#david nabbit

[buffster]

First Impressions (ATS 2.03)

This is part of my ongoing Buffyverse Project, where I write notes/meta for every episode in an attempt to better understand the characters and themes of the shows. You can find the BTVS list here and the ATS list here. Gifs are not mine.

Angel's descent into Darla begins.

Wait, that came out wrong.

The Darla-dreams are slowly taking over Angel's life. He's sleeping more but still exhausted. He doesn't tell anyone what's happening, likely because there's an element of shame here. Darla was evil and his time with her was some of the darkest of his life, and even some of these dreams feature times they killed innocents. But he's enjoying them anyway.

Cordelia and Wesley are left to liven up the Hyperion Headquarters. I sympathize with Cordelia's dusting struggles--after a couple layers dust turns into a strange glue-like substance. It's gonna take serious work to clean that place. This is when Gunn barges in expecting an appointment with Angel to investigate a snitch. He doesn't think much of getting Wesley and Cordelia's help instead.

When the group meets Jameel, a man promising to help them find Deevak in exchange for money, Gunn is relentless. It's clear his impatient, all-business attitude isn't reserved for Cordelia. Throughout the episode we see him making enemies left and right and even being harsh to the people he's supposed to be protecting. He's like a machine moving towards some unnamed goal and it seems likely to get him killed.

Cordelia has a vision of just that.

It's interesting seeing Angel's approach as a volunteer hero that runs a business vs. Buffy's destiny. We frequently see Buffy fatigued by her mission (she's always on call) or fighting monsters while her friends enjoy Prom. But here lies Angel, enjoying sexy time with Darla while armed-with-guts-and-an-ax Cordelia tries to save the day when he won't pick up the damn phone. Eventually Wesley wakes Angel, who attempts to strangle him for "making her go away". He has to be dragged to the mission.

Angel: It's just ... you know... there are visibility issues ... not to mention the whole hat head thing... and really when you think about it... How come I have to wear the Ladies' helmet? Wesley: Stop being such a wanker and put it on. (Angel puts on the hot pink helmet) Wesley: Looks good. Hop on board, gorgeous.

Cordelia is determined to protect Gunn, who seems bent on self-destruction. I get the sense he hasn't always been Mr. Abrasive. He has so much intel on his part of the city and such a solid network, it stands to reason he fostered good relationships at some point.

This is confirmed when a party in the neighborhood is attacked and someone almost ends up dead. Alonna's death has Gunn feeling the weight of responsibility and he's turned into a drill sergeant. Jameel hasn't taken too kindly to this treatment and is actually Deevak, which nearly gets them killed. The gang saves the day but Cordelia's vision hasn't been beaten. Gunn is on a self-destruct mission.

Darla: You give and you give and you give. Angel: I'm used to it. Darla: Always the protector, never the protected. Angel: I have so many things to make up for... Darla: And you have. You take care of so many people, but... who takes care of you? Angel: You do.

It's interesting seeing Darla seduce Angel. I think she's always understood his Angelus side and knows how to reel him in. The egotistical, selfish parts of Angel fall prey to Darla. We see that she's actually with Angel as he sleeps, not just in his mind.

Character Notes:

Angel: In his dream, he sings "Send in the Clowns" and "Tears of a Clown" to The Host. Both songs are about being foolish and rejected.

Charles Gunn: He calls Wesley C3-PO and Cordelia stick-figure Barbie. He says he hasn't bothered to see a movie since Denzel got robbed of the Oscar for Malcolm X, but it seems more likely he's too frenzied by the mission for movies.

Cordelia Chase: She seems reluctant to wake Angel. I think she knows he sleeps naked. David Nabbit offering financial advice gets her hot and sweaty. I really love her relationship with Dennis.

[freakattack]

if you were to make seven new koopaling ocs which six musicians and one random funny name would you name them after

I laughed

It's time for me to confess that when i was 12 i made a fanfiction where there was a secret extra koopaling named after patti smith and the reason we don't see anything about her is because she's nabbit

Now to actually answer your question

Johann Sebastian Koopa: my mary sue self insert

Alice Koopa: low-hanging fruit. Cmon

David Koopa: Nobody would know who I named this one after because he has a lightning bolt on his face but also a really big suit

The Koopa Formerly Known As Prince

Taylor Koopa: I want to see how fast I get sued

Emerson, Lake, & Koopa: this is one koopaling they're just named that

Ringo Koopa: "He just looked like a Ringo"

[monsterfucker-lisa-swallows]

AU where angel investigations is able to do everything pro bono because david nabbit bankrolls them then after angel finds out how much buffy has been struggling with money David gives her enough money to get started after sunnydale. None of them get fancy 6 figure salaries, none of them will be rich, just...able to survive comfortably

[all-seeing-ifer]

That scene in ats where cordy is twirling her hair at David nabbit after he says some financial jargon but it's me watching twin peaks whenever Dale starts identifying local bird species

[dailyats]

bonus:

[starryeyesxx]

[sunnydaleherald]

The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Saturday, April 3rd

David Nabbit: "Are you familiar with Dungeons and Dragons?" Angel: "Yeah. I've seen a few."

~~War Zone~~

The Sunnydale Herald is currently looking for a few new editors. For more information, send us an ask (on Tumblr) or post a reply to this post (on Livejournal or Dreamwidth)!

Submit a link to be included in the newsletter!

[Drabbles & Short Fiction]

Harmony Undercover (Xander, Harry Dresden crossover, T) by madimpossibledreamer

Bitchin' (Buffy/Spike, M) by TheSigyn

Empty Revenge (Cordelia/Oz, G) by afteriwake

Operator, put me through to 1630 Revello (Spike & Angel, T) by chasingfictions

Joke (Angel/Spike, T) by VioletArroyo

my mouth is a grave (Spike, M) by chasingfictions

Kakorrhaphiophobia (Xander, not rated) by prose-for-hire

Purple serenade (Drusilla/reader, not rated) by prose-for-hire

Of Souls and Mothers (Buffy/Spike, K+) by Enshante

Please Never Leave My Side (Buffy, Willow, K+) by RubyCellardoor

[Chaptered Fiction]

Slayers and Trollhunters, Chapter 1 (Ensemble, Trollhunters crossover, T) by Starfox5

Fire for You, Chapter 1 (Giles/Buffy, M) by demonic_ant

Buffy's New Home, Chapter 200 (Buffy, Vampire Diaries crossover, K) by Kitkat5979

Friendemies: Version II, Chapter 6 (Ensemble, Addams Family crossover, T) by AlbertG

