Angel opened his eyes to find himself back in the room where he had first spoken with the Powers That Be.
"Well done lower being. "The Powers said, "We haven't had anyone pass our tests as well as you did."
"Test? That was part of the test? To take away my soul, and have me almost kill the people that mean the most to me? I almost killed the girl I love!" Angel yelled.
"We took away you're soul, made you Angelus to save you. To free yourself of the curse you had to love someone enough that you could see that love through soullessness. You did that when you saved Cordelia Chase's life. You overcame Angelus because your love for her is eternal." They said. "So the curse is lifted then?" Angel asked.
"Yes. You do not have your curse anymore. From now on there is no power that can take your soul away from you, except us. You will remain a vampire with a soul from this day forth." They continued.
"Thank you, so much. You don't even know what this means to me!" Angel said exhausted.
"It means the world to you, Angel." The Powers said, and with that being said they sent Angel back.
***
Angel found himself in his bedroom at Angel Investigations. He looked down to see Cordelia asleep on his bed. Her hair lay softly against his pillow, and she breathed deeply as though she had been crying. Yet she looked so peaceful there, in his bed. He didn't want to wake her, but she began to stir, and slowly open her eyes.
"Angel?" She said blinking. She sat bolt upright and opened her eyes. "Angel!" She jumped out of bed and threw her arms around Angel. Her lips automatically finding his. "Angel. I thought I'd lost you again. I thought…" She burst into tears.
"It's okay baby. I'm here for you." Angel said pulling her close to him. He slowly sat on the bed and held her shaking body as she cried on his shoulder.
"Oh Angel. I missed you so much. I thought you were gone for good!" Cordelia said, letting Angel wipe away her tears.
"I will never leave you Cor. I belong to you, I never want to leave you again." He said, "I love you." He kissed her again. Angel slowly laid Cordelia down against the bed and leaned over her. They kissed, and Angel's hand reached up and unbuttoned her blouse.
"Angel, we can't." Cordelia said, wishing she didn't have to stop him. "Actually we can." Angel said a smile playing on his lips.
"We can?" Cordy asked softly.
"I love you." Angel whispered in her ear as he kissed her neck.
"I love you too Angel." She whispered back.
***
Angel woke up and wondered if it had all been a dream. Then he felt the warmth of Cordelia's slender body in his arms. Her head rested softly against his chest. He very carefully laid her head down on the pillow and got up slowly. He had dreamt of this night for a very long time, but he had never imagined it being this perfect. He stood by the window, wearing only boxers, and looked up at the stars. Then he looked back at Cordy. The pale moonlight shone across her face. She was the one who looked like an angel. Yes, she was his beautiful sleeping angel. He looked back outside, at the full moon and bright stars. Then he turned to see Cordelia standing behind him, the sheet wrapped around here bare body.
"Are you okay?" She asked looking worried. He smiled at her. The smile that made her insides melt.
"I'm fine. Come here Cor." He said reaching out his hand to her. He pulled her in front of him, and wrapped his arms around her waist.
"Mmm, this is nice." Cordy said smiling up at him, "Being with you like this."
"It is. I wish we could freeze this moment forever. It's perfect. I've waited for you for so long, and I thought I'd lost you for good. Now you're here in my arms, and I never want to let you go again." Angel said.
He slowly sat back into his big armchair, pulling Cordy onto his lap. She felt his bare chest against her back, and she leaned her head onto his shoulder.
"You can keep me Angel. I belong to you. We belong together, and I won't leave you ever again." She said softly. She turned her head and smiled. His dark eyes shone, and seemed to penetrate her soul. This was where she belonged. Here with Angel, forever.
"I know. I'll keep you forever." He said turning her head to kiss her soft pink lips.
***
"Do you suppose she's okay?" Wesley asked worriedly, "Are you guys okay?" He asked, looking at Willow, Buffy and Faith who were sitting on the couch in Wesley's office.
They all looked pretty beat up and all had at least one bandage.
"Aww we're fine Wes, five by five. But I'm sure Cordelia is not as okay." Faith said.
