Chapter Three
Revelation
The
next morning Buffy woke up alone, which to her chagrin was not an uncommon
event. Without even opening her eyes,
her hand reached over to the nightstand and grabbed the note that she knew
would be there.
Grabbing
the piece of paper she lifted it and opened her eyes, focusing on the
handwriting that she knew by heart.
Buffy,
Sorry I had to leave early for a
shoot. I’ll call you later.
Love A
She
held the note to her chest her eyes falling shut once again as she sighed
disheartened. Nine out of ten times she
woke up alone. If she had kept every
single one of these notes that she had gotten in the last eight months, she’d
have to get a bigger place.
The
events of yesterday flitted through her mind and she scowled. She had one main goal for the day and that
was to talk to Willy and put her doubts to rest. Jumping out of bed she quickly
got dressed and went into the kitchen to have some coffee.
Upon
entering the kitchen she smiled seeing the beautiful dark brew that sat on the
counter waiting for her. Thank God for
automatic coffee machines, because if she had to sit there and wait for it she
would surely lose her mind. Grabbing a cup she poured the aromatic liquid and
then raised it to her lips. Sighing contently as it slid down her throat, she
closed her eyes letting the brew warm her up.
As
her body filled with contented warmth, her mind automatically remembered last
night. She smiled softly, Angel was
incredible last night. Not that sex wasn’t always incredible with him, because
it was it was just that last night he seemed urgent almost desperate in his
love making. His touches had been rough but at the same time tender. One minute
he was whispering words of love and poetry into her ear, the next he was
harshly telling her that he was going to fuck her into oblivion. It had been an earth shattering experience to
say the least. She looked down her open
robe and at the tiny love bites on her breasts.
She felt their heavy soreness and as she sat down in a chair she winced
as her tender derriere hit the wood. She
felt completely owned and branded, and it didn’t bother her in the least.
“B
you awake?” Faith called out as she entered the loft and slammed the door shut.
“I’m
in the kitchen!”
Faith
strolled in looking not to awake herself. She smiled at Buffy as she reached
for a cup of coffee. “So how was your
night?” She asked as she settled down in a chair across from her.
Buffy
smiled. “Very nice and yours?”
Nice
wasn’t a word Faith would use to describe last night. Violent was perhaps the more appropriate
term. It took Spike two more beers to grow a set of balls and come into the
office where she patiently waited for him. He then proceeded to very quickly
and very sweetly apologize for not telling her that he could speak a dozen
other languages. She actually wasn’t
really mad about that, she figured it came with his line of work, she was just
pissed off that she was forced to lie to her best friend.
But
Faith wasn’t one to pass by on a good thing. Instead she took advantage of his
guilt. After making him grovel at her
feet like the dog he could so easily be at times, they fucked like bunny
rabbits on speed. She had been so hot
for him, especially when he started to talk dirty to her in every language he
spoke. She had no idea what the hell he had said but it didn’t matter. To her it was sexy and mysterious, and
definitely not nice. She smirked, “Five by five.”
Seeing
the wicked look in Faith’s eye Buffy said, “Don’t tell me you guys did it in
the office again!”
Faith
chuckled at her, “Oh please, like you and the big guy haven’t?”
Buffy
smirked back at her. “A lady never tells.”
They
sat quietly drinking their coffee and Faith looked at her sister pondering her
next question. She took a gulp of coffee
and decided to just jump right in. “So did you ask him?”
Buffy’s
smile faded. “No. I’m not going to ask him so he can lie right to my face.”
“B
you don’t know that he might surprise you.”
“Faith
I’ve been with Angel for eight months now and I have really, really come to
know him. And I know without a single second’s thought that he is keeping
something from me. I don’t’ know what it is. I hope to god that it’s not
another girl, because that would be bad…very bad. But I have to know either
way. Besides I was honest with him he should be honest with me.”
Faith
looked at her skeptically. “You were honest with him?”
“Yes
I was.”
“You
told him everything?”
