Chapter Thirty

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Angel stepped out onto the patio as the sky began to fade from orange to dark blue. He eased up to the railing, breathing in the clear, approaching night air. Angel always loved the outdoors after dark—and not just because he was a vampire. He would prefer to be human and walk about freely during the day, but there was always something about nighttime that he found relaxing.

"Beautiful sunset, isn't it?"

Angel turned to see Cordelia sitting in a patio chair nearby. "Yeah." He looked back at the sunset. "Maybe one of these days, I'll get to see the other side of it."

Cordelia stood and walked up next to Angel. "You mean the Shanshu."

Angel stared at the sunset for a moment. "Castiel told me it was true…It really is happening."

Cordelia scoffed as she lightly smacked Angel's arm. "Well, I could've told you that!"

Angel looked down at the ground, fidgeting slightly.

Cordelia frowned. "Hang on, did you…not believe it this whole time?"

Angel shrugged as he looked up at her. "It was kinda too good to be true. I didn't want to get my hopes up."

Cordelia nodded, understanding. "Well, now we can party like it's 1799."

Angel cracked a smile at the joke about his age.

"And this means you and Buffy can really be together without worrying about the curse," Cordelia went on.

The smile faded from Angel's face as he stared at her, startled at the subject.

"Oh, come on," smiled Cordelia. "It doesn't take a genius to know that you two belong together."

"Cordy, I…" Angel began, unsure how to approach this subject.

"Angel…" said Cordelia, placing a hand on his arm, "it's okay. I think we're both starting to realize we didn't feel for each other what we thought we did. Maybe in another life, we would've ended up together, but right here, right now…it just isn't us, you know?"

Angel nodded, agreeing with her.

"And I'm okay with that," Cordelia assured him. "Besides, I kinda got my eye on someone…" She gave him a coy smile.

Angel's eyebrows rose in interest. "Really?"

"Uh-huh," smiled Cordelia. "Not that I'm telling who."

"Oh, come on," pleaded Angel.

"Nope. Not gettin' anything outta me."

The two of them laughed together for a moment.

"I missed this," said Cordelia. "Us, hanging out…being friends."

Angel smiled at her. "Me, too." He looked back at the sunset as the orange glow finished hiding behind the horizon. "It's been quite an interesting four years."

"You're telling me," huffed Cordelia. "I came to L.A., a popular cheerleader fresh from graduating high school, with dreams to be a famous actress. Now, look at me. I'm a part-demon psychic that helps my vampire best friend save the world."

"You have grown over the years."

"Well, what about you? You ran away from Sunnydale, just wanting to be left alone, and you found a mission, a home, friends, a son…" Cordelia smiled. "I hardly recognize us."

Angel smiled at the sentiment and went back to watching the darkening sky with her.

"Guys."

Angel and Cordelia turned to see Fred in the doorway of the kitchen.

"You might wanna hear this."

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"She was found dead?" asked Xander.

Buffy nodded. "Down at that construction site two blocks from the Bronze."

"Anything suspicious?" Angel asked as he walked in with Fred and Cordelia. He did not miss Buffy's eyes darting between him and Cordelia before looking away as she spoke.

"Bite marks on her neck," Buffy told everyone.

"Vampires," said Gunn.

"It wasn't just fang bites," Buffy went on. "Her neck was torn up, like she was mauled. She also had claw scratches on her arms and stomach."

"Werewolf?" asked Anya.

"Oh, that'd be slammin'," said Gunn. "Been hopin' for werewolf hunt for years."

"No, it can't be," interrupted Wesley. "Moon cycle's not right."

"He's right," said Giles. "It can't be a werewolf." He exchanged glances with Buffy. "Zombie?"

"No, pattern doesn't fit," said Buffy. "I'm headed to check it out. Since I don't know what it is, I'd prefer to have company."

"I'm in," Spike immediately burst out, hand raised.

Everyone looked over at him in surprise.

"Hey, what do you know?" Spike smirked cockily as he lowered his hand. "Angel's not the first to through himself on the grenade this time."

"Anyone else?" Buffy asked with an eye roll.

Gunn shrugged. "You know I'm game."

"You know me, B," said Faith. "Always looking for a fight."

"We're in," Angel nodded at Connor.

"Okay," said Buffy. "Everyone else, research for any other similar deaths. Willow has the specs." She moved to the weapons chest behind the living room chair. "All those with me, gear up. We head out in fifteen." She grabbed a sword and a stake from the chest and headed for the other room.

Xander clapped his hands together. "Well, our fearless leader has spoken! Pizza, Team Watchers?"

"Is Chinese okay?" asked Fred.

"We can do both," said Cordelia, heading to the kitchen for the phone.

Connor stepped over to Angel. "Thanks…for letting me come."

Angel shrugged. "I know what you're capable of. You can definitely take care of yourself."

Connor gave him a small smile before heading over to the weapons chest. Angel smiled as he watched Connor pick a weapon before stepping forward and getting weapons for himself.

