Title: Magik
Author: Ophelia
Posted: 06-21-2002
Rating:
Email:
Content:
Summary: Takes place mid season three, pre Connor/Darla
Spoilers:
Disclaimer: The characters in the Angelverse were created by Joss Whedon & David Greenwalt. No infringement is intended, no profit is made.
Distribution:
Notes: Most of you read this one the first time around, I imagine, but I had a few requests for it, so I decided to revamp it a little (and we are talking a very little here) and repost for those that did miss it the first time around.
"Angel, knock it off."
"Cordy, if you would just listen to me for a second."
Slamming her book down, Cordelia got up and walked around Angel, who was perched on the edge of her desk.
"I said NO, so just leave it alone!"
Taking on his patented pouting look, Angel followed her to the lobby, "Cordy, come on, you haven't been back since graduation, don't you think it could be fun to visit your old stomping grounds?"
Cordelia turned around to look at him and tried to bite back the smile that threatened when she saw the look on his face, "Oh, just wipe the damn puppy dog look off your face Angel cause it's not gonna work. I don't care what you say, I'm staying here!"
Angel shrugged as he turned around nonchalantly, "Ok, well, I guess Wes and I will just have to meet up with Buffy on our own. You probably couldn't help us anyway. Best you stay here out of harm's way."
Cordelia rolled her eyes as she looked at his retreating back and spoke in the voice she hadn't used since her dramatic interpretation of Buffy and Angel's romance, "Oh, please, please can I come?? Let me prove that I am worthy to fight along side you. You have called my abilities into question, and now I MUST come."
Angel watched her performance with a smirk and threw his hands up in surrender, "Ok, ok. But we are leaving tonight after sundown. I asked Gunn to stay here with Fred, but since you will be here, I guess it would be better for you to do that. I think she's planning to cook tacos, but that's just a guess. You wanna tell her that you'll be joining the party, or shall I?"
Cordelia glared at him before stomping towards the door "You suck, you know that."
Angel smiled and hollered at her as she left, "We leave at 7!! Pack Light!"
***********
"Awwww, bloody hell, NO!"
"Spike, we need their help. Willow said that the prophecy predicts that two vampires will overcome the beast. Unless you can come up with another trustworthy vampire who wants to be helpful, we need Angel!"
Spike looked at the naked young woman in his bed as he threw on his pants, "Oh, you just get off on this, don't ya sweets? Both your vampire boy-toys are gonna come running at your beck and call. You do realize he's going to smell me all over you, don't ya pet?"
Tossing her hair in disgust, Buffy got out of the bed and began to throw her clothes on violently. Laughing as he lit his cigarette, Spike merely watched her for awhile before feeling the need to comment, "Watch it, slayer. You're gonna rip those pants if you aren't careful. Oh, nevermind. I already did that for ya last night, now didn't I?"
Buffy pulled her coat on as she stormed towards the door, "Go to hell, Spike."
"Aren't you forgetting to tell me something, love?"
Buffy paused without looking back. "They should be here in a few hours. We' re meeting up at my house at midnight. Be there."
Running a hand over his head to smooth down his hair, Spike shook his head as he watched her leave. Muttering to himself, he smiled ironically, "As you wish, buttercup, as you wish."
***********
Cordelia tried to stamp down the nerves that were threatening to upset her stomach as she looked at the Summer's home. She looked over at Wesley, who seemed almost as nervous as her, and they shared a tremulous smile behind Angel's back. Oddly enough, he seemed neither nervous nor hesitant as he jogged up her front steps to ring the bell. Angel was still waiting patiently for someone to come to the door when Cordelia suddenly felt a presence behind her. Jumping when she noticed the bleach blonde head, she instinctually pulled out a stake.
"Relax, cheerleader. I'm just waitin' on the slayer like everyone else."
Cordelia shrugged apologetically as she looked at Spike, "Sorry, I guess. Old habits die hard, especially the violent ones."
Spike looked her up and down appreciatively before meeting her eyes with a grin, "Don't give it another thought, love. I always appreciate a violent tendency here or there."
She couldn't help but grin back at him. Suddenly she heard a throat being cleared, and turning abruptly to look at Wesley. Cordelia noticed that he, Angel, and Buffy were all standing on the front porch watching she and Spike with odd looks.
Chuckling at the silent trio facing them, Spike shook his head and waltzed past Buffy into her living room. Everyone else followed him without a word, and soon they were sitting awkwardly in the front room. It was a few minutes before Buffy cleared her throat and spoke, "I didn't realize you were bringing Wes and Cordy, Angel. It's good to see you guys."
