The room had fallen silent after the British man's sudden appearance. Angel stared at the man who sat in the hotel room's only chair. He couldn't help but wonder at what this man's appearance would mean. Of course, that was assuming that he was telling the truth about who had sent him. Buffy sat on the edge of the bed, reading over the letter she had been handed.
Finally the man spoke. "My name is William Rutherford," he said, glancing between Buffy and Angel. "The Council sent me to meet you. I am to return with you to London as soon as possible."
Buffy glanced up at him, then passed the letter to Angel. "Look," she said sternly, "you kind of interrupted something here. Why don't you return tomorrow and we'll talk."
Angel couldn't help but smile slightly. Having gotten this close to casting the spell, he too was feeling a little edgy. He'd waited such a long and hopeless time, a time that was at its end. He had missed any sort of companionship, but especially Buffy's. He'd never stopped loving her. He would only part from her now if she wanted it, but that seemed to be the last thing on her mind.
While Rutherford protested that he could not leave without receiving an answer from her, Angel opened the letter Buffy had handed him. It read:
Ms. Buffy Anne Summers,
We are pleasantly surprised and relieved to find you still among the living and fulfilling your destiny. A matter has arisen that the current Slayer is not capable to handle. We are fortunate to have tracked you down. Your presence is requested before the Watchers Council to ascertain whether your skills will be the necessary solution.
This is an urgent matter. Enclosed you will find a plane ticket for departure on May 27th for London. Rutherford has been instructed to provide you with whatever arrangements are necessary to facilitate your trip. We look forward to meeting with you.
"No," Buffy was saying. "If that's the way you're going to be about it, absolutely not."
Angel glanced at the letter in concern. As much as he hated the idea of being apart from Buffy for even a day, this was much more important. "Buffy," he said softly, reluctantly, "you have to go. They're scared, worried enough to contact you even when they're not sure they can trust you." He hesitated for a moment before continuing. "I'll wait for you," he said, a touch sadly.
"No!" she exclaimed. "Angel, I am not leaving you, no matter how important they think this is. I just got you back."
Angel was touched, but he had to protest. "Buffy-" he began.
"I could get another plane ticket," Rutherford interrupted, eager to get Buffy to agree.
Buffy hesitated for a moment, looking at Angel. He had to shake his head. The sunlight was too dangerous a factor, especially flying east. Even a slight delay and he would have great difficulty surviving the trip.
Suddenly, Buffy got a mischievous twinkle in her eye. "No good," she said to Rutherford. "There's only one way to get me to go to London with you."
Rutherford nodded eagerly. "What's that?"
"Get a piece of paper, 'kay? This is important."
He already had a pad of paper in his hand.
"Transatlantic cruise," she said. "First class, interior state room for two. Oh, and it needs to be night when we get on and when we get off in England."
Rutherford paled.
"Can you do that? Or is it too much trouble," she said with a mocking smile.
"I . . . I can do that," he stuttered. "But it'll take some time, and my orders. . . ."
"There's more."
"More?" Rutherford wavered as he stood.
Buffy grinned at Angel once again, then said, "You need to arrange Angel's meals."
Angel cringed in sympathy.
Rutherford looked confused. "Meals? Are you a vegetarian or something, sir?"
"Or something."
Buffy laughed. "You are so dense, Ruthy. You don't get it?"
"Get what?"
A moment later the young Watcher was leaving the hotel room, avoiding Angel with a wariness that would have been comical if it didn't serve as a painful reminder. Buffy ushered Rutherford out of the room, closing the door behind him. She put her back to the door and grinned. "Well," she said with a slight laugh, "that takes care of that."
Angel looked at her quizzically. As nice as it was to be wanted, this was important, and he didn't think the Watchers would make special arrangements for him. "Why did you do that?" he asked.
Buffy stopped smiling. "Do you remember how I said I wouldn't work with the Watchers ever again?"
He did, vaguely. It had been right before he left Sunnydale and Buffy. He nodded.
"Do you remember why I did that?"
That he did. Buffy and the Watchers Council hadn't been on good terms ever since they had fired Giles, her Watcher. The final straw, however, had been their refusal to help when Angel was poisoned. The Council didn't help vampires, no exceptions. Reluctantly, Angel nodded again.
"I still don't want to work with them. They're old fashioned, stuffy, and I don't like them. I've avoided them for a reason. They'll go away now."
"And if they don't?"
Buffy came towards him again, smiling. "Well, the way I see it, if they agree to these terms, then I know they're really desperate. If they really need me, then they get me on my terms. And I'm not going anywhere without you." The mischievous glint returned to Buffy's eyes. "Besides," she said, "I always wanted to go on a romantic cruise!"
Angel shook his head slightly and couldn't help but smile in response. Buffy was never one to be bullied into anything. If they wanted her, they couldn't just use her like they'd used Slayers in the past. They would have to work with her - and Angel. Still, there was a hidden urgency to the letter, and they couldn't just ignore that if the Watchers would not agree with Buffy. "What if they don't agree, though?" Angel had to ask. "You're still the Slayer, and -"
"A Slayer," Buffy interrupted. "They have another, and they've made do without my help for a century."
"You can't just ignore-"
"Angel," Buffy stopped him, sitting close, "I won't. We'll just worry about that when - if - it happens. But don't lecture me on my duty. Okay?"
"Okay," Angel replied reluctantly.
Buffy kissed him gently. "You worry too much," she whispered. "If we do go on this cruise, no gloom and doom from you, alright?"
Angel smiled. "Alright. But just for you." He kissed her softly in return.
Pulling away, Buffy smiled. Suddenly, she held the candle between them, waiting to be lit. "So," she said with a laugh, "where were we before that rude old Watcher interrupted?"
Make of this curse a blessing .
. . .
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