted nearly enough this year." Gunn looked at Spike. "No offense."
"That's all right." Spike said.
"Spike." Angel said.
"Right. First off, I'm not wearing any amulets. No bracelets, broaches, beads, pendants, pins, or rings...."
"Fine. All you need is a rattle."
"Ah, the baby."
"And a legion of the Fell Brethren. I want the kid returned to his mother and the foster family dismembered."
"Done and done."
"Archduke Sebassis has over 40,000 demons at his command. The other members of the council fear him. He's the key player...."
"So he's mine." Buffy said. Angel looked at her. "What? He has a thing for me. You think it wouldn't be easy to slip in there and kill him without being noticed?"
Angel sighed. "Fine. Lorne...."
"Uh, I'm not a fighter, Angelwings." Lorne said. "I never had the stomach for it. Looks like I'm your weak link."
"I just need you to back up Lindsey."
"I still can't believe you brought him in." Wesley said.
"He's part of this. It'll be just as dangerous for him as it will be for everyone else on our team."
"So I guess we're not going back to the office after this." Gunn said.
"The alley just north of the Hyperion. Everyone who makes it meets there." Buffy said. "If we do any damage at all, the senior partners are gonna rain hell on us. So be ready."
"Hey, guys, uh, I'll do this last thing for you, for us.... but then I'm out, and you won't find me in the alley afterwards. Hell, you won't find me at all. Do me a favor. Don't try."
Wesley grabbed his coat and walked toward the door with Gunn and Illyria. "The day went by fast, huh?" Gunn asked.
"Try not to die." Illyria said to him. "You are not unpleasant to my eyes."
"Uh, thanks. You.... try not to die, too. Later, then."
Wesley looked at Buffy. "You are truly the best Slayer any Watcher could ever hope to have trained. I like to think that I had a part in that."
Buffy kissed Wesley's cheek and hugged him tightly. "I like to think you did too." Wesley stared at Angel for a long moment before he walked out. Illyria followed. Buffy, Spike, and Angel were the only ones left in the apartment now. "What do you think all this means for that Shanshu bugaboo?" Spike asked. "If we make it through this, does one of us get to be a real boy?"
"Who you kidding? We're not gonna make it through." Angel said.
"Well, long as it's not you." With that, Spike walked out leaving Buffy and Angel alone.
"You know...." Buffy said, turning to her husband. "It's probably our last day on earth together and we haven't done anything about that. Doesn't that seem wrong?"
"I bought us a little time." Angel said, taking her hand.
Buffy started to cry. "I love you so much Angel."
Angel pulled her to him as he started to cry too. "Don't worry, lover. We'll be together again."
"Just make sure you're in that alley. I don't want to fight without you."
"Buffy.... Kiss me."
Buffy raised her face to Angel's and kissed him passionately as he slipped her shirt above her head and led her towards Spike's bed.
Angel stepped off the private elevator into his and Buffy's apartment. He made a beeline for a fancy wooden box on the table and opened it, taking out a knife with a curved blade. While examining the knife, Angel heard a door close behind him. Hamilton had just walked in.
"Going out?" The man asked.
"Why? You wanna order in?"
"I hear you already have plans. Gonna take that when you visit Sebassis? Why don't I think that's a gift?" Hamilton punched Angel immensely hard, sending him through the penthouse windows, where Angel fell outside for a few stories before finally falling through the glass ceiling into the lobby.
"Oh my God!" Harmony yelped.
"Hamilton...." Angel said.
"He's not my boyfriend. I mean, I certainly didn't betray you."
Angel pushed himself to his feet. "Drop the act, Harm."
"It's not an act. I'm really this nervous."
"I knew you'd turn on me. I just didn't know when."
"What do you mean you knew?"
"Loyalty really isn't high on your list."
"Oh, is that right? I'll have you know I am damn loyal, dumbass."
"You betrayed me. You are betraying me now, even as we are talking."
"Because you never have any confidence in me."
"No, because you have no soul."
"I would if you had confidence in me."
"Get out of the building."
"Are you firing me?"
"Among other things, yes."
"Do you think I could get a recommendation?"
"Yeah, ok."
"But see, if you don't so much live as the other thing, how...."
"It's already in the desk."
"You're the best." Harmony went to the desk to get her things just as Hamilton walked out of Angel's office, slowly heading straight for Angel. "Good luck. Um.... may the best man win?"
"So...." Hamilton said.
"Yeah." Angel punched Hamilton hard in the stomach, but didn't make a dent. "Did that hurt at all?"