Cordelia merely smiled as Wes responded hesitantly, "Yes. It's lovely to be here, to be back, that is." Cordelia would have responded more but she was distracted by the odd looks Angel was shooting Buffy and Spike, as is her were trying to figure something out. When she looked at Spike, she noticed that he was smirking at Angel while trying not to look at Buffy at all. And Buffy? Well, she seemed entirely too intent on making conversation with Wesley.
Her eyes widened and she bit back a smirk as she realized what Angel had to be smelling. Looking over at Spike with new respect, she caught his eye and couldn't resist winking at him. Spike caught the wink and raised his eyebrows in surprise before he caught the message she was sending. And for some reason, he found it oddly comforting. Neither of them saw that Angel noticed their second little exchange of the evening, nor did they see the scowl deepen on his face.
Angel stood abruptly, "So, we gonna go fight this thing, or what?"
Looking at her watch, Buffy nodded quickly. "It's a little early, but I think we could head to the crypt. Its not supposed to rise for a few hours, but you know what they say about being early!"
Adjusting his glasses on his face, Wesley looked at her in amused interest, "No, what do they say?"
Throwing some weapons into her coat pockets, Buffy paused for a moment to look around at the expectant faces now looking at her. "Well, I'm pretty sure it involves a bird and something about a worm! The moral being, you know, that being early it's, well, it's...important for worm-catching?" she finished weakly.
Wes smiled as he headed for the door, Cordelia trailing behind him, "Quite right, Buffy. So shall we go, then?"
***********
Willow sat in her bedroom, magic materials spread out over her bedspread. She had begun to think that Buffy would never leave to go fight, and there was a limited amount of time this spell would work under the new moon.
"This is going to work. I'll do this, and it will bring Tara back to me, and then I won't need any more magic."
She began to murmur in some ancient language as she spread the herbs in front of her.
***********
The bedraggled crew walked back up the walk to Buffy's house as dawn approached.
Attempting to smooth down her hair, Cordelia sighed, "Well, let me be the first to say that that was just ICKY. I hope you've got lots of hot water, Buffy, cause I'm gonna be living in your shower."
Buffy had just reached the porch when she felt Angel's hand on her arm. "Can we talk for a minute?" Seeing the questions in his eyes, she nodded and led him over to the porch swing. Cordelia noticed their actions and tried to ignore the twinge it caused in her heart. Noticing that their conference had not escaped Spike's eyes either, she looped her arm through his companionably as they walked through the door.
Wes had just followed them through the door when he bumped into them as they stood frozen a few feet from the stairs. Cordelia looked at both of them oddly, "Did you feel that?"
Wesley shook his head no as Spike dazedly nodded. Looking between them, Wes cocked his head, "What did you feel?"
Staring into Spike's eyes, Cordelia ran her hand lightly over her body as she dazedly answered, "Its like an electrical current running through my body. It's..it's.."
Gazing back at Cordelia with a leer, Spike finished her sentence, "It's bloody amazing."
***********
Buffy sat uncomfortably on the swing as Angel looked at her quietly. "So, you and Spike?"
"Angel, I.."
Putting a hand up to silence her, he looked into her eyes as if trying to read something in them, "Are you ok? Has he hurt you?"
Crossing her arms, Buffy looked at her feet as she answered, "He hadn't done anything to me that I didn't want him to. I don't know what we're doing, but Angel." and looking up, she met his eyes urgently, "Nobody knows. Please don 't tell. I, I just want to keep this to myself for now."
Angel reached over to grab her hand before he spoke again, "Buffy, you are a big girl and I trust that you can take care of yourself. I won't presume to know what's best for your personal life, but just be careful, ok? He may have a chip but he's still dangerous."
Squeezing his hand, she looked at him while sniffing back a few tears, "When did you get so mature and rational about my sex life?"
Angel grimaced as he stood and pulled her up. "Who knows." Kissing her cheek, he let go of her hand, "Just be careful, OK? And for the record? I may be the Mr. Rational about this, but that doesn't mean I want to hear all about it."
Buffy chuckled as she smacked him companionably on the stomach, "Gotcha."
They walked through the door and the first thing Angel noticed was an extremely nervous looking Wesley, but he dismissed it because, frankly, it wasn't that unusual of a sight. Walking past him into the living room, he began to talk loudly so Cordelia would hear him coming, "I hope you leave some hot water, cause all I wanna do is take a hot shower, get some sleep and head back to LA tonight."
