4:
After dinner, Robin and Xander left to patrol.
“Anybody wanna go to the airport?” Willow asked.
“Why?” Dawn asked.
“Because I have to go drop off Kennedy and I don’t really want to ride home by myself,” Willow admitted.
“I’ll go,” Faith said.
“Me too,” Dawn said.
“Buff,” Willow said. “What about you?”
“I’ve got paperwork,” Buffy said. “One of the down sides of running a legitimate business.”
“Do you need help?” Dawn asked.
“No,” Buffy said. “I can handle it. You guys have fun. Don’t worry about little ol’ me stuck here all by herself.”
“I’m not going,” Andrew said while he was clearing the table. “I can keep you company after I do the dishes.”
“Take him with you,” Buffy mouthed.
Willow smiled. “Can’t,” she said.
Buffy glared after her long after the witch left.
About an hour later Andrew came in to tell Buffy that he had finished the dishes.
“Ok,” Buffy said.
He sat there for five minutes, then announced he was tired and went upstairs.
Buffy tried to hide her smile, but failed miserably.
When Buffy finished doing her paperwork a little after midnight, she decided to go into the lobby and lock up for the night.
She had just stepped out of Angel’s office and was heading for the lobby when she saw a woman standing by the front desk.
“Can I help you?” Buffy asked.
“I hope so,” the woman said. “Is Angel here?”
“He’s on vacation,” Buffy lied.
“When do you expect him back?”
“Not for weeks,” Buffy said. “He really needed the time off. Hadn’t had any for almost five years.”
The woman looked at her.
“Oh!” Buffy cried, realizing what she had said. “Hasn’t had any time off,” she amended. “Maybe I can help you?”
***
FROM THE DIARY OF DAWN SUMMERS:
June 11, 2003
We have another case! This chick came in last night while me, Willow, and Faith were taking Kennedy to the airport. Her name is Jennifer. From what Buffy said about their meeting, I think Buffy seriously put her foot in her mouth a number of times.
We’re supposed to have a meeting about it in a little while, so I’m not really clear on all of the details, but what I do know is that this Jennifer chick is a stripper and some guy that I think she used to date is being really annoying, and possibly aggressive.
Oh, and her cousin recommended us, well, Angel.
***
“”So, she’s a stripper and this guy has been pretty much stalking her since she dumped him,” Dawn said.
“Pretty much,” Buffy said. “She told me to come by the club where she works later tonight and tell her whether we decide to take the case or not.”
“And what exactly is the case?” Faith asked.
“I guess it’s kind of like a bodyguard type of thing.”
“Has she gone to the police?” Willow asked.
“Yep. Even got a restraining order and everything. But, of course, he doesn’t honor it.”
“Well, if it’s just a simple stalker deal, then it doesn’t really require slayer ability. Right?” Faith asked.
“Probably not. So, I was just gonna take Xander and...”
“Please don’t say Andrew,” Xander begged.
“Sorry Xand,” Buffy said.
“Crap,” Xander said.
“I’ll go tell him,” Dawn said, standing.
“Goody,” Xander said sarcastically.
“Do you think that’s enough?” Willow asked. “Didn’t you say that Jennifer said he had a lot of friends that might get out of hand?”
“Right,” Buffy said. “Maybe we do need a little bit of slayer ability.”
“Yeah, but wouldn’t it be odd for a straight woman to be hanging out in a strip club?” Faith pointed out.
“I could go,” Robin offered. “But I’d feel better if I had a little back up.”
Faith smiled. “I think I know someone that would be perfect,” she said.
“Who?” Robin asked.
“Let me make a call first,” Faith said.
“”Did I miss something?” Buffy asked. “Since when does she have friends in LA?”
“I think I know who she’s talking about,” Willow said.
“Care to share?”
“Maybe later,” Willow said mysteriously.
***
Jennifer spotted Buffy when she entered Ladies Live a little after ten that night.
“My break has been postponed for half an hour,” Jennifer said as she showed Buffy to a both. “Can I get you anything to drink?”
Buffy had a flashback of cave slayer and ordered a Coke as she slid into the booth.
Xander grabbed a table a couple minutes later that wasn’t that far from her.
When Jennifer brought Buffy’s drink about a minute later, the slayer noticed Robin and Gunn sitting by the stage.
“How much...” Buffy started.
“It’s on me,” Jennifer told her.
***
Drusilla smiled as she stared at the tv screen.
She recognized the slayer right away, and that boy sitting not too far away from her.
She used the controls to scan the rest of the club but found no more of the slayers friends.
Carlos Ramirez entered the office and asked her how everything was going.
“Fine,” the vampire said. She pointed out Buffy and Xander. “I knew she’s dhow up sooner or later.”
