i'm leaving you my last curse

( "What? He's a good poker player." And a classic! It's kind of like his unapologetic love of Manilow. He likes what he likes. )

As far as I know, we were the only ones that were hit. And, Angel, if you feel like having a reunion with your old pal, let me know. I'll add you to the guest list.

( Probably under an alias.

And then Buffy hangs up and the dial tone goes dead. Angel just looks at Cordelia off her look.

"What?" )

You knew that Scarlett O'Hara was real and you didn't tell me?!

[This is important information that she feels she should know!]

How did you meet them?

I didn't know you cared.

( He thinks he has her figured out. Clothes. Fashion. Saving people. She does like old movies, though. He just thought she was more of a Casablanca fan. Now he knows. )

I met them on the Riverboat. And then years later. ( Originally. He kept a low profile. Easy to around the Butler-O'Hara's.

He kept to himself. Stayed in pig's blood, but remained undercover. He's probably the only vampire to successfully free a few of the trapped. That it turned out to be a loyalty test and he was held back while everyone was killed -- ) I tried freeing people. But, they saw me coming. And they had me watch as they slaughtered everyone I thought I got free.

[Her face softens, and she moves to rest a hand on his shoulder.]

I'm sorry.

[That he couldn't save the people he wanted to save. That's always the hardest part.]

Can Buffy count on them?

[Just to be sure.]

In attacking Buffy, they attacked Scarlett and Rhett. And, I'm guessing Melanie. She doesn't take attacks lightly. Or, well. Scarlett has been wanting a real reason to cut ties with them for decades. She maintained her relationship out of politeness. Probably access.

( His, on the other hand, won't be as easy to get back. Unless he plays the tried and true staple, I've lost it again, mom. Where did it go? )

If she wants my help, they won't want to see Angel's face.

Then let's not make that complicated and focus on what we can do here.

[She clears the existing call and takes his hand to pull him back into the room.]

C'mon. We'll split the list, it'll get done faster.

( But, why. You're so much better at doing the phone tree. It's fine, he's here to help.

As she tugs him back inside, they pass the original Earp table.

"Well, she did say she'd get back when she good. The when being never. Guess someone had enough of getting her flirt on," Wynonna says over the rim of her whiskey, eyeing her sister. )

[Waverly's eyes narrow. "We weren't flirting." Then there's a pause as she replays the conversation. "Were we flirting?"

Dolls is not paying attention to the banter. Instead, his eyes are scanning the way tenor of the room has changed, and he takes another swallow of his beer before getting to his feet.]

I'll be right back.

Baby girl.

( Her version of flirting. Is she off her game. Good thing Wynonna is here. She does nod to Dolls before getting nosey. )

I'll also be right back.

( She follows behind Dolls, not that he invited her while Taylor and slides into a seat next to Waverly. She keeps an eye out for her boyfriend to let him know where they're sitting. When she realizes he's still filling his plate or taking a call or taking a 'Taylor break,' her words for the good of their relationship, she turns to the baby angel.

"Waverly Earp, we have not been introduced."

Wynonna glues herself to Dolls' side. )

Let me guess. Getting seconds.

Not exactly.

[He knows he can't stop Wynonna, so he doesn't try to dissuade her. Instead he just takes a breath and scans around until he finds the familiar redhead and knocks lightly on the doorframe to her office.]

Everything okay?

( She'll just march along with him.

The slightly ajar door creaks open further as he nods. Aalys hangs up the phone at her desk, looking up. She waves him in. Eyes Wynonna, but doesn't ask her to stay outside, or out of earshot.

"Going through my witch contacts. The slayers were hit hard." )

Wait, really?

[That's not good.]

What were the casualties?

I have Cordelia finding out. Buffy survived. Beyond that, I'm unaware as of yet. It doesn't sound good.

( Wynonna plants herself against the doorway, listening. )

The castle, Dolls.

Shit.

[That's a big target. The fact that someone was able to get close enough to get it done is huge.]

What do you need?

[Because clearly the party is over and it's time to get back to work.]

Check in with yours. If anybody feels unsafe, we need to move people. Or, they need to go to ground. This is the beginning of the Gauntlet and a hell of an opening play.

( And now witches everywhere are in the crossfire. )

Stay careful and stay vigilant.

[Dolls nods as he steps back from the door.]

If you need boots on the ground anywhere, let me know.

I will.

( Let him know. And will probably need boots on the ground.

"Me too," Wynonna says, throwing her hat in the ring. "I'm a girl with a gun, with no one to point a gun at. I'll help." )

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[Waverly raises an eyebrow as she turns to the new person, even though it seems like Dolls and Wynonna are fleeing from her for some reason.]

No, we haven't.

[She doesn't know who this is so she very delicately smiles.]

Though seems you know me better than I know you.

( She met her in the bathroom. She's chatty. Wynonna does chatty, but not that chatty. Also, it feels like more is going on and she likes being in the know. It's fine. )

Everyone knows Waverly Earp. Former wife to the shield of Purgatory, now high up in Black Badge. We work for the same people. It all intersects. ( And to prove to her, she insists everything she's heard is positive. ) All good things.

Oh.

[There's a pause, because well.]

Nicole and I weren't actually married. I called it off before we actually got down the aisle.

[Which is not important. Does runaway bride sound better than divorcee? She's not sure, because neither scenario really makes her look good.]

Everything else is probably true though. You are ...

[Sorry she's blanking on your name.]

Taylor. Linguist, polyglot, all around busybody. My boyfriend and I sort of fell into the Underground. He already had supernatural ties, little did I know, and I stumbled onto a conspiracy and found a persecuted race of fish people. They're safe now.

( And she can't tell her where they are, but they are somewhere safe. )

I do a lot of the translating, the research. And I've been in the field when the romance languages are needed. Italy was gorgeous. I've been to France, but not for the Underground. I avoid it now because I have a famous ex-boyfriend. Les Saison De Pêches?

( Totally slutty little romance novel. Steamy beach read a years back. She's the girl in that. )

Oh! I love translating. Are you mostly doing modern languages or are you delving into the dead language stuff?

[Languages seem like a much safer topic thank their respective personal lives.]

Dead all the way. I'm partial to ancient Sumerian, but I think there's just something about Enochian, you know what I mean?

( But how can there not be? It's ancient. )

Oh, man, I haven't gotten around to Enochian yet.

[You would think she would, given that she is a half-angel after all, but there's a scarce number of texts to practice on.]

I'm still working on tracking down primary sources.

Well, I had a hot affair with an angel.

( Like you do. So she got it straight from the source! )