Heading down the tunnel that led to the library, Angel pondered the odd things that had occurred in the past couple of days. Willow was up to something, he was sure of it. The elfin redhead had been spending less and less time over at his place, darting off for some reason or another without much explanation. The others seemed just as bad: Xander was unusually quiet, and Cordelia seemed about as bubbly as said hacker, gushing with unexplained energy as they patrolled nightly. And the kitten…the kitten was avoiding him entirely.
Sighing, Angel stuck his hands in the pockets of his black jeans, his thoughts on the hazel-eyed brunette as he neared the library. So far she had managed not to be left alone with Angel, though she spoke to him as politely as possible when forced to. She rarely looked up into his eyes, though he certainly felt her curious gaze on his back when he was turned away from her. It was enough to make a vampire grind his fangs into a fine powder.
It took the dark-haired vampire a moment to become conscious of the eerie silence that emanated from the entrance into the library. Concern etched into his features, Angel hesitated, cocking his head to listen for any sounds. He knew the Scoobies were inside, but his senses couldn't pick up anything…including heartbeats. Alarmed, the vampire began to move cautiously in the shadows.
'If anyone has hurt Willow or the kitten I'll…' he thought darkly as he moved around the bookcase, coming into view of the main room. His thought was never finished as he was surprised by explosion of noise and movement in front of him as the five people that knew him spied the vampire as he emerged from behind the bookcases.
"SURPRISE!" Willow and Cordelia shouted in delight, the redhead darting forward the hug Angel as the rest of them watched. The stunned vampire stood there, his mouth open in shock as he noted the banner that had been erected, the words HAPPY RETURN FROM HELL ANGEL in bright, bold red letters against a black background. He glanced down at Willow, who was giggling at his reaction and tugging on his hand.
"What's all this?" His voice came out a little strangled as he questioned the redhead, who beamed and began dragging him towards the library table, which held a small collection of gifts.
"It's a celebration silly! For you." Seeing the confusion etched into the vampire's dark features, Willow plunged on. "We wanted to help you celebrate your return from hell, and to let you know that you're not alone, so Cordelia and I planned this party in your honor!" The redhead giggled, bouncing proudly on her toes as she added, "Giles helped me find a spell that would mask your senses just enough to surprise you…do you like?" Her comments made Angel glance at the other occupants of the room, who wore a range of expressions on their faces: Cordelia was nearly as excited as Willow, a true smile gracing the cheerleader's lips for once. Xander and Giles were a little more aloof, though Giles seemed to have mellowed in his attitude toward Angel some. Lastly there was the kitten, Kat, who looked at him with something of a guarded look in her eyes. As they came into contact with his coffee-colored eyes, her own blue-green orbs glanced away, one hand reaching up to idly play with a silky strand of her hair as she stared at the table. He couldn't dwell on it however, as Willow managed to wrangle the stunned vampire over to the table, seating him at the head. Plopping a party hat on his spiky head, the redhead smirked and, gesturing to the gifts, began to bounce. "Open them!"
Unable to refuse, Angel managed a small, but happy, smile before reaching for the first gift. A package wrapped in shiny gold wrapping, he noted the scrawling handwriting of Cordelia on the top before he carefully tugged the wrapping away from the box…
* * * * * * * * *
Angel stared at the odd assortment of presents that he had received from the group so far. Each of the presents reflected much about the person who had given it to him. Amusement twinkled in his chocolate eyes as he glanced down at the velvet shirt Cordelia had gifted him, a not so subtle hint that he needed a little color in his wardrobe. Xander's present was typical of something he would give the vampire: a well-polished wooden stake with Angel's name carved into the grain. He understood the threat implied by the stake, that Angel could either use it, or that Xander would use it on him someday should Angelus return. Any comment he could have made about it was lost however when Giles' gift to the vampire was opened. At that point Angel had started to get a little emotional, his voice straining as he thanked the librarian for a leather-bound book, detailing the ancestry of his vampire clan.
