Disclaimer: Sigh Angel, sigh Spike, and the rest do not belong to me.
Summary: see chapter #1.
Author's notes: 1. This is not a story for Dawn lovers
2. ""= Dialogue, ''= thoughts
3. It's my first B/A story, so be kind in reviews.
Reviews: this story thrives on them.
Chapter #12: The return
"And let the fun begin." Xander sarcastically remarked, as Wesley came over and took his spot next to Gunn.
"Hi Wesley, I'm happy to see you again." Fred said in an attempt to lighten the tense mood.
"Fred, it's lovely to see you again as well." Wesley coolly replied. Finally Cordelia broke her silence.
"After you took off like a wimp, he proceeded to make my life miserable. He would look at me, with cold, vacant eyes; it was as if he didn't even want to acknowledge my existence. It has taken me since you left until now to regain his trust. And it was because of you. So I believe I am within my rights to say: exactly where the hell were you?" Cordy burst out.
"I was around. Here, there, everywhere. What did you expect me to stay where I was obviously not wanted?" Wesley asked rhetorically.
"Okay timeout here. What exactly happened, and when did it happen, because I am completely lost watching this lovely piece of dinner theater." Xander piped up.
"It was about 6 months ago. We were working on this investigation of a haunted traveling ballet company, one evening we attended as a group. We went backstage. And found the ghosts of two ex-lovers were the ones doing the haunting. Gunn began.
"The three of us never saw anything- we were off in another part of the theater. But we think one thing led to another and things got hot, and heavy between Angel, and Cordelia." Fred paused before continuing.
"Wow, the poof, and the cheerleader, who would ever have suspected." Spike remarked.
"We were of course victorious, and Cordy saw to our cuts, and bruises once we got back to the hotel. Wesley had a large gash on his hand. So Cordelia took hold of it, and one thing left to another, and with the adrenaline of the evening, they kissed. Angel was just coming to confess his feelings about her." Fred finished.
"Poor Angel." Willow remarked.
"The poof never could make up his mind." Spike added. The group was silent as the waitress brought their food over. They began eating, as the awkward silence lengthened.
"So how long are you here for?" Fred asked, making polite conversation.
"For a while." Wesley replied.
" Any plans?" Fred asked.
"Not really." Wesley replied, before turning to Willow, Spike and Xander.
"What are you guys doing here?" He asked them.
"It's a long story." Willow answered.
"Any place to stay?" Gunn asked.
"No." Wesley said.
"Come stay with us then." Fred said.
"I don't think that would be wise, considering the circumstances." Wesley told her.
"Aww, come on English, it'll be like old times" Gunn coaxed.
"Okay." Wes finally agreed.
'We should get this over with,' Willow thought to herself. She glanced to either side of her to gain her companions agreement, each nodded.
" You're probably wondering why the three of us are here." Willow began, and was greeted with a nod from Wesley.
"You heard Buffy died?" Willow questioned, to be greeted with a second nod.
"We've found out that she's not exactly dead." Spike told him, jumping straight to the point.
"We believe that she was brought back by a man named Holtz, to be used against Angel somehow." Willow quickly explained.
"Her memory is slightly." Spike picked up.
"Selective. She remembers coming to Sunnydale, going to high school with us, meeting Spike, but nothing about Dawn." Willow continued.
"Mhmm. I think I know some memory techniques." Wesley suggested, already thinking of ways to help.
"Now Dawn too, has been kidnapped. And we don't know where she is. We're assuming it was Holtz again." Willow finished. The group rose from their table as the bill was delivered. They went out, and agreed to meet again back at the hotel.
C.O.S.: Hotel. Angel awoke to the sound of voices in the lobby, and quietly untangled himself from Buffy. He lingered in the shadows at the top of the stairs for a moment.
"I should probably get to work on finding out about those memory techniques. I'll be in the office." Wesley said, leaving the lobby.
"So how was dinner?" Angel asked, finally revealing himself.
"Good. It was very yummy." Willow said.
"That's good." Angel replied.
"I think I've found something." Wesley called.
"What is he doing here?" Angel asked, his eyes going cold, as he recognized the accented voice.
"We um. We." Willow stuttered.
"He came into the diner as we were eating, and I invited him to join us. He's gonna be in town for a while, and didn't have a place to stay. So we invited him to stay here, with us. Gunn rescued
" He thinks he can help Buffy." Willow put in. Clearly, Angel hadn't made up his mind to let him stay, and followed the group back to the office.
"So you're here." Angel acknowledged Wesley's presence flatly.
"Nice to see you too again Angel." Wesley replied, as he clicked print on the computer. Angel picked up the printed information and quickly scanned it.
"You think you can help Buffy?" He asked.
"Yeah I think it will." Wes replied.
