Rating: PG (if you can watch the show, then you can read this)
Summary: Takes place a five months after Darla stakes herself.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters… It all belongs to Joss Whedon and co.
A/N: You'll understand the title once you've read the chapter… Don't ask.
Chapter 15- Men in Bushes
Faith grinned at Wesley who was scribbling on a piece of paper.
"What?" Wesley tore his eyes away from his piece of paper.
"Nothing." Faith tossed her hair behind her shoulders.
"Then stop smiling at me."
"I'm not."
Wesley shook his head and got back to work. Faith laughed.
"What's so funny?" Wesley sounded irritated.
"Alcohol." Faith giggled.
Wesley frowned. Did Faith just… giggle?
Faith had now stopped laughing and was looking at Wesley in a most interesting way.
"What?"
Faith didn't answer him. Instead, she grabbed him and kissed him.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Darla bounced Connor in her arms. Connor laughed and hiccuped. That made him laugh even more. Darla shook her head.
"Let's get some food down you yeah?"
Darla was just about to leave the room when she noticed something out of the corner of her eye. Several men wearing black clothes crouched outside in the hedges. Darla smirked. Real discreet.
Darla walked into the lobby where Fred sat sipping her coffee.
"Call Angel." Darla commanded.
Fed looked at her, puzzled.
"Do it."
Fred nodded and picked up the phone.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Angel sat down and relaxed. Buffy had persuaded him to dance with her for over an hour. Even his vampire stamina couldn't keep up with that kind of torture.
"Here you go." Buffy grinned as she set down two bottles of alcohol.
"Thanks." Angel gladly took a sip.
"So-."
Buffy was interrupted by the ringing of Angel's pager.
"I'd better call back." Angel stood up and made his way to the back alley.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Darla sat Connor on a chair next to Fred.
"I don't think you should put him there." Fred said timidly. "He might fall off."
Darla sighed and picked him up. "Hold him."
Darla thrust Connor into Fred's arms. She grabbed an armful of books from the table and placed them on the chair. She took Connor from Fred and put him on top of the books.
"There." Darla pushed the chair into the table so that Connor won't be able to fall in between the table and the chair.
The phone rang. Fred picked up the receiver.
"Hello, Angel Investigations, we help the hopeless. Oh, Angel, hi… Um… I'm not sure-."
Darla snatched the phone off Fred.
"There are men outside… What do you mean do they look suspicious? I wouldn't be calling if they didn't… Well, They're dressed in black and they're hiding in the bushes outside your room… Good." Darla handed the receiver back to Fred.
"Now what?"
Darla shrugged. "Wait."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Angel searched for Buffy in the crowd. He caught a glimpse of her weaving her way to the bar. He quickly followed her.
"Buffy!" Angel called.
Buffy's head whipped round. She waved.
"We have trouble at the hotel."
"What?"
"Yeah. Men in bushes."
Buffy frowned. "What do you mean, 'men in bushes'."
"I don't know."
"This was supposed to be my night off."
"I know. How about I go and you stay here?"
Buffy pondered for a moment. "Call me if you need me."
Angel smiled. "I will."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Fred wrung her hands in her lap. "Where is he?"
Darla rolled her eyes. "He'll be here if he knows what's good for him."
Fred nodded. "I'll get the weapons."
Darla watched as Fred opened a cupboard door to reveal several axes and swords.
"Take your pick." Fred stepped away.
Darla smirked. She ran a finger down the wooden handle of a particularly mean looking axe.
"I don't think we'll need these."
"Why not?"
"They're human."
"Oh."
Fred had just closed the cupboard door, when they heard shouts from outside.
"He's here."
Fred and Darla made their way outside. Darla put a hand up to stop Fred from going any further.
"Look after Connor."
Fred turned and ran towards Connor who was trying to wiggle out of the chair.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Angel ducked as one man swung a large stick at his head. So there were people in the bushes after all. Angel was just about jump back from the stick when the man collapsed at his feet.
"Good timing." Angel panted.
"Thanks."
Darla turned around and knocked out another man with a well-aimed blow to the head.
To Be Continued…
A/N: Sorry it took so long! Hope you liked that.