Into every generation, there are Chosen Ones. A Slayer will stand against the vampires, the demon, and the forces of darkness. With each Slayer comes a Guardian. They are protectors of the innocent.

Day One

Night - Master's Lair

Collin was tossing stones into the pool, taking a few more from the Master's hand. Darla walked in.

"Zachary didn't return from the hunt last night," the Master told her.

Darla shook her head. "The Slayer and Guardians."

Master was angry. "Zachary was strong, and he was careful. And still, the Slayer and Guardians take him, as they have taken so many of my family." He took a deep breath. "It wears thing. Collin, what would you do about it?"

"I'd annihilate them," Collin answered.

Master smirked. "Out of the mouths of babes."

Darla walked closer. "Let me do it, Master. Let me kill them for you, one at a time."

Master shook his head. "You have a personal interest in this."

Darla pouted, disappointed. "I don't get to have any fun."

Master got an idea. "I will send the Three."

Darla smirked, impressed, intrigued. "The Three? May I offer a suggestion, Master?"

"If you must," Master answered.

"It won't be easy to lure and kill the Slayer and both Guardians," Darla told him. "But they do have friends that you can lure them to you with. Send the Three after one of the friends, and you may have a chance at killing them."

Master was intrigued, smirking. "And who would you suggest?"

"The witch," Darla answered.

"Wyatt Pratt?" Master asked, amused, chuckling. "No. Wyatt's a skilled immortal witch that has gotten far too good for a simple attack."

"Not Wyatt Pratt," Darla answered. "The female witch. Carmen Chase."

"Carmen Chase?" Master repeated.

"Yes," Darla answered. "She's a newbie witch, just barely learning about her powers and how to control them. Wyatt has been teaching Carmen, but she'll be the easier target."

  ∞ 

Alley

Three tough guys were lighting up cigarettes. The Three walked around a corner at a steady, deliberate pace. The men saw them coming, leaving quickly.

  ∞ 

The Bronze

A cockroach was being chased along the floor.

"Get it!" a boy said. "Go get it, right there!"

"I got it!" a girl said, holding the cockroach up to the bartender and dropping it into his jar. "Free drink, please."

The bartender nodded and went to get the drink.

Buffy, Brooke, Zoey, Alice and Carmen were sitting together at a table.

"Ah, the fumigation party," Willow told them.

"Hmm?" Alice asked.

"It's an annual tradition," Zoey explained. "The closing of the Bronze for a few days to nuke the cockroaches."

Buffy nodded. "Oh."

"It looks like a lot of fun," Brooke told them sarcastically.

They chuckled.

Alice looked at Daydreaming Carmen. "What's it like where you are?"

Carmen looked up, smiling a small smile. "I'm... sorry. I was just... thinking about things..."

"So, we're talking about a guy?" Buffy asked.

"Not exactly a guy," Carmen answered. "For us to have a conversation about a guy, there'd have to be a guy for us to have a conversation about. Is that a sentence?"

Willow smiled. "You lack a guy."

"I do," Carmen answered. "Which is fine with me, most of the time, but..."

"What about Angel?" Brooke asked.

"Angel?" Carmen repeated. "I can just see him in a relationship. 'Hi, honey, you're in grave danger, I'll see you next month.'"

"He's not around much," Zoey told them. "It's true."

Carmen looked dreamily. "When he is around... it's like the lights dim everywhere else. You know how it's like that with some guys?"

"Oh, yeah," Willow answered, looking over at Xander.

Xander was on the dance floor, making a fool of himself. He danced up to a girl. "Hey, Annie!" He saw her boyfriend. "Dino. Just leaving!"

Xander backed away, bumping into Cordelia.

"Ouch!" Cordelia complained. "Please get your extreme oafishness off my two-hundred-dollar shoes!"

"I'm sorry, I was just..." Xander trailed off.

"...getting off the dance floor before Annie Vega's boyfriend squashes you like a bug?" Cordelia finished.

"Oh, so you noticed," Xander stated.

"Uh-huh," Cordelia answered.

"Yeah, thanks for being so understanding," Xander told her sarcastically.

"Sure," Cordelia told him.

"You know, hey, I don't know what everyone's talking about," Xander told her. "That outfit doesn't make you look like a hooker!"

Xander laughed, walking toward the girls' table. Eric and Brady met up with them with drinks.

"Boy," Brady told them. "Boy, that Cordelia is a regular breath of vile air. No offense, Carmen."

"Oh, don't worry, Brady," Eric told him. "Car Chase doesn't take offense when you talk bad about her sister. Otherwise, she wouldn't hang out with us."

"No, but Carmen does take offense to Car Chase," Willow told them. "Proven by the glare she's giving to my little brother Eric."

They chuckled.

"Thanks for the drinks, boys," Brooke told them. "You're paying, right?"

"Sure," Brady answered. "What are you vixens up to?"

"Just sitting here, watching our barren lives pass us by," Alice answered, looking down. "Oh, look, a cockroach."

Willow stomped on the bug.

Buffy lifted her eyes to see and then turned them back down.

"Whoa, well, let's stop this crazy whirling of fun," Eric told them sarcastically. "I'm dizzy."

"All right, now I'm infecting those nearest and dear to me," Buffy told them, standing. "I'm gonna call it a night."

"Oh, don't go," Zoey told her.

"Uh, yeah," Eric told her. He looked at his watch. "It's... not early. We could, um, dance."

"Rain check?" Buffy asked. "Good night."

Buffy walked away, leaving.

Eric let out a breath.

Willow held her shoe up to them. "Want a free drink?"

Neither of them took the offer.

"Actually, we should go ahead and call it a night, too," Alice told them. "It is a little late."

Brooke sighed. "Yeah, I guess. Why not?"

"Alice, you okay?" Brady asked.

"Yeah," Alice answered. "Just tired."

"All right," Zoey told them. "See you guys."

  ∞ 

Alley

Carmen was walking home, sensing something, stopping to look behind her, but didn't see anything, continuing on, hearing something. "It's late, I'm tired, and I don't wanna play games. Show yourself." One of the Three roared, jumping down to the sidewalk behind her. Carmen turned around, using her power to throw the vampire back into the wall of the building, but was surprised when another of the Three grabbed her from behind, making her stop. The third member came up on her other side, grabbing her other arm. The vampires pulled her further into the alley, pushing her against a fence. "Okay, okay, okay, nice, look, I really don't wanna fight all three of you, unless I have to."

