"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.
"I Fall to Pieces"
Part 1
After a minor struggle with the lock on the door and the text books in her arms, Willow finally managed to open the barrier to her and Buffy's apartment.
She blew away a piece of her red hair that fell in front of her eyes and closed the door with her back. Setting her things on the small dining room table, Willow headed for her bedroom, planning to throw herself on her soft bed for a long-awaited nap.
She only got half way into the living room until she heard a pitiful whine come from the closed door of Buffy's room.
Curious, she switched directions and made her way into the slayer's sanctuary. She softly knocked on the door, hoping that she wasn't interrupting anything between Buffy and her vampire lover.
"Come in," Buffy's slight muffled voice rang.
Willow opened the door and was greeted with the sight of Buffy sitting cross-legged on her bed alone, a text book and a notebook in front of her.
The blonde turned her head towards Willow with a pout on her face.
"Math sucks," Buffy stated, throwing her pencil she was holding on top of her notebook. "Whoever invented Calculus is a demon, and is laughing at us from Hell."
Willow smiled and sat next to Buffy. "I doubt Sir Isaac Newton was a demon."
"Whatever, he's still evil," she let out a sigh and leaned back against the headboard, "I need a break," she looked at Willow with a smile, "So, class was good?"
Willow rolled her eyes and leaned back as Buffy did. "I took so many notes, my hand nearly fell off."
Her blonde friend giggled and nudged Willow with her shoulder, "You don't have to complain for me, Will. Learning for you is like taking a trip to Disneyland. You enjoyed your classes, didn't you?"
Willow tried to pull off her poker face for a moment, but couldn't help but break into a smile. "They were great. My professors were great, the lectures were great, everything was just great."
Buffy laughed again at her friend's excitement, "Great," she returned.
"This week has been the best, and this weekend is going to be even better."
Buffy perked up at Willow's comment. "Oh, that's right! You and Oz are going to San Francisco. When are you leaving?"
"Tomorrow, after our classes, since we both don't have any classes on Friday," Willow said happily. She and Oz were taking the trip mainly because the Dingoes had a gig there, but they decided to use it to their advantage and take a mini vacation.
The slayer smiled at her best friend's happiness. "A weekend getaway with your honey, sounds nice."
"Speaking of honeys... I'm surprised Angel's not wherever you are. You two've been attached all week."
"That's because we've come to an agreement that we'd take advantage of the ring this whole week because after this, he's only using it when it's necessary and on special occasions."
"Oh, you must be bummed, huh?"
"Well, yeah, somewhat. I mean, he's on a mission for redemption, and he won't be able to concentrate on that if we're all la-de-da in the sunlight."
"True," Willow agreed, and then glanced back down at Buffy's homework, and grinned sympathetically at her, "I think break time's over."
Again Buffy let out a whine and pouted, muttering under her breath, "Evil."
The next morning, Buffy skipped into the office, happy that her only class for the day was canceled. She was even happier that it wasn't supernaturally related. Her mood was definite a 180 turn from it was last night.
"Morning," Buffy cheerfully said to Cordelia and Doyle.
"Buffy," Cordelia yelped with the biggest smile on her face. She quickly went from her desk to the slayer and embraced her in a tight hug, to which Buffy was too scared and suspicious to respond to. Once Cordy let go, Buffy's suspicion went up when Cordelia said, "Love the outfit."
"Okay, now I know something's up," Buffy took a step back from the brunette, "What do you want?"
An incredibly false look washed over Cordelia's face, "I don't want anything."
"You complimented my outfit... You want something."
After a moment, Cordelia dropped her act. "Okay, you're right. Who can lie about an outfit that looks like you stole from a thrift store."
The slayer rolled her eyes, unhurt by Cordelia's comment. "Cordelia."
"Okay... We need you to help... remind Angel that this is a business and there are some certain fees to be charged."
"Cordelia, you now that Angel's uncomfortable with charging victims for his help. I don't think I'm comfortable doing that either."
"But, look," the desperate brunette waved the numerous pieces of paper in Buffy's face, "Bills. Bills that are very high and need to be paid."
Buffy sighed, knowing Cordelia was persistent, especially when it came to money.
