Title: Sweet Dreams
Author: Luckylyn
Posted: 09-08-2004
Email:
Rating: NC-17
Category: BTVS Years
Content: C/A, B/A
Summary: A gift which leads to revelations could also be a curse
Spoilers: Season 3 Buffy after Lover’s Walk
Disclaimer: The characters in the Angelverse were created by Joss Whedon & David Greenwalt. No infringement is intended, no profit is made.
Distribution:
Notes:
Feedback: Hell Yeah, I’m addicted
Thanks/Dedication:Part 5
Chase watched from a window in the kitchen as Angel and Cordy sat by the pool and talked. She wished she had Angel’s super hearing or at least the ability to read lips. She was more than a little annoyed that Angel had chosen to wake Cordy and sneak outside excluding Chase. She noticed Cordy get up from her seat and head back into the house. Chase quickly ran back in to the living and pretended to be asleep. After Cordy went upstairs to her bedroom, Chase went outside to confront Angel.
“Hello, Chase,” Angel said when she came to stand in front of him. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“I know,” Chase said not hiding her disappointment. “You woke Cordy and then the two of you snuck out here.”
“I needed to talk to her.”
“About?” Chase asked sitting beside him. “Something’s wrong, isn’t it?”
“Do you know about my dream?” Angel asked remembering that Liam knew Buffy’s dream. “The entire dream.”
Chase thought it over, “It’s Jenny, isn’t it? It’s hard for you to think of her let alone actually see her.”
Angel nodded, “There’s more. Buffy’s in the hospital because she’s no longer the slayer.”
“So you stopped here to take Cordy to the hospital?” Chase asked reaching to take Angel’s hand. “I’ll go with you.”
Angel shook his head and let go of her hand, “With everything going on it would be better if you stayed here.”
“You keep pushing me away,” Chase said. “You need me right now especially with everything going on.”
“I can’t...It’s not,”Angel struggled.
He was relieved when he saw Cordy emerge from the house.
Cordy joined them on the patio and Chase accused, “What did you do to me? One minute I’m awake and the next I’m unconscious.”
Cordy shrugged, “It was late. You just got tired.”
Chase glared at Cordy unable to let go of her suspicions. Cordy realized then that the Nyquil™ in the soda trick probably wouldn’t work twice. Chase would never trust her, and Cordy couldn’t trust Chase to behave.
“So you aren’t taking me to the hospital with you?” Chase asked.
“We’ll be back as soon as we can,” Angel said walking away with Cordy.
It bothered Chase that when Angel needed someone he turned to Cordy rather than herself.
***
Angel didn’t find Giles in the waiting room because he was up in Buffy’s hospital room. The doctors wouldn’t let all of them in at the same time so Xander and Willow were in the waiting room.
“Which one are you?” Xander asked Cordy.
“The Real Cordy,” she replied.
“We didn’t want to wake you in the middle of the night with the news,” Willow said surprised to see Cordy.
“That was nice of you Will, but Angel decided I didn’t need my beauty sleep,” Cordy replied.
“Where’s Giles?” Angel asked.
“They wouldn’t let us all in because we aren’t family,” Willow explained. “But Mrs. Summers told the doctor that Giles was Buffy’s uncle so they let him in.”
“You want me to wait here?” Cordy asked.
Angel shook his head and started heading towards the elevator. Cordy turned to Xander and Willow, “Since the doctors won’t let you in anyway. It might better if you headed to the library. The sooner we find the woman who did this the sooner Buffy can get better.”
Then she followed Angel into the elevator.
“Cordy’s right,” Xander said. “We need to figure this out.”
***
Cordy and Angel entered the hospital room to find Joyce asleep on a cot in the room. Giles and Liam sat beside Buffy’s bed.
“Any change?” Angel asked.
“It’s too soon,” Giles said getting out of his chair. “We should talk outside.”
They stood outside Buffy’s room as Giles asked, “Did you find any new information?”
“Not really, but I remembered more of my dream,” Angel began. “I dreamt Jenny was alive.”
Giles winced as if Angel had slapped him, “Where is she?”
“She isn’t really Jenny,” Angel explained.
“Where is she?” Giles repeated with steel in his voice.
Angel took borrowed a pen and paper from a nurse, drew a map and then handed it to Giles.
“I can take you,” Angel offered.
“That’s not necessary,” Giles said, leaving them in the hallway.
“Wait, Giles,” Cordy said catching him at the elevator. “Angel’s right. She isn’t Jenny.”
“I have to see,” Giles said as the elevator doors closed separating them.
Cordy went back into Buffy’s room and found Angel sitting next to Liam.
