Author note: I've been holding on to this for days, writing and re-writing. So here goes. Please review and enjoy!

Chapter Twenty-Four – There's Love, There's Hope for Some

(from "Shells" Season Five of Angel, spoken by Wesley)

Spike pulled away from Illyria, knowing that what they were doing wasn't right. His conscious told him that she was just worried, wanting to touch something that was real. She wanted her world to make sense, wanted control over it. Illyria had no more control over the world than he did.

"Spike, you do not have to stop," she whispered, voice throaty and deep.

"I do. You know that."

Illyria looked at him, puzzled that he stopped kissing her.

"These emotions, I do not understand. I feel something for you. Do you deny this?"

"No, pet. I don't deny it. It just isn't right. Just because I'm the first male to come along after him."

A look of anger passed over Illyria's face now. Spike knew that her new feelings weren't for him. He kind of wished they were for him. And maybe with time, those feelings could develop into something for him. But Illyria was still too tied up with Percy. Him coming back probably stirred up these feelings within her.

"Do not think that you can understand, Spike. He does not care for me."

Kind of like Buffy didn't care for him in that way. Been there, done that before. He knew he would always hold a spot in the slayer's heart. She just never really loved him the way he wanted to be loved. Nor would Illyria, if she could ever figure out how to love.

"But you care for him, love. Don't deny that to yourself."

"He is lost to me."

"That may be true. Doesn't mean that it will go away any time soon."

Illyria touched the side of his face gently. All he had gotten from her in the past was a fist to his face.

The door swinging open to the roof startled Spike. Angel came striding out, coat flapping in the breeze. The look on his face said it all. There was trouble with a capital T. His discussion with Illyria would have to wait.

"We need to go to Vail's, now," Angel announced.

"Now what?" Spike asked.

"Vail somehow kidnapped Wes and Faith."

"He could not. I killed him," Illyria added, eyes wide and if Spike was not mistaken, fearful.

"Not according to my source."

"Could your source be wrong?" Spike wanted to know. "Not like the first time this has happened with you."

"No, not wrong," Angel answered back sharply.

Angel threw an extra sword to Spike, who caught it squarely with his hand.

"Illyria will stay here," Spike told Angel.

"No. She has to come with us. My source was very specific about that."

"She doesn't have any of her powers. If there is a fight, she could get hurt."

"Spike, I don't have time for this. Vail needs to be put down, once and for all."

Illyria started to back away from the two vampires.

"She can't go, Angel."

"She will."

"I am not going to get her hurt, you ponce."

"We'll protect her."

"Yeah, just like you protected Fred."

Angel winced at Spike's statement, throwing out a punch that caught Spike on the jaw. By now, Spike noticed that Illyria was no longer standing beside him now. She had vanished as they were arguing.

"Damn it," Angel growled as he looked around for her. "I don't have time for this."

"Then stop arguing with me."

"Then get your ass downstairs to grab more weapons."

Spike started to move forward to go downstairs. He now was definitely worried about Illyria. She had run at the first sign of trouble. That was not like her. She never backed down from a fight.

The blue light emanating from Angel's pocket stopped him quickly.

"Hey, mate. Your pocket's glowing," he told Angel as he moved around him to go down the stairs.

Angel pulled out the ring that Spike had taken off the demon in Vail's mansion.

"Yeah, definitely a clue," Spike mumbled as the two hurried down to scrape together enough weapons to take with them.

"Yes, that's it, my boy. Give in to the dark side of the force."

"Bloody hell. This isn't a movie, Vail."

It seemed like a movie, the standoff was so surreal in Wesley's mind. The fireball still floated right in front of his head. If he gave one inch, he would go up in flames. The talk that he had with Cordy still rolled through his mind. She told him that he had better mojo, better magicks than Vail. She definitely knew something that he didn't. He had relied on old standby magicks while fighting Vail before. But what if he were to fight dirty?

Finally, pushing with all his might, he flung the fireball straight back at Vail. Only it didn't harm the mage one bit. The blue glow surrounding him now seemed to be some kind of shield against the things.

"Company," Faith yelled near the door.

He hadn't looked back to see if she was all right, fearful that he might give up his concentration. Thank goodness she was. But the multitudes of robed figures entering the room didn't bode well for the two of them. From the looks of them, they were Kith'harn demons. They would fight to the death if need be.