Carmen kicked the vampire in front of her in the crotch, elbowing one of the ones restraining her, trying to punch the other. The vampire blocked the move, kneeing her in the stomach, slamming her into the fence. The other two recovered, grabbing her again. One slowly approached her with death in his eyes. Carmen was terrified, struggling to get away.

∞ Slayers and Guardians ∞ 

Alley

The vampires still had hold of Carmen, grabbing her head, moving in to bite.

Angel arrived, grabbing the first by his hair, pulling him off of Carmen. "Good dogs don't..." He punched him in the face. "Bite!"

Carmen was surprised, but quickly regained her head, trying to use her power to get the other two to let go of her, shocked when she started to levitate above them, but while they held her arms, they dangled off the ground, making her swing them around. Everyone was shocked as Carmen struggled to control this new power. Carmen kicked the two vampires off of her arms so they wouldn't drag her down.

Angel punched Vampire 1, snap kicking Vampire 2. Vampire 3 pulled a piece of iron bar off a window to hit Angel.

"Look out!" Carmen told him.

Angel turned around, only to be sliced in the chest with the bar, slamming an open palm into the vampire's chin, pushing him off of him, punching him in the gut, slamming both fists into his head. As Angel was about to be stabbed again, Carmen, still in the air, kicked the vampire back, making him fall, nearly falling to the ground as her power stopped suddenly.

Angel caught Carmen before she hit the ground, groaning in pain. "Run!"

Angel and Carmen ran out of the alley, with the Three chasing after them.

∞

Chase Mansion - Outside

Angel and Carmen ran up to the mansion. The Three were hot on their trail.

Carmen got the front door open. "Get in, come on!"

∞

Inside - Foyer

Carmen ran inside. Angel was right behind her. Carmen slammed the door on one of the vampire's hands. The vampire struggled  moment. Carmen used her power to burn the vampire's hand, making him pull his hand out, slamming the door closed, locking it. The vampires look in through the glass.

Angel looked at Carmen. "It's all right. A vampire can't come in unless it's invited."

"I've heard that before, but I've never put it to the test," Carmen told him, leaning against the door, seeing his wound. "Oh, I'll go get some bandages, just take your jacket and your shirt off."

Carmen walked into the kitchen. Angel looked out the window one last time, following her.

∞

Kitchen

Angel took off his jacket and T-shirt.

Carmen looked at him from behind, seeing his tattoo of a griffin straddling a large A below his right shoulder, bringing over the first aid kit. "Nice tattoo. I was lucky you came along." She looked up at him, curious. "How did you happen to come along?"

Carmen started to bandage Angel's wound.

Angel chuckled a little. "I live nearby. I was just out walking."

"So, you weren't following me?" Carmen asked. "I just had this feeling you were."

Angel smiled. "Why would I do that?"

Carmen shrugged. "You tell me, you're the Mystery Guy that appears out of nowhere. I'm not saying I'm not happy about it tonight, but if you are hanging around, I'd like to know why."

"Maybe I like you," Angel answered. They smiled at each other. Carmen sighed a little, looking at her hands and feet, nervous. Angel knew why. "Tonight was the first night you've done something like that, isn't it? Levitating like that?"

Carmen nodded, but before either of them could talk anymore, they heard the front door open. Carmen quickly left the kitchen to check who it was.

∞

Foyer

Carmen walked into the foyer to see Cordelia returning home, worried about the Three outside, quickly pulling Cordy inside, closing the door behind her.

Cordelia was confused. "Hi to you too, to. What are you doing?"

"There's a lot of weird people outside at night, and I just feel better with you safe and sound inside," Carmen told her.

"Weird people like you and your friends?" Cordelia asked. "Zoey even got dragged into the weirdo crowd by Willow, Xander, Eric and Jesse once upon a time, like you did. It's gotten worse since Alice, Buffy, Brooke and Brady got to town and since you guys started to hang out with that Wyatt guy that works at school now, Carmen." Angel walked in from behind Carmen. "Hi."

Angel nodded. "Hi."

"Oh, okay, um, Angel, uh, this is my sister, Cordelia," Carmen told him. "Cordy, this is Angel. Uh, we ran into each other on the way home."

"Nice to meet you," Angel told her.

Cordelia was clearly interested in him, smiling slyly. "You, too, Angel. What are you doing here with Carmen?"

"That is a long story for another night, so goodnight, Cordy," Carmen told her.

Cordelia smirked, scoffing, eyeing them knowingly, a little impressed with her sister but a little jealous at the same time.

∞

Carmen's Room

Carmen and Angel walked in. Carmen closed the door quietly.

"Look, I don't wanna get you in any more trouble," Angel told her.

"And I don't wanna get you dead," Carmen replied. "They could still be out there. So, uh, oh, two of us, one bed, which doesn't work. Um, why don't you take the bed, you're wounded."

Angel shook his head. "I'll take the floor."

Carmen was worried, concerned. "Uh, no, that's not..."

Angel nodded reassuringly. "Oh, believe me, I've had worse."

"Okay, um, then why don't you check and see if the Fang Gang is still loitering and, um, keep your back turned while I change?" Carmen asked.

Angel did as told. "I don't see them. They probably came after you because they know who you are, the witch with close ties to the Slayer and Guardians and Wyatt Pratt."

"You think them coming after me has to do with Wyatt, Buffy, Brooke and Alice, great," Carmen told him sarcastically. "Speaking of, it's their job to fight guys like that, what's your excuse?"

Angel shrugged. "Uh, somebody has to. Same reason you and Wyatt help Buffy, Brooke and Alice even though you don't have to. Your other friends Zoey, Willow, Brady, Eric and Xander too."

Carmen had finished changing, walking closer. "Well, what does your family think of your career choice?"

"They're dead," Angel told her.

Carmen was surprised, sympathetic. "Was it vampires?"

Angel turned to face her. "It--it was."

"I'm sorry," Carmen told him.

Angel sighed. "It was a long while ago."

"So this is a vengeance gig for you?" Carmen asked.

Angel didn't answer, changing the subject. "Y--you even look pretty when you go to sleep."