He and Buffy froze in the entryway, however, when they saw what was happening on her couch. Cordelia sat nestled on Spike's lap. While Spike nuzzled her neck, Cordelia looked at Angel with an unmistakably pouty face. "I'm not going back to LA unless Spike comes too!"
Buffy launched herself at the couch to pull Cordelia violently off of Spike, "Cordelia! What are you doing? Get your ass away from him!"
Shoving her aside, Spike rushed to Cordelia's side, "Are you alright, love? Did she hurt you?"
Angel suddenly felt nauseous as he watched Cordelia smile back at Spike and caress his cheek, "I'm fine sweetie." And then her smile faded as she turned back to the men who were staring at her from the other side of the room, "Guys, you may as well know, Spike and I are in love. I can't live without him. Either he goes or I stay, but nothing is going to come between us ever again."
Buffy blinked at Spike with baffled eyes, "Spike?"
Kissing Cordy's temple, Spike looked at her like she was the only woman on the planet, "I never knew love before I saw this face" Smiling radiantly at him, Cordelia leaned in to lift her lips to his.
Angel watched Cordelia kiss Spike slowly and wondered briefly if he had been paralyzed because he couldn't seem to move his legs. Seeing Spike's hand slide though her hair, however, prompted him into action. Vamping out, he stalked over to them, pulling Cordelia away with a growl. "You don't touch her, EVER. You got that?"
When Spike vamped and growled in return, Buffy stepped between the two snarling vampires. "Ok, STOP. What is going on here?"
Grabbing Cordelia's arm roughly, Angel let his face return to normal and pulled her towards the kitchen. "We are going to talk, that's what is going on."
Spike continued to growl as he pushed against Buffy, "Get your hands off her you soddin Poof!"
Cordelia turned and looked at Spike as she was led out of the room, "It's ok, sweetie. Angel and I just have to talk. I'll be right back. I'll miss you!"
Blowing a kiss towards her retreating back, Spike called after her, "Not as much as I'll miss you, luv!"
The last thing Angel saw before he swung through the kitchen door was Buffy giving Spike a nasty right hook while Wes merely watched, muttering "Oh, Dear."
Turning around once they were alone, his eyes met the patient and somewhat patronizing gaze of Cordelia. Lowering his voice to a whisper, he pulled her close as he spoke, "Alright, Cordy, what happened? Did you have some kind of vision or something?"
She blinked a few times in confusion before smiling gently and patting his cheek. "No, no more visions. But that was sweet of you to ask."
Pulling back, Angel narrowed his eyes at her as he crossed his arms, "Then what's with the sudden tonsil hockey with the soulless demon out there?" The words were barely out of his mouth before he felt a small explosion over the bridge of his nose. Hunched over, he felt to make sure he still had a face while kicking himself for ever starting Cordelia's training. Standing up straight, he saw that she was now quietly furious.
"Don't you ever talk like that about him! You don't know him, not like I do."
Angel jerked a frustrated hand through his hair before shaking her shoulders, "What are you talking about? You don't know anything about him!"
"Hey! Get your soddin hands off my woman!"
Angel turned and saw a bloody-lipped Spike standing in the doorway. Unfortunately, Cordelia saw the same thing, and wasted no time in hurrying over to her injured lover.
"Oh, Spike. What happened to you? You're bleeding." Angel watched open-mouthed as she continued to coo soft nothings in his ear while pulling him over to the sink. "Let's get you bandaged up, baby."
Wesley and Buffy had followed Spike into the kitchen and taken up positions next to Angel, so the silent trio watched Cordelia fuss over Spike. Attempting to smooth her hair back in place, Buffy glared at Cordelia's ministrations. "What are you doing that for?"
Nodding, Angel lowered his voice as he rolled his eyes, "He's a vampire, Cordelia. He'll heal on his own. He doesn't need you to hover over his every wound to kiss it and make it all better!"
Wesley chose that moment to finally speak up, "Well, that never really stopped you Angel."
Shrugging when Angel shot him a threatening look, Wesley decided to go the safe route and clean his glasses. Unlike the horrified pair next to him, he was more amused than anything at the scene before him. Spike and Cordelia were clearly being affected by a love spell of some sort, and he wagered that if the two people beside him weren't so irrational when it came to their emotions, they would have realized that as well.
Having dabbed the blood away, Cordelia placed a few soft kisses on the wound before glancing at the window in alarm. "Spike, baby, we need to get you out of here. The sun's coming up, and I don't want you getting too much of a tan."
