FicWad

Gunn blasted into the hotel, throwing the two doors open. He stumbled down the front stairs. He reeked of ash and sulfur. He called out; hoping that anyone was here. "Kid! English! Barbie!" A huge gash ran the length of his face but he wasn't thinking straight to get himself to a hospital right now. He collapsed to his knees in the middle of the lobby floor.

Wes heard Gunn's calls from the office. He came out, pulling off his glasses. Frowning, he looked at Gunn and the mess he was in. "What on Earth happened?" he asked.

Connor turned from the weapons cabinet. He'd just put away several of the axes and swords after cleaning. He looked at Gunn and then crossed over to him. Wes had already spoken the question on his mind.

Gunn coughed, long and hard, coughing up more than just phlegm with it. He held an arm around his middle. "The Academy... We were... In the training room and... It blew..."

Wesley led Gunn over to a couch to sit. "My word, is everyone okay?" There was a tinge of urgency in that unshakable British voice of his.

Gunn got up slowly as Wesley helped him to the couch. He was covered in blood, most of it was not his own. He held fast to his middle though. "No..." He croaked out. "Connie is dead. Fantasia is dead. Rita is dead too. A dozen other girls are in the hospital." Gunn paused to suck in a painful breath. "Faith is in the hospital."

"I'm not sitting around for this anymore," Connor said. "I'm taking the fight to them." With the girls dead and Faith in the hospital, Connor was going to track these demons down.

"We don't even know who them is, kid." Gunn wheezed slightly. He had some broken ribs in addition to the gash on his head. That was quite clear now. He looked over at Wesley. "Some of the girls... Internal bleeding... They might not make it."

Wesley was quickly assessing Gunn's wounds. He went and got the first aid kit not speaking yet.

Connor's blue eyes settled on Gunn. "Never stopped us before," he said. "I'll go back to the school and see if I can pick anything up and start tracking."

"Bomb squad is out there now and the place is crawling with cops. Probably crawling with Wolfram and Hart too so they can find out who did this and do a damn victory dance with them." He saw Wes come back with the first aid kit and he held up his hand. "I'm cool. I'll have a doc check me out when I go to see Faith."

"At least clean that place up on your forehead," Wesley handed Gunn a wet cloth and the first aid kit so he could get out one of the alcohol wipes. "We could have had this done by now," the Englishman said. "Angel had hinted he had some leads."

Gunn took the cloth and cleaned up around his face to get all the ash and soot off. The rag came away more bloody than gray. He grabbed an alcohol wipe and ran it down the side of his face without showing the pain on his face. He took a piece of gauze, slapping it against the side of his face to help clot the bleeding. "Might be a way, English."

Wesley looked at him with a frown. "Angel say something to you?"

Connor looked from Wes to Gunn. "Yeah, did he?" the younger man asked. "We all know he had informants that he never told us about because they wouldn't talk to humans."

Gunn shook his head slightly. "Not Angel. The other one. He came over to see me and Faith. Knows a way to get Angel's memories, but needs Connor's help." Gunn glanced over to the kid. That was a snowball chance in Hell right there.

Connor shook his head. He looked up at the ceiling and said nothing. Somehow he knew that faker would enter into this.

Wesley suddenly looked up. He knew what Angel had told Gunn. "The Prophecy. The passage that had been altered," he said. "But Sahjhan is no longer a problem."

"You have to talk him, English. Prophecies ain't my thing. Wants to make a deal with some dude named Vail. That sound familiar to you?" Gunn answered.

"Yes," Wes replied with a nod. "Yes, I have. Cyvus Vail. Very powerful warlock.."

Connor now spoke up. "Oh, hell no," he said. "No. We're not going around messing with magic. That never works for us."

"You are forgetting that magic got rid of Angelus forever, twice, kid." Gunn was starting to feel the fatigue from his injuries. He wouldn't be much in swaying the two other men towards helping Angel. "You get to kill a demon, powerful demon, to help save the girls. I think that is a pretty good trade off."

"That's it," Connor looked at Gunn. "Just kill this demon. The one that sent me into Quor'toth."

"Guess so. Least, according to Angel." Gunn looked over to Wesley now. "What do you think, English?"

Wesley took in a deep breath then let it out. "If we can get the information Angel had," he said. "Any more losses like this recent one is unacceptable."

Gunn then turned his head to look at Connor. He gave him a toothy grin. "Whadda say, kid? You feel like kicking some demon ass?" After tonight, Gunn was fairly well determined to do just about anything to make sure another attack on the school never happened.

