Continued...

"So, why did your parents make you leave?" asked Fred innocently.

"They refused to tell me. I begged them to explain why, but they simply refused to speak of it. It wasn’t until a year later that I found out." said Liz "I had began my life again in France with my parents. My world was irrevocably changed. I learned many things there, many things about myself. My parents were the most powerful witch and warlock in this plain. After my 18th birthday, they began my teachings. I learned many new things and was just beginning to get things together, to have a life again….And what was when Liam showed up again. Of course when he approached me one evening as I was walking home alone from a friends house, I was elated that he had found me. I had no idea what had become of him since the night my parents took me away. Thrilled to see him, and anxious to see him again, I asked him to come to my house and visit. He refused and said instead that he would be seeing me soon enough but that I was not to tell my parents that he was here. He wanted it to be a surprise." Liz looked directly at Angel as she said this. He met her glance for only a moment before looking down at the floor. She nodded and continued her narrative.

"I went rushing home. And against Liam’s wishes, told my parents that he had found me and that I was going to be seeing him again soon. They did not share my joy. The panic washed their faces white, and they began to mumble things in Latin that I had never heard before. They told me things that seemed insane, things that I could not believe. They told me that if I did not leave soon, that I was doomed, that Liam would kill me. Of course I was furious. I had just been reunited with my true love! How dare they say such hurtful things. I told them they were just old and didn’t know anything. They grabbed my arm and set me down and began to tell me of the blessings ritual that they had done at my birth. They had visited a local shaman who was to bless me, but the blessing didn’t happen. Instead the shaman saw a vision, a prophecy of what would happen. He told my parents that a vampire, a very strong vampire would follow me to the ends of the earth and turn me to his side. " She grew quiet, knowing that there would be questions.

"So this shaman…..he had seen through you as an infant….seen what you would become, and how?" asked Wesley.

"Yes." replied Liz.

"So what did your parents do?" asked Gunn

"They took me home, and gathered all of their friends. They came up with a blessing that would protect me from Liam, or at least from what he had become." replied Liz. The others looked puzzled.

Gunn finally asked what they were all thinking. "But you are still here and a vampire, what went wrong?"

"Nothing went wrong," said Liz, "on the contrary, it worked just as they had planned." She smiled sweetly. "They blessed my soul, so it would always stay with me. They knew that was what would be lost when the demon took over my body."

"So, you were like the first cursed one then huh?" asked Cordelia.

"I guess you could say that." said Liz, "But I wasn’t cursed for all the bad that I had done, I was blessed so I could do good."

"This is just fascinating!" said Wesley. He looked as excited as if he had just stumbled upon a "Midsomer Murders" marathon on A&E. "So what happened after you told your parents about Angel?"

"They told me what the shaman had said, and what they had done to protect me, and gave me a silver cross to wear. Each of them kissed me and told me that they loved me, and as this happened, we began to hear the screams from the street. We all rushed outside to see what was happening, foolishly perhaps, as we were met by Angelus and his men. He instructed them to take my parents and to leave me for him."

Liz never looked at Angel while telling of this. She merely glanced at the floor and occasionally made eye contact with Fred, clearly sensing the gentleness in her. Angel, feeling quite embarrassed and ashamed by the detailed retelling of his shady past got up and started to walk off. He was almost into the office when he was halted suddenly by a slender arm. "Where do you think you’re going?" asked Cordelia.

"Uhhh, I just thought I’d get out of everyone’s way. I don’t think you need me here as a visual aid for this part. It’s not like I don’t know what happens." said Angel uneasily.

"Yes, you do know most of it, but there are some things that I don’t know, and only you will be able to answer those questions for me." said Liz. "You owe me that." Angel reluctantly returned to his seat, and Liz began again.

