Angel stood in the doorway to his suite, looking into the dimly lit room with hunched shoulders and saddened eyes. Lying on his bed was his best friend, Cordelia Chase, cringing in pain as a unforeseen battle waged within her. Angel felt powerless and that made him angry. Cordelia was the most important person in his life and he couldn't do a thing to help her in this situation. The guilt and agony began to beat against his soul, his demon banging on it's cage, wanting to protect the woman it loved.
"What's happening to her, Wesley?" Angel asked, breaking the ominent silence, finally turning his attention to the other person in the room. Wesley had been researching into the possible side effect of Cordelia's mystical coma, but his efforts had bared no fruit. So, he had allowed himself to check up on his friend here and there making sure she was as comfortable as they could make her.
It had been three days since Cordelia had woken up from her mystical coma. As far as they were understanding from what Cordelia had told them, the Powers That Be had given her a second chance at life, but with a heavy price- her humanity. A demon was placed within her to protect her mind against the fatal attacks from her visions. However, the Powers didn't mention the ages old battle between soul and demon waging inside the seer before they would be able to cohabitate. And so there Cordelia lay, moaning in her sleep, desperately trying to survive the war just brimming under the surface.
Curled up in a fetal position, Cordelia let silent sobs escape from her mouth as her body raged against the demonic interloper. Her body's immune system was creating a hostile environment for the intruder by spiking a fever, heightening senses causing headaches and nausea, and her body was surrendering to severe fatigue.
Wesley, leaning against the doorframe, looked at Angel beside him, seeing the worry on his friend's face for his friend. Wesley turned his eyes again to the woman in question, a young woman he had grown to admire and love as a sister, himself. He put his hands in his pockets and let out a sigh.
"If my theory is correct," he began as he watched his friend struggling to hold back the sobs, "I suppose this is where Cordelia's soul must accept it's fate- to live with a demon."
Angel looked back at Cordelia, instant fury bubbling in his chest towards the demon who would dare cause her pain. His Cordy. He began having flashbacks of seeing her in the hospital after Vocah had attacked her two years ago. He clenched his fists at his side and couldn't stop the growl that ripped through his chest.
"Angel?" Cordelia whimpered, hearing his growl from across the room. She turned on her backside, hoping to see her best when she opened her eyes. She didn't open her eyes often, the light made her nauseous and the pounding in her head intensify.
She tried raising herself on her elbows to look for him, but Angel quickly rushed to her side and helped her lay back down on the bed, whispering to her that he was there and that he wasn't going to leave.
He sat down beside her on the bed and cupped her cheek with his hand, inwardly cringing at the heat emanating from her face. He swallowed the small lump growing in his throat, trying to be strong for his young friend.
Cordelia moved her hand to his and pressed it against her cheek whimpering as the cool feel of his skin momentarily gave her relief from the fiery inferno that raged within her body. She held it there for a while, pressing her cheek into the palm of his hand, clinging to it like a lifeboat. And Angel, a stranger to the human touch, allowed her this. He would do anything for her, that he knew for certain.
Wesley cast his eyes to the ground instantly finding his shoes the most fascinating object in the room. He cleared his throat, "Yes, well, I'll just being goind then. Pardon me," he said, still not making eye contact with the acutely, intimate moment between champion and seer unfolding before him. "Maybe I'll just look to see how we can ease these side effects until we can figure out a solution."
Wesely walked out of the room and was about to close the door when he heard a faint "thank you" from the vampire. Wesley gave the vampire's back a grim smile and silently closed the door behind him.
Angel lightly brushed a few strands of mahogany hair out of Cordelia's face and placed them behind her ear. Even in sickness and pain, she was remarkably beautiful, Angel thought. Looking over her face, he say the hazel eyes that saw right through him on a daily basis, the small nose that made snorting noises at all his lame jokes, and the mouth that lit up any room with it's signature thousand watt smile.
Angel frowned as the woman beside him cringed against the pain wracking her body. He rubbed her upper arm, hoping that this small gesture would help sooth her mind against the physical battle she was fighting.
"Angel, it hurts so bad," she whispered, "I thought I could be brave, but I'm scared."
Angel's heart broke into a million little pieces as he saw this strong, independent, pain-in-the-ass, woman crumbling before him. He was losing his mind with helplessness. He had to do something to help her.
"Cordy, I can't do this anymore," he moved off the bed and moved to pick her up out of his bed, "We're going to the hospital."
His mind all but made up, he stilled when he felt her small hand on his massive bicep.
"No, Angel," she said quietly, "Please, no hospitals."
All the unneeded air rushed out of Angel at her plea, "But Cordy, I—"
"Shh, Angel," she whispered, "Just you. I just need you."
