Disclaimer: I admit that these aren't mine, but man are they fun to play with every so often.
Author's notes: 1. ""= Dialogue, ''= thoughts
2. C.O.S.: Change Of Scenery
3. Italics are meant to signify empahsis
Chapter #21: Mid-ending part 2
"Here, take the kid, and make sure he's safe, then come back. I'll be in I guess one of the other rooms in the house." Angel instructed Willow. Willow cradled the child close, and left the room. She was halfway downstairs when she met with resistance, which took the form of a pair of vampires. 'Of course, nothing is as simple as it looks.' She thought to herself, as she reached with one hand to take out the stake.
"I'm going to put you down now, so I can beat the nasty man with the bumpy head, okay." Willow whispered, as she quickly backed up to the landing. In one motion she set the child down against a doorway, and pulled a second stake from the inside of her pocket. Eventually she backed one up and was able to stake him as he went over the railing. She then turned her attention to the 2nd one, and soon took care of him. She went over and picked up the kid, then began whispering calming sentiments to him. 'I'm guessing that it wasn't a good idea to go out the way you came in. We'll have to just stay close to Angel I guess.' Willow thought, as she listened for the sound of increased screams, along with fighting sounds.
She found the room where Angel was fighting, and quickly went to him. She opened the door to find a trail of blood leading to a wheel on the wall opposite the door that resembled something out of a dungeon in the Middle Ages. On the wheel lay a screaming girl, her limbs stretched, with her legs open, and each tied to a nail on the wall. It was the same situation with her arms. She had a cross around her neck just like the boy, and rosary beads in her hand. Between the girl and the door where Willow stood holding the little boy were Angel, and yet another vampire fighting.
"You are my hero Angelus. This was one of your favourite tricks. Aren't you proud of me? Do you know what I'm going to her after I finish with her?" He taunted, as they fought. Angel appeared to have a haunted look in his eyes as he fought. He remembered it exactly. This was the trick that he used to torture Holtz's daughters with. He remembered reveling in each scream of pain, as he stretched the older girl's limbs. Then as she was near the point of death he took her down, and he raped her, and upon finishing that he finally drank whatever was left of her blood.
"What a copycat. I mean do you know how many movies that technique has been used in, since I used it? I mean come on, get some original material here." Angel said, and then crashed swords with his fellow vampire again. The crashed swords a few more times, before the vampire remarked between gasps for air:
"Okay, how's this for a wrinkle: we stop fighting now, then you can have your way with her before I do." Angel had no reason not to play into his hand.
"Alright, truce." Angel responded as he flipped the sword over his shoulder and walked towards his partner. Willow picked it up with one hand and using her telekinetic powers heaved it into the vampire's back just as the pair neared the wheel. Angel began untying her hands, and Willow sat the kid down and began untying the girl's legs.
"Didn't I..." Angel began, but was cut off by Willow:
"There seems to be blood or something smeared all over the stairs, because a pair of vampires came met us half-way down." Angel took a couple of breaths, and then picked the boy up and inspected him. There were a couple bleeding cuts on his knees, and rope burn that had blistered on his wrists. The girl for her part groaned as she was sat down on the bed.
"Okay here's as good a place as any to keep any victims. Keep the door closed, and locked, until I come back. Keep the sword until I get back." Angel left, and Willow shut the door behind him, not wanting to even imagine what lay in store in the next rooms for him.
She settled the girl down on the bed, and walked toward a wooden dresser along the wall beside the wall. She opened the first drawer and found a small jug of water, along with some cloths. She got them both out and walked over to the bed. She carefully moistened a cloth, and gently pressed it against a gash on the girl's forehead. While she worked, the girl was in a state of semi-consciousness. Suddenly, she opened her eyes and winced.
"It's okay, I'm right here. I'm Willow, and I'm going to help you get out of here. What's your name?"
"S-Sarah." The girl stammered, as she fell back to sleep. While she drifted off, Willow continued to work on the remaining wounds. As she finished she heard a small whimpering sound from the little boy, sitting with his back up against the wall. She sat down beside him and pulled him into her lap. This was the first time she had gotten a good look at the child.
"Sh,sh, sh. It'll be okay; I'm here to protect you. We're going to get you out of here. Sh, Sh, sh. Cry away little guy, cry away." Willow consoled him, cradling him. She consoled the child, and eventually he went to sleep. Poor kid, he probably will never forget what he saw here tonight. It was likely his worse nightmares come true, Willow thought to herself, as she pulled the child closer to her protectively. The little boy finally fell asleep in her arms, and it was some time before a knock at the door awakened him.