"Fine, I will talk to Angel, but if he still doesn't want to, then I'm not going to push."
The glee on Cordelia's face wasn't restrained.
"Great," she excitedly said, happy she'll finally see that some green would be put in her wallet for her hard work. "Oh, when you're 'convincing' him, don't be too loud, because noise travels, and I don't wanna waste my paychecks on therapy bills."
Once again, Buffy rolled her eyes at Cordelia's statement. "Cordy, Angel and I haven't-"
"Oh! He's here," Cordelia exclaimed, hearing the elevator door being lifted up, cutting Buffy off, "Now, I know it can be a little hard for you, but try to be sexy."
The slayer glared at her, "Thanks for the tip," she bit out sarcastically. She shook her head and walked into Angel's office; Cordelia and Doyle right behind her.
Angel looked up from his desk, seeming to be a little perplexed, but momentarily was surprised to see his girlfriend in his office.
"Buffy, why are you here? I thought you had a class."
She walked next to him and kissed him on the cheek. "The professor's son has a bad cold, so she canceled, so I just came over to see if you wanted to go out for breakfast."
"Can't. I'm on a case right now. I'm sorry."
"That's okay, this is more important." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Cordelia gesturing for her to talk to Angel, but she expertly ignored it, "So, who's the new blonde chick you have to save now."
"Melissa Burns," Doyle answered from his seat in front of the desk next to Cordy, "And surprisingly enough, she's brunette."
Buffy's hazel eyes widened in shock, "A brunette? Well that's new." Cordelia and Doyle nodded their heads in agreement.
"So, how'd it go," the Irish man asked Angel.
The vampire rose from his chair and started to pace. "I scared her."
"Sounds to me like she was scared to begin with."
"Am I intimidating? I mean, do I put people off?"
"Well as vampires go, you're pretty cuddly," Cordelia attempted to appease his worries, "Maybe you might want to think about mixing up the black on black look."
"Maybe one of you should talk to her," he suggested towards the girls, "She'd feel safer."
Just when Buffy was about to agree, Cordelia said, "When she hires us, I'll get involved."
"Cordelia's right," Doyle said.
"I don't think so. I've got a bad feeling that we need to get involved now," he walked back to his desk and leaned forward so his hands were resting on the top, "This shouldn't be about money."
"It's isn't," Buffy continued.
"Yeah, you should listen to...," Cordelia suddenly looked incredulously at Buffy, "It isn't!"
"No, it's about doing what's best for the people you've helped," Angel straightened up at his girlfriend's words, "People get attached to a mysterious savior, and can you blame them? But as long as you're just a man who's doing a job, and getting paid, they can feel like they've paid their debt to you and they can move on, on their merry way, all independent-like."
Cordelia smiled brightly, knowing that Buffy played Angel well and used his fear of getting attached to people outside of their little circle to her advantage. She nudged Doyle with her elbow.
"And she didn't even have to drag him downstairs. Brilliant."
"Hello," a voice rang into the office, and everyone looked at the doorway to see Xander. "Oh, there you guys are. What's going on? Another big case?"
"Angel scared her away with his intimidating, big-foreheaded self," Cordelia filled in, in her own way.
"No worries. Angel always saves the blonde damsel in distress in the end."
"She's a brunette, actually," Buffy told him.
"Wow, a brunette. Maybe next time you'll get to save a man." His eyes widened when he caught everyone staring at him strangely, thinking he sounded a little too eager for the next victim to be a man, "I-I mean 'cause Angel always saves women. It would be nice if a man walked through those doors needing our help," the stares continued, not helping Xander any, "I-I mean-"
The phone suddenly rang, saving Xander from losing what little dignity he had, and Cordelia answered it with the slogan she came up with on her own.
"Angel Investigations. We help the hopeless." As she listened to the voice on the other end, she looked up at Angel, "Well, I'd say right away...," she hung up the phone and announced, "She's coming in."
Angel looked down at his dark ensemble, and remembered what Cordelia suggested earlier. "I've got to change my shirt."
Buffy smirked towards the others at Angel's unusual behavior, as she followed him downstairs to help him out.
