Title: Truth and Consequences
Author: LisaMarie514
Posted: 05-26-2004
Email: lisamarie514@msn.com
Rating: PG-13
Category: Angst, BtVS 3
Content: C/A
Summary: A sequel to Car Trouble. Angel is back from Hell and Cordy is now living with him at the Crawford Street Mansion while her parents are away. In this fic, the Scooby gang finds out that Angel is back, and are not happy about it.
Spoilers: BtVS Season 3
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.
Notes: Thank you for demanding that I write a sequel!
Feedback: Yes please, you know I love it, and it makes me type faster.
Thanks/Dedication:Part 1: Number 2 Pencils for everyone
The school had finally settled down from the Band Candy incident and well, things were getting back to normal. To make up for the events of chocolate craziness most of the teachers had given pop quizzes and were extra strict about everything. As life often does go on, this sunny fall Saturday morning was when the SAT exam was given to seniors hoping to go to college. Most of the senior class of Sunnydale High had filtered into the Cafeteria, ready to be tested to see if they were fit for college. Many hoped to get scores good enough to get out of small town Sunnydale, others hoped to get out having an increased chance of surviving into their 20’s. Sunnydale had a very high mortality rate.
Cordelia sat at a table in the front of the cafeteria next to a random girl who happened to have a last name in the C’s. Almost the entire senior class was present, she turned and looked behind her and saw Xander, a couple tables back, and then Willow and finally Buffy toward the very back of the room. All here to take the entrance exam to life, the Scholastic Aptitude Test – SAT’s even Harmony and Aura were there which honestly surprised Cordelia. Her two friends were beautiful but not exactly brainy. Probably here because I am here.
It was funny looking around the room, some people had a dozen pencils rubber banded together to make sure they didn’t run out of lead. Others had one or two and a great big pink eraser. Cordy glanced back and saw that Xander had what looked to be a blue Bic pen in his hand. Cordy shook her head, stood up, picked up her extra pencil and walked over to Xander’s table.
“Here, the pen won’t work Xander.” Cordelia said, taking the pen out of Xander’s hand and replacing it with the pencil.
Xander looked up at her and smiled. This was as close as she had gotten to him in over a week. Something was definitely up with her; it was just a matter of time before he figured it out. Maybe it was just nerves before this exam…it was not the guy he had seen her riding in her car over a week ago, some older friend of her fathers…with money and good looks and…stop time to think about SAT type stuff, not that Cordy had found someone better.
“Miss Chase, if you would be kind enough to SIT DOWN, we can start.” Principal Snyder said, as he walked into the cafeteria with a stack of exam booklets in his hands, followed by Ms Murphy, who was also going to be proctoring the exam.
“Pfft…” Cordy said under her breath, and then brightly continued “Of course Principal Snyder.” She smiled at the little weasel man and then she turned back to Xander, “Good Luck Xan.” She heard him mumble under his breath a quiet thank you then headed back to the front of the cafeteria to take her spot for the standardized test.
Ms. Murphy took attendance and checked off on a sheet on her clip board that all those who were supposed to be there were in their correct seats. Funny, Cordelia thought, lots of names missing from that list as compared to the original list I started kindergarten with…life on the Hellmouth.
Exam booklets were passed out and each of the Scooby gang was doing their own pre-exam prep ritual.
“The first part of the examination will cover Mathematics and will last 120 minutes…” Principal Snyder said reading from the pre-printed instructions.
Cordy wrote her name in bold script on the line on the booklet, always proud of how her name looked in print. I wonder if one of the questions will be ‘What Southern California town has the most cemeteries per capita?’ which of course could only be Sunnyhell.
“There will then be a 10 minute break and the second part of the exam, related to verbal skills will commence, lasting 110 minutes.”
Xander was looking around the room at each of his girls, as he liked to think of them, and stopped at Willow…she is so going to get a perfect score.
“Please completely fill only one bubble for each of your answers….” Snyder continued.
Willow had her eyes closed for a brief moment, reciting the rules for iambic pentameter in her head and then moving on to the formula for circumference of a circle…I wonder how many digits we should carry Pi out to in our calculations…I wonder if Xander even knows that Pi is a number (3.14..) and not something you order at a diner.
