Track A in Track B 

“The world?” Buffy asked, intrigued at the notion. 

“Of course, lover,” Angelus whispered against her skin, mouth moving slowly down her spine. “What else is there?” 

“The World is Not Enough,” Buffy said with a smile, remembering the James Bond movie of the same title. She felt Angelus stop and twisted her head around to stare at him. 

“No,” he said seriously, “It’s not. But for now, my love,” he suddenly flipped her over and kissed her hard and quick. “It’ll have to be.” 

Buffy didn’t protest his lack of understanding, James Bond wasn’t around now anyway. She simply smiled at him, arms beckoning him to her. The world was alright with her, but frankly, she didn’t care. All she cared about was him. Spending forever with Angelus, ignoring the past (future) and focusing on what they could do, could be, together. 

Wrapping her legs around his waist, Buffy urged him to enter her body, wanting the completion that only came with him. Their coupling was fast, hard, and tender. Love colored all things, even for those who would claim soulnessness. It was a shining brightness in a world full of sights and sounds. 

When Buffy tilted her head to the side, offering Angelus her neck in a matter of trust and need and Mate to Mate, he wasted no time in reclaiming her, sinking his fangs into the raised tissue, breaking open the Mark that proclaimed her his. He took only a little, wanting her to save her strength for the upcoming days. 

“I love you,” Buffy whispered as her body climaxed around him, shuddering with the force of their loving. 

Sometime later, when she could speak again, Buffy asked, “What about the Order?” 

She knew little of Aurelius, only what Giles had told her about the Master before she’d dusted him in Sunnydale. Angel rarely talked about the Order to which he belonged, but that was understandable; when one wasn’t a part of it, one had little interest in it. 

“What of it?” Angelus asked, the words a rumble in his chest. “We take it over. The Master is dead, as is Darla and I know for a fact that Luke is still in America.” He hadn’t been surprised when Nest left his most trusted Childe in America to continue the search for the mythical Hellmouth. He knew Nest all too well to think otherwise. Fredrick Nest believed absolutely in his own power and claim to power. Angelus took much pleasure in disabusing him of that. 

“We’ll start here, if you like. The London Clans are weak, used to a steady supply of prey and political stability in both their world and the human one. It’ll be easy to take them over.”

Buffy slowly nodded, wondering why he hadn’t done this before as he so obviously had it all planned out already. Confused, she asked him.

Angelus frowned and didn’t answer for a long moment. “I don’t know,” he eventually said. “Maybe because Darla was always so attached to Nest. Maybe because I never knew anyone such as you, my love. Someone I was willing to do all this for.” 

“I don’t want the world, Angelus,” Buffy said suddenly. “Not if it means I can’t have you whenever I want.” 

“Lover,” he whispered, “You have me for always.” 

She grinned at him, shifting her body to cover his as their lips came together in a fierce kiss. Love, passion, need. “So we start in London,” Buffy agreed. “Perfect. But I want to take over all the vampires. I want to take over the Council. They were the cause of entirely too much grief in my life,” she added, “And I want them gone.” 

“Done,” Angelus smirked, thrusting up into her, eyes nearly rolling back as her tight muscles clenched around him. By God, he’d do anything for this woman. Including take over the world for her.

“Don’t leave me,” she whispered as her nails sank into his chest, drawing small wells of blood. Bending down to lick them away, purring at the taste, she said, “Please don’t leave me.”