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Buffy stalked through the construction site, stake out and sword at the ready. The five others walked behind her, armed and just as ready for anything. The place was deserted, dark and—let's face it—spooky. There were just too many places for something to be hiding and then jump out and scare the living daylights out of you…and then kill you.

Buffy glanced back at Angel, looking for a sign that he saw or heard anything with his vampiric senses. Angel gave her a little shake of the head, going back to watching the darkness.

"We sure this is the right place?" asked Spike.

A figure suddenly landed about a hundred feet in front of them.

"Guess so," said Buffy.

The creature standing in the construction site was a beast unlike anything any of them had ever seen before. Its skin was old and decayed, especially around its eyes and mouth. The teeth in its mouth were rotten and pointed, all filed into fangs. Its eyes were sunken into his sockets, cat-like and blood red. The claws on the ends of its gnarled fingers extended about two inches from its fingertips. The leather-skin clothes on its body looked to be a few hundred years old, at least. It glared at everyone as it growled low and rough.

"What the hell is that thing?" asked Gunn.

The creature began to charge towards them, claws at the ready.

"No clue, but it's headed right for us," said Faith, raising her stake.

Buffy raced to meet its attack, raising her sword and swinging at the creature. The beast ducked and backhanded her, and Buffy stumbled backwards a little. Angel charged forward, swinging his own sword. The creature grabbed the sword with his bare hand and pulled it from Angel's grip, tossing it away. Angel punched the creature, who barely seemed fazed. Faith and Spike rushed over to help out as Gunn, Buffy and Connor stood with weapons at the ready.

Angel punched the creature again as Spike jabbed his sword into its gut. The creature growled in fury as he spun around and threw Spike away from him.

"Guess stabbing doesn't work!" yelled Faith, going in with a stake.

The creature grabbed Faith around the neck, throwing her to the ground. Angel darted forward, pulling the sword from its gut, and swinging it at the creature's neck. The creature dodged the attack and flung Angel across the site.

"Dad!" Connor yelled, charging forward with Buffy.

Buffy jabbed her stake towards the beast's chest, jamming it into its heart. The creature staggered backward, gazing nonchalantly down at the stake protruding from its chest.

"Well, not a vampire," shrugged Gunn, going at it with a battle axe.

The creature easily dispatched Gunn, pulling the stake from its chest. As Connor began to fight it, Buffy stared at the shallow hole in its chest, seeing the bone of its sternum.

The stake didn't reach its heart… Buffy realized.

Connor was actually holding up pretty well against the creature, as well as his father. As Faith and Angel rejoined the fight, Buffy rushed over to Connor.

"That thing's chest is really thick," Buffy told him. "I need help getting that stake to its heart."

"Got it," said Connor, watching for his moment.

Buffy crouched down and picked up the stake Faith had dropped, watching as Faith and Angel struggled to hold their own. As Angel backhanded the creature and it staggered away from him, Buffy rushed forward and pushed the stake into its chest, holding on as the creature struggled with her. Connor grabbed hold of the stake, and he and Buffy pushed with all of their strength. The creature pushed against their hands until Buffy felt something break. The creature yelled as he burst into dust and crumbled to the floor.

Everyone stood there, catching their breath.

"He was a vampire?" asked Gunn. "Never seen a vamp like that."

"Me neither," said Angel.

"Maybe Giles or Wesley know something about it," said Faith, picking up her stake.

"Sounds like a plan," said Spike, picking up his sword. "Where the bloody hell did that thing come from?"

"No clue," said Buffy. "But I'm gonna find out."

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Buffy walked out onto the front porch, finding Angel at the railing. "Shouldn't you be headed inside?"

Angel glanced at her and then back at the lightening sky. "I still have a few minutes." He looked back at Buffy. "Did they know what that thing might have been?"

Buffy nodded. "Naturally. It was a, uh…Turok-han. It's sort of an ubervamp. They were some of the first vampires. They're stronger, tougher, harder to kill…Giles thinks the First—sorry, Lucifer—raised them to be his little lackeys."

"Great," muttered Angel. "As if he didn't have enough demons to help."

"Maybe he figures the vamps will keep us busy," Buffy shrugged. She glanced up at Angel. "I see you and Connor are really getting along."

Angel couldn't help the smile that came upon his face. "Yeah…This is almost how I imagined it being when he grew up. I just wish that…" He trailed off, staring at the approaching dawn.

"What?" asked Buffy, stepping closer to him.

Angel looked at her. "I wish he had grown up with a normal childhood…with his real father…not tortured by a hell dimension…"

Buffy placed a hand on his shoulder. "You're making up for it now. He knows you would give anything to change all that."

Angel gazed deep into her eyes, realizing just how close the two of them were to each other. "I would."

"See?" smiled Buffy. "You're the best father I know."

