Imzadi…..There is a reason Lindsey was in the same place as Xander and Anne, but won't be explained till later on. Kate turns up in this chapter, this parts really one big coincidence, but I figure it's fan fiction and anything can happen. Plus it was the only way I could think to bring her into the story.

Quicksilver…. Sorry about any grammar or spelling mistakes, I finish work at 8, so it's kind of late when I get round to writing these, and by then I'm too tired to check, I just want to post chapters as soon as I can. Try to be more careful in the future!

Chapter six

Kate looked around the abandoned Hyperion in confusion. White sheets draped over furniture and dust gathered on the surfaces. It was like it had never been open.

She glanced back outside, smiling at the thought that she could still pick a lock and ventured further into the hotel lobby.

"Hello?" she called out, her voice echoing around her. "Anyone home?"

The silence and shadows creeped her out just a little bit. She remembered when this place had been so full of life. She'd walked in on AI in the middle of a case, Wesley hitting the books, Gunn sorting the weapons, Cordelia on the computer. Sure, she had been mad at Angel at the time, having thought he'd been involved in the case. Something to do with a Darla somebody. But even that had been better then the emptiness she felt standing here now. Cordelia's sarcastic comments had made up for a thousand guests!

"Are you sure you want to get involved with these people again? You said they were nothing but trouble," her friend Sarah had asked earlier that evening. Sarah had worked with her, so Kate was staying with her on her trip back to LA.

"I owe Angel a lot," Kate had replied, remembering the dark time in her life well. Still getting over her fathers murder and being fired, she'd stupidly tried to kill herself. Angel had turned up just in time. That had woken her up to a lot of things, including the fact that there was something out there, forces of good, not just evil. And that was how Angel had eventually earned her trust. "I at least owe him a hello".

And that was how she'd found herself here. Things must be pretty bad since I've been away, she realised, now very concerned. Because Angel missing? Definitely a bad thing.

Realising she wasn't doing anyone any good just standing there, she walked back outside. So now what? Where do you start looking for a vampire detective, champion for the powers that be?

She tried desperately to think of any contacts Angel had mentioned to her over the years that would know where he was. Wolfram and Hart sprang to mind. They had been his main nemesis at the time. Maybe the gang was somewhere around there on a case. But she quickly came to the conclusion that you'd have to be crazy to go anywhere near there. And what if they were in trouble? What was she gonna do about it? It was more then likely she'd get in the way, she didn't have a lot of experience with the supernatural.

A name sprang to her mind then, out of the blue. Anne. When Wesley had gotten shot the same year as the Darla case, she'd looked into his file for Angel, and remembered what had happened to Anne's shelter. If Anne knew Wesley, she had to know Angel. It was a long shot, but it was her only shot.

After a quick stop at her friends to look up Anne's address, and to pick up her gun she still secretly carried, just in case, she started her search.

Lindsey lay on the ground, dazed, and watched helplessly as the demon stepped over him towards Xander and Anne. "No!" he whispered as he struggled to get up.

Several shots rang out and the demon let out a high pitched shriek and fell to the ground. Anne covered her ears until the noise faded.

Lindsey looked up in surprise…and his eyes widened when he saw who had come to their rescue. Not someone he'd be forgetting anytime soon. "Kate lockley?" he said, staggering to his feet.

"Please don't tell me I just saved your life?" she pleaded.

"That's right," he said, remembering when he'd first met her at the police station. "Now I remember how much I hate you!"

"Excuse me?" she said, raising an eyebrow. "I'm sure I hated you first! You do work for the evil law firm from hell right?"

Xander was looking back and forth between the two. "Hi there, children?" he asked them, cutting in. "Anyone remember us? We don't have time for this! We have to get going. Thanks for the help and everything but…" and with that, he and Anne started to turn away.

"Wait…" Lindsey called out, stopping them.

"Actually…Anne?" said Kate, remembering her picture from the case file. "I need to ask you something".

Anne hesitated. "Yes?"

"We're looking for Angel," they both said at the same time.

"What a surprise," Xander answered them.

"Finally," said Cordelia as they all entered the shelter. "What took you guys so long? We were just about to leave after that phone call…"

"Kate?" asked Angel, stepping up beside her. Cordelia blinked and looked at the group again. "Lindsey?"

"Hey, what's going on?" asked Lorne in confusion. "Are we having a reunion and nobody told me? I'm supposed to be the one planning these things!"

"You must be loosing your touch," said Buffy, folding her arms. "Isn't this the same woman who was gonna lock you in a cell and let you burn Angel?"

"We had issues," Kate answered. "That's why I'm here. But you know…I can see this is a bad time. Maybe I should just leave".