“Never, my love.” Angelus vowed as he slammed harder into her, hands on her hips, moving faster. “You’re always mine.”
~~~~~~~~~~
Track B in Track A 

“Do you think they’ll try the curse?” Spike asked as he lounged, naked, on the floor of the Great Room next to Dru. Elizabeth and Angel were on the couch, too wrapped up in each other to care that he and Dru had joined the party. Though he had noticed that Angel tugged a blanket off the floor to cover Elizabeth. Spike didn’t think the poof was concerned about his nudity, merely his Mate’s.

Spike couldn’t say he was surprised. The way those two were pre-Turning, it was enough to make a body ill. Now that they were together and had that whole eternity thing going on, if they left each other’s arms in the next fifty years, it’d be a miracle. But then Spike supposed that maybe, just maybe, they deserved to be happy. For a bit. Because a happy poof was a less torture-y poof. When it came to his GrandChilde that was, and that was all that mattered to Spike. 

“Probably,” Angel agreed with a negligent shrug, his broad shoulders moving restlessly against the couch. He’d noticed his Childer arrive, of course he had. He just didn’t care; Angel knew they were staying close for protection – Elizabeth’s protection from the Sunnydale gang. That was fine with him. 

“But I’m not certain it’ll work,” he said. At the curious look Elizabeth gave him, he trailed his fingertips along her spine, spreading her hair over her back and added, “You’re not from here, love. Your soul isn’t from this world. If Willow tries to use the gypsy curse on you, I doubt it’ll work.”

“And you?” Spike asked as Elizabeth nodded in agreement, head going back to its place on Angel’s chest. “Think they’ll try it on you?” 

“They can try,” Angel laughed. His soul was still there, still inside of him. He could hear it, feel it. 

But the soul was tired; tired of the crap the Powers put him through, tired of the crap his friends put him through. Tired of being so lonely and tired of being without his love. Both soul and demon wanted this. To spend the daylight hours in the presence of their Mate, fucking, sleeping, hunting, and loving. Definitely loving. And the nighttime hours securing the Hellmouth and anything and anyone else stupid enough to challenge him. 

So trying to restuff his soul into a body that already housed it was pointless. Though it’d probably hurt like hell. 

“The witch is sad,” Dru said as she sat up, looking hungrily at Angel and Elizabeth. “She wants her Slayer back, but it won’t work. She’ll never return here. Not here, she doesn’t like it here. Wants to stay there, with her Angel.” 

“I’m not surprised,” Elizabeth murmured without opening her eyes. “Willow strikes me as the type to need Buffy. I think I heard Tara say that she stayed in Sunnydale to help Buffy fight. If she no longer has a reason to fight, then she doesn’t know what to do. And I think, too, that Buffy is the only one who understands Willow. Or maybe Willow feels that she is.”

Shrugging, an elegant movement of her naked shoulders, she stretched against her lover the heavy wool blanket falling lower over her body, and finished, “Whatever the reason, Willow isn’t going to rest until either Buffy’s back, or she’s too old to keep trying.” 

“She’ll try,” Angel said with a scowl. “But I’m not sure how well it’ll work.” 

“She’ll succeed,” Dru added with a giggle and a glance at the door where sunlight poured into the courtyard. “But she doesn’t know what she’s succeeding in.” 

“What do you mean Dru?” Angel asked, his voice sharp and commanding. Buffy was going to return, was that it? But then what else did his Childe mean? 

She giggled. “We must prepare for tea with the King and Queen. Do you think mummy would like to meet Ms. Edith?  No not my mummy,” Dru frowned with a sly look at Elizabeth. Feeling the gaze, the blonde opened her eyes, staring at Dru as the brunette leaned forward, hand cupping her cheek. 

“Her Dark Angel saw to that,” she murmured mournfully with a far-off look in her eyes that sparked past and future. Removing her hand as if it burned, she giggled again. “Just as yours did. But her Dru will take good care of her.” She shuddered then, as if scared and Elizabeth wondered at that. “He’ll be so angry,” she whispered, looking at Angel now. “So very angry. They’re not ready for him, oh, no. Nothing they have faced has prepared them for his anger...” Her eyes bored into Angel’s, deep and penetrating.  

“Not even Daddy.” She started rocking then, whimpering to her captive audience. “Blood and death; nothing but blood and death. He will not let her go. He wants her as much as you, my Angel. Wants her as much as you want your Elizabeth.” 

For a long moment, silence blanketed the room and then Elizabeth asked, “Does she always make this little sense?” 

“Not always,” Spike defended. But mostly, he added silently. This, however, made entirely too much sense to Spike. And to Angel, the younger vampire noticed as he glanced at his GrandSire. 

“How accurate is Dru?” Elizabeth asked, eyes tearing away from the glassed over ones of the Seer to look between Angel and Spike. “Because whatever it is that she sees coming, it’s apparently big enough in its own right to put her in quite a state.” 

Spike shrugged, unwilling to admit that Dru’s words freaked him. “Accurate enough.” 

“Accurate enough to be scared of Buffy’s return?” Her eyes looked into Angel’s. She was jealous of his past with Buffy and could admit that. But she knew, knew, that he didn’t want her. No, he wanted Elizabeth. And Elizabeth was perfectly happy with that.

“As soon as the sun sets,” Angel said before anything further could be said on the subject of Dru’s visions or on Buffy’s return. On things that couldn’t be changed. “I plan on paying a little visit to Willy.”

Spike nodded, equally grateful for the change in subject. Whatever was coming, it promised to be full of drama – he’d had about as much drama as a body could stand. “He’s the best way to spread the word, yeah.” Rolling over to dig through his pants for a cigarette, he asked, “And once word gets out?” 

Angel shrugged, hauling Elizabeth up to kiss her fiercely, rolling them so that she was against the back of the couch. He didn’t want either Spike or Dru to see his lover, his Mate. She was his and his alone. “Then we start with Sunnydale.” Another shrug, hands hooking Elizabeth’s leg over his hip as he thrust into her waiting body, blanket tangling around their legs. “As for anything else, it doesn’t matter.”

He had all that mattered to him.
~~~~~~~~~~
Track B in Track A 

