Xander and Oz silently packed the large holdall with numerous weapons, watched over by Illyria who seemed deep in thought. Spike wandered back up to the lobby, swinging a large axe around his head dramatically.

Fully prepared, the gang escorted Illyria out to the terrace where Connor was pacing. Seeing the group, he frowned.

"What's going on?"

Willow smiled as she stepped forward.

"I'm going to try and adapt the spell so that Illyria can go out to help your dad and Buffy."

"Just Illyria?"

Spike snatched the bag out of her hand.

"Nope. I'm gonna be watching Big Blue's back. After all, someone's got to save Angel's ass and it'll piss him off royally if it's me. I can't miss that look on his face."

Willow looked slightly perturbed but nodded, knowing there was no point arguing with him. Suddenly, both Oz and Xander stepped forward too. Willow's eyes widened.

"You two want to go?"

Oz shrugged.

"I'm a werewolf. Might be able to help."

Xander held up a sword almost as big as him.

"I just want to be all big and manly."

"And dead?"

Xander blushed slightly.

"Well, I'm kind of hoping to avoid that part."

Connor moved toward the barrier, a look of determination on his face.

"Then I'm going too."

Giles laid a fatherly hand on the boy's shoulder.

"No, you're not. If you're there, Angel will be distracted by having to protect you. That's not going to help anyone. You can stay here and help me with the research. Plus, the spells probably won't last too much longer."

The former Watcher threw a worried glance at Willow before continuing.

"I need you to stay here and help protect the hotel when the barriers fall."

Connor opened his mouth to protest when Willow raised her hand to silence him.

"Please Connor, don't put your dad in danger. With all these guys, he'll be fine. He's a fighter."

Obviously angry, he backed off and Willow smiled at him. Turning back to the barrier in front of her, she raised her hands and started chanting. The wall began to quiver and flashed a deep purple before restoring to its former self.

Willow nodded and the others formed a line in front of the wall. Preparing themselves, they stepped forward together. Connor watched them get swallowed by the barrier and his jaw tightened. A second later, he dived through.

Giles jumped toward the young lad but he was too late, skidding to a hasty stop to prevent himself being sucked through as well. He turned to Willow with a frown. She just shrugged.

"Like father, like son."

Buffy and Angel were fighting hard, their backs to one another as the demons kept coming. They seemed to be hunting the pair in packs, always a few hanging back to jump in whenever either Champion looked at all vulnerable.

A strange noise distracted a few of the more distant demons but both Buffy and Angel ignored it and kept on fighting, delivering blow after blow and receiving almost as many themselves.

A yell behind them drew Angel's gaze. Spike's bleached blonde form was head-butting one of the larger demons. It didn't seem to help and the vampire staggered backwards, cursing and rubbing his forehead.

"Angel!"

He looked up in time to see Oz throwing him a broadsword. In one swift movement, he jumped over the incoming kick from a grey leathery beast, catching the sword mid air and immediately swinging it round to decapitate his attacker.

Buffy was also now armed and doing serious damage to the group surrounding her, the axe she was waving glinting in the red light. Another yelp sounded behind them and Angel turned just in time to see his son's blurring shape flying out of the barrier and barrelling into a demon that was attempting to attack Buffy from behind. Now out cold, Connor grabbed Illyria's sword and finished it off.

Within minutes of the others' arrival, the demons began to back off and soon had retreated back down the alley. Angel marched over to his son.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?"

Connor pulled himself up to his full height, looking indignant.

"Saving your ass, that's what. I wasn't about to let you get killed. Well, not this time anyway."

Angel just shook his head and pulled the lad in to a tight embrace. Spike rolled his eyes.

"Never mind the rest of us coming to your rescue."

Buffy strolled over with a grin.

"Aww, Spikey need a huggy wuggy too?"

He glared at her and wandered towards the gates as he lit a cigarette. Buffy laughed and turned to the others with a smile.

