Rating: PG-13
Dedication and Special Thanks: Wow, triple digits. This fic is a special thanks. You guys rock!
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~Part: 1~
Willow sighs as she passes an old Dingoes Ate My Baby poster by the Bronze. She didn’t regret her time with Oz, even after everything that happened she still loved him.
With a slight smile on her face she remembered the first time she saw Oz. It was when that computer company wanted to recruit her in high school. She thought how different her life would have been if she had taken them up on their offer. She and Oz probably would have parted friends, there wouldn’t have been the Veruca incident and maybe she, Xander and Buffy wouldn’t have drifted apart like they seemed to be doing.
“I wish I’d taken that job offer with David Nabbitt.” Willow muttered as she continued down the street.
Willow never noticed the dark haired woman that was following her or that the woman’s face changed with Willow’s muttered wish.
“Granted.”
~~~~
Willow blinked several times and looked around at her surroundings.
“You okay, Willow?”
Willow rubbed her eyes, “Yeah, David just a little tired I guess. I must have zoned out or something. I was fuzzy there for a minute.”
“Come on, let’s go. This can wait until the morning.”
“Okay.” Willow looked at her watch, “Hey weren’t you supposed to be at some party about now?”
David looked sheepishly at her, “Yeah, but you know how much I hate those things. Besides, I got started writing code and the next thing I knew it was late.”
Willow smiled over her shoulder at him, “Um, hm. I’m thinking it was one of those purposely not on purpose things.”
“No really, I really did lose all track of time.” David grinned at her. He always felt comfortable around Willow. She was one of the few people that didn’t make him feel like some sort of freak. “It was one of those Hollywood type premiere party things anyway.”
Willow scrunched up her nose at that. She hated those too. David usually dragged her to go with him and being the kind (read sucker) person that she was she never said no. Willow started smiling as she remembered the first time that she went to one with David. The next morning their picture appeared in the Star tabloid and Buffy had teased her for a week about being the mysterious woman on David Nabbitt’s arm.
David slipped his arm through Willow’s and gave her his puppy dog eyes, “You know, if you’re so worried about me missing this party WE could be fashionably late.”
The last thing Willow wanted was to go to a boring Hollywood party but she knew it was another aspect of the business. Especially when David’s company put up some of the money for the movie.
“Okay, but you’ll owe me.”
“Of course. You can have rights to the next upgrade to DN gold.”
Willow laughed. She knew David was serious. He was very generous with those he considered friends and money meant nothing to the billionaire. It was just an added bonus to doing work he loved.
“I was thinking more like I get to sleep in tomorrow or maybe work from home.”
~~~~
The limo pulled up outside the hotel. The sound of music and voices could be heard floating out into the night sky as the chauffer opened the door.
Willow glanced back over at David and smiled before taking the hand extended to her. While waiting for David to join her Willow glanced around at the people milling around the lobby. Just what she was looking forward to, a night of shallow people talking just to hear themselves talk.
David whispered in Willow’s ear, “R-ready?”
“You know you really should hire someone to impersonate you at these things. Kind of like those celebrity look-alikes.”
David laughed, “I sincerely doubt there’s another schmuck out there that looks like me and if there were I don’t think I’d have enough money to pay him to go to one of these things.”
Willow smiled as she thought of Cordelia who would probably jump at the chance to get paid to go to a ‘Hollywood’ party.
“David, smile for the camera.”
Crap, Margo caught them. How had she snuck up on them without Willow seeing her? Willow tried to avoid Margo at all costs; she hated having her picture taken. She didn’t mind having her picture taken when it was as they were coming or going to a premier or to a party but inside the party Willow just wanted to fade into the background. She smiled but she figured it probably looked more like a grimace than a smile.
Margo’s none too subtle ploy to get David’s attention also caused others to look in their direction. Willow smiled inwardly as like moths to a flame, would-be starlets made their way over to David. She wondered if they had some sixth sense like Buffy’s Slayer sense only instead of detecting vampires and other assorted demons their sense detected people with money.
She noticed that even though David was surrounded he didn’t have a ‘help’ look on his face so she began to wander off and hoped to find a corner to hide.
Bits and pieces of inane conversation drifted her way. “Oh you should have seen his last picture”, “Isn’t that Steven”, “Call me, we’ll do lunch”, “I have a project that would just be perfect for you”.
Gaaaa! Willow could feel her IQ dropping about ten points just from being in the room.
“You’re a beautiful, beautiful man.”
“Uh, thanks.”
Willow stopped in her tracks. The voice sounded familiar but with all the noise she couldn’t make it out so she turned her head to see who had spoken.
Oliver, an agent who was the equivalent of an ambulance chaser, had cornered someone. But he was blocking her view of the person he had cornered.
“I’m Oliver, ask anyone about Oliver.” He hands the person his card, “I’m your agent when you call me.”
“I’m not an actor.”
ANGEL?! What was Angel doing in LA or more specifically what was he doing at a Hollywood party in LA?
“Angel?”
Angel stepped a little to the left to see around Oliver and the voice that sounded so like Willow’s. His eyes widened as he saw it was Willow. Totally ignoring Oliver Angel sidestepped around him and pulled Willow into his embrace.
“Willow! It’s so good to see a familiar face.”
“Buffy told me that you left but I didn’t know you were in LA.”
“I haven’t been here that long.”
Willow stepped back and then lightly cuffed Angel on the arm, “You jerk, why didn’t you come see me when you got to LA?”
Angel looked sheepishly at Willow, “You know with the whole leaving Buffy thing I wasn’t sure if you would want to see me.”
“Angel, I thought we were friends. Just because you and Buffy are no longer doesn’t mean I have to choose sides. So, what brings you to a Hollywood party? Oh, I knew it. Demons are running Hollywood.”
Angel smiled at Willow, “Probably, but not that I know of. No, I’m with someone.”
Willow hoped she kept the shock off her face but man Angel didn’t waste any time.
Seeing Willow’s face Angel hastily said, “No! No. I’m helping someone. She’s here to see someone and I came with her.”
“Oh. Anything I can do to help? Demon needs slaying? Big bad mojo needed to save the day?”
Angel laughed, “No not this time.”
“Okay, but you know if you ever need me just call. You still have my number right?”
“Yeah, I will.” Angel hugged Willow again, “I’ve missed you.”
Willow squeezed back, “You, too.”
Willow saw David’s frantic face over Angel’s shoulder. Now he was wearing a help me look. Willow narrowed her eyes as she noticed the back of the would-be starlet’s head.
Willow stepped back, “I gotta go rescue my boss from a would-be starlet. Come on. I could probably use some muscle to unhook the claw she’ll have in him. Besides I’d like for you to meet him.”
Angel looked around and noticed his client was still talking to her friend. She looked safe enough.
Angel followed Willow through the crowd over to where a small dark haired man had a frantic look on his face that he was trying vainly to mask.
“David! I’ve been looking all over for you. There’s someone here you should meet.”
David tried to step around the starlet but she blocked his move.
“So I said I’m an actress, I don’t put up with things like that.”
Willow stopped at the sound of the voice, “Cordelia?”
Cordelia turned at Willow’s voice, “Willow! Oh my god, Angel? What are you doing here?”
Willow smiled at David, “I see you’ve already met Cordelia Chase. We knew each other in Sunnydale. Angel, I’d like you to meet my friend and boss, David Nabbitt. David, this is a very good friend of mine, Angel.”
David held out his hand to shake Angel’s, “Nice to meet another friend of Willow’s.”
Cordelia stayed glued to David’s side. “Oh yes, Willow and I go way back.”
“Hey, Cord smile for the camera.”
Taking advantage of Cordelia’s distraction Willow pulls David away and takes him into the crowd. Angel follows behind with a smile on his face, same old Cordelia.
He notices his client leaving her friend and puts his hand on Willow’s shoulder to get her attention.
“I see my friend is looking for me so I’ll see you later. David, it was nice meeting you.”
“You too, Angel.”
Willow smiled and waved as Angel made his way over to his friend.
David slips his hand around Willow’s shoulders, “Thanks for rescuing me. I didn’t realize she was a friend of yours but man she’s like a dog with a bone. She wouldn’t take any hints and I tried to leave a few times.”
Willow giggled, “That sounds like Cordy and I wouldn’t exactly call her my friend. More like friendly acquaintances and I have a feeling that now she knows I work for you I might see more of her.”
David hands Willow a card, “We have a meeting with Russell Winter tomorrow. He’s thinking of using our software company-wide.”
Crap. Russell gave her the heebies. She couldn’t explain it but every time they met she felt like she needed to take a shower afterwards.
“I think I’m gonna call in that favor you owe me for coming to this party.”
David smiled, “Anything . . . except not meeting with Russell. You know he’ll only postpone until you’re available.” David leaned in to sing song in her ear, “I think someone has a crush.”
~Part: 2~
“Tonight?” Willow whined. “I thought we were supposed to meet Russell this afternoon.” She wanted to get it over with as soon as she could. Like removing a band-aide. Just rip it off quickly.
David looked over at her. He knew how much she didn’t like Russell but he also knew that Russell was very dangerous. It wouldn’t be wise to get on Russell’s bad side and this was just a minor inconvenience. He would never put Willow in a situation that would be dangerous.
“Sorry, Willow. He had a meeting that came up and had to reschedule. But on a bright note he also said he had a meeting right after ours so it shouldn’t take long.”
“Okay. You’re going along, right?” There was no WAY Willow was going on her own to meet with him. It wasn’t anything he did or said that gave her the creeps he just raised the hackles on her spine whenever she was around him.
David reached over and gave her shoulder a squeeze, “Would I let my favorite employee go there by herself?”
Willow grinned over her shoulder at him, “Nope. Nor would your favorite employee go there by herself.” She looked down at her watch and sighed inwardly. Three hours to go. Oh well maybe if she kept busy her mind wouldn’t return to the meeting. She glanced up and smiled at David, “Well, since I have such a task master for a boss I better get back to writing code.”
Before David could answer his phone rang and he gave a little shrug before picking up. Willow waved as she silently shut the door and returned to her office.