Connor had a stubborn look on his face. "One question," he said. "Just how are we going to get these memories and learn what Dad knew?"

Gunn knew. He knew all too well. He also knew that telling Connor would only make the kid turn around and say no. So Gunn did the only thing he could, he lied. "Don't know. All I know is that you kill a demon that sent you to a Hell dimension, we get the memories."

"The memories would have to be put in something organic and..." Wesley stopped and looked up at Gunn, his eyes giving away that he knew what was going to happen.

"Looks like we better get a potato then, right English." Gunn gave him a grin, catching in Wes' eyes that he understood. Wes had to realize that Connor wouldn't do this if he knew the truth. He reached a hand over to clamp it on Wes' shoulder. Not too hard but enough to ask him non-verbally not to say too much. Then Gunn reached into his pocket, knowing that he and Wes needed to talk alone. He winced as he dug the keys out of his jeans. He tossed them to the kid. "Why don't you get the girl warmed up for me, bring her around front. Need someone to drive me to the hospital."

Connor caught the keys. He was far from stupid. He knew why Gunn had asked him. He just nodded and headed on out to the old Ford. That was another curse Connor would probably always bear in this family, being thought of as the kid.

Wesley watched Connor leave but he didn't say anything until he hoped Connor was out of earshot. Well, really out of Connor's earshot, which was considerably further than any human's earshot. He looked back at Gunn. "Are you mad?" he asked.

"No, I am hurting because some group blew up the damn school, Wes." Gunn turned as best as he could to look at Wes. On the same side of his face that was sporting the gash, his eye was starting to swell up as well. "Angel has the information. Angel is dead. So we put it in the other Angel and we save lives. I thought that is what we did, we saved people. I got three students dead, probably more will be dead come morning, and my girl is in the hospital. I am doing what is necessary."

Wesley grabbed his jacket. "I'll get Fred to contact Angel," he said. "Seems she's been doing so from since he was sent out from here."

"Now let's just hope that the kid wants to kill the demon." Gunn got up slowly. It was going to be a long, slow walk to the front where hopefully, Connor had the truck waiting. "Hope you guys won't mind if I sit this one out this round." Gunn tried to chuckle but it only aggravated those broken ribs of his.

Reaching out, Wes steadied and lent support to Gunn. "I think that would be wise for all parties concerned," the Englishman agreed. When they were out at the truck Wes opened the passenger door for Gunn. He looked at Connor. "If you wish to battle Sahjhan, Connor, I will find out the details and call you. I warn you, he is not your typical demon."

"Yeah, well," Connor spoke from behind the wheel of the truck, "I'm not your typical human either, am I?"

Gunn got into the truck, sitting himself down. He looked from Wes and then back to Connor. "If you two ladies are done with your tea party, you think you could take me to see my girl now?" Gunn chuckled as he waited for Wes to shut the truck door.

Wesley shut the door. "I think first thing is first, you see a doctor." He gave a look to Connor and the young man nodded. He knew Wes had just made that an order, not a request. The doctor was first, Faith was second. If Gunn tried to fight, Connor would just bodily drag him in.

Gunn just shook his head as Connor put the pedal to the metal, guiding the truck quickly down the streets of LA towards the hospital nearest to the Academy.




Angel waited for Wesley and Connor at the front gate to Vail's estate. When Wes' SUV pulled up, Wes unlocked the doors and Angel got in the back seat. The gates opened and the sound of the iron hinges groaned.

"Man," Connor said, totally ignoring Angel. He was looking at the old house. "How much more Addams Family can you get?"

Wesley pulled up in front of the place and cut off the engine he looked to Connor. "That is about as far as the similarities go. Cyvus, from all accounts, is a very dangerous being." Once Wes was finished speaking, he excited the SUV, followed by the other two men.

"Connor," Angel finally spoke up, "when you confront Sahjhan, don't let him talk much. He'll distract you with words."

Connor turned to look at the vampire. His expression was hard and cold. "I think I can handle it just fine without your help."

Wesley spoke before Angel could reply. "Connor, it would do you well to listen to Angel," he said. "He knows this demon better then any of us. Just please, take the advice."

Just as the younger man was about to speak the large doors opened and a little toady demon answered and allowed them in. He led the three to the meeting hall where the old warlock waited.

Vail stood up slowly, with some degree of difficulty. He wheezed out his greeting as they were shown into the receiving room. "Welcome. I've been waiting for you." He chuckled and then coughed as it seemed he did too much. "I thought our week deadline would pass, Angel."

