In the Space of a Journey
Chapter Eight
England -- Aidan's Flat
Cordelia followed Buffy and the rest of her fellow Sunnydale citizens out of Aidan's flat and downstairs. Giles caught up with the group soon after they emerged onto the street below, and the former England native set about hailing them a cab.
As they waited, Cordelia found herself apart from the rest of the group. She wasn't even sure why she was still with them. It just seemed somehow the thing to do right now, and besides, her luggage had been left with the other things at their hotel. She couldn't leave without that!
Standing with her arms crossed, Cordelia looked around the street. Something white on the ground caught her eye. Doyle's handkerchief. She walked over and picked it up, astonished that it hadn't been stolen or blown away. The embroidered AFD in the corner confirmed that it was indeed Doyle's hanky. Briefly, Cordelia wondered what the A and the F stood for, then she thought (Well, I suppose someone ought to take it back to him...) She looked around at her companions, and realized none of them could do the job with the graceful aplomb it would require to break back into the argument brewing in the flat.
Abruptly, she announced, "I'll be right back. Hold the cab." Then, oblivious to the surprised looks she was getting, Cordelia turned and walked back into the building, the now-grimy handkerchief fluttering in her hand.
It didn't take her long to make her way back to the front door of the flat. She laid her hand on the door knob, and found it unlocked. Not surprising judging by the loud, angry voices that were audible even in the hall. They must've been too busy fighting to think about locking the door. Cordelia opened the door quietly and looked in, trying to decide when it would be appropriate to speak and break the tension.
Both men stood in the middle of the room, glaring at each other. Each seemed certain that his own way was right.
"Savin' the world! What a joke!" Cordelia heard Doyle yell. "The Council's made up of blind fools and perverse hypocrites worried more about appearances and authority over their tools -- like the Slayer -- than real threats! My vision proves..."
"Some vision!" Aidan interrupted. "It took two months for something to even come from it, and you still don't know what, if anything, the big threat is. I sounded the alert at the Council, and now I look bad in front of my superiors!"
Cordelia was a little impressed in spite of herself at the way Doyle was standing up to his more respectable friend. Aidan was the one with the good job, the Oxford education and all the trappings of respectable society. (It would be like Xander standing up to Giles!) Cordelia thought in surprise. (Not that I would care if he did...)
"If ye didnae believe in me vision, then why did ye let me stay here so long!" Doyle demanded.
After that, she thought it was more than time that she speak up, but Aidan's next words stilled her tongue.
"Misguided friendship, I don't know! You know, Doyle, maybe it would be better all around if you just left."
"Maybe so! I'll just get me things together right now..."
Then Doyle turned and saw her. For an instant, Cordelia could see the unguarded pain in his eyes, and then he covered up his emotions and started shoving dirty laundry in a well-worn suitcase.
Before either Doyle or the stunned-looking Aidan could say anything, Cordelia breezed into the room and said, "Sorry to interrupt your Celebrity Death Match moment, boys." Rolling her eyes, she added, "But can we say bitter much?" She slanted a 'look' at Aidan, illustrating that what she'd overheard had done nothing for her sagging opinion of him. Then she turned to Doyle and said, "Why don't you come with us? I'll even let you carry my suitcases back to my hotel."
The slightly desperate "what am I gonna do" look in Doyle's eyes faded a little, and he replied, "Sure, Cordelia. Sounds great. I cannae wait ta get outta here." Finishing his haphazard packing, Doyle shouldered his two bags and opened the door to let Cordelia out first without looking over his shoulder at Aidan once.
As they made their way down the hall, Doyle gave Cordelia a sidelong glance and asked, "Not that I'm not grateful, but why did ye come back?"
"Oh!" Cordelia said, the real reason for her trip back upstairs coming back to her. "I found this downstairs and I thought you might want it back."
"Me hanky!" Doyle exclaimed happily. "Thanks!"
Cordelia shrugged as they walked outside. "Well, I couldn't leave the grungy thing littering the clean city streets, now could I?" And with that she hopped into the last remaining seat in one of the cabs, leaving Doyle to make his way into the other one and tell Giles this new story.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sunnydale -- Amy's House
The shrill ringing of the phone on her bedside table woke Amy at an ungodly hour. She'd been at the condo very late the night before working on a complex transmutation spell with Ms. Calendar and Rio, so getting up at -- she checked the window and groaned -- the crack of dawn had not been on her schedule this morning.
