“Giles?”

“Hmm?”

“This thing with Quentin.  I didn’t like him very much to begin with but . . .”

”It bothers you we left him in the cell with Ethan.”

“Yeah.  What if he was telling the truth?  Then we’ve sealed the fate of an innocent man.”

“Quentin was hardly innocent, Buffy, I can assure you of that.  Remember his explanation about Willow and Cordelia’s connection?”

“Yeah. I felt like a real jack-ass.”

”Well, he was completely correct. He knew of their connection in detail and he knew that Willow gave Cordelia her ring.  You and I were the only other people that knew she had the ring.”

“You knew?”

“Um, yes, well. . I was out in the hall when you and Cordelia were exchanging words.  Only that time I didn’t get caught.”

“You were lurking?  You’re the last one I’d ever think of to pull an Angel.”

”I fear for your safety, Buffy, all of you.  If anything were to ever happen, I don’t think I’d ever forgive myself for it.” He sighed.  “Yet here we sit, Willow is Immortal and you’re a vampire.  I just feel like I’ve failed all of you.”

She reached out and touched his shoulder.  “We’ll be okay, Giles.  We’re gonna go in there, kick some demon ass and go home.”

He smiled at her and nodded.

He noticed that Willow was being led in by Spike and brought her attention to it.  “Look. . .I can’t believe it!”

Willow was arm in arm with Spike.  He was leading her up a set a stairs.  She caught their attention, motioned to Spike and gave the ‘okay’ signal with her hand.  He looked up and nodded.  It was done in an instant, but they got the message.

Buffy whispered.  “He’s on our side.”

He nodded.  ”Looks that way.  We could use all the help we can get.”

“My fellow kindred. . your Queen has arrived!”

Cheers erupted from the crowd of 20 or so demons.  They pumped their weapons in the air and chanted ‘Long live the Queen!’.

Spike handed Willow off to Richard and bowed low.  From the door they just came through, Angelus emerged and took his place on the other side of the stage.  He and Spike exchanged a brief look then stared out to the crowd.

“Giles!  Did you see that?”

“I saw.  Let’s hope it means what we think it does.”

Cordelia was led out by another demon and thrown to the ground in front of the stage.

Richard spoke.  “The hour of evolution is upon us.  Soon we will be the perfect race, the only race worthy of inhabiting this earth!  Even as I speak, you’re old Queen is dying.  She has passed her prime and must be put to rest.  Will the new Queen present to take her place, we will achieve what we’ve fought so long for.  Immortality!  We will be unstoppable!”

“The Queen must die!  Long live the Queen!”  The chant took on an eerie rhythm, pounding out each syllable in their brains.  The pitch they reached was inhuman and they all had to hold their ears, fearing their eardrums would literally explode in their heads.

“Now!  Let the ritual begin!”

Cheers erupted again and suddenly five demons appeared from an adjacent corridor.  They wore robes encrusted with jewels and carried daggers in both hands.  Silently they marched over to the female and in unison knelt in front of her in a circle.

The creature stirred, but didn’t really move.  Buffy noticed that her skin had taken on a pale gray color and her movements were slow and awkward.  She was indeed dying, probably from producing so many offspring.  <Screwed to death.>  She gave a little chuckle.

Again in unison the grabbed her and carried her up to the stage.  A stone slab emerged from beneath the floor and she was placed on it, gently.  They shackled her arms, wrists, neck and torso.  She struggled the tiniest bit, but it was no use.  She was then gagged and a black hood was tied to her head.

The five demons turned to Richard and waited.  He nodded his head and together they raised their right hands and the daggers were slammed into various parts of her body.  The undertook the task of carving into her flesh, her head, her arms.  Green ooze flew everywhere and the crowd scrambled to the edge of the stage.  The demons continued to cut her up into small, manageable pieces and began to throw the pieces into the crowd.  Giles noticed one demon caught a piece of the flesh and pushed his way to the front of the stage.  He caught Willow’s attention and hungrily devoured it.  Almost immediately he took on a deep green luster.  This entire display couldn’t be described as anything but controlled chaos.  Each demon that caught a piece of flesh did the same in turn.

He leaned in and whispered to Buffy.  “They’re courting her.  Trying to prove themselves worthy.”

She grimaced.  “Ugh, that’s disgusting!”

“It’s an animalistic mating ritual.  The one that digests the most is considered the dominant male in the room.”

