Epilogue

It seemed unreal. He hadn't made a sound, but she had sensed him immediately, the ability to do so had heightened considerable, though if that was because of her blood in him or his blood in hers he didn't know. But she didn't look at him, her eyes were still on the city below them.

She looked beautiful standing out on the roof, her face was gazing at the moon, the light of the downtown buildings flickering around, accenting her face in the rays of moonlight.

He was almost scared to go to her, to believe that she was real, that he had her again. It seemed too easy to believe, too scary to admit he needed to believe it this much.

Touching her seemed out of the question, at that moment she seemed to sacred for his tainted hands to touch, too precious a prize for him to soil with his dirty soul.

She looked at him, and smiled, a soft, tired smile. He felt his heart leap slightly, and again marveled at the warmth that Cordelia's warm blood filled him with, rushing through his veins.

"Hey." Her voice was soft, reverant.

"Hey. What are you doing?"

"Looking." Her eyes were shining with wonder as she looked around. "Everything... it seems to glow, Angel. It's like I'm seeing the night for the first time." Crossing her arms over her chest, she hugged herself, her face that of wonder as she seemed transfixed on the scene below. She had inherited his night vision, and he wondered how long it would last.

He waited, letting her have her moment, before walking forward. "Doyle wants us to celebrate with a drink down at the pub. As a matter of fact, he's there already, getting sloshed."

"Well if that's the case we have a while. He takes his drinking very seriously, and it would be rude of us to interupt." She turned to him and her breath caught.

He stared at her. "What?"

"Nothing, it's just..." She blushed, shrugging. "You look so beautiful right now, in the moonlight."

He felt his throat close up, and he smiled. "You too."

"Tell me something I don't know." She responded. They fell silent for a minute, and she continued, her voice slightly monotone."So, Sammis told me, about... What I am, what you are." Angel looked at her, leaning on the rail next to her, their sides not touching.

"And?"

"He doesn't know diddly squat. He has no idea what freakish side effect I got from you, though I've got a feeling this night vision clarity thing is a part of it, and he just wants to wait and see. He said that my life capacity has been increased,that ... I could.... Angel... he said I could have been.... " She trailed off, and then picked up her voice. "Well, I might not die anytime soon. As in centuries." Angel felt his throat go dry, but she kept going. "He says there's no danger of me losing my soul or anything, or becoming like.. you know... a real vampire, but... somethings changed inside of me,and I don't know what. At least with you ?"

"I don't know either." His voice was low. "You did something to me, but I don't know what it means."

"I gave you blood, Angel, you've had a lot of it."

"It's different." He shrugged. "I don't know why, but it is, I can feel it. I can feel it rushing through my veins."

She looked surprised. "Yeah, me too. It's incredibly freaky. And slightly yucky."

He allowed a small grin. "It's beautiful to feel you in my veins."

She smiled, the words touching a part of her that made her still for a second. She chuckled to release the emotion. "Okay, leave the stalker stuff until later, okay?"

He grinned, and silence fell between the two of them. "So what now?" She asked, cocking her head to study him.

"Well, there's that whole wedding thing we never got around to."

"Yeah, like I want to be latched to a cryptic boring soul creature of the night for the rest of my life." She retorted. The corners of her eyes wrinkled in thought. "However long that may be."

"You already are." he pointed out, trying not to let a smile grace his lips and failing miserably.

"Oh yeah."

She looked down at the streets, the lights of the city blinking on and off in different parts. "It's scary, Angel."

He looked at her, sliding his hands in his pockets. "What is?"

She swallowed, shrugging. "I'm a freak. I mean... I'm a freak and I don't even know what kind. You're a freak, and we don't know what I did to you either. It's scary, not knowing."

"It is." He admitted. "But.. at least... we can find out together, right? I mean, we make each other whole, Cordelia."

"Good, Angel, nice to know you're not TOO egotistic." She didn't look at him, but she could feel him watching her. "Do you know what was even scarier?" She continued, her voice low.

"What?"

