Chapter 7
When Buffy had walked into the gallery, she had been almost killed. After opening the door, she had turned around to find a man dressed in green from head to foot carrying a gun and a knife. He had shot at her several times, then thrown the knife at her heart, all before disappearing through the open window. Miraculously, Buffy had avoided all but 2 bullets. Despite the fact that she was now bleeding and had two pieces of metal in her left arm, she looked around before calling the police. That was how she had discovered the note on her desk. It read: IF YOU DON'T STAY OUT OF THE MURDER OF YOUR HUSBAND, YOU WILL SOON JOIN HIM IN HELL. CALL OFF THE POLICE AND THE PI. Even though Buffy was very frightened, this note only stiffened her resolve to find the murder and bring him to justice.
Willow arrived on the scene and immediately went to comfort her friend. She asked some questions as gently as possible and led Buffy over to the ambulance that had arrived. Even thought she wasn't hurt too badly, the paramedics still insisted on taking her to the hospital. She needed to have the bullets removed and she needed to be checked over just to be sure she wasn't injured any more than just being shot. After calling some of Buffy's friends, Willow went into the gallery to investigate the crime scene.
"Oh my God, Xander! Is she okay? Oh thank goodness for that. Of course, I'll be right there. No I'm sure he won't mind once I explain the circumstances. Oh and Xand, I'm really sorry about the fight this morning sweetie. I know, I know, you've already forgiven me, but I just wanted you to know. And I love you. Drive carefully now, this thing with Buffy just makes me realize how important life is."
Angel wasn't really listening to Cordelia's phone call, but he immediately became aware of what she was saying when the name Buffy was mentioned. Cordy approached him and briefly explained that a friend had been shot and was in the hospital. Angel not only told her she could be excused the see her friend, he closed the office and went along. The whole way there, his mind was filled with terribly worried thoughts.
*What if she's dying? Oh God! No Cordelia didn't say her friend was dying, just shot and in the hospital. Oh think, Angel, think. What did she say? And how are you ever going to explain this to everyone without giving away your newly discovered feelings for her.* Angel had spent the past few hours since Buffy had left and since Cordelia had been called thinking about his new client.
He had discovered that he did like her, and was shocked by the notion that it could even be love at first sight. He had never really thought that things like that happened in the real world, but obviously, they did. Here he was, living proof of that fact. He just didn't know if he'd be able to hide it in working for and with her. Here he was, freaking out over a simple gunshot wound. Imagine how it would be if something worse happened to her. He didn't think he could even stand the idea of it.
Shortly, they had arrived at the hospital. Angel had spent some time in the car thinking of an explanation for why he was so worried about this girl. He told everyone that she was his new client, and that if this had anything to do with the murder of her husband, it was his business. Most of the people there accepted his justification at face value, but Angel's childhood friend Allan Francis Doyle realized that there was more to Angel's presence than he was admitting.
When Buffy had walked into the gallery, she had been almost killed. After opening the door, she had turned around to find a man dressed in green from head to foot carrying a gun and a knife. He had shot at her several times, then thrown the knife at her heart, all before disappearing through the open window. Miraculously, Buffy had avoided all but 2 bullets. Despite the fact that she was now bleeding and had two pieces of metal in her left arm, she looked around before calling the police. That was how she had discovered the note on her desk. It read: IF YOU DON'T STAY OUT OF THE MURDER OF YOUR HUSBAND, YOU WILL SOON JOIN HIM IN HELL. CALL OFF THE POLICE AND THE PI. Even though Buffy was very frightened, this note only stiffened her resolve to find the murder and bring him to justice.
Willow arrived on the scene and immediately went to comfort her friend. She asked some questions as gently as possible and led Buffy over to the ambulance that had arrived. Even thought she wasn't hurt too badly, the paramedics still insisted on taking her to the hospital. She needed to have the bullets removed and she needed to be checked over just to be sure she wasn't injured any more than just being shot. After calling some of Buffy's friends, Willow went into the gallery to investigate the crime scene.
"Oh my God, Xander! Is she okay? Oh thank goodness for that. Of course, I'll be right there. No I'm sure he won't mind once I explain the circumstances. Oh and Xand, I'm really sorry about the fight this morning sweetie. I know, I know, you've already forgiven me, but I just wanted you to know. And I love you. Drive carefully now, this thing with Buffy just makes me realize how important life is."
Angel wasn't really listening to Cordelia's phone call, but he immediately became aware of what she was saying when the name Buffy was mentioned. Cordy approached him and briefly explained that a friend had been shot and was in the hospital. Angel not only told her she could be excused the see her friend, he closed the office and went along. The whole way there, his mind was filled with terribly worried thoughts.
*What if she's dying? Oh God! No Cordelia didn't say her friend was dying, just shot and in the hospital. Oh think, Angel, think. What did she say? And how are you ever going to explain this to everyone without giving away your newly discovered feelings for her.* Angel had spent the past few hours since Buffy had left and since Cordelia had been called thinking about his new client.
He had discovered that he did like her, and was shocked by the notion that it could even be love at first sight. He had never really thought that things like that happened in the real world, but obviously, they did. Here he was, living proof of that fact. He just didn't know if he'd be able to hide it in working for and with her. Here he was, freaking out over a simple gunshot wound. Imagine how it would be if something worse happened to her. He didn't think he could even stand the idea of it.
Shortly, they had arrived at the hospital. Angel had spent some time in the car thinking of an explanation for why he was so worried about this girl. He told everyone that she was his new client, and that if this had anything to do with the murder of her husband, it was his business. Most of the people there accepted his justification at face value, but Angel's childhood friend Allan Francis Doyle realized that there was more to Angel's presence than he was admitting.
