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Grace pressed the towel against the gunshot wound on Lindsey's chest, pretending she didn't notice the horrible red color it had already been stained. His breathing was shallow and laboured, but his eyes were finally open.
"Lindsey, you have to stay with me here." She murmured, gently brushing hair off his forehead. Grace sighed, trying to think of something to say. "Tell me about yourself." She said. "I don't know much about your past."
"I had a sister." He spoke hoarsely. "She was beautiful." A blood stained hand reached for her face. "She looked like you. I really did love her, even though it was my fault she died."
Grace shook her head. "It wasn't your fault Lindsey. You had no way of knowing what Wolfram and Hart would do to your family. You really didn't."
"I feel sick." He murmured, blood trickling from the side of his mouth.
"You're fine." She insisted, pressing a little harder on his wound.
His hand brushed her cheek. "I'm not fine Isabelle."
"I'm Grace." She reminded him gently. "Lyns, I'm Grace."
He laughed bitterly, which surprised her. "She was the only one who ever called me Lyns." He shook his head. "The only one. God, I miss her."
"You'll be able to see her again soon enough Lindsey," Grace said, "but not yet. It's too soon. Right now you have to stay here with us."
"No one wants me. Maybe . . ." he struggled to catch his breath, "maybe the world would be better off without me."
"No." Grace said fiercely. "You don't talk like that. Look at how far you've come. You can beat this."
"I want to see my family." He whispered.
"We'll be your family." She promised. "I'll be the sister you never had." Grace bent down gently, her head on his chest, listening for the faint heartbeat. "We've worked so hard to save you Lyns, you can't leave now."
"They're coming." He spoke quietly. "They're coming down the stairs." A strange light touched his eyes. "They're here."
Grace stood up and whirled around. Spike slowly descended the last stair, grinning dangerously. Darla followed, her fingers pressed against her smile. Both sets of golden eyes were on Grace.
"Look at you." Darla murmured, walking toward her. "All covered in . . . blood."
"Darla," Spike said in a warning tone, "remember what we agreed to?"
She walked in a circle around Grace, staring her up and down. "I remember." She said, then backed off.
"You can't protect him." Spike said. "He deserves to die."
"Why?" Grace asked.
"You can't fight for both sides." The vampire replied.
Grace laughed. "You did. As I remember Willow telling us, there was a little obsession with the slayer, wasn't there?" She glared at him. "Seems the only woman you can get is a dead one."
Spike raised his hand and backhanded her across the face. Grace took the blow, stumbled slightly but regained her balance. Lindsey's eyes widened in anger at the sound and he struggled to sit up.
"Save your strength lawyer-boy." Darla growled. "You'll need it."
Spike stepped closer to Grace. "Did you and your friends really think you'd win this time? You're fighting against the biggest bloody corporation in Los Angeles. Doesn't help that the damn thing is made up of completely evil people."
"For someone who's so evil, Holland sure doesn't seem to want to enjoy his victories." Grace said. "Where is he?"
"He's . . . around." Darla murmured.
"He'll be keeping Angel out of our hair tonight." Spike said. "I have this strange craving to make your death last as long as possible." His eyes focused on the lawyer. "His will be quick. That's in the job description. But yours," he looked back at her, "yours will be painful. I'll make you scream for Angel." Spike leaned in, his mouth close to her ear, "Maybe even scream for me."
Grace winced and turned away, focusing her gaze on Lindsey.
"I won't go down without a fight." She said, looking back at the vampire once more.
Spike grinned. "I'm planning on it."
Angel sat behind the wheel of his car, pounding in frustration on the leather seat. Finally, not being able to wait in the traffic jam any longer, he opened his door and got out, motioning for Wesley to do the same.
"We're never going to get to them like this." He said. "And Spike and Darla are probably both there. If Lindsey was hurt as badly as Grace said, she's not gonna have a chance against both of them." Angel spoke rapidly as they jogged along the sidewalk. He seemed to talk a lot when he was nervous. "Grace would be able to handle Darla by herself. But either way, if Spike's there, it won't be good."
"Why would Darla be easier to fight than Spike?" Wesley asked.
