Chapter 1

"Dear Princess, thank you for a lovely evening."

" Thanks Groo. I had a great time too."

It really was a nice evening, Cordy thought to herself. They had gone to a fancy Italian restaurant and although Groo had been confused with the etiquette of table manners and was still getting mixed up over the word cow (he still couldn't believe, after much persistence, that they weren't `cows' and that it really referred to the `strange animal that provided milk'), however, looking at him now, everything seemed fine. Earlier that day, they had gotten a total makeover and as she gave him another lookover, he really looked... normal. He was dressed in leather pants and a dark blue shirt and had gotten rid of his long stringy hair and replaced it with a short cut, with the ends held up by tons of gel. Hey it kinda reminded her of...

"Are you sure Princess that you don't want me to accompany you home?"

"Huh?", as Cordy snapped her attention back to Groo.

"I said, are you sure Princess that you want me to leave you here at the hotel instead of taking you to your abode?"

" That's okay Groo. I want to check up on Connor upstairs and I'll go home later. Don't worry about me, Groo. Just go up to your room. I'll see you tomorrow."

As she was about to go up the stairs, Groo suddenly reached out and grabbed her hand.

"Princess, before you depart, may you give me the honour of giving you a goodnight kiss?" As he spoke, he kissed her hand very gently.

Cordy gave him a small smile.

"Of course. Come here." She gave him a sexy look and motioned him to come closer to her. "Hey, don't be shy. Come closer."

Groo walked slowly towards her and stood very close to her. His hands wrapped around her waist, as Cordy wrapped her arms around his neck.

As his face was inches away from her face, suddenly she got a flash.

{-You want me to make love to you right here?

-You know I do.}

"What's a matter Princess?"

Cordy shook her head. " Nothing. Just kiss me."

Once again, Groo closed in to give her a ...

{ -You don't know him. He has power.

-The power to do this?}

Cordy closed her eyes , sighed and moaned quietly at the memory.

"Princess?"

"Mmm..what?"

"What are you thinking about Princess?"

"No, me? I wasn't thinking about anything. Why don't you just kiss me already!"

This time, instead of waiting for him to kiss her, this time, she just grabbed his face and forced him to kiss her.

~You have to stop thinking about him,~ she said to herself. ~Stop thinking about the broody guy upstairs!~

However, as Groo was kissing her, she just couldn't help but compare his kissing with that certain someone upstairs.

~Damn! Why can't I stop thinking about him? So what if he made me moan and got me hot that one time? It wasn't us. We were possessed!~

However, her mind started to drift to thinking about how Angel's hands had touched and swept over her whole body and how he had made her tingle all over. Then there were his kisses, overwhelming and passionate. She could still feel the heat of them now, as if they could still warm her neck, her tummy, her thighs. Even though she knew that it wasn't them and that it was just the room, the moment, the spirits, Cordy couldn't help but think of that one moment had completely overwhelmed her thoughts these days and how in the back of her mind, she didn't completely believe that it was all about the lovers' spirits, but real feelings as well.

~No, hey snap back into reality Cordy! Here you are with a perfectly nice guy who completely head over heels with you and all you can think about is Angel, someone you can never have because of the `perfect happiness, turn all evil' business, not to mention the B-word. Can't you enjoy this moment please? Remember, don't blow this or it's back to ghost with loofah for the rest of your life!~

"Thank you Princess. That was wonderous!" Groo had finally broke away. " You have made me so happy!" Groo gushed with a huge smile on his face and held her in the tightest embrace.

"Groo, a little air please!" Cordy pleaded as she tried to gasp for air.

"I'm sorry, my dear Princess. I shall go now. Sweet dreams, my love." And then, he hopped two steps at a time up the stairs, feeling as though he was the luckiest man on earth.

Cordy just gave a sigh, and walked calmly up the stairs towards Angel's room to visit Connor.

***************

* knock, knock *

"Angel?" Cordy whispered as she peek her head through the doorway.

"Cordy?" Angel said sleepily. "What are you doing here? * yawn *" He was standing by Connor's crib, his head resting on one hand as he leaned on the side of the crib.

"I just wanted to see how Connor was doing before I went home. How is our little baby?"

"Our little baby's been a good little boy and is fast asleep now. "Angel softly replied. "How was your date with what's his face? Did you have a nice time?"

Cordy removed her high heels, tiptoed closer towards the crib and stood by Angel's side, admiring the sweet child fast asleep. "Oh, it was alright. Even though Groo was a little confused at first with some things, I think he got the hang of dinner etiquette at the end. Even managed to use a fork at the end."

" * Yawn * That's good."

"Angel, why don't you just go to bed now? It's awfully late and you've should have been in bed long ago. Go to sleep big guy! Tomorrow, you're going to have a huge day ahead of you with the chasing of demons and not to mention the baby cries and the diaper changing. You need your rest."

"I'm not tired * Yawn *" Angel protested, but still was careful not to raise his voice in case Connor would wake up. " Honestly I'm not. Can't we talk a little more? I wanna hear more about your embarrassing night with you know who. I wanna hear about how he messed up dinner!"

"He didn't mess up dinner! He's just having a kinda hard time adjusting with the whole `let's use utensils' deal. I mean, he's been living in another dimension all this time. Cut him some slack will ya?"

"Fine." Angel reluctantly replied. "We can talk about something else."

"No Angel. I'm tired too. I think I'll just go home now and go to sleep. It's late for me too."

"Are you sure? Can't you stay around for a little while longer?"

"I don't think so. Here you are, practically asleep already, while my feet have been killing me since I got back from dinner." Cordy whispered. " We can talk tomorrow Angel. Goodnight!" Then she tiptoed away from the crib and started walking towards the door.

"Goodnight Cordy!" Angel answered.

As Cordy was about to reach for the door handle, Angel whispered out "Hey Cordy?"

"Yeah?"

"You look...I mean, you look really pretty tonight."

Cordy smiled. "Thanks Angel." She started to turn the doorknob.

"Hey Cordy?"

"Yes Angel?"

"Cordy... I love you."

***************

Her heart just stopped. Cordy quickly turned her head to face Angel. "What did you just say?"

"Cordy... * sigh * I said I love you."

"You mean as a friend right?"

"No..." Angel said slowly. "I mean, I love you as a friend of course, but it's more than that. I really mean... I love you."

Cordy stood there, dead in her tracks, still letting those words sink into her brain. "You must be joking. Are we being possessed again?"

"No... I not joking. I am being really serious and it's not the spirits talking. It's me. Angel. Telling you, Cordy, that I'm in love with you."

"You can't be! It's not possible! What about Buff.."

"This is not about Buffy. This is about you and me here. I really am in love with you."

"How can you not think this isn't about Buffy! She was the love of your life, the woman that you will love for the rest of your life! How can you possibly be in love with me when you can never, ever be over her?"

Angel started to walk towards her, trying desperately to piece together his own thoughts. "Buffy's out of my life now. I mean, I did love her and she was the first person I had ever loved in my whole life, but now I love you! Why can't you believe it?"

"Because we all know how much she meant to you and how you guys were the big LOVE and if it wasn't for the curse, you would still be in Sunnydale right now with her. But because of the `if I have one moment of happiness, I'll turn all evil' thing, you are here with me."

"And I am glad for it. Cordy, it's been three years since we both left Sunnydale and we are totally different people. I sometimes think I can't even recognize the person I was then, nevertheless you, Cordy. We've gotten to know each other over the last few years and although we don't always get along, and we've seen the bad and the good, we grew together and have become best friends. I don't belong with Buffy. I belong here with you and Connor."

"You're only thinking about this because of the thing that happened at the ballet a week ago, aren't you? We were possessed, Angel. It wasn't rea..."

"It was to me. "Angel interjected. "That was what I was trying to tell you all week. I know you kept insisting that it wasn't us in that room and that we could just forget about it, but what I was trying to tell you was that I can't forget. Kissing you... it's not something I can just forget. When we kissed, I felt like I was alive again. And I know it was partly because of the ghosts, but I wanted to kiss you. And for me, it didn't take a lot of convincing to kiss you."

"Then why did you not want to go back into the room again, if you wanted to kiss me so badly?"

"Because I knew that if we started kissing again, I knew that I wouldn't be able to stop. I wouldn't be able to control myself, and then things would get out of hand, get inserted or all groiny... I couldn't risk that. And I still didn't stop it. I mean, you know it yourself. You were practically... you know, naked, and if it wasn't for the lackeys, who knows what would have happened!"

"Oh." Silence then filled the room.

"Cordy, please say something." Angel pleaded.

"Angel...I don't know what to say."

"Oh come on. I've never known you for being at a lack of words." Angel answered, trying desperately to lighten the mood.

"ANGEL.."

"I'm sorry."

"Why did you decide to tell me now? Why couldn't you have told me before?"

"Well, I was in the middle of trying to tell you when what's his face..."

"Groo."

"Groo, yes Groo,"Angel answered with a growl. " came out of nowhere searching for his `true love', and you ran up and kissed him. What was I supposed to do?"

"I don't know..."

" Cordy, it doesn't matter now. I just wanted to tell you now because I wanted you to know and... I'm scared of losing you." Angel answered, with his head lowered.

"Angel," Cordy finally walking closer to Angel. "You know that's not true."

"How do you know? I almost lost you so many times with the vision thing and the coma thing, so how can I be sure that this Groo thing won't just take you away from me?"

"Because I promised that I will be by your side until you shanshu, remember?" Cordy answered softly, lifting and stroking his face. "You know I would never go back on my word and leave my champion." Cordy smiled.

"But what if Groo wants to take you back to Pylea with him so that you can be his princess? I mean, I know how much you loved being a princess in that world and having everyone adore you. And I don't... I don't have anything to offer you..."

