DISCLAIMER: I don't own the rights to Buffy: the Vampire Slayer, Angel: the Series, or the people and places therein. I also do not own the character of Lucy Hannover. I've borrowed them to write this fiction, which is just that and not a way to try to steal money from Joss and company.
Forty Five Minutes earlier

Angel had dropped Dawn off with Spike's clothes after Willow had called and told them that he'd been brought safely to L.A. Impulsively, he'd hugged her before she got out of the car, and told her to call him if it looked like Spike was going to be any trouble. She'd smiled at him, and promised that she would, and got out to walk up to the room. She'd tossed a wave over her shoulder at him as she let herself into the room, and Angel had driven off.

He didn't know where he was going, and didn't really care. He just knew that he wanted to be as far away from Spike as possible when Buffy found out he was alive.

The joy that would be in her eyes would be too much to bear.

He drove for what seemed like hours, and was surprised to find that he'd parked his car outside the hotel. He got out, and went silently inside. Dodging Faith and the other Slayers in the Lobby, he went up to Buffy's room.

It was Spartan compared to her room back in Sunnydale. There were no posters on the walls, no candles, no pictures--not even that silly pig Mr. Gordo that she'd had forever. He'd gotten Buffy and Dawn both clothes, but noting to give their new "home" any personality.

As he picked up one of her shirts from the floor, he felt briefly guilty about that. Then the guilt compounded itself as he realized he was jealous of Spike. He balled the shirt up in his hands and choked back the sorrow that tried to break free from his chest.

"Angel?"

He turned to see Faith framed in the doorway. "Yeah?"

"You wanna talk about it?"

He tried to put on his best nothing-the-matter-here face. "Talk about what?"

The dark haired Slayer walked over to him and pried Buffy's shirt from his hands. "You wanna talk about whatever's eatin' you up inside?"

Angel stared at his empty hands for a long moment, then nodded. "Yeah, I think I do. But let's drive while we talk."