Sunnydale was not the same for Angel. He wanted to keep up the fight for Buffy but was having a hard time being so close to everything that reminded him of her. He had met the new slayer, Faith. She was everything that Willie had said she was and more. She tried to hit on him until Xander showed up then she ignored him the rest of the time. Angel felt uncomfortable around both of them.
He was happy to see Willow though. The little redhead had welcomed him warmly. Her werewolf boyfriend Oz just gave him a small "Yo."
Giles used Angel's connections and knowledge of languages to decipher text and prophecies regarding the Hellmouth. The one person that surprised him the most to see in the library was Cordelia. The pretty brunette had fallen from grace since her association with Xander.
Angel couldn't believe he been back in Sunnydale for a month now. He was lonely here without Buffy to brighten his days and nights. She was the only true friend that he had ever had since becoming a vampire. A knock at his door startled him from his deep thoughts.
He was even more surprised to find Cordelia on the other side. "Cordelia what are you doing here?" He moved back to allow her inside.
She walked in looking over the mansion with a critical eye. "Well I see us as being in the same boat. I thought that we could just hang out if that was all right with you." Cordelia looked over his handsome features and trim body.
"I guess," he said hesitantly.
Finally, I will get a chance at you now that freak is out of our lives. I will show you what you passed up before.
Angel showed her to a sofa moving to take a chair but she pulled him down beside her. "It is easier to talk here don't you think? Angel, how are you doing? I want you to know that if you want to talk to me you can." Cordelia looked up at him expectantly.
"I'm not much of a talker. It was hard coming back but I wanted to do it for Buffy. I know she would want me to do." His face held a look of longing and love burned behind his eyes.
Okay tall, dark and gorgeous you are going to be mine so just sit back and watch Queen C work. She sniffled wiping as if tears pricked her eyes.
"Are you all right, Cordelia?" Angel looked at her perplexed about what to do.
"It's just that is the way I felt about Xander. I loved him even if no one believes it. It was so shocking to find them like that."
Angel patted her shoulder clumsily. Cordelia threw herself into his arms clutching him tightly. She pressed her body against him subtly rubbing him. Angel held her until she quieted not even noticing her seduction attempts.
Sunnydale had a lot of demon activity lately and no one could figure out why. No matter who, Faith beat-up or Angel talked to. No one knew what was going on. Giles finally found a passage that showed some a special alignment of stars. The best that he could decipher, if someone made the proper sacrifices the Hellmouth would open.
Angel patrolled every night until almost dawn. He worked hard trying everything he could not to think about how much he missed Buffy. When he slept, he dreamed about her beautiful green eyes and upturned nose. He could swear he still smelled her at odd places around town where they used to patrol.
Giles had determined they had little less than a month. His calculation with Willow's help gave a date for the alignment to be on June 1. They had made some headway in narrowing down who would be most likely performing the sacrifices. Angel killed a demon late one night on patrol. He stumbled over a book when he started walking away. The demon must have been carrying it. Taking it back to the mansion, he would take it to Giles in the morning. Angel stumbled once again up the stairs to try not to dream of Buffy.
The book Angel found had Giles excited. It gave them the exact demon they needed to fight. It also showed them how to stop the ceremony. They had to interrupt the spell at the exact moment the alignment was at its zenith. Everything had to happen exactly right but this was the Sunnydale how often did that happen?
Angel made his way home to find Cordy, as she asked him to call her, waiting for him. He started to enjoy her visits. He wasn't so lonely anymore when she was here and it kept his mind off Buffy. She brought him books to entertain him and gossiped about her day. Cordelia couldn't believe she still hadn't won over the gorgeous vampire. Her status as Queen C slowly started to return but not fast enough for Cordy.
They won no one could believe it. They graduated from high school and beat the bad guy. Angel didn't know what to do now. It didn't feel right staying in Sunnydale but he didn't know where to go.
"Why don't you go to LA? It is the city of Angels after all." Angel looked up to see Whistler standing in his living room.
"What do you want Whistler to show me someone else that I am supposed to help? Thanks, but no thanks. I don't think that I could survive it." Whistler looked at the souled vampire closely. His eyes still held a haunted look but life was slowly starting to come back into them. "So if I told you that your soul was your own but you had to go to LA or the curse would go back in place what would you say?"
