Part 8<\/b><\/p>\n
A heart reaching out<\/em> Opportunity<\/em> Love for the asking<\/em> Driving across town in the Plymouth drew gawkers standing on the sidewalks, but the speeding car didn\u2019t pause long enough to give them confirmation of what they thought they had seen. Or not seen, in Angel\u2019s case, as he remained invisible.<\/p>\n Willow grabbed onto the dashboard as they rounded a curb, cringing as they got a little close to the corner, g-forces tossing her from one side of the seat to the other. Who woulda guessed Angel could take on Mario Andretti?<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe I should drive,\u201d she called out with the wind in her face despite having told him the idea scared her so soon after the accident that left Dawn injured. \u201cI\u2019d like to get there in one piece.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou will,\u201d Angel promised answering back, but he wasn\u2019t about to stop now. Every second counted. He had no idea if the Trio had contacted the interested parties or who those people might be. Holtz topped his imagined list.<\/p>\n The convertible screeched to a halt three houses down from their destination, the Meers residence. No cars in the driveway<\/i>, Angel observed silently as he made his way across the lawn, automatically sticking to the lengthening shadows despite his invisibility.<\/p>\n \u201cAngel?\u201d hissed Willow as she closed the car behind her knowing that the vampire was already on his way. With a sigh, she made her way directly down the sidewalk taking a second to smile at a woman power-walking on the other side of the street.<\/p>\n Then a strong hand clamped over her wrist and tugged her behind the large oak tree on the edge of Warren Meer\u2019s front lawn. \u201cWhat are you doing? You\u2019ll be seen.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBy who?\u201d Willow shrugged looking around at the now-empty street. Other than a pair of squirrels frolicking in the neighbor\u2019s yard, there was nothing going on. \u201cLooks quiet enough to me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re here. Connor, Cordy, all of them,\u201d Angel\u2019s senses flooded with scents and sounds confirming it.<\/p>\n Willow had gotten used to hearing about the advantages of being a superior vampire from Spike. \u201cGuess those vampy senses are working.\u201d<\/p>\n Missing the tinge of sarcasm in her chirpy voice, Angel was too busy contemplating the method by which he would pulverize the three young men inside that house. He felt his fury raging again now that their scent surrounded him.<\/p>\n One problem barred his way, preventing any personal attempt at a rescue or reaping revenge.<\/p>\n \u201cKnow any spells to get me inside the house?\u201d he asked Willow having not thought about the fact that as a human, Warren Meers possessed the same protection from vampires as everyone else when inside their own home.<\/p>\n Looking paler than normal, Willow gulped down hard as she realized Angel couldn\u2019t get in the house and there was no way she could help him do it. \u201cUh\u2026 no. Actually, um, I\u2019m kinda not doing the magick thing for a while.\u201d<\/p>\n Confused at Willow\u2019s refusal, Angel didn\u2019t know what to think, his anger at the three kidnappers unintentionally turning on her, \u201cYou\u2019re a powerful wicca. I\u2019ve seen you jump into a fight to help Buffy when you had nothing more than a desire to help. This is Cordy. This is my son. Willow, you can end this here and now.\u201d<\/p>\n Wide-eyed and trembling from her own inner struggle, Willow admitted that it would be easy to let go and do what he asked. \u201cI want too. Really. But I can\u2019t do it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe hell you can\u2019t!\u201d Willow jumped as the oak tree creaked; bark flying off of one spot as Angel\u2019s invisible fist connected hard. She\u2019d never known Angel to lose his temper; he was always subdued and in control.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you can bring Buffy back from the dead, you can damn well get me in that door.\u201d<\/p>\n Even if she couldn\u2019t see his face, Willow knew this went far beyond anger. \u201cYou don\u2019t understand.\u201d He\u2019d dragged her along assuming that she had the power to get him inside knowing that she possessed the ability to invoke magick that could counter any scientific traps that might be in their way. To help him save\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cMy son and the woman I\u2014,\u201d Angel broke off at the startled look in Willow\u2019s eyes as she dragged her gaze away to stare at her shoes. His thoughts echoed hers, though neither one confirmed it. Just the direction his words were taking forced Angel to refocus and demand an explanation, \u201cJust give me one good reason.