Title: 24/7
Author: Dock
Posted: 10-27-2002
Rating: NC17
Email:
Content: C/A, F/G
Summary: This is based on a challenge by (I don't remember who, if this is yours let me know and I'll give you credit in the next chapter). Basically Cordelia and Angel must pretend to be married 24/7.
Spoilers: Up to 'Waiting in the Wings' but no Groo and no Connor.
Disclaimer: The characters in the Angelverse were created by Joss Whedon & David Greenwalt. No infringement is intended, no profit is made.
Distribution: Anyone who wants it can have it, just let me know where to look.
Notes: Darla did show up at the Hyperion but she wasn't pregnant. Groo never showed up. Angel just chickened out.
Feedback:
Part 1
"Good. You're all still here."
"English, where ya been all day and who's the mystery client?"
Wesley glanced down at his watch. "Sorry. I didn't realize I'd be gone so long. This case has me a little.." He studied Cordelia and Angel for a moment. They were standing rather close together. "I'm not entirely sure we should accept this case."
"The client can't afford to pay, huh?"
"Quite the contrary, Cordelia. Mr. Nabbit is willing to pay anything."
"You met with David? Why didn't you tell me? I would have gone with you. How is my favorite billionaire?"
Wesley ignored Angel's low growls. "Mr. Nabbit is rather distressed at the moment. I would have invited you but he asked to speak to me alone."
"Why?"
"Well due to the nature of the case, he wished to speak to a man."
"Hey!"
"Angel, he meant no offence. His investigators simply informed him I was in charge now."
"Another demon brothel?"
"No."
Fred pushed up her glasses. "If he already hired investigators, what does he need with us?"
"He believes it may involve dark forces. It seems one of his Dungeons and Dragons cohorts has disappeared."
"And David couldn't discuss that in front of me?"
"It seems Jason and his wife went away to attend a marriage counseling retreat. Jason called him a few times. He claimed the sessions were very helpful. Shortly after the retreat ended, Mr. Nabbit received a letter saying he and Jennifer had decided to go away together to 'renew their love'. They haven't been heard from since. He's had a team of investigators searching for them for two months to no avail. They recently discovered that three other couples disappeared immediately after attending the retreat. The families of the couples all received letters stating they were going away to 'renew their love' and were never heard from again."
"Where do the dark forces come into play?"
"I'm not entirely sure there are any. I believe Mr. Nabbit is convinced the only way they could disappear without a trace is by magic of some sort. He has the utmost confidence in his investigators. Between their abilities and his computer skills, he says they would have found them or their bodies by now."
"So English, why don't you want to take the case? We're gettin' paid and it's for a good cause.."
"Mr. Nabbit would like Angel to go in undercover and I'm not.."
"What's the big deal, Wes? Cordy and I will go in..."
"What? Why me?"
Angel looked at his wide-eyed seer. "I don't think Gunn would appreciate my taking his girlfriend."
"Damn straight!"
"So that leaves you."
Cordelia tried to control her heart rate. "I guess I could handle arguing with you in public." She continued at Angel's questioning look. "We're supposed to be a married couple with problems."
"Oh right." Angel's mind was busy picturing Cordelia as his wife. Fighting leads to making up and making up leads to...damn..it leads to Angelus.
Wesley cleared his throat. "There's more. Apparently his investigators already attempted to go in undercover. They were discovered and thrown out of the program. It seems there are cameras in the guests' rooms."
"What?!"
"There is a camera pointed directly at the bed. There are listening devices in the main room and in the bathroom. Also, there are cameras throughout the complex." Wesley fidgeted. "You and Angel would have to pretend 24/7."
Cordelia could feel her heart start to race again. Her eyes locked with Wesley's. "Um..maybe Fred and Gunn should go."
"I don't think that's a good idea. We have no idea who or what might be responsible for the disappearances. You might have a vision while you're there and Angel should be able to handle anything that might try to harm either of you." He looked over at Gunn. "Not that you wouldn't but I'd rather not risk Fred."
"Naw. I'm with ya there. I don't want to risk my girl either. Plus the idea of someone watchin' us gives me the creeps."
Cordelia finally managed to look at Angel. "What do you think?"
Angel shrugged. "I don't see the problem."
"Hello! Curse!"
Angel looked like he might swallow his tongue as his mind was assaulted with images. He shook his head to clear them. "I meant it's a marriage counseling retreat. I'm sure we wouldn't be the only couple not having sex."
"Oh right." Cordelia could feel her face turning bright red.
"Actually Cordelia does have a valid concern."
"I do?"
"It's the reason I was unsure we should accept the case. In order to attract the attention of whoever is behind this, you and Angel would have to.." He cleared his throat. "um..follow directions. It seems there are exercises the couple is expected to perform in the privacy of their room in order to open up the flow of communication." Wes pulled his glasses off and began polishing them. "Jason was rather explicit in his phone conversations with Mr. Nabbit."
If Angel could, he would be blushing. He would have to..damn...Angelus. "Well as much as I'd like to help, I don't think losing my soul would be a good idea."
"Of course." Wesley felt his face flush. "It seems the investigators are aware of your..circumstances and consulted with the world's foremost specialist.."
"There are specialists for vampires who've been cursed with a soul?"
"Not exactly Fred. There are other beings who have..repercussions to..romantic situations."
"C'mon English spit it out. Is there a way the vamp can get his freak on without goin' on a killin' spree afterwards?"
Wesley began polishing his glasses again. "Yes. There is a...paranormal prophylactic that will protect his soul."
"Really?" Cordelia couldn't decide if she was happy or scared. *Angel could be with Buffy!*
"It is a rather expensive potion." He looked at Angel's happy expression. "An extremely expensive potion." Angel's smile disappeared. "Mr. Nabbit is willing to purchase it as an expense for the case."
Angel's enthusiasm was warring with his fears. *Cordelia and I could be together but for how long?* "How expensive?"
"The good news is the effects last for one year. The bad news is it costs one million dollars."
"Damn! That is expensive. But hey, you get a year's worth of happies out of it." Gunn slapped Angel on the back.
"I'm not suggesting the two of you have sex for the case but..there may..be some...things that the counselors ask you to do that could make Angel..rather happy. No one expects either of you to do anything you aren't comfortable with. Perhaps you could fake whatever..you'd rather not do."
"Fake?"
Wes knew his face was bright red by now. "Yes. You could remain under the covers and.."
