SquidgeWorld Archive

Angel, Gun, Spike and Illyria fought with all their might against the demons of the world. But Angel could sense something. He could smell something in the air, something so familiar to him. From the corner of his eye he saw another group on its way toward them. Who were they? Just what they needed more demons to fight.
As the group got closer he saw something that made him smile. Leading the group was Buffy. Beside her were Willow and Giles chanting. It seemed almost like Buffy came out of no where, one minute she was leading the group up the hill the next she was beside Angel.
"Since when do you have a party and not invite friends?" she said.
"It was a sort of surprise party. I wasn't sure you would want to come." Angel replied.
"And miss all the fun?" she said as she decapitated a bullhorn demon.
Buffy had brought the slayers of the world with her. Willow and Giles kept chanting protection spells as the fight went on. Also in the fight were Faith, Xander, Dawn and Andrew. It took a lot of training but Andrew finally took a good long look at himself and decided that he owed this much at least to Buffy for saving his life.
"Any idea how many there are?" she asked.
"Too many," Angel said, "we have to find Wolfram and Hart if we want to end this once and for all."
As the battle raged on, the sun started to rise. With the light of day many of the demons sort cover from the sun and ran underground. The slayers were ready to follow and bring the battle to the sewers of LA but Angel and Buffy stopped them. They had fought hard and needed much rest. Angel brought them back to the hotel. Buffy instructed the young slayers to rest because the battle had only begun.
Illyrian tended to Gun's wound. She truly wanted to continue the battle; she still felt rage over the loss of Wes. Angel told her to save it. The current battle may have been over but the war definitely was not. Much research needed to be done if they wanted to destroy the "senior partners" known as the Wolf, Ram and Hart.
Giles and Willow needed much rest. All of the chanting and magic they used really took a toll on them. Xander, Dawn and Faith started research mode. There was little they could find. Angel brought them books that were found at Wolfram and Hart. The books were very old and had to have some kind of information that would be useful. He also had the parchment with the story about the vampire with a soul becoming mortal.
"What ever made you sign this?" asked Faith.
"I had no choice; it was the only way for the black circle to believe that I was a part of them." Angel said.
"You realize that you may not become mortal?"
"Yes I do. But it was the only way."
Buffy came in, she had checked on all the slayers to make sure they were okay and settled in. "So what's the next step?" she asked.
"I think we are going to have to go back to Wolfram and Hart's office building, at least what's left of it. Maybe we'll find something, some kind of clue. I'm not finding anything here." said Xander.
"I don't think that's a good idea" said Angel.
"Then what do you suggest?" Xander said.
"For now I think you guys need to rest. The war isn't over. By the way, where's Spike?" said Angel.
They all looked at each other with puzzle looks. None of them knew where Spike could be.
Spike made his way to the local bar. He needed to drink and work out things in his head. Seeing Buffy brought much emotion to him. He had his soul returned to him for her. He laughed a silent laugh to himself; he remembered a time when all he wanted to do was kill the slayer. Now all he wanted to do was make love to her. Seeing her and Angel together did something to his insides. Angel was not good enough for her. Angel didn't want his soul; all he wanted to do was to kill and torture. Angelus was without heart or soul. Spike made the sacrifice of getting his soul back. Other vampires would destroy him; they would be able to smell the soul in him. He didn't care; he had a love for Buffy that he couldn't explain. His love was deep and true. Angel's love was only because of his soul whereas Spike's love was in spite of his soul. So he drank and drank and drank.
When he had enough he returned to the hotel to sleep it off. The gang just watched him as he climbed the stairs without a word.
"So what do you think that was all about?" asked Faith to no one in particular.
No one answered they just kept up their research. Buffy followed Spike. They needed to talk.
"Well, well, well, look at you. Slayer, come to help your honey?" said Spike.
"You're drunk." said Buffy.
"Yes I am. I just want to know why? Why did you leave and go to Europe?" Spike asked.
"I thought you were dead, or had been destroyed. What do you want from me?"
"Do you know how much I love you?"
"Spike I think you need to sleep it off."
"Sure, tell the idiot to sleep it off. I got my soul back for you. Do you know that? I went into that cave and did what I could just to get my soul. But you still love him."
"Spike..."
"No, do you realize that without a soul Angel would no sooner kill you? He doesn't know what true love is. He never did. From what Dru had told me about him, he wasn't any different from when he was a spoiled brat running the streets of Ireland getting drunk and running around with all sorts."
