CHAPTER TWO

Lilah wet her lips, wondering not for the first time about the ambitions that drove her. She had to succeed and that had led to her being co-chair with Lindsey McDonald. Well, until he had had his hand magically reattached for which he had repaid Wolfram and Hart by quitting. Lilah had met that with both joy and fear. She alone had power now but then again, failures couldn't be blamed on her male counterpart.

When he was around, Lindsey excelled at getting them both into hot water. Even now he was causing her no end of trouble. She wasn't waiting in a nightclub for two women on her own volition. Wolfram and Hart hadn't been thrilled to discover several of their magical tomes missing. Worse, surveillance had captured Lindsey in the act of stealing them but most chilling to Lilah was the fact she had had no idea that the camera had existed. Surveillance of the outside of the building showed a familiar car going past the building.

"All the pretty lights, how they make me want to soar."

Lilah startled at the somewhat wispy voice, even though she was waiting for it. She glanced around and saw Dru and Darla. Dru spun circles, looking at the flashing dance lights while Darla all but dragged her along.

Ensconcing Dru on a bar stool next to Lilah, Darla gave the lawyer a silky smile. "I'm surprised you're here, Lilah." Darla made the name sound like a curse.

Lilah fumbled for the gin and tonic she knew she shouldn't be drinking. "You know why Wolfram and Hart want me to talk to you two."

"Precious books floated away," Dru cooed, wiggling her fingers at Lilah.

Stolen, yes."

"What makes Wolfram and Hart think we want anything to do with this?" Darla trailed a finger through a wet circle left behind by a sweating glass.

Lilah tossed her hair. "Because Lindsey stole them with Angel's help."

"Oooo, has Daddy been bad?" Dru clapped her hands delightedly.

Darla shot her a look. "When is he anything but? I still don't see why Dru and I should care."

"Angel tried to burn you both alive. I'd think you'd want a chance at revenge," Lilah said.

Dru's pointed face looked stricken. "Oh, how Daddy hurt us." She moaned, slumping on her chair.

"Yes, well you both will get your chance for revenge when you get those books back for us," Lilah said.

Darla tried to shrug off the memory. "It's not the first time Angelus has betrayed us."

"Daddy can be very very bad and never gets invited to tea," Dru said.

Lilah smirked uneasily. "I'm not sure I believe you don't want revenge. You see if our sources are right he took these books and headed for Sunnydale. That can only mean one thing. He's taking them to the Slayer's friends."

Darla's lips pulled into a thin line as she played with the hem of her loose, big shirt. "The Slayer.." she murmured, hatred lacing every syllable.

"She's dead," Lilah said. "Half the L.A. demon underworld rejoiced. Didn't you hear?"

"We try not to mingle with the riffraff and I've had other.concerns," Darla said, unconsciously brushing a hand over her belly.

Dru giggled. "Told you I felt my poor Spike's heart break when the light went out in the sky. You didn't believe." She wagged a finger at the older vampire.

"Dru, you spout a lot of nonsense. I can't make heads or tails of most of it. The Slayer's dead?" A wicked smile crossed Darla's pale face. "Good! You have no idea what she cost us. She killed the Master.goaded Angel into killing me." Pain flashed in her eyes at the remembrance.

"Those books and scrolls are for dimensional crossings," Lilah said, toying with her drink. "He already has the scroll we used to bring you back from the dead, Darla."

"Why should this be of interest?" Darla affected boredom but her eyes betrayed her. She was very interested.

"Don't you understand, Darla? Angel is trying to bring the Slayer back."

"Why do you care?"

"I don't. The Slayer's never bothered us. We just want our books. We figured you'd have issues with the Slayer and we can work to help each other. You stop Angel, get our books back and the love of Angel's life stays dead," Lilah said, hoping that she didn't overplay her hand with the reminder of who Angel really loved.

"Daddy fancies the Slayer." Dru giggled some more then pouted. "So does my pet. Spike is such a naughty boy."

"The world does not need a Slayer returned from the dead," Darla said with finality.

"Then you'll help us?" Lilah grinned triumphantly. What she wouldn't give to see the look on Lindsey's face when he realized she had set the vampire he loved hot on his and Angel's heels. She half hoped Darla would eat him.

