Using the toe of his boot, he kicked at Giles' door in a demanding parody of knocking. Buffy had begun shivering in his arms shortly after they'd left the tunnel. She'd also kept her head buried in his shoulder. Any attempt to open her eyes obviously caused her a great deal of pain. She had remained quiet throughout the walk, clinging to him tightly, yet somehow remaining relaxed against him.
Giles opened the door, the lights causing Buffy to bury her face further into his jacket.
Angel immediately strode towards the bathroom. "I need a few candles. She was underground, completely without light. Any light at the moment is too much." Giles was already rushing about switching off the bright lights, gathering candles and lighting them around the bathroom.
Buffy heard the door close as Angel placed her on the side of the tub. Slowly she opened her eyes, relived that the candlelight didn't overly affect her already pounding headache.
Angel couldn't prevent the smile as she looked at him. "Do you have a change of clothes here?"
Snorting, she arranged herself more comfortably on the side of the tub as Angel turned on the water. "I had, in my backpack, which they grabbed from me."
"I take that as a 'no'." Buffy shook her head. "Okay, you wash and warm up, and I'll take a trip over to your mother's. She needs to know you're safe."
"Angel," she called softly as he reached for the door handle. "How did you know?"
"I had a dream of you walking through deep water, unable to see." He shrugged, trying to dissipate the feeling remembering conjured inside of him. "When I woke up, I called Giles, he said you were missing, and I knew."
Nodding once, Buffy turned her attention back to adjusting the water temp. "Thank you," she whispered as he gently closed the door.
*
The drive to Joyce's was quick, dealing with a distraught mother was a bit more difficult. Though she was grateful to know her daughter was safe, unharmed and at Giles'.
Yet, as he accepted the bag of clothing from the woman, he knew, as he always did, that he wasn't accepted. That she expected him to leave as soon as possible, to leave Sunnydale and her daughter again.
Rage coursed though him as he left the house. It was unreasonable, he knew, yet he couldn't stop it. *He* had saved Buffy - again. They had no idea where to start looking - he knew without a doubt. Whether it was the bond, which he still didn't completely understand, or if it was intervention from the Powers That Be, he really didn't give a damn. She had relaxed, recognising him despite her panic. She had relaxed in his arms, fully trusting - even after everything he had put her through.
He had to calm himself. Buffy would know if he was agitated, and not let up until she knew why. Oh yes, their bond, the spark that had been there throughout their relationship was as strong as ever, making it difficult to be near her. She wasn't safe yet. Of that he was certain. Who ever, or what ever had grabbed her was still out there, and she needed protection from it. He decided then that he would remain in Sunnydale until this mystery was solved.
*
Buffy sat wrapped in one of Giles' old robes sipping tea. The aspirin had dulled her headache. The bath had felt wonderful, scrubbing off the filth and letting the heat of the water warm and relax her. Something she needed after spending any amount of time tucked in Angel's arms. It was foolish, she knew, but she couldn't stop herself. She never had been able to control herself when it came to Angel. Xander and Willow had arrived sometime during her bath. Only the desk lamp was on, set to it's lowest setting; the rest of the apartment flickered with the glow of candles. The mind-numbing terror from earlier had been too easily replaced by the comfort of Angel. She could feel him close, knowing he was about to knock before he reached the door.
Giles walked to the door, opening it slowly before quipping to Xander and Willow, "See, it is possible to knock."
Buffy hid her smile as Angel handed the bag to her. He was avoiding her eyes, barely looking at her at all actually. A spark of hope ignited inside her.
Giles opened the door, the lights causing Buffy to bury her face further into his jacket.
Angel immediately strode towards the bathroom. "I need a few candles. She was underground, completely without light. Any light at the moment is too much." Giles was already rushing about switching off the bright lights, gathering candles and lighting them around the bathroom.
Buffy heard the door close as Angel placed her on the side of the tub. Slowly she opened her eyes, relived that the candlelight didn't overly affect her already pounding headache.
Angel couldn't prevent the smile as she looked at him. "Do you have a change of clothes here?"
Snorting, she arranged herself more comfortably on the side of the tub as Angel turned on the water. "I had, in my backpack, which they grabbed from me."
"I take that as a 'no'." Buffy shook her head. "Okay, you wash and warm up, and I'll take a trip over to your mother's. She needs to know you're safe."
"Angel," she called softly as he reached for the door handle. "How did you know?"
"I had a dream of you walking through deep water, unable to see." He shrugged, trying to dissipate the feeling remembering conjured inside of him. "When I woke up, I called Giles, he said you were missing, and I knew."
Nodding once, Buffy turned her attention back to adjusting the water temp. "Thank you," she whispered as he gently closed the door.
*
The drive to Joyce's was quick, dealing with a distraught mother was a bit more difficult. Though she was grateful to know her daughter was safe, unharmed and at Giles'.
Yet, as he accepted the bag of clothing from the woman, he knew, as he always did, that he wasn't accepted. That she expected him to leave as soon as possible, to leave Sunnydale and her daughter again.
Rage coursed though him as he left the house. It was unreasonable, he knew, yet he couldn't stop it. *He* had saved Buffy - again. They had no idea where to start looking - he knew without a doubt. Whether it was the bond, which he still didn't completely understand, or if it was intervention from the Powers That Be, he really didn't give a damn. She had relaxed, recognising him despite her panic. She had relaxed in his arms, fully trusting - even after everything he had put her through.
He had to calm himself. Buffy would know if he was agitated, and not let up until she knew why. Oh yes, their bond, the spark that had been there throughout their relationship was as strong as ever, making it difficult to be near her. She wasn't safe yet. Of that he was certain. Who ever, or what ever had grabbed her was still out there, and she needed protection from it. He decided then that he would remain in Sunnydale until this mystery was solved.
*
Buffy sat wrapped in one of Giles' old robes sipping tea. The aspirin had dulled her headache. The bath had felt wonderful, scrubbing off the filth and letting the heat of the water warm and relax her. Something she needed after spending any amount of time tucked in Angel's arms. It was foolish, she knew, but she couldn't stop herself. She never had been able to control herself when it came to Angel. Xander and Willow had arrived sometime during her bath. Only the desk lamp was on, set to it's lowest setting; the rest of the apartment flickered with the glow of candles. The mind-numbing terror from earlier had been too easily replaced by the comfort of Angel. She could feel him close, knowing he was about to knock before he reached the door.
Giles walked to the door, opening it slowly before quipping to Xander and Willow, "See, it is possible to knock."
Buffy hid her smile as Angel handed the bag to her. He was avoiding her eyes, barely looking at her at all actually. A spark of hope ignited inside her.