Willow noticed she had voice mail. Oooh, maybe Russell has called to cancel.
“Hey Willow, it’s Cordy.” Willow blew out a puff of air. She knew she was gonna hear from her after the party. “It was great seeing a familiar face in LA. I, uh, I have a meeting this evening but could we get together after? Give me a call. 555-4593. Bye, Willow.”
Willow sighed, Cordy sounded kind of lonely and she remembered what it was like the first few months she had come to LA. Not that she would have looked up Cordelia since they weren’t the best of friends but it would have been nice to see a face from home those first few months here. Making a decision Willow picked up the phone and hoped she wouldn’t regret it.
Cordelia was sitting lotus position taking calming breaths, “I am somebody. I matter. People will be drawn to my positive energy.”
The ringing of the phone caused Cordelia to jump and grab for it. God, please be her agent. “Hello. Cordelia Chase.”
“Cordy?”
“Willow!”
“I, um, I just received your voice mail.”
“Yeah, thanks for calling me back. I have a meeting with someone that saw me at the party last night. My agent set it up.” Cordy crossed her fingers on that little lie. So what if he saw a picture of her that Margo had taken at the party. A step was a step, right?
“That’s great, Cordelia. Good luck. So, um, you want to meet after? I have a meeting this evening as well but it should be over with at seven.”
“Oh, my meeting starts at seven but it shouldn’t last long. How about we meet for drinks around eight thirty?”
Willow’s brow creased in concentration. What are the odds? She knew Russell sometimes backed young actresses but generally it was like making a deal with the devil. Willow wondered if they actually sold their souls or if it was figuratively.
“Cordy? Your meeting wouldn’t happen to be with Russell Winter would it?”
Cordelia’s eyes widened, “Yeah, how’d you know?”
“That’s who I’m meeting with and I know he likes to dabble in the film industry.” Willow bit her lip should she interfere or not. She didn’t have a doubt that Cordelia could take care of herself but . . . “Why don’t I wait for you while you’re meeting with him and then you, me and David could out after.”
Cordelia sat up straighter, “David? David Nabbitt will be there?”
Willow glanced at David’s closed door and shrugged, well he owed her for going to the party last night. “I’m sure I can talk him into staying with me and then going out after.”
“Okay, then see you tonight at Russell’s.”
~~~~~
Russell escorted Willow and David back out into the foyer. “Thank you again for meeting with me here and I apologize for moving the meeting to this evening.”
“That’s quite all right. It turns out that Willow knows your seven o’clock meeting.”
Russell turned to look at Willow with a blank expression. Willow shivered at the look; it was very close to how Angelus used to look. Not quite the face of a killer but the face of someone not pleased with that information.
“You know Cordelia Chase?”
“We went to high school together. I hadn’t seen her in a long time and then I saw her at the premiere party last night.”
“Well, it is a small world.” The smile didn’t quite reach his eyes.
The sound of the doorbell interrupted their conversation. Russell looked up and saw his butler open the door and escort Cordelia in. “Ah, I see Cordelia has arrived.”
Cordelia smiled when she saw Willow and David standing with a man she assumed was Russell Winter.
Willow wanted Russell to know that she would be here for Cordelia. “Hey, Cordy. Since we’re going out after your meeting with Mr. Winter David and I’ll just wait outside.” She turned innocent eyes to Russell, “That is if it’s okay with you, Mr. Winter.”
Russell smiled, “Willow, I’ve told you that it’s all right for you to call me Russell. And of course it’ll be all right. Why don’t you and David wait in the garden? Much nicer views.”
He holds out his hand to Cordelia, “Ms. Chase, thank you for coming. Margo has told me a lot about you and your career.” He turns back to his butler, “That will be all, Franklin.”
“Thanks, Russell. We’ll just be in the garden.” Willow made no move to leave the foyer and David stood with her watching as Russell disappeared into another room.
When they were alone room he turned to Willow, “Okay what was that all about?”
“You know he gives me the wiggins. I didn’t want Cordy to meet with him alone and it’s not like I can say, Russell I don’t trust you so I’m gonna stay here and make sure you don’t do anything to Cordelia.”
“If he did decide to do anything to Cordelia do you really think either you or I could stop him?”
Willow just smiled, she didn’t think this was the time to tell him about her magick abilities or that she can hit a vampire with a crossbow at thirty paces.
“Well, I just figured if he knew someone was here and waiting for Cordelia he wouldn’t try anything.”
“So, no garden?”
“No garden.”
As they’re waiting there is a muffled sound and Willow moved closer to the door that Cordelia disappeared into. Suddenly it flies open and Cordelia runs through, “Vamp!”
“What?”
Russell runs out in game face, “She said vampire.”
“I KNEW you gave me the wiggins.” Willow frantically looks for something to use when the lights suddenly go out.
“Russell Winter?”
“Angel?” Willow frantically looks around the shadows and sees Angel melt out the shadows when the lights come back on.
Russell narrows his eyes at the newcomer and debates whether to make a grab for Willow or Cordelia.
“I have a message for you from Tina.”
Cordelia looked between Angel and Russell and used their inattention to move closer to Willow. “Oh boy, you are SO going to get your ass kicked.”
Angel pulls out a stake and attacks Russell.
Willow grabs Cordy’s hand and turns to see where David is.
David is standing transfixed staring at the combatants. Willow runs dragging Cordelia behind her and grabbed David with her other hand. “Come on, we need to get out of here.”
She didn’t doubt that out of the two Angel would win but she didn’t want to give Russell anyone to use as a distraction.
“Wha-what was that?” David breathed out as he allowed Willow to drag him away and through the front door.
Before Willow or Cordelia could answer they heard gunshots.
“Hey! That’s not fair!” Cordelia turned to Willow, “I mean, isn’t there like a law or something that says you can’t shoot a vampire before staking him?”
“V-vampire?” David turned shocked eyes to Cordelia and then back at Willow.
Willow smiled sheepishly, “Yeah, I had that same expression on my face when I learned that vampires were real.”
Angel jumped down from a balcony and landed near Willow. “Run!”
Two guards followed Angel out onto the balcony and start taking shots at them.
Willow scrambles to David’s car, “Get in!”
Cordy, David and Angel follow closely behind Willow and scramble into the car.
“DRIVE!” Willow yells as David gets behind the wheel. Bullets miss the car but hit the ground very close to the tires.
David stomps on the gas pedal and his car lurches forward. As he’s going down the drive he notices another car speeding towards them. He turns the steering wheel hard to the right trying to avoid contact.
“What the . . .”
The two cars skid to a stop with the car coming up the drive blocking David’s car.
“Ram it!” Cordelia yells.
“No, wait. He’s with me.” Angel leans over the backseat to stop David. “Follow us back to my apartment. We need to talk.”
Cordelia rolls her eyes, “Ya think?”
~Part: 3~
“So.” Willow says as David follows the car in front of him.
“So.” David answers as he keeps his eyes on the front car.
Cordelia rolls her eyes and in a bored voice says, “Vampires and demons are real. They’re everywhere. When you see one kill it. Can you turn the heat up I’m cold.”
Willow glanced up in the rear view mirror to glare at Cordelia and then cleared her throat.
“Umm, I may have left out a few things about my life in Sunnydale before I came to work for you.”
“Look Willow, I know demons are real. I’ve seen some.”
It was Willow’s turn to look surprised. “You do, you have?”
“Well not vampires. That I wasn’t prepared for, but in my high school and college years I played Dungeons and Dragons. One night some of the guys heard about a place where you could BE with real demon women.” David blushed a bright red.
Willow was confused why was David embarrassed about meeting demon women.
“It was run by a female called Madame Dorion.”
Willow’s eyes widened. OH!
“So, um, that’s when you knew demons existed?”
“Yeah. So . . .demons and vampires in Sunnydale?”
“Pffft, you have no idea!” Cordelia interrupted. “Big ole Hellmouth under the school library. Well maybe not anymore since we blew up our school.” Cordelia turned to look at Willow, “You think maybe a new entrance sprouted up somewhere else?”
Willow closed her eyes and rubbed the bridge of her nose. Now she knew why Giles always did that.
David parked his car next to Angel’s and turned to Willow. “You blew up your school?”
“Well not me personally. The mayor was going to ascend and that was the only way to stop him.”
David nodded and put his hand on the door to open it but Willow stopped him.
“Before we go in Angel’s apartment there’s something you should know. Angel is a vampire.”
David tensed and looked at Willow and Cordelia with wide eyes.
Cordelia smiled, “Oh he’s a good vampire. He has a soul and everything. Kind of like a care bear with fangs.”
Willow rolled her eyes at Cordelia’s description. “Angel used to be known as Angelus before he was cursed with a soul by the gypsies.”
“So he’s got a vampire demon and a soul living inside his body?”
“Yeah but just make sure he doesn’t get a happy. No good comes from Angel getting a happy.” Cordelia piped in.
“Huh?”
God, could Cordelia not help? Willow wondered. “The curse has a clause that we didn’t discover until too late. If Angel has a moment of perfect happiness the soul leaves and Angelus returns.”
Cordelia nodded, “With a vengeance! Though on the upside he’d probably go back to Sunnydale and terrorize Buffy leaving us alone.”
“Cordy!”
“What? I’m just saying.”
Angel watched apprehensively as the occupants in the other car continued their conversation without getting out.
“So friends of yours and if so can you introduce me to the pretty brunette?” Doyle asked as he came to stand next to Angel.
A smile quirked at Angel’s lips at Doyle’s question, “Yeah they’re friends and I like you too much to introduce you to Cordelia.”
Before Doyle could respond the car doors opened and the others got out.
Cordelia’s gaze drifted to the man standing next to Angel before returning to Angel, “So it’s over right? You put the fear of god in that Russell guy and he’ll stop right?”
“Let’s go up to my apartment.”
The others follow Angel into his apartment. David and Willow sit on the couch while Cordelia takes a seat nearby.
Doyle brings a chair over and sets it down next to Cordelia, “So princess what’s your name?”
Cordelia looks at Doyle and then turns her back on him to look over at Willow.
Doyle smiles at Angel, “She likes me I can tell. She’s just playing hard to get.”
