Standing on the foggy streets of London, Angel puts his arms around the young woman in front of him. He’s stunned, but doesn’t care. All his senses tell him the same thing, even though it should be completely impossible.

Winifred Burkle, former member of the Angel Investigations team, and, supposedly, very, very dead, is alive in front of him.

“Fred! It… It really is you. But where… how did?”

Fred looks up at her old friend, knows who he is. But she looks around, unsure of everything else. “Angel… It’s Illyria… she’s….”

She collapses into his arms. Angel picks her up and cradles her exhausted form. “Easy Fred. I’ve got you. You’re safe now. I’ll make sure of it. I promise.”

Elsewhere, in another part of Magic Town, lovers Parker and Tricia are walking the streets discussing their future. Parker wants to move in together, but doesn’t want to rush his girl, which Tricia finds sweet. Unfortunately, their moon lit walk doesn’t go unnoticed, and a group of thugs brandishing knives and bats, come toward them.

“Well, don’t you two make a nice pair?”

Tricia and Parker are quick to defend themselves, standing up to the bigotry being spewed at them. The lead thug says he hasn’t got a problem with couples of mixed race – it’s not about who they are, it’s simply about the money and goods they may be carrying. As he advances further, his lackeys coming up behind him, a voice from behind them commands their attention.

“Leave them alone.” The thugs turn and see a large form in front of them, purple cloak hiding his features, his yellow eyes penetrating in the gloom. He warns them one more time.

“Walk away. Or I break bones.”

The thugs roar at him, charging forward, confident in their greater numbers. But the newcomer is tougher than they anticipated. He spins and hits one and then grabs a second. As he does, he goes through the bones he smashes verbally.

“Jaw.” Crack. “Wrist.” Snap “Collarbone.” Crunch. “Nose.”

Once the thugs are unconscious and bleeding on the ground, Parker and Tricia thank the man, and see his face. He’s a demon, but not one they’ve ever seen before. He tells them that they need say nothing. “No thanks are necessary. Their actions were dishonourable.” He starts to walk away, and turns to Parker. “And I had nothing else to do.”

Parker asks him where he’s staying, but the yellow-eyed demon, completely calm, speaks again, softly. “I have nowhere to go. I’ve been searching for someone, but I’ve failed.” Tricia notices the sad look on the demon’s face and turns to him, helpfully. Maybe he should go and see Nadira, she suggests.

And as Eldre Koh looks at the lovers, he thinks. “Nadira. I have heard this name before.”

Parker smiles. “Course you have. It’s Magic Town. Nadira’s who you see when you’re looking for somebody.” Tricia steps towards him. “Or when you’re somebody lost and hoping to be found.”

Elsewhere, at the Giles townhouse, home of the Fairweather sisters, Lavinia and Sophronia are staring at their house guest, all wrapped up in an arm chair and, frankly, looking awful.

They stand in front, regarding their guest with indomitable glares. “Chin up, darling and let’s have a look at you.”

The two sisters both stare and then take a step back, together, in sync. Their faces are judgy, but playful. They even make the same sounds as they stare. “Hmmm.”

Lavinia smiles at her sister, playful banter reflecting in her grin. “A lady must always look well put together even if no one else is around. Isn’t that right, Sophronia?”

Sophie sighs. Flicks her hair back, seemingly just for the dramatic effect. “Especially if no one else is around. It’s about attitude.”

And Faith Lehane, technically the owner of the house, looks up at them, still in her robe, large coffee mug in her hands. She looks exhausted.

Lavinia shrugs. “I think our Faith might have the attitude department covered actually.”

Faith gets up and stomps across the room, grumpy and mug in hand. “It’s not attitude. It’s jet lag. And please tell me there’s more coffee.”

The sisters follow her through to the kitchen. And they don’t slow their banter. “We tease, of course dear, but you know, really, we’re only trying to help.”

“Yes. Helping you look sharp and professional on your first day of the new job.”

Faith turns to them, trying to wake up. “I’m just consulting for a week or two, while Zane finishes setting up shop in Magic Town. I already have the gig, so I don’t need to impress anyone.”

Sophie is stunned! “You resigned from DeepScan and your next job is only temporary? Aren’t you concerned your resume is going to look a little… what’s the word?”

Lavinia gives her one. “Half-Baked?”

