The Guide- Part 3
Author: JAK
Disclaimer and description: see prologue
AN#1: Yes, I know that Angel said he was in hell for a hundred years in the season opener, but I'm going to ignore that cause I wrote this part way before I saw that episode and I think that the estimate mentioned below is more realistic anyway. I highly doubt that time is SLOWER in a worse hell dimension, it doesn't make any sense, so my I'm taking the lead from the dimension featured in 'Anne'.
Feedback: yes, please! Direct it to jennkarlinskyyahoo.ca. Okay, folks, I am now reduced to begging- please, please, please, if you have been reading this fic, let me now through reviewing or sending me an e-mail. I am going through extra effort in posting my story here on top of at BA Fluff, accessible through www.escribe.com. and I'd really like to know if anyone is reading it!
As always thanks to SCWLC, my good friend and partner in watching BTVS and Angel, your ideas, help and acting as a sounding board has been invaluable.
Summary: Cathy does some planning, gets everyone to make a list of their issues and prepares the appropriate tapes. Riley gets educated about Angel, and the rest of the gang is sat down to watch a tape about Angel.
---
"Oh, yeah- Riley." Cathy lightly hit her head to indicate her stupidity.
As Riley and Giles entered the room, Giles caught the gesture, and correctly interpreted it. "Oh, right- guess Riley has to play a role doesn't he? After all he has fought with Buffy and still keeps the cause."
Cathy nodded as Riley greeted Buffy. "Hey. How are you? Haven't heard from you or seen you in the last couple days and..." he paused, noticing the strange girl Giles had addressed, Spike, Angel, another strange girl, and the man she was speaking to, who was younger then Giles but older then the rest, and clearly British. "Okay, what are they doing here," he indicated Angel and Spike, clearly not happy to see them, then added as an afterthought, "Angel," he said briefly in greeting. Angel nodded curtly, his usual scowl on his face. "Who are they?" Riley continued, "And what is going on? You're clearly in the midst of a major crisis which required reinforcements from LA, yet you didn't call me?"
"Oh, Riley, hi!" Buffy said, clearly stumped as to how to explain that the LA gang was present yet they hadn't called him. "Right, the others. Well, you already know Angel- over there talking is Cordelia, who went to high school with us and now works with Angel in LA, and Wesley, another Watcher who also works with Angel. Wesley, Cordelia!" Buffy called. Getting their attention she added,"Meet Riley, my boyfriend. Riley, Wesley Wyndham-Price and Cordelia Chase." Cordelia nodded. Wesley shook Riley's hand politely and remarked, "Hello Riley, nice to meet you." He was mildly surprised that she was dating someone, since Angel hadn't mentioned it, but then, he probably would have found it too painful to talk about.
"Ah, yeah- nice to meet you too." replied Riley. "Buffy," he repeated, since he had yet to get a satisfactory answer, "what is going on here?"
Spike snidely put in his two cents worth. "Don't you just feel so wanted and needed? She called in Angel, Cordelia and Wesley from LA, but you don't hear a thing."
"Shut up, Spike!" Buffy and Riley said in unison. "I'm sorry, Riley. We were in the middle of a crisis here and we just kinda neglected to, ah, call you." Realizing that it was a bad idea to have Riley present when Angel and Spike were around, neither of whom he got along with, and that she owed him a major apology for not filling him before the LA gang showed up, Buffy added, "Come, Riley, let's go for a walk and I'll explain everything. Giles, Cathy, I'm not needed for anything important at the moment, am I?"
Giles shook his head and after pausing to think for a moment, and Cathy replied,
"Nah, go on ahead with boy-toy over there. I need to formulate my plan and make sure to include Finn there who I kinda forgot ..." Cathy trailed off remembering that she couldn't reveal that Riley had left Sunnydale which was why she hadn't thought of him. It hadn't happened yet, after all, and revealing it prematurely could cause numerous repercussions to the time line. Besides, there was no point in bringing it up when her talks with them would change things anyway.
Riley gave her a look and Buffy glared at her, then took Riley's arm and left the house with him protesting her lack of response. Cathy chuckled as did Spike. Angel smiled to himself briefly, perversely glad that Cathy clearly disliked Riley, although he was too polite to say anything. /Naturally, he and Spike don't like each other- NOBODY likes Spike, and Riley as army-boy wouldn't understand why Buffy and Giles let Spike stick around.It was so unfair that Spike of all people got to be around Buffy when he couldn't. Especially since Buffy and Giles don't even like him./
"Hey Cathy," remarked Spike helpfully. "What about those videos? Maybe they could give you some ideas?"
