Love and the Initiative

Part 13

      "So you had a vision that led you to Sunnydale?" Anya asked Doyle as the
van headed out of Sunnydale.  "And in this vision you saw Angel, Spike,
Willow and I running from the Initiative and that Buffy would be helping
them?"
      "That’s about the sum of it," Doyle confirmed.  They had been on the road
for twenty minutes, everyone constantly checking behind them to see if they
were being followed.  So far, they hadn’t seen anything out of the ordinary.
      "Well, for once, I’m glad that I need to buy you more whiskey," Angel
joked, slapping the half demon on the shoulder.  "Your’s was one voice that
was very welcome to hear."
      "Glad that we didn’t listen to those idiots and leave town," Doyle said.
      "I can’t believe that Buffy and Xander actually believed that you had left
town,’ Cordelia stated, facing Willow.  Cordelia was angry over the seeming
indifference that had greeted Willow’s disappearance.  Buffy and Xander were
her best friends and yet they seemed to have accepted what they were told.
She didn’t understand how anyone who knew Willow would have thought that she
would have left town to get over Oz.  That wasn’t Willow’s style.
      "Well, it didn’t help that we had Riley telling them that it made sense
that Willow would want to get away from the places that would remind her of
Oz," Anya told everyone.  "I mean, he was the psychology major and all, so
they bought what he was selling hook, line and sinker.  Figured he would
know all about what people would do to get over heartache."
      "But why didn’t you?" Cordelia asked the vengeance demon.
      "I’ve seen too many women that have been hurt by men," Anya answered
simply, "and I knew the signs of someone that wouldn’t take off.  I mean,
Willow might have been upset over what dog boy did, but she wouldn’t run
off.  She’s not Buffy."  The van was quiet as they all took in Anya’s
reasons for worrying about what had happened to Willow, not to mention her
little comment about Buffy running away.  Cordelia and Willow both still
remembered the summer that they had to take over patrolling for Buffy while
she was trying to deal with sending Angel to hell.
      "I don’t know what to say, Anya," Willow finally replied.  She was touched
by the concern that the girl had for her well being.  Then a thought struck
her that made her giggle.
      "What’s so funny?" Angel asked the girl in his arms.
      "I just though of something that me, Anya and Cordelia all have in common,"
Willow told him.  When she saw that everyone was looking at her, except for
Doyle considering he was driving.  "Do you all realize that each of us has
either dated or loved Xander Harris and yet, we’re all still friends while
he’s the outsider now?  Don’t the girlfriends usually have to hate each
other?"  Anya and Cordelia thought about that for a minute before joining
Willow in her giggles.
      "Oh man, what I wouldn’t give to see his face when he realizes that the
three loves of his life are all together and that they can compare notes,"
Cordelia laughed.
      "If I know Xander, he’s going to be scared senseless about that," Anya
giggled.  Spike and Angel grinned at each other at the thought of the
discomfort the teenage boy would be going through once he found out about
the three girls being together and were glad for whatever part they had in
causing it.  They both figured it served him right for the way that he
treated Anya and Willow.  Once the girls stopped giggling, the seriousness
of the situation came back.
      "What are we going to do now?" Willow asked finally.  "We can’t go to Giles
and the others, we already know how they’ll react."
      "No, we know how Buffy reacted, not the others," Angel corrected her.
      "But Giles is Buffy’s Watcher," Willow reminded him, " well, ex-Watcher and
you know he’ll believe her.  She’ll probably say something like you went
evil again and forced me to do something or turned me or some such thing.
And you know there is no love lost between Buffy and Spike.  Hell, she only
tolerates Anya because of Xander."
      "Thanks," Anya whispered, hurt at the red head’s comments.
      "I’m sorry, Anya," Willow apologized, "you know what I mean."
      Anya nodded her head, "Yeah, I do.  I’ve known for awhile that Buffy only
put up with me because I was involved with Xander."
      "What about the moron," Spike asked, holding Anya close to him, comforting
her, "do you think he would be any help?"
      Anya shook her head sadly, "No, he’ll do whatever Buffy tells him to.  It’s
one of the things that I always hated about him, and her.  He was always
willing to stop whatever we were in the middle of to go running to her.  It
was always Buffy this and Buffy that.  It’s why I always hated being around
her because I knew that she was the one that held Xander’s heart."
      "Tell me about it," Cordelia muttered.  "It was the same way when he was
with me."
      "I’m beginning to think that this Xander character must be a real idiot if
he never appreciated any of the women in his life," Doyle finally said as he
looked over at Cordelia.  "I mean, how can any man even think of another
woman when he has you, princess?"
      "Thank you," Cordelia leaned over and gently placed a kiss on Doyle’s cheek
as he continued driving.
      "Okay, so that leaves out everyone in Sunnydale as any form of help, but I
don’t exactly like the idea of leaving those guys loose," Angel told
everyone.  "They can do more harm than good, especially considering that
they don’t have a problem with taking humans as well demons.  And  I’m
pretty sure that they have some motive behind what they do."
      "Do you have a plan, Peaches?"
      "I’m thinking that between you, me and Doyle, we should be able to call in
a few contacts to get some help," Angel replied.  "I’m pretty sure that once
word gets out in the demon community, no matter what the past grudges may
be, they’ll be pushed aside for the immediate threat."
      "As much as I hate to admit it, it makes sense," Spike agreed.  "Until
these commandos are taken care of, no demon or vampire is safe.  I would say
that would push them into cooperating."
      "Well, don’t forget about me," Anya informed them.  "I may not be a demon
anymore, but I still have a few favors to call in.  After a thousand years I
have quite a few markers to call in."
      "Good, then let’s get back to LA and start making a few calls.  We’ll give
Buffy and her boyfriend a few things to think about."
 

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