"Hello," Xander called to Buffy.

"Hello," Cordy seethed.

"Hello," Angel muttered.

Buffy skipped down the steps and clapped her hands. "Wow, I merit the three stooges greeting. "Come on, all together. She started singing a final "Heeeelloooo." But they didn't join in.

"Needs work."

Angel said, "I was just telling them about us getting back together."

All were silent.

Angel opened his mouth again but nothing came to him to say. Buffy noticed.

"Oh, okay, oh. Getting together again. Oh."

Angel's eyes shifted from Buffy to Cordelia. "You know, Cordy's here to babysit me. You know, 'No dying in an ally, no having fun' protection. I never leave home without her."

Cordelia flushed. She turned away. Angel looked around, not knowing what verbal faux pas he had made.

Cordelia turned back to them. "He needed someone watching his back. For once."

"Cordy," Angel reproached.

"What, Angel?" she bit off each word.

"Knock it off, will you? Buffy's been there, and so have you. She cares about me … about everyone." He shifted his feet and looked at them.

Cordelia snorted. "She doesn't even know you. I do, though. I know him," she finished, widening her gaze in Buffy's direction.

Angel said through his teeth, "You know me so well, why don't you cool it?"

"Why are you mad?"

"Why don't you cool it?"

"Why are you mad?" Cordy insisted.

"I was wrong,' Buffy interjected. "You're great at the Three Stooges.

"Listen, Princess Cordelia," Angel snapped, "Buffy knows me, and knowing me she loves me, so get that through your tiny, conceited little brain, you bratty little pup!"

Buffy grabbed Angel's arm. "Hey! Calm down Angel."

He shook her hand off. "Another thing -– "

Cordelia punched him in the mouth.

"Thast is what I call priceless." Spike sauntered in, chuckling. "Do it again, and I'll put a price on it."

Angel shot him a lethal glare.

Buffy frowned. "Easy Angel. She's in love with you, can't you see?"

"Forget it." Cordelia whined. She threw her hands over her mouth. "You'll be very happy together."

She ran to the door and tried to slam it behind her. The hydrolic doorstop prevented that.

Cordy stuck her head through the door. "One more thing, Angel."

They all looked at her.

"That vision I told you about? It's an apolalypse, a bad one. Coming soon to a hellmouth near you, so … pretty important, huh? But I'll knock it off and let you stay with the widdle Buffster. You like that."

She disappeared again.

"I think she's kidding," Angel said.

"That's an assumption that can't backfire, " Xander commented.

"Cordelia stuck her head in again. "And just so you know, Angel. I am a princess, okay. But I lost sight of that twice in my life. Dating that mega loser Xander, and even worse when I got tangled up with you!"

She disappeared again.

Xander bent forward with his elbows on his knees. He said, "Man, so harsh. Why'd she hafta hit me with that?"

Angel looked helplessly at Buffy. "I should get her. Apologize."

Buffy shrugged.

Spike raised an eyebrow. "Why the rush, you gone poofter on us?"

Angel wrinkled his nose at him.

"Look out." Spike covered his face with his arms. "Angelus is going vamp."

Angel ran out and followed Cordelia. She ran fast, and they were at the park before he caught up.

"Cordy, Cordelia wait." he grabbed her arm. "Cor - listen, I'm sorry, I don't know why I said what I did but I didn't mean it."

"Okay, you're sorry. But Buffy's your true love. Go be with her."

"No, Buffy was right."

Cordelia cocked her head back. "What do you mean, she was right?"

"When she said you love me. I know she was right."

"You conceited, zombie - vampire." Coredy twisted her arm from Angel's grip and started walking away.

Angel hopped after her. "I love you, too."

"Chasing Buffy's the best way to show it."

He jumped in front of her. "You know I would never say that unless it were true. Do you really love me?"

Cordy crossed her arms. She drew a deep breath. "Yes I love you. Idiot. I don't know when it happened, but God knows I love you."

Music fluted in the air, surrounding them. Cordy rolled her eyes. Angel hung his head. Neither relished singing.

Cordy opened her mouth and, with startled eyes, sang,

"Can you feel me When I think about you? With every breath I take, every minute,
no matter what I do. My world is an empty place
like I've been wanderin' the desert
For a thousand days. Don't know if it's a mirage, but I always see your face, baby"

Angel faced away from Cordy. he didn't want to embarrass her by watching openly. He used his peripheral vision. Cordy swayed as she sang.

"I'm missing you so much Can't help it, I'm in love A day without you is like a year without rain I need you by my side Don't know how I'll survive A day without you is like a year without rain. Whhoooaaa

Cordy performed spins and leaps with absolute grace and skill, astonishing Angel. Her feet carried her in complicated steps, formations around him. She twisted, sashayed, and stutter-stepped in rythm. Angel felt a surge of lightfootedness in himself, and he clenched his fists and his jaw, forcing the feeling to pass.

"The stars are burning I hear your voice in my mind Can you hear me calling
My heart is yearning Like the ocean that's running dry Catch me I'm fallin'
It's like the ground is crumbling underneath my feet Won't you save me."

Cordelia's tears whipped Angel's face as she danced past him. He wanted to say something to her, but knew he would have to wait until the song ended.

"I'm missing you so much Can't help it, I'm in love A day without you is like a year without rain I need you by my side Don't know how I'll survive A day without you is like a year without rain So let this drought come to an end And may this desert flower again And I need you here I can't explain But a day without you Is like a year without rain

"I'm missing you so much Can't help it, I'm in love A day without you is like a year without rain I need you by my side Don't know how I'll survive A day without you is like a year without rain"

The music faded. Cordelia's final spin wound down, leaving them face to face. He held his hands up, just short of touching her.

"I'm not going anywhere, Cordy. I'm with you, however you feel. Whatever you want to do."

She pulled his arms onto her. "I just want you, Angel. I want you to be my Angel."

"Done."

She pulled back a little and brushed her hair back. "And tell Buffy you're mine, and we're going back to L.A."

"Done."

"And tell her she's a bitch."

Angel looked pained.

"Fine. I'm kidding. Where's Connor, anyway?"

"Lorne and Fred are watching him."

"Shut up," Cordelia said, and kissed him.

After a minute Angel said, "If you want me to shut up, why are you -"

She shut him up.