Awkward Meetings

[stoic_angel_]

((Continued from here))

Wes and Lilah stood in my office, Wes looking just as uncomfortable as I was, if not more, and Lilah looking casual, even if not perfectly at ease. Meanwhile, the tension in the air could possibly be cut with a knife. Assuming we wanted to test that theory, that is.

"How are you?""I'm... fine," I said slowly, answering

Comments

[_wes_pryce_]

He's fine, odd how he doesn't look fine. Makes me wonder what the hell I've all been missing while I was hauled up in my little sanctuary. How long was I even in there? I'm not sure I want to know. How much time did I loose, what did I loose...who...did I loose. Fred.

I glance around his office as he talks...stammers is more what he's doing. At least that hasn't changed. Still the same Angel who's uncomfortable around me. Though at least this time I know why he's uncomfortable, unlike the time he had our memories altered. And they've been altered again, and look how well that turned out this time.

Can I handle it? What am I? Five? No, You're just an insane British fool who's scaring the crap out of everyone. Even Lilah. Even Angel, aren't you Pryce? "Shut up," I whisper to myself. Stupid little voice just...bugger off. That's the last thing I need right now.

Tiling my head, I look directly at him and nod. "Yes," liar, "Of course I can handle...things." What things were we talking about again? Oh right, demon clan. I should probably bring my guns. Where *are* my guns anyway? I suppose asking that might scare them again. Heaven forfend, the insane man is walking around with guns.

[da_lilah]

"Yeah, I... we could use that. Do you think you can handle that, Wes?"

Oh way to go, champ, instill doubt in Wes's capacity to function on the job from the get go. That will really help him get over this funk. Angel threw me an awkward glance, it was obvious that my presence was also unsettling him. I arched an eyebrow at him and gave a tiny shrug as my answer.

"Shut up," Wesley muttered to himself, so quietly that I’d barely caught it, but I had no doubt Angel would’ve heard it. I laid my hand gently on Wes’s arm, trying to get him to focus on Angel. To not let the voices win. "Yes, Of course I can handle...things."

“So, how about you fill us in on the situation, Angel. What’s at stake here?” I pressed on, trying to gloss over Wesley’s lapse. “And in case you’re wondering, Lindsey has seen fit to appoint me as the official Wolfram and Hart liaison, apparently the last one couldn't take the heat." Lindsey hadn't filled me in on all the details yet, but it sounded like Eve's performance as liaison had been found lacking. Couldn't say I was too upset about that. "So, I’ll be working closely with you both on all matters to ensure the lines of communication are kept open.” I shot Angel a look that dared him to make something of it.

[stoic_angel_]

I looked at Wesley, concerned. Catching Lilah's look, though, I refrain from asking him. I didn't want him (or her) to think I was treating him like a child, and I didn't know anything else to say.

I picked up a file from my desk, holding it out to the other two. "Here's the whole file on the demon clan..." I paused. "There's a new clan moving in on territory already taken by different clans... we need this settled before people are killed."

I continued, "We're all going to the meeting... you two, Lindsey, and I," I clarified.

I rolled my eyes at Lilah, and said casually, "Liaisons don't seem to have the best of luck around here." I glanced back at Wesley, and inwardly sighed. I hoped that Lilah was okay in thie job, that nothing happened to her. I wasn't sure how much more Wesley could take without permanently losing it. I knew I should have checked on him when we had first... come back, but I couldn't. I'd had other things to take care of.

[_wes_pryce_]

Keep your focus here, Pryce. Lilah had to cover for your sorry arse already. That's more then one you owe her. Though I've no doubt Angel noticed it. Him and his stupid vampire hearing. Why did he never come to see me? I know for certain now that he never did. He just left me there to...rot away in that room. Devoured by memories that are or are not real. Some friend.

Narrowing my eyes, I can feel the cold seep back into me. It's a familiar cold, I did feel this once. When they tossed me out of the group, after I'd tried to safe Connor. I glance at Angel and wonder if he ever really did forgive me for that. Right now I'm having my doubts.

