Spike's head reeled. This was the second, and if he had anymore say, absolutely the last time he'd let any gem screw with his physical being. He knew it was partially the adrenaline that had kept him alive, insomuch as he could actually be alive, and that he was really annoyed. Imagine Xander without his precious jelly donuts, he thought, this must be what it feels like. He felt like letting out William the Bloody and using that anger, hell-bent on hurting whoever it was who had done this to him, Cordy, and Angel.

His eyes popped open at the thought of Angel, yet all he could see and feel was the back of a dusty cavern wall. Even in his enhanced vampiric state; the gem had done a number on his body. He reached his arm out and brushed across a limp portion of flesh, most likely an arm. He knew it was Cordy and that she couldn't have possibly survived if he was feeling so drained. She had worked so hard for Angel and him. He hoped that she hadn't felt any pain at all. And that she would be spared whatever rage would come out.

Spike barked out into the distance that he could not see. "I know you're there. I can hear you scoffing at me, at us. Well I hope you're satisfied because you've officially pissed off the scourge of Europe."

There was an amused sigh, female from the sound of it. "Your frantic snarls mean nothing to me. I'm not that easily impressed. Bet you can't even stand with knees as weak as yours from the teleportation spell in that gem. And indeed Spike was already beginning to sway under his own weight, causing the voice to continue bantering on. "You'll find that traveling through gems makes your insides feel like liquid and any assertion on your part for your muscles will be useless. You are a rottweiler with no teeth or muscles, dear Spike."

Spike merely coughed up a bit of cooled blood in response. His abs shook and rebelled as he tried to tense his muscles, to move forth with purpose.

"How cute," the female voice began to reply, "he's the little engine that could. Too bad courage isn't enough to impress us."

Spike could barely manage a growl in his throat. "Us? Who's with us here then? Some coward lackey you shanghaied cause you thought I'd be a pushover?"

Spike felt a wind rush around him and his fingers gripped sand on the bottom of the cavern. His sight had returned enough that he could tell the light of torches were being cast on the shadows of his captor. "So what, your plan was to blind me and have your wicked way with me on a cave wall? Gotta tell ya, there are other ways to go about that."

The captor's voice dropped in disappointment. "No, you and the Seer are an unfortunate side effect of the unpredictability of the gem. But I think thats enough questions for you, maybe for the rest of your ...death."

Spike could hear the whistling slice of a metal weapon coming nearer to his right shoulder, possibly for decapitation purposes or splitting his body in half. Spike spread one leg in front and lifted himself in a roll onto so that he would end up coming out of the near somersault standing. Spike used momentum since he wasn't sure how long it would hold, but he had to try and keep whoever this bitch was busy. He would give someone, anyone, enough time to redeem his sire from the depths of his sickness.

When he realized the weapon had successfully missed him, Spike got cocky. "You missed, oh impotent evil one."

The female scoffed in return. "Did you actually think I was aiming for you? I want your sight to come back so you know that I've won. I want you to hear your own screams right before the final stake disintegrates your body into ash. But before that, I want fun since I'm new to this whole villainly thing. Of course, when I say fun I do mean fun for me. Of course, it would have been more fun if it had been Xander, but I'll take what I can."

Spike could see the glint of a sword still at the side of the silent partner. It was drawn in a slight defensive stance, but he knew from experience that it wouldn't remain in defense for long. It took such a long bout of concentration to even tell the sword was in defense that he was taken aback when a meaty paw grabbed his throat and hauled him a couple more feet in the air.

Spike could feel the pulse of the man's hand, and Spike used his unadulterated rage to try and break his way free. His hands reached up, but couldn't free the grip or even break a finger away. His face vamped out as he struggled and he could hear than jeering of the sword bearer in his ear, so over confident based on strength. Spike only heard the movement of the blade across his hand as his head began to swim in its own thoughts right before he blacked out.