"Thanks for the help. And the weapons. We're going to need them."

She turned to Xander and Oz, a worried look in her eye.

"Maybe you two should head back now though. You know, keep an eye on Willow."

Xander shook his head emphatically.

"No can do Buffster. You're stuck with us. That wall's a one-way street."

Oz nodded in agreement.

"Plus, you know, werewolf. Big tick in the 'do serious damage' column."

He grinned but Buffy just frowned.

"I know you've learnt to control your powers now Oz but wouldn't you as a werewolf be as much a threat to us as the big baddies?"

He shook his head.

"When I was training in Thailand, I learnt a few tricks, the best one being a safety word."

Xander grinned.

"Oh, bit of whip and chain action going on in the monasteries is there?"

Oz ignored him.

"Basically, you shout that word if I come anywhere near any of you and it'll pull me straight back out to regular Oz."

Buffy looked impressed, grinning at him as Angel and Connor wandered back over.

"So what's the word?"

Xander was surprised to see embarrassment on Oz's face. Oz was the cool one. He never got embarrassed.

"Willow. Just tell me Willow."

Buffy just nodded, understanding how the guy felt, and couldn't help but steal a glance at Angel. A loud rumbling pulled her back to reality.

"What's that?"

The group looked around, confused. Suddenly, the barrier behind them began to shimmer slightly, thinning out to reveal the hazy hotel behind. It faded more and more until it suddenly restored itself, though it had moved to just in front of the back door, leaving the terrace outside of its protection. Buffy felt a hint of panic creeping up her spine.

"What's going on? What's with the spell?"

Illyria looked up from the weapons she was handing out.

"The flame-haired witch is failing. Soon she will fall. And so shall we all."

"Willow is dying?"

Xander looked terrified and Oz averted his eyes. Even Connor looked upset. Buffy was just relieved when she felt Angel move to her side. That way if she collapsed at least someone would catch her.

Illyria did not seem to notice the effect her last comment had created in the group as she grabbed an axe and a longsword, marching towards the gates where Spike was standing. Angel stepped forward.

"And where are you going?"

She stopped, seemingly irritated that she needed to explain herself.

"I can find the rift."

Spike appeared suspicious.

"Ok Nancy Drew, just how can you do that?"

"The power that emanates from the rift is linked to the Ancient Ones. There is a connection there which I can still feel despite the curse of a mortal shell."

Buffy stepped up beside Angel, the rest of the group flanking the pair.

"So, where is it then?"

Illyria's head cocked to one side as she moved forward slowly, pausing just beyond the gates to stare down the alley and face where the original battle raged. She watched the swarms of demons now beginning to fight amongst themselves. After a few seconds, she turned back to the others and pointed back down the alley. They moved forward and saw where she was indicating. Angel nodded to himself, trying to blink back the image of Gunn and Connor's lifeless forms as they laid in that exact same alley.

"Right in the middle of them, the belly of the beast."

Buffy started rifling through the weapons, obviously grumpy as she prepared to fight.

"Why is it always alleyways and deserted warehouses? Once, just once, I want to fight an apocalypse in Hawaii."

She spun an axe in her hand and locked eyes with Angel.

"So, let's go teach these boys a lesson."

Willow tried to control her laboured breaths. Adapting the spell to allow the others through had been hard work, especially when Connor made a last minute dash. She was beginning to feel more and more drained. She wasn't sure how long she could carry on with the spell.

Giles wandered out of the office, his nose buried in a dusty old book. Willow attempted to look as casual and collected as she could, aware he would probably see straight through it anyway.

He glanced up at her and smiled, though he was obviously distracted.

"Ah Willow, yes. I have found mentions of these types of rift in numerous texts. These are the typical cause of the numerous hell dimensions in existence. The demons use them to increase their numbers and spread to other worlds."

"So how do we close them?"

