Title: Radiance
Author: Loki
Posted: 05-17-2002
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: The characters in the Angelverse were created by Joss Whedon & David Greenwalt. No infringement is intended, no profit is made.
Note: This was written for LB’s challenge. The requirements were: Angel and Cordy be invited to some kind of party in Sunnydale, Cordy’s demon status be revealed, Cordy would coax Angel onto the dance floor, and Buffy and Xander’s response to the last two.
Timeline: For the sake of the story, can we just imagine Cordy found out about her glowy powers a little … well, a lot earlier than canon? This is set right after Provider (bleh) and before WITW. So everything is of the hunky-dory and no Pylean champions have appeared, babies are not yet getting snatched into other dimensions nor are certain British people accidentally betraying their friends, okay? As far as Buffy goes, that makes it right around the Doublemeat Palace (bleh) time. Hope you like it! It's only my second story, so go easy on me please!
Part 1
“I don’t get it, though. Willow’s not evil.”
Angel looked away from the road long enough to roll his eyes at Cordelia. “No,” he explained for the third time, “but her magic was getting that way.”
“So this is like the one-month ‘Yay for Abstinence’ party people throw for alcoholics?”
“In a sense.”
“Except there will be alcohol, right?” Cordelia asked anxiously.
“I guess.”
“Cause, ‘cause, there’s nothing magical about alcohol that we know of. Is there? Except for its propensity to turn balding accountants into hotties?”
“I’m pretty sure they have alcohol at the Bronze, Cordy.”
“Thank God,” muttered Cordelia, plucking at her seat belt. “If I have to deal with Sunnydale, I need a helping Cosmopolitan hand. Y’know?”
Angel was silent for a second, before a smile crept across his face. “I really do,” he admitted, and they both snickered.
They drove in silence for a while, Cordelia humming tunelessly along with the radio.
“Angel?”
“What?”
“I’m bored. Can I drive?”
“No.”
Cordelia narrowed her eyes. “Look, I know you’re all mama-bear about this car, but I’ve driven it heaps of times. Times you don’t know about, even. Until now,” she finished, a guilty grin crossing her face. “Come on!”
“Cordy, I don’t like-”
“-being a passenger. I know.” She beamed her million dollar smile at him. “Time to relinquish some control, big guy. Pull over.”
Angel sighed. She had used That Smile. The one that made his chest hurt. As the car drew smoothly to a halt at the edge of the freeway, the vampire wondered for the nine thousandth time exactly when it was Cordelia Chase had become the boss of him.
***
“I don’t get it though,” said Buffy despondently. “Willow’s not evil.”
“Again, thankfully no,” Xander replied.
“Then explain to me why she invited Angel and Cordelia?”
Xander chuckled. “Because now that both of our lives are relatively normal, this is our comeuppance?”
Buffy sighed. “Oh yeah. Our uppance has definitely come. God, I can’t deal with this right now.”
Xander rested his arms on the table. “Sorry Buff, but Deadboy-”
“Don’t call him that.”
“Sorry. Angel … he’s always giving you the wiggins. Time to rise both above and beyond.”
“Besides,” added Anya from the depths of the refrigerator, “this is my chance to invite them to the wedding.”
“No!” Buffy and Xander chorused in panic, before Buffy grinned wickedly at her friend.
“Is that rising above and beyond, Oh Mature One?”
Xander squirmed. “I meant you.”
Anya emerged from the fridge, holding something yellow in her hand. “I don’t understand this concept,” she said. “If you really couldn’t believe it’s not butter, why did you buy it?”
***
Outside the Summers residence, a long black convertible sat shrouded in darkness. Inside it, Angel and Cordelia were looking at each other. Every now and again, one of them would cast a trepidation-filled glance at the house, then return their gaze to their companion.
Finally Cordelia took a deep breath. “Well, it’s all fun and games until somebody loses an eye, right?”
“Don’t say that!” Angel protested quickly.
“Why not?”
“This is Sunnydale. It might actually happen.”
“Oh, right.”
They sat in silence for a minute longer, then Cordelia steeled herself and opened the car door. Angel stopped her with a hand on her arm.
“So, we’re agreed then?” he asked.
“About?”
“Uh, Connor.”
