Angel, Gunn and Faith
Harmony ran into Angel's office, looking panicked.
"Boss, there's this woman outside the building and she wants to come in, but the barriers aren't letting her through."
Angel nodded and grabbed his sword, which had been resting against his desk.
"Go get Gunn and Wesley. And Logan. And make sure Faith stays side by side with Gunn, ok?"
Harmony nodded and went out to get everyone.
Gunn came in a few moments later holding an axe, dressed in street clothes instead of a suit.
Faith walked in, cracking her knuckles slightly.
Wesley & Logan
Wesley came in, holding a crossbow lightly in one arm and already sliding a quarrel into place to fire.
"I didn't think she'd be here quite this soon," he observed quietly.
Logan stalked in, almost vibrating with rage that someone would dare come after his lover. His eyes were flecked with yellow, teeth bared in a snarl.
Angel, Willow and Faith
"Harmony, did you get through to Willow?" Angel asked.
Willow stepped into his office.
"That she did. Hi guys," she said nervously.
"Hey Red," Faith said.
"We're relying on you to shield Faith, up to it, Will?" Angel asked gently.
"I am."
Faith nodded slightly and squeezed Logan's hand.
"I'll be ok," she mouthed.
Logan & Wesley
Logan cupped her face between his hands and kissed her hard, devouring her mouth.
"Ya better be, darlin'."
Wesley busied himself with his crossbow, politely not looking.
"Hello, Willow."
Willow, Gunn, Angel and Faith
"Uh, hey Wes. Sorry we can never meet on more pleasant circumstances," Willow said, pulling some supplies from her bag.
She lit the candle and muttered some words.
"Caerimonia Minerva, saepio, saepire, saepsi. Saepio impedimentum!"
A shield formed around Faith, enveloping Logan for the moment.
"Faith's a safe haven for us," Gunn said to Angel.
"If it all hits the fan, Faith will be safe. Unless something happens to Willow, but let's not think of that."
Angel nodded.
Logan & Wesley
Logan kissed Faith again, desperately, then stepped back out of the shield. He looked at Willow.
"Then you better stay safe, little girl."
Wesley looked up.
"Oh, I say, Logan..."
Logan glared at him.
"Don't even try it, bub. I'm close enough to go feral as it is. So, where is this bitch so I can rip her into pieces?"
His claws came out with a schnikt.
Faith, Willow and Angel
"Where's Brand?" Faith asked, looking around worriedly.
"I will," Willow replied softly.
"Faith, you can fight with the shield, just be careful."
Angel went over and hugged Faith briefly.
"I know, we don't hug, but just this once."
Faith smiled.
"Let's do it then."
Wesley & Logan
"Brand's upstairs with Serafina, he should be quite safe," Wesley said gently.
He walked towards the door, eyes resolute. Logan growled and strode after him.
Faith, Angel, Willow and Gunn
Faith followed Angel out the door, to see Wrath, a small woman with long hair, scantily dressed, hissing and spitting words at the enchanted barriers.
Willow went after them, but stayed inside, her job was to cast spells inside.
Gunn swung his axe slightly and followed.
Wesley & Logan
"Really, that's quite vulgar language," Wesley reproved quietly.
"Leave now, and maybe ya won't die yet," Logan growled.
Faith
"You leave now, and *you* won't die. Wolverine."
Wrath's top lip curled in disgust.
"Ah, the Slayer."
Faith folded her arms across her chest.
"Yeah, that's me."
Wrath chuckled.
"Such insolence. I hope you can hold your tongue while I kill you."
Logan
"Hate to differ with ya, but a lot of people have tried to kill me and I'm still standing," Logan snarled.
"And I usually kill them later."
Angel
"I suppose I am to be impressed? But I am not. However, you, are not my concern."
Wrath flicked her hand and sent Logan flying back a few metres.
"So, Angelus, we meet - "
Angel wasted no time in kicking her feet out from under her.
Logan & Wesley
Logan got up and leapt at her, sliding three claws of adamantium deep in her gut, growling like an animal.
Wesley cursed softly, and moved so he could shot Wrath without shooting Logan.
Gunn and Faith
Wrath hissed and pulled Logan off her, throwing him back.
Gunn stayed close to Faith.
Knox, meanwhile, knocked Willow out with a large vase and took the candle from her.
Wesley & Logan
Wesley shot her in the upper thigh with a crossbow bolt, then started to reload and wind the tension of the spring up again.
Logan shook his head dazedly, then got up and swung his claws into her again.
Faith
"IMOBILIUS!" Wrath screamed, and everyone went still, except herself and Faith.
She stalked over to Faith, and started on unravelling the shield.
Faith roundhouse kicked out, and knocked Wrath to the ground, breaking the freezing spell.
"Don't think so."
Wrath recoiled slightly, and Gunn swung the axe into her stomach.