Willow smiled at Doyle, he reminded her so much of Jesse.
“Willow, Cordelia, David this is Doyle.” Angel made the introductions hoping to stall the explanation.
Cordelia just ignored Doyle and looked to Angel, “So, what’s the story with Russell? Why were you there and why did he try to kill me?”
“My client . . .”
“Client?” Cordelia interrupted. “You work?”
Angel ignored Cordelia’s interruption and continued, “My client needed help.” He turned to Willow, “It was why I was at the party. Anyway she was trying to get out of a relationship with Russell, too.”
Willow gasped. This could not be good. NO ONE got out a relationship with Russell alive. “She’s dead.” Willow said it as a statement not a question but Angel nodded anyway.
“I couldn’t save her.”
“So you went after Russell? Okay I get that.” Cordelia said, “But why me? Why’d he go after me and not Willow?”
Willow’s lips quirked, “Thanks, Cordy.”
“No. I mean why’d this Russell guy pick me to kill when he obviously already knew you and had a meeting with you before I even got there.”
Angel’s eyes widened. He hadn’t even thought about what Willow and the others were doing there when he got there. He had just been concentrating on getting Russell.
Willow shrugged and David smiled. “I think Russell had a bit of a crush on Willow. Every meeting we had he always insisted on Willow being there.”
“Great. I was the obsession of a psychotic vampire.” Willow blushed as she realized she had spoken out loud. She turned back to Cordelia, “You said your agent set up the meeting? Do you think he set you up to be Russell’s next meal?”
Cordelia looked uncomfortable as she shifted on her chair, “Um, yeah . . .about that. Actually Margo called and said that Russell had seen my picture from the party and wanted to meet me.”
“So Margo’s in on it?” Willow asked confused.
“I don’t think so.” David finally entered the conversation. “Margo’s not that calculating or bright. If she is helping Russell it’s not because she knows what he is. I think she just wants to keep herself in good graces with him and if it means showing him pictures of pretty girls at the Hollywood parties then she will.”
“But wouldn’t she notice that they had a tendency to disappear?”
Cordelia shook her head at Willow, “Not in this town. Girls come and go with regularity in Hollywood. Who would know who left town and who left permanently?”
Angel nodded, “Tina said that Russell picked women who didn’t have a lot of ties to this town.”
Cordelia frowned at that statement, “Well, I guess that explains why he picked me.”
Willow turned confused eyes to Cordy, “Why? You have family and friends.”
She smiled sadly at Willow, “Yeah but none here and parents kind of busy with the whole IRS thing.”
Willow reached out and squeezed Cordelia’s hand before turning to Angel and Doyle, “So what do we do now?”
“We don’t do anything. I’ll confront him.”
“Really?” Cordelia asked as she raised an eyebrow at him. “It went so well tonight.”
Doyle changed his laugh into a cough at Angel’s look.
“I know he has a meeting at his Corporate Headquarters tomorrow and I plan on being there.”
“You know that’s one of the things that’s bothered me about the whole Russell being a vampire thing. How did he run his corporation so well? I mean some of our meetings took place during the day in a room lined with windows. Wouldn’t he have gone poof?” Willow asked.
Angel smiled at Willow, “Not if the windows were protected from the harmful rays of the sun. It’s the UV rays that are harmful to a vamp.”
“Explains why he never met us at DN headquarters.” David mumbled.
“How are you going to get in? It’s not like Russell’s security will let you in the building.” Willow asked him. “BUT David and I can get you through. I doubt Russell would have already told his staff to not let either of us in the private elevator that goes to the top floor.”
Angel shook his head no while Doyle and the others nodded in agreement. Finally Angel saw Willow’s ‘Resolve Face’ and sighed, “I’m not going to be able to talk you out of it am I?”
“Nope.”
~~~~
Willow, David, Doyle and Cordelia were dressed for a high-powered meeting as they made their way into the lobby of Russell Winter’s office building.
Willow smiled at one of the guards sitting in the lobby. “Hi Jerome, how are the kids? Did Olivia get back from Mexico yet?”
Jerome smiled at Willow. Very few people took the time to talk to them but Willow was the exception. “They’re doing great and the youngest lost another tooth. Olivia’s gone for another week but she promises to bring you back some of her mother’s salsa.”
Willow beamed at Jerome. “Thanks! We have a meeting with David, so can you bring the elevator down?”
“You bet.” Jerome punched a few buttons on the keyboard that would send the elevator down to the lobby.
While Willow was talking with the guard Cordelia was making her way around the lobby. Anyone looking at her would think she was bored and just wandering around until it was time to go. She opened doors, looked through windows and watched people.
At Doyle’s subtle nod she made her way over to the side door that led to the underground garage where Angel was waiting in the stairwell. Without turning around she opened the door and placed a piece of tape over the lock so it wouldn’t close completely.
The soft bing of the elevator reaching the lobby floor put a halt to the conversation of Willow and Jerome. Willow smiled, “Thanks Jerome, I remember the code from yesterday. It hasn’t changed has it?”
Jerome shook his head no, “No it’s the same. Go ahead you don’t need me to open the door for you.”
Doyle leaned over to whisper in Willow’s ear, “Your not as innocent as you look.”
Willow just smiled and whispered back, “I’ve always found that if you’re nice to people they’re nice to you.”
Willow punched in the code as David kept his eye on Jerome while Angel slipped in the elevator cab.
“Won’t the camera pick you up?” Cordelia asked Angel as she pointed to the security camera.
“Nope. Cameras work with mirrors. No reflection hence no picture.”
The elevator was silent as they rode to the top floor.
~~~~~
Russell looked around the table as the meeting droned on. His mind was on his intruder from last night and the fact that Willow seemed to know him. Well, his plans for using DN gold in his corporation were down the drain. David and Willow were too high profile for him to kill to keep his secret quiet and he still hadn’t decided how to deal with them.
The sound of his doors slamming open brought Russell out of his thoughts.
One of his many lawyers jumped to their feet and stood in front of Angel.
Angel looked down at the card the man was holding out to him.
“I’m from Wolfram and Hart. If you should continue to harass my client we will be forced to bring you out to the light of day.”
Angel’s lips quirked at that phrase as his eyes caught Russell’s, “A place I’m told that’s not too healthy for you.”
“Angel.” Russell began, “We do things differently here in LA.”
“Well I’m new and never been one to like the status quo.”
“Look at me, I pay my taxes and I don’t make waves. In return I can do anything I want.”
“Is that right?” Angel asks as he puts one foot on the chair between Russell’s legs and leans forward, “Can you fly?”
He pushes Russell through the bank of windows behind him. He watches as the vampire turns to dust and the empty chair hits the sidewalk below.
Cordelia yells, “I told you, you were so going to get your ass kicked.”
“Um, princess? I don’t think he heard you.” Doyle smiled at Cordelia.
Angel turns and hands the lawyer back his card as they all exit the room.
“You know that was kind of anti-climatic.” David said.
Willow nodded, “Yeah sometimes some of the big fights turn out to be not so much.”
The lawyer pulls out his cell phone, “Set up an interoffice meeting, seems we have a new player in town. No, there’s no need to disturb the senior partners just yet.”
~Part: 4~
David smiled as he opened his door, “Come in, Angel.” The invisible barrier dissolved and Angel stepped over the threshold.
Cordelia stood in awe as she followed Angel into David’s house. It was on the side of a mountain and overlooked the canyon that held the Hollywood sign. Willow had said that if you stood just right with your head tilted you had a perfect view of the sign.
Willow smiled and leaned in close to Cordelia, “If you go through those doors and out on the balcony you have a perfect view of the sign.”
Doyle overheard Willow’s whispering and held out his arm to Cordelia, “Shall we, princess?”
Cordelia was torn between trying to act nonchalant that she was in DAVID NABBITT’s house and wanting to see the sign. Yeah, you can hike up and sit among the letters but very few people can see it from a mansion’s balcony.
David turned to Angel, “Thanks for coming.” David nervously fidgeted from foot to foot. “Um, I wasn’t sure if you ate human food.” He winced at that turn of phrase.
Willow put her hand on David’s arm, “It’s okay.” She turned to smile at Angel, “See? I’m not the only one that babbles. David, has regular drink if you prefer it or I had him stock up on blood for you.”
Angel’s expression gave nothing away as he looked between Willow and David. They both began to fidget under Angel’s scrutiny. “I’m fine, thanks.”
“Um, I guess you’re wondering why I asked you to come over.” David didn’t wait for Angel to answer but blurted out. “I want to help.”
Angel just raised an eyebrow.
“I told him all about what we did in Sunnydale and Doyle told us about you working for the Powers that Be and he wanted to help.”
“I can’t fight the demons like you can but I can supply you with an office and anything else you might need.”
“Why?”
“Huh?”
“Why do you want to help? Why bother?”
Willow opened her mouth to say something to Angel but David held up his hand to stop her, “Fair question. I’ve been given a lucky break to get paid very handsomely to do what I love to do. As Willow knows, the love is in the coding and the making of new software the other is a bonus. If I give a little back to help someone in need than I’d like to do it. I think you need help. Oh not the physical help you have Doyle for that but wouldn’t you like to have all the advantages that money can buy? Weapons, information and not have to worry about clients paying you or bills?”
Cordelia and Doyle had come back inside and overheard David’s answer.
“Of course he would.” Cordelia answered for him. “And of course an office manager to run the place. Just until my inevitable stardom takes effect of course.”
Doyle watched Angel’s reaction and asked, “You game?”
Angel looked from one to the other before nodding, “I’m game.”
David smiled, “Excellent! I have just the place. I bought it a few years ago because it had a reputation of being an old Hollywood landmark but it would be perfect for you. I’m renovating the downstairs but that won’t be a problem and as a bonus it has access to the sewer systems.”
Willow smiled at Angel and then back at David, “You’ve been thinking about this for a while haven’t you?”
David nodded, “Ever since the whole Russell Winter thing.” He turned to Angel. “Until the downstairs is renovated, probably another couple of months you can work out of an old firehouse that I converted to offices.”
