Cordelia groaned as the search came back with no results.

"Maybe, if you let me..." Wesley started to lean over the keyboard.

"NO!" Cordelia snapped. "Keep away from my computer. It took Willow nearly three weeks to fix it after the last time you tried to assist me."

Wesley straightened up. He still felt guilty about the mess he had made of the computer system.

"I'm sorry, Wes. It's just this is really beginning to piss me off!"

"Anything?" Angel poked his head through the office door, breaking off Cordelia's tirade before it had started.

Cordelia rolled her eyes. "No. I think maybe you got your wires crossed. Are you sure it was a demon?"

Angel sighed needlessly. "No, Delia, I'm not. That is why you are researching." He told her patiently.

She was about to retort when her head exploded. At least that what it felt like. She felt this sharp, shooting pain go through her head as a medley of confusing images played themselves out.

Once the vision had stopped, Cordelia laid her head down on her desk and waited for Angel to return with her bottled water. It had become a sort of ritual between them. Whenever she had a vision he would bring her the bottled water. Once she had calmed down enough to speak, she would tell him about the vision.

This was no different, than any other time, except this time, he died.

Melanie Westbrook sat at her desk and looked over the files carefully. She looked up at the man sitting across from her. "This Angel… he can't be reasoned with?" She asked. She was not in the habit of having to hire assassins to kill a member of the local vampire population, although in all fairness, Angel was not your average vampire.

"NO, Ma'am. We've tried to talk to him. To make him understand how we do things here, but…"

"But, he's on a mission." Melanie surmised. When the man nodded she sighed. "Very well. Tell him we will pay what he asks. But," She looked sharply at the man, "Make sure he understands this must be done quietly, and discreetly. We can not have another publicity disaster. This vampire with a soul has caused enough of those already."

"Yes, ma'am. I'll make sure he understands." He stood up to leave, but stopped just before he reached the door. "About his assistants. What would you like to do with them?"

Melanie thought for a moments as she looked over the file again. "Mr. Windham-Pryce is of no concern to us. But Miss Chase could prove to be a liability. Grab her."

The man nodded as he left the office.

"Delia? Are you alright?" Angel asked as he handed her the water.

"Yes, but you're paying for the next bottle of aspirin!" She told him decidedly as she took a sip of the water.

Angel chuckled. "Your vision? What did you see?"

Cordelia thought about what she had seen in her vision. She turned to look at her boss, and friend. "A demon. Down in that section of town near where… Doyle died." She paused for a second remembering Doyle. After she had composed her thoughts, she continued, "He's taken some people out in a cargo ship."

"People?" Wesley asked.

"Slaves. Some human, some not."

"Well then, lets go." Angel stood up and headed towards the door. After he had gotten into the elevator, Cordelia grabbed Wesley's arm.

"There's more." She whispered.

Wesley bent down so that he could speak quietly with Cordelia and not alert the vampire. "What is it, Miss Chase?"

"I saw… I saw him get staked." She told him, and then her eyes bore into his. "It was you. You staked him."

"Well, I… I would never…" Wesley's protest was cut off by a wave of Cordelia's hand.

"I know that!" She said indignantly. "But I saw it. So either you go crazy for no apparent reason, or…"

"Or, there is something else going on." Wesley finished, already thinking of all the different possibilities.

"Yes. Now, go." She shooed him away. "But don't tell him anything." She hissed.

Wesley nodded his agreement as he headed towards the elevator.

Makas smiled evilly as he hung up the phone. They had met his demands. Now the fun would begin. He had heard glorious things about Angelus. And although he knew that the vampire was now curse with a soul, he also believed that everything he had heard about him, still lurked beneath the surface. It was just a matter of causing it to erupt.

He wondered what it was that would infuriate the demon enough to play his game. Looking over all the information he had, he decided that it was the girl. She was the weak link. If he could get her, Angelus wouldn't be far behind.

Cordelia closed up the office and headed down to her car. It was late, and she was tired. It had been several hours since Angel and Wesley come back from the docks with no knew information. The boat they were looking for wasn't there…yet. They knew it was only a matter of time, and had spent the remainder of the evening trying to find out more information on the demon they were after. He was a Leweal demon. Unfortunately that was all they had learned. Nothing about what he was doing in LA, or what he planned to do with the slaves once he got them to wherever he was taking them.

Cordelia sighed wearily, as she opened the car door. Before she could climb in, she felt a hand go around her throat. She tried to scream but was stopped as a cloth filled with some offensive substance was shoved into her face. She tried not to breathe it in, but she could only hold her breath for so long. Eventually the chemical reached her, and she felt her body start to lose consciousness.

Her attacker smiled to himself as he flung the unconscious girl over his shoulder and took her to where she would be spending the rest of her days… if she were lucky.

Cordelia awoke to find herself alone. She was almost afraid to open her eyes and find out that it had not been a dream. However, she had never been one to hide from reality. So, she opened her eyes, and found herself in a small room. It had a bed and a couple of chairs, but that was it. No windows, and only one door. She knew it was locked before she opened it.
She sighed as he sat on the bed and tried to remember what had happened. Who it was who had grabbed her. Her head was pounding. She had no idea what time it was, or how long she had been unconscious. The lack of any natural light did nothing to assuage her concern.
Cordelia wondered briefly how long it would be before they discovered she was missing. Then she snorted realizing they would assume she had overslept again. Not that she was in the habit of oversleeping, but one did need their beauty rest.

She stood up and started to look around the nearly empty room, when she felt a flash of pain shooting through her skull. It was like a shot of white-hot energy, exploding behind her eyes. She tried to make out the image among the fuzzy colors weaving together. As the image became clearer, she felt her heart stop at what she saw. Her death.

When the pain had receded, Cordelia wondered, not for the first time, why she had been chosen to be Angel's link.

"Miss Chase, have you seen…" Wesley words trailed off as he entered the empty office. "Miss Chase? Cordelia?" He called into the empty room. He had seen her car parked outside and so he had been certain she was there.

"She's not here." Angel said from the doorway to his office with a smile. "You should know that. It's barely ten. She won't be here till nearly noon."

"Are you sure?" Wesley asked, his face a mask of confusion. "I saw her car parked outside."

Angel walked over to Cordelia's desk to see if maybe she had come in this morning, and he had missed her, although he didn't understand how that was possible. He almost always knew when she was in the office. It was like he had Cordelia-radar.

Deciding that she had not been in the office that morning, Angel headed towards the elevator. "Let's go check her apartment. Maybe she had car trouble and had to take a cab."

Wesley nodded and headed down to the garage.

When they entered her apartment, Angel was struck with the feeling that she not only wasn't there, but that she hadn't been there for several hours at least. He didn't really know how to explain it. They seemed to be connected some how. Not in a way that he could even fathom, but ever since she had gained Doyle's visions, they seemed to share a strange kind of sixth sense where the other was concerned.

At times he thought he was imagining it. That he just felt connected to her due to Doyle's loss and their friendship. But other times, it was almost tangible. This was one of those times. She wasn't here. That much he knew. He walked through her apartment at a deceptively calm pace, taking in every inch of empty space, hoping to find some hidden clue as to where Cordelia had gone. Who had taken her?

"She's not here." Wesley signed resignedly after he had walked through the house.

Angel turned around to face Wesley, and suddenly found himself somewhere else. The familiar contours of Cordelia's living room had given way to the familiar chamber where he had met the oracles.

"Vampire, you waste your time." The male oracle spoke disdainfully.

Angel looked at the couple watching him with mild interest. "Why am I here?" He asked, not wanting to waste time deciphering their riddles.

"You waste your time looking for the link." The female oracle told him. "You are needed elsewhere. Her vision must not be ignored."

"And what of Cordelia?" Angel asked afraid to here their answer.

The male oracle turned away from Angel, walking in a circle around his sister. "She doesn't matter. The lower beings do."

"She'll die." Angel spoke softly, knowing that what he said was true.

The female oracle approached him. "Yes. But it is only her first death, not her last."

Before Angel could ask what she had meant, Angel found himself once again in Cordelia's living room.

Makas watched in amusement as the vampire fought the fledglings. They were young, and incompetent. Soon, they would all be dust, and then his fun could begin. The vampire had fought with a ferocity he had feared was lost when Angelus had regained his soul. Makos was pleased to learn otherwise. His game would be that much more fun.
He had been paid well to kill the vampire, but he knew his target was more than met the eye. Killing him wouldn't be easy, nor should it be. He relished in what lay ahead. Makos chuckled to himself as he watched his ensouled opponent kill the last of the fledglings, and free the slaves. The demon had gotten away, but that would only aide in his own game.
Yes, Angelus would make an interesting player indeed.

Cordelia took a deep breath as she tried to sort through the images. Her head was muddled. She had witnessed many things since Doyle had died and left her with this gift, but never her own death. She could feel it. She could remember the sound of her slowing pulse ringing through her ears. The pain her chest as her breathing ceased. She could hear the anguished cry from somewhere near her body. Everything was black, but she could feel the pain of a heavy soul.

