The demons seemed to come from everywhere. Hundreds of them, maybe thousands, and it was literally raining buckets pelting them hard. When the first wave of demons hit, and the whole group was split, the champions however were able to stick together.
They heard Faith yelling from behind them to her group of slayers to bank right. Buffy yelled to the other group to take the left. The rest of the group tried to cut up thru the center. Buffy picked up her scythe and started to advance. The battle had just begun but the AI team had already been battling. When they had first arrived at the alley Angel's team was already worn from taking down the Black thorn but with their new allies at their side, things seemed to be looking up and it gave them a renewed vigor.
Angel himself had taken a sever beating but the blood he took from Hamilton had healed any damage the crazed lawyer might have caused. He could feel the power in the blood he took and it made his demon rise dangerously close to the surface. He didn't really need the blood for his demon to push his way up in the first place. He had done so many dark and evil things of the course of the past few weeks and with every deed he did to make his plan play out, the closer Angelus came to taking over. It was taking every ounce of self control to keep his demon pushed down but the minute Buffy came within ten feet of him, he could feel him pushing with more effort than ever. They both loved Buffy, she was their mate, and they both felt her irresistible pull when she was near. Angelus knew Buffy was there even before Angel did and the demon let him know how he felt. He pushed and fought and screamed at Angel to be let out and it almost became painful to resist showing his game face. He used this to his advantage and when he thought Buffy was at a safe distance from him, he let out his demon and began to tear into anything that came near him.
They had managed to get Gunn out of the alley and over to Willow to be patched up. He looked really bad and at first tried to resist being pulled from the fight but then relented and went to his protectors. Dawn and Willow had made a make shift hospital area in an abandoned building outside the alley. Dawn brought as many supplies as she and Andrew could carry. Dawn got bandages and Willow tried a little healing magic to stop his bleeding.
Buffy tried her best to fight but her mind and at times her eyes would always fall back on her two champions. She was happy to see them working as a team instead of bickering like love sick boys which is what they usually did whenever she was around. It would always start out as smart ass remarks and end up in a face off of testosterone wielding; it was like they were 16 and not two hundred plus years old. She also felt like they were getting now were in the fight. The more demons they cut down the more that came. It was an endless onslaught of nasties and that dragon was going to halve to be taken out soon.
They all wondered about Giles' group. Where were they and when were they coming? Buffy was starting to worry. Everyone looked so tired and this fight had no signs of ending anytime soon. She was starting to doubt if they would actually win this one. She had witnessed several girls take some serious blows and she knew of two casualties already. She looked over to Angel and tried to surmise how he was handling his fight. He looked back with fierce yellow eyes and a grin on his face. This was the fight he was planning on and his demon seemed to revel in the carnage. His brief glance to Buffy cost him when a vampire took the advantage and kicked him from behind causing Angel to hit the ground with a hard thump. At that moment a few other demons joined the vamp and began to beat Angel with what ever weapons they carried. Buffy gasped and tried to make her way over to him but the hordes of demons in her way kept her at a distance and she struggled to gain as much ground as she could. It took him several minutes to get off the ground but he pushed himself as hard as he could and fought back his attackers. He quickly staked the two vamps in front of him and grabbed the sword that had been knocked from his hand earlier and began to pick off the remaining demons that had just rained down his last brutal attack.
That bought him a brief minute which he took by glancing around to see where Buffy had gone. They locked eyes and began to relay an unspoken message. There it was, that bond, and even though they had been apart for so long they still had that connection. He knew what she was thinking; hell he was thinking it himself. He tried to smile and give her a reassuring glance but they both knew they were in trouble. This was the fight of their lives and he was the one who started it. They have faced many battles but none of this caliber. They needed something big to win this one and they needed it fast. They were slowly being picked off and if a miracle was going to happen it had better happen soon. Angel fought his way over to Buffy and together they took on the last of the demons in front of them. Once she and Angel were side by side again, they surveyed the area around them to see who may need help. Spike caught Angel's eye and he pointed him out to Buffy. Spike was surrounded by dozens of demons and vampires and you could tell he was struggling to keep them at bay. They exchanged a glance then quickly ran over to help him.
