Faith stepped out of the shower, just in time for Angel to catch the sight. He stood holding a tray of food he had gotten from the owners of the bed and breakfast where they were staying. He had figured she must be hungry and he'd bring her...

"It's okay fang boy. I've been naked in front of way scarier people than you. Prison, remember?" Faith teased.

"I'm sorry," Angel said, turning from Faith's naked and extremely hot, dripping wet body. He placed the food on the table and walked to the door.

"Stay Angel," Faith said as she threw on a robe from the bathroom. She walked over to the food and picked out the strawberries. She brought one to her mouth, closing her eyes as her lips encircled the tip. Angel watched, and found himself extremely aroused. Why did slayers do that to him?

"Uh, I should get some rest," he told her.

He turned to leave but was stopped by Faith grabbing hold of his arm.

"Look, it's just us right now. And to tell you the truth, I'm still wigged about being here. I really don't want to be alone, Angel," Faith confessed.

Angel was relieved. He didn't want to be alone either. He was wigged out as well. He felt really comfortable in this dimension, yet just knowing that made him question it.

"Come on, eat. Wait, you need blood, huh?" Faith asked.

"I got some already. Luckily the lady in the kitchen keeps tons of it in the refrigerator. She says she uses it to cook."

Faith looked down at her plate of food and crinkled her nose. "I'll stick to the fruit." She smiled at him as she popped another strawberry in her mouth.

Just then they heard a scream from outside. Faith and Angel ran to the window, spotting a young woman running through the street, flailing her hands over her head. Three vampires ran through the street, hollering at the locals. One had a Mohawk and dressed like something out of Mad Max. The other had a hippy type look with long hair and a tied died t-shirt with a purple peace sign on the front, and the third was in a business suit. Faith turned to Angel and they nodded to each other.

"Angel, I'll change and meet you down there. I really don't want to be giving these guys a free show," Faith said.

Angel agreed and quickly busted through the door. He noticed that the locals were running about, in confusion and fear. Angel spotted the three fiends chasing a woman and her son. "Hey, why don't you guys come over here and pick on someone your own size, or... okay I'm much bigger than you but come on, a helpless woman and son!" Angel teased.

The vamps turned to him, confused. The hippy one lifted his nose to the sky and sniffed the air.

"You're not human. What are you?"

"Someone who is about to end your little 'paint the town red' excursion."

Angel lunged at the vamps, causing all three of them to fall to the ground. Business suit vamp rose quickly, looking at Angel in disbelief. "You're Angelus. I've heard of you," he said, star struck.

The other two got to their feet with wide eyes. "How did you get here?" Mad Max asked him.

"I guess the same way you three did," Angel told them.

The three looked at each other and shrugged. They lunged at Angel. Hippy and Mad Max grabbed each of Angel's arms, holding him tightly. Business Suit approached slowly, licking his lips.

"What are you going to do, budget me to death?" Angel teased.

Just as Business Suit leaned in to bite Angel, he turned to dust all over Angel's clothes. As the dust cleared Faith stood holding a stake, smirking at Angel.

The vamps looked at her in fear. Angel swung his arms together, colliding the vamps. They fell back, dazed.

"Thought they had ya there for a second," Faith smirked.

Angel leaned over Hippy and picked him off the ground. "Yea, I was loosening them up for you," Angel told Faith.

Mad Max rose and tried to run. Faith threw her stake at him, dusting him from behind. Hippy looked down at Angel in fear, knowing his time was up. He glanced over at Faith. "And the slayer is here too?"

Angel threw him a few feet, landing the vamp in the middle of the street. Faith walked slowly up to him and raised her stake. Hippy rose to his feet and swung at her. Faith just laughed.

"Never much on the 'Give Peace A Chance' motto," she teased as she plunged her stake into his chest. She brushed the dust off her pants, smiling at Angel. The two of them looked around at the locals, who were watching the whole scene. One man stepped up and pointed at Faith and Angel.

"They must be the ones Edana spoke of. They are our saviors," the man said. The crowd roared and clapped. Faith and Angel looked at each other, eyes widening.

"Saviors?" Angel asked.

Lorne sat a top the counter, now holding a mixed drink. He smiled at Gretta. "So, they tell me that it's either Mel Gibson or no one, and I'm all, 'look Mel is busy making his Jesus movie.' but they're like, 'We don't care, Kurt Russell just won't do, it has to be Mel' And let me tell you, trying to get Mel to perform a baptism of a Gnarkloth Demon baby is a lot harder than it sounds."