Master Xander, Chapter 21 (Xander, Harry Potter crossover, T) by AlbertG

When in Rome, Chapter 44 (French language) (Dawn/Spike, T) by OldGirl-NoraArlani

Fighting with Family, Chapter 16 (Ensemble, Stargate: SG-1 crossover, K) by lateVMlover

Death Is Buffy's Next Great Adventure, Chapter 36 (Buffy, Harry Potter crossover, K+)) by dance in the dark

The Gift, Chapter 10 (Buffy, Dawn, Star Wars crossover, T) by Cantanatova

The Heart Of Me, Chapter 9 (Buffy/Angel, T) by butimbroken

A Jedi, a Wizard, and a Scooby walk into a bar, Chapter 19 (Xander, Star Wars and Harry Potter crossover, T) by slocuautla

To Our Own: Apocryphal, Chapter 5 (Xander, Stargate: SG-1 crossover, T) by Jacob M. Bosch

Bond Reborn, Chapter 8 (Willow/Tara, T) by riah alice drake

Summers' Place S7E6 - a WWS story, Chapter 3 (Willow/Tara, T) by absolutefem

Two Spikes, Chapter 3 (Buffy/Spike, T) by mimeTEC

The lost episode S7E23, Chapter 6 (Willow/Tara, T) by absolutefem

In Another Life, Chapter 7 (Willow/Tara, M) by riah alice drake

Speranta Lumii, Chapter 68 (Buffy/Spike, PG-13) by Irishrose

What Makes A Monster, Chapter 27 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by SleepingTigress

Dare, Chapter 27 (Buffy/Spike, Adult Only) by Sigyn

Mortal Allies Series, Episode 4: My Turn, Chapter 18 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Passion4Spike

Broken Bridges, Chapter 18 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Dusty

Switching Sides, Chapter 3 (Buffy/Spike, PG-13) by Wonder and Ashes

The Cookie Incident, Chapter 2 (Buffy/Spike, PG-13) by DeamonQueen

Out of Our Minds, Chapter 2 (Buffy/Spike, PG-13) by AlloSpoike

The Warlock's Nephew, Chapters 1 and 2 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by AlloSpoike

Chronicle Of Shadows, Chapter 1 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Spuffyismylife

Perfect Fit, Chapter 94 (Ensemble, literature/fables crossover (this chapter: Narnia), FR13) by vidicon

Our Wayward Friendships, Chapter 3 (Xander/Dean Winchester, Supernatural crossover, FR15) by calikocat

Slayers and Trollhunters, Chapter 1 (Ensemble, Trollhunters crossover, FR15) by Starfox

[Images, Audio & Video]

Artwork: Willow sketch (worksafe) by peroxidepoems

Artwork: William Pratt | Spike BTVS (worksafe) by peroxidepoems

Artwork process: Making of: William Pratt | Spike BTVS (worksafe) by peroxidepoems

Artwork: Buffy and Spike (not worksafe) by awaafterdark

Artwork: "Anne" banner and icons (worksafe) by whatdBuffyDo

Artwork: Buffy (worksafe) by whatshisfaceblogs

Gif set: Buffy (worksafe) by andremichaux

Gif set: Buffy (worksafe) by grimreaper

Cosplay: Got to play Giles to my daughter's Buffy today by satasbob

Video: Little Edit (Buffy, ensemble) by idiotic_memer

Video: I know I know, Buffy was excessively considerate and patient with Angel. I just wanted to make an edit with this audio (Buffy, Angel) by idiotic_memer

Video (artwork process): The Annoying One is Upon Us! | Drawing Principal Flutie - Buffy Club (Season 1 Episode 5, 6) by Sketching Greyhound

Video (artwork process and episode discussion): The Angel & The Internet | Drawing Darla - Buffy Club (Season 1 Episode 7, 8) by Sketching Greyhound

Video: Rest in Peace from Buffy the Vampire Slayer by Amy Jane

Video: Under Your Spell by Ron Pietrantoni

Video: Buffy & Faith | Joan of Arc on the Dancefloor by bopplepops

Video: Faith/Buffy btvs - Melodrama by AKuRo101

Video: Spike Trailer (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) by Jamie Thompson

Video: Buffy || Astronaut In The Ocean - Masked Wolf by Bored Now

Video: Buffy and Angel | BBM Baby | BTVS by sappysyrup

Video: Buffy & Angel ; I Miss You, I'm Sorry by ButtnJamz323

Video: [Veronica Mars/Buffy] Last of the American Girls/She's a Rebel by Ace Song

Video: Sarah Michelle Gellar - Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Bad Guy by Papaya Girls

Video: Sarah Michelle Gellar - Buffy the Vampire Slayer - The Chosen One by Papaya Girls

Video: Sarah Michelle Gellar - Buffy the Vampire Slayer - There's Only Me by Papaya Girls

Video: Sarah Michelle Gellar - Buffy the Vampire Slayer - You didn't earn it by Papaya Girls

Video: Sarah Michelle Gellar - Buffy the Vampire Slayer - In The End by Papaya Girls

Video: Buffy x Spike - You all over me (Spuffy - Buffy the Vampire Slayer) by jo

Video: Buffy x Spike - My tears ricochet (Spuffy - Buffy the Vampire Slayer) by jo

Video: Buffy x Spike - Killer (Spuffy - Buffy the Vampire Slayer) by jo

Video: Buffy x Spike - So it goes... (Spuffy - Buffy the Vampire Slayer) by jo

[Reviews & Recaps]

Buffy, S01x10: Nightmares by stinkybuttbags

Buffy rewatch: S02E04 by three-blogs-in-a-trenchcoat

Buffy rewatch: S02E05 by three-blogs-in-a-trenchcoat

20 Year Rewatch - s01e14 - "I've Got You Under My Skin" by Ohigetjokes

Video: Buffy the Vampire Slayer - 7x22 "Chosen" Reaction by Liam Duke

Video: The Angel & The Internet | Drawing Darla - Buffy Club (Season 1 Episode 7, 8) by Sketching Greyhound

[Recs]

Untitled Giles comment fic by wintercoffeelj (Giles, Quentin Travers, not rated) recced by cornerofmadness

Video: "If Buffy characters had a PowerPoint night" by octocupcakes recced by Use_Her-Name

[Fandom Discussions]

I had a fanfic about Spike that I wanted and couldn't find, I wrote some of it in my head, but chickened out before it made it to paper by shadowkat

It only took three years but I’ve finished my Buffy rewatch by bitchypuppystarlight

A lot of fans say “none of them did enough to help Faith” but ... by millennialslayer

