Chapter 2 1-10, 12

Angel ran inside the mansion covered with a heavy black blanket. They had just made it before sunrise.

"Wait one second." Giles said while Angel took some of the blanket off and the crew closed the curtains so Angel could walk around. Oz headed upstairs to the close the rest of the curtains.

"Well this place is…homely." Cordelia stated looking around. "We need to brighten it up especially if we're here for six months." Doyle looked around nodding.

"Not too bad, I mean we can get the funny smell out later." Doyle walked away heading to the kitchen. Angel dropped the heavy blanket and then wondered. It was big and fine for operations. He felt bad having to keep the curtains closed for the rest of them. He went upstairs and there were plenty of rooms and the one at the end of the hall was calling for him. The master room was nice and then he heard a knock coming from downstairs. The Council's movers as they called them started to bring in their bags and some furniture.

"Oh look my cage, hey be careful with that." Oz said as one man kind of tossed it around. "Put it in the living room."

"When you go all werewolf on us I don't think I want you in the living room might scare the guest." Doyle said with a smile and went outside to help with the unpacking.

After two hours they were set up and Cordelia ran into town to get food, which was one of the perks working with the Council unlimited spending. Angel walked the mansion several times learning where the exits were and understanding the layout. He wanted to know just in case the whole operations took a wrong turn he needed to know how to get his friends out.

"So how do these people have fun?" Doyle asked jumping on the couch next to Cordelia as she was on the computer. They both looked up as Angel passed by them. "He's doing walking ritual?"

"Yup it use to creep me out but now it's rather…soothing." Oz said as he ate a piece of fruit. Angel was pacing to understand the layout of the place, maybe a small tick but it proved useful numerous times in the past.

"Ok well Sunnydale is a town of three hundred thousand people." Cordelia stated.

"So we're going to stick out." Wes said coming in into the living room and taking a seat on the couch and Cordelia nodded.

"Well one place that's hip as the site says is the Bronze. From six pm to ten teenagers from sixteen to twenty can enjoy a party atmosphere with the latest music and local bands. From ten to three in the morning adults twenty one and over can enjoy the latest music and top of the line drinks." Cordelia finished and Angel walked in.

"Is that the only bar in town?" Doyle asked and Cordelia shook her head.

"No but it's the most popular." She said and Giles nodded.

"Looks like we're going out tonight." Oz stated and took another bite of his fruit.

"Oh what fun." Angel said sarcastically.

Buffy, Willow and Xander walked up to the entrance to the Bronze and walked in. The guard knew them and they no longer had to show their IDs. Dawn was staying the night at a friend's place so this group could party all night if they wanted. They scanned the area and found a table while Xander went to grab some drinks for them.

Angel, Cordelia, Oz and Doyle walked up to the Bronze and then stopped and faced one another.

"Ok we're just listening to conversions, anything that might sound out of the norm." Angel begun.

"In other words we're lurking." Doyle stated and Angel rolled his eyes, they all knew that he hated clubs, too many people most drunk people.

"Try to have some fun though, we'll blend in much better." Oz said.

"Well what's our cover?" Cordelia asked.

"Cordelia, Doyle you two are newlyweds and looking into that mansion, Oz and I are Doyle's brothers looking for a place to stay." Angel answered and they all nodded. "Anymore questions?" And they all shook their heads. "Let's head inside."

"Autobots roll out." Oz said and walked with them.

It was like any other night club, loud music, colorful lights, and drunk people nothing out of the normal. Angel broke from the group and slowly watched the crowd, listening. Every time he was a night club he would get different phone numbers of different women human and none human alike. He usually ignored it. All ready he was getting looks at women interested in him.

Willow and Buffy were talking and giggling a little especially at Xander's dance moves he then came over to sit with them.

"Sexy," Willow said with a smile.

"So what are my ladies up too?" He asked and Willow shrugged as she sipped her drink.

"Not much you know, watching our barren lives pass us by." Willow stated.

"Whoa, whoa stop the crazy fun guys I'm getting dizzy." Xander said sarcastically and Buffy smiled and got up.

"I'm off to the bar you two dance." She said and turned away.

"Those dreams are messing with her." Willow was concerned for her.

Buffy sat up at the bar and ordered a drink and waited for the bar tender to mix it. She sighed and thought why was she here? She was tired and wanted to sleep but if she faked having fun that would keep her friends from asking questions. As the man passed her drink to her a man took a seat at the bar, she glanced at him and then did a quick double take.

