It was a giant cavern with various plateaus. Many paths lead to a central plateau roughly a hundred feet down. Controlling that plateau meant controlling access to the world.
Angel’s front line took the Turak-han by surprise. The demons had just noticed the scent of fresh meat in their noses when the slayers fell upon them and began hacking. Swinging battle axes for the head- that was the game plan.
One ubervamp leapt up from the ravine and tried to jump for Angel. Connor quickly stepped forward and swung his axe hard, hacking the vamp’s legs off. The legs landed on the path just behind Angel. The torso and head didn’t.
“Nice swing,” Angel said proudly.
“Thanks, dad,” Connor spat bitterly, as if the word ‘dad’ were a pejorative.
“Left!” Faith was calling. “Left! Left! Left!”
Connor glanced back. “I think she’s talking to you.”
“Angel,” Kennedy relayed from somewhere in the middle. “Move your division down the left path.”
“You heard her,” Angel shouted to his slayers. “We’re going down to the left.”
***
“Willow-”
“Wesley, give her a minute,” Giles snapped. “It looks like that spell really drained her.”
Willow looked up, her hair now shiny white. “No,” she said. “This is super white magic hair, not old lady white hair.”
“Oh,” Fred said.
“Willow,” Wesley continued. “Shouldn’t we start performing the next round of spells?”
“What?” Dawn asked. “What next round? Why am I always out of the loop?”
“Actually,” Willow hesitantly raised her hand as if asking a teacher permission to speak. Wesley made her feel like she was back in high school. “I’m kind of out of the loop, too.”
“You mean you don’t have a battery of spells prepared?” Wesley asked in a scolding tone.
“We spent the night writing a spell to call all potential slayers,” Willow answered defensively. “I thought that would do it.”
“Willow,” Wes replied gravely. “The armies of hell are infinite. Even if every potential slayer in the world were down in that basement-”
“Fine,” Fred interrupted. She dumped a book bag full of texts on the floor of the principal’s office. “We need more spells. So let’s come up with some.”
“This looks good!” Dawn said, grabbing a book. “Sunlight spell!”
“It would kill the slayers,” Will said instantly. “I’ve always wanted to find a way to use that, but it would burn so hot it’d be like putting everyone in the area on the surface of the sun.”
Fred shoved together a pile of books on portals and inter-dimensional physics. Wesley winced as Fred roughly handled the dusty tomes on portals and demon worlds. He felt a similarly uncomfortable sensation when the ancient tomes were placed next to the relatively unworn books on contemporary physics.
“We’ve got a witch, a watcher, and physicist,” Fred said.
“And me,” Dawn chimed in.
“Together we should be able to close an inter-dimensional portal.”
“This is a Hellmouth,” Wes said somewhat condescendingly. “It’s a bit more complicated than portals.”
“No,” Fred said. “It’s a bit more complicated than a common portal. But from what I’ve read, the Hellmouth is, at its core, a portal. It’s a natural portal to a hell dimension specifically aligned with this world. But it is ultimately a different world.”
“Sorry, Wes,” Dawn said smugly. “I’m giving round one to Fred.”
“Fine,” Wesley said, a little annoyed at being shown up in front of Willow and Dawn. The idea that Fred was simply trying to do a job was momentarily lost on him. “Then perhaps the physicist can kindly explain where we’ll find enough energy to close this portal. And of course, once we find the energy, how can we harvest and use it without setting off an explosion akin to an atomic bomb.”
“Ding,” Dawn said. “Round two to Wesley.”
“Dawnie, cut it out,” Willow said as she quickly read the chapter of a magic text. “This isn’t a competition.”
“Sorry,” Dawn replied. “I’m just feeling kind of useless.”
“Wait!” Fred said anxiously as she read through a text on portals. “Oh, never mind.”
“Tell us,” Dawn said. “If you talk it generates ideas. I mean, I’ve seen Xander say things that generated a good plan.”
“That’s compelling evidence,” Wes said. “Share.”
“Well,” Fred said reading the text. “According to this, there are sometimes powerful confluences of energy that can be used to open portals and move between worlds. But they’re very rare.”
“And very specific, if I recall,” Wesley said, taking the text.
“Well, initially, yes,” Fred said. “But it’s energy, so it’s malleable. It can even become matter.”
“A proper spell,” Wesley began. “And understanding of physics,” he glanced at Fred and gave her a smile. “We could redirect this energy to a kind of key that could lock the Hellmouth.”
Dawn was about to speak, but Willow cut her off. “But first we’d have to find a key,” the witch said. “That could take centuries. We have hours.”
Giles looked at Willow, then looked down. Willow was wrong. There was too much at stake. They had to think of the greater good. And yet, Giles could not bring himself to speak up, either.
“Right,” Wes said, setting the book down as his excitement drained away. “Back to the drawing board.”
