Researching's in full swing. I was never good at this part. Not one on the book-learning, more a doer…visual learner. But, I'm trying to keep up. I understand now why Cordelia did all the bitching she used to do during research. My God, it's awful. Dusty, boring, paper-cut full. Every book is useless, and the saddest part is I think we all know it will be. I think B's case is a special one. But, it's harder to not look, so we keep on keepin' on.
Every once in a while somebody gets up and walks around, gets coffee, stretches. It's my turn now…I can't sit here anymore trying to read a book in a language even Giles probably doesn't know. Standing, I sit the book down and stretch. Xander's also taking a break, so we walk to the back of the shop together, to where Angel's sitting on the loft steps, as he has been all night. Plopping down next to him, he continues to flip through an extremely heavy-looking book.
"Any luck?" I ask.
He shakes his head. "None."
"Big fat zeros all around," Xander says, rubbing his eyes.
Angel doesn't answer. I look at him, concerned. "You doin' okay, Angel?"
He nods. Xander and I exchange a glance. "Angel," Xander says, "Giles didn't mean it."
Angel glances at him. "Yes, he did. It's okay."
"No, he didn't. You did what you had to do. We know that. Buffy knew that. Giles was just blowing off steam," Xander tries to explain.
"It's fine, Xander, let it go," Angel says testily.
Xander's silent for only a moment. "He blames himself," Xander says softly. "And he's reached the point where he can't blame himself anymore, 'cause there's not enough room left inside him, so he's blaming other people. The other day he tore into Willow for not using stronger magic to get Dawn down in time." He looks at both of us. "He knows this isn't anyone's fault. I guess this is how he's dealing."
Angel stares at him hard, then nods. "I know. But it doesn't change truth."
"What truth?" Xander asks, annoyed.
Angel sighs. "He's right, about all of it. I wasn't there, I left her two years earlier. I wasn't around, and even if she comes back, I'll leave her again."
"Angel," I say softly, taking his hand. "You do those things, even though it sucks, because you love her. That's not wrong."
"I left her to die. It wasn't supposed to go down like this," he says, staring angrily at the floor.
"We can't change it now. But we can fix it…maybe. And you'll do what you have to do, again. We've all done this blame thing. Giles, Willow, me, you…" Xander says.
"Me," I say quietly.
"There's no one to blame. Glory did this…you can blame her. But the choice was Buffy's. I don't like it, but it's done. And I'm living right now on this glimmer of hope that maybe Faith and Dawn can bring back my friend," Xander says. It strikes me as ironic that Xander's giving Angel life lessons.
We're silent for a while. "I want to see the Powers with you," I tell Angel.
He looks at me. "What?"
"You're going to go see the Powers. I want to go. I want to know what my dream means. I want information."
He stares at me. "They may not allow it."
I shrug. "Can't hurt tryin'."
Slowly he nods. "Fine. I'm done with not knowing anything. We go now." He stands up quickly and heads for the front door.
"Now?" I say, rising and following after him.
"Now." We reach the group at the table.
"Where are you going?" Giles asks.
Angel spares him a glance. "To get answers."
Giles looks confused. "To see the Powers," I explain, dashing out after him.
A second later we're back in the store, Angel's combing the shelves. He picks up a statue and holds it up to Giles. "Is this the Statue of Farmone?" he asks, holding it up. Giles nods. "Put it on my tab," Angel says, and a second later we're back out into the streets.
***
The minute we round the corner Angel pulls out a cell phone. "Cordelia? It's me," he says a moment later. "I need a contact location for the Powers…Yes, here...right now." He sounds just a bit exasperated. "No…Cordy…Cordy…Cordelia. Listen to me. We can talk about that when I get back…I don't know when…I need the spot, now…hmmhmm…are you sure? Great. Thanks," he says, and turns the phone off. "This way," he says to me, and cuts down an alley.
"Where are we going?" I ask, running to keep up.