Cordelia sat up and opened her eyes, willing the vision away. She didn't want to think about what she saw, what she could still feel. Her death was imminent, and that was frightening, but not nearly as frightening as the alternative.

Angel paced around his office angrily. Three days. Cordelia had been missing for three days. And despite the oracles warning that her death wouldn't be permanent, just the thought of her dying sent an involuntary shiver down his spine. He couldn't lose her. That was unacceptable. He had lost so much already; he wasn't willing to lose her. Not now not ever.

"Angel, maybe you should… maybe you should…" Wesley stuttered, unsure of what exactly Angel should be doing.

Angel growled. "I should what? Go get something to eat? Take a nap?" He snapped and then sighed needlessly. "Sorry, Wesley." He ran his hand through his hair. He was about to say something else when the phone rang.

"Angel Investigations. We help the hopeless." Wesley spoke into the line. "Yes, I see. I'll, uh, I'll tell him. Yes, thank you for the information." Wesley hung up the phone and turned towards his boss, unsure of what he was going to say.

"What is it?" Angel asked impatiently, recognizing the nervous expression on the former watcher's face.

"That was Kate… Detective Lockley." He told him, taking a step back.

"And?"

"She, um, she said she heard some rather… disturbing news." Wesley paused, but when he noticed the slightly gold tinge to his boss' eyes, he continued. "She heard that Wolfram & Hart had hired an assassin to um… kill you." Wesley walked around to the other side of Cordelia's desk, hoping to distance himself from his enraged vampire employer. "When she heard Cordelia was missing… well she believed they have her."

Angel didn't wait for the meaning of Wesley's words to sink in. He tore out of the office and headed towards the sewers. He had had it with the law firm, consistently causing problems for him and his clients. It was bad enough that they had tried to buy his silence, but know they had attacked Cordelia, in an effort to get to him. That would not go unpunished. He could feel his anger swelling as he drew closer to the office building, which housed the unscrupulous law firm.

Makos watched at the policewoman delivered his message. Everything was working out as planned. He had been right. T he girl was the weak link. She was the key to releasing Angelus' baser instincts. The vampire would play his game. Who knows? He may even win.
Makos relished the coming fight. He hoped Angelus was everything he had heard him to be. He laughed loudly as he imagined the bloodshed, the death. Yes, this job was definitely turning out to be more fun they he ever could have imagined.

Angel entered the building without much difficulty. He decided against making a scene in the conference room, like he did the last time he had visited. Instead he made his way into one of the offices belonging to one of the presidents of the firm. He didn't care which. He wanted answers and whomever this office belonged to, they were going to give them to him.

Melanie Westbrook looked at her watch distractedly as the elevator climbed slowly to the correct floor. She was in a hurry. She had an outside meeting with one of their 'questionable' clients, and being late wasn't an option.
When the elevator stopped, she climbed out and headed to her office. She entered the darkened room and shut and locked the door behind her. She needed to get some sensitive files for her meeting.

Melanie sat in her desk and turned towards her computer when she noticed she was not alone. It was dark, and she could barely make out the shadow of a man. "Who are you? What do you want?"

"You're worst nightmare." Angel's voice was deceptively calm as he leaned against a far wall. "I want some answers."

"You're Angel. The vampire with a soul?" Melanie asked, as her eyes adjusted to the darkness.

Angel smirked. "Sometimes."

Angel took a few steps closer until he was leaning over her. "You hired someone to kill me. I want to know who." He bared his fangs, demonstrating his determination.

When she didn't answer, Angel pulled her away from her desk by her throat and threw her against the wall. He walked around the desk until he was standing over her crumpled body. He bent down and pulled her up slightly. "I will only ask you this once. "Where. Is. He?"

"Fourth… and Bristol." Melanie managed. "There's a… a…"

Angel applied some pressure to her arm, where he was gripping it. "A what?"

"A… a warehouse. He has her there. In a small studio apartment above the warehouse."

Angel released her and turned towards the door. He paused and turned towards the semi-conscious attorney. "Tell your employers that if she dies… so do they."

Angel left the building with a slight sense of relief flooding his senses. He had almost killed her. He'd thought about it. But he didn't, and that was only part of the reason he felt relieved. The other was that his potential victim had told him where to find Cordelia… and he had never mentioned that he was looking for her.

Makas smiled to himself. The vampire was coming. He could feel it. Soon, the girl would be dead, and he could kill the creature, and receive his payment. He relished the fight that would be coming. It had been so long since he'd had a worthy opponent. And the girls death would bring the vampire's demon forth, making the kill that much more pleasurable.

Makos entered the small room and found the girl sitting on the bed motionless. "It's time." He told her. She didn't move. Makas grabbed her roughly by her arm, leaving little marks where his fingers were holding onto her firmly.

Cordelia turned to him, defiance in her hazel eyes. "It won't work. He won't come. He doesn't care." Cordelia knew the words were a lie, but one worth telling if her kidnapper believed her.

Makas chuckled. "He's already here." He motioned towards the door, "See for yourself."

Cordelia ran out of the door and looked over the railing into the warehouse. Sure enough, Angel had just entered, and was looking around a group of crates.

"Cordelia!" He called. His eyes searched the warehouse, finally resting on the staircase. As they drifted upwards, his eyes met hers, and he felt an overwhelming sense of relief that she was all right. The relief vanished when he heard her scream.

She had seen what he hadn't; the demon had appeared a few feet away from him, seemingly from out of thin air. Angel watched in only mild shock as the demon's features changed. First into that of Kate, then Cordelia, and finally into Wesley. Demon-Wesley turned to look into the horrified gaze of Cordelia and smirked.

Cordelia stood chock still for a moment, unable to move, but then her vision came back to her. She remembered seeing Wesley Stake Angel, and knew what was going to happen. She also knew what she had to do to stop it. She ran down the stairs as quickly as she could.

"No!" She screamed as she flung herself in between her boss and the shape-changing demon, which held a stake firmly in his grasp.

The demon saw Cordelia run in front of his supposed target and smiled, plunging the weapon into the girl's chest. She crumpled to the floor, a pool of blood staining her shirt.

A howl of rage could be heard erupting from the vampire as he looked into the dying eyes of his friend. It was at that moment that he realized just how much he was about to lose.

Angel's soul cried out in agony as Cordelia's life slipped away. He growled
and turned his attention to the demon, who was still wearing Wesley's face.
He launched himself at the demon,, pushing him to the ground. He gripped the
demon forcefully and twisted his left arm and smiled as he heard it snapped
apart from his body.

The demon chuckled, and melted into the air, reappearing a few feet away
from Angel. "I was right about you, Angelus." He smirked, as his features
shifted to that of a man in his early forties with dark hair. His eyes had a
silver glow to them. Angel growled at the man's new appearance, wondering
who he was.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Angel hissed. It took all of his
control not to rip the man apart, limb by limb, although judging from his
ability to shift his appearance and his lack of a broken arm, he didn't
think that would do any good.

The demon bowed slightly. "My name is Makas." He ignored the second
question. He watched as Angel's demon slowly gained control over him,
enjoying the show.

Angel just glared at the man, then suddenly lunged for him once again as his
demon was angered, once more, by the realization that Cordelia was dead at
the hands of the man in front of him. There were so many things he never
told her. His soul wept at the loss, while his demon demanded vengeance.

He pressed the demon against the cement floor and snarled menacingly. He had
his throat in a death grip and smiled to himself as he saw the first trace
of true fear enter the creature's eyes.

He gripped the demon's throat tighter, barely allowing movement.

"Wait." Makas rasped, desperately trying to suck in air. "There is another,
like me. He will come. If you kill me, you won't know how to stop him."

Angel paused, seeming to think about this, then he shrugged and snapped the
demons neck and dropped the body to the floor.

He leaned up against a wall and collapsed onto the floor, letting his grief
finally over take him. He couldn't believe he had lost her, before he had
truly found her. He was so lost in his pain he failed to hear the gasp,
followed by a heartbeat.

Cordelia gasped as air flooded her lungs. She took in large amounts of the
necessary element, as her heartbeat slowed to normal. She opened her eyes
and tried to sit up. Her chest hurt. She looked down and saw the large
bloodstain. Cordelia felt a single tear fall as she remembered what had
happened. She had died. Really died, but somehow she was back. She jumped
off of the floor as quickly as she could, and searched frantically for
Angel. When she couldn't find him at first, Cordelia thought that maybe he
had still been staked, despite her running in front of the weapon. The
sound of a heavy sob, brought Cordelia's attention to a darkened corner. She
ran over to the still form and hugged him fiercely.

"Angel?" She asked quietly, concerned over the vampire's distress, not
realizing that she was the cause of it. "Are you alright?"

Angel was afraid to look up at the sound of her voice. He was afraid of what
he might see. Afriad to discover that he was imagining things.

"Angel!" Cordelia's voice broke through his thoughts.

"Delia?" Angel asked, finally gaining the courage to look up at her. When
he saw her in front of him he did the first thing that came to his mind. He
grabbed a hold of her and hugged her tightly. After a moment, she felt her
chest heavy with loss of oxygen. She pushed him away gently.

"I… need to breathe." She paused as she thought about what had happened, "I
think."

