Title: Shades of Gray (Chapter 1)
Summary: The line between good and evil is not black and white, but filled with shades of gray.
Disclaimer: Don't own "Angel" or any characters, locations or other things related to it. Just borrowing it for a little while.

Notes: This is a story I wrote several years ago, but just never got around to posting. It is set sometime in season 1 before Doyle's heroic sacrifice. Hope you all like. All feedback, comments and constructive criticism is welcome. :P

Chapter 1

Angel, Cordelia and Doyle were sitting in the office of Angel Investigations researching a few mysterious deaths that had recently taken place. It was pretty much a normal day at the office for the three. It was almost sunset, and Angel was considering sending his two employees home before dark.

"Uh, guys, why don't you go? I'll work on the research for the night."

"But Angel, wouldn't it be faster if we help you?" Cordelia protested.

"Yes, but I don't want you going home after dark. Something is going on and I don't want you to get hurt." Angel insisted.

Cordelia was about to protest when the office door opened and a young woman walked into the office. She was medium height, with long dark brown hair, almost black. Her eyes were also dark. She was wearing a velvet dress in deep scarlet; it was long and had an empire cut waist and lower neckline. She was very attractive, but not in an overwhelming way. "Excuse me? Is this Angel Investigations?"

Doyle spoke up then. "Yes. It is. Can we help you?"

"My name is Alejandra. I was wondering if I might speak with Angel." The woman answered.

Angel stepped forward. "I'm Angel. What can I do for you?" He tried to be polite, but there was something about the woman that made him uneasy. She wasn't human.

"You're Angel? I should have known when I walked in. Am I interrupting important business? If I am, I can come back another time. My reason for coming is simply to talk; it is not an urgent matter."

"Actually, Doyle and I were just leaving." Cordelia said as she started to push Doyle toward the door.

"Ok guys, I'll see you in the morning. And be careful, go straight home the streets aren't exactly safe after dark." He talked to his friends but never took his eyes off of the woman in front of him. When Doyle and Cordelia were gone he turned to his office. "We can talk in my office." He walked around his desk to sit. "Can I get you something to drink? Coffee?" He offered.

"No, thank you. I'm fine." She returned as she sat down.

An uncomfortable silence settled over the room; finally, Angel spoke. "So, would you like to tell me why you're here? After all I'm not real popular with the vampire crowd these days."

Alejandra gave a small smile before answering. "No, I don't suppose you would be."

"So you do know who I am." Angel was only mildly surprised, most of the vampire community in L.A. knew about him.

"Yes. I know a lot about you. Or rather, I know a lot about Angelus."

Angel tensed when she mentioned his demon's name. "Who are you?"

"I'm a vampire quite like yourself." She looked into his eyes. "I have a soul, Angel. Just as you do."

Angel was at a loss for words at first. The revelation that she too had a soul shocked him to his core. How could there be another like him? After a moment, he regained his vocal ability. "What? How?"

"Well, that is a very long story, but one I'm not opposed to telling if you wish to listen."

"I've got time." He stated simply.

Alejandra laughed at the simple truth of the statement. "Yes, I suppose you do." She paused for a moment before starting her story. "I was in Europe in the last half of the eighteenth century. I moved from town to town, country to country, killing and feeding. I was a vampire, and I did it very well. As I traveled, I began to hear stories of a particularly vicious vampire by the name of Angelus. The stories I heard of the things that he did were...awe-inspiring. I knew that I had to find him. So, I began to follow. Angelus, however, was not easy to catch. I was always one step behind, arriving in a town the night after his departure. I came close a couple of times, but never close enough." She paused to look at Angel, who was listening intently. "After decades of following, searching, I discovered that he was in Romania. So, naturally, I went, thinking that maybe this would be the end of my search. When I got there, I began to ask around. I came across many vampires that told me they saw him going this way or that way. I went and came up with nothing. One night, I was asking around when a woman who had overheard my conversation with another came up to me. 'You're looking for a vampire named Angelus are you?' When I told her yes, she laughed in my face and began to speak in a language I didn't recognize. I ran from her, but she continued her chant. I collapsed on a nearby park bench and I believe I passed out for some time. I don't know how long I was out, but when I awoke, I had a soul. I found out a couple of months later that you also had a soul. Over the years, I was able to fully piece together the story of why you were cursed. Now here I am."

Angel looked at her for a minute. He was still in shock that this was happening. "So, why did it take you so long to find me? I've been in California for a few years."

"I lost track of you about fifty years ago. I tried to find leads as to where you had gone, but no one seemed to know and those who did, weren't talking. Anyway, I moved out here about a month ago. I started hearing about this P.I. who handles strange cases. After looking into it some more, I find that it's a vampire with a soul, goes by the name Angel. I had to find you. Here I am." Alejandra smiled.

Angel looked at her then got up and walked over to the window. The sun had set and the lights of Los Angeles shone brightly in the dark of the night. "Why are you here? Why do you want me?"

"Why not? I've been searching for you for well over a century, pretty close to two centuries now." Alejandra answered.

"But I have a soul now. I'm not the vampire you started out looking for."

"And I'm not the vampire who started looking...yet I am. I have a soul, but at least part of me is still the same. Is that not true of you?"

Angel turned to look at her. "Is that why you're here? To remind me that I'm still a demon? That I'll never be able to get rid of him? That I'll never be that different?" His voice rose and rang with the anger building inside of him.

His anger caught Alejandra by surprise; she stood and took a step back. "No, of course not. I'm only here to tell you that you're not alone. You don't have to go through it alone."

"Well, in case you didn't notice before, I'm not alone." Angel said.

Alejandra nodded. "Well, I guess that's that. I'll just leave then. I'm sorry to have upset you. I can see now that my decision to appear was not a good idea." She turned to leave. She was at the door before she turned back around. "If you ever change your mind, give me a call." She set a piece of paper with her phone number on it on his desk and walked out.

Angel just stood quiet and watched her leave. He had too many emotions and thoughts running through him to stop her. He heard the door to the front office close to indicate that she was gone and made his way downstairs to his apartment. There was going to be a lot of brooding this night.