"You can stay then, but only until Buffy's better." Angel responded.
"Thank you." Wes said.
C.O.S: Area warehouse.
"Buffy will find me, Buffy will find me." Dawn kept muttering as she scrubbed the cement floor clean.
"No, she won't, find you, alive at least." Holtz told her. "I'm tired of you now, you can go back to your bed." Holtz told her dismissively. He then gestured to two of his henchmen vampires, to take her back into the other room.
"NO, NO, NO, NOT THERE, NOT BACK THERE" Dawn yelled, thrashing in her captives arms.
She got one leg free, and landed a kick to the face of one, forcing him to let go of her. She stepped hard on a foot of the captive that held her head, and shoulders, having kicked her way free; she bolted for the door, which was unlocked. She went through the door and ran, as far as her legs could carry her. Hearing the commotion Holtz came to see what it was about, and seeing his prized captive escaped.
"Don't worry, I can still keep track of her." Holtz told him. Dawn ran, as far and fast as her legs could carry her.
She sat down, and struggled to catch her breath. While she sat, she looked down at her feet and saw still attached there the bracelet Holtz used to cause her such agony. She examined it closer and noticed that a light was blinking on it. Not knowing what that meant, Dawn ran further. Before she even realized where she was running, she made it to the door of the hotel. It was opened by Buffy.
"Buffy," Dawn plaintively said.
"Yes who are you?" Buffy asked, as Dawn began thrashing, and fell.
"Who is it?" Willow asked moving to peer over Buffy's shoulder.
"Dawn, Dawnie, come on, it's Willow, wake up." Willow called, moving swiftly past Buffy.
"Willow who's there?" Angel asked, coming over.
"It's Dawn, she's unconscious, she's had some kind of seizure I think. Help me get to her to a couch." Willow asked. Angel walked over and picked Dawn up, and gently set her down on one of the lobby couches. Buffy walked quietly behind him.
"I-I-I- forgot who she was." Buffy muttered, eyes cast down in shame, and tears beginning to flow down her face.
"It's okay Buffy, It's gonna be okay." Angel came over and put a comforting arm around her, and pulled her close.
C.O.S. Warehouse.
"Boss, we have a lead on the girl. She made it be, do u want us to retrieve her?"
"No, don't bother, I know how to cue her when the time is right." Holtz replied, grinning manically.
Well that's that. Remember this story (as do all of mine) thrives on reviews.
Peace out, and happy reading.
-A.B.
Summary: see chapter #1.
Author's notes: 1. This is not a story for Dawn lovers
2. ""= Dialogue, ''= thoughts
3. It's my first B/A story, so be kind in reviews.
Reviews: this story thrives on them.
Chapter #12: The return
"And let the fun begin." Xander sarcastically remarked, as Wesley came over and took his spot next to Gunn.
"Hi Wesley, I'm happy to see you again." Fred said in an attempt to lighten the tense mood.
"Fred, it's lovely to see you again as well." Wesley coolly replied. Finally Cordelia broke her silence.
"After you took off like a wimp, he proceeded to make my life miserable. He would look at me, with cold, vacant eyes; it was as if he didn't even want to acknowledge my existence. It has taken me since you left until now to regain his trust. And it was because of you. So I believe I am within my rights to say: exactly where the hell were you?" Cordy burst out.
"I was around. Here, there, everywhere. What did you expect me to stay where I was obviously not wanted?" Wesley asked rhetorically.
"Okay timeout here. What exactly happened, and when did it happen, because I am completely lost watching this lovely piece of dinner theater." Xander piped up.
"It was about 6 months ago. We were working on this investigation of a haunted traveling ballet company, one evening we attended as a group. We went backstage. And found the ghosts of two ex-lovers were the ones doing the haunting. Gunn began.
"The three of us never saw anything- we were off in another part of the theater. But we think one thing led to another and things got hot, and heavy between Angel, and Cordelia." Fred paused before continuing.
"Wow, the poof, and the cheerleader, who would ever have suspected." Spike remarked.
"We were of course victorious, and Cordy saw to our cuts, and bruises once we got back to the hotel. Wesley had a large gash on his hand. So Cordelia took hold of it, and one thing left to another, and with the adrenaline of the evening, they kissed. Angel was just coming to confess his feelings about her." Fred finished.
"Poor Angel." Willow remarked.
"The poof never could make up his mind." Spike added. The group was silent as the waitress brought their food over. They began eating, as the awkward silence lengthened.
"So how long are you here for?" Fred asked, making polite conversation.
"For a while." Wesley replied.
" Any plans?" Fred asked.
"Not really." Wesley replied, before turning to Willow, Spike and Xander.
"What are you guys doing here?" He asked them.
"It's a long story." Willow answered.
"Any place to stay?" Gunn asked.