\u201d<\/p>\n Tearful, but determined, Willow looked up staring forward at the space she figured Angel occupied. \u201cThere\u2019s a demon inside me, Angel. Not like yours, just my own addiction to magick. Once I start again, bad things will happen. It\u2019s like\u2026 like giving Angelus free reign with the ones you love.\u201d<\/p>\n A curse sounded followed by a harsh laugh that was in no way funny. Angel could hardly argue when effectively slapped in the face with his personal struggles. It was something that never went away, always there beneath the surface.<\/p>\n Swamped by a wave of self-derisiveness, Angel clamped down on his anger and within a few silent moments had himself back under the cool embrace of control.<\/p>\n Reaching out for Willow\u2019s hand, \u201cTake my cell phone,\u201d he said placing it in her palm. \u201cMake the call.\u201d<\/p>\n Almost as soon as she felt his grip loosen, the small silver and black phone appeared visible. Flipping it open, she automatically began to punch in the numbers for Buffy\u2019s house. Then realizing he could have made the call himself, \u201cWhere are you going? Angel\u2026Angel?\u201d<\/p>\n Planning to examine all of the exits and possibly block off any alternate escape routes, Angel moved across the lawn, but a movement amidst the thick growth of roses in one brick-ringed flower bed caught the vampire\u2019s attention. Angel headed directly toward it. A flash of the waning sunlight caught on something glinting back into his eyes.<\/p>\n Close now, Angel saw a metallic cylinder sticking up from beneath the flowerbed pointing in the direction of the oak tree.<\/p>\n \u201cThey know we\u2019re here.\u201d<\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s her,\u201d dread sounded in Warren\u2019s voice as he peered through the end of the makeshift periscope.<\/p>\n Groans sounded from his two cohorts, but Cordelia reacted with an instant smile of relief. \u201cBuffy\u2019s here?\u201d She\u2019d take a rescue from her any day, especially today.<\/p>\n Warren yanked the periscope down to its resting position. \u201cYou\u2019d just love that. No, it\u2019s not the Slayer.\u201d Reluctantly admitting, \u201cIt\u2019s Willow,\u201d he knew that if the witch was here, her best friend wouldn\u2019t be far behind.<\/p>\n The Trio stood in a close triangle talking over options. Jonathan pointed out, \u201cThat\u2019s just as bad. Maybe worse considering Willow\u2019s power,\u201d he added now wishing they had conducted some testing on her like they had on the Slayer.<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s on a cell phone. You know what that means,\u201d Warren told them grimly.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Slayer,\u201d Andrew\u2019s hushed words were full of awe and fear.<\/p>\n Pointing out again that they already had enough trouble; Jonathan wracked his brain for a way out. \u201cWillow can stop us if we give her the chance. We need a distraction.\u201d<\/p>\n Andrew agreed, \u201cYeah, a distraction,\u201d then looked toward Cordelia who had inched toward the stairs while they were busy.<\/p>\n \u201cLet us go,\u201d Cordelia offered up a solution though doubting these three would take her up on it. Larry, Moe and Curly over there might be geniuses, but they were just dumb enough to be dangerous. \u201cNobody will follow you as long as Connor and I are safe.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGuys, that\u2019s a good idea. We might get out in one piece,\u201d Jonathan sounded hopeful and took Cordelia at her word.<\/p>\n Scoffing, Warren shook his head as he snapped back, \u201cForget it. The kid is still worth a lot of money.\u201d<\/p>\n Strategizing, Andrew suggested, \u201cWe could take one and leave the other behind to draw Willow off.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen take the damn kid and let\u2019s get out of here,\u201d Warren pushed hard at Andrew\u2019s shoulder sending him stumbling toward Cordelia.<\/p>\n Cordelia reacted on instinct, racing for the stairs and clutching Connor close to her breast as she ran. Halfway up, Andrew lunged forward grabbing onto her ankle. A startled, \u201cNo!\u201d sounded from her lips as she gripped onto the handrail to stop her inevitable fall.<\/p>\n \u201cGet back down here,\u201d Warren shouted angrily turning red in the process. Both Jonathan and Andrew turned their heads in his direction, puzzled looks on their faces at his seemingly contradictory order.