Angel grabbed the hand resting on his shoulder and held it tight, "What do you need me to do, Cor?"
"Will you lay down with me, Angel?" she asked, slowly opening her eyes to look up at him. Her eyes squinted against the pain from the light, but when she looked into his deep brown ones, her's softened to show the love she had for him.
Angel swallowed, his throat becoming very dry, "Cordy, I don't think that's such a good idea."
"Please Angel," Cordelia said, her eyes closing once again in exhaustion.
Angel looked her at her small hand trapped under his and sighed. Once again giving into the brunette's wishes, like he was beginning to do more and more, Angel kicked off his shoes and laid his black duster on the chair next to the bed.
When he drew back the covers to slide in next to her, his eyes immediately bulged upon seeing Cordelia in only a tank top and short shorts. Anything else had made her too hot and so she had asked to be brought something light to wear while she was sick. Angel stared at the beautiful body he was about to climb into bed with and had to remind himself that this was his best friend and it was not the time to get really happy.
Angel slid into the bed gently and scooted down so Cordelia could rest her head on his shoulder. What he did expect was for Cordelia to wrap her arms around his torso, under his shirt.
"Um, Cor?" Angel asked, his voice a little shaky.
"Feels cool," she mumbled, her face nestled in the crook of his neck. Angel felt her body relaxing as his body's cool temperature relieved her for a couple of fleeting moments.
Angel felt his own body relaxing as, for the first time in what felt like ages, he was finally doing something to help his friend. He felt the chaos of the past three days finally catch up with him and his eyes drifted shut, but not before he returned her embrace, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and placing a protective hand on her hip. Both friends fell asleep in the comforting arms of the other, neither one worrying about demons, visions, or souls, just being within close proximity to each other providing the sweet lullaby needed to help them drift off into sleep.
Cordelia woke with a start, not used to waking up curled up next to a body, let alone her best friend in bed. She tilted her head back to get a better look at him as he slept and her heart melted.
When she usually looked, really looked, upon her best friend, the worry and guilt he experienced every day covered his angelic face. But now, as he slept, he truly looked like an angel. All the worries that plagued him while he was awake, were nowhere to be found as he found slumber next to her.
Speaking of little ol' me, she thought to herself, I probably look like Mrs. Frankenstein. She knew her hair was a mess and was that sweat she felt on her forehead. Cordelia Chase did not sweat. She looked around trying to figure out how she could escape to the bathroom to freshen up before Angel woke up and saw her like this.
She carefully tried to unwrap his protective arm around her, but it weighed like a thousand pounds. When she let go and the arm came crashing back down on top of her, she heard a small growl coming from Angel's throat and the arm tightened around her waste, pulling her more into his embrace.
"Good job, Cordy," Cordelia muttered. How was she going to going to escape now?
Cordelia's mutterings didn't pass unnoticed by the vampire's hearing and as a result, Angel began to stir.
"Oh good, you're awake," Cordy chimed in a little too cheerily for the just awakening vampire, "I'm just going to slip on out if you don't mind." She tried to push against his brick wall of a chest, but he didn't budge. She looked in his eyes and gawked at the playfulness she saw in them.
"Angel?" she asked, cautiously, "I need to get up, I'm all icky and gross! My fever most have broken and now I'm a big, stinky pile of seer sweat!"
She could have been mistaken, but Cordy could have sworn she heard a purr coming from her best friend.
"I don't mind at all. I think you look beautiful, Cordy," he said silkily, making Cordy shiver from her head to her perfectly manicured feet.
"Flattery will get you know where, buster," she said trying once again to free herself. Here she was, trapped in her best friend's big, strong arms, and she looked like the creature from the black lagoon!
"Just stay, Cor," Angel whispered, his breath flowing like a gentle breeze above her head.
Cordelia bit her lower lip and looked into Angel's eyes. The playfulness was replaced by something, richer and warmer, but she couldn't exactly put a name to it just yet. She felt little butterflies swarming in her stomach and had to stifle the little girlish giggle that threatened to escape from her mouth.
"Ok," she whispered, catching a glimpse of Angel moistening his dry lips. She just stared at his lips, so close to her's. Unknowingly, she moistened her own lips. When she tipped up her head to say something to Angel, she felt her lips pressed up against his, unaware that he had been angling down towards her when she angled up towards him. They laid there, both frozen, lips unmoving, just waiting to see what the other one would do.
Angel teased her bottom lip with his tongue before he slightly pulled away to look into her eyes. He didn't miss the little whimper she made when his lips left her's. Male pride began to breed through his chest. He looked into her eyes and saw a twinkle about her. She slowly formed a smile, one that instantly warmed him to the core and he again placed his lips over her's.
