A/N: I have been unable to update due to lack of sleep and writers block. Last night I had a wonderful dream and some great inspiration. Hope you guys like this chapter and if I am boring you please tell me. I need reviews PLEASE.
Buffy was beside herself. She had been sitting in class all day watching the clock tick. She couldn't wait for school to be over and to get on with the trip she was taking with Whistler. She still wasn't sure if she trusted him or even liked him for that matter, but he was here to help and right now he was all she had.
Last night after patrol, she went home and got ready for bed. She was exhausted but sleep didn't come easy. She tossed and turned thinking about Angel again. Yes, dusting that vamp got rid of some of her angst but it still left her listless. She needed rest but the anticipation of were they may go and what they may find out left her edgy and her mind would not stop spinning.
When she got to school the next morning, everyone was assembled in the library as usual. She shuffled in and took a seat at the table next to Xander. When she looked around for Giles she noticed he was in his office standing there talking with Whistler. She had no idea what was being said but Giles had a concerned look on his face. She tried to shake off the uneasy feeling it gave her and she turned to her friends for a little morning chat fest. "So, you guys ready for tonight's slayage? I know I won't be here to protect you out there, so please be careful."
"Don't worry Buffster, we can handle it. We have been around you long enough to know when to fight and when to run screaming like a girl." Xander always knew what to say to put a smile on Buffy's face.
Giles was surprised to see Whistler arrive this morning. He thought that he wouldn't show again until it was time to leave, "Whistler, what brings you here this morning?" Whistler smiled and took his hat off, "Hello Giles, nice to see you again. I was hoping to have a word with you before Buffy and I left for LA. Could we go somewhere a little more private?" Giles motioned for him to go to his office, "Of course, my office is over here."
They walked into Giles' office and as Giles turned to look out the door he saw the rest of the Scooby's coming in. "What can I do for you?"
"See, the thing is……I kind of need your help with something. Normally I would not need any help and I hate to ask but…..I need to borrow your car….and maybe some money. Now before you shoot me down let me explain." Whistler had his hands up in a defensive manner. Giles just looked at him with a concerned look but he was also getting agitated. This demon just pops out of know where and now he's asking for money and his car, "bloody hell" Giles muttered under his breath. He looked up from Whistler and noticed Buffy had entered the library. "Can we speed this up, Buffy is here and I want to go over a few things with her before she has to get to class."
"Sure thing boss, it's just, well I am a demon of meager means. Don't get me wrong when I need something the PTB usually help me out but for some reason things haven't appeared to be working in my favor. I think they sent me on this mission but they don't want to become too involved. Usually I find my own way around but since I have to take Buffy along I don't think hitching a ride with someone or hoping a train is her thing ya know. Besides, I know she is needed here and I don't want to keep her away any longer than I have to." Whistler was trying to convince Giles and he knew the only way to do that was to assure him that Buffy would be back as soon as possible.
"I suppose I can help you but first I need to know who you are going to see. I don't want Buffy in any unnecessary danger. Her place is here, and while I too would like to find Angel, Buffy has a duty to fulfill." Giles was stressing his words to Whistler, trying his best to be civil but enforcing his uneasiness of the situation. "I can't tell you that. The only thing I can tell you is that we are going to seek the guidance of seers that work for the PTB's, they should be able to at least steer us in the right direction. Hopefully we shouldn't be gone for more than a day." Whistler wanted to tell Giles more but he thought that maybe he might not let Buffy go if he thought it was too risky. "Fine, come back here this evening before its time to leave. I will have everything ready by then." Giles liked this situation even less. He wanted to help Buffy, but he was starting to think that this was a bad idea. He then decided that after Whistler leaves he should call the council and find out if they had anything on him. 'This guy better be on the level or I will kill him myself.' Giles thought after Whistler left the office.
The Scooby gang was all still sitting at the table when Whistler came out and exited the library, smiling and tipping his hat to everyone. Buffy looked at the odd man and then cringed at the thought of having to sit in a car with him for two hours with nothing to say. She got a funny tingling when he was around and she wasn't sure if her spidey senses were telling her he was evil or not. Most of the time she could feel if a demon was all evil doer but this guy had her teetering. She thought maybe after this was over she needed to talk to Giles about it.