“I shouldn’t have told him,” Angel said.
“You had to,” Cody said. “Jenny could be an important part of this puzzle, Angel. If you withheld this from Giles, and he found out later it would be so much worse for both of you.”
“I’ve never seen her so fragile,” Angel said staring at Buffy.
“We’ll find a way to fix this,” Cordy promised placing a hand on his shoulder.
***
Later, when Angel pulled up in front of Cordy’s house, she didn’t immediately get out of the car. She and Angel just sat in silence for a while staring at the house.
“I thought we were going to the library,” Cordy said.
“I figured you’d want to stop home; check on things first,” Angel said.
“I guess I should feel lucky she hasn’t turned the place into a brothel while I was gone,” Cordy said. “Although who knows what’s going on in that house.”
“You aren’t a fan of Chase are you, Cordy?” Angel said.
“You’re not a fan of your twin either,” Cordy pointed out.
“Well, he just sits there and doesn’t talk until spoke to, withholds important information, ...” Angel said.
“And just blindly follows Buffy around. No wonder we couldn’t tell he wasn’t you when we first met him,” Cordy said.
“That mouth of yours is...” Angel began.
“It’s part of my charm,” Cordy said. “And you clearly like that about me.”
“Do you want to get breakfast?” Angel offered.
“I could eat something,” Cordy said. “What about you?”
“I don’t really eat,” Angel said.
“Well duh. Have you had any blood since this whole insanity started?” Cordy asked.
“No,” Angel realized.
“Let’s stop over at your place first and get some blood in you and then go out to eat,” Cordy said.
“That sounds good,” Angel said.
“Well, I didn’t want you to get hungry and start thinking I’m on the menu,” Cordy replied smiling at him.
Once they got to the mansion Angel noticed it was close to sunrise and suggested, “We don’t have to go out to eat. I could make you something.”
“You can cook?” Cordy asked surprised.
“I’m a really good cook,” Angel told her. “Then we can take the sewer route to the library.
“The sewer route, Angel?” Cordy said. “You really know how to impress a girl.”
They entered the mansion, and Angel instantly knew something was wrong. He was normally neat, but he’d left the mansion cluttered when he’d left to find Buffy. But now the house was neat in exactly the way he liked.
“What?” Cordy asked noticing something was wrong.
“Someone’s here,” Angel said. “Stay close.”
Together they walked up the steps, and Angel could hear a heartbeat. Then he detected a familiar scent. He stopped in his tracks.
“It’s Chase,” he said.
“Of course it is,” Cordy said walking ahead of Angel and entering his bedroom.
Chase was naked and lying down in the middle of Angel’s bed.
“How’d you get over here?” Cordy asked as she looked around for Chase’s clothes.
“I took our car,”
“Not our car . My car,” Cordy corrected. “I didn’t see it out front.”
“I parked in the back.,” Chase replied staring at the door. “Angel’s not coming inside?”
“No,” Cordy said.
“Well, I need his help,” Chase said, moving her hand to show she’d handcuffed her left hand to the bed.
“Where’s the key?” Cordy asked reaching for the handcuffs. “You know what. Forget the key. Just let yourself out, Chase. Angel won’t be coming in here anytime soon.”
Cordy was about to walk away when Chase grabbed Cordy’s right wrist and locked it in the other handcuff.
Chase smiled and said, “The cuffs were originally intended for Angel and me, but I don’t mind improvising.”
“Next time it’s arsenic in your soda,” Cordy promised.
Cordy threw a blanket over a still naked Chase and called, “Angel, I need a little help with Stalker Girl.”
Angel walked into the room to find Cordy sitting on the bed next to Chase who was proudly showing off their handcuffs. Angel walked towards the bed and gave the handcuffs a hard tug. It was a surprise to Cordy and Angel when the handcuffs remained intact.
“Those aren’t ordinary handcuffs,” Angel deducted.
“I put a spell on them,” Chase smiled seductively. “There’s only one way to get them to come off. Wanna guess what it is?”
Part 6
Several thoughts went through Angel’s mind as he tried and failed to break the handcuffs again. Chase had tapped into one of his fantasies involving Cordy, handcuffs, and his bed. He now had two Cordys handcuffed to his bed and what fun they could all have together keep popping up in his mind. But he had to push those thoughts out of his head although he wasn’t sure if he should be hoping for or dreading whatever Chase required to get the cuffs off.
Cordy glared at Chase, “What do we have to do to get the handcuffs off?”
Chase replied, “Figure it out.”
Then she looked at Angel and he got the uncomfortable feeling she knew the thoughts he was trying to suppress.
“We should call Willow. She might be able to free us,” Cordy said.
