PART TWO

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

Piper and Leo along with Wyatt and baby Chris walked on into Cordelia's apartment the next morning. Leo skipped around the apartment looking for Cordelia and any sign of Phoebe or Paige. Cordelia came out of the kitchen and saw them, bringing with her a bright smile.
"Hey guys. What's up?" She came to Piper and helped her with Wyatt and baby Chris.
"Well, we were sort of wondering if you have seen Phoebe and Paige?" Piper asked, handing over Wyatt to his new aunt Cordelia. Cordelia cuddled with Wyatt and sat down on the couch.
"No, I haven't. They are missing?" She asked, looking up at Leo who was trying to sense where on Earth they were.
"Yeah, they were at the manor last night but when Wyatt woke up I went to check on them as well. Don't ask, it's a Halliwell thing. But they weren't at the manor."
"I haven't seen them."
"Oh, that's alright, they'll show up sometime or another."
"And you're not worried?" Cordelia asked, playing with Wyatt on the couch.
"Not really." Piper answered.
"Knowing Phoebe and Paige, they're probably off at some..."
"Leo!" Cordelia and Piper said, ending his thought.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
ANGEL'S PENTHOUSE

Phoebe packed up the rest of Angels' belongings and set the suitcase by the door with the other three. Wesley packed up a few keepsakes while Gunn and Spike were in the bathroom packing up his toiletries. Fred came over to help Paige, who was using her powers to sort through the necessary items.
"Is that it?" She asked Fred.
"I think so. But I'm not sure." She paused looking over at the nice straightened penthouse and at the rest of the gang who was gathering Angel's things. "Are you sure we're doing the right thing?"
"We have to be right." Spike said, coming out of the bathroom with a box of things that Angel was to take. "Doesn't Cordelia have all this stuff at her place?"
"She has tons of things. But we're not putting him up with Cordelia. Not just yet anyway." Phoebe said, taking the box and tossing it in an extra bag.
"Where are you taking him?"
"To the safest place we know of. The manor." Paige said, finishing cleaning up the rest of the penthouse.

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
THE HALLIWELL MANOR

Paige and Phoebe orbed back with the last suitcase before Leo and Paige went back to LA to get the person that the things belonged to.
"This sure is a lot of stuff. Where are we gonna put him again?" Piper asked, picking up one of the suitcases ready for orders from Phoebe.
"In the basement, Piper."
"How are we supposed to keep this from Cordelia?"
"Easy. We don't tell her."
"Oh, now that's not going to work. Have you met us, Phoebe? We can't keep secrets."
"Yes we can."
"How?"
"A little thing called the Book of Shadows."
"Magic? Phoebe, we can't use magic." Piper whined, checking on the boys before they went downstairs to set up for their new guest. "Isn't that personal gain?"
"No, it's not. I mean it's not for our personal gain. It's for Cordelia."
"But it's still personal gain, Phoebe." Piper argued as she opened the door to the basement. They saw Paige and Leo orb into the basement with the vampire with a soul. "Good, you're back. Paige, maybe you can run this by me again. How are we supposed to keep this from Cordelia?"
"Magic." Paige simply answered, putting the almost comatose Angel down on the cot they had already made.
"Leo?" Piper whined, hoping he would take her side.
"What? I'm not getting involved in this. Cordelia is my friend too, but I am not getting in this." Leo said, helping his wife with the suitcase in her hands.
"Hey, now that's not fair." Piper put up her hands, and felt the need to freeze him.
"Don't you dare freeze me."
"Why not? You deserve it."
"Excuse me?" Leo came up to her and lowered his lips to hers.
"Okay, you two. None of that. We all know what happens when you do that."
"What?" Leo asked, acting oblivious.
"There's two products right upstairs if you want an example. We need to get this one out of this state and into reality again." Phoebe pointed to the stairs and turned around and kneeled down and looked at the vampire's angelic face. "Angelic, indeed."