“You may begin your test when I say start, and must put your pencils down when I call finish…” Snyder droned.
Buffy yawned, it had been a long night of patrol and lots of vamps slayed…I wish Angel could patrol with me…Stop he is gone…never coming back…and I am the one who did that…had to save the world, right.
“If I catch anyone cheating,” Snyder looked directly at Buffy, his rodent eyes glaring at her, “I will personally take great pleasure in expelling you from this school.” Oh it would be so great to expel Summers and not have to have her come back like the last time.
“You may start now.” Snyder said, writing the time down on the roll-in whiteboard in big numbers. Next to it he wrote the word ‘FINISH’ with the time exactly 120 minutes later.
The sounds of exam booklets being opened and pencils starting to work out math problems was heard in the room. Occasionally there was a sigh or humph from a student, struggling to answer a question. The Scooby gang collectively was focused on answer questions and coloring in bubbles correctly.
…108 minutes after the start of the exam
Willow closed her exam booklet and put down her pencil. She looked around the room, happy that her last name being towards the back of the alphabet afforded her with a view to see almost everyone, without getting caught by Principal Snyder. Xander’s head was down and he was furiously scratching things out on the extra paper provided...coloring in bubbles then carefully erasing. Willow frowned, she had told him not to do that…Xander remember your first instinct is probably correct she mentally tried to project to him. She looked further up the room at Cordelia and saw that she was still working on her test booklet, but had an air of not being overly stressed. Cordelia epitomized confidence.
…109 minutes after the start of the exam
Buffy closed her test booklet and put down her pencil. Not so bad, at least I always have slaying as a career choice. I wonder if I will have time at the break for a snack.
…112 minutes after the start of the exam
Cordelia rolled her shoulders and tried to release some of the tension that had built up over a week of getting ready for this exam. Math is hard, but I am smart…positive thoughts equal good scores…can’t wait for the verbal, Cordelia Chase is a master at verbal…I wonder if sarcasm is a section?
…119 minutes and 45 seconds after the start of the exam
When in doubt, C is a good choice…or maybe B…well from here I will just alternate. Xander quickly colored in bubbles on his sheet, having noticed that time was running out and he was not quite done yet.
“Time…put your pencils down.” Snyder’s voice boomed over the sound of students writing. You could almost hear the pencils hitting the tops of the desks. Ahhh the sense of power, so good. “Close your exam books and pass them to the right.” All the students did as instructed and exam books moved toward the end of the long tables, where Ms. Murphy walked down the aisle and picked them up. Some students had that test takers shell shocked look…and others eyes were just simply glazed over. “You now have 10 minutes for a break. Anyone not back in there seats in exactly 9 minutes and 55 seconds can forget about completing the exam.”
Collectively the students stood and stretched. A few walked out of the room, but most stayed put…didn’t want a chance of Snyder closing the doors a little early, just for fun.
…later that afternoon. On the front lawn of Sunnydale High
Oz sat on the bench waiting for Willow to come out. He had taken the SAT’s last year, and had scored high enough to get into almost any school he wanted too. The only problem was he had failed to show up for gym class most of last year, and Snyder had held him back and not let him graduate. Oh well, it turned out for the best, as he got to see Willow a whole lot more, and wasn’t really ready for the whole college scene…especially while trying to comprehend and control his new werewolf problem.
The front doors to the High School opened and students started pouring out. Oz smiled when he saw Willow and Buffy walking toward him, followed by Cordelia and Xander.
Willow smiled when she saw Oz and sat down on the bench next to him, letting out a loud sigh.
“What was the exam not challenging enough?” Oz teased Willow.
“Oh it was challenging alright, who cares if two trains are going in opposite directions and when they will get to their destination is one is going 45 miles per hour and the other is going 55 kilometers per 15 minutes.” Xander said…expressing his frustration at the test taking experience.
“Yes those distance things are a challenge.” Oz agreed with Xander.
“Oh I don’t know, at least it wasn’t a fight to the death, hey I wonder if a number 2 pencil would kill a vampire?” Buffy asked, glad herself the testing was done.
“Probably, but at least vampires don’t need to take exams or go to college.” Willow agreed, coming out of her funk as she talked with her friends. It was nice to talk about normal things like vampires, rather than SAT’s.
