Everyone was getting pretty ancy just waiting around for buffy. Willow and oz had been a little touchy and feel as they sat on the couch. Angel was starting to pace knowing it shouldn't of taken them this long to get back. Cordelia had come back down the stairs after she took a shower. She was a good actress when it counted because no one knew about the phone call or plan. Gunn and Rona had brought food into the lobby and were now playing cards over the coffee table.
Wes and Illyria sat on the stairs closest to the door. Their hands were still wrapped in each others and every once in a while they'd glance at each other. Illyria finally spoke, "I think I'm... There are strange things swirling in my stomach."
Wesley smiled, "You're nervous."
Illyria tilted her head, "I do not get curious. i am not suppossed to feel. Why is this nervous emotion happening?"
Wesley shrugged, "I don't know Illyria. I wish I did but I don't."
Illyria waited a minute or two before finally speaking, "I'm deteriorating. These memories of fred are becoming more clear then before." Wesley half smiled. "This makes you happy?"
Wesley stared Illyria in the eyes, "Fred will always be what i want Illyria. Just don't make the mistake of thinking you don't matter."
Illyria was silenced for a little bit as she looked around the silent room. "They wait for one answer. Are they all nervous?"
Wesley nodded, "Very. Angel's son means a great deal to him."
Illyria shook her head, "To you also. You have guilt for this child."
Wesley could only nod again, "I do."
Illyria actually half smiled which made Wesley jump up and down inside as she spoke, "Then I shall help you deal with this guilt."
At that moment Spike walked into the room with his 'I'm too cool for you walk' and addressed the whole room, "Buffy and Faith back yet?"
The second he said that buffy and Faith walked through the door. Faith smiled, "Miss me?"
As Buffy winked at him Angel spoke, "How do you guys do that? Whenever one of you finally makes it known you're wondering where the other is they show up."
Buffy smiled, "Well I personally know when you two are worrying about me so i make an effort to show up. I never figured out how Spike does it."
Spike smiled, "I know when you start to worry then i wait just a little longer to make you sweat then I walk through the door."
Buffy nodded, "Well now I know when to worry."
Angel cursed himself for even bringing it up. He sighed and stared at buffy and faith, "How come it took you guys so long?"
Faith sighed, "I couldn't read your handwriting."
"So you didn't find him?"
Faith looked at buffy who took a deep breath, "We found a house close to the location on the paper. The door was left wide open and we uh...Faith found a rag used to drug someone. We walked inside hoping it wasn't Conner but..."
Angel smiled, "Then it wans't. You said it yourself, that it could be anybody."
Buffy interrupted his rejoicing moment, "We walked up to check all the rooms. We found a boys room and we looked through photo albums. Faith identified the boy as Conner. I'm really sorry Angel but uh... Eveything we saw is proofConner was taken."
Angel started to pace again until he finally stopped to kick a side table accross the room. Illyria and Wesley walked towards the group, Gunn and Rona stopped their game to stand with them while Angel reacted to what buffy had just said. Faith had to say something to calm him down though, "We know it was Hamilton though. Nothing was broken so it had to be someone strong enough to take him without a fight."
Angel nodded, "So where does that lead us? Wolfram and hart? The building was trashed when I suppossedly killed Hamilton."
Buffy shook her head, "Then they re-built it because when we went looking for Cordelia we saw the building. Looks brand new."
Angel nodded, "Okay so we go to Wolfram and hart."
Buffy shook her head, "It's too dangerous right now, we need a plan."
Angel shook his head, "You can figure out your plan. They have my son."
Buffy couldn't help but feel angry she wasn't acting like that too, "And they have my sister Angel."
Angel calmed down slowly, "I'm sorry buffy but it's even more of a reason to go now."
Buffy shook her head, "It's not smart Angel. When they did this they had to have the perfect plan because they know we get out of everything. Right now is plan time, it's research time and it's time for you to calm down."
Angel sighed and threw himself on the couch. Cordelia silently sighed knowing it would of been a bad idea for him to go, it would of ruined her whole idea to get rid of buffy. Angel stared up to buffy, "So where do you plan we start?"
Buffy sighed, "We have to know for sure if this is about you, or if it's about me."
Angel nodded, "How are we suppossed to find that out?"
Buffy couldn't answer because a shadow cast through the room. All heads turned that way only see Amy standing there looking as innocent as ever. "Hey guys."
Willow stood up and walked to the point she was right in front of Amy's face, "Go away Amy."
Amy shrugged and looked around, "I don't know. I kind of like it here. A lot fo space, so many people and you. We had so much fun Willow."
Willow nodded, "Really? Was that before or after you turned me into Warren? Was that before or after i almost shot Kennedy?"
Amy sighed, "Well of course it's gonna sound evil if you focus on the bad. Remember the night at the bronze. That was fun."
Willow sighed, "What are you doing here Amy?"
Amy shrugged, "You guys killed Sunnydale so we all had to take off somewhere."
Willow nodded, "So you just happened to find us?"
Amy nodded enthusiastically and finally looked behind her only to see Oz, Angel and Cordelia. "Oh my god Oz and Cordelia. I haven't seen you since I got myself out of buring at the stake by turning myself into a rat. You guys weren't around when I got turned back."
As Amy went to go hug them Willow physically pushed her back, "You're not going near any of them Amy. I want you to turn around and leave."
Amy tilted her head to the side, "I can't do that. I'm here to see old friends and to chat."
Willow quickly looked back at Buffy who sighed, "Robot."
