The Ram ran her hand through the rubble as though it were water. She lay down and stretched out. "We'll have them all soon." She spoke with certainty "Collect them one by one."

The Wolf giggled as she ran around the ruins of the Hyperion. "Can you feel all the pain and suffering that took place here? It's intoxicating."

"It is." The Ram said "Such stories this place tells."

"They all tell stories. Did you taste it in her blood? Did you taste the disillusionment, the self-doubt, the betrayal, the loneliness? It was wonderful."

The Ram chuckled. "He'll never know she cared for him."

"I just wish I could have prevented the annoying Englishman from being reunited with his lover." The Wolf said "Their love is nauseating. He has such potential for cruelty and perversion, but she nurtures that which is kind and pure in him. I hate that."

"I know sweetie, but we had to get rid of Illyria. I'll tell you what, when we kill that bothersome Fred you can keep her man as a pet." The Ram said "I wouldn't mind holding onto his slayer friend. I would love to make her realize her greatest fear. I would love to turn her back and then show her what she has become. She'd kill herself and I could watch."

The Wolf tittered some more. "My only fear is that the torment we inflict on them might not be up to par with what they have already endured. What more could we do to them?"

The Ram felt the pulse of the earth under her skin. She writhed with pleasure. "Can't you feel it? They feel so betrayed and humiliated. They feel weak and desperate."

The Wolf grinned and walked over to her sister. She lay down on her stomach next to her sister. "What do you want to do first when we leave here? Where do you want to go?"

"I'm thinking Australia. We could sink it under a tidal wave as a herald of our arrival."

The Wolf grinned, staring at her hands. "I have such pretty nails."

"You do." The Ram said "You should make them longer and use them for cutting throats." The Wolf rose to her knees and held her hands up closer to her face. "Vanity is such a human emotion sister, don't fall into it." The Ram teased

"I'm not vain. How can someone who knows how much better they are be vain?"

"Better," The Ram considered this. "We are not better than them. That implies a comparison. We are a different being, we cannot be juxtaposed to them. Would they assign themselves as better than an ant who in its tiny little life cannot even suppose of a single thought that might meander through the mind of a human? We are old ones, we are before, and after."

The Wolf leaned back until she was lying down. She put a hand against the earth. "For so long we were barred. We were exiles, cast outs. Now we rule. No punishment is great enough."

"No," The Ram said "But do not let that dilute your joy in inflicting it."

"All right," The Wolf promised "I won't."

Oz and Nina both stared at the slayer. Oz started to reach for his head to rub his temple, but it was awkward with his bound hands and he dropped them into his lap. "Wow,"

"I would never ask if there was another way." Buffy said

"So it's either do this and die or we don't do it and we die anyway but so does everybody else." Nina said "That's not much of a choice."

"I'm so sorry." Buffy felt terrible. She wanted to take back what she had said, but she couldn't because it was the only way. This plan was their last chance.

"So when does this happen?" Nina asked

"Tomorrow morning," Buffy forced herself to meet Nina's gaze, even though all she wanted to do was look away. "If I could think of a way…" She fidgeted uncomfortably. "I'm just thinking of the fate of the world. No one wanted this-"

"Buffy," Oz cut of her babbling "Could you please… go away?"

"Uh yeah, sure," She left.

Nina grabbed Oz's tied hands. "I could go by myself. You could stay here."

"Nina-"

"You don't need to die. I can do this, it'll be okay. You can live for a long time."

"Nina-"

"You can have a life and a future. You'll get to see the sun again. I don't need any of that if the people I care about are okay. If you could just find my sister and tell her-"

Oz leaned in and stopped her with a kiss. "I love you."

Tears streamed down her face. "I love you to."

Oz kissed her some more and thought of the years he spent wandering. He thought of the purpose he couldn't find and the woman who was incapable of needing him. Now he had found a purpose and a woman, but he didn't have any time. For so long he had been hampered by his condition. Now it brought him some peace in his final hours. "I'll never leave you."