“No, you agreed and I’m going along with you half-heartedly.” She gave him a pointed look. “I still think they deserve to know.”
“Cordy, I’m not ready to discuss him with Buffy. It’ll bring up too many questions.”
“Oh yeah. Of the how, why, and blonde variety.” Cordelia looked at Angel sharply. “Fine. I won’t mention him on purpose, but if I accidentally slip … Connor’s your dentist.” She grinned wickedly. “Or your new boyfriend.”
***
“Buffy!” called Dawn from the top of the stairs. “Angel’s car is outside!”
The Slayer felt the jolt right to her toes. “Eep.” Raising her voice, she shouted, “Thanks!” and beat a hasty retreat back into the kitchen.
Willow followed her in. “Are you gonna be okay, Buff?” she inquired.
Buffy squared her shoulders, game face squarely in place. “Yeah. Nothing like total fear to spice up your evening, right?”
Willow scrunched up her nose. “I’m sorry. I didn’t even think. With Tara not coming…”
“Couldn’t reach her, huh?” Buffy asked sympathetically.
“Oh, there was reaching,” said Willow, sadness in her eyes. “Just not the kind of reaching that led to the agreeing to come.”
“I’m sorry.”
“S’okay. What with the rejection and the … rejection, I just kinda called everybody in my address book. Except for Amy. Sorry.”
“Will, you have every right to feel good tonight. You’ve earned it. And if you want them here … then I want them here.”
Willow raised her eyebrows. “Really?”
Buffy grimaced. “No. But I can pretend. And goshdarnit, I will, because you’re my best friend and I love you.”
The redhead smiled. “Thanks.”
At that moment, there was a knock at the door.
“I’ll get it!” screeched Dawn, rushing to the first landing.
Buffy paled. “And I’ll just be … over here for a while.” She disappeared down the basement steps. Willow watched her go with a sigh.
Angel cracked the door open. “Hello?”
“Angel!” Dawn raced down the stairs and threw herself at the vampire, her sheer speed driving him a few steps backward.
Angel caught her and swung her around, the rarest of huge smiles on his face. “Hey, Dawnie. Long time.”
“Not by your life-span, I s’pose,” she countered, hugging him. “How are you? What’s the what? Got the skinny on the big LA evil?”
“Always,” he told her, setting her down gently.
“Hiya Dawn,” spoke up Cordelia from the veranda steps.
Dawn beamed. “Cordy, you came!”
“Well?”
“Well what?” asked the teenager.
“Do I get jumped on too?”
“Um … if you don’t mind?”
Cordelia broke into one of her biggest smiles. “I’d be pretty offended if I’m not.”
Dawn grinned, and threw her arms around Cordelia, who hugged her back tightly.
“My God,” Cordy exclaimed as she drew away. “You’re like a beanstalk or something. A Dawnstalk. This is incredible, you’re huge. Buffy, she’s hu-” Cordelia broke off. “Oh. Buffy.”
Unnoticed by the happy trio on the porch, Buffy had sidled nervously into the doorway. She was watching the reunion with a small smile on her face.
“Hi guys.”
Angel swallowed. “Buffy.”
“Angel.”
“It’s … good. I’m good. We’re good.” He closed his eyes briefly. “You look … good. Uh…”
Buffy chuckled, the ice broken. With Angel being such a dork, it was hard to hold onto the fear. “It’s good to see you too, Angel.” She crossed to the vampire and kissed him swiftly on the cheek. “I’m happy you could come. Both of you,” she said, turning to Cordelia.
The two girls eyed each other for a moment, before Cordelia stepped uncertainly forward.
“I’m glad to see you,” she said nervously. “And I’m so glad you’re not … you know … any more.”
Buffy smiled. “I know,” she answered. “Me too.”
Cordy grinned back. “Are we too stand-offish for hugs?”
“Probably, but let’s do it anyway,” Buffy said, and embraced the taller girl warmly. “Thanks for being here for Will. Let’s go inside.”
***
An hour or so later, Xander watched as Angel and Cordelia hugged Dawn goodbye. Protesting, Dawn had been packed off to a friend’s for the evening, under strict instructions not to return until after daybreak. She had begged to be allowed to stay, but Buffy was unmoved. There was no way Dawn was coming to the Bronze, and no way she would be left in the house alone. When her first attempt had failed, she had asked to stay with Spike.
