Into every generation, there are Chosen Ones. A Slayer will stand against the vampires, the demons, and the forces of darkness. With each Slayer comes a Guardian. They are protectors of the innocent.
Same Night - Day One
Night - Spike's Warehouse
The Judge was kneeling in a corner facing a bunch of storage racks.
Spike wheeled into view, stopping about 20 feet from him, pushing himself a few feet closer, turning around. "I'm not happy. Wyatt's friends are still alive. They know where we are. They know about the Judge. We should be vacating."
Drusilla walked up to him, taking his hand. "Nonsense. They'll not disturb us here. They're too smart to face the Judge again."
Bianca glanced over her shoulder toward Judge. "What's Big Blue up to anyway? He just sits there."
"I am preparing," Judge told them.
Bianca rolled her eyes. "Yeah. It's interesting to me that 'preparing' looks a great bit like sitting on your ass." She walked closer, facing him. "When do we destroy the world already?"
"My strength grows and with every life I take, it will increase further," Judge explained.
"So let's take some," Bianca told him. "I'm bored."
Drusilla moaned in pain.
Spike looked at her. "Dru?"
Drusilla fell to the floor, beginning to cry. "Angel."
Spike rolled closer in concern. "Dru? What is it? Dru." The camera panned around to Dru's face. "Darling, do you see something?"
Drusilla's crying gave way to an evil smile.
∞
Street
In the pouring rain, Zoey and Layla were making their way to safety after facing off with Judge and many vampires, stopping when they felt the same thing that Drusilla felt, having to pause, groaning in pain, but they didn't know what was happening or what it meant, confused because their fellow family gypsies hadn't been completely honest with them and hadn't told them everything.
∞
Angel's Apartment
Carmen stirred in bed, reaching over for Angel, opening her eyes, suddenly wide awake when she didn't find him there, looking around, sitting up in bed. "Angel?"
∞
Outside
Angel fell to the pavement, propping himself up on his hands. "Carmen." He couldn't hold himself up, falling to the ground, frightened. "Oh, no."
A hooker standing in a doorway saw him, slowly walking over to him. "Hey. You okay?" She leaned down to check on him. "You want me to call 911?"
Angel suddenly stood. When he didn't have his soul he was Angelus. "No. The pain is gone."
"You sure?" the hooker asked.
"Yeah," Angelus answered, spinning around, game face on, grabbing the hooker, violently biting her on the neck to feed, dropping her dead body, tilting his head up, blowing out the smoke he had just inhaled through her neck from her lungs. "I feel just fine."
∞ Slayers and Guardians ∞
Day Two
Morning - Summers House - Kitchen
After the long night before, Buffy, Brooke and Brady were returning home, sneaking, keeping an eye out for their mother.
∞
Foyer
Buffy, Brooke and Brady were standing by the stairs, stomping rather loudly to trick Joyce into thinking they were just coming from upstairs after waking up.
They heard Joyce's voice. "Morning."
Joyce walked into the room.
"Morning," Buffy told her.
"So, did you have fun last night?" Joyce asked.
"Fun?" Brooke repeated.
"At Zoey's birthday," Joyce answered.
Brooke nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, fun at Zoey's party. You know, she's a fun machine."
"You hungry?" Joyce asked.
"No," Buffy answered. "Uh, no, we're, uh, just gonna take showers. I'll go first."
"Well, in the meantime, Brady and I'll eat," Brooke told her. "Just until we get to shower. Thanks, Mom."
Joyce smiled. "Well, if you hurry, I'll run you to school."
"Thanks," Brady told her.
Joyce crossed her arms, looking at them curiously. "Is something wrong?"
Brady shook his head. "No."
"No, we're fine," Brooke told her.
"What would be wrong?" Buffy asked.
Joyce looked at them. "I don't know. You just look..."
Joyce shook her head, smiling, walking into the dining room. The siblings sighed in relief, exchanging a look.
∞
Sunnydale High School - Library
Willow, Eric, Xander, Giles, Cordelia and Jenny were waiting for news on the others. Xander and Eric walked in.
Xander sighed. "Well, the bus depot was a total washout. And may I say what a lovely place to spend the night. What a vibrant cross-section of Americana."
Jenny and Willow, standing, looked at him, concerned. Cordelia was sitting at the table, worried.
"No vampires transporting boxes?" Giles asked.
"No, but a four-hundred-pound wino offered to wash my hair," Eric told them. He looked at everyone. "What's up? Where're Buffy, Brooke, Brady, Alice, Zoey, Carmen and Wyatt?"
"They never checked in," Willow told them.
"If the bus depot is as empty as the... docks and the airport..." Giles trailed off.
"Do you think this Judge guy's already been assembled?" Willow asked.
"Yes," Giles answered.
"Then they could be..." Eric trailed off worriedly. "Okay, we gotta find them. Um, we gotta go to that place, that, uh, that factory."
"That's where they're hold up, right?" Xander asked. "Let's go."
"And do what?" Cordelia asked. "Besides be afraid and die."
"Well, nobody's asking you to go, Cordelia," Xander told her. "If the vampires need grooming tips we'll give you a call."
"Cordelia has a point," Giles told them. "Now, i-i-if they were, were... harmed, then we don't stand to fare much better."
"Yeah?" Eric asked. "Well, those of us who were born with feelings are gonna do something about this."
"Eric," Jenny chastised.
Willow slid off the counter. "No, Xander and Eric are right. My God, you people are all... well, I'm upset and I can't think of a mean word right now, but that's what you are. And we're going to the factory."
"Yeah," Xander agreed.
Giles, Xander, Eric and Willow turned to leave, seeing Buffy, Wyatt, Brooke, Brady, Alice, Zoey, Layla and and Carmen walk in.
Giles sighed in relief. "Alice. Layla. Zoey."
Cordelia stood, walking closer. "Carmen. Zoey. And yeah, I'm even relieved about Buffy, Brooke, Brady, Alice, Layla and Wyatt being okay."
"We were just to rescue you," Willow told them, throwing a glance toward Cordelia and Jenny. "Well, some of us were."
"Well, I-I would have," Cordelia told them.
Jenny sighed in relief, walking over to embrace her sister and niece. "Zoey. Layla." They pulled away. "Where's Angel?"
"He didn't check in with you guys?" Wyatt asked.
"No," Cordelia answered. "What happened?"
"The Judge, i-is he..." Giles trailed off.
"No assembly required," Wyatt answered. "He's active. And... damn it. He nearly killed us. We barely got out. Bloody hell."
"Why didn't you call?" Eric asked. "We thought..."
"Well, we had to hide," Zoey answered. "Uh, we got stuck in the tunnels. And with the hiding, we just split up. Uh, no one's heard from him?"
"I'm sure he'll come by," Alice told them.
Layla frowned. "Yeah. I'm... I'm sure you're right."
"What?" Alice asked. "Zoey? Layla? What's wrong?"
"We were both hit with a vision last night," Layla answered. "It was more like a wave of power. It nearly knocked us off our feet. It was dark."
"But it was about Angel," Zoey told them. "We didn't know what it meant. But..."
Jenny looked at them, already having her suspicions.
"But the Judge," Alice told them. "We must stop him."
"I know," Buffy told them.
"What can you tell us?" Xander asked.
"Not much," Brooke answered. "We came close to touching us."
"It was like this sudden fever," Brady explained. "If he'd got his hands on us..."