Spike sat down on the bed shaking his head. "He never knew true love, the kind that makes you feel like the world belongs to you. He was only concern with disgracing his father."
Buffy helped him lay down; she took his shoes off and covered him with the blanket. "Sleep Spike, we have fighting to do." She left the room closing the door behind her.
Part of her knew he was right. Without a soul Angel was Angelus. But he would kill Buffy, no instead he would kill all those she loved and maybe if he felt good he would try to turn her. He wasn't Angelus, he was Angel and he had a soul and he was able to love.
Meanwhile in the pits of what looked like hell the senior partners known as the Wolf, the Ram and the Hart were trying to come up with some plan to destroy Angel and the slayers.
"There has to be some way to get rid of them." said the Ram.
"There is, we just have to think. Think of a weakness of theirs that is in our favor." said the Wolf.
They sat and thought. Then the Hart jumped up, "I have it! We have to find a way to return Angelus. We have to find a way to undo the gypsy curse."
"But how? Angel has to experience true happiness. That's not going to happen because the slayer has no intentions of making love to him." answered the Ram
"Fool! There has to be another way, a spell maybe. If we are able to cast a spell to remove Angel's soul Angelus will be back fighting with us." shouted the Hart.
"Yes, you're right. Let's start our own research. There has to be a way." agreed the Wolf.
And so the three started their own research; they spoke to other demons, they read books and finally they found something. There in the pits of hell was an old gypsy who had turned to black magic. He had sold his soul for riches. He told the partners that he knew of a curse that would remove a soul. He made a deal, his soul would be returned to him in exchange he would place the curse on Angel and Angelus would once again walk the earth. The partners agreed. The gypsy told them what he would need; they sent their minions out for the items. In the meantime the demons were preparing for the final battle.
Back at the hotel, the Scooby gang continued their research. Finally, Dawn jumped up and shouted, "I found it!"
"What?" asked Xander.
"Look, here. We have to destroy the Hart if we want to get rid of the partners. He is the key to their power."
"But how do we do that?" asked Faith.
Meanwhile Angel was making his way through the sewers of LA, out of the sunlight, to what was left of the office building of Wolfram and Hart. He did not have a clue what waited for him.
Buffy, Giles and Willow were together at the hotel talking about Angel and Spike. Buffy told them what Spike had said about loving her and what would happen if Angel were to lose his soul.
"You know Spike's right." said Giles.
"Yeah, only this time I think Angel would torture you first then maybe kill you." said Willow. "He would make you pay for..."
"I know, I know. I guess we just have to hope that this never happens." said Buffy.
Just then Spike walked in on them. "Sorry, am I disturbing you?"
"Not at all." said Giles.
"I think the Slayer and I should make our way to Wolfram and Hart office building, see what we can find." said Spike.
"I think we should stick together. Where is Angel? Xander and Faith should continue research mode and Dawn and Andrew go out and get something to eat. Hey has anyone seen Angel?" said Willow.
"You're right, let's head out." said Buffy.
Dawn and Andrew went food shopping; Xander and Faith continued their research on the Wolf, Ram and Hart. Buffy, Spike, Giles, Willow and Illyrian started to make their way to what was left of the office building of Wolfram and Hart.
Meanwhile Angel had arrived at the office building. He made his way down the steps of the lobby. He could smell the decay. He could sense the danger; he knew what he was looking for was down here, someplace. He entered a room but all of a sudden everything went black.
Angel woke up and found himself tied to a chair. "What the..."
"Angel...we have been waiting for you." said the Hart.
"What's going on here?" said Angel. He could see a gypsy in back of the Hart. He was chanting something and Angel could feel that something was not right.
"Soon, we will have our Angelus back." said the Wolf.
Angel tried to break free of the ropes. "Don't bother. You won't be able to break these ropes. They have been enchanted. We will let you out of them when we know you are ready." said the Hart.
"How much longer?" shouted the Ram.
"Soon." said the gypsy. He returned to his chanting.
Suddenly a glow came into Angel's eyes. He screamed and shook. His head hung, he took a deep breath and looked up. He smiled and said "It's great to be back!"
"Angelus? Are you really back?" asked the Hart.
"Get these ropes off of me before I have your face for dinner." said Angelus.