She shook her head and turned away from the carnage in front of her.  “Giles. . does that mean they. . “

”They’re vying for her attention.  I suppose you could say the one with the best green wins.  Then he’ll mate with her and . .”

”Nope, no way. . not gonna happen.  NOBODY is gonna mate with her. . .especially those things!”

Angel, as casually as possible, walked over to where Spike was standing.  “Does he know they’re here?”

He shook his head.  “No.  The two demons that reported to me earlier have been taken care of.  As much for saving face as for safety.  I’ll get you for that impotent comment later, mate.”  He smiled.

Angel shook his head.  “You sound like Willow and Cordelia.  I have a lot of debts to repay if we get out of this.”

“WHEN we get out of this. . .and you ain’t whistlin’ Dixie, old man.”  Spike glanced up to where Buffy and Giles were waiting and nodded his head.

The flesh-fest was over rather quickly and Richard stepped up in front of the crowd.  “Very good.  You have all served your Queen well and I’m sure she is impressed with your display.”  He looked back and winked at Willow.  She rolled her eyes and looked away.  “The time is now!”  He pointed to a few scattered demons in the crowd.  “You . . .and you. . . and you.”  They joined him on the stage and knelt down in front of Willow.  “You have proved yourselves worthy of the Queen.  After the ritual is complete, the line begins with you!”

With a wave of his hand they got up and lined up against the wall.  He beckoned to his two favorite charges.  “Angelus, Spike, come. . .bring my bride to me.”

They each took one of her arms and walked her over to him.  She put up a good struggle but stopped when she was thrown to the ground.  She looked up at both of them with her patented ‘you’ll pay for this’ look.

Richard bent down and took her face in his claws.  “The time is here, lover.  What a fine match we’ll make. . .our children and grandchildren will be proud.”  He lifted her off the ground without resistance.  “Mmm, good. . .you’re willing.”

She looked at him with a steely gaze and whispered.  “Don’t count on it.”

Angel noted his shocked expression and screamed from behind her.  “NOW!”

With all her strength, Willow used both her hands, pulled back, and slammed him across the face with a crack.  Angle came up next to her and grabbed him.  “Get the shackles off. . .quick!”

Giles and Buffy jumped down from their perch and ran headlong into the throng of demons.  Wielding staffs with blades taped to the ends they began swinging left to right, effectively cutting down almost half the crowd of demons.

Cordelia pulled the shackles off and reached for the dagger stuck in her boot.  She ran over to where the first wave of demons were cut down by Buffy and started kicking off their helmets and stabbing them in their skulls.  Kick and stab, kick and stab. ..she was practically unstoppable.

Spike had his hands full with the five ritual demons.  Two of them had him in a hold and a third was punching his midsection.  He jumped off the ground and placed two boots squarely in the face of his tormentor.  “Take that you smelly little poof!”   He shook the other two off and pounded their heads together, sending them into a pile on the ground.  “The Big Bad is. . .ugh!!”  The remaining two tackled him from behind.

Willow was standing in the corner chanting under her breath.  Two lightening bolts appeared above her and shot out towards the two demons who where going to town on Spike.  Upon connection, they were thrown into the crowd and exploded into dust before hitting the ground.

“Thanks, luv!”  he yelled from the ground.

“Thank me later!”  She began to concentrate again. . .

Buffy was taking care of the adult demons that didn’t dissolve with Cordelia’s stabs.  With slayer-vampire strength, she ripped off the breastplates and with her bare hands ripped out their hearts and threw them on the ground.  Between swipes of the staff, Giles took to stomping on the hearts Buffy was throwing in his direction.  One got away from her and made a wet thwack against the side of Giles’ head.

“Ooh. . .sorry.”  She smiled sheepishly.

He swung the staff and took down two more then looked over at her.  “Indeed.”

Angel was squaring off with Richard.  He’d just recovered from a direct blow to the midsection and staggered away from the corner.  “That’s it.”  He vamped.  “No more Mr. Nice Vampire.”  He came out of the corner swinging, effectively sending Richard back a few feet with multiple punches to his face.  While still dazed, Angel grabbed him and held him high in the air.  With a grunt he sent the demon flying to the other end of the stage into a wall.  In his hands he held the breastplate.

Angel was on him again immediately.  He lifted him high off the ground and slammed him down again into the middle of the stone slab that held the remnants of the dead Queen.  He landed with a wet gushy thud.

Willow raised her hands and before he knew what was happening, Angel was thrown into Spike and they both landed at the other end of the room.