Illyria entered the kitchen, sighing from boredom. Lorne immediately mixed her a drink and handed it to her. "Here sweet blue, one sip of this and that bored to hell-God look will change."

She smelled it and crinkled her nose. "This is what you drink?"

"Trust me gorgeous, you will never be the same after one of these."

Illyria shrugged her shoulders then lifted the drink, swallowing it in one gulp. Lorne and Gretta looked on in shock, then at each other.

"Wow, Um, wow" Lorne said, smiling.

Illyria burped and a smile came over her face. "I didn't hate that. I will have another," she said followed by a hiccup.

It wasn't long before all three were completely smashed. Illyria sang to them her old songs from her home world. "And this one is called Vahla ha'nesh will burn your soul, starting with your eyeballs"

Lorne yelled out from the kitchen. "Come on Giles, I don't think you are going to want to miss this one!"

Giles sat in the living room ignoring the drunken party that was going on the kitchen. "Yes, em, maybe later then." He enjoyed reading the book Wally had given him. He chuckled at the silly stories of witches and vampires. He turned to the next chapter and his eyes widened as he read it aloud. "The Chosen One."

"Okay, so what's this Gem of Nanu anyway?" Harmony asked.

"Anu, and it's some mystical thing that can get us all back home, except it's in four pieces and we've all split up to get each piece," Xander told her.

"Interesting. So, how come I can be out in the sun?", she asked, obviously not caring about what Xander said.

Xander shrugged.

"We're not sure. It's the same for Angel," Issa said.

"What? Angel? He's here too?" Harmony asked.

"Yup." Xander looked at her annoyed. He wasn't in the mood to go into the whole past few days with her. "And Spike, Buffy, Faith, all the people that would love to see you dead."

"So, everyone is here? In this dimension? Wow, Angel and Spike survived the Senior Partner's apocalypse?" Harmony paced back and forth, as if trying to figure it all out. Of course, she wasn't. She just couldn't stand still.

"Long story, Harm. It wasn't exactly... look never mind. Issa and I have work to do," he said, turning from her.

Issa looked at him, "Xander, we can't just leave her here."

"Oh yes we can. This is Harmony. She is a wicked, evil creature."

Issa looked back at Harmony who was hopping around grabbing her broken heel, almost falling over and cursing at herself. "Damn shoe!" she whined.

"Yea, she seems way to evil for us to handle," Issa said sarcastically.

Xander was defeated and threw his arms up in the air. "Fine. Harmony, come on. But I swear, if you try to bite me or Issa, I'll stake you so hard, you'll be... dust," he said.

Harmony cracked a smile. "Ooo. Is that the best you could do?"

Xander looked at Issa, hoping she'd change her mind.

"Come on you two. Let's get back to our motel and we'll discuss tomorrow's game plan, okay?" Issa said.

"Fine!" Harmony and Xander said in unison.

Jean, Sergio and The Immortal had barely rested from yesterday's trek. The Immortal was insisting they keep walking until they found somewhere decent to rest. It was night now, and Jean was barely hanging on from the exhaustion.

"Please, I need rest!" Jean pleaded.

The Immortal didn't even look at him. He kept on, Sergio close behind him. Up ahead, The Immortal spotted smoke coming from a chimney. He stopped in his tracks, holding out his arm to hold Sergio and Jean back. He peered ahead, seeing the blurry outline of a cottage. He could make out a flickering light coming from a window.

"Wait."

He walked alone as Jean and Sergio watched. He crept closer to the cottage, enough to see a red headed girl sitting on the back porch. He was shocked seeing it was Willow here in the middle of the forest. He turned back to Sergio and nodded. Jean followed him to The Immortal and turned his gaze to the cottage. His eyes widened when he saw the familiar person sitting, legs crossed, eyes closed.

"We wait here. I want to see what she is up to before we barge in, capeish?" The Immortal told them.

"But!" Jean cut in.

"Silenzio!" The Immortal whispered, loudly.

Jean stepped back, angry.

"I want to see what this little witch is up to." The Immortal sneered.

It was morning and Willow wanted to get back in the road as soon as possible. Willow and Kennedy thanked Deirdre for her hospitality and hit the trails again. Wally had mentioned that a few miles east they'd find Jocko. He'd have a carriage ready and he'd take them to the next town. The sun was rising, and the forest seemed to explode with life. Kennedy looked overhead at the pretty and exotic birds flying around. Willow walked close to Kennedy and grabbed her arm, leaning into her.

