Willow spends the next few hours getting everything ready for the spell. When it finally is, she heads back downstairs to find Buffy. Buffy and the girls are outside training. So Willow heads out there and pulls Buffy aside.
"I think the spell might work better if we went to the Hyperion. Somewhere familiar to Angel."Buffy nods.
"I can get a small group of girls to go with us just in case. We can be ready to go in ten?" Willow nods and goes back upstairs to get her stuff together to take to the Hyperion.
When they get there, there's something ominous about the place, but Willow isn't sure just what it is. She starts the spell, sitting in a circle of candles and saying the incantation. Buffy and the girls fan out, patrolling the area.
Willow has been chanting for about ten minutes when there is a flash of bright light. The girls and Buffy spin around. Willow is practically glowing with the light. A moment later, there's a wind. It whips everyone's hair. Then, they appear.
Two figures, barely visible at first. They grow more and more visible as the light dims. Angel and Illyria appear to be supporting each other. Willow stops chanting and nearly collapses. Buffy rushes to her.
"I'm fine. I just need a moment." Buffy nods. She looks up at Angel and Illyria. Her heart thuds as she realizes Spike is not with them. She pushes her sadness aside, knowing she still has work to do.
"Angel?" Angel looks up at Buffy, shocked. A moment later, Illyria's body spasms. She falls to the ground. Angel kneels down beside her.
"Illyria, hang on. We'll get you help." Angel looks up at Buffy, pleadingly. "Please. You have to help." Buffy nods and moves to his side.
"What happened?" She kneels down by the blue girl. Angel sighs.
"The Senior Partners...I took them on and I lost. They sent us to Hell. Illyria managed to get into a place of power. She basically ruled it. But the power she used...it kind of fried her. She's weak." Willow stands, a bit shaky but already recovering.
"Let me see her. Maybe I can do something to help." Buffy looks up at her.
"Are you sure you should?" Willow nods.
"I'm fine Buff. I can help. Besides, I have a bit before I head back to London. I might as well try." Buffy nods and moves aside so Willow can kneel beside Illyria.
Willow studies Illyria's energy patterns. She does an incantation, and Illyria falls into a deep sleep. "We need to get her somewhere safer."
Buffy, Angel and Willow get Illyria up. But it quickly becomes obvious that they cannot leave yet. Angel, who had grown used to the sunlight in the hell dimension, and forgets temporarily. The sun scalds him and he jerks away from it.
Buffy and Willow support Illyria. "We'll get her to safety. Then we'll come back for you, Angel." Buffy says, something familiar in her eyes. Willow wonders if it isn't possible that her friend has forgotten about Spike with Angel being here.
"Promise?" Angel looks pathetic. Willow can't help but feel sorry for him. Buffy nods, and smiles at him as they leave. Willow decides to keep an eye on her friend until it's time to leave, worrying that Buffy might just be trying to avoid the pain of Spike not coming back.
:~:~:~:

I help Willow get Illyria back to our hotel and into a room. Once she's settled, I set out, planning to go find Lorne. I also want to track down some blood bags for Angel, just to make sure he is up to strength for the questions I have for him.
I know from the look on Willow's face that she assumes I'm going to run into Angel's arms because I was craving companionship. But the truth is, I'm angry. Why wasn't Spike with them? Did something happen? I have a feeling Angel knows. And I am determined to get answers.
I very nearly run into Lorne as he's coming up the stairs from the ruins of his bar. "Whoa, slow it down Slayer." I sigh.
"I came to find you. She...my friend did it. She brought Angel and Illyria back. I'm not sure how you knew it, but Spike wasn't with them." My heart aches as I say it.
"I'm sorry. Spike was taken by a dragon. I don't know the exact details. I wasn't there, but..." He motions for me to follow him back into the bar. "I have a source that filled me in on the details. He's in pretty bad shape, though." Lorne leads me to a bedroom, hidden in the back of the bar. It's been nearly destroyed, but a bed remains. On the bed lies an unconscious man, clearly in very bad shape. He moans softly in his sleep. "Buffy Summers, meet Charles Gunn."
I study the man on the bed. He has numerous injuries, some of which are just starting to show signs of healing. "He's been conscious enough to tell you things?" I say, my voice full of shock. Lorne shrugs.
"I know some pretty decent healers that helped." I nod and look back at Gunn.
"So Spike wasn't with them when they went to Hell?" Lorne shakes his head. "So where is he?"
"Again, I don't have the answers for you. But I'm sure Angel does." I nod and stand up.
"I should find him some blood bags and go see him, then." Lorne nods.
"I can help. I figured you'd need some." He leads me to a fridge full of blood bags. I gather a few up and thank Lorne before heading back to the Hyperion.
Angel is in one of the upstairs rooms when I get there. He's looking at something that looks very much like a cradle. As I watch, he picks up a very dusty teddy bear. I realize just what the crib is. I had heard about the Connor situation. Angel doesn't realize I'm there and speaks out loud.
"I really wish you were here, Cordy. I miss you. This...all of it. I'd trade everything to have one more day with you." Angel shakes his head and drops the bear back into the cradle. Then he looks up and sees me.
"Hi. I come bearing gifts." I hold up the bag of blood bags. Angel narrows his eyes at me.
"How long were you there?" I shrug.
"Long enough. Hey, no judgment from me. Believe me." I enter the room. "After all, I'm not exactly as much cookie dough as I thought. It appears I've been baked." I shake my head.
"I heard. About your fun in Rome. With the Immortal." I glare at him.
"NOTHING HAPPENED. I wasn't even in Rome." I groan. "Oh don't tell me: that's why Spike never told me." Angel looks at me, shocked.
"You know about Spike?" I nod.
"A green demony guy named Lorne filled me in on pretty much everything." Angel grimaces at Lorne's name and I decide to ask about that later. "Anyway, I'm not really that mad about it. Right now, I just want to find him." Angel sighs heavily.
"So you're his cookie?" I bite my lip and look up at him. I nod.
"It always felt like things kept throwing us together. I fought it. For so long. But then...that day down in the Hellmouth...I knew." Angel looks away.
"Well, as much as I'd love to help you find Spike, I can't. He should have been back on Earth somewhere. We had someone, a witch by the name of Makoto, help him escape. It was Illyria's idea, not mine. I was against it." I roll my eyes.
"So where is he then?" Angel shrugs.
"I have no idea. I don't know where they planned to have him stay. But he was in bad shape. The dragon poisoned him. He was in pretty bad shape. And as far as I know, there isn't an actual cure on Earth for that kind of poisoning." I glare at him and shove the bags of blood at him.
"I will do whatever it takes to find him and help him." I move away from him. "Thanks for all the non-help." I turn my back on him and leave Angel alone in the Hyperion.