That had taken some explaining to the pair from LA.
A strangely pale Buffy had said that Spike was out of town and not expected back for a few days. So, whining all the way, Dawn had made her goodbyes and headed for the car waiting outside.
It was funny, thought Xander darkly, how the vampire had not allowed himself to be out of arm’s reach of Cordelia all evening. He seated himself next to her at dinner and watched her eat, never took his eyes off her as she regaled the group with tales of LA, or when they told their own stories in turn, followed her to the living room like a black leather cloud, hovered as she chose her sofa position, then settled next to her. If Xander hadn’t known better, he would have sworn the big guy was acting kind of the way he had around … Buffy.
Weirdness ensues.
After a half-hour brood session that rivaled one of Angel’s, Xander decided to just pretend he hadn’t noticed anything. At all. Much, much better for all concerned.
“So, Willow,” said Cordelia, stretching languorously, “no more with the bad mojo, huh? Good for you.”
“Thanks, Cordy,” Willow smiled. “It’s been difficult, not to mention the kind of fun that isn’t.”
“If it’s okay to ask … does it hurt?” asked Angel curiously. “Withdrawal, I mean?”
“It’s okay. A little at first,” admitted the redhead. “But the worst part is-” She broke off, staring at her feet.
“What?” asked Anya.
“Hon,” cautioned Xander, making the universal gesture for ‘Drop it’.
“What?” asked Anya again, this time to Xander. “She brought it up.”
“It’s okay, Xander,” said Willow, as Angel fidgeted uncomfortably.
“No, it isn’t, Will,” said Xander in exasperation. “Anya, we’ve talked about this kind of stuff.”
“What kind of stuff?” protested the former vengeance demon. “Willow started a sentence and then didn’t finish it. It’s frustrating. Like that television show you always watch where they tell you about the next episode, but just when something interesting happens they stop and say ‘Next time on an all new Dawson’s Creek.’”
Xander paled. Buffy’s lips twitched and Cordelia let out a small snort of laughter.
“Ahn,” muttered Xander, “shameful secrets not so secret when you announce them loudly to all.”
“Oh, it’s okay,” grinned Cordelia wickedly. “There’s no judging. Only love.”
Buffy bit back a smile. “So what is happening in the heady world of Pacey and Joey these days, Xander?”
“Shut up,” mumbled the flame-faced young man.
“I don’t get it,” said Angel, and Cordelia patted his arm, pulling a face at Buffy.
Xander smiled in relief. “Angel, there’s my guy! Let’s go over here and talk about manly stuff. Have you broken any bones lately? How’s your drywall?”
“Okay! Time for patrol, not to mention a subject change,” interrupted Buffy. “I wanna get in a quick one before the Bronze. Angel, I set up the basement for you if you want to dump your stuff down there. Guaranteed flood-free. Cordelia, you can take Dawn’s room if you don’t mind the mess.”
“I’m in,” said Xander, stretching his arms above his head. “Anya? Will?”
“Oh, I would, honey, but I don’t want to,” said Anya, smiling sweetly.
“Duly noted,” replied her fiancée. “And we’ll all remember that answer next time I’m asked to make pancakes at three in the morning, yes?”
“Anybody mind if I skip?” asked Willow. “I wanna take a shower and change before Bronzing. You never … know who might be there.”
Buffy nodded. “Go pretty up, Will. We’ll catch, okay? What time is everybody getting there?”
“I told them about ten.”
The Slayer began digging around in her weapons chest. “Cool. Few dusts, you’ll never even miss us.”
“Wait! I wanna go too,” Angel protested, then mumbled something incoherent as several amused faces turned his way. “I like to kill … I mean, I need to stretch,” he finished lamely.
Buffy smiled. “The more death the merrier, as long as it’s not mine.” She grimaced. “Again.”
“He’s tired of being the dead one, too,” Cordy put in absently.
Angel grinned down at her with an expression Xander could only unhappily file away as affectionate. “You coming, Cordy?”
Cordelia looked up at him. “You know what? I just might. A lap around the graveyard for old times sake. Could be fun without all the screaming and the fear.” She stood up and turned to Buffy. “You got a sword I can borrow?”
