Dark are the Shadows - 09/28/2020

Dark Are the Shadows
Ms. Hunter Ash
ripperbard7@yahoo.com
frost29@post.com

pairings: Buffy/Quentin, Giles/Angelique, Willow/Tara, Xander/Anya, Barnabas/Roxanne

# # #

Dawn screamed as Doc cut her again.

“Shallow cuts.... shallow cuts...”

“Buffy! Barnabas!”

Doc whirled around to see the vampire climbing up onto the platform. Barnabas pulled his cane off his arm.

“This should be interesting,” Doc said.

Barnabas swung the cane in a back hand swing and Doc went over the edge, screaming as he fell.

“You were turned into a vampire twice because you crossed us,” a voice said.

Barnabas turned and his eyes widened. “Oberon!”

“Yes, and you seek to disrupt us yet again,” the hooded figure said. “We turned you into a vampire to punish you but now you embrace it. Very well, embrace what a vampire fears then.”

Barnabas screamed as fire flashed from Oberon's hand, hitting him in the face. He stumbled on the platform holding his face.

“Barnabas! Behind you!” Dawn yelled.

Barnabas spun and grabbed Oberon's arms. “I fear fire, you fear the day. You can only exist here for a limited time in the dark. Let's face the sunrise together!”

Dawn screamed as his foot slipped and the two figures went over the edge.

“Buffy!!!”

“I'm here,” Buffy said as she began untying Dawn's bonds.

Blood dripped onto Dawn's feet.

“It hurts,” Dawn admitted.

“I got it,” Buffy said. “You'll be okay. Come on.”

Drops of blood dripped over the edge of the platform and a small circle of light appeared half way down and it began to grow.

“Come on!”

“Buffy, it's started!”

Buffy and Dawn could see a bright light expanding as the portal opened.

They watched a huge bolt of lightning strike in Sunnydale and they could make out people fleeing in terror as buildings collapsed.

# # # #

The heroes began trying to keep their balance as the ground shook violently and lightning began striking at random.

“Xander!” Anya yelled and shoved Xander away from a wall but she was unable to avoid the collapsing bricks.

“Anya!”

Angelique grabbed Giles and pulled him away from Ben's body.

# # # #

“I'm sorry,” Dawn said and tried to run past Buffy only to be held by her sister.

“What are you doing?” Buffy demanded.

“I have to jump,” Dawn yelled. “The energy.”

“It'll kill you!” Buffy protested.

“I know,” Dawn said. “Buffy, I know about the ritual. I have to stop it.”

“No,” Buffy responded and both of them stumbled as the tower shook.

“I have to!” Dawn said. “Look at what's happening!”

The sisters looked up and watched a dragon flying out of the portal and circle the tower and then fly away.

“Buffy, you have to let me go,” Dawn begged. “Blood starts it and until the blood stops flowing, it'll never stop!”

Buffy was anguished and it showed.

“You know you have to let me,” Dawn urged. “It has to have blood.”

// 'Cause it's always got to be blood //

“Your blood is mine,” Buffy said softly. “Summers blood. Death is my gift.”

Buffy turned and looked at the portal. She was calm when she turned and looked at Dawn.

“Buffy, no!”

“Dawnie, I have to,” Buffy said. “Listen to me, there's not a lot of time.”

Spike tried to get to his feet.

Giles looked up at the tower as Angelique held him. “One of them will figure it out,” he whispered.

Buffy kissed Dawn's cheek and then ran down the platform and swan dived into the portal.

// Dawn, I love you, I will always love you. This is my work. Tell Giles I figured it out and I'm okay with it. Take care of Mom. Give my love to my friends, you have to take care of them and each other. Dawn, the hardest thing in this world is to live. Be brave. Live. For me. //

“No!” Spike screamed and tried to stand up and winced away from the sunlight.

Roxanne stumbled over to Barnabas and began pulling him towards the warehouse.

“Keep him in the sun!” Barnabas whispered. “Oberon, bind him....”

“On it,” Wesley said and grabbed Oberon and held him down and punched the Leviathan several times before dragging him to the warehouse.

Giles stood up as Angelique stayed in the shadows. He approached the figure lying very still on a pile of bricks and rocks. His hand went absently to his side.

Xander carried Anya closer and she buried her head in his shoulder as he stood in shock.

Spike began to cry softly as Dawn reached the bottom of the tower.

Angel grabbed Spike by the collar and pulled him into the warehouse.

