Disclaimers: Non of the main characters are mine, they belong to other people.
This is an Angel/Charmed crossover set post NFA and Charmed Season six.
Summery: Post NFA. Angel and Illyria are the only survivors. They are demoralized and have been on the run for a year. They have picked up Dana, the crazy slayer and have made an enemy of Buffy. While looking for rest in San Francisco they will meet the Charmed Ones.
(I have made some minor additions to first chapter 1)
Maybe we can help each other
By Grace1776
Chapter 1
Angel remembered the time in Spikes apartment. "So if we make it through this, does one of us get to be a real boy?" Spike said as he stands next to Angel and watches everyone disperse for the last time.
"Who are you kidding?" Angel says, "We're not going to make it through."
"Well, long as it's not you."
Angel never told Spike that he signed away the Shan'shu prophecy. There was no point. Even after everything was said and done and they all fought to the bitter end he didn't think to tell anyone that he signed away any chance he had at becoming human again. Truth to tell he didn't really care.
That was one of the many ways both Wes and Angel had changed in the end. Neither one of them had anything in this world they wanted anymore. Angel was over Buffy, and Nina was right he had no intention of going to be with her. Angel had done all he could for Conner and that was good. It was like a parent giving away his child for adoption knowing he would have a better life.
Wes had lost much of his own ideals and beliefs along the way. Wes had survived abandonment and near death. Fred was the last thing that kept him a good man and she too had been taken away. Wesley had made sure Illyria was taken care of. If she survived she now had the 'humanity' for lack of a better word to walk in this world. Angel and Wesley both had been hurt just too much in this life but they had also nothing left that they must do.
All the things they had been through together. Wes and Angel had survived Sunnydale and five years in LA. Five years wasn't all that long but to them it had been enough to be a life time. Angel knew, he had lived nearly 300 years on this earth, but none of the ones that came before could count like the past five. Wes had given no good byes in the end not to anyone. The last thing he did was to look Angel in the eyes. There was no grievance in that moment between either of them. They would be friends into eternity.
Charles Gunn was prepared to die. He had had his day helping Ann move to the new shelter. She had given him the strength to go through with this night. He knew that it was his fault Fred had died. It was his fault and he would carry that burden for the rest of his life. He knew this and accepted it. That was why he wasn't afraid of dying. Death would be a release from the guilt. He sometimes wished he was religious, especially at times like this. Maybe, if he died, he might see his sister and all his friends from the old crew on the other side. Being dead would be a welcome change.
William the Bloody, Spike, wasn't really thinking about the future. It had always been his way to go into things kicking and punching and then letting what come may. He wanted to go back to Buffy but he knew that was a doomed relationship. He could never be the man for her. So he put on a game face, acted obnoxious and said bring it on. The possibility of death and hell wasn't really a possibility as long as he didn't think about it. It was too scary to think about.
Illyria, former God King of this world, was far from indifferent to the smaller creatures around her. Though her features did not reveal it over the short time she had been out of the Well she had accumulated a great deal of respect and desire towards them…as much as she could at least. She was aware that they were going into a great battle and that the chances of her survival were not…good, but that was what she wanted. She had tasted this world and realized that it was not for her. She recalled her conversation with Drogyn, her jailer.
"Old One…You have no right to walk this earth. Your time has past. You belong to the Well." Drogyn stated, after putting down the game remote.
"Truly," she had replied. "I wish now I had never been brought out of it.
"Do you?"
"I don't know," and she truly didn't. "I play this game. It's pointless, and annoys me. And yet I am compelled to play on."
This was her chance to get taken out. And she also had the desire to repay in kind what Hamilton had done to her. She had been broken and humiliated. She wanted revenge! And like a worrier, die, once her task was complete. Was there a better way for her to go?
Lorne was the only real member of this 'family' to still have hopes of getting away. He wanted to heal. Lorne knew that he would hold the gang in his heart forever. He had grown to be more than just some guy that catered to both sides, good and evil. He had liked even loved the feeling that he mattered and that he did good, real good in his life. But that good had lead him to his mission which was to shoot Lindsey and kill him. By that act he was telling a human being with a soul 'There is no hope for you. Now I am ending you and will take away any chance for change you will ever have." Lorne had never done something so cold in his life and it would, he knew, hurt him.
