Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters you recognize so please don't sue me they belong to Joss Whedon and the network

A/N I apologize for it taking so long to update but I've been busy with TAFE anyway here's the latest chapter and same drill as always Please R and R and I hope you enjoy the story and thanks to all those who have already reviewed this story and any of my others as well

Lorne made his way through the big office building it was divided up into many little cubicles with some portable walls In one of those cubicles was a dark haired girl talking on the phone. Lorne quickly headed towards the dark haired girl
"You don't know where you're going. You're lost. Miles from anything that grounds you. I get a deep sense of longing - separation."
The host holding his magazine to partially obscure his face
"Is this a bad time?" asked Lorne with a grin
The dark haired girl glanced at him her lips quirking in a smile before stating into the phone "It's like you feel cut off."
With that she pushed a button on the phone and jumped up to hug the host.
"Lorne!"
"Hey, Aggie, how's it going?" laughed Lorne
"Ah, you know the business. Vague predictions, lengthy pauses, anything to keep the numbers rolling."
"Yeah."
"You're hiding from the mob?" joked Aggie warmly
"Don't get me started. I know it's Hollywood chic going incognito and all, but this hat's really chafing my horns!" he whined resisting the urge to rub his aching head
Aggie laughed at Lorne's discomfort "So, what brings you to the office?"
"Like you don't already know."
"Oh, I know. I just want to see what kind of spin you're gonna put on it."
"Dimensional portals. Psychic hotspots. I need to find one."
"Why?" Aggie's eyes narrowed suspiciously
Lorne grimaced at the very thought of why he needed to find a hot spot "Ah, some friends of mine are going on a little trip."
"hmm, I see. And the big flashing neon warning light in your aura means what?"

"Eat at Joe's. - So, can you help me pin down a hotspot?"
Aggie quickly answers "No."
Lorne visibly slumped sitting down on the edge of the desk
"Got to admit, I didn't see *that* coming."
Aggie's expression softened but only slightly "I'm getting all these ugly conflict vibes coming off you, Lorne. And they're all pointing at that portal."
"A-are you sure you're not just seeing the chili I had for lunch yesterday because, whoosh, you wanna talk about conflict!'' joked Lorne weakly She just looked at him pointedly and he abandoned the poor joke ''They need the hotspot because they're going to Pylea, my home dimension."
"And you're not going with them?"
"Hey, I'd rather have a hydrochloric acid facial. I'd rather invite a hive of wasps to nest in my throat. I'd rather sit through a junior high school production of Cats! - You see where I'm going with this?"
"Not Pylea."
"Exactamondo."
"Well, it's too bad then. Now they'll never rescue the girl. And I'm afraid she and her family will never see each other again its a shame" sighed Aggie looking away and fiddling with a piece of paper on the desk
Lorne was incredibly confused "Come again?"
"I can find your hotspot, Lorne, but on one condition: you've got to go with them.'' after seeing the look on Lorne's face and his quick shake of his head she went on ''It's the only way you'll ever resolve all those issues that are clouding up your aura, I can see it! - And be honest. Deep down you've always known you'd have to take that one last trip home."
"It's the 'last' that scares me."
"Well, sometimes the journey is taken simply because - it must be taken. - Is that vague enough for you?" she asked a smile worming its way back onto her face
"Is that what I sound like? Eeesh. No *wonder* people complain."

Back at the hotel Angel was pacing in the lobby of the Hyperion waiting for Lorne to get back with the location of a hotspot and for Wesley to find a way to get them there together
"I suppose I could try a binding spell of some kind. Something to fuse us together as we enter the portal."
Angel eager to get going jumped on the option "Good. Let's do that. Let's..."
Wesley quickly jumped to tell him the risk involved with said option "However, we could emerge on the other side as a freakishly hybridized Siamese twin."
"Keep looking?" whined Angel continuing his pacing
"You know this is the third reference I've seen to iron or metal. Could be a clue as to how to prevent us from scattering."
Angel just gave him a perturbed look "What, we handcuff ourselves together? Who do we know that has handcuffs?"
"Well, I - wouldn't know. And anyway, I don't think handcuffs would work." answered Wesley lushed
"What will work, Wesley? It's been twelve hours since she's been sucked through that portal. There is no telling what could have happened by now'' worried Angel before his attention snapped onto someone at the door his look turns cold he's not in the mood for them today. ''What do you want?" he growled
Park a lawyer from Wolfram & Hart was standing in the doorway with another man in a suit a briefcase in hand
Park smiled smugly "Angel. Good afternoon."
"Lawyers. Don't you people sleep during the day?"growled Angel his annoyance clearly shown
"I'm Gavin Park. This is my associate, Mr. Hayes. We represent Wolfram and..."
"Already bored." spoke up Doyle almost as coldly
Park paid him no notice and continued "We've come to appraise the hotel."
"What?" shrieked Cordelia
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but your lease expires in six months and Wolfram and Hart is interested in purchasing this building."
Angel gave a short laugh "You got to be kidding me. You guys - couldn't get me to turn evil, so now you wanna evict me?'' with a huff of exasperation he turned to Doyle ''You know I think they're trying to annoy me to death."
"We'd like to take a walk around the place if you don't mind no need to accompany us either we understand trying to locate your friend the slayer Buffy Summers is it? "
Angel growled morphing into his demonic face at the mention of Buffy "I think I mind?'
Hayes couldn't help but stare a little but Park showed no reaction.
"Very well. We'll notify the real estate company of your non-compliance. They should send you a notice of obligation. After that if you still refuse to cooperate, well, - I'm sure that somewhere in your lease agreement there *must* be one or two loop holes to be - exploited."
Park and Hayes turned to leave and Angel morphed back into his human face, and rolls his head around.
Angel immediately turned back to Wesley "How quick can we get out of this world?"
"Hm."..........

