Perviously in Retain Your Receipt - Cordelia has woken from her coma and is on the search for the Angel she used to know. With the help of Wesley she found a way to help the defunked Vampire.

Angel smiled a little, the filtered setting sun warming his cold face. He had heard her whisper to him many time since she had gone. Her silky tone soothing his tortured soul. This time seemed so real. His senses picked up a familiar smell, long since remembered. That was new. He turned slightly towards the door, his eyes widening as her tall, slim figure filled his view. Angel went to step forward but recoiled, a frown on his brow. He seemed to study her, Cordelia smiling patiently. The smile on his face widened further and he rushed forward into the home that was her arms. They tightened around him, enclosing him in their warm comfort. Cordelia rested her head in the crock of his shoulder, where she always seemed to fit so well. Light hands caressed her back, enjoying the feel of his firm press on her skin. He couldn't tell if she was real or this was a dream but for right then and there he didn't care. He had imagined this moment for too long and too often not to hold on to it. They pulled apart slowly, neither wanting to give up the embrace.

Angel tried to open his mouth to speak but nothing came out in sense. Too many questions, too many answers he wanted but he didn't want to spoil this just in case she evaporated before his eyes.

"Where…what…when…how." Angel forced out and Cordelia smiled sympathetically back at him.

"I'm awake. I got an offer I couldn't refuse and took it." She took his hands in hers. "I'm back for as long as you need me and I know you need me. Just look at where we're standing!"

Angel looked deep into her eyes and saw the disappointment in them. He had sold out and he knew it but so did Cordelia.

"I…I had to." He sat her down on the seat in front of the desk and moved his around to join her. "I had caused so much hurt and joining Wolfram and Hart was my only way of putting things right. You needed 24 hour care and somewhere secure to make sure that you got the best possible care. Angel Investigations didn't have that kind of money. I owed it to everyone…"

"Except yourself. Angel, you always put other people before you. Are you trying to make yourself less worthless than everyone else?" The withering look confirmed her fears. " Well don't! You are worth hundreds of these vision-inducing, office-destroying, child-selling lawyers."

Angel shifted uncomfortably. Nobody knew him better than Cordelia. "So who am I if I'm not this?"

Cordelia let out a sigh of acceptance. "That's for you to figure out, bubba. I can tell you who you were. A guy who always fought his hardest for what was right, even when he couldn't remember why. Even when he was miserable, which was, let's face it, a not small portion of the time. He did right. And that gave him something. A light, a glimmer. It made you more human than anyone I know."

"You truly believe that?" Angel asked, astonished by her speech.

"Yeah I do Angel. You think that just 'cos Angelus committed horrific crimes you have to pay. Well you don't! You're no worse than me. I've done some horrific things too…" She put her hand up as Angel tried to interrupt. "…but I'm still a Higher Power. You're still a warrior. You really think that the Powers That Be would trust the world to the hands of a monster like Angelus. I know it's about balance but that's just dumb. I'm gonna stay here until you wake up and smell the truth."

I'll never light up your eyes the way they should

But I'd stay for you, I'd go right through

I'd be here close, when you need me the most.

If You Asked - Longview

Angel hung his head sheepishly. "We are the same thing. Angelus and I. I am Angelus."

Cordelia slammed her fist down on the table in frustration. "Damn Angel. You told me that the thing that bothered you the most about you and Buffy's relationship was that she couldn't separate you from Angelus. Don't you start doing the same." Angel looked away. "You know what? Come on."

Cordelia took Angel by that hand and led him out of the office, her demon strength still there. Confused faces watched as their boss was frog-marched into the lift by a thin, determined woman. She pressed the button for the car pool and tapped her foot impatiently as the lift descended. As they exited the lift, a man beside them sprang up.

"What car will it be today Mr Angel?"

Angel looked at Cordelia, a smile across her fish. "Something sun-proof for the vampire, just in case, and something, um, sporty for me."

"Know just the one. Just fresh out of the garage."

The valet disappeared and returned 5 minutes later with a black, soft top car that looked like it could purr on rails. The valet threw the keys in Angel's direction but they were intercepted by Cordelia.