"Hay, uh, Ange," Loren had said, "uh, I'll do this last thing for ya…for us but then I'm out. And you won't find me in the alley afterwards. Hell, you wont find me at all. Do me a favor. Don't try."
He would not hold Lindsey against Angel. It was just time for him to go and heal. Maybe just maybe he could come out of this one day and look behind him an not feel sorrow eclipse all the good memories. He hoped that he might sing again and do good with his other gifts instead of with weapons. He still had hope.
None of the heroes in that small apartment should have survived that night. They had moved from the side to good, with all its high hopes and ideals to a darker place. Now all they were and all they were meant to do was fight. Charles Gunn, Illyria, Wesley Wyndham-Pryce, William the Bloody, Angel, and Lorne would have nothing but battles to live for after this, if they survived. If they survived it would just be to the next fight or the one after that. They had made peace. In a way, they knew that it was their time.
Angel woke up from his dream. He was sweating and the sweat had made him feel cold. The warehouse was dark and quiet. On the other side he could see Illyria kneeling in a corner. She didn't sleep but she would take time to meditate and break contact with this world. In a way it revived her spirits not always being weighted down buy human emotions and earthly pains.
Angel got up and dusted himself off. It was now a year since Wolfram & Hart was destroyed or at least the LA branch. But LA was the main one. The Senior Partners would have to get another place to be their tool on earth. The other Branches were almost useless with out LA to support them. Angel put on a black T-shirt and got his boots on.
Illyria and him had survived that night almost a year ago. They had then run. They were chased of course but still they survived or escaped. They had bounced all over the world, from LA, to Washington, Mexico City, Jerusalem, Korea, and even Russia.
They stopped in Rome for a short period of quiet and time to regroup but then they had to move on. Buffy and the New Watchers Council still didn't trust Angel. Buffy allowed Angel to stay under slayer protection after hearing his story and Faith who happened to be in Rome at the time was still backing him. Faith still owed Angel. Buffy knew Angel was leaving out things in his story and she knew he had changed. Angel wasn't a champion of the right and righteous anymore. The fact that he kept Illyria with him was to Buffy a sign that he was willing to accommodate evil.
Angel kept Illyria because it was to him the right thing to do. Besides he couldn't get rid of her even if he tried. She would only go when she decided and for now Illyria, former God King, chose to stay by Angel's side as Wesley had once done.
Before they left Rome, Dana, the crazy slayer that Spike and Angel had help subdue said she wanted to go with them. Buffy said no way, but Dana had also put her request into Angel in private. He had said that she was welcome. The small trio disappeared that night. They got out of Rome as covertly as possible. Several Slayer guards had been injured but not killed.
Now they had stopped running and were going to stay in San Francisco. It was a bit close to LA but Angel figured the worst was over. The Senior Partners couldn't send any more demon armies after them. No more corporeal tools to do the dirty work of organizing the evil on earth.
Dana was out some where. She being the only one of the team that could walk in Day light and in human society at the same time was usually out and about finding out what was going on. In the few months that she had joined the group Angel had found her very useful. She was a good fighter even if she needed training and practice. She also had a genuine willingness to help which made it easy to work with her. Illyria also seemed to like the girl, in a strange 'don't get in my path or I'll rip you apart' kind a way. The two women, or girl and man demon in former human woman's body, seemed to bond over there mutual detachment from their emotions. Illyria not being able to deal with human emotions and everything else and Dana with emotional scaring that she may never recover from.
Angel could smell the sun setting and he was getting ready to go out and see what he could see. He had some money put away from Angel Investigation's profits as well as money he took from Wolfram & Hart. Through out their travels Angel had managed to keep them well supplied by using his underworld connections. Angel never dared use his larger bank accounts or old Wolfram & Hart connections. It would be unsafe to touch too much of anything to do with the demon law firm now or who ever might be watching would know where he was. With just Illyria, Angel might have risked it but not with Dana staying with them. Also Angel wanted to separate himself from the Black Thorne as much as he could. He was after all still a member, the only member now.
So that meant they needed to find alternative ways to acquire money. They could steal what they wanted but for Dana to have any semblance to a normal life, and in her state that was more important then most things, Angel needed to get money a more sociably acceptable way. He needed a Job.
Piper Halliwell walked in the park pushing Chris in a stroller and Wyatt walked next to her. She had been running late at the club and the walk she promised herself she would take with her two kids had gone on a bit longer than she had hoped. The sun was almost down and they really had to make it home. Chris was sound asleep in his stroller and Wyatt was having trouble keeping his eyes open. For a two year old he was doing pretty well.
