Email: mail@cbaird82.freeserve.co.uk
Content: A/C (who else)
Summary: Following a visit from a member of the Council, things are revealed about Wesley's past and a new threat to the Fang Gang and everything they hold dear is unveiled, reminding them that the past doesn't stay dead when you bury it.
Spoilers: This fic is set Pre-Pylea - so everything after Angel's dark "Beige Period"... Uhm... spoiler for Dead End, pre-Belonging.
Disclaimer: The characters in the Angelverse were created by Joss Whedon & David Greenwalt. No infringement is intended, no profit is made.
Distribution: Anywhere, just let me know where it's going.
Dedication: To Penny, Florrie, Aya and all the other people who make the wonderful Stranger Things a HUGE part of my Purple-Heavenous life... (Is Heavenous even a word? lol...) You guys are the greatest!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
~Part: 1~
"God, I wish there were more girls around here." Said Cordelia, sighing for the hundredth time that day. She sat, her legs draped over the edge of the chair in her expensive-looking but not costing sandals and tapping her feet mindlessly to a tune that drummed in her head. One she'd ironically heard on the radio that morning while getting up to go to work. Again. It wasn't that she was bored or anything, it was just... Harmony being here had showed Cordelia that she missed the simple company of a woman. Someone's toe-nails to paint... Someone to laugh at the in-jokes about the whole period thing... Granted, at times she could use a good whine about the vision pain but, Phantom Dennis provided a good sounding board (and an ice pack) for those troubles, for which Cordelia Chase was eternally grateful. Sure, Harmony was evil, but she'd been a good friend back in the day and now, Cordelia was left wanting the company of a friend... A girlfriend.
"Hey, I know," Said Gunn, "Why don't we invite your friend Harmony to stay again? Now that was my idea of fun..."
Scowling, Cordelia tossed the magazine she'd been reading across the room, missing Gunn's head by an inch, "Funny," She frowned, "I'm serious. I'm tired of there only being guys around here... I'm outnumbered... And if any of you would actually dare doing it, you could effectively outvote me on some important, life-changing decision."
"Ah, but would you actually do what we outvoted you on?" Asked Wesley, rationally.
"Well no, but..."
"Well then!" He said with a smile.
"Who died and made you Logic Boy? I'm having a crisis here and you guys are just... Joking around!"
"Morning!" Angel's voice floated down the stairs ahead of him as he entered the lobby of the Hyperion, picking up the paper. "Nooo," Said Cordelia, "That would be sundown. You slept. Most of the day away. Again."
"I'm a vampire!" Said Angel, nervously, "And besides, who kept me up until eight this morning telling me how great it would be to have another woman around here to talk to?"
"Seems to me like you have all the woman you need over there in Angel..." Observed Wesley, casually, "I've noticed that these after-hours talks of yours have gotten more frequent as of late..."
"You're calling me a woman?"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Asked Cordelia, frowning.
"He's calling me a woman!"
"Get over it!" Said Cordelia, "He's not a woman. Whatever his taste in clothes may suggest... And anyway, so I can talk to Angel, big deal! That might be on account of his lack of being here over the past few months."
Angel's face fell at that, making Cordelia sigh, "I need someone to... To shop with! To bitch to when you guys are annoying me! I need someone to let me paint their toenails!"
"Nuh-uh, no way and also NO..." Said Gunn, "I am NOT letting you paint my toe-nails, no matter how much you beg."
"It was a metaphor, dumbass..." Cordelia sighed and got up from her seat, grabbing hold of her purse, "I think I'll go shopping, look at the things I want to buy but can never afford on my pittance here and watch as happy friend-shipped girlie couples walk down the street, holding hands..."
"Can I join you?" Asked Gunn, teasingly.
"Bite me!" Tossed the brunette over her shoulder as she left the hotel.
* * * * *
"I think she's lonely." Said Wesley softly, "Having Harmony here can only have aided in the sense that Cordelia has no one of her own age and certainly, her own frame of mind to turn to."
"She has us..." Said Angel, "Shouldn't that be enough?"
For all the things Angel was... Good, noble, strong, caring, loving... All of that - at times he could be rather blind to what was right in front of his nose. "Happy with us she is, Angel. But she lacks a female friend, one she can turn to throughout anything. With us she has a 250 year old vampire..."
"248 year old vampire!" Said Angel indignantly, "I'm not that old..."
"Fine." Said Wesley, "With us she has a 248 year old vampire, a tough, streetwise kid and a ruggedly handsome ex-watcher..."
"Ruggedly handsome? English, are you trippin'?" Asked Gunn, shaking his head, "Now the ruggedly handsome tough, streetwise kid I'd buy..."
"Hey, what's wrong with the strangely alluring, sometimes brooding ensouled vampire?"
Just before the full-scale argument broke out, a knock came at the door. A tweed-clad man with a briefcase stepped inside, "Excuse me, I was told I'd find a Mr. Wyndham-Pryce here, is that true?"
Wesley stood immediately, thinking first and foremost about his parents, wondering if some tragic incident had befallen them, his heart trip-hammering in his chest. "Yes?"
"Mr. Wyndham-Pryce, would it be possible to speak with you for a moment, alone?" Asked the man, pointedly. "Official Council business..."
The frown was on Wesley's face quicker than he could blink, "I'm afraid not. The Council and I haven't had dealings in a very long time, it would be best if you'd turn round and leave..."
"Sir, I'm assured that this you'll need to hear." Said the man, shuffling nervously in front of the vampire, there was talk rife among the Watcher's Council that Wesley had reverted to the 'other side' aiding the vampire, releasing the rogue slayer, the list was endless. Still, that didn't mean that the brit hadn't served his purpose back in the day and this was important.
Acquiescing with a sigh, Wesley gestured to the office, "We'll talk in there then?"
* * * * * *
"Oh, I would *kill* to live in LA, that close to that many shoes?"
Cordelia frowned. Evil just compounded evil. Right now, she lived that close to that many shoes and on her pittance of her wage from Angel Investigations... She could afford to live, quite comfortably in fact. She could afford to look half-way decent every day but... Oohhh, those Neiman Marcus shoes in the window would look SOOO right on her! Strappy, little wide on the heel, black - being the new black - was THE perfect colour and she couldn't afford them. They weren't a *little* out of her price range. They were so far out of her price range that even back in the day, Daddy would have balked at the charge on his card for them.
Cordelia sighed, "Who needs those shoes anyway?"
"You by the looks of things," Said a voice, laughing from behind her.
Cordelia turned to see and auburn haired girl standing, laughing at her, "Oh, I'm sorry - does my pain strike you as amusing?" She asked, coldly.
Chuckling, the girl shook her head, "No, it's not that - you just... You were looking so desperate for those shoes, then you turn away and you're... Who needs those shoes anyway, girl... Sorry, I just know that's an exact replica of me for the same shoes in pink. On my pittance of a wage, I can always dream that the Neiman Marcus Shoe Fairy's gonna drop them right in the bottom of my closet..." She offered with a smile.
Okay so her colouring was a little off. Pink in those shoes with her hair colour could clash depending on the tone but... The girl seemed kinda nice. Cordelia smiled herself and extended a hand, "Hi, I'm Cordelia. Cordelia Chase."
"I'm Kelsi." Smiled the girl, "Kelsi Leoni... And it's nice to meet you, Cordelia Chase."
"Likewise." Replied Cordelia, nodding, "So uh... Do you wanna go look at more things we can't afford? Or are you content to stay here and risk drooling over the fall collection that's over in that corner."
"Coffee," Suggested Kelsi with a laugh, "How about a coffee?"
"Gotta be better than the one I made this morning," Said Cordelia, smiling, "Lead on."
* * * * *
"And you're certain that it's her?" Asked Wesley, quietly, his gaze drifting out into the lobby. His friends stood, talking about something and Wesley knew for certain that he'd have to tell them, have to let them know what was going on, what had gone before, what would come. "You're sure you haven't got the wrong girl?"
"Look at the signs," Said Scott, the rather pompous Watcher from back in England, "You know what it is... What's to come and yet you won't accept it. She's back. She wants revenge."
"And she'll take that revenge on the people that don't bloody deserve it, like my friends," He frowned, "She's already started on the people that do, the people that forced her into this barbaric rite of passage that no person should ever be forced to endure."
"It's a time..."
"A time honoured rite of bloody passage that must be adhered to. Save it." Said Wesley coldly, "I've heard this."
Scott frowned, he'd been told to inform the ex-Watcher, aid him as best as possible - not put up with abuse. "Mr. Wyndham-Pryce, with all due respect, I made the trip down here to help you in any way I could. I don't appreciate being talked to in such a fashion..."