Buffy
got flustered under Faith’s intense gaze. “Well…maybe not
everything but everything that he needed to know…yes.”
“Buffy,
I know you don’t want to hear it, but you do realize that you’re going to have
to tell him eventually.”
“Why?”
“Why?
Jesus Buffy, that’s a big piece of your past – a freaking humongous piece! You can’t just not tell
him!”
Buffy
looked down into her coffee. Faith was right it was big – real big – but why
did she have to tell him? It was a dead
issue. There was no reason to bring it up.
“Why not? How’s he ever going to know?”
Faith
couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
She leaned in, “Buffy you know there is always the chance that they
could come back for you. I know it and
you know it. It’s just the way it
is. Now what happens should that day
arrive ah? What are you going to tell
Angel then?”
Buffy’s
shoulder’s dropped, again Faith was right.
But she couldn’t tell him. How could she?
“He
wouldn’t understand Faith.” Her eyes gazed into her coffee again and her voice
was soft. “He would hate me. He’d cast me aside like some dirty criminal.”
Faith
was shaking her head, because she KNEW that was not the truth. But how did she
convince Buffy of that without incriminating herself? God she could just smack
Angel. If he had been honest with Buffy then Buffy would feel confident in
telling him the truth. God these two
were driving her insane!
Faith’s
heart broke for Buffy because she knew exactly where she was coming from. It had been hard, extremely hard to tell Spike
about her past. There was so much she
was ashamed of, so many things that she never thought she would tell anyone
else besides Buffy. But she did. And yes
when she spoke them, she had felt dirty and tainted…like a whore. But Spike, he
had been so sweet, so understanding, he didn’t look down at her. He didn’t see
her has any of those things and she knew that Angel would be the same. She wasn’t ashamed of her past anymore. She didn’t feel like a dirty whore and she
had Spike to thank for that. She wanted
Buffy to feel that same sense of ease and she knew that she never would unless
she told Angel.
That’s
why it was so hard for her to sit here and watch these two fuck up their
lives. Seeing the sadness in Buffy’s
eyes finally broke the straw. That was it!
Faith had it with keeping their secrets.
She would give them until tomorrow night to tell each other and if they
didn’t, then she would.
RING…RING…RING…
Buffy
leaned back and picked up the receiver. “Hello.”
“Hey Wills what’s up?”
“Ah ah. Okay sure I’ll see you there. Bye.”
“What’s
Red got to say?”
“They
changed the photo shoot to 10AM I have to go get ready.” Getting up she put her coffee mug in the sink
and headed toward the bedroom.
“When
are you going to see Willy?” Faith called out.
“I’ll
stop by his place after the shoot. Angel
should still be working so that won’t be a problem.”
“I hope so.” Faith said into her coffee. “Oh
and don’t forget to shower when you get back.”
**********************
Entering
the Hyperion Angel threw his coat on the couch and walked over to the counter.
“Oz.”
He smiled and held out his hand. “How you been?”
Daniel
‘Oz’ Osborne smiled back and shook Angel’s hand. “Angel. Not
bad, yourself?”
Angel
couldn’t help but smirk, Oz was always short on words. “Amazingly I’ve been great!” At least up
until yesterday he thought.
Oz
smiled and shook his head, he heard all about how good Angel had been lately
from Spike. “So I’ve heard.”
“Yeah
I bet, let me guess, Spike?”
“Oui’ I’m here.”
Spike came barreling in a beer in one hand and a butt hanging out of his
mouth.
“And
how that is, is still a mystery.” Oz said.
Spike always amazed him. He drank and smoked more than any one man
should, and yet he was the healthiest person Oz had ever met.
Angel
chuckled he was more than familiar with Spike’s habits. But he never busted his balls to much because
he better than anyone understood how much pressure their particular line of
work came with. Angel figured everyone needed an outlet. Still every now and then he felt compelled to
say something. “Spike its 9AM in the morning.”
