Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel Cinematic Universe, Buffyverse or anything else you may recognize

Thank you to everyone who has favorited, followed or reviewed this fic so far.

And thanks a lot to Brainstorm Sorcerer for his help once more.

Also, I forgot to mention before but Cordelia has her look from 'You're Welcome' for the whole story.

Chapter 5- The party

Lorne walked down the hallway talking on his cell phone, wearing silver alligator boots and a blue suit. To his right side was another man holding another cell phone and a notepad.

"It'll be fabulous. Believe me, Jerry. Yes. It's Grapes of Wrath in outer space. Uh-huh. Oh, it's got heart. Yes, it's got laser battles", he took off his sunglasses. "It's got a timely message of interstellar poverty. Uh-huh. Listen, have your assistant call my assistant. We'll set something up. Good enough." He chuckled, hung up and tossed the phone to his assistant, then talked to the other cell phone his assistant was holding.

"J.C., Listen, just got off the Nextel with big "B." Yeah, intrigued, but wants to know who's playin' Tom Joad. Uh-huh. Well, I'm pretty sure that Christopher Lee's dead, sweetie. Yeah. Bring him back to life? Let me talk to my science people. OK, no promises." Lorne hung up and quipped to his assistant. "Directors."

He walked up to Harmony's desk in the lobby. "Harmonica!"

Harmony smiled, clasping his hands. "Lorney-tunes!" Harmony was incredibly overdressed for a receptionist. She was wearing a pink sequined sleeveless dress. Her hair was done professionally.

"Ohh, the eyes, the hair, the dress. It's no wonder the fourth floor has a crush on you. Hey, tell me, priceless, where do I find Angel?"

"Just called. He's on his way back in from a field mission, though I wouldn't, if I were you. He sounds like he's in a mood."

Lorne chuckled. "Oh, don't worry, darlin'. I've pulled the big boy out of many a brood-fest. It shouldn't be that—" Lorne turned to see Angel walk into the lobby covered in slime. "Eww."

Wesley walked up to Angel. "Angel, how did the new neural-intercept grenade work?"

"It didn't", Angel handed the grenade to Wes, sighing.

"Right. I'll take it down to Fred and have her look at it."

Cordelia arrived with Groo, who was holding Connor, and then saw Angel's state, before looking at Connor. "Nope."

She walked off with Groo still holding Connor.

"Hey, Angel-heart—" Lorne called after Wes, who was walking away. "Hey, Wes, if you see Fred, can you have her pencil me in for later? I gotta talk to her about Christopher Lee's big comeback."

"All right."

Lorne followed Angel, who was walking steadily away toward his office. "Angel, Angel. We've gotta have a confab. Es muy importante—"

"Uh, or—wha—"

"Uh, it's about the party? I've done all I can do for the big to-do, but we've still got a few bugs to comb out of the cootie garage." Angel frowned and started to close his door. "A bridge too far? Uh, let me try it again. Uh—"

"Look, Lorne, I've been out all night, OK? I'm beat up, I'm exhausted, I'm covered head to toe in Thraxis blood, which actually kind of burns, and its so bad my girlfriend wouldn't let my son near me, so this is all gonna have to wait until I take a shower." Angel started to shut the door.

"You killed the Thraxis?"

"Shower."

Angel shut the door in Lorne's face.

Lorne turned to his assistant. "Hey, Van, look, why don't we, uh, scratch the Thraxis off the invite list, and, uh—oh, hey, you got a copy of that print ad we're gonna run this week?"

"Yes. Right", Van took out a piece of paper from the files.

Lorne read the files. "What is this? "Wolfram & Hart wants to be up your alley"? Sounds like a bus station pick-up line. Change it. Second thought, burn it. Grab yourself a bagel or something, too. You look a little waxy."

Later, Angel exited the shower, wrapping a towel around him and saw Cordelia on his bed, smirking. "Maybe I should have joined you."

They chuckled as Cordelia added. "Besides, you take as long as I do."

The two kissed as Angel started dressing up, and they looked over at Connor playing with blocks in the other room, yelping in cheer which they both found adorable.

"This place", Angel then sighed, sitting down next to her. "It's pretty…."

"Bad, yeah", Cordelia nodded, the two holding hands. "I'm head of Special Projects, and I threatened to cut out a guy's tongue, not that he didn't deserve it. Plus, now I've started to take Stick's suggestions seriously, no matter what I think of the old fart."