Carmen chuckled. "Well, when I wake up, it's an entirely different story." They walked over to her bed. Carmen handed the comforter to him. "Here, sleep tight." Angel laid the comforter on the floor by the bed, laying down. Carmen laid down in bed. "Angel, do you snore?"

Angel chuckled. "I don't know. It's been a long while since anybody's been in a position to let me know."

Angel turned his head to look up at Carmen. Carmen smiled, settling in to sleep.

∞

Day Two

Morning - Sunnydale High School - Library

When Carmen met up with the rest of the Scoobies, she explained what had happened the night before.

"He spent the night?" Buffy asked. "In your room? In your bed?"

"Carmen did not say in her bed," Brooke told them. "She said by her bed. And after you started levitating..."

"Which is so cool, by the way," Zoey told her.

"He actually caught you when you fell?" Brooke asked.

Carmen grinned, nodding.

"That is so romantic," Willow told them.

"Did he try a move on you?" Zoey asked.

Carmen smiled, shaking her head. "Perfect gentleman."

The girls exchanged smiles.

"Carmen, come on," Xander told her. "Wake up and smell the seduction. It's the oldest trick in the book."

"What?" Zoey asked. "Saving Carmen's life? Getting slashed in the ribs?"

"Duh," Eric told them. "I mean, guys'll do anything to impress a girl. I--I once drank an entire gallon of Gatorade without taking a breath."

Eric grinned.

Willow smiled. "It was pretty impressive."

Brady looked at Eric and Xander in amusement. "You two are so protective over Carmen. You guys act like her big brothers."

"Yeah," Alice agreed. "You guys do act like siblings."

Wyatt and Giles walked closer.

"Can we steer this riveting conversation back to the events that happened earlier in the evening?" Giles asked.

Carmen sat down.

"You left the Bronze," Wyatt told her. "Were set upon by three unusually virile vampires. When you discovered another power. Levitation. That you didn't know how to control."

Carmen nodded.

Giles put a book on the table in front of Carmen. "Did they look like this?"

Carmen nodded.

"Huh," Brooke told them. "What's with the uniforms?"

"It seems Carmen encountered the Three," Giles told them. "Warrior vampires. Very proud and very strong."

Alice and Wyatt nodded in agreement.

Willow looked at Giles, Alice and Wyatt. "How is it you three always know this stuff? You always know what's going on. I never know what's going on."

"Well, none of you were here from midnight until six researching it," Wyatt told them.

"Nope," Brady agreed. "We were sleeping. Like any sane person."

"Wait," Buffy told them. "Why would these guys go after Carmen?"

"Mostly likely to get to you, Alice and Brooke," Wyatt answered. "Carmen is your friend. And a newbie witch just discovering her powers. And how to control them. The Master must have sent the Three after Carmen to lure you to them so they could kill you."

"The Master wouldn't send the Three for just anyone," Giles told them. "We must step up our training with weapons."

"Carmen, you should stay with one of us until these Samurai guys are history," Alice told her.

"Ah-ah-ah," Xander told her. "Don't worry about Angel. Zoey can run to your house and tell him to get out of town fast."

Eric smirked. "And with as scary as Zo can be sometimes, he'll listen." Zoey hit him on the back of the head. Eric gestured to Zoey. "See?"

"Angel and Carmen are not in any immediate jeopardy," Giles told them. "Eventually the Master will send someone else for Buffy, Brooke and Alice. But in the mean time the Three, having failed, will offer their own lives in penance."

∞

Master's Lair

The Three were on their knees, speaking to the Master.

"We failed in our duty, and now our lives belong to you," the first told him, handing a spear to Master.

Master passed the spear to Darla, who walked around behind the Three as Master walked toward Collin. "Pay attention, child. You are the Anointed, and there is much you must learn." He knelt beside Collin. "With power comes responsibility. True, they did fail, but also true, we who walk at night share a common bond. The taking of a life, I'm not talking about humans, of course, is a serious matter."

One of the Three raised his head in hope.

"So you would spare them?" Collin asked.

Master stood, considering. "I am weary, and their deaths will bring me little joy." He walked away. Collin followed. Darla watched them, smiling, lifting the spear, dispatching the first of the three. Master stopped, turning to Collin. "Of course, sometimes a little is enough."

Master looked at Darla as she killed the next one, then continued away as she killed the last.

∞

Sunnydale High School - Library

Giles set out a sign that read: Library CLOSED for filing, please come back tomorrow. Inside the library, Giles, Alice and Wyatt were setting training Buffy, Brooke and Carmen up for the next level after what happened the night before.

Buffy was checking out the weapons cabinet. "Cool. Crossbow." She lifted it out, seeing the bolt. "Huh. Check out these babies." She took out a bolt. "Hmm. Goodbye stakes, hello flying fatality. What can I shoot?"

Giles walked closer to take the crossbow away. "Um, nothing. The crossbow comes later." Buffy was disappointed. "You must first become proficient with the basic tools of combat." The girls looked bored, to Wyatt's amusement. "And let's begin with the quarterstaff. Which, incidentally, will, uh, require countless hours of vigorous training." Giles handed one quarterstaff to Buffy. "I speak from experience."

Brooke smirked. "Giles. 20th Century? Buffy's not gonna be fighting Friar Tuck. Besides, me and Alice? Carmen and Wyatt? We don't need weapons. We have power."

To prove her point, Brooke waved her arms, letting red Guardian energy flicker from her hands, levitating many weapons to stab them into weapon boards, but missed the bull's eyes. Still, the others were impressed.

Alice chuckled. "Not as easy as you would think, is it, Brooke? You never know with whom or what you'll be fighting. Or if you'll be able to use your powers. If you and I somehow lose our powers, then we'll need to be ready to fight hand to hand. Understand?" Brooke sighed, nodding. Alice used her red Guardian energy to levitate the weapons, having more confidence and control with her power than Brooke did, but wasn't cocky about it, more graceful, while she spun to throw the weapons into every bull's eye. The others were very impressed. "Though you are right about our powers giving us an advantage. Which will be a disadvantage if we ever lose them. Which is why we need to be prepared if we do so we can still survive."

"And these traditions have been handed down through the ages," Giles told them.