She could see their car a few feet away when Piper heard a noise behind her. She looked around but saw nothing. Piper lifted Wyatt up into her arms and started pushing sleeping Chris a bit more quickly. The noise came again and Piper turned around a gang of teenagers wear behind her. They had knives and chains.
"Nice night ma'am.", said a dirty looking boy with long greasy black hair. "Give us your money!"
A boy grabbed for the back under the stroller before Piper could get her hands free to freeze anything. The stroller tipped over and baby Chris fell out but instead of crying was silent. There is almost nothing more impossible for a mother like Piper Halliwell. She can't put one son down but she can't leave another on the ground and to make it worse the baby wasn't crying it was dead quiet. The boys were hooting and hollering. Piper's mind froze with fear and she physically couldn't move.
A boy was about to punch Piper. He fist was raised into the air but before it made contact with Piper a hand grabbed it. Everyone looked at the young girl with shoulder length brown hair who seemed to appear out of no where. She took a look at Piper, a cold almost feral look then before any of the boys could move she went into action.
The girl moved with speed and strength that no one that night had ever seen. She took to boys by the head and smashed them together. Then with a series of kicks she sent people flying. The boy with the long hair tried to fight back but the girl grabbed his arm and broke it at the elbow but pulling it back. Even after they were down the girl continued to pound on them.
Piper had regained control of her self and had run over to baby Chris. He wasn't moving and she lifted him up. He didn't respond to her touch. She was in hysterics that she couldn't even call Leo or Paige. She didn't even notice the girl about to kill a tall lanky kid who tried to pull a knife on her.
Piper only noticed that a shadow seemed to come over all of them and she heard a voice. It seemed feminine but at the same time it was filled with command, and a promise of death. "DANA, STOP!"
Dana, the girl, stopped in mid move. A tall man in dark cloths was by her side in a moment. He took her in his arms and pulled her away from the boy she had beaten into the ground. "It's alright," he said in soft voice almost lulling the destructive power that had been unleashed.
Piper saw all of this but non of it registered to her. The man looked at her and spoke to another person somewhere behind him. "Illyria, take her back to the warehouse. This woman needs help."
The man then took up Piper's entire vision. He knelt by her and baby Chris. He looked around and took the seen in. Then almost as if listening he tilted the side of his head to the baby.
"He is alive but barley, we need to get to a hospital. Now." The man said this with no room for delay. With strong hands he guided her up and then picking up Wyatt took her to the only car in the Park's parking lot. He got her to open the doors then putting Wyatt into the back seat and Piper with baby Chris in the front drove to the nearest hospital.
Piper looked on as the man got out of the car physically stopped a man in a white coat and brought him to the car. Piper was numb and couldn't talk. The doctor asked several questions and a nurses took Chris on a table. The tall man then handed Piper and Wyatt over to a doctor and that was all she could be aware of. She grabbed onto Wyatt and hugged him as if letting him go would kill her.
"Piper, Piper!" Phoebe said lightly shaking Piper on the shoulders.
"Hu," Piper said after coming out of her stopper. "Phoebe, how did you get here?"
"Sweaty Leo orbed me here." Phoebe said and pointed to the seat next to Piper. Leo was holding a sleeping Wyatt in his arms. His face was streaked with tears and he looked like he had aged years. Piper figured she must not look much different.
"Don't worry; Chris is going to be fine." Phoebe said. Phoebe gave Piper a hug, "The doctor said that it was close but he is going to be just fine."
Piper wrapped her arms around the middle sister. "I froze, they attacked and I froze."
"It's okay sweetie," Phoebe said, "We'll find what demon did this and we'll make it pay."
"It wasn't a demon," Piper sounded short of breath, "It was a bunch of boys, a gang of boys. I had Wyatt in my arms and Chris was on the ground, I…I couldn't move. I couldn't put him down and I …"
"Piper," Leo's voice was low and serious, "you did the best you could and Chris is fine. There is nothing to do but be thankful." Piper let go of Phoebe and then hugged Leo and Wyatt.
"Where did the dark man go? I need to thank him." Piper said after the long embrace.
Phoebe just looked puzzled. Piper looked to Leo who was also giving her the blank look. "He was tall and was wearing dark cloths and had dark hair. He got us hear… told the doctor what had happened."
