XANDER
"Will she be alright?" asked Wesley in a sympathetic voice.
"she's Buffy," Faith replied, " she'll be perfectly fine"
"Yes fine," Xander snapped not liking Faiths tone of voice. "because its everyday where she goes into some kind of trance, and then starts to shake."
"Will you all stop sulking, she's the god damn slayer she'll get over it." Cordelia snarled. "I don't even know why she's here. If she gets nostalgic over a weapon how does she think she's going to face Angelus?"
"She's Here to rescue Dawn, and if she could defeat a Goddess, evil-dead-boys a piece of cake." Xander replied
" Defeated?" Cordy mocked, " yes right, of course... No wait... didn't she die?"
"Cordelia you are not helping!" Wesley scolded, knowing his friend was way out of line. " Im sorry" he apologized.
" Don't be, " Anya said, " she's just jealous, I can tell." She looked at Cordelia in disdain, "its coming off of her in waves."
Leave it to Ahn Xander snorted.
Cordy gasped " Excuse ME?" but Anya continued non- challantlly
"From what I know, Angelus goes after anything that Angel loved and made him human right? So you would think he would go after Cordy. But instead he goes after Buffy... again, and Whordy's not liking it."
Ouch!
"Who brought Angelus back anyway?" Willow asked desperately trying to change the subject.
"Funny story" A voice said from the door, laughing "They did"
GILES
"So let me get this straight," Kennedy said leaning on the kitchen counter. " you're going to drive all way LA just because a Vampire told you to?"
"Of course" Giles replied sarcastically, " the facts; that my associates in Los Angelus are not answering my calls, I haven't heard from Willow, Dawn is missing, and Buffy is nowhere to be seen. Are just minor details." he snapped. " we are going to go willy-naning to Los Angelus only because Spike, told us to."
Giles, frustrated with Kennedy's recent 'big women in charge' attitude exited the kitchen in huff. He was putting on his jacket when Spike entered.
" Rupert," he called from the safety of the shade, "your sure there's no way I can come?"
Giles sighed, "yes, I'm sure. Spike we'll be driving in the setting sun for 1 ½ hours , my car has no way to shade you, and frankly putting you in the trunk would go against all of my morals. Even if you are a vampire."
He silently chuckled, "on the plus side you get to train the new potentials with Kennedy." he paused " Do try Not to kill them" he added.
"Hey! You should be bloody worried about me! Your bloody leaving me with a bunch of bloody mini-slayers!" Spike swore.
Giles shook his head, "your just upset that Buffy ran to Angel's aid once more, I'm with you on that note though"
"True, I'm not liking the fact that Buffy's in the Poof's city," Spike replied, "But I don't think she was running to his aid..." he left his sentence hanging but Giles caught on.
"You mean to tell me that He's back?"Giles gasped " How could you possibly know that?"
"See, that's something you Watchers will never fully understand, with your books, and journals you never caught on..." pause. " Vampires are like family's, Drucilla was my sire, Angel was my grand-sire and Darla was... well you get the point. We're all connected, I can feel him just as he can feel me. That's how he used to have power over me. Because he knew which buttons to press, knew just how far he could push me. Because he knew me, better than I knew myself, and that scared me."
Spike looked straight into the ex-Watchers face, " Giles I know when he comes back. I can feel it... just as I did 3 years ago." a long pause, then Spike whispered. " Be careful Giles." another long pause...
" Thank you Spike." Giles replied, feeling some sort of mutual agreement pass between them just as the girls walked in.
"The bags are packed and put away Mr. Giles!" Molly exclaimed practically jumping in excitement.
"Right" both Giles and Spike said at the same time, breaking eye contact
"There waay too much British in this room" Muttered Rona walking past them to the car parked outside
"Don't mind her," Vi explained, coming up behind. "she's still grumpy about driving for 2h."
"Alright then!" Molly replied cheerily " Lets 'hit the road' as you Americans always say!" she skipped out the door.