Wesley paced circles in the office. It had been several hours since Angel
had left to go to that law firm. He hadn't heard anything from him, and he
was beginning to grow concerned.

He remembered what Cordelia had told him about her vision. What if she had
been correct, and Angel had been killed? What were the odds of finding her?
And would she even want to be found if Angel was dead?

His morbid thoughts were interrupted as someone entered the office. He
looked up to see a man in his mid-to-late thirties walk further into the
room, searching for someone. He had long hair, about to his shoulders, and
was wearing a trenchcoat, which covered the rest of his clothes. The man
didn't strike Wesley as someone who would be in need of their services.

"Can I… can I help you?" Wesley asked as he offered his hand to shake.

The man smiled as he shook Wesley's hand. "I'm looking for Angelus… Angel,"
he quickly corrected. Wesley had heard the correction and wondered why this
man, who didn't appear to be a vampire, would call Angel by his former name,
but decided that he would find out eventually. Wesley noticed the man had
an accent, but one he couldn't quite pinpoint. He almost sounded Scottish,
but there was something else in his voice as well.

"He's not here. I'm not sure when he will return." Wesley told him
apologetically.

"I'll wait."

Wesley nodded. "Can I get you some coffee, Mr.…?"

"Macleod. Connor Macleod."
 

"Delia?" Angel asked release the girl in his arms. "You're alive?" He asked, disbelieving, and then hearing her heartbeat, he grabbed her again. "You're alive!" He spun her around in circles until they were both dizzy, chanting over and over again. "You're alive, you're alive!"

Cordelia tried to pull herself free from the vampire's grasp, unsuccessfully. "I won't be if you don't let me go!"

Registering her words, Angel let Cordelia go, and smiled sheepishly at her. "Sorry."

Cordelia tried to brush the wrinkles out of the skirt she had been wearing for over three days. When she looked down she saw the blood stain on her blouse. She looked up at the vampire who was watching her carefully. "I was dead, wasn't I?"

Cordelia felt her legs give out beneath her. "I was really dead. Angel, what happened?"

Angel picked her up and leaned her against his chest. "I don't know, Delia. We should get back to the office. Wesley will be worried."

Cordelia nodded and let Angel guide her out of the warehouse and into his car.

Wesley watched the man with curiosity. After nearly an hour, he couldn't keep quite any longer. "May I… May I ask how you know Angel?"

Connor looked up at Wesley and chuckled. "Let's just say I owe him my life. I'm here to return the favor."

Wesley tried to grasp some hidden meaning from the statement, but finding none, he brought his thoughts back to Angel, and the missing Cordelia. "To be honest, I'm not sure when he'll be back. If he'll be back." He whispered the last part.

Connor smiled at the young man. "I'll wait. I have time."

Angel had parked in the parking garage and was taking Cordelia up in the elevator when she doubled over in pain.

"Delia what is it?" He asked, concerned. He wasn't sure what happened to her earlier. Why she had come back to him, but he wasn't ready to lose her after having found her again.

Cordelia felt this power come over her. This sense that she had never felt before. Something familiar to her, although she had never felt it before. It was like a sensation ingrained to her, and only now was she recognizing it. She looked around the small elevator, trying to ascertain where it was coming from. Then everything shifted. She no longer found herself in the elevator. Instead she was in the center of an unfamiliar chamber.

"Seer."

Cordelia looked up at the harsh voice. She found herself staring at a pair of the most ridiculous looking people she had ever had the misfortune of laying eyes on. A man and a woman. There skin had a gold tint to it with blue designs intricately painted all over their bodies, at least what she could see of them. They were wearing some form of roman togas.

"Seer." The male repeated.

Cordelia narrowed her eyes. "You're the oracles."

The female merely nodded.

"Why am I here?" Cordelia took a step closer and found herself being circled by the male.

"Because we wish it." He spoke down to her, using an edge to his voice.

"You're first task has been completed." The woman spoke softly, "You may now move on to the second."

Cordelia looked from one Oracle to the other in confusion.

"You will be tested soon. Pass the test, and known that we have chosen wisely. Fail, and know that you will only be the first to die."

Before Cordelia could ask what he meant, she found herself back in the elevator, once again surround by the familiar sensation. She could feel it all around her, like a warning beacon.

"Delia, are you alright?" Angel asked. He was concerned. A strange look had come across her features.

Cordelia ignored his question and opened the gate, walking into the office, leaving Angel to follow her. The closer she came to the lobby, the more pronounced the feeling became.

When she entered the room, she found a man she didn't recognize. He stood to greet her, and smiled slightly.

"Cordelia!" Wesley ran around her desk and gave her a big hug. "Are you… are you alright? Where's Angel?"

Before Cordelia could answer his question, Angel entered the room. His gaze fell on their guest.

"Connor?" He asked incredulously.

"Angelus. It's good to see you." He walked around Cordelia and Wesley and grabbed the vampire in a bear hug. "It's been too long."

Angel shook his head, surprised to see the immortal. "What are you doing here?" He asked, voicing his internal question.

Connor laughed, a deep heart laugh. "I came to warn you." He turned to face Cordelia, "But it seems I got here just in time."

Cordelia stared blankly at the man. "Who are you?" She was too tired to play a guessing game.

"Connor Macleod." He smiled, "And you would be?"

Cordelia rolled her eyes. "Exhausted." She turned to Angel. "I'm going to take a shower and crash for a few hours." She told him as she headed down to Angel's apartment.

Connor chuckled as he watched her leave. He turned to Angel. "You have your hands full with that one, Angelus."

Angel nodded his agreement, and then motioned for Connor to follow him into his office. He stopped and turned to Wesley. "Why don't you go home and get some sleep?"

Wesley nodded and turned to leave, trying to understand the direction the day's events had gone.

Cordelia sighed as she leaned back into the hot, soapy bath water. She could still feel the odd sensation that had come over her in the elevator. It was like a feeling at the peripherals of her senses. Calling to her, warning her. It was like these silent alarm bells were going off. She just wasn't sure what it was they were warning her against.

She shook her head as she willed the thoughts away. She was trying not to think about the events of the day. The fact that she had died was still at the forefront of her mind. She didn't know exactly how she had come back, or even what it meant, but she had a feeling that her life was about to change. Again.

"Why are you here?" Angel asked after he had sat down. He eyed Connor carefully. It had been close to a hundred and fifty years since they had seen each other. A lot had changed in that time. Too much.

Connor smiled. "I heard a rumor. There seems to be a vampire running around causing problems for the locals. Heard it mentioned said vampire had a soul. Had to see for myself."

Angel looked at his old friend and burst out laughing. It wasn't so much that what he had said was funny. It was more so the way he had said it. But even more than that, Angel believed his reaction stemmed from the day's events. So much had happened. So much he couldn't fathom, and now looking at the immortal, he began to realize that maybe things weren't so unexplainable as he had thought.

"She's immortal." Angel stated, looking to Connor for confirmation.

Connor nodded. "That she is." He turned around and looked around the office. "But she isn't why I'm here." He walked over to the wall and fingered a small sword, which hung there. He lifted the weapon and took a long look at it, flipping it over in his hands, judging its weight.

"Do you remember the Lorak demon we went up against that winter?" He didn't turn around, instead choosing to swing the weapon around absent-mindedly. "The one who tried to set you on fire after you…"

"I remember." Angel cut Connor off before he could remind him of the incident.

Connor chuckled. "Well, there is another, here in LA. It's come for some sort of trade with another demon. Power in exchange for lives." He turned to Angel. "I don't have to remind you what kind of havoc it could create if it gets what it's after?"

Angel stood up, remembering what almost happened nearly a century and a half ago. "No, you don't." He walked around the desk and snatched the sword away from the immortal. "What does this have to do with Cordelia?"

Connor chuckled at the concerned tone in the vampire's voice. "Nothing. I didn't even know she existed until I came here." He headed towards the door. "I can explain things to her, but…" He raised his eyebrow in amusement at Angel, "she doesn't strike me as someone who will let just anyone close enough to train her. Besides," He grinned, "I don't think you have any problems with that particular task."

Angel was about to deny his friends observation, but then remembered what it felt like to hold her limp body in his arms, and realized he was right. She needed to be trained, and he had to be the one to do it.

Cyris Bonaville entered the warehouse carefully. He looked around, searching for the demon. The warehouse appeared to be empty, but he wasn't convinced. And just as he turned around he saw what appeared to be an empty crate. It wasn't there before, when he had first entered the room. He took a tentative step towards it. As he watched the crate, almost afraid it would move, it did exactly that. It seemed to melt into the clear liquid, flowing together; soon it had reformed in the shape of a man.

The man laughed. "Cyris, you'd think with all the centuries you've walked the earth you'd be more comfortable with the unknown."

Cyris glared. "Kelvain, I didn't come hear for another of your games."

"Why did you come?" He raised an eyebrow at the immortal. Did you come to tell me that my brother is dead, killed by that half-breed? Or did you come to tell me that the seer still lives? Or. Perhaps you came to tell me that those idiot attorneys have failed? Hmm?" Kelvain looked menacingly at the immortal, growing weary of their ruined plans.

