"It's a Wonderful Un-Life"
Chapter 1
December 23rd
Angel sat at in the lobby of the Hyperion Hotel with a book in his hand trying to pass the time until their next case came along. It had been nearly a week since a client walked through the double doors or the Powers to send their champion a visions through his seer. The crew was getting a little restless. No complaints were heard from the employees of Angel Investigation for the first couple of days as they were enjoying the downtime, but as the silent couple of days stretched on, they began to grow weary of the preverbal "other foot dropping." When you fight evil for a living, you learn that nothing good ever really lasts.
Angel took a minute to study the other members of his team, really looking at them for who they were- his family. They each had a past they wanted to forget and were searching for somewhere to belong or with people to belong to. Angel felt himself exhale a breath he didn't know he had been holding. He noted that they belonged to each other now, fighting evil and protecting the innocent. He didn't know if it was this holiday season getting to him, but he found himself even more conscious of how these people, the people he now cared for deeply, had changed his life for the better. Before coming to LA, he just existed, but now, he found that he was actually living.
Peeking through the window into his old office, Angel spied Wesley, ex-watcher, now a not-so-rogue, demon hunter, busying himself cataloging demons into the codex he was authoring. Angel smiled at his friend, proud of him for putting his extensive knowledge of the supernatural world into use for other champions of good. Angel knew that deep down, Wesley needed this dream to become a reality to finally be able to show his father the ability he had to greatly influence the supernatural community apart from the Watcher's Council. Angel knew how it felt to have a father look down upon you and wish that they had had a better son, so Angel knew how important this endeavor was to Wesley. Angel admired his compassion for knowledge and often lent his artistic skills to recreate the demonic creatures and objects described on the pages of Wesley's forming literature. It was Angel's way of silently supporting his friend in his own quest to make his mark on the supernatural world.
Angel took his eyes away from the busy man scribbling notes on his notepad and looked to the street fighter across the hotel lobby from where he sat. Charles Gunn, proclaimed protector of the low-rent neighborhoods in LA, places where the cops shot first and asked questions later during the day and biting fiends snacked at night. Angel shook his head smiling as he noticed that Gunn was waxing the same axe for the second time that day. He got up from the couch and walked over to where they young fighter was sitting, polishing the massive battle axe.
"I've never seen a better fighter wield that axe, Gunn," Angel said coming up behind him and placing a hand on the man's shoulder. Gunn looked up at him with a devious smile on his face.
"A no better looking fighter, you mean," he laughed. " I don't know man. I mean, when I wield this baby against the nasties out there it doesn't feel like just a weapon to me, it feels like a natural extension of my arm." He twirled the axe in his hand and both men admired the beauty of its workmanship.
"Then I want you to have it, Gunn," Angel said, "Use it to protect yourself, our family and the innocents against whatever may come your way."
"Thank you, Obi-Wan," he smirked and looked into Angel's sincere eyes.
Gunn bowed his head to Angel as he walked towards the desk and whispered, "Thank you," knowing that Angel's vamp hearing would pick up on his quiet thanks.
Angel made his way to the reception desk and leaned on the counter making himself look busy by shuffling papers around in no certain order and pretending to read and organize all their personal calling cards on the table, but he couldn't help his eyes from finding her.
Cordelia Chase. His best friend, seer, pain-in-the-ass, confidante, well you get the picture. Cordelia was a very beautiful woman with her long, chestnut hair down her back in silky waves, her olive skin highlighting her hazel eyes and a knock-out thousand watt smile, that would blind you if you stared directly into it for too long.
Remembering the night at the ballet, Angel knew that his feelings for his friend had only matured into something else- something even more special. Angel knew that the events that transpired that night were at the mercy of the spirits of two lovers and a deranged, homicidal wizard, but he couldn't help but think that maybe he was in a little more control of his actions than he let on. In retrospect, he hoped that may Cordelia was also in more control than she would admit. The night was very intense and maybe its what the champion and his seer needed to finally act on some deep seeded feeling they didn't know they had for each other.
