Chapter 5

CARITAS

"Look, I appreciate you're doing this, especially at this hour."

"No problem." The burly foreman told Lorne. "I have to tell you I was kind of afraid this would happen someday. I'm honestly stunned this is the first time you've needed my help since you set up shop here."

Lorne nodded. "That'll teach me not to prepare this place to prevent human violence. I've got some shamans working on it right now."

"I could have warned you about that when you got started. I don't know what part of the world you came from, Lorne, but I've seen your clientele and even a slime demon since the Spice Girls can't compare to the ugliness of the Teamsters Union."

Lorne shuddered at the mention of the name. "I have a soft spot in my heart for almost every living creature on this planet, but I really don't want to have to deal with the premiums on this."

"I could have told you that upfront?" The foreman looked at Lorne. "I have to ask, where you come from, are there insurance agents there?"

Lorne looked appalled. "Are you condition? Only demons and humans lived there, and none of them were that soulless."

"Hey boss!" One of the workers told them. "Couple of ladies say that they want to talk the owner!"

Lorne shrugged. "I guess I can't take a day off any more than you can."

"Not a problem. I'll take a look at the basement."

As Cordelia and Anya walked in, both women had a puzzled look on their faces. "Wow, I can't believe it," Cordelia said.

"Why? I had to get repair work somewhere," Lorne said.

"No, not that. I mean, I guess I shouldn't be that surprised," Cordelia said. "You built this place as a sanctuary; I guess that meant you found humans who didn't blink when they saw you."

"What? Sammy?" Lorne waved it off. "Oh, he's a sweetheart. He's known about the community since he moved to San Francisco when he was fifteen."

"Let me guess," Anya said. "Either his parents caught him with a boy or he ran away from one of those nice camps in the Bible belt."

Lorne appeared to raise an eyebrow. Cordelia was not as shocked.

"I guess when you're an outcast, you recognize fellow outcasts," Cordelia said.

"One of the few things that actually been approving around humanity the last century or so," Anya said sadly. "You know, I actually advised D'Hoffryn last century that if we wanted to corner the vengeance market we would do better than to deal with women whose only reason to be scorned was who they loved."

"What did he tell you?" Cordelia asked.

"That there are certain places where they do just that." Anya said. "Some of them don't even ask for anything in return. The ability of your species to find a way to hate even the people they should love for the most trivial of reasons never ceases to amaze me."

"Hi, Anyanka," Lorne said. "Been awhile."

"Glad to see you're making a living as a legitimate business demon," Anya said distractedly. "You clearing a decent overhead?"

"Pays the bills," Lorne said cheerfully. "Occasional attacks from humans non-withstanding."

"Insurance premiums can't be as bad as they are in Sunnydale," Anya said. "I helped take over the Magic Shop last year. There've already been at least two major attacks."

"The insurance people in Sunnydale must be millionaires," Cordelia said. "Since all the people there go missing, they must never have to pay out." She shook her head. "I'd sing for you, but we're kind of in a hurry."

"I can fill in the gaps. " Lorne said. "Since Anyanka –"

"Anya," she said. "I actually like the name better now."

"Anya was defanged three years ago, it's common knowledge that she's taken up residence in Sunnydale," Lorne said. "The fact that the two of you are here together tells me something has happened there that brought you here, and it can't be anything good."

"Well, it's not apocalypse bad, but it's close," Anya said. "Buffy's sister was abducted and the kidnappers are in LA."

Cordelia had rarely appreciated Anya's blunt succinctness more.

"Do you really think I'd let anyone like this in here?" Lorne asked.

"Not intentionally, and if you had you would have come running the moment you heard anything," Cordelia assured him.

"And to be clear, it's looking like the perps are human," Anya paused. "Well, anatomically anyway; if they intend to do what they seem to be planning to Dawn, I think we've all known quite a few so-called evil creatures who have a better moral compass."

Lorne took this in. "So why did you come here?"

"You're the demon who has his horn to the ground for these kinds of activities," Cordelia said. "Worst case scenario, you might be able to point us towards the kind of creatures who'd be willing to sub-contract this kind of job, even though you probably wouldn't take their money if they came here."

"Well, I'm kind of between jobs at the moment, so the least I can do is escort you gals to that neck of the woods," Lorne said. "I assume your gang is scouring the city looking under every rock?"