"I get the idea. Well it wouldn't be the first time I had to fake it..actually it would be a first for faking the entire thing."
The men suddenly became very uncomfortable. "Yes, well I'll leave that between you and Angel."
"Hey! Nobody has ever needed to fake it with me!" Angel noticed their amused looks. "I mean...nevermind." Angel was glad he could be with Cordelia without the danger of Angelus. He really hoped she wanted to be with him too. He'd developed a lot of self control over the years, but there were limits. Even if they were to fake it, they would still have to be naked under the covers. Could he really trust himself? He looked over at Cordelia. "Could you guys give us a minute alone?"
"Of course" "Sure" "Yeah"
He heard Fred mumbling something about kyerumption as the three went into Wesley's office.
"Cor, do you want to take this case?"
Cordelia was still in shock. She was imagining her life if Angel decided to go be with Buffy. Sure it would be expensive but he'd probably find a way. She felt tears start to form and tried to fight them.
Angel saw the struggle appear on her face. His heart broke at the sight of her tears. The thought of being with him was making her cry. He knew how important helping people was to her. She probably felt it would be selfish of her not to do whatever it took to solve the case. No matter how much it disgusted her to pretend to be with a vampire. He wrapped his arms around her. "Please don't cry. We'll find another way. I would never take advantage of your dedication for my own pleasure."
She pushed him away. "I thought kissing me was horrible. Are you sure YOU want to do this?"
"I never said kissing you was horrible."
"You said you wanted to wipe it from your memory so how good could it have been?"
"I meant..if we...The first time you kissed me was to get rid of the visions. You even kissed Barney! At the ballet you kissed me because you were possessed. I wanted to forget because we had no control over our actions. You didn't kiss me 'cause you wanted me."
Cordelia was confused. "But doing it for a case makes it okay?"
He looked down at his feet. "I guess you're right. I'll tell Wes."
"Wait! We have to take the case. People are missing!"
"True." Angel tried to steele himself. Being together would be another illusion. "We're professionals. We can fake it."
Cordelia smiled. "We're not those kind of professionals."
He was too depressed to laugh. "Funny." *She doesn't want me.*
Cordelia noticed his sad face. She wanted to cheer him up even if it meant breaking her heart in the process. "After the case is solved, you could return to Sunnydale."
"Why?"
"Duh! You can be with Buffy. Wes said the potion lasts for a year. I'm sure you could figure out a way to get more."
"Cor, I'm not going anywhere. My mission and my family are here in LA. You're here!"
"But Buffy.."
"Is my past. I let go of that dream a long time ago." He covered her mouth before she could interrupt. "And I don't regret it. That dream wouldn't make me happy anymore. I've changed too much."
Cordelia pulled his hand from her mouth. "Did you want to kiss me?"
"What?"
"You said you wanted to forget the ballet because I didn't want to kiss you. Did you want to kiss me?"
Angel decided to take a chance. "Yes."
She gave him one of her high wattage smiles. "So a girl doesn't need to fake it with you?"
"Umm.."
"Angel, sorry to interrupt but Mr. Nabbit is on the phone. He needs to know if he should purchase the potion."
"Hell yeah! I so don't want to deal with Angelus by myself." She gave Angel a wink. "Geez. Look at the time. I have shopping to do. FRED!"
"Yes."
"Wanna go shopping?"
"Sure. Where are we going?"
Cordelia hooked her arm with Fred's. "Victoria's Secret. I need something special to wear."
The three men watched the two giggling girls stroll out of the hotel.
"Dawg, you are so lucky!"
Part 2
"Cordelia, Angel, please step into my office for a moment."
"What's up?"
"I wanted to give you more details about the case. You are expected at the Wellington Marriage Center tomorrow evening. It's named after its benefactress. Elizabeth Wellington is the widow of an extraordinarily wealthy man. They were happily married for 47 years. Apparently she feels the rising divorce rate is responsible for the decline of society. She checked out. Nothing demonic about her, her late husband or their children. The center is a rather large complex. It's situated about 40 miles north of Los Angeles. There are outdoor recreational facilities but all the sessions take place indoors so Angel shouldn't have any difficulties avoiding direct sunlight. It's a week long retreat that involves private as well as group therapy. Now about your cover story. I've given it some consideration and I think it would be best if you try to stick as close to your real history as possible."
"What do you mean?"
"You will both be questioned, sometimes separately. If you mix the details of your marriage with your actual past, it will be easier to be consistent."
Cordelia nodded. "That makes sense."
Wes started polishing his glasses. "I've had Mr. Nabbit establish the identity of Angel Murphy, CEO of a small computer company."
"Computers? Angel barely knows how to turn one on."
"Hey!"
"We thought it would be best. Mr. Nabbit is providing a laptop that will allow us to exchange email without fear of it being intercepted. We need to be able to contact you. We don't want them to find it suspicious if they can't hack into it. It is also the only way the two of you can talk openly to each other. You will need to be careful due to the cameras but it should raise fewer eyebrows then your continued whispering even when alone."
"Okay. I run a computer company. When did we get married?"
"Right after we returned from Pylea, although I wouldn't mention the hell dimension part."
"Duh. Wait that'll mean we've been married for less than a year. How can we need counseling already?"
Wesley fidgeted for a moment. "The two of you shared mutual friends in Sunnydale, but it wasn't until you both separately moved to LA that you got to know one another. Cordelia was a struggling actress. Angel, who had just started his company, needed all the moral support he could get so he hired you as his secretary. You began dating...let's say about the time I came back into your lives. Everything was going well until..a competitor threatened to put you out of business. I'm told the computer industry can be rather cut throat. Angel decided the only way for his company to survive was to be as ruthless as the competition. Cordy objected to your actions so you fired her and ended your relationship." Wes stood up and began pacing. He didn't want to see the stormy look in Cordy's eyes or the anger building in Angel's. "Angel spent the next few months battling against Darla Williams, his rival as well as old girlfriend. Eventually he came to his senses and realized what a moronic ass he'd been. He begged you to take him back which you did. You became engaged soon after. It was a short engagement. The two of you were very happy together. Well that is until Darla showed up again and dropped the bombshell that she and Angel had slept together during your estrangement. Something he'd denied doing. Ever since then you've been having trust issues, so you decided to attend the retreat." Wesley finally looked at their faces. He suddenly wished he'd thought to keep a stake on his person. "So do you think you can remember that?"