Wesley gritted his teeth as the creature under him screamed and collapsed. He got to his feet and wrapped an arm around a sobbing Cordelia. “I have to find some rope.”

“Giles... I'll stay here with the vampires,” Wesley offered.

Giles nodded absently. “Buffy. She knew.”

# # #

Giles let Dawn help him out of the car and put an arm around her shoulders.

“Giles,” Cordelia called. “Perhaps one of us should...”

“No, it's my responsibility,” Giles said.

Everyone held back as the two approached the door.

Joyce opened the door and stepped out and it was apparent she hadn't slept at all.

“Dawn? Rupert?” she took in the blood spreading across his shirt and glanced at everyone else anxiously. “Where...?”

Dawn began crying again.

“No,” Joyce whispered.

“She saved the world, Joyce,” Giles said softly. “There was a price.”

Cordelia and Willow rushed forward and grabbed Joyce as she collapsed in tears. They helped Joyce to her feet and got her inside the mansion.

“Anyone else in shock?” Xander asked as he helped Anya out of Buffy's Jeep.

“Yeah,” Anya agreed. “Angel, Barnabas, Roxanne, Angelique and Tara are at the warehouse. There's more of us there than here.”

“Yeah,” Xander said softly. “I wonder when it'll hit. That she's gone, I mean.”

“When we go back to the warehouse tonight and have to deal with that Leviathan man and Buffy's.... you know.”

“Yeah,” Xander whispered.

# # #

“Xander.”

Xander opened his eyes and looked up at Joyce as she shook his shoulder. “Huh?”

“Dawn's cried herself to sleep,” Joyce said. “I don't want to leave her alone. Can you take Rupert to the hospital? He's broken some of the stitches.”

“Yeah, sure,” he said and looked at Anya who was asleep next to him.

He put a pillow under her head and stood up.

Joyce touched his arm. “What happened?”

“Buffy stopped Glory,” Xander said softly. “We thought we were winning but one of her followers cut Dawn and the ritual started just as Buffy rescued her. Spike and Barnabas were thrown off this really tall radio tower trying to get to her but Buffy made it. But...”

“The ritual began,” Joyce stated. “The lightning and earthquake.”

“Yeah,” Xander nodded. “I don't know how it worked but Buffy threw herself into the portal and it stopped the universes from collapsing.”

“What happened to Glory?”

“I don't know,” Xander said. “Barnabas, Roxanne and Spike were hurt. Anya is banged up pretty good. She saved my life. Let me get Giles to the hospital. We'll... I lost my phone.”

“Just come back with him when you can,” Joyce said.

“You're... taking this kinda... well,” Xander commented. “I don't think it's hit me yet.”

“I've spent the last couple of years preparing for this,” Joyce said. “You really can't prepare but I've expected it. We still have Dawn and I will probably collapse soon.”

Xander nodded. “Hey, Giles, come on. Let's get you checked out.”

“Hmmm, all right,” Giles mumbled and let Xander help him out of the house.

Joyce sighed and felt tears stinging her eyes. “Buffy, I know I should be proud of you but I just want you back.”

# # # #

“Are you okay, Giles?” Xander asked as Giles accepted papers and a bottle of pain meds from the nurse as Xander helped the older man get into his shirt.

“Not even close,” Giles said. “Who is where?”

“Wesley and Quentin are at the warehouse,” Xander said. “Watching over our vampires, prisoner and... you know.”

“Yes,” Giles said softly as they walked into the late afternoon air.

“Willow was going to go over and do a containment circle or something,” Xander said. “Cordelia is staying with Anya, Dawn and Joyce.”

“We'll need to talk to Joyce and Dawn and see how they.... want to handle things,” Giles said. “We either report Buffy's death and deal with the Council or... try and keep them at bay until Faith is released.”

“The Council?” Xander asked.

“They aren't convinced I'm not a vampire,” Giles said. “With Buffy.... gone, they'll insist I return to England and threaten me if I don't. Even if I resign they'll push and arrange for me to be thrown out of the country.”

“Damn,” Xander said. “Let's swing by and pick up Cordy and Anya and see what we need to do about that demon guy and then talk to Joyce and Dawn.”

“Good idea,” Giles said.

“Giles, why did Buffy jump and why did it work?”

“Buffy and Dawn had practically the same blood,” Giles said. “Buffy's death closed the portal just the same as if Dawn went through it.”

“This sucks,” Xander said and opened the door to his pickup for the older man.