Setting the book down, he glanced between the two gifts left on the table: Willow's and Kat's. Eyeing the two young women as he leaned forward, Angel reached for the gift wrapped in simple green paper. Seeing his redheaded friend's eyes light up, a ghost of a smile flickered on Angel's face as he guessed whom this present came from. As he peeled the wrapping away from the gift the vampire wondered what the tiny hacker could have found to give to him. As the last piece of paper fell away he found himself unable to find the words to express how wonderful her gift was. A framed photograph stared back at him, a picture from many years ago, of the Scourge of Europe. Angel chocked up as he gazed down at the familiar faces of his Sire Darla, the insane beauty that was Dru, and his impudent childe Spike. Touching the portrait, the vampire's eyes saddened as he thought back to the days when they had all been happy together: before the curse, before Darla's death, before the fighting over Dru, before Buffy. Xander chose that moment to open his mouth, glancing at the people in the picture as he asked:
"Nice picture Wills, where did you find it?" Looking at the images of Spike and Dru, the teenager shuddered. "Those two are so creepy though. I wonder how Junior and Looney Toons are these days?" As Xander straightened from the portrait, he almost missed the dark looks Cordelia and Willow shot his way. Not noticing the hurt look that flashed in Angel's eyes, he blinked at the girls in confusion. "What?"
Silent until now, Kat shook her head, softly wishing Xander a nice funeral as Willow grabbed his ear, pulling him aside to berate the clueless brunette for his thoughtless words. Her gaze shifting back to the vampire seated at the table, the young woman felt sorry for him, seeing the look on his face as he gazed at the photograph. 'He must miss them an awful lot,' her curiosity in the group in the picture growing even more. She had no idea who the people were, but she could tell they meant a lot to the vampire as a bloody tear managed to fall unnoticed down his cheek.
As Willow and Xander rejoined the group the teenaged boy cleared his throat, his face sheepish as he looked down at the table. "Sorry Dea…I mean Angel," Willow's foot digging into Xander's caused the young man to wince, but keep his apology polite and somewhat sincere. "I didn't mean to upset you there."
Straightening in his chair, Angel brushed his cheek quickly, his face an imperceptible mask as he nodded curtly to Xander. His eyes shifted to Willow and, noting the stricken look of guilt in her emerald orbs, offered her a small smile. "Thank you Little One. I…can't tell you how much it means to me, you finding this." As the redhead smiled back softly he turned his attention to the last gift on the table: Kat's. Lifting his eyes to gaze at the kitten, he watched with growing curiosity as she glanced over at the other presents, then down at her own. A small frown drew across her pouty lips, her arms folded over her chest as she hunched over defensively.
As Angel watched the kitten leaned forward, unfolding her arms as her dainty hand reached out to snatch the present back. Unable to resist the chance to needle a reaction out of the dark-haired woman, the vampire snatched the small gift up before she could, pulling it closer to inspect the box. "What's this kitten, hmm?" His eyes were on her, not the present, so he noted with interest the slight flush that spread over her face and down her neck.
"It…It's nothing," she said quickly, her eyes saying otherwise as she looked at the mysterious package like she wanted it to disappear. Angel's interest grew with every passing minute.
"Nothing? I'm sure it can't be that bad Kitten," he commented, beginning to take the wrapping off. Opening the plain white box underneath the paper, he lifted the object inside out for all to see.
A cough erupted in the dead silence of the library, echoing through the room like a gunshot. All eyes were fixated on the strange monstrosity that perched on Angel's hand, not one person uttering so much as a word. Time ticked by slowly, and Kat began to fidget as the eyes shifted from the strange gift to her.
Xander was the first to speak. Clearing his throat, he tried for a tactful approach. "Wow Kat. It's…It's…"
"Ugly." Five pairs of eyes shifted to the ex-cheerleader as she offered a suitable word to describe Kat's gift to Angel. The vampire shot a glance over to Kat, barely suppressing a wince as he watched the light go out of the petite brunette's eyes at Cordelia's less than tactful opinion. Crossing her arms over her chest once more, the dark-haired young woman directed her glare at Angel, who dropped his own gaze back to the object in his hands. It WAS pretty ugly: the otherwise fine black mug, with its smoky gray Celtic knots on both sides, would have been considered a fine gift…if not for the other 'touches' that had been added to the item. The rim of the mug was coated in bright red, dripping down the sides and looking for all appearances like blood. The handle itself was shaped like a fang, with its bloody point ending at the bottom of the mug. All in all, it made for a ghastly sight.
"Where did you find this," the vampire asked, trying to keep his voice as soft and neutral as possible. Glancing back up at Kat, he watched as she flicked a glance at the offending mug, then back to Angel. Reaching up to play with her hair, the kitten shrugged, muttering something under her breath so fast he could barely hear it. "What?"
