Chapter 33: Not Ready Yet

"It's done. The young ladies are being released as we speak." As he hung up the phone, Mr. Manners smiled. "Seems even when he wins, he's dissatisfied." Shaking his head, he looked to Lilah.

"Charge our new client's fee to the account he directed."

"Yes sir." Behind her, someone knocked.

"Yes?"

Lindsey entered. "I heard there was an incident with an important client."

Manners stood. "Your interest is noted, but the matter has been handled."

"Sir, with all due respect, I am the best cleanup man this department has. Your client, a known affiliate for the Powers that Be, tasked us with making felony charges disappear for two friends one of which is a slayer. I'm here to offer assistance on the follow-up."

Mr. Manners smiled politely. "Currently, the department requires your focus on other cases. Miss Morgan brought the matter to a satisfactory conclusion and can handle any loose ends that remain."

Glancing at her, Lindsey expected to see his colleague grinning triumphantly, but to his surprise, she looked serious and attentive.

Manners clapped his hands together. "Now I am going to make a call that I've been looking forward to all night. Is that all?"

"Yes sir." Lindsey nodded and followed Lilah out. They walked the hall in silence. When they reached her office, Lilah went to her desk and pulled out papers.

Lindsey lingered in her doorway. "Why would a vampire hire a lawyer to help slayer? Even if he is indeed brimming with morality, he could break the girl out himself. More to the point, she could break herself out."

As she started to fill out the forms, she answered. "You have the Stephens case remember? So how about you stick your cases, and I'll stick to mine." She spared him a glance. "In the race for company loyalty, you're still miles ahead."

Lindsey left with a frown. He felt confident in his position at the firm, but he didn't like being out of the loop. The vampire case was intriguing, but he didn't understand the secrecy surrounding it. If this vampire was so important, he should have heard of him before; he should have been assigned the research as well as the case.

Returning to his office, he pulled out his own set of papers. "Okay Angelus, why don't they want me near your case."

He pulled up a screen on his computer which revealed the footage from the police station's security cameras. He watched the backs of two young ladies as they walked out the front doors. After they left, two suited men approached the front desk. Lindsey didn't need audio to understand what their job was. Their eyes glowed as they talked to every individual present, and he knew by the time they left no one there would remember seeing the girls. The documents, the dispatch tapes, the camera footage would all be altered within the hour.

He sat back, watched, and pondered. A vampire, a slayer, and what looks to be a Sunday school teacher break the law and call a lawyer. It had the makings for a great joke, but like a lot of things lately, he didn't get it.

Faith stepped out of the elevator with her duffel bag.

Buffy stretched. "Busy night."

Grinning, Faith replied. "That's not really new for us."

Cordy sassed. "So where's the bus taking you this time? Please say somewhere far."

Faith kept eyes on Buffy. "Headin' back to the Hellmouth. I don't know for how long, but the slayer script works for now."

Wesley nodded. "Sounds like a mature and responsible decision."

Faith shrugged, "that's me."

Angel stepped out of his office. "I called Giles. He knows to expect you."

"He preparing a lecture?"

"No, that would be the other adult you skipped out on."

Faith complained, "I left a message that I was coming to help you."

"But forgot to mention when you'd be coming back."

She winced. "Oh yeah, that."

Wesley shook his head. "I rescind my previous assessment."

Realizing how quiet Buffy had become, Faith leaned in for a hug whispering, "Bye B."

"Goodbye Faith. Take care of mom for me."

"I'm lookin' out."

As they stepped a part, Faith spoke up so the humans could hear. "Don't worry. I won't be telling any Buffy stories when I get back."

"I know." Buffy smiled. "I trust you."

Cordy chirped, "I don't." Wesley shook his head in agreement.

Faith pointed to Buffy's bump. "You'll call me when the bun is done, right?"

"Sure."

Faith took bus ticket cash from Angel. "Okay, I'm out."

Wesley curtly nodded. "Farewell Faith."

She tilted her head. "What, no hug?"

Cordelia stepped forward, "Try to remember the next time you decide to visit-"

"-call first?"

"I was going to say to just not. We got enough crazy." She waved her hand. "Bye bye now."

Faith rolled her eyes, "Try not to get dead." She hefted her bag on to her back "Yo Angel, you ready?"

He took the duffel from her. "Keys and all."

Cordelia scanned the room. She nudged Wes. "Where'd Buffy go?"