<\/p>\n \u201cNot you two. Get the brat,\u201d he pointed directly at Connor and hobbled toward the stairs.<\/p>\n Shaking her foot until she wriggled out of Andrew\u2019s grasp, Cordelia stomped hard on his hand causing him to screech in pain. Girly cry, much?<\/i> The thought no more popped into her head than she saw Jonathan barreling up the stairs practically stepping all over Andrew to follow her.<\/p>\n Bracing herself for what might happen, Cordelia reached the top of the steps, turned the doorknob and darted out into the hallway. Now darkened by shadows as the sun sank behind the clouds on the other side of the house, the hallway light was just dim enough to momentarily confuse her as she looked for the front entrance.<\/p>\n Calling out to her friend, Cordelia shouted out her name hoping that she would hear, \u201cWillow!\u201d<\/p>\n Jonathan saw Cordelia close in on the front door. Taking a deep breath, he focused on what he needed to do. Part of him wanted her to make it out, but the other part was just as determined to go through with the plans the way they\u2019d been set up.<\/p>\n He was supposed to be evil, dammit, and these twinges of sympathy didn\u2019t go with his new image.<\/p>\n Words of magick came to him as he concentrated and before Cordelia could get to the door, a pine console scraped across the floor blocking her path. Even he was amazed at himself, exclaiming, \u201cWow! It worked,\u201d then found himself face to face with Cordelia whose only path out of the house now seemed to be through the back door and she had to go through him to do it.<\/p>\n \u201cGet out of my way, Jonathan,\u201d her eyes pleaded even as she saw Andrew appear in the hallway behind him.<\/p>\n \u201cSorry, Cordy. I told you I\u2019d stop you if I had too,\u201d Jonathan stepped forward slowly and for every step he took, Cordelia backed into the living room.<\/p>\n Connor was awake and alert, his bright eyes open, but without a peep sounding; his little ear pressed up against Cordelia and hearing the rapid lub-dubbing of her heart. Soft hands clutched his tiny body, holding him close, holding him as safe as could be.<\/p>\n The familiar scents and sounds were all he needed at the moment being completely innocent of the danger.<\/p>\n Backed against the edge of a chair, with Jonathan standing before her holding out his arms for the baby, Cordelia looked disappointed for a second, \u201cI\u2019m sorry, too\u2026NOT!\u201d Jonathan\u2019s eyes crossed as her knee connected with his groin. He squeaked in pain, grabbing his crotch and falling to the floor.<\/p>\n Unfortunately, Andrew was right there at her side, his wiry body snaking around and his hands latching on to Connor. Warren clamped down on Cordelia\u2019s arm and in a moment, the baby was wretched from her protective hold. \u201cConnor!\u201d<\/p>\n Almost simultaneously, the front door flew off its hinges, the power behind the kick that opened it splintering the wood and pushing the console out of the way. It slid to a halt at an angle right in front of the entrance to the foyer door leading out to the garage.<\/p>\n The struggling and movement inside the living room paused as shocked eyes turned toward the door to see Willow Rosenberg stepping into the foyer.<\/p>\n Here goes nothin\u2019<\/i>, Willow thought. Looks like Cordelia\u2019s not the only one with Oscar aspirations.<\/i><\/p>\n With a stage-whisper to Angel who had heard Cordelia\u2019s alarmed cry and decided it was too late to wait for the others to show up, \u201cThanks for the ticket inside.\u201d Louder, she threatened, \u201cMake one move and you\u2019re all rats… except for Cor and the baby, of course.\u201d<\/p>\n Jonathan struggled to his feet, still grimacing in pain, \u201cGo! I\u2019ll do what I can to stop her.\u201d Assuming that Willow had used magick to break down the door, he was quite certain that she would go through with her threat if she could, but the nature of that kind of spell would take more time and concentration than he figured possible.<\/p>\n Though it occurred to Andrew that it might be funny to see Warren as a big rat, the likelihood that he would be next wasn\u2019t as amusing.<\/p>\n Panic set in as Andrew saw the blocked door to the garage. He wavered for a moment between attempting to shove aside the console and racing down the hallway that was now the only clear path out of the house.<\/p>\n Pulling Cordelia in front of him as a shield despite her struggles, Warren watched as Andrew darted toward the back door. \u201cNot that way, moron,\u201d he called out as their things were all in the van.