"Well, that area is unfortunately vague. The only reference I have found so far is that we need a weapon capable of emitting the power of the sun."

"You mean, like a nuclear weapon?"

Giles arched an eyebrow as he considered the suggestion.

"I suppose so, yes. Although I doubt Angel has any of those hidden in his arsenal downstairs."

Willow shrugged.

"Maybe I could magic something similar or - "

Giles cut her off.

"Don't even think about it. The magic you're conducting right now is strong enough, Willow, and don't try and pretend it's not hurting you. I can see it. So don't you dare even consider trying something else."

Willow jumped off the stool, about to protest, but her legs gave way and vision began to blur. She felt Giles catch her and lower her to the ground as the pull of the evil outside nearly took control. Fighting it with everything she had left, she managed to restore the barrier but she knew that she'd lost ground. Exhausted, she let her eyes drift closed as one word escaped her lips.

"Tara…"

oooOOOooo

The group passed out weapons and tried to come up with a plan. Xander did his best not to look too nervous, despite his increasing need to vomit from nerves. Swallowing hard, he looked up at the others.

"So what's the plan? Charging forward together or splitting up and attacking on two fronts?"

Buffy slid daggers into either side of her belt as she spun an axe in her hand.

"Personally, I'm going for might in numbers."

Oz shrugged,

"Might makes right."

Behind them, the barrier rumbled and shifted back again. Buffy felt her stomach drop. Willow was getting worse. Angel could see the concern in her eyes and slung an arm round her shoulders, briefly pulling her close in a gesture of support and understanding. As Connor passed his father his broadsword, Angel nodded.

"I think it's time to go."

Immediately, Illyria marched straight towards the roaring crowds ahead, ending any further discussion. She quickly dismissed with the giant spider-like creature that jumped down from the wall above, snapping its neck in one swift movement. Xander shuddered slightly and grabbed his own weapon. Grinning at the others, he swung it in front of him.

"All for one and one for all."

Together, the gang charged towards their final battle.

oooOOOooo

Inside the hotel, Eve was struggling in her bonds. Still angry, she was determined to get her revenge on Angel. Slowly, she managed to wriggle her hands free from the rope and untied her ankles.

Sneaking across the room on tip toe, she peaked through the office window and could see the older Englishman leaning over the red head witch bitch that had stopped her taking her vengeance.

Grabbing a large book off the sideboard, Eve slowly eased the door open and manoeuvred behind them. Hearing something, the man began to turn and Eve swung the book as hard and fast as she could at his head. She connected with his right temple, watching him slump over the woman's body.

Swallowing back the tiny bit of guilt she felt, Eve grabbed a sword off the counter and silently began to scout the lobby, searching for Angel. Somewhere in the distance, she could hear the sounds of fighting. Moving towards the back door, she strained her eyes searching for him. It was so dark out that she couldn't see anything.

She pressed her face up against the glass in the door, trying to see what was going on outside. The yells and thuds of a big fight were louder now and she knew the others must be nearby.

Holding the sword out in front of her, she pushed the door open and stepped out in to the night. Immediately, she felt her skin crawl and her whole body became cold. Confused, she tried to back away but the darkness was pulling at her from all directions. Eventually, she broke through in to what she assumed used to be some kind of garden.

Looking around, her apprehension began to grow. The sky above her was a deep red that glowed down on the city, giving the whole area an otherworldly feel. Somewhere on the other side of the crumbling brick wall, she could hear conversation and immediately recognised the sound of Angel's voice.

As quietly as she could, Eve moved forward, not noticing the demon stirring in the shadows. Before she ever had time to react, Eve felt herself being yanked backwards. Suddenly, she was back in the cold darkness but this time it was different. Her skin felt like it was being stabbed by a thousand red hot needles as she was pulled in all directions.

She cursed Angel as she closed her eyes, hoping that she would soon be able to see her beloved Lindsey. Within seconds, she got her answer as her body disappeared in to the darkness.