"Angel, it's true I loved being a princess and * sigh * sometimes, I do wish that I could go back to Pylea because I miss it..." Cordy answered as Angel's face began to fall once again, " But being a princess is not all it's cracked up to be....and... I wouldn't be with you."

Angel's face start to rise again and a look of hope just swept over his face.

"Do you mean that?"

"Of course, you big lug! Don't you get it when I'm trying to tell you that I love you too?" Cordy answered, pretending really hard not to crack a smile and trying to look peeved.

"Yeah, silly me." Angel smiled, with the biggest grin right across his face. "You know that it won't be easy."

"Yeah, I know." Cordy replied, as she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, as he in turn, wrapped his arms around her waist. "I'm gonna just have to tolerate your off-key lullabies and your love for that old guy in that Ten Commandments movie."

"Hello? Charleton Heston is the man! Anyways, you're not always easy either, with your non-Ballet watching , your snoring and not to mention drooling ways."

"Hey! I thought you didn't care about the drool! At least I'm not a ennuch!"

"Take that back! I told you I'm not a ennuch!"

"Why do you always have to be so overdramatic!" Cordy started to whisper again. "You're going to wake up the baby!"

"Hey! It's your fault anyways! And I'm not being overdr..."

"Oh shut up and kiss me."

"Wha..oh." and then he planted firmly his lips on hers.

"Mmm...Angel?"Cordy asked, as she tried to talk in mid-kiss.

"Yeah?" Angel answered, still dazed over the kissing.

"Can I stay over?"

"Why do you even have to ask?" Angel replied, as he shut the light off.

***************

So Groo...you do understand, right? I mean, you are a perfect gentleman and everything a girl could ask for, but... I love Angel." Cordy tried to explain as she was talking to Groo inside the lobby.

"Yes, my princess, I understand. I am somewhat hurt by your choice, but I can understand that you could love Angel. Angel is a warrior as well."

"Thank you Groo. You will make another girl happy someday." Cordy smiled.

"I hope so."

"So what will you be doing now?" Cordy asked.

"I think I will return to Pylea and settle down with a nice co.. I mean human girl." Groo answered, kinda embarrassed by his mistake.

"That's good. I guess we should take you to Caritas so that you can travel back through a portal back to Pylea." Cordy answered.

"Yes back to Pylea." Angel suddenly interjected, as he appeared out of nowhere. "Don't you miss your home, sweet home?"

"Very much so." Groo admitted." Angel, you are a very considerate...person and you are so fortunate to have won the heart of my dear Princess."

"Yes... thanks"Angel replied, not knowing really what to say, but wishing that he could get rid of Groo as soon as possible.

"Umm.. Groo?" Cordy asked.

"Yes, Princess?" Groo answered eagerly.

"I think you can call me Cordy now."

"Oh. Cor-dy. I understand Princess."

***************

Angel, Cordy, Groo, Wes, Fred and Gunn were all at Caritas later that day to wish Groo farewell. Angel and Cordy were locked hand in hand, as Fred and Gunn kept making goo goo eyes at each other the whole time, and Wes, feeling out of place, started to talk to Groo.

"Are you sure you remember the words to open the portal?"Wes asked, " Because, I have the book right here if you need it."

"That is alright. I have a very good memory. I NEVER forget anything." Groo answered with every surety in the world.

Cordy turned towards Groo, as she bid him goodbye. "Groo, thank you for everything. I'll miss you a lot, and I won't forget how good a person you are."

"Thank you fair Prince... I mean Cordy for your kindness and beauty. I shall never forget your loving face." And with that, he gave Cordy a kiss on the cheek, much to Angel's chagrin.

"Bye Groo!" Fred exclaimed. "You'll find someone someday with whom you'll have kyerumption with!"

"Bye!" Gunn yelled out. "Yeah, get yourself another chick!"

"yeah, yeah, bye." Angel reluctantly mumbled out, as Cordy nudged him in the ribs. "Hey, I said bye to him."

"Are you ready Groo? " Wesley asked.

"Yes I am." Groo replied.

"Then commence the chant."

"Alright. Krpmpt bklptf difbmpt dflmpbmt... or was it...?"

It was too late, as a flash of light appeared and suddenly blinded all of them.

WHOOSH!

"Okay, that was weird." Wes answered.

"Totally weird." Fred replied.

"Ditto." Gunn replied.

"What does the word `weird' mean?" Groo asked. "I don't understand the meaning of that word."

"Well weird means..."Wes explained, and then suddenly realizing the presence of Groo. "What are you still doing here?"

"I'm not sure. I think that I made a mistake in one of the words, I am not sure, but.." Groo replied.

"What? I thought you said that you memorized the lines!" Wes yelled.

"I did, but I kind of made a blunder. It is not a problem is it? We can try it once more." Groo answered.

"That's not the point! The point is you said..."Wes continued to yell.

"Mmm, Wesley?" Fred tapped him on the shoulder.

"What Fred?" Wes suddenly calming down to face his `love'.

"Angel and Cordy aren't here." Fred tried to explain.

"What do you mean that they're not here?" Wes asked, completely perplexed.

"What I mean is both Charles and I have been looking around, and Angel and Cordy are gone! They've disappeared." As Fred tried to explain once more.

"Wes, she's right." Gunn explained," After that crazy flash of light, I looked around and they are gone! They've just disappeared."

"Oh my God!" Wes exclaimed, whipping open the magic book frantically. As he searched through the pages of the book, he suddenly looked up at Groo, drops the book and pounced on Groo, throwing him roughly to the ground. "What were the words that you used?"

"I am not sure." Groo replied, completely taken aback by Wes' actions.

"You are not sure???!!!" Wes yelled, in complete rage as he took Groo by the collar. "Well, think harder because if you can't remember, then your head will be meeting my fists."

"Hey Wes, let me get at him first. I'd like to pound his face first!" Gunn interjected, as he jump over to join in the group pounding.

"WES! CHARLES! STOP IT! STOP IT, ALL OF YOU!" Fred yelled out at the top of her lungs, as all of them froze in their places. "Can't you see what's more important here?! Angel and Cordy are missing! We've got to find out where they are!"

"Yes, Fred's right." Wes replied, collecting himself, stood calmly up and dusted himself off. "We've got to find them."

"But where are they?" Gunn asked. " Are they in Pylea? Cuz if they are, I am ready as you are to jump into a car and save them again."

"I don't think they are." Wes replied. "Since what's his name over there, screwed up the chant, they couldn't possibly be in Pylea. And... since he can't remember what words he used, we have no way of knowing what dimension they are in. As well, as you may remember from our last mishap with portals, they weren't securely binded together like we were in the car when we came to rescue Cordy so they both arrived alone."

"So what you're saying is that we have no idea where Angel and Cordy are and that they aren't even together?" Fred asked, realizing the gravity of the situation.

"That's exactly right." Wes grudgingly replied. "They are lost and completely alone."

***************

Cordy's eyes opened. All she could remember was the evil, blinding light and holding Angel's hand. However, as she opened her eyes, this was not the place that she expected to be. ~Angel?~ , she thought, but all that she could muster up was this:

"Oh crap!"

*******************

Chapter 2

"Oh crap!" Cordy exclaimed.

"Hey! That was not crap! That was some quality music by my boyfriend up there!" Willow exclaimed, clearly not pleased with Cordelia's sudden outburst.

"Yeah, Cordy! Give Oz some slack, will ya! I mean, he's almost finished his set!" Xander nudged, giving her a look asking her to be gentle. I mean, everyone has already been bugging him about his reasons why he was dating her in the first place, he certainly didn't need for her to be in bitchy mode.

~Oh, I am so in the Twilight Zone here!~ Cordy thought to herself, rubbing her index and middle fingers to her temples. ~This is just a dream! It's all a dream! Just wake up Cordy and then you'll be back in Angel's arms again and all of this will be gone! ~

"Hey Cordy? Are you alright?" Xander asked, with a sudden tone of concern.

"Yeah...I'm alright. I think I am getting a headache that's all. Let me get out my mirror." Cordy replied. With that, she pulled out her mirror and gasped at the sight she saw. Dressed in a dark brown short dress with spagetti straps and a sparkly matching wraparound sweater around her shoulders, she was having a major déjà vu all of a sudden. And her hair, which was short, was once again dark, long and flowing. It was as if she was in high school again.

"I look like I'm seventeen again!" Cordy exclaimed in horror.

"Well, Cordelia, you ARE seventeen." Xander replied, while giving her a questioning look that wondered `What the hell is wrong with you?'.

"Yes, that's right. I've completely forgot. Silly me!" Cordy answered, trying to look as calm as possible. ~Cordy, just wake up now! This is a terrible dream that you have invented yourself! It is as though you have gone back to high scho...~

"Oz! Hey! Have a seat..."Willow said, with a smile on her face. " Except, we don't have any seats."

"It's okay. I'll just scrunch in." Oz replied.

Willow then proceeds to nudge over a bit to make room for Oz at the

table, and bumps into Xander. She looks at him nervously.

Cordy notices all of this. ~Hey, why is this scene so damn famil...~ all of a sudden, Xander scoots over a bit as well, nudging up hard against Cordelia.

"Xander, why are you giving me a lap dance? [I can't believe I just said that!]" Cordy proclaimed.

"What? I just like you."Xander explained, with a nervous look on her face.

"And that's very beautiful. I think it's great..."

