Author's Note: Alrighty, here's the second & last part of Life After You! I'm sooo glad you guys enjoyed this story, & thanks SO much for the nice reviews :) This chapter is strictly B/A/C, so if you don't want to read it - no hurt feelings! :) Enjoy!

~.~.~

"Angel?" PBuffy asked as she poked her head into his office. "I just got off the phone with some guy who has a major demon problem. Some sort of slimey thing in his basement... I think it might have eaten his dog."

Angel looked up from his desk with a smile. "I'll check into it. Anything else?"

She shook her head as she made her way over to him, sliding down onto his lap. "Nothing of the work kind, but something of the Buffy kind."

PBuffy gently touched her lips to his in a soft kiss. The pair had been back in LA for six months, and had re-opened the business four months ago. Things between them hadn't started off right away, but Angel was only able to deny his feelings for so long before they surfaced. It was still awkward at times, as well as confusing, but they had managed to work through it together.

PBuffy's skills had also proven usefull to Angel's business - what better partner to have than the Slayer? Of course, along with the good came the bad. While most demons and vampires shyed away at the thought of fighting the Slayer, there were still the braver ones who dared to challenge her.

Despite a few close calls, PBuffy was not going anywheres - and she had made that very clear to not only Angel, but the demon population as well.

There was a knock on the front door, and PBuffy groaned as she felt Angel pull away. "We don't have to answer it," she whined. "It's like what - ten? Come on people, ever hear of business hours?"

"We don't have business hours Buffy," he said. "We're here to help whoever needs it, it doesn't matter what time."

"Fine, but this one is all you," she said, standing up.

He smiled over at her as he stood and headed for the main entrance. PBuffy followed slowly behind him, uninterested yet still curious.

When Angel opened the door, he wasn't really certain what to do. As far as he had been concerned, she was out of his life, and had been since the day she'd betrayed him.

"Cordelia, what are you doing here?"

"Angel, I know you don't want to see me, let alone talk to me, but I really-..."

"Cordelia?" PBuffy asked, appearing beside him.

"Wow, so she was telling the truth..." Cordelia said, then looked back at Angel. "I called Buffy a while ago, I wanted to talk to you then but you had already left, and I just didn't have the guts to face you until now... I understand that I'm the last person you want to see, but if you could please give me a chance to explain."

Angel sighed. "Come in."

Cordelia wanted to smile, but she was unable to make herself do so. Why she was there was no reason to be smiling about, whether or not Angel was giving her a second chance.

"You re-opened," she noticed as she stopped in the lobby, turning to face him. "And you look happy."

"I am happy," he said, then turned to PBuffy. "Can you give us a minute?"

PBuffy looked over at Cordelia, unsure how she felt about her. The last time she had seen Cordelia they were graduating; but she knew better than to think that the one standing in front of her was the same person.

"Uh, okay... I'll go give that dog man a call," she said before disappearing.

Cordelia followed Angel into his office and sat down in a chair across from his desk. She waited for him to sit as well before speaking. "What I did was wrong, so wrong and I can't tell you how sorry I am. But I'm here because I want you to understand why I did it - and no, I don't think it will make much of a difference, and maybe it will only make it worse... but you need to know."

He nodded. "Go on."

"Doyle. I made a deal - a stupid deal with a demon, and-..."

"Doyle?" he asked.

She nodded. "I never knew you would get hurt, I swear. All I knew was that this demon wanted to do business with you, I didn't know what, I-... he gave me a meeting time and address, and then sent Lincoln over to make sure I went through with it. I had no idea that they would try and kill you, and then-... well, then when they didn't, I didn't get Doyle... I think you got Buffy instead."

"Buffy? Why would a demon send the Slayer to someone he wants dead?"

Cordelia shrugged. "I don't know... to spite me? To spite you? Maybe he has no idea you knew her - maybe he knows the exact way that you do..."

Angel sighed. "If you came here asking for forgiveness Cordy - I've already forgave you. If anything, I partially blame myself. You were right. I was so involved in my own pain, I didn't take the time to recognize yours... I was wrong."

Cordelia couldn't help but smile - that was something to be happy about. "I missed you so much. After what happened... I realized that if... if it had worked, and Doyle would've came back... he would've hated me for what I did as much as I hated myself. It was a lack of judgment, I just felt so alone, and-.."

"I've heard enough," he said sternly as he stood from his chair and stopped in front of her. "I think it's time for a hug," he added with a soft smile.