"How did you know?"

"About Makas?" Kelvain spun around, encompassing the room, "What do you know about Lorak demons?"

Cyris shrugged. He didn't know anything about them, aside from the fact that they were shapeshifters, and that this one would get him the prize.

"We, are a symbiotic species. We are all connected, on the microscopic level. One dies, we all feel it." He turned back towards Cyris. "It doesn't change anything. The trade will be made tonight. The slaves for the knowledge I seek. If you're information was accurate, I can give you the power you require. But…" He looked coldly at the immortal. "The half-breed is mine."

Cyris nodded. "I will have the girl. Her power will strengthen my own."

Makas stopped Cyris with a firm grip on his shoulder. "Don't be fooled. She is protected. One of the chosen. She will not be easy to kill."

Cyris shrugged him off and left the warehouse, plans of the quickening the girl would give him dancing in his head.

Angel walked quietly into his bedroom. He had a lot to tell Cordelia. He now knew what she was. Why she had come back to life, why she had been chosen to inherit Doyle's visions, and most of all, what her life would be like. It would be difficult, and he was determined to help her.

Angel stopped in his tracks when he saw her sleeping comfortably in his bed. She was in a deep sleep, and looked absolutely entrancing. Despite her exhaustion, and the ordeal she had undergone, she was breathtakingly beautiful. Her mane of dark hair was fanned out along his sheets. She was wearing one of his shirts, mostly likely because hers had been covered in blood. He didn't know what she was wearing underneath the sheet, but at that moment, he wanted nothing more than to find out.

He groaned at his improper thoughts as he ran a hand through his hair. When he looked down, he noticed she was moving. She was dreaming. From the looks of it, it wasn't a pleasant dream. She started to sweat, and thrash around the mattress.

"Delia." Angel tried to wake her without startling her. Instead of waking she began moving around more frantically.

"Angel!" She screamed as she sat up in bed.

It took her several moments to realize where she was. She looked up at angel, who was watching her cautiously. "Sorry. Bad dream."

Angel smiled. "How are you? Feeling better?"

"A little. But, I really should keep a change of clothes here. Wearing your T-shirts in so not part of the fashion statement I'm striving for."

Angel laughed. "We need to talk. I found out what happened to you."

"Oh?" Cordelia climbed out of bed, seemingly oblivious to the fact that other than Angel's T-shirt, she was naked.

Angel tried to tear his eyes away, but wasn't having very much luck. He didn't know when he started having these thoughts about her. She was Cordelia, his secretary, his friend, his partner, and his link. Good grief, she was. All of those things and more.

"Angel? Angel?" Cordelia's concerned voice interrupted his thoughts. When he looked back he was only slightly relived to see she had put on a pair of pants. Mostly he was disappointed. He ran a hand through his hair again, determined to get those unproductive thoughts out of his head.

"So, what's wrong with me? Why am I alive? I'm not like a demon or something am I? 'Cause eww!"

"No, not a demon, but you are immortal." He watched her carefully to gauge her reaction.

"Immortal?" She raised an eyebrow, "Like you?"

"Not like me. I'm a vampire."

Cordelia rolled her eyes. "I know that!" She snapped, exasperated. "But, I'll live forever?"

"Unless someone cuts off your head, yes."

"Yuck!" Cordelia made a face. "I like my head right where it is, thank you very much!"

"There's more." He told her, trying not to laugh at the face she was making at the thought of getting beheaded. "Now is the time of the gathering."

"Gathering?" It sounded like a party, but she had a feeling it was one she'd rather not be invited to.

"Basically, it's a contest. A battle to the death between immortals. In the end, only one will survive."

"What does the winner get?" She asked cautiously, not liking the idea of battling anyone to the death.

"The power of all the immortals who ever lived."

Cordelia quirked an eyebrow at angel. "Heavty prize. I suppose that means that people will be coming for me then?"

Be fore Angel could answer, Cordelia walked into the kitchen and started to brew some coffee. She was trying to grasp what he was saying. A part of her thought he was insane. There was no way what he was saying was true. But another, larger part of her, the part who had been fighting demons for several years, knew that he spoke the truth. As she watched the coffee percolate, Cordelia thought back to what the oracles had told her. There was a test. If she didn't pass it, people would die.
 

Angel waited patiently for her to return. He knew she must be confused. It was a lot to take in. He also knew she was strong. Stronger than most people gave her credit for. She would get through this, he would make sure of it.

He looked up to see her leaning against the doorframe. "Immortal huh? Does that mean I'll outlive you?" She smiled as another thought struck her, "Or does that mean we're stuck together now, in the permanent sense?"

Angel smiled, despite the seriousness of the situation. "Is that so bad?"

Cordelia hit the ground with a thump. She glared up at Angel. "Was that really necessary?"

Angel smirked and held out a hand for her to grab. He admired the way she looked as she stood. Her hair was up in a high ponytail, but there were strands plastered to her face with beads of sweat. He never thought he'd ever seen anyone look so sexy. She had on a tank top, which accented her voluptuous breasts and a pair of shorts, which showed off her shapely legs.

He was so busy ogling her he missed it when she whipped around and knocked his feet out from under him. He landed on the mat, on his ass.

Cordelia laughed. "You're too easy." She held out a hand. "Come on old man, lets get a shower."

Her words brought several thoughts running through his mind. That must have been why he did what he did next. There was no rational reason, no rational thought. He grabbed her hand and pulled her down on top of him.

In her surprise, Cordelia collided with his chest, sending him falling backwards on the mat. Cordelia looked down at him in confusion. He pulled her closer until her breasts were pressed firmly against his chest. He lost himself in her eyes. She bent her head down slowly, his coming up to meet hers. Just as their lips were about to brush, her head exploded.

The vision came fast and furiously. Images that made little sense, colliding with one another. She gasped and fell backwards, clutching her head.

Cordelia was shaking. It had been nearly twenty minutes since she had that vision, and she hadn't moved her from the spot on the mat she had fallen to. She wouldn't tell Angel what she had seen, and it was beginning to make him nervous.

"Delia," He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, ignoring the electric shock the simple touch sent through his body. "What did you see?"

She turned to face him. "Willow. She's not human."

"A vampire?" He asked quietly, hoping that wasn't the case. He still remembered the damage her evil vampire self had nearly caused.

Cordelia shook her head. "No, she was glowing, a strange green color. There's something else. Xander was with her."

"Why is that strange?"

"He wasn't human either." Her voice was hoarse with fear.

"Where were they? Did you recognize anything?"

Cordelia thought back to the vision. At some sort of club. Not in Sunnydale. There was a sign." She paused trying to remember it. "P…something. P3. Yeah, that was it."

Angel helped Cordelia to stand and led her to his office. After he set her down on his couch, he went around to his desk and picked up the phone.

"Rupert? It's Angel. Has something happened?" He asked cautiously, hoping it wasn't too late.

"Angel, hello." Giles' voice sounded strained. "I'm afraid something has happened. It's Willow. Spike turned her. His implant malfunctioned."

Angel was confused. Cordelia was sure that Willow wasn't a vampire. "Are you sure? Do you know when this happened?"

"Yes, I'm afraid it's true. No, I'm not sure when it happened." There was a pause. "Angel, I'm sorry but something has come up." He hung up the phone before angel had a chance to ask any more questions.

"Well? What did he say?" Cordelia had calmed down a bit, but was still eager to find out if what she had seen had already happened.

"He said she was a vampire." Angel was about to ask her if she was certain of what she saw when Cordelia started to shake her head vehemently.

"No. He's wrong." She stared at him, a slight smile on her lips. "I know vampires."

Angel raised an eyebrow, pleased that her sense of humor was coming back. "Do you now?"

Cordelia averted her eyes from angel's amused expression. She didn't want to think about what had almost happened between them, not yet. "Whatever has happened to Willow, she isn't a vampire." She paused, thinking. "A demon maybe? I'll check the reference, see what I can come up with."

Angel watched her as she crinkled her nose in thought. All of a sudden, Cordelia's body tensed. He could hear her heart beat speed up. "What is it?"

Cordelia looked around the room wildly. "I don't know. I feel… strange."

"Little girl, hiding will do you know good."

Angel and Cordelia turned their eyes towards the voice, which had just entered his office. It was a man, in his late thirties. Dark hair, blue eyes, wielding a sword.

"I've come for your head."

Angel jumped in front of Cordelia, separating her from the intruder. He growled viscously.

"Don't you want to know who I am? What I want?" Cyris taunted.

Angel grinned maliciously. "No. I don't really care." He launched himself at Cyris, pushing him onto the ground. Cyris' sword fell out of his grasp, hitting the floor with a clang. Angel picked up the weapon as he stood up. He took a step back as he admired the craftsmanship.

"Is this the part where I cut off your head, and she" He nodded behind him where Cordelia was standing, "Takes your quickening?"

Cyris looked up at Angel. "You know what I am, Vampire?" Without waiting for an answer, Cyris leapt to his feet in a fluid motion and kicked out at Angel. Angel landed on his backside, but didn't stay there for long. He flipped until he was on the other side of the immortal. The two lunged for one another, locking themselves in hand to hand combat.