After that night, the two of them laughed off the intense scene in the makeup room and silently accepted that nothing more was to be said about it. Not because they didn't have feelings for each other, but because neither one of them knew how to navigate such an important conversation without ruining their friendship.
Angel knew how important his friendship with Cordelia was and knew that he didn't want to risk it because of some silly fantasy where he was able to be with Cordelia, keep her safe and happy all at the same time. He couldn't risk losing her or her friendship and so he kept quiet.
Angel allowed himself to briefly imagine his life without his new family. What if he had never met Cordelia at that Hollywood party? What if Wesley had never became a rogue demon hunter? And what if Gunn never allowed himself to see past Angel's vampire state and get to know the man behind the fangs? He shuttered to even let the possibilities cross his mind. The feelings of loss and loneliness began to come to his mind and he had to shake it off before it took him to a new level of broodiness.
He remembered that night at the Hollywood party and smiled. Not too long after that, Cordelia had insinuated herself into his life and then all this craziness called life had started. Even though there was heartache, betrayal, and hurt feelings in the past, he wouldn't trade any of it away. It made them into the family they were. Angel allowed himself to steal another quick glance at his seer, but was surprised to find two hazel eyes smiling back at him. Taken aback by being caught sideglancing his best friend and seeing her warm smile, Angel knew that if he had a beating heart, it would have beat right out of his chest. He quickly looked away and busied himself again with re-stacking the papers on the hotel's reception desk.
Cordelia couldn't help but smile at the big dork. When she heard Angel approaching the front desk she managed to get a peak at him from her side. When she saw him smile, she turned her head completely to capture this rare moment in her head. Angel had a beautiful smile that made his whole face light up and send a thousand butterflies through Cordelia's chest. She loved how his smile made her feel and the changes to his face- eyes becoming shades lighter and the stress of the world draining from his face if for only a few moment's notice.
Cordelia briefly let herself imagine what thoughts were running through her champion's head to bring on that smile. She noted that it wasn't his dorky smile, but a small warm smile that made her toes curl. She knew it was his warm smile because it mirrored the same one she had been sneaking him unnoticed ever since that night at the ballet. Sure, ever since high school, Cordelia knew that Angel was an attractive man, but with him being a vampire, and a cursed one at that, Angel was firmly placed in the "no-bone section" of salty goodness. However, thinking of the night of ghosty persuasions, Cordelia found herself reliving the night she was in his arms, kissing his hard mouth and feeling his rough hands map her body's curves. She began to feel a little warm and had to shake herself out of her day-dreaming before she slobbered all over herself. When she again focused on her surroundings she noticed that Angel was watching her this time, smiling at her. She smiled back feeling a little rosy hue spread over her cheeks.
Thump! Both Angel and Cordelia jumped when they heard a slamming of a hard-backed book cover and the rustling of papers being filed away. Glancing at each other in confusion, they both made their way into the office where Wesley looked up in time to see them approaching.
"Sorry for the overly dramatic conclusion to my day, but I have come to a reasonably good place to stop in my writings and have decided that a nice cup of English-brewed tea is in order," he said giving them a winning smile only self pride and achievement could create. He got up from his desk and busied himself putting on his peacoat as Gunn walked into the office.
"Ima head out too, y'all," he said, axe in one hand and waiving goodbye with the other, "I wanna check up on my crew and make a sweep through the neighborhood." He grasped the axe with both hands and gave it a few quick swings. "There may still be some fanged Scrooges walking around tonight," he thought for a second, "Do demons take holidays?" he asked laughing.
The team said their goodbyes and Angel and Cordelia watched as Gunn and Wesley made their way toward the hotel lobby and out the double doors. Cordelia turned to Angel, smiled before squeezing his arm affectionately and headed towards her desk.
Bending down to retrieve her coat and purse from her desk drawer, Cordelia yawned, "Well, if it's all the same to you, Angel, I think I'm going to head out too." She sat her purse down on her desk and drew on her coat fastening the belt at her abdomen creating enticing curves to any male's eye. When she turned back to Angel she added with a laugh, "I told Dennis that we could watch a movie tonight before bed," she smirked, "It's sad, but it's all he has to look forward to, you know, being dead and all." She looked at Angel and threw her hand over her mouth and giggled, "Not that you don't have a life, Angel, I mean unlife…er, whatever you know what I mean."
