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Disclaimer: I don't own anything, please don't sue me, I have no money. Some of the dialog is from Angel episode Parting Gifts written by David Fury and Jeannine Renshaw.
Chapter 11: Gift
Buffy jumped to her feet as Angel got in through the trap door. “What did they say?” she asked even though she could see from Angel's expression that it hadn't been successful.
“That they won't bring him back to life just because he's my friend. And something about doors”, he answered and sat down on the couch with a heavy sigh. Buffy sat next to him and wrapped her arm around him, slowly stroking his hair.
“I'm sorry”, she whispered. He turned to look at her, not saying anything, he entwined their fingers and pulled her into a brief, gentle kiss.
“I better go check on Cordelia”, he stated and she nodded her head in understanding.
“You do that. And I'll work on my homework, not that it's much use, my brain is scattered.”
Angel headed upstairs where he found Cordelia looking at the coffee mugs with scrutiny. “Cordelia, what are you doing?” he asked.
“Nothing”, Cordelia shrugged it off, then turned back to him. “Looking for Doyle's special coffee mug”, she confessed.
“Doyle didn't have special coffee mug”, Angel stated confused of where she was going with that.
“Don’t you think he should have? I guess I just thought it would make me feel better if I could hold something tangible that he left behind. Some evidence he was here? But there is nothing. Almost like... like he never…” she said painfully but was interrupted by Angel.
“Cordelia, get out.”
“What?” Cordelia demanded turning her full focus on Angel.
“I mean,out of the office. Take the day off, go live your life a little bit. Buffy and I will manage here”, he explained.
“Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing, Angel”, Cordelia accused and pointed her finger at him.
“What am I doing?” he asked once again confused by her.
“You’re trying to push me away, close yourself off!”
“That’s not what…” he started to protest but was interrupted by her.
“Well I've got news for you, broody boy. We’re all we’ve got now. You may not like sharing your grief with others, but that’s the normal, healthy way people deal with loss. I’m not going anywhere, and neither is Buffy so get used to it. I’m staying right here!” Her watch beeper went off. “Gotta go. Commercial audition. If it wasn’t a national I’d totally blow it off”, she explained and started gathering her thing and headed to the door.
“If you don’t feel up to it then don’t go, stay here.”
“Reverse psychology. Very cute but don’t worry. I’m going.”
“I’m not…” Angel tried to say, Cordelia was so confusing sometimes. “But don’t get any ideas. I’m coming back!” she insisted at the door and waved her finger at him accusingly.
She opened the door and shrieked as she came face to face with a demon. “You scared the heck out of me!” the demon sighed and Cordelia looked at it like it said something strange.
“I scared you? Have you looked in the mirror lately?” she shot back.
“Every chance I get”, the demon answered adjusting his jacket before directed his gaze to Angel and passing Cordelia. “You’re him, right? You’re the guy, the... the vampire with a soul, right?” he questioned.
“I’m Angel”, Angel confirmed. The demon jumped back as Buffy came running through the apartment door with a battle ax in her hands.
“Wow!” he yelped.
Angel turned around to look at Buffy and gave her a assuring look, grudgingly she lowered the ax. “I heard a scream”, she stated.
“That would have been me, this horn-head nearly ran into me in the door”, Cordelia said and cast a accusing look to the demon.
“Can we focus on my problem?” the demon grouched out and turned back to Angel. “You gotta help me! Please... I mean that’s what you do, right? You help the helpless? You protect the, what do you call them? The the... helpless?”
“Something like that”, Angel stated.
“You want me to stay?” Cordelia asked from the door.
“It’s okay. Buffy and I will manage”, Angel assured her.
“Break a leg”, the demon said to Cordelia who sent him another weird look.
“Excuse me?”
“I’m sensing a little performance anxiety here. Little trick, picture everybody…”
“...In their underwear. I've heard it before”, Cordelia finished for him.
“I was going to say dead. But hey, if that underwear thing works for you…” the demon said flippantly and with a disgusted look directed at his way, Cordelia left.
“So what’s the problem?” Angel asked as they went to the office, he sat behind his desk as Buffy lingered by the door.
“Call me Barney. First off you should know right away before there is any misunderstanding. I’m a demon”, Barney said.
