A Fighter's Love by Cheri

Chapter 39

 

Fade in on Dawn hiding behind desk in an office in W&H

Several guards enter the room and she tries to shrink even farther down.

Voice one:

I know she came in here.

Voice two:

Well she must have got out.

Voice one:

There’s no other exit. She’s here. You two check out over there. I’ll check the desk.

Voice two:

What about me?

Dawn’s eyes widen waiting for them to find her when she hears a scuffle. Scattered punches and grunts are heard before a man is thrown across the desk and lands at Dawn’s feet. His eyes fall on her and she almost screams out when she sees his head loll over and knows he’s dead.

She peeks around the corner of the desk and sees Connor taking the remaining four on. He dispenses of the second easily and is blindsided by the third. Dawn looks around frantically.

Connor blocks a blow and flips forward to spring out of the line of fire. The man pulls a gun and takes aim.

Dawn:

(stands and grabs a letter opener from the desktop)

Hey! That’s cheating!

She hurls the opener and it buries itself into the shoulder of the mans shooting arm. He drops the weapon in pain and Connor looks at Dawn for a split second before turning to battle the fourth. Dawn runs to grab the gun laying on the floor but its kicked away just as she slides to her knees to pick it up. She stops and looks up.

Lilah:

I distinctly heard you say that was cheating.

Dawn scoots backwards against the wall and watches Lilah pick up the weapon. They both watch Connor finally gain the advantage and knock the fourth man unconscious before he freezes at the sound of the gun being cocked.

Dawn:

No!

Connor spins to see Lilah pointing the gun at him.

Lilah:

It’s like Mini-Angel.

Connor:

You will have to shoot me to live.

Lilah:

Wow. Gotta give you points for that one. Unfortunately, I don’t intimidate easily.

She pulls the trigger and Connor flies backward from the impact. Dawn screams hysterically as Lilah watches with a smile across her face.

Cut to Elsewhere in W&H

Wesley and Gunn sneak out of their hiding place and make their way to the door of the Neferil. Wes uses hand signals to exlain to Gunn that they will kick the door and rush in to break the spell. He begins counting on his fingers and has made it to two when Gunn’s phone rings. Wes looks around for intruders as Gunn struggles to retrieve the phone before anyone else hears.

Gunn:

(whispering harshly)

What? (pause) Slow down Fred, what is it? (pause) No, but you may have done it with the loud ass ringing! (pause) Oh. (pause) Wes, is he still chanting?

Wes:

What?

Gunn:

Is he still doin his thing or did the phone interrupt him?

Wes:

(listens)

He’s still going. Gunn, we don’t have much time to do this.

Gunn:

(holds finger up)

Fred, it’s cool. Now what is Giles freaked about? We’re kind of in the middle here. (pause) Oh. (pause) Got it. I’ll fill him in.

Wes:

(watches Gunn put the phone away)

What is it? Why did she call back? She could have ruined everything.

Gunn:

That was kind of the point.

Wes:

Pardon?

Gunn:

Apparently your boy Giles told her to stop us quick or Buffy would be in serious trouble.

Wes:

And what is it she’s in now?

Gunn:

Nothing compared to what would happen if we stopped this Nefiril guy’s rap. Something about Dru and Buffy and losing her forever. I’m not the thinker here, I’m the muscle. They said we have to let this guy do his thing and hope we can find Buffy and her pals before his voice gives.

Wesley:

So we just leave him here?

Gunn:

Yeah, we have to find Buffy. Giles said we bring her back and he’ll fill us in.

Wes:

If it was anyone but Giles, I would have to argue, but I will take him at his word. Let’s get Dawn and Connor and find her.

Gunn:

It’s been a while now, you don’t suppose something happened do you?

Wesley:

If it had we would have known about it by now.

Lilah:

I’m sorry Wes. I guess you didn’t get the memo. Maybe it was due to your switching sides…again.

Gunn and Wesley turn to see Lilah holding a gun to Dawn’s head.

Gunn:

Whoa.

Wes:

Where’s Connor?

