Disclaimer: I do not own Buffyverse or anything else you may recognize
Chapter 32- First Impressions
The Scooby Gang sat on the couch once more in the same order as Buffy lifted the remote. "Let's do this."
With that, she turned it on.
Lorne and Angel talked in his karaoke bar, Lorne complimenting Angel for his singing, knowing he'd been practicing, and Angel said he'd been doing it in the shower.
"Yeah, you sing best in a shower", Xander agreed, and all shot him weird looks. "I shouldn't have said that, right?"
"I don't think so", Willow said.
"Admit it, you all do it", Xander said, and now they were silent, making him smirk. "Knew it."
"When did you become so clever?" Giles asked.
"Ever since you became stupid", Xander said as Giles sighed and they laughed.
"So Angel sang well this time?" Buffy asked. "How come we didn't see it?"
"Future us want to torture us, I guess", Dawn muttered.
"Well, it is in poor taste", Tara said and all agreed.
Lorne then wondered what would happen to Angel's heart before he walked off and started singing.
"His singing I can never get tired of hearing", Dawn said, everyone agreeing.
"Yes, this Host has a beautiful voice", Giles agreed, surprised he was actually praising a Demon.
Angel wandered away from the side of the stage, preoccupied while Lorne sang. Then he looked up and stopped as he saw Darla smiling at him from where she stood by the bar in a red dress, looking beautiful. Angel walked over to Darla, pulling her closer by the waist. "Darla", Angel laughed slightly. "I was afraid you weren't coming." Darla smiled. "Mmm, don't be silly, silly! I've been here the whole time." Angel asked. "You have?" Darla said. "Ah-mm, just waiting for you." Angel smiled. "Aren't you going to ask me to dance?" After a beat Angel lead her out onto the floor with a smile.
Everyone was confused now over what was going on.
"So, they're back together?" Xander randomly spurted out. Buffy was a bit disturbed on seeing Angel being romantic with Darla of all people, even if she had been told beforehand that theirs was a complex relationship.
Lorne continued to sing as Angel and Darla slow danced in the suddenly deserted bar.
"It's a dream", Tara realized.
"Why is he having dreams of her?" Buffy asked.
"Darla said that she could feel him, maybe he can feel her too", Willow suggested and Buffy realized that made sense, though this still made her uncomfortable.
Angel's forehead leaned against Darla's. "I still can't believe you're here. I mean - I killed you." Darla said. "I'm over that. - You haven't told anyone else about these dates of ours, have you?" Angel pulled back a little. "No. I want you all for myself." Darla agreed. "I know how you feel." Angel said. "It's so strange." Darla added. "But good." Angel agreed. "But good." They kissed as the song ended. Lorne said. "Somebody get these two love-vamps a room!" The screen went from Angel and Darla kissing to Angel asleep in his bed with a dreamy smile on his face. He woke, blinking his eyes and looking around. He put a hand to his forehead, and swallowed.
"She's over being killed, great", Dawn said sarcastically.
"Why did he randomly have a dream of Darla?" Giles asked, sensing something off.
"You think there's more to this than just being a strange dream?" Buffy asked him.
"I think so", Giles said with a nod.
At the Hyperion, Cordelia dusted by the stairs while Wesley was behind the receiving desk. Cordelia ranted how this was generations of baby dust and Wesley said they could use her place as the office, making her dust without complaints when Gunn arrived, looking for Angel and was told he was still asleep, even though it was 3:30 P.M., and Gunn had been up since dawn. Cordelia commented he missed the 'creature of the night' angle but Gunn said he and Angel had agreed to meet at 4:00 P.M.
"He really sleeps that long?" Xander asked, surprised.
"No, he never slept that long here", Buffy said. "He was always up doing something or the other. Something is not right if he's sleeping this long."
"You think that dream had something to do with this?" Willow asked Giles.
"I suppose it could", Giles said, not discounting the possibility.
Gunn was up against a Demon called Deevak who'd put some of his men in the hospital and he was supposed to meet a snitch with Angel, so he asked the two to knock on his coffin, though Cordelia corrected he didn't use a coffin and would rise on his own, so they could help, but Gunn didn't want help from C-3P0 and 'stick figure Barbie'.
