Chapter 1

A/N: Hey guys, I just refined this chapter and added a little to the end. I know it probably seems the same, but I promise I changed some not-plot changing stuff. I should also warn you that it's still rough, even though the grammar is a little better. Hopefully I'll have a second chapter out in a little bit because I have some stuff written.

"I can't believe you got me out of bed at four in the morning!" Cordy complained.

"Well, excuse me, I didn't know Cordelia Chase was in such dyer need of beauty sleep," Wes mocked. "Moving on. Have you noticed that ever since Buffy died and, well, came back that somethings different with Angel? He's brooding more. Sure, it doesn't look like he's brooding, he moves around and he'll talks to us and he's never in one spot too long…" Wes rambled on trying to explain.

"I didn't hear anything you said and please refrain from repeating it until Gunn gets here and I get some coffee." Cordy requested already searching for something with caffeine.

"Fine. I'll call Gunn now." Wes said reaching for the phone when he heard the hotel doors open.

"No need. What's up? Everything okay, cause Cordy's awake at 5. That must be a bad thing." Gunn replied strolling into the office.

"Hey! I can get up early." Cordy defended herself suddenly awake.

"Yeah, sure," Gunn remarked, sarcasm dripping with each word. "So what apocalypse are we facing now?" Gunn grabbed his gamboy before walking over to the wheel cushion and making himself comfortable.

"No apocalypse..." Wes started but was, rudely, interrupted by Cordy.

"Just Hurricane Buffy." Cordy ignored the annoyed glare Wes sent her way.

"Hurricane what?" Gunn asked thinking that name sounded familiar. He was sure he'd heard it before.

"The Slayer. The love of Angel's life. The ex. Perfect happiness gal. Take your pick." Cordy replied getting annoyed. Hundreds of miles away and Buffy was still ruining things.

"Oh, that girl. So, what's wrong? He seemed fine when he got back." Gunn didn't get why she was such a big deal. She was just a girl. Sure, he got how Angel could be upset, but the girl was alive now.

"He's been reading more. I know that I wasn't there when he first came to LA, but it does seem to reflect his type of brooding." Wes pointed out going into watcher mode. All those years of training were still ingrained in him.

"Oh, oh! Doyle told me something! Umm, he said that one time when he was skipping through the pages of one of Angel's books or whatever a picture of Buffy fell out. He said thats how he knew it was Buffy in one of his visions." A proud smirk crossed her face, but was quickly replaced by a small smile as she thought of Doyle. Even after all these years he still held a place in her heart.

"So, we check his book. What's the big deal? If it's there then we'll talk with him and if it isn't, then he's fine." Gunn saw the faces on Wes and Cordy and suddenly he wasn't so sure. "Right?"

"Not necessarily. He's still brooding more than usual. Anyway with or without the picture this still might be about Buffy." Wes paused as he thought of other causes. "I suppose it could have nothing to do with her, but it just seems like too much of a coincidence."

Cordy scoffed, "Coincidence, yeah right."

Wes ignored her and continued, " The only big change recently has been Buffy, and Fred, I suppose. If it does in fact relate to Buffy I don't think our only concern is whether the picture is there. I presume that he has more than one thing of Buffy's or reminders of her hidden all around the hotel. That only he and, perhaps, she could pick out." You can take the watcher out of the council but you can't take the watcher out of the man.

"Plus he won't tell us and we can't exactly just ask her to come and take a look." Cordy replied sarcastically " I can just see it now, 'Hey Buffy. How are you? Look we know you just got back from being dead and all plus have your own hellmouth but could you come to LA and tell us if there's anything around the office that would remind Angel of you. Thanks.'

"I concur, it wouldn't be fair to either of them." Wesley agreed.

"So what are we going to do? Don't we know anyone that could talk to him that he'd open up to?" Gunn asked losing hope.

"Buffy." Cordy and Wes said at the same time shared a knowing look.

"I don't know much of what happened between them, since I came into Buffy's life at the end of their relationship." Wes said breaking the understanding silence.

"Well I was there but besides the patrolling, late night research, few dates, and showing up at the Bronze they weren't seen together. I mean they patrolled alone just the two of them. The Bronze, they never ended up sticking around long. Double dates are a big no. Research doesn't really count as socializing. They didn't give away much. I guess Buffy talked to Willow about it. Oh, he used to walk her home or she would walk him to his apartment or mansion if it was too close to dawn, but that's about it, well except you know the training for hours and days and nights spent at the mansion." Cordy said.

"Sounds like a lot for someone who doesn't know much. But what about friends, I mean he has us, so what friends did he have down there?"

