I wasn't going to post this chapter until next week (or at least until I had an idea for what I was going to do with Ch 4) but, you know, I had initially written these first two chapters as one big one, so that's how I'm justifying this. :D As always, Love-el-ly Joy is a godsend for catching all of my stupid mistakes. Thanks also for Wootie for being so sweet. Enjoy!

Wesley was up doing research on the demons involved in their latest case while Gunn and Angel were off on a job. The phone rang.

"Angel Investigations, this is Wesley."

"Wesley? Um… hi. This is Buffy."

Wesley was instantly alert. "Buffy? How are you?"

"Alive," she said. Wes couldn't pinpoint what exactly it was, but she didn't sound like the firey young woman he knew.

"Yes… I'd heard that. We've been hoping to hear from you, actually. Angel's out on a case right now, but I can have him call you back as soon as he gets back."

"No. No… um, that's alright. Just let him know…" She sighed, then decided to just come right out with it. "Can you tell him that I used him as a character reference for a social worker? I'm sorry, I should have asked before I put him down, but I panicked and-"

"She called this afternoon."

"Already?" she asked in surprise. "I'm so sorry-"

"It's alright," he hastened to assure her.

"Did he… um…? What did Angel…?"

"Angel told her you're a wonderful guardian."

Buffy let out a relieved sigh on the other end.

"Buffy," said Wesley hesitantly, "do you need any help?"

"I bought some time," she replied. "Don't ask how, but she's taking a few days off. Hopefully I'll figure something out by then. You guys probably have your hands full over there. Life of a Champion and all that. Never a dull moment."

Wesley looked over at Connor. "Yes, you could certainly say that."

"Okay. Well I really appreciate this. It might be over, but if she calls again in a few days…"

"Angel will still vouch for you in a few days. Or weeks. Or, I would venture to say, a few months or years even," said Wes, half amused, half concerned.

"Right. Good. Sorry again for bothering you guys."

"Not at all." Wes hesitated again, unused to being in this position with her. "Please feel free to call us at any time."

"Will do. And thanks. Bye."

Wes stared at the phone for a few seconds after he hung up.

"How's she doing?" asked Cordy from the doorway.

"I'm not sure," said Wes. "She was very-"

"Hold still, man! I got you!" Gunn said as he and Angel burst through the door.

"Where is he?" cried Angel, frantic.

Cordy and Wes exchanged looks. "Who?"

Angel speared them with a Look. "Who? Connor! Is he okay?"

"Of course he's okay, Angel. He's right here. What's your deal?"

Angel ignored her as he rushed over to Connor's cradle, gripping the plastic edge hard enough to break it. It was only then that Cordy and Wes noticed a stab wound in his shoulder and a deep slice in one of the major vein in his arm.

Gunn and Wesley came up alongside him, trying to get him to couch. Since he refused to let go of Connor's cradle, they moved the baby with him.

"I told you the little guy was fine," said Gunn.

"What happened?" asked Fred in alarm, coming down the stairs with Lorne.

"That's what I'd like to know," said Cordy, handing over a mug of blood.

Angel was too busy holding Connor as if he could save him from anything and everything in the world by using his body as a human shield to respond.

"Holtz made an appearance tonight," said Gunn.

Everyone instinctively drew a little closer to the baby at the mention of Holtz.

"We have to do something about him," said Cordelia.

"I'm open to suggestions," said Angel.

Death, maiming, dismemberment, slow torture… Oooh – you could make him watch as you turn his pathetic little army of vampire hunters into an army of vampires.

He's human.

And?

"Buffy called just before you came in," said Wes.

That got his attention.

"What did she say? How is she? How did she sound?" he said in a rush.

"One at a time, big guy," said Lorne, before taking in their words. "Wait a minute add mine to the pile. Why is slayerkins calling you?"

"We got a call from social services today. It seems that with the death of her mother, social services had to send someone in to make sure Buffy is a fit mother," said Wes. "Her case worker is…"

Dumb as a post? A deliciously ironic counterpoint to Buffy's tragic struggle on behalf of people like her?

"A judgmental bitch," said Angel.

Everyone stared at him in shock.

Well said, Soul Boy! Now go snap her neck.

"Unlike Angel, she hasn't made slaying profitable," said Cordelia. "Unfortunately, much like Angel, she still hasn't made it fashionable, either."

Wesley caught Gunn's questioning glance. "The Council generally helps the Slayer remain afloat, should they live long enough to need it. That's how they maintain some semblance of control over her."

"But with Buffy's history with the council, they've refused," Angel finished bitterly. He abruptly turned to Connor, who had made a small gurgling noise. "Because they're a bunch of jerky-jerks, aren't they, Connor," he cooed.

That did not just happen.

More to annoy Angelus than anything else, Angel leaned in to kiss Connor's belly. His team just stared, still trying to acclimate to this new side of him.

Mmmm, he smells delicious.

You're sick.

I'll remind you of that the next time you go jerky-jerk yourself off to thoughts of the Slayer.

"So…" said Angel, clearing his throat, "why did Buffy call? How did she sound?"

"Not… not like the Buffy I remember, though we were never particularly close."

Worry sliced through Angel. "Care to elaborate?"

Wesley sighed. "I don't know, Angel. As the only one among us who has ever come back from hell, I think you're the only one qualified to have an opinion on how she should be."

Yes, let's think back to your time as a wild animal. Ooh! We could chain her up. I mean it is her turn.

