About time right? Haha well, I'm late as always, but at least I posted this. I hope you like. Enjoy! Oh, and the feedback was great, I hope it would be just as great this time.
"With Some Scoobies on the Side Series"
By: Lynn
DISCLAIMERS: Duh guys! Nothing's mine!
DISTRIBUTION: You ask me, I ask you... you know the process. This is a re-write of most of the Angel episodes with the Scoobies in the mix. Whoohoo! This is gonna be fun!
SPOILERS: I guess the beginning of Ats.
A/N: Okay, so during the Ascension thing, Angel didn't tell Buffy he wasn't saying goodbye, and the whole "one last look by the fire trucks" thing didn't happen. And Faith didn't go all psycho. In my story, her association with the mayor was just a decoy.
"Lonely Hearts"
Part 1
The office building of Angel Investigations was darkened, only the night lights of the city gave it a very dim glow. It was devoid of any movement or life. Well, except for the couple making out in the main office.
It had been over a week since Buffy and Angel got back together, but the day after the reunion, Angel feared that it was over before it began, all because of one little secret he kept from her. That night he had confessed to her that when the shaman friend of Giles' performed the spell that made the mayor believe that he freed Angelus, he had actually gotten rid of the pesky gypsy curse and bound his soul.
Buffy had reacted just the way that Angel thought she would, which was not very well. In fact, she needed a day of separation to cool off and process after the elaborate drama-fest that followed Angel's confession. There was yelling, tears, object throwing, anything that you can think of that was typical for the star-crossed couple. There was even an angry phone call made to Giles who actually knew of this piece of information that was withheld from Buffy.
After major brooding and avoided phone calls, all was well the next night when they calmly talked things over. Even though the couple had many opportunities to "seize the moment" over the past several days, they still hadn't taken up the chance. They wanted to take things a little slow considering they were both still afraid that there would be a chance that Angelus would come out to play again.
That didn't keep them from acting upon their lusty tendencies, though.
"Angel," Buffy murmured, and ran a hand through his soft, spiky hair to catch his attention.
"Hmm," he replied into her neck. Not wanting the pleasure to end, but still wanting his full attention, she half-heartedly pulled his head away from her neck. Even in the darkness, they both saw the lust and passion glazed over their eyes.
"Let's-," Buffy began, but was cut off when the lights flickered on. Having been sitting in the dark for awhile, they had to blink a few times to adjust to the lights.
They turned their heads and found Doyle had entered the office.
"Hey, you know, maybe we should go over this thing again of you getting out in the world and involving yourself with people... other than your girl that is." Buffy glared at Doyle, to which he just ignored. "It's Friday night. It's the most social night of the week! You and your girl should be out there enjoying the nightlife. Not making out in the dark like some kind of..."
"Some kind of couple," Buffy finished for him.
"Well, yeah. I was going to say 'horny teenagers', but yeah, to you, Miss Obvious," and then he said to Angel, "You got to come out, man!"
"Why," Angel questioned with a bit of agitation in his voice.
"Because we deserve a night of fun, don't you think?" At Buffy and Angel's looks, Doyle rolled his eyes. "I mean, it breaks up those nights of death and mayhem. Plus, we could toast the new business, you know, all of us," he hinted. He whistled and tilted his head towards the outer office where Cordelia's desk sat.
Buffy had the courtesy to smile, thinking Doyle's little crush on Cordy was cute. Angel, on the other hand, was frustrated that Doyle had ruined the moment, and he knew they wouldn't get it back anytime soon because the rest of the gang should be along any minute. He slid Buffy off his lap so she could take over the leather chair he was sitting on, and stood up.
"Yeah, Doyle, if you want to ask Cordelia out, just do it yourself," Angel said.
"I don't know if she likes me, man," he started to protest, but then turned to Buffy, "unless you put in a good word for me. You know, just tell her what a great guy I am!"
Buffy chuckled, "I barely know you."
"Perfect. That should make it easier for you then."
The subject of their conversation walked into the outer office, followed by Willow and Xander.
"Hello," Cordelia called out.
"You know, I am...," he began, but had a thought and whispered to Buffy, "When you're talking me up to her, don't let her in on that me being half demon. Because, you know, women can be a little funny about that." Buffy rolled her eyes and hit him on the chest playfully.
Xander and Willow walked into Angel's office.
"Hey guys," Buffy greeted her best friends, "Where's Oz?"
