CHAPTER 4

Now I will tell you what I've done for you -

50 thousand tears I've cried.

Screaming, deceiving and bleeding for you -

And you still won't hear me (going under)

Don't want your hand this time - I'll save myself.

Maybe I'll wake up for once (wake up for once)

Not tormented daily defeated by you

Just when I thought I'd reached the bottom

I dive again

I'm going under (going under)

Drowning in you (drowning in you)

I'm falling forever (falling forever)

I've got to break through

I'm going under

Blurring and stirring the truth and the lies.

(So I don't know what's real)

So I don't know what's real and what's not (don't know what's real and what's not)

Always confusing the thoughts in my head

So I can't trust myself anymore

I dive again

I'm going under (going under)

Drowning in you (drowning in you)

I'm falling forever (falling forever)

I've got to break through

I...

So go on and scream

Scream at me I'm so far away (so far away)

I won't be broken again (again)

I've got to breathe - I can't keep going under

I dive again

I'm going under (going under)

Drowning in you (drowning in you)

I'm falling forever (falling forever)

I've got to break through

I'm going under (going under)

I'm going under (drowning in you)

I'm going under

GOING UNDER – EVENESCENCE

Buffy stared blankly at the wall while Giles handed her a drink. "Take this potion", Giles said. "It will prevent Alex from entering your mind and it will control the headaches".

Buffy grabbed the glass Giles offered her and drank its contents. She felt the headache lessen, but the memories were still very fresh. She also had this dark feeling in her gut. Something was wrong with Angel. Something Alex had done in the last memory. "Thank you", the vampire said to the watcher. She still could not believe he had forgiven her for what she did to Jenny. "The pain is lessening. How is the locator spell?"

Giles turned back towards the map he had placed on the couch. "It seems that Landry is located about a block from the bronze", the watcher said. "But with his medallion on, not to mention the demons working for him, he is practically invincible"

"My type of odds", Buffy said as she walked up to her weapons cabinet. She pulled out a long sword. The memories of Angel accusing her was painful. But she needed to push the pain away. She needed to do that in order to save him. If she managed to save him, she would than face judgment. It was taking all her mental power to be this battle state. It took all her power not to crumple down and start crying. Alex had won the last rounds. And Buffy knew it. The glimmer of hope she had concerning Angel's well being was fading fast.

"Buffy?", Giles asked. "Are you ok?"

Buffy turned towards Giles. Her face was trying to hide her emotions. But there was resolution in her eyes. She saw that is was still daytime. IF she came near the warehouse the sun will burn her alive. The odds were stacked up against them. For once she wished the entire A-Team was with them. But this was the hand that was dealt. "Grab a sword", Buffy said. "When you fight one the foot soldier demons, just cut their head off".

Giles nodded and grabbed a sword of his own. They came out unto the sun and Buffy looked at it one more time. "Stop by the parish first", Buffy said as Giles took the wheel. "I need to see Father Michael".

Father Michael turned his attention toward his parish finance books and frowned. For a vampire and demon infected town, there were to many cemeteries and little time to go to church. He heard o knock on his door. "Come in", he said without taking his eyes of the books.

Buffy came in somewhat timid. "I am sorry to disturb you, but I don't have much time".

Father Michael looked up and smiled. "Please sit", he said gesturing to the empty seat in front of him.

Buffy sat down and looked at the small and simple office. Few books. A lot of holy images. "I know why I am being tormented so much", Buffy said.

"For your past?", Father Michael asked.

"Yes", Buffy said. "A man I have hurt has come to carry out revenge for what I did to his family".

"He wants revenge?", Father Michael asked. Buffy just nodded. "And I figure you are not the one to put the other cheek?", Buffy shook her head.

"An eye for an eye is living the world blind", Father Michael said.

"Mahatma Ghandi said that", Buffy said.

"Do you believe it?", the priest asked.

"I don't know what to do", Buffy said. "This man has my boyfriend. He is hurting him"

"You stop him", the priest said. "Just do not do unto others what you wouldn't want done on to you". Buffy took the words in. Stop Alex Landry without killing him. For the pain he has caused. For the damage he may have done to Angel. Forgive him.

"Forgiveness is the very first step to redemption", Father Michael said.

Buffy remembered Faith at that moment. "When this is over", Buffy said. "Is it ok for me to come back and talk to you?"

"I would gladly receive you", The priest said.

It was late in the afternoon when Giles neared the warehouse in Angel's mustang. He looked at the back seat and saw Buffy covered in a dark sheet. The gem of Amarra was powerless now. They needed a strategy. That is what the watcher thought until she heard Buffy's voice. "Ram the car through the front door". she said.

Giles did not want to disagree with Buffy now. She was in her game mode. Even vulnerable she was a force to reckon with. "When we crash in", Buffy said. "We might take two out with the car. Just stab in the chest and take out heads".

