Title: The Necklace
Author: AngelusC
Posted: 12-04-2003
Email: AngelusC74@aol.com
Rating: PG
Category: Horror/Romance
Content:
Summary: Cordelia learns that the necklace she took from the museum is cursed.
Spoilers:
Disclaimer: The characters in the Angelverse were created by Joss Whedon & David Greenwalt. No infringement is intended, no profit is made.
Distribution: Anywhere, just ask.
Notes: Notes: I thought I'd do a story about the necklace Cordelia had taken from the museum back in the second season.
Feedback: Yes, please.
Thanks/Dedication:Part 1
Three months later
Cordelia gazed at her reflection in the mirror. She couldn’t believe that she was finally back in the real world; away from that nightmare that she felt she couldn’t escape. She smoothed the wrinkles out of the black dress she was wearing and smiled. Angel had suggested that they go out tonight in order to celebrate her return from near death. She couldn’t have said no if she tried.
When she had awakened that day and was able to focus her sight, she was overjoyed to see Angel leaning over her. She had wanted to take him in her arms then a shower him with her love, but she was too weak. She had to settle for squeezing his hand even though she wanted to kiss him senseless.
The road to recovery was a long one. It was also frustrating and at times she wanted to give up, but Angel was there to coax her into taking one more step. His love for her had been enough to get her to push herself closer to being restored to health. She didn’t think she would have been able to do it without him.
She smiled gently as she remembered one day when she fell in the lobby during one of their sessions. Wesley had brought in bars from the hospital that would help her walk. She had gotten to the end, and was about to take a step without the aid of the bars when she had fallen. She had cried and slammed her fist on the floor, shaking her head and cursing herself. Angel had come to her and helped her to sit on the sofa.
“I can’t do it anymore, Angel,” Cordelia had whispered to him. “It’s been three weeks. I should be walking on my own by now.”
Angel had smiled softly and wiped her tears away. He pulled her toward him and stroked her hair, letting her cry. The feeling of his nearness had been able to calm her. His strength had flowed into her and after a moment, she had looked at him.
“I have never known you to give up so easily,” Angel had told her as he stroked her hair. “You are the most determined person I have ever met. You are better than this and you know it. You should give yourself more credit. You have been in a coma for months and already you are starting to use your legs again.”
Cordelia had shaken her head, trying to protest, but Angel stopped her with a finger to her chin. She had stared at him, angry that he wouldn’t let her wallow in self-pity.
“You will walk again, Cordy. Just give yourself time and you’ll get there.”
Cordelia smiled despite herself. He had always known what to saw and that was one of the reasons she loved him. She knew what he was saying, for there were times when she had said the same things to him. She should have known that he would turn her words back at her. She chuckled and shook her head.
“You were listening to everything I said.”
“Of course. Those talks we’ve had helped me put things in perspective. You had helped me through a lot of dark times and I just wanted to help you through this one.”
Those words had helped more than he knew. With renewed determination, she had gotten back on the saddle and continued with her recovery. It had been a long road, but with Angel there, time seemed to fly. Now, they were going out on their first date ever and she wanted to look her best for him.
Cordelia looked at her reflection again and felt that something was missing. Her sable hair was piled on her head, her hair having grown a bit. The black dress hugged her figure and flared at the knees. Small ruffles started at her hip and gently flowed down to her ankle. The sleeves were long and transparent ending in small ruffles. The neckline was a V and dipped just low enough to be intriguing.
“A necklace,” Cordelia said to herself. “That’s what it needs.”
Cordelia searched on top of her dresser for something special, but didn’t find anything. She turned her attention to the small armoire that held her jewelry and opened it. There she spotted what would be perfect. She smiled at withdrew it.
“I almost forgot about you,” she whispered to the piece. She went to the mirror and held it up to her neck. She smiled brightly as she saw how it stopped just where her cleavage started. It was perfect.
The necklace was a dark blue sapphire with two smaller sapphires on each side. The chain was silver and delicate as if it was made especially for a special woman. Well tonight that was she.
Cordelia unclasped the necklace and put it around her neck. She relapsed it and admired her reflection. The necklace brought out the blue in her eyes and she couldn’t help, but feel special. She almost wished that her parents could see her now or anyone back in Sunnydale.
“You look beautiful,” Angel’s voice broke her thoughts. She turned around and caught her breath.