She approached Richard who was wriggling on the slab.  She bent down and looked into his eyes.

He froze under her gaze and a look of terror washed across his face.  He was frozen, unable to move at all.

Suddenly the bindings that held the Queen were snapped into place with the wave of her hand.  She tilted her head to the right and he began to struggle again.

He shifted into the form of Timothy and tried to appeal to her.  “No, no, no. . .you don’t want to do this Willow.  I love you. . .you know I love you.”

She was shaken.  She hadn’t seen him in almost four years and everything they shared came bubbling to the surface.  She stumbled back a bit and tried to clear her head.

“I love you . . .trust me.”

That did it.  Everything came back, everything. . the nights they shared talking till dawn, the secret meetings in her study, the stolen kisses in empty halls. . .the way he changed in front of her before he raped her.

“No. . you’re a demon!  You don’t know what love is!”  She grabbed a dagger from the floor next to her and made a calm approach.  She spoke in a low voice.  “I trusted you. . I believed in you. . .and you repay my love and trust by raping me!  You did it, you raped me!”  She held the dagger high in the air and brought it slamming down into his chest.

He let out a guttural, primal scream and morphed back to demon form.  She continued to swing the blade up and brought it crashing down into his chest.  “You rotten!”  SLAM!  “Slimy!” SLAM! “Evil!”  SLAM!  “Horrible!” SLAM! “Mean, mean demon!” SLAM!!

Finally she dropped the dagger and reached into his chest and pulled out his still beating heart.  She threw it on the ground and began to stomp on it while beating on his chest with her fists.  “I can’t believe you. . .you did this to me. . .you monster. . you bastard!”

Her screams and poundings were slowed down then stopped by a light touch on her shoulder. She froze and turned slowly, tears streaking her slime covered face and was met with the blood tears of a frightened vampire.

Willow blinked once, twice. . .trying to discern what was happening.  “Buffy?”  She said in a weak voice, barely able to control the emotion still brewing within.

She nodded her head sadly.  “I think he’s dead, Will.”  She put her hand out and offered it to the redhead.  “Come on,  let’s go home.”

”Home . . .” Escaped from her lips before passing out in the slayer’s arms.

Buffy caught her then Giles screamed.  “Buffy!  Look out!”

A stream of ooze was making it’s way up the stage and towards the two girls.  Angel ran up and grabbed them both.  “It’s trying to borrow!  Quick, get her out of here.”  Buffy jumped down the other side of the stage and handed Willow off to Giles.  “Go, run!  We’ll stay and take care of this thing once and for all!”

“Giles.”  He turned to the sound of Spike’s voice.  “22 Blackbird Circle.  It’s mine. . .keys are in the planter.”

He nodded and went out the tunnel he and Buffy emerged from not long ago. Cordelia was right next to him.

“Spike!”  Angel yelled in the blonde vampire’s direction.  “Are we wired?!”

He nodded.  “Wired for sound, mate. . .all we have to do is throw the switch.”  He produced a small remote control from his pocket.

Buffy looked between both of them, confused.  “What’s going on?”

Angel grabbed her by the arm and led her to the center of the room.  “We blow this place sky high.  In it’s liquid state, these demons can’t resist the heat.”  He motioned to Spike.  “Come on.”

Angel knelt down and produced a map from his back pocket.  “We’re in the center of a circle. . .each of these three corridors leads to a dead end.  The only way to get out it here.”  He pointed to a tunnel next to where they were now.  “We go through this place and open all the doors to the cells.  Spike and I already put canisters of gasoline in all the rooms.  Empty it and run.  There are four rooms to each wing.  Start at they furthest cell and work your way back here.  I already collapsed the tunnel where Richard and Willow came in.  We get out the same way you and Giles got in.  It’s the only way.”

Spike and Buffy nodded in agreement and they all took off in opposite directions.

Not ten minutes later, Spike and Angel were standing next to the tunnel that would bring them to freedom.  They were holding torches and swinging them at their feet to keep the oozing mass at bay.

Spike looked over to his companion.  “I don’t know how much longer we can keep this up, mate.”

He nodded and handed the torch to Spike.  “Here. . .something must have happened.  I’ll go after her.  If we’re not back in five minutes, do it.”

”Angel . . “

”Do it Spike!”  With those words he took off in search of Buffy.

The first three rooms yielded nothing but the stench of gasoline.  Upon reaching the forth he heard a yell that was distinctly female.

