Note – this is a follow up to "Faded," in which Angel, Spike, and Illyria
survive the battle begun in the episode Not Fade Away with a little help
from Buffy and the Slayers. Faith stays behind to help Angel in case the
Senior Partners are still coming after him, as does the Slayer Caitlin, who
has inherited the visions. Reluctantly, Angel agreed to let Connor help as
well, as long as he stays away from fighting.
"I wonder why they call them 'Nerds,'" Caitlin Harris said, holding a small pink piece up candy up in front of her.
"It's one of the great mysteries of the universe." Replied her companion.
"See, that's what's wrong with my life." She said, still contemplating the tiny misshapen lump of sugar. "I'm stuck in an office, reading and rereading the same incomprehensible writings of eighth century monks who may or may not be referring to the Senior Partners when they talk about how evil the wolf is, when I could be solving real mysteries, like Nerds."
"And Spree. I've always wondered about Spree."
She looked at Connor with new respect. For the last few weeks she'd spent a considerable amount of time with him, as well as Angel, Faith, and Spike, and she'd never heard him say anything to hint a sarcastic side. He was always polite, hard working, and perpetually in a good mood, but he was usually really quiet. Of course, this was the first time she had been alone with him. She thought he was a little intimidated by Faith.
"Spree, huh?"
"Oh, yeah. It's an odd candy, you know? You could break your teeth on the coating if you bite it right away."
"Really?"
"Yep. Happened to a friend once."
"That would be really embarrassing. Was it a purple Spree?"
"Red."
"Hmm." She opened her book back up, trying to get back into the reading. Not a minute later, she tossed the book aside. "This is stupid. I'm not a reader. I'm a fighter. We should be out patrolling."
"Can't. Angel said no." He didn't even look up from his book as he spoke.
"No, Angel said you can't go out. I offered to stay, but I'll lose it if I sit here any longer. Come on. Angel and Illyria are gonna be gone all night checking out the ruins of Wolfram and Hart. If Spike and Faith get back before we do, I'm sure they'll be cool."
"No way. I don't want him mad at me. My dad's already freaking out because I quit my job at the coffee shop. I don't need two fathers on my case."
She shuddered at the thought of two fathers. One had been bad enough. "Whatever. So what are we supposed to do? I'm not researching anymore. Do you think there's a tv around anywhere?"
"Probably, but there's no cable."
She stared at him. "Why not? Wasn't this place a hotel?"
"Yeah, but that was before there was cable. And you try explaining to a guy who has been around two and a half century why MTV is a basic necessity."
There had to be something the two of them could do, alone in this huge hotel. She looked him up and down. "Connor?"
"Yeah?"
"Let's fight."
"I wonder why they call them 'Nerds,'" Caitlin Harris said, holding a small pink piece up candy up in front of her.
"It's one of the great mysteries of the universe." Replied her companion.
"See, that's what's wrong with my life." She said, still contemplating the tiny misshapen lump of sugar. "I'm stuck in an office, reading and rereading the same incomprehensible writings of eighth century monks who may or may not be referring to the Senior Partners when they talk about how evil the wolf is, when I could be solving real mysteries, like Nerds."
"And Spree. I've always wondered about Spree."
She looked at Connor with new respect. For the last few weeks she'd spent a considerable amount of time with him, as well as Angel, Faith, and Spike, and she'd never heard him say anything to hint a sarcastic side. He was always polite, hard working, and perpetually in a good mood, but he was usually really quiet. Of course, this was the first time she had been alone with him. She thought he was a little intimidated by Faith.
"Spree, huh?"
"Oh, yeah. It's an odd candy, you know? You could break your teeth on the coating if you bite it right away."
"Really?"
"Yep. Happened to a friend once."
"That would be really embarrassing. Was it a purple Spree?"
"Red."
"Hmm." She opened her book back up, trying to get back into the reading. Not a minute later, she tossed the book aside. "This is stupid. I'm not a reader. I'm a fighter. We should be out patrolling."
"Can't. Angel said no." He didn't even look up from his book as he spoke.
"No, Angel said you can't go out. I offered to stay, but I'll lose it if I sit here any longer. Come on. Angel and Illyria are gonna be gone all night checking out the ruins of Wolfram and Hart. If Spike and Faith get back before we do, I'm sure they'll be cool."
"No way. I don't want him mad at me. My dad's already freaking out because I quit my job at the coffee shop. I don't need two fathers on my case."
She shuddered at the thought of two fathers. One had been bad enough. "Whatever. So what are we supposed to do? I'm not researching anymore. Do you think there's a tv around anywhere?"
"Probably, but there's no cable."
She stared at him. "Why not? Wasn't this place a hotel?"
"Yeah, but that was before there was cable. And you try explaining to a guy who has been around two and a half century why MTV is a basic necessity."
There had to be something the two of them could do, alone in this huge hotel. She looked him up and down. "Connor?"
"Yeah?"
"Let's fight."