"Yes and you are the demonic part of that rock," Anya said. "Which is odd because we have known quite a few demons that are made of stone, consume it, sleep on it—"

"Use them for dental hygiene," Lorne agreed. "Quite a few of them might well be willing to take on this kind of job for the right price."

"I honestly thought that crowd only operated in the South Pacific these days," Anya said.

"We're talking, what, demon mercenaries?" Cordelia said. "I figured that our favorite law firm would know where to recruit them."

"We may get that answer soon," Anya looked at her watch. "Assuming you know, the law firm still exists when they're done."

Lorne took this in. "Angel's headed to Wolfram and Hart."

"Along with Buffy, and some mutual friends," Cordelia wanted to keep Faith off the radar for now.

Lorne considered this. "You know, I'm an empath demon. Try to keep a civil tongue in my head and wear my heart in my left butt-cheek. I've created a sanctuary for demons and humans because I believe peace is the best way forward. I came from one of the worst dimensions imaginable, as I imagine Anya is painfully aware."

"D'Hoffryn always avoided being summoned there if he could," Anya said. "Thought it was a hellhole, no offense."

"Oh, absolutely none taken," Lorne said. "The point is, even in the worst of places I always want to see the best in people. But when it comes to that particular group of individuals, to paraphrase that great sage Groucho Marx, in this case, I'll make an exception."

"That is very brutal, mean-spirited and utterly venomous," Anya said. "I think we should drink to the occasion."

"What occasion?" Cordelia was a little baffled.

"Lorne's become a real Californian."

TWO BLOCKS AWAY FROM WOLFRAM AND HART

"Sunrise is in less than twenty minutes," Faith said. "If we're gonna do this, we should move."

"You really think that they'll just let us in the front door?" Spike asked doubtfully.

"It's a law firm, Spike, not a bank vault. The guards only come out after you start making a scene," Faith paused. "We're going to do just that, of course, but I think we both know by the time they're alerted to how big a deal it is it's going to be too late."

"It's not that part I'm worried about exactly," Spike said. "Last I checked, you broke out of prison, what five hours ago? The first thing Hamilton Burger would do if he sees a fugitive is call the police."

"Who's Hamilton Burger?" Faith asked.

"DA that Perry Mason beat up in court every week for nine years," Spike said. "Way of saying the dumbest attorney in the world would do that and these guys are evil lawyers – yes, I know that's a redundancy. They'll call them the second you show up on a security camera. Which is in no one best interests right now, least of all yours."

"They probably know anyway," Faith reminded him. "Honestly, I expected the cops to be at the Hyperion when I got there. I'm a convicted murderer who staged a prison break in the wee hours of the morning. My name should have been all over the news ten minutes after that happened. The fact that it isn't has me more concerned."

"I just thought it was because it wasn't a good story," Spike said.

Faith raised an eyebrow.

"You're a teenage girl. Statistically speaking, the media only tends to care when girls like you are killed, not when you do the killings," Spike said dryly. "Not to mention the prison's probably looking for a way to spin it so they don't look bad."

"A jail's worked about PR?" Faith asked sarcastically.

"This is LA, remember? It never looks good when a bunch of burly, not-remotely white hardened criminals manage to tunnel their way out of prison, spending months avoiding guards." Spike reminded her. "You didn't quite go out the front door, but it's going to look that way when the public hears about it. Which is going to raise questions that I imagine a lot of powerful people – most of whom don't know fuck-all about vampires or Slayers – will not want to have asked, much less answered."

"So what, the city and the state aren't going to stage a manhunt for me because I make the system look bad?" Faith asked doubtfully.

"Oh, they're going to hunt you down, no question," Spike agreed. "But we all know that of all the groups looking for you right now, the last one you need to worry about is law enforcement."

"Then why did you bring it up?" Faith asked.

"Because it would be a wrinkle that would cause us problems and give the lawyers the high ground. For a change." Spike said. "I imagine the cops don't like this firm any more than you do, but if they were to present them with an escaped felon – especially one connected to Peaches – it gives them something they can use against him and us. And they have to know you're out."

"Which means at some point they are going to call the cops and make sure leaving is as difficult as possible," Faith figured.

"And that is the part I'm worried about, considering you're on a reformed kick right now," Spike said. "Now we both know they're going to send the supernatural forces at us because they know ordinary guards don't stand a chance. But if and when the cops show up, that changes things."

