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Part 2
" . . .and so, from what Willow and I have concluded, if the two daggers are given the spell of Shrk'grr, the demon killer, the Legion should be destroyed. The dilemma is that both daggers must pierce the demon's heart simultaneously, one from the front, the other from the rear. If not, the daggers will hurt him, but they will inevitably only anger him more."
Buffy absorbed the information, as did Angel. Both moved to pick up the weapons from the table and examined them. They would have to be in perfect synch on this one, otherwise they would fail. It always came down to the two of them, no matter whether it was Angel and Buffy fighting evil, or Angelus and Buffy fighting each other, at times all seemed to revolve around them. The two locked eyes momentarily.
"What do we do?" Xander asked nervously.
"Our jobs will be important as well. Willow will need to be close to place the spell. The effect is temporary, so we can't do the spell beforehand. We will need to protect Willow from interference, and I suspect that Legion will have a band of escorts with him. We," he pointed at the gang, "will need to engage these demons in order to give Buffy and Angel sufficient time to battle Legion. This is not going to be an easy fight. Those demons with Legion will be strong, his personal warriors."
"Can we do this without getting anyone hurt?" Angel asked.
"Yes, I believe if we all pull . . . ."
"Truth, Giles." Buffy was stoic. "Be honest, we deserve it."
Giles faltered. "I anticipate casualties." He took off his glasses. "I caution against heroics. I suggest what Angel said earlier. Consider what is at stake here. There is no cowardice involved if anyone of you chooses to sit this one out." He surveyed the room, eyeing Cordelia momentarily. There was fear in their eyes, Giles saw this, but he also saw determination and strength. Everyone stood up to acknowledge their decision to stay.
"We live together, fight together, die together." Xander said in all seriousness. It was perhaps the most mature and honest statement he had ever made. He placed his hand out before the group. Surprisingly, Cordelia was first to place her hand atop of Xander's, fingers intertwining lovingly. "Together."
Angel placed his hand atop the others, clasping down. "No one will ever know the courage that was here today. No one will know of our deeds if we succeed. But know this, there will come a time when your sacrifices are repaid tenfold, those are nature's rules. Whatever happens, just know that humanity will be eternally grateful." It was a beautiful moment. One filled with the understanding that they were together, even if death was to come calling.
The gang, weapons in hand, and in a focused silence left Giles' apartment prepared for battle. In the shadows, a figure stirred. He watched Angel and the others leave with a proud yet sad heart. They were heroes, this he knew, but he wondered why it was always the good who died young. Silently, Whistler stepped from the shadows and followed.
It hadn't taken long for the battle to begin. The scene had been set eons ago. The starless sky, the lunar eclipse, as the moon faded from the night; all were standard procedures for a Rising.
"Hurry," Giles told the others as they scampered beneath the surface. "Time is running out!"
It wasn't hard to find Legion; the candles and rotting bodies led the way. And when the demon, dressed in ceremonial garb, came into view, both Buffy and Angel leapt at him with little regard for the small vampire army amassed before him. Legion's eyes narrowed and he growled like a vicious animal. "Kill them!"
From behind, Xander, Cordelia, and Oz began attacking the vampires. Armed with stakes and swords, they engaged the demons like seasoned warriors. Not to say there was no fear in the young soldiers, but duty had called them forth and necessity had overridden doubt.
It had once been the Master's lair, his prison. It had been an old church once, with broken pughs laying about, as well as crosses and a lost altar. It had kept the Master locked away for a time, but now it was a warzone. Buffy and Angel fought like they never had before. There was so much at stake that the idea of defeat never crossed their minds as they traded blows with the demon. Legion, for his part, fought viciously. He lashed out with razor sharp claws and with strength beyond any the Slayer or her vamp lover had ever encountered.
Legion lifted Angel off the ground as Buffy was tossed aside by an unseen force. Angel had no breath to be denied but he could feel the demon's hands preparing to remove Angel's head from his body. He struggled frantically.
"Angelus . . . ." Legion laughed, "where is your friend now? He abandons you at your death. Ha!"