Hey, I would love to hear more about your WIP answered by thehollowprince

Buffy and Her Mother by thrasherpix

Which two episodes would have to be your favorite for BTVS Season 1? continued by whatdBuffyDo and Fuffy Baith

Which three episodes would have to be your favorite for BTVS Season 3? continued by whatdBuffyDo

Which three episodes would have to be your favorite for BTVS Season 5? continued by whatdBuffyDo

Which three episodes would have to be your favorite for BTVS Season 6? continued by whatdBuffyDo and others

AtS S1 - A Strong or Stuttering Start? continued by Stoney and others

Buffy’s choice in The Gift in consideration of April’s/Joyce’s deaths by Priceless and others

Disney reboot/continuation speculation by KingofCretins and others

The Greatest Death Scenes in Fiction (includes discussion of BtVS scenes) by flow and Stoney

The watchers council by Angelfeet213

Something just dawned on me by Skramer94

Readers who are only interested in the Scoobies as a group and fanfic writers by redskinsguy

How on earth was Anya (Emma Caufield) not in the opening credits of Season 4 by precita

Anyone else love or boi skip by murdered800times

So what's the general consensus on Dawn these days? by precita

Dawn/Xander Ship by eviltoenails

I know I know, Buffy was excessively considerate and patient with Angel. I just wanted to make an edit with this audio by idiotic_memer

Cordelia was mean to the point where she would have realistically been completely avoided by the others by paperplatez

What were the scariest Buffy episodes for you growing up? by jdpm1991

[Articles, Interviews, and Other News]

Video (conference paper presentation): Chosen: Buffy Summers and Dean Winchester by The Ghoul Guides

Video (technical presentation): Natural Language Processing Series | Slaying Machine Learning with Buffy by Microsoft Reactor

[yiga-hellhole]

this dropped in my notes but am taking violent offense on account of the wrong placement of faces of evil and wand of gamelon. those take place AFTER ADVENTURE OF LINK, DAG NABBIT! BRIAN DAVID GILBERT YOU'VE TAKEN YOUR SINGLE L FOR THE FIRST TIME

monopoly take is god tier thought-smithing though. i'll go ahead and incorporate that into my belief system

"the zelda timeline is bullshitted and fake and-" wind waker and phantom hourglass and spirit tracks are all direct sequels of each other. the games themselves say this. adventure of link is a direct sequel to LOZ. the games and guidebooks that came with it say this. link to the past was made as a prequel to explain how the triforce came to be in the state it was in in LOZ. the games and guidebook say this. ocarina of time was then made as a prequel to this game. also links awakening, as per in-game story and guidebooks, is the same link as the one from alttp. but then majoras mask was made as a sequel to ocarina of time, even if it conflicted with the events of link to the past, which suggests the whole time travel thing had some consequences. twilight princess, with the execution of ganondorf and the literal hero of time teaching you the way of the sword, is then pretty safely assumed to follow some time after ocarina of time. the oracle games feature twinrova attempting to resurrect their son, but summon ganon instead, telling us that it AT LEAST has to take place after ocarina of time and before LOZ. skyward sword pretty solidly establishes itself as the very beginning of hyrule, so has to happen before everything else.

its literally only the handheld games and the actual timespans where the timeline wobbles. the vast majority of it makes perfect sense. timeline haters simply have only actually played 2 games at best (one of which being botw) and then read some salty tumblr posts.

[ninewheels]

BUFFYVERSE (BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER + ANGEL) Characters By Screen Time

Buffy Summers - 2630 Angel - 2008 Willow Rosenberg - 1258:15 Xander Harris - 1067:30 Cordelia Chase - 1038 Wesley Wyndham-Pryce - 840:15 Rupert Giles - 820:30 Spike - 760:30 Charles Gunn - 575:45 Winifred “Fred” Burkle - 480:15