Angel was wearing a black suit jacket with a dark blue silk shirt with the top two buttons unbuttoned. Black pants and shoes completed the outfit, causing her to wonder where he had this part of himself locked away, for she wanted to see more of it.
“You don’t look bad yourself, Angel,” she said, breathlessly.
Angel smiled slightly as if such a compliment was something he rarely heard and he didn’t know how to take it. He walked over to her and took her in his arms. He kissed her with a passion that had been building up and was aching to get out. She returned the kiss with one just as fiery. They held back most of the passion, knowing that they had somewhere to be, but for this moment, they let their emotions run wild. Their tongues danced a tango inside their mouths until Cordelia had to come up for air.
“We need to go before they give our table away,” Angel said, his eyes dark with passion.
Cordelia straightened her dress, even though it wasn’t wrinkled anymore. She nodded in agreement and took his hand in hers.
“Lead the way, my dark Angel.”
Angel laughed and led her toward the car.
Part 2
The night air was cool and crisp and Cordelia closed her eyes and breathed it in. She smiled as she let the moment wash over her. She couldn’t believe that she was finally back where she belonged. She kept expecting all this to be a dream and she was still in the coma. She looked over at Angel and reached out to touch him.
“I can’t get over that this is all real,” she said softly as she squeezed his leg.
Angel turned his attention to her then back to the road, “I know it’s overwhelming. I’m still wondering if I’m dreaming, myself. I think it’ll hit us both pretty soon, though.”
Cordelia smiled and squeezed his leg again. It made her feel better that he was feeling the same. Both of them were overwhelmed with the fact that they were together again. Now, there were going out on a date, something that they haven’t done since they first got together. It was special and her heart soared with the notion.
Angel turned the car down another street and Cordelia caught the sight of a shadow off toward her right. Something about it, cause her to turn her head in that direction. She saw nothing, except shadows. She narrowed her eyes, trying to see if someone was standing in the darkness. The car drove by and she shook her head. Maybe she didn’t see anything after all.
The restaurant lay ahead of them and Cordelia smiled when she saw it. It was one of the most romantic places in town, but hard to get into. Her smile brightened as they pulled up to the curb and a vale came up to them. Angel got out of the car and handed the keys to the youth then went around and helped Cordelia out of the car.
“I can’t believe you made reservations here,” she said as she stood. “It takes months to get in here.”
Angel smiled and took her hand and placed it over his arm. He kissed her as he squeezed her hand.
“It wasn’t too hard,” he said as the two walked toward the entrance. “The owner owes me for kicking some demons out of his other restaurant. Plus Lorne pulled some favors.”
Cordelia shook her head as they entered the building. It never ceased to amaze her how Angel practically had this town wired. She wouldn’t doubt if he had almost every demon and human in his debt. He must have been a busy man when she was in coma.
The two came up to the host and Angel spoke. “Two under the name of Angel.”
The host put on a pair of glasses and looked in a large book. He stopped after a moment and nodded. He grabbed two menus and smiled at the two.
“This way, please.”
The two followed the host into the large dining area. There were candles on the walls and on the tables, giving off a low romantic light. The mahogany tables were each covered with a white cloth. The host led them over toward a large table near the windows. He placed the menus on the table and turned toward them.
“You’re waiter will be with you shortly,” he said then left.
Angel helped Cordelia to her seat before he took the one across from her. He looked around the dining room to see that the dinner rush was just getting under way. More people were coming in and soon the room would be full of couples on a romantic night out. He turned his attention to Cordelia as she looked at the menu.
He couldn’t believe that she was here, with him. Truth be told, he had almost given up on ever finding a way to get her back. It was only when the spell had been found that he sensed a renewed determination to get her. He wasn’t going to give up on her then nor ever. He was going to fight for her and win.
“You look beautiful tonight,” he said to her.
Cordelia looked up and he froze. Her lovely eyes pierced him and he felt as if she could see right to his soul. She had never looked more beautiful to him as she had then. When she smiled at him, he felt as if he would die right there. It warmed him as nothing else could and brought a joy to him that he had never felt before.
“Thank you,” she whispered to him. “You look wonderful yourself.”
Angel returned her smile as the waiter came to them. They ordered red wine then went back to searching the menu.
“It’s so perfect here,” Cordelia said as she looked around the room. “I can’t imagine a more romantic place.”
Angel smiled, feeling like a giddy schoolboy who impressed his first crush. “Well, none that involves tables and other people.”
