Final Thoughts by Cheri

Chapter 11

Power! Did you ever hear of men being asked whether other souls should have power or not? It is born in them. You may dam up the fountain of water, and make it a stagnant marsh, or you may let it run free and do its work; but you cannot say whether it shall be there; it is there. And it will act, if not openly for good, then covertly for evil; but it will act. – Olive Schreiner

Fade in Sunnydale

Summers home

Willow: The magic just has to run its course. There’s nothing I can do.

Giles: I thought you had a handle on these forces Willow.

They are seated on Buffy’s side who still lays on the couch unconscious. The others are watching from around the room.

Willow: I do! But I used his power against him. I called forth the same dark force that he came from but kept it under my control. The way it manifested itself wasn’t my choice.

Fred: So the snakes weren’t part of the spell?

Willow: (shakes head) It’s just what the evil chose. But I did control them. They took that thing away. I was just too weak. I didn’t make it until they were all gone. And I’m sorry. (looks at Buffy) Buffy, I’m so sorry.

Dawn: Giles look.

She points at the arm which seems to be getting better.

Giles: It’s subsiding.

Dawn: So why isn’t she waking up?

Gunn: (clears throat) I don’t mean to downplay this, but when are we going to get back to the matter of Angelus?

Spike: We take care of Buffy first. If you have a problem, I’m sure you won’t be missed. Los Angeles isn’t far.

Gunn: Don’t get an attitude with me. I’m just trying to keep us from getting blindsided.

Anya: Little late for that.

Xander: Can you all just stop for a minute? (everyone shuts up) Spike’s right. And damn you all for making me say that. But Buffy has to be the priority right now. Angelus…(swallows hard) He’s gonna have to wait.

Buffy begins to stir and Giles leans back to give her some air. She throws the blanket off her and begins thrashing about.

Dawn: What’s happening?

Giles: I’m not sure.

Fred: Should we hold her down? Is she going to hurt herself?

Willow: No. She’s fighting it. She has to do this.

Dawn: Fighting what?

Willow: (looks at Dawn) Whatever evil this thing sprouted from, she got a major dose of it. She’s been poisoned. The reason we can’t see it anymore is because her body absorbed it. It’s in her now.

Giles: My God.

Anya: Are you saying that Buffy’s evil now? She’s like you were last year?

Xander: No. Willow, tell me that’s…no.

Spike: Bloody ironic then isn’t it?

Fred: (confused) Ironic? How is this ironic?

Spike walks out of the room in disgust.

Fred: (looking at Gunn) How is that ironic?

He shrugs and Dawn continues.

Dawn: But it’s just temporary. You said the magic just had to run it’s course.

Giles: (stands up) Listen, there’s nothing we can do for her now. There is much to be done. Buffy is a fighter. It’s what she was born for and what she will always be. So yes Dawn, she will beat this. Anya, can you and Dawn go and get something to drink while I gather my thoughts?

Dawn: That’s the plan?

Anya: I’m thirsty. Anyone else want something?

She takes various orders and pulls Dawn with her to the kitchen.

Xander: Ok, the minor has exited, can we be grown ups now?

Gunn: You answer first.

Willow: (still watching Buffy) She’s calming. I think the worst is over.

Fred: I’m thinking that’s a bad choice of words. We need to get Wesley and the others here.

Gunn: Why is he your answer for everything?

Fred: I never said that. But he knows things.

Gunn: Right. Cause I’m too stupid to be of any help.

Fred: That’s not what I meant Charles.

Giles: (interrupting) She’s right.

Willow: (standing to join the conversation) Wesley and the others need to stay there and fight Angelus. We can’t just leave him loose in the city.

Xander: I second that. If they come here, that means Angelus will find them here. We did our fight to the death with him once already. It’s their turn. (To Fred and Gunn) No offense.

Gunn: So let’s go Fred. We’ll meet up with Wesley at the hotel.

Giles: You’ll only be wasting your time.

Xander: I’m gonna go out on a limb and say it’s their time to waste Giles. We got bigger fish to fry.

Giles: Xander, stop trying to ignore the obvious. Slayers from all over are being hunted down and massacred. By the First who was brought by the Harbingers. The same harbingers I discovered in LA at Angel’s hotel. The same ones who marked him for a Slayer’s death. Meanwhile, the First surfaced here and apparently sent a minion or went himself in search of Angel or Angelus. Not to mention the beast that Angel and the others had already fought once at almost the same time showed up here in search of Buffy. As much as you want to deny it, these things are not, no they can not be entirely unrelated. To assume anything else would get us all killed and very possibly mean the destruction of virtually every realm of existence known to man or demon.

Xander: I knew it. I knew rebuilding that school would be inviting every high school nightmare to be relived. But nooo, I got sucked in by the prestige and the big wig-gins of it all. I was all about the benjamins.

Gunn: Ok, please don’t ever say benjamins again. You’re draining the street cred right out of it.

Xander: I’ll have you know I have lots of street cred Chuck!

Gunn: No you didn’t.

Willow: What is it with you two? You bicker just like Angel and Xander did in high school.

