"So, what did Giles say?" Cordelia asked as soon as she entered Willow and
Angel's room.  Everyone had gone right to sleep after Pacey's friends from
Capeside had left, not wanting to discuss what had happened until they had
some downtime. They also knew that Willow and Angel needed some time alone
together to process the fact that, not only was Buffy there, in town, but
also wanting Angel back.  No one wanted to see the former Slayer do anything
to jeopardize the relationship between the hacker and the vampire.
 "Well, he's glad to hear that Spike and Drusilla are no longer a threat,"
Willow replied.  "He said that the Watcher's Council will be pleased at that
bit of news, although he did say that he was sorry that Angel had to have
been the one to kill Spike."
 "And did he say anything about Buffy?"
 "I didn't tell him," Willow said sheepishly.  Cordelia stared openmouthed
at the red head.
 "You didn't tell him," she shouted, before quieting down so Angel didn't
hear her.  The vampire was in the shower, leaving the two girls alone in the
room.  "Why the hell didn't you tell him?  Between him and Mrs. Summers, I
don't know who will be happier to know the bitch is alive more."
 "I know, I know," Willow tried to say.  "But I promised Buffy that I
wouldn't say anything.  At least not yet.  And even after everything that
she said last night, I can't go back on that.  She's still my friend, even
if I haven't seen her in awhile."
 "Wait a minute," Cordelia tried to put logic to her friend's words.
"You're telling me that, after everything that Buffy said to you last night,
you want to keep your word to her and not tell Giles that she's here.  What
are you, insane?  Buffy is a self-centered, spoiled little bitch that would
turn on you in a heartbeat.  She already told you that she thinks you
purposely went after Angel and you don't' want to get her upset.  I don't
think so.  Besides, Giles and Mrs. Summers have the right to know where that
tramp is.  All this time we've been worrying about her and she's been living
in smallsville, USA without a care in the world.  I think its more than our
right to break up her little dream world.  Its our duty."
 "You just want to hurt Buffy," Willow pointed out.  Cordelia didn't even
bother trying to deny the red head's accusation.
 "Damn straight I want to hurt her.  After everything that she's put us
through.  She left Sunnydale completely unguarded.  She didn't know if Spike
was still around.  All she cared about was that she couldn't handle being
the Slayer."  Cordelia's voice grew steadily louder as her anger at what
Buffy had done seeped into it more and more.  "Damn it, she was the Chosen
One, which was something she never let us forget. But when the going got
tough, she got gone.  So, you're right, I want to hurt her.  I want to hurt
her the same way that she hurt us."
 "Cordelia, hurting Buffy is going to make it any easier to understand what
she did to us," Angel said, coming from the bathroom.  Cordelia's breathing
stopped when she took in his chiseled chest and wet hair.  She had always
thought that the souled vampire was good looking, but seeing him this way
made her envy Willow.  Willow smiled when she saw the admiring gaze the
cheerleader was sending Angel's way.
 "Could you please stop eating my boyfriend with your eyes," she teased,
causing Cordelia to blush.  "I know he's delicious, but you have your own
man to devour."
 "Doesn't mean I can't look," Cordelia threw back.  "I just can't touch."
 "Damn right," Willow giggled as Angel put on a t-shirt, much to the
disappointment of both girls who sighed.
 "Mind out of the gutters, girls," Angel laughed.  "Back to the topic."
 "Fine," Willow pouted.  "I know you aren't happy that I didn't tell Giles
about Buffy, but he's going to find out soon anyway."
 "What do you mean?"
 "Well, remember that whole thing with some of the Watcher's wanting to kill
Faith?"  Cordelia nodded her head, signaling that she did remember the
threat to the brunette Slayer's life.  "He's got a lead on whose in charge
and they're on their way to Capeside as we speak."
 "Whose on their way?"
 "The bastard who wants Faith dead."  Willow paused to take a breath.  "And
Giles. He'll be here later tonight."
 "Does anyone else know?"  Cordelia asked.  Willow shook her head and Angel
answered the question.
 "You're the first person we've seen to tell.  We're going to see Faith in a
minute."
 "But this means that Giles will see Buffy," Willow concluded.
 "You know, why can't we ever just take a simple little vacation?" Cordelia
asked the couple.  "Just sand, surf and really cute guys in bathing suits."
 "Because we're the Slayerettes and that's just not our destiny," Willow
helpfully replied.
 "Oh yeah."

 "Pacey, come on in," Dawson's father said, opening the door to allow the
teenager into his home.  "Dawson said you were back.  Its good to see you."
 "Its good to be seen," the teenager replied.  "Is Dawson around?"
 "Him and Joey are upstairs watching videos," Mr. Leery volunteered.  "Why
don't you go up and join them?"
 "Thanks."  Pacey made his way up the familiar staircase that led to
Dawson's room.  When he reached it, he heard two voices discussing what had
happened the night before at the school gym.  He listened outside of the
door for a few seconds, before pushing it open and entering.  "Its nice to
see that some things never change," he commented, smiling at his friends.
 "But people certainly do," Dawson added, looking at his friend.  There was
an awkward silence between the three teenagers.
 "So how about this weather?" Pacey joked, trying to break the ice between
the trio.  When neither Dawson or Joey said anything, Pacey ran his hand
through his hair.  "Come on, guys.  Talk to me."
 "It's just…" Joey began, not quite sure what she was going to say.  "Damn,
Pacey, you couldn't have found yourself a normal life could you."
 "What Joey's trying to say is, that we just don't know what's going on with
you now," Dawson tried to clarify.  "You're not the Pacey Witter that we
grew up with anymore."
 "I'm still the same guy," Pacey countered.  "I've just learned a few things
in the past few months."
 "But it's those things that we are having problems understanding," Dawson
tried to explain.  "I mean, you were fighting vampires last night and you
and your friends acted like it was no big deal.  That's not normal, Pace."
 "It is for them," Pacey told his friends.  "Its what they do.  Its what I
do.  I like the feeling that it gives me knowing that I'm doing something to
make the world a better place.  That I'm helping Faith stay alive a little
longer because she has some help in her battle."
 "And that's another thing," Dawson broke in.  "What was all that last night
with Anne being this Buffy girl?"  Pacey sighed as he realized this was the
main problem that the group from Capeside had.  That the girl they had taken
in and made one of their own was the Slayer.
 "You got the gist of everything last night," Pacey explained.  "I mean, its
not like I knew her before the other day.  I only know what Wills and the
others told me.  Buffy, or Anne or whatever you want to call her, left
Sunnydale earlier this year because she couldn't handle being the Slayer.
Basically, she left her friends completely unprotected."
 "That doesn't sound like the girl we know," Joey argued.
 "Yeah, well, maybe she's different now that she doesn't actually have to
worry about her destiny," Pacey bit out.  Even though he had only met the
blonde Slayer, he didn't like the way she had just abandoned her friends and
family because life had become too tough for her.  "But luckily for them,
they were able to handle things until Faith came and took over.  But don't
expect them to get all weepy knowing that Buffy's alive and apparently not
too concerned about their welfare."
 "That's not fair," Dawson defended his girlfriend.  "You said it yourself.
You have no idea why she left."
 "I have a better idea than you do," Pacey stated as he headed to the door.
"Look, I think it would just be better if I left.  We can talk about this
some more if you want.  I'll be in town for the next week."  Joey went over
to Pacey, taking him in her arms.
 "Pacey, don't be angry.  This is all kind of a shock to us, you know," she
smiled at her friend.  He brushed a lock of her hair out her face.
 "I know, Potter. "  With that, Pacey left, leaving behind two friends who
mourned the loss of their old friend.
 

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