“Right,” Angel said, leaving the room to make the phone call.
“Willow isn’t going to be able to help,” Chase said. “I don’t see why you and Angel can’t just relax and enjoy the possibilities.”
“There are more important things going on than sex, Chase,” Cordy chastised.
“It’s not just sex,” Chase pointed out. “Or hadn’t you figured that out yet?”
“Just tell me how to get the handcuffs off?” Cordy replied instead asking what she really wanted to know.
Chase had all of Angel’s knowledge which meant she knew what Angel’s feelings were for Cordy.
Cordy couldn’t resist asking anymore, “What does he want from me?”
That’s when Angel re-entered the room, “Willow’s on her way. Chase, you could save us a lot of time by just telling us how to get the handcuffs off.”
Chase sighed, “The answer’s obvious. You’re just refusing to see it.”
“It isn’t what I’m thinking is it?” Cordy asked.
“It’ll be fun,” Chase promised and then looked at Angel. “Don’t pretend as if there isn’t a part of you that’s enjoying this.”
Cordy could see the struggle on Angel’s face. He was trying not to enjoy it, but she could tell he was more curious than angry with Chase.
“I can guess what part that is,” Cordy said sarcastically.
Angel’s eyes flashed at Cordy. The desire she saw there silenced her.
“What do I have to do to get the handcuffs off?” Angel asked.
“Cordy and I both need to be made really happy,” Chase said proudly. “Any ideas on how?”
Angel had plenty of ideas and so did Cordy. That was the problem.
“I’m going downstairs to wait for Willow,” Angel suggested.
“Good idea,” Cordy said.
Chase just burst out laughing, “You’re both going to have to give in sometime.”
“We don’t have time for games, Chase,” Angel said, getting angry. “Buffy’s in the hospital. We need to be finding a way out of this.”
Chase frowned, “Do you really want out? I would be gone. Your soul would no longer be anchored.”
“Your soul is anchored?” Cordy asked him.
“It was part of the dream,” Angel said.
“Why didn’t you tell anyone?” Cordy said, staring at him intently.
“I didn’t trust it,” Angel said.
“You dreamt you had a permanent soul and instead of running to Buffy you chose me,” Cordy realized. “I thought...”
“What?” Angel said.
Cordy had assumed the dream had only been about Angel’s attraction to her, but now she realized there was more.
“You guys do realize I’m still here and naked, right?” Chase interrupted., refusing to be ignored.
Angel ignored Chase and asked Cordy, “What did you think?”
“When you thought Chase up, you weren’t thinking about love but just sex,” Cordy said. “I thought that was why you hadn’t taken Chase up on what’s she’s been offering you.”
“I turned Chase down because she isn’t...”
“Buffy?” Cordy wondered.
“That wasn’t what I was going to say,” Angel said. “The problem isn’t that she isn’t Buffy; it’s that she isn’t you. It was never just about sex.”
Angel quickly left the room before Cordy could reply and suddenly her handcuffs opened while Chase remained attached.. Cordy leapt from the bed before Chase could grab her and handcuff her again.
“How?” Cordy asked her.
Tears gathered in Chase’s eyes as she replied, “He just made you happy.”
“I’m sorry,” Cordy replied not liking to see Chase hurt. Whatever Chase’s faults, she truly loved Angel. “Willow will be here soon to help you out of those cuffs.”
Chase made no reply as Cordy left the room to find Angel pacing in the living room as he waited for Willow. He was silently cursing himself for telling Cordy too much. He didn’t know how she felt about him and assumed his friendship was all she wanted. The last thing he wanted was for Cordy to be uncomfortable around him.
Angel looked up as she walked down the stairs, “Chase let you go?”
Cordy didn’t bother answering choosing instead to wrap her arms around his neck so she could kiss him the way she’d been wanting to since they first met.
***
The map Angel had given Giles took him directly to Jenny’s clearing. Giles tried to brace himself; keep in mind what Angel had said about her not being Jenny. But he knew he was kidding himself. If he had really listened to Angel, he wouldn’t be standing there; watching as Jenny walked towards him. She radiated power and calm.
“You’re beautiful,” Giles said when words finally occurred to him.
She smiled at him, “Thank you.”
Jenny held out her hand for him, “Come sit with me?”
Giles did not take her hand but sat beside her.
“You look exactly like her,” Giles said unable to stop looking at her.
Jenny gently caressed Giles’ cheek, “I am not what you were expecting.”
“No,” Giles agreed, getting up from his seat beside her. “You aren’t Jenny.”
He was suddenly angry, “Why would Angel do this?”
“Creating me was never intended to hurt you,” Jenny explained. “He never intended any of this.”