"I um…I had it made at that ceramic mug store in town," Kat stammered, wishing for all the world that she had picked a more sensible gift for this occasion. 'Why did I have to choose something I thought was humorous?' her mind groaned. She was so wrapped up in berating herself that she didn't see the look in Angel's eyes as he studied the mug more intently…or the twitch of his lips either.
'She had this made?' The sheer absurdity of the idea forced Angel to reexamine the eyesore he held before him. It was then that he noted the Celtic knots on both sides of the mug were actually patterned after the Celtic symbol for eternity. Angel's lips twitched as he thought about Kat requesting the mug at the ceramic store, and the odd looks she would have received as she insisted it be made this way. 'Blood, fangs, Celtic knots, the sign for Eternity, the color black…' Something bubbled up inside of Angel, something he hadn't felt in years and certainly not since the gypsies had cursed him. He tried to contain the feeling, but it swelled up inside his chest, making him feel oddly giddy. Eyes bright with amusement, the vampire did something he had not done in a long time…he laughed.
Kat's head shot up as she heard the sound coming from Angel's mouth: a rich, deep laughter that filled the library and echoed off its walls. Surprised, and more than just a little disgruntled, Kat glanced at the other occupants of the room to see if they would join in, only to discover they were frozen in shock at the sight of Angel laughing. Xander stared, his jaw dropping as he contemplated the vampire, his party hat askew as he continued to chuckle hysterically. Giles took a step back, taking his glasses off, polishing them, and putting them back as if to check if he were seeing things correctly. Cordelia and Willow had odd looks on their faces, a soft smile touching the redhead's lips as she watched her friend fully enjoy himself for once, while the ex-cheerleader gaped at Angel like he had lost his mind.
Growling under her breath, Kat returned her fiery gaze to the vampire, who was even now trying to regain his composure. Wiping the bloody tears away from his eyes, Angel glanced up at the kitten and, seeing her grouchy disposition, flashed her as charming a smile as he could manage. "Don't be mad kitten. I wasn't laughing at you. Actually, I'm rather fond of this gift." Kat snorted in disbelief, which caused Angel to rise. Setting the repulsively charming mug down carefully he moved closer to the brunette, who continued to glare at him angrily. The vampire continued to smile as he tried to soothe her ruffled feathers…err…fur. "It's very amusing. Plus it comes at a very good time…I seem to have misplaced my other mug."
The twinkle in his eyes faded somewhat as Kat flushed, her eyes flashing with something other than hatred. Vulnerability? Slowly Angel's eyes took in her defensive posturing, the nervous way she was playing with her hair, and the embarrassed flush that kissed her pale cheeks. 'She looks afraid. Of being judged, or brushed aside for her odd idea?' Slowly his serious demeanor returned, his eyes kind as he leaned against the table, facing Kat. "Hey," he whispered softly, causing the kitten to raise her head to look at him. Once he had her attention, her eyes fixed on his, he continued. "I'm not kidding kit...Katura," using her full first name quietly, "I like it. Thank you."
Her blue-green orbs searched his own chocolate brown ones for a moment, questioning. Slowly she smiled back, her lips tugging upwards in one of those secret smiles reserved for friends. "You're welcome." Silently the two stared at each other for a moment, their heads moving slightly closer to close the distance between them, until…
"Hey Dead Boy!" A startled vampire and kitten turned, eyes wide as a flash went off in their eyes. Blinking rapidly, both brunettes rubbed their eyes grudgingly as Xander grinned from behind the camera he was using. Willow and Cordelia, slow to stop the teenaged boy from spoiling another 'tender moment,' latched onto his arms and managed to drag him away, the ex cheerleader muttering something about the Hellmouth and its rotten timing. An awkward silence descended on the area, which was broken when Giles cleared his throat.
"Well," he started, a little uncomfortable with the level of tension surrounding the table. "Perhaps, now that Angel has had a chance to unwrap his gifts, we can proceed with some research into that prophecy Willow unearthed." Five groans issued from the other occupants of the room, all eyes turning to glare balefully at the librarian. Straightening, Giles managed to look somewhat authoritative as he continued. "We still don't know anything about it, or how it relates to Kat here, so I suggest we figure it out. Preferably before something else goes wrong in this town."