"Hey lighten up, they're offering help", Dawn said in their defense.
"Plus, C-3P0 is underappreciated anyway", Xander popped up. "Kind of like Wesley right now."
"And we all know Cordelia can do a lot more than we think she can", Willow added.
"I really hope they prove him wrong", Buffy said.
Then David Nabbit walked in with his blue silk cap, swinging a sword, whipping his sword at Gunn and asking if he was a fellow Demon Killer too, only annoying him a little as he batted the sword away. Wesley introduced the two as David asked about Angel and was told he was sleeping, and David said he'd been up since dawn as well.
"Its weird hearing my name in a different context", Dawn muttered with a chuckle. "I guess Gunn found his bestie."
"I think he is annoyed", Tara said.
Then Angel came down the stairs, apologizing for the lateness as he asked David for financial advice regarding the hotel, which they were leasing for 6 months with an option to buy. David then gave them multiple options, Cordelia saying she was getting warm as David said he'll have his money guy run up some numbers, which Angel appreciated. David left, saying Demon fighting was cool.
"Now I'm imagining him actually fighting a Demon", Willow said, and all burst out laughing.
"I think the Demon will run away in fear", Buffy added, and the image made everyone laugh even more at a Demon running from David in this outfit.
Gunn was impatient that Angel hadn't made a move, since Gunn was always there when Angel asked for a favor while Angel was asleep till now when Gunn asked for the first time. Angel gave Cordelia his car keys, saying she was driving, which made her happy, and asked Wesley to bring the bribe money. Gunn didn't want the two since they'd slow them up, but Angel said they'd take the whole team as he grabbed his coat. Gunn shook his head as all went their ways, Wesley asking for a shotgun.
"I think Wesley and Cordelia work just fine", Dawn said.
"Yeah, but Gunn hasn't seen it yet, and they have behaved funny around him so far", Tara pointed out.
"Now that you put it that way, I can see why Gunn is put off", Xander said.
Later, they arrived at a parking garage and got out, Gunn saying they were too late but then a short black kid peeked out from behind a van. His name was Jameel, and Gunn confirmed his identity while Angel gave Jameel the money, but Jameel didn't want it. Gunn said he still needed to tell them about Deevak but Jameel said Deevak had eyes and ears everywhere, and that he scared him more than Gunn did. Now Gunn angrily started beating Jameel down, but Angel caught his fist.
"So…he has issues too", Xander muttered.
"The kid was just too scared!" Dawn said, feeling a little bad for Jameel.
"Gunn's people are dying, so he is shaken up himself", Giles pointed out. "Though losing his temper like this wouldn't help for sure."
"Guess Gunn needs Angel more than he thinks", Buffy said.
"Yeah, looks like it", Willow agreed.
"Hopefully, Angel can knock some sense into him", Tara said.
Angel now said this was his case, and then Vamps rushed in, making Jameel bolt. The three guys took one vampire each while Cordelia danced around with stake in hand swinging at the backs of the fighting vamps. Angel and Gunn were doing well and even Wesley was but the Vamp managed to elbow him down. Cordelia staked Wesley's vamp just as it was about to jump on the downed Wesley then gave him a hand up. Angel and Gunn continued to fight their vamps, both doing about equally well. Angel wasn't using one arm, and both were having a little trouble.
"Okay, Gunn's a human so I can see him having trouble, but Angel is one of the best Vamps ever, why is he having trouble?" Buffy asked. "Plus, he wasn't using one arm."
"Yeah, what's up with that?" Willow wondered.
"You think the dream had something to do with it?" Tara asked.
"Still a possibility", Giles said.
