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Chapter 51
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Having retrieved the thermos of blood collected from the other two Partners, the group gathered in the lobby. As Angel added the blood from Wolf to the mix, Spike pulled out the paper with the ritual written on it. "Lets see…‘Blood of beasts, cast upon jewels of light…annoint the victors’…blah blah blah…. Looks like we need to put some of this on each of us and pour the rest on something it calls ‘jewels of light’. Any ideas?"

Dilby smiled broadly, happy to be able to contribute. "The artist called his stained glass roof ‘The Jewels of Light’. That was the object that channeled the magic used to put Miss Buffy into her trance."

"Looks like we need to go collect some glass. They had to miss some of it when they swept up." Buffy headed for the broom closet in search of a dustpan as she spoke.

"May I?" Oz reached for the written ritual in Spike’s hand. "Been doing the mystical gig lately."

Oz began to try to work out the way to perform the ritual necessary to get them all out of the dimension as Buffy, Dilby and Spike headed to the courtyard to gather glass.

Oz looked over at Angel, who was looking a bit awkward. "Convincing. Had us fooled."

"Yeah, I get that. It’s scary at times how easy it is to play the bad guy. It’s like he’s always there looking over my shoulder, just waiting for a chance to take over. I can never really relax and let my guard down or Angelus will be back in the driver’s seat." Angel looked a bit haggard.

"Same with the wolf. Stop fighting it; you only get worn down. Learn to accept the parts you can use and control the ones you can’t." Oz gazed at the vampire with understanding. "I remember in the old days you used to meditate. You were on the right track then."

"There’s no part of Angelus I can use!" Angel looked outraged and horrified at the thought.

"Sure there is. What do you think you were doing setting up Mr. Wolf?" Oz nodded as he saw understanding show in Angel’s eyes. "Looked to me like you were still in control when it counted."

"That’s why I started the meditation thing. The first time I kissed Buffy, I vamped out and scared her to death. She didn’t know I was a vampire at the time." Angel closed his eyes at the sweet memory of those times long past. "I never had a tight grip on the demon. Stayed away from humans for the most part, until Buffy that is. I guess you’re right, I should give it a try again. I don’t think I’m going back into hermit mode just because Willie won the woman."

"Everyone has an inner demon. Most of us don’t give them names and very few sprout hair monthly, but we’ve all got them." Oz smiled as he shared his insight with the vampire.

Before Angel could respond to that thought, the rest of the group returned with a dustpan filled with colored glass.

"Figured out the ritual yet, Pup?" Spike tilted his head in curiosity as he looked to Oz for the interpretation.

"Yup, it’s pretty clear," Oz said. He didn’t notice the look on Spike’s face but heard the snort of amusement from the younger vamp.

"To you, maybe. Even Willow wasn’t too sure how it would all pull together. Course, knowin’ what that ‘Jewels of Light’ shite is all about helps." Spike nodded to a chuffed Dilby.

"Glad to help. Say, with the Partners dead, my contract is finally non-binding!" Dilby nearly did a dance of joy at the thought of his long servitude being at an end. "I don’t even have to work for a different branch of W & H any more. For that matter, I don’t have to be a lawyer!"

"Since you’re on a path of redemption, stayin’ away from those career choices seems like a good idea." Spike smiled gently as he teased the clerk. "Legal profession’s full of grey areas and compromises. Takes lots of soul searching to not get corrupted. Too much temptation--just ask Gramps here."

"Too true. Only thing worse is politics," Angel readily agreed.

