~~~Chapter 4 ~~~

The three men watched in silence as the blonde and brunette climbed the stairs and slipped out of sight. Jason could hear his blood echoing in his ears. This was all wrong. His soul ached to hold Elizabeth. To wipe the moisture from her eyes. To wash away the blood. She was in pain. He'd seen it in her eyes. He'd also seen her fear and there was nothing he could do to erase that look from his mind. He hated it. Made his throat constrict, his heart ache.

But she'd made it known, on more than one occasion that she wanted nothing to do with him. Had said he'd betrayed her. Stomping on the faith, she had in him. Took the one chance he'd been given and pissed it away. Whether he meant to or not, it was how she felt and that's all that mattered. It didn't help that she now thought that he'd been pinning for Courtney behind her back.

Stupidly he had believed they could work through their problems. Perhaps they'd never find their way back to the exact place where they'd left off when she'd walked out on him, but hopefully they'd find the friendship they once had. The one thing besides her that he missed. But tonight when she'd looked at him and rushed out of his arms it'd hit home. He'd throughly destroyed any trust they had between them. To the point that she'd sought another man's arms to comfort her.

And there was nothing more he wanted to do at this moment than to shove his fist down that man's throat. To make him bleed.

"Where's she taking Elizabeth?" Jerking his thumb over his shoulder, Jason's eyes narrowed at the dark stranger before him. Took in the man's impassive expression, recognizing the look. It was one he often used. "Where?" His voice commanded.

Angel watched as the younger man barely controlled his rage. He could see panic in his steel blue eyes. The way he his hands slightly shook. He understood these emotions. He'd felt them the moment Sunnydale High lit up like a fireball. Chucks of cement exploded into the air. Walls fell in on themselves.

He'd been forced to watch. Standing across the street helpless. Knowing that nothing he did was going to stop the nightmare before his eyes. He didn't know what exactly happened. But one moment he was screaming, the next he felt Willow's hand on his shoulder.

This man, whoever he was, apparently cared for Tess. No he cared for Elizabeth Webber. Either way, it didn't matter. Things had changed tonight. Tess had been brought back. Her passion for justice. Her need to make things better in the world. She was going to return to her old way of life. Long hours of training. Late nights patrolling. Blood, death. Everything that made her a slayer.

Tess wouldn't want to involve anyone in that way of life. Put them in danger. He knew her, had seen her push people out of her life when she'd thought their lives were on the line. The pain she had endured by doing what she felt was right.

The least he could do for her now was to keep that pain from her. She'd been through enough. He owed her.

"She's with friends."

The younger man took a quick step forward. But his friend was quick to reach out and stop him. "Jase no." Two words and a slight shake of his head, the shorter man took control of the situation.

"You'll have to forgive my friend here." The dark haired man said in a friendly tone that reeked of insincerity. "He and Elizabeth are close friends. He'd hate to see anything to happen to her." Pausing for effect, the man's tone changed. Turned cold. "I'm sure you understand our concern. We'd hate for anyone to get hurt."

Slightly taken aback. Angel tilted his head to the side and took a closer look at the two men in front of him. He knew a threat when he heard one. He just hadn't been prepared for one tonight. His mind had been consumed with whether or not Lindsey was going to betray them. Cordelia's hurt feeling. Seeing buffy again. But mostly his thoughts were on Tess.

"Oh I understand." His own tone took a dark and dangerous tone. "I understand you have no idea what you're playing with." He was wasting time tossing around threats like a little boy tossing around a ball on the playground. Shaking his head, Angel stepped around the men, his intentions were set on leaving. But before he passed the younger male, he felt a hand latch onto his arm.

"We don't play games. Elizabeth...where is she?" Had Angel been anyone else. Hadn't seen the things he'd seen. Or done the things he'd done he might have been intimidated. But he wasn't. And the stranger in front of him was making a huge error in judgement.

"Listen closely boy, because I'm only going to say this once. Let. It. Go." Yanking his arm free, Angel pressed his face closer to the other man's. "If you keep pushing you are going to find yourselves in a situation you won't be able to control. One you won't be prepared for. You are going to endanger not only yourselves but the people you love."

He heard the man from behind move. "Are you threatening us?"

Sighing, Angel pulled himself up straight. Shaking his head sadly, he shoved his hands into his jacket pockets. "No. That's the thing. I'm not threatening you. Just giving the two of you some friendly advice. Be smart and take it."

Moving away again. Angel made it to the stairs this time. Already forgetting about the two men, his thoughts went to Tess. She had to be confused and he wanted to be there for her.

Jason looked from the retreating stranger over to Sonny then back again. "That's it? Are we going to let him just walk away?"

Sonny took his time to answer and when he did his anger was noticeable. "No that's not it. I won't allow anyone to come to my town and brush me aside. I'll get Benny on this."

"What about Elizabeth?"

"She left here with them. What do you want me to do? Go after her and drag her back by her hair? Jason I haven't said anything before...but don't you think it's time to realize that Elizabeth Webber is gone. She's made it known that she doesn't want anything to do with us. You, me, Carly...Courtney. Maybe it's time for you just cut your losses."

Fire ignited in Jason's eyes as his hands clenched and unclenched. "I won't do that."

Scratching the side of his head, Sonny sighed and nodded. "Fine. Then it's up to you what we do next. We'll get Benny to look into this. But then what? What happens if she doesn't want to go with you?"

"When I find her I'll talk to her. I won't let anything happen to her."