Giles just fastened his seatbelt and nodded. He took his glasses off and pressed on the gas pedal. The mustang roared and screeched towards the warehouse. The black car smashed the weak walls. Giles buckled on his seat as the car entered, but he kept control. A demons face smashed against the windshield of the mustang. Purple blood splattered all across. Giles hit the brakes and in an instant Buffy was out. She pulled put her sword and immediately slashed away at the first demon that crossed her path. It's head rolled of like a coconut. Buffy moved gracefully with her long sword and rammed it right through a foot soldier demon. As she pulled the sword out she swung behind her back and decapitated another one. Purple blood spurted all over.

Giles tried to get into the action, but his seat belt was stuck. He started struggling with it. Buffy just moved through the room with determination and purpose. A red headed demon tried to fillet her with it's claws. Buffy just brought her sword down slicing him in two. She pulled two daggers and threw them to a slimy looking demon. It hit him in both eyes and crumpled down dead.

Giles finally got out of the car with his sword and looked at the devastation. Buffy had killed them all. The car had green and purple blood all over. The front part was completely dented and a demon's body was encrusted on the radiator. The watcher saw the demons completely cut apart from all sides. He than saw Buffy. Her black jacket stained with demon blood. She looked at Giles with a grim face. No Angel nor Alex Landry. She looked around and saw a door. She crossed the room and opened it. There was Angel chained and his head down… in a room filled with crucifixes.

"Come in Elizabeth", Alex's voice said. "If you dare".

Buffy entered the room and waved Giles off. It was her conflict. Her fight. She looked at Angel and saw he was weakened somehow. But she did not know by what. She closed the door behind her. To many crosses in the room were making her dizzy with fear. As long as the crosses did not touch her skin she would be fine. She slowly made her way towards Angel. Alex was nowhere to be seen. The only sound in the room were the fountains' running water.

Buffy kneeled besides Angel and tried to remove the chains. She winched as her hands began to smoke. The chains were blessed. She continued to test the chains besides the pain. "Talk to me Angel", Buffy said.

"I want to throw up", he said weakly.

Buffy looked around and there was no sign of Alex. "Searching for me", Alex said. His voice seemed to come from all over the room. "I am right here", was what Buffy hear before she felt a fist smash into her face. She fell on the crosses laid on the floor. She stood up fast before she burned further. As soon as she was up she felt a kick in her lower back. Than a punch under her chin. She staggered with the blows.

"This is to easy", Alex said mockingly. The voice echoed through the entire room

Buffy was getting angry. Alex was just playing games with her. She needed to focus. She felt the air move right in front of her. She ducked and fired a hard right into the space in front of her. She felt her fist connect with soft tissue. A gasp and steps staggered. Buffy did not see anything but smiled. He was right there. She fired a hard right where the head would be. A black hat became visible as it dropped from somebody's head. Alex Landry was partially visible now and Buffy could see him. She went towards him and kicked Landry in the chest sending him flying towards one of the fountains. His hands felt the water through his fingers. Buffy was on him and started punching his face repeatedly. "No one hurts my boyfriend!", Buffy screamed. "Where is the key?"

Even with the amulet, each punch felt like hammers bashing his face in. He needed to regroup. "The key…", he gasped. "Is in one of the fountains".

Buffy let Landry go and threw him to the side of the wall. She looked inside the fountain and saw at the bottom a gold key.

"It's holy water", Angel whispered.

Buffy turned towards her lover and then towards Alex Landry. His face was in awe. "He should have his mind broken", he said.

"Yeah", Angel said weakly. "I am just a stubborn".

Buffy quickly stuck her hand in the fountain. Immediately she felt the burn on her flesh. She grunted in pain as she pulled the key. Her hand was smoking. She looked at her enemy and at the rest of the fountains. She darted to the second one and another key was there. She stuck her hand in and the same painful result followed. Tears were now in her eyes because of the pain. She ran to the third and the fourth to obtain their respective keys. The pain was unbearable in her right hand. She felt it could easily fall of. But it did not matter. She had the keys. She scooted towards Angel and started working on the locks by his hands. She than felt a blunt kick in her face. She crumpled down and felt Alex Landry pick her up and smash her back down on the floor. Her face touched the crosses and started to burn her. Landry continued the pressure on her head while Buffy yelped in pain. He let go and stepped on Buffy's damaged hand. Buffy screamed because of the punishment. "You lose Elizabeth", Alex said greeting though his teeth. "You got nothing".

"She's got me", Angel said as the chains fell of his body. Alex did not have time to jump before Angel was on him. The male Slayer tackled the demon hunter right in the mid-section. The force of the blow carried them through the closed door of the room. Giles was surprised to see two bodies crash out of the torture room. Both Angel and Alex stood up and measured each other.

"How is it possible?", Alex asked. "You wanted Elizabeth dead. I felt it in your weak mind".

Angel just smiled as he felt his strength return to him. "Weak mind my ass", the slayer retorted. "I got 1600 on my SATs". And with that he fired huge haymaker with his right hand. Alex flew to one side of the warehouse. His body smashed through some crates. The slayer had a punch of a mule.