Not long after, Melissa sat in front of Angel's desk sipping coffee, while Angel, decked in an off-white sweater Buffy picked out, and the others listened to her story of her stalker intently.
"It's been going on for about seven months now. It wasn't so bad at first."
"What's his name," Buffy questioned her. She felt she was the one that Melissa could relate to the best. After all, Angel did start stalking her when she was fifteen. Even though she didn't know at that time, she unfortunately did remember the time she was stalked by Angelus. For Melissa's sake, she hoped her stalker wasn't as twisted as her love's alter ego.
"Dr. Ronald Meltzer. He's a neurosurgeon. I had an infected nerve behind my right eye. He operated, saved my sight. Afterwards, he asked me out. I didn't really want to, but..."
"He helped you, you felt obligated," Cordelia resumed for her while she jotted down notes on a pad, and Melissa nodded. "Plus, a doctor."
"So we had ONE drink, ONE time... and afterwards he started calling me, a lot. Then he started showing up at my work, my apartment, saying that we had something special, that we should get married."
"And then it got worse," Angel joined in the questioning.
"I know it sounds stupid, but I can feel him watching me... all the time. Today at work, he knew I took my Xanitab when I was alone in the bathroom. I mean, how did he see that? He is just everywhere. I don't think I can take much more of this."
"Well, we're going to help you," he reassured her.
"Big time," Cordy rang in, and then added, "and for a reasonable fee." She got a look from Angel and she ducked her head under his gaze.
"Doyle will make sure that you get home safely," Buffy told Melissa.
"Thanks," the frightened woman said, "You guys have been very kind, listening to me," she took one last sip of the coffee and set it on the desk, "It's terrible," she stated, a sad look on her face.
"Yeah, we're going to take care of that," Doyle consoled her.
Melissa rose from her seat, "No, I meant the coffee." Before she reached the door, she turned around and gazed inquisitively at Angel, "Angel, how did you know that I needed help?"
The vampire paused for a moment, quickly thinking of an excuse, "I have a friend in the police department," he answered quite smoothly.
As Doyle followed Melissa out, he eyed the group, "I'll see you guys later."
As soon as they left, Cordy began her rant. "Can you imagine? A doctor- they examine your body- they know every inch of you... ugh," she exchanged glances with Xander, and they simultaneously shuddered, while Buffy's face scrunched up in disgust. Angel completely ignored the comment and was deep in thought, as usual.
"How is he doing it," he wondered out loud, pacing once again, "How does he see her when she's alone, in private? Is he invisible? Or some kind of ghost? Maybe he can astral project."
"Maybe he has an accomplice, or a hidden camera. Not everything has to be creepy and supernatural, you know."
"Not everything, but Doyle had a vision," Buffy pointed out.
"Which last time led to a sex-changing-body-switching-tear-your-innards-out-demon, right," Xander said, "I guess they don't call you for their everyday cases."
Angel sat down in his chair, searching hard for a solution. "He sees her when he is nowhere around. How?" He looked up at Buffy with his brows furrowed and his lips tightly pressed in a thin line, and she just stared back at him, equally stumped.
Xander and Cordelia went to exit Angel's office to go to her desk, when Cordy looked down at her own body and said to herself, "Okay, flesh, anytime you want to stop crawling is okay with me."
After concluding that they were officially stumped, Angel suggested to get more information from a reliable source. Much to Buffy's dismay, that reliable source was Kate. There was no doubt that she had a crush on her boyfriend. Buffy knew that Kate was a decent woman with impeccable taste in men, but she couldn't help the primitive slayer inside of her to be possessive of what was hers. Which was why she insisted on tagging along to the police department.
"Hello Kate," Angel greeted her when the walked up to her desk.
Kate rose from her chair and crossed her arms over her chest, looking a bit flustered in Angel's presence.
"Angel...um, hi... It's good to see you."
"You too," he replied, and Buffy stepped to the side so Angel's huge form wasn't blocking her and she could be noticed.
"Hi Kate," Buffy said and offered a small smile when the older blonde finally noticed her.
"Buffy. Hi, almost didn't notice you."
"Almost," she agreed with barely noticeable bitter undertones.
Despite the noises of the busy police department, there was an awkward silence amongst the three. Kate decided to be the one to break the ice.
