Chapter one

Willow swiped at the cloud of cigarette smoke in vain. The bar was crowded for a Wednesday night, and she couldn’t wait until last call. It wasn’t a
bad job; she and Cordelia had worked worse jobs in the past. But the thrill of working in a bar outside of a military post was getting old. The same
people came in every night, had the same drinks, and complained about the same things. Jim, the owner of the club, wasn’t all that bad to work for. It was just the fact that this wasn’t what she had imagined she’d be doing at the age of twenty-three. She had plans, big ones. That hadn’t included moving every four or five months, to a new town, new people, and a new pathetic job.

She missed her friends. At least she had been buddied up with Cordelia, this way she still had a piece of home with her.  They had left Sunnydale together almost three years ago. Three years? Yup, in a couple of days it would be three years. Was the plan working? Or were she and Cordelia still moving around, exiling themselves for no need?

Cordelia glared the young GI into submission. What was it with drunken men and the need to pinch waitress’s butts? She was ready to snap. The job had been fun when she and Willow had first started, but it was getting old, and fast.

How were the others? Were they happy, or did they find having to pick up their lives every couple of months getting to become unbearable. Did they think of the friendships that were put on indefinite hold one summer night, to keep the world safe from Glory? Were they even alive? These thoughts were always running through the former May Queen’s mind, even though she and Willow had stopped talking about them out loud. Except for once a year, on the anniversary date, that was only three days away. They would break out the strong stuff and drink the night away, making toasts to those they left behind.

Xander watched as Anya unpacked their small amount of possessions. They could never keep much, made the moves a lot easier that way. The less they had the less attachment to the places they had been, and people they had met. They allowed themselves one small shoebox of pictures from their past. Pictures filled with innocent smiles, funny antics, and special occasions. Once in awhile they would open the box to look at the pictures. Mostly it was the security of just knowing the box was near by.

He felt like he was losing a little piece of himself everyday. Thank God for Anya. Without her he would have given up years ago. He wanted to go home, to walk down the streets of Sunnydale to Gile’s apartment. To see his friends gathered, waiting for him. But he had given up that luxury almost three years ago. Who’s plan had it been? It seemed to have been perfect at the time, a master plan to fool Glory on her hunt for the Key.

Gile’s read from the book, getting frustrated knowing that a certain redhead could’ve found the answer hours ago. He could almost feel all of their
presences around him. Xander slouched back shoving foodstuff in his mouth. Willow soothing sore feelings, as she hacked her way through the internet. Anya and her annoying habit of bringing up useful information hours into a research party. Even Cordelia, Wesley and Angel. The way they’d show up from LA when needed. Where were they all, were they all okay? He was like a father to some, a friend to others. This was a lot harder than even he thought it was going to be. He was lucky to be with both Buffy and Dawn.

The two girls weren’t the same young fountains of youths that they had once been. They had been jaded. All in one year they lost their Mother, their Father abandoned any responsibility he should have shown. If all this wasn’t hard enough, Buffy lost Riley twice. Once to the Initiative, the other to death. The poor boy hadn’t lasted three months, when word came that he had died. Reeling from her Mother’s death, and hearing of his death had pushed the slayer too far over the edge. She had lost her sparkle.

It hadn’t helped that after Angel’s soul had been anchored that the two had forced themselves into the relationship they both knew was already dead. No these years had not been kind to the three of them. He only hoped that the others were fairing well.

"Wes man pull the stick out of your ass. I live here too, and I’m getting tired of all these damn rules." Gunn shouted at the Englishman who was
sitting across the room, glaring back.

"Will you two shut up!" Lindsey put his head in his heads trying to think if his fate would have been any worse if he had just stayed with Wolfram and Hart. Out of all the people he could’ve been paired with why these two? He and Cordelia had started being honest about their attraction to one another, now he got to stay awake all night wondering where his beautiful girl was.

"This sucks. Every year at this time we all go through this. It’s like some sort of freaky PMS thing." Gunn grumbled. It was days until the three-year
mark. It had only been three years, seemed like thirty. He had long ago forgotten the purpose of this entire thing. True the three of them had become pretty good friends, but with out some sort of reason to get up in the morning, life just wasn’t the same.

Angel stepped out onto the pier, staring out to sea. With a heavy heart he tried to remember each of their faces. Of the oddities that made them all family. He knew by being a vampire he was going to out live them all, having to one day say goodbye. But knowing they were most likely still all alive, and not being able to be near them, was slowly driving him insane.

He had just recently arrived to the small Maine coast town. It was well into the summer season, and no one would think twice about his sudden arrival. He made it a habit to move every couple of months, mostly to larger cities; it was easier to get lost when people are ignoring you. This time he wanted to move to a small town, and the quiet it could provide.

He had started out with Buffy, Dawn and Giles. First moving to Denver, then to Chicago. It was in Chicago that he and the slayer finally admitted that what they once had, and fought so hard for was no longer there. It wasn’t a tear filled good-bye. She had had so many of them that one more didn’t faze her. It was the closure he had needed to go on with out the blonde in his life.

Now he dreamt about a redhead. He snorted at the thought. He had so many chances to notice her, but like the thickheaded idiot he was he had just seen her as one of the group. The little redheaded girl who was good for telling him where to find Buffy. Not the redheaded witch who saved his soul, brought him back from Hell, and offered unconditional friendship that no one in all this life and unlife had ever offered.

Closing his eyes he sent out the same prayer he made every night. May the Gods watch over his family, and keep them safe.

