Title: Upsetting The Average III/VI (NC-17)
Author's: Evil Hands of Akasha and Seabreeze
Email: AngelsChilde@aol.com and LornesGirl@hotmail.com
Rating: NC-17 for graphic sex and some violence in the UTA series R for Chapter One
Pairing: Mainly Aus/C, but also some Aus/B in the UTA series
Spoilers: ATS up to Double or Nothing, BTVS up to Gone.
Disclaimer: All characters belong to ME and 20th Century Fox. No profit has been made.
Feedback: Yes, please, we crave for it!!!!!
Summary: Alternative ending of Double or Nothing in a slightly altered universe. Angel lost his soul in a card game. Cordelia didn't have the heart to obey Angel's advice and stake him. Crossover.

Chapter 3


Whoa, they were back???

Cordelia's head snapped up:

"So am I!", she exclaimed as she quickly refastened her shirt's buttons.

She took a quick look around the room and, afraid her two friends were going to burst in any second, went into action.

"I'll be right down guys, hang on a minute!" she yelled over her shoulder.

She grabbed a towel and wiped her lips that were shiny with moisture. She still had his taste on her tongue but she didn't want to worry about that for now.

Her eyes widened as they found Angelus' still very dominant erection and she threw the towel over it, thanking her lucky stars that they had to remove him from his standing position in the basement to the bed.

'I bet they would have noticed the new towel hanger right away' she mused naughtily, but didn't allow herself time to stop. She yanked the blindfold from Angelus' eyes and stuffed it under the mattress, trying to avoid his smirking look. A fitting comment was on her lips, but she could already hear Buffy and Tara talking in the hallway. Angelus was chuckling softly as she hurried to put her shoes back on and ran for the door. 'Whatever she had to do to not let them see him right now', she thought. She wasn't sure she could hide a guilty look from her face in everybody's presence.

"Hi, guys! How'd it go?", she beamed as she closed the door behind her and met her friends moments from entering the bedroom.

Buffy gave her a surprised look, but Tara was already giving Cordelia a summary of their findings.

"We think we found everything we needed. Jenoff's kind is well known, he's not the only soul-sucker around. They were referenced in several books!" she nudged Buffy with her elbow to get her to continue.

Cordelia still had her back to the closed door and was gripping the doorknob. She eagerly nodded at Tara to continue, her fake smile was beginning to hurt her. She had no idea why she was feeling so embarrassed, when a minute ago it had felt so right, but all she could hope now was that her friends wouldn't see through her façade.

"So, what's the scoop?", Cordelia asked both of them.

"There's good news and there's bad news." Buffy began.

"The good news first: Angel is lucky that he's a vampire, humans can't survive the loss of their soul. This means there isn't a specific anti-spell, but a standard reversal spell should do it, we can totally reverse the soul transfer an return Angel to normal!"

It took Cordelia a split second to agree that this was actually good news. What was she thinking? Of course she wanted Angel back! Again, she blamed the alcohol, no sane Cordelia would have the kind of thoughts she was having!

"And the bad news?" she asked after clearing her throat.

"We need Jenoff here, or wherever Angel is, he needs to have physical contact again." Buffy explained.

"Only this time, he'll be drenched in our magic potion while he does it and Tara will recite the spell" She continued.

"Magic potion?" Cordelia raised a questioning eyebrow at the girls. "I know where to get…"

"W-we already have the ingredients and I know how to make it." Tara offered.

"Oh." Was all Cordelia could offer, her mind had wandered from the potion she had once needed to the demon brothel and from there to clear pictures of what demons could do to each other in such a place.

"Tara and I got everything we needed at the magic store. We just need to brew it, get Jenoff here and viola!" Buffy summarized.

Now Cordelia caught on:

"But how are we getting Jenoff to agree with this?"

Buffy sighed.

"Well, that's why that part is the bad news. And the part where Slayer powers come in handy, I guess. Looks like we're going to bring him here against his will. Also, we think we found a way to make him cooperate."

