Title: Untitled
Author: LondnRain
Posted: 12-29-2001
Challenge: Ok...here are the requirements
Kissing at Midnight
Scooby or news of scoobies
Lilah make an appearance
Somebody's going on a date
Disclaimer: Ok don't own the character or anything...so don't sue
Feedback: welcome and encouraged!
"Angel, stop pacing, you're making me dizzy." Gunn watched the vampire go back and forth across the floor of the Hyperion.
"I can't, how could you not tell me."
"It's a date, not the end of the world."
"What do we even know about this guy. He could be…"
"An evil demon who'll impregnate me with a demon child?" Cordelia finished as she descended the stairs. Angel turned to look at her, he felt as if his heart would beat out of his chest, if he had a heart beat that is.
"Wow, you look hott girl." Gunn commented and Angel shot him a dirty look.
"Angel, you don't have to worry, this guy is so not a demon, Gunn and Wes have done a thorough background check on him."
"How thorough?"
"Angel, it's going to be ok, just calm down. I'm just going to a party, nothing bad is going to happen."
"I just worry about you, you know that. So, there is no chance I can change your mind and have you stay home with Connor and I?"
"Oh there's a party." Gunn rolled his eyes.
"You stay out of it!" Angel snapped at him.
"Angel, I would love to stay with you and Connor, but I have a prior commitment and I never break a promise." The doorbell rang and Angel let out a low growl.
"Oh my god, he's here, already. He's early."
"Cordy what's wrong, you're ready."
"But I'm not supposed to be, it will break the cycle we women have had for centuries. I'm going back upstairs, Angel will you answer the door." Angel glared at her. "Please, for me." She gave him her puppy dog eyes and he knew he was powerless.
"Fine." Cordelia hugged him causing a wide grin across the vampire's face. She raced back up the stairs and Angel got up off the couch watching her until she disappeared. The doorbell rang again causing him to emit another low groan. He opened the door a big scowl on his face which changed into surprise when he saw who was on the other end.
"Hey."
"Hey, what are you doing here?"
"Can't an old friend drop by for no reason?"
"Well it's just you usually don't show up unless there is trouble, is their trouble?"
"Not in the way you think, I just need to get away." Cordelia came back down the stairs smiling until she saw who was really at the door. She stopped dead in her tracks, a low growl emitted from her throat this time as she scowled at the visitor.
"Buffy?" Buffy looked up and saw Cordelia.
"Cordelia? What are you doing here."
"What am I doing here? What are you doing here?"
"Buffy, why don't you come inside, Cordelia was just getting ready for a date. New Years eve and all." Angel led Buffy into the living room and they sat down on the couch.
"Angel, can I see you for a moment." Cordelia called from the top of the stairs.
"I'm kinda busy entertaining company right now."
"Angel." Cordelia used her warning tone and he knew that if he didn't see what she wanted then Angel Investigations was not going to be a pleasant place to be for a few weeks if not months. He gave Buffy an apologetic smile and she just nodded. Angel got up off the couch and ran up the stairs.
"What?"
"What is she doing here? Did you invite her?"
"No, I'm just as surprised as you are."
"Surprised? That's the understatement of the year."
"What business is it of yours anyway." Angel snapped and Cordelia's face softened as she took his hand.
"Every time you see her you always end up hurt and broody, I just don't like to see you that way. Especially not over her."
"That's sweet, Cordy, but I'll be fine, you go out and have a great time."
"Are you sure you don't need me?"
"Oh now you want to stay."
"Only if you need me."
"I always need you, but I'll be fine tonight I promise."
"Alright, if you say so." The doorbell rang again. "Let's hope this is Jeremy and not another member of the Scooby Gang, I don't think I could handle any more 'surprises' this evening." Angel smiled and came downstairs answering the door. He saw a male holding flowers on the other side, he contemplated ripping the guys head off or scaring the hell out of him by bringing Connor down. But he decided Cordy wouldn't be too happy and just let the guy in.
"Hey." Angel said curtly as he opened the door letting the guy pass through.
"Hey." Jeremy said tentatively, feeling more than a little intimidated by the guy answering the door. Cordelia had told him about her friend Angel, but she never mentioned how scary he was. He followed Angel into the living room spying a petite blonde on the couch. He nodded in acknowledgement and sat down on the chair next to the couch while Angel took back his spot next to Buffy. Cordelia finally came back down and Angel quickly put his arm around the back of the couch behind Buffy. Cordy noticed this and felt a little pang in her stomach, she pushed it down and smiled at her date.
