The Dying of the Light
by Kirayoshi
Epilogue; An Angel's Blessing
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Epilogue; An Angel's Blessing.
Los Angeles, New Year's Eve, 1999;
"Hey, Boss," Cordelia Chase greeted the youthful looking man who walked into the office that night. "How's life--uh, so to speak."
"Fine, Cordy," Angel answered. "Any plans for tonight?"
"Oh, not really," Cordelia answered. "Just me and a bottle of cheap champagne, waiting for the computer to crash. Oh, speaking of which, I got an e-mail from Willow."
"Hey, that's good," Angel perked up. "How's our favorite hacker?"
"Still hacking," Cordy started. "Uh, you may want to sit down for this," she added nervously.
"What's the what, Cordy?"
"Well," she started, "Willow's found someone new."
"That's all?" Angel asked, puzzled. "I knew about her and Oz splitting, but if she's found someone else, isn't that good news?"
"Uh, it's who that someone else is that's problematic," Cordy started.
Angel looked directly into her eyes, and asked, "Is it Buffy?"
Cordelia sat slack-jawed at the vampire's observation. "How-how did--"
"Hey, I've been around for more than a few years," Angel smiled. "A couple hundred years of people-watching, you pick up a few things. Buffy and Willow have always had this connection, I've been aware of it from day one. That's why Angelus kept threatening Willow when he was out to get back at Buffy. He knew that Buffy would die before letting anything happen to Willow."
"And this doesn't bother you?" Cordelia asked.
"Not at all," Angel replied. "I knew that Buffy and I had no future, that's why I left, to give her the chance to find someone who could give her what I couldn't. If she has, I'm happy for her." Grabbing his duster jacket, he announced, "Come on, Cordy, I am taking you dancing. We'll celebrate Buffy and Willow's happiness, and ring in the new year right."
"What the hell," Cordy answered. "Can we swing by my apartment first, so I can find a dress?"
"Sure," Angel quipped, "Then we'll have just enough time to ring in the year 2001."
"Hey!" Cordy complained as they left his office, "That's why I left Xander..."
FINIS