There was a stunned silence. Angel smiled.
***
Twenty minutes or so later, the group of four were wandering through the graveyard in a random pattern. Walking quietly, they kept their voices low out of habit.
“It was getting stupid, see,” explained Cordelia quietly, twirling her short sword adeptly. “Big Bads were trashing the hotel, like, fifty times a day. And here was me, bravely running away from them. I just got sick of it, so I bugged Angel until he said he’d train me.”
She did a mock-feint towards a low-set headstone and grinned.
“Behold the oddness,” said Xander, shaking his head. “She has visions and wields things of sharpness. Is there any of LA left standing?”
Cordelia rolled her eyes. “Shut up, Xander. It’s not like I’m Wonder Woman, or … Buffy, or anything. I just didn’t want to be helpless bait girl any more.”
Buffy nodded. “This I understand. Can’t say I’m not surprised, because, hello? But I think it’s … cool.”
“Thank you,” Cordelia said pointedly, shooting a look in Angel’s direction. “See, Broodmaster? You didn’t need to go overprotective guy after all. Approval from the original ass-kicker.”
“You bet,” said Buffy lightly, trying to ignore the implications of the ‘overprotective’ comment. “Death to all.”
“In great shoes,” added Cordelia with a grin.
“Let’s see what you’ve learned, then, Cordelia,” Buffy continued casually, voice still low but her eyes flicking past the Seer and into the darkness. “Wanna give that sword a workout? I see three ways you could do it, ‘bout a hundred feet behind you and closing.”
“Sure,” Cordelia answered, tensing slightly, but taking her cue. “Can’t do three, though. Tag team, anyone?”
“I gotcha,” Angel said quickly.
Buffy looked at him oddly and he shrugged apologetically. “We don’t get many good old-fashioned vamps in LA any more. You mind?”
“No,” Buffy said slowly. “Be my guest.”
She tossed her stake to Angel and she and Xander hung back slightly as Cordelia and the vampire took the lead, silently splitting up left and right with an ease that spoke of long practice. The three vampires approached with grins, one still shaking fresh earth from his dapper suit.
“Looky here, Gus,” crowed one. “Fast food. Home delivered.”
Angel grinned crookedly. “Sorry, too fast for you, pal.” He ducked the clumsy swing of the first vamp and struck him devastatingly hard in the side. “Plus, I’m told I taste kinda floury.” The bloodsucker went down, growling in pain.
Buffy watched with wide eyes as Cordelia neatly sidestepped a charge and spun, kicking a stumpy vampire hard in the lower back as he stumbled past. He groaned, staggered and went down on his face. The third, seeing her momentarily off-balance, took a chance and waded in.
“Behind you!” shouted Angel, as he lunged for his Seer, panic on his face.
Cordelia pivoted smoothly and planted the sword tip in the ground, dropping to one knee. As the vampire ran at her, she leapt sideways and straightened the blade, taking his legs out from under him. He dropped heavily to the ground, and would have gotten up again - if his head hadn’t been suddenly and neatly severed from his shoulders.
“My God,” muttered Buffy in sheer disbelief as the vamp exploded into powder. If she hadn’t just seen that happen, she would have laughed hysterically at the thought.
“Go, Cordy!” shouted Xander enthusiastically. Buffy shot him a look. “What? That was cool! I’m wishing I brought popcorn!”
Cordelia straightened, panting, and her eyes immediately sought Angel, who was trading blows with the first vamp. She ran heedlessly up to them, ignoring Angel’s ‘no’ gesture.
The first vampire turned quickly and slugged her heavily across the jaw. She reeled back with a sharp cry, hand to her face. The stumpy vamp slowly got to his feet a few headstones away.
Xander jumped forward, only to be restrained by Buffy’s hand on his arm. “Wait and see,” the Slayer told him quietly. “I won’t let it get bad.”
“Cordy!” called Angel, trying to look everywhere at once. “Are you okay?”
“Peachy,” she answered breathlessly, “but that guy’s gonna wish he didn’t do that.”
“Oh yeah?” snarled the first vamp, swinging wildly at Angel. “Gonna squeal me to death, little girl?”
“No,” snapped Cordy. “I’m gonna do this. Angel, duck!”