- (Back at the abandoned dam)

Xander was the first one to awaken; at least that's what it looked like as the team held its collective breath. No one knew what the protocol was for such an obviously trapped mission. Two key members were most likely dead; although magic had proven to not kill but do worse things, so it might have been easier to hope for death. Even with the gem disabled, Angel was still crying sick, green tears but he had mercifully stopped babbling and shrieking.

Xander coughed up a bit of blood and it mingled with the sweat on his brow; maybe from the jungle or maybe from his brush with death. The hammer from the Nords came as it felt Xander's distress, falling from the sky and bouncing off the floor until it was at his side. He could sense the spirit of the Nords within granting him further strength to stand and presumably fight. But what was there to fight? What had happened? Had they cured Angel at the cost of Spike and Cordelia?

Xander felt words again as they began to flood in his brain and throat, "Too many questions and so few answers." Originally, his plan had been to prop himself up on his knees. Riley was there to help in an instant when it seemed that his knees weren't going to cooperate. He put a hand to the small of Xander's back while Xander fumbled with his hammer until he looped it under his arm like a crutch.

Xander's breathing was labored and it didn't help when he looked back to see Chris kneeling at Willow's side, trying to bring her back with gentle slaps on her cheek. Oz was trying to shield Xander's gaze from Willow while wiping Angel's tears away and speaking to him in the calmest voice that any of them had ever heard him give. Xander had to force himself not to collapse again. The weight of the gem had seemed to reach him through a deep part of himself and whether it had unleashed parts contained or what not, it was clear that the thing had been dangerous.

Seeing the merciless way he confronted Angel, not Angelus but Angel, even in a past life did quite a number to him. Xander wondered as he looked back on the nearly comatose Angel if he had ever remembered Xander as Anorous on any of the nights they had been together or if he had ever felt like prey when they touched.

Xander knew Angel had seen things inside of him. Things he hadn't bothered to see in himself. But how deep? Were there other lives where he had tried to destroy Angel? Had it always been this way? He didn't know how to block out any of those questions, they demanded answers that he simply didn't have space in his frail human body to hear. Riley could feel Xander's muscles quivering under the weight of his issues. He looked backwards and glanced at Oz. Riley understood it so well; maybe too well. Damn, that gem had made everything worse. Granted, Riley had never been a big Spike fan, or even a partial Spike admirer, but this wasn't the way it should have gone. How could everything have ended so disastrously? How could they all have been so blindingly stupid?

*************** (Back at the cave)

"Of course it was a trap!" The villainess quipped to its cohort or possibly Spike, "do you really think it was coincidence the PTB had the stone Cordy needed? They are so hell-bent on destiny and prophecy that they never see the things they should right in front of them. It was too easy. And poor, sweet Xander; he was so ready for this, lulled into such a false sense of security. Oh, I forgot you were here Spike! Still feeling powerful and ready to conquer the world?

"Why, you self-righteous," Spike began to writhe and thrash, only to be met with the power of strong manacles. He was attached to the wall and Cordy's arm was gone. There was no telling how long Spike had been unconscious. If only evil beings had more clocks in their hideouts.

Spike strained against the pressure of metal tight on his wrists. He knew it was over for him. They would torture him, cut body parts away and wait for them to regrow. He was the greatest torture victim of all; a perpetual bleedin' starfish. That was one of the greatest drawbacks to being a vamp. Spike suppressed a growl when a whip slashed his cheek. There was no blood to draw, but the force sent him reeling backwards. The whipping arm began to come into focus first. The pain drew his eyesight sharply as the forearm retracted. The blade was set in an attractive silver scabbard at the side of his accomplice, decidedly having a slim if somewhat masculine outline.

"You'd better be careful, mate, or that will be the last time you use that arm."

The brute had a deep voice. "So cocky for a chained bastard, aren't you?"

"You'll find there's a lot about me you can't fathom," Spike retorted.

The accomplice chuckled darkly. "We'll see. You'd be surprised what can happen to a hero in a matter of hours after being tortured. You'll be begging for the whip when I'm done."

The woman spoke again, still not clear enough for Spike to see if he knew her, only that she had a stone chair in the middle of this cave, blurry as it was. "I am curious about one thing though, Spike, did you enjoy the visit by the pig demons? Did they leave a delightful stain on your carpet?