"In time, he won't have to," Wyatt told them. "The stronger he gets, he'll be able to reduce us to charcoal with a look."
"Also, not the prettiest man in town," Buffy told them.
"We better continue researching," Alice told them. "Must look for a weak spot."
"The rest of us should get to our classes," Willow told them.
"I should head off to work," Layla told them.
"Yeah, I better go, too," Jenny told them.
"Yeah," Brady told them, clearly trying to calm down from the night before. "Yeah. Yeah."
"What else happened?" Giles asked, noticing Brady's behavior.
"Bianca nearly killed Alice," Zoey answered. "In front of all of us. Before Judge guy almost killed us."
Giles looked at Alice worriedly, stepping closer. "Alice..."
"I'm okay," Alice told him.
"The way Bianca did it?" Buffy asked. "It was almost exactly like Zoey's vision. But Alice outsmarted Bianca."
"Yeah," Brooke agreed. "Alice turned her blood to like acid. It burned Bianca badly before she could actually kill her."
"It was genius," Wyatt agreed.
"It was a close call," Layla told them.
"Well, we'll all okay now," Willow told them.
The students started to leave for class.
"Guys, wait up," Xander told them.
Jenny stopped on the way out, looking at Layla. "I'll, uh,go on the Net and search for anything on the Judge."
Layla nodded. "Thank you."
Zoey looked at Giles and Wyatt. "After classes, we'll come back and help you research."
Cordelia walked past Zoey. "Yeah, you might find something useful if it's in an 'I Can Read' book."
Zoey rolled her eyes, leaving the library.
∞
Hallway
The girls were walking together.
"You don't think Angel would have gone after the Judge himself, do you?" Buffy asked.
"No, he'd know better than that," Carmen answered. "Maybe he just needed... I don't know. I just, I wish he'd contact me. I need to talk to him."
They started up the stairs to began the classes of the day. Jenny looked around the corner, watching them go up.
∞
Spike's Warehouse
Drusilla was laid out on her back on the big table, looking up at the ceiling.
Spike wheeled himself around to her. "Are we feeling better, then?"
Drusilla sighed. "I'm naming all the stars."
"You can't see the stars," Bianca told her. "That's the ceiling. Also, it's day."
"I can see them," Drusilla told them. "But I've named them all the same name." She tilted her head. "And there's terrible confusion."
"Did you see any further?" Spike asked. "Do you know what happens to Angel?"
Angelus appeared at a side door, clearing his throat. "Well, he moves to New York and tries to fulfill that Broadway dream. It's tough sledding, but one day he's working in the chorus when the big star twists her ankle."
Bianca looked at him curiously. "You don't give up, do you?"
Angelus slowly walked over. "As long as there's injustice in the world, as long as scum like you is walking..." He nodded to Spike's wheelchair. "Or rolling the streets, I'll around." Spike rolled his eyes. "Look over your shoulder. I'll be there."
Bianca looked behind him, smiling. "Uh, yeah. Angel, um... look over your shoulder." Angelus turned around. The Judge put his hand on his chest. "Hurts, doesn't it?"
Angelus looked at them. "Well, you know, it kinda itches a little."
Spike looked at Judge. "Don't just stand there. Burn him."
"Gee, maybe he's broken," Angelus told them sarcastically.
"What the hell is going on?" Bianca asked.
"This one cannot be burnt," Judge answered. "He is clean."
Judge removed his hand.
"Clean?" Spike repeated. "You mean, he's..."
"There's no humanity in him," Judge answered, turning to walk away.
Angelus turned to face them. "I couldn't have said it better myself."
Drusilla smiled in realization. "Angel."
Angelus smirked. "Yeah, baby, I'm back."
∞∞
Spike looked at Angelus in shock. "Is it really true?"
"It's really true," Angelus answered, laughing, walking around the table.
Drusilla followed him with her gaze. "You've come home."
"No more of this 'I've got a soul' crap?" Bianca asked.
'What can I say, hmm?" Angelus asked, striking a match on the table. "I was going through a phase."
Angelus lit a cigarette.
Spike laughed. "This is great. This is so great."
Drusilla walked on the table, waving her arms. "Everything in my head is singing." Bianca laughed. "We're family again."
Angelus helped Dru off the table.
Bianca smiled. "We'll feed. Grr. And we'll play."
Spike looked at Angelus. "I've got to tell you, it made me sick to my stomach seeing you being that witch's lap dog."
Angelus growled, grabbing Spike by the shirt, kissing him on the forehead, stepping back. Spike busted up laughing. The others joined in.
"How did this happen?" Drusilla asked.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Angelus told them.
"Oh, who cares?" Bianca asked. "What matters is now he's back. Now it's one more against them. Which are the kind of odds I like to play." She leaned over to whisper. "Psst. We're going to destroy the world. Want to come?"
Angelus played with his cigarette. "Yeah, destroying the world, great. I'm really more interested in that witch."
"Well, she's in the world," Bianca told him. "So that should work out."
"Give me tonight, hmm?" Angelus asked.
"What do you mean?" Spike asked.
"Lay low for a night," Angelus answered. "I guarantee you by the time you go public, they won't be anything resembling a threat."
Spike looked from Bianca to Angelus. "You two really got a yen out for Brady and Carmen, don't you?"
"Hey, Bianca, speaking of, if you really wanna hurt Alice to get Brady to turn him mad and over to our side like Spike's trying to do to Wyatt, like what we did to Dru, I'll show you how it's done," Angelus told her. "I've done it a lot to know how to teach you."
Bianca smiled. "Okay."
Drusilla smiled. "See? We're all getting along."
∞
Sunnydale High School - Library
They were back in the library to research. Cordelia walked by the counter looking through a book. Zoey was lying on top of the counter, also studying a book. Giles was in his office reading through yet another book.
Buffy was on the phone with Carmen. "Okay, no, no, he didn't, but I'm sure he'll... Well, Carmen, he probably has some plan, and he's trying to protect you. Well, I-I don't know what, I'm not in on the plan, it's his plan. No, don't even say that, Angel is not dead."
"Say 'hi' for me," Eric told her.
Zoey took the phone from Buffy to talk to Carmen, still laying down. "Yeah, of course we'll be here. Just relax until we hear from him. Okay, bye."
Zoey hung up.
Brooke looked at Eric. "'Say 'hi' for me'? Really, Eric?"
"What's the word?" Brady asked.
"She's checked every place she can think of," Alice answered. "She's even beat up Willy the snitch a couple of times. Angel's vanished."
Giles was standing in his doorway. "But he does do that on occasion, no?"
"Oh, yeah," Layla answered. "But we're extra wigged this time. Because of my dreams. Zoey's dreams."
"God," Eric told them. "What if something really happened to him?"
"Is she gonna join us here?" Giles asked.
"Yeah," Wyatt answered. "She's just stopping at home first."
Brooke flipped her book shut. "Nada."
∞
Stacks
Xander found Cordelia on his way to return his book to its place on the shelves. "Did you find anything?"
"This book mentions the Judge, but nothing useful," Cordelia answered. "Big, scary, no weapon forged can stop him, took an army to take him down. Blah, blah, blah."
Xander sighed worriedly. "We need some insight, a weak spot."
"Well, we're not gonna find it here," Cordelia told him.
They reshelved their books.
"Sorry I snapped at you before," Xander told her.
