What's left to lose?

[stoic_angel_]

The alley was full of roars, crys, and screams... and it was still raining. Of course it would be raining... we had had an almost-apocalypse with fire before, so why not one with water now? Had to balance things somehow, right

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[xspikex]

This just is the clinch innit? I get sucked back to unlife only so I can die another heroic death? Least it's heroic, which yeah, would be good soul and all. But still, I hadn't burned up, got sucked into a sodding locket to be spat out again so I could die with the gell head poof.

No way, no bloody how.

Hefting my sword, I let out an unneeded breath. Where the hell is Gunn? I've not seen him since the fight started. I heard him, but not seen him. He better not die on us too, Wes being gone? More then enough. Though I suppose the poor bastard really didn't have much to go on after Fred.

Speaking off. Turning to my right I can see Illyria ripping through demons as if they're fresh buns. Nothing like doing a little violence to get some emotional crap out of the system eh? Right, lets go take her example. Thrusting my sword into the hard flesh of one of the demons, I growl as it howls and falls down.

Gotta say, this rain? Good for the dramatic purposes.

[awe_of_illyria]

My actions were motivated by grief. The rain falling around us had not yet registered on the rest of my senses. It was simply water, and these things I was....feeling. They were simply feeling. However, the very nature of the situation I found myself firmly implanted drove my fists onward.

Tearing through demons, these beasts of hell as easily as eager humans infest the city streets. I hadn't forgotten who I was, the Primordium still clung to this name. A name. Illyria. One that these creatures would be sure to not forget in their last few minutes of existance. However, no longer does it carry with it the great power that it once had. These beasts do not tremble in my grip. Their plight is a simple and short one. They deny complexities and defy me in one single breath. I shall cease to show such tolerance.

When my foes had turned to dust and rot I finally turned my attention to the half-breeds. I had not thought them capable of surviving such a battle. If such things could be so, perhaps I would be impressed.

[loaded_gunn_]

I gasped at the pain in my side as I swung my axe again. Damn demon wouldn't go down... I swung again, finally sending it to the ground, as I backed up, falling against the brick wall of the alley.

I pushed my hands against the cut in my side, and grimaced. Damn... now I was panting, despite trying not to. The demons would hear me...

Where the hell were Angel, Spike, and Illyria? Were they still alive? Or had they all been killed/dusted? I looked through the rain, wishing I could see past it.

Meanwhile, my thoughts began to drift as I fought the pain. I was not going to die... not now. Not while I knew that, since the demons were still howling, at least one of the others was still out there

[stoic_angel_]

I slammed the next demon to the ground, and whirled, looking for someone... anyone left. I dodged another attack from a demon, and, in a quick combination, left it dying on the ground.

Moving back toward the alley we had all come from, I left the demons in my wake dead or dying. Meanwhile, the pain I had been ignoring for most of the fight was starting to press in on me. There were still too many damn demons around... too many. As it was, I had so many cuts that I wouldn't be healed for at least a week, not to mention my broken ribs. Those were never fun to have in the first place... and now I had multiple ones.

I was almost to the alley, when I was hit from behind, slammed to the ground. I looked up, as a demon leered at me, wielding a sword, and ready to behead me.

I kicked my legs up, slower than usual, and locked them around his neck, then wrenching him to the ground. A few moments of fighting later, he was dead, and my arm was broken, not to mention I was bleeding again...

"Damn it," I finally screamed. "If there's

[_wes_pryce_]

One moment I was standing in that white room being fitted into a bloody suit, the next I was in a raining alley. There was fighting all around me but for some reason it did not seem to affect me at all. I glared at the demons and they stared back at me. Then they did something that looked like groveling and moved away. All of them.

What is this? Am I now wearing a sign somewhere that says 'Owned by the Senior Partners'? I don't like that idea. Was it the smell? The suit? The power she had given me? I can still feel that singing through my veins, tapping into my own magic. I could feel the power burning inside and growing stronger.

I glanced over and through the rain. It was then when I saw them. Illyria, ripping demons apart. Spike, slashing around with an axe. "Angel?" Where was Gunn? I could smell much blood, and Ram did mention that someone was close to death. "Charles?"

