[ open ] always pushing up the hill searching for the thrill of it

[inakoipond]

If you wander through Grant Park you may witness a man staring up at the sun. If he's not staring incredulously at the ball of light in the sky, he's seated on a bench, flipping through a journal. It's not exactly his first walk through the park, figuratively speaking, when it comes to dimensional travel. But, because of what he is, he hardly ever

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[isaywe_party]

There are numerous things that Buffy expects to see in Grant Park.

Monsters, vampires, tourists. Occasionally there's even a random wild animal (usually a shapeshifter gone awry). It's usually a magical mystery tour of fun and adventure, and every once in a while there's a new Wanderer that she has to show the ropes. And normally, she doesn't mind -- but this Wanderer isn't something that she's expecting. It's been a very, very long time since she's seen him, and it's something that she always knew would happen, but still isn't entirely prepared for.

"Angel."

Saying it makes it real in away, because it's that moment where everything else sets in. The fact that yes, that's Angel. The fact that yes, it's daytime.

The fact that Angel is most decidedly not on fire.

"Angel, what are you doing?"

That statement is mostly worry and concern as she's running towards him trying to shield him from the sun as she did. She isn't going to let him land in Chicago just to burn up two minutes later.

That's just not very much fun at all.

[inakoipond]

"You could've come to me. Asked. Instead of taking what I did as a move that couldn't be trusted," he said, finally getting things off his chest. "You sent Watcher Jr."

[isaywe_party]

"And as I said -- Andrew was more than capable of handling it. Don't underestimate him -- he's a lot better at this then he looks." She crosses her arms in front of her chest. "And given everything that happened in LA -- Cordy getting possessed, them letting Angelus out to try and stop the Beast -- you really expected me to just trust you with a Slayer's life. You joined Wolfram and Hart, Angel. What was I supposed to think?"

[inakoipond]

"I joined Wolfram and Hart to do good. You think I don't think about Cordy? Like I don't regret any of that happening? I hate every single day without Cordelia. Months passed before we realized what had happened. You weren't there. Don't think you can understand about what happened in my town." Angelus, the Beast. Her beef is with Wes. But, no, it's with them all.

[isaywe_party]

"Then don't make the same assumptions about mine," she says with a look. "And don't take it personally when I don't make in-person visits just because it's you. I had a job to do, Angel. And I was doing it."

[inakoipond]

He's important. He'd -- like to think that he's important. "If you had a problem with what you heard, you could've dropped by. Talked to me face to face." Hell, she could've called.

[isaywe_party]

He didn't get it. He never was going to get it. "I didn't have time, Angel. I had an army to worry about. You weren't a priority."

[inakoipond]

"I was enough of a priority not to trust. Or, was that Giles' call?" he asks, wondering just who exactly it was that didn't trust his power play.

[isaywe_party]

"No, actually. It was my call not to go, and it was Andrew's not to trust you. He reported back to me what he thought, and I made a call based on that. I trusted his judgement."

[inakoipond]

"But, you didn't trust me." And that's his issue here.

[isaywe_party]

"You were working for Wolfram and Hart." She hates repeating herself, but in this case she feels she has to. "What did you expect me to do?"

[inakoipond]

"Think that I knew what I was doing," he tries. They're running in circles and he's getting nowhere. "I don't work for them, anymore."

[isaywe_party]

"Of course you don't," she sighs. "You're in Chicago now."

[inakoipond]

He could correct her, fill her in on what actually happened but there probably not going to accomplish much more then they all ready haven't.

"Have a nice day, Buffy," he adds, before walking off past her.

[isaywe_party]

Buffy turns to watch him go, arms crossed in front of her chest. That is a bit of a rocky start to the Chicago chapter of their lives, but unfortunately, that's also something Buffy refuses to back down on. She made her choice a long time ago.

That was just how it is.