Nodding briskly, I nearly grab the file and start to leave trough it. Demon clan, other demon clan zoning in on territory, sound fairly easy to me. Shoot the lot of them and your problem is solved. I doubt that's how they deal with matters around here though. Not that I care, I'm taking my gun with me and my shot gun. Provided I can locate them. They probably took those away from me too. Like they took everything else.

Except Lilah. They can never take way Lilah. Right? Right?

"Lilah will be a most excellent liaison," I say, dragging my eyes away from the folder to look at Angel wearily. "It should've been her job the first time around. That certainly would've saved us a lot of...problems."

[da_lilah]

"Here's the whole file on the demon clan...There's a new clan moving in on territory already taken by different clans... we need this settled before people are killed. We're all going to the meeting... you two, Lindsey, and I,"

I nodded, sounded like something we could handle. It had been a while since I'd sat down at the negotiating table, but was just the kind of challenge that I relished. Wesley started looking through the file, I could tell he was still feeling uncomfortable about being here, uncomfortable with Angel.

"Liaisons don't seem to have the best of luck around here."

No shit Sherlock. Just working for Wolfram and Hart was risk enough. It wasn't as if I'd forgotten the last time I'd DIED. And what a stupid death it had been too. If I'd not been so distracted by my conflicted feelings for Wesley back then, I might have cottoned on to the real threat.

"Gee, thanks for pointing that out Angel. Wouldn't want me to get too complacent now, would we?"

We might technically on the same side now, but I doubted whether Angel and I would ever stop throwing barbs at each other. It was one of those things you could rely on, like the world revolving around the sun, and red and pink being clashing colors. I opened my mouth to add another pithy rejoinder when Wesley spoke up.

"Lilah will be a most excellent liaison. It should've been her job the first time around. That certainly would've saved us a lot of...problems."

I found myself staring at Wesley, startled into silence. It felt odd to hear him defending me, it was not something I was used to. I think the only other time he'd done that was at the Hyperion, when all hell was breaking loose due to the Beast, and I'd had intel to pass on that had escaped Angel's crew.

It felt good. Damn good.

"You'll have to fill me in on those problems later, Wes. Have kinda been out of the loop." I replied with a wry smile, and then turned back to Angel.

"How long have we got before the meeting takes place?"

[stoic_angel_]

"No," I said calmly to Lilah. "Can't have that now..." I had to agree with Wes inwardly- Lilah would have made a better liaison, but... it was good she hadn't been. I didn't think I could have handled seeing her there everyday, mocking us and picking fights with me. She had the mind and skills for the job... but in her own way, she would have been worse than Eve.

Especially is she had been there instead of Eve when Lorne had...

No, not going there. Doing that with Eve had been bad enough.

"The meeting takes place tonight... in a few hours," I said slowly. "That okay for you two?" I really didn't want to think about what else they might have been doing tonight... even though I could smell them on each other. Not the best of mental pictures... but she seemed to be helping Wesley, which was the point of her being brought here. Well, that and the new Liaison gig, but... whatever.

Meanwhile, though, the demons would have to meet at night... they couldn't exactly pass through the city to where the meeting was taking place withuot drawing the wrong kind of attention. The night would cover that... and you also had the fact that they were demons. Demons in general tended to prefer the night to begin with. That was when the human world was sleeping, and when the demons could slip out and do their thing with less people noticing...

[_wes_pryce_]

"You're not the only one who's been out of the loop," I mutter. "Several loops in fact." Apparently I've been the only one who's gone a bit loopy though. And no one came to see me. Nice set of friends. No Gunn, no Lorne...and no Angel. Or Cordelia for that matter. She was back in this new 'try out' right? Why couldn't they bring back Fred then.

Shutting the folder a bit louder then I intended, I look up at Angel while I hand it over to Lilah. "That would be more then enough time for us to get ready. Doesn't look to complicated to me." Why is McDonald coming along? Doesn't matter, I don't really care about that right now. Or at all. They can bring along the bloody queen for all I care.

