AUTHOR'S NOTE Only two more chapters after this, then a theme song and it's done! Thanks for bearing with me all this time. I hope you all enjoyed this story. I'm sorry I've been awful about posting, but things at work have been hectic and it's just now winding down. I also won't be posting anything for a couple days because I'm moving into my apartment tomorrow and will be pretty busy.

DISCLAIMER Not mine. Won't ever be mine.

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Chapter TwentySeven: In Which a Battle is Won and Angel Gets His Reward

"Jace, pull back!" Max called. Her sister, cradling a broken and bloodied arm, heeded the order and retreated back into the safety of Terminal City. Max looked around desperately. Logan was only able to save a handful of Familiars. Spike was lying in the street, knocked out by a flick of the demon's claw. She'd assigned Jondy to evacuate the wounded transgenics, which included Alec, Mole, and now Jace. "Buffy, this isn't working!"

Buffy's heart had long been sinking. Illyria had managed to slow the beast down, but although she was at full power, she was still trapped in a human body. Angel made his way to her side. "Angel, we have to retreat. We can't win this."

"If we retreat, Holden will decimate Seattle. You know that."

"What other choice do we have?" Max asked. "We're dying!"

"No!" Buffy cried. "We are not dying!" Max looked into the Slayer's eyes and understood what Buffy felt. She felt it too. She wanted to get out of this battle alive.

"The damage we're inflicting to his body isn't doing enough to stop him." Angel said.

"So what do we do?"

"We have to get close enough to it to destroy its brain. Its head."

"Excuse me?" Max looked at Angel. "Destroy its head? Being that close means it could eat us."

Buffy laughed. "Max, it could eat us either way."

Max glared. "Get me a long enough chain and I can tie his head down," she said.

"Angel?" Buffy asked.

"On it."

"Max, I need you to pull the wounded and the other transgenics back to Terminal City. Have Illyria lead the retreat." Max nodded and ran off. Buffy took a deep breath and steeled herself against the final stage of the battle.

Angel returned with a chain, which Buffy had no idea where he found, and Max took off with it in a flash. Around and around Holden she ran, so fast that Buffy and Angel could hardly see her. "What was that?" Buffy asked when the X5 had successfully restrained the demon.

Max shrugged. "Cheetah DNA?"

Buffy and Angel laughed. Angel tossed the battle-axe to Max. "Here. Take this." At her disdainful look, he added, "It's a battle-axe."

"I know what it is, thanks. I was in boot camp from age three." Max raised an eyebrow. "What will you two use?"

Angel's face contorted and reemerged with yellow eyes, brow ridges, and fangs. "I'm all set."

She shrugged and turned to Buffy. "You?"

Buffy picked up a shattered support beam. "I work best with wood," she quipped with a grin.

Max looked back and forth at the vampire and the Slayer. "Let's go kick its ass, then."

They moved as a unit – the girl genetically enhanced to kill, the girl destined to kill, and the man who killed by nature. Together they hacked and slashed at the beast's head, furiously dodging snapping jaws and slashing claws. Blood spurted, spraying the three from head to toe. Soon, the creature was dead.

Max dropped the battle-axe and it clattered to the ground loudly. "We did it," she said quietly.

Nodding, Buffy came up beside her. "We did."

"I've never killed anything like that before," Max said.

"First time for everything," Angel said.

Panting, Max looked over at Buffy, then at Angel. "We're both out of breath. Why aren't you?"

"I don't breathe."

Max thought about that for a minute. "That's not fair."

The transgenics began to file out of Terminal City again. A collective cheer rang out over the crowd when they saw the demon slumped on the ground. Logan rushed to hug Max. "You're okay!"

"Ew, Logan, don't hug me!" Max said, pushing him away. Seeing his hurt look, she pointed down at herself. "I'm covered in demon blood."

He gave her a look before gathering her in his arms and kissing her. Buffy and Angel joined them and the four slowly made their way back to Terminal City. Buffy's heart plummeted when she saw the damage that the battle had inflicted.

Willow was awake, lying woozily in Original Cindy's arms. One of Max's siblings was having her arm bound. Scores of transgenics lay wounded and Buffy knew that not all of them had made it. Alec, sporting a bloody bandage around his head, knelt on the ground, cradling Illyria's spasming body. "What the hell is wrong with her?" he cried.

"We're losing her, Buffy," Angel said.

Alec choked back a sob. "Not again," he whispered.

"Adficio," came a weak voice. Illyria's body was once again engulfed in light. The spasms ceased, but the demon fell still in Alec's lap. "She's fine," Willow assured him faintly. "Once she wakes up, she'll be the same as before."

Alec looked at the witch lying exhausted on the ground. "Thank you," he said simply. Willow nodded and gave him a small smile.

Suddenly, Buffy cried, "Angel, look out!" and pushed him into the safety of the shadows.

Overhead, the eclipse had broken and sunlight illuminated the battlefield. Buffy shielded her eyes as the light got brighter and brighter and seemed to near the ground. She heard Angel gasp behind her as a shimmering light began to take shape.

"Doyle?"

A ghostly figure smiled. "Hey there Angel. Miss me?"

"What's going on?" Jace asked, sporting a makeshift cast on her arm.

"I've been sent by the Powers that Be," Doyle said with a grin.

"That line sounds familiar," Angel said, smiling.

"You can come out in this sunlight, Bud," Doyle said. "It won't hurt you."

Hesitantly, Angel approached his spectral friend. "Why are you here?" he asked.

"Well, since you signed away your right to becoming human, the Powers have been doing some thinking," Doyle explained. "You're a hero, after all. They can't just let you keep doing these things with no reward."

"So I didn't sign away the prophecy after all?" Angel asked, daring to be hopeful.

Doyle shook his head. "Sorry Bud, it doesn't work that way. But I've been sent to give you a gift that may be just as good." Reaching out, he touched Angel's forehead. Angel's eyes flashed.

Amazed, Angel stuttered, "You didn't…how could…?"

"That's right, Angel. That soul of yours is permanent now. No more curse." Doyle grinned. "It's the Powers' last gift to you."

Max watched the exchange with rare tears in her eyes. Willow, who had woken up shortly before the battle had been decided, was crying tears of happiness. "Thank you, Doyle," Angel said.

The Irish ghost shrugged. "No problem. Good job on that demon," he added.

"Thanks."

"I'll see you around," Doyle said, before fading back into a bright spot in the clouds.

Buffy looked to Angel, not believe what she'd heard. "Angel? Did he just…?"

Her words were cut off by Angel's kiss. Vaguely, she heard the transgenics cheering behind her.

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Today's Trivia Question Is:

Why does Doyle's line, "I've been sent by the Powers that Be" sound familiar to Angel?

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Review Responses

Anna I'm glad you liked the twist. This chapter is the last one before things really come to a close. Thanks for reviewing!

General Mac Coming right up!

LittleDrusilla Oh yeah. Fifth season Angel and Spike were great! It's really the only thing that kept that season alive for me. Oh, and Illyria. Love her too.