"It’s almost time."

"I know. The balance has been tipped with out their help. Evil is winning."

"Isn’t ironic the thing they all have been running from died months after they fled?"

"Our warrior no longer fights, our seer no longer sees. The slayer no longer slays. The witch no longer uses her powers, and the others stay in hiding. They had thought by running they were keeping each other safe, but they are all forgetting the importance of the fight. It will be time soon."

The new oracles nodded in agreement and started to make their plans.
 

Chapter two

"Here’s to three years of isolation." Cordelia raised her glass to touch Willow’s. Both girls quickly drowned their first shot. One of many until they
passed out cold.

"Here’s to keeping Dawn safe." Willow refilled the glasses and they consumed more.

"To the slayerettes. May we not be forgotten."

"Here’s to Joyce. A mother to us all."

"May Ms. Callender, Kendra, Faith, Doyle, Jesse, Oz, Tara, Riley, and Kate all rest in peace." Willow and Cordelia wiped the tears from their eyes.

"Here’s to the Master, Darla, Angelus, and Dru. May they all roast in hell." Willow added trying to cheer things up a little.

"How do you think everyone is?" Cordelia needed to get that out. They had decided long ago that talking about their friends everyday was just making things worse. They left this night, the anniversary for that.

"I don’t know. I hope they’re all happy. I mean Angel and Buffy are finally together. They *have* to be happy. Xander and Anya probably hump like
bunnies, so they’re fine. Lindsey, Gunn, and Wesley probably bug the crap out of each other, so maybe they’re only okay.  Gile’s, Buffy, Angel and Dawn are probably one big happy family."

Cordelia nodded absently. "I like to make up stuff like that too. Makes me feel better."

An hour later two very drunken girls picked up their last shots. "Here’s to Angel and Lindsey. May they always know how loved they are." Drinking the last of the golden liquor, both girls fell into silence, both lost in their own thoughts.

"Xander, what do you think the others are doing tonight? I mean, they miss us right? That’s what humans do, miss the ones they love." They were lying in the middle of the local park staring up at the stars.

"I hope they remember us." Xander pulled his wife to his side. "It hurts too much to think that they wouldn’t. I know I think about all of them, even
Deadboy, everyday. The need to go home hurts so much some times."

Anya wiped away one of his tears. This was too much for both of them. She had just started getting used to being human, dealing with the fact that; she was going to die someday. Then there was that horrible battle with Glory, if you could call it that. It had been more like a slaughter. Tara and Oz had been wiped out within seconds; no one had even seen it coming. Kate was attacked next. At least the three of them died quickly. Angel, Buffy, Faith and Spike attacked together. Glory brushed them off without batting an eye. Faith’s neck was easily snapped. The young slayer finally found her redemption.

She and Willow had tried casting protection spells, but it did no good. It became apparent that they had to retreat. That’s when the big plan came into place.

They all knew Glory was unstoppable. So they needed to get Dawn out of there. They had split up into four groups. All heading out together. In Salt Lake they split up into two groups, each traveling in separate and unknown directions. Only to split up again. They were all to keep on the move, not to allow Glory to be able to find them. If they couldn’t kill the Bitch, then they’d keep what she wanted from her.

Giles watched the two young women staring at the TV. Didn’t they know what day this was? It seemed like a horribly twisted national holiday to him, like D-day. One this day three years ago their friends literally gave up everything to keep Dawn and the world safe.

Willow one of the most intelligent young woman he had ever known had given up any chance on finishing her education. Cordelia had finally gotten the break she needed to become the actress she had always dreamt of. An engaged Anya and Xander could never start the family any young couple had the right to dream of. The constant moving around wouldn’t have been fair to growing children. Wesley had just started proving himself useful in the fight against evil. Making up for the mistakes he had made with Faith. Gunn had to break his promise to keep his neighborhood safe. Lindsey had just started down his path of good. Not that is wasn’t hard enough under normal circumstances. Worse of all Angel. He gave up the most precious chance, to be human.

He had tried to bring up the subject several times that night, only to have the subject change, or have one of them shrug their shoulders. These were not the girls he once knew. The two females glued to the TV were empty shells of their former selves. Had he failed them some how? He had truly tried to be there for them, giving them the shoulder to cry on. But none of that mattered.

Sighing the Watcher went back to his room, at least he would remember.

"Cordelia and Willow." Wesley asked.

"Some where the sun shines all the time." Gunn answered.

"Florida or some hot spot in Mexico." Lindsey answered.

"Yeah I bet they sit around all day soaking up the rays." Gunn finished off his beer. "Angel, Buffy, Giles and Dawn."

"Some where near a university." Wesley answered first.

"You always say that."

"Well I can’t see Giles in some backward small town." Wesley defended himself.

"Whatever...Xander and Anya."

"........................."

"They could be anywhere."

It was a game they played once in awhile, and that night seemed like a perfect night to play. They tried to think where the others would go. What
kind of jobs they’d work. How they were doing. The game usually lasted as long as they stayed sober, that or when the beer ran out.

Angel stood on the empty pier again. He could here their voices in his head this time. Some of their words brought a smile to his face. Others only made him sad.

"You were checking out my neck! I saw that." Happy

"I invited you into my home, and you attacked my family." Sad.

"When I kiss you I want to die..." Sad.

"She couldn’t dress up like Xena?" Happy.

"It’s a rock. I can’t wait to tell my friends." Mad, sad.