"We'll get your books for you, Lilah, and the Slayer can stay nicely dead." Darla let her face morph at the happy thought of screwing over Angel. She had never made him happy for even a moment. Those words of his haunted her and she'd make sure they'd come back to haunt him. Even if they managed to bring the Slayer back, Darla would do her best to make her dead again.

* * * Lindsey walked aimlessly around the hotel lobby, left with nothing to do while the others packed. A woman stared at him thoughtfully, from where she sat behind the desk. She'd been introduced to him as Fred before everyone scattered, Cordelia and Wesley disappearing in Cordelia's car, Spike, Dawn and Angel upstairs to their respective rooms.

"So. What did Angel do to save you?" Fred's voice echoed a little around the cavernous room.

He paused, looking back at her. "Angel didn't save me," he said, grinning slightly at the presumption.

Fred cocked her head to one side. "Really? He found me and brought me home. Where there's food and warm baths and maybe, someday, my family again." She glanced towards the staircase. "His girl? Is she going to save him?"

"Huh?" Lindsey couldn't help it; he walked back over to the desk, taking the chair opposite of it. "What do you mean?"

Fred smiled shyly and ducked her head, looking at him from behind the curtain of her hair. "He hasn't been right, Angel, not since he found out about his girl." One of her hands clawed at the desktop then it stopped and laid there, like a quiescent animal. "Dawn saved him. And now they're both bubbling like a cauldron, all happy and excited." She leaned across the desktop. "His girl's not dead, she's risen." Her eyes searched Lindsey's and tilted towards the ceiling, maybe beyond. "Like judgment day." She hummed softly, a tune Lindsey recognized as "I'll Fly Away." He'd sung it enough in Sunday school back in Oklahoma.

He shook his head to break Fred's spell. Anyone else besides this group of people might think the woman mad. They might've taken Fred to a hospital and never looked back. There was a sound on the staircase and Dawn appeared, a duffel bag slung over her shoulder. She came down the steps in a rush, almost as if she floated. Joy overflowed from her, lapping to the far reaches of the lobby and she dropped the bag. Dawn joined them at the desk, her hands entwining and relaxing, then starting all over again. "Please, Fred, tell me," she said, barely able to keep her feet from dancing. "What did Willow say?"

Fred took the girl's hands in hers and looked just past her shoulder, remembering. "She came into the door like a cheerful flame," she said, a faint smile curling the corners of her mouth. "Gunn and I were here and she bounced right across the floor, like you're doing now."

Dawn rolled her eyes towards Lindsey, who shrugged slightly. "What else, Fred?"

"She asked, 'Where's Dawn? Where's Angel? I need to see them.'" Fred straightened her shoulders and spoke in a deeper voice. "Gunn, he said, 'What you need them for?' He made a face," the woman demonstrated to her audience of two, "because the last time she came, she brought so much hurt. But she didn't even notice, she was so happy. 'I need to see them. Where are they? Please, it's important.'"

Dawn squeezed Fred's hands. "Then what?"

"Gunn asked why it was so important but even he could see her glowing. But he acted all tough and said, 'Why?' And she said," Dawn said the name along with Fred, "Buffy."

Lindsey wondered at a Slayer named Buffy. Faith was bad enough, but Buffy? Just Southern California all the way.

The doors opened and Wesley and Cordelia came in, each with bags. Lindsey found himself going to them and taking a bag from each of them, carrying them into the lobby. He felt Cordelia's eyes burning a hole in his back and tried to ignore it. He set the bags next to Dawn's.

"Dawn, why don't you come help me with the books?" Wesley asked. "We need to choose those that might be useful in Sunnydale."

If anything she brightened more. "Really? Buffy never lets me touch Giles' books," she said, scampering after the Brit like a gangly puppy. They disappeared into one of the offices, leaving Lindsey with Fred and Cordelia. Fred picked up a pen and began doodling on a piece of paper, though she flicked her gaze between the pair remaining in the lobby.

"So." Cordelia tossed back her hair, narrowing her eyes at Lindsey. "Just for the record? I don't like you. I don't trust you. And if you do anything, and I mean anything, to hurt any of my friends, I personally will make sure you get put into the deepest pit known not only to mankind but demonkind. Got it?"

"Don't mince words, Cordelia," Lindsey said. "Let me know how you really feel."