"Tell me something," Said Wesley, "Have you had a Slayer? Have you faced a vampire in anything other than controlled conditions? Stopped an apocalypse, perhaps? Lost someone you hold dear?"
The pause was enough to make Wesley continue, "Didn't think so. The council are, put bluntly, a bunch of wankers who don't know the first thing about the war they wage but don't fight. Instead, they call judgement upon me for working with a vampire when in all actual fact I've done more good working for this vampire than I did in my whole time with the Council..."
"Well that would be right, wouldn't it? Considering the fate of your first charge?" Asked Scott, pompously.
Wesley's gaze darkened, "I think perhaps it's time you left. Take your help, useless though it was and get the hell out."
Scott stood, hurriedly and hastened in his retreat, leaving his file sitting on the desk of Wesley's newly-acquired office. As he bumbled his way past Gunn and Angel, Wesley stepped into the main foyer of the hotel and sighed, "There's something I have to tell you." He said quietly.
"Is this a 'we need to talk' speech? 'Cause I don't think I could handle you breakin' up with me right now," Joked Gunn. Then, the smile slid off his face, "Wes, what is it?"
"I'm afraid it's rather grave..." Said Wesley quietly. For a second, there was silence. For a second, nothing was said. Thinking of the best way to word what he was about to say, Wesley was rewarded by the broken, bloody body of John Scott, now deceased member of the Watcher's Council being tossed back through the door, briefcase and all.
"Yes," Said Wesley, "Rather grave indeed."
~Part: 2~
"I used to live in a little town called Sunnydale but... I like to repress." Said Cordelia, "It was awful... A one Starbucks town, I hated it."
"Sunnydale?" Kelsi's eyebrows shot up, "Wow! I know that place!"
Cordelia frowned, "I see its reputation exceeds its homely stature..."
"No," Laughed the other girl, shaking her head, auburn curls bouncing softly around her face, "I went to UC Sunnydale for a couple of months, nothing heavy, just to take a little... Side course, sorta..."
"I'm so sorry," Said Cordelia with a grin, "That must have been hell for you..." Hell being the operative word, She thought, dryly.
"Nah, it wasn't so bad, the night life kinda sucked... There was only this one place that actually had any potential - you probably know it, having lived there and all... The Bronze?"
Tossing her Styrofoam cup into the bin, Cordelia nodded, "Yeah, the Bronze - God, we used to go there every night! When were you there, in Sunnydale I mean?"
"A couple of years ago, not too long. Long enough, I'd say though... My Uncle used to live down there... Until he... Well, that reputation you talked about? Kinda caught up with him..."
This time, Cordelia's voice was sincere, "Oh, I'm so sorry..." She said softly, "What did your uncle do?"
"Librarian, stuffy, kinda cute if you're into that sort of thing..." She smiled, "But generally a good guy."
Ironically, Cordelia thought of Giles - librarian who, okay, was kinda cute, sort of... But then, he wasn't dead. Then, her thoughts tripped to Wesley and Cordelia was put into a weird, scary place of where Wesley was cute. This was Wesley! Sure they'd kissed and she'd felt the burgeonings of a growing attraction but... Hello, Wesley! Shaking herself, both mentally and physically, Cordelia smiled, "Believe me, I know the stuffiness of a good man..." She said teasingly, "He's a good guy too but sometimes he could do with lighting up a little..."
"What do you do, Cordelia?" Asked Kelsi, genuinely intrigued.
"Office Manager on a pittance of a wage, I work for a PI..."
"PI?"
"Yeah, y'know, Private Investigator... He's pretty good at what he does, a bit of a dork at times but... I've known him for so long it doesn't even seem to register when he's in Dork Angel mode now..."
"Dork Angel mode?" Kelsi laughed, "Sounds like fun..."
"Yeah, well - after a few months of him having uhm... Issues, I guess it's better than nothing." She shrugged, "Honestly, he worries too much, we have this sort of..." Cordelia stopped, winced once and screamed as the vision knocked her to the floor. It was like a thousand hot pokers stabbing her between the eyes and the pictures... Oh holy God the pictures... Everything switched to surround sound and Cordelia cried out, her body twisting painfully on the floor of the shopping mall, Kelsi standing back in something akin to abject horror. "Cordelia! Cordelia, what's wrong?"
Cordelia never heard. When the vision ended, she was left with a group of people standing looking at her like she were crazy and lets face it, if she'd seen anyone in the throes of a 'vision' when she'd been out shopping, she'd have thought they were crazy too. "Cordelia, are you alright?" Her face was pale, almost like she'd been crying but not quite. Her eyes looked haunted by something Kelsi couldn't quite pinpoint, "Oh God, are you okay? What was that?"
"Uh... Nothing, just... I need to uhm... Go to the bathroom, wait here or... Feel free to run in horror..." She said, hand-walking her way to the huge communal bathrooms. When she got there, she locked the door behind her and flipped open her cellphone, "Come on, Angel... Pick up..."
The shrill sound of the telephone cut through the hotel like a knife - Angel and Gunn on edge from what Wesley was certainly about to say but hadn't quite gotten round to it.
"Angel?"
"What's wrong?" His voice was immediately placating, having a calming effect on the vision-after effects, but not much of a one. "What did you see?"
"Wesley," She whispered, "I saw Wesley and... And a girl, Angel she's coming after him. It isn't today but..."
"Where are you?"
"In a bathroom in the mall, GOD that was embarassing, Angel, people SAW me! People saw me drool! I don't drool!" She whispered into the receiver, "I'd actually made a friend too, I'd like to bet she's gone now..."
"You made a friend?" Asked Angel, instantly suspicious, "Who?"
"A girl... Called Kelsi, she was nice. Angel, stop being so melodramatic, not everything's all darkness and back-stabby, y'know..." She frowned, God he was so panicky! He should be thankful she was making a friend! That might at least stop the late-night-talks that had gotten more frequent, according to Wesley.
"I know," Said Angel, gently, "I just worry about you."
Great, now he had her feeling all mean and everything! As if the vision hangover wasn't bad enough. Sighing, Cordelia shook her head (even though he couldn't see it), "You dont' need to worry, okay? I'll... I'll be home shortly, can't see this shopping trip lasting much longer, not with this vision-brain, I got going on right now. Do you need blood?"
This last question, struck Angel as amusing - a few month ago back in Sunnydale and the mere sight of Angel's liquid diet would have brought an 'eww' ringing from the brunette's lips, now though, she didn't seem to mind - had actually tried to 'liven' his diet up with a little cinnamon. Angel shuddered, ah but for the grace of fresh pigs blood - without lumps in. "No Cordelia," Said the ensouled vampire softly, "I don't need anything, just you."
Smiling slightly, Cordelia shook her head, "Just me, huh?" She asked, "Well, in a few minutes, you'll be getting me. Plus shopping bags."
"I thought I only paid you a pittance!" Said Angel, indignantly.
"Hey, a girl's gotta shop somehow! Didn't you learn anything in your 250 years of unlife?"
"248!" Said Angel, a hurt tone stinging his voice, "I'm not 250 yet!"
"Whatever," Laughed Cordelia, "The only guy in the world who's actually worried about his age when he's been witness to a bicentennial and I hook up with him..."
The click of the phone left Angel with a smile and standing, Cordelia worked her way out of the bathroom to where Kelsi still stood. "You're still here?" Asked the brunette, puzzled. She'd have thought Kelsi would have bolted at the first sign of vision brain.
Instead, she ignored the question, "Are you okay? God, I was so worried! You don't... You don't look too good."
Well wasn't that the understatement of the year? Cordelia smiled, "Yeah, I'm fine, but I gotta go uhm... Headache, y'know?" Watching as Kelsi's face got the look that Angel's did, she was taken aback. "Hey, I'm okay..."
"I'll take you home." Said Kelsi, "You can't go alone, not after that."
"I'm fine," Cordelia lied, "I'll be fine."
"Listen, my car is parked right outside the mall, it'll take me what, fifteen minutes, providing you're not going back to your roots of Sunnydale of course..." She smiled.
"You're sure?"
"I wouldn't if offered if I wasn't," Said Kelsi, "Come on."
* * * * * * * * * * *
"Is Cordelia alright?" Wesley's voice broke the silence that had reigned the hotel since the body had been tossed back inside. Angel had checked the area, of course, it now being sundown - but to no avail, he'd found nothing... Much to Wesley's silent relief. Not that he wanted Scott dead, or even hurt - too late though it was now. But more to the fact that he wanted the opportunity to tell his friends what was going on before someone or something else did.