Buffy, was now wearing some ragged indigenous clothing, she was in a stable shoveling flehegna manure muttering to herself about all the things she wanted to be doing right now.
"I wanna go home. I wanna be in my bed. I wanna curl up with Liam and watch loony tunes I wanna be doing anything but shoveling demon horse poop!"
Buffy yelped as suddenly the collar around her neck gave a surge of electricity
"That woman has ears like a bat!'' another surge coursed through the collar ''There's got to be a way to get this thing off." huffed Buffy she began inspecting the collar fingering it she gave a soft experimental pull she was startled when a soft voice spoke up
"Don't do that!"
Buffy quickly took her hands off her collar, and began looking for the source of the voice.
"Who's there'' called Buffy softly moving into the empty stall behind her ''What do you want?"
"I forget. It's not important. But - but if you take the collar off, bad things will happen to your head."
Buffy spots a hole in the wooden wall of the empty box and through it could see a dirty ragged girl peeking through it.
"Like - it'll implode. So don't take the collar off, okay? Cause-cause I can't talk to you if you don't have a head, okay?" Buffy took note that she seemed to have a southern tang to her voice
"Okay. A-are you a human?" breathed Buffy moving to attempt to see her better

"Keep-keep shoveling! Go shovel."the girl hissed looking around skittishly Buffy obediently picked up her shovel. And continued to make shoveling gestures so as to not attract the attention of the old demon woman
"Where did you come from?" asked the girl her voice still hushed
Buffy glad to have someone to talk to "Los Angeles. How long have you been here?"
The girl seemed to struggle with this question "I was born here. I-I mean, not really. I j-just... some-sometimes I think I was. I mean, I don't think it was my thought. I forget certain words. How'd you get here?"
Buffy was confused now where was here? "Hold on. Why don't you tell me where here is first?"
"Pylea. Keep shoveling! Geez!'' panicked the girl '' Another dimension. You're lost. I can tell. So many of us are lost even there. But - but it's true. I'm not crazy. Well, crazy, but I'm not wrong.

"So, how do I get out of here?" hissed Buffy
the girl let out something between a laugh and a sob.
"Oh. I forgot. Laughing. You don't. They use you as a slave. Then your body gives - zip! - Gone."
"Well, that's not happening to me, okay? I have friends back in LA. They're gonna come rescue me. Any time now." denied Buffy
"I tried to get back. I didn't have the mass, which is strange because... How'd you get here?"
"I'm pretty sure I, ah, I was sucked in by a portal."
"A - a portal?"asked the girl eagerly
"Yeah."
"Where was it?" asked the girl
Before Buffy could answer they heard a male voice yelling "Fugitive!"
"Oh no!"gasped the girl obviously it appeared the girl was the fugitive
the girl turned to run but Two demon men wearing the standard Pylea drab clothing ran after her, while a third, wearing what looked to Buffy like a uniform remains standing in the middle of the stable hallway.
"There she is. Get her! Get her!" she heard the other two men yell
"What's going on?" cried Buffy trying to get to the girl who she had been talking to
A moment later the two men dragged the struggling girl back in and right to the uniformed guy.
"What's going on?" shouted Buffy
Another drab clad man grabbed Buffy and pulled her out into the hallway.

