Buffy jerked her head away from Xander as she heard an office door squeak open. She rested her eyes upon a frustrated Cordy and an obviously rumpled Angel. As she watched the two friends rejoin her and Xander, she felt a pang of regret when she noticed the hurt in Angels' eyes. 'Why is so upset?' she wondered,'We've only just met. Maybe he's sensitive.' Buffy painted on a false-forgiving smile and extended her hand, trembling with rage, toward the vampire.
"Sorry about that earlier. I'm Buffy...but you already know that," she replied pointedly as Angel eyed her and then her hand.
'This is a mistake' he thought, feeling the anger that rushed through her veins. Even so, he took her hand in his and firmly shaked it. 'God I miss this' he thought sadly and half smiled at the blonde.
"Yeah...Cordy talks about you."
A real smile graced the slayers' face as she released the firm grip Angel had on her hand. "Really? Hopefully only good things."
Hestitantly, Angel spoke,"That's all there is to tell."
Her heart thudded inside her chest as she rose an eyebrow at the vampire. 'I do NOT believe he is flirting with me' she thought silently and answered with only an awkard smile.
Cordy took this moment as an ideal time to change the subject, knowing how hormones can out last will power.
"Well, now that you've...met I think it's time to discuss this necklace." She motioned for Buffy and Xander to take a seat adjacent to her desk and pushed Angel behind her.
"Wow, that was businessy Cordy. I'm impressed," Xander grinned as he took a seat next to the slayer.
Buffy sighed loudly,"Look Cordy, it's been a LONG day and I'm a icky mess. Can we stay here or do we need to find another hotel?"
Glancing quickly at Angel, seeing his approving eyes, Cordy replied,"Of course. I'll show you where you can stay. But-"
"Icky. Mess." Buffy repeated, narrowing her eyes at her friend.
Cordy rolled her eyes knowing that they would begin researching tomorrow so reluctantly stated,"Fine."
She rose from her seat, with Buffy and Xander, and motioned for the two to follow her. Xander smiled sadly at Angel before turning to follow Cordy. Buffy rose her eyes slowly to the vampire, warning flashing brilliantly. She sauntered around the desk and pressed her chest against his. If Angels' heart could beat it would've literally blown up as her hazel eyes bore into his dark soulful ones.
"I'll be watching you. Give me one excuse, look at me funny, hell, even walk funny and I will not hesitate to drive a stake through your heart. Soul or not." With her cruel words she stepped away from Angel and strided to the door, and paused only to look back and give him a look that could make his watch stop. As she breezed through the door to regain her friends, Angel slumped into a chair and ran a trembling hand through his hair. At that moment a door opened and the vampire jumped nervously.
"Angel! I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you," Wesley replied.
Relieved to see Wes, Angel explained,"I-I'm just a bit jumpy is all."
Wes smiled and closed the door behind him as he approached Angel,"Jumpy? I find that hard to believe. Hey, who were you talking to out here?"
"Buffy and Xander are here." Angel sat slowly back down. "They're here for the necklace too."
"Really? Do they have any new information?"
"I-I really couldn't tell you that. They are staying here, for now, but " Angel faltered as he tried to finish speaking. Grief overwhelmed him quite often when matters swirled to Buffy.
Angel felt a hand on his shoulder. "I know it must be hard Angel, seeing her again, but I believe she may be of great help in this matter."
"That is if she doesn't kill me."
Wes removed his glasses and rose an eyebrow,"Kill you?"
Sighing, Angel replied,"Yes. Willow put some forgetful spell on her so she doesn't know who I am, or what we did. It's horrible."
Wes sat down next to Angel and looked solemnly at his friend. "Yes I believe it would be. However, maybe, at least for now, it is for the best. You can work together and-"
"And long for her just as much as I always have," Angel finished. "Her forgetting doesn't change me, I still remember her, what she did to my once sordid life. I can't pretend I don't know her, don't love her. I know she wouldn't. I will work with her as much as she will allow me. Hopefully, she can trust me enough to find this necklace. Who knows? Maybe her not knowing my effect on her life is a blessing, for her."
Rising from his seat, Wes patted his friend on the shoulder again,"Maybe. But do you want her to forget you?"
With that, Wes slipped back into his office leaving Angel to fight with his thoughts.
'God help us all' Wes mummered as he closed the door. Tomorrow would be a big day.