Xander noticed Buffy deep in thought and wasn't sure it was good or bad. He decided it was time to lighten the mood. "Hey Buffster, penny for your thoughts and if they are of the sexual nature I could go a quarter of fifty cents even."
Buffy was somewhat startled at the sudden break in the silence but as soon as she focused on what he said she smiled and smacked him on his arm. "Gees Xand, is that all you think about?" Buffy said laughing.
"I am of the male nature, so yes to answer you question. Might I reiterate the quarters for you thoughts offer, it could be worth both our whiles." Xander said this with a strait face until Buffy hit him once again in the arm. She hit him harder this time and he grabbed his arm in pain "Ouch, hey just a mere mortal here, no super strength." Buffy smiled at him feeling a little bad, sometimes she didn't know her own strength and she would never purposefully hurt her friend. "Sorry Xand, I will try and hold back next time."
Giles came out to greet everyone and they began to go over the plan for the evenings patrol. They all agreed and Giles told them to meet back at the library at sundown. Everyone got up and left to go to class except for Buffy whom Giles had asked to stay behind. "Buffy, I would like to discuss this trip you are taking with Whistler. I find it somewhat disturbing that he cannot tell me who you will be seeing or how long it will actually take. I am going to call the council today and see if they have any information on this demon or man or whom ever he may be. I don't know if I fully trust him and I think you should be very careful. Take weapons with you, you never know what you may come up against." Giles was worried and Buffy could tell by the look in his eyes. She didn't even have to listen to what he said to know he didn't like this at all. She even felt a little of his reservations about Whistler but she didn't want to worry him even more. She kept her worries to herself; she figured if this guy tried anything he was going to regret it. "Don't worry Giles; I will be fully stocked with shiny and not so shiny weaponry. If this is just a scam or if things get wiggy I will manage it, remember I am the Slayer." Buffy smiled, patted Giles on the arm, and walked out of the library leaving Giles standing there with a small smirk on his face thinking, 'That's my girl'.
In LA, Angel had found himself wandering the streets of Hollywood. He had no idea what he was going to do or where he may go. After his talk with the host he thought of heading strait back to Sunnydale, but the next night left him with more questions. He thought he better get his head together first and figure out how he would approach this girl and ask for her help.
He walked around for hours in the dark alleys of Hollywood, just thinking about everything he was told a few nights ago. Then he found a corner and sat down. It was unusually hot this night and he took his coat off and laid it down next to him. He sat and watched the people walk by. This was LA and all the tourist were busy sight seeing and not noticing the brooding guy parked on the corner. He loved to watch the living. He knew that he could not be a part of that life going on but he still loved to watch it. He saw couples walking hand in hand. He saw families walking with their children, taking pictures, talking, laughing, and having a good time. His heart was dead but as he watched this, it warmed him a little inside. Some people did see him sitting there and a few dropped some money down on his coat lying next to him. He wanted to tell them not to but he couldn't bring himself to ever mutter a word to them. He thought to himself, he was a monster, made of evil darkness, and he had no right to even speak to these people who gave to him even though they didn't know him. It was getting late and he thought it was time to find a place to sleep.
He picked up his coat and moved down the alley and away from the busy street. As he strolled down a quiet side street, he noticed a little Café. Normally Angel didn't eat or drink real food but he couldn't help but to venture in this little place and order a coffee. He smiled at the man as he paid for his drink and walked back out the door. Out side of the Café where tables and chairs. They had small umbrellas over them and quaint little scarves on top. He decided to sit down and enjoy his coffee like a normal person even though he wasn't.
He sat there for a long while, just sipping the coffee and feeling the cool night breeze. He thought it had been so long since he felt such a quiet peace. That was until someone came over to a table across from him and took a seat. He was a scruffy looking guy, tall with dark hair and hazel eyes. He smiled at Angel and picked up a news paper as he sat down. Angel thought he looked rough around the edges, wearing a dirty looking brown leather jacket and black jeans with a dark navy blue tee shirt. He felt uneasy now, his quiet bliss shattered by the new person in front of him. His coffee was almost gone and quite cold now. So he decided it was time to move on and find a place to sleep for the night. As he got up from his seat to leave the man suddenly spoke to him. He had a familiar accent that Angel knew to be Irish and Angel got a funny vibe from him. "Hello Angel, been sitting here long?"