"Jeremy hi." She through her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek.
"Cordelia you look beautiful, just breathtaking." He smiled looking her up and down, causing Angel to growl again. Buffy heard it and shot Angel a confused look.
"Thank you." He handed her the flowers. "For me? Thank you, you are too sweet. I guess we better get going." He put his elbow out and she linked it with hers. "Bye, Angel, bye Buffy, have fun." She called then turned around looking directly at Angel. "But not too much fun." She smiled once then disappeared out the door.
"Ok, Angel, what was that all about?"
"What?"
"You and her, it looked like a game of one up manship."
"No, you're imagining things. So anyway, Buffy, what brings you to LA."
"Long story."
"We have all night."
***********************************
Jeremy pulled up to the party and got out then opened the door for Cordelia. He tossed his keys to the valet and led her inside. Everything seemed perfect, she had a gorgeous, intelligent date who was very romantic, an extravagant party they were attending, a wonderful dress, and yet something was missing. She looked around and saw all the dancing couples laughing and genuinely happy.
"Cordelia, are you ok?" He looked into her eyes and she gave him a weak half smile.
"Yeah, I've just got a little headache."
"Do you want to go home?"
"No, I'll be ok. Nothing a little champagne and hors dervs won't fix."
"If your sure."
"I'm sure."
"Alright then, there is someone I want you to meet." They walked up behind a woman and Jeremy tapped her on the shoulder. "Aunt Lilah I want you to meet my date."
"You?" They both said at the same time as they stared in shock and contempt at each other.
"Oh, you two know each other?"
"Did you say Aunt?"
"Did you say Date?"
"One at a time, Cordelia this is my Aunt Lilah."
"Your Aunt is psycho bitch? This is unbelievable."
"When you said you were bringing a date, I didn't realize it would be one of the do gooder's groupies. How did you not know that you are dating the enemy?"
"I'm the enemy? Isn't that the pot calling the kettle black? At least I don't defend serial killers, how is Billy anyway, still dead I hope?"
"Jeremy, I am very disappointed in you."
"You know what Jeremy, on second thought I think I would like to go home, this party is a little to crowded for my taste."
"Alright."
"Jeremy I want you to take her home and get back here so we can talk about this."
"Yes, Aunt Lilah."
"You actually obey this bitch?"
"Hey, that bitch is my Aunt, how dare you talk about my family that way. I didn't say anything about your friend, even though he scared the crap out of me."
"He was just worried that you'd turn out to be a creep and you know what he was right, how could you not tell me you were related to Lilah?"
"I didn't even know you two knew each other, why am I getting blamed?"
"God, this is turning out to be one hell of a night, I just want to go home."
"Well, why don't you call your scary friend, I'm sure he'd be more than willing to come pick you up." With that he turned around and walked over to his Aunt. Cordelia let out an angry sigh then picked up her cell phone. It rang twice before a female voice answered the phone.
"Buffy? Are you still there? Where's Angel."
"Upstairs, changing…" The voice started to break up.
"Whatever, can you tell him I'm stranded here and that I need a ride back, add that He was right, he'll love that."
"Sure…Oh and Cordelia…" the voice was completely broken up and she hung up the phone.
"Damn useless piece of crap." She put the phone back in her purse and went outside. She checked her watch, 9:59. "Wow not even 15 minutes and the guy turned out to be the son of satan or rather the nephew." About 15 minutes later a truck came into view and honked the horn at Cordelia. She looked up in confusion and got in the truck.
"Hey, dream date wasn't quite dreamy?"
"What are you doing here? Where's Angel?"
"Oh, broody boy didn't think it was right to leave his guest, so he asked me to pick you up."
"Oh."
"So what was wrong with this one? Demon? Demon worshiper? Do we have to kill him?"
"No, just turned out to be Lilah's nephew is all, I thought you and Wes did a background check?"
"We did, but it said nothing about Lilah."
"Next time make sure the people I date aren't members of Wolfram and Hart as well as not demons."
"Will do, sorry."
"It's ok, over and done with, water under the bridge and all that. So how's little Miss slayerette?"