"If I tell you something do you promise not to bite me?" Funny, and a little sad.

"Yeah? I hope evil takes MasterCard." Sad.

"I’m not allowed to have boys in my room." Happy.

He wanted them all back desperately; he needed them, more than they ever needed him.

Willow could feel the pounding in her head before she fully reached consciousness. Her mouth felt like she had been eating cotton balls all night. Her stomach getting ready to revolt.

Cordelia was in the same terrible shape. Laying on her stomach, trying to force herself back to sleep. She was almost successful until a brain
shattering vision made her scream out. She hadn’t had one in three years, and she had forgotten how horrible they were.

Willow was at her side when the pain ebbed away. She looked a little green, but also concerned.

"What happened? Are you okay?"

"Vision...Angel."
 

Chapter three

"Angel. You had a vision about Angel?" Willow wanted to shake her friend out the stupor that had her so tongue-tied. "Is he hurt? Was he fighting some huge Demon? Where is he!!"

Cordelia shook her head still in a daze. "He's not hurt, no big Demon. Camden Maine."

"Cordelia please, tell me what you saw. You haven't had a vision in years. Why now? There has to be a reason. He must need us."

"He was just standing there Willow. There was water, it was night.... Well duh. That's it."

Willow nodded and looked away. "Did he look happy?"

"Angel? Look happy?" Cordelia tried to piece together the images that had caused her so much pain. "He looked Angely, that whole Brood boy thing
happening. He was standing on a pier looking out over the water."

"So you didn't see Buffy with him?"

Cordelia shook her head, wondering whom the vision had truly caused more pain to. Her with the mind blowing fireworks. Or Willow, with the teasing
information of where Angel could be found. "Maybe it was a present from the TPTB's, just to let us know one of our friends is fine. New England in the summer time is the best. Plus all those old homes and historical stuff Angel's right at home... We could go you know. They don't have to know that we were there."

"No." Willow groaned. "It's enough to know he's fine. I really don't think I could go spy on him and Buffy together."

"Well I don't know about you, but this hangover-slash-post vision migraine is going to kill me. Aspirin, water, sleep. In that order."
 

(Three weeks later)

Willow was worried. She couldn't miss another night of work if they wanted to have enough money to pay the rent bill. The way things were going it didn't look like Cordelia would be going back to work any time soon. She was getting visions with a vengeance. About five a day, since the first one after their little drinking binge. The poor girl barely recovered from the headaches one caused when another followed. It was the same vision. Angel, pier, water, night. He didn't seem to be in any apparent danger, so why the visions?

Goddess how she wanted to see him. But having to witness his happiness in the arms of Buffy was something she was willing to forgo. She did care about his happiness, but there was a bitter side to herself that wasn't thrilled he was finding happiness with Buffy. Angel had once let the blonde go in the past; to let the slayer live her life, and find happiness among humans, she didn't need to have done it with such a zest that she became intimately knowledgeable with half the male population of Sunnydale. Okay, maybe not half, see bitter.

Opening the door to the apartment she stood in shock. There were packing boxes stacked against the far wall. Apparently the boxes were filled with
their meager belongings, because the apartment was bare of the knick-knacks and stuff that had made it home. She could here noise coming from the back bedroom, doors opening and closing.

"Ah...Cordelia? What's going on?"

The noise stopped and Cordelia peeked her head out of her bedroom. "I'm done. If the TPTB are hinting around for us to find Angel then so be it. I've had six visions today! Six!" Cordelia held six fingers up to exaggerate her point. "If finding him stops these things then we're blowing this joint."

Willow just stood watching Cordelia shove, stuff and cram her clothes into an over stuffed duffel bag. Cordelia was serious, as soon as their belongings were packed and put into the back of the Jeep Cherokee they shared, they were out of there.

Turning to her room, Willow started to imitate Cordelia's actions. They were packed and ready to go when the sun started to rise. After some sleep they'd leave Leesville Louisiana, with out looking back.
 

Chapter four

"Six years of college and I'm pumping gas." Lindsey grumbled under his breath. "Could be worse, I could be asking, 'Any fries with your order?'." Here he was pumping gas for ten bucks an hour, when he was once the man that had a corner office and a six-figure income. He traded his Armani for jeans and tee shirts, his penthouse apartment for some rat infested dump he shared with two other grown men. If you would have asked him five years ago where he would be in the future he would never think it would be here, no where Kansas. He was glad in some sick twisted way that he was no longer the man with all the materialistic goods. He had earned them by making innocent people suffer. But what he would do for a job with a little dignity. Having to move every couple months really didn't give him much of a choice.

What would Cordelia think of me as some gas station attendant? Would she be happy that I'm still on the path of redemption? Or laugh at my stained uniform, thinking I'm some pathetic loser? She probably wouldn't be impressed with my career choice, but me not working for some evil law firm would make up for it. Too bad she wasn't here to see he was doing what he had promised.

He missed the sound of her laughter, the way it would make his heart skip a beat. Her smile that reassured him that he had made the right choice by asking Angel and his friends for help. But their little squabbles were what kept him up at night. The way the girl could us the English language as a weapon was unsettling. Just by taking simple words she could have him on his knees begging for mercy. Her eyes would sparkle when she smelled victory near, her lips twisting in that electric smile that was purely hers. There was no other woman on the face of the planet that came close to being her. He knew, he had been all over the United States these last three years. He had met plenty of women, but none of them had that sparkle that Cordelia possessed.