Dawn:

(crying)

He’s dead. She killed him. (swallows tears down) She shot him right in front of me.

Gunn:

What?

Lilah:

He told me I’d have to. Guess he knew what he was talking about.

Wes:

That will be your undoing Lilah. Killing Angel’s son? You saw what happened when I just let him get kidnapped.

Lilah:

Yeah, yeah yeah. I figured it would get his attention.

Dawn is still half sobbing and Lilah presses the gun farther into her temple.

Gunn:

What’s your trip? She’s just a kid!

Lilah:

Hey, I don’t want to have to kill them both. And you two hold all the cards.

Wesley:

And how is that?

Lilah:

You can go and tell them. Tell them if they want to see the girl or the boy again, they’ll come. I’ll give them 6 hours.

Gunn:

(looking at watch)

Just about sunrise. I guess that’s supposed to be irony.

Lilah:

Call it whatever you want. But if you think that I’ll be in trouble for being the aggressor, imagine what you’ll be in if you don’t get them the message in time.

Gunn:

And how do we know you wont just take her out as soon as we leave?

Dawn whimpers at the bluntness of his words.

Lilah:

I guess you don’t.

Wes:

I’m not going.

Gunn:

What?

Wes:

(staring Lilah in the eye)

I’m not leaving him here.

Gunn:

But…

Wes:

Go. Get the others. I’m not leaving this building without Connor. I’m not leaving him again. I’m responsible.

Lilah:

Isn’t this touching. Even if it is way too little, way too late.

Wes:

Gunn go.

Gunn looks at the trio for a second before heading down the hall.

Wes:

Dawn, it’s going to be okay. I swear it.

Dawn:

(sniffling)

It doesn’t feel okay.

Lilah and Wes stare one another down-Fade to Black

Cut to Alley

Sajhan:

What’s wrong with her?

Spike:

(kneeling over Buffy)

How am I supposed to know? Buffy?

Anya:

Its Dru. She’s killing her. That has to be it. The Slayer filled with that kind of energy? Not a good mix.

Sajhan:

Good point.

Buffy:

(moans and stands up pushing Spike off her)

Shut up! I’m fine.

Spike:

You’re in pain.

Buffy:

It’s nothing. Let’s go.

Anya:

Where are we going?

Buffy:

Angelus always liked emotional torture. Poetic justice. It’s about time I return the favor.

Spike:

Why can’t we just get out of here? We should get the hell out of Los Angeles and be together like we need to be.

Buffy:

(steps closer and sidles up to him)

Oh Spike. You know I want to be with you, but it won’t be any fun if he’s always hanging over our head. (flinches and closes eyes) Angel.

Her tone is different and Anya picks up on it right away.

Anya:

Buffy?

Buffy:

(puts her hands on Spikes face and looks at him pleadingly)

Help me.

Spike:

Sshh Love. I’m here.

Buffy:

(closes eyes again briefly and shakes head)

Funny things in my brain. Doesn’t feel like me. She’s trying to get me too.

Spike:

What?

Anya:

Buffy’s fighting. She’s getting stronger.

Sajhan:

Great. I joined up with a schizo. Of course. Is anybody real anymore? I mean, I may be evil but at least I stick with it. You all just lean whichever way the wind blows.

Spike:

Shut up.

Sajhan:

Ok Mr. Vampire with a chip and a soul. What’s next for you?

Anya:

Don’t do that to him!

Sajhan:

Oh yeah, wouldn’t want to upset him. Or you for that matter. Vengance demon who loves a human. Yeah, that should make you real stable for our side.

Buffy:

I know what I’m doing and nothing is going to stop me.

Sajhan:

Except maybe the mild MPD attack you just experienced.

Buffy practically growls and steps to attack Sajhan. Anya steps in front of him and takes the hit. Buffy seems surprised to see Anya fall to the side and when she doesn’t move, she watches Spike go to check on her.

Buffy:

Get up Spike! She’s not important. Get over here.

Spike:

(holding Anya’s head)

I don’t like this Buffy. It’s not you.

Buffy:

Would everybody please stop saying that? Did it ever occur to you that maybe it finally is?