Cordelia took a deep breath. "Angel tossed me to the curb, screwed that skanky ho and lied to my face about it. Somehow I think I'll remember it." She shrugged off Angel's hand and stood up. "Now if you both will excuse me, I have some things I need to return." Cordy pushed Angel out of her way and stormed out of the office.
"Cor!" Angel watched from the doorway as she practically ran from the hotel. He turned to Wes. "You do realize I'm going to kill you now."
"Now Angel.."
"I'll give you a sporting chance. You can have a two second head start."
"You have to agree that you both will be able to be very convincing which IS crucial to solving this case. That's what is important here."
"It isn't worth hurting Cordy. We could have come up with something less painful. I'm surprised you didn't throw Buffy in. You could have reduced her to tears."
Wesley stepped back when he saw a flash of yellow in Angel's eyes. "I wasn't trying to upset Cordelia."
"You could have fooled me. We were finally getting past this."
"Who are you trying to convince, me or yourself? Angel pretending something never happened and buying expensive presents aren't solutions. You never resolved her feelings of betrayal. You simply bought her clothes and expected her to trust you again. Of course lying to her wasn't the best idea. Whe Darla showed up again, everything happened so quickly. It took Darla almost draining Cordy for you to finally stake her. By the time Cordy recovered, she chose ignore your lies and just be grateful you saved her life. She placed her concern for you above her own feelings. She let the fact that you had to stake your sire for the second time overshadow you risking your soul for a night of sex. Cordelia has silently made one sacrifice after another for you. That amazing woman became part demon for you. Perhaps you can use this retreat as an opportunity to finally talk and deal with your feelings. I know you'd rather drink holy water than open up, but I don't think I'm out of line when I say tough! If you truly love her, I suggest you try to do what's best for her."
"L.love? Who said anything about l.love?"
Wesley rolled his eyes at the stuttering vampire. "The only person in the hotel unaware of your feelings is Cordelia. Now if you'll excuse me I'm meeting Mr. Nabbit to pick up the potion and laptop."
"Hey Wes!" Wesley turned back. "If she returns anything she bought, you are a dead man."
Wesley gulped at his Angelus-like smirk. "I fail to see how Cordelia's undergarments are pertinent to this case." He hurried away before Angel could respond.
***
Cordelia stood in her closet. She was too furious to decide what to pack. The blood red nightie she bought was laying on her bed. Next to it were the new bras and matching panties. She pulled her comfy pj's out of the closet and threw them in her suitcase. *He doesn't deserve sexy. Lying bastard!* "Dennis, can you get my things from the bathroom?" She took the slight breeze she felt against her face as a yes.
She decided on casual clothes and packed accordingly. She placed the floating items in her bag. "Thanks Dennis." Her new clothes floated toward her. "No. I'm not taking those. Who was I kidding? There will always be a blond who's more important to him than me. It's just a matter of time before the next one shows up." She eyed the nightie again. "On second thought maybe I'll wear it to torture him. He might not be in love with me but it has been a while since.." She felt nauseous when she remembered who he'd been with last. She shrugged and threw her new things in the bag. "They'll be no shortage of hot water by the time I'm done with him." She froze at the sound of knocking. *I so do not want to talk to Angel right now.* She straightened her clothes before answering the door.
"Wes"
"Sorry to bother you but I wanted to apologize. I didn't mean to upset you earlier."
"I'm not upset."
Wesley observed her puffy eyes. "Of course. I thought you might be hurting after I brought up the Darla incident."
Cordy clenched her hands into fists. "No. That's ancient history. I'm fine."
"Oh. Well Angel was rather furious. He did a lot of growling after you'd gone."
She rolled her eyes. "Yeah. 'Cause firing us, boning Darla and telling lies were traumatic for him. Maybe we should do something to make him feel better. What says no-hard-feelings-that-you-kicked-us-to-the-curb-like-we-were-yesterday's-trash? Maybe a nice plant?"
Wes pulled her into a hug. "He really is sorry. He knows how wrong he was."
She stepped back. "I thought I was past this."
"It might help if you and Angel talked about it. The two of you need to deal with this."
"I can't."
"Why not?"
"Because I...I'm..I don't know what hurts most firing us, risking his soul or.."
"Or?"
She wrapped her arms around herself. "Or sleeping with someone that wasn't me." She looked up at Wesley. "I can't talk to him. If I do, I might tell him I love him and then where would we be?"
"If you continue to hold everything in, what do you think will become of your relationship?"
"I don't know."
"You know one would think you of all people would understand his compulsion to lie."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"In case you've forgotten, you kept your impending death a secret from us."
"But.."
"Did you think about what would happen? You were going to die. One vision too many and we'd get to see what's left of your brains through the gaping hole in the back of your skull!"
"I didn't know that was gonna happen."
"Perhaps not, but you knew you were going to die and you knew we wouldn't see it coming. Angel probably would have killed a building full of lawyers before Dennis managed to tell us about your secrets."
"I said I was sorry."
"Yes you did. As did Angel."
"It's just like an ex-watcher to use logic and reason against me."
He pulled the potion out of his pocket and handed it to her. "Opening up your heart to someone is rather frightening, but I've never thought of you as a coward before." He smiled as her eyed flashed.
"I'm not a coward! I have faced hell beasts. I think I can handle a conversation about my feelings." She clutched the bottle and stormed out of her apartment.
***
Angel had been brooding in his room since Wesley left. He wished Cordy would come back and nag him out of his mood. *This is all Wesley's fault. We were fine until he opened his big mouth! Now I've lost her.*
"Is this a private brooding session or can anyone join?"
Angel jumped. *How the hell did she sneak up of me?* "Hey. I didn't expect to see you so soon. At least not without a pointy wooden stick."
Cordelia crossed the room to stand in front of him. "We have a lot to talk about."
"Yeah we do. Now?"
She stepped back. "No. Wes had a good point. We have enough unresolved issues to convince a building full of counselors we need therapy."
"Oh. Okay."
"But I wanted you to know that I'm not going anywhere. We will get through this."
"We will?"
"Of course." For the first time she noticed the glimmer of fear in his eyes. "Angel, there may be some lingering Darla issues but I have no intentions of letting go of you."
He clasped her hands in his. "I am sorry I hurt you."
