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.

Chapter 17- Offer of a lifetime

"What's your game, Lilah?" Angel asked her.

"No game. In fact, game over. Guess what? You win. Which is why I'm here. I have been authorized to make you kids an offer."

Fred, while a bit more accepting of Wesley and Lilah, knew where woman's loyalties lay at day's end. "You can't possibly think there's anything we'd want from you."

"Not so sure about that", Lilah looked at Wesley with a smirk, then turned to them all. "I don't think you'll want it… but you'll take it. Because this is the offer of a lifetime."

A while later, Lilah sat on the sofa, waiting, a look of expectation on her face. Everyone else stared at her, more or less frozen in place. No one spoke for a very long beat.

Finally, Gunn broke the silence. "You want to run that by us one more time?"

Lilah casually asked. "What was unclear?"

Fred pointed out what she was saying. "I think the part where you offered us Wolfram & Hart."

"Just the L.A. branch."

""Just the L.A. branch"", Lorne repeated before telling her. "Hi, from another dimension. What the hell does that mean?"

"It means we give up. You win. We're moving out. Well, I'll be there, but not at the top. The Senior Partners are ceding this territory to you and to prove it, they want to give you controlling interests in our L.A. office. You get the building, assets, personnel, letterhead, paperclips, all of it. It's yours to do with as you see fit."

The whole team was still dumbfounded.

Fred then spoke up. "But… there is no Los Angeles office of Wolfram & Hart. The Beast destroyed it."

"Not the first time the Los Angeles was destroyed", Angel said as he, Wesley, Lorne and Gunn thought back to when Johnny Blaze as Ghost Rider had destroyed the whole building too.

"Yes, it's back. Re-staff and all that. We're bigger, better and shinier than ever. And we want to give it to you."

Gunn was still in shock. "You want to give us your evil law firm? We ain't lawyers!"

"Or evil", Fred added and there was a beat. "Currently."

"What we're offering you is a turn-key, state-of-the-art, multitasking operation. What you do with it… well, that's up to you."

Angel finally asked. "Why?"

Lilah shrugged. "I thought that was obvious. You've earned it. Think of it as a reward."

Gunn asked. "Reward for what?"

"Preventing so many apocalypses", Lilah shrugged. "I mean, our bosses have their own one scheduled for sometime, all of these other apocalypses, they do put a dent in their plans. But now because of you, our apocalypse can come some time."

"So we helped you?" Groo asked in surprise. "That is what you are trying to say?"

"In a way at least, let's see- Thanos snapped his fingers, half of all life died, we lost a lot of staff, your team played a part in helping fix it, Magus attacked, he could have destroyed us all, your team was part of the fight against him, and now you stopped the Beastmaster from taking over. That's more than we have done against any apocalypses threatening our own", Lilah explained to the group before standing up. "Anyway, I'm running late. Think about our proposal. If anyone's interested and wants the grand tour, there'll be a limo waiting outside just before dawn. And hey… good job."

She flashed them a thumbs-up and left.

A long beat of silence.

Fred finally said. "We ended a nefarious global domination scheme, we did not help them in anyway, right?"

Angel looked over at Cordelia sadly, thinking of all the recent events with Angelus and the Beastmaster. He couldn't believe she had been taken over by something evil and had tried to rule the world.

But then again, Angelus was pretty bad too. And he realized the First Evil had subtly warned them of what was going on with Cordelia, but none of them had taken it seriously due to it being a Big Bad itself.

Sighing, Angel went to Connor's room, seeing him sleeping, and thinking about how innocent he was. What would have happened to him if either of he or Cordelia were still evil?

"How you feeling, amigo?" Lorne asked as he walked to Angel.

"I've been better", Angel sighed. "I didn't catch the signs in time, Lorne, in spite of warnings. Now she's in a coma and I don't know when she's going to wake up."

"Give it time, Angelcakes. She'll find her way back to you."

Fred crept downstairs, leaving the hotel and crossing the garden, reaching to the gate to see the limousine before her. She sighed, wondering if she was doing the right thing. Suddenly, Gunn appeared beside her.

"I'm wondering if I should be doing this or not."

"Well, one way to find out," Wesley said, also suddenly appearing.