As Willow continued to talk, Cordy started to realize what had happened. This was a complete déjà vu because it really did happen! Angel, where are you? Cordy thought to herself. Please be here and save me! All she could figure was that this whole trek back through time had to do with that blinding light when Groo recited his chant because that was all she could remember of before. Now, she was stucked dealing with Willow and Xander doing their stammering routine as they busily trying to cover up their affair. ~Damn! Of all time in my life that I have to replay again, it had to be this moment! ~ Then her thoughts went to Oz. ~Poor Oz, he has no idea what is up with the two of them.~ Cordy started to sympathize. ~At least he'll find out eventually and Willow and Oz are still tog...~

All of a sudden, Xander spills his drink all over the place and pushes Cordy over in the process.

"Why are you guys so hyper?" Cordy suddenly asked, even though she already knew the answer ~It's because you two just couldn't keep your hormones in check and now Xander's even more of a moron than usual! ~

"Hey! Speaking of people and things they do that aren't like usual, anyone notice Buffy acting sort of different?" Willow asked, trying desperately to change the subject.

"Let's see, uh, killing zombies... uh, torching sewer monsters, and... No, that's pretty much the, uh, (grins weakly) same old Buffster." Xander concluded.

"Well, I just mean, you know, she's off by herself a lot more, and she's kind of... distracted." Willow explained, finding herself more and more concerned for Buffy.

"Think maybe she has a new honey?" Cordy suggested. ~Of course she has a honey. His name's Angel...oh my God, I remember now! They don't even know that Angel is back again! ~

"A boyfriend? Why wouldn't she tell us?" Willow asked.

"...we're the best of Buffy's bestest buds. She'd tell us." Xander joined in.

~Of course she wouldn't tell you. You wouldn't have approved of him anyways. Just ask Bu..~

"Tell you what?" Buffy exclaimed, showing up out of nowhere and surprising the hell out of everybody.

"About your new boyfriend, who we made up. Unless we didn't?" Willow asked questionly.

"This was a topic of discussion?" Buffy answered surprisingly.

"Well, raised, but never discussed." Oz assured her.

"So, are you dating somebody or not?" Cordy asked, although she didn't understand why she was asking the question when she already knew the answer. She just felt, I don't know, compelled, to ask the redundant question.

"I wouldn't use the word 'dating', but I am going..."

As Buffy continued to speak, Cordy started to remember exactly what was going to happen that night. Faith would appear and they would both go off to slayer training with Giles. ~I need to find Angel. Hopefully, he'll be okay, and we'll be able to figure this out together. ~

"...time to motorvate." Faith exclaimed rushing Buffy.

"Really, we're just good friends." Buffy assured her friends as she followed Faith's lead to leave.

"Yeah, I have to leave too." Cordy said suddenly.

"What? We just got here? We're on a date here!" Xander argued, as he waited in anticipation for another one of Cordelia's complaint rants.

"I'm really sorry Xander. I am having a major migraine here, and I am feeling sort of sick. Can we please have a raincheck on the date, and I'll make it up to you, okay" Cordy explained gently.

"Oh my gosh, are you okay? Do you want me to take you home." Xander asked, completely taken aback by Cordy's gentle explanation, and was beginning to feel some concern for his girlfriend.

"Xander, I'll be alright." Cordy answered sweetly, kissing him on the cheek. "I'll just walk home by myself and get some rest. You just continue enjoying yourself with Willow and Oz here. I'll be fine, okay? I'll see you in school tomorrow! Bye Willow! Bye Oz!"

"Bye Cordelia..." they all replied, with a certain feeling of bewilderment at the change in attitude in Cordelia. Instead of answering them with a witty, yet biting remark, she had just gently excused herself and left.

***************

~Why did I wear these shoes in the first place?~ Cordy asked herself as she was running like her life depended on it towards Angel's place, desparate to get there.

Completely frustrated with the heels, she pulled them and carried them with her as she ran like mad.

When she got there, she just took a deep breath and walk into the place.

"Angel? * huff, huff* Are you here?" Cordy asked out into the empty space as she was still out of breath from her crazy trek. ~Please answer the way that I want you to....~

"Cordy? Is that you?" Angel replied, showing himself from out of the shadows.

"Did you say `Cordy' Angel, or was I am imagining things?" Cordy asked him, unsure of her own hearing ability.

"Of course I said Cordy! What else would I call you?" Angel answered, completely bewildered but with a smile on his face.

" Oh THANK GOD!" Cordy exclaimed as she ran towards him, jumped into his arms, and wrapped her legs around him, toppling them both onto the white couch.

"Ouch!" Angel replied laughingly, " I missed you too!"

" No, I really, really missed you!" Cordy answered, now covering his face and neck with as many kisses as she could. "I thought that I'd lost you and I was stuck in this nightmarish time warp all by myself!"

" No, you're stuck with me forever." Angel answered with a chuckle. "But you know, I wish that you could get into hysterics more often as I am really liking this!"

"Oh shut up! I am not going crazy! This place just screams `ee! Scary!'... I mean, I am seventeen again, and you know how much I hated that time in my life. I mean, everyone thinks of me as the `rich bitch from Sunnydale' and we just happen to fall upon the time when Xander's been sneaking around behind my back and everyone's in the dark about you coming back from hell!" Cordy explained with much frustration.

"Oh, so that is the time were sent back to? I was wondering that, but I couldn't find a newspaper anywhere, and even if I did know the date, I don't think I would have remembered that no one knew about me at this time... I mean it was a confusing time for me with me and Buff.."

"Okay, Angel, we don't really need to talk about your tough times with Buffy, cuz hello? I was there too!" Cordy replied, "What is important is finding a way out of this time warp because I am definitely not digging this `Blast from the Past' deal with the reminiscing and such. And to think I had escaped all of this `Sunnydale weird' stuff so long ago and now, POOF! I'm sucked right back into it again!"

"But Cordy, I really love this hair of yours." Angel jokingly said, as he fingered the long tresses of her hair.

"Get serious, you big lug! I can't believe I am saying this but I need you to be Broody boy for the time being so we can figure a way back home to Wes, Fred, Gunn and Connor."

"Connor... our sweet boy." Angel remembered, getting serious and sad. " I miss our little guy!"

"I miss him too, Angel" Cordy replied as she lovingly stroked the contours of his face. "But we need to find out how to get out of here first before we can get back to Connor."

" I think I know a way." Angel replied as he gave Cordy a reasurring kiss.

***************

* knock, knock *

~I hope to God that he's still home.~ Cordy wished with all of her might.

The door opened.

"This is quite unexpected." Giles replied, " Cordelia, is there something I can help you with? And could it be quick because I am supposed to be meeting Faith and Buffy for their training session, and I am already running late, so..."

Cordy flashed a grin, but her facial expression was still nervous. "Hi Giles! We totally need your help!"

"We?" Giles asked puzzlingly. "What are you talking about, `we'? Are you and Xander in trouble?"

"Oh no, nothing like that!" Cordy answered, shaking her head.

"Oh thank God..." Giles replied in relief. "So what can I help you with Cordelia because as I said I am running..."

"I know, Giles, I know, but this is kind of delicate, and I don't want to startle you," Cordy tried to gently explain, " I just need you to promise me that you'll be calm and rational when I tell you, okay?"

"Calm and rational? Oh, Cordelia, whatever it is, I am sure that I'll be fine. It's me, Giles, for pity's sake!"

"Alright... hey you can come out now." Cordy yelled towards a figure in the shadows.

"Hi Giles. How are you doing?" Angel exclaimed, as he walked out from obscurity.

"Angel?" Giles replied, as his face started to turn white. "Oh my..."

All of a sudden, Giles fell backwards onto the floor.

"Angel!" Cordy exclaimed, as she hit Angel in the ribs. "Look at what you did!"

*********************

Chapter 3

" So let me be clear on this. You and Angel traveled back through time through a portal and now you are stuck back in your old bodies completely clueless about how to get back to your own time. Is that correct?" Giles asked, as he cleaned his spectacles and then put them back on his face again.

"Exactly." Cordelia said, with a sigh of relief. " Now if you could just he..."

"Ha ha ha! You are pulling my leg aren't you Cordelia?" Giles replied laughingly. "What you are talking about is completely impossible!"

"Giles, we're serious here." Angel responded with the most serious tone he could muster up.

"And you!" Giles suddenly pointed towards, "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't stake you right here and now for all that you've done! You're supposed to be in hell!"

"Please Giles, don't hurt him!" Cordy pleaded, putting herself as a shield between Giles and Angel " I know he was in hell before, but I'm telling you he's good now and he wouldn't never hurt a fly..."

"Cordy, that's not completely tr..." Angel interjected.

"Shut up here! Trying to save your ass here!" Cordy started to whisper angrily in Angel's ear.

"Cordelia, why do you even care about Angel? You know what he has done to me, Jenny, Buffy, everyone...how can you even think about defending him?"

"Giles, I know this is hard for you to understand right now, but Angel's a good per..vampire now." Cordy tried to explain, as she took Angel's hand into hers and clasped it. "He's not Angelus anymore. I mean, if he was, don't `cha think that he would have eaten up by now?....uh... I mean... all I can say right now is that trust me in saying that he will not be able to hurt anybody we care about as long as you know, he doesn't violate the ... curse." She then looked up at Angel and smiled, but also a part of her was also torn because Cordy knew that she could never be with the man she loved. However, losing him forever would be a fate worse than death, so she was just happy to be with him in any way.

"Cordelia, I don't know..." Giles admitted, as he observed the Cordelia's and Angel's body language. Even if he didn't believe a word they were saying, he had to admit that there was something different about them now. I mean, it was pretty peculiar to see Cordelia's hand intertwined with Angel's, as well as Angel's inability to look at anything else except Cordelia. And Cordelia. She didn't quite seem the same. It sounded like Cordelia, however it wasn't. Giles was just confused.

"Giles, I know that this is a lot to take in, but we really, I mean REALLY, need you to understand right now and help us." Cordy pleaded. "We came to you because we knew that if anyone could figure out how to bring us back to the future would be you, and we knew that...