Angel shook his head, "Cordelia saw you, Wes. A girl, coming after you - what's going on?"
Rubbing a hand tiredly over his face, Wesley realised that keeping secrets from your friends was not only bad but detrimental. This was something he'd managed to keep to himself for the longest of times, not only at the request of the Council, but also because of the sense of shame that burned deep within him. Sighing, Wesley began, "You know that before I came to Sunnydale, I worked for the Council." He said quietly.
Angel shot Gunn a look but said nothing, let the ex-Watcher continue the story that would, unbeknownst to him, mould and shape the next few hours of his life or unlife as the case was. "I was assigned to Sunnydale, under the pretense of Buffy and Faith being my first slayers. They were not. My first slayer was a girl, no more than 17. She was called when the previous died, as goes the line. Buffy would be the one to take over from her," He said softly, "On the night of her eighteenth birthday, after spending one year with my slayer, I was contacted by the Council. She was to take part in something called the Cruciamentum. I'd... Hypnotize her with the use of crystals, inject her with something that would weaken her defenses... Take out the Slayer, if you will, leave only the girl."
If he was honest, Angel knew where this was going. He remembered the Cruciamentum first time round, with Buffy, remembered what it had done to her, what it had done to Giles. From what had happened and the way Wesley's hands were shaking, this hadn't ended good for any concerned.
"She was locked in an old, ramshackle house with a vampire." Said Wesley quietly, "By all accounts, my slayer fought well - outwitted the vampire at first... Then, something happened. No one was ever sure what. My Slayer was turned by the vampire she was confined with. She died that night and her soul was taken." Looking up, directly at Angel, Wesley sighed, "I'm not sure if you know what happens when a Slayer is turned..."
Angel didn't.
"Her soul, doesn't flee the body. It stays, only... Not to do good. The soul is broken. It turns dark. Like it or not, she has succumbed to the thing that she faces every night. I killed the vampire, avenged my Slayer's death. She was never found again..."
"Until now." Said Angel, quietly. "Wes, we never knew... I..."
"That was the way it was supposed to happen," Said the ex-Watcher quietly, "I was sent to Giles, not only to watch over Buffy and Faith in official position as Watcher, but so that Giles could aid me in my duties as Watcher, oversee what I was doing. Perhaps even keep an eye on me. They knew Giles wouldn't leave Sunnydale or Buffy behind, they placed me there knowing that even if it was only a little, I was getting help. I was being supervised."
"Giles knew?"
"No," Wesley shook his head, running a hand through his hair, "As far as everyone was concerned, Buffy and Faith were my first charges. Going to Sunnydale was a chance to prove myself, not only to the Council, nor to my father, but to myself. I'd failed my Slayer in the worst possible way - in effect, I'd been the one who'd killed her, made her what she was, if you will. I needed the chance to do good again. After it happened, I worked in the offices of the Council for a while and then, talk of Giles and what had happened during Buffy's Cruciamentum began. Quentin Travers approached me himself, told me that I was to go to Sunnydale, act as Watcher for the two current Slayers and never speak of what had happened, as was the previous arrangement. The Council had made a mistake, they were eager to cover it up."
Gunn looked at him, really looked at him. The guy was shaking, this was big. "You never told anyone about this?"
"No-one." Said Wesley, "My parents knew... At least my father did, that something had happened but he never knew the extent. In his eyes, I'd been demoted from Official Watcher to... Office Boy, General Dogsbody." He said, bitterly. "In a way, I suppose I jumped at the chance to take Buffy and Faith under my wing, try to prove to him that I wasn't the failure he thought I was..."
Letting out a breath of air he wasn't aware he'd been holding in, Wesley sighed, "And now, she wants revenge. What sparked it all off right now, I'm not sure, but she's killed and she will again before she gets to the thing she wants most. Me." In silence, he went into the office, picked the folder up off the desk and returned, handing it to Angel.
"What sparked it off?" Said Gunn, "Wes, the Council killed her - I think I'd be pretty pissed myself..."
"Well there had to be a chain of events that... Wait, you said the Council." He said quietly.
"That's because you're not to blame in all of this," Said Angel, calmly, thumbing through the manilla folder the dead Council member had brought Wesley, "You did what you were supposed to. Any other kind of situation, this could have been Giles."
Wesley, taken aback by this, stood, his mouth open, "But..."
"Hey, the guy's gotta make sense sometime." Said Gunn with a small, but not forced, smile. Standing near Angel, he winced, "This chick's got some serious rage, huh?" He asked, glancing down at the photos. He imagined the Council members in the photos hadn't realised what was coming. Scorch marks adorned their body, apparently, she was into the Five-Basic-Torture-Groups - as seen in the evidence they'd been provided. "Don't look like any kind of human could ever do that..."
"She has all the powers of a Slayer, combined with all the powers of a vampire," Said Angel, shaking his head.
"So what? That ranks her high in the 'kinda-unkillable-stakes'?" Asked Gunn.
"No, but you're not far off..." Said Wesley, quietly, "I'd imagine she's a match, even for Angel..."
"Plus, if Cordelia had a vision about this and it's happening soon? We're gonna need a plan, right?"
"We need a plan for what?" Her voice drifted from the staircase, where she stood at the door, Kelsi at her side.
"Oh God..." When Angel turned, Wesley's face had paled, considerably.
Kelsi smiled, "Hello, Uncle..."
Okay something was going on! Sometimes, she might be clueless as to... Well, some things but she wasn't a complete dumbass. "Wait, you said your Uncle was dead!" Said Cordelia, indignantly, "You two know each other?"
"I rather think so," Said Wesley quietly, "Angel, Gunn - meet my Slayer."
~Part: 3~
She was a slayer? Cordelia turned her attention on Kelsi, wondering what was going on. "What am I? Flypaper for freaks?"
Gunn chuckled, noticing the dark look on the slayer's face, immediately shutting up, time not to piss off a vampire who was also a slayer and could kill you horribly.
"And you were so nice when you didn't know who I was." Said Kelsi, shaking her head, "Shame... So, Wesley. Looks like you've made a nice life for yourself round here and... Oh, I see you got my present." She gestured to Scott's dead body and smiled, "Was a nice touch, wasn't it? The things vampires will do for a little power in this town."
"Another vamp did this?" Asked Gunn, puzzled.
"Well yeah, couldn't get of my little shopping trip with Cordelia here to come down and kill another Watcher, fun though that might've been..."
Her grip on Cordelia's arm was like iron. Angel, watching warily, knew that one wrong move and Cordelia would be the one to pay the price, no questions asked, no nothing. She'd die... In silence, he stood until Kelsi's gaze fell upon him. Raising a perfectly shaped eyebrow, the slayer regarded him with soft, gentle eyes, alluding to the person she was, "So this is Angel?" She asked, "I'd heard about you, helping and of course, falling in love with my replacement..."
Replacement? Then that meant... Buffy. She was the Slayer before Buffy and... She was dead? Ah, now Cordelia realised why the guys looked so damned scared and.. Oh! "Uhm, guys, as much as I love being grappled by a dead person, perhaps you could, y'know, get me free?"
Kelsi laughed, "Always so honest, Cordelia? Don't worry... I'm not about to hurt you, only your boss."
"Why don't I believe you?" Asked the brunette, shaking her head. Usually, people wanted to hurt Angel, and so they came through her or his friends to do it. This should be like... Second nature to her. She shouldn't be surprised but... This was Wesley! Who'd want to hurt Wesley? Maybe for his kissing skills, sure but other than that...
"I don't get it..." She said, shaking her head, "What's going on?"
"You don't know?" Said Kelsi, shocked, "Is betrayal something you make a part of your everyday life, Wesley?"
"Hey!" Cordelia said harshly, "You don't know the first thing about him, so don't..."
"Ah, but I do, Cordelia." She smiled, "That's where you're wrong. I knew him a long time ago, when he was with the Council, before I appeared in Sunnydale. For a long time, you see, I just watched, bided my time until he'd know hurt, until he'd know pain. It seems he's found friendships with you people... How will he feel when they're taken away?"
"Uh, hello - he's still right in front of you..." Said Cordelia, glaring at her. The guy was in the same room, did she have to talk about him like he wasn't there? Cordelia hated that. "Geez..." The famous roll of her eyes came and Wesley had to literally, bite back a smile. The situation they were in right now was dangerous, "Let her go, Kelsi." Said Wesley, his voice taut with fear, not for himself, more the brunette in front of him, Kelsi looked the same, her face still pretty, someone Gunn or perhaps even Angel would have taken an instant shine to - but inside now, she was dark, no longer the girl Wesley had once known.