Cordelia offered him her sunlight smile and he knew that if he did die from her smiles, he would die a happy man. She was so radiant that he was surprised he hadn’t burst into flame, yet. He reached across the table and took her hand in his. He gave it a squeeze as he stared into her eyes. He wanted to drown in them, dive into them and never return.
The arrival of their drinks brought him out of his thoughts. He pulled away from her as the waiter set their glasses before them.
“Have you decided?”
Angel looked at Cordelia, who nodded. She gave her order as did Angel. The waiter took their menus and left.
“I bet he sees couples stare into each other’s eyes all the time,” Cordelia said as she unrolled her white cloth napkin and placed it on her lap.
Angel smiled, “I bet.”
Their meal came to them several minutes later. Cordelia stared at her meal as if she hadn’t eaten in weeks. Her eyes were bright with hunger as she reached for her fork and twirled it into the spaghetti. She brought the fork up to her mouth and closed her eyes, savoring the taste. She opened her eyes and looked at Angel and smiled.
“It’s delicious,” she said. “I haven’t had spaghetti in so long, I couldn’t resist.”
Angel returned her smile and took a sip of the wine. He savored the taste as he let it explore his mouth before he swallowed.
“I’m glad you’re enjoying this,” he whispered to her. “I wanted to get you all to myself for awhile.”
“You’ve had me all to yourself for the past two months. What more could you want?”
“All to myself without the others hovering. They were starting to hover.”
Cordelia laughed, causing Angel to start. If his heart was still beating, he knew that it would stop at the sight of her laughing. It had been so long since he had heard her laugh, really laugh as if she hadn’t a care in the world. He was surprised that he had missed it. It was as if the sun was finally coming up and he was able to see it without the fear of bursting into flame. It felt good.
“I love it when you laugh,” Angel said softly to her, causing her to pause and look at him.
“You do?”
Angel smiled as he gazed into her eyes, “I love it when you smile. I love it when you laugh. I’ve missed all that. I’m glad that you’re feeling better.”
She blushed then and he thought that it was the most beautiful blush he had ever seen. He knew that she didn’t blush often if at all. He was glad that he was given the opportunity to see it.
“I’m glad as well. I’m glad that for a second chance to be with you. I don’t want to mess it up.”
“You’re not going to mess it up, Cordy. If anything, it’s me that I don’t want to mess up. I’ve never been good in relationships. It’s as if someone wants me to screw up and be alone.”
“You shouldn’t be hard on yourself. Everyone is allowed some bad relationships, Angel. It makes us treasure the good relationships we’re in all the more.”
Angel took her words to heart, but there was still a part of him that felt reluctant to give his all. He was afraid, but he didn’t know why. Maybe he was afraid of losing her again and he didn’t want to put so much into it that would tear him apart when she was gone. He shook his head, pushing the thoughts to the back of his mind. That was the kind of thinking that ended up with Cordelia in the coma. He wasn’t going to lose her again, not like that. Hopefully, not ever.
“I’ll do better this time,” he told her. “I’m not going to screw it up again.”
“Neither will I,” Cordelia said softly, her eyes reaching into his soul.
The two left the restaurant two hours later. Cordelia felt warm and not just from the wine. She wrapped her right arm around Angel’s waist and leaned into him. She looked up at him and saw the emotions run wild in his dark eyes. She could see that he loved her, but was afraid. She wished he wasn’t afraid of their feelings for each other. She knew the curse was one of the things that kept him from committing completely, but she knew that wasn’t all. She wished that he would confine in her like he used to. She could help him through all his fears and they could move on toward full-filling their love. Until then, she would just have to pull it out of him one at a time.
Angel handed the ticket to the vale to get their car. The youth ran off, leaving Angel and Cordelia to take in the night sky. She breathed in the crisp air, it cooled her off and wakened her from the effects of the wine. She snuggled closer to Angel, who put his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.
“I had a lovely time,” she whispered, a smile in her voice.
“So did I,” he said as he held her against him. “We should do it again.”
“Name the place and time and I’m there,” she said.
“You got it.”
Their car arrived and Angel helped Cordelia into the seat. He handed a tip to the vale and got into the driver’s seat. He drove off back toward home.
Cordelia looked out the window, letting the moments in the restaurant come back to her. It was the best time she had in a long time. Everything was perfect and she felt like she was a princess going to the ball for the first time. It was magical and she was glad for it. She couldn’t wait to feel like that again.