"Willow, open up." Angel called her impatiently. He waited cradling a second little girl in his arms. Willow placed the little boy gently on the floor, then moved and opened the door. She saw Angel, holding the girl to his chest. She was dripping blood out of two of her fingers, of which only stubs remained. Willow gasped, and led the way across to the bed where she saw Angel gently lay her down next to the first older girl. Willow immediately moved and began getting the bandages back out. She came back over to the bed, as Angel straightened up. Willow gasped involuntarily, as she saw the front of Angel's shirt in tatters, to reveal twin gashes, oozing blood, running diagonally across his chest.
"It's nothing." Angel brushed her off.
"No, it's not nothing. It is something, it could get you killed Angel. Let me see to that. At least bandage it for you." Willow pleaded.
"Bandaging will take too much time." Angel stubbornly protested.
"Bandaging won't take too much time, it's your stubborn protests that will take time. Now sit down mister, and I'll bandage it for you." Willow told him forcefully. He did, at last as he realized that he was fighting a loosing battle. He sat down on the edge of the bed next to the two girls, and allowed Willow to briefly minister to him. Willow managed to wipe up enough of the blood, and was able to bandage a part of it at least.
"There, that will have to do. Now what's this girl's name?" Willow asked.
"Emma." Angel told her, a pained look coming over his face. Willow looked up slightly puzzled and said:
"Why did he pick these particular people as his victims? I mean there's got to be a pattern here." There was silence, as Angel carefully chose his words:
"Sarah, and Emma were the names of Holtz's two daughters who I killed. I killed them in much the same way I found these two tonight." Angel explained.
"And the little boy?" Willow followed up.
"Connor." Angel sadly told Willow. They were silent for a moment.
"How are we going to get out of here?" Willow asked.
"Fight. There are likely more than just the vampires here in the upper level. I'm thinking the rest are in the main room downstairs. I'll probably fight our way out. They'll be drawn to the smell of blood, which we can't really help. While I'm fighting you can take them to the van and make them comfortable." Angel decided.
"Okay, I guess it's time to make the stakes." Willow said. The pair was silent as they ripped up the wooden dresser.
"You were right earlier, about Buffy. She does deserve better you know. And worse yet, I do take it for granted that there will always be a place for me in her life. I realize that I should be a better boy friend to her, and I promise to be. If I ever did leave her, like I did that graduation night, then I would leave for good as much as it would hurt me, as well as her. " Angel started off.
"That sounds to me like an apology, and I'm not the one you should be apologizing to, that person is Buffy." Willow told him. He was silent.
"I know, and I will, everyday for the rest of my life." Angel said firmly.
"Okay, it's time to get them up. Now's as good a time as any." He said. Willow responded by walking over, and gently shaking Sarah, then Emma awake.
"It's time to get you guys out of here. Can either of you walk?" She asked.
"I can, I'll be able to help my little sister." Sarah responded.
"Alright, let's head out." Sarah gathered up her sister, and Willow gathered up the little boy. Angel opened the door, and led the way down the stairs. They made it to the bottom without anyone meeting them. Angel quietly opened the door just wide enough for Willow and Sarah to get through.
"I'll see you later." Angel said as he shut the door behind them.
He turned away from the door and glanced around. Everything looked pretty much the same as when they came in. He glanced up the carpeted stairs, now red-stained with blood. The crystal chandelier still hung where it was hung on the way in above the landing. His glance then looked to the lower level, straight ahead of him. He noted the hardwood floors, and the solid oak doors a few feet in front of him. With all the wood it would be easy to burn the place down... 'Not a bad idea.' Then he latched onto what might be a better one, and paced the area between where he was standing until he was directly underneath the landing. He then looked up and calculated the amount of feet off the ground, and started back up to where he was standing. What he didn't see was yet another one of Holtz's henchmen vampires lurking there in the shadows that jumped when Angel was directly underneath the landing.
"Can't you find anything new?" Angel asked his companion.
"Okay, how's this: if you throw me off, and I land on any other part of my body except for my feet, I'm wired to explode on impact."
"Big loss. Wouldn't miss it. Just one question though: Why the sudden self-destruction streak?" Angel asked.
