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Disclaimer: The following is a non-profit, amateur effort not intended to infringe of the rights of Joss Whedon, the WB, Mutant Enemy or any other copyright holders of Angel.

And the Pursuit of Happiness
by The Brat Queen

Spoilers: Up to Epiphany, after which Joss and I go separate ways.

Rated: PG

Summary: Angel and Wesley have to report on what they did during their little vacation. (Part of the Epiphany series, takes place after "Cordelia Chase and Charlie Gunn Aren't Dead")

Thanks to: Wolfling for the beta read.

The garage rang out with a resounding silence as Wes turned the car off. They sat for a moment, side by side, each one of them saying nothing.

In what was a surprise to neither of them, Wes was the first one to speak.

"You're nervous."

"No," Angel replied. He kept his gaze directed straight ahead. Right at the door that lead into the hotel. "I'm not nervous. I don't get nervous. I don't do nervous."

Wes folded his arms and stared at him. "That's utter hogwash and you know it. I've seen you nervous."

"Never heard of a pep talk?" Angel asked, wryly. He slumped down in his seat. "And it's not totally a lie. Angelus was never nervous. Doesn't that mean - I dunno - that I don't get nervous half the time now?"

"Perhaps this isn't the right half," Wesley suggested. He reached over and covered Angel's hand with one of his own. Angel held perfectly still. Right now, it was the only way.

"We gotta wean you off that logic habit," Angel said, not really complaining. He moved his fingers under Wes's. Just a little bit. Tiny movements. Wouldn't even hurt a fly. He hoped.

Wes, reading his mind as always, squeezed his hand in return. "It's difficult for you, I know."

"You don't know the half of it," Angel said, wincing along with Wes at the inadvertent pun.

"It will take time," Wes assured him. "It took you over one hundred years in this dimension alone to become the man you were. It will take more than a few weeks to fully realize the man you are to be."

"I was shooting for a month," Angel deadpanned. "Get it done before the end of spring, leave the summer free for catching up on my reading. I hear Clancy's got a new book out."

"You are nervous."

"If I'd rather be reading? Yes."

There was a pause, and then the view changed as Angel's world became a lapful of Wesley. Angel froze, then skirted his hands along Wes's thighs, his own body already responding at the hints of what they could do in a position like that if their clothes weren't in the way.

Wes met his eyes, the view, as it had been since New York, unencumbered by glasses. Attractive though it was, Angel was still getting used to it. But it kept him from getting inadvertent glimpses of his own reflection and he felt he could love Wes forever for that small mercy alone.

"You'll do fine," Wes told him. He brushed their lips together. "You'll do fine, and I shall be utterly and completely proud of you."

"Love me?" Angel asked.

"You're an idiot if you doubt that," Wesley answered. He opened up the passenger door. "Now get out, my leg's getting a cramp."

"And they say romance is dead," Angel muttered. He got out of the car, then let Wes deal with opening up the trunk. He reached in gingerly to shoulder some of the bags and smiled when Wes gave him a nod of approval.

"Ready?" Wes asked, slamming the trunk closed.

Angel looked at the door again, trying to imagine what the next few minutes were going to be like. "Got any last-minute advice?"

Wes thought about it. "Be yourself?"

"Fuck you too."

Wes chortled, then went inside.

The lobby rang out with noise and good-natured ribbing. Angel watched with interest as Gunn talked to a boy who might have been 17 or 18 years old. Cordy stood beside him, and a few other kids were milling about.

"We'll do a sweep of the block," Gunn was saying. "Check the alleys and that lot next door. Hit the sewers after. If anything's hiding out there, we'll find it."

"I dunno," Angel said, finding the courage to speak if only because adding his own voice to the mix made the whole thing seem normal. "Looks to me like these days just about anyone could sneak past ya."

Both Cordy and Gunn reacted. The kids seemed bored, and Gunn seemed ready to attack until he saw who they were.

There was a moment when everyone stared at each other. Angel couldn't blame them. He sure as hell felt different and God knew that Wes with stubble, no glasses, and clothes bought while on the road hardly looked like himself anymore.

Still, had to start somewhere.

Angel freed a hand from his coat pocket and offered a tentative wave. "Hey. We're back."

Cordy wiped her eyes. She looked tired, and Angel found it almost impossible to meet her gaze. When she spoke, though, her voice sounded cheerful. "Hey, guys. What's new?"

Angel and Wes glanced at each other.

"It's a long story," Wesley began.

