Chapter 4- On the trail

Buffy's first stop in LA was the Ramada inn. She checked in to her modest room and set down her bags. She was feeling hungry but really more tired from the trip, which was strange to her being that she had slept the whole way in.

She wanted to check out Wolfram and Heart but knew that the timing was not great. Her plan was to do a little reconnaissance later in the evening- check out the entries and exits- then go back in the morning and see if she could spy on Angel getting in.

She figured her best bet was to rest a little first. A strange feeling had overcome her since the morning and she felt like she needed sleep desperately, as though it was the only thing that could get her through this journey. She was also hoping that by sleeping she would feel him again…Spike. As though by dreaming of him made it that he was really by her side.

She took off her sneakers and lay on the bed, her eyes closed almost instantly.

**********

He was calling her- In the forest where she last left him, he was

calling for her. "I'm here," she answered, as he turned to greet her throwing his arms around her in desperation.

"You left me," he said, sounding disappointed, "One moment you were here, and the next you were gone. It was like you vanished into thin air."

"I'm sorry Spike, I woke up…from my dream. You do know that this is a dream, don't you? It is, isn't it? Only a dream?"

"It is pet, just a dream…but you're here now." He put his hand up to touch her face, letting his fingers linger on her cheek- feeling her softness. Her eyes closed in contentment from the contact. "I awoke as well. Only minutes after you left me. But we're here now."

"Yes….here." Buffy answered, her heartbeat slowing to a relaxed pace. He leaned his body town so that their lips were almost touching.

"I've missed you love," he said, as he closed the space between them, kissing her tenderly.

Buffy still had her eyes closed as their mouths intertwined. She moved her hands up so that she could run her fingers through his short messy curls.

She opened her eyes so that she could see him…how much she's missed seeing his face- he'd never understand. Just having him around…knowing he was there…had always been enough. Even if she hadn't acted on her feelings, even if she never knew how to express it, it was enough for her to have him near. She always believed that he would know somehow, that he would understand.

When she finally told him she loved him, he said no, told her that she didn't. Buffy understood that now, she didn't then- she never understood, but it was clear now. It wasn't that he didn't believe her…he just knew that he'd be leaving, knew that if he told her she didn't that she might believe him.

"I've missed you too Spike."

He kissed her once more, holding her as close to his body as he could- breathing her scent, feeling her silkiness beneath his fingertips when suddenly he turned his head.

"What is it?" she asked, trying to see what it was he saw.

"I have to go now, pet. I'll see you again."

Before she knew it he was gone, and Buffy was left standing alone in the grass.

**********

Spike awoke abruptly from his dream. He could hear someone not too far in the distance, a car motor. He knew that something was wrong. The workers hadn't ever come out this far. As long as he had been here, they'd never gone past the area they were working in until it was time to move to the next site. The rebuilding had been consistent since his arrival.

He moved quickly and quietly, looking for better cover and a place to see what was going on without being noticed.

**********

Wesley and Angel were driving around the rubble in a jeep that they'd borrowed from the city builders. After achieving the proper permit the state council of California allowed him to check out the site under the idea that he might be interested in buying property in Sunnydale as well as possibly donating money toward the rebuild. As CEO of Wolfram & Hart they had no reason to doubt his intentions.]

Angel was distraught. He couldn't even picture the city as it had once been. He looked all around him trying to make out pieces of buildings…looking for something recognizable in the heap, but found nothing.

Wesley was troubled as well. He sensed nothing wrong, yet had a gut instinct telling him that something was way off here. He kept his feelings to himself however, after looking at Angel's face- now was not the time to discuss something that he wasn't even certain of.

Wesley saw it before Angel did. As they were turning the bend, getting ready to head back he saw what seemed to be some kind of make shift shelter. "Over there Angel," he called jumping out of the jeep before it had even come to a full stop. He pulled his small flashlight out of his pocket as he moved back a wall that was too perfectly placed to be there accidentally. "Someone's been living here Angel."

"Spike." Angel stated with some contempt, looking around him for any traces of the bleached blond vamp.

"Are you sure? Is that even possible?"

"It is…I can smell him. Besides, I came back…why can't he? He seems to keep doing a lot of things that I've done first anyway…what with the whole soul thing and everything. Copy-vamp…couldn't just stay dead."

Wesley looked over at Angel sensing the dismay in tone. "Yes well…we can't be certain it's him, vampire senses aside."

"It's him…I know it."

"Shall we look for him then?"

"No…he's gonna look for us." Angel pulled out a business card from his wallet showing it to Wesley before putting it on the makeshift bed spike had created and holding it down with some kind of canned food product.

**********

He watched them leave. Waiting a long time to be sure they were gone before going back to his "home" to see what it was they left behind. He picked up a small white card that said… "Angel Investigations at Wolfram & Hart, CEO," the address was listed as well.

These people had known him; they called him Spike as the girl had in his dream. He would have to go to them…he needed to find out who he was and why he was here.

**********

After a late dinner in a small diner Buffy was walking around the parking lot at Wolfram & Hart, trying to figure which way Angel might come through in the morning. She figured he wouldn't be entering the front door, what with all the sunlight and such. She was getting ready to head back out when she heard the limo pull into the garage.

She quickly hid behind one of the large support pillars as the car pulled up in front of the door she had just surveyed. Angel walked out of the car followed by Wesley. "Do you really think he will come here Angel?" Wesley asked as he motioned for the guard to let him in.

"He will. If I know him like I think I know him…he will."

Buffy watched them enter the building before leaving, wondering all the while who they were talking about. "They're up to something," she said aloud as she continued up the street.

TBC

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Once again, thank you for the great reviews. I'm really excited that people (other than me) are enjoying this story. Please continue to let me know what you think, it really motivates me to write faster- I swear!

-Erica