"No stay," Insisted Angel. "We're leaving tomorrow, but there's a lot to catch up on. And maybe you can help as well".

"Does she have to?" muttered Lindsey.

"Looks like these guys have issues too," Xander whispered to Anne, who laughed quietly.

"I don't see anyone asking you to speak lawyer boy," snapped gunn.

"Ex lawyer," Lindsey reminded them all. "Back me up here Angel, you saw me leave town! And I think your all gonna want to hear what I have to say".

"I think I speak for everyone here when I say, don't think so!" said cordelia. "Do you remember all those times you tried to kill Angel?"

"Like his so perfect," Lindsey shot back. "Listen, I know you don't trust me but…"

"Understatement of the year," Fred told him coldly.

"But something big is happening. Your sons missing angel…"

"Do you know how old that news is?" said Buffy angrily.

Kate was following all this in shock. "You had a son?" she gasped.

"It's a long story," said Angel, avoiding her question. "And buffy's right," he continued. "If you don't have anything useful to say then you can get out".

Lindsey nodded. He'd expected this kind of reaction. "Ok I got it. Look…about Connor…I know people right here in LA who could help….."

"How do you know all this stuff anyway?" asked Lorne suspiciously.

Lindsey shrugged. "News travels fast. And you guys are practically celebrities of the supernatural world".

Buffy sighed. "Really, you think? I thought celebs got diamonds and personal assistants and shoes all year round. Guess they slipped up somewhere coz, all I'm getting? Demons, monsters, the odd apocalypse, and oh yeah, people like you!"

"Sorry I outstayed my welcome," Lindsey finished. "I didn't know you knew the situation. But I think I'll stick around. Angel said you were leaving tomorrow, so LA might need some help. Plus, I can get info on what Wolfram and hart is up to".

For a moment no one spoke, not sure what to believe.

"I'm in the dark about this guys past Angel," Spike offered eventually. "But I know my enemies. This guys tellin' the truth".

"Much as I hate agreeing with you Spike," Angel answered the vampire. "I think your right on this one".

"Are you crazy Angel?" said Kate, more upset by this then she should be. "I know I only just got here. I'm not part of this, so it's your call. But, this is Lindsey we're talking about. Lindsey who you said you'd never trust in a million years?"

"Nice to know you care lockley," Lindsey looked at her, a little hurt at her words. This confused him .Angel and the rest had said worse to him in the last five minutes, so why did he care about one more insult?

"Look," Angel told the group. "Point is, his right. Now that I think about it, the innocents of this city need protecting. And unfortunately, that means some of us are gonna have to stay here, and one more won't hurt. But," Angel turned to face the man he'd spent most of his time in LA fighting against. "Any trouble of any kind and you'll be out faster then you can blink. I'm not counting on you being alive for long either, once I find out and come looking for you".

Lindsey met his gaze bravely, only slightly worried about his words. "Sure," he said lightly. "You do still have a soul, right?"

"Ethan Rayne," said Dawn in disbelief. "You're the one behind all this? Why?" she still couldn't believe it.

"Ethan who?" asked Connor.

"He…his sort of a sorcerer. Ok, more like a sorcerers apprentice. Back in sunnydale the worst he did was ….ok, it was pretty bad. He turned Giles into a demon. But its mostly minor stuff. Magic tricks. But the initiative locked you up…how…"

"I'd watch what you say girl," Ethan snapped. "A lot's happened in the last five years. But that year in that hell hole is enough to make anyone want revenge," he smiled coldly.

"You realize how pathetic this is right?" asked Dawn.

"Be careful," warned Connor, walking to stand beside her.

"Yes. I'd listen to the boy miss summers. Older then his years that one".

"Buffy will figure this out sooner or later. She always does. And she's gonna kick your…."

Dawn, she told herself as the black wave of magical energy swept towards her. You really don't know when to shut up do you?

Connor looked on in horror as the wave hit her, lifted her in the air and she flew across the room. She hit her head hard and slid towards the wall, unconscious.

"Dawn!" he cried out, rushing towards her.

"I'm thinking later," Ethan laughed. "Don't worry. She'll wake up in an hour or so. It's not time for you to die…yet". He paused and looked at Connor.

"What do you mean?" asked Connor, reaching to hold Dawns hand.

"This world was better with out you in it. And without her. At least for me. Your father won't save you kid. Because I'm not alone in this….and things aren't always what they seem".

Connor narrowed his eyes as he watched Ethan fade from the room.

Won't be a lot of updates for a few weeks, coz I'm going on holiday to Greece soon more updates after that.

Hope you liked this and review if you want, they're always nice to read!