A Fighter's Love by Cheri

Chapter 23

 

Fade in on Lobby

Connor comes downstairs.

Connor:

What is it? Did you find them?

Xander:

No. But I found this.

Connor walks to take the piece of paper from Xander’s hand.

Xander:

I don’t know what it is, but it looks like the usual old and evil.

Connor:

I know this.

Xander:

You know what it is?

Connor:

(nods)

My f…Holtz told me about this. It’s a resikhian urn.

Xander:

Urn? As in dead people in the urn?

Connor:

No, it’s a binding urn. Holtz told me how he came to be in this world. In this time. A demon brought him here. A very powerful demon that said he hated Angel even more than Holtz. But he turned on him. Tried to have me killed.

Xander:

And?

Connor:

And he opened the portal to the place I was trapped for most of my life. Holtz took me there to protect me from Angel and this creature. He said the world we escaped would have been far more harmful than the hell we endured.

Xander:

So you’ve been to hell too huh? You really are Angel’s boy.

Connor:

(ignoring the comment)

But what does this mean? And why is it here?

Xander:

You’re asking the wrong guy. But since this place is officially deserted, I’m thinking it has something to do with the why.

Connor:

If this means…if Sajhan is back, we must prepare.

Xander:

Prepare? How about we must find my friends?

Connor:

If they went in search of the beast, there will be a great battle. The urn is the only way to contain it. If he has escaped, they will die.

Xander:

Great. That Skip guy was supposed to help keep everyone safe but noooo. He has to go and walk them straight into the hands of this all mighty badness.

Connor:

We will find them.

Xander:

Really? Cause unless you know something I don’t…

Connor:

Holtz showed me where Sajhan stayed when he was in this dimension. I think I can remember how to get there.

Xander:

Lead the way.

Connor:

We should bring weapons.

Xander:

Again, I say lead the way.

Connor heads downstairs with Xander following him.

Cut to Underground tunnel

Willow:

Are you sure you know where you’re going?

Fred:

Yes! Its not much farther. Although I still don’t know why we’re doing this.

Skip:

The English guy thinks this thing might be important.

Fred:

This thing is an awful, evil, dangerous demon! He’s the one responsible for changing the prophecy and turning Angel against Wesley. He opened a portal to hell which Connor was taken into for years. Then he almost killed Angel before he finally got trapped in that urn.

Willow:

Giles doesn’t want to let him out Fred. But as long as there’s a chance that the urn could fall into the wrong hands, everyone’s at risk.

Skip:

What prophecy did he change anyway?

Fred:

Wesley translated an ancient prophecy as “The father will kill the son.” He traced it diligently and even called upon something called Loa to…

Skip:

Whoa! Did you say Loa?

Willow:

What’s Loa?

Skip:

Not what, not who either. Loa is a force of a dimension that supercedes all others. Not even the PTB have the 411 on that thing.

Fred:

So how did Wesley get to it?

Skip:

I don’t know. But I just hope he sent it back wherever it came from. Or else we could all be in for some serious wear and tear.

Fred:

Well the Loa told Wes about three signs preceding the prophecy being fulfilled. And…

She stops suddenly and frowns at the ground.

Skip:

What? (looks around) Are we there?

Fred:

The prophecy.

Willow:

Yeah?

Fred:

When Sajhan finally admitted what he had done, he told us the real prophecy. He had done it to save himself.

Skip:

From Angel or his kid?

Fred:

I don’t know.

Willow:

You mean maybe he was lying again?

Fred:

No. The prophecy that he went to so much trouble to change, it never said Angel’s name. but it had to be Angel. “The vampire with a soul will sire a child brought forth to kill Sajhan.” Or something very close to that.

Skip:

Yeah? So?

Fred:

(looks at them)

What if he was wrong?

Skip:

Seems like the guy knew exactly what he was doing.

Fred:

Yes. Because there was only one possible interpretation. But now…

She fades away and Willow pauses only briefly before answering.

Willow:

(quietly)

Now there’s Spike.

Cut to Cemetary

Buffy:

So, what’s the deal? Is there like a darkworld CNN? How does every beastie I come across know all about either one or both of my brief stints on the dead side?

Gunn:

Is that really important right now?

Buffy:

Apparently it is to your new friend there.

Justine tries to take a step back from the standoff.

Angel:

(sensing her)

Don’t even think about it.

Mohra:

(To Buffy)

You were not supposed to be.

