I own none of the characters of Angel.
OK, Angel, you can do this. He thought to himself before walking through the door. He heard the screams from the other side and it took every once of self-control that he had inside of him, not to kick the door down, run through it and save the man on the other side. He knew right about this time his friends were finding out that he had someone they knew killed. He physically didn't do it himself, but the way that he was feeling, he might as well have. The screaming was getting worse. He closed his eyes, and pictured his family. Connor, Ciara and his beautiful grandson Patrick. He still couldn't believe that he was a grandfather. He was definitely old enough, he had recently passed the 250 mark, but he sure didn't feel it, especially since he had a five and eight year old running around. Catherine and Chase. He had been so evil that every time he looked at them, he knew that he didn't deserve them or their love. And finally there was Cordelia. After Buffy, he was convinced that he would never love another woman again, but he was wrong, so wrong. She had stolen his heart and he loved her more then he thought was possible. She was a champion, his champion. She had done so much good in the world. She had helped save so many innocent lives. Her love had saved his life.
All right, it's now or never. He took a second to steady his shaking hand. He couldn't let them see his fear. He threw the door open and the look of relief on the prisoner's face, almost made Angel turn around. He placed his large hands around the neck of the demon that was giving the beating, and in one effortless twist, he snapped his neck.
"Thank you." The prisoner gushed. Angel grabbed is upper arms and turned his normally handsome face into a vampire with sharp teeth and yellow eyes. "Please." The stranger begged. Angel leaned forward and sunk his sharp teeth into the poor man's neck and began to drink.
Oh my God, I have missed this. Pig's blood is good, but there is nothing like the taste of warm human blood in my mouth. He thought as he drunk. Snap out of it. You will never drink human blood again. He felt his victim's heart rate slow then finally stop. He shoved him to the ground and looked up at his audience and smiled an evil smile.
--
"Who is it?" Cordy yelled through the door.
"Cordelia, it's us. We need to talk to you." Wesley said through the closed door. She took a deep breath. She knew why they were there, at her door. Angel had someone killed. He still refused to tell her who it was because he assumed that she would try to save them and he was right, she would have. She opened the door and everyone walked in with their children in tow.
"Sorry to barge in like this." Fred said.
"No problem, you guys are welcome anytime. Catherine and Chase are playing in their room. Why don't we take the kids back there so we can talk?" All of the kids were thrilled to be back together again. They hadn't seen each other since Cordy and the kids left Wolfram and Hart two weeks ago. Within minutes, they were all playing together like they had never been apart.
"So what's going on?" Cordy asked as she poured them all cups of coffee. She was becoming quite the hostess.
"Angel is evil again." Ciara burst out.
"Excuse me?"
"We think that Angel has turned evil." Wesley explained.
"I was hoping that this wouldn't happen. What makes you think so? Has he slept with another woman?"
"Droman is dead." Gunn said and Cordy had to bite back her tears. Droman was a peaceful demon who had been a huge help when they were battling the beast. He had been able to get them all kinds of resources from the demon black market that without him, they wouldn't have been able to get. He even joined them in the final battle. In a small way, he had reminded Cordy of Doyle. He had unknowingly sacrificed himself for the greater good.
"What does that have to do with Angel being evil?"
"Angel sent a demon to kill him." Gunn said.
"That's impossible. Angel wouldn't do something like that." Cordy said, "You have no proof."
"Droman found us before he died and told us that the demon told him that he was hired by Angel to kill him." Connor said
"This can't be happening." Cordy whispered.
"It's happening. You tried to warn us but we didn't listen Cordycakes." Lorne said sadly
"He is not himself. He is distant, He has been having secret meetings, secret phone calls. If any of us happen to walk into his office during one of these phone calls, he stops talking until we leave." Fred said.
"Like I said, Angel has become evil. " Ciara quipped.
"So I say that we all quit." Justine said.
"You can't. If we have any hope of saving him we have to be close to him and if you all quit then we won't be able to get close." Cordy explained.
"Why should we save him?" Gunn asked, "He killed an innocent demon for no good reason."
"This is Angel we are talking about. There was a reason."
"Cordelia, remember when we were fired. Remember how he was acting? His behavior is very familiar." The group was silent for a minute.
"OK, it's getting late and here is what I am suggesting. We all need to think about the next step. It's late so let's meet back here tomorrow night and bounce some idea's off of each other and formulate a plan." Cordy said. The group agreed, gathered up their children and headed to their respective homes with heavy hearts. Once they had left, Cordy reactivated the cloaking spell so she and her children would be safe. Since she knew that she would be receiving guests, she had removed the cloaking spell in case that they were followed. She didn't want to arouse any suspicions with a non-existent house. Once she got the kids into bed, she lost her brave resolve and she collapsed on the couch and sobbed.