"I kept thinking about the future. I kept assuming there would be one. That was stupid."

"No, it wasn't. You deserve a future. You deserve someone you can trust."

Nina leaned her head against his shoulder. "I trust you. I'm scared."

"So am I." There wasn't anything more to say. So they didn't speak for a long time.

Lorne sighed. "Are you okay?" Teresa asked

He held out his hand and she took it, getting all of his thoughts. "Am I?"

She snuggled up to him. He was pretty sure he loved her, although he never could love her in a physical way. As a Pylean Lorne was incompatible with humans, and most human-demon hybrids. Physical intimacy had been the first sacrifice Lorne had been forced to make in order to be a part of this dimension. There had been more, and now he wondered if he wouldn't have been better off in Pylea, the land he despised. At least then the standards were low. "Yes,"

He was surprised by that answer to his question. "They're going to die."

"Together," Teresa said "They will find in death a peace they cannot have in life."

"Too many people have died." Lorne said "When will it stop?"

"Our lives are filled with pain and suffering, but within that there are moments where the pain is worth it. There are experiences that allow us to suffer the pain, and gladly."

"His face never leaves me." Lorne said

"Lindsey would have taken your life with ease if it benefitted him."

Lorne nodded. "I know that, I do. But I was never cut out for this life. I can't… I'm not a killer. I'm not a warrior or a champion. I told Angel that Lindsey was the last job I'd ever do for him. Why did I come back?" Lorne shook his head. "Why did you bring me back?"

"Cordelia told me to. There's something you have to do."

"What? I can't fight, can't save the day."

"It's not now, it's later. You save the day later."

Lorne frowned. "What are you talking about?"

Teresa shrugged. "I only know what she tells me. But you live, and you find those moments. You will feel such pain, but please don't let it destroy you. Please, for me?"

He kissed her, and that was his answer.

Wesley held her hand, trying to memorize the feel of it. He never wanted to let it go. Fred leaned against his shoulder. "What comes next?" She asked

"What do you mean?" He asked in return

"I think we'll win." She said "I think we'll beat these baddies. But so much has happened. I don't think that things can ever be… like they were." He stared into her eyes.

"What about us?" He said quietly "Do you think we could be like we were?"

Fred shook her head. "I think we can be even better." She leaned in for a brief kiss. "But I think about everything that has happened and I don't know if I can go back to demon fighting."

Wesley considered this. Fighting the forces of evil were what he had been groomed for since he was a little boy. He'd never really done anything else. But when he looked at her none of that mattered. He would leave what he thought was his calling behind. Because all of that had been another lifetime ago. He'd been reborn, and this new life could be anything. "Me neither,"

"I guess we both only had one life to give for the cause." Fred said

Wesley closed his eyes. He could hear her breathing and smell her skin. He could imagine a life with her. But there was no guarantee of survival. They could make so many plans and they might amount to nothing. "Do you want to leave L.A?"

"I miss my parents. I kind of want to be near them."

"I've always wanted to go to Texas." Wesley said

"You are such a liar." She giggled

"But it's endearing." He said "Because I'm so bad at it."

She kissed him again. "Can we be normal people? I'm a little afraid Wes. I'm afraid we can't ever escape this life. Can we escape the magic? Could we be average?"

"You could never be average. But we can leave all this behind, we can move on."

Her hand tightened around his and they sat next to one another, connected.

Angel sat down next to his son and was startled when Conner spoke. "I want to go with Nina and Oz." Angel gaped. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. "I'm not really asking."

"Conner, what's this about?"

"Someone has to go with them to make sure everything goes as planned. I want to do it."

Angel frowned. "It's to-"

He felt an unnatural hand on his shoulder. He looked up at Teresa. "He has to." She said

Angel shook his head again. "I'll go, I was going to anyways."

Teresa gave him a sad smile. "You can't. You have another destiny."

"I'm doing this." Conner insisted

"He won't die." Teresa promised

Angel frowned some more. "I don't like it. You can't be sure. If-"

"Angel!" Buffy was calling him. "I need to talk to you."