Buffy:

Yada, yada. Tell me something I don’t already know.

Mohra:

The one you saved will kill us all.

Buffy:

Ok, good answer.

Angel:

Who will kill us all?

Mohra:

The destroyer is upon us. He will bring forth the end of days. If the beast with a soul sides with him, all will die.

Without warning, the Mohra is flung away from Gunn and into Justine. They fall awkwardly.

Spike:

Did I hear someone call a beast with a soul?

Mohra growls and rises to attack. Buffy looks around quickly but all she has is a stake.

Buffy:

Angel. (nods slightly)

He understands immediately and clotheslines the Mohra. It’s feet fly out from underneath it and it falls back onto Justine’s legs.

Buffy runs full force at them with stake raised.

Justine:

No!

She closes her eyes and Buffy aims directly into the Mohra’s head. The stake is impaled within the jewel and it disappears in the familiar flash of light.

Gunn:

Well I gotta hand it to you. Quite the knack for timing you’ve got there Spike.

Spike:

(shrugs and brushes off jacket)

Looked like I was missing out on some fun.

Angel:

Let’s get out of here. We need to check on the others.

Justine:

I…

Angel grabs her by the arm and physically pushes her along, cutting off her words.

Cut to W&H-Lilah’s office

Wesley sits on a lounger watching Lilah on the phone.

Lilah:

Of course I don’t believe him Linwood. But at least we can keep an eye on him until he proves himself one way or another. (pause) Yes sir. I understand. (pause) I have the entire team working on it. (pause) I will.

She hangs up and looks at Wesley.

Wesley:

So what is the team working on? Shall I guess?

Lilah:

(smiles)

Nice try. I’m not telling you anything until I’m sure I can trust you.

Wesley:

Well perhaps that’s your first mistake. You shouldn’t trust me at all. I certainly don’t you.

Lilah:

Interesting approach.

Wesley:

It’s not an approach. It’s how things are.You see, I have my own agenda and it’s not that of your firm I’m sure. However, I am perceptive enough to see the mutual benefits that we might provide one another.

Lilah:

And those would be?

Wesley:

I want to prove something to Angel once and for all. He can’t play God with the people around him. He claims righteousness and speaks of atonement, but he sees fit to judge those of us who have humanity and pure intentions at heart.

Lilah:

So you admit you would never join W&H?

Wesley:

I will never join anyone again. That lesson is one painfully learned. (He strokes the scar on his throat) But I will do whatever it takes to achieve my goal. And I pity anyone who stands in my way. So tell me Lilah. Are you standing in my way?

Gavin:

(swinging door open)

Lilah, we found…well this is cozy.

Lilah:

Shut up Gavin.

Gavin:

Is there a reason you haven’t had him removed yet?

Lilah:

Well for one Linwood said he could stay and second, I just love keeping you in the dark, right where you belong.

Gavin:

(sideways glance at Wesley who tries to suppress a smirk)

We found something.

Lilah:

And is this twenty questions or are you going to tell me?

Gavin hesitates and looks at Wesley.

Lilah:

Oh for the love of…Gavin just say it. He’s not a threat right now.

Gavin:

(straightens tie)

We found a way to find out once and for all which vampire with a soul we should be concerned with.

Wesley:

And what if both of them hold a great power?

Lilah:

Sounds like a good question to me. Have you thought of that Gavin?

Gavin:

I believe that the one we should seek will be able to tell us everything we need to know.

Lilah:

Sounds good. Who’s the one?

Gavin:

Sajhan.

Lilah:

Excuse me?

Gavin:

You know him. He came to the firm once to see you. You turned him away.

Lilah has a flash of writing the note to Sajhan and holding it up as she told him to get out. Then a flash of their meeting in the bar.

Lilah:

I thought he was gone.

Gavin:

Well according to the latest research, he was contained. But he hasn’t left. His energy is still near.

Wesley:

I was under the impression that this Sajhan was here under false pretenses. He changed the original prophecy to save himself.

Lilah:

Yeah and now the boy he was trying to save himself from is back. Something tells me he might be interested in knowing that. Not to mention this new vamp with a soul in town.

Gavin:

The boys downstairs found a way to call him forth. All we need is the urn.

Lilah:

Urn?

Gavin:

Yeah, a resip…resik…

Wesley:

Resikhian.

Gavin:

That’s it.

Lilah:

Well, it seems Wes here is already proving useful.

