Chapter 5
**2 weeks later**
Giles was sitting in his apartment, sipping a cup of tea and reading through some newly-acquired texts. He was so deeply engrossed in the books in front of him that didn't hear the knocking on his door. Finally the knocking got a little bolder and Giles was startled back into reality. Hmm, who could that possibly be? At this time of.morning? He glanced at his watch and realized that it was 1:45 in the morning. He hadn't even realized the time that had passed while he was reading.
He adjusted his the wire-rimmed glasses on his nose, brushed a hand through his hair, and walked over to the door. He carefully unlocked it and opened it slightly. "Who's there?"
"Me.Angel," came the emotionless reply.
"Oh.ah..ahm..what can I do for you?" Giles was taken aback at the fact that Angel was the one knocking on his door in the middle of the night, especially since he hadn't really heard anything from or about him in months, perhaps over a year. Ever since Angel left for L.A. after Graduation. "Oh, sorry. Please come in."
Angel stepped out of the shadows and into the dimly lit apartment. Physically he appeared the same as before, but Giles could tell something was troubling him. There was an uncomfortable silence between them for a few minutes. It had been a long time since either had talked, and last time Giles was still having a hard time accepting everything that Angelus had done. Giles decided to forget his old feelings, at least for now. A lot of time had passed, and in that time he had almost healed from losing his love, Jenny, and from the damage that Angelus had done him. Through that time he constantly had to remind himself that Angel and Angelus were not really the same. Angel would never do what the soulless, murdurous Angelus had done.
"So.what brings you here, Angel?" Giles asked tentatively.
"Business. The usual, demons, darkness, the world in danger. Nothing new."
"What is the great danger this time. Obviously it has been immense enough to bring you here?"
"Actually, I've never dealt with anything like this before, and I thought maybe you could help me find some information."
"Of course. What is the problem?" Giles was remaining very cool and collected, trying to pretend as if this was not such a weird occurrence.
"Well, there's a group of demons that we've been tracking. They seem to have originated in South America, and have been making their way north. Towards the Hellmouth I think," Angel said. "I have no idea what kind of demons they are, and my team and I have been unable to find anything out about them. I figured it would be worth a try asking you."
"Well, I'll see what I can do," Giles replied. "Why don't you have a seat and I'll go grab some books."
"Thanks." Angel went over to the table where Giles newest texts were spread out, and settled himself down in a vacant chair. Giles returned shortly with yet another pile of old books, and plopped them down on top of the already covered table. Before he asked anything about these mysterious demons, he asked Angel another question. "How are things in L.A.? I have heard about your "Angel Investigations." You seem to be doing quite well."
"Yeah. It's something to do. We 'Help the Helpless'," Angel said, quoting their business' saying. "Did Wesley talk to you?"
"Yes. We former watchers like to keep in contact once in a while. Cordelia is working with you, too?"
"Yeah. Along with two people, Gunn and Fred, and a green demon called Lorne. He's our link to the greater powers, and he's great at reading people."
Giles looked slightly impressed. "It sounds like you have quite a team, then." He eyed Angel questioningly. Angel still hadn't said anything about the similar team in Sunnydale. The Slayer and her Scoobie Gang. Giles decided to broach the subject himself. "You know, Buffy's been saying that she's been sensing something.different when she has been patrolling lately. Perhaps this has some relation to your group of demons?"
Giles noticed the look of pain that crossed Angel's features when Buffy's name was mentioned, but decided to ignore it for the moment. There was business on hand.
"Maybe." Angel responded. He looked like there was something else on his mind. "Actually Giles, I've been in Sunnydale a few times. A couple of weeks ago. I had this feeling.like Buffy was in trouble.and these nightmares. I needed to see that she was alright. She would be really upset if she found out, though."
"Hmm. Yes. It's best she doesn't know right now. She's been having a hard enough time focusing lately." Giles, to Angel's surprise, didn't seem angry that Angel had been checking up on her, secretely watching her even. Instead he and Angel both seemed to agree that it would be best if Buffy didn't know anything. Not about Angel's spying on her, and not of his visit to Giles.
"Well, then, what about these demons?"