"She and Angel are looking mighty cozy, he lost his soul to her right?"
"Yeah, but he wouldn't be stupid enough to do it again, would he?"
"I doubt it he knows what he's risking."
"His shanshu and everything he's worked so hard for."
"I was more thinking more along the lines of you."
"Me?"
"You are so clueless, the only reason he is showing any interest in the blonde is cuz he's crazy about you girl."
"Angel? Nah, that's just impossible."
"What ever you say, but don't say I didn't warn you." They pulled up to the hotel and Cordelia looked at Gunn.
"I said I wanted to go home."
"Angel told me to bring you back here."
"Since when do you take orders from him?"
"Since I know the dude can kick my ass."
"Fine, whatever, I just want to lie down." Cordelia ran in the front door and bolted up the stairs ignoring the vampire and slayer on the couch. Angel saw her run in and quickly got off the couch and rushed up after his seer.
"Cordy?" He opened the door to his room and saw her on his bed.
"Just go away Angel, go back to your guest." He saw the tears running down her face and immediately went over to her cradling her face to his chest.
"Don't cry, you know I can't stand it when you cry."
"What a perfect evening, first Rebecca of Sunnyhell farm shows up, my date turns out to be, of all people, Lilah Morgan's nephew, and now to top it all off I've lost my best friend."
"What do you mean, I'm right here?"
"For how long, I saw how you and Buffy are all close and touchy feely, it's only a matter of time till you go back to her and leave me and the rest of the gang."
"I'm not gonna leave you, Cordy, not ever, don't you know that by now? Do I have to go to another hell dimension to prove it to you? You are the most important person in the world to me and there is nothing in this world that could make me willingly leave you."
"You say that now, but you and Buffy…"
"Are friends."
"But…"
"But nothing, I don't know what you think you see between us, but that's in the past. Even if I wanted to there is no way that I could even stand a chance with her now."
"Why?"
"Don't tell her I told you this…"
"Oh this must be good."
"She's in love."
"With who?"
"Spike." Cordelia busted out laughing then her hand flew to her mouth to stifle the fit.
"Spike? The big bad? The one with the chip in his head? Bleach blonde Billy Idol wanna be Spike?"
"The one an only."
"That, that is just priceless. Thanks for cheering me up."
"I thought you'd get a kick out of that."
"How are you holding up with the news though?"
"I'm fine."
"Seriously Angel, I can tell when you lie. Look at me."
"No, honestly I'm happy for her."
"But…"
"No, but's I'm truly happy for her, she deserves all the best and if Spike can give it to her…"
"Well if she's in love with," She snickered then composed herself, "Spike, then why is she here and not in Sunnydale with him?"
"They had a misunderstanding, he thought she was using him, actually she thought the same thing."
"That he was using her?"
"No that she was using him, but one day she went to his crypt and he was gone."
"Oh no."
"She came to see if we'd heard from him."
"Have you?"
"Nope, but I told her some of his usual haunts and she's going to check them out tomorrow."
"Why not tonight."
"She thought it might be best to spend New Years with friends rather than all alone."
"Well then you know what, I propose."
"What?"
"I night of good old fashioned booze, popcorn and movies."
"Sounds like a plan."
"I'm just gonna change and check on Connor, how is the little guy?"
"Sleeping like a baby, which is good, because he is one."
"You are such a dork." The stared at each other for a moment until she grew a little impatient. "A dork who has to leave so I can change."
"Oh, yeah, sorry. I'll go start to popcorn."
"Good." She laughed and rolled her eyes as he left. "Dork." She muttered to herself. She grabbed an old sweat shirt and sweat pants of his from his bottom drawer, it was what she usually slept in when she stayed the night. She looked around the room and smiled as she noticed the pictures by the bed. There was one of the gang at Caritas smiling and laughing, Cordelia laying on Angel's lap sticking her tongue out. Another one was of the two of them holding Connor, She was gazing adoring up at Angel. Cordelia remembered that day, it was one of the happiest days of her life, she felt like she truly had a family for the first time. She put down the picture and changed quickly into the sweat suit.
She slowly crept into Connor's room and saw the baby awake squirming in the crib. She picked him up.