"... you would be able to keep this a secret." Angel finished her sentence.

"A secret?" Giles asked.

"Giles, I think you know well enough that it would be difficult to tell anyone about this. I mean, here you are now, unable to trust or believe us. Can you imagine what would happen if Buffy were to find out..." Angel said, "Also, you know that being in the past is very fragile. You can never know what would happened if we had changed anything in it... we decided that..."

"... it would be best for the sake of everyone's lives that we try not to disrupt the course of the events that would happen while we are here. We are just going to let things that we know are going to happen run its course and wait patiently until we've found a way back home. I mean, if we change anything, we wouldn't be where we are..."Cordy explained, as her voice trailed at the end. She looked at Angel, and she knew exactly what he was thinking. If things hadn't happened the ways things did, Angel wouldn't have gone to LA, Cordy wouldn't have been there for him to meet again. They wouldn't have the friendship that they had they wouldn't have met Wesley again. They wouldn't have met Fred and Gunn. They would never had Connor as a son. They would have never fallen in love. They just couldn't risk not having a future together.

Angel smiled, knowing also what she thought too and held her hand even tighter.

"We'll just pretend that we are the same Angel and Cordelia from this time and hopefully you'll trust us enough to believe us and help us." Cordy finished.

"I am worried that all of this is starting to become perfectly clear."Giles grudgingly admitted, as he shook his head in disbelief.

"Do you need proof Giles?" Cordy asked, "We'll give you some proof. If we weren't from the future, how could we know what will happen?"

"But I just thought that you said that you weren't going to change anything!" Giles said.

"Yes, we know that we shouldn't give you any details about yours or anyone else's future, but telling you this won't really change anything." Cordy explained, trying to get to her point "Giles, when you go out to train Buffy and Faith tonight, you'll encounter a strange woman. She will say that she was sent by the Watcher's Council to be Faith's new watcher. Her name is... what's her name again?"

"Gwendolyn Post." Angel answered.

"Gwendolyn Post! That's it! Thank you!" Cordy exclaimed, as she shot another smile at Angel. "So if you get going now Giles, you'll see that we are right about this, okay?"

"Gwendolyn Post? Are you sure?" Giles asked questioningly.

"Yes, Giles, Gwendolyn Post. And that's all we can tell you. We won't give you any other details, okay? So even though we tell you this one thing, we won't be able to tell you anything else." Cordy answered, with a little frown on her face, as she remembered how much of a problem Gwendolyn Post would be and how she had hit Giles over the head in the process. "Please Giles, don't hold it against us for not telling you anymore and don't think that we don't care about all of you, but you know what kind of position we are in." Cordy continued, as she tried to wipe the guilt she had from the expression on her face.

"I understand Cordelia. I understand perfectly." Giles replied with assurance.

"Oh thank you Giles!" Cordelia exclaimed, as she suddenly walked towards him to offer him a big hug.

"Well... you're welcome Cordelia..." Giles stammered, as he was taken aback by this gesture.

"Thank you Giles." Angel answered.

"It's alright Angel." Giles once again replied, as he became even more uneasy at what he saw: Angel was smiling from ear to ear and offering his hand to shake. Giles grudging accepted and receiving a strong, a very strong handshake.

"Now Giles" as Cordy broke away from him. "You must go to meet Buffy and Faith now, or you''ll miss them completely and Gwendolyn Post. Please don't forget, okay Giles?"

"I won't forget." Giles promised.

"As well, please pretend that you know nothing about Angel being back from the dead, okay? Only Buffy knows that he's back and you wouldn't want the secret to come out until it really happens, okay? And when everyone knows, act surprised." Cordy told Giles again.

"I promi... Buffy knows?" Giles answered, realizing what that implicated about Buffy.

"Please don't hold it against her." Angel pleaded. "The Giles that we know didn't hold it against her for long."

"Yes, Giles, she is already going to have a toug..oh, I've already said too much" Cordy said, as she immediately stop herself from revealing everything. ~Man, this keeping a secret thing is much tougher than I thought.~

"I understand Cordelia, I really do." Giles assured, although he knew one thing for sure. If what Cordelia and Angel were saying held any kind of truth, he knew that Cordelia's and Angel's lives will become intertwined in one way or another. That was very self evident just from what he saw tonight.

"Thank you Giles." Cordy answered with relief and gratefulness, as she once again took Angel's hand in hers and motioned them both to the door. "We'll talk to you tomorrow."

**************

As Buffy and Faith were busily fighting off vampires one after another, Giles' mind began to wander as he thought back to the conversation he had earlier. Portals, future, Gwendolyn Post. ~I must have been dreaming ~ Giles thought as he wiped his spectacles once more, and then pretended to take notes, so that Buffy and Faith wouldn't suspect that his mind was elsewhere.

"Synchonized Slaying." Buffy replied, as she high-fived Faith.

"New Olympic category." Faith answered in agreement.

"Whatdaya think?" Buffy asked Giles.

As Giles lowered his coffee cup to comment...

"Sloppy." A voice said in the distance.

They all turn to find a woman, looking very severely at all of them. She did not look at all pleasant.

"You telegraph punches, leave blind sides open and, uh, for a school-night slaying, take entirely too much time. Which one of you is Faith?" the strange woman asked.

"Depends. Who the hell are you?" Faith asked boldly in defiance.

Giles turned back to the woman hoping to God that he wouldn't be hearing what he was expecting.

"Gwendolyn Post, Mrs. Your new Watcher." She replied.

The two slayers in front of him exchange a look, and then looked towards him as he continued to hold his cup, unable to stop staring at Mrs. Post, with a look of dumbfoundment and confusion, as the reality of what had happened earlier that evening sunk in. ~Oh my God... what they said was true. They really are from the future...oh God.~

***************

"I can't believe what has happened." Cordy exclaimed once again, still in disbelief.

It was early in the morning at Angel's. They were snuggled closely together in bed, talking till dawn with each other over the perplexities of their situation.

"See, it was a bad idea to tell me that you loved me!" Cordy teased.

"What? I do love you!" Angel protested in defense. "Anyways, it wasn't my fault! It was all what's his face's fault. If he had just gotten the chant right and gone quietly, we would be at home right now...

"...snuggling as we are right now... with Connor" Cordy answered as her voice faltered at the mention of Connor and tears began to fall.

"Hush, Cordy. It's gonna be okay." Angel assured her as he kissed her lightly the top of her head and her forehead, as she held him tighter and buried her face in his chest. "We'll see Connor again. I promise."

"You do? How can you be sure?" Cordy asked, with her head still completed buried in his chest and shirt.

"You know that we'll see our little guy soon! How can we not? Anyways, we both know how much he really misses his mommy right now." Angel answered with a hopeful smile on his face with his answer.

"Mommy?" Cordy asked, as she looked up into Angel's eyes now. "Do you mean it?"

"Of course I do." Angel answered assuredly, as he held her face in his hand and stroked her cheek and wiped her tears away. "You know very well that you have always been his mommy and always will be." With that, he bent his head down to give her a long, lingering kiss.

"Mmm Angel..." Cordy moaned, as she broke away from his kiss, and moved her head towards his ear, "I want more..." she whispered sexily in his ear.

"You do, don't you?" Angel replied playfully, with a naughty grin on his face. "I'll give you mo..."

"Angel? Where are you?"

"Oh my gosh! It's Buffy!" Cordy answered as she suddenly sits up in shock.

***************

Chapter 4

"Oh my Gosh it's Buffy!" Cordy whispered frantically, as she sat up. "What are we going to do?"

"Hush!" Angel whispered quietly, covering Cordy's mouth with one hand and pulling her tighter in the other. "Just listen." "Buffy? Could you wait a few minutes here? I'm changing and I have to do my... hair."

"That's fine. I'll just wait here cuz we all know how LONG it takes you to do your hair!" Buffy yelled.

Cordy began to laugh but stopped herself from doing so, as she chuckled to herself under Angel's hand.

"Hey quiet here!" Angel replied, stunned that Cordy would take Buffy's side on this... he wasn't fussy about his hair. He'll have you know that it takes a lot of skill, time, and gel to get his hair the way it is now. I mean... his mind wandered but focused back on the task at hand. "Cordy, I forgot. Buffy came here to practice some tai chi with me."

"Mmwah..." as Cordy struggled to get her mouth away from his hand. "Tai Chi is it? Seem to me she's come to mack on you again and you're ready to respond!" Cordy answered, clearly bothered by this notion.

"Cordy?" Angel looked at her. " You know what we said about letting things take its course. Well, this is one of the things. You understand don't you?" Angel asked sweetly, as he lifted her face up to look at him.

"Yeah," Cordy answered grumbly. " I know."

"You know that even though this happens, I still love you. It's Angel from the past that can't get over Buffy. The Angel that you know and love (emphasizing on the word LOVE for good measure) has completely fallen for you and Buffy? Who's that? Who is that person that you are a addressing as Buffy? I don't know that name." Angel pretended, trying to get a smile out of her.

"Yeah, like you could really forget Buffy" Cordy pouted, but gave a hint of a smile. "Seriously Angel, I don't want you to forget about her, I just, it's just hard to think about you guys tai chi-ing and all."

"It's just tai chi. Nothing's gonna happen." Angel assured her. "Just wait here, while I go downstairs and train. It won't be a big deal. In and out. And then back to the the snuggles, okay? Alright?" Angel replied, as he pulled Cordy closer to him and gave her a long kiss before he went. "you know, I really love this hair of yours" , he whispered as he lovingly stroke her tresses.

"Yeah, well, I never noticed it before, but how come you are so white in these days?" Cordy asked.

Angel gave her a look.