/The videos! Of course. I'll design tapes to have them view to illustrate the problems to them! There is a lot the sidekicks don't know, especially about Angel. It's time that changed so that they can't do anymore unwitting damage, or add any additional complications. It will be a good first step./ " Yeah, thanks Spike. The videos are definitely the logical staring point. Hey, would you give me a hand? I could use a neutral player to bounce ideas off of."
/Hey/, thought Spike, /cool. Somebody is actually asking for my opinion/. Not that it had ever stopped him from sharing it before, but it was nice for a change. Spike shrugged and got up. /She's going to use those video tapes to therapize these blokes? This, I gotta see./
"Hey," protested Xander. "You're calling Spike neutral when he doesn't even like us?"
Cathy sighed. "Yes, I am saying that he's neutral compared to the rest of you. Except perhaps Tara, but she's known you all a for a lot less time then Spike, and Angel is a virtual stranger to her. Spike, particularly at this point, is much more likely to be of help. As for Anya, Angel is a virtual stranger to her as well. Just cause he's been evil doesn't mean that he doesn't understand you people. No liking is required for that. Now, may I go and do my job?" Without waiting for a response, she left the room with Spike following.
---
Cathy addressed the group a short time later, once Buffy had briefed Riley on the situation and Spike had concurred with the first few steps Cathy had outlined in her plan. "Now, here's what we're going to do first. I will put together some videos for you to watch and while I'm doing that, I have a writing assignment I need you guys to complete. You will each compile a list of all your issues, gripes, pet peeves, grievances etc. about every person in this room as well as Faith. Please, organize them under headlines and be concise but thorough. Feel free also to add a list of other issues. If you are stuck, visualize the person and imagine what you would tell them to stop doing, to not do, to change, to understand, to accept etc. Okay?"
Xander cut in and demanded, "If we have to be calm can't we just meditate? Why the therapy? Which we SO don't need."
Cathy replied, "After the way Spike played you guys against one another, you're telling me you don't need therapy?" she scoffed briefly to indicate what she thought of that notion. "Besides," she added, "meditation will not be enough- we must assume that the wielder of the weapon will use any and all issues you people have to try to upset you. I have to do as much as possible to ensure that there won't be anything for him, or her, to use to upset you the way that Spike did. Clear?"
They all nodded. A few of the others had been wondering the same thing but didn't want to appear stupid. As usual, Xander had said what needed to be said but nobody else would.
Cathy paused for a moment in case there were any more questions then continued. "There are three simple rules that you must follow while doing this: Do NOT be kind, this is for me to know, not them, and I MUST know what you consider the problems to be if I'm to help you save the world; do not show this to anyone else or confer on it- this is whatYOUthink and this is about solving the problems which already exist not creating new ones; and, finally, I DO NOT want to know that you LIKE them or that you doNOT like them- liking is irrelevant to the exercise and I need more precise information than 'do not like'. I need to know WHAT you don't like about them. Remember: we must work under the assumption that whomever or whatever wields the weapon will be aware of your issues and if you have not dealt with them you and the world could be destroyed. Use your common sense people, don't bother writing about those whom you just met or do not know very well. Spike, this includes you too."
Spike grumbled, "I will not."
Cathy replied sternly, "Yes, you will. Are you suggesting that you have NO issues with anyone in this room?"
Spike looked around the room, and noted that Angel, Buffy and Riley were there, then reconsidered. He didn't want the world to end particularly- no more happy meals with legs, Manchester United or violence and mayhem. "Fine, but I DON'T like it."
Cathy rolled her eyes. "Hey, you got no right to complain. You have one of the shortest lists of everyone here, aside from Tara who is mostly neutral or has just met them. There are cases where I'll accept that you are neutral about the person: use your common sense. I repeat: you may not be kind. I'm sure that you can all find it within yourself to put aside any misgivings you may have about criticising your friends with the fate of the world hanging in the balance. Now, any questions?"
Nobody responded. "Okay then. Just keep in mind that you WILL regret it if you confer with anyone about your lists and I WON'T hesitate to get you to redo it if you are being kind, so don't bother trying it. Go ahead and start."
