Buffy dropped her weapon and gave him a hug. She felt the leather coat beneath her hands. She let go and gave him a good look over. He was wearing black pants and a dark grey t-shirt. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to visit an old friend."
"What about the lawyer company you work for?"
"Turns out we had to destroy it because it was doing more harm than good." Buffy looked a little bewildered. "We staked a bunch of vamps, killed a bunch of demons, a dragon- have you ever fought a dragon?"
"Can't say I have," Buffy answered.
"We fought off-"
"Who's we Mr. Lack of Details?"
"Me, Illyria, Spike-"
"Spike?" Buffy interrupted.
"Yeah, he fought-"
"Alive Spike?"
"Yeah." Angel thought for a minute, letting things connect. "You didn't know he was back," he said slowly.
"How? When?" Buffy frantically questioned.
"When I got that package with the necklace in it; it fell out, there was an ash tornado, leaving me with Captain Peroxide." Angel realized now that Buffy was no longer interested in him. Right now she looked like she was having a panic attack. Her mouth hung open and she grabbed for her chest, as if she had trouble breathing. "Buffy?" Buffy fell to the ground. "Buffy!" Angel went to help her up but she held her hand out, insisting he stop. Angel took the hint and stood back.
Buffy looked down at the ground, but wasn't seeing it. Her mind was traveling through time rapidly. She remembered Spike and feeling safe in his arms, sleeping next to him, his body next to hers. Over the past year she hadn't sensed that warmth or comfort from anyone. Not even with the Immortal. She was the one comforting others, yet feeling void of attention. Tears formed in her eyes. "Spike," she said in a whisper.
"I'm sorry. I should've known. We were going to say something when we saw you with the Immortal a couple months ago, but-"
Buffy snapped out of her daze. "What? You were spying on me? Again?!"
"We. Did you hear the 'we'? As in, not just me."
"Yes but of the 'we,' you're the only one here."
"We were on a mission for a head when we found Andrew. Then he told us you were with the Immortal so we found you and never got a chance to talk to you."
"There wasn't time for a phone call?"
"You weren't home anyway," Angel defended.
"You go to my home and spy on me? You just keep racking up the Oh-Shit points." Buffy stormed past him in anger.
Angel grabbed her stake from the damp pavement and followed her. "It was complicated."
Buffy stopped and faced him. "Ya know what? My whole life is complicated. You saying hi wouldn't make it any more problematic." Buffy found a bench and sat down on it. It was a little damp but she didn't care. She needed to rest her body and her head.
Angel copied her motions and sat beside her.
Buffy was filled with too many emotions. She was happy, frustrated, annoyed, and sad. She wasn't sure which to show, but she knew Angel wasn't there just to see her. "Why are you here?"
"I told you, I-"
"You told me a lie. Or at least not the whole truth. Which is it?" Buffy's eyes were determined as they looked into Angel's.
"There's a new power making it's way around Europe. Last I heard it was heading here. So I came here to warn you and hopefully help."
"Let me guess. This power wants to take over the world and end all human existence?" Angel looked away. "I'll take that as a 'so close you're dead on' look." Buffy's mind rewound back to Spike. How come Angel found me before him? Maybe he wasn't even looking for me. Maybe he's over me.
"Buffy?" Angel asked. "How do you suppose we find out what's going on?"
Buffy heard Angel; he sounded muffled through her thoughts. She answered his question, still in a daze. "We should contact Giles and Willow."
"Okay, where are they?"
"London."
"Why aren't they here?"
"They're creating a new Watcher's Council," Buffy replied, coming out of her reflection.
"If they haven't contacted you, maybe they don't know yet."
"Maybe, but I guess we should check." Buffy got up from the bench and stood there, waiting for Angel to come. "When I say 'we' I don't mean just me."
"Right," Angel said, standing up.
They reached Buffy's apartment. She unlocked her door and walked in. Buffy stripped her jacket and threw it on the couch. She looked back and realized Angel didn't follow. "Oh right. I haven't invited any vampires into my home lately. Uh, come in."
Angel walked cautiously through the doorway. He knew all he needed was the request but the force your body slams into when you aren't invited doesn't exactly feel like a down comforter; unless instead of down the comforter was filled with twenty pounds of cement.
"I'll call Giles." Buffy grabbed her cell phone and dialed London.
"How's your phone plan?" Angel asked, making small talk.
"Good. Free long distance." Buffy paced a small diameter. "Giles? Hi, it's Buffy. I got some news." There was a pause. "Oh, I'm sorry for interrupting your date, but trust me this is really important. There's- what's that noise?... Football? You? Those are two not mixy things.... Right, the thing. Angel came here and I was just told that there's some big bad in Rome. Have you heard anything?"
Angel sat down on her white couch. It was quite soft. He felt the blanket he was lying on. It was soft too.
Buffy noticed Angel's strange behavior. She covered the mouthpiece of her cell and said, "Angel, stop feeling up my furniture. Okay so you heard something but didn't tell me because it came from an unreliable source? ... Well I suggest you find the unreliable source and make him tell you the rest of his unreliable information. ... Yes, now Giles. Since when did you get my stubbornness? ... Thank you. Bye." Buffy flipped her phone and sat across from Angel on her matching chair. "He's heard something but he thought it was a rumor. So he's finding the person or whatever that told him. So I guess there's nothing else to do."
"I guess." They sat in silence for about two minutes before Buffy broke it.
"Where are you staying?"
"Not sure."
"Well, you can stay in Dawn's room. She's in college so it's vacant as of this moment."
"Thanks."
"You're welcome." After a few seconds of awkwardness, Buffy got up. "Well, I'm gonna go to bed. G'night." Buffy strode to her room and shut the door.
Five minutes later there was a knock. She opened her door to Angel.
"Do you have any pajamas that aren't pink or have Princess written all over them?"