The Hart motioned for the gypsy to remove Angelus' ropes. He then told the gypsy that he was free to go with his soul as promised. Angelus stood up and looked around. He knew where he was and he knew what had happened.
"So, why did you bring me back? Not that I don't appreciate it. All that good work was enough to make anyone sick." said Angelus.
"We brought you back to defeat the slayers; so that we will have hell on earth." said the Hart.
"The slayers, you mean slayer, there's more than one?" said Angelus.
"The slayer has brought all of the slayers of the world together to fight this final battle. We want you to stop them." said the Ram.
"So you want me to work for you?" asked Angelus.
"You take orders from me and only from me." said the Hart.
"I don't think so." Angelus said as he grabbed the Hart and broke his neck. He then took hold of the Wolf and fed. The Ram cowered in a corner. Angelus laughed as he walked out the building. He had some scores to settle.
Meanwhile as Buffy, Spike, Giles, Illyrian and Willow were making their way to the Wolfram and Hart building Spike fell to the ground grabbing his chest.
"Spike? Are you alright?" said Buffy. She took him into her arms. A strange glow came across his eyes. All of a sudden Spike took a deep breath. "Spike? Oh my God. Your heart is beating."
Giles went to Spike and felt a pulse. "This only means one thing. Someone has destroyed the Hart, the Wolf and the Ram"
Spike opened his eyes. He looked at Buffy, "Hey Slayer. What's that smell?"
"We're in an alley. That's garbage." said Willow.
"I do not understand. Spike lives?" said Illyrian.
"According to the legend the vampire with a soul would become mortal once the final battle was won." said Giles.
"But what does that mean for Angel?" asked Willow.
"I got a bad feeling about this. I think we better get back to the hotel." said Spike.
Angelus arrived at the hotel he saw Faith and Xander sitting at a desk reading. Xander noticed him first, but as quick as lightening he sprang on Faith and broke her neck.
"Angelus!" shouted Xander as Angelus grabbed him and fed.
"Don't worry Xander; I won't give you immortal life. I'm just really hungry." With that he dropped Xander's lifeless body. Angelus made his way to the rooms to look for the other slayers but he could find none of them. As Angelus roamed around the hotel Buffy, Giles, Willow, Spike and Illyrian came into the lobby to find Faith and Xander. Willow ran to Xander and gathered him into her arms.
"Angelus is back." said Spike. He picked up a sword. "We have to find him before he kills anyone else."
"Spike! Old friend, old buddy. Man! I can smell the humanity on you. So you were the vampire the scroll's spoke about. You are mortal. What's with the sword? You think you can kill me?" laughed Angelus.
"Angelus, long time no see. Time to answer for every vile thing you have done." said Spike as he swung the sword.
"Give it your best shot." said Angelus as he shoved Giles and Willow. Both of them were knocked out. Buffy and Illyrian took arms and were side by side with Spike.
"No!" shouted Spike, "This fight is between me and Angelus."
"We fight together." said Buffy.
"Not this fight." said Spike as he swung the sword.
"Spikey boy doesn't need a couple of girls to do his fighting. First I kill you Billy boy then I have my way with the ladies."
"Respect his wishes." said Illyrian.
Buffy stood back and the battle began. Spike fought with all his might. He may not have had the strength of the vampire but he did have the heart of a warrior. He did give Angelus a run for his money. There were moments when it seemed that Spike was getting the better of Angelus; but that was not to be. Angelus grabbed Spike and brought him to him. That was when Angelus made his kill. His sword went through Spike.
"The slayer is all mine." whispered Angelus. "First I'll have sex with her then I'll feed and make her mine."
Spike whimpered a small no. Then a hand came through Angelus' chest with his heart in hand. "What th..." said Angelus as he turned to dust.
Illyrian ripped Angelus' heart from his chest. "The evil must die!" she said.
Buffy ran to Spike and held him in her arms. "Hey slayer, see I told you he didn't have heart."
"Shh Illyrian h, don't speak, we have to get you to a hospital." said Buffy between the tears.
"Medical attention will not help him, his wounds are mortal. He will die." said Illyrian.
"Could you please call me William instead of Spike?" he said.
"William...you do have heart and soul. You have to be able to see the sun set with me." said Buffy.
"Not in this life time Slay...Buffy." he choked.
"I love you William." said Buffy as he died in her arms. She cradled him and cried. She had realized that he was her true love not Angel.
The final battle was won.