"The Post Office…I should have known," he says, a grin on his face.
"The Post Office?"
"Yeah, it's the same in LA…I guess the Powers have a sense of humor." We get there in a flash and head around to the back. You'd think government buildings would have alarms, but no. Open window even. No wonder people always complain about the mail service. Down in the basement Angel takes my hand and says a few words that sound like Latin. I look around, nothing's happening.
"What now?" I ask, when suddenly there's a bright light and we're standing in a completely white room. It kinda looks like heaven. There's a door ahead of us, and when it opens two figures float through, a girl and a guy, in togas. I think they're ghosts…you can kinda see through them.
"What have you brought us?" the guy asks.
Angel steps forward and hands him the statue. The guy looks at it happily. "This was once mine."
The girl smiles. "He misplaced it a thousand years ago. I told you it would turn up."
Angel's impatient. "I want to know about the Slayer."
The girl looks at him, then at me. "The Slayer is standing next to you."
Angel raises his eyebrows. "You know who I mean."
She cocks her head to the side. "Ah…her. What do you wish to know?"
"You told me once that her life would be spared if I returned to what I was. You didn't honor our agreement."
"What agreement?" the guy says, still looking over the statue. "We made no agreement."
Angel's fists clench. "You told me that if I went back to being a vampire that the Slayer would be spared."
"No, we did not," the girl says. "You asked what would happen to the Slayer when The End of Days arrived. And I said she will die, sooner than most. You asked to be returned to your demonic state to help her in the fight and you were. We made no deal."
I think Angel's going to attack but he restrains himself. I feel like I'm watching tennis, looking back and forth between him and the ghosts. "That was implied. Why else would I have asked to be returned to this? You told me then I was a warrior, that I was not a lower-being, that you cared about our love."
"You are, and we do," the girl says.
"Sister has always been soft for those who know love," the guys says.
"The End of Days has begun, but that was not the final battle. I wasn't there. And I know it's been foretold that I'm going to have a major part in the end. She didn't need to die. She saved the world. She showed compassion. She needs to live," Angel says, and you'd think he was pleading, except for that bitter tone in his voice.
"It cannot be undone," Sister says.
"I'm not asking for it to be undone. I'm asking for you to bring her back. Resurrect her."
The guy, I'm guessing he's "Brother," puts the statue down finally. "That is not up to us. That is up to her," he says, looking directly at me.
I take a step back. "Me? Why me?"
Sister smiles at me. "Two Slayers. It's never been done before, not until her," she says looking at Angel. "Your Slayer changed the way of things." She turns back to me. "There can be only one."
I'm getting a little pissed with the cryptic here. "What am I? The Highlander? There were two. Even before me, there were two. There can be two again. Tell me what my dream meant. I know you send them."
Brother's not having my attitude. "We do not send anything. That is in the Powers domain."
"Then who are you?" I ask, snidely.
"Faith…"Angel warns softly.
"We are the Oracles…in spirit, anyway. Our human forms have been taken from us, but we live on," Sister says.
"I want to talk to the Powers themselves," I spit at them.
Brother laughs. "No one talks to the Powers. We are the intermediaries. You speak to us or to no one."
I glance at Angel; his eyes are pleading with me to back off. Fine. Softening, I say, "What did my dream mean? Am I supposed to help bring B back?"
Sister cocks her head at me again. I want to help her prop it up. "Yes."
My eyes fly open. I glance at Angel; his eyes are as big as mine. Well, a straight answer, finally. "How?"
"The Slayer is needed in the end. This is not the way of things. As with the Champion here, the Chosen is needed. Together," Brother says.
"So, what? Am I supposed to get Dawn and go to that construction site?"
"We are not to say," they say together.
"What? Why not?" I cry.
"We are finished here," they say together.
"Wait! Tell me what to do!"
"The Champion, the Key, the Chosen, and the Student…go." They fade away and the next thing I know we're back in the Post Office. Angel and I stare at each other.