"I think Jean and The Immortal must have something to do with this. If it's true, then it means that a spell was used. I can find out what spell it was, but I need to do more focusing," Willow told her

"That must be one powerful spell," Kennedy said

Willow nodded, then felt a strange vibration behind her. She turned to see what was causing it, only to find nothing but trees and leaves. Kennedy looked at her curiously.

"What is it Wil?" she asked her.

"I... I don't know." Willow said turning to her. "It just felt like someone was watching us.."

Kennedy looked around, only finding the same as Willow. Willow wrinkled her eyebrows, then turned to Kennedy. "Let's keep moving."

The Immortal waited until Willow and her friends were out of sight. He casually walked up to the front door of the cabin, motioning for Sergio and Jean to stay back. He pressed his ear to the door, listening for any sign of life. He stood for nearly two minutes, then smiled. The sound of rushing water could be heard through the door. He sighed. The Immortal leaned back and kicked the door down, causing the nearby birds to flutter about. Sergio and Jean looked at each other and shrugged.

The Immortal looked around the kitchen, noticing the faucet still running. He called for Sergio to come in and help him look around the house. After searching every nook and cranny, The Immortal was pissed.

"She is gone. She knew we were here!" he shouted.

Minutes earlier

Inside Deirdre had been washing the dishes when she heard something approach the front door. She turned, seeing a shadow appear under the crack between the door and the floor. Her heart raced. She was sure Willow and her buddies should have been long gone. She had to think quickly. After Willow telling her that demons and monsters were back, she knew her life was probably in danger and this snooper must not be here for a friendly visit.

She turned the faucet on full blast to mask her movements. She tiptoed through the kitchen to the bedroom. Deirdre quietly opened the back door and slipped out, undetected.

Deirdre ran through the forest at top speed, waving branches and leaves out of her way. She was sweating and her heart thumped strong and loud, she felt it through her entire body. There was nowhere she was headed in particular, but she made sure she was as far away from her cottage as possible. She looked back, happy to see no one was following her. As she turned she slammed into something causing her to fall to the ground.

The sun was too bright, causing her to wince at the figure that stood above her. All she saw was a silhouette, until a gust of wind blew some branches to block the sun. She felt her heart drop as she saw the image of a huge monster looking down at her. He had floppy ears and his skin was a wrinkled mess.

"Ahhhhhhhh!" she screamed at the top of her lungs.

"What?" Clem said after screeching too and now as scared as Deirdre was.

Faith and Angel stood outside waiting for their carriage to take them further northeast. A few women had come to bid them safe journey, handing them cakes, biscuits, fruit. The entire town seemed to come out to say goodbye. Faith yawned, smiling at them. She was tired from the party they threw for herself and Angel last night for saving their lives. Angel kept insisting it wasn't necessary, but it was pointless. To this town, Faith and Angel were saviors who had come to rid the world of evil, as told by the old prophecies written by Edana. Who could tell them otherwise? For all Faith and Angel knew, maybe they were meant to come here and do just that. Help.

The carriage approached. The driver helped Faith and Angel with their belongings and led them up to the seats. Angel waved to the locals and they were quickly on their way. Faith turned to Angel. He hadn't really talked since last night. She saw something was bothering him. Not like he wasn't usually broody. He just seemed broodier.

"Hey Angel. What's on your mind?" she asked him.

He stared out the window, taking in the scenery. When he didn't answer Faith, she nudged him.

"Ow," he complained.

"Oh, come on. I know that didn't hurt."

"Well, okay it didn't but, what's up?"

"You were looking more miserable than usual, so I figured you can tell me what you're so glum about," she told him.

"I'm not glum or more miserable than, nothing." He looked away.

"Angel. It's me. Faith. I was trapped inside your head once, remember? I saw you play Barry Manilow on the jukebox! Can't get any more intimate than that!"

Angel snapped. He couldn't hold it in any longer.

"It's just, I'm happy for Spike. I really am. Him and I... well, we have a history. I still can't help feeling a little..."

"Sorry for yourself?" Faith interrupted.

Angel's face turned to frustration. "No. He was always different than the rest of us... vampires. He had a certain humanity that the rest of us didn't have, without a soul, anyway. I hated him for that. I used to tease him and give him a hard time for it. I know what I was feeling was... jealousy. I feel that way, sort of now." Angel looked back out the window, a little embarrassed for sharing so much.

"Woahhh, hold up, you said it yourself that you didn't want this humanity thing. Was that a cover?" she asked him.

