Author's Note: Thank you for all the reviews. Here's my latest update.

Once in the lobby Angel sees Dawn bounding down the stairs and stop when she sees Harmony arguing with Spike on the couch "What is she doing here?" Dawn points at Harmony. She can well remember Harmony kidnapping her.

"Blame Cordelia" Buffy tells her sister. "It was her idea."

"I thought Cordelia was dead" Dawn says.

"She was sent back by the Powers" Angel tells her.

"Ok then. Anything else I should know?" Dawn asks

"Well..." Angel begins "I'm no longer a vampire"

Dawn looks at him "Seriously?"

"Yeah got a pulse if you want to check" Angel holds out his left arm.

"Whoa, whoa. Back up there" Xander says. "What do you mean you're not a vampire?"

By this time Dawn has walked over and is checking Angel's pulse. "You have a pulse"

Cordy walks by munching on a waffle. Angel can't help thinking how beautiful she looks despite her slightly torn dress.

"And your pulse just doubled" Dawn comments.

Willow has noticed what Angel was looking at when Dawn said that "Oh you've got it bad"

Angel looks at Willow and blushes. She smirks at him.

"What did I miss?" Gunn says as he walks down the stairs.

"Oh hey Gunn" Cordy says absent mindlessly as she eats her waffles.

"Cordy!" Gunn can barely believe his eyes. Is he still dreaming? Saying that he's surprised he's alive at all.

Cordy looks up at Gunn's raised voice "What?"

"You're alive and you look…" Cordy cuts him off.

"I know awful. I really need to go shopping"

"Actually Cordy I saved your clothes. They're in boxes in your old room" Angel tells her.

Cordy runs over and kisses him. "I love you"

"Yeah I..." but before Angel can finish "I've got to get changed" Cordy says as she rushes off up the stairs.

Angel sighs.

Spike and Harmony are still arguing. "What do you mean I'm useless at fighting!?" Harmony yells at Spike.

"I mean the trials involve fighting a lot and considering I barely survived them you have no chance. I doubt you could even take Harris there"

"I so could take Xander!"

"Hey leave me out of it" Xander says. "You want to beat on someone challenge Spike"

"What?" Spike asks perplexed.

"Well if she can take you then she can survive these trials whatever they are"

A smile forms on Harmony's face "You know what that's a great idea"

"No, no it isn't" Spike says. He's not sparring with her.

"Oh come on Spike. Afraid I'll beat you" Harmony teases

"No it's just this isn't a good time. You know Wesley just died and I'm trying to figure out my life"

"Wesley died?" Harmony says with some sadness. She kind of liked him.

"Yes Harmony, Wesley died and once the sun has set tonight we're going to bury him" Spike tells her.

"Oh ok then. I'll fight you afterwards"

Spike rolls his eyes. Fine he'll beat the crap out of her and she'll get off this idea. "Ok Harm but after the funeral"

Harmony smiles "You're the best!". Yeah she'll show him. She's not useless. She'll get her soul back and prove just how useful she can be.

By now Gunn has walked over to Angel. "Ok so how come Cordy's back and what is up with those two?" he say referring to Spike and Harmony.

"Harmony has this notion that by getting her soul back that she'll prove how useful she can be and we won't stake her"

"Uh huh. Right" Gunn says totally unconvinced. "And Cordy?"

"Oh she just showed up in the office, said the Powers that Be sent her back and made me alive"

"Sorry run that last part by me again"

"I'm alive. I'm no longer a vampire. I even saw the sun rise today"

Ok new information. He goes to sleep for a few hours and everything goes nuts. Now moving onto the other member of the team. "Where's Illyria?"

"In the basement" Spike says from the couch. "She refuses to leave Wesley's body. Oh by the way you may want to help her" he says to Angel.

"Help her with what?" Angel asks.

"Red has this theory that when she took Fred's body she absorbed her soul and that's why she's so nuts"

Angel looks at Willow.

"As I told Spike you can't destroy a soul. So either Fred's soul moved on or Illyria possesses it" Willow explains.

Angel had never considered that but it would explain her behaviour and her attachment to Wesley. He nearly went insane when his soul was first returned. Well this is going to be a barrel of laughs. An Old One with a soul. "I'll check on her after breakfast. I haven't eaten yet"

At that moment about a dozen slayers enter and see the food Xander, Willow and the other 2 slayers have.

"Oh great" Buffy groans. "Gunn like I said to Angel grab what you can." Buffy then tears into the bags.

Angel and Gunn look at each other and shrug and are soon looking into the bags along with Dawn who is well use to this routine just as the slayers charge forward.