"Jameson on the rocks please?" Angel asked the man and rubbed his face. Buffy didn't look a again but smiled. He was very, very handsome and well built. The man passed Angel's drink and he sipped it. Buffy's stomach crinched at thought of drinking whiskey even though she never had it. She stuck to cranberry vodka. Out of the corner of Angel's eye he could see the blonde and he thought she was very beautiful. They sat there in awkward silence and Buffy decided to break the it.

"You're new?" She asked and Angel turned to her and she finally saw his full face and it was perfect. She laughed nervously and thought why did she do that. Angel smiled and thought she had stunning green eyes. "I mean,"

"Yeah, visiting town." He said and if he could blush he would. Buffy held out her hand.

"Buffy,"

"Angel." And they both shook hands and laughed nervously. "So what do you do for fun around here?" He asked and Buffy shrugged looking around.

"This is it." She stated and he smiled.

The Bronze was empty by now and closing time was at hand. Buffy and Angel however were at a little table talking. They had talked for hours, well Buffy talked and Angel just listened. She felt like she could open up to him but keep some things hidden which he picked up on. Of course he had a dark secret that he wouldn't reveal to her, many dark secrets to be exact. She sipped on a glass of water and the two hadn't notice the place was closing. They were so into each other until someone broke the moment.

"Hey Buffster," Xander came over and glared at Angel. "Closing time they're kicking everyone out." And finally Angel and Buffy noticed the place was empty. They stood up and left. Outside was Angel gang and Willow waiting.

"Well I live that way." Buffy said pointing and Angel smiled. He pointed in the opposite direction with a smiled while putting on his coat. "So will I be seeing you around?" She asked.

"Maybe," He replied, he noticed Oz and Willow were making a connection as well. Buffy smiled as Angel gave a half grin and walked over to his group. The two groups were now divided and went separate ways, or at least so they thought. If there was an increase in demonic activity Angel wasn't going to let them get hurt. He followed them home in the shadows to be sure they were safe. They made it into the front door and he smiled.

He walked through the cemetery knowing it was a quicker way back to the mansion. As he walked he heard a growl. He stopped and gave a sigh.

"Look I'm somewhat drunk and tired, how about another time." He said and turned around and a vampire stood before him. It roared and Angel just stood there. "Breath mint?" And then the vampire lunged to him. Angel grabbed the vampire and threw him to the ground and staked him. The vampire turned into dust and Angel stood up and cracked his neck. "Too easy."

Angel walked into the mansion and everyone was still up. He knew they were going to ask questions about the girl he met earlier.

"So Buffy?" Cordelia already jumped on it. She stood there crossing her arms.

"Who's Buffy?" Giles asked coming into the living room with a cup of tea.

"Oh just a cute little blonde thing our vampire met." Doyle added in and sat on the couch with a piece of pie. Angel shrugged and made his way to the stairs but Cordelia went after him and stopped him.

"Look I know you're cute and well down right gorgeous,"

"Hey what about me?" Doyle asked hearing what Cordelia said, she smiled at him and turned back to Angel.

"Look this is a mission," Cordelia began.

"I know." Angel said.

"And forming attachments and girls,"

"I know Cordelia, I'll take care of it." He then walked passed her and up the stairs.

Buffy turned off the bathroom light and walked over to her bed with a smile. Angel she thought, he was the most beautiful man she had ever seen and just before a fantasy was about to happen in her head there was a knock on the door. Buffy opened the door and saw Willow.

"Yes?" She asked and she just grind. "What do you want? It's four in the morning."

"Well did he give you his number?" Willow asked and Buffy shook her head no and Willow frowned.

"Look he said he'll be around so if I keep seeing him then maybe it's meant to be. But I'm not exactly a pro in the men's department." Willow sighed and nodded. Buffy had relationships before and they failed because the guy had to leave or she was putting more focus on Dawn and school and on a rare occasion another woman popped in the scene. "Now it's bed time."

Monday morning rolled around and Angel walked the sewers of Sunnydale. He wanted to see her again, he had this urge too. There was only one place she could be, school. He came up through the basement of the college and then headed for the hallway. He blended in with the people. He could do that, blend in but he would never be a part of this world. He wasn't meant to live as human but to live only to feel remorse for what he has done. The halls were busy with college students he then found what he was looking for, the dance studio. He peered into the window and there she was.