Spike
looked at him like he had lost his mind. “So anytime I’m awake is a good time
to drink my friend.” He strolled up to Oz and smacked him on the shoulder. “Wolf boy how’s it going?”
Oz
grimaced at the nick name that the crew had given him. “Am I ever going to live that down?”
Spike
chuckled, “fraid not buddy. You have to admit she was
one hairy chick.”
Angel
couldn’t help but chuckle right along with Spike. Poor Oz the one time that he hooked up with a
girl after a mission was in
Angel
looked around the vast and empty room. “Where’s everyone else?”
“I
do believe I here my name being called.”
“Well
I for one am not everyone else.”
Angel
looked up to see Gunn and Wesley walking down the stairs.
Gunn
grinned at the Brit. “Oh lighten up book boy.”
When
they reached the bottom of the stairs they walked over to greet Spike and
Angel.
“Where’s
Fred?” Angel asked after shaking hands with each of them.
Gunn
sat down on the sofa next to Spike shaking his head at his partying ways.
“She’ll be down in a minute, you know women.” He shrugged. “How do you drink
that in the morning?” he asked Spike.
“How,
is not the question my friend, the question is how do you not?” They laughed together.
Angel
wished he could be in as good spirits as they were but he just wasn’t. Normally when the crew got together to do a
job he was right in there with them, joking and kidding around with each other.
It was a great way to start a job. It relaxed everyone, made them more
clearheaded, which was always needed on a job.
But this job smelled rotten, and he was getting antsy. “Alright let’s get started.”
“Yeah,
you know I was enjoying my morning romp with Faith before you barged in.” Spike
said annoyed.
“I
was only returning the favor.” Angel smirked at him.
“ha ha”
Reaching
into his jacket, he pulled out five velvet pouches then threw one to each of
them. “Your cut on the London Job.” He threw two to
Gunn. “Fred’s share”
“Nice
dude.” Gunn said deftly catching it.
Oz
weighted his in his palm feeling the weight and knowing exactly how much was
there. “Very nice.”
“Last
night I saw Uncle and he wasn’t happy with the
Spike
snorted, “I knew that already.”
Angel
glared at him, then started to pace.
They
watched him walk back and forth, exchanging knowing glances. When Angel paced it was not a good sign. Usually the big man was in control and
confidant of every situation. And if he
ever felt like he wasn’t then he normally didn’t show it. Usually only Spike got to see that side of
him. So everyone’s interest was piqued.
“There’s
something else going on here that he’s not telling us.” Angel said.
“That’s
a surprise.” Oz drawled out.
“Really
Angel that’s nothing new. Uncle has never been the most forthcoming man.”
Wesley commented.
“Yeah
but it’s different this time, I was getting weird vibes off of him.”
“Shit
that’s nothing dude, I get that every time I see him. He’s a freaky Brit, more so then these two.”
Gunn nodded toward Spike and Wesley.
“Hey
I resent that!” Spike said.
“As do I.” Agreed Wesley.
Angel
stopped his pacing and faced them. He
voice was hard and straightforward. “No it’s different this time.”
“What
makes you say that Angel?” Wesley asked.
He
wasn’t going to mention Buffy, at least not yet. The less she was involved the better. He stared pointedly at Spike, making sure he
understood to keep his mouth shut. “Because he wants me to
meet the client tonight.”
“What?
Since when do we meet the clients?” asked Gunn.
“Really,
that is odd.”
“The
client wasn’t happy that Spike went instead of me.”
Wesley
looked at Angel with a knowing stare. Cardinal rule number one: you did not
change the plan. The moment that Angel
told them Spike was going to
Angel
looked at Wesley, his hand up halting anything he might say. “I know Wes.”
Turning
he faced Oz. “Oz I want you find out everything you can about our mysterious
client.” He slapped the piece of paper that Quentin had given him into Oz’s
hand. “Here’s the room number, do you think can hack into the hotel’s computer
and find out his name?”
Oz
looked at him blankly.
“Sorry,
of course you can, I don’t know what I was thinking.” Angel smirked at him and
Oz nodded confidently.
