A/N: Thanks to all who read my story and special thanks to CF, Miracle Angel Summersand Just Me for reviewing. I'm telling ya, this reviewing stuff is addicting. So be happy to know that ya'll are feeding my addictions. It's a good thing…it makes me write faster.

Chapter 3

"So, what do we do?" asked Gunn.

Buffy looked up at him in disbelief, eyebrows raised, "Me? You ask me, the person who just got here, to make up a viable plan on the spur of the moment." She shrugged, "Ok."

Gunn laughed, "That's why we called you."

"Oh yes, but maybe you should wait until you actually hear my plan before you sing my praises." He cocked a questioning eyebrow at her, "Feel like gettin' beat up?" she said cheerily.

"Lord help us all, I knew we should have left things alone. This, this is your great plan." He sighed, "Do I want to know?"

"Gu-unn," Buffy whined, a wounded expression on her face, lower lip sticking out in a pout, "Here I am beating my brains out, trying to think up a good plan, for you might I add, and all I get for it is mocking. Fine, be that way. I'll just go back to Sunnydale and my own brand of evil there."

She moved away as if she were leaving, but he grabbed her arm and halted her, "Kidding, just kidding. You win. I'm willing to take one for the team. Despite the fact that taking one for the team has now evolved into getting the crap beat outta me. Just put the lip away, it should be illegal to twist the will of others with a simple lip."

"That's the spirit," she grinned. "Were gonna need help though. You wanna give your crew a call? It'll be good to see some of 'em again."

"Sure, I gotta go to the office to use the phone though. You ok here?"

"Right as rain." She watched as he walked off and then turned, taking in her surroundings. Her observations didn't last long, as there was a group of five that included Ray standing behind her, each wearing identical expressions of awe.

"Um, can I help you?"

"Are you really the Buffy?"

She quirked an eyebrow at the inflections in the sentence, "Last I checked. Why, do I have something on my face?" she raised a hand to her nose.

"Is it true what they say about you?" Ray asked.

"Well I don't know," Buffy said, a confused look on her face. "What do they say?"

He exchanged glances with the others, "Word is you took out a whole cadre of vamps by yourself."

"And saved Gunn's crew in the process," one of the girls piped up.

"Is that what they say?" she asked.

"Is it true?"

She shrugged, "It was a long time ago. I don't really remember much of what happened while I was here. I tried to repress."

"Man, you're like a legend round here."

There was a long pause, "I am?"

xoxox

"She looks happier," Anne said, as Gunn entered her office.

"Well yeah, considering the last time we saw her she looked about ready to slit her wrists."

"Gunn, don't be like that. She was going through a rough spot. Why do you think she was here in the first place?"

"I know, and don't get me wrong, you have no idea how happy I am to see her with a smile on her face." He paused, "Maybe it's just me, but does it seem like she's still in pain, but is tryin' to hide it? Granted that's more than she did last time, but still. I thought things would get better."

Anne sighed, "I know what you mean. But maybe she just needs some more time."

"Time," Gunn exploded, slamming a fist on the desk, "it's been years. Who could have hurt her so much that she still feels the pain of what happened. I just…I just feel like if I could only get my hands on the person who did this to her…"

"I know. But we'll probably never find out. And right now, we need to offer her our support. The letters she sent didn't reveal much, and I thought things were getting better for a while, but then it seemed like they just went downhill."

"Did she say what triggered the change?"

"No. There wasn't even a clue to be found. We just need to let her know that we are here for her and if she ever needs to talk to someone, we're here."

Gunn nodded as the anger seeped out of him, "I guess that's all we can do. Let me call the guys, then I'll get outta your hair."

"No problem."

xoxox

Kate walked back to her desk, a file in one hand, a cup of coffee in the other. She looked up, startled to see Angel sitting on the edge of her desk.

She raised an eyebrow at him, "Haven't seen you in a while."

He shrugged, "I've been busy."

"Yeah, me too. A couple of open cases I've been working. Two women killed in a clothing store. Thirteen lawyers from Wolfram and Hart slaughtered in a wine cellar."

"Real tragedy," Angel said sarcastically.

"Yeah, you seem real broken up by the loss. Anyway, we're still looking into this one."

"Good luck with that."

"I guess you never caught up with your vampire friends in time."

He shook his head, "I did track them down later and set them on fire."

"Sounds like you enjoyed it. But then again- the whole murder and mayhem thing's always been right up your alley."

"If that's how you feel, I guess this isn't the best time to tell you- I just killed a cop."

She leaned in close and lowered her voice, "I wouldn't make a joke about that in this building, no matter how immortal you think you are."

He continued as if she hadn't said anything, "Of course, this is the kind of cop that keeps talking even after he's been decapitated." He paused to pull out a badge, "Bet they don't teach you that at the academy. Want to tell me who that badge belongs to?"