Buffy was stretching out as her dance instructor came in.

"Ok Buffy do your warm up routine." She said and Buffy nodded and the teacher turned on a song. And Buffy began to dance. Angel smiled, this was just a warm up and she looked perfect. The teacher was yelling at her. "Open up, express yourself." Buffy then twirled one foot and he smiled. The song ended and Buffy stood there. "Ok we'll start at page thirty." The teacher said. "I want this to be clean because if you can make this clean the other girls will follow ok."

"Ok." Buffy said and the teacher found the place in the song and Buffy set up.

"Remember I want sexy, you're the lead." The teacher then turned on the song and Buffy started. After thirty minutes a group of girls came in. Angel smiled, Buffy could dance but one thing he noticed was she knew how to do perfect back flips and both standing and sitting splits. Maybe because she was a dancer for so long that is was just second nature. Then he noticed Buffy was making her way out, should he hide, no that would be mean but then he didn't want to lead her on either, what to do what to do. He knew he had to hurry because the door was opening. Buffy closed the door and jumped.

"Angel?" She asked and he smiled and rocked a little. She couldn't help but smile so big. "What are you doing here?" She asked, it didn't matter though he was just here.

"I…I" He was stuttering like a school boy. "You're a good dancer." He said and she smiled.

"I try." She said and smiled even more, she didn't know she could smile so big.

"Buffy!" A girl called and walked out and then noticed Angel and was interested. "Oh hey," She said and tucked some hair behind her ear and smiled. Angel nodded with a smile and knew she was no longer interested in Buffy but him.

"Yes?" Buffy asked and turned to the girl.

"Oh right, it's time to start." She said but kept her eyes fixed on Angel. "You know he could come in to watch us practice."

"I'm sure he would love too but he's busy." She said and turned to Angel and he smiled, Buffy was cute when she blushed. "I'll be there in a sec." Buffy shooed away the girl and she went back into the studio. Buffy turned back to Angel laughed nervously. "Well yeah I need to go," And then she noticed that the girl was going up to the other dancers talking and they were all looking towards the window. Buffy sighed and ran her fingers threw her hair. "Yeah," Angel then smiled.

"I'll see you around." He said and she nodded and he turned around and walked away but then walked backwards smiling at her wanting to look at her one last time. Buffy bit her lower lip as he walked away with his half grin and his coat whipping behind him. Her heart was pounding and she melted. She made her back into the studio and all the girls were waiting and wanting the dirt on this new boy she was talking too.

"Ok girls line 'em up." The teacher broke up the little pow wow and the girls did as they were told.

"You so should invite him to the dance competition." Dawn said as she sat next to Buffy at the table with some chocolate pieces and peanut butter. Willow nodded with a smile and sat at the table too.

"Guys I barely know him." Buffy tried to defend herself.

"Ok, ok how about this on a scale of one to ten one being like yucko and ten being scourging hot what is he to you?" Willow asked and ate a piece of chocolate. Buffy then went off to some dream land thinking of him.

"Twelve," Buffy said and Dawn squealed in happiness and clapping as if her sister hit a gold mind.

"Invite him, date him come on!" Dawn said and Buffy sighed. Willow grinned and nodded in agreement with Dawn. "Date the handsome dark man."

Dawn!" Buffy exclaimed at what her sister said.

"Just one date, it's not like I'm asking you to sleep with him or anything."

"Dawn!"

"I agree I mean the dating part not sleeping part that comes later." Willow said with a smile, she knew she was getting Buffy uncomfortable but it was rather funny.

"Willow!"

"You need a boyfriend." Dawn said and shook her sister and Buffy stood up.

"Who needs a boyfriend?" Xander asked walking as the girls were talking and filled up a cup with water. Buffy knew what they were trying to do and she loved them for that but there were things she wasn't ready for. She wanted to understand these dreams first, what they meant and why she was having them. Also because Dawn was underage Buffy had full custody but if a boy came into the picture then that could put Dawn at risk of being removed and move overseas with their father. They loved their father but being dad meant more than birthday and Christmas money. Even though her mother's death was three years ago and she should be able to that behind her, it still lingered. There was just too much on her plate for a man in her life right now.

