Angelus had managed to pin Buffy to a tree, and was gloating. 'Is that all you got, Slayer? You disappoint me.'

A wave of dizziness hit him. Disoriented, he let go his grip on Buffy and stumbled. It felt like all his strength was being drained away.

The First turned as he collapsed to the ground. 'Damn it!' she exclaimed. She pulled away from the circle and disappeared.

Angel stood and readied himself as Angelus appeared in the anti-chamber. Angelus, still vamp-faced from his fight with Buffy, stared in disbelief.

'What's going on?'

'We're taking you out of commission,' Kathy told him. She turned to Angel. 'Remember. The good fight. It will save you.'

'Nothing will save him,' remarked the First as it appeared.

'Back off,' Kathy told her. 'You have no powers here.'

'Neither do you, witch,' the First replied. 'It's down to the two of them. And you really think Angel has the strength to be battling anyone right now? He's not looking his best.'

Swords appeared in each of the vampires' hands, and they readied themselves to do battle.

Angelus made the first move, swinging his sword round on Angel. Angel blocked his move and kicked him, sending him backwards. Laughing, Angelus repaid him kind, knocking Angel to the ground. As he lay there, Angelus kicked him in the stomach and gloated.

'You know, all your buddies are up there, waiting for me to snack on them. Not to mention Buffy,' he sneered. 'Just hope Darla and Dru leave some for me. Now that's a choice morsel. You didn't finish her off the last time you drank her. But I will.'

Angel sprang to his feet, fighting with renewed strength. He caught Angelus off-guard, sending him off his feet. He recovered quickly, rolling out of the way of a blow from Angel's sword.

'What did you do to him?' Darla yelled going to Angelus' side. He was lifeless. Her face vamped and she sprang at Buffy. Drusilla attacked a split second later.

Buffy warded off their blows, but the two vampires were strong, and she knew she couldn't hold them off of long. She looked around for a stake. Making do with a branch from a tree, she broke it off and readied herself.

As Drusilla lunged at her, she staked her, but Darla attacked at the same time and made her miss. Instead of Dru's heart she got her shoulder. Drusilla looked down at the piece of wood protruding from her. 'Grandmother, she ruined my pretty dress,' she pouted.

Darla grabbed Buffy and threw her against a tree. Winded, Buffy got back up and ducked another attack from Dru.

'I hope Kathy doesn't take much longer,' she thought.

Angel and Angelus continued to battle. While they were equally matched in size and strength, Angel knew that Angelus, being evil, had an advantage. He reached down inside himself and thought of Cordelia and Wesley and Buffy and everyone else he was fighting for. He knew their fate all lay in his hands.

Summoning up every bit of strength he had left he fought on, parrying every blow Angelus hurled at him. Angelus ducked out of the way of Angel's sword and, getting behind him, kicked it from his hand. Swinging his own sword, he narrowly missed Angel's head as he dove away.

Angel was on the ground, his hand several feet away from his sword. Angelus towered over him.

'Don't worry. You won't die. You get to languish away inside me, like I've had to do for as long as this stinking curse has been in place. And you'll get to see all your friends again. When I kill them.'

Angel groped for his sword as Angelus moved in for the kill. Suddenly the cold steel was there, in his hand. He thrust it up as Angelus lunged.

Angelus stumbled backwards, the sword in his chest. He collapsed and disappeared.

'No!' screamed the First.

'Sorry. You lose,' Kathy told her as Angel got to his feet.

'You will return to the darkness,' It promised Angel. 'This isn't over.'

'It is for now.' Kathy faced the thing in Jenny Calendar's image. 'Now, go away.'

Turning into pure energy, it dispersed.

'Let's get out of here,' Angel said, placing his hand on her shoulder.

Darla was moving in for the kill. She had Buffy cornered against a tree. Drusilla was by Darla's side, advancing. Buffy looked around for a weapon, but nothing was nearby.

'Angelus won't be happy if we kill you without him,' Darla told her, 'but you're beginning to bore me.'

'We can save him some leftovers,' Dru suggested.

'That won't be necessary ladies,' Angel said, getting to his feet behind them.

'Angelus!' Darla said, thrilled, as she turned to greet him. He replied by grabbing her by the throat and flinging her away.

Drusilla hissed, 'Bad Daddy!' She attacked.

Kathy stood up in the circle and focused. Drusilla flew in the same direction as Darla and landed on top of her.

Angel turned to Buffy as Willow, Tara and Kathy went to help Cordelia and the others.

'Are you all right?' he asked her.

'Yeah. Thanks,' she told him. 'You?'

'I'll live,' he replied. They turned to face Darla and Dru, but they were gone.

'And you're sure you're not still evil?' Cordelia asked him again as Angel held an ice pack to her head. They were back in Cordelia's apartment tending to their wounds. She, Wesley, Giles and Gunn all had bumps on the head, but no real damage had been done.

'Yeah, 'cause evil Angel administers first aid all the time,' he remarked sarcastically.

Buffy laughed, 'You know, I think you're spending too much time with Cordy. You're starting to sound like her.'

'So if you're not evil anymore, does that mean we can have our jobs back?' The seer looked up hopefully at her former boss.

Angel looked at Kathy and smiled, 'What do you think?'

'Oh stop torturing the poor girl,' she told him.

'How soon can you guys start back?' he asked.