Part 4

"Explain to me why I'm here again." Cordelia said, arms wrapped tight around her body. Buffy took in a deep sigh and continued walking.

"It's simple Cordy." Willow said. "You got the best look at the vampire. You'll be able to identify him the best."

"Okay. One, yeah, I really want to see that guy again. Two, he'll probably be in his vamp face. And three, what? Are you only killing select vampires now? You have no use for me!"

"She's right Buffy, I would know if it was him."

"Angel, you didn't get that good of a look at him." Angel stared at his shoes as he walked. He could feel Cordelia's gaze on him, which was screaming, "You didn't tell her!" He frowned. If he met up with Penn, it wasn't gonna be pretty.

"Well, if I'm not needed here, I should head out." Angel said, gaining a few looks.

"Why?"

"Like I said. Not needed. You guys got it."

"But, I needed to talk to you."

"Come by later?"

"I guess."

"I'll see you." He placed a kiss to her cheek and went to leave.

"Look what we have here. Six humans, all in a row. Did someone order delivery?" Angel froze as he heard the voice. "Ooh. A slayer. And a warewolf? This town's got it all!" He turned to Cordelia. "I remember you." Angel could feel Cordelia's fear and Buffy's agitation at the vampire. "And a...hello?" He looked around. "Vampire?" He looked at the retreating back of Angel. "Angelus!" Angel turned around and looked at the other vampire, who switched back to his human face. He had a giant smile on his face. Angel let a small smirk cross his face. He couldn't help it. This was still his childe.

"Penn. It's been a long time."

"A century!"

"And a half." The Scoobies looked at the two vampires, confused.

"My God, Angelus! All this time!" Elated to his Sire, he walked up and gave Angel a crushing embrace. Angel's thoughts were so mixed up, he could only return the hug. "I heard you were killed." Angel shrugged with a smile.

"Only once."

"So, you really were?"

"Yeah. And let me tell you, hell is so not as fun as we thought."

"Really?"

"Yeah. It overrated. No fire, no brimstone. It sucked."

"Speaking of sucking, why you here with the buffet table?"

"Um, Angel?"

"Angel? Did she just call you an angel?"

"Penn. Go. Now."

"What?"

"Leave town. Now. Go back to Rome, or Spain, or wherever."

"I don't understand. What are you saying?"

"If you don't go now, I will have to kill you."

"Kill me?" He let out a chuckle. "Same old Angelus, same sense of humor."

"I'm not Penn. My name's Angel now. And these," he addressed the Scoobies, "these are the closest peaople I have to a family."

"Family? They're humans, Angelus! Humans! Dinner! Food! You want a family? What about me, what about Darla? Oh God. What does Darla think of this? I'm surprised she hasn't put a stake through your heart by now."

"Darla's dead." Penn's attitude changed.

"You're serious? I'm sorry. Who did it? I'll hunt them down for you, I swear. Torture. Just like old times."

"I killed Darla, Penn." The other vampire's eyes widened and his jaw dropped.

"You what?"

"I killed her."

"How could you do that? She's your Sire! She made you who you are!"

"She damned me! Gave me a life of darkness and death!"

"All the good times! Romania! You can not tell me you don't think about it! The twins, Angelus! The twins!"

"I remember. Man, do I remember. Took me a week to get my energy back up." He shook his head with a small smile. Then he shook the feeling off and looked back at Penn. "But I've changed."

"So it's true. You have a soul." He spit the word out with disgust. "How?"

"Gypsies."

"I don't understand. You killed your Sire. And for what? Don't tell me the Slayer." Seeing Angel's look. "Shit, man! Do you not remember who you are! You're Angelus! The Angelus! You are a legend! My mentor! You created me!"

"I know. And I'm sorry."

"Sorry? I love my life Angelus. And you used to, too."

"People change."

"No. They don't. And you know it. You're still a vampire. You still live in the darkness, you get the cravings. You're still Angelus."

"No, I'm not."

"You are. You're still my Sire, my mentor. You inspired me to follow in your footsteps."

"You didn't follow me."