"She…" He thought back to their brief meeting. As he spoke, he closed his eyes, hoping he wasn't betraying her confidence. "She wasn't in Hell."

Everyone stared at him in shock for a moment.

"Then where was sh-" Cordy trailed off in sudden understanding.

"The minute I saw her I could tell she wasn't happy or… or relieved to be back. Then…" Then she had looked at him, utterly broken. "Then she told me."

"Buffy was in Heaven?" asked Wesley in horror.

Gunn looked between them all. "Okay pardon me if this is stupid, but why are we horrified that she didn't spend her summer getting tortured in Hell?"

As Wesley explained to Gunn exactly why going back to the treacherous life of the Slayer was its own Hell after finally being at peace, Buffy's devastated, tear stained face swam into Angel's vision.

"Buffy," he had said, the pain of seeing her like this like a physical blow, "you have to tell someone. You can't try to make it through this alone."

"Who am I going to tell, Angel? Should I tell Willow? Or Xander? How could I do that to them? It's not like they knew. Dawn? She wouldn't understand."

"Tell Giles."

"Giles has one foot out the door. I have no idea what's going on in his head anymore, but he looks as me like he doesn't know me."

"Buffy, don't try to do this alone. You have people who love you. Desperately. Tell them. They can't help if they don't know. I wish…" He looked down at her, wanting to crush her to him and never let go. She looked back at him, looking for all the world like she'd be lost if he didn't. "but I can't, I-"

"Have to go back, I know," she said bitterly. His heart broke at the emptiness in her voice.

"She must be devastated," said Fred, bringing him out of his reverie.

"I've seen Buffy through some amazingly difficult times. Some of which I've caused myself-"

Hey! Don't credit for work you didn't do!

"-but I've never seen her so lost; so empty," Angel finished. "She wanted…" He sighed. "I thought her friends would be able to help her."

Right. Help her. Like they did when they resurrected her.

"Like they did when they pulled her out of Heaven?" said Cordelia.

Angel blinked for a moment as Angelus laughed, then shook his head. "They've always been a close support system."

"Be that as it may, it seems that with Giles gone and her mother no longer alive, her 'support system' is dwindling," said Wes.

Already knowing where this was going, Cordy shook her head. "You know, you get even more British when you start thinking like a Watcher."

Wesley speared her with a Look. "If the situation is as bad as we think, something must be done. The Hellmouth must have a guardian, and if she has some… death wish-"

A strangled sound came out of Angel.

"What exactly are we supposed to do?" said Cordy, not-unkindly. "It's not like this is something we can just fix. How are we going to help?"

Angelus inexplicably started singing "Sexual Healing."

This is serious.

The singing got louder.

"Not to brush all this aside, but don't we have our own issues?" said Gunn. "What are we going to do about Holtz?"

Eat the kid, torture Holtz, then go to Buffy and fuck the happy into each other. I'll take it from there.

Gee, thanks for the advice.

I just want you to be happy. Perfectly happy.

"We can't kill him," said Gunn.

Sure you can. You'd barely break a sweat.

"He's human," he continued, "and he's teamed up with some bad guys, but he's not evil."

"We can't kill him," agreed Angel, "but we need to keep Connor away from him," the desperation and fear of anything happening to his miracle coming through plainly in his voice.

Someday, you'll have to explain how you keep drawing and redrawing these mythical lines between good and evil.

Well-

Scratch that, I really don't care.

"It's not like he'll just stop trying if we hide him away here under lock and key," said Fred.

"Not here…" said Wes slowly.

Angel's head whipped in his direction. "What are you thinking?"

"Well, we may be able to kill two birds with one stone."

As long as there's killing involved.

"What?" said Gunn. "How you gonna manage that?"

"You think we should take Connor and run down to Sunnydale," said Cordy.

"Whoa, how'd you get that?" said Gunn.

"I know Watchers," she said. "If all else fails, grab the innocents and head for the Slayer."

Angel tamped down his elation at the very idea. "Wes, it sounds like she has enough on her plate right now."

"Exactly," he replied.

Everyone stared at him.

"We can't kill Holtz or his army, and he won't stop coming after you can Connor as long as we remain here. So we hide – and what better place than Sunnydale? If we just pick up and leave without warning, he'll never see it coming." He looked at Angel. "Neither you or Angelus is exactly the run-and-hide type."

That's because I don't need to hide behind the Slayer's skirts.

"Meanwhile, we can be there to help Buffy with whatever she needs. If nothing else, we could be an extra pair of hands around the house, another set of eyes to watch Dawn, a wallet to buy groceries, an extra stake on patrol."

An extra pain in the ass…

Wesley's look turned pointed towards Angel, "maybe a shoulder to cry on."

"I get it, but if she's having such a hard time, should we be bringing down our trouble on her?" said Gunn.

"I'm not proposing we leave Holtz a calling card with her address on it. With any luck, he'll have no idea where we are."

"And when he figures it out?" said Angel.

"Holtz has a lot of resources in LA, but that's not the case in Sunnydale. We would be at the advantage. If nothing else, it would buy us some time."

They all stared at each other, letting what he said sink in. Finally, Cordy threw her hands up. "I'll go pack Connor's bag."

"I've always wanted to see a Slayer fight," said Gunn.

Angel finally allowed himself to grin. He picked up Connor. "Hey, little man. We're going to see the love of your daddy's life! Yay!"

Oh, man. I hope the little twerp vomits on you.