"I mean really Angel, I thought your skin was pale in LA, but I never how scarily white you look right now. Especially with the wardrobe you used to wear back then. Hmm, what should I wear today? Black, black or black?" Cordy teased. "I'm so glad that the Angel I love is not as white a ghost, wears some colours on good days, and cracks a smile once and awhile."

Then Angel gave her another one of his bashful smiles from ear to ear.

"Like that one." Cordy answered, responding with her own playful smile as well and another kiss goodbye.

"You know," Angel answered coyly, as he walked away, but still looking back at her, "I'll be smiling a lot more often if you keep kissing me that way!"

****************

~It's so odd being here like this ~ Angel thought to himself as he was sweeping his arms in a great arc. ~It's like total déjà vu.~ It was so strange seeing Buffy mimicking his moves and being in close proximity to her. She was just so young and innocent then, even after all the things that had happened to her. ~I mean, she's only seventeen! ~ It just reminded him about how much he loved her at one point and how much he had yearned for those moments in that time so long ago, so that he could be near her.

Now, being back in his old body, with his hands on her, and around her, it was too close for comfort. Buffy, then slowly turns toward him and angles her face towards him. Out of nowhere, as if a feeling of compulsion swept over him, he was about to bend down for a kiss...

Bang! One of his priceless statues near the couch had fallen and spell was broken.

"What was that?" Buffy asked, as she looked towards Angel.

"I don't know," Angel lied, as his eyes turn towards the figure behind the couch, staring at him. "I must have just been careless with it."

"No, I could have sworn somebody was here," Buffy protested. As she was about to eye the room towards Cordy's direction, Angel tried to distract her. "Umm.. hey Buffy! Don't you have school soon?"

"Yeah, I do" Buffy snapped her attention to Angel. "It's also a big night for us Slayer types."

Angel tried to look confused, as he kept eyeing Cordy, still behind the couch.

"People to see, demons to kill. (starts to leave) Better hurry before somebody figures out what we're doing." Buffy replied.

"...Sorry. It's just... (smiles weakly) old habit. (loses the smile) Bad, bad habit to be broken." Buffy continued.

"Huh?" Angel replied as he was lost in thought. "Oh yeah... I know. It's hard." He answered as remembered how hard it was for them to be apart at that time.

Then as Buffy continued to talk, his mind began to wander again as he was watching Cordy try to sneak out on all fours back into his bedroom.

"...I'm gonna try and vent a little hormonal angst by going out there and killing a Lagos, whatever that is."

"Lagos?" Angel exclaimed as he tried to focus on Buffy once more.

"Some demon looking for some all-powerful thingamabob..." Buffy explained as Angel continued to look at Cordy and was worried about her. "...I gotta stop him before he unleashes unholy havoc, and it's another Tuesday night in Sunnydale." Buffy answered, noticing his worried expression.

"Angel? I'll be alright." Buffy assured him.

"Oh I know." Angel replied, as he remembered that she wouldn't be hunting the demon down tonight but would be visiting him once more.

"you know?" Buffy asked puzzlingly.

"No, I mean, be careful." Angel replied, trying to fix what he had just said.

Then Buffy turns and leaves. As Buffy walked away, Angel looked at her and watched, remembering grudgingly at that time in their life. It was hard. As he left, he walks and goes into his bedroom.

"Cordy?" Angel asked.

"Yes, Angel?" Cordy asked innocently.

"Sweetie, you could have been easily seen by Buffy! Why didn't you just stayed put in the bedroom?" Angel asked.

"I was just curious what kind of Tai Chi you guys were doing! I mean, you know how hard it is for me to stay out of people's business, especially my boyfriend's business." Cordy explained in defense.

"Your boyfriend? Hey, I like the sound of that." Angel replied, as he pulled Cordy closer to her, giving her a kiss.

"You better! Hey how come we don't do Tai Chi when we train?" Cordy demanded. "It sounds like fun. I mean, it certainly looked that from where I was hiding."

"You want to?" Angel asked. "I mean we could do that right now..." as he crossed his arms around her.

"Hey big guy! Focus here! We have to find that thing that the evil woman was looking for!"Cordy exclaimed.

"What?" Angel asked in puzzlement.

"You know, what Buffy was talking about earlier. Don't you remember, Lagos, a glove of ome sort, all evil thing. I wasn't there when you guys had the big showdown, but I remembered the gist of it."

"Oh, you mean, the Glove of Myhnegon." Angel replied, finally getting with the program.

"Yeah, that glove of whatever. From what I remembered, it was you who found it." Cordy exclaimed, as she tried to piece together what she remembered. "Do you remember where you found it?"

"Yeah," Angel responded, as his memory started to work again. " I found it in this family crypt of some sort. "Von Hauptman I think is the family name. I remembered how it took me the whole day to figure out its location, and it was only till nightfall that I was able to get it."

"Umm... Angel? Hello? You're a vampire. You can't go out in the day anyways. You know? Sunlight, ahh burning!"

Angel gave her another look.

"I'm just saying, just in case you were having a bout of amnesia here." Cordy explained.

"So what we going to do in the meantime since you've already figured out where the glove is?"

Angel gave her a sly look, growled, and basically pounced on her, making them both fall onto his bed.

"Angel!" Cordy giggled, as he proceeded to tickle and kiss her.

***************

"Angel? Are you here?"

"Huh?" Angel mumbled, as he lifted his face from the bed sheets and blankets, hair all rumpled and messed up, as he was in disarray.

"Honey, Buffy's back again." Cordy replied.

"Why don't you just tell her to just go away. We're busy making out." Angel replied and went back to what he was doing.

"Angel!" Cordy whispered, as she nudged him.

"Hey, we can pretend that I'm not home so that we can make out some more!" Angel replied.

"Angel! You know what's supposed to happen tonight! You are supposed to be doing something with Buffy when Xander catches you! Remember? That's how everyone found out about you!" Cordy playfully slapped him upside the head to get him to clue in.

"But I much rather be here with you! You know with the making out and stuff." Angel whined, trying to motion her back to where she was.

"Hey remember about the not changing the course of events deal. You have to get up now..." Cordy pulling him up and dragging him by the ear towards the washroom.

"Ouch! Hey watch the hair!" Angel exclaimed.

"Clean your face.." Cordy then splashed some water on his face, "And get your hair fixed up." As she said that, she took some of his gel and quickly spiked up his ends.

"Hey wait Cordy! Didn't I just say `watch the hair!'?" Angel complained.

"No buts about it mister! Now that we're together, and in love, my champion dear, you are gonna have to deal that I can touch your hair whenever I want to." Cordy declared, but not without giving a coy wink.

"Oh alright." Angel answered. "Buffy! I'll be right with you!"

"Oh, remember! Although I brought back the glove for you already, you should run quickly to the crypt again so that Xander `accidentally' spots you and `Whoops!' Catches you in the act." Cordy reminded him.

"Yeah, thanks" Angel replied, as he gives her a quick kiss before he leaves.

"Hey Angel, what your night as boring as mine?" Buffy asked.

"Hey Buffy, could you excuse me for a second while I.. um get something." Angel asked.

"Umm... okay..." Buffy answered in bafflement.

"And Buffy?" Angel replied as he runs out of the mansion, "My night was that boring.", thinking back to his little makeout session with Cordy.

******************

~Who the hell is that?~ Xander thought to himself as he saw a dark figure running past him. He was running around past the cemetery and then all of all sudden, he locks his eyes on the mysterious person face. ~Angel?~

He then pulls out a stake, runs and follows the figure, hoping to God that it wasn't what he thought he saw.

However, as he finally caught up to the figure at Angel's mansion and peered through the window, he was left in shock at the sight he saw: ~Buffy's kissing Angel!!!!!~

******************

As Xander walked away from the window, Angel could see him leaving in a huff. ~Right on schedule! ~

"Angel..." Buffy moaned.

"Uh, Buffy... " Angel said gently as he tried to push her away with no luck.

CRASH! Suddenly, the other priceless statue fell into pieces on the floor and startled Buffy.

"What am I doing? (looks up at him) What are *you* doing?" Buffy demanded in realization with what they were doing.

"I don't know." Angel replied, still as confused as he was the first time around.

"Shame on you!" Buffy exclaimed as she slapped him across the face out of nowhere.

~Hey! That didn't happen the first time !~ Angel thought to himself, as he saw once more a figure behind the couch moving, stifling her laughs.

"I'm sorry Angel." Buffy apologized, realizing what she had done. "Oh, God, I... I don't even know why I came back here."

As she was about to leave, Angel suddenly said: "It's good that you did!" (Maybe that was too enthusiastic) "I have something for you." With that, he revealed the Glove of Myhnegon.

**************

"... Based, I believe, on very sketchy and unreliable folk legends. The pictures are fun to look at, Mr. Giles, but one really ought to read the nice words as well."

Giles attempted to humour her as Mrs. Post continued to rattle on about the Glove this and the Glove that, but all he could hear was `Blah, blah, blah'. He really didn't have time to hear her shrill voice as not only did he have to investigate the Glove, but also the time portal for Angel and Cordelia. ~If only I could shut her up for one moment so I could hear myself think!~

"I know that you must find me tiresome, but it's insidious, really."

~You don't know the half of it! Can't somebody please he...~

"Giles! We have a big problem. It's Buffy." Xander exclaimed, bursting into his apartment out of nowhere.

~ I can't believe that I am relieved to see Xander!~

"Will you excuse us?" Giles asked politely, as he motioned Xander away.

"Do you need some assistance?" Mrs. Post snootily offered.

"Thank you. That won't be necessary." Giles answered, trying not to show his contempt of her clearly on his face.

As Xander and Giles moved away into a dark corner, Giles tried to calm down a frantic an erratic Xander down.