**2 weeks later**
Giles was sitting in his apartment, sipping a cup of tea and reading through some newly-acquired texts. He was so deeply engrossed in the books in front of him that didn't hear the knocking on his door. Finally the knocking got a little bolder and Giles was startled back into reality. Hmm, who could that possibly be? At this time of.morning? He glanced at his watch and realized that it was 1:45 in the morning. He hadn't even realized the time that had passed while he was reading.
He adjusted his the wire-rimmed glasses on his nose, brushed a hand through his hair, and walked over to the door. He carefully unlocked it and opened it slightly. "Who's there?"
"Me.Angel," came the emotionless reply.
"Oh.ah..ahm..what can I do for you?" Giles was taken aback at the fact that Angel was the one knocking on his door in the middle of the night, especially since he hadn't really heard anything from or about him in months, perhaps over a year. Ever since Angel left for L.A. after Graduation. "Oh, sorry. Please come in."
Angel stepped out of the shadows and into the dimly lit apartment. Physically he appeared the same as before, but Giles could tell something was troubling him. There was an uncomfortable silence between them for a few minutes. It had been a long time since either had talked, and last time Giles was still having a hard time accepting everything that Angelus had done. Giles decided to forget his old feelings, at least for now. A lot of time had passed, and in that time he had almost healed from losing his love, Jenny, and from the damage that Angelus had done him. Through that time he constantly had to remind himself that Angel and Angelus were not really the same. Angel would never do what the soulless, murdurous Angelus had done.
"So.what brings you here, Angel?" Giles asked tentatively.
"Business. The usual, demons, darkness, the world in danger. Nothing new."
"What is the great danger this time. Obviously it has been immense enough to bring you here?"
"Actually, I've never dealt with anything like this before, and I thought maybe you could help me find some information."
"Of course. What is the problem?" Giles was remaining very cool and collected, trying to pretend as if this was not such a weird occurrence.
"Well, there's a group of demons that we've been tracking. They seem to have originated in South America, and have been making their way north. Towards the Hellmouth I think," Angel said. "I have no idea what kind of demons they are, and my team and I have been unable to find anything out about them. I figured it would be worth a try asking you."
"Well, I'll see what I can do," Giles replied. "Why don't you have a seat and I'll go grab some books."
"Thanks." Angel went over to the table where Giles newest texts were spread out, and settled himself down in a vacant chair. Giles returned shortly with yet another pile of old books, and plopped them down on top of the already covered table. Before he asked anything about these mysterious demons, he asked Angel another question. "How are things in L.A.? I have heard about your "Angel Investigations." You seem to be doing quite well."
"Yeah. It's something to do. We 'Help the Helpless'," Angel said, quoting their business' saying. "Did Wesley talk to you?"
"Yes. We former watchers like to keep in contact once in a while. Cordelia is working with you, too?"
"Yeah. Along with two people, Gunn and Fred, and a green demon called Lorne. He's our link to the greater powers, and he's great at reading people."
Giles looked slightly impressed. "It sounds like you have quite a team, then." He eyed Angel questioningly. Angel still hadn't said anything about the similar team in Sunnydale. The Slayer and her Scoobie Gang. Giles decided to broach the subject himself. "You know, Buffy's been saying that she's been sensing something.different when she has been patrolling lately. Perhaps this has some relation to your group of demons?"
Giles noticed the look of pain that crossed Angel's features when Buffy's name was mentioned, but decided to ignore it for the moment. There was business on hand.
"Maybe." Angel responded. He looked like there was something else on his mind. "Actually Giles, I've been in Sunnydale a few times. A couple of weeks ago. I had this feeling.like Buffy was in trouble.and these nightmares. I needed to see that she was alright. She would be really upset if she found out, though."
"Hmm. Yes. It's best she doesn't know right now. She's been having a hard enough time focusing lately." Giles, to Angel's surprise, didn't seem angry that Angel had been checking up on her, secretely watching her even. Instead he and Angel both seemed to agree that it would be best if Buffy didn't know anything. Not about Angel's spying on her, and not of his visit to Giles.
"Well, then, what about these demons?"