I wanted to get something out that picks up a few months after "How to Save a Life Buffy Style." This one-shot focuses mostly on Cordelia and Buffy. If you haven't read any of this series, start with "A Brother's Love" to all the background.

Disclaimer: I don't own BTVS or any of Joss Whedon's characters. Nor Stan Lee's Marvel characters. Only this story is mine.

Chapter 1: A New Hellmouth

*****Cleveland*****

Cordelia had trouble believing how much her life had changed since she had awoken from her coma. After having it out with Angel and going back to Dennis and her old apartment, Buffy had stopped by, giving her too much to think about. She had wanted to escape back to Asgard and let the beauty of the place soothe her restless soul. A time or two, she could've sworn she actually felt the presences of Loki or the All Father. Their powers were vast, so maybe they were watching out for her? It should've creeped her out, but instead, it brought her comfort.

Now, though, she was living in Cleveland. The decision to follow Buffy and be her conduit to the Powers instead of Angel wasn't really a hard decision. There was no way she could follow Angel into the abyss that was Wolfram & Hart. She needed a mission, and Buffy could use the help. The choice was obvious.

Thanks to the money they all were paid from the Council, they were able to purchase a small apartment building. It had eight small apartments, but Xander suggested they double the size of each, making it roomier for all of them. There were four on the bottom and four more apartments on the top. She and Buffy took the downstairs since Buffy would be spending more time at night going in and out. Xander and Anya took the upstairs. The extra two apartments, they decided to not double in case they needed to house guests like Willow or Tara. Wesley said he didn't need much space, so he was in one. All of the apartments were two bedrooms before renovation. Wes was hoping that Fred would decide to join him in Cleveland.

Buffy's brother Clint helped Buffy move. It was Cordy's first time to meet him, and his lack of height made her grin.

"I can see the resemblance," Cordelia said.

"Shut up," Buffy said, glaring.

Cordelia laughed while Clint looked puzzled.

"That was a dig at your and Buffy's lack of height," Dawn explained with a smirk. Laura stayed behind with the kids, but they let her come. Buffy moving away was hard for Dawn, but she didn't want to live on another hellmouth. Dawn was enjoying binge a normal kid for a change—as normal as a former immortal key could be.

"My height it just fine. I'm the same height as you," Clint said to Cordelia.

"Which is fine if you're a woman," Cordelia replied.

"It's fine for a man," Buffy said, not liking anyone insulting her brother.

Clint laughed, not caring what some former cheerleader thought about him. "Are you going to fight her for my honor?" he asked, enjoying his sister's protectiveness. He found that he really liked being a big brother. Dawn and Buffy were so different and needed completely different things from him. His sisters fought a lot with one another, but Buffy was insanely protective of Dawn. However, she was the same exact way with him. He'd seen Buffy go toe to toe with both Nat and Nick Fury when she thought they weren't giving him the respect she thought he deserved.

"I don't do hair pulling anymore, which is all Cordy's capable of, so it wouldn't be fair," Buffy said with a smirk.

Now Cordelia was genuinely insulted. "As if! I've been fighting the good fight for years, too, Miss High and Mighty! Sure, I had a little coma, but before that I was fighting all kinds of big bads. Without the help of a slayer, by the way," she said. Then she flashed Buffy a smug look. "However, I did have your hot ex training me every spare minute. I'm pretty good with a sword. Oh, yea, and I'm half demon now, so I bet I can take you!"

"How about we test that?" Buffy said.

Xander finally made his presence known. "How about you both chill out? We're going to be working together, so you two will need to learn to get along and stop picking at each other," he said, giving them both pointed looks. "You need each other. She's vision gal, Buffy, and you're slay gal. Together, you're going to kick demon ass, not each other's!"

"He's right," Cordelia said. "I'm sorry. I was just teasing you."

"I've not had a brother long enough to not care when people insult him," Buffy said, giving her a sheepish smile. The old Cordy would've never have apologized so quickly.

Clint put his arm around Buffy's shoulder. "I love that you want to fight for my honor," he told her.

Buffy grinned. "I'm going to miss you so much," she said.

"Don't worry. I'll be here to check on as much as possible," he said.

"You're already gone enough from Laura and the kids," Buffy said. "Dawn needs you, too."

Clint turned and put both arms on her shoulder. "I'll take good care of her. I only go on trips when Hydra's involved now," he reminded her.

Now that Bucky was found and getting help, the Avengers were focusing on destroying Hydra wherever they could find cells.