# # # #

Quentin checked his watch. “They'll be waking soon,” he commented to Willow and Wesley.

“Yeah,” Willow agreed. “I'm glad you went and got the camp stove from the crypt and got blood and ice for the ice chest.”

She tried to resist looking over at the vampires that were lying on tarps but especially at one figure that was covered with a blanket.

“Do you know what we can do about that.... whatever he is?” Wesley asked. “That containment circle will work?”

“It should, especially during the day,” Willow said. “To get rid of him... that will be a little more tricky.”

“Barnabas is hurt, Spike and Angel have pretty good head gashes,” Quentin said wearily. “I think Roxanne may have a broken arm.”

“How can we help Barnabas? It looks like he got too close to a torch or something,” Willow asked.

“A lot of blood,” Quentin suggested.

“Better start warming a lot of blood,” Wesley suggested.

Quentin pulled out a pistol when the door to the warehouse began to open. He relaxed when the rest of the heroes entered, including Giles.

“Are you all right?” he asked the Watcher.

“No,” Giles said. “My body will heal.”

“What happened to the doctor? We found his body,” Willow asked.

“The woman was right about me,” Giles answered. “What is happening here?”

“You killed him? Nevermind. The vampires are about to wake up,” Wesley said. “We have blood here. I think Tara is the only one that wasn't hurt.”

“And the.... whatever it is?” Giles asked about the figure tied up in a containment circle.

“We're hoping Barnabas has answers,” Quentin said. “He told Wes to restrain him.”

“Start pouring warmed blood into mugs, guys,” Willow suggested. “Everyone is stirring.”

Giles took one of the mugs from Willow and approached Angelique, squatting down next to her. The others each grabbed a mug and picked a vampire to tend to; Willow with Barnabas, Anya with Roxanne, Xander with Spike and Cordelia with Angel as Wesley took over warming more blood.

Angelique jerked away and sat up with a gasp. “Rupert?”

“I'm all right,” he said and held the mug of blood out. “I broke open the stitches but I was tended to.”

Angel, Tara and Roxanne sat up with confused expressions and readily took the mugs of blood. Spike ignored the blood and looked around, his eyes settling on the figure covered by a blanket. “No.”

“Drink, Spike,” Xander urged. “Dawn needs you.”

“Right,” Spike said after a moment and took the cup.

Willow winced when Barnabas' body jerked and his hands clenched. He cried out and touched his bandaged eyes. “Barnabas, it's Willow,” she said. “Let me help you sit up. I have blood here.”

“Roxanne?” he asked.

“She's here,” Willow reassured him. “She has a sprained arm but she'll be okay. What happened to you?”

“What happened to Oberon?” Barnabas asked. “Where is he?”

“The guy in the robe?” Willow asked. “He's tied up in a containment circle. Is he a demon or a Leviathan?”

“Yes to both,” Barnabas said and drank contents of the mug quickly. “He's the same one that corrupted me and gave Jeb and Nicholas the power to turn me into a vampire again.”

“Let me help you up, you're on a cot,” Willow urged.

“Barnabas?” Roxanne asked anxiously and down on the other side of him.

“Roxanne,” Barnabas said. “Thank God. Are you all right?”

“Yes,” Roxanne said.

“Okay, everyone has had at least one mug of blood,” Wesley said. “Everyone gather around. We need to decide what to do about the Leviathan we have and... about Buffy.”

“What happened to you, Barnabas?” Roxanne asked.

“Oberon punished me for stepping in again,” Barnabas said. “I can only assume that the Leviathan were going to use the portal to come through and then work to bring about the return of the Old Ones, just as Nicholas had planned. He... thought fire would send me scampering away. It didn't. What's happened? Are Dawn and Buffy all right?”

Everyone went silent.

“What?” Barnabas demanded. “Dawn?”

“She'll be all right,” Giles said. “The cuts were shallow but the ritual had started. Buffy stopped it with her death.”

“Oh God, no,” Barnabas whispered.

“Rupert,” Angelique said softly and touched his arm. “I'm sorry.”

“She saved the world again,” Giles said softly and pulled his glasses off and wiped at his eyes. “We'll need to decide if we report her death or not. If the Council discovers she's.... gone, they'll insist on me returning to England where I will undergo a lot of tests to see if I am still human, no doubt. Even if I resign they'll use their influence to get me thrown out of the country.”

“So we pretend that Buffy isn't dead?” Angel demanded. “Until when?”

“Faith is released or something,” Giles said. “I don't know.”