"Alice has gotten a lot of progress with Brooke with their Guardian power," Wyatt told them. "I've gotten progress with training Carmen to use her power. We'll have to focus more on powers that she might get in the future. Like she got levitation last night." Carmen smiled. "And Giles has gotten progress with you, Buffy. Now, you show us good, steady progress with the quarterstaff, and in due time, you'll get the crossbow. Put on your pads."

Buffy laughed. "I'm not gonna need pads to fight Giles, Wyatt."

"We'll see what you girls have got now," Wyatt told them. "Let's do it."

Giles made several thrusts at Buffy with his staff, but she parried them all.

Alice was able to make her energy as fierce as a punch to deliver a blow to Brooke, who used her energy to shield herself, using the energy to levitate herself up over Alice to spin a kick toward her. Alice waved her arms to create a barrier of red energy around herself, which was strong enough to throw Brooke away, but Brooke used her energy to levitate herself to the floor, letting the energy fade.

Carmen used her telekinesis power to throw things toward Wyatt. Wyatt used his power to deflect them with ease, creating another pocket portal in front of him to make a knife that Carmen threw at him appear across the room instead, making it shoot into the wall. Carmen used her new levitation power to float up and try to kick Wyatt, but Wyatt used his power to make Carmen flip backward. Carmen used her power to stay over the floor, not having much control with her power yet, but getting the hang of it slowly, letting herself down.

Buffy took offensive, pushing Giles' staff to the floor, punching him in the face, coming around with the staff to hit him in the back, again to knock his legs out from under him, making him fall to his back, standing over him smugly.

Giles was stunned. "Good. Let's move on to the crossbow."

They smiled.

∞

Night - Chase Mansion - Carmen's Room

Carmen returned home, closing the door. "Angel?"

Angel stood by the window. "Hey."

Carmen turned on her desk lamp. "Brought you some dinner. It's a little plateless, sorry." She handed him a plastic bag full of food that she had pilfered from dinner. "So, what'd you do all day?"

"Uh, I read a little," Angel answered. Carmen saw her diary on the nightstand. "And just thought about a lot of things. Carmen, I..."

Carmen walked over to her diary to put it away. "My diary? You read my diary? That is not okay. A diary is like a person's most private place." She walked closer, annoyed. "I--you don't even know what I was writing about."

"Carmen," Angel told her. Carmen just looked at him. "Your mother moved your diary when she came in to straighten up. I watched from the closet. I didn't read it, I swear." Carmen nodded, relieved. "I did a lot of thinking today. I really can't be around you. Because when I am..."

Carmen looked down. "Hey, no big. Water over the bridge, under the bridge..."

Angel finished what he was saying. "When I am all I can ever think about is how badly I want to kiss you."

Carmen finished what she was saying. "Over the dam..." She realized what he said, looking up in surprise. "Kiss me?"

"I'm older than you, and this can't ever..." Angel trailed off, regretful, conflicted about going or staying. "I better go."

"H--how much older?" Carmen asked.

"I should..." Angel trailed off.

Carmen stepped closer. "Go. You said..." Angel and Carmen finally kissed, slow and sweet at first. They pulled away, looking at each other, relieved, smiling slightly, kissing passionately. Carmen wrapped an arm around his neck as he placed a hand on her cheek. The kiss continued for several moments. Angel suddenly pulled back, looking away. "What? What is it? What's wrong?"

Angel turned to face her with a vampire visage on, growling. Carmen was so shocked she screamed. Angel took a last look at her, jumping out of the window, sliding down the roof, off onto the ground. Carmen ran to the window, watching him run away.

Cordelia ran into the room. "Carmen? What happened?"

Carmen backed away from the window toward her sister, looking at Cordelia, shaking her head. "Uh, nothing. I saw a shadow."

They both looked out the window.

 ∞∞

Day Three

Morning - Sunnydale High School - Outside

The Scoobies were walking up the steps from the street toward the building.

"Angel's a vampire?" Willow asked.

"I can't believe this is happening," Carmen told them. "One minute we were kissing, and the next minute..." She looked at Giles, Alice and Wyatt. "Can a vampire ever be a good person? Couldn't it happen?"

"A vampire isn't a person at all," Giles told her, clearing his throat. "It may have the movements, the memories, even the personality of the person that it took over, but it's still a demon at the core, there is no halfway."

"So that'd be a 'no', huh?" Brady asked. "Well, then what was he doing? Why was he good to Carmen? Was it all some part of the Master's plan?"

"It doesn't make any sense," Zoey agreed.

They reached a bench, sitting together.

"All right, uh, we have a problem, and it's not a small one," Eric told them. "Let's take a breath and look at this calmly and objectively."

"Angel's a vampire," Xander told them. "Buffy's a Slayer and Brooke and Alice are Guardians. I think it's obvious what they have to do."

Carmen didn't react. Xander looked at Wyatt, Alice and Giles for support.

Wyatt looked away. Brooke was confused, concerned by his reaction.

Alice didn't know what to say, sighing. "Uh, it is a Slayer's and Guardians' duty..."

Willow looked at Carmen. "I--I know you have feelings for this guy, but it's not like you're in love with him, right?" Carmen looked away. "You're in love with a vampire? What?"

Cordelia suddenly stopped walking next to them. "What?"

Zoey looked at Cordelia. "Not vampire." She looked at Carmen. "How could you love an umpire? Everyone hates them."

Xander fist bumped Zoey.

Cordelia looked at another girl wearing the same dress she is. "Where did you get that dress?" She walked toward her. "This is a one-of-a-kind Todd Oldham. Do you know how much this dress cost? Is this a knockoff?" She checked the label. "This is a knockoff, isn't it? Some cheesy knockoff. This is exactly what happens when you sign these free trade agreements."

The two girls disappeared into the building.

Brady rolled his eyes. "You think we have problems."

Wyatt looked at Carmen, sighing. "Well, at least your soulmate mark didn't show up."

Carmen frowned, confused, curious.

∞

Angel's Apartment

Angel walked into his apartment, seeing a bunch of old books stacked along the wall, closing the door, going over to turn on a lamp. He straightened up, sensing a presence. "Who's here?"

"A friend," Darla told him. Angel quickly turned to face her. Darla walked out of the shadows, wearing a Catholic schoolgirl uniform. "Hi. It's been a while."

Angel nodded in agreement. "A lifetime."

"Or two, but who's counting?" Darla asked.

