Title: Out of Whack
Author: anne
Posted: 04-19-2003
Email:
Rating: NC17
Category: Time Travel
Content:
Summary: Sequel to ‘A Little Ways Back’ which was a sequel to 'Into the Past' and 'Now Onto to the Present’.
Spoilers:
Disclaimer: The characters in the Angelverse were created by Joss Whedon & David Greenwalt. No infringement is intended, no profit is made.
Distribution: NF for sure, and anyone else that has my stuff
Notes:
Feedback: Always welcomed- and needed for this storyPart 1
Wesley squinted his eyes at the brightness shining through the broken shades. He yawned, glancing at the small clock on the rickety table next to the bed. His hand flopped around on the surface searching for his glasses. 8:00 a.m. Great, he slept all of 2 hours. Being a rogue demon hunter would be more palatable if the demons kept normal hours. He groaned, looking at the bandage on his stomach. It would also be advantageous if they permitted themselves to be hunted and killed.
Wesley fell back on the bed, pulling the worn blanket over his face to block out the sun. The life of a rogue demon hunter was certainly turning out less glamorous and gratifying then when he first decided on that particular path. Who was he kidding running around brandishing weapons he could barely use, even after three years of trying to learn, hoping that one morning, he would pick up a weapon with skill and without the fear swirling around in his bowls.
Wesley should have found a nice research position…. except the only organization that required his knowledge had sacked him and the only other demon hunter that he was aware of in LA had ungraciously growled a no to his offer of aid.
Well, Angel’s rejection of his offer hadn’t been unexpected. The vampire with a soul wasn’t the most social of beings. Angel surely hadn’t been in Sunnydale. Wesley buried his face in the pillow trying to drift back to sleep. Why was he thinking about Angel? He hadn’t seen the vampire in years, not since Wesley first got to LA. Bugger the vampire and his lone hero bit.
Wesley sat up in the bed, his brow wrinkled as images floated in his subconscious. Not images….memories?
Wesley standing next to a Bavarian fighting axe embedded in the wall of Angel’s office. A young very beautiful brunette standing in the office. Angel, also, was there. His expression hard to read, but his gaze was fixed on the young woman. The young woman suddenly leaning down, pain on her face.
Wesley and Angel battling a hatched Tarval demon- side by side.
Wesley sitting in Angel’s office studying a scroll. Angel nearby in a chair reading a book. The beautiful dark haired girl in the office, reading a newspaper article out loud.
The young woman strapped to a hospital bed, her vibrant beauty fragile, eyes blank, tears falling down her face. The vampire standing protectively close. The vampire's expression anxious, fearful, hopeful, and sad in the need apparent on his face. Wesley in a wheel chair reciting words from a scroll.
Wesley, the beautiful brunette, and a tough bald black man sitting across from a cold, unfeeling vampire. Not in Angel’s old office, but in an office….in a hotel.
Leaving with the black man and the young woman, still lovely in her sadness and anger. The three of them standing on the street outside the hotel with boxes in their arms.
Wesley and the black man in an apartment, the young woman’s apartment, playing board games.
A green demon in a Karaoke bar.
In the hotel again, facing an anxious frantic vampire, numerous tomes, and scrolls scattering the lobby floor and counter.
A portal, the dark haired woman, even more stunning in princess fare designed by the creators of the Arabian Nights. Storming a castle. Another young woman, brown hair, lovely, sweet, darling, with glasses and a bag for a dress.
That same young woman, her bag gone replaced by jeans and blouse, pushing up her glasses, sitting behind a computer, in the hotel.
Angel and the other brunette, sparring in the basement of the hotel. The black man sitting on the counter, joking with Wesley, while playing a computer game. All of them acting as a family.
Wesley blindly fumbled for his glasses, shoving him on his face. He hadn’t recognized any of those people except the vampire. But they were so real. Wesley shook his head. The hotel. Wesley concentrated. The Hyperion. Wesley knew where it was. Wesley winced, with an anxiousness he couldn’t name, he quickly got dressed.
***
Gunn rubbed at his baldhead, grumbling at the weird ass dreams that still lingered. He looked around the warehouse, trying to concentrate on his crews’ preparation for the raid on a vamp hive later that night.
He waved on a young man that had been trying to say something to him about needing more crossbows. Gunn sat on an old steel barrel, the images refused to leave his head.
Gunn standing next to his hydraulic stake gun listening to a vampire protected by the shadows.
Gunn in the middle of large glassed in lobby, jiving it up with confused security guards. Gunn calling for his crew and letting loose a strange vampire.
The same dark vampire of before, once again talking to him. Gunn ordering his best men to the hospital. Gunn standing guard over a young woman strapped in a bed, looking like she was in some sort of silent hell.
The young dark haired woman, no longer suffering, but yapping at Gunn in the bed of his pick up truck, annoying but damn hot.
In a museum, struggling with the dark vampire over a long wooden crate.
The hot chick, Gunn, and white dude with glasses sitting across the vampire in a hotel.
A flamboyant green demon. Drunkenly belting songs out on a bright stage in a dim bar with the hot chick and white dude by Gunn’s side.
Beating the crap out of the white dude at RISK.
Standing in the hospital with the brunette hottie watching over the white dude who had been shot in the stomach.
Fighting along side the vampire, the white dude, and the hottie in an auditorium full of vampires.
Sitting on the counter of a hotel, playing a computer game, while the white dude read books and, the vampire and the hot chick flirting by way of loud sniping.
The vampire at the chick’s side as she suffered from some unimaginable pain.
Riding in a cool ass Plymouth through a freaky hole in the air. The hot chick looking really hot in a hoochie goochie belly dancer get up. A skinny severely cute brunette with glasses in a burlap sack.
The cute chick nervously pushing at her glasses as she punched at a computer.
Gunn sitting again on the hotel’s counter, this time cleaning an already gleaming phat axe, while giving shit to the white dude and winking at the cute chick. The hottie, the vampire, all of them laughing together as a tight group.
Gunn took a wide swipe at his head. He never saw those people in his life. Laughing with a vampire. What the fuck? The hotel. The Hyperion.
Gunn ignored the calls of his crew as he grabbed his jacket and headed out.
***
“Fred, that’s my name. Fred.” The young woman babbled, pleased that she remembered. Fred paced in circles, talking out loud. “I remember my name. I am Fred, so I can’t be crazy crazy yet, just maybe going crazy.” She hurried to the cave wall, scratching equations on the surface. Fred tossed the sharp rock down, hugging her body tightly, rocking back and forth. “I won’t go crazy, I won’t. I am Fred. I am in a cave.” She bit her lips. “I’m in Plyea. I don’t have friends. I wasn’t saved by a handsome man that is a beast and drinks blood. I wasn’t. I’ve never sung in a…. nightclub…never. I never held a crossbow to a man’s neck. Never. I don’t know any beautiful girl that took me shopping or to a hairdresser. No, handsome man with glasses asked me to research prophecies on a computer. No, big tough good looking black man ever made me laugh or blush. Never. Never. I haven’t seen my parents in five years, five, five. I’ve never killed a giant bug with a suitcase shooting blades. Those people I never met, never helped me paint my room in a hotel I never been in. I haven’t had tacos in five years. I haven’t. Haven’t haven’t. I won’t go crazy.” Fred blinked. She hadn’t even realized that she had started writing again. The Hyperion, the hotel.
