Title: Cabin Pressure
Author: Flannery
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Everyone in here was created by Joss. Only the story is mine.
Notes: Takes place after Angel 5.11, "Damage".
Somewhere beneath all those clouds, and still twenty minutes away, was London.
Andrew felt heavy at the prospect of landing, like his body was full of saline craving to leak out his eyes. He was just here. Just walking through Heathrow, wasn't he? On his way to Los Angeles.
There were girls he was watching over, but they were old enough to get themselves on the proper flight by take-off. He'd walked through the airport, wasting time before going through security. Browsing shops, buying hand cream and new socks and a CD by a band he'd never heard of, just to impress the hot boy in the Travis shirt. Buying a Whopper at Burger King, eating a single bite before giving up and pitching it out. Making the flight and taking a head count of Slayers.
Landing in Los Angeles.
Seeing Spike again.
It was a whirlwind, the few days in California. His Slayers had tempted him with theme parks and sightseeing. Andrew had to step up to his role as Watcher now, Watcher and resident adult, and refrain from any non-Council activities.
Get Dana. Get home.
Mission accomplished.
Andrew didn't feel a swell of accomplishment. He just felt tired, his ankle was cramped, and his nose and throat were dry from recycled air. The girls had nearly driven him mad with their bickering and pouting. He'd read exactly three pages in his LAX-bought copy of Us Weekly before nodding off in his seat and waking up with a twist in his neck.
No pride in a job well done. Only the bitter aftertaste of airline beef on his tongue.
Andrew thought he was starting to sound very Watcherish indeed.