"No." Wesley said.
"Come stay with us then." Fred said.
"I don't think that would be wise, considering the circumstances." Wesley told her.
"Aww, come on English, it'll be like old times" Gunn coaxed.
"Okay." Wes finally agreed.
'We should get this over with,' Willow thought to herself. She glanced to either side of her to gain her companions agreement, each nodded.
" You're probably wondering why the three of us are here." Willow began, and was greeted with a nod from Wesley.
"You heard Buffy died?" Willow questioned, to be greeted with a second nod.
"We've found out that she's not exactly dead." Spike told him, jumping straight to the point.
"We believe that she was brought back by a man named Holtz, to be used against Angel somehow." Willow quickly explained.
"Her memory is slightly." Spike picked up.
"Selective. She remembers coming to Sunnydale, going to high school with us, meeting Spike, but nothing about Dawn." Willow continued.
"Mhmm. I think I know some memory techniques." Wesley suggested, already thinking of ways to help.
"Now Dawn too, has been kidnapped. And we don't know where she is. We're assuming it was Holtz again." Willow finished. The group rose from their table as the bill was delivered. They went out, and agreed to meet again back at the hotel.
C.O.S.: Hotel. Angel awoke to the sound of voices in the lobby, and quietly untangled himself from Buffy. He lingered in the shadows at the top of the stairs for a moment.
"I should probably get to work on finding out about those memory techniques. I'll be in the office." Wesley said, leaving the lobby.
"So how was dinner?" Angel asked, finally revealing himself.
"Good. It was very yummy." Willow said.
"That's good." Angel replied.
"I think I've found something." Wesley called.
"What is he doing here?" Angel asked, his eyes going cold, as he recognized the accented voice.
"We um. We." Willow stuttered.
"He came into the diner as we were eating, and I invited him to join us. He's gonna be in town for a while, and didn't have a place to stay. So we invited him to stay here, with us. Gunn rescued
" He thinks he can help Buffy." Willow put in. Clearly, Angel hadn't made up his mind to let him stay, and followed the group back to the office.
"So you're here." Angel acknowledged Wesley's presence flatly.
"Nice to see you too again Angel." Wesley replied, as he clicked print on the computer. Angel picked up the printed information and quickly scanned it.
"You think you can help Buffy?" He asked.
"Yeah I think it will." Wes replied.
"You can stay then, but only until Buffy's better." Angel responded.
"Thank you." Wes said.
C.O.S: Area warehouse.
"Buffy will find me, Buffy will find me." Dawn kept muttering as she scrubbed the cement floor clean.
"No, she won't, find you, alive at least." Holtz told her. "I'm tired of you now, you can go back to your bed." Holtz told her dismissively. He then gestured to two of his henchmen vampires, to take her back into the other room.
"NO, NO, NO, NOT THERE, NOT BACK THERE" Dawn yelled, thrashing in her captives arms.
She got one leg free, and landed a kick to the face of one, forcing him to let go of her. She stepped hard on a foot of the captive that held her head, and shoulders, having kicked her way free; she bolted for the door, which was unlocked. She went through the door and ran, as far as her legs could carry her. Hearing the commotion Holtz came to see what it was about, and seeing his prized captive escaped.
"Don't worry, I can still keep track of her." Holtz told him. Dawn ran, as far and fast as her legs could carry her.
She sat down, and struggled to catch her breath. While she sat, she looked down at her feet and saw still attached there the bracelet Holtz used to cause her such agony. She examined it closer and noticed that a light was blinking on it. Not knowing what that meant, Dawn ran further. Before she even realized where she was running, she made it to the door of the hotel. It was opened by Buffy.
"Buffy," Dawn plaintively said.
"Yes who are you?" Buffy asked, as Dawn began thrashing, and fell.
"Who is it?" Willow asked moving to peer over Buffy's shoulder.
"Dawn, Dawnie, come on, it's Willow, wake up." Willow called, moving swiftly past Buffy.
"Willow who's there?" Angel asked, coming over.
"It's Dawn, she's unconscious, she's had some kind of seizure I think. Help me get to her to a couch." Willow asked. Angel walked over and picked Dawn up, and gently set her down on one of the lobby couches. Buffy walked quietly behind him.
"I-I-I- forgot who she was." Buffy muttered, eyes cast down in shame, and tears beginning to flow down her face.
"It's okay Buffy, It's gonna be okay." Angel came over and put a comforting arm around her, and pulled her close.
C.O.S. Warehouse.
"Boss, we have a lead on the girl. She made it be, do u want us to retrieve her?"
"No, don't bother, I know how to cue her when the time is right." Holtz replied, grinning manically.
Well that's that. Remember this story (as do all of mine) thrives on reviews.
Peace out, and happy reading.
-A.B.