Both Phoebe and Leo shuck their heads. "We didn't see anyone, sweetie. The hospital called us. They said you had come in and that your baby was hurt. That was all we got over the phone." Phoebe explained.
"Here, take Wyatt, I'll check with the doctor and see if he knows something about this dark guy." Leo offered. "I need to thank him as well."
"There was also a girl, at the park." Piper said, but Leo had already moved off and Phoebe was sitting down.
"We'll take care of it Piper, don't worry." She handed Wyatt to Piper. "Daryl was here. The hospital called the Police and Daryl heard your name so he came down. The desk told him what they knew and we said we get you to talk to him later."
"Good," Piper said "those boys were going to kill us, I know it."
Phoebe just shook her head, "Are you sure they were human, Piper."
"Positive. Why?"
"Well, it is hard to believe that people can do this to people. We may not want to count out demons just yet."
Angel made his way back to the warehouse. He entered and found Illyria and Dana sitting on the ground. Both figures were completely still and silent. Angel walked past them and hung up his coat.
"The woman and baby got to the hospital alright. You did good, Dana." Angel said as he turned to look at the young girl. She seemed disconnected almost in a trance. You could almost mistake Dana for a younger Illyria. She was so still. "I should have foreseen this. I shouldn't have kept letting you go alone."
"The child is not yours to coddle." Illyria addressed Angel. She was not defending Dana or chastising Angel but just stating a fact. "We are all here as individuals with no more control over the others than we control the air that passes through our lungs so we can speak."
Angel joined the two on the ground. He sat next to Dana. He didn't try to touch her or comfort her. She didn't want or need that kind of help. Angel surprising himself realized he didn't want to give it. That was not a good sign and he regretted that feeling.
"I'm looking for a job today." Angel said abruptly changing the subject. "After we get some money we can get things into perspective." Angel looked at Dana, "What do you think?"
The question broke Dana out of her trance. She looked at Angel then to Illyria and back to Angel. She shook her head in an 'I don't know' way.
"Okay, money first." Angel said. He got up and went to his corner of the wide space to lie down. Sun was coming up.
"What kind of…job?" Illyria asked.
"I saw a sign on a door to a club. They're looking for temporary bouncers, so I might as well try out."
"What about the sun?" Dana said. Her voice was low, but Angel's vampire hearing picked it up easy. "I also looked at the sewer map. There is a connection to the building. I should be able to get around easy enough. Also, the club itself is below street level. No windows."
"Hope you don't smell from the sewers." Dana said, she flashed a smile and giggled at her own joke.
Angel gave a half smile back and laid down. Dana may not be completely stable but she at least she had a sense of humor. Angel closed his eyes, not sleeping. He let his memories over come him. Cordelia and Doyal. He remembered the first time he met Doyal, down in his apartment. The fun loving Irishman.
The Halliwell family got home a little after sunrise. Piper took the kids up stairs. They had had a long day. Leo and Phoebe went into the kitchen to make coffee.
"Don't you think it is strange what Piper said about the park?" Phoebe started saying as she put the pot on.
"Well the doctor confirmed that there was a tall dark man that brought them in. She said that he talked to the doctor and then vanished."
"Yah, but the park. I mean a gang of at least 15 guys with knives and some girl just wipes the floor with them. One girl. Sounds a bit over the top."
"We'll see what Daryl says. He was going to check out the seen when he left the hospital."
Speaking of the devil, Daryl opened the front door to the Holliwell manner. "Hey, any body home?"
"We're in here." Called Phoebe.
Daryl came in and sat down at the island in the center of the kitchen. "So, what did you find?" Phoebe asked before Leo could open his mouth.
Daryl shrugged his shoulders. "Well we found 17 young men ranging from ages 14 to about 20. They were part of a new gang that is moving in. We never had this kind of street violence before. It is almost like gangs and thefts are coming out of the wood work. Piper wasn't the only person mugged that night ether."
Both Leo and Phoebe listened with an equal interest. They were hanging on every word. "Now if that isn't bad enough the gang that attacked Piper had been beaten in to the ground. You would almost think it was a group of 20 men just pounding on them with bats."
"Piper said it was just one girl." Leo interrupted.
"Yah, that's what some of the survivors said."
"Survivors?" Phoebe asked letting the word hang.
