TITLE: ??
AUTHOR: Rache
SPOILERS: Anything before round about "Expecting."
TIMELINE: Sometime in season one, after Parting Gifts. Not too precise.
FEEDBACK: Yes please! This is my first Cordy/Giles, so I'd like to know if you think its good enough for me to write more!
DISTRIBUTION: TV Fan Fic Site and anyone else if they want it – but ask please
DISCLAIMER: Not mine – Joss's.
Giles walked into the office of Angel Investigations, and it took his eyes a few minutes to become accustomed to the light. Or lack of it. When he could finally see, he spotted Cordelia sitting on the edge of her desk, with her arms crossed.
"Umm, Cordelia. Hi."
"Oh, so you've decided to say hello then have you? Thought you were just gonna ignore me, all alone, sitting on my desk here."
"On the contrary. I would have acknowledged you much sooner, if only it wasn't so dark in here, and so bright out there. I couldn't see a thing when I came in."
"Sorry, can't do anything about the weather."
"Yes, but surely you could "do something about" the light in here? Your curtains are all closed."
"Yeah, that's what tends to stop my boss from going up in flames."
"Of course. Angel. I…um…but hasn't he heard of electricity?? Surely he's been alive long enough – ah – I see you have a computer – so why no lights?"
"Bulb's popped. Wesley's gone out to get one. So, what brings you to the dull side o' town?"
"I was in the neighbourhood. One of my school friends is staying nearby, and I took advantage of the lack of demonic activity over the hellmouth to visit him."
"Holiday?"
"Basically."
"Why can't you just say that?! You guys are all the same, with your fancy talk. Why can't you just say what you mean?"
"Sorry, Cordelia, it's just what I'm used to. I'll do my best to speak … umm … American."
"Good. So, if you're in LA for a visit … you got that lump of metal you used to call a car with ya?"
"As a matter of fact, I do."
"Great. You can give me a lift home." Cordelia was out of the door before Giles had a chance to protest.
***
"So things are definitely looking up," she finished.
"Well, that's wonderful, Cordelia." He followed her up the steps as she slipped her key into the lock.
"Dennis? This is Giles. Be nice." The last word was said so emphatically that Giles began to wonder if this phantom flatmate of Cordelia's was so friendly after all. She flicked on the lights, and threw her keys down on the table next to the door.
"Mmm … coffee. Thanks Dennis." She walked into the kitchen to collect the cup of coffee Dennis had waiting for her. Seconds later her head appeared round the door frame.
"Make yourself comfortable … Dennis wants to know if you want coffee too."
Thankyou, Cordelia, that would be lovely."
"You sure? You wouldn't rather have tea? I thought you were a tea kinda guy."
"Just because I'm from England doesn't mean I have a phobia of coffee you know. I happen to prefer it to tea, actually. Many English people do."
"One coffee, coming up."
She brought the coffees through, along with a large box of chocolate biscuits. He jumped up at once, taking his coffee from her.
"I can carry things myself, you know Giles." Cordelia complained.
"And I have the utmost confidence in that ability, Cordelia, but these are new jeans, and the only pair I have with me, so on the off chance you were to spill it, I'd be well and truly up the creek, wouldn't I?!"
Ignoring him, Cordelia set the biscuits on the table, and sat down on the sofa, curling her legs under her. "So, you need a place to stay tonight?"
"Are you offering?"
"If you're asking."
"Well thank you, Cordelia, but I should really be getting back to Sunnydale. I did say I would be back tonight."
"So call and tell them you'll be back tomorrow. I miss having company. OW! Dennis, there's no need to get violent now is there? You know I meant actual human people who can talk to me. I love having you here, but its not as if you can ask me about my day now is it?" She turned back to Giles. "Sorry about that, he gets jealous. Anyway, I'm sure they can spare you for another night. There's a phone there, call them."
Feeling under severe pressure, Giles grudgingly got up and dialled Buffy's home number. When there was no answer, he figured that she must be picking Dawn up from the Magic Box. She spent a lot of her time there with Willow and Anya since Joyce's death.