"6 months in a coma,I get to drive." She flashed Angel one of her 100 watt smiles and his knees nearly buckled.

They raced through the streets of LA, the traffic thinned by the escape for the weekend. Cordelia appeared to know where she was going but Angel had no idea. Eventually the car slowed to a stop outside a typically suburban house. Again Cordelia took him by the hand, this time gently, and lead him to the window of the house in front of him. Inside a small child lay on the floor in front of an open fire while it's mother blew raspberries on it's stomach. The child was in fits of giggles, arms raised above it's head in surrender but still screaming for more. The child slowly quietened as exhaustion claimed the giggles and the mother then cradled the child in her arms. They stayed 10 minutes longer as the child fell asleep. Angel turned away, a pang ran though his heart so hard he thought it would break. Why was Cordelia showing him this? Did she remember Conner? Did she want to show him what he had missed? He turned around as a soft hand lay on his shoulder. He fell into her smile.

"Do you know who they are?" Angel stared blankly at her. "That is the pregnant woman you defended after you killed her warrior. She gave birth to a baby boy. He'll grow up to do great things. If you hadn't saved her, stood up for her, fought for her, she would be dead and the world would be a worse place, trust me, I've seen it." She tapped the side of her head. "You see, you do make a difference."

He ran his hand over the back of his neck. "If I hadn't killed her warrior then she would never have had to fear for her life. I just went in there all gunhoe."

"Angel, Fate is mysterious. She moves in weird ways. Either way her warrior would have died but then so would have the woman. You killed him and took on his responsibilities. You could have walked away but you decided to make a difference. Maybe you don't see it but the people we help, funnily enough, do and that's what counts. Sometimes I wonder how a vampire as old as you can still be so dense." She smiled softly to him. "Now I know Lorne works for you but does he still have a club where demons sing Patsy Cline and serve the best Sea Breezes on the Western Seaboard?"

Angel simply smiled at her and took her by the hand, guiding her to the car. For a moment they stood by the passenger door, merely happy to be there, with each other.

"How did I cope when you weren't here?" Angel whispered in her ear.

"You survived."

Neither said a word as the car sped back towards the city centre, traffic still non-existant. Cordelia concentrated hard on the road not wanting to think, to realise it was all pointless. No matter what they said tonight, it would all be in vain. She had seen what was to come and she wasn't a part of it. The Powers brought her back of one reason and now she was just about done. She would have to leave, walk away from him and that was a fate worse than death itself. Regret, pity and a maze of other emotions ran through her head as the lights blurred ahead of her. It wasn't her decision to make but then again it wouldn't be the first time she had gone against the Powers. Her curse that time was the Beast, what else could they do to her that was worse? Kill her? Horror filled her. She had seen what Angel had gone through when Buffy had died. He would feel her death, granted not as badly but to lose anyone twice would send him back into the spiral she was sent to stop. No she would have to leave.

Soon than she realised they were back at Wolfram and Hart. Reluctantly Cordelia stepped out of the car, not following as Angel made to walk into the building.

"Cordelia? What's wrong?"

"This. This wrong. No matter how much I told myself not to get attached, it happened. I know it's stupid but it happened and it makes it harder to say…"

Cordelia couldn't say anymore as Angel placed a finger over her lips to silence her. He was smiling. "Don't you get it? I love you. There I said it. Yes the 250 year old vampire loves you. I would have told you the day we were meant to me at the lookout point but that never happened. How do you feel?" Angel asked, almost in a whisper.

Cordelia hung her head down. "I have to go Angel. This isn't my destiny anymore. I've fought the good fight and I think we've done a good job, just there still so many people to help. Too much has passed between us, it would be like walking on eggshells all the time and we can't live like that. We'd end up fighting, we always do and I don't know if I could walk away again."

"Then stay." Angel pleaded.

Cordelia shook her head. "What is there to stay for?"

Angel lifted her chin then took her hands lightly in his as the sun slowly rose through the window to the side of them. "Stay for me."

Cordelia looked up at him slowly, a light smile on her face. "OK."

With two little letters the most tragic love story since Romeo and Juliet turned into a blissful joining of two warriors…Kyrumption.

FIN

The last bit was a tribute to the character that was Winnifred Burkle.