Spike smiled as he grabbed her waist to pull her close to him as he buried his face in her hair, "Sweets, that's the loveliest thing anyone has ever said to me. But I don't want to be anywhere you aren't." And his eyes took on a leer as a new thought occurred to him, "Maybe we should go take shelter in one of the bedrooms."
Reaching her arms around his waist, Cordelia smiled lasciviously as she put her hands on his hips. "Sounds like a plan to me."
"All right, that does it!" Angel started towards the groping pair, but was pulled back by both Buffy and Wesley.
Seeing the potential for violence growing every minute, Wesley decided to state what should have been painfully obvious. "Look, they are clearly under the influence of a spell of some sort. Buffy, do you know anyone who might be capable of this sort of thing? Who would want to cast a love spell near or on your home?"
Buffy tore her eyes away from Spike long enough to look at Wes with dawning understanding, "Willow. Damn it, Willow must have been trying to bring Tara back. Come on, we'll check her room."
"That's what I'm saying! To the bedrooms we go!" Spike said as he walked behind Cordelia, hands on her hips as he took in the rear view. Angel growled as he walked behind them, and Wesley brought up the rear with an exasperated sigh.
They were half way up the stairs when Cordelia suddenly emitted a high pitched squeal, "Spiiike!" Looking up abruptly, Angel saw red when he noticed where the blonde vampire's hand had strayed. Without a word, he shoved Spike down the stairs and picked Cordelia up and put her over his shoulder.
Spike and Cordelia both gave shouts of outrage that Buffy quickly silenced, "The two of you need to shut up now. I have a teenage sister asleep up here and I don't really want her subjected to this porn show."
They heard a sleepy laugh when they reached the landing, "A little late for that."
Spike's eyes lit up when he saw Dawn standing in the hallway in her nightshirt. "Nibblet! Have you met the love of my life, Cordelia?" Looking around, he noticed that Angel and Cordelia seemed to be missing, "Hey! Where 'd Peaches take my girl?" He cocked his head, "You know, he and I are gonna have words if he's not careful."
Doing what came naturally, Buffy tried to ignore Spike when she turned to address her sister. "Dawn, Willow's casting spells again, it isn't safe out here. Go back to bed."
Tossing her hair over her shoulder, Dawn rolled her eyes, "Yeah, cause that' ll keep me safe. Besides, I wanna see Cordelia! She pays more attention to Spike than you, huh? Stole him right out from under you?"
Softly shoving her smirking sister back into her bedroom, Buffy glared at her as she slammed the door in her face, "Shut-up and stay put."
"Spike, Wesley, go to my room. I imagine that's where Angel took Cordelia. I 'll go see if Willow's still here."
***********
Walking into Buffy's room Wesley covered his ears when Cordelia broke out with another yell, "Spike! Where have you been?" Shoving away from where she sat next to Angel on the bed, Cordelia launched herself at him as if they had been apart for months.
'Oh, baby come here." Spike sighed as he brought her roughly to his lips.
Wes laid a hand on Angel's arm as he stood in between him and the groping lovers. "Angel, it's a spell. We'll find a way to end it and we'll make sure they don't do anything Cordelia will have to regret."
"Regret? Regret!" Gesturing wildly over Spike's shoulder, Angel lowered his voice to a harsh whisper, "You don't think she's going to regret having had that idiot's tongue down her throat, not to mention his hands all over her?"
Wesley looked at the duo, who were lost to everyone but themselves before turning back to Angel, "Honestly? I don't think she's going to be as upset as you apparently are. And by the way, don't think we aren't going to talk about THAT later."
Angel, however, couldn't seem to pull his eyes away from Spike and Cordelia' s embrace. It was like a car wreck he just couldn't look away from.
"Angel, just stop watching, you are only making it worse."
"Wes, would you just do something! Anything!" Turning desperately to look him in the eye, Angel began to plead, "Just make them stop, please."
***********
Buffy entered Willow's room without knocking and found her passed out on the bed. The smell of the herbs spread throughout the room threatened to overwhelm Buffy's system. Grabbing the glass of water from the nightstand, she tossed it into Willow's face.
"Willow, wake up."
It seemed to take a great amount of effort for Willow to crack her eyes open, and she sat up holding her head like she was afraid it would fall off. "Buf.Buffy? What happened?"