"You know those three children you rescued. They were mine once. Their mother recently died, she was hit by a drunk driver. I wanted to get revenge, and Holtz, he gave me that chance and I'm grateful. The kids, every time I'd look at them they'd remind me of her. I couldn't stand to be around them. So I started spending more time with Holtz. And he turned me into this. The children wouldn't know me. They wouldn't know their father. So you can kill me now, but make sure my kids are taken care of." He told Angel in an anguished tone. Angel was silent, as he set the guy down on his feet and turned to face him. He truly didn't know what to say.
"I'm a father too, and there isn't anything I wouldn't do for my son. But killing yourself is not the answer. They need you." Angel responded.
"I am not their father any longer. I ceased being their father the moment they turned me into this. Being what I am now puts my children at risk. And I've already done that; I've brought them here to be tortured. So please spare them, and kill me." The man pleaded.
Angel was silent, as he considered what do. Here was this vampire with children. He seemed to realize what he was, and the potential for future evil. He even admitted to bringing the children to be tortured. In essence he wanted what was best for the children. At the same time, the children deserved to know their father, especially if he is their only remaining parent. In the end for Angel it came down to the question of whether or not he'd expect someone to kill him, if Angelus resurfaced and he became a danger to Connor, and the answer was: yes.
"You win." Angel at last responded.
"Thank you for your mercy. Tell my kids I love them." The vampire told Angel. Angel turned his back, and walked out the door. Once the door had closed behind him, the vampire-father detonated the explosives. The blast was enough to blow Angel into the bushes. He quickly recovered and walked back to the van, where Willow waited with the children. She ran up to him, and hugged him, full of relief. Once she pulled back, she realized that he was still bleeding.
"You're still bleeding."
"Yeah, I guess I hurt it again. Listen, I'm going to call Lorne and ask him to come and stay with the kids, then you and I can go join the others and end this thing." Angel decided as he staggered his way over to the van and sat down. He pulled his cell down from the dashboard, and dialed the hotel.
"What do ya need Angelcakes?" A rather cheerful Lorne asked.
"You to come, bring some blankets, the first-aid kit, and some blood from the fridge.' Angel responded.
"Okay, I'll be right there, I just have to bundle the munchkin up." Lorne said.
"I'll see you when you get here then." Angel said, and then hung up the phone. He slumped back against the edge of the van. If he made the right choice, then why did he feel so awful? He just deprived these children of a father. Angel suddenly felt weak, if he didn't get some blood soon...Willow finally noticed, and walked over to him, half-slumped in the van. Willow, she looked so good to him right then. All that blood, all that power...
"You hoo, Angel. Snap out of it! I asked you what happened in there." Willow asked, glancing back up to the burning house.
"He was their father." Angel started, and then was silent.
"Who? Were you ambushed?" Willow asked puzzled. Angel took a deep breath, as he concentrated on the question.
"After I left, I was ambushed by a lone vampire. He was wired with explosives. He wanted to die, had admitted to me that he was the one that brought them here. He was their father. I just killed their father, and now they have nobody. Their mother was a victim of a drunk driver. He wanted revenge Willow. And I saw the good part of him. I was going to let him live you know." Angel explained, his glance fixing on the enflamed house.
"Mercy hurts sometimes Angel." Willow said.
C.O.S.: Cemetery
Buffy stalked amongst the graves with her stake at the ready. She still didn't see why so many people needed to be patrolling the place. She could be of much better, and more use to Angel up at the house. Angel, now there was someone that always put a smile on her face. As she smiled, she thought of the possibilities for after this last battle. She even thought that this would be a perfect place to have a wedding, in the beautiful gardens. She noticed the white rose bushes, and purple lilac ones. It would smell so good...
She turned the corner, and caught just a flicker of movement out of the corner of her eye. She walked in the direction, where she found an old man kneeling with a hand touching the gravestone in front of him. She stood for a moment, watching him, how he silently prayed, then kissed the palm of his hand and tenderly touch it to the stone. She watched as he straightened up, and re-adjusted his green hooded coat. He finally noticed her.
"Good evening." He greeted her.
"Hi." She returned. He looked her over, up and down.
"What's a pretty young lady like yourself doing in a place like this?" He asked her, gesturing to the surrounding gravestones.
"I could ask you the same thing sir." Buffy returned. The voice sounded vaguely familiar.