Fred stared, nudging at her glasses. Her hand moved quickly now, scrubbing at the old equations, writing new ones. She had to get to the Hyperion. She had to get home.
Part 2
Wesley broke the chain around the garden gate. He slid into the courtyard of the Hyperion. He stood in the middle of the over grown foliage. He glanced up to the doors, the glass broken by years of abandonment.
If he closed his eyes he could see how it should be.
The door repaired, painted and the glass panes sparkling and intact. The shrubbery neatly trimmed, a cement bench sitting proudly in the middle of the garden.
The beautiful brunette peeked out of the door.
“You better not be sitting out here brooding.” She called to the vampire sitting on the bench.
“I don’t brood.”
“Right,” the young woman teased.
“I’m not,” Angel defended, as the woman moved towards the vampire.
“So, what are you doing then?”
“I’m looking at the stars.”
“Oh, because you haven’t seen them in 250 years with your daylight aversion and all.”
Angel chuckled. “It’s so peaceful. This is the first night in awhile that you haven’t a vision or that we had to fight an evil of some sort.”
“Shush, Angel, don’t you know talking about good things make them go flahooey.”
“Flahooey?”
“Flahooey,” the brunette nodded.
“Oh. Well then I’ll just be quiet then.” Angel gave a slight smile to the young woman.
“Okay.” The young woman turned to leave.
“Stay.”
The brunette turned, sighing. “I guess, I better. Someone has to make sure your stargazing doesn’t turn into a brood fest.”
“That would be you.” Angel held out his hand.
The brunette gave a dazzling bright smile and let the vampire pull her next to him on the bench.
The door opened, Wesley poked his head. “Angel, Cordelia, we found a lead on the Xanthium demon killing the homeless.”
“Flahooey, told you.” The brunette playfully slapped at the vampire as he got to go into the hotel.
Wesley blinked, the images going as quickly as they had come. Cordelia. That was the lovely brunette’s name. Wesley wrinkled his brow. The name was familiar but from where. He tried to concentrate.
“Hey man, who are you.”
Wesley swung around to face a black man, one he never saw before, but one he recognized.
“Hey, you’re the white dude. What the…you’re… Wes?”
“Charles,” Wesley slumped down to the bench as the memories come flowing back pushing out any others, deflating his energy.
Gunn staggered to the bench. “Aw, shit.” He looked around. “This ain’t right.”
“No, it isn’t. No one lives here. We don’t work here.”
“Shit. What about Angel and Cordy? Christ, what about Fred?”
“There is a very real possibility that she is still in Plyea.”
Gunn groaned into his hands. “Hell, what is she going to do if she remembers?”
“Hopefully, she will remember everything, including the equation to bring her home.”
“And if she doesn’t.”
“Then we will go after her. We know where the hot spots are and where to find the book. But, right now we have to find out where Angel and Cordy are.”
“What if they’re dead- killed in 1998?”
Wesley’s head fell into his hands. “If Cordelia was killed by Angelus, then it won’t matter if Angel was killed. It will be Angelus running around and most likely a vampire Cordy running along side him.”
“What went wrong?”
“I don’t know,” Wesley said in frustration. “First, we need to find out if Angel or Angelus is in LA or anywhere else.”
“How do you plan on that?”
“Lorne.”
“He didn’t have the memory wafer.”
“No, but Lorne had opened Caritas before getting involved with Angel Investigations. It is still a valid source for information.”
Gunn nodded.
Part 3
Gunn knocked at Wesley’s shoulder, pointing out the green flamboyant demon. Lorne was dressed as usual in a flashy colorful suit. He was regaling a table with outlandish tales, if the way his arms flayed about was any indication.
“Excuse me.” Wesley politely tapped on the demon’s arm.
Lorne fixed his red eyes on the two men. “Whoa, aren’t you two just tied up in little knots.”
“Yes, we need you’re help.”
“Ah, the life of a poor humble nightclub owner is never done. Tell, Uncle Lorne your problems.” He encircled both men by the shoulders leading them to an empty booth.
“I ain’t singing.” Gunn grumbled.
“Now, now, what’s wrong with sharing a tune.”
“That won’t be necessary,” Wesley said as he slid behind the table. “We need to know if Angel, the vampire with a soul is in LA.”
Lorne moved to get out of the booth, but Gunn squeezed him back in. “Tell us.”
“Gentlemen, I abhor violence, especially to that vampire. He’s got an in with the powers.”
“Hot damn,” Gunn slapped his palm on the wood surface. “He’s alive.”
“He has his soul, that is very good.” Wesley nodded and then looked to the demon. “We need to see him. Where is he?”
“The vampire with a soul, doesn’t like people, power’s warrior aside, he’s not a nice guy. I met him once wouldn’t let me read him, he’s a true sour apple.”
“Be glad, he can’t sing worth a damn.” Gunn grunted.
“We need to talk to him.”
“Yeah,” Gunn echoed. “Who’s his seer? Cordy? A real hottie.”
Lorne leaned back. “No, his current seer is a Bracken demon, not a hottie by any definition, has the personality of irritating chalk screeching on a board," Lorne shivered.
“A Bracken? Not Doyle?”
Lorne settled more comfortably in the cushions. “It seems you know a bit about the warrior's lore. Doyle was killed almost three years ago, the second seer from some curse or another. Angelpie is on his third. Believe me, no one is lining up to be the next in line. He’s getting a reputation of using his seers as demon fodder.”
Wesley shook his head. “Cordy was never with him. Where is she?” Wesley looked back up to the demon. “We need to see him. You say he has an in with the Powers, then he must be working to help the helpless. Well, we are helpless and in a great need of help to find a very dear friend.”
Lorne considered. “You sure you won’t let me read you?”
“Please,” Wesley said over Gunn’s hell no.
Lorne scribbled an address on a napkin.
Wesley took it, getting up as soon as he read it. “Gunn.” He urged the black man up.
“You recognize it.”
“It’s where the old office use to be-before Wolfram & Hart blew it and me up.”
“What does that mean- that it’s still standing?”
“I don’t know.”
Part 4
Wesley banged on the door. “Angel.” He yelled.
“Will you shut the fuck up?” A rumbled little man with bad breath, wearing a suit that looked like it had been slept in a few hundred times cussed at the two men. “Go away, we aren’t fucking buying whatever you are selling.”
Gunn shoved as the little man tried to slam the door. “We aint’ selling, we’re looking. Angel, where is he?” He pushed his way in as Wesley followed.
“The vampire is sleeping, doesn’t like to be disturbed. He’s a fucking bloodsucker, it’s daylight you do the math.”
“We need to seem him.”
“No, you don’t. He doesn’t see you, unless I see you,” the crumpled man pointed to his head. “And I didn’t so fuck off.”
“I’m going to break his mouth,” Gunn grumbled.
“Please tell him that Wesley Wyndham- Price needs to see him. We were acquainted in Sunnydale.
The little man cackled. “That will get you killed. The vampire gets more than violent at the mention of the hellmouth. Bad shit happened, makes him want to bust heads or stake himself. Go away.”
“We need to see him.”
“I told you-you don’t and if you ever do, don’t use that place as you’re calling card.”
“Just get him.”
“Come back tonight, waking him up isn’t a smart move, especially if you start waving the hellmouth in front of him.”
Wesley ignored the man heading towards old-fashioned elevator. “His apartment is upstairs.” He said to Gunn.