"I could justify hurting the legal scum here. Innocent cops – who we both know will not nearly be prepared for me or you" Faith shook her head, "I could do a lot of damage even if I didn't mean too."

"I'm willing to give a couple of blows even if it means a splitting headache," Spike said. "But I know how this works. I can get off one, maybe two solid hits before the pain gets so bad, I will be incapacitated. Then I'm no good to anyone, not you and not Little Bit."

"That's why we're the distraction, remember," Faith said sadly. "B and Angel, they're the heroes."

"That mean we sacrifice ourselves for them?" Spike asked.

"No, it just means they have enough of a conscience that they'll come back to rescue us," Faith said with a smile. "They're stupid that way."

"Not saying getting rescued by the Ponce is something I ever wanted to have happen."

"Look on the bright side. It'll piss him off something awful to do it."

"There is that." Spike looked at his watch. "Well, they should be in position by now."

"The two of them have probably spent the last five minutes making out," Faith agreed.

"Or saying ridiculously heartfelt things while brooding," Spike said.

"You know we can hear you over these things."

SEWER ACCESS

"Fully aware of that B," Faith said over the walkie-talkies they had brought when they had separated into pairs. "Just reminding you not to get lost in each other's glowers until after this is over."

Angel should have known better than to hope that Faith would ignore the happy elephant in the room.

"All kidding aside," Faith had taken on a serious tone. "Both of you, thanks for believing in me. I know I don't deserve it."

"None of us do," Angel said. "That's why it's called atonement."

"Are you guys under the entrance?" Spike asked.

"We are." Buffy said. "I know this is a distraction but Spike for this to work –"

"I'll stick to the plan." Spike said. "Just remember they always go balls-up at some point."

"We know." Angel paused. "Spike. I'm not good at this either."

"You should be you've had a century of practice," Spike hesitated. "Sorry; I don't even know what you could have to apologize for."

"I don't know why you decided to put your ass on the line for Buffy and Dawn. It literally goes against everything I know about you."

"Believe me, I was as shocked as you were," Spike sighed. "Since we are on the Light Brigade bit, Buffy I am sorry about your mum. She was a good person. I never understood why she was so nice to me over the years. It truly stunk what happened to her."

"She always tried to see the good in people, even vampires." Buffy hesitated. "I'm going to start getting emotional and that's in nobody's interest."

"On the contrary," Faith said. "Use it."

Buffy was taken aback. "I thought you were the original don't care girl."

"Changed my mind. Caring works." Faith said. "Now do you want sing Kumbaya or should we get this party started?"

Buffy finished unscrewing. "Doors loose. Ready Butch?"

"Five by five, Sundance." Faith said.

FRONT DOORS

"Excuse me, I have business with one of the attorneys here." Faith said sweetly.

"No one gets in without an appointment." The man at the front desk didn't even look up.

"They had me on retainer once. Does that count?"

"Look ma'am…"

Faith looked at the cameras. "I'm imagining that there's a small army coming down the elevator right now, so I'm just going to send a message to all of the associates who are watching this footage right now. I want you to tell all of them to hold back."

The man at the front desk looked up. And froze.

"Now I realize that life is expendable to most of you, so I'm going to put this in terms you understand. Financial." Faith said. "You have taken something very important from a friend of mine. I wasn't inclined to like you before, and she's going to be very pissed when she finds out you're responsible. Now most of your colleagues have gone to the best law schools in the country, so it does puzzle me why you would involve yourself in anything this fucking stupid, but you're working here so that doesn't speak much to your common sense."

The man at the desk had gotten up and was slowly backing away from the post he had not left in two years.

"This is a very fine building. It won't last ten minutes when she gets here. The thing is, she has a moral compass and I don't were doing anything she regrets." Faith began to roll up her sleeves. "That's my job."

"Now, here's my offer. Pull your guards back, let me come up and tell me what you have done with Dawn Summers. In return, we will let this building remain standing and your security force unhurt." Faith walked up to the elevator. "Another friend of mine has been very…generous when it comes to how you do business here. I'm not inclined to be that way. And as I'm sure at least one of your associates is painfully aware, pissing off a vampire Slayer is a mistake that far too many vampires and demons have made in the last five years. You didn't strike me as that stupid, but again, you work here so what do I know?"

Faith paused. "That is my offer. What is your answer?"

There was a long pause as if the powers in charge were seriously considering it. Then almost simultaneously all the elevators began to start dinging.