--
The observers in the room dropped their masks and began offering their congratulations to Angel and it made him sick. He knew that they were monsters but hearing them congratulate him for killing an innocent human, made his skin crawl.
"Well done Angel."
"Thank you, I think." He replied
"A lot of people didn't think that you had it in you."
"Why not? I have killed more people then everyone in this room combined. Killing for a vampire is like breathing to a human. It just comes naturally." His ears were offended by the words that his mouth was speaking.
"Just with that soul that you have, and the guilt that would accompany it, most men couldn't do what you just did."
"I'm not most men. I'm a vampire and I got over that guilt thing a long time ago. It's really over rated." Angel said as they all sat at the table.
"We received conformation that Droman is dead by your order. Is that correct?"
"After the amount of money that I paid the assassin, he better be."
"And your staff knows about it."
"They do. I made sure that Droman was left alive long enough to go to them and tell them that I ordered his death and when he was left alone the job was finished. I have all of their office's bugged and yesterday, they were talking about quitting. So my employees will be out of the picture soon and not causing us any problems."
"And your wife?"
"What about my wife?"
"Will she be a problem?"
"She has taken my children and left me two weeks ago and I have not heard from her since so to answer your question, no she won't be a problem."
"How can you be so sure?"
"She is a very stubborn person. She has decided that I am evil and she doesn't want to be with the evil me. Obviously those vows that we said mean nothing to her. Oh well. Good riddance I say. She would have brought me down eventually."
"We have one more act of loyalty Angel." He panicked. What if they asked him to kill one of his friends, family or Cordelia? He could not do it.
"And what would that be?" He asked calmly and a paper was placed in front of him.
"We have heard that if you do enough good things, you will be rewarded and turned human. We want you sign away any chance of becoming human."
"Fine, I can do that." He took a pen out of his pocket at the same time that a knife was placed in front of him.
"With blood."
"Fine." He sliced the palm of his hand and signed away any chance of ever being able to walk out into the sun with his children.
--
Hours later, Cordy was sitting outside on her deck, wrapped up in a blanket, listening to the waves come to shore. She was scared, she was confused and she was mad as hell.
"Hey." Came his voice from behind her. She didn't respond. "Cor, honey are you OK?" She quickly stood up and whirled around to face him.
"Droman Angel? How could you?" She asked with tears streaming down her face.
"Shit, is someone here? I need to hide."
"No one is here but us. I'm not acting Angel."
"Cordy, I didn't have a choice. I'll already feel bad enough as it is, I don't need you making me feel any worse." He snapped and walked away from her and she followed him.
"Answer me just one question. Why him? He was so sweet." She sniffled.
"He was a new player and he trusted me." He answered simply.
"I can't do this anymore. It's not worth it. Innocent people are dying."
"And if we don't do this many more innocent people will die Cordelia."
"I'm sorry. You're right. I just didn't think that it would be this hard."
"Tell me about it." He muttered as he walked into his children's room. He needed to surround himself in their innocence and Cordy sensed that he needed to be alone she curled herself back on the deck chair and waited until he had worked through his own personal demons. He came out with her about an hour later. He stood on the deck, resting his arms on the railing staring out into the darkness. She went to join him, positioning his arms around her.
"Feel better?" She knew that seeing his children tended to put his mind at ease.
"Not really." She turned to face him.
"I'm sorry baby." She leaned up to kiss him, but he turned his face away from hers.
"Don't."
"Angel?" He turned to look at her and the tears were running down his face. She took her hand and tried to wipe away his tears but he jerked away from her.
"I killed a man tonight Cordelia."
"I know."
"He thought that I was there to save him but instead I killed him. I drank human blood and dammit I liked it. I don't like the fact that I killed him and I hate myself for enjoying the taste."
"You're a vampire Angel. You are supposed to like human blood. There is nothing wrong with that as long as you don't keep drinking it."
"I will never become human." He whispered softly.
"Because you drank? That's ridiculous."
"My last test of loyalty to the circle was to sign away any chance that I might have to become human. I signed it in my own blood."
"Oh."
"I always thought that one day, I may be able to take the kids to the park or go into the ocean with you but now I will never be able to do those things. Aww hell, I deserve it after what I have done in my life, especially lately. I never did deserve to be human."
"Bull shit and quit feeling sorry for yourself. If anyone deserves to be human, it's you baby. Sure you were the scrooge of Europe in your younger days, but my God, you have done so much good. Your children love you and I love you and you have never been out in the sun with any of us and just because you know now that you never will be able to does not make us love you any less." He finally relaxed and pulled her into his arms.
"Dammit, I don't deserve you."
"Of course you don't. Have you forgotten who I am? No one deserves me. I'm special." He finally smiled. "There's my boy. Angel you do deserve me. Don't you ever forget it." This time he allowed her to wipe the tears from his eyes and they kissed gently.
"So did the gang show up?" He asked as he sat down and pulled her down in his lap.