“So the word’s out,” Giles said as he walked into the mansion. 

“Of course it is,” Angel agreed as he rose from the couch. He’d been expecting the watcher. In fact, the vampire was surprised that it’d taken Giles so long to journey over here. The sun was shinning brightly outside six days after he’d Turned Elizabeth and Angel had to chuckle at that, did Giles really think that it mattered? 

“What took you so long, Rupert?” The vampire asked smoothly. “It’s been nearly a week since we’ve seen you.” 

“Yes,” Giles grumbled, removing his glasses and absently cleaning them. “But then you’ve been busy since then haven’t you.” It wasn’t a question. “Where’s Elizabeth?” 

“Sleeping,” Angel replied, “She’s tired during the daylight hours now.” Angel’s grin widened at Giles’ frozen look. “But surely you already knew that, too, Rupert. I’m sure Cordelia couldn’t keep it a secret.” 

He had, of course he had. Between Cordelia’s rambling explanation – interspersed with Anya’s comments and Wesley shaking his head every chance he got – about how all four of them walked out of the mansion one night to go hunting without so much as a flash of fang at the humans, and the gossip on the streets, Giles knew. He just hadn’t wanted to believe it. He didn’t want his charge, from this world or not, to have turned into the bloodsuckers she hunted. 

“This was her worst nightmare, and you know that,” Giles spat at Angel, righteous anger boiling heavy in his voice. “Of all people, you knew that. I’m surprised at you, Angel. I thought you genuinely cared for Elizabeth; I know you loved Buffy. What happened?”

Angel took a menacing step forward. “Do not ever presume, Rupert, to know my feelings on the matter. I loved Buffy, and I love Elizabeth. I love her more than you can possibly imagine or understand. They’re two totally different women, but then,” he leaned back, showing Giles that he hadn’t the desire to pounce. Not today. “That was something you didn’t know. You thought that Elizabeth was the same woman as Buffy, wanted her to be.” 

Angel shook his head, gesturing for Giles to sit and reclaimed his place on the couch. “But then that was always the problem. You didn’t really understand what she was or who she wanted. Eventually, that would have driven her – Buffy and Elizabeth both – away from you.”

