How was dinner? -
-The DATE was fine-
-Date-
-Yes we established that last night when Willow made her attraction to me very clear. She's blunt and that makes her sexy-
-To much information. - Angel said bluntly.
-Oh. I thought men like it when two women got together-
-Yes but this is more then we bargained for and I don't see me getting to watch in that scenario.-
Willow looked at Angel in shock. He continued.
So why should I like it? Hmm.-
Willow blushed Angel still had that effect on her. Kat noticed and touched her arm. Angel noticed and sat down with a plop. The women looked at him.
Something wrong-
-Nothing. Now that you two've had dinner can we get to work.-
Willow picked up on his hostility and excused herself.
That was childish and you will apologize to her wont you-
-We don't know each other well enough for you to order me around like that-
-Oh really how's this. Pull that stick out of your ass and remember that women alienated her friends to help you out.-
Angel sighed. Well if you inject logic into it.
Excuse me.-
Cordy sat there and watch Angel go. He was jealous of her and Willow, she wasn't to sure about this sin aero but she didn't have a chose the madness she'd seen in heaven was enough to do what it took to get the job done.
Willow-
-Big bad Angelus, jealous of little old me-
-First off Angelus wouldn't be jealous you'd just be dead-
-I doubt it.-
Cryptic or clear Angel had to think about it. The Willow of today would have probably kicked Angelus ass a couple of times perhaps enough that he would leave her be until he could get his revenge later.
You might be right so much has changed-
-What would Kat be Angel a replacement for Buffy or Cordy?-
He looked at her in shock.
Neither-
-Then what's your problem-
-Nothing sigh she just reminds me so much of Cordy. It's strange and the thought a women would be attracted to you and not me. That's unnerving-
-Tuff shit.-
Now she was mad.
Willow I'm sorry I was a bastard.-
Sigh.
God Angel no I'm sorry. I just go some bad news-
-What-
-They've lost Price Sr. again and it looks like W&H gave him help.-
Angel growled. Willow fallowed him to the office.
So what's up? - Gunn said.
-Price got away again Wesley and Giles were close to him but W&H helped him-
-It seems you guys are missing some pieces.-
Angel looked at Kat.
I'm sorry this is Katlyn Heart my new partner in Angel Investigations-
-What? - Fred said.
-Bloody Hell. - Spike groaned.
-We need someone watching our backs. That's Kat she got an impressive resume and I wanted her here. Problems-
-Not fresh meat for the grinder-
-Hardly Spike. - Katlyn said.
She got up and walked around the table every including Willow eyeing her long legs and short skirt. Angel had to clear his throat and give them dirty looks.
Now the pieces missing you're not putting together. What does W&H get out of this long term deal, the cost of this deal? Who's running it and why. Not just the extended players but the project heads.-
Angel blinked
She right-
-I'll get on that. - Gunn said.
-You might want to call Alexis she is a lawyer she may have some ideas for you. - Willow said.
-I will-
-Get our financial department on it to. - Kat said.
It was a comforting feeling how Kat had effortlessly slipped in the routine with his team.
There are some spells I think I can run. Something pulling the wool over our eyes we keep just missing Price-
-You think he's using magic? - Angel asked her.
-I wouldn't put it past him.-
Willow left them alone.
Did you apologies-
-Yes-
-That was mean Angel-
-I know and Willow forgave me. Do you like her-
-Yes she nice...oh you mean?-
Cordy smiled.
Yes she's attractive and knows how to treat a lady.-
Angel face when pale.
I could get used to that. Men can be idiots on good days.-
Angel huffed.
But in the end a women like me needs a man.-
Cordy smiled as Angels face light up. She missed messing with him, she just missed him. Willow came into the office.
Will did you cast the spell?-
Boy did she ever. Willow saw things she doubted she ever want to see again she was recording it all when a light got her attention it was so bright and beautiful she fallowed. There she was in all her Angelic glory.
Um Angel can you excuse us-
-It's my office-
-Remember our talk-
-Yes but you have your own office-
-Out buster!-
Angel grumbled and left.
Cordeila Chase you had better tell me what the hell is going on or I'm going to cast this spell on Angel.-
If it was possible Cordy when pale.
Its a long story Wills-
-I've got time. Spill.-
Cordy told Willow the whole story. By time she was done Willow was a cross between livid and sick.
Goddess when does this shit end-
-I know-
-YOU-
-Me-
-What did you take the job for Cordy you where in heaven happy peaceful.-
Now Cordy was mad.
Not so desperately needed like BUFFY-
-NO! I don't mean that why is it everytime I talk people think I've go Buffy on the brain I'm capable of thinking on my own. I meant you deserved this Cordy you died for the cause you gave up your love for Angel for you duty-
-Oh. Sighs Because I love him and we got cheated-
-The real reason-
-I like what I had become andI like what I'm doing now. Being close to Angel and the people I love is an added bonus-
-Added bonus. I don't want to lie to Angel-
-I know but Kat is the only way-
-He already knows something up-
-I know. I know how to handle Angel and his instincts. Trust me Wills I'll be okay-
-I hope so. Now maybe I can go home without having to worry about these idiots-
-Maybe not-
-What why-
-Wills we need you and you've out grown the Sunnydale bunch. Screw it you've out grown even us-
-Cordy where are you going with this-
-I'm building a Legacy, Wills one that will last forever.-
It was radical of course but it would work, it had to. If it did things would change, Angel and the gang would be on a fist name basis with Armageddon and making big points to catch up. Willow knew things weren't suppose to go this way but who gave a shit they weren't cheating like evil was they where just mixing things up.
