Disclaimer: they're not mine, blah, blah, blah, so don't sue
Distribution: Want it, take it, but tell me where it goes
Rating: see the show, you can read this
Spoilers: the whole B/A-cannon to be sure, the previous stories in this series which can be found at Summary: you can never escape Sunnydale
Timeline: two days after Buffy's birthday
Feedback: is begged for
Dedication: to Ryan who will have her special day on January 16th. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!

But the blonde police officer hadn't been able to forget the tired and desperate face of the elder man who hadn't heard from his daughter for four months. Sure the girl, whose name was Claire, was eighteen and for this a legal adult, but her father insisted that it wasn't like her to just disappear and never call.

So finding no support in the police department Kate had decided to hire Angel to investigate in this case. That she would be near him in the process didn't hurt either. The fact that he had a living-in-girlfriend, he obviously loved, had made an end to all her hopes and had given her a sleepless night, but it didn't change the fact that she was determined to find out what had happened.

Realising she wasn't able to sleep Kate had gone to the police department and searched the computer for missing girls, she'd also tried to hack into the acting agency's files, but no luck. So the first thing Buffy did was calling Willow in Sunnydale. Her witchy friend was only to eager to help and promised to try to get any information possible.

Putting the phone back on the receiver the slayer turned to the police officer: "This was my friend Willow on the phone. She's very talented with computers," she explained. "If there' any information she'll find it."

Kate gave Buffy the first honest smile since the two woman had met: "Very good. Is she a hacker?"

"Not really, but she's good and so is her boyfriend." The slayer leaned back at Angel's chest. She was getting used to sitting in his lap.

"Who's the owner of that agency," the vampire asked over his girlfriend's head?"

"His name is Jack Norton. I saw him once," Kate took a sip from her coffee, "and it was enough. He's one of the slimy bastards you can find bunches of in LA. Especially in this sort of business."

"I see," Doyle tilted his head. So far he had just listened to the story. He was sitting on the edge of Angel's desk, one leg dangling in the air. "And you're sure all the girls are adults?"

Kate sighed: "No, of course not. I never saw his files as I said already. I was so angry with my boss when he just laughed in my face. I should keep focused on murderers and real crimes. His words were something like: problems between parents and children are rarely the business of the LAPD. All I know is that this special girl, Claire, is eighteen, because her father told me so."

"Alright, Kate. We'll help you," Angel shifted his girlfriend in his lap. "We'll wait for Willow to call back and as soon as we have more information I'll contact you."

The police officer stood up: "Thanks. I'm really grateful. I cannot really get involved in this, but if you need any help..."

"... we will contact you," Doyle finished her sentence.

As soon as Kate was out of the office Buffy turned to face her boyfriend: "This doesn't sound good," she sighed.

"No," he agreed. "Disappearing girls. If this was the hellmouth..."

"Yeah, that's what I was thinking too," the slayer stood up and went to the other side of the desk, glancing at Doyle while she was passing him. "What do you think?"

The half-demon played with a match between thumb and index-finger: "Sounds a lot like something vampire-related to me."

Angel ran his hands through his hair: "Let's just hope we're wrong."

The other's looked at him, but their concerned gazes spoke more than words.

*******

Willow's call two hours later confirmed their worst fears. The agency's files showed 20 girls at the age of 18, although the witch had found out that only 2 were really that age, the other's were much younger, the youngest only 14. 15 of the girls had disappeared so far. Willow had checked their addresses and the apartments had been rented to other persons now.

The most disturbing fact for the red-head however was the last name she found in the files: Cordelia Chase.

"Oh god," Buffy's voice was barely a whisper.

"Yes," Willow confirmed on the other end of the line. "And Buffy, she never came to school this week."

"Oh god," the slayer said again and glanced at her boyfriend who was watching her with growing concern. "Alright then Will, e-mail the files. And thanks again. .. yes, we'll call you as soon as we know anything." Putting the phone back down she looked at the two men in front of her: "Cordelia is on the list as well, and she didn't come to school the whole week."

"You mean the lovely Miss Chase from Sunnydale?," Doyle jumped up from this chair and began to pace the room. "Oh, I'm so going to kill this bastard."

"Doyle, calm down," Angel leaned back. "The question is, where to look. We don't even have a clue."

"Willow's going to search the net files again. Giving us Mr. Norton's address and stuff. Then we can check out all these places." Buffy went to the outer office to get herself more coffee and glanced at Lily: "You look tired. Are you okay?"

The blonde secretary shrugged: "I had a phone call last night." When she saw the slayer quirking her eyebrows, she continued: "My mom. We haven't talked in four years. Suddenly she wants me to come back to Idaho."

"Idaho is it, hmm?"

"Yeah," Lily smiled sheepishly. "It's strange to get connected to your real life again." After a short pause she added: "My real name is Noreen. Noreen Grady."

"So no more secret identities," Buffy joked and glanced at Angel and Doyle in the other office who were staring at the phone, desperately waiting for more information from Willow.

"I want to go home, Buffy," Lily looked at the slayer. "Would you mind?"

"Lily ... er ... Noreen, you have to do what you think is right. Of course we'll miss you. You're our friend, but I think you've been running away long enough, don't you think."