"Bore us with it later, man," Gunn replied. He came forward and grabbed Wes in a quick hug - or as best a hug as could be managed while one of them was holding an ax and the other was juggling baggage. "When the Hell'd you get back?"

"Just now," Wesley said. He stepped back, righting himself again. "We've only just arrived. You? I mean, how are you?"

"We're managing," Cordy replied. The words had a curt edge to them.

Thinking he could possibly head off some of the problems at the pass, Angel held up one of their bags. "We got gifts?"

"See that?" Gunn said, turning himself into an unexpected ally for this conversation. "They got gifts." There was a beat, then Gunn asked "For us, right?"

"For you," Wes replied. "And Cordelia. And - I'm sorry, we didn't know there would be more."

As though prompted, the kid who'd been talking to Gunn earlier stepped forward. "So are we killing stuff or not?"

"Nice violent hobby you got there," Angel observed.

"What's it to you?" the boy asked.

Gunn smacked him over the head. "Man. At least fake like you got manners. This is Angel and Wes. They've saved my ass more times than I can count and they own this place, so put your best smile on. Angel, Wes - this pain in the ass is TJ."

"A pleasure," Wesley said. He looked at the boy curiously. "You said something about killing?"

"Big demon," the boy said. "Tentacles and everything. Outside. I saw it."

A girl with braided hair made a sound of disbelief. "You saw nothing, fool."

"I know a demon when I see one," TJ shot back.

Wes cleared his throat. "I'm something of an expert in demonology. Perhaps I could be of help?"

TJ blinked at him. "What?"

Wes gave a small smile. "I'd like to come kill it with you."

"I can help," Angel said at once.

"Not this time," Wes replied. He put his bag down and began to search through it.

"What?" Angel asked. "Wes - I can help."

Wesley met his eyes. "Angel, I think perhaps you might be too tired from your journey."

Knowing what that was code for, Angel rolled his eyes. "Wes, I can kill stuff."

Wes stood up, arming his crossbow. When he spoke, his words were vamp-soft, "With an accuracy that would guarantee the safety of the children?"

Angel sighed, then nodded. "Fine."

Wes gave him a look of sympathy. "Soon," he whispered, then surprised Angel and everyone else in the room by giving him a quick kiss. "I promise."

"Oh," TJ said, with dawning recognition. "So it's like that with you two."

Gunn swatted him again. "Shut up and get some weapons."

"We'll be back shortly," Wes promised, following Gunn and what looked like the majority of the children out.

Which left Angel alone.

With Cordy.

"Hurry back," Angel replied.

A police siren wailed in the distance as they walked the alleyway behind the hotel. Wesley paused, listening to it. He wondered if any kind of siren was ever going to sound the same to him again.

"Yo, English," Gunn's voice interrupted. "You coming?"

"Right behind you," Wesley said. At Gunn's suggestion, they let the children walk first. According to Charles, they were skilled enough to handle it. "Quite the fighting force you have here."

"They've had some practice," Gunn said. "Plus I don't think there's anything out here. Minus the usual LA nasties anyway."

"I didn't see anything on the way in," Wesley offered. "But neither was I looking, admittedly."

Gunn shrugged. "We'll do a sweep, de-head anything that needs it, then go out for a beer."

"Aren't they a bit young for alcohol?" Wesley asked.

Gunn gave him a look. "Meant you and me. Only now I don't know if I wanna hang out with your dumb ass."

"I've been traveling for weeks," Wesley reminded him. "Have mercy."

"Rough trip?" Gunn asked.

Wesley weighed the full meaning of the question. "One might say that."

Once again everything around him rang out in silence.

"So," Angel said. There was a long pause in which no other words suggested themselves. "So...."

"Oh look," Cordy said, folding her arms and staring at him. "It talks."

Angel winced. "I got gifts?" he tried again.

"Oh good," Cordy said. "Because what I really need right now to feel better is some cheap neon T-shirt that says 'Cancun is for Lovers'."

Angel frowned. "Why would it say - "

"You can't worm your way out of this with gifts, Angel," Cordy told him. "You hurt me."

"Gifts worked the last time," Angel pointed out.

Cordy gave him a look that suggested he shouldn't try a line like that while she was standing that close to the weapons cabinet. "Because you gave away my clothes, dumb-ass. Buying me new clothes? Surprisingly a good way to make up for getting rid of my old ones."

"There's jewelry," Angel said. He held the bag forward, hoping she would take it. "From Tiffany and everything."