"Doesn't matter now," Angel said, "we're here." As much as he disliked this, he did know that Cyvus was right in that it had to be done and Connor was the only one that could do it.

"You know," Connor broke in, "I just really want to get this done. I want out of this creepfest as soon as I can."

"Eager boy. Well, then..." Vail stepped down, moving slowly over towards the trio. He raised a gnarled red hand, pointing to his left. "Right through there."

They followed the old wizard. Wesley was taking everything in. He realized that things in this place all had reason and meaning. There were probably wards placed for various reasons. But Vail was so afraid of Sahjhan, it seemed he felt not even his wards would protect him from the demon.

"Now then... Gentleman... Let the boy do what he was meant for." Vail almost wrung his hands with the impending excitement. Connor would kill Sahjhan and that nasty little cur would be a threat no more. Vail looked to Wes though. He could feel the darkness in the man. It was a shame he was in service to another.

Connor stepped forward. "So, where is this badass?" He looked about, not seeing anybody.

Once Connor stepped into the other room, Vail turned to Angel. "He can't see us anymore." Indeed, if Connor looked back, there would be a wall where once was open. In the room was a table and assortment of axes on the wall. On the middle of the table, sat the large urn that housed, or rather trapped, Sahjhan.

Angel tensed. This was still hard even though he seen it before and this Connor stood an even better chance since he had his abilities intact. Wesley could tell that an energy barrier had been put up. Wavelengths told that.

Connor walked over to the table and looked at the jar or urn or whatever the hell that ugly piece of pottery was. "I guess I'm supposed to open it," he said, reaching for the lid and pulling it from the jar.

A silvery smoke seeped out from the urn, slipping down and over the table. The smoke began to take shape, that of the demon Sahjhan. His booming voice carried out before he fully appeared. "Thank you, mortal, for releasing me from my cursed prison. In gratitude, I grant you 3 wishes."

"You know, if I thought you really would I might take you up on that," Connor said as he picked up an axe and looked it over. "Somehow I doubt any of those would come to pass."

"Yeah, just messing with you." The demon looked around the room. "Not exactly a day at the spa in there." He cracked his neck from side to side. "Not exactly a day at the spa out here either."

Connor looked at the demon, his eyes narrowed as he studied him. "So you're the big, bad, bastard that sent me into a hell dimension because you were scared shitless of me." Connor chuckled. "You're one ugly sonuvabitch."

"Kiss your mother with that mouth, kid?" Sahjhan looks Connor over. "It's been a long time since I saw you but I expected you to be more... Intimidating."

"Looks can be deceiving," Connor said. He swung the axe targeting for the demon's neck. He was channeling all his rage to this.

Sahjhan stepped back enough to be out of the way of the swinging axe. He grabbed it where the head met the shaft and twisted it out of Connor's grip. He had a weapon now at least but that wasn't his style. He brought his fist back, punching Connor hard in the gut.

That punch knocked Connor back and flying. He hit the wall then slid to the floor. He lay there a moment working on getting his wind back.

Angel's fists balled as he watched this for a second time. Wesley looked over at the vampire and he could see the genuine concern on his face. Then he looked to Vail. He'd never seen the warlock but he had heard of him.

"Calm down, vampire. You have seen this all before. Maybe it turns out different in this world, though?" Vail coughed again. His black eyes trained once more on Wesley. He was... Unstable He could appreciate that. Though the man had tried to kill his double in Angel's original world.

While Connor was catching that breath, Sahjhan stalked over to the young man. He picked him up by the collar of his shirt and tossed him across the room. "You know... I went through a lot of trouble to get rid of you. What a colossal waste of time that turned out to be."

When Connor landed, he was on his feet. He had a sword pulled from the wall. He faced Sahjhan. He took the move and came at him, bringing the blade in a low arching swing.

Angel shot a glance at Vail. If Connor lost this fight then Cyvus would have more then Sahjhan to worry about.

Sahjhan rather preferred not to fight with weapons. Really, what was the point in this dimension when he could just skip to another. Something on this room was preventing that though. He grabbed the urn off the table, hurling it towards Connor's arm in an effort to break the kid's arm and disarm him.

Connor just knocked the urn out of the way. This demon was the root of his trouble. This demon was why a mad man took him from his parents As he rounded the table, keeping an eye on Sahjhan, he kept the sword in one hand and he picked up another axe in the other. Leaping the table, he swung the sword again.

