Buffy awoke the next morning with a smile on her face. Talking to Willow the night before had helped her a lot. She walked down the stairs and heard Xander and Dawn in the kitchen.
"Xander, let me define grocery shopping."
"What? I got the basic things we need."
"Yeah but there's no junk food….I'm a teenager...I need these sort of things"
"Well that's because…well I kind of got hungry last night and thought…"
"You ate all of it? Gyah Xander…I hope you blow up like a cow."
Buffy laughed to herself and walked in.
"Morning guys."
"Morning Buff…how was dead boy doing?"
"I see you haven't lost your since of…. oh I don't know… hating him have you Xander?"
"No you see…I don't hate him…how could I…I just don't like the guy?" Xander said sarcastically and Buffy smiled.
"He was fine…how did you sleep Dawn?"
"I slept ok…so you really saw Angel…I want to see him again…or umm for the first time.."
Buffy smiled at her sister. Dawn had all the memories of Angel and everything else, but in reality she had only been with them for three years.
"Hey…where's all the junk food," Buffy asked.
"Ok…ok haven't you Summers women ever heard of a nutritional breakfast? Cocoa Pebbles anyone?"
"Xander ate all the good stuff last night."
"Then I guess Xander will be going to the store this morning." Buffy said while looking at Xander. Xander mumbled something then sat down with a huge bowl of cocoa pebbles.
"All of that food is going to go straight to your thighs." Dawn said as she prepared to make herself some pancakes.
"Now I won't be able to wear my pretty little dress…damnit." Xander said jokingly.
Buffy rolled her eyes then looked around.
"Hey you guys where's Willow?"
"Oh…her and Kennedy wanted some alone time…you know."
"Oh…so um Xander how about some of those cocoa pebbles."
Across town, in an abandoned warehouse, X'anika laughed to herself.
"Yes…everything is going so well," She said as she watched Buffy and her friends in her new Mirror of Zyagahn, "I can see what her heart wants…to be normal...and to be reunited with her old vampire lover. I just need to watch the slayer a little longer…and then I can move in on the vampire with a soul."
Gunn strolled into Angel Investigations with the morning paper in one hand and several cups of coffee in the other.
"Ok…next time Wesley's on coffee duty…or hey I've got a better idea…how about you buy some instant coffee that way nobody gets hurt." Gunn said acknowledging the coffee stain on his new shirt as he joined the others at the table.
"Oh Gunn…were you burned?" Fred asked in her meek little way, her voice full of concern.
"Yes," Gunn said noting the concern in her voice then pushing it aside, "but I'm a big boy I can take care of myself."
Why can't you love me Gunn…I need you to love me, Fred thought sadly.
"Hey…where's Conner…I picked up something special for him…chocolate milk." Gunn said laughingly.
"Probably up in his room…sulking. Hey where's my latté?" Cordelia asked.
"Your latté is on my shirt…would you like it back?"
"No…not really…I'll just fix some tea instead. Why did you have to spill my coffee? Why couldn't you have spilt Wesley's?"
"I'm going to ignore that remark Cordelia," Wesley said as he sipped his coffee contently.
"Yeah…yeah whatever British guy."
"As much as I love these little morning spats…we need to move onto business. Anything interesting in the paper Gunn?" Angel asked.
"Yeah…seems as though someone lifted some sort of mystical mirror from the museum." Gunn said as he handed the paper to Wesley.
"The Mirror of Zyagahn," Wesley read, "Was stolen late last night from the Museum of Myths and Legends. Apparently the culprit came right through the back door without setting off a single alarm. Authorities confirm that the steel security door was completely torn off it's hinges then folded over twice. They believe that the culprit knew what he/or she were after. So far there are no suspects."
"What kind of thing could do that too a steel door?" Fred asked.
"I'm guessing it's not human whatever it was." Wesley replied.
Angel walked out of the room and came back with a book in his hands.
"The Mirror of Zyagahn is said to be a mystical mirror that can watch anyone at any time. Also if used correctly it can see into a persons heart." Angel read.
"Ewww so someone could have been watching me this morning while I took my shower?" Cordelia said more to herself than to anyone else. When she saw the looks on everyone's faces she said "Oh right…bad person stole a mirror for evil purposes…please continue."
"I'm going to go to the crime scene tonight to check things out…right now I need you guys to research the mirror find out everything you can about it." Angel said and started to turn away.
"Wait man…you'll need backup tonight right? Just in case." Gunn asked. The past few weeks had been quiet and Gunn was getting edgy.
"No…I'll be covered."
"By who?"
"Well…I'm going to ask…Buffy to help."
Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at him.
"Buffy…isn't she in Sunnydale…seems kinda…" Fred stopped talking when she saw the look on Angel's face. "Oh…she's not in Sunnydale…she's here…ok that makes sense."
"Yeah it makes a lot of sense…is this why you were beating down our beautiful place of business last night Angel?"
"That's none of your business Cordelia….but yes that's part of it."
"Look what goes on or what doesn't go on between me and Buffy is our business ok? I'm asking her to help me because right now she's who I want by my side. Besides I'm worried about her and asking her to help is a way of keeping an eye on her." After he finished he walked out of the room. Besides, he thought, after kissing her last night he would be brainless not to want her at his side.
