Subject: [BA_Gutter] FIC: Together Again 29/31 Date: Mon, 09 Aug 2004 14:26:49 -0000 From: "sunnyd_lite7" Title: Together Again Author: SunnyD_Lite Spoilers: Follows 'Tangled Webs' which has spoilers to Shells, then goes on its merry way. Rating: PG but there is Spike language – you have been warned. Disclaimer: Joss, ME, Sanddollar, and other corporate types own every conceivable copyright and interest in the characters. They stopped playing with them, so I thought I would. No profit, no foul, right guys? A/N: First off, hugs and doughnuts to my betas Pattyanne and Desota_hia_873. Extra special thanks to Colleen who stepped up, in a pinch. They made sure my ideas resembled sense. Also thanks to my patient readers, hope you enjoy this long chapter, next one will be posted this week. Feedback, Oh sure, why not? 29: What do we do? "Well, it's clear that since I'm...WE'RE...getting the visions again that we should..." Angel slowly noticed the silence around him. It wasn't an appreciative silence, like one would expect a fearless leader to engender. It had a sense of menace and a tinge of disappointment to it, like a cat that has just been given a bath. "Um, I mean, what do you think we should be doing?" Damn, this teamwork thing was difficult. Almost harder than reining in his blood lust. After a pause, Wesley looked around and then said, "The visions are one source of missions, but there are others. Should we try advertising again? It IS effective, but I'm concerned that we might end up with more divorce cases." Angel focused his attention on Gunn as, recently, most of the dissention had come from that quarter. True to his expectations, Gunn had something to add. "What if we make use of Lorne's connections and help out the demon world? I don't mean turn our back on the human element, but those who need us often find us." Angel noticed that this mention of his name had caused the Pylean to blink. "The L.A. demon economy is fairly well represented, but no Sam Spades that I know of. It would fill a niche, plus I could wear a fedora." Lorne looked enlivened, in what Angel realized was the first time in...he couldn't remember when. Lorne continued, "I love fedoras. I've got a lime green one with matching trench coat. Sets off my eyes." "Oh, then can I be the babalicious receptionist that they always have? That would be fun." Harmony was still taking notes while adding to the discussion. "And you'd do it with aplomb, sweetcheeks!" replied Lorne. "Not just detective work," Gunn continued, "but extermination and general helping, I was thinking. Never thought I'd say this but, after seeing the clients at WR&H, there's a lot of demons I'd prefer to help than some of the humans." Now, that WAS a change from the leader of the street gang Angel had met five years ago. That Gunn was resistant to the very idea of a 'good' demon. Angel wasn't sure whether Gunn's shift in world-view was an acceptance of demons, or a disgust of humans. He only hoped that their time on the evil side of the street hadn't tainted Gunn's enthusiasm for the work, for life. "Sure beats prancing around alleys," Spike muttered. Angel glared at him, remembering the one time Spike had come to pay his 'respects' prior to his ghosting. Spike's snarkiness was one of elements that hadn't changed with his conversion to 'good'. Determined to take control of this conversation, of the team's future, Angel spoke up. "So, we'll be a full service supernatural firm for the otherworldly types? Angel Investigations rides again?" He faced another stony silence. What now? He'd let them talk, hadn't he? "Not exactly," Wesley stepped forwards. "I think that this time we have to run things differently." "Just running them WOULD be different," muttered Gunn. As everyone eyed him, Gunn continued, "No wonder I fit in with the crew after leaving the gang. The business method was the same, purely reactionary. If we are going to start a business, we should do it right. Business plan, expected cashflow, profit sharing plan. Organized." "But the visions..." Angel knew that he'd lost control of the meeting, he just wasn't sure when or if he could get it back. This wasn't what he'd thought would happen. There was no rallying around the visioned vampire. Wasn't that what they should be doing? "The visions ARE important," this was from Fred who'd been silent through most of the meeting. "But they weren't keeping us busy before, and, with the lab, I'd kinda gotten used to full days. And while I know the source was evil, I also got used to the regular pay- cheques. So, I think we can agree that the visions should get priority, but that doesn't mean we have to sit around waiting for them." "Or that all of us must be working on the visions," Wes picked up on Fred's train of thought. "If, as Spike is suggesting, we have redundancies in the team, we could have two shifts and alternate who deals with the visions." "I'm liking that plan. Way to go Book-guy!" Gunn moved to give Wes a high five and pulled back, chagrined, when the Brit seemed oblivious to the gesture. Angel tried to recall the last time Gunn had been enthusiastic, hell, even supportive of one of his ideas. The more he thought about it the more he realized how disconnected he had been. He thought it was time he got a word in edgewise, but he wasn't sure what to say. "You say it should run 'differently'. What do you suggest?" Gunn replied to his question. "At the firm, when files came in they were sorted out to the various experts in the area. There was a roster so you knew who was working on what and we had those department meetings to keep everyone informed. Plus, they helped with the inter-department items. Down scaling that to fit our needs would probably involve us bidding for files at a weekly meeting." "Hey, maybe we could have the neat charts like in ER to show what files are still on the go." Harmony added. Angel saw nods from various members. Then Gunn continued. "We should either set hourly rates or flat fees, so we can give people an idea when they come in. Thinking a sliding scale based on ability to pay might help the business aspect of that." "Yes, Cordelia was always encouraging us to also help the rich." Wesley had a fond smile on his face. Angel felt the pang of guilt which was his constant reaction to Cordelia's name. How could Wesley invoke Cordy, especially in a way which turned the focus away from the visions? "But..helping the helpless?" Angel was now thoroughly confused. How had the team grown so far from where they'd been? They had the old memories back, shouldn't they be the old team? "Don't get your knickers in a knot, there chief. Even lawyers do pro bono at times. Sure the team is willing to agree to some of that, right gang? Gramps here is about to blow a gasket trying to assimilate all this new info." Trust Spike to notice, and comment, on his discomfort. "Sounds bootylicious guys," Lorne interjected, "But I want to raise the concept I mentioned, was it only two nights ago? This hotel is big enough to host a hippest-hoppest lounge. It would make use of some of the dead, um, under-utilized space. AND...it would give me a place to hang my hat and still be available to assist you all as needed." "Would this be the Do-be-do-be-do section of the minutes?" Harmony inquired. "Have we finished up the previous topic? Did you want to vote on it or just table the discussion, 'cuz these minutes SO wouldn't fly with the typing pool rules." "I would like to move that we let Gunn design a business approach, with suitable input, of course, to discuss in detail in a few days. Does that work for you, Charles?" Wesley was making sure that Harmony had his motion down correctly. "I'll second that, especially if it means we can move on. Passions is coming up." This was from the ADD vampire Spike. Angel couldn't imagine how Spike could follow those television shows with all their over acting. "Okay, moved by Wesley and seconded by Spike. Any further discussion? Seeing none let's vote." Harmony was definitely not the same air head who'd agreed to the pyramid feeding scheme years ago. Angel felt cowed by her determination and raised his hand in favour, as did everyone else. "Great, unaminous. Hey, boss, do I get to vote?" Tilting her head in a manner she must have picked up from her time with her 'Blondie Bear', she stared at Angel until he responded. "Um, I think so. I'm not sure. Why don't we just move on." Oh, now THAT was decisive and full of leadership. No wonder they'd stopped turning to him. Would they ever turn to him again? TBC