Angel suddenly leaned down and captured her lips in a kiss. It was quick and chaste, but it still managed to steal Buffy's breath away. Angel broke away, staring into her eyes. Buffy stared back, breathing nervously. She then placed her hands on either side of his face and returned the kiss. Angel wrapped his arms around her waist, giving himself to the kiss.

It carried on that way for several moments before they broke apart. Buffy rested her forehead against his, stroking the side of his face. Angel stared at her face, beautiful in the morning light.

"The sun is coming," Buffy whispered.

"Yeah…" Angel breathed, smiling.

"Angel…" Buffy told him.

Angel's eyes widened as he looked over at the sunrise starting to break over the horizon. "Oh—" He quickly darted for the front door, easing inside and behind the wall as the sunlight hit the doorway.

Buffy entered the house, closing the front door behind her. She looked over at Angel, smiling before beginning to chuckle. Angel joined in, and they were soon lost to the laughter.

"Hopefully, we won't have to worry about that for very much longer," said Buffy.

Angel smiled over at her and pulled her towards him. "Hopefully."

Buffy wrapped her arms around his neck, giving him a kiss. She began chuckling nervously.

"What?" laughed Angel.

"It's nothing," Buffy shook off. "I'm just—"

"Buffy…"

"It really is nothing. It's just that…I talked to Cordelia, and she mentioned that…you two…"

Angel nodded. "Right…It's true. We did start, but nothing really happened. In fact, we talked about it last night. We agreed that we should go our own ways."

"You sure?" asked Buffy.

Angel smiled at her and gave her a kiss. "I'm sure." He gave her another kiss. "Speaking of…did you know Spike has feelings for you?"

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Oh, that. That's been going on for about two years now."

"Really?" asked Angel. "Did you ever think about…"

"Oh, God, no!" exclaimed Buffy. "Never!" She hesitated a moment. "There may have been a spell or two over the years, but I would never even think about it in my right mind."

Angel smiled. "Good." He drew her in for another kiss.

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Buffy stood in the doorway of the living room that led to the foyer as the fifteen Potentials sat listening to her lesson. Most of the Scooby gang sat in the dining room or the other side of the living room, into their own conversations.

"I know you're all tired, far away from home, anxious," said Buffy. "But you're all special. Most people in this world have no idea why they're here or what they want to do. You do. You have a mission, a reason for being here. You're not here by chance. You're here because you are the chosen ones."

"Buffy."

Buffy turned to see Willow standing behind her. "Yeah?"

"Can we talk to you?" Willow asked.

Buffy turned to the Potentials. "Go work on your training. We'll continue the lesson later this afternoon."

The girls all got up, heading out to the backyard to get some air.

Buffy turned and followed Willow into the dining room, where the rest of the gang had now gathered. "What is it?"

"We think we know where that Turok-han came from the other day," Cordelia told her.

"The principal of the new high school was grabbing supplies from the basement when he found a body in a back room," Giles explained. "The body was found drained of blood."

"Vampires?" asked Buffy.

"No, he was stabbed," said Tara. "And he was lying on a seal."

Buffy frowned. "A seal stabbed him?"

"No, a seal, as in a doorway," Wesley clarified. "It just so happens to be directly under the principal's office, which according to the new schematics…was where the library used to be."

Buffy's eyes widened. "The hellmouth."

Giles nodded. "It is our belief that someone—or something—used this boy's blood to open the hellmouth and release this creature."

"Oh, God…" breathed Buffy.

"But that's not the worst of it," said Xander.

"It gets worse?" asked Buffy.

"The boy that was stabbed…was Andrew," said Willow.

Buffy just stared at her.

"Evil Trio Andrew," Willow went on.

Buffy frowned in confusion. "But he's in jail."

"So he's supposed to be," said Wesley. "We looked into it, and it looks like all three of them somehow managed to break out. There's still missing."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "As if we didn't have enough problems already."

The phone began ringing, and Buffy walked through to the kitchen, picking up the receiver.

"Hello?" Buffy greeted.

"Buffy!" exclaimed Sam on the other line.

"Hey, Sam, how goes the—" began Buffy.

"Have you heard from Dean?" asked Sam.

Buffy frowned. "Not since you guys left, no." She stepped into the dining room doorway. "Has anyone talked to Dean the past few days?"

Everyone gave her shakes of their heads or "no's."

"Sorry, no one's heard from him," Buffy told Sam.

"Dammit…" Sam breathed, sounding worried.

"Sam, what is it?" asked Buffy, sensing something was wrong.

Sam took several breaths to calm himself. "I can't find Dean anywhere."

Buffy's eyes widened as she gazed at the anxious stares in front of her.

"He's missing," said Sam.

I know, I know! A lot of you would prefer Spuffy (so would I, I definitely prefer him over Angel). However, I had to go with what would work where I set the story. I couldn't make the Buffy/Spike relationship work with the changes to the Buffy timeline, and the Buffy/Angel relationship just seemed to flow so well.

Oh, well! Enjoy!