Doyle moaned and grabbed his head before falling to the floor. Cordelia knelt down beside him, “What’s wrong? Is he sick or something?”
Angel makes his way to Doyle’s side, “He gets visions.”
“God, they look like they must hurt.”
Doyle groggily opened his eyes, “Aye, that they do.” He turned to Angel, “Uh, it’s a bar. I think I recognize it.”
“And?”
“That’s it. No faces, just a feeling that there is danger.”
David was all smiles. His first case.
~~~~
They enter a nightclub called D’oblique. Eighties music is blasting from the dance floor and singles desperately hoping to connect are roaming the bar.
“Great a meat market.” Willow mumbled.
“Okay let’s split up and look for someone that might be in trouble.”
Cordelia rolled her eyes, “I see about ten just standing here on the stairs.”
Doyle grabbed her arm, “Let’s see if we can find something.”
As far as she had come from Sunnydale Willow still felt very uncomfortable in places like this. Willow turned to David figuring Angel would probably want to be on his own but David had disappeared into the crowd. She stood on tiptoe and saw him looking through the crowd with a big smile.
She sighed and turned to do her own investigating when she felt a hand on her elbow. She whipped her head around to see a handsome man standing at her side.
“Hi, Would you like to dance?”
Willow smiled and shook her head no, “Thanks, but no. I’m looking for someone.”
A sly look came over his face, “I can be that someone.”
“No, I mean I’m meeting someone.”
He moved closer and Willow took an automatic step back. “Why don’t we just hang out until they get here?”
Crap. Guys never used to notice her before, why now? Just her luck that she found a persistent one when she didn’t want one. She tensed when she felt a hand snake around her shoulder and a soft kiss on the top of her head but she relaxed as she looked up into Angel’s chocolate eyes.
“Been waiting long, honey?”
Willow’s eyes got wide and then, “NO! No, um, not long at all.”
Angel glared at the man in front of Willow who was slowly backing away with his hands up, “Hey, no harm no foul.”
Angel looked down at Willow, “You okay?”
“Yeah and thanks. He wouldn’t shake.”
“Come on, let’s look around.”
Angel kept his arm around Willow as they made a circuit around the bar talking to people but nothing unusual stood out as they made the rounds.
David made his way to the bartender. He knew that most bartenders knew the regulars and if anything out of the ordinary had occurred in their bar. He slipped in to an empty seat and motioned for a drink, “So, normal night?”
Steve looked around the bar and then back to the guy at the bar, “Same ole, same ole. Saturday nights and the closer it gets to quitting time the more desperate they become.” He nodded to a couple just getting up from a table.
David nodded, “I hear ya.”
A loud crash interrupted their conversation. David looked over as Doyle took a swing at someone. Steve raced around the bar and signaled the bouncer.
David was hot on his heels and he saw that Angel was rapidly approaching as well.
Cordelia shouted, “They started it.” As she points to two men fighting with Doyle.
Angel easily blocks a blow from both men and the bouncer gets in the middle. The two men back down and begin to protest.
The bouncer holds up his hands, “I don’t want to hear it. Every time with you guys. Come on, OUT!” He escorts the two away.
Willow looks at Angel and Doyle, “Are you okay?”
Doyle nods, “Yeah, I don’t know about the rest of you but we haven’t found anything.”
Angel shakes his head, “I sincerely doubt that the Powers sent us here to break up Doyle’s bar fight.” He turned to David, “Did you see anything?”
“No, the bartender said it was a typical Saturday night for this place. I think if anything was out of the ordinary he’d know.”
Angel watches as the place thins out. Why had the Powers sent them there?
Willow turned to Angel, “David and I can look through newspaper records to see if anything unusual has been happening here.”
David nodded and said with a slight blush, “The computers at the firehouse are all up and running.” At Willow’s look he shyly continued, “I was hoping Angel would say yes so I got everything ready in case.”
Angel held out his hand to Willow, “Let’s go see what we can find out then.”
~Part: 5~
Willow sat in front of the monitor tapping away on the keyboard.
“So, what are we looking for?” Cordelia asked.
“Seeing if there has been any unusual activity around D’oblique.” Willow answered without looking up. “Well, that’s interesting.”
Angel came to stand behind Willow. “What is it?”
“Badly mutilated body found in the dumpster nearly three weeks ago, described by the coroner’s office as eviscerated, had been positively identified as that of 28-year old Martin Haber, last seen with an unidentified female companion at D’oblique.”
“So, we’re looking for a demon that eviscerates. There must be thousands.”
David cleared his throat and looked nervously around when everyone’s attention moved to him, “Umm, well I sorta developed a database. A kind of demon database.”
The others just looked at him and he nervously got up from his chair and went to stand next to Angel. He leaned over Willow and clicked the mouse on an icon of a vamp.
Willow smiled, “I wondered what that was for.”
A database program popped up on the monitor. David clicked on the query button. “Okay type in eviscerate, single male.”
They waited while the database pulled up a list of demons.
“Cool.” Willow smiled back at David. She turned to grin at Angel, “Kinda glad we didn’t have this at Sunnydale. It would have put me out of a job as research girl.”
A list of about twenty demons popped up. “Well, at least it’s a place to start.”
Willow’s brow furrowed in concentration, “Well, the demon has to be either using a female or taking a female form. I mean I think we would have noticed a demon in the bar last night.”
“I wouldn’t be too sure about that.” Doyle mumbled.
Willow began typing again.
“What are you looking for now?” Cordelia asked her.
“Just getting into the LA police files to see if there have been any missing persons reported last night.”
“In all of LA, there must be hundreds.”
“Nope, I’m narrowing it down to the precincts around the bar.”
Angel squeezed Willow’s shoulder lightly as he continued to look over her shoulder, “I don’t think there is any computer program that would take your job as research girl.”
“Okay there is a report of a Kevin Gaspard. His friend reported him missing when he didn’t show up for work.” Willow turned to face everyone, “He works at D’oblique.”
“I’m thinking we go back there tonight and ask around to see if Kevin left with anyone. Willow, can you check to see where this Kevin lives? Maybe his body is there.”
“Sure, but if he left with someone wouldn’t they have gone to a nearby hotel?”
Angel quirked his lips and raised an eyebrow, “Speaking from personal experience?” He teased Willow.
Willow blushed a bright red before ducking her head down so her hair covered her face. She began hacking into the DMV records for Kevin’s address.
“Wouldn’t the demon take the victim to their lair?” David asked.
“Depends. If the demon used the entrails for a ritual then yes they probably would. But, if the demon just ate them they wouldn’t be too fussy where they left the body.”
“So this Kevin guy could be anywhere.” Cordelia muttered.
“That’s why we’re going back to D’oblique. If we know who he left with it’ll give us a trail to finding the demon. That is if we don’t find his body first.”
Willow looked up, “Okay, I have his address. David and I’ll go there and check it out.”
“Willow, take Doyle with you. If the demon is still there he can help. We’ll look up the demons that David’s program kicked out see if we can narrow it down further.”
David motioned for Willow to stand and he took her place at the computer. “I input the descriptions of the demons so . . .” He typed in the list of demons and requested a report.
The sound of the printer filled the room as Doyle went to the weapons room. “So does that report say which weapon would work with killing all of the demons? You know in case it’s still there.”
David picked up his copy of the report and began reading. “Umm, well this one has poisonous spikes so I wouldn’t get too close.”
“Right, a long handled sword or crossbow.” Doyle mumbled as he looked through the weapons.
“How about a shotgun?” Cordelia asked as she eyed the guns in the cabinet.
Angel looked up at Cordy, “Well, in my case bullets don’t do much damage so I’m not sure how effective bullets would be against a demon.”
“Well, I just thought if Doyle blew a hole in it the size of a basketball it wouldn’t really matter if it has spikes or not.”
Doyle smiled over his shoulder at Cordelia, “See I knew you cared about me. Don’t want to see me get hurt do you, princess?”
Cordelia rolled her eyes, “Actually I was thinking the sooner you kill it the less work I have to do.”
~~~~~
Doyle held open the car door for Willow as they left Kevin’s apartment. “You know you look like this little innocent girl yet you talked your way past the Security Guard at Winter’s office and the Manager just let you in Kevin’s apartment with no ID. You didn’t use mojo did you?”
Willow blinked at him as her mind raced. She hadn’t told David or Doyle that she was a witch. Had Angel or Cordy?
“Umm, mojo?”
Doyle smiled over at her, “Don’t worry your secret’s safe with me. I can feel your magick.”
“I thought only those with supernatural abilities could feel magick.”
Doyle smiled sheepishly, “Yeah well, that’s correct. I don’t tell people on the first meeting they can get a little freaked.”
“Tell them what?”
Before he can answer Willow Doyle sneezed and spikes appear all over his face. Willow stared at him wide-eyed, “Oh. So um, demon?”
“Half.”
“But not all grr, right?”
Doyle grinned at her, “Nope. Not that kind of demon.”
“Oh, okay. So we’re gonna meet the others at the bar?”
“That’s it? No questions, no skittering to the other side of the car?”
Willow smiled, “Please, my best friend’s the Slayer, Xander my best friend since forever was possessed by a Hyena Spirit, I dated a werewolf in high school and I’m friends with a vampire with a soul. A little green face with spikes is nothing.”
Doyle stopped on the stairs leading down into D’oblique. “You see them?” he asked Willow.
Willow squinted her eyes and checked around the bar. “I think I see Cordy over by the far wall and is that Angel at the bar?”
Doyle’s eyes narrowed as he saw a handsome man lean down to whisper in Cordelia’s ear. Cordelia flashed him a bright smile before shaking her head no and turn toward the bar. The man wasn’t taking no for an answer and placed his hand on Cordy’s arm stopping her from leaving.
Doyle started to make his way over to Cordelia when Willow’s hand on his arm stopped him. “What’s wrong?”
Doyle pointed to where Cordelia was standing. Willow followed Doyle’s hand and saw Cordelia trying to unsuccessfully get rid of a persistent pursuer. Cordelia turned their way and saw Willow and Doyle standing near by. She smiled and waved before turning to the man at her side, “There are my friends now. I’m being represented by David Nabbitt and you can call him at his office to set up that meeting if you’re serious.” Cordelia rolled her eyes as she turned her back on the man and made her way over to Willow and Doyle.
