The noise of the hardly ever sleeping city of LA calmed down in Cordy's not so peaceful as advertised neighbourhood towards the morning and now she could really enjoy being sound asleep. When the phone rang, she jerked awake, startled by the ringing. But before she even turned on the light, Dennis handed her the receiver.

"Hallo?" She made the person at the other end know she was there.

"Cordelia?" came Angel's unsure voice from the phone.

"Um, well, you call Cordelia, at the middle of the night, you call Cordelia, what do you get? Not so happy Cordelia!"

"Sorry, I…I'll maybe call Wesley."

"You woke me up already," Cordelia had just remembered that Angel had just told them a few days before he wasn't that strong nowadays he had usually been, "are you all right?"

"Um…I don't know what to do. Nothing seems to help."

"I'll be over as soon as possible," Cordelia jumped up, worried. Since Angel had told them about his problems, they hadn't been able to pinpoint the cause.

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Angel couldn't understand why he felt so miserable either. Of course, it could've been another curse just like Dru's when Spike first brought her to Sunnydale, but it didn't feel like it. He groaned as he felt his stomach churn, turned to the side and began vomiting. He was so occupied with his sufferings that he didn't even notice Cordelia arriving until he felt soothing hands rubbing his back and helping him through the spell. Even with all that, he still noted how surprised he was about that. Not only because she was there so fast and that he didn't hear her come in, but also because the Cordelia he remembered would've run a mile from anything that wasn't completely for princesses' noses. Angel clutched a handful of the bedcovers till the heaves finally let up, although his stomach continued to cramp tenaciously.

Cordelia had become very alarmed about Angel's apparent turn for the worse. She was happy she called Wesley as well on her way to the hotel, but she wasn't sure what he could do for their boss either. Cordelia gripped the wet cloth, and Angel flinched as it came in contact with his sore belly. Cordelia did her best to sooth him through the pain, but unfortunately her touch could do little to alleviate the pain.

Angel's grip tightened on the bed as his stomach twisted, "Cordelia" he pleaded, "I feel s…so rotten."

"Oh, Angel I wish so much that I could make it stop," Cordelia answered, her voice full of compassion, "Wesley and Gunn will be here soon," she said, wondering again what the two men could do in these circumstances, but she certainly didn't have any good ideas yet, "I'm so sorry, " she shook her head, "I promise I won't leave you," she said, this time pleading for a vision from the Powers That Be that would tell her how to help Angel. But before she could have one, or her colleagues could arrive, Angel found himself undergoing one more distressing spell of vomiting that further weakened his already worn out body. Cordelia was scared that he was dying by some unknown poison and wished Wesley there again so she can push him to make another blood test.

Right enough, Wesley and Gunn entered the room together in a few minutes time to see Angel's back turned to them, his body shuddering with the force of each heave. The scene was disheartening, and Wesley got to work right away, while Gunn lifted Angel from the bed, disregarding his objections, and the two changed the mucky bed linen. Wesley had just returned from downstairs, reporting that once again, there weren't any signs of poison or any reason why Angel should feel the way he did, when Angel experienced another wave of stomach cramps. He squeezed his eyes shut, a groan escaped his lips in spite of his best efforts not to scream.

"I'm here," Cordelia soothed.

Angel shook his head in reply to Cordelia's comments. He was unable to talk while the cramping continued.

"Is there nothing we can do?" Cordelia asked the other two.

"I could get some tranquillisers," Wesley offered, "but that of course wouldn't solve the problem. Look, I tested for every weakness of vampires and found no garlic, silver or helium particles in his blood whatsoever. All points to the fact that his life is not in danger over this."

Cordelia felt Angel's body loosen beneath her hands. She knew that it meant Angel was experiencing relief, for the time being at least. She took that opportunity to went her anger on Wesley, "but we don't know what's going on! What I want to know is what do you intend to do about it? Contact the Council, Lorne, get Buffy, fond out if Wolfram and Hart have anything to do with it and no matter what if they can help, go through trials, whatever! Come on, Wesley, do something!" she shouted with her eyes flashing, stance fierce, ready to fight. As always, no chance she would take the opposite choice of flight. So determined she was in fact amazed herself how infuriated and concerned she was getting over Angel.

