I own none of the characters of Angel

"I would love to see the fiery redhead. Maybe I can turn her back to the male species." Angelus quipped.

"SHUT UP." Cordy, Connor and Wesley snapped.

"Have her get started as soon as possible." Cordy requested.

"Are you guys coming upstairs?" Wesley asked

"I am." Connor responded. He sent Angelus one more glare and headed up the stairs.

"I'm staying. I want to be here when this asshole is sucked back in to the depths of Angel." Cordy replied. Wesley nodded and headed back up the basement stairs.

"Aww Cordelia, I feel so damn special that you want to wait with me. Gee, I think that I'm going to cry."

"Get over yourself."

"How about a goodbye kiss lover?" She snorted in disgust. "I'm scared, will you come hold my hand?" She glared at him. "Pretty please? I'll be gentle."

"You can't out of here fast enough."

"Oh, poor little soul boy. The guilt that he will feel over the fact that I tried to kill his precious daughter and his worthless son's equally worthless wife." He laughed happily

"Don't talk about Ciara like that. She is a wonderful woman."

"She is weak."

"You are weak. You relish in other people's fear and you think that makes you strong and powerful but it doesn't. It makes you weak because without your strength or your victims fear you would be nothing."

"You do realize that you are talking about your precious Angel, don't you love?"

"Yes I know."

"So what you're saying is that if he were to lose his manly muscles, he would be nothing is that right?" Angelus had an evil sparkle in his eye

"What you don't understand Angelus, is that Angel has a heart."

"You are even more dumb then I thought. Cordelia, Angel is a vampire and vampires don't have hearts."

"I know that dipshit. What I mean is that Angel cares about people and that makes him the man that he is, not the stupid vampire strength."

"Yeah I bet you really appreciated that strength when you riding him like The Lone Ranger rides Tonto."

"You are disgusting."

"It's true, even if you won't admit it I know that it's true. Arghhhhhhhhhh." Cordy smiled as Willow's spell began to work.

'Don't fight it Angelus because it's going to happen."

"You guys are such losers." He clutched his chest as another pain shot through him. "God Damn, I can feel the sickening goodness seeping into my system."

Cordy grinned. "That's right Angelus. Angel's soul is coming back."

"Filthy soul. NO." He screamed

"Bye bye Angelus." Cordy said sweetly.

"You…BITCH." He roared

"That's right, I'm a bitch." After one last agonizing scream Angelus collapsed and stared at Cordy as Angel's soul reentered his body then the form in the cage rolled over on his side, back facing Cordy.

"The spell is complete." Wesley said from the top of the stairs. "Did it work?"

"I think so. I'm going in."

"You shouldn't go in there by yourself Cordelia."

"I can take care of myself." She grabbed a stake off of the floor, unlocked the cage and went over sat down beside him. She gently placed her hand on his back as she felt it shake in silent sobs.

"Angel, baby, it's Ok, you're back." She gently unlocked the chains around his ankles and wrists.

"Cordelia, is he OK?" She rolled him onto his back. His eyes were closed but the tears were still falling.

"Angel open your eyes." He didn't comply with her request. "Dammit Angel, open your eyes and look a me." She yelled and this time he did as he was asked. He slowly opened his eyes, and when Cordy looked deep into his brown eyes and saw the man she loved buried deep behind the pain and guilt.

"He is back Wes." She yelled, "We need a few minutes alone."

"OK." After Wes closed the basement door Cordy pulled Angel into her arms and held him as he sobbed.

"You should have staked me." He snapped. "I don't deserve to live after what I've done."

"Angel, it wasn't you. It was Angelus.

"It makes no difference because I remember what happened. It's just like I did it myself."

"It's only a memory." He roughly pulled away from her and stood up.

"GOD DAMMIT CORDELIA." She knew he was pissed because he called her by her full name. "You just don't get it. Angelus and I are the same person."

"No your not. You have a soul. Angelus doesn't. You feel. He doesn't."

"I ALMOST KILLED MY DAUGHTER." He roared.

"No you didn't. You couldn't do that. You love her Angel. You would never hurt any of us."

"She would of died if you hadn't of saved her Cor."

"She's fine and that's all that matters." She was on her feet and she pulled him into his arms and held him while he sobbed.

"I hate him, I hate him so fucking much." He said once he finally calmed down.