<\/p>\n \u201cPlan C,\u201d Andrew yelled back over his shoulder as days of strategic planning finally kicked in.<\/p>\n \u201cIdiot,\u201d muttered Warren realizing that Andrew would have to run for nearly half a mile in the woods behind the house to reach the cave that served as their emergency hideout. As for Jonathan, if he wanted to be the martyr and stay behind\u2026 let him.<\/p>\n Watching Cordelia forcibly held by her stronger attacker, Angel pounded an invisible hand against the barrier, unable to get in. Calling out her name now might only give Warren an added advantage, so he forced himself to stay silent. No matter his own futile desire to save her, Angel knew there was nothing he could do.<\/p>\n Connor might be another story. The little punk who had his son was obviously trying to escape and the moment he set foot out of the house, Angel was determined to be there to stop him. With one last look at Cordelia, who was sounding off at Warren as she tried to pull free, Angel raced from the front entryway around the corner of the house.<\/p>\n \u201cI told you not to move,\u201d Willow put her hands on her hips in a stance she\u2019d seen Buffy take a hundred times when facing off against an enemy. Looking tough was a little easier when you could actually use the powers you possessed.<\/p>\n The thought of turning these weasels\u2026 aww that could be cute\u2026 into rats was very tempting. \u201cNow that Amy\u2019s all human again, I have a cage sitting empty just for you. Free rent, too.\u201d<\/p>\n Warren heard Amy Madison had turned up again after her sudden disappearance, but that didn\u2019t mean Willow had anything to do with it. Adam\u2019s apple bobbing as Warren swallowed reflexively, \u201cShe\u2019s bluffing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNope, not bluffing. Hope you like cheese,\u201d Willow smirked as she calculated the time remaining until reinforcements would arrive. \u201cLet Cordy go.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cForget it, witch.\u201d Warren wrapped one arm around Cordelia\u2019s waist, holding her up against him as he also kept a tight grip on the Invisibility Ray. He wasn\u2019t about to put it down. Shielding his body with hers, he pulled them toward the hallway while hearing Jonathan start to chant something. \u201cTry anything and Queen C is gonna get it first.\u201d<\/p>\n Twisting her body, Cordelia tried to escape Warren\u2019s clutches, but was too intent on what had happened to Connor to focus on the defensive techniques Angel had taught her. \u201cWillow, go after Connor!\u201d She settled for a jab of her elbow.<\/p>\n A whoosh of breath followed as Warren released her, doubling over just long enough for Cordelia to grab the ray gun and send it sliding across the hardwood floor. It came to a halt halfway between Willow and Jonathan who both looked at each other for several seconds before lunging for the weapon.<\/p>\n Jonathan figured they could use the invisibility to escape. Assuming he could get his hands on it, which was difficult with Willow practically doing a belly flop on top of him. \u201cNo you don\u2019t,\u201d Willow shouted out as she wrestled with him for supremacy.<\/p>\n Hearing signs of the struggle from the living room, Andrew stared back down the hallway seeing silhouettes grappling in the distance. \u201cNo way are we going back there,\u201d Andrew commented to Connor whose little face immediately scrunched up into frown at the sound of the stranger\u2019s voice. \u201cWe are definitely going with Plan C.\u201d<\/p>\n Flinging open the back door, Andrew was about to step outside and then realized the baby\u2019s diaper bag, powdered formula and the extra bottles they had prepared were still sitting on the kitchen counter.<\/p>\n Andrew decided that if he was going to have to take care of a baby for whatever length of time it would take Warren and Jonathan to meet him at the rendezvous point, he was going to make sure he had what he needed.<\/p>\n Angel stood at the back door\u2026 waiting. He could see his son just a few feet away, but still couldn\u2019t get to him. He\u2019d never felt so frustrated over anything in his long existence and started to pace in front of the doorway until he realized that he was wearing a visible path into the lawn.<\/p>\n \u201cC\u2019mon, little vampire baby,\u201d Andrew settled Connor into the infant carrier that Cordelia had earlier set in a safe spot, \u201cbe really, really quiet. We don\u2019t want any nasty Slayers after us, do we?