---I apologize profusely for taking so long. I had all the ideas and plot running through my head, but for some reason I was afraid to attempt to write more of this story. Sometimes I'm afraid it won't come out right. Then I start to write and it just flows. I'm weird...I know. Lol. Anyway please read on and don't give up on me yet!

True Destiny Continues

Chapter 4: The Aftermath

Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone from the Angel series. I only own my original characters.

Buffy shook her head slightly to clear the haziness. She came to her feet slowly, her hazel eyes flitting through the crowd of champions. "Everyone okay," she called out, even though visibly it seemed like they were. A chorus of 'yeahs', 'uh huhs', and 'fines' were heard in response to her question. Her eyes then fell on the two men she loved. Angel had already gotten to his feet and was currently helping a young boy stand up. Her brows furrowed, confused because Angel was now hugging the boy, holding him so tightly that Buffy wondered if the boy could even breathe. Spike was being held up by the female demon with the blue hair, the one they referred to as Illyria. His head came up and they locked eyes for several seconds before she pulled her own eyes away from him, not catching the disappointed expression that crossed his face right after.

Buffy suddenly remembered that she should be personally checking on her slayers as well as seeing if Willow was okay. She saw Willow dragging herself up from the ground and Buffy jogged over to help her, but was beat by Kennedy. "Will you okay," Buffy asked worriedly. The red-head nodded in affirmation, even though she looked a little out of it. "Amanda make sure all the girls are okay for me," she shouted over her shoulder. She then looked closer at one of her best friends. Willow didn't look alright. In fact she looked downright scared. "Will what is it," she asked anxiously. "You look kind of...freaked."

Willow stared past Buffy, her green eyes opened wide. "That's because I am," she whispered, pointing at what was catching her attention. Buffy turned to see what Willow was staring at and she saw what had her so alarmed. It was Faith's friend. She was slumped against the side of the building across from them and didn't appear conscious. Buffy's eyes searched frantically for Faith. She saw her just getting to her feet a little ways from her, the brunette swaying slightly on her feet.

Buffy walked quickly over to her, reaching out and catching her arm swiftly. "Faith you alright," she questioned, her eyes showing her concern. Faith nodded, but didn't look up. "Faith you sure," Buffy prodded. At that, the slayer finally lifted her head and nodded again. Buffy hesitated to tell Faith about Milani, her own fear growing at that fact that Milani appeared to be the only one who was injured badly. "Faith I-I think your friend is hurt," she blurted out.

Faith stiffened, jerking away from Buffy's hold. "Where," was her scared reply. Buffy pointed and Faith took off immediately in that direction. Buffy knew that look she saw in Faith's eyes. It was fear. And it was the worst kind. It was the kind you experience when you were afraid for a love one's welfare. She had never known Faith to really truly care about anyone but herself. Apparently, she didn't know Faith anymore, because it seemed like Faith had changed. She didn't know why, but for some reason her feet was rooted to the ground. Even though she knew she should go over and help, she just couldn't seem to make herself move. She had hoped that everyone would make it through this battle. She prayed that for Faith's sake that all her hoping had not been in vain.

Faith knelt next to Milani, unable to stop her lower lip from trembling as she smoothed the girl's damp hair from her face. "Lani wake up," she said loudly. "Come on girl...wake up." Faith forced the tears back and focused on the girl's body closely, her eyes beginning to tear up again at the sight of the dark stain spreading across her abdomen. "Oh god," she whispered. "Somebody help me!"

Gunn was just about to make his way over to Angel, who was now standing with Connor, Illyria, and Spike when he heard Faith's plea for help. His eyes quickly found her and he jogged over to her, his brown eyes taking in the wild look on her face. "What's wrong with her," he asked, stooping down on the other side of the unconscious girl. And then he saw the blood stain. "Oh no," he whispered. He did the first thing he could think of, which was to remove his shirt and press it tightly to the wound. "Feel for a pulse," he ordered. When he got no response from Faith, he reached out his hand and gently shook her. "Faith snap out of it. You're no good to her like this. Feel for a pulse, while I apply pressure to the wound."

Faith swallowed hard and nodded, placing her two fingers on Milaini's neck. She breathed a small sigh of relief at the steady beat beneath her fingers. "She's got a steady pulse, but she's not waking up," she told him, looking down at his hands pressing down on Milani's stomach. "This shouldn't be happening Gunn. Why isn't she healing?"

Gunn looked at Faith then. "Does she usually heal fast," he asked her. At her nod, he stared back down at the wound. "Well apparently she isn't now. We need to get her out of here...now!"

"But I don't understand...why isn't she healing," Faith continued on desperately. "This has never happened before, at least not that I know of. Gunn she's heals faster than slayers...faster than vampires even." She swallowed thickly again. "This shouldn't be happening," she whispered brokenly, two tears now running down her cheeks.

Gunn's chest clenched at the sight of Faith crying. He knew that if she was actually allowing someone to see her cry then she was really scared. Kick-ass women like Faith don't just start bawling for any little thing. His own stomach was twisting in knots as well. This girl had saved his life and now she was unconscious, bleeding profusely. His jaw clenched tightly. She wasn't going to die, not if he could help it. "Don't worry Faith...we'll get her checked out," he said firmly, bringing his arms under Milani's legs and lifting her smoothly off the ground.