~~~~*~~~~

"I told you that we can't meet like this anymore." Taking a sip from the paper coffee cup, Scott Baldwin made a face at the bitter taste that filled his mouth. "I'd sell my soul for a good cup of coffee."

"We've got a problem." Ignoring the need to backhand the loudmouthed DA, Ric closed the door to Scott's office behind him.

"Unless this involves taking Sonny and Sonny Jr down, there is no we." Setting the cup down harshly on his littered desk, Scott glared across the room.

"Oh well, I guess it wouldn't interest you that Port Charles's death rate is about to go off the charts." Smirking at the stupid small town twit, Ric took a seat.

"I don't understand."

"And somehow this doesn't surprise me." Laughing, Ric shook his head. "I'll try to keep this simple."

"I don't like your tone of voice."

"I don't care. There's been a little snag."

"What does that have to do with our arrangement? I'm holding up to my end of the deal. Jason Morgan is going down for a murder he didn't commit. Leaving Corinthos wide open."

Ignoring the DA's rant, Scott studied his cuticles for a moment before answering. "And you're doing a superb job of it too. Getting caught concealing evidence. Making half the police department suspicious of your integrity. You're a real pro."

"You have one minute to tell me why you're here or I'll have one of the men escort you from my building." Resting his hands on the desk, Scott's face turned red.

"Wolfram and Hart is sending some back up."

"So."

"They have a large appetite." Ric smirked.

"What does that mean?"

"For blood Baldwin."

Scott sat behind his desk for a moment, his face blank. Soon his right eye started to twitch. "I won't have it. Not in my town. You tell whatever people you have coming here that they aren't welcome."

Standing, Ric shook his head. He really hated Baldwin. The man was stupid. "It's out of my hands. Hopefully it'll only be for a few days tops."

"So what am I supposed to do when bodies start piling up?"

Shrugging his shoulders, the young lawyer chuckled. "I hear blaming gang activities works."

~~~*~~~~

It felt like she'd waken up from a dream. A really bizarre and twisted dream. She could remember the sound of the building exploding. The being in some small room. Lindsey, Ric, Lilah. God it'd worked. Lindsey's half brained plan worked. She'd had her doubts. When he'd returned to her cell, his eyes lacking any trace of friendship. But he hadn't failed her.

Licking at her dry lips, Tess felt strong enough to walk on her own and pulled away from Buffy. "I know this is going to sound stupid...where are we?"

A slight smile touched Buffy's lips. "I could be mean and tell you this was Sunnydale...But I'll be nice. We're in Port Charles, New York."

"That explains the snow I guess... So does everyone else know?"

"They're here waiting. We all flew here as soon as we heard you were alive." Buffy paused and Tess could see that she was trying to think of what to say. "Things have changed Tess."

"How much could change?" Her lips twitched as she teased her friend. "Did Xander stop craving junk food? Willow and Oz married with four pups of their own. Oh I know. Angel is wearing pinks and yellows."

"My Mom died. Giles returned to England. Oz and Willow broke up and he left town. Xander and Anya got engaged. And Angel and Cordelia live in LA and run an investigation agency with Wesley and some new friends. Faith woke up from her coma and ended up turning herself into the police. Angel slept with Darla and I died again and currently dating Spike." Taking a deep breath, Buffy waited for Tess to wrap her brain around what she'd just been told.

"H-How long have I been gone?" She suddenly needed to lean against something.

"A little over four years. I'm sorry to just blurt it all out like that. But I wanted you prepared before you were bombarded."

Her dark blue eyes widened. "Did you just say that you were dating Spike?"

"I'll fill you in later." Tess let her take her hand and lead her back down the alley.