Angel looked at him trying to determine if this was some trick. "I don't know that I would believe you."
Whistler just walked out the door calling over his shoulder. "Go to LA Angel you whole future depends on it."
Buffy sat in Caritas listening to Lorne sing; he had a beautiful voice.
"Why the serious face, darlin'?" Doyle looked at his friend closely with concern.
"Just a lot on my mind that's all. How are you doing? No new vision that needs solving?" Buffy smiled at the handsome Irishman with his black hair and blue eyes.
"Now don't you go be changing the subject, Buffy my girl? You have something on your mind; tell ole Doyle all about it. Goodness knows I owe for all the nights I blubbered in my beer to you," he teased her but his voice held his concern.
"It's just a case of the blues that's all. You know me I bounce back quickly. I guess, well I'm lonely Doyle. I know that I have sworn off men but I miss what I had. I miss having someone to share everything with good and bad. The clubs are doing great and things are moving forward the way that I want but that doesn't fill every minute." Buffy frowned, her thoughts had been on 'him' lately and she didn't know why. It was driving her crazy; she didn't need or want 'him'.
Lorne joined them; overhearing Buffy's last few statements. "Everybody needs someone pixie stix. What you need is a good old-fashioned date. You are a beautiful woman there is no reason for you to spend all of your time working." He had been trying to get her to date, for the longest time. Lorne hoped this would be a breakthrough.
"Yes Mother," they all laughed at Buffy's sarcasm. "I think it's just that Johnny went back to New York. I was so used to having him there every night to talk over things with now I don't have that."
Both men protested at once, "What are we chopped liver?"
Doyle brought a hand to his heart. "The wound its deep. Lorne, old man, can you pull it out?"
Buffy rolled her eyes at them then went still. Her whole body tightened as she watched the last man she ever expected to see walk into Caritas.
"Sugar baby, what is the matter? You know no one can fight in here." Lorne tried to see who had caught her eye.
Without a word to her friends, Buffy moved quickly to the entrance. Her hands on the man's arm pulling him out the door again.
"Hey, what are you doing?" he yelled. She threw him into a wall as she advanced on him. He looked up then his eyes went wide. "Oy, Slayer thought you were dead." Spike got to his feet brushing off pants and duster.
"Yeah well I get that allot. What are you doing in my city, Spike?" Her voice made him pause.
Looking closer, he noticed the changes in her since they had stopped Angelus.
"I'm waiting for an answer. If it isn't one that I like then you are dust." Buffy's words were a promise not a threat.
He moved back a few steps before he started talking. "Dru left me for a Chaos demon. She went on and on about her Angel coming back. That just made her mad at me again for helping you. So, the way I see it, it is your fault."
Buffy threw back her head and laughed. "Thanks Spike, I needed that. So why did you choose LA?"
"I heard there was a demon guy named Lorne that could read futures. Want him to tell me if I will get my Dru back." Spike's voice held a wistful tone to it.
"Lorne can only tell you what is in the future. You do know you can't fight inside the club?"
He nodded, "Yeah heard the Furies put the old OOOH whammy on the place. What happened to you Slayer?"
Buffy moved faster than he thought possible even for a slayer. Her hand was on his throat holding him against wall. "There are a few details you should know if you plan to stay. One, nothing goes on here that I don't know about. Whether it is demon or man related. Two, if you cause problems here then you have to answer to me. I'm not the little girl you knew Spike so do yourself a favor and don't make that mistake." She turned walking back into Caritas.
Spike only steps behind her didn't see her anywhere. Walking over to the bar, he ordered Jack Daniels straight up. He made his way over to the tall green demon the bartender told him was Lorne. "So how exactly does this work, mate? Do you have a crystal ball, tarot cards or what?"
Lorne smiled at him brightly. "No, you sing and I read your future. With that look, I would be guessing you're a Ramones man, am I right."
Spike gave him his trademark smirk. "Is there any other real music? I just want to know if I will get my Dru back."
