Chapter 22.

Cordy sighed as she watched Angel striding across the foyer of the hyperion, phone in hand.

He'd been trying to ring Buffy's house for the last half an hour.

When he found the answering machine's tape was full, and he couldn't leave a tenth message, he gave a

yell and threw the phone against the wall.

Fred, who was sitting with Lorne, continuing their attempted research about the monks, (a lot easier now

that they had a physical description of the demon from Cordy's vision.) flinched and stared wide eyed at

the pathetic pile of broken plastic at the foot of the wall that was the phone

She glanced at Cordy then looked back down at her book, implying Cordy, as Angel's girlfriend, should try

and calm him down. Not her.

Lorne looked over at Cordy and shrugged.

The former higher being sighed and walked over to Angel, "Look angel, I'm sure they just went

out. Buffy still has her patrols to do after all. Maybe they thought it would be safer if they all went."

Angel crossed his arms, "No, Connor is there. He's just as strong as Buffy. There would be no need for

them all to go."

Cordy put her hands on her hips, "well, Spike, the Vampire, the strong Vampire, LIVES there and buffy still

wouldn't leave Dawn just with him. She obviously thinks she shouldn't leave Dawn with just one person,

so they'd take Connor and Dawn with them if they went out…Besides, imagine Spike's opinion of

connor's babysitting skills.."

Angel sighed, "But.. They weren't home when I called 4 hours ago either! Where could they have been all

night?! Patrolling doesn't take that long!"

Cordy shook her head, "They're probably just being overprotective! They do think of Dawn like their

daughter after all..."

Angel snorted, "I still don't get how Buffy can trust Spike!"

Cordy huffed, "well! He has a soul! And, unlike other certain people I know, he went out and got one of his

own accord, he didn't need to be cursed!"

Angel averted his eyes, "But still! Something is wrong!"

Cordy raised a hand, "excuse me! Seer over here! I am having no bad vibes, they are FINE!"

"Yeah, we'll.. maybe your powers aren't working!"

Cordy gasped, "excuse me!" She poked Angel in the chest, "YOU need to stop being so overprotective!

Connor is FINE! Dawn is FINE! Buffy is FINE! Spike is FINE! EVERYONE IS FINE!"

Angel shrugged and turned, walking across the room.

Cordy smiled triumphantly , "good, just calm down Angel. We'll call them again in a few hours."

She paused as Angel walked across the foyer and opened his weapons cabinet. "Angel…? You're just

going on patrol right?"

He didn't reply.

Lorne and Fred, who'd been pretending to be deaf for the last few minutes looked over at their boss.

Cordy groaned in defeat and sat down on the sofa, "I take it we are going on a little visit to Sunnydale

then?"

In reply Angel picked up his favorite sword and swung it around a few times.

Fred stood and headed for her cross bow. Then looked sympathetically over at Cordy, "I'll go get Gunn."

Cordy glanced at her watch, "Angel, you do realise the sun comes up in an hour and a half?"

The vampire shrugged, "we'll spend the day at Buffy's house."

His seer gave a final exasperated sigh and went over to the cabinet to select some sort of weapon.

******

Spike opened his eyes and looked out at the window. It was almost Dawn. He sighed.

Great.. now I'll be up all day… I really need to stop sleeping at night..

He glanced down at Buffy lying next to him, a small smile playing on her sleeping features.

okay.. sleeping at night has it's advantages.. Buffy.

He sat up and scanned the bed side table for his cigarettes.

Damn! Where did I leave them??

He leant across the bed, careful not to disturb buffy and started feeling for them on her bedside table.

Eventually his hand encountered his pack of 12ml's, "aha!".

Buffy murmured and rolled over.

Spike froze for a moment, waiting for her to fall back to sleep properly.

He chuckled silently to himself.

Buffy hated his smokes, but if he was careful, he could have one in bed.

Heh heh..

He pulled one out of the pack, then realised he hadn't grabbed his lighter.

"Shit!"

Buffy again rolled over, this time muttering a little louder, spike thought he heard the words 'shut up' in

amidst her murmuring.

Again he waited, noticing how the sky had grown lighter, the sun was up.

Eventually he heard her breathing slip back into the deep and even rhythm of sleep.

Again he leant across her form and patted her bed side table in his search for his lighter.

He couldn't find it.

Dammit! That was my favorite one too!

It was a silver jet lighter he's stolen form some moron at a night club a couple of months before.

He sat back against the pillows and the head board.

"bollocks.."

(AN: ha ha ha!! 'bollocks' hee hee..*collapses in insane giggles*)

It must be in my pants.. but where the bloody hell are they?!

He scanned the room for his leather pants, eventually spying them hanging over a couple of swords

propped up in one corner. He always had trouble finding his clothes. He'd once found his shirt in the front

yard, having been thrown out Buffy's window in a fit of passion one night.

Should I risk getting up?…

He looked longingly at his cigarette. Yes.

Slowly, he pulled back the cover and put one leg out of bed.

Buffy didn't move.

In a flash of movement he was out of the bed.

He glanced back at Buffy.

She remained deeply asleep.

He smiled to himself and walked over and found his lighter.

He lit his smoke and took a drag, sighing deeply.

Slowly, with the contented smile of a satisfied chain-smoker, he headed back across the room.

He pulled up the covers, "Stop. You're not smoking in bed."

Buffy's eyes were still shut and she appeared to be asleep in ever aspect, but Spike froze.

"Um…. Luv?"

Maybe she'd just talking in her sleep..

"Don't 'luv' me Spike… no smoking in bed. You always ash on me."

"awww.. buffy! Just this once! I swear!"

The slayer opened her eyes. "no. If you must smoke, you're not doing it in here."

The vampire sighed in defeat and sat down heavily in a chair near the window.

"Fine!"

******

Connor was woken up by sunlight pouring threw Dawn's window.

He squinted into the bright light and buried his head under some of Dawn's hair.

"mm… your hair smells yummy…"

Dawn snuggled closer and let out a little yawn. "thank you.. I think.."

Neither attempted any more conversation and they both went back to sleep.

******

Angel parked the car in Buffy's driveway, next to Spike's beat-up blacked-out 'baby' and pulled his jacket

over his head, making a dash for the door.

Gunn grabbed his axe and followed, muttering to fred, "what's the bet they're all asleep or something.."

His girlfriend nodded, "yeah, angel did overreact bit I think."

Cordy walked past them "a bit?! That's an understatement!"

Fred shrugged, "hey, should we bother waking up Lorne?" She jerked her thumb at the demon, who had

passed out in the back seat.

Gunn shook his head, "nah, the screaming will wake him up I'm sure." He rolled his eyes.

Ahead of them Angel had opened the door.

Cprdy sighed, "Why couldn't he wait for Buffy to unlock it? Was breaking it down really necessary!?".

******

Angel silently pushed Buffy's door in and ran down the hall, sword held before him.

He could smell Buffy, Spike, Dawn and Connor.

No demons.. good… but where are they?!

He walked through the kitchen, then headed for the living room, figuring that would be where Connor

would be sleeping.

Sure enough, the couch had a pillow and some blankets on it, but It looked un slept in.

Angel paused and smelt for Connor's scent.

He was here.. hours ago though… will Dawn..

He darted up the stairs, still not making a sound.

Where are they!?!?

He was panicky and couldn't seem to control himself enough to sense for Connor and the others.

Maybe Cordy's right.. maybe they did go out on patrol… but the only reason they wouldn't have come

home would be if something bad happened..

He headed along the hallway, quite certain he'd find the bedrooms empty, already thinking of where they

might be,

probably in that underground place in the graveyard..

******