"You've reached the Summers' residence. Please leave a message for Joyce, Buffy, or Dawn, after the tone." He hung up before the beep. He hadn't realised that Joyce's message was still on the machine, and he felt a sense of loss all over again when he heard her voice.
"No answer?" Cordelia's clear voice came from behind him. He had almost forgotten she was there. He quickly wiped away the few tears that had sprung into his eyes, and turned to face her.
"No, Buffy must be collecting Dawn…" He was unable to disguise the shake in his voice, and he had to turn away again. He didn't want Cordelia to see him upset.
"Giles?" Her voice had softened, and she sounded worried. "Are you alright?" When he didn't reply, she gently laid her hand on his shoulder, and turned him round. She was almost shocked when she saw the tears in his eyes, she had always thought of him as being the calm one, who didn't get upset. Even when Miss Calendar died, she guessed he must have cried on his own, but around people, he just got that wistful look in his eyes and changed the subject as quickly as possible.
"Oh, Giles, what is it?" Her voice was barely a whisper, and when he looked into her eyes, he saw nothing but concern. She led him back over to the sofa, and he told her everything. He told her how he had to be the strong one, how he had to take care of Buffy and Dawn, look after the shop, and try to find out everything he could about Glory. He told her that he hardly had any time for himself any more, and sometimes he just wanted to lie in bed and never get up. The only chance he'd had to grieve for Joyce was at her funeral, and even then he didn't dare cry because he had to comfort Buffy and Dawn.
Cordelia was filled with a sense of pride, however morbid, that he had felt comfortable enough with her to tell her things that he hadn't told Buffy, or Willow, or any of the other Scoobies that he saw every day. So she told him everything about her. She told him about how she felt when Doyle died, she told him things she hadn't told Angel. She told him that her career as an actress was going nowhere fast. She told the tale of her demon impregnation by Wilson Christopher. And she told him that it had taken both Angel and Wesley, two men she sees every day of her life, ten whole days to realise that she'd had her long hair chopped up to her shoulders.
Giles glanced at his watch and was astounded to see that it read 2:54am. They had been talking for almost 6 hours, and he realised, to his dismay, that this was almost longer than all the time they'd spent talking while she was in Sunnydale put together. But he now realised how little he had known about the person inside Cordelia Chase's tough outer façade. And how much he wished he had known her.
"I guess we should get some sleep," she yawned, and he realised how tired she must be. He had been selfish talking to her for so long, especially when she had to get to work the next day. "You can take my bed, I'll set up on the sofa."
"No, Cordelia, I couldn't possibly. I'll be fine on the sofa, I would feel terrible throwing you out of your own bed."
"You aren't throwing me, I'm offering," she reminded him. She stood up, and stretched a little. She was feeling amazingly stiff, she didn't know how long it had been since she'd spent that much time sitting in one place. But she had definitely enjoyed it.
It hit her suddenly. The blinding pain, and the pictures. Her hands rushed to cradle her aching head, and Giles was on his feet in a flash. He caught her carefully as she fell backwards, and lowered her onto the sofa, keeping his arms around her until it was over.
"What did you see?" He asked gently, loosening his grip slightly, but not taking his hands off her completely.
"It … it was a Krevilock demon," she replied, taking the glass of water Dennis had brought her. "Didn't seem too urgent, it was in the sewers, somewhere under the rail station. Angel can take care of it easily. I'll call him."
"No, you won't. You're going to bed. In your own bed. I'll call Angel for you." Without allowing her time to protest, he swept her up in one easy motion, and carried her into her bedroom. He placed her down on the bed, and immediately she seemed to lose the tension that had been in her body since the vision. She curled up into a ball, and he laid the blanket on top of her.
"Giles?" she murmured, sleepily. He turned back towards her. "Stay here until I go to sleep?"
"Of course," He whispered. He pulled out the chair from underneath Cordelia's dressing table, and turned it to face the bed. It was only a matter of minutes before Cordelia was fast asleep, and Giles remembered that he still had to phone Angel for her. He leant over and tucked the blanket tight around Cordelia's chin, and then, almost as an afterthought, he kissed her forehead. "Sleep tight, Cor," he whispered.