“I appreciate the candor”, Angel stated dryly.
“Yeah, we could've never figured that one”, Buffy said from the door, the ax still hanging loosely in her hand.
“Nice ax”, Barney commented.
“Thanks”, Buffy said with a smile.
“Secondly. I just realized it’s 3:45 in the afternoon. If you’re a vampire, why aren’t you in your coffin?” Barney asked and Buffy snickered as she saw Angel getting peeved.
“Coffin. I hate that stereotype”, he muttered and turned to the potential client. “You’re a demon and you don’t know anything about vampires?”
“Only what I’ve learned from TV”, Barney answered innocently and Buffy let out a giggle before she could suppress it.
“Vampires don’t sleep in coffins. It’s a misconception made popular by hack writers and ignorant media. In fact you know, we can and do move around during the day as long as we avoid direct sunlight. Got it?” Angel lectured getting riled up.
“Got it. Sorry, I didn’t mean to push any sore spots”, Barney apologized and then turned to look at Buffy. “Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm getting the whole slayer vibe from you...”
“You're not wrong”, Buffy stated and Barney's head whipped from her to Angel and back to her again.
“If you're the Slayer and he's a vampire, why aren't you... you know, slaying him?”
“I think me trying to kill my boyfriend would be a bit of a damper to our relationship.”
“Now I've heard it all. A vampire dating a slayer, oh man. She's not what I expected from a slayer. But she is cute, I'll give you that.”
Angel cleared his throat and gave Barney a warning look. “The possessive type I see”, Barney stated.
“You said you needed help”, Angel steered the topic back to the reason why he was there, he didn't feel like talking about Buffy with the demon.
“Some guy is after me, been following me for a while now.”
“Do you know who it is?”
“I don’t know. But who ever he is, he’s unstoppable, like a machine, been on my tail for a few states ever since Phoenix. I pulled out all the stops to shake him but he just keeps on coming.”
“What makes you think he means you harm?” Angel questioned.
“I don’t think he’s tracking me down to tell me that I’ve won the Publishers’ Clearing House. He’s an assassin”, Barney shot back sarcastically.
“A demon?” Buffy asked from the door.
“Could be. He knows all the haunts and hangouts. It seems wherever I go he’s just a step or two behind. You know, it’s a miracle that I’ve eluded him this long”, Barney answered.
“Why you?” Angel asked and Barney tried to look innocent.
“What you mean?”
“Who are you? Why he's after you?”
“That’s what I’m saying. I’m nothing, I’m a nobody. I’m just a guy trying to get by in this world. No different from anybody else!” Barney defended himself.
“I can tell one difference”, Buffy stated.
“In my experience, when one is being pursued that tenaciously, it’s generally because the pursuer has a strong grievance against the pursued”, Angel said and Barney shrugged innocently.
“Hey man, I never said I was a boy scout. I’m an empath demon. I can read emotions. It gives me a slight advantage at cards, you know, black Jack, poker. Oh and it’s also good for the fights.”
“So you’re just a cheat”, Buffy stated bluntly.
”I'd like to think of it as going with my strengths. Hey, I’m a demon, I’m evil”, he said in a casual manner. “But I’m not, you know. Evil!”
Angel sensed someone nearing and he lifted his gaze off the papers he was looking into. Cordelia approached him with a strange look on her face and before he could say anything, she grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him into a kiss. Despite being stunned by the kiss, he gently pushed her away and looked at her awkwardly.
“Um, Cordelia... I think that you’re acting out of grief and you’re confused right now...” he started to say but then they both noticed Buffy standing at the door, looking hurt and angry.
“What's going on here?” she demanded with a hard tone. Cordelia glanced at Angel who was having hard time getting words out of his mouth, and then she directed her gaze back to Buffy.
“Oh, well, you're already a freak and it's not like I'm going to college anyway”, she said to herself shrugging her shoulders and started approaching Buffy who took several steps back as she saw the look in Cordelia's face.
“Okay, stop!” she said and held her hands up to stop Cordelia from coming any closer. “I repeat myself, what's going on here?” she asked this time more confused than anything, the anger gone completely.