"I know." She took a deep breath. "Wesley stopped by my apartment. He reminded me that I haven't exactly been the poster child for honesty. Although I was protecting you guys and you were protecting yourself so it's not really the same thing. Plus it's my death and if I want to deal with it by myself.." She hesitated at his growl. "but I wouldn't want that. I totally learned my lesson. No secrets for Cordy." She pulled her hands away. "Wes just pointed out that we've both kept secrets. Look as soon as we solve this case, you and I are gonna sit down and talk about everything."
"After?"
"Yes. Not that I'm afraid or anything. Cordelia Chase is no coward. We could talk now but...it might make us less convincing. Yeah. We have to put the case first." She looked up at his sad face. He looked like someone just nailed his puppy to his door..speaking of Angelus. "Wes gave me the potion. You should probably drink it now."
He gave her a confused look but did as he was told. "That was gross."
"Do you feel any different?"
"Not really but I'm sure it worked. I trust Wesley."
"Good" *I am not a coward!* She raised herself onto her toes and kissed him.
She pulled away before he could react. He was stunned. "What was that for?"
"I wanted to kiss you." Her eyes sparkled as she smiled. "Do you have a problem with that?"
He answered by crushing his lips to hers. The first kiss was chaste. This kiss was hungry. He devoured her mouth. She felt dazed. Reality floated away when she suddenly felt herself being pressed down into his mattress. He released her lips so she could breathe. He looked down into her eyes. *Please tell me you love me!*
Angel felt like he was about to explode from happiness. "I need you so much."
*Need* His words hit her like ice water. Reality came crashing back. His kisses moved down her neck but the heat that had been building was extinguished by his unspoken words. She pushed him away. "Angel, I think we should stop."
He creased his brow in confusion. "It's okay. I took the potion. We don't have to stop."
She felt like she'd been sucker punched. *I guess I should be flattered he thought I could make him happy.*
He took her silence as acceptance. His hand slipped under her shirt as he began kissing his way across her collar bone.
She pushed him away harder this time. "I..I need to go."
He caught her arm before she could escape. "Did I do something wrong?"
She looked into his sad puppy face. She wanted to beg him to love her. She knew he cared. She felt his desire for her hard against her thigh, but that wasn't enough. She wouldn't risk what they had for anything less than love. She stroked his cheek. *There was a time I would have taken anything you were willing to give me.* "No. There's just so much we haven't said yet. I don't want to do anything we might regret."
He released her arm. He was tempted to check for blood because he definitely felt like he'd been stabbed. "I guess."
"Good night Angel." She kissed his cheek and hurried out.
Angel stared at the door willing her to come back, declare her love and spend all night showing him how much she needed him. Nothing. No approaching footsteps. No heartbeat outside the door. He whispered, "I love you."
Part 3
Wesley had been watching Cordelia stare at the stairs on and off for the last two hours. It seemed Angel was in hiding. Angel had avoided her most of the day. When he finally did make an appearance, she looked like she was about to run at any moment. He hadn't come back down since.
"Cordelia, what time are you leaving?"
She looked at the clock. "I guess in about an hour. I don't want to get there too early tonight. The sessions don't begin until morning. If it wasn't for Mr-UV-allergic we wouldn't need to leave until tomorrow. Maybe you should go let Angel know it's almost time to go."
"What happened last night?"
"Where are Gunn and Fred?"
"They're chasing down a lead."
"For this case?"
"No. It's about the Sanderson case. Now stop avoiding the question please. I thought you were going to talk to him."
"I did." She took a deep breath. "I know you mean well but this thing with Angel..it's too hard. I've already had the type of relationship where I was the only one in love and it almost killed me. Literally. I know Angel cares about me. I even know he...desires me. Which IS nice. There was a time he didn't even notice I have girl parts. The bond Angel and I share is too important to risk, not even for my heart. If things ended badly, we can't walk away. We have a mission and a family to think about. Wanting and needing are two very powerful emotions. Believe me, I was tempted to give in now that his soul is safe. I know I've teased Angel about his love life, but look at my record. I've never been lucky in love. I just..I'm not gonna risk our friendship on want or need."
"How about love?"
"If Angel was in love with me, I would risk anything to be with him but he's not. Please let this go Wes. It's gonna be hard enough pretending he's my husband. I don't need any extra pressure."
"Cordelia, I don't want to push you but I have to say I'm a little confused. What exactly did Angel say when you told him you love him?"
"I..he...it isn't.."
"You chickened out."
"I am NOT a coward! Haven't you been listening? I can't risk our friendship."
"Why exactly are you so sure Angel isn't in love with you?"
"I..he...I'm sure." Wesley opened his mouth to argue. "Please Wesley! Just tell Angel to get ready to go. OK?"
Wesley sighed. "I will."
***
Angel was pacing in his room when he heard Wesley knock. "Come in."
"Angel. I just wanted to check to see if you were almost ready to go. Cordelia's downstairs. I've already had Gunn put her things in your car."
"I'm ready."
"I know it's none of my business but Cordelia seemed...upset. She had been in a better mood after our talk last night. Did something happen?"
"You're right Wes. It's none of your business."
"Perhaps." Wesley cleared his throat. "Cordelia is very important to me. I don't like to see her hurting."
"And I do? What do you want from me?"
"How about the truth. Did you tell Cordelia how you feel about her?"
"I..she..kinda."
"What's kinda? Either you did or you didn't."
"I tried to. I did! It all happened so fast. It's kind of a blur. I know I messed up..again. I don't even know what I did wrong but it's a fairly safe assumption that it was my fault."
"While I'm unaware of the particulars, telling her how you feel about her would probably fix things."
"I did."
"You told her I love you?"
"Well not in those exact words but it was implied. She always knows what I'm thinking without my having to say anything. She has to know how I feel. I made it pretty obvious last night. She just doesn't love me like that. She cares about me. I know she'd do anything for me. You know despite what you guys think, I usually have good luck with women." At Wesley's skeptical look he clarified. "Okay horrible things do tend to follow my love life. I just..women usually like me. I've never had to try very hard. I usually have to fight them off. Who am I kidding? I'm a vampire. The curse might temporarily be taken care of, but what can I offer her?"
"I don't know. Unconditional love, support, belief in the woman she's become, a purpose, but that's just off the top of my head. If you give me a little more time, I could..."
"Wes, she isn't in love with me so just stop. I have to pretend she's my wife for an entire week. I'm going to share a bed with her every night. I get to watch the woman I'm madly in love with PRETEND she loves me. I think that fulfills the Angel needs to be tortured quota for the month. I really don't need you to add to it, okay?"
