Disclaimer:
Nope, not mine. Joss's and ME's. Hope they don't mind me playing with
them. I'll give them all back at the end.
Summary: Innocence, so fragile, so easily lost and yet, miraculously, some people manage to retain it. Some do not. And then there are others who have it, lose it then find it again and, oops! it slips away once more.
Chapter 2
Innocence
Lindsey was shaving when he felt warm arms curl around his waist.
"Hey there, Sweetheart. You're back early."
"Ah, but I knew what was waiting for me and couldn't resist."
He rinsed his face and turned towards her, reaching for a towel and patting himself dry.
"And look at you, all clean and edible." She nipped playfully at his chin. "Just waiting for me to dirty you up."
He gave his boyish grin and she was blown away all over again.
"Yeah? Is that a promise?"
"Oh baby, you know me. I don't give anything for nothing." she smirked as she let her hands move over his tattooed body.
"Well, how about I..." he leaned closer to whisper into her ear, letting the breath of his words tickle the tip of her ear.
She tried to suppress the shiver of lust that ran up her body and smiled at him wickedly.
"You have got yourself a deal, honey."
Lindsey considered himself lucky. He needed an insider but to have one at her level was a godsend. That she was attractive and sexy was a bonus but made no difference in the end. He'd have seduced Attila the Hun if it helped his plan.
"How was work?"
He managed to sound genuinely concerned and interested in her day whilst fishing for information.
"New development. Your champion is currently out of the game."
"Oh. Dead?"
"No. It was touch and go for a while. They've taken away his memories to give him time to heal."
"Really?" His mind was working fast. "This could open up a whole new game. I need you to take a look, darling. Suss it out, see how everyone is reacting. Strain their loyalties."
"What? Now?" she pouted prettily as she let her hands move lower.
"Hmmm. No, not right now." he drawled.
"We have an agreement to fulfil and I'm thinking there's a few points we need to go over first."
His look was so lascivious it made her stomach flip over. His mouth covered hers as he guided her back towards the bed and as his hard, muscled body moved over her, nothing else mattered.
She know she was a fool, knew she was being played but these were the moments that made her dangerous choice worthwhile.
***
Spike was curled into his blankets, his hair tousled and his eyes blinking and sleep filled. Fred couldn't help but ruffle that hair.
"Aw! He's so cute."
"He does have a certain innocent charm, in this state." Wesley whispered back.
"Do you think he's gonna suck his thumb?"
"We'll have the pictures if he does."
Fred looked at him in query.
"Blackmail is an ugly word, but as they say, payback's a bitch." He said with a small smile.
"Ah! I know what you mean, 'Percy'" Fred giggled at Spike's pet name for him. "And you so do not suit that name."
"Well, I have to admit, it seems a step up from 'Watcher'. It always gave me an uneasy feeling whenever he called me that!"
It made Wesley feel good to see her laugh so easily. He smiled tenderly and hers slowly changed from amusement to something so warm it to made him glow. Of course, it was just his imagination. She was still involved with that Knox creature. He turned away to hide the distress that passed over his open face.
She frowned as he turned away. Perhaps he really didn't care for her that way anymore. Strange, the thought made her throat ache.
Wesley covered his surge of emotion. He didn't want her to feel awkward when she was with him.
"Its rather peculiar having a silent Spike. Eerie almost." He commented.
"Peaceful. Blissful. A miracle." Muttered Angel as he came in holding bags of warmed blood.
"Hey, Spike. Food's up."
Blue eyes focused on him curiously. Nostrils twitched slightly as Angel pierced a bag and brought it towards his mouth. A drop hit his tongue and suddenly Spike was in vamp face, suckling the bag and making small contented sounds.
"That's....uh...sort of cute and sort of...disturbing."
"Indeed." Wesley agreed, equally fascinated by the sight.
"You're thinking another photo opportunity?"
"When did you get to know me so well?"
Angel looked at them in confusion as they began to laugh.
"Why don't you two get back to work? I'll be down as soon as I've got him back to sleep."
"Of course. If you need anything..."
"I'll give you a call."
Angel slipped another pillow under Spike's head and settled next to him, watching him as he fed. He found it quite soothing listening to the blood being ingested, the regular swallowing motion produced a curious pulse-like rhythm.
He hardly noticed as the other two left and certainly didn't notice as Wesley looked back with a troubled look on his face, one hand rubbing absently at his neck.
"Is something wrong?" Fred asked.
