Much, much thanks to everybody who reviewed. I will try to make things a little happier. I'm working on ways to maybe bring Spike back. Review!
After her nightmare, she'd gone with Angel back to the crater that had been Sunnydale. They'd talked for hours about everything that had been destroyed. And they'd talked about him. When they returned to the hotel, they had an understanding that the others wondered about, but didn't question. Relative peace returned to their lives, and her only real complaint was that she could no longer find him in her dreams. Or, more accurately, she didn't dream at all. It bothered her, but she thought it might just be her fear of the nightmares returning, so it was only temporary. After a week has passed, she was more worried, but she knew that worrying wouldn't solve anything. Instead, she kept busy, helping Giles and Wesley retrieve research materials from the basement and various sources, training the girls, and keeping an eye on the interactions between the scoobies and the fang gang, which weren't always pleasant.
The phone call didn't seem like anything special at first. Around here, it rang fairly often. Business calls were more frequent than usual for Angel Investigations, and she was amused to find that several of the clients were former residents of Sunnydale who were quick to pick up on mystical happenings. The many new slayers were being contacted, and were calling to find out more about their new lives. Angel had been weary of using Wolfram and Hart's resources, but it had helped them find several new slayers, and the funding made them able to get most of the large, extended household much needed cell phones. Everyone was constantly checking in, and she was consequently very used to the sound of the phone ringing, then some random passerby picking it up and taking messages.
On this particular day, the passerby happened to be her. She was juggling a few large books she'd brought up from the basement, and answered the phone with the good-natured sass that drove Angel crazy.
"Angel Investigations, we're helpless but hopeful." There was a chuckle from the other end, then a familiar voice from years before.
"Good to see some things never change. This is Ethan Rayne."