"Xander, calm down! Calm down! Tell me what's wrong." Giles reasoned.

"Okay, Giles, you won't believe this... now try to be calm about it okay and not go crazy, but ANGEL'S BACK and I followed him, and did the following, and who did I find him with? Buffy! Buffy of all people, sucking his face off! What do we do? What do we do? Can we kill him, can we? Can we? Pretty please?" Xander exclaimed with crazy chatter.

"oh." Giles replied, ~So that is what this is about! That's it?~

"What?" Xander demanded.

"Oh!" Giles exclaimed more loudly, realizing the error of ways. " Oh MY GOD! ANGEL's alive! This is a COMPLETE shock to me! WHAT SHALL WE DO?"

"That's more like it!" Xander answered with a sense of satisfaction.

*********************

Chapter 5

They were all sitting in the library waiting for Buffy. There were all there. Willow, Oz, Xander, Giles and Cordy. While Oz was deep in thought, Willow and Xander kept sneaking glances at each other. All of them had no idea what they were going to say to Buffy, as they all were reeling from the fact that she had kept such a big secret from them. The only ones that were calm were Giles and Cordy, who kept trying to talk to each to other without putting more attention on themselves.

"Giles? Is there anyway I could talk to you for a minute?" Cordy asked.

"Yes, Cordelia, I think maybe the office would be a more suita..."

"Lagos is out of luck. I got the magic mitten thingy." Buffy exclaimed, as she burst into the library.

Everyone turned to look at Buffy, as Giles and Cordelia tried to pretend to be as glum as possible.

"What's with all the tragedy masks?" Buffy asked.

"Better take a seat Buffy." Giles replied, trying to look solemn.

"What's going on?" Buffy wondered, feeling as though she was being interrogated.

"We know Angel is alive. Xander saw you with him. It would appear that you've been hiding him and that you lied to us." Giles answered very matter of factly.

Buffy then tried to look away.

"...I think you're harboring a vicious killer." Xander said suddenly.

Out of nowhere, Cordy blurted out in defense: "Angel's not a vicious killer!" much to the surprise of everyone and the chagrin of Giles.

"What did you say Cordelia? How could you be standing up for Buffy?" He demanded. ~I totally thought that she would be the first one on my side! ~

"Yeah? Why are you standing up for me?" Buffy asked, as it began to sink in that Queen C, the evil stuck-up cheerleader of Sunnydale, was actually standing up for her was beyond her comprehension.

" Uh, I was just thinking that you guys are maybe being a little too hard on her." Cordy gently replied.

"Uh, hello? Doesn't anyone see that we're dealing with a psycho here! Once that's just gonna turn back all demony once Buffy gives him another happy!" Xander yelled out.

With that, Cordy got a visual that she'd just rather not deal with. ~Eww. Angel and Buffy.. blech!~

"I'm not going to... We're not together like that." Buffy protested.

"But you were kissing him." Oz replied.

"You were spying on me? What gives you the right?" Buffy demanded.

And without no control of her own, Cordy suddenly made another outburst: "What gives you the right to suck face with your demon lover again?"

"Hey, I thought you were on my side about this!" Buffy said. ~I guess it was a figment of my imagination to think Cordelia would be on my side. ~

"I didn't mean I swear...well, maybe I mean it, but..."Cordy replied, confused by her actions. ~You know you meant it cuz you just don't want Buffy to be kissing Angel since he is your boyfriend now.~

"It was accident, okay?" Buffy yelled out in her defense.

~Accident, yeah right!~ Cordy muttered to herself.~ Like she just...~

"...tripped and fell on his lips!" Xander answered.

And so it went between everyone in the room, as Xander kept barking accusations and Buffy started yelling back. Only Cordy and Giles remained on the sidelines of this crazy argument until Giles just couldn't take it any longer...

"That's enough! Everybody. Now, Buffy knows our concerns, and her actions, however ill-advised, can be understood." As he was talking, he kept looking at Cordelia knowingly. "Our... priority right now is to retrieve the Glove of Myhnegon and try to destroy it. Now, all of you, back to classes."

This just made everyone disperse and leave.

"Thanks for the bail in there." Buffy exclaimed with a sigh. "I know this is a lot to absorb, but Angel did find the glove, and that was a good..."

"Yes, I know." Giles said calmly, "But you should have told us all about Angel being alive again. It was not fair of you to have kept lying to us over and over again. You have to have respect for not only me as your watcher, but also for your friends who all depend on you, do you understand?"

"Yes."Buffy said shamefully, as she walked out of the office and the library.

Giles just watch as his slayer walked away and let out a huge sigh and looked out the window.

"Giles?" Cordelia asked, completely startling Giles and made him jump out of his skin.

"Cordelia! Don't ever do that to me again!" Giles exclaimed, "Shouldn't you be in class?"

"Hey, you know me, I already know what my future's gonna turn out. I'll get okay grades, graduate and get the hell out of Sunnydale and got to L...oops! Once again, too much details!" Cordy replied, feeling guilty for letting her tongue slip.

"Oh! I forgot about that." Giles replied. "Do you mind me asking how old you are really? I mean, it's not much of a detail. You don't have to answer but..."

"Giles, I'm twenty one now! I just celebrated my birthday pretty recently in my world and boy what a birthday it was! Let me tell you...whoops! Sorry again! I know you wouldn't be interested in my birthdays anyways." Cordy answered, with a little grin.

"Twenty one!... that is tremendous!" Giles replied, giving her a smile as well.

"So Giles, have you figured out a way for me and Angel to go home?" Cordy asked.

"I'm terribly sorry Cordelia, I was so busy with the Glove and Mrs. Post that I haven't been..." Giles explained.

"Oh Giles! Don't worry about the glove! Me and Angel are working on that now. You don't have to worry about a thing. Just please help us soon. We are counting on you." Cordy answered.

"Could I ask you a question, Cordelia?" Giles asked "About the portal?"

"Sure!" Cordy answered.

"What kind of portal was it supposed to be? I mean it might help me narrow down the search."

"It was supposed to be a portal opening up to the Pylean dimension. My friend was supposed to go back to his dimension when he accidently flubbed the lines and Angel and I ended up here. That's all I know, Giles." Cordy admitted.

"Thank you, Cordelia" Giles answered. "That will prove very helpful."

"I'll be going to Angel's now to help with the Glove, okay?" Cordy answered. And as she left, "Giles?"

"Yes?" Giles replied.

"It'd be nice if you could call me Cordy from now on." Cordy said with a smile.

***************

"You wanted to see me Mr. Giles?"

"Yes, Mrs. Post. I do apologize for bringing you in at this

late hour." Giles said as he put on his coat." I just wanted you to be kept up to date about the Glove. I've found it. Oh, not actually on me, but, uh, I believe it's safe. It's in a mansion on Crawford Street. A-a-a friend of Buffy's is keeping it there."

"Well. We must get to it. Immediately. Hide it before someone else finds it." Mrs. Post replied with enthusiasm as she stood up.

"Oh, actually it is already in the process of being destroyed."

"Destroyed?"

"Yes. We have already gathered the necessary materials to destroy the Glove before anyone could use it for any harm. The ritual might have already begun. Let me just grab a few things and we can go there together" Giles explained as he fumbled around his desk to pick up a few books.

"Well, I must say, Mr. Giles... Good show." Mrs. Post answered impressively, as she stepped behind him and hits him hard across the head with a wooden statue. Giles looks back at her completely stunned and collapsed to the floor.

"Good show indeed."

**************

"Angel, are you sure this is going to work?" Cordy asked, as they both stand in front of a fire with an urn and a couple of potions beside them.

"Trust me Cordy, this will work." Angel replied, "I mean, I've already done this before, so how hard would it be to do it a second time around? Just help hold up the book as I recite the chant, okay honey?" Angel answered, as he gave a quick smile.

"Okay, Angel, I trust you." Cordy answered, as she held up the magic book in at eye level so that he could see.

"Exorere, Flamma Vitae. Prodi ex loco tuo elementorum, in hunc mundum vivorum." Angel chanted, as he took some green powder, shook it unto the fire and made it turn green.

"Exorere, Flamma Vitae. Prodi ex loco tuo elementorum, in hunc mundum vivorum."

Angel chanted once more and shook some red powder onto the fire and it turned bright red.

"Angel, do you need the gl..."Cordy asked.

" Shussh! I hear someone coming!" Angel whispered as he could hear footsteps approaching with his hearing. "Go behind the curtain and hide!"

"No Angel! I want to stay here with you!" Cordy replied.

"Can you just listen to me this one time not argue? Just go!" Angel demanded. "Hide!"

So Cordy ran and hid behind the black curtains around the fireplace, just a the mystery guest appeared.

"What do you want?" Angel asked, although he knew exactly how this was going to play out.

"Gwen Post. Mr. Giles sent me." She replied.

"What for?" Angel asked again.

"To help you destroy the glove. Is that the Living Flame?" she pondered, pointing at the urn.

"Yes" Angel replied, trying not to hide the boredom in his eyes.

"Look, I'm sorry to be so abrupt, but Lagos is on his way here now. (looks it over) If you're performing the ritual incorrectly, it will only make the glove more powerful." She explained.

~Oh God Angel!~ Cordy thought to herself as she peered out from the black curtain, ~Just please be careful!~

"Alright." Angel replied. ~Remember. Don't change anything. Just let it be.~

"Good. Where is the glove?"

"In the trunk." Angel answered, as he turned towards the trunk.

However, while his back is turned, Gwendolyn grabs a shovel that's leaning against the table and swings it hard into his head. He falls to the floor unconscious.

~Angel! ~Cordy thought in horror as her beloved laid on the floor unmoving.