\u201d<\/p>\n Down the hall, Warren grabbed Cordelia by the hair as she started to run toward the back of the house in the direction Andrew had taken Connor. \u201cBitch! That\u2019s two you owe me,\u201d he raged in her ear. Despite a few moves that nearly set her free, Cordelia couldn\u2019t break loose of his hold, anger seeming to make him stronger.<\/p>\n Dragging her toward the door that led to the garage, he pushed her against the wall as he shoved aside the console blocking the entry, leaning his body against hers for a moment longer than he needed to.<\/p>\n \u201cHope you said goodbye to your little brat. If I don\u2019t catch up with Andrew again, you\u2019ll have to forget the reunion. It\u2019ll be just you and me.\u201d<\/p>\n Pushing her into the garage, Warren made the mistake of changing his hold on her so that she faced him. Cordelia immediately threw a punch in his direction and felt the hard contact of her knuckles against his nose. His head snapped back followed by a gush of blood and a grunt of pain.<\/p>\n \u201cMy friends will hunt you down,\u201d Cordelia promised him. Thinking, Right after they rescue Connor<\/i>, she hoped Willow wasn\u2019t as alone as it seemed. \u201cYou\u2019ll be sorry you ever set foot in Los Angeles.\u201d<\/p>\n Holding onto his nose with one hand and Cordelia\u2019s wrist with the other, Warren reassessed his situation. This whole project was a huge bust. Here he was with no Invisibility Ray, no baby to sell to the highest bidder and only one classy bitch to keep him company on the long road to wherever.<\/p>\n Cordelia Chase might be beautiful and everything he wanted and deserved to have in high school though never got, but she was too much trouble to manage on his own.<\/p>\n That didn\u2019t mean Warren was going to let her get away with shooting him in the leg and breaking his nose. Both still hurt like hell. Curling his bloodied hand into a fist, he sent her flying back against a brick column, her head hitting hard just before her body crumpled to the floor.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, crap!\u201d Warren hadn\u2019t planned on that. He took one look at the blood seeping across the cement floor of the garage and nearly gagged at the sight of it. Why did this always happen to him? Turning sharply, he limped toward the van.<\/p>\n Andrew took one step out the back door and within the space of a second, the carrier was snatched from his hand. \u201cAaaaah!\u201d A high-pitched scream followed as he felt a large hand grab the collar of his shirt an instant before he was yanked up onto the toes of his shoes.<\/p>\n \u201cGuess who?\u201d Angel snarled in his ear resulting in a whimper from the now quaking smaller man.<\/p>\n Answering the redundant question anyway, Andrew squeaked, \u201cA-Angel. You really are invisible. Cool.\u201d<\/p>\n Feeling the urge to shake him, Angel suppressed it in order to take a closer look at Connor. The baby appeared to be fine, which was fortunate for young Andrew. \u201cYou are going to get me into this house,\u201d Angel shoved him back toward the door while maintaining his hold.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2014 it\u2019s not my house,\u201d Andrew pointed out. He knew the drill about vampires and invitations.<\/p>\n Angel knew there was a slim chance of it working. This might not be the place where Andrew lived full time, but he certainly had ownership of their basement lair. \u201cInvite me in anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n The gravelly demand had Andrew glancing over his shoulder. He could hear Willow and Jonathan squalling in the background, but not Warren or Cordelia. Inviting the vampire into the house would end any chance his friends had of making it to the van before the Slayer arrived. Assuming she wasn\u2019t already here.<\/p>\n \u201cNo?\u201d It came out like a question, Andrew looking back and forth at the blank space before him.<\/p>\n \u201cDo it, now!\u201d Angel\u2019s raised voice only caused Connor to let out a startled cry and his father growled low in angry response.<\/p>\n Sniveling now, Andrew agreed to try. \u201cUmm\u2026okay\u2026I invite you in, I guess.\u201d<\/p>\n Discovering that the barrier remained intact, Angel decided he\u2019d wasted enough time on Andrew. He needed to get back out front and see how Cordelia and Willow were doing handling the other two.<\/p>\n Dragging Andrew along behind him would have taken too long, so Angel simply grabbed him by the waist and carried him. Andrew was too whiny and caught up in self-pity to remember to struggle.