He wouldn't have a choice in this fight if he wanted to keep his head. Someone had been training the kid. Maybe sending him to a Hell dimension was not the best of ideas. He grabbed a sword off the wall to block the sword swinging down at him. He twisted it and pulled, yanking the sword out of Connor's grip, once more disarming him. Using the kid's own inertia against him, he kicked him in his midsection to send him flying.

When the demon locked the sword, a move Connor was depending on he brought the axe about in his other hand and as Sahjhan kicked him back the axe when into him. Connor kept hold of the handle with the head now imbedded in the demon. When he got his footing again his left leg came aiming for Sahjhan's head.

The axe head stuck in his side but at least he got the kid off him. He pulled it out with some degree of difficulty, stumbling back a few feet with it. With the axe head now pulled from his body, he flung it like a Frisbee at Connor while he was going up for that kick. Connor had the choice to either follow through and maybe lose that leg or drop back down to avoid the axe head spinning towards him.

Connor tucked and rolled to the floor to avoid the axe. As he did he landed by one of the heavy dining chairs. Rolling up and grabbing the chair by the legs he swung it for Sahjhan's back. The thoughts of the girls that had just died in the attack and of Faith in the hospital fueled that rage in Connor. A rage that had been at the boiling point for some time and the pressure cooker was about to blow.

Sahjhan was in mid-turn to hit the kid again when the chair swung at him. It caught him in the side, where Connor had already hit him once before with the axe. The chair splintered against him, sending him reeling into the table. A rather large piece of the chair jutted out from his side, adding to the already open and bleeding wound.

With the demon down, Connor was up with that fallen sword in his hand. "No matter how you try a fake prophecy, demon," Connor said to Sahjhan with venom, "the true one always comes to light." The sword came down for Sahjhan's neck.

The sword sliced through the demon's neck cleanly. As it came to hit the table, the barrier between the two rooms fell, allowing both parties to once again see each other and move freely. Vail managed a weak clap but at least now one of his greatest foes was no more. "I'll have... My servants take care of the body."

Connor stood there still ripe with anger. He looked back at the three. His breathing was hard He would so love an excuse to take out Angel and the warlock right now.

Wes stepped forward. "Connor," he said in that calm voice of his, "perhaps we need to go home now and see if there is news on Faith."

"Ah, feisty boy you have got there, Angel." Vail moved slowly towards a rather large cabinet on the other side of the room. He had no desire to die anymore than any of the rest of them did. If Connor destroyed the old warlock, the Senior Partners would retaliate. The same events would unfold in this world as they had in the other. Vail hoped that one of them, perhaps the unstable one, had enough sense to explain these things to the boy.

"I'm not his boy," Connor said as he stepped around Wes and for the warlock.

Angel quickly was there and his hand caught Connor's wrist. "Connor, now is not the time," he said as he locked eyes with the young man. His voice holding that same commanding tone he had used on Connor after the vampire had been brought back up from the ocean depths.

Vail gave another wheezing chuckle. "You didn't tell them what happened in your world when you sent Wesley to kill me? No one wants history to repeat. You are also down one Old One now." The warlock's shaky hand opened one side of the cabinet. Inside were vials of all different colors, bright lights swirling within them. He picked one out from the rest, which seemed to carry the brightest hue of all. The essence inside was bright blue, like a robin's egg.

Wesley came up on the other side of Connor. "Angel is right," he said. "Let's go out to the car and go home now."

Connor just gave them all one last look then dropped the sword and stormed out. Wesley gave Cyvus a last look then look to Angel. "I hope this doesn't turn out badly." With that he followed Connor on out.

Angel's gaze followed Wesley on out then he looked to the old warlock. He frowned seeing what was in the cabinet. Then he looked at Vail not saying a word.

Vail held the vial out for Angel to take. He didn't say anything as he waited for the vampire to take it. "Not as impressive, but its only memories for one. No shattering this time. Down the hatch with it." He patted Angel on the back as he moved back to his large chair. He had been standing too long while watching the fight.

Angel looked at the vial in his hand. "Looks can be deceiving," he said. He pocketed it and turned for the door to leave.



Angel opened the door to the liar that had once belonged to the snitch Merl. It creaked in protest on the rusted hinges. After stepping in, he closed the door and bolted it locked. He moved to the corner where the simple surplus army cot was. He pulled off his coat and then took the vial from its pocket. Laying the coat aside he sat on the cot. He looked at that glowing vial in his hand. Memories... Memories of another man that was him and not. It seemed they had the same life up until a few years ago and that this is what his life would have been if he'd say maybe skipped that cup of coffee that morning or wore the striped shirt and not the solid.