Oz
stood up and headed toward his laptop. “I’m on it.”
“Wes,
once Oz has a name and photo I need you to go down to the hotel and trail the guy
if he leaves. I want to know where he goes and who he meets. If someone comes
to him I want to know who he is.” Wesley shook his head and followed Oz.
“What
about me and Fred?” Gunn asked.
Angel
continued to pace, then stopped in front of Gunn. “I need you two to follow
Uncle.”
“Excuse
me?” Gunn sat up straighter, a look of disbelief on his face. “You want me to
follow the sneakiest bastard in the world?
Have you lost your mind?” He stood up and faced Angel, worry in his mind
for his own health and Fred’s.
“Gunn
I know it’s asking a lot but…”
“Asking a lot! Dude the man is one big fucking eyeball!”
Gunn shouted.
Spike’s
eyes were hard as he stared at Angel. There was no way he could possibly be
thinking of doing what Spike knew he was thinking of doing. He stood up and walked over to Angel. Leaning in close he whispered, “We need to
talk.”
Angel
nodded at him. Then turned and walked
out of the room Spike close on his heels as Gunn stared at him. “Yeah…talk some
fucking sense into that hard head!” He
plopped back down on the sofa. “Follow Uncle…” he turned to Wesley and Oz,
“…that boy’s losing his fucking mind!”
“He’s
got a reason for everything he does Gunn.” Oz said.
“Yes
well let’s hope it’s for the right reason.” Wesley added.
Spike
closed the door to Angel’s office. “You can’t do it Angelus.”
Angel
walked over to the black cabinet behind his desk and opened it up. “Do what?”
Spike
snorted at him, “Do what? Oh um let me see…breaking into Uncle’s. Stealing a peek at his Blondie file – that
what.”
Reaching
into the cabinet Angel pulled out a small black leather bag and tucked it
securely in his pocket. “Why not?”
“Why not! Jesus Angelus, you seriously have lost your
fucking mind! First off, you’re putting Gunn
and Fred in danger. It’s a bloody suicide mission man! Secondly, I don’t care
how good you are there is no bloody way in hell that you’ll get in. Which
means, you’ll get caught, which means…” he leaned over the desk, his palms
smacking loudly as they hit the wood, “that it’s a suicide mission for you
too!”
Angel
sighed; closing the cabinet he faced Spike. “Spike I have to know what’s in
that file.”
“Brother
I understand I do, but this is not the way.
This is just plain stupid!”
Angel
started to get angry. He had made up his
mind and he was going to go through with it.
Last night as his beautiful goddess was wrapped scrumptiously around his
body, he thought about asking her if there was something in her past that she
never told him. But it occurred to him
that if he did and there wasn’t, then he would be opening up a door that he
knew would be hard to shut. He was
better off finding out on his own…why rock the boat if it was calm and
peaceful? The problem was getting it
done successfully. He had lain in bed
throughout the early morning hours, watching her sleep, and planning his course
of action.
“Look
I spent a lot of time thinking about this. It’s not that big of problem as you
would think.”
“Really…and
how do you figure that?”
“It’s
simple. Every day at one o’clock Uncle leaves for the Club to have his
afternoon tea. All I want Gunn and Fred to do is tail him. Make sure he gets
there and let me know when he leaves.”
Spike
stood up, “what about the fifty goons that litter the building and who all know
your face, and…hate your guts I might add.”
Angel
smirked, “Spike how long have you known me?
Do you really think that those idiots can keep me out?”
“You
got a point but still it’s risky.”
Angel
nodded, “maybe but it’s worth the risk to me.”
“What
about the security system?”
Angel
laughed while slapping Spike on the shoulder and steering him out of the room,
“don’t you remember who designed that system?”
They walked out to the main lobby two sets of eyes landing on the
redhead sitting at the counter.
Spike
smiled, “Oh yeah.” Maybe he was right.
Maybe it wasn’t suicide after all.