He tried to conjure the fading memory of his last night with Cordelia. She had been uniquely quiet, and he had asked her if she was okay. She had cried, heart wrenching sobs that burned his soul. Cordelia, one of the strongest young woman he knew was crumbling in front of him. There was only one thing he could think of that would stop her from crying, he kissed her. It had started out timid at first, but when she started to respond they had deepened it. The kiss lasted all night, and well into the morning. Until it was time to say goodbye. When they had finally admitted their feelings, they had to go separate ways. Life was a bitch.

Angel watched the hordes of tourists walking up and down the lighted streets. Peeking into shop windows, or looking for a place to rest their tiered feet. He was beginning to understand the locals dislike to tourist season. Though the town's survival depended on the intruders, it was also suffocating.

"More coffee?" The young waitress asked holding out the fresh pot of coffee. Angel nodded and thanked the girl. He came to the same coffee shop every night, waiting for the crowds on the piers to go back to their hotel rooms or boats docked in the harbor. He liked to be alone when he thought of his scattered family.

He made it to the pier every night. Running over the memories and give his nightly prayer of safety to his loved ones. The ritual almost brought him
peace, but as long as he was separated from the others he'd never be complete. Each of the missing people complimented him, filled in the gaps that made his life worth getting up for. Now they were all gone, and it was hard to make himself go on.

Sighing he got up and left the money for his coffee and tip on the table. It was time to say goodnight to his friends.

"Xander they're all the same."

"One more Anya. Just to make sure."

"I've done eight of them. I think it's safe to assume that another one wont make a difference."

"I just can't believe it's true. I don't want to believe and have it turn out to be some big mistake."

"Xander, face it. You're going to be a Daddy."

Xander gathered his wife up into a huge hug, smiling like a fool. "I'm going to hold you to it."
 

Chapter five

After two long days and half the money they had saved was gone, Willow and Cordelia made it to Maine. The visions had lessened to one a day, letting them know they were doing the right thing. Camden was a small tourist town, right on the coast. It was clean, quaint, and flooded with people from all around the globe. Finding a place to stay was a challenge, and they had to settle on a hotel in Rockland, a couple of towns over.

They arrived around noon. Giving them time for a well-deserved nap. Neither girl could see straight, fatigue made just standing up right a challenge.
Their tongues would probably be permanently green from the consumption of the Mountain Dew they had been drinking for the caffeine. Not even the knowledge that they might be reunited with the vampire that night could have stopped them from passing into a dreamless sleep.

Willow was the first to wake up, her stomach queasy from the fast food diet that all road trips required. Opening her eyes she noticed that Cordelia was still dead to the world, and in the same position she had falling asleep in. The clock next to the bed indicated that it was only six, a couple of hours until sunset. Anticipation rocked through her. Angel was here, somewhere, waiting until it was safe to leave his lodgings. What was he doing? Was his face shoved into one of those old books he loved to pretend to be reading? Giving off the impression that he was doing something other than brooding. Or were he and Buffy snuggled together, whispering their undying love to one another?

Groaning she shoved her face into the pillow, trying to erase the last image. She had to make this as painless as possible. She had to prepare herself for the on sought of emotions that seeing the two together was surly going to bring. If she were lucky they’d find Angel, see that he was safe, and go on their merry way. To another town, and the loneliness that would take over her life yet again.

"You awake?" Cordelia yawned.

"Humph." Willow still had her face firmly pressed into the pillow.

"Hungry?"

"Humph."

"I call bathroom first." Willow could hear Cordelia shuffle through one of the bags she brought up to the room and close the bathroom door.

Twenty minutes later the door opened again, "Your turn."

Willow made herself move into action. Opening her own bag she choose shorts and a shirt to wear. Nothing all that impressive, seeing that they hadn’t the money anymore to spoil themselves on designer labels.

They sat in a small dinner, sipping on coffee, trying to think of ways to comfort each other. Waiting for the sun to go down was playing havoc on their nerves. They were so close, yet by the way the second hand took its time to circle around the clock seemed like it was taking forever.

"More coffee?" The young waitress asked. Both girls jumped at the intrusion.

"Yes please." Willow watched as the steaming liquid quickly poured into her cup. "Do you know where we can find the piers?"

The young girl laughed. "Where can’t you find a pier around here? The harbor is down one block to the right. You’ll find at least four piers there."

"Great." Cordelia said into her cup. "Couldn’t make it easy now could they?"

The young girl smiled at them and went on her rounds of refilling coffee. The sky started getting dark, and they decided it was time to go. Walking down the still crowded streets they didn’t see the dark man enter the dinner they had just left.

They looked for hours. Walking up and down each pier, with no sign of the Vampire they were searching for. "I can’t walk another step." Cordelia
ungracefully slumped down on the edge of the last pier they had searched. "I need to rest."

Willow sat next to her, resting her head on her friend’s shoulder. The water below had a calming effect, as both girls stared out to sea. "It’s beautiful here."

They sat in silence, trying not to feel lost after their little set back. They had both been so sure it would be easy to find him. How hard was it to
find a brooding vampire on a wooden pier?

"It’s still early, maybe he waits until the people go to sleep." Cordelia broke the silence.

"Makes sense...This waiting around sucks."

They sat around for another hour, until their earlier fatigue caught up with them. They hadn’t slept very well on their trip up here, and the six-hour nap hadn’t restored them enough for an all night vigil. "I can’t keep my eyes open." Willow yawned. "I say we get a good night rest and start all over tomorrow night." Cordelia took one last look at the water and stood up, helping Willow to her feet.