Faith sighed. "The bad guys. They always have to do it the fun way." She shouting out. "William the Bloody, come on down!"

"One-one thousand, two-one thousand," Spike opened the door.

CENTRAL FLOOR

Angel leapt inside at roughly the same moment.

"How much time did this buy you the last time?" Buffy asked as she followed him.

"I was trying to be subtle last time. " Angel told her. "That's not why we're here."

"Whose arm would we have to twist to get an answer?" Buffy asked.

A smile that boded no good, crossed Angel's face. "Same vicious bitch who hired Faith to take me out last year. One of the few holdovers from the old regime."

"How much persuasion will it take?"

"I'm hoping it takes a lot." His expression must have been clear to Buffy. "It took me a long time to appreciate my soul. I have a special kind of contempt for people who voluntarily sell theirs."

"Where's her office?"

"You know, I've been here a few times, but I don't remember where it is."

"I'm sure one of these fine legal eagles will be glad to tell us if we ask nicely." A similarly unpleasant smile was appearing on Buffy's face.

LOBBY

Every elevator had been filled with at least half a dozen burly figures, most of whom weren't even humanoid in appearance. Against them were Faith and Spike.

It was basically an even fight. Until the first vampire was staked. Then security didn't stand a chance.

"I love the smell of demon blood in the morning," Faith said as she smashed two skulls together. "It smells like…victory."

"And sulfur, but considering the employers that's practically perfume," Spike said as he snapped one of their necks.

Quite a few of demons clearly had not been informed that they were going to be fighting a vampire Slayer and the scourge of Europe. They demonstrated their intelligence by running for the doors without even bothering to put up a fight. There were also two or three vampires in that group who decided that they stood a better chance against the sun then these two.

"That vampire makes into the sewer, he's got the potential to be a threat down the line," Spike said, as he staked one of his own.

"You almost sound like you admire him," Faith never slowed down the carnage.

Spike shrugged. "It's like how things go in a horror movie. The winners are the couple who never move into the haunted house."

BABABA

"Hello, my name is Buffy Summers. I was wondering-"

The paralegal ran off in terror.

"That's the third one in a row," Buffy said, mock pouting. "I'm beginning to take it personally."

"It's the thing about this place. You have grab their attention." Angel hauled one of them over. "And occasionally, by their three thousand dollar pantsuit."

Buffy looked at the jacket and shook her head. "No, this is a four thousand suit at least. You know, they say that everyone has a price. And I guess that evil does at least pay better than good."

"Short term." Angel reminded her. He looked at the attorney. "They should really tell you that when you sign your contract it doesn't expire even after you do."

Given the way the eyes of this attorney bulged, it was pretty clear that he didn't know that.

"Now, now," Buffy said calmly. "There are advantages to being able to live the good life." She gently removed the lawyer from Angel. "Emphasis on the word 'live.'

"Please don't do this," The attorney found his voice.

"Seriously, vampires who've been around less than a day have fresher patter than you do," Angel said, shaking his head. "And most of them don't have the advantages of an Ivy League education."

"Now I grant you most of my experience with attorneys to this point has been from Ally McBeal and based on what I've seen, that's a less realistic law firm than this one," Buffy gently placed the lawyer on a rolling chair. "But one of those things attorneys are very qualified at our plea bargains. Now you're in no position to bargain, to be sure, but in order to survive this encounter you will need to make a various convincing offer."

"W-whatever you want," the lawyer said immediately.

Buffy looked disappointed. "Angel, why has this place been giving you so much trouble the past two years? A blond college dropout threatens one of them, and they fold like a suit much cheaper than the one they're wearing right now."

"They always say the emperor had no clothes," Angel said. "I guess that's true even if they're expensive ones."

"I mean, seriously, I didn't even make a demand and they met it," Buffy said sadly. "Harmony put up more of a fight. Harmony!"

"If it makes you feel any better, he'll probably be terminated very quickly after this," Angel said. "In every sense of the word."

"I guess it does. Oh well." Buffy said. "Where can I find Lilah Morgan?"

UNDISCLOSED LOCATION

"I have to admit, it's more entertaining to watch them in action from afar," Gavin said, sipping his Mai Tai.

"Definitely more fun than the last prizefight I got comps too," Lilah said, as she took out some popcorn. She winced. "And we just finished getting the halls repaneled too."

"She was right, this will cost a pretty penny to repair," Gavin said. "Good thing most contractors already work for us."