“Ugh! I didn't feel anything with him, that means I still have it! Damn, I can’t believe he did this to me!” Cordelia said all but stomping her foot to the ground.
“Who did what?” Buffy asked confused, voicing the question in Angel's mind.
“Doyle! I thought our kiss meant something, and instead he... he used that moment to pass it on to me! Why couldn’t it have been mono or herpes!”
“Cordelia, what are you talking about?” Angel asked just as confused as Buffy was.
“I didn’t ask for this responsibility! Unlike some people, who shall remain lifeless! I don’t have anything to atone for, I'm not the chosen one to hang out in the cemeteries all her life. If they know what’s good for them the PTB better just stay out of my head!” Cordelia kept on going like no one had said anything in the between.
“The Powers That Be? You had a vision?” Angel asked and Cordelia shot him a look like he had said something stupid.
“Boy! Howdy! And guess what, you know how they look painful?! Well, they feel a whole lot worse!”
“Another door opens. You’re my link to the Powers now”, Angel stated thoughtfully, stunned by the news.
“Hey, I’m nobody’s link to anybody. I lost control of my entire nervous system getting that stupid vision. And I’m not certain, but I think I may have drooled a little at the first audition I’ve had in weeks!”
“What was it?” Angel asked grabbing a notepad.
“Ah, stain-be-gone, it was a national no less. They probably never call me again!” Cordelia answered with a frown.
“The vision! What was the vision?” Angel asked getting impatient.
“Pfft! Who knows. It was a thing.”
“A thing?” Buffy questioned, joining into the conversation, still stunned by what had happened in so few minutes.
“An ugly, gray, blobby thing. What difference does it make?”
“The difference is if you saw it in a vision it could be an ugly, gray, blobby, dangerous thing!” Angel explained.
“I don’t care, I want it out of me! And if kissing is the only way to get rid of it I will smooch every damn frog in this kingdom!” Cordelia threatened fiercely. At that moment Barney walked through the door.
“Sorry. I thought I heard voices”, he stated.
“Barney, you remember my associate Cor...” Angel started to introduce her when she stalked to Barney and pulled him into a kiss. Both Buffy and Angel gave a queasy look at the act. Cordelia pulled away grimacing and still not feeling the same she had felt with Doyle.
“Maybe not every frog”, she stated and wiped her mouth, trying not to heave.
“Boy! I gotta say, I like the way you people treat your clients!” Barney said slapping his hands together.
“Excuse me”, Cordelia said still wiping her mouth and she made her way to Angel and Buffy as Barney walked to another room. “He’s a client?” she questioned.
“Apparently someone or something is after him”, Angel explained.
“That ugly, gray blobby thing?” Cordelia asked with raised eyebrows.
“You tell me. Try sketching it. In the mean time, Barney would probably feel safer down stairs. Babysit him until we get back.”
“Why can't Buffy babysit him?”
“Because Buffy is going with Angel to check out his apartment”, Buffy answered.
“He thinks whatever is chasing him knows where he lives”, Angel added.
Buffy looked at Cordelia uncertainly. “Cordy”, she started and the girl in question turned to look at her with a raised eyebrow. “You weren't going to... you know... kiss me, were you?” she asked awkwardly.
“If that's what it takes to get rid of this thing, then yeah.”
“O-okay”, Buffy choked out and quickly made her way to the other room to get her weapons.
Angel went to follow his girlfriend but he stopped at the door and turned to Cordelia. “Hey, and behave yourself. I don’t want to find you and Barney necking on the couch when we get back”, he said and Cordelia shot him a annoyed look.
Angel and Buffy stopped in front of the building, checking the address from a slip of paper. “I'll go around the back if something comes running through there”, Buffy said and Angel nodded.
“Okay, be careful, we don't know what the thing is”, he cautioned her and she rolled her eyes with a small smile.
“Yes, daddy”, she teased and started walking away.
Angel shook his head while watching her walk away, and he went into the building as soon as she had disappeared around the corner. Angel went to the right floor in an elevator and cautiously made his way to the apartment door. He spun around as another door opened but he relaxed as he noticed it was just the maid. After she was gone, he opened the door and was about to step in when someone or something pushed him inside. He turned to look at the person who was standing at the doorway with a crossbow pointed at him, his face in the shadows.