“Oh I don’t know some are quite intelligent and would probably enjoy college.” Cordelia said, thinking that given the amount that Angel read, he might enjoy taking a college literature class. Heck, given how old he was, he might have even known some of the classic writers!
“Cordy, are you serious, vampires, intelligent? Please all they are interested in is how quickly they can get there next meal.” Xander said, disliking all things undead.
“No, Xander, Cordy’s right, I mean Angel was an avid reader and he really liked art, I am sure he would have enjoyed college.” Buffy said a little surprised that she could talk about Angel so easily. Maybe time does heal all wounds.
“Deadboy knew how to read…shocking I thought someone that old didn’t have to know how to read.” Xander said, hating Angel even though he was gone.
“XANDER!” Both Cordelia and Buffy said at the same moment, both coming to Angel’s defense.
The two girls looked at each other a little surprised and then Cordelia quickly said, “I mean even though he is dead, it is not nice to call him Deadboy.”
“Oh forgive me, maybe I should have referred to him as an avid reader who was also a homicidal maniac?” Xander was just getting warmed up.
“Now that is just not right, how many times did he save all our lives Xander, including yours?” Cordy asked, ready to defend Angel to the hilt, even though everyone surrounding her thought that he was more than dead, but gone from the earth.
“Yah, and how about all of the fun we had last spring with good old Deadboy, it was just a regular old party, hey lets talk to Miss Calendar and see what she thinks…oh no wait she is dead and Angel killed her.” Xander argued fiercely.
“Xander that is enough.” Willow said, noticing the hurt look on Buffy’s face at them talking about Angel in such a negative way.
“What Willow, you’re glad he is gone too, he did kill all your fish and threaten you on multiple occasions. I say it was a good thing that Buffy killed the bastard.” Xander said, really angry that they were arguing over Angel.
“Just because he is more of a man than you will ever be Xander Harris…” Cordelia started…
“STOP IT ALL OF YOU” Buffy had enough of the talk of Angel, “He is gone, and I killed him, Xander drop it, can’t you and Cordy find something else to bicker about.” Buffy started crying and ran from the school. She couldn’t talk about Angel anymore.
“See what you did Xander, you know Buffy is sensitive about Angel.” Willow chastised the boy.
“Will, she needs to get over him, he is gone for good, and maybe it is time that she realizes it.” Xander said in a quieter voice.
Oh boy, wait till they find out Angel is back. Cordelia thought.
“I better go apologize to her.” Xander said, standing up and starting to run in the direction that Buffy ran. He didn’t say goodbye to Cordelia, just left her standing there with Willow and Oz.
Cordy was a little sad that Xander just up and left, to go to Buffy’s side and ignore their argument. Granted she was trying to find the right time to call it quits. And also the right time to break the news to the gang that Angel was not dead, or at least not gone.
“Cordy, Xander gets hot headed at times.” Willow said, not liking that Cordy looked really sad at the argument with Xander.
“Yeah, that is something he is pretty good at.” Cordelia admitted. She wanted to go, go home and relax and not think about big secrets or tests or anything to do with the Scooby gang.
“Hey you want to join us, Oz was going to take me out for mochas after the test, you’re more than welcome to come.” Willow said, sensing that all was not right with Cordelia.
“No, thank you anyway, it has been a long day and I am ready to go home.” Cordelia said, still thinking about how she was going to tell them all about Angel.
“Cordy, are you Bronzing it tonight, now that testing is done?” Oz asked, having quietly taken in the whole discussion and knowing that there was a subtext going on that he just had not translated yet.
“Yes, Harmony, Aura and the girls plan on being there around 9 pm. Are you playing?” Cordy asked, remembering that she at promised her old friends that they would go out and party tonight, since the tests were done.
“You bet, our first set starts at 10, so we will see you there?” Oz asked, his band, Dingoes Ate My Baby was not the greatest band in the world but they had a good sound and covered a lot of stuff well.
“Cool, see you there.” Cordelia said, adjusting her purse strap and walking away from the witch and the werewolf.