They turned the corner toward the hotel and Cordelia caught movement from the corner of her eye. She turned her attention in that direction and saw a shadow quickly move back into the darkness. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up and a sense of fear crawl up her back. What ever it was, was gone in a flash. She didn’t see much of it, but she did see that it was human in shape and a male. Was it the same shadow that she saw earlier? She didn’t know and she didn’t want to know. She wasn’t going to let it ruin the rest of her evening with Angel.
She closed her eyes and settled into the leather seat. She smiled as she replayed the evening over in her mind once again. She was going to get Angel to let go of his fears if it was the last thing she did.
Part 3
Cordelia looked at her reflection in the mirror as she fingered the necklace. She was glad she had put it on, for it seemed to fill her with confidence. Angel had liked it causing her confidence grow to the point where she felt she could take on the world. As long as he was with her, she knew she could and win. She smiled, knowing that she would be wearing the necklace again.
She sighed softly and with a little regret, for she would have to take it off before she went to bed. She stared at its beauty for a few moments more then finally reached behind her and unhooked the latch. She carefully brought the necklace around and placed it back in the drawer. She closed it and turned from the vanity and proceeded to take off the dress.
She unzipped the dress from the back and pushed it off her shoulders. She liked the feel of it as it slowly slid down her body, the silky caress reminding her of Angel’s hands on her skin. Just the thought of his hands on her sent ripples of desire surging through her. The dress gathered at her feet on the floor and she stepped out. She picked up her dress and hung it up in her closet. She smiled as she thought about Angel’s expression when he first saw her in it. She would have to wear it again sometime along with the necklace.
Cordelia closed the closet door then went to put on her nightgown that she had placed on the bed. It was light blue and felt like heaven as she put it on. The satin felt cool against her skin as she let it fall around her.
Her eyes opened as a new sensation came over her; that of being watched. As if she were being pulled in that direction, Cordelia turned around and went to the window. She pulled the curtains aside and looked out into the night. Her eyes looked down as if drawn to the street.
A gasp escaped her as she saw a shadow of a man standing in the street. He was looking up at her or at least she thought he was. A chill went down her spine as she stared at him. What was he doing down there? Who was he? Was he following her?
That last thought sent another chill up her spine as she remembered the two times this night that she had seen a figure on the streets. She closed her eyes and fought back the fear that was building inside her. Why would anyone want to follow her? She opened her eyes to see that the man was still standing there. Biting back the fear, she turned away from the window and headed downstairs. She had to get away from the feelings and the figure.
Downstairs, Cordelia could hear the voices of her friends gathered in the lobby. The feelings of fear and panic slowly began to ebb away as she entered the lobby. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, letting the emotions wash away. Feeling better, she then realized that she was dressed only in her nightgown. She gasped in alarm, bringing the attention of everyone in the room to her. She felt a blush build on her face as she tried to offer them a smile of greeting.
“I forgot something,” she said as she slowly headed up the stairs backwards.
“I say you did, sweetness,” Lorne said, holding a drink in his hand that appeared to be slowly tipping over.
“Lorne, pick up your jaw before you step on it,” Cordelia said, mustering up her Queen C persona.
Fred looked over at Lorne and swatted up across his head. The drink he was barely holding fell out of his hand and onto the counter top. The contents spilled over the papers, causing the group to scramble to make sure that the liquid didn’t cause too much damage.
Cordelia shook her head and headed back upstairs to get a robe. The scene in lobby eased her spirits and made her smile. She found herself no longer worried about the man staring up at her from the street.
“You shouldn’t have been staring at her,” Fred said as she picked up the papers that weren’t wet. She wasn’t happy, Lorne could tell and she didn’t even have to sing.
“Everyone was staring, hon.”
“Yeah, but you were drooling.”
“I was drooling as well does that mean you should hit me?” Angel asked as he dabbed at the wetness on the counter.
“You’re allowed to drool, Angel. She’s your girlfriend,” Fred answered as she headed into the office with the papers.
Angel raised an eyebrow at Lorne, who shrugged, “It’s not everyday that a beautiful hotness comes down in their nightclothes. One can’t help, but stare.”
“Maybe I should come down in my nightclothes tomorrow then,” Fred said as she came back into the lobby. She was glaring at Lorne, who was standing helplessly behind the hotel desk. Angel felt sorry for him and decided to intervene.