“Hello, Angel”, said a British voice and the person stepped forward, revealing Wesley. He stepped into the room, still holding the crossbow pointed at Angel.
“Wesley”, Angel greeted, relaxing and putting his hands into his pockets.
“I wager you thought, you’d never see me again”, Wesley said.
“To tell you the truth I hadn’t given it much thought one way or the other. What are you…” Angel stated feeling amused by his appearance.
“Upupup! I’m the one asking the questions here. I think it only fair to warn you, any sudden movement and I’d be forced to…” Wesley said and at that moment, Angel swatted the crossbow out of his hands. “Right. You had a question?” Wesley played off the humiliation of loosing his upper hand so easily.
“Wesley?” came Buffy's incredulous voice from the door and the two men turned to look at her. As her eyes settled on the leather outfit Wesley was wearing, she couldn't help but laugh, even Angel was trying to suppress a smile from surfacing.
“Miss Summers”, Wesley replied not being able to hide his surprise of seeing her.
“That's a new look for you. All... leathery”, Buffy said with a smirk.
“Motorcycle. The Watchers Council trying out a new image?” Angel continued.
“In point of fact I no longer work for the Council. I came to the conclusion that I was of greater value to the cause working autonomously”, he said proudly and trotted to the bed, lifting his leg to the edge trying to take a casual pose but his leg slipped off.
“They fired you too”, she stated, amusement clear in her voice.
“Hardly. With you unwilling to follow Council orders there was simply no opportunity to function as Watcher. And that’s why I became a rogue demon hunter.”
“You’re a demon hunter?” Angel asked finding it hard to believe.
“You scare them off by screaming like a girl?” Buffy asked with raised eyebrows but was ignored.
“I'm a Rogue demon hunter”, Wesley pointed out. “And I’m on the trail of a particularly nasty bugger right now. So, I suggest you stay out of my way.”
“Easy, tiger. I think you might be making a mistake. If we’re talking about the same demon here, he seems pretty harmless to me”, Angel tried to calm him down, not loosing the humor of the matter.
“He’s left a trail of corpses, human and demon, all mutilated. Each of the victims possessed some unique power. Telepathy, poison tongues, healing hands. Whatever the physical source of their power was, it was ripped, gouged, torn from their corpses.”
“He’s collecting powers”, Angel stated.
“For what purpose I can only guess. The fiend has cut a swath across half the continent. I almost caught up with it in Phoenix. Got a pretty fair look at it too.”
“Kinda short, ruddy skin and tacky clothes?” Buffy asked and Wesley raised his brows in question.
“Short? No. On the contrary, quite enormous, and powerful. More of a yellow-green. And it seems lately to be secreting some sort of viscous, yellow fluid”, Wesley answered taking a casual pose against a drawer.
“Like that?” Angel asked as a drop of yellow goo landed on Wesley's shoulder. They all looked up and saw the demon holding himself against the ceiling. They jumped back as the demon dropped down and grabbed Wesley, throwing him against the wall and hitting him before throwing him across the room. Angel attacked the demon but they were fairly evenly matched.
Buffy grabbed her crossbow from the floor and tried to aim at the demon but it always managed to put Angel on the way. Finally Buffy sighed in irritation and dropped the crossbow before jumping in to help. She punched the demon but it knocked her down with its elbow and hit Angel hard enough to send him staggering to the wall. Buffy swept its feet from under it and tried to slam her foot against its face but it grabbed her leg and threw her against Angel who had just got up to his feet. The demon jumped up and started approaching the couple when Wesley grabbed his crossbow and shot a arrow to its shoulder. With a growl, the demon jumped through the window and started running along the road. Angel helped Buffy to her feet and they went to the window.
“I guess we should go back to the apartment, find out what that thing was”, Buffy stated.
“Yeah”, Angel nodded and grabbing Buffy's crossbow from the floor, they headed to the door with Wesley following.
The group returned to the apartment. Wesley looked around himself as they walked through the office area. “So you two are running a private investigators office”, he stated.
“Angel does, I'm just the college student”, Buffy corrected.
“You're in college?” Wesley questioned clearly surprised.
“You don't need to sound so surprised”, Buffy mumbled with a frown.