"Little bit." Hamilton grabbed Angel by the windpipe and Angel winced as he was lifted off the ground. "But it's all part of the job." He threw Angel across the room so hard that Angel shattered a support post, going right through it. He picked Angel up off the floor and held him by the lapels. "The senior partners have expended an awful lot of time and resources on you. Personally, I would have told them not to bother." He threw Angel across the lobby again, where he crashed into the company logo on the balcony. "You're gutter trash, and that's where you should have stayed, drinking and whoring your way through an unremarkable life. But the fates stepped in and made you a vampire, with a soul, no less. A champion. A hero of the people. And yet, you still managed to fail everyone around you. Doyle. Cordelia. Fred. They're all gone. Now it's time you followed." He grabbed Angel up out of the debris and looked into his face. "Did you really think you were gonna kill Archduke Sebassis?"
"No.... I think I already did." Buffy said behind Hamilton. "I spiked his drink."
"You've signed your death warrant little girl." Hamilton dropped Angel.
"See, I love it when they mistake me for a little girl."
"You're dead."
"Like I haven't heard that before." Hamilton charged, but Buffy sidestepped and kicked him roughly in the back, sending him flying into the elevator doors. "You really should do your homework, Hammy. I defeated a god. What makes you think you're better?"
"I work for more than just one god." Hamilton kicked out and sent Buffy flying back through a wall. She rolled onto her side and spit blood. Angel got to his feet and engaged Hamilton. "Why do you keep fighting? You signed away your Shanshu. There's nothing in it for you anymore."
"People who don't care about anything will never understand the people who do." Angel said.
"Yeah, but we won't care." Hamilton sent Angel flying.
Angel writhed on the floor, groaning as Hamilton picked up a stake off Harmony's desk. Hamilton walked over to Angel, kneeled to pick Angel up by the lapel as he reared back ready to plunge the stake into Angel's chest. But before he could do it, someone punched him in the face, sending him flying across the room away from Angel. Hamilton went through a glass wall, shattering it. Angel looked up to see Buffy and Connor standing side by side, fists pulled back.
"Care about that, dress-for-less?" Connor asked.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Angel asked.
"Come on. You guys drop by for a cup of coffee, and the world's not ending? Please."
"He's definitely our son." Buffy said. She grabbed Hamilton and stomped her foot into his face. "Scummy bastard." He got to his feet and punched Buffy hard, but she still stood.
"Mom!" Connor yelled.
"I'm good." Buffy reared back and backhanded Hamilton.Ha They traded blows for a bit, the guys watching with amazement behind them. Suddenly, Hamilton had a knife and stabbed Buffy in the leg. She cried out and fell to the ground, ripping the knife out. Before Hamilton could punch her, Angel and Connor were on him.
Hamilton head-butted Connor. "What is with you people?" He threw Connor into the elevator doors, where he collapsed to the floor.
"Connor!" Angel yelled. He tried to get to his son, but Hamilton blocked the way. Angel tried to fight Hamilton but was instead thrown across the room by him again. Angel landed on the concrete steps.
"Let me say this as clearly as I can. You cannot beat me. I am a part of them. The Wolf, Ram, and Hart. Their strength flows through my veins. My blood is filled with their ancient power."
"Can you pick out the one word there you probably shouldn't have said?" Angel asked. He transformed into his vampire facade as he attacked Hamilton, biting him painfully in the jugular. Angel drank from him, holding on tenaciously as Hamilton struggled to get free. Hamilton was finally able to pull Angel's head away from his neck, and he threw him across the room again, but this time Angel controlled his motion, managing to rotate in the air and land on his feet. "Wow. You really are full of it." Hamilton swung at Angel, but Angel ducked. "What was that you were saying about ancient power?" Hamilton threw another punch at Angel, but Angel caught his arm and punched Hamilton in the ribs. Hamilton swung with his free arm, hitting Angel in the face, but Angel returned the favor, punching Hamilton in the face.
Hamilton managed to haul Angel up by the throat. "You don't really think you're gonna win this, do you? You don't stand a chance. We are legion. We are forever."
Buffy staggered up behind Hamilton and yanked his head back by his hair. "I've been shot, stabbed, broken, killed, electrocuted, and pinned to the hood of a Chevy. What makes you think a knife in the leg is going to stop me?" Buffy punched Hamilton repeatedly in the chest and stomach. Hamilton stumbled backwards, and Buffy sweep-kicked him in the ankles, bringing Hamilton to the floor. Hamilton struggled to get up. "And for the record.... Forever just got a hell of a lot shorter." She grabbed his head and twisted viciously, snapping Hamilton's neck and turning his head completely around. Hamilton fell to the ground with a final grunt. Buffy grabbed her leg and limped over to Connor. She helped him get to his feet.
"Is he dead?" Connor asked.
"Yeah, he's dead." The building started shaking and rumbling. Windows were cracking. The building was coming apart.
"Uh, that's not good, is it?"
"Wolfram & Hart." Angel said.
Buffy ripped off the bottom of her black shirt and tied it tightly around her leg above the wound. "Looks like they're taking the gloves off."