“You can’t go up there.”
Gunn shoved the little man. “Watch us.”
“Don’t.” A low voice came from the shadows.
“Angel.” Wesley hurried up to the vampire. He stopped at the vampire’s glare.
“What are you doing back here Price, I told you before that I don’t do partners, even if their rogue demon hunters.” He said in a monotone voice that didn’t quite hide the sarcasm.
Wesley stepped back. “We’ve met here in LA? Of course, we did.” Wesley had encountered Angel in LA, of course Wesley had joined Angel and Cordelia soon after.
“Wes,” Gunn glanced at his friends.
Wesley waved away the question. “Yes, I haven’t come to offer my services. I came because we,” Wesley pointed to Gunn,” need you’re help.”
“No.” The vampire turned away to go up the stairs.
“Damn, the vamp’s worse than beige. What the hell happened to you?” Gunn narrowed his eyes.
Angel turned around. “Get out. I don’t know you.” Angel glanced at Wesley. “I do know you. Get out.” Angel put his foot on the first of the steps.
“Angel, we need to know where Cordelia is, why she isn’t here with you. We have to know what happened in Sunnydale in 1998.” Wesley said quickly before the vampire disappeared from the room.
“Oh for Christ sakes, I told you not to got there.” The seer groaned grabbing a bottle of whiskey from the desk.
Angel stilled, his body turning to stone, the fist that held the railing of the stairs, whitened, splintering the wood. With out turning around, he said calmly. “If you ever come back here, soul or no soul, I will kill you.”
***
“Count yourselves lucky, now you two better go.” The seer held open the door for Wesley and Gunn.
The two friends came to a silent agreement, leaving the office for the time being.
***
“Get out.”
“Sure thing thought you’d want to know though, those two didn’t leave. They’ve planted themselves on the front stoop.”
“I said get out.” Angel said from the hidden depth of his chair.
The seer sighed. Working for the vampire sucked rotten eggs and probably get him killed.
Angel closed his eyes, wishing the dark haired teenager from his mind. But, she never left. The memories of Cordelia Chase’s terror her pleas and screams echoed in his ears, tearing at his soul. The sound of his soulless laugher at her cries as he pounded into her, sinking into her warmth were his torture. The marks repeatedly ripped into her delicate throat the knife that cut into his flesh.
The memories of Buffy, her eyes sad but determined, standing before him in the dark mansion after his soul returned, caused a lasting ache.
“Angel, I can’t. I’m so sorry, but I just can’t, not now, not ever. I know you’re hurting from what Angelus did, I know you are sorry, but I can’t. Giles will be able over some time, remember that it was Angelus that killed Jenny Calendar and tortured him, he will. But, Angel, Xander will never understand that. You will always be the vampire that…destroyed Cordelia. You always will be reason that Cordelia will never walk or laugh or talk or bitch or cry, you are why she needs a machine to keep her breathing. You are the one that made her watch as you killed her parents. I….Angel, I promised Xander that I would protect her from Angelus when he started to stalk her, I failed him, I failed her. And there is nothing I can do for Cordelia now. But, I will be there for Xander. I won’t- can’t fail him now. Loving you would be a betrayal to him, to his pain, to his grief. I can’t do that to him. I won’t. I’m sorry.”
Angel hadn’t said a word, just listened, watching her walk away from him into the sunlight. Angel never tried to stop her or plead with her, or ask if she felt the same as Xander, or to say again that he was so damn sorry. Angel couldn’t because deep down, hidden beneath the overwhelming guilt of the returned soul and his love for Buffy, was the rage of his demon at once again being thwarted from his desire, a desire that had traveled within the demon for a century, a need that was ever present. The temptation to go to the broken body in the hospital, claim the teenager again, this time finishing what Angelus had started, taking her soul and giving her life, it was all still there banging within ready to justify the temptation with a false rationalization of mercy for a comatose girl.
Angel knew that he didn’t deserve forgiveness not for his acts as Angelus and not for the want and need that still existed within his demon.
Part 5
Fred shoved at her glasses, tears forming behind the lens as she stood in front of the abandoned hotel.
She had no idea, how to find any of her family. She blinked, turning, starting to run.
***
“Lorne, Lorne,”
“Hello clinging kitten, nice fashion statement.” Lorne gently removed the young woman’s hands from his neck.
Fred blinked rapidly at the demon. “You don’t have any idea who I am do you?”
“Uh, no.”
Fred scrunched up face. “Damn, that’s right, you weren’t in the hotel when we took the wafer, damn, damn, damn.”
“Honey, you’re not making any sense, I hate to ask this but possibly, you are-“ Lorne twirled his finger at his temple.
“Crazy? I thought I was, and then I really thought I was. All these crazy images of people that I’d never seen, equations that I hadn’t thought of yet, but then it hit me, the Hyperion and the equations they were the right ones to open the portal from Plyea.”
“Eek, no-no, on the Plyea talk- bad place, hell dimension.”
Fred waved her hand. “Slave, or was, escaped but see, I was still in Plyea, I wasn’t supposed to be in Plyea.”
“Honey, no one is,”
Fred nodded then shook her head. “I was, I was supposed to be there, but not now. Angel saved me, but he didn’t, which means that Cordy didn’t have a vision, didn’t get sucked through the Portal, didn’t become a Princess, didn’t need Angel to save her. Which means that something went wrong.”
“I’m seeing a lot wrong with that story.” Lorne looked around for the quickest escape route from the nutty woman.
Fred nodded. “I know.” Her eyes wide, her answer completely oblivious too Lorne’s expression that labeled her nuts. “See, I went to Hyperion, but it was it all closed up, no Angel, no Wesley, no Charles, no Cordy. But maybe, I thought things just went a little wrong, maybe there was new office. I went to Cordy’s apartment. The landlord said that the apartment hadn’t been rented in ages. I asked to see it, because, maybe Dennis knew something. But, Dennis wasn’t there. I called for him, and the blind string tried to strangle me. It was his mother,” Fred leaned in close to the backing away green demon. “Cordy, told me she was homicidal, walled her own son in the wall, ALIVE, well, he’s dead now, but still. But, if Dennis’ mom was still haunting the apartment and trying to kill tenants than Cordelia couldn’t ever had been there, because Cordy vanquished Dennis’ Mom and freed Dennis, well, she had the help of Angel and….” Fred smacked at her head,” um, the seer before Cordy, I know, Doyle, that’s Doyle. So, then I was kind of freaky, not knowing what to do. Then it hit me, you.”
“Me.” Lorne pointed his finger at his chest.
“Sure, you may not remember everything, but you have to know where Angel, Cordy, Wesley and Charles are, you just have too.” She clutched at his purple lapels.
Lorne gently pushed her back. “I’m going take a wild stab in the dark here, something mystically weird has happened.”
“That’s just it I don’t know, but Wesley will be able to figure it out. That’s why he gave Charles and I the wafer to remember in case something went wrong. Well, something had to go wrong, I just don’t know…”
Lorne stopped the young woman, with a finger to her lips. “Another knife thrown out into the atmosphere. Cordy is ‘the hot chick’, Charles- a strapping bald fella, fighting type and Wesley- a British thinking type. “
“You do remember them?”
“They came in earlier looking for the vampire with a soul and Cordy, honey they weren’t looking for you, though.”
“That’s because they knew where I was…in a cave in Plyea. What did you tell them? Where are they?”
