Timeline

Chapter 27

Layton woke Angel and Buffy up , Buffy got his bottle and Angel was on nappy duties.
"C'mon then l'il guy , lets get you dry and clean , while Mommy gets your bottle" Angel said in a babyish voice.
Buffy came back into the bedroom, Angel took the bottle off her and sat in the rocking chair , feeding Layton and humming to him. As she slid back into the bed she noticed the rose.
"That's sweet" she whispered.She picked it up and smelt it.Angel looked up from the baby.
"That's not from me" he went back to watching Layton gulp down his milk. "That's Daddys big guy"
"It wasn't there when we went to bed" . Buffy said
They're eyes met and Angel gritted his teeth."Liam" .A low growl came from his throat .
Buffy got out of bed, put her robe on and went to the monitor in the lobby . The cage was empty.
Buffy ran upstairs , Layton was back in his crib , Angel was getting dressed.
"I wanna know how he got out , who let him out and what the hell he was doing in my room!"
"Don't shout at me, I know as much as you do" Buffy snapped back
"I'll get Gunn , Wesley and Illyria to do a sweep of the hotel, get Willow to stay with you and Layton"
He opened the bedroom door and turned back to Buffy "We'll chat about this later"
"Wait , where are you going?"
"To find him and to send him back"Angel snapped
"You can't send him back without removing the soul first Angel"
" He's out there doing god knows what, you really expect me to sit tight ?"
Angel walked out and slammed the bedroom door . Buffy followed him out ."Let Illyria look after Layton with Willow and I'll come"
Angel paused on the balcony. Gunn and Illyria were downstairs in the lobby gathering weapons.
"Your not going anywhere "
Buffy's brows raised and anger set on her face.
"So , you telling me what I can and can't do now? Your taking the one person who can protect your son and that's probably what he wants"
Angel looked at her and spun his sword round in his hand.He knew she was right.
"So you come and then what?"
Spike interrupted them "Er hate to be the bearer of bad visions but I just had one , and can I just say thanks a bloody lot for these mate"
"What did you see Spike?" Angel said , not taking his eyes off Buffy.
"Your vamp with a soul self , here at this address, he's got a room full of Samaritans"
Angel took the note with the address from Spike and turned to go .
"Can I just say that Buffy is right , If you take blue with you , your leaving her and the your son vulnerable"
Angel paced and ran his hands through his hair, "Fine she stays and you come Buff "

Buffy was dressed and ready to go within five minutes. Illyria and Willow stayed with Layton.
Angel , Gunn and Buffy got in the car and Angel drove off at speed towards the Samaritans.
Gunn was the first to speak. " What's the plan?"
Buffy and Angel looked at each other , finally Angel answered him
"Use Buffy to draw him away from them and capture him again" he huffed
"Use her as bait?"
"Yes, he seems to have an obsession with Buffy and I think in some sick way that's why he's doing it"
Gunn watched Buffy's reaction , she shifted in her seat. "So your both sharing your soul and your connected to Buffy by the love of all loves, and he's feeling it too ." Gunn sat back .
Angel thought about what Gunn had said and felt his anger at Buffy ease off. Gunn was right.
"I'm his weakness if thats true, so I'll just unno , get him away from the Samaritans and you guy's get them out of there. Once their safe you come and help me trap him"
"Sounds like a plan " Gunn said
Angel sat in silence , but he reached over and held Buffy's hand. They arrived at the converted warehouse and parked up. The place was in darkness.
Gunn and Angel went to the back of the building , looking for a way in. Buffy got her stake out and went in through the front door. She could hear people crying and sobbing .She scanned her eyes over the room , boxes of clothing and other household items lay everywhere. Great , places he could hide and take cover she thought. Oh well , she advanced forward.
"I know your here slayer , I can feel you. Like hot coals on cold hands"
" Why are you doing this Liam?" Buffy looked up and saw Gunn and Angel sneak in through a skylight.
" Enough questions"
Buffy went further into the warehouse. Angel could see them and signalled where they were to Buffy. As she approached them they all started to squirm and tried getting out of their ropes.
"I'll get you out in a minute but I need to know where he is"
"Honey , I'm home" He stood behind her
Angel and Gunn looked at each other, they made their way to some stairs.
Liam grabbed Buffy and pulled her into his chest. "What no kiss lover?"
"How can I , their all here" she replied
Liam dragged her into the office and slung her onto the desk "How 'bout now?"
She looked over her shoulder and saw Angel and Gunn getting the Samaritans out of their ropes.
For a vampire , he's pretty stupid she thought.Angel would ' so' know they were getting them out of there if this was him .
"I have a slayer, trapped in here with me , now what do ye think I should do?"
Buffy leant against the desk "What do you want to do ?"
"I thought I'd start by using your body to quench my needs , then I'll drain you and see just how long it takes for you to die, maybe I'll turn you , preserve that pretty face for myself to look at for eternity.What do you think ?"
"I'm here " Buffy walked to him and put her hands on his chest , she looked into his eyes, he was still in his human features. It made it hard for her . She punched him in the face and his head spun , when he looked back he had morphed. Better . " Take what you want"
Liam crushed her to him and kissed her . She looked over her shoulders and saw Gunn gather up the hostages and run out of view.Angel was watching through the window.It hurt to see Buffy doing this .
Liam lifted her up and put her on the desk. He shrugged off his jacket and ripped Buffy's off .
" Hey! That cost me a small fortune!"
"I'll get you more , give you things, take you places , you won't want for a thing"
She closed her eyes. Hurry up Angel she thought, as his lips went down to the bite on her shoulder.
"You shouldn't have come here" he shouted . He held Buffy to the table and turned .Angel stood in the doorway."Maybe you could watch and I'll show you what she really likes"
Angel cringed . " You think that she could be happy in the dark , do you ? You're the thing she's meant to kill."
"And yet she didn't kill you"
"She did once. Sent me to hell"
Liam was thrown for a minute. "And your here to do what exactly? Save her? Like ye could"
"He doesn't have to save me" Buffy hit his arm from her chest and grabbed him from behind, holding a stake over his chest.Angel punched Liam in the face and shackled his hands . Gunn came in at that point , the Samaritans now safe .
Gunn took Liam to the car , leaving Buffy and Angel in the office.Buffy went to leave ,Angel caught her hand.
"Can we not do this now " She still had her back to him. " Lets just go home and deal with Liam"
Angel let go of her hand and followed her out of the warehouse.

