*****

"…she just wanders around, unaffected by

the winter winds and she'll pretend

she's somewhere else, so far and clear

about 2,000 miles from here…"

--Jack Johnson

Angel sits down in the library with his cell phone. He dials Buffy's number from memory and takes a deep breath as he waits for her to answer.

"Buffy here."

"Hey, Buffy."

"Angel."

"Yeah. Something's going down out here."

"You need me?"

"I'm sorry to say yes. It's big."

There's a pause on Buffy's end. "How big?"

"Big. You know how you closed the hellmouth?"

"Yeah?"

"Well. All the evil energies that used the hellmouth are building up. It's going to break through. Soon." Angel sighs. "I'm sorry, Buffy. We're calling in everyone that can help."

"Damn. I knew it was too good to be true. Dawn and I will make arrangements to fly out there in the morning. What do you think?"

"It's bad. We're still researching, but…Wes is really freaked by the little information that we have. He's translating it and calling Giles. I'm going to call Willow next. If there's anyone you can think of that could help…" Angel says.

"I'll put a call out to all the slayers that we can spare."

"There's something else. Apparently, the word is out about the heavy shit that's going down. We got a call from Riley and he's coming out."

"Wow. What about his wife?"

"I don't know. Wes didn't mention anything about a wife. Riley was with Cordelia's ex-boyfriend, Groo…"

"Small world, I guess. He just called you? Don't you guys hate each other?" Buffy asks, confused.

"Yeah. But he told Wes that this was important enough to overlook all that. Are you going to be up for this?" Angel asks.

"Yeah, Angel. I wouldn't know what to do if I didn't have to save the world every few months. I just hate having to pull Dawn out of school…"

"You sure you want her here?"

"I've tried keeping her out of stuff before, you can ask Xander how well that went. She won't stand for it. She's stubborn…"

"Just like her sister," Angel smiles.

"Stop it. I'll call you when we have definite plans," Buffy replies, her voice lighter.

"We'll make sure you have somewhere to stay. Thanks, Buffy."

"What are friends for?"

"I mean it. Thanks." Angel hangs up. He sighs and calls Willow. She agrees to call on her resources to find more help for the upcoming battle and promises to call when she makes travel plans. He talks her out of teleporting immediately and convinces her to take a plane with Kennedy.

Wes walks into the room. He drops his cell phone beside Angel's on the desk. "Giles is coming."

"Buffy and Willow are making their arrangements now. Who else?"

Wes sighs. "I'm not sure."

Wes' cell phone rings. "Is my number listed somewhere that I don't know about?" Wes questions, picking it up. "Yes?"

"Wesley."

"Yes. Who's calling?"

"Oz."

"Oz? Werewolf Oz?"

"Yeah."

"You heard about what's coming, I take it," Wes responds, ignoring Angel's smile.

"Yeah. Your office is gone. The hotel's closed, too."

"Are you close by?"

"I'm outside the Hyperion."

Wes gives him directions and hangs up.

"Oz?"

"Apparently. This is clearly a strange time. This is turning into a reunion," Wes replies. "I wonder who else…" He starts but is interrupted by Angel's cell phone ringing.

Angel raises an eyebrow as he answers it. "Yeah?"

"Mr. Angel…"

"Yeah. What's up?"

"We have something that needs to be brought to your attention," The voice says. "This is Mr. Gregson from Wolfram and Hart."

"What?"

"Are you familiar with William the Bloody?"

"You have to be joking."

"The only other recorded case of a vampire with a soul…"

"Yeah, I'm familiar. What's the deal?" Angel asks.

"Well, our records show that he perished in the Sunnydale incident but…"

"But what?"

"He has just resurfaced. He's been sighted at a demon bar downtown…"

"Give me the name, Gregson and I'll take care of it," Angel replies. "He's there now?" Angel asks after getting the name of a familiar bar.

"Yes, sir…"

"Thanks." Angel hangs up.

"What?"

"Spike. Spike's back." Angel stands up and starts for the door.

"Are you certain?"

"Wolfram and Hart intel is usually pretty accurate…" Angel replies. "I'll drive. Are you coming?" He asks, pulling a dark blanket around his shoulders.

"Why do you need me?"

"To keep me from killing him, Wes. Now come on," Angel answers.

*****

Faith and the others return to the house a few minutes after Angel and Wes leave. \

"What the hell? Angel orders us out of here and then he just up and disappears," Faith grumbles, sitting down heavily between Xander and Cordelia on the sofa.