"Hey kiddo, how you doing? This is your first New Years, too bad you won't be able to stay up for midnight, so you know what, I'll give you your New Years kiss now." She kissed the baby's cheek and set him back down in his crib. She could've sworn that he smiled at her, she rubbed his chest softly. "Goodnight, Connor, I love you." She bent down and gave him another kiss and then left the baby's room.
**************************************************
*
Buffy and Angel sat on the couch and Buffy laughed as Angel tried to throw a piece of popcorn up in the air and try to catch it in his mouth only to have it end up on the couch.
"Ok, guys, movie time." Cordelia came downstairs waving a DVD.
"What did you pick out?" Angel asked warily
"Planet of the Apes."
"Not the new Tim Burton one." He groaned.
"Nope, the original."
"Really?" Angel looked giddy, and Buffy eyed him suspiciously. Giddy was not a word she thought she would ever associate with Angel.
"Ok, Cordelia, spill, what did you do with the REAL Angel?" Cordelia had to laugh.
"Hey, this boy loves his Charlton Heston."
"You know I've never seen Angel laugh and smile as much as he does now. What's your secret?"
"No secret, we just grew really comfortable with each other."
"Aw, Cordy don't be modest, she's rubbed off on me." He gave Cordelia a shoulder nudge and she looked down a little shyly then looked back up and smiled at Angel.
"Yeah, we've rubbed off on each other."
"I got the popcorn, just they way you like it."
"With pepper and salt with the low fat butter spray?"
"Yup." Cordelia squealed with delight and grabbed a handful.
"Oh, Angel this is heaven, you always make it perfect."
"I take it you two do movie nights a lot?"
"Only when I stay over and can't sleep."
"Or Connor can't sleep."
"Connor? Your son, right?"
"Yeah."
"Hey Buffy how long are you staying? Because I just left Connor and he was sleeping, which is rare so I don't want to disturb him, but I'm sure he'd love to meet you."
"Maybe some other time. Angel said I could crash here tonight, then first thing I'll probably go back to Sunnydale and see if…did he tell you." Cordelia nodded. "Oh."
"Did you not want me to tell her?"
"No, it's ok."
"Because there is not much I don't tell Cordy, in fact the last secret I kept from her blew up in my face, so I've learned my lesson."
"That's right." Buffy looked at Cordelia and Angel and how comfortable they seemed around each other.
"So Cordelia, what happened to your date?"
"Oh, turned out to be the nephew of this bitch that works for this demon law firm who we fight against, so I figured that he probably wasn't Mr. Right." Cordelia pushed play on the DVD player and snuggled into Angel's chest as he put his arm around her. Buffy moved over to the chair suddenly feeling like she was intruding. They watched the movie for an hour before they noticed the time.
"Angel, it's almost midnight, can we watch the ball drop, please?!" Cordelia pleaded giving him, again, her puppy dog face. He nodded and she turned off the DVD and turned the TV to the correct channel, just in time. They were counting down from one minute.
"Happy now?" Angel asked and was rewarded with a radiant smile from Cordelia.
"How do you do it?"
"Do what?"
"Manage to turn what should be the worst night of my life into something wonderful."
"It's a gift." She slapped his chest playfully and settled back into it. The doorbell rang, but Cordelia and Angel were too enthralled with the lowering ball and each other that they didn't hear it.
"I guess I'll get it" Buffy sighed as she went to the door.
10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1…
"Happy New Years Angel!" Cordelia threw her hands around his neck in a friendly embrace, but when they pulled back it was if they were drawn towards each other by some overwhelming force. She licked her lips and he lowered his face until their mouths met in a sweet, but passionate kiss. They slowly pulled apart and he put his forehead on hers.
"They say whoever you are with on New Years is the person you'll spend the rest of the year with."
"Yeah, I've heard that, you think there is any truth in it?"
"I sure hope so." He leaned in for another kiss.
"You think someone might want to tell them that little saying too." Angel turned away from Cordelia to where she what she was pointing at. Spike and Buffy were kissing each other hungrily oblivious to anything and everything. Angel and Cordelia laughed and when the laughter stopped their faces grew more serious as they leaned in for another kiss, this one more passionate then the last. He laid her down on the couch kissing her neck when a loud screaming cry came from Connor's room.
"I guess someone else want's his New Years kiss huh?" Angel laughed and Cordelia rolled her eyes.
"Like Father like Son."
End.