Armadillos & Salsa

By Syn

Chapter Seven: Eleven Minus Two and the Big Swirly, Sucky Thing

"Ow. Just...hold still."

"You hold still! My foot is stuck."

"Yeah, right up my a--" Wesley's retort was cut off as he jumped in startlement, thunder rocking the RV and the interior flashing as lightning lit up the sky between the cracks in the blinds. He went still beneath Faith and glanced at the window, where the winds howled past, making the RV rock even more. "That was awfully close."

"Mmm...thunderstorms are sexy." Faith said as she squirmed around and fiddled with the buttons on Wesley's shirt, popping them open one by one. "This one time I was with this drummer and it was stormin'--"

"I so do not need to hear that story." Wesley said, lifting his head and glaring at her. She smiled and dipped her head to his stomach, her tongue sliding over the soft muscle and into his belly button.

"You might enjoy it, Wes. It ends with me naked and wet..." Wesley growled and grabbed her forearms in his hands, then flipped her over on the small bed. He fisted his hand in her hair and forced her face to the side, his mouth sliding over her jaw line. "Knew that would get you all excited..."

Wesley didn't answer as he pulled her shirt over her head. Faith arched her back, legs going around his hips as he slipped his hands around her back and tugged at the hooks on her bra. He pulled the lacy black garment off her arms in turn and buried his head between her breasts. Her hands tangled themselves in his thick hair and she closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of his mouth on her skin.

"Wesley? Faith? Cordy?" Connor's voice suddenly shot through the RV as the door swung open with a creak. Another flicker of lightning accompanied his voice, followed closely by a great boom of thunder and more wind.

"Dammit. I thought you locked the door?" Wesley said, lifting his head and staring up into Faith's eyes.

"I did. Super-Teen Pervert probably broke the lock." Faith said in agitation as she sat up on her elbows, taking Wes with her. He reached for her shirt and glanced toward the sliding door.

"Wes? Faith?"

"What?" Faith called, taking her shirt from Wesley's hands.

"Wait! Don't come in--!!" Wesley started to say, but it was too late.

"Faith? What are you--AHH!" Connor said as he pushed the curtain open and then quickly looked away. Faith pulled her shirt over her head calmly as Wesley gave her a stern look. "Why are you two always naked? Don't you have clothing?"

"Maybe if you'd knock first," Faith said with a disgruntled sigh, swinging her legs over the side of the small bed and glaring up at Connor in extreme annoyance. "Or wear a bell and WHAT in the hell happened to your head?"

Connor lifted one hand to his hair, his eyes huge. One half of his long brown hair was hacked short in uneven spikes; the other half was still long and wet.

"Lorne did it."

"I'd sue." Faith said with a snort of amusement.

"He got distracted and couldn't finish because there's a storm coming."

"I'd respond with a big 'duh' and a 'who cares?' but I got a feeling you're going to expand on that extremely simplistic statement." Faith said as Wesley buttoned up his shirt.

"What is it, Connor?" Wesley asked, finishing buttoning up his shirt and pulling his shoes on.

"Mr. Burkle says there's a...thing coming. A storm, but it's a thing. What's the word? They showed it on TV. It was all swirly."

"A tornado?" Wesley offered, immediately interested. Faith glanced up sharply and looked back at the window, where another white-hot burst of lightning raced across the sky.

"That's it. Everyone's all worried about it. He wants us all to get into this hole in the ground."

"The storm cellar, I would imagine. Come on, Faith." Wesley said, standing up and pulling her up with him. She ran a nervous hand through her hair and grabbed his hand. Wesley looked down at her fingers tangled with his, but didn't comment.

"Have you seen Dad and Cordy?" Connor asked as he turned to walk out.

"We saw Angel riding out toward the woods earlier. I don't know where Cordelia is." Wesley said and then stopped as he saw the concern on Connor's face. "They'll be fine. Angel won't let anything happen to Cordelia."

"I know...just..."

"Go on ahead, Junior. We'll catch up."

"Yeah. Okay." Connor said, shooting one glance backward at Faith before disappearing into the darkened RV and then out into the driving wind.

"You know, I think he has a crush on you." Wesley commented as he watched the door of the RV slam shut again.

"I can't blame him. I mean, I am irresistible."

"You're not that irresistible."

"Really? You were doing a good job of irresisting me a few minutes ago. Too bad we can't finish..." Faith said, looping her fingers in the collar of Wesley shirt and bringing her mouth up to his. His hands went to her face and he tilted her mouth upward. He kissed her solidly on the lips and then pulled away as another crash of thunder and wind rocked the motor home.