Her friends however thought differently. She needed to reach out beyond dance and school. Yes they knew of her past relationships but they also knew she needed someone to talk to. She wouldn't open up with them, her mother's death and how that affected her was still unknown to this day. She was shutting down slowly and maybe a new friend with new perspectives could come in. But it was Buffy, she knew how handle everything.

"Ok so is she nice?" Cordelia asked Angel before he could sit down to peel potatoes. Angel was making everyone dinner, for a vampire with almost no taste and on a liquid diet he knew how to cook. Angel started peeling and knew if he stayed quiet Cordelia would only keep at it. "Angel come on because I'm your friend and you've been out of the dating game for what two hundred years," Angel looked up at her asking with his eyes to stop. "I want to too help or…or the curiosity is going to kill me."

"Oh no wouldn't want that." Angel said but he didn't care he was more concerned about getting all the skin off of the potatoes.

"Come on Angel you only live…forever in your case but that's beside the point. Take her out or go to her little recital thing. I mean something besides cooking and brooding all day." Angel looked back up at her when she said the word brooding. "I know what it is," She said smiling but Angel didn't want to hear it. "You'll never die but she will so you're afraid I mean it's understandable. You'll always have a timeless look of youth and she'll be all old and wrinkly one day. And then my god what would the children think," Angel had stopped peeling the potatoes and gave Cordelia a confused look. Cordelia tapped her fingers on the table in the awkward silence.

"Can we steer this riveting conversation elsewhere?" Giles asked coming into the kitchen holding a book he was followed by Wes, Oz and Doyle. Doyle walked over to Cordelia and kissed her cheek.

"Any luck with Buffy?" He asked whispering to her and she shook her no.

"The vampire you encountered last night, difficult?" Giles asked and Angel shook his head no.

"Well good because we've been doing some research of the area and found something interesting." Wes said and sat at the table. Angel continued to peel while listening. "The Spanish settlers called this area Boca del Infierno and some references from other text Os Inferni."

"Mouth of Hell." Angel translated it in English before Oz, Cordelia and Doyle could ask.

"That can't be good." Oz stated.

"Well from the text this place holds what some believe to mystical energy which could explain the increase in demonic activity. Also the reason why the missing person's list is twice what it was ten years ago." Giles said, Angel stopped with the potatoes and was listening.

"Ten years?" Angel asked and Giles nodded.

"Yes if this place is the Mouth of Hell then it was dormant and now is opened thus evil spirits are drawn here." Giles answered.

"Well what do you know we've solved everything in two days and the Council gave us six months, I say that's a record." Cordelia said a with smile.

"Yeah bet Riley couldn't do that, one point for Angel's team and zero for the boy scout." Oz said and clapped. "Damn is it just me or we too efficient these days?" But Angel knew something else was going on, if it could be solved that easily there was no need for the Council to send anyone out here.

"We're patrolling tonight." Angel said and stood up with his peeled potatoes and set them on the counter top. "I want to see what these vampires and demons have."

"I think that's a good idea, see what's really going on." Wes said finally sitting down.

"Now that we're done with the books what's for dinner, he's making potatoes is it what I think it is?" Doyle asked looking over Angel's shoulder to see what other ingredients were out. His mouth was watering Angel was making boxty with soda bread and Doyle smiled, he was already getting hungry. "You know if you were an Irish woman Angel I'd marry ya." Angel turned around while washing his hands in slight fear.

"Hey," Cordelia said with some protest in her voice and Doyle smiled with a shrug and Cordelia smiled backed. Giles looked at this most interesting group of people. They were his family though his only family. Angel, Doyle, Oz and Cordelia were like his children and Wes was his brother.

"Are we having one of the Blessed Trinity beers with this?" Doyle asked in more excitement.

"Yeah Guinness." Angel answered and Doyle smiled bigger.

"Yeah like you need more beer." Cordelia added in.

"Hey Angel is making us a fine Irish meal and you need a fine Irish beer to go with it otherwise it's just not a fine Irish meal right Angel?" Doyle asked and Angel nodded. "Plus lots of energy before we go out and kill us some vampires." Yes Giles thought a very interesting family. He put his glasses back on and continued reading.

A little fun before we pick up. So Angel and Buffy are really interested in each other. Wonder how she'll find out that Angel is a vampire and how she'll take it. More on the way. Comments and reviews are welcomed. Thanks for reading.