"Not precisely. Just watching Angel settle him down to sleep, I had a most peculiar feeling."
"Well, they do make sort of a weird picture..."
"No, that's the thing. It didn't feel weird, more like a sudden glimpse of familiarity."
"Déjà vu?"
"Yes, I suppose it was."
"So, nothing to worry about." Fred said and then caught the look on his face. "Is it?" she asked uncertainly.
Wesley gave her a reassuring look.
"Of course not." he replied and smiled.
The smile left his face as soon as Fred had turned into her laboratory. The feeling had disturbed him. There was something on the very edge of his mind that he couldn't quite touch.
He was almost glad he couldn't.
***
Angel berated Spike as he wiped at blood dribbling down the contented vampire's chin.
"You really are a pig, Spike. And look! How the hell did you manage to get it on my jacket?" he complained crossly.
Then chuckled as he found himself waiting for the normal derogatory comments.
"Hey, no comeback! I could almost get to like this new, improved you. Wonder if Wes would do me a favour and remove your voice once you get your memories back?"
Angel could relax now that Wes and Fred had left. He reached for another bag of blood and casually turned into vamp face.
Spike stopped feeding, his golden eyes eying him in amazement.
"Jees. You lay there with your wrinkled brow and teeth that a rotweiller would be proud of and look at me as though I'm the wacky one! You're not going to freak out on me now, are you?"
He pushed the bag back towards Spike's mouth, who once again nuzzled into it. Meanwhile, Angel managed to one-handedly pierce the other bag and pour it into a waiting cup. Hah! He still had the old skills. He remembered a time when he'd had to do everything one-handed. A time when he'd had one arm constantly wrapped around his precious bundle.
Not constantly enough came the bitter thought. He pushed it to one side as usual. Not that he was repressing, he told himself, just preferred not to think about certain things.
He knocked back the pig's blood and returned to contemplate a dozy, relaxed Spike. It suddenly occurred to him how vulnerable Spike had made himself by agreeing to this. It took a great deal of trust. Did Spike trust him that much? Or had he just given up? Huh. Spike give up? He was sure that if he looked up 'tenacious' in the dictionary he would see Spike's face staring back at him.
So Spike trusted him? That was kind of surprising. He let his mind coast aimlessly. Daytime really wasn't his natural awake time. His eyes slowly began to drift shut. Until a noise disturbed him and they shot open.
He looked up to find that Eve had let herself into his apartment and was surveying the scene with her normal air of amused superiority.
"Oh how cosy! Are you playing happy families. How...umm...I don't think 'sweet' quite covers it, do you? But don't you think he's a little old to play baby?"
"How did you get in here, Eve? Oh, never mind. What do you want?"
"Well, since you ask, lover..." she purred seductively.
"Sorry. No spell. No chance."
"Blunt aren't you? I find plain speaking so attractive in a man." Angel ignored her teasing and waited her out patiently. "But as it happens there is something else."
"Well?"
"The Senior Partners are concerned."
"And exactly how does that effect me?"
"Really, Angel. You should know better by now. If the Senior Partners are concerned then you can guarantee it affects us all."
"What is it this time?"
"It's to do with him." Eve nodded to the bed.
Angel followed her gaze.
He was fast asleep, his head fallen away from the bag, his mouth slightly open. Blood had once again managed to escape and trickled down one side of his face, marring his, otherwise, all too human appearance. Angel picked up a tissue to clean him up.
Eve started to laugh.
"Now isn't this ironic? William the Bloody and his nursemaid, Angelus the Scourge of Europe!"
Angel found himself wishing Spike awake and back to his malicious self. He'd have a ready quip tripping of his tongue designed to put this poisonous bitch in her place. It crossed his mind that Spike must spend hours thinking them up. There again he'd always had a way with words and a way of seeing the truth, which in combination could be nuclear in its devastation.
He finished cleaning the blood and pulled up his blanket to make sure he was properly covered.
"Now why did you do that? I was enjoying the view."
Angel growled quietly. He felt a little protective towards this helpless Spike.
However, it was more than that. Angelus was stirring somewhere deep inside and letting his irritation show by bombarding Angel's mind with all sorts of creative ideas involving Eve and various everyday implements. Perhaps if she knew the fine line she walked it might help her fit of giggles.
"Lets do this down in my office."
Gunn caught them as they were entering the office.
"Hey, Boss. I need to talk you about..."
"Good. Join us."