Angel glanced at him quickly. "Remember when Spike nearly killed her?" He sighed. "She still has nightmares about that. She doesn't tell me, but I know. She's terrified he'll come back and try again. She won't be able to fight him."
A figure stepped in front of then, startling them. Angel and Wesley both stopped walking and stared at the person in front of them.
"You didn't think I'd let you get to them that easily, did you?" Holland asked. "I want Lindsey dead. If your girlfriend goes in the process . . ." he shrugged and smiled, "just as well."
"Get out of my way Holland." Angel growled in a warning tone. "You don't want to mess with me. Not now. Your time will come."
Holland smiled. "And really, what can you possibly do to me in the middle of a residential street such as this one? It'd be murder to even lay a hand on me."
Angel placed one hand against the lawyer's chest. "There's one." He placed his other hand beside the first. "And there's the other." Then he shoved Holland violently.
He stumbled backward, regained his balance and smiled. "Very nice Angel. Very nice indeed. I'm quite impressed. But you see, I'm still not going to let you by."
Angel's face shifted in a matter of seconds. "Oh no?"
"The vampire thing doesn't scare me." He said. "You forget, I know you won't use it."
"Don't be so sure." Angel replied, leaning close.
He wasn't ready for the shove Holland delivered and was surprised when he stumbled backward and fell.
Wesley looked startled for a moment, then glared at Holland. "Back off," he said, his voice low and angry, "back off now if you know what's good for you."
Angel was on his feet again in an instant, standing in front of the lawyer once more. "If I have to kill you to get to Grace and Lindsey, I won't have a second thought about it."
Holland smiled. "I'm sure. After all, that's what the oracles told you to do, isn't it? They want me dead." He laughed slightly. "I suppose they think the world will be a better place without me. But I hate to tell you this Angel, once I'm dead, nothing will change."
"Everything will be different." Wesley insisted.
Holland shook his head. "Oh no, that's not true at all. There are hundreds of eager lawyers waiting to fill my shoes at the firm. I can assure you of that. You think this world is without millions of people exactly like me? The kind of people this world lacks are the people like you. The ones that want to help. We seem to be having a shortage of those ones."
Angel tried to step around him, but Holland just blocked his way.
"Get out of my way." The vampire yelled.
Holland smiled. "I don't think so." He glanced at his watch. "I just have to keep you stalled here a few minutes longer and Lindsey will be dead. That is, if he's not already." He looked back up to meet Angel's eyes. "And two more minutes after that, you'll be too late to save your girl. Spike . . . well, let's just say he has a little fascination with her. Apparently she tastes wonderful."
Angel growled deep in his throat and tried to push past again without luck.
"Ever since that fight at the ceremony," Holland continued, "he's been waiting for this day. I know the plan was to raise the Master, but frankly, we can do without him. He'd be a fabulous asset, but I don't think we'd be able to tame him."
"Not likely." Wesley murmured.
"But since then, Spike's wanted another round with her." Holland said. "This time without that traitor Lindsey saving her from death. He's really going to kill her this time." He cracked a smile. "He might even turn her into a vampire. Who knows? I guess we'll just have to wait and see."
Angel growled again, then grabbed the front of Holland's jacket and lifted him a few inches into the air. He stared at him for a long moment, then gathered his strength and hurled the lawyer against the building they stood beside. His body collided with the brick wall and Wesley cringed at the hollow thud and the horrible cracking noises.
Holland fell to the ground, limp and unmoving.
"Angel, I-I think you broke him." Wesley said, following the vampire down the street.
"Well, isn't that just too bad?"
Grace glared angrily at Darla as she advanced slowly on Lindsey. He was still lying on Angel's couch, holding the bloody towel to his chest and groaning in pain. The vampire was licking her lips hungrily as she watched him and Grace struggled against Spike again.
He was holding her arms behind her back, waiting for Darla to make her move.
"Just bloody well kill him already." He groaned. "I'm getting tired of watching this ritual, or whatever the hell it is you're doing." He leaned down and let his teeth gently graze across Grace's neck. "I want to get going on my toy."