*************************

Chapter 6

~Angel!~ Cordy agonized in frustration behind the black curtain, holding back her tears as she was unable to speak or even move in that moment. While her lover was still unconscious and she was unable to help him, the evil Mrs. Post proceeded to use the shovel to jam into the padlock of the trunk. ~Why didn't he tell me that he was going get his stupid head bashed in? Why didn't he defend himself? Of all the stupid, idiotic th...~

"Okay..." Angel got up suddenly with his game face on. " That hurt."

~Angel! You're okay!~ Cordy smiled in relief. ~You nearly gave me a heart attack!~

Angel then began to circle the urn as he attempted to fight off Mrs. Post. Then he pushed her to the wall and she fell down unconscious.

~yes Angel!~ Cordy thought. Then she noticed Faith coming in. ~Oh no, not Faith!~

"Mrs Post!" Faith cried out, as she ran to Mrs. Post's aid. Then she got up and faced Angel.

"I can't believe how much I'm gonna kill you!" Faith exclaimed with utter rage.

"You're not getting that glove." Angel replied, not moving an inch.

"You wanna bet?" Faith challenged.

Angel and Faith then proceeded to exchange kicks and blows, each attempting to get other at their vulnerable points. However, Faith gains some advantage as she snap kicks him, then grabs him by the shirt and sends him flying unto the couch. Angel becomes helpless and sees Faith raising her stake.

~ Angel! NO!!!!!~ Cordy thought in complete and utter panic.

But as Faith swings her stake to stab his chest, out of nowhere, a arm reaches in and stops Faith from stabbing.

~Buffy!~ Cordy realized, as she lets out a sigh of relief.

"What?" Faith asked in confusion.

Buffy then proceeds to push Faith away from Angel and then stand face to face with Faith.

"I can't let you do it, Faith." Buffy proclaimed.

"You're confused, Twinkie." Faith explains with a twisted smile. " Let me clear you up. Vampire." As she points to Angel. " Slayer," as she points to herself. " Dead vampire." As she points to Angel again.

" Faith no," Buffy tries to explain.

"She doesn't know" exclaims a weakend Mrs Post to Faith, "She's blinded by love."

~Faith, don't listen to her!~ Cordy thought pleadingly.

Instead, Faith kicks Buffy in the face and Buffy drops to her knees. Then, Buffy takes a punch to Faith and they continued to spar and fight outside.

"Angel..."Cordy whispered from the curtain, but Angel doesn't respond to her calls.

Then Willow and Xander arrive at the mansion and Cordy once again, fumbles to be completely covered by the curtain.

Willow and Xander run to Mrs. Post's aid as she weakingly says: "The glove! It's in the trunk."

" We'll get it." Xander replies.

~No Xander, you idiot! Don't listen to her! ~Cordy thought to herself, as she frustratingly tries to motion her head towards an unconscious Angel and Buffy and Faith fighting outside, as if anyone could really see her.

"Help Faith." Mrs. Post said, as she fragily falls over.

However, as Xander attempted to help stop the fight between Buffy and Faith, they instead knocked him over, throwing aside to fight some more.

Inside, Mrs. Post takes her chance and opens the trunk. She unfolds the glove from the rags that cover it and holds it up in her hands.

"Finally." She proclaims triumphantly.

As Willow stares at Mrs. Post in confusion, Mrs. Post remembers Willow's presence and knocks her unconscious as well.

~Oh Willow!~ Cordelia sighed in desperation. She hated feeling helpless these days. What was the point of Angel training her for so long if she couldn't use her skills? But, she had to remind herself that this was a different time, a different world where the only way of preserving the future was to stand by idly as your friends fall one by one. ~This completely blows!~

Suddenly Mrs. Post slipped her right hand into the Glove and makes a fist. As she makes the fist, the metal claws that surrounding punctures itself into her arm. It seemed as if she was oblivious to the pain and laughed maniacally at her triumph and raises her arm to the sky.

" Taou huogan maqachte milegaing!" She proclaims, as lightning bolts begin to strike and thunder booms.

~Oh my God!~ Cordy thought to herself. ~This can't be happening!~

As the thunder and lightning filled the room, Buffy and Faith finally stop their fighting and notice the chaos.

"What's going on?" Faith asked in bewilderment.

" Faith! A word of advice: you're an idiot." Mrs. Post explains, as Buffy and Faith both look in utter disbelief.

Mrs Post then raised the Glove once again towards the sky and begins to chant:

"Tauo freim! Tauo freim!"

She then directs her power towards Buffy and Faith, to strike them down with a lightning bolt, but they think quickly and jump out of the way.

Willow then wake up and realizes what is happening. She stands and is complete frozen with fear. Mrs. Post notices Willow and decide to spurn her wrath on her next.

"Tauo freim!" She screams and points the Glove in Willow's direction.

Angel finally gains consciousness and thinks fast. He rushes towards Willow, reaches her in time and tackles her down, away from the lightning. As they are both crouched onto the ground, Willow notices something. She glances up at the black curtain from the ground and notices a pair of feet peaking out from the bottom of the curtain. ~Huh?~ She wondered. She started to stare at the pair of feet even further as they were figgeting under the curtain.

~No, Willow! Look away! ~Cordy thought and tried to stay as still as possible.

It was too late, as continued to stare at the pair of shoes. ~ I think I've seen those heels before. Black, sparkly heel...it looks expensive...isn' t that Cord..~

Angel then notices Willow's continual stare towards the curtain. As they both lying on the ground, Angel looks into Willow's eyes and whispers "Shussh..." as he put his index finger to his lips to tell Willow to keep quiet.

"Can you draw her fire?" Buffy asked Faith.

"You bet I can." Faith assured her.

"Go do it." Buffy replied.

Faith then distracted Mrs. Post to direct her power in her direction. As Mrs. Post pointed the Glove towards Faith and fired, Faith then jumped behind the couch to avoid the lightning.

"There's nothing you can do to me now." Mrs. Post laughed maniacally. "I have the glove. With the glove comes the power."

"I'm getting that." Buffy replied.

As Mrs. Post look towards Buffy, she flings a large piece of glass like a blade, severing the Glove and the power from Mrs. Post's arm. The Glove falls to the floor and starts flinging lightning bolts at random. Without a central target, it hits Mrs. Post in the chest.

and the power goes throughout her whole body. Mrs.Post then screams in utter pain. All of them look on with horror as she continues to scream in pain until her body just vanished in bright flash of light. Xander finally get up from his fall outside and walks towards the others. Buffy just stands there, completely frozen. Faith, gets up from behind the couch. Willow and Angel struggle to get up from the floor, but keep giving each other knowing stares. As for Cordy, she tried her best to keep herself hidden from curious eyes, and did her best to remain calm after that debacle.

The only thing that was left of Mrs Post was her severed hand still trapped inside the Glove. All of a sudden, the metal claws that had punctured her arm unexpectedly broke free and released her hand.

The spell was finally broken.

***************

"Is everyone okay?" Buffy asked everyone. She then tried to move closer to Faith, who refused to talk to anyone and stormed out in a flash.

Buffy feeling defeated, then turn to Angel for support. "Are you okay, Angel?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, Buffy. Just fine." Not looking at her directly in the face but kept glancing towards Willow, who tried to pretend that there was nothing strange going on.

"Yeah I am fine too." Willow replied out of nowhere, with a little too much eagerness.

Xander tried to walk closer to Willow to comfort her but since Willow knew of Cordelia's presence, she tried to back away.

"Hey, Xander, shouldn't you check up on Cordelia?" Willow suggested.

"Oh my god! Cordelia!" Xander finally realized, as a feeling of utter guilt swept over him.

"I have to check up on her now, before I get in big trouble. You know Cordelia and how mad she gets when I don't check up on her." He nervously chuckle, gives Willow another look goodbye, and scurried out of there as fast as possible.

"Angel..." Buffy exclaims as she walks towards him and tries to take refuge in Angel's arms.

"You know Buffy," Angel says gently, "I think you should go now and see your mother. I am sure she's worried sick about you." And then Angel added, "And you know, we wouldn't want to be doing something that we shouldn't." as if her staying would be something they'd regret.

"Oh. You're right Angel." Buffy agreed as she remembered their converstation about bad habits and quitting them `cold turkey'. She definitely needed to get out of here before feelings should arise and kissing would come into play. "Willow, are you coming?"

***************

"Oh Buffy." Willow said nervously, as she began to lie through her teeth."I think I'll just...um... call Oz from here and ask him to pick me up from here. I think I definitely some Oz quality time. Yeah! You can go on without me."

"Are you sure Willow?" asked Buffy again.

"Oh of course I'm sure! Why wouldn't I be sure, huh?" Willow laughing nervously.

"Okay." Buffy replied. "I'll see you in school tomorrow okay?"

"Yeah, bye Buffy!" Willow answered, waving at her.

"Yeah, bye!" Buffy looking at her strangely and shaking her head. Then she looked at Angel and gazed longingly "Bye Angel."

Angel just didn't respond and just watched her go.

***************

Once they were completely alone and everyone was gone, Willow stood there, looking at her sneakers, and then walked towards the curtain and pulled it open.

"Aha! I knew it was you! I just knew it!" Willow proclaimed. " What on earth are you doing here, at Angel's place of all places and why were you hiding behind the curtain the whole time? Were you scared, because I would understand cuz you know I..."

"Hi Willow." Cordy interrupted. "So I guess you found me."

"Hey why don't you answer my question, huh?" Willow once more. "Why are you here?"