“I told them where Angel was and that I didn’t know anything about a hot chick.”
Fred blinked. “Cordy’s Angels seer, she has to be with him, they’re soul mates, madly in love, they have to be together.”
“Sorry, hon, the vampire with a soul isn’t a real loving type.”
“Oh no, this is worse than I thought, I was…Where are Wesley and Charles? You have to take me to them.”
“Kitten, do you what some new duds, not that you don’t look just smashing in a bag.”
Fred frantically shook her head. “I want Wesley and Charles.”
***
“This is getting old.” Gunn settled his large frame on the steps, trying to find anyway to get comfortable. “Why don’t we just go in there a force the vampire to listen to us?”
“That didn’t work all that well the first, second or third time we tried it.” Wesley rubbed at his glasses. “What happened?” asking a totally unrelated question.
Gunn understood. “Angelus is what happened, God, what if he killed her.”
Wesley shook his head. “If Angelus had killed her then the prophecy would’ve been completed. Angel has his soul.” Wesley stood.
“Could’ve fooled me the way he's acting." Gunn grumbled.
“If Angel won’t talk to us, then I believe are only other choice is to go to Sunnydale.” Wesley said with a pained expression.
“Wesley, Charles.”
Both men turned, smiles breaking over their somber expressions. “Fred,” they both yelled, rushing to the young woman that was running towards them.
***
Fred blinked away her tears, holding on to both men. “I remembered, I remembered the equation, I remembered everything, I came home.”
“I hoped you would.” Wesley smiled.
“Yeah, wasn’t looking forward to taking a return trip to Plyea, just to grab your skinny ass.”
Fred giggled, still smiling.
“Kiddies.” Lorne cleared his throat. “I understand something is not copasetic in this world of ours.”
Wesley nodded.
“Wesley, have you seen Angel yet, Lorne said this was his office. Where’s Cordy?”
“Fred, we have talked to him, but he won’t talk to us.”
“Yeah, the mention of Sunnydale or Cordy sets him off. He threatened to kill us.”
“He wouldn’t. Come on.” Fred pulled at the men.
“Um, Fred, we were thinking giving Angel some time to reflect on our presence, perhaps to …”
“Chill.” Gunn finished for Wesley.
“Wesley, Charles, it's Angel. He has to tell us where Cordy is.” Fred yanked them both closer to the door.
“Why not. Maybe he doesn’t kill skinny chicks.” Gunn shrugged.
Part 6
Fred pushed her way into the office over the complaints of the seer. “Who are you?” she wrinkled her nose.
“Jack, the vampire’s seer.” He tried to glare at the young woman.
“Pfft, no your not.” Fred looked around the small office. “Where’s Angel?”
“Hey, the vamp was serious.” Jack turned to Gunn and Wesley. “Lorne what are you doing here.” Jack asked in surprise at the demon’s presence.
Lorne shrugged. “There may be temporal problem at work, thought I get a ring side seat.”
“Uh.”
Fred rolled her eyes. “Where’s Angel.” She saw the stairs. “Up there?”
“Girl, I wouldn’t. He’s in a bitch of a mood because of those two.”
“Pooh, Charles, Wesley are you coming?”
They both shrugged and followed the running girl.
Lorne glance up the stairs and then at Jack. "Maybe Gimme a call, when the vampire is in better mood."
"That's would be a never."
Lorne looked up the stairs. "You never know."
“Angel,” Fred yelled repeatedly into the main living area. She squealed as she noticed Angel appear.
“Angel,” she ran up to hug him.
The vampire grabbed at the woman holding her at arms length. “Who the hell are you?”
“Oh, sorry, you don’t know me yet, we’re friends.”
“No were not.”
Fred nodded. “Yes, we are. We all are, you, me, Charles, Wesley,” she pointed to the men. “And Lorne, he’s downstairs or was, and of course Cordy, we’re all family that’s why you have to tell us where she is. You do know, don’t you? Oh god,” she turned to Wesley and Gunn, “What if he doesn’t? How are we going to find her? No,” she faced the vampire. “You have to know, you wouldn’t let her stay lost, you wouldn’t, you love her.”
Angel clenched his teeth. Any tolerance for the crazy young woman that he may have been harboring flew out of the room. He grabbed her, “Get the hell out of here.”
“Ow, Angel, you’re hurting me.”
“Whoa, vamp, don’t be hurting Fred,” Gunn yanked at the vampire as Wesley pulled Fred behind him.
“I want you all out of here now.” He growled going back into his bedroom slamming the door.
The three friends looked at each other. “I’m not leaving.” Fred said stubbornly.
The men nodded.
Part 7
Angel paced his room, anger beating at his skull. They humans hadn’t left and from what he could tell they had set up camp in the office, running Jack off. He growled. Angel was going to have to follow through with his threats it seemed.
He stalked to the stairs, stopping on the bottom as he heard Cordelia Chase’s name again. Cordy. Her friends in Sunnydale had called her that when she could respond. He had called her that over her screams as he raped her over and over again. A sharp pain pierced his body causing him to slump into the shadows of the steps preventing him from stopping the humans from talking about Cordelia Chase, forcing him too listen.
“Wesley, what could’ve gone wrong?”
Wesley sighed into his chair. “I imagine there are countless possibilities. I just…Angel knew the importance of keeping to the past time line. Both he and Cordelia did. I can’t believe that…it had to have been something Angelus did.”
“But what? He couldn’t have killed her, Angel still has his soul.”
Angel leaned forward, the pain lessening as the need to get rid of the humans turned into a need to understand what the hell they were talking about.
“Yeah, except its back to beige. Hell worse. He wasn’t this bad, when Darla showed up fucking with his head.”
“Charles,” Wesley said disapprovingly as Fred squeaked and threw her hands up to her ears.
“What, the vamp’s pissing me off, we can’t wait for one of his epiphanies. He needs to fucking tell us what happened to Cordy.”
Angel gripped at the banister. They were crazy. Darla was dust. He had killed her himself.
“Wesley, what about her parents or her friends in Sunnydale.”
“Yeah, let’s take a road trip. Maybe she’s still there.”
“Cordelia left Sunnydale because her family lost all of their money. If she was still there, that would mean her father didn’t cheat on his taxes, I can’t image anything that Angelus could have done that would’ve prevented Mr. Chase from committing a crime.”
“Maybe, he killed him.”
Angel winced back into the steps.
Wesley shrugged. “Possible, but Cordy said in her letter that her parents would be gone for a week. And if, Angelus were still loose when they did return, Cordelia and Angel wouldn’t have put them any danger from Angelus. Angel would’ve taken Cordelia away from her home. Damn’t, why didn’t Angel just do the spell? It was so simple, he didn’t even have to see her, just do the spell and send the orb back.”
“Not see her for himself, right.” Gunn rolled his eyes. “There no way the vamp wouldn’t see her, hell they probably were making out as soon as he popped into town.”
“Gunn.”
“Charles is right, Wesley. You remember how he was before he left. Angel was frantic. He would’ve had to make sure that she was safe and then well…the kissing would’ve started….” Fred pushed at her glasses. “Would he kiss a teenage Cordy?”
“Hell, girl, she would’ve mauled him and I’ll tell you what Cordy wasn’t the ugly duckling that waited until LA to turn into a major hottie."
“Gunn, you didn’t even know her in Sunnydale.” Wesley shoved at his glasses.