“Why you?” Giles ask. “Why dream of you?”
“Angel doesn’t believe he deserves happiness,” Jenny explained.
“After everything he’s done, why should he have happiness?” Giles said.
“Because who he was and who he is are two different things. He doesn’t see that,” Jenny said. “It weighs on him. Angel needed someone to give him the permission to be happy.”
“You gave him that permission?” Giles said.
“Yes,” she replied.
“Can you tell me about Jenny?” Giles said.
Jenny shook her head, “It would not be a kindness to tell you the exact details of her death. What you imagine is enough.”
Giles stared at her intently, “You know my thoughts.”
Jenny nodded, “It is part of my gift. I can tell you other things about Jenny. Like how her greatest regret was not being honest with you. Like how she loved you. Like how happy she was that in the end you were still opening your heart to her.”
“You’re only telling me what I want to hear,” Giles said.
“I never lie, Rupert,” Jenny replied. “I’m only telling you what you know in your heart but refuse to accept. You did not fail Jenny.”
“I have to go,” Giles said turning away from her.
“Will you be back?” she asked.
It wasn’t her question that made him turn back but the longing in her voice.
“What do you want from me?” Giles asked.
“Nothing you won’t give freely,” Jenny said. “You will not believe this, but I do love you.”
“You’re right I don’t believe it,” Giles said.
“I shouldn’t have said that,” Jenny said hugging herself. For the first time, she looked vulnerable. “It’s just that the longer I exist here the more my emotions develop and get the better of me. I’m not used to being alive.”
“You aren’t alive. You are a cruel joke from Angel’s mind,” Giles said backing away from her.
“Right now at this moment, I am just as alive as you are. I am Jenny as Angel thinks of me,” she said, regaining her pride. “Loving, kind, forgiving, and very much in love with you. ”
“I shouldn’t have come here,” Giles said, fighting the urge to stay with her; to pretend she was someone else. “I’m sorry.”
“Apologies are just words,” Jenny said.
“I know, but it’s all I have to give you,” Giles said.
I wish this wasn’t so painful,” Jenny said as Giles walked away from her.
“Me too,” Giles said, refusing to turn around.
Jenny stood there watching him until he was out of her sight.
Part 7
Angel deepened the kiss as he wrapped his arms around Cordy’s waist pulling her closer. She broke the kiss only to catch her breath. Angel slipped his hand under her shirt so he could feel her skin. Cordy smiled against his mouth as he caressed her back with his hand.
“I really needed to do that,” Cordy said.
“You just do whatever you have to do,” Angel said smiling with her.
He would have kissed her again but Willow entered the mansion. She stopped in her tracks when she saw Cordy in Angel’s arms.
“I thought Chase was chained upstairs,” Willow said, assuming she’d walked in on one of Chase’s seduction attempts.
“She is upstairs,” Cordy replied.
“Oh,” Willow said hugging her spell book close to her chest. “I’ll just run upstairs and do my witchy thing.”
She ran up the stairs.
“I think we just traumatized Willow,” Cordy said.
“Maybe we should just leave Chase stuck upstairs,” Angel suggested. “Keep her out of trouble.”
“Tempting, but I don’t think it’d be right. Chase is annoying but not evil,” Cordy said.
“She’s more persistent than annoying,” Angel corrected.
“I bet you like that,” Cordy said walking away towards the steps.
Angel followed behind, “Chase certainly has her moments.”
“Yeah well, not any more,” Cordy said. “You have to talk to her.”
“I’ve been talking to her,” Angel asked.
Cordy turned to him and asked, “Have you had the ‘it’s never going to happen’ talk, yet?”
“Not in so many words,” Angel replied.
“Talk to her,” Cordy said. “The longer you put it off the more hurt she’ll be. Unless maybe you think it will happen.”
Cordy paused in the hallway to study him, “She’s your fantasy, Angel. It’s not an easy thing to turn down.”
“The fantasy is you, Cordy,” Angel said pulling her towards him for a soft kiss.
Cordy couldn’t help responding, wrapping her arms around his neck, but they had to stop before they got carried away. Cordy reluctantly left Angel’s arms and entered his bedroom.
“We’ll continue this later,” she whispered so only Angel could hear.
Willow sat beside Chase on the bed as the looked through the spell book. She looked up when Angel and Cordy entered the room.
“Chase told me which spell she used,” Willow said frowning. “I’m not sure there’s a reversal spell.”
“That’s why I liked the spell so much,” Chase said annoyed with herself. Her brilliant plan to seduce Angel had backfired.
“Angel’s got a great library downstairs,” Cordy said. “We might find a spell book that would be helpful. We might even find something to shed light on the whole Buffy situation.”