"In his cage," Willow answered. "It's that time of the month, remember?" After a thorough search, Oz found an underground cave that was perfect to construct a sturdy cage whenever the full moon came around.
While Buffy nodded, Doyle looked at everyone in confusion.
"Wait, isn't Oz a guy? I mean, I know women get a little crazy whenever that time of the month comes around, but why would you lock someone up in a cage."
"Oz is a guy you idiot," Cordelia cut in when she entered the room, "He's just a werewolf. But enough about him. They're finally in," she beamed, holding a small white box.
"They're in," Doyle repeated to Buffy, quickly getting over Oz to stand next to Cordelia.
"Okay...," Angel responded, a little lost.
"Your cards," Cordy told him and took one out of the box to show him.
"The cards," Doyle echoed for the second time.
"Your calling cards to leave with people so they know how to reach you."
"Great idea," Doyle exclaimed with much enthusiasm, "Calling cards."
"Hey, it's not like you have a signal folks can shine in the sky whenever they need help, you know," Xander added while examining a card.
Angel and Buffy accepted the cards handed to them.
"Hey, look at that, there's our number," Angel attempted to humor Cordelia with faux enthusiasm, "It's right next to a ... a um-a..." He looked to Buffy for help, hoping she knew what the group of squiggly lines were.
"A-a um... butterfly," she supplied.
Doyle saw the look on Cordelia's face and looked back at the card he was holding. "It's obviously not a butterfly. It's a-a bird." Cordelia rolled her eyes in response.
"No, no, wait," Willow joined in, "it's an owl."
"A-a bird that hunts at night. Brilliant! It's a-a..."
"It's an angel," Cordelia yelled, fed up with the guesses.
"An angel. Right. It's an angel," Angel said as if he knew what it was all along.
"Brilliant," Doyle exclaimed, "So obvious and so clever on so many levels..."
"Oh shut up," Cordelia hit him on the chest with the back of her hand.
Doyle doubled over in pain and gripped the desk for support. "Oh, geez..."
Cordelia was taken back by Doyle's reaction. "Come on, don't be such a baby. I barely hit you."
Doyle just moaned and kicked the desk. Then suddenly, it was as if an invisible, powerful force shoved him back, causing him to release the cards into the air.
Angel rushed to Doyle and grabbed the lapels of his leather jacket so he wouldn't further hurt himself. The others gathered around with enough space to give the seer some air and watched with concern and panic.
"He, hey, hey, Doyle," Angel tried to call him back to them. When Doyle's convulsions of pain subsided, Angel asked, "You okay, man?"
"Yeah, I'm okay," he answered, still reeling from the vision.
"Sit up. What'd you see? What'd you see," Angel questioned gently.
"It's a bar. Uh, I think I recognize it. It's one of those terminally-stuck-in-the-eighties places."
"Yeah, and," Buffy pried, trying to get something more specific when he didn't continue further.
"That's it. No faces popped out at me, man. Just, just a feelin'."
"What feeling," Cordy inquired.
"Something's gonna happen."
After a beat of silence, Angel commented, "Looks like you got your wish. We're going out after all, huh?"
Walking down the stairs into the dance club, D'Oblique, the group of five were suddenly assaulted with the loud techno music.
"Ooh, classy," Cordelia observed the busy nightclub and then turned to the others, "Okay, now what?" Doyle, Willow, and Xander just shrugged.
"All right," Angel said, "Uh, we'll split up. Look for someone that might be in trouble."
"Or for something that's about to cause it," Buffy added.
"Aaand break," Xander joked, pretending they were separating from a football huddle. He, Doyle, Willow walked away into the crowd and went their individual ways.
Before going off in a different direction than the others, Cordelia handed Angel and Buffy some calling cards.
When they were the last two left, Angel gave Buffy a quick kiss. "Stay close," he told her.
Buffy rolled her eyes, but humored him, "Yes, Daddy." She blew him a kiss and disappeared into the herd of dancing bodies.
Angel stared after her for a second and then stepped up to the bar, receiving a weird look from a woman who left her place at the bar that Angel took over.
"What can I get you," the young, black bartender mixing drinks asked Angel.
"Um, I'm just wondering, have you noticed anything unusual tonight?"
"Unusual?"
"Yeah, you know... out of the ordinary-possibly even... dangerous," Angel questioned awkwardly. He suddenly wondered if he was ever going to get used to this communication thing.