Anya Jenkins - 379:15 Dawn Summers - 376:45 Lorne - 281:15 Faith Lehane - 256:15 Riley Finn - 241 Connor - 231:45 Tara Maclay - 211:30 Daniel “Oz” Osbourne - 181:15 Joyce Summers - 164:30 Darla - 154:45 Lilah Morgan - 153 Allen Francis Doyle - 132:30 Lindsey McDonald - 128:30 Harmony Kendall - 123 Andrew Wells - 122:45 Drusilla - 97 Det. Kate Lockley - 88:45 Jonathan Levinson - 79:15 Jenny Calendar - 65:45 Principal Robin Wood - 65:30 Warren Mears - 56 Illyria - 55 Kennedy - 54:30 Daniel Holtz - 51:30 The Groosalugg - 50:45 The First Evil - 50:15 Glory - 50:15 Mayor Richard Wilkins III - 44:30 Eve - 41:15 Jasmine - 41 Anne Steele - 38:45 Principal Snyder - 38:45 Gwen Raiden - 38 Amy Madison - 34:15 Justine Cooper - 32:15 Holland Manners - 30:15 Forrest Gates - 29:45 The Master - 27 Ben Wilkinson - 27 Kendra Young - 25 Nina Ash - 24:15 Adam - 22:30 Amanda - 22:30 Sahjhan - 22 Rebecca Lowell - 22 Skip - 21:30 Gavin Park - 21:15 Caleb - 21 Prof. Maggie Walsh - 20:45 Linwood Murrow - 20:30 Buffy-Bot - 20:30 Parker Abrams - 19:45 Bethany Chaulk - 19 Knox - 18:30 Ethan Rayne - 18:30 Graham Miller - 18:15 Sam Lawson - 18:15 Mr. Trick - 17:30 Virginia Bryce - 17:15 Halfrek - 16 Marcus Roscoe - 15:30 The Beast - 15 Rona - 15 Inca Mummy Girl - 15 Roger Wyndham-Pryce (doppleganger) - 14:30 Trish Burkle - 14:30 Roger Burkle - 14 Ted Buchanan - 13:45 Rondell - 13:30 Clem - 12:45 Vi - 12:45 Dana - 12:45 Quentin Travers - 12:30 Marcus Hamilton - 12:15 Billy “Ford” Fordham - 12:15 Jhiera - 12 Molly - 11:45 Holden Webster - 11:45 Veruca - 11:30 Numéro Cinco - 11:30 Barney - 11:15 Owen Thurman - 11 Melissa Burns - 10:45 Jinx - 10:30 Kathy Newman - 10:30 Judy Kovacs - 10:15 D’Hoffryn - 10 Merl - 10 April - 10 Gene Rainey - 10 Cassie Newton - 9:45 Trevor Lockley - 9:45 Tina - 9:45 Richard Straley - 9:30 Olaf - 9 Larry Blaisdell - 8:30 Gio - 8:30 Gwendolyn Post - 8:30 Katrina Silber - 8:15 Silas - 8:15 R.J. Brooks - 8:15 Willy the Snitch - 8 Cyvus Vail - 8 Alonna Gunn - 8 Harriet “Harry” Doyle - 8 Penn - 8 James - 8 Nancy - 8 Rack - 7:45 Samantha Finn - 7:45 Dracula - 7:45 Jack O’Toole - 7:45 Justin - 7:45 Landok - 7:30 Natalie French - 7:30 Collin, the Annointed One - 7:15 David Nabbit - 7:15 Luke - 7:15 Drogyn - 7:15 Jo - 7:15 Doc - 7 Scott Hope - 7 Marcus - 7 Dr. Ronald Meltzer - 7 Catherine Madison - 7 Lee Mercer - 6:45 Nathan Reed - 6:45 Murk - 6:45 Russell Winters - 6:45 Ryan Anderson - 6:45 Hank Summers - 6:30 James Stanley - 6:30 Billy Blim - 6:15 Shannon - 6:15 Paige Anderson - 6:15 General Gregor - 6:15 Debbie Foley - 6:15 Sweet - 6 Prof. Oliver Seidel - 6 Prima Ballerina - 6 Dr. Angelman - 6 Seth Anderson - 6 Magnus Bryce - 6 Sid - 6 Billy Palmer - 6 Grace Newman - 6 Archduke Sebassis - 5:45 Jesse - 5:45 Chloe - 5:45 Anne (William’s mum) - 5:45 Gage Petronzi - 5:45 Doris Kroeger - 5:45 Pete Clarner - 5:45 Chao-Ahn - 5:30 Dr. Kriegel - 5:30 Sheila Rosenberg - 5:30 The Valet - 5:30 Menlo - 5:30 Tom Warner - 5:30 Sunday - 5:30 Collins - 5:15 Spider Monster - 5:15 Razor - 5:15 The First Slayer - 5 Dr. Sparrow - 5 Wo-Pang - 5 Orlando - 5 Ken - 5 Kyle DuFours - 5 Rhonda Kelley - 5 Tor Hauer - 5 Heidi Barrie - 5 Chris Epps - 5 Coach Carl Marin - 5 Wilson Christopher - 5 T’ish Magev - 5 Lee DeMarco - 5 Zachary Kralik - 4:45 Lyle Gorch - 4:45 Mr. Maclay - 4:45 Vyassa - 4:45 Sam Ryan - 4:45 Jenoff - 4:45 Weatherby - 4:30 Cousin Beth - 4:30 Vanessa Brewer - 4:30 Daryl Epps - 4:30 Devon Macleish - 4:15 Principal Bob Flutie - 4:15 Lissa - 4:15 Nikki Wood - 4 Olivia - 4 Deputy Mayor Allen Finch - 4 Uncle Enyos - 4 Percy West - 4 Smith - 4 Maude Pearson - 4 Old Man (Hell’s Bells) - 4 Eric - 4 Morgan Shay - 4 Richard Anderson - 4 Vocah Demon - 4 M’Fashnik Demon - 4 Female Oracle - 4 The Judge - 3:45 Kit Holburn - 3:45 Caridad - 3:30 Whistler - 3:30 Gronx - 3:30 Cain - 3:30 Dante Chevalier - 3:30 Cameron Walker - 3:30 Zack - 3:30 Tony Harris - 3:15 Male Oracle - 3:15 Izzerial the Devil - 3:15 Dalton - 3:15 Janice - 3:15 Eddie - 3:15 Lorne’s Mother - 3 Senator Helen Brucker - 3 Liam’s Father - 3 Dreg - 3 Donny Maclay - 3 Balthazar - 3 Philip - 3 Lydia - 2:45 Nigel - 2:45 Hus - 2:45 Det. Stein - 2:45 Ed, Grand Potentate of the Fell Bretheren - 2:30 Sandy - 2:30 Lorraine Ross - 2:30 Kakistos - 2:15 Laurence - 2 Jessica Harris - 2 Teeth - 2 Merrick - 1 Numfar - 1

That’s a lot of damn characters. Counted by and rounded to the nearest quarter-minute.

[buffster]

To Shanshu in L.A (ATS 1.22)

This is part of my ongoing Buffyverse Project, where I write notes/meta for every episode in an attempt to better understand the characters and themes of the shows. You can find the BTVS list here and the ATS list here. Gifs are not mine.

Should we skip everything and go right to the catharsis that was Lindsey getting his hand chopped off? No? Okay, fine.

The finale starts with Wesley still trying to interpret the scroll; specifically, the word “Shanshu”. He still hasn’t cracked it, which Cordelia is enjoying poking fun at him about. Unlike with Buffy, Angel is the glue that holds this random group together. They’re all bound by a loyalty and respect for him. Gunn, Cordelia, and Wesley have no separate ties to each other as of yet. It frequently forces Angel into the role of mediator. 

The gang quickly discovers that Lindsey is back at Wolfram & Hart and promoted. Wesley seems shocked, Angel less so. Cordelia is just intrigued by the benefits package. David Nabbit drops by for a visit and continues to be in awe of them. You can tell he so badly wants to be a part of AI, but ironically the best thing he could do for them is financial advice or financial help, which is exactly what he’s tired of. I’m not really sure why his character sticks around so long. 

After his visit, Wesley realizes he knows the meaning of the mysterious Shanshu: death. Angel isn’t in the least concerned that he’s just been prophesized to die, in stark contrast to what we saw Buffy face in Prophecy Girl. Cordelia and Wesley are concerned he’s cut off. But really...what does anyone expect of him? He can’t find any real happiness, first because he’s undead and second because of that pesky curse. Being cut off is kind of a must for him. Of course, Cordelia tries to tempt him from the edge with coffee and doughnuts. 

For the most part, everyone leaves Angel to his distance. They understand it more than Buffy’s friends do on her show. (Side note: I feel like if Buffy and Angel had started at the same time the whole fandom would be shipping the two leads and dreaming of them meeting. They both carry similar burdens that cause them to be cut off). 

Angel later runs into Detective Lockley, who is keeping track of all supernatural cases and earning ire from her colleagues in the process. She seems hardened and is in a pretty dark place. Her attitude to Angel is pretty brutal. I think it would’ve probably been better to wrap up her arc as a lesson in some people not being able to handle the supernatural (seeing as she wasn’t going to stick around long term). She seemed nice, we liked her, but ultimately, she snapped from the change in worldview. It would have been more satisfying than what we got, anyway. 

