Nothing But You
by Whedonist
Chapter 19
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Chapter 19
Buffy rolled over and felt the cold sheets of where her lover was supposed to be. She pushed up and rubbed at her eyes. The clock read 11 am and she cringed. Willow and her had gone to bed close to midnight which meant that she had slept for at least 10 hours. Her body ached from the sleep and her head was thumping to a staccato rhythm that she would have gladly given up if asked. She grabbed her robe and made her way downstairs. No Willow in the living room, kitchen, or den; Buffy was ready to call the search off and phone the redhead when she heard noises coming from the office down the hall. She walked down and pushed open the door to find Angel pinning up pictures on a corkboard and Willow hunched over her computer deep in research mode.
"Wills? Angel?"
Angel was the first to look up to offer the blonde a smile in greeting. Willow continued her research and didn't bother to look up. Buffy tipped Willow's chair back and smiled at her lover. She placed a light kiss on Willow's lips and was awarded with a nibble back.
"Morning hun," Willow said, "Can you ah put me back?"
Satisfied that she had Willow's attention, Buffy let the chair down then took a look around the room. There were files stacked everywhere. Angel had placed up pictures and papers over one of the walls and it looked like that at least three computers from AI had been brought in.
"So, we are planning an invasion of a foreign country?" Buffy asked.
"No no invading although definitely a beat down. These are some of Kate's pending cases. We're working back through her cases to find the bastard." Angel said as he placed another photo on the wall.
"And Wills you are doing what?" Buffy asked arching an eyebrow at her lover.
"Uh," Willow glanced around nervously. For the past two hours she had been cracking several government server's trying to find the whereabouts of a few of the parolees Kate was responsible for putting away. "I've just been checking addresses." Willow gave lamely.
Buffy's eyebrow went up further and she shook her head no. "Uhnuh, that's not remotely believable. Tara told me about your sordid past. Willow, what are you doing?"
Looking at her hands, Willow answered, "I've just cracked a few of the Department of Corrections databases and maybe I also kinda sorta slipped into the National Crime Information Center." Willow turned a little red as Angel sucked in a breath behind her.
"Willow?" Angel asked.
"Uh yeah?"
"Tell me you didn't hack into the F.B.I's files?"
She couldn't stop the words, "Maybe just a little. It's no big deal and really easy if you know what your doing. The F.B.I may have some really good people to write code's for their security, but if you know what to look for it's really simple and don't worry. It can't be traced back here. I've bounced the IP addresses around. It would take them at least two years to find the general location of the breach."
Buffy just looked at her girlfriend, mouth hanging open and eyes wide.
Angel rubbed the back of his neck. "And you learned this how?"
"Well, it's was just done out of boredom the first few times. After that, well I, it was fun so I did it cuz' I could."
Angel turned to Buffy, "Did you know she could do that?"
"I'm not sure what you guys are talking about. But I'm pretty sure the stuff you guys are talking about could get all of us some serious jail time."
Angel threw his hands up in the air, "I don't want to know. Just get it done." He turned back to his task and made a point to ignore both girls in the room.
"Wills, can I see you," Buffy cast a look at Angel, "in the kitchen?"
Willow nodded and followed the blonde out. Buffy didn't stop until she got to the kitchen island and hopped on top. "Wills, what are you doing?" Buffy let the concern show on her face and hoped that the redhead would understand her meaning.
The hacker grabbed Buffy's hand and smiled. "Look I know it seems bad, but the thing is is that I just couldn't not do anything. You're upset and Faith's upset and I'm upset and well if I can help I'm going to. It's a good fight ya know trying to find the person that did this and I want in. You can't expect me to sit back and not he..."
Willow's words were cut short by Buffy's lips. The blonde pulled back and placed a finger over slightly swollen lips. "I get it. Just don't end up in jail please."
"Promise no jail for me." Willow let her tongue slip between her teeth and smiled her heart melting Buffy only smile.
"So since your getting involved that means I'm getting involved. What can I do?"
"I would talk to Angel. Speaking of I need to get back to my computer. I was running a search when you came in and I need to check up on it." Willow pulled Buffy with her and led them back to the office.
She resumed her position in front of her laptop and let her hand fly over the keys. A minute later the printer kicked to life and she began nodding her head to some unheard tune. Buffy just shook her head and turned to Angel. She walked up and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Angel?"
He turned to his friend and crushed her to him. He hugged her for a few minutes and then let go to wipe the tears from his eyes.
"Angel, I want to help, tell me what I need to do?"
"You sure?"
"This isn't just about a need to do something." Buffy finally let her anger show, "It's about touching what's mine. MY family. No one touches my family."
Angel nodded and then took Buffy over to his work station. He pointed out what he was doing and let her get her barings. "So anything you want to start on go ahead."