"Yes I did. My work was a tribute to you! It's art!"

"Please! You're a cheesy hack who's been repeating the same crime for over two hundred years! All your crimes have been about sticking it to your father! You didn't follow in my foot steps! It's called creativity Penn. Learn it." Penn stared at Angel in disbelief, stung by his criticism.

"You're going to wish this night never happened Angelus. I promise you that." And with that, he was gone. Angel breathed in a shaky, unneeded sigh, then turned to find four teenages staring at him, Cordelia with her eyes on the floor.

"Angel! What the hell was that about!" Buffy yelled. Angel ran a hand through his hair nervously.

"Buffy. That's Penn."

"Uh, yeah. It's been established. Did you two want some alone time or something 'cause-"

"Buffy, don't. Penn is a very dangerous vampire. He's not stable. I know because, I made him." Seeing their looks. "Yeah, okay? I turned him. I am Penn's Sire."

"What the hell were you thinking!"

"It was in 1786! Before Spike, before Drusilla! I was evil!"

"Are you still evil Angel? 'Cause, you just let the bastard that tried to rape Cordelia walk free. You hugged him!"

"I really don't want to have this discussion with you. I can't change what I did in the past."

"Yeah. You and your long, tortured past of blood draining and screwing around, ruining people's lives!"

"Are you mad because what I did Buffy? Or are you mad because I didn't share it with you?"

"I..." She stopped speaking when she realized he was right. He didn't share this part of his life with her and it hurt. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"What?"

"Why?"

"I didn't feel comfortable."

"You didn't feel comfortable!"

"Well, after how you acted when I told you I Sired Dru, I wasn't sure what your reaction would be. Can't imagine why I would worry about that."

"You don't trust me."

"That's not it."

"That is so it! You don't trust me enough to share your past with me Angel."

"Can you blame me? You freak out."

"Duh! You went evil last year. I had to kill you."

"Yeah, thanks, because I really need the reminder. I had forgotten." He turned an angry and hurt look to her. "You know Buffy, sometimes I think you get off on making me feel this small."

"Excuse me?"

"Did I stutter?" He asked, anger rising.

"Angel, what's your issue?"

"Nothing. Just not liking this version of you Buffy."

"Of me? Well, can't say I like your alter ego either."

"I don't have to listen to this shit. I don't have to be here. I came here because you wanted me to. Because you wanted to talk about this prom thing. But I don't have to hear you bad mouth me about what happened. You have no idea Buffy. And no one can make me feel any worse about this than I already do." He stared at the floor than back up at her. "I'm haunted by everything I did, every second of every day. So you can save your effort." Buffy frowned, feeling bad for yelling at her boyfriend.

"Angel." He kept walking.

"Well, as fun as being reunited with the man who tried to force himself upon me truely was, and don't get me wrong, I love listening to you bad mouthing and arguing with your boyfriend, but I'm heading home. You know, I always have such fun with you guys." She rolled her eyes and walked in the direction Angel had left.

Angel was pissed. Really pissed. In the seeing red kind of way.

"Where does she get off? Like I don't know what I did." He muttered to himself angrily. "Well, serves you right you idiot. How's she going to understand? She's the slayer. You're a vampire." Angel let out a groan that was half a chuckle. "You sure know how to pick 'em."

"I was about to say the same thing." He turned to find Cordelia walking up to him.

"Hey."

"Hey."

"What are you doing?"

"Trying to get home. You know, before the fact that I just met up with the guy who, two nights later, is still haunting my dreams, hits me." Angel looked at her.

"I'm sorry. I didn't even think. I should've killed him." She shrugged.

"You didn't know he was going to show up right then. You were shocked. Beside, you guys seem...close." They exchanged glances. "So, you gonna walk me home?"

"Yeah."

"Good. So you can tell me all about your relationship with that guy on the way there."

"I really don't like the way you said relationship."

"Well, you two weren't involved like that right? Because, if so, well, I knew I had been wasting my time but..."

"Shut up." She smiled at him as they started walking.

"Okay. You made him. Got that. But how close is close for vampires?"

