Title: A Night on the Town
Author: Kettricken (Viv)
Posted: 06-22-2002
Email: pleung@pacific.net.au
Rating:
Content:
Summary: A picture of Angel and Cordelia ends up in a magazine. And things happen from there.
Spoilers: AtS season 3, BtVS season 6.
Notes: This is a bit of a weird fluffy type fic with heart. I needed a little cheering up after reading about Tomorrow. And then I merged it with this really weird idea that I had during work.
Also, I apologise for not writing Connor/Stephen properly, as I have yet to see him turn up in an episode. And also, I haven't watched the end of Buffy season 6. As I said, apologies.
Disclaimer: Of course nothing is mine. I just like to play with them once in a while. Mutant Enemy owns everything.
Part 1
Dawn idly flicked through the pages of the magazine held in her hands as she suppressed a yawn. She was sprawled comfortably on top of her
bed, her bag and various bits of home work scattered haphazardly around her lithe frame.
She glanced down - the latest edition of Seventeen didn't seem as intriguing to her as it had been a year ago, and she sighed melodramatically for her lost youth. Of course, going up against all the evil Sunnydale had to offer hadn't helped in keeping the childhood innocence either.
She yawned again as she allowed her perfectly straight curtain of chestnut brown hair cascade over her shoulders, obstructing her view. She knew she really should be doing some homework - after all, she had a math quiz tomorrow and she hadn't studied one bit for it. She knew she sucked at math, and she had even gone as far as asking for Willow's help on it - yesterday.
Today was a different story though. Somehow, she couldn't get herself
motivated enough to do anything. Which explained why she was idly flicking through the pages of a magazine that she didn't even really want to read, a soda balanced precariously on the lumpy mattress beside her. "Procrastination, thy name is Dawn," she whispered to herself as she quickly glanced at the contents of the next page.
Her eyes suddenly widened, and she exclaimed in surprise.
***
"Come on Angel!" Cordelia's high-pitched voice pierced Angel's sensitive ears, making him flinch inwardly. He took one last look at the suite around him, his careful eyes resting on the teenage boy who sat entranced at the small television, a Playstation 2 controller in hand. Ensconced in the midst of piles and piles of junk food of all varieties, it had taken Angel three attempts to get the boy's attention long enough to inform him that he was going out for the night with Cordelia.
"Coming!" He shouted over the loud roaring that emanated from the game. He ran his hands through his always perfectly coiffed hair and wished he could look at himself in the mirror. As things currently stood however, he had to rely on his somewhat unreliable teenage son for that.
"Stephen, do I look okay?"
"You look fine." He replied, without looking Angel's way. Oblivious to
Angel's brief look of annoyance, he continued. "Can you please get some more potato chips on the way home? Because I think we're going to be out soon." He gestured vaguely towards the pile of discarded wrappings, his eyes glued to the screen. "Have you ever thought of using these ... automatic projectiles against demons?"
Angel suppressed another urge to sigh. Old as he was, he still couldn't seem to grasp the intricate workings of the teenage male mind. Even though he had been one himself.
"No." He picked up his black leather duster and swung it over his shoulders. "And I don't know why." He said pre-emptively.
Stephen shrugged his shoulders dismissively. "Chips?"
"Yeah."
Angel was about to stroll out of his room, when a small voice called out to him. "Angel?"
"Yeah?" He turned back to face his teenage son.
"I like this game." For the first time Stephen turned around to face his vampiric father. "It's relaxing."
Angel frowned, half pleased and half concerned. He was half pleased because Connor - or Stephen rather, was at last feeling relaxed in Angel's home, which was good for the whole father-son thing. It had been a long and extremely painful process for the both of them - first Stephen's confusion over the real motives of Holtz, then Angel's almost murderous distrust over his own son after the 'incident' with the box - added to that were Stephen's continuing issues adjusting to this dimension - it would have been an understatement to say that things had been volatile to the extreme. Particularly in a place that stored over 300 pieces of medieval weaponry.
He was slightly concerned though over Stephen's choice of relaxation. Angel glanced at the screen, where a man was busily pumping a slightly green individual full of bullets. "What's this game about?"
Stephen sighed. "Zombies. A town's run over by zombies, and you have to eradicate them."
"And ... you stop them by shooting them?"
"Uh-huh." Stephen quickly grabbed another handful of chips.
"And ... you find this relaxing?"
"Yeah."
"Oh." Angel frowned, slightly puzzled. "Isn't it a little ... you know ... violent? Wouldn't you rather ... do something less - less violent?"
"No."
"Okay." Angel said quickly, awkward once more. "Well, I'm going now." He paused. "Do you ... do you need anything else besides food?"
"No." Stephen munched thoughtfully as he paused the screen. He bit his lip, his expression hesitant. "You know Angel, I'm starting to like it here."
The frown flew off Angel's face, lighting it up inexplicably. "Really?"
Stephen smiled briefly as father and son locked gazes, before his expression took on his more usual mask of hostility and he returned to the game. Angel stared at his son's lean frame for a while, regret piercing his heart painfully. If only ...