"Well, I'm reeling from that new experience," Cordelia told him sarcastically.
"I was crazed," Xander admitted. "I wasn't thinking."
"I know," Cordelia told him. "You were too busy rushing off to die for your beloved friends. And I would have gone if I knew that Carmen was still out there, but I thought she was dead. You'd never die for me."
"No, I might die from you," Xander told her. "Does that get me any points?"
"No," Cordelia answered.
Xander sighed. "Come on, can't we just kiss and make up?"
"I don't wanna make up," Cordelia told him. Xander started to go, but she stopped him. "But I'm okay with the other part."
They smiled, starting to kiss. Cordelia giggled and smiled. They pulled away. Willow was standing behind them, looking completely confused and upset.
Xander was worried. "Willow, uh..."
Willow ran out of the library in tears. Zoey, Buffy, Brooke and Alice were confused and concerned about their friend.
"Willow?" Brooke asked.
Eric started to go after his sister. "Will. Willow!"
Xander pointed at him. "I've got it, Eric, stay here."
Xander followed Willow out into the hall. Completely confused, the others turned to Cordelia.
"What did you say to her?" Brady asked.
"Why do you immediately assume it was me?" Cordelia asked.
They gave her a look. Cordelia exhaled.
"You do realize once we find Willow that she'll tell us everything anyway, right?" Wyatt asked.
"Fine," Cordelia told them. "She caught Xander and me kissing in the stacks."
Brady raised his eyebrows. "You and Xander? Xander and you. Just like Zoey's dream."
They realized why it bothered Willow so much. "Oh, God."
∞
Hallway
Willow ran down the hall.
Xander followed her. "Willow, come on."
Willow stopped to confront him, shaking her finger. "I knew it, I knew it. Well, not knew it in the sense of having the slightest idea, but I knew there was something I didn't know. You two were fighting way too much. It's not natural."
Xander sighed in regret. "I know it's weird."
"Weird?" Willow repeated, disgusted. "It's against all laws of God and man. It's Cordelia, remember? The 'We Hate Cordelia' club, of which you are the treasurer."
"Look, I was gonna tell you," Xander told her.
"Gee, what stopped you?" Willow asked sarcastically. "Could it be shame?"
"All right, let's overreact, shall we?" Xander asked. "Willow, we were just kissing, and it doesn't mean that much."
Willow had tears in her eyes. "No, it just means that you'd rather be with someone you hate than be with me."
Willow ran from the hall, leaving Xander standing there to consider her words.
∞
Angel's Apartment
Carmen opened the door, walking in, closing it behind her, walking over to the bed, seeing it had been made and one of his shirts was laid out on it, walking over to the bed, reaching for the shirt. Behind her, Angelus stepped over to a statue, picking up a necklace hanging from it, putting it on.
Carmen turned, seeing him, looking at him in complete relief. "Angel."
Angelus nodded. "Hey, hey."
They hugged, kissed.
"Oh, my God, I was so worried," Carmen told him.
Angelus smirked. "I didn't mean to frighten you."
"Where did you go?" Carmen asked.
"Been around," Angelus answered.
Carmen sighed. "Oh, my God, I was freaking out. You just disappeared."
Angelus went to get his shirt from the bed. "What, I took off."
Carmen turned to face him, confused. "But you didn't say anything. You just left."
Angelus pulled on his shirt. "Yeah, like I really wanted to stick around after that. You got a lot to learn about men, kiddo, although I guess you proved that last night."
Carmen frowned. "What are you saying?"
"Let's not make an issue out of it, okay?" Angelus asked, grabbing his coat, pulling it on. "In fact, let's not talk about it at all. It happened."
"I--I don't understand," Carmen admitted. "Was it me, was I not good?"
Angelus was amused by the fact that she wasn't hurt by what he was saying, but more confused. "You were great, really, I thought you were a pro. Lighten up. It was a good time. It doesn't mean like we have to make a big deal like bells ringing, fireworks, a dulcet choir of pretty little birdies." He laughed. Carmen was getting annoyed, a little hurt. "Come on, Carmen, it's not like I've never been there before."
Angelus reached his hand up to her cheek.
Carmen stepped back. "Don't."
Angelus shook his finger at her. "You're handling it better than I thought you would."
Angelus started to go.
Carmen turned after him. "Angel." Angelus stopped, facing her. Carmen was confused why he was acting like this because it wasn't the Angel she knew. "I love you."
Angelus nodded coolly. "Love you, too. I'll call you."
Angelus walked out, closing the door. Carmen could only watch him go, extremely confused, upset.
∞
Hotel Room
Enyos was lecturing Jenny. "You know what it is, this thing vengeance?"
"Uncle, I have served you," Jenny told him. "I have been faithful. I need to know--"
Enyos stood. "To the modern man, vengeance is a verb, an idea, payback, one thing for another like commerce. Not with us. Vengeance is a living thing. It passes through generations. It commands. It kills."
"You told me to watch Angel," Jenny told him. "You told me to keep him from Carmen. I tried, but there are other factors. There are terrible things happening here that we cannot control."
"Ones like you and I, we control nothing, Jenny," Enyos told her. "Ones like Zoey and Layla, they have true power that most of us don't have. Zoey and Layla are the special ones. You and I merely play our parts."
"Angel could be of help to us," Jenny told him. "I mean, he may be the only chance we have to stop the Judge."
"It is too late for that," Enyos told her.
"Why?" Jenny asked.
"The curse," Enyos answered. "Angel is meant to suffer, not to live as human. One moment of true happiness, of contentment, one moment where the soul that we restored no longer plagues his thoughts, and that soul is taken from him."
Jenny realized. "Then if somehow, if--if it's happened, then Angelus is back. That's what Zoey and Layla sensed last night, that he lost his soul, but they didn't know it."
Enyos nodded. "I hoped to stop it, but I realize now it was arranged to be so."
"Carmen loves him," Jenny told him.
"And now she or one of the others will have to kill him," Enyos told her. "Zoey and Layla might have to."
Jenny stood incredulously. "Unless he kills them first. Uncle, this is insanity. People are going to die."
"Yes," Enyos agreed. "It is not justice we serve. It is vengeance."
Jenny shook her head angrily, pulling on her coat. "You are a fool. We're all fools. Zoey and Layla fight for justice. They need to know the truth. If they do, we have a shot at saving everyone."
Jenny left. Enyos watched her go, shaking his head.
∞
Night - Sunnydale High School - Hallway
Brady, Buffy, Wyatt, Brooke, Alice, Zoey and Eric found Willow. "Willow."
"Hey," Alice told her. "Where'd you go?"
"Home," Willow answered.
"Are you okay?" Brooke asked. Willow shook her head, tears in her eyes. The girls wrapped their arms around her. "Hey, it's okay. It's okay."
"No, it's not," Willow told them.
"I'm glad you came back," Wyatt told her. "We can't do this without you."
"I don't understand it, I don't wanna understand it, he has gross emotional problems, and things are not okay between us," Willow told them, pulling back. "But what's happening right now is more important than that."
"Okay," Wyatt told her, nodding.
"But that doesn't effect our friendship," Willow told them. "So, what about the Judge? Where do we stand?"
"On a pile of really boring books that say exactly the same thing," Brady answered. "No weapon forged. It took an army."
"Yeah," Alice agreed. "Where's an army when you need one?" Eric smiled in realization. "What? Eric?"