"So judging by your uncomfortableness, I'd say you're either about to ask me out on a date, or you need a favor," she attempted to joke. Angel just stared at her, while Buffy refrained herself from an embarrassing outburst. Even though she knew Kate was joking, she sounded a little too hopeful.
"And seeing as you have a girlfriend who's standing right in front of me," she continued, "I'm going to go with favor," the detective sat back behind her desk and gestured for Buffy and Angel to sit in the chairs in front of her, "so ask, and I'll see if I can do."
The two took up her offer and sat down.
"Girl," Angel began, getting right to the point, "a client. She's being stalked, and I think it could get ugly."
"She's being stalked? Then ugly it already it is. What's her name?"
"You know, you two really don't have to stay with me all day," Melissa said to Doyle and Xander, who were escorting her around her office.
"Protect and serve," Doyle stated, ""It's entirely our bag."
"Plus, this just gives me a good reason to miss class," Xander half joked.
"We're not in the way are we?"
"Oh no. I like it," she insisted, "As long as you guys aren't bored."
"No, no. We're good. We've got cards and a word jumble to keep us occupied, sadly, for most of the day."
They reached her desk, and Melissa sat down. "I do feel better having you all on the case. I guess Angel has handled a lot of cases like this."
"Oh yeah," Xander said, hopefully convincingly, "Dozens."
"Hundreds," Doyle added, "Dozens of hundreds."
Melissa's eyes bugged out of her head. "Wow, it happens that often?"
Doyle shifted on his feet and answered awkwardly, "Well, exactly like yours? Not quite so many. But protecting young women such as yourself? Yeah, there've been- ah- four. And three of them are very much alive." Melissa stared at him with a mix of shock and worry. She shifted her gaze to Xander who looked like a deer caught in headlights, but forced a smile on his face.
"Is that you," Doyle tried to save himself by quickly pointing at a picture on her desk. It was of her in the sky with a genuine smile on that most likely hasn't graced her face since Ronald came into her life.
A hint of that smile appeared and she nodded, "Ah, yeah. Bungee jumping."
Doyle picked up the picture and Xander looked over his shoulder to see.
"I've always meant to do that, but I intensely don't want to, so I haven't gotten around to it yet."
"It's fun. Scary."
Doyle put the picture back and sat down with Xander. "You don't seem like the thrill seeker type."
Melissa looked at the picture wistfully. "Well I used to... you know, I used to do a lot of things... before..."
"Don't you worry," Xander attempted to assure her, "When Angel's finished with this case, I guarantee you'll be wanting to jump off a bridge again."
For a few minutes, Kate had left her visitors to retrieve a file on Melissa.
"Your girl did file a report two months ago," Kate informed them when she came back, "the doctor responded and denied everything. A lot of noise from his lawyers." Sifting through the paper work in the manila folder, she visibly winced when she saw who actually represented the doctor. "Ouch..."
"What," Buffy questioned curiously.
"His lawyers. Wolfram and Hart. You know the name?"
Angel gave Buffy a sidelong glance. "I've heard it." He remembered the lawyer from the firm that he ran into before letting the entrepreneur vampire, Russell, into the light, so to speak. He figured that the firm knew all about Russell's condition after the lawyer's less than shocked reaction to Russell's way of death. After the encounter, Angel made Willow look up the firm on the internet, and she found that Wolfram and Hart took in both humans and all supernatural beings and always won a case no matter how evil their client was.
"Yeah. They're the law firm that Johnny Cochran is too ethical to join. They actually filed a restraining order against HER. Very cute. Still no record of violence for the doctor."
"Yet."
Kate looked back up at Angel. "You think he's going to blow?"
"I do."
"I'll put a uniform on her building. But I can probably not spare one more for more than a day or two."
"Thanks. That'll help."
"And your client, she's holding up?"
"She's scared," Buffy answered, "He's had her on the ropes for a while now."
"Then you better help her get mad, because that is the only way she'll be able to fight him."
"Well hopefully we'll be doing all the fighting," declared Angel, "That's why she hired us."