Buffy nodded and was going to just dive in when she noticed she was still in her robe. "I'm gonna go change. Be right back. Hey has anyone checked in on Faith?"
"I did before you came down, but it wouldn't hurt to check on her again. Dawnie's in the room with her."
Buffy nodded and made her way back up the stairs. She went to her room and changed into jeans, a t-shirt and threw her hair back in a ponytail. She went to Faith's room and cracked the door open. Faith was curled on her side and Dawn was sleeping in a chair next to her bed.
Buffy went to the bed and crawled in next to the brunette. Buffy knew she wasn't asleep so she pulled Faith into her arms, "Faith? Sweetie, talk to me." Faith just looked up at Buffy. "You know Kate would kick your ass for this right?"
"I...I know. B I just it's like we were. I was only gone 20 minutes. I didn't even tell her the things I wanted to do with her. The future."
"Shhh. She knew you loved her Faithy, she knew and she loved you back."
"I miss her so much. It's only been a few days, but it feels like forever and every time I think about it it's like everything shatters all over again. It hurts too much to move."
"I know sweetie." Buffy didn't push for more conversation; she just held on to Faith and let the brunette cry. Buffy held her for a while longer and moved to leave as she heard Faith's breath regulate in sleep.
Buffy extracted herself and went back downstairs. She stopped in the kitchen to grab some coffee and left over's from yesterday's funeral. She carried her plate and coffee in the office and sat down at the desk Angel had cleared for her. Angel came over and they began going threw the jackets on the desk. One by one they talked over possible findings and let the afternoon wear on. Willow occasionally offered her two sense, but then quickly turned back to her computer. Joyce stopped in and turned and left as soon as she saw what they were doing. She felt the less she knew the better it was. Xander popped his head in and brought the girls plus Angel more coffee and doughnuts. Dinner was brought in by Dawn and even at one point Faith poked her head in, but then went upstairs shortly after.
Buffy stretched and popped her neck. She looked over at Willow and smiled. Her girl was still pouring over data. She saw windows pop up repeatedly and heard the click of the keys as Willow typed commands in to the computer. Angel caught her eye and smiled.
"I think it's time to call it a night, don't you Buffy?"
"I'm beat. Willow?"
"Hmmm" She answered distractedly.
"Nap time Wills. It's midnight. We've been here for a long time."
"Yeah yeah."
Buffy winked at Angel, "Yeah Angel you know what your right. Maybe you and I should go to bed. You want to sleep in my bed."
Willow's head snapped up and blinked at the two. "What?"
The other two let out a much needed laugh and Buffy back peddled a little. "Bed time baby. You, me a nice king bed with our names all over it. Put the computer away."
"Oh," Willow shook her fist at the two that were still laughing at her. "Sure, just give me a few moments and to bed we shall go."
"How long?" Buffy asked.
Angel stood up and excused himself. He figured they would be there for another half hour and he desperately needed some sleep. Dawn had left an hour ago and he wanted to stay with Faith.
"Ten minutes maybe." Willow answered as she turned back to her computer.
Buffy sighed and propped her feet up on the desk to wait on her redhead.
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Before heading downstairs Buffy stopped in to check on Faith. Dawn was there again and they were sitting up talking.
"Hey sis, Faith. How are you feeling?" Buffy asked sitting down on the end of the bed.
Faith just shrugged and Dawn offered Buffy a weak smile.
"So kiddo, you missing school again?"
"So are you. Mom cleared me until the middle of next week."
"Ah, alright. Well I got to go to campus and collect all of our assignments. Faith, Wills said not to worry about your work. She'd take care of it and get you caught up before you went back. From what she said, your professor's are being really cool about the whole thing."
Faith just nodded so Buffy got up and gave her a kiss on top of her head. She turned before she left and smiled at both girls. Last night she had slept like the dead and once again had woken up to an empty bed. She knew Willow was in the office with Angel and went back to go get her.
"Wills, you ready?" Buffy asked sitting in her chair.
Willow looked up and smiled apologetically as she shook her head no. "I'm really close to getting this data together. I'm probably going to be like another 3 hours. Did you really want me to go?"
Buffy shrugged and then looked at Angel, "What about you soul-boy? Care to escort a pretty blonde around town?"
Angle let a grin play at the corner of his mouth, "Cordy might have something to say about that."
"Speaking of Queen C, when did she leave?"
"While you guys were hiding out in your room Monday."
"Ah." Buffy just nodded her head.
"Heya Buff while you're on campus can you drop that packet over there off to Professor Otteni. I promised him I'd get that back before the end of the week. Also Angel, there's some stuff on the printer. You guys might want to go through that. There's only one guy on parole in the Sunnydale area. Kate arrested him shortly before she quit the L.A.P.D. His info is all on the printer."
Angel perked up at this and grabbed the print out. Buffy looked over his shoulder as he read through the info. Turning to the small girl, Angel asked, "So you up for some questioning? Convicted felon and all."