Gunn is finishing his breakfast in Angel's office "You know that should be an Olympic sport. Wrestling slayers for food"

Angel who is also sitting there chuckles "Yeah. I should have warned you. Slayers have an accelerated metabolism. You won't believe how much Buffy use to eat"

"So how are you with the being alive thing?" Gunn asks him.

"I'm coping. I'm not sure exactly what I am. Cordy said I was still part demon"

Gunn nods. "What about Cordy, is she still part demon?"

"So she says but Buffy noticed something I'll have to talk to her about."

"What?"

"Cordy was fighting some vampires and Buffy said she moved like a slayer."

"Aren't slayers part demon?"

"Yeah I suppose. They have a little demon power in them."

"What are you going to do with Illyria if she really has a soul?"

"I have no idea. It's one thing for a vampire. I was only about 150 when I was cursed but she's millions of years old. If worse comes to the worse we still may have to destroy her."

Gunn thought it would be something like that. "Where is Cordy?"

"Are you kidding I only told her, her clothes were here like an hour ago."

Gunn laughs. "Yeah you're right. She'll be another hour at least."

Buffy walk in with Dawn and shuts the door "I guess I should tell you about the key thing while we're all alone."

"Sure" Angel says.

"Ok bottom line. You know all those memories you have of Dawn" she speaks to Angel.

"Yes" Angel replies not sure where's she's going.

"They're not real. You never met Dawn. You see it goes like this..." Buffy explains about Glory and how the monks transformed the Key into Dawn and altered everyone's memories in order to hide her.

Angel listened trying to square his memories of Dawn with the fact she was actually never there.

"But as far as I'm concerned she is my sister and if you have a problem with that I will kick your ass. Got it!"

"Yes we got it Buffy and we'll keep it secret" Angel says.

"Yeah definitely. Secret's safe. Never leaves my lips." Gunn says.

"Good and thank you."

There's a knock on the door. It's Harmony. "I don't mean to intrude but someone's here to see you boss."

Angel wasn't sure about the boss bit. Harmony really couldn't be trusted. Oh well for Cordy he'll tolerate her. "Who?"

At that moment Connor walks in.

"Connor! What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see if you were alright" he answers.

Dawn is now staring at the incredibly cute boy. "Hi I'm Dawn."

Connor stares back at the incredibly cute girl "Hi I'm Connor it's nice to meet you."

Buffy can't help but notice Dawn is swooning over Angel's son. Oh boy. "Come on Dawn we'll leave them alone." Buffy drags Dawn off.

"Gunn could you?" Angel asks implying he wants to be alone.

"Sure." Gunn stands up and leaves.

"So who was that girl?" Connor asks as he sits down.

Oh boy. This was trouble. Buffy would skin him alive if anything happens to Dawn. "It's complicated. She's the sister of an old girlfriend."

"How old?" Connor asks. It could be centuries for all he knows.

"Not that old Connor. She's only in her twenties."

"Ok then. So what's with all the girls?" Connor had noticed them as he walked in.

"They're slayers. They came to the rescue so to speak".

"Yeah I think I have a memory about slayers." Connor notices Angel's breakfast. "You eat?"

"I do now. I'm no longer a vampire. The powers decided to reward me for suicidally taking on a demon army. Why? I don't know."

"Well that's good. Hey does that mean you can go out in the sun now?"

Angel smiles "Yeah it does."

"So what are you going to do now?"

"Oh back to what I did before. I'm going to help the helpless. How are your parents?"

"They're fine. They're good. How's Nina?"

"We broke up. Well I broke up with her. I doubt she'll be talking to me anytime soon." Yeah chalk up another failed relationship Angel thinks to himself.

"Why did you do that?"

"The same reason I came to visit you."

"Right the world ending. That was just stupid."

"Hey I'm over 250 years old I don't think you can give me relationship advice" and it had seemed the right thing to do at that time considering he thought he was about to die.

"I can when you're stupid." Connor says emphatically.

"It wouldn't have worked out. I'm still in love with someone else."

"Cordelia right?"

Angel had dreaded this "You remember"

"Your love sick puppy dog eyes when she was around. Yes. And the other stuff. Yes as well but it's ok."

The other stuff. Is that what they're going to call it? "Jasmine used you. That's not ok"

"I know but I have to live with it and is Dawn single?"

Angel laughs at that "I don't know actually but I should warn you her sister is a slayer."

"You dated a slayer?" Connor asks somewhat impressed.

"I did. It didn't end well."

"How come?" Connor asks with genuine interest.

"Apart from me losing my soul, tormenting her for a few months and trying to end the world."

"Yeah apart from that."

"I was worried I would drag her down into the darkness with me so I left and came to LA."