"As much as I'd love to...I think we're going to have to wait until the storm has passed."

"I know, I know. And you'd better hydrate yourself because I've never had to wait this long before." Wesley's eyes widened as Faith grabbed his hand again and tugged him toward the door, an evil grin on her face.

*****

Angel winced as dust itched his eyes, the ever-strengthening wind picking up little fistfuls and flinging them at him. The horse tossed its head, eyes rolling nervously as it picked its way down the path, past the house and toward the barn. Angel jumped as lightning forked down not far away, thunder booming like a mighty god's voice.

He glanced behind him, debating turning back and getting Cordelia. No matter what she'd said about needing time alone, he wasn't going to have her out by herself in a thunderstorm. And from the feel of it, it was going to be a big one too. Another fork of lightning came down in a white-hot flash, making up his mind. He turned the horse's head back down the path just as Grayson raced out of the house in his direction.

"Angel! Where's Cordelia?" Grayson shouted as he ran by, his hat blowing off his head. He didn't notice though, as he grabbed the horse's bridle in his callused hands. His eyes were round with concern and apprehension.

"Back there...what's going on?"

"It's coming! C'mon!"

"What's coming?" Angel asked, his heart lurching. Lorne suddenly appeared behind Grayson, his face nearly glowing green in the darkness. He jumped as another flash of lightning forked down.

"Oh! It's good to see you Angel-pie! Get off that horse and get into the storm cellar. A tornado's coming this way. Where's Cordelia?"

But Angel wasn't listening. He was already turning his mount's head, digging his heels into the horse's flank. It leapt forward and immediately went into a hard gallop, hooves digging into the dry dirt on the path. Angel left them behind, bending low over the horse's neck, instinct taking over and his heart in his throat.

Lorne watched the shadows swallow him up, his own heart shrouded in fear as Angel galloped off.

"Where's he goin'?" Grayson asked, waving away an eyeful of dust, another strong blast of wind hitting him in the face and lifting his lank blonde hair off his neck.

"He's doing what he does best. Playing the hero." Lorne said, mouth drawn into a tight red line. Grayson glanced at him with a look of genuine concern on his face.

"Well, I hope that hero business don't get him and that gal killed."

"Don't worry, they always make it home. Angel wouldn't let anything happen to Cordy. He'd die before he'd let that happen." Lorne said firmly.

"For their sake, I hope you're right."

Lightning suddenly split the sky again, hitting one of the trees behind the house. Grayson jumped and leapt at Lorne, his arms going around his neck.

"Dang...it really is raining men." Lorne looked him over, brows rising.

"You're an odd fella, aren't you?"

"You have no idea."

"Hey! You boys stop...whatever you're doin' and get out here!" Trish yelled as she ran out of the house, the wind grabbing her long braid and whipping it around her head. Grayson immediately jumped away from Lorne, scrambling toward the barn, his head bent to the wind.

"Good to know I haven't lost my touch." Lorne said, even as he worriedly glanced at the sky and took off after Grayson. Worry formed a knot in his stomach and he tried to will it away. Angel and Cordelia would be all right. They always were.

Right?

****

"Crap."

Cordelia squeezed her eyes shut against the deluge of dust and leaves swirling around her. The storm that had been threatening them earlier had moved in a whole lot quicker than she'd anticipated. The sky was bright with flashes of white-hot lightning and the wind was a furious demon that tore at her clothes and tossed her hair across her face, obscuring her vision.

Thunder slammed through the sky, vibrating through her skin and making her gasp and stumble. She went down on one knee on the path as her foot hit a downed tree branch, gravel biting at her skin. She winced as she felt the gravel rip through her knee, followed by the wet tickle of blood from the scrape.

"Great. That's all I need." She muttered, climbing to her feet wearily, blood trickling down her shin.

She was kicking herself for insisting that Angel leave her here. Not the best idea in an approaching storm, but there wasn't anything she could do about it now. The best she could hope for would be that she'd get back to the house before it started raining. Or that Angel would, for once, not listen to her and come back.

With a painful limp, she set off again, stepping carefully over more tree branches as they cracked off and fell across the path. The wind howled through the trees, a shiver going across her sweaty skin as she listened to it. More branches cracked off, landing in front of her as she started to run, feet digging into the path, her heart thumping in her chest.