She walked to him, her arms crossed across her chest. "Your law firm nearly destroyed Angel," she said. "You say you've broken with it but last time that happened, you went running right back to them." Cordelia motioned at him with her chin. "You lost your hand to Angel. I'd say, you want some revenge. This could be a good chance to get it."

"I'm out of Wolfram and Hart, Cordelia. They killed a friend of mine to give me this." He held up his arm, staring at the hand attached to it before turning his attention back to the brunette. "A friend."

Cordelia snorted. "Do lawyers even have friends?"

"I did." Lindsey glared at her. "He was a good guy. Decent. And I'm sorry he's dead. If I wasn't trying to help, I'd've made you guys drop me off somewhere rather than come back to L.A. in the first place. There's a target on my head now as big as the one on Angel's. You can believe it or not but Wolfram and Hart invested a lot of money in me. You think they're just going to let me go? Why do you think I was in Oklahoma? I was hiding out. Maybe that was too far for them to go." He laughed shortly. "Not too far for your boy, though. And now he's going on a wild goose chase to find the Slayer, who may or not be alive?" Lindsey shook his head. "Man, that's some sort of dedication."

Glancing towards the stairs, Cordelia's face softened, just a little. "There's nowhere too far for Angel. Not where his friends are concerned." She looked back at Lindsey, her expression a little pitying. "That's what you'll never understand, Lindsey. He's a hero. He's like Superman. No, wait, that's Buffy. He's Batman. All the rest of us are the Superfriends. Second string, you know? God, I can't believe how much I'm sounding like Xander." She poked a perfectly manicured fingernail into Lindsey's chest. "And you, you're Lex Luther. Or the Joker. Someone evil. And Angel may give you another chance. He's big on that for everyone but himself. But I'm watching you."

Lindsey looked down at the nail, drilling a hole into his chest. "Fair enough."

"You know, there's one thing I don't get," Cordelia said, taking her hand back. "I mean, you lawyer types are supposed to be so smart. You wanted Angel on your side and you brought back Darla to get him."

"Yeah, so?" Lindsey wasn't sure where she was going with this.

"You went about it all wrong. You attacked him." She smiled pityingly. "You should've gone after his family."

* * * Angel paused inside the doors of the Bronze. Buffy ought to be in here. She'd said earlier she would probably come tonight, which Willow helpfully translated as, "That means she will be there. Just go. And don't keep her waiting." So here he was, standing inside the Bronze. Barry Manilow was singing up on stage, a slow song, not like he did many fast ones, but crooning out to the audience.

"You remind me, I live in a shell. Safe from the past and doing okay, But not very well."

He began walking around the outskirts of the crowd, seeking her out. He caught a glimpse of blond hair and sped up a little, trying to catch her. She ducked around behind the back of the stage. Angel followed, surprised not to find her there. He glanced around, wondering how she might've disappeared.

"What are you looking for, Angel?"

The voice was totally unexpected and he turned, his hands coming up automatically in defense. "Holland Manners," he said, suspiciously. "You're dead."

The grey-haired attorney cocked his head slightly to one side. "The same thing could be said about you. But I didn't come here to discuss semantics. I asked you a question. Be polite now, and answer it."

"Why should I tell you?" Angel asked, wary.

"Because you never know where a helping hand could come from." He paused then asked, "What makes you think you'll find the Slayer?" He held up a hand to quell Angel's protest. "Let me rephrase that. What makes you think she wants to be found?"

"I," Angel said and stopped. Maybe Buffy didn't want to be found.

"See?" Manners smiled beatifically. "Just trying to be helpful."

Angel saw a flash of pale gold and pushed past the lawyer. "Gotta go," he said, tracking Buffy. He saw her tug open a heavy door and dart through. "Buffy! Wait for me!"

"You'll be back," Manners called helpfully behind him.

He jogged to the door, pulling it open. A wave of light splashed on him and he retreated automatically, his hand flung up to protect his face. The light didn't burn though, so he poked his head through.

"Where have you been, Angel?" Cordelia's voice scolded him. "You were supposed to get the popcorn, or did you forget?"

He blinked, stepping inside the mansion. He hesitated, looking around himself, then back at the door. Through it he could still see Manilow, singing on the stage of the Bronze.

"And I'm ready to take a chance again, Ready to put my love on the line for you.