“Let's first deal with that creature over there,” Angelique suggested. “Oberon, Jeb Hawkes' father. Does he have higher ups?”

“Most likely,” Barnabas said. “They always do.”

“Then lets send him back to them in pieces,” Angelique suggested.

“If his masters are pissed off at him, let's just send him back,” Willow said. “They'll probably be a lot harder on him than we would.”

“How?” Wesley asked.

“Tara and I work up another containment circle around that one,” Willow said. “When it closes... he should disappear if I get the symbols and invocation right. There's just one problem...”

“What would that be?” Giles asked as he sat down. “Is there any water? I need to take a pain med.”

“Yes,” Quentin said and dug into an ice chest and handed the Watcher a bottle of water.

“If I'm right... uh, the outer containment ring has to... be charged by someone entering and closing the circle,” Willow explained.

“But...” Giles looked up. “Whoever is in that circle would be dragged to hell with the Leviathan.”

“Yeah, that's the problem,” Willow said.

“We have to find another way, then,” Giles said. “No one here is going along for that ride. Demons and the Old Ones aren't happy with us.”

“If we don't destroy him, his influence could expand,” Barnabas said. “He couldn't take solid form in 1970. If it does, everything we've sacrificed will be for nothing.”

“I'll do some research and see if we can find another way,” Willow said. “I brought my laptop.”

“Barnabas, will your eyes heal?” Quentin asked as Roxanne held Barnabas' hand. The werewolf saw his other hand was clenched tightly. “You're in pain.”

“Eventually,” Barnabas said softly. “Until then I'm as blind as a bat.”

“Give him one of my pain pills,” Giles suggested. “If they work on vampires, that is. I know alcohol does.”

He glanced over at Spike as the vampire sat staring at nothing.

“Quentin.... about Buffy,” Willow began but the immortal shook his head.

“I'll deal with that later.”

“Here, give him a couple,” Giles said as he handed two pills over to Quentin.

Quentin took the pills over to Barnabas with a bottle of water. Roxanne looked up at Quentin with a questioning expression.

“You saw his eyes, how bad is it?” she asked Quentin.

Quentin hesitated.

“Tell her,” Barnabas said. “I think I've had enough of California after this. I will prefer the cold winters and fog of Maine. I rather hate your town, Giles.”

“The burns are serious but...”

“The eyes are still there,” Willow said. “That means they'll heal, right?”

“Yes,” Barnabas said and leaned his head back.

“I need to see Joyce and Dawn,” Giles said as he stood up. “I can't drive.”

“I'll drive you,” Xander offered. “Do you need to be here to help Will and Tara?”

Giles shook his head. “I need sleep. These meds will put me out soon. You all will have to handle this. Wait.... I remember something.... pen and paper, please.”

Wesley pulled out a notepad and handed it and a pen to the older Englishman.

Giles wrote quickly on several pages. “Start with this,” he said as he tore out the pages and handed them to Willow.

“Are you sure?” Tara asked.

“I was a sorcerer with a photographic memory,” Giles said. “Start there, adapt where need be. We'll still need to find someone to charge that outer circle, however. We'll figure it out and then find another answer.”

“Come on, Giles,” Xander urged.

Roxanne watched Oberon watching them as she rested her head on Barnabas' shoulder.

“I'll go with you, Rupert,” Angelique said and hurried after them. “Don't do the circle until I get back. I've been working with the dark arts for centuries, I can help.”

# # # #

Xander and Angelique helped Giles remain steady on his feet as they walked into the mansion. Joyce moved off the sofa and motioned for them to let him lay down.

“How is he?”

“I will be fine,” Giles said firmly. “I took pain meds. I'm sorry but I need some sleep whether I want it or not.”

“He's been up for the last couple of days,” Xander commented.

“We all have,” Joyce said softly.

“Joyce, I'm so sorry about Buffy,” Angelique said softly as she pulled off Giles' shoes and Joyce grabbed an afghan off a chair and covered him. “I may not spend a lot of time here for awhile. You and Dawn are going to need him and he's going to need you both very much.”

“Are you leaving? That'll drive him insane,” Joyce asked in a whisper.

“No, but I'm going to step back a bit,” Angelique said. “I can't image what you all are going through. You need to turn each other.”

Joyce frowned but touched Giles' shoulder as he slept.

“Mrs. Summers,” Xander called from near the door. “We, uh, we haven't called the cops about.... uh, Buffy. Giles is worried the Council will call him back to England if they know... about her.”

