maevebran

Title: The Dance of Sorrow: Part 1
Author: Maeve Bran
Rating: K+
Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy or Bones. I'm just take the characters out for a little fun and will return them to their owners.
Challenge: #42 - Choices
Crossover: Bones
Summary: Buffy and Angel go to DC to deal with Willow and Angela's strange discovery.
Notes: Set in my slightly AU season 5 Angelverse. 6th in the "Willow, the Squint" subseries.

Buffy was just getting ready to dial a familiar number, when the phone rang.

"Hello," Buffy answered.

"Buffy," Angel said.

"Angel, I was just going to call you," Buffy replied with a smile. "I got a phone call from Agent Booth. Am I to assume you got one too?"

"Yeah," Angel answered. "So what are we going to do?"

"I talked to Giles and he'd like me to go and look into why a Pylean wound up in D.C.," Buffy said, slightly irritated at having to go just to satisfy Giles's curiosity but glad to be able to see Willow. "What are you going to do?"

"I was thinking of going too," Angel said, a little shyly. "If you don't mind, I could even pick you up in Vegas."

"You mean, fly together in the Wolfram and Hart cooperate jet? Sure. It beats using Council funds. Giles will like that," Buffy said.

Just then, Dawn came in and handed Buffy a note.

"Just a minute Angel, Dawn just came in," Buffy excused herself as she scanned the note. "It seems there is a new slayer on the East Coast of Canada. I think if I take Dawn I can go and pick up this slayer and rejoin you in DC afterward. "

"You mean to start the investigation and then run off and leave me?" Angel asked.

"Sure, you are after all, the detective. I'm just the one who's really good at driving wooden stakes into stuff. Surely you can handle the investigation with the help of Agent Booth and Dr. Brennan," Buffy chided.

"Yeah, I think I can handle it, but why not go take care of the slayer first and then meet me there?" asked Angel.

"Because I want Willow to come along in case something goes wrong. I might need a powerful witch along with a Watcher in training," Buffy explained.

The next morning, the Wolfram and Hart jet was waiting at the private airport when Buffy and Dawn arrived. They were escorted on board by a fetching blond stewardess. Once the flight was underway and everyone had settled in, Dawn was bursting with questions for Angel. Finally she could contain it now longer.

"Angel, do you mind if I ask you a few questions?" inquired the Watcher in training.

"Go ahead." Angel agreed.

" So what is the deal with Angelus and puppies?" inquired Dawn.

"What-- Where did you-- Oh, you're reading the Watcher Diaries, aren't you?" Angel sputtered.

"Uh, yeah. So what is up with the puppies?" insisted Dawn.

"It was a mental torture. I don't like to talk about Angelus' exploits if you don't mind," snapped Angel as he reverted to his normal brood mode.

"From what I hear, after you got your soul you saved a puppy or two," Buffy said.

"Where did you hear that?" asked a puzzled Angel.

"A little birdie. She answers to the name of Faith," teased Buffy.

"Right, she told you about that Orpheus trip," sulked Angel.

"Yeah, she did. She was somewhat impressed even while she was laughing over the stupidity of saving a puppy," Buffy laughed.

"I'm glad I can amuse." Angel continued to sulk.

They passed the rest of the flight in silence. Dawn had other questions she'd have liked to ask Angel, but her long experience with the Souled Vampire had taught her that now was not the time to ask them.

It was dark when the plane landed and the trio went straight to the Jeffersonian. Angel was particularly glad of this as the Medico-Legal lab had lots of skylights. He'd envisioned trying to pretend to be human while dodging all that sun and was not amused at the thought.

Agent Booth was waiting for them when they stepped off the elevator. "Wow, I didn't expect you both to come," he greeted them.

"Oh, Dawn and I just hitched a ride on Angel's cooperate jet. We'll be leaving with Willow in the morning for Canada," Buffy answered, clearly a little uncomfortable in the FBI man's presence. Booth, as well, seemed uncomfortable in the blonde Slayer's company.

"Oh, uh, good," Booth managed while shifting uncomfortably. "This way to the Angelator." He led them into Angela Montenegro's inner sanctum, where the Pylean skull was on display.

Angel gasped. He recognized that particular Pylean from his trip to Pylea two years ago; it was Lorne's brother, Numfar. This investigation was possibly going to be bigger than he thought.

"Willow was right that is a Pylean, but not only that, I know this particular Pylean. It's Lorne's brother, Numfar," Angel said. "What am I going to do? I should stay and investigate, but I also should go back to LA and tell Lorne in person," Angel said, anguished.

Buffy came over and put a hand on his back to comfort him.

"Why don't you call Wesley and have him tell Lorne?" Dawn spoke up for the first time since entering the Jeffersonian.

Angel looked at her with amazement, although it shouldn't surprise him that Dawn had grown up and was not the little girl he remembered. "I'll just go do that. If you will excuse me?"

Angel got up and walked out into the hall to call Wesley.

(tbc)

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