“I was going to say unfocused,” Sophie retorts.

Faith is barely listening, but nurses the coffee mug in her hand as if it’s gold. “Hey, before I forget, thanks for letting me barge in. It was a long flight from Suriname, and when I found out my hotel was overbooked…”

Sophie extends her arms to the Slayer. “Faith, don’t be silly. Giles left this house, to you.”

Lavinia smiles. “We’ll all live together here, like sisters.” Sophie gets in the last word with her sister. “Younger sisters.”

Faith looks at them, sips more coffee, and grumbles under her breath.

“I’m getting my own place.”

At her sanctuary, as Kent helps Fred Burkle get comfortable with a hot beverage, Nadira looks at Angel, curiosity on her face. “Where did you find her?”

“Wandering the streets of Magic Town. Dazed.”

Nadira turns to her new guest. “I don’t like this.”

Angel is slightly taken aback. “You don’t like…? You don’t even know her.”

“It’s not her. Not personally. It’s the… situation. Can’t you feel it?”

Angel doesn’t answer, but he knows what she’s feeling. He can sense it too. Nadira turns to Fred, continues to look, as if seeing something else that Angel can’t. “A pebble will cause a ripple on a calm water. And she is a boulder. Her arrival has stirred up the magic. She carries something with her, doesn’t she?”

Angel shakes his head, and then stops. It’s complicated, but he tries to explain. “No. Well. Yes, sort of.”

Nadira smiles slightly. “And people say I’m a cipher.”

Angel sighs and tells her, briefly, what he knows. “Back in the Wolfram & Hart days, Fred was a key member of the team. More importantly, she was a friend.”

He tells Nadira of how Fred died, how her body became nothing but a shell for the primordial Old One named Illyria the Merciless. She was powerful and an ally, but the friend they’d known was seemingly lost forever. “At least, I thought forever. When I saw her standing right there is front of me, it was like a miracle.”

Nadira turns to him, tries to explain what she thinks. “Angel, when the new Seed ignited magic again, it was as if some things in the world reset. Maybe Fred is connected to that. And maybe that’s why the Magic Town magic is churning like an upset stomach.”

Angel has heard enough of the magic now, would like a more direct answer.

“Nadira, you keep talking about the magic like it’s alive. When you stopped Amy, you said the magic didn’t hurt you because if was your friend. Can you control it?”

Nadira shakes her head, “No, it’s not that simple. I can ask it to do things. The magic is… well, it’s young, Angel.”

She turns now, back to Winifred Burkle. “It can feel the other magic from the new Seed pressing in on it from the outside, chipping away at it’s edges. Now it’s trying to figure out Fred. It’s afraid.”

And then, sipping her coffee and looking up at Angel, Fred whispers his name and says two words.

“I remember.”

Elsewhere in Magic Town, at the building Zane Pharmaceuticals is renovating for their needs, a noise erupts. Guards yell and alarms sound.

Inside, a demon is begging the doctor for help, but is being rather boisterous, understandably, at his condition. He’s made of mud. Seemingly, living mud.

The doctor pleads with the demon, a patient under his care. He explains that the lab is still only in testing stages, data collection and things, but the demon is upset – and seems to have heard rumours of a cure. As he protests he cannot live his life like this, the doctor swears to help in anyway he can. The demon begs to be human again, and in his temper, moves towards the doctor, in a move that to anyone else looks threatening.

And then Faith’s voice comes through the air. Everyone looks at her. She has a hose in her hands. “Hey, Landslide!” she yells, somewhat unkindly. “Hands off the science guys.”

Then water sprays everywhere from the hose, hitting the demon, who, being made of mud, just gets stickier and stickier then simply drifts apart helplessly on the floor.

With the being stopped, Faith is approached by Reese Zane, head of the company and Faith’s own persistent career advisor. Faith looks down at the creature and then speaks loudly, so everyone can hear her.

“Earth demon. Punch and kick them all day and you just get messy. The trick is to… well, you saw. Put him somewhere secure. He’ll reconstitute eventually.”

Walking away from the scene, Reese catches up with Faith. She smiles.

“I can see I made a good choice when picking you to head the transition team. Are you sure we can’t entice you into signing on with Zane permanently?”