"Yah, 17 big, strong, young men were beaten to bloody pulps. Two of them died in the hospital and a lot will never walk again. Three had the same story about a young girl just going postal on them."
"This is horrible." Leo said. Secretly he felt that he would have done the same. These people had nearly killed his son.
"Well I personally hope I never find this girl. One of the boys that died and another that has been paralyzed from the waste down has influential parents. The families' personal attorneys and the DA's office are looking to prosecute who ever did this for excessive force. I personally didn't believe that one girl did all of this but if Piper also said she saw her do it than we'll be putting an APB out on her."
"Piper also said that a stranger had brought her to the hospital." Leo offered, "Does anyone thing he had anything to do with it?"
"No one has proof but we are pulling the security tapes from the hospital to see if we can get an ID on the guy." Daryl answered. "You don't suppose this might be demonic, do you?"
Leo looked at Phoebe, "Phoebe was having the same feelings," He said.
Paige chose that moment to orb in. "I just heard, Piper was attacked. How are the boys? Where is Piper?"
"Calm down sweetie," Phoebe said, "She is fine. Piper is ups stairs with the kids and baby Chris is just fine."
"Oh, thank god." Paige said and sat down with relief. "One of my students just popped his head in and said that Piper was at the hospital but then when I got there they said you had already left. I was worried sick."
"Sorry, Hunny, but we just needed to get her home." Phoebe said. "We didn't mean to forget to call you."
"Its okay, with me being at magic school so much I can't blame you."
Daryl's cell phone rang. He opened it up and talked into it. "Hmm, hmm. Okay, I'll be right down." He closed the phone and looked at everyone else. "Another boy died in the hospital. The parents are looking to file charges. Piper will probably be called into give a statement. If this is a demon matter I suggest you take care of it fast. These people have money and are angry."
Daryl left the house.
"Oh no," Paige said, "Piper was interviewing new bouncers for the club. The two normal guys got hurt last week and are going to be laid up for awhile."
"Well can't she reschedule?" Leo asked.
"Are you kidding, Daryl was right, there is a dramatic case of violence increasing in the San Francisco. She can't afford to open the club with out some guys to keep the peace."
"I'll go." Phoebe offered. "I can drop buy and take care of it. After all just which guys are the strongest right?"
Leo and Paige stared at Phoebe.
"What? It's only a temporary job until the other guys get back right?"
Angel wandered through the maze of tunnels and pipes under the streets of San Francisco. He had taken a bath before hand and put on some clean cloths but Dana was right, the sewers smelled. He found the access panel beneath the Club. The hatch hadn't been open in years and for a human it might have taken a crowbar to open it but for Angel, vampire, he forced the latch with ease.
He was about to go topside when a small squeak caught his attention. He was hungry. With out money he hadn't gone to the butcher to buy blood in some time. To make it buy he fed off a few rats he managed to catch, or when they were in Europe he bit livestock to make it buy. With quick reflexes he snatched up the rodent and tore its head of. The small amount of blood he managed to force down. It tasted awful and smelled worse. He would wash his hands in the bathroom before the interview. How the mighty had fallen. Angel the champion, former CEO of Wolfram & Hart was eating rats… again.
He came out of the hatch into a small back room. It looked like someone had lived there a wile ago. There were papers sprawled all over a desk. Angel took a moment to gaze at them. 'Wyatt' kept popping up on all the papers. He also caught the words evil and demons. Normally he would have paid more attention and investigated this but the occupant of this room had moved on some time ago. Angel could smell the sent faying. Looked like he left abruptly.
Angel walked out of the small office space and into the main part of the club. He immediately noticed a woman at the bar. She was short and had had brown hair with well tanned skin. She was dressed entirely too skimpy for her age though. Angel hadn't had time to duck out of site before the young woman noticed him.
"Hey, what are you doing back there?" The woman called. Her voice was some what annoyed and a little scared. Angel wondered why.
Phoebe Halliwell addressed the surprise guest. "We don't open for several hours buddy. How did you get in here?"
"I'm here about the bouncer job." The man said. He was still in a lot of shadow and Phoebe couldn't make out his face. Her first impression was warlock but that didn't quite fit.
"Oh, well your early," Phoebe said. She turned to pick of a clip board and a pensile. "So, what is your na…" Phoebe lost her concentration when he cam into the light. He looked like a male supper model or at least an exotic dancer with his handsome face and those strong shoulders. She shook her head to clear her thoughts. Focus Phoebe, just a guy, just a guy. "I'm sorry what is your name?"
