Kat sat in the lobby of the Hyperion, seated by him on a round couch. They'd all heard what had happened. Katherine hadn't really known her to deeply feel any loss for her, but she did feel for Angel the most.
"You know, I lived longer than I should have. I lost more people than I can count. Some by accident, some by my own making whether I meant to or not, and some because of an enemy or another. I know how you feel, at least a little. The slaughter of my Bulgaria home? I lost the father of Nadia, too. Klaus obviously didn't know that, though. He and his family never knew about me having a child before I met them. I'm sorry for what you're having to go through. She was a good person, and she didn't deserve what happened to her," she sympathized, trying not to say Buffy's name, not wanting to hurt him more than he already was hurting. "I may not be able to grieve for her like you, but you're not alone in this. I'm here, and I'll always be here, no matter what you need."
"How'd you get through it?" he inquired of her.
"Maybe if he'd been the only one that had been killed, I could say with just time. Without turning it off. But because my mother's death was my breaking point, I turned it off. I didn't deal with it until Pearl and Anna came across me, because I was young and inexperienced. I made mistakes along the way. I'm lucky Klaus didn't find me because of the bodies I left behind. Pearl being a mother herself knew what I was going through, and that helped me. There's something we always tell vampires that turn it off. Let it all in at once when you turn it back on. Pearl taught me that when she helped me turn it back on. After that, I dealt with it, because I had a friend that understood my pain. Kind of like I understand yours. As a vampire, it took about three centuries for me to heal. You and I don't have that luxury anymore, so all you can do...Or any human really, is go one day at a time. Eventually, things will get better," she replied. Then, after a moment, she thought of something. "The Hyperion has a basement, right? Perhaps it was time that you took her out of your mind for the moment. After all the danger we've faced, I think it's time that you teach her your fighting moves."
"Why me? You can win a fight better than I can as a human."
"I'm a quick learner. That's why I'm able to. But Cordy's done some growing up these past months. I think it's time you taught her. She'd do better, being taught by you. You need this, just as Cordy does. You need this more than she does. Take it from me. It helps to get your mind off of what's bothering you. This is the way," she replied and encouraged him.
Later, he was in the basement, teaching Cordy moves with a sword.
"Good defense is about moving in the line of attack. When the bad guy comes at you, you wanna step off the line like this, creating a new one," Angel informed her, standing behind Cordy, as he guided her. "Every time you do, your opponent will be forced to adjust. Always make the other guy work," he then added, walking around her, as he watched how she handled the sword.
"I move the line. Then what?" she inquired.
"Then just keep moving the line. You'll be able to keep an attacker busy until...you know."
"What? Until he dies of old age, or until someone swoops in to save me? Angel, I didn't accept for you to train me so I could stave. I already know how to stave. Now, I need to learn how to fight. Menfolk aren't always around to protect the womenfolk, you know?"
"Okay," Angel said, his own sword in his hand, walking in a half circle around her. "When you put an adversary down, you wanna make sure he doesn't get up again. So, like I showed you." He raised his sword in the air. "You wanna force the other guy to counter. He'll open himself up to something like this." He moved directions with his sword. Then she turned her back, stopping.
"No need. I got it. Three years of varsity cheer squad, I only ever had to be shown a move once."
"You know, Cordelia, handling a lethal weapon's...a little different than shaking a pom-pom," he replied, once he'd gone and put his sword away in the weapon cage.
Angel and Cordy had finished up sword training, Cordy being a quick learner as she'd told him she was, so they were all upstairs in the lobby. Damon didn't usually help them with helping people, but this time, he was there in the lobby with them. Cordy was behind the counter at the desk, which was usually by a wall, while Kat stood by the receptionist desk.
Suddenly, just as they usually did, it hit her unexpectedly. Since she normally had no control over what happened while she had visions, she nearly landed on the linoleum lobby floor. Angel had been by her though, and put a hand on her arm, catching her from hitting the floor. Then Damon helped get her in the nearest chair, as her vision continued.
When it had ended, she saw Angel in front of her, hands on her arms, concerned as usual.
"What did you see?" he needed to know.
"I don't know why they're showing this to me now, but this happened a week ago. Someone hitting his wife in a convenience store," she informed him.
After she'd recovered from having her vision, they all worked to find out about it, as well as figure out why the vision was given to her.
