And now his new boss was packing him off to a small town up north.

"She needs help. She's stubborn, she won't ask for it, but she needs it." He held the scroll he'd taken from the firm in his hands. Wesley was having trouble figuring out what the word "shansu" meant, but eventually Lindsey knew they'd figure it out.

"And I have to go tomorrow?"

"If you can. Cordelia can bring your things later." Angel looked at him for a second before he realize what'd he'd said. "I forgot..."

Lindsey shrugged. "They were just things." He absently raised his hand to the burn mark on his shoulder, covered up by the sweater he wore. Everything had been burned up in a "mysterious" fire at his apartment, except him and a briefcase full of important information for Angel and a few pictures he'd managed to grab.

But he didn't escape unscathed. He'd badly burned his left shoulder and a bit of that side of the neck trying to open the blocked door. He was staying with Angel for the moment, living in one of the spare rooms at the office. Wesley and Cordelia got him clothes and the like while he recuperated. He didn't bother getting any new possessions, except for a clock, a laptop, a CD player and some CDs.

"Anyway," Angel continued, "I just forgot. I mean, it's been about six months, and you seem better."

"I am better," he said, facing the vampire. "Maybe leaving here would be best."

"You can walk around again."

Lindsey gave him a vague smile. "No, I don't think I'll ever be able to walk around and feel safe again for a long time." He went towards his room, shutting the door behind him.

Cordelia finally looked up. "Do you think it's the right thing to do, sending him to Sunnydale?"

"We'll find out," he said, not looking up from the scroll. "Call Wesley in here, see if he can translate some more of this scroll.

"I can't believe he's doing this," Buffy muttered, gathering in the magic shop. It was closed after what Anya considered a moderately good business day. "We can handle this on our own. We don't need his help!"

"Maybe he just wants to make sure your safe," Willow said.

She started to pace slightly until Riley slipped an arm around her waist, effectively stopping her. "All we know is this person's name is Lindsey and he or she is getting sent here because Angel wants him or her here."

Xander shrugged. "The person he's sending was almost killed in a fire, right? Maybe there's some people with a vendetta after him or her or something."

"And that would make him or her a liability, and we don't need that right now." She looked over at Dawn. Now that she knew the truth, she treated Dawn even more like a sister, but she always worried that she'd end up getting herself killed.

"What?" Dawn asked, rolling her eyes.

Buffy was about to reply when there was a knock on the door.

"I'm sorry, we're closed," Giles said from the table where he was looking at the inventory list. "We'll be open at nine am tomorrow."

"Angel sent me," a masculine voice said.

Giles looked up. "Would someone let him in?"

Tara stood up but Dawn was faster. She had unlocked the door and opened it in about ten seconds flat. "Uh...hi."

Lindsey smiled. "You're not Buffy, I hope."

Dawn rolled her eyes. "I hope not too." She opened the door wider. "She's on her boyfriend's lap."

"Dawn!" Buffy said, standing up. "Angel sent you?"

"Yeah," Lindsey said, adjusting the duffel bag on his shoulder.

"Prove it."

"Angel is the vampire formerly known as Angelus. He was soulless until a gypsy curse gave him his soul. He lost it again about three years ago and was sent to hell, but he came back. after a particularly nasty fight here he retreated to Sunnydale where the law firm Wolfram & Hart found him to be a menace." He cleared his throat. "My name is Lindsey McDonald. I used to work for that law firm. You can call Angel and confirm it."

Buffy shook her head. "Just answer one more question."

"Fine."

"How'd you get the burn?"

"My old firm tried to have me killed. Everyone else thinks it was an accidental fire." He set down his duffel bag. "Now, what am I supposed to do?"

Buffy thought for a moment. "We'll run this on a trial basis. But if you become a liability, you're going back to Angel."

Lindsey shrugged. "Fine. Now, where am I supposed to stay?"

"With me. I'm Xander," Xander said. "I have a two bedroom apartment. You help with the rent, a room's yours."

"I have enough money left over from my savings and insurance payment," Lindsey said. "I'm sure we'll work something out."