TITLE: Ain't It Funny.
AUTHOR: Kelly Rowe
EMAIL: [email protected]
RATING: PG-13
DISCLAIMER: Buffy, Angel and all other characters (except those I make up) are the absolute property of Joss Whedon, Fox, Mutant Enemy, UPN and Warner Bros (If I owned them, do you think that they would be acting this ridiculous right now).
SUMMARY: Buffy is an FBI agent and is sent undercover to Sunnydale, years after leaving it.
SPOILERS: BTVS season 1 and 2. Some minor spoilers for other seasons and ATS.
TIMELINE: 2008.
DISTRIBUTION: You want you can have it; just tell me where you put it. Any lists just take it.
PAIRING: Buffy/Angel, Giles/Jenny, Xander/Anya, Faith/Angel (slight)
CATEGORY: AU, Action and Romance.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Buffy moved away from Sunnydale the day before her 17th birthday (her dad gained custody) and has had limited contact with the other scoobies since then.
AUTHOR'S NOTES 2: For the purposes of this story, Caritas is located in Sunnydale and is located where Willie's bar used to be.
Part 1
"Hey Summers" Dave Maxwell, Buffy's best friend and partner yelled across the crowded office. "AD Parks wants to see right now."
Buffy looked up from the crime report she was reading, surprise evident in her eyes. She'd only been in Parks' office a few times and then only because she'd caused some trouble or broken one of the FBI's cardinal rules.
"Why? I haven't done anything... have I?"
Dave walked over to her, trying not to smile. "Not that I know of" he replied, "But then again with you around... anything is possible."
"Tell me what in the blue hell is going on?" she demanded.
"No way" he told her, "I'm letting Parks have the honor of doing that." He moved away towards his desk and looking back over his shoulder winked at her, right before he burst out laughing.
Buffy watched him sit at his desk like he hadn't a care in the world and wondered what he had thought was so darn funny. Needing to know before she died of curiosity, she got up and headed to the assistant director's office and knocked on the door.
"Come in," came a muffled voice through the door.
Buffy entered the office and said, "You wanted to see me sir?"
"Certainly Agent Summers. Please take a seat" AD Parks replied smiling. After she was seated he continued, "I have an undercover assignment for you and Agent Maxwell."
At least Buffy knew why Dave had been laughing, she hated undercover ops with a passion. She was curious though, why he had been told before her about the assignment. Surely it wasn't because of the incident?
"Sir" she began slowly, "I do have one question before we begin."
Parks nodded to her, "Go ahead."
"Why was Agent Maxwell told before me? Isn't it procedure to discuss it with both of us at the same time?"
"Agent Maxwell requested it be done this way" Parks answered trying not to smile.
Buffy shook her head, "Slam a guy into a wall one time..."
"*Into* being the operative word" Parks said recalling the incident clearly, until then he had thought that reports of Buffy's strength were exaggerated. "It took us nearly an hour to pry him out of the wall."
"It's not like I plan on doing it to him a second time" Buffy pouted, "Unless of course this assignment will require me to pretend to be Mrs. Maxwell again."
"It doesn't" Parks assured her quickly, "In fact you'll be posing as a college student."
Buffy was definitely confused, "If it wasn't my role in the op that worried him, what was it?"
"The location."
"Huh?"
"You'll be attending classes at the University of California at Sunnydale. Both Agent Maxwell and the Bureau know of your... past with the area and if you wish not to..."
"I'll go" she said quickly, surprising herself when the words came out of her own mouth.
Before Buffy had a chance to renege, Parks was on the intercom. "Josie," he said to his secretary, "Would you bring in Agent Maxwell."
While they waited Buffy thought about what she had just agreed to do. Returning to Sunnydale after all this time was nuts, especially after all the pain that the town had caused her. Her mom pretending that she didn't exist after her dad gained custody of her and Dawn, her so-called friend's who had barely written and made excuses not to take her calls and then there was Angel... she didn't even want to think about him, because he was the one who'd hurt her the most.
When Dave finally walked in and sat down, Parks handed them each a case folder.
"Over the past two months there has been at least eight murders on the UC Sunnydale campus. All of the victims have certain things in common, they are all female, students and live in Stevenson Hall. They are all are short, thin with dark hair and introverted... not to many friends" Parks told them as they opened the folders and examined the crime scene photos. "As you can tell there wasn't much left for the coroner to examine and the local officials are stumped. That's where you two come in" Parks paused briefly. "Buffy will go undercover as a student and Dave will be the Bureau's contact with the locals. That also means secret communications between the two of you... I don't want the locals to think we're usurping their authority and also we need to keep Buffy's cover a secret. Condition's okay?"
"Yes Sir" they chorused.
"You leave tonight Buffy" Parks said. "Dave will arrive tomorrow. All information you both need are in the folder. Any questions?" When there was only silence he continued with, "Dismissed."