Cordy hesitated, anger still etching her face.

"It's even got a blue box," Angel cajoled, swinging the bag in what he hoped was an enticing manner. It was hard to be sure when fine motor control wasn't his greatest skill at the moment.

Cordy sighed. "Are you sorry?"

"Yes," he said at once. "Cordy - of course I'm sorry. You know I'd never want to hurt you."

"Well you did," she told him.

"I know," he said. "And I'm sorry. What can I say? I'm a coward. Always have been."

"You're not a coward," she sighed and took the bag from him. "You're a dork but you're not a coward. Come on, you can tell me all about it while I open my gifts. And they'd better be expensive."

"Tennis bracelet good enough?" Angel asked, following her to Wes's office.

"Okay, now I forgive you."

"You wanna talk about it?" Gunn asked, then called ahead, "Dwayne, the demons ain't gonna come if you're yakking on your cellphone! Put it away and call your girl later!"

Wesley laughed. "And to think of the hard time we once had convincing everyone on the team to use cellphones."

"Kids today," Gunn agreed, then smiled at him. "You cool with them being on the team?"

"I don't see why not," Wesley replied. "I assume they're from your gang?"

"Pretty much," Gunn said. "Do their training time here, then keep the streets at home safe and sound. Win/win all the way."

"How much are we paying them?" Wesley asked.

"Free internship," Gunn replied.

Wesley chuckled. "That was Cordy's influence, wasn't it?"

"Can't say she's wrong," Gunn answered. He bent down, checking a sewer grate that the children had left mostly unobserved. Finding it locked tight, he stood up again and resumed walking. "She's done a good job of keeping this place going while y'all were off doing... what were you doing?"

"Saving Angel's soul," Wesley said. "Dealing with Cordelia's vision."

"I'm guessing those were one in the same?" Gunn asked.

Wesley hesitated, then nodded. "More or less."

"So how was the honeymoon?" Cordy asked as she searched through the bag and separated out the gifts. Hers went into a careful pile on Wes's desk. Gunn's were dumped on a chair.

"It wasn't a honeymoon," Angel said. "It was a hard time. Lotta stuff that needed doing. Even saved some people while we were out there."

Cordy gave him a look. "So you had Wes all to yourself for months and you're trying to tell me you two weren't going at it like jackrabbits?"

"I'm not saying that wasn't a part of it," Angel replied. He smiled. "Okay - a nice part of it. A really, really -"

"Don't need the details," Cordy told him, holding up a hand to stop him. "But thanks. All right, I'm looking at a teddy bear that says 'Brooklyn' on it. Me or Gunn?"

"Gunn," Angel answered. At Cordy's questioning look he added "Wes's idea."

"Those two have issues," Cordy said.

Angel was surprised to find he didn't have his usual twinge of jealousy. "Yeah. But he's all mine. Wes I mean, not Gunn."

"Again with the mental images," Cordy teased. She put the bear onto the chair and kept digging. "So? Out with the details. Where did you go? What did you do? Where did you hide this box because I am so not seeing anything blue?"

"At the bottom, I think," Angel said, leaning forward to peer into the bag. "Might be wrapped up in a T-shirt. And - all over. New Orleans, Miami, DC."

"Throw in San Francisco and the Village and I think I've won gay guy bingo," Cordy told him.

"We hit New York," Angel said. "Didn't make it to the Village though. Wes preferred Mid-town."

"That where he got the makeover?" Cordy asked.

"The - oh," Angel said, realizing what she was referring to. "No. More of an on the road thing. And - and a necessity thing. Um - Cordy, we need to talk about something."

Cordy let out a squeal as she finally found the Tiffany box. "Yes! And it's blue! It's the bestest gift ever!"

Angel found himself smiling at her enthusiasm. "You haven't even seen what's inside."

"It's the thought that counts," Cordy reminded him, then gave him a huge grin. "And I think there's one kick-ass bracelet in here." She opened up the box, then her eyes widened as she saw the triple channel diamond and gold tennis bracelet that was inside. "Holy Crap. Angel..."

"You like it?" Angel asked.

"I'm about to have sex with it," Cordy replied. "You may need to leave the room."

"Wes and I wanted a way to say thanks," Angel said. "You know - for all you did."

"This says thanks," Cordy agreed, bobbing her head. "In fact, this says a lot of things. I didn't know you and Wes said dirty words like this outside of the bedroom. But seriously, I don't mind. I can speak this language. In fact, feel free to give me more practice."