Later, the stake lay between 3 piles of dust as the four heroes sat with their backs leaned against Angel's car, all commenting on their conditions, Wesley even having a smashed pager, with Cordelia saying there were grease stains all over her outfit, and her dry cleaning bill would suck. Wesley said they can't find Deevak for the best since their current condition has them too weak to go up against him, and Angel agreed, saying they shouldn't have this much trouble with 3 Vamps. Gunn decided to make Jameel talk, Cordelia saying he should be a little more Guy Pearce in LA Confidential and less Michael Madsen in Reservoir Dogs, though Gunn said he hadn't watched a film since Denzel was robbed at the Oscars for Malcolm-X, and walked off.
"Yeah, I agree, they really should have given it to Denzel there", Willow said to them all. "That was an amazing performance."
"Yeah, we can agree on that, but I'm concerned over Angel's condition", Buffy said. "Having trouble with just one Vampire?"
"I think we will see the reason soon", Xander told her.
The three agreed that Denzel was awesome, but then Wesley also pointed out Angel had trouble with just one Vamp. Angel made an excuse of an off day and they finally got up.
"Seriously? That's your best excuse?" Buffy rolled her eyes.
"Maybe whatever's affecting him also affected his ability to make up excuses", Dawn suggested.
Cordelia later pulled up at the Hyperion with Angel, who said he was gonna sleep again, Cordelia commenting he did a lot of that now, not that she judged, and left after wishing him good night.
"I don't think even I would sleep after sleeping that much", Xander commented.
"So Giles' theory makes more and more sense", Tara said.
Cordelia later walked into her living room with a book and cup, and made Dennis turn up the thermostat, commenting on ghosts and cold rooms. Cordelia was then hit by a vision of Gunn fighting an unseen foe, dropping to the floor holding up one hand, and asked Dennis for a phone as the cordless jumped to her hand.
"Gunn's in trouble", Buffy muttered. "Guess Deevak is just as bad as Gunn said he was."
"Well, now that Cordelia had a vision, they can save him", Willow said hopefully.
Angel lay curled up in bed as his phone rang. In his dream he and Darla were out in the moon in lawn chairs, with swimwear and sunglasses, Darla telling Angel to ignore the ringing. She took a piece of ice out of her drink and drew a line with it down the middle of Angel's chest. He started to laugh. "Why are you so good to me - after everything I did?' Darla said. "Because - you and I are one", she drew the ice cube across Angel's lips. The phone stopped ringing. "See? I told you it would stop." She leaned down and they kissed.
Buffy sighed, looking away, the scene disturbing and disgusting her for obvious reasons.
"So Angel had a dream of her again", Dawn said, turning to Giles. "What do you think?"
"I think something is happening to him, this confirms it", Giles said firmly, and the others couldn't disagree.
"Now we just need to see what", Tara pointed out.
Cordelia called Wesley but he didn't pick up either so she dropped a message, telling him to get Angel so they could help Gunn. She then hung up the phone, grabbed her purse and took an ax out of her closet, shoving it in her purse, heading for the door as she repeated she was gonna die.
"And if you don't do anything, Gunn is", Willow commented.
"I don't think the Cordy we used to know would do this", Xander said.
"So her change is visible to us all now", Buffy smiled. "Nice, isn't it?"
Cordelia arrived at Gunn's with the ax, walking down the corridor to hear weapons clashing, and rushed to see Gunn fighting someone with quarterstaffs through the window in the door. She ran and hit the other guy on the head from behind, Gunn ripping the ax out of her hand incredulously, while Gunn's gang laughed as Cordelia realized this wasn't a Demon that Gunn was fighting.
"Huh?" Dawn said. "So he isn't in trouble? Then why did she get a vision?"
"Maybe he's about to get in it", Buffy said. "Seeing the kind of guy he is, it's a given."
"But that has got to be embarrassing", Tara pointed out and all cringed at imagining how Cordelia would be feeling, and Gunn too.
Angel was sleeping. In his dream, he came up behind Darla and wrapped his arms around her. "What are you thinking about?" There was soft knocking in the background. Darla said. "You. - Us." Angel noted. "You seem sad." Darla replied. "It's just - I have to go." Angel asked. "Where?" Darla said. "Away." Angel offered. "I'll go with you." Darla said. "You can't. I'm in danger." Angel offered again. "I'll protect you." She turned around in his arms as the knocking became the sound of hammering. Darla pointed out. "You're too busy protecting everyone else." They almost kissed, but the hammering got louder and they looked over to see Wesley putting a nail into an upright coffin. Angel said. "Wesley? - Stop it!" Angel looked around for Darla, but she was gone. He turned back to find himself face to face with Wesley. He grabbed him by the throat and threw him backwards on the floor - in reality.