“You did, am I wrong.”
“No. But talking about Angel and Cordelia’s ….habit of being intimate frequently isn’t getting us anywhere.”
Angel stared at the humans. They were talking about a Cordelia and Angel that he didn’t know. A slow ache spread in his gut. They were talking about two people that he wished he had known.
“Well, neither is your blaming Angel.” Fred insisted.
“I wasn’t. It’s just…” Wesley rubbed his forehead again. “ I know he wouldn’t of sent her back before Angelus was dealt with, even if he had wanted to, Cordelia would’ve argued, he would’ve backed down. In addition, he had to realize it would’ve been more difficult trying to protect the Cordy of that time, even if she trusted him, she wouldn’t believe him or she would’ve gone to Buffy, no he needed Cory to be there.”
Fred looked up. “Wesley, you said if she trusted him. Why wouldn’t ….” Fred took a deep breath. “Why are we assuming it was Angelus of 1898?”
“Cuz, he’s the bad guy. The evil bastard that Wolfram & Hart sent back to kill Cordelia, that one that seems to get a free pass through time, fucking things up.”
“But, didn’t Cordy say in her letter that there were two Angelus. That’s what Angel said.”
Wesley nodded. “Yes, Angel did lose his soul in 1998. But, Angel said that the Angelus of that time, while remembering a dark haired woman he had marked in 1898, hadn’t realized it was Cordelia, he was too busy obsessing with Buffy too notice.”
Angel closed eyes wishing so much that he hadn’t noticed the young beautiful teenager.
“Yes, but Cordy also said in her letter that her plan to remain unnoticed might not have worked real well. What if he did notice her?”
Wesley considered. “Again possible, but it doesn’t get us anywhere.”
“What about the evil law firm, why don’t we go kick some butts. It was their plan maybe they kept tabs on Cordy.”
“Why would they, in this time line, Cordy was never Angel’s seer. They would have no interest in her.”
“You sure? I don’t mind kicking some lawyer’s assess.”
“Charles, you just want to beat them up.”
“Damn straight, all this shit is their fault.”
“I sympathize with you Gunn,” Wesley took off his glasses. “If Angel doesn’t tell us what happened to Cordelia soon, then we will have to go to Sunnydale. I’d hoped to avoid that as long as possible.”
“Why?”
“Because, I have no memory of my time in Sunnydale other than the real one. When I was there, 1998 had come and gone, Cordelia and Angel’s paths were in line. He left Sunnydale in an attempt to give Buffy a normal life and Cordelia left to become a bad actress.”
“I’m going tell her you said that.” Fred smiled.
“I wish you could, I wish I could. Trying to explain all this to Giles would be a nightmare. He didn’t have much respect for me in Sunnydale, and I can’t believe my actions in this time-line were that different. I might not remember, but I have figured out that I’m in LA and not a watcher anymore. I can safely assume I was fired for incompetence.”
“Oh, Wesley, I can’t believe that you were ever incompetent, I just can’t.” Fred smiled encouragingly. She bit her lip suddenly. “Wesley, what if Angel can’t tell us. None of us remember anything other than the past we know to be true. He’s been effected- his memories fitting the changed time-line. He won’t know what messed up with Angel and Cordy, will he.”
“No, but he does know what happened to him and to Cordy in 1998 and from that we should be able to pinpoint when the divergence happened and what it was. Then we can fix it. Fred, how’s the spell coming.”
Fred looked up from the computer she had been working at while talking. “I remembered most of the equations from when I did it last, but I need to verify a couple exponents first. You’re going to have to fill in the incantations though.”
Wesley nodded. “When this is over, we’ve got to find away to ensure that Wolfram & Hart does not use another time portal. As long as they have that ability, they will continue to try to fulfill the prophecy. We cannot keep having Cordelia thrown back into Angelus’ clutches or him here, we cannot keep worrying about her dying and Angel being damned.”
“Hell, when this is over, Angel will make sure of it. I imagine the body count will be rising.”
“Gunn, Angel can’t kill the lawyers.”
“Why not he let a whole room get slaughtered by those blood sucking girlfriends of his.””
“Gunn.”
“Right, that was post Darla mind fuck and Darla fuck.”
“Charles, that’s just crude…and…Cordy told me Angel was really sorry about…you know with Darla and being so mean and firing everyone.”
“Yeah, well, we need that beige fucker back if we want those evil ass lawyers to stop trying to kill Cordy.”
“Charles, Angel can’t kill the lawyers.” Wesley repeated.
“Hey, man, I didn’t see you putting a leash on him, when he went after the lawyers this last time.”
“He didn’t kill any, those two that died, died from heart attacks, and it was too find Cordy. Angel can’t kill the lawyers.”
Angel stood. “Who says I can’t.”
Part 8
Angel wasn’t sure that he believed a word that he was hearing. But they did and in their version of events Cordelia Chase had walked out of Sunnydale. He needed that version to be true.
“Angel,” they all jumped.
“You want to know where Cordelia Chase is.”
“Yes, please.” Wesley shoved at his glasses.
The door burst opened, Jack ran in. He skidded to a halt. “Hey, you didn’t kill them. Fuckin A. Business. A four horned, snaggled toothed grizzly large fucker about to decimate a man in the parking garage under the Lincoln complex.”
Wesley stood. “A Vortual. I’ll need a sword.”
“I’m going need an axe,” Gunn looked at the vampire. “Got a weapon’s cabinet in this place.”
“Where do you think you both are going?” Angel stared.
“With you, man.”
“Yes, Vortual’s are very prolific fighters. They have the strength of ten very strong men. A match even for a vampire with your skills, you’ll need us.”
“I work alone.”
“No anymore. Hey, English, found ‘em.” Gunn stood in front of an armory, pulling out a sword and tossing it.
Wesley caught the sword easily.
Gunn yanked out an axe, then a large broadsword. “Here.” He tossed the vampire’s sword to him. “I call shot gun, you still have the Plymouth right.” He asked as he headed out the door, Wesley following. “Charles, normally, I sit in the front seat.”
“I called shot gun, tough.”
Angel blinked at the retreating men, then at Fred. “I work alone.”
Fred waved smiling at the vampire. “Be careful.”
“What are you doing sitting at my desk,” grumbled Jack.
“Go away,” Fred shooed the rumbled man.
Part 9
“That thing wasn’t such a bad ass. Whooped his tail.” Gunn headed back into the office.
Fred looked up from her computer. “I didn’t think Vortual’s had tails.”
“They don’t, Fred.”
“Oh, where’s Angel. Oh, hi, Angel.” The young woman smiled as the vampire entered. “Is any one hurt? I found the first aid kit.”
“No, we're cool.”
“Good, because that’s Cordy’s job.” Fred sat down. “I ordered some food, coffee and tea are over there,” she pointed to a table by the window.
“Hey, girl, you got some clothes, what happened to the bag.”
“I think I offended Lorne, or just brought back bad memories of Plyea. He came back by with some clothes. Angel, would you like me to get you some blood.”
“No.” Angel stared at the young woman, who had taken over his office.
“Are you sure? Cordy told me which spices you liked best in your blood.”
“Girl, you know he hates cinnamon, just doesn’t have the balls to tell her.” Gunn laughed.
“Oh, you really don’t like cinnamon in your blood?”
“I can’t ever imagine even trying it.”
“Oh. Right.”