"I came to visit them." He replied beckoning to the grave he had just left.
"Ah." Buffy returned. She glanced at her watch, and realized the two-hour deadline to meet back by the van was close. She glanced up and noticed the old man had disappeared into the shadows. Buffy walked up to the grave, for curiosity's sake and glanced at the names, and read the inscription:
"Sarah-Jane Holtz, Emma-Juliet Holtz, and Elizabeth-Dawn-Andrews-Holtz. Vengeance is mine, sayeth the Lord." Buffy involuntarily shivered. She kneeled at the grave for several moments, imagining what it must have been like to lose a family. She laughed bitterly, as she realized she could relate- her mom died, and Dawn narrowly... She shook herself, out of the reverie, as she repeated Holtz's gesture. Buffy straightened up and shivered a 2nd time. She began walking back towards the van.
"There you are. It's quiet as a grave around here." Xander greeted.
"Yeah." Buffy answered distractedly.
"No giggle, no girlish titter, not even a sympathy laugh?" Xander asked. His question was greeted by silence. He snapped his fingers:
"Earth to Buffy, yoo-hoo. Are you in there? Come on B." Buffy shook herself out of her thoughts.
"Ha, ha? Buffy laughed in an almost questioning way.
"The moment is gone." Xander responded in a mock-hurt tone. The pair continued walking in comfortable silence.
They both looked up and at the same time noticed the plumes of smoke coming from the house. Buffy started to run back to the van. She didn't get very far before she saw the man. The man pulled back his hood to reveal a face dominated by glittering blue eyes, and ravaged by the wrinkles of old age.
"We meet again oh lovely huntress." His voice betraying the gravel tones, unique to the man. Buffy's eyes glazed over, as she stopped mid-stride. She reached back into her pocket and pulled out a stake. Xander looked at the man,
"This is what everyone's so afraid of, he's nothing but an old man. What's he going to do? Take out his teeth and throw them at us." Xander remarked incredulously. Holtz reached into his pocket and pulled out the revolver, and aimed it at Xander.
"Oh no, he's crazy too." Xander responded sarcastically, placing his hands up.
"Bloody hell, I won't get to kill the poof now." Spike was heard to remark.
"Angel. His name is Angel, and I would like it if you called him that." Dawn corrected him.
"Angel then." Spike rolled his eyes, as he continued glancing at the burning building. They had been walking during the conversation, and had come upon Xander, Holtz, and Buffy.
"William the Bloody. You know, I have no quarrel with you, but your sire." Holtz greeted Spike.
"John the Mad. Normally, we would join forces and kick Nancy-boy's butt, but I do have a quarrel with you." Spike returned.
'Why am I not surprised, they're on a first-named basis.' Xander thought to himself.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the cemetery Wes, Cordy, Gunn, and Fred patrolled. They had begun making their way back to the rendezvous point when they had seen the flames leap from the house. They all broke into a run towards the where they left the van, a good five minute run. They got there, and each let out a sigh of relief as they saw Angel slumped on the ground next to Willow, with his head on her shoulder.
"Thank god you're alright." Fred said, and ran to meet them both. Willow shook Angel, and helped him up. Wes and Gunn came forward to support Angel. Willow smiled weakly:
"Thanks guys." Willow said. Fred made her way across and peeked into the back of the van. A pair of curious brown eyes glanced back. She reached in and picked up the little guy.
"Hello there little guy. My name is Fred." She introduced herself. The little boy giggled at the name.
"It's short for Winfred. What's your name?" She asked. The little boy was silent.
"We don't know what his name is. He's been through quite a shock." Willow told her.
"It's no wonder, the little guy has been through hell tonight. He's seen who knows what kind of horrors- things a child should never seen." Wesley remarked.
"Who are the two girls laying in the back behind him?" Cordy asked.
"His sisters: Emma, and Sarah." Willow answered.
"What happened?" Wesley asked.
"We found the little guy in one bedroom. He was tied to the bed, as if someone had set up to do an exorcism, but abandoned it. I was supposed to leave with the child, make him safe, then go back for Angel. But it didn't work out that way. We got halfway down the steps, before we were ambushed by a couple of vampires. I backed up the stairs, set the little boy down, before killing them. I thought we'd better stay close to Angel." Willow began.
"Smart plan." Wesley commented.
"We made our way into the 2nd bedroom, and found Angel and another vampire fighting. There was a girl..." Willow continued.