But he couldn't allow himself to dwell on this again - to dwell on the past. What he had now wasn't perfect, but it was something. He had his son again, and they were talking. And he had Cordy downstairs, probably annoyed enough by his tardiness to give his wallet full of cash a good work out tonight.
***
"You are late." Cordelia stared pointedly at Angel as he descended the foyer stairs, lifting up a delicate brow in emphasis. Her expression did not seem to improve at Angel's sheepish reply.
"Stephen and I were talking about zombies."
Both of Cordelia's impeccably plucked brows shot up this time. "So I've been waiting downstairs all this time, hair and make-up perfect as usual, because you guys were macho bonding over zombies?"
"Well ..." Angel sought a way of backtracking, "it wasn't strictly about zombies per se." His eyes searched hers hopefully for any signs of her annoyance relenting, but her eyes remained steely and fixed on his. He hurried on, "he said he was starting to like it here."
The desired effect took place on Cordelia's face, and her expression became more radiant than usual. "Really? He said that?"
"Yep." Angel couldn't help unleashing a goofy grin. "He really said that."
"Wow." Cordelia's momentary annoyance disappeared as it gave way to her hope for the future. "That's great Angel. Really ... great."
"It is." Angel moved closer to her, leaning in to inhale the delicious, womanly scent that swirled all about her. Wrapping his muscular arms around her lithe frame, he leaned in and whispered into her ear, "Which means ... I'm in the mood to celebrate."
Cordelia looked up at him through her lashes. "Moody enough to splurge on a nice dinner, dance, movie normal date combo?"
His hand snaked around her waist and crept underneath her perfectly fitted top. She shivered involuntarily at his cool touch, as he whispered conspiratorially into her ear.
Cordelia coloured slightly at his enthusiastic description of just what exactly he was in the mood for. Her breath hitched as it raced through her imagination, prompting all sorts of hidden sensations in her body to materialise. She cleared her throat noticeably.
"Well, we've got plenty of time to do those things later." She gently extricated herself from his tight embrace and smoothly slipped one of her hands into his. "You've got some dinner to buy me."
Angel smiled, his mind once again wandering to the past. His life wasn't perfect by any means, but as long as he had Cordy and Stephen in his life, he didn't think it was half bad.
***
"Oh my gosh, you guys, you *have* to see this." Dawn burst into Xander's apartment, ruck sack in hand and letting in an amazing amount of dust from the construction work taking place outside.
"Hey, hey, close the door!" Xander gestured inarticulately at her. "Dust! Dust coming inside to my nice, expensive apartment."
"What?" Dawn asked before comprehension descended. "Oh." She closed the door behind her absent-mindedly and brandished the magazine in front of her, waving it about like a mad woman. "Xander, you'll never guess what I've found."
"Another demon uprising?" Xander's expression darkened for a moment. "God I hope not. I've got an early start tomorrow at the site and - hey, what are you doing here?"
Giles looked up from behind an impossibly ancient book. "Yes Dawn, it's almost dark. What are you doing here?"
"What?" She dumped her bag on the floor and sat down next to the Englishman, who quickly closed the book he had been holding. "Oh ... it's not demons. I mean, you know, not a demon that needs killing or anything."
"There's a demon in ..." Xander's eyes travelled to the magazine in her hands, "Seventeen?"
Giles squinted at her from behind his glasses. "Er ... as fascinating as it sounds, I don't think -"
"Oh can it guys." Dawn waved their objections off. "This isn't girly girl teen mag stuff, 'cause duh, how stupid would that be, showing you guys - anyway, look at this." She shoved the magazine in front of Giles and Xander, who collectively backed away.
But Dawn was insistent. "Just look." She pointed to a particular picture on the page. Tell me they're not who I think they are."
Xander bent over and looked hard at the page, almost swallowing his tongue in surprise. His milky brown eyes met Dawn's smiling blue ones.
"That's Angel and Cordy."
Dawn looked on with an expression which clearly conveyed 'I told you so'.
Part 2
Cordelia's peals of laughter resonated through the quiet cafe before she clasped a hand over her mouth, stifling herself in partial embarrassment. She slapped Angel's shoulder playfully, both annoyed and giddy that Angel had so much instinctive command over her emotions. With one expression he could make her laugh or make her cry, and she was, for all intents and purposes, powerless to stop it.
A tiny giggle escaped her. "Oh you're so going to pay mister." She clutched her sides in mock distress. "Look! I laughed so hard I almost cracked a rib."
He grinned devilishly, his eyes sparkling in the warmly lit room. "Wouldn't want that." His voice was low, melodious, and it sent a hum of anticipation through her body. "How can I make it up to you?" He leaned in closer; if he had needed to breathe she would have felt his breath heavy on her skin. Their eyes were only inches away.
Time stilled exquisitely as she saw him lean in for the kiss. She was glad, because it gave her the capacity to savour the tender sweetness that only Angel was capable of.