"I'm glad it makes you happy," Angel said.

"Happy? I just lost my soul," Cordy said. She grinned again, then held out her arm. "Here, you can be the first to put it on me."

Angel hesitated, looking down at the bracelet's delicate clasp. "Um - probably not a good idea."

Cordy looked at him, confused. "Why?"

Angel sighed. "That's what I need to talk to you about."

"Charles," Wesley said, "before I begin I want to make one thing absolutely clear. I love Angel. I stand by his side no matter what. If you have a problem with that it shall be your own. I am with Angel. Always."

"Yeah, what else is new?" Gunn asked. They stood at the corner, watching the kids pick through the weeds and abandoned trash that littered the empty lot across the street from the hotel. "You and Angel are tight. Got it."

"I want you to be aware of that," Wesley said, "because what I am about to tell you may push the limits of your tolerance."

Gunn finally turned his attention away from the children. His brown eyes watched Wesley with interest. "Okay. I'm listening."

For all that he'd rehearsed various forms of this speech in his head ever since leaving New York City, actually starting it still felt daunting. Wesley took a moment, then forged ahead. "Angel was in danger. His vampire nature was becoming stronger. Hints of his earlier cruelties were emerging, as was his lust for human blood. He was losing control."

"Sounds like fun," Gunn said.

"Indeed," Wesley replied. "For him especially. It finally became too much for him about one month ago. His soul and his vampire nature both became so equally strong that they canceled each other out. He was unable to function. He suffered what I can only describe as a nervous breakdown, then a coma."

"Man," Gunn said, softly. "Why didn't you call?"

Wesley gave him a wry smile. "I did."

A flicker of memory crossed Gunn's face. "Okay, next time you actually say what's wrong. None of this 'Angel can't come to the phone' bullshit."

"Hopefully there won't be a next time," Wesley said. "As you can imagine, the Powers took a great interest in these events. Based upon Angel's past deeds and importance, he was given an opportunity to prove himself. To be Angel or Angelus. Permanently."

They were distracted by a shout. Wesley squinted and thought he recognized the girl trying to get their attention as the one Gunn had called Arianna.

"So what happened?" Gunn asked, as they crossed the street to join them.

"He chose both," Wesley answered. He reached out, forcing Gunn to stop. "Charles, the man in the hotel right now isn't Angel anymore. Not entirely. He's merged. Integrated. Angel and Angelus have become one person."

Gunn nodded for a moment, then shrugged. "Okay."

"Now I know this is difficult to comprehend," Wesley continued, "but I swear to you he is still as deserving of our trust as - I'm sorry, what?"

"O-kay," Gunn repeated, pronouncing each syllable slowly. "Man, for a second there I thought this was gonna be something serious. C'mon, I think they need us."

Wesley stared at his retreating back for a moment. "But - didn't you hear what I just said?"

"What's wrong?" Cordy asked.

Angel sat down and kept his hands folded in front of him. "Cordy - I went through a tough time out there. A really tough time. Which I'm guessing you've figured out, since you had the vision about it and all."

"No kidding," she replied. She sat down on the edge of Wes's desk and reached out to squeeze his hand. "In full and complete sense-surround. If by 'sense' we mean 'excruciating pain'. But what happened? What went wrong?"

"Nothing," Angel said. "Or - everything, depending on how you look at it."

Cordy's eyes narrowed. "How do you look at it?"

"Right now I'm more worried about you," Angel said. He met her eyes. "Cordy, I - I accepted my dark side. Totally."

There was a long wait as the words hung in the air between them.

Finally Cordy stirred. She gave him an encouraging look and prompted: "And...?"

Angel frowned. "And... I accepted it. Stopped denying it. Made it a part of who I am. Looked in the face of my evil side and - and why isn't this bothering you?"

Cordy reached forward with both hands and clasped him on the shoulder. "Angel, you know I love you like a big lug, right?"

"Yeah," Angel said, not really sure where she was going with this.

She patted him on the cheek. "Good. So you know not to take it the wrong way when I say - Thank God. It sure took you long enough!"

"You're actually happy about this?" Angel asked.

"Are you kidding me?" Cordy said. "I'm about to throw a ticker tape parade. 76 trombones and the top ten finalists from American Idol. Yes I'm happy about it! You've finally done the one thing I've always hoped you would do."

"Accept my dark side?" Angel guessed, feeling certain that that couldn't be the right choice.