Wesley blew out a frustrated breath. "Fine. You should leave soon. Cordelia and Fred prepared your blood supply for the week. You'll have to drink it cold. They might wonder why you're putting a bottle of V8 in the microwave."
"It'll be fine."
"I'll be downstairs if you need me."
"Thanks."
Wesley headed back to the lobby. *If they don't come back happily in love, I'm going to lock them in a room together until they are!*
***
They'd been driving in silence for about 20 minutes. Cordelia watched Angel out of the corner of her eyes. *How am I going to get through this week without confessing everything?* "Did you look through the file Wes had?"
"Yes. All the counselors seem to be legitimate."
"I know. We couldn't find anything suspicious on any of them."
"I'm sure we'll figure it out once we're there."
"It looks like solving this case depends on how convincing we are."
Angel looked over at her. She seemed nervous. "Given all the mistakes I've made, I don't think it'll be hard to convince them. The cover story Wesley came up with should do the trick."
"Yeah. As soon as you mention that wh..Darla, I won't have any trouble getting into character."
Angel fidgeted in his seat. "Are we okay?"
Cordelia reached over to grab his right hand off the steering wheel. She twined her fingers with his. "Angel, you are my best friend. We've both made mistakes but nothing is going to tear us apart. I won't allow it." Not even my feelings for you she silently added. "I told you. We'll get through this."
"I know but that was before.."
"Yeah. It doesn't change anything."
*Dammit woman! It changes everything.* "Good. I don't know what I'd do without you."
She wanted to lighten the mood. "You'd have a lot more time to brood without me there to stop you. Plus you'd probably get to actually finish reading the paper with no interruptions."
"I'm serious. I've never known anyone like you. I'd do anything for you." Even ignore my heart breaking he silently added.
"I know. I feel the same way."
He gave her hand one last squeeze before releasing it. "Have you given any thought about..how...I mean..the physical.."
"Stop. You might strain yourself. I have thought about it. I spoke to David on the phone today.."
"I see. How is your favorite billionaire?"
"Worried about his friends. We talked about what Jason told him. Given what David said and what the other investigators uncovered, we need to bicker a lot. At least in the beginning, but we will also need to show progress. Umm..We'll have to gradually become more...affectionate." She cleared her throat. "There's some things we won't be able to...fake."
"What don't you want to do?"
"Well. I..um..you know we may solve this case before we have to..I could get a vision so.."
"Cor, don't strain yourself. We won't do anything your not comfortable with. I'll just follow your lead."
"Okay." She leaned back in her seat and stared out the window. *If only it was about my comfort level. I don't know if I have enough self control to stop myself. He'll follow my lead. I don't want to fake anything. I want him to make love to me every night for the rest of my life. Follow that lead!*
Angel kept his eyes on the road. *Cordelia, don't you understand? I'll take anything you're willing to give.*
***
"This will be your room while you're with us.." The young man looked at his clipboard. "Mr & Mrs Murphy. Your first session will be group therapy in the Versailles Room. It begins promptly at 9 o'clock. If you need anything, just dial 0 on your phone. If you..the couch pulls out into a bed if you prefer to sleep separately."
Angel inwardly cursed. *Nobody said anything about a spare bed!* "Thanks." He tipped the overly helpful man and ushered him out. "Sooo do you want me to sleep on the couch?"
Cordelia decided it was time to get into character. In a way it made it easier to be Cordelia Chase Murphy. If it wasn't really her, then all could be forgotten. Just like she forgot every tantalizing moment at the ballet. *Stop!* "Why does it always have to be my decision? If you don't want to sleep with me then don't. I'm gonna get ready for bed." She grabbed her comfy pj's and her makeup bag then went into the bathroom.
*What did I do wrong now?* Angel stood frozen. He felt like he'd been kicked in the gut. *I used to be one of the most feared vampires in all of Europe. Now look at me.*
He was still standing there when she came out. She started at his expression. He looked like he..wanted to cry. *What the hell?* She decided to take pity on her clueless vampire. "Are you gonna stand there like a statue or are you gonna come to bed?"
*I wanna know what the fuck just happened!* "In a minute."
Cordelia watched him stomp into the bathroom. She turned off all the lights except for the bedside lamp and climbed into bed.
Angel took an unnecessary breath before opening the door. He looked at Cordelia in bed and then at the couch. *Why can't she just tell me what she wants?*
She decided being in character could wait. Her vampire needed rescuing. She pulled back the covers. "Come to bed."
Angel gladly accepted her lifeline. He switched off the lamp. When he was settled, she turned and rested her head on his shoulder. He was surprised by her turnaround but wasn't about to complain. He pulled her tight against his side.
Cordelia nuzzled his neck so she could whisper in his ear. "We're supposed to bicker, remember? I can't stay in character if you give me the kicked puppy look every time I snap at you."
He did his best to stop the smile he felt coming. Angel copied her nuzzle. "Sorry. I guess I wasn't ready yet. I'll do better tomorrow."
His nuzzle turned into kisses. She felt his hands begin to wander. *God that feels sooo good!* She whispered, "We should start now." Cordelia pulled away. "Angel! I just wanted to snuggle a bit. Does it always have to be sex with you?"
*Dammit! Can't we start tomorrow?* He took another deep breath. "Sorry. I didn't realize wanting to have sex with my wife would be so offensive to you. Maybe I should just sleep on the couch bed."
"Oh that's mature. You can't get your piece of ass when you want it so you storm off. Fine! You do whatever you want. I'll be fine alone. I'm getting used to it. It must kill you that you can't hide behind your work tonight!" She rolled over and curled up into the fetal position.
Angel stared at her back for a minute. *So far I really hate pretending. I don't wanna sleep on the couch. I have one week to have you in my bed. I'm not wasting a single night.* "I'm sorry baby. I love to snuggle with you. Please?" He reached around her waist and drew her back against his chest. "Is this better?"
She stifled her urge to giggle. There was just something funny about the world's champion asking her permission to snuggle. "Yeah. I'm sorry too. Let's get some sleep."
He buried his face in her hair. She smelled so good. *Maybe pretending won't be so bad.*
***
Angel felt his heart swell when he woke up with Cordelia still in his arms. Unfortunately that wasn't the only thing swollen. He bit back a moan when her hips shifted bringing them in closer contact with his erection. His mind told him to roll away while his heart and body begged him to stay and enjoy every second.