"What do we do?" Connor asked.
"You go home."
"Huh?"
"She's right, Connor." Angel said. "This is our fight."
"That's some serious macho...." Some of the building debris falls on him. "Aah!" The concrete support beam fell from the ceiling onto the lobby floor.
"Go home.... Now." Buffy said, hugging Connor tightly.
"They'll destroy you."
"As long as you're ok, they can't." The building rumbled as yet another concrete ceiling joist fell, crushing the balcony. "I love you, Connor. Go." Connor looked at Buffy and Angel before running down the hallway to leave.
Angel looked around as the building crumbled before his eyes. He went into his office to get Eve. "What the hell is going on?!" She asked.
"Looks like we're getting kicked out of the garden, Eve." Angel said.
"Where's Lindsey?" Angel turned to go, but she grabbed his arm. "Where is he?"
"He's not coming for you."
"You...."
"Time to go." Angel walked over to Buffy and scooped her up as he ran out of the building and to the alley where they were supposed to meet. He ran down the alley behind the Hyperion, carrying his sword and Buffy, running through the pouring rain. When he got to the chain-link fence at the end of the alley, he set Buffy down and they looked around for the others, but didn't see anyone. The sky thundered above them as the heavy rain continued.
"Boo." Spike said, walking out of the shadows.
"Anyone else?" Angel asked.
"Not so far. You feel the heat?"
"It's coming."
"Finally got ourselves a decent brawl."
Gunn came running down the street toward them, carrying his homemade battle- axe. "Damn! How did I know the fang boys and our number 1 Slayer would pull through?" His steps became progressively less sure, weaker. "You're lucky we're on the same side, dogs, 'cause I was on fire tonight. My game was tight." He almost collapsed, but Angel and Spike caught him, helping him to a box on which he could sit down.
Buffy looked over Gunn's wounds. "You're know supposed to wear the red stuff on the inside, right?"
"Any word on Wes?"
Illyria jumped down from the chain-link fence to stand behind Angel. "Wesley's dead." Buffy looked heartbroken and Angel went to her, holding her tightly. Gunn cried and Spike hung his head. "I'm feeling grief for him." A crowd clamored in the background. "I can't seem to control it. I wish to do more violence."
"Well, wishes just happen to be horses today." Spike said.
"Among other things." Angel, still holding Buffy, looked at the approaching crowd. It was hundreds, if not thousands, of demons of all sorts, shapes, and sizes. A huge winged dragon flew angrily toward them overhead.
"You take the 30,000 on the left...." Gunn said.
"You're fading. You'll last 10 minutes at best." Illyria said.
"Then let's make 'em memorable."
Buffy and Angel stepped forward and Spike, Gunn and Illyria followed. Spike was standing off to Buffy's right side. Angel was flanked a step behind by Gunn on the right and Illyria on the left. Buffy, of course, was at Angel's immediate right. They stared at the horde of demons approaching them in the alley. "In terms of a plan?" Spike asked.
"We fight." Buffy said.
"Bit more specific, ducks."
"Well, personally, I kind of want to slay the dragon." Angel said. The demon horde attacked. "Let's go to work." Angel swung his sword as Buffy did the same. They cut into the demons on all sides. Buffy knew the odds were stock piled against them and then some as the demons came at her in droves.
"Don't you boys know that you're supposed to make a circle and attack one at a time? It makes things easier." Buffy swung harder and jumped as a demon tried to grab her legs.
"Buffy!" Spike yelled.
Too late. The dragon grabbed her and threw her into the brick wall. She was dazed and bleeding, but not out. She couldn't see any of her comrades and she prayed that they were ok as she threw herself back into the fray. She didn't know how many demons she had slain, but it had been too many and the Slayer found herself tiring.
"Buffy!" A familiar voice cried. Xander? No.
"Buffy!" Another familiar voice. "Angel!"
That was Willow! Buffy felt her confidence level soar as she spotted Willow running towards them with Xander, Giles, and Faith at her side. Faith ripped apart the chain link fence and allowed the others to go through. Buffy couldn't turn to hug them or thank them for coming because the demons were swarming again. She cut a path and found her way to Faith's side. They moved back to back and fought viciously just like old times. The blonde Slayer saw Giles helping Angel to his feet and them fighting side by side. The dragon burst into a purple goo that showered the fighters. Buffy saw Willow nod in satisfaction and start working up another spell.
Buffy no longer felt Faith behind her and she turned just in time to get sucker punched in the face. It went down hill from there for her. The demons took her sword and then worked on her. She was too tired and she was bleeding from what seemed like a million different wounds. Her arm hung limply at her side, broken. A glimmer of hope for her friends passed through her as she saw that the demons were thinning. A demon grabbed her head and slammed her into the brick wall. The world went black.