Sajhan:

Then prove it.

Buffy:

I don’t have to prove anything to you.

Sajhan:

Whatever. I don’t care either way. I said I’d give you a shot before I kill them myself. But you’re running out of time. The way I figure, we’ve got one pissed vampire and who knows how many others tracking us as we speak. So if you’re so sure this is what you want, then I suggest you make it happen.

Spike:

Who made you King?

Anya:

(coming to finally)

Buffy.

Buffy:

It’s about time. You know for a demon, you really can’t take a punch very well.

Anya:

And for a Slayer you sure aren’t doing much slaying.

Spike:

Anya, don’t.

Anya:

(standing up and pushing him aside)

Would you grow a pair Spike? What is wrong with you? You have a soul now! You were leaning to the good side before you got one and now you expect me to believe you’re just going to go all bad again just cause Buffy’s with you? You don’t like this anymore than I do. What are you so afraid of?

Sajhan:

He’s afraid of what might happen to him if he doesn’t stay with her.

Spike:

Shut your sodding mouth!

Buffy:

What is he saying? Spike?

Anya:

I get it. What you said before.

Buffy:

His hunger. He changed what he hungered for.

Sajhan:

Well that’s part of it. But the more important part is the trigger.

Buffy:

Trigger?

Spike:

Shut up! (walks to take Buffy by the arms) Buffy I will do whatever I have to. Do you hear me? I’ll show you.

Sajhan:

And you think as long as she’s not with him, you’ll be safe.

Anya:

Buffy’s the trigger. You hunger for her the way you did for blood before the chip. Now you think the chip is kicking in when you feel threatened.

Sajhan:

Like whenever the brat’s father is around. You feel her slipping away every moment she’s in his presence and it makes the chip go haywire. Right?

Anya:

Is that true?

Spike:

It only happened twice. Who’s to say…?

Buffy:

You hurt for me?

Spike:

Don’t go getting all full of yourself. If you’re the trigger, then shouldn’t being with you give me the pain? I got it before when I drank, so if my hunger is for Buffy and I have her, then what’s the problem?

Anya:

It kept you from trying to drink. So if you had fed anyway then who knows?

Spike:

I did. I fed once and I lived. So…your little theory is…

Buffy:

It doesn’t matter. Whatever reason he has for being here or feeling the pain, we know what to watch for now. And we’ll know what to do when it happens.

Sajhan:

So you’re ready to get something done now?

Buffy:

I’ve been ready. So if you three are done having the heart to heart, what do you say we go kill some good guys?

She smiles and starts strutting away and Sajhan follows gleefully.

Anya:

You know this isn’t going to end well.

Spike:

It might if you would stop taunting the girl.

Anya:

Oh yeah. My taunting. That’s what the problem is.

Spike walks on after the others in a huff and Anya shakes her head sadly before continuing in his path.

Cut to Street

Angel readies for the attack and catches the first under the chin with his mallet. The second rushes past him to go after Cordelia. He tries to go after him but the third jumps on him from behind. Cordelia is fending off the blows of her attacker when headlights cross across her face distracting her. The blow sends her backwards and she vaguely hears the tires screech in her daze.

Angel hears them as well and truns to see a familiar car heading straight for him and the one he’s fighting. Before he can react, he’s hit full force. The demon and he fly through the air hitting the wall of a building twenty feet away. He’s hurt and in shock from what happened and barely registers that someone is running at him. Just as he raises his head he hears a strange battle cry and sees a hatchet come down mere feet from him and decapitate his opponent. He grunts and rolls onto his back struggling to gather his strength back and sees the hatchet appear next to him. His eyes slowly focus on the face finally visible to him.

Cut to Cordelia

She never loses consciousness and seems to be watching the action from above. The demon that had pummeled her is now on the ground being straddled by a large man choking the life out of him. When the demon brings up a knee and rolls the aggressor off him she sees it’s Xander.