Angel nodded as Cordelia said. "Also, you have a meeting with mini-Hell bitch aka cheap Lilah aka Lilah Jr. aka Eve."

Angel groaned and said. "Changing is gonna take a lot of time now."

"Oh I like what you have in mind", Cordelia smirked as they kissed again, and Angel then picked up Connor, bringing him between them as both played with him then.

Eve was waiting for Angel, with Stick by her side, seeming impatient.

She then started saying to Stick. "So, you are a-"

"If I wanted to listen to an asshole, I'd fart", Stick cut her off, as she groaned, and then Angel and Cordelia came out of the office with baby Connor.

"Thanks for keeping her company", Cordelia said to Stick gratefully.

"It was a pleasure", Stick said as he faded away.

One thing was common to Team Angel, Lilah and Stick- all of them hated Eve.

The three were in the elevator and when the elevator door opened, a huge skull was there in the doorway. Angel reflexively punched it, and the man holding the foam skull fell down to the floor, groaning.

Angel and Cordelia looked around to see there were many people with similar costumes busily working to decorate the lobby.

"OK, why does it look like we're having a party in here?"

Lorne appeared. "Well, maybe 'cause we're having a party in here. The Wolfram & Hart Halloween Bash? Ring a bell? The biggest event on the company calendar? I sent you a small forest's worth of memos on it."

"We're havin' it here?"

Lorne turned to Eve. "You see what I'm up against?"

"That's what our 7:30 was about. Your party", Eve told the couple.

"What? Our party? I mean, I love those but we didn't approve one", Cordelia said, shaking her head.

Lorne told the two. "Yeah, listen. Here's the snafu in a nutshell, top cat. Uh, nobody's comin'. Well, some people are coming, but the right people, the A-list people, they seem to be giving it a miss, and if they don't show up, this shindig is gonna be a bust."

"Good."

Lorne was incensed. "Good?!"

Cordelia agreed with Angel. "Saw their files, thought it was best to blacklist them."

Lorne rubbed his head and then laughed out loud. "Ha ha ha! OK! OK! You're killin' me. Can't you just feel up the big picture, Mr. Magoo? It's not about good and evil. It's about party. Party! Capital "P"! Rhymes with "me"?" He yelled a little. "About to have a stroke here 'cause you're killin' me!"

Connor now started crying, surprising Angel and Cordelia as Angel tried to calm him down.

"You made him cry!" Cordelia snapped, and Lorne was shocked too, just like Angel and Cordelia, since they knew he loved Connor as much as they did.

Lorne calmed down. "Sorry Connor. Now listen. I can see that you're in a—a state, a—a mood, a—a snit even, so what say we talk about this once you've... calmed down a bit? And baby too?"

"Yeah, sure. That's fine—"

Lorne walked away. "Great. Your office. 25 minutes."

"What's going on with him?" Cordelia wondered.

Wesley and Fred were at the lab with Knox when Lorne came in. "Happy Halloween, kids!"

Knox asked Wesley. "And how do you know your spell-casters didn't screw up the payload?"

"Because I went over the work and I got that knowing feeling you get when you know something."

Lorne clapped. "Trick or treat?"

Fred was unenthusiastic. "Hi, Lorne."

"Hi. What do you say we put away your little sci-fi toys for a little bit, huh? And maybe we could talk about something a little more important, like my monster mash?" He rubbed his hands together.

"Oh, yeah, your party."

"Our party, tweety bird. Which, by the way, is dying on the vine. I could really, really, really use some help from you guys— some backup?"

Fred sighed. "I wasn't really planning on going."

"Wes. Do you hear this crazy talk?"

"Uh, well, I really hadn't given much thought to going myself."

Lorne had a mock offended tone. "Et tu, Brutuses? Why is it so hard to get anyone to have any fun around here? I mean, Matt and Faith are the only fun couple I really know, and they are on the east coast so can't come."

Knox turned to Fred. "You should go. It's the Halloween blowout to end all blowouts. Last year, uh-" He laughed. "They took a bunch of cows and put them in a giant wicker effigy of Krishna, uh, doused it with sambuca, and it—" Lorne shook him off. "Uh, well... anyway, it—it's a hell of a good time."

"You find burning deities effigies funny?" Wesley asked in disgust as Knox backed off.

Fred told them. "I really wanna get this operational before Angel goes out again."

