Angel was now back in a funk. It always happened after he'd seen Buffy. Didn't matter if she was happy or hurting. He always got the same feeling. They had even kissed. He felt like he needed to apologize for it. She was voundrable and he felt like he'd taken advantage of her. He never wanted to do that. Even if he said he didn't, he still loved her. He still held the same passion for her. The reason he needed to get away from her, when he was near her, was because he felt too much.

It didn't matter how far away he was from her. She still had the same effect on him. And to think that he could have been with her now and he could have been happy. It was just too much. He wanted so much to go back and change it, but he thought she'd be happy with her life as it was. How could he be so stupid. Doyle told him. Right after he had revealed what had happened in the 24 hours that were erased, Doyle told him clearly that he would have chosen different. He knew that Doyle had been right, but this was also the same Doyle that shortly after, sacrificed his life for the world.

Cordelia had of course taken it worse than Angel. She and Doyle had been looking foreward to their one year anniversary of being together. Now she was all alone. The night after Doyle had died, he had visited Angel through a dream. He had then told Angel to take care of his loved ones. Angel wondered what he had meant for days, until he got the answer. Cordelia was pregnant. She was now in her third month, throwing up and complaining on gaining weight. It didn't help when she got her first vision. Shortly said, she had a difficult time.

It was one of these mornings, where Cordelia was hanging with her head down the toilet right after arriving at the office, when Buffy suddenly stepped inside. Angel hadn't expected her to come. She hadn't called or given him any clue. Fresh stains of tears were all over her face. She had obviously cried on her way over. She looked at him, giving him a small smile, so tiny he barely noticed it.

- Buffy?

She was about to open her mouth, when she suddenly collapsed. Angel ran and managed to put his arm under her head, so that she wouldn't hit it on the floor. Scared as hell he lifted her up and carried her into his office, where he lay her down on the old couch. He stroked her cheeks until she finally woke.

- Angel?

- Wow, you scared me there.

- What happened?

- You fainted. Are you all right?

- Yeah. I probably haven't eaten enough.

- You really frightened me there.

- It was just hunger, nothing to worry about.

- You want something to eat?

- Depends, do you have anything without red blood cells in it?

- Yeah, Cordelia? Can you find some food in the fridge?

- Sure.

Cordelia went to the fridge and found some grapes, which she gave Buffy. After she had eaten them, she sat up, looking at Angel.

- Better?

- Better.

- I'm sorry for that I kissed you back in Sunnydale... I didn't know what went on with me. I shouldn't have taken advantage...

- You didn't. I kissed you. And I needed that.

- Still, I'm sorry. You know we can't.

- Who says we can't kiss? There's no harm in it. We need stronger measures to lure Angelus foreward.

- Buffy, we can't be talking about this again. I can't give you what you need.

- How do you know what I need? What I need is someone to love and who loves me.

- I can't take you out in the Sunlight...

- Do we need to do everything together? The Sunlight won't go away, even if I'm with you. I can go out whenever I want.

- I'll never grow old...

- Angel, I'll probably die young anyway, so that won't be an issue. Besides, with you I'll probably live longer than without you...

- I can't make love to you...

- Angel, there are more than one way to pleasure. I'm pretty much alone right now anyway, so that compartment I can deal with myself.

- I can never give you children...

He was cut short by someone bursting into the office. A demon with two horns in the head looked around and then walked straight towards Angel.

- You're him, right? The vampire with a soul?

- I'm Angel?

- Yeah, I've heard that you, um... help the, um... helpless?

- That's pretty much it

- Oh, you gotta help me, but before we go any further, I need to get one thing clear. You see, I'm a demon, he said and paused, looking at Angel. - Pardon me, it's not any of my business, but you're a vampire...

Angel nodded.

- It's the middle of the day, shouldn't you be lying in your coffin?

- Coffin, I hate that stereotype, he muttered, angrily and continued louder. - You're a demon and you don't know anything about vampires?

- Only what I've learned from TV.

- Well, let me put you straight. Vampires don't sleep in coffins, that's a stereotype made real by authors and producers to make money. In fact, vampires can and do move around during day, if only we avoid direct sunlight.

- Sorry, sorry, he said, putting his hands up. - Didn't mean to step on anyone's toes...

Buffy rolled her eyes from the couch making Angel laugh.

- What's funny, he asked, turning around toward Buffy. - Oh, congrats.

Buffy looked strangely at him, but before she could ask what he meant, he had turned towards Angel again.

- Anyway. I need your help. There's something after me. Been tracking me through four states. I've been fleeing for ages, trying to shake it off, but the things like a renegade, wherever I go, he's one or two steps behind me. It's lucky I've lasted this far.

- What is it?

- I don't know.

- What does he want with you?

- That's what I'm saying. I'm nothing, I'm a nobody.

- Most cases is that when the pursued says that, it's because the pursuer has a stronger grudge towards the pursued.

- Hey, I didn't say I was a boy-scout... I'm an Empath demon... I feel emotions.

Buffy suddenly realized what he meant by congrats, and looked angrily towards him for almost revealing her secret.

- It's no big deal, except for in games...