"They did and they were furious. I told them to keep appearances normal and show up to work tomorrow and then they will be here tomorrow night to discuss a plan of action."
"Good. Everything is going according to schedule."
"The kids were so glad to see each other again."
"Have they been asking about me?"
"Everyday."
"What are you telling them?"
"Daddy had to go away for a little while but he loves and misses them very much."
"I really do."
"I know it baby."
"I should probably go. I don't want to risk getting caught." He said sadly.
"No, please don't. I haven't slept well since I left our home. I can't sleep without your arms around me."
"Then I'll stay until you fall asleep."
"No, that's worse because then I have to wake up to an empty bed."
"I'm sorry. It won't be much longer now."
"Promise?"
"Promise. Walk me to the door." And she reluctantly did. They stood at the door kissing for a long time. She did not want to let him go.
"Cor, I have to go." He groaned.
"I know."
"You gotta let go of my neck." She loosened her grip so he was able to delicately pull out of her grasp.
"Tomorrow."
"Tomorrow. She affirmed.
--
The next night the former members of Angel Inc, had gathered back at Cordy's house.
"Well none of us saw him today. His Royal stick up the ass was brooding all day long in his office." Lorne said.
"I know how to fix this." Cordy said
"I don't think that we can." Fred said sadly.
"You can come out now." She shouted and Angel walked into the living room and his friends sat there in silence and shock.
"I do not have a stick up my ass and I do not brood." Angel said.
"Yes you do." Everyone replied.
"What the hell is going on? Is this an intervention?" Gunn asked.
"No Gunn, this is not an intervention." Cordelia said and she linked her hand with Angel's.
"Cordy, how can you still be with him after everything that he has done?" Ciara asked.
"Please let me explain." Angel begged.
"There is no explanation that I want to hear in regards to what you have done." Connor said.
"Will you guys just let him talk? There is something big going down that you have no idea about."
"How do you know?" Justine asked
"I had the vision that led us to this point."
"Now this I need to hear." Connor said and Cordy glared at him.
"Well as Cordy said, it all began with a vision that the powers sent to her….." Angel began and for the next hour he and Cordy told them everything, from the beast, to the move to Wolfram & Hart, to his latest actions regarding Droman and the man he killed yesterday. When they finished the group sat there in stunned silence. Trying to break the tension, Cordy brought them all out a beer.
"It was all a lie? The fights? Everything?" Ciara asked and they nodded. "The kids, do they know?"
"They haven't seen me. We all know what a big mouth that Catherine has and we couldn't risk her blowing my cover."
"You knew the whole time?" Fred whispered. She, like the rest of the group, felt betrayed by their lies but at the same time relived that it was all a lie.
"I'm the one who got the vision so I knew before he did." Cordy replied.
"Why couldn't you trust us, me? I'm your son." Connor said.
"The Circle had to believe in my actions and the only way for that to happen was for you guys to believe it. Every inch of Wolfram & Hart is bugged so I couldn't take the chance of a slip up. That's why Cordy had to move out. We needed a safe place to talk and plan."
"How do we know that this place is safe?" Lorne asked
"I had a cloaking and deception spell placed on the house. You guys are the only ones that can see it. If the Wolfram & Hart goons followed any of you here, they are seeing a house that I want them to see and hearing conversations that I want them to hear." Cordy explained.
"Very impressive Cordelia." Wesley praised.
"Thank you."
"So what now?" Gunn asked.
"I need to take The Circle down and I can't do it on my own. If I try I can only do it one by one and they would be quickly on to me and kill me. If The Circle is not taken down we will experience the apocalypse of all apocalypse's and we won't be able to stop it and it will be the end of the world as we know it."
"So once The Circle is destroyed that will stop it?" Connor asked.
"Not quite. Once The Circle is destroyed we will be able to summon The Senior Partners and then I can destroy them. They are protected by an intact circle and once it's broken, they are vulnerable."
"Angel, The Senior Partners are extremely powerful. How can you alone destroy them?" Wesley asked.
"All of their power has a source. Once they are summoned I can access the power source and destroy it and therefore the partners."
"How can you summon them?" Fred asked.
"I have obtained a summoning spell that will bring The Senior Partners to us but it can only be cast once The Circle has been destroyed."
"What about you dad? If you are still around then The Circle won't be completely broken." Connor asked.
"If one member kills another member then the killer's name is immediately erased from the roster per say."
"This is unbelievable." Ciara said
"It's believable. Trust me. We've been living it." Cordy said.
"I know that I have given you guys a lot of heavy stuff tonight but the attack on The Circle needs to happen soon, like tomorrow. I can't risk them learning the truth because if they do they will kill my family and friends. That is something that I cannot let happen. I can't do this alone. I need my team but I want you guys to know that it will be very dangerous. I can't make you help me all I can do is ask, so that is what I am doing. Will you help me save the world?"