PART 2

Cordy let herself into her crummy apartment and immediately went to check her machine. She had only one message and it wasn't from her agent, it was from Buffy. Cordy took down Buffy's number and willed herself to remember to give it Angel before she forgot she had it. She was so depressed by her surroundings that she didn't notice the mutant cockroach running across her floor until she almost stepped on it. Tired of living in this poverty trap, she grabbed a few necessities and headed out the door. She didn't know how or why, but probably because of Spike, that she found herself outside of Doyle's door and not Angel's.

Before she could talk herself out of it, she knocked. "Coming," yelled a voice from inside.

The next instant the door opened and there stood Doyle wearing nothing but a towel and all wet from the shower. "Wow" she whispered to herself. "My apartment is infested and I need a place to crash..." Cordy said, trying to look desperate.

"Sure, come on in" Doyle said, moving out of the way.

Cordy entered Doyle's apartment and was totally surprised, sure it was a little sleazy but it was a far cry from the porno-pimp pit she'd imagined that he'd live in. "It's nice" Cordy said, trying to be polite.

"It suits me" Doyle replied, as he headed to his room.

Cordy sat on Doyle's couch and waited for him to return and he did a few moments later dressed in boxers and a t-shirt. He had a blanket and pillow with him, "The bedroom is through there" he told her, "Goodnight princess".

Cordy suddenly realised he was giving her his room and he was sleeping on the couch, surprised by his kindness, she said "Thank you and goodnight", as she headed to his room.

Angel was patrolling, which was something he hadn't done in a long time because it brought back memories of doing it with Buffy, but he'd had to get out of his apartment. Spike had made himself right at home and was raving about how unfair it was to be evil and not be able to torture and kill. And how he didn't want to be like Angel and finally his plans for revenge on the gang in Sunnydale for laughing at him, after three hours of that Angel had seriously contemplated throwing himself or Spike into the sunlight. He didn't care about Spike's predicament because it had nothing to do with his redemption or with him finding Buffy.

Ever since he'd left her on her 17th birthday, she'd consumed his every thought; he was desperately in love with her. He had a major regret from that night; he didn't tell her the true meaning of the claddagh he gave her. He was about to head back to his apartment, when he thought he felt Buffy's presence. He looked around and could see no one out there, so he shrugged it off believing it was just his mind playing tricks on him and he headed home. Less than two minutes later, a blonde flew out of an alley. She quickly jumped up and kicked her assailant back and ran him through with a stake. She was about to take off, when she paused for a moment, as if she felt something, but she just turned and walked away.

A week later, Cordy had moved the rest of her stuff into Doyle’s; however much to Doyle's chagrin nothing had changed between them except they were better friends. Angel however had noticed other things; their constant bickering had lessened and when they did bicker it was more teasing than spiteful, they were also more considerate to each other and Cordy had the new habit of staring at Doyle when he wasn't staring at her. Angel envied them, he'd give anything to have someone, (who was he kidding), Buffy in his life like that. He was getting depressed with his search, it had been almost a year and still no sign of her, she'd probably moved on with someone who was not only closer to her in age but could take her out in the sunlight. Angel guessed her was doomed to spend eternity with Spike, listening to his complaints or better yet he'd just stake Spike and spend eternity alone. He snapped out of that train of thought when he heard the office door open. Unfortunately, instead of a paying client it was Xander.

"Hey Deadboy. Where's Cordy?" Xander said, practically the second that he stepped through the door.

"Not here, and don't call me that" Angel said, dismissively.

"Well she's not at home either" Xander told him making no move to leave.

Desperate to get rid of him, Angel said "Fine. She's here". He gave Xander Doyle's address.

Xander grabbed and stomped out of the office, leaving Angel free to go all turbo broody again.

Xander arrived at the address that Angel had given him and knocked on the door. "Coming," said a voice from inside. Some guy in his underwear opened the door, "Yeah" the guy asked.

"I'm looking for Cordy?" Xander asked, praying he had the wrong address.

"Sure" Doyle answered. "'Delia, it's for you" he called out.