Overhead, she heard a mighty crack and stopped just in time to avoid getting hit by a massive branch the size of her waist. It crashed down across the path, kicking up a huge puff of dust. She flinched as one of the smaller branches grazed her cheek, pain slicing through her face. Clapping one hand to the scratch, she started to step over the branch and stopped at the sound splitting through the air.

The hair on the back of her neck suddenly stood up as she turned in place, staring at the horizon. The wind tossed more dust at her, but she ignored it, shielding her eyes as she stared at the flashing sky. She dragged in a lungful of warm air, her heart stopping in her chest as another bout of lightning illuminated the sky.

There, over the dark humps of the trees, she could make out...something. Something large and loud. The light died again and she swallowed hard, taking a step backward over the tree branch. More lightning flashed and this time she saw the thing for what it was. Her eyes widened and she wavered, unsure.

"Oh my God." She said, frozen in place by fear.

Thunder crashed again and that decided her. Cordelia spun around and ran for all she was worth down the path, the wind gripping her, making her seem as if she was running in place. She bent her head down and dug in as hard as she could. Her mind raced along with her and all she could think of was Angel.

And, just as she thought of him, she swore she heard his voice calling her name. She squinted into the darkness and swore she heard his voice again, carried on the wind.

"Angel?!" Cordy screamed, running harder.

"Cordy?!!" Angel's voice carried to her, faint, but so near it made her heart ache.

"Over he--" She started to yell, as something bright invaded her vision and she felt her skin tingle. The next thing she knew she was flying through the air, landing in a tumble in the coarse grass. She groped blindly for something to hold on to and found nothing but air as she rolled down a hill and landed with an explosion of pain against something hard and rough.

She struggled to open her eyes as something cold started pelting her skin. There was another loud flash followed by a boom and a crack and her vision went gray.

****

Angel bent down, keeping his bulk as low to the horse's neck as he could as it scrambled down the path, eyes rolling, ears bent in agitation. It definitely didn't want to be out here and Angel couldn't blame it. The wind was ripping through everything, breaking branches and howling like a banshee.

He couldn't believe he'd let Cordelia talk him into leaving her out here when every instinct in his body had told him to take her with him. He wanted to kick himself, but he knew that could wait until later, when they were both safe.

"Cordy!!?" He screamed, the wind flinging the words away with ghostly fingers even as he shouted them. He squinted up at the sky as lightning illuminated the clouds. His skin crawled as he suddenly caught the sound of something large, like a demon devouring the earth. He knew exactly what it was, even if he couldn't see it over the trees. "Cordy!?!!"

"Angel?!" Cordelia's voice shouted, distance muffling her voice. Angel spurred the horse on as it snorted and sidestepped a fallen tree branch.

"Cordy?!!" He shouted again as he dug his heels in, not caring if he lamed the horse, only that he get to her before it was too late. She started to reply something, but suddenly lightning cracked out from the sky in front of him, white-hot and blinding. Angel winced as the horse reared up, screaming in fear.

He clutched blindly at the reins, fear gripping him as he shouted Cordelia's name. There was no reply, or if there was, it was lost in the crack of thunder and the sudden pelting of hail that rained down on him from the sky. The wind hit him in a huge gust as he tried to hold on to the horse; it reared up again as a huge cracking sound assaulted his ears.

Before he knew what was happening, something hit him in the shoulder with a fiery lance of pain. His hands went numb on the reins and he felt them slipping away as the pain dug into his body. There was another huge crack and the horse screamed, turning in place. Angel tumbled from the saddle, hitting the ground in a roll, the pain in his shoulder worsening as he rammed it into the ground.

Looking up through a haze of pain, he caught sight of the horse tearing off down the path in the direction of the house; it narrowly avoided a tree as fell across the path, dirt flying as the roots were torn out of the earth. Angel rolled out of the way as the branches crashed down at him, gritting his teeth as he landed in a sprawl on his stomach.

Looking down at his shoulder, he saw a tree branch sticking out of his skin, blood seeping around the wound. With a grimace, he grabbed the splintery wood and pulled it out with a jerk, pain exploding through his system again. Then, he climbed to his feet as best he could, the wind threatening to toss him off his feet once more.

"Cordy?!" He screamed, holding up a hand to shield himself from the hail falling down in cold little pebbles. He knew she was close and he prayed that huge bolt of lightning that had split the sky hadn't hit her. "Where's an electro-girl when you need a lightning rod, huh?" He murmured, clawing his way across the path, fingers digging into the dirt. "Cordy?!"

