Connor watched his father gently place Buffy down on the bed. He had never seen this side of Angel before, it told him a lot about the man who was his father. Connor saw Faith from the corner of his eye and was surprised to see tears falling down the fierce warrior's face. He didn't know that the two Slayers were that close but he noticed the fear in her dark brown eyes.
Angelus ignored the people standing in the door while he tried to make Buffy more comfortable. The doctors told him that they didn't know what caused the high fever and there was nothing that they could do. Buffy didn't respond to the antibiotics they gave her. Powerful magic users tried with little or no effect. They did tell him that her illness was mystical. Angelus swore to kill whoever cast the spell on his mate.
"Faith, would you sit with her? I need to call and see if there is any news from a possible source." He moved across the room not waiting to see if she agreed or not.
"Sure thing, Big A. Do whatever you need to, but find something to make B better." When Angelus was next to her, Faith put a hand on his arm. "I can feel her slipping, Angel. She doesn't have much time left."
"I know." The simple response scared Faith even more.
"Dad, what can I do to help? I like Buffy; she treats me like a real person. That is important and I didn't even know it until I met her."
"That's B; she takes everyone as they are warts and all. Believe me I know how special that is and understand how you feel." Faith moved over to sit beside the bed. She saw that Buffy's eyes were open but it was getting harder for her to breath. Faith watched her sister Slayer with a heavy heart.
"Don't worry about me, F. I'll be okay. You know me, I'm hard to kill." Buffy gave her a weak smile. Her breath wheezed out while she tried to reassure her sister Slayer. "I need you to promise me something. No matter what happens, don't let anyone do anything to Angel, keep him safe for me. He's hurting and not thinking straight.."
Faith placed her fingers to Buffy's lips. "Stop right there B, like you said you are hard to kill. I promise that I will watch after Big A until you get better. He will find out what is going on and fix you. Do you want me to call Willow and the others?"
"NO!" Buffy started to cough and could barely catch her breath. "They don't need to know. I can't have them around Faith. It hurts too much when I look at them. All I see is them telling me to leave. I know that Dawnie went along, but it was all about keeping me out of the fight so that she didn't lose me again, and I understood that even though it hurt." Buffy's face flushed brighter as the fever continued to rise. She remembered the way she felt when she was the in the hospital. Buffy knew that she wasn't going to make it out of this alive and didn't want Dawn to watch her die again. Buffy's greatest fear was what her death would do to her mate to Angelus. She wasn't sure that he would be able to control himself and that the others would try to take him out.
Angelus rushed into the room to glare at Faith then knelt beside the bed to whisper to Buffy in Gaelic. "Ioniin, you have to stay calm. The doctors warned that if I couldn't keep you quiet that you had to go back to the hospital." He looked into her bright hazel eyes burning bright with the fever that he knew continued to grow higher. Her cheeks were flushed and small beads of sweat dotted her forehead. "Faith, I thought that you would watch out for her but I obviously made a mistake. Leave." He growled at the dark haired Slayer.
She looked at him shocked. He didn't even sound like Angel, he sounded like Angelus. "I wasn't trying to upset her, promise. I just thought that Willow and the others might be able to help. I'm sorry." Her shoulders slumped in misery knowing that she failed her friends.
"Faith," Buffy whispered. "It is okay, he is just over protective. Just don't forget what you promised." She turned her head into Angelus' cool hand. It felt so good on her hot cheek.
Faith slipped out of the room leaving the lovers alone. She went to find Wesley to see if there was anything she could do to help. She wasn't going to just sit by and let Buffy go without a fight. She pushed the elevator button to take her down to her lover's floor.
Angelus crawled into the bed with his mate. He pulled her small body next to him. It was a perfect fit, the two of them. He finally had her back in his life and would fight the devil himself to keep her. He sent Connor to start the others looking into whatever caused this.
Buffy snuggled into his large cool frame. "Tell me about Ireland. I always wanted to go there to see where you were born." Her voice came out in small puffs of pure heat.
He listened to her heart's uneven rhythm. Placing a hand over the organ that made her so special, Angelus started talking. He explained about the wastrel that was Liam then about becoming Angelus, he even talked about his time as Angel. The fact that he was always inside listening, even feeling her through his souled self.