"Whoa," Eric said. "Whoa!"
"Eric, what?" Brady asked.
Eric smiled. "I... I think I'm having a thought. Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's a thought. Now I'm having a plan."
The lights suddenly went out.
"Now I'm having a wiggins," Buffy told them.
"What's going on?" Brooke asked.
"Let's get to the library," Wyatt told them.
Angelus appeared behind them, face hidden in the dark. "Guys."
They looked at him.
"Angel?" Wyatt asked.
"Thank God you're okay," Buffy told him. "Did you see Carmen?"
"Yeah," Angelus answered. "What's up with the lights?"
"I don't know," Zoey told them. "Listen, Eric has an idea."
"Which Eric still hasn't told us," Brooke said.
"Forget about that now," Angelus told them. "I--I got something to show you."
"Show us?" Buffy repeated.
"Yeah," Angelus answered. "Buffy, Brooke, Zoey, Wyatt, go get Layla, Xander, Cordelia and Giles. Brady, Alice, Eric and Willow can hear it first."
"Okay," Brooke told them.
The four of them left to get Giles, Layla, Cordelia and Xander from the library, leaving Alice, Willow, Brady and Eric with Angelus.
"What do you want us to do?" Brady asked.
"What is it?" Alice asked.
Bianca appeared in the hallway behind Brady and Alice, grabbing Alice from behind, smiling. "It's amazing."
Brady, Willow and Eric turned to face her in surprise and alarm, being careful with Bianca holding Alice in a restraint.
∞
Other Hall
Zoey, Buffy, Brooke and Wyatt had gotten almost to the library.
Zoey slowed to a stop, sensing that something was wrong with Angel, not knowing how she could tell the difference between him and Angelus. "Wait."
Brooke looked at her in confusion. "Zoey?"
Wyatt turned to her. "What?"
∞
Other Hallway
Bianca held a knife to Alice's throat to keep her from fighting back.
Brady slowly stepped closer cautiously. "Bianca, let her go."
"I don't think so," Bianca told him. "Alice did a cool trick with her blood burning me like acid last time, Brady. Did she do that this time?"
Brady walked closer, but Angelus grabbed Brady from behind in a restraint so he couldn't help, vamped out.
Jenny arrived, holding a cross toward them. "Get away from them."
"You're in over your head if you think you can tell us what to do," Bianca told her. "You're from a gypsy bloodline but you're powerless. What do you think you're gonna do?"
Buffy, Brooke, Wyatt and Zoey ran closer, seeing this.
"Don't do that!" Buffy told them.
"Oh, I think we do that," Bianca told them.
"Angel..." Brooke trailed off.
"He's not Angel anymore," Jenny told them, holding up her cross. "Are you?"
"Wrong," Angelus told her, tightening his grip on Brady. "I am Angel, at last."
"Oh, my God," Alice told them.
Bianca grabbed Alice more tightly. "God doesn't have much to do with it, Alice. And even if I can't kill you tonight. Or the day after that. Or the day after that. Or the day after that. I'll get my chance soon. Angel's giving me a few pointers on how to destroy you and Brady. Like he did to Dru. Like what Spike and Dru almost did to Wyatt. With Judge on our side too? Things are not looking good for you. How do you feel about that, Brady? And Angel's got a message for Carmen."
Carmen appeared behind them. "Why don't you give it to me yourself?"
Angelus turned around with Brady to face her. "Well, it's not really the kind of message you tell. It sort of involves finding the bodies of all your friends."
Angelus tightened his grip on Brady even more.
"This can't be you," Carmen told him.
"Gee, we already covered that subject," Angelus told her.
"Angel, there must be some part of you inside that still remembers who you are," Carmen told him.
"Dream on, schoolgirl," Bianca told her. "Your boyfriend is dead. You're all gonna join him."
"Leave Brady and Alice alone and deal with me," Carmen told them.
"Oh, but it's not all about you," Bianca told her, gripping Alice's throat. "And seeing Brady fight back, seeing the fear on his face? When he knows that I can kill Alice if I ever got the chance? Really a turn-on." Bianca nearly bit Alice on the neck. Wyatt created a sphere of magical energy to throw Bianca off of Alice to the ground. Zoey held up a finger to wrap purple power around Angelus's throat, dangling him over the ground, so that he would have to let Brady go. Brady and Alice fell to the floor. Brooke threw bursts of Guardian energy to Angelus and Bianca, making them fall. Bianca grabbed Brady, smiling. "Things are about to get very interesting."
Bianca kissed Brady, standing, pushing him into Alice, making her fall before Alice could use her power against Bianca. Alice and Brooke used their power to throw Angelus and Bianca toward the exits, about to kill them if they had to. Angelus looked at Carmen, smirking, winking, as they were thrown out of the school. Carmen was in shock, just looking at the door.
"Carmen, you okay?" Zoey asked. "Carmen."
∞∞
Library
Everyone was in the library, going over what had just happened.
"And we're absolutely certain that, that Angel has reverted to his former self?" Giles asked.
"Yeah, uh, we're all certain," Layla told him. "Anyone not feeling certain here?"
"Giles, you wouldn't have believed him," Buffy told him. "He was so... He came here with Bianca to kill us."
"What are we gonna do?" Cordelia asked.
"I'm leaning towards blind panic myself," Giles told them.
"Rupert, don't talk like that," Layla told him. "The kids."
"I'm sorry," Giles told them. "It's just that things are bad enough with Spike, Drusilla, Bianca and the Judge here. Angel crossing over to the other side... I-I-I wasn't prepared for that."
"None of us were," Layla told them.
"Alice, are you all right?" Giles asked.
"I'm fine, Dad," Alice answered. "Bianca didn't get the chance to hurt me again."
Carmen was looking down sadly. The other girls stood, walking closer.
"Are you okay?" Brooke asked. Carmen shook her head. "Is there anything we can do?"
Carmen shook her head. "I should've known, when I saw him at the house, he was different, because the things he said..."
"What things?" Brady asked.
"It's private," Carmen told them.
"But you didn't know he had turned bad," Wyatt told her. "That's what Zoey and Layla must have sensed in their dreams." He looked at Jenny. "How did you know?"
Jenny looked at Wyatt. "What?"
"Well, you knew," Eric told her. "You showed up with a cross telling Angel and Bianca to get away from us."
"But I thought you didn't have any powers," Alice told her. "I thought yours were taking away because you hurt someone without meaning to."
"Yeah, they were," Jenny answered. "But I saw Angel's face, knowing that he must have been working with Bianca."
"If only we knew how it happened," Giles told them.
Brady sat on the table. "What do you mean?"
"Well, something set it off," Giles told them. "Some, some, uh, event must've triggered his transformation. Well, if anyone would know, Carmen, it-it should be you."
"I don't," Carmen told them.
"Well, did anything happen last night that, that might..." Giles trailed off.
"Giles, please, I can't," Carmen told him, running away.
"Carmen, I'm sorry, but we can't afford to..." Giles trailed off. "Carmen!"
Zoey watched Carmen run out of the library worriedly. "Giles, shut up."
"This is great," Cordelia told them sarcastically. "There's an unkillable demon in town, Angel's joined his team, Brady's ex Bianca is a basket case looking to kill Alice. I'd say we've hit bottom."