A knife went sailing by Wesley's head, barely missing it by less than an inch. Which made him realize that the robed figures were also armed. Lessened their odds even more. He threw two quick fireballs in succession, confusing some of them from heading towards him, incinerating a few in the process.

Faith started in on the first one to approach her menacingly. She still could fight quite well without the strength. He would have to get to her shortly, because she would tire and make herself vulnerable.

A split second later, another knife thrown tried to impale him, but he threw up a hand just like he had with the fireball, stopping it short of his chest. Spinning it in his mind, it hurled back to its sender, striking it dead center of its forehead, making the demon fall to the floor with a thud.

Faith had managed to take out one of them too, which made their odds slightly better – only seventeen to one, instead of twenty-two to one. Vail entered the fray by throwing his signature fireballs Wesley's way. Wesley ducked, helping take out another robed figure. The thing screamed in agony as it dropped to the floor, still in flames.

Wesley knew his luck wouldn't last very long as three of the figures jumped him at the same time. He heard Faith scream off to his right as his head smacked to the floor, making him see stars. All he could think about as the demons tried to stab him with their knives was getting to Faith. With inhuman strength, he threw each demon off of him, slamming all three to the wall in succession. Then he dove for the demon that was on top of Faith. And several more of the robed figures crashed on top of him, putting Faith on the bottom of a huge pile. Things did not look great for the two as they punched and kicked their way out of the mess.

"Holy shit," Doyle exclaimed as he watched the portal open, emitting demons of all shapes and sizes.

Cordelia gripped her sword tighter, ready to swing the weapon at anything that wasn't friendly. "Can we shut it down again, Lindsey?"

"Too late," he answered back, drawing his sword up in front of him.

"Then we fight, to the death," Lilah smiled to the others.

"OK, already dead here. And that look on your face will sure to frighten at least a few of the demons away, Lilah."

Lilah actually smirked back to Cordelia. First time they did agree on something.

"You will stand down," one really ugly, scaly, pus-filled demon said as he walked in front of the others.

"Ha," Cordelia started. "Listen, you moron. Go back to where you belong."

"You will listen," the demon raged.

"Pfft. Not likely." Cordelia slashed down at the first demon to make its move.

Both Angel and Spike threw their weight against the doors into Vail's large ballroom. The things weren't budging. Angel could hear the sounds of a fight beyond the closed doors. They just needed to figure out a way to get in there to join the fray.

Spike's eyes lit up with an idea. "Next room," he screamed, running back to an opened door.

He looked for another hidden door, hoping that they weren't all sealed for some odd reason. Working his way around the room, he finally felt the creases where the door was. With one kick, he had punched a significant hole in it. Angel followed with a kick and punch, large enough to emit the two to the hidden corridors beyond.

The vampires didn't have to go far before coming upon the smashed-in hidden door in the ballroom. Fireballs and demon bodies flew around the room in pandemonium. As usual, Spike jumped in head first, literally, taking out the first demon he could reach. Angel drew his sword, going after any and all takers. His sword was covered with demon guts quickly.

Faith watched as Wesley threw off three demons, scattering them all over. She had managed to take out a few, even without her strength. Training had actually paid off. A commotion on the other side of the room drew her attention. The bleached blonde vampire went flying, tackling several demons, followed by a sword flashing, demon guts spraying everywhere. The cavalry had arrived. She just hoped that Vail didn't have any more demons at his disposal so they could figure out how to banish this guy for good.

Taking her elbow, she smashed it into a demon that thought he could take her down from behind. It grunted in pain from the sharp bone. But her elbow now ached like a son of a bitch. Being a slayer meant not feeling a lot when one was fighting. Now she was feeling every punch, every kick. They needed to get this over with in a fat hurry.

Looking over at Wes, she noticed that he still managed to hold out on that superhuman strength. Until she noticed his eyes fade to black. Now they were in big trouble.

Vail's cackling in the background said it all. He had planned this. He was somehow using Wesley, controlling the man to do something. Wesley stopped fighting the demons then. And turned toward the blood oozing from the floor. Faith had to stop him before he reached the spot. Because whatever she felt when she had touched that spot before was not good.