Vocah (a demon summoned by Wolfram & Hart) kills the Oracles, traps Cordelia in a never-ending vision, steals back the scroll needed to summon Darla, and blows up Angel’s office with Wesley inside it. Angel manages to pull Wes out, but things are looking pretty bad for our hero when he runs into Kate again. 

Kate: I'm glad we're not playing friends anymore. Cause I'm not your friend. And I am real sick and tired of your attitude. Let me explain something Angel, there's a little thing called the law, and I don't care what kind of midnight creature you are, you're not above it.

Angel: This isn't about the law, this is about a little thing called life. Now I'm sorry about your father, and I'm sorry about all the other ghosts in your head -- but I didn't kill your father and I didn't put those ghosts there and I'm sick and tired of you blaming me for everything you can't handle. You want to be enemies? Try me.

I have to admit, I was cheering him on here. She was really starting to wear on my nerves. 

Once the ghosts of the Oracles tell Angel he needs to retrieve the scroll to save Cordy he turns to Gunn for help. Poor guy doesn’t get much appreciation but does Angel a lot of favors. Angel sends him to the hospital as Cordelia’s guard, which I’m doubtful went off without a hitch. 

We get to see that all this effort is so Wolfram & Hart can raise something to deal with Angel. There’s something about the lawyers that’s just begging for someone to teach them a lesson. Holland is oh-so-casual about turning up late to rituals because they last forever and they’re all very confident about dealing with demons. It’s just the Senior Partners they seem to fear. They all arrive at the ritual confident things will go as planned until Angel busts in. 

Lindsey: I see that you're either the one with the power, or you're powerless.

Angel: Uh huh. Do you see what I'm gonna do to you if you don't give me that scroll?

Angel fights Vocah and eventually triumphs. Then, in one of his most spectacular moments, Angel throws his scythe and cuts off Lindsey’s hand before he can throw the scroll in the fire. Buffy would never have done it. And it was glorious. I really enjoy Angel’s lack of empathy for people who have chosen evil. He knows all about being committed to that life and isn’t about to mess with people who are choosing that. He’s pretty cynical about it, honestly. 

Angel brings Cordelia back with the help of Wes. She seems scarred by her experience and realizing how many people need help. 

In a moment of spectacular wrongness, Wesley realizes he interpreted the prophecy incorrectly. It doesn’t say Angel is going to die. It says he will become human. This actually seems to have an effect. You can see the idea dawn on his face and realize with him that it’s something he’s always wanted, even if he never dared dream of it. I think it seems like a real possibility to him when he learns of the prophecy because he knows he has to earn it. Some part of him knew he hadn’t in I Will Remember You, which is why he gave it back pretty easily. But this is a real chance to change the never-ending cycle of his existence and redemption.

Guess who’s back, back, back, back again? Darla’s back, back, back, tell a friend.

Character Notes:

Cordelia Chase: She goes out to buy art supplies in an attempt to help Angel connect. I like that Angel seems to at least appreciate her efforts. I think he’d be touched, even if he never used the supplies.

[philosopherking1887]

I kind of miss David Nabbit the finance nerd. I don't remember what happened to him... did they write him out or just get bored of him?

[hellsbellschime]

Another comment on my rewatch of Angel is the show kinda sucked in their recurring characters, at least in S1. Like take Kate Lockley, as a character she is a mess. Not even a hot one lol. Like I watched her first S2 appearance and it really just shows how they didn’t know what to do with her. Like she appears so inconsistently in S1, in the first half of the season you aren’t sure whether she’s meant to be an ally, their link to the police or a potential slow burn love interest for Angel. Then she learns he’s a vampire and her dad dies and she’s an “enemy” but doesn’t appear until the end of the season. And then I assumed that was the end of her because I forgot she was in S2 and then in S2 you’re like oh you’re still here. And again, they don’t do anything with her, like they could’ve explored more on her view about she doesn’t care about the fight and more about the collateral damage of the innocent that get caught in between. They just have her there to cause weakass trouble. Also she was a terrible cop cause in her first episode she’s like I broke into your apartment and searched it without a warrant. Like the best thing the actress probably did was take up that regular role in Law and Order because it put Kate out of her misery lol. Though in the comics she joins Team Angel, and like it sorta makes sense, and sorta doesn’t, like I would like to see the development first. And then take Lindsey, it’s crazy to think how misused he was because he’s one of the more memorable recurring characters. But he appears in the first episode which introduced W&H and you don’t see him again until the second half of S2, near the end. Like how they handled W&H was a mess. Because the pilot hints at them being big players in the show, and despite having the minor mentions throughout the season (it’s quite sporadic at first) and nameless lawyers appearing; they only become big players near the end of S1 with the introduction of more W&H recurring characters. Like even that David Nabbit Nerd Millionaire. You think he only be one episode, but appears on 2 more episodes, but with the way Cordy, Wes and Angel treated him, especially with Angel asking for advice regarding the hotel, you think he’d appear more as an ally. But never again. They only got the hang of things regarding recurring characters around S2, with Lilah, Lorne (and I guess Lindsey)

She was the Cami of AtS but the writers at least had the good sense to write her out when they realized that they didn’t know what to do with her. And yeah, they really could have made Lindsey a much cooler character because all of the elements they needed to make him a really interesting antagonist were already there, but they were just very hit or miss with him. I wonder if some of these actors weren’t available for shooting very often, just because it’s the only way I can rationalize why they came in and out so randomly and inconsistently.

[oosteven-universe]