Xander stared at Spike, "Look what you started."
Spike was ready to hit him but didn't have the chance when he was distracted by Willow kicking the robot. Surprisingly it went pretty far out the door. Buffy walked up to Willow, "I didn't know you had it in you."
Willow shrugged, "I just really hate her now."
A voice sounded from the top of the stairs, "Really? Ironic because we used to be such good friends."
Everyone's heads turned to see the real Amy standing at the top of the stairs holding Buffy's scythe. Faith and buffy were instantly by the door when buffy spoke, "You're not walking out of here with it Amy."
Amy shrugged, "I don't even need to walk. I have so much power now, I'm not even sure your little witch could stop me."
Willow shrugged, "You wanna find out?"
Amy started to act stunned, "Are you challenging me? I can't believe it."
Willow smiled, "I haven't had a good magic workout in a while."
Amy looked to Buffy and faith, "You're going to let her use her magic for a little scythe?"
Buffy looked at faith then at Willow, "She's kind of right. I mean I'm betting that's all Amy has right now."
Amy actually looked insulted, "Called out twice in the same minute."
Buffy shrugged, "If you ask me I'm kind of curious how much magic you put into your punch."
Amy nodded and started to walk down the stairs slowly, "Fine. I was more expecting a magic blow for our little Willow but this could work too."
Buffy smiled, "You can even keep the scythe."
Amy smiled a wicked smiled, "Thank you."
In seconds she wa son the railing and sliding down it. Buffy was ready for her to jump into her but instead she jumped over Buffy and faith landing just outside. Willow was by Buffy in seconds, "Are you sure I shouldn't use magic?"
Buffy was a little edgy on her answer and actually didn't have to. Amy bowed towards them, "I had fun Willow. We should do this again sometime."
Before Willow could even say her magic words Amy was out of sight. Buffy couldn't contain her anger any longer as she started jumping up and down on the robot. Pieces of metal went flying and sparks started showing up. Everyone in the room came to the door just in time to see the tears start to fall again. Angel and SPike couldn't go out and get her because the sun still had a little time to go down. No one else actually went out to bring her in as they stood entranced in her reaction. Angel couldn't stand it anymore so the second Spike tossed him a blanket he had it wrapped around him. People moved out of his way as he moved as fast as possible towards buffy. Without a fight from her Angel had buffy in his arms. He ran back inside the house all in like 20 seconds. The little smoke coming off of him was gone when he was back int he safety of the hotel. Buffy hopped out of his arms and took off upstairs. Spike threw a small plant against the wall as Angel threw a small vase across the room.
Faith walked further itot he house and yelled to both of them, "Hey! We need at least one sane leader."
Angel actually smiled, "Why don't you be the leader? I mean Spike always has been and always will be insane, I just lost the only son I'll ever have and Buffy just lost her sister and she feels overwhelmed by guilt. So I think we deserve a little time off from the decision making seeing as every single one we make turns out badly."
Faith nodded, "Right. Okay so which one of you are going to go talk to her?"
Angel shrugged but Spike spoke, "Why is it always someone going after her? I think she can take care of herself for once in her life. Maybe for a few seconds we have problems."
Everyone stood stunned at Spike's words. Xander actually spoke, "I can not believe you just said that. Especially you! You and Angel are the only ones in this room who knows how to make her feel better, you're the only people who understand her. I guess I was always right about you two."
Faith nodded and stared at Spike, "You know, when you were gone this morning Buffy made me understand what it is between you and her. You two need each other, you two need to take care of each other." She stared over at Angel, "Do you have any idea how much she understands you, huh? Do you have any idea what it's like for someone like her not to have someone take care of them?" Faith shook her head at both of them now, "What ever happened to taking care of each other instead of yourselves?"
They couldn't even answer because Faith was already walking up the stairs. Cordelia sighed in relief hoping Angel wouldn't go for Buffy's little speech. Spike shook his head, "You know that was your cue to go right?"
Angel shook his head, "What? You always go. It's like your thing to be right there."
Xander smiled, "Don't worry guys. Faith's got it, hopefully."
-Upstairs-
Faith cursed everybody downstairs. She couldn't believe that they chose this moment to try and make Buffy independent. Especially Angel seeing as he could relate to her the most right now. So she stomped her way to buffy's room, opened the door and gasped at the emptiness. Buffy was nowhere to be found. She walked in slowly in case Buffy was in one of her violent moods but saw nothing. A paper on her bed caught Faith's eye. When she walked over and picked it up she smiled at what she read,'Didn't want to be around, I'm sure I've been pretty unbearable especially for Spike and Angel. I just went out for an early patrol, take a walk. I'll be back a little after sunset.' Faith grabbed the note knowing she would be okay. She then made her way down the stairs.
-Lobby-
Willow and Oz were right at the bottom of the stairs when she started wlaking down, "She doing okay?"
Faith smiled and handed Willow the note. When she read it she smiled too. Faith looked around the room, "Buffy's out for a while and will be back shortly. She has been unbearable and needed space."
Spike looked around at everyone from Sunnydale smiling. "Why si this a good thing?"
Xander walked over to him, "Because the second Buffy get's back she'll have a plan."
Angel sighed, "So we just have to wait? Just wait for her to walk through that door with a plan."
Faith sighed, "You know, you of all people should be happy about this."
Angel shook his head, "Fine. When does she get back?"
Faith couldn't believe it, "After sunset."
Angel nodded, "Good. I'll be back then."
Willow looked around at the silence, "God this group is depressing."