Angel couldn't help but laugh at the beautiful woman in front of him. She was the craziest, sexiest, funniest, human he had ever been around and he was sad to see her go tonight. He felt his heart sinking as he realized that he would be alone for yet another Christmas in his long history of Christmases. Suddenly, Angel took a deep un-needed breath and took a step towards Cordelia. He took her hands into his and smiled down into her beautiful, questioning, hazel eyes.
"Cordy, we've been friends for a while now, and I don't know if you already have plans with your family or not, but if you don't, I would love to spend Christmas with you this year," he waited for her to say something, but she just stared at him, "I mean you don't have to if you don't want-" She placed her finger against his mouth and smiled her patented thousand watt smile.
"Of course I would love to spend Christmas with you, big guy," she laughed, "I'm not exactly planning on spending my holiday season with a bunch of folks that can't even call their daughter once or twice a year." She squeezed his hands in hers, "I would much rather spend it with my champion." She allowed herself to feel sorry for the way her parents treat her, but only for a split second.
"Hey!" she nearly shouted making Angel jump at the pitch of her voice, "Why don't we start our Christmas tonight?" She hooked her arm into Angel's and walked him out of the reception area and into the lobby. "Have you ever seen It's a Wonderful Life?"
At Angel's confused look, Cordelia hurried him to the door, grabbing his leather duster off of the couch and said, "Well, be prepared to ball your eyes out and never look at bells the same way again, Angel," she glanced at her watch, "Oh boy, we better hurry unless we want Dennis to burn the popcorn in revolt."
Laughing, both champion and seer exited the Hyperion into the lazy snowfall on a rare Los Angeles December night.
Somewhere high in the offices of Wolfram and Hart…
Lilah Morgan sat on the edge of her desk, legs out stretched and her arms crossed sternly over her chest. For her plan to work, nothing could go amiss. They had one shot to please the Senior Partners or it would be her head served at the company Christmas party for dessert.
Her objective was to contain Angel in a secluded area so that the Senior Partners could align their other chess pieces into position to begin the apocalypse. Angel would be needed later on down the road in the plans of the Partners, but for now he was just a nuisance that needed some handling.
Lilah went over the plan in her head several times as she watched the mercenaries sign the brief contract with her employers. It was standard practice to have a 1099 on file for all their employees if they wanted to get paid. However, the administrative properties of her job were meaningless to Lilah and often made her edgy. Lilah was a woman of action- not one for paper work.
When the last man one had signed the document, Lilah stood up to her full height, straightened her pantsuit and looked over the document. Satisfied, she turned her attention to the group's leader.
"So, we are clear on the objective of your mission?" She received a nod from the leader and she continued, "Good. This is our only chance of getting Angel out of our way for the coming apocalypse. If my plan works, Angel will be too busy playing "who am I" that he won't have time to meddle in our affairs." She peered at the leader and his other men, carrying multiple weapons on their person and placed her hands on her hips.
"Just to be clear, the vampire with a soul is to be alive, or rather un-alive when you take him. The Senior Partners will still need him for the final battle later in the apocalypse, just not at this moment."
Deep in thought over the probability of her plan succeeding, she didn't notice that the men were still there silently watching her think and mindlessly bite her nails. Not liking to look vulnerable to anyone, let alone men, Lilah turned on her best bitch face and yelled, "Well, go!"
The men filed out of her office one by one, both eerily silent and deadly. It gave her chills and she felt briefly thankful that she wasn't on the opposite side of the contract. She turned her back towards the door as it closed behind the last one man and looked out her window viewing most of the Los Angeles skyline.
Lilah smiled an evil smile. "What will the Powers do without their champion, I wonder?" she asked out loud as she made her way to the liquor cabinet. She poured herself a scotch and before bringing it to her lips she whispered, "Merry Christmas, Angel."