“Ah, forgive me. It's just that no slayer has ever went to university”, he said noticing how his words must have sounded like.
“No slayer before me has had a life”, Buffy shot back, knowing full well she had broken every rule there was about being a slayer.
“Umm... Yes, they have been more focused on their calling.”
They went downstairs and as soon as they were in sight, Barney jumped to his feet. “That’s him!” he accused pointing at Wesley and started to shift off the room.
“Look, Barney…” Angel tried but he wasn't ready to listen.
“That’s the guy that’s after me!” he exclaimed and sprinted into run.
“The books are over there”, Angel said to Wesley, pointing at the room where the bookshelves were and went after Barney.
“Good Lord. Cordelia? Angel nor Buffy never mentioned… Well, this is a nice”, Wesley started to say as he saw Cordelia sitting in the room. She got up to her feet and as soon as she reached Wesley, she pulled him into a kiss. Buffy shifted on her feet, feeling uncomfortable and looked at anything but at the couple. Wesley wrapped his arms around Cordelia and pulled her flush against his body, deepening the kiss. After a while, she pulled back. “...surprise”, Wesley finished what he had been saying.
“It didn’t work!” Cordelia stated frustrated.
“No? Umm. I thought it went considerably better than last time”, Wesley protested her words.
“No, it was just a kind of experiment. I was trying to…” Cordelia started to explain, then truly realizing who it was. “Wesley? What are you doing here? Are you working with Angel and Buffy?” she questioned.
“A lone wolf, such as myself, never works with anyone. I’m merely allowing them to assist me”, Wesley boasted buffing his chest out and Buffy couldn't stop herself from rolling her eyes at him.
“Wow”, Cordelia sighed.
“I am a rogue demon hunter now”, Wesley stated and again Cordelia gave him a dreamy look.
“Wow”, she sighed again, but then scrunched her face in confusion. “What’s a rogue demon?”
Buffy giggled and walked past the couple. Angel returned with Barney and Wesley used the moment to go look into the books. “So what you’re telling me is that all this time your friend wasn’t hunting me, he was hunting something else that was hunting me? And that something else was after me because…” Barney questioned.
“It wants to steal your empathic ability”, Angel answered and Cordelia walked closer raising her eyebrows in question.
“The feeling feelings thing? What kind of demon would do that to another demon?” she questioned.
“A Kungai”, Wesley answered walking into the room with one of Angel's books. “The description matches. It’s of Asian origin, very deadly. A powerful race of demon’s, the Kungai possess a Tak horn, capable of consuming its opponents life force. We’re lucky to have escaped with our lives”, he continued and raised his gaze from the book, slightly alarmed.
“I know these Kungai's. They’re killers, they’re relentless. You guys have to take this thing out before it finds me”, Barney said all but grabbing Angel's jacket labels in panic.
“I’m working on it but I have to find it first”, Angel reassured him and walked to Wesley, grabbing the book but Wesley wasn't ready to let it go. Angel tucked the book to his way as Wesley pulled it back to him.
“Men and their toys”, Buffy muttered and rolled her eyes at the couple. Finally Angel pulled the book to his way and Wesley let go of it, clearly not happy.
“Hang on. It’s of Asian origin. Earlier today I tracked it through an Asian district just north of here”, Wesley stated thoughtfully.
“That’s Koreatown”, Cordelia helped out.
“It’s very likely it’s hiding there.”
“Then that’s where I start looking”, Angel said and started to head for the stairs.
“Don’t you mean we?” Wesley questioned.
“I work alone, Wesley.”
“Don't you mean with me?” Buffy questioned with her hands on her hips and challenging him with her eyes.
“This demon is mine! Angel. I know how to track him, you’re not catch him without me by your side”, Wesley protested.
“I had someone by my side. He’s dead now. I won’t let that happen again. I work alone.”
Buffy quickly ran the steps to Angel and grabbed a hold of his sleeve. “Hey, I'm coming with you. This kunga demon took us three...” she said rebelliously and then glanced at Wesley. “...two of us easily, so you're not going alone. Wesley can stay with Cordelia and Barney.”
Angel wanted to protest but he knew it would be pointless, he could see from her eyes that she was in one of her stubborn streaks. “You don’t even know where to begin to look”, Wesley protested weakly.