Faith expected this, yet again. It’s the third time the offer has come up. “It’s nice to be wanted, but no thanks. Your offer was a good excuse to come back and face a few things. It was time. And frankly, if you can really do something to help the people around here, then I’m happy to get you started.

She looks at Reese and the doctors, working fast to open the clinic. “The thing you need to remember is these people didn’t start out as Earth demons. Or Werewolves, or trolls, or whatever. They don’t know how to be those things. They only know how to be human, but they’re not human anymore.”

Reese smiles. “Sounds like a lot of patience and understanding will be needed.”

Faith nods. “Exactly. But, you know, also stun guns.”

Walking into another room, where other doctors work, Reese turns to Faith, hopeful look in her eyes. “Maybe you can take care of one more thing before we call it a day. It’s important we establish a solid relationship with the local authorities, and I’d like you to take a meeting with the police representative.”

Faith is surprised. “If you’re looking for a long-term relationship, maybe you shouldn’t send the temp.” She suspects Reese is using the meeting as another convincing argument to join the company, but she soon looks at Faith, surprising her.

“Normally, I’d agree. But the gentleman asked for you, by name.”

In Nadira’s sanctuary, Angel is sitting next to Fred, with Nadira before them. He looks at her soothingly, and gently asks Fred to speak. “Tell me what you remember.”

Fred mumbles that she doesn’t see it all. “Not all of it. Not everything. It’s kind of a blur.” Angel smiles at her, reassures her. “It’s okay. Take it slow. Start with what seems clearest.”

Fred then recites what she knows – about Illyria the Merciless and her kingdom. How it rose, how it changed the world.

“I remember… I was part of her. I was some kind of Queen. A conqueror. A Goddess. But my ancient armies had turned to dust. I felt the anger and the despair, except it wasn’t me. It was her. And my memories were somehow part of her too.”

She also remembers Wesley’s death. “It was like I was some ghost, providing material for the being who’d arrived to take my place.”

Angel turns to her, upset himself. “Fred, I’m so sorry. We tried. All of us. Tried to free you from Illyria. But now your back, and she’s gone. I mean, I know you’re a little dazed, but…”

Fred stares at him quickly, speaks even faster. “Angel, you don’t understand. She’s not gone.” She clearly gets up too quickly and suddenly, faintly, sits back down. Angel rushes to her side. “You just need some rest. You’ve been through a lot.”

Fred shakes her head. “It’s not that. It’s because I’m always struggling. The constant effort. Illyria is inside me, Angel.”

She pauses for a moment, looks sad and angry at the same time.

“And every second, she’s fighting to get out.”

In Rory’s, below the streets of Magic Town, the bar is busy this evening. Brandt, drink in hand, is with Rory at the bar, when an unfamiliar face walks in. Brandt smiles as he notices how pretty the newcomer is.

Faith approaches the officer, noticing him looking at her. “This isn’t what I pictured when Miss Zane said take a meeting.”

Brandt smiles at her. Really pretty. “Well, I mean you can’t learn anything in a conference room, right? Inspector Brandt. Pleasure to meet you.”

He extends his hand and Faith politely shakes it. He looks around the room and smiles at Rory behind the bar. “And you’ve got to know Rory’s if you’re going to work Magic Town. It’s like Bogey’s Place in Casablanca. Everyone comes through here sooner or later. I’m surprised Angel hasn’t introduced you to the place.”

Faith’s demeanour changes. The vampire seems like a sore subject. Brandt is instantly curious. “Oh, yeah. Angel. Actually, I’ve been so busy getting settled in, I haven’t really had a chance to call him yet.”

He notices her words, sees she doesn’t want to discuss it. So he changes the subject. “I suppose it’s up to me to welcome you to Magic Town then. Hang on, I’ll stand you a pint.”

Faith goes to stop him, raising her hand. “I’m on duty.”

Brandt chuckles without looking at her. “Who isn’t?”

She gives in, watches as a drink is put down in front of her. She nods at Rory and then turns back to the Inspector. “The Zane people tell me you’re our police liaison.”

“That’s right. And glad to have you folks around.”

Faith looks down at her drink and then looks at him, returning his smile now. “In the movies, cops are always complaining about civilians being in the way.”