They arrived back at the hotel and put Liam back in the cage. Illyria bought Layton downstairs and put him in his crib . Willow had told the potentials and they had all gathered in the lobby as well. Gunn stood watch over Liam .
Angel and Buffy went into the office. Angel slammed the door shut .
" What's happening to us?"
"I don't know, it's only started since Liam got all stalker guy on me"
"And that's my fault , I let him out and thought he could be trusted , and I told him to stay with you and protect you.I should have known , he's only doing what I did back in the day"
" I don't know what to say , only we have to get him gone and get back to normal , whatever that is for us" Buffy said
" Our history , it's only run true to course , we really do screw up in a big way don't we " Angel smiled
" And the fate of the world lies with us , I give you it's champions" Buffy said sarcastically holding her hands out
Angel laughed "So , we back on track?"
"Never fell off 'em" Angel kissed her and they went back into the lobby.
Angel came out of the office first and went straight to Layton " Hey look Daddy's home big guy , did you miss your Daddy"
Buffy stared at him with his son , Willow came over and stood watching with her.
" Who would of thought the big brooding ex vampire would turn to moosh like that" Willow said
"Tell me bout it , it's like I can't get near him ,Angel's totally besotted" Buffy smiled. "Hows everyone else ?"
"Wesleys holed up in his room with the prophecy, Xanders busy down the beach with Dawn, Faiths wrapped up in Robin when she's not patrolling or training the potentials , and the potentials do girl stuff. Cordy is still in the coma , even though we thought she would be awake by now"
" We just gotta get rid of Liam now and things should be back to normal" Buffy said .
" I meant to talk to you about that , are we here for good, unno merging Angels team with the scoobies?"
" I'm not sure Willow , it hasn't even come up in conversation or anything , and, we don't have anywhere sorted since the hellmouth closed for business. Obviously I'll be staying , would you stay?"
"I'm not sure , I thought I would like to go to Rome and Tibet"
"Tibet?"
" Yeah they do this great karma thing and they teach you how to meld with nature . It's where Oz went and learned how to control the wolfy side of him"
Buffy raised her eye brows " We'll have time to talk this over once we sort out Liam , our focus has to be on that right now"
"What about Illyria?" Willow asked
"According to what was in the prophecy and Lilah said , Illyria is the one that keeps Layton safe and helps him fight evil "
"No-ones been up to check on Lilah today have they ?"
"Not that I know of , wanna come ?" Willow nodded
Angel watched as they went into the kitchen to get Lilah her dinner and some juice.He returned his focus to Layton "You got teeny tiny feet that Daddy wants to eat "
"Coming from you Angel, that's kinda disturbing " Faith said smiling at him as she came down the stairs.
"Hey Faith , you wanna cuddle?"
"No , your good there A , me and little people , not so good , they do this screaming thing round me"
"Hows Robin doing?" He asked her
"He's good , almost fit , another week and we'll be outta your hair" she didn't sound enthused about it though.
"Great , good news" Angel looked at Layton and smiled.
Buffy and Willow came out of the kitchen and went upstairs.They unlocked the door and tried pushing it open , it wouldn't budge.
"Lilah get off the door" Buffy shouted. No answer , door still lodged
Buffy put her power behind the push and it flew open. Buffy walked through the door first.
"Willow , go get Angel , now!"
Willow ran down to the lobby, Buffy checked Lilah's vitals, no pulse, bite mark ,broken neck. "Damn"
Angel returned with Willow.
"She's dead" Buffy said , "Will she rise again or what?"
"I can't tell now " he shuffled uncomfortably " now I'm not unno"
"So what do we do now?" Buffy asked "I'm used to poof and gone, not used to lawyers dying on me"
" No , but I am " Faith said coming in the room. " Get me a van and I'll drop her back to Wolfram and Hart"
Buffy , Angel and Willow were stunned.
"Don't stand there looking at me like that, I don't want to process this , just get the deed done and forget"
Everyone snapped into action.
"Faith , I don't want you going there alone" Buffy said.
" I'll take a few of the girls , and in and out , I promise"
" Take care , it's been months , they could be back to work by now"
"I know , we'll drop her in the elevator and send her up to the lobby" Faith said
"Good plan " Buffy left and went to the monitor.

Lilah was placed in the back of the van , three of the potentials got in the back , Kennedy sat up front with Faith.They drove into the underground car park and called for the elevator. The doors opened and they dumped Lilah in , Faith pushed the lobby button and the doors shut. The girls got into the van and made it home in good time .