“I have a pretty good idea”, Angel stated and left with Buffy following him.
Angel walked into a Lotus Spa with Buffy following him. “Good evening, Soon. I need some information”, Angel said in Korean to the man behind the counter. Buffy just looked at Angel in surprise.
“What kind of a information are you talking about?” the man questioned and glanced at Buffy, deciding she was harmless and didn't seem to understand what they were talking about.
“I heard a Kungai demon came here”, Angel stated still speaking in Korean.
“Kungai? You must be joking, Angel. They scare away the regulars”, the man shot back.
“You don’t mind if I take a look around, do you, Soon?”
“You can’t come in here, disturbing our customers like this”, Soon protested.
“Forgive me. I respect you have a business to run”, Angel said and pulled out a bill, folding it and discreetly holding it out of view. Soon glanced at the couple before taking the bill.
“He’s in the back.”
“Show me”, Angel said and followed the man to the back. He stopped at a bead curtain and signed at the hallway behind it. “Thank you”, Angel said and walked through the curtain.
“I didn't know you could speak Korean”, Buffy stated with amazement evident in her voice.
“I'm full of surprises”, he stated with a crooked smile.
“That you are”, she conceded with a similar smile.
They walked through the hallway nearly getting to the end of it as suddenly one of the curtains was pulled back and an ugly gray demon stepped forward. Both Buffy and Angel stepped into fighting stance but the demon just seemed to become embarrassed as he saw Buffy. He adjusted his towel, making sure it securely around his waist as he directed his gaze to Angel.
“Hey, you know where they do the Shiatsu massage?” he asked. Angel blinked couple of times, surprised, before he turned around to walk away.
“Sorry”, Buffy stated shrugging her shoulders before following Angel.
They stepped into the backroom, finding an old woman tending the Kungai demon that was laying on a table. The woman turned to the couple. “He's dying”, she stated in Korean. Angel walked further into the room and grabbed the arrow from the table, sniffing it.
Suddenly the demon grabbed his arm and tried to say something. “I'm sorry, I don't know you're language”, he said apologetically.
“Perhaps I can be of assistance. I believe I recognize the dialect”, came Wesley's voice from the door. Buffy and Angel turned to look at him, gone was the leather outfit and in its place was a ivory suit.
“Then it’s a good thing you happened by”, Angel stated.
Wesley walked closer and looked at the demon. “I wouldn’t have thought the wound I gave him was fatal”, he stated.
“It wasn’t the arrow. His Tak horn’s been broken off”, Angel pointed out.
Wesley leaned closer to the Kungai and listened as it tried to speak. “Not stick. No, horn”, he translated and lifted his gaze to Angel. “I think he’s trying to tell us that his horn was taken”, he stated the obvious.
“We got that part already. The question is who took it”, Buffy shot at him. Wesley ignored her and directed his attention back to the demon.
“The horn was taken. He said his horn was taken for something, the Klu”, he clicked his tongue,”-ka. I’m not familiar with that word.” He turned back to the Kungai, translating as it spoke. “Fish. Fish will die. Not Fish. More. He says more will die.”
“Yeah, okay. How? Who’s doing this?” Angel asked impatiently. Wesley straightened up, giving him a look.
“No good losing patience. He’s dying and I’m not exactly fluent.”
“Well, try harder, he's not going to be waiting around for you”, Buffy said and with a exasperated look Wesley leaned closer to the demon, listening to it.
“Bit to the cherry? Slam the cherry? Oh dear. Stop. Stop the demon? Red... heart... Reader”, Wesley interpreted and the demon fell back dying. Wesley straightened up and directed to Angel. “He was trying to describe his killer. Demon, heart, reader.”
“Empath demon”, Angel stated as the realization hit him.
“Barney. And he's with Cordelia”, Buffy continued and the group quickly ran out of the place.
The three ran down to the apartment, calling Cordelia's name and immediately noting the signs of a struggle. “This is all my fault”, Wesley stated.
“We all left her here. None of us knew”, Angel said but Wesley wasn't ready to give up the self-blame.