Zorro in Swords of Hell #3

Zorro in Swords of Hell #3 American Mythology Productions 2018 Written by David Avallone Illustrated by Roy Allan Martinez Coloured by Emmanuel Ordaz Torres Lettered by Natalie Jane     A horde of undead demons are sweeping across Alta California, conquering and killing all who stand in their way. Can Zorro stop them? When he learns that cold steel won't be enough, the masked avenger seeks mystical help, tracks down old allies, and unlocks the mysteries of the Swords of Hell! Swords and sorcery, as Zorro fights zombies...     There is something to be said for being able to read this and the Legendary Adventures so close together. To see his classic tales and to understand how he’s been seen for so long compared to modern storytelling and what someone like David is able to come up with, premise and story-wise, it really is like night and day. I have said it before and I’ll say it again seeing Zorro face this kind of supernatural threat is beyond expectations and as thrilling as it gets. In some ways, it reminds of The Phantom in how I perceive all this and it just continues to make feel excited time and time again.     The way that the book is structured is very well done. I like how we see the ebb & flow of the story and how the transitions almost feel like I am missing a commercial break or at least a Hostess advertisement lol. Still, it fits beautifully with the idea behind the character and how cinematic we have to come to expect things to be. The story itself is fantastic and I like that we see Esteban working to increase his power through any means necessary and that he also doesn’t seem very much fooled by Lolita’s ploy and yet I love that all plays out before our eyes nonetheless.     The characterisation here is spectacular and that Bernardo is as easy to understand as he is thanks to not only the words of Zorro but also through his deeds and actions is not something so easily accomplished. David really does a superb job with the Mute Ox, thanks Captain for that, and it is rather refreshing to see someone who is willing to go that extra mile to ensure that a character who cannot speak is still an integral part of the story. Also I have a new favourite character in Abuelita who everyone should be afraid of, even Zorro!    If there is one thing we're seeing here is old school versus new school that is more disappointing is that nowadays backgrounds are a rare commodity. When Zorro and Bernardo get to the village and it’s smoking ruins that’s fantastic, then they disappear during the fight scenes and dag nabbit I think they should still be there. No, don’t talk of cluttering the page or any of that nonsense either. The linework is amazing to see as it brings these characters to life, including the creativity and imagination in these Fantasma. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show off a solid eye for storytelling. The colour work is nice and honestly to see the black on black that is Zorro is handled extremely well. I would like to see more colour gradation to go along with the shading because Lolita’s dress was a tad more solid than I cared for. ​     This series has been a ton of fun so far. While there are tweaks that could be made to make it even better what these folks are doing is by far some of the most fun I have had reading modern Zorro adventures in quite some time. American Mythology continues to surprise and impress with their devotion to their franchises and projects as well as hiring some top-notch talent to bring it to life.

[lilbreck]

Title: Chapter 5: Whelmed Characters: Angel, Charles Gunn, Cordelia Chase, David Nabbit, Faith Lehane, Fred Burkle, Rupert Giles, Spike, Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, Willow Rosenberg Rating/Warning: FRT Word Count: 4,029 A/N: Though I list a lot of characters, and some of them actually do get dialog, some of them just pass through.

Spike had never been very good at just sitting around and waiting out the day. It's what drove him to risk being turned all nice and crispy to spend time with people who may or may not prefer him less undead and more dead. It's also what had him waiting in a darkened alley as Angel's human, Fred, ran back after buying an almost terrifying number of tacos. She had been unwilling to venture out into LA alone –and who could blame her even if they didn't take into account her time spent in another dimension—and Spike had been bored enough with Willow off visiting Faith in jail to volunteer himself to accompany her.

Of course, it's not like there was anyone else around to go instead. The humans had all be shooed off and their boss vamp was snoring away in his hotel suite. He didn't even mind that she had chattered and prattled on the whole way to the street where her favorite taco place was – "I've done some in-depth studying and this place so far has the best meat to lettuce ratio." – and on the way back. Of course, it helped that she was willing to stop her Ode to Angel when he asked. Didn't even get worked up over the fact that he may have snapped at her over it.

They had just entered the basement of the Hyperion when he heard arguing upstairs. Holding up the hand that wasn't carrying her food to halt Fred's talking, he listened carefully. Rolling his eyes and dropping his hand, he sent her a rueful look.

"Apparently, they've noticed we flown the coop."

He couldn't help but smile back at her conspiratorial grin. He turned back toward the stairs and made his way to them, listening to the argument and trusting Fred would follow behind in near silence. He didn't bother to fight down the small smirk that came at the thought of what she would be like if some lucky vamp turned her. He made sure that they made as little noise as possible coming through the door to the basement, but Angel was still starting directly at them when they entered the lobby.

Failed Watcher, Jr. and the cheerleader had moved from yelling at Angel to yelling at each other as Gunn looked on. The three didn't notice his and Fred's entrance or even that Angel's attention wasn't on them. Spike took special pleasure in the guilt that flashed across his sire's face when his eyes dropped to the bag in his hand. Before he could give the bastard a proper smug look, his attention was caught by Gunn.

"Don't be dragging me into this nonsense. I'm just here for the tacos."

Finally, having had enough of the pointless bickering –seemed to happen a lot among white hats, if you asked him—he held up the take-out bag and gave it a shake and interrupted, "Then you're just in time, mate."

Gunn wasted no time in making his way over to them while Angel made what was, in Spike's opinion, a huge production out of apologizing for being asleep and unable to take Fred himself. She told him that Spike had taken good care of her and he got a kick out of the confused and slightly jealous look on Angel's face as he watched her make her way to the round sofa in the middle of the lobby.

Fred and Gunn dug into the tacos as Wes and Cordelia both took up positions behind the front desk and glared at him. In between bites, Fred began telling Angel about her day so far. Spike remembered it being a big boring but, to hear the girl talk, you'd think he'd been the most fascinating thing to walk through the door since she'd arrived. Although Angel was very obviously uncomfortable, he made his way over and sat beside her looking a lot like a kicked puppy. When Spike happened to glance over at Gunn, the other man looked to be fighting down a smile.

The two at the desk looked on in undisguised disapproval for the most part. Spike would almost believe that Angel was oblivious to the tension if it weren't the small glances he would shoot at them whenever Fred would say something particularly complimentary about Spike. When Wesley interrupted Fred in a pretentious tone, Angel had apparently reached his limit.

"Enough. You two, head home. If we get any clients, I have your numbers."

They were smart enough to clear out with very little grumbling. When Angel noticed Gunn staring at him, taco halfway to his mouth, he shook his head.

"Not you, you're fine where you are."

Looking around he gave a deep sigh. Spike was expecting some toned down and pathetic rant about team work or whatever it was souled vampires got huffy about, so he was notably surprised when all that Angel said was, "We should really look at setting up an eating area."

Later that evening Spike was holed up in the room Willow had slept in. As much as he detested the boredom that came with being cooped up alone in a room, he couldn't spend any more time with Angel without it ending up in an argument. Part of him definitely was itching to get in a knock-down, drag-out fight, but he had promised Willow he wouldn't. He was nearly to the point where he was willing to risk Willow throwing a hopefully temporary spell at him, though, when he heard the doors to courtyard open and then Willow's soft greeting to Fred and Angel.

In the blink of an eye he was standing beside her at the bottom of the steps, just within touching range. She looked tired but somehow far more relaxed than he'd seen her since Glory had got her nasty little hands on her girl.

"I take it Faith is on board with her early release?"