Their lips met, and to Cordelia it felt as wonderful and dreamy and passionate as their first kiss had been. So many times now, this tender act had been repeated. But it never lost its potency or its life; if anything, it had gained from the deeper understanding their love had engendered in them. When they kissed Cordelia felt the world melting away, and they were left to stand on the threshold of something both delicious and wonderful and exciting and exquisitely painful - a veritable kaleidoscope of emotions, all concentrated in one single, powerful moment in time.
She gave a youthful chuckle as he drew away from her, his eyes still dancing in the light. "How was that?" He asked, uncertainty underlying the mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Good." Cordelia nodded her head, a smile breaking over her face. "I mean, great. Wonderful. Exciting. Coffee breath."
Angel looked taken aback, but gave a little sheepish chuckle of his own. He reached for the coffee sitting on the table, shifting his weight to extend himself off the comfortable couch of the cafe. "Yeah I know what you mean."
"Hey." Cordelia playfully whacked him across the chest. "Watch it."
"Excuse me." A young woman in her mid- to late-20s was staring down at them, an inquiring expression on her face.
"Yes?" Cordelia glanced quickly over at Angel, who had stiffened slightly at the intrusion. It took very little to make his vampiric senses edgy.
"I couldn't help but wonder - may I?" She settled onto the small lumpy chair next to them as Cordelia nodded. "You must think I'm really weird, just talking to strangers like this."
"Oh ... I think we've seen worse." Cordelia eyed Angel conspiratorially.
"Good. I mean - whatever." The woman shook the thought off and proceeded. "Anyway, I'm doing this story on the modern L.A couple in the 21st century, and I couldn't help but notice ..."
"What?" Cordelia looked slightly panicked. Did they look strange? Not normal coupley which, granted, they weren't but still, was it that obvious that they were some uber demon couple and maybe it wasn't such a great idea to have a 'night out on the town' when they weren't exactly 'normal'.
The woman was looking at her strangely, but obviously decided to go on. "Well, I couldn't help but notice how ... nice you guys looked. You know, happy. A happy couple." She gestured to her bag. "As I said, I'm doing this story, and ... I took a picture and ... would you guys mind if I interviewed you?"
"What - now?" Angel asked incredulously.
Sensing his distaste for the idea, the woman quickly rushed on. "Oh, it'll only be for a few minutes. Fifteen at most." She smiled. "I wouldn't want to take up too much of your night."
Angel shrugged at Cordelia. "Whatever you want."
"Oh ... okay then. What did you want to ask?"
The woman quickly whipped out her notebook and tape recorder, her eagerness almost infectious in the generous mood of the cafe. "Just some simple questions really, our readers are pretty young. Mostly what young girls usually like to read about - how long have you been together, when did you first meet, what are your plans for the future. The standard."
"Oh." Cordelia coloured, unsure of how to begin. After all, how did one go about describing her and Angel's long and convoluted history?
The woman smiled as her journalistic instinct kicked in. "Let me start at the beginning." She shifted her note book from one hand to the other. "Do you mind if I record this?"
"I suppose not." She felt Angel's arm snake possessively around her body before settling around her waist.
The woman smiled, eager to begin. "So, how did you two meet?"
***
A faint knock at the door at last drew Xander's attention away from the picture of Angel and Cordelia in the magazine he held in his hands. Dawn and Giles, however, remained eerily entranced by the sheer improbability of it.
"Hey people, look who's here. Buffy." Xander led a tired looking Slayer into the main room of his apartment. He looked pointedly at Giles and Dawn, gesturing at the magazine in her hands. "The Buffmeister."
"What are you guys doing?" Buffy looked at the three of them, her large blue orbs narrowing in immediate suspicion. "Okay, I'm definitely sensing a weird vibe around here. They don't pay me to be the Slayer for nothing." She stopped before digesting her own statement. "Okay so they don't actually pay me, but ..." she pouted, "you know what I mean."
Dawn smiled weakly, already wondering how she could extricate herself out of this one.
"Buffy, do you want some tea? I believe Xander actually has some." Giles held up his cup lamely, as if proving more to himself that Xander had actually stocked his apartment with a civilised drink.
Buffy frowned. "Okay, now I'm really wigged. Giles offering me English breakfast? What gives?"
Dawn looked at the other two with a defeated look on her face, silently urging them to come up with a way to distract her too-sharp sister. Instead Xander floundered, unable to utter a syllable while Giles looked calmly on, sipping his cooling tea. Dawn sighed.
"You promise you won't get upset?"
Buffy's mouth creased into a smile, although she tried unsuccessfully to smother it into a frown. "Okay, what did you now? I hope I don't have to see your principal again, because God, I don't want to see her ever again. Not that she's a bad woman or anything. She's wise. You should listen to her."
"No, it's nothing like that. It's just ..." Dawn held the magazine out gingerly in front of her, turning worried eyes onto her sister. "You've been through so much, and ... I don't want to show you anything that would upset you." She snatched back the magazine that had been within seconds of Buffy's grasp. "So maybe you shouldn't see it."