Buffy sighed in relief, since she didn't have to see Angel and Darla kissing again.
"That looks awkward", Willow pointed out and they groaned, seeing a naked Angel had Wesley pinned down.
"We did not need to see that!" Xander snapped.
Wesley said in a choked voice. "Angel, it's me!" Angel asked. "What are you doing here?" Wesley wheezed out. "Gunn's in trouble. Can't breathe." Angel asked. "Gunn can't breathe?" Wesley corrected. "I can't breathe." Angel jumped off him. "Oh, sorry." Wesley leaned back taking deep breaths. "Oh, it's quite alright", he looked up at Angel. "Now about the naked thing..." Angel looked down at himself. "I'll get dressed." Wesley nodded. "Much appreciated." Angel offered his hand to help Wesley up. "Uh, no, no", Wesley got up without help.
"Why didn't he take Angel's help?" Dawn asked.
"Oh God!" Buffy put her head in her hands, realizing why.
"Bloody Hell, now I get it too", Giles sighed, taking off his glasses as he cleaned them.
"Now I really don't want to be in this situation", Xander muttered, remembering he almost had been in it once.
"I don't think anyone appreciates being in such a situation", Willow said casually.
"Yeah, right", Tara agreed with a nod.
Cordelia bandaged the guy of the head she'd attacked, and Gunn wanted to walk her to her car, though she didn't want to go, still worried for him. Gunn said how a guy's rep was enhanced when a skinny white beauty queen came to his rescue in front of his crew.
"Was that comment really necessary?" Buffy asked.
"He's kind of rude too", Willow said. "Nice guy, but needs to work on his people's skills."
"Sounds about right", Tara agreed. "And he needs to put his temper in check too."
"At a job like this, losing temper isn't something any of us can afford", Buffy advised them all.
Cordelia said she'd seen him in danger and he was scared, but Gunn said he never was, though Cordelia was scared for him. Gunn told her to be scared at her own place but she wouldn't leave him till he was safe. Then they noticed Angel's convertible was missing, and at the same time, Wesley too was asking Angel where his car was.
"Uh-oh, someone stole his car", Xander commented, now everyone getting a little worried.
"So Cordy embarrassed herself and lost Angel's car, can't she get a break?" Dawn asked.
"Let's hope they get it before Angel finds out", Buffy hoped.
Cordelia and Gunn were in his pickup, Cordelia saying how Angel won't be happy but Gunn assured he'd find the car, since he knew people who jacked vintage cars and he'd run the list till they found Angel's, though Cordelia wasn't sure how he'd get the car back with his 'charm'. Gunn said he might throw her out sarcastically, and Cordelia said he could be rude but she wouldn't leave till he was safe, though Gunn said she'd attacked his boy and hijacked his life, so if he got the car, she'd give him freedom.
"I think we're all concerned about what kind of trouble you'll get in when free", Tara commented to them all.
"He doesn't get it yet", Willow told her.
Cordelia said he needed protection, pointing out her ax had cracked Joey's skull, and also took out mace, amusing Gunn who joked he'd be attacked by purse snatching Demons. Cordelia said. Well, it'll just have to so because - I'm your protector whether you like it or not." Gunn: replied. "Well, something better attack me soon 'cause I know I can't take much more of this."
"I think you'd have to if you wanna learn some patience", Xander quipped.
Wesley got on his motorcycle, looking over at Angel as he asked him to hop on, but he lifted his pink helmet, saying it wouldn't fit, though Wesley said it would, only for Angel to counter he didn't need it for protection, but Wesley said they had a law in California. Angel started talking about visibility issues before asking why he had to wear the ladies' helmet. Wesley said. "Stop being such a wanker and put it on!" Angel looked like he wants to protest some more but Wesley just looked at him. Angel put the helmet on and looked at Wesley. Wesley suppressed a smile while he puts his own black helmet on. "Good. Hop on board, gorgeous." "You'll pay for this", Angel threatened, getting on behind Wesley who drove away.