Willow got up from the bed and followed Cordy out of the room. Angel would have joined them but Cordy playfully shoved him back mouthing the words ‘Talk to her.’ He reluctantly went back into his bedroom to confront Chase.
“I take it you didn’t stay behind because you want to join me,” Chase said gesturing to the empty place beside her on the bed.
“Chase,” Angel began and then hesitated.
“I get what you feel for Cordy,” Chase interrupted. “I have all your memories. But you have to feel for me what you feel for her. I am Cordy.”
“No, you’re not,” Angel said gently. “You’re like her, but you can’t be her. You’re what I created in my mind at that moment.”
“Isn’t that even better?” Chase said. “You created me. I’m exactly what you want.”
“I want Cordy,” Angel said with finality.
“I love you, Angel, more than anyone ever could,” Chase said stubbornly.
“I don’t want to keep hurting you. You have to let this go,” Angel said.
Chase’s eyes flashed, “Let this go!” she laughed bitterly. “You made me what I am. You can’t just take it back.”
Chase loved Angel because in the dream that’s what he wanted; to have Cordy in love with him. Chase simply didn’t know how to do or want to do anything else. It was his fault.
“I’m sorry,” Angel said and then remembered what Jenny had told him about apologizes. “If there was something I could do I would. Hurting you isn’t something I want.”
“There’s only one thing you can do, Angel,” Chase said looking at him intently. “But you won’t.”
“Chase, I don’t know what else I can say” Angel said. “We can’t go on like this. Especially with what’s happened to Buffy. That’s where our focus should be.”
“I don’t really want to hear it anymore,” Chase said. “Just leave me alone for a while.”
Angel respected her wishes and left her. Although he sympathized with Chase and felt guilt over the pain he caused her, Angel was also angry. Chase’s games were a distraction they couldn’t afford right now. And then Angel realized he was also grateful to Chase. Her interference got him to admit his feelings for Cordy which thankfully he now realized she returned.
Chase cursed herself because her efforts brought Angel and Cordy closer together and excluded her. Chase was willing to share Angel but not lose him completely. She refused to accept that there wasn’t a way to give Angel, Cordy, and herself everything they wanted. She had to think of something. Her whole existence was centered on Angel. Chase couldn’t comprehend anything else.
When Angel reached the bottom of the stairs he saw Willow looking over texts in his living room. He could identify Cordy’s heartbeat she was in the kitchen. He was tempted to just go to her, but he could tell Willow wanted to talk to him.
“So this you and Cordy kissing thing,” Willow began. “Is this new or..”
“It’s new,” Angel said.
“What does this mean about you and Buffy? She’s not going to be okay with this,” Willow said.
“I know,” Angel replied. “Buffy and I were over the moment she sent me to hell or maybe it was even over when I became Angelus.”
“It’s not over for Buffy,” Willow said. “I know she said it was, but it’ll never be just over.”
“I’ll always love her Willow, but everything’s different now,” Angel said.
“You moved on,” Willow said. “I never thought if you guys really broke things off that you would be the one to move on first.”
“Me either,” Angel said.
“You and Cordy together is going to take some getting used to,” Willow said.
“I know,” Angel said. “But that’s what you and the others will have to do. Get used to it.”
Cordy entered the living room with a trey of coffee mugs. She handed one mug to Willow, took one for herself and handed the last one to Angel. Angel looked at her with surprise when he realized she’d given him blood.
“The whole point of stopping here was to get breakfast,” Cordy said. “Speaking of which Willow and I are pretty hungry. You better get cracking in the kitchen.”
Angel smiled at Cordy, took a sip of his blood and frowned, “I think something’s wrong. It’s congealed or something.”
“It’s cinnamon,” Cordy said.
Willow and Angel both stared at her.
Cordy replied, “What? I can’t try things?”
Angel’s smile widened as he sipped his blood and headed towards to kitchen to make breakfast. Willow just stared at Cordy.
“Don’t worry, Willow, your mug only has coffee in it,” Cordy replied.
“Do you really care for Angel or is this just a rivalry thing between you and Buffy?” Willow had to know.
“Did you really care for Xander or was it a rivalry thing between you and me?” Cordy replied. “Payback for the bitchy things I’d done to you in the past. If Xander had been dating Buffy or some other girl you liked instead of me, would it have happened?” It was something she wondered about after she found Xander with Willow.
Willow really didn’t know how to answer Cordelia’s question. Willow didn’t even completely understand what had happened between her and Xander. It was like some temporary insanity took over and then it was over.
“I’m sorry. Hurting you wasn’t something I wanted,” Willow said.