As they walked down the pier, they looked over to the other three, and stopped in their tracks when they spotted a lone figure standing at the end
of the one closest to them. He was thirty feet away, but they could see his shadowed profile. The figure’s stance just screamed Angel, but if that
wasn’t enough to convince them, the dark trench coat the person wore made it a dead lock. Who else would wear a coat in the middle of summer, even in the cooler Maine climate?

"Angel." The girls whispered together. They were frozen in place, stuck staring at a person from their past. He was oblivious to them. He turned and
started back toward the landing and both girls jumped into action.

"Angel!" Willow cried out, when she realized that he was leaving. The figure seemed to jump, and turn toward her direction. The three of them stood
staring across the water that separated the wooden docks, trying to convince themselves that this wasn’t a dream.

Angel nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard the familiar voice cry out into the night. Looking in the direction it had come from, he felt his
un-beating heart climb up into his throat. Willow and Cordelia stood one pier over, both looking right back at him. They stayed that way for a moment, until the girls started racing down the wooden slats, their feet making thudding sounds that echoed into his soul. Taking one step then another he found himself running as well. Reaching the landing first he turned in their direction.

They were feet away, and the two girls threw themselves at the vampire, knowing with all their hearts he’d never let them fall. His strong arms
gathered them to him, kissing the tops of the red and brunette heads. He didn’t want to let them go, thinking that they vanish the second he loosened his hold.

Where had they come from? Why were they here? Had they been looking for him, were they in trouble or perhaps hurt? Making himself put the girls down he inspected each of them for any signs of abuse. They were wiping tears from their eyes, and controlling the emotions that tore through their bodies.

Willow reached out to touch him again, reassuring herself that he was there. As soon as her hand made contact Angel embraced her again, slowly rocking them back and forth.

Cordelia watched and gulped back the tears that were blinding her. They had found him, and she hoped they wouldn’t have to give him up too soon.
 

Chapter six

Angel let go of Willow, but held onto her small hand. "How?"

"Cordelia has been having visions of you." Willow heard the words she spoke, she was just shocked she could speak at that moment. Here she was standing with Angel, holding his hand. He hadn't changed, not that he could, but the warm brown eyes and spike hair were still there. The warm protected feeling she always felt around him was there as well. All of a sudden felt that it had only been days, not years since she had seen him last.

"Visions? What kind of visions?" Angel frowned not liking the idea of his former employee having visions without him there to help her. He had gone to see the new Oracles before they had all left. Letting them know of his choice not to follow the path they had set for him. That he was going with the slayer to protect the key. He had asked for Cordelia's visions to stop, since his seer wasn't going with him. They had agreed and now it seemed they were reneging on their promise.

"They were of you. Nothing bad; just you standing on a pier alone. The first one was the day after the three year mark. After that I started having them four or five times a day. The last straw was when I had six in one day. "

"So you two came and found me." Angel finished for her.

"You're not mad, are you? We know we aren't supposed to come looking for you, but we couldn't think of any other way to stop her visions." Willow
couldn't look him in the eye as she waited for his answer.

"Mad?" Angel dropped her hand and brushed her hair behind her ear. "I can't think of anything that could make me happier than seeing you, both of you." The two girls sighed a breath of relief and hugged him again. It felt so right having them there. Cordelia was like a sister to him, she had kept him on his path in LA. Forcing him back numerous times from the shadows of his mind that could swallow him whole. Then there was Willow. How she was filled with the promises of tomorrow. Just the way she could see the good in him, and try to convince him of what she saw, made him love the witch more. He had to remember to thank TPTB.

"So what now? Are you two hungry?" Angel asked stepping back and leading them to the dinner around the corner.

"No." The two girls asked in unison. Angel raised his brow at them, and let his eyes do all the talking. It hadn't really been a question, but a hint as
to where he was taking them. While he fattened them up he was going to drag every tale of their last three years from them. Try to find out how two vibrant girls, became worn down and ready to collapse.

Dragging them back into the dinner they had all had been to earlier that night, Angel sat them at the first empty table he could find.

"Angel we've already eaten." Willow whispered.

The same waitress that had waited on them earlier, walked up to their table. "Guess you girls found what you were looking for. Are you two ready to have something more than coffee?"

Cordelia and Willow both glared at the waitress for pointing out their little lie. "I'll have a salad." Cordelia said. "Me too." Willow added.

Angel cleared his throat and the young girl turned to him memorized. "They'll have the broiled Haddock dinner with those salads." The waitress blushed and hurried away.

"Well some things never change." Cordelia rolled her eyes at Angel's usual dominant nature.

Angel shrugged and sat back. "So what have you two been up to?" Angel sat back as the girls started to talk. He listened to their description of the
places they had been and the people they had met. It hadn't surprised him much they had been working the bars scenes. It explained their unhealthy complexions. He nearly fell out of his seat when they had told him about their jobs serving drunks in a stripe bar. Angel just couldn't picture either girl walking around in skimpy clothing, having men leer at them. Wait yes he could, and the more he thought about it the more upset he got.

They went into detail of the Mardi Gras they had attended. Of their amazement how one street could hold so many people. They had fallen in love with New Orleans. Willow loved the historical sites and the interesting people that gathered in the sinful city. Cordelia loved the shops and atmosphere the large city provided.

Though it was apparent they had changed, he could still see find glimpses of the girls they used to be. He'd get them back, wipe away the harshness that was etched in their eyes. What they needed was some TLC and he was just the vampire to do it.
 