The vampire finally pulled the little stopper from the vial that put it to his lips and drank, or thought he drank because he tasted nothing. That wasn't unusual, though. Vampires didn't taste much of anything they took in except that of blood. He laid back and closed his eyes. But relaxation was not in the offering for him. Suddenly, they hit: the memories. His eyes opened and his hands gripped the sides of the cot.

Each of the memories seem to hit like a freight train running at the speed of light, coming at him so quickly that it was hard to see but a glimpse of each. They came in order though, overlapping and enhancing the ones he already had of his first two hundred plus years until it came to that point of divergence. This was the night of the meeting on Point Dume where the memories differed from him and this world's Angel. Instead of going to be locked at the bottom of the ocean, he went to be with Cordelia. Instead of spending three months trapped, they spent months searching for a cure, finding it, and being with Cordelia. While he was busy trying to figure out why LA was dark, this Angel was celebrating his wedding his honeymoon. While he was running Wolfram and Hart, the Angel here was becoming a father. The two lives were so different and it was clear that this was not only a different life but in the future as well. He had been transported through dimensions and through time to this moment. As the memories settled after the initial rush, he could now access them as if they were his own, so vivid and compelling. It was as if he had lived this other life and been this other Angel, a man who was far more romantic and decisive in his decisions.

Angel laid there and started sorting out these memories. He had all night to. He began to focus on one particular memory, one that stuck out in his mind.

The green rolling hills and cool breeze, it was surprising how little had changed over the centuries here in this corner of Ireland. Angel was astride a big gray warmblood. He looked to the side to see Cordelia riding a tri pinto beside him. She was all decked out in riding attire. "I'm only sorry this can't be during the day," he said to her. "I remember as a boy how blue the sky is against the green hills."

"And I look upset about it how?" Cordelia turned to grin at him. Anyone who knew her could tell that she was in heaven. How could she not be? She was here with the person she loved most in the world, her best friend, and she was doing an activity she used to adore but had to stop once the IRS stepped in. "Its beautiful at night. Shame its kind of cloudy though. It would have been nice to see the stars." She looked up into the sky, as if just saying it could change things.

He stopped his horse and at the same time reached for the reins on hers to stop him. When Cordy looked to him, he leaned over and kissed her.

She kissed him softly. They had enough of the impassioned fiery kisses on the way over here on the plane as well as when they settled into their hotel room. She pulled away from him with a smile. "Race you to that fence." She pointed to a fence off to the distance. She wouldn't be taking no for an answer. "Ready... Set... Go..." She urged the horse forward with all the experience of a practiced rider. Angel surely had no idea what he was getting into with her and his suggestion.

Angel grinned when she kicked her horse off. His own arched its neck and chomped down on the bit wanting to go. When he did give the horse head, it leaped into a gallop after the pinto.

Cordelia glanced over her shoulder for just a nanosecond to see where Angel was. He was fast approaching on her. She leaned down against her horse, urging him to go faster. She wasn't going to let Angel win this race, not unless he had some demon or vampire horse. The fence was still several yards off but she was coming upon it quickly.

The gray wanted his head but Angel kept the rein in check. He hadn't wanted to come back here, to the land of his birth and rebirth, but Cordelia insisted. She didn't want to see Ireland as a tourist but she wanted to see it through his eyes. He realized now there were things she wanted him to face. The vampire let his mount's head come up to the right flank of the pinto.

Cordelia turned her head just enough to see that Angel was gaining on her at a maddening pace. She wasn't about to let him win, that was for sure. She dug her heels into the pinto to get that last burst of speed to take her to the fence. There were only yards between herself and victory now.

Angel pulled back a bit more on the reins to allow Cordelia to get just a tad bit more of a lead and win.

At least Angel already knew that sometimes, you have to let your wife win, especially when your wife had that bit of a competitive streak in her. Whether it was trying out for head cheerleader or being prom queen or just getting to the phone first, it was the little wins that make life worth it. Reaching the fence, she guided her horse to turn just before it and begin to slow down as they moved next to the fence. She knew better than to just stop after a run like that.

He let her win but didn't mean he still couldn't show off. Angel didn't slow up his horse, instead he set the gray up to take the wall. When the horse gathered, Angel leaned forward. The horse leaped and they were over the wall.

Cordelia watched all of this and she laughed at him. She called out from the end of the fence, "SHOWOFF!" She slowed the horse down until they were moving at a leisurely pace back to Angel and his horse.