Apart from one another they seemed to struggle to resist the oncoming mêlée but together they were a deadly instrument. When they came together they seemed to fit like a machine cutting thru demons like they were nothing but miniscule ants. They complimented each other, knowing what each others moves were going to be in almost a rhythm. As they fought below on the street Willow, Dawn, and Andrew were watching from above. Willow watched in awe as they danced around swinging their weapons and cutting down anything evil that dare to step in their way.
Buffy seemed to lose herself in the fight. She was with Angel and Spike and she felt safe, she felt powerful, and even maybe somewhat invincible. They were a force to be recon with. She thought in her mind, 'look out demons here we come'. She was feeling too superior and those feelings were cut short when Spike got a dagger in the belly and fell to the ground screaming in pain. They quickly stood on both sides of him trying to fend off anyone trying to finish the job they started. In one swift moment the tables had turned and now she was getting nervous. Her mind began to race of ways to finish this fight and get out of there before they were all dead. Then she thought of Willow. She knew that if she could just call out to her maybe Willow could do something to help get Spike out of the street and maybe help them do something to turn this battle around. She tried to reach out with her mind to her best friend. They all had a special connection that seemed to grow stronger over the years, they knew when the others were in trouble, they could feel it. "Willow, can you hear me?" Buffy tried to focus without loosing her balance in the fight. "Yes Buffy I'm here. Are you ok? Are you hurt?"
"No, no …. I'm……. Look Will we need help. Is there anything you can do to give us a hand? We need a distraction or something to tip the scale in our favor. Spike is injured and I can't watch him and my back at the same time. If we don't do something soon we may not make it out of this alley." Willow thought Buffy sounded so tired and maybe a little frightened but then realized she was scared only of loosing her two champions. She was selfless when it came to the people she loved and that alone frightened the hell out of Willow. She didn't want to lose Buffy, not again, and now Spike was hurt and she knew that Buffy didn't want to lose him again so soon.
"I'll try Buff, I can't promise anything. I have a few spells, maybe a chant or two. Let me see what I can whip up or whip out……you know what I mean." Willow tried to sound confident for Buffy's sake but Buffy could hear the weariness in her voice. "Thanks Will, anything will help I'm sure." Then Buffy went back to her fighting.
Willow walked over to the table, picked up her bag and pulled out a large book. She made it herself, a book full of spells she has done and a few she hasn't tried yet. After the battle with The First: her confidence in magic was better and she put this book together in hopes of being able to help her fellow Scooby's in the future. She opened the book and started flipping through the pages to find something or anything she could use. It was becoming frustratingly clear that she didn't have the time to properly comb thru the book for something appropriate and she let out a loud scream. She finally threw the book down "FORGET IT" she exclaimed. She walked to the window, threw it open, and looked down into the war zone below.
As she surveyed the scene for a moment she noticed the very large dragon flying overhead, every so often swooping down breathing fire and trying to pick up someone on its way back up. She grinned "I think I can take care of that thing at least." She put her hands together and began to chant; as she did a large energy ball began to build. It started to glow a pretty shade of orange and grew to almost the size of a large bowling ball. Her eyes and hair began to turn a funny shade of yellow and white and the energy ball began to spin wildly in the air above her. She waited to see the dragon descend on the crowd again and before it got low enough to inflict anymore damage she hurled the energy ball hitting the thing head on. Totally engulfed with its energy it tried to fly higher only to finally explode with a loud crack.
That was enough to distract all the fighting happening below. Everyone on the ground couldn't help but to look up in complete awe at the fiery blaze. The two head slayers then yelled "Lets go!" And the battle waged on. The distraction had helped and before the demons could react they were being slain and the scale was finally tipped in their favor.
As the demons watched, the slayers pushed forward to gain the ground they had lost. Faith had finally managed to catch up to Buffy and the others just as her team pushed back the remaining demons surrounding the three. They needed a short breather and new game plan. As they stopped to glance at each other, Buffy finally looked at Angel who had the most horrified look on his face. "Angel, what is it? Are you hurt?" He just lifted his arm and pointed. She quickly looked over and saw the most amazing thing. A young man was leading a group of girls from the back of the alley. They had finally arrived. Giles' slayers and they were being led by this young kid. Well he looked about 17 or 18 she wasn't sure but she thought he looked a little like Angel. He had his moves and his grace and Buffy thought maybe Angel had taught him to fight.