"Back to her life I'd imagine."

Faith left with Angel swooshing out behind her.

"Remind me to get one of those."

"An old-style coat that billows in the wind?"

"A life."

"Ah, yes. You'll have to let me know where you find one. I've been looking for ages."

"I guess I'll have to settle for a coat."

"Wise choice."

"I'm wise like Faith's mature and responsible."

Walking out, he smirked. "Quite right."

Angel and Faith drove most of the way in silence.

"She's been a couple hours away this whole time." Faith murmured, "They deserve to know she's here.

"They do."

"Joyce is going to kill me when she finds out I kept quiet."

"She'll just be glad to see her again. Giles is the one who will hold people accountable."

"That's the G version of what he'll do."

He nodded and pulled up to the bus station. Grabbing her bag , he walked with her to the ticket counter.

All of a sudden she stopped. "I gotta ask you something."

He scanned the area before nodding.

"Remember at Sunnydale's graduation when everyone just came together?"

He led them to a quiet corner.

She continued in a low voice, "Students no one knew were giving orders and totin' weapons. We were all surprised but too beat to ask about it after. And then the mayor thing - I remember shooting him with a flame-thrower when he just turned around and left. I thought I had him on the run, but he was heading right for the library before it blew up. Something lured him there and it wasn't me. The kids, the trap - what if it wasn't an accident?"

"Did we ever think it was?"

"I'm not talking about some higher power."

"You mean . . . ." Dropping the duffel, he leaned against the wall. She followed suit.

"She never said it outright, but yeah, she was there." Saying it out loud made it real for her. She assured him, "Buffy didn't abandon anyone."

Her words had both their minds reviewing the past.

Almost to himself, he whispered, "my girl never would."

Just like in Sunnydale, his vulnerability brought out hers. "The not-giving-up - is that a slayer thing or just Buffy?"

He turned towards her. "Retreating isn't giving up - neither is moving on." He picked her bag up again. "You don't have it all figured out yet, but I've seen you fight for those you love and I know you have it in you to be an amazing indiviudal."

She took the duffel from him. "Take care of yourself."

"You too."

She clicked the side of her mouth. "I'm going to have to with my guardian angel on maternity leave."

He smiled and watched her purchase her ticket. Waving she headed to her bus.

Whatever she wanted from time with Buffy, she seemed to have it now, and he was glad for it.

She may not see it, but Buffy was good for people. He only hoped someday her Sunnydale family would have that again. He knew from experience how painful it is knowing your best self is just out of reach.

Lindsey walked into his apartment feeling a rare sense peace.

Even as he took off his jacket and tie, he knew he'd work more that night, but that didn't bother him. Lately, his thoughts flowed easier away from suits and fluorescents.

In fact, he was already starting to feel energized about the case. He opened his brief case on the dining room table and spread out his notes. He scanned the records again for an answer.

Faith Lehane, Anne Steele, and Angelus: all their information came out as expected. The slayer had a checkered past and Miss Steel had an uneventful one. Angelus' record had gaps but what they had on him seemed to fit with the typical 'PTB champ' profile. Like so many before him, he did enough bad to suffer a consequence (i.e. soul-restoration) and then started doing good to atone.

What didn't make sense was why The Powers' muscle man had called Wolfram and Hart for help. Just last week, they tried hiring the slayer to assassinate him. Lindsey didn't think for a second Angel was unaware of that fact.

He pulled out a sheet full of questions: Why did Faith submit to an arrest? Why was a pregnant do-gooder with her? What was Angel to the firm? And Most important: why didn't they want him working the case?

"If it was important enough for Holland to get involved, then I need to be too."

Rolling up his sleeves he opened the fridge, grabbed a beer, and turned on the stove.

"Getting ahead means being indispensable and Lilah being assigned this means I'm not there yet."

He stood over his notes again muttering, "What are we thinking?"

Eventually his thoughts were interrupted by a whistle. Frowning, he slowly walked to the kitchen and watched steam billow from a forgotten kettle. He didn't drink tea, so why had it seemed so normal to boil water for it?

Bewildered, he turned off the stove and listened to the whistle fizzle to silence.

He ran a hand over his face. "Not having friends doesn't mean you can make some up - especially non-alcoholic ones."

Returning to the table of notes, he picked up his beer. "Time to stop talking to yourself and become indispensable."