Chapter 4
Cordelia was waiting at the red light when she saw something that made her do a double take. Willow, with a suitcase, hiding from Buffy, Oz and Xander who were across the street from her. (Okay, what’s going on?) Cordelia hadn’t really hung out with the other slayerettes since the night she found out about Faith and Xander being together, but she could tell that something was wrong between the four friends.
Cordelia waited until she saw Willow emerge from her hiding spot before turning and pulling up next to the startled teen. Cordelia got out of her car and walked over to Willow. "Okay, Willow, why did I just see you hiding from your best friends?" She waited for Willow to say something and when it became obvious that she wasn’t going to, Cordelia grabbed Willow’s arm and turned the hacker to face her. She jumped back when she saw the murderous glare in Willow’s eyes.
"Willow," she asked again, concern evident in her voice, "what happened?"
"I….I….I don’t want to talk about it," Willow replied quietly. "Just leave me alone, please." Cordelia refused to give up. Willow had been there for her when she needed it, telling her that Xander was an idiot for doing what he did, and she was concerned for the girl that she wanted to be friends with.
"I don’t think so Willow. Something is definitely wrong with you and I want to know what it is." Willow tried to control her emotions, but the she lost it when she saw the obvious worry in the brunette’s face. Willow broke down and started to cry. (Damnit, what has happened? I have never seen Willow like this.) Cordelia wrapped her arms around Willow, allowing the girl to cry on her shoulder.
"Sshhhh, Willow. It’s okay," Cordelia cooed, uncaring of the looks she was getting from passers-by. "Whatever happened, it can’t be all that bad, can it?"
"Yes it can," Willow replied, her sobs decreasing until she had cried herself out. She pulled back and looked at Cordelia. "I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to cry all over you." Willow managed to smile feebly.
Cordelia returned the smile, "Hey, no biggie. You did the same thing for me not so long ago." Cordelia wiped a few of the tears from Willow’s face. "So what has you so down anyway that you had to hide from your friends?" Willow snorted as she wiped her nose with the tissue that Cordelia handed her.
"Friends, yeah right. With friends like that, why be bothered with vampires," Willow laughed derisively. Cordelia looked at her with surprise. (What is going on? Why is Willow so angry with the others?) Friends don’t treat friends the way they do."
"Willow, please tell me what happened?" Cordelia pleaded. "You’re scaring me. Come on, you saw me at my worst after I found out about Faith and Xander. Whatever it is, it can’t be as bad as that."
"Oh yeah, what do you call catching your best friend and your boyfriend screwing," Willow practically yelled. "Because that’s what happened to me and Angel." Cordelia had to lean against her car to keep herself upright. She couldn’t believe what she just heard. (Buffy and Oz? Oh my god, no wonder she’s so upset. What the hell are those two thinking?)
"Oh god, Willow, I’m so, so sorry." Cordelia reached out a hand to Willow, placing it on her arm. "When?" she asked softly.
"Last night," Willow replied, her composure returning to her. "Angel and I were heading over to Buffy’s to surprise her and we saw her and Oz on her bed doing the horizontal mambo. Needless to say, we didn’t hang around."
"Angel was there too? Oh, jeez, this can not be real." Cordelia shook her head, unable to believe what she had just been told. "That’s why you hid from them just now, wasn’t it?"
"Yeah. I just don’t want to deal with the two of them. Or Xander even. I’m pretty sure that he knew about it."
"What?" Cordelia screamed. Willow shook her head.
"Yeah, it looks that way. He called Buffy last night to tell her that we were on the way over," Willow explained. "He wouldn’t have done it unless it was to warn them."
"Makes sense." Cordelia agreed, then she noticed the suitcase. "Where are you planning on going with that?" Willow looked down at the suitcase and back up at Cordelia. She knew that the brunette would understand what she and Angel were going through and felt a new closeness to her former enemy.
"My folks are out of town for the next month and Angel offered to let me stay at his house. That’s where I’m heading now." Cordelia grabbed her suitcase and put it in her car.
"Well, in that case, let’s go." She went to the driver’s side and waited for Willow to look at her. "Hey, if you’re heading to Angel’s, you’re less likely to run into Buffy and company if I drive you. Besides, I want to return the favor from when you helped me."
Willow looked gratefully at Cordelia and got into the car. She gave the girl directions to Angel’s new house and sat back, relieved to have someone else that understood what was happening. She knew that trusting Cordelia with the secret was tempting fate, but she had a feeling that, in the long run, Cordelia would be able to help her get over everything that had happened. Cordelia and Willow arrived at Angel’s just as the sun had finished setting. Angel ran out to the car, opening the passenger door and grabbing Willow.
"Are you okay?" he asked, worry tinged with fear in his voice. "I’m fine," Willow squeaked out, "I told you I would be. Umm, breathing would be good now." Angel let go of Willow and noticed Cordelia standing and watching him. He could tell by the expression in her eyes that she knew what had happened.
"What happened?"
"Can we talk about it inside?" Willow asked. "I need something to drink."
"Sure," Angel replied, taking Willow’s suitcase from the car. He led the two girls into the house. Cordelia’s reaction to the place duplicated Willow’s from the night before.
"Angel, wow, I mean, wow,"
"Yeah, that seems to be people’s reactions to it," he smiled. "But, then again, you and Willow are the only two that I have had over." Angel turned back to face Willow, who was still silent. "Okay, so do you want to tell me what happened?"
"Yeah, I figure you have the right to know. Let me start with the messages waiting for me when I got home." Willow then proceeded to tell Angel and Cordelia about the messages that had awaited her when she got home. Both people shared Willow’s disbelief with Buffy and Oz acting as if nothing was happening between the two of them.
"Then, when Xander called everything clicked into place. It was just something in his voice that told me he knew. That was why he had let them know we were going over to Buffy’s," Willow finished. Angel pulled Willow into a hug, holding her to him tightly.
"Oh, Willow, I’m sorry," Angel said, trying to control his anger. (That stupid moronic idiot. I can’t believe he knew about this and yet did nothing. Willow is his best friend and he chose Oz and Buffy over her.) "You shouldn’t have to go through all of this. No one should." Willow attempted a weak smile.
"You know, if I didn’t want to kill him already, I would definitely consider it now," Cordelia joined in. "I can’t believe the nerve of all three of them. What is it with them and their whole attitude. They give new meaning to the word self-absorbed." Willow squeezed Cordelia’s hand, thanking her silently for her concern.
"So, what are the two of you going to do now?" Cordelia asked, her anger turning into a need for revenge. Angel and Willow just looked at the cheerleader. "I mean, you aren’t going to just let them get away with this, are you?"
"That’s what I’d like to know, pet," came the reply from the front door.
"Spike."