"She was stretched over a wheel, spread out like a star. Angelus raped, and then killed her. Then came the second girl, which if I'm not mistaken has two fingers cut off. He cut off all of her fingers, and toes, before killing her." Wesley finished.
"At least that's what his chronicle says. But what's all supposed to mean? Fred responded, shifting the boy.
"Well the girls are meant to be revenge for the lives of his daughters, and the boy is meant to be further revenge. Holtz wanted to kill Connor- Angel's child, just as Angel had taken the lives of his children." Willow responded.
Cordelia had walked away from the group in mid-conversation, and leaned against a near-by tree. Wesley moved up behind her, and put his arms around her. Her unfocused gaze swept the land in front her, as she heaved a sigh.
"It ends tonight." He said. Cordelia smiled weakly, and snuggled deeper into his arms.
"Promise me this will never end."
"I promise." Wesley answered sincerely. It felt right. It felt comfortable here, with her in his arms. She had grown the last few years, and it took his departure and return for him to realize just how much. She was mature, and the time for them had arrived, and he wanted to pursue that relationship. He felt Cordelia tense in his arms.
"Vision?" He asked.
"Yeah, of Holtz, Spike, Dawn, Xander and Buffy. They're in a group. Buffy looks, odd... She isn't even moving. It's like she's in a trance or something." Cordelia described.
"We'd better go tell the others." Wesley decided, moving away from her.
"Wesley that felt really nice just now." Cordy called after him, catching up with him as he neared the van. Cordelia told the group of her vision. Angel straightened up and stumbled a few steps.
"Angel, you're in no shape to fight." Willow told him.
"I won't fight her, I refuse to hurt her." Angel replied. There was silence at that.
"Okay, as nobody else is going to say it, I will. Angel she's a slayer, she'll kick the crap out of you. If it hasn't been kicked out by something else already." Gunn finally said. Nobody noticed Lorne driving up.
"Evening kiddies, did someone call for a cavalry? I left the little munchkin at home, with someone who owes me a favour." Lorne said, getting out of the car. He reached into the passenger side, and got out the first-aid kit, along with the bag of blood. Angel snatched it, and hobbled off to drink it.
"Must have lost a lot of blood, so where are these children " Lorne asked, his mind already on the task at hand. Willow led him around the back of van, and mutely gestured at the sleeping trio. He glanced back questioningly. Willow whispered the truth back.
"Oh, poor kiddies. I'll take good of them." Lorne assured her. Willow glanced over and noticed Angel leaning against the tree. She walked over to him and put a reassuring hand on his back.
"I'm not going to fight her Willow, I'm not going to hurt her." Angel told Willow determinedly.
"I know." Willow attempted to reassure him.
"Cordelia had a vision, she knows where they are." Willow told him. Angel heaved a heavy sigh, and then instructed her to get the group together. 'One last battle Angel thought to himself. The group gathered around Angel. Angel met everybody's gazes.
"Amongst the group of us, we've fought against every type of imaginable, some of them even unimagined. One last battle, that's all I ask of you guys. We've started this as a team, and now let's finish it. Let's go." Angel said. He led them away from the burning house, and into the cemetery. They walked for a few minutes in silence.
"Guys, the vision says, that they are right over..." Cordelia began. They all turned and followed the sound of Spike's voice
"Not that I'm complaining but your plan was to make the poof suffer by putting blood on his hands, and eternal guilt by taking the little poof out of the picture, then after that got boring you were going to hunt him and kill him?" Spike summed up.
"You always were smarter than your sire William." Holtz replied.
"What I don't get is where Buffy fits into this?" Xander inquired.
"It all comes down to family. I wanted to destroy his family. What better way than to use what he loved most against him: I would use her to kill him." Holtz replied, gesturing to a paralyzed Buffy. Angel and the rest of the group entered upon the scene. Angel's eyes immediately went to Buffy.
"Angelus, I see you've arrived in time for your own death, how kind." Holtz greeted.
"It's taken you long enough, but you've finally gone completely crazy." Angel replied.
"Long enough..." Xander glanced between the pair.
"Holtz is an immortal vampire hunter that has been chasing Angel for 300 years now." Wesley supplied.
"Immortal and crazy, sounds like a really corny plot for a movie." Xander said sarcastically.
"Or death." Gunn added
"Depends on which comes first, but I call dibs on the movie rights" Xander added. There was silence among the group. The silence was relieved by a bored yawn from Holtz.