"I began to scream at the sight of Angelus. His face, the yellowish eyes, the fangs, that was my first sight of a vampire. He walked closer to me, talking so softly about us as children. I pleaded with him to let me go, I told him that my parents were very powerful. I tried to tell him that they could help him, but he said he needed no help, that he had found what would cure his pain."

"You." said Wesley in a very sure voice.

"Yes, he was referring to me. He said that after my parents took me away, that he was so…" she was unable to finish. When she still hadn’t continued Angel broke in.

"I told her that when I learned that she was gone, and that I wasn’t even able to tell her good bye, I was heart broken. That began the spiral downward for me. I began hanging out in the pubs until all hours of the night. I gave up on things that were decent. I lost sight of the dreams that I once had."

"And that is where Darla came into the picture?" asked Wesley. Angel just looked at him and Wesley knew the answer was yes.

"She offered me a way out, out of my misery, out of the horrid life that I had, and I took it." said Angel shaking his head in disgust. With a huge sigh, Angel continued, "After that, I was determined to find Liz, to find her and have her. I wanted her to walk with me forever. I was determined to find out where her family had taken her. The people in her village weren’t eager to tell me as you can image. So I killed all of her family’s friends until I finally found a young boy, who wasn’t interested in dying just to keep the secret of where her family had gone. So, when I found out they had gone to France, I immediately went to find her. It wasn’t very difficult, the people there weren’t quite as interested in protecting her family as had their friends before. They didn’t care enough to die for it. And after I found her, I followed her, for nights on end. It had been close to two weeks before I made my move." said Angel.

"Okay, now I’m getting confused, are we back to where Liz left off now?" asked Gunn.

"Yes." replied Angel and then he continued, "I told her that she was what would end my pain, that her pain would only last a few seconds, then she would be with me for eternity. We could walk this earth together."

"But it didn’t turn out as he had envisioned." said Liz. "After I awoke from my death, I was greeted by Liam’s face staring down at me. He was smiling, elated at what he had accomplished, but all was not as it seemed. What he didn’t know was that I still had my soul. I could never lose it and therefore would be unable to kill with him." said Liz.

Angel broke in again, hoping to finish the story more quickly, "I was furious that she wasn’t like me, furious that when we went to hunt at night she would refuse to drink that which I had given her. Darla found this amusing and taunted me for my failure." "I was infuriated by this and threw Liz out into the street, and told her to leave, that I never wanted to see such a righteous fein again." He closed his eyes and turned away from the others. Liz slowly picked up the story where Angel has stopped.

"So I left, and slowly I learned how to survive on my own. I had returned to my parent’s house to find that there was nothing left. After they had been killed, the townspeople burned their house down to prevent any further unnatural things from occurring. I was devastated. There was nothing there for me anymore, nothing at all." said Liz. "I decided to go back to Ireland, to where I had grown up, where I had spent my happiest moments. When I arrived, I found there to be only one remaining elderly lady of all those who had been with my parents at the time of my blessing. She took me in and showed me the ways of my people." She paused for a moment, then she continued on, "I learned how to use my powers, and what my purpose now was. But, she was quite old when I found her, and though she taught me as much as she could before her passing, there were still great things for me to learn on my own." Liz’s voice grew very quiet. "I was at her side when she died. I held her hand as she took her last breath, and as she did so, she told me to take her favorite book, and leave for America." She sighed.

"What was her favorite book?" asked Wesley, still marveling at the story he was being told.

"It was actually just a book of her favorite recipes. It was what was inside the book that she wanted me to have. There was a lengthy note from my parents inside. They had known that I would come back and seek her out." replied Liz.

"So what did the letter say?" asked Gunn.

"It gave me instructions on where to go to find the Cup of Reverence, and why I would need to find it. It also gave great details about what to do with it after I had it in my possession." said Liz.

"I don’t believe I’ve ever head of the Cup of Reverence." said Wesley. He squinted as he mentally ran through his vast library.