"Here goes," Fred said.

"Ah, what the hell," Angel said, "We can check it out and still say no."

He had been leaning outside the gate, holding baby Connor, and gave his friends a small smile, before opening the back door, all four getting surprised looks on their faces when they saw Lorne and Groo sitting at the door, laughing and smiling. They then turned towards the open door and moved aside to make some room.

"Come on and join in."

"It is quite the place."

Angel, Wesley, Fred, Gunn and Connor got into the limousine, as it started up and drove away from the Hyperion, reaching Wolfram and Hart, as the group got out and headed inside, getting another surprise, in the cases of Fred and Groo that is.

There was activity in the building, as lawyers and other workers moved about in their jobs, answering phone calls and talking business with each other. Angel's jaw dropped. Angel, Wesley, Lorne and Gunn weren't too surprised considering they had seen something like this before.

Angel's attention was then turned to Lilah as she headed towards them with a large smile on her face, getting followed by several people.

"Nice to see you guys here," she said, "Now, we all have a position for you guys and also a tour guide for you each."

"Divide and conquer, huh?" Angel said, rocking Connor.

"Oh, you're so cynical," Lilah smirked, "We have a whole heap of weapons here if it will make you feel comfortable."

A trolley had arrived with an assortment of firearms. Fred instantly grabbed the large semi-automatic machine gun, as a man in a lab coat approached her.

"Fred Burkle, meet Knox, head of the Science department," Lilah said.

Fred and Knox shook hands, before heading off, as a man approached Lorne.

"If you're interested, there's the Entertainment division," the man said.

"No way, hosay, I'm not…ooh, that's a nice contact list."

Lorne grinned and left, as a man approached Groo.

"He shall show you what you have to do as head of security", Lilah said as Groo was led away.

"I thought I would be that", Gunn said as a dark-skinned woman approached him.

"We have something more interesting lined up for you," Lilah said.

Gunn grinned at the woman, checking her out, before following after her, as a middle-aged and aristocratic man approached Wesley, who seemed to know him.

"Rutherford Sirk, I think you two will find out you have a lot in common", Lilah told Wesley, who glared at Sirk and they left together as Angel glared at Lilah.

"Oh, look at that, it's just you and me. Come on, Angel and Angel junior."

Seeing that he had come all this way, Angel decided to follow after Lilah, as she led him to a large office and grinned.

"By the way, we've got a little something for you. Guess Sunnydale's in short supply. Or not."

Lilah handed Angel a folder and a gold amulet. He took one look at them, before placing them on the desk.

"Buffy can handle herself. They have some Avengers, SHIELD Agents, two Witches, and now Matt and Faith."

"She's still gonna need that."

"She'll be fine, like she always is, all of them will be."

"Well, okay then, Angel, let's move on. This is your office here," Lilah said, "We've tailored it to your needs."

She opened the curtains, as the early morning sun shined through the windows and upon Angel. He cried out, shielding his and Connor's eyes, before realizing that the sun wasn't burning him.

Intrigued, Angel put his son down, before heading over to the window, as Lilah smiled at him.

"Necro-tempered glass. Prevents Vampires from burning up, like yourself. Need to look after our new boss here."

"I'm not interested," Angel said.

He picked Connor up and went to leave, as the phone rang. Lilah answered it, spoke for about ten seconds, then hung up.

"They want you to see everything before you decide," she said

She then pressed a button, as a large TV appeared in the cabinet and was turned on, showing a game of ice hockey, as Angel's eyes widened.

"Whoa, is that hi-def?"

"Sure is"

"So, what about Cordelia? And Connor?"

"If Cordelia wakes up from her coma, there's the Special Projects division. As for Connor, he'll have a playhouse that'll make her the envy of every toddler, as well as a twenty-four hour babysitter."

"Why should I take it?" Angel asked.

"Well let's see, we can take care of Cordelia, make sure her recovery takes a lot less time than it usually would, and for your friends in Sunnydale, well, even if they have all that, it's a Hellmouth there, you think this would be the end?"

"What do you mean?" Angel asked her.

"Think about it, friend, sure they defeat the Big Bad today, but at a Hellmouth, evil is always present in bigger capacity than everywhere else", Lilah pointed out to him, then pointed at the folder and amulet. "That, can take care of it."