Lorne nodded, "Ah, the tales of love lost. Can't tell you what I will see until you sing. There is the song list just let me know when you are ready." He walked away wondering where Buffy had gone.
"She left said it was too crowded in here. I'm worried about her, Lorne. She shouldn't be so alone. Buffy has so much bottled up inside that I worry she will blow one day. Do you ever get anything off her?"
The green demon shook his head. "No, I felt some when we first met but now there is nothing. It is as if she put herself into a solid steel vault. Buffy is so driven towards one goal; I worry what will happen when that goal is over."
"I don't think we have to worry about our little darlin' there Lorne. Something tells me that she will come out of this with exactly what she wants and needs."
Tony had a meeting with Buffy this afternoon. He didn't know how to take the young woman. The fire in her eyes let anyone that looked deeply know not to mess with. Tony expected to help her get her business off the ground as a favor to Johnny and keep a fatherly eye on her. He had no idea that she would become such a force to be recon with, in one short year.
Buffy now had her hand in everything that went on in his town and he didn't know how to shake her free without drawing back a stub. She entered his private den as if she owned the place. He admired her cool grace and the beauty that grew every time he saw her. Buffy sat down while she waited for Tony to speak first; it was a game she played now.
A cool reserved woman replaced the bright teenager who quipped with her opponents. She turned heads wherever she went, an untouchable air made her even more attractive. If you caught her eye people had stopped in there tracks on the street. The fire burning in them warred with her outward appearance. Rather than making her seem less attractive, it just intensified her allure. Buffy's eyes were a blazing green; as if the losses she had endured, burned-out the traces of brown and blue that once resided in their hazel depths.
She now owned several more business, which made Johnny proud. It was as if she could smell the opportunities. No one called her Slayer anymore, not even Spike. The two of them became friends by circumstance. Lorne broke the news to him that Dru would never take him back. He went on a huge bender. An old enemy caught him off-guard. Buffy rescued him and removed Rafael from LA, permanently. She attained her first business venture as a result. It turned out Rafael owned apartment buildings all over the city. He would rent them out to demons of all shapes and sizes for a pound of flesh, literally.
Rafael took the most attractive young males and females selling them to the highest bidders nightly. If the customer paid, enough they could do anything. It didn't matter if returned the merchandise. Buffy broke up his whole operation and took out all the heavy hitters - customers included. She returned the young 'people' to their families, earning their undying gratitude.
Buffy learned all about the different types of demons; realizing the Council didn't tell even half of the truth. She knew about Brackens and Pyleans thanks to Doyle and Lorne, but there were so many more. The gentler demons far outnumbered the better-known violent ones. Each new family Buffy met gave her a better picture of the small world of a slayer. To her delight, each one she helped moved her closer to her end goal. They had an inner network of their own that stretched across the world.
Her network grew as each month passed. She would help Doyle with his visions adding people of varying backgrounds to her list. Buffy became the slayer again without intending to. She didn't rely on books or prophecies; her associations provided all the information she needed. If there were sacrifices or torture happening anywhere in LA, Buffy knew about it. Lorne let her know anything he read when his customers sang.
Spike surprised everybody. He started to patrol or took care of minor problems when Buffy couldn't get away. He said he enjoyed the fight didn't matter who with. The truth was he never had a real friend before and didn't' want anything to happen to Buffy. He was with her when they helped out a group of teens fighting several vampires. One in particular captured Buffy's attention his name, Gunn. She saved his sister Allona from becoming vamp bait. He joined Buffy's team that night. She liked the down-to-earth street fighter. She would tease him by rubbing his baldhead, for luck whenever his group patrolled without her.
Very few new her real name, since she acted like no other slayer any demon had ever heard of causing rumors to begin. Some thought she was something else, especially with her always asking for information on the Council. Buffy had learned allot about them - their locations and the number of potentials living around the world.
Buffy's database of information grew daily. She delved into the history of Slayers and the Council's rules for them. She acquired a Slayer's Handbook from the last business that she picked up. It turned out a sorcerer liked to drain power from his customers. It helped him preserve his youth and strength.