"Most people haven’t." said Liz. "It is closely guarded by an extreme group from the Palkees Tribe of ancient Egypt. They believe it to be the key to the opening of their afterlife." she continued, "and if filled with the blood of the Chosen One, they will open the gates and all their ancestors will be free to walk the earth once again."

"The Chosen One?" asked Angel and Cordelia in unison.

"Oh no, we aren’t going to deal with her again." groaned Cordelia. "Don’t you think we’ve had enough ‘save the world’, ‘save Buffy’ to last us a number of lifetimes?" said Cordelia to Angel.

Wesley rushed into his office and returns with a large book. He hurridly scramble to find the correct page. "I knew I had read about the Palkees Tribe before. Yes, here it is." he said, as he began to read a passage from the book. "The Palkees are members of select group of warriors from ancient Egypt, dating back to 100 b.c. They are fierce fighters, and have a strict code of worship. They believe in an afterlife that will bore them all again into this world so that they may have reign over all earth and its people. It goes on to say that these people believe that the Cup of Reverence, once it is filled with the blood of the Chosen One, and poured into the mouth of the beast…will expel their ancestors unto this world to sacrifice the human race in order to sustain their own." and with that, Wesley had finished.

"So if this cup thing is what you are here for, haven’t you gotten it yet? I mean you are all powerful and everything right?" asked Gunn.

"It isn’t that simple." said Liz. "I have tracked down the Palkees Tribe here in America, but in order for me to retrieve the cup from them, I need something." said Liz.

"So that is why you found me, you need my help in getting this cup?" asked Angel.

"No, not exactly." said Liz. "I need my silver cross back, you took if from me the night…"

Angel interrupted before Liz had a chance to finish, "I don’t have it." Angel said quickly, "Besides, it was just a cross, you can find one of those anywhere."

"Do you know where I can find it?" asked Liz. Angel hesitated for a moment, as the scenes from that dreadful night came flooding back. He remembered it all so clearly……Liz pleading with him, the coldness he felt as he grabbed the necklace and ripped it from her neck. The cross had burned his skin, leaving a deep imprint of what he had just done, but he hadn’t cared. He had gotten what he came for. Returning to the present he said "Yes, I know where it is."

"Okay people, excuse me for being a little less cerebral than the rest of you here, but if you are a vampire, what do you need a cross for and why would Angel have it?" asked Cordelia.

"I was placing much hope on Liam keeping it, he always fancied hanging on to things that he found interest it, even if it were not in his best interest. That cross was very special to me, and he had figured that out. Even if he hated me, I was almost sure he would keep it, that was just the way he was." said Liz.

She stopped and turned towards Cordelia, "Besides, it isn’t just a cross, it is an amulet, blessed by my ancestors over 1000 years ago. It had been passed down through my family for generations, and because if its power, and my destiny, I can wear it without harm to myself, and it will protect me from Bangola." she exclaimed proudly.

"Who’s Bangola?" asked Cordelia.

"Bangola is the leader and high priest of the Palkees Tribe. He has great strength and powers, and if I am to defeat him and retrieve the cup, I must have my sacred amulet." answered Liz.

After the explanation, everyone suddenly turns to Angel for his response.

"What? Why is everyone staring at me?" asked Angel.

"Maybe it is because you know where to find the cross!" says Cordelia half-agitated at his stupidity.

"Can you tell me where to find it? We must hurry, the ritual must take place on the full moon of the eighth month. We don’t have much time." said Liz.

"That’s in three days." said Fred.

"So, what are you waiting on Angel? Tell her were she can find her thing so we can be done with this." said Cordelia. ‘And done with her too,’ she thought to herself. Angel just stood there, not sure how to say it. "Well?" said Cordelia.

"I gave the cross to Buffy." said Angel. Cordelia groaned again.

"Who is this Buffy?" asked Liz.

"Oh, she’s the Chosen One!" said Cordelia. "You know the - vampire - slayer!"