He burst through the door just in time to see Ethan smashing her over the head with a chair.

He was pure action.  He ran over to him and landed several blows to his face and threw him to the ground.  Quentin was on his back immediately but he shook him off and sent him flying against the wall, dazed.  He reached down and grabbed Ethan by the throat.  “You never learn, do you?”  He vamped and clamped down on his neck.  He took just enough to paralyze him.  “The good guys always win.”  He grabbed Quentin and ripped into his wrist.  He took a mouthful of blood, leaned down and pressed his lips against Buffy’s.  She stirred a bit but didn’t wake up.

He tied them together and left them in the middle of the room.  Feeling a twinge of guilt, he shut and locked the cell without pouring the gasoline.  He grabbed the slayer in a fireman’s carry and ran off to the room.

Spike was having a hard time fighting back the ooze and a little of it got under his feet.  He quickly hopped up to the escape tunnel and began to turn away.  He stopped at the sound of Angel’s voice.

“Spike. . .some help here!”  He handed her limp body off to the other vampire and pulled himself up into the tunnel.

“What happened?”  He looked down at her with confusion.

“Ethan and Quentin worked her over.  She’s lost a lot of blood and I tried to replace some of it, but. . .”  He shrugged and touched her cheek.  She was so cold, colder than any vampire should ever be.  “Come on.  Let’s get to the surface and end this.”

Giles was replacing the cloth on Willow’s head with a new one.  Off in the distance he heard a roll of what he thought was thunder and the house shook a little bit.

Cordelia walked in with a towel around her shoulders, rubbing her hair.  “What was that?”

“It’s either the first earthquake in England’s history or. . .”

”Or they blew the place to bits.”  She nodded her head and smiled.  “I thought so.”  She walked over to the edge of the bed and touched Willow’s cheek lightly.  “Will she be okay?”

“She’s exhausted, both emotionally and physically.  I think she’ll be fine.  She just needs some rest.”

“Boy, I don’t think I’ve ever heard a truer statement.”  She stifled a yawn and stretched then looked at her watch.  “It’ll be light in a few hours.  I wonder what’s keeping them?”

Giles shook his head.  “Nothing oozing and slimy I hope.”

Angel climbed out of the manhole and straightened up.  “Ten more minutes and the three of us would have been toast.”

Spike nodded and shifted the body he held gently.  “I know. . .that’s the beauty of England, mate.  Best sewer system this side of the ocean.  The manhole here in the basement was my idea.  I thought it would be better to be safe and wet underground than out there blowin in the wind.”

Angel chuckled despite the concern on his face. Spike led the way upstairs and through the kitchen.  He walked down the hall and into his bedroom to lay Buffy on his bed.  “This is my room.  No windows.  You’ll be safe here, luv.”  He turned to say something to Angel, but he was already gone.

He crept down the hall and opened the door.  The site that presented itself almost made his heart beat once.  Cordelia was laying on the bed next to Willow, her arm wrapped lovingly around her waist.  Then there was Giles, asleep in the chair with his glasses on, hold Willow’s hand.  The vampire shook his head sadly and closed the door.

“What is it, mate?”

“Nothing.  They’re sleeping.  I feel like we’ve won, but we haven’t. . .not the way we were supposed to.”  He turned to Spike and cleared his throat.  “Was it really worth it? If Buffy dies, then what did Willow fight so hard for if she ends up losing her anyway?”  He ran his hand absentmindedly through his hair.  “It’s just not fair, Spike.”

He put his hand on his sire’s shoulder.  “She fought for herself, mate.  She fought to rid herself not only of the demons that threatened her life, but the inner demons that threatened her soul.”  He stood there in silence for a moment and absorbed all that had happened.  “I don’t think I speak only for myself when I say that it’s the one thing that keeps me from walking into the bloody sun.”

Angel nodded sadly.  “A chance for inner peace and redemption. . .to finally forgive yourself.”

Angel was jolted awake by a very agitated Watcher.  “Angel, Angel. . .wake up man!”

Groggily, he opened his eyes.  “Giles?”

“What happened and why are you two down here?  What happened to Buffy?”

He got up off the couch and stretched.  “The basement is the only other room in the house besides Spikes’ that doesn’t have windows.  Ethan and Quentin ganged up on her.  She’s hurt pretty bad.”