The guy kept good eye contact. "I'm Angel." He offered is hand. She was about to take it when he pulled it away. "Do you mind if I wash my hand in that sink. I got them a little dirty before I got here?"
Phoebe was still in lust. "Oh, oh jay, just over there."
Angel washed his hands and then came right back. He seemed calm for the most part but Phoebe could see he didn't feel comfortable with her appraising him like a prize cow. "So Angel, pretty name, and…" Angel didn't fill in the sentence. "What is your last name."
"Well actually I don't really have one." Angel said. He rubbed his hands together to show he was nervous. "You see I was in foster care and I changed homes a lot as a kid so the last name kept changing. I was an orphan and no known parents. I guess, if it was alright with you that is, Angel is kind of like Madonna or Share."
Phoebe nodded her head. "Okay, Angel, we'll just put Mr. Angel, if that is alright. My sister is a stickler for proper paperwork." Phoebe wrote Mr. Angel on the top of the paper. "So, I have a question list and if you could just answer them as I go this should go buy fast okay?"
Angel nodded his head and grinned. "Fast is good."
Phoebe started with, "How old are you?"
"26."
"Work experience?"
"I ran my own investigation agency in LA and then I worked as an executive in a law firm."
Phoebe looked up, "Why are you trying to be a bouncer if you were an executive?"
"Well, the firm went under and it wasn't work I really enjoyed. I was a body guard for a TV actress for one night if that is more what you are looking for?"
"Really, witch one?"
"Rebecca Lowell"
"The soap star?"
"Same one."
"Wow," Phoebe said. She secretly thought to herself, hansom, and well connected, so sexy. "That must have been interesting."
"Place of residence?"
"I am currently staying in a temporary apartment which is another reason I need a job. Even a temporary one. Me and my family are trying to move into San Francisco permanently or at least for a few years."
"Oh, you have a family?"
"Yah…" Angel regretted using that term. "I have a much older extended cousin, and …a niece."
"Oh, how old is she, your niece? I have a nephew my self."
"She is about… 17."
Phoebe gave him a puzzled look at his pause. "I wasn't very involved with my extended family until recently and well you know how it is?"
"Oh, yah," Phoebe said. Thinking to her self, well at least he is trying to take care of his family.
"Okay, well I have only one other thing to ask and that is for you to sign this waver saying that the club is not responsible for any injury on duty and that the club will give a severance pay depending on how long you work for P3."
"I am not worried about getting injured." Angel said as he took the clipboard and pen. "I'm a martial artist and I've had my fare share of fights."
"Really, you do martial arts. What kind? I am pretty good myself."
"It isn't really any one particular style, I traveled a lot and picked up this and that." After he was done he put the clipboard down. "I'll put in my permanent address once I have one. Promise."
"Okay.
Angel hung around and watched the other applicants come in. Angel knew it would be suspicious if he left through the sewers so better to wait till sun down. Some of the other applicants were very big. Fortunately he wasn't the only one that was staying after the interview so he wasn't conspicuous. He did notice that Miss Halliwell kept looking up and into his direction. A twang of sadness hit his already sad heart. He saw this young vibrant woman but had no desire to do anything with her. He was too cold. Anything he did that even resembled warmth was trained response he had developed over the years. It was meant to make others more comfortable but it really wasn't his true self. Almost like a mask, like the one he wears to cover his vampire self.
After the other applicants had come and talked with Phoebe she made her way over to Angel. "Hi," she said.
Angel blinked as if brought out of a dream. "Hi,"
"Well good news your now an employee of P3." Phoebe said. She had an exited glow about her.
Angel stood up and gave her a thankful nod and a small grin. "Thank you. When can I start?"
"Well you and Charlie," Phoebe pointed to a tall black man, "Can start this Friday. Be here at 6:30, club opens at 7:00."
Angel and Charlie thanked Phoebe and walked out of P3. The sun had set half an hour ago.
"So, Angel, that's a cool name." Charlie said.
"Thanks, Charlie." Angel fell silent. The two men walked out into the parking lot.
"Look forward to working with you Angel." Charlie said as he walked to his car.
"Yah, you to," Angel said as he walked to the side walk and watched Charlie drive off in a jet black car.