Buffy smiled. "Come on Dawnie, you know me better than that. Don't dangle the carrot and expect Buffy bunny to not bite." She held out her hand, into which Dawn reluctantly surrendered the magazine.
She made a last ditch effort as Buffy started glancing at the page. "Just ... just remember it's all in the past."
Buffy lifted up puzzled eyes. "Huh?" Her gaze drifted back down onto the page as she started reading earnestly.
Her brows shot up in the air as Dawn withheld a grimace, imagining the possible amounts of pain that Buffy might be experiencing at that moment.
"Am I reading this right?" She asked the others incredulously. "This is Angel and Cordelia, right? As in Angel ... and Cordelia."
The others mutely nodded.
Xander decided that it was time he piped up. "It was a shock to me too. I mean ... we're so not in high school any more, you know?"
I hear you." Buffy divested herself of her bags and settled onto the couch, her eyes eagerly scanning the contents. "L.A couples in the 21st century." She read out loud. "What are L.A couples like in the 21st century? Seventeen went in search of the typical couple through some of L.A's trendiest night spots. Phyllis Addison reports." Buffy scrunched up her nose. "What is this magazine anyway?"
Dawn flipped the magazine back on its cover. "Seventeen."
"What are Angel and Cordelia doing in here?"
"Just read on." Dawn urged.
Buffy gave a shrug of her shoulders and continued. "So what is the typical 21st century L.A couple like? Yadda yadda, skipping the boring." Buffy's eyes impatiently scanned further down the page.
"What we found was that there is no typical 21st century L.A couple
because, let's face it, the new millennium is about variety and change." Buffy paused. "God, did I actually read these in high school?"
She mentally shook off the thought and read on. "Here are some of the more interesting couples we met during the night ... Tim and Andie ... Matt and James ... - oh look, they're both actors. I wonder if they've been in anything? Why are cute guys always gay?"
Xander rolled his eyes. "Come on Buff, focus."
"Oh, right." Buffy read on. "Oh here they are: Angel and Cordy."
Giles, who had staunchly resisted the temptation before, now surreptitiously leaned in for a closer look.
Cordy, 22 and Angel, 27 are partners in an agency in Downtown L.A, which they set up to help people in need. Angel has a son, Stephen, from a previous relationship.
How did you meet? Cordy: Oh, er, I guess in high school. He was ... going out with a sort of friend of mine at the time.
Was it love at first sight? Cordy: (laughs) Oh no, definitely not. I guess I had a little crush on him, but I got over it pretty quickly.
Angel: You had a crush on me?!
How long have you been together? Cordy: Not that long actually. It's all pretty new. (pauses) We'd been friends for ages and I guess it was a hard step to take, you know, the whole 'should we do this and potentially ruin our friendship' thing. And I guess he was always the gorgeous older guy type ... at least during high school.
Angel: I'm not *that* old.
Cordy: And I guess to me he was always sort of unattainable ... you know, because he went out with that friend of mine, and it was a big deal, and then I don't know ...
Angel: I guess we didn't plan on falling in love.
How did you get together then? Cordy: It's a *long* story.
Angel: A *really* long story.
Cordy: Cliff notes version? Angel kinda found me in a bad place a few years ago, and well, he basically saved my life. We became good friends after that and ... even though we went through some *really* tough times, especially in the last year or two, we've helped each other through them, I think.
Cordy, what do you like about Angel? He's sensitive, sweet, strong, and has *really* good taste in clothes. He's intelligent, caring, kind, heroic - a champion.
Dislikes? Obsessive cleanliness - and he worries too much over me.
Angel, what do you like about Cordy? Her soul. She's kind and caring, and sweet and sensitive, and the most freely loving person that I know.
Dislikes? Well ... sometimes she drives me crazy when she gets peanut butter on the bed. But other than that - nothing.
Any plans for the future? Cordy: To enjoy life with each other.
Buffy looked up with startled yes. "Whoa, back up a minute. Since when did Angel have a son?" She turned inquiring eyes onto Giles. "Since when can a vampire reproduce?"
Giles snatched the glasses off his face and proceeded to rub imaginary dust away anxiously. "I ... I'm not sure actually. From all the texts I've read, it shouldn't be possible for a vampire to procreate. Of course, nothing's infallible. Obviously something ... momentous has occurred, in order for this to happen. Yes," he absently put on his glasses again, "I'd very much like to do some research on it when I get home."
"Yeah well, I'd hate to be the voice of reason because - how scary would that be - but ... why can't we just call them? You know, use the scary handset thing we call a phone?" Xander suggested.
"Yes. That's ... rather a good idea." He patted Xander on the back with a look of surprised approval. "Well done."
Xander looked abashedly away. Dawn meanwhile, sidled up to her sister softly. "Are you okay Buffy?"
"Sure." Buffy exclaimed with false brightness. "Why wouldn't I be?"