"I know baby I know and I'm sorry. It's all my fault that he came back." Angel stared at her.

"No Cor, it wasn't your fault." She shook her head and this time she was the one crying.

"It was. I should of double checked the clock, I should have watched he clock while we were making love, I should have called the front desk for a wake up call."

"I was there to Cor, I could of done all of those things to, but neither of us did so if there is any blame it should be on both of us.

Cordy reached into her pocket and pulled out his wedding bed. She took his left hand in hers. "I believe that this belongs to you." He smiled weakly as she slid it back on his finger. She then pulled his face to hers and kissed him gently on the lips. "I love you Angel." She murmured in his ear.

"I love you."

"Come on, your friends are waiting to see you." She grabbed his left hand and began to drag him up the stairs. He froze halfway up and if it was possible for a vampire to pale, Cordy would have sworn that's what happened. "Angel, what is it?"

"Ciara." He whispered

"She is fine."

"I said such horrible things about her."

"It wasn't you."

"She….she…will be…afraid…of me."

"She might be and she might not be. In her heart she knows that it wasn't you, the man who has become a father to her. She knows that you would never hurt her.'

"I can't face her or Connor."

"Suck it up Angel and get over it and come on and face your friends and family." Realizing that she had a valid point, he slowly followed her up the stairs,

Everyone but Ciara and Catherine were waiting anxiously in the lobby to see their friend.

"Hey everyone." He said meekly.

"Glad your back man." Gunn said

"Willow, I can't thank you enough for getting me back." Angel said as he gave her an appreciative hug.

"It makes see how far I've come as a witch when I get to recast the first spell I ever did." Everyone laughed.

"I'm sorry for anything that Angelus said or did to any of you except for you Spike. You deserved what you got."

"Fuck off mate."

"Connor, a second please." Connor followed his father into his office and took a seat. "First of all, I'm sorry for what I said and did to you. I'm glad that you came in the cell and beat the shit out of me for what I did. I deserved it. Secondly and more importantly, I am so sorry for what I did to your sister and wife. That was unforgivable and I'll never forgive myself, especially when I see the look of fear in Ciara's eyes that I know will be there."

"I talked to her dad, she understands and she doesn't blame you."

"I hope that's true, but speaking of blame, you had no right to put the blame totally on Cordy. We were both adults and we both knew the rules of the potion. We both could of taken extra precautions to ensure that we met the deadline but we didn't so it is both of our faults."

"I know dad. I was just so scared of what he could do, worried that he would do something horrible to my family, and pissed all to hell that he was back and I took my feelings out on Cordy."

"You owe her an apology Connor. She already has enough guilty feelings about this."

"I know."

"Good, you talk to Cordy and I'm going to go talk to Ciara." Father and son walked at of his office and over to each other's wife.

--

Ciara opened the door. As soon as she saw Angel standing in front of her fear and panic crossed over her beautiful face and she quickly tried to shut the door.

"Ciara honey it's me, dad." Angel said softly.

"How do I know that? Angelus is very misleading and can act just like Angel. I can't trust you." She said with tears in her eyes. Before she could shut the door Catherine caught site of her father standing at the door.

"Daddy." Catherine shouted and ran in between Ciara's legs and out the door before Ciara could stop her. Angel bent down picked up his daughter and hugged her tightly.

"Hiya chipmunk." He whispered

"I wanna fly daddy."

"Not now chipmunk."

"Please daddy. I wanna FLY." Ciara was watching the interaction between them she saw the pain that flashed through his eyes when Catherine mentioned flying. She knew then that she was talking to Angel.

"I said no Catherine." He said sternly and her eyes quickly filled with tears.

"Please fly daddy." She begged

"No chipmunk." She then burst into tears and struggled out of his arms. He placed her down and she ran crying downstairs to her mother leaving Angel and Ciara standing in the hallway.

"Ciara….I…" Angel didn't know what to say.

"I know that you're not him. I saw it in your eyes when you talked to Catherine."

"I'm so sorry for what I almost did to you. I never wanted you to see me like that."

"Connor told me that it wasn't you, that you and Angelus are two different people."

"That's what they all believe."

"You don't?"

"It's hard to explain Ciara, Angelus is a part of me and he always will be."

"I know that you would never hurt me Dad." She said as she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.