"I have a plan," Eric told them. "I don't know what's up with Angel or what to do about Bianca, but I think I may have a way to deal with this Judge guy."
"What do we do?" Brooke asked.
"This is a job for me and Xander," Eric told them.
"Oh, no, here is a lower place," Cordelia told them sarcastically. "No offense to you, Eric."
Eric ignored her. "Xander, you remember everything from Halloween when you were the army guy and I was the commando guy."
Xander nodded. "Yeah, so?" Eric raised his eyebrows, waiting for him to get it. Xander clicked his tongue in realization. "Oh, okay."
Eric nodded.
"What?" Buffy asked.
"Explain here in a bit," Xander told them. "Eric, if you're thinking about what I think you're thinking about, then we might need Buffy and Cordelia on this one, and we may need wheels."
"Well, my car is--" Brooke started.
"It might have to be bigger," Eric told her.
"No problem," Zoey told them. "I'll get Oz. He has a van."
"Good," Wyatt told them. "Okay."
"Care to let me and Cordelia in on the plan we're a part of?" Buffy asked.
Xander and Eric answered together. "No."
"Why not?" Buffy asked, standing up with her hands on her hips.
"Because if we tell, then Cordelia won't do it," Xander answered.
"Fine," Brooke told them. "We'll meet and Willow and Eric's in half and hour."
Zoey looked at Cordelia. "And wear something trashy..." She looked at her outfit. "...er."
Xander, Eric and Buffy walked away. Cordelia gave Zoey a look, following.
"I'm not sure what we should do about Carmen," Brady admitted. "Assuming Spike, Bianca, Angel and Drusilla don't attack tonight I think we should just let her be."
"I agree," Alice told them.
"I-I-I can imagine what she's going through," Giles told them.
Layla shook her head sadly. "No. I don't think you can."
∞
Spike's Warehouse
Drusilla was holding Miss Edith. Spike was sitting in his wheelchair, looking at Bianca and Angelus.
Bianca smiled excitedly, spinning around. "You should've seen their faces. It was priceless." She hopped up on a conveyor platform, sitting down. "I'll never forget it."
"So you didn't kill them, then," Spike told them.
"Of course not," Angelus answered.
Spike sighed. "Now, I know you haven't been in the game for a while, mate, but we still do kill people. Sort of our raison d'etre, you know."
"I almost killed Alice again," Bianca told him happily. "But of course Wyatt had to stop me."
Spike sighed. "Of course. Little brother Wyatt's always killing our buzz."
Drusilla looked at Angelus. "But you don't want to kill your girl, do you?" She poked Miss Edith's eyes. "You want to hurt her." She looked up, smiling. "Just like you hurt me."
"Nobody knows me like you do, Dru," Angelus told her.
"They'd better not get in our way," Spike told them.
"Don't worry about it," Angelus told him.
"I do," Spike replied.
Angelus slammed his hand on a crate, pushing it along the rollers. "Spike, my boy, you really don't get it, do you?" He chuckled. "You tried to kill Wyatt's friends, mostly Brooke, to make him mad, but you couldn't. Look at you. You're a wreck. They're stronger than any good guy we've faced, even stronger when they're together. Force won't get it done. You gotta work from the inside."
Bianca stood up on the conveyor, walking along it like a tightrope, hopping down to sit down on the platform. "To kill them? You have to love them."
Angelus smiled, as if proud, nodding. Bianca gave an evil smile.
∞
Chase Mansion - Carmen's Room
Carmen walked in, gently closing the door behind her, sniffling, taking off her coat, seeing her cross/infinity necklace around her neck, holding it, which sparkled in the light, letting it go. She looked at the ring on her hand. Both were given to her by Angel. She pulled the ring off, starting to cry, walking toward her bed, laying down, clutching the ring and necklace, curling up on her bed, eventually falling asleep.
∞
Francis House - Zoey's Room
Zoey was laying in her bed, sleeping without her necklace, meaning she could have another psychic dream which she did have.
∞
Zoey's Dream
Day - Cemetery
Zoey appeared to a funeral, looking around, seeing all of her friends and Layla attending to the funeral.
Angel appeared in the dream. "You have to know what to see."
Zoey looked at him in confusion, looking around, looking at the grave, seeing that it was for Jenny, looking around in alarm. Even though the grave was for Jenny, Jenny was standing next to the coffin, lifting a black veil from her face. Angelus appeared behind Jenny, looking at Zoey, smirking, vamping out, snapping Jenny's neck to kill her.
∞
Reality
Day Three
Morning - Francis House - Zoey's Room
Zoey woke with a start, realizing that her dream was telling her that Jenny had more to do with this than she realized.
∞
Sunnydale High School - Computer Class
Zoey and Layla walked into the room. Giles followed them in confusion. The Scoobies were in the class.
"Zoey?" Alice asked. "Layla?"
Layla looked at Jenny. "What do you know?" She looked at the other students, knowing they couldn't be there. "You're all dismissed." Everyone left except for the ones that knew the truth. Layla looked at her sister. "Did you know this was gonna happen?"
"I didn't know exactly," Jenny answered. "I was told... Oh, God. They told me to keep Carmen and Angel apart. They never told me what would happen. They didn't want me to tell you either."
"Jenny," Layla told her.
"I'm sorry, Layla," Jenny told her, looking from her sister to Zoey. "Angel was supposed to pay for what he did to our people."
"And Carmen?" Zoey asked. "What was she supposed to pay for?"
"I didn't know what would happen until after," Jenny told them. "I swear I would've told you."
"So it was me," Carmen told them. "I did it."
"I think so," Jenny answered. "I mean, if you..."
"I don't understand," Brady told them.
"The curse," Jenny answered. "If Angel achieved true happiness, even just a moment of... he would lose his soul."
Giles frowned, looking at Carmen. "How do you know you were responsible for..."
Carmen gave them a look, lowering her gaze.
Brady realized. "Oh."
They all looked down.
"If there is anything that--" Jenny started.
"Curse him again," Wyatt told them.
"No, I can't," Jenny told them. "I don't have that kind of power. I mean, those magics are long lost even to our people."
"Our people did it once," Layla told her. "It might not be too late to save him."
Jenny shook her head in sadness. "It can't be done. I can't help you."
"Then take us to someone who can," Wyatt told her. "You guys said that your uncle Enyos arrived to town. Take us to him."
"Zoey, Buffy, Eric, Xander, you go with your plan with Oz and Cordelia," Giles told them. "Brooke, Brady, Alice, Wyatt, Carmen, Willow, Layla, Jenny and I go see Enyos. We might be able to get answers about Angel and Bianca."
Zoey wasn't sure about this. Jenny and Layla nodded reassuringly.
∞
Night - Hotel Room
Enyos was sitting down, smoking on his pipe, hearing the door open, thinking it was Zoey, Layla and Jenny. "Zoey, Layla, I knew she would bring you. I suppose you want answers."
"Not really," Angelus answered. Enyos was horrified, standing, facing him. "But thanks for the offer."
∞
Army Base
The camera panned from a high vantage point over a group of soldiers standing at attention.
A sergeant was leading them. "Right face, hu! Double time, hu!" They marched off. "Left, left, left, left..."
The camera came down behind the barbed wire fence, panning over behind a supply building as Oz's van pulled up. Zoey and Oz were in the front seats. Buffy, Eric, Xander and Cordelia were in the back.