"I don't have to answer that."

"Angel!" She smacked him playfully. They walked a little more, a few people watching them as they went. "You know, some people might actually mistake us for friends."

"I know. How weird is that?"

"Very. You know, you're not as quiet as I've heard Buffy say you are."

"Well, considering how much you talk, I got to do something, right?" He said with a smirk.

"I don't think I like your attitude." She said. She extended a bent elbow and looked at him. He watched her for a while, then slowly linked his arm with his. "For someone who's been in the dating game so long, you're not so good at it."

"Excuse me?"

"I'm just saying..."

"Are you insulting my game?"

"You have game?"

"More than you could imagine." She didn't doubt it. "I'm just old fashioned."

"Speaking of, how old are you Angel?"

"Well, um, how old do you think I am?"

"Oh no. You're not getting away with that. You're telling me."

"Two hundred forty four."

"No way! You are not that old!"

"Hey! Two hundred forty four years young, thank you very much."

"You don't even look that old! You only look...a hundred."

"I look twenty seven!"

"You look a hundred."

"Twenty seven. I'm eternal. I'm gonna look like this forever."

"Lucky you." The walked in silence as they made their way to the house. "So, how did he know it was you? I mean, I know you're eternal and all, but I don't think he can recognize your back and I know they didn't have spikey hair back then or leather jackets so, care to explain?"

"It's a vampire thing. A Sire is linked to their childe by blood, so they can sense each other. They can even be linked psychically by dreams."

"So you've been dreaming about him?"

"Kind of. It's hard to explain."

"Gotcha." They stopped in front of the house and stood there. "Thanks for walking me home."

"My pleasure."

"Angel?"

"Yeah?"

"There's something I've been dying to do since, well, as long as I've known you and it's really improtant."

"What?"

"This." She said and knelt forward, pressing her lips to his in a kiss so quick he barely knew what was happening. She pulled away with a small smile. "I was right. All those years and no kissing technique what so ever."

"I'll show you technique." He said, yanking her back onto her toes and crashing his lips to hers. His teeth tugged lightly on her bottom lip and she allowed him access. His tongue stroked the heated crevices of her mouth, elicting a soft moan from her. Then he slowly pulled away.

"No." She mumbled, reaching back for him, arms around his neck. She tilted her head in just the right way, deepening the kiss and he was lost. He pushed her against the metal bars of the gate, kissing her breathless. She felt her lungs start to tighten from lack of air and he pulled away. She gulped in a breath, then went to kiss him again. He held her away from him. "Well, I guess I was wrong, huh? You've got some skill in the kissing department."

"Just some?" He raised an eyebrow, watching her chest rise and fall as she tried to regain her composure. His eyes trailed down her outfit that hugged her curves so perfectly, and he ate her in with his hungy gaze. She felt something hot shoot up her body and she turned her head.

"Like what you see?"

"You have no idea." She was shocked and looked up at him.

"Really?"

"You should go in. You're parents'll be worried."

"Yeah." She said, dropping the subject. He nodded and went to leave. She grabbed his hand quickly and turned him to her. "Hold on." She pulled out a glittery gel pen from her purse and wrote her phone number on the back of his hand. "What's your's?" She wrote it down on the top of her hand, then smiled at him. "Call me." She said, then pressed another quick kiss to his lips, before walking through the gate.

"Cordelia, this isn't going to happen again."

"Why not?"

"You've been through a lot. It's not smart."

"Angel, I've always been attracted to you."

"I'm a vampire Cordelia. I appreciate you trusting me, but I'm not sure you understand what that means yet."

"Uh, yeah, I do. Fangs, grrrr, yellow eyes, drink blood. I got it." Looking at him. "This about Buffy?"

"No."

"'Cause I'm thinking it is."

"Let's just..."

"I get it."

"I'd like to be your friend though."

"Well, you got my number." Then she turned and left. Angel watched her until she got to her house, then turned towards his home, staring at his hand. What had he just done? Why had he just done it? And why did he like the feeling? He shook his head and made his way home.

