Disclaimer: I do not own Buffyverse or anything else you may recognize

So got this idea from a one-shot I read titled 'Don't shoot the messenger' on AO3 and decided to use a similar premise, but for something more significant.

Thank you to Brainstorm Sorcerer and Marcus S. Lazarus for some help here.

For Angel, it takes place between 1x4 and 1x5.

Hope all enjoy.

Angel's apartment

"So, thinking about getting anything?" Doyle asked Cordelia.

"Like what?" Cordelia asked, confused as she sat on a chair while Doyle paced around.

"Like any dinner or somethin'?" Doyle shrugged. "Or drinks or-"

"Nah, dinner I'll get at home, as good as I can get there that is, if I can even call it home, good God my life sucks!" Cordelia said and Doyle sighed.

No kind of dates between him and Cordy right now.

Then Doyle sensed something and turned his head towards the door.

"What's the matter?" Cordelia asked.

"I think someone's out there", Doyle said and slowly opened the door, his fist raised, only to see a medium-sized woman in modest clothing and blonde hair poking her head in, though Doyle's fist made her back off a little, the fear in her eyes clear.

"Ah, sorry", Doyle lowered his fist. "Thought you were an intruder."

"I'm…I'm…sorry", the woman stuttered as Doyle walked next to her, putting an arm around her.

"Any reason you're here, luv?" Doyle asked in his usual charming tone as he led her in.

"Yes…..I need help", the woman told him as Doyle led her to the chair.

"Sit down, we're here to hear, Angel Investigations, we help the helpless", Doyle assured her.

Cordelia smiled and asked. "So, any Demons getting you down?"

The woman ducked her head at the question, then looked up, trying to speak. "I….."

And then she was silent again, Doyle standing behind her and Cordelia having a paper and pen, ready to jot it down.

Eventually, two minutes passed and Cordelia snapped. "Spit it out already!"

The woman jumped as Doyle put his arms around her to calm her down. "Relax, luv, nothing to be jumpy about."

He turned to Cordelia. "Come on Cordy, I don't think that's the best way to talk to a client."

"She will be a client if she talks to us", Cordelia said with a forced polite smile.

"I'm…I'm sorry", the woman got up, surprising them both. "I think…..I should just…leave. Sorry."

She turned around and walked to the door, and opened it, only to reveal a tall and handsome man in a dark trench coat and clothes of the same shade.

Angel!

"Uhh, hello", Angel greeted her awkwardly.

"She's a client, mate", Doyle told Angel.

"If she talks", Cordelia added.

"Hi, I'm Angel", Angel introduced himself, and noticed she was panicking and seemed quite jumpy, and so he put his hands on her shoulders. "Okay, just calm down, okay? Take a deep breath-"

The woman did as Angel said, "-and out."

She let a breath out, and now seemed relaxed.

"What's your name?" Angel asked her.

"Tara", she finally told him what she was called. "Tara Maclay."

"Okay, Tara?" Angel asked as he gestured to his own private office. "You can come with me, and tell me in private what your problem is, okay? Hmmm?"

He was quite awkward at this interaction himself, and anyone else would not be convinced.

But Tara, she was just as awkward as he was, and seeing his awkwardness, well, it made her realize he was being genuine.

Angel then walked to his office and opened the door, gently gesturing her to come in, and she saw no lust or malice in his eyes, though her eyes were still wide in shock and amazement.

She had read his soul, there was so much pain and torment inside it, yet a desire to do good. He was one of a kind (she had no idea it was in more ways than one).

Tara then walked into Angel's private office, as he nodded at Cordelia and Doyle, then closed the door.

"Bet she's falling in love with him right now", Doyle quipped.

"Tell me about it, that look really charms these ladies, doesn't it?" Cordelia asked.

If only they knew.

A while later, all three of them stood together, Tara in a different room, drinking coffee Angel had made, as he told the other two. "She thinks she is a Demon and wants us to do something about it."

"What? She thinks? How?" Cordelia asked.

"She says its in the family women, and that's where her magic comes from, she's a Witch", Angel explained to the two. "The women turn Demon on the 20th birthday, which would be next year for her, she fears she will go out of control."

Angel and Doyle could both relate. The former had to keep his bloodlust in check, as after Buffy had made him feed from her to save his life, his thirst for human blood was back, and he kept controlling his urges at all time.

Doyle remembered how his own half-Demon had ruined his life and driven his wife away, and it was probably the same for Tara. At least she knew of it beforehand so she had the chance to be prepared for it.

"So, how do we contain this Demon in 'Miss I can't talk' without doing anything bad to her?" Cordelia asked.

"Well, not all Demons are evil", Angel pointed out to them both, subtly looking at Doyle so Cordelia wouldn't notice. "Maybe we can try and convince her that she can control it, if she still feels the same way a year later, she can come back to us before her 20th birthday."

"You sure it will work? She stutters and is so shy I doubt a talk will fix it", Cordelia told him.

"I have an idea", Doyle said as the two looked at him. "There's a Demon I am familiar with downtown, real swell guy, got a great voice too, runs a club-"

"Seriously?" Angel and Cordelia both asked.