"What's with the Catholic schoolgirl look?" Angel asked. "Last time I saw you, it was kimonos."

"And last time I saw you, it wasn't high school girls," Darla replied, flaring her skirt. "Don't you like?" She walked closer. "Remember Budapest? Turn of the century? You were such a bad boy during that earthquake."

"You did some damage yourself," Angel retorted.

Darla smiled. "Is there anything better than a natural disaster?" She walked away. "The panic, the people lost in the streets. It's like picking fruit off the vine." She reached the bed. "Nice. You're living above ground, like one of them. You and your new friends are attacking us, like one of them." She walked to the window. "But guess what, precious? You're not one of them." She drew the window blinds open, letting in a stream of sunlight. Angel was blinded, stumbling backward to get out of the light. "Are you?"

"No, but I'm not exactly one of you either," Angel answered.

Darla walked toward the fridge. "Is that what you tell yourself these days?" She opened the fridge, revealing bags and bottles of human blood. "You're not exactly living off quiche." She closed the fridge. "You and I both know what you hunger for." She walked closer. "What you need. Hey, it's nothing to be ashamed of. It's who we are. It's what makes eternal life worth living." She smiled, touching his chin. "Mm, you can only suppress your real nature for so long. You can feel it brewing inside of you. I hope I'm around when it explodes."

"Maybe you don't wanna be," Angel told her.

"I'm not afraid of you," Darla told him. "I bet Carmen is, though." She started to leave. "Or maybe I'm underestimating her. Talk to her. Tell her about the curse. Maybe she'll come around. And if she still doesn't trust you, you know where I'll be. Don't forget to tell Wyatt Pratt who you really are. You've been acquaintances with Wyatt for some time now, but he doesn't know who you really are or who you know, does he? I'd hate for Wyatt to find out the hard way."

Darla exited the apartment, leaving an angry Angel behind.

∞

Sunnydale High School - Library

The Scoobies were looking through books, looking for anything that mentioned Angel.

Wyatt walked closer, startling them, making them jump. "Here's something at last."

"Can you please warn us before you do that?" Eric asked.

"There's nothing about Angel in the texts, but I heard mentions of Angels before," Wyatt explained. "Not Angel specifically, but..."

Willow looked at Carmen. "That must have been so embarrassing when you thought he had read your diary, but then it turned out he hadn't, but then he felt the same way..." They gave her a look. "I'm listening."

"I remembered something from two hundred years ago in Ireland," Wyatt explained. "I heard of Angeuls, the one with the angelic face."

"They got that right," Carmen told them.

Xander cleared his throat. "I'm not saying anything. I have nothing to say."

"Does this, uh, Angel have, um, a tattoo behind his right shoulder?" Wyatt asked.

"Yeah," Carmen answered. "It's a--it's a bird or something."

"Now I'm saying something," Eric told her. "You saw him naked?"

"So, Angel's been around for a while," Brady told them.

"Not long for a vampire," Alice told them. "Uh, two hundred and forty years or so."

"Huh," Carmen said. "Two hundred and forty. Well, he said he was older."

Wyatt sat down. "Angelus left Ireland, uh, wreak havoc in--in Europe for, uh, several decades, and then, um, about eighty years ago, the most curious thing happens. He comes to, uh, to America, shuns other vampires, and lives alone. There's no record of him hunting here.

"So he is a good vampire," Zoey told them. "I mean, on a scale of one to ten. Ten being someone who's killing and maiming every night, and one being someone who's... not."

"Wyatt said that there's no record, but, uh, vampires hunt and kill," Giles told them. "It's what they do."

"Fish gotta swim," Eric told them. "Birds gotta fly."

"He could've fed on Carmen," Brady told them. "He didn't."

"Wyatt, question," Buffy told him. "A hundred years or so before he came to our shores, what was he like then?"

"Uh, like all of them," Wyatt answered. "Uh, a vicious, violent animal."

"Wait, Wyatt," Brooke told him. "How do you know all this?"

Wyatt sighed. "I spent a long time searching for someone that Angel used to run with."

"Why would you search for anyone running with Angel?" Willow asked. "I mean, if they were so bad?"

"Because I was running from them," Wyatt answered.

They were surprised, intrigued.

∞

Master's Lair

Darla was speaking to the Master. "Don't think I'm not grateful, you letting me kill the Three."

"How can my children learn if I do everything for them?" Master asked.

"But you've gotta let me take care of the Slayer and Guardians," Darla told him.

"Oh, you're giving me orders now?" Master asked.

Darla paced. "Okay, then, we'll just do nothing while they take us out one by one."

"Do I sense a plan, Darla?" Master asked. Darla turned to face him. "Share."

"Angel kills them and comes back to the fold," Darla told him.

"Angel?" Master repeated. "He was the most vicious creature I ever met. I miss him."

"So do I," Darla agreed.

Master considered this. "Why would he kill them if he feels for their friend, Carmen Chase? Or if he's gained a new acquaintance in Wyatt Pratt?"

"To keep them from killing him," Darla told him.

Master looked at Collin. "You see how we all work together for the common good? That's how a family is supposed to function."

∞

Night - Sunnydale High School - Library

The girls were still in the library, studying.

"Okay, so let's review," Willow told them. "Reconstruction began when?"

"Carmen?" Zoey asked.

"Huh?" Carmen asked. "Oh, um, reconstruction... Uh, reconstruction began after the... construction, which was... shoddy, so they had to reconstruct."

"After the destruction of the Civil War," Zoey answered.

The girls smiled at Zoey.

"Right," Carmen told them. "Civil War. During which Angel was already, like, a hundred and change..."

"Are we gonna talk about boys, or are we gonna help you guys pass history?" Alice asked.

Carmen, Buffy and Brooke looked up. Zoey reached toward the book, closing it.

Willow smiled. "Sometimes I have this fantasy that Xander's just gonna grab me and kiss me right on the lips."

"You want Xander, you've gotta speak up, girl," Brooke told her.

Willow shook her head. "No, no, no, no. No speaking up. That way leads to madness and sweaty palms."

Darla peeked out from behind the stacks.

"Okay, so here's something I gotta know," Zoey told them, looking at Carmen. "When Angel kissed you... I mean before he turned into... how was it?"

Carmen smiled. "Unbelievable."

Darla continued to watch and listen.

