Something I just realized and was a bit inspired by a conversation with Aragorn II Elessar. Takes place in Angel Season 3, around the time Angel finds out that Buffy had been resurrected.

Disclaimer: I do not own Buffyverse.


"Is he sleeping?" Angel asked as Cordelia entered his room after she put Connor to bed.

"Sleeping like a log, don't worry." Cordelia assured as he got up from his chair and smiled at her.

"Thanks. I don't know what I would've done without you, Cordy." Angel said.

"That's what friends are for, right?" Cordelia smiled as they hugged each other before Angel looked at her. "What?"

"Look, Cordy, have you ever wondered if… I… I mean, we've been through a lot and you've been there for me, when I needed someone." Angel said.

"You've been there for me too." Cordelia said. "We've been close friends for a long time, remember?"

"Yeah. With Buffy… I'll always love her but… we can't…" Angel took a breath. "I'm not the one she needs. And you've been there for me in better ways than she was. Maybe I was scared to admit that I found something that I'd been looking for my whole life and that had been in front of me the whole time." Angel said.

"So… you think that you and I…" Cordelia trailed off. "I mean… if you want to try…. I'd like to too."

They smiled at each other before Cordelia grabbed Angel gently by the back of his head, pulling him in for a kiss. They were making out passionately as they were taking things slow before Cordelia pulled away and smiled.

"What's wrong?" Angel asked.

"Nothing, it's just… I want to let this sink in. Just…" Cordelia smiled at Angel as she lowered her voice into a soft whisper, while reaching for the collar of his shirt. "Close your eyes."

The instant Angel heard those words, his eyes widened in horror and chill ran down his spine, two flashbacks immediately crossing his mind.


1753, Galway, Ireland

Liam was drunkenly staggering out from a tavern, leaving his equally drunken friend lying on the dirtied pavement, when a beautiful blonde woman in white dress caught his attention and was walking down the alley as Liam followed her.

"'What's up?', I'd ask myself." Liam said as the blonde woman stopped and smiled. "What's a lady of your station doing alone in an alley, with a reputation that this one has?"

The woman, turning out to be Darla, smiled. "Maybe she's lonely."

Liam smirked, thinking she would be an easy mark to bed. "In that case, I'd offer myself as escort to protect you from harm and to while away at dawn hours."

"You're very gracious." Darla said.

"It's often been said." Liam shrugged.

"Are you certain you're up to the challenge?" Darla asked, turning around to face Liam.

Liam staggered towards her, smiling. "Milady, you'll find that with the exception of an honest day's work, there's no challenge I'm not prepared to face." He neared her to examine her beautiful face. "Oh… but you're a pretty thing? Where are you from?"

"Around. Everywhere." Darla said ominously.

"I never been anywhere myself." Liam admitted. "I always wanted to see the world but—"

"I could show you." Darla offered.

"Could you, then?" Liam smiled, curious.

"Things you've never seen. Never even heard of." Darla said.

"Sounds exciting." Liam smirked, intrigued.

"It is. And frightening." Darla whispered.

"I'm not afraid. Show me. Show me your world." Liam said.

"Close your eyes." Darla whispered and Liam did as she said. If he hadn't, he would have noticed that Darla vamped out before he felt a sting in his neck as she bit him and started sucking his blood. Liam gasped and fell on his knees as Darla scratched herself on her chest, right above her breasts and Liam started sucking the blood from the scratch before he felt himself turn into something… at first it felt painful but then, he felt reborn… and then he was Liam no more… he was Angelus.


1998, Sunnydale

Buffy and Angelus were fighting with their swords as Buffy cornered Angelus to Acathla's statue and forced him on his knees and she was about to cut his head off, when Angelus suddenly gasped and his eyes glowed yellow briefly. Angelus slumped his head, breathing heavily before he looked up and as Buffy looked into his confused eyes, not seeing the coldness and cruelty in it anymore but kindness and confusion she had not seen in a while.

"Buffy?" Angel… Angel… whispered, looking at her in confusion. "What's going on?" Buffy was unable to believe it as he got up, looking around, confused. "Where are we? I… I don't remember…"

Buffy slowly lowered her sword as she was absorbing the truth and realized that her lover got his soul back somehow. "Angel?"

Angel noticed the wound on Buffy's arm. "You're hurt." Buffy pulled herself towards him as they hugged each other, both of them close to tears. "Oh, Buffy. God… I feel like I haven't seen you in months. Oh, God, everything's so muddled, I…" He kissed her on her shoulders as eyes of both lovers started to get wet.

Suddenly, Buffy heard rumbling as Acathla's mouth opened, with the portal to the hell dimension slowly forming as her eyes widened, realizing what she had to do, even if it would break her heart and she pulled away slowly.

"What's happening?" Angel asked, noticing the horrified look in her eyes.

"Shhh…" Buffy placed her finger on his lips. "Don't worry about it." They kissed passionately like they had not in what felt like a lifetime ago as Buffy was on verge of tears. "I love you…"

"I love you." Angel assured.

"Close your eyes." Buffy whispered, her voice breaking, knowing it was going to be the hardest thing she would have to do, killing the man she loved to save the world.

Angel closed his eyes as he felt her lips touch his again before Buffy pulled away and plunged the blade of her sword into Angel's heart. Angel gasped in pain, widening his eyes as Buffy pulled away, while he tried to reach out to her and Buffy just stared in horror as Acathla's portal was closing because of Angel's blood.

"Buffy…" Angel whispered before the portal closed, sucking him in.

Buffy stared in shock and sadness before she broke down in tears over losing her lover.


Present, Hyperion Hotel, Los Angeles

As soon as Angel heard 'Close your eyes.', he pulled away from Cordelia, much to her confusion, as Angel looked uncomfortable and shuddered as his voice turned into a stammer. "Uh, you know what, I just… remembered… there's a demon I need to… talk to… about a case. Yeah. An informant. I have a meeting I'd completely forgotten. Sorry, Cordy, gotta go, maybe later." He quickly looked around and grabbed his jacket before running off. "We'll take a rain check!"

"But… Angel…" Cordelia called out but Angel ignored her and started to run like hell before he reached the front door and exited the hotel, as Fred, Wesley and Gunn looked at the front door in confusion.

"What was that? Was Angel possessed or something?" Fred asked with a puzzled look.

"I don't know." Gunn said, equally confused.

Wesley went upstairs and entered the bedroom, where he saw Cordelia, who looked completely confused. "Would you like to explain what just happened? Why did Angel run out like that?"

"I don't know. It's like if he had a terrible flashback or something." Cordelia said, while buttoning her shirt.

"Cordy, did you and Angel…" Wesley trailed off.

Cordelia shook her head. "No. It wasn't true happiness. More like true terror." She said, both her and Wesley sharing puzzled looks, wondering what could have scared Angel so much.


I realized, whenever Angel heard from his love interest "Close your eyes.", it got ugly for him.

Darla said "Close your eyes." right before they kissed and then she sired Liam and turned him into Angelus.

Buffy said "Close your eyes." right before she stabbed Angel and sent him to Acathla's dimension.

You'd think that that line would give Angel some sort of trauma, poor Cordy, though and poor Angel too. * snickers *

So, what do you guys think?

Please review and let me know if you have enjoyed this. Originally it was supposed to be a one-shot but after some insistence from my followers, I added a second chapter.

With regards

Bl4ckHunter