Across from the Chase mansion, Penn watched his Sire's lips locked to the young girl he had attacked the other night. As they said good-bye, then shared one more tender kiss. Penn couldn't help but smirk. Angelus had really lost his senses in his souled state. This was going to be too easy.

Part 5

Angel knocked on the door of the Summer's home and waited. Joyce opened the door and stared at him expectantly.

"Good evening Mrs. Summers. Is Buffy home?"

"Yes, Angel. She's studying right now."

"May I speak with her?" Angel asked, moving to his left to enter. She immediately moved in the same direction, blocking his way.

"She has a very important test tomorrow. She can't have any distractions." Angel sighed and looked at Buffy's mother.

"I don't suppose you heard about Cordelia, did you?"

"Xander's girlfriend?"

"Ex. They broke up."

"I can't keep up with these kids relationships."

"So you didn't hear?"

"No, what happened?"

"She was almost raped the other night."

"Oh my God. Is she all right? Is she hurt?"

"She's coping. Physically, she's fine. Buffy and I got there just in time. That's why I need to see her. I've got some new information on the vampire who attacked Cordelia."

"Vampire? I thought vampire's just killed."

"He's a very sick and twisted guy." She raised an eyebrow. "We go back. He doesn't like me very much." Mrs. Summers nodded then stepped aside to let Angel in. He walked up the stairs to Buffy's room and knocked softly.

"Yeah, mom. I'm doing my work."

"Buffy. It's me." She opened the door and looked at him.

"Angel? What are you doing here?"

"I had to talk to you."

"About what?"

"Penn."

"Oh." She thought it would be about them. But, at least he was ready to talk to her. "What about him?"

"I know you're mad at me."

"I'm not mad."

"Fine. Then I'm mad at you." She frowned. "But you need to be very careful. Penn's strong and he's smart."

"I know. When I fought him. It was like fighting Angelus."

"Angelus taught him everything he knows. And believe me, this is not something I'm proud of Buffy. But regardless of what he did, Penn's connected to me. He can get to me. And he'll use anyone to do it."

"What are you saying?"

"You're not safe Buffy. None of the group is."

"I know where this is going Angel and no."

"You need to stay away from me for a while."

"Angel."

"You have to. For your safety, for your mother's, for your friend's."

"But the prom!"

"Buffy! This is important!"

"So is the prom!"

"Your life is less important than a dance?"

"It's a very imprtant dance Angel!"

"If things work out, I'll take you." Angel said. He didn't mean just with Penn though.

"Really?" He nodded.

"But until we can get rid of him, you guys can't see me. For your own safety." She put on a pout and nodded. "It would kill me if something happened to you. Any of you."

"I know. Can I still call you?"

"Yeah. Just don't drop by. I'll probably see you at night. Help you with the patrols. But it's got to be buisness and buisness only."

"Okay." She didn't like that plan. No more make out sessions with Angel in the cemetary. That was their place. Oh God. Their place was a cemetary. That was so wrong in so many ways. But when his lips touched hers, the place was irrelevant.

"I got to go. It was stupid of me to come here. I could've put you at risk."

"It was worth it." He nodded and went to leave. "Angel?"

"Hmm?"

"One last kiss since I won't get to for a while." He gave her a small kiss on the lips and she held him to her just a few moments longer than he was planning on.

"Be careful."

"Okay. You too." With that, he walked downstairs, said good-bye to Joyce and left. As he walked home, he felt very conflicting emotions. He felt a hole in his heart. He knew things were on shakey ground with Buffy. Ever since he was brought back. And to add fire to the flame, he had kissed Cordelia. Really kissed her. He held passion and heat and everything he ever wanted in that one kiss. And he had enjoyed it more than his words were willing to admit.

* * *

Sunday Night...

*He walked along the side walk in town, eyes focused on the ground in front of him. He didn't know why, but something had drawn him into town tonight. He followed his instinct into an alley along a cafe and kept walking. He came onto another street, less busy than the one before. He stopped and turned, leg sweeping around to kick the person behind him right in the stomach. He fell to the ground with a groan.