Cordy was more than a little jealous of Buffy having such an amazing brother. It'd been two weeks since they'd move to Cleveland, and Clint called his sister frequently. Buffy was forever going on about what he said at any given time. Cordy both hated it and loved to hear about whatever her brother and the Avengers were up to.

Today, they were training. Anya found a space just a few blocks away that she opened up her new Magic Box location. Like the one in Sunnydale, this one had a training space in the back.

Buffy was continuously surprised by Cordelia Chase. Only on occasion did Buffy see glimpses of the shallow, sharp-tongued girl from high school. Instead, this new Cordy was empathetic, intuitive and motivated. She and Buffy both were going to take classes at Cleveland State University in the fall. Buffy was going to go part-time and not put so much pressure on herself. With her slaying duties, she didn't want to take on too much and fall helplessly behind like she had in Sunnydale. Laura had convinced her that it was okay to take her time through college. Now that they had the extra funds, there was no need to work so hard.

Today, they were sparring with the swords. Wesley had arrived a few days earlier, having a case with Angel that took longer to solve than normal. He was supervising their training.

"Your dropping your left, Buffy," he called out. Buffy adjusted and swung her sword, and Cordy met it with a hard blow.

"You're stronger than I expected," Buffy said, impressed.

Cordy grinned. "I told you that I was good," she said.

Buffy was relieved. Xander was stronger and better than ever and now so was Cordy.

"We're so going to make this hellmouth our bitch!" she declared.

"Totally!" Cordy agreed.

Wesley was pleased with the two women's progress. None of the high school rivalry he'd glimpsed in his brief tenure as Buffy's watcher was evident. The two had more in common that Cordelia had with Fried, and he could see what a difference it made. Xander and Buffy shared a strong history with Cordelia that no amount of space or time away could erase. There was an ease between them that Cordy and Fred never had.

Buffy, for her part, was a bit surprised to see the close bond between Wesley and Cordelia. She recalled the brief attraction between the two when he'd arrived into town their senior year. However, she didn't sense any of that now. When Buffy had asked, Cordelia had wrinkled her nose.

"Gross! We kissed a few times, and nothing was good about any of the kisses. When he came to L. A., I'd just been given the visions from Doyle," Cordelia explained. "Doyle kissed me before he died, which is how they were transferred. So, I was kissing everyone I could find to get rid of them. Wesley came into the office and I kissed him."

Buffy laughed, picturing the scene. "Still no attraction?"

"Nope. Nothing," Cordy said. "But we fought together. We both nearly died together too many times. He's like my best friend—him, Angel, and Gunn."

"Who would've have thought you'd have so many guy friends and none of them are your ex?" Buffy said in bemusement.

"I know, right?" Cordelia said, grinning. She and Xander were friends, but they had to keep things casual. "I don't think Xander and I could ever be just friends like that, though."

"I get it," Buffy said. "Angel and I never will either."

The women shared a look of understanding. Some things just didn't need explaining.

*****Two Weeks Later*****

Xander was feeling good about his move to Cleveland. The town was bigger than Sunnydale, so it was harder to patrol. Buffy, though, finally realized that he wasn't the kid she graduated from high school with anymore. Thanks to Odin, he was all he could be and more. He'd never be Captain America, but he wasn't a liability that Buffy needed to worry about. Although he missed Steve and the other guys, he liked being in a new place. Cleveland's hellmouth was not at the strength of his hometown's, so it was not as filled with the various demonic elements that Sunnydale had. However, there was a growing vampire population and a few of the benign demon clans. In fact, Clem's cousins on his mother's side lived in the town.

Anya was bored. "Patrolling in this town is so boring!" she complained. They were in their third graveyard of the night, and they'd seen no action so far.

"Don't you think we've had enough excitement in our young lives already?" Xander said, putting his arm around her shoulder. He had a few stakes on him and a sword in his left hand while Anya had a soaker full of holy water and a few stakes on her.

"Speak for yourself. My life's been going on for ten centuries, so it's not very young. Plus, I'm used to living on the edge of death," she complained.

Her complaint pained Xander as he saw a flash of memory of his premonition concerning her. He hadn't had another since they'd moved, but Xander was not going to relax his guard yet. Leaving Sunnydale was the right choice. Not only was Ohio much closer to Willow and Tara in New York, his new job in the company was going really well.

"Do you hear that?" Anya suddenly said.

"What?" Xander said, frowning.

Anya didn't respond but started walking down the path to the corner of the cemetery.

"Where you going, Ahn?" Xander asked.