The first thing Cordelia noticed was that something hard was pressed against her ass. Her mind cleared when Angel's arm tightened around her waist. "Good morning."
Angel was relieved when she didn't push him away. He moved the strap of her tank top and kissed her shoulder. "Morning." His hand stroked down her arm along her side, down to her knee then back up to grip her hip.
Cordelia's heart was pounding. Her mind was screaming to get out of bed but her heart refused. As if her heart's refusal wasn't bad enough, her body decided to join in the betrayal. Her hips pressed back harder.
This time Angel didn't bother to hold back his moan. She had to know what she was doing to him. He tightened his grip and began kissing her bare shoulder.
Her heart was racing. Her breathing grew heavier. She laid her hand on his and drew it from her hip to rest on her bare stomach. She slid their joined hands under her top.
Ring!
Angel would swear he heard her growl as she released his hand and answered the phone.
"Hello"
"Good morning Mrs Murphy. This is your 7 am wake up call. Breakfast will be served at 8 o'clock in the main dining room."
"Thank you." Cordelia hung up the phone and took a deep breath. *What the hell am I doing?* She rolled over to face Angel. "That was our wake up call. We should..get showered and get dressed. Breakfast is served at 8."
Angel lowered his eyes. "Do you want some company in the shower?" *Don't be embarrassed. She supposed to be your wife.*
Cordela bit her bottom lip. *Say yes!* "No. Sharing a shower isn't gonna solve our problems. We don't want to be late on our first day here."
He did his best not to show his disappointment. "Okay. Why don't you go first." Don't bother saving any hot water he silently added.
"I won't be too long." She gave him a quick kiss before heading to the bathroom.
Once the door closed, he rolled onto his back. *This week is going to kill me!* Angel forced his dead lungs to take in air in hopes of getting his body under control. It wasn't helping. The air was drenched in her scent..and her arousal.
***
Cordelia came out 25 minutes later wearing nothing but a bathrobe. "Your turn."
Angel said nothing as he left. He turned the shower on, dropped his boxers and stepped into the frigid water. His body was just starting to calm down when he heard the door open. "Cor?"
"Who else would it be?"
His body was back at attention. "Did..did you need something?"
"No. I'm just getting dressed."
"In here?"
"Would you prefer I do it out there?"
*Camera. Almost forgot.* "No. It's fine." He needed to cover up his blunder. "I was just hoping you changed your mind and decided to join me." Angel couldn't stop himself. He stole a peek. Cordelia stood there in a black bra and panties. Their eyes locked. "Umm..new?"
She blushed. "Yeah. I got them when I went shopping with Fred."
"They're nice. What else did you buy?"
She gave him a wicked grin as she slipped on her jeans. "It's a surprise."
"I like surprises." He closed the shower curtain. *She's not mad I peeked and Wesley doesn't need to die.* He suddenly felt a blast of cold air. He turned to see a pair of hazel eyes staring at him through the now partially open curtain. "Can I help you?" If she hadn't been fully dressed, he would have considered pulling her in.
*Turnabout is fair play!* Her eyes drifted down to his still hard cock. "Umm..you should..um...hurry." She felt her womb tighten at the hungry look in his eyes. She turned and hurried out. *Get a grip, Cor - oh great visual! Stop. This is pretend. You can't let your hormones ruin your friendship. He's too important to you to allow yourself to be used for sex. Even great sex. Great sex with the man you love. This week is so going to kill me.* When he exited the bathroom, she went back in to finish her hair and makeup. She looked at her reflection but the image of a wet naked Angel was burned into her brain. *I am so gonna kill whatever demon is behind these disappearances!*
Part 4
"Welcome to the Wellington Marriage Center. My name is Dr Robert Altman but you can call me Bob. We're pretty informal around here. These are my associates Drs Baker, Danner and Miller. During the course of the day, you will be contacted by one of us for private sessions. Talking amongst other couples can be very helpful but it can also be limiting at times. Which is why we do both. We don't claim to have any miracle solutions. We don't have all the answers but we will do our absolute best to set you on the right path. Now I know this may seem a bit like school but please answer when I call your names. Mr & Mrs Simmons?"
"Please call us George and Donna."
"I'd be delighted. How long have you been married?"
"Twelve long years."
"George, do you always have to make the same stupid joke?"
"Who's joking?"
"Please, both of you. How about you tell us more about yourselves."
Angel tried to remain focused but he couldn't stop thinking about everything that had happened. Waking up with Cordelia in his arms felt like a dream come true. He should have known better. Potion or not he's still a cursed vampire. He isn't supposed to be happy. He looked over at Cordelia. She looked so beautiful sitting there studying everyone in the room. Something she'd gotten pretty good at. He fought the urge to touch her. Angel didn't want to criticize the woman he loved but her mixed signals were driving him crazy. He desperately wanted to make love to her. Cordelia seemed to return his kisses with equal passion. He couldn't understand what kept stopping her. Now that Angelus wasn't a possibility, it was all he could do not to pounce. *I have to do everything I can to show her how much I love her.*
"Mr & Mrs Murphy?"
"Angel and Cordelia..Cordy will be fine."
"How long have you been married?"
"A little under a year but we've known each other a long time."
"Nobody's judging you, Cordy. There is no shame in seeking help for your problems. Why don't you tell us a little about what brought you here?"
*Why do I have to do the talking?* "Well, I recently found out that Angel lied to me about sleeping with..an old girlfriend while we were apart."
"Are you afraid he may be unfaithful again?"
"I wasn't unfaithful. When she said apart, she meant no longer together."
Cordelia turned her annoyed glare to Angel. "He dumped me so he could be free to fight that.."
"Darla worked for a rival company."
"So you weren't together when you became involved with..Darla?
"I wasn't involved. It was one night."
"Which he lied to me about. I asked him if he.."
"Technically you didn't ask." *Did she just growl at me?*
"I quote 'You know I would never do that' end quote."
"Why weren't you honest with your wife?"
"She was so angry with me already. Not that I blame her. I made a lot of mistakes. I was afraid she wouldn't take me back if she knew what I'd done."
"Do you regret lying to her?"
"..Of course."
"I noticed you hesitated."
"She was Really angry. I needed another chance."
"I see. Do you regret your...experience with this other woman?"
"Yes..and no."
"In what way?"
"I was going through a dark time." He ignored Cordelia's snort. "I was self destructing. I guess you could say that night was me hitting rock bottom. I came to my senses and realized what I'd done. What I lost. I knew I had to do whatever it took to get Cordy back."