“First, I’d hardly call a Slayer a civilian. Second, there’s no handbook for all this. If Zane can do anything to ease the stress of folks around here, then that only helps as far as I’m concerned.”

Faith stops him. “Reese said you asked for me personally. You know I’m a short-timer at Zane, right?”

Brandt nods and then grins. “I know. But when I heard the Faith Lehane was back in town, I didn’t feel I could pass up the chance to meet you.”

Faith finds she likes the officer and makes herself more comfortable on the bar stool. “So is this flattery? Because that’s fine with me.”

Brandt looks at her seriously for a moment. “Make fun if you like, but whenever anyone says ‘Angel’ in Magic Town, the name ‘Faith’ hangs unspoken in the air like a whisper on the wind.”

Faith looks at him. She smiles. There’s a pause and then she turns back to him. “You rehearsed that, right?”

Brandt shrugs. “Only one shot to make a first impression. But poetry aside, it’s true. You’re back and there are some out there wondering what that means.”

Looking down into her drink, Faith’s face changes once more. She looks slightly lost now. “I’m wondering myself. But I’m looking to tie up some loose ends. I left a friend of mine in a field hospital. I tried to call, but this was right after the big Magic Town explosion, and they weren’t good about keeping records. Her name’s Nadira.”

Brand stops. He puts his drink down and stares at Faith. “Are you winding me up? You said Nadira, right?”

Faith looks confused, “Okay, am I missing something here?”

Brandt looks at her. It’s a long story, he says. “Well, okay, then. Where to start?”

Later, Nadira is checking that Fred is comfortable. She walks out of the room and turns to Kent nearby. She asks him to ensure the door remains off limits. “Kent, Angel’s friend is sleeping. She very much needs rest. Try to keep people away from the back room.” And then she hears a familiar voice, and the green markings on her skin seem to glow brighter.

“Nadira?” Faith stands there, unsure of what to think. She smiles at her former student, pleased she’s okay, but she’s clearly unsettled somewhat. The green markings take some getting used to.

“Faith.”

Faith walks forward towards Nadira, slowly, guilt in her face. “I didn’t know what to expect. Glad you’re okay. Now that I find you like this, I don’t know what to do or say.”

Nadira looks at her. “Why?”

Faith looks at the ground, unable to look in Nadira’s eyes. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here for you, Nadira. I figured the doctors had it covered. You’d be fine. But you probably could have used a friendly face. And I was gone.”

Nadira interrupts her before she can speak again. “But then you came back.” Faith nods at her.

Then Nadira takes both of Faith’s hands in hers, looks her straight in the eyes and smiles. “I’m going to give you a gift, Faith. It’s a gift almost any person can give another and if more people gave others this gift, we’d all be a lot happier, I think. You’re carrying something heavy. You don’t want to, but you think you have to because it’s something for me. Call it guilt or responsibility or anything you like, but it’s weighing on you.”

Faith looks at her. She’s stunned by Nadira’s changes. She seems calmer, like a different person now. “My gift is to tell you I don’t need it. Set it aside.”

With that she wraps her hand in Faith’s and they both smile at each other. Then the back room door opens and Angel walks through it. “She was exhausted. Nadira, if she could stay here for a while, it might be best if… Faith?”

He spots the Slayer, stunned. Faith sighs before she turns to look at him. “Angel.”

For the next two minutes, words tumble out of both their mouths, all at the same time. Angel wants to know when she got back, Faith apologises for not calling. And then they stop. They look at each other, and then, after a few seconds of not knowing what to do, move to embrace, much to Nadira’s delight.

The two friends pull apart as another voice comes from the sanctuary entrance, one Angel doesn’t recognise. But he recognises the scent from a few days ago in the bar.

“I hope I am not interrupting.” the voice says. “I am searching for someone.”

Faith turns and recognises the Nitobe demon instantly. “You?” she asks, surprised to see the warrior.

Angel turns to her now, wanting to know more. “Wait, you know this guy?”

Faith nods at him quickly. “Yeah, I met him in Santa Rosita. His name is…”

But it’s not Faith’s voice that answers his question. Without warning and without any hesitation, the back door opens and Fred steps out. She doesn’t know how and she doesn’t know why, but she knows the newcomer. She stares at him in shock, unsure how to proceed.

“Eldre Koh,” she whispers, nervously. “His name is Eldre Koh.”