Everyone let out laughs at that scene.
"Awww, he looked so gorgeous", Dawn said in between laughs.
"How do they keep finding themselves in such embarrassing situations?" Buffy wondered, laughing.
"So it's Wesley and his pink-helmeted girlfriend to the rescue!" Xander said, increasing the laughter.
"Next time it may turn into Angel and his pink-helmeted girlfriend", Willow pointed out.
"That's just as hilarious", Tara said, now imagining the two in reverse.
"I am sure Angel would want some revenge", Giles muttered with a chuckle.
After some more laughing at the scene, they continued watching.
Cordelia and Gunn arrived in a car yard, Gunn saying the car could be in the garage and then a guy came out from behind them, asking what they were looking for. When Gunn mentioned it, the guy who was called Henry said he could look for it in a few days. Gunn introduced them while Henry said he hadn't taken the car, and told Gunn to talk to a guy called Desmond, at a party by some Tito. Gunn noted these were all neighborhood cars that Henry had jacked, reminding that wasn't allowed, but Henry told him to mind his own business, while Gunn threatened to put him out of business if he kept this up, leaving with Cordelia.
"Anyone thinks the guy is gonna take that threat well?" Xander asked and all shook their heads. "I knew it."
When they were gone, a big ugly Demon came up behind Henry- Deevak! Deevak commented Henry hadn't wet himself, while Henry said Gunn just thought himself in-charge, while Deevak said the trouble he'd caused would end.
Everyone paled as Dawn said. "Uh-oh."
"Now Gunn's in trouble", Buffy whispered.
"This is why he should keep the temper in check", Tara commented. "Though his point of view is completely understandable."
"If he gets a little more diplomatic, he will handle everything smoothly", Willow said, not knowing she had predicted the future.
Angel and Wesley were still riding on his bike while 3 guys walked out of a party in a house where rap music was playing in the background, only to run into Cordelia and Gunn as Gunn reprimanded the middle one for not obeying orders and being where he was supposed to patrol, telling him to go back to base, reminding two of them had died. He went off as Cordelia made a comment but Gunn said some people needed discipline to survive, telling her to shut up and stick close to him, but Cordelia said she wasn't his soldier and only took orders from Angel, who usually asked nicely, and she knew how to blend at a party.
"Oh yeah, that's true", Xander said. "No one blends at a party better than Cordy."
"They go together like cops and donuts", Willow quipped with a smirk.
"Gunn could ease up on the guy a little", Dawn commented.
"Well, the guy didn't follow orders", Buffy pointed out. "Plus, while him wanting to have fun is understandable, he left without telling anyone, and wasn't where he was supposed to be. It could get him into trouble, you know?"
"Now that you put it that way", Dawn sighed.
"I'm kind of mixed on it though", Buffy shrugged.
Cordelia and Gunn then entered the party, which Cordelia noted was different from her usual kind, so she said she'd shut up and stick close to him.
"Okay, now you're embarrassing us", Buffy said as all sighed.
"None of us saw this kind of party coming", Willow commented.
"Pity", Xander muttered.
Then a girl spotted Gunn, greeting him, and he greeted her, calling her Veronica. Veronica then inquired about Cordelia as Cordelia started introducing herself but then ranted about 'working girl' and the like, deciding to shut up as Gunn told her name and asked about Desmond. Veronica said he was around so Gunn decided to look for him but she reminded to meet her sometime, to which he agreed. They went deeper into the house where Gunn greeted more guys, Cordelia asking if he was friends with every criminal in town, offending Gunn who asked if David had become a billionaire by being a good citizen, to which Cordelia pointed out he had, since he made a software for blind people to surf the web, and donated a lot too, Gunn telling her to let him know when some of the coin trickled down to these parts.