Wesley agreed. "Yes. I'll stay, too. I'm sure we can work it out together."

"No. No-no-no, no, no, no, no! Wes, Fred, you're coming. Look at yourselves. You're wound tighter than Martha Stewart's swatch. Isn't there anyone else who'd, uh, fix the little boo-boos on this thing?"

Knox stepped in. "I can do that. It's probably the trigger mechanism anyway."

"Great. Problem solved. I'll see you two in Angel's office, 15 minutes." Lorne walked out.

Lilah and Gunn were talking in his office as he asked. "So, what should I do, talk to him?"

"You clearly don't understand how things work here", Lilah told him as she sat down. "No talking, just threatening, and the documents are in our favor anyway, he has to sign them."

"Right", Gunn nodded. He may have been implanted with legal knowledge but Lilah was the real lawyer at day's end, even if she was evil.

Lorne then walked in. "You can cut the tension with a knife."

"What are you doing here?" Lilah asked.

Lorne told them. "We gotta turn Angel around on this whole party idea."

Gunn asked. "We do?"

"Look, I know he's the boss and everything, but you're up and coming here, and it's time for you to spread your wings, legal eagle. From now on, I want you to stake out your territory, and I want you to keep it staked."

"Stake, territory. Sure."

"You're really worried about that?" Lilah asked Lorne.

"Look, now that we work in the same team, I've forgiven you for everything your evilness, even the brain drain", Lorne told Lilah honestly. "But you should still be better, you know? Act nicer to people."

"Sure", Lilah said sarcastically.

"Great. Just what I wanted to hear. Angel's office, 10 minutes." He walked out.

"You know, those are some really nice muscles", Harmony told Groo, who was standing near her desk, looking at them.

"No one has said kind words about the odd bulging of my limbs before", Groo told Harmony, sounding touched.

"Aw come on! These are the best!" Harmony told him as Lorne arrived.

"Uhh, champion, Angel's office, party, 5 minutes."

"All right", Groo said as Lorne walked off.

The whole gang had gathered at Angel's office, except Lorne. Angel and Cordelia were sitting at his desk, frowning. Lilah and Gunn were sitting on Angel's desk. Eve was sitting in the chair across from it. Fred was standing near the windows, as were Stick and Groo. Wesley was sitting in a chair in the corner with baby Connor in his arms.

"So, he calls us, then doesn't show", Cordelia quipped.

"Working here, lateness isn't an issue, goodness is", Lilah told her as Cordelia scoffed.

Stick looked out the windows at the people in costumes. "In my day, we had Chaste warriors stationed at every major mystical hotspot in the world, waiting for the inevitable battle to come. And now, you guys are planning a party, what has the world come to?"

"No Demons attack on holidays", Angel pointed out.

"We dealt with bigger Demonic beings in other countries, and we didn't just have Demons on our radar", Stick replied to him.

"Who are you again?" Eve asked him.

"The one who will rip your throat out if you don't shut up", Stick said and she shut up.

"Oh please do it anyway", Lilah shrugged and Eve groaned.

"Yeah, would save us some yammering", Cordelia added too.

Angel pressed a button that caused the windows to fog, as Stick commented. "Not bad."

Lorne walked into the office, talking on his cell phone and hung up. "What did I miss?"

Angel told him. "Us. Waiting."

"A lot", Cordelia added.

"Oh, right. Sorry. So, uh, Angel, we just wanted to take a moment and emphasize how important this party really is to us."

Gunn now spoke for Lorne. "I gotta say Lorne is right. We gotta show all the big bads that the new regime is here to stay, which, for the most part, boils down to image. And image-wise, if this party doesn't kick ass, we lose face."

Lilah reluctantly added. "My esteemed and unqualified colleague Charles Gunn is right about the party and its purpose."

Lorne then told Angel. "And believe me, milk dud, speaking as the head of your P.R. Department, we need all the face we can get."

"Milk dud?"

"Said with affection."

"I'm using it then", Cordelia quipped.

Angel told Lorne. "OK, listen, I understand the whole "keeping up appearances" concept, but everyone coming to this thing is unrepentant, dyed-in-the-wool evil."

Lorne reminded Angel of his Caritas policy. "Angel, a good host just doesn't make these sort of judgments."

"Well we are", Cordelia said. "And many of them hold grudges too, Red Wedding all over again, or Red Halloween party."