Chapter seven

The ocean breeze carried their squeals of delight from the water, up to the beach house they had been living in. Angel watched from the second story window, away from the direct sunlight, as Willow and Cordelia splashed around in the water.

Willow pushed Cordelia onto her backside into the freezing seawater, Angel chuckled. "Willow you get back here." Cordelia gasped as the redhead darted down the beach. "Or I’ll tell Angel about the tattoo on your rear end." Willow stopped in mid-stride and shot a glance up at the house.

Angel raised an eyebrow. Willow with a tattoo? He wondered what she had inked on her cute butt that she wouldn’t want him to see. He watched as the redhead returned to where Cordelia was waiting. He was most defiantly going to have to inquire as to what she was hiding from him.

Willow and Cordelia went back to their lounge chairs and started packing their stuff up. They’d been on the beach for hours, and Willow’s skin was
probably paying the price. No matter the amount of sunscreen the girl slathered on she would return to the house sunburned and with a few added
freckles.

"Angel?" Willow called out as they entered the house.

"Where’s the food Nazi?" Cordelia grumbled under her breath. "You know we still have enough time to run and get a burger, he doesn’t have to know."

Angel stood at the top of the stairs smiling. He had earned the infamous nickname the first week the girls had moved in. In his quest to bring them
back the healthy young women they used to be, he had gone a little overboard at a local organic food store. The first few days on the new diet the girls ate the food out of appreciation. It had gotten to the point that they couldn’t choke down another mouthful, and begged the vampire for some grease laden food. They came to a compromise three healthy, but tasteful meals a day for him. *Some* junk food in the house for them.

"Get washed up you two, were going out for dinner." They both jumped and glared in his direction

"I hate it when you do that." Cordelia dropped her beach paraphernalia where she stood, knowing it the best way to get back at him and his neat freak fetish.

"Where are you taking us?" Willow asked while she scooped up Cordelia’s items from the floor.

"It’s a surprise." He watched as she pouted thinking he’d give in. "Tell you what kitten, I’ll tell you where we’re going, if you show me your tattoo."
No sooner were the words out of his mouth, that her eyes popped open and her jaw dropped.

"Tat-tattoo. Why would *I* have a tattoo?" Willow started up the stairs to her room. Angel blocked the way. He had a smirk on his face that let her know he had just started his little game.

"Um Angel you need to move so I can get ready to go." Angel’s eyes spelled mischief as he stepped aside. Willow sped past him and into her room. Damn Cordelia and her big mouth. Hurrying to her private bath she stripped her bathing suit off and turned on the shower. As the water heated up she looked at the tattoo on her butt in the mirror. She had been so stupid getting it, not to mention drunk. On her upper left cheek was the exact replica of Angel’s tattoo, only smaller. He could never see it; she’d die of embarrassment.

Even if he was well over Buffy, it didn’t mean she had a chance with him. She remembered when they had first arrived at the beach house. She had expected to find Giles, Dawn and Buffy inside. Not a large empty house. When they asked Angel where the others were he looked confused for a moment, until he realized just who they where talking about.  He explained about how the relationship that everyone believed would never die, had faded into an uneasy friendship. That the more he and the Slayer had tried to make it work the harder it became. While he talked about it, he sounded as though he was truly past the pain. He acted as though he was talking about someone other than himself.

Willow got ready on a hurry. She couldn’t wait to see where Angel took them that night.

Cordelia looked around the restaurant. She had to hand it to Angel; he sure did have great taste in restaurants even if he didn’t eat. The only thing
that would have made it batter was if she wasn’t there. The place reeked romance, and it might have been the little shove that the blind vampire and shy witch needed. Angel had invited her because he didn’t want her to feel left out, but she hated feeling like a third wheel. ‘If only Lindsey was here.’ She sighed. Then the night would be perfect.

"Excuse me, I need to powder my nose." Cordelia got up and headed to the restroom.

"Angel this place is incredible." Willow exclaimed.

"Well thought you two needed a break from my cooking." He tried not to laugh as she looked away.

One of the servers hurried to their table. "The other young lady that was with you collapsed in the restroom." Angel and Willow jumped from the table, not waiting to hear what else the young man had to say.

Entering the bathroom, Cordelia was sitting on the floor her head in her hands. "Cordy honey what was it?" Willow grabbed a few paper towels and ran them under cool water.

"Wes and Gunn. I saw them in a bar; they’re in New Mexico."

"Did you see Lindsey?" Cordelia shook her head.

"Angel?" Willow questioned.

Angel thought for a moment. " I guess we’re off to New Mexico."
 

Chapter eight

"Are you sure this is the place?" Willow asked nervously and took another step closer to Angel. It was the third bar that night they had been to. This one was some small hole in the wall, and the way the people stopped what they were doing to stare at the intruders made her uneasy.

"No. I don’t get it. Why a vision of them in a bar. Didn’t TPTB know how many bars there are in Santa Fe?" Cordelia searched the sea of faces that had returned to what they had previously been doing, and sighed in disgust. They had been in the town for two days with no luck on the location of their friends. Cordelia and Willow searched during the day; well they mostly just wandered, hoping to catch a glimpse of one of the guys. At night they’d hit the bars with Angel.

"Okay I say we go on to the next bar. What was the name of it?" Willow was already heading for the exit.

"The Oasis." Angel looked at the torn yellow paper he had taken from the hotel phone book.