Dawn gave her a mature look of reproof. "You know why. I just don't want you to be ... you know, sad."
"No ... I don't think I am." Buffy allowed a trace of regret to linger in her voice as she studied the photo in front of her.
Angel and Cordelia were both smiling, clearly happy in each other's company. Cordelia appeared to be sitting on Angel's lap, and she had an arm casually slung around his shoulders. She was laughing, and he was looking up at her, with an adoring expression etched on his timeless face. She didn't think she'd ever seen Angel look so alive.
They looked so natural, so comfortable, so at ease with each other - that was what stung Buffy the most. It wasn't because Angel had found someone else to love, or even that someone else had turned out to be Cordelia - it was just that aching regret, that small voice that whispered 'if only', that could have been her and Angel sitting in that cafe, being interviewed by that woman.
She sighed, allowing the moment to pass. She felt Xander's eyes on her and she looked up, grateful to see comfort in its mirrored depths. "I'm not upset ... really." She pronounced earnestly. "I'm glad for them. Things have changed so much, and so much has happened ... they deserve to find happiness. Don't you think?" She asked Xander a little too eagerly, as if wanting him to bolster her generous sentiments.
He smiled warmly at her. "I think."
"Yeah." Buffy felt a warmth of friendship infuse her, and she rose from the couch, suddenly eager to depart. "I ... Things look kinda quiet tonight. I think ... I think I might go home and make a call."
Dawn rose up to join her sister, giving her a reassuring smile. "Yeah. And I can get my homework done tonight."
The sisters quickly departed. As Xander closed the door gently behind them, he asked Giles quietly, perched on a chair in the corner, "Do you think she'll be all right?"
Giles nodded confidently. "Yes. Yes, I believe so."
***
The woman got up off the seat and smiled graciously. "Well, I guess that's it. Thank you very much for your time." She slung her bag over her shoulders and made as if to go. "By the way, I'm Phyllis."
Cordelia shook the woman's outstretched hand. "It was nice to meet you. And interesting too. When um ... when will the story be published?" Cordelia felt Angel nudge her on her side, but decided to ignore it. "I mean, if I wanted to get a copy or something."
Phyllis smiled, her brown eyes twinkling in the light. "Next month. It's not rocket science, but it gets the bills paid. Anyway, I'll leave you two to enjoy the rest of your night." Smiling in farewell, she retreated quickly out of sight.
Cordelia looked at Angel, amusement still clearly lighted on her face. "Well that was interesting."
"Yeah." Angel cleared his throat as he swirled his cold coffee. "I can't believe that just happened. I mean, I've done a lot of things in my time, but I've never been interviewed. Famous for my torture style yes ... interviewed, no."
Cordelia screwed her nose up in momentary revulsion. "Don't let's reminisce, okay?" She patted his thigh insistently. "Besides, I'm getting tired. I think it's time you delivered on your promises pal."
"What promises?" Angel feigned innocence, while his chocolate brown eyes danced with mischief.
"Oh you better not have forgotten. Or there'll be much more than hell to pay, you can bet on it."
Angel drew her in for a quick kiss, before getting up off the couch and dragging her up with him. "Cor, you know I'd never do that. I cherish each and every moment with you."
"Don't try to sweet talk me." Her harsh words were utterly softened by the love shining from her hazel eyes. "You have to pay the bill."
"As if I'd forget." Angel muttered under his breath.
"What's that?" Cordelia eyed him carefully, her defiant look daring him to repeat the comment.
Angel's head snapped back to attention. "Nothing."
Cordelia smiled, gracious in victory, as she slipped her small frame under his. "You know I love you, right?"
Angel's heart caught in his throat. No matter how many times she had told him, there was always a moment of disbelief between hearing her say those words and seeing the look in her eyes. For him, it only took one look at the love shining from those glorious hazel eyes to reassure him that he wasn't living in a dream; that this was actually his life. That this beautiful, smart and gorgeous woman was his girl.
"Yeah." His voice was husky with emotion as his insistent fingers entwined with hers. "I love you too."
They luxuriated for a while in the warmth of their love, before breaking eye contact. Outside, the chilly L.A night made Cordelia shiver with cold.
Angel quickly wrapped himself around her, then remembered something odd from a few moments before. "So, you had a crush on me in high school?" He asked, bemused.
Cordelia remained infuriatingly silent.
Part 3
Stephen gingerly picked up the phone, his greasy hands leaving finger marks on the receiver. He held a slice of peperoni-laden pizza with one hand as he tried speaking into the phone.
Although he had been resident in this dimension for over a year, it still took him several seconds to remember what exactly he was supposed to say.
"Hi. Um ... Angel Investigations." He paused, searching his mind for what Cordy had told him to say. "We may help you." He added hopefully.
The voice on the other end of the line was soft and feminine, yet strongly insistent. "Hi .. is Cordelia there please?"
Stephen looked around the deserted Hyperion foyer, briefly wondering whether his voice would reach up to Angel's suite of rooms located on the third floor. He debated whether he wanted to actually put the phone down and run up to the room, or just hang up and go back to eating his pizza.