Cordelia had managed to nudge everyone back into the direction of the stairwell while they were talking, she felt the need to continue this discussion downstairs.

"You did?" She asked when she forced her mind back to the subject.

"See, when he steals a soul, or collects payment as I guess he would put it," Buffy explained, "This gooey substance flows from his fingertips and connects with the victim's eyes."

"We think it's acting as a catalyst for the energy flow" Tara threw in.

"Right, " Buffy continued "But it may be voluntary. So we also bought a little insurance policy."

She laughed at Cordelia's utterly confused expression.

"Lubricant." She explained. "They didn't have it at the magic shop, but we are resourceful. Well, the sex shop down the block was, anyway."

Understanding dawned on Cordelia. She swallowed the urge to make an unfitting comment about the sex shop. Things were confusing enough without going further down that road.

Tara continued a little embarrassed, "And while Jenoff is touching Angelus, we splash the potion on him, performing the spell and..."

"Is it in Latin?" Cordelia interrupted "Cause, I don't do Latin."

"No", Tara replied, "I mean yes, but you won't have to do it, I will."

That seemed to satisfy Cordelia. "Well then'" she suggested, "I guess we should get started right away. Let me show you the kitchen! Or, do you need another room? I mean, you still need pots and what not and fire? I mean, fire, stove fire not fireplace fire, right?"

She realized she was babbling incoherently and quickly shut up. `What was wrong with her?'

"Yes," Buffy said calmly, but not without studying Cordelia intensively "You guys go get started. In the kitchen, I'm sure that's where you'll find everything you'll need." She started to turn, "I'm just going to check on Angel...us and see if he's properly bandaged and stuff."

"He's fine!" Cordelia exclaimed a little too loud and put her hand on Buffy's arm to stop her. "Well, apart from the chains and stuff, but really, all set."

"I'd rather see for myself, if you don't mind," Buffy stated while removing Cordy's hand.

Realizing that she wouldn't win this one without raising more suspicion, Cordelia agreed. With a look at Tara she smiled, "Let's get started then!"

Tara was well aware of the tension but couldn't quite place it. She looked at Buffy questioningly, and when the slayer nodded reassuringly she let Cordelia lead her downstairs.

Buffy watched them descend for a moment, not really understanding what had just happened. Then she shrugged and walked towards Angel's room. She checked for any noises from inside before she turned the knob and walked inside.

Angelus raised an eyebrow, "Hey, Buff, you're here to finish what Cordelia started?" he grinned at her "She just blew me like a whistle, well, before she was so rudely interrupted."

Now Buffy's gaze wandered to his towel-covered groin, not hiding the erection under it at all. Then she noticed the bowl of water with the cloth and the dirty towels on the floor. It suddenly occurred to her why Cordelia was acting so strange. She probably had had to clean him while he was going all Angelus on her.

"So," she said matter-of-factly "Looks like baby's bottom is all clean now, huh?" she walked toward him with a smile on her face. It's funny really, all this time I thought the Angel of Darkness was into leather and chains, not fluffy diapers! Guess I had Darla pictured all wrong?" She had lowered her voice to a sexy rasp for the last part.

Angelus growled briefly but with his smile quickly returning, he smirked, "Or maybe you could get the blonde witch to finish the job, all dykes I've ever tasted were pretty good with their tongues..."

"It's just me here, Angelus," Buffy replied teasingly.

"Well then, Slayer, hop on board. It's been so long since you've had the chance to feel a vampire's power in you, you must be as starved as I am!" His eyes were sparkling at his own suggestion.

"As a matter of fact" Buffy started while leaning closer, her mouth now inches from his ear "It hasn't been long at all."

Before Angelus could start to protest she continued, "You remember Spike don't you? This cute little scar he has right above his..." her hand gestured lazily toward her abdomen.