"I'll be right back." Angel said

When his father was gone Conner asked Teresa "I'm really not going to die?"

She shrugged. "That's up to you."

"What's up?" Angel asked, visibly perturbed

"Are you okay?" Buffy asked

"Yeah, what is it?"

"I need to ask you something." Buffy looked unwell. Their current circumstances were no doubt in part to blame for her sallow skin and dark-ringed eyes, but there was something else.

"Of course,"

"I called you over here to tell you Nina and Oz are on board. They're going to die for the cause." Angel flinched at this. He might not love Nina the same way he had loved Buffy or Cordelia, but he cared for her a great deal. Her impending death weighed on him.

"Okay," He couldn't bring himself to say that was good.

A single tear dripped from the slayer's eye. "Am I a bad person?"

Angel gripped her hand. "You're the best person I know."

"You're just saying that because you love me." She said

"I love you because it's true." Angel kissed her.

"You left me so that I could have something you couldn't give me." Buffy said "But you're the only person who can give me what I need. Don't you get that?"

"Now I do." He hugged her. "If I don't make it-"

"Don't say that." She rebuffed him harshly "Don't even think it."

"It's just… I want you to know my son."

Buffy nodded. "I want to know him too."

Angel squeezed, not wanting to ever let her go. "I don't want to leave you again."

"Then don't."

"Who do you think it is?" Gun asked his girlfriend, thinking about his failing results

She shrugged. "I couldn't even begin to guess. But you're just going to drive yourself crazy thinking about it. Don't worry." Anne gave him what she hoped was an encouraging smile.

Gunn felt his heart melting looking at her face. "I feel like I wasted years of my life."

"Why?"

"Because I only just got together with you."

She laughed. "So all the demon fighting was a total wash?"

Gunn looked down at his bindings to hide his glum expression. "Feels like it sometimes."

She put her pointer and index finger under his chin and lifted his head. "Hey," She looked into his eyes, searching for something. "It's going to be okay."

"Are you psychic now too?" Gunn teased

She snuggled up next to him. "Yes. I see your future Charles Gunn." She adopted a faux spooky voice. "Do you want to see through the fog of time?" She chuckled.

Gunn laughed with her. "Are you there?"

"Of course,"

"That's all I need." He leaned in for a kiss.

Spike's peaceful smoke was interrupted by Harmony. "Do you care about me at all?"

He sighed with exasperation, releasing a puff of smoke. "Not really,"

She stamped her foot and squeaked with frustration. "You are impossible. You have no feelings for me, but you have no problem with using me like a cheap whore."

Spike shrugged. "You don't seem to mind."

"Well I do mind!"

"Then why are you here?"

"I'm sick of being treated like this. I want people to treat me like a human being!"

"Harmony," Spike rubbed his forehead. "You're not human."

"Neither are you!" She said

"I have a soul." Spike growled

Harmony rolled her eyes. "Oh big whoop," She held up her hands and arched her eyebrows in mock amazement. "He has a soul! Oh my God! It's so exciting!"

"Piss off Harmony." Spike said "I don't have time for this."

"The only person you care about is yourself." Harmony said "As far as I'm concerned that soul of yours that makes you so special is broken."

Spike grabbed Harmony by the neck and slammed her against the wall. She lifted her bound hands to shield her face. Spike shoved her away. "You'd kill us, your song said so."

"Gee I'm a murderer." Harmony said "I guess that makes me a monster. So how many people have you killed? Or do you even remember all of them?"

Spike dropped his cigarette and began to grind it into the ground. "I remember."

"But you still think you're better than me."

"Harmony I know I'm better than you." Spike said

"How do you know that?"

Spike thought about the Wolf and Ram. With a single statement Spike could destroy Angel. He could tell everyone the truth and they would never look at their champion, or Spike, the same way again. "Because I'm not going to tell you."

"That doesn't make any sense." Harmony said

Spike grabbed her neck again and kissed her. She kissed him back. It wasn't nice, it wasn't fulfilling, but it was something. They were connected.