"Thank you Ciara." He whispered as he hugged her back.

--

Wesley slowly hung up the phone, He wasn't sure how Angel or Cordy would take this news. They had just gotten Angel back and he wasn't sure if he was ready for what they would be asking of him. He slowly walked out of his office and headed downstairs to Angel's office where everyone had gathered.

"Angel, we have a problem." Wes said

"Oh no, is it the spell?" Cordy asked in a scared voice.

"The spell was preformed perfectly," Willow stated matter-of factly.

"She's right. There is nothing wrong with the spell." Wes agreed

"So what is it Wesley?" Angel asked impatiently

"Spike needs to hear this."

"I don't need Spike's help for anything." He mumbled

"Did I hear that there is a problem that the all powerful Angel needs my assistance with?" Spike said as he waltzed into Angel's office.

"Damn vampire hearing." Angel muttered under his breath then he spoke loudly. "I don't need your damn help Spike, so just go away." Spikes eyes flashed with hatred, as did Angel's.

"OK you two, don't start. We need to hear what Wes has to say." Fred instructed.

"Giles just called. Buffy has been captured." Wes said softly.

"Oh hell." Spike said.

Willow clamped her hand over her mouth. "Oh God no." She whispered.

Angel remained silent.

"Well I don't see what that has to with us." Cordy snapped

"Cordelia, Buffy is your friend."

"She was my friend until she decided to steal my man away from me."

"Buffy has been captured by a very evil vampire in Rome. The only two people that can rescue her are sitting here in this room." Wes looked at Spike and Angel.

"What vampire?" Spike asked.

"Carlo." Spike and Angel looked at each other. They were familiar with Carlo. Neither of them have personally met the vampire, but they had heard the stories and the stories they had heard had a familiar ring to them. Carlo had always been in direct competition with Spike and Angel. Whatever they did in their evil days, he did it too, but with an extra bit of torment added to it. He had a knack for capturing slayers and torturing them for years.

"I have to go for her." Spike said.

"Well good luck with that Spike." Cordy said. She was secretly happy that Angel never responded to the request.

"I need to get out of here." Angel said suddenly. He stood up and walked out of his office toward the basement with Cordy following closely behind him.

"Where are you going?" She demanded.

"Out."

"Why?"

"I need to think."

"Oh don't even tell me that you are thinking about going and rescuing your ex-girlfriend."

"Maybe."

"Oh no you don't. You are not leaving me her alone to go after HER." Angel spun around to face her, his eyes were flashing with anger.

"It's not always about you Cordelia." He snapped before walking through the basement door, slamming it shut behind him.

--

Angel spent hours walking through the sewers until the sun went down and then he hit the streets, killing anything that wasn't human and moved. It felt so good to be fighting evil again. The past two months had been pure torture for him to be confined to bed, watching everyone else do the fighting for him. By the time that the sun had started to come up, he had made his decision.

"You're going aren't you?" Cordy had found him in Catherine's room, sitting on the floor next to her bed, running his fingers through his sleeping daughter's hair.

"I am."

"No matter how I feel?" Angel sighed, stood kissed Catherine on the head, walked over to Cordy, gently grabbed her by the elbow and pulled her into their room.

"Yes, I'm going, but feel free to share your feelings with me."

"You arrogant bastard."

"I really do want to know how you feel about it."

"Fine, I don't trust her. What if it some ploy to get you back?"

"If she wanted to get me back she would of come here when I was burnt instead of sending that asshole Spike. Cordy I need to get out of here. Every time I look at you, Catherine, Connor or Ciara the guilt is too overwhelming. I can't deal with that, and I think that if I can get away for awhile I will feel better."

"I don't trust her." Cordy repeated

"Don't you trust me?" Angel to took her left hand in his. "Because if you don't you never should of put this ring on my finger."

"I trust you."

"Then you should know that I belong to you, forever. You have nothing to worry about OK?" She nodded.

"Is he dangerous?"

"Nothing that I can't handle" He lied. He hated lying to her but it would be better if she didn't know how bad it could get.

"Well I better give you something to think about while your gone." Her hands quickly un-buckled his pants, and slid them down his hips to the floor and she got on her knees giving him a wonderful memory to carry him over until he returned from his mission.

"Cordy." He groaned.