I know... I know... most of us can't see Angel with anyone else that's not Buffy, but this story is different... It has come together really awesome, so I hope you guys give it a chance :) Angel & Liza meeting coming next chapter.

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Chapter 2

Saturday was a blur, between trips of going to the office and home back and forth making sure that everything she needed she would have, the day was gone.

At work she'd left a detailed report on all of the things that needed to be taken care of, and at home most of her stuff had already been shipped except for some clothes and personal items. She'd agreed to make an appearance at Trombino's, an Italian Bar & Café, as some of her division's co-workers had asked that she go have a last drink with them before she left.

She arrived late in the evening to the bar, people already expecting her, she smiled as she crossed the door and work friends waived her over. She had had a family at her work place, but she hadn't made what she would have considered a best friend, and the only person she would have seen to fit that title was not even there and expected something more from her.

"Are you having a good time Ms. Callahan?" her thoughts being interrupted as she recognized the voice. He came.

"I am grazie Alessandro…"

"I'm glad; I took the liberty of getting you another drink, since I saw that one getting low?" He handed her the drink. "A toast to the bright future ahead, Salute!" he put his drink towards hers and faced the others to announce cheers as well.

"Salute!" she whispered and smiled warmly, she was confused. Last night he had been upset at her promotion and didn't even see him the rest of the night, and now he was there, acting like everything was fine and yesterday hadn't happened.

"May I have a private moment with you Ms. Callahan, away from the crowd?" he'd leaned in to whisper the request to her ear. She nodded in agreement. He extended his arm to lead the way.

Trombino's was a two story Bar & Café, the Café was downstairs and the Bar was upstairs. It had a villa rustic field to it and beautiful lighted balconies with exotic plant decorations that gave way into the scenic view of Rome. He led her to one to the outside and closed the glass doors behind them. He cleared his throat…

"I…uh… I wanted to apologize for my behavior yesterday, I was rude and …" she interrupted.

"Alessandro, you don't have to…" he raised his hand to stop her and continued.

"Please Ms. Callahan, I have to get this out," she waited uncomfortably, she had a feeling she knew what was coming, "my behavior was inexcusable, your promotion just caught me off guard a bit. I had heard rumors of you wanting to leave but I just never thought that you would eventually do it."

He paused. "Last night I wanted to tell you how I felt about you…" fear and uncertainty filled him, "not that you wouldn't know, I think everyone in the office knew, but I wanted to voice it myself."

She smiled nervously confirming that she knew.

"You know, I never believed in love at first sight until I met you… I still remember the first day you walked into the office," he smiled at the memory, "you radiated light into the darkness that is Wolfram & Hart, and you took my breath away. The moment that you smiled at me I knew that I loved you, which was crazy, I know, but I did, I do… I love you Elizabeth."

He gazed into her eyes looking for the reciprocation of his feelings and found nothing there.

She gazed lovingly into his eyes, the way a sister would look at her brother… "Alessandro I don't think…" She paused as his expression saddened.

"I know…" he gazed down for a moment, and then looked back up to her eyes, "I know you don't feel the way I do because if you did, you wouldn't be leaving… I just needed you to hear it from Me." he smiled sheepishly, "But I have hopes… maybe while you're away you'll realize that you have feelings for me, and I'll be here… always waiting…"

She walked towards him holding his gaze, smiled, gave him a kiss on the cheek, and hugged him for what seemed like forever.

He was enwrapped in the feel of her tiny body in his arms, taking her in, her touch, her scent, her love, not the love he expected but love regardless…

She pulled away slowly, looked him in the eyes and said, "I'm sorry… I'm sorry that I can't see you the way you want me to… I care for you, I do, I even know that I love you like the brother I never had… But that is all that my heart can offer. I would love to remain friends with you, if you want my friendship, but I'll understand if you don't want to."

"I do, please keep in touch…" he smiled and reached for the balcony's glass door and led her back to the gathering.

/

She tightly hugged Ilona her good bye and gave her a kiss on each cheek, she promised to go see her no later than in a month, and wished her good luck, though in her aunt's eyes, she didn't need it. The last words Ilo had told her though, for some reason stayed with her.

She'd said, "And who knows… maybe you find your soul's half and live happily ever after…" She didn't know why it kept replaying in her head, why did had it struck her, was it just the emotional rollercoaster of her move, was it that she wanted to feel for someone the way Alessandro felt about her, did she want that kind of domestic life, what was it… She felt the plane move and she opened her eyes startled.

"Elizabeth, are you okay?" Gunn noticed her fright.

"Oh… um… yes, I just dosed off I guess, then the plane… I'm fine, grazie…" she smiled.

"You afraid of flying?"

"Not really… it was more like being startled when the plane moved." She smiled.

"Well… if it makes you feel any better, we should be landing shortly…"

"Really… that was fast." Liza gazed out the plane window looking for confirmation. She then glanced over to Wesley who seemed to be enwrapped in his book.

"Is what you're reading that interesting?"

"Actually yes, the mystical world and writings has always fascinated me…" he answered while putting the book away.

"Yeah, it's called not having a life…" Gunn chimed in smiling at Liza, she giggled.

"No… it's loving what one does for a living…" he returned.

"I think that's an attractive quality in a man, someone who's smart and loves to research what they do outside of work as well… you do take a break once in a while, though, right?"

He laughed, "Yes I do, but in plane there's not too much that one can do to make the time pass quickly…"

"Makes sense…" Their conversation was interrupted by the pilot announcing their arrival to Wolfram & Hart's private airport. They landed quickly and a limo was already expecting their arrival.