Buffy drifted into sleep listening to Angelus light brogue that he allowed to come out when they were alone. She knew that she probably wouldn't wake up again. Before that happened, she told her mate what he needed to hear the most. "I always loved you, Angelus. Angel never understood that and I think that more than anything, is why he left me. I love you, now, forever and always."
Angelus quietly wept while he felt her heart start to slow down. He knew that she was dieing, but couldn't do anything to stop it. His demon roared its fury and swore vengeance on all those who caused her even a moment of pain. The different types of tortures that he would levy on the person responsible for him losing Buffy when he finally had her back in his life ran through his mind. The minutes flew by too quickly and Buffy's heart beat one last time. It sounded a death knoll in his head and heart.
He quietly moved off the bed, walking across the room and closing the door behind him. Angelus looked on his love one last time. She was so beautiful even in death. His roar caused the window to vibrate with his rage. The furniture was quickly demolished before he stalked out of his apartment. He went to the Wesley's office, a demon on a mission. Vengeance would be his, even if he had to tear this world apart to do it.
"What do you know?"
Wesley looked up to the soft whisper from his friend. He knew immediately that something was wrong with Angel, but he couldn't put his finger on it. "We were able to determine that the stone that Fred and Knox were working on opened somehow. There was a fine dust on the top stone but we haven't been able to reopen it. Buffy must have touched it when she went for the scythe. We found it on the ground. We are trying to find out who signed for it do be delivered here and should have that information shortly."
Gunn rushed into the office stopping short when he saw Angel. "I thought that you would be with Buffy. The paperwork shows that it came from Ireland. The two people whose names are on the paperwork are Knox and.." He paused not wanting to say the next name.
Angelus growled. "And who?" His eyes flashed amber causing a shiver to race down everyone's spines.
"Cordy, she signed them giving permission for it to be cleared through customs and brought here."
"Where are Knox and Cordy? I want them both in my office in no less then five minutes."
The street fighter turned lawyer nodded, heading out to follow his orders. He understood how Angel felt. If it was Fred he would do the same thing. He would be out for blood.
Angelus sat in his office behind the large desk. Gunn showed up in the allotted time and all but shoved Cordelia into the room. She turned to glare at him then moved into the room in a royal snit.
"What is this all about, Angel? Why is Gunn treating me like a criminal? Don't you think he is taking this lawyer crap too seriously?"
"Sit down and shut up, Cordelia." Her mouth gaped open but she did as he asked.
"You signed the paperwork for the artifact that is responsible for Buffy's illness. Why?"
"I didn't sign any paperwork except for that geek guy, Knox. He said that he couldn't find you so I took care of it for you. I didn't do anything that I haven't done a million times before when we ran AI." She gave him a mega-watt smile.
Angelus smiled back at her but it didn't reach his dark eyes. He looked at Gunn. "Where is Knox?"
"No one can find him. It is like he disappeared in a puff of smoke."
"See that proves that I didn't do anything wrong." Cordelia smirked. She wasn't sorry about the outcome, maybe Buffy would finally be out of her life once and for all.
As if he read her thoughts, Angelus sprung from his chair. "I want you to pack your things and get out of the building immediately."
"What! You can't do that. What about my visions from the PTBs? You need me to help find your redemption. I know that Buffy being here would be bad news."
Her tirade stopped when a loud growl erupted from the previously still vampire. Angelus leapt over the desk to grab the obnoxious bleached blonde by the throat. "I don't ever want to see your ugly face again. If I do, I won't be responsible for what I do to you. The clock is ticking, if you hope to leave here with more than the clothes on your back then I would RUN!"
He swept out of the office. The last that either Gunn or Cordelia saw of him was his bowed head when the elevator doors closed.
Two guards escorted Cordelia out of the building. The entire time she packed, they stood inside the apartment like she was going to steal something. She cussed under breathe at Buffy, Angel, and even Gunn who wouldn't listen to anything she had to say in her defense. If they would have just helped her get Angel away from Buffy, this never would have happened. It was her turn damnit. This was her town and the AI team was her Scoobies.
The guards looked at each other while they tried to tune out the irate woman beside them. They deposited her luggage beside her on the curb outside W&H.
"Where am I supposed to go? I work here, what am I supposed to do for money?"
"Mr. Angel said that you could always try an honest profession, for once, like prostitution. If you ever try to return to these premises, we should warn you that you will be arrested, immediately, and sent to an alternate universe."
