Angel burst into Lorne's bedroom just as Lorne was about to leave and visit with a client.

"How long has this been going on?" Angel demanded.

"What's going on?" Lorne asked. He could see the confusion and rage coming off Angel's aura.

"Cordy and Wes," Angel said. "It couldn't have been going on long or I'd know about it."

"Cordy and Wes," Lorne repeated with surprise and then started laughing. "Didn't see that one coming."

Lorne stopped laughing when he caught Angel's murderous glare.

"Isn't this what you wanted?" Lorne asked him. "You'd made up your mind that you couldn't have Cordy and you wanted her to be with some good guy who could give her all that you couldn't."

"I didn't think..," Angel stopped himself. He didn't think Cordy would actually find a guy to be with at least not until Angel was ready for her to find a guy to be with. He was pretty certain he'd never be ready for that.

"Cordy's the kind you woman you either fight for or walk away from," Lorne said. "You couldn't expect her to wait for you when she doesn't even know how you feel."

"I don't want her waiting for me," Angel lied to himself and Lorne.

"Then what are you doing bursting in to my bedroom?" Lorne asked. "Are you going to fight for her or are you going to let her go?"

Angel didn't know.

--

Cordy was smiling and humming to herself as she tried on outfits for her date with Wesley. It was so surreal. A week ago the idea of a date with Wesley was laughable and now she was really looking forward to it. She liked getting all dressed up and the suspense over whether or not the guy she was going out with was going to turn out to be the one.

Suddenly she felt a little sad. A week ago she'd been feeling the same kind anticipation before going to the ballet. She and Angel were not about to go on a date but in the back of her mind she'd let herself think of the possibilities. She'd half hoped he would see her all dressed up and then their night out as friends could turn into something more.

She picked up her ringing phone, "Hello."

"It's Wesley."

Cordy's smiled pushing thoughts of Angel out of her mind, "Yeah Wes?"

"I just wanted to know if I could pick you up at 7?" Wesley asked sounding amused and nervous.

"That's fine," Cordy said and then there was a long pause.

"We're not going to let things get all weird with us are we?" Cordy asked him.

"I think it's safe to say it's already weird," Wesley said.

"But not in the bad way?" Cordy asked.

"No, not in the bad way," Wesley said. "Promise me something."

"What?" she asked expecting him to make her promise they would stay friends no matter what. She hoped they would.

"That you'll wear red. I like you in red," Wesley said. He could swear he could almost hear her smiling.

"We'll see," was her reply. "I'll see you later."

"I look forward to it," Wesley said surprised that he really was looking forward to his evening with Cordy even if he was uncertain about if they were doing the right thing.

"Bye, Wes."

"Bye, Cordy."

When her phone rang two minutes later she answered, "Forget something, Wes?"

"It's Angel." Those two words lessened Cordy's pre-date high. She was supposed to be forgetting about Angel and here he was on her phone.

"Or you going to tell me what's wrong?" she asked remembering his inexplicable anger earlier that day.

"Nothing's wrong," Angel replied. "I need..."

"Angel?" Cordy said getting worried.

"You should come by the hotel tonight. We could rent some movies. Hang out with the group," Angel suggested.

"That sounds fantastic," Cordy said. "We should do that this weekend."

"Why not tonight?" Angel asking already knowing she had a date with Wesley.

"I've got plans," Cordy said.

"Cancel them," Angel replied simply. "You've drifted away from the group keeping to yourself lately. I think Fred and the others would really love a movie night."

Cordy felt guilty knowing she'd been keeping everyone at a distance since the ballet as she tried to put her life in order. She figured Angel might be worried or even angry at her for being so distracted and sad.

"Let's do this tomorrow night," Cordy insisted. "I promise I'll be in a much better mood than I've been in lately. I've just been adjusting to my half demon status."

Angel made no reply. Angel noticed she was unhappy and nothing he'd done so far had cheered Cordy up. He didn't like the idea that a date with Wesley was something that would improve Cordy's mood. Cheering up Cordy was Angel's job.

"Are you okay Angel?" Cordy asked.