I'll do it. We'll need help-
-I know three candidates. Alexis Davis, Adella Corinthos and Spike-
-So I guess I'm making a trip to Port Charles after all.-
Once done they open the doors. Willow and Angel where having a meeting when Graham gets off the elevator. He head toward Kat office.
Hey where have you been-
-Getting you settled so this is Wolfram and Heart-
-Yeap and where already in the thick of it so catch up government boy-
-Cool who do I coordinate with-
-Unfortunate Harmony.-
Willow passed Graham and stopped.
Graham-
-Yes-
-What are you doing here-
-I work for Kat now.No longer a member the Initiative-
-No I retired. That's when Kat grabbed me-
-Did she? Hmm welcome to the real fray.-
Graham nodded and head toward Harmony. Willow walked into Kat office.
Personal Assistant-
-He knows what he's doing and he can kick butt-
-Was that on his application-
-Yes? At least the one I saw. - She said with a smile.
Willow eyed her friend carefully.
Angel has agreed to head out to port Charles. He's spoken to Alexis they found something out there. But they need to distract W&H New York first. - Willow said.
-Okay you guys go I'll hold down the fort here. - Kat said.
-Kat be careful-
-You to Wills.-
Willow wonder if she should cast the spell on Angel and let him see for himself that Cordy was indeed watching over him. The problem he was moving on trying to be the man Cordy loved and Cordy had a road of her own. Weather either of them would meet on a crossroad she didn't know but she knew this much things had changed and they all had grown quite a bit. Angel for his time with Cordy was a different man and well on his way to his redemption.
She knew that Cordy had changed completely and even in death had a new path to take. She wanted to keep up the fight, she found herself comparing the women to Buffy, Cordy wanted to come back because she didn't think she'd done enough. Buffy thought she had, the difference was Cordy knew she could never DO enough. Buffy had never realized that, course the Slayer had found other reasons to continue her sister and her friends which in the scheme of things was as good a reason as any.
Comparing them in Angel's heart that was at this time no contest. Cordy would win hands down, but with time Buffy and Angel working together again old feelings could come to the surface. The question is what does she do, they weren't children anymore naive enough to believe love just lasted without work. She hoped Buffy knew that and understood it. Then there was the Spike factor, the simple truth was he loved Buffy and nothing she doubts would change that.
Willow sighed and looked at Angel this had gotten so complicated it made her head hurt. Buffy couldn't love Spike the way he wanted, he accepted and lived with that, the very reason he didn't go running to her when he came back from the dead. That was point for Spike. Cordy worked with Angel out of necessity not because she wanted to that was a point for Cordy. But at the core was Buffy and Angel, Buffy Hadn't fallen in love with anyone else, in the hopes she would someday get Angel back. Angel HAD, because there she was this amazing women how could he not.
Willow groaned let nature take is course? No she couldn't because nature had been tampered with when she brought Buffy back, when Spike got a soul, when Cordy became and ark angel and then Kat. Nature was not present, so what does she do? If this continued as is Kat and Buffy would bump heads, Buffy would make Angel chose and in not knowing it was Cordy much to Spikes pain chose Buffy. But there where issues with that clear cut ones.
Buffy didn't know Angel at all.
She loved him but love as we all know wasn't enough. Willow looked ahead, they would get together and it would work. But Buffy couldn't accept certain things, how Angel handled HIS fight, W&H, the choice he himself alone had to make. She wouldn't like thatand make that clear. There was the problem. Life didn't runthey way she wanted especially his; this would only break them up beginning a viscous cycle none of them needed.
ForCordy it was clear, she was in the fight from the beginning. She understood and knew Angel far better. It could be argued thatBuffy could get to know him now, still would she accept him? Cordy grew up with this man, learn to love with this man, and became a hero with this man. Man? Vampire? Cordy knew the difference and faced that, Buffy never could, never would.
No more circles.
You okay you look like you deciding the fate of the world-
-No just what for lunch today-
-Oh-
-Angel do you still love Buffy-
-What-
-Do you-
-Is this an attempt to keepKat to yourself. - He smiled.
Willow laughed that wasn't the Angel they use to know.
No. Do you-
-Yes, in a way. But I love Cordy she very strong in my heart now-
-If you had to chose-
-I chose the woman who knows me the best and except me for what and whoI am-
-Cordy then-
-Yes-
-Year from now-
-If Buffy and I got to know each other better. If she could accept me for who I am now maybe. - He said.
-I see-
-Why?-
tbc
AN: Damn that took a while. I want to know what you think. Am I right can Buffy accept Angel for who he is? Or will she try to do what most women do change him? Review and let me know. The Author.