But the phone wouldn't shut up, so, not wanting it to wake her father, Amy finally reached a hand out from her cocoon of blankets and grabbed the phone.
"Who could be calling me so early on my vacation?" Amy muttered sleepily into the receiver.
"Oh, I'm sorry, did I wake you?"
The familiar English accent caused her to sit up in surprise. Her thick quilt fell down to her waist, revealing her silk, navy blue pajamas underneath. "Terrance, is that you?"
"Yes, quite. And I do apologize for waking you up. What with my early training schedules and all sometimes I forget that normal people like to sleep in." His low, masculine chuckle sent shivers up and down her spine.
"No, no, not at all," Amy babbled. "I was thinking about getting up anyway."
"Oh, good," Terrance replied. "Then maybe you'll be interested in my proposition."
"You're going to proposition me?" Amy teased. Remembering his good looks, she added to herself, (though that might not be so bad.)
"If you consider an invitation to breakfast a proposition..." She could hear his smile in his voice. "Would you like to join me?"
"What time?"
"Say, an hour and a half?"
"Sounds great!" Amy was relieved -- that would give her more than enough time to get ready. "Where are we going?"
"I thought we could meet at a nice little diner I saw when we got to town. I think it was called the Rose Cup. The motel manager highly recommends it."
"That little place with the pink walls?" Amy nodded, even though he couldn't see her. "I went there once. They do have good food."
"Right, then we'll meet at the Rose Cup in an hour and a half?"
"I'll be there."
"Until then," Terrance said and then hang up.
"'Til then," Amy repeated. Dreamily, she put the receiver back in its cradle, and then sank back down into her blanket cocoon. "I can't believe he asked me out! He is so gorgeous!" she whispered excitedly to herself. "If only Buffy were here so I could tell her... I haven't been on a date since Europe!" Then a thought struck her that caused Amy to jump out of bed entirely. "What am I going to wear?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
England -- The Girls' Hotel Room
"Well, it's been 'interesting' and all," Cordelia announced, flipping her long, glossy hair over one shoulder, "But I have to be getting back to my suite at the Ritz."
Sonya looked up from her position on the nearest bed and called, "Okay, we'll miss ya, bye-bye now." She gestured at the door and added, "You know your way out."
Joyce gave Sonya a slightly disapproving look and then turned to face Cordelia. "Dear, you can't go back there alone," she told the brunette in her best mother voice. "It's simply not safe. What if one of those assassins finds you on your way home?"
Cordelia rolled her eyes. "Please, I'll just explain to them that I'm not *with* you people."
Buffy stood up and placed her hands on her hips. "Do you really think they'll just let you go now that they've seen you with us?" Sighing, she added, "I think my mother is right. You shouldn't be left alone."
Cordelia threw her hands in the air and exclaimed. "I won't be alone! My daddy is staying in a suite on the next floor, for God's sake!"
There was a knock on the door.
"Is everyone okay in there?"
It was Xander. Obviously having heard the commotion from the next room, he had come over to check up on them. Buffy walked to the door and opened it, surprised to find Giles and Doyle standing there as well as her boyfriend.
"We're fine," she reassured Xander, slipping her hand into his and giving him a quick peck on the cheek. Turning her attention to Giles and Doyle, she added, "But there is one problem. Cordelia is insisting that she be allowed to go back to her hotel room..."
"It happens to be a *suite* at the Ritz, thank you very much," Cordelia huffed from where she stood on the other side of the room.
"... fine, her *suite* then," Buffy amended, shooting Cordelia an annoyed look. "The point is, she's staying there all by herself. We don't think that it's safe for her to be alone with these assassin guys on the loose. They followed Doyle around, didn't they? So they already know that she's staying there. What if they come after her?"
Cordelia breezed past Buffy and announced haughtily, "Look, you people can stand around and debate things until you're blue in the face, but I'm going back to my suite!" Gesturing at her bags, she added, "Will someone take those downstairs for me while I go hail a cab?" Then she walked out of the room and left everyone else looking after her with surprise etched on their faces.
Doyle recovered his voice first. "We cannae let her be alone. Someone should stay with her at the Ritz... fer protection."
Giles nodded. "Yes, that does seem like our only course of action at this juncture."
From her position on the bed, Sonya muttered darkly, "We could just call up the Council and give them her room number. That would solve everyone's problems really fast!"