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
THE CHASE AGENCY, SAN FRANCISCO DIVISION
TWO DAYS LATER

Cordelia sat at her desk, filling out the rest of the building code papers that Morris had brought over for her. She had most of it filled out when the phone rang next to her. She jumped out of the chair, startled by the sudden noise in the quiet office.
"The Chase Agency, this is Cordelia Chase, how can I help you?" She answered promptly, like she was used to it. Truth was she had slipped many times answering with Angel Investigations.
"Cordelia? It's Spike. How are you?"
"Hey Spike. I'm good, how are you?"
"Not well, pet. You never told me how painful these visions actually are."
"Yes I did. Did you take the pain killers?"
"Yea."
"And the flask?"
"Done did."
"So what's the problem, just take more pain killers if it still hurts and go and tell Angel."
"Well, I would, but this vision isn't for him. It's for you."
"What?"
"I had a vision of you, getting attacked."
"Me?"
"Yes, you." Spike paused, rolling his eyes on the other line. "Look, you haven't much time. It's happening tonight."
"Okay, give me the details and I'll get on it."
"Well, it's not a demon Cordelia. Well, at least he doesn't look like one. It's a cop, I think his name was Harvick. He's coming after you and a girl with brown hair."
"Where at?"
"In front of a pink house. Not really sure where at."
"Thanks Spike."
"No problem, pet. How you doing?"
"As best as can be expected. How are you?"
"Now, both of us know that's not what you really want to ask."
"How is he?" Cordelia put down the pen and gave in to her constant worries.
"He's doing better. Still missing you, but that's to be expected. We all miss you."
"But he's still alive right? Or should I say undead?"
"Yeah, he's still on this Earth." Spike could hear the worry in her voice and her emotions on the verge of exploding. "It's going to okay, Cordelia. Trust me."
"I do Spike. I do trust you, I just don't trust myself." Cordelia's tears started to roll again. She had cried half of the Colorado River in the past few weeks and it wasn't getting any easier. She took a deep breath and wiped away her tears. "Look, Spike..."
"I know, you have to go. Just don't be a stranger to call, ya hear?"
"Okay, I won't. Thanks for calling." She hung up the phone and started to finish up the forms again. She had to get them in by the end of the day, unless the building would be condemned and most likely torn down.

The afternoon had passed by quickly with Morris coming by to pick up the forms and check up on her. She hadn't gotten used to that yet, but she knew she would. He was a sweet man with issues with the Charmed Ones. Her door bell chimed and she looked up to see someone that she wasn't expecting to see: angel.
"Angel?"
"Hi Cordelia."
"Hi." She got up from behind her desk and came up to him. "What are you doing here?" She stuttered out.
"I just wanted to see you." Angel said, giving her a half smile. Without so much as a word, she leaped into his arms. He tugged her closer, probably suffocating the girl, he let go just a bit so he could see her beautiful face. "I guess I'm not the only one who's been lonely."
"Yeah, I guess so." She smiled up and looked into his eyes. "So, what brings you here again?" She asked. Angel maintained his cool, remembering what the sisters had said to say to her.
"Well, I had vacation coming up?"
"Nice try." She walked back to her desk and offered him a seat, which he took.
"Well, Spike had a vision that you were going to be in trouble. I came to help you."
She got defense then, folding her arms across her chest and then came the tantrum. "Well, that's great Angel, but I don't need your help. I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself." She paused and got more defensive. "If that's the only reason you came here, then you can turn right back around and return to LA and your precious Wolfram & Hart."
"Cordelia..."
"No, Angel. Don't start. Look, if you want to stay then stay, but I have work to do."
"I didn't come here just to help you, Cordelia. I came here to tell you that I..." He paused knowing that his course of action wasn't the plan. "I'm just here because I am. I just need to be with you right now. Is that too much to ask?"
"I don't know." Cordelia said, getting back behind her desk and going through the rest of Morris' paperwork that he had for her.
"So, is this all we're going to do? Sit here and fill out paperwork?"
"Well, I could suggest that we go out but there's this little thing called the sun and my former boss and friend here might just burst into flames on our way to the zoo." She said sarcastically, not realizing that the sun was setting. Then Leo orbed into the office. Angel checked his watch. Right on time. Leo looked towards him and back to Cordelia.
"Hey." She said looking up at him and smiling.
"Hi. Who's the guy?"
"Oh, nobody. What do ya need?"
"Hey!" Angel argued. Leo looked back to Cordelia and propped his arms up on her desk.
"We kind of need you over at the manor."
"Why?"
"Demon. Attacking about any minute now."
"I thought I wasn't doing demons anymore. You talk to the Elders?" She asked.
"The Elders?" Angel tried to get into the conversation but Cordelia ignored him and Leo eyed him to go along with the plan.
"Yeah, they said that you are the woman for the job."
"Did they discuss any form of payment this time?"
"Cordelia, you know the Elders don't have any money. Plus, this is for the greater good."
"Yeah, the greater good." Angel said, joining Leo by his side. Leo looked at the vampire, hoping that he would stay on track.
"Maybe your friend here could help us." Leo suggested.
"Him? No, he can't." Cordelia got up out of her chair and subjected.
"Hey, I can help. Remember, I'm a..."
"Yea, yea, yea. We get it. What kind of demon Leo?"
"Why don't we just go and they can show you?" Leo said, grabbing a hold of each of their hands and transporting them all back to the manor.

