"It's more than too late for you Angel or Angelus or whatever the hell you're calling yourself now! Its all the same man. I hope you're satisfied with the lengths you've drawn out to try and make everyone think you are a hero."

Angel began to back up from a crazed Xander. "Now, maybe I deserve to die for all the things I've done, Xander, but think about it. Why would I have told you I loved you and lied? What would I have had to lose? You were the one running from your past, not me."

Xander prepared to swing the hammer, which glowed with hot indignation. "I'm done listening to a wolf in sheep's clothing." Angel closed his eyes and waited for the rush of memories to come. He spread his arms out and somewhere he could hear evil cheering for his demise. "At least you can take death like a man," Xander sneered.

"No," Willow howled, "not like this!" Her face came in front of the blow and she stopped Xander's arm inches from her face. "I don't care how angry you are at him; you can't abuse your powers like this Xander."

"Get out of the way, Willow! You can't stop this from happening!"

"I can and I will."

With a simple twitch of her brow; the hammer was blown out of his hands and crashed outside of a window. Willow used her magic to pick off an essential rune and render it useless. "Did you fools honestly think I'd be willing to give up the protection I need as a fighter so quickly? You'll be thanking me for this, Xander."

"I won't thank you for anything. Get out of my way." Xander slapped Willow hard across the cheek.

"I'll give you that one for free; Xander, but you don't get another."

Willow got up, full of energy, and floating off the ground slightly. Her eyes glowed the same shade as Xander and somewhere Buffy had a perfect cackle ready to cheer them on.

Spike shook his head. "This isn't a game; it could be the end of us all!"

"Then let it come. Let the earth save itself for once. Liam, honey, how much butter did you put on this popcorn? You know that weight goes straight to my thighs."

Keller was in front of Willow instantly. "Don't you dare hurt her again," he snapped his head in all directions, daring any challengers.

"Thank you Chris," she bowed deeply, "at least someone is faithful to me."

Chris hissed as his eyesight landed on Xander. "I don't think I can kill you, but I'll be damned if I let you hurt her."

Riley growled, coming to Xander's defense out of respect for him and his leadership capabilities. "And I won't let you hurt him. Ever since you got here, Chris, you've been judging the rest of us. Being immortal doesn't make you better. If anyone is the demon here, the cold, calculating bastard, it's you. And Xander, you can't blame Angel for all your problems. It doesn't take two people to pick up a phone and talk."

"And what would you know about it, you fag?"

Xander pushed Riley out of the way. His muscles groaned as he fell over a box. Oz knelt where he head had hit and gave him a leaf to chew from a satchel at his side.

"Everyone needs to calm down; there is no good coming of any of this." Oz cradled Riley's head in his lap. He was still moving, but cautiousness got the best of Oz. "Stay down for right now Riley. Please, baby, I need you."

Willow countered, ready to unload that venom she had been bottling for far too long. "You need him? How long have you known him, Oz? Didn't I ask for you after my coma ended? Wasn't I enough for you?"

Oz shook his head. "That's unfair, Willow. Look, I know you're in pain and I know we're all really tense, but I'll answer you because you obviously can't just take a hint. No. It's that simple. I was never enough for you. I'm not; we're not, something to be conquered. The earth is not your plaything Willow. We didn't take away your magic to make you weak, but to make you stronger. Riley has never done that; in fact, he's put you ahead of himself many times. We've been cowering from you, Will, but I don't want to cower anymore. I don't want to end up like Angel and Xander. " Oz grabbed Riley tight around the middle. "I can't do this anymore."

"Fine, you can't do this; you won't do anything." Willow directed a beam right at Oz's eyes, but Angel's arm caught the impact instead. He fell backwards and began to slide up an incline to an old catwalk; there was too much of a powerful force behind it. Riley and Spike's muscles groaned from their separate chains and weights.