††††††††††
Doyle and Cordelia looked up when Angel walked into the office. He was carrying his coat in one hand and had a stunned look on his face
"Are you okay?" Doyle asked, "How'd it go?"
"I found the demon and I killed it. And some of its blood mixed with mine-"
"Hey, you just walked right off the front street," Cordelia cried, "You've-"
"Yeah," Angel said
"Got an umbrella"
Doyle stood closer to Angel, as a look overcame him. Cordelia watched as he headed towards the window, standing in the sunlight and recognition washed over her
"He's alive, Cordy," Doyle said, "He's human"
"Whoa"
Angel smiled as he enjoyed the sunlight for the first time in over two hundred years
"I wanna know what type of demon that was," he said
"Well, this is great," Cordelia said, "You're human. Now you can do whatever you want. Now we can go to the beach without you bursting into flames like last time"
Angel turned around and looked at Cordelia, a small smile on his face
"God, I am so hungry"
He rushed past her, as she yelped and moved behind Doyle, the pair watching as he opened the refrigerator and began eating everything inside
"Oh God. Food!" Angel cried happily, "I've forgotten how good it tastes"
"And they didn't have cookie fudge choc mint in your day," Cordelia said
"Ooh, can you get me some?"
"It'll go straight to your thighs"
"Okay, we need to slow down here," Doyle said
"Mmm. Chocolate, I love chocolate," Angel said giddily, "But as it turns out, not yoghurt"
"Angel, we need to focus here"
"You're right," Angel agreed, instantly stopping his mad eating, "And now my stomach's killing me"
"We need to find the demon," Doyle continued, picking up the Book of Kelsor, "Let's see what we can find in here"
"Well, you know what it looked like," Angel said, eating a chocolate biscuit, "I'm gonna head downstairs"
He grabbed an apple and ate it as he headed downstairs, while Cordelia watched him go, before leaning over Doyle's shoulder as he searched for the demon
"Ah-ha. Here it is. It was a Mohra demon. Soldier of Darkness"
"Well you know that's always cheery," Cordelia muttered, "Anything else on it"
"Used to assassinate warriors of good. People like Angel. Its blood has regenerative properties. There it is. That explains Angel"
"I'll go tell him"
Cordelia headed downstairs, where she found Angel sorting through his fridge, taking out the packets of blood and emptying them down the sink
"Hi, Cordy. Did you find it?"
"Yep. It's a Mohra demon. Assassin. Soldier of darkness. Blood can regenerate things, especially turning vampires into humans"
"So that's it," Angel said, "That explains how. Doesn't explain why?"
"Who cares," Cordelia said, "You're human. Yay. You can do whatever. Who cares about the hows or whys?"
"But how long will this last? Is it permanent?"
"If you're so worried about that, why are you emptying out your blood?"
"Because I don't need it. Where's Doyle? He's connected to the Powers. Maybe they know something. Maybe he can take me to them"
"Okay then. He's upstairs. Have fun"
Angel headed upstairs, where he found Doyle still reading the book
"So you found it?"
"Yeah, I did. Congrats, you're human now"
"For how long? You're connected to the Powers. Take me to them"
"I can't. I'm a messenger. Besides, the Powers don't live in our reality. The only way to them is through channels. Dangerous channels"
"I don't care. I need to talk to them"
"Okay, we can try the Oracles. When they turn you into a toad, don't say I didn't warn you. Come on"
††††††††††
"The realm of answers is under the post office?" Angel said
"Makes sense, don't you think?" Doyle said
They were in a small underground room, with a bowl pedestal in the centre and an archway before them with a message in Latin written upon it. Doyle was busy mixing ingredients together into the bowl
"Now listen, when you get in, ask your questions and get out. No dilly-dally. The Oracles are dangerous and unpredictable. And if I've done this right-"
Doyle lit the items up, creating a small flame
"We beseech access to the knowing ones. We might make it out alive"
A flash of light appeared under the archway
"You're in," Doyle said
"Aren't you coming?"
"I'm just a messenger"
Angel walked into the light and entered a large room. Two people, a man and woman, stood across from him. Both had golden skin with blue markings, similar to Celtic markings, and wore black robes
"Come before us, lower being," said the male Oracle
"What have you brought us?" asked the female
"Huh?"
"You come here and bring no offering?"
Angel mentally growled at Doyle, before taking his watch off and holding it up
"Got this?"
The female Oracle telekinetically summoned the watch from his hand to hers
"I like time. There's so much and so little of it"
"So? What do you ask of us?" the male Oracle asked
"The Mohra demon. It turned me human. What does that mean?"
"It's true. He is human now," said the female Oracle
"He is no longer a warrior of our cause," said the male Oracle
"It wasn't the Powers?" Angel asked
"The Powers?" the male scoffed, "Did you avert the apocalypse? Save humanity?"
"You fought a demon, plain and simple. Life goes on"
"I'm not poisoned? This is permanent?"
"The auguries say no," said the female after a slight pause
"From this day forth, you shall live your life as a human," said the male
"Life as a human now?"
"You are no longer part of what we do," said the female, "You are free"
"You have been released. Now leave us"
A bright flash of light blasted Angel back into the underground room and into Doyle's arm, knocking them both down. Angel got up, looking back at the archway
"Well?" Doyle asked
"Well, I'm human. It's permanent. And next time, Doyle, remind me to get a gift"
"Knew I forgot something. Well, come on, I think it's time to celebrate"
"Celebrate?"
"Go out and get pissed. It'll be fun…apart from the hangovers which are just as bad as the visions"
"I don't think so, Doyle. I'm not ready for that just yet"
"Oh well. I'll go and celebrate for ya. And when you're ready, you know where to find me"
Angel and Doyle left the room, heading back to the office
††††††††††