Looking down, her words were soft. "When Doyle told me that you were dying, I .... I don't know... I..." She bit her lip to still their trembling, and took a breath, her eyes flashing as she turned to him. "Angel, don't you even get sick again, cause I'll just kill you and save myself the misery you put me through. I swear you bastard, you drove me nuts! I had to go into sewers! You hear me? Sewers!"

He stared at her for the moment, utter shock on his face, and then he threw his head back and laughed, the first real laugh he had had in months.

Cordelia watched him a smirk on her perfect features as she crossed her arms and leaned against the railing, the wind blowing the tendrils of her hair across her face.

"I'm serious." She insisted. "My catsuit is ruined, and my little Italian boots? You know? The cute ones? They stink. You so owe me a new pair."

He was still chuckling as he finally gave in to the urge to hold her. She grinned, coming forward as he slid his arms around her, pressing her against him tightly. "God, Cor, you have no idea how much I missed you."

"Well, that's a good thing, considering we're now two freaks, who are doomed to live a freakish nature for God know how long." She scrunched her nose in thought. "Oh, God, can you imagine? Years, and years, and years of hearing my voice."

"I like your whiny voice."

"And having to watch you brood all the time."

"I stopped brooding a long time ago." He said, a hurt pout forming on his lips.

She glanced at him, her eyes suspiciously catlike, and then laughed. "Oh, Angel, you never do give up on that puppy dog face, do you?"

"It's always worked before." She grinned, admitting defeat, and he smiled, before his stare quickly turned intense. "Cor, marry me before something else happens." She looked at him, her smile faltering. "Please." He continued, a soft pleading note accompanying it. "I... couldn't stand it if I lost you again."

She gazed at him for a minute, and her eyes misty, she nodded slightly. He sighed, pulling her close, just feeling her body against his as he rested his cheek on the top of her head.

"It's not like I'm looking forward to that wedding , you know." Her voice was muffled, and he leaned back in surprise.

His eyebrow rose immediately. "You're not?"

She gazed at him, her eyes flashing wickedly. "I'm kind of looking forward to the wedding night."

It took him a moment for the words to actually register, but when her mouth slowly turned into that of a smirk, he grinned, his heart full as he gazed down at her.

"Who says we have to wait until the wedding night." He murmured, lowering his lips taste her. Her mouth opened immediately, and Angel groaned. Oh, God he had missed her. He had missed her so much. The kiss that started out soft and tender quickly turned passionate, as the pair hungrily explored each other's mouths in a desperate attempt to make up for the time they were lost to each other.

She whimpered, a sound that sounded almost animal at the searing heat that accompanied Angel's kiss. He felt weak as she pressed herself against him, and then incredibly empty when suddenly she pulled away.

"Cor?" He rasped, reaching for her again.

"Relax, stiffy." She murmured, her eyes moist as she gave him an amused smile. "We will... soon. But Angel." Her eyes softened for a minute, losing all of her former tactlessness in her effort to see as deeply as she could into his eyes. Her eyes shone with unshed tears as she slid her palms up his chest and onto his cheeks, sliding across the skin and caressing his lips tenderly with her thumbs. "Oh, God, Angel. Right now... can you just hold me?"

Her voice slipped, and Angel finally saw the exhaustion,the hunger and the need to be comforted in Cordelia's hazel eyes. Without another word he pulled her close, not saying anything, letting the warmth of his arms, the beating of her heart against him, and his lips on her temple speak for him.

Angel held her tightly, crushing her body against him. She didn't complain, merely buried her head in his chest as she sobbed quietly, of relief, or happiness, and exhaustion.

"I love you." She whispered, so soft and so full he felt himself shudder at the sound of it.

His throat suddenly closed up, and unable to speak, he only pressed his lips to her hair, marveling that what had quite possibly been the greatest pain he had ever experienced, had returned the one thing he had feared he would never regain, the one person that he above all needed.

The way she responded to his touch, her hunger, and her selfless love for him, the shine of her hair in the moonlight, and the beautiful glint in her eyes, her scent that had become a drug to him, all led him to one simple conclusion.

He could hold her for all eternity.

He smiled, feeling her chest rise and fall against him, feeling an overwhelming welt of love and emotion flood him.

Maybe, just maybe, he would.
 
 
 

FIN