"Okay, Wolfman Jack, how ‘bout you set us up and we get out of here, yeah?" Spike was itching to return to their own dimension. True, he’d have to share Buffy with the whole happy group, but it was the first step on a path that looked like it might lead to a bright future with the Slayer and he was never one to be patient. "Bit’s gonna be a wreck ‘til we get this one home." He pulled Buffy close and placed a kiss on the top of her head.

~~~

Giles was in a half sleep when he noticed that the brunette lawyer who had started them all on this trek was sitting at the foot of his bed. "Good Lord! How did you get in here, Lilah?"

"Being dead has some advantages, Pascoe. Locked doors are no challenge," Lilah laughingly replied.

Giles reached for his glasses on the nightstand and turned on the table lamp before sitting up to converse with his uninvited guest. "And who are you thinking of casting as Dalziel, Xander?" At her delighted laugh, he scowled and continued, "Really, Miss Morgan, being a specter gives you no right to simply enter a gentleman’s bedchamber. I would have thought you better mannered than that."

"True. Then again, it’s not every day a gal, or ghost, gets a termination notice on her contract. Congrats, old boy! Looks like the blond vamp pulled it off."

Lilah had Giles’ full attention at that remark. "And just how would you know that? Are you saying you can see what is occurring in that dimension?"

"No, I’m saying that my eternal contract isn’t binding anymore. The only way that can be is if the Senior Partners are all gone. Ergo, the undead underdog pulled a coup." Lilah grinned at Giles in glee. "So, planning on keeping up your end? Since my final destination is hanging in the balance here, I didn’t exactly want to wait for you to get your beauty sleep. How about it?"

"What precisely do you expect me to do at…," he looked at the alarm clock on the night stand, "4 a.m. in the backwaters of Mexico?"

"Dimensional, baby, kinda transcends all those barriers," Lilah reminded the Watcher. "So what’s a girl gotta do to get your tweedy ass up and on a mission to the Oracles to see about an upgrade for this newly unemployed spirit?

"All right, fine. However, I do insist that you take yourself out of my room while I dress. Wait in the common room and we’ll get you sorted." Giles stifled a yawn and headed to his suitcase to find something to wear on their journey.

They made a short trek to an alley that contained an invisible barrier Giles easily traversed. Seeing Wes again was not the great shock it had been the first time as he approached the Powers’ current Oracle.

"So, my friend, what brings you back here at such an early hour?" Wes smiled in greeting. He was fully aware of the mission Giles was undertaking but couldn’t resist a slight ribbing at the impatience of one Miss Lilah Morgan and the way she seemed to be able to get her way when it came to former watchers.

"You know perfectly well, I haven’t a doubt in my mind," Giles smiled and accepted the chair that Wes offfered.

"Ah, yes, the reward sought by Lilah. I had a feeling she would turn up on your doorstep, as it were, with undue haste once Spike completed his mission."

"I am taking it on faith that Spike HAS completed it successfully, at least the battle portion. Lilah arrived and insisted on my meeting with you before any of them returned from the Partners’ realm." Giles was hoping for some confirmation from Wesley that Buffy would soon be returned to them and that all had gone well.

"Indeed, she was always one to put her needs at the top of the priority list," Wes sighed in remembrance. "As it happens, yes, all went well and the Partners are no more. I suspect you will behaving quite a celebration to hail the conquering heroes in good order."

Wes motioned to Fred to bring a file that she had been holding as she waited for the two men to finish their greetings. "Hi! Glad to see you again, Mr. Giles.
Would you mind too much tellin’ Angel how proud I am of him? He really had to fight his demons, or his demon would be more accurate really, ‘cause he only has the one, but he did have to fight it down to keep from fallin’ to temptation and all. Even we were worried for a while, what with all the temptin’ offers that crafty Wolf Partner was wheelin’ out. We may be Oracles, but we can’t see everything here, you know… well, of course you don’t know, but it’s true, we only know what the Powers want us to know and sometimes they like to be all Sneaky Sammy on us."

Giles had forgotten how the lovely child was prone to run-on sentences. Wes laughed delightedly at his friend’s expression when confronted with Fred’s charming way of speaking.

"Yes, I’ll be certain to do that, urm, Fred." Giles looked from one to the other of the Oracles and asked, "Will I be permitted to tell them just who the Powers have made their Oracles this time?"

"Oh yes, no need for secrecy now. I simply didn’t wish to muddy the waters when so much was at stake. ‘Mission first and foremost’ as we were taught in the Council, eh, Giles?"

Wesley looked over the papers he removed from the file Fred had handed to him. He lit upon one in particular and began to grin widely. "Oh my, this is perfect! So many hell dimensions to consider for our Lilah. I think she’s earned one that isn’t too terribly unpleasant and this fits the bill perfectly. Do be certain that Lilah gives you the prophecy scrolls she promised. I think you will find a good many of the prophecies are yet to occur and the new Council will have a valuable resource for the research department. You must also ring up my father and arrange to pick up that box I spoke of."

"I’ll be sure to do it as soon as we return to London. I really can’t tell you how much I appreciate your thinking to make this available to us, especially under the pressure your circumstances created when you boxed them." Giles was impressed with the clear head Wesley had shown the night before the battle against the Black Thorne. His presence of mind would benefit countless generations of watchers and slayers alike.

"Do tell Lilah that I hope she appreciates the effort it took to arrange her eternal home. Remind her that she is, after all, supposed to be in a hell of some sort." Wes didn’t explain the reasons for this reminder, but Giles got the feeling there was more going on than met the eye.

"Another issue needs to be addressed, I fear," Wes added. "When all the dust has settled on this affair and life has returned to some semblance of normality, I need for you to bring both Angel and Spike to see us. There is an issue that needs to be put to rest once and for all."

"Of course," Giles agreed. "I’m sure they will both be anxious to see you two at any rate."

"Until then, my friend." Wes extended his hand to shake farewell. Giles, in an uncharacteristic display of emotion likely brought on by his relief knowing Buffy was safe, pulled the startled Oracle in for a quick, manly hug and back slap rather than the expected handshake.

"Well, I’m off then. Thank you again, Wesley. Your father might never know your worth, but had he the knowledge and good sense, he would be proud of you." Giles gave Fred a quick hug as well and exited the dimension.

"Well?" Lilah was ready to tear the paper from Giles’ hand in her eagerness to move up in the hell circles to one with less brimstone.

Giles handed her the paper and saw the smile begin to appear on her face as she saw the destination granted to her. "Oh, this is even better than I had hoped! It’s not any worse than being exiled to Fresno." Lilah gave Giles her hand and shook his. "Thanks for your help, Watcher. Won’t be seeing you around since this is a one-way ticket."

"Lilah, I am to remind you that it IS still a punishment for your misdeeds and the eternal destination is still hell," Giles told her.

She merely grinned and nodded.

"Oh, and the scroll?" Giles reminded her. "The one you promised to leave in my care when you finally revealed yourself, remember?"

"Oh, I left it on your bed before we headed here. I just knew Wes wouldn’t let me down." Lilah turned to head into a multicolored wavering barrier that just appeared as she accepted the paper from Giles. She stopped before crossing and added one last word, "Tell Mr. Soulful I might just see him in hell yet." She blew a kiss and said, "Catch you later, Ripper," then crossed the barrier.

~~~

Lilah looked at the classy appointments of her new home. The view out the window was nice enough and the home had a nice, comfy feel, even if it was a bit small.

"Hi, roommate! Welcome home," came a voice from the kitchen area.

"Oh, God, no! God, NO!" Lilah had paled considerably.

"Oh, come on, Lilah, it was harder on me when they told me who I was going to spend eternity with and I’ve had to wait around for you to get here. It’s no picnic for me either," said Lindsey McDonald.