AI offices

"Look who's taking a break from the boinking," said Cordelia as Buffy stepped into the office. She and Doyle were finishing cleaning up the demon-made mess. That is, Cordelia was finishing while Doyle snacked on microwave popcorn. "Buffy, hi," he said, wiping unpopped kernels from his lips. "This is great, I've never seen the fridge so full of food. Usually it's just that creamer stuff for the coffee, and I don't think it really needs to be refrigerated. I can see you're a good influence on—" he stopped, finally registering the look on her face. "What's wrong?" he asked, beginning to panic. "Did it wear off? Is he—" "No," she said. "He's still human. But he's also still Angel and he can't let go of his past. Determined to be miserable."

"That's our boss," said Cordelia. "Or former boss, anyway. Did he say we're out of business? What about our severance packages?"

"He didn't say anything," Buffy told her. "He's too busy wallowing in shame to think about anything else. Besides, he'll probably be ready to get back on the guilt crusade by tonight at the rate he's going," she said bitterly.

"But he's a normal man now, not much of a crusader," Doyle pointed out.

Buffy shook her head. "No, he's still strong. Really strong, actually." Doyle looked puzzled and Buffy decided to enlighten the pair. "He kind of fed from me — a lot — before the Mothra demon bled on him."

"Mohra," Doyle corrected, absently. "So he has the strength of a slayer, forever?" he asked, getting excited. Buffy nodded.

"Oh man, this is perfect," he said.

"Plus, no more worries about him eating clients before we get paid," Cordelia said brightly, starting to unpack a box she had packed only moments before.

"Did he ever—" Buffy started to ask.

"No," Doyle assured her.

"But I always worried," Cordelia said. "And now I don't work for a vampire anymore, and he'll never go all evil and torture us to death. That's such a weight off my mind," she added with evident relief.

"But he's still in a bad way with the guilt?" Doyle asked, gently.

"Oh yeah," Buffy replied. "It's like he can't accept that this all happened for the best. He has so many questions, and they'll probably never have answers."

"Sounds like he needs the Oracles, then," Doyle said.

"Oracles?" Buffy asked.