Part 2: That Skirt is TOO Short
Cordelia looked in the mirror, happy with her appearance. She had not done the Bronze scene in forever, or at least it felt like forever. Between taking care of Angel, football games, and getting ready for the SAT’s her usual routine was way off balance. She really liked the outfit she was wearing, a little red dress that was a deep dark burgundy color with a scooped neck and short skirt. It was classy and sexy, and great for dancing. That was what was on her agenda for tonight. Drowning her angst in the sounds of loud music and double iced lattes.
She walked down the Mansion stairs and made a grand entrance into the living room. Angel was sitting on the couch reading what looked to be an old book. Pfft…so much for Xander thinking Angel didn’t read. “Angel, I am meeting Harmony and Aura at the Bronze, are you sure you don’t want to go?”
“No not yet ready for that crowd,” Angel said, and then looked up from his book, and looked at Cordelia. She was beautiful, sexy, long legged goddess. She is not going out in that dress, it is too tight, too short, too red. He could not get his fill of her in that dress, that very very red dress.
“What? Is my lipstick smugged?” She touched the corner of her mouth and realized that her lips were fine. From the look on Angel's face he definitely liked the dress she had on. Maybe I will get him to come out.
“You aren’t wearing that.” That dress would lead to boys touching what was my possession.
Cordelia saw the heat in his eyes as he looked her up and down, she definitely was going to be going out in that particular dress. “And what makes you think you can tell me what I can or can not wear?” This should be interesting.
“Well that dress, don’t you think it is a little provocative?” Angel asked, he decided to go down the reasonable path argument with her.
“No not at all, it shows very little cleavage.” She said, smiling because even though there was not a whole lot of skin showed, it did make her chest look lovely if she did say so herself.
“It is too short Cordelia.” Angel decided to lay it on the line.
Hmm he used my full name Angel must really like this dress. “What? I thought it was actually a little long, you should see the length of some of the dresses Harmony wears.” Oh this is fun, Cordelia thought.
“I don’t care what Harmony is wearing, I care about what you are wearing.” Angel tried to keep his voice calm, but could feel his anger building up.
“Angel this is perfectly respectable, I mean just because you come from the olden days of when a girl was a whore for showing her ankles…” hit on his age, good one Cor.
“This has nothing to do with how old I am Cordelia.” Angel said.
“Well I am going out, and this is what I am wearing, and that is the end of the discussion Angel. I have had enough arguing today first Xander and now you. You are so not the boss of me.” Cordelia let her frustration out about her argument with Xander.
“Does this mean you finally broke it off with Harris?” Angel asked, it had been over a week since she had agreed to break-up with the boy and she had yet to do it.
“No, not yet.” Cordelia said, she knew that this would continue to keep Angel in a bad mood.
“You don’t plan on breaking up with him do you.” Angel said flatly. I am going to loose her to Harris.
“The time just hasn’t been right yet, you have seen how much I studied this week for the SAT’s and with the whole band candy fiasco, there just hasn’t been an opportunity.” Cordelia said honestly. She didn’t really want to hurt Xander.
“Well you had time enough to argue with him, was it a lover’s spat?” a jealous Angel asked.
“No you dumbass, I was coming to your defense.” Cordelia shouted back.
“My defense? They don’t even know I am alive, I mean un-dead…back. Why would I need defending?” Angel asked, part of his anger subsiding hearing that she defended him to Xander.
“Xander just made some stupid comments about you, Angel, calling you Deadboy and I just couldn’t take it.” Cordelia said rather than shouted, Angel bringing the argument to a less heated level had calmed her down a bit.
Over the course of the argument they had moved closer to each other, so that they were standing face to face. Angel wanted to reach out and grab her, shake her by the shoulders and not let her go. Instead he had folded his arms over his chest. Cordy had done the same. They were two warriors who felt that if they let there hands loose someone was going to get hit or crushed.
Angel felt a little calmer, as Cordelia's voice softened. He unfolded his arms and moved to gently touch Cordelia’s bare arm, just below where the sleeves of the dress stopped.
“Cordy, when are you going to tell him it is over?” Angel asked quietly.
“When are you going to come out of hiding Angel?” Cordy asked, at first understanding why he wasn’t ready to face Sunnydale, and now she was just tired of keeping up with the secrets. Lying was just not her style, no matter how much she tried to convince herself that it was acting.
“Soon, I am just not ready to face everyone.” Angel said, honestly.
“You mean not ready to face Buffy.” Cordelia said, adding the unsaid thought she knew Angel was having.