"Ok. What's up?"
"Apparently we have a problem." He nodded at Eve to continue.
"The Senior Partners do not approve of you taking out Spike. You realise he's now changed from pawn to major player?"
Gunn bridled slightly at that.
"Hang on a moment. Let's get this straight. Spike would have been out of the game, permanently, if we hadn't taken this action."
"What makes you think that?" Eve asked quietly and looked towards Angel. She was pleased to note that Gunn had followed her gaze. She smiled slightly because damn, she was good!
"I don't know what petty jealousies motivated you but, please, don't insult my intelligence. There is one certainty in this world, Spike survives."
'Like a cockroach', sprang immediately to Angel's mind, more from habit than malice. Considering the way the other two were looking at him, he very wisely decided to keep the thought to himself.
For a second there, the bitch had almost convinced him that Angel had ulterior motives in his dealings with Spike. Then he remembered just how faded the normally ebullient vampire had looked.
"Petty jealousies? Be careful, Eve, or I'm going to sue your ass." Gunn smiled pleasantly. "Re Butler v Jessop..." he was about to add a date but found he couldn't recall it, he frowned and then covered quickly, "I suggest you look it up."
'Now wasn't that interesting?' Eve thought as she looked at him curiously, saying, "Yes, I will...would you care to join me?"
Angel sensed the discomfort she was causing and took over.
"So the Senior Partners aren't happy. That's sad, but I find myself strangely unmoved. Even if we were inclined to bring him back, it doesn't work that way. He'll recover in his own time."
"And how long will that take? Days? Weeks? Months?"
Gunn shook his head and Angel nodded in agreement.
"I'm afraid I really couldn't tell you."
"I see. In that case, we'll call this meeting over and I'll go back and report."
She swished out with her head held high but her mouth was a thin, hard line and betrayed her annoyance.
Gunn waited until the door had shut behind her.
"I don't think this was about the Senior Partners, the girl was just on a fishing trip."
"I agree, but why? If not for them, then for who? I don't trust her. She is playing her own game."
A snort of agreement answered him.
"We know so little about her. Do me a favour? We have access to all contracts and agreements natural and supernatural?"
Gun nodded.
"You've got all this knowledge, its time we made use of it for a really good cause."
Angel smiled at him. So far they had all virtually ignored Gunn's new talent, as being something vaguely unwholesome. In contrast, they all made use of his own position as CEO of an evil law firm and used it in their attempt to do good. It was time to accept that Gunn's mystically acquired skills could also be used in the cause.
"I want you to find out all about her and every agreement she's ever made. Go through them with a fine toothcomb. See if there is anything there that will give us a clue."
Gunn hesitated. He wanted to mention that he thought there might be a glitch in his new Mr Amazing memory act. But Angel trusted him to do this and it felt good to be recognised for something other than his brawn.
"I'm on it, Boss." he replied.
As he left the office he found Eve waiting outside. Her eyes screwed up slightly in concern.
"Are you ok?"
"I'm fine, girl." He replied, trying to stride away from her. She was fast for such a little person.
"I just couldn't help noticing that your upgrade seems to be...downgrading slightly?"
"It's not a problem."
"No, I don't suppose it is. After all you were quite happy, you know, before you became...intelligent." She gave him a bright smile.
"The Senior Partners giveth and the Senior Partners taketh away." she breezed.
Lindsey would be pleased with today's work and she smiled secretively at exactly how pleased he might be.
Gunn was left standing, stunned and alone, in a very long corridor.
"Back to being a stupid, muscle bound buffoon?" he thought to himself.
Whereas, old Gunn might have considered it odd how 'Educated People' measured everyone to their own yardstick of intelligence, in which smart, wise and loyal never seemed to figure. New Gunn merely used the yardstick to beat himself up with.
He figured it wouldn't help anyone if he lost his intelligence. There again it was just one little date he'd forgotten. Fred used to say that there were always some little niggles whenever you tried to upgrade anything. He'd wait and see. No point rushing anything.
His bleeper went off. Strange, he'd only just left Angel. He returned to find the whole gang standing in the office. It appeared everyone had got the call.
Angel had the phone to his ear and looked to be in shock. 'Shit, who's died?' Gunn wondered and did another quick reccy of the room. No, all here. Except Spike.
Angel looked at them whilst still listening to the person on the line.
"Its Cordelia."
No wonder he looked so shocked and confused.
"I'm so sorry, man." Gunn said.
