2's a crowd 4

Part 1: More Fragments Chapter 25

Part 2: Yet More Fragments Chapter 52

Part 3: Yet More Fragments Chapter 72

"You ok, pet?" Spike asked.

"Hotter than the Sun, brighter than the dawn, molten metal droplets falling like rain," Drusilla explained, staring at something no one else could see.

"They'll all burn," The Judge, an eight-foot tall blue skinned engine of destruction agreed.

"Let's do this." Angelus said, leading them into the mall proper via the service passages.

*0*0*0*0*0*0*0*0*0*

"Do we have a plan?" Oz asked as the Scoobies exited his van in the mall parking lot.

"Kinda," Buffy admitted.

"What's the plan?" Oz asked.

"I bash his head in with a big rock," Buffy explained.

"Simple, direct, works," Oz said, trying to sound encouraging.

"We also have some wooden weapons," Giles added. "Not being forged, wood should be effective as well."

"It worked on Power Girl," Buffy agreed.

"I have your back," Angel promised.

"You be careful," Buffy said, hugging him tightly. "You're only human now."

"I will."

Willow didn't say anything, deep in a book on protective spells, looking for something that could help them.

"Put on your game faces everyone, it's showtime!" Buffy said, grabbing a decorative boulder from one of the larger planters near the entrance to the mall. "Wish this was heavier," she muttered.

"Hello everybody!" Angelus called out, attracting the attention of the mall's patrons, who looked curiously at the strange collection of people dressed in retro outfits and a giant of a man painted blue and clad in leather armor.

The two groups caught sight of one another and the crowd scattered as the vampire game faces came out. In all the confusion, no one noticed a remote control vehicle drive up to the group of demons.

"Slayer, how good of you to come," Angelus gloated. "And I see you brought that fool Liam as well. It's going to feel so good killing him and Xander at the same time."

"Sorry to interrupt," Cordelia said, coming in behind the Scoobs, followed by a pair of confused geeks. "But I am in desperate need of a nap, so I'm going to have to cut this short." Cordelia flipped a switch on the remote in her hand.

"What's that smell?" a vampire asked, wrinkling his nose as there was a hissing sound from near the ground.

"Napalm!" Angelus shouted, as half the vampires paled and ran.

Cordelia flipped another switch and there was an explosion, setting the Judge on fire, and reducing the remaining vamps to ash.

"You think this will stop me?!" The Judge roared, unaffected by the flame.

"N-no, but this will," Jonathan said, using his remote to slam a toy helicopter into the Judge and releasing its payload.

The Judges scream shattered windows as the thermite ignited and blinded everyone.

"Do we get bonus experience points for this?" Andrew asked in the silence of the now empty mall, the demons dead, or fled like the humans.

"Yes, but the points can only be used to buy real-life geek stuff," Cordelia replied, handing the remote to Jonathan.

"Cool!" Andrew said with a bright smile.

"The Judge is dead, Angelus has fled, so get to work on restoring my boyfriend," Cordelia ordered Buffy.

"What just happened?" Oz asked.

"Thermite," Jonathan replied as he processed what had happened and realized a lot more was going on than he knew.

"Thermite!" Willow exclaimed wide-eyed as the mall's sprinklers came on and the fire alarms finally began sounding. "Why didn't I think of that?"

"Can I get comic books instead?" Andrew asked.

"Of course," Cordelia replied, leading her team off.

"I-I'm speechless," Giles said.

"Let's be speechless away from the fire," Angel responded.

"Good idea," Buffy agreed as they quickly gathered up everyone and split before the police or fire department could arrive.

Three days later…

Buffy held Angel tightly, tears streaming down her face. "I don't want to lose you."

"I know, but we can't ask Xander to sacrifice his life for mine," Angel said sadly, not looking forward to being a vampire again, especially knowing the limitations of his curse now."

"Are you sure we won't be interrupted here?" Andrew asked.

"Vampires have attacked here before," Oz admitted.

"Seal all the doors?" Jonathan suggested.

"That would probably be a good idea," Cordelia agreed, not looking at Buffy molesting her boyfriend's body.

"Yes!" Andrew cheered, pulling a half dozen things out of his backpack.

"Horseshoes and silver nails?" Giles questioned.

"Originally used to keep out fey and malign influences," Jonathan explained. "It also weakens demonic creatures, limiting them to the physical capabilities of the body they inhabit."

"Have you tested it?" Giles asked, curiously.

"Yes, it works like a charm," Jonathan said proudly.

"More like a ward," Andrew corrected, making them both laugh at the joke.

Giles rolled his eyes, but found the corners of his mouth turning up anyway.

It took the pair five minutes to ward the two entrances while Willow set out everything for the soul curse.

"Everyone ready?" Giles asked.

"Ready," came the reply as everyone took their spots to either help with the spell or guard them from interference.

The spell seemed to come easier now as the power built up quicker than expected, and the Orb of Thesula exploded into fragments as a glowing, winged form slammed into the center of the pentagram in a flash of light, holding a flaming sword.

"That's not Xander." Oz noted.

Typing by: Elrod Albino