"That sounds like something you would do." Connor remarks.

They sit in silence for a moment.

"Cordy's back." Angel states simply.

"Oh" is all Connor can manage.

"Do you want to see her?"

"She's here?"

"In her room."

Well Connor wasn't expecting this. He remembered everything. It was jumbled but it was there. Jasmine had exploited his feelings and used him to father her vessel. Of course there was also all those dark terrible memories of growing up in a hell dimension, he tried to ignore them. Does he want to see her? He'd barley met the real her before she disappeared and when she got back it wasn't really her. Perhaps he should get it over with now. If she's back he'll bump into her sometime. "I would like to see her" he decides.

Angel nods and leads Connor out of his office and up the stairs to Cordy's room.

On the way they pass Dawn and Buffy arguing. "Dawn you watch yourself around him" Buffy warns.

"What? He's a cute guy about my age. What is your problem?" Dawn hits back.

Oh boy! "Well how about he's Angel's son for starters"

Dawn nearly choked "Angel has a son? How?"

Buffy shrugs "Not sure, some higher power arranged it so Angel tells me"

"Well I still don't think you have an argument after all who's engaged to an alien?"

Buffy waves her hands shushing Dawn "Dawn that's a secret. Could you keep your voice down?"

Dawn lowers her voice "Actually it's not really a secret. The other slayers know."

Buffy sighs totally unsurprised "Of course they do. Why don't I just put my private life in the newspapers for the whole world to see."

"You're exaggerating Buffy but can we get back to the point that I'm an adult and can date who I want."

Buffy scoffs. She certainly doesn't act like an adult.

"Buffy don't scoff. You really can't preach when it comes to boyfriends" Dawn reminds her.

Ok Buffy concedes that point "Ok I know I really can't stop you but please be careful"

Dawn smiles at her sister "Thank you. I do love you, you know"

"I love you too Dawn" The two hug each other.

Cordy is searching through her clothes trying to find the right thing to wear when there's a knock on the door "Come in"

Angel opens it "Are you busy?"

"No not really what's up?" Cordy replies still rifling through the boxes.

"Connor's here and he wants to see you"

Cordy stops and turns to look at Angel "Oh sure that's ok"

"He remembers sort of. He has both set of memories, the real and fake ones but they're a little jumbled just to let you know" Angel informs her.

Cordy nods in understanding. She needs to sort this thing out with Connor. Angel steps back from the doorway and Connor walks in. Angel leaves them alone and decides he better go and check up on Illyria like he said he would.

Connor rather nervously "Hello Cordelia"

Cordy rolls her eyes "Cordy, you can call me Cordy. How are you?"

"Good. Applying to colleges actually"

"Well that's great." A moment "This is awkward isn't it"

Connor can't help but chuckle "Just ever so slightly but as Angel said I remember. I know it was Jasmine not you and I'm ok with it"

"Really?" Cordy asks.

"Yeah the new memories Angel got me are nice. I tend to ignore the darker real ones. I like my life the way it is now"

"Angel loves you. You're still his son"

"I know but I think we have some way to go to get a normal father son relationship." Connor is willing to try though as long as he can keep his current life as well.

"I can't argue with you there. Just so many things went wrong. We all ended up as pawns of someone else's game."

Connor shrugs "That's been my entire life. I shouldn't exist at all."

"Don't say that." Cordy reprimands him.

"Oh come on we both know it's true. Two vampires shouldn't have a child. I was created by Jasmine."

"It doesn't matter" Cordy states. "You do exist and don't believe for one moment that you shouldn't."

"Easy Cordy. You shouldn't get so worked up I don't. I've learned to live with it."

Cordy frowns. She's not happy.

"So are you and dad getting back together?" Connor asks. Hey he's curious.

Cordy's eyebrow arches "I don't think I should tell you that. I may as well ask you if you're seeing someone"

"Well there was this girl I met down the stairs who was cute"

Cordy tried to think about who that could be. They were a lot of them in the hotel "Who?"

"I think Dawn is her name"

"Buffy's sister!" Cordy can't believe this. What is it with Summers? Angel and Buffy and now Connor and Dawn.

"Oh that was Buffy" Connor had heard the stories during the brief time they all did get on. "So back to you and my dad"

Cordy shakes her head "I'm not discussing that with you. It's too weird"

Connor smirks "My whole life is weird". He notices the time and realises he has to get back to his parents. "I should get back to my parents. It's nice seeing you again Cordy"

Cordy smiles at that "Yeah it's nice seeing you too Connor" She points at him "You be good"

"I'll try" He heads for the door and as he reaches it he stops and turns "It's ok if you get back with Angel. I'll be fine with it."