Giles gave her a stern look and announced, "And since you seem to be so concerned about her, Sonya, you will be the one to go with her."
"What?!" Sonya demanded, rising to her feet. "No way! I am *not* going to play babysitter to that spoiled little brat all night." She crossed her arms in front of her chest and glared defiantly at Giles. "It's not gonna happen."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sunnydale -- the Rose Cup
Amy pulled her car up to the diner and parked. She sat there for a minute with a sudden case of the jitters. (What if he's not there?) she asked herself. (Do I go in and get a table or wait outside... Did I choose the right outfit? What on earth will we talk about? Oh... I should have just stayed in bed!)
"All right," Amy said aloud to herself. "Quit being silly, and get on with it, girl!"
She flipped down the rearview mirror for a last makeup and hair check. Her French twist and her new passion pink lipstick looked fine. And she was wearing her favorite green sweater and jeans for comfort and attractiveness. Flipping the mirror back up again, Amy took a deep breath, grabbed her purse and got out of the car. When she walked up the steps, suddenly Terrance was there to greet her. Before he reached her, she looked her fill. His blond, short hair was impeccably styled, his blue eyes gazed at her warmly and this morning, instead of the black suit, he was wearing jeans and a grey T-shirt that showed off his muscular arms.
"Good morning, Amy," Terrance said with a big smile. Then he offered her his arm as they walked into the restaurant.
(What a gentleman!) she thought, sliding her arm through his. Aloud, she said, "How are you this morning, Terrance? Get much sleep after we packed it in last night?"
"A bit," he replied. Then, to the hostess, he said, "Two please."
Soon they were being led through the crowded diner to a corner booth. Amy slid onto the cracked, pink vinyl without even noticing. They began to peruse the menus. Amy slid Terrance a nervous glance and caught him doing the same thing. They both laughed and the tension was broken.
(This is actually going to be fun) Amy decided happily.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
England -- The Ritz
"I can't believe I'm here," Sonya moaned as she followed Cordelia into her suite.
"Well, I'm not too thrilled about the impromptu roommates myself," Cordelia replied in an annoyed tone.
"What are ye two so upset about?" Doyle asked, shutting the door behind them with a grin. Then he dropped his two bags, and two of Cordelia's that he'd been carrying, and plopped down on the large, overstuffed couch, resting his feet on the coffee table. "It's like a sleep over!"
Sonya and Cordelia both gave him death looks.
"When was the last time you were invited to a sleep over?" Sonya muttered, dropping her own bag, and the other two of Cordelia's bags in a pile on the floor.
Cordelia looked at the messy pile of baggage unhappily, and then walked over and forcibly removed Doyle's feet from the pristine surface of the table. "Just because I'm allowing you to stay here doesn't mean you can treat this place like you did Aidan's apartment. This is a suite at the Ritz, not a dumpy little flat! It requires a bit of class."
Doyle straightened up on the couch and seemed to be trying for class.
Sonya rolled her eyes and turned to Cordelia. "Where's the phone? I told Oz I'd call him when I got here."
Cordelia gestured vaguely toward the kitchenette and then turned back to Doyle. "And speaking of class, has anyone ever told you that the Irish pimp look is *so* five minutes ago?"
Doyle looked down at his outfit -- his favorite leather jacket, a colorful shirt with a wide collar, a golden amulet, and dark pants -- and frowned. "What's wrong wi' me clothes?" He absently fingered the collar of his shirt with one hand while the fingers of his other hand tapped out a soft rhythm on his left leg. He was really starting to regret his decision to tag along with Sonya and Cordelia.
"What's wrong with them?" Cordelia laughed incredulously and placed her hands on her hips. "Oh, where should I start?"
"Actually, I'd prefer it if ye didnae start anythin' at all," Doyle muttered under his breath, glancing over at where Sonya was talking -- presumably to Oz -- on the phone.
"OK, then, on to other things," Cordelia said, waving her hand around airily. "Just so there aren't any misunderstandings, I'm getting the bed. You and Sonya can duke it out for the sofa or the bathtub."
"Gee, thanks for the consideration," Doyle replied with a frown. "Ye know, we did come her fer yer safety..."
"I'm sure I would have been fine without you," Cordelia assured him. "This is a four-star hotel. They have great security."