"I promise you, I have already done all that I am capable of," Wesley assured her, "the Counsel wouldn't do anything, you know as well as I do and I…"

"I have an idea," Gunn intercepted, "obviously we can't take him to a hospital, but I know of a small surgery we can take him to. Remember Wesley when you were almost bleeding to death at the shelter? Anne didn't want to take the chance anymore. Things can happen with those kids all the time and they have no insurance, so she thought of buying a lot of medicines and equipment. And the student nurse who is a volunteer there used to belong to my vampire killing gang. I'm sure she wouldn't mind…"

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The same pain marred Angel's face as he grimaced when Monica, Gunn's old buddy had him lay down on the examination table. The young Latino was running a scanner over his belly, examining the vampire reluctantly. She just about got over the fact that Gunn assured her this vampire was a noble one, but the anatomy she really wasn't sure about. Not to mention she was only in her second year at college. Angel had remained quiet, letting the woman prod him. He'd submitted himself to whatever tests she considered as necessary, concentrating on holding back the pain that his illness and the prodding itself caused him.

Finally, Monica shook her head, "I can give you some painkillers, but this is beyond me. I'm sorry."

Cordelia jumped up, "Wesley! Think! We need to do something," she was desperate now.

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Giles sat on the couch in Buffy's living room reading for the last hour. It wasn't at all unusual, not even the staring into the space somewhere around the coffee table.

Buffy was doing some housework, cleaning. After she'd all finished and Giles was still in the same place, curiosity took over, "Giles? Giles. What are you doing?"

Giles looked up to her, still thoughtful.

"Just I thought I'd ask. Since I wanted to clean the couch you were sitting on?"

"Ah, Buffy."

"Yes, hello, my house you are in?"

"I thought you might also be interested in this one."

"What is it?"

"It's one of the most interesting watcher's files that the council has ever sent me. Some sort of proof for the council finally recognising Angel's efforts on their side. Very surprising that. Do you think I should file for Spike's recognition? I so far had not written much about him, believing it's pointless. Read it and see what you think." With that, he handed it over, "I don't see any reason why you wouldn't be allowed to have a look at it. It's a report written by Dr. George Royal. Remember I told you the council has some of its own doctors in case slayers needed them? With their healing capacities being different than ordinary people's, we sometimes get their opinion. I used to know George, he is of the same age as me, and we trained together being a watcher. Currently he is responsible for the well being of all slayers in North America. He also specialises in demon anatomy. Well, I'll let you read it, I must go to the post office to send them some other files." He shut the door behind himself.

Buffy opened the green folder.

Report 25/2003-01-18
Filed in interest of the council's Vampire Research
Headquarters, London.

Medical examination carried out on the request of ex-watcher Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, on vampire Angel (filed name Angelus)

Patient presented with severe abdominal pain, rebound sensitivity in epigastric and left upper quadrant. General weakness, vomiting, presumably higher temperature than normal. Drug and venom screen negative. Stomach presents small to palpation.
Antecedents: none known, 48 hours no change.

Ultrasound reveals inflammation of stomach lining, esp. pylorus. Supposed cause: lengthy inadequate nutrition.

Recommendations: rest, Sulfasalazine 4g/day, oral. Could not be kept down as anything else.

Administered: Sulfasalazine, 4g/ iv.; blood, full, human 2l/day IV. Continued for 5 days.

Progress: slow, but responding to anti-inflammatory drug. Changed to oral, successful. Digestion functional. Further consultations refused.

Recommendations: continued drug and diet requirements. Prognosis: relapses in case on non-human rations.

Additional reason for filing: request for supply of human blood, 3l/week.

Request honoured by Council decision 345/2003, 2l/week, to be lifted by ex watcher Wesley Wyndam-Pryce at Sinai Hosp, LA. from Dr. Bertha, Mondays at 11 am.

That was all. She felt her heart pounding while reading, for the worries and feel for her ex lover, but she was very pleased at the end. The Council was virtually feeding Angel! That was recognition indeed. He earnt it.

The End.