"Sounds like fun. Let's go."
Buffy gave Willow a kiss and grabbed the stuff she needed to drop off at campus. She gave Willow one last smile and wave before she followed Angel out the door.
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Buffy led Angel through the school and had an armful of assignments before they made it back to the car.
"So what's the game plan?"
Angel looked over at Buffy; she had this smirk and looked mildly excited at the prospect of some type of confrontation. He wasn't going to lie to himself when he hoped that there would be one to. Ever since he got the news, Angel had wanted to just let go on someone and had hoped that the time would come soon. "Well, I figure you can be the good cop, I can be the bad cop and if the guy tries anything we both get to the beat the hell out of him."
"Hmm, okay."
"You know you don't have to Buff."
"I know. I want to go. Willow's right I can't just sit around and do nothing. Kate wouldn't sit around if it had happened to one of us. She'd be by your side. So here I am." Buffy grabbed the folder off the dashboard to verify the address of the guy they were going to question. Angel pulled up to the house five minutes later. They both stepped out and took in the area, definitely not the nicest area in Sunnydale; houses were aged and worn down. The house they stood in front of looked like it could have used a fresh coat of paint 10 years ago. One window was broken out with cardboard covering the hole. The lawn was unkempt in the loosest sense of the word and the trash cans were overflowing with debris.
Buffy stepped up to the door and knocked. She felt okay, Angel was behind her and she knew that if things got bad he would be there with her. They waited a few more minutes, but got no answer. She knocked harder the second time and was rewarded with silence.
Angel motioned to the back of the house and they went to the back door. Angel stepped up and banged on the door. The force of his knock caused the latch to free itself. He looked back at Buffy and shrugged. He pulled out two pair of gloves and handed one set to the blonde. After putting them on, he pushed the door open and stepped into a dimly lit kitchen. Food containers were everywhere and it looked as if the dishes hadn't been done in what looked like weeks. They both grimaced at the state of the house, but moved forward. They entered the living room to see that it was empty, but much in the same state as the kitchen. The hallway off to the right offered access to the rest of the house, so Angel lead Buffy further inside.
He stepped into the first door and found that it was empty except for miscellaneous beer bottles and trash. The second room was a bathroom that should have been cleaned only by Hazmat. Grime coated the floor and it stunk like stale feces and piss. Angel closed the door and moved to the last door in the hallway. Angel pushed the door open and stopped dead in his tracks. The guy they were looking for was splayed out on the bed. That wasn't what surprised him though, at the wall opposite the foot of the bed were pictures of Kate and the rest of his family. All from public outings. He stepped into the room and took a better look at the photos. Kate's face was scratched out in the one's she appeared in. A buzzing began in Angel's ears that he vaguely recognized as his blood rushing through his body as rage clouded his vision. He spun around and launched himself at the man on the bed. Taking the man by the scruff of his neck and his pants Angell threw him against the far wall of the bedroom. The man looked up as he landed with a shocked expression.
Buffy backed out of the room and dialed 911. She didn't know if Angel was going to kill the man or not, but she needed to get someone there fast. She stayed on the line as she walked to the doorway. Angel was screaming at the guy. His face was red and the veins in his neck were sticking out. She called to him, but her voice was lost in the howl of pain from the derelict. Trying again she creamed for Angel to stop. The scene in Buffy's mind was unfolding in surreal time. She saw Angel wrap his hands around the guy's throat and saw the man go red, then purple, then blue. The next moment she found herself against the wall opposite the men with Angel looking down at her. His face a mask of rage, and for the first time since knowing the man, Buffy was truly scared. She whispered his name and saw his face shift.
Realization dawned on him and he knelt down apologizing as he gathered Buffy up in his arms. Buffy hung on to him and tried to sooth her friend. She looked over his shoulder to see the slumped form of Adam Smith and prayed that he wasn't dead. She wanted to see the bastard put away. They didn't hear the cops at the door nor did they fully realize what was going on when two uniformed officers steered them out of the room to outside. Angel filled the police in on what happened and who the guy was.
Adam Smith was put away by Kate right before she left the force. It was the last case she worked before retiring from the L.A.P.D. Adam had viciously mutilated a 9 year old boy and had strung him up so that his parents would find him in the backyard. He had been released on a technicality during evidence collection and had moved to Sunnydale two months ago. His apparent fixation being Kate. Angel was still shaking as he recounted the details of Willow's findings and how he and Buffy had come to find him. An hour later, they were told to go home and would be contacted by a D.A. in the morning. Buffy and Angel nodded and walked to the car. Buffy put her hand over Angel's arm to stop him. She looked up in his eyes and felt Kate's death all over again. He looked sad and angry and the only thing Buffy could do was hug him. She gripped him tighter as the tears slipped down her neck and she felt him shudder under the grief raging through his body.