Running, she tackled him from behind, bringing him down to the floor. Her knees screamed in pain as they hit the hard ground. But that didn't matter because Wesley flipped around and grabbed her arms and slammed her down to the ground so quickly, she didn't even have time to breathe. And his hands around her neck, pressing down even made it harder to breathe.

Her hands clawed at his. The last two times he had done this, he hadn't tried to kill her. This time that seemed like his intent. Or it was Vail's intent as she saw him out of the corner of her eye float over to where the two of them struggled on the floor.

"That's it. Kill her. She is the one who started you down this path. Kill her and you will be free."

The hell he would, Faith thought, vision narrowing slightly. The funny thing was, he could have snapped her neck. Why hadn't he?

"Wesley," Faith managed to squeak out.

He lessened the hold on her slightly, looking down at her with wide, dark eyes. He really looked like he didn't want to kill her; maybe make her suffer some, but not to kill.

"You cannot do it," Vail taunted Wesley. "You are weak, you fool. Take her life, and you will be free. She is your salvation."

Wesley's head quirked to the side, not unlike Illyria's did, Faith noticed. His eyes hadn't returned to their blue, but there seemed to be some recognition now. He was coming out of whatever trance Vail had put him in.

Wesley finally let go of her, leaving her on the floor to breathe. He approached Vail slowly. She couldn't believe though that Vail actually backed up a few paces. Was the mage now scared of him?

"You're a failure, Wesley. You always will be. Everything that you have ever done has been a failure."

"You are not my father," Wesley told Vail calmly.

Then he reached out to touch Vail. Vail screamed like he was in agony.

It had clicked in Wesley's brain not when he said he knew how to defeat Vail, but right before his eyes turned black. He knew Vail was using him for some purpose. And he also remembered the effect of merging with his corporeal body again. Vail had also merged with him. So he had been carrying around the dark mage for quite some time. That must have been his plan. Infiltrate Angel's people, then kill them all with whatever superhuman strength his body possessed. Only Vail hadn't counted on Wesley joining too. That Wesley had a much better shot controlling his own body than Vail did. So Vail had to change his plans.

Which meant Wesley could fight him, but only if he could touch him. That should have been difficult since Wesley was corporeal and Vail was not. But that was the only plan Wesley could think of as Vail tried again to take him over.

The strangling of Faith though was the breaking point. Did Vail believe if he killed Faith that he would actually move over to the dark side? That Wesley would not be able to stop himself and ally himself with Vail? Vail really didn't know him very well if he thought that. Then the taunts that sounded so much like his own father were spoken. Since Vail had been inside of his mind, he knew what to do to hurt Wesley deeply. What he didn't count on was Wesley's resolve. And the fact that Faith was the one person in the world that understood him. He would never take his anger out on her.

"Do you really think that I would kill her?" Wesley said as he grimaced in pain also.

The fighting was still going on around him, but it looked like Spike and Angel had the upper hand finally. If Wesley could distract Vail for a while longer, could he somehow figure out how to send him to hell? Killing him hadn't worked before. Total annihilation would have to be the goal.

What he didn't expect was to find Illyria standing right beside him. Her regal blue had returned, ice-blue eyes flashing her arrogance and something else. She was royally pissed off.

"You think that you can toy with me," Illyria started.

The last of the demons went down after a last strike by Angel's sword.

"You caused all of this to happen. This is your fault, you bitch," Vail wailed at Illyria.

"Illyria, be careful," Spike said, still panting from the fight, even though he didn't breathe.

"Tell them what you did, oh great one," Vail mocked her.

Illyria reached out to touch Vail also, knocking Wesley back. Blue sparks of power illuminated her arm that was holding the evil demon. She somehow knew how to hold him in the state he was in. Wesley's arm stung like hell, but he wasn't any worse for wear. But Illyria didn't let go, not feeling any kind of pain. Her face twisted up, like she knew exactly what to do to destroy Vail.

"She changed it. She changed it all," Vail spewed out.

It came to him finally. Illyria also knew what was going to happen. And had tried to change the timeline.

"Why?" Wesley asked her.

"To save you."

Wesley gasped out his surprise. Did she really care for him? Since he was her guide, would she have been lost without him?

"It is my fault. I thought that I could close the portal. But I tried to save both you and Gunn. I failed to save you. And did not close the portal. I needed your power Wesley for that to happen."