" On second thought," Spike said watching the girls get into the car , " If I was stuck in a car with Molly-Bot I think I'd stake myself" with a laugh he closed the door on Giles bewildered face.
BUFFY
She stared at herself in the mirror, forcing herself to relax her face.
It didn't work.
With a frustrated cry she banged her fists against the counter. She still looked like a mess. Angelus could not--would not see her like this. She twisted the cold tap open and splashed some water on her face.
She could hear voices, they were arguing... shouting. Buffy held her hands on her head as if to feel the impending headache. More shouting, more yelling. Then another voice, muffled by distance but still carrying the same deep throat laugh.
Buffy jumped up, Angelus was here! She should have sensed him, did she lose that too? She grabbed open the cupboard in a vain attempt to find a weapon since all of her's were currently imbedded in countless demons.
"Wow" she muttered pulling out a 15inch long crossbow. didn't think I'd actually find one. She froze again, and wondered why she didn't hear any sounds of a fight. Her message to him wasn't exactly. ' we come in peace'
Arrows, I need arrows. Buffy opened the second cupboard and paused. She picked up a picture frame. The glass was cracked but you could still see the faces in the picture. It was of Cordelia holding a little baby in her arms, and Angel was leaning over her shoulder. She focused on his expression, the picture had been taken right before he laughed. She could tell because of the way his eyes crinkled up at the corner...
Then the baby must have been Connor, Angels son...
Angelus! Buffy reminded herself stuffing the picture back and grabbing the arrows behind it. She took a last look of herself and the mirror, composed herself. And headed for the stairs.
CONNOR
"They brought me back." Conner watched Angelus casually lean on the door. His first instinct was to attack, then her remembered the girl in the picture.
"What are you doing here?" Faith asked already in defensive stance.
"Hey! This is my hotel," Angelus smirked, " Im sorry, this is probably the largest place you've ever been in, other than the big house of course."
big house?
"That the best you could come up with?" Faith smirked back. "You disappoint me Angelus."
"Ouch! Now that would have hurt if your opinion of me actually mattered." Connor saw Faith involuntarily wince at his words. Ms. Tough Girl has a sore spot.
Interesting
" Now where's Buff?" just as he said that an arrow came flying right passed him and imbedded itself into the door. Inches from his head. Connor looked up to see the source was Buffy at the top of the stairs, holding a crossbow aimed directly at Angelus." Hello Lover." she said.
Lover? Connor grimaced, his opinion of the slayer lowering another notch. He looked back & forth between the lovers and watched the exchange.
ANGELUS
"Gotta hand it to ya Buff, you never disappoint with the dramatic entrances." Angelus said, not taking his eyes off the slayer.
" Where's Dawn?" she simply asked, slowly descending the stairs. The crossbow never wavering from his face.
"You look good! Did you do something with your hair? It looks shorter..."
"Where's Dawn?" she interrupted.
"Of course!" Angelus slapped his forehead and tissked, "she's right outside, let me go get her for ya!" he slumped back against the door and laughed, " did you really think it was gunna be that easy Buff?"
She said nothing as she reached the bottom of the stairs. In truth she looked like death itself, black circles surrounded her eyes, her hair--once long and shiny-- now short and fell limply to the sides of her face. She was thin-- too thin for Angelus liking.
But what struck him the most was her eyes–which once seemed to be the windows to her soul,– now stared back at him, devoid of any emotion. Just cold. I should know, its my specialty.
When she spoke her voice was low, hoarse. Agonizingly slow. "Tell me, where Dawn is, or I 'll,"
"Or you'll what?" Angelus interrupted, " Stake me?" he smirked propped himself of the door and spread out his hands. Giving Buffy a clear shot of his heart. " Go ahead" he dared.
The silence was chilling. All eyes bounced back and forth between Buffy and Angelus. Others focused on Buffy, wondering if she'll do it.
She pressed the trigger.