"Umm... how can I explain..." Cordy said nervously, as she kept looking at Angel for some help, any help. But he looked as clueless as ever. ~What's the point of having a champion as a boyfriend when he can't even get you out of a simple jam? ~

Then, Willow looked around the room and noticed things that she hadn't noticed before. Plastic, colourful flowers were put everywhere around the room. Women's clothing were scattered all on the furniture and the floor. She knew they couldn't be Buffy's because she never dressed that colourful ever and Angel... well, he's mister Black all the time. Unless...

"Oh my God! You're cheating on Xander with Angel!" Willow blurted out, pointing her finger at Cordy and gasping in shock. Although it was surprising, it did ease her heart a little over having those kissing sessions with Xander behind Cordelia's and Oz' backs. But, Angel? They had absolutely nothing in common! "Angel, what about Buffy? Don't you love Buf..." Willow asked Angel as she gave him disappointing looks.

"Wait Willow, wait." Cordy interrupted her in mid sentence. "It's not exactly what you think, okay. Just please calm down Willow and we'll try to explain everything to you."

"Alright." Willow agreed.

"You know Willow," Cordy said. "I think that you should be sitting for this news..."

***************

Willow was sitting in the student lounge with Oz, Xander, and Cordelia. They were all sitting around as Xander was retelling last night's adventure. However, Willow couldn't really concentrate on what he was saying as she was still reeling from what Angel and Cordelia had told her the night before. ~They can't be from the future! It's even more unbelievable than regular Sunnydale Weird stuff!~ But then she thought back to how Angel and Cordelia were acting last night. She couldn't put her finger on it, but they were different. I mean, they looked like the Angel and Cordelia that she knew, but their behaviours were so strange. Cordelia, instead of griping and caring only for herself, she was nice and kind and actually trying to calm her down, like she actually cared about how she was feeling. And Angel, the darkest and broodiest person (well vampire) that she had ever known was actually smiling, pretty much most of the time. It was so eerie being there seeing it. It was like
some sort of dream.

The oddest part would have to be the way that Angel and Cordelia were acting towards each other. They sat so close to one another on that couch and the way that Angel would hold Cordelia's hand or pat her shoulder and even kiss her forehead was enough to make her head spin. I mean, she had seen Angel be very affectionate with Buffy, but not like that. Even the simplest gestures spoke volumes about their relationship. They didn't have to say a single word and she knew that if what they had was true, that Angel and Cordelia would fall in love. ~Angel and Cordelia fall in love in the future? ~She thought to herself. ~What about Buffy? I mean, what she thought was basically true love (even though she won't admit right now) is not like at all! I mean, this totally changes the way that I think about true love! I really thought that Angel and Buffy would love each other forever and now that this has happened...~

How could Angel and Cordelia fall in love? I mean, they are so totally different from each other. She wouldn't have even thought they could be friends... ~I mean, Angel having friends? He's the loneliest guy I know! ~ But then, people do change. How could she know what would happen after high school. And as she saw from last night, with Angel and Cordelia basically living together, they really did change a lot.

~Oh God! I wonder if she knows about me and Xander?~ She suddenly thought. A wave of panic swept through her. She had been all jumpy about her and Xander's little `indiscretions' and now that Future Cordelia was around, she had to wonder whether she ever found out the truth about her and Xander. She didn't really have the courage to mention it at all last night, but she was now feeling even more super guilty about the whole thing. ~It was supposed to be a fluke! Just a fluke! With the homecoming clothes and the candy and the...~

"So there's no more glove thingy?" Cordelia said.

Willow jumped in her seat, as her mind refocused on the conversation in the lounge.

"No. Little Living Flame, little mesquite, gone for good." Xander answered.

~God, why can't I stop thinking about him? Damn his lips! ~Willow thought to herself, as she kept staring at his cute lips and licking her own lips in the process.

"Sounds like we missed a lot of fun." Oz interjected.

~Oh Oz!~ Willow quickly thought, as she darted her head to her sneakers in one swift motion to hide her guilt.

"Then we're telling it wrong." Xander replied.

Willow, thinking that she had been too quiet, tried to join into the conversation:

"What do you think Buffy and Angel are gonna do?" She really wanted to know cuz how does Buffy's and Angel's relationship get so bad that in the years to come, he would fall for Cordelia?

"Boy, do I don't know." Xander answered.

~It is so weird to think that I ever liked Xander at all. He can be nice sometimes, but boy can he be annoying~. Cordy thought to herself, as she gave him a strange look.

~I wonder how Willow is doing. She looks so quiet and avoidy over there., ~as she glanced at Willow.

"Well, he saved me from a horrible flamey death. That sort of makes me like him again." Willow exclaimed all of a sudden. ~Kinda also like this new Angel. Kinda creepy at first with all the smiles, but you sort of like after awhile.~

"Well, as long as she and Angel don't get pelvic, we'll be okay, I guess." Xander declared.

~ Why did he have to mention Angel, Buffy and pelvic? I hate getting these visuals! ~ Cordy groaned in disgust, as she crossed her arms.

"What are you guys talking about?" Buffy asked, as she came into the lounge.

"Oddly enough, your boyfriend. Again." Oz answered.

"He's not my boyfriend." Buffy answered sadly, as she sat next to Xander. " Really, truly, he's... *sighs* I don't know."

~Damn right he's not your boyfriend! He's my boyfriend!~ Cordy thought to herself, as she looked at Buffy. ~Oh God. I'm so petty.~

"Are we cool?" Buffy asked while looking at Xander.

"Yeah! Just seeing the two of you kissing after everything that happened, I leaned toward the postal. (pauses) But I trust you." Xander replied grudgingly.

"I don't. Just for the record." Cordy added, ~Especially when it comes to Angel.~

As Buffy raised her eyebrows at Cordy, not surprised by her response, Giles approached them, with a big bandage on his forehead.

"Let me guess: Gwendolyn Post: not a Watcher." Buffy deduced.

"Yes, she was." Giles answered, trying to be very careful with his steps. " She was, uh, kicked out by the council a couple of years ago for misuses of dark power. They swear there was a memo."

"Well, I better go." Buffy explained, as she looked at Xander."Little more damage control."

Buffy stood up and left the room.

"* sighs * The whole Angel thing is so weird." Willow agonized ~In more ways that I can count! ~

"Yes, well, we'll have to see how that unfolds, won't we?" Giles replied, as he sat down next to Xander. ~Especially with the portal problem.~

As Giles settled on the couch, Xander and Oz both started to get up.

"Sorry guys, but me and Oz have class." Xander explained, as he gave Cordy a peck on the cheek. "We'll see you guys later, okay?"

"Yeah bye guys." Oz added, as he gave a loving kiss to Willow and smiled.

The only ones left were Willow, Giles and Cordelia.

"Oh God, I'm really sorry Giles." Cordy exclaimed, as she touched Giles' forehead. "I didn't want you to get hurt, but our hands were tied. We couldn't disrupt the way things would happen."

"Ouch." Giles said, as he backed his head away from Cordy's touch. "It's alright Corde..I mean Cordy. I understand your situation. I wouldn't want you to disrupt the chasm of time, but I sort of wished that you would have given some warning. That woman gave me a serious whallop!"

"Giles!" Willow exclaimed in surprise. "You know about Angel and Cordelia too!"

"Oops!" Cordy admitted. "I'm sorry that I forgot to fill you in about that Willow. Angel and I only wanted Giles to know because we needed his help to find a way back home. We hadn't planned on getting you involved too. I'm sorry about that."

"That's okay." Willow assured her. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"I don't know" Cordy replied. "Giles, have you found any more information about the time portal?"

"Unfortunately, no." Giles said in disappointment. "With Gwendolyn looking over my shoulder at practically every moment of the day, I couldn't make any more progress on it. I'm sorry."

"That's alright Giles." Cordy replied with some sadness. " I just hope that Angel and I will figure out a way back home before everyone finds out about us or we screw things up during our time here."

Then they just all glanced to each other in silence, with worried looks all over their faces.

*********************

"So how was your day at school, sweetie? I mean, you must have had a lot to talk about after that whole Glove debacle." Angel said, as Cordy's head was on his lap.

They were both on the couch, just talking and relaxing. Angel was sitting up, as Cordy laid on it.

"Pretty much, same old, same old. But I'm totally hating this déjà vu crap day in and day out, not to mention high school in general." Cordy replied. "Even though it's kind of bad that Willow found out about us, I'm kind of glad that she knows because not only can she help us with the portal thing, but it's nice to know that there is one less person to hide our relationship from."

"I know what you mean." Angel agreed. " With Xander still dating you, and Buffy in love with me, we pretty much have our hands full with the hiding."

"* Sigh * I just wish that everyone could know about us instead of me constantly hiding behind a curtain, couch, or your bedroom." Cordy exclaimed, as she looked up at Angel with concern. "I mean, I am running out of things to break for whenever Buffy comes over to make out with you" Cordy added, trying to lighten the mood, as she smiled.

"Hey, I don't appreciate all the broken objects! They were all antiques!" Angel protested, pretending to be mad. "But you don't have to worry about Buffy. She's not a threat to us." As he stroked her hair and forehead.

"I know." Cordy replied. "I just feel sorry for her now, Angel. You know how much she loves you now. How much she'll always love you. And she only 17! She's not even out of high school! I don't want her to be having a rougher time, especially what she'll be going through later..." as her mind drifted to Buffy's death last year. She knew that's what Angel was thinking about too.

"I know. We'll just have to try harder to act like nothing's wrong and make sure that everything that will happen as we remember. No ifs and buts." Angel decided. "We're agreed?"

"Agreed." Cordy answered, as she sat up, turned her body around so that her legs would be on his lap, and rested her head on his chest, as he wrapped his arm around her to pull her closer to him. "I just hope that we find a way back home to Connor."

"I know, Cordy. I know." Angel answered, desperately trying to hide his sadness for Cordy's sake and kissed her head.

TO BE CONTINUED.