Cordelia watched with detachment. She watched the stranger fight with Angel. She knew that Angel would win, there was no doubt in her mind that Angel was the better fighter. The better man.
But just surely as she knew that Angel could, and would win, she knew that it wasn't his place to do so. It was hers. This man, he was like her. Immortal. He had come for her head. She wasn't sure why. She wasn't even sure if there was a reason. It was part of the game. A game she didn't understand. A game she didn't want to understand. But at the same time it was a game she was part of. She could feel it.

Without even realizing it, Cordelia walked silently to the far wall, and picked up the sword Angel had shown her earlier. It was lightweight, but sharp. She gripped it tightly in her hands and crept up behind Angel and the man he was fighting with.

She watched as the two flung each other around. Angel smacked the man squarely across the jaw but then found him being kicked back. He was throw several feet away from Cordelia's target. That's when she knew. She stood over the man, not entirely sure of what she was doing. He was clutching his chest with one hand while he fingered a bruise that was appearing on his face with the other. He didn't even see her approach. Not until it was too late.

He opened his eyes, and looked up. Cordelia was standing over him, with the sword poised. Her eyes locked with his and she saw his fear. His realization that his life was over. It only lasted a second, before she swung the weapon, separating his head from his body.

Cordelia blinked. When she realized what she had done, she fell to the floor.

"I… I killed him" She whispered, shocked as the sword hit the ground.

Angel stood up and started to make his way towards Cordelia when he felt it. There was this energy in the room. It crackled. And then a wind blew, seemingly from nowhere. Angel looked up, trying to determine where it was coming from.

He heard Cordelia moan, and then she sucked in a deep breath. When he looked at her, he nearly gasped. She was surrounded by a swirl of lighting. It was lifting up her body, raising it nearly an inch off of the ground. The lightning seemed to go through her body. He walked towards her, cautiously. He didn't know what to do. How to help her. Just as he reached her, she fell to the ground in a heap. She was breathing heavily. Angel pulled her into his arms, trying to comfort her, get her to breathe normally again.

"What was that?" She asked once she had regained some of her composure.

"That was the quickening." He told her as he stood up, caring her in his arms. He took her into his apartment, and set her down on the couch. Once she seemed to be comfortable, he went into the kitchen to bring her some of her bottled water. It always seemed to help after a vision.

After he returned with the water, he sat down next to her on the couch. "How do you feel?"

Cordelia looked up at him. She opened her mouth to speak, but then shut it again, not sure of how to express how she was feeling. "Angel, I know things." She looked into his, begging him to understand.

Angel looked at curiously, not understanding what she was trying to say. "Delia, I…"

Cordelia groaned and stood up. She paced around the living room for several minutes before speaking again. "I know things, Angel. Things I shouldn't know."

"Like what?"

"I can remember things." She looked at him briefly and then turned away. "Russia. I can remember being in Russia. There was soldiers, and people in really hideous uniforms, and death, there was lots of death." She turned back to face him. "I have never been to Russia, Angel."

Angel tried to process the information. "What else? Do you remember anything else?"

Cordelia thought. "That demon. The one you killed? I know him." She pointed in the direction of the exercise area. "Him. This is all him. His memories, The Guy I killed. He knows the demon."

Angel stood up and then sat down again. He didn't know what to say. "It's the quickening. Connor once told me that you can all knowledge and power from the quickening."

Cordelia took this new information in. Something was tugging at the back of her mind. "The PTB's. This is what they meant."

When Angel looked at her strangely, she explained. "I've spoken to the oracles. They said something about having to pass a test." She went and sat down on the couch, next to him. "This guy, the headless one, he knew that demon you killed. There's another one though. They were trying to do something." S he tried to sift through her knew knowledge, trying to understand the things that she now knew. "The slaves." Her eyes sparked with a sudden understanding. "The Slaves, from the dock. He's trading them, for…" She paused, "For knowledge. They want to…"

"Wipe out mankind." He whispered hoarsely, remembering what Connor had told him.

Cordelia stared at him, a slight hint of fear in her dark eyes. "What do we do?"

Angel pulled her into his arms, not caring if it was inappropriate. "We rest. Tomorrow we'll go see Connor. Maybe he can give us some information." He pulled her against his chest.

"Do you think this is related to what's going on in Sunnydale?" He asked quietly, running a hand through her hair.

"No. The vision I had… They were someplace. I recognize it." She turned around to face him, finding her face was only inches away from his. "The club. It was in San Francisco. I've been there, or at least Mr. Headless has been." She stopped speaking and found herself looking deeply into Angel's chocolate brown eyes. For a moment she was lost. Time seemed to stop. It was only a moment. But it was long enough. Angel claimed her lips in a sweet kiss, coaxing her mouth open. He swept his tongue inside, devouring her warm mouth with his cool tongue.

Cordelia pressed her body closer to his and returned his kiss with ferocity he hadn't felt ion too long. Far too long. He felt a fire sweeping through his body, igniting his cold body.

When Cordelia pulled away to breathe, Angel found himself taking a deep breath, although he didn't need it. He looked into her eyes, and found his own emotions mirrored there.

"Delia." He breathed her name.

She smiled as she climbed off his lap. "We do need to rest." She walked back towards his bedroom, leaving Angel to wonder how he was going to survive an eternity with her.

He stood up, adjusting his pants carefully, and followed her into his room. She was nestled into his bed, under the covers. He was afraid to climb in and discover what it was she did, or didn't have on underneath.

He took a deep unnecessary breath, and climbed into bed beside her. He discovered she was dressed underneath, and couldn't decide if he was relieved or disappointed.

Once he had lay down next to her, she lay her against his chest.

"Good night Angel."

"Goodnight, Delia." He wasn't sure how he was going to get any sleep with her lying so close to him, but considering the task they had ahead of them, he had to try.

Kelvain howled in rage. One of his servants had just come to tell him of Cyris's death. The immortal had ignored his warnings, and now he was dead, and the girl contained his knowledge. She had the ability to stop what he was trying to accomplish.

"Byron!" Kelvain hollered.

"Yes sir?" The vampire entered the chamber cautiously.

"How are we coming with the trade?" He asked in a deceptively calm voice.

"The contact has delayed it again. One more day." He told the demon, stepping back slightly.

Kelvain eyed the vampire carefully. "Very well. But only one more day. Then, Slaves, or no Slaves, I will have what I want. Tell your contact, I'm through waiting."

Byron nodded emphatically and slipped away. He knew Kelvain was angry. The entire building shook with his rage. He had heard the immortal that was helping him had let himself be killed. That was unacceptable. Now who ever had killed him would no all of their plans.

If it was the new immortal that was protected by the souled vampire, they were all in trouble. There was something frightening about the vampire. He had heard it said he was protected. A warrior for the side of good. If that was true, and the immortal girl was the chosen, the once destined to walk the path with him, there would be no stopping them. They had been foretold. They would be the beginning of the end.

Angel moved through the sewer system with grace, stopping every once in awhile to make sure Cordelia was still with him. The couple had not wanted to wait for the sun to set to go and speak with Connor, so they had left early. By the time they neared the immortal's hotel, the sun had set.

Angel climbed up onto the street and helped pulled Cordelia up after him. After he had replaced the manhole cover, he took a quick look around. He had the distinct feeling he was being watched. However, he didn't see anything that would confirm his suspicions.

"What is it?" Cordelia asked, noticing his rigid stance and the way his eyes were searching the near darkness of the street.

"Nothing." He turned back to her. "Come on." He took her hand and turned down a side street a half a block away.

Nearing the end of the street, Angel stopped. He turned around. There was someone following them, he could feel it. He pushed Cordelia gently in front of him and rounded the corner. He pointed to a building across the street.

"Room 262. I'll be up in a few minutes." He told her.

"What are you going to do?" Cordelia asked, raising an eyebrow.

Angel smiled. "Introduce myself."

Cordelia eyed him warily, but then shrugged and turned to cross the street. A strong arm pulled her back and brought her flush with his chest. Before she had time to register what had happened, she felt his lips on hers. She opened her mouth to him, and lost herself in the sensation. Too quickly it was over.

"Be careful." Angel looked into her brown eyes.

Cordelia nodded moved towards the hotel. Angel watched her go for a second and then pressed his back against the wall and waited. After a couple of minutes, Angel heard the unmistakable sound of ragged breathing.

Just as a man turned the corner, Angel reached out for him and wrapped an arm around his throat, keeping a firm hand on his neck. "Whoa re you and why are you following me?" He growled in the man's ear.

The man took deep breaths trying to calm himself. This was not his night. His first assignment in the field and he was caught. What would the council think of him?

"Answer me."

<Was that a growl?> Kevin wondered. Did his captor just growl at him? What kind of mess had he gotten himself into? He felt his body being turned around and he looked into the face of the most hideous thing he had ever seen. It was an animal, or was it a man? He was sure. He felt overcome with terror and promptly passed out.

Cordelia and entered the hotel and walked swiftly to the elevator. She was surprisingly calm, considering all that had happened recently. She leaned against the sidewall of the elevator, enjoying the silence. S he hoped this friend of Angel's had some answers, because she was rapidly coming up with new questions.

