Angel waited outside for Tina after Buffy went to get dawn at ten to ten. Half an hour later, Tina came out of the Coffee Spot wearing a black sleeveless evening dress.

"Wow. I suddenly feel underdressed. Did you want to have a drink or something? I don't think my girlfriend would like it much though."

Tina pulled a bottle of mace out of her purse and aimed it at Angel's face

"I know who you are and what you're doing here. Stay the hell away from me. And you tell Russell to leave me alone."

"I guess I wasn't as discreet as I thought. Who's Russell though? I don't know anyone named Russell."

"You're lying."

"No I'm not." Why did he get the feeling that this was turning into a playground argument? …

"Then why were you watching me?"

"Because I thought you needed some help, I was told that you need help." He just hoped that by telling her he already knew of her she wouldn't think that he was stalking her – the whole thing had an atmosphere of a stalker and his prey.

"So you know who I am, and think I need help, but don't know what with?"

"That's about it – I know how it sounds, my girlfriend wanted to be the one to tell you, but she had to go."

"How do I know you're telling the truth?"

"You don't. Who's Russell?"

Tina looked at him a while longer then lowered her mace, shook her head and started to walk past him. Angel turned with her and called out,

"I'd like to help."

"The only help I need is a ticket home. - And that wasn't me asking for money."

"Where's home." He was at least getting somewhere. Maybe he was meant to get her home … but this Russell person sounded a bit dodgy too.

"Missoula, Montana. You've been to Missoula?"

"Yeah … it's pretty country."

"Lots of open land, lots of nothing else – I came here to become a movie star." Buffy's guess had been right on the mark then. "But they weren't hiring. Well, I have a fabulous Hollywood party to go to." Somehow, he doubted that. "Hence the glamour. The girl giving it owes my security deposit." That's more likely "Well, it was nice threatening you."

"Nice to be threatened." He paused and thought for a second. "You need a lift? My car's just down the road."

They were pounced on as soon as they stepped inside.

"Tina! Smile for the camera. And who is this hunk of tall, dark and handsome?" The hunk of tall dark and handsome in question shifted nervously. He didn't want to be here, and he didn't want to be here without Buffy if he had to be here, which he had to be. It was a lose, lose situation.

"Just a friend. Margo, I really need to talk to you."

"Uh, grab yourself a drink. I'll be right there." Great, he was gonna be here even longer. Tina picked up a star shaped sandwich from the refreshment table

"Cute. Everyone's a star."

Angel decided to try again, maybe he would get an answer this time.

"Who's Russell?"

"He is someone I made the mistake of trusting." Before he got the chance to ask anything else, Tina's friend came back.

"Here I am."

"This wont take long." Great, he was gonna be left on his own, in clothes that didn't fit the theme and not knowing anything.

"I would not leave that one unattended." Was that a compliment? The two girls left and Angel wandered around the party looking lost and confused. Before he heard a familiar voice.

"You know, they asked me to come back and read for a third time! I'm and actress. I don't put up with things like that!"

"Cordelia?" He might as well talk to her instead of wandering aimlessly.

"Oh, my god. Angel?"

"Nice to see a familiar face." Even if it was Queen C!

"I didn't know you were in LA. Are you living here?"

"I was, but now I'm back in Sunnydale – I'm here for the weekend to clear out my apartment and take care of a few things. We were wondering where you'd gone, haven't seen you since your graduation, and Buffy said she hasn't seen you since two days after that!"

"So are you still," she held up her hands like claws and made a face, "grrr?" Angel had to laugh at her.

"Yeah, there's not actually - a cure for that." God, but how he wished there was. No more curse, no more darkness …

"Right. But you're not evil, I mean your not here to bite people? You with Buffy again – just promise me you wont get groiny with her?"

"Don't worry, Cordy – we're careful. I'm not evil, here with a friend actually."

"Oh, good…" Should he be offended that she was so relieved, or semi-proud of his demon?

"So you living here?"

"mm-umm. Malibu. A small condo on the beach. It's not a private beach, but I'm young so I forbear."

"You're acting?" He never figured her for an actress, but then Buffy wasn't the type you would expect to be slaying vampires either.

"Can you believe it? I mean I just started it to make some quick cash, and then boom, it was like my life! - Well, it was nice seeing you, but I've got to get mingly. I really should be talking to people that are somebody." She walked away very quickly.

"It's nice that she's grown as a person."

He wandered around a bit more, ran into a guy who seemed to think he was an actor ('please don't say I look like the Hollywood type?!') until he saw Tina again. She was talking to a black haired guy who looked only mildly menacing, but then, Angel had super strength, so not many people looked menacing to him – unless there were a lot of them …

"Russell just wants to see you."

"Leave me alone!" 'So maybe he is who I have to save her from'. As she saw Angel, she walked over really quickly.

"Of course she doesn't have the money yet."

"Who's that?" He really wanted some useful information before he turned to dust!

"Stacy? He's just a creep. Can we please go?" No such luck.

"Yeah."