He remembered their first meeting... The time she'd slayed her first vampire. She'd become almost like a daughter to him... And he'd killed her.
Kelsi frowned, "Now, now, Wes - don't go gettin' all reminisc-ey on me. I want you awake when I'm cutting into your friends."
Angel's entire body tensed, his senses now completely honed. A threat had been made. Usually, this would be the first signal for him to attack, especially a foe as dangerous as Kelsi standing in front of him, but Angel, not for the first time in his 248 years of unlife, was unable to do a thing. In her grasp, Kelsi clutched the one thing that meant everything to the once-brooding vampire and she could snuff it out like a candle, with Angel merely watching.
"It's me you want. Take me," Said Wesley, stepping forward.
"One more move and I swear, I'll snap her neck." Kelsi's eyes darkened and the hatred that wasn't masked made Wesley's heart beat faster. "One thing I'm really shocked with? Your fighting skills, Wes! Seem to have improved from your running like a girl..."
"Okay so maybe you used to know him," Said Cordelia coldly, "Doesn't mean you do now!"
Wesley frowned, "As much as your input is valued, Cordelia, I think that perhaps it's wise that you keep quiet."
"I was defending you!" Said the brunette, indignantly, "Angel, tell him!"
Holding his hands palm up, Angel shook his head, "I'm staying out of this."
Cordelia scowled, shouldn't he know by now, especially right now, that he should side with her. Over everything? He'd abandoned her! And if he thought clothes were the way to go, then okay, he was sorta right but... Hello, still major suckiness on the hurting front!
Angel, noting the look on her face, decided that right this second, Cordelia was less of a threat than Kelsi was, in answer, his game face slid on, "If you think that..."
"Geez, I'm sorry! No need to get all 'grrrr' on me..." Said Cordelia, shaking her head, "God, you're so temperamental! Maybe you are a woman..."
"Cordelia..."
"No, I'm serious, I mean..."
"CORDELIA!"
"What?" Taken aback by the yell, the brunette glared at him, "What?"
"Can we deal with the situation at hand here?" Asked Angel, gesturing to Kelsi.
"I thought you'd never ask," Said the ex-slayer, dryly. "Seems to me like the two of you have... Issues, whatever. Can I get to the killing her horribly part?"
"Kelsi, please. This wasn't her fault." Said Wesley, stepping forward, "This was mine. I put you through that... Barbaric ritual, it's me you want."
Kelsi laughed, "But that would be too simple. You wouldn't hurt. I wouldn't be happy. Remember that Wesley? When you handed me my birthday present, a day late of course because you had Official Council Business to attend to..." Slowly, the hand that wasn't holding onto Cordelia slipped inside the neckline of her shirt and from it, she pulled a cross, her fingers tingling slightly, "I've worn it ever since. Ever since Moor turned me... The cross didn't work," She said shrugging. "I always wondered whether you had to believe it... Whether you had to believe that it would work so that it would burn. He liked it. Said it made him feel good." Shaking her head, she met Wesley's eyes, "Do you remember what you said, Wesley?"
His gaze drifted from hers, to the floor and her laughter rang throughout the hotel, "Can't even look at me, can you? I came to you, asked why I was feeling the way I was. So... Helpless and weak. You told me that everything would be fine, everything would sort out itself and I'd be okay. Then you took a needle and you stabbed me with it. Sundown came and went, you lied again. Told me that you had no idea what was causing my weakness, why I wasn't able to stake a perfectly harmless fledgling vampire, fresh from his grave. You gave me this..." She said gently, her voice soothing, almost placating, "And then you told me that you had, again, Official Council Business, that you needed to meet me somewhere later that night. A nest of vampires, you said. Something you could easily handle, but my presence would be unsettling... For the vampires at least. How about now, Wes? My presence unsettling now?"
"Kelsi, what I did was wrong, but torturing these people is not the answer..."
"I thought you'd come for me." She said quietly, her eyes glazed over, "Just as his wrist was pressed to my lips, the door opened... I damned myself by hoping. The way he walked... Such hesitancy, almost like he were afraid. His breathing hitched, just once. I was convinced it was you. You paused, his blood coursed through me and pictures, God... Pictures of what I'd do, of what I'd come to do..."
"I wasn't there," Said Wesley quietly, pain evident in his eyes. He'd damned this girl to death, to become the thing she fought and he'd done it knowingly. He remembered that conversation with her, about how she was his Slayer and he'd always be there for her. She'd laughed, smiled and fingered the gift he'd given her softly... Her eyes brimming with tears. A slayer, or so they'd both been taught, was supposed to cut off her emotions, use this lack in her fight against evil. Kelsi had been different and for that, Wesley had been terrified when he'd met Buffy - she too, was different, used her emotions in her fight and it had scared him beyond belief, she'd gone through the Cruciamentum, but her use of her emotions, would that get her killed too?
Of course, the two were in differing levels, Buffy had friends, a mother and a sister to keep her grounded. Kelsi had only Wesley and that night, she'd told him so. And he, God forgive him, had sent her to her death at the hands of a vampire who had taken her life, crushed it in his fingertips and turned her into the thing she was supposed to fight. Here she stood in front of him, was it possible then, that she knew remorse? Knew guilt for the things she done? Or was it simply hatred, hatred for him, the thing he'd damned her to?
"I know you weren't there," She spat, "Come on Wesley, even then your ways were antiquated. The Council wanted something following to the letter? Wesley would do it... You wouldn't disobey orders, if you could..." She said coldly, "Gee, now I'm kinda wishing I got to see some of that loyalty extended to your slayer instead of it sticking with the Council..."
She wasn't prepared for the attack that Angel launched. Even now, as a vampire, her emotions had proved a distraction and as the ensouled vampire leapt towards her, Kelsi pushed Cordelia into him and bolted out of the hotel and down the steps. Angel crashed into Cordelia, knocking her to the floor and hearing an effective crunch beneath him and a yelp of pain. He moved back quickly, hearing her whimper in the process, "Great, new clothes and broken ribs, what a week for me..." She groaned, holding her side.
Angel's face slid back into his human aspect and worry flooded his features, "We need to get you to a hospital." He said gently.
"No, we need to see to Wesley." Said Cordelia, looking down at the ex-Watcher who was staring at the door through which Kelsi had retreated. "Wesley?" Her voice was soft, tender at first, then more harsh to break him out of his reverie, "Wesley!"
His gaze drifted up and remorse shone behind pain-filled eyes, "You're hurt." He said gently.
"Well, duh... Angel's not exactly lightweight, y'know?"
"Are you saying I'm fat?"
Cordelia shook her head, ignored that comment, she *so* didn't need to get into that kind of conversation with Angel, sometimes he really was like a woman. Only yesterday he'd brooded for an hour over her ruffling his hair affectionally as she'd walked past... Pffft - shouldn't he be grateful she'd actually touched him? Who knew how many showers it took to get rid of the remnants of blonde, undead and skanky? Taking one with blonde, creepy cop lady SO didn't count either! Ridding her head from thoughts of how much of a 'Blonde-Groupie' Angel was, Cordelia looked at Wesley, "Look, we'll get through this. We'll figure out a plan and we'll deal, it's what we do. Or at least it will be what we do when Broody boy here lifts me off the floor..."
"I'm not brooding," Said Angel, frowning as Cordelia winced.
"You are! You're standing there brooding away, while you have nothing to brood about, while I, on the other hand have everything to brood about."
"Huh, how?" Asked Gunn, glancing over at Cordelia who had now been lifted VERY carefully into Angel's arms.
"Because," She stated simply, "Angel bought me a backless top and I won't be able to wear it with the bruises that'll be popping up any second now."
"Nice to see you got your priorities right," Said Gunn, frowning slightly.
"Oh bite me, everything can't be doom and gloom at Angel City. Think positive! We'll get through this, okay?" She asked, mentally tapping her foot as she waited, not-so-patiently, "OKAY?"
"Okay..."
"Yuh-huh..."
"Allright."
"Good." She smiled, nodding.
Wesley however, wasn't so certain that things would be as 'okay' as his friends made out. How was he supposed to make up for killing someone who'd trusted him with their life? One look at Angel told him the answer wasn't simple...
One step at a time.
~Part: 4~
"Ow..."
Angel winced at her admission of pain and shook his head, "We need to get you to a hospital, Cordelia."