I'm not going in without weapons though. Narrowing my eyes, I walk over to the wall covered with nice weapons. Angel's weapons. I need my own, I want my own. "Angel...where did they hide my guns?" As if I don't know they were taken from me, just like almost everything else was taken away.

[da_lilah]

"You're not the only one who's been out of the loop. Several loops in fact."

There was a bitterness to Wesley's tone that didn't escape me. Things were not all hunkydory with Angel and his crew yet, and I wondered if they ever would be again.

"The meeting takes place tonight... in a few hours, that okay for you two?"

I shrugged and nodded, what was I supposed to say? Hey Angel, can you move the meeting to next week so Wes can recover his sanity a touch more, it'd be more convenient...

"I'm sure we can handle it. Just let us know exactly when and where, and we'll be there."

Wesley snapped the folder shut and handed it to me.

"That would be more then enough time for us to get ready. Doesn't look to complicated to me...Angel...where did they hide my guns?"

I flicked a glance over at Angel. This was going to be a touchy subject. Should he just blithely hand over a bunch of lethal weapons to his friend who could still be emotionally unstable? Or would holding them back have the potential to make things worse by not showing confidence in him, by doubting the progress he's already made. I didn't envy him his decision.

[stoic_angel_]

"Tonight," I repeated, then gestured vaguely at the folder. "The time's in there, as well as the address."

I started slightly at Wes' question. His guns? Oh... but was it a good idea for him to have those just yet? Hed be angry with me if I didn't, but at the same time, he kinda needed them for the meeting tonight.

"I actually don't know where your guns are," I said. And I didn't- it wasn't like we had been yanked back here, 'and oh, by the way, Wesley's guns are here'.

"Not exactly like they told me that you didn't have them anymore," I explained.

[_wes_pryce_]

I'd been hauled up in that office for how long? And they...he, never came to check on me. Not once. I remember someone taking away my guns, talking to me in that condescending tone of voice, as if I were a bloody five year old. And I think he's avoiding my question.

Tilting my head, I glance from Lilah back to Angel and I'm well aware my look turned just a fraction colder. I'd notice the way they both started, the way they both looked and tried to cover it. They don't trust me with any weapons do they? Heaven forbid the madman have any weapons, least of all guns. Probably smart, but I don't really care.

"I'll guess you'll just have to get me some new ones then," I reply far to calm. "Before this evening." And no one is going to take them away again.

[da_lilah]

"I actually don't know where your guns are. Not exactly like they told me that you didn't have them anymore,"

"I'll guess you'll just have to get me some new ones then. Before this evening."

Wesley's expression had grown cold, accusing, and I dropped my gaze, pretending to look at the files again in my hand. Then I glanced up at Angel and shrugged, trying to look casual and unconcerned.

"I'll take care of it. I'll take him down to the armory and get him kitted out. If that's all, we have some preparation to do..."

Without waiting for Angel to dismiss me I turned to Wesley, hoping he was ready to depart before things got even more awkward and unsettling.

"I'll contact you in an hour, and give you a report on our progress."

[stoic_angel_]

I watched, then nodded slightly, unnerved by Wesley's far-too-emotionless stance.

"That's fine. The armory will be more than happy, I bet," I said dryly. "Meanwhile, I don't think you need too much firepower... after all, Senior Partner Lindsey will by with us," I said, rolling my eyes. "Not to mention, if the demons see you loaded to the teeth, they might think we're there to double cross them..." Oh, no, wouldn't want them thinking that... even though that was probably how it was going to go.

I sighed, and turned back to my desk. Suddenly, I was struck hard by the fact that the others and I never saw each other, talked to each other anymore, unless there was a company problem requiring it. It was strictly business connections these days... and what else had I expected? Seriously... I knew taking over W&H would change everything, but somehow I had missed this. After we got things taken vare of, sooner or later... maybe we could try and fix this.

Meanwhile, we had a meeting to take care of tonight. It probably wouldn't hurt if I went down to the practice room and warmed up for a while.