"Don't worry. It's early yet. The real hot women don't mosey in until eleven," the bartender interpreted his question. He went back to concentrate on the drinks he was mixing, leaving the vampire to stare at him baffled from the misunderstanding.
Xander did a little searching, and all he got accomplished was a few slaps to the face, several threats, and on a bright note, two phone numbers. He saw a familiar red head leave a man's side in disappointment and decided to have a little fun.
He snuck up behind her and disguised his voice to say into her ear, "Hey pretty lady. You wanna shake what your mama gave ya for me?"
Willow whirled around in shock and anger, only to find a smiling Xander. She swatted him on the shoulder and then asked, "Any luck?"
He only shrugged and replied, "Not so much. I still don't get how we're supposed to do this."
"I guess whatever method that doesn't end with us getting hauled to the looney bin."
"Or we can try Cordy's approach," he nodded towards his ex-girlfriend who was handing her newly acquired cards to random people. The two exchanged amused looks before walking over to the determined brunette, Doyle met them there as well.
Before Cordelia could hand out one more card, Doyle grabbed her and pulled her away.
"Hey, hey, hey! This isn't a marketing seminar here, Princess. You've got to stay a bit more below radar," he told her.
"What radar," she questioned.
"The police? You know the service our friend Angel provides... might put some people in mind of the V-word."
"Vampire?"
"No vigilante," Willow helped out, "You know there are laws against this. You need to chat people up a little more casual like."
"Yeah, you know," Xander joined in, "'Hi, what's your name? How's life treatin' ya? What's that you say? Minions from Hell gettin' you down?'"
Cordelia just stared at them as if they told her that Louis Vuitton was the same as Tommy Hilfiger. "Excuse me. I'm an actress," she declared, "a student of the human animal. I don't need to talk to people to know their story." She turned and pointed to a guy attempting to dance to demonstrate. "You see jazz hands over there? Mama's boy. Peter Pan complex." She pointed to a short haired blonde, "Self-absorbed closet-dud with a big 'the-world-owes-me' chip on her shoulder." Her last example was a shy looking blonde leaving with a dark haired man. "Check out Sarah-plain-and-tall. Has or comes from big money."
"How do you know all that," Willow asked her, one of her thin eyebrows raised.
"Well, you've got to be rich to snag the Calvin Klein model she's leaving with."
"Yeah, well, they're all riveting insights and such," Doyle said, "but we need to find someone that's in trouble?"
After a moments thought, Cordelia asked, "How's Angel doing?"
Angel still stood by the bar, and watched as the guy he was just talking to walked away shaking his head. Another misunderstanding to add to the long list.
"No seriously," Angel called after him, "I wasn't hitting on you!" He sighed and leaned against the bar.
Several seats down, Buffy forced a smile on her face when the man she liked to refer to as McGrabby-Hands, left her side because she declined his request to dance. She wasn't left empty handed though, she got a pretty colored drink out of the deal after having a rousing twenty minute conversation all about... him. With all the time she spent with him, Buffy found out that the only help that guy needed was an ego-deflation.
She swivelled her chair around, and searched for the only man she would give into. She spotted him in no time a few feet away from her.
Buffy had to laugh when she saw that Angel was having man troubles also. She was about to go over to him to help soothe his obvious stressful state when she saw another blonde woman start to talk to her vampire. What was with him and blondes anyway? So being the loyal and trusting girlfriend that she was... she moved a few seats closer to eavesdrop on their conversation.
Angel was about to search for Buffy when a feminine voice stopped him.
"Are you okay," she asked. The voice belonged to a blonde woman sitting next to him with a drink in front of her.
"What," he responded.
"Oh, no, nothing. Sorry." She looked away and went back to stirring her drink with her blue straw.
"No," he faced her, figuring that she would be a potential victim to save, "Am I okay?"
"Well you just looked- bad," At Angel's expression, she went to amend her comment, "Not that you look bad, you look very nice... I think I'm just going to have my drink."
From her seat, Buffy shook her head at the woman's rambling. She should be jealous, but she understood how Angel's presence could just turn you into a bumbling idiot; she'd been there before.
"Thanks," Angel replied, much to Buffy and the woman's surprise.
"For thinking you look bad, or thinking you look good?"
"You choose," he smirked, "I'm Angel."
"I'm-I'm Kate," she introduced herself.
