*** Liam stood on the street corner waiting. How long must he wait here? He thought impatiently. A girl's touch was only so captivating. If waiting for it kept him on the street much longer, he would seek it elsewhere. Ten minutes later found him on the same street corner and in a foul humor. Stalking off darkly, he wondered what had stopped Claire from their rendezvous.***

This time he came awake on his own, stopping the dream before it could go any further. He didn't want to remember anymore. Those were past times, best left unremembered. Angel knew going back to sleep would only continue the dream. He huffed in irritation and glanced at the clock. 12:00. He had just closed his eyes after returning from searching for the boy. All he wanted was some uninterrupted sleep without dreams. Sighing, he stretched and stood up from his chair. Too tired to make it to bed, he'd crashed at his desk. Cordelia sat at her desk doing.something. Angel wasn't quite sure of her job description.

"How did it go?" Cordelia asked as he poured some coffee.

"There was a boy there but no one named Claire." He said evenly.

But Cordelia was slightly offended anyway. She could be touchy about the vision subject. "I didn't misunderstand. There was girl named Claire at the park."

"I'm telling you she wasn't there, Cordelia. I saved a young lad from some vampires but that was it."

"Young lad?" Cordelia noted. "Since when do we say "lad"?"

"Since I'm from Ireland and I can say whatever I want!" Angel snapped, suddenly irritable.

"Fine. Whatever, Irish is good. But I think you should cut back on the Irish Creamer."

Angel shot her a grumpy look.

"You seem disappointed this Claire wasn't here." A surprisingly intuitive observation for her. Cordy could be cuttingly shallow but she did have her moments.

Angel shrugged, lost in the memories of the last time Claire hadn't shown up when she was supposed to.

*** Claire's house could be seen a wee distance off. Suddenly full of rage, he spit at Claire's house. Foolish girl leaving him on the street corner like that. Spurned for the whole town to see. Actually, the only ones who took notice were the two old men that always found peace to sit outside the General store on the other side of the street. Try to tell Liam that truth and you would waste valuable breath. Intent on his misery, he did not notice the lithe young girl coming to sit beside him.

"Well, a fine catch you are." She barbed him, noticing his darkened brow.

Liam looked at her disdainfully.

"Fine friend you are, leaving me like that and then when you see me sitting here, you find no kindness to offer. I think I'd be better off with my dog."

"Perhaps if you had a dog, but in your foul humor, I doubt even he'd want you."

He glared at her but she just glared right back. A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth for she was a brisk thing. Standing only at Liams' shoulder with thin wispy hair the color of bronze, she had the face of a saint, the temper of the devil, and the stubborn resolve of a martyr.

"Don't suppose you'd mind telling me where you were?"

"When?" she said evasively.

He snorted. "When you weren't with me, that's for bloody sure."

"Don't be thinking that I'm your girl Liam. I can go and do as I please."

"Aye, that you can. But not when you've said you'll meet me."

Her warm blue eyes took on a cold frost. "Bite your tongue. I never said I would meet you."

"You did. In the tavern when that awful band claimed they could play music."

She sighed. "That was just to get you out of the bleedin' place. You were drunk and making a ruckus that would raise the dead."

She made the sign of the cross as she spoke such words. " Being a friend I was, getting you out of their before you started challenging the other drunks."

"So, you were concerned for me then?" Liam asked, trying not to sound hopeful that she would answer yes.

Claire laughed shortly and touched his face lightly. "I might have been." She answered coyly but inside, her heart screamed Yes. She would do anything for a notice from him. Their eyes locked. His hazel eyes captivated by the blue of hers, like beholding the ocean on a summers day. They were so closed their could hear each other's heart beat. Before a word could be spoken, their lips met. Soft and tender, her lips pressed against his. More gently then she would have thought possible, he answered back. He wrapped his arms around her, intensifying their kiss.

"Claire!!" An enraged voice shattered the moment. Pulling away, the two startled young lovers looked toward the voice.

"My Papa." She whispered.

This didn't need to be said for Liam had already recognized the giant of a man.

"Young lady, you should be ashamed. Behaving such with a layabout like this one here. And in public no less!!"

The man towered over the two, even as they scrambled to stand up. "Get in the house and I'll deal with you."

Claire didn't move, her fiery temper surfacing. "Papa, please!! I am not a child, stop treating me like one."

"You have brought enough disgrace to our family with your wild ways. Get in the house before I'm of mind to."

"Make me leave?" Claire finished.

