They had reached the outskirts of L.A., but Angel hadn't managed to doze yet. He had way too much to think about to sleep. When he noticed someone walking beside the highway, he was glad he hadn't fallen asleep yet.
"Pull over," Angel said to Wesley.
Wesley gave him a strange look but then complied. They reached the shoulder just as the walker made it to that point.
"Gunn!" Angel called out. The young man approached the car.
"Angel," he said, apparently a little surprised. "Taking a trip? I didn't think you got out much."
"It's not really a social call," the other replied.
"I should have known," said Gunn. "I wish I could say mine was."
"What are you up to?"
"Word just got to me that my cousin died a few weeks back," he said. "I thought I'd pay my respects to my aunt and uncle."
"I'm sorry," said Angel.
"Thanks. It's been a while since I've seen him, but he was a good guy."
"Is it close enough for you to walk?" Angel asked.
Gunn shrugged. "Not really. It's a little ways from here. I figure I'll just hitchhike once I get tired."
"Where are you going?"
"Sunnydale."
Angel seemed a little thrown by his answer, but resolved that he shouldn't be surprised with the way things were going.
"Hop in," he said. "We're going your way."
"That's alright. I don't want to cause you any headache if you're on a mission."
"What he means is that we're going to Sunnydale too," Cordelia jumped in. She stuck out her hand. "Cordelia Chase -- Angel's personal assistant."
Angel couldn't help but smile at Cordelia's omission of the title "secretary".
"Charles Gunn," replied the other, shaking her hand. "Angel's covert agent," he added with a grin in Angel's direction.
Cordelia threw Angel a confused look.
"Gunn's helped me out a few times," said Angel simply. "The least I can do is give him a ride," he said, looking back at Gunn.
"OK, you've got me convinced," said Gunn, throwing his bag in the back
seat. "Let's get out of here."
Spike just happened to be strolling down Rodello Dr. when he noticed the large number of lights on at the Slayer's house. He didn't have anything in particular to do -- can't even bloody kill something, he thought bitterly -- so he decided to check it out.
Getting closer to the house, Spike saw Buffy and her friends all gathered in the house, seeming to have a good time. He strolled calmly through the door.
"What? You're having a party and you didn't even invite your old buddy Spike?" he said with a giant smile on his face. He loved to provoke Buffy.
Graham staggered and pointed at Spike, but couldn't seem to get a word out of his mouth. He nudged Riley, motioning toward the vampire.
"What's his deal?" said Spike, always speaking to Buffy. He laughed shortly and sauntered into the kitchen.
"What are you doing here, Spike?" Buffy asked, very little patience in her voice.
By this time Spike was already rummaging through the refrigerator. He ignored her question but called out to her a few seconds later.
"Don't you keep any of the good stuff around here? I mean, I know it's been a while, but I was sure you'd have some leftover from the good ole Angel days."
He stuck his head back into the living room to see Buffy standing with her arms crossed. She was trying to look stern and unshaken, but Spike noticed her shoot a paranoid glance in Riley's direction. The latter wasn't looking too happy.
"Spike-" started Buffy. She was going to say that the fact that he was invited into her house didn't mean that he was welcome, but her mom beat her.
"Would you like some cookies?" Joyce asked, hopping up to be the dutiful hostess. She didn't notice the dispairing look that her daughter gave her.
"I would love some," he said, following Joyce into the dining room. He couldn't resist throwing a grin in Buffy's direction first.
Graham looked at her with palpable shock. Buffy just shook her head, defeated. "It's a long story."
The others in the room didn't seem too surprised by Spike's entrance. Most of them looked in his direction with indifference.
"Nothing like a little Spike to put things back into perspective," said Xander sarcastically.
"But we can still party, right?" said Willow softly.
"Absolutely," answered her best friend. "Nothing is stopping this party animal!" He started to pull Anya back out into the middle of the floor to dance, but she only glared at him.
"Xander," she said impatiently.
"Nothing," he emphasized, a shockingly serious look on his face, "Is stopping the party."
She huffed a little, but allowed herself to be pulled into Xander's arms. Buffy raised an eyebrow in his direction, looking at Willow, who just shrugged. Anya's odd behavior never seemed to end.