Lilah shook her head. "They're heading for my office now," she said. "Do you really think they'll tear this place apart looking for answers?"

"They're more capable of doing it," Gavin said softly. "You do know that if you were to show up, you could score some major points with the partners for intervening before extensive repairs are done."

Lilah raised an eyebrow. "Always thinking of others."

"We both know that no matter how secure Manners made this place, a Slayer will be able to get to it if she's patient enough," Gavin reminded her. "And eventually Faith is going to get tired of toying around with security and come up here."

"Fair point," Lilah admitted. "Of course, if I were to actually help the enemy, it is the kind of thing that could easily get me killed, which would no doubt help you several steps up the ladder."

"Absolutely," Gavin acknowledged. "Of course, if we don't help them, they might very well kill us anyway. Do bear in mind there is a convicted murderer downstairs right now and I can't imagine Buffy Summers is entirely opposed to getting rid of anyone who is keeping her from her sister."

Lilah considered this. "I am opposed to helping anyone on general principles."

"We all are. It's why we signed here," Gavin said. "But as you know better than anyone, living the good life isn't much good if you're not alive."

"This whole thing rubbed me the wrong way anyway," Lilah said. She sighed. "This is a lousy time to realize I still have a moral compass."

"Maybe when you renegotiate your next contract, allow yourself to do one good deed every year or so," Gavin told her.

LILAH MORGAN'S OFFICE

"Why am I not surprised she's not here?" Angel said with a sigh.

"It would have been too much to have her cowering under her desk in terror," Buffy said. "Think the paralegal was lying?"

"He works here; I'm pretty sure that's a pre-requisite," Angel said. "Then again, he may have been using lawyer-speak."

"He told me where I could find Lilah Morgan, but he didn't say she'd be there," Buffy agreed. "I've read prophecies where the language was less cryptic. Well, that's all right, I didn't feel like I'd destroyed enough of the place anyway."

"Maybe you could do the lounge next."

Why were neither Buffy nor Angel surprised at how stealthy the attorneys at this place could be?

"For a place that spends this much on interior design, the carpeting has always been disgusting," Lilah said.

"Probably needs to be that way to cover up the blood on everybody's hands," Angel said.

Lilah walked over. "If you wanted to talk to me, you could have just made an appointment."

Lilah hadn't said the last syllable in appointment before Buffy had grabbed her and shoved her against the wall. "I'm not in the mood for banter."

"It's going to be hard for me to talk with your hand on my neck."

Buffy eased it a little.

"I guess I see what you saw in her." Lilah said.

"I'm usually the voice of restraint in this relationship," Angel's voice had hardened. "I'm not inclined to be one here."

"Given why you're here, I don't exactly blame you."

Buffy was a little taken aback by this honesty.

"I realize that there's traditionally a dance that Angel does with the people who work here and it usually ends with neither of us getting anything except a lot of threats of violence. Seeing as you dispensed with that and went straight to the violence part makes it very clear that my firm has really overplayed its hand."

Buffy let go altogether. "You're not running this operation?"

Lilah actually laughed. "How long ago was your sister taken?"

Complete honesty. Angel almost wondered if Lilah was some kind of demon clone. Lindsey had occasionally been honest about the firm's intentions on multiple occasions, but he'd always had conflicts about what he was doing. Lilah had always spoken in the kind of legal double-speak about the firm's behavior over the years. "What's your angle?"

"Angel, much as you might think otherwise, the world does not revolve around you, and I would much rather spend my time here dealing with easier clients," Lilah said. "Do you really I think I would voluntarily take on an operation that gives me permanent residence on your significant other's shit list?"

Lilah did have a fairly good survival instinct.

"They informed me of this operation yesterday. Mercer told me if I handled it well, it would make me look good in the senior partners' eyes." Lilah scoffed. "Please. He wanted me to clean up his mess and have someone to blame it on when you came a calling. Knowing him, he was hoping you'd throw me out the window when I gave you an answer you didn't like."

"That option's not off the table yet," Buffy clearly still didn't trust her.

Lilah did not flinch at that. "Would it stop you from doing that if I told that's exactly what the partners' want?" She directed her question to Angel. "I'm the last holdover from Manners' regime. And they don't like reminders of their biggest mistakes around, even when those reminders can tell them not to make them again."