"That's describing every good party I've ever been to. Listen, don't worry about a thing. This is my forte. And I ran Caritas for years, a nightclub with an open-door policy. The good, the bad, the hideously ugly, they all bellied up to my demon bar, but they all played nicely together while they were there."

Eve now started. "And this is exactly the kind-"

"Oh great, it speaks", Cordelia scoffed, and Lilah scoffed too as Eve groaned, then continued.

"-of ethical tightrope you've gotta walk now, Angel. Which brings up another point— your employees."

"Also evil."

Harmony walked in with a mug, setting it on Angel's desk.

"Speaking of", Cordelia added.

"Here's your blood, bossy." Angel and Cordelia glared at Harmony. "Ahem. Boss."

"Some of them, yes", Eve looked at Lilah who just shrugged, "but all of them work hard for this firm, and Halloween, well, around here it's like Christmas. Simply put, this is a morale thing."

Harmony scoffed. "Good luck. The morale around here stinks."

"What?" Angel asked.

"Uh-huh. Everybody thinks you suck. Well, come on, boss", she turned to Cordelia. "You are as hated as him."

They shared a look as Harmony said. "Hey! Good running evil incorporated, what do you expect? You do know what these people, and I use that word lightly, do in their spare time, right?"

"You know, as much as I don't want to say it, they do have a point", Wesley sighed, rocking Connor.

"Yeah, just to help us stick around here", Fred turned to Stick. "No pun intended."

"Right", Stick nodded. "So you'll be partying, what a waste of time!"

"It can work, I think", Groo agreed.

"Fine. We surrender", Angel said. "Go ahead, Lorne. Put on your best dog and pony. I won't get in the way."

"And make it look like a party too", Cordelia added.

Lorne told Angel. "I don't want you to sit back and just let it happen. I need you Angel, to get out there and make it happen."

"What does that mean?"

Angel and Lorne were seated in chairs facing a pale demon with horns seated on a high throne. Another similar demon stood at his side.

This was Archduke Sebassis.

"So... this is the mighty Angel. I've been told many things about you. Bit of a restless frog, hmm? Making lots of waves in your little swamp."

Angel shrugged. "Yeah, well, I'm just trying to keep the fly population down."

Lorne laughed.

"Yes. Though I do prefer the tales of your counterpart Angelus. Ah, you had flair back then, child."

Angel shrugged. "Well, I guess we all mellow in our old age."

"Your contempt is fragrant", Sebassis sipped blue liquid from a wine glass and finished the drink. "And the gossip about your association with Daredevil is quite concerning though."

He put his glass down and a smaller, thinner, paler demon walked out to him. The smaller slave-like demon pulled a cork out of his arm and held his arm out over Sebassis's glass. The blue liquid Sebassis was drinking flowed from the slave's uncorked vein into the glass.

Lorne witnessed this with great discomfort, although he tried to hide it.

"I have worked with him before, but that's it", Angel said with a shrug.

Lorne then took his cue. "Uh—uh, so, your lordship, we were deeply grieved when you declined our invitation. I mean, we'd love for you to reconsider." He slapped Angel's arm.

"Yeah—ha. Yeah. I mean, a party just isn't a party without the archduke."

"You're sure you wouldn't like some—" Sebassis tapped the slave, who re-corked his vein.

"I'm fine." Lorne glared at Angel. "But thanks."

"Oh, come, come. We're all blood-drinkers here. Ah, but that's right. You choose to drink the blood of swine. Filthy beasts."

Angel started. "Actually, that's a misconception."

"Filthy! Yes! Honestly, I don't know how he does it", Lorne chuckled, sipping from a glass filled with the blue liquid. "Mmm. Wow, this is—" He turned to the slave. "You, uh—you really— you taste great."

"Well... in light of this amusing chat, and of my longstanding acquaintance with you, Lorne, I will come to the gala."

Lorne was happy. "Oh, that's wonderful news, your lordship! Well, we don't wanna waste any more of your valuable time." He stood, setting down the glass. "We'll—we'll show ourselves out."

Angel and Lorne exited the room.

Of course the two did not know Sebassis would come prepared with weapons.

The party had started, and there was disco music playing. A glittery disco ball shimmered in the lights, but only Harmony was dancing, while shooting some looks to Groo at times, but he was oblivious.

"Lorne!"

"Hey there, Devlin", Lorne turned to the Demon called Devlin. "So, uh, what are you supposed to be?"