“I don’t want to hurt Buffy either,” Cordy said. “They broke up. It’s not insane that one of them would start dating again.”
“But Angel?” Willow said. “He doesn’t really just date.”
“Well whatever it is Angel and I are doing it’s real,” Cordy said. “And instead of dissecting Angel and me we should be focusing on freeing Chase and saving Buffy.”
Willow nodded in agreement and began looking through Angel’s texts.
***
Giles drove aimlessly for a while thinking about the things Jenny had said to him. No matter what she felt for him she wasn’t his Jenny. No one could replace her. Beneath his calm exterior there was darkness in Giles. Ripper was a part of who he was and what he wanted to do was track down Angel and make him pay for all his past crimes and Giles’ current pain. To be in the presence of someone who looked like Jenny, sounded like her but could never be her was reopening to many wounds. The only thing that kept Giles steady was the thought that Buffy was dependent on him. He drove towards the library. He was surprised to find only Xander looking through texts.
“Where are the others? Is Buffy all right?” Giles asked.
“There was a problem over at Angel’s,” Xander explained. “Chase screwed up some spell and is stuck in Angel’s bedroom. They are all over there, trying to get her free. So where’d you run off to? Any leads on this woman Buffy and Angel saved?”
Giles shook his head, “There was someone I had to see.”
He sat with Xander a while looking over the texts when Willow called.
“It’s going to take longer than I thought to free Chase,” Willow said. “Angel said he and Cordy could just come over there while I stay here.”
“Maybe we should just move the research party to Angel’s,” Xander said. “Kill two birds with one stone and all.”
Giles nodded, “Willow might need help with the reversal spell for Chase.”
Giles and Xander divided the texts loading some in Giles’ car and some in Xander’s.
“I’ll meet you at the mansion,” Giles said. “There something I want to do first.”
***
Liam sat by Buffy’s beside waiting for her to wake up. Having been alive only one day emotions were relatively new to him. The first and strongest emotion he felt was his love for Buffy. That comforted him and gave him strength. Fear was a newer scarier emotion. Buffy lying in a coma filled him with a dread he didn’t know quite what to do with so he just sat there waiting. Because Buffy had to wake up and survive. He didn’t have anything if he didn’t have her.
He noticed Giles standing in the doorway watching him.
“Any change?” Giles asked reentering the room.
“No,” Liam said and returned his attention to Buffy.
The blanket that had been wrapped around Joyce as she slept on the cot had fallen to the floor. She hadn’t slept well. Giles bent down, picked up the blanket, and placed it over her. The movement woke her.
Startled she sat up and asked, “Buffy?”
“No change,” Giles said.
“Have there been any breakthroughs with the research?” Joyce asked.
“Not yet,” Giles said. “I’m going over to Angel’s mansion to look through more texts.”
“You don’t have to,” Liam said.
Giles and Joyce both turned to see Buffy open her eyes.
Part 8
Chase had finally made up her mind about what to do about Angel when Cordelia entered the bedroom carrying a tray with food.
“Buffy’s awake,” Cordy said setting the tray beside Chase on the bed. “Everyone went over to the hospital to see her.”
“You didn’t go?” Chase asked.
“We didn’t want to leave you by yourself since you’re stuck up here and everything,” Cordy said sitting next to the trey. “Besides I think we can agree that I’m not on the list of people Buffy’s hoping to see now that she’s awake. Anyway Angel was in the middle of making everyone breakfast when Giles called, so I snagged us some pancakes.”
Chase stared at the plates of food in front of her, “How do I know you haven’t slipped something in these?”
Cordy smiled, “You’ll just have to trust me.”
Chase stared at Cordy hard, “I’m not hungry.”
Cordy laughed, “Oh come on. I promise I didn’t put anything on your pancakes besides maple syrup.”
“Okay,” Chase said, grabbing a fork and taking a bite. “Hmm...”
“Angel’s pretty damn good in the kitchen considering his liquid diet,” Cordy said taking a bite from her plate of pancakes.
“Angel’s pretty damn good at a lot of things,” Chase said thinking of their one night together.
“Yeah, I kinda figured that,” Cordy said and then rolled her eyes. “You’re about to go on one of your patented sex with Angel monologs, aren’t you?”
“Are you nervous?” Chase asked suddenly changing the subject.
“About?” Cordy asked.
“About sex with Angel. He’s not an ordinary man you know. Are you sure you can satisfy him?” Chase asked.
“I know I can,” Cordy stated with a confidence she didn’t entirely have.