"Hello?"
"Oh, ah, sorry." Stephen sighed and put the slice of peperoni down. "I ... can get her for you?"
"Thanks."
"Okay." He put the phone down and raced up the stairs, two at a time. At the top of his voice, he hollered, "Cordy! Phone!"
Cordelia's head popped out from Angel's room. "Oh, okay." She quickly threw a shawl around her bare shoulders and gave him a wide smile. "Thanks Stephen."
He smiled back, his eyes lighting up for an instant before dimming again. Cordelia was the only one he could respond to in this way. "S'okay." He said, before running off to finish the rest of his pizza.
Cordelia quietly slid the office door closed behind her before picking up the receiver. "Hello?"
"Hey Cordelia. It's me. Buffy." The Slayer sounded hesitant, and Cordelia worked silently to recover from the surprise.
"Buffy." She exclaimed, her voice at a slightly higher pitch than usual. "How are you?"
"Oh, me? I'm good. It's all good."
"Great. Great ..." Cordelia bit her lip, wondering what to say next. It wasn't often that she was caught speechless by surprise. "So, no apocalypse then? No demon uprisings we should know about?"
"No, no ... Actually," Cordelia could hear Buffy's audible intake of breath, "I just wanted to talk."
"Oh ... really? Okay." Cordelia paused. "About what?"
"Well ..." The Slayer sounded equally unsure. "Actually ... Dawn showed me this magazine today, and you know, you were in it. You and Angel."
"Oh."
"Yeah. Ah ... so I guess, it kinda made me realise just how ... out of touch we've been with each other. I mean ... it was just a shock, that's all." Buffy added quietly.
"Oh." Cordelia said softly. What was she supposed to say to that?
"I mean," Buffy rambled on, "I'm not, you know, upset or anything like that. Not that I would have a right to be or anything -"
"Oh no Buffy, you ... you would have a right, I mean you guys were, you know -"
"I know, but it wouldn't, it wouldn't give me ... Anyway, I didn't want to talk about that, not really."
Cordelia let out a surprised breath. "Really?"
"No." Buffy seemed surprised too. "No actually I ... as I said, it made me realise how we haven't kept in touch, not me and Angel, or ... you and me. You know, we were kinda friends, of the weird variety."
Cordelia smiled. "Yeah, the you saving my life a bunch of times and me being a bitch to you variety."
Buffy laughed. "I guess you could say it was ... unique." She paused. "So ... how have you been?"
"Good." Cordelia paused as she seated herself down onto her office chair. "At least I'm not on the Hellmouth any more."
"You should be glad, believe me." Buffy paused. "How's ... life with Angel treating you?"
Cordelia remained guarded. "It's ... good. It has its ups and downs. I mean ... do you know about his son?"
Buffy's ears perked up. "I was meaning to ask you about that. Except it would have sounded more like," she raised her voice in disbelief, "Angel has a son?! Instead of," she lowered her voice again, "yeah, I heard about him."
Cordelia's voice softened. "Well, here's the saga. Angel boned Darla about two years ago -"
"Ew."
"Exactly. Anyway, for some as yet unknown reason, they had Connor."
"They named him Connor?"
"Actually, Angel named him. Darla kinda sacrificed herself. I think it's Irish or something."
"It's pretty."
"Yeah I thought so too. Anyway, he was born - oh he was the cutest, sweetest little thing."
"Yeah? I mean, all babies are cute right?"
"No, he was extra cute. You know those babies on TV with those big round eyes and extra chubby faces? That was Connor. He had the cutest smile and," Cordelia's voice softened, "the most perfect little hands and feet."
"Wow. I'll have to see pictures sometime."
"Yeah, we've got plenty." Cordelia bit her lip, keeping the flood of painful memories hemmed in.
"So ... he'd be about two now?"
Cordelia smiled wryly. "Actually he's seventeen."
"Huh?" Buffy's dumbfounded voice echoed through the phone line. "My math's pretty sucky these days, but I can't seem to get the seventeen part."
"Basically ... he got kidnapped into a demon dimension and by the time we saw him again ... sixteen years had passed." She swallowed painfully. "Sorry, it's still kinda hard to talk about."
"I kinda get that." Buffy said quietly, and Cordelia knew she was probably talking to the only person beside Angel and herself who really did know. After all, she had had to send Angel to Hell in order to save the world. "So ... what are things like now? With Connor I mean?"
"Well ..." Cordelia tried to imbue her voice with cheeriness she didn't feel, "his psycho time-travelling kidnapper changed his name and basically raised Connor to hate Angel, so there were issues." She sighed. "Still getting worked out. There was a lot of bad stuff that happened ... but at least they aren't trying to kill each other any more."
"Oh." Surprise and shock punctuated Buffy's voice, but she wisely let the subject go. Better than most, she understood the pain in Cordelia's voice.
