Disclaimer: "Angel", along with all related characters and concepts, was created by Joss Whedon and Co., so they don't belong to me, while "Charmed" characters and concepts belong to Constance M Burge. Anyway, enjoy
Feedback: As always, I'd appreciate it
AN: For those who haven't read the previous stories in the series, this is the sequel to 'Sent to the Witch' and 'The Love of a Vampire', which look at the events of 'Charmed' and 'Angel' if Angel had been sent to guide Paige Matthews rather than Buffy Summers while exploring her destiny. This marks the beginning of what would be the sixth season of 'Charmed' and the events of the second season of 'Angel', and relevant information will be provided for both; reading the previous two stories is recommended to understand some of the finer details of this one.
The Sire, the Son, and the Future
It had barely been a month since Chris Parry had 'replaced' Leo as the Halliwells' Whitelighter, and so far Angel was silently wondering if the whole thing had been a mistake, even if he didn't feel entirely comfortable voicing that doubt to the sisters. Chris was competent enough when it came to dealing with demons and offering advice, but the revelation that he couldn't even heal people had raised several questions that none of the Halliwells had been able to get an answer about.
Still, so far, Angel had to admit that Chris seemed to be pulling his weight despite his healing handicap; that particular issue had just forced Paige to step up on her own attempts to practise her healing ability. Since Chris's advice had stopped Angel killing a Prio Muto demon that was actually acting as the protector of an unborn child with an unspecified but significant destiny, Angel was willing to give the guy a break despite his doubts- as well as that strange nagging familiarity about his scent that Angel couldn't quite place- even if the Whitelighter kept looking at him as though he was just waiting for something to happen.
Even their work at the agency was going well; Paige in particular had noted that it was good to do something that felt like she was just attending a regular job while simultaneously getting a chance to practise and develop her magic skills. She'd briefly thought about doing some temp work to increase their income during a quieter period, but had soon decided that the hassle and necessary paperwork wouldn't be worth it, preferring instead to focus on their existing roles. Doyle and Wesley were also settling into the new routine, with Wesley in particular having taken it upon himself to 'step up' and act as an additional supernatural information resource in Leo's absence. Chris, unlike Leo, had stated that his focus had to be protecting of the Charmed Ones to the exclusion of all else, and so Angel Investigations had been left to work on their own more often than not.
Still, unusually enigmatic Whitelighters from the future aside, with Angel Investigations making a good reputation for themselves and Phoebe's own career taking off with her new boss's publicity, the only real 'problem' facing them so far was Piper's unusually chipper approach to Leo having left her. He could appreciate her trying to put on a strong face for her family, but even his limited human contact over the last century or so knew that she was doing almost too well…
"How's things?" Doyle asked as he walked into the office, sitting down at his designated desk as he grinned over at the vampire.
"Well enough," Angel said, dismissing his private musings about Chris as he looked at his friend. "How did the date go?"
"Well enough," Doyle repeated, shrugging slightly as he sat down at his desk. "Got a bit weird towards the end, when Phoebe started answerin' a few questions 'fore I even asked 'em, but I chalk that up as a good thing; shows we're gettin' in sync, right?"
"Probably," Angel said. "Doesn't she have that radio interview now?"
"Yeah, but she asked me to listen to it later; doesn't want me to hear her screw up if things go wrong," Doyle answered, smiling slightly as he looked at his boss. "I'm dating a local celeb; how about that?"
"We both are," Angel pointed out. "It's just that they're celebrities in different worlds."
"Talkin' o' which, where is she?" Doyle asked, looking curiously around the office. "Out on some case?"
"Just investigating a possible curse," Angel confirmed. "We're having a slower period right now, so Paige is working on her scrying for potential curse spots; no active threats, but she found something that she wanted to check out downtown."
"And that's that sorted, by the way," Paige said as she walked back into the office, shaking her head in bemusement as she smiled at her vampire boyfriend/boss. "Some guy had been turned into a dog, so I had to break the spell and turn him back; odd, but simple enough, even if Chris had to call us in for another vanquish later."
"Anythin' interesting?" Doyle asked.
"Just something Chris called a Trok demon," Paige clarified. "It had two heads, but apart from Piper just trying and failing to blow up one head when it appeared, it all went simply enough."
"Good for you," Angel said, smiling as Paige walked over to sit in his lap and give him a quick kiss. "I take it you preferred dealing with the curse?"
"Eh, what can I say?" Paige smiled at her boyfriend. "Vanquishing's good, but it's nice to have a chance to practise the magic after so long just kicking butt."
"Chris still keepin' you all busy?" Doyle asked, looking curiously at their witch colleague.
"I mean, I can appreciate wanting to take out demons, but there has to be a limit," Paige said, sighing in frustration as she lay back against Angel, grinning a little as Angel nuzzled her neck. "He always talks about how they're potential threats to Wyatt, but I just don't get why he can't take a break for once and do something else… I mean, did you know he can't even heal yet?"
"I thought you were still workin' on that yourself?" Doyle noted.
"I'm half-Whitelighter, so it's only natural that I should take a while to get a handle on all my powers; what's his excuse?" Paige pointed out. "Besides, I'm primarily here as a witch; it's his job to heal us even if he wasn't the one sending us out after all this stuff, so why isn't he taking the time to work on that?"
"Maybe he's just trying to prove himself?" Angel suggested. "I mean, if he's from a future where he grew up on your legend, he probably wanted to give a good impression of his knowledge to show he's worthy of being your Whitelighter…"
"Maybe, but it's still stupid," Paige said firmly, before she turned her head to look at Angel with a slight grin. "Still, with that curse and the Trok dealt with, and Doyle here to man the office, maybe we could… have a little celebration of our own?"
The grin on Angel's face at that suggestion was the only cue Paige needed to orb them both down to his flat, leaving Doyle shaking his head as he adjusting his position in the seat to look more professional.
He might not quite be as far along on his relationship with Phoebe as Paige and Angel were, but he wasn't going to begrudge them their time together if the chance came up; after what they'd been through with Angelus, coupled with how busy Chris was keeping them right now, some time to just be a couple was the least they deserved.
None of them could have known that they were being watched from outside by a blonde woman with a firm glare on her face as she stared at Angel and Paige.
It had been almost two years for them since they'd last seen her, but for Darla, that fateful night in P3 remained fresh in her memory even after all the torment she'd suffered in Hell between then and now. She wasn't sure what rankled more; that Angelus had staked her for the sake of that little witch, or that the witch had accepted him despite knowledge of what he really was.
Still, what they had become over the last couple of years wasn't as important as what she was about to do to them now that she had returned. Getting past the building's magical defences would be a challenge, of course, but that was one situation where her new human status would be an advantage; every defence the Halliwells and Angel had set up was designed to stop anything magical getting in, but they'd never really considered the possibility that a normal human with magical knowledge would try and attack them like that.
It was an intriguing loophole, but once her current 'associates' had helped her make the appropriate arrangements, it would only be a matter of time until Angelus was back where he should be…
AN 2: Short start, but I get into the main plots next chapter; hope you enjoy what I have coming up. As always, certain episodes will be covered in more detail than others- as you've already seen- but I'll keep you updated on any significant events that happened 'off-screen', depending on whether my new cast would have altered anything in particular by their presence or their new approaches