"What, for me to spend three-thousand dollars of Health insurance I don't have for a fossilised and not even remotely sexy doctor to say, 'Oh, Miss Chase, you have broken ribs', do the same thing you're doing without the brood and then prescribe me painkillers? Please! I may look like a sucker for a sob story, but I'm not a dumbass. Just... Fix me up."
"But..."
"Angel," Said Cordelia, "Wesley. He needs me. You can wrap me in bandages and send me off to hospital after the crisis, okay? Right now, you and Gunn need to work out a plan and I need to impart all my womanly-wisdom on the guy who could turn out to be an eternal brooder like you if I don't help him."
"You think you guys could stop bickering and actually get something done?" Gunn's words, while not cold, weren't exactly laced with friendly warmth either.
"Don't you start too," Said Cordelia, frowning, "Two brooders is quite enough in one hotel for me, thanks."
Angel picked up the first aid kit that he'd placed on the floor next to the sofa and looked at her, softly unbuttoning her shirt. "Cordelia..." The bruise that adorned her stomach and ribs was black, angry...
"Angel, just do it." She said, squirming slightly, here she sat in front of two of her best friends in one of her oldest Victoria's Secret bras, this was NOT fun. Angel nodded and gently, began strapping her ribs in tightly, ignoring the winces of pain, "This'll help, but you need..."
"A doctor." Finishing his sentence, she nodded, "And I promise that that's where I'll go right after we figure out what we're going to do. Angel, Gunn - why don't you guys find Merl, see if he knows where Kelsi's been staying, all of that..."
"You mean, be detectives?" Asked Gunn, "I dunno..." He teased, "Do you think we can?"
Cordelia smiled, "Offer Merl something he wants in return for the information."
"My word that I won't kill him if he doesn't?"
"Exactly." Cordelia nodded, stood, albeit painfully, putting her shirt back on with the help of Angel, "Be careful, okay? Don't go after her yourselves."
Angel frowned, "I don't like leaving the two of you alone, Cordelia, what if she comes back?"
"She won't." Said the brunette, certainly, "Angel, she wants Wesley. She wants to hurt him, the people she has to come through are his friends, I already have the broken ribs to prove that. I'd like us to be at least a little prepared the next time she comes. I just... Look at him." Her voice was soft. In his office, Wesley sat, head down in a book he wasn't reading. "We need to do something. We help the helpless, right now, that's Wesley... Okay? Just go."
Sighing, Angel stood and wiped his hands on his trouser legs, going to the weapons cabinet, grabbing his favourite broadsword and handing Cordelia a crossbow, "If she comes back, you know what to do?"
"Hey, she broke my ribs. She comes back, the bitch is getting it." Said Cordelia, shaking her head, "Now go, stop worrying."
Angel and Gunn nodded at her and turned, walking up the steps. Shooting one last look at Cordelia, Angel continued, his gaze leaving hers as she walked into the office. "Hey..."
"Cordelia." When he looked up, his eyes were haunted, "I imagine you hate me."
"Hate you?" Cordelia raised an eyebrow, "Why would I?"
"Kelsi..."
"Uh-huh... Red-headed chick, kinda short, has a severe case of the bumpies?"
"Cordelia, this is no laughing matter."
"Hence my no loughing. Wesley, how long have we been friends?"
"Over a year now," Said the ex-Watcher, quietly, "Cordelia, please. Don't patronise me by telling me that this is alright, it's not."
"I know that." Said Cordelia, "I also know that what you did was wrong. But think about it, different circumstances and somebody could be telling this self-same thing to Giles. Wesley, we make mistakes - and like it or not, it's the mistakes that we make that bring us to where we are today. As much as I hate to say it, if there had never been a Darla, where would we be? If there had never been an Angelus, or that Gypsy clan, we wouldn't be here. We make a choice. Without this, this whole situation, the Cruciamentum, you would never have been transferred to Sunnydale, Giles wouldn't have been fired and we'd never have known each other. I'm not saying that her dying is a good thing but without it, you wouldn't be in our lives."
Wesley looked at her, stunned. She wasn't telling him it was allright, but she didn't hate him either. In fact, none of them did, something he didn't quite understand. "Then... What are you saying?" He asked.
Cordelia thought for a second, what was she trying to say? Speaking softly, she looked up, "We've all got something to atone for, Wesley. Whether it's being the uber-bitch in High School, the Scourge of Europe - or the order-following watcher that made a mistake. None of us are guilt free. Remember that song... Uh... Que Sera, Sera or something? It was French..."
Wesley nodded, believing that now he understood where she was going with this, "Whatever will be, will be." He said gently.
"Total crap," Said Cordelia, "Don't buy it at all."
Okay, Thought Wesley, As she would say, OR NOT.
"This isn't a Jack Dawson thing, but we make our own luck. We'd proved with Angel that, where we mightn't be able to change the past? We can certainly change the future and ourselves so put me down for a whole-hearted, 'yay, me'... We'll get through this, Wesley. No matter how long it takes, we'll get through it, we have to."
Wesley, even though he didn't feel like doing it, smiled. She had a unique and often tactless way of making sense. "I guess you can put me down for a 'yay, me' too then." He said gently.
"Good," Cordelia sat down in the chair, wincing in pain, "Now, as payback for my poor broken ribs, you can tell me your side of the story."
Wesley closed his book and let out a sigh, "Where shall I start?"
"At the beginning? Usually sounds best..."
"Quite," Said Wesley, softly...
* * * * * *
"I ain't tellin' him jack..." Merl, the lizard-like demon, shook his head.
Gunn frowned, "You want me to start with the killin'?"
"Can't." Said Merl, "It's a sanctuary... And plus, I'm still pissed at the guy. Do you know how much money I lost down in that sewer when he hung me upside down?"
Angel, who was tired of the 'acting like he wasn't here' treatment, spoke up, "Merl, you had no money."
"Not after YOU finished with me, it all lay in the sewer and I was too traumatised to even think about picking it up."
"Traumatised, yeah..." Said Gunn, grabbing hold of Merl, "Listen, one of my friends' life could be on the line and I'm not spending my night talking to a parasite demon with no tongue, let alone no spine. You're gonna spill..."
"Better listen to him, Merl..." Taunted Angel, "The guys pissed. It'll take him five seconds to drag you outside, even less to spill your brains against the wall upstairs."
"Ah, it's nice to see Angel Investigations back in the roost where it belongs." The anagogic demon, having just finished a Patti LaBelle number, stepped closer to the two detectives and smiled, "Back in business with a case that comes more directly from the Powers than you think, huh Angelcakes?"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Angel's face had been in a constant frown since he'd gotten here, he was worried about his friends, moreso Wesley and Cordelia, Merl wasn't talking. Chalk this up to be a bad night.
"Can't disclose confidential client information," Said Lorne, shaking his head, "What I can tell you is that this girl? Not something you want to mess around with, Angel. The girl has some SERIOUS rage."
"We'd noticed," Said Gunn, "Merl?"
"Alright, a couple of drinks and an apology from the blood-sucker and then I'll tell you."
Angel shook his head, "No drink, no apology. You walk away tonight with your head firmly attached to your shoulders, having given us the information, everyone's happy."
"You wouldn't do it." Said Merl.
Angel turned, "Try me." His voice was cold, harsh, he had the settling feeling in his stomach that something wasn't quite right with any of this and he didn't know what.
Frowning, the parasite demon shook his head, "Damnit, you do know you're really bad for business, right?"
"I need an address... Anything you can give me."
"Just an address."
As Merl was scribbling an address down, Angel looked at him, "You realise that if this is wrong, I'll..."
"Yeah, yeah, cut off my head and feed it to the pond scum demons down in the sewers, sing me a new tune sometime, wouldja?" Merl grumbled, turning back to the stage where a gravsluck demon was belting out a painful rendition of a Destiny's Child tune, effectively murdering the song from where he stood.
"Survivor?" Said Gunn, shaking his head and looking at Angel, "Somehow, I liked the hottie version better."
Angel didn't reply, instead, he moved across the floor and up the stairs, out into his car and waited impatiently for Gunn. "Something tells me that we're not going back to the hotel yet, are we?" Asked Gunn.
Nodding, Angel floored the accelerator and handed the address to Gunn, "You know how to get there?"
Gunn sighed, "Yeah man, but shouldn't we wait for Cordy and Wes?"
"We're not going to fight," Said Angel, following Gunn's directions, "We're going to chat."
Gunn had seen Angel's idea of 'chatting' before. This he didn't like. "I guess now would be the time to be really glad you've had an epiphany, huh?"
Angel didn't reply.
