Linwood's Office - Wolfram & Hart
Next Day

"What the hell is taking her so long?" Linwood muttered.

Lindsey stared out of the huge windows of Linwood's office examining the city below. He seemed to be lost in his own thoughts; thoughts about Angel. He recalled how Angel had threatened him the other night. He had not felt that sort of darkness from Angel before, not even when he had sliced off his hand to save his friends. Wolfram and Hart's special project involving Darla had clearly affected him. Lindsey knew Angel was on the edge. All it would take would be one last push.

A sudden realization betook him, "Sir, perhaps the Slayer being here isn't such a negative turn of events after all," he said, spinning in his chair to face Linwood.

"What do you mean?" Linwood asked, intrigued.

"The other night when Angel threatened me he was as dark as I have ever seen him. Because-"

"Because of the girl," Linwood finished, as a devilish grin spread across his lips.

"Exactly."

"So, have you managed to locate Darla and Drusilla yet?" Linwood enquired.

"No, sir, but we're working on it," Lindsey assured him.

"If they don't want to be found, we won't find them."

Abruptly they were interrupted by Lyla's hurried entrance into the boardroom.

"Sorry about the wait," Lyla said, a little ruffled.

She hadn't slept for the last forty-eight hours, having been overseeing the surveillance team that was watching Angel's Hotel. She'd also had to assemble a human special ops team given that the Slayer had destroyed the last one, and also due to the information that she had received from the surveillance team, a mere couple of hours ago, "Sir, there is some sort of protection spell around the Hotel, stopping demon violence."

"Interesting. To keep Darla and Drusilla out, no doubt, while the Slayer recovers."

"Also, to keep us out, Sir," Lindsey added.

"There's one little flaw in Angel's plan, though. The spell keeps demon violence out, yes, but our shamans tell me that human violence is just as welcome as usual. Given that, Sir, I have assembled a human special ops team to take out the Slayer. They are in place. All I need is your word," Lyla revealed.

Linwood didn't respond for a few moments. He looked to Lindsey and then back at Lyla, "Good work, Lyla. You have my okay. Send the team. Make sure you actually kill her this time. And, for the record, I know nothing of this. In fact, this meeting never happened. Clear?" Linwood said.

"Yes Sir" Lyla agreed, reluctantly, once again seeing Linwood for the weak, spineless little man that he was.

As Linwood left the boardroom, Lyla and Lindsey turned to each other, exchanging a worried look. When it came to Angel, they could never be certain of the outcome of one of their plans, no matter how intricately or cleverly it was laid out.

The Hotel
Buffy awoke in Angel's bed. She could feel a dull ache in her solar plexus as she turned slowly and reached for Angel. He wasn't there. She looked at the clock radio on the bedside table and saw that it was already mid-afternoon. She reasoned that Angel had probably decided to let her sleep as he set about his day. After all, he did have a business to run.

She began to sit up carefully. Just as she was attempting this, Angel entered the room. He wore black slacks, but no shirt and his hair was wet from having just taken a shower.

"Hey" he greeted her.

"Hey," Buffy returned.

She realized her voice was a little hoarse from her shock at seeing him barely clothed. Somehow she had forgotten just how excited and fired up he used to get her and how much she missed being with him, how much she wanted him. She forced herself to push her thoughts to the back of her mind. Nothing could happen here.

She quickly cleared her throat as she lifted the covers to cover herself, "Um…so, thanks for last night," she told him as she watched him rummage through some drawers looking for some clothing.

"Not a problem. How's the wound?" Angel asked, as he slipped a black fitted sweater on.

"It's healing fast. I should be back to my usual Slayer-self in a couple of more days," Buffy assured him.

"Good to hear. You know I'll never let her get close enough to hurt you like this again."

"Angel…" Buffy began, but he interrupted her as he moved closer.

"Buffy, you just need to rest. Lorne is coming over to beef up the spell to exclude human violence too, in case Wolfram and Hart have any more great assassination ideas up their sleeves."

"Where will you be?" Buffy asked, worried that Angel was considering going after Darla and Drusilla alone.

"I'm going to do some reconnaissance, get some info from a couple of contacts on Darla and Dru's whereabouts."
"Promise me you're not going after the two of them alone. We're far more powerful together. Well, once I'm cured of this annoyance," Buffy told him, grimacing as she tried to sit up straighter.

"Let me see," Angel said as he reached for her.

Buffy pulled away, as much as she could with the awkwardness of the bandages around her gut.

"It's fine. I'll deal with it myself."

"Buffy…I…just let me look at it," he urged her, awkwardly.

Buffy pushed the sheets away from her and remained still as Angel unwound her bandages. Every time his hands touched her skin her entire body tingled. She tried to focus on anything and everything else that she could until he finally finished and his hands left her. But, he didn't move away.

"It's almost completely healed," Angel said, his voice barely a whisper.

" 's part of the whole Chosen One power package."

"Comes in handy…." Angel replied, trailing off as Buffy's gaze met his. Neither could turn away.

"Uh, Angel, I should probably take a shower…a cold shower," she said, breaking their gaze.

"Of course. And then, we should get to work," Angel said, trying to recover and restrain himself at the same time. He held out his hand, helping her out of his bed.