Faith took a deep breath and held it. She exhaled slowly, feeling the warm sphere of magic in her hand. Willow's instructions had been simple. She couldn't mess this up. Faith approached Wesley. He was testing the weight of a long metal pipe. "I could take down a few demons with that." Faith said in what she hoped was a normal tone of voice

"Won't do much against an old one." Wesley said, but he smiled at her "Are you ready?"

"Almost," She said "I'm not worried." She assured him

"Good, you shouldn't be. We'll all be okay." Wesley didn't really believe that. He knew Oz and Nina were going to die, and he supposed a few others would probably perish as well. Still he tried to be optimistic. If he was going to die, he was going out on a positive note.

"I know." Faith said "We will." She punched him in the gut, stunning him long enough for her to press that sphere of light against his head. Her old watcher collapsed. He would have hit the floor if she hadn't been there to catch him. Angel walked up.

"Good job,"

"Good spell," She said as she easily carried the grown man over to the wall and sat him down. "It was nice of Willow to help me out."

"I think she knows how you feel." Angel said

"I guess." Faith straightened up and noticed that a few people around the room were staring at her, but nobody said anything. "He wouldn't have made it."

"I know." Angel said "Still might not. Maybe none of us will."

"Don't say that." Faith smiled at him "We've always come through before."

"This is different." Angel said "Faith I have to tell you something."

"Okay," She agreed "But do me a favor and if it's something you'll regret telling me when we live through this, keep it to yourself."

Angel thought about his destiny, the one stolen from Spike and given to him. He thought of the way he- the way all of them- had been manipulated. Who was he really? Angel wasn't sure he knew anymore. Maybe Faith could help him. She knew what it was like to question your purpose. He pictured himself telling her what the senior partners had told him. He pictured her reaction. "Never mind,"

He never told her.

Angel cleared his throat. The time had gone by too fast. The hour was approaching, minutes flying by leaving nothing to mark them. Spike turned to look at him and rolled his eyes.

"I guess you know what I'm going to say." Angel said

Spike held out a hand with two fingers extended. "You're either here to," He slammed his index finger from his opposite hand against the first finger. "Beg me not to tell Buffy what the senior bitches told me or," He hit the second finger. "You want to assuage your conscience."

Angel flinched. "I didn't know, I mean I did, but only just before you did."

"Shut up Angel," Spike practically spat the words out. "I don't care about how you feel, or about your excuses. What's done is done. We just have to carry it with us, forever. I can, can you?" Spike stared into his grandsire's eyes, searching, accusing.

"I don't know." Angel confessed

"Then it seems I'm not your problem." Spike said

"Seems like." Angel said

"Then what are you still doing here?" Spike asked

Angel furrowed his brow. "You're angry."

"Shouldn't I be?"

"Yes," Angel said "I'm just wondering why you didn't tell Buffy. You're angry, that would be the perfect vengeance. She's be appalled with me, feel sorry for you."

"I don't want her to feel sorry for me." Spike kicked the concrete ground and stared at it with unwarranted fascination. "I just want her to be happy."

"That's very…" He'd been about to say noble, but better word occurred to him. "Heroic,"

Spike held up his right hand with his pointer and index finger forming a V. "Screw you,"

"I was complementing you," Angel said, a little affronted

"Sorry, let me adjust my response accordingly." Spike carefully enunciated his next words. "Piss. Off." He spoke a little loudly and a few people looked their way. They quickly turned their attention back to whatever they had been doing, more invested in their own preparations for what might be the last outings of their lives.

Angel held up his hands in surrender. "Fine," He started to go and then turned back around. "Do you want me to tell her? I will, if that will make up for it."

"Make up for what? You're as much a pawn in all of this as I am. All the pain and suffering you felt the last few hundred years was designed by them. Your soul should still be chilling on some fluffy white cloud or some bollocks like that. They put you back in this hell, an eunuch for all intents and purposes-"

"I'm not a-"

"Condemned to a life of eternal remorse, forced to abandon the ones you love every step of the way in a desperate ploy to set you on the path of evil. You didn't really win."