For long moments, Giles said nothing. What was there to say? The whole thought of his Slayer – Buffy or Elizabeth – with a vampire was so wrong to him, that he never truly gave Angel a chance. And when he’d reverted, when he’d become Angelus once more, Giles felt justified in his views. Now it was too late, now Buffy was gone, lost to them, and Elizabeth was with Angel. She was a vampire with Angel. 

“What are your plans now?” He sat stiffly in the seat, back ramrod straight as he contemplated the creature before him. Oddly enough, Giles sensed no malice from Angel, didn’t feel his life was in danger, and that scared him more than anything. What was Angel planning that he could let Giles live? 

“A simple takeover,” Angel shrugged, leaning negligently against the back of the cushions, arms outstretched along them. “As I have no desire to lose Elizabeth now that I’ve found her, I’m going to make sure there’s nothing and no one left to try it. If there’s anything you desire from the Council, Rupert,” he added with a twinkle in his dark mesmerizing eyes, “I suggest you place your order soon.” 

Giles stilled, shocked though he really shouldn’t have been. “You-you’re going to destroy the Council? Angel!” Giles sputtered, standing. “Why-what? But…” 

“Relax, Rupert,” Angel cautioned, eyes warning Giles against his rising voice. “And keep your voice down, I don’t want Elizabeth awakened.”

Angel waited while Giles calmed himself, the watcher’s eyes hard and demanding. And accepting. It was that last part that cinched it for Angel and the vampire decided to tell Giles all of it. The more the watcher knew, the more he could stay out of their way. 

“Elizabeth doesn’t need any Council goons after her; you and I both know that, Rupert. When they hear that I’ve Turned the Slayer, they’re going to be angry and disgusted. When they hear that I Turned a Slayer not from our world, they’re going to want to run tests on her.”

Giles made a small sound of agreement. Disgusted agreement and remained silent. “I haven’t told them,” he assured Angel, though he wasn’t sure why he felt the need to. “The Council and I,” which actually meant Quinton Travers, “Aren’t on speaking terms.” 

“Yes,” Angel nodded, already knowing that Giles would never endanger his Slayer that way. He didn’t understand a lot of what Buffy/Elizabeth were, but he loved the both of them. He’d never intentionally place then in harm. Angel chose not to think on the whole eighteenth birthday test today. He was in a forgiving mood. “I know. 

And that was when Giles understood. The only reason Angel was confiding in him now was because of that. Because he had nothing to do with the Council, because he truly cared for both Buffy and Elizabeth, and because he had an insatiable thirst for knowledge. Nodding reluctantly, Giles listened. 

“I’ve no desire to kill off Faith, that’ll only Call the next Slayer. And without a Slayer, the world would be overrun with all kinds of vagrants,” his voice was disgusted, and Giles repressed an unwelcome snort of amusement at that. Angel was a snob, and Giles knew that. “They’re going to need Watchers to help them. Guide them in a world they know very little about.” Angel waited while Giles digested that and nodded. The other man understood and that pleased Angel, for Angel had plans for Rupert. 

“But Quinton is going to die, as are any who share his views.”

“Angel,” Giles started then stopped. He truly hated Quinton Travers, but death? “I can’t condone this, but I doubt very much I can stop you.” It was the balance Angel was willing to leave that caught Giles, and the watcher hated himself for that. Hated Angel, but mostly hated the world that required this to be so. 

Hated that the world would never condone, let alone understand, the relationship between a Vampire and Slayer and so this was what Angel had to resort to. 

Again, that negligent shrug. “I don’t care, Rupert. I’m not asking your permission, I’m simply informing you of my plans. And I plan to take out as much of the Watcher’s Council as I can. And I plan for that to be quite a lot. The Council won’t be welcomed here.”

Giles sighed as if he expected as much. “I suppose you mean me as well, then?” 

“Somehow, Rupert,” Angel said with that smug smile, “I don’t think you’d want to stay here. Think on it,” he encouraged. “Would you?” 

No, no Giles didn’t want to, but he didn’t say that. He didn’t need to. 