As Cordelia stepped out onto the second floor she looked at the numbers on the doors and noted that the one she was looking for was near the end of the hall. About halfway way down, her head was filled with that same buzzing she had felt at the Office, the day that she died. The same feeling that had overcome her before she had killed that man. She felt a fear overcome her. What if someone else was coming for her? What if someone else wanted her head?

The closer she got to room 262, the more pronounced the feeling became. She thought about turning around and running but something drover forward. It would probably be accurate to say that somewhere in the back of her mind she knew that it was Angel's friend she was sensing, but at that moment, she wasn't sure of anything.

She stopped in front of the door and found it opened before she had a chance to knock. The man from the office was standing there, a slight grin on his face.

"Come in." He ushered her in and looked down the hall. "Where's Angelus?"

"He's coming." She looked around his hotel room appraisingly before something he said drifted back into her mind.

"How do you know Angel?" She eyed him carefully. "You don't look like someone Angelus would have befriended."

Connor smiled broadly. "What makes you think it wasn't the souled version I knew?"

Cordelia raised her eyebrows. "You call him Angelus. So..." She turned around. "Either you knew him when he was the big bad, or…" She faced the immortal again, "You're extremely formal." She smiled one of her patented Cordelia smiles. "Somehow you don't strike me as the formal type."

Connor laughed outright. He liked this girl. She was sharp, and observant. And if what he had learned was true, she would need it in the coming days.

"Angelus and I go way back." He told her, purposely being vague.

Cordelia was having none of it. "Well? Out with it already."

Connor smiled as he took a seat. "It was a long time ago. Lets just say he tried to drain me, and failed. He was rather irritated by that little fact actually." He chuckled fondly at the memory.

"And?" Cordelia pressed. She knew there was more to there history than that.

"We ran into one another some time later. He was being chased by a mob. Wanted to behead him." He shook his head slightly. "Nasty business, the guillotine."

"I gather." Cordelia replied dryly.

"I hid him out for a few days until it was safe for him to leave." He continued with a shrug.

"Why?" Cordelia asked pointedly.

Connor looked at her strangely for a second, not understanding the question. "Why what?"

Cordelia rolled her eyes. It was amazing how a man as old as this one probably was could be so dense. "Why save him? He tried to kill you. Why not just say 'Off with his head' and be done with it. He would have done the same to you." She arched an eyebrow, daring him to refute her assumption.

Connor smiled. She was smart. He thought back to the time in question deciding just how much he could tell her about his reason's for saving Angelus that day. He sighed. "Let's just say I was in a good mood."

Cordelia stared at him disbelievingly and was about to question his explanation when there was a heavy knock at the door. Connor got up quickly and opened the door. Angel was standing there carrying an unconscious man.

"Come in." Connor waved him in. After Angel had set the man down on the couch, Connor looked at his old friend. "You do have a habit of attracting trouble, don't you?"

"You don't know the half." Cordelia snorted. "Who is he?" She asked motioning towards the man.

"I was hoping you could tell me." Angel answered turning to Connor.

Connor looked at the unconscious man, searching his memory. His eyes went back to the vampire. "Where did you find him?"

"He was following us."

Connor stepped over to the man and reached out and lifted his left wrist. He turned it over, searching for a tattoo. Nothing. He let the arm drop and repeated the maneuver on his right wrist. This time, he found what he was looking for. A circular tattoo, blue ink etching the symbol which stood for the watchers.

"Watcher." Connor turned back to the couple in his living room.

Cordelia waved her hand in the air. "Watcher? Like Giles?" She looked strangely from the unconscious man to Angel and back. "And who was he watching?"

"You, I would guess." Connor sighed as he sat down. "We've only known about them for a few years, and even then, not very many of us do. I've only heard about them because a student of mine has had some dealings with them."

He motioned for them to take a seat, letting them know his explanation would be somewhat lengthy. Angel and Cordelia sat across from Connor on the couch.

"They are a secret organization of mortals who observe and record the lives of immortals, for history. They aren't supposed to interfere."

"But they have." Cordelia guessed.

Connor smiled. "I have been told that there was a group within the organization that believed it was their destiny to rid the world of immortals."

"That doesn't sound good. Maybe it's just me." Cordelia interrupted, not liking the idea of being hunted by people who apparently knew how to kill her, and whom she gathered she wouldn't be able to sense.

"No, but I don't think their an issue any longer." He turned to the man who was starting to regain consciousness. "He is probably just your watcher."

"So, every immortal has a watcher?" Angel asked, trying to understand.

"The way I understand it."

"So, Mr. Voyeur here was following us… me, so he could put me down in some underground history book long after I'm dust?" Cordelia summed up.

Angel chuckled and then turned his attention back to the watcher, who was now semi-conscious.

Kevin Donnaly opened his eyes to find his attacker staring at him. His eyes were a deep brown and he didn't look nearly as frightening as he had in the darkened alley. Maybe he had been mistaken when he thought he had seen a monster.

He looked around the unfamiliar frantically. "Where am I?"

"Why don't we start with who you are." Angel helped him to a standing position.

Kevin looked around the room. His heart started beating faster when he saw Connor standing in one corner, looking amused. When Kevin's eyes found Cordelia, he gasped.

"What's your deal?" Cordelia asked. "You'd think he'd never seen a girl before."

Angel chuckled. "What's your name and why were you following us?"

Kevin stared up at the man who attacked him. He was about to deny that he had been following him when something in his eyes caught his attention. He could have sworn he saw a gold fleck in his dark eyes. It was just a glimpse, and only for a second, but it reminded Kevin of the creature he had seen. Something not quite human, and he suddenly realizing that maybe he hadn't been seeing things.

"My name is Kevin. Kevin Donnaly. I'm… I'm…" he didn't know how he was going to explain what he was. He knew that it was against the rules, and he should be prepared to die to keep his secret. But he wasn't. He had only been a watcher for two years, and in that time had never been in the field. This was his first assignment. Following in new immortal. It was supposed to be easy. But apparently, the council had either over-estimated his abilities, or underestimated the immortal in question and her boyfriend, who he got the distinct impression wasn't quite human. Kevin turned to the other man in the room. He recognized him, from the chronicles. Connor Macleod.

"You're…? You're what? In desperate need of a fashion consultant?" Cordelia prodded, hoping this little man would get on with it. They had more important things to be discussing than why some strange historian was following her around.

"I'm…" He sighed. "I'm fucked."

Connor chuckled, noting the recognition in the watcher's eyes when he had seen him. "You're a watcher?" He asked. "Her watcher."

Kevin's eyes widened in surprise. Immortals weren't supposed to know about watchers. It was one of the most important rules. Realizing that things were not quite as simple as he believed them to be, he nodded.

"How long have you been watching her?" Angel asked menacingly. He knew that this man's job was to watch and not interfere, but the idea that he may have seen her kidnapped and done nothing about it, send a cold rage through his soul.

"I… I was assigned yesterday. Although since you too stayed indoors, there wasn't anything for me to see." He smiled slightly. "Someone else had her before that."

"Some one else?" Cordelia asked. "Exactly how long have you people been stalking me?"

Kevin straightened up and looked apologetic as he answered. "A year, maybe two."

Cordelia stood up. "Two years!!" She shouted as she started pacing around the room. "Homecoming… that disaster at the factory… the mayor's ascension!" She glared angrily at the little man who had just told her that she had been spied on for a lot longer than she had ever imagined.

"Delia, calm down" Angel tried to get her to stop pacing.

Cordelia spun around and faced him. "No! I will not calm down. Two years they've been hiding in the shadows, watching me, waiting… for me to die! I was nearly killed half a dozen times… Doyle was killed… You were nearly staked… and still they did nothing!" Her voice had risen with each remembrance.

"We're not supposed to interfere." Kevin whispered timidly. "It's against the rules."

"Rules…" Cordelia spoke between clenched teeth, "Are made to be broken."

"It doesn't matter now." Kevin took a deep breath. "Now that you know, I'll be reassigned, and you'll get someone new."

"Oh no you don't buster!" Cordelia snapped. Kevin looked at her strangely. "If I have to have some… person… lurking around following me, I want to know who it is." She raised an eyebrow at him.

"So, you're saying you don't want me to tell them?" He asked shaking his head. "I… I don't know."

Cordelia sat down next to the watcher and patted his knee. Smiling sweetly, she spoke. "Now, what would happen if you told them? You would get demoted, or fired, or something that screams failure. Am I right?"

Kevin just stared at her blankly. Her soft spoken words and smiling face was such a large difference from her scowl of just moments before that he was certain he had missed something. He nodded mutely.

Cordelia continued to speak, telling him of all the bad things that could come out of him telling his superiors that he failed. Connor silently pulled Angel away from the pair, taking him into the next room so they could speak privately.

"That's some girl you have there." Connor chuckled as he watched Cordelia talking the nervous watching into doing god-knew-what.

Angel watched them. "Yes, she is something, isn't she?"

"Have you explained things to her? I assume you're going to train her yourself."