Spike's eyes narrowed, well as much as he could feel them narrowing. "How did you know about the pig boys?"

The female gasped, shocked as if Spike didn't already know the answers to his own questions. "You'd be surprised how much we've studied about your little group of human rebels and their powers."

Spike shook his head. "You're out of the loop, love. Red's stopped using magick and Tara's been long since gone."

"We're not talking about the witches or even Cordelia, the bitch who got herself a set of powers and demon testies. We're talking about him."

Spike didn't understand, but that was because these fiends didn't seem to be done gloating. He was sure they would elaborate on just which him they meant, although it was almost a guarantee that him meant Angel. But either way was fine; he'd find a way out. Bloody James Bond had nothing on him.

Angel's throat growled from thirst. He awoke stiff and bloated; unaware of surroundings save that it was dark. Thick secretions came as he rolled his sleeve over his eyes. Or was that his sleeve? He couldn't seem to move anymore and wasn't actually sure what sensations were real and what was a nightmare.

The light began to come in waves at first. He tried weakly to make a checklist of body parts still around or if he was breathing oxygen and whatnot, but couldn't even muster the energy to think. Angel pumped his knee and he heard a familiar gasp. His head wouldn't turn due to the thick glop covering his eyes or maybe because of that extreme diet he had been on, but Angel knew the quiet voice that was speaking to him, keeping him from concentrating on the bad.

It was from so long ago; he tried to reach through the stars to the familiar voice. Oz was prepared for that. "Don't try to move Angel; you've been through quite an ordeal. Xander's already beyond worry and we don't want to start moving you just yet. Are you hungry at all?" Oz's voice came out in a whisper, but it sounded like a trumped to Angel.

Oz reflected on the fact that Angel being awake could be just as bad for Xander as for Angel in an unconscious state. No one could quite say what the gem had done, but in Oz's experience it would be best to try and wait it out, let things unfold and deal with them until a bigger picture becomes more clear.

The first real phrase Angel had said in days came out now, uncensored. He whispered in a deep monotone, already thinking of someone besides himself. "Xander. Where is he?"

Oz had to hold him down. "For now Angel you need to stay still. Trust me; Xander's not going anywhere." For the love of God, stay still, Oz thought to himself.

Angel's tears began to lighten to where he could sputter out a cough and tilt his head, his neck popping in groaning rebellion. "What's happened? How long have I been out?"

Oz bit down on his lip. "It's hard to say. No one is sure exactly, but we believe you were poisoned and this may have been a trap. Not to lay a big trip on you right now but we're pretty sure Spike and Cordy are dead. The PTB gave us some sort of gem to heal you and well Willow, well she used some magick and might be dead as well. We're not really sure of anything right now."

"What?" Angel's eyes felt rusted and pained from the normal tears he started to shed. "What have I done?"

Oz shook his head, he really didn't need Angel going into brood mode right now. That would be the least helpful move he could make. "Angel, you were hurt and no one could figure out why. You've been mumbling the same words in your sleep for days and not eating. Spike was going so crazy with worry and if this gem is reliable; it might have something to do with Xander in a past life trying to kill you. Does Anorous mean anything to you, Angel?"

Angel remained as calm as he could under the circumstances, feeling strangely at peace with unloading this long burden onto Oz, who would keep the facts without the heavy pain. "Yes, but I was hoping he'd never know. Things were going so well between us right up until when I left Sunnydale. I always knew he had it in him to be mighty, regardless of whether he was friend or foe. I was hoping someday, If I had to, that I would have have the strength to tell him."

Oz was internally shaken by Angel's candor. He'd never seen the brooding shell down so far. But this was the Angel underneath the heroics and speeches. This was the Angel, weak and hurt, and possibly the cause of more destruction that even he could have created. Oz held his breath. But apparently fate had other plans. Angel couldn't stop himself from wondering. "Please, Oz, you have to tell me that Xander's okay, even if its just a temporary lie."

