Part 6:
Claire placed her belongings in the back of Giles' car and sat back down in the passenger side.
"You really need a new car."
"Don't I know it!" Giles' muttered under his breath.
Claire looked at him but he was concentrating on the road.
"Sorry I took so long. I had to clear up a few things. Are you sure you want me to stay with you? I don't want to be a problem..."
"It's fine Claire." He looked at the girl but she was looking out the window again. He couldn't get over how much she looked like Angel. As a matter of fact, now that he thought about it, she reminded him of Buffy too. Not too much but enough that....nah, couldn't be! Get your head together Rupert. He looked back towards to the girl.
"So where are you from? LA? Or somewhere closer?"
He saw a flicker of panic cross her face, so quickly that he thought he imagined it.
"Umm.... LA, originally. We're in the process of moving." Well, at least that's true. We ARE in the process of moving or at least we were until I got called to do this! Claire suddenly noticed Giles was talking to her again.
"Ah...sorry, what did you say?"
"How's Angel? And the others?"
"Busy. That's why Angel sent me here."
"Right." Giles nodded, his eyes on the road. They pulled into his driveway and Giles noticed that all the lights were off. Buffy must have left.
They walked to the front door, Giles carrying Claire's things. She had given up trying to fight with him and had finally just let him help her. Claire bent down to pick up the key under the mat, Giles' arms full. As her hand grabbed the key, her fingers brushed a piece of paper. She picked it up and handed it to Giles as she unlocked the door. They walked inside and Giles placed her things on the bench while he read the letter.
"Who is it from?" Claire asked, carefully making sure that none of her belongings showed what time she was from.
"Buffy. She, ah 'had to run and will drop in tomorrow to pick you up' . Buffy's words, not mine."
"Right."
"So, ah, I suppose we better get you a room. Follow me." Giles walked up the stairs, Claire following with her things. He showed her the spare room and left her to settle in for the night. She placed her things on the bed and walked down the hall to where Giles had said the bathroom was.
After having a shower and saying good night to Giles, Claire walked upstairs to what was to be her room for the night. She placed her clothing and money in one of the drawers and picked up her diary. As she did so, a piece of paper fell out. She picked it up and recognised the writing at once.
Dear Claire,
Hey babe. Missing you already and you only just left. I hope to God you're okay, I'd hate it if anything happened to you. Hurry up and come home to me okay? And remember, I love you!
Always,
Luke.
Claire smiled. He always managed to make her feel better, even if he wasn't there. She wiped a tear away and got ready for bed. God she missed him! But no, she couldn't think about him, she needed to concentrate. She had to some how get Angel here.
Claire placed the letter in the front of her diary hen turned to the very back of the book. She sat there for a moment, looking at the picture stuck there. She had no choice. She would have to visit Angel. Tonight.
Claire placed her belongings in the back of Giles' car and sat back down in the passenger side.
"You really need a new car."
"Don't I know it!" Giles' muttered under his breath.
Claire looked at him but he was concentrating on the road.
"Sorry I took so long. I had to clear up a few things. Are you sure you want me to stay with you? I don't want to be a problem..."
"It's fine Claire." He looked at the girl but she was looking out the window again. He couldn't get over how much she looked like Angel. As a matter of fact, now that he thought about it, she reminded him of Buffy too. Not too much but enough that....nah, couldn't be! Get your head together Rupert. He looked back towards to the girl.
"So where are you from? LA? Or somewhere closer?"
He saw a flicker of panic cross her face, so quickly that he thought he imagined it.
"Umm.... LA, originally. We're in the process of moving." Well, at least that's true. We ARE in the process of moving or at least we were until I got called to do this! Claire suddenly noticed Giles was talking to her again.
"Ah...sorry, what did you say?"
"How's Angel? And the others?"
"Busy. That's why Angel sent me here."
"Right." Giles nodded, his eyes on the road. They pulled into his driveway and Giles noticed that all the lights were off. Buffy must have left.
They walked to the front door, Giles carrying Claire's things. She had given up trying to fight with him and had finally just let him help her. Claire bent down to pick up the key under the mat, Giles' arms full. As her hand grabbed the key, her fingers brushed a piece of paper. She picked it up and handed it to Giles as she unlocked the door. They walked inside and Giles placed her things on the bench while he read the letter.
"Who is it from?" Claire asked, carefully making sure that none of her belongings showed what time she was from.
"Buffy. She, ah 'had to run and will drop in tomorrow to pick you up' . Buffy's words, not mine."
"Right."
"So, ah, I suppose we better get you a room. Follow me." Giles walked up the stairs, Claire following with her things. He showed her the spare room and left her to settle in for the night. She placed her things on the bed and walked down the hall to where Giles had said the bathroom was.
After having a shower and saying good night to Giles, Claire walked upstairs to what was to be her room for the night. She placed her clothing and money in one of the drawers and picked up her diary. As she did so, a piece of paper fell out. She picked it up and recognised the writing at once.
Dear Claire,
Hey babe. Missing you already and you only just left. I hope to God you're okay, I'd hate it if anything happened to you. Hurry up and come home to me okay? And remember, I love you!
Always,
Luke.
Claire smiled. He always managed to make her feel better, even if he wasn't there. She wiped a tear away and got ready for bed. God she missed him! But no, she couldn't think about him, she needed to concentrate. She had to some how get Angel here.
Claire placed the letter in the front of her diary hen turned to the very back of the book. She sat there for a moment, looking at the picture stuck there. She had no choice. She would have to visit Angel. Tonight.