Angel considered this. "A part of me is very tempted just to let Faith and Spike come in here and finish what Drusilla and Darla started last year," he said quietly and deliberately. "I know it wouldn't solve anything long-term or even short-term, but I really do think it would still be better than what you deserve."

Lilah remained stoic but both Buffy and Angel could sense the tiniest drop of sweat forming on her forehead.

"The problem is, sometimes to save souls you need to make deals with the devil," Angel said. "And sometimes you need to stick with the devil you know."

"You're really grinding that metaphor into the ground," Buffy said.

"Is this your way saying of you'll accept my assistance in this matter?" Lilah asked.

Buffy looked at Angel. "A lawyer through and through," she said. "We have no reason to believe a word you say, even if you are helping us."

"You could hear her out and throw her out the window, anyway."

It was clearly becoming a lot harder for Lilah to maintain her poker face in the presence of reinforcements. "I'm guessing you finished up with our security forces," she said neutrally.

"Your custodial staff is really going to earn its money this week," Spike said. "Faith asked me to show up, because she thought she couldn't be objective when it came to handling you."

Angel had never looked away from Lilah. "How long has it been since you had a decent meal?" he said quietly. Clearly he was trying to gauge just how much Lilah knew about Spike's current condition.

"You're assuming an attorney makes one," Spike gagged. "To quote Sondheim, no one should ever have to swallow it twice."

For the first time in this conversation Lilah looked genuinely nervous. "I'm offering to help you."

"And then you'll double cross her immediately afterwards," Spike said calmly. "I may not have a degree, but I know basic villainy. And bear in mind; Angel has a soul." He shifted his face. "I'm not burdened by such a creature."

"Here's the deal, Lilah, and it is non-negotiable," Buffy said quietly. "You will tell us everything that you know about this deal. You will leave nothing out. And then, just to make sure you're telling the truth, you are coming with us."

The façade was completely gone now; Lilah was genuinely afraid. "Do you know what will happen to me when they find out about this?"

"That's what I love about this place," Faith had now walked on to the scene. "They only approve of back-stabbing when it's in the firm's best interest."

"I haven't mentioned the best part Lilah," Buffy said. "If you attempt to betray us or if any part of your information turns out to be a way for the firm to work against us…" She trailed off. "I want you look at the faces of who's in this room with you. You know very well what they are capable of, and none of them remotely can be mistaken for a friend."

"We are all, currently, extremely angry," Spike said in a calm voice completely unlike the 'bloody animal' that they knew him to be. "We are all very capable of doing horrible things to you and making sure that you are still alive while most of them are happening."

"Some of us, keep in mind, would be more than willing to do it if there was not a good reason too," Faith said sweetly. "Some of us might very well enjoy doing it."

Lilah's tone was now steadied. "I heard you reformed."

"I did, but in your case…" Faith batted her eyebrows.

"Seriously, in the grand scheme of things, who's going to miss another lawyer?" Buffy said casually.

"What guarantee do I have when this over you'll let me live?" Lilah asked.

"Your firm never keeps their word. Why should we play by the same rules?" Angel asked coldly.

Lilah considered this. Then she walked over to her intercom. "Maggie," she said calmly. "Cancel my nine o'clock. Something urgent has come up."

None of her guests had expected an answer, but none was surprised when one came. "And if Mr. Mercer calls?"

"Give him a message. I told you so." She paused. "Oh, and by the way, we will need to seriously talk to management about security. Apparently anyone can wander in off the street and get in."

AUTHOR'S NOTES

Caritas was basically a gay bar for demons. I always thought that the gay community would have an easier time finding acceptance among the supernatural world than they would among other humans; this is my acknowledgement of it.

Of course Anya and Lorne know each other. I could resist a discussion between two demons who are members of the tax paying community. And really, you've got to wonder about what the insurance and housing market are like in Sunnydale?

Little bit of media satire when it came to Faith's escape. Spike's been around for over a century, he knows the narratives that society has about who they consider dangerous and who they don't. And yeah, I couldn't resist an LA joke about the criminal justice system either (did F. Lee Bailey or Robert Shapiro ever intern at Wolfram & Hart?)

Buffy in Wolfram and Hart; please tell me, you wouldn't have wanted to see this happen in some crossover? For those of you who don't think this behavior is the Buffy we know, Buffy is trying to find her sister and is working through her resurrection: she's a little stressed out. Spike, of course, just wants to have fun.

More to come boys and girls! Read and review and support the WGA!