As Angel was heading back to the warehouse he decided to take a short cut through the park. It was the same park that he had found Dana, and the woman with the babies. As he walked in a mob of police were walking around the area. A uniformed officer took a look at Angel and said, "Sorry Sir, but you can't come in."
"What happened here?" Angel asked in a low tone.
"A gang got the puke beaten out of them. Three died."
Angel kept his face natural, "A gang, sounds dangerous."
"Yup, the say a girl did it but me, I'd say it was a rival gang. It seems San Francisco is going to hell in a hand basket. It just isn't safe here anymore."
"Tell me about it." Angel said as he turned and headed another direction. So Dana had killed three of them. Angel hadn't taken the time to do an extended search but no one looked to be mortally wounded, broken yes and even paralyzed but not dead. Well what was there to do? She wasn't Faith, he couldn't send her to prison, also it wasn't like she was just killing for the hell of it. She was defending some one. An innocent woman owed that girl her life and probably her children's lives as well. Training, that was what he had to do. Dana needed to be trained to control her powers and to learn that killing is not always the best approach. Still they were alive when Angel had arrived. Dana didn't kill out right. Must have been because of injury later that night. That was good news, wasn't it?
As Angel walked alone in the darkness he heard a muffled scream. He started running and turned a corner into a small alley. Three vampires were beating up on a man and what looked like two teens.
Angel's natural instincts kicked in and he charged in. The first vampire lifted his head just in time to have his fangs kicked out by a flying side kick. The vampire went flying and Angel turned to the two others who just noticed what was happening. A vampire that was holding the two teenage boys, one in each hand, let them go and tried to take Angel on. He swung but Angel ducked low and grabbed the vampire's feet and pulled. The vampire went down and rolled away. Angel stood off with the last vampire, who had already sunk his teeth into the man.
The vampire stood as if he was going to fight. He was about to jump at Angel but faked him out by jumping back instead of forward and running out of the alley. Angel would have run after him but he couldn't leave these people with the two remaining vampires. He let the one go and pulling a stake out of his coat impaled the one that was coiffing up blood from his injured mouth. Then he repeated it with the other one. The vampire had just gotten to his feet and took a step forward took a look at Angel and froze. Angel hit him back down and stuck the stake into his back. There was an "Ah" before it turned to dust.
Angel didn't have to touch the man's wrist to know he was still alive. "Your father will be fine, but you have to call an ambulance."
The kid looked up at Angel and shrieked. Angel realized he had slipped into his vampire face. He changed it back. The two boys were huddled around the man. Angel knew that they were terrified of him. Instead of trying to get them to calm down Angel ran out of the alley and got to a pay phone. He called it in and then went to the rooftops. It would be easier to avoid the police from there.
Phoebe got back to the manner easily enough. She walked in just as Daryl was leaving. "Hi, Daryl."
"Hi, Phoebe, just came by to get Piper's statement."
"Well good luck."
"Thanks."
Piper was down in the living room with Paige and Leo.
"Hay, how did the interviews go?" Paige asked.
"Well mostly dull, huge guys that are on way to many steroids. But, there was this one guy…"
"Wait; let me guess," Paige said, "Tall dark and handsome."
"Well, yah, he was. He was first one in and I don't know there was just something about him. He was gorgeous by the way."
"You didn't hire him did you?" Piper said.
Phoebe gave Piper a guilty look. "Well…"
"Phoebe, I need a bouncer not a pretty boy." Piper was about to start her dramatic nagging.
"Wait, hold on. He isn't just handsome. He was a body guard to, and get this, Rebecca Lowell."
"The soap star?" Leo asked. Every one looked at him. "What, I watch TV."
"Well if he doesn't work out I can just fire him," Piper said.
"I don't think you will want to do that. He'll work out just fine. I have a feeling." Phoebe said before yawning. "Well it's been a long day and I'm going to bed."
"Good Night." Everyone said.
Piper yawned. "Speaking of bed, I'll see you all tomorrow."
"Good night," Paige said.
After Piper left Leo stood up, "See you latter Paige."
"Where you going?"
Leo looked at her. His mouth was grim. "You know where I'm going."
"Leo,"
"Paige, I have to. If I don't who will?"
"Leo, you are letting this thing take over your life. Didn't you learn anything from Wyatt's little living night terror?"
"Yes that I have to be more careful, which I am." Then he orbed out.
Paige sighed. There was nothing she could do.