"Now is the time fairest huntress." This was the sentence that sprung Buffy from her trance-like state. She ran at Angel, and Gunn stepped in front him, and blocked her first blow.
"I will not hurt you B. I will not hurt you. But I won't let you hurt him either." Gunn repeated as much for her benefit as for his own. Her foot stomped down on his foot, as he attempted to break the stake. He limped off to the side.
"I won't hurt you nor will I let you hurt Angel either." Wesley took Gunn's place in fending off Buffy's attack. Wesley reached up and blocked a punch with his hand. He heard bones cracking in his hand, and stepped aside. Finally nobody stood between Angel, and Buffy.
"I won't be gotten rid of so easily." Angel said. Buffy backed off momentarily, as she set herself up. She attacked, and Angel blocked her first flurry of blows.
"I won't hurt you. I won't hurt you Buffy." He told her. She kept coming at him. Buffy landed a kick to his midsection, and attempted a second kick to his face, this one blocked by his hands.
"I will not hurt you Buffy, I refuse." Angel said more determined. Finally, seeing Angel needed help, Willow spoke up:
"Buffy, remember what you told me back in your hotel room? I found you crying, and you told me it was because you were afraid that something would happen that would stop it from happening? You were afraid too that he didn't return your feelings?" Willow paused for a breath.
"He does, he loves you more than life itself. And if you kill him now, after you've been through so much, you will have wasted a chance at the type of love that most people dream of." Willow finished.
"She's right, even though I'm not Angel's biggest fan, you are far happier with him in your life than you are without him." Xander added. Angel looked up from blocking Buffy's latest blow.
"I love you Buffy. I want a future with you. I want a relationship with you. My life is better; it's brighter with you in it than without you. I never need to see the sun, as long as I have you to light up the room with your smile." Angel said. Buffy's blows still came only weaker, and Angel blocked her blows until at last, she tired. She collapsed against Angel, and cried.
"Sh, sh, sh. I'm here, I will always be here for you Buffy." Angel consoled. Willow and Fred came forward to take Buffy from him, and he walked towards Holtz. He didn't look like the feared hunter that had always hunted Angel. He looked like an old man. Angel met his gaze, and saw a madman looking back. Nothing remained of the cold, rational person that hunted Angel for decades.
"I won't apologize for what I did to your family John because it won't bring them back. I've come to realize that even though I do feel guilty for things I have done in the past as Angelus, I have to accept that Angelus is not a separate person, but is a part of me instead. As for Buffy, I don't know what to say accept that I love her, unconditionally, and want to give her the life she deserves. I am not the man I was centuries ago when I first met you. I've changed, I have friends now, and family, and I want you to accept that." Angel finished. There was silence, as Angel intently watched Holtz in order to gauge his reaction. At last Holtz did the last thing Angel thought he would do: He fell to his knees and cried.
"I miss them so much. I even remember their faces, as they smiled and waved at me as I went off to church that night, I never dreamt that it would be the last time I would see them alive. They were my sun, moon, and stars. They were my life Angel, until you snatched them away from me. I vowed revenge, but now, now I think you suffer enough with your guilt for the both of us. Now I only want to see my wife, and daughters again." Holtz replied. Angel took a second look at him, and saw a vulnerable lonely old man. He gazed again intently looking for confirmation that this what he wanted. Holtz nodded.
"Willow, would you gave me the sword I gave you earlier." Angel instructed. Willow sensing what he planned gave him the sword, then with her arm around Buffy's shoulders gently led the group towards the van. Angel moved towards the kneeling Holtz, and paused briefly.
"Are you sure?" He asked Holtz.
"Yes. You are a changed man Angelus, it's just a shame I didn't see it until now." Holtz confirmed, as he crossed himself and prayed briefly. Angel was silent.
"Bury me next to my wife and daughters." Holtz said, as he looked up at Angel his gaze cleared. Holtz closed his eyes, as Angel brought down the sword. There was barely a thud as Holtz' headless body thudded to the ground. Angel would take care of the arrangements tomorrow. He heaved a heavy sigh as he made his way back to the group. For the second time tonight he had killed someone in mercy.
Well that's it. There are a few loose ends to tie up, such as: Will Angel get his soul? Will he and Buffy live happily ever after?
Stay tuned...
Peace out, and happy reading.
-A.B.