"A-Angel? Down here!" He heard, voice close and weak. He squinted in the flashing light and surveyed the path, finally seeing her lying at the side against a tree. She had a gash on her cheek and she was bleeding from a slight wound on her scalp, matted hair swirling around her face. His heart leapt in his chest as he scrambled to his feet and stumbled toward her.

"Cordy...oh thank God. Are you okay?" He said, brushing a tree branch off her and clutching her to him. Her fingers clenched around his neck in a vice grip, eyes huge and full of terror.

"Angel...I saw it...it's a tornado!"

"I know, baby!" Angel said, picking her up and setting her on her feet. "Can you walk?"

"Yeah." Cordelia screamed, glancing behind her at the sky.

"Alright. Come on!" The wind threatened to sweep them both from their feet, but he dug in with all his strength, his hands bruising her body as she stumbled forward, clutched to him. He dared to glance behind them at the sky, knowing what he would find there.

The tornado was a huge black column against the sky. Lightning illuminated it as it spun, devouring the earth with a loud, hungry growl as it raged through the sky. Gritting his teeth, Angel clutched Cordelia closer to him and ran as fast as he could, knowing it was too late.

It was coming right for them.

****

"Grayson, get those horses out of those stalls! I don't want em trapped in here if that thing comes this way!" Mr. Burkle called as he grabbed a lantern off the wall and rushed out of the barn doors, the wind hitting him full blast and darkness swallowing him.

"Faith! Wesley! Give me a hand!" Grayson yelled as he rushed over to the first stall and threw it open. Faith tugged on Wesley's hand, bringing him into the barn as a gust of wind grabbed at the doors, banging them against the wall. The entire barn shuddered around them, wood creaking as thunder erupted in the sky.

"Faith, get those two and I'll get these." Wesley said, letting go of her hand and throwing himself at the stalls nearest to him. He flung the door open and grabbed the mare inside by the bit. She tossed her head as he tugged her forward, careful to avoid her huge head as she struggled against him. "Easy girl. Come on."

She got the clue and nearly dragged him out of the barn as he led her to the entrance. Once there, he let her go, slapping her on the rear end to get her going. He blinked as lightning illuminated her, then darkness swallowed her up. Turning back around, he passed Faith as she led a stallion out, then let him go. He went in a circle; ears laid flat, eyes rolling with fear before choosing a direction and launching off into the darkness.

"Should we be doing this?"

"They're better out there than trapped in here, Faith, believe me. Now get that other horse so we can get down to the cellar with the others." Wesley said, touching her face for a moment before unlatching the other stall.

As he led the last horse out and let it go, Faith did the same. Grayson rushed by them, his lank blonde hair flying in the wind, his face a deep mask of concern.

"Come on, y'all. There's nothing more we can do here." He called over his shoulder as he rounded the corner of the barn, leaving them behind.

"Let's go Faith." Wesley said, reaching for her. He stopped as he saw her looking up at the sky, her eyes wide. He followed her gaze and felt his heart stop in his chest as he took in the full view of the tornado as it ate through the small woods, sound like a freight train roaring through his ears.

"Holy shit. Look at that thing." Faith said, face pale in the lamplight from the open barn doors, lightning flicking across her face as it illuminated the tornado. "How the hell do you fight something like that?"

"What?" He asked as he reached for her, squinting as the driving wind flung dirt into his eyes. The barn doors banged wildly against the barn, wood creaking as the wind crashed into them.

"I mean...its not like you can go all Wild Bill and rope the damned thing, right? It'll just...eat you. Grab you and throw you before you can even blink." She said in awe. Wesley grabbed her arm and turned her toward him

"Faith! Come on!" He forcefully screamed in her ear. Her eyes widened as he heard a huge crack, then a splintering sound. She leapt at him, tackling to the ground as something flew at them, slamming into both of them with a thump that knocked the breath from their lungs. He heard her grunt with pain and then felt a hot splatter of something against his face even as pain exploded through his side, his ankle screaming with pain as it twisted under him. "Faith?"

"Shit that hurt!" She said, blood gushing from a gash across her forehead. He squinted up at her and pressed his hand over the cut as she tried to climb to her feet.

"Wes!"

"Charles!" Wesley called as Faith sat back. Gunn rounded the corner, clothes plastered to his body. He saw them and ran forward, grabbing Faith by the arm.

"You guys all right? I saw the barn door go that way." He said, gesturing in the opposite direction as he bent down to avoid a fence post as it flew their way. The post slammed into the barn, buried halfway through the wooden wall.

"We're okay. Get Faith." Wesley said, struggling to his feet, ankle groaning in protest, adrenaline throbbing through his veins as he caught sight of the tornado rushing in their direction.