Been living with nothing to show for it

You get what you get when you go for it. And I'm ready to take a chance again, with you."

"Did you get the popcorn, Dead Boy?" Xander asked.

"I," Angel said, turning from the doorway. Something wasn't quite right. There was furniture everywhere; stuffed couches, coffee table, easy chairs. A large-screen TV sat in the mouth of the fireplace. Something was playing on it.

"I brought doughnuts," Xander said, pointing to the box on the table. "Jelly filled."

"Have you seen Buffy?" Angel asked Xander, a little desperately.

"I'll ask." Xander turned around and suddenly the furniture was occupied. Oz and Willow sat together, with another girl. A young woman Angel almost recognized argued with Spike over the remote control. Giles sat in one of the chairs, with Jenny Calendar on his lap. She flickered in and out when Angel stared at her.

"Stop looking at her directly, you'll make her vanish," Giles said, frowning at him.

Cordelia, Gunn and Wesley were sprawled on another couch. Cordelia cocked an eyebrow at him, waving a hand at the TV screen. "What's with the vampire movie? I mean, 'Fright Night'? Couldn't you pick something from this century?"

"Has anyone seen Buffy?" Xander asked loudly, rocking on his heels. They all exchanged long looks and turned their attention to the movie. "No?" Xander shrugged his shoulders, putting his hands behind his back. "No. Guess you're out of luck, big guy. Too bad."

"Xander, I know you don't like me but I need to find Buffy. She needs me."

"Really?" Xander squinted at him. "Sure she does. Our Buff can take care of herself."

"Angel!"

"Xander, I just want to help her. I have to find her to be able to help her," Angel said, frustrated.

"Angel!"

"I've seen what you can do to her," Xander said coldly, his expression closing off. "She doesn't need that kind of help."

"Xander, please."

"Nope." Xander ambled back to the others, dropping next to the girl and Spike, plucking the control from their hands and tossing his legs onto the coffee table.

Spike looked at Xander in surprise. "You've grown up, Harris," he said.

"Better believe it." The dark haired young man smiled cockily and draped an arm around the girl. "And I have the power." He pointed the remote at the TV.

"Angel." The voice, now exasperated, caught his attention and he turned to it. Willow wriggled her fingers at him, her face glowing in excitement.

"Willow," he said, relieved. Willow would tell him how to find Buffy.

"He's wrong. I have the power." She grinned, pointing behind him. "See?"

Angel looked back, seeing Drusilla, trussed in the chains hanging from the wall. She snarled at him. "Naughty, naughty Daddy," she said. "Playing with all these toys, not giving one, just one to your baby girl." She kicked her feet.

"Willow, do you know where Buffy is?"

Willow tilted to peer around him, then turned her head to look over her shoulder, her lower lip poking out. "She was just here. She wanted popcorn. Did you get it?"

"I," Angel said.

Shaking a finger at him, Willow said, "You know how Buffy likes her popcorn." Her expressive face fell. "Maybe she went with Riley to get some. I thought I saw him in there, earlier." She hooked a thumb over her shoulder. "Do you want me to help you find her?"

"Please," Angel said.

Willow grinned and took his arm. "It's really easy. You just take the second star to the right." She made a gesture with her free hand, many- colored sparks flickering in the air around them. The magic got caught in her hair, like Christmas lights and she sobered. "Buffy's waiting for you." Willow pointed at a doorway. "Go on."

"Aren't you coming, too?" Angel asked her.

Shaking her head, Willow entwined her fingers together. "Spike might. If you ask him."

Angel looked back the way he'd come, not seeing the younger vampire at all now. Cordelia was squabbling with Xander for the remote. "Where is he?"

"I'll ask," Willow said, stepping backwards, towards the others. Angel frowned as she vanished into a swirling grey mist and he turned to the doorway and walked through it. Drusilla paced next to him, a faint smile on her mouth.

"What?" he asked her.

"Daddy doesn't always get what he wants," she said.

"How did you get out of your chains?" Angel asked.

"I had the key."

He stopped, seeing Darla, her hands loosely around Dawn's neck. The girl struggled but froze as Darla's fingers tightened. "Darla, let her go," Angel said, lifting a hand.

"Oh, no, lover. I don't think so." Darla purred into Dawn's ear. "She's so helpless. And don't you want to know what her blood would taste like? Summers' blood. Just as yummy as when you snacked on your Slayer, don't you think?"