<\/p>\n A car pulled up directly onto the sidewalk just as Angel rounded the corner. Xander emerged from the driver\u2019s side, barely noticing the fact that Andrew and the carrier were seemingly suspended in midair. From the front lawn, he could see Willow and Jonathan standing just inside the front doorway, each with their hands on the large metallic ray gun pulling it one way and then the other.<\/p>\n Fred was also on the driver\u2019s side of the car, back in the passenger seat. Letting out an excited whoop, she ran toward the baby carrier understanding immediately that it was Angel with his son and one of the kidnappers. \u201cConnor!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTake the baby, Fred,\u201d Angel handed off the carrier. Gunn was approaching at a rapid pace with Anya trailing behind.<\/p>\n \u201cWhere\u2019s Cordy?\u201d asked Gunn as soon as he reached Angel.<\/p>\n \u201cStill inside,\u201d Angel nodded toward the house forgetting for a moment that Gunn couldn\u2019t see him. \u201cI need you to\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOn it!\u201d Just as Gunn moved toward the front door, a loud crash sounded as a black van with the Death Star painted on one side burst through the garage door. The van bounced complainingly across the shards scattered across the driveway, rubber tires squealing as Warren maneuvered it onto the road at full speed.<\/p>\n Gunn took off at a sprint, darting after the van. Thinking only that Warren was trying to escape with Cordelia, Angel unceremoniously dropped Andrew to the ground at Anya\u2019s feet just before he followed, his vampiric speed allowing him to quickly catch up.<\/p>\n \u201cHello, I am Anya,\u201d the blonde smiled down at Andrew appearing quite cordial. \u201cYou are now my prisoner and will refrain from any attempt at escaping.\u201d<\/p>\n On the ground, crawling up to his hands and knees, Andrew glanced toward the road and calculated his chances of outrunning a woman wearing sandals. He\u2019d barely even conceived of the notion when Anya\u2019s smile turned into a frown.<\/p>\n Stomping on his sore hand, she then dug her heel into his back, \u201cStay down, you little pipsqueak.\u201d<\/p>\n With another screech of tires, the back of the van swayed as Warren momentarily lost control. But he had it back on course a moment later, moving at a pace neither Angel nor Gunn could match. Three houses down, Angel pulled up and stopped Gunn before he got any further down the road.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re driving,\u201d Angel tossed the keys to the Plymouth to Gunn just before hopping into the passenger seat. \u201cPull up right behind him.\u201d<\/p>\n A glance in the rearview mirror told Warren he might have just escaped the arrival of the cavalry, but he now had a car on his tail. The black convertible was approaching fast. There was one man behind the wheel, someone Warren didn\u2019t recognize.<\/p>\n With luck, Warren hoped to lose him now that the sun was barely more than a slit of light across the horizon.<\/p>\n Focusing on the road in front of him, Warren caught a glimpse of Buffy Summers appearing from a side-street. One moment of eye contact was enough to tell Warren he was in deep trouble. As she was already running at a fast pace, Buffy moved with an incredible burst of speed at an angle intended to intercept him.<\/p>\n Stepping on the gas pedal, Warren floored it. His heart beat a rapid thump in his chest and sweat beaded across his forehead.<\/p>\n What speed was it they\u2019d clocked the Slayer at again? He couldn\u2019t remember. The speedometer blurred a little. Surely he was going faster than that, he thought just as he zoomed past Buffy.<\/p>\n A clunk sounded at the back of the van, followed by another. Warren tried swerving in the middle of the road, but went too far managing to sideswipe a parked car. The sounds were getting closer now, on the roof of the van.<\/p>\n Something was up there. Warren let out a jerky laugh, almost an insane giggle, as he told himself he was just denying the truth. What was that again? Every hero needed an arch-nemesis, he thought. Every evil-doer needed a champion to make the odds more interesting.<\/p>\n Looked like the Slayer was going to win this one, after all.<\/p>\n The passenger door opened and Buffy slipped into the seat, shutting the door, and taking a moment to smooth her flaxen hair as she turned to look at Warren. He sat there, still speeding down the road as she gave him a perky little smile that told him he was toast.<\/p>\n As if seeing the Slayer sitting calmly in his passenger seat wasn\u2019t enough, the back door of the van was suddenly ripped away. \u201cWhat the hell is that?