The fire in Angelus eyes seemed to rage at the mention of his grand-childe and he uttered a growl from deep inside. Buffy uttered a quick laugh, seemingly lost in her memories.

She closed her eyes smiling and went on, "Oh, the places he took me...literally. I mean I've always liked the Bronze, but all the times I was up on the balcony before, I never pictured having sex right in front of everybody!" She hoped the dreamingly expression she had put on her face was convincing.

Angelus was gripping his restraints tighter now. `She had had sex with William the fucking Bloody?' If his cock was fully erect before, it was now threatening to burst at the thought of pleasure in public places: Imagining taking Buffy violently, maybe from behind, making her scream, making her forget Spike, shocked people staring.... He closed his eyes and let out something between an aroused moan and angry growl.

Buffy revelled in his reaction. At the sight of the vampire squirming in his chains at her words, she felt unspeakably powerful. She realized that he was by all means subject to her every will. Noticing his open wound and the first aid kit, she formed a plan. Well, more like an instinct, she realized, but she knew what she what was going to do.

She fetched alcohol and gauze from the kit. Angelus couldn't hide his surprise at the change of pace as she quickly and expertly dressed his wound. He was almost disappointed that she had dropped her verbal torture act so quickly. When she put the alcohol bottle back into the box, he could see her fishing for another object, but couldn't see what it was as the bed was hiding it from view.

Buffy grabbed the scissors and in one smooth motion, got up, walked around the bed and sat down next to the vampire. She raised her wrist to his eye-level and slit her skin just deep enough to draw blood. When the first droplets of blood hit his lips, he morphed instantly and closed his lips around the wound. Buffy was shocked at the familiar feeling his cool lips on her skin awakened in her. She had meant to comment on how he said he was starving, but she couldn't form the words anymore. Judging from the wet towels, his blood loss must have been immense and she had only wanted to restore some of his strength. She had inwardly winced at the thought of trying to feed Angelus pig's blood and realized there was only one other option. But feeling his lips and the reaction of her body she changed her plan. She yanked her wrist away from his mouth, grateful he didn't embed his fangs in it and got up. The demon in Angelus was screaming for more at the familiar taste of Slayer's blood. For a moment, it looked like he was going to beg her for more and Buffy felt the feeling of power wash over her once more. He looked at her with utter confusion.

Suddenly, Buffy knew exactly what she wanted - more. She had never been able to forget the sensation of Angel's teeth in her throat and the lust it had sparked in her. Slowly, she unbuttoned her shirt and let it slide to the floor. She smiled at the confused vampire as she unbuckled her belt and opened the zipper on her pants, only to have them join the shirt on the floor moments later. Angelus eyes wandered over her toned body, noticing her lace underwear. The last time he had seen her, she wasn't wearing anything so sexy, he was pretty sure. He stared at her in awe as he realized she had indeed grown up. As he watched her cross the room, every muscle in his body was tensed and he noticed how his unneeded breath resembled a whimper.

Buffy snatched a stake from the open box that had also contained the chains and turned around to face him. His eyes on her caused her body to shiver and she slowly caresses her breast through her bra, fully aware that he was watching her. With her hand slowly moving further down, across her stomach and into her panties, she slowly walked back to the bed and sat down next to him. All she could read in his eyes now was desire, pure hunger, no anger or hatred.

"Don't even think about it!" she warned him nevertheless while her hand petted the stake she put down next to him, "If you so much as blink too fast, you'll be dust."

When he didn't comment, she continued, "You were right though. I do seem to have a thing for vampires. Maybe it's a slayer thing, I like to be sucked. Oh, don't be flattered, " she added when she saw his lips curve up into a smirk " it's not like I'm coming out or anything. Whatever you do to me, nobody would believe you if you decided to share. In a couple of hours, you'll have your soul back and I know our secret is safe with Angel, because," she continued while gently stroking his left nipple, "he's a gentleman."