As the first vamp turned to see what his opponent was supposed to duck from, he came face-to-face with a bruised yet grinning Cordelia.
“Hi. You guys always fall for that one,” she told him with amusement.
The vampire arched with a scream as Angel’s stake penetrated his back and burst through to the front of his chest. Angel blinked in a cloud of dust. The stumpy vamp, left suddenly alone facing a sword-wielding brunette with a wicked grin and a tall, decidedly stony-faced vampire, found himself re-thinking his options.
He started stumbling backwards and away from them. “I’ll be-” he shouted wildly, before tripping over a headstone. He jumped to his feet again, embarrassed. “Back! And I’m bringing my friend!”
He turned and disappeared swiftly into the darkness. Cordelia made to follow him, but Buffy spoke up.
“Let him go. He didn’t look very smart. We wait here a few minutes and he probably will be back.” She looked over at Cordelia. Praise where praise was due, however funny it felt. “You did good,” the Slayer said, marvelling at the strangeness of the whole situation. “Really good, actually.”
Still breathing a little heavily, Cordelia pushed her hair out of her eyes. “Thanks,” she said, colouring a little.
Angel descended swiftly upon the Seer and gently turned her to face him, one hand on her cheek, the other on her shoulder. “Did he hurt you?” he asked softly.
“Not really,” she replied, smiling, leaning into his hand a little. “No worse than one of your weird-ass gymnastic twirly kicking things, anyway. I gotta learn not to run in without thinking, huh?”
“If you did that, you wouldn’t be you,” Angel told her. “How would I know what to expect but the exact opposite of whatever common sense is?” The warmth of his voice and expression laid him bare. Unfortunately for the vampire, not to the one who counted.
Buffy swallowed heavily and dropped her eyes. Xander glanced at her quickly. So he wasn’t imagining things. Surreptitiously, he rested his hand briefly on the small of Buffy’s back. She shot him a quick smile and straightened.
“But that’s all the action I need for the night, if you don’t mind,” continued Cordelia airily, stepping away from Angel. “Next ones are all yours, Buffy. I’ll be on cheer duty.”
“Uh…” said Buffy suddenly. “Might have to call up the reserves, Cordelia.”
“Holy crap,” said Xander, his face pale. “That’s a new kid. In a scary non-kid way.”
“What?” asked Cordelia, turning around. Her jaw dropped. “Oh.”
Coming toward them was the stumpy vampire. He looked proud. And rightly so. Trailing slightly behind him, a mountain of shadow and black scales towered into the air, easily double Angel’s height. Its arms scraped the ground as it lumbered, and a spiny tail lashed behind.
Angel pulled Cordelia quickly to his side and the four of them re-grouped, backing slowly away.
“Meet my friend!” the vamp called out to them. “This is Frank.”
“Frank?” muttered Xander in disbelief. “FRANK?”
“Gotta problem with that?” boomed a deep gravely voice.
“No, but I’m sure the City Council would,” snorted Buffy. ‘Where’s he been keeping you? The football stadium?”
“I’m a creature of darkness,” boomed the demon. “Pure evil. Fear upon fear. I am terror made flesh.”
“Yeah, okay,” said Cordelia. “But your name’s Frank.”
“Your taunts do not touch me,” rumbled the demon. “All will die.”
Buffy sighed. “You guys all keep saying that…” she grumbled, and headed into the fray.
A few minutes and one dusted stumpy vamp later, it became obvious that Frank was a lot more serious than their banter had indicated. Buffy was bleeding on one cheek, Xander’s had been knocked down so many times it was a wonder he kept getting up, Cordelia sported a nasty-looking bruise on her right shoulder, and Angel had three deep tail-induced gashes in his stomach.
Frank hadn’t worked up a sweat.
“Okay,” grunted Buffy, lunging at the demon again, “this time it’s-” She flew twenty feet and crashed into a headstone. “-painful. Ow.”
Angel leapt forward with a growl, game face in place. He managed to duck the first tail swipe, but was caught by the back-swing and crashed to the ground. Frank loomed over him, one claw stabbing downward. Cordelia blocked the trajectory with her sword long enough for Angel to roll away, before being smacked to the earth herself.
“Xander!” she yelled, as the claw rose again.