"Why shouldn't I leave, then? I'm such a disgrace after all."

Her father clenched his jaw, obviously enraged beyond speech. Liam held her hand. "Claire, go home."

"What?!" she said, turning wounded eyes on him.

Angelus frowned. "You don't want to be leavin your family. It was wrong of me to take advantage of you the way I did."

"Take advantage?" her father said.

"Yes sir. Claire was not as willing as I hoped she'd be."

Claire fumed. "What?"

Liam just shrugged. "It didn't mean anything Claire. Not to you, not to me. I wouldn't want you to be leaving your life because of a dream that will never be real."

"You don't mean that." She whispered desperately." I love you."

"That's enough Claire!" her father said. He grabbed her by the wrist and started to pull her towards the house.

Shrieking in a fit of rage, she jerked away from her father. "You best be keeping your hands off of me Papa!"

She turned back toward Liam, tears flowing down her cheeks. "Let's go. You and Me. Let's leave right now together."

Liam just stared at her.

At that, she slapped him hard across the face. Then turned, running toward her house, tears running in a torrent of emotions down her face. Claire's father stood watching his eldest daughter for a moment then turned his attention back on Liam.

"Don't think me a fool, lad. I saw that kiss and my daughter was all too willing. You love her for sure. Can't say much for your wits though. Maybe you think you're protecting her? And who's going to protect you?"

Liam was silent as Claire's father led the way back through town to his own house where he would no doubt turn Liam over to his father and they all knew where that would lead. Lost in thought, he was too emotional to think of not following the man. After all if he didn't follow then when night came and his stomach began to growl, he would return home, and his father would be waiting. Best to get it done with now. So he followed and he thought. Claire's father was right. I am a lay-about, a do-nothing with no aspirations, and a eye for the ladies. I'll never leave Galway. The more he realized he truly loved Claire, the more he realized she deserved better. Her family was fairly influential, she had her pick of men who called on her constantly and could provide her with money, fine clothes, status, and maybe even a glimpse of the world. What could I provide? Love. Love bah! What a dreadful notion. He didn't want to settle down. He liked his drink, his cards, the flashy women, and he liked least of all-a hard days work. Break Claire's heart, she would heal and then she would find happiness. Oh Shut up! Liam! He told himself. You're being noble here so buck up. As he followed the burly man to the front door of his house, all thoughts of nobility left, leaving him quaking with fear and frustration.***

Cordelia waved her hand in front of Angel's face.

"Hello? There are two of you in there, one of you has got to be home."

She was referring to the fact that Angel, who had been technically dead for almost 300 years now, shared his body with a demon. If you wanted to be technical, Angelus was nothing but a re-animation of his self, a puppet with the demon the puppeteer. But since Angel had been given his soul back, the demon was at bay, allowing Angel control once again, of his body. Jolted back to reality, Angel looked blankly at her a moment.

Suddenly timid, Cordelia added. "Are you evil?."

Not finding her one wit amusing, Angel got up and began fiddling absently with the coffee machine.

"Any more visions?" he asked.

Cordelia shook her head. "Nope. So far so good." At his look, she recanted. "So far so Bad?" it ended in a question.

"I believe he's looking for me." A sultry voice answered. Cordelia turned toward the voice.

"Can we help you?"

Angel, slowly and with a forced calm, put down the coffee pot.

"Cordelia, "he said in his most reasonable tone "Go into my office now." He was so quiet, she almost didn't hear him.

"We have a client." She answered naively.

"Cordy." He gave her his best 'I've been alive for centuries, I know what I'm talking about." Look. Now, in high school, that look would have meant absolutely nada. Fortunately for her, the rigors of L.A. life, more specifically, the seedier, slimier side, had wizened her. Whether from Angel, or on her own, Queen C had developed a crude sense of impending danger. "Nice meeting you!" she said simply, disappearing quickly into Angel's office.

"Aren't you going to look at me?" the lilting voice asked. Knowing who he'd see, Angel stayed with his back towards her.

"You can't be here. You're dead." Soft footsteps made their way closer to him.

"But then..so are you." She countered.

A feminine touch at his elbow turned him around. "It's been a long time, my love." The speaker was a beautiful woman with hair the color of bronze.

"Claire." Angel whispered, tears rushing to his eyes, which he tried to hold back. "Oh Claire, what have they done to you?"

His hands caressed her cheek, already knowing the answer. She transformed for him. "Don't you like it Angel? You gave it to me."