She slowly lifted her bottom and freed herself of her panties. Angelus watched stunned as she removed her bra next with one quick motion. Completely naked, she stretched briefly so he could fully admire her slender figure. He still offered no resistance as she lifted her left leg over his chained arm and put it next to his head. She smiled at him seductively as she balanced her weight on one arm long enough to slide her nakedness onto his chest. When her right leg came to rest next his head, understanding finally dawned on him, and he wasn't going to spoil this for him by asking why or how or what the fuck.

Her sex was now inches away from him and her arousal rose from it sweetly. He had been sure he would never smell it so close again, with or without his soul. His demon side was unable to feel anything like love for her, but desire and longing for her body were still there.

"Drink!" she instructed curtly and it's all the motivation he needed. He stuck out his tongue and let it slide over her exposed flesh, drawing a moan from Buffy who arched and threw her head back so far that her hair was now grazing his legs. Unable to stop himself any longer, he let his tongue move over her curly hair onto her thigh and exposed his fangs when he felt her quick pulse under her skin. When Buffy felt his fangs bury themselves into her flesh, she cried out in passion, the pain only fuelling her desire. He drank deeply and hungrily, moments away from ecstasy.

As much as she wished this moment to go on, her senses return to reality long enough to only let him drink for a minute. She lifted her upper body up again and with both hands around his head, shoved him away from her leg. He could fight, she knew, but when his eyes found hers, she could read only anticipation. He licked her blood from his lips in a slow motion that only turned her on more.

"So, you're saying Willow is sort of in rehab in London?" Cordelia was only half listening to what Tara was telling her about her past with the Scooby Gang and her present with Willow. Her mind was elsewhere, well about one flight of stairs up, to be exact, so she had busied herself with making coffee while Tara had started the preparations for the potion.

"Uh-huh," the witch nodded while weighing herbs on the large kitchen scale, "I guess you could call it that. She is really determined to get over her magic addiction."

She had noticed Cordelia was only trying to make small talk to lighten the uncomfortable silence between the two. So she had answered the brunette's question with only the most necessary facts, not quite comfortable discussing her beloved with a seemingly homophobic, quasi-stranger. She quickly changed the subject while Cordelia filled two cups with their coffee.

"So, you've known Angel for a while then? What's it like to live with such a vile and brutal creature?"

Cordelia stared at her for a moment, then she took a deep breath.

"OK, first off, I'm not living *with* him, I work here. I have my own apartment where I go every night. "Well," she shrugged "almost every night, when I'm not stuck here. Researching a case" she quickly added at seeing Tara's questioning look.

"And second off, this", she gestured toward the ceiling in the general direction of Angel's bedroom "is not Angel, it's Angelus. This is not who he is normally, Angelus is just his worst side. The Angel I work with is a handsome, caring, understanding...well, hero, if you take into consideration what he does for people in distress on a regular basis. If you hadn't met them both, you wouldn't believe they are technically the same person."

At her description of Angel, Tara had raised an eyebrow. She could sense the compassion in Cordelia's voice as she was trying to explain the other Angel too her.

"The Angel I know wouldn't tell you if you had spaghetti on your chin, that's how afraid he is to hurt your feelings," Cordelia concluded, her brows frowned while trying to give Tara a just description of her friend.

"Oh," was Tara's only reply as she stirred her coffee and blew it a little so it would cool down to a drinkable temperature.

"Must be hard to have a partner like Angel, I mean," she quickly added at seeing Cordelia's surprised reaction "I mean for the person he is p-partners with of course, but it has its advantages."

Now Cordelia was confused, "You mean it has advantages to be with a homicidal blood-sucking monster?"

"No," Tara tried to explain, "I mean, usually, you only get to see your partner's best side, the side they want to show you. You get to know them, fall in love with that side, maybe." Her mind drifted off to the time she had first met Willow and the fun they had performing simple spells.

"Then a lot later, if you're lucky not too late, you may see their, their...worst side. And it would shock you b-because you aren't prepared for anything but beauty. But with Angel, you already know his worst side and you have time to get to know that side, too, learn to accept it maybe."

