Buffy and Gunn paced back and forth in front of the hotel, attempting to shut out the argument they could hear waging between Connor and Angel. Even though Buffy felt it probably wasn't the greatest time to be engaging in a shouting match while they were supposed to be watching for danger, the idea of intervening between them was also one that didn't really appeal to her in the slightest. It was obvious Gunn thought so as well because when Buffy looked at him, he shrugged and turned away from their direction, muttering something to himself about hoping Angel would give Connor a good spanking.
"Do they do this often?" Buffy wondered out loud.
"Not really. I mean instead of shouting out their problems, one just usually attacks the other. Course if that happens I might just join in and help tip the scales...put junior at the bottom of the Pacific this time."
"You really think Connor would try something like that a second time?" Buffy asked, wondering if she had been wrong in trusting him with Dawn. Was he that unpredictable? What could growing up in a hell dimension do to a person?
"Naw," Gunn replied with a reluctant smile. "Kid may piss me off, but he had our back the other day so it redeems him a little."
"It's a good thing he was there." Buffy acknowledged.
"You too," Gunn said, turning the focus of the conversation away from Connor. "I mean you were impressive with the ass kicking and all."
"Nothing special," Buffy replied with a shrug. "I'm the slayer. It's what we do."
"Nevertheless girl, you got skills." Gunn insisted. "Glad you're on our side. A slayer turned bad is something I would not want to see."
"Yea, it isn't pretty." Buffy said softly. Gunn looked to her, confused.
"Sorry?"
"Long story." Buffy replied with a frown. "They've stopped yelling. What do you think that means?"
"Hmm, well, either they've managed to solve their differences and had a big father-son hug, or one of them just killed the other one." Gunn replied, only half joking. "You think we should go check it out?"
"No, I don't want to intrude on anything," Buffy hesitated. "I mean, this isn't my turf, you know? Angel might not want me interfering."
"Seems to me, your interference is the only kind that wouldn't tick him off." Gunn commented casually. He had heard the story of their relationship second hand from both Wesley and Cordelia, but that was a completely different experience, than seeing the vibe between the two of them up close and personal. Gunn had his assumptions about certain feelings that Angel still harboured for Buffy and was curious as to whether she felt the same or not.
"What do you mean?" Buffy questioned, feeling suddenly defensive. Could Gunn see past the hardened exterior she had created for herself? Was she that transparent? Could he see everything? Could he see her pain?
"Hey, not trying to stick my nose where it don't belong or anything," Gunn said, throwing his hands in the air in a gesture of surrender. "It just seems to me that there's more between you two than meets the eye. I mean, I may not know you, but I know Angel and the way he looks at you....but hey, if you tell me you're just friends then I'll believe you."
Buffy smiled, trying to cover the sharp blow she suddenly felt to her gut. Gunn had seen Angel looking at her? How? She was suddenly overcome with a wave of longing for him so strong that it nearly physically crippled her. Turning away, she remembered Spike's words almost as vividly as if he were right there, speaking them to her personally. You're not friends. You'll never be friends. You'll be in love until it kills you both. And you'll fight, and you'll shag, and you'll hate each other till it makes you quiver, but you'll never be friends.
Spike had been right of course. In the end, they couldn't just remain friends. Even now, when they saw each other, she couldn't classify Angel as a friend. She could put him in every other category...lover, enemy, fighter, ex, but not a friend. Never a friend. Maybe that's what he had with Cordelia that was making her so insanely jealous ever since showing up in LA....the indefinable dynamic that the two of them had never shared....never could share....friendship.
She was suddenly furious at the unfairness of it all. Why, on top of everything else she had lost, should she be robbed of the ability to build a safe, harmless friendship with the man she had loved more than anything else in the world. She would die for him in a heartbeat if she had to and yet they couldn't even be in the same room together without being reminded of their inability to be anything more than two lovers, forced apart.
"Buffy?" Gunn's voice was questioning, apologetic even. "Did I say something wrong? Sometimes my foot jumps into my mouth before I can stop it. We cool?"
"Yea, it's no problem." She replied, repressing her thoughts and turning back to face him. "Angel and I are friends." Can he tell how badly I'm lying?
"Hey Buffy?" Dawn opened the front door of the hotel hesitantly and called out to her sister who was talking rather intently it seemed with Gunn. She turned upon hearing her voice, looking relieved somehow to see her.
"Everything ready to go?" Buffy asked, she and Gunn heading towards her. Dawn nodded.
"Cordy and I enchanted the weapon and Fred made up the potion, although I think she might have killed Lorne in doing it."
"Huh?" Gunn said, kind of confused. Dawn waved the comment away with her hand.
"Either way, they are ready to interrogate the demon. You want me to call Angel and Connor inside?"
"Is that really a good idea?" Gunn wondered to Buffy. "I mean, they were gettin' kind of..."
"No, it's good." Buffy said with a nod. Dawn smiled and headed around the side of the hotel. Buffy looked back at Gunn. "Connor likes Dawn. They get along well."
Gunn nodded and the two of them headed inside the hotel. Briefly he wondered if that was the real reason Buffy didn't want to go around to the back and tell Angel herself that they were ready, then brushed the thought aside. It was none of his business how she felt for Angel, or how Connor felt for Dawn as long as it didn't interfere with the mission.