"Wait here," Buffy told them. "When you guys see that window open, get out the ladder, come up, we'll pass you the package, okay?"
"Okay," Oz answered.
"Be careful," Zoey told them.
Buffy and Eric opened the side doors and got out. Xander and Cordelia followed them. They walked up to the fence, squeezing through.
"The security here really is a joke," Eric told them. "We should, uh, report it."
"Who are we supposed to be again?" Cordelia asked.
"You're supposed to be girls," Xander answered. "Think you can handle it?"
Buffy gave Xander a look. Cordelia slapped him on the arm. They snuck along the side of the building, looking out from behind some crates. The coast looked clear, so they continued past a truck. A group of soldiers could be heard quickly marching by. They peeked out from behind the truck, and the way still looked clear, so they continued on toward a door.
A soldier on guard duty stopped them. "Halt!" Xander and Eric raised their arms. "Identify yourselves right the hell now."
"Uh, Private Harris and Rosenberg with the, uh, 33rd," Xander told him.
"33rd are on maneuvers," the soldier told them.
Eric nodded. "Right, we're on leave."
"You always spend your leave snooping around the armory, pals?" the soldier asked, nodding to Buffy and Cordelia. "And who are they?"
"Hi," Cordelia told him. "We're not soldiers. Right?"
"Look, they--they just want to give us a tour," Buffy told him. "Uh, you know what we're saying?"
The soldier narrowed his eyes. "The tour."
"Well, you know the ladies," Xander told him. "They liked to see the big guns. Gets them all hot and bothered. Can you give us some slack, gimme a blind eye?"
"And why should I?" the soldier asked.
"Well, if you do, we won't tell Colonel Newsome that your boots ain't regulation," Eric answered. "Your post wasn't covered." He grabbed his M-16, giving it back to him properly. "And you hold your gun like a sissy girl."
The soldier took the rifle. "You got 20 minutes, nimrod."
Xander smiled. "We just need 5."
"Forget he said that last part," Eric told him.
The soldier checked his watch.
∞
Armory
The four walked in.
"That was badass," Buffy told them.
"Okay, what was that?" Cordelia asked. "And who are you?"
"Well, like Eric and I were saying earlier, we remember everything from turning into a soldier and commando earlier just like Zoey remembers how to be a ninja," Xander answered.
Eric nodded in agreement. "I know procedure, ordnance, access codes, everything. I know the whole layout for this base, and I'm pretty sure I can put together an M-16 in 57 seconds."
Buffy smiled. "Well, I'm impressed. But let's just find the thing and get out of here."
Buffy and Eric went one way to look for it while Xander and Cordelia went another.
Cordelia hopped onto a crate to sit. "So, does looking at guns really make girls wanna have sex? That's scary."
Xander shrugged. "Yeah, I guess."
"Well, does looking at guns make you wanna have sex?" Cordelia asked.
"I'm 17, looking at linoleum makes me wanna have sex," Xander told her.
Cordelia just looked at him.
∞
Van
Zoey and Oz were still waiting in the van.
"I wish they'd hurry," Zoey told him.
"So, do you guys steal weapons from the Army a lot?" Oz asked.
"Well, we don't have cable, so we have to make our own fun," Zoey told him sarcastically.
Oz pretended not to notice the sarcasm, nodding. "I get you."
Zoey nodded. "Mm-hmm."
There was a moment of silence.
Oz looked at Zoey. "I really hope you don't take this the wrong way, but you kind of intimidate me."
Zoey raised her eyebrows in slight surprise and amusement, smiling. "I intimidate you?"
"Yeah, you intimidate me," Oz answered.
"Why do I intimidate you?" Zoey asked.
"Well, you're intimidating," Oz told her. "You're a badass gypsy warrior who magically gained fighting knowledge after being turned into a ninja on Halloween, and you fight vampires and demons."
"I haven't fought a demon on my own yet, unless you count the demonic souls in vampires," Zoey told him.
"Oh, that makes me feel so much better," Oz told her sarcastically. Zoey smiled. "But your humor, your personality... You know what you want or what you don't want, and you're not afraid of anything. You're cool and easy-going but intimidating at the same time. But it's the good kind of intimidating. It's not like scary intimidating. It's like nervous intimidating. I like it." Zoey laughed silently. "You and your mother Layla have these powers, but you wear those necklaces that block your powers. Why?"
"Because with gypsy powers come with empathy," Zoey answered. "It means you can feel everyone else's emotions around you all the time. And with how many people we're around, what we do by fighting evil, it gets so overwhelming that all these feelings that we're feeling can drive us insane."
Oz was stunned but understanding about this, nodding, thinking for a moment. "Sometimes when I'm sitting in class... You know, I'm not thinking about class, 'cause that would never happen. I think about kissing you. And it's like everything stops. It's like, it's like freeze frame. Zoey kissage." Oz nodded and smiled to himself. Zoey smiled. "See, in my fantasy when I'm kissing you, you're kissing me." They heard the window open. "We're up."
Oz got out. Zoey watched him go, smiling, still amused and confused, but she liked it.
∞
Hotel Room
Brooke, Alice, Carmen, Willow, Brady, Wyatt, Giles, Layla and Jenny arrived to the hotel room, seeing Enyos laying dead on the bed, covered in blood. Layla and Jenny were horrified to see their uncle like this, running closer to him, in denial. They saw a message written on he wall in blood: HAPPY BIRTHDAY ZOEY
"Oh, my God," Layla told them.
Jenny and Layla had to look away.
Giles pulled Layla to him so she didn't have to see her uncle like that. "Layla..."
"I'm so sorry," Willow told them.
Brooke frowned. "I guess it's a good thing you didn't want Zoey to come here."
"Yeah," Brady agreed.
Alice sighed, shaking her head. "Zoey shouldn't have to see this. Layla, I am so sorry."
Buffy, Eric, Xander, Cordelia, Zoey and Oz arrived, walking in.
"Guys?" Buffy asked. "Hey."
Layla turned to stop Zoey from seeing. "Zoey, no."
"What?" Zoey asked, walking closer, stopping when she saw Enyos dead, covered in blood, seeing the bloody birthday message on the wall, horrified, putting her hand over her mouth, breathing heavily.
"Who is that?" Oz asked.
"Jenny and Layla's uncle," Giles answered. "Zoey's great uncle."
Carmen felt incredible guilt and shame to see this happen to Zoey, pained by her pain and shock. "Zoey, Layla... I'm so sorry." She pulled Zoey away from the sight, as Zoey had tears in her eyes, and the two best friends tried to comfort each other. "I know you weren't super close with him. But he was training you ever since you found out about what you are."
"He was your family," Wyatt agreed. "Layla? Zoey? Jenny? I'm sorry."
"He's doing this deliberately," Alice told them. "To Carmen. All her friends. Starting with her best friend. He's trying to make it harder for us."
"He's only making it easier," Brooke told them. "We know what we have to do."
"What?" Layla asked.
Carmen hated the thought of killing Angel but knew they had to stop him somehow, especially after he already killed someone close to Zoey and Layla. "Kill him."
∞∞
Spike's Warehouse
Bianca and Angelus walked down the metal spiral staircase.
The Judge slowly walked toward Spike. "I am ready."
"About time," Spike told him. Drusilla sat on his lap, kissing him. Judge walked off in disgust. "Have fun."
Bianca leaned closer to speak in his ear. "Too bad you can't come with, huh? We'll be thinking of you."