'You went magic happy, that's what happened. I don't know what kind of love mojo you were trying to subject Tara to, but you've got Spike and Cordelia trying to get groiny. You have to do something about it, and NOW!"
Flinching at the loudness of Buffy's voice, Willow looked at her irate best friend. "I'm sorry. I don't know what happened. I must have lost focus during the chanting and misdirected it. I..I can fix it. I swear I can, just give me a chance!"
"Yeah, you better hope you can. Come on, they're in my room."
***********
Looking into the hallway, Wes sighed when he saw no sign of Buffy or Willow. Adjusting his glasses on his face, he pondered his options. Struck with an idea he walked softly over to the groping pair and tapped Cordelia on the shoulder.
"Cordy, may I ask if you've set a date?"
Pulling her lips away from Spike's, Cordelia turned to look at Wes with hazy eyes. As Spike began to nuzzle her neck, she narrowed her eyes at her coworker, "What do you mean, set a date? A date for what?"
Waving his hands dismissively, Wes shook his hands in the air, "Oh, forgive me, I just assumed. Never mind."
"You assumed what?"
Wesley crossed his arms and tried not to smirk, "Well, I just assumed that Spike had proposed. I mean I just figured that you two planned to be together forever. But really, it's my mistake. Just forget I said anything."
Cordelia pushed Spike away from her and began to look at him with an appraising eye, "Spike. Are you just using me? Is this just temporary?"
"Pet, why would you think that?"
Putting her bottom lip out, she looked at him with lowered lips, "Well, like Wes said, you haven't proposed"
Wes smiled over at Angel who looked slightly pleased that not quite so much touching was going on. But a frown suddenly took over Angel's features once again, and when Wes turned back around he threw his hands up in surrender. "Of for the love of pete!"
Spike was now in front of Cordelia on one knee "No. Its for the love of Cordelia, watcher-boy. And I never would have thought of it if it hadn't been for you!" Grabbing her hand and bringing it to her lips, he continued, "Sweet, you're right, we need a commitment. Marry me!"
Buffy chose just that moment to drag Willow in, and the fury on her face was matched only by the confusion on Willow's.
She slowly made her way over to them, however, and sprinkled some herbs over the heads of the otherwise occupied Spike and Cordelia. Soft chanting began under her breath. As a strange glow built up, she waved her hands towards them, "Undo!"
Angel and Buffy watched from the bed as Cordelia and Spike suddenly froze and pulled away slightly to look at each other.
Wiping a hand over her mouth to wipe the moisture off, Cordelia looked around the room before returning her gaze to Spike who was scratching his head.
"Uhm.."
Angel got up quickly and put a protective arm around her, "It's ok, Cor. You were under a spell. Do you remember anything?"
Walking over to situation himself on the top of Buffy's desk, Spike let out a laugh, "You bet your knickers she remembers somethin'. I ain't so easy to forget, just ask Bu.anyone. They'll tell ya!"
Cordelia rolled her eyes but couldn't help grinning back at Spike as she patted Angel's arm reassuringly, "Angel, I'm fine. And I do remember what happened. It was so strange, we walked through the door and this amazing current just started running through my body."
"Heh. I should say it did!"
"Spike!" Every voice in the room rang out in unison.
Willow finally spoke up, "Guys.I'm really sorry. I didn't mean."
"Red, should have known it was you! You really gotta lay off the Sabrina routine. It's getting a little old."
Willow's hands began to flit about nervously, "Everything should be ok now, I mean, there shouldn't be an after effects or anything. I think I took care of it."
Cordelia shot Willow a dirty look and interrupted her rambling, "Well, that certainly makes me feel better cause, you know, you seem to be SO on top of this magic thing. Not like you ever accidentally put spells on the wrong peop..oh, wait, you do."
Willow's eyes flashed momentarily under Cordelia's criticism, but when she looked at Buffy's irate face, she resumed her submissive stance. "Maybe I should go back to my room."
Going and standing by the door, Buffy gestured to the hallway, "I think that would be best for now. We're gonna talk later though, Will. This isn't the end of this."
Willow merely nodded as she scurried out, leaving a room of suddenly awkward people. Cordelia broke the silence, "So. Angel, we can't take off till tonight, so why don't you crash for now. And if its ok with you, Buffy, I'm gonna head for the shower."
Buffy nodded at Cordelia as she watched Angel with narrow eyes. He hadn't taken his eyes off of the other girl, and he seemed to be fighting the urge to say something. When she grabbed a bag off the floor and headed for the door, he jumped towards her, "Cordy."