"Like lying?"
"She had another guy in her life too. She even said she loved him. The guy was a complete idiot. An all brawn and no brain type of guy. What kind of name is Groo anyway?"
Cordelia knew her mouth was hanging wide open but she couldn't help it. *What the fuck is he doing?*
"Cordelia?"
"Umm..Groo is a guy I met..on vacation. It was one of those whirlwind romances. I never lied about anything and I did NOT sleep with him."
"Were you in love with him?"
"I thought I was at the time but no. I just got caught up in the whole...I mean he was the first guy in a really long time who made me feel like a desirable woman."
"You gotta be joking! You're.." Angel's glare and his wife's elbow kept George from continuing.
"Please continue Cordelia."
"It felt good to be wanted. Groo treated me like I was his princess. It just wasn't..real. In the end I went back with Angel." *Who I'm going to kill later. This was so not part of the plan!*
"I see. I'll pose my original question to you both. Are you afraid the other will be unfaithful?"
"No." I will never let another man touch her Angel silently added.
"I'm not really worried about his fidelity exactly. It's just..his business can be volatile. I can't help worrying about what he'll do the next time things get tough."
"I understand. Mr and Mrs Hicks?"
Cordelia couldn't listen anymore. There were still eight more couples to go through. They weren't the danger. In danger possibly but the dumbass next to her would keep them safe. *I can't believe he dragged Groo into this. He doesn't even fit in the timeline Wes came up with. Angel and I were supposedly engaged when we were in Pylea. He's lucky he didn't say I was with Groo after we got back together. He would have been dust faster than I could say 'rat bastard'.*
***
Cordelia slammed the door behind her. She plopped down on the couch and booted up the laptop. She ignored the knocking.
"Cor? Cor, c'mon open the door. Please!" He sighed in relief when the door opened. "Hey."
"I can't believe you brought up Groo! As if it's even remotely similar."
"At least I never claimed to love Darla."
"No. You just screwed her to make you feel better. You should call Wilson. I'm sure he'd understand."
Angel pulled her off the couch and pressed her into the wall. "Don't you dare compare me to that bastard!"
"But it's okay for you to compare that skanky ho to Groo? And he isn't an idiot."
"I'm sorry if I offended your precious Groo. Are you sure you don't regret your choice?"
"Don't start. I made my decision."
*What the hell is that supposed to mean?* His anger started to deflate. She said she never really loved that himbo. She left Pylea and her kingdom for..no not for him. He looked into her angry eyes. He released his grip. She was right. She didn't do anything wrong. "Do you really think I'm like Wilson?"
"No. I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. You were hurting and confused..Dammit Angel!"
"What?"
"You bastard! You have me defending your actions. Get out!"
"What?"
"Get out. Go wander around the building or something."
"Cor.."
"No. Just go. Please. I need some time to cool off." She pulled his head down to kiss his cheek and whispered. "This is the part where you go snoop around."
"I'm coming back. Soon."
"Whatever."
*Is she just pretending to be mad or what? I'm so confused.*
***
Wesley,
I can't believe you sent me here with this dumbass. He actually had the nerve to throw Groo in my face during group therapy. As if I did anything wrong. What does it matter to him if I loved the guy or not. I came back. I didn't abandon the mission and he got to keep his link. I guess you're wondering if we remember we're here on a case. We do. I sent Angel to snoop around the building. Nothing suspicious yet. We'll be in touch. Say hello to Gunn and Fred for me.
Love,
Cordelia
P.S. Maybe you and I should have come instead. We'd make a pretty convincing dysfunctional couple.
***
Angel returned with his head hanging low. He still wasn't sure if she was mad at him or just pretending so he'd have an excuse to wander around the building. He sat next to her on the bed. "Are you still mad?"
She looked up at his sad face. *I can never stay mad at you for long. Don't you know that by now?* "No. I vented my anger in an email to Wes. I feel much better now." Cordelia snuggled into Angel's side and whispered. "Did you find anything?"
Angel decided to take advantage of the situation. How much restraint was a manpire supposed to possess. He began planting kisses on her neck. "No. Nothing suspicious. No symbols, no weapons and no demons anywhere."
"mmm..Angel. What are you doing?"
He pushed her back onto the bed. His kisses continued while his hand made quick work of her buttons. "Am I doing something?"
"Yes. Oh God! Umm..we.can't...mmm..ah..do this."
"Why?" His hands started on her pants. "I know you want me. I can smell it." A hand slipped into her pants.
She stopped his hand from reaching its goal. "We're supposed to be in Bob's office in fifteen minutes."
"Oh." He pulled his hand free. He looked down at her. She was flushed, covered in black satin and jeans. Her eyes were almost black with desire. His hand traced circles on her bare stomach. "Can't we reschedule?" He leaned down to nibble of her ear. "We can have our own private session right here."
Cordy rolled him onto his back and straddled his waist. She licked his bottom lip. He opened his mouth to her. With a giggle, she ignored his invitation and kissed a path to his ear. "Despite what you might be thinking, we didn't come here for you to get laid. We're here to solve a case." She sat up. "I don't think we should miss our appointment. We came here for help."
He watched her button up her shirt. "I'm gonna need a minute."
***
"Cordelia. Angel. Come in. Make yourselves comfortable."
Cordelia sat down on the sofa. Angel sat by her side close enough that their shoulders were touching.
"This will be a rather short session today. Just a get to know you kind of thing. Tell me about when you first met."
"We were living in Sunnydale. I was still in high school. Angel was dating a...girl I knew. We didn't really get to know each other."
"Why not?"
*He was obsessed with Buffy and I was afraid of him after he tried to kill me and my boyfriend. Take your pick.* "Angel was..is a private guy. He wasn't exactly friendly back then."
"So when did you get to know each other?"
"After moving to LA."
"Together?"
"No. I came to pursue an acting career."
"And you?"
"I came..to start my business."
"We ran into each other at a party. He saved me..um..from a really obnoxious guy. We talked. I went to visit his new office the next day. It was obvious he could use some help so I volunteered."
"She asked me for a job. Her acting career wasn't paying the bills. I hired her as my secretary even though she couldn't type and her filing system was..is still a mystery."
"Anyway we became friends."
"When did you start to date?"
"A couple of months later. Angel finally got the courage to ask me out."
"When did you know you were in love?"
"Cordelia was in an accident. When I saw her in that hospital bed I..just knew."