"Angel," Dawn cried.

"It's me you want, Darla, not Dawn. Turn her loose."

"Why? So you can play hero and rescue her? You staked me for her sister. Can't I eat her for you?" She licked Dawn's neck. "Mm. She smells so good, Angel. Don't you want a little sip?"

Drusilla joined Darla, her mad eyes gleaming over Dawn's shoulder. "Just a little sip, Daddy," she said, holding up her index finger and thumb, less than an inch apart. "I won't tell that you've been naughty."

"Let her go," Angel said, his hands clenching into fists.

"Hm." Darla suddenly shoved Dawn at him and he caught her automatically. "All right, Angel. We're after bigger game, anyway." Her laughter fell around him like glass breaking and she and Dru were gone.

"Are you all right, Dawn?" Angel asked, tilting her chin up.

"What are you waiting for?" she asked. "Buffy needs you." She squirmed out of his arms. "She was right here." Dawn's eyes got big as she searched for her sister. "I can't lose her again, Angel. You have to find her."

"I will, Dawn. I promise." He nodded at Dawn as she stepped aside.

She smiled at him, waving. "Oh, Angel? You might need this." She threw him a sword.

Angel frowned but caught it, taking a step forward. The sword was heavy in his hands, dragging him down. It seemed awkward to be carrying it but somehow, Dawn thought he needed it. He felt someone's eyes on him and glanced back. Dawn was gone, no real surprise. He hefted the sword and started walking slowly, not trusting this at all. It was too strange. The weapon slipped and he freshened his grip, wondering why it weighed so much.

Another door beckoned and Angel moved through it and back to Pylea. He saw Willow, sitting in the long grass, a wreath of flowers on her head. She braided another, her attention focused on the stems she wove together. Angel crossed to her, the sword dragging his arms lower the closer he got to the girl. "That won't help you find Buffy," Willow said, not looking up.

"Angel?"

He ignored the voice to concentrate on the redhead. "What do I need, Willow?"

"Angel?" The voice seemed to come from all around, more insistent this time. "Come on!"

She shaded her eyes then, blinking up at him. "You know."

"No, Willow," Angel said, squatting in the grass next to her. "Please, tell me."

Willow smiled a tiny, enigmatic smile. "They need you," she said, her gaze flitting away, over the green grass to somewhere else. "See ya."

"Angel! I swear, he sleeps like the dead."

"He is dead, Cordelia."

"Well, he sleeps like it! Angel!"

He opened his eyes, staring up at the ceiling. Slowly, he rolled from the bed and went to the door, opening it. Cordelia and Gunn stood on the other side. He pawed at his hair absently, the dream images slipping from his grasp as he stared at them both.

"Good afternoon to you, sleeping beauty," Cordelia said. "We're all packed and ready to go."

"Fred?"

"Downstairs with Kate."

Angel nodded. "Let's go, then." He glanced around the room, seeing nothing he needed here besides the small bag, packed by his door. He grabbed the handles and followed Cordy and Gunn down the stairs and into the lobby of the Hyperion.

Kate smiled at him. "I wondered if I'd see you," she said.

"Sorry," he mumbled as he walked to her. "I was.having bad dreams."

She cocked her blonde head at him. "Really?"

He nodded then laid a hand on her arm, pulling her a little away. "You understand what we're doing?"

"I'm not sure." The corner of her mouth twitched. "There's someone known as the Slayer, who died but you don't think she's dead." Her hand motion took in the rest of the people milling in the lobby. "You actually think she's in another dimension so you're going to Sunnydale to see if you can find her."

"That's pretty much it, yeah," Angel said.

Kate crossed her arms. "I hope you don't mind me saying this, but it sounds like a wild goose chase."

Angel kept a firm grip on his hope. "I mind, Kate. But it's okay." He paused. "It's the least that I can do for her."

Dawn sidled a little closer. "Angel? Come on." She twisted like a rope in the wind. "Buffy needs us."

Kate glanced from the girl back to Angel. "Buffy?" She frowned slightly, her eyes ticking to the side. "That's the girl from the police station, isn't it? When your friend Faith turned herself in?" Angel nodded as her expression shuttered. "You.love her very much."