“That’s it!” shouted Xander, before jumping up and catching the demon’s huge arm. He wrapped his legs around the demon’s midsection and began to pummel with all his might. “I … know … I’m … not … hurting … you … at … all…” he gasped, each word punctuated by a punch, “but … at … least … I … feel … USEFUL!”
Frank flicked at him, almost lazily, and Xander howled as he hit the bushes.
Buffy and Angel tried a double attack. Buffy slipped in under its left arm as Angel distracted it from the front with furious blows.
“Cordelia!” yelled Buffy. “The sword!”
Cordelia rolled to the right and grasped the sword hilt. As she used it to push herself to her feet, she suddenly shuddered. A strange expression crossed her face.
“Angel…” she managed. “Angel … it’s…”
The vampire was at her side instantly, Frank all but forgotten.
“Angel!” screamed Buffy, just managing to avoid a crushing blow to her skull. It glanced off her shoulder instead and she staggered.
Cordelia swayed. Angel reached out as she lurched sideways. Frank’s tail pistoned, and the vampire screamed as it punctured his shoulder.
“Angel!” yelled Cordelia.
He staggered to his feet. “Cordy, I’m okay-”
“No, Angel, get away! All of you! Get back! I think-”
She was cut off as a glowing white light enveloped her, increasing in intensity every second. A rushing wind appeared from nowhere, tearing across the graveyard, whipping Cordelia’s hair into snarls. Her sword hit the ground with a dull ringing sound, and Xander crawled away, shielding his eyes.
Buffy jumped forward, squinting against the brilliant radiance. “Cordelia!”
Angel, his own head turned to avoid the now-blinding light emanating from the Seer, intercepted her. “It’s okay!” he yelled to Buffy, catching her arm. “Just let it happen!”
“What’s happening to her?” shouted Xander, arms across his face.
“Wait!” Angel called back.
Cordelia was frozen, raised on her toes, arms outstretched and head thrown back. Light poured from her fingertips, her skin, her eyes, her open mouth, covering her completely until the only trace of the Seer beneath was a vague outline in the glare.
The demon screeched, stumbling backwards. Smoke began to rise from its skin, and it clawed at its eyes, a terrible keening noise coming from its throat. Scales tore off and scattered in the wind. It began to shake. Its tail pounded the ground, sending dirt flying.
Cordelia swayed a little, arched back and impossibly, the light increased in intensity. The graveyard looked light broad daylight.
And suddenly, Frank exploded into nothing. Buffy gasped in shock as the massive creature dissipated into dust, ashes and charred bone.
As swiftly as it had appeared, the blinding light vanished. The wind died away and Cordelia let out a huge, rattling breath, drooping forward, her knees buckling. Angel raced to her side and caught her in his arms before she fell. Buffy watched in silent amazement as he sank slowly to the ground, cradling Cordelia gently and muttering something so softly that even her Slayer hearing couldn’t catch it.
Xander stared, his face pale. “Oookay. Does anybody else think maybe we missed a couple of bulk mails from LA?”
“A holiday card, even,” muttered Buffy.
“Glow-in-the-dark Cordy,” said Xander blankly. “Comes with its own line of spring accessories and a recharge pack.”
“Available wherever good whatinthehell is sold,” added the Slayer, equally stunned.
“Did I get it?” mumbled Cordy against the vampire’s shoulder. “Did I get it?”
“You got it, Cordy,” reassured Angel. “Dead-o-rama. Nobody’s hurt. Much.”
The Seer leant back on her elbows and sighed. “Good. Ack. Angel, I wish those dumbass Powers’d send a warning signal or something. Vision of Skip, maybe?”
“A what?” interjected Buffy. She wasn’t heard.
The vampire smiled. “Or chipmunk robots on ice?”
Cordy smiled right back.
“That’s it!” exploded Buffy. “You’re both INSANE!” She turned to her dumbstruck friend. “Xander? Am I wrong? Cause this is all making sense in that way where it’s, y’know, not. At all.”
Angel shot her a look as he gently lifted his Seer to her feet. Even distracted by the million questions in her brain, Buffy noted that his arm remained around her a little longer than strictly necessary.
Xander continued to stare silently at the dishevelled Cordelia.
Cordy put her hands on her hips. “What? It’s a thing. So?”
