ct6

Chapter Six

Angel let go of Willow, but held onto her small hand. �How?�

�Cordelia has been having visions of you.� Willow heard the words she spoke, she was just shocked she could speak at that moment. Here she was standing with Angel, holding his hand. He hadn�t changed, not that he could, but the warm brown eyes and spike hair were still there. The warm protected feeling she always felt around him was there as well. All of a sudden felt that it had only been days, not years since she had seen him last.

�Visions? What kind of visions?� Angel frowned not liking the idea of his former employee having visions without him there to help her. He had gone to see the new Oracles before they had all left. Letting them know of his choice not to follow the path they had set for him. That he was going with the slayer to protect the key. He had asked for Cordelia�s visions to stop, since his seer wasn�t going with him. They had agreed and now it seemed they were reneging on their promise.

�They were of you. Nothing bad; just you standing on a pier alone. The first one was the day after the three year mark. After that I started having them four or five times a day. The last straw was when I had six in one day. �

�So you two came and found me.� Angel finished for her.

�You�re not mad, are you? We know we aren�t supposed to come looking for you, but we couldn�t think of any other way to stop her visions.� Willow couldn�t look him in the eye as she waited for his answer.

�Mad?� Angel dropped her hand and brushed her hair behind her ear. �I can�t think of anything that could make me happier than seeing you, both of you.� The two girls sighed a breath of relief and hugged him again. It felt so right having them there. Cordelia was like a sister to him, she had kept him on his path in LA. Forcing him back numerous times from the shadows of his mind that could swallow him whole. Then there was Willow. How she was filled with the promises of tomorrow. Just the way she could see the good in him, and try to convince him of what she saw, made him love the witch more. He had to remember to thank TPTB.

�So what now? Are you two hungry?� Angel asked stepping back and leading them to the dinner around the corner.

�No.� The two girls asked in unison. Angel raised his brow at them, and let his eyes do all the talking. It hadn�t really been a question, but a hint as to where he was taking them. While he fattened them up he was going to drag every tale of their last three years from them. Try to find out how two vibrant girls, became worn down and ready to collapse.

Dragging them back into the dinner they had all had been to earlier that night, Angel sat them at the first empty table he could find.

�Angel we�ve already eaten.� Willow whispered.

The same waitress that had waited on them earlier, walked up to their table. �Guess you girls found what you were looking for. Are you two ready to have something more than coffee?�

Cordelia and Willow both glared at the waitress for pointing out their little lie. �I�ll have a salad.� Cordelia said. �Me too.� Willow added.

Angel cleared his throat and the young girl turned to him memorized. �They�ll have the broiled Haddock dinner with those salads.� The waitress blushed and hurried away.

�Well some things never change.� Cordelia rolled her eyes at Angel�s usual dominant nature.

Angel shrugged and sat back. �So what have you two been up to?� Angel sat back as the girls started to talk. He listened to their description of the places they had been and the people they had met. It hadn�t surprised him much they had been working the bars scenes. It explained their unhealthy complexions. He nearly fell out of his seat when they had told him about their jobs serving drunks in a stripe bar. Angel just couldn�t picture either girl walking around in skimpy clothing, having men leer at them. Wait yes he could, and the more he thought about it the more upset he got.

They went into detail of the Mardi Gras they had attended. Of their amazement how one street could hold so many people. They had fallen in love with New Orleans. Willow loved the historical sites and the interesting people that gathered in the sinful city. Cordelia loved the shops and atmosphere the large city provided.

Though it was apparent they had changed, he could still see find glimpses of the girls they used to be. He�d get them back, wipe away the harshness that was etched in their eyes. What they needed was some TLC and he was just the vampire to do it.