\u201d Warren gaped and drove even faster as if he could simply drive away from whatever was coming his way.<\/p>\n Equally startled, Buffy wondered the same thing. Then her Slayer senses kicked in and she instinctively knew it was Angel.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t worry,\u201d Buffy quipped as she grabbed Warren from his seat leaving the van momentarily driverless. \u201cFirst, you\u2019ll deal with me,\u201d she pulled him into a headlock against the dashboard.<\/p>\n Not exactly what Angel had in mind when he jumped into the van, he made a grab for the spinning wheel as the van veered off the street and into a small park.<\/p>\n \u201cWhere is Cordy?\u201d Angel demanded as he turned the van around heading back the way they came.<\/p>\n Warren was too busy yelping in pain to answer. \u201cOww! Not so hard.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, sorry,\u201d Buffy squeezed him a little tighter and knocked his forehead against the dashboard hard enough to leave a large bump. \u201cWant me to kiss it better?\u201d<\/p>\n Angel gripped the steering wheel tighter, suddenly thinking that it was probably a good thing that it was Buffy\u2019s arm around Warren Meer\u2019s neck and not his own. He wasn\u2019t certain he would stop squeezing. \u201cI asked you about Cordelia.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s your cue, dweeb,\u201d Buffy prompted him while sending Angel a silent query with her eyes. She\u2019d come here directly from the cemetery. It was closer than going back to the house and honestly, Buffy figured she could handle things on her own. If it looked like something bigger, then she had planned to find a phone and call for reinforcements.<\/p>\n Looked like the action had started a little ahead of schedule. Warren refused to say anything, clenching his jaw tight and pressing his mouth into a defiant line of hate. Buffy asked Angel, \u201cWhat about Connor?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSafe,\u201d he answered distractedly, his thoughts already moving ahead, back to the house and to Cordelia.<\/p>\n Angel turned the van into the driveway with Gunn pulling up along the sidewalk just behind them. As Buffy looked up, she saw everyone gathered together in the garage and quickly surveyed the group.<\/p>\n Willow stood beside Jonathan, both of them scruffy looking, though Jonathan\u2019s hands were tied up behind his back with cords from a Venetian blind. Anya and Andrew stood side-by-side, the scrawny nerd appearing rather subdued and staring at his feet. A thin brunette held onto a baby, which Buffy assumed had to be Connor.<\/p>\n Then she saw that Xander was kneeling on the ground\u2026 next to Cordelia. Turning to look toward Angel, despite his invisibility, Buffy saw that the door was already open. He was already on his way. The tall black man she assumed to be Charles Gunn ran past the door at a fast pace.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re getting out now, Warren,\u201d Buffy told him just before tossing him through the door and onto the lawn. She hopped down, grabbed him by the arm and twisted it behind his back into a steady grip that kept him completely under control. The loud curses that sounded in the air caused her to groan in disgust, \u201cShut up.\u201d<\/p>\n Angel scented blood in the air as soon as he had opened the van door; his head was spinning at the realization that it belonged to Cordelia. He could see her lying still as death amongst the crowd, and it was too difficult to filter out all of the pulsing hearts surrounding her to tell if hers still beat.<\/p>\n At a run, he smashed into the invisible barrier that had kept him apart from her from the moment of his arrival. \u201cCordy?\u201d The crowd turned at the anguished sound. Just as he was about to ask them if she was alive, Gunn accidentally knocked into him as he headed into the garage.<\/p>\n Buffy\u2019s arrival with Warren went unnoticed as everyone was focused on the form of the fallen seer and the tormented voice of the invisible vampire. They didn\u2019t need to see Angel to understand his feelings because they resonated from him with every syllable he uttered.<\/p>\n Propelling Gunn that final step into the garage, Angel stayed as close as he could get. Rasping thickly, \u201cBring her to me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n Offering tokens of trust<\/em>
\n Seeking a return<\/em><\/p>\n
\n Revelations lost and found<\/em>
\n Speaking from the heart.<\/em><\/p>\n
\n Desire burning brightly<\/em>
\n Awaiting response.<\/em><\/p>\n