She struggled again, trying to escape from Spike's iron hold on her with no luck. Her mind was spinning. How could she possibly escape from this situation and save Lindsey at the same time? It had been nearly twenty minutes since she'd called Angel and he still hadn't arrived. She was worried that Holland had trapped them in a fight and that they'd never make it on time. She would have to think of a way out by herself.
Darla leaned down, gently touching the wound on Lindsey's chest before she grinned and stuck her finger into the bullet hole. His scream ripped through Grace's head, causing her to cringe and close her eyes. He moaned in pain, more blood appearing at his lips and trickling slowly down his chin.
"My boy, just be quiet. You know what's going to happen now, don't you?" Darla asked.
Lindsey coughed, then nodded.
She smiled. "And what am I going to do to you?"
"You're going to kill me."
"Very good!" She exclaimed, turning to look at Spike and Grace. "Isn't he smart?"
"He's a bloody genius." Spike responded dryly. "Just get on with it!"
Darla whirled toward him, her face set in anger. "Give me my time. When you decide to play with yours, I won't interrupt."
Spike just rolled his eyes and motioned for the vampire to continue. As she turned back to Lindsey, the sound of the door opening upstairs startled her. She turned to look at the stairs as Spike slowly glanced toward the elevator.
"Grace?" The voice came down the stairs suddenly.
"Gunn!" She yelled. "I'm okay. And Lindsey's still alive."
"Stay out of here." Darla growled. "There's more of us than there is of you."
Before Grace could respond, Spike clamped his hand down over her mouth to prevent her from telling Gunn and Cordelia otherwise.
"Grace?" Cordelia called again. "Are they telling us the truth?" She waited for a long moment as Grace struggled against Spike's hand. When no answer came, Cordelia called again, sounding slightly more frantic. "Grace, please answer me . . . Grace?"
"Shh," Spike whispered, leaning toward her ear, "we don't want them coming down here. Not before the boy here dies."
Grace struggled angrily, finally breaking free of Spike's arms and she spun away. "Gunn!" She yelled. "It's safe! There's only two. Come--" Her call was cut off when Spike slammed into her from the side, forcing her to the ground. She grunted as she slammed to the floor, her head bouncing off the carpet.
Gunn and Cordelia came running down the stairs, grabbing for weapons as they came. Spike grabbed Grace's hair and forced her head backward, sinking his teeth into her neck. She heard the noises of Darla fighting with Gunn and Cordelia as she struggled under the vampire.
"Lindsey's not here to save you this time pet." He growled, letting go of her for a moment. Then he was back at her neck, sucking her life from her.
She struggled with everything she had, but Spike was much stronger than she could ever be. Just as she began to give up, there was a loud noise and Spike groaned, them slumped onto her. Grace pushed him off and stood up to find Lindsey standing behind the vampire with a fire poker in his hand.
He smiled at her gently before his eyes closed and he passed out.
Grace knelt by him, trying to wake him up. "Lindsey, we have to get out of here."
"Darla!" Angel yelled, coming down the stairs, followed by Wesley. "If I find you down here . . ." he trailed off, leaving his threat unheard.
Grace sat up to see Angel coming into the room carrying an orange canister. Wesley followed and she squinted, trying to see what he held in his hand.
Gunn stepped back from the fight, then ran over to help Grace get Lindsey upstairs. They held him upright, struggling to get him into the elevator. Cordelia joined them a moment later and together they put the lawyer into the elevator and took him upstairs.
Angel turned to Darla, almost alone in his apartment. His eyes were angry and she only returned his glare with a smile. On the floor, Spike groaned slightly, beginning to wake up.
"I don't want to do this." Angel murmured, looking at the blonde vampire. "But I have to. There's no choice for me."
"You have a choice Angelus. You can choose to be with me again." She growled.
He shook his head. "I can't choose that. You know I can't." Dropping the canister he held, Angel went to her and with Wesley's help, tied her wrists together and then around a pole in her basement. They went to Spike and tied his wrists and legs together, leaving him lying on the floor.
Darla smiled at Angel. "What is this? Leave me here until the police show up and let me go? They think I'm the innocent, remember?"