"On your face, cow. On the floor." he ordered
"No! No!" she protested but the demon was strong and began forcing her down to the floor
"Let go of me. Stop! Stop!" the girl cried
The uniformed man Buffy now realized from her limited viewpoint looked to be of the same race as the Host he held the struggling girl and began inspecting the collar around her neck.
"A disabled collar. Clever little cow. You should have stayed in the woods!" he sneered
he motioned and the two demon men holding her dragged her out of the stable.
"Let go! Let go!"
Buffy struggled to get up and help the poor girl "Wait!"
"Face down!"
The guy standing over Buffy pushed her face back down into the dirt.
After watching her for a moment to make sure she would stay that way the constable and the other guy followed the others out of the stable.

Angel was sitting at his desk the phone receiver lying on the table next to him.
"So as soon as Wes solves our scattering problem, we'll be leaving. Don't know if we'll be coming back. - It's eleven sixteen. Buffy's been gone for almost twenty-four hours now. - I think I covered everything. - Oh. The mortgage for the hotel - is under the company name. The lease is up on six months, at least that's what they tell me, so... I guess that's it. Take care of yourself."
Angel reached over and pushed the off-button on the phone he looked up to see Lorne standing in the door to his office

"How you're holding up?"
"I wanna go bad. I'm just waiting for Wes to have that Eureka moment." sighed Angel
Wesley's voice suddenly sounded from in the lobby "Eureka!"
Angel quickly rose to his feet "Oh, jeez. Thank god."
Lorne laughed in mirth "You mean he actually really says Eureka?"
Wesley came running into the office.
"I know how to get us through the portal!" he exclaimed a wide grin over his face he was closely followed by equally smiling Doyle and Cordelia
"Good. Let's go!"
Angel and the others practically ran out of the room to get ready to leave Lorne however stayed picking up the phone he began dialing a familiar number Lorne half hoping Margaret wouldn't answer but not even a second after the number was dialed the sound of someone answering came across the line followed by Margaret's worried voice '' hello?'' '' Margaret its Lorne honey I've got some bad news.....''

Buffy was trailing behind the old demon woman named Vakma through the village market, loaded down with bags and buckets even Buffy was struggling with the weighty cargo Vakma Buffy had been annoyed to note seemed to be wearing Buffy's belt as a headband Vakma stopped to talk to a green-faced, horned vendor.
"Gimme six packets of hefroot, four queeks, a bottle of flip liquor, and a spatula." ordered Vakma briskly Buffy took the opportunity to question the old woman about the girl in the barn
"Uhm, Vakma? Is it... earlier that-that girl in the barn..."
"Shut up, Cow! Trensiduf of the Gathwok Clan was right. You talk too much. And you're about to spill my viper's milk." snapped Vakma her rage showing in her eyes
Buffy "Well, I-I'm sorry. It's just if I wasn't carrying every...'' Buffy was interrupted by a sudden loud crash as three Drokken's came crashing into the market place there was suddenly an uproar of yelling and screaming Buffy quickly dropped the things she was carrying to go help the other demon who were currently engaging the Drokken's in a fight she ignored the stinging pain of the continued shocking Vakma was giving her she swung at one of the Drokken's using its preoccupation with the group of demons already fighting it to get a good blow in snapping its neck instantly with a well aimed and powerful blow to the base of the neck the demons were shocked into in action and Buffy continued onto the next Drokken this time giving a swift kick to the neck which immediately snapped the neck so that its head was resting onto its shoulder before it too dropped dead at her feet the last Drokken took one look at her and its dead companions and ran off in the other direction yelping in fear.

Turning away from the now retreating Drokken Buffy was not expecting to see a bunch of angry and scared looking village of assorted demons Vakma began yelling shrilly '' My cow is cursed my cow is cursed!'' soon Buffy found herself surrounded by angry chanting demons '' cursed! Cursed!'' '' oh oh''..........

Back In L.A, Angel's convertible, was pulling up out the front of a large and impressive movie studio
"Here,Stop here." ordered Lorne
Angel stopped the car. looking around the street
"Here? Isn't this a movie studio?" asked Doyle from the back seat
Lorne gave him a smile "It makes a certain kind of sense, no? - Anyway, this is where Aggie said it was. And Aggie is never wrong when it comes to hotspots. She was doing sky bar way before Brad and Jennifer. - Anyway - you got the book?'' asked Lorne Wesley in the passengers seat nodded holding up the book ''Good. Hold that puppy tight, okay? It's bad enough I got to cross over. The last thing I wanna do is to be stuck on the other side, waiting for a mystical locksmith." sighed Lorne but thinking back to his phone call he knew he had to do this....