"11:24, 20 minutes before the crime occurred," Angel said, having been looking at a photo.
"What? What is it?" Kat questioned.
He gave her the photo.
"Billy's there. He's a son of a congressman. He has this power to make people do horrible things," Angel informed her.
"How does it work? Maybe we can figure out a way to stop him," Kat wanted to know, and then suggested.
"Another problem. He's one of Wolfram and Heart's clients."
"Well, if you don't mind angering Wolfram and Heart, we go for it. Find a way to get rid of him. If he's out getting people killed, and if it's on purpose, then we have a responsibility to take care of him, one way or another," Kat replied.
"You really want to go down that hole and anger Wolfram and Heart again? I was a vampire last time I did that, but I'm not anymore," Angel reminded her.
"If it gets Billy off the streets, yes. I'll do anything, even if it means having to fight against an evil, supernatural law firm," Kat replied.
"If we're doing this, you should know Billy's Lilah's client. Billy's power. He goes after men. Makes them into killers. He has to touch them to do it, though. According to what I've heard, it works differently on different men. Some lose their mind in an instant. Others can take hours," he informed her.
"What is he then? Part demon or something?" she inquired. She wouldn't put it past him to be part demon, considering after she'd met Doyle a few years ago, she'd realized that part demons could exist.
"Could be, but I don't know," he replied.
"Let's track him down, then. All we have to do is make sure he doesn't touch us. A crossbow should do the trick, right?" she replied. "As long as he's not expecting anyone to try and take him down, he won't know we're coming," she added.
"I agree. Now is the best time to come at him before he's prepared," Damon agreed. He was just as motivated as she was to get rid of him.
"I don't know if this is a good idea," Angel told her.
"Look, we'll find him together. Damon, being a vampire, can be our backup. If we're lucky, his power doesn't work on vampires. Even if it does work on vampires, I know what to do."
"What about me?" Cordy inquired from the desk.
"Find out any new information on Billy, even if you have to go to Lilah to get it," Kat told her.
After they'd grabbed weapons that they'd need, and Kat grabbed some extra stuff just in case she'd need to control any vampires that got touched by Billy, they left to try and track him down. Then Cordy went to Lilah, which was when she found out that he was indeed half demon at least, and that he was on his way to the airport. He was going to be heading out of the city, but Lilah didn't really know where to exactly. When she found out about that, she informed them over the phone, so they headed over there, while Cordy headed back to the Hyperion. She figured a vampire and two former vampires could take care of Billy together.
"Billy," Kat greeted, as she approached, crossbow in hand. It wasn't her usual weapon of choice, but it was the one weapon that would keep her from having to get too close. Angel was beside her.
"Do I know you?" he questioned her.
"No, and I'm really glad you don't. You wouldn't want to know what I think of people like you."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"The people you got hurt. I've seen more violence than probably you, but the worst people are people like you that like when women get hurt. Or worst."
"And what are you going to do about it?" he questioned.
She raised her crossbow to him.
"I'm going to send you to hell. I imagine you'll be more comfortable there, given what you truly are."
"You don't have the guts to pull the trigger," Billy replied, believing that she wouldn't be able to do it.
"I wouldn't count on it. She's pretty handy when it comes to a fight. With or without a weapon," Angel interceded.
"You must be Angel. I've heard a lot about you from them," Billy replied. "I wonder what will happen with you," he added, hinting about what would happen if he touched him. "You're supposed to be this hero. And a pain in the ass for Wolfram and Heart, I hear."
Angel approached somewhat.
"Everyone says that, really, but I changed a few years ago. You could try, but I have faith in her skills."
Kat watched the scene play out, but when he touched Angel with both hands, she pulled the trigger, getting him in the leg.
"Get out of here," Angel warned her, as he tried to control what he was feeling.
"I'm not going anywhere," Kat replied.
"Feel it," Billy urged him. "All that anger."
"It's time you shut the hell up," Kat commented, before shooting him again, this time right in the head. She was pretty sure demons couldn't come back from that.
"Looks like you didn't need back up, after all," Damon commented, approaching.
"We'll call Wolfram and Heart to take care of what's left of him. This is their own mess to clean up," Kat replied.
After an hour or two later, the symptoms of that anger had worn off, so all was well for now.