Faith stood up quickly. "Our van isn't too far from here," Faith told him, wiping her tears roughly. She would not fall apart. Milani needed her. She had to be strong, if only for her.

"Alright, lead the way," Gunn responded, adjusting Milani in his arms slightly. He followed Faith out of the alley, completely ignoring the fact that Angel was calling him. He wasn't doing it on purpose. He was just so focused on getting the girl in his arms help. He had to make sure the person responsible for him standing right now was going to be okay.

Angel stared at Gunn as he passed him, continuing to walk away from him without even sparing a glance in his direction. He then looked at Spike, as if somehow asking if he knew why Gunn was acting that way. "We should probably go after him mate," Spike said softly. "That girl looks like she's hurt." Spike shrugged Illyria's arm off of him, his pride to strong to let her hold him up. Besides, his head was feeling a lot clearer now, even though his body was battered and bruised. "Come on let's go," he continued, his voice still uncharacteristically soft, walking past Angel to follow Gunn.

Angel glanced at Connor and then Illyria. "You heard him...let's go," he said quietly, trudging slowly behind Spike, his hand falling on his abdomen to hold his aching ribs. He vaguely heard his son asking if he was okay. He looked back at Connor over his shoulder and nodded, before turning back around to face forward. He knew he should have probably waited to see if Buffy was okay, but right now he felt like taking care of his own family first, number one being finding out what's up with Gunn.

Angel exited the alley, continuing his slow trek until he was right behind Gunn, who had for some reason stopped. He figured probably it was Spike who had finally managed to get his attention. "Gunn, what's wrong," he asked, closing his eyes briefly at the pain racking his body. Angel then got a close look at who Gunn was holding in his arms. It was the girl who had healed Gunn in the alley. "She okay," Angel continued. "Are you okay," he asked quickly, seeing the blood on Gunn's shirt, noting that he was only wearing a wife beater. "You're bleeding."

Gunn shook his head. "It's not my blood," he corrected, peering down at the girl in his arms. "It's hers." Gunn then looked back at Angel. "Faith was taking me to their van. We need to get her to a hospital."

Angel swallowed hard, his eyes now resting on Faith, seeing how distressed she looked. "Gunn we may not be able to take her to a hospital," Angel commented morosely. Angel saw the determined expression that came on Gunn's face at his words. "She's not human Gunn," he clarified quietly. "The best we can do is wait it out...see if she wakes up." Angel dragged a hand through his hair. "Maybe we can go back to the Hyperion. It's the only place I can think of that can hold all of us." He paused for a moment. "I want all of us to be together right now," he whispered."

Faith looked at Angel incredulously. "Angel, we can't just wait this out," she barked out. "She's not healing Angel. Her healing ability...something's wrong...it should have kicked in by now." She bit her lip hard before continuing. "Angel she's the closest thing to family I got. I can't lose her. I just can't."

Just then Milani groaned softly, her eyes fluttering before opening completely. What was going on? Why was she being carried? Then the aching pain in her side reminded her. She had been wounded and then that bright light had erupted from Willow, causing all the demons to just disappear. Where was Willow? She was the last person she saw before she blacked out. "Willow....is she okay," she whispered, looking up at the handsome black guy she had healed earlier.

"Yeah...she's okay," Gunn answered, a little surprised about her concern for someone else in her current state. "We're more worried about you though. Faith told us that you heal pretty quickly, but you don't seem to be healing now. Any idea why?"

Milani nodded. "I may know why," she replied simply. "Willow...she needed a power source to draw from...to continue on in the fight. I let her take some power from me. I think that's why I'm not healing as quickly as I used to." Her gaze then floated over to Angel, her eyes widening when she saw him.

Before Faith could admonish her for doing such a stupid thing like giving her power away to Willow, Milani's next words stopped her from doing so. "You...what are you doing here in L.A.," she whispered, staring at Angel intently. Angel looked at Faith, who shrugged helplessly. "You don't belong here. I ran away to keep you safe. Why did you follow me?"

Faith stared at her friend in obvious concern. Now she was babbling, saying things to Angel that Faith didn't understand, almost as if she was hallucinating. "Milani, it's Angel...he lives in Los Angeles...remember," she said hesitantly. "He didn't follow you. If anything we came to him."

"No...he followed me," Milani insisted, her eyes resting on Faith now. "And why are you calling him Angel? That is not his name. They both followed me here...him and Connor." She closed her eyes then; the darkness feeling like it was creeping back in. "Dad why are you letting them call you Angel? Your name is Liam. Tell them Dad. Tell them your name is Liam." The blackness began to pull at her harder and she sank into it gratefully, her head slumping back on Gunn's arm.

Angel looked at Connor, the surprise on his son's face mirroring his own, before glancing back at Faith. Why was this girl referring to him as Dad? He only had one child and that was the boy standing next to him. And how did she know that his real name was Liam? What the hell was going on here?

Note: I will take into consideration all of the suggestions I was given, especially the 'Lindsay' part. Just don't know how to fit him in yet. Even if he is in, it won't be for very long...just something brief. But Wesley will appear in this story as a main character. That I am sure of. Please review!