Wesley:

I’ll let you in on something else. Calling forth this Sajhan is no laughing matter. If you bring him back and he’s not just a corporial being, he will kill everyone in the immediate vicinity without a second glance.

Lilah:

Then I guess congratulations are in order.

Wesley:

Why is that?

Lilah:

Cause you just found the way to make me trust you.

Gavin:

Excuse me?

Lilah:

Welsey here is going to perform the ritual.

Wesley stares at her somberly and she smirks.

 

Cut to Hotel

Angel, Buffy, Gunn, Lorne, Justine and Spike all walk into the empty lobby.

Buffy:

Where is everyone?

Gunn:

I don’t know. But I’m not liking the way this looks.

Angel:

Lorne, check upstairs with Gunn. Buffy, you and…Spike check in the office and out back. I’ll check downstairs.

The group starts to exit in their assigned directions. Angel still keeps Justine close by.

Anya:

Finally!

Lorne:

Whoa!

The group turns to see Anya standing right where they had just been.

Gunn:

Where did you come from?

Anya:

I’m with Giles and Dawn. I don’t have long.

Lorne looks around for the others.

Anya:

Giles and that girl Fred were talking earlier and Giles found some kind of relation between the prophecy and some urn.

Buffy:

Urn?

Anya:

Fred, Willow and Skip went to find the urn. The rest of us went somewhere safe.

Spike:

And that would be?

Anya:

Cordelia’s.

Buffy:

You’re with Cordelia?

Anya:

No! We’re at Cordelia’s apartment! The others were supposed to meet us there with the urn. But it’s been too long. Fred said she knew where it was, but now we’re not so sure. Or maybe something happened to them.

Gunn:

You sent Fred off to find some dead guy?

Anya:

According to Fred, this guy is far from dead. He’s only contained. That’s why Giles insisted we get it in our possession.

Justine:

(mumbles)

Sajhan.

Angel:

Wait! Are you talking about Sajhan?

Buffy:

Who?

Anya:

That’s it. (looks up) I can’t stay. Find them please! I’ll stay with the others until you show up. I have to save my energy.

Buffy:

Angel, you know where they are?

Angel:

(angry)

I have an idea.

Gunn:

Why would she go along with them? Why would Fred risk coming up against that thing again?

Anya:

Giles said it was imperative to control the urn. Whoever controls the urn controls our fate. Or something like that. (starts to fade) Hurry!

She disappears and Buffy sees that Angel is at the weapons cabinet.

Gunn:

Hook me up there man.

Angel:

I can’t.

Gunn:

What do you mean you can’t?

Angel:

I mean, it’s cleaned out. Someone’s already been here.

Gunn:

Well at least they were smart enough to go armed.

Angel:

They couldn’t have carried everything in here. I’ll be right back.

He heads downstairs and Gunn walks to the office.

Spike:

So did you have your heart to heart Buff?

Buffy:

What?

Spike:

I’d say it was pretty big of me to let you have your moment with the ex.

Buffy:

Huge.

Spike:

So when do I get to have a heart to heart? When can I…(he touches her arm and immediately has an attack-Lorne watches with interest)

Buffy:

Spike? Spike?

Spike moans once and looks back at her.

Spike:

I have to know what’s happening to me.

Buffy:

(softening)

We’re going to find out Spike. We’re going to find out exactly what’s happened to you.

Spike:

It’s not at all what I expected.

Buffy:

And what did you expect?

Spike doesn’t answer and Angel comes from downstairs.

Angel:

I took what was left.

He throws Buffy a couple of stakes and Gunn walks out to take a crossbow. He throws Lorne a bat.

Lorne:

Hey, my favorite!

Justine:

And me?

Angel:

You stay behind me and hope to stay out of the way.

He holds a battle axe in one hand and a broad sword in the other. He looks at Spike from across the room standing next to Buffy. Something seems to pass between them and Angel heaves the battle axe at him. It spins three complete rotations before the handle lands perfectly in Spike’s palm.

Angel:

We good?

Everyone nods and they follow Angel back out the door they had just entered.

Cut to underground tunnel

Connor:

I’m sure it can’t be much longer.

Xander:

I hope not, cause these torches aren’t going to last much longer. Maybe this isn’t the place.

Wesley:

Oh something tells me you’re on the right track.

Connor and Xander spin to see Wesley smirking at them flanked by several burly guards courtesy of Wolfram and hart.

Wesley:

You two really shouldn’t be here.

They face off in anticipation.