As they got started, Cathy gave Buffy and Giles one final instruction: they were to include Joyce Summers in their list of people to cover. Then, she told Willow to add Oz to her list.
Cathy pulled Tara aside and whispered, "Tara, there's some place on campus where I could access a video-editing suite, right?"
Tara paused for a moment. "There must be in the Film Studies department. Since it's summer, I could probably book it for you. Or we could rent it."
Cathy nodded. "Right. Lead on, please. I don't actually know how to get there, I've never seen a map of Sunnydale, or the campus, and they never show the entire route. You'll have plenty of time do yours, seeing as how you just met most of these people."
Tara nodded and then called. "Bye Will. I'll be right back, Cathy needs me to take her to the campus and help her find the video editing equipment she needs."
Willow nodded and waved her off, then Cathy followed her out of the room.
---
Cathy spent a frustrating half hour figuring out how to work the video editing equipment, then looked over the list of necessary tapes Spike had helped her make. First on the list was the Angel tape, for the viewing of those who are not Buffy and Angel. Next, was the tape for Joyce showing her what is REALLY going on in Buffy's life, plus all the times that she'd inadvertently punished Buffy for saving the world. Finally, there was the Faith tape, to illustrate to the gang what was going on from her perspective.
She decided that the Angel tape should be divided into three parts: history, Angel/Angelus and Angel and Buffy. /Right,/ she thought to herself, /better get started on that tape/. She placed the first tape she needed into the correct slot and found the spot she wanted. Then she started the recording process. /Hmm,/ she asked herself as she waited for the scene to finish copying, /this video won't do the trick for Riley, and he needs to get the full picture.. Hey, I'll do with him what Buffy should have done with Faith. Yes, that's perfect./
---
By the time Cathy had finished making the videos, and stopped for a bite to eat, it was night out. She pulled Riley aside and said, "I've made a video for the others to watch so that they'll get the whole Angel thing, but before that I need to deal with you."
Riley crossed his arms in front of his chest and demanded, "So, now you need boy-toy?"
Cathy winced slightly. "Sorry, that was uncalled for. My pro-Angel sentiments got the better of me for a moment there."
Riley relaxed his stance, accepting the apology. Then he queried, "Why not get me to watch the video?"
Cathy replied, "Because you are completely ignorant of the situation, and you don't know the guy. I'd rather you go to them all individually, except for Anya and Tara who don't know him, and ask them about Angel. Be sure to ask Angel second last and Buffy last, aside from that any order is fine. And, yes, this includes Spike since he and Angel have a history together. Lie, bribe them, tell them to take it up with me, whatever, just be sure NOT to tell them what you are doing and why, since that will influence them."
Riley digested this. "I see. And if I do this after the video they will be nice and censor what they say, assuming the video works correctly, and then I wouldn't really get it?"
Cathy nodded. "Right."
She gathered them together then collected the sheets outlining the issues they each have with the other key members of the group. Then, Cathy turned to Giles and said, "Mr. Giles, Buffy, I must review the lists of issues before I have you guys view the first video. Why don't you see if you can determine who or what is in possession of the Stone of Gol at this time? There may be some special preparations needed to fight them, or it. Oh, and Buffy, we'll need your Mom in on this. You and Giles both have issues which can't be resolved without her being here."
---
A few hours later Riley sat down with a cup of tea and went over the information he had gotten from everyone other then Buffy and Angel on Angel. He'd gotten the conversation with Spike out of the way first, and Spike had described how nasty Angelus was and how different Angel was with a soul. Cordelia and Wesley's support counteracted Xander and Giles negative evaluations, taking into account Xander's jealousy and the murder of Ms. Calender. Willow's resentment of Angel for Buffy's sake was counteracted by her admission that he was a good guy and a great help in the fight against evil./I didn't know about the whole soul thing,/ Riley thought to himself, /that kind of makes it easier to see where Buffy's coming from. Boy do they need to work through this! Giles and Xander especially./ Much to his surprise, Riley found that his sentiments towards Angel were actually pretty neutral at that point. It would be different if he didn't believe that Angel had cared deeply for Buffy, but the way that he lost his soul soundly disproved that particular notion.