Part of Spike had to wonder if Willow had used magic on the slayer. When his girl was determined, he wouldn't put that kind of thing past her. However, he was smart enough to not voice that particular fear. He'd seen her verbally lash out at Tara once when she'd made that mistake. The way her face lit up at his question, however, told him she wasn't expecting any kind of judgment, so it was doubtful she'd used magic.

"Oh yeah, she's totally on board! Well, I mean, I kinda had to go all 'tough love' with her and say that she was being a big ol' scaredy-cat. That, of course, may have been followed up with big teary eyes and telling her we needed her, but I'll never admit to it, no matter how much you torture or bribe me."

Her grin was too wide not to return. Soon enough, her smile lost a bit of its brightness as she continued, "Of course, now I have to figure out what to switch her charges to or else the memory spell is going to cause a lot of problems."

At this, Angel spoke up from his place behind the front desk.

"Actually, Fred has that covered for you."

Spike was glad they had actually put in some time to offer up real assistance but a selfish part of him wished they had done so with him around so he could have been the one to take that burden from Willow. Still, it was good that it had gotten done.

From behind Angel, at the computer, Fred gently corrected him, "Actually, I don't really have that covered for you. I mean, I've done all the research and figured out the charges and what files need to be changed. Assault, third degree, causing physical injury with deadly weapon, dangerous instrument, or electronic defense weapon. I've got a whole story put together if you wanna hear it. I'm just really rusty with computers on account of my being gone for five years, and I've never really done much in the way of hacking into prison records."

Looking completely pleased in a very dopey and ridiculous way, if you asked Spike, Angel said, "See, Fred has that covered."

While the girl in question looked at Angel with a very confused expression, Willow was busy making her way toward the computer, babbling the whole way.

"I am totally hacker girl, I can get you into the prison records. And, when you're done, I can get us out without anyone being the wiser, no problem. Then I'll just head upstairs and work on the spell."

As the two scarily intelligent young women worked away at the computer, Angel came around the desk. He walked out toward the courtyard and motioned with his head for Spike to follow as he passed. Spike knew there was a good chance that he wouldn't be happy with whatever Angel wanted to talk about, but he couldn't really see a way out of it without upsetting Willow. By the time he made it outside, Angel was sitting on the edge of the silly and pointless water-feature… pool… thing. He'd been on his best behavior all day, so he couldn't really resist poking at Angel a bit.

"I know what you're going to say, Angelus, but you've hurt me too much. It's possible that you may have changed, but I've made a good life for myself and I'm just not willing to come back to you anymore."

Angel didn't look amused, but he didn't look upset either. After a pause he asked, "Are you done?"

With a huff, Spike collapsed down beside where Angel was sitting and vented in a way that, if pressed, even he would admit was a bit overly dramatic.

"I'm just out of practice. I can't really push buttons back in Sunnyhell. Everyone there is too raw and touchy. One button and they'd blow up and Willow would be stressed out even more. Next thing you know, Xander and I are two slimy toads and you know she's not gonna come close enough to turn us back!"

After a weighted silence, Angel asked, "But that should be all over now, right? With Faith going back with you, Willow shouldn't be under so much pressure."

Spike let out a less than amused snort, practically jumped to his feet, and then walked over to lean against the pillar and stare into the lobby where he knew Willow still was, even without being able to see her. Taking out his smokes, he lit one up before he responded in a much calmer voice than he had been using. To be honest, he was almost grateful to share his concern.

"That's just it, innit? It's not all over. When we get back, Red's gotta find a place for the slayer to live. Unless she takes to sleeping in crypts or squatting in an abandoned building, that's gonna take money." Spike took a drag off his cigarette and shot Angel a look from the corner of his eye before focusing his gaze forward again. "I've got some things lined up that could bring in a few quid here and there, but Willow would want to know where it's coming from. She probably be none too pleased with the answer."

Angel seemed to be thinking hard as he stared down at the ground between his shoes. Or maybe the old man had fallen asleep, sometimes it was hard to tell. Before Spike could throw and insult at him to see if he was paying attention, Angel stood up. He walked by where Spike was standing and paused to rest a hand on his shoulder.

"I don't really have the money to help out myself, but I have a friend that might be able to do something. I'll give him a call and talk to him."

Spike was spared the awkwardness of having to find a way to thank Angel without having to actually say the words by Willow's sudden appearance at the doors.

"Hey, Spike, if you two are done with whatever bonding you're doing, you think you can give me a hand with this spell?"

Knowing that Willow might be uncomfortable with his discussing her financial worries with Angel, Spike decided not to tell her that there was a possible solution just yet.

"Nah, pet, we're good. I just had to break it to Angelkins that I wasn't going to be getting back with him no matter how much he begged."

He counted Willow's small laugh as a victory and quickly made to follow her as she went back inside and started up the stairs. He had just made it to the door when Angel's voice stopped him.

"We both know you'd come crawling back to me if I said the word."

Make no mistake, he was happy Angel was going to try and help Willow out. However, he still wouldn't let him have the last word. He turned to fully face Angel and gave him a slow once over, tongue curled up behind his teeth. With a shake of his head, he said, "Not even in a dream, mate."

In the early hours of the morning —three in the morning to be exact— Gunn drove Willow back to the prison. Spike had attempted to convince her to get a few hours' sleep first, but there was no reasoning with her. She was far too energized by the idea of having a slayer back with them. And so, after receiving a promise from Gunn that he would keep Willow safe, Spike crawled into the bed that she had barely slept in. And, if he took the time to breathe in her scent before falling asleep, no one could prove it happened.

It felt like it had only been a few minutes when he woke up to the feeling of someone staring at him. He quickly recognized Fred's scent, though he could swear her heartbeat was quieter than most. She was practically tailor made to be a vampire. Without opening his eyes, he said, "You know pet, a man wakes up to a pretty girl in his room staring at him, he's bound to get ideas."

Instead of being startled or embarrassed, Fred seemed to take his comment as an invitation to invade his personal space. His eyes shot open when he felt the bed dip beneath her weight. She was perched on her knees, waving a wad of cash at him with a huge grin on her face.

"I went ahead and asked Angel for some money and I was thinkin', since you're up and all, you could go with me so I could pick up some more tacos. Different place this time. The meat to lettuce ratio isn't nearly as good, but they have some things there I haven't tried before. I'd wake up Angel, but he gets cranky if you get him up too early."

Spike really couldn't find it in him to be angry she was interrupting his sleep. After all, she was a sweet little thing and still getting over being in a hell dimension. Besides, he really did love the sour look on his sire's face every time she went on and on about how nice he was to her.