"You're going to be sorry you ever crossed Queen C. I promise you that. You'll regret this day for the rest of your lives."
"We already do, Miss. Your voice screeching at us for the last half hour is punishment enough."
The two men laughed at her shocked expression as they happily turned back around to walk into the building.
Cordelia looked down at her luggage then back at the building. She didn't know where to go. Suddenly a smile bloomed across her face.
"You wait, Angel. I'll get you back. I will find a way to make you see that it's all Buffy's fault."
She picked up her luggage before slowly walking down the street not wanting to waste any money on a taxi.
Angelus stormed into Eve's apartment. His need to administer pain and torture ran high.
She brightened when he swept into the room. He was here with her, the Slayer must be dead. She would show him that they belonged together. Eve knew she could give him everything that Buffy never could. Eve's smile lit her face, while her body flooded with want and need.
He didn't say a word, just grabbed her arm, and dragged her into the bedroom behind him. Angelus pulled her to her feet, and in one move stripped the clothes off her back. His claws sliced into her skin. His nostrils flared when her arousal hit him. He couldn't believe that this creature thought he would want her after he had touched heaven with his mate.
An evil grin crossed his face as he went over to the wall and pushed a button. A large structure shot out of a hidden panel. Manacles attached to the top and bottom of a wooden 'X' structure stood ready for someone to step into it. Eve walked up to it, and placed her hands and legs into the manacles. They clicked into place to hold her body prisoner against the hard wood.
He grabbed the dresser and turned it over, smashing it as the 'treasures' spilled onto the floor. Angelus grabbed up the closest one, a silver tipped bullwhip. Flicking his wrist, with the ease of an expert, he started brutally to lash Eve's back. She screamed as an orgasm rocked her body with the first lash.
"You are pathetic, no control, no stamina. Don't do it again, unless I give you permission understood?"
The lash cracked again tearing skin almost to the bone.
"Yes, yes sir."
Angelus took out his rage over Buffy's death on Eve's body. She got more than she had bargained for, but not what she craved. Hours later, he threw a scalpel to the floor, before he walked out of the apartment. A satisfied smile graced his face. The session had taken the high edge off his rage. He wanted to have complete control when he found Knox. Days of torture flashed before his eyes, but it still wouldn't bring Buffy back to him.
Not able to bring himself to go back to their apartment, Angelus walked into the vacant one next door. He dropped his clothes on the floor before stepping into the shower. Closing his eyes, he leaned his head against the wall as blood tears fell down his face.
"Why Ioniin, why did you leave me?"
A man entered Eve's apartment. He looked around, before he moved moved into the bedroom. She was still attached to the device; her body was a mass of slashes, cuts and bites. "Who is there?"
"It's me. What happened?"
"Nothing, just get me out, put me on the bed." Eve ordered over her shoulder.
"Oh, I don't think so. You are going to tell me what happened."
"Fine, Angelus was here and he took out his grief over the Slayer on me. Now, get me down."
"I don't mean about that you stupid cunt. The seer was supposed to open the sarcophagus, not the Slayer. What did you do? You have ruined everything. She needed someone not fully human to be able to survive. Tell me what you did?" He pulled her hair back while he glared at her.
Eve laughed. "You stupid twit, did you think the Sr. Partners were going to let you bring her back? For someone so smart, you certainly are stupid. They have been watching you for years. Why do you think they hired you? I just made sure that you didn't succeed."
"You are wrong slave," a voice said from behind them.
There stood Buffy but not a Buffy anyone knew. She was dressed in some type of body armor that fit her like a second skin and in her hand was a large sword. The edges of her face and hair were marked with silver, which matched her once green eyes.
"Why do I smell my mate here in this room?" Her head cocked to the side but her expression showed no emotion.
"Mate, Illyria, mistress you have no mate. I am Knox. I am your priest. I am your servant. I am your guide in this world. I've taken your sacraments and placed them close to my heart according to the ancient ways. That's why you were called to me. We're bound together."
"You are nothing but a water holder. We used your kind as chattel and food. Do you think you are responsible for my return? My servants have been preparing this vessel for me ever since she first caught our notice many years ago. Do not speak to me again. Where is my mate, the one who gave me this mark?" Her hand touched her neck.