As surprised as Cordelia was at Tara's explanation she couldn't deny the truth she saw in it. She *did* know Angel's best and worst side, his ups and downs. Her mind went back to her only steady date here in LA, Wilson, who had shown his bad side when he had impregnated her with demon spawn. She marvelled at Tara's insightfulness, yet she didn't want to share her feelings, or whatever you would call them, for Angel with her. She believed everything she had just told Tara about the ensouled vampire, yet she had never said those feelings out loud, well, not without being followed by some kind of insult, anyway.

"Angel, I mean Angelus seems to be brutally honest. He would never think twice about telling you a skirt made you look fat if it did" Tara mused, for Cordelia's sake, she was trying to point out the silver lining in a stern situation.

"Yeah, I guess..." Cordelia admitted while absentmindedly pouring sugar into her coffee.

Tara used Cordelia's reverie to dispose of her own beverage, having found it too strong and bitter to drink. She got up and checked the potion's ingredients one more time before she got a knife and cut a dark root into little pieces.

"So it sounds like Angelus is the only chance one would get of learning the real feelings Angel would have about something or someone?"

She was now clearly inspired by the notion of Angelus being like a truth serum for Angel in a way.

"Yeah," Cordy admitted, now thinking back to the time where a drugged Angel had told her what he really thought of her, granted at the time, non-existing acting capabilities. Angel had, hours before, tried to weasel out of telling her his true feelings, Angelus had no such barriers. Cordelia realized how she had never tried to see any advantages in the unsouled version of her friend. Again, she was surprised at how Tara had reached these conclusions without really knowing either Angel or Angelus. How was it possible that she, Cordelia, for whom tact had always only been a way of not telling the truth, had not seen this? Screw all the brooding and pondering, she could flat out ask him what he thought of her. *How* he thought of her!

"Of course," Tara interrupted Cordelia's thoughts "It's really dangerous to confront Angelus, fangs, blood sucking and demon strength and all, but in theory, you would always know where you stood with such a partner."

Cordelia muttered an agreement, thinking `Well, that's unless the fangs and demon strength are securely tied up in say, chains. She turned her back to Tara, not wanting to show her enthusiasm at her thoughts to the other girl. She pretended to wipe the countertop with her sleeve. Tara was busy adding water to her concoction and firing up the stove to heat it.

"You know, Buffy's been a while, maybe I better check if everything is all right up there..." Cordy chatted, after she concluded Tara would be fine in the kitchen by herself for a while and wouldn't mind her absence.

When the witch agreed, Cordy turned and left the kitchen, a plan forming in her mind. Of course, she had to get Buffy out of his room first, she really needed to talk to Angel alone. This was her chance to find out if all the earlier taunting had been your standard demon horniness or possibly more. There was also the issue of her body still throbbing from unfulfilled desire, and if she played her cards right, she could kill two birds with one stone. She cringed at the double pun in her own thoughts; there would hopefully no cards and now killings in her foreseeable future.

When the phone rang while she was crossing the lobby, she almost jumped; she had been completely lost in her thoughts.

Angel had morphed back into his human face devouring Buffy's beauty above his head. When his eyes found hers he could see them mirror his passion.

The wound in her thigh had already begun to close as Buffy answered Angelus' questioning look with a slight nod.

"You know," she whispered "I have other fluids to offer."

With that, she shifted a little so her hot core was directly in front of his nose. Angelus took a deep unneeded breath to fully devour her aroused scent.

She realized he could quickly vamp out again and hurt her, ripping her apart, but she instinctively trusted him. She believed in what she had seen in his eyes.

He needed no further encouragement. He decided he would do her good. Get her to a point where she wouldn't know up from down, wrong from right. He would make her lose control and untie him when she would want his participation.

