Buffy ducked away from another punch from Angelus, and delivered one of her own. Angelus swung around and grabbed her by the hair, flinging her across the grass. She did a back-flip onto her feet and flew at him again, delivering a high kick. They were perfectly matched, blow for blow. Luckily she had a few new moves he hadn't seen yet.

'You've been training. About time. Fighting you is normally so uninspiring,' he quipped, as she sent him flying across the path and into a rose bush. 'Aw, Buff, flowers. You shouldn't have.'

Darla and Drusilla looked on, amused.

Buffy rounded on him again, knocking him backwards. This time he kept his feet.

'You know, Slayer, you never cease to amaze me. You get so caught up in kicking my butt that you always seem to forget your poor little friends.'

'You mean the ones that are safe and sound indoors where you can't get to them?' Buffy retorted, hoping a bluff might buy more time.

'Oh they're not in Cordy's apartment, Buffy. You know that,' he laughed. 'And so do my vampire friends, who at this moment should be rounding them up.'

Buffy glanced over her shoulder towards the gardens, panicked. She didn't know if she should go there to help, or keep to the plan and keep Angel away from them.

'Tough decision, huh?' he mocked. 'Let me make it easier for you.'

He took advantage of her distraction and kicked her to the ground.

Kathy found herself in what looked like darkened catacombs. A torch burned in a holder on the wall and she picked it up, trying to make out the room before her. She saw a passage-way and decided to follow it.

Moving carefully, she walked down the passage and into an anti-chamber. Huddled in a corner she saw a figure.

'Angel!' she cried, going to him.

Angel's expression looked far away and anguished. He was trembling all over. He didn't react when Kathy said his name. She tried again.

'Angel!' Slowly he looked at her. His eyes were tortured.

'He's going to kill you all!'

Wesley, Giles, Gunn and Cordelia were fighting for their lives. Nearly a dozen vampires were surrounding them, all armed.

'There's too many!' Giles called out.

Gunn was battling four at once, and barely holding them off. He managed to stake two, but they kept coming. Three more vampires rushed out of the shadows, overpowering him.

Wesley was fighting one with a sword and winning until another attacked from behind. The vampire's attention was taken with the former watcher, and didn't see Cordy come up behind him. He turned to dust as she staked him. Another grabbed her from behind.

Giles decapitated one, while another two came for him. He saw a vampire grab Cordelia and staked one of the approaching vamps as he ran to help her.

Cordelia kicked and struggled against her assailant. Before Giles could get there, Wesley, free of the vamp he was fighting, hit the vampire from behind. Cordelia wriggled free. The vampires regrouped and advanced on them. They were surrounded.

Angelus leaned over Buffy, still sprawled on the ground. He reached for her neck as Buffy managed to bring her knee up in between his legs. He fell back in pain.

'Sorry Angel, not this time.' She grabbed him and flung him towards Darla and Dru, sending them all into a heap. Then she turned and ran towards the gardens.

Cordy, Giles, Wesley and Gunn lay unconscious in a row, the armed vampires guarding them. One of the vamps eyed Cordelia's neck.

'Surely he wouldn't mind if we have just one,' he remarked.

'We're not to touch any of them. Darla's orders. They're all for Angelus.'

Another vampire moved towards the magical circle, where Tara and Willow still knelt chanting. As if sensing his approach, the girls' eyes flew open.

'Thrice around the circle bound, evil sink into the ground.'

The circle's glowing intensified as the vampire reached out to it. He was sent flying, and exploded to dust before he hit the ground.

'You fools,' the First exclaimed, appearing before them. 'None of you could hope to break through the power of that circle. But I can.'

Kathy cupped her hands around Angel's face. 'No he's not. He won't hurt any of them. You and I will see to that.'

'There's nothing I can do,' Angel replied, crazed. 'He's going to kill them. I can't stop him. He's too strong.'

'We can stop him, Angel. It's not too late.'

'I knew it would happen,' he said, his voice full of despair. 'I knew one day that he would take over. He's always inside me, waiting. Waiting. You said one day I might fall over the edge and into the darkness. Well here it is. The day has come. You were right.'

'We can put this right. That's why I'm here.'

He looked up at her, suddenly very calm. 'Kill me,' was all he said.

'What?'

'You have to kill me. It's the only way. Kill me before I kill all of you.'

'No.'

'Go back and kill me Kathy. Please.'

She grabbed him by the shoulders. 'Now you listen to me! You are not giving up! You think I went through all of this, came back from the dead to help you and you get to give up at the first hurdle! No way. You are going to fight, just like you always have. We need you out there. Cordelia, Wesley, Gunn, you're their family. And mine.'

'It's too dangerous for me to continue to live. You told me the prophesy. I help to end the world.'

'Or to save it. The First wants you on the side of evil, but it will accept your death if need be. It knows that if you die the Powers that Be lose their champion. And without you ...' She knew she'd better come right out and say it. He needed a wake up call. 'Without you, what the Oracles told you will come to pass. The Slayer will die.'

'Buffy.' He wavered. He knew she was here, in town. He had felt her presence as Angelus had. He sensed the battle that was, even now, going on between them. 'If you don't kill me, I'll probably be the one to kill her. Maybe even tonight.'

'Probably,' she admitted, 'unless you fight back. There's a way to reverse this, for your soul to reassert itself. All you have to do is call Angelus.'

A stake flew through the air and dusted one of the vamps standing guard. Picking up a loaded crossbow, Buffy dusted another one as several charged at her. She ducked one vamp, and sent another stumbling backwards with a round kick. A vamp with a sword attacked and, grabbing his arm, she used him as a shield as she sliced through the middle of another. Kicking him out of the way, she sent him, sword first, into one of the vampires struggling to his feet.

Angelus arrived with Darla and Dru and saw Buffy systematically annihilate their vampire lackeys. As she dusted the last of them Angelus squared up to her.

'Round two,' he said.

'Step on up,' she replied.

They resumed their battle as the First smiled. With the Slayer kept busy, she could stop the ritual. She reached out and touched the protective circle and began to draw energy from it.

Kathy felt the interference. 'We don't have much time,' she told Angel.

'I can't. I can't fight anymore.' He was giving up. She saw the despair in his eyes.

'There are some things worth fighting for. You told Buffy that once. Were you lying?' He looked away as she continued to push him. 'Those people up their. Your friends. They're worth fighting for Angel. They haven't given up on you. Will you give up on them?'

She hoped this was enough to convince him. Time was nearly out.

'What do I have to do?' Angel asked, looking up at her.

He wasn't sure if he was doing the right thing or wasting time. But he saw the determination in Kathy's face. He put his trust in her.

'Close your eyes. Draw him to you.'

Angel closed his eyes. Taking off her amulet, she placed it around his neck. 'Hecate, protect him,' she whispered. She placed her hands at either side of his head. 'Bring him.'