“What does he suggest?” Joyce asked with a frown. “How can we keep her... what happened to her secret?”

“I don't know,” Xander admitted. “He didn't know.”

“Let's get back to the others,” Angelique suggested after a moment of uncomfortable silence.

“Keep Buffy's passing a secret,” Joyce said firmly. “We need Rupert here. If they discover he's not human... he'll disappear, won't he?”

“Totally,” Xander agreed. “We'll be back.”

# # # #

Roxanne looked around at everyone sitting in an almost circle near the camp stove and ice chest. Willow, Tara and Wesley were at a card table doing research with a stack of books from the Magic Box.

Barnabas was now lying on the cot with Roxanne sitting in a chair next to him, holding his hand.

“Barnabas, how dangerous is Oberon?” she asked softly.

“I don't know for certain,” Barnabas answered. “As I said, he could only stay in this realm for short periods at night. The fact that he's here... I think it indicates that they've been gaining power over time. If they introduce another box and bring another changeling and are smart enough to steer clear of heroes like these, it could be a disaster.”

“It's vital to destroy or send him back to hell,” Roxanne suggested.

“Yes, I believe so,” Barnabas said. “I tried to reach the girl. If I had reached her before the blood fell....”

“Shhh,” Roxanne whispered. “You can't change what happened. You fought against an elder Leviathan, Barnabas. Dawn is alive. She and Buffy probably would have both been killed if you and Spike hadn't dealt with that demon and Oberon.”

Quentin Collins pulled his cell phone out and walked outside the warehouse. “Hey, Carolyn.”

“Quentin, is Barnabas all right?” Carolyn asked. “I got a vision that he and Dawn were in trouble.”

Quentin hesitated. “They're alive. Barnabas is hurt pretty bad but he'll recover. Dawn... Buffy was killed saving the world.”

“Oh my God,” Carolyn said softly. “Quentin, I am so sorry!”

“Thanks,” the immortal responded. “I'm not sure but I'll try and get him home in a few nights. At least on a plane. I'll probably stay for awhile to help Joyce and Dawn and the rest. Without Buffy... they're going to be so lost.”

“I'll tell Julia her feeling was right but that he'll be okay,” Carolyn said. “Give everyone a hug and let's plan to invite them all out here for the winter holidays. The first major holidays are brutal after losing someone. Having a change of scenery and people might help.”

“Good idea, let's work with that,” Quentin said. “I'll call you tomorrow or the next day.”

“Hug everyone for us.”

“Bye,” Quentin said and smiled when Xander and Angelique got out of the young man's pickup. “Have we decided anything about... Buffy? We need to move out of here before the bodies of the doctor and crazies that were killed attract attention. Wes and I moved bricks and rocks over most of them but... we need out of here.”

“Joyce said to keep Buffy.... what happened a secret,” Xander answered. “We can move her to the mansion and then....”

“Plan a grave in the woods,” Angelique suggested. “Been there, done that.”

“Let's get inside and figure out what to do with the Leviathan,” Quentin urged. “Once we deal with him we can move everyone before sunrise.”

Once inside, Angel stood up. “Xander?”

“Keep what happened to Buffy a secret until we can protect Giles,” the young man answered.

Angel nodded. “I'll move her to the trunk of my car.”

“I'll carry her,” Quentin said.

Angel hesitated and then nodded. “Come on, then.”

“Have we figured out a different way to deal with Oberon?” Angelique asked Tara and Willow.

“Just the containment circles,” Willow said. “Goddess, my head hurts.”

“So, we either let him go, try to send him away without the 2^nd circle or ensure he goes to hell but someone goes along for the ride?” Xander asked.

Willow blinked. “Uh, yeah, exactly.”

“So one of us has to take an express route to hell?” Anya asked. “Uh huh. Nobody is going! Who would even think about it?”

“Anya's right, it's not like being voted off the island,” Xander agreed.

Everyone was quiet for several moments.

“I've been,” Angelique said. “I would prefer to remain here but I will if it ensures Oberon is blocked from this world for at least a few decades.”

“No!” Barnabas exclaimed and sat up, swinging his legs off the cot. “You've turned your back on your masters, they'll make you pay!”

“And it would really hit Giles hard,” Spike added. “Hard enough with.... what's happened.”

“It would totally crush him,” Willow agreed.

“Then who or how? Find someone random from the street?” Wesley asked. “It can't be a demon, it wouldn't work.”