[xspikex]

I could feel the blast, but I didn't actually see it. There suddenly was something or someone very powerful in the alley with us. And without warning all the demons started to move away. "Oy! Get back here you sodding wankers! We weren't done yet!" Yeah, as if I wasn't nearly ready to dust meself.

"What's going on?" Puzzled I look around. Angel's looking around surprised himself. Illyria is still holding onto a demon, gleefully ripping out its innarts. Can we say gross? Where's Charlie boy? It was then when I saw him. Percy. Wait a bleeding minute. Didn't she say?

"Percy? Blue! You said he was dead!" Not that I'm not happy to see him. But... I looked at him more closely. Something was wrong here, way off. He was the one radiating all that power. And I noticed something else. No heartbeat.

[loaded_gunn_]

I looked up, as there was a shout, from Spike. What the hell was the damn vamp yelling about now? Someone else dying? But then, why were all of the demons just moving away, kinda like water goin' down a drain... I blinked, trying to clear my vision, but it wasn't working too well.

"Um, hey?" I called weakly. "The party over? 'Cause I think a hospital might be good right now... maybe a grave..."

I closed my eyes, confused. Everything was getting quieter- no more screaming of demons, roars, or yellin'... were they all dead then? Or was that just me?

"Angel? Spike? God-king?" I called out. "Anyone?"

[stoic_angel_]

I stopped, confused. Spike and Illyria were partially blocking my view, but I thought I could see... no. It wasn't. He was gone, but the voice-

Wesley.

As an odd silence fell, I stood there, frozen. Finally, I dropped my weapon, and said flatly, "Wesley."

I turned to Illyria, and said, still flatly, "You said he was dead." And she hadn't really lied to us yet... so what was this? An illusion, courtesy of the Senior Partners? A demon in disguise, the worst yet, to jusdge from the moving away of the other demons?

Or another vision from the Powers That Sit on Their Asses?

"We're here, Gunn," I said calmly, moving forward, pushing past Spike and Illyria. I wasn't in the mood to be fucked with; there was just nothing left, and I had no need to play with some damn illusion that was just going to prolong the time until we all died.

"Question is... are you really here?" I asked, poking Wes/not Wes in the chest slightly.

[xspikex]

Growling, I tossed my hands up in the air as the lughead stomped off in his so called confusion again. "Bloody hell! You stupid sod!" I yelled after him. "Running away aint gonna work here, Angel!" Not that he was listening of course. He never did listen to word I said. Ta muchly. So why should he start now. Oh right, course it might actually make sense to anyone *not* Angelus.

Bleeding sod.

Getting out a packet of cigarettes, I took one out and started at it. Balls, all wet cuz of the rain. That's just swell innit. "So, Percy," I said, looking over at him. "You work for the beast now do you." Not a question. "Did they give you any choice? Or did the tempt you with lovely things." I frowned at that. Probably not. If anyone was about ready to die it be Wes.

"You need to go to the hospital, Charlie? Or are you okay?"

[_wes_pryce_]

Worriedly, I watched Angel storm off, and Spike yell after him. I wanted to run after him, but that would only make things worse. I suppose. I'm now a constant reminder of his mistake. But I can see now he didn't have much choice, if he wanted to give Connor a new, good life

[loaded_gunn_]

"I'm fine," I said quietly. Wes wouldn't be bribed... I knew it. But damn, I couldn't get over the fact that Angel had signed a contract that would extend beyond death... and now, here Wes was. he had been dead, but now... he wasn't.

I shook my head, then looked at Wesley. "Wait, what? You have a copy of the contract in your pocket, Wes? Not to mention, if this is the Senio Partners doing, I don't think there'll be a way to get rid of it..." I shrugged. I could try, but... I had seen some of the Partner's work; it wasn't pretty, and I didn't think there would be a way around it, unless we quit the firm.

And even then, there was probably a clause in there, concerning that, too.

"So, Lindsey's there, too? Not surprised, but, damn, Wes... didn't think you'd end up there..." I smiled wryly, no humor in it at all. "Looks like we're all screwed yet again."

[stoic_angel_]

I walked off, just leaving the others. I ignored Spike's voice calling out behind me, but could still hear the others talking, talking about loop holes in the contracts