"How many bars can be named the Oasis?" Cordelia grumbled.

"This will make four." Willow got into the passenger side of the car and stopped before she closed the door. "Isn’t that..? Um you guys lets get
going." Willow hurriedly closed the door and waited for the others to get in. Her heart was beating at an unnatural speed and she tried to calm herself down before Angel noticed.

"Isn’t that what?" Angel frowned and looked around the parking lot, stopping his gaze on a black car that a group of people were piling out of. It was them. Why wouldn’t Willow say anything if she saw them? He was about to question the redhead until he noticed the girls that were with the three guys. Apparently they were all out on a date. He watched as Lindsey waited for a blonde to scoot out of the backseat, and close the door after her. "Ah Cordelia get in the car. I say we get something to eat." Angel pushed her into the backseat before she could protest.

Willow and Angel shared a look of understanding. This wasn’t good. While Cordelia was excited to be reunited with the rest of the LA gang, she was
focused on finding Lindsey. How were they going to explain to their friend that not only did they just find the people they were looking for, but drove away without saying a word to them. Angel knew that truth was the best policy, and pulled the car over.

"Ah Cordelia there’s something you need to know."

"What?"

"They were there." Willow held her breath, waiting for Cordelia’s reaction.

Cordelia blinked at them in confusion. First looking at Angel then over to Willow. Both wore guilty expressions, and Cordelia had a feeling that
whatever they knew wasn’t going to be easy to hear. "Spit it out."

"They were there...Um not by themselves." Willow fidgeted with her hands in her lap.

Cordelia felt the air being ripped from her lungs. When she hadn’t seen Lindsey in her visions she feared that he had returned to Wolfram and Heart.
The thought of him going back down that old path consumed her thoughts. Never did she think that he’d be with another woman. How stupid of her, she thought. Here she had been thinking that there had been some kind of link between them after that one night they had shared. Fighting back the tears, Cordelia put on her no nonsense face.

"Well turn around Fang boy. We have some friends we need to find." Sitting back and staring out the window she wished Angel and Willow would stop staring at her. She was going to be fine. After all that she had been through, and all that she had lost. No one man was going to tear her apart. She hoped.

Lindsey sat back and watched as Wesley tried to impress his date with his uncanny ability to throw sharp pointed objects at corkboard. What the former lawyer really wanted to do was throw the darts at his two friends. They had somehow talked him into a blind date, and here he sat with one of the stupidest people he had ever met.

"Lindsey your turn." Wesley tried to hand him the darts and Lindsey glared at him. "Unless of course you wish to sit this one out."

Lindsey turned back to his drink and tried to drone out the blonde’s whiny high-pitched voice. It wasn’t just her voice that grated on his nerves, but
the words that just flew out of her mouth.

Wes and Gunn sat back and watched as Lindsey tried to pretend he was paying attention to the girl they had set him up with. "I told you she was a bad choice for him" Gunn snorted.

"Well there wasn’t any Cordy look a likes lying around. I did the best I could." Wesley really didn’t think he had done a bad job at choosing the
young woman, until she let out a squeal of laughter that pierced his eardrums. "Maybe we should watch our backs for awhile. I’m sure he’s already
thinking retaliation."

Gunn chuckled as Lindsey fought the urge to strangle the girl next to him. Turning around to grab his beer from his table he knocked it over as he saw a figure heading to them. "I’ll be damned."

Wes turned to the direction the dark young man was gaping at, and chocked on the beer he was drinking.

"Anyone for a game of darts?" Angel smirked as two of his friends fought not to pass out cold.
 

Chapter nine

"Angel you go over there and talk to them." Cordy pushed the vampire toward the corner where their friends had settled themselves. Angel looked at them questionably.

"I’ll stay with Cordy, go." Willow shooed at him. They watched as Angel made his way over to the guys holding their breath.

Cordelia spotted Lindsey sitting with the blonde, looking like a man being subjected to a fate worse than death. It didn’t seem his date stopped
talking, when she did she’d laugh at something she had said, a noise that cut through the bar, and made everyone in the room wince. He can’t even stand her, a small voice said in the back of her mind. Cordelia couldn’t help but hope that her observation was on the money.

"Look at her Cordelia, she doesn’t even compare to you. She dresses worse than I did in High School, hell even Xander had better sense of style. But I must say doesn’t he look yummy in jeans and a tee shirt." Willow watched the slight curve to her friend’s mouth.

Willow drew her attention from Lindsey back to Angel, in time to see the reactions of Gunn and Wes. She bit back her laughter, only because she had been there a little over a month ago.

"Angel. Dear lord what are you doing here?" Wesley stammered.

"Man, not that I’m thrilled to see you, but why the hell are you here? How did you find us?" Gunn shook hands with his friend from the past.

"Long story. I’ve come bearing gifts." Angel turned and pointed to two girls standing near the bar.

"Just look at those two. They’re dressed like hookers." Lindsey’s date snickered. "I mean who wears leather? And those tops barely cover anything."

Lindsey looked in the direction that his date was making snide comments to, and his blood ran cold. Cordelia. She was standing nervously talking to the little redhead at her side. She looked anything but cheap. Occasionally she’d glance around he bar then back at Willow.

"Lindsey." A deep voice said from behind him. Lindsey jumped and turned in his seat.

"Angel? What’s going on? Why’s Cordelia here?" Lindsey turned back in her direction and watched in awe as Gunn and Wes made their way to her. The smile that brightened her face was blinding. She yelped and jumped into their embraces.