There was a break in the fence a few yards down. Angel turned the horse and trotted him for it. "Me," he called back and then indicated the horse, "it was him."

Cordelia just laughed at him. For the first time, in a long time, she hadn't seen any trace of the brood. He was actually having fun, enjoying himself, and she was too because he was happy. She was about to say something when she felt something hit her cheek.

Angel felt it too. He looked up and then cocked his head to listen. "We'll never make it back to the cottage," he said. He could hear the oncoming rain over the hill. He looked to Cordy and turned the gray. "C'me on," he said as he pushed the horse to a canter.

"Oh, you have to be kidding me." She looked around and saw nothing but open space. Angel knew this area better than she did but that was how many centuries ago? She followed him but she could feel more and more little droplets hitting her.

There, backed up to a little hill was a barn with stone walls and thatched roof. "We can hold up in there and wait it out. Hopefully it'll pass before dawn."

It's not as if it was a downpour. It was one of those drizzles that gets you soaked before you even knew it. She could already feel her hair and clothes clinging to her body. She was also getting cold. It might be summer but it was also Ireland and raining.

At the door of the barn, he jumped down from his horse. Pulling the reins from over his head then turning to the wooden doors, Angel opened them and led his horse in. There were a couple stalls and he led the gray into one. He turned and waited for his wife.

She was in a hurry now because the light drizzle was getting to be a little more... Insistent She dismounted and grabbed the reins of her own horse to follow Angel in. She just hoped that the owners didn't decide to show up sometime tonight. She led the pinto in a stall right next to the gray. She was starting to look very drowned rat though.

"Ah, Ireland," Angel said putting on just a bit of a brogue. He looked at Cordy dripping now. He stepped over to her. She looked damn sexy in that wet riding habit.

She grabbed a handful of hair and rung it out. How she let him talk her into growing her hair back out, she had no idea. She had to admit, short and blonde did not work for her. She looked up at him when he walked over to her, smiling just a bit. "Hey you..." She said softly.

"Hey," he said back. With that, he couldn't hold off any longer. He grabbed her and pulled her to him. Leaning down, he kissed her hard and deep, his hand slipping over her ass in those tight fitting riding pants.

She slid easily into his arms. Her own arms came up and around his neck as he kissed her. She surged her body up against his. He was even colder than usual given the temperature outside but she was determined to warm him up.

Her body was warm, inviting. Angel reached up and started pulling on her riding coat, not breaking that kiss. He could hear her heart speed up and this aroused him even more. He wanted her and wanted her now.

She struggled to get the coat off herself as he pulled on it, twisting her body but careful not to break that kiss. She pushed against his body, pushing him back against a support beam. She moved her hands off his neck, into the hair at the back of his head.

His long fingers worked between them on the buttons on her blouse. He was lost in the taste of her lips on his. When he got the blouse open, his hands slid under to touch her firm but soft skin.

She had to break the kiss now though so she could draw in a sharp breath. The feeling of his cold fingers against her slick skin, sliding easily over her body thanks to the rain, was enough to give her shivers. She was far less delicate with his shirt, taking her hands from the back of his head and moving them to either side of his shirt. She took it up in big handfuls and pulled, ripping it off him. She went at him again, kissing him harder this time.

Angel shrugged the tattered shirt off. If he'd ripped hers, he'd have not heard the end of it until they landed in London on their way back and went to Harrah's to buy her a new one. He turned her as they kissed so her back was to the hay pile behind them.

She broke the kiss once more, panting lightly as she looked at him. Her eyes told him everything that he needed to know. Rip it, tear it, do whatever he wanted in the heat of the moment, she wanted it. "Angel..." She spoke his name, her voice hoarse, beckoning him.

Pulling her blouse off, he knelt down and started kissing her warm flesh with his cool lips. He slipped his hands up her back to get her bra off. He loved to unwrap presents and this was the best present of all. With the bra off, he raised up to lick her left breast then run his tongue over the nipple. He pulled at her pants now and when those were open he pushed her back on the hay pile. He just looked at her for a moment then started pulling her boots off.

She couldn't help giggling just a bit when he kissed her skin. He was so eager, like it was Christmas. However, when she felt his tongue against her nipple, she moaned softly. It was all too brief though as she felt him tugging at her pants and then pushing her gently back against the hay. She fell back, landing into the hay pile. She watched him as he pulled her boots, keeping her eyes locked with his.