Wesley & Logan
Wesley started working on undoing the spell, undoing Logan's first.
The mutant barelled into Wrath again, stabbing her repeatedly with his claws.
Angel and Faith
Wrath grunted, kicking Logan off her, then ducking as Angel leapt at her.
"Faith, get inside!" he yelled.
Knox, meanwhile, blew out the candle.
Faith's shield shimmered, then faded away.
Wrath turned her head, snraling and smiling, then charged at the Slayer.
Faith ducked and rolled out of reach, turning to block her punch and kicking the demon away from her.
Wesley & Logan
"Willow," Wesley breathed, then turned to go inside and find out what happened.
Logan snarled and leapt for Wrath's back, claws fully extended.
Faith, Gunn and Angel
Wrath slammed Gunn into a wall, knocking the man unconscious.
She grabbed the back of Faith's neck and slit across with her fingernail.
Faith's hand flew to her throat and she faced Logan, blinking slowly.
Angel glanced at her, before sliding into game face and pulling Wrath off her.
Wrath muttered some words and licked Faith's blood off her hand, calling Brand to her.
Faith choked slightly as Wrath stabbed a knife through her back.
"Logan... I..."
She closed her eyes and winced as Wrath twisted the knife.
"Love you..."
Logan, Wesley & Brand
"Oh god," Logan said numbly, watching the blood.
"Darlin'..."
He moved forward, punching Wrath in the face and taking Faith from the demon quickly.
"God, don't die, please..."
Wesley went inside and found Willow on the ground, unconscious. He dropped to his knee beside her, shaking her shoulder gently.
"Willow!"
Brand sat up straighter and shivered slightly.
"I won't go out, and you can't come in."
Faith and Angel
Faith fell forward into Logan's arms, her blood seeping through his clothes as her eyes flickered open and closed.
"Stay safe, won't ya?"
Angel let out a loud angry cry and he fought with renewed strength, pushing his thoughts away.
Willow moaned softly, rubbing her head.
Logan & Wesley
"Please, no," Logan begged.
"Darlin', please..."
Wesley touched her shoulder gently.
"Willow, what happened?"
Faith and Angel
Faith glanced at Angel, mouthing 'five by five' at him, before nuzzling Logan's neck weakly.
Her knees gave out and she fell against him, soaking him even more in her blood.
"I love you, Logan," she said again.
"Why can't I stay?"
Her eyes slid closed and she let out her last breath.
Wrath laughed with glee, muttering a summoning spell for Brand.
Logan, Brand & Wesley
Logan clung to Faith, eyes burning with tears he refused to let fall.
"Faith..."
He threw his head back and howled in grief and anger, trailing off to a bloodcurdling snarl at the end as his head swung to regard Wrath. His eyes blazed with rage, gold tracing through the depths of his blue eyes.
"Ya gonna die now, bitch."
Brand put his hands to his head, breathing shallowly.
"I...won't..."
The spell beat at him, demanding his obedience.
"No, I won't...I won't come."
"Willow!" Wesley said urgently.
"You have to get up!"
Willow
Wrath laughed at Logan, nodding at the immobile Faith on the ground.
"Couldn't save her, could you. How'd it feel to have her die in your arms, Wolverine?"
She stamped her foot.
"KEY!"
Willow sat up and her arms stretched out in front of her.
"No," she said, eyes going black.
"The Key stays here."
Brand, Wesley & Logan
Brand grunted slightly, digging his fingers into the arms of the chair he was sitting in.
"I *won't*."
"Willow..." Wesley said slowly, looking at her eyes.
Logan just rose from his crouch and leapt at her, burying his claws deep in her chest and teeth ripping viciously into her throat. He tasted blood and growled, shaking his head from side to side and savaging the wound.
Willow and Angel
"Barbelo, you have none to me," Willow said, hair starting to turn black.
"The Key will stay."
Wrath screamed out, trying to kick Logan off her.
Angel lifted up Faith and took her body inside, placing her on the lobby floor and moving her blood matted hair away from her face.
"Faith, please..."
Logan
Logan snarled, shaking his head like a terrier would shake a rat, jaws working remorsely to chew through her throat's soft skin. He gulped at her blood, face painted with crimson with her blood as he kept one set of claws in her to hold her to him and stabbed and sliced through her with the other.
Willow
Wrath clawed out weakly, and three scratch marks appeared on Willow's cheek.
Willow crused in Latin, chanting a few words, then slumped over, breathing heavily.
Wrath's strength seemed to die out and she fell back.
Wesley & Logan
"Willow!"
Wesley rushed to her side, putting a hand out to support her. He was already not looking forward to facing Angel and Logan now Faith was dead, he would not like to see what Oz would do if Willow died.