“Yes, partly, and the rest of them, Angelus was quiet a bastard to them all, especially Giles.” Angel said, feeling guilty and sad all together.
“But that was not you Angel, once they know that your back, that you have a soul, they will understand.” Cordelia said quietly, moving her hand up to rest on his chest where Angel’s heart should have been beating.
“But the demon is there Cordy, always there, just under the surface, taunting me.” Angel felt he could tell her the truth if no one else.
“Yes, and you are in control of your demon. Angel you are way too hard on yourself.” Cordelia said, moving a fraction of an inch closer to his body, love feeling so close to him. “Come out with me, come to the Bronze, they won’t make a scene there in front of everyone.” Cordy knew there would be a scene, how big of a scene she couldn’t even begin to imagine.
“No, you go have fun with your friends, I would just depress you.” Angel said, wanting to get out of facing the Scoobies, or worse, Buffy. He felt like music was the last thing he needed and quiet alone time would be perfect. But I want to be with Cordelia, so tired of being alone.
“Are you sure, I mean, what if some handsome man carries me away, looking all gorgeous in this dress.” She teased him, wanting to get him to smile, wanting to not have him sit home and brood.
“I doubt there will be any real men at the Bronze, and if anyone carried you away, I would just drag you back.” Angel realized that the thought of another man touching Cordelia made his blood boil.
“Yes, I believe you would Angel.” Cordelia leaned forward and kissed Angel on the cheek. If she did anymore, she knew she would never leave. “I will be back, but it will probably be fairly late.”
“So I can’t convince you to change out of that dress?” Angel asked one more time, knowing that it was a loosing argument.
“Not a chance Broody.” Cordelia gave him one of her 1000 watt smiles. “Gotta go, Harmony will think I was kidnapped.”
“Okay..bye.” Angel said, feeling a little pathetic.
Cordelia pulled away from his arms and quickly moved to foyer, grabbing her keys and heading out before she decided to jump into Angel’s arms and never leave.
Angel watched her go, sad that she was leaving, but knowing that she would be back.
Part 3: An evening at the Bronze
Everyone was out, mostly celebrating the successful completion of the SAT’s and that it was a Saturday night. Cordelia had said her hello’s to Willow as she sat listening to Oz’s band. There was no sign of Xander yet, so she decided she would hang with Harmony and Aura. It was fun to be young and gossip and ogle the cute football players, even though most of them were dumb as sticks.
“Now there is one piece of salty goodness.” Harmony said, looking at a football player.
That phrase is so my phrase, Cordelia thought, then let it go, being popular meant that one was emulated. “And he is looking at you Harm.” She said encouraging her friend.
People were dancing and having fun, and one of the guys from the team came up to Cordelia. “Hey want to dance Cordy?” Justin asked. Hopeful that the head cheerleader would say yes, especially since Xander Harris was no where to be seen.
“Sure Justin, I am dying to dance!” Cordelia said brightly and loudly over the music and let him pull her to the dance floor. This was turning out to be a great night.
From a dark corner of the Bronze a tall dark figure lurked, watching the events taking place. He felt his demon rise up when he saw the brunette, his girl, being dragged out onto the dance floor by the boy. They are dancing way to close together. Angel thought.
Angel had left the Mansion about a half hour earlier, tired of being alone, missing Cordy, and realizing that she might need protection tonight given the shortness of her skirt.
He had spent the short time he was there watching, he was fine when Cordelia was talking with the girls. He didn’t need to kill any boys for looking at her, but the thought was there, and pushed to the back of his mind. He had done a scan of the Bronze and noted that there was no sign of Xander or for that matter Buffy. It looked like the only two Scoobies present were Willow and Oz. Good, he did have to admit his existence, and he was not ready to have the first conversation be with Buffy.
Angel’s eyes moved back to Cordelia and she was dancing very close and very fast with a boy. The music changed to a slower song and the boy tried to pull her closer. Angel growled. Cordelia shook him off and then made the motion for thirsty and going to get a drink. Good, I won’t need to tear his limbs apart.
Cordelia worked her way through the crowded dance floor towards the bar. She unknowingly got into arms reach of Angel and was pulled into his dark corner and grasp.