Cordelia's face lit up as she stood and molded herself into his embrace. It felt so good to be in his arms again, if only on a friendly basis. That is all she wanted from him - his friendship.

"If you need a job Cordy, there's plenty of space for you here," he said as she pulled away from him.

She looked up at him and shook her head slightly. "Thank you, really... but I think that would only complicate things and the last thing I want is to mess me and you up again..."

He nodded. "I understand."

"But don't think you're getting off the hook that quick Mr., I already have a job and a semi-decent apartment right here in L of A. So if you need me, I won't be far," she said with a smile.

"It's nice to see you again Cordelia," he said. "But I should get back to work, lots of humans who need saving."

She nodded. "I understand. Don't be a stranger... and, I'm glad you're happy Angel, it almost makes me feel like I did something right in the big mess I made."

He smiled. "Keep in touch."

"Oh I will. Tell Buffy I said goodluck - if she's working and living with you, she'll need it," she said with a playful smile.

"I'm kind of tired of your company already," he said, walking her to the door. "But you're always welcome here."

"Thank you," she said, and with one more hug, was gone.

~.~.~

"Aww, look at this one-... no wait, that one-... no, no, here, this one-... aww, but look at him," PBuffy cooed as she peered into the kennels that held several different types of dogs. Her and Angel were at the local animal shelter. It had taken much persuading on her part, but after pout number thirty-five, Angel finally gave in and agreed on the idea of a business/companion dog. "Angel, he's the cutest, isn't he? Look at those ears, oh and his mouth, it's like-..."

"It's a dog Buffy, not a child," he said with a smile. "If you had your way there wouldn't be any left once you're through."

"Clearly I do have it my way considering you were so dead against the thought of a dog in the hotel. It's not an easy decision, this is a committment, something that we'll have for the rest of our lives - however long that may or may not be... hey, maybe he could even help us out, you know? Track down the baddies for us," she said as she placed her hand against the metal of one of the kennels.

Angel smiled over at her. "What about that one?" he asked, pointing to a kennel that was a few away from where they were standing. "He looks like a potential demon fighter."

She smirked at him before moving to get a better look. Inside the kennel was a medium-sized German Shepherd - he appeared to be roughly ten months old, not even an adult yet. One of his ears flopped slightly, and above his left earbrow rested a crescent scar. The look in his eyes told PBuffy that although he may look young and innocent, he was far from it. He had seen a lot in his short life - something she could relate to well. While many of the other dogs in the shelter were cute and likable, there was something about this one inparticular that she felt herself drawn to.

"He's the one," she said, crouching down to his level. "I think I'll name him... Scout."

Angel raised an eyebrow down at her as he stiffled a laugh. "Scout?"

She glared up at him. "You have a problem with my name?"

"Well, it doesn't exactly fit him, don't you think?"

PBuffy stood to face him. "Okay Mr. Big Shot - you name him then."

"Duke."

Buffy hesitated, pondering the suggestion. "Don't think you're all special or anything, but I... I like it. Duke. Duke. Yeah, it's perfect."

"Clearly, you don't always have it your way," he mocked.

"See, I so knew that you would get like this if I agreed with you - nevermind, I'm naming him Scout, or maybe Dixy..."

"You've got to be kidding me," he said. "Why do you always have to be so stubborn?"

"I am not stubborn - I prefer strong willed."

Angel rolled his eyes. "Fine, lets go with Duke - please."

"Since you asked nicely, I'll reconsider," she said with a smile. "But, there is one condition." He nodded as he waited for her to continue. "Duke gets his own room - a bed, a tv, a mini fridge, bathroom - the whole works."

Angel laughed. "He's a dog Buffy."

"He's a lost soul looking for someone to love him and take care of him for the rest of his life - he's been living in a dingy shelter with no personal space or material items and God even knows where he was before this... he deserves it."

"Stubborn," Angel mumbled.

"Fine - I'll just make your office his personal bathroom."

"You're impossible, you know that?"

She nodded with a smile. "It's one of my many qualities."

"Alright, alright. He can have his own room - but unless you can train him to use the toilet, he does his business outside."

"Agreed. Shall we?" she asked, heading towards the main office.

"We shall," he said as he followed behind her, nothing but happiness and love in his heart.

~.~.~

AN: Well, that's it! I'm not overjoyed with this chapter, but it's been a while since I've written the story & I've kind of lost my connection to it. But I hope that I satisfied :) Please leave any kind of review you see fit, & thanks again for reading this story !