"No note, nothing. It must have been something important…" Cordelia replies. Gunn is sitting in an armchair and Fred is perched on the seat's armrest. Lindsey is leaning against the wall on the edge of the room. Lorne is napping quietly on the loveseat.

When the knock comes on the door, Faith and Xander both jump. Xander, Fred and Faith ball up their fists for 'rock, paper, scissors.' Faith picks rock, Xander picks scissors and Fred picks paper.

"Dammit," They all say. They all get up and go to the door.

"Hey."

"Oz? Is that you?" Xander gasps, startled.

"Xander. I didn't know you were a pirate," Oz replies, standing at the door with bright green hair and a goatee.

"Yeah, I'm just waiting on my ship to come in," Xander replies.

"I called Wes. He gave me directions."

"Did he say where he was going?" Faith asks.

"Faith. Are you good again?" Oz asks, raising an eyebrow.

Xander waves his arm and Oz follows them inside.

"Guys, this is Oz…" Xander introduces to the people that don't know him. Cordelia hugs him, surprised.

"Oz. Another Sunnydale refugee?" Fred smiles.

"Yeah, I heard it crashed and burned into a great big crater. Sorry I missed that," Oz replies.

"No, you're not," Xander replies.

"You're right. I'm not. I am here for this fight, though."

"How'd you hear about it?" Faith asks.

"Werewolves are kind of in tune with the underworld gossip. Word is big stuff's about to go down here. Really big stuff," Oz replies.

"That's what we hear. Wes and Angel went AWOL but we expect to be briefed when they get back," Xander says.

"Soldier coming out in you?" Cordelia grins.

"What?" Xander is confused.

"Where's everyone else? I don't think I've ever seen you separated from Buffy and Willow…" Oz asks Xander.

"Buffy's in Cleveland. Willow's in Louisiana with her new girlfriend. I'm sure they'll be along as soon as they hear about this," Xander replies.

Oz nods.

"We don't have enough room for all these people," Fred says, quietly. "You think we should get some cleaners over to the Hyperion?"

"Probably a good idea," Gunn comments.

"Where the hell is Angel? I mean, it's daylight, so it had to be pretty important, right?" Cordelia says.

*****


"…Well based on your smile
I'm betting all of this
Might be over soon
But your bound to win
Cause if I'm betting against you
I think I'd rather lose
But this is all that I have…"

--Jack Johnson

"I really hate this place," Wes grumbles, waiting patiently in the foyer to the bar as Angel shakes out his smoldering blanket. It's the same bar that Wes and Faith visited when they were searching for Angelus and they scored the Orpheus that took him down.

"I know. I wonder what the hell Spike is doing here."

"You really think it's him?" Wes asks.

"I can smell him. It's him." Angel ignores all the stares from the demons and leads Wes to the bar where a bleached blond man is sitting drinking whiskey.

"Spike," Angel says, sitting down on the stool beside him.

"Bloody hell. I knew this was a bad day, but this is beyond my expectations," Spike sighs.

"You died," Angel says.

"Is that what happened?" Spike glares at him.

"Why don't you tell us?" Wes asks, sitting down on the opposite side of Spike.

"Watcher," Spike acknowledges him with a nod. "Last thing I remember, I was wearing this amulet," He holds up the gaudy necklace around his neck. "I told Buffy to get out and then…I guess the hellmouth closed and good 'ole Sunnydale exploded. Then I woke up down the street here. It's been a…month or so, I take it?"

"Several months," Angel replies.

"I still have my soul. I know that's what you're about to ask me. I don't know why the hell I'm here, though," Spike sighs.

"You haven't called Buffy?"

"I wouldn't even know where to start trying to reach her. I figure she's better off without me," Spike replies, quietly.

"I agree," Angel snorts.

"Angel?" Wes calls.

"Where were you these last few months?" Angel asks, softening his tone.

"I don't know. The last thing I remember, I was in the hellmouth. I stumbled upon this place. How did you know I was here?" Spike asks.

"I have my sources," Angel replies.

"You come to kill me?" Spike questions.

"Pay your bill so we can go. There's trouble coming and like it or not, it seems like you're on our team," Angel sighs.

"Team?" Spike replies, confused.

"Just come on," Angel sighs.

"But it's daylight…" Spike protests.

"You can use the blanket," Angel replies, standing up.