"An' that same great security let me slip t'rough the cracks last night, steal a bellhop getup and spy on you," Doyle said sarcastically. "Sounds like a real winner ye picked here!"
Cordelia's face took on a fierce frown. "Since we're talking about that, let me just say that stalking is illegal in most civilized countries..."
On the other side of the room, Sonya turned her back on her feuding roommates so she could better concentrate on the phone call.
"How's it going there?" Oz asked.
"Fine, if you like World War III," Sonya grumbled. "Those two just don't know when to quit. I wish I was with you guys. Buffy and Joyce are probably having *way* too much fun in the girls' room without me."
"I don't know about that since they're both in here," Oz replied, "but I miss you, too."
That made Sonya pause, a happy smile curving her lips. "Really?"
"Really."
"Well, maybe we can go out for breakfast tomorrow morning before we have to leave for the Compound, just me and you," Sonya suggested.
"That would be cool..."
Across the room, Cordelia shrieked just as a loud knock sounded on the door. Not taking her glare off Doyle, Cordelia called, "Come in!"
At that, Sonya turned and called, "No, Cordelia, you should never just say 'come in!' It can be dangerous..."
But before she could even finish her sentence, the door to the suite sprang open and four big, burly vampires walked in wearing their game faces.
"This is going to be easier than they told us," a vampire in a black duster said with a laugh.
A shorter vamp wearing a red hat slugged the one in the duster in the arm. "Shut up! We aren't s'posed ta let on 'bout that!"
"Quit it, you two," the third vamp, wearing a Led Zepplin T-shirt, said, and the fourth vamp, wearing white leather pants, nodded.
"Let's get on wi' it!" Leather Pants growled, looking hungrily at Cordelia. "She looks like a tasty bit o' stuff."
Cordelia screamed again, but the door slamming shut muffled the sounds from anyone outside. Leather Pants strode up to her and grabbed her by the nape of the neck. "Shut up, sweet thing, o' yer gonna be supper!" Then he laughed. "Never mind, yer gonna be supper anyway!"
"Let her go!" Sonya yelled. Dropping the phone, she vaulted over the bar that separated the kitchenette from the rest of the suite, hoping to charge Leather Pants. But Duster and Zepplin got in her way.
"Going somewhere?" Zepplin asked menacingly.
"I don't think so," Duster added with a growl for good measure.
Sonya sank back into a fighting stance, and pulled her ever-present stake out of her waistband. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Red Hat closing in on Doyle as Leather Pants leaned down toward Cordelia's throat.
(Giles) Sonya vowed silently (I'm really gonna get you for this... if we all get out of here OK...)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
England - Boys' Hotel Room
Giles and Xander sat at the room's only table, as Giles tried to teach Xander how to play chess. Xander however, was distracted by Buffy sitting on the arm of his chair. Joyce was in the bathroom rinsing out some socks. Oz, however, was paying no attention to the everyday activities going on around him. He was looking worriedly at the phone, hoping the person on the other end would come back.
"Sonya?"
Oz listened intently but she didn't come back. In the background he could hear growling, and then a high-pitched, feminine scream. Something bad was going on.
"Sonya!" Oz yelled into the phone. "Come back to me! What's going on, damn it?"
All around the hotel room, heads snapped up at the unusual sound of Oz yelling.
"What's wrong?" Buffy asked, standing up.
Oz looked up, a bleak look in his eyes. "I think they're being attacked..." He held the phone out, and Buffy grabbed it.
The Slayer's face went from expectant to unhappy. "It's definitely an attack," she told the others, "and from the growling in the background, I'd say it's vampires. As in more than one."
"Oh, no, Sonya!" Xander said, jumping to his feet so fast that he jostled the chess board and black and white figures went flying all over the floor. "We've got to get over there!"
Buffy gave Xander and strange look, but instead of saying whatever was on her mind, she simply announced, "Let me go get my weapons bag from my room, then we'll go." Looking at Giles, she added, "You've got to come with us, to help us navigate." Then she looked at her mother, but Joyce spoke before Buffy could say anything.
"I'll stay here with Oz."
As Buffy, Xander and Giles hurried out the door, Oz said, "Do the superhero thing, Buffy. Save the day."
Buffy put her hand on Oz's shoulder for a brief second. "Don't worry, Oz. It's all going to be OK. I promise." Before Oz could notice any hollowness or doubt in her words, Buffy led her team out of the room.