With the boots off he reached for her waistband of her pants. He started pulling them off her, along with her panties The vampire looked down at her for just a moment then he covered her body with his, finding her breast with his mouth again. As he sucked, his other hand moved to give her other breast attention. He was groping with his whole hand then rolled her nipple in his fingers.

Her back arched, pressing her breasts up against his hands and his mouth. She allowed herself a few moments of his attention before she moved to sit up, pushing him back up with her body. She touched his chest, running her fingers over the wet wife beater. She grinned at him with a devilish twinkle in her eye. "You need to get out of these wet clothes."

"Yeah," he said in a hoarse voice. "It does seem one of us is at a disadvantage here." Sitting up, he pulled off his half boots. He didn't go for the traditional riding attire like Cordy had. He kept his eyes on her as he got to his knees and then unfastened his pants. Then he grinned at her. "You get them off me."

"Oh... I'll get you off, all right." She laughed softly as she moved closer to him. She pulled the wife beater over his head. She leaned forward, running her tongue from his navel to his Adam's Apple before she nipped at his chin. Her hands were busy, slipping into his pants and boxers.

Angel's grin broadened as she started her play. After the nip on his chin, he bent his head down and kissed her, slipping his tongue into her mouth. He growled from the attentions he was getting from her hands even though it didn't take much encouraging to start making that part of him she loved to start coming up.

She took his tongue between her lips, sucking on it. She pushed her naked body against his body. She couldn't help but shiver as hot met cool again. Her hand found his cock, circling her fingers around it. She didn't start stroking him but instead, waited to see what he would do.

He pulled back from her quickly, his hands taking her by the upper arms and then he tossed her into that haystack. With that done, he pulled of his pants and boxers, tossing them over a rail in the barn. Now he turned to her and leaped into the hay grabbing her.

It was all in good fun. She knew that he would never hurt and that he was always careful. She had to laugh as he leapt into the hay to grab her. "Angel...You are nuts."

He rolled over, pulling her on top of him. His hands rested on her ass, which felt so nice. "Don't let it out and ruin my rep," he said, not wanting this moment to end.

"I am telling everyone when we get home." She leaned down and this time, she kissed him very softly. She just barely pressed her lips against his. It was just a brief moment of tenderness before the main event.

His hand moved down her ass crack and under to find her sex. Those long skilled fingers stroked her.

She broke that soft kiss. Her lips moved across his cheek and to his ear. Her body moved against his stroking fingers. She wanted him, badly, but she knew better than to just go about taking the plunge. She kissed the shell of his ear before her tongue ran along it, tracing it as if it was new to her.

Angel shuddered some. The muscles in his gut tensed. His fingers continued to tease her sex. He kept his eyes closed working on keeping his demon in check. He'd tasted her on their wedding night but he was still uncertain about releasing his demon all the time.

She could feel him tense though and she stopped her movements. She keeps her mouth at his ear though. "Angel... What's wrong?" She wasn't sure if that was tensing in pleasure or tensing in stress.

He kissed her bare shoulder. "Nothing," he said. "Nothing other then... Then having you. Wondering what I have done to deserve such a wonderful person in my life."

She closed her eyes as she felt him kiss her shoulder. "Here, sit up. I've been reading up on my Cosmo Kama Sutra." She opened her eyes and pulled up enough so that she could look down at him.

When she was up enough, he sat up also. His eyes remained locked on hers. "Oh, you have, huh?"

"I have to keep up with you, don't I? Though, I think it might be fun if when we got home, you taught me some new tricks." She rested her arms on his shoulders for a moment. She had to get her body positioned just right. She memorized that little pamphlet in her Cosmo, every single page of it. She really should have been filing but she had a feeling Angel would forgive her just this once.

"I just might," he said, his hands on her hips. "Some very special ones." His hands moved over her hips and thighs. "I see so many beautiful colors around you."

She leaned forward to kiss him after he said that. If only he had any idea how happy she was now. She slid her hand down his chest, between their bodies. She once more wrapped her fingers around his cock. She sat up just enough so she could lower herself back down around him.

Angel closed his eyes feeling her around him. This had to be his reward from The Powers for having fought for them as he had all these years. He wasn't human. But he could be happy and have a life with a caring woman beside him.

She brought her arm back up to rest on his shoulder. She leaned forward, her lips brushing his. "Open your eyes. I want to see you. I want you to see me." She started very slowly to move her body. Her hips barely rocked forward before pulling away from him.

He slowly opened his eyes. "I can see you in so many other ways," Angel said and then kissed her lightly in return. He started moving with her, feeling her body one with his.