Lorne gave Buffy an amulet provided by the Furies. It kept anyone from removing her power. She walked into a large magic store with crystals, spell ingredients, special candles and books, lots of books. When the sorcerer greeted Buffy with a handshake, he screamed in pain when she crushed the bones. She held on tightly and felt a tingle run through her arm when he tried to pull power from inside her. The opposite happened; she pulled from deep inside herself and drained him of his stolen powers.
The power ran through her body until it hit the amulet on her chest. It surged out causing Buffy's back to arch from the pulling sensation. A stream of glowing blue light shot into the ceiling then out of the shop. When the light hit the night air, it shattered into small starbursts. In homes throughout LA, they streaked through the night rushing back to their owner's once more. Neighbors heard shrieks of terror then shouts of pleasure throughout the night.
Draining him of his stolen powers left nothing of the sorcerer but a skeleton. For the past ten years, he siphoned power from his unsuspecting customers. Now, Buffy owned his well-established shop, which Allona and Buffy's newest rescue victim ran. A young girl named Tara whose family tried to convince her, she was a demon. Buffy assured the shy blonde no demon blood flowed in her veins. It turned out Tara inherited powerful witchcraft from her mother. She gratefully took the job to help pay for college since her family abandoned her. Buffy asked Tony to pull some strings and Tara found herself the recipient of a full scholarship to UCLA. While cleaning straightening the shop, she discovered the Council books and brought them to Buffy. Buffy became an avid student as she researched the infrastructure of her enemy.
Another pleasant surprise awaited her in the form of a computer expert under her nose. The biggest shock was who the person turned out to be - Oz. He stumbled into Caritas one night and sang for Lorne who saw Buffy in his past and future. Those glimpses intrigued him; he saw her previously happy life.
During summer break, Oz went on the road with his band. He ran across a female werewolf named Veruca. Without control over his wolf, Oz ended up having an affair with the sultry singer. When he returned to Sunnydale, his guilt forced him to tell Willow. She couldn't understand his lack of control and only saw the betrayal. Oz left town and transferred to UCLA. Seeing Buffy alive shocked him but once he heard her story, he volunteered to help.
Oz created an in-depth database of each Council member they discovered. Then he started hacking into their system. It turned out only a few stubborn members like Giles refused to use computers. As new younger members joined their ranks more and more of the data moved into a complex computer system. They almost had a list of every member.
Now, Buffy's real work began, finding out who held the power and who followed blindly. She located the four potentials stationed around the world. Using her human and demon connections, Buffy set up spies. They let her know everything about the potential's Watchers and their charges.
She had been in LA, away from her Mother and friends for almost a year and a half. Willow, Xander and even Cordelia must have started college. Her mom told her, several Ivy League colleges sent Willow acceptance letters but she refused to leave Xander. His grades allowed him to enter Sunnydale U on probation. Xander and Faith were still together which surprised everybody. For all the younger girl's wildness, she stayed faithful to him. He understood and accepted her. Giles convinced Faith to go back to school for her senior year and get her diploma.
Hearing of Faith's escapades, the council sent a junior Watcher to help and train under Giles. Wesley Windham-Price was a scared, pompous young man who expected unfaltering obedience from the wild child. Faith laughed in his face and ignored every word he said to her. Joyce and Giles became her legal guardians and she lived with them now.
Angel returned from Ireland, a new man. He felt ready to face a future thanks largely in part to his relationship with Cordelia. She listened t him and bullied him when he brooded too much over Buffy. Angel was the only one who knew about her family losing its money. He offered her a place to live when the judge sentenced her father to jail and her mother ran off with their lawyer. She showed up crying at his door before he left for Ireland. Cordelia moved in the next day. She subtly let everyone know where to find her then went to visit her grandmother for the summer.
Everybody assumed Angel took her to Ireland with him. He told Giles where he would be and when he would return. During his stay on the beautiful green country, he made a decision about LA and Whistler's words. Angel returned to Sunnydale ready to face his new future. A future without Buffy, he hoped he could make more friends like Cordelia. In a new town, his history wouldn't follow him; he would make a fresh start. With that in mind, three months after his return, Angel started packing his belongings.
"What are you doing, Angel? You can't possibly be leaving again, you just got home," Cordy demanded. He just got back. He should be happy to see me and showing me, how much.