No "Yeah," he lied. "I'm fine. I'll see you tomorrow."

He hung up the phone and headed downstairs. Wesley greeted him on his way out the door.

"A new client is in the office with Fred and Gunn," Wesley explained. "There's a vampire nest uptown."

"You're leaving in the middle of a case?" Angel accused knowing exactly where Wesley was headed.

"You and Gunn can handle it," Wesley replied. "Some of Gunn's old crew are involved and willing to help. I'll see you tomorrow."

Wesley walked out of the hotel and instead of going in to the office to interview the new client Angel followed Wesley. Angel couldn't fight for Cordy, and he couldn't let her go either.

--

Wesley thought it was nice to have something to look forward to after work. It had been painful for him to go to the hotel with Fred there especially when Gunn was around. He would spend his day torn between just enjoying her presence to dreading it and then he would go home to his empty apartment. The loneliness could crush him but Cordy had figured out a way to save him and herself. Their date might not torn in to the romance Cordy was hoping for but he was looking forward to finding out. Wesley figured they might just end the evening better friends if nothing else could come of it. He was already feeling less alone.

He showed up at Cordy's door right on time. He didn't even knock when the door opened.

"Thank you Dennis," Wesley said stepping into Cordy's living room.

"I'll be out in a sec," Cordy said behind her bedroom door.

"I'll wait here," Wesley replied too nervous to sit in the living room.

A moment later her bedroom door opened and Wesley stared at her. She wore a black strapless leather top and a long skirt with a slit at it's side.

"You look ..." Wesley suddenly could not find the words.

"Thank you," Cordy said with a bright smile. "You're not disappointed that I didn't wear red. I didn't want to be predictable."

"You look amazing," Wesley said and offered her his arm.

"This is scary," Cordy admitted.

"But the good kind of scary, right?" Wesley said.

"I don't know," Cordy replied as they walked out her door. "I'll let you know at the end of the evening."

Angel watched them get in to Wesley's car and drive away. Angel wasn't far behind in his car. Angel watched Wesley's car pull up in front of the expensive restaurant. He helped Cordy out of the car. Angel reluctantly left Cordy and Wesley to their date and drove his car towards the hotel. Cordy had looked happy on Wesley's arm and Angel didn't want to torture himself watching her. He had to let her be happy even if it meant with someone other than himself.

--

They were halfway through dinner when Cordy realized she didn't really feel like she was on a date. She was having a wonderful time but it was like having dinner with a close friend which in the end was exactly what she and Wesley were. Close friends. She still hoped they could build on that. Wesley felt the same way.

Later they walked on the beach enjoying a comfortable silence.

"You're thinking about Fred?" Cordy asked him.

"You're thinking of Angel," Wesley replied.

"Angel?" Cordy repeated. "Why would I be thinking about Angel?"

"I figured you out Cordelia," Wesley said. "You love him."

"Stop being so damn observant," Cordy said slapping him on the arm affectionately. "Let's not think about them tonight. This is supposed to be about us. We should be having fun. Absolutely no brooding."

An idea suddenly struck Wesley, "Let's.."

"What?" Cordy asked.

Wesley started unbuttoning his shirt, "Let's go for a swim."

"I can not believe that Wesley Wyndham-Pryce wants to skinny dip at the public beach," Cordy said.

"You could wear your under garments in the water unless..." Wesley paused when it occurred to him that she may not be wearing anything under her outfit. He found himself staring at her.

"Wes, are you picturing me naked?" Cordy asked and was amused at his immediate embarrassment.

"You're a beautiful woman," Wesley replied re-buttoning is shirt but Cordy stopped him.

"I want to swim," Cordy said removing her top and skirt.

She wore a red strapless bra and matching panties.

"See, I did wear red," Cordy said running into the water.

Wesley followed wearing his boxer shorts as soon as he took off the rest of his clothes.

--

Even after going after that vampire nest with Gunn Angel had felt too tense. Angel had pretty much demolished the punching bag in the basement. Angel decided he couldn't take it anymore. He left the hotel and went to find Cordy.