Angel stared at the humans. Wesley going straight to Angel’s desk, digging back through some books, and writing on a pad.
Gunn was perched on the edge, cleaning the axe he had been using, even though he had already cleaned it before leaving the parking garage. Angel hadn’t wanted to admit but both had been helpful in his fight with the demon. They handled their respective weapons with confidence, working together as a team, seeming to know when to let Angel fight and when he needed their help. They knew him, but he had no idea who they were.
He had been completely confused at their light banter and friendly insults as they rode to the garage or their exaggerated bragging in an attempt to out do the other on their prowess on the ride back.
“Angel.”
The vampire looked at the self-proclaimed rogue demon hunter. That label no longer seemed so foolish.
“You were going to tell us where Cordelia is.”
Angel stared then sat down, making his decision. “When I left Sunnydale, she was in private hospital right out side the town, attached to life support. Dead to the world except she still breathed. If she’s been transferred to another facility I don’t know, don’t want to know.”
Gunn’s fist swung slamming into the desk covering the gasps coming from Fred.
“What happened to her?” Wesley said in a valiant to keep his composure.
“Wesley,” Fred jumped up, tears clouding her eyes. “We have to go. We have to be with her, she can’t be alone, she can’t.”
“Her parents?” Wesley asked the vampire.
“Dead.”
“Wesley.” Fred cried. “Charles tell him, we have to go.”
“Fred.” Wesley hugged the young woman. “Fred, we can help best by finding out what went wrong, okay. We’ll fix it. Will get her back, okay.”
Fred blinked slowly nodding. “Right, sorry,” she gulped down her sniffles, wiping at her face. “I just…”
“Fred, we all love her.”
Fred gave a small smile and nodded again.
Wesley took a deep breath turning to face the vampire. “What happened?”
“What happened?” Gunn shot out. “I’ll tell you what happened- Angelus, that bastard did it.”
Angel waited for Gunn’s angry glare to rest on him, to blame him, but the black man’s eyes remained on Wesley.
“Gunn, it couldn’t have been, if something had happened to Angel and Angelus managed to get that close to Cordelia, he would’ve turned her, not put her in a coma. That’s not how Angelus wanted her. You remember what Angel said when Angelus was brought forward the last time. He said that Angelus’ plan in 1898 was to turn her, not…well…not kill her.”
Angel narrowed his eyes at Wesley, but the man was too concentrated in his own thoughts to notice. Angel looked again at the human’s in the room, starting to believe them. There was no way possible that Wesley knew that unless Angel had told him. And the fact that Angel did showed that the vampire had trusted the humans.
“Then what happened to her?” Gunn turned to the vampire.
Angel braced himself for hearing the words that he would have to speak and for the anger from the human’s that obviously loved Cordelia Chase.
“Gunn, Angel wouldn’t know.”
“What do you mean he wouldn’t know? He was there.” Gunn insisted.
Angel remained silent, also wondering what Wesley meant.
“His memories are affected by whatever went wrong. Car accident?”
“A car accident?” Gunn jumped up. “We’ve got Cordy running from two fucking Angelus and you choose to believe that she got hit by a car, now that doesn’t make any damn sense.”
“But it would, it would explain him,” Wesley pointed to Angel.
“Wesley?” Fred blinked. “I…”
“If Cordelia is in a coma in Sunnydale, she couldn’t come to LA. And that’s the result.” He pointed to Angel. “ Cordy wouldn’t have been here to meet Angel, she wouldn’t have received the visions from Doyle. This,” He waved his hand around the office. “Was where Angel and Doyle were before Cordy came and took over, making it Angel Investigations, before Wolfram & Hart blew it up.”
Angel was really starting to hate that law firm. He had some dealings with them but not enough for him to care one way or another. But to repeatedly try to kill Cordy and blow up his home. He was getting pissed.
“But, without Cordy, no Angel Investigations, because she didn’t talk Angel into accepting paying clients as well as help the helpless. She wasn’t here to be with Angel after Doyle died. She wasn’t here to give him her friendship and love. Hell, she wasn’t here to give him us. I know I didn’t work with this Angel, he works alone….”
Angel narrowed his eyes again at the man. Angel didn’t like his tone on that last bit.
“And Gunn, it was her idea for Angel to pay you.” Wesley continued.
“It was? Cheap bastard.”
Angel glared at the black man. Angel didn’t like his tone either.
“And Fred would still be in Plyea, because Cordy wouldn’t have gotten herself sucked in the portal.”
Fred nodded. “Yeah, it wasn’t me he came to save. Angel’s so wonderful the way he’s always jumping in Portals to save Cordy.”
Angel was beginning to like the young woman.
“So, you see without Cordy, you get him, sullen, anti-social, dark broody, probably way over the top melodramatic.” Wesley pointed to Angel.
“I am not melodramatic.” Angel said suddenly. “I’m in the room you know.”
“You’re are too.” Gunn rolled his eyes and focused back on Wesley. “I get without Cordy we get the whole vamp loner with a grudge against life and a guilt trip to match, but I’m not buying a car accident.”
Angel growled a tiny bit. Obviously, Gunn didn’t get the fact he was in the room.
“But, Gunn.”
“But, no, Wes. A car accident? You really think Angel would let Cordy get hit by a car. The vamp as the reaction of,” Gunn snapped his finger. Angel slightly nodded totally agreeing with Gunn on that point.
“Not if he was dead.”
“Dead?” Gunn pointed. “He’s right there.”
“Not him. But Angel. If Angelus killed him in 1998, then he wouldn’t be there to protect Cordelia.”
“Wes, man. You said that in 1898, Angel beat the shit out of Angelus and I saw it in the hotel, Angel would’ve killed him if we hadn’t tranqed both of them.”
Angel really liked that. What a feeling of satisfaction that must have been.
Fred cleared her throat. “Wesley, Angelus couldn’t have killed Angel.”
“He’s not infallible, and…”
“Wesley, if Angel didn’t send Angelus back then who did? “ she pointed to Angel. “Soul. If Angelus didn’t go back, then he wouldn’t have been cursed by the gypsies.”
“Possibly, Giles. If Cordelia didn’t have any other options left to protect herself from Angelus, she would’ve gone to Giles and Buffy.” Wesley suggested.
“Would that be before or after she got hit by your car?” Gunn rolled his eyes.
“I’m just saying, that Angelus wouldn’t leave Cordy in a coma.”
“Maybe he fucked up, didn’t get the chance to make her into another crazy dead bitch or maybe he just changed his mind. Why make this shit up, just ask the vamp if he knows how Cordy ended up tied to a hospital bed.”
The three humans’ gazes locked on the vampire.
Part 10
“Do you?” Fred asked.
Angel nodded slowly.
“It wasn’t a car accident, it Angelus wasn’t it?” Gunn asked.
Angel nodded again.
“Told you,” Gunn shot a look at Wesley.
“But, Angel, you, well not you said…”
“That Angelus had wanted to turn the dark haired woman filled with beauty, spirit and fire, the one that he had marked, the one that he remembered in flitting images but never her identity or face over the years, just a lasting impression of want. And that Angelus, if he ever came across that woman again, would want to finish what he had started in 1898.”
“Yes.” Wesley took off his glasses. “Not with so much detail though, but yes.”
“I never had that conversation with you, I wouldn’t have, it’s a conservation I wouldn’t ever want to have to admit, not with my soul in my being, but it is true and Angelus would never change is mind.”