"I'm moving to LA, Cordy. Someone told me that I am supposed to go there. That I have a new destiny and its waiting for me there." Angel continued quietly to pack his clothes and other essentials. He would send for his artwork and furniture when he found a new place to live.
"But, what about me? Where will I go? What will I do? You are deserting me just like my parents. I thought you cared for me, Angel." She burst into tears.
He moved to her quickly and folded his arms around her. Hugging was new to him but Cordy liked it. She hugged him and softly kissed his cheek whenever they greeted each other. Angel patted her back until she calmed down. "Cordy, you can stay here as long as you like. I'll keep all the utilities going. You find a job that will cover your essentials."
She looked up at him pleadingly, "Angel take me with you. I can't stay here without you. Everyone will know about my parents. They will all pity me. I couldn't stand that."
He softly kissed her forehead. "All right Cordy, you can come but I'm not sure what I will be doing or where I will be living."
"That's okay, Angel. I'll sleep on the couch wherever you decide to stay. Doesn't matter how small it might be. You won't even know I'm there. Plus, no other vamps can come in if I live there too, right."
He smiled at the thought of Cordy sleeping on a couch but he agreed. The two of them packed up the rest of their belongings into Angel's huge convertible. He stopped at Buffy's grave to leave her favorite flowers - yellow roses. Then he drove to the library to say goodbye to Giles.
"Giles, I'm leaving now. When I find a place, I'll give you the address and number. If you ever need help just let me know. I'm keeping the mansion to returning for emergencies won't be a problem."
The older man looked into Angel's eyes as if he wanted to tell him something but changed his mind. Giles saw Cordelia enter at that exact moment.
"Angel, we need to get going if we are going to find somewhere to stay for the night." She walked over smiling at Giles. "Did Angel tell you the news about us moving to LA? Isn't it exciting?"
He watched her link her arm through Angel's. He wished them well then watched them walk out together arm-in-arm. Joyce told Giles about Buffy surviving the explosion and her convalescing in LA. He wondered what would happen if Angel found out. Joyce told him Buffy refused to let anyone know. The 'explosion' changed Buffy completely according to her mother. He assumed she suffered injuries so severe even her Slayer healing couldn't overcome them. Giles accepted Buffy and Joyce's wishes but longed to see his former charge.
Buffy knew immediately about Angel's decision to come to LA and not alone. She had mixed emotions over the news were going to live together. Until this summer, no one believed the cheerleader's innuendos about the two of them being romantically involved. Now they would be here in her playground and would soon learn the difference between the LA's rules and Sunnydale.
She was meeting tomorrow with her lawyer, Lindsey McDonald. He had tried to get Buffy to go out with him since she hadarrived in LA. She had turned down him repeatedly, but hearing tonight's news caused her to change her mind. Yes, I just might take the yummy Lindsey up on his offer.
Crawling into bed that night, Buffy followed her same routine of putting Mr. Gordo in the bed beside her. She softly whispered, "Goodnight Lil, I love you." Her eyes closed as tears slipped down her cheeks.
Angel found an apartment attached to an office by an elevator. He took it even though it only had one bedroom. It was perfect for his needs and hopefully, Cordy would find her own place soon. He wanted to let people know by word of mouth that he would help them.
Cordelia thought he should turn it into a real business and charge people. Angel refused but finally gave in from her constantly pushing the fact she needed a job. This way she could help him and become independent. He agreed only to charge anyone who could afford it. Something kept him from telling Cordy how much money he had. Angel pushed the thought away deciding his reasoning was due to saving her feeling rather than not trusting her.
The building turned out to be one of those acquired from Buffy's dealings with Rafael. She knew as soon as he accepted the lease where he lived. Doyle became her front man for dealing with any humans regarding her businesses. Tony was seriously thinking of turning over his share of LA to the little blonde and retiring to Hawaii. Buffy was mulling over his offer when Doyle walked in the office at the Coyote.
"Hello darlin', you sure look beautiful today. Is all this glory for me?"
Buffy laughed, the two of them played at flirting knowing it wouldn't go anywhere. Their friendship was too important to both of them.