Throwing her bag over her shoulder, she turned to look at him, "Did you need something else?"
Looking around at the other people who crowded the room, Angel appeared to rethink whatever he had been about to say. "Uh, no. Just, uhm, leave me some hot water!"
Cordelia gave him a small grin as she shook her head at his odd behavior, "Alrighty then! Will do big guy!" With one last glance she headed down the hall.
Spike had watched the interaction with exasperation, but now seeing who he was stuck with, he got up abruptly, "Right then. Well, that about does it for me, I'm out of here kiddies."
Buffy tried to look at him sternly, "Spike, don't be an idiot. Where are you gonna go? The sun's up."
"You offering me something, pet?"
"Wha.what? NO! I mean, you can go hang out in the basement or something."
Grabbing the blanket off the bottom of her bed he gave her the penetrating gaze she had come to fear, "Right. Not gonna happen, love, so give it up. I told ya, I got my rocks back. Peaches, Watcher, what can I say but thanks for bringing that hot little number to town with ya. Don't let the hellmouth hit you on you ass on the way out of town."
Seeing the stony looks on both Angel and Buffy's faces, Wes decided to follow Spike out of the room. "Right. I'll just be downstairs, then."
Buffy watched them both leave, and Angel became the focus of her anger for the sole reason that he was left in the room with her. "So, you wanna tell me what the hell is going on??"
Angel looked up with surprise, "What do you mean?"
"I'm talking about the fact that you can maturely handle the fact that I am BONING Spike, but you go ballistic at the sight of Cordelia patching up his wounds!"
"I don't know what you're talking about, but she was doing a hell of a lot more than patching up his wounds!"
"Whatever. I just want to know what is going on with you two, cause Mr. Maturity sure disappeared real quick when you couldn't pry her away from Spike!"
"Buffy, lower your voice. That is unless you want everyone knowing why you care so much about this."
"I don't care about this! I don't want anything to do with Spike."
Angel's face reflected his skepticism, "Clearly."
"Oh, shut-up, Angel. This is about you and Cordy and what you are trying to hide."
"I'm not trying to hide anything."
"Evidently not because you certainly aren't doing a very good job of it." Finally softening her voice, Buffy moved to sit next to him on the bed. "Angel, I know that look in your eye." When he merely looked down at her bedspread, she sighed and continued, "She doesn't know, does she?"
Running a hand through his hair, he finally brought his eyes up to meet hers. "I'm not sure what there is for her to know."
Buffy reached over to cup his cheek, "Angel, that's crap and you know it."
Reaching his hand up to cover her small hand that rested on his cheek, he looked into her eyes almost guiltily, "I don't even know when it happened. She just kind of snuck into my heart." Even though his words were painful, Buffy couldn't help but give him a tender smile.
"Hey, Buffy, do you have any shampoo I can. Oh, crap. Uhm, I'm sorry..I didn 't.I mean."
Angel and Buffy both jumped away from each other to look at the stuttering Cordelia standing in the doorway in little more than a towel.
Angel stood up abruptly and began to speak without thinking, "This isn't what it looks like, Cordy." But when he met her eyes, he felt a shudder at the sudden emptiness in them.
"Angel, you don't have to explain anything to me. It's clearly none of my business what you do with your love life." Her eyes became a little too shiny as she turned to look at Buffy, "So, the shampoo?"
Clearing her throat, Buffy responded, "I think Dawn has a new bottle in the cabinet under the sink. You, uhm, you might look there."
"Great thanks." Her voice was filled with a forced cheerfulness. " You may now resume your positions." Turning, she walked back down the hall without a backward glance.
Wesley sat in the back of the convertible watching the silent game going on in the front seat. From what he could tell, the rules were simple. It was Cordelia's job to sit in stubborn silence, armed crossed, eyes out the window while Angel stared at her desperately out of the corner of his eye. Every few minutes, when Angel's eyes were safely on the road, her eyes would sneak towards him only to turn away just as quickly when her stare drew his attention. Apparently, talking was forbidden.
They had been traveling in unearthly silence for nearly an hour when Wes decided he couldn't take it anymore. "So, Cordelia, was your trip home everything you thought it would be? Ahem, aside from the Spike incident, of course."
Cordelia didn't turn to look back at him as she responded, "Of course, and Sunnydale isn't home. It never was." Seeing Angel trying to catch her eye, she turned and looked out the window, "And yes, I must say it was everything I thought it would be. Quite predictable, as a matter of fact."
"Predictable, really? In what way?"