Gunn
seeing them walk out stood up. “Did you talk some sense into him?” he asked
Spike.
Angel
ignored Gunn and headed over to Oz to discuss his plan, leaving Spike to answer
him. “Look mate, its okay. All you need
to do is follow Uncle to the club and then tell Angel when he leaves. It’s as
simple as that.”
Gunn
didn’t look too sure, so Spike figured he’d give him some incentive. “Look if
it makes you feel any better, take Angelus’ Harley. It’s less noticeable then one of the cars and
you guys can wear helmets.”
Gunn
stopped in mid stride, his expression changing from annoyed to hopeful excitement.
“You mean the new one that just got delivered, the one that I was strictly
forbidden to use?”
“The one in the same my brother.” Spike smiled at
him.
Gunn’s
excitement was so apparent Spike couldn’t help but chuckle. Gunn lost his bike riding privileges after he
took Angel’s last Harley out for a ride.
He went out, got drunk and then thought it would be fun to jump over
three cars with it. Naturally he never
made it and ended up crashing on top of the first car. He laughed his ass off
all the way to the hospital where he spent the next two months in traction for
his broken leg. Spike had found it very
amusing, especially since it was Spike that bet him a thousand bucks that he
wouldn’t make it. But Angel, and Fred
for that matter, hadn’t.
Spike
figured that even though Angel’s plan wasn’t as reckless as it sounded at
first, there was still a risk that Gunn and Fred would be spotted and he wanted
to make sure that that wouldn’t happen. And as far as he knew Uncle had no clue
what the new bike looked like. Besides, the old bastard couldn’t tell a Harley
from a Honda anyway.
Spike
smiled at him, “think of it as a bonus. Besides, I won’t tell him, if you
don’t”
Gunn
smiled, “alright I can do that. “
“Good
man.” Spike said.
Angel
walked over to them. “Everything good.”
Gunn
looked at him smiling from ear to ear, “Sure thing boss. No problem.”
Angel
nodded at him. “Good.”
Gunn
went back over and sat down on the couch still grinning from ear to ear. Spike turned to Angel. “And what’s your illustrious
plan for me?”
“I
need you to go to the studio and cover for me. I’m supposed to be doing a scene
today at noon.”
“And
how is that supposed to work? We don’t exactly look the same?”
“It’s
okay it’s the scene with the mask.” Angel answered and Spike nodded, then
walked over and sat down next to Gunn.
Just
then Fred came down the stairs. “Hi guys.”
She kissed Angel on the cheek, “…sorry I’m late. What I miss?”
Angel
smiled her, “its okay. Gunn and Spike will fill you in.”
“Okay.”
She smiled then sat down in between Spike and Gunn as Angel walked over toward
the counter.
Spike
and Gunn told her the plan. When she started to protest about following Uncle,
they both reassured her that it would be okay and she didn’t question them. She
trusted them wholeheartedly. When they were done, Gunn nudged her with his
elbow. “Ouch!”
Gunn
looked at her pointedly then looked at Angel, then back at Fred. She rolled her eyes then stuck her tongue out
at him, “chicken”.
Spike
rolled his eyes at both of them.
Obviously Gunn, Wes and Oz, wanted to know what the skinny was on Buffy.
He knew that they wanted to meet her and Spike couldn’t blame them. If he
hadn’t already met her he would be just as anxious as them. So they wanted to meet her but they were too
afraid to ask Angel themselves, Spike snorted…pussies. Instead they appointed
Fred the job because they knew that Angel would never hurt Fred.
Standing
up Fred sighed then walked over to Angel who was hovering over Oz’ shoulder.
“So…um Angel, when do we get to meet the woman who stole your heart?”
They
all stopped what they were doing and looked at Angel, except Spike who sat on
the couch his eyes closed seemingly sleeping.
Angel
looked up from the computer screen and into the waiting gazes of the gang.
“Umm...”