“Do I have a sign on me or something that says I’m an idiot? I mean . . .” Cordelia started to imitate the man, “‘I have a role that would be perfect for you in my next movie. I’m not in my office at the moment, it’s being redecorated but you can meet me at the Hollywood Hilton where my partner and I are conducting read throughs.’ I told him that David was representing me hoping to shut him up and it worked.” Cordelia finished with a grin.
Willow spotted David by Angel talking to the bartender and they made their way over to them.
“Pretty sure I saw him hook up with some girl last night.” The bartender was telling Angel and David.
“What girl?” David asked.
“Shanna? Sharon? Yeah, Sharon. Her name was Sharon. She’s a regular here.”
A man sitting nearby interrupted. “Sharon? You guys looking for Sharon Richler?”
Angel looked to the bartender for confirmation but he just shrugged his shoulders.
“Yeah, do you know where I can find Sharon.” Angel answered him.
“No idea. Nearby I think.”
Angel stood up and the others followed him.
“You think she’s the demon?” Willow asked.
“It’s a start anyway.” Angel said as he looked for a phone book in a nearby booth. Angel found what he was looking for and ripped the page out.
Angel turned to leave, “Come on, she lives about a couple of blocks from here.”
~~~~
Sharon laid on her bed spooned behind Kevin. A worm-like creature leaves Sharon’s chest and begins burrowing into Kevin teeth first. At the sound of Kevin screaming Angel burst down the apartment door. Willow and the others catch up to Angel just as the door falls open.
“Angel you can’t go inside without an invitation.” Willow yelled as she hurriedly made her way down the hallway.
Angel’s foot is over the threshold before Willow can complete her sentence. “Huh? How come he can go in?” Cordelia asked as she caught up with Willow.
Angel ignored them and scanned the apartment looking for Sharon or Kevin. He silently went down the hallway toward the bedroom. Willow looked over Angel’s shoulder as he opened the door.
“Ewww.” Willow scrunched up her nose as she noticed Sharon’s body on the bed. It looked like a week old corpse.
Kevin stood in the corner putting on his sweater. He looked over at Angel, “You’re not human.”
“News flash, pal. Neither are you.” Angel muttered as he approached the being that now inhabited Kevin. “This has to stop. You have to stop.”
“I don’t think so, not yet at least. I have to find the right one, the one I can stay with.”
“The right body? What’s wrong with this one?”
“Nothing yet. I just know it’s not the one I can live in.”
“Well, it’ll have to be the one you die in.” Angel snarled as he attacked Kevin.
Kevin avoided Angel’s fist and landed a punch of his own. He and Angel exchange blows before Kevin hit Angel in the back causing him to fall. Before any of the others can get to Kevin he threw Angel head first into the wall.
“Okay that does it.” Willow looked around for something to float. She spotted a lamp on the bedside table. The lamp began to rise as Willow concentrated.
Angel picked himself back up and turned with game face on to attack Kevin. Willow waved her arm and the lamp flew toward Kevin striking him in the head.
Kevin shook off the hit and turned to attack the newcomer. Before he got to Willow, Angel tackled Kevin to the floor. They exchange more blows before Kevin picked up Angel and tossed him against the wall.
Not waiting for Angel to regain his footing he pushed Cordelia into Doyle causing them to stumble. He hit Willow knocking her to the ground as he ran by. David quickly went to Willow’s side to make sure she’s all right.
Angel shook off the hit and looked around the room, “Everyone okay?”
“Yeah, go get him. We’ll be fine.” Doyle said as he helped Cordy to her feet.
David helped Willow to her feet as Angel ran out the door. “Did you get the number on the truck that hit me?” Willow asked as she rubbed her stomach.
Cordelia looked out the window to see if she can see Angel or the demon inhabiting Kevin.
“So anything about burrowing demons in that nifty database?” Doyle asked David.
“I think there was one.” David mumbled as he looked through his notes.
Cordelia raises an eyebrow, “You brought it with you?”
A slight blush stained David’s cheeks, “You never know when you need it.”
“Um there’s a Tahlmer. It’s been around forever. Hard to kill, doesn’t like fires.”
“Something we have in common.” Angel said from the doorway. “He got away.”
“It’s a parasite, it moves from body to body.”
~Part: 6~
“So how do we find this thing? I mean if it moves from body to body.” David asked Angel.
“That won’t be a problem, I know I can recognize this thing if I saw it in another body.”
“Sure, okay but where do we know where this thing is going next?” Cordelia asked. “I mean does it hang out at D’oblique or does it move on since it knows Angel knows about it? If it moves on do you know how many single bars are in LA? It’ll take forever to find it.”
“I think it’ll stay close to where its host is comfortable so we need to find it quickly before it gets into a body that doesn’t normally hang around D’oblique.” Willow answered Cordy.
“So tonight I’ll go back there…” Angel began before a flood of protests stopped him.
“We’re a team. Tonight WE’LL go back there.” Before Angel could interrupt Willow pointed to her face, “Resolve face, you know what that means.”
Angel reluctantly nodded, “Okay, tonight WE’LL go back there. See if we can find it and hopefully come up with a way to kill it.”
~~~~
Willow watched as Cordelia and Doyle made their way around the bar looking for anyone that Kevin might have infected if he was no longer the host. She and David were on their way to talk to the bartender to see if Kevin had returned to work or if he was still missing. Angel prowled around the edges of the room hoping to get a feel of where the parasite might be.
Willow smiled at the bartender as she sat down, “Hey, I’m looking for a guy I met here a couple of nights ago. I think he worked here he said his name was Kevin. Is he around?”
The bartender paused while wiping the bar to think, “He didn’t come in last night almost fired his ass but he did show up earlier today. I think he’s in the back taking a smoking break if you want to catch him.” He motioned to the door that led out to the alley.
“Thanks!” Willow turned to David and whispered, “I’ll go out back and see if I can see him. You go get Angel and the others and meet me back there.”
“Willow, you shouldn’t go alone. What if he is back there? Angel could barely hold his own against him last time.”
Willow tried to reassure David. “I’ll be okay. I’ll just stall him and stay as far away from him as possible until you guys show up. But hurry okay?”
“Be careful.” David turned to look for Angel, Cordy and Doyle.
Willow debated whether to wait for Angel and the others and just peek out the door to see if Kevin was there. But what if this parasite thingee could detect Angel like Angel could detect it? He’d feel Angel coming and bolt away and they’d lose him.
Willow straightened her shoulders and prayed her knees would quit knocking together and opened the back door. As she stepped out into the alley she let her eyes become accustomed to the dark before venturing further. At first glance she didn’t see Kevin but he could be in the shadows.
Willow tentatively cleared her throat, “Um, Kevin? Are you out here?”
She gasped and spun around when she heard the door behind her open. She breathed a sigh of relief when she was it was Tony, the bartender.
“Did ya find Kevin?”
“Nope. I called his name and there wasn’t an answer.”
Tony narrowed his eyes as he glanced around the alley. “Damn it. This is the second time this week he’s flaked out on me. I’m gonna fire his ass, no excuses this time.”
Willow turned to look into the shadows and never saw the wine bottle that Tony swung toward her head. Willow gave a grunt of pain before falling unconscious to the ground.
Tony looked around to make sure the area was deserted before ripping Willow’s top down the middle and pulling her up in front of him.
The parasite made its way out of Tony’s body but before it can start to enter Willow’s Tony is flung back by a blow to the head.
Willow falls to the ground and the parasite retracts back into Tony.
“Willow!” Cordelia yelled as she ran to her side.
Tony gets up but a flap of skin is starting to fall off his forehead from where Angel hit him with the board.
Angel smirks at him, “Uh oh, looks like you need a new body. That one’s falling apart.”
Tony looks around and spies a keg and a feral smile crosses his features. He grabs the keg and throws it at Angel and the others.
“MOVE!” Angel yelled as he sees the keg hurtling towards him.
Willow is slowly waking but David doesn’t wait. He scooped her up in his arms as they all move out of the way of the falling keg.
Angel slammed his fist into Tony’s stomach sending him back a few steps. Tony grabbed Angel and pushed him face first into the fence and held him there. Angel brought his head back knocking it into Tony’s face startling him. He took advantage of Tony’s inattention and turned to face him. Holding onto the fence Angel raised his legs to encircle Tony’s neck and he twisted his body so that Tony collapsed to the ground.
Tony shook his head and more pieces of flesh fly off the body. He shakily gets to his feet and lifted Angel up and tossed him back against the wall next to the door.
While Angel is struggling to get to his feet Tony runs towards the entrance of the alley where he grabbed Cordy on his way out. Doyle follows shouting Cordelia’s name as he reached for the gun he brought.
Angel jumped the nearby fence running around to intercept Tony when he exits the other alley. He hurried his pace when he heard gunshots. Turning the corner he sees Doyle take a flying leap and tackle Tony to the ground where he dropped Cordelia.
Angel shouts, “Run I got him!”
Doyle moved closer to Cordelia, “You okay, princess?”
“Oh I am so going to kick his ass when Angel’s done with him. Look at this skirt it’s ruined! I paid a lot of money for this skirt.” Cordelia suddenly brightened, “Hey, do you think I can claim it as a job expense and David will buy me another one?”
Angel chased Tony down another alley. This one inhabited by groups of homeless people surrounding burning barrels. Angel flipped Tony over a crate and kicked him. Tony grabbed Angel and tried to force him into a burning barrel. Angel managed to spin away and threw Tony against the wall.
Even though more pieces of flesh are falling off Tony is able to throw Angel toward the barrel. Angel barely missed the barrel and laid on the ground stunned. Tony sees his opportunity and runs to jump on top of Angel.
Angel waited until the last moment before using his foot to catapult Tony over his head.
Tony’s body overturned the burning barrel and caught fire. Angel hurriedly scrambled to his feet to get out of the way of the human torch stumbling towards him.
Before Tony can reach Angel shots are fired and Tony stumbled to the ground. Angel looked up and saw Doyle lower his gun with Cordelia, David and Willow beside him wearing David’s shirt.