Angel sighed and leaned back against the door, facing Connor. "Yeah. That's actually why we're here. We had a visitor yesterday. He was somehow tied in with that Lorak demon you spoke of."

Connor stared at Angel in confusion. "He's dead?" Angel nodded. "You killed him?"

"No, actually she did."

Connor looked surprised. "Really? What did she learn? Anything useful?"

As Angel began filling Connor in on what Cordelia had learned, Connor was trying to place all of the pieces in his head together. He really needed to get the watcher to leave. Maybe between the three of them, they could figure out what was going on before anyone else lost their head, or worse.

Cordelia smiled at the watcher as she escorted him to the door. "Thanks. And this will be our little secret."

Kevin Donally nodded gratefully as he left the hotel room. Cordelia turned around and faced the curious glances of the immortal and the vampire.

"What?" She asked innocently.

"Delia? You have that look."

"What look?" She asked, feigning ignorance.

"The same look you gave me when you tried to con me into going with you to that ridiculous party last month. The same look you had after you tore up my linoleum floor. That look." Angel eyed her wearily. He loved her, but it was times like these when he realized how devious she could be. <Loved her? Where did that come from> Angel realized as unconscious as the thought had been, it was true.

"First of all," Cordelia began walking towards the vampire, oblivious to his internal thoughts, "You had fun at that party, admit it. Secondly, you can never be sure about the foundation under your flooring." She kissed him chastely on the cheek. "And thirdly, I just got our friendly neighborhood voyeur to not only not tell his superiors about what happened here, but I also convinced him to check any of the files they may have on me. Hopefully we may actually gain some useful information out of this complete waste of an evening."

Angel was watching her carefully. He wasn't sure whether he should hug her, kiss her or scream. So instead, he stood there looking like a two-hundred-plus vampire that had just been beaten at the detective game by a twenty-something immortal. Which he was.

Connor watched the pair in mild amusement. This girl was nothing like he had first thought upon seeing her. She had appeared to be brash, and beautiful, but now he was realizing there was more to Cordelia Chase than beauty. She may make it through the Gathering yet.

"So, what do we know?" Cordelia asked the small group gathered in the office.

Wesley and Kevin Donnaly were hunched over the files that Kevin had taken from his watcher's headquarters. Connor and Angel were talking quietly together. She knew that the sooner that they dealt with whatever it was, the sooner their lives could go back to normal, or at least as normal as it was before people started coming after her with sharp objects.

Although Cordelia was smart enough to realize her life would never be the same again. If what Angel had told her was true, this would not be her first fight. If she wanted to survive, there would be many more. She would have to get used to killing her own kind. But how does one becoming accustomed to taking the heads of other people? How do you deal with the fact that you've become a killer? For survival, maybe, but still a killer.

"This demon, Kelvain, he is trying to gain power." Wesley pointed to a picture of the Lorak demon.

"So, we kill the demon. What's the big?" Cordelia shrugged her shoulders.

Angel stood behind Cordelia and squeezed her shoulders gently. He bent down to whisper in her ear. "He won't be easy to kill, Love." His kissed her ear tenderly, almost completely oblivious to the rest of the occupants of the room.

"However," Kevin interrupted, slightly nervous in the room with a vampire and two immortals. "According to one of the chronicles I found…" He pulled out a photograph of an ancient sword. "This weapon has the ability to take down a Lorak," he paused, "Without alerting the others, thereby still any retribution. It appears to be the only way. The only problem is, we don't know where this particular sword is located."

Cordelia groaned. "Then it doesn't help us, does it?" She asked pointedly.

Angel ran a hand through his hair. "I could ask the oracles." He spoke quietly looking from Wesley to Cordelia.

"You think they would help?" Cordelia asked, her voice sounding slightly hopeful.

"We don't have any other options." Wesley turned to Angel. "I'll check some of my sources, but this appears to be our best choice."

Angel nodded. "I'll go." He turned towards Cordelia and kissed her tenderly. "Be careful." He whispered against her lips before turning away.

Cordelia grasped his hand before he had moved too far away. "You too."

Angel smiled and left the room. Wesley stood up. "Well then, I'll go and make some phone calls.

Connor turned to the younger immortal. "Up for a little sparring match?" He grinned at her raised eyebrow.

Cordelia stood up. "Sure, old man. Let's see what you've got."

The two left Kevin alone while they went into the room Angel had used for their training sessions. It had been seven days since Cordelia had become immortal and they had used much of that time to becoming aquatinted with the other's bodies. Some of that, Cordelia remembered fondly, had absolutely nothing to do with training. Most however, was about teaching Cordelia what she would need to survive until she could get close enough to decapitate the enemy.

As disgusting as the thought of cutting someone's head off was, Cordelia realized the necessity. She had started thinking of the act along the same lines of Angel's blood. Both, while not altogether pleasant, were necessary for survival. And plus side, she realized with a smile was her immortality gave her the means to be with Angel for eternity. Not a bad trade.

Cordelia took off her shoes and stretched out on the mat. She walked over to the wall and picked up a quarterstaff, tossing it to Conner. She waved her own around through the air.

"Is this the part where I tell you there can be only one?" She grinned as he blocked her every move, countering with a few of his own.

Cordelia rolled to the ground, under his next blow and brought her weapon up and let it rest against the older man's throat.

"No, I think this is." The accent voice was amused.

Cordelia stepped back and smiled. "Well then, There can be only one." Her voice had taken on a strange tone as if she was reciting some part of an ancient prophecy. She giggled at the sound of the words falling from her lips.

Conner chuckled. "You're getting good. I'm impressed."

"I have a good teacher." Cordelia answered proudly.

"Aye, that you do." Connor paused for a second, debating whether to discuss Angelus with the girl. "You do know that there is more to him than meets the eye."

Cordelia looked up at the immortal who she was coming to like a great deal and raised an eyebrow. "If you mean by that, do I know that he hasn't always been Mr. Brood-Boy, then yes. I have had the pleasure of meeting his counterpart, in the middle of a revenge scheme no less."

It was Connor's turn to arch an eyebrow.

Cordelia sighed. "He got involved with the current Slayer, lost his soul, terrorized us all, tried to suck the world into hell, and ended up there instead."

Conner laughed a deep hearty sound. "He's been busy." He sobered slightly. "His past doesn't bother you?"

Cordelia shrugged. "It's who he is."

"And you love him?" Connor asked.

Cordelia shrugged again. "You can't pick who you love."

"And if you could, would you?" Connor asked, curious.

"No." Cordelia's answer was so instantaneous it left little question as to how seriously she felt about the vampire.

After the chant was made, Angel found himself once again inside the chamber, with the Oracles.

"What have you brought us?" The female asked.

Angel held out his offering and watched as the oracles looked it over carefully, and then smiled.

"You wish to know where the Sword of Kaisalle' is." It was a statement so Angel merely nodded.

The male oracle stepped forward and the weapon in question appeared in his hand. He started to hand it over but then stopped. "Only the chosen must wield it." He warned him. "Death to anyone else who tries."

"The chosen?" Angel asked, confused. His mind told him that he must be one of these Chosen, otherwise they wouldn't be offering it to him otherwise, but whom else did the title include.

The woman smiled. "The immortal girl, she is your mate. She must wield the sword to destroy the Lorak."

Before Angel could voice another question, he found himself outside of the entrance, this time holding the weapon. He had many questions, but that was not unusual after a meeting with the oracles.

Cordelia scowled good-naturedly. "Watch it, Buddy!" She pulled the metal tip off of a small weapon she had been using, leaving the slightly sharpened wood point underneath. "I have a stake, and I know how to use it."

Angel stalked towards her and pushed her up against the sidewall, both of their weapons falling to the ground as his body pressed against hers intimately. "So do I." He whispered huskily before devouring her mouth with his own.

Soon their bodies were a tangle of limbs, not sure where one left off and the other began. Cordelia's sweat drenched skin was like a fire burning Angel down through his soul. He trembled at her touch, as their bodies meted together. He lost all rational thought, all feeling, except that of this creature joining with him with a blinding passion he had never felt before, not ever. That realization was small in the back of his mind. He had known it would be so, somehow. That knowledge however didn't alter the passion he felt building as they removed each other of their clothing.

In some part of their conscious mind, the couple realized that Connor had left them alone, but frankly they were past caring whether they had an audience or not. They moved together with unrestrained passion built of a deep-seated love.

Angel lowered them down to the mat as he suckled on one of her pert breasts. Cordelia gripped his bear ass firmly, begging him to make her complete. Angel positioned himself at her entrance and thrust deeply into her, his own moans melting with hers. He drove into her wildly, reaching his climax quickly. Their passion having been pushed aside for too long. Neither could sustain their desire for too long.

With a final thrust, they came together, Angel sinking his fangs deeply into her jugular, drinking her lifesblood. Cordelia held his head too her throat, forcing him to take more of her blood than would ordinarily been healthy.

When Angel pulled his fangs out of her throat, he collapsed onto the mat, pulling her into his chest. He suckled at her bite marks, and was fascinated as he could feel them healing and closing up against his tongue.