“So…” said Xander, clearing his throat, “all of a sudden you’re Night Light Cordy? Big flashlight of death?”
“Apparently.”
“And that’s it?”
Cordelia’s eyebrows rose. “Yeah. Came with the demony goodness. And now I repeat: so?”
Xander blinked. “Excuse me. Back it up. The what-ony goodness?”
“Not much for the catching up tonight, are you Xander? You knew about this.”
Buffy stepped forward, hands on her own hips. “Oh no, he didn’t. We didn’t. Anything you’d like to share? Like, oh, I don’t know, what the HELL just happened here?”
Cordelia turned to Angel accusingly. “You didn’t send them the bulk mail?”
“Oh. I-I forgot.”
“Huh. Typical.”
Buffy shook her head. “Scratch that. It’s official. I’m the one who’s insane.”
“Why?” asked Angel.
“She uses swords and glows,” said Buffy, pointing at Cordelia, “and you have email,” she continued, pointing at her former boyfriend. “These things are not of the common.”
“And you are?” Cordelia walked over to the Slayer and poked her in the arm. “Last time I checked, you were like, dead. Not to mention the strongest woman in the world.”
“So? I can’t do anything about that. That was destiny.”
“So was this! Go ask the Powers!”
“The who now?” Xander interrupted.
“The Powers That Be,” explained Angel. “Kind of the big guys of Good. Mysterious. Talk in riddles. You know the type.”
“Ironically, yes,” Xander said flatly. “So wait, let me get this very straight. You,” - he indicated Cordelia - “are a demon?”
Cordelia nodded. “Part.”
Xander looked her up and down. “Which part?”
Cordelia slapped him good-naturedly. “The part where the visions aren’t killing me any more and I occasionally get to have fluorescent fun time.” She paused, then shrugged. “Fun for me, anyway.”
Xander indicated the dust pile formerly known as Frank. “But obviously for the evil stuff, not so much. Cordy, that’s…”
He trailed off, and she waited expectantly.
“…kinda cool, actually,” he finished. The two shared a smile.
Buffy just kept shaking her head. “I don’t get this. I just don’t get it.”
“You don’t have to,” said Cordelia a little stiffly. “Amazingly, it doesn’t concern you.”
“Oh, yes it does!” Buffy shot back. “It sure as hell does!”
“How?” asked Angel, and Buffy flinched, staring at him wide-eyed. “I’m sorry, Buffy,” he said gently, jarred by the brief look of betrayal that crept across her face, “but I don’t see why you’re so worried about this.”
“You people are doing my job!” the Slayer burst out. She waved her arms wildly at Angel. “You with your, your, noble quest business and now her with the visions and the David Copperfield laser show! This is my work! Not yours!”
Cordelia’s mouth opened in shock. Finally, she managed: “God, Buffy. Ungrateful much?”
“What?”
“I thought you’d be happy to have the big herd of nasties thinned a bit. Apparently not.”
“That’s not it,” Buffy protested, her voice cracking.
Angel stepped forward and rested his hand on her arm. “What is it?”
“If … if you guys can do this … if you can take out the evil the same way I can … if it’s that easy for you, you don’t…”
“Need you,” finished Cordy softly, understanding dawning on her face. “Buffy…”
Buffy just gazed from her to Angel and back again, slight tears beginning to form. She blinked them back furiously.
Cordelia stepped between Angel and the Slayer, taking Buffy’s hand. “Come with me a second, okay?”
“Cordy-”
“It’s okay, Angel. I just wanna talk with her for a minute.”
The vampire subsided, and Buffy let herself be led out of earshot of the others.
Xander watched them go, then turned back to Angel. There was a short, uncomfortable silence.
“So,” he said finally, “Cordy’s a demon?”
“Yep,” replied the vampire.
“Ah.”
There was another silence, equally uncomfortable. Angel studied his feet and Xander fidgeted for a while. At last, Xander spoke.
“So how’s that workin’ out for ya?”
Deeper among the gravestones, Cordelia stopped walking and turned to the shorter girl.
“I’m sorry for the crack about being ungrateful.”
Buffy looked at the Seer in surprise. “That’s okay. I deserved it. The thing was pounding us. You killed him.”
“Buffy, believe it or not, I know exactly how you’re feeling.”