“I should have. All this time I’ve been tracking the wrong demon. If anything happens to Cordelia because of me…”
“Nothing is going to happen to Cordelia. I won’t let it”, Angel cut him off, leaving no room for negotiation. Buffy went to the living room as Angel looked around himself in the kitchen. “In case you’re wondering, this is me looking for a clue. Feel free to join in any time you want”, Angel said but Wesley didn't even seem to hear him as he was absorbed in whipping himself.
“I’m a fool. The Council was right to sack me. Yes, I was fired. I had two, two! Slayers in my care. One turns evil and now vegetates in a coma, the other is a renegade. Fire me? I’m surprised they didn’t cut my head off.”
“Come on, you weren't much of a watcher, it's better you're trying to find the right thing for yourself. So stop beating yourself up and make yourself useful”, Buffy said and picked up a crumbled piece of paper from the floor.
“I’m useless. A fool. A sniveling great, big…” Wesley kept going.
“Ugly, gray blobby thing”, Buffy said to herself as she looked at the drawing, Angel walked to her, looking at it over her shoulder.
“An ugly, gray, blobby thing...” Wesley repeated after her and only then seemed to realize what he was saying. He turned to look at Buffy somewhat insulted. “What?”
“It’s a sculpture by Van Gieson, Maiden with Urn”, Angel stated pointing at the drawing in Buffy's hands. He picked it up and showed it to Wesley. “Cordelia saw this in a vision, it could be telling us where Barney took her.”
“So, we ascertain the sculptures whereabouts, therefor Cordelia’s whereabouts, then you two can go rescue her”, Wesley said brightening up a little.
“We can go rescue her. We need your help, Wesley. The Kungai said Barney wanted the horn for something, Klu-ka, I don't know the language”, Angel pointed out.
Wesley nodded. “I'll look into the books”, he stated and went to the other room. Angel went to the computer and started searching for the sculpture as Buffy settled in to sharpening the weapons since she wasn't much into the research.
Wesley walked into the room with one of the books cradled in his hands. “Van Gieson’s Maiden with Urn was sold to the Ramsey Hotel Chain in ‘82. There are twelve hotels between here and San Diego, it’s got to be in one of them”, Angel informed the others, leaning back with a frustrated sigh.
“I keep running up against a translation for Klu”, he clicked his tongue,”-ka, which translates as Caller Sale... Caller.. Caller Sale. Yes, of course! I know what it means!” Wesley said excitedly.
“What?” Angel asked.
“Auction”, Wesley stated proudly.
“They're going to auction Cordelia? Who could afford her?” Buffy questioned incredulously. Angel gave her agreeing smirk and picked up the phone. He dialed the number and after a brief discussion, he turned to the others.
“She's held in Hotel Ramsey in here, it recently redecorated”, he stated.
“Okay, so that's where we're going”, Buffy agreed and directed her gaze to Wesley who was wrapping tape around his leg, almost concealing the knife he was hiding there. “Do I even want to know what he's doing?” she questioned with a frown.
The three hurried to the hotel and after toughening up one of the workers, they rushed to the room where the auction was held. The room was already being cleaned. “We're too late”, Wesley stated but he was ignored as Buffy and Angel sprinted through the room.
They entered the backroom by throwing one of the players through the curtain. “Hank, get the stakes”, Barney ordered one of his employees. Buffy and Angel started fighting the guys off as Wesley tried to make his way to Cordelia, he was trying to remove the knife from under the tape but failing miserably.
“Get Cordelia”, Angel ordered and Buffy tried to cut herself off the fight as she saw Wesley wasn't doing all so good. But somewhere during the fight, two of the guys had managed to get a hold of Angel while the third tried to stake him.
“Hey!” Buffy yelled angrily and as the man's attention was elsewhere, Angel kicked the stake from his hands and Buffy grabbed the man, tossing him effortlessly across the room. As the fight continued, Buffy kept punishing the men for trying to stake Angel that she had to force herself to remember that they were still human. She glanced at Cordelia and Wesley as she knocked unconscious one of the aggressors, Wesley had managed to free Cordelia and now he was fighting Barney, or at least doing something that looked like fighting.
They managed to knock down the last one of their opponents, just in time to see Cordelia stab Barney and him withering away, leaving only empty clothes to the spot.