Angel walked slowly towards him. Giles saw the determination in his slayer. "Get the medallion", Giles pointed out. "It should be around his neck"

Angel was on Alex but the demon hunter recovered faster than he anticipated and kicked Angel right before he could get to him. Angel staggered and re measured Landry. The demon hunter stood up and rushed Angel. He fired Punched and kicks but Angel blocked all of them. Giles was amazed. It seemed as though Angel was increasing his speed gradually to block the demon's hunter attacks. Landry was getting frustrated. He pressed on but Angel just stood there and blocked everything. He didn't attack. He didn't need to.

Buffy limped out of the room. She was a mess, but she could see Angel fend of Landry. She had to smile. Angel had learned well. To Focus his energy and attacks. Buff stood next to Giles and he could not help but gasp at Buffy's appearance. Buffy just waved it off. "I will heal", she said.

Angel smiled when he saw Buffy looking at him. He started blocking Landry's attacks with one hand now. His moves were just too predictable. In one swift motion Angel fired a hand chop right to Landry's throat. It connected well and Landry stopped his attack in the instant. The demon hunter fell to his knees his hand at his throat. Angel reached towards the inside of Alex's shirt and ripped a medallion away from him. "You have no power over her", he than pulled him closer. "Nor over me". Than Angel walked away as he dropped the demon hunter to the floor.

Buffy ran to hug Angel. The nightmare was almost over as she took the medallion from his hand. She walked towards Landry who was still recovering and crouched down. "I am sorry", Buffy said sincerely. "I am sorry for what I did. I am sorry for the damage I caused and all the hate I spread in your family. If I could take it all back. I would".

"Go to hell", Alex Landry chocked the last words of defiance. "You will always be evil".

Buffy took the words in. They hurt because deep down she knew they were true. "Than I will spend the rest of my immortal life proving that I am more than just a demon", she said. She stood up and walked towards Angel. "One more time", she said. "I am sorry". And she meant it. Angel hugged her as he saw Giles start to chain Alex Landry. The watcher was confused. He did not know how Angel had managed to resist Landry`s mental onslaught. Giles smashed Landry`s head against the floor Knocking him out cold. He walked over towards Angel who had not stopped embracing Buffy.

¨"Care to explain?", Giles asked.

Angel just pointed playfully at his head. "Strong mind", he said flatly. Giles was not impressed. As he crossed his arms. Angel could not lie to his watcher. Angel sighed. "At first I thought we truly had travelled back in time", Angel said than turned towards Buffy. "I realized that is was Buffy`s memories when Elizabeth looked at me in them. She was full of pain and hurt".

"Ok", Giles mused. "It still doesn`t explain how you tolerated reliving Elizabeth`s actions"

Angel sighed. "I know what Elizabeth did", Angel said. "I know her. Everything she did. 150 years. The lives she ruined. The people she hurt. The insanity she caused. I know this because she did it to me"

Buffy buried her face in Angel`s chest. He just rubbed her head softly. "Buffy`s love is much greater than Elizabeth`s hate". Angel than kissed Buffy on top of her head softly.

Giles looked at Landry who was still out. Landry breathed hatred. And that was his downfall. Guess that love does conquer at the end. Buffy looked at Landry and than at Giles. "What will happen to Landry?", Buffy asked. "Angel doesn`t kill humans, and I don`t want more blood shed on my hands"

"Well", Giles said. "I will contact the watcher's council and have him banished again. Why don`t you go home", Giles said while throwing the keys of the Mustang to Angel. "Summer will be almost over and a lot is ahead".

Angel hugged Buffy and walked towards his car. He appreciated the damage done to it. "You crashed my mustang?", he looked accusingly at Giles and then at his girlfriend. Buffy`s face said it all. She was responsible. "I will pay for the damages", she said.

Angel looked bummed looking at his ride banged up. He opened the passenger door for Buffy to go in. She covered herself since she still had the medallion. Angel got inside and started the engine. The car roared to life. Angel backed up and the body of the soldier demon dragged down and brought the front bumper of the car down. Also one headlight and part of the hood fell off. "I will pay for it", Buffy insisted from inside the car. Giles just smiled as the two lovers drove off.

The watcher turned towards Landry who was regaining consciousness. Giles walked slowly towards him. "I warned you what would happen Alex", Giles said. "If you used the powers I taught you on a human".

"I did what was necessary", Alex spat out.

"Yes", Giles said. "The ongoing war between good and evil. Hard to distinguish the gray parts". He picked up Landry and sat him up. "I insisted that the council did not let go of you that easily"

"Well", Alex said with an evil smile. "You no longer work for the council. And you have a band of misfits that don´t know the difference from right or wrong"

Giles smiled. "You would be surprised if you knew them", Giles said. "But you are wrong. It is the fact that they know the difference that is why you are alive today". Giles clamped Landry`s nose and mouth shut. Landry`s face only revealed terror. He could not breath. He could not move. He just watched how the watcher was taking the life from him. Giles calmly waited. "Others have to make the tough sacrifices now", the watcher said as the life of Landry left his body.