~~~*~~~
The first thing they noticed when they got there was that... The apartment block she lived in? Run-down, just like they'd expected. Arguments between husbands and wives, perhaps lovers floated down the urine-smelling hallways. Angel frowned, there'd been death here, ugly death, caused by her? He wasn't sure.
"You smellin' somethin' man?" Asked Gunn, his voice hushed. He was no stranger to places like these, in fact sometimes, he knew more about them than he cared to admit. "Blood." After a while of Angel being silent, Gunn had answered his own question. "From her?"
Angel shook his head, "Death. This place smells of death."
"We're in the most rundown, ramshackle part of town and you're surprised it smells like this? Welcome to the parts of the world you don't see, Angel."
Gunn was right, he didn't visit here too often, why would he have the mind to? Briefly, it reminded him of that first week in LA, finding Tina dead in her apartment after he'd tried to help her had reminded him that no matter what he did, he couldn't save anyone. He wasn't here to try and save Kelsi, she was so far past that, he wasn't sure something could ever bring her back again. He was here to... Here to what? Was killing her his decision? Or did Wesley need to make his peace with what he'd done in some way? Could he make peace with it?
They got to her apartment and for a second, just stopped at her door. The sounds of the TV drifted through and then a cry of pain. Female. Angel didn't have time to think, raising a booted foot, he kicked down the door, went to rush forward in order to save whoever was the hostage of the vampire and was effectively pulled short... By a barried at the door.
A demon can't enter a person's home unless it's invited.
Angel frowned, watching almost as if in slow motion as Kelsi shot up from the chair she was in, only to find Gunn coming towards her, "Where is she?" Growled the young black man, glaring at the vampire. Puzzled, Kelsi stared at him, "Where's who?"
"The girl, where is she?"
"There's no one here but me."
Gunn frowned, "Then I guess you won't mind my taking a look round the apartment, right?" Kelsi stepped back and watched as cautiously, Gunn checked the rooms, finding nothing. "I told you." She said quietly.
"You're hurt." It was then, the second thing that Angel had noticed, the burns all down her lower arms. She'd taken off the shirt that, in the hotel, had hidden most of them quite well. Cross marks, implanted into her flesh, holy water droplets that Angel remembered Drusilla enduring to him, making scars. Kelsi quickly picked up her shirt to cover herself and looked at Gunn, "Get out."
"You're a vampire." Said Angel, quietly, "And yet I can't enter this house. You live with someone?"
"And lemme guess," Said Gunn, "He does that to you, on a regular basis?" He gestured to her arms, to which Kelsi glared at him, "There is no one who lives here but me, I assure you. In return for keeping his neighbourhood safe from vampires, the landlord lets me stay and..." Briefly, she wondered why she was taking the time to explain, she wanted them dead? The feeling was mutual. "I said get out. Now. I do this, no one else. I do this, so that I might feel again, might know what it's like to..."
"You didn't do that." Said Angel, shaking his head, he knew torture, he'd inflicted it. Upon vampires as well as humans, he had the experience here and he was using it. "The burns are too extensive for you to have made them, whoever's doing this to you is..."
"None of your concern." Kelsi's voice was now soft as she watched Angel's gaze flicker over to the bandages on the side of the table, "Please, you must leave before he comes back."
"Then there is someone." Said Angel, quietly, "You're hurt, come with us."
Kelsi laughed, bitterly, "You want to keep me safe? With the man who killed me in the first place? Are you crazy? You know that if I go there, I'll kill him - and her too, you want that?"
Angel frowned, "You can't stay here..."
"I can and I am, now leave." She stepped towards Gunn, her human facade sliding away and leaving her demon, staring yellow eyed at the pair, "I won't hesitate to kill the two of you. You think what he does to me is bad? Think of what I can do to you."
Staring for a moment, Angel looked at her, "Who is it?"
"My Master." She whispered, "I'm bound to him, bound to him by death. Not by choice, now please, you have to leave..."
In her eyes was a look of fear, a look of pain - one both Angel and Gunn instantly recognised and as they stepped back, Angel spoke quietly, "Wesley didn't mean to hurt you, he was only following orders, you know that, don't you." It wasn't a question.
Kelsi nodded, "Just like I'm doing." She whispered, "Following orders. Life is a Puppet Show, Angel. Someone makes us dance the way they want and we can only follow."
She waited, waited for them to leave... Until finally, Angel stepped back a hand on Gunn's shoulder, "Come on..."
"We're leaving?" Gunn's voice was shocked, "Hey, did you forget the mission statement? We Help The Helpless. Remember that?"
"I remember," Said Angel as they walked back out to the car, "But that's not the way. The only way we help her is by setting her free."
"So... We kill her, right? Got stakes in the trunk..."
Angel shook his head, "She said herself that life's a show. It's time we started pulling some strings."
~Part: 5~
"You what?" Cordelia's shrill voice rang throughout the hotel, her eyes dark. Not only had Angel not done what she'd asked, but he'd also pretty much gone 'into the lion's den', "I don't believe you sometimes," Said the brunette, shaking her head, "Are you crazy?"
"Cordelia, calm down." Said Angel, firmly, "Nothing happened..."
"Ohhh, I see!" Her voice dripped sarcasm, arms folded almost petulantly across her chest, "So you and Gunn pretty much went to her house and had what she would class as a sane conversation?"
"You wanna stop ridin' us?" Asked Gunn, "We're here, we're fine - you gotta stop worrying, Barbie."
Fuming, the brunette sat back and gestured for them to continue, wincing as the pain in her ribs increased. Damnit, they hurt...
"So what you're saying," Said Wesley, "Is that she's working for someone?"
Angel thought for a second, she certainly wasn't working for them by choice, whoever it was. They'd hurt her and she was terrified enough to stay where she was, to do whatever they wanted. "She knows that you did what you did because you were ordered. She said that she was only following orders too, can you think of anyone who'd want to hurt you?"
Slowly, Wesley shook his head, "Not exactly... No one other than we know here, Wolfram and Hart perhaps, to get to you?"
Angel shook his head, "This smells nothing like Wolfram and Hart. I just..." Frowning the vampire stood back and looked at Cordelia who was sitting glaring at him. "Cordelia," He sighed, "I'm fine, alright? Stop looking at me like that."
"Stop looking at you like what?" The brunette got up from the desk and walked, albeit painfully, out into the lobby where she busied herself with filing. Reaching up to place something in the top drawer, she cried out, her ribs rubbing painfully together. Angel was beside her in an instant, taking the file from her hands and looking at her, "What's wrong, Cordelia?" He asked, frowning, "I'm..."
"I know, you're fine!" She snapped, "You're always fine, remember? Until the point where you're actually not and then something like Darla happens. I asked you not to go over there tonight and you did anyway."
"I never said I wouldn't, Cordy." He said gently, "I had to..."
"You never said you wouldn't sleep with Darla, did you do that too?"
Thankfully, Angel couldn't blush or perhaps he would have. "You know I wouldn't..."
"Do I?" Cordelia's voice was tired, "Angel, I just worry sometimes. This girl is a slayer and a vampire. Chances are, she's going to be strong. Maybe stronger than you and..."
"Nothing's going to happen to me." This, was backed by a sense of promise in the vampire's voice. Granted, it was a promise that perhaps he never could keep - no one was certain what the future held, especially not Angel - but as long as it was in his power to do so, he'd make sure that he never left her again.
Cordelia's gaze drifted to Gunn and Wesley who stood talking in the office. Wesley looked exhausted, older than his years as Gunn explained about Kelsi. "What's going on, Angel? Is she the one who's trying to get to Wesley, or someone else?"
"Judging by the marks on her arms, I'd say someone else. Those weren't self-inflicted..." Angel's eyes darkened as he thought about what he'd seen, about Drusilla subjecting him to every torture she could have thought of, way back when Angel had been with Buffy, before Angelus... When he'd been happy. Here, was something else with the potential to wreck what little happiness Angel had built up.
"Are you brooding again?" Her voice was accusing and when he looked up, even Angel had to admit that his Seer had what was probably the cutest expression he'd ever seen on her face. The look that passed across his then, was something akin to a smile and the chuckle that resounded low in his throat made Cordelia raise an eyebrow, "No, I'm not brooding." He said gently, his gaze drifting up as Wesley and Gunn exited the office.
"The man's crazy." Gunn's words made Angel turn, look at the pair standing by the door, "What?"
"Just what I said," Gunn gestured towards Wesley, "The guy's thinking of going after her himself, talking to her, making her see sense..."
"Angel," Cut in Wesley, before the vampire had the chance to speak, "Perhaps I can make her see that she doesn't have to do this, perhaps..."