"Oh. Then we must go and find her and you must ask for it back. Then you must stay to protect her, while I go after Balgola." said Liz. "Where is she?"

"She’s in Sunnydale." said Angel.

"Well then, that will work out just fine, that is where I have tracked Bangola and his men to." said Liz, "Bangola must have followed me here, because he was in the building with you right before I transported us here. He knows that I am following him. Even though I use my invisibility, he can still see me, and he knows why I am following him." she continued.

"So that was the other presence I felt." said Angel.

"What does this Bangola look like?" asked Cordelia.

"A regular man most of the time I suppose." said Liz, "But in his demonic state, he…" and at that time Wesley interrupted.

"He looks just like the demon you saw in your vision Cordelia." And Wesley handed his book to Cordelia.

"Oh, that is soo him." she said, making a face.

"Why don’t I call Buffy, and let her know that we are on our way to pick up the cross, that way she can just have it out and ready, no need for useless chit chat." said Cordelia.

"That probably isn’t a good idea." said Angel. "She really isn’t going to be happy about seeing me again."

"I’m guessing your last meeting after her….return didn’t go so well." Cordelia said.

"No, it didn’t, I really don’t want to discuss it. I just think we need to go and get this over with." said Angel. "Fred, will you find Lorne and make sure he can take care of Connor while we are gone?" he asked. "I think we are going to need everyone for this trip!" Liz turned to ask Angel about Connor, and then she thought it better that she not. There just wasn’t time for any more long stories, and she was sure that would be one.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 4 –

Angel was ready to head out to his car when he remembered that it was still back by the building where he’d gone in search of what he knew now to be Bangola. When Liz had spirited them back to the Hotel, his car had stayed there. He wished that he’d realized this earlier.

Angel turned to Liz, "My car, it is still at the abandoned building." He looked at her expectantly.

"Yes, of course, I’ll take you there this moment, then you can drive back to pick up your friends." Liz said. Angel nodded. Then realizing this might be the best chance he would get, he asked her what he’d wondered about so long.

"By the way, how did we get here? I mean, I know it has happened before, that you’ve conveyed us or something, but how?" asked Angel.

"My own special way of transportation" Liz said as she smiled coyly at Angel. He smiled back, and while he wished she’d tell him more, he knew that was the best answer he was going to get. He stood up and took Liz’s hand so she could return them to his car.

As Angel climbed into his large black car, Liz turned to him and said, "I will meet you at the Sunnydale Cemetery in approximately 3 hours. That should give you plenty of time to get my cross back, and get to the cemetery. You do know where the cemetery is don’t you?" Angel laughed softly to himself at this last question.

"If I run into any problems, I’ll send Wesley and Gunn to let you know. But I ask that you not speak to anyone that you see. Things in Sunnydale are not always as they seem. Just…..just trust me on this, Okay?" Angel looked at her to see how she’d react to him telling her once again not to talk to anyone. He wondered if it reminded her of that night all those years ago when he’d said something so similar….

"I will respect your wishes, and I thank you for helping me with this." Liz said softly.

"Liz, I have no idea why you would want my help after what I did to you and your family, but I promise, I will help you full fill your parents’ wishes." Angel said, knowing that was the least of the problems he was about to face. Still, he wanted her to know that he was trying to make things up to her.

On the long drive to Sunnydale everyone was especially quiet. All the passengers seemed to be lost in their own heads, thinking about things important or worrying to them.