"No." Angel gestured at the phone. "Its Cordelia!"
Summary: Innocence, so fragile, so easily lost and yet, miraculously, some people manage to retain it. Some do not. And then there are others who have it, lose it then find it again and, oops! it slips away once more.
Chapter 2
Innocence
Lindsey was shaving when he felt warm arms curl around his waist.
"Hey there, Sweetheart. You're back early."
"Ah, but I knew what was waiting for me and couldn't resist."
He rinsed his face and turned towards her, reaching for a towel and patting himself dry.
"And look at you, all clean and edible." She nipped playfully at his chin. "Just waiting for me to dirty you up."
He gave his boyish grin and she was blown away all over again.
"Yeah? Is that a promise?"
"Oh baby, you know me. I don't give anything for nothing." she smirked as she let her hands move over his tattooed body.
"Well, how about I..." he leaned closer to whisper into her ear, letting the breath of his words tickle the tip of her ear.
She tried to suppress the shiver of lust that ran up her body and smiled at him wickedly.
"You have got yourself a deal, honey."
Lindsey considered himself lucky. He needed an insider but to have one at her level was a godsend. That she was attractive and sexy was a bonus but made no difference in the end. He'd have seduced Attila the Hun if it helped his plan.
"How was work?"
He managed to sound genuinely concerned and interested in her day whilst fishing for information.
"New development. Your champion is currently out of the game."
"Oh. Dead?"
"No. It was touch and go for a while. They've taken away his memories to give him time to heal."
"Really?" His mind was working fast. "This could open up a whole new game. I need you to take a look, darling. Suss it out, see how everyone is reacting. Strain their loyalties."
"What? Now?" she pouted prettily as she let her hands move lower.
"Hmmm. No, not right now." he drawled.
"We have an agreement to fulfil and I'm thinking there's a few points we need to go over first."
His look was so lascivious it made her stomach flip over. His mouth covered hers as he guided her back towards the bed and as his hard, muscled body moved over her, nothing else mattered.
She know she was a fool, knew she was being played but these were the moments that made her dangerous choice worthwhile.
***
Spike was curled into his blankets, his hair tousled and his eyes blinking and sleep filled. Fred couldn't help but ruffle that hair.
"Aw! He's so cute."
"He does have a certain innocent charm, in this state." Wesley whispered back.
"Do you think he's gonna suck his thumb?"
"We'll have the pictures if he does."
Fred looked at him in query.
"Blackmail is an ugly word, but as they say, payback's a bitch." He said with a small smile.
"Ah! I know what you mean, 'Percy'" Fred giggled at Spike's pet name for him. "And you so do not suit that name."
"Well, I have to admit, it seems a step up from 'Watcher'. It always gave me an uneasy feeling whenever he called me that!"
It made Wesley feel good to see her laugh so easily. He smiled tenderly and hers slowly changed from amusement to something so warm it to made him glow. Of course, it was just his imagination. She was still involved with that Knox creature. He turned away to hide the distress that passed over his open face.
She frowned as he turned away. Perhaps he really didn't care for her that way anymore. Strange, the thought made her throat ache.
Wesley covered his surge of emotion. He didn't want her to feel awkward when she was with him.
"Its rather peculiar having a silent Spike. Eerie almost." He commented.
"Peaceful. Blissful. A miracle." Muttered Angel as he came in holding bags of warmed blood.
"Hey, Spike. Food's up."
Blue eyes focused on him curiously. Nostrils twitched slightly as Angel pierced a bag and brought it towards his mouth. A drop hit his tongue and suddenly Spike was in vamp face, suckling the bag and making small contented sounds.
"That's....uh...sort of cute and sort of...disturbing."
"Indeed." Wesley agreed, equally fascinated by the sight.
"You're thinking another photo opportunity?"
"When did you get to know me so well?"
Angel looked at them in confusion as they began to laugh.
"Why don't you two get back to work? I'll be down as soon as I've got him back to sleep."
"Of course. If you need anything..."
"I'll give you a call."
Angel slipped another pillow under Spike's head and settled next to him, watching him as he fed. He found it quite soothing listening to the blood being ingested, the regular swallowing motion produced a curious pulse-like rhythm.
He hardly noticed as the other two left and certainly didn't notice as Wesley looked back with a troubled look on his face, one hand rubbing absently at his neck.
"Is something wrong?" Fred asked.
"Not precisely. Just watching Angel settle him down to sleep, I had a most peculiar feeling."