The demon was wearing a light, smooth mask that appeared to have been someone's face at one time. He was dressed in an argyle sweater-vest.

"You no get? I human bean." He laughed. "Look. I do human bean. Ahem. I proud my honor roll student." He laughed again.

Fred, Lilah and Wesley were standing together, talking, and noticed Lorne across the room.

Fred commented. "Look at Lorne. I mean, God, he's just so good at this. He fits in with everybody."

"If only all of us were that good", Lilah commented with a smirk.

Fred told the two of them. "I guess I've always hated parties. I never know what to do with myself. I just end up at the hors d'oeuvres table, trying to look occupied."

"I try my best not to show up because I've no idea how to occupy yourself at a party", Lilah told her.

"Nice to see you two getting along", Wesley quipped, since his girlfriend and former crush were being civil to each other.

"Only because you're here", Lilah told Wesley.

"Otherwise?" Wesley asked.

"Catfight!" Fred joked, then laughed herself, since the other two didn't find it that funny.

Lorne arrived. "Hey there, wallflowers!"

"Wallflowers?" Fred asked.

Lorne told Fred. "I need you to give me a hand, help light the fuse on this powder keg? Look at the dance floor. The only thing on it is Harmony. Hey, you keep pushing that envelope, baby!"

Wesley told him. "I'm afraid this really isn't our element, Lorne."

"I'd cut my legs off before I dance", Lilah added.

Fred agreed. "Yeah. We're wallflowers."

"Oh, no, no, no, sweetie. You're the young, the beautiful, the ready-to— oh. Well, here's one problem. You're totally sober! It's Halloween. You should be 3 sheets to the wind already. Now, try and get into the spirit of things, OK?" Lorne told Wesley and Fred, then turned to Lilah. "And you, you represent the firm, best try to mingle nicely, huh?"

He walked off and into Angel's office where he, Cordelia and baby Connor were watching hockey.

"So that's how its done, Connor", Angel told Connor in his baby voice while pointing to the TV.

"Come on, he looks more like a basketball guy", Cordelia quipped.

"Get up off your keister and get out there! I can't steer this ship of fools by my lonesome! I just can't do it! I—" Lorne groaned and rubbed his temples in pain as his frustration escalated.

"Lorne?"

Lorne looked up and smiled again, looking at Cordelia. "You know, you should let someone else handle the baby too sometimes. Lighten up, have fun."

Stick appeared at the moment and said. "I can take care of him."

"All right fine", Cordelia handed Connor from Angel to Stick.

"Let's boogie, sweet tart", Lorne clasped hands.

Angel, Cordelia and Lorne walked out to join the party. Lorne pointed out guests of note to Angel. "Well, so over there we have the Britzai representatives. We can get to them later. Oh, and there's the elder of the Fell Brotherhood. Come on, let's go say hi!"

He passed Groo on the way and told him. "Harmonica has the eye on you, maybe you should go dance with her till you drop down."

"All right, I will dance with her", Groo agreed as he walked off to dance with Harmony, and then began doing moves so bad even Angel would look good in comparison. The moves involved putting his hands on his head, moving side to side and jumping.

"Wow!" Harmony said, finding it good either way. "You dance really well."

"It is the Dance of Honor from Pylea", Groo told her as they danced together now.

"Good job", Harmony winked as she put her arms around his neck and then danced with him.

Cordelia was mingling herself now as she saw Devlin. "Dressed as a human? How original!"

"But-"

"No really, swell job, real swell", Cordelia told him, sounding like Queen C now.

Lilah was talking up some people herself, sounding nice and funny, a rarity. "And then he went 'Charlie'! And patted his head."

All of them laughed at that when in walked a man of medium height, with a deeply lined face and prominent cheekbones, wearing a black suit and red tie.

But all were fearful of him due to feeling his power, and stared at him in fear.

Eventually, sick of the staring, Mephisto called out to them. "What are you doing? This is a party isn't it?"

Everyone was afraid and went back to what they were doing as Mephisto chuckled, and Lorne approached him fearfully. "Uh, hello, great and powerful Devil/Hell-Lord, umm-"

"Oh don't worry, I'm here to enjoy your party, quite lively, Pylean", Mephisto told Lorne, patting his shoulder as he jumped in fear. "And share a tale or two of Abaddon pummeling some Demon Lords."

He walked off as Lorne took a deep breath, then walked into Gunn.