"Since I'm up, might as well take a pretty girl out. Though, you might want to step out of the room for just a tick." At her questioning expression, he sent a meaningful glance over the bed spread covering him. "Didn't exactly bring my jammies with me."

Her eyes got huge and she quickly hopped off the bed and rushed to the door. Turning around, giggling and blushing, she said, "I'll be right outside when you're all done getting dressed!"

True to her word, Fred stood on the other side of the door when he opened it again. Her chattering began almost as soon as he got the door closed and didn't stop as they made their way down to the lobby. What did stop her was the sudden presence of Angel. Spike was sure that, if she knew about it, Willow would have something to say about the glee he took in the way Angel's face fell a bit when Fred told him that she was heading out with him. Fred, however, didn't seem to feel that particular joy along with him.

"Oh, but you can come with us. Right, Spike?"

No, it was not right. In fact, it was the very opposite of right. However, looking at Fred's hopeful face, he felt himself crumble.

"Sure, pet. Ol' Angelus can tag along with us."

Spike wasn't sure if she didn't notice the fact that he and Angel refused to talk to each other, or if she just chose to ignore it. Either way, she seemed content to fill the silence herself. When she left them both standing in the shadows of an alley, Spike decided to take over the talking.

"Eventually you're going to have to find something for her to do besides hide away in that death trap of a hotel."

Angel didn't bother to look at him when he bit out, "I'm aware of that."

Spike wasn't about to let it go, though, and continued on in a patronizing tone, "And if you're planning on keeping her, you're going to have to feed her better."

At this Angel did turn and look at him. Spike could tell he was on the edge of striking out and it felt comforting to be on familiar ground with him again.

"She's not a pet, Spike."

When Spike replied, his voice was calm and, though he would deny it, even understanding.

"She's not exactly a fully functioning adult right now, either. She's hiding away in her room and, from what I can tell, living off fast food. Until she's ready to take care of herself, you're going to have to do a better job looking out for her. Lord knows your other humans are doing an absolute rubbish job of it."

Whatever Angel was going to say was interrupted by the sound of Fred running across the street, bag of food in hand. When she caught sight of Angel and Spike, she stopped short.

"Y'all aren't fighting, are you?"

Angel quickly gave a smile and shook his head. "No, we're just catching up. Are we ready to head back?"

Once again, Fred was left to do all the talking as they made their way back. Spike did hear Angel on the phone later with Gunn arranging for the man to stop by for some money to go food shopping.

"Wait, you mean they have grocery stores that are open at night? Huh. So, uh, what exactly would you say the basics would be for someone like Fred?"

Of course, a few minutes later when Angel brought up going out and picking up food with her, he didn't bother to say where he'd gotten the idea. Wanker. At least the poor girl would get some decent food, so Spike supposed it didn't matter. He was turning into a right bleedin' heart. Thankfully Angel didn't seem to notice it. Mostly because he seemed to be enraptured by Fred's rhapsodizing over different foods she could pick up at the store after dark.

She had just wound down when a slightly frumpy man who looked to be in his late twenties or early thirties came in through the front door. By the way Angel jumped up to greet him, he was apparently not a stranger.

"David! I didn't expect you to show up tonight. Is there something wrong?"

Although David didn't look uneasy, he did fumble a bit as he answered, "No, uh, nothing, there's nothing wrong. I just… Is she still here?"

Spike had just begun to wonder if he had a thing for the cheerleader when Willow walked in the through the back door with Faith not far behind her. Spike's eyebrows raised when Angel said, "Here she is now, actually."

Spike could only sit back in confusion as the new guy seemed to fawn over Willow's brain and gush about how someone he knew had talked on and on about how they had tried to recruit her in high school or some such nonsense. What it seemed to amount to was an apparent job offer that they closed themselves off in the office to talk about. When he looked at Angel, he seemed just as lost. Apparently, whatever David had been called to do, it wasn't to make a job offer.

He may not have been able to barge in on the spontaneous meeting, but that didn't stop him from listening in. He didn't notice he was tensed up until he felt himself relax when he realized that, even with this job she seemed ready to accept, she would still be living in Sunnydale. When she came out of the office and said her goodbyes to David she seemed a bit dazed. After a few minutes of silence, her eyes got wide and her gaze excitedly bounced between him and Faith.

"We're going to have to look for a house as soon as we get back to Sunnydale! We don't have to wait to save up money or anything."

She quickly went from joy to horror and continued, "I'm gonna have to quit college now. How am I gonna tell Tara?"

For the next few hours, until it was dark out, Willow paced back and forth in the lobby going over the pros and cons of her new job and having random bouts of panic over having to tell both Tara and her parents. At some point Gunn had arrived, though she paid him no mind. She only stopped her monologue disguised as a conversation when Fred said it was time to go grocery shopping. Apparently, even company starved geniuses recently escaped from a hell dimension had their limits.

The next morning found Willow with her newly signed contract in her bag, Faith in the passenger's seat beside her, and Spike tucked away in the backseat under a blanket —he had absolutely refused Angel's suggestion of riding in the trunk. She was still half convinced that David Nabbit hiring her had all been a very strange shared hallucination. The relief she got from no longer having to worry about how they were going to keep Faith housed and fed helped fuel her through the two-hour drive home. While Faith seemed to not really be paying attention to what she was saying, she did ask questions whenever there was a lull in Willow's babbling.

Faith managed to put on a good enough front to almost have Willow believing that she was unconcerned about her reception. However, it was hard to miss the look of relief on her face when they pulled into Willow's house and she found out she wouldn't be seeing anyone else until the next day. Willow had just shown Faith around the house and was just about to head out to check on Tara when there was a knock at the front door. She caught herself sharing a worried glance with Faith and Spike who had quickly joined her in the hallway.

"If they were going to attack, they wouldn't knock first. Right?"

When they both shrugged, she took a deep breath and stepped close to the door to look through the peephole. She gave a relieved huff of laughter when she saw Giles on the other side. She quickly opened the door and invited him in. He gave a nod of greeting to both her and Spike, but then turned a serious look on Faith.

"I'm so sorry I couldn't give you more time to settle in, Faith. However, we seem to have a bank robbing demon on our hands."

Looking a bit relieved ���Willow couldn't help but think she would rather face demons than any emotional confrontations— Faith headed back into the living room and picked up the jacket she'd just recently laid across the back of the couch. She quickly shrugged it on, pulled her hair out from the collar and shot Willow a quick smirk.

"No rest for the wicked, Red."

[dailyats]

1.20 – War Zone || 5.22 – Not Fade Away

[starryeyesxx]