Chapter Eight
England -- Aidan's Flat
Cordelia followed Buffy and the rest of her fellow Sunnydale citizens out of Aidan's flat and downstairs. Giles caught up with the group soon after they emerged onto the street below, and the former England native set about hailing them a cab.
As they waited, Cordelia found herself apart from the rest of the group. She wasn't even sure why she was still with them. It just seemed somehow the thing to do right now, and besides, her luggage had been left with the other things at their hotel. She couldn't leave without that!
Standing with her arms crossed, Cordelia looked around the street. Something white on the ground caught her eye. Doyle's handkerchief. She walked over and picked it up, astonished that it hadn't been stolen or blown away. The embroidered AFD in the corner confirmed that it was indeed Doyle's hanky. Briefly, Cordelia wondered what the A and the F stood for, then she thought (Well, I suppose someone ought to take it back to him...) She looked around at her companions, and realized none of them could do the job with the graceful aplomb it would require to break back into the argument brewing in the flat.
Abruptly, she announced, "I'll be right back. Hold the cab." Then, oblivious to the surprised looks she was getting, Cordelia turned and walked back into the building, the now-grimy handkerchief fluttering in her hand.
It didn't take her long to make her way back to the front door of the flat. She laid her hand on the door knob, and found it unlocked. Not surprising judging by the loud, angry voices that were audible even in the hall. They must've been too busy fighting to think about locking the door. Cordelia opened the door quietly and looked in, trying to decide when it would be appropriate to speak and break the tension.
Both men stood in the middle of the room, glaring at each other. Each seemed certain that his own way was right.
"Savin' the world! What a joke!" Cordelia heard Doyle yell. "The Council's made up of blind fools and perverse hypocrites worried more about appearances and authority over their tools -- like the Slayer -- than real threats! My vision proves..."
"Some vision!" Aidan interrupted. "It took two months for something to even come from it, and you still don't know what, if anything, the big threat is. I sounded the alert at the Council, and now I look bad in front of my superiors!"
Cordelia was a little impressed in spite of herself at the way Doyle was standing up to his more respectable friend. Aidan was the one with the good job, the Oxford education and all the trappings of respectable society. (It would be like Xander standing up to Giles!) Cordelia thought in surprise. (Not that I would care if he did...)
"If ye didnae believe in me vision, then why did ye let me stay here so long!" Doyle demanded.
After that, she thought it was more than time that she speak up, but Aidan's next words stilled her tongue.
"Misguided friendship, I don't know! You know, Doyle, maybe it would be better all around if you just left."
"Maybe so! I'll just get me things together right now..."
Then Doyle turned and saw her. For an instant, Cordelia could see the unguarded pain in his eyes, and then he covered up his emotions and started shoving dirty laundry in a well-worn suitcase.
Before either Doyle or the stunned-looking Aidan could say anything, Cordelia breezed into the room and said, "Sorry to interrupt your Celebrity Death Match moment, boys." Rolling her eyes, she added, "But can we say bitter much?" She slanted a 'look' at Aidan, illustrating that what she'd overheard had done nothing for her sagging opinion of him. Then she turned to Doyle and said, "Why don't you come with us? I'll even let you carry my suitcases back to my hotel."
The slightly desperate "what am I gonna do" look in Doyle's eyes faded a little, and he replied, "Sure, Cordelia. Sounds great. I cannae wait ta get outta here." Finishing his haphazard packing, Doyle shouldered his two bags and opened the door to let Cordelia out first without looking over his shoulder at Aidan once.
As they made their way down the hall, Doyle gave Cordelia a sidelong glance and asked, "Not that I'm not grateful, but why did ye come back?"
"Oh!" Cordelia said, the real reason for her trip back upstairs coming back to her. "I found this downstairs and I thought you might want it back."
"Me hanky!" Doyle exclaimed happily. "Thanks!"
Cordelia shrugged as they walked outside. "Well, I couldn't leave the grungy thing littering the clean city streets, now could I?" And with that she hopped into the last remaining seat in one of the cabs, leaving Doyle to make his way into the other one and tell Giles this new story.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sunnydale -- Amy's House
The shrill ringing of the phone on her bedside table woke Amy at an ungodly hour. She'd been at the condo very late the night before working on a complex transmutation spell with Ms. Calendar and Rio, so getting up at -- she checked the window and groaned -- the crack of dawn had not been on her schedule this morning.