“We were all staring at her, Fred,” Angel said calmly. “Gunn, Wes, myself. We were all staring.”
“That nightgown was kind of flimsy,” Gunn put in.
“Plus she took us by surprise,” Wes added. “We weren’t expecting her to come down here in her nightclothes.”
“It wasn’t like she was looking for us to stare,” Lorne agreed. “It just happened. We were all caught off guard and couldn’t help, but stare.”
Fred sighed and nodded. Angel smiled gently as things began to calm down. He had sensed that something was going on between Lorne and Fred, but he didn’t think it had gone this far; Far enough to cause a bit of jealousy in Fred. It was almost cute.
“All right,” Fred said. “I forgive you since I was even staring. You’re right. I got carried away and shouldn’t have been jealous.”
Lorne smiled and came around the desk to embrace Fred. He kissed the top of her head, causing her to giggle.
“It’s all right, cupcake.”
Angel shook his head and gazed at the stairs. There was just so much sweetness a guy could take before he got a cavity. He smiled at the thought as he saw Cordelia come back down. This time, she was wearing a black robe that was tied almost too tightly around her waist. She must have been quite embarrassed about what happened for her to do that. He went over to her and held out his hand to help her the rest of the way down. He also wanted to protect her from any more embarrassment.
“You don’t have to do that,” Cordelia said as she took his hand. “I’m fine now.”
“I know that,” he said as she closed the gap between them. “I just want to make sure nothing else happens.”
Cordelia rolled her eyes and Angel’s smile grew. He could tell when she was annoyed and it made her all the more beautiful. Of course, he knew how far he could go with teasing her.
“I’m surprised you would want to come back down,” Gunn said as the two came over. “I would think you would be up in your room for the rest of the night.”
Cordelia ran a hand through her hair, “I wanted to come down and spend some time with you guys.”
Gunn looked at Angel, who shrugged. They both knew that something was up, but they knew her well enough to let her tell them in her own time. There was no getting anything out of her until then. She could be quite a stubborn woman. It was just one of the things that Angel loved about her.
“Okay,” Gunn said and turned his attention to Wesley, who was finishing with cleaning up the counter top.
“I’m all right. Really,” Cordelia said.
“I know,” Angel answered, knowing that she could probably sense his worry no matter what he said. “I also know that you’ll tell me when you’re ready.”
“You know, sometimes I hate that you can read me so well.”
He smiled and kissed her. “It goes both ways, you know.”
Cordelia laughed in agreement. She could read him just as well as he could read her. It was scary, but also amazing. It was one of the things that she enjoyed in this relationship.
She soon forgot about the shadow in the street as she enjoyed spending time with her friends.
Part 4
The next morning, Cordelia woke to a bright sunny day. She smiled softly and stretched lazily in the bed. She sighed contentedly as she opened her eyes. She stared at the ceiling, not wanting to get out of bed. She wanted to remain in the warmth and never leave. She knew she had to get up sometime and she sighed again.
Forcing herself to get out of bed, Cordelia went over to the window and flung open the curtains. The bright light from the sun gave her the jolt she needed. Now fully awake, she blinked back the light and went to the closet. She opened the door and stared at her many clothes that Angel had given her. She smiled at the memory as she sifted through them all. She finally chose an outfit and went into the bathroom to shower.
Several minutes later, she came out wearing a dark purple top and black slacks. She went to her mirror and began to brush her hair. She smiled at her reflection when she noticed how great the necklace would look with this outfit.
“It’s perfect,” Cordelia whispered as she set her brush down and opened her drawer. She pulled out the necklace and clasped it around her neck. The jewels sparkled up against the dark purple, complementing it wonderfully.
Cordelia headed downstairs for breakfast. She headed into the kitchen to make the coffee and saw Angel staring into the fridge.
“Are you out of blood?” She asked.
Angel shook his head in answer and closed the door. He turned his attention to Cordelia and smiled slightly.
“I guess I’m not hungry,” he said as he folded his arms across his chest and leaned against the door.
Cordelia returned his smile as she began to make the coffee. She could feel his eyes on her causing a stirring deep inside her. She wanted to forget the coffee and just make wild love to him, but the kitchen wasn’t exactly a private place. She forced her urges down as she poured fresh water into the filter. She then set the maker to begin and turned to face Angel.