When no one made a move to argue with the librarian he retreated into his office, unearthing the books he thought would be the most help in researching the mysterious prophecy that seemed link to their new werecat friend. Rejoining the group he passed out books to everyone but Willow, who stubbornly insisted on continuing her research on the Internet. And so Angel's party faded into the background as Giles, and practicality, forced the slaying group to turn to more serious matters.
Sighing, Angel stuck his hands in the pockets of his black jeans, his thoughts on the hazel-eyed brunette as he neared the library. So far she had managed not to be left alone with Angel, though she spoke to him as politely as possible when forced to. She rarely looked up into his eyes, though he certainly felt her curious gaze on his back when he was turned away from her. It was enough to make a vampire grind his fangs into a fine powder.
It took the dark-haired vampire a moment to become conscious of the eerie silence that emanated from the entrance into the library. Concern etched into his features, Angel hesitated, cocking his head to listen for any sounds. He knew the Scoobies were inside, but his senses couldn't pick up anything…including heartbeats. Alarmed, the vampire began to move cautiously in the shadows.
'If anyone has hurt Willow or the kitten I'll…' he thought darkly as he moved around the bookcase, coming into view of the main room. His thought was never finished as he was surprised by explosion of noise and movement in front of him as the five people that knew him spied the vampire as he emerged from behind the bookcases.
"SURPRISE!" Willow and Cordelia shouted in delight, the redhead darting forward the hug Angel as the rest of them watched. The stunned vampire stood there, his mouth open in shock as he noted the banner that had been erected, the words HAPPY RETURN FROM HELL ANGEL in bright, bold red letters against a black background. He glanced down at Willow, who was giggling at his reaction and tugging on his hand.
"What's all this?" His voice came out a little strangled as he questioned the redhead, who beamed and began dragging him towards the library table, which held a small collection of gifts.
"It's a celebration silly! For you." Seeing the confusion etched into the vampire's dark features, Willow plunged on. "We wanted to help you celebrate your return from hell, and to let you know that you're not alone, so Cordelia and I planned this party in your honor!" The redhead giggled, bouncing proudly on her toes as she added, "Giles helped me find a spell that would mask your senses just enough to surprise you…do you like?" Her comments made Angel glance at the other occupants of the room, who wore a range of expressions on their faces: Cordelia was nearly as excited as Willow, a true smile gracing the cheerleader's lips for once. Xander and Giles were a little more aloof, though Giles seemed to have mellowed in his attitude toward Angel some. Lastly there was the kitten, Kat, who looked at him with something of a guarded look in her eyes. As they came into contact with his coffee-colored eyes, her own blue-green orbs glanced away, one hand reaching up to idly play with a silky strand of her hair as she stared at the table. He couldn't dwell on it however, as Willow managed to wrangle the stunned vampire over to the table, seating him at the head. Plopping a party hat on his spiky head, the redhead smirked and, gesturing to the gifts, began to bounce. "Open them!"
Unable to refuse, Angel managed a small, but happy, smile before reaching for the first gift. A package wrapped in shiny gold wrapping, he noted the scrawling handwriting of Cordelia on the top before he carefully tugged the wrapping away from the box…
* * * * * * * * *
Angel stared at the odd assortment of presents that he had received from the group so far. Each of the presents reflected much about the person who had given it to him. Amusement twinkled in his chocolate eyes as he glanced down at the velvet shirt Cordelia had gifted him, a not so subtle hint that he needed a little color in his wardrobe. Xander's present was typical of something he would give the vampire: a well-polished wooden stake with Angel's name carved into the grain. He understood the threat implied by the stake, that Angel could either use it, or that Xander would use it on him someday should Angelus return. Any comment he could have made about it was lost however when Giles' gift to the vampire was opened. At that point Angel had started to get a little emotional, his voice straining as he thanked the librarian for a leather-bound book, detailing the ancestry of his vampire clan.