"Well, he didn't. Giles her watcher or former watcher I should say, who also acted as her and her friends father figure, was worried about the relationship between Vampire and Slayer. He did get accept it until Buffy gave Angel perfect happiness. When Angelus killed his current love that acceptance was destroyed. Xander hating vampires for killing his friend and having a crush on Buffy while she was with Angel affected his attitude toward him. Willow, Buffy's best friend always tried to be supportive of her their relationship. I would suppose that Willow would know more than the rest of us being her best friend." Wes was already thinking of a way to contact Willow without Buffy's knowledge.

"We could ask her to come down, get Angel out on a case for the night. Have her check it out." Gunn suggested.

"No, she's like the worst liar. She couldn't tell a lie to save, well anything. And she would tell Giles and that would just make it worse." Cordy hated to admit it, but they would have to involve Buffy sooner or later.

"We could try Lorne. See if he can get any vibes off of Angel." Wesley suggested.

"I'm with that, but he won't have to sing, will he?" Gunn asked, dreading the answer.

"God," Cordy groaned. "I hope not.

"No, but it would make it easier if he did, but I suppose the chances aren't very likely without raising suspicions." Wes replied, secretly pleased that he wouldn't have to endure Angel's singing.


"Angel!" Cordy exclaimed, noticing him coming down the stairs.

"Hey man." Gunn's eyes never left his video game.

"Yes, hello Angel. Did you give any thought to what we talked about earlier?" Wesley asked.

"Yeah." Angel said dismissively "Gunn do we have any cases?"

"Nah, sorry man. It's been awfully quiet lately." Gunn replied still playing his game, when Lorne burst through the hotel doors.

"Hey amigos! Angelcakes, can I talk to you?" Lorne asked in his usually cheery mood while he straightened out his silver suit.

"I told you not to call me that." Angel responded making his way over to the other side of the lobby.

"How have you been since your little visit with a certain slayer." Lorne asked concentrating as he followed the big lug across the lobby.

"I'm fine, Lorne. Don't worry I'm not brooding or loosing my connection to humanity." Angel replied slightly annoyed.

"You do seem a little out of it lately."

"I said I was fine, not great." Angel said with a curt look in Lorne's direction. He didn't get why Lorne was pestering him about Buffy.

"Mmhmm." Lorne said not really listening.

"Can I go now?" Angel asked getting irritated.

"Sure, Angelcakes." Lorne said with a sigh as he gave up.

"Tell the other's I'll be upstairs." Angel threw over his shoulder as he sulked off.


"Anything?" Gunn was anxious, but he didn't know why. Must have been the others nerves rubbing off.

"Zip. Zada, The big O." Lorne said.

"Really, nothing? You would think that there would be some vibe." Wes said not believing the horned demon.

"I got vibes. Just not the ones you were looking for." Lorne replied slightly annoyed with the group's unwillingness to believe him.

"Now I'm confused." Gunn shared bewildered looks with Cordy and Wes.

"Guilt and lots of it." Lorne sighed as he received looks from the group in front of him. "About a girl."

"Buffy." Wesley guessed.

"You think it's her?" Gunn asked wondering if that was good or bad. It sounded bad.

"It's her. Think about it, love of your very very long life dies for the second time in her life. She died for months and not just a couple of minutes. He wasn't there to help. She was brought back by magic, not by CPR like the first time. I'd say it's her, besides what other girls does he know besides Fred, Willow, Kate, me, and innocents. It has to be her." Cordy said completely convinced she was right.

"Cordy does have a point and whatever that meeting of theirs, it definitely had an affect on him." Gunn said.

"I caught a word with the vibes. You guys might have heard about her... Slayer." Lorne said.

"Buffy is the slayer." Wesley said sending an annoyed glance Lorne's way. "Shouldn't you know that if you've already read him."

"That boy tucks her way in the back of his mind, heart, everything. Makes it hard to read." Lorne defended himself.

"If he does what you say, then how come he broods over her so much or thinks about her or can't move on for that matter?" Gunn asked.

"He doesn't do it 24/7. Not to mention that it's almost impossible for him to ever completely forget or get her off his mind because of their connection. He might have moved on, but their bond is still there." Lorne said.

"Bond? Since when does he have a bond with anyone?" Gunn muttered.

"I have to go. You know I'm rebuilding the club. You guys aren't welcome when it opens. You understand?" Lorne didn't wait for a response as he started to leave.

"Yes, of course. We'll talk to you soon and thank you for your help."Ever the polite watcher.

"Anything I can do to help the big fellow. Adios!" Lorne threw over his shoulder with a wave before disappearing behind the hotel's doors.

"So, who wants to call Buffy?"

"Not me!" Gunn and Wesley shouted in union.

"Oh, no. You are not sticking me with this." Cordy couldn't, no she wouldn't, be the one to call Buffy.