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[smileforaliving]

[New York City is all around him, a mixture of loud noise and constant movement. He's standing in the middle of the sidewalk, holding a piece of paper and scanning the crowd

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[slayerpreferred]

She's not here. [Buffy says sadly, appearing just behind him. She thinks she hates living here the most when things like this happen. She hates the explaining.]

[smileforaliving]

[He whirls around, staring at her. No one had been tailing him, he had been sure of that, so where the hell did she come from?]

She has to be, there's nowhere to go. [He turns to face her fully, studying her, making a quick assessment to see if she might be armed.] Who are you?

[slayerpreferred]

Buffy, is my name. [She says, a bit of 'duh' to her tone.] But she's not here. Kate. She's gone. [Another pang of sad.]

[smileforaliving]

What are you doing here? Why are you following me? [Slightly paranoid? Maybe a little but things aren't right, things aren't right in the least and he wants to know what's going on.] There's nowhere to go, she's got to be here. I want r back.

[slayerpreferred]

Listen, usually there wouldn't be anyone here to tell you this, but maybe it'll stop this grief train before it can pick up speed.

This is a dream. She disappeared because she can; things don't make sense here.

[smileforaliving]

A dream. [He says it slowly, like he's testing out the words, seeing how they feel in his mouth.] This is a dream?

[If he thinks about it, things make a little more sense. It would explain why Kate could just disappear like that, why the world seems fuzzy at the edges, why this girl--Buffy--could just pop up behind him...]

Why am I dreaming about someone I don't even know? I mean, I know why I'd dream about Kate but...but who are you? [Yes, he knows he asked the question already but well, he thinks that he's allowed to repeat himself in his own dreams if that' what he wants to do.]

[slayerpreferred]

I can leave... if I'm intruding. I just wanted to tell you before you got tied up all night chasing ghosts. [She ignores his second question. She already told you her name, and the rest... well.]

[smileforaliving]

[He doesn't know what to say, just blinks and considers what she's said, considers how the world is behaving before taking in a deep breath.] Are all dreams as polite as you are?

[slayerpreferred]

If I'm getting a gold star in politeness, I'm thinking your standards weren't too high to begin with. [raises an eyebrow] Maybe I just know what it's like, chasing someone who was never there.

[smileforaliving]

Well, you're not totally cryptic, you did give me your name and your nice enough to not call me crazy. Fine, you've not graduated from the school of etiquette but you're better than nothing.

[He considers the last part of what she says, not saying anything for a few moments before speaking] So what, is that a hobby for you then and, hwen that gets boring, you come up and have a chat with people like me?

[slayerpreferred]

Something like that. Mostly, I don't have a choice. It's either this or nothing..ness.

You would choose this too.

[smileforaliving]

[He looks at her, confusion evident on his face] Nothingness? What do you mean? Just...nothing at all?

[slayerpreferred]

I mean, just me on my own. The solo roadshow.

Who's Kate?

[smileforaliving]

{He nods his head, hands slipping into his pockets] Just someone I need to find. Someone took her and now shes in danger and I have to get her back.

[slayerpreferred]

... Can I help?

[smileforaliving]

[He laughs, looking her up and down for a moment.] Sure? Why not, it's not as if I'm doing a marvelous job at getting her back myself. [He would think to be more skeptical but right now he's not too sure of much of anything.]