"Wow." Cordelia rasped when she could finally regain her speech.

"Wow indeed." Angel chuckled against her throat.

The couple lay in silence wrapped up together until the reality of their lives crept up on them, in the form of the unannounced interest on one former watcher.

"Oh, good lord, I'm… I'm Sorry." Wesley stammered as he quickly exited the room.

Cordelia sighed and tried to extricate herself from Angel's grasp. He growled softly, which only resulted in her slapping his chest lightly. Angel relented and began to stand up himself.

Angel pulled on his clothes and went up to the office while Cordelia went to go take a shower. He fund Wesley sitting at his desk, his head buried in a book.

"Wes," Angel began.

"Sorry about… that." Wesley's cheeks flushed.

Angel smiled. "Did you find out anything?" He asked, trying to change the subject.

Wesley looked up at the vampire and smiled slightly. "Yes. I found out where the demon is located." He handed a piece of paper with an address to Angel. "Here. At this address. Did you get the… weapon?"

"Yes, I did. It's downstairs. But… only Delia and I can handle to so, as soon as she's done, we'll go."

Before Wesley could comment further, Cordelia entered the room, with the weapon in question. She looked slightly dangerous, wearing a pair of black leather pants, and a dark blue tank top, her hair pulled back away from her face. She was waving the sword around in wide sweeps.

"So, this thing will kill the big evil?" She asked as she became accustomed the blade.

Angel grabbed the weapon on one of her swipes. "Easy there. If anyone else touches it, it'll kill them."

Cordelia's eyes grew wide as her hand stilled its movement with the weapon.

"Right then, let's go." Wesley stood up and left the office. He had no desire to die, and the sooner they killed the demon and got the sword locked up, the better he would feel.

Connor chuckled the former watcher's hurry to leave as he followed him out.

"Delia," Angel stopped his lover before she could leave. "Are you ready for this?"

Cordelia smiled as she cupped his cheek. "Yes. Don't worry."

Angel leaned into her touch. "I just… I don't want to lose you… I can't." He whispered.

"I know. You won't. We'll kill the demon, lock up the sword, and come home and christen those new black satin sheets I *know* you bought last week." She grinned knowingly.

Angel smiled. He was surprised that she knew about his purchase, but he was certain she didn't know about the fantasy that had led to the purchase. But what warmed his dead heart was her referring to his apartment as home.

He grasped her hand in his and led her out to the street.

Kelvain felt their presence only moments before they entered the cavern, which he had, claimed as a safe haven. The fight, which ensued, was fairly predictable. His vampire minions surrounded the group, trying to protect their master, lashing out at any threat.

However the souled vampire, two immortals and the one human were more than a match of the idiotic minions. As he watched them turn to dust, one by one, Kelvain made the mistake of turning his attention to the older of the immortal's, not paying heed to the girl. He didn't think she would present a problem, despite his warning to the others. He also knew that even if my some miracle, they managed to kill him, another of his kind would come. They would know of his death, and would avenge him.

Kelvain fought violently against the immortal, wounding him several times. It wasn't until her heard the girl shout out one word that he turned around and felt fear grip him.

"Duck" Cordelia shouted.

Kelvain turned around, his eyes growing dark in horror as he saw the weapon she wielded. "The Sword of Kaisalle'" He whispered.

Cordelia waved it around. "Oh, this old thing?" She grinned slightly as she took the point and pierced his heart. The demon fell to his knees and she sliced off his head. She realized decapitation wasn't necessary, but since it had been the focal point of her training, it seemed only natural.

As the demon slumped to the ground, his eyes losing that essence of life all living things maintain until that final moment, Cordelia relaxed.

"Huh," She commented. "No lightning show? Seems kind of anti-climatic" She turned towards Connor who was standing up, his own wounds healing themselves. "Don't you think?"

Connor chuckled.

Angel came up behind Cordelia and pried the sword from her fingers. "You okay?" He asked quietly.

"Yeah, I think so." She leaned back into his chest, just before her knees gave out and she started to fall to the ground.

Angel caught her and lifted her into her arms while maintaining a firm grip on the dangerous weapon. He left the cavern, not concerned with whom followed. Nothing mattered but the beautiful girl in his arms.

Cordelia snuggled deeper into Angel's arms. They were sprawled across his large bed, where they had been for the past forty-eight hours. Spending eternity like this was starting to sound like a valid plan.

However, eternity seemed to have other ideas.

Wesley looked up from his desk in surprise when he saw someone enter the office.

"Mr. Giles? What's wrong?" He asked growing concerned. No one from Sunnydale ever came to them unless there was trouble.

Giles sighed as he looked around. He didn't want to have to deal with Wesley, but his information was too important to impart over the telephone.

"Is Angel here?" Giles asked as patiently as he could muster.

Wesley nodded. "He's downstairs." He told him. Before Wesley could tell him he'd go get him, Giles was back in the elevator going down. Wesley didn't not want to be around when he walked in on whatever his two friends might have been doing.

About five minutes later, Wesley could here a shriek and a growl and then some stuttering coming from the apartment downstairs. He smiled slightly as he went to answer the ringing telephone.

Giles was sitting at the kitchen table, eyeing his glass as if it was the most fascinating thing in the world. When he had climbed off of the elevator and into Angel's apartment, he had expected to maybe find the vampire sleeping, or reading or something else he normally associated with Angel. What he hadn't expected was to find Angel naked, in a bed with Cordelia, who was also naked.

Cordelia has screamed when she saw him standing there, waking Angel up with a growl. He had stuttered an apology and left them alone to get dressed. Which was how he found himself sitting in the kitchen, alone.

"Rupert." Angel entered the kitchen and walked directly to the fridge and began to prepare himself some liquid breakfast.

It struck Giles as strange how casual he seemed to be about his eating habits. Angel had never seemed comfortable feeding in front of others. Before he could contemplate this change any further Cordelia walked in and sat at the table across from Giles.

"Giles." She arched an eyebrow at his embarrassed look. "Maybe you should think about calling ahead next time." She grinned at him. Another odd change, as far as Giles was concerned.

"What brings you here?" Angel asked as he sat at the head of the table, bringing his mug with him.

"Is this about Spike and Willow?" He asked seriously, remember the vision Cordelia had had.

Both the vampire and the Immortal exchanged a look when Giles seemed to stiffen.

"Angel said that she was a vampire?" Cordelia asked, trying to keep the doubt out of her voice.

"No, I was wrong about that." He paused, not certain where to begin. "She's a demon. A vengeance demon."

Cordelia's eyes widened. "Like Anya?"

"I guess. She didn't give me too many details. Just that she was given the opportunity to become a demon, and she did." Giles' gaze turned to Angel, watching his reaction to his next words. "She led us to believe she was a vampire in order to hurt Buffy." Angel didn't reacted to the name of the Slayer in the least. Another change, Giles' noted.

"They're gone now. Willow and Spike. She asked me not to tell you about her, but I felt…" He paused, "… I thought you should know."

Angel nodded. "Thank you."

Giles turned to look at Cordelia and noticed she had this far away look in her eyes, and she seemed to be searching the room for something he couldn't see.

"Delia?" Angel asked with a slight hint of worry.

"Someone's here." She whispered.

"Connor?" Angel asked.

"Maybe." She told him as she stood up and grabbed her sword and headed towards the elevator, which was again making its descent. She lowered her weapon and smiled when she saw that it was indeed Connor.

"That isn't for me, I hope?" Connor joked.

"Not today old man, come back in a few years, and we'll see." She grinned and hugged him. "I thought you were heading back today?"

"I am. But I wanted to say goodbye to Angelus, and his lovely seer."

Cordelia hit him lightly on the shoulder. "Flattery will get you everywhere." S he grinned. "We have company, you want to take a walk?"

When Connor smiled, Cordelia climbed into the Elevator and closed the grating, leaving Angel to speak with Giles in private. She was not in the mood to explain anything to him. She wasn't sure she knew how.

"So…" Angel started, unsure of what he should tell the former watcher. "How's Buffy? Willow didn't…" He trailed off, not wanted to know what Willow had done. He had been aware, for a long time now that Willow's personality had darker roots than anyone was willing to admit. If she had become a demon, there was no telling what damage she could have done, especially with Spike at her side.

Giles shook his head. "Not physically, but she's pretty shaken up. Riley, her boyfriend was turned."

Angel looked up sharply. "Spike?" He asked already knowing the answer. Giles nodded.

They sat in silence for a moment before Giles asked the question, which had been plaguing him. "Angel, I know it's none of my business, but…"

"You want to know about Delia and I?" Angel guessed. When Giles looked questioningly at the vampire, he continued. "I love her." He told the watcher simply.

"And your soul?" Giles asked with a slight tremor.

"Safe." Angel told him, unwilling to elaborate further.

Giles must have sensed Angel's reluctance because he stood up then. "I had better be getting back. I just wanted you to know. I don't know if they'll ever be back, but it's a safe bet that even if I never see them again, you will."

Angel nodded thoughtfully, remembering Cordelia's vision. He had no doubt that they would see their old friends again. His only concern was whether or not they would me meeting them as friends, or enemies.

The END