Logan leant on her with his weight, crushing her to the ground. He severed her windpipe with his teeth, face almost buried in the wound now as he just raked upwards with all his claws, more or less shredding her body.
Willow, Gunn and Angel
Willow rubbed her temples, hair and eyes returning to normal.
"I'm ok, thanks Wes."
Gunn opened his eyes and watched as Logan killed Wrath.
He looked around and didn't see Faith, and he got up and ran inside, arms folding as he watched Angel cry over Faith.
Wesley, Logan & Brand
"That's good," Wesley said in a relieved voice.
"I really wouldn't like to explain it to Oz. What happened?"
Logan gave Wrath's body a last shake, making sure she was dead, before he dropped her and got up. The front of his body was painted with gore, blood dripping from his mouth and glistening off his face. Even his hair was wet with it. He walked over to Faith and closed his eyes momentarily, keeping the tears inside. He dropped to his knees and touched Angel on the shoulder softly, before running his red dipped hand through Faith's hair gently.
"Angel..."
Angel
"She can't be..."
Angel put his head in his hands, crying softly.
Logan & Wesley
Logan stroked the side of Faith's face gently, leaving a smear of blood behind.
"Told 'er I'd kill her. I'm so sorry, darlin'. I wasn't fast enough."
Wesley watched as Logan got to his feet and started stalking towards Willow with a predatory gleam in his eyes.
"And I told ya ya better keep her safe. Now she's dead. What the *hell* happened, little girl?"
Wesley moved in front of the angry mutant.
"Logan, stop! It wasn't her fault, I came inside and she'd been knocked out."
Logan snorted, mouth twitching slightly.
"I want names so I can start leaving bodies."
Angel and Lorne
"I don't know who it was," Willow said slowly, moving her red hair out of her face, revealing an already forming, ugly, purple bruise.
She glanced at Faith, then quickly looked away, breath catching in her throat.
Angel got up from where he'd been sitting, and lifted Faith into his arms.
Without looking at anyone else, he took her away, down to the morgue level of Wolfram and Hart.
Lorne came down to see Angel leave, and closed his eyes for a moment, breathing deeply through his nose.
Logan & Wesley
Logan snorted at Willow and then sniffed her carefully. Then he started running. Wesley sighed as the determined mutant brushed past Lorne and onto the upper levels.
"Better make sure he doesn't actually kill anyone," he commented wryly and then run quickly after the grief crazed Wolverine.
Angel
"Angel, you know you have an appointment - " Eve began.
"Leave me alone," Angel replied, growling slightly.
Fred was standing with KNox, fixing a large machine they'd been working on.
Brand, Logan & Wesley
Brand found out what had happened to Faith and very quietly made his way down to the morgue. He found Angel and stood by quietly, tears slowly making their way down his face.
"This wouldn't have happened if I didn't exist. This is all my fault. She'd still be alive if she wasn't worried about protecting me."
Logan burst into the labratories, eyes wild and snarling under his breath. He spotted Knoxx and leapt from the platform near the door, landing near Knoxx with a bend of his knees to take the impact. Wesley ran in just after him.
"Logan, STOP!"
Logan's claws were already moving to gut Knoxx but he hesitated, slowed, claws cutting through material to rest against skin. Growling and eyes more then slightly insane.
Angel
Angel turned and looked at Brand, putting his hand on Brand's shoulder.
"She was a Slayer. She was bound to die young."
His voice cracked with emotion.
Fred looked at Knox and Logan.
"Logan, stop, what are you doing?"
Knox flinched slightly, his breathing steady as he looked Logan in the eyes.
Brand, Logan & Wesley
Brand hiccuped slightly with tears.
"Maybe. But then she wouldn't have died because of me. You can;t know that she wouldn't have lived longer if I hadn't been here."
"You," Logan snarled.
"You knocked out the little witch. The shield failed. Because of you, my darlin' DIED!"
"Can I have a security team in the labs as quickly as possible please," Wesley said urgently into a telephone.
"Find Angel. He's possibly the only one who can calm the Wolverine."
"WHY?!" Logan shouted in Knox's face.
Angel
"Angel, you're needed in the labs," Eve said.
"Logan is quite perturbed at Knox."
Angel growled slightly.
"We'll talk later, if you want, Brand."
Angel headed up to the labs, looking weary.
"Angel, call him off!" Fred exclaimed.
Knox fixed an innocent expression on his face.
"Help, Boss!"
Angel sniffed.
"What's going on?"
Brand, Logan & Wesley
Brand barely noticed as Angel left, staring at Faith's body as he wrapped his arms around himself.
"I can *smell* the lie on ya, punk," Logan snarled.
"I am so close to going feral I can taste it, and it tastes awful sweet. Like ya blood's gonna taste, need it to clear my mouth of this godawful shit of Wrath's. Now, I can kill ya slowly, or I can kill ya quick. Ya hit the witch, she went down, the shield went down. Ya killed the woman I love, so ya better start talking before I start taking ya apart piece. By. Piece."
