Cordelia Chase ran into her twin brother, Angel's room, hysterical, closely followed by Willow, Xander and Oz.

Angel: What's up?

Cordelia: It's Buffy

Angel: And that should bother me why?

Angel Chase and Buffy Summers had never gotten along; for some unknown reason they seemed to hate each other. They only tolerated each other because she was good friends with his twin sister, and because his best friend Spike Williams, was dating another of her friends, Faith Longdon.

Cordelia: She's missing Angel. She was supposed to show up here to meet us half an hour ago. Buffy's never late

Angel: Cordelia, she lives next door, go check there

Cordelia: I did!

Angel: Maybe she's with Faith

Cordelia: No, Faith's with Spike today

Angel: How about Pete?

Pete was Buffy's boyfriend, and Angel hated him. He was annoying as hell, and so clingy.

Cordelia: We rung him, no answer

Angel: There you go, she'll be with him

Cordelia: She was breaking up with him today Angel. What if he did something to her?

Angel: Pete? Come on, squeaky clean Pete?

Cordelia: Are you blind Angel? He's been beating her up for weeks. We convinced her to break up with him today. Please, you have to help us look for her

Angel: Fine, fine. I'll help

Forty-five minutes later, Angel was ready to give up. They'd been to Pete's and she wasn't there, neither was Pete. They'd been to the Bronze, to the park and to the ice cream stand. After half an hour they'd decided to split up. Willow and Oz were going to go back to Pete's and the house to see if she'd turned up; Cordelia and Xander were going to check the coffee places she sometimes went to, and Angel was going to go over the alleys.

He'd been looking on his own for fifteen minutes and he was fed up. Buffy obviously didn't want to be found. He was checking one last alley when he saw a figure lying in a foetal position, curled up against the wall. He squinted and his eyes widened when he spotted golden blonde hair. Buffy. He hurried over to her, crouching down next to her and brushing her hair from her face. Her eyes were closed, her breathing was shallow and she was covered in blood and bruises. Her left eye was swollen and a trail of blood trickled down from her lip. Her arms were folded tightly over her stomach, as if trying to protect herself and her clothes were dirty and torn. He quickly flipped out his phone and called for an ambulance, then rang Cordelia and told her to hurry if she wanted to get there before the ambulance.

As he put his phone away he heard Buffy groan slightly and he said her name gently. Her eyes opened and she immediately winced, tightening her arm across her stomach. He lifted a hand to stroke her shoulder and she flinched away, her eyes glazed over.

Angel: Ssh, it's okay. It's Angel

Buffy: Angel?

Angel: Yeah, the ambulance is on its way

Buffy: Pete…

Angel: Did he do this?

She nodded slightly and tried to shift, despite her pain.

Angel: Just lie still

Buffy: I…broke up with…him and he…got mad…

Angel took in her torn clothing and gulped loudly. He had to ask.

Angel: Did he…did he rape you?

Buffy: No...he just hurt me

Angel could hear a siren and he stood up quickly, moving to the exit of the alley so he could show the paramedics where Buffy was, when a small hand gripped his ankle.

Buffy: Where are you…going?

Angel: I'm just going to show the paramedics where you are. I'll be right back, I promise

She nodded slightly and he hurried down the alley, gesturing to the paramedics who were climbing out of the ambulance. Then he saw Cordelia and Xander pull up and run after the paramedics down to Buffy.