After a while, Cordelia found her voice again. Eager to divert her less than cheery emotions, she asked quietly, "What about you? How's life?"
"Life is good." Buffy hesitated, before explaining, "Life sucked for a long time ... I went through a lot of things. With Spike."
"Spike was giving you a hard time?"
Buffy silently thanked her lucky stars that Cordelia couldn't see the rising colour on her face. "Yeah, you could say that." She paused. "Actually, we had a thing."
"Oh." Now it was Cordelia's turn to be surprised. "Wow."
"Yeah. But it wasn't healthy, it just made me feel, at a time when I really couldn't."
"So then ... maybe it wasn't all bad?"
"No, I guess not." Buffy gave a wry smile. "Not ... all of it. But I was dealing with that for a long time, and trying to find something to live for. And just ... Willow went through a really rough time."
Buffy told Cordelia Willow's struggle with her magical addiction.
"Oh God ... is she okay?"
"She's ... let's just say it's been rough. It's been over a year, but ... I guess magic's something she'll always have to fight."
"Well, if she ever needs a change of scenery ... she's more than welcome to come. Here. Angel's got like, a dozen rooms that's almost fit to walk in."
"You guys are doing that great, huh?" Buffy chuckled.
"Yeah, we're rolling in ... pretty much nothing." Cordelia laughed. "So how's Xander? I haven't heard anything from him since he and Anya broke up."
"He's been good actually. His job's going really well, and he actually likes what he's doing." She sighed. "He made me this really beautiful chest of drawers last month, and they were ... so beautiful. It must've taken him so long to finish it."
Cordelia heard the strange lilt in Buffy's voice. "You guys are good friends."
"Yeah ... you know we've always been."
Cordelia took a deep breath. "You know he'll die for you."
Buffy sounded slightly taken aback. "I ... I know."
"That kind of friendship's hard to come by." Cordelia paused, wondering if she should say more, but then decided to plunge in anyway. "I know me and Angel are best friends first, lovers second."
"Yeah ..." Buffy said slowly, thoroughly confused at the turn in conversation.
"So ... I'm just saying is all. Just ... keep it in mind."
"What?" Silence hung in the air as Buffy digested Cordelia's meaning. "Oh. Oh ... I don't know about that. Me and Xand ... we've been friends too long to try anything like that."
"You know he's always been crazy for you."
"Oh ..." Buffy was at a loss as to what to say.
Cordelia rushed on. "All I'm saying is - you never know." She paused, deciding it was time to change the conversation towards a lighter tone. "So, how's Mr. Tweed librarian doing anyway? Still wearing the tweed and drinking the tea? And maybe reading the stinky books?"
Buffy laughter rang clearly through the phone. This was what she had missed most from her life these past few years. A simple chat with a friend over the phone, a simple conversation about everything and anything. For those few moments, she was just a girl again. It was the little details in life, Buffy reflected, that really made life worth living.
***
Buffy was smiling as she put down the phone. Talking with Cordelia had been ... interesting. Refreshing and interesting. There had been so many changes to the former cheerleader's life that Buffy hadn't known about. The visions, her pain and her life with Angel. It felt good, to discover a connection that she hadn't known had existed before.
Far from just talking about Angel, they had talked about a great deal of things that she hadn't realised she craved until that very instant. Small, insignificant little details that coloured the rich tableau of their current lives. And of course, it felt great to catch up on the latest gossip with a surprisingly like-minded person.
Buffy yawned and stretched out her lithe frame. Things had been quiet in Sunnydale for the last couple weeks, which inevitably meant that a new big bad was about to rise, or a new cataclysm was about to happen. But Buffy somehow couldn't get worked up about it. That one phone conversation with Cordelia had somehow jolted in her the realisation that her life no longer brought her the pain it did a year ago. That maybe, just maybe, she had healed from her resurrection and her descent from heaven.
She walked up the stairs and quietly opened the door to Dawn's room. A breeze ruffled the dainty curtains, making them billow inwards into the stillness of the room.
Buffy smiled gently as her eyes landed on Dawn's slumbering form. Her breathing was even and restful, a slight smile etched on her face. She quietly took the books that lay by her sister's side and deposited them onto her desk, and taking one last look at Dawn, she switched off the light, retreating from the room.
The silence of the night pervaded the air. Knowing that she should get some rest in order to get up early for work tomorrow, she hesitated as she spied the phone. Should she?
She shook her head, then quickly dialled. Cordelia was just imagining things, Buffy told herself quietly.
A male voice picked up, gruff from tiredness. "Hello?"
Buffy swallowed, annoyed at herself for evening feeling nervous. What was the matter with her? It was only Xander. "Xander?"
Immediately his voice became more animated. "Buffy? Is everything okay?"
"Oh - yeah." She hesitated, before plunging on. "Listen, I was just ... I feel like doing something. Do you think you want to ... do something? I mean, with me?"
Xander's voice was thick with surprise, but Buffy noticed that he didn't seem displeased. "Sure. We haven't had a girl's night out in a while. What do you want to do? Should we Bronze it?"