"Poor girl. I don't even get it. What the hell happened back there?" Buffy asked. "Angelus saved her Wesley! Did he suddenly get his soul back? It doesn't make sense. He pulled her up from that ledge, and then he just disappeared. Just like that. And Cordelia is not okay. Faith is right. She loved him, Wes. I can tell now, she really did. And he just disappeared."
"Yeah, that is bloody strange if you ask me." Spike said, putting his arm around his injured wife.
"It was something mystical guys. But Cordy won't take this well. How could we expect her to?" Willow said.
"Our little cupcake just needs some time. She'll be alright, after time." Lorne said.
"Are you guys talking about me?" Cordy asked, standing in the doorway in her robe, with a grin on her face.
"Cordelia! Are you okay? Can we get you anything?" Wesley asked, jumping up.
"I'm fine guys. Perfect. I have a surprise for all of you." Cordy said. Angel walked in behind her.
"Hey guys!" Angel said grinning.
"Angel!" Wesley said, "You're alive?"
"Well, yeah. I'm great." He said, then he caught sight of Willow, Buffy and Faith.
"Oh God. Are…are you guys okay? Did I…" Angel stuttered.
"Don't worry Angel. We know it wasn't you. We're pretty tough, we'll be fine." Buffy said smiling.
"I'm so sorry." Angel said.
"Well we forgive you. Five by five." Faith said smiling at him, "Good to see you're not dead, what the hell happened back there?"
"It's a long story. You'll know soon enough, I'm sure." He said grinning at Cordy.
"Don't worry, you'll make it up to us by getting with Cordy at last right? I mean you two just need to hook up already!" Gunn said laughing.
Cordelia blushed, and if Angel could have, he certainly would too.
"Oh. But...how?" Gunn said laughing.
"Hey you two...how? I mean. No. You didn't? But the curse? And Angel still seems all 'soul-having'. But you...well you know!" Spike blurted.
"Um yeah...I uh...don't have a curse anymore." Angel said, obviously embarrassed.
"So you guys finally...uh...got together then?" Gunn asked supressing his laughter.
Angel put his arm around Cordelia. "I guess you could say that, yeah. So you can all stop talking behind our backs now eh?" Angel said grinning to feel less embarrassed.
"Oh Charles, that'll be $50 then." Wesley said holding an open hand out to Gunn.
"You made a bet on us?!?" Cordy asked.
"Uh huh. We have had this going since that night at the ballet. You guys know you have wanted each other since then? I knew you two would hook up someday." Wes said grinning. "Needless to say I won, thanks to your 'getting together'last night."
Cordy blushed again.
"Anyway, not to change the lovely topic of conversation, but I am reading some major hunger vibes. Let's eat!" Lorne said, "Breakfast is ready."
***
The group all sat around the big table in the building's kitchen. Angel looked around the table. These were all his dearest friends. The people he loved most in the whole world.
Buffy, his first, real, love; she was still a great friend, but they were only friends now, although he knew he'd always have a place for her in his heart.
Spike, once his enemy, but Spike had become a man, and was almost a friends to Angel.
Gunn, street kid gone lawyer and this guy would do anything for Angel.
Wesley, the brains; he misses Fred so much, yet manages to move on bravely.
Willow, the witch who had saved his life more times than he could count.
Lorne, a true friend that would give his life for all of them.
Faith, he had saved this girl; brought her back, when no one else could.
And then there was Cordelia Chase. He couldn't live without Cordy. She was his everything, and the only one he would ever love. He loved her with his whole, un-beating heart, and always would.
Angel watched as his friends talked and laughed. Cordy put her hand on his knee and leaned over towards him.
"What's on your mind Angel?" She asked.
"Nothing, I was just thinking. Eveything's perfect now. Everything." He said smiling at her.
"It is isn't it? Perfect." Cordelia said.
"We've made many tough decisions to get here, and now we're all through. We deserve happiness, and now we have it. All of us. And I have you at last." Angel said.
"That's true." Cordelia lifted her glass of orange juice, "A toast to tough decisions and peace at last." The gang all toasted and continued.