"I was human again, once. I lived an entire day like that but I didn't have strength, I was helpless. So I gave it up, so I can still help people. Now, with Spike, he fulfills the Shanshu and still has his strength. I don't get it," Angel admitted to her.

Faith placed her hand on his knee which caused him to meet her gaze.

"You wouldn't have signed it away knowing that, huh?" Faith asked him.

"I don't know. I did it to prove a point. I didn't think that any of us would be making it out alive, let alone, alive."

"I'm sorry Angel."

"It's not just that. When I was fighting The Immortal, he said something to me that hit me right in the chest. He said that I must hate the fact that Spike is giving Buffy everything I couldn't. He was right."

"Look, you and B had a great love together but it didn't work out. Not every relationship is meant to be forever. But you taught each other things and moved on. You fell for Cordy and don't think I didn't hear about that, and B fell for Spike. It's just how the story goes."

"Yea, I know. I am happy for them. I really am," Angel said.

"I know. Let me ask you something. If the roles were reversed and it was you who Shanshued would you want Buffy back?"

Angel had to think. He knew this answer would never come easy to him. He had thought about it dozens of times and was always coming back to the same conclusion...

"I don't know."

"Could you give your heart to her, fully?"

"I don't think so. Not now. With Cordy and I don't think I could."

Angel admitted this for the first time to anyone and himself. He was still in love with Cordelia. Even though he had feelings for Nina his heart still belonged to one girl. And she was dead. Gone. But his love was alive. Still for her.

"Can we talk about something else, now?" Angel asked.

Faith smiled at him. She knew he had just opened up more than he wanted to, so she wouldn't press him any further. At least she got him to talk. That's never a bad thing.

"Why do you keep looking at me like that?" Lorne asked Illyria.

They sat in the inn's living room insanely hung over. Deidre was nice enough to make them breakfast and tea to ease their queasy stomachs.

"Do you miss this shell?" she asked him.

Lorne sighed "Fred was not a shell. And yes. I miss her so much it, it hurts. More than this I had too many vodka tonics headache, even."

Illyria tilter her head and focused on Lorne's bloodshot eyes.

"I did not choose this body. I am sorry for your loss," she said.

Lorne's eyes widened in shock. What did she just say? She was sorry? Now he thought he had heard everything.

"Uh, it's okay Blue. I know. Things are never puppies and candy canes in our world." he said, not knowing what else to say.

Illyria was confused by his puppy dog metaphor. She wasn't sure what was happening to her. She felt remorse when Wesley died. That was new. And now, she felt bad for the people who loved Fred. She actually felt bad. This was making her head spin. Wait head... spin? That was a human feeling, wasn't it? She thought back to the fun they had, the drinking and singing.

"What am I turning into?"

"Human," Issa said.

"So, Spike is actually alive?" Harmony asked. "Wow, this is so crazy. First he gets his soul back, which is... ugh!, Then comes back from the amulet as a ghost then solid, now alive? Human? I am soooo glad my time with him is long gone. Ugh!"

Issa and Xander looked at each other and chuckled.

"Anyway, we should get to the beach in two days or so cool," Xander said.

"The beach? Oh my God! I am so excited!"

Issa just smiled at her as Xander rolled his eyes. He hated the fact that Harmony was with them. Her voice was like nails on a chalkboard to him. And to hear her babble about how cool the beach was going to be... he thought he just about had it with her.

"It's a quest, Harm. Not a vacation," he said to her, calmly.

" I know, it's just... after all that's happened, I needed a holiday. It's not like Angel ever gave me one," she pouted.

"Aww. Where would he have sent ya? Hawaii, so you can bask in the moonlight in Maui?" he teased.

"Ooo! Sounds nice! Sitting on the beach, sipping on bloo...dy.." Harmony grinned, looking at Issa, nervously. "Mary... a bloody mary!"

She smiled wide, hoping Issa didn't catch her slip up. Xander rolled his eyes, once again.

"Okay, think of this trip however you want. I'm going to look out the window now," Xander said, looking at Harmony, then back at Issa.

Issa smiled, then looked down at the book she was reading. Willow had given her pretty interesting reading material for the journey. Wally explained to her that they would need to research the magic here in order to tap into it. Easy enough, right? He had mentioned that magic hadn't been prominent here. He actually wasn't sure it still existed. But she couldn't give up. Once her and Willow got their powers back, they could at least work on helping Wally and his world become the peaceful place it once was.