Xander and Gunn glare at eachother.

Willow: Whatever we’re going to do, let’s just do it. Last time Angelus showed up, he was all about ending the world, if he sees what’s happening, he’s gonna be all aboard the party train. Not to mention, Buffy is in no shape to deal with Angelus right now.

Buffy: (from couch) I’m in no mood to deal with who?

 

Cut to LA

Faith and Connor are walking down a deserted street.

Faith: Not much hustle and bustle these days is there?

Connor: People are afraid. Even when they are told it’s nothing, they can sense it. They don’t want to be outside.

Faith: So what happens when we find him? Are you prepared for what you might have to do?

Connor: I tried to keep him from this. If they would have left him, if Wesley had stayed away, none of this would be happening.

Faith: Right, the Angel in the sea bit. Wes told me. Gotta give you an A for effort. Don’t think I’ve heard of something that cruel in quite some time. And it was all for nothing. He didn’t even do what you thought he did.

Connor: Yes, but now he’s free. And without the soul that kept him leashed. So who’s mistake was greater?

Faith doesn’t answer before they are jumped by two vamps.

Faith is knocked backwards by the first blow and looks at the one who kicked her.

Faith: You really didn’t want to do that.

She steps up and punches him hard in the mouth. Meanwhile Connor has one on his back, literally. He tried to swing him loose but the vamp hangs on baring his fangs. Just as he’s about to take a bite Faith sees and spins away from hers to stake him in the back. Connor stumbles forward off balance from the instant lack of weight as the dust falls.

The vamp grabs Faith by the back of the head and pulls a fistful of hair, she drops her stake in surprise.

Faith: Aargh!

Vamp: (leans in close to whisper in her ear) Now you really shouldn’t have done that.

He flips her over his shoulder and drops her painfully on the ground. He straddles her and begins choking her as she looks around for something to use as a weapon.

Vamp: Hey, I know you.

He stops choking her and Connor appears ready to strike.

Faith: Wait!

Connor stops and the vamp jumps up and away from both of them. Faith stands next to Connor.

Faith: How do you know me?

Vamp: Sunnydale? Mayor? Ascension? Come on, I was like one of the Bosses first go to guys!

Faith: Right. I kind of missed the climax of that one.

Vamp: Yeah, damn shame what the Slayer did to you. And whew was the mayor fit to be tied. Trying to kill one of her own to save that Angel dude, a vampire. Man talk about issues.

Connor: What?

Faith: (puts a hand out to shush him) So where’ve you been since?

Vamp: Oh you know, after the whole blowing up of the boss, I figured I’d better lay low. So I headed east. Always wanted to see the Atlantic you know. But as not a fan of fire or sun or heat as I am, those winters back there are not for the weak willed. (chuckles) They don’t put that in the brochures now do they. So I figured, where’s the best place for warm weather and still close enough to the hellmouth to be in the know. Los Angeles! So what about you? How’d you get out of that coma she put you in?

Faith: (shrugs) What can I say, I was all rested up. So hows the being in the know thing working out for you?

Vamp: Oh dude! Did you hear, we’ve got like the major heading this way. It’ll make the Mayor look like Ghandi.

Connor: What do you know?

Vamp: (looking at Connor) You. There’s something about you. You smell funny.

Faith: (trying to distract him) Can we focus?

Vamp: Oh, okay. Anyway, it seems there’s a pure one here. I’m talking 100% vampire. No human blood tainting him. He’s like the First.

Faith: And why is he here?

Vamp: He’s not here technically. Although I guess he could be. I’ve only heard urban legends about this dude. He’s supposed to be like impervious to the usual vamp weaknesses. Crosses, holy water, stakes, they don’t kill this guy. Maybe not even the sun.

Connor: That’s impossible. No such creature exists.

Vamp: (frowning) What is it with you? (thinks) Wait, I’ve heard of you. You’re him.

Connor: Who?

Vamp: Oh man, now I know it’s all about to go down. It’s all linked!

Connor: What are you talking about? You don’t know me.

Vamp: I gotta go. (looks at Faith) You might want to get away from this one. He’s not right.

Faith: Yeah. You could have a point there.

She starts to turn away and then grabs the stake from Connor’s hand. She is too quick for him and buries it in the vamps chest. She pulls the stake free as he dusts out and taps the tip of it with her finger.

Faith: Oops. Guess that was my point. Let’s go.

Connor: Where are we going?

Faith: To stop him Kid. To save the world. (she takes off leaving Connor no choice but to follow her and mumbles to herself) I’ve been waiting a long time to say that.

She smiles as she walks off screen.

 

Cut to Hyperion

Wesley: We have other things to concentrate on Cordelia.

Cordy: Really? Cause Angelus loose in LA? I’m pretty occupied over here.

Lorne: Color me occupado as well. I know you guys told me that Angel without a soul was bad, but that. (points to door) What just walked out of here. That was downright spook worthy.

Cordy: Which is why we should all be out looking for him.

Wesley: Faith and Connor are the most capable of finding him and handling him when they do. I’m more interested in finding out why that obviously powerful vampire was afraid of you Cordelia. It only makes sense that it has something to do with higher being status.