Everything was perfect. They were all happy at last.
The End.
"Well done lower being. "The Powers said, "We haven't had anyone pass our tests as well as you did."
"Test? That was part of the test? To take away my soul, and have me almost kill the people that mean the most to me? I almost killed the girl I love!" Angel yelled.
"We took away you're soul, made you Angelus to save you. To free yourself of the curse you had to love someone enough that you could see that love through soullessness. You did that when you saved Cordelia Chase's life. You overcame Angelus because your love for her is eternal." They said. "So the curse is lifted then?" Angel asked.
"Yes. You do not have your curse anymore. From now on there is no power that can take your soul away from you, except us. You will remain a vampire with a soul from this day forth." They continued.
"Thank you, so much. You don't even know what this means to me!" Angel said exhausted.
"It means the world to you, Angel." The Powers said, and with that being said they sent Angel back.
***
Angel found himself in his bedroom at Angel Investigations. He looked down to see Cordelia asleep on his bed. Her hair lay softly against his pillow, and she breathed deeply as though she had been crying. Yet she looked so peaceful there, in his bed. He didn't want to wake her, but she began to stir, and slowly open her eyes.
"Angel?" She said blinking. She sat bolt upright and opened her eyes. "Angel!" She jumped out of bed and threw her arms around Angel. Her lips automatically finding his. "Angel. I thought I'd lost you again. I thought…" She burst into tears.
"It's okay baby. I'm here for you." Angel said pulling her close to him. He slowly sat on the bed and held her shaking body as she cried on his shoulder.
"Oh Angel. I missed you so much. I thought you were gone for good!" Cordelia said, letting Angel wipe away her tears.
"I will never leave you Cor. I belong to you, I never want to leave you again." He said, "I love you." He kissed her again. Angel slowly laid Cordelia down against the bed and leaned over her. They kissed, and Angel's hand reached up and unbuttoned her blouse.
"Angel, we can't." Cordelia said, wishing she didn't have to stop him. "Actually we can." Angel said a smile playing on his lips.
"We can?" Cordy asked softly.
"I love you." Angel whispered in her ear as he kissed her neck.
"I love you too Angel." She whispered back.
***
Angel woke up and wondered if it had all been a dream. Then he felt the warmth of Cordelia's slender body in his arms. Her head rested softly against his chest. He very carefully laid her head down on the pillow and got up slowly. He had dreamt of this night for a very long time, but he had never imagined it being this perfect. He stood by the window, wearing only boxers, and looked up at the stars. Then he looked back at Cordy. The pale moonlight shone across her face. She was the one who looked like an angel. Yes, she was his beautiful sleeping angel. He looked back outside, at the full moon and bright stars. Then he turned to see Cordelia standing behind him, the sheet wrapped around here bare body.
"Are you okay?" She asked looking worried. He smiled at her. The smile that made her insides melt.
"I'm fine. Come here Cor." He said reaching out his hand to her. He pulled her in front of him, and wrapped his arms around her waist.
"Mmm, this is nice." Cordy said smiling up at him, "Being with you like this."
"It is. I wish we could freeze this moment forever. It's perfect. I've waited for you for so long, and I thought I'd lost you for good. Now you're here in my arms, and I never want to let you go again." Angel said.
He slowly sat back into his big armchair, pulling Cordy onto his lap. She felt his bare chest against her back, and she leaned her head onto his shoulder.
"You can keep me Angel. I belong to you. We belong together, and I won't leave you ever again." She said softly. She turned her head and smiled. His dark eyes shone, and seemed to penetrate her soul. This was where she belonged. Here with Angel, forever.
"I know. I'll keep you forever." He said turning her head to kiss her soft pink lips.
***
"Do you suppose she's okay?" Wesley asked worriedly, "Are you guys okay?" He asked, looking at Willow, Buffy and Faith who were sitting on the couch in Wesley's office.
They all looked pretty beat up and all had at least one bandage.
"Aww we're fine Wes, five by five. But I'm sure Cordelia is not as okay." Faith said.