“The word, as you already know,” Angel began again when it was clear Giles wasn’t going to agree or disagree with him, “Is already out. The town thinks Angelus is back, and I plan on letting them continue to think that. Once Elizabeth is strong enough, and once word spreads, Sunnydale will be ours.”

“When she’s strong enough?” Giles questioned, suddenly very tired. “She’s a Slayer Turned Vampire, Angel,” he said wryly. “One simply doesn’t get much stronger than that.” 

“No,” he agreed in a quiet voice, contemplating the man before him. “But there are things even the Council never knew, Rupert. When you Turn a Slayer, she isn’t completely soulless.” 

At first Giles thought Angel was saying that Elizabeth still retained her soul, and was torn between weeping for joy and weeping for what she now had to endure. But no, Angel’s expression made that clear enough. Then was it that she had part of it? No, that didn’t make much sense. What then? What was Angel saying that Giles wasn’t entirely understanding? 

“She has no desire to hunt and kill, Rupert,” Angel explained slowly, as if he didn’t wish to do so, but was only for Giles’ sake. “Merely to live with me. And live, she’s going to.” 

There were enough humans out there who offered their blood freely for Elizabeth to survive without killing. And if that was what she wanted, Angel was going to give it – and them – to her. He, however, intended to hunt to his heart’s – and his demon’s – content. The demon howled within him, eager for a return to the way it was, eager to hunt and torture, to kill and to take Elizabeth while he was. To test his lover, to have her, to mold her. 

“She retains a conscience?” Giles asked, curious. No Slayer, in all of the annuals, had ever been Turned, this was a first for all of them, and he was understandably curious about it. “Truly?” 

“She,” Angel paused, selecting his words carefully. He knew Rupert well enough to know that the watcher was curious and yet would not breathe a word of this to any who could exploit it. He didn’t want anything to happen to Elizabeth, either. 

“She doesn’t wish to continue fighting,” Angel said eventually. “She wants to live without the constant threat to her life. It’s more of an apathy, Rupert,” the vampire admitted. “She doesn’t care for either humans or demons. She can hunt, if she wants, she just chooses not to.” 

“So then,” Giles frowned, “She doesn’t have her soul, merely makes the choice to be different.” 

“You could say that, yes,” Angel had come to the same conclusion. It hadn’t changed his feelings towards his Mate. “She’s merged with the First Slayer as well,” Angel revealed. “Perhaps it’s simply a case of the First Slayer being stronger than the demon within.”

“Perhaps,” Giles said quietly. “Or perhaps the reason Elizabeth doesn’t wish to hunt and kill is because the memory of the Slayer is still so strong within her. She remembers that she’s supposed to save others, innocents, therefore she can’t bring herself to kill them.” 

“In the end, it does not matter,” Angel admitted, not caring for the cause, only that it was. “She’s mine, Rupert. And I’ll do everything I have to, to ensure her safety. Everything.” 

Giles nodded in understanding. Yes, Angel would. And that warmed something in the watcher, knowing that his slayer – either of them both of them – would be safe with her lover. “And Sunnydale, Angel? What do you plan for the town?”

“What of it?” Another of those shrugs. “It’s my town, Rupert, and I plan on ruling it as I should have two years ago.” A quiet anger was beneath the words, chilling Giles to the bone. As he should have two years ago…with Buffy? 

“You’re…” he didn’t want to ask, afraid of the answer, but did anyway. “You’re going to let everyone live then?” 

“Of course,” Angel laughed. “What use would your deaths serve? Nothing, except to unbalance the world in favor of demons. Demons who I plan on subjugating.” 

For a moment Giles thought it was Angel speaking and not this scary hybrid Angel-Angelus speaking to him. Then Giles understood. “And if the world was unbalanced, then Elizabeth would be in even more danger, even if you were ruler.” 

“Exactly,” Angel smiled, pleased with the fast mind of the watcher. “I have no desire to rule the world, though the title of King or God does appeal. All I want, Rupert,” and his voice was low, earnest, as if he really were trying to convince Giles. “Is what I have. Elizabeth. I have her, and I plan on keeping her safe. The way to do that is to control the Hellmouth. This is the strongest one out there, the others don’t matter. Until or unless something happens to this one, then the other Hellmouths in the world are simply hot magickal spots for demons to migrate to.” 