The villainess was growing bored. "I'm afraid the manacles are enchanted, William. Please stop struggling, its not above you but its just not providing as much amusement as I'd hoped."

Bloody hell, Spike thought, this bitch is good. There's no way to break out of here at the moment, but maybe I can still stall and buy myself some extra time for the others.

"Now, you will have to forgive me Spike, but curiosity has just gotten the better of me and I simply can't wait anymore. Let's just call the things that you know...vital information. You may not know that you know it, but you do. And I'd just like to know as well."

Spike hit her with a hard barb. "Sorry peaches, but you seem to have just as much intelligence as I'd be willing to give you. "

The creases in her forehead were starting to come into fuzzy view. His sight was returning slowly, too slowly. That gem must have been poisoned. "Oh, I'm not so sure about that."

There was a great ripping sound and a blast of stale wind against his chest as Spike's black shirt was torn down the middle. Spike found that his eyesight focused a bit better as his head was forced upward. His bare chest heaved in the damp humidity of the cavern. Sweat began to glisten on his chest almost instantly. Spike's eyes noticed the top of her head as it started to focus again, from the creases outward. It was greasy blond with dark roots striking down the front, as though she hadn't colored her hair in ages. Her companion must have been a head taller because Spike could only make out dreary dots for his eyes.

"Tell me Spike, I know you're pretty old and they weren't invented that long ago, but are you a car guy?"

William refused to dignify her question with a response, but blond girl seemed to take even that omission as a response. "Ah well, not every man can be in love with cars I guess. But I thought with that Billy Idol dye job of yours you'd like those corvettes that vroom. Can you vroom for me, Spiky?"

Spike couldn't have any more contempt than he felt right now. Even when Angel had been head of Wolfram and Hart.

"Awww, Spike doesn't seem to want to play; sigh. I guess we can just get on with it then." Spike heard the familiar swish of the sword return as it left its scabbard as she continued yammering on. "Tell me about how Xander is fairing these days."

Xander was out of strength for the moment. He was busying himself, knelt next to Willow and hoping she'd wake up. Trying to be oblivious but still noticing the now silent Angel; Xander tried coaxing Willow awake.

"I know this girl," he whispered in a somewhat hoarse and drawn voice that tried to drawn on the Zeppo of the past, "this fiery-haired princess. Who dreamed of leaving her castle and saving the world before she met her prince. One day, she met this girl named Buffy and they began to do just that. When Buffy fell in love," Xander took a moment to look at Angel and then turned back, "and risked everything the princess had worked for the princess didn't speak up. And Duke Xander, the princess' best friend, stood by her side."

The room fell into a hush as Xander continued to try and coax Willow awake. Angel's eyes floated to meet Xander. He could see the lad's concern and love emanating down into Willow. He wanted to try and help Xander, but Angel could do nothing. He was still too weak. Riley continued to flank Xander and Oz began to try and help Angel to sit up.

"One day," Xander continued, "an evil spread throughout the great kingdom Buffy commanded. A demon had come to destroy them all. But the bright princess knew what to do. She went into her room of treasures and brought out a bright stone, with the help of her teacher. She wasn't sure of just what to say, but the words came at the right moment. She was very brave in trying to save Buffy's first love from the demon. The princess fell into grave risk just once, but she was rescued with just a little bump on her head. Her duke was there by her side day and night, and when she awoke she heard his voice. He said that he missed the princess and that he needed her. That she should wake up. So please wake up. Wake up Will. I love you."

Xander brushed Willow's cheek and she shook her head and put her hands through her hair. "How does the story end?"

"The princess wakes up and saves the world, of course," Xander helped Willow onto her feet and then tried to pass her onto Oz; just like the last time she had been wounded, but the only person not occupied with someone was Keller.

Xander had nothing left to do but to look in Angel's eyes. They were sharp and clear again; a shade of blue that anyone else would have mistaken for another color. But Xander knew his eyes, his heart, and all the rest.

"I wish I would have opened my eyes and saw you first." Those were Angel's first words to Xander in almost a decade.