"She's calling. Don't you hear her?" Anya asked, her face intent as she picked up her pace.

"Who? Buffy? I don't Buffy is in this one, Ahn," Xander said.

He kept pace with her, growing more concerned as she kept walking without looking at him. "What's that ahead?" he asked, pointing. He saw a throng of people and a light. "Oh, they must be having some type of creepy cemetery event. This place has one of those old stage things. I read about it. I think it was a park at one time or something."

"She's there," Anya said.

"Who? Who is there?" Xander asked. He grabbed her arm to slow her progress. "Talk to me."

She sprayed him with the holy water, which caused him to loosen his grip from his surprise. Then she rushed down the path toward the people.

"What the hell?" Xander asked. He pulled out his phone, wigged out. His spidey sense was tingling, telling him that something wicked was coming. He just knew it. Xander shot off a text to Buffy telling her where they were in case things went sideways. Then he put his phone away and jogged to catch up to Anya.

Anya was standing next to several people who were all looking ahead with various degrees of awe and adoration on their face. "What's going on?" he asked.

Anya just pointed, so he looked. His mouth went slack-jawed as he beheld the ethereal woman on stage. She was the most stunning woman that he had ever seen with long flowing black hair, a perfect figure. Ice blue eyes looked directly at him. He felt a voice in his head.

"Will you be one with me?" the woman somehow asked him without moving her lips.

His heart raced as he was enraptured along with the dozens of people surrounding the small stage she stood on. His mind didn't register the large blue, glowing stone she held in her hand.

*****Across Town****

Buffy and Cordelia were trading stories. They'd been separated for three years, and they both had plenty of tales to tell. At first, it had bothered Buffy that Angel was such a part of Cordelia's life—in a way that Buffy could never be. However, Buffy knew it was time to let it go. It wasn't Cordy or Angel's fault the way things worked out between Buffy and Angel.

"Let's play a game," Cordelia suggested when there was a pause in the story swapping.

"Wait, there's a vamp rising," Buffy called out and pointed. Sure enough, a hand was pushing through a grave.

"You wanna take it?" Cordelia asked.

"Sure," she said eagerly. They'd killed one vamp all night, and Buffy was eager to slay another.

It took just a minute, and she felt a bit letdown. "That was so lame," she grumbled.

"It's good to get in back into regular patrolling a few vamps at a time, don't you think?" Cordelia said.

"I guess," Buffy said. "It's just I've been out of commission for so long it seems. Fighting Glory, dying and coming back. Then hanging in Iowa with Clint and my family. Going to search for Bucky with Steve was the most exciting thing that happened to me all year."

Cordy's eyes lit up. "So let's play my game," she said.

"What game?" Buffy asked.

"Who would you rather?" Cordy said. "Vin Diesel or the Rock?"

Buffy looked confused. "Do what with them?" she asked.

Cordelia laughed. "You so need to get out more!" she said. "Who would you rather sleep with. It's a way to learn more about one another."

"So Vin Diesel or the Rock?" Buffy asked. Cordy nodded. "Probably Vin Diesel. I'd feel so tiny with the Rock."

"Yeah, how would that work?" Cordy asked.

"Faith slept with the Hulk, so I guess it probably could work with me and the Rock," Buffy said. "But I kind of like Vin."

"You like those bad boys!" Cordy said knowingly. Then what Buffy revealed registered. "Faith had sex with the Hulk? You're joking? Tell me that's a joke—a really sick joke!"

"Xander didn't already tell you?" Buffy asked surprised.

"No! He so didn't," Cordy said. "Anya doesn't let he and I talk much."

"Yeah, she's a bit insecure," Buffy said not surprised. "Don't let it bother you."

"I don't. I'd be the same way if I was with him," she said. "So Vin? I'd probably go for the Rock. He's like a giant, lovable lug."

"Ryan Gosling or Ryan Reynolds?" Buffy asked.

"Gosling," Cordelia said.

"Yea," Buffy agreed.

"So about Tony Starks or Bruce Banner?" Cordy said, grinning.

"They're both old!" Buffy protested.

"Says the boinker of two men that were much, much older!" Cordelia reminded her.

Buffy glared. "Fine. Tony's funny, so probably him—don't tell Pepper," she said.

"He is witty," Cordelia said in aggreement. "What about Thor or Loki?"

"Thor annoys me. Loki is just creepy. Neither," Buffy said.

"Seriously?" Cordelia asked. "I'd go with either!"

The girls laughed. Then Buffy asked. "What about Natasha or Steve?"