***
Andrew, Anya, and Wood raised the crossbows.
“Don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes!” Andrew said.
“What are you, an idiot?” Anya said. “The entire point of weapons you can fire is that you attack as soon as you see them at all. The more you knock down before they get to you, the better chance you-”
“Anya!” Wood yelled. A horde of bringers burst into the school.
Anya, Wood, and Andrew immediately began firing. The bolts downed many, but they were like a tidal wave.
Wood began moving backward. “Fall back!” he called. “We need to-” Before he could continue, another wave of bringers smashed through another barricade and stabbed him in the gut. Wood collapsed to the floor, groaning in pain. Anya turned, dropping her crossbow and taking out her sword. Andrew followed suit.
Anya hacked hard. Andrew swung once and had his sword pulled from his hands.
Andrew backed away in panic. “Fine!” he shouted. “You called down the thunder. Now you have it!” Andrew pulled a flute-like instrument from a holster on his pants.
“What?” Anya said as she hacked down two more bringers. “You’re going to torture them with geek music?”
Andrew began humming into as opposed to playing the instrument.
“Oh my god!” Anya continued angrily. “You can’t even play!”
Suddenly, a portal like opening burst open above them and a flock of creatures that can only be described as flying monkey demons flooded into the hallway and began attacking the bringers. The monkey demons were ferocious and unrelenting, responding only to their master’s will. Soon, the bringers were either dead, dying, or fleeing.
Anya dropped her sword and looked at Andrew in amazement. “That was amazing. Andrew, I could kiss you.”
Andrew closed his eyes and puckered his lips.
“Ew!” Anya immediately said in disgust. “I said I could. I didn’t say I was going to.”
Andrew frowned with disappointment. “We should probably go find Gunn and Xander at the other end of the hall.”
***
The right line had collapsed and the Turak-han flooded onto the plateau. For three hours the slayers had held the plateau with minimal losses. But as Faith and her unit were pushed back, the demons swarmed forward and hit Buffy’s division from the side.
Angel turned to see Buffy fall to the ground. An ubervamp stepped on her ankle, crushing it. Suddenly, something flew past Angel. The vampire looked up to see his son fly into the tumult.
“Connor, wait!” Angel shouted.
Faith tried to drag Buffy back as Kennedy rallied Buffy’s division. The ubervamps were mostly muscle, but they knew a leader when they saw one. One leapt up from the chasm below the plateau. As it landed, it swung an axe down chopping Kennedy in half from her head to her groin. As Kennedy’s body fell away, the demon registered surprise.
Connor had landed on the other side of Kennedy just before she was cleaved in two. Connor swung his axe hard and decapitated the monster. Never moving back, he pressed forward, a flurry of motion. Angel charged forward, trying to get to the reckless boy. Suddenly, he saw Connor cleaving a path through the demons. Sixteen years in a hell dimension had taught Connor how to fight an army of demons single handedly. Still, Angel pressed on, desperate to get to his son.
Faith pulled Buffy to her feet. “We need to get her out!” she shouted as Angel flew past. The vampire stopped and turned. He locked eyes with Faith, desperate for a solution to his dilemma. Connor was Angel’s priority, but Buffy was in the more immediate danger. He looked back to see Spike rallying his group and pushing down a surge from the back.
“Spike!” Angel yelled. The blonde vampire turned. Angel closed his eyes, knowing all that what he was about to say implied. “Spike, get Buffy out!” Angel leapt down onto a path to a lower plateau. He landed just behind Connor and what was once Faith’s division.
“Connor!” Angel shouted. “We need to pull back. Regroup.”
“No!” Connor yelled. “We have to keep pushing!”
***
Buffy limped into the principal’s office. Even that caused inhuman pain on her shattered ankle. “Willow,” she said. “We need some kind of golden bullet here.”
“Don’t you mean silver bullet?” Dawn asked.
“Golden. Silver. Why’re you splitting hairs with me?”
“It’s not going well?” Willow asked nervously.
Buffy looked down. She knew she should tell Willow, but she needed the witch to be at the top of her game.
Dawn looked back and forth between them. “It’s okay, Buffy. We have a plan.”
“We do?” Wes and Fred asked in unison.
Dawn glared at Willow. Willow looked away. “We do,” the witch whispered. “Buffy . . . Buffy, see if you can find Wood and his group. We’ll need them to get the escape bus ready.”
As Buffy left, Fred and Wesley looked at Dawn and Willow.
“We have a key,” Willow said.
Wesley looked confused until realization dawned on him. “You had a key all this time and you-”
“Not now, Wesley,” Fred yelled. “We need a spell. We can handle the rest later.”
***
Spike and Faith had rejoined the battle and quickly worked their way to the front. On three sides, the plateau was stable. On the fourth, Faith’s old front, Connor and Angel had pushed down to a lower landing.