"Sure. I just ... I feel like being with a friend tonight."
Xander seemed pleasantly confused, in that way only Xander could be. "Okay. How about you pack some of your wicked slayer gear, and we could make a night of it?"
"I thought you had to get up early for work? I wouldn't want to-"
"It's patrol. That's different. Besides," Buffy could sense his hesitation, "You're one of my best friends Buff. You know I'll do anything for you."
"Me too." She blurted out quietly. "Anyway, see you a bit later?"
"You got it."
Cordelia's voice rang in her ears as Buffy put down the phone. "I know me and Angel are best friends first, lovers second."
Best friends, huh? Buffy thought. Maybe she could give this best friend thing a work out, see what happens. Surely stranger things have happened. After all, life could be a little funny that way.
***
By the time Cordelia had finished her conversation with Buffy, she found herself grinning from ear to ear. It had been a definite surprise that the petite Slayer had suddenly called L.A, and what had been more surprising was that she had wanted to talk to her and not Angel.
She shook her head in still mild disbelief as she made her way out of the office, wringing her aching neck muscles with her hands.
Suddenly Stephen jumped out from behind the work bench, a serious look on his youthful face. Cordelia had to stifle a scream that would have brought Angel scurrying down with all the vampiric speed he possessed.
She clutched a hand to her chest. "Oh God, Stephen ... you scared me."
"Sorry." He mumbled, genuinely apologetic. His eyes searched hers, and Cordelia became uncomfortable under his intense gaze.
"Was ..." she cleared her throat, "was there anything you wanted?"
He shifted his weight, a gesture that reminded her uncomfortably of Angel. "I heard some of your talking."
"Oh - uh huh." There was obviously something he wanted to say, and Cordelia had developed enough intuition over the years to sense that she should just let him say whatever he needed to say.
A long silence hung between them as he searched for the right words. "Was I really cute? I mean, the baby me. Connor."
His naked yearning and innocence caught Cordelia completely by surprise, and she had to take a moment to recollect herself. "Oh Connor, you were ... gorgeous." Emotional enough to call him by his first name, she continued, "You were the sweetest, cutest, most perfect little guy that ever was. You were ... you are perfect." She whispered.
His eyes seared with emotion as he looked straight into her. "Connor was ... I'm not." He said with a trace of untouchable anger.
"Hey ..." Cordelia resisted the maternal urge to engulf him in a hug. She settled for placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "You're both Stephen and Connor. Angel and I love you no matter what you're called. I mean, we'd still love you even if you decided you wanted to change your name to something really hideous like ... Horaldo." She gave him a radiant smile. "It's kinda what parents are supposed to do."
He seemed confused, but Cordelia could tell that the sentiment was at least understood by the young man standing before her. He nodded, trying to digest the information. "You said you had pictures."
Cordelia's heart leaped. This was the first time that Stephen had expressed any interest in the life he had had with Angel, before Holtz had taken him away. It was the first time he had shown anything that didn't resemble hostility towards the baby that had been Connor.
"Oh yeah ... we have a lot." She chuckled as she thought of the mountains of film tucked away in the dark recesses of the Hyperion basement. "Angel was a very enthusiastic dad. He has a lot of sketches too ... if you'd like to see them."
Stephen nodded slowly. "I'd like that ... to see them sometime." He paused. "I have to sleep now. Gunn promised that we'd kill something tomorrow."
"Oh, okay." Cordelia mentally shook off the imagery. In many ways, Stephen was a typical, human teenager. But in certain other very *obvious* ways, he was absolutely atypical, and would probably always be.
She smiled at him. "Good night then. Sleep well." He nodded briefly at her before he ambled up to his room.
Cordelia stared silently at his retreating figure until he was out of sight. Then suddenly feeling fatigue creep through the sinews of her body, she sighed and ascended the stairs to Angel's room.
"Hey." Angel's soft voice greeted her as she opened the door. "That took a long time. Who was it?"
Cordelia smiled as she tucked herself under the blankets, and beneath the crook of his arm, nuzzling into his chest. She stared at the copy of Byron he held in his hands, and said simply, "Buffy."
"Really?" Tangible surprise coloured Angel's voice. "Did she want to talk to me?"
Cordelia closed her eyes, allowing herself to relax and melt into his embrace. "Nope. Just me."
"Just you?" He asked with faint amusement. His hand stroked her hair, running down over the contours of her face before sweeping up again.
"Just me." She smiled, feeling his curious eyes on her.
"What did you guys talk about then?"
Cordelia yawned, pressing herself deeper into his arms. "Girl talk." She yawned again, feeling sleep creep up on her consciousness. "Tell you about it later ... tomorrow ... we need more milk ..."
Angel smiled as he kissed her forehead gently. He switched off the light by his night stand and settled back into bed, cradling her sleeping form in the darkness. Her breathing was soft and even, lulling him to sleep with its tranquil rhythm.
Angel closed his eyes and slept.
End.