Giles nodded his head.  “Yes, I’m afraid so.  I’ve examined her.  She has injuries that would have killed a normal human being.  Her skull is cracked in two places and her spine is out of joint. She has more broken bones than I can count and I don’t know how or if she’ll survive this. . .and if she does, I don’t know what state she’ll be in.”

“Willow?”  Spike said from the other end of the room.

“She’s with Buffy now. . .she refuses to leave her side, even for a moment.  It’s taken Cordelia and I almost all day to find the two of you. . I didn’t even think of the basement till now.”  He let out a heavy sigh.  “Come on upstairs. . .dusk is approaching.”

The two vampires nodded and silently followed him upstairs.

“Cordy.”

She looked up into green eyes and followed the gaze to the doorway.  Willow whispered.  “Looks like someone is here to see you.”

A grinning vampire was standing in the doorway.  “Hi princess.”

”Angel.”  She got up and ran into his arms.  “Oh, Angel.”  She wrapped her arms around his neck as he lifted her off the floor.

“God, I missed you.”  He snuggled down into her neck and took an unnecessary breath.  “You smell good.”

“You feel good.”  She choked out before the tears came.

He felt her chest heave and reached up to stroke her hair.  “Shh, I’m here now, princess. . .Angel’s back.”  He looked over at Willow and mouthed a silent thank you.  She nodded and watched him carry her out the door.

Willow returned to her task.  “He loves her so much, you know.  They’re good for each other.”  She reached up and brushed a stray piece of blonde hair away from a bruised forehead.  “Who would have thought?  They compliment each other. . .his brooding and lurking and her strong headedness and zest for life. . .they were meant to be together, just like . . “  <Just like us.>  A lump formed in her throat and a tear fell from her eye.  She wiped them away with her sleeves.  “Ugh. . .I can’t do this alone, Buffy, I can’t.”

A hand reached out and touched her lightly.  “You may not have to.”

She turned around.  “Giles.  What do you mean?”

“Heal her the best you can. . .then we’ll take the matter to a higher court.”  He looked down at her seriously.

She was afraid to hope.  “I don’t know, Giles.  She’s hurt so badly. . .I’ll try my best, for her.”

He patted her on the back and left the room.

Giles was leaning against the wall when Spike walked up to him.  “How long has she been in there?”

He looked at his watch.  “About three hours.”

Spike tried the door but it wouldn’t budge.

“She has it sealed. . .you can’t get in.  Believe me, I’ve tried.”

He nodded and leaned against the wall next to the watcher.  “Then we wait.”

“Cordelia and Angel?  Are they alright?”

The blonde vampire snorted.  “Making up for lost time.”

He huffed.  “I can just imagine. . no, wait. . .I really can and it’s disturbing.”  He shook his head and laughed despite himself.

The door opened slightly and a very tired, worn-out redhead emerged from behind it.

“Willow.”

”She sighed.  “She’s better.  No more bruises or broken bones, but. . .”  She shrugged and shook her head.  “Giles, she still won’t wake up.”  She leaned her head against his shoulder and whispered softly.
”Why won’t she wake up?”

Of all the questions in all the world anyone could have asked him right now, he feared this one from this particular person the most.  She sounded so meek, defeated, afraid.  He simply looked down at her with a fathers love in his eyes and his heart broke for her.  She’d been through so much, too much for any one lifetime or any one person, and it all came down to this:  none of it mattered to her, none of it, if Buffy wasn’t there to share it with her.  He knew she’d do it all a hundred times again if there was at all the slightest possibility that it would turn out different. . .better.  He put his arms around her.  “I don’t know.”

She pulled from his grasp and went back into the room again.  Silently she climbed into bed and began to stroke Buffy’s hair.

Spike whispered to Giles.  “Breaks me heart to see her like this.”

“All may not be lost.  We have one last chance. . .one final hope.”  He looked at Spike and motioned for him to follow.

They stepped into the room.  Willow was humming a soft melody into Buffy’s ear.  She did look better and some of the color had returned to her face.  “Willow.”  Giles broke the silence.

She never looked up.  “Hmm?”

“There’s one last chance.  We can still save her.”

She got off the bed and walked up to him.  “How. . I’ve tried everything, Giles.  I’ve used all the magic I know and some I just guessed on.”

”We appeal to a higher court.”

”The Powers That Be.”  Angel stepped into the room with Cordelia a step behind.

Willow looked between the two men, confused.  “You mean personally?  In person?”

Angel nodded.  “You’re Immortal.  They couldn’t hurt you if they wanted to, on principle alone.  It’s worth a shot.”