"I'm fine, Wes." She said, struggling as Gunn picked her up. She fought to get free, blood flowing down her forehead and into her eyes. Gunn grunted and held on as he thrust out a hand to help Wesley up. He took it and together the three of them managed to make it around the barn and down into the storm cellar.

The inside was cramped and obviously not meant for so many people. As Gunn pushed Faith in front of him and down the steps, Grayson and Roger leapt forward, grabbing the metal doors to keep them from banging shut on them. Wesley stumbled down after them, his ankle throbbing. Fred and Trish were in the farthest corner, flashlights in hand. Lorne was sitting beside them, his lips pressed together in a thin, grim line. Connor was on his feet, pacing the floor like a shark.

"It's comin' right this way, man. We gotta shut these doors. Now!" Gunn said, helping Wes down the stairs as Roger nodded and he and Grayson shut the doors behind them.

Connor saw what they were doing and rushed forward, grabbing Wesley's shoulder. "Where are they?"

"I don't know. I thought they were with you."

"They're still out there?!" Connor exclaimed, trying to push past him. Wesley held him back with one hand as Connor's face went pale with fury and worry. "Let me go! I have to find them! Cordy could be hurt or...or.."

"If she is, Angel will help her. He wouldn't let anything happen to her. We saw the tornado, Connor. It's coming this way. If you go out there you'll get killed before you ever found them. And if you're gone and they manage to make it back here, your father will never forgive himself. Cordelia too."

"I'm not afraid of some stupid storm. I can fight it. I can fight anything."

"Not that thing, you can't." Faith's rough voice came from the corner as she sat up, blood flowing down her face. Connor looked over at her, startled by the fear and anger in her eyes. "No one can fight that thing. So sit down and shut up."

"I'm just supposed to sit here while they're out there?"

"Yes. It's all you can do." Wesley said forcefully, clapping one bloody hand on Connor's shoulder. "Now sit down."

Connor wavered, his eyes on the opening of the cellar, where Grayson and Roger were still standing, fingers clenched on the doors, trying to keep them closed even as they dropped the bar in place.

"Sit down, Connor. Come here and sit down." Trish said, her voice tight with concern, soft brown eyes glinting with steely resolve. Connor glanced at her and then sat down next to her, his hands clenched in his lap. Wesley limped to the bench, wrapping his arm around Faith's shoulders, even though he knew she probably didn't want him to. He was surprised when she leaned her head against his.

"Let me clean that, Faith." Fred said, voice trembling as she knelt down in front of them and lifted a cloth to Faith's forehead. Faith just let her clean the wound, her eyes on the doors as Gunn made Roger go sit down next to Trish. Grayson nodded at Gunn in a silent truce, as they held on tight, the tiny window set deep in the door flashing with light and debris. They both flinched as hail pinged against the metal and the sound of a deep, ground-devouring roar filled the air.

Lorne bowed his head and prayed Angel and Cordelia were safe, or on their way. He continued to pray, even as they heard the barn break up with a loud splinter of wood and a bang as one of the walls slammed into the doors, trapping them inside and Angel and Cordelia out.

****

Cordelia stumbled as they cut across the grass, the house so close she could see the lights shining in the windows. A horse flew by them, tail held high. Angel's heart leapt at the sight of it. It whinnied as he tried to catch it; it dodged his hands and took off in the opposite direction. Cordelia stumbled again and he nearly wrenched her arm out of socket trying to keep her upright.

"Come on! We're almost there!"

She nodded and put on an extra burst of speed, not daring to look behind her, knowing by the crashing noises and the deafening roar in her ears that the tornado was bearing down on them. The path was strewn with debris that they had to leap over; trees and other things that they couldn't identify.

There was a loud wailing to their side as Angel wrenched her down the path, then suddenly pushed her, sending her sprawling in front of him. She looked up, body hurting in too many places to name and saw him leap over a bull as it came crashing out of the fence. It charged out, but ignored Angel as he landed on one knee and reached for her. More of the cattle poured out of the hole in the fence, heading in a panicked line parallel to the tornado.

The fence, suddenly weakened by the hole in it, gave way, fence posts pulled from the ground like corks out of bottles. Angel ducked down over top of her as one of the posts sideswiped him, a snarl of barbed wire catching on his shirt and tearing it across the back.

"Come on!" He yelled, pushing her in front of him. She caught hold of his hand and together they raced the fence as the posts were individually pulled out of the ground. The house slowly came within reach and Cordelia headed straight for it, even as Angel pulled her away. "Storm cellar behind the barn!" He screamed in her ear and started to tug her toward the barn.