"Really Penn. I know I taught you better than that." Angel turned to the younger vampire. Penn got up and laughed, brushing his clothes off.

"Yeah. I was just testing you."

"Uh huh." They two squared up, facing each other. "So this is your big plan? You and me face off?"

"Nah. Too cheesy. Wait! I am cheesy though, right?"

"Penn."

"No! What you said Angelus, I thought we were close. You're my Sire. We were close. I thought every thing I did was aimed at my father. But you know, I've been thinking. Everything I did, it wasn't about him. it was about you Angelus. You were always that step ahead of me. Always that much better. You and Darla, there was no room for me." Angel's mind was reeling as he finally took in what his childe was saying.

"So you're saying you've been sticking it to me all these years."

"Not as much as I should've. You're going to wish you never met up with me Angelus. And so is you're little girlfriend."

"Stay away from her." Angel warned Penn. His senses were jumbled. This was too much right now. As it was, he couldn't figure out what was going on in his head. Now this.

"She's pretty. That dark hair. And those curves. Damn. You know how to pick 'em." Angel focused. Dark hair? "What'd they call her when you pushed me off her? Cordelia? She's really something."

"Cordelia is not my girlfriend."

"Oh, no? Is that why you were sucking the air out of her the other night?"

"What?" He thought back to when he had kissed her the other night.

"I saw you. Hmm, ice or fire?" Angel's eyes flared.

"Touch her and you die."

"I'm already dead Angelus." And with that, he was gone.*

* * *

Angel woke up, sucking in unneeded air.

"Shit." He muttered. How could he forget about Cordelia? Especially after the kiss. He should've warned her. He got out of bed and got dressed, intent on warning Cordelia. He looked at his watch. Eleven PM. He hurried to her home, hoping she was awake.

As he made his way to the house, his senses came in. He jumped over the gate, careful not to be seen by the cameras like last time.

"What are you doing here Penn?" Angel came up and stood behind the other vampire who turned to him, shocked. "You should've been able to sense me.

"Yeah. And you should know how this trick works. You taught it to me." Angel's eyes widened and he moved just in time to dodge the dagger Penn stabbed at him. It caught his shoulder and he growled. Penn threw the knife. Angel caught it wrong and it sliced the inside of his hand. He dropped it and when he looked back up, Penn was gone.

The Chases were sitting in the living room, speaking with the lawyer Mr. and Mrs. Chase had insisted on bringing in. Cordelia sighed as they talked. It wouldn't do any good. How do you arrest a vampire?

She felt her eyes falling and head droping when there was a knock on the door.

"Who on earth could that be?" Mrs. Chase asked.

"Miss Chase. Someone to see you." Cordelia raised an eyebrow as he butler led in the visitor.

"Angel? What are you doing here?"

"I got to talk to you."

"What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"Angel. What a pleassnt surprise."

"Nice to see you again Mrs. Chase. Mr. Chase."

"Call me Margaret. And him John. After what you did for our daughter, it's the least we can offer."

"Would you like a drink Angel?" Mr. Chase asked.

"Um, no, thank you. Cordelia, I really need to talk to you."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I'm fine."

"Yeah. That's why you're bleeding huh?" She said, looking at his shoulder. He didn't notice and looked at his hand.

"It's just a little cut."

"You're hand too? Jenson. Can you get me some stuff to patch Angel up with?"

"What type of 'stuff' Miss Chase?"

"I don't know. What ever you use to clean and patch up cuts and stuff." She grabbed Angel's good hand and dragged him to the couch. "Sit." She said and he obeyed, not sure why though. She put a hand on either shoulder and he froze.

"What are you doing?"

"Duh. If I'm gonna patch you up, I have to get to the cut Angel." He shrugged off his coat and unbuttoned the top few buttons, exposing his cut shoulder. "Oh God Angel. What did you do to yourself?" Her butler brought her the stuff and she looked at him.

"You have no idea what you're doing, do you?"

"Shut up. I can figure it out." She said, pouring alcohol on a wash cloth and pressing it to his cut.

"Ow!" She smirked at him.