“I knew Angel was a poof!” Spike said smugly.
“That’s his son!” Faith laughed.
“Oh,” Spike said, slashing a sword at an ubervamps claws.
“This news doesn’t surprise you?” Faith asked, punching another ubervamp in the face.
“Little,” Spike said, finally finishing off one of the ubervamps. “But all the shit that’s happened ‘round here, I’ve learned to stop asking questions and just accept the impossible as it is.”
“Out!” Buffy shouted from the top of the cavern. “We need to pull out!”
“In an orderly manner, I’m sure, luv,” Spike called back.
“Angel!” Faith shouted. “Pull your line back up!”
Angel grabbed Connor’s shoulder. “Fall back, son. We’re pulling out.”
Connor pulled his shoulder away from Angel violently. “You’re pulling out.”
Angel wrapped his arm around Connor. He swung Connor off the path and over the chasm, setting the boy down behind him. Angel completed the 360 degree turn and threw a punch that knocked one of the Turak-han off the ledge and into the endless chasm.
“Connor,” he said glancing back at his son. “We’re all leaving.”
Connor grabbed his father by the neck and pulled him to the ground. He stepped over his father and slammed his axe into an Ubervamp’s skull. “Don’t you get it?!” Connor shouted. “This is where I belong! This is the only place where I know who I am!”
Angel swung his feet and tripped Connor, then hopped up and slammed his sword into another demon’s neck. He twisted the sword and the demon’s head popped off. “You belong back up there, Connor! You belong with me! Now I respect your suicidal phase, here, I really do.”
Angel ducked a punch. The demon kicked at Angel, but he caught its leg and shoved it off the ledge into the chasm. “But you’re coming back with me!” Angel continued. “You’re going to come back to L.A. You’re going to live with me at the Hyperion and do chores. And you’re going to have a long happy life whether you want to or not!”
Connor grabbed Angel and shoved his head into the rocky side of the chasm. Jumping on Angel’s back, Connor used his father as leverage to drop kick another ubervamp off the ledge. “I’m not leaving!” he hissed before swinging his axe again.
“Fine!” Angel shouted angrily. He turned to the slayers fighting side by side with them. “Ladies, fall back. You’re pulling out. Connor and I are staying behind to cover you!”
“What?” Connor yelled indignantly. “I don’t want stay here with you!”
“Connor!” Angel swung his sword and pushed forward until he was by his son’s side. “I’m sorry I let Holtz take you. I’m sorry I didn’t notice you were so angry and lonely. But I know how it feels, son. I know how it feels to want to punish yourself. I know how it feels to think you belong in hell.”
Angel’s sword got caught in an ubervamp’s shoulder and Angel couldn’t pull it lose. He kicked the vamp, and therefore his sword, off the chasm and started throwing punches.
Angel continued shouting over the din. “I know how that darkness can creep up on you. How it can take you. And I’m sorry I didn’t see that happening to you. I’m sorry I didn’t stop it. But now, Connor, you’re either coming back up with me or I’m staying down here with you. But whatever happens, you’ll never have to face that darkness alone ever again. From now on, if I see you going, I’m either pulling you back or coming with you! The choice is yours Connor. Starting now.”
***
“How many left?” Wesley shouted.
“Angel’s group is falling back now,” Rona said as she came out the chasm.
Faith was still down there, helping the girls out as they came back. Angel may have gone the deepest into the cavern, but Faith had resolved to be the last to leave.
“How much longer?” Willow asked Rona.
“Couple minutes, I think,” she said.
Angel climbed out, then turned. “Alright,” he called back. “Hand him up.” He hooked his hands down and pulled Connor from the hole.
“Oh my god,” Fred called, running to Angel’s side. “What happened?”
“Rona helped me knock him out,” Angel said. “He . . . he didn’t want to come back.” Angel looked up. “Where’s Buffy?”
“Upstairs with Spike,” Dawn said. Angel always got on her nerves and she thought she’d enjoy giving him a twinge of jealousy. But the look in Angel’s eyes was more pain than she’d reckoned for. “It’s not what you think. They just can’t be down here for this.”
“Why not?” Angel asked Dawn.
Faith climbed out of the hole. “We’re ready!”
Dawn didn’t speak, but quickly removed a dagger and slit her own throat. She collapsed onto the seal, coughing and choking on her blood. Angel quickly moved to grab her, but Andrea, one of the slayers, pulled him back. “We don’t like it either,” she said. “but we’ll do what we can.”
Willow was pressing her hands onto the seal and concentrating intently as Fred and Wesley read two demon languages from two different book. Willow screamed in anguish and the room began to shake. Willow collapsed onto the seal, which seemed to turn to dirt. Parts of the ceiling began to fall.
“Get her, get her!” Andrea shouted as she picked up Dawn. Faith grabbed Willow and Angel carried Connor. They ran up the stairs as the building began collapsing around them.