Both women looked at each other and said, "Natasha!"

"Seriously?" Cordelia asked in surprise. "I'd think Steve be exactly your type. Didn't you date a corn-fed solider just like him?"

"Riley wasn't much like Steve, not really," Buffy said. "But Riley has sort of turned me off soldier boys. What about you? Angel told me about that Drew guy you dated from Pylea. He sounded a lot like Riley."

"More like Steve. Idealist and brave. He adored me," Cordy said, feeling guilty still for him.

"So what happened?" Buffy inquired.

Cordelia shrugged. "I just couldn't seem to love him like he loved me. I was more in love with the romance of it all," she admitted. "I mean, I was made queen of a planet or realm. Seriously. I was a freakin' queen. He fought for my honor, and it was the thing of fantasy."

"Sounds like," Buffy said, feeling a twinge of jealousy.

"I got caught up in the romance more than really seeing him for who he was," Cordelia said.

"So what about Angel?" Buffy asked. "Who would you rather? Angel or Xander?"

Cordelia was surprised by that one. "Are you sure you want to know?" she asked bluntly.

Buffy winced but nodded.

"Okay, Angel—if it didn't make him go all evil," Cordelia qualified.

Buffy wasn't too surprised. She knew that there was something between her and Angel, but she didn't want to probe it further.

"What about you?" Cordy asked. "Angel or Spike?"

Buffy hesitated a moment before answering. "Why would you ask me that? Spike and I aren't anything!"

"Sounds like you're protesting awfully hard there," Cordelia said with a smirk. "I know he's totally in love with you—Anya and Dawn both told me. He's got a soul now. It wouldn't be wrong for you to go for him."

Buffy was silent. "I feel an attraction for him," she admitted, not looking at Cordelia as she said it. "But it would be Angel—always."

"Well, then how about this? How about Angel or Bucky?" Cordy said with a mischievous grin. "I know you like Steve's wounded friend, so don't try to deny it!"

"Fine, I won't. Yes, Bucky," Buffy said. She'd gotten one letter from him since he'd moved to wherever he was getting help. Buffy sent her letters to New York, and they got passed on to Bucky. It took a bit for him to get her letters. She was always excited to hear from him, but she wasn't ready to think too much about what that meant. Leave it to Cordy to pick up on her eager excitement.

Cordelia looked triumph. "I knew it!" she said. "You do like a challenge."

Buffy's phone buzzed, interrupting them. "Looks like something weird's going on at the Nelson Cemetery on Briar," she said.

"There you are!" a voice called out.

Buffy turned and saw Tony and Bruce walking down the sidewalk. Bruce didn't look very comfortable.

"What are you guys doing here?" Buffy asked as she moved toward them.

"Didn't I email you that we were coming to get a reading on this hellmouth?" Tony asked. "Bruce is doing a survey of all the hellmouths on the planet."

"Tony is having me survey them," Bruce corrected.

"Are you sure that's safe? How you feeling?" Buffy asked Bruce.

"Not overly anxious, so this one is probably tame compared to Sunnydale," he said.

"You're not wrong," Cordelia said. "We've only killed two vamps tonight, and we've been patrolling for two hours."

Bruce grinned, thinking Faith would've been just as bored. The women from Sunnydale were a rare breed.

"We gotta go. Xander says there's some trouble brewing a few miles west of here," Buffy said. "You got wheels?"

"A car parked at the entrance," Bruce said.

"Sir," JARVIS said to Tony.

"What is it, JARVIS?" Tony asked aloud.

Cordelia looked a little disturbed to see Tony talking to no one. Then she asked, "Does he see dead people?"

Bruce laughed. "No. It's his AI," he said as if that should explain it.

"I have a ghost that Willow got to haunt my new place, so I don't judge," Cordelia said.

"JARVIS is Tony's computer thingy," Buffy said. "He talks to Tony in his head."

"His ear piece," Bruce quickly clarified as the conversation was going into strange places.

"JARVIS says there's a build up of energy west of here," Tony said.

"I'll be it's where Xander and Anya are," Buffy said, breaking into a run.

"Leave it to Xander to find the graveyard where all the fun is," Cordelia said.

"I'll fly there and meet you guys," Tony said as his suit started coming out of his arms, freaking Cordelia out.

"That is so weird!" she complained.

"You get used to it," Bruce assured her as he hurried after the women. Time on a hellmouth was never dull. He hoped the Big Guy wouldn't be needed.

******To Be Continued******

This should have one more chapter, I think. Review and let me know you care if I write more! Thanks!