"Thank you." Cordy replies.

Connor then heads off leaving Cordy to think about things. Well only one thing really. Her relationship with Angel.

A little later Cordy is dressed and making her way along the corridor to Lorne's room to check up on him. She hasn't come to any real conclusions about her relationship with Angel except that she is still madly in love with him. As she passes a door she hears Spike and Harmony still arguing. Spike is telling Harmony that he needs some sleep while she is still going on about this soul she supposedly wants.

Cordy makes her way to Lorne's room. She knocks and walks in to find Lorne sitting on the bed "So Lorne how are you?"

That is a loaded question Lorne thinks. How does he feel? Repulsed at what he did. Certainly. Killing someone. He should never have agreed to that even if that someone was Lindsey.

Cordy notices the silence "Lorne speak to me" she pleads.

"What is there to say? I killed a man."

Cordy sighs and sits down next to him. "Lorne I'm actually not sure what to say beyond I promise kicking Angel's butt is on my TO DO list and I actually think I might be able to do it. This new body they gave me is different and strong"

Lorne looks her over. He really wants to help Cordy. "Sing" he says

Cordy blinks "Are you sure? I mean I thought you were too depressed"

Lorne smiles "Never around you princess"

"Ok just let me think of something" Cordy tries to pick a song but isn't having much luck. Oh wait she knows. She clears her throat "Diamonds are forever…" she begins.

Lorne reads her but says nothing for a while. Cordy stops. "So?" she asks.

"James Bond fan I take it"

Cordy shrugs "What can I say? It's the accent"

Lorne chuckles softly. "You are not what you were before. That much I can see"

"Yeah I kinda knew that. So what am I?"

"Oh for that princess you need to talk to your slayer friend"

"Buffy. Why?" Cordy asks.

Lorne looks at her and Cordy tries to read it. Then she has an epiphany "On no. I'm not. Am I?"

Lorne nods "Fraid so. You're a slayer."

Cordy is near speechless "But how? Why?"

"Oh that's beyond me. You'll have to ask upstairs" referring to the the Powers that Be.

"Oh yeah like I'm really on good terms with them. I think they just sent me back because I was a pain in their metaphorical asses."

"That's not all I saw." Lorne says

"Ok what else?"

"I saw a final battle in the future between the demons and the slayers. I saw both you and Angel there. Perhaps that's why you're a slayer to be a bridge between him and them."

Cordy absorbed his words "Any time scale on this?" she asks.

Lorne shakes his head "Sorry no, although Angel was going grey but of course I don't know how fast he'll age so still no"

"Was Buffy there?" Cordy asks curious.

"Her destiny is harder to see. It's like it's obscured by something of great power. I can read her emotions no problem, I sensed a lot of love earlier"

"Yeah she did say she just got engaged. Oh wait her fiancé. The powers said she was joined to a being whose destiny they couldn't see, that his destiny was in his own hands."

"Lucky him" Lorne comments.

Cordy frowns in confusion.

Lorne explains "For centuries the demons like the Senior Partners have been manipulating people's destinies. I'm afraid very few of us are truly in control of our destiny. I thought you would have learned that from Jasmine. If Buffy's fiancé is one of these beings then the effect he can have on the world is virtually limitless and by being joined with him Buffy's freedom of choice is also restored"

"Lucky her" Cordy comments barely above a whisper. She only wishes she had that kind of freedom.

"Look princess. You still have some choice. It's just that final battle I saw, I'm afraid you're stuck, we all are in reality. But how you get there is entirely up to you"

"Apart from the head splitting visions I get"

Lorne smiles "Yes apart from those"

"Hey you're smiling" Cordy notices.

"Well you always do cheer me up" Lorne admits.

"I do?"

"Yes princess you do." A moment "You're still in love with Angel, I saw that as well"

Cordy sighs "I know. I wonder why sometimes, the big stupid lug that he is"

"Can't argue with you there. You know the worse thing about what happened is that I don't feel that bad about killing Lindsey"

Ah now Cordy understood what was bothering him "And you think you should feel bad"

Lorne nods.

"You know when Angel told me that he was dead I wasn't sorry about it either. I think we've been living around this darkness for too long but I think the fact you feel bad about not feeling bad is good" Cordy then runs that through her head a few times to make sure what she said made sense. "I think that's right. Did what I said make sense?"

"Actually yes. I mean I know Lindsey was not the solution to this problem. We used him to achieve something except for how long? How long till the Senior partners reorganise?"