The Slayer drew in a shaky breath. “I don’t think you do.”
“I haven’t replaced you. We haven’t replaced you. Nobody could do that.”
“It isn’t about that,” insisted Buffy, setting aside the small sting she felt at hearing Angel and Cordelia referred to as a ‘we’. “Being replaced. Hell, that’s what Slayers do – we die, we’re replaced. It’s just, if you can do … what you do, and Angel can do what he does … and if there are enough people doing that all around the world, which, let’s face it, there must be, ‘cause it’s not like Sunnydale has an exclusive on the evil and I’m just gonna take a breath now…”
Cordelia smiled. “You need to meet Fred sometime.”
Buffy took a breath. Softly, she said, “If all that is happening, then why I am here?”
Cordy nodded slowly. “You could have had a normal life?”
“At least, starting from now I could. I have responsibilities. A job. I have to look after Dawn. I could just kinda … turn it on over to you guys. And the rest of the … people … like you. You know?”
Cordelia shook her head. “Nope, sorry.”
“No?”
“No. Know why you’re here?”
“To watch while you shine stuff to death?”
The taller girl shook her head again. “Because you’re who we come to when we fail, Buffy. Admittedly, it hasn’t happened yet, but if it does, you’re the world’s big gun. You’re IT. You know? We need you. We’ll always need you. You just seem to be the last person who realises it. You have to accept your path, that’s all.”
Buffy gazed at her silently, then sat down heavily. There were a million thoughts racing through her brain, not the least of which was an inability to comprehend the changes in the girl standing before her. Of all the people who could have made this much sense … it was Cordelia. CordYoda. Go figure.
The Seer sat down next to her, oblivious to Buffy’s wonder. “When I ran into Angel in LA, I was about ready to cave and come home. Did I ever tell you that?”
“No.”
“Well, I was. My acting career or lack thereof was a disaster, I had no money, I had no friends … basically I had no clue. I didn’t know where I was supposed to be or what I was. But now I do. I know exactly what my path is, and guess what? It’s the same as yours.” She broke off and grinned knowingly. “Ain’t that a kick in the teeth?”
Despite herself, Buffy cracked a smile. “Bitch.”
“Vamp-tramp,” replied Cordy, smirking.
“Shiny creepy girl.”
“Fashion oversight.”
“Demon half-breed.”
“Hobbit-sized powerhouse freak.”
“Thank you, Cordelia.”
The girl in question shrugged. “I’m smarter than I look.”
“And yet you still choose the rocky path of goodness?”
Cordelia tilted her head airily. “And yet.”
“I mean, God, Cordelia.” Buffy looked at her companion with new wonder. “What’s happened to you? You’re a frickin’ demon.”
“I know.”
‘The glowy thing…?”
“Yeah, I can’t control it yet. It’s kind of frustrating, actually. It only seems to happen when I’m all emotional. Like somebody I lo-, care about is in danger, or I’m really angry or really happy.”
“There’s evil to dust when you’re really happy? What kind of agency do you guys have, anyway?”
Cordelia shrugged. “No dusting involved. Just a non-lethal, low-watt kind of shining. Without Jack Nicholson.”
“I can’t believe you guys didn’t tell us.”
“Sorry about that.”
“Remember when you were mad we didn’t tell you Harmony was a vampire?”
“Yep.”
“This is way bigger.”
Cordelia grinned. “One day, remind me to tell you the story of how it happened. Thrills, chills, and a deal so sweet the devil couldn’t have turned it down. Nobody smart would have.” She paused. “Meet the dumbass who did.”
Buffy looked at her quietly for a moment. “It’s obviously a good thing. So, I’m glad. For both your sakes.”
She didn’t mention his name, but the word hung in the air between them.
Finally, Cordelia spoke. “He’s doing okay, you know. Since…”
Buffy nodded. “I think we all are.”
The two girls sat side by side for a moment, the soft night sounds of the graveyard beginning to creep back after the disruption of earlier.
After a while, Buffy said, “So, Cordelia?”
“Yeah?”
“When did you start doing the sensitive chats?”
Cordelia frowned. “Me, sensitive? I’m not sensitive. You watch it. I’ll glow your ass off, pal.”
They both started to laugh.
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