She gave him a considering look before she took it from him and turned it over in her hands, "Give me a second to look it up."

She turned to her computer and typed in the badge number. A few moments later the file was up. Angel looked over her shoulder at the picture, "That's him."

"Officer Peter Harkes."

He looked down at her, "You know him?"

She shrugged, "Well enough to be at his funeral six months ago."

"You want to take a ride?"

xoxox

Gunn couldn't help the laugh that escaped him when he caught sight of what was happening in the common room. Buffy was sitting on a chair, hands clasped tightly in her lap, looking like a deer caught in the headlights. There were seven others around her arguing about the different stories they had heard about her.

"No way man, you tellin' it all wrong. I heard it was at least ten foot, and there were three of 'em."

"You're full of it and you know it!"

She looked up and caught his eye, "Gunn," she exclaimed in an overly loud voice, jumping to her feet, and halting the conversation around her. "Gunn my friend. My friend Gunn. I'm sure you need my help. Right now. At this very moment."

"Oh, no," he said to her, "It's gonna be a while 'til my crew gets here. You sit down. Enjoy yourself," he said with a smirk. He could practically hear her teeth grind together.

"Can I see you in the other room," she said tilting her head in that direction, "I think we need to talk," she said in a sickly sweet voice.

Gunn gulped, "Sure Buffy, right this way."

As she moved away she could hear the conversation pick up around her once again. She glared at Gunn as she led him away. "I can't believe you did that to me, you little twerp," she hissed, not being able to wait until they were in the other room.

He just laughed, "What, I thought you were enjoying yourself in there, I didn't want to disturb you."

"Laugh it up Charles, but just you wait. Retribution will be had."

He smirked at her, "I eagerly await the challenge. In other words, bring it on."

"We don't have time for this now, but my time will come." She laughed and shook her head. "Who's coming?"

"Rondell and George."

"Wonderful, I can't wait to see them."

"Well since I'm your friend I feel the need to tell you that neither really wanted to come. Nobody really wanted to come, but they drew the short straw," his grin let her know that he was joking with her.

"Gunn," she slapped his arm, "Gimmie a break, and please remember, you called me."

"Well actually, Anne called you. I had no choice in the matter."

She rolled her eyes, exasperated, "What is this, make-fun-of-Buffy day?"

"No that was yesterday, but since you weren't here…"

"Yeah, yeah. I get it. When will they be here?"

"Any time now."

"Well hey, I'm gonna go get cleaned up, if I'm not back give me a holler." She smiled and turned to leave.

"Hey Buffy," he called out to her. She turned with a questioning look on her face. "You know, if you ever need anything, anyone to talk to…"

Pain flashed across her face for a brief moment before her smile was back in place. He was sure that if he hadn't been looking for it, he never would have noticed.

"I know."

Gunn watched her walk away.

xoxox

Gunn and Anne were sitting on one of the couches when George and Rondell came up to them. "Well, if it isn't Charles Gunn, brother at large."

"Anne, meet Rondell and George," said Gunn, ignoring his icy tone.

"Hi," Anne said.

"Greetings." George said to her before turning back to Gunn, "Brought the camcorder. What do you need?"

"Alright, I've got this little neighborhood problem I promised Anne we'd look into," he replied.

"This got something to do with the police cracking skulls?" asked Rondell

Gunn looked sharply at him, "You know about that?"

"Who doesn't?" George said, shaking his head.

"I didn't till today. Somebody could have filled me in."

"You ain't been around to tell nothing to," Rondell said bitterly.

"You've been moving on up, dog," George said, "Playing demon detective with your new family."

"Deluxe apartment in the sky."

"When I got the call I figured it must be Christmas or something."

Gunn looked back and forth at their cold demeanors, "Maybe I shouldn't have called at all. In fact, you know what? You're all free to go."

George laughed, "We already made the trip, might as well go all the way."

Gunn glared at him, "Don't do me no favors."

"I'm not," George responded. "The favor's for these kids. Now you got a plan or don't you?"

Gunn paused for a while, "All right, look, the plan is simple. I want you to roll the camcorder and wait for the cops to hassle us."

"Hey now, this is my plan. Shouldn't I be the one who gets to reveal it?"

They turned to see her walk into the room. She had changed into a pair of faded ripped jeans and white tank top.

"Buffy," George said, eying her, "You lookin' good gurl. How you been."

"Eh, you know. Same old, same old. You?"

"Back at ya."

She laughed, "Good to hear. So, we ready to roll?"

"We got your back Buffy," said Rondell.

"Um, not to be the downer," said Anne, "But how do you know they'll hassle you?"

"'Cause we'll be the ones walking while black." They laughed, and Gunn slung his arm around Buffy's shoulder, "Come on."

"Be careful," Anne called out, as they turned to leave.

Buffy turned and flashed her a smile, "Don't worry. I got 'em covered."

Tbc…