“Dawn!” Buffy yelled as she saw her sister. She began limping to her sister, ignoring the pain of her ankle.
Spike scooped Buffy into his arms. “Gotta get to the bus, luv.”
“My sister!” Buffy shouted.
Spike carried Buffy toward the exit. “Best thing for her is we all get out of here.”
Xander and Gunn had patched up Wood as best they could. They were now carrying him out of the building on a makeshift stretcher. “Can’t you summon your flying demon monkeys to do this for us?” Xander griped at Andrew.
“Don’t mind him,” Gunn said as he loaded Wood on the bus. “He’s just pissed cuz one of those things crapped in his hair.” Gunn gripped Wood’s hand. “You gotta hang in there, man. I can’t be the only brother on this bus.”
“Don’t worry,” Wood said weakly. “Rona will look after you.”
The scene was havoc. Dusk had just fallen and the remaining slayers were flooding at random onto school busses. The school collapsed just as Angel got out with Connor. Wesley started the last bus. “Hurry!” the watcher shouted. The ground around the school was also crumbling. Wesley shuddered, wondering if sealing the Hellmouth would destroy California after all.
Angel jumped onto the bus and Wes hit the gas. He followed the other busses, speeding away.
“Wes,” Spike’s voice cracked over the CB radio. “We’re heading for the hospital one town over. Sunnydale’s a ghost town.”
“Right!” Wes shouted.
Gunn stepped forward and grabbed the hand piece. Pressing the talk button, he said, “Wes says we’re with you.” Gunn hung up and looked at Wes derisively. “You have to actually press the button, genius.”
Gunn flopped into the seat across from Angel. Angel was holding Connor’s head in his lap and looking down at the boy as he did when Connor was just a baby.
“How you holding up?” Gunn asked.
“He wanted to stay down there,” Angel said in a deeply sorrowful voice. “He thought he belonged down there.”
“But you got him out,” Gunn said smilingly as he gave Angel a congratulatory slap on the shoulder. “Way to go super-dad.”
“You don’t understand,” Angel shook his head.
“What?” Gunn asked.
“He thought he belonged down there.” Angel looked up and Gunn gasped. Angel was crying. “How am I . . .” He stopped and began crying uncontrollably. “How am I going to save this kid?”
***
“You’re finished!” Cordelia shouted angrily.
Darla looked up at her and smiled wryly. “Yes I am. I’m finished fixing everything that went wrong a year ago.”
“You knew the risks, Darla,” Cordelia said. “You knew how this could have turned out and you deliberately disobeyed-”
“I’m actually a little surprised it took you this long to figure it out,” Darla said.
“I knew from the beginning,” Cordy interrupted. “I just wasn’t saying anything until I was sure. What you did could have destroyed the world, Darla! What were you thinking?”
“Connor!” Darla shouted, angry at last. “I was thinking about Connor! He’s my son. He is my soul. And I will literally burn in hell before I see him written off and thrown away. Whatever he’s done and whatever has been done to him, I want him to know that he is loved. I want him to know that he is good and that, no matter how damaged he is, he can be helped. So I’ll tell you what I told Angel in my last words.”
Darla got in Cordy’s face. “That child is the one good thing Angel and I ever did. You be sure to tell him that.”
Cordy rolled her eyes. “So you want what? Me to appear as a vision and tell Angel-”
Darla began laughing. “Angel did always go for the dumb ones,” she snarled.
“You should know,” Cordy shot back. “So what’s the joke?”
“Why do you think you died?” Darla said. “Did you think it was your time? You were Angel’s conscience. The Senior Partners knew if you woke up from your coma, you’d eventually make Angel realize working for Wolfram & Hart was insane. You didn’t die of natural causes, Cordelia. They killed you. They slowly and subtly poisoned you to death.”
Cordelia stepped back. “And now that Angel didn’t take the deal . . .”
“That’s right, precious,” Darla smiled. “You’re going back. And when you get there, don’t forget what I told you.”
***
“Wood is stabilized,” Wesley said as he sat next to Angel. “Dawn is still in the ICU, but the doctors are hopeful. It looks like the earthquake collapsed Sunnydale, but the surrounding areas were relatively undisturbed.”
Angel nodded. He was sitting in a hospital room where Connor laid, still sedated. Angel had grudgingly agreed to have Connor restrained.
Wesley paused a moment, then continued. “I hope you don’t mind, but I offered Giles the Hyperion as a temporary lodging for the girls. I figure Faith, Giles, and Willow could . . .” He looked at Connor. “I thought they could help.”
“Good idea,” Angel said distantly.
Fred burst into the room. “Angel!” she said excitedly. “Lorne called. We have to get back to the Hyperion!”
“What is it?” Wesley asked.
“It’s Cordelia!” Fred said, bubbling over with happiness. “She’s awake.”
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