Angel wearily made his way to the front of the alley, “You okay?” He asked Willow but Cordelia answered him, “Yeah no thanks to that parasite thing. I mean look at my skirt. I’ll never get the grease out.”
David sighed, “I told you to buy a new one and bring the receipt to me.”
Angel continued to look at Willow ignoring Cordelia’s outburst. “Are you?”
Willow hugged David’s shirt tighter around her before nodding, “Not something I want to repeat again. I mean, what is it with me and parasites? First bezoars in Sunnydale and now this thing wanted to take me over.”
Before Angel can answer they hear sirens in the distance, “I think we should go. Don’t really want to explain to LAPD why we should be let go after tossing a guy into the fire.”
“Yeah, I have a feeling the LAPD is harder to convince that it was a gang on PCP than the Sunnydale police were.”
~Part: 7~
“God, I’ve got to get an apartment.” Cordelia said as she threw down the paper. “I’ve been looking forever but I can’t find anything.”
“Maybe your standards are too high.” Willow mumbled as she looked up a demon in David’s database.
“I heard that, Willow. All I’m looking for is a decent apartment not too cheap but not too expensive.”
“What’s your big hurry about leaving here?” Doyle asked. “You have a spacious room, not to mention the charming company.”
“My point exactly. I work with you people I don’t want to see you 24-7. I want my own place, no offense.”
Angel’s pleading eyes met Willow’s and he mouthed ‘get her out of here.’
Willow’s lips quirked as she pushed herself back from the computer. “Hey Doyle why don’t you, Cordy and me go apartment shopping?” As Willow passed Angel she whispered, “You owe me BIG, mister.”
“Well, if you insist on leaving us I know a guy who might know a place.”
“I’m not going to get an apartment through some guy you know whose criteria is probably how far the bus ride is from the track.”
Cordelia and Doyle argued as they went out to the car. Willow turned to Angel again, “Have I mentioned how much you’re gonna owe me?”
“I’ll make it up to you, promise. How ‘bout some good old fashioned Sunnydale stargazing?” Angel asked with a smile.
Willow smiled in return. She loved the times that she and Angel used to sit out under the stars and talk. When he had saved her from a flamey death at the hands of Faith’s watcher they had taken to sitting out under the stars, talking about the constellations and life.
“I’d like that.”
“Willow! Are you coming or what?!” Cordelia bellowed.
Willow rolled her eyes, “Coming, Cordy.”
~~~~
Willow started to breathe through her mouth as they walked from the hallway to the apartment. The smell was overwhelming.
Cordelia blinked her eyes as they were beginning to water from the smell of mildew.
“Umm, we’ll it has potential.” Willow said trying to be positive.
“Oh is that what I’m smelling? Potential?” Doyle muttered.
“Next one will be better.” Cordelia said with a determined air.
A clean cut man pulled a curtain aside to reveal the toilet and sink. “It’s like a community. We all share the upkeep.”
Willow had to bite the side of her mouth to keep from laughing at the look on Cordelia’s face.
“We don’t believe in barriers, it’s the first rule of the great leader. You can come to the meetings if you want. They start at 5:00.”
“You know as much as I’d love to that is just a tad too early for me.” Cordelia said trying to be nice.
“Oh you’ll be up. The chanting starts at 4:00.”
Doyle grabbed Cordelia’s arm before she could say something they’d all regret.
At the next apartment Willow knocked on the superintendent’s door.
A large man opened the door and looked Willow up and down and then turned his attention to Cordelia. A large smile spread across his face, “Can I help you ladies?”
“We’d like to see the two bedroom apartment you have for rent.” Cordelia was determined to get an apartment and this Neanderthal was not going to stand in her way.
The superintendent smiled as he walked across the hall to the room opposite his and opened it up for them. He leaned against the doorframe with his pants hitched below his potbelly. He absentmindedly rubbed his stomach as he watched Willow and Cordelia look around the apartment.
“So, you’re a single gal, going to be living here alone? Because I’m right across the hall and you can sleep easy knowing that I’m the only other soul in the world with a key to that door. You just think about that while you look, okay?”
No amount of privacy was worth living next to this guy, Cordelia turned to Doyle, “So you know a guy that knows about an apartment?”
“Finally. Yeah, let me give him a call.”
Willow looked at Cordelia while Doyle called his friend, “You sure about this?”
Cordelia nodded, “It can’t be any worse than this last place.”
Both Cordelia and Willow shuddered at that thought of the superintendent.
Doyle’s voice interrupted their thoughts, “Said the real estate lady will meet us there.”
“Well, what are we waiting for let’s go.”
~~~~
Cordelia walked around the adobe style apartment. Her eyes roaming everywhere at once. “It’s just perfect. Have you seen anything so beautiful?”
Doyle smiled, “No never.”
Willow smiled as she leaned in to whisper to Doyle, “I think she meant the apartment and not her butt.”
Doyle’s eyes snapped off Cordelia’s butt and turned to Willow. He smiled sheepishly.
“Willow, come look in the bedroom. It’s just amazing in here.”
Willow smiled at Cordelia’s enthusiasm and followed her voice into the bedroom.
The Real Estate agent smiled as Willow joined her friend. Cordelia turned to the agent, “Okay, what’s wrong with it?”
“Nothing’s wrong with it, the tenant just broke their lease last week. I don’t know how you knew about it.”
Cordelia beamed a smile at Doyle who was leaning against the doorframe.
Knowing she had a sale the Real Estate agent added to clinch the deal, “It’s quite the bargain, the furniture comes with it. Do you think you want it?”
Cordelia had gone back to roaming the apartment looking at the furniture now that she knew it came with it. She let her hand trail lovingly over a wood cabinet, “Oh I used to have one of those.”
Willow opened the bathroom door and sighed at the sight of the garden bathtub. Cordelia came to stand behind Willow and squealed with delight.
Doyle smiled from the doorway, “She’ll take it.”
“Great, I’ll just fill out the rental forms and you can stop by the office later.”
Cordelia smiled as she looked around the apartment one last time. “This is just perfect.” She waved airily at a far wall, “Except you know I’ll have to hire someone to knock out this wall.”
“I thought you said this was perfect.” Doyle said in confusion.
“It is and part of that is there is one tiny flaw for me to fix.”
“Ah, that’s why you find me so fascinating.”
Willow laughed as she followed them out of the apartment. He was so like Jesse and Xander. She didn’t doubt that in time Cordelia would fall for his boyish charm.
No one noticed the face bulge out of the wall.
~Part: 8~
“So, Doyle’s helping Cordelia move her stuff?"
Willow looked over at Angel as they sat outside looking up at the stars. She smiled as she answered, “Yeah and trying his darnedest to get to spend the first night there.”
Angel raised his eyebrows at that, “She barely tolerates him and he thinks she’s gonna ask him to sleep with her?”
Willow grinned without looking at him, “Well not in the romantic sense. He claims it’s all in the interest of her being alone the first night in a strange place.”
Angel smiled as he sat next to Willow, “Think it’ll work?”
“Nope, but it’s a good try. I think he’ll eventually wear her down. I think that was Jesse’s strategy in Sunnydale.”
Angel tried to remember a Jesse in Sunnydale. Granted he was wrapped up in the world of Buffy and Angel when he had been there but he couldn’t remember a Jesse. “Jesse?”
It didn’t hurt as much as it had, to remember Jesse. She still mourned him and probably always would but she could think of him and smile now.
“You didn’t meet him, he died before we started helping Buffy and Giles. He had such a crush on Cordelia and of course she didn’t even know he was alive. Well, she did but only in the sense that he wouldn’t leave her alone.” Willow smiled at the memories of Jesse trying to get Cordy to go out with him. She didn’t want to bring up that it was Darla that lured him away for the master. Angel had enough guilt from his own actions and Willow didn’t want to add to it. Before Angel could ask more about Jesse Willow decided to change the subject.
“David found a new toy that he’s anxious to try out.”
Angel smiled at the thought of David. He wanted so very much to be Robin to Angel’s Batman.
“What does this one do?”
“Traces the paths of demons.”
Angel turned his head to look at Willow, “As Cordy says, ‘huh’?”
Willow smiled, “It’s supposed to follow the traces of the supernatural. Kind of like a bloodhound for demons.”
“Does it work?”
“Don’t know, but don’t be surprised if David wants to test it on you.” Willow began giggling at the thought of David tracking Angel.
Doyle heard the sound of Willow’s giggles as he came onto the terrace. “Ah, the sound of a woman’s laughter is music on the air.”
Willow rolled her eyes, “Okay, we’re gonna have to work on your lines if you’re going to have any hope of getting to Cordelia.”
“Pixie, you wound me. I’ll have you know that it was lines like that, that have hundreds of women fall at my feet.”
“Hundreds, huh?”
“Well, that might be a slight exaggeration.”
“So Cordelia’s all moved in?” Angel asked Doyle.
Willow bumped her shoulder into Angel’s. “Is that the desperate sound of hope in your voice?”
“No. It’s just…” Angel trailed off at Willow’s look, “Okay, maybe a little desperate.”
“Don’t worry. She’s extremely happy about her new place.” Doyle reassured Angel. “In fact she wanted to show it off to everyone tomorrow.” Doyle looked up at the lightening sky, “I guess I should say later today.”
~~~~
Willow looked up as Cordelia came into the room, “So how was your first night in your new apartment.”
“Great! No really it was nice to have my own place. No one to stand in line to use the shower, no one banging on the door telling you to hurry.”
Willow watched Cordelia, she seemed to be a little too enthusiastic. “Everything okay, Cordy?”
“Yep, everything is good in Casa Chase. So, umm what big evil are we fighting tonight?”
“Well Angel and Doyle just went to save someone from a Korvak demon. I volunteered to stay here and answer the phones.” Willow got an impish grin on her face. “I looked up Korvak on David’s database and saw that the demon spews green goop when under attack. Didn’t argue when Angel asked me to stay here.”
Cordelia smiled, “Do Angel and Doyle know about the goop?”
“If they didn’t know before they will after.”