"Well, they do make sort of a weird picture..."
"No, that's the thing. It didn't feel weird, more like a sudden glimpse of familiarity."
"Déjà vu?"
"Yes, I suppose it was."
"So, nothing to worry about." Fred said and then caught the look on his face. "Is it?" she asked uncertainly.
Wesley gave her a reassuring look.
"Of course not." he replied and smiled.
The smile left his face as soon as Fred had turned into her laboratory. The feeling had disturbed him. There was something on the very edge of his mind that he couldn't quite touch.
He was almost glad he couldn't.
***
Angel berated Spike as he wiped at blood dribbling down the contented vampire's chin.
"You really are a pig, Spike. And look! How the hell did you manage to get it on my jacket?" he complained crossly.
Then chuckled as he found himself waiting for the normal derogatory comments.
"Hey, no comeback! I could almost get to like this new, improved you. Wonder if Wes would do me a favour and remove your voice once you get your memories back?"
Angel could relax now that Wes and Fred had left. He reached for another bag of blood and casually turned into vamp face.
Spike stopped feeding, his golden eyes eying him in amazement.
"Jees. You lay there with your wrinkled brow and teeth that a rotweiller would be proud of and look at me as though I'm the wacky one! You're not going to freak out on me now, are you?"
He pushed the bag back towards Spike's mouth, who once again nuzzled into it. Meanwhile, Angel managed to one-handedly pierce the other bag and pour it into a waiting cup. Hah! He still had the old skills. He remembered a time when he'd had to do everything one-handed. A time when he'd had one arm constantly wrapped around his precious bundle.
Not constantly enough came the bitter thought. He pushed it to one side as usual. Not that he was repressing, he told himself, just preferred not to think about certain things.
He knocked back the pig's blood and returned to contemplate a dozy, relaxed Spike. It suddenly occurred to him how vulnerable Spike had made himself by agreeing to this. It took a great deal of trust. Did Spike trust him that much? Or had he just given up? Huh. Spike give up? He was sure that if he looked up 'tenacious' in the dictionary he would see Spike's face staring back at him.
So Spike trusted him? That was kind of surprising. He let his mind coast aimlessly. Daytime really wasn't his natural awake time. His eyes slowly began to drift shut. Until a noise disturbed him and they shot open.
He looked up to find that Eve had let herself into his apartment and was surveying the scene with her normal air of amused superiority.
"Oh how cosy! Are you playing happy families. How...umm...I don't think 'sweet' quite covers it, do you? But don't you think he's a little old to play baby?"
"How did you get in here, Eve? Oh, never mind. What do you want?"
"Well, since you ask, lover..." she purred seductively.
"Sorry. No spell. No chance."
"Blunt aren't you? I find plain speaking so attractive in a man." Angel ignored her teasing and waited her out patiently. "But as it happens there is something else."
"Well?"
"The Senior Partners are concerned."
"And exactly how does that effect me?"
"Really, Angel. You should know better by now. If the Senior Partners are concerned then you can guarantee it affects us all."
"What is it this time?"
"It's to do with him." Eve nodded to the bed.
Angel followed her gaze.
He was fast asleep, his head fallen away from the bag, his mouth slightly open. Blood had once again managed to escape and trickled down one side of his face, marring his, otherwise, all too human appearance. Angel picked up a tissue to clean him up.
Eve started to laugh.
"Now isn't this ironic? William the Bloody and his nursemaid, Angelus the Scourge of Europe!"
Angel found himself wishing Spike awake and back to his malicious self. He'd have a ready quip tripping of his tongue designed to put this poisonous bitch in her place. It crossed his mind that Spike must spend hours thinking them up. There again he'd always had a way with words and a way of seeing the truth, which in combination could be nuclear in its devastation.
He finished cleaning the blood and pulled up his blanket to make sure he was properly covered.
"Now why did you do that? I was enjoying the view."
Angel growled quietly. He felt a little protective towards this helpless Spike.
However, it was more than that. Angelus was stirring somewhere deep inside and letting his irritation show by bombarding Angel's mind with all sorts of creative ideas involving Eve and various everyday implements. Perhaps if she knew the fine line she walked it might help her fit of giggles.
"Lets do this down in my office."
Gunn caught them as they were entering the office.
"Hey, Boss. I need to talk you about..."
"Good. Join us."
"Ok. What's up?"
"Apparently we have a problem." He nodded at Eve to continue.