"I won't be in this chair forever," Spike told them. Angelus took Drusilla and Bianca by the hands, leading them out with Judge. "What happens if Wyatt and friends show up?"
Angelus smirked. "I'm gonna give Carmen a kiss."
"And Mr. Judge here can help me take down Alice and Brooke," Bianca told them. "Maybe even Buffy, Zoey and Layla. Not just because of Brady." She looked at Judge. "Don't you look spiffy?"
"Spiffy?" Judge repeated.
Drusilla smiled. Spike was left behind all by himself.
∞
Sunnydale High School - Library
The Scoobies were all here. Zoey, Layla and Jenny were still in shock because of Enyos being dead, tears in their eyes. Eric and Xander set a long crate on his desk.
"Happy Birthday, Zoey," Eric told her sadly. "Hope you like the color."
Zoey looked down at the box. Wyatt magically opened the box.
"We go to the factory first," Brooke told them. "But they might not be there."
"They're on the offensive," Brady told them. "We need to figure out where they'd go."
"Agreed," Giles told them.
They looked at the anti-tank rocket launcher in the box.
"This is good," Willow told them.
Jenny stood, walking closer. "Do you, uh... is there something I can do?"
"In my dreams and Zoey's, you are killed by either Drusilla or Angel," Layla told her. "They're both going to be there with Bianca and the Judge. You don't have power like we do. You go home."
"Layla, Zoey, I just want to help," Jenny told them.
"You can't," Brooke told her. "Go home."
Jenny turned around, walking away.
Eric stepped up to Zoey and the box. "Do you want me to show you how to use it?"
Zoey nodded. "Yes, I do."
∞
Spike's Warehouse
Everyone came here to see it was deserted.
Carmen walked up to the table. "We knew it."
Giles looked up and around. "We haven't a bead on where they would go?"
Alice exhaled. "I don't know. Uh... somewhere crowded, I guess. I mean, the Judge needs bodies, right?"
"The Bronze?" Willow asked.
"It's closed tonight," Carmen told her.
"There's not a lot of choices in Sunnydale," Wyatt told them. "It's not like people are gonna line up to get massacred."
"Uh, guys?" Brooke asked. "If I were gonna line up, I know where I'd go."
∞
Sunnydale Mall
The camera panned across a line of people at a refreshment stand in the middle of the mall. It panned over the top to show a double door at the end of the mall on a landing midway between floors. The area between the shops was crowded with people. The stairs led up from both sides to the landing. Customers were going up and down between the floors. The camera followed a woman up one side and over to the doors. She continued out of view up the next flight. The doors opened. Bianca, Angelus, Drusilla, their vampires and Judge walked in. The vampires closed the doors behind them. A man was coming up the stairs. Judge reached out with his hand, and an arc of energy emanated from it to the man. The man froze, a look of surprise on his face, and he quickly began to combust, disappearing in a puff of flame and smoke.
"Lock the exits, boys," Bianca told them. The vampires hurried down the stairs to do as told. Bianca looked at Judge. "It's all yours."
The Judge smiled.
∞
Elsewhere
The elevator doors opened. Buffy, Brooke, Alice, Zoey, Carmen, Wyatt and Layla walked out. Brady, Eric, Xander and Giles followed, carrying the crate on their shoulders. Willow, Oz and Cordelia followed them.
"Everybody keep back," Brady told them. "We'll take the vampires."
"And you?" Brooke asked. "Damage control only."
"We'll handle the Smurf," Buffy told them.
Judge took a couple of steps down the stairs. A customer squeezed by Angelus, heading down the stairs branching to the left. A young couple came up on the right. The Judge extended his arms, and his energy arched out to and through them, through everyone in the area. They all froze where they stood. Judge smiled widely. Angelus, Bianca and Drusilla were enjoying the show.
Drusilla bounced with glee. "Oh, goody."
Suddenly a crossbow bolt hit the Judge in the chest and broke his concentration. The arcs of energy disappeared, and the people were all dazed.
The Judge grabbed at the bolt and pulled it from his chest. "Who dares?"
Angelus, Bianca and Drusilla looked over at the refreshment stand. Xander, Eric, Willow, Oz, Giles and Cordelia were standing on the floor. Wyatt, Brooke, Buffy, Brady, Alice, Zoey, Layla and Carmen stood on the stand above them, opening the box.
Eric held the crossbow. "Think I got his attention."
"You're a fool," the Judge told him. "No weapon forged can stop me."
"That was them," Eric told him. "This is now."
Brooke handed the rocket launcher to Zoey. "After what happened to your great-uncle, you get the honors, Zo. You too, if you want, Layla."
Zoey and Layla raised the rocket launcher, powering it on, levitating it magically in front of them, aiming at Angelus, Bianca, Drusilla and the Judge. Angelus, Bianca and Drusilla exchanged a look. Layla set the sights and opened the trigger guard. The rest of the team took cover behind the snack counter. Angelus, Bianca and Drusilla began to run. Zoey and Layla took aim. The Judge just looked at them. Angelus, Bianca and Drusilla leaped over the stair railing.
"What's that do?" the Judge asked.
Zoey pulled the trigger and the rocket shot straight into the Judge's chest as Angelus, Bianca and Drusilla flew over the railing. The Judge disappeared in an explosion of flame and smoke. The people in the mall screamed and started to panic and run. Angelus, Bianca and Drusilla hit the floor below. Bits of charred Judge fell all around them. Zoey and Layla looked up from the rocket launcher's sights and looked over at them in satisfaction. Angelus and Bianca got up and ran off. Drusilla freaked out and ran the other way. The team looked over the counter at what was left of the Judge. The smoke cloud from the explosion billowed its way up to the ceiling.
"Best present ever," Zoey told them.
"Eric, Xander and I knew you'd like it, Zo," Buffy told her.
"Do you think he's dead?" Willow asked.
"We can't be sure," Wyatt told them. "Pick up the pieces. Keep them separate."
They all started over to collect what was left of the Judge.
"Pieces?" Cordelia repeated. "We get the pieces. Our job sucks."
Carmen saw Angelus and jumped down, running after him.
Parts of the Judge lied everywhere and were still burning.
The smoke reached the sprinklers on the ceiling and they turned on everywhere, causing it to rain down on everyone and make everyone soaked.
∞
Hallway
Carmen ran into the hallway, looking around.
Angelus suddenly came at her, hitting her from behind, making her fall. "You know what the worst part was, huh? Pretending that I loved you. If I'd known how easily you'd give it up, I wouldn't have even bothered."
Carmen stood, glaring. "That doesn't work anymore. You're not Angel."
Angelus smiled evilly. "You'd like to think that, wouldn't you? It doesn't matter. The important thing is you made me the man I am today."
Carmen levitated herself up to flip through the air and kick Angelus in the chest, sending him flying into the wall, landing on the floor soundly, raising her hands, freezing Angelus with her power so he couldn't move, taking out her stake, walking closer, but she couldn't finish it.
∞
Elsewhere
Brady and Alice were getting soaked from the sprinklers, looking around. Bianca swung down from the ceiling to kick them both in the back of the heads, making them fall. They rolled over to face her.
"I know that there's no way I'm gonna get what I want tonight," Bianca told them mockingly, tilting her head. "But there's always a way to get it later on. Angel's gonna help me. How're you gonna feel about your friend helping me ruin your lives?"