"Yeah, seriously", Doyle nodded. "When someone sings for him, he can read their aura, their soul. If this Demon is evil, he can figure it out for us."

"All right then, take her there", Angel ordered.

"On it, boss", Doyle said with a shrug as he walked to where Tara was, having just finished her coffee.

"Hey", Doyle called out.

"Hi", she said in a shy and low voice as Doyle sat around her and wrapped his arm around her. He wanted to tell her of his own Demon half to comfort her, but he didn't want Cordy hearing about it.

"So, uhhh, there's this good Demon I know", Tara looked at him in surprise. "I'm serious! He can, uhh, read souls if someone sings for him."

"He can read souls?" Tara asked and got a nod. She had never met anyone else who could do that.

"So, you can sing for him, and he will tell you what kind of Demon it is, okay?" Doyle asked, and Tara seemed to consider. "Look, we want to help, but you have to let us too, you know that, right?"

In that moment, Tara's mind was made up and she got up. "Sure."

"Come on", Doyle said as he put his arm around her and led her outside.

Caritas

Tara and Doyle entered Caritas, and Tara looked around at the various Demons, now looking uncomfortable and scared again.

"Don't you worry, you don't have to talk to anyone of them, just the Host, got it?" Doyle asked her.

"Y….yeah."

"Wait here a second", Doyle said as he walked off to talk to a green-skinned horned Demon in a suit.

That was when one disgusting looking Demon walked to her, looking her up and down with a lecherous look in its eyes.

Tara was frightened, thinking how she could use her magic to take it out, but then the other Demons might attack her.

Then she felt a hand on her shoulder and jumped before turning to see Doyle. "Eh, sorry for the jump scare."

He put his arm around her and led her away. "Come on."

And that was it with that Demon.

Doyle led Tara to the Host and told her. "So, this is the Host here, he'll read your aura."

"Yes, all you have to do is grace us with that voice, sweety pie", the Host told her in a cheerful and excited tone.

"S…sing….here…?" Tara asked, uncomfortable again.

"Ah, right, don't do well in crowds, eh?" The Host asked. "No worries, come backstage."

He walked off as Doyle urged Tara forwards. "Don't worry, he's nice."

"Y…..yeah…." Tara agreed, he was pretty nice and sweet, a surprise for Tara, who was told all Demons were evil and disgusting.

They went backstage where the Host stood in front of them and said. "Now, let it all out. You don't have to sing too long either. Just a few lines, and I'll tell you what's brewing inside."

"Go on", Doyle encouraged her.

Tara took a deep breath, and letting go of her shyness for a moment, began- "You are my fire. The one desire. Believe when I say. I want it that way. But we are two worlds apart. Can't reach to your heart. When you say. That I want it that way."

She had quite the lovely voice, both of them noted, she could be a great and popular singer if she got over her shyness.

But the Host knew why she was singing. "Eh, there's nothing inside."

Tara was shocked. "What?"

"Seriously, there's nothing in there, no Demon, just some good ol' fashioned powerful magic, which comes from you", the Host pointed at her head, and then her heart. "But no Demon."

"Huh?" Tara couldn't believe it! She had been afraid of something that never even existed!

"Well, that's great news, right?" Doyle asked as he tapped her shoulder, wondering why she believed her family line had Demonic heritage when there was none.

"Y-Yes, it is", Tara nodded, now her demeanour changing suddenly but slowly, and she smiled at the Host. It was crooked, but beautiful.

Doyle now noted Tara was quite beautiful, if not in the conventional way.

"Thank you, thank you so much", Tara gave the Host a grateful hug. He was caught a bit off-guard but returned it.

"No problem sweety pie, we are all here for something."

Now back at Angel Investigations, Tara had dinner with Team Angel, her personality now different from before.

"Thank you for this, its great, you're a great cook", Tara told Angel with a smile and he nodded.

"Thanks."

"And you…you are quite the gentleman", Tara then praised Doyle.

"Part of my charm", Doyle smirked.

"You too, you are…you are nice", Tara told Angel genuinely. "You listened calmly, you made me feel better."

Angel simply nodded and went back to his food. Both he and Doyle did like her though, with the reveal that she wasn't a Demon, she was less shy than before, a bit more open.

Cordelia sighed and said. "Sorry for snapping earlier, I can get snappy on bad days-"

"It's no problem", Tara assured her, as she knew Cordelia was being genuine. "We all have our bad days."

Cordelia smiled as Angel then asked. "But there's one question- why did you think you were a Demon?"

Now Tara's smile disappeared, and she suddenly started becoming the shy girl they had met a few hours ago again.

"My dad…and my brother, they said the women in our family had Demon in them", Tara revealed to the three. "And only they could control it. They wanted me to stay at home. But I didn't. Mom's gone…" she barely controlled herself as Doyle put a hand on her shoulder for support. "They told her the same…I ran off after graduation…."

"Where are you headed?" Cordelia asked.

"UC Sunnydale", Tara revealed as Angel and Cordelia shared a look. "Did I say something?"