"That's not what I mean. This guy could go to jail tomorrow and still kill her in her dreams every night. I've put a few of these creeps away and the hardest thing is to know that he is still winning. She's still afraid. He took her power away and no one can get it back for her but her."
Buffy and Angel looked at each other, realizing the truth to Kate's words. After they thanked Kate, they left the building through the underground parking lot.
While in the car, Angel announced that he was going to go to Ronald's office to do some recon work alone. Fortunately, there was little protest from Buffy. She told him she was going to take Cordelia with her to the hospital to find out more about the doctor from outside resources.
After dropping his girlfriend off at the office, Angel found himself walking down the hallway of the expensive clinic Ronald worked at. Finding his office marked "Private", he slipped into the empty room and started to snoop around. During his investigating, he came upon a framed picture of Melissa on his desk; Ronald was obviously obsessed. Knowing from experience, the guy would go through any lengths to get what he wants, and unfortunately for him, Angel was there to make sure he didn't reach his goal.
Suddenly hearing voices, Angel silently crept up to a connecting door that was open only a crack. He peeked through and saw Ronald consulting with a patient.
Stepping away from the door, he made his way over to the bookshelf, which held quite a collection of human anatomy models. Skimming the many rows of books, Angel came across one titled "Anything is Possible." His interest peaked, and he pulled it out and opened it. On the inside of the books, a personal message was written to the doctor from the author, reading, "To Ronald: Thanks for having the 'nerve' to believe. Fondly, Vin."
From behind Angel, the connecting door from the examination room opened and Ronald walked in.
"What are you doing in my office," he angrily questioned Angel.
With his back still to Ronald, Angel stealthily slipped the useful book into his jacket. As he turned around, he swiftly pulled out a business card he had made before he got there from the same pocket, and handed it to Dr. Meltzer.
"Name's Jensen," he pulled off with his perfect poker face, "I need to talk to you."
Ronald quickly scanned the card with little interest. "Then you make an appointment. You don't just barge in her."
"I don't have time for appointments. I'm told that you can do things no one else can."
"You'll never find out," he pushed passed Angel and picked up his phone, "I'm calling security."
Ignoring his threat, Angel walked around him to stand in front of the desk while saying, "My wife has a malignant tumor that's pressing on her ocular cavity. She's going to die unless someone has the nerve to operate."
Ronald hung up the phone, intrigued by what Angel said. "What you are talking about is a very difficult and dangerous procedure. I could lose my license. Now, I understand your situation, but I can't help you."
Retaining the role of a desperate, lovesick man, Angel grabbed the picture of Melissa.
"What does she mean to you?"
Ronald seemed to be caught off guard, "What?"
"What is she, your wife, your girlfriend? What?"
The doctor straightened up and tried to look sincere. "She's my fiancé," he stated, causing Angel to realize how deluded this guy really was.
"Nice. Set a date?"
"Uh-ah- we're working on that," he faltered, trying to maintain his cool, but Angel could see straight through it. Even if he didn't know the truth, he could still sense he was lying.
"Did you know right away? That she was the one?"
"I don't see how this has anything..."
"I'll tell you how. Do you know what it's like to be so much apart of someone that you don't know where they end and you begin," Angel held up Melissa's picture again, "Would you die for her?"
"Yes."
"Then you understand that I'm not willing to make any compromises. I'm not willing watch her suffer and die while the law catches up with science. What I'm willing to do is pay you whatever it takes. Think about it... Please."
Later on in the day, Angel, Buffy, and Cordelia were gathered in Angel's office. The vampire sat in front of the computer, and put good use to the skills he had learned from Willow. Buffy had pulled up a chair and sat next to him, amazed that Angel was better at using the computer than she was, when he could barely figure out how to use his cell phone. While the couple sat side by side, Cordelia paced the small space out of habit.
The girls had come back from the Good Samaritan Hospital, after posing as reporters for a health magazine that neither girl could pronounce, and dishing some information about Ronald from a nurse on the staff.
What they found out was that he was greedy and secretive with his work. The only positive thing that the nurse had to say about him was that he was one of the best at reattaching severed nerves. They also learned that a lot of his work was "pretty radical."
"He reattaches eyes for one thing," Buffy told Angel when he asked for details, "Apparently, this guy can do anything with a knife. You really don't want this guy fixated on you."