“If we don't get him out of this realm he'll keep coming for Barnabas and all of us,” Angel said. “So what's the solution?”

“Will they keep coming for you?” Roxanne asked Barnabas, her voice almost a whisper.

“Yes,” Barnabas said and sighed. “In 1970 they worked through the changeling Jeb and Nicholas. Now Oberon was able to attack me with fire. Before they threatened to turn me back into a vampire but that required Jeb to actually do it and then Nicholas two years later.”

“And I almost turned you over to them,” Roxanne whispered.

“You didn't, my love,” Barnabas said softly.

“I love you, Barnabas,” Roxanne said and kissed him gently.

“I love you, Roxanne,” Barnabas said with a slight smile.

She kissed him gently and stood up. “I'll get you some more blood.”

Quentin jumped and pulled his phone out. “Hey, Carolyn, what's up? What? What about Roxanne?”

Barnabas' head snapped up. “Roxanne?”

Willow turned to look at Barnabas and her eyes widened. “No! Roxanne, don't!”

Quentin turned and started across the room, dropping his phone. Tara and Willow were leaping to their feet as well. The werewolf saw Roxanne step into the outer circle and pick up the chalk Willow had used to form the nearly complete circle.

“Roxanne!” Barnabas shouted and started to jump up from the cot, blind or not he could still sense most things humans couldn't! He yelled in frustration when he was tackled to the floor.

Quentin fell back from the circle as a bright light filled the containment field and Roxanne closed her eyes. When he lowered his hands all that remained was a large burned circle on the cement.

“No!” Barnabas screamed as Tara held him close.

Angel's group and Scooby members were stunned into silence.

Willow knelt beside Barnabas and her lover and wrapped her arms around both of them as Barnabas began to weep.

“Quentin! What's happening?!”

Quentin picked up his phone. “I wasn't fast enough, Carolyn. Roxanne's gone.”

“Oh God,” Carolyn whispered. “Barnabas.”

“Yeah,” Quentin agreed. “I'll call you in a few hours.”

He closed his phone and looked at his cousin the vampire.

“Everyone, grab something and take it out to Xander's pickup,” Angel said firmly. “We have to get out of here. Everyone check for your phones. Whoever is missing a phone get out over near the tower and we'll call your phone. No traces, gang.”

Quentin walked over as Tara and Willow helped Barnabas sit up. “Let's get him into my car,” he suggested. “We'll get him back to the mansion.”

“Roxanne,” Barnabas whispered.

“I know, Barnabas,” Quentin said as he picked up Barnabas' cane.

“She almost turned me over to Nicholas, that was her way of stopping them from capturing me again,” Barnabas said softly. “Quentin... I can't...”

“We'll get through this,” Quentin said as they walked out of the warehouse.

Quentin glanced behind him and saw Angelique walk out behind them. “Come on. He needs you.”

“I'll ride with Xander and Anya,” Willow told Tara. “Take care of him.”

“Promise.”

# # # #

Cordelia stepped out onto the patio hours later. She wasn't surprised when Angel looked over and quickly looked away and wiped at his eyes.

“Is Barnabas asleep?” Angel asked.

“Yeah,” Cordelia said as she sat down next to Angel. “In Angelique's coffin. Tara and Willow is going to stay in there with him. Joyce gave him two more pain pills to knock him out. How are you doing?”

“What do you mean?”

“Angel, Buffy being hooked up with Quentin doesn't change the fact you love... loved her,” Cordelia commented.

“You think we'd be better prepared, wouldn't you?” Angel asked after a moment. “She was the Slayer, Slayers fall.”

“Buffy was different,” Cordelia said.

'Yeah,” Angel agreed.

“What happens now?” Cordelia asked.

“We go back to L.A., Joyce, Dawn and Rupert go back to the Summers house,” Angel said. “Willow and Tara will stay here with Quentin, Barnabas, Angelique, Xander and Anya. Xander is going to work on a secret place at the Box for Tara to sleep in during the day where Anya can keep an eye on things and Willow can get back to school. They also plan on patrolling.”

“What? Without....”

“Yeah,” Angel said softly. “They'll have two vampires at full strength, three powerful witches, a Watcher, Xander and Anya. If Giles will be up for patrols.”

“When are we leaving?” Cordelia asked after several moments.

“A couple of nights?” Angel suggested. “I'd like to help them get back on their feet.”

“I don't think that will happen any time soon,” Cordelia commented. “Come on, let's go inside.”

# # #