After a pause of awkward silence, Kate asked, "So do you come her a lot?"
"First time. It's really..."
"Cheesy? Yeah. I prefer those cool bars that are hard to get into, but I can't get into them. Anyway, this is close to home." There was another pause. "So, did you-did you just stop in?"
"I'm sort of looking for some one."
"I'm sorry if I'm keeping you..."
"No, no, no, I'm just looking for someone to- rescue? Are you maybe in need of some- rescuing?" With his vampire hearing, he heard a familiar giggle from nearby. He was never going to hear the end of it.
Kate stared at him in disbelief. "Well that's the strangest line I'm going to hear at night."
"No, it's not a line. I'm..."
"Oh, I didn't mean... That was harsh."
"No, hey, you know... I'm not very good at this- talking." He wished that Buffy would stop gawking and laughing and just help him, but he knew from experience that he had to face his little phobia of people on his own.
"Well, I'm the expert. I'm sure you can see... Well the answer is no, I don't need rescuing. I gave up on the knight in shining armor concept a while ago. Anyway, I don't expect to find him here at the international house of posers."
"People can surprise you."
"I sound like a big hypocrite, don't I? Ragging on this place, I still come here almost every night. How else are you going to meet somebody outside of work? It's either this, or sit at home alone in the dark."
Angel's eyes ticked over to his beautiful girlfriend with a secret suggestive look in his eye. "Hmm. Wouldn't want that."
"So... what do you do?"
"Do?"
"For a living."
"I uh- well, basically I- um- I help... I'm a veterinarian." Again, he heard Buffy's muffled giggles.
"Really. Well, I always say a man that loves animals is a man you can trust." Angel clearly felt the glare of Buffy's hazel eyes. Oh he was REALLY going to pay for this later.
Meanwhile, at the other side of the club, the other four were leaning against the other bar.
"So you got everyone figured out, huh?" Doyle asked Cordelia.
"Not everyone. I mean you I don't get."
"Me?"
"Yeah, I mean, what's with those vision things of yours?"
"They're messages I get, you know from the higher powers, whoever they may be. You know, it's my gift!"
"If that was my gift, I'd return it," Willow and Xander tried to hide their laughter. They also knew of Doyle's little secret, and they found Cordelia's unknowingness funny. "I mean you get those headaches, and you do this bleh thing with your face."
Doyle downed a drink, causing his face to scrunch up. "What thing with my face?"
"Plus, your visions are kind of lame. A bar? That's wise and vague! I mean they should send you one of those self-destructing tapes, you know, that come with a dossier?"
"Well, I'll be sure to mention it..."
Just then, a blonde guy with an unfortunate shirt walked up to them.
"Hey, you're the one handing out these cards," he asked Cordy.
"Do you need help?"
"Well I was wondering if that's really your number. Do you mind if I ring you up some time for a date?"
Doyle was about to defend his crush, but Xander stepped up. "Yeah, she minds."
Cordy put a hand on his chest. "I can handle this okay," she calmly said to Xander, and then she turned to the guy, "Yes, I mind. This is a business card. We offer our services to people in need."
The blonde guy smiled smugly. "Well, I might be in need of a little service. You charge by the hour?"
"Excuse me?"
"Alright. Just everyone relax here a little bit," Doyle cut in, "The lady is with me, alright?"
"No I'm not," Cordelia snapped, glaring at the male seer.
"Hey, nobody's talking to you, wipe," The blonde yelled at Doyle.
Back at the other bar, Angel and Kate were still talking, and Buffy sighed in boredom. As much fun as it was to watch a desperate older than she woman hit on her man, she really didn't feel like listening to their less than riveting conversation anymore. The jealousy she usually felt whenever other beautiful women were around her Angel wasn't nagging her to death anymore; this Kate woman wasn't a threat.
Buffy scanned the club for her friends and spotted them at the side of the club. A blonde man stood in front of them, and by the looks of it, Cordelia and Xander didn't look too happy to be talking to him or his friend that had just joined them. Poor Doyle was unsuccessfully trying to be the referee in the argument, while Willow was just watching on, looking worried and unsure of what to do.
When their conversation seemed to get a little more heated up, Buffy slid off her stool, ready to march over there and intervene. She saw that Doyle had stepped in and looked as if he had everything under control, so she sat back down, figuring Doyle was cool enough to handle the situation. That thought was short-lived when the half demon head butted the offending blonde and he and Xander started throwing punches at the guy and his friend. Buffy jumped off her stool and quickly made her way over to the fight, trying to ignore the fact that she just heard Angel's new friend offer him sex.