Cordy: But I’m not. They sent me back here.

Wesley: No think about it. Maybe you are exactly what They made you. Maybe you getting your memory back is the problem.

Lorne: Have you been sneaking sips of my Seabreeze?

Wesley: Listen, you were taken to fulfill a destiny chosen for you by the Powers That Be. What sense would it make to do so if it weren’t for a need for you?

Cordy: I don’t get it. I just sat up there. I watched and I sat. I did nothing for the Powers.

Wesley: No, not then. But what if They knew what was coming? They knew that a higher being would be needed in our world to help fight an evil that had been dormant for so long, that all champions or warriors in our dimension would be ill prepared to face. What if They took your memory because They knew that that evil would be joined by the one person that could test your perseverance?

Cordy: You lost me.

Wesley: If the Powers knew that Angelus would somehow surface in the midst of fighting this evil, They would want you to be willing to do your part to extinguish the First, or the Beast or even Angelus without hesitation. Because it is what Higher Beings do.

Cordelia: So They took my memory. So I wouldn’t remember Angel or my feelings for him.

Lorne: I’m sensing blame. Am I about to get blamed for screwing up the Powers plan with my little memory potion? Cause I think I’ve suffered enough what with the beatings and the head scooping and the tying to the chair. (looks skyward) Okay? Let’s just call it even Fellas okay?

Wesley: What I don’t understand is why you wouldn’t even remember your purpose. Why would They erase that as well? That’s what I don’t understand. But we all saw the effect you had on it. It was afraid of you. Or at least bothered enough to stay away from you. I would assume you are part of the solution.

Cordy: So how can I help if I’m not out there going after him? Both of them?

Lorne: Angel kept saying that we could use his weakness against him. He said that our chance would be when he got caught up in the torture of it.

Wesley: Yes, Angelus had a weakness. His passion and bloodlust combined to form a vengeful, sadistic animal that couldn’t enjoy a simple kill. He had to see the pain of what he’s done in the victim’s eyes. He enjoyed it.

Lorne: So agreeing to this plan was clearly not the right choice.

Cordy: I thought I could do it. I thought I knew what buttons to push. But I wasn’t even close.

Wesley: What are you saying?

Cordy: I wasn’t a challenge. It was too easy. Connor and Faith aren’t gonna find him out there.

Lorne: (ducks and looks around) Why? Is he back here?

Wesley: I was right all along.

Cordy: He said he’d heard it before. Said I wasn’t worth it.

Wesley: This isn’t Angel Cordelia. You have to remember that.

Cordy: I wasn’t supposed to. That’s the point right Wes? If I didn’t I would have been able to see where he was going long before now.

Lorne: Does this conversation come with cliff notes?

Cordelia: We have to find them and go.

Wesley: I’ll make the call.

Cordelia goes upstairs as Wes heads for his office.

Lorne: (looking back and forth) Call who? Go where?

Wesley: (without looking at him) Sunnydale.

Lorne watches them both leave the room and swallows against the knot in his throat. He takes another big gulp of his drink.

Lorne: Sure. Let’s all go pay our respects to the Hellmouth. Why not? Who’dve thought I’d ever long for the days when I was safely miserable and a total outcast in Pylea?

He downs the rest of his drink.

 

Cut to Sunnydale

The group is still just staring at Buffy.

Buffy: (stands slowly rubbing her arm) Someone answer me.

Willow: Buffy, you need to be careful. You’ve had some very powerful dark magic injected into you. Your body isn’t set up to accept it.

Buffy: Who said anything about accepting? I feel like I just got hit by a mack truck and part of me wants to rip all your heads off, so I’ll ask one more time. Why were you talking about Angelus?

Xander: Buffy, he’s back. Something’s happened in LA and Wesley called and said he’s there. Angel lost his soul and now Angelus is free.

Giles: Could you be more insensitive Xander?

Gunn: He’s just telling it like it is.

Willow: You pick now to take his side?

Fred: I’m sorry Buffy. It’s what Wes sent me here to tell you. I tried but we kept getting interrupted.

Buffy: You mean Angelus has been back since you came here?

Fred: No! They were still talking about it when I left. Wes wasn’t sure if it was even possible but Angel said it was the only way.

Gunn: It was a whole debate thing.

Buffy: Wait. (she falters slightly and Willow goes to support her) Are you saying that Angel chose to lose his soul? That he wanted to become Angelus again?

Fred: He didn’t want to, but he knew that the Beast was something too powerful for us.

Buffy: So he couldn’t have called for reinforcements?

Giles: I tried to warn them.

Buffy: You knew about this too! My God, what is wrong with you people? You do remember Angelus right?

Xander: (raises hand) I do.

A knock on the door and they look at eachother.

Giles: I’m expecting someone. I’ll get it.

The group goes back to talking but is interrupted when Giles comes flying from the foyer. He lands at Buffy’s feet and she looks down in shock as he tries to straighten his glasses. She looks up slowly and sees his familiar stance.

Angelus: (smirks) Hi honey, I’m home.