"Perhaps you'll die." Angel frowned, "Wesley, you walk in there and she does what she's been ordered to do. She's been killing council members left, right and center so that she can get near and now? She's succeeded. She's here and she won't hesitate at killing you if it's what she has to do."
Wesley let out a sigh and ran a hand through his hair, "Why is it that I think this would have been easier if she'd just been evil?" He asked quietly.
* * * * *
"Kelsi?" His voice bounced off every wall, making her shudder. Not a lot had scared Kelsi in life, but this... This scared her in death. He scared her. She'd never encountered anyone so twisted by rage, by maddening feelings - all for one person. If she thought about it long and hard enough, the fact remained that - shouldn't she be the one with all this rage? After all, she was the one who Wesley had killed, inadvertently or not.
"I'm here." Her voice called out quietly and she winced as a shadow fell upon her. She could almost feel him as he inhaled, testing the air for something that wasn't right. "You've had visitors today."
Kelsi froze, her breathing ceasing completely. She didn't need to breathe but she, like other vampires, found it was slightly comforting, made them feel... More human...
"I... I..."
"Save your explanations." His voice was cold. "You did what I asked, yes?"
"I did."
"And?"
"And he knows that I want revenge." Said Kelsi, "That was what you asked."
"So who then, is the knight in shining armour? Intent on rescuing you from my clutches?"
"I..."
"His name, Kelsi." He intoned, "I have no time for petty, time-wasting games."
"Angel," She whispered, "His name is Angel." At her answer, he stepped into the relative light of the apartment, reflected only by the moonlight, Kelsi choosing to find the dark comforting. The mask that covered three quarters of his face quirked upwards in a smile and Kelsi whimpered, "Please, I asked them to leave... I didn't tell them anything."
"I don't appreciate lies." Dodging as the first blow reigned down upon her, Kelsi got to her feet and stumbled away. She couldn't take another beating, not like last night... The night before. She couldn't.
"Run, child, run." He smiled, flexing his scarred fingers, "I always did love a game of cat and mouse..."
A moment later and his arm was outstretched, pulling Kelsi back towards him from the other side of the room, "I said I loved a game of cat and mouse..." He whispered as he drew her closer, testing the boundaries of his magic, "Relax, Kelsi, you'll be here for a while..." He whispered.
* * * * * *
"I can't believe you're making us stay here." Said Cordelia, looking up at Angel, "For one, you don't have Phantom Dennis, for two - no TV... And for three - No mirrors. Would it kill you to have mirrors in this place?"
Angel smiled slightly and glanced at his Seer who was swathed in a far-too-big pink bathrobe, perched on the end of his bed, "Y'know, Cordelia - you could take any one of these rooms in the hotel and still be as safe as you are now."
"Are 'ou kitten me?" She asked, through a mouthful of pizza.
"What?"
"Are you kidding me!" She said again, "You're pretty much the only one strong enough to protect me against her..."
"It's not her," Said Angel, gently, "It's..."
"Whatever. My point is, you already crushed my ribs today, you owe me buster. Where you go, I go."
"Uhm, Cordy?"
"What?"
"I'm taking a shower, you want to join me?" He teased, smirking behind his hand as the all-too-expected, "Ewwww!" Floated through the bedroom. Smiling, Cordelia settled down on the bed, snuggling inside his warm, soft blankets as she closed her eyes. Having been doped up to the eyeballs on painkillers this was officially... Nice.
And as a hooded figure hovered outside the window of the hotel, he let a smile flit across his lips. "You should learn not to mess with the business of others, vampire." He spat, before turning back to the battered and bruised young woman who stood on the sidewalk, "You know what to do?" He asked.
Kelsi nodded, painfully, "Yes." She whispered.
"Yes, what?"
"Y-yes Master." She replied as she stumbled up the steps...
~Part: 6~
"So sleep on the floor then!"
"I live here! This is my bed and YOU insisted on staying with me." Retorted Angel, darkly. "You sleep on the floor!"
"Geez, Angel you were BORN in the powdered wig days. I know it's been a while since then but chivalry still exists in SOME places..."
"Says the girl who's used to guys coming onto her for her-" He paused then, wisely. Would do him no good to piss off Cordelia.
"For her what?" She asked frowning. "I really hope you meant brains there, Angel - or else we're going to have a huge problem. Besides, you owe me. Hello, broken ribs here."
"That was an accident..." Offered Angel, lamely. Okay, so he had broken her ribs, but he'd been tossed into her. It wasn't like he wanted to be on top of her!!! Uh, that wasn't what he meant and besides...
"Angel, you are NOT sleeping with me." Said Cordelia, breaking into his reverie.
"You're the one who wants to sleep in THIS bed."
"You're right, I do." She said, firmly.
The growl bounced around the room, the covers snapping back. "Fine... Fine, take the bed. I'll sleep somewhere else."
"But-" Cordelia whined, "Angel... That defeats the purpose. I want to stay with you 'cause..."
"Why?" He asked, exasperated. He wanted to get some sleep some time that night. "Cordelia, nothing's going to happen to you, you're safe here."
"That would be no." Said Cordelia, "I'm not going home, because-- Angel!" He was already moving to the door and he *so* wasn't listening to her, "Angel, this girl is working with somebody HUMAN. Which means, hello, able to get in my house! Even if Phantom Dennis stops them? Chances are they can play with matches and- Angel, if I'm here with you, then they can't hurt me. They have to hurt you first because you're still harbouring the guilt over leaving, which means good for me."
"Gee, so nice to know you care." Angel paused and turned back round, looking at her, hand on the door handle.
"Is that sarcasm?" She snapped. "Don't use sarcasm on me, Angel, that would be MY trait, remember?
"But..."
"God! It's not like I'm going to try to bone you! Or you bone me or- some other thoughts along those seriously scary and very creepy lines. We're friends, not..."
"Are you saying I'm not bone-able?" He asked, "Not the way to get in my bed, Cordelia..."
"I'm not TRYING to get in your bed, Angel! I just want to sleep with you..." She paused, letting THAT thought sink in. "That came out kinda wrong, didn't it?" She asked, smiling sheepishly.
His anger disappeared as he saw the grin, the colour creeping up her cheeks. He hefted a sigh, pretending to be severely put-upon and shook his head, "Okay, you can sleep under the covers. I'll sleep on top."
She grinned as she climbed into bed, giving Angel her perfected You Know You Love Me look. Briefly, Angel began wondering exactly when she'd been able to wrap him round her little finger before climbing onto the bed next to her, over the covers.
They lay there for a while, Angel finally slipping into sated slumber before Cordelia's voice drifted to the already-light-sleeper. "Angel?"
"Mmmm?"
"Y'know, what I said today about you guys?"
"What about us?"
"That I was tired of there only being guys round here?"
"Yeah..."
"I didn't mean it. I'd like it if it was just us from here on out. No girlies. At least none with the grrr face, anyway."
"Cordelia?"
"What?"
"Are you trying to tell me you love us?"
"What?! No!" Said the brunette indignantly, "It's just..." Her voice fell a little and a serious tone crept into her voice, "I appreciate what you guys do for me and I guess... Well, yeah, I love you."
Angel smiled. "We love you too."
"Let me say duh..."
"Cordy?"
"What?"
"Sleep."
The brunette opened her mouth, about to protest, and promptly yawned. "G'nite, broody..."
"Night..." He smiled, finally closing his eyes.
* * * * *
Wesley had sat for the better part of an hour and a half, ever since Gunn had left the hotel and Angel and Cordelia had ventured upstairs. Every time he looked at these blasted books, he felt like there was something he was missing perhaps. Something that he just wasn't seeing.
Nothing. Absolutely nothing.
It also didn't help that some of his collection of books had gone back to the Council when he was fired, right before he came to work for Angel. Plus, carting a collection of books round on your motorbike as a rogue demon hunter was rather difficult - he'd barely managed to get the ones he still owned here when Angel began paying him for working there.
Wesley let out a sigh. The books at the Hyperion were proving invaluable in his search, having been built up since the decline of Angel's old offices, but still nothing. The ex-watcher stood, running a hand tersely through his hair. He'd looked in every book imaginable, every one he could think of that might--
Suddenly, the answer was in front of him, without him knowing where. He picked up the phone and dialed a number he was well familiar with, waiting for the answer...
"Hello, Magic Box? How can we help?" Anya. Dear, sweet and totally tactless Anya.
"May I speak with Giles, Anya?" He asked, having no time for pleasantries. Well, not much time anyway. If his theory was right, then there was certainly a problem.