“So he fucked up. What was Angel doing during all this? Cordelia was safe when she wrote that letter. Angel went to Sunnydale on the day she wrote the letter. He wouldn’t have left her alone to get caught by Angelus. He wouldn’t have.”
Angel took a deep breath. “You all keep talking about past Angelus and other Angel’s. There was only one Angelus in Sunnydale in 1998 and that was me.”
“The other one got her, fuck. That still doesn’t explain what Angel was doing.”
Angel stared at the black man, he seemed angrier at an absent Angel rather than the vampire right in front of him that brutalized his friend.
Wesley shook his head. “Of course. I was being stupid.” He studied Angel. “You aren’t the Angelus that was present when Angelus from 1898 and Angel and Cordelia were in 1998….”
“Whoa, Wes, are you now saying there were three of them?”
“No, it worked. We know that Angelus of 1898 was returned. Angel was successful, I imagine he had Cordy’s soul safely in the orb and left the teenage Cordelia in what he believed to be in a safe environment from Angelus of that times’ notice….”
“Wesley, he already noticed her, Cordelia said so in her letter.”
“Yes, but that Angelus would have no memory of the period during the time anomaly.”
”Angel remembered Cordelia from 1898.”
“Yes only after he went back to save Cordy. Angel only connected the dots when we returned, and then he had a face to go with a vague memory, one that we couldn’t prevent because Angelus had already bitten Cordelia. But Angelus hadn’t remembered any of the specifics of the Portal or the fight with Angel. No, no matter if Angelus of 1998 did notice, he would’ve forgotten once Angelus of the past was gone and Angel and Cordelia were gone. Things should’ve have been as they were. Angelus still having the dream, that couldn’t be helped but not realizing that the teenage Cordelia was the girl, because of Angel’s love for Buffy and Angelus obsession with the slayer.”
“Wesley, Angel and Cordelia weren’t successful.”
“I think they were or least they thought they were. Something must have happened, something not obvious to them or they would’ve never left the teenage Cordelia, but something did happen that changed the course of Angelus’ interaction with the teenage Cordelia. The question is what? That’s what we have to find and prevent from happening.”
“This time crap gives me a headache.”
Wesley nodded. “Angel, in 1998, what happened between you and Cordelia?” He faced the vampire.
Angel stared, and then looked away.
“Angel, we have to know.”
Angel closed his eyes hearing Cordelia Chase’s screams flowing around him as her blood warmed him, as he tore into her digging further and further into the fire. Needing the heat for as long as possible before taking it away from her forever, leaving him with his vampire mate. Content as the blood drained away, tasting slowly savoring every tantalizing drop. Finally ready, the bloody incision on his chest where his heart would never beat bleeding, pulling the broken body close, growling as he prepared for her to drink. Jumping, dropping the body as Buffy broke the door down. Angel fought the slayer with a rage so furious, as the moronic boy followed the slayer, taking Angelus’ desire away in his arms.
Angelus would’ve killed the slayer that day, but Buffy didn’t wait around for the finish, she had jumped out the window leaving sunlight in her wake. After that day, Buffy had always been more than willing to kill Angelus. The vampire just never gave her the chance. Settling on the best way he could to make her live a living hell, promising one day that he would kill her for his loss.
“Angel, please.” Wesley urged.
“One night I saw her at the bronze with Buffy, Xander, Willow and the werewolf, and I knew. I started that night to follow her, to send her ‘gifts’. I wanted to give her the moron boy’s head on a platter; instead I gave her parents’ heads…” he stopped at Fred’s small choked gasp and Gunn’s curse.
“Yes, Angel, perhaps you misunderstood me, we do not need to hear or want to know the details of the atrocities I’m sure that Angelus did commit to Cordy, it is enough to know the result -she’s in a coma. What we need to know is specifically what triggered Angelus notice. You said, one night at the Bronze. Tell us about that night. What had happened?”
Angel nodded, his eyes shifting from Fred's green expression and Gunn's murderous glare. “I was in Bronze, looking for Buffy trying to figure out a new way to spook her. They were sitting at a table and I remember hearing Cordelia’s voice over the others. She was bitching and complaining, blaming Buffy about something. I didn’t understand at first. But, then Cordy, took off the scarf she was wearing around her neck and pointed to the vampire bite marks on her neck. She was blaming Buffy for somehow getting her bitten. Her argument didn’t make much sense. For that matter Buffy’s retorts didn’t either. She told Cordelia that it wasn’t her fault if an imaginary vampire bit her. Cordelia was back to yelling about the bite, yelling that they weren’t imaginary. She didn’t even remember getting bit. Buffy wondered how the hell that was her fault. Cordelia argued back that Buffy was a slayer she needed to be out there hunting down rabid dead guys, not wasting time pouting over me and my lost soul” Angel gave a ghost of a smile. “Actually, she was a lot more colorful in her choice of words. Then the whole table joined in trying to calm them both down. I was intrigued. Cordelia had apparently been bitten by a vampire and lived, but didn’t remember it, none of them knew how it happened. So, when Cordelia left to go to the bathroom I followed. I came up from behind, grabbing her sensing the bites. That’s when I knew. I didn’t understand, I still don’t really, but there was no denying that the wounds weren’t place there by a vampire having a snack. My scent was deep in the wounds. I had marked her, more than once, the smell of her blood intermingled with my scent. I saw her, really saw her then. How could’ve I forgotten those eyes. She was the dark-haired beauty from my dreams. I didn’t understand, but I did know. I was stunned, she screamed, Buffy and the rest ran up before I had a chance to take her out of the Bronze.”
“That doesn’t make any sense.”
“I realize that but that’s what happened.”
“I’m not disputing you, but the marks you describe weren’t ever on a 17 year old Cordelia. Cordelia was twenty when Wolfram & Hart kidnapped her and tossed into 19th century that’s the body that Angelus bit. And Angel’s marks…”
“Angel’s what,…” the vampire asked in surprise.
“Yes, well Angel did well mark her…I can only say that was a tense moment.”
“Tense? I wanted to stake his ass when I saw the fresh wounds, I would’ve killed him too, if Cordy hadn’t started yelling at the top of her lungs.”
Wesley nodded. “Cordy explained that while it was none of our business, she and Angel agreed that Angel would mark her to remove that taint of Angelus. Of course, Angel never said anything, but he wasn’t real happy with her telling us even that, though how he thought we wouldn’t have noticed is beyond me.”
“Guys, he wasn’t trying to keep it a secret and it wasn't any of our business. It was personal between them.”
“Not our business that he was snacking on Cordy.” Gunn shook his head.
“He wasn’t snacking. Cordelia explained it more to me later when we were out shopping. She said that when they got back from London, Angel had been mad her. You remember how he was.”
“That was because she tried sacrifice herself to Angelus so Angel and I could get away. It was stupid.”
“Wesley, she didn’t know about the prophecy or rather that it meant her and not Buffy. But, Cordy said that wasn’t really what made Angel mad. He had been angry that she let Angelus mark her. Which if you ask me wasn’t really fair, Cordy told me that the only reason she did it was because Angelus lied to her and told her that he wouldn’t kill that other woman and he didn’t tell her it was mark, just that he wanted to bite her. Of course, he killed the girl anyway, Molly, I think that’s the name Cordy said. Anyway, Cordy told me that having Angel redo the marks was the only way she could think to make sure that the memory of what Angelus had done, what she had done, wouldn’t come between them. Cordy said that she wasn’t Angelus’ didn’t want to be Angelus’ and she wouldn’t never be his, just Angel’s, isn’t that sweet.”