His shoulders moved again in that restless shrug. The sun was setting faster now, the afternoon light splashing into the room behind him. Angel could feel it but ignored it. The sofa was positioned perfectly, so that the sunlight would never touch it. But he was restless, wanting – needing – to get back to Elizabeth. 

“I don’t plan on letting something happen to this one. Elizabeth will always be protected, even if eventually I do have to take over the world. Truthfully,” Angel leaned back, once more the nonchalant host. “I don’t want all that responsibility to interfere with my life with her.” 

“Willow isn’t going to let this lie,” Giles said eventually, letting the other topic drop. There wasn’t anything he could do or say to change it, and Giles wasn’t sure what else he could even argue with Angel. The vampire seemed pretty set on it. “She’s going to try and curse Elizabeth, try and bring her soul back.” 

Angel shrugged, knowing as well as Giles did that that possibility was unlikely. “Let her try.”
~~~~~~~~~~
Track A in Track B 

“The Order lacks a Master,” Angelus told the group before him. 

Half of Aurelius stood before him and his Childer, staring in awe at Buffy. She looked back at them with a haughty quirk of her eyebrow that dared them to try it. Whatever it was, and anything they thought they could do.

No one moved. 

“Nest is dead,” a murmur raced through the crowd but Angelus ignored it. “As is his favorite, Darla. With my Marked Mate by my side, my Queen, I declare myself Master of Aurelius!” 

For a split second, there was absolute silence in the great hall, Nest’s underground audience chamber. But then the room was filled with a roar of noise that shook the stone ceiling, causing the banners to wave in the air. Smirking, Angelus looked out at the assembled masses; vampires from his Order stared back at him, all calling his name. None dared oppose him. 

Angelus already had a formidable reputation in his own right, Scourge of Europe. It was a well-earned reputation. Combined with William and Drusilla, it was even more so. Now, with Buffy by his side, the first Slayer ever to be Turned, and his Mate, Angelus was damned near invincible.   

Those gathered didn’t know that his beloved had melded with the First Slayer; they didn’t know that she wasn’t from this time or place. It didn’t matter, they never would know.  They’d never know her name, either. Names held power, and Angelus would never give that power to another. Not when Buffy’s safety, her life, was at stake. 

It’d been six days since she’d risen, and this was the first stage in their plan. Take over Aurelius. It hadn’t been hard. Next, London would be theirs, every vampire and demon within the city limits would answer to Angelus. 

Within four days, he planned on controlling every single resource the Vampire Council had. Within another two after that, he planned on controlling every single resource any Council had. 

“The Vampire Council is weak,” Angelus roared and instantly the room quieted. They were loyal because he was strong. So long as he stayed that way, they’d remain loyal. Buffy’s safety depended on his strength, so Angelus would never be anything but. 

“It is up to Aurelius to ensure that it once more becomes the most powerful force of the demonic world.” Another roar and Angelus wondered if they truly understood what that meant. “Humans believe God created the world in seven days. Let’s see if I…if we, can top that!” 

“Baby,” Buffy purred as the crowd roared in agreement, willing and eager to do his bidding. Leaning up on her heeled shoes to kiss his cheek, she whispered, “Let’s go hunt.”

Angelus smiled down at her, raising her hand to his lips, kissing the palm. He knew that Buffy disliked hunting, well, killing. After the first time – the only time – she realized that killing those she was born to save wasn’t something she could do. it ate at her conscience, tore at her in ways he didn’t understand. 

She fed, that wasn’t the problem. But she didn’t kill. Couldn’t. 

She hadn’t a soul, that much Angelus knew. And yet she still retained something of the Slayer within her. It didn’t stop her from wanting to take over the Vampire Council. Nor did it stop her from wanting to rule all of the demonic community. Somehow, Angelus just didn’t care that she didn’t kill; she was still ruthless and vicious, and he loved that about her as much as he loved her before. 

“William,” he said quietly as the din from the overexcited vampires quieted slightly. “Spread the word. Aurelius is back. And I’m in charge.”
~~~~~~~~~~
Track B in Track A 

“I can’t believe dead boy did that,” Xander said for possibly the hundredth time. “What was he thinking? And are you sure,” he eyed Cordelia and Wesley, “That Angel isn’t Angelus?”