“What did this woman do to you?” Carlos asked.
Dru glared at him.
“Sorry,” he apologized. “I was just wondering. Seems like an awful lot of trouble to go to just for one girl.”
***
Gunn and Robin watched as Jennifer casually passed Buffy an envelope under the table.
“Nothing obvious about that,” Gunn said.
They sat there in silence for a few seconds.
“So, how did you get mixed up in all this?” Robin asked.
“You first,” Gunn said.
“My mother was a slayer. After she was killed, her watcher took me in and trained me. I spent a good portion of my life searching for the vampire that got her.”
“Did you ever find him?”
Robin nodded. “It was Spike.”
“Wow,” Gunn said. “How did you get involved with Buffy and her crew?”
“I was principal at the new highschool. I knew who she was and decided to make contact. Your turn/”
“I grew up on the streets,” Gunn said. “My gang and I used to slay vampires to keep the streets clean. I met Angel a few years ago.”
***
“I don’t think he’s gonna show up,” Jennifer said a little after one..
“Well, I’ll just hang out til you close,” Buffy said. “I could give you a ride home.”
“No, I’ve got a ride. Besides, the place is pretty much dead. I’ll be fine.”
“If you’re sure,” Buffy said. “Walk me out?”
“Sure,” Jennifer said.
When they got outside Buffy told her that if there was any trouble her friend Xander was inside.
“You guys were really prepared,” Jennifer said after Buffy gave her a description of Xander.
“Well, if there’s one thing I’ve learned in all the years I’ve been a sl...” Buffy stopped. “Detective agency employee,” she amended, “it’s that you can never be too prepared.”
***
“Xander?” Jennifer asked.
Xander tensed. “Uh, yeah.”
“Buffy told me who you were,” Jennifer explained.
“Oh,” Xander said, relaxing a little.
“I was wondering if you could give me a ride,” Jennifer explained. “I had a ride, but she seems to have disappeared.”
“Does that happen a lot around here?” Xander asked in a feeble attempt to make conversation.
“Actually,” Jennifer said, “it does.”
“Well, I don’t have a car, but I could ride with you in a cab if you want,” he offered.
“Actually, I only live three blocks away. You could walk me.”
“Ok,” Xander said, standing.
***
“Should we follow them?” Gunn asked.
“Lets give them a minute,” Robin said. “Don’t want to be too obvious.”
“Good idea,” Gunn said.
They waited.
“That long enough?” Gunn asked after a few seconds.
“Sure,” Robin said, grabbing his wallet out of his pocket and leaning a tip on the table.
“Oh no,” Gunn tensed.
“What?” Robin asked.
“We have a problem,” Gunn said.
Robin followed his gaze, confused.
“What is it?”
“That woman. The one that just came from the back room.”
“Old girlfriend?” Robin asked.
“Worse,” Gunn said. “It’s Drusilla.”
***
“Are you sure?” Buffy asked.
“It’s hard not to be,” Gunn said.
“And you’re sure you saw her after Xander left?”
Gunn nodded.
“It’s a good thing we brought you in on this,” Buffy said.
“Did she see you?” Faith asked.
“I doubt it,” Gunn said. “Besides, she doesn’t know me anyway. I’ve never had any actual contact with her. I saw her once with Darla, but they didn’t see me.”
“Now what?” Faith asked.
“I don’t know,” Buffy admitted. “But that club is our only lead. I wish we had more guys.”
“Why?” Faith asked.
“Because guys fit in at strip clubs better,” Buffy admitted. “We need more people on the inside. Maybe Angel can spare some more people?”
“I doubt it,” Gunn said. “Only other guy is Wes and he’s busy.”
“Faith,” Buffy said. “Have you ever thought about stripping?”
“In front of people?” Faith asked.
“If you don’t want to, I could get Kennedy to do it. But she won’t be back for a couple days. We need someone in there now.”
“I’ll do it,” Faith said, glancing at Robin, who was suddenly very interested in his left shoe.
“Great!” Buffy said. “There was a sign on the door. Auditions are from three to five tomorrow.” She turned to Gunn. “How’s your schedule for the next few days?”
Gunn shrugged. “Nothing I can’t get out of.”
“How would you feel about helping us out for a few days?” Buffy asked.
“You mean you Want me to go back to that horrible place?” Gunn joked. “The sacrifices I make for the fight against evil...”
Buffy rolled her eyes. “I’m gonna take that as a ‘yes,’” she said.
“What about Jennifer?” Faith asked. “Am I the only one that thinks it’s convenient that she works at a place where Drusilla was spotted?”
“No,” Buffy said. “But there still is the possibility that it is just a coincidence.”
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