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Chapter Three

Lindsey was bored. They had all left him by himself in the hotel lobby those months earlier he would have been seriously hurt for trespassing in. At first he tried to stretch out on one of the couches, but no matter how hard he tried to sleep he just couldn�t. Then he decided to use one of the office computers to entertain himself, but after awhile he gave up and turned the machine off.

Now he was sitting behind the desk he assumed belonged to one Cordelia Chase. There were a few pictures in cheap frames on the desk. Some she was in, others she wasn�t. There was a picture of a group of young adults sitting outside a burnt down building. They were holding charred papers and smiling faintly at the camera. In another picture it looked to be her parents. Apparently wealthy, with the bored expression that so many of the upper class shared.

Out of all the people that helped Angel on his campaign of good, Cordelia baffled him the most. He knew she had a wealthy upbringing. That even though her parents had some problems when she was in High School, he had no idea how someone like her got hooked up with someone like Angel. It just didn�t click. The encounters he had had with her were few, but the girl had a tongue on her that could bleed a man dry. Lindsey�s lips twitched at his choice of words to describe her, thinking maybe she was in perfect company.

Getting up from the desk he paced. There was nothing to do, and he had no idea if Angel and his gang would help him. Charity, he hated it. And if he didn�t have Wolfram and Hart looking for him he�d never had stooped so low as to coming here. He was tempted to look through their files, but what good would that do? It�s not like he could share what he found with anyone. Plus the need to take Angel out was no longer there. Sighing Lindsey ran a hand through his hair. It�s not that he liked Angel and the rest, but he no longer had the drive to wipe them out anymore either.

If he could get their help he�d be on his way, he had no idea where he was going to go, but anywhere was better than here.
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Angel and Cordelia drove in silence back to the hotel, both lost in their own thoughts. Willow was laying in the backseat, in deep slumber from the drugs the doctor had given her. Both were thankful they wouldn�t have to fight with the redhead about heading back to Sunnydale again that night.

�I don�t get it, why didn�t they just call and ask for help?� Cordelia asked softly. �They know we�d do anything for them.� Angel silently agreed, a little confused as well. �I know there�s that whole thing with you and Buffy, but if things were so desperate they should have called.�

�Do you miss them?� Angel asked softly, keeping his eyes on the road. Cordelia looked over at him, then out the passenger window.

�In a way I guess. But being away from Sunnydale, my past, and them makes me feel free. That I can be myself. When I was with them I was a total bitch.�

�I feel the same way almost. At first leaving Buffy was hard, I missed her. But then that faded.� Angel stopped, feeling odd sharing his feelings with Cordelia. �Then I was relieved to be away from all the damage I had caused that Angelus caused. Not having to see the guarded looks they all gave me, or having to deal with the guilt I felt whenever any of them were reminded of Angelus.�

Cordelia looked over at the dark vampire, and felt a new closeness to him. Just months ago her friendship with the vampire had been put to its test. When he had fired her, Wesley and Gunn. Leaving them to fight alone. She still held a slight grudge for what he had put them through. But with every bonding experience like this it healed the past a little more.

�I never said goodbye to her.�

�Buffy?�

�No..Willow. I said goodbye to all of them, in my own way except for her. I couldn�t, I didn�t know what to say.� Angel pulled into the hotel parking lot and shut off the ignition.

�Angel that�s not good.� Cordelia stated shaking her head. �If it were someone else it may be okay, but it�s Willow we�re talking about. I knew her growing up, and trust me she didn�t have very many friends. Just Jesse and Xander, and we both know what happened to Jesse. She takes the friendships she has very seriously, and I know she thought of you as her friend.�

Closing his eyes and leaning his head back to rest against the back of his seat Angel fought against the guilt. �They didn�t call because we�ve become two separate groups. We�ve all drifted apart, and each of us is to blame.� Angel answered Cordelia�s earlier questioned and got out of the car. Opening the back door he scooped Willow into his arms and carried her in the hotel lobby.
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Wesley and Gunn followed Xander into the Magic Shop, not knowing exactly what to expect or how they�d be greeted. They�d done their job by getting Xander back to Sunnydale, they didn�t know if they should head back to LA or see if they could help the residents of Sunnydale. But by the sound of things the situation was grim, and there weren�t very many options.

�Xander you�re back.� Gunn watched as an older Gentleman headed toward the young man. �You�re okay?� Gunn felt out of place by the almost fatherly way the man examined Xander for any sign of injury. Growing up he never had a father, or anyone for that matter that cared about his well being. So watching the interaction between Xander and the man named Giles was uncomfortable.

�Angel called.� Giles said bringing Gunn out of his thoughts, �Willow is doing fine. She�s resting now with the help of pain pills, but she�ll be fine.� Xander let out a sigh of gratefulness, his eyes watering at hearing that his life long friend was going to be fine.

�When is the witch coming back?� Gunn looked over at a blonde male with a British accent, which looked as though he had been plowed over by a Mack truck. Spike, Gunn figured after the conversation on the car ride here.

�Angel thinks that she should stay there until she can get around a little better.� Giles took his glasses off in a nervous gesture and started to clean them. �Seems she wanted to come home tonight. But the doctor was insistent on bed rest.�

�But what about the spell? You�re going to need help.� Gunn turned around at the new comer, a young beautiful blonde bombshell he had to assume was the slayer. No wonder Angel brooded so much. Losing that fine thing would make any man morn losing her.

�Buffy, Willow can�t even walk much less help me perform the spell. Wesley can help.� This only resulted in a room full of snorts that angered Gunn. How dare they diss Wesley like that, that was his job.

�I�ll do what I can.� Wesley murmured, aware of the lack of faith the group had in abilities. The last thing he wanted to do was spend anymore time with these people that thought so little of him. At least in LA he was regarded with some ounce of respect.

�Wes man are you sure? You don�t have to you know.� Gunn didn�t want to stay, but he sure as hell wasn�t going to let Wesley stay here alone with these people who thought so little of him.

Wesley was quiet for a moment, then silently nodded. �Fine, I�ll call the office and let Cordy and Angel know what�s going on.