Buffy used the momentary distraction to place the dagger deep into the demon's chest. Legion looked down and laughed. Buffy turned to see Willow and Giles being overrun by vampires. *Damn!* Legion released Angel and tossed the dagger aside. He stepped toward Buffy who slowly backpeddled.
"Slayer. I want to taste you. I want to see what I have missed all these centuries." Legion made his way to Buffy, an evil smile about his face. Buffy could see Willow reciting the incantation as Giles defended her. Oz, Xander, and Cordelia likewise were still fighting, but it was only a matter of time. Legion grabbed Buffy and drew her close. She struggled but it was to no avail. They had lost.
Then in a blinding flash Angel was hugging the demon. No, not hugging, but burying the two daggers simultaneously into Legion's cold heart. The demon stepped away, dumbfounded, but he knew what had happened. His eyes went wide with horror.
"No!!" he screamed, collapsing to his knees.
The remaining vampires who had been fighting throughout the ordeal fled in panic as they noticed their leader on his knees in defeat. Already, the life had begun to drain from the Immortal. Angel lifted Buffy to her feet, the two embracing with tears of joy and fear in just how close they had come to death.
"I will die, Angelus, but you will come with me. I'll tear you to shreds in Hell!!" Legion summoned the last of his strength and he compressed it into a bolt of energy that was to expire both himself and Angel. The bolt took the shape of a spear and flew at Angel. There was no time to react.
Before the bolt could slay Angel, Whistler jumped in to absorb the shock. The body that collapsed to the ground was barely alive. Angel knelt close to his mentor, his friend, and took hold of his hand. Whistler smiled despite the pain.
"I guess you were right, Slayer," Whistler coughed, gazing at Buffy, who was kneeling beside Angel, "it was time for me to get off my Immortal ass." Whistler coughed again, the life slowly fading from him.
"You can't die," Angel said, trying his best to hold back his sadness. "You're Immortal."
"Yeah . . .but an Immortal can take a life as easily as if it were a mortal's." He winced with pain. "I've lived long on this world. I go without regrets."
Whistler squeezed Angel's hand tightly. "I was wrong, Angel. There is life to be lived. You *have* made amends. You have sacrificed. Continue the fight . . .but live. Live to the fullest . . . ." Suddenly it was like Angel had been holding a livewire. A burning sensation tore through Angel's body as he was knocked back by an unseen force. Angel and the others watched with fascination as Whistler's mangled body faded gracefully from their eyes.
Angel lifted himself to his. At that second the ceiling gave way and the rays of morning's first light poured into the underground prison. Buffy screamed for Angel to hide. He stood there, for a moment, dumbfounded and paralyzed to move. Xander came crashing into him, the both of them sprawling to the floor. Xander tried to cover Angel as best as he could.
"Xander," a small voice called out from below, " . . . get off, please . . .I . . .I can't breathe."
Xander stepped off slowly, trying to comprehend what he had just heard. The others, too, stepped forward watching as the sunlight grazed across Angel's skin without consequence. Silence filled the lair as awe and fascination stole all vocabulary.
"Angel?" Buffy asked, her eyes filling with tears.
Angel looked down at the feeling of heat upon his skin. He took a deep breath as air filled his lungs again. He smiled with surprise as tears began streaming down his face. He looked down at his hands, he could feel the blood coursing through his veins renewed vigor. He choked on the tears. "I'm . . .I'm alive."
Buffy jumped into his arms and the two fell into a deep, passionate kiss. She embraced him tightly, prepared to never let him go this time. The others gathered around, overjoyed at what miracle had brought the gift of life. It was Giles who spoke.
"This is a gift without strings as far as I gather, Angel. You have made your amends and you have been given a second chance. The Fates are not without a sense of fairness. And seeing that you have not only saved humanity, but the Immortals as well, I guess your life is the best gift they could bestow upon you."
Happiness. But Whistler was gone. A sadness lingered in Angel, until he felt a presence lay its hand upon his shoulder. At that moment, he looked to the sky above and swore that he would live his life to the fullest. "Whistler, this is the greatest gift any one could have given me. Thank you, my friend."
Angel pulled Buffy close to him, the future an infinite amount of possibilities.