"Wait," Angel said "If you're not mad at me, who are you mad at?"

"Oh I'm bloody well furious with you, but it's irrational. I get that. You didn't cause this, except for in a very indirect way. I could take petty vengeance against you and no one would really blame me, because I'd just be telling the truth. But this could be my last battle and I don't want my last act in this world to be fucking with you. I'm better than that."

"Well technically," Angel couldn't restrain himself. "In that scenario you're last act would be trying to off the old one that killed you."

"You're right, I should tell Buffy." Spike scanned the room for her.

Angel quickly backtracked. "But I get what you're saying. Thank you,"

"Don't you get it?" Now Spike sounded pissed again. Angel had no idea why. "Not everything is about you. Don't thank me; because I'm not doing this for you. I don't care about you, not enough to keep this quiet. This is for me, maybe a little for Buffy but mostly for me."

Angel got it in that moment, in a way he never had before. He saw Spike for what might possibly have been the first time. He considered apologizing, but it would take too long to explain what he was apologizing for. He considered a lot of replies in a short span of time, but none of them were right, or they would take too long to say. So Angel looked Spike in the eye and shared an understanding with him. "Okay,"

Nina untied Oz. "I wish we'd had a chance." She said

Oz put a hand against her face. She closed her eyes and let every sensation but that fade away. "That doesn't matter." He told her

"Are you ready?" She asked

He took her hand and they stood up together. "Yeah,"

She rested her forehead against his chest. "I feel the power." She whispered

"Me too," They headed for the door.

Angel was nearby. He cut Conner's bonds. "Are you ready?" He asked the boy

Conner nodded. He embraced his father. "I love you dad."

Angel pulled him close and squeezed. "I love you so much son."

"I'll see you later." Conner turned to the werewolves. "I'll be right behind you, don't worry about waiting for me, even if I fell behind I can track you."

Nina nodded. "We won't-can't really. Wolves don't wait, they hunt."

Conner spared one last look at his dad. He looked at the werewolves holding each other for the last time. He didn't know if he could be that brave, but he would soon. "Let's go."

Willow dissolved the barrier. The werewolves transformed, suddenly, gracefully. They took off, their speed remnant of lightning. Conner followed. Angel blinked back a tear.

The voice of an old friend broke his despair. "When we're done saving the world, we should all go out to eat, to celebrate." Fred said

Angel grinned. Gunn approached them, removing the last of the rope that was wrapped around his wrist. "Let's get Chinese."

Fred snorted. "Of course that's what you want, you're the fried rice bandit."

"Ow," Gunn placed a hand over his heart. "That hurts Fred, I resent that implication."

"I resent my severe lacking of fried rice every time I leave you alone with my food."

"Children," Angel said, a big grin plastered on his face "Calm down."

"She started it." Gunn pointed at Fred.

She squeaked in indignation. She gave Gunn a good-natured shove and then lay her head against his shoulder, wrapping her arms around his broad shoulders. "No good-byes,"

He hugged her. "Never,"

Fred, holding back tears, stepped back and hugged her old boss. "Go kill monsters."

Angel rested his chin on the top of her head. "Look after him." He whispered

She nodded, her hair scraping against his neck. "I promise."

Faith approached the group. She hung back for a moment, unsure. Gunn had grabbed hold of his girlfriend and they were getting in a passionate pre-battle kiss. Angel let go of Fred and she turned to see Faith. Faith was dumbfounded when the petite Texan enveloped her in a tight hug. "Thank you," She said "Please come back."

Faith hugged the woman she barely knew back. "I will."

"We all will." Gunn was looking at Anne, but speaking to all of them.

Lorne approached the group. He held out a hand to Angel which the vampire ignored, opting instead to hug the Pylean. "Good luck," Lorne said "You need it."

Angel nodded. "Thanks for coming back, it means a lot."

Lorne looked away. "Just return the favor all right."