Angel was a vampire with centuries of experience while Cordy hadn’t even had sex yet. Xander would have been her first if he hadn’t turned out to be a cheating boyfriend. After that, Cordy had let go of the idea of waiting until she was in love. She was just waiting for the right moment instead of the right guy.
She hadn’t meet up with a guy who could really catch her interest until Angel. Cordy knew he’d be her first. She’d known that the moment she found out he had feelings for her. It was a bit scary cause she was beginning to think that Angel might actually be the right guy instead of just the guy who happened to be around in the right moment. Cordy realized that she and Angel had something deeper. She pushed that thought away. She wasn’t going to analyze. She was just going to enjoy being with him.
“Let me guess, Chase,” Cordy began. “You’ve decided that no woman can satisfy Angel except you.”
“He created me. I know him better than anyone else,” Chase said. “I know his deepest fantasies and darkest desirers. I am ready for whatever he may want. Can you say the same?”
Cordy shook away her insecurities determined not to let Chase manipulate her, “If you knew him half as well as you claim to you’d see that I am what Angel wants, and he has chosen me. So you’re not going to scare me out of Angel’s bed just to make room for you.”
“I never said you had to get out of his bed,” Chase said.
Cordy raised her eyebrow in reply.
“Wouldn’t you like a friend, Cordy? One who could tell you how to please him best,” Chase said. “Tell you all the things he wants but would be afraid to ask. He wouldn’t want to shock you.”
“So you’re out to trade secrets out of the kindness of your heart,” Cordy said. “Pfft. What are you up to?”
“I admit it. I’ve got selfish motives. I’ll do whatever I have to in order to stay with him,” Chase said, looking vulnerable for a moment. “Even sharing him with you.”
“As I said before, I don’t share,” Cordy said forcefully and then her tone softened. “I know you love him, and I know it’s not really your fault. You just need to accept what Angel wants.”
“We could share him, Cordy,” Chase said desperately and then her confidence returned. “We can make him so happy together. Deep down since this has happened it’s what he wants. The both of us in his bed preferably at the same time. But if you’re uncomfortable with that we could always alternate. ” And then Chase smiled. “ You see there’s nothing Angel could want that would make me say no. How could any man resist that?”
“You know you’re surprisingly repetitive and boring for a sex pot. Is there nothing more to you than this? Did you ever think that maybe what Angel wants isn’t a woman who can’t say no. He wants a woman who challenges him,” Cordy said tired of having the same argument with Chase.
“I am what Angel has made me,” Chase said, defiantly.
Suddenly realizing that Chase was impossible to reason with, Cordy got up from the bed and walked towards the door. “I’ll be right downstairs you need anything.”
“He’ll get bored with you eventually!” Chase yelled after Cordy left. “When you can’t give him what he wants, he’ll choose me in the end.”
Cordy tried to ignore Chase’s words as she walked away.
***
Buffy sat up in her hospital bed surrounded by her friends. Willow sat beside her on the bed while Joyce sat in a chair on her other side. Angel stood closer to the doorway beside Liam and Giles. Xander stood in front of her bed. Giles was in the middle of explaining the situation when she interrupted him.
“So I’m free,” Buffy said. “No slayage in my future. No more vamps and demons.”
“Unfortunately we still have vampires and demons, but no slayer,” Giles said feeling torn. He’d felt so strongly about Buffy’s duty and the lives that could be saved. But he knew that a normal life was something Buffy longed for. He was happy for her despite his concerns. “Your life is your own now.”
With that Buffy laughed and looked at Angel, “This is amazing.”
“Congratulations,” Angel said smiling at her.
“So what do you want to do first?” Xander asked.
“Bronze maybe,” Buffy said.
Willow shook her head, “We need to do something special to celebrate.”
“I’ll take you anywhere you want to go,” Liam promised.
“What Buffy needs to do is get some rest,” Joyce said. “The doctor hasn’t even released her yet.”
“You’re right,” Giles said looking at Joyce. “We should let Buffy have some rest.”
“I’ve done enough resting,” Buffy said attempting to get out of bed.
She lost her balance and would have hit the floor if Angel hadn’t caught her and helped her back into bed.
“You don’t heal as fast as you used to,” Angel said.
“I forgot that for a second,” Buffy said. “I guess that’s the price of being normal. No more speedy recovery time.”
Angel wanted to tell her then about his relationship with Cordy but he didn’t want to discuss it with a room full of people. He doubted he’d get a moment alone with her now. Besides he didn’t want to push things since Buffy was only recently awake. He’d have to wait until she was out of the hospital.
“Let’s leave Buffy to get some rest,” Giles said, ushering Xander and Willow out of the room. “I’ll be by if you need anything.”
“Thanks Giles,” Buffy said watching them leave.