“Willow! I never realized you had that streak in you. I kinda like it.”
Willow smiled as she remembered the time in Ms. Calendar’s class that she told Cordelia and Harmony that to save their work they should hit the deliver key. “Sometimes it’s the quiet ones.”
“Many phone calls?”
“Nope it’s been quiet.”
“So, you’re not doing anything now?”
“Just working a little on debugging a program for David. Why?”
“I was just curious about the history of my apartment. You know… who owned it originally, did anything exciting happen there, things like that.”
Willow turned her chair around and looked Cordelia in the eye, “Did something happen last night?”
“No, no just curious as to what happened. It has such an old lived in feel. So can you find anything?”
“Sure, do you want owners of the building or tenants in your place?”
Cordelia thought about the ghostly happenings in her apartment, “I’m thinking tenants. You know, did Errol Flynn have an illicit affair there? That kind of thing.”
Willow saved her coding and then clicked on the Internet. “Okay let’s try newspapers first. See if there were any news reports of anything happening at the Pearson Arms.”
Cordelia looked over Willow’s shoulder as she waited for the hits from the search. “Oh good there are five hits.”
“This is probably a wild goose chase Cordy.”
“Yeah, yeah just check it out.”
Willow turned in her chair and crossed her arms. “Not till you tell me why you really want to know.”
Cordelia gave Willow her best Queen C look but Willow’s Resolve face didn’t budge.
“Oh, okay! Geez. Turns out my incredible, nothing is wrong with it apartment went all Poltergeist on me.”
“Cordelia! You know better than anyone how destructive ghosts can be. How can you forget that Sadie Hawkins dance ghost at Sunnydale!”
Cordelia rolled her eyes, “Willow, don’t you think that if it had been that kind of ghost with the wasps and the guns that I would have come back here?”
Willow cocked her head, “Nope, I don’t think you would have.”
Cordelia sat down in a nearby chair and sighed, “You’re right, I wouldn’t. I can’t give it up, Willow.”
“It’s just a place. We’ll find you another one.”
“What about the next person that rents it?”
“Cordy. You and I both know you don’t care if the next person gets Casper. Why do you really want to stay?”
“I-if it goes away, it’s like I’m still being punished.”
“Punished? For what?”
“For being such a bitch back in Sunnydale. My life was great! I was popular, Daddy bought me everything then BOOM! Buffy comes to Sunnydale, I date XANDER, Daddy makes a slight judgment error with the IRS and my life as I know it is gone. I had to pay… but with this apartment and working with Angel it’s like I could be me again. Punishment over, welcome back to your life.”
Willow was silent for a moment and then turned back to the computer, “Okay let’s see what we can find. Could you tell how old your ghost was?” Willow pointed to the hits, “Did you see the ghost or did it just move stuff around?”
“Move stuff. I didn’t see anything.”
“Okay let’s start with the oldest.” Willow clicked on the hit from a newspaper article from the forties. “Don’t think this is it. It’s a Maude Pearson in her late fifties that died from a heart attack. Usually ghosts have had a violent death, but she was the owner. Hmm.”
“Hmm, what? You’re hmms usually lead to badness.”
“Umm, I think she died in your apartment, Cordy.”
“Yes! How hard can it be to get an old lady ghost to leave?”
~Part: 9~
“Okay Cordy, I just have to get some stuff and we can do a cleansing spell.”
“How long has it been since you’ve done a spell? Not that I’m complaining or anything but you’ve been computer gal a while now.”
“Well, I haven’t come across any big bads I had to defeat with my magick but I have kept practicing.”
“Good enough for me. Get the stuff and I’ll meet you back at the apartment.”
“Don’t you think it would be better if you waited for Angel and Doyle? I don’t like the idea of you being alone in the apartment without us.”
Cordelia rolled her eyes, “Please I’m not scared of some old lady ghost. Hello, grew up on the Hellmouth.”
“What if it’s not an old lady ghost? I’m not positive it’s that Maude lady that died in your apartment. Why don’t you research more while I get the stuff? It shouldn’t take me long to get what I need. Even if it’s her maybe we can use something. Like go towards the light and be with your husband Benjy.”
“Benjy?”
Willow shrugged, “Sounds like it should go with Maude.”
“Fine, I’ll wait.”
Cordelia waited until she was sure that Willow had been gone long enough before she wrote her a note.
‘Didn’t find anything. See ya at the apartment. Cordy.’
She smiled as she shut the door. She could look Willow in the eyes with a clear conscience. She hadn’t lied.
~~~~
“Willow, that wasn’t very nice of you not to tell us about the spewing goop.” Doyle yelled as he entered the fire station. “It’s a good thing Angel and I have such great reflexes or we would have been covered in it.”
A door slam greeted Doyle’s announcement.
Doyle raised his eyebrows at Angel as they made their way further into the offices.
Angel’s hearing picked up Willow’s mutterings.
“I’m gonna kill her.” Willow muttered as she stomped her way out of the main office. “See ya at the apartment. Wait ‘til I get my hands on her. She thinks the ghost was bad.”
Ghost? “Something wrong, Willow?” Angel asked cautiously.
“Seems Cordy’s apartment isn’t as great as she first thought. We think there’s a ghost. You’d think living on the Hellmouth would make you smarter about things that go bump in the night. But not with Cordy, oh no. She decides she’s not gonna wait here for me to get back with some magical stuff, she’ll meet me back at the apartment. Stupid me trusted her when she said that she wouldn’t leave.” Willow stomped her way past Doyle and Angel as she answered Angel’s question.
Doyle smiled at Angel, “She’s right pretty when she’s mad.”
Willow narrowed her eyes and whirled on Doyle who took a hasty step back and raised his hands in surrender.
“But that’s not the point. Bad Cordy! We should probably go to the apartment now.” Doyle tried to charm Willow with a smile.
~~~~
Cordelia opened the door to her apartment, “Listen up, Casper. This is my place and I’m not having a roomie.”
She took a step back when the word Die appeared on a nearby wall in blood.
Okay that was a bit more than furniture moving around but Cordelia was determined to win. “Oooh, is that all you’ve got? I grew up on the Hellmouth. That doesn’t scare me.”
The spectral form of Maude appeared behind Cordy. “Poor thing. You just don’t fit in here do you? Too bad you didn’t leave my son alone.”
“Your son? I don’t know who you think you’re talking to but my name’s Cordelia.”
“Oh that’s the name of a cheap small town tramp trying to sound better than she is. You’re not good enough for my boy. This will never be your home.”
“This IS my home and my friends will be here any minute.”
“You don’t have any friends. They don’t care about you. You don’t deserve this place. You don’t deserve anything.”
Cordelia thought she might have made a really stupid mistake by not waiting for Willow or Angel. “You know, you’re right. I’ll leave.”
She turned to go to the door but an invisible force threw her back and into a wall.
“Oh I don’t think so.” A chandelier came crashing down in the middle of the room. “You’ve never been kind.” Another force sent Cordy into another wall. “You’re a user.”
The cable that used to hold the chandelier snaked down and wrapped itself around Cordelia’s neck. Cordelia tried to pull at it but it tightened further. The cord returned up into the ceiling which pulled Cordelia up.
“Everyone will be glad when you’re dead.”
Cordelia’s body went limp.
~~
Angel reached Cordelia’s door before the others and began pounding. Willow yelled Cordelia’s name as she and Doyle ran to catch up.
Doyle shifted his weight from foot to foot wanting to do something. “Break it down!”
Angel kicked in the door and they notice Cordelia hanging limply.
“Oh my God!” Willow rushed over as Angel lifted her up and Doyle got the noose off her neck.
Cordelia coughed and said in a hoarse voice, “We...we can’t stop her.”
“Was it Maude?” Willow asked as she helped Cordelia stand.
Cordelia nodded, “She thinks I’m after her son.”
Willow’s brows furrowed, “Her son? That doesn’t sound like she died of a heart attack and just hasn’t gone to the light.” Willow began to mumble as she paced back and forth.
“Okay. Not a good place to be taking our time. Let’s go.” Cordy started walking away.
“No! We can defeat her Cordy. Or well you can.” Willow stopped pacing and got her supplies out. “Doyle start making the circle.”
“Cordy, I think Maude may have been murdered. There are ways to make the victim look like they had a heart attack. Makes more sense for a haunting, too.”
“Cordelia shook her head, “No! She’s stronger than us. She knows me.”
Angel held Cordy’s arm. “You can do it, Cordelia. Are you trying to tell me that some old lady ghost is going to get the best of Cordelia Chase of Sunnydale?”
Willow saw that Doyle had completed the circle. “Bring the truth into the light. Let the villain be revealed that a soul can take its place for all eternity.”
Paper and small objects begin to fly around the room.
“Here she comes. She knows what we’re doing.” Doyle
“Adduce veritatum in lucem. Accipitat laura suam requiatam reposcant anima suum regnum.” Willow turned to Cordelia, “Cordelia, come on and stand in the circle.”
Light bulbs started to pop; heavier objects blew through the air and smashed into the walls.
Angel noticed the knives hovering in the air in the kitchen doorway. “Knives!”
He and Doyle ducked as the butcher knives fly overhead and embed in the tiles over the fireplace.
“You broke it.” Maude whined as she saw the tile split and fall.
Cordelia grabbed Willow’s hand when the knives flew by them. She leaned over, “Let’s just leave. You’re right it’s just an apartment.” She faced Maude, “I’m sorry you’re son killed you. You can have the apartment.”
Maude focused her attention on Cordelia and Willow. “I knew you were trouble right from the beginning. You BETTER be sorry, bitch.”
Cordelia stiffened and Willow muttered, “Uh oh.”
Cordelia narrowed her eyes at Maude and put her hands on her hips, “I’m not a sniveling whiny little Cry-Buffy. I’m the nastiest girl in Sunnydale history. I take crap from no one. Back off Polygrip! You think you’re bad? Being all mean and haunty? Picking on poor pathetic Cordy? Well, get ready to haul your wrinkly translucent ass out of this place, because lady, the bitch is back.”
Maude looked disdainfully at Cordelia, “Do you think that I’m going to take that from trash like you?