"Oh, you mean Mr. Angel. He isn't here but she might know where to find him." An evil smile crossed Knox face at the thought of Illyria punishing Eve.
Illyria moved to stand in front of Eve. "Why do I smell my Mate on your skin, in your blood?"
"He isn't your mate. He was the Slayers mate."
Surprisingly, Eve showed no fear of the Ancient One who stared at her with cold silver eyes.
"You dare contradict me?" She leaned forward and took a deep sniff. "Ah, so you're a houri. What causes you to have no fear of me? My army used ones such as you as toys to slake their needs. Why would my mate come to you?"
"Because, I give him what you couldn't. He can be himself with me. I bring out the dark in him and my body absorbs it willingly."
Illyria ripped Eve from the manacles, the other woman screamed from the pain coursing through her body. The silver haired god smiled as Eve's scent hit her.
"You're damaged. You find your pleasure only in the pain. I can work with this knowledge."
She started walking toward the elevator, while Knox tried to stop her. Illyria merely moved her hand freezing him in place as she continued forward. She held Eve's tortured naked body high in the air. She moved through the building following Angelus' trail. Opening the door to an empty apartment, Illyria heard the shower and continued into the bathroom. She walked into the bathroom only to stop and stare at her mate's naked body. She took a deep breath then smiled.
Angelus stepped out of the shower then froze. There stood Buffy holding up Eve's naked body.
Lorne, Wesley, Faith, Connor, and the others ran into the apartment. They were winded and gasping for air.
"Angel, are you here? Something has happened," Wesley called out, searching for the souled vampire.
Angelus walked out of the bathroom nude, followed by Buffy pointing a large sword at his back, with Eve still dangled from her other hand.
"Wow, no wonder Buffy never could forget Angel. I think that is the largest penis that I have ever seen," Anya commented with envy heavy in her voice.
Angelus grinned at her, causing Illyria to stab him shallowly in the back. "Cover yourself mate," she ordered.
"I don't have any clothes here."
"You there." She looked at Lorne. "Give my mate your colored frock."
"This is my favorite jacket," the green demon complained.
"Lorne, do as she says," Wesley hissed at his friend.
The anagogic demon removed his bright yellow jacket tossing it at Angelus. He caught it, slipping it on to cover his upper body.
"Aren't you going to cover Eve up too?" Fred asked in embarrassment.
"No, she will remain as she is. Her kind do not require clothes. They have merely to bow before any who want them for copulation."
"What kind is she?" Wesley's watcher gene kicked in, not to mention his curiosity.
"Oh, I know. She is part succubus and part..how the hell did those two ever procreate?" Anya tilted her head trying to figure out the logistics involved in the creation of this woman.
"What, what else is she?" Andrew whined, wanting to know what Anya wasn't saying.
He couldn't take his eyes off the nude woman. Eve caught his eyes and a slow smile spread across her lips.
"Why I'm part Slaugh, dear boy. Why do you think I enjoy the pain do much?"
"What is a Slaugh demon anyway? I've never heard of one before."
"They are the lowest of even their own kind. Even lower than humans."
"Hey, we're humans," Fred exclaimed.
"Yes, I know and the stink of you assaults my senses." Illyria tilted her head, looking at them with disgust.
Gunn wrapped an arm around Fred. "Hey lady, cool it. Who are you anyways? Why are you walking around in a Buffy suit?"
"That is this shell's name, not mine."
"She isn't a shell. She was my mate." Angelus roared, advancing on the thing that wore his beloved's face.
"No, I am your mate, the covenant you made was with me. My servant prepared the shellfor my arrival. It is you who brought her to my attention."
"I did not. Who's your servant? I'll kill them," Angelus continued toward Illyria. "I'll kill them."
"I'm right here, lover." There stood another Buffy smirking at him.
"I'm confused. How many Buffy's are there?" Connor looked at the two women who looked like the blonde Slayer, but obviously weren't.
"Don't you recognize me, lover? Oh, it was your other half that I visited wasn't it. Here I'll give you a hint." She morphed into Jenny Calendar. "Now do you remember?"
"The First, but Buffy killed you; the scythe and the amulet."
FE Jenny laughed. "I can't be killed. The scythe wasn't to kill me it was to prepare your Slayer for my master. Wolfram and Hart tried to stop it from occurring by sending the amulet. The fools assumed my Master would allow her return to be stopped. No, the dead one wore the amulet."