"He's over there..." She paused, making Wesley more irritated by the second. "Would you like me to get him, or pass a message on?"
"Get him." Said Wesley, through gritted teeth.
"Wesley?" Her voice raised, jovially, "I'd know that clacking tongue anywhere. How are you?"
"I did NOT clack my tongue."
"You did too."
"I bloody did not."
"You did."
"I di- Anya, please put Giles on? This is important."
He heard the sigh, heard the 'Giles, it's Wesley' being yelled across the Magic Box and Xander's, 'Spineless Ex-Watcher Extraordinaire, wonder what he wants' - and battled the urge to throw the receiver against the wall, before Giles answered the call.
"Giles? It's Wesley - how are you?"
The hesitance in Giles' voice made Wesley wonder, but the reply was as he'd expected. "Good, you?"
"Not so. I was wondering if you still had the copy of the Pergamum Codex?"
He heard Giles pause a second, rummage through a box he assumed was relatively close and waited patiently. "Yes, I have it."
Wesley held his breath. "Can you check something for me?"
* * * * *
Warmth. He hadn't had that in a long time, not since Buffy... Not since... Holy God, this felt good. Oh, this felt REALLY good. Angel pressed himself closer, his face all but buried in the shortish-hair. Cinnamon. That spicy shampoo that Cordelia always used. The apple body lotion she lathered herself with after a shower...
He inhaled, once, deeply. Deep enough to move the bed a little and he felt her curve into his body, press against his. And suddenly he was aware of how uncomfortable a situation this actually was. In fact, he was suddenly aware that the situation was no longer just 'uncomfortable' - he coughed, and squirmed, causing his seer to wrap her arm almost sluggishly across the upper part of his body.
He felt her sigh, her breasts pressing into his side, the slight weight of her breath against his skin - and he could feel her heart. Thump-thumping against his chest. He'd spent a lot of the past few months missing his friends, the wonderful simplicity they brought to his life - the normalcy they brought. More than ever, Angel realised that he'd missed Cordelia - true, they'd never done this before, but without being sure what this was, could they classify it as a 'this' or was it just a sleep-induced haze on his part?
He lay there for a moment, his eyes gazing up at the ceiling in his room. If he moved, he was going to wake her up - if he didn't move, she was going to wake up and find... Well, he hoped more than anything she'd just think the covers were 'rumpled' but this was Cordelia and if anything, his Seer wasn't stupid. Besides, the fact that he wasn't *under* the covers, kinda worked against him in that particular scenario.
Think of... Of... Angelus, there's a bone-reducing thought. Think of how hurt she'd be if she knew you'd slept with Darla. Ah, damnit, sex... Angel frowned, Sex with Cordelia. Naked Cordelia... Oh God, she's going to kill me.
She stirred next to him, opening one eye and looking up at him, sleepily. "Angel?" He watched as realisation dawned and she pulled away now fully awake, gasping, "Ohhh... My... God..."
"Cordelia..." Of course, when Cordelia had stood, she'd tossed the blankets OFF herself and onto him. It was with a not-very-stealthy grunt that Angel plunged to the floor, blankets wrapped haphazardly across his body. He growled, loudly, hearing the laughter that echoed across the room. At first, the laughter was tentative. Then, amused. Then, it sounded almost like all-out hysteria on her part.
"It was NOT that funny..." He intoned, so very much not amused, as he tried to untangle himself from the blankets.
She laughed again - and in that split second, three things happened. The lights fizzled and went out... Cordelia screamed... And Angel felt something whipsaw against his cheek... The blow to his body was almost crippling. Angel sputtered and felt feet and fists fly into his body. He coughed and tried to stumble, succeeding in only falling against the wall as his attacker rained blows down upon his body.
The last thing Angel heard before he gave into the blackness was Cordelia's scream...
* * * * *
"What's giving you the problem, the closed sign or the fact that there's no lights on?" Called Lorne, frowning as he pulled his terrycloth robe around his body. This was getting ridiculous - didn't people realise that he had to sleep?
He pressed the buzzer and listened as the footsteps came down into the main part of the club. "Oh, it's you. Sorry sweetcakes, I was happily slumbering in the land of nod. But don't let that bother you."
Wesley ignored the sarcasm, taking a quick look at Lorne's chosen outfit - a dyed pink robe. He raised an eyebrow and almost chuckled at the frown he received.
"Accident with an Armani suit, now, did you want something? I'm sure you didn't come here to give me fashion advice so what's the what?"
"I need you to read me." Stated Wesley simply.
"Ah, time of the essence and all that. Don't worry, you'll get that later." Said Lorne, gesturing towards the stage.
Wesley frowned, "Can't I just... Sing here? The effect is surely the same..."
Lorne shrugged and sat down, wishing Ramon was here for the wonderful seabreeze that he so desperately needed right now. Ah, dear sweet Ramon who'd almost had Angel and his friends killed. Lord, how he missed that boy.
"Uhm..." Wesley faltered and looked at the green anagogic demon. "I..."
"What?"
"What should I sing?"
Lorne rolled his eyes, "I don't know... A nursery rhyme? Mandy..." He caught the inevitable shudder and chuckled at the memory of his favourite vampire customer belting out Manilow. He watched Wesley a moment before shaking his head, "A jingle..."
Wesley shook his head, feeling much like a prize idiot...
"What walks down the stairs, alone or in pairs, everyone knows it's - WHAT?!"
Lorne coughed, trying to hide the laughter, "You chose the Slinky jingle?"
"It was off the top of my head..." Claimed Wesley, raising an eyebrow, "Was that enough?"
Lorne had Wesley repeat the jingle once... Twice... A third time. Until Wesley cottoned on to the fact that he was making a fool of himself. "Lorne...?"
The Host chuckled and grinned, "That was fun... Okay, bubula... You want to know what's happening in the world of the Watcher?"
"Yes!" Said Wesley, exasperated.
"Okay, but you better sit - 'cause the picture I'm gonna paint? Not a pretty one."
Wesley sat down, tentatively. He couldn't help but wonder what was about to be revealed. The Host set people on their true path - what if his true path was to do what he'd tried to do years ago? The very thing he'd believed he'd succeeded in doing? He remembered the night so clearly, the smell of smoke as it clung to his nostrils... He'd tried to do the right thing...
"So, your slayer came back and she's doing a whole lot of damage?"
Wesley glanced up at Lorne and nodded, tersely. "She has a soul..."
"Did that stop Angel from going to the darkside?" His question was simple, but one that Wesley knew he couldn't answer. Was Kelsi doomed? Did it matter if she had a soul or not? Lorne watched as Wesley winced and looked away. "Good."
He hadn't answered the question, but as Wesley looked up to ask him what he meant, Lorne continued, "You know that a soul doesn't instantly mean that a person is good, you're going to need that knowledge walking into this fight - and what a fight it's going to be..."
Wesley raised an eyebrow, "You know I can't fight her. She's stronger than me, perhaps moreso than Angel. I can't fight her."
Lorne shook his head, "Not her. Him."
"Him? Him who?"
* * * * *
"Ah, our guest awakens."
The first thing Cordelia was aware of was a headache. The second, in a truckload of not fun, was the smell of urine.
Her vision swam in front of her until finally it focused and Cordelia moved, groaning slightly as her head pounded. Vision? No... Someone hitting her with something heavy. Ah, that was it.
"Guest?" Her mind had the presence to cough out that word and finding her figurative feet, Cordelia continued, "Does that mean your 'guest' can leave at any time she wants?"
The voice chuckled and Cordelia looked up to see him shaking his head, "Nope, didn't think so." She said with a shrug, "Any chance you want to tell me which enemy you are? We kinda have a few." Her gaze drifted round the room until it settled on Kelsi, the girl she'd met at the hotel, sitting huddled in the corner. Blood trickled steadily from a wound in her side, making Cordelia frown. Then, she remembered... Broken ribs, the girl deserved everything she got.
Maybe.
"What's going on?"
"Ah," He chuckled, "So Wesley truly hasn't mentioned me?"
"Uh, that would be NO." Said Cordelia, frowning, "He'd mention the knowing of freak parts."
The guy's jaw tightened and Cordelia braced herself against the stinging slap delivered to her cheek. "Hold your tongue, girl." He hissed, glaring at her.
Cordelia frowned, "You're going to pay for that."
Kelsi looked up from where she sat, meeting Cordelia's eyes, "I'm sorry." She whispered softly, "I never meant for it to end like this."
"Then how DID you want it to end?" Asked Cordelia, frowning, "Looks like someone just learned the beauty of hindsight, huh?"
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