Angel was sentenced to thirty days, a fine and court ordered to pay damages, which pretty much cleaned him out financially. Vampires were 'oh shiney' people, they didn't save or invest, they took what they wanted, kept it until bored with it and moved on. Angelus had been no exception and Angel had lived in a gutter for nearly a century. He only had money because he'd destroy fledges and take what they'd already stolen. Even the apartment he lived in, he was squatting in. So once he was finally released, he was in desperate need of cash and knowing where some other vampires had been squatting before the spell, went to search them looking for anything he could sell. At present it was the only way he had of getting by.
In the days that followed Xander's discovery that both Giles and Buffy had been thralled and had Magic used on them, Willow, Cordelia and Jenny had also wanted to be scanned.
"The third eye is...weird." Cordelia decided. "On the other hand, it's the same chocolate brown of your regular eyes, which is a nice color. So, Doofus, have I been whammied?"
"No, you're clear, Cordy." He assured her. "And once we have protections in place it should only be a matter of routinely reenforcing them to keep anyone from trying anything in the future."
"Good, because the idea of someone trying to control me, pisses me off. If anyone did try something like that I'd socially eviscerate them. Possibly literally as well."
Xander smirked. "I have no doubts on your ability to do both." He assured her, before turning to Willow, who was gazing off into nothing. "Willow? Something wrong? Your scan was clean."
"Which means I really did encourage Buffy to be with Angel for a selfish reason. I knew that already, but when you told me about Giles and Buffy being thralled and Magic used on them, I wondered if maybe - but no, I really did do it for a selfish reason."
"Because you have a crush on Xander and wanted him for yourself, so you told Buffy your feelings just in case she had any interest him and hoped she'd put being your friend ahead of any interest she might have had in Xander?" Cordelia asked, taking a seat at the Library table.
"Tact is just lost on you, isn't it?" Willow muttered. "But yes, pretty much."
Xander hopped up in the checkout counter. "While I'm annoyed over you doing an end run around my potential chance with Buffy, even when you knew her rejection hurt me, in the end I don't think Buffy and I would have worked long term anyway. The thrall and the Magic only made her think Angel was a friend, it didn't cause her to be attracted to him. That was all her, so even if she had liked me enough to go out with me, it would probably have fizzled after a couple of dates anyway. And I'm finding my tastes don't run in Buffy's direction anyway." Willow's back was to him and she didn't see the slight smile Xander directed at Cordelia, who raised her eyebrows and gave a slight smile back.
"Still, I knew even then you had no interest me, even if I didn't know why you didn't have any interest me. Which means it was selfish of me to do that to you." Willow looked miserable. "And encouraging Buffy to be interested in Angel just because it redirected her attention away from you doubly doesn't make me a good friend. You got hurt and Buffy is involved in a relationship that whether he was still a vampire or not, can only end badly."
"A fact she's going to have to face sooner or later." Cordelia added. "I'm thinking sooner since he's no longer a vampire and trying to adapt to a world he's never really lived in and has no real idea how to live in."
"I could help him if he was willing." Xander said, kind of reluctantly. "I may not like him or how spectacularly unhelpful he's been, despite claiming he wanted to help. But he's human now and very lost, I imagine. If he turns up, I'll offer to help...somehow."
"I doubt he would be willing to accept it anyway." Cordelia said. "He doesn't like you anymore than you like him and he's got his pride. He's probably determined to figure it all out on on his own, even if it would be easier to accept help."
Angel's search of the former vampire nests netted him several hundred dollars from the wallets and purses of the former occupants prey and a few things he could fence. Only problem with that was that Willy was the only fence in Sunnydale and the moment he knew Angel was alive and human, that information would be for sale to the demons that frequented his bar. Angel didn't like his odds of surviving long term if that happened. Which left him only one choice, he had to leave Sunnydale and Buffy. Buffy, whom he hadn't seen since before he'd landed in jail. She probably thought he'd run out on her anyway. It was something Liam had done, a lot, run out on a woman.
After thinking it over Angel decided leaving Sunnydale and Buffy was for the best. He'd get on his feet and come back and sweep her off hers. Decision made, Angel returned to the apartment he'd been squatting in, finding his stuff still there, he packed and left town, certain he'd return soon, successful and everything would be alright.