Angel spoke up. "You changed what happened? When that time glitch occurred, you changed the timeline. Wes took some of your powers away, but not all of them. You manipulated the situation, so you would have some of your powers left. You knew exactly what Wes was up to."

"Not at first. I believed that he would really kill me."

"No wonder the vision didn't make any sense," Angel sighed.

"It is too late. The portal is opening. You cannot stop what I have started, even if I do perish," Vail informed them.

Wesley looked over at the blood on the floor. It had started to bubble, like it was cooking on the floor. Then energy crackled around and through it.

"How do we close it, Vail?" Wesley growled.

Vail just laughed. "Too late."

Illyria didn't take that as an answer and carried the mage over to the widening hole in the floor. Vail started to squirm a little, maybe realizing that Illyria was on to something.

"His blood to open it, his blood to close it. Illyria, throw him in."

"He is not corporeal. It will not work," Illyria tried to tell him.

Wesley knew exactly what he had to do then. What he was supposed to do in that alley a month ago. He was supposed to close the portal with his magicks, with his blood. That's why he had to die to accomplish it. But why his blood? He hadn't opened the portal.

"You don't really know how much power you wield, boy. Such untapped potential."

Vail reached out to him, dragging him down to the floor, down to his knees. Wesley couldn't break his hold. Illyria pulled back with all her might, trying to make sure that Vail didn't drag Wesley in too. Faith attached herself to Wesley, trying to pull him back. Angel wrapped his strong arms around Wesley's chest, tugging him back from the opening portal.

Vail's eyes widened in surprise. That was all the distraction that Illyria and Wesley needed. Both he and Illyria pushed down, Wesley with his mind, Illyria with the blue glow, sinking Vail into the opening, through the boiling blood on the floor. He screamed in agony because it hadn't quite opened all the way.

"The ring," Illyria cried out.

Angel pulled it out of his coat pocket and tossed it to Illyria. A flash of blue surrounded them all, then a small explosion rocked them all back to the ground. Wesley, Faith and Angel landed in a mass of arms and legs on the floor. Illyria crumpled to the ground in a boneless heap.

"Illyria," Spike yelled as he limped over to her.

The fight was messy and brutal. But it ended as quickly as it began. All of a sudden the demons flashed out of their realm, leaving the defenders with their swords and other weapons hanging in the air. Lindsey almost hit Doyle as he swung his at nothing.

"Hey, watch it," Doyle screeched.

"Sorry. They're gone," Lindsey smiled.

"I'll be damned," Cordelia exclaimed. "They somehow closed it."

"Yippee," Lilah drawled, covered in demon guts.

"You don't look so good, lawyer lady," Doyle called out.

"Screw you," she called out, wiping her hands down her sides.

"You can leave now," Cordelia announced as she raised her sword towards Lilah.

"Gladly," Lilah spit out.

"Bitch," Cordelia charged on.

"Whore," Lilah retorted back, inching closer to the former seer.

"Lilah, scram," Lindsey said as he stepped in between the two women.

"I am so glad I'm not here with you," Lilah told Cordelia right before she disappeared with a blink.

Cordelia sighed with relief finally. Someone had closed that portal in Angel's dimension. Which is where it needed to be closed since that was where it had opened in the first place. Lindsey and Doyle helped her up off the ground where she had plopped herself after the last demon had disappeared.

"Oh, man, do I need a shower," Cordelia announced.

Lindsey leered at her. Doyle saw the leer and cuffed the man on the head.

"What just happened?" Angel asked.

"That hurt," Faith added.

"Bugger," Wesley whispered as he held his ribs. "I think you cracked a couple of ribs."

Spike stood over Illyria, trying to find a pulse, trying to find any sign of life. Her body did not stir. "She's dead," he cried to the others, bewildered that she could actually die.

Whatever power she possessed she had put it all in to closing the portal by using the ring. Wesley hung his head, mourning her as he would any other warrior. She had died to save the rest of them from more demons pouring through. Vail surely would have taken over this dimension and moved on to many more, virtually unstoppable.

"I don't understand how she did it. Didn't you say that it was Vail's blood that opened it?" Angel asked, curious about her intent.

"I assumed it was. Could have been a feedback loop from the ring to the portal. It could even have been as simple as his blood coming into contact with the portal." Wesley really didn't know the answer to her sacrifice.