“No.” Gunn shook his head. “It’s …NO. And he still does it. You telling me the issue of Angelus comes up after friggin time they have sex.”
“Charles,” Wesley said sharply. “We agreed that Cordy and Angel’s intimate moments were not open for discussion or censure. They are consenting adults in love.”
“I’d agree if they kept it in the bedroom, but you can’t even go in the basement anymore. And you have to knock on every friggin closed door just in case you walk in on them.
“Charles, the hotel is their home.”
“It’s OUR office and I didn’t see you so damn calm when you saw them on your desk.”
Wesley winced. “Don’t…I’ve been trying to forget that.”
“It’s so sweet, they love each other so much.”
“Damn’t girl, you think everything they do is sweet, even them splitting our ear drums when they decide to see who is the loudest when they get to arguing.”
“Kyerumption and Moira, it’s so romantic.”
“Girl” Gunn threw up his hands.
Angel was still gapping when the human’s finally fell silent. He gulped. “Cordy and I are lovers? MY soul?”
“Oh, yes. Your soul was bound when…”
Fred squeaked. “Don’t.” holding her hands to her head. “I don’t want to hear about Darla sex.”
“Who does?” Gunn rolled his eyes.
“Darla is dead.” Angel said completely confused.
“No shit Sherlock, she’s a vampire.”
“She’s dust.”
“Oh, The lawyers- they brought her back to mind fuck with you. It worked pretty well until you had some epiphany while boinking the ex.”
“Charles, I said I didn’t want to hear it, I heard it once already today, I don’t want to hear it again. It’s disturbing.”
“Fred, Angel and Cordy hadn’t even realized that they loved each then. He wasn’t cheating on Cordy, okay.”
“Still, it’s disturbing.” Fred glared and crossed her arms.
Angel flinched a bit that was the first time the young woman actually glared at him. “I didn’t do it,” he defended.
“Oh, right.” Fred smiled.
“I don’t get it, you can go all gooey eyes at Angel snacking on Cordy, but you can’t handle….”
Fred held up her hand. “Charles, I mean it.” She glared at the black man.
“Damn, girl, you’ve been hanging around Cordy too long.” Gunn looked at his shoes.
“Cordy, Cordy, Cordelia.” Wesley shouted.
“What?” the room jumped, even the vampire.
“Cordelia, not her sex life with Angel, is our concern. We’ve digressed into the gutter. Now let’s take our self out and continue with our problem.”
Angel frowned. He wanted to hear more about his sex life with Cordy. Angel couldn’t believe the teenager that his demon wanted, still wanted, ever loved him and let him mark her, repeatedly and that he complied with what seemed to be very little guilt. It didn’t make any sense, but the idea was intriguing and a balm to his memories.
“As I was trying to explain, Cordelia hadn’t been marked when she was 17. Damn. Angelus must have marked her before Angel and Cordelia returned home. But, Angel must have realized that would leave the teenage Cordy vulnerable.”
“Maybe he just had to get the hell out there.”
Wesley shrugged. “Bringing back Cordy was of course his priority, but so would keeping the teenage girl safe, after all she would become the woman that Angel loved. But, that has to be it.”
Angel interrupted. “You talk as if the future Cordelia and the 17 year old Cordelia are the same but obviously not.”
Wesley puzzled.
“You keep harping on the 17 year old body, but say nothing about the 20 year old one as least not in regards to 1998.”
“Oh, yes, well, this time Wolfram & Hart didn’t kidnap Cordy and toss her through a portal. They transported her soul, I imagine it was too delay us from figuring out they entire plan, we wasted a lot of time trying to understand why our Cordy fell into a coma. We couldn’t be sure if it was medical or mystical. Lorne read her and told us that her soul was gone. When Angel left, Cordelia, her body rather was with us.”
“You’re no longer a rogue demon hunter are you?” Angel asked the man.
“Actually, I’m the boss of Angel’s Investigations.” Wesley nodded at the subtle complement from the vampire.
Angel raised his brows.
“So, we agree what we need to do.”
Gunn wrinkled his brow. “We decided something? I get that the marks were what sets Angelus off, but what else have we decided.”
“If Fred is finished with the spell, I will go through the portal and warn Angel.”
Gunn shook his head. “That we haven’t decided. What are you planning to warn him about- Hey, Angel don’t let Angelus bite Cordy. I’m guessing the vamp already knows that one.”
“But not the importance.”
“Do you really think knowing will make him what- more protective of Cordy. I’m saying changing history is the last of his concerns. He’s got be on high alert as it is. Telling him isn’t going to change that or make him more protective. We’re talking about Angel and Cordy here. When has the vamp ever not risked anything, his soul, us, portals to save her?”
Wesley grumbled his agreement. “I will stay and help him make sure that it doesn’t happen. As concentrated, as Angel may be bad things do happen. Cordy was put in danger.”
“Then why can’t I go? You got to go to 19th century.”
“I lived in Sunnydale, I familiar with the town.”
“Then we’ll both go I’ll follow your Boy Scout preparations. ”
“Wesley,” Angel interrupted.
“Yes.”
“I’m going.”
“Angel, I don’t think that’s wise. If you go, there will be four of you running around Sunnydale, it could get very confusing. And the possible time mishaps are mind-boggling.”
“Wesley, I’m going. It’s my present you’re screwing with, it’s my past you’re changing.”
“I…”
“Do the spell.”
“There may be a problem with Angel and Cordy trusting you.”
Angel shook his head. “Gunn is right. Angel is on high alert, but if one of the Angelus marked Cordelia, it was because he failed to protect her. Who is in the best position to make sure that he doesn’t do it again? Angel stared.
Wesley considered. “Okay, but don’t mention anything to Angel about Cordy being in a coma by your hands, I think that is information that would not be beneficial to a trusting relationship.”
"Ya think?” Gunn rolled his eyes.
Fred cleared her throat. "What if Cordy was bitten before Angel got there?"
"Fred?"
"She did say in her letter that her plan to stay unnoticed didn't work. Being bitten, well, that would mean the plan didn't work."
"She didn't say that in her letter."
"That doesn't mean it didn't happen though. Cordy wouldn't write that in her letter. That would be something she would've waited to tell Angel in person. She would've known how that would've upset him."
"What are you suggesting, Fred?" knowing that the young woman had more on her mind.
"That we send Angel back a few days before Cordelia's letter was written. That way well...."
"Yes, I see," Wesley took off his glasses, turning to the vampire. "We will send you before Angel arrives. You can protect her until then, though; I would caution you about approaching her unless there is an immediate threat. But otherwise, you will need to stay out of sight. We can't be sure what you're presence maybe do to the time-line. We're sending you to fix it, not make it worse."
Angel nodded. There was no denying that he needed to see a healthy beautiful teenager, one that would have existed had he not destroyed her, he wanted to know the Cordy that her family loved and that loved a vampire with a soul. Yet, he was also frightened that if he did approach her that some she would know and hate him for what he had done.
***
Wesley, Fred, and Gunn sat around the office, all quiet in their contemplation. Fred broke the silence. "I hope this works."
Wesley nodded. "If not," he handed out the wafers to his friends. "We'll know."
Continue on...