- So you cheat...

- I kinda think of it, going with your strengths.

- All right. You stay here and I'll take a look at your place, to find out if your pursuer has gotten there.

Angel left and the demon was now alone with Buffy.

- I'm sensing some anger here, not happy about it?

- I'm thrilled about it, but you almost told Angel.

- And... you don't want him to know?

- Not yet.

- You've shacked up with some other guy?

- No. That gift of your is kinda scary.

- Why not tell me everything before I sense it.

- Angel and I are exes and he's the father.

- Oh... you want him to be with you before you tell him.

- Exactly.

- Well, your chances are tops, the guy loves you. Even those who aren't empathic should notice that.

- Thanks, she said, smiling. - What's your name?

- Barney.

Cordelia walked in. Barney took one look at her.

- Sorry about your loss. The father?

- Excuse me? What are you talking about?

- His name is Barney and he's an Empath demon. He can sense what you're feeling, Buffy said.

- I still don't get it, Cordelia said, looking strangely at him.

- Well, I'm sensing some maternal instinct from both of you and I can feel that the two of you're also grieving. So I asked if it was the father, who died, Barney said, looking at her.

- Maternal instinct, Buffy and Cordelia asked in unison.

- Heck, don't you guys know anything about each other? You're both pregnant.

Buffy and Cordelia just stared at each other in disbelief. Buffy looked down Cordys figure and started to wonder how she hadn't put one and one together. There was a clear bump there.

- How dare you, Cordelia suddenly said.

- What?

- How dare you come here, just to shove it in his face that you're with someone else?

- I'm not. In fact I'm here to tell him that he's the father.

- Buffy, it's impossible, you know it is.

- It's not and when I tell him, he'll also know.

- Hey, hey, quarrel much, Barney asked. - I can feel that there are some kind of grudge on one side here and the other is just pissed.

- I hate it, that she's always leaning on Angel and then treat him like dirt, like she want. Do you know how big a mess he is every time you leave? Do you know how long it takes to patch him up?

Buffy fell silent. She didn't want to hear more. She didn't need more. She knew it had to be true. He wasn't the only one who ended up miserable every time they parted. She got up, but didn't know where to go, until her stomach told her and she made a dash for the bathroom. Cordelia was now alone with Barney.

- I don't think she means it, Barney said, placing his hand on Cordelias shoulder.

- Then why does she do that?

- She's hurt, too. And go a little easy on her. I can sense that she's had a big loss, recently.

- You were right, Cordy said, without knowing why. - It is the father of the baby who's dead.

- I'm sorry, he said.

Buffy didn't return to Angels office after throwing up everything she'd eaten. She rather went down in Angels apartment. Cordelia noticed it and went after. Downstairs she hurried towards her and placed her hand on her shoulder.

- I'm sorry, she said. - I didn't mean it like that.

- Yes you did. I needed to hear that. I needed to know that I'm not the only one hurting by this arrangement. Frankly I think it's stupid.

- Who did you loose?

- What?

- Barney said, we were both grieving. Who did you loose?

A tear fell down Buffys cheek and landed on her top, making just an other tear mark.

- Mom, she whispered.

Cordelia pulled the mess that was Buffy into her arms as Buffys eyes exploded with tears. Cordelia didn't know what to do or what to say. She felt useless. After Buffy had calmed down, they sat down in the couch.

- Who'd you loose, Buffy asked.

- Doyle, Cordelia whispered, before tears were running down her cheeks.

- Is Barney right? Is it Doyle who..?

- Yeah. I found out shortly after he died. Angel said that Doyle came to him in a dream and asked him to take care of "his loves ones". It didn't take many days until I found out.

- I only met him briefly. How was he like?

- Well, he loved the alcohol very much and his clothes were like a Greek tragedy.

This gave the girl a laugh. And for the first time since she got there, Buffy saw a smile in Cordys face.

- And he was really sweet. He once saved me from this vampire and had gotten severely beaten, and he asked: "Are you ok?" I mean, that's wow... He put me before anything. I never had that.

- Not even with Xander?

- Well, that was high school. I didn't look for the right things, you know...

- Tell me more about Doyle.

- He was half demon.

- Demon? Wow, we do fall for strange men...

- Yeah, Cordy laughed. - He was kinda like Angel. He passed as human and only used his demon face when he had to... or when he sneezed...

More laughs came from Buffy.

At the same time, Angel had returned from Barneys apartment, to find Wesley there and a Kungai demon, which they had manage to kill.

- So.., Barney asked.

- I found the thing hunting you. It was a... Wes, help me out...

- A Kungai demon, Wesley answered. - Fierce killers. They possesses a tack horn, which they use to drain the life force right out of their victims.

- And you killed it?

- Yeah, you're safe.

- Thank you so much.

- You're welcome. Um, where's..?

- They are down stairs.

- Thanks.

- Can I give you some advice?

- Ok.

- Take a chance. You and the girl have so much love for each other. And whatever you need to work out, you will. You both believe that love can conquer all. Try acting out of that. And by the way. Congrats, Barney said, before leaving the office.

Angel stood there puzzled.

- What, he called out, but got no answer.