“I never doubted you'd find me!” Cordelia exclaimed and wrapped her arms around Angel. She pulled away and made a move to hug Buffy but she took a step back.
“Like I'd try to kiss you again, get over yourself. Besides, I've come to terms with my seeing-self, it's something that Doyle gave to me, a part of himself”, Cordelia said with her hands on her hips.
“I guess we should go home”, Buffy whispered with a small smile and the group started moving towards the door.
“Are you coming, Wesley?” Angel asked from the door, noticing that Wesley hadn't followed them and was shuffling his feet in the spot where he had been just laying.
“Yes, of course”, Wesley said happy that he had been remembered and followed after the others.
“So, there's nothing out of normal?” Buffy asked on the phone, she was leaning against one of the pilars and watching as Angel cooked. “And anything new about mom? You know how Dawn can't keep anything to herself, it's not like mom would just tell me if she's not feeling good, she doesn't want me to worry. --- Okay, good. --- I'll see you on Friday. --- Yeah, you too, especially now that you own the Magic Shop. --- I'll tell them. Bye”, she finished the conversation and hung up the phone.
“Giles says hi”, she stated and sat down next to Cordelia on the table.
“How is everything?” Angel asked and turned to look at Buffy with concern. She sighed and took a piece of lettuce from the salad bowl, looking at him from under her lashes.
“Everything's okay. They haven't seen anything abnormal. Mom has been in some tests and Dawn is living everyday life like nothings wrong. And they haven't found anything constructive in research”, she answered.
“Don't worry, we'll find out what that bitch is, we always do. And then you can kick her ass”, Cordelia stated not seemingly worried about the new bad guy.
“I hope so”, Buffy said and kept nibbling at the lettuce she was holding.
“Come to think of it, don't you have classes today, you said you were attending to university”, Wesley said from the door, he was once again dressed in his rouge demon hunter outfit.
“I'm waiting for breakfast before going”, Buffy stated and then turned to Angel. “Unless someone gives me a permission to skip today”, she said with a almost singsong voice and gave him a crooked smile.
“Oh, come on, you two!” Cordelia exclaimed from next to her, ready to cover her eyes.
“You look fit enough to attend”, Angel said. She got up from the table and made her way to the stove where he was standing.
“I could show you how fit I am”, she whispered and he turned sharply to look at her.
“Vixen”, he accused her and pressed a quick kiss to her lips. “But you're going to class”, he stated and Buffy gave him a pout.
“See what I have to put up with!” Cordelia said to Wesley and signed at the couple.
“Umm, yes... Well, I must be off then. Who knows when our paths will cross again”, Wesley said and shook Angel's hand before giving Buffy a nod of acknowledgment.
“Do you even know where you’re headed?” Cordelia asked from the table.
“Us rogue demon hunters rarely do. Wherever evil lurks, wherever the forces of darkness threaten humanity, that’s where I’ll be”, he gave them a proud speech like from a cheesy B-movie.
“Okay. Keep in touch”, Cordelia dismissed him.
“Umm.. yes, yes, I will. But now the evil lurking everywhere bids me onwards. So, I go”, he stalled and moved towards the steps.
“Take care”, Cordelia said after him and disappointed he left but only seconds later popped up again.
“No rest for the wicked fighters. Through storm and rain, heat, famine, deep, painful, gnawing hunger, I go”, he said watching at the table with freshly cooked food in it.
He turned around to leave but Angel's voice stopped him. “Breakfast?” he suggested and immediately Wesley shed his jacket and made his way to the table.
“Why not”, he stated as he sat down next to Cordelia.
“One of the perks of the job, after an all-nighter of fighting the lurking evil, we get breakfast”, Cordelia stated digging into her food. “When Buffy told me he's a gourmet cook, I didn't believe her. You know, how could a guy who's on a constant liquid diet can be a good cook. But for once, I was wrong.”
“Astonishing, really”, Wesley added.
“Where's the peanut-butter?” Buffy asked Angel as she reached for the toast.
“Don't talk about peanut butter while I'm present! I know every major movie star has a shrink but I don't want to spend my money on talking about the trauma you two caused me”, Cordelia yelped and the couple shared a mischievous look.
