Author's note: Penultimate chapter! But Connor and Deirbhile will be back soon, don't worry. I mean, they'll be back next week for the end of the…anyway! It's my birthday tomorrow! (Actually, that's a lie. It was two weeks ago. I just kept forgetting to put it up here in the Notes.)

MeryKey: There will be more books. At least one Connor-centric; he appears in others in the Chronicles, as well, but most of them aren't Angel. If you head on over to my website, you'll be able to get an idea.

Angelwings: Thank you! I love hearing that people enjoy my work. Please, enjoy the next-to-last chapter.

Jasmine Peace Out

When Connor came back, with the rest of AI being dragged along behind him, Deirbhile was waiting patiently in the lobby. Without even seeming to really see her, he caught her hand and brought her with them to Jasmine's room. Deirbhile balked at going in, though, so he left her outside until Jasmine was finished with them.

Deirbhile followed them to the basement and sat quietly on the steps while Connor locked them into Angelus' cage.

"I just gotta know one thing." Lorne said as Connor locked the door. "The reason our little blood ritual didn't raise any veils for you. You've always seen Jasmine's true appearance, haven't you?"

"You've got to be kidding me." Gunn protested. "You know what Maggot-Face looks like, and you're still big with the worship?"

Connor sat on a nearby chair. "I grew up in Quor-Toth—a hell dimension full of all sorts of things you can't even imagine. So, you know, appearance? Not that important to me."

"What is important to you, Connor?" Fred asked softly.

"Not us, apparently. Or his own father." Gunn remarked.

"What about Deirbhile?" Fred gestured to where she was still crouched on the stairs. "What about Cordelia? She needs help, medical attention. I mean, who knows what that coma's doing to her?"

"She's fine." Connor said dismissively.

"Are you sure? Have you checked?" Fred persisted. "Connor, if you don't care for her, then—"

"She isn't—she's been moved." Connor corrected himself.

"Moved? What do you mean?" Gunn demanded.

"Someplace safe, OK? She's taken care of, so just quit—"

Wesley raised his head. "Connor, what does Jasmine eat?

"What?"

"The creature in the sewer. It called her the "devourer." Devourer of what?"

Connor shook his head. "I don't know."

"Don't you?" Wesley sighed. "The followers she randomly chooses to come to her room. The ones she sent to meet her in the banquet hall."

"They're the banquet." Lorne realized.

"Wait. People? She eats people?" Gunn asked.

"Oh, no." Fred murmured.

"To Serve Man. It's "To Serve Man" all over again."

"And now she's going global."

Gunn looked at Wesley. "You don't think Cordy's—"

Wesley shook his head. "I hope not, but we really have no way of knowing, do we?"

Deirbhile looked up. "She's not dead. Does that help?"

"How do you know?" Gunn demanded.

"Oh, please." As she spoke, she rose to her feet and came down into the cellar. "Let's have the 'I'm an Elf, I have mystical powers' conversation again. That's a wonderful way to pass time."

Connor murmured something to her as she passed, rose to his feet and left the basement. Deirbhile dropped into the seat and eyed them cautiously.

"You're not going to let us out, are you." Wesley said.

"Can't." Deirbhile said. "I'm sorry."

"Why not?" Fred asked. "I thought you liked us."

"I do…I like you." Deirbhile said, looking straight at her. "But I need him. He's almost back to me, almost, and I can't risk…"

"So you're going to leave us here?" Gunn demanded. "Let Jasmine eat us?"

Fred paled, and Deirbhile shook her head. "You're not going to get eaten. Nothing's going to happen to you, Angel will be back first."

Wes pushed forward. "Are you certain?"

She nodded. "He'll be back. Jasmine's not going to get you."

"You could just…unlock the cage and go. No one would know." Fred pleaded softly.

"Yes they would." Deirbhile contradicted her. "There's reasons I'm the one down here with you."

"Cruel to be kind." Lorne said from behind the others. "Only it's not us you're being kind to, is it?"

"It is, though. You don't see it. Corners where you can't look around."

"How is this being kind to us?" Gunn demanded.