"Lorne! Looks like this thing's gonna work out."

Lorne nodded. "Yeah. Fingers crossed."

Gunn told him. "Man, I wish I had a tenth of your energy. How do you do it?"

"I'll let you in on a little secret. I had my sleep removed. Little procedure they have here at the company. Yeah, well, you know, I haven't slept a wink in, oh, about a month."

Gunn was surprised. "You had Wolfram & Hart remove your sleep?" Lorne nodded. "Lorne... that's great!"

"Yeah", Lorne chuckled. "In and out. 20 minutes, no scarring. I'll tell ya, you ought to think about it. It would go nicely with that legal upgrade of yours." Lorne took his drink from the bartender.

Gunn agreed. "Yeah. Yeah, I'll definitely look into that."

"All right. See ya later."

Lorne then found Angel and Cordelia and told them. "Oh stop being cute and just get a room you two."

He walked away.

Next moment, Angel and Cordelia were making out passionately in his office.

"Oh this is great", Cordelia said.

"Especially since I don't have to worry about perfect happiness anymore", Angel agreed as they started taking off each other's clothes.

At the party, things were quite lively now, with many people even copying Groo's moves, Harmony included.

Wesley and Fred were drunk, Lilah was still being nice, and the three walked up to Gunn, due to feeling something weird.

Wesley asked Gunn. "Hey, Gunn. Is something weird going on?" Gunn turned toward Wesley without moving his hands, which were together just below his waist. "Charles, you just peed on my shoes."

Gunn looked down, confused. 'I'll be damned." He zipped his zipper. "That's weird."

Lilah assured him. "Don't worry, Charles, things like this are normal at parties."

Now Fred said. "OK, something is definitely wrong with this picture."

Wesley agreed. "Yes. We appear to be under the effect of something, a spell."

Gunn asked Lilah. "Lilah, how long have you been, you know... this?"

"It's great, isn't it? I don't know. Happened a bit after I talked with Angel and Lorne. Yeah. Lorne told me to mingle nicely with guests."

Wesley snapped and pointed. "Lorne."

"Whoo! Whoo-hoo-hoo! Hey, kittens. Oh, that dance floor is smoking!" All stared at Lorne. "What?"

Wesley, Lilah, Fred and Gunn took Lorne into Angel's office. "Come on, guys. I'm telling you I did not do anything."

Fred called out. ""Angel? Cordelia? You two in here? Ang—"

Angel popped his head up from the floor behind the couch where he was naked with Cordelia. "Ohh! What?"

Lilah quipped. "Hey! Angel and Cordelia are doing it, good for you two."

Angel asked. "What's wrong with you?"

Gunn asked. "What's wrong with-"

"Watch it pal", Cordelia told Gunn.

Wesley noted. "They must be under the effect of Lorne, presum— presumally."

Fred snorted and pointed. "Prezoomally."

"These are not words but okay", Lilah shrugged.

Wesley told them. "Lorne's doing it—something to all of us."

"I am not."

"Everything he's told us to do, we're doing. Lilah's being nice, Gunn is peeing all over the office, Groo is dancing till he drops."

Fred added. "And we're a little bit drunk."

Wesley nodded. "Yes. But not because we drank, because Lorne told us to be drunk."

Angel asked Gunn. "Lorne told you to pee all over the office?"

"Lord, I hope so."

"This is crazy. I am not doing this. I would know if I was doing this. I don't even know what this is."

Cordelia said. "I don't get it. Lorne's an empath, we bellow a mellow tune, or not mellow tune, and he reads us."

"Territory! Wait. This morning, Lorne told me to stake out my territory", Gunn suddenly remembered.

"And he did tell me to be nice", Lilah added.

"Right", Wesley realized.

Angel and Cordelia were making out in full view of the rest as Fred said. "Hey, guys, keep it in your pants. And where's Connor?"

"With Stick", Cordelia shrugged.

Lorne told the rest. "Ohh. Hey, I did not tell Gunn to go water the ferns. I did not do anything."

Gunn reminded. "You had your sleep removed."

Wesley asked. "What?"

"Yeah. He hasn't slept in a month."

"Oh, dear", Wesley realized. "An empath demon deprived of sleep for that long—"

"What does that have to do with it?"

Fred muttered. "Something, apparently."

"Yes, things like that do have an effect", Lilah agreed.