He stopped in mid-turn, his eyes widening as he saw the tornado tearing across the field, huge and black, its base wide and hungry. It swung to the right like a drunken snake, eating the fence and the chicken coop behind the barn. There was a white swirl of feathers for a second before they were swallowed up by the massive cyclone. The tornado towered over them, drawing closer as it flung out debris like a fitful child.

"Oh my God." Cordelia said, clinging to him as they both watched the edge of the tornado hit the barn. Debris was flung in all directions as the huge wooden building was blown apart. Angel swallowed hard and grabbed at Cordelia again. "Screw that!"

A downdraft suddenly tugged at them, threatening to sweep them away once more; Angel grabbed hold of one of the porch railings and held on tight to it and Cordelia. As they watched, the Winnebago rocked in the driveway, its huge bulk suddenly leaping backward and flung away into the darkness as the tornado sucked it up.

"In the house! Now!" Angel said, panic rising as he pulled them to the front door, the wind pushing them inside, even as a huge piece of barn wall slammed into the porch. There was a snap of wood as the roof of the porch caved in. "Come on!"

Cordelia followed him, ducking as one of the windows shattered, glass flying everywhere in a deadly spray. The pictures on the walls flew off, slamming into the furniture around them. Cordelia's ears popped as the pressure inside the house changed and the walls shook. The house gave a huge groan as they raced down the hallway toward the center of the house. The walls groaned and the couch was flung in front of the hallway entrance. Cordelia leapt it as Angel followed, huge chunks of plaster raining down on them. Angel skidded to a halt in front of the bathroom door and kicked it open, then pushed her inside.

"Get in!" He said as she climbed into the bathtub. He climbed in after her, reaching up to tear the shower curtain off to cover them. The walls shook around them as Angel wrapped his arms around her. She buried her head against his chest and squeezed her eyes shut, listening to the deafening roar as the twister raged on. Frightful minutes passed as they clung to each other, the shaking of the house subsiding to a distant rumble and the sound of thunder.

"Angel? I just want you to know that I love you." Cordelia finally said, biting down on her lip.

"I love you too." Angel said, pressing his mouth against her forehead, his fingers squeezing her shoulders in a death grip. The house gave another groan, so loud it nearly drowned out his words. "I'm sorry I left you out there. I nearly lost you."

"You didn't leave me. You found me." She said, lifting her head, her vision filled with his bloody, dirty face and tinged pink from the shower curtain. "You saved me."

"I always said I would, even if you didn't need me."

"I always need you." Cordelia said, wrapping her arms around his neck and bringing her mouth to his. He desperately clung to her as she trembled against him, mouth sliding frantically against his. He pushed his hand through her hair as she slipped her tongue into his mouth, tasting him through her fear and apprehension.

Her hands slipped beneath the soaked collar of his shirt, touching the ice-cold skin with trembling fingers. He moved against her, pulling her closer to him, breasts crushed to his chest and her own legs immediately wrapping around his middle. Angel started to push his hands up under her ripped, dirty shirt when reality slammed through his mind. He pulled away from her with a start.

"Cordy! We can't...tornado! Imminent death?" He said, shaking her shoulders a little, the shower curtain rustling around them.

"If it was going to hit the house, we'd be dead by now. Its just the wind now."

"You don't know that."

"I'm your frickin' Seer, remember? Don't you trust me?" She managed a weary smile even as her lip quivered.

"Not even in question. Just...we almost died. We don't even know if everyone else is safe." Angel said as he brushed her blood-matted hair behind her ear, resisting the urge to kiss her again.

"They're fine. I can feel it."

"But..." He was cut off as she placed her hand over his mouth.

"Shhh. They're safe. We're safe. I'm safe with you." She smiled again and lifted her hand away from his mouth. He could sense the finality in her voice and the weight of her words was impressed upon him. She wasn't afraid anymore. Not of him and not of anything else. There was still apprehension, but it was nothing next to her want for him. He kissed her immediately, forgetting the roaring wind and the shaking of the house even as it subsided. Forgot his wounds, forgot his worry for everyone else. The world narrowed to her and to him.

Their tongues battled, lips meshed as hands explored, careful of wounds and hurts too numerous to count. Carefully, he laid her down in the bathtub, the narrow, smooth sides hard for him to grip. He braced himself and spread his weight out over top of her as she wrapped her legs around his waist. His mouth went to her throat and he kissed the sweaty, dirty skin, the pungent taste of her filling his mouth as he moved lower.

