The Hart of L.A.

Spike was sick with worry. Why had Buffy just run off like that? He’d thought that things were going pretty well, but he’d obviously thought wrong. Maybe he just needed to move on. Drusilla was out there somewhere. When they’d gotten back from the hospital that first time, she was gone. She’d gotten out of the rope. She was a strong girl. It was weird that he didn’t have any feelings for her anymore. He’d loved her terribly for over a century, then enter the blonde bombshell that was Buffy. She’d really knocked him for a loop. Only Dru had seen it. She’d said that the slayer was all over him, and she’d been right. After he’d helped her, he’d sort of gone soft. He didn’t play with his victims anymore, just killed when he had to feed. He really missed Buffy. Could he go on here, knowing she was out there somewhere?

When Talia woke up, she jerked up, forgetting where she was. She was not on the couch, and she was void of any clothing. She looked around, and heard that Charles was in the shower. As the events from earlier came into her mind, she blushed crimson. She looked around for her clothes, but they were still in the floor of his living room, and the bathroom door was opening. "Not trying to escape are you?" She chuckled and tightened her grip on the sheet. This was ridiculous! She’d just had sex several times with this guy, and she was nervous? Come on how stupid could you get? The fact that these people thought she was some sort of vampire slayer...VAMPIRES! She was so going to die. She was going to die a very horrible and painful death.

Gunn noticed that she seemed to be nervous. He walked over to her, and sat down. She seemed to jump when he got close to her. Did she regret her decision? He really hoped not. " Are you okay? You seem kind of jumpy. Did you have a bad dream?" She rewarded him with a smile. " So, I’m embarrassed! You make me really nervous, but in a good way." He laughed. " okay, fair enough. Did you want to take a shower? We have to be at Wesley’s in an hour." She nodded. " Yes, I’d better. I’d ask you to join me, but we’d be late." With that she got up, her shyness leaving her. " Oh yeah, can I use your cell? I really should call my family." He was amazed. She could say the most provocative thing to him, then switch just like that? Hmm, women still boggled his mind.

When everyone got to Wesley’s apartment, Lindsey stood up, then started to speak. " Um, I suppose you’re all wondering why I’m helping you. Truth be told, I don’t know. We’ve fought for so long, I shouldn’t want to help. The senior partners have three plans in motion. You’ve already seen one. They wanted Connor to distract Angel so he wouldn’t be able to protect Talia. The second plan is Talia. They know who she is, and want her out of the picture before she can fulfill some prophecy. The third plan was to get Buffy out of the picture as well. From what I see here, they’ve got that one too." Willow spoke up then. " No, she left for personal reasons. She was having some emotional problems and had to leave for awhile." Lindsey smiled at her. " Was she blaming herself for stupid stuff?" Willow didn’t have to say anything, because the look on her face told him everything he needed to know. " Exactly, she’s on a self destruct mission. The plan was to either have her kill herself, or have her so worked up, she gets killed while slaying. Does anyone know where she was going?" They all just shook their heads. "Well, if we don’t find her soon, she’s not gonna make it. There is only a very specific spell you can do to reverse the effects, and it’s very tricky." Willow smirked. Giles spoke up then. " To be perfectly honest, I have no idea where to start. It’ll be hard to get her to co me back with us, she’s a very strong willed." Willow spoke up again. " That won’t really be a problem and neither will finding her. I’ll need everyone except for Xander to leave the room. I’ll find her." With this said everyone did as Willow instructed, and filed out of the room.

Giles was pacing back and forth in Wesley’s study. He didn’t know what to do with himself. He felt so useless right now, and it was driving him insane. This was buffy, once again. The girl he’d thought of like a daughter. His feeling like that had gotten him fired once before. Even if it meant his death, he’d march right in the senior partners office, if something happened to Buffy. As it was Willow and Xander had been in the other room for a really long time, and it was driving him absolutely mad! Just then Angel’s phone started ringing, and he looked at the number and quickly answered it.

Angel was actually ashamed of himself. In the midst of everything that had been happening, he’d forgotten Cordelia. He answered his phone and quickly got his ear blasted. " So what, I wake up, and everyone just forgets about me? Not to sound self centered or anything, but I have been in a coma!!! You’ve got a lot of nerve to leave me in this place, and it’s Buffy isn’t it? She’s the reason why you haven’t come to see me, and to find out that they’re letting me go tomorrow, and I swear Angel if someone isn’t here to get me, I will use the demon powers I still have and kick your ass!" Angel had to hold the phone away from his ear while she was ranting. " Cordy, I’m sorry. We’ve been attacked by several demons, and we had to leave Wolfram and Hart. When are you getting out tomorrow? Okay, then, we’ll be there to pick you up."