Said vampire was right behind her, ready to help defend their friends. When they reached the fight, Angel was immediately hit in the face, which really didn't effect him much of course. Buffy left him to handle the guy that hit him, while she rushed to grab the chair the blonde man was getting ready to hit Doyle with.
The blonde man was obviously not afraid to hit women, for he threw a few punches at Buffy, but they were blocked by the chair she was still holding. After she managed to avoid the hits, she successfully threw him into the wall.
Xander and Doyle stepped back and watched from the sidelines, seeing that Buffy and Angel had things under control. She and Angel threw the barbaric men to the ground over each other and the bartender from earlier stepped in between them.
"Those two jerks started it," Cordelia exclaimed, reminding the Scooby gang of a five-year-old girl.
When the two men started to protest, the bartender cut them off. "Not a word. Not a word! Everytime with you guys. Out! Come on. Let's go!"
As the bartender ushered the two guys out, Buffy faced her friends, "Are you guys okay?"
Doyle was holding the side of his head, while Xander rubbed his sore jaw.
"Yeah, we're fine, thanks," Doyle answered for the both of them, Xander nodded in agreement.
She turned around and gazed at her boyfriend, "And how about you, Casanova?"
Angel winced, remembering that she heard the whole exchange between him and Kate. "Yeah... ah... I'm- I'm okay. Are you okay?"
"Well, now. That's for you to find out," she replied flirtatiously with a smirk and walked over to the bar.
Angel followed her after a beat. "No, I-I mean, I'd really like to know... You're not mad at me?"
She turned her green eyes to him. "What? Am I mad that some random woman offered you sex? Normally I would, furious even, but no, not this time."
He was about to ask why not, but decided to leave that be... for now. "Kate did not offer me sex."
Buffy let out an incredulous laugh. "She asked if you would wanted to go somewhere 'quieter' with her. In Dating Land, that's code for 'Let's go have sex.' You've been around awhile, you should know that."
Angel shook his head and moved closer to her, putting a hand on her hip. "And you're not mad at that?" Buffy allowed herself to be pulled into his arms. The couple was unaware of the disappointed blue eyes staring at them.
"Of course not," Angel gave her a disbelieving look, "Okay, maybe a little. I don't like her, but I'm not threatened by her. She just seems a little too needy and uptight, and I know you don't like that," she smiled up at him, "Plus you REALLY need to work on your pick-up lines," she giggled.
"Hey! They worked on you!"
Buffy smirked, "That's only because you gave me a present."
Angel just laughed in return. After a quick glance over his girlfriend's shoulder, he saw Kate leave the club and felt a little guilty for leaving her hanging like he did.
D'Oblique was now almost empty, there was only the bartenders and the group from Angel Investigations, who were sitting around a small table, with Doyle and Xander holding up ice from the bar up to their bruises. After questioning MANY people, they had accomplished nothing, except for some bruises and received phone numbers.
"You know," Angel spoke up, "I'm having a hard time believing that Doyle's vision meant I was supposed to come here to break up a bar fight."
"Yeah, well, if it was, I'm in for some serious workman's comp," Doyle replied.
"Alright think. Could any of you sense that anyone here tonight need help?"
"Yeah, everybody," Xander dead panned.
"This socializing thing is brutal. I mean, I was young once, I used to go to bars. It wasn't anything like this."
From her seat next to Angel, Buffy ran a hand through his soft hair and kissed his cheek in sympathy. "Baby, you used to go to taverns. Small towns, where everybody used to know each other."
"Yeah, like highschool," Cordelia put her two cents in, "It was easy to date there." She missed the incredulous looks from Willow, Xander, and Buffy, or just chose to ignore them. "We all had so much in common. Being monster food every other week for instance."
"Well," Doyle said, "you're in the big, bad city now, huh? Where everyone's a stranger- hiding behind walls, keeping secrets."
The bartender came up to the table. "Sorry folks, got to kick you out."
"Sure." Willow said and then turned to the group, "We better get back to the office. Do some research."
As they all rose from their chairs and walked toward the exit together, Xander furrowed his eyebrows and pondered, "On what exactly?"
In response, Willow's eyebrows knitted together also in confusion and shrugged.
TBC...
Lynn