part 7b
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A few days later they met just after dawn in an abandoned warehouse not =
far from the Mansion. They needed space for what they had planned. =
Willow looked around the decrepit building. <Goddess, there are a lot of =
these things around Sunnydale. I wonder if there are vampire realtors -- =
Abandoned building, already sun-proofed, best offer. > The group had =
decided that it was best to do this during the day, just in case they =
failed -- releasing Angelus. As soon as the casting was done they would =
go to the Mansion and check on Angel. Giles had stocked his car with =
the provisions needed to re-curse the vampire if necessary.=20
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Willow and Cassandra carefully laid out the diagrams described in the =
journal and a large protective circle. The Immortal moved to stand =
inside the circle as Willow, Giles, and Anya moved to stand on the =
diagram. Xander was standing guard; after some discussion, Cassandra =
had decided that Anya's years of experience made her the better choice =
for actually working the spell. Xander's job had been persuading the =
former demon to do it. It had taken a lot of persuading, but she =
finally given in. =20
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Cassandra had dressed in a comfortable leather outfit that morning. She =
had had to avoid Angel to prevent him from seeing her in it. He knew =
that it was what she wore when she knew she was going into a fight. =
Leather wasn't her usual clothing choice, but it provided a bit more =
protection that regular cloth. Willow had added several amulets of =
protection to the ensemble -- she didn't care if Cass could heal from =
just about anything. The redhead didn't want her friend and teacher to =
get hurt in the first place.
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They were actually skipping the first third of the spell. There were =
actually three spells laid out in the journal. The first called the =
soul back to the body, and Willow had already done that. So they were =
going straight to part two -- destroying the demon that had tormented =
Angel for over two hundred years. The last spell would lock Angel's =
soul to his body. The sorcerer had found no way to do that part without =
getting rid of the demon first.
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Cassandra and Willow had read through the spells in minute detail, =
determined to miss nothing. Angel would still be a vampire; that was =
irreversible. But there would be no demon, and his soul would be bound =
to him until he was dusted. If, of course, it worked.
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The trio standing on the diagram began to intone the words they had =
carefully memorized, and Cassandra drew her sword and held it ready. A =
shadow began to form inside the circle.=20
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Angel looked up from the computer; distracted from the text he was =
reading. Something felt strange. <What's happening?! > Inside him the =
demon squirmed, shrieking. Sudden excruciating pain flowed through him. =
<Willow? > "Willow!" He'd felt magic, and the touch of it was familiar. =
He'd felt it before -- when his friend had restored his soul and when =
she had pulled him out of Hell. <What are you doing to me? > The demon =
was fighting it. Angel was almost swamped by the wave of intense fear, =
and he almost gave into that fear and began fighting alongside the demon =
-- his enemy. Then he let go -- let the spell do it what it would. =
Blood tears running down his face, Angel fell to the floor in pain. <I =
trust you, Willow. > =20
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As Willow, Giles, and Anya reached the end of the spell the dark shape =
in the circle began to gain solidity. It was the demon -- in physical =
form. Hideous didn't even begin to describe the creature. With =
incredible speed the demon threw himself at the protective barrier that =
Willow and Cassandra had set, trying to reach the mortals that had dared =
to pull him out of Angel. Giles and Anya scrambled back, pulling Willow =
with them. They watched wide-eyed, unable to help, as the demon turned =
and attacked Cassandra, the only one within his reach. The Immortal was =
ready for him; she quickly deflected his claws and ducked under his =
snapping teeth. The demon shrieked at his prey's evasiveness as he =
slammed into the barrier again. Cassandra spun and stabbed him through =
the shoulder. It was a serious but, unfortunately, not fatal wound. =
The demon was faster and stronger than Cassandra. But while the =
Immortal was calm, almost detached, the demon was mad with rage at being =
attacked. He lashed out at his opponent once again. Willow cried out =
with horror as she watched the demon claw the Immortal's side, gouging =
deeply. The young woman almost missed seeing Cassandra swing her sword =
and behead the demon in one smooth motion. Abruptly, the factory was =
silent. The body fell, turning to ash as it did. Angel's demon hit the =
concrete floor in an explosion of ash.
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Cassandra stood in the flurry of ash, leaning on her sword. She turned =
to the others, who stood stunned just outside the protective barrier. =
She gasped. "Finish it."
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Quickly the three moved back to the diagram and resumed chanting. =20
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Angel lay on the floor, staring blankly at the dark ceiling of the =
Mansion. The pain had ending abruptly, allowing the vampire to uncurl =
out of fetal position. His demon was gone from the cage in his mind, =
but Angel was too numb and confused to appreciate or even register the =
fact.
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A feeling like a warm, comforting hand settled over him. <More magic. > =
He thought dazedly. Once again it had a familiar feel. <Willow's hand =
on my soul. > Angel let his eyes slide closed and gave into =
unconsciousness.
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The factory was again quiet. Cassandra swayed and fell; the demon =
had badly wounded her. Blood flowed freely down her side. Willow =
gasped and ran forward, breaking the circle. Anya ran to get Xander. =20
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Willow knelt in the ashes and blood next to her teacher. "Cassandra!?"
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"I'll be fine," she said weakly, "It's not even fatal. I'm old --I heal =
fast. Just give me a few minutes. =20
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Willow and the rest of group watched with fascination as the deep claw =
marks began to close and shrink with incredible speed. It is one thing =
to be told it will happen; it is another thing to actually see it =
happen. None of them moved until Cassandra took a deep breath and got to =
her feet.