Sometimes that word didn't seem strong enough for what he'd felt for Buffy. "Yeah," he said, finally.

"Then good luck getting her back," Kate said, squeezing his shoulder. She took a step away. "Fred? Are you ready?"

Fred skittered over, her sweet grin flickering into place. "We're going to find my family?" she asked.

"Exactly." Kate gave her a reassuring smile.

"And you're gonna find your girl?" Fred asked Angel, not quite looking at him.

He took her narrow shoulders in his hands. "It's important, Fred. And it could be dangerous. Sunnydale's no picnic on a normal day. Mixing in other dimension and the fact that there is no Slayer there now, well, I wouldn't want you to get hurt."

"I-I understand, Angel," Fred said. She lifted her head, searching his eyes. "You take care, hear? And-and, good luck."

"Let's move it, people," Spike said impatiently. "We're burning moonlight."

They all trailed towards the doors, each partnering up for the drive to Sunnydale. "I'll take good care of her for you, Angel," Kate said, laying an arm across Fred's shoulders.

"I appreciate it, Kate," he said as Spike sauntered over.

"I'm goin' with you and little bit," the blond vampire said.

"No smoking in the car," Angel said automatically.

"Bloody hell."

"Shotgun," Dawn said.

"Someone wants bit," Spike warned her.

"No threatening anyone either, remember Spike?" Angel glanced at the younger vampire, holding those pale eyes until they dropped. He raised his voice. "Pack it up, Wes, we're ready to go."

The ex-Watcher looked up from one of the stolen texts. "Everything is in the trunk of your car, Angel." He waggled the book in his hands. "But this. You are riding with me, Lindsey. You must give me your take on this. Its importance to our venture could be astronomical."

Cordelia rolled her eyes and sighed. "That means I'm left to drive."

"Uh, uh, Cor," Gunn said. "I seen how you steer. I'll drive. You passenge."

"I've never gotten a ticket in my life," Cordelia groused.

"There's always a first time. Gimme." He held out his hand and Cordelia reluctantly handed over the keys.

"Well, let's saddle up and move it on out," Lindsey said.

Cordelia rolled her eyes. "Who died and made you John Wayne?" She followed Gunn to the door. Angel herded everyone outside, locking the door behind him. Dawn bounced along the sidewalk and into his Plymouth, Spike slouching after her. Angel watched as Gunn, Wes and Lindsey piled into Cordy's car. "Don't break any speed limits," Cordy said, fixing Angel with a glare as she stood next to the passenger door. "Cause the cops just would love to have something on you, I'll bet."

"I'll drive safely. I have Dawn with me, remember?"

"Right. Remind her to buckle up. If Spike falls out, it's not big loss."

"I heard that, Chase," Spike said, from the back seat.

"Like I care." Cordelia tossed her hair and got into her car.

Angel turned back to Kate and Fred as Spike climbed into the GTX. "Thanks again, Kate," he said.

"No problem. Fred and I," she smiled at the younger woman, "we'll be okay. And we've got your cell number, in case we aren't."

"Bye, Angel," Fred said, taking his hand. "You do what you have to do."

He squeezed her fingers gently. "I will, Fred."

The horn from his car blasted through the early evening and Spike yelled, "Are we going or are you gonna hang out here all night?"

"Gotta go." Angel disengaged from Fred and walked to his car, swinging his bag into the back on top of Spike. "Hold that, youngster," he said, sliding inside.

Spike snarled, throwing the bag to the floor. Dawn fastened her seatbelt and waved at Fred. "Good luck on finding your family!"

"Good luck finding your sister." Fred waved back.

Angel started the engine, gripping the steering wheel a little too tightly. Sunnydale. He was returning to Sunnydale, the home of too many of his past mistakes and the one great joy of his existence. Focusing his attention, he shifted the car into gear and pulled out after Cordy's car, willing the fear to settle in his stomach.

Dawn turned in the seat, her expression unusually solemn. "Do you guys think she'll be okay?" she asked almost too softly to be heard over the air rushing over them.

Spike leaned forward, half over the seat. "She'll be fine, niblet," he said. He patted her shoulder clumsily. "Just fine."

Angel only hoped Dawn couldn't hear the worry in Spike's voice. "Wherever she is, Dawn, Buffy's good," Angel said, praying he didn't lie.