"The Senior Partners do not approve of you taking out Spike. You realise he's now changed from pawn to major player?"
Gunn bridled slightly at that.
"Hang on a moment. Let's get this straight. Spike would have been out of the game, permanently, if we hadn't taken this action."
"What makes you think that?" Eve asked quietly and looked towards Angel. She was pleased to note that Gunn had followed her gaze. She smiled slightly because damn, she was good!
"I don't know what petty jealousies motivated you but, please, don't insult my intelligence. There is one certainty in this world, Spike survives."
'Like a cockroach', sprang immediately to Angel's mind, more from habit than malice. Considering the way the other two were looking at him, he very wisely decided to keep the thought to himself.
For a second there, the bitch had almost convinced him that Angel had ulterior motives in his dealings with Spike. Then he remembered just how faded the normally ebullient vampire had looked.
"Petty jealousies? Be careful, Eve, or I'm going to sue your ass." Gunn smiled pleasantly. "Re Butler v Jessop..." he was about to add a date but found he couldn't recall it, he frowned and then covered quickly, "I suggest you look it up."
'Now wasn't that interesting?' Eve thought as she looked at him curiously, saying, "Yes, I will...would you care to join me?"
Angel sensed the discomfort she was causing and took over.
"So the Senior Partners aren't happy. That's sad, but I find myself strangely unmoved. Even if we were inclined to bring him back, it doesn't work that way. He'll recover in his own time."
"And how long will that take? Days? Weeks? Months?"
Gunn shook his head and Angel nodded in agreement.
"I'm afraid I really couldn't tell you."
"I see. In that case, we'll call this meeting over and I'll go back and report."
She swished out with her head held high but her mouth was a thin, hard line and betrayed her annoyance.
Gunn waited until the door had shut behind her.
"I don't think this was about the Senior Partners, the girl was just on a fishing trip."
"I agree, but why? If not for them, then for who? I don't trust her. She is playing her own game."
A snort of agreement answered him.
"We know so little about her. Do me a favour? We have access to all contracts and agreements natural and supernatural?"
Gun nodded.
"You've got all this knowledge, its time we made use of it for a really good cause."
Angel smiled at him. So far they had all virtually ignored Gunn's new talent, as being something vaguely unwholesome. In contrast, they all made use of his own position as CEO of an evil law firm and used it in their attempt to do good. It was time to accept that Gunn's mystically acquired skills could also be used in the cause.
"I want you to find out all about her and every agreement she's ever made. Go through them with a fine toothcomb. See if there is anything there that will give us a clue."
Gunn hesitated. He wanted to mention that he thought there might be a glitch in his new Mr Amazing memory act. But Angel trusted him to do this and it felt good to be recognised for something other than his brawn.
"I'm on it, Boss." he replied.
As he left the office he found Eve waiting outside. Her eyes screwed up slightly in concern.
"Are you ok?"
"I'm fine, girl." He replied, trying to stride away from her. She was fast for such a little person.
"I just couldn't help noticing that your upgrade seems to be...downgrading slightly?"
"It's not a problem."
"No, I don't suppose it is. After all you were quite happy, you know, before you became...intelligent." She gave him a bright smile.
"The Senior Partners giveth and the Senior Partners taketh away." she breezed.
Lindsey would be pleased with today's work and she smiled secretively at exactly how pleased he might be.
Gunn was left standing, stunned and alone, in a very long corridor.
"Back to being a stupid, muscle bound buffoon?" he thought to himself.
Whereas, old Gunn might have considered it odd how 'Educated People' measured everyone to their own yardstick of intelligence, in which smart, wise and loyal never seemed to figure. New Gunn merely used the yardstick to beat himself up with.
He figured it wouldn't help anyone if he lost his intelligence. There again it was just one little date he'd forgotten. Fred used to say that there were always some little niggles whenever you tried to upgrade anything. He'd wait and see. No point rushing anything.
His bleeper went off. Strange, he'd only just left Angel. He returned to find the whole gang standing in the office. It appeared everyone had got the call.
Angel had the phone to his ear and looked to be in shock. 'Shit, who's died?' Gunn wondered and did another quick reccy of the room. No, all here. Except Spike.
Angel looked at them whilst still listening to the person on the line.
"Its Cordelia."
No wonder he looked so shocked and confused.
"I'm so sorry, man." Gunn said.
"No." Angel gestured at the phone. "Its Cordelia!"