“Positive,” Cordelia snapped. “You’re alive, aren’t you?”

Xander nodded but it was clear that he wasn’t happy. “About ready there, Will?”

Willow looked over her spell pages, the same ones she’d printed out over two years ago to recurse Angel. Now she was going to do it to Elizabeth. No matter that she wasn’t happy the other slayer was here, Willow still felt a connection to her. It was no one’s fault but Fate that they hadn’t met in Elizabeth’s world, and Willow understood that. She didn’t like it, but understood it. 

She was going to see that Elizabeth had her soul. And then, despite what Cordelia said, Willow was going to recurse Angel. 

Nodding to Tara who looked nervous, frightened, and something else, something Willow didn’t want to think on, and to Xander who was in charge of the stinky herbs, she began. Almost immediately, Willow felt something wrong, something off. The spell wasn’t working, no, it was, no, wait… 

Dimly she heard Xander’s concerned voice, felt Tara’s cool touch on her arm. Eyes snapping open, Willow shouted, the words coming not from her, but from something else. And then there was nothing. Noting but blissful silence and darkness.

“Willow?” Tara called, her sweet soft voice pulling Willow from the edge of wherever she’d been. It was nice there, cool and dark, and she knew there. She knew it all there. Knew that the book was still locked and that only its key could open it, knew that whatever happened was for a reason and that that reason had to continue to play out. Knew that… 

What? She couldn’t remember. “Tara?” 

“Yeah, you okay?” 

“What happened, Willow?” Xander asked as he helped his childhood friend sit up. 

“It didn’t work,” Willow frowned. “I’m not sure why. But when I called Elizabeth’s soul back from the aether, it…lost, it was lost.” 

“I told you,” Anya huffed from the chair she’d sat in since the ‘debate’ began. “You can’t put Elizabeth’s soul into her body when that body isn’t from this world.” 

“Then what of Buffy?” Willow demanded. “If what you say is true, and Buffy is with Angelus, then don’t you think he’ll kill her?”

Anya looked at the redhead and knew that she didn’t believe her own words anymore than Anya did. “You’re in the wrong dimension, Willow,” Anya said slowly, deliberately. “You can’t curse a vampire here with a soul that isn’t from this world.”

“What about Angel?” Xander demanded, still scared for his life. 

“Has he lost his soul?” All eyes swung towards Tara who blushed. “I-I mean, if what Cordelia says is true, then a-ar-are we sure?” 

“We’re still alive,” Cordelia repeated, wondering why she was here with this group of denial-losers. Oh wait. Spike and Dru. She trusted Angel not to eat her, trusted Elizabeth to restrain herself, but those two? Not in this lifetime. 

Willow’s eyes flashed black, anger welling up within her that was nearly uncontrollable. Something tickled the back of her mind, but she ignored it for the moment. 

She hated Angel. Hated him for doing this to Elizabeth, but more, she hated him for being willing to stick around for this version of Buffy, but not for his own. Hated that she couldn’t bring Buffy back and hated that she knew, she damn well knew, that Buffy didn’t want to return. 

Didn’t matter. She’d find a way to reverse this horrible wrong and that was that. 

Yes, she could feel the book whisper though how she knew it was a book was beyond her. All you need to do is look. 

Renewed determination shot through Willow and she understood what needed to be done. But not now, not with everyone here, not with so many eyes watching her every movement. She’d bring Buffy back, it was only a matter of time. 

Sooner now, than later.

Part 24        Part 26

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