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
THE HALLIWELL MANOR

Piper lifted her ands up and blew up the demon. Body parts went everywhere and found their way back together again.
"What is with this demon? Doesn't it just stay dead?" Piper frantically said. Paige was behind the stand, skimming through the Book of Shadows. Phoebe was still in the air levitating above while the demon tried to grab at her. One swift kick later, he was on the ground, smirking because the Charmed Ones had not defeated him yet. Leo, Cordelia and Angel orbed in by the door and caught the action show.
"Phoebe!" Cordelia yelled when she saw the demon going after her.
"The sword, Cordelia, the sword." Paige said, waving her hand and placing the sword in her hands. She swung the sword into the demon's side, blowing it up with a swift jerk. The parts again reassembled and Cordelia's eyes became wider.
"Is that supposed to happen?" She turned back to Leo, who was helping Piper get up off the floor from the last blow.
"Yeah, it's been doing that all evening. Paige, find anything yet?" Piper yelled towards her sister. Paige looked up from the book with a weird expression. "I take that as a no."
The demon went after Cordelia this time, taking the sword from her hands and throwing it across the attic floor. Cordelia hopped back, running into an old dresser in the corner.
"Here! I got it." Paige yelled to her sisters as they gathered around the book to read off the spell.
"Cordelia!" Angel yelled, going to keep her safe. The demon turned around then, his hands turning into claws and slicing into Angel. The sisters read off the spell in the distance and the demon ignited into a fire, bursting into nothing. Angel fell to the ground, wounded from the demons' deadly laceration.
"Angel!" Cordelia yelped, kneeling down to where his body laid. Brushing her hand across his forehead, Leo came to his assistance and to hers. Waving his hand over Angel's abdomen, he healed the lesion flawlessly. Doing the same to Cordelia, her cuts on her forehead disappeared. "Angel?"
"Cordelia." He gulped, taking a moment to look at her unspeakable beauty hovering over him. "Hi."
"Hi. Are you okay?"
"I'll live."
"That you will." Cordelia smiled down at him before looking up at the sisters, silently thanking them for the rescue.

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
CORDELIA CHASE'S APARTMENT

Cordelia and Angel were orbed back to her office by Paige and then left for her apartment. She entered while he stood outside, waiting for the right words to come out of her mouth. She turned back around after setting her stuff on the back of the chair.
"Oh yea, Angel please come in." She leaned back against the chair. "I almost forgot about that part." She smirked just a bit and went on to the kitchen. "You thirsty?"
"Got any blood?"
"I don't really have a need for it, Angel." She said sarcastically as he followed her into the kitchen. She opened the fridge and it revealed an array of drinks. "How about a Fruitopia®?"
"What's that?"
"It's just a different kind of drink. Try one." She said, grabbing two glasses out of the fridge and handing him one of them. Opening up one of them for her, she took a swig thankful that she could just rest for a while.
"What kind is this?" Angel asked, looking at the bottle before he cracked it open and tried it. She twisted the bottle around, looking at the label.
"Strawberry Passion."
"What kind did you get?"
"Peach Out." She answered, putting her feet up on a spare chair, while he tried his Strawberry Passion Fruitopia®.
"Not bad." He said, taking a drink of the beverage. They both sat in silence for a while, not knowing what else to say to each other until Angel broke the silence. "So, where do we go from here?"
"Good question. I don't know."
"Me either."
"Look, Cordelia, all I wanted to do was see you. That's all I really needed."
"Great, so you can go back to LA tomorrow then." She said with a half hearted smile and got up to go into her bedroom. He didn't wait. Leaving his drink on the table, he followed her into the room.
"I'm not leaving."
"Why not? No one wants you here, including me." She said, searching in her dresser drawers for her pajamas.
"I hardly think that's true."
"Oh, but it is, Angel." She took some pajama pants and a tank top and fled to the bathroom attached. "I hate to be the one to tell you this Angel, but my life is great now. I have my own agency that's doing pretty well by the way, some good friends that trust me to not reveal their secret and..." She stopped, thinking of something else to say.
"We both know that that's not true, Cordelia." Angel said, leaning against the bathroom door. The door flew open with Cordelia in her pajamas and her hair up in a messy ponytail.
"Angel, I'm not dealing with this right now. Where are you staying?"
"Um,..." Angel stammered, not knowing what to say about that.
"Here," She turned around and handed him some sheets, a blanket, and a pillow, "you can sleep on the couch." She pushed him out of her room and shut the door. Leaning against the door, she slid down to the floor and covered her face, knowing that the tears would come. And come they did. Why was he here? And why now? Paige orbed in the room then, knowing that she was hurting. Crouching down beside her, she put her arms around Cordelia and let her cry. It was the best thing that she knew how to do, at least right now it was.