The One Who Was Lost

I hope it is as happy as you deserve.

OOC: For _freaksrus, queen_c_tm, evilhandissue and big_pile_o_dust and anyone else who's expressed interest in the new agency. Bendy-time as needed to fit into people's storylines and timelines.

Wesley Wyndam-Pryce had faced a number of challenges in his years, from vampires to werewolves to sorcerers and demons. And none had frustrated him so much as those with whom he and the others had been made to contend in the establishing and opening of the new agency. Between simply getting the physical plant of the offices and equipment arranged and the bureaucratic tangle of permits and licenses required to hang up their shingle, he had been more than ready to give up the whole thing and set up a folding table and cardboard sign reading "VAMPIRES SLAIN 5 CENTS" on the side of the freeway.

At last, though, the last papers had been signed and the last screws turned. He and the others stood outside the door of the office suite, though every one of them had already been inside, inspecting their own spaces and whatever details which fell under their particular charge. But this was a ceremony, and as proud as he was to be officially resuming this work with these people, Wesley wanted to stand on ceremony this once.

He glanced at the brass plaque that hung beside the frosted glass doors.

THE ENDEAVOUR AGENCY
Private Investigations

When the question of the agency's name had gone unsolved, Wesley had thrown open a thesaurus to the entry for "crusade" and selected a synonym that would suit their higher-class location. He turned the key and opened the door.

"Open for business," he said, and stepped inside.

212 - What event do you wish you could have been a "fly on the wall" for?

Everyone in Los Angeles had their theories, and I'm sure everyone in Sunnydale was equally as curious and suppositious as we were. In the end, neither of the parties involved were inclined to describe the encounter with anything further than the single word "intense". It didn't stop any of us from wondering, though.

It certainly didn't stop some of us from voicing some of those thoughts, either. Perhaps at the next party, Cordelia and I will stage a revival of Buffy and Angel: the Reunion, a two-person drama that met with such rave reviews in its first and only performance.

( Meeting halfway )

(370)

41 - "Remember, George: no man is a failure who has friends." - 'It's a Wonderful Life'

OOC: Set during late Season 1 of AtS. Characters mentioned do not reflect particular muses, but the in-canon originals in the context of the story.

When Wesley arrived at the office, he reached for the doorknob with an excuse for his tardiness already starting to form. Finding the door locked and seeing no lights through the frosted glass, Wesley frowned. He checked his watch. Nine-thirty and no one's here? he thought, wondering if some case or other excitement had cropped up overnight and either Angel or Cordelia were out on its trail.

He sighed as he fumbled for his keys. The phone in his modest but immaculately clean new apartment had not rung last night, so if there had been some sort of happening, neither of his office-mates had seen it necessary to involve him. Wesley supposed that there were any number of circumstances under which he'd understand the decision, most of them involving pitched battle. His place in Angel Investigations was still a new one, and while he'd experienced some closeness with Cordy in Sunnydale, Angel himself barely knew him from Adam.

Upon opening the door, the lights snapped on. "Surprise!" called a pair of voices. Well, one voice to be more precise. The second voice seemed to merely mumble the word, but Wesley was not especially particular about that in this case.

Cordelia was standing in front of him, a plate of donuts from their local baker arranged on a plate, the topmost sporting a single lit candle. From behind her, Angel waved and nodded, giving what for the vampire was a positively gregarious shrug.

"What...?" Wesley stammered.

"Happy birthday, doofus," answered Cordy. "Now blow out the candle and enjoy your donuts. Because this tiny little shindig is your present, too," she added a little sheepishly.

Wesley grinned and blew out the candle, wishing for nothing more.

(284)

OOC: Follows immediately after Part 1, occurring at the same time as Part 2.

Cordelia sat back in her chair once Lindsey had stormed out, glaring after him. If he thought she was going to chase after him, he'd be waiting out there a long time. Call her stubborn, but after the way he'd been acting, she didn't see why she should follow him. Let him steam over it for a while on his own, then maybe they'd talk when he was more rational.

Once Logan followed, she sighed and turned her attention back to Wesley and Gwen.

"I'm sorry, Wes. I didn't think he'd flip out like that. I thought once we were all here, he'd be more open to the idea."

( Wesley and his lady friends discuss Lindsey, old times, new jobs and a name for the new business )

From: Wesley Wyndam-Pryce
Bcc: Cordelia Chase; Logan Cale; Gwen Raiden
Security: Encrypted

Subject: A modest proposal

Hello,

First of all, I'd like to thank you for helping make my re-acclimation to the waking world as painless a process as could be hoped. I consider myself to be fully recovered from my mysterious ordeal and ready to take on the world again.

And, it seems, the world is ready, as well. A number of sources with whom I've reestablished contact all indicate that whatever slump or downturn experienced in recent years by the supernatural world-- in particular, the segment involved with the illegal, immoral and evil-- is over. There is work to be done, and I would like to invite you to discuss with me how to go about it.

Please reply with your interest (I've blind copied this, in respect for those who might wish to decline) and we will arrange a time and place to meet. Also, if you can think of any other like-minded and trustworthy individuals with whom you think we might share this task, please let me know.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards,

Wesley Wyndam-Pryce