"She was blue, the ring was blue. There must be a connection," Faith added.

"Illyria opened this portal," Spike told them, voice flat. "Remember? When she wanted to raise her army against us? I have a feeling that good old Knox handled much more than just being her lap dog."

"I thought we had closed that. Vail must have somehow figured out how to harness it and use it for his own evilness," Angel pointed out.

Wesley thought he had closed the portal. He had come back through, right after telling her she now knew how he had felt after Fred had been taken away from him. His world had disappeared that day also. She had seemed resigned to her fate then, wanting his help to live in the world where she had been resurrected.

"Her blood opened it, her blood closed it. Damn vision didn't work, Angel." Spike curled his lip up in a sneer and punched out at the wall behind him, angry at everything.

Cordelia and Doyle congratulated themselves on a job well done. Lindsey stood off to the side, watching all the goings on in this realm. Cordelia wondered now if the Powers That Be would give him a chance to prove himself, maybe help them out and be an angel.

"Hey, you haven't just popped back to where you belong? What gives?" Cordelia asked Lindsey.

"No. I have to go. Just wanted to watch it one more time."

"She must have been special. Hell, you could have been with Lilah."

"Don't worry. I never wanted to be pushing paper for the rest of my undead existence. Lilah's had to fill out more forms than I thought possible."

Cordelia snickered. "So that's where she is? Kind of funny if you think about it."

Cordelia looked off into the distance, wondering why people did things for love. Knowing that she had done it too many times to count, she reminisced on several joyous occasions where she had done just that. A light breeze picked up as everyone shuffled this way and that. Off in the distance, a figure sat in the middle of the field.

"Guys, were we supposed to get someone new?" she asked.

"Don't ask me. I don't work here," Lindsey replied.

"Not that I know of. They're very selective," Doyle told her.

"Then who's that?" she answered, pointing to the figure in the distance.

"Hmm. Why don't we find out?" Doyle said to her.

The three strolled over to the figure, who sat on the blanket that all new arrivals sat upon until someone greeted them.

Cordelia drew up short as she came closer. The two men stopped with her, sensing Cordelia's hesitation. The woman turned to look straight at her, tears of wonder in her eyes. Cordelia's tearful eyes matched the new arrival.

"This can't be happening," Cordelia whispered.

The familiar goofy, wide smile greeted her as Cordelia finished her journey over to the blanket.

TBC

Next: Yeah, we're not finished. Faith still needs some help too. Wes and Angel talk it out (qkith, just for you, and yes, I did have this planned). I still need to resolve Spike's feelings. And I need to resolve Wes's state of aliveness (is that a word?). So, at least a few more chapters!

Author notes: Wow. I think that was the hardest chapter that I have ever written. So much going on. And it's a long chapter too. I thought about dumping this on some people to get their reactions before I posted, but then I said, what the hell. I might as well just do it. They never said on screen if they closed that portal Illyria had opened up. So I had Vail hijack it somehow. So if this idea is so out there, please help me to fix it. Just don't tell me it sucks, because I know it probably does. Also, I'm sorry that I killed Illyria. I know there are a lot of people out there who like her. I do too. And I took advice and cut some of the fight scenes up so I didn't have to show everything. Poor Spike too. I don't mean to abuse him. And tell me if I was too subtle or way too obvious with the ending of the chapter.

Thanks go out to: qkith, Uberwicca, Mandie, and all you others. I know you've been reading out there. It's almost Halloween (in the U.S.), so everyone has been busy. Do other countries celebrate Halloween like we do here? Just curious.

Answers to questions:

Qkith—No, Angel and Wes will talk. Their relationship just has to evolve. Pity sex? That's just too funny. Hey, I was trying to keep the romance part out of it between them. But I really like it when they flirt.

Uberwicca—You were right about Illyria. Vail was majorly ticked at her for taking his face off.

Mandie—I love the Snoopy dance too. I think I'll do that after I finish this beast.

Shahid—sorry you are disappointed. But the fic is about Wes, with a side of Faith thrown in. He's the hero here. Angel doesn't always have to be. Joss was always good about showing that on the series. It does take everyone working together. I am not an Angel writer per se. I absolutely adore Wes, so that's what I write. Angel is a minor character in my fic, along with Cordelia and Doyle.