Angel couldn't move. He couldn't think. He just stood there with that look on his face. What was he thinking? Didn't he tell Connor to go home? Yes he did. He told him that this was his fight and Connor should be with his family. At first he was angry, and then he started to feel pride just wash over him. His son, the one who just months ago wanted him dead had come to his rescue. He had come to help his father live. Maybe he did do the right thing by Connor. Giving him the family he needed, the love Angel could not give.
Buffy looked back at them "Well, we better get going, this fight isn't going to win itself." She looked at Spike and smiled. "Can you fight?" Spike stood tall and gave her his sultry smirk. "Of course love, can't let a little stabbin keep a bloke down." And with that said they pushed forward once again.
That was the turning point in the fight. Connor's group from the back and they from the front, those demons never knew what hit them. They saw the groups of demons starting to flee from the alley and then out of nowhere girls were screaming shouts of victory. It was finally over. They won, again. It was now time to gather the wounded and check on the dead.
Buffy walked over to Angel and Spike "So, you got any suggestions on where we can go. We need a place to care for the injured and get some much needed rest. I'm all slayered out." Angel smiled "Well, I still own the Hyperion we could go there. It has plenty of room and we should still have some supplies on hand. Ask Xander, Willow, and Dawn to grab some more and meet us there; Faith knows the way. Let's get some of the wounded in the cars; we can come back for the dead later."
Angel and Wesley tried to help the girls to some of the rooms and showed Willow and Dawn where the injured should go. The hotel was quite large and when the gang had arrived there earlier, Buffy didn't have time to take it all in. It had been several months since Angel and his gang had been there and it showed. The place was filthy and Angel thought it lacked the neatness it used to have when Cordy was tending to it.
Buffy called Giles and filled him in on the outcome of the battle. His team had come in handy and she needed a list of who was suppose to be there. She was still angry at Giles for not telling her about Fred and the whole Wesley calling for help thing. She knew there would be time for that conversation later for now she was tired and she ended her call and went in search of Willow.
When everything started to settle a bit Angel went in search of his crew. The years he had spent with these people made them feel like family and he had to be sure they were ok. He first checked on Gunn. He was sleeping on a cot in Angel's old office. Willow told him the wound was healing and he would be fine. Angel was satisfied and went in search of Wesley who he found in the kitchen patching up Illyria. For some unknown reason Wes felt he was responsible for the well being of this creature. Angel just watched for a moment then went in to talk to them "Hey Wes, are you ok? Were you injured? You should let Willow or Dawn look at you just to be safe." Wesley nodded "I'm fine thank you, but if it will make you feel better I shall visit the nurses when I am through with Illyria." Illyria had a blank look on her face. She seemed to be happy to be with Wes but puzzled at Angel's presence. Noting that they seemed well Angel went in search of the person he was really worried about, Connor. He walked through the lobby seeing girls everywhere in search of his son. He could not seem to locate him amongst the large crowd of giddy girls but he did smell him. He followed the familiar scent and found him in the courtyard talking with Dawn. He didn't want to disturb them. They seemed so comfortable and Connor was smiling. He couldn't take his eyes off them, his son talking to a girl and laughing with a sparkle in his eye. It made Angel so proud and his heart swelled with love. He watched for several minutes until he felt someone come up behind him. "What do you want Spike?"
Spike smiled "You're a peeping tom you are." Angel stiffened "Again I ask what-do-you-want?" Angel was getting annoyed just with his mere presence. "So are you going to enlighten the rest of the troop with the little hero there or you leaving it a bloody mystery?" Angel turned to face him "you mean everyone of just Buffy? Don't think I don't know what you are up to Spike. This isn't a who-does-Buffy-love-more contest. We just lived through the worst battle in history lets not start a pissing match. I don't have the energy for it right now. Cant we just leave well enough alone?"
Spike just looked at him blankly. He always loved pissing off peaches but for some reason after everything they have been through the past few months he just couldn't seem to go thru with it. "It's just; you know she'll be askin bout the boy there what ya going to tell her?" Angel didn't know what to do. He figured maybe Connor could help with that, well he hoped maybe he would. "I'm sure there are a lot of questions she will be asking us both Spike, some more than others." Angel grinned at Spike then patted him on the back and walked away. Spike just stared at him. He knew Buffy was going to be angry and he would be in some kind of trouble when they finally did talk. He should have called her or sent her a letter or something. He was such a coward, how could he face her now. He shrugged his shoulders then walked away to find some much needed rest.
