Angel took a glance around allowing his temper to cool. People were staring. More than that, Wesley, Cordy, and Gunn were all looking a mixture of cautious and upset. He took a step out of the elevator of Wolfram and Hart, leaving the security guard with his foot speared to the ground with a stake.
He didn't think he was that out of control, it was everyone else. They all refused to believe that Darla was back and he'd already proved them wrong. He'd seen what she could do, he helped her do those things once upon a time. They had no right to say moving to the extreme wasn't an appropriate response to stopping her. She was a monster. He was the only person who could stop her.
He conceded for the time being to the looks on their faces, though and began to exit the building with them. A familiar scent caught his nose as he exited though, and Angel paused. All three of his associates were not willing to stop him as he turned around in time to hear the elevator doors open and watch Kate Lockley move towards the very same exit. He began to stride quickly towards the woman whom he was hardly in speaking terms with, this time he could hear an intake of breath from Cordelia. She stopped herself however when she saw the same thing he did.
"Kate-" He started, a tinge of annoyance and frustration that seemed to have taken residence in his voice.
"Meeting with some of your lawyers? I would expect no less from you to be mixed up with these low lives."
"Says the woman exiting the same building." He quickly retorted, in no mood to take abuse from the detective.
She just scoffed and continued her way out the building. Angel made a move to follow the woman. He wanted answers. He was sick of all the questions he seemed to be piling up. How could Darla be back? What is Wolfram and Hart up to? What was wrong with him? Now, why was Kate visiting the law firm she hates? Blindly his pace quickened to the door only to be restrained by both Gunn and Wesley.
"I need answers" He said simply, easily shrugging the two off. Before he made it to the door, however Cordy spoke up.
"That's fine but you won't make it to her." She said, glancing upward. Angel followed her gaze and was met with the sun glaring up ahead. He closed his eyes in frustration and relaxed his resistance against the two men. He knew deep down the four of them only had the best intentions in mind for him but couldn't help feeling resentment towards them. For all the help they gave him they also stopped him from getting things done efficiently.
Without a word of thanks to them he grabbed the blankets from Cordy's hands and moved quickly towards his car, the rest in tow. Sitting in the back of the car he allowed his frustrations to stew in his thoughts. Quietly he entered the hotel and went straight towards his office. From behind the closed door he could still hear Cordelia recounting the actions of that afternoon to Doyle, everyone concerned. If no one was around there wouldn't have to be concern. He thought bitterly as he bided his time.
Wesley had suggested he visit the Host again at Caritas. He didn't give the man a response. They both knew it would be a no. He had more pressing concerns to deal with than to sing in public to the flamboyant empath demon. He could tell Wes was far from pleased with his choice, perhaps if wasn't handed another complication with Kate he would have been able to see more clearly his position, but instead he waited. At dusk he would find her. He would answer at least one question today.
------
It didn't take very long to track down the woman. It helped that he chose not to deal with the distractions of the team. Let them take care of a case for a change he couldn't help but think. There was a message on his phone from Cordelia. Something about Wesley going undercover. He was indifferent to the danger it posed for them. He was too busy to care.
He knew he wouldn't be able to just stroll into the police precinct. If he knew anything about Kate Lockley she was a determined and fierce police officer and he could just bet his face was plastered on a couple of walls as a warning to others.
Instead he took to the two places she would visit. A quick trip to her father's grave revealed flowers had been recently placed there- she wouldn't be visiting for a while. Knowing this he took to watching her apartment, waiting for her to come in. It would be a while, she usually stayed late at the precinct. Angel found his patience in a surprisingly large capacity considering his shortness with the team. Alone with his thoughts Angel felt a pang of regret for how he'd been treating them lately. Silently he made a promise to attempt to make it up to them later. Deep down he had to have known he probably never would have kept that promise.
Shortly after he started his watch she came home. Moving quickly he stepped outside of the shadows a couple of doors down and stopped her before she could enter her apartment and keep him from following after. Just as soon ass his hand touched her she had whipped out her gun and pointed it squarely at him. Recognizing who it was, and probably realizing the weapon was useless she lowered it slightly, but refused to re-holster.
"This is stalking, you know?" She said coldly.
"What are you doing messing with Wolfram and Hart?" He asked just as icily.
"This had nothing to do with you." She replied.
"Right. You hate me and they hate me. You were just there to, what, start a club." He responded.
"You got us. Now let me go." She said angrily.
"They're just as bad as you think I am-"
"I know that!" She said, interrupting him, after a pause she continued, "I want out of all this. I don't want to know things like you exist or there are people out there actually protecting vampires. The only way that I can forget all this is if there's nothing left to remember it by. I want it gone. I want everything that has to do with you gone. I'm starting at the top." She finished. Angel was without words, his grip on her relaxed when he realized what she was trying to do.
"Wolfram an Hart has too many resources and too much power. You can't stop them by yourself. Kate,going undercover or whatever it is your doing, this is too dangerous." He tried.
"My life is dangerous. I chose to make it that way, but things like you have just made it worse. This had to be done."
"Then let me help you. Let us help." He pleaded, she just glared at him, now through the threshold of her apartment.
"Just because I'm taking down your enemy too, don't think for one second I'm doing it to help you." She responded before shutting the door on Angel.
"Let us help. You're going to get yourself killed!" He shouted as he pounded on the door.
His plaintive cried fell on deaf ears. Bitterly he knew he got exactly what he was asking for when he came over that night. He got the answer to one of his questions. With a hard placed fist to the wall outside of Kate's apartment he moved into the night. He got an answer.
These next half of the second season is probably my favorite that I re-wrote. Let me know what you guys think and review...