"He really hates the rich, elite class, doesn't he?" Tara asked and got nods. "Feels like they never did anything for him and all that."
"Why he feels like that is understandable, though he needs to realize that not everyone can be lumped into one category", Willow said.
"Will Cordy make him realize that?" Dawn asked.
"I have no idea if she will", Willow said honestly.
Gunn finally met Desmond, asking for the car, though Desmond had no idea about it. Gunn turned at the sound of glass breaking and girls screaming. Some vampires had crashed the party, hitting their way through the crowd towards Gunn. Cordelia tried to hit one with her axe, but the other just batted her aside. Two vamps held Gunn while the other punched him in the ribs. Cordelia smashed a popcorn bowl on the hitter's head, but again just got batted out of the way. Veronica rushed to help Gunn, but a vampire threw her into some glass shelves. She landed on the floor and pulled a piece of glass out of the side of her neck. The other guys at the party started in on the vamps while Cordelia tried to help Veronica, pressing a towel against her neck wound, and helped her sit up leaning against the sofa behind her, ignoring the fight. The last vampire finally jumped headfirst out the window and all heard a car squealing away. Gunn turned and saw Cordelia and Veronica, Cordelia asking for a doctor.
"She saved Veronica", Buffy said as all sighed in relief, though it had been very close.
"Well, maybe they are criminals, but at least they look out for each other", Tara pointed out.
"So, honor among thieves", Xander said.
Gunn later kicked the emergency room open, Cordelia still pressing the towel against Veronica's neck, as a nurse and doctor arrived, putting her on a gurney as Cordelia explained what had happened, which the doctor saying Cordelia had saved Veronica's life, taking her away, while Gunn let Cordelia lead him out. Later, she rolled up her bloodstained sleeves and walked down a hospital corridor, finding Gunn in the waiting room with his head against the wall. He hit the wall, then paced, then saw her, and blamed himself, hitting the wall again, saying the minute he took it easy, someone like Alonna paid the price for it, and that he could never stop.
"Alonna", Xander sighed, the mood plummeting. "His sister."
"After losing her, he doesn't want it to happen to anyone else", Buffy said.
"But if he never stops, it will only cost him more", Giles pointed out.
"Well, that's what he needs to learn", Tara said.
"I hope he learns that by the end of this", Willow hoped.
"At least sometime soon", Dawn muttered.
Then Desmond tried to sneak into the elevator in the corridor behind her but she pointed a finger at him without turning around, telling him to not move a muscle, and went to confront him, asking about her car.
"Did she get Slayer senses too?" Buffy asked randomly.
"Or maybe it's something new- 'I have lost my car' sense", Xander said, drawing some chuckles which lightened the mood a little.
Wesley and Angel pulled up between two police cars sitting in front of Tito's house. They looked at each other as Angel put the pink helmet on the back of the bike then ran a hand through his hair.
That drew some more chuckles as Willow said. "Angel with a pink helmet, never getting old."
Wesley stopped a girl coming from the house, asking about Gunn, though she didn't know a thing. Wesley started looking for someone else but Angel stayed close to the girl, keeping a hand on her back as she told him a little of what had happened, and the three were now behind an ambulance, the girl saying she needed to lie down, saying she was okay and lucky compared to the rest. She turned to go, but Angel took a hold of her shoulders. "Are you sure you're okay?" The girl said. "Yeah. Thanks." Angel agreed. "Good." Then he head-butted her hard in the face, and she revealed her vamp face. "Now start talking, huh?"
"How did he figure it out?" Xander said, surprised.
"No one knows how to tell a Vamp better than another Vamp", Buffy told him.
"Yes, even a Slayer or Watcher can't pick out Vamps that well", Giles agreed.
"Awesome way to reveal the Vamp face too", Dawn smiled.
Cordelia and Gunn walked into a garage, finding Angel's car.
All sighed in relief as Willow said. "Finally."
Cordelia then started looking for the keys, which were missing, then asked Gunn if he could hotwire it, which he couldn't.
"I can do that", Giles popped up randomly.
"Teach me please", Xander requested as Giles smirked.