"Alright then I suppose we should probably begin." breathed Wesley nervous
Angel nods then glancing up at the sky "Should I... - you know, I don't know, maybe put the top up?"
"Shouldn't be necessary. If I'm right, we only require a metal enclosure on four sides in order to ensure that we travel through the portal together. The car, top up or down, should do it. I'm almost positive." explained Wesley his voice shakier than he'd like

"Almost." squeaked Cordelia
Wesley nodded slowly "Ninety - six percent.'' Cordelia slid down her seat with a whimper ''Well, it's not like I've ever done this before! And with the time factor I'm under a great deal of..." protested Wesley heatedly suddenly they heard a very familiar voice
"Oh, suck it up, English."
Gunn hopped over the side of the car into the backseat behind Angel.
"Gunn. How did you..?" asked Doyle
Gunn looked at Angel with a smile "Got a phone message. Sounded like the captain of the Titanic getting ready to go down with the ship."
Wesley looked at Angel pointedly
"I-I just though - that someone on this side - should - know the details - in case..." stammered Angel
Lorne however was overjoyed "A backup man! Terrific idea! Well, now that he's going, I suppose someone should stay here, mind the store. Don't worry, I'm not disappointed. Just get me something nice to..."
Lorne tried to get up out of the car, but Angel, Gunn and Doyle each put a hand out to push him back down and chorused 'shut up.'
"Everyone set?"
"Let's get a move on." nodded Gunn
"Right.'' Wesley opened the book in his lap ''Here goes. - Krv Drpglr pwlz chkwrt strplmt dwghzn prqlrzn lffrmtplzt!"
Gunn stared as a portal begins to form in front of them.
"Cool."
"Ninety-six percent, huh?" chuckled Angel
"Give or take." shrugged Wesley
"Okay, gentlemen and Lady take a good look around'' ordered Angel revving the engine
All of them buckled up.
"Now say good-bye!"
Looked back at the others griping their seats and begins speeding towards the Portal As the car disappears into the swirly hole the book dropped unseen onto the street behind it, smoking ever so slightly..

Angel's convertible landed on the grassy ground between some trees on sunny Pylea, the screams of the passengers resonating through the air, then coming to a screeching halt. Angel jumped in his seat as he realized they were bathed in sunlight
"The sun. Daylight. Quick. Hand me a blanket. Hand me a blanket or I'm gonna catch on fire!"
Cordelia scrambled for a blanket as Angel tried to pull up his leather jacket to cover his head.
"Hand me a blanket! I'm gonna catch on fire!" he panicked failing to realize that not only was he not burning but he was looking pretty odd wriggling about
Cordelia hands him a blanket but instead of taking it, Angel looked down at his hands, then around himself.
Angel's face twisted into a confused expression "Why am I not on fire?"
Gunn grinned whooping "Yo, that was phat!"

"Well, it is another dimension. Perhaps their sun..." reasoned Wesley
"Back up, Copernicus. That's suns. Plural." pointed out Lorne
Everyone looked up at the sky and sure enough there was two sons blaring down at them
"Suns. Yes. Well, perhaps they don't have the same effect on vampires."
Cordelia reached around the seat to pinch Angels cheek, making him jump and turn in his seat.
"Hey! Watch it. Alright?"
Cordelia pinches his cheek again.
Angel swatted her hands away glaring angrily "Hey!" retaliating by pinching her arm back
"cool!"

"Did you all see the street do that bendy thing?" asked Gunn
Angel looked over at Lorne "So, we made it then. This is your world."
Lorne sighed wearily looking around "Oh yes. Home sweet hell."
Angel gave a short laugh "Ha! I'm not on fire."
"And we're together. And we didn't merge into some freakish, five person Siamese twin!" laughed Wesley proudly
Gunn suddenly paled hearing this "That was a risk? How come nobody told me that was a risk?"
Angel jumps up to stand on his seat and spreads his arms looking up at the suns.
"Can everyone just notice how much fire I'm not on?"
"Yeah, it's a beautiful day in the neighborhood alright. Now, may I suggest we find some way to hide the car? It'll be a little conspicuous, seeing as we don't have convertibles in this world. Or you know, cars." huffed Lorne
They all climb out over the sides of the car. looking around them for any sign of life
"Wonder if this is where Buffy came through." asked Gunn
"Could be'' mused Doyle.
"Let's start gathering some branches, some brush. Anything to cover up the car. Oh, hey, look. There is some over in that patch of sun. I'll get them!"rushed Angel sprinting over to get said branches

Gunn turned to Wesley "Hey, I'll give it to you. Trip into an alternate universe? Pretty damn cool."
Gunn and Wes do an elaborate handshake ritual.

"But I wanna find Buffy, quick."
Lorne butted in now too "Me too. Well, I-I mean for her sake of course. - If I know Pylea, she could probably use a friend right about now.".......

A/N Okay well now their all in Pylea and just so you know the Scooby gang probably won't be making an appearance any time soon not until they get back from Pylea atleast so you know the drill Please R and R! (Even if it is to tell me what you don't like about my stories or just to give me any suggestions)