Riley then proceeded to hear Angel's recriminations and self-loathing, and finished off with Buffy's glowing testimonial. "Ah, Buffy," he asked her after she had finished, "nobody else seems to know, and I was uncomfortable asking Angel, so, umm, do you have any idea as to how long he was in hell for?"
Buffy paused for a moment. "I never actually asked, I don't think he knows himself. Kind of hard to count the time while your being tortured, I'd think. Probably quite a long time."
Riley nodded. "Anything we could use to try and calculate it, even roughly?"
Buffy thought for a moment. "Well, there was the time when I stopped that demon group from a hell-like dimension from using teens from our world as slave labour. One day here was like 50-60 years there."
Riley nodded. "Okay, we'll assume a similar time differential- how long was Angel gone in our world?"
Buffy quickly did the mental math. "Three, almost four months."
Riley grabbed the calculator beside him on the desk and said. "Let's say it was fifty-five years to one day. Three and a half months would be 14 weeks, that's ninety-eight days. Ninety-eight times fifty-five gives us 5,390. Wow. He was tortured in hell for over five thousand years. It takes a remarkable person to be able to cope with all that plus the guilt."
Buffy nodded, glad Riley was starting to respect Angel. /Oh my God, I put him in hell for over five thousand years/.She winced inwardly. /We both know I had no choice, but it's amazing that he could still love me after I put him through all that./
---
Riley pulled Cathy aside and made his report. "I have to say that I actually feel kinda sorry for Angel now. I get now that Buffy still loves Angel and always will- this is why she doesn't love me. You do realize that Angel probably has the most issues of any of us to work through? Man has he gotten a raw deal."
Cathy nodded, pleased that part one had been successful. "I know, Riley. I needed for you to understand that. Now, if you like, you may watch the video with the others- just please don't influence them too much while they watch the video. I need them to realize that, as well as other things, but on their OWN, without your help. Okay?"
Riley nodded then Cathy called a group meeting. "Mr. Giles," Cathy said. "How is the research going? Any leads?"
Giles nodded. "A few actually. I was about to send Buffy off to hunt down Willie and such to try to narrow it down."
Cathy nodded. /Perfect. I'll send Angel with her then out on patrol./ "Do any of you know where I could find a spongy and light-weight object which is vaguely bat shaped?"
After a short pause Xander said, "I think I've still got my old nerf bat from when I was little. Why do you need it?"
Cathy decided that was a good shot and replied, "Go and get it please, Xander. Never mind why I need it, you'll find out soon enough."
Giles spend the time it took Xander to retrieve the bat from his garage and return, going over in his mind all the spells which might involve a spongy bat. /As a representative object perhaps?/ he mused inwardly.
Xander returned with his nerf bat and Cathy examined it. It felt soft but also just a little heavy to enable her to get their attention if necessary. /With Xander,/she thought wryly, /it probably will be/.
"Okay, Angel- why don't you accompany Buffy while she goes out trolling for information? Since you're the topic of the first video neither of you are needed. Buffy already gets the point and, well, you were there. Everyone else gather around the TV please."
Angel looked at the tape in Cathy's hands a little warily. "Trust me, Angel: there is nothing embarrassing, or overly private on the tape. You really don't need to watch it, although you can see it later if it makes you feel better."
Angel nodded. /If I'm the topic of discussion, then Buffy and me will just get in the way. There is no alternative/ Angel concluded. He nodded. "It would."
Cathy nodded, it was only fair after all. Then she shooed them out the door.
---
"Now," she continued. "You guys will watch this video, there is a thing or two about Angel that Mr. Giles has forgotten and the rest of you need to understand. Plus, a few things which are quite illuminating. If anyone here makes an inappropriate comment they will feel my wrath until they smarten up." As Cathy was lightly swinging the nerf bat while she spoke, it didn't take a large stretch of the imagination to figure out what form that wrath would take.
Xander immediately jumped up and reached for the bat. He'd had a feeling that he wouldn't like what Cathy was going to do but she'd left him little choice. "Give that back, I changed my mind."
Cathy swatted his hand away. "No, you may not have it back. I've got a job to do and so do you. Sit, watch, listen and learn."
She then reached over and pressed play on the VCR.
The first part of the history section featured Liam as a drunk layabout who took a lot of flack from his father. "See," muttered Xander. "Even as a human he was no good."
To Be Cont'd