Xander takes a kick to the gut and it almost breaks him. His wound tears and blood appears through his shirt again. But he gets to his feet and raises his free arm to deflect the first punch. When he sees another coming, he kicks forward and connects directly with the things knee crushing it under his boot. It drops and Xander looks down to grab the stake he had dropped. He picks it up and stabs it into the neck of the beast. A bright yellow blood matter pours out and it drops flat on its face dead. Xander stands upright and looks around.

Cordelia sees him and slowly lowers down to stand in front of him. Xander startles when she floats down.

Xander:

Cordelia!

Cordy:

It’s a new trick.

Xander:

Well if I had known you could just float your way out of trouble, I wouldn’t have bothered.

Cordy:

(smiles)

I’m glad you did.

She places a hand over his that’s covering his wound and it begins to glow.

Cut to Angel

Angel:

(Squinting eyes)

Lorne?

Lorne:

(offers hand to help Angel stand)

How you feeling?

Angel:

(rubbing head)

Like I got hit by a car.

Lorne:

(apologetically)

Sorry man. It wasn’t my idea, but we figured you could take the hit better than Cordelia.

Angel:

Cordelia!

He looks around frantically and sees her on the other side of the alley doing the glow thing to Xander.

Angel:

Is she…?

Lorne:

Yeah. Xander got himself reinjured, she’s just fixing him up.

Angel:

Oh. How did you find us?

Lorne:

Well Xander had a problem with my choice of melodies and demanded I help him find you two. Or Buffy whichever came first.

Angel:

(mumbles absentmindedly)

And Cordelia came first.

Lorne:

Um…yeah. What is it Angel?

Angel:

(back to Lorne)

Did you have to run me over with my own car Lorne?

Lorne is about to answer when his phone rings. Angel watches him answer it and Cordy and Xander walk over to join them.

Xander:

(nods to Angel)

Hows it goin?

Angel:

I’d say about 25 or 30 when it hit me.

Xander:

Oh yeah. Sorry. But its not like you were at risk of dying from it or anything.

Cordy:

Are you okay Angel?

Angel nods and goes back to watching Lorne.

Lorne:

Okay! Stop yelling at me. (pause) I got it. I don’t like it but I got it. (pause) Of course he did. No we’ve got wheels, slightly dented, but wheels nonetheless. (Pause) We’re on it!

Angel:

Who was it Lorne?

Lorne:

Did you ever hear the old saying about the messenger?

Cordy:

Lorne!

Lorne:

Fine! Fine! That was Fred. It seems there’s been a breakthrough in the Buffy situation.

Xander:

Is she back?

Lorne:

No but we have to find her with an urgency.

Angel:

We pretty much had that covered Lorne.

Lorne:

No, the guys found out the magicks Buffy has in her aren’t done yet. As a matter of fact, the Neferil demon is still chanting and keeping her under.

Cordy:

So we kill the Neferil, problem sovled.

Lorne:

No, Wes and Gunn were about to when Giles realized if anything happens to interrupt the spell, Buffy could be gone forever. He’s keeping her alive.

Xander:

So we go find her. We can do that.

Lorne:

We only have a couple hours I’m afraid.

Angel:

Why is that?

Lorne:

(steps back to put some distance between him and Angel)

Gunn just showed up at the hotel…alone.

Cordy:

Yeah?

Lorne:

Lilah has Dawn held captive at Wolfram and Hart. She’s demanded that you and Buffy show up if you want her to live.

Angel:

Where’s Connor?

Cordelia starts to have a vision.

Flash to Buffy fighting something.

Flash to Cordy glowing then above.

Flash to Angel and Buffy in each others arms.

Flash to Connor laying at their feet.

Cordy:

Connor.

Angel:

What?

Cordy:

(To Lorne)

He’s hurt.

Lorne nods grimly.

Angel:

Someone tell me what the hell is going on!

Lorne:

Angel, Gunn said that Lilah shot Connor. She claims he’s dead. And Dawn is next if you and Buffy don’t show up.

Xander:

Can you say trap?

Angel heads for the car.

Lorne:

So we’re all going to stay calm and rational right?

Angel starts the car and revs the engine as the first light of the new day peeks over the horizon. Cordy and Xander get in the car.

Lorne:

Of course not.