Cordy thought about that "You're right. Oh I am dumb, Angel like dumb. We're sitting around here when we should be on the offensive"

"What do you mean?" Lorne asks

"The senior partner's hold on this dimension has been weakened and we're wallowing in self pity. Right I need to talk to Angel" Then what Lorne says about her being a bridge comes to mind "and Buffy. We'll need extra help" with that Cordy storms out the room on the hunt for Angel. She finds him snoring softly in his office chair and can't help but think how adorable he looks. She goes up to him and strokes his now warm cheek. "Angel" she says softly. Nothing. Oh well plan B. She gently kisses him full on the lips.

Angel is having a wonderful dream about Cordy kissing him when he wakes up to find Cordy kissing him. He wraps his arms around her and pulls her in and deepens the kiss. He can't help but hear Cordy's appreciative moan.

Angel is kissing her but Cordy can't help but think she's forgetting something. Oh what did she come down here for? Oh the Senior Partners. Right. "Angel" she says as she tries to pry herself loose.

"Hmm, hmm" he replies between kisses.

"We need to talk"

"No we don't"

Cordy uses her new found strength to push him back "Yes we do"

Angel sighs "We just never get a break do we?"

Cordy smiles at him "Fraid not champ but this is important I've had an epiphany, well a couple actually"

Angel's eyebrow rises in surprise. Cordy slaps his arm "Don't give me that look"

"Ow" Angel shouts as he rubs his arm. "Cordy that hurt"

"Oops Sorry. I'm still getting use to this slayer strength"

"You know!"

Cordy hears his tone of voice "You know! Why didn't you tell me?"

Angel flinches slightly "I didn't know. Buffy told me she suspected. Something about the way you fought those vampires"

"Oh this is great. As usual I'm the last to know. In fact now that you've mentioned it where is Buffy?"

"I think she went to get some sleep. Why?"

"Oh we need her help. It has to do with my second epiphany"

"Which is?" Angel asks trying to get her to elaborate.

"Well I was talking to Lorne, oh by the way I'm still going to kick your butt about what you did to him, and then it occurred to me that the Senior Partners hold on this dimension has been weakened and that we need to be more aggressive in combating their little minions"

"And for that we should ask Buffy if we can get a few extra hands" Angel was following her train of thought.

"You see you're not completely dumb after all" Cordy says with a cheeky grin.

Angel frowns at her "I am not dumb and you do have a point but I think all this can wait until after we bury Wesley tonight"

Cordy visibly saddens "Yeah you're right it can. By the way for a hotel full of teenage girls it's awful quiet is it not". Cordy hadn't seen a lot of them about.

"I think most of them are getting some sleep" at which point Angel yawns "which was what I was doing until you woke me up" Angel looks out his office "Have Spike and Harmony stopped arguing yet?"

Cordy shakes her head "Nope. They're still at it. Harmony seems strangely committed to this getting her soul back idea"

"She'll probably be off it by tomorrow and then I can kick her out"

"Angel that's not nice" Cordy says

"Well she can't be trusted. She betrayed me you know and even if she got her soul back that doesn't mean she's going to automatically become a good person"

"I know" Cordy reluctantly agrees. "It was just I felt sorry for her and I know she doesn't deserve it but I couldn't leave her and what if she does get her soul back. It would our job to help her wouldn't it?" Cordy waves her hand "I know, I know. I'm being silly"

"Cordy you're never silly. You're a wonderful, caring person" not to mention beautiful, mesmerizing and before Angel realises it he is moving towards her.

Cordy sees Angel move toward her "Angel?"

Angel says nothing and continues and kisses her. Her lips are so soft and she tastes so sweet and before he realises it he's speaking "I love you Cordelia Chase"

Cordy answers almost automatically "I love you too"

Both then suddenly stop and stare into each other's eyes. "Did we..?" Angel asks

Cordy nods "We did"

Angel smiles "I'm glad. I should have told you long ago"

"Why didn't you?" Cordy asks genuinely wanting to know.

"The curse Cordy. It wasn't fair to tell you that when I could never give you everything that I am"

"And now?"

"Now. The curse no longer matters. I'm alive and Angelus is gone and so is the blood lust I'm glad to say. In fact I don't know what I am now. I don't suppose you do?"

"Yes I do. You're the man I love, dead or alive" Cordy answers

"That's not what I meant"

"I know that"

"So what now?" Angel asks her.

Cordy has a few ideas. "Well Buffy's asleep so our war summit can wait until later. Right now I think it's time you gave me everything you are"

Angel blinks in astonishment "Cordy I…"

Cordy places her finger to his lips silencing him "Shh. No more talking" She takes his hand and leads him out of the office and upstairs to her room.

Author's Note: Next chapter Clark in Smallville and a certain ex-girlfriend is going to be causing problems.