But the phone wouldn't shut up, so, not wanting it to wake her father, Amy finally reached a hand out from her cocoon of blankets and grabbed the phone.
"Who could be calling me so early on my vacation?" Amy muttered sleepily into the receiver.
"Oh, I'm sorry, did I wake you?"
The familiar English accent caused her to sit up in surprise. Her thick quilt fell down to her waist, revealing her silk, navy blue pajamas underneath. "Terrance, is that you?"
"Yes, quite. And I do apologize for waking you up. What with my early training schedules and all sometimes I forget that normal people like to sleep in." His low, masculine chuckle sent shivers up and down her spine.
"No, no, not at all," Amy babbled. "I was thinking about getting up anyway."
"Oh, good," Terrance replied. "Then maybe you'll be interested in my proposition."
"You're going to proposition me?" Amy teased. Remembering his good looks, she added to herself, (though that might not be so bad.)
"If you consider an invitation to breakfast a proposition..." She could hear his smile in his voice. "Would you like to join me?"
"What time?"
"Say, an hour and a half?"
"Sounds great!" Amy was relieved -- that would give her more than enough time to get ready. "Where are we going?"
"I thought we could meet at a nice little diner I saw when we got to town. I think it was called the Rose Cup. The motel manager highly recommends it."
"That little place with the pink walls?" Amy nodded, even though he couldn't see her. "I went there once. They do have good food."
"Right, then we'll meet at the Rose Cup in an hour and a half?"
"I'll be there."
"Until then," Terrance said and then hang up.
"'Til then," Amy repeated. Dreamily, she put the receiver back in its cradle, and then sank back down into her blanket cocoon. "I can't believe he asked me out! He is so gorgeous!" she whispered excitedly to herself. "If only Buffy were here so I could tell her... I haven't been on a date since Europe!" Then a thought struck her that caused Amy to jump out of bed entirely. "What am I going to wear?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
England -- The Girls' Hotel Room
"Well, it's been 'interesting' and all," Cordelia announced, flipping her long, glossy hair over one shoulder, "But I have to be getting back to my suite at the Ritz."
Sonya looked up from her position on the nearest bed and called, "Okay, we'll miss ya, bye-bye now." She gestured at the door and added, "You know your way out."
Joyce gave Sonya a slightly disapproving look and then turned to face Cordelia. "Dear, you can't go back there alone," she told the brunette in her best mother voice. "It's simply not safe. What if one of those assassins finds you on your way home?"
Cordelia rolled her eyes. "Please, I'll just explain to them that I'm not *with* you people."
Buffy stood up and placed her hands on her hips. "Do you really think they'll just let you go now that they've seen you with us?" Sighing, she added, "I think my mother is right. You shouldn't be left alone."
Cordelia threw her hands in the air and exclaimed. "I won't be alone! My daddy is staying in a suite on the next floor, for God's sake!"
There was a knock on the door.
"Is everyone okay in there?"
It was Xander. Obviously having heard the commotion from the next room, he had come over to check up on them. Buffy walked to the door and opened it, surprised to find Giles and Doyle standing there as well as her boyfriend.
"We're fine," she reassured Xander, slipping her hand into his and giving him a quick peck on the cheek. Turning her attention to Giles and Doyle, she added, "But there is one problem. Cordelia is insisting that she be allowed to go back to her hotel room..."
"It happens to be a *suite* at the Ritz, thank you very much," Cordelia huffed from where she stood on the other side of the room.
"... fine, her *suite* then," Buffy amended, shooting Cordelia an annoyed look. "The point is, she's staying there all by herself. We don't think that it's safe for her to be alone with these assassin guys on the loose. They followed Doyle around, didn't they? So they already know that she's staying there. What if they come after her?"
Cordelia breezed past Buffy and announced haughtily, "Look, you people can stand around and debate things until you're blue in the face, but I'm going back to my suite!" Gesturing at her bags, she added, "Will someone take those downstairs for me while I go hail a cab?" Then she walked out of the room and left everyone else looking after her with surprise etched on their faces.
Doyle recovered his voice first. "We cannae let her be alone. Someone should stay with her at the Ritz... fer protection."
Giles nodded. "Yes, that does seem like our only course of action at this juncture."
From her position on the bed, Sonya muttered darkly, "We could just call up the Council and give them her room number. That would solve everyone's problems really fast!"