Brady stood. "I was actually hoping that there might be a way to help you, Bianca. Like there was for Angel before. But if we can't find a way to save Angel? We can't find a way to save you."
Bianca smiled. "Oh, it means a lot that you were even thinking that, Brady. But I'm not your girl that needs to be saved. Alice is. What do you think, Alice? You think you can beat me in a fair fight without your Guardian powers?"
Alice stood. "Guardians are trained with hand to hand fighting, too. I don't need my powers in a fight. So let's find out."
Alice kicked Bianca in the face. Bianca blocked her next swing, punching Alice in the face and the gut, grabbing her, swinging her around to throw her into Brady, making them both fall, kicking them both while they were down.
∞
Elsewhere
Willow leaned down to pick up a piece of the Judge's armor. She was been soaked to the skin by the sprinklers.
Oz had found an actual body part. "Uh..." He pointed at it. "Arm."
∞
Elsewhere
Five more vampires were trying to get away. Wyatt raised and twisted his hand to close all exits, trapping the vampires, throwing a sphere of fire and energy to burn them alive.
Zoey and Layla formed purple magical whips to wrap around five vampire necks each, rubbing their fingers together to use it to decapitate them.
Brooke threw a burst of her Guardian energy into ten vampire's chests to throw them against the wall, making them fall, using her power to take them apart until they turned to dust.
Buffy was fighting hand to hand, able to stake two vampires, killing them.
∞
Elsewhere
Bianca grabbed Alice by her arm, flipping her to the ground. Alice rolled to her feet, coming at Bianca, trying to punch her. Bianca blocked, punching her in the face, following up with a backhand punch, kicking her back into Brady.
Bianca smiled. "Not quitting on me already, are you? Come on, Brady. You know you want to save me. But Alice wants to kill me. Don't you, Alice? But you won't because of Brady. Quite the problem you have. Huh? You guys want to save Angel. You want to save me. But how are you gonna do that?" Brady kicked Bianca in the face, making her arch back and snap forward, kneeing her in the chin, delivering a series of punches to Bianca's gut, ending with a punch to her face. Bianca lunged at them. Alice grabbed Bianca's arm, diverting her into a display case, making her crash through the glass. Bianca stood instantly, breaking the top pane and frame of the case as well. Alice kicked Bianca in the face and chest, making her stagger back into a potted tree. Bianca backed away, smirking, whistling out. "Boys!"
At Bianca's call, the few vampires remaining (ten) ran closer to provide distraction, trying to attack Alice and Brady. Alice held out her hands to throw Guardian energy into them, trapping them, distracting them enough so Brady could stake and kill five, and Alice could use her power to kill the other five. They turned to look behind them to see Bianca was already gone, sighing heavily.
∞
Elsewhere
Carmen stood in front of Angelus with the stake in her hand.
Angelus unfroze, seeing the stake, knowing, smirking mockingly. "You can't do it. You can't kill me."
Carmen's anger took over as she kicked Angelus extremely hard in the crotch. Angelus grabbed his groin, moaning in extreme pain, falling to his knees.
Carmen turned her back to him, walking away. "Give me time."
Angelus was on all fours, unable to follow her.
∞
Sunnydale High School - Library
The Scoobies were talking.
"It's not over," Layla told them. "I suppose you all know that. They'll continue to come after us."
"Brady, Alice and Carmen particularly," Giles agreed. "With Spike being out of commission? Wyatt and Brooke are safer than you are, given Bianca and Angel. Ironically."
Wyatt sighed. "One of the times I'm glad that Spike is paralyzed so he can't come after Brooke to try to make me go crazy anymore."
"They strike out at the things that make them feel the most human," Willow told them. "Spike strikes out at Wyatt because he's his brother. Bianca strikes out at Brady and Alice because of jealousy and because of Ford being dead. Angel strikes out at Carmen because they loved each other."
Carmen couldn't look up. "You must be so disappointed in me."
"No," Giles answered. "No, we're not."
"But this is all my fault," Carmen told them.
Layla shook her head. "No. I don't believe it is."
"Do you want me to wag my finger at you and tell you that you acted rashly?" Giles asked. "You did. And I can."
"I loved him," Carmen told them.
"We know, Carmen," Buffy told her. "And he has proven more than once that he loved him."
"Carmen..." Brooke trailed off, sighing heavily. "You couldn't have known what would happen."
"The coming months are gonna be hard," Wyatt told them. "On all of us."
"If it's guilt you're looking for, Carmen?" Zoey asked. "We're not your guys."
"All you will get from us is our support, Carmen," Alice told her. "And our respect."
Carmen managed a small smile, tears in her eyes.
"So, Angel and Bianca," Brady told them. "What are we gonna do about them?"
"If we can't save them, we're gonna have to kill them," Xander answered.
"You didn't have to say it like that," Eric told him. "But he's not wrong, for once, about Angel and Bianca."
"Thanks, Eric," Xander told him, half-sarcastic.
Layla looked down. "We'll figure it out. We have to."
∞
Francis House - Living Room
"Stowaway", an old black and white movie, was playing on TV, singing 'Goodnight, My Love'. Zoey was sitting on the couch, watching the TV numbly. Layla walked closer with cupcakes, one with a candle, and a large coffee mug.
Jenny hesitantly walked in. "Did I miss anything?"
Layla and Zoey looked at her.
"Um, just some singing and some running around," Zoey answered, looking away.
Jenny sighed, walking closer. "Zoey, Layla, I'm sorry. I never wanted Carmen to get hurt. Or anyone else. I wanted to tell you. Uncle wouldn't let me."
"And because of him not letting you tell us the truth, Angel lost his soul, Carmen and our friends got hurt because of him and Bianca, and Uncle Enyos was killed," Layla told her.
Jenny sighed sadly, nodding. "Yes. I can't change what happened to our uncle, Layla, or Angel or Bianca. But please tell me what I can do to help now."
"The only thing that could help is finding a way to save Angel," Zoey answered. "Even Bianca. So no one else has to get hurt. I didn't know Enyos like you two did. But he was still family. He kept secrets from us but he taught us to be what we are now."
"I know," Layla told them sadly.
"Can I at least be here for my favorite niece's birthday?" Jenny asked. "I mean, I know yesterday was your birthday, but every time we turned around, something ruined it either yesterday or today."
"You can stay," Zoey answered.
"We didn't want you to go because of our dreams, Jenny," Layla told her. "They said that either Angel or Drusilla kill you, and both of them were there with Bianca and the Judge. We couldn't risk it."
Jenny sat next to them. "I know. I'm sorry we couldn't give you a real birthday, Zoey. But we're still going shopping on Saturday." Zoey and Layla looked at her. "I know your birthday was ruined. But did you have even a little bit of fun?"
Zoey shook her head. "I got older. Everything else was ruined."
"You look the same to me," Layla told her, using her power to light the candle on Zoey's cupcake. "Happy Birthday. We don't have to sing, do we?"
"No," Zoey answered.
Jenny gestured to the burning candle. "Well, go on, make a wish."
Zoey just watched the flame. "I'll just let it burn."
Jenny reached up to stroke Zoey's hair in regret and sorrow. Zoey leaned over to rest her head on Layla's shoulder, holding Jenny's hand. The family of three sat back, watching the movie, trying not to think of the death in their family or anything else that had happened during Zoey's birthday.