Deirbhile tilted her head slightly. "You want Jasmine gone?"

"Obviously." Gunn hit the bar in front of him.

"Then trust me. You can't get out yet. Soon."

Turning away, she left the basement.

Connor was sitting on the floor beside the altar when she found him again. Cordelia lay, still and unmoving, on the altar.

Approaching carefully, Deirbhile whispered, "Connor?"

"Not now."

"There's all kinds of…"

"Not now, Tara." He hadn't looked up, but she stopped dead anyway. Backing up, she found a corner and sat on the floor, watching him.

Neither moved for a long time; Connor sat staring at Cordelia, and Deirbhile just sat. Every so often she lifted her head as though to speak; but Connor tensed every time, and she sank back without speaking.

Suddenly one of the guards Connor had knocked out spoke, Jasmine's voice echoing eerily through the church. "Father, I need you. Help me, please."

Connor started to his feet, head cocked as though listening. "What's going on, Tara?" he asked.

"Angel broke the spell. For everyone. No more masks." She pulled herself up on the wall, watching him warily. "Connor…"

"Are you coming?" he demanded.

"Do you know who she is, Connor?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

Connor hesitated before answering, "Yes. I know who she is."

Deirbhile nodded. "All right then."

Jasmine was fighting…and beating…Angel when they found them on a bridge downtown. The race through LA had not been fun, as they'd had to dodge hundreds of panicked citizens who all seemed to be running in random directions.

Deirbhile dropped behind as they approached, circling widely around them and coming up from behind Angel, who seemed to be kissing Jasmine.

"Always the same, dad." Connor said in mock regret. "I get a girl, you gotta make a play for her."

"Connor?" Angel gasped, shoving away from Jasmine. Deirbhile quietly steadied him from behind.

Jasmine turned, smiling. "Connor. Connor, I still have you. Angel's ruined everything. But he can't defeat both of us. You still believe in me, don't you? You still love me?"

Connor nodded. "Yes."

Jasmine turned to gloat at Angel and Deirbhile, and Connor punched her. His fist went right through her head, and Deirbhile flinched back as Jasmine fell, quite obviously dead.

Angel pushed away from Deirbhile and reached towards Connor. "Connor... It's OK. It's over." Connor looked up, seeming at best vaguely interested. "Look, I know this is difficult for you. I'm just— I'm just happy to have you."

Connor shook his head, turning away.

"Connor. Connor? Connor. Connor!"

Connor, ignoring his father walked away.

Deirbhile spoke up quietly. "You can't keep him."

"You want him." Angel muttered.

"I do. But even if I don't get him, he doesn't want to be here." She looked downwards. "He loved her. As much as you ever loved Buffy or Cordelia, he loved Jasmine."

Angel started to reply, but she shook her head quickly. "Not now, Angel. We need to get you back to the hotel." She brushed a hand over his face, smiling faintly when he flinched. "Get those seen to. Can you walk?"

"Sure." He took a few steps and stopped, wobbling dangerously.

"Uh-huh." Deirbhile came to stand beside him, taking some of his weight.

"You're not crazy." Angel noted vaguely.

"Not so much, no. Let's go."

She ducked away from him when they reached the hotel, letting him go in first.

"Angel." Fred said in some surprise, coming out of the office with the others behind her.

"Oh, God. You're alive." Angel stumbled further into the room.

"Angel…" Wes started.

"Jasmine's dead." Angel spoke over him. "I brought back her name and her powers were destroyed. Connor killed her." He sank into a seat.

"Connor?" Fred repeated, eyes wide.

"Um, there's something…" Wesley started again.

"I've never seen him like this. Her wasn't hurt or angry, he just…killed her. And his face, it—it was just blank, like he had nothing left."

Wesley shook his head sharply, trying to catch Angel's attention. "Angel, you really…"

"I've got a bad feeling." Angel hadn't even really registered them. "He's just…given up. I think he's gonna do something. You know, he might…"

"End world peace?"

Angel turned to see Lilah…Lilah Morgan, looking as alive as ever…standing in the door to his office.

"Well, you already took care of that." she continued. "Congratulations."