She clung to him as he pushed her top down, his mouth closing over the swell one breast as his fingers molded the soft mounds. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes, the gash on her forehead throbbing and the back of her head uncomfortably wedged against the rounded slope of the bathtub.

She gasped as he bit down gently on one of her breasts, fingers squeezing the other. She grabbed his head in her hands and forced him to look up at her, a smile spreading across her face.

"I don't want slow." She said, pulling him up and reaching for the fly of his pants. His mouth went back to hers and he suckled her bruised lips, hands flowing down her body, expertly unsnapping the button on her jeans and then sliding the zipper down. Inch by inch, she wriggled out of her shorts, followed closely by her underwear. He settled between her legs as she slid his own zipper down, her hand reaching inside and molding over his erection.

He gasped and surged against her, his mouth biting down on her neck gently. She felt pleasure swirl through her skin as his tongue whirled across her neck. Her back arched and her belly slid against his as he braced his hands on the edge of the bathtub. Their eyes met and she bit her lip, easing his penis from the layers of his clothing, fingers warm on the velvety, hard skin in her palm.

Slowly, she guided him inside of her, her stomach tightening as he shook with the need for control. He closed his eyes and when he opened them, she was smiling at him, her eyes slitted with pleasure. He pushed his hips against hers, filling her up with a moan. He stopped as she lifted her hips again, impatient to feel him completely.

"You know, I wanted this to be perfect the first time." He said, nodding his head at their surroundings.

"Angel, don't be a dumbass. It's always going to be perfect if its with you." She said, rolling her eyes in such a Cordelia-like way that he couldn't help but smile widely as he bent to kiss her again.

With her urging, he thrust hard, rocking his body against hers as she drank greedy kisses from his mouth. Her hands slid beneath his shirt and she rubbed her palms down his chest, fingers skimming his nipples as he thrust inside. There was nothing slow about it, just feeling, just moving, just them. The world faded. The pain faded.

Her breath heaved in her lungs as she pushed herself up on her hands, bringing him with her. He shifted to meet her thrusts as her head went back, his hand spread out over her lower back, skin hot against his. The house groaned, but he ignored it and closed his eyes, concentrating on the woman in his arms.

Every dream and fantasy he'd had about her hadn't prepared him for this. Pleasure rode through his veins and even the fear that Willow's spell hadn't changed the curse was lost to the ether. All he wanted was to make her feel something other than terror and from the look on her face as she brought her head back down to his, he was doing a good job of it.

Her eyes opened and met his gaze, hazel eyes smoldering. He could feel her body tightening around him, inner walls clenching him like a strong fist. He thrust hard, his knees protesting as they were cramped on the bottom of the bathtub. He ignored them and kissed her hard, drinking in the moan that escaped her lips as she let go. His own body clenched as she moved over him like fire. Everything stilled, like a bolt of lightning ready to strike, and then he shuddered, grasping her to him, hips bucking against hers.

Slowly their bodies came to a stop, limbs heavy, and mouths swollen. Cordelia laid back against the side of the bathtub, letting him sink down on top of her. Thunder boomed far off in the distance and the sound of rain coming down was finally heard. How long it had been doing that, they didn't know.

"See? Perfect." Cordelia finally said as she rubbed her hand through his hair, fingernails grazing his scalp. He lifted his head, disbelief in his eyes. "What? Okay, so we're both bleeding and dirty and we're in a tiny bathtub in Fred's parent's house during a tornado, but it was perfect. Perfectly us."

"I have to agree." Angel said as he disengaged from her body with a kiss, then laid his head on her chest. "Perfectly us."

Cordelia only smiled and pulled him up for another kiss.

****

"On three. One...two...three!" Gunn said, gesturing to Grayson. Both men jammed their shoulders against the doors, but it didn't budge. They tried it again, but the doors couldn't move with all the debris on top of it.

"Oh for fuck's sake--move it." Faith said, pushing Fred's hand away and climbing unsteadily to her feet. She gestured to Connor and he quickly followed her up the steps, pushing Grayson and Gunn out of the way. "You ready, Super Brat?"

Connor nodded and both of them pushed as hard as they could. Inch by inch, the doors pushed open. Faith gritted her teeth and put on a burst of extra strength; the doors flew open with a clang. A soft rain sprinkled down on them from a calm sky. Faith climbed out and looked around, squinting in the darkness.

