Chapter 2- Road trip

(Los Angels, Offices of Wolfram & Hart)

"Good morning Mr. Angel," the blond secretary greeted as he started into his office without even so much as a head nod. "I…I have some news for you!" she shouted, him finally turning to acknowledge her.

"What is it?" he asked without turning around, broody as usual.

"You asked us to inform you of any changes or incidents of interest during the re-building of Sunnydale- no matter how insignificant?"

"I did…so what happened?" He answered, finally stopping and turning to face her.

It seems that some of the workers were frightened several months ago by the apparition of a man seemingly out of nowhere. They decided not to report the incident because he then disappeared and they thought that they might have been seeing things.

Angel considered this news for a moment before responding, "Okay…so what made them report it now?"

"It seems that some of the men involved saw him again…in the rubble. He's been coming and going just watching them work. Whenever he seems to be noticed he disappears again. It's probably just a homeless man shacking out, they believe it may be someone who once lived in Sunnydale not yet over the loss of his home, but we thought you might be interested."

"I am…thank you. Can you try to get a description of him?"

"Right away Mr. Angel…do you think it's important?"

"Probably not…but I'd like to know anyway."

"Anything else?" he asked as she followed him inside his office. The blond looked through her notes a moment before answering.

He was at his desk looking through his mail when she finally spoke, "oh..yes..of course. It seems that Ms. Summers has finally settled down. We've been tracking her movement all year as you asked but she just closed a deal on a small house in the township of Serendipity. It's a small community, very rural. The house is under her name and a one Mr. Xander Harris. It looks like she plans to stay there."

"He looked up a moment from what he was doing and them quickly looked back down at his papers… "thank you"…he responded.

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(Buffy's House)

"I'm coming with you!" Dawn screamed defiantly as Buffy was in the middle of packing a small bag of necessities for her trip.

"You are not coming with me…you just started school and you have a lot of catching up to do. I will check in every day to see how you're doing."

"It's not fair…what if something happens while you're gone, besides you don't even know how long you will be, or if there's even anything going on to begin with- how do you know it was a slayer dream anyway…you haven't had any in so long- and…you haven't even told me what you dreamt about…"

"Calm down Dawn, nothing is going to happen…besides…Xander will be here. The dream itself isn't important anyway…I just know I need to go."

"This is crazy…you know this don't you…it's crazy! Why can't Xander and me come?"

"Dawn, you know Xander just started up his construction business and is starting to get work all over town. He can't leave now, we need the income. We can't live on what we have left for much longer- especially after buying the house…will you please get my toothbrush and toothpaste out of the bathroom for me?"

"Fine" Dawn rolled her eyes before dragging herself from the room with a defeated look on her face.

Buffy sighed heavily before sitting on the bed next to her nearly full packed bag. Luckily she had packed as much clothing as possible on the school bus that day, knowing that going back home might not be an option. She still didn't have much in the way of furniture in the new house, but it was quickly becoming home…and now she was leaving.

She couldn't help but think that Dawn might be just a little bit right this time…was she crazy? What had been so different about those last dreams anyway? It would make sense to start thinking about him more now, again. She wasn't moving around anymore…she could focus on her emotions…maybe that's what kept her running in the first place.

Dawn came back in the room with her toiletries and Buffy placed them in the side zipper of her duffel bag. "A few days," she told her, "it won't be more than a few days, I promise."

"When are you leaving?" Dawn asked, finally giving up on the idea that she might tag along.

"Tomorrow morning, first thing."

*********

It was later that evening when Giles got to the house. He had found a small magic shop not too far outside of town recently and was going to find if there was any traveling news about mystic or supernatural activity going on in Los Angeles of late. The shopkeeper's response had been, "not more than usual." At that he decided to bring home some dinner for everyone, being that he had already exhausted his small list of acquired contacts in the area.

Xander and Buffy were already in the living room sitting on the used sofas that he had been able to pick up for a reasonable price from a nearby shop owner.

"Oh goody…more fast food!" Xander shouted giving a disgusted look at the KFC bags. "I swear Buffy, if you don't learn how to cook soon I'm going to gain another 30 pounds in the next 4 weeks."

Rolling her eyes Buffy took the bags from Giles and placed them on the small coffee table that Xander had build for them. "Dawn!" she yelled towards the upper level of the house, "dinner's here."

Dawn came running down looking slightly disappointed at the choice of take out, "you do know that they don't even use real chicken in that, don't you Giles?"

"Yes well, when the lot of you come up with something better than you can take care of it yourselves," he stated.

"Don't be ungrateful guys…thank you Giles…it was great for you to think of this, I hadn't even realized I was hungry until I saw you come in with the bags."

They started eating as Buffy attempted to relay her dream to the group.

It was strange… "I was in Sunnydale, old Sunnydale- before it got destroyed- I was on patrol when I noticed someone following me not far behind. I couldn't see who it was, but I sensed it. It was really strange…suddenly this vamp jumped out of no-where and attacked me. I fought it off, but just as I was about to stake him it spoke to me…he said, "Things are changing- all around. Angel knows, but he won't tell you…Anyway…that's when I realized I needed to head out there and figure out what IS going on."

"You do realize Buffy that this might have been just an average run of the mill dream?" Giles asked.

"It was too real, Giles. Plus, I've had it for a few days now. Something's telling me not to ignore it."

"Do you plan to approach Angel?" Giles asked, but before she could answer Xander interjected, "yeah, talk to him- cause he's always upfront and honest when he's being sneaky."

Rolling her eyes Buffy responded, "No…if I can avoid him seeing me I will. I just want to look around and see if I can find anything out."

**********

(Angel's office- Wolfram & Hart)

"I have that description of the man that's been sneaking around the Sunnydale rebuild Mr. Angel."

Angel grabbed the sheet of paper from the young secretary without a word, he quickly read through it before slamming it down on his desk, "it can't be," he said out loud, but really only to himself.

"Grace!" He called out to the blond. "Arrange a car for tomorrow night, sunset…I'm going out there for myself to check things out- and get Wesley on the line for me."

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TBC

Thanks for the reviews and comments. I will continue with this story as long as there seems to be an interest in it, I do hope you like it though because I have a feeling it can be really good. Thanks!

-Erica