“I’ll see you,” Angel promised as he headed towards the door.
“Yeah,” Buffy agreed surprised he was leaving with the others. “We should talk.”
Angel walked out the door quickly so he could catch up with Giles would let Xander and Willow go ahead in the elevator so he could stay behind to speak with Angel
“Did you see her?” Angel asked.
Giles nodded and replied, “She isn’t Jenny.”
Giles pushed away the image in his mind of that woman who looked too much like Jenny standing in the clearing telling him she loved him.
“I didn’t intend...”Angel began but Giles interrupted.
“She told me why you dreamt of her,” Giles said.
Angel sighed feeling a little relieved, “She probably explained it better than I ever could. She has that way about her.”
“Yes, she does,” Giles said and then added. “You should probably visit with her after sunset.”
“Is something wrong with her?” Angel asked concerned.
“She needs someone, and it can’t be me,” Giles said.
“I’ll take care of her,” Angel promised.
Giles nodded and left Angel alone in the hallway. Back in Buffy’s room Joyce moved to sit on her daughter’s bed.
Joyce looked expectantly at Liam, “You’ve been up all night. You should get some rest.”
“I don’t need rest,” Liam said.
“At least you should get something to eat,” Joyce said and looked at Buffy. “You hungry sweetheart?”
“Yeah but not for hospital food,” Buffy said.
“Maybe I could pick up some breakfast over at the diner across the street,” Joyce suggested but hesitated. Now that Buffy was awake Joyce was even more reluctant to leave her.
Stepping in to help Liam said, “I will go.”
“Thanks,” Joyce and Buffy said in unison.
When he left Joyce went to sit beside her daughter, “So tell me about this dream of yours.”
“It’s not just a dream anymore,” Buffy said with a smile. She was just a regular teenage girl now. She was going to enjoy it.
***
Angel returned to the mansion with Willow and they found Cordy still looking over the texts.
“How is she?” Cordy asked.
“She’s really good considering,” Angel said going to sitting beside her.
Cordy noted Angel’s smile and shared his relief at the improvement in Buffy’s condition.
“She’s about ready to jump out of that bed,” Willow said. “She’s so happy about being free now. Any luck finding a reversal spell for Chase’s handcuffs.”
“Maybe,” Cordy said handing her one of Angel’s text books.
Willow looked it over, “This could work.”
Willow turned and ran up the stairs. Angel noticed the distracted look in Cordy’s eyes.
“What’s wrong?” Angel asked.
His hand caressed her back with little circles.
“It’s just been a long couple of days,” Cordy said. “What are we going to do about Chase?”
“I talked to her,” Angel said.
“I know,” Cordy said leaning her head on Angel’s shoulder. “She won’t listen. I don’t think there’s anything we can say or do to make her understand.”
Wrapping his arm around her shoulder Angel demanded, “What did she say to you?”
“It doesn’t matter,” Cordy said looking into his eyes and then she kissed him softly on the mouth.
Cordy had made up her mind that Angel was worth fighting for no matter what Chase threw at her.
He kissed her back leaning her back so she rested against the couch, “If we were alone there are so many things I could do to you.”
He sounded dangerous and delicious and Cordy wished they had the house to themselves.
She smiled at Angel and kissed his neck, “Then I guess it’s a good thing we’re not alone. Cause you’re going to have to buy me at least dinner first.”
Cordy let her hands wander feeling his chest and his back.
“Dinner?” Angel said.
“Maybe some jewelry,” Cordy said pretending to think it over.
She let her hand wander to his behind where she gave him a little squeeze.
“A limo,” Cordy said thrusting her hips against his. “That would be...”
Angel interrupted her with a breathless kiss and then he quickly was off the couch and staring down at her, “Or I can just take you where I can have you to myself.”
Then he lifted her over his shoulder and walked down the stairs to his basement.
Cordy did her best to sound offended, “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised you’d try the caveman routine.”
Angel playfully smacked her on her behind, “It’s a classic that really works.”
“Figures you’d be into S & M,” Cordy said and suddenly wondered. “You are, aren’t you?”
Angel just chuckled and then he headed into the sewer.
“ Angel, this isn’t really impressing me,” Cordy said.
“You will be impressed soon enough,” Angel promised continuing to walk.
“Where are we going?” Cordy asked.
“Someplace where we can be alone,” Angel said. “Once Willow frees Chase it might be awhile before we get a moment alone together.”
“So we’re running away from home,” Cordy said.
“Pretty much,” Angel said.
“For how long?” Cordy asked enjoying the idea of just her Angel alone for a while.
“We’re here,” Angel said stopping in his tracks.
Continue on...