Gunn
who had followed Fred over to the counter jumped up on to the counter and
turned to Angel. “Yeah come on we want to meet Miss Swimsuit Edition.” Gunn said wiggling his eyebrows.
Angel
scowled, he did want his most trusted friends to meet the woman of his dreams,
but could he afford to? But then again,
they were all trusted professionals who could lie to the devil himself, so
where was the harm in them meeting her.
“Well
I guess you could come with me tonight to The Graveyard. I have to make an
appearance before I go to the hotel.” He offered.
They
all smiled thinking the same thing. Finally they were going to meet Buffy. They
had heard plenty from Spike but they had to meet her for themselves. Angel’s transformation in the past eight
months from a mean, cold hearted, undetached man to someone who was nice,
caring and warm hearted was amazing. And
they knew that Buffy was the reason.
“If
you go, follow C.U. 8.” He sternly said.
Their
smiles faltered and Wesley spoke up, sharing a glance with everyone. “C.U.8?”
Angel
nodded, “Oz?”
Grabbing
the backpack Oz flung at him he started to rummage through it. Pulling out
three sets of headphones he threw one to Gunn and the other to Fred.
Fred
watched him closely then looked over at Spike who just shrugged at her. Hearing this worried her. She loved Angel, he was more than a friend he
was her brother – her savior. Five years
ago Angel and Spike had saved her from a life of sexual servitude from a
Russian pimp, just as they had saved Gunn and Wesley from the hells that they
were in. They meant more to each other
then just business associates. They were family. The only family they had.
Angel
had always frightened her. He was intense, harsh and not much in the humor
department. But she always knew that he loved her. She always knew that he
would do anything for her.
That’s
why she now felt the need to say something to him. He wasn’t that blood thirsty person anymore
and she wanted him to stay that way. She
wanted him to be happy. Obviously Buffy made him happy. And Fred knew that Angel’s dishonesty could
only mean bad things.
She
watched as Angel moved over to his jacket, stuffing the headphones in his
pocket and she followed him. Whispering to him gently with all the concern that
she felt for him in her heart and soul, “Angel, don’t you think you should tell
her? I mean, you’ve been involved with her for over eight months now. It’s obvious
that you love her. You have to be honest with her.”
“That’s
some good advice luv. It also sounds very familiar.” Spike quietly said as he
watched them.
Angel
turned to Fred he took her hands in his, his heart warming as he read the love
that shone in her big brown eyes. “Fred it’s not that easy. Things are
complicated.”
“No,
you and Blondie are complicating it. Such dishonesty in a relationship it makes
a bloke sick.” Spike said sadly, shaking his head back and forth, clearly
showing his displeasure with both Angel and Buffy.
Angel
looked at Spike his eyes hard as steel.
But Fred gently grabbed his head and turned him back to her. “Angel. I
love you. I owe you my life. If it
wasn’t for you and Spike I’d be nothing but a used and abused whore.”
Angel’s
eyes softened as he stared at her.
“I
want you to be happy. You deserve to be happy. I know without even meeting her
that Buffy is an extraordinary woman. I also know that she must love you as
much as you love her. Don’t lose that Angel.
Tell her the truth. She’ll
understand.”
Angel
smiled at her and grazed her cheek with his fingers. “Fred, you are an
extraordinary woman.”
“I’ll
second that.” Spike said feeling every bit as sappy as Angel was at the moment.
“You
see only the good in people, it’s your gift.”
She
smiled at him but he pulled away and once more his eyes hardened. “But the
truth is Fred, that everyone has secrets, some more so than others. I’m not the only one keeping them in this
relationship and as soon as I find out what hers are then I’ll share my own.”
Grabbing
his jacket he headed toward the door. “Oz I’ll be back later, have everything
ready. Gunn, one o’clock on the dot, you know how precise Uncle is.”
“You
got it.” They both answered him.
“Spike
let’s go.”
Fred
watched him go her heart heavy with worry.
Spike came up to her, and kissed her on the head. “Don’t worry luv. In the end it will be just the way it’s
supposed to be.”