This time, Angel took control of the kiss. He angled his body so she was under his massive upper torso, his forearms keeping most of his weight off of her. He angled his mouth so that her could deepen the kiss a little more. He hadn't been teasing her lips with his mouth for long when she finally allowed him past her lips.
Angel immediately shot his tongue inside her, his tongue hungry to taste her. She moaned into his mouth and he let the vibrations wash over him. He ran his hands through her hair, loving the smooth, mahogany strands running through his fingers.
Cordelia wrapped her arms around Angel's torso, gripping him on either side of his shoulder blades. She arched her chest into him, wanting to feel his muscled chest on her. Angel moaned as her breasts pressed into him, feeling her aroused nipples poke into his chest.
He slowly dragged his right hand from her hair and brought it down to her chest, placing it over her tank top covered breast. He lightly squeezed the mound of flesh in his strong hand and was rewarded when Cordelia gasped against his mouth.
"Angel," she moaned and he smiled against her mouth.
"Yes, Cordy," he breathed into her teasingly stroking her nipple through her clothing, the fabric covering the tight nub sending delicious tingles straight through her.
"It feels so good," she said druggedly. Angel slid his hand down and under her tank top, slowly ascending her warm, dewy skin. He gently cradled her naked breast in his hand, shivering at the realization of what he was doing.
Cordelia gasped and arched her breast into his hand seeking more contact. Angel immediately began to pepper kisses along her jaw and neck as he teasingly stroked her nipple, peaking it into a hard pebble. Cordelia gripped his back with her hands hard and drug her nails down his back.
A small growl came from Angel and it made Cordelia instantly wet between her thighs. Slightly embarrassed, she stopped her raking nails on his back.
"Don't stop, Cordy," Angel whispered, pulling her top down so he could place his mouth over her breast. Cordy's mouth formed an O-shape, her hands immediately wrapping themselves in his hair, pressing him even further down on her chest.
"Angel," Cordelia moaned. "What are we doing?" she whimpered.
Angel let her breast go with slight popping noise and looked at the beautiful woman underneath him. Her eyes showed a mixture of arousal and confusion. He could feel his heart swell. She was absolutely magnificent.
While he looked into her eyes, he snaked his hand down her side and slipped his hand beneath her booty shorts, barely whispering his hand above her curls. Cordelia immediately bucked her hips and he smiled down at her.
"I'm showing you what I've been wanting to tell you for a while now, Cordelia," he said, sliding his fingers over her petals. "I love you," he said, stroking her with his fingers.
Cordelia gasped, partly from his revelation and partly from his fingers digging inside of her.
"Angel," she sputtered, as he found her clitoris and began milking it with his thumb.
"Shh, baby," he whispered, "Let me do this for you."
Cordelia whimpered, but remained quiet. She welcomed his mouth upon her's once more and they began a slow dance. Their tongues delicately tracing each other's lips, trying to say to each other the depths of their feelings that they had otherwise buried these last few months.
Each of them was so wrapped up in the other, that they didn't hear the door opening as someone came through the door.
"Good Lord," Wesley said, the tray he had made up with soup and medicine crashing to the floor.
Instantly aware of the intruder, Angel growled, protectively draping himself over his woman. When he realized it was Wesley, he loosened up a bit, but was still annoyed at the inappropriate timing.
"Get out, Wesley," Angel muttered through gritted teeth, hearing Cordelia groan in embarrassment.
"Right, sorry," he said in his thick, British accent, trying to gather what he could from the small, broken tray lying scattered on the floor. He quickly stood, abandoning the tray and turned to head out the door, but smacked face first into the door, forgetting that it had closed behind him when he came in.
"Wesley!" Angel growled, eyes flashing gold.
"Going, going!" Wesley squeaked as he fumbled for the door and proceeded to run out of the room.
Angel closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Could his luck get any worse right now? He was about to forget the whole thing when he picked up the feel of Cordelia's trembling body as she tried to hold back the giggles.
He turned to her, lying there, tears of laughter spilling out of her eyes as she bit her hand.
"What's so funny, Cordelia?" Angel asked, mockingly hurt.
"You," she said slapping him on the bicep. A really strong bicep, she thought.
"Me?" Angel said, incredulously, "I don't think I scared him that bad!"
Cordelia laughed, "I love you, you big dork!" She brought his head down to her's and gave him a peck on the lips.
Angel's whole body loosened up and he smiled back at her as he once again took in her beauty.
"Well, in that case, Ms. Chase," he purred, "You seem to be feeling better already, but it's doctors orders to check you out, head to toe, just in case."
Cordelia giggled, "If that's what the doctor ordered."
"That's me," Angel said, pulling her shorts down to her ankles slowly, "Vampire, M.D."