"Nothing, just some…..friends of ours are there too, they joined this year", Angel said, a pang of pain shooting through his heart as he thought of Buffy, and knew Willow and Oz were there too.

"My dad and brother didn't want me gone, they came after me, they're in this city too, took a room in the motel I was at, so I came here to hide", Tara told the three of them. "Hope I didn't offend you."

"No, none was taken, okay?" Angel assured her and she nodded.

"Well, you clearly aren't a Demon, so your dad and brother are bastards who gaslit you and your mom into accepting being abused", Cordelia scoffed in anger, being pretty blunt. "Must be weak and impotent men."

The comment made Tara let out a melodious chuckle.

"You know what? You don't need to think of those two blood gobshites anymore", Doyle assured Tara. "You are not a Demon, your magic is your own, and you are off to college to start a new life, don't worry about them anymore."

"Okay, you're….you're right", Tara agreed with a nod and smiled. "Thank you, all of you."

Next morning

"Here", Tara held out a check to Angel. "For what you three did for me." She had stolen some money while running off too. She hated doing that, but she wanted to be able to pay for her journey and stay in the campus.

And now considering what she had found out about her dad and brother, she felt better about it.

"No problem", Angel assured, taking it from her.

"You're a good man, you know that, right?" Tara asked, and Angel didn't know how to respond to that. She then gave him a hug which he returned awkwardly, but there was genuine affection in the shared embrace.

She then turned to Doyle and told him. "You're a nice guy, didn't expect to find one like you here."

"Well, thanks ma'am, like I said, part of my charm", Doyle smiled as they shared a heartfelt embrace too.

Tara then turned to Cordelia and said. "You were right. They are weak and….and impotent."

Cordelia let out a chuckle and tapped Tara's shoulder. "You're learning, keep it up."

The two simply shook hands and Tara picked up her bag and waved to the three. "Thanks again, and goodbye."

They waved as Doyle called out. "We'll miss you."

Tara gave them a smile and walked out.

Angel and Doyle then exchanged a look as Cordelia asked. "What are you two guys thinking?"

"Some business", Doyle shrugged.

"What kind?"

"Our kind."

Mr. Maclay and Donny were in the motel room as Donny peeked out and turned to his dad. "Don't see her here."

"Probably ran off, damn it!" Mr. Maclay snapped. "We must catch her before she gets to college!"

Then suddenly the door was shoved open, pushing Donny back, as Angel and Doyle entered. Since this was a motel room, no need for invitations.

"Who are you two?" Mr. Maclay demanded as he stood up.

"Name's Angel", Angel shrugged.

"Doyle", Doyle added with a smile, which then turned into a frown. "You call your daughter an evil demon, yet I see nothing but a good person, who's warm and caring and has a bigger heart than I have ever seen. She's an angel."

"Did she send you here? Of course, the demon is already taking root, getting thugs to stop us. Only we can control her! We're her blood kin!"

"You best let us go so we can teach that little demon bit-" The brother was immediately shut up when Doyle decked him, sending him to the floor, and Angel slammed the father into the wall.

"You two clearly have no idea what a demon even looks like." Doyle said with a smirk.

"Allow us to educate you."

Then Angel took his Vamp face, and Doyle went spikey, and picking up the brother by the collar, headbutted him, making him scream in pain as his nose broke and bled, leaving a permanent scar.

Angel decked the father's abdomen, and then his chest, breaking some ribs as he screamed in pain, while Doyle hurled the brother over a table, breaking it as the table shattered.

Angel threw the father down and stomped on his kneecaps, shattering them, while the brother had various broken bones too along with the scar on his nose.

"I hope that was education enough", Doyle said as he turned normal again.

"You live this time, if you go after Tara again, you won't", Angel snarled as he and Doyle walked off, leaving the two bastards moaning in agony.

Few weeks later, UC Sunnydale

The wicca group was in conference, and a certain redhead's comments were annoying the rest when Tara spoke up. "Well, maybe we could uh.."

"Yeah, Tara."

"Are any of you interested in what she said?" Tara asked, gesturing to the redhead, sensing the power within her already, it was amazing.

She was special.

"So you believe that nonsense too, typical", one rolled her eyes.

Tara sighed and turned to the redhead. "Well, they are not interested in the real deal. I am."

The redhead seemed pleasantly surprised and asked. "You are? Really?"

"Yeah, how about we leave here and talk about it amongst ourselves?" Tara inquired.

"Sure", the redhead shrugged as the two stood up and walked off together. "So, you know real magic and all that?"

"Yes, I do, and I didn't expect to find someone who knew it here", Tara confessed.

"I'm Willow. Willow Rosenberg. You are?"

"Tara. Tara Maclay."

And thus began one of the greatest love stories ever told.

And done, hope you all enjoyed it, this was fun to write.

Plus, I really wish we had an Angel/Tara interaction in canon, they'd be great friends IMO. And Tara/Cordelia too, maybe Season 3 Cordelia though in that case.

Never really written for Doyle before asides from having his scenes in my Angel watch-it fic (which doesn't count really) and a fic where the First took his form, so it wasn't really him, so hope he was in-character.

I don't think its a stretch that Doyle could know Lorne.

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