"Wow," Buffy told them. "And it is kinda novel how he'll stay young and handsome forever."

"Although Carmen will still get wrinkly and die and..." Alice trailed off. "Oh, and what about the children?" The girls looked at her. Alice gave them an innocent look. "What? Guys, we know this isn't going to end well. So let's just skip to the back of the book."

"Alice, you should be really quiet now," Brooke told her. "Because I know your talking like this is because of hardwiring from being raised to be a Guardian by the Council."

Alice nodded. "Yeah, it is."

"Yeah, be that as it may, Alice's right," Buffy told them. "Carmen, you need to hear this. You need to get over him so we can..."

"So that you can..." Zoey trailed off, stabbing the air with her pencil as if to stake a vampire. "Like Xander said, Buffy is the Slayer and Brooke and Alice are the Guardians. And Angel's a vampire."

"God, I can't," Carmen told them. "He's never done anything to hurt me, and I think I know what Wyatt meant about my soulmate mark after the kiss."

Carmen showed them a heartshaped tattoo-like mark on her wrist, which surprised the girls, but they weren't judging her, just completely stunned. "Oh, my God."

"I know I shouldn't say 'congratulations' given the circumstances, but..." Brooke trailed off. "Carmen, we're totally not judging you, okay? But this is something serious."

"Okay, no, we need to stop thinking about this," Buffy told them. "Okay, let's give another half an hour and maybe something will sink in. And then we can go home for some major moping."

Zoey nodded. "Okay."

Darla smiled, backing away.

Willow sighed. "All right, then. Let's get back to trivia. And we'll figure out the rest later."

"All right," Brooke told them. "Sounds like a plan."

∞

Football Field

On the football field, Xander, Eric and Brady were tossing around a football for fun.

"All right, Brady," Xander told him. "You may have been superstar football player back when, but Eric and I are not exactly great at sports."

Brady smirked, shrugging. "Maybe not. But you and Eric aren't too bad yourselves, Xander."

"Just ease up, Brady," Eric told him. "Like Xander said."

Still in her Catholic girl outfit, Darla walked closer, smiling. They didn't recognize her from before because she had her human guise on. "Hi. I'm Darla. I'm a friend of Buffy, Brooke, Alice, Zoey, Carmen and Willow's."

"Oh, hi," Xander told her, clearly attracted to her, smiling.

Eric and Brady smirked in amusement.

"Nice to meet you," Eric told her.

"You're Brady, Eric and Xander, right?" Darla asked. "I was just hoping you would know where the girls are so I can talk to them for studying."

"I thought they were studying at the library," Brady told her.

"They are," Darla answered. "Alice and Willow are Civil War experts, but then I was supposed to help Buffy, Brooke, Zoey and Carmen with the War of Independence. My family kinda goes back to those days."

The boys were suspicious over Darla, backing away slightly.

"Uh, like Brady said, they're in the library," Eric told her. "Where else would they be for after school studying?"

Darla smiled, laughing lightly. "You're very funny and nice, Eric. I hope that's something that Buffy likes about you."

"Who are you really?" Xander asked.

"You boys sure are smarter than I thought you would be," Darla told them, vamping out. "Now!"

Three vampires jumped out, grabbing the boys from behind, so they and Darla could start to feed, but wouldn't let them scream out.

Angel, having been passing by the school while looking for them, heard the struggle, running onto the field, staking the three vampires from behind before they could kill the boys, seeing Darla, growling. "Let them go!"

"We just had a little, and there's plenty more," Darla told him. "Aren't you hungry for something warm after all this time? Come on, Angel. Just say yes." She pushed Eric into Angel's arms so he could see the bite and smell the blood. Angel struggled with himself, looking away. Darla watched with a big smile. Angel looked up, his vampire face out. "Welcome home."

Darla walked away, leaving the football field. The girls were walking out of the school, looking for the boys.

"Eric?" Buffy called.

"Hey, Xander?" Willow called.

"Brady, where are you?" Alice asked.

They walked onto the field, around the bleachers, freezing when they saw the boys unconscious and bitten on the ground, and Angel standing over them with his vampire face out.

∞∞

Alice and Brooke used their Guardian energy to throw Angel onto the bleachers, making him tumble down the steps to the ground.

Buffy stood in front of her friends, glaring at Angel. "You're not welcome here. You come near any of us and we'll kill you."

Angel looked at Carmen. Carmen was upset, angry. Angel ran away.

The girls knelt to the boys. "Brady! Eric? Xander!"

Zoey took out her phone to call for help. "Yes, I need an ambulance. At the high school. Our friends cut themselves. They lost a lot of blood. Please, please hurry."

"Eric!" Willow told him worriedly. "Xander! Brady, wake up."

Wyatt and Giles ran up to them.

"Girls?" Giles asked. They saw the boys on the ground. "Oh, my Lord."

"What the bloody hell happened?" Wyatt asked.

Alice looked at them numbly. "Angel."

∞

Sunnydale Hospital - Waiting Room

They were gathered.

"Brady, Eric and Xander should be getting out of surgery soon," Alice told them. "We'll have to wait to talk to them until they wake up."

"They're gonna be okay," Wyatt told them. "They gave them some iron. Their, uh, blood count was a little..."

"A little low," Giles finished. "It presents itself like mild anemia. Girls, you were, uh, lucky you got to them as soon as you did."

"Lucky?" Buffy repeated. "Stupid."

"Buffy, it's not your fault," Brooke told her. Carmen looked down. "Carmen, it's not yours either."

"No?" Carmen asked. "I invited him into my home. Even after I knew who he was, what he was, and I didn't do anything about it... 'cause I had feelings for him, because I cared about him."

"If you care about somebody, you care about them," Willow told her. "You can't change that by..."

"Killing them?" Alice finished. "Maybe not. But I think it's a start."

"Wyatt, I think we'll need some help with this," Brooke told him.

"Brooke..." Wyatt trailed off.

"What?" Buffy asked. "You can't stop us, Wyatt. The Three found Carmen near the Bronze and so did he. He lives nearby."

"This is no ordinary vampire," Giles told them. "If there is such a thing. Now, he knows all of you. He's faced the Three. I think this is gonna take more than a simple stake, or magic."

"So do I," Brooke told them.

They all sighed.

