C/A spice: Mild/Medium
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"...You can’t be everywhere at once, Angel. Can’t save everyone. You’ll go crazy if you try, and I’d really rather not be around for that."
Angel turned back toward his office, but paused and reached up to scratch his head. He turned to regard Cordelia. "It’s just something the troll said."
Cordelia nodded. "Trolls, a very reliable source of information. Go on."
"Well, there’s so much evil in the world and what am I really accomplishing? A chaos demon here. A harpy there; it all seems so pointless when you look at the big picture."
Cordelia stared at him. "Okay, is this where I’m supposed to give you the pep talk? Go, Angel, go?" She halfheartedly waved a fist in the air. "Look, you’re doing what the Powers That Be want you to do. Every day you sacrifice a great deal for customers who can’t pay - and that’s okay, kinda."
Angel gazed into his coffee cup as if he were in a trance, or trying to read his fortune there.
Cordelia leaned toward him. "Hey."
He looked up.
"We’re all making sacrifices for the good fight." She told him. "Personally, I can’t handle any more sacrificing? Hello! It’s eight p.m. and I’m not going home soon. And the pay? Witness of my cutting of coupons."
"You’re doing a good job, Angel. You’re helping people."
* * *
"It’s going to be dawn soon. Are you going downstairs?" Cordelia asked.
"No." he answered at length. "I haven’t been sleeping too well. Think I’ll stay here until I’m good and tired."...
"Not to go all Oprah or anything but... anything you want to talk about?" she asked.
Again there was a lengthy pause before he responded.
"Good night, Cordelia."
She sensed his need to be alone. "Good night, Angel." she said quietly, leaving him to the darkness.