"I’ll explain later. It’s good to see that you’re still on the right path." Angel admitted.

Lindsey stood, ignoring his date’s questions and headed to Cordelia. With every step he felt his heart beat faster. It was her, really her. She turned
and saw him approaching and froze. Lindsey closed the space between them and reached out to take her in his arms. He had played this scene in his mind a thousand times. He’d hold her to him, she’d cry. They’d share a long heated kiss, and the years that separated them would melt away. What he hadn’t planned on was her stepping away from him. Pain etched onto her face.

"L-Lindsey. Wow you look... it’s great to see you." Her smile was forced, and she looked ready to break down.

Had he been wrong? He thought that he had meant something to her. "Darlin’ I’ve missed you." He tried to smooth over the uncomfortable tension between them. He saw her eyes flicker in the direction he had been sitting and groaned. She had seen him with that ditz and got the wrong impression. It was settled, Wes and Gunn were going to die.

Lindsey snaked out his hand and pulled Cordelia up against him, covering her mouth with his before she could protest. It was still there, that little
electrical current that went through him and pumped his blood through his veins. He thought he had died and gone to heaven when she returned the kiss and ran her hands up his back.

Her mind started to clear as she heard the others clearing their throats. Blushing she pulled away. "So who’s the bleached blonde with the bad perm?" Cordelia asked in her old Cordy style and flare.
 

Chapter ten

"I’m going out." Buffy muttered as the door slammed behind her. Giles didn’t even look up from the book in front of him.

Sighing he removed his glasses and cleaned them, as was his habit when something truly bothered him. He hated what life had handed him. His life
once had purpose, a goal. Now he supported two self absorbed brats. He had expected more from Buffy, always had been proud in how long she had lasted compared to the past slayers. It had been her friends, the slayerettes that had kept her alive. They had given the weak girl motivation that she needed to keep on her path, to act human. Giles got to see what the pathetic girl would have turned out to be if she had never become the chosen one. It was sad, truly sad.

Giles reflected over the misconceptions of the past. He had always assumed that Angel had been sent because he and Buffy were linked somehow. Destined to fight the forces of evil. But now he saw that the dark vampire was only there to keep her interested in the evil that lurked at night. To add the extra melodrama that any young girl desired to make their life interesting. Buffy’s young friends, that he had once thought of as hindrances were actually the ones that were the driving force of the team. Pure of hearts, anchor of souls. God he prayed all was well with them.

Sipping his tea he tried to choke it down over the disappointment that clogged his throat. He Rupert Giles had failed, at the one thing that meant
more to him then his own life. He had been proud of being a Watcher, that his father had been a Watcher, and his father’s father. None of them had failed at their duties, so how was it that after having had the longest living slayer he had still failed?

"I want to order a little boy. Brown hair, Xander’s eyes. Maybe a little taller than Xander." Anya swung her legs as she sat on the edge of the
examination table. It was her first visit to her OB GYN. The doctor laughed at her request, Xander sputtered.

"Aren’t you going to write that down?" Anya’s eye brows raised at the amused doctor.

"Anya honey, you are the funniest." Trying to send her a ‘We’ll talk about this later.’ look.

"I don’t find anything funny about picking our child."

The doctor looked perplexed. "Mrs. Harris?"

Xander jumped from his chair and helped his wife from the table. "She’s a kidder, aren’t you honey." Placing a kiss over her mouth before she could say another word, he started to half push half pull her out the door.

"Xander he didn’t write any of that down. What if he forgets?"

"Anya I think it’s time we had a small talk about the birds and the bees."

Stories were shared, laughs echoed through the room. Angel watched as Willow and Cordelia struggled to stay awake. It was four in the morning, the guy’s dates had been returned to their homes and now they were sitting around Wesley, Gunn and Lindsey’s apartment.

Willow was sitting on the couch, her feet tucked under her. Every now and then her eyes would close, only to be snapped open again. Cordelia and
Lindsey sat on the other end of the couch, sending shy glances in one another’s direction. Wes and Gunn were laughing about the small jobs they had all taken at one time. Angel smiled. He could feel the connection with these people, even after years of separation. After talking with one another for hours, Angel started to feel that he could take on the demon world again. He had no idea why Cordelia was getting her visions, or what the out come would be. He just knew that these people were filling in the holes in his soul that had been empty and cold. A certain redhead more then filled a part of his being, she also gave him warmth and comfort.

"So what now?" Wesley asked seriously.

Angel shrugged. "We really don’t know. Cordelia’s visions only tell her where friends can be found, nothing more. We assume that TPTB are sending
them, and we know how vague they can be. We have a house in Maine." Willow smiled at the ‘we’, fully knowing the house was Angel’s. That he considered her more than a houseguest made her want to jump for joy. "You’re all more than welcome to come with us."

Cordelia squealed. "You guys have to come, the house has it’s own beach, we’re near this little town that’s so cute. Though Angel will force you to
eat crappy food, you’ll love it." She held her breath as she waited for the three guy’s answers.

"Are you telling me that the three of you have been living it up, in a fairy tale house, while were pumping gas and eating beans out of a can?" Gunn
snorted. "I don’t know about these two, but I could use some pampering."

"You don’t have to ask me twice." Wesley nodded.

Cordelia turned to Lindsey. He flashed her his heart-warming smile. "You know that there’s not a chance in hell that I’m letting you leave my side again." Cordelia’s heart skipped a beat and she hugged Lindsey to her.
 

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