Giles gave her a stern look and announced, "And since you seem to be so concerned about her, Sonya, you will be the one to go with her."
"What?!" Sonya demanded, rising to her feet. "No way! I am *not* going to play babysitter to that spoiled little brat all night." She crossed her arms in front of her chest and glared defiantly at Giles. "It's not gonna happen."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sunnydale -- the Rose Cup
Amy pulled her car up to the diner and parked. She sat there for a minute with a sudden case of the jitters. (What if he's not there?) she asked herself. (Do I go in and get a table or wait outside... Did I choose the right outfit? What on earth will we talk about? Oh... I should have just stayed in bed!)
"All right," Amy said aloud to herself. "Quit being silly, and get on with it, girl!"
She flipped down the rearview mirror for a last makeup and hair check. Her French twist and her new passion pink lipstick looked fine. And she was wearing her favorite green sweater and jeans for comfort and attractiveness. Flipping the mirror back up again, Amy took a deep breath, grabbed her purse and got out of the car. When she walked up the steps, suddenly Terrance was there to greet her. Before he reached her, she looked her fill. His blond, short hair was impeccably styled, his blue eyes gazed at her warmly and this morning, instead of the black suit, he was wearing jeans and a grey T-shirt that showed off his muscular arms.
"Good morning, Amy," Terrance said with a big smile. Then he offered her his arm as they walked into the restaurant.
(What a gentleman!) she thought, sliding her arm through his. Aloud, she said, "How are you this morning, Terrance? Get much sleep after we packed it in last night?"
"A bit," he replied. Then, to the hostess, he said, "Two please."
Soon they were being led through the crowded diner to a corner booth. Amy slid onto the cracked, pink vinyl without even noticing. They began to peruse the menus. Amy slid Terrance a nervous glance and caught him doing the same thing. They both laughed and the tension was broken.
(This is actually going to be fun) Amy decided happily.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
England -- The Ritz
"I can't believe I'm here," Sonya moaned as she followed Cordelia into her suite.
"Well, I'm not too thrilled about the impromptu roommates myself," Cordelia replied in an annoyed tone.
"What are ye two so upset about?" Doyle asked, shutting the door behind them with a grin. Then he dropped his two bags, and two of Cordelia's that he'd been carrying, and plopped down on the large, overstuffed couch, resting his feet on the coffee table. "It's like a sleep over!"
Sonya and Cordelia both gave him death looks.
"When was the last time you were invited to a sleep over?" Sonya muttered, dropping her own bag, and the other two of Cordelia's bags in a pile on the floor.
Cordelia looked at the messy pile of baggage unhappily, and then walked over and forcibly removed Doyle's feet from the pristine surface of the table. "Just because I'm allowing you to stay here doesn't mean you can treat this place like you did Aidan's apartment. This is a suite at the Ritz, not a dumpy little flat! It requires a bit of class."
Doyle straightened up on the couch and seemed to be trying for class.
Sonya rolled her eyes and turned to Cordelia. "Where's the phone? I told Oz I'd call him when I got here."
Cordelia gestured vaguely toward the kitchenette and then turned back to Doyle. "And speaking of class, has anyone ever told you that the Irish pimp look is *so* five minutes ago?"
Doyle looked down at his outfit -- his favorite leather jacket, a colorful shirt with a wide collar, a golden amulet, and dark pants -- and frowned. "What's wrong wi' me clothes?" He absently fingered the collar of his shirt with one hand while the fingers of his other hand tapped out a soft rhythm on his left leg. He was really starting to regret his decision to tag along with Sonya and Cordelia.
"What's wrong with them?" Cordelia laughed incredulously and placed her hands on her hips. "Oh, where should I start?"
"Actually, I'd prefer it if ye didnae start anythin' at all," Doyle muttered under his breath, glancing over at where Sonya was talking -- presumably to Oz -- on the phone.
"OK, then, on to other things," Cordelia said, waving her hand around airily. "Just so there aren't any misunderstandings, I'm getting the bed. You and Sonya can duke it out for the sofa or the bathtub."
"Gee, thanks for the consideration," Doyle replied with a frown. "Ye know, we did come her fer yer safety..."
"I'm sure I would have been fine without you," Cordelia assured him. "This is a four-star hotel. They have great security."