"Get some therapy," Cordy answered. "Stop moping about and brooding about a past you can't change and actually accept who you are. Angel. A guy with a pretty spotty background but, if you ask me, a seriously great future."

Angel felt taken aback as relief began to course through him. "You really mean that?"

"Of course I mean it," Cordy said. She slipped off of the desk and turned back to her gifts again. "Angel, you're my friend. I want you to be happy. I want you to be able to forgive yourself. Do you think I liked watching you beat yourself up all the time?"

"I thought it was what I had to do for redemption," Angel said. "To atone for all I'd done."

"Well newsflash: it didn't help," she told him. "Brooding never does. Case in point, that mope you're still courting right now because you think I'm mad at you. Cut it out! I am very happy, I still love you in that friendly, not touching each other in our swimsuit areas way, and now you're going to help me have sex with this bracelet."

"I can't," Angel said.

She whapped him on the arm. "Not literally. I just meant you could put it on me."

"I know," Angel said. "I can't."

Cordy paused, the bracelet dangling from her fingers. "Why not?"

"Because I changed," Angel told her. "When I became one with Angelus, something changed inside of me. Made me stronger. Faster. Gave me a reflect - "

Cordy's words stopped him. "When you did what?"

"I heard you," Gunn said as they jogged forward to join the children by an open manhole. "I'm just waiting for the big deal."

"Big deal," Wesley repeated, incredulous. "Big deal. Angel and Angelus become one and the same - "

"Okay, see, there's your problem," Gunn said. "What's this 'become' shit?"

"He went through a trial," Wesley said. "He challenged the Powers. He risked his life!"

"I don't doubt that," Gunn told him. He motioned for the kids to step away, then went down the manhole himself. Wesley adjusted his grip on his crossbow and followed directly after. "I saw what your boy looked like after the last trial. I'm guessing the latest version wasn't a walk in the park. But if the punchline is that Angel and Angelus are the same guy, I was already there, E."

"He's changed," Wesley insisted, pitching his voice lower to keep it from echoing along the damp sewer walls. "Going through the trial changed him. Physically and mentally speaking."

"Okay," Gunn said, ducking down to avoid a low-hanging pipe. "I get that. But you need to get that I don't care. I mean I care - you're my friend and he's my... vampire I hang out with - " In spite of himself, Wesley smirked " - but you gotta understand, Wes, it's all the same to me. Angel, Angelus. Po-tay-to, po-tah-to."

"It isn't like that," Wesley insisted. He glanced back to make sure the children were still following at a safe distance. "Angelus was the most evil vampire who ever lived. He was known for his torture, cruelty, his appalling indifference to human life!"

Gunn met his eyes. "Gimme the difference between that and when Angel shoved his head up his ass and let all those lawyers die. Between that and the way I've seen him beat up anybody who looks at you funny. Don't get me wrong - I'm cool with Angel. But I ain't ever pretended that having a soul made him into a good guy."

"He quit his job with the Powers," Wesley said. "Turned his back on them. He said he wanted to make his own choices. To fight the good fight out of his own volition, not because of some destiny."

"Now, see," Gunn said, "that makes him a good guy."

Wesley nodded, accepting that. "Thank you."

Gunn waved it off. "I call it like I see it. So - he really quit the Powers?"

"As best as he is able to, yes," Wesley said.

"Think maybe that's why Cordy hasn't had any visions in a while?" Gunn asked.

It was Wesley's turn to shrug. "It's a theory."

There was a surge of water, then a roar as a vaguely humanoid-looking, yet tentacled demon leapt out at them from the foul-smelling river at their feet.

"Stay back!" Gunn told the kids. He brought his ax up into a defensive stance. "So - Angel's finally on the same page I am, y'all went traveling for months, anything else I should know?"

Wesley calmly brought his crossbow up and fired a shot directly between the creature's eyes. It fell to the ground with a cry of pain. Wesley followed up with another shot into the demon's heart, killing it.

"No," Wesley said, turning to go back to the hotel. "I can't think of anything."

Angel swallowed. "Became one. With Angelus."

The bracelet slipped from Cordy's hand and clattered to the floor. "Get away from me."

Angel stood up, reaching out to her. "Cordelia - "

She jumped back, scrabbling for a weapon. "I said get away from me!"

"It's not what you think!" Angel insisted.

"Not what I think?" Cordy asked. "You throw a name like Angelus around like it doesn't mean anything and it's not what I think?"

"I told you!" Angel said. "I accepted my dark side. You said you were fine with it!"