Letting out a harsh laugh, Cordelia glanced back at Wesley before turning her eyes to the road, "Well, let's just say that some things never change."
His eyes suddenly shifting to the driver, Wes studied Angel. Was that a growl he had just heard? As if an answer to his question, Angel began to speak in a frustrated voice.
"Everything changes, Cordy. Everything HAS changed."
Posted by ophelia on 06-21-2002 02:43 PM:
Turning her head his way for the first time, Cordelia looked at Angel like he had grown a second head, "Clearly. I mean, let's look at the evidence, shall we? Precious Buffy gets in trouble and calls Angel? Check. I get dragged into the middle of it? Check. I get manipulated by some evil force and end up kissing a weirdo? Check. Nothing much happens to Buffy? Check. I go off to take care of myself while Buffy gets a little bedroom comfort?? Check! Check!!" Her gaze returning to the road, she spoke in a softer voice, "Did I miss anything?"
But they were all forced to grip their seats when Angel slammed on the breaks and pulled to the side of the road. Turning in his seat furiously, he forced Cordelia to look at him. "Yes, you did. You missed EVERYTHING Cordy."
Yanking her arm away, she looked at him as she let out an exasperated sigh, "What are you talking about?"
Placing a hand on the seat in front of him as he stuck his head in the front seat, Wesley cleared his throat, "Uhm, perhaps this is a conversation that would be best had without my.." But he was interrupted by simultaneous glares from his fellow passengers. "Nevermind, I'll just be back here should you need anything."
Angel ran a frustrated hand through his hair as he looked at the glare on Cordelia's face. "You didn't see what you thought you saw, Cordelia."
Turning sideways in her seat, she tucked her legs up under her a she uncrossed her arms to point at Angel, "Oh, no you don't mister. Don't you dare tell me what I saw. I know what I saw and I know what was going on."
Angel's voice began to get louder as his frustration grew, "No you DON'T know what was going on. I know what you saw but it wasn't what you thought it was, and I understand why you think what you do, but it wasn't what it used to be, and if you had stayed, you would have seen that what you saw was..was." Angel's voice faded as he got lost in his own tangle of rhetoric. He frowned until a soft voice floated up from the back seat.
".was not what you thought you saw?" Wes offered, but he shrunk down in the seat as a loud "Shut-up Wesley!" erupted from Angel and Cordelia at the same time. "Just trying to help," he muttered to himself.
Facing Cordelia again, Angel lowered his voice, "Look, Buffy and I were just talking. There was nothing else going on, alright?"
Her expression softening a bit, she crossed her arms again, "Well, then, what were you talking about? She get some new hand moisturizer your cheek just HAD to feel?"
Angel looked out the windshield as he answered her, "Cordelia, what we were talking about isn't.." but his answer was interrupted by a tapping on his window.
When a bright light suddenly filled the car, Cordelia jumped and shrieked. Grabbing Angel's arm, she began to whisper furiously, "Angel, what is it? Can you tell? Is it a demon?"
Rolling down the window, Angel shook his head, "No, it's worse."
When the light lowered, Cordelia finally saw the state trooper that stood peering into the car curiously. "You folks having a problem?"
Plastering on a dorky smile, Angel shook his head again, "No sir! No problem here. Just taking a little driving break."
Eyeing Angel's forced smile, the trooper looked past him to Cordy and then to Wes, "Uh, huh. Well, can I see your license and registration please?"
Patting his pocket, Angel tried to look surprised, "Oh damn. You know what? I forgot my wallet, and.."
Hitting him on the shoulder, Cordelia spoke through her smile, "Did you forget? You gave it to me." And, digging in her bag, she removed a small card and a piece of paper. "Here you go officer."
With an unreadable look, he looked over what she handed him before handing it back. "Alright Mr. Brooder. Next time you probably ought to hold on to this yourself instead of having your girlfriend do it."
However, Angel barely heard the officer's words as he gazed down at his "license" that he had never seen before. It took all his self control not to comment on what he saw. His eyes were only drawn up when he felt Cordelia lean against him again as she addressed the trooper.
"Oh, I am NOT his girlfriend. We just left HER back in Sunnydale."
Angel's frustration boiled over at her words as he pushed her off of him, "She is NOT my girlfriend and we were NOT doing anything! How many times do I have to tell you that?"
"Oh please! You were SO all.." But Cordelia's words were interrupted when Wes cleared his throat again.
"Cordelia, perhaps now is not the time to be discussing this."