"I will deal with them as soon as I reclaim my throne," Illyria announced.
Eve laughed. "Your throne is no more and soon you'll be gone as well. My people were slaves to you for millenniums. I jumped at the chance to stop you in your tracks."
Illyria turned her head to the side as she stared at Eve. She threw her into the air and swung her sword.
"NO!" Everyone shouted at once.
Illyria waved her hand, freezing the others in place. She grabbed Angelus into her arms. "Come." She ordered the First Evil as they disappeared into a slipstream of time.
As soon as she disappeared from sight everyone unfroze and Eve's head hit the ground. "Evie," Lindsey shouted as he ran into the room.
Wesley grabbed the other man hauling him up. "What do you know about this McDonald?"
"Nothing. Eve was an old friend. She's been hanging out with some geek."
Everyone turned to look at Andrew. "Hey it wasn't me. I'm not a geek anymore. Did you see Buffy disappear? She was all vroom and pow. I wonder if she has the force."
"Shut up Andrew," Anya ordered. "Lindsey what do you know. I still have vengeance demon connections, you know. Now, spill it." Her voice was hard and everyone knew they were looking at one pissed off Anyanka.
"Darlin, I'm telling you the truth." He gave her his best southern boy smile.
"I'm not sure that I believe you. It would be a shame to destroy a penis as nice as yours. But, Buffy was my friend. She was one of the only people who never corrected me. This is your last chance before I start chanting." She was met with silence. "Da Hofryn, I call on you."
"Alright, alright, the Sr. Partners wanted Buffy out of the way for some reason. I'm guessing that they didn't want to happen what just did. Evie wanted Angel, Angel wanted Buffy. She looked up what was going on and found out that some lab rat went to Cordelia to approve an artifact for delivery. Evie decided that the Slayer would be taken out by Illyria who would be stuck in a human's body. Cordelia would be blamed, she was his target though. Seems Illyria needed someone not quiet human or she would self-destruct. I'm not sure why the Partners were worried, Slayers are still human."
"Buffy went through some major changes lately. She isn't a regular Slayer. Illyria said it was all a set up and that Buffy was chosen long ago. They kept talking about something else, what was it?" Wesley knew that the information was niggling at the back of his mind.
Andrew was slowly moving out of the room while everyone tried to figure out what was going on. Anya snagged his arm just as he turned to run. "Let me go, let me go."
"Where are you running to, you little creep?" Anya shoved him back into the room. "Gunn beat him up," she demanded.
"Hey, I don't take orders from you."
"Fine, I'll do it. You people are hopeless." She marched over and started to slap Andrew with each word that growled. "Tell..Me..What..You..Know."
"You think everyone from Sunnydale is that violent," Fred whispered.
"Anya that is enough," Wesley demanded.
"No it isn't, my friend is gone and he knows something. So, either help me beat it out of him or leave me alone." Tears fell down her cheeks even as her hand raised again to hit Andrew.
"All right, just make her quit hitting me. I bruise easily," he whined.
"Talk now!"
"Okay already. Knox is my big brother. I was helping him out with his project. I saw him meet with Eve. They she well.. Anyway, she made me a deal if I got Fred out of the labs when she told me then she would keep having sex with me."
"I knew it. That day that you were late you were off having sex. Humph., tried to tell me some stupid Vulcan story." Anya crossed her arms and glared at Andrew.
"No, I did run into Knox and we always talk in Vulcan. See I didn't lie. I just checked on Eve after Knox left her. She was banged up and well naked. I helped her to her apartment and she, uh, thanked me."
"Get on with the story, you banged demon girl and then what?" Faith growled, taking a step closer to the person that caused her to lose Buffy again.
"After Fred left the lab, I was looking around. Buffy's scythe was on this big rock thing. Knox was all excited about it. I was playing with scythe when I heard someone coming. I must have left the scythe on that rock thingy cause that is where Buffy found it. She leaned over to get it and the bug diamond glowed then she coughed and fell down so I ran off."
"You just left her there? What if you had called for help then Buffy could still be Buffy." Fred shook her head.
Wesley pulled Faith into his arms. Her body shook at the way that Buffy lost her life only to be taken over by a, well she wasn't sure what controlled her sister Slayer's body.