Cordelia made herself at home and Buffy got to know her a bit better, carefully avoiding any questions directed toward her the best she could. It wasn't all that hard, the other woman seemed to enjoy talking to herself and Buffy sure didn't mind listening. It almost made her forget in some ways.

She knew she'd never be that lucky though.

She had just asked the beautiful actress to go out and eat with her when the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Anne," Angel's voice came over the other end.

Buffy sighed and listened for a moment before hanging up, throwing out the best quick excuse she had to get rid of her friend while she changed and got on the move.

OoOoO

Buffy headed down the hallway, hearing different coices, some she knew, some she didn't, but the first person she saw was him. Angel. He checked his watch then looked away. Lilah soon arrived beside her.

"Take off your clothes."

Buffy took a moment to look around the basically all men group before turning around. Lilah helped her.

Angel did his best not to look, but snuck a few peaks her way. Not missing the fact that she obviously did not have a bra on as her shirt came off. The exposed mounds were not technically in his sight but they swayed with her movements.

Angel swallowed and looked back away toward Warren.

Buffy slipped on her new sunglasses and grabbed for some gloves and Walter came up beside her, explaining her lipstick / explosive.

He was just walking away from the still half dressed Buffy when Angel turned back around and watched them, feeling some deep jealously rise at the older man.

Angel looked back at Warren and waited until Lilah returned, helping Buffy put on her new outfit then he started to tell her about the target and the mission at hand.

OoOoO

"I need her now," Angel said, quiet and calm as always, just as Buffy had got her gun in place.

Lilah reached for something then brought it up to Buffy. "This is your comset. Remember, try and keep your head still," she replied as she slipped the sunglasses back on her head and fluffed her hair a bit. Angel looked her over and did his best not to turn in lightening speed as she realized and instead handed her back the lipstick and warned her about it and the mirrion once more.

OoOoO

Buffy never really got the whole sexy maid thing and right now, being dressed up as one, made it a whole lot less appealing.

Her nerves about the mission sure didn't help either as she pushed the cart about.

"Two one in position," Angel heard and then walked a few steps past Lilah before talking to Buffy. "Just two more on the left."

Buffy took a deep breath and got to the correct door. She looked around quickly before reaching for the key card.

"She has access to the room," he heard over his ear pieces as well as watched her open and enter the room.

"Housekeeping," Buffy called. "Now what?" she asked, standing in the middle of the room, looking around.

"Put the plastic on the door. And remember to be quiet. He is in the next room."

While still talking, Buffy reached for the lipstick and started taking the cap off.

Angel watched as she walked quickly but quietly over to the other door and started smooshing the lipstick into it.

It was only seconds before Warren noticed another worker coming her way.

"Someone's coming in," Angel said and Buffy's head whipped around and her heart beat started turning frantic.

Angel's head slightly shook as he watched the man enter the room.

The man started coming towards her so Buffy got her gun out, pointing at his head.

"Who are you?"

The man stopped and looked suprised, throwing his hands in the air.

"Hey, hey, hey. Easy now. Please.. I'm just the bellhop.."

"Shoot him," she heard Angel's voice.

Buffy blinked. "What are you doing in this room?"

The man got down to his knees, the gun still pointed at him.

Angel was ever so calm on the outside but was a whole mess on the inside.

'Why is she doing this to me?!'

"Buffy. He's one of them. Shoot him."

Buffy's hand shook as the man bowed his head.

"Shoot him now."

Angel's hands clenched as he watched one of the man's gloved fingers start reaching behind his back.

"Now Buffy. Shoot him now."

Buffy watched his arm as well and only took another moment before kicking him then pistol whipped him.

Angel sighed then started to turn. "Everyone abort. Get your teams now."

Everyone started moving frantically, as did Buffy. She hurried out of the room and down the hall.

Angel watched everyone leave and then turned back to watch her for another second before leaving himself.

Apparently she still didn't know. Now she never would.

That mistake just cost her her life. Angel knew it.

Now he just had to figure out how to not let that happen.

He couldn't let that happen.

OoOoO

Angel screamed at himself and cried and destroyed anything in sight. Then he hurried to get to Lilah before she called it.

It was as if she was expecting him, which, she probably was when he arrived.

OoOoO

"Lilah, it was her first time out as one of the team," he said, his voice much different than it had ever been before. His tears were hardly being held back, the fear for the small blondes life shining through. His pleas were not subtle.

Lilah was her normal self however.

"Are you going to take care of this or will I have to?"

Angel closed his eyes, feeling the hot sting of the tears there and tried to do his best to remember how to breathe.

"I'm.." his eyes opened, his voice shaky, "I'm not going to.. cancel her.."

Lilah looked at her for a moment. "Fine."

His eyes were shocked and suprised, for a moment forgetting who she was, who he was, where they were, what all of this meant. For a moment he had hope. Then it came back to him.

Lilah walked over to her desk and punch a number.

"Housekeeping."

Angel raced over to her, grabbing onto the desk for support and leaned down to her over the desk.

"Lilah no," he whispered out his plea for Buffy's life. His voice wasn't even working now. Neither was holding back all of his tears.

Lilah looked him over, meeting him eye to eye for what seemed like a lifetime.

"Please.. please.. she ca..can't.. no Lilah," he whispered.

Lilah watched him for a pause then her eyes lwoered to his ghost white knuckles on her desk. She thoguht for a moment before answering.

"Nevermind," she told the 'cleaners' and her eyes went back to the large man who looked as though the weight of the world just fell off his shoulders.

Angel felt the same way he looked. Buffy was going to live, at least to see tomorrow. If she wasn't, he had no idea how he'd make it through. His eyes closed and he let his breathing slowly get back to normal and wiped away a few of the loose tears that had fell.

"With your history Angel, I would think you'd know better," Lilah told him. Disgust in her voice.

He didn't even care. Buffy wasn't dead yet. Angel straightened up and sighed. Now he got it and remember and it hit him like a ton of bricks all over again.

This wasn't over yet.

He thought as quickly as he could.

"Her gun didn't fire."

"Even if Operations buys it.. which is doubtful.."

'He has to,' Angel's mind screamed.

"He'll buy it," he said then finally lifted his eyes to her and put his best pleading look back in. "if you back me, he'll buy it."

Lilah's head hung for a moment then she straightened up as well. Her eyes hard on the tall dark man.