Setting the book down, he glanced between the two gifts left on the table: Willow's and Kat's. Eyeing the two young women as he leaned forward, Angel reached for the gift wrapped in simple green paper. Seeing his redheaded friend's eyes light up, a ghost of a smile flickered on Angel's face as he guessed whom this present came from. As he peeled the wrapping away from the gift the vampire wondered what the tiny hacker could have found to give to him. As the last piece of paper fell away he found himself unable to find the words to express how wonderful her gift was. A framed photograph stared back at him, a picture from many years ago, of the Scourge of Europe. Angel chocked up as he gazed down at the familiar faces of his Sire Darla, the insane beauty that was Dru, and his impudent childe Spike. Touching the portrait, the vampire's eyes saddened as he thought back to the days when they had all been happy together: before the curse, before Darla's death, before the fighting over Dru, before Buffy. Xander chose that moment to open his mouth, glancing at the people in the picture as he asked:
"Nice picture Wills, where did you find it?" Looking at the images of Spike and Dru, the teenager shuddered. "Those two are so creepy though. I wonder how Junior and Looney Toons are these days?" As Xander straightened from the portrait, he almost missed the dark looks Cordelia and Willow shot his way. Not noticing the hurt look that flashed in Angel's eyes, he blinked at the girls in confusion. "What?"
Silent until now, Kat shook her head, softly wishing Xander a nice funeral as Willow grabbed his ear, pulling him aside to berate the clueless brunette for his thoughtless words. Her gaze shifting back to the vampire seated at the table, the young woman felt sorry for him, seeing the look on his face as he gazed at the photograph. 'He must miss them an awful lot,' her curiosity in the group in the picture growing even more. She had no idea who the people were, but she could tell they meant a lot to the vampire as a bloody tear managed to fall unnoticed down his cheek.
As Willow and Xander rejoined the group the teenaged boy cleared his throat, his face sheepish as he looked down at the table. "Sorry Dea…I mean Angel," Willow's foot digging into Xander's caused the young man to wince, but keep his apology polite and somewhat sincere. "I didn't mean to upset you there."
Straightening in his chair, Angel brushed his cheek quickly, his face an imperceptible mask as he nodded curtly to Xander. His eyes shifted to Willow and, noting the stricken look of guilt in her emerald orbs, offered her a small smile. "Thank you Little One. I…can't tell you how much it means to me, you finding this." As the redhead smiled back softly he turned his attention to the last gift on the table: Kat's. Lifting his eyes to gaze at the kitten, he watched with growing curiosity as she glanced over at the other presents, then down at her own. A small frown drew across her pouty lips, her arms folded over her chest as she hunched over defensively.
As Angel watched the kitten leaned forward, unfolding her arms as her dainty hand reached out to snatch the present back. Unable to resist the chance to needle a reaction out of the dark-haired woman, the vampire snatched the small gift up before she could, pulling it closer to inspect the box. "What's this kitten, hmm?" His eyes were on her, not the present, so he noted with interest the slight flush that spread over her face and down her neck.
"It…It's nothing," she said quickly, her eyes saying otherwise as she looked at the mysterious package like she wanted it to disappear. Angel's interest grew with every passing minute.
"Nothing? I'm sure it can't be that bad Kitten," he commented, beginning to take the wrapping off. Opening the plain white box underneath the paper, he lifted the object inside out for all to see.
A cough erupted in the dead silence of the library, echoing through the room like a gunshot. All eyes were fixated on the strange monstrosity that perched on Angel's hand, not one person uttering so much as a word. Time ticked by slowly, and Kat began to fidget as the eyes shifted from the strange gift to her.
Xander was the first to speak. Clearing his throat, he tried for a tactful approach. "Wow Kat. It's…It's…"
"Ugly." Five pairs of eyes shifted to the ex-cheerleader as she offered a suitable word to describe Kat's gift to Angel. The vampire shot a glance over to Kat, barely suppressing a wince as he watched the light go out of the petite brunette's eyes at Cordelia's less than tactful opinion. Crossing her arms over her chest once more, the dark-haired young woman directed her glare at Angel, who dropped his own gaze back to the object in his hands. It WAS pretty ugly: the otherwise fine black mug, with its smoky gray Celtic knots on both sides, would have been considered a fine gift…if not for the other 'touches' that had been added to the item. The rim of the mug was coated in bright red, dripping down the sides and looking for all appearances like blood. The handle itself was shaped like a fang, with its bloody point ending at the bottom of the mug. All in all, it made for a ghastly sight.
"Where did you find this," the vampire asked, trying to keep his voice as soft and neutral as possible. Glancing back up at Kat, he watched as she flicked a glance at the offending mug, then back to Angel. Reaching up to play with her hair, the kitten shrugged, muttering something under her breath so fast he could barely hear it. "What?"
"I um…I had it made at that ceramic mug store in town," Kat stammered, wishing for all the world that she had picked a more sensible gift for this occasion. 'Why did I have to choose something I thought was humorous?' her mind groaned. She was so wrapped up in berating herself that she didn't see the look in Angel's eyes as he studied the mug more intently…or the twitch of his lips either.
