Title – Battles To Fight, Wars To Win

Author – Paige Darke

Summary – Sequel to ‘Have You Ever Been In Love’ & ‘Reunion’.

Disclaimer – Right.

Distribution – Ask first.

Feedback – Greatly appreciated.

Angel looked back in forth between his glaring mate and his wide-eyed, slightly sheepish son.

"Oops," Connor said softly, grinning a bit nervously.

The vampire sighed and rubbed his temples. "Buffy, please…..let me explain—"

"Can you maybe explain later?" Connor asked. "We’re a little under attack."

Buffy stared. "A LITTLE under attack?"

"Well, ordinarily we could handle it, but it’s just me and Paige, and there’s…..bunches of them." Connor frowned and glanced at the stairs. "They haven’t really…..attacked yet. They’re waiting for something. I just wish I knew what."

Angel swore and headed for the stairs. "Buffy, I swear to you, I’ll explain everything later, but right now, we don’t have the luxury."

The boy followed his father easily, and Buffy brought up the end, more hesitantly.

When they reached the lobby, the girl was digging spell ingredients out of a drawer, and a man sandy-haired man with glasses and a scar on his throat was paging through a book…..Did she know him? He looked so familiar…..

Then it clicked. "*Wes?*"

Wesley looked up sharply at his name, then smiled slowly, looking from Slayer to vampire with one eyebrow quirked. "Ah, Buffy. Hello."

The blonde Slayer stared for a second. "When did you get so ……Scruffy?"

Wes laughed. "I’m not *scruffy*," he said, mock-indignant. He glanced at his boss. "I don’t know what they are, Angel. I can’t find them anywhere."

Paige shrugged. "Maybe they’re just really ugly."

"Right," Connor said dryly, kissing the top of her head. "Somehow I doubt it."

A sudden roar came from outside, and the demons charged. Paige tensed her shoulders, glaring at the oncoming charge, magical energy crackling around her. Wes tossed his book onto the counter and grabbed a nearby ax, while Connor came up with a knife, Angel a broadsword, and Buffy a stake.

"Grab the females!" the leader roared. An instant later, Paige fireballed him.

Wes smoothly decapitated one of the demons and turned to another, shouting towards his friends without breaking stride. "They’re after Buffy and Paige!"

Connor rammed his knife home in the throat of one, then kicked another in the face as he ripped it free. "Why?" he called, flinching back as another demon near him burst into flame. "Not so close, next time, Paige!"

A strong arm closed around the gypsy girl’s throat, and she found herself struggling for breath. A heavy object came down on her head, and she saw no more.

Buffy spun, kicked, staked, spun, left hook…..familiar, ancient rhythms and an unlimited supply of adrenaline in her blood.

Unfortunately, there were a lot of them, and the hotel had a back door.

She never saw the one the swung the bat.

"Go, go!" the leader shrieked, waving one claw. "C’mon, let’s go!"

And, bearing their cargo, they ran, not wanting to face the rage of Angelus and the Destroyer when they realized their mates had been taken.

But they would come after them.

Oh, yes.

They were depending on it.