"That hurt?"

"Yeah."

"Good. It's working." He grabbed some of the wrap and used it on his hand. Penn was going to die so hard. "Who did this to you?"

"Penn." She stopped moving.

"Penn? The guy who um..."

"Yeah."

"So you killed him right?" Angel sighed, fixing his shirt and rebuttoning it.

"I was ready to. He was outside."

"What? Is he still out there?"

"No, he's gone."

"Are you sure? Angel, I-"

"He's gone. He cut my shoulder and I went after him. He threw the knife. Instincts took over and I caught it."

"Why is he after me Angel? I didn't do anything!"

"I know. It's me. He saw me kiss you."

"So how do you know he's after me?"

"I can't really explain it." He lowered his voice. "I always had a very strong connection with the vampires I sired. Expecially Penn 'cause he was the first one. Sometimes our dreams are connected and we share thoughts and plans. In my dream we had a confrontation and he told me he was coming after you."

"So what do I do?"

"Don't invite anyone in Cordelia. If they're your friends or whatever, they'll just walk in. Be careful. Don't leave the house at night."

"The Bronze." He shook his head. "So some psycho vamp guys is pissed at you and I have to give up my social life? This blows Angel."

"I'm sorry." He said sincerely.

"I know you are. Well, I guess you're stuck with me then."

"I wish it were that simple."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm leaving town."

"Why?"

"He'll follow me. It'll keep you, Buffy, Willow, Oz, all of you out of danger."

"By leaving?"

"Not forever. Just until he follows me. So I can get rid of him."

"Yeah. What if he kills you?"

"He won't."

"Angel. Ever hear the saying the student surpasses the teacher?"

"Not when it's me."

"So, Angel? What are you doing here?" Mr. Chase asked. The two had forgotten about their audience.

"I was coming to talk to Cordelia. The guy who tried to rape her was in your yard."

"That's impossible."

"No. It's not. He's the one who did this to my shoulder. He's gone now. But he could come back."

"Oh, that's it. We're not going John. Not if that man is still out their looking for Cordelia." Mrs. Chase insisted.

"Well, I guess you had perfect timing again Angel." He turned to his wife. "I'll call Mr. Phillips and tell him we can't make it."

"No, Daddy. You've been scheduling this for over a year."

"Sweetie, we can't leave you alone." Her mom insisted.

"I won't be alone. I'll have our whole staff and my friends and..." She looked at Angel. "And Angel. Look. He's saved me twice."

"Cordelia."

"I'll be fine. I got my knight. You guys go. It's important. For all of us." Seeing their looks. "Especially me." She watched the lawyer make his way out and breathed a sigh of relief. "You're plane leaves in half an hour."

"If you're sure."

"I'm fine. Really." They nodded and went upstairs to pack.

"For someone who doesn't believe in lying, you're good at it."

"They need to go. And they know I'm safe with you so..." He shook his head.

"I can't protect you."

"Angel, if he's going to come after me, he's going to do it if you're here or not. If you are here, then he'll find you instead."

"Not if I go."

"He already saw our little make out session. He's going to come after me regardless. Wouldn't it be better if you were in walking distance to protect me?"

"Good point."

"Yup." She looked at the stairs as her parents came downstairs with thier suitcases.

"All right Princess, we're off." Mr. Chase said. "You have the hotel's number?"

"Yes."

"Call us if anything happens."

"Will do." She said her good byes and Angel watched with different emotions. He was happy that Cordelia had a family that cared about her. But seeing the love reminded him of his own family and betrayl.

"Good bye Angel." Mrs. Chase said. He looked up, gave a little smile and a wave. Then they were gone. The two stood for a while in silence. Cordelia shifted her weight to her other foot and Angel looked up at the sudden motion.

"You suck at the talking thing, you know?"

"I've been told." He looked at her. "I should head out."

"Okay. But you're not leaving town, right?"

"I'm not sure."

"Angel. It doesn't make any sense to take off right now."

"I'll see you Cordelia." He said and walked to the door. "Call me if you need anything." She nodded and watched him leave.