“Hey…Buddy let go!” Cordelia said trying to pull away, use to being groped and how to deal with it. It was dark in the corner and she couldn’t make out the man holding her arm.
“Now, I thought you would be glad to see me.” Angel said suavely.
“Angel!” Cordelia practically jumped into his arms at the sound of his voice.
“Glad to see me?” Angel asked, knowing what her answer would be, moving his arms to tighten around her body, pulling her into the darkness of his corner and closer to his chest.
“Yes, I am so proud of you.” She beamed.
“I was lonely without you, and got tired of feeling that way. Plus you obviously needed protection tonight.” Angel said a little miffed that she was dancing with someone not him.
“Oh Justin, that was no biggie, he is a good dancer, and well I like to dance.” Cordelia said, snuggling in closer. Loving the smell of his leather duster, and the smell that was purely man coming from him.
“Do I get a kiss hello as a reward for venturing out to be your protector?” Angel asked, he had many decades of seducing women and decided to put it to use tonight with Cordelia.
“Yes, I say that deserves a kiss.” Cordelia said very seriously.
Angel acted quickly and lowered his head and claimed what was his with a kiss.
“Aura who is that kissing Cordy? It so does not look like Xander…he is so much hotter.” Harmony said, having noticed Cordelia talking to a stranger a moment ago on the other side of the bar, and then saw them starting to kiss.
“I don’t know Harm, but he looks good enough to eat.” Aura replied, slightly jealous that Cordelia always got all the good men.
“Hey Willow, what is up?” Buffy asked having just arrived at the Bronze after patrol.
“Not much, glad you came out tonight Buff.” Willow said smiling at her best friend.
“Well I decided that brooding at home was no fun, and after Patrol what better place to be then here with my gang. Where is everyone?” Buffy asked, putting on a smile.
“Oz is playing…well obvious, and Xander hasn’t shown yet, but he said he would be here. And Cordy was out dancing a moment ago.” Willow said, looking over Buffy’s shoulder at the dance floor trying to locate Cordelia, when her eyes past over a couple making out in the corner of the dance floor. Buffy turned around and followed Willow’s gaze, seeing the couple as well.
“Yuck, don’t they know that PDA (public displays of affection) does not mean full deep throat kissing for everyone to have to suffer through.” Buffy said turning back to Willow.
“Yeah…oh my god!” Willow said, seeing the light just right on the kissing couple.
“What?!” Buffy asked looking around to see what had shocked Willow.
“I think that’s Cordelia and that is not Xander!” Willow said to Buffy.
“What’s not Xander?” Xander asked coming up behind Buffy, having just arrived himself.
Buffy and Willow both looked at each other and decided they would protect Xander from whatever might be happening till they found out more, and silently agreed to wait before saying anything.
“Just ‘not Xander’ here. You know you’re late and I said it was not Xander to be late.” Willow babbled.
“Well Will, I have been known to be late.” Xander said, sliding onto the stool next to Willow.
“Yes truer words could not be said.” Buffy said…she was looking at Willow with a wild, what the hell is going on look on her face, and making sure she blocked Xander’s view of the girl who looked a lot like Cordelia behind her kissing some random guy.
“Hey have you guys seen Cordy yet, she didn’t answer her cell phone earlier, and I wanted to apologize.” Xander said, looking around the Bronze, but not behind him.
“Cordelia, uhh, yes, I mean no, yes, no” Willow said continuing to be flustered. She looked over Buffy’s shoulder and saw the girl who looked like Cordelia and the guy move toward the back of the bar, to the quieter lounge area, where there were couches, and other comfortable places to kiss, she meant talk.
“Well which is it Will, is she here or not?” Xander asked, use to translating Willow gibberish.
“What Willow was trying to say is that Cordy was here, but isn’t here now, isn’t that right Willow?” Buffy said putting the words into Willow’s mouth for her.
“Yes, here and gone.” Phew, Willow concluded.
“Well that is fine, I have my best two girls here with me and that is all that matters. Can I get you guys anything from the bar?” Xander asked.
“No!” Both Buffy and Willow shouted at once.
“Alrighty then, I am just going to go get myself some caffeine, you too have obviously had way too much!” Xander said, noting both Buffy and Willow were acting a bit tense. It must be the after-effects of test taking.