Then Deevak arrived, rattling the keys. Gunn told Cordelia to go but she refused as Deevak commented she was a woman willing to die for her man, but Cordelia corrected she was just a friend and they could reconsider the 'willing to die' part. Gunn commented on Deevak's ugliness, and was lifted up by the throat as Cordelia swung her ax but he caught her wrist in his other hand, morphing into Jameel as he repeated a line Gunn had said to him when beating him down.
Now that surprised everyone as Buffy said. "So he was onto them the whole time."
"Now that's another reason Gunn should have kept it in check", Tara commented. "You never know you can offend a very dangerous person, like this one."
"Maybe this will make him learn", Willow said.
Cordelia then sprayed the mace into Jameel's eyes, making him let go as he morphed back into Deevak.
"Hey, it worked!" Xander cheered.
"A Demon driven back by mace", Dawn muttered.
"Yes, I know, quite the funny situation", Giles smirked.
Cordelia and Gunn got up and backed away as Angel and Wesley on their motorcycle came sliding in sideways under the garage door, knocking one of the vampires down while Wesley took off his helmet. The vamp picked himself back up and grinned as he saw Angel take off the pink helmet. Angel looked at the helmet in his hands, then back at the vamp. He grinned and smashed the helmet in its face.
"Well, that was a nice surprise", Dawn said as all chuckled again.
Angel and Wesley fought the Vamps with Gunn trying to fight Deevak, but Deevak blocked every punch he threw. Wesley was now being beaten while Gunn was thrown off as Deevak lifted a dagger. Cordelia tried to hit one of the vamps with her ax, but got pinned up against the side of a car by it. Wesley came in then staked the vampire holding her, then pulled her out of the way of another vamp trying to bash her head in with a crowbar. Angel kicked his Vamp away, then threw him the other way. Deevak was now attacking Gunn, and Gunn barely managed to avoid the demon's wild swings. One of Deevak's hands connected, knocking Gunn down. Angel seeing this ran and yelled. "Cordy, Axe!" She threw him the axe and he caught it as he jumped off a car's hood into a summersault, burying the axe in Deevak's forehead on the way down. Deevak dropped like a tree trunk next to Gunn. Angel reached out a hand and pulled Gunn to his feet.
"Well, Gunn's crew is saved from Deevak", Willow said as all sighed in relief.
"Yeah, but something will always trouble them", Buffy pointed out grimly.
"This fight was cool", Dawn said.
"Yeah, they work really well as a team", Tara agreed. "Just not Gunn, but he isn't part of the team yet."
"Well, he will work better when he does become part of the team", Xander shrugged.
"There's always hope", Giles muttered.
Later, Angel pushed the car out of the garage as Wesley held out the keys on a pen, though they were covered in demon blood or pus, so Angel refused to take them and asked if anyone knew about hotwiring a car. Gunn walked to Cordelia, saying she'd finally saved his life so he should thank her, but she said she hadn't. "Deevak wasn't the danger my vision was warning me about." Gunn asked."He wasn't?" Cordelia shook her head. "No." Gunn asked. "Then what was?" Cordelia said. "I'm looking at it. It's you, Charles. You're the danger." Gunn was confused. "Excuse me?" Cordelia explained. "It's how you life your life. You don't just face danger, you create it. You're on a self-destruct mission - unless you get some help." Gunn laughed. "I ain't buying none of this Dionne Warwick crap." Cordelia pointed out. "You know it's true. You need some serious saving. Looks like I've got my work cut out for me."
"Whoa! That I didn't expect", Xander said.
"It does make sense though", Willow pointed out. "With how he lives his life."
"Yeah, he is always in some danger, and he offends the wrong people", Tara agreed.
"Plus, he loves being in danger", Buffy reminded.
"So he is his own worst enemy then", Dawn realized.
"But he doesn't realize that, sadly", Giles sighed.
"Well, Cordelia and the rest can make him do it, he's a decent guy, hard to come around those nowadays", Buffy said. "He just needs to work on this part of himself."