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"Let's go make sure this worked," The Immortal stated calmly, walking =
out of the factory and getting in the car, as if she hadn't just fought =
a demon to the death. She was only outwardly calm though. <I can't =
believe I just did that. That thing could have ripped my head off! =
Goddess! The things I do for my students! > She forced herself to stay =
calm, the others were reeling from the powerful conjuring -- Cassandra =
wanted no bouts of hysteria until AFTER they'd made sure that Angel was =
in one piece.
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They made Xander drive. Fortunately, they ran into no traffic cops =
during the short trip to the Mansion.
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Cassandra went in first. There was no telling what frame of mind Angel =
would be in after what they had just put him through. She at least =
would heal from most damage. Giles followed her with a tranquilizer gun =
-- just in case. =20
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"In here!" the Immortal called out. All of them rushed into the =
Mansion. Cassandra was kneeling next to Angel, who was still =
unconscious on the floor. Willow joined her, taking hold of his limp =
hand and wiping away the blood tears that covered his face. =20
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"Giles, we'd better tie him up. The demon is gone, but he could wake up =
hysterical. And let's move him to the couch," Willow barely acknowledged =
them as they moved the vampire. She simply followed him, refusing to =
let go of his hand. =20
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As they started binding his hands, Angel began to surface. His eyes =
flickered, then closed. A moment later his eyes flew open and he jerked =
to a sitting position, pulling out of Giles and Cassandra's grasp. =
"Willooow!" he screamed. Willow threw her arms around him; "It's =
alright Angel. Everything's okay." Her voice was soothing. He wrapped =
his arms around the small girl, burying his face in her hair. Angel =
calmed quickly as he became more alert. However, he showed no intention =
of letting go of Willow. Cassandra watched with not a small amount of =
amusement as he leaned against the couch-back, pulling the redhead onto =
his lap. His arms didn't loosen and his didn't move his face out of her =
hair.
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His curiosity kicked in after a few moments, and the vampire looked over =
at Cassandra. "What was that. There was magic. The demon -- I can't =
feel it anymore." His voice was shaky; and his dark eyes were filled =
with a hope that he was afraid to express.=20
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Cassandra laid her hand on his shoulder, saying gently, "The demon is =
gone, dead." His eyes were incredulous. "Willow found a way to force the =
demon out so it could be destroyed without destroying you. You're =
still a vampire, but there is no longer a demon. We've bound your soul =
permanently."
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Angel sat with his mouth hanging open. He searched inside himself and =
felt only the slightest bit of bloodlust and not even a hint of the =
demon. <Yes, that's why he fought so hard. > He turned to look into =
Willow's eyes, only a few inches from his own. "You took that kind of =
risk for me? Again?!" His voice went up on the last word.
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Willow laid a hand on his cheek. "Of course. You're my friend." She =
smiled. "If it was me you would have done it."
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Angel, still reeling from surprise, grinned at the truth of that =
statement. He learned into her hand. He was about to speak when the =
front door opened. Buffy walked in.
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She stared for a moment at the group gathered in front of her. She had =
come over because Giles had been acting funny -- like he was hiding =
something. It hadn't been hard to realize that it probably something =
to do with Angel or Willow. Given her behavior lately on anything to do =
with them she didn't blame Giles for not saying anything. Buffy had =
begun to realize, over the past couple of weeks, that she'd been rather =
childish. It was a very difficult admission to make. What she saw in =
front of her was confirmation of all the changes she'd been trying to =
deny. =20
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Angel looked like he'd been put through a wringer. His shirt was torn, =
hair messier than normal, and his face covered tears. Willow, still on =
his lap, had smeared blood and ash all over her pants. Cassandra, =
leaning against the back of the couch, was also covered in blood, and =
her leather shirt had been reduced to tatters. Giles was leaning =
against the wall, distinctly pale. The Watcher was still holding the =
tranquilizer gun. Anya, also pale, was leaning on Xander. <They went =
into danger without me; I'm the Slayer --I could have helped. > But =
Buffy knew why she had not been asked, and she wanted to kick herself. =
She opened her mouth but little came out.
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"What . . .?" the Slayer stuttered.
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Seeing no anger, just confusion (and a little hurt), in her former =
friend's face, Willow got up and went over to her. She guided Buffy =
over to a chair. "Um, why don't you sit down. No one is hurt." =
Willow gently described the events of the morning. Buffy's face rapidly =
went from confused to stunned. =20
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"You're sure everyone's okay? It worked?" Buffy looked over at Angel. =
He was looking at Willow. "What about all the blood?!"
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"That's mine." Cassandra explained. "There are definitely benefits to =
being Immortal. Rapid healing being among the most significant." Her =
tone was dry. In a more reassuring voice she continued. "The casting =
worked. Angel need never fear the domination of his demon ever again."=20
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"I could feel him leave. I felt the demon die, " Angel added, his =
usually solemn voice filled with wonder and joy.
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Buffy looked at him quietly. As she saw the glowing smiles Willow and =
Angel turned on each other she felt her confusion fade away. She smiled =
at them, and said sincerely, "I'm glad." She looked at Giles' and =
Anya's pale faces again. "Giles, you're way too pale. I'm driving you =
home. Xander, take Anya home and make sure she rests." Giles and the =
others relaxed; Buffy was handling the surprise far better than any of =
them had hoped.
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"My car. . ." Giles began to protest, " and we should review the =
spells."
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"The spells worked. I can drive your car. You need to rest. MARCH." =
Buffy's voice left little room for argument. The Watcher decided it was =
best to obey and said his good-byes. Buffy moved to follow the others =
but then stopped to walk back to Willow. She hugged the young witch =
tightly; after a moment of surprise Willow hugged her back. "I'm glad =
you're not hurt. Get some rest, you're nearly see-through." The Slayer =
turned and quickly left, leaving the vampire and the two witches to =
recover from the morning.
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