She opened her mouth to say something when a flash of light blinded her. She stumbled back into the counter and closed her eyes. The light continued to flash behind her eyes until an image appeared before her. She found herself on her back, a figure of a man standing over her. She couldn’t see his face, but she could tell that he was a tall man. She felt a feeling of menace about him and a shiver went down her spine. He was looming over her, slowly bending down, his hand reaching for her. She tried to scream, but no sound could be made. She stared helplessly as the man came down upon her.
“Cordelia?” Angel’s voice broke her out of her vision. She blinked and found herself in his arms. She looked up at him, feeling confused and frightened.
“What happened?” Cordelia asked as Angel helped her to her feet.
“You tell me. One minute you were smiling at me, the next you fainted. Was it a vision?”
Cordelia shook the cobwebs from her mind as she thought back to what she saw. It had to have been a vision. There was no other explanation. What frightened her was that it was the same shadowy figure that she had been seeing ever since that first night with Angel. The first night she put on the necklace. She put a hand to her forehead and sighed. She had to tell Angel about the man. Maybe he could help answer the question of where he came from and what he wanted.
“It was a man,” she said slowly, getting her barings. “I couldn’t see him, he was nothing but a shadow. HE was standing over me, reaching for me. It frightened me.”
“Could you see where you were?”
Cordelia shook her head, “I couldn’t make it out. All I could see was this shadow of a man. I don’t know what he wants, but I’ve seen him before.”
“Where?” Angel’s voice was both angry and worried. She looked at him and could see those emotions clear as day in his dark eyes. It made her feel better to know that he would always care for her and be there for her. The chills went away and she could continue without fear.
“That night we went to dinner. I saw him on the street. He was there when we came back as well. He was also under my window the other night.”
“Who was?” A voice startled both of them. They looked up to see Lorne and Wesley standing in the doorway. They both wore similar expressions of concern.
“Cordelia’s been seeing a shadow man. She just had a vision about him trying to get her.”
Wesley and Lorne looked at her, their expressions of alarm.
“You think he’s following you?” Wesley asked.
“I don’t know. He could be. I have no idea what he’s after, though.”
“It could be a shadow demon,” Angel suggested. “Start looking in the books. Lorne, I want you to see if you can read her. Maybe find out more about this man that way.”
Wesley nodded and left to find Fred to help him search his massive collection of books. Lorne stepped closer to Cordelia and took a deep breath. He then nodded and listened to Cordelia sing.
“She frightened,” Lorne said after Cordelia finished singing. “She believes that this thing of a man is after her, but she doesn’t know why.”
“She basically told us that, Lorne,” Angel said, sitting back in his chair. “Is there anything you felt from her that can tell me what this thing is?”
Lorne shook his head, “That she can’t see him very well. He’s nothing, but a shadow in the shape of a man. Her vision gave her the feeling that he wanted it something and would do anything to get it. Something that has to do with her.”
Angel nodded, not liking what he was hearing at all. He narrowed his eyes as he thought of ways to protect Cordelia and hunt down this shadow. First, though they had to find out what this shadow was. Was it a demon, a wizard or something else?
“Good work, Lorne,” Angel said off handedly. “Hopefully Wesley will find out what we’re dealing with soon.”
Gunn stared at the emptiness before him. He had no idea what he was looking for, but he wasn’t going report on nothing unless there was nothing. He sighed and stepped into the alley. Angel had said that something had been under Cordelia’s window the other night and he wanted to know if it had left anything behind. The idea that something was spying on Cordelia made his blood run cold and hot. Cold, because it could mean any of them could be in danger. Hot, because it angered him that something or someone wanted to hurt one of his friends.
He took deep breaths as he looked up at the hotel and guessed where her window might be. He then looked down at the ground and began his search.
“If I were a no good spy, what would I leave behind and where would it be.”
He saw several cigarette butts and many discarded cans of beer, but he gathered that this was a public dumping ground and dismissed them. He went over to the garbage cans and began searching through and around them. He grumbled when he came up empty.
Gunn went back to where the figure probably stood and looked up at the windows. He squinted and wondered what the man could have seen. Obviously, Cordelia if she stood at her window. He then tried to imagine the windows at night. The man must have had great eyesight to see anything in such conditions. Did he know exactly where Cordelia would be and when she would be standing at that window? If so, how? Did he follow her? Even then how did he know what window she would be looking out of? Not only did the questions scare him, but the answers as well. He shook his head and continued searching the alley.
TBC