The reply was a warm smile and a nod. She would go home and make things right this time.

*****

Three hours later, it was almost dark outside and Lily had left the office already, the phone rang again. Willow had lots of information this time, addresses, names and more and so the trio went off, checking out apartments and bars. It was a tiring job and it was now close to midnight and they hadn't found a single hint. Maybe they would've given up for the night if it was a usual case, but the fact that Cordelia was missing, as bitchy as the former cheerleader was, was an extra push. No they wouldn't give up.

And then it was almost three o'clock in the morning they tiptoed towards the last apartment door they had on their list. A loud scream erupted the air and the slayer and the vampire simulaneously jumped forward and crashed through the door only to come face to face with a vampire in game face and a well known former Mayqueen standing in the corner with a cross in front of her face.

"Buffy, Angel," she said with a quivering voice. Noting Doyle coming in after them, she gave him a quick smile only to glance back at the vampire that stood before her ready to bite. "I've never been so happy to see you," she added.

"Cordelia," Buffy shook her head and then grinned at her boyfriend: "She's definitely a thing for vampires."

"Oh great," the brunette sent the slayer a glare. "I'm almost eaten by a vampire and you make fun of it."

The vampire that had looked back and forth between the intruders and his prospective meal began to growl: "You shouldn't have come, humans."

"Wow, I never thought there would be vamps with even dumber gags in LA. And by the way," Buffy said, while landing a kick on the vampire's stomach, "it really hurts that you don't know who I am. In Sunnydale the vamps at least knew my title."

"You cannot be human, you're too strong." the vampire spat at her and struggled back on his feet. He was a huge and massive guy, three times Buffy's weight.

"Geez, you're one of the fast brains," the slayer muttered and kicked the blood-sucker again.

"Don't you want to help the girl?" Doyle whispered to Angel.

The vampire shrugged and grinned: "She hadn't had a good beating for a while. She can do with some practice."

"Thanks, too kind," Buffy gave her boyfriend a sweet smile and then punched the vampire on his jaw sending him flying against the wall with a loud 'thumb'.

"Hello," Cordelia waved at her rescuers. "Anybody interested how I feel?"

"Not at the moment, Cordy," the slayer didn't even look at her. Punching the vampire again, she added: "Later we can talk about everything. I'm just a bit busy at the moment." With this her outstretched leg connected with the vampire's stomach. With a loud growl he sunk down. The same moment Buffy produced a stake from behind her back and sent it home. Wide-eyed the vampire was reduced to ash within seconds.

"Wow," Doyle clapped his hands and the slayer turned bowing her head slightly to accept the applause.

"You look awfully cheery," Buffy walked over to her boyfriend who was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, a grin on his face.

"I like a good performance," he replied and bent down to kiss her.

"Oh gross," Cordelia rolled her eyes. "After almost been eaten by a vampire I'm now going to be mentally damaged with all this PDA."

"Why are you in LA?," Buffy wanted to know.

"This bastard," she pointed at the ashes, "came to Sunnydale. Said he was in search for young actors." She sighed and looked to the ground: "It appears that my parents ... well ... they forgot to pay their taxes for like ... ever. Now there's nothing left, no money, no house, no car, nothing. So I thought this was better than waiting tables."

"What about school?"

"Well, somehow Harmony heard about this and now it's all over school. I can never go back, no, I will never go back. I can't face them."

Buffy hadn't seen highty-mighty Cordelia Chase like this before. "What are you going to do now?"

The brunette shrugged and the others could see tears welling up in her eyes, which she desperately tried to suppress. Nobody should see her cry or beg: "I don't know. But I will find something, don't worry."

Angel and Doyle exchanged a short glance then the vampire nodded at his girlfriend who understood at once: "Well," she said and walked over to the brunette, laying an arm around her shoulders. "It appears that we have a vacancy at our agency and with our line of business it's and advantage if the person taking the job already knows about vampires and stuff. And as I'm going to highschool in LA there's no reason why you shouldn't too."

Cordelia gave the slayer a long grateful look. They had never been friends, but at the moment both felt they might be in the future. Then the brunette took a deep breath, straightened her shoulders and shrugged off the blonde's arm: "Alright," she immediately raised a hand. "I'm doing this because I can see *you* are desperate. I'm a very talented actress and could get a job in no time."

"Of course Cordelia," Angel nodded and tried to keep a straight face, but he could feel how desperately the brunette was trying to keep her pride. "We know how lucky we are to get you," he added.

She eyed him for a moment, obviously discussion if he was teasing her or not, and then acknowledged his comment with a nod.

"May I offer you my assistance?" Doyle looked at the former May-Queen and held out his arm for her. For him the night couldn't have been more successful, the object of his silent admiration would be within his reach now. Cordelia took his arm with a regal nod and the pair left the apartment, while Buffy and Angel followed them, both with silent grins on their faces. Cordelia Chase as an employée of Angel Investigations ... well whatever the future would hold it would never be boring again.

Little did they know how true this would be soon.

Now, what do you think??? I know Cordelia and a vampire was in the original series too, but I tried to do it a bit differently. So, did you like it??

Next part coming soon ... it's going to become very interesting and angsty (sorry in advance!)

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