"An' that same great security let me slip t'rough the cracks last night, steal a bellhop getup and spy on you," Doyle said sarcastically. "Sounds like a real winner ye picked here!"
Cordelia's face took on a fierce frown. "Since we're talking about that, let me just say that stalking is illegal in most civilized countries..."
On the other side of the room, Sonya turned her back on her feuding roommates so she could better concentrate on the phone call.
"How's it going there?" Oz asked.
"Fine, if you like World War III," Sonya grumbled. "Those two just don't know when to quit. I wish I was with you guys. Buffy and Joyce are probably having *way* too much fun in the girls' room without me."
"I don't know about that since they're both in here," Oz replied, "but I miss you, too."
That made Sonya pause, a happy smile curving her lips. "Really?"
"Really."
"Well, maybe we can go out for breakfast tomorrow morning before we have to leave for the Compound, just me and you," Sonya suggested.
"That would be cool..."
Across the room, Cordelia shrieked just as a loud knock sounded on the door. Not taking her glare off Doyle, Cordelia called, "Come in!"
At that, Sonya turned and called, "No, Cordelia, you should never just say 'come in!' It can be dangerous..."
But before she could even finish her sentence, the door to the suite sprang open and four big, burly vampires walked in wearing their game faces.
"This is going to be easier than they told us," a vampire in a black duster said with a laugh.
A shorter vamp wearing a red hat slugged the one in the duster in the arm. "Shut up! We aren't s'posed ta let on 'bout that!"
"Quit it, you two," the third vamp, wearing a Led Zepplin T-shirt, said, and the fourth vamp, wearing white leather pants, nodded.
"Let's get on wi' it!" Leather Pants growled, looking hungrily at Cordelia. "She looks like a tasty bit o' stuff."
Cordelia screamed again, but the door slamming shut muffled the sounds from anyone outside. Leather Pants strode up to her and grabbed her by the nape of the neck. "Shut up, sweet thing, o' yer gonna be supper!" Then he laughed. "Never mind, yer gonna be supper anyway!"
"Let her go!" Sonya yelled. Dropping the phone, she vaulted over the bar that separated the kitchenette from the rest of the suite, hoping to charge Leather Pants. But Duster and Zepplin got in her way.
"Going somewhere?" Zepplin asked menacingly.
"I don't think so," Duster added with a growl for good measure.
Sonya sank back into a fighting stance, and pulled her ever-present stake out of her waistband. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Red Hat closing in on Doyle as Leather Pants leaned down toward Cordelia's throat.
(Giles) Sonya vowed silently (I'm really gonna get you for this... if we all get out of here OK...)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
England - Boys' Hotel Room
Giles and Xander sat at the room's only table, as Giles tried to teach Xander how to play chess. Xander however, was distracted by Buffy sitting on the arm of his chair. Joyce was in the bathroom rinsing out some socks. Oz, however, was paying no attention to the everyday activities going on around him. He was looking worriedly at the phone, hoping the person on the other end would come back.
"Sonya?"
Oz listened intently but she didn't come back. In the background he could hear growling, and then a high-pitched, feminine scream. Something bad was going on.
"Sonya!" Oz yelled into the phone. "Come back to me! What's going on, damn it?"
All around the hotel room, heads snapped up at the unusual sound of Oz yelling.
"What's wrong?" Buffy asked, standing up.
Oz looked up, a bleak look in his eyes. "I think they're being attacked..." He held the phone out, and Buffy grabbed it.
The Slayer's face went from expectant to unhappy. "It's definitely an attack," she told the others, "and from the growling in the background, I'd say it's vampires. As in more than one."
"Oh, no, Sonya!" Xander said, jumping to his feet so fast that he jostled the chess board and black and white figures went flying all over the floor. "We've got to get over there!"
Buffy gave Xander and strange look, but instead of saying whatever was on her mind, she simply announced, "Let me go get my weapons bag from my room, then we'll go." Looking at Giles, she added, "You've got to come with us, to help us navigate." Then she looked at her mother, but Joyce spoke before Buffy could say anything.
"I'll stay here with Oz."
As Buffy, Xander and Giles hurried out the door, Oz said, "Do the superhero thing, Buffy. Save the day."
Buffy put her hand on Oz's shoulder for a brief second. "Don't worry, Oz. It's all going to be OK. I promise." Before Oz could notice any hollowness or doubt in her words, Buffy led her team out of the room.