She grabbed her coat off the back of the chair.  “Fine. . we do this now.  Lead the way.”

Angel gave Cordelia a quick kiss and they were out the door in moments.

Angel and Willow are standing in a white chamber.  He looks to her and gives a reassuring smile.  “Don’t worry.  You're a warrior now.  Immortal.  And I know your intentions are pure of heart.  If I do this right you’ll get in.”  He places some herbs in the urn in front of them.  “We beseech access to the knowing ones”  He lights the herbs on fire and it fills up with a blinding flame.  They look up and the archway before them glows and fills with light.  “You’re in.  This is your show, little one.  I’ll be here waiting.”

She walks into the light into a white marble chamber.  Two glittery figures confront her but then take a step back.

The Man smiles and bows to her.   "Come before us, Immortal one.”

The Woman frowns.  "What have you brought us?”

Willow clears her throat.  “I’ve come to ask a favor.”

The Woman waves her hand.  “We take no course or interest in human affairs.”

The Man frowns.  “Be gone with you then.” They begin to walk away.

She steps up to them  “No, wait!”  They turn back and the Man lifts a brow.  “I’ve come to beg for the life of the slayer.”

The Woman laughs.  “The slayer is dead.”

Willow shakes her head.  “No, you’re wrong.  She was turned into a vampire. . .it was done to save her life, but now.  Now she’s sick and she needs help.  Your help.”  She lifts her hands in defeat.  “There’s nothing more I can do.  I don’t know how to heal her.”

The two exchange looks then the Man speaks.  “A vampire. . .lesser being.  This is no concern of ours.”

Willow shakes her head again.  “A vampire that used to be the slayer, only now she’s a vampire. . .but with a soul, a good vampire.  We need her in our world to fight evil. . I need her.”

The Woman cuts her off.  “Then this is a matter of the heart.  Still not our problem.”  She turns to the Man.  “Immortal or not, I grow tired of her.”

Willow grows angry.  “I am here to beg for her life!  I need her and so does the world.  What do you two do up here anyway?  Just idly watch time go by and do nothing!  Well I can’t not do anything. . I can’t watch her die.  You have to save her!”

The Man walks up to her.  “Ours in not to grant life or death.”

She steps up to him defiantly.  “Then I ask you to take mine back.  Take away the Immortality I’ve been given in exchange for her life.”

The Woman steps up.  “You’re asking to be what you were, a mere mortal, in exchange for her life?”

The Man looks at her quizzically.  “She matters this much to you?  Do you know what you ask?  The Immortality you’ve been granted is a gift from the Powers That Be.”

She shook her head.  “It does me no good.  I’m no use to you as an immortal.  If you do this, if you grant me this one request. . .the world will have the slayer back.  She’s useful. . .she’s averted world destruction more times than I can count on one hand.  That has to count for something, anything!”

He frowns at her.  “Changing the course of a life cannot be undertaken lightly, especially for a lower being.”

“Yes.  You’re right.”  The Woman smiles at Willow.  “But this is not a lower being before us, she is an immortal, and we are bound to do what it is within our power to do.  To help her.  She does it out of love. . .and that makes her possibly a greater being than either of us.”

The man waves his hand in the air and a rain of gold dust covers Willow.  “Very well then.  Go.”

Willow rubs the dust from her eyes.  “Wait, that’s it?  You’ll do it?”

A hand reaches out and grabs her shoulder.  “What?  Do what Willow?”

She blinks and looks over at him.  “Angel?”

“Yeah, what are you talking about?”  He motions to the archway.  “Are you ready to go in?”

She looks at him, puzzled.  “But, I . . .I’ve already gone in. . .and they.”

He slaps his head with his hand.  “That’s right!  When you go in, it’s for an instant.  It’s like you  never even left.”  He chuckles.  “The first time I went in it took the whole ride home for Doyle to explain it to me.”

”So from what you know . . .I’ve been standing here the whole time?”

“Yes. . .you never even moved an inch.  So what did they say?”

”I don’t think I’ll be going back there. . .EVER.. . .but if I ever do.  Angel, you think you could remind me to bring an offering?”

“I’m sorry.”

She smiled.  “It’s okay.  Turns out I had something to offer them anyway.”

”What?”

“Lets go back to the house and see if Buffy’s alright.  Then I’ll tell you and everyone else at the same time.  Saves me from having to tell the story five times.”