The trooper flashed his light back at Wesley before returning his gaze to Cordelia. "Let me guess, you pulled over to finish a fight?" Observing the silence that filled the car, he continued with a smile, "So, let me get this straight. You aren't his girlfriend?"
Slumping down in her seat, Cordelia mumbled, "Hell no!"
Gesturing to Angel with his light, the trooper continued, "So why do you have him defending what he did or didn't do with Miss Sunnydale? What's it matter to you?"
As a new grin began to grow over Angel's face, Cordelia turned her glare on the officer, "With all due respect sir, why don't you take your little observations and shove them up your."
Shoving her back down in her seat, Angel interrupted her, "Thank you officer, I appreciate you help. Uhm, will you be needing anything else from us?"
Looking at Angel sternly, he nodded. "Yeah, if you could just step out of the car for a moment."
Angel got out and walked back towards the trunk without a word. The trooper than tapped him lightly on the shoulder with his light, "Look, I'm gonna do you a favor here and save you a little bit of time."
When Angel merely blinked at him in confusion, he continued, "I had this best friend once. We argued about everything and I spent 5 years defending my dates to her and hating every man she looked at before I realized what had been staring me in the face all along." With a long look towards Cordelia's head that was now peering out the passenger side window, he turned back to Angel with a grin, "We've been married for 25 years now, and it I hadn't been such a scared idiot, it'd be 30."
Tapping Angel on the stomach with his light one last time, the officer chuckled as he walked back towards his car, "I know that look in your eye, so I don't even have to ask if you get what I'm saying."
***********
Angel returned to the car without a word. They had been driving for nearly 30 minutes in silence before he finally said something.
"Brooder? You got me a fake ID and named me Angel Brooder?"
As Wesley smothered a chuckle, Cordelia turned with a sigh, "Oh thank you SO much for saving my ass once again Cordy! I don't know what I'd do without you Cordy!"
"You named me Brooder!"
Hearing Wes's continued amusement in the back seat, Cordela turned and threw a pen at him, "At least my name won! Wes and Gunn's was worse!"
Wesley's laughter died abruptly when he registered her words, "Cordelia, you cannot think."
With a new look of delight in her eyes, she looked at him with a smirk before she turned to Angel, "They wanted it to be Angel Samuel Soloman!"
Angel glanced at her, "And that's worse, how?"
Cordelia reached over to flick his head above his ears, "Hello! Your initials would have been A.S.S.!! Say what you want about being Mr. Brooder, but I was looking out for your best interests buddy!"
Both Cordelia and Wesley expected an annoyed reaction from Angel, so neither of them knew what to do when he started laughing. Grabbing his arm, Cordelia tried to control the panic in her voice, "Angel? Angel, what's wrong?"
Without looking away from the road beside him, Angel began to talk as though he hadn't heard her question, "Cordy, you want to know what Buffy and I were talking about? She wanted to know why I could handle the thought of her sleeping with Spike and yet the sight of you touching him made me want to tear my hair out."
Looking at the side of his face, Cordelia blinked several times before speaking, "She said that..You didn't like.." Stopping herself, she took a deep breath before continuing. "You wanted to tear your hair out?"
Nodding Angel continued to avoid her eyes, "After I tore Spike's out? Yes."
"You.you were jealous?"
Still looking at the moving highway, Angel nodded silently.
Cordelia say silently for a minute before tucking a strand of hair behind her ear nervously, "So that means.."
Reaching over, Angel pulled her hand up to his mouth for a kiss before sneaking a look at her, "It means I sort of think I love you, Cor." When he saw the tears form in her eyes, he looked at her intently as he whispered again, this time sounding more sure, "I love you." He felt his world freeze when she didn't respond. "Cordelia?"
A smile suddenly broke out across her face as she pulled his hand over towards her. Kissing his palm, she grinned back at him, "I love you too Mr. Brooder." Then, lacing his fingers through hers, she turned back to face the windshield. "Now I suggest you get your eyes back on the road before you kill us all."
She could help but let her smile get bigger when she saw the look of disappointment on his face as he returned his eyes to the road. Stroking the inside of his wrist with her thumb, she leaned over and whispered in his ear, "As soon as we get out of this car, Angel." And with a soft kiss on the skin just below his ear, she returned to her seat with his hand still firmly held in hers. Angel grinned as he his foot suddenly slammed down on the gas pedal.
Thinking perhaps it was finally safe, Wes leaned up again. "Buffy is sleeping with Spike?"
End.