"Poor girl. I don't even get it. What the hell happened back there?" Buffy asked. "Angelus saved her Wesley! Did he suddenly get his soul back? It doesn't make sense. He pulled her up from that ledge, and then he just disappeared. Just like that. And Cordelia is not okay. Faith is right. She loved him, Wes. I can tell now, she really did. And he just disappeared."
"Yeah, that is bloody strange if you ask me." Spike said, putting his arm around his injured wife.
"It was something mystical guys. But Cordy won't take this well. How could we expect her to?" Willow said.
"Our little cupcake just needs some time. She'll be alright, after time." Lorne said.
"Are you guys talking about me?" Cordy asked, standing in the doorway in her robe, with a grin on her face.
"Cordelia! Are you okay? Can we get you anything?" Wesley asked, jumping up.
"I'm fine guys. Perfect. I have a surprise for all of you." Cordy said. Angel walked in behind her.
"Hey guys!" Angel said grinning.
"Angel!" Wesley said, "You're alive?"
"Well, yeah. I'm great." He said, then he caught sight of Willow, Buffy and Faith.
"Oh God. Are…are you guys okay? Did I…" Angel stuttered.
"Don't worry Angel. We know it wasn't you. We're pretty tough, we'll be fine." Buffy said smiling.
"I'm so sorry." Angel said.
"Well we forgive you. Five by five." Faith said smiling at him, "Good to see you're not dead, what the hell happened back there?"
"It's a long story. You'll know soon enough, I'm sure." He said grinning at Cordy.
"Don't worry, you'll make it up to us by getting with Cordy at last right? I mean you two just need to hook up already!" Gunn said laughing.
Cordelia blushed, and if Angel could have, he certainly would too.
"Oh. But...how?" Gunn said laughing.
"Hey you two...how? I mean. No. You didn't? But the curse? And Angel still seems all 'soul-having'. But you...well you know!" Spike blurted.
"Um yeah...I uh...don't have a curse anymore." Angel said, obviously embarrassed.
"So you guys finally...uh...got together then?" Gunn asked supressing his laughter.
Angel put his arm around Cordelia. "I guess you could say that, yeah. So you can all stop talking behind our backs now eh?" Angel said grinning to feel less embarrassed.
"Oh Charles, that'll be $50 then." Wesley said holding an open hand out to Gunn.
"You made a bet on us?!?" Cordy asked.
"Uh huh. We have had this going since that night at the ballet. You guys know you have wanted each other since then? I knew you two would hook up someday." Wes said grinning. "Needless to say I won, thanks to your 'getting together'last night."
Cordy blushed again.
"Anyway, not to change the lovely topic of conversation, but I am reading some major hunger vibes. Let's eat!" Lorne said, "Breakfast is ready."
***
The group all sat around the big table in the building's kitchen. Angel looked around the table. These were all his dearest friends. The people he loved most in the whole world.
Buffy, his first, real, love; she was still a great friend, but they were only friends now, although he knew he'd always have a place for her in his heart.
Spike, once his enemy, but Spike had become a man, and was almost a friends to Angel.
Gunn, street kid gone lawyer and this guy would do anything for Angel.
Wesley, the brains; he misses Fred so much, yet manages to move on bravely.
Willow, the witch who had saved his life more times than he could count.
Lorne, a true friend that would give his life for all of them.
Faith, he had saved this girl; brought her back, when no one else could.
And then there was Cordelia Chase. He couldn't live without Cordy. She was his everything, and the only one he would ever love. He loved her with his whole, un-beating heart, and always would.
Angel watched as his friends talked and laughed. Cordy put her hand on his knee and leaned over towards him.
"What's on your mind Angel?" She asked.
"Nothing, I was just thinking. Eveything's perfect now. Everything." He said smiling at her.
"It is isn't it? Perfect." Cordelia said.
"We've made many tough decisions to get here, and now we're all through. We deserve happiness, and now we have it. All of us. And I have you at last." Angel said.
"That's true." Cordelia lifted her glass of orange juice, "A toast to tough decisions and peace at last." The gang all toasted and continued.
Everything was perfect. They were all happy at last.
The End.