"All the better to touch you with, my Dear" he chuckled under his breath. His tongue darted out, softly at first, gently stroking the outer folds of her pink flesh, his whole body shuddering with the ecstasy of tasting her.

Buffy thought she would be prepared after having felt his lips on her wrist and thigh, but the sensation of his cool tongue against her wet core was sparking a whole new fire in her. When he touched her clit, Buffy let out a passionate shriek, only encouraging him to explore her deepest secret more. His tongue was teasing her, then stroking her in all the right places, taking directions from her excited moans. He picked up the pace, only to slow down again moments later. He was a master at this, and her groans attested to that. His tongue was slipping into her as deep as it would go only to withdraw and return with renewed force a moment later, then circling her opening. He then focused all his attention on her now throbbing and swollen clit.

Buffy could barely restrain herself, but when he sucked it, first gently then with mounting force, it was too much for her. When she came, he drank hungrily all she had to offer and Buffy fell back on his body, gasping in wonder of the sensation. He was still lapping her core, when she gently moved her lower body away from his face. He had thought she would get up when she lifted her legs from behind his shoulders, had expected her to reach for the key and unchain him. But instead, she was merely skidding her hot flesh down his upper body until her buttocks where touching his erection. Angelus hissed and closed his eyes at the sensation, her heated flesh almost burning him.

He instantly forgot about his plan to escape, lost in the sensation of her scorching body on his rapidly warming one. His hips arched up as Buffy was now encircling his cock with her fingers and he whimpered "Buffy..."

He sounded so much like Angel now, her Angel, that it took all of Buffy's strength not to untie him. She let her fingernails scratch over his chest as she lifted her hips and lowered them so that his throbbing cock came to rest at the entrance of her newly ignited core. When she was sure of the right position, she thrust down on him, and his animalistic growl was drowned out in her passionate cry. She had never experienced anything like this before.

Angel's hard, cold member was embedded inside her, all her muscles tensed around it. She moved upwards until she could only feel his tip inside her, and then thrust down again to have his hardness rub her clit. When she tensed her inner muscles the next time she slid up, Angel was throwing his head from side to side, clearly unable to contain himself. She came down on him slowly this time, feeling every inch of him drilling into her. She reached behind her and gently cupped his sac into her hand, giving it a light squeeze as she let his cock slide out of her. But when she thrust down on him again, she could feel her orgasm coming. Angelus arched his hips at exactly the right moment, Buffy was sure her scream could be heard as she came moments later, her climax infinitely heightened by the sensation of Angel's cold semen spilling itself deep inside her.

She collapsed onto his chest and was unable to connect to the real world for moments. All she wanted was to stay here forever, relive this sensation every day for the rest of her life. Angelus' voice brought her back down with a crash though:

"I'm glad I didn't kill that soldier boy after all, he was a *great* teacher!"

When she looked up at him the familiar smirk was back on his face. His cruel words couldn't fool her though, she knew he had been lost in the moment just as much as she had been. She searched for any feelings of guilt, like she was used to after being with Spike, but she found none. She didn't feel dirty, only deeply satisfied. She felt alive and she knew Angelus felt the same, slayer's blood *and* sex could not have left him unphazed.

But she realized their moment was over. She didn't even listen to Angelus' continuing insults as she got up, replaced the towel on his crotch and started to dress her wounds. Her advanced healing powers had already stopped the bleeding on her wrist and thigh, she knew the scars would be barely visible by the next morning. By the time she found her clothes she noticed Angelus had stopped talking. A quick glance confirmed her suspicion, he was watching her. Drinking in the sight of her, undressing her once again, with his eyes. When he noticed her watching him studying her, he averted his eyes.

"What, only once? Come on, Buff, the night is young!"

Buffy didn't take her eyes off of him. When she had last seen them in her despair, he had tried to reach out to her, help her feel again. She hadn't let him then, but he had succeeded tonight. He had helped her and now she would help him.