She used her arms around his neck to pull him closer to her. She wanted to touch as much of his body as possible with her own. She kept her eyes opened as they just barely kissed.

Angel loved those eyes. He could see her every emotion in them and when she was happy they sparkled brighter then any star in the heavens. As she moved on him, his hands moved over her body. His sensitive touch memorizing every part of her body.

She broke that barely there kiss as she felt his fingertips touch that sensitive little spot at her lower back. Her back arched and curled, forcing her whole body against his, moving him deeper inside of her.

He pressed his face to her collarbone, kissing along it. What she was doing to him would have took his breath away... If he had any. His body trembled feeling her against him.

She reached back to take one of his hands from her lower back. She guided his hand over her skin, down her hip, and between them. She knew that was all the instruction he was going to need. She still moved slowly against him, wanting this to be more than just the act. They were sharing a moment together, something so special and intimate, and something that neither of them thought they would ever have.

That hand needed no instructions. His fingers slipped down over her mound and stroked. As she rose, he slipped his fingers under her.

She was quiet for now but her body was saying all that she couldn't put into words. Moving in that steady, slow rhythm against him, his fingers gently stroking her, it wouldn't be long before she climaxed. She wanted it to be with him. She tilted his chin up from her collarbone so that she could look at him. She just looked into his eyes, asking him if he was close.

To answer her, he leaned up and kissed her. It was a kiss full of love and passion. His other hand moving up her back. He was determined not to let the demon have her tonight.

That was all the answer that she needed. She let him guide the kiss between them. She was actually happy that she could be with the man part of him tonight instead of the demon. She broke the kiss though, her chin tilting back as she panted softly. Her entire body arched, following her chin, as she climaxed.

His hands went up her sides. He throbbed hard in her and then released. He could hear her heart racing and feel the heat of her body. He so wished he could share that feeling. Then he saw her exposed neck and for one brief moment, he almost gave in.

She bowed her head as her climax ebbed away from her, resting her forehead against his shoulder. It was mostly to cool off her fever. This was the best way to warm up that she could think of and it had worked wonders.

Angel wrapped his arms around her, holding her to him as he softened in her. "I better find you blanket," he said in a whisper.

"No." She told him. She didn't want to leave his arms or leave this feeling. She knew that the moment he pulled away and out of her, it would be gone. "Don't move. I'm perfect right now."

"I don't want you getting chilled," he said, bringing a hand up to stroke her hair. "Can't have you getting sick with our honeymoon only half over."

"I'll be fine, Angel. This is where I want to be, with who I want to be, how I want to be." Cordelia's voice was firm. She wasn't going to take any more guff on his part. She kept her eyes on his as he stroked her hair. A slow smile spread across her face though as a thought entered her mind.

"I like this too," he had to admit. He leaned back into the hay, taking her with him.

She rested her cheek against his shoulder and his chest when he leaned back into the hay. She gave a soft sounding sigh. "Does it make me any less Cordy when I tell you that I kind of like it when you get all demanding and take what you want-y? You know, when you know I want it too?"

"Does it make me any less Angel to demand and take...When I know you want me to," he replied back to her.

"Hmmm...I think we pretty much have this marriage thing figured out then." She rested her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes. "I just want to stay like this... For a few minutes more."

Angel's eyes opened. He laid there just looking at that concrete ceiling. This could have been his life if he'd made different choices but those choices were long before Wolfram & Hart, before the bluffs. The choice he should have made was when he first realized he loved Cordelia but never acted on it. In this life, he'd acted sooner. He'd taken that right turn instead of the left. He brought his hands up to cover his face then rub his eyes. The memories now made him more a part of this dimension. It made him more a part of the people in it that he counted as his family.

He'd never be able to make them understand, he realized this, but he was now the Angel of this world. He was this world's Champion. The anchoring of his soul had made the largest difference here. He realized what that had done... It had made the man and the beast one. It was not longer just Angel or just Angelus, two separate entities. They were one now. The demon part of him was also ensouled.

Angel sat up now. That attack on the convalescent home was not random and it had done exactly what it was meant to do: take him out. This group knew Angel would sacrifice himself to save the really helpless of the helpless. He'd found them and they knew it. He'd not had time to tell anyone when the threat on the nursing home came in and Wesley was to meet him there. Well, they thought he was dead. Surprise is all going to be theirs.

Angel stood up and grabbed his coat. He went for the door. He had a couple people to see and then a nest of big bads to clean out.

-TBC-