"He just ran in here," Wesley said to Angel.
Angel
"What did you do?" Angel demanded of Knox.
"I didn't do anything!" Knox protested.
Angel pushed Knox against a wall and took him by the collar of his shirt.
Logan
The corners of Logan's mouth lifted in an unamused grin that was closer to a snarl, blood drying on his face, hair and clothes from where he'd savaged Wrath to death.
"Start talking, punk."
The claws pressed in a little tighter.
Angel
Knox yelped slightly.
"It wasn't my idea! She said - "
He cut himself off and Angel let him go, turning to Eve, who was standing at the door.
"The Senior Partners needed her out of the way."
Logan
Logan swiped his claws through Knox's stomach, then turned, letting the man fall to the ground, moaning with pain and trying to put his insides back inside himself.
"You."
A low deadly cold growl and Logan stalked across the lab to Eve. He looked truly terrifying and totally inhuman, painted in blood from top to toe, dried gore flaking off him as he moved and claws shining in vicious lines.
Angel
"No, no," Eve said, and a barrier formed between her and Logan.
"Why?" Angel growled.
"Because. She screwed our firm over, remember, sweetie? A little deal she was paid for, to kill you? She took the money and then didn't deliver!"
Logan & Wesley
Logan swiped at the barrier with his claws. The sound produced was like that of nails on a chalkboard, but louder and more grating.
Wesley blanched.
"Dear Lord! And you just..."
Angel
"Keep talking," Angel said, voice low and deadly.
"That's all there is. I don't make the decisions sweetie, I just relay the instructions," Eve replied.
"But rest assured, you might see her again one day. If you ever die, Logan."
Logan
Logan snarled and threw himself at the barrier. Again, and again as it didn't go down. He sensed it weaken fractionally and threw himself into attacking it with renewed vervour.
Angel
"What do you mean?" Angel asked.
Eve ignored Logan for a moment, regarding Angel.
"Don't you remember an offer that was made to her and she refused? On a point of love."
Logan
Logan sliced across the barrier again with his adamantium claws.
"I am gonna kill ya, ya bitch!"
Angel and Lorne
Eve disappeared with no more than a slight wind, and Angel was left staring in shock.
"Angel?" Fred asked, shaking his shoulder.
"Knox, get out," he said softly, but forcefully.
"She's gone..."
"Angel cakes," Lorne said, putting an arm around the vampire.
"Come on, go have a lie down. I'll have Harmonica get you some blood."
Logan
Logan howled in frustrated rage, claws shearing through the wall as he sliced into it. Hoping to burn off some of his anger.
Cordelia
"Logan, would you like someone to take you back to New York?" Cordelia asked, looking nervous at the prospect of asking Logan a question.
She'd been upstairs with the other seers while everything was going on, minding Serafina.
Logan
Logan's claws slid back into his hands with a sickening sound.
He didn't turn to look at her.
"Yeah. The boy and her are coming home with me."
Cordelia
"Who, Fa - "
Cordelia cut herself short and nodded.
"She's down in the morgue, if you'd like to come with me."
Logan
Logan nodded and turned to follow Cordelia.
"Sure."
Cordelia
Cordelia led him down to the morgue, where Brand was still sitting by Faith.
The morgue workers had cleaned her up a little, washing the blood away.
Brand & Logan
Brand sniffed slightly, and wiped his nose across his sleeve. He looked up when he heard footsteps and flinched back when he looked at Logan. What had happened up there?
Logan walked over to Faith and ran his fingers through her hair gently.
"Hey, darlin'."
Cordelia
"You'll be going back to New York with Logan," Cordelia said to Brand gently, putting a hand on his shoulder.
Brand & Logan
Brand nodded, rubbing his sleeve across his eyes.
"Mmhmm."
"I'll be taking her back to the mansion for burying," Logan stated quietly.
Cordelia
"I think that's a good idea," Cordelia replied, nodding slightly.
"I don't think Angel could handle..."
She hugged Brand gently.
Brand & Logan
Brand hiccuped, then cried harder on Cordelia's shoulder.
"Yeah."
Logan nodded slowly.
"I'll have Kurt and the professor do the service. You're all welcome to come, of course."
Angel
Cordelia patted Brand's back gently.
Angel walked in, looking at Faith as he spoke.
"So, you'll be taking her?"
Logan
"Yeah," Logan said gruffly, voice thick with unshed tears.
"Ya have a problem with that, bub?"
Angel
"No," Angel said, glancing at Faith again.
"I'll get the jet."
Logan
Logan nodded slightly and made no movement away.
"I'll just stay with her awhile."
Angel
Angel went to make the arrangements, then headed back to his office for a long brood.