Cordelia put her best Queen C attitude on and stared down Maude, “I’ll tell you what I think. I think that you’re going to pack your little ghost bags and get the HELL OUT OF MY HOUSE!”
There was a flash of white light and Maude was thrown backwards through a wall.
Abruptly the objects fall to the ground and the apartment is eerily quiet.
“You did it, Princess.” Doyle smiled at Cordelia.
“Yeah, well she pissed me off.”
Willow’s eyes turn white and glazed over. While Angel and Doyle are congratulating Cordelia Willow walked over to a lamp stand and began knocking at the wall that has a hole in it.
“Willow!” Angel yelled and moved to her side.
She didn’t hear him and continued to make the hole larger. The hole finally reveals a skeleton and Willow’s eyes cleared.
The specter of Maude appeared behind Willow. “I had to do it, Dennis. It was for your own good.”
A white light oozed out of the skeleton.
“Dennis I presume.” Doyle said as they watched the white light become more solid and moved toward Maude.
“She would have made your life miserable. Please…please.”
Maude disappeared when the white light flew into her.
“I knew I didn’t like that wall!” Cordelia huffed. The lamp stand that Willow had dropped moved to an upright position. “Thanks Phantom Dennis.”
Angel slipped his arm around Willow’s shoulder, “You okay?”
She nodded, “Just want to go on record that I don’t like being possessed by a ghost.”
“I hear ya.” Angel smiled as he remembered his own experience.
~Part: 10~
David entered Angel Investigations’ lobby and looked around for Willow. Doyle stepped out of Angel’s office when he heard the door to the lobby open and noticed that David was wearing a tuxedo. “Ah, David you don’t have to dress up just to come see us.”
David smiled at Doyle, “Didn’t, got a hot date tonight.”
“Then what are you doing here, man?”
“Picking her up.”
Just then Cordelia stood at the top of the stairs in a blue strapless evening dress. Doyle’s face wore a comical expression, sort of a cross between desire and jealousy as he looked between Cordelia and David. David leaned in to whisper to him, “Nope, not her.”
Cordelia saw David standing in the lobby with Doyle, “Willow’ll be down in a minute. You would not believe the shoes she was going to wear with her outfit. Luckily I caught her just in time.”
Cordelia started down the spiral staircase that led into the lobby. “So Doyle is it a night of murder, mayhem and demon hunting for you and Angel while Willow and I are whisked away with our incredibly-more-wealthy-than-you princes? Makes your life seem a tad drab doesn’t it?”
Willow rolled her eyes at the top of the stairs as she heard Cordelia’s last comment. “Oh yeah. An exciting night awaits David and I of bouncy, rubber chicken dinners and listening to boring speeches.”
“Hey, I’m one of the boring speeches.” David said with a slight smile.
“No offense, David. But I think I’d rather be hunting demons with Doyle and Angel.”
“Yeah me, too.”
“Well, you two may have a boring night ahead but Pierce is taking me to Le Petite Renard. Very hard to get into you know.”
Angel came into the lobby just in time to hear Cordelia’s comment.
“Hey wasn’t that the place that David took us to last week?” Angel directed his question to Willow as she came down the stairs.
Willow bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing at the expression on Cordy’s face, “Yep. It was great, too. You’ll love it Cordy.”
“Oh yeah, sure if you’re DAVID you can get in anywhere.” Cordelia muttered as she checked herself in the mirror one last time.
“You look beautiful.”
Cordelia turned to thank Angel but saw he was looking at Willow who was wearing a slight blush. She took in Angel’s slight smile and Willow’s blush and started calculating. Hmm, maybe a little push here, a little prod there and Angel can stop brooding over Buffy. As she opened her mouth to prod a little the tinkling of the bell interrupted her.
“Pierce!”
David turned to see Cordy’s date and grimaced. Crap it was Pierce Patterson. He had been hoping it was another Pierce when Cordelia mentioned his name earlier. Every time Pierce ran into David he tried to get him to buy futures. He was worse than an Insurance salesman.
Willow saw David’s deer in the headlight look and walked around Angel to reach his side. “Oh wow, look at the time. I didn’t realize I took so long. I am soo sorry. We’ve really got to go or David will be late. Keynote speaker and all.” Willow smiled apologetically to Pierce and Cordelia as she steered David to the back entrance. She mouthed sorry to Angel and Doyle as they passed. “See ya later, Angel.”
“Now that’s a good assistant.” Doyle whispered to Angel.
“Rude much?” Cordelia narrowed her eyes at Willow and David’s retreating back. She slipped her arm through Pierce’s.
“So, you going to introduce us?” Angel asked with a chuckle in his voice.
“Angel, Doyle this is Pierce.” Cordelia called over her shoulder as she turned Pierce towards the door. “Don’t wait up.”
“Huh? And she called Willow rude.” Doyle sat down with a thump, “She’s not going to fall for my unpretentious charm is she?”
Doyle suddenly grabbed his head and bent over in pain. “Young guy. Vampire nest downtown.”
Angel grabs a sword and some stakes. “Let’s go. You gonna be okay?”
Doyle looked wistfully at the door that Cordelia vacated. “Yeah, I think so.”
~~~~
Cordelia leaned back on the couch and flipped through a magazine as she talked to Willow, “Okay, so here I am in Le Petite Renard with Pierce. Who can whisk me back to the style I want to be accustomed to again and the whole night I was bored out of my mind. All I could think of was that if he ever saw a monster he’d probably go screaming into the night like a weasel.”
Willow chuckled, “David said every time he gets around Pierce his eyes glaze and it’s like time stands still. Besides, it sounds like your growing as a person. See, first Xander got you away from your Harmony sheep and now you’ve realized that money isn’t everything. It’s a good thing, Cordy.”
“Ha! So you say. It’s a disastrous thing. Now I expect a guy to be all brave and interesting. I swore after Xander I’d never go there again. And it’s all your fault. Both of you.” Cordelia pointed at Angel and Doyle as they came in the room.
“I have no doubts that whatever it is you’re talking about we’re to blame. So why are we at fault?” Doyle asked.
Willow looked back over her shoulder to Doyle, “Seems our Cordelia is growing up. Mr. I’m-richer-than-god no longer satisfies our Cordelia, she now wants brave and interesting.”
Doyle beamed, “So I’m brave and interesting now?” He turned to wink at Angel, “See I told you I’d wear her down.”
Cordelia rolled her eyes, “Okay, maybe...MAYBE you don’t have zero potential.”
“No, stop. You’ll give me a big head.”
“A little late for that, Francis.” A voice from the doorway interrupted.
Willow looked over at the doorway, “Francis? Who’s Francis?”
“Harry?”
“What Willow said, who’s Francis?” Cordelia narrowed her eyes at the newcomer.
“Um, that would be me. Allen Francis Doyle. Everyone this is my wife, Harry.”
Cordelia raised her eyebrows at Doyle while Willow narrowed hers menacingly. If he was married this whole time why flirt with Cordy? Okay, sure it would probably be a cold day in hell before Cordy went out with Doyle but still she didn’t deserve that.
Doyle read the body language in both women and winced.
The blonde walked up to Doyle and gave him a hug, “You look good.”
Doyle returned it awkwardly, “Yeah, you too.”
“So, you’re Doyle’s wife?” Cordelia asked in a deceptively calm voice.
“Was and still is according to the paperwork.” Harry answered.
“Ah, a green card kind of thing.”
Harry shook her head no in answer to Cordy, “Nope, a madly in love couldn’t live without each other thing. But here we are four years later and look still living.”
Before Doyle could comment the lobby door opens and a tall man entered. Harry turns surprised eyes to him. “I thought you were going to wait outside in the car.”
“I know, but curiosity got the better of me.”
“And you are?” Doyle asked as he looked from Harry to the newcomer.
“Richard, you know you’re not at all like I imagined.” Richard held out his hand to Angel.
Angel cleared his throat, “Um, that’s cause I’m not Doyle.”
“Ah. Explains a lot.” Richard smiled as he turned toward Doyle.
Harry rolled her eyes, “Richard just shake his hand.”
“Right, sorry. I’m just nervous. You know with the wedding and all.”
Doyle turns wide eyes to Harry, “A wedding?”
“Oh was I not supposed to say that yet?”
Harry sighed while Cordelia beamed at Richard. “No, please go on.”
Willow grabbed Cordy’s hand. “It was really nice meeting you both but Cordy and I have to do those reports.”
“Reports? What reports? We don’t have any reports.”
Willow turned pleading eyes to Angel who grabbed Cordelia’s other hand, “You know the reports!?”
She rolled her eyes and let herself be dragged away, “Right the reports.”
Harry turned to Richard, “Could you leave us alone for a minute, hon?”
Richard looked between Doyle and Harry, “Yeah, sure. Meet you outside.”
Doyle waited until Richard left. “What? You wanted to see my face when I found out?”
“God, you know...of course not. I just need you to sign these.” Harry pulled out an envelope with papers in it.
“Divorce papers?”
“Francis, you know one of us would eventually…”
Doyle stiffened, “It’s Doyle, just Doyle. I’ll get my people to look this over.”
“Tell your people I’ll come back for them in a few days.”
~~~~
Cordelia pushed Angel toward the door, “Use your vampiric hearing and tell me what’s going on.”
Angel scowled at her, “I’m not going to eavesdrop on a private conversation.”
Cordy rolled her eyes, “What good is superhuman hearing if you’re not gonna use it for the good stuff? Hey Willow, you know any spells that will enhance hearing?”
“Even if I did, which I don’t, I wouldn’t use it on Doyle. This has got to be hard on him to see the love of his life but with someone else.”
“It’s hard.” Angel quietly said.
Willow realized what she had said and turned wide eyes to Angel. “God I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up memories of Buffy and Riley.”
He had learned from Willow that Buffy was seeing someone. Someone that made her happy and gave her the life she wanted that he couldn’t give her. It still hurt, but surprisingly it didn’t hurt as much as it had when she first told him.
“It’s okay. I think I’m finally glad she moved on. Okay, maybe not glad but definitely not angry anymore.”
Willow smiled and squeezed Angel’s hand.