Cordy came out of Doyle's bedroom in her pyjamas and walked to the door. "Xander? What are you doing here?" Cordy asked, in surprise.

"I could ask you the same thing" Xander replied, coldly.

"What do you mean?" Cordy said, confused by Xander's attitude.

"You're supposed to be my girlfriend and I find you shacked up with some loser," Xander yelled, angrily.

"Xander I..."

"Save it Cor. Faith told me not to trust you..." Xander began.

Doyle cut him off, "Hey, she hasn't done anything, she is the most loyal person I know and she doesn't deserve to be treated like this by you or anyone else".

"Mind your own business, pimp-boy" Xander replied.

That was when Doyle tried to hit Xander; unfortunately he missed and hit the wall. "Ha-ha" Xander laughed.

"Doyle, are you okay?" Cordy asked, concerned.

"I'll live" Doyle replied, touched by her concern.

"Xander, I don't want to see you ever again," Cordy said, as she slammed the door in his face. She walked over to Doyle and said, "Thanks".

"For what?"

"For defending me," Cordy told him, examining his hand.

"No problem" he told her, as she went to get some ice for his injury.

As soon as darkness fell Angel was out patrolling again. He'd been out about an hour, when he thought he'd felt Buffy again, this added claim to his thought that he was going insane. However that thought flew out of his head when he saw a group of vamps attacking a girl. He rushed over to help and before too long the vamps were dust, he offered his hand to the girl and was about to walk away when he heard the girl say, "Angel?"

"Cordy?" Angel shouted, "What are you doing here?"

"Doyle and I live in that building" she replied, pointing to a building not more than 10 meters away.

"Then where's Doyle? He shouldn't let you walk around this neighbourhood alone" Angel lectured.

"Here's right here," Cordy said, pointing to a body lying at her feet. "They knocked him out in less than two seconds".

"Oh... well in that case do you want me to help carry him inside?" Angel asked. He knew the real reason Doyle had been knocked out; he put them both in danger just so Cordy wouldn't see his demon half.

"Yeah, he weighs a tonne".

Angel picked Doyle up and followed Cordy into the apartment building she'd pointed out earlier.

Buffy had been about to go the aid of the girl, when she'd seen some guy come to her aid. She thought that there was something familiar about him, but she was too far away from him to tell for sure.

"Hey Buff, everything okay?" Pike asked her, concerned.

"Yeah. I was just admiring that guys technique" Buffy told him, as she watched the guy carry the injured man into a nearby building.

"Is that what they call it now?" Pike asked, slyly.

"I have no idea what you're talking about" Buffy replied, ignoring Pike's dirty mind.

"You were so checking that guy out" Pike teased, "Could you even *see* anything from this distance?"

"I was not checking that guy out" Buffy defended herself.

"Whatever you say Buff" Pike said, with a wink.

"Pike you are a total pain in the..." Buffy started to say.

"Yeah" Pike said, cutting her off. "That' why you love me".

"You so wish that" Buffy said not knowing how true her last comment had been. She turned away from him and stalked off in the direction of Wesley's apartment.

"Hey Buff. Wait up" Pike said, trying to catch up with her.

When Angel finally returned to his apartment, he was totally exhausted all he wanted to do was fall into bed, sleep and dream of Buffy, his beloved. Unfortunately Spike was around.

"Where the hell have you been?" Spike demanded, sounding like a neglected housewife.

Angel was about to give Spike specific instructions on where to shove a stake, when he noticed what Spike was wearing, Angel couldn't help but stare.

"What are you staring at Peaches?" Spike asked, peeved.

"Why are you wearing hot pink leather pants?" Angel asked, still staring at the fashion abomination before him.

"I happen to think they look good, and they make a fashion statement" Spike defended his clothing choice.

"Yeah. Look at me I'm an escaped psychopath" Angel told him.

"Ha-ha. Look who's giving out fashion advice Mr I-wear-only-one-colour-and-have-a-thing-for-slayers" Spike replied.

"Whatever. I'm going to bed," Angel said, walking past Spike.

"What? It's early and I was thinking we could go out, just like the old days without the maiming and killing" Spike told him.