**********************
Buffy
threw open the door to Willy’s and waited for her eyes to adjust to the
darkened room. She was tired and
extremely cranky, and she still had to go home and shower before Angel showed
up at The Graveyard. She really needed
to reconsider her modeling career.
Ever
since the S.I. edition came out she was a hot commodity. She had been offered a
lot of lucrative jobs and had taken many, but there were a lot she didn’t take
simply because the job would take her away from LA and everyone she loved. Funny how six months ago she wouldn’t have
thought twice about running off to
A
sense of foreboding consumed her as she stood there in the doorway. Her inner senses were screaming at her that
something wasn’t right. She had tried
all day to be positive and calm herself by rationalizing her fears. But nothing worked. She knew in the bottom of her soul that he
was lying to her about something and deep down she had always known. It took
overhearing their conversation in the kitchen to snap her out of the happy
little world she had been blissfully living in. Now standing there, feeling
like she was at the gates of hell nausea threatened to spew from her lips. Not
knowing what he was hiding from her made her want to vomit.
Her
biggest fear was that he had someone else on the side. He was gone a lot it was the perfect
opportunity to cheat on her. What if he had
loads of women lined up all over the place and she was just one of them. He was gorgeous and sexy, and sweet, it
wasn’t too hard to believe that he could.
What if he really didn’t love her the way that she loved him? What if he
was really married and had children with that proverbial white picket fence
somewhere? Her head was pounding, her heart was racing and she was sweating
with nervous energy. She had to get it together.
She
spotted Willy at his usual table, and she breathed out deeply, this was it.
This was where she knew her whole world was going to come crashing down around
her. And she could do nothing but walk to her death. Like a zombie her feet
carried her over to the man who held all the answers. “Hey
Willy.”
Willy
looked up from his inventory list, a smile on his face. “Hey
kiddo.”
Taking
a thin folder out from under his list he slid it across the table to Buffy.
“Here you go. Not much there honey, it’s
actually a little freaky. Ah you did say
that you know this guy right…like now?”
She
couldn’t take her eyes off the manila folder. She was afraid to touch it,
afraid that she was going to get burned.
“Wh…what
do you mean?” She quietly asked.
“Well
there are some records of stuff, you know the usual, birth certificate, first known
address and school attended but then it just stops.”
She
looked up from the folder, her inquisitive eyes sharply falling on Willy. “What
do you mean stops?”
“Stops as in no more, nothing, nada. Not a stitch of
information after the age of ten. It’s
almost like he’s dead.”
“Dead…no
there as to be some mistake. I mean he’s
definitely not dead.” Her brow furrowed,
her heart raced further…panic seeped in.
Dead? What the hell was Willy talking
about? She didn’t know how to
respond. Other lovers she was expecting
but this…she wasn’t expecting this. Her
body became flushed; she could practically feel the intense heat of Angel’s
body when they made love last night. “Believe me…definitely not dead.”
She
shook her head at the absurdity of it.
“There has to be some mistake?” Her angry eyes looked at back at him.
“You missed something. Or you got the spelling on the name wrong.”
Willy
sadly shook his head. “No Buffy I didn’t miss anything and the spelling is
right. I don’t know what to tell you kid. It’s all there you can see for
yourself.”
She
could do nothing but stare at it. For
the first time in her life, her mind was a complete and utter blank. Not one coherent thought or idea popped
inside of her head. She had no idea what
to do but she knew she couldn’t stay here.
Dead?
She
stood up slowly and took the offensive folder placing it inside her
jacket. She walked over to Willy and
gave him kiss on the cheek. “Thanks for your help Willy…I…I…appreciate it.”
“You
alright kid? You don’t look too good.”
She
stared back at him with lifeless eyes then shook her head. She walked away but
Willy stopped her. “Buffy, I’m sorry I couldn’t find out anything more if you
need anything else just let me know.”
She
couldn’t answer him even if she knew what do say. She just waved goodbye then mindlessly
walked out.