“No, I mean, we were just going to go up, my treat this time.” Buffy said quickly, wanting to talk to Willow and see if she could confirm what they saw Cordelia doing and with whom.
“Yes, good idea Buffy. Xander save our table, Oz will be right over once this set is done. Come on Buffy…lets get beverages.” Willow said, jumping down from her stool and grabbing Buffy by the hand towards the bar.
“Great…thanks” Xander said as he watched the girls head toward the bar.
Willow nearly knocked over her stool when getting up in a rush to talk to Buffy without Xander present. Xander grabbed the stool before it fell to the floor, “Easy Willow, don’t take out the place.”
Willow laughed nervously and grabbed Buffy’s hand, “Come on.” The two girls practically raced over to the bar and out of Xander’s earshot.
“So Will, was that Cordelia making out in the dark corner?” Buffy asked. Looking around the bar and not seeing the cheerleader anywhere.
“Yes, I think so, but I couldn’t tell who she was with.” Willow said, sad for Xander.
“I can’t believe she is cheating on Xander, I mean how could she sink so low?” Buffy said, thinking about how she could get away with slaying Cordelia for hurting Xander.
“Well, maybe it wasn’t her, or maybe it was some kind of fluke, maybe a clothes fluke.” Willow said, thinking back to several heated kisses she had shared with Xander over the past 3 weeks. Guilt was getting harder and harder to deny.
“Hey there is Harmony and Aura, I am going to go see if they know anything about this mystery guy.” Buffy said, wanting to take action any kind of action. She walked over to the corner of the bar that Harmony was leaning against.
“Hey Harmony.” Buffy started casually.
“Hi Biffy, what is up?” Harmony asked, wondering why this freak, as Cordelia had called her multiple times, was bugging her.
“It’s Buffy.” The blonde really grated on Buffy’s nerves.
“Pfft…” A less than perfect imitation of Cordy.
“I am looking for Cordelia; do you know where she is or who she is with?” Buffy cut to the punch line, not wanting to spend a lot of time Harmony, so she could focus her energy on hurting Cordelia if she was hurting Xander.
“Why what is your deal?” Harmony was just a little curious as to why Buffy wanted Cordelia, and was sure that Cordy would not want her spilling any of the juicy details about kissing that tall dark college boy.
“Well she is Xander’s girlfriend, and he is here, and we thought we saw her kissing some guy in the corner earlier.” Buffy spilled more details than she anticipated spilling.
“I don’t think so Biffy…” Harmony started…
“BUFFY!” Buffy practically growled at the girl.
“Whatever, anyway, she was here and danced a bit with Justin and then she left.” Harmony failed to add the part about her leaving with the tall dark salty goodness college boy…who kinda looked like the guy Buffy dated last spring. Wonder if Cordy decided to take what she wanted and take Buffy’s boyfriend. Go Cordy!
“Oh, so just dancing…” Buffy knew Justin and knew that kissing him was the last thing Cordy would do…he was a great dancer but just not kissable.
“Yah, so why don’t you go back to your little wacko click and do whatever it is you do.” Harmony tried to pull of a Cordelia and did not even come close.
“Argh..” Buffy sighed and walked away from Harmony, well that was helpful. She moved back over too Willow who had 4 beverages in front of her.
“I ordered some sodas, did you find out anything from Harmony?” Willow asked, not sure what she hoped the outcome to be, but knowing instinctively that Xander was going to be hurt.
“Just that Cordelia danced with Justin and then left. You didn’t notice her dancing did you?” Buffy took a soda off the bar and took a large drink. She didn’t realize how thirsty she was after her patrol, and the cold soda tasted good.
“Yes, I thought I saw her a few times out on the dance floor and come to think of it, she was dancing with Justin. Eew, you don’t think she was making out with Justin?” Willow asked, Justin was a nice kid and a great football player, but can you say dumb as a stick.
“Hmmm…I wonder…well I don’t think we should say anything until to Xander until we confront Cordelia. If she is cheating on him, I am going to kill or at least maim her. Lets get back to Xander before he thinks we have totally abandoned him.” Buffy said, picking up two of the glasses from the bar, while Willow took the other two.