Nobody needed to know what had just happened, this would forever stay between her and Angel. Sighing, she put her boots back on and checked Angelus, the bed and the surrounding area to make sure she didn't leave any telltale signs behind. She picked up the washcloth, forcing herself back into action. Angelus' eyes were mocking her as she snatched the stake from where she had left it next to him; she knew he would notice her eyes resting on his moist chest. He was covered in her moisture.

When he started to say something, she covered his mouth with a quick hand.

"Shove it!" she advised, quickly cleaning up the obvious remnants of their lovemaking from his chest and groin, turning around before he could say anything.

Without a look back, she stormed out of the bedroom, nearly slamming the door behind her. She allowed herself to lean back against the door and take a few calming breaths. She had to make sure her color was back to normal when she faced her friends downstairs. She also had to come up with an explanation for the band-aid on her wrist.

Cordelia was still on the phone in the lobby when Buffy came downstairs.

"That's great news, Fred!" the brunette was telling her friend, "You do that, take him home and get him to rest. I'll talk to you in the morning!"

Cordy reassured her friend that she had all the help she would need and after bidding Fred good-bye hung up the phone. Buffy walked past her into the kitchen were Cordelia joined her moments later.

"So, how's the potion coming along?" Buffy asked Tara matter-of-factly. In an effort to busy her hands, she snatched an apple from the counter and washed it. Tara had just turned off the stove and gave the Slayer a satisfied smile.

"I think it's going to do the job," she said, not without pride.

"Good," Buffy confirmed, "Then I guess it's time we get the bad guy in here." With a moment's hesitation she added "The *other* bad guy."

"How is Angel?" Cordelia asked from her position in the doorway. She was now glad she had been held up by Fred's phone call, if Buffy was down here, the coast upstairs must be clear. And to think she had almost let the answering machine pick it up...

"Yes," Tara chimed in with a concerned look at Buffy's wrist "I-is everything OK?"

Buffy had followed Tara's look and made an effort not to hide her bandaged hand.

"I'm fine. He was starving so I let him feed of me. Don't worry," she quickly explained when she saw Tara's shocked expression "I only gave him enough to sustain him. After all, he will need his strength up for the ritual."

She gestured at the steaming liquid in the pot. That seemed to make sense to Tara who didn't object.

"And you think Slayer's blood is like Gatorade, better for thirst than water?"

Buffy sighed, she should have known Cordelia would question her decision.

"Well, " she began as she spun around to face the ex-cheerleader " I *was* going to ask you to force pig's blood into him, but I figured you had had enough blood-fun already."

For that, Cordy didn't have a comment and lowered her eyes.

In an effort to end the uncomfortable silence that followed, Tara said, "Well, looks like everything's all set on this end. I'll find a bottle for this", she gestured at the potion, "and gather up everything we'll need here later. Buffy, are you sure you'll be able to handle Jenoff?"

"Way sure" Buffy assured her. "Slayer here, remember? This guy sound like your regular, corner store demon. If he needs all the muscle Cordy told us about to protect him, he can't be too tough on his own. And I can handle a couple of body guards!"

Tara still didn't look convinced but decided that arguing would be a waste of time then. She hugged Buffy warmly and wished her good luck.

"Yeah, good luck and be careful!" Cordelia agreed. "If you want my tazer for backup, it's right here in my purse."

Buffy took the extra weapon and with a reassuring smile she bit into her apple.

"You just hold up the fort until we get back!" she told the two girls as she headed for the door.

"Right," Cordelia and Tara said almost as one when Buffy was already too far away to hear them.

After making sure Tara would have everything she needed, and everything that would keep her busy for a while, she hoped, Cordelia suggested she should check on Angel one more time before they started. Tara agreed, but Cordy sensed that the witch was on to her somehow, her smile almost looked like she was telling Cordelia that her secret was safe with her. So she tried to convince herself that she would really just check on Angelus' restraints and get out of his bedroom quickly.

She was sure this time she was prepared. As Tara had pointed out, she had seen him at his worst.




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