"I was fine for you finding some inner peace!" Cordy said. "For you accepting that you'd done some bad in the past and now have to move on. I am not fine with you - Hell, what am I even explaining? Angelus, I am not fine with you!"

"I'm not Angelus!" Angel protested, then grimaced as he realized that wasn't true. "I mean - not in the way you think. Cordy, I still have the soul."

"Oh yay!" Cordy said, mocking him. Her hand finally connected with a throwing knife that they'd bought for Gunn. "Sure you do! I'm so glad to take the word of a serial killer. Is that what you lied and told Wesley too?"

"It was Wesley's idea," Angel said.

"What was?" Wes's voice came to them as he and the others returned. Angel saw him take in what was going on, then run forward to stop it. "Cordelia, no!"

"What the Hell happened out there, Wesley?" Cordy asked, her words as sharp as the blade in her hand.

Wes gave his crossbow to Gunn, then came forward with his hands held up peacefully. "Cordelia, put your weapon down. Let's talk about this rationally."

"Rationally?" Cordy asked. "You want rationally? Okay, I want you to rationally tell me what the Hell is going on."

"Angel and Angelus have integrated," Wes said, speaking gently and patiently. "The barriers between them have been destroyed. As of now, they are the same being."

"And this was your idea?" Cordy asked, gesturing at Angel with the knife. "To do this?"

Wes glanced at Angel, then nodded. "Yes. I encouraged him. For his own well being."

Cordy scoffed. "I should've known. God, Wes, this is so typical."

"I did what was best for Angel," Wesley said, letting his hands drop. "No more, no less."

"And we're so surprised," Cordy told him. She pointed at him with the knife. "Because it's so unlike you to do what's best for Angel, no matter what the consequences."

Angel suddenly saw where this might be heading. "Shut up, Cordy."

She ignored him, walking towards Wesley with the knife held up at chest level. "I mean, when have you ever been a big guy with the consequences, Wes? With the paying attention to what happens to the little people?"

"Shut up, Cordy," Angel told her.

Wes, for his part, did not back down. "I did what I had to do to keep Angel alive."

"Sure you did," Cordy said. "Even though that meant letting Angelus go. Even though that meant setting a psycho loose on the world to do God-knows what just so you could have a boyfriend."

"It isn't about that," Wesley said, quietly.

"Like Hell it isn't," Cordy said. The knife made small stabbing motions in the air as she gestured. "We all know how you feel, Wes. It hasn't changed since Sunnydale. Heck - before. You have the things that matter to you and as long as they're taken care of, you don't give a hoot what happens."

"Stop it, Cordy," Angel said.

"You'd have killed Willow just to make sure the Council got its way," Cordy continued. "You'd sure as Hell would've let Buffy die if that's what it needed."

"Be quiet, Cordy," Angel growled.

"And now that you have Angel," Cordy said, her voice filling with contempt, "there's no limit to what you'll let happen. To how many people you'd let get hurt or killed or - "

"I said shut your fucking mouth, Cordelia, before somebody shuts it for you!" Angel snarled, feeling his eyes glow golden as he faced her down.

She stared back at him, resolute. "Oh, there's my good friend Angel," she said, her words dropping the temperature of the room to a cool sub-zero. "Nice to see you again."

"You keep your god-damned mouth off Wesley," Angel told her. He batted the knife out of her hand as though it were nothing. "You have a problem, it stays with me. Leave him out of it."

"I'll do you one better," she replied. She grabbed her coat off the rack. "I'm leaving you all out of it."

Wes came forward to stop her. "Cordelia - "

She silenced him with a look. "You want to play with psycho-vamp? You go nuts. At this point I think you deserve a first-hand lesson of what a bastard he can be. Give me a call when you're ready to stake him. Or, better yet, maybe I won't wait for your permission."

"Cordy," Gunn said, trying to get her attention. "Wait up. Let's talk about this."

Cordy laughed, shaking her head. "Talk? You think Angelus is something to talk about? Guys, Angelus is something you scream about, and that's assuming he hasn't ripped your vocal cords out first. There's no talking. There's just leaving. I'm not going to be a part of this. Not again."

For a moment Angel felt two instincts, each as strong as the other. The first - apologize. Prostrate himself in front of Cordelia's mercies and beg her to give him a second chance.

The second - protect Wesley.

"Don't let the door hit your ass on the way out," he told her.

A smile shaped her lips, as though that had been the answer she'd expected. She gave him a final look of disgust, then walked out, slamming the door behind her.

Fin.