Cordelia stopped her pacing and went to stand on the other side of Angel. "What is stalking nowadays... the third most popular sport among men?"
"Fourth, after Luge," Angel joked dryly, his focus still on the computer in front of him.
Buffy smiled adoringly at her boyfriend's sense of humor, and affectionately rubbed his tense upper back and rested her blonde head on his shoulder.
"I don't get it," Cordelia said, "This guy has a lot to lose. What is it about Melissa that got him to go all O.J. on her?"
"Nothing," Angel answered, "It's not about Melissa, it's about rage. This guy is too messed up to deal with a real woman and he can't stand that. So he created a fantasy about a girl he barely knows. But eventually even she fails him. So he has to hurt her, because when he looks at her all he sees is how useless he is, how damaged..."
"Ugh, what a fun date you must have been in your bad vamp days," Cordy interrupted him sarcastically, and sat down in another chair, "On the other hand, it should give you some insight into the jerks of the world."
Angel took a brief break from the computer to lean back in his chair and ran one hand frustratingly through his hair and took Buffy's hand with the other.
"I know how this guy thinks, I just don't knowhow he's doing it."
Buffy picked up her head from Angel's shoulder, "Being everywhere at once?"
Angel showed the book he stole from Ronald to the girls. "Vinpur Natpudan says that we are everywhere at once since we are all made up of the same molecules."
"I remember that guy," Buffy said when she saw the picture of the author on the back, "He made a big noise on public television."
"Oh yeah. He had a big case of Joe Recluse after, right," Cordelia added.
Angel looked at the computer again, "What he had was a nervous breakdown. Not long after he conducted an exclusive retreat for a group of well known yogis and doctors."
"I'm guessing Dr. Stalker was at the retreat," Buffy rhetorically asked. She looked at the screen her boyfriend was focused on, "What are you doing?"
The vampire was in his e-mail account that Cordelia insisted he have for the company, typing up a new letter.
"Sending Joe Recluse an e-mail," Angel responded, "I'd really like to talk to him."
Cordy stood up from her chair to look over his shoulder and started to read what he typed out loud. "I hope you have the 'nerve' to believe that I need help with Ronald Meltzer," she glanced down at the book and read the hand-written dedication, "Hope you have he 'nerve' to believe- did you steal this book?"
Angel spared her a side long glance before answering, "Yeah," without any guilt.
"Good."
It didn't take long for Vinpur to respond to Angel's e-mail, because that same night, Angel and Buffy sat across from the author in his dark room. Buffy took a look around from her seat. The room had a gothic feel to it, and she briefly wondered if he decorated it like this before or after his breakdown. After the thought, Buffy concluded that she spent too much time with Cordelia.
"You said in your e-mail that Dr. Meltzer might hurt an innocent woman," Vinpur stated, then asked, "What is it that you think I can do about that?"
"Help me understand him better. I don't think he's like other people," Angel said.
"No he's not," Vinpur agreed, "Of course no two people are alike. God in his infinite variety and wisdom like to keep it interesting."
"That's nice. How did you meet him," Buffy asked a little impatiently.
"He came to one of my lectures. My operating thesis at the time was that the mind is the single most powerful force in the universe. In any average human it regulates billions of cells, and that is with eighty percent of the brain still untapped."
"So what are the possibilities if a person could master all that power," Angel took over the questioning.
"I introduced Dr. Meltzer to psychic surgeons," Buffy and Angel listened intently, "Yogis that can shut down their somatic system for days at a time. But he eclipsed us all. Until Dr. Meltzer, my studies had been based on theories and hearsay, but he exploded that all. That's when I stopped teaching."
"Because you stopped believing."
"No, because I began to believe- completely."
Angel and Buffy exchanged glances as realization washed over them, and everything became clear. She didn't know if it was from attending college or from listening to Giles explain things with many complicated words, but Buffy was surprised that she actually got it. To be on the safe side, she decided to verify if she was right.
"So let me get this straight. You're telling me that Dr. Meltzer can detach any part of his body and then control it with his mind?"
Vinpur nodded. "Yes."
She visibly shuddered and uttered, "Ew."
TBC...