"Nope" Angel said, entering his bedroom.

"Why not?" Spike asked.

"Because I don't want to be seen in public with you in those pants" Angel said, closing the door.

"Jeez, what's his problem?" Spike said, to himself as he left the apartment.

Two nights later, Angel was in his office with Doyle trying to interpret Doyle's latest vision, when Kate walked in.

"Hi" Kate said, shyly. She had a major crush on Angel and was trying to worm her way into his life and into his heart; little did she know that she'd never succeed.

"Hey" Angel replied, friendly-like. He was totally and utterly clueless about Kate's intentions towards him. To him she wasn't Buffy, so she therefore did not exist to him as a woman, only as a colleague.

"I'm sorry to interrupt you, but I could use your help on a case I just got," Kate asked totally lying through her teeth.

"Sure, no problem. Could I meet you later though?" Angel replied, wanting to deal with Doyle's problem first.

"Okay. Ziggy's in... Say two hours?" Kate suggested trying not to smile over her so called victory.

"Sure" Angel replied, dismissively.

Kate left Angel Investigations with a big smile on her face, she assumed this was her big chance to impress Angel and win his heart. She headed back to her place to, dress for success.

"Angel" Cordy called out, as he was about to leave to meet Kate.

"What?" he asked, impatiently, he really wanted to get this meeting with Kate over with.

"Don't go. You're only encouraging her by doing this" Cordy warned him.

"How?" Angel asked, confused.

"Coffee is the official non-date beverage," Cordy explained slowly, as if she were speaking to a toddler and not a 240 plus year old vampire.

"Cordy, no matter what you say...I just can't believe that Kate is interested in me like that," Angel said, leaving the office.

Cordy sat there and hoped that Angel knew how to defend himself against man-hungry LAPD detectives.

Buffy and Pike were sitting in Ziggy's diner, couple of hours later after patrol. Pike was talking about his day, while Buffy zoned out. She was exhausted, she'd just endured four hours of training and then two hours of patrol, so she wasn't really in the mood for socialising but she felt guilty about dragging Pike along with her and so when he'd suggested a coffee she'd agreed.

"Earth to Buffy" Pike called, for the tenth time.

"Huh?" she said, snapping out of her daze.

"You wanna go?" Pike asked her, suddenly realising how exhausted she was.

"Nah, I need to caffeine myself up before I go back to the dorm and do my psych homework" Buffy told him.

"Are you sure?" Pike questioned.

"Yes, I'm sure" Buffy replied, with a perkiness she didn't feel.

"Alright" Pike said, returning to the story of his day.

Buffy started to zone out again, when she felt Angel's presence. She was sure about it this time, she had all of the familiar symptoms...butterflies in her stomach, a tingle down her spine and shortness of breath, and they all accompanied his arrival. She quickly scanned the few customers of the diner but didn't see anyone who remotely looked like him. Disappointed, she turned her attention back to Pike and his monotonous story.

Angel walked the two blocks to the diner and waited outside for Kate to arrive. He once again felt Buffy was nearby but the feeling was different this time, it was stronger, as if it were real and not imagined. He tried to shrug it off but it wouldn't disappear, he desperately wanted to see where this feeling would lead him, but he had to complete his obligation to Kate. He went inside and saw that Kate was already there; he headed over to the booth she'd picked. As he sat down he quickly scanned the diner, there was few customers and only one other booth was occupied, it had a blonde and a person Angel could only describe as a scruffy, druggie-bum sitting in it.

"Hey" Kate greeted him.

"Hi" Angel replied. He noticed what Kate was wearing and realised that Cordy may be right about Kate's feelings towards him.

Kate pulled out a case file, "This is what I need your opinion on", and she handed the file to Angel.

He took the file and said, "I'll go review this and give it back tomorrow".

"That's fine" Kate told him.

They sat there for a moment in silence before Angel made an excuse and got up ready to leave. In his haste, he bumped into the blonde from the other booth. "Sorry" he muttered.

"It's alright" the blonde replied.

She was about to turn and leave, when Angel said "Buffy?"