Angel asked. "Lorne, why would you let them do that to you?" Cordelia pulled Angel back to her and spanked him as he blushed while she smirked.

Lorne told them all. "I had to do something, didn't I? I mean, you don't know what I've had to deal with. I'm the center of gravity in a town that's full of borderline disorder celebrities and powerbrokers. All the hand-holding and the ego-stroking and the 4 A.M. Jacuzzi strategy sessions-" Wesley caught Gunn peeing in the corner. "I just couldn't keep up with it, even without sleeping."

"Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you tell us? I would have—"

"What? Fired me?"

"I would've helped you, which is what I'm gonna do now, OK?" Angel stood. "Ahh." He realized he was naked, and used a couch cushion to cover his privates.

"Well, I—OK."

"Wes, Fred, go find Lorne's sleep and figure out a way to put it back in his head."

"Yes, sir."

Fred saluted. "Done and doner."

Wesley picked Fred up by the waist as he walked out the door with her.

"Lorne, you just stay tight and try not to, you know, talk."

"Angel, we still got a party going on. Someone has to make sure there's ice in the drinks."

"Oh, right."

Lilah raised her hand, sounding nice again. "Ooh, ooh! Me! Me! I'm your people person."

"Gunn, go on the floor, see if anyone else is under the Lorne effect."

"Check."

"And stop with the—"

Gunn held his head down. "Do my best." He walked out.

"And, Cordy, you stay here with me, and we'll have more sex."

"I'm on it."

Angel and Cordelia started having sex again as Lilah walked out. "Nice going."

Stick was in a corner with baby Connor, seeing all the chaos. "What is wrong with these people?"

Connor made a sound as Stick said. "My thoughts exactly."

Mephisto was surrounded by some eager listeners as he narrated. "The idiot actually thought his family was in Hell watching him even though they were in Heaven. His family, for whom he did all the vengeance shtick, that's how low he thought of them."

The listeners all burst into laughter with Mephisto as he continued. "And you'll love the story of when he brought me a fallen Power That Be, one who was delusional enough to think she could rule this world when it has Mystics and Asgardians on it."

More laughter rang out.

Sebassis and his gang burst through Angel's office door carrying their weapons which resembled crossbows due to having found Artode dead.

Angel was still on the floor behind the couch with Cordelia. Lorne was at the desk.

Angel asked. "Sebassis?"

"The nerve, the raw nerve to lay a hand on one of mine!"

Angel asked. "What is this? Lower your weapons."

Sebassis snarled. "These darts are poisoned, vampire. Powerful enough to put you in a coma for a week. Enough to kill any one of them before their next heartbeat. You murdered Artode. I imagine we were to be next."

Angel was confused. "I didn't murder anyone."

"There's murder at the party. Oh boy, it's a Halloween party all right!" Cordelia said. "This is why I didn't want one, Halloween parties have always gone wrong for us lot."

Sebassis snarled. "Dress yourself, Angel. You have a public execution to attend."

Angel put his clothes on. "Big mistake."

A woman screamed from the lobby.

"Move!"

The crowd cleared from the dance floor as the woman's screams turn into horrified moans. Sebassis and gang lead Angel, Cordelia, Lilah and Lorne out into the lobby to investigate, where they find Devlin the "Human Bean" demon lying on the buffet table, either unconscious or dead.

Lorne muttered. "Oh, boy."

Harmony agreed. "Yeah. Somebody really dipped his chip."

Groo had finally dropped, not dead though.

"This is becoming a bummer, you know", Lilah commented.

Sebassis pointed his poisoned arrow at Lorne, then Angel.

"OK, Sebassis, I don't know what's going on here, but we are not behind it."

Sebassis snarled. "Enough lies, vampire."

"OK, everybody, OK. Yes, the party's taking an unfortunate turn momentarily. So let's not…." Sebassis cocked the weapon, "fight."

Lorne then said. "Wait! Please, wait. I'm doing this. It's me. I mean, it's not me. But I haven't been myself lately. Somehow, I'm making people do things and I'm controlling them." Sebassis pointed the weapon at Lorne. "Whoa."

"Well, then, Pylean, you're making me kill you. Is that consistent with your theory?"

Just then, a roar was heard from the staircase that overlooks the lobby. A giant green creature dressed in a blue suit and purple shirt just like Lorne's jumped down from the balcony, landing right in front of Sebassis.

The creature looked like a thick-necked, muscle-man version of Lorne. It growled menacingly at them.