∞

Sunnydale High School - Library

Buffy, Brooke and Alice were packing for a confrontation. Buffy was loading a crossbow. They turned to face Carmen and Wyatt.

"I understand if neither of you can do this," Alice told them. "Carmen, he's your soulmate. Wyatt, he was a friend to you."

"But if he did this to Eric, Brady and Xander..." Brooke trailed off. "I'm sorry. But we have to stop him."

"Are you coming with us or not?" Buffy asked, walking away.

Alice and Brooke gave Buffy a look, looking at Carmen and Wyatt sympathetically, following Buffy. Carmen and Wyatt hesitated, exchanging a look, following.

∞

Angel's Apartment

Darla was mocking Angel. "They want to kill you."

"Leave me alone," Angel told her angrily.

"What did you think?" Darla asked. "Did you think they would understand? That Carmen would look at your face, your true face, and give you a kiss? For a hundred years, you've not had a moment's peace because you will not accept who you are. That's all you have to do. Accept it. Don't let them hunt you down. Don't whimper and mewl like a mangy human. Kill, feed, live."

Having been pushed to the limit, Angel jumped up, shoving Darla against the wall with her arms pinned up. "All right!"

"What do you want?" Darla asked.

"I want it finished," Angel answered.

"That's good," Darla told him. "You're hurting me." She smiled. "That's good, too."

∞

The Bronze - Outside

Buffy, Brooke, Alice, Carmen and Wyatt arrived. Buffy and Wyatt walked through a hole in a fence, while Brooke and Alice used red Guardian energy to levitate themselves over, landing, letting the energy fade. Carmen used her new power to levitate down, having a more shaky landing they did because she needed more time to control this new power. They walked toward the entrance, hearing glass breaking above them, turning to the noise. They looked around, walking toward a wall, where there was a ladder. Buffy started up the ladder, while the others used their powers to levitate.

∞

Sunnydale Hospital - Boys' Room

In the joined room for the hospital, the boys were starting to wake up. Giles, Zoey and Willow were with them.

"Oh, they're waking up," Zoey told them, sighing in relief.

Willow walked closer, taking her brother's hand. "Eric?" She looked at the other two boys. "Xander? Brady?"

"Hey," Zoey told them. "Are you guys okay?"

Brady groaned. "Hmm. Define okay."

"Do any of you remember what happened?" Giles asked.

"Uh, give us a minute," Xander told them. "All of this is really blurry."

"Darla," Eric told them.

"Wait," Zoey told them. "What?"

"Darla," Eric answered.

"She's the chick that attacked us," Xander told them. "She had three vampires grab us."

"Last thing I remember before passing out..." Brady trailed off. "Angel showed up and killed the vamps Darla brought with her."

"Angel was trying to save us," Eric agreed.

Zoey, Willow and Giles were stunned, knowing they had to go.

∞

The Bronze

Brooke and Alice used their energy to float down to the floor, letting the energy fade around them. Carmen and Wyatt levitated down. Buffy walked downstairs. They stood together, looking around. Angel backed into the shadows.

"We know you're there," Wyatt told him. "And we know what you are."

"Do you?" Angel asked. They faced his voice. "I'm just an animal, right?"

"You're not an animal," Buffy told him. "Animals I like."

They kept looked around. Angel walked out of the shadows. Wyatt, Brooke, Alice and Carmen prepared to use their powers, while Buffy trained her crossbow at him.

Angel growled. "Let's get it done!"

As Wyatt, Brooke, Alice and Carmen began to use their powers, Angel ran for cover, jumping onto a pool table. Buffy followed him with her aim, shooting, but missed. Angel jumped up onto the catwalk above. They couldn't see him in the shadows. Brooke and Alice let their eyes glow red, the same color of their energy, so they could see in the dark, finding Angel up above, using their power to throw him from the balcony to the floor. Buffy did a standing back kick at Angel behind her, sending him into the wall, rolling onto her back on the floor, taking aim at Angel.

∞∞

Angel had shifted into his vampire visage. Buffy had her crossbow trained on him while the others prepared their powers.

Angel morphed back into his human form. "Come on. Don't go soft on me now."

Buffy stood.

"Why?" Brooke asked. "Why didn't you just attack us when you had the chance? Carmen, Wyatt, you've had plenty of chances to attack them, but you were friends with them."

"Was it a joke?" Alice asked. "To have Carmen and Wyatt as friends, to make Carmen feel for you and then..."

"I invited you into my home and then you attacked our friends!" Carmen told him angrily.

"Why not?" Angel asked. "I killed mine, and my friends, and friends, and their friend's children. For a hundred years, I offered ugly death to everyone I met, and I did it with a song in my heart."

"What changed?" Wyatt asked.

Angel looked at the girls. "Fed on a girl about your age, beautiful, dumb as a post, but a favorite among her clan."

"Her clan?" Wyatt repeated.

Angel nodded. "Romany, gypsies. The elders conjured the perfect punishment for me. They restored my soul."

"What, they were all out of boils and blinding torment?" Buffy asked.

"When you become a vampire, the demon takes your body, but it doesn't get your soul," Angel explained. "That's gone. No conscience, no remorse. It's an easy way to live. You have no idea what it's like to have done the things I've done, and to care. I haven't fed on a living human being since that day."

"So you started with Eric, Brady and Xander?" Alice asked.

Angel shook his head. "I didn't bite them."

"Then why didn't you say anything?" Wyatt asked.

Angel went on. "But I wanted to. I can walk like a man, but I'm not one. I wanted to kill you tonight."

Carmen stepped closer, holding up a hand to stop the others. "Go ahead." Angel didn't do anything, looking at her in silence. Carmen knew that he wasn't going to hurt her or them. "Not as easy as it looks."

 They heard Darla's voice. "Sure it is!"

They turned toward the voice, seeing Darla coming out of the shadows, without her vampire face on.

Wyatt recognized her without her vampire face on. "Darla."

Darla smiled. "Hello again, Wyatt."

∞

Street

Giles, Zoey and Willow were walking down a street.

"We're near the Bronze," Willow told them. "What now?"

"Keep looking for them," Giles answered.

"I have a question," Zoey told them. "What if we find them and they're fighting Angel and some of his friends? What the hell are we gonna do about it?"

∞

The Bronze

Darla was facing off with the others. "Do you know what the saddest thing in the world is?"