"Whoa." Gunn said, crawling out and looking around at the destruction as everyone followed him. Fred slipped her hand in his and he clenched her to him, afraid the thing would turn around and come after them again, but he knew it was long gone.

"Well, its better than I expected." Roger said as he pulled Trish up the stairs and surveyed his ranch.

"Better? Your barn is completely destroyed!" Lorne said, his mouth falling open as he stepped over a chunk of the barn's wall, which still had a window in it, in tact.

"Yeah. But the house is still there." Roger said, hugging Trish to him and sighing in relief.

"Where are they?" Connor asked, pushing past Wesley as he limped toward Faith. "Huh? Where are they?"

"Connor, calm down! I'm sure they're fine. We just have to look for them." Wesley said, trying to reassure the young man, even as his own heart sunk. The landscape he could see was strewn with debris and the barn was in pieces. Even the supposedly saved house wasn't unscathed; its siding had been torn off in long strips, all the windows were broken and the porch looked ready to collapse. If Cordelia and Angel had been out in this...

Everyone set off toward the house, screaming Angel and Cordelia's name and picking their way over the ruined foundation of the barn with caution. Fred kept one eye on the sky overhead, as if she expected another tornado to descend from the sky and scoop them all up once more. Gunn held her close, trying not to look at a dead steer that was lying on the ground before them, a wooden post through its middle.

When they reached the house, Trish shined her flashlight on it, illuminating the collapsed porch and the broken windows.

"You think they're in there?" Grayson asked as he squinting at the house.

"Only one way to find out." Connor said, vaulting through the broken dining room window. His head popped up again and he held out his hand for Gunn to take.

"Why can't I do that?" Gunn mused aloud as he grabbed Connor's hand. The teen pulled him into the house, the glass on the window frame biting into his leg. Faith followed them, vaulting in like Connor.

Inside, Connor pushed the couch out of the way of the hallway's entrance, calling his father's name. The bathroom door was closed and he launched himself at it just as Gunn and Faith rounded the corner.

"CONNOR!" They heard Angel and Cordelia scream and then Connor's own screech was heard. He quickly ran out of the room, his eyes wide.

"Are they okay?" Gunn asked in concern, starting to walk forward. Connor put his hand on the older man's arm and shook his head, his eyes full of fear. He looked scarred.

"Don't go in there. It's horrible."

"What? Are they...ohhhh...Ewww." Gunn said as realization dawned on him.

"Told ya. It's called knocking, kid. Look into it." Faith said as Connor shook his head and tried to wipe the horrified look off his face. "Hey? You guys all right?"

"Fine!" Cordelia's yelled a second before appearing at the door. She swung it open as she and Angel stepped out into the cluttered hallway. "See? Told you they were okay." She said to Angel, who possessively took her hand.

"You guys? Are they in here?" Fred's voice called as the back door banged shut. Everyone trooped into the messy kitchen. Angel gave a sigh of relief to see everyone was present and accounted for. "Angel! Cordy!" Angel returned Fred's hug as she rushed forward, then turned to Cordelia, and hugged her too.

"What happened? You guys look like hell." Faith said, noticing the slice on Cordelia's head, much like her own.

"Feel like hell. Did I mention that I miss California, where the earthquakes, brush fires and mudslides are less swirly and big and sucky? Cuz I do!"

"At least you're both alive. Except Angel, but that's a whole other story." Fred said, sighing with relief.

"Uh...guys? Hate to interrupt the happy meeting, but you've got to see this." Lorne said from the back porch, which was relatively untouched. Everyone came outside, following the beam of his flashlight as he shined it into the backyard.

"That's the most disturbing thing I've ever seen."

"How is it even...? I mean, how?"

"Its like modern art or something."

"How are we even going to get it down from there?"

"Screw it. I say we worry about it tomorrow. Right now, I'm all for a bandage and a painkiller. Maybe several." Faith said, turning back toward the house as everyone did the same.

Lorne wavered on the porch, a frown crossing his demonic face as he looked sullenly at the sight of his Winnebago stuck in the branches of a tree, ten feet off the ground.

"Definitely modern art." He said, shaking his head and turning back to the house. He stopped in the doorway and took in the scene before him. Fred and Gunn were standing in the corner of the kitchen, wrapped around each other, Faith and Wesley were arguing as Wesley tried to bandage the wound on Faith's forehead and Angel and Cordelia were standing side by side, hands in each others like they were sharing one lifeline between them. Their auras were colored in such a way that Lorne had no trouble reading what had--FINALLY--happened between them.

"My work here is done." Lorne said and then closed the door behind him.

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