Harmony said. "Oh, my God!"

"No more mingling now", Lilah ran off.

Lorne was shocked. "Oh my God! I have a Hulk!"

Hulk-Lorne smacked one of Sebassis's demons, knocking him down. Sebassis fired a poisoned dart into the massive creature, but to no effect. Sebassis's slave unhooked his leash from Sebassis's belt and sneaked away while the fight went on.

"Okay, how did you get a Hulk?" Cordelia asked Lorne.

"Stop it! Stop killing! Listen to me. Me!" Hulk-Lorne smacked Lorne, knocking him down. "Wow, I must really hate myself."

Hulk-Lorne walked toward Sebassis, growling and glaring. Angel backed up, protecting Sebassis. "Sebassis, run."

Sebassis scurried off behind a pole so he could watch the goings on. Hulk-Lorne smacked Angel, sending him across the room.

Gunn tried to hit Hulk-Lorne over the head with a statue, but to no avail and Hulk-Lorne shoved Gunn across the room, where he landed next to Lorne.

"Ohh! Oh, sorry about that."

Sebassis tried to crawl away up the stairs, but Hulk-Lorne went after him. Angel picked himself up and attacked Hulk-Lorne, punching him repeatedly, but not really hurting him.

The lobby elevator doors opened, and Wesley and Fred were inside but facing the wrong way. They turned around and walked into the lobby. Fred was carrying a gun-shaped device.

Wesley pointed to Hulk-Lorne. "It's here! It's manifested!"

Fred called out. "Angel."

Hulk-Lorne was beating Angel. Fred and Wesley walked up behind Lorne who was watching the fight with horror. Fred pointed the gun up in front of her.

Gunn urged. "Shoot it, Fred. Now!"

Fred turned and pointed the gun at Lorne's head as he watched the fight.

"Oh." Fred pulled the trigger and Lorne collapsed to the ground. "Oh. Ohh! Ohh."

Harmony said. "Oh, my God! They shot Lorney-tunes."

"No. I'm OK. Just gonna rest my eyes a little bit."

Hulk-Lorne stood over Angel, rearing back, ready to pummel him, when he disappeared in a puff of blue smoke.

Lorne was snoring.

"Oh thank God!" Cordelia said as Groo finally staggered up.

Stick appeared with baby Connor and looked around. "What did I miss?"

Mephisto looked around at the whole thing and said. "This party is dead."

He laughed and disappeared in a burst of flames, his laugh echoing in his wake.

Later, Angel stood over the sleeping Lorne with Cordelia and baby Connor in their arms as Lilah and Gunn explained they were okay with Sebassis due to the blood sport.

"Don't sit in your chair", Gunn added.

"You peed in his chair?" Lilah asked. "Great."

"Lilah, can you turn off the warm fuzzy?"

"Oh no this is just me."

"Well, don't turn it off by much", Cordelia said with a wink as Lilah and Gunn walked off.

Lorne said in his sleep. "Mmm. I'm sorry."

Angel assured him. "Hey, it's OK, Lorne. Just try and get some rest. Get some sleep."

"It's—it's hard. It's hard being the host of the party. Yeah."

"Stop trying to be."

"What do you think we should do?" Cordelia asked Angel. "I mean, this is clearly getting out of hand."

"Yeah, you're right, I thought we could do this by ourselves, but even you and Lorne have been affected by what's happening here", Angel told Cordelia with a sigh. "We need oversight. Someone to watch over us and stop us from going out of line."

Stick appeared and groaned. "I miss the old attempted invasion Halloween's. No one has any class these days."

Cordelia asked Angel. "Who though?"

Later, Lorne's eyes barely opened as he thought he saw Matt sitting near him, stroking his shoulder. "Don't worry buddy, sleep tight, you've earned it."

"Am I dreaming?" Lorne wondered.

"I am real, Lorne", Matt assured him. "And I have a big favor to ask."

"Anything, you handsome Devil."

"Will you help plan my wedding?"

Lorne immediately woke up with wide eyes about to pop out of their sockets.

"Sweet mother of matrimony!"

And done, thanks a lot to Brainstorm Sorcerer for his help again.

So now Matt and Faith shall be brought in to keep Team Angel in check since they can do it, plus the ending scene with Matt and Lorne was a bit of a flashforward scene actually.

Hope all enjoyed and see you all next time with another chapter.