Angel’s thoughts were about the last time he’d seen the Slayer. The meeting he had with Buffy after she came back had ended horribly. She seemed different somehow, and no longer connected to him. This had hurt him horribly. Although he knew, intellectually, that things would not work between them at this point, and it was worthless to pretend otherwise, still he always had hope that someday they would be together. But those things she said to him, and the way she said them…… It was brutal and he had felt his heart break, all over again. It made him feel sick, the way it hurt and because of this, he had said some things…..things he regretted saying now. Connor, he thought, had been the only real bright spot in his life since then. The thought of his son calmed him for a moment. Then he realized something. ‘Oh, god no! Connor…..’, he thought to himself. What was he going to say about Connor, how in the world could he explain that one? If he had thought things were difficult between him and Buffy last time, he knew that finding out about Connor would makes things that much worse. But, if no one mentioned it, then she wouldn’t have to know. There wouldn’t be any trouble. ‘I just need to get what I came after and go, no need for anything extra.’ he thought to himself. But the anything extra was what he was about to get a whole lot of.

As they pulled into town, things seemed utterly unchanged to those in the car who were familiar with Sunnydale and it’s lonesome Main Street. Cordelia took in all of the scenery, allowing herself to admit that it felt nice to be back home. Wesley just sat quietly pondering what was to come. He knew that whatever had happened between Angel and Buffy was just going to make this confrontation that much more difficult, and he was not looking forward to it. Things never went smoothly in Sunnydale and he knew this would be no exception.

"So, this is the famous Sunnydale, home of the ‘Hellmouth’ huh?" said Gunn, not so much asking a question as just making a statement. It was hard for him to reconcile the peaceful looking town with the horror stories he’d heard from Cordelia, Wesley and Angel.

"Yeah, this is it. In all it’s glory…..don’t get too attached, we wont be staying here long." quipped Angel, slowing the car down slightly He turned right on the last side street on the road and suddenly found himself in front of the Summers’ house. It seemed like ages since he had first run down that street following her into the house. All those memories came rushing back to him as he silently stared at the house. No one knew what to say, and then finally Wesley broke the silence.

"You should probably go knock on the door Angel, we haven’t much time." He gently said, aware of the delicacy of the situation.

"Oh, yeah, right. Of course." Angel said as he climbed out of the car and stood in the street. Slowly, he walked across the street, hesitating for a moment before he walked up to the front door. ‘Knock, knock, knock,’ was the sound that came as he rapped on the door. A strange sound to scare him, but it did just the same. It seemed like an eternity as he stood there on the stoop. He turned around and was just about to go back to his car when suddenly he heard the door swing open.

"Angel?" came the familiar voice. And he slowly turned around.

"Uhhhh…Hi, Willow, uhhh…." Angel stuttered, suddenly unable to speak. He looked terrified.

"Uh, Buffy isn’t home right now. . ." replied Willow, who was obviously as much at a loss for words right now as he was. She was starting to catch the anxiety coming off of him and it made her even more nervous.

"Do you know when she will be back?" he asked. "It’s important that I talk to her soon." He shifted his weight from one foot to the other. Angel and Willow just looked at each other for a moment, both unsure of what the next step should be. The redhead made the next move.

"Well, do you want to come in and wait for her?" she offered sounding very hesitant. He nodded. Angel slowly stepped inside the door. More memories came rushing back. Flashes of him and Buffy running through the door to escape the Three, flashes of Buffy in her room, on and on they went in what seem to him to be an endless reel. He just stood there with his eyes closed, not moving a muscle, just remembering, when he was brought back to reality.

Cordelia had decided that she had been sitting in the car long enough. She was going to see what the hold up was.

"Where do you think you’re going?" asked Wesley, seemingly out of habit as he already knew exactly what she was going to tell him.

"I’m tired of waiting here. I’m going to go say hi." she said, looking at him as though he had suddenly sprouted another head.

"Cordelia, you know that isn’t a very good idea." stammered Wesley. She just looked at him, eyebrows raised. ‘He didn’t really think he was going to stop her, did he?’ She thought to herself, trying not to laugh.

"Well I think it’s a great idea! I can’t wait to meet the infamous Slayer." Gunn burst out, as he hopped over the side of the car to join Cordelia. In an instant everyone was standing on the stoop as Angel stood just inside the doorway, totally oblivious to the presence of his entourage.

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