'She had this made?' The sheer absurdity of the idea forced Angel to reexamine the eyesore he held before him. It was then that he noted the Celtic knots on both sides of the mug were actually patterned after the Celtic symbol for eternity. Angel's lips twitched as he thought about Kat requesting the mug at the ceramic store, and the odd looks she would have received as she insisted it be made this way. 'Blood, fangs, Celtic knots, the sign for Eternity, the color black…' Something bubbled up inside of Angel, something he hadn't felt in years and certainly not since the gypsies had cursed him. He tried to contain the feeling, but it swelled up inside his chest, making him feel oddly giddy. Eyes bright with amusement, the vampire did something he had not done in a long time…he laughed.
Kat's head shot up as she heard the sound coming from Angel's mouth: a rich, deep laughter that filled the library and echoed off its walls. Surprised, and more than just a little disgruntled, Kat glanced at the other occupants of the room to see if they would join in, only to discover they were frozen in shock at the sight of Angel laughing. Xander stared, his jaw dropping as he contemplated the vampire, his party hat askew as he continued to chuckle hysterically. Giles took a step back, taking his glasses off, polishing them, and putting them back as if to check if he were seeing things correctly. Cordelia and Willow had odd looks on their faces, a soft smile touching the redhead's lips as she watched her friend fully enjoy himself for once, while the ex-cheerleader gaped at Angel like he had lost his mind.
Growling under her breath, Kat returned her fiery gaze to the vampire, who was even now trying to regain his composure. Wiping the bloody tears away from his eyes, Angel glanced up at the kitten and, seeing her grouchy disposition, flashed her as charming a smile as he could manage. "Don't be mad kitten. I wasn't laughing at you. Actually, I'm rather fond of this gift." Kat snorted in disbelief, which caused Angel to rise. Setting the repulsively charming mug down carefully he moved closer to the brunette, who continued to glare at him angrily. The vampire continued to smile as he tried to soothe her ruffled feathers…err…fur. "It's very amusing. Plus it comes at a very good time…I seem to have misplaced my other mug."
The twinkle in his eyes faded somewhat as Kat flushed, her eyes flashing with something other than hatred. Vulnerability? Slowly Angel's eyes took in her defensive posturing, the nervous way she was playing with her hair, and the embarrassed flush that kissed her pale cheeks. 'She looks afraid. Of being judged, or brushed aside for her odd idea?' Slowly his serious demeanor returned, his eyes kind as he leaned against the table, facing Kat. "Hey," he whispered softly, causing the kitten to raise her head to look at him. Once he had her attention, her eyes fixed on his, he continued. "I'm not kidding kit...Katura," using her full first name quietly, "I like it. Thank you."
Her blue-green orbs searched his own chocolate brown ones for a moment, questioning. Slowly she smiled back, her lips tugging upwards in one of those secret smiles reserved for friends. "You're welcome." Silently the two stared at each other for a moment, their heads moving slightly closer to close the distance between them, until…
"Hey Dead Boy!" A startled vampire and kitten turned, eyes wide as a flash went off in their eyes. Blinking rapidly, both brunettes rubbed their eyes grudgingly as Xander grinned from behind the camera he was using. Willow and Cordelia, slow to stop the teenaged boy from spoiling another 'tender moment,' latched onto his arms and managed to drag him away, the ex cheerleader muttering something about the Hellmouth and its rotten timing. An awkward silence descended on the area, which was broken when Giles cleared his throat.
"Well," he started, a little uncomfortable with the level of tension surrounding the table. "Perhaps, now that Angel has had a chance to unwrap his gifts, we can proceed with some research into that prophecy Willow unearthed." Five groans issued from the other occupants of the room, all eyes turning to glare balefully at the librarian. Straightening, Giles managed to look somewhat authoritative as he continued. "We still don't know anything about it, or how it relates to Kat here, so I suggest we figure it out. Preferably before something else goes wrong in this town."
When no one made a move to argue with the librarian he retreated into his office, unearthing the books he thought would be the most help in researching the mysterious prophecy that seemed link to their new werecat friend. Rejoining the group he passed out books to everyone but Willow, who stubbornly insisted on continuing her research on the Internet. And so Angel's party faded into the background as Giles, and practicality, forced the slaying group to turn to more serious matters.