Cordelia looked at him. *Knew what? Say it!*
"Cordelia?"
"Oh. Umm..I..ummm it was something small. Angel had gotten some bad news. He was a little depressed. I thought a new hobby might cheer him up so I went shopping. I bought a whole bunch of art supplies for him. The girl who sold them made a small remark about Angel's importance to me. It just kinda hit me." For a whole second before my denial kicked back in she silently added.
Angel couldn't stop himself. He needed to know if she made up the entire story. "What art supplies?"
"I never gave them to you. That was the day...I had my accident. Someone must have stolen them. That's life in the big city."
"When did you propose?"
"About a year ago. It took some begging and a few..a lot of gifts before Cordy agreed to give me another chance. One night we went out to celebrate her landing her first national commercial. She looked so beautiful. I hadn't planned to ask her to marry me. I made a joke of asking her not to leave..me when she got famous. I suddenly realized I never wanted to let her go. I asked her to marry me."
"I knew you looked familiar. It was a commercial for suntan lotion. You were very..good." He fidgeted under Angel's hostile glare. "Anyway, how did you find out about Angel's.."
"Lie? Darla showed up on our doorstep and announced it. I expected Angel to tell her she was delusional. He didn't. One look at his big fat guilty face and I knew he lied. He blurted out his whole 'it was a dark time' speech. I wasn't really in the mood to listen."
"I really hate to do this but our time is up. Dinner is about to be served. I wouldn't want you to miss it."
Angel felt like snapping Bob's neck. *The bastard just had to end the session by pissing Cordy off. She is so not gonna be in the mood tonight!* He wanted to stomp his feet and declare life unfair. *And I don't have a big fat face.*
***
Angel left dinner early so he could drink his V8 in privacy. He noticed the laptop and decided to check their email account. He was pretty proud of himself when a message appeared on the screen.
Cordy,
Please try to be patient with Angel. We know what you sacrificed for the mission in Pylea and we are all happy you chose to return with us. I'm flattered by your suggestion that you and I should have handled the undercover work. I know we can agree our encounter in LA was fraught with more passion than our time together in Sunnydale but I really think this is a good opportunity for you and Angel to deal with your feelings. I know you're upset about having to pretend to love him. It's a good thing Cordelia Chase never backs down from a challenge. I'd like to remind you, you used to be a risk taker.
Love,
Wesley
Angel reread the message. *She wishes she came with Wesley? She's upset about pretending to love me? WHAT encounter in LA?*
"Hey Angel. Any news from the home front?"
Angel hit the delete button before closing the laptop. "Not really. Everything is fine. I..think I'm gonna go out for a walk."
"Now?"
"Yes. I haven't really seen the grounds yet."
"Do you want some company?"
"No"
"Oookay. I guess I'll watch some TV before bed." She heard the door close. She knew he should explore the surrounding area but she was a little shocked he didn't want to pick up where they left off. She spent the last half hour debating what she should do. There was still a part of her that didn't want to let casual sex jeopardize their friendship, but that part was getting quieter and quieter every time he touched her. With no curse holding him back, she was losing her resolve quickly. She looked around their empty room. No happies for Cordy tonight. *Maybe when he gets back.*
***
Cordelia woke up to find Angel's side of the bed empty. She glanced at the clock. He should have been back hours ago. She decided to go look for him. She reached for her robe and froze. Angel was asleep on the couch bed. She suddenly felt very alone. "Angel?"
"Angel?"
"Huh?"
"Why are you sleeping over there?"
"I'm tired. We'll talk later."
She hopped out of bed and crossed the room. "Why are you sleeping over here?"
"I'm tired. Go to bed."
"Fine." She climbed in with him.
"I meant in your bed."
"Since when is it my bed? What's wrong?"
"I'm just tired."
"Okay." She snuggled next to him. She could feel his body tense at her touch. "Please tell me what's wrong."
"You want to know? Fine." He leaned in to whisper in her ear. "I'm not Wesley!"
"Well duh! Does what you just said make sense in your world? 'Cause I'm over here in the land of huh."
"You don't need to hide your disappointment by making jokes. I know you'd rather be here with him. After all your 'encounter in LA' was so passionate."
"And again I say huh?"
"Wes did his best to console you in your time of need. If only David Nabbit hadn't insisted I come here, you two could be together. No faking necessary. It all makes sense now. Why he didn't want to take the case. Why he stressed we could fake whatever YOU weren't comfortable with. He wasn't worried about my comfort. He just didn't want me touching you!"
"Now I know someone's been slipping vodka in your blood 'cause you aren't making any sense."
"No more lies Cordy. Wesley's message said and I quote 'I know we can agree our encounter in LA was fraught with more passion than our time together in Sunnydale'. It explains why he told me I didn't know you after my epiphany. Why he was mad about my buying you clothes. And who the hell says fraught?" He wasn't sure what he expected her reaction to be but a fit of giggles definitely wasn't it. "What's so funny?"
"You're so cute when you act like a complete dork. The 'encounter' he was referring to was a kiss we shared. He's right. The kiss in LA was a lot better. The one in Sunnydale will go down in the history books as the worst kiss ever."
"A kiss? That's it? What were you doing kissing Wesley?"
"Pfft. I kissed everybody that day. You included. Hell I even kissed the demon who auctioned off my eyes!"
"Oh..OH!" He suddenly felt like a dork. "Do you really wish you'd come with Wes?"
"No. I was mad. I told you I vented in my message to Wes. You totally blindsided me with the whole Groo thing. He doesn't even fit into the timeline!"
"I'm sorry. Bob was attacking me. I got flustered."
"Uh huh. So you shielded yourself with me. What a champion you've become."
"I said I was sorry." He gave her his best puppy face even though the room was dark. "Is pretending with me really that difficult?"
"Yes!" She cupped his cheek. "I'm having a hard time drawing the line between..showing affection and pretending." She moaned as his lips captured hers.
"I know what you mean. Every time I kiss you I don't want to stop."
She tried to stifle her yawn.
"Am I boring you?"
"No! It's 4 o'clock in the morning. I'm tired."
"So was I. You're the one who insisted we talk."
"You were sleeping all the way over here." She snuggled closer to him. "I didn't like it."
"Neither did I." He kissed her forehead. "I love you."
"Cor?"
"Cor?" Her only response was a soft snore. "Figures!" He tightened his arms around her. "Mine."
Continue on...