Angel just sighed and shook his head. He picked up the can and uncapped it, turning it upside down and walking around the room. A clear liquid spilled out as he walked to Spike and doused him, then turned to Darla and spread it around her feet.
"Gasoline?" She asked, her eyes wide. "You have got to be kidding me! Angel, y-you can't do this. Not to me."
Instead of answering, Angel nodded to Wesley who began to walk up the stairs. Satisfied that his apartment had been covered in gasoline, Angel walked up the stairs, leaving a trail behind him.
"Angel!" Darla screamed after him. "Angel! Let me go! Angelus!"
Grace was in a store across the street from Angel's apartment, reading off the address so Gunn could give it to the emergency phone line operator. They were calling an ambulance for Lindsey, who still hadn't woken up.
"Hey." Cordelia said softly, touching Grace's shoulder. She turned to her, then followed her gaze out the window, seeing Angel and Wesley step onto the street. Angel dropped the orange can on the ground, then looked at Wesley and nodded slightly.
Grace frowned. "What is he doing? Is Darla dead?"
Cordelia just shook her head and shrugged in confusion as they watched.
Wesley took the small package he held in his hand and they tried to make out what it was he was holding. He scraped something together and suddenly there was a tiny flame.
"What the hell . . .?" Gunn murmured, staring outside.
Suddenly Grace's eyes widened and she tore open the door and flew out onto the street. She was too late, as Wesley tossed the match over his shoulder and they began to walk toward her.
"Oh my God." She breathed, watching the flame disappear into the house. A moment before they reached her, the entire building exploded.
Angel slid up to her side as she stood and watched the flames burn away what had been their home for so long.
"I did it." He said finally.
Grace looked at him. "Did what?"
"Darla and Holland are both dead."
She glanced at him, her eyebrows raised. "Yeah, but did you have to do it so dramatically?"
"She has a point Angel." Wesley said.
Cordelia walked onto the street and rolled her eyes. "Oh what are you talking about? You were so into the whole drama thing too. You were just as bad."
Angel sighed and glanced at the building. "This is our new beginning. We can go on with our lives."
"You really think they'll be that different?" Cordelia asked.
Angel shrugged. "I'll be human."
"But will this change?" She asked, motioning to all of them.
Gunn watched them from the door and sighed. Then he called, "I hope not."
Angel smiled slightly. "Same story, new beginning."
The ambulance wailed in the distance, letting them know they were on their way.
Grace smiled at Lindsey as he struggled to sit up and push back the covers on his bed. Angel watched from the doorway of the bedroom as Cordelia, Wesley and Gunn stayed in the living room. The apartment Lindsey stayed in wasn't big, but it accommodated him.
"Don't push yourself too hard." Grace murmured. "You'll pull your stitches."
Lindsey smiled at her, then stood up and shuffled to the bathroom. "I'll be out in a minute." He said. When Angel and Grace stayed where they are, he sighed. "I'll be fine. Go."
Angel smiled, then grabbed Grace's hand and pulled her into the living room.
"So, what do you think is taking them so long?" Cordelia asked when they came into view.
Grace frowned. "Who?"
"The Powers That Be." She answered. "It's been two weeks since Holland Darla were killed. You think they'd get with the human making already."
Angel smiled. "I can be patient."
"Well, not all of us have that great ability." Gunn muttered.
Grace laughed. "It won't be long now. It can't be. They know all about it and things are going to be much better from now on."
Lindsey came out of the bedroom a minute later, walking on his own without the help of his cane.
"Very good." Cordelia said, smiling proudly at him.
He nodded. "I'm getting there. Nearly as good as new."
"Don't stress yourself out though." Wesley reminded him. "The doctors said you were extremely lucky, so don't push your luck."
Lindsey grinned. "I know. And you guys shouldn't worry so much, I'll be fine."
The others stood up, walking toward him and the door. Cordelia reached him and offered an arm for him to support himself on, as he smiled at her gratefully. Gunn got to the door first and opened it, surprised by the tall figure standing there.
Whoever it was, was wearing a red cloak, the hood covering the face.
Angel stopped, staring at the person that stood there.
"It's time." The low voice spoke.
Angel smiled.
The End