…meanwhile in the ally behind the Bronze
Cordelia had her arms around Angel’s neck and they were making out, like teenagers, except for the fact that one of them wasn’t a teenager, wasn’t even human. Angel’s kisses were addictive, once she had one, she just couldn’t seem to stop.
Angel pressed her body against his and the wall of the ally. Feeling her body soft and willing, his lips drinking up her taste. Kissing Cordelia made him want to own her completely, to never release her from his sight. He didn’t think that he ever remembered wanting Buffy this much. With Cordy she was pure intoxication to him. He wanted to stay drunk like this forever.
“Well lookie what we have here…snacks!” Said a college age looking boy who was now a vampire coming across the two lovers in the ally, to his 3 other friends.
The second one, already in vamp face, looked over Cordelia, “Mmmm I love the taste of a cheerleader, especially one that is so horny.”
Angel turned around at the voices of the young vampires who had come up behind him, and moved so that Cordelia was behind him, protected.
“I don’t think so boys.” Angel said quietly. He didn’t vamp out, but he knew he exuded power, and experience, something these fledgling vamps obviously did not have.
“Oh yah, and what are you going to do about it.” The third vampire, a tall dark kid, who looked fairly strong piped in.
“You don’t know who I am,” Angel then laughed, this might be fun.
“Nope, and don’t care, you are between me and a Happy Meal.” The first vampire stated, hoping that bravado would scare away the protective boyfriend. His instincts must be wrong, but the guy almost smelled like a Vampire, but there was something different.
“I don’t think you boys are going to be doing any snacking tonight, why don’t you run along before I decide not to let you go and just kill you.” Angel said, surveying the ally and noting that there were several broken pallets with an ample supply of stakes to be used.
All three of the vampires started laughing, the third one stopped laughing – “And who do you think you are, how are you going to stop the three of us?”
This should be fun. “Because…I’m Angel” Angel took a dive at the first vampire and knocked him out. Time to get rid of these guys quick, Angel thought, they were interrupting some interesting happenings with Cordelia.
The fight went on for a little bit, as Angel was not up to full health yet, but he dusted one of the three vamps fairly quickly. As punches were thrown and violence ensued, Cordelia stayed out of the way. Then she saw an opportunity that she just couldn’t pass up. The taller dark vampire moved past her and Cordy stuck out her leg and tripped him. He went flying into the broken pallets, not prepared that the girl would fight back, and he landed so that one of the pieces of wood stuck straight through his heart. Puff. What a great sound, Cordy thought.
Angel was punching the last surviving Vampire and seemed to be enjoying himself. This one he was not going to kill, he needed to get the message out that he was back and that no one was to touch his property.
“Not so tough now are we boy.” Angel said to the beaten vampire he was holding by the shirt collar.
“No…who are you?” the vamp asked, hoping he would get out of this without a stake through the heart.
Angel vamped out at this point to prove a point, “I am Angel and you see that girl over there, who so easily dusted your buddy?” Angel turning the vampire so he could see Cordelia who was standing against the wall, catching her breath.
The vampire nodded, sensing that at this point saying anything might be a life ending decision.
“Good, she is mine, my property, you make sure you tell all your little friends that I am back, and she is not to be touched.” Angel looked down at the other vampire, and waited for an answer.
“Yes your property, I will get word out that she is not to be touched.” The vampire said humbly, hoping that he was safe to hunt another day.
“Good.” Angel said, and then punched him one last time, knocking him out cold. He dropped the vampire like trash and then looked over to Cordelia, still fully vamped out.
“You okay?” Cordy asked, concerned that the fight had taken a lot out of Angel, moving away from the wall to stand next to him. She reached up at touched the bruise on his bumpy forehead.
“Fine, you aren’t hurt?” Angel said, taking inventory of her, heartbeat a little faster than normal, and he didn’t smell any blood, so he knew she hadn’t been scratched.
“No I am fine. Thank you.” Cordelia said, and then did the only thing she could think of…she kissed him…while he was fully vamped out.
Angel kissed her back hard, trying to be careful not to cut her with his fangs, she was kissing him in his true demon form, and it drove him wild. He pulled away from the kiss and shook off the demon face and then pulled her into the tightest embrace he could do without breaking her bones.
“Anytime Sweetheart, anytime.” Angel said and leaned down and kissed her thoroughly.
Continue on...