"And?"

"Are you gonna agree and sign on as CEO of Wolfram and Hart?"

"That all you got?"

"And I did mention our own apocalypse, didn't I?" Lilah reminded as Angel now narrowed his eyes. "Well, if you work here, reckon you'd be able to keep a closer eye, wouldn't you?"

"Or be distracted by what you make us do."

"Still, I have a point, you can't deny it", Lilah pointed out to Angel. "Even if we distract you, the closer you are, the better eye you can keep, you can stop our apocalypse if you're here."

Angel considered as Lilah added. "And of course, we have the resources to make Cordelia's recovery easier, and there's the matter of the Hellmouth at Sunnydale. World works by compromise, you know that as well as I do. It's not black and white, you are not a knight in shining armor, and we are not the evil Dragon. If you want to change the world, this is your chance."

Lorne was singing 'Something's Coming from West Side Story', all thrilled, ecstatic and reveling in the lobby's acoustics. "Could be… who knows… There's something due any day. I will know, right away, Soon as it shows. It may come cannon-ballin' down from the sky, Gleaming inside. Welcome back, Fred…"

Fred walked across the lobby toward him, a huge smile on her face as well. Lorne took her hand and danced with her. "Hi! Let me tell you, when this cruise ship sets sail, I will be on the lido deck. I mean, it's unbelievable. Secrets of the universe. Like Siegfried, evil. Roy, not so much. Oh, and balance? Very, very important."

Lorne spun a bemused Fred, releasing her right into Wesley. "Oh! I guess we're all straggling back."

The elevator doors slid open and Gunn stepped out, striding purposefully toward his friends. There was a subtle difference in him. A quiet confidence. And he was a little colder. "You look… did they make you taller?"

Gunn was firm in voice. "I'm doing this. Hope it's not just me but if it is… that's all right, too."

Fred glanced at Wesley who didn't seem so surprised by Gunn's revelation.

Groo then returned, looking at them all. "They have good resources, but I shall only take it if you all do. I go where you go, I stay with you."

Wesley sighed and told them. "As much as it pains me to admit it… there's probably a great deal we could accomplish with the resources available here."

Fred was in disbelief. "I can't believe it. Are you saying we should take the deal?"

"I already took it."

Angel appeared behind them with baby Connor, looking a bit conflicted, but determined.

Wesley noted. "You took the deal."

"Executive decision."

"I didn't think you'd—"

"Know a silver platter when he's handed one?"

Lilah appeared with the Sunnydale folder and amulet in hand. She and Wesley locked eyes. Then she looked at the rest and quipped. "I'm impressed by the lot of you. Team Angel, all growed up."

She then looked at Wesley as they walked to a corner.

"I believe we shall be seeing more of each other now", Wesley commented.

"Yeah, same side now", Lilah smirked.

"Do not delude yourself", Wesley told her.

"I think you're the one doing that", Lilah shrugged, and then they kissed each other, silently agreeing that they were going to continue this relationship and see where it went.

The two then walked back to Team Angel as Lilah told them. "Well, one apocalypse is prevented, there's another one, and you don't have to start immediately."

Her hint given, she walked off as Groo asked. "What did she mean?"

"Like I said, we have somewhere to go after our business is cleared up", Angel told his whole team firmly. "We're going to Sunnydale."

And chapter over.

Hope Angel's reasons for accepting Lilah's deal made sense here. Tbh in the show too, he was considering it the whole time, the Connor thing made him rush his decision.

But I imagine he and Wesley would think about the significant changes they could make by running W&H, and with Lilah's reasoning about keeping a closer eye on W&H's own apocalypse, I think Angel should take it.

Now Team Angel is off to Sunnydale, and its not just to give up the amulet, they will join the fight too.

There will be one more chapter in this fic, but that one will be posted after the Buffy Season 7 fic is finished, and it shall wrap up both sides of the story on a good note.

Some of this was taken from The Night Lord's 'Living on a Prayer' so thank you to them, if you haven't read its, an AU of the whole Angel show starting from 'I Will Remember You' with Angel/Cordelia pairing, the first fic in the series is called 'Poster Girl', and its on FF.

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