"Bad hair on top of that outfit?" Brooke asked.

"To love someone who used to love you," Darla answered.

Buffy looked at Angel. "You guys were involved?"

"For several generations," Darla answered.

"Well, you've been around since Columbus," Alice told her. "You are bound to pile up a few exes. You're older than him, right? Just between us girls, you are looking a little worn around the eyes."

Darla smiled. "I made him. There was a time when we shared everything, wasn't there, Angelus? You had a chance to come home, to rule with me and the Master's court for a thousand years, but you threw that away." She nodded to Carmen. "Because of her. You love someone who hates us. You're sick. And you'll always be sick. And you'll always remember what it was like to watch her and her friends die. By the way, Wyatt, that person you've been looking for so you could stay away from them, I've spoken to them recently. And they say hi."

"Thanks for the message," Wyatt told her. "But you shouldn't have come alone."

Darla smiled. "I didn't." Buffy kicked the bow up into her hands, aiming it at Darla. "Hmm, scary." Darla produced two pistols from behind her back, one in each hand. "Scarier." She shot Angel, making him fall back into a post. "Oh, don't worry. Bullets can't kill vampires. Can hurt them like hell, but..."

Darla giggled. Buffy, Brooke, Wyatt, Alice and Carmen ducked for cover as Darla started shooting. Buffy did a diving shoulder roll over a pool table to take cover behind it. Brooke and Alice used their red Guardian energy as a shield from the bullets so that no one got shot.

∞

Outside

Zoey, Willow and Giles ran up to the Bronze, hearing gunshots.

"Did you just hear..." Zoey trailed off.

They ran to find a way in.

∞

Inside

Still using their energy to shield the bullets, Brooke and Alice used their energy to throw Darla back against the wall, making her fall, but Darla kept hold of the guns.

"So many body parts, so few bullets," Darla told them. "Let's begin with the kneecaps. No fun dancing without them." Darla shot a few times toward the pool tables. Buffy popped up with a crossbow, shooting at Darla, the arrow hitting her stomach. Darla doubled over in pain. They watched her. Darla stood straight. "Close, but no heart."

Darla grabbed the arrow, pulling it out, tossing it aside. Zoey, Willow and Giles were crawling on the floor to stay safe.

"We need to distract her," Willow told them. "Fast."

Zoey raised her voice. "Guys, it wasn't Angel who attacked Brady, Eric and Xander. It was Darla!"

Darla turned toward her voice, shooting toward Zoey. Zoey ducked as low to the floor behind the bar as she could.

Angel pulled the arrow from the wall.

Darla hopped up onto the pool table. Alice used her power to pull the pool table out from underneath Darla, making her fall onto her back, pushing the table away.

As Darla fired off a few rounds, Alice and Brooke used their power to shield everyone.

Giles stood, messing with the lighting system controls. The strobe lights come on. Darla looked at him and stopped shooting.

"Come on, guys," Darla told them. "Take it like men!" As Wyatt and Carmen were staying low so they couldn't be shot, made their way toward Darla to try to do something about her, Angel came up behind Darla, growling, and plunging the arrow through her back, into her heart. Darla was surprised and cried out in pain, turning to give him a look of betrayal. "Angel?"

Darla fell to the floor, bursting into ashes.

Everyone stood.

Angel looked from Darla's ashes to Carmen. Carmen and Angel looked at each other for a moment longer. Angel turned around, leaving. Carmen was speechless, watching him go.

∞

Master's Lair

Knowing Darla was dead, the Master was in a rage, screaming, wielding a tall candleholder, smashing it in anger, flailing out with his arms, knocking other things over, finally sinking to the ground in grief.

Collin walked closer. "Forget her."

Master looked up angrily. "How dare you? She was my favorite. For four hundred years..."

"She was weak," Collin told him. "You don't need her. I'll bring you the Slayer and Guardians."

"But to lose her to Angel?" Master asked despondently. "He was to have sat at my right hand, come the day. And now..."

"They're all against you," Collin told him. "But soon, you shall rise. And when you do..." He put a hand on Master's shoulder. "We kill them all."

Master smiled, standing. Collin took his hand, leading him away.

∞

The Bronze

(Song:) I'll Remember You - Sophie Zelmani

There was actual fun with clubbing. The Scoobies, minus Wyatt and Giles, stood together.

"Ah, the post-fumigation party," Xander told them.

"Okay, so what's the difference between this and the pre-fumigation party?" Brady asked.

"Much hardier cockroaches," Eric answered.

"So, no word from Angel?" Brady asked.

"Nah," Carmen answered. "It's weird, though. In his way I feel like he's still watching me."

"Well, in a way he sort of is," Zoey told her with a smile. Carmen looked at her in confusion. Zoey nodded behind her. "In the way of that he's right over there."

Carmen  turned her head to follow her gaze to see Angel, briefly looking at the others, walking toward Angel.

"I just wanted to see if you were okay," Angel told her. "Eric, Brady and Xander."

"We're all good," Carmen answered. "You?"

"If I can go a little while without getting shot or stabbed, I'll be all right," Angel answered. Carmen couldn't help but smile. "Look, this can't..."

Carmen sighed. "Ever be anything. I know. For one thing, you're, like, 224 years older than I am."

Angel chuckled. "I just gotta... I gotta walk away from this."

Carmen nodded. "I know. Me, too." Neither of them wanted to move, sighing. Carmen whispered. "One of us has to go here."

Angel nodded, whispering. "I know."

They looked at each other a moment longer, leaning close to kiss. Their kiss became passionately. Carmen reached her hands up to his neck.

By their table, the girls were watching, but the boys weren't.

"What's going on?" Eric asked.

"Nothing," Willow told them.

"Well, as long as they're not kissing," Xander told them.

The girls smiled.

Carmen and Angel finally pulled away, looking at each other, breathless, smiling small smiles, but knowing this was more than likely going to end badly, were a little hurt by the thought that this could be the end.

"You okay?" Carmen asked.

"It's just..." Angel trailed off.

Carmen nodded. "Painful. I know. See you around?"

Angel nodded. Carmen walked away, rubbing her wrist where the soulmate mark was left on her skin. Angel watched her go. The camera panned down to his chest where her cross/infinity necklace to control her powers had left a deep burn in his skin.