Lorne hugged Gunn. "Stick around, I saw more than violence when you sang, good stuff." Lorne walked up to the dark-haired slayer. "Watch after these dummies."

"I will." Lorne nodded and walked away.

Spike approached with Harmony, Buffy, Willow, Kennedy, and Xander. Spike locked eyes with his grandsire. They shared a moment of understanding. "Ready?" Spike asked "Or do you need a moment to speechify and whatnot? Try to keep it short, a fellow can only take so much pain in one day. Plus we're sort of on a timeline." Spike tapped an imaginary watch face.

Angel shook his head. "I don't have anything else to say." He looked at Gunn, Faith, and Buffy in turn. They each shook their heads. He looked at Willow, Kennedy and Spike. They all shook their heads, Spike even rolled his eyes. Xander shook his head as well.

"Can I say something?" Harmony asked

Angel restrained a snide comment. She was risking her life alongside them, she deserved a chance to speak her mind. "Sure, but uh… remember the timeline."

"I just wanted to say thanks, for accepting me. I know I'm evil and everything, but it's an honor that you're letting me fight beside you. Thank you."

Angel was surprised by how much this moved him. "Okay, let's kill some demons."

"Finally," Spike muttered

They left. Willow recast the barrier, sealing Lorne, Teresa, Anne, Fred, and Wesley inside. The small group of heroes made their way toward the Hyperion.

"Ow," Wesley touched his throbbing temple. "What happened?"

"Faith knocked you out." Wesley's vision cleared and Fred was leaning down to talk to him. "You feel okay?" She was concerned, she looked so cute when she was concerned.

Wesley shook his head, clearing the last of the blurriness from his vision. "Why?"

"She wanted to save you. She told me she owed you a saving."

Wesley groaned. "I have never been so angry with someone for trying to save my life."

Fred extended her hand and helped Wesley to his feet. "You'll get over it."

"After all this time and all of these events I'm still the guy who gets knocked out right before the big battle." Wesley groused "Figures, some things never change."

"Everything changes." Fred said "We all changed." She looked at the barrier. At least they would know when it was over. The barrier would come down and they would have a chance to prepare. Of course there wasn't really anything they could do. She squeezed his hand.

In the depths of a hell dimension a beautiful woman was floating on a river of blood. She was more than just beautiful, she was glee, and a million other things. She wore an unblemished white dress that never stained. She could feel life, its hot pain, flowing under her. She could feel the battle raging upstairs. She felt the moment it was decided. She stood up, standing waist deep in the river. She walked up the shore, her dress still unmarked. The sky was white, the ground was red stone. She placed her hand on the ground and closed her eyes. She smiled.

"You called for me mam?" An elderly man appeared in front of her.

"Yes Holland," Her voice was soft, kind. "I did."

"What can I do to please you?"

"Do you remember the raising we talked about?"

"Of course mam." Holland Manners looked at the kneeling smiling woman. Her long white dress yielded to the hot winds that rushed over the stone and upset the blood. The fabric moved like water, fluttering one direction and then another. Her black curls did their own dance, rising off her neck and then falling down again. He watched her rise.

"See to it."

"Yes mam," He started to leave.

"Holland," He turned around again.

"I thought you would like to know. Your old friend Angel,"

Holland smiled. "Yes mam,"

"His fate is sealed, his doom assured."

Holland left, filled with cheer. That was exactly what he wanted to hear.

The Hart left her riverbank, heading off to meet the heroes.

Nina and Oz ran side by side, taking turns howling. Their muscles extended and flexed with such incredible speed the process couldn't be seen, their flanks producing sweat to cool down the overheating bodies. Other wolves came, hearing the call, remembering their training in the abbey basement. Together the pack, led by Nina and Oz, headed for their creator. They were guided by their minds, by their leaders, and by their instincts. Everything in them was screaming, crying for a kill. For generations their bloodline had serves as a rope, a lifeline for this monster keeping her close to the earth, allowing her a way back. Now they would choke her with it.