"Oh, is that right?" Gunn asked. Cordelia said. "Well, yeah. Better just plan on having me I your life for a while. At least until you find some peace." Gunn told her. "Could be a while." Cordelia wasn't concerned. "That's okay. Helping people, that's what me and my friends do." Gunn opened the door to his pickup. "Well, lucky me." Cordelia asked. "Hey. How about that thank you?" Gunn looked at her, Cordelia raising her eyebrows at him. Gunn gave her a slightly sheepish smile and Cordelia smiled back. He closed the door and drove off. Angel and Wesley came to stand next to Cordelia.
"There is hope for him yet", Willow said with a smile.
"Then they can help him", Tara agreed with a nod.
Angel walked into the hotel lobby looking beat. Darla greeted him. "Honey, you're home." Angel greeted back. "Hi." Darla commented. "You look beat. What's wrong?" Angel said. "Nothing." Darla walked over to him. "Save any lives today?" Angel dropped his coat. "A few. Yeah." Darla asked. "Did any of your friends say thank you?" Angel said. "Not exactly." Darla commented. "Hmm, typical. You know, next time you see them I'm really going to say something to them."
"He doesn't save lives for a 'thank you', you'd do well to understand that!" Buffy said to Darla.
Angel said. "It's okay." Darla disagreed. "No. It isn't." She put her hands on his arms. "You give and you give and you give." Angel said. "I'm used to it." Darla commented. "Always the protector, never the protected." Angel told her. "I have so many things to make up for." Darla said. "And you have. You take care of so many people. - But who takes care of you?" Angel looked down at her and started to smile: "You do." Darla cooed. "That's right. I do." She pulled him towards a red couch by the front of his sweater. "Come on." She pushed him and he dropped bonelessly into one corner of it. "Lean back." She crawled on top of him. "Now, you just relax and let Darla take care of you." She kissed him and there was a blend over into Angel's smiling face as he lay sleeping. In his dream Darla was pulling Angel's sweater off. "How's that?" Angel replied. "Good." Darla said. "I'm just getting started, baby." She started kissing her way down his bare chest. "I know how to please you."
Buffy groaned, looking down, just not wanting to see this.
"Well, my theory's all but confirmed now", Giles said grimly. "Recurring dreams of Darla, that is not normal."
Angel lying on his back in bed, fast asleep. A hand crawled up his bare chest, followed by a just as bare Darla. "All you have to do is let me." Darla kissed his chest, his neck, his mouth, mirroring the dream action in real life without Angel showing any sign of waking. Darla looked down at his sleeping face. "Mmm, I could just eat you up." Darla leaned down and kissed the side of his neck. The screen went black.
Everyone's jaws dropped now as they realized what was going on.
"In his room…..on his bed…..you bitch!" Buffy snapped angrily, and Dawn had to put a hand on her shoulder.
"Hey, calm down", Dawn said.
"How can I be calm when Darla is doing all that to him?" Buffy asked her.
"You can't do anything, it has already happened", Tara reminded, and Buffy sighed now, nodding, knowing that was true, though her irrational side was still pissed that this had happened.
"I knew something was up, but I did not expect this", Giles commented.
"Bet you wish your theory wasn't true, don't you?" Xander asked him.
"I have no idea which would be worse", Giles told him.
"Well, this is worse", Willow said. "Darla is clearly trying to manipulate Angel for Wolfram and Hart this way, and from the looks of it, she has already taken baby steps."
"I know Angel, he won't give in", Buffy said confidently.
"Don't be so sure", Tara said, flashing back to Angel letting the Thesulac reign over the paranoia of everyone at the Hyperion. "Sometimes, people can give in to their worst."
"And for Angel, it is Darla", Willow reminded, and Buffy felt a chill run up her spine, wondering what would happen now.
"So, next one?" Dawn asked.
With a sigh, Buffy lifted the remote. "Guess so."
And we're done. This episode gave more growth to Cordelia and Gunn, which is a positive point, plus the progress of the Angel/Darla storyline, which is just really intriguing for sure.
Anyway, hope everyone enjoyed and see you all next time with another chapter. Stay safe from the coronavirus ya all!