Cordy knows all
By Gem
Disclaimer: Not mine. No money. You get the idea.
Hope you like! - I just had to bring back Doyle in one of my fanfics.
Catorgary: This is really a Doyle/Cordelia piece, but a A/C fan has read it and enjoyed the A/C interaction too.
"Eew! That is so gross!" Cordelia Chase complained to her employer as she re-read what was on her computer screen.
"You got somethin', Princess?" Doyle, her co.-worker asked from across the room, while pouring himself another whiskey.
Their vampire boss was already leaning over his secretary's shoulder. "What's 'eew'?"
An immaculate slender finder with purple nail polish tapped the screen. "Gross demon guy Doyle saw in his vision? He's another sex-mad freak demon, at least, that's what I got. Anyone got any different, 'cause I won't, like, mind if it's not a sex-mad demon, 'cause they are totally creepy."
"Sorry, Princess, I couldn't find anythin', looks like 'im though." The Irish man commented as he walked around the desk and got a look at the screen with a picture of the said demon on.
Angel reached over Cordy and took the mouse from her. He scrolled down the screen. "Says here these demons stalk their prey for days before going in for the kill." The vampire read.
"And, yuck. As if the killing part isn't bad enough, they get raped and tortured for hours too?" Cordelia groaned in disgust. "I've said it once, and I'll say it again, demons are too gross to live."
"Not all demons are bad." Doyle, a half-breed, told her hopefully.
"Oh yeah," the young secretary turned and patted her vampire boss' shoulder, "you're all good, Angel. You can be spared, just don't turn all Angelus on me, OK?"
Angel was still transfixed by the screen. After a moment he looked up. "Right, killing it should be easy, ... finding it however, won't be. Doyle, are you sure you -"
"Angel, man, I told you, all I saw was the guys face, nothin' more." The half-demon replied without even waiting for the question to be asked.
"Guys, look at this." The two men turned back to what Cordy was now looking on the screen at. "It says these demons mainly go to popular people places - like, that's gonna help! - Oh, here we are, a favorite of a male in this species is models and actresses - oh, great, I'm gonna have to change profession! It says most of these demon dudes prefer large over-rated events to go girl-hunting, and by hunting, I don't mean in the same way as when I go boy-hunting."
"Any large over-rated events goin' on?" Doyle asked, looking between the young woman and the vampire.
"There's a premiere tonight, very high-key. Mostly Celebs, but if you have the dosh you can pay and -"
"Pretty girls?" Angel asked urgently.
"Tons. Big plus that most are famous, should make this sex-mad guy very hot and bothered. And I have -" She didn't get a chance to finish, Angel had grabbed his coat and swung it on.
"Doyle, you and I go check this out. Cordelia, you -" Angel was about to tell his secretary to go home, but she had other ideas.
"- can go with you." She said firmly.
"Home. Cordelia, you're going to go home." Her boss told her. He was not having her around to worry about.
"You want me to go to that cockroach infested, flickering light, brown-cold water, shit hole, while you guys go to a celebrity party? Like that's gonna happen!" She rolled her eyes. "I mean, you guys wouldn't even get in without me - you'd both just look gay if you went together, and your dress sense, way to go impress the famous, guys. Besides, I can be bait."
Doyle almost spat out his whiskey. "No. No way."
"Home." Angel repeated in an even more firmer voice.
"But -"
"We're not listenin', Princess." The half Brachon demon said pointedly, putting his whiskey down on the desk.
"Fine. Whatever." She stood up and walked towards the door, grabbing her coat on the way. She turned and looked at them from the doorway, a bright smile on her face. "Did I mention that I have a ticket for that party. For two? I can just go alone, though. I got it from that last audition I had, the guy gave me the ticket and said he'd hope to see me there, I was gonna blow it off to help look for demon guy, but, hey, whattya know? I changed my mind."
She turned and marched out the door.
Angel growled slightly, that girl could be so annoying. " Cordelia - wait!"
Both the vampire and half-breed chased after the ex-may queen.
"Look, how about you just give me and Angel the ticket, and then we'll take you someplace real nice tomorrow night - celebrities and all?" Doyle tried.
She grinned. "I don't think either of you would pass for a Miss Cordelia Chase. Do you? ... My name's printed on the ticket. Buy your own - oh, wait, sorry, I guess it's a bit late to buy a ticket, the premiere starts in half an hour. Shame, you would've liked it Doyle, lots of free drink."
She went to walk away again, but Angel grabbed her arm. "Fine. You go, but you go with one of us."
"Angel, it's a stab in the dark at finding this demon, he's probably not at the premiere, do you know how many popular people places there are in LA? He could be anywhere."
"This guy just gave you a ticket with your name printed on?" Doyle asked, eye brow raised.
"I thought he was giving everyone at the audition them, what has that got to -"
"Cordelia, the Powers gave me the vision, yet they didn't give me a clue where to go. But, you suddenly say you've got an invite to a 'over-rated popular people place'? Somethin' tells me you were meant to get that ticket. And we were meant to go to this premiere thing. Somethin' is gonna go down, Cordy."
"Ugh! Why must you both over analyze everything! But fine, I'll go with one of you-"
"I'll go." Both men put forward at the same time.
Angel turned to Doyle. "Your visions are meant for me, Doyle. There's gonna be something there I need to prevent - I need to be there."
Doyle sighed. "Fine. You just take care of her, OK?"
"You don't have to tell me to do that, Doyle, I'm already on it."
Cordelia let out a deliberate cough. "If we're gonna get to the premiere on time, one of you had better hurry up and take me home so I can get changed."
"What's wrong with what you're wearing?" Angel asked looking her up and down.
Cordelia rolled her eyes and headed out. "Ugh! Men!"
Doyle walked after her, shooting a glance back at Angel, "women," he said calmly, Angel grinned as he realised what he meant, watching the half-demon eye's focus on Cordy's butt.
"Cordelia, Princess, I have to say, that you're lookin' absolutely gorgeous!" The half-demon smiled stupidly at his co.-worker.
She smiled back, "thanks, Doyle! I thought you'd like this dress!"
"Buyin' clothes you'd think I'd like? Hey, Angel, I think our Cordy has a crush on me, don't you ?"
Angel grinned as he looked up and saw Doyle's shinning face. "I think -" he began.
"It doesn't matter what Angel thinks, Doyle. I will not be dragged down the Xander road again."
Angel pulled himself off the sofa. "'Cept there's one big difference between Xander and Doyle, - Doyle would be better for you, he's a good guy."
Cordy stared at the vampire pointedly. "Hey! Xander was good for me! - He made me see that popularity is ... well, that friendships more important! He took me down from my high place at Sunnydale High, and y'know what I realised, I was more happy with him and hanging out with the Scoobies than I was being the leader of the Cordettes! AND what do ya mean Doyle's a good guy? - Xander is a good guy! - I mean, last time I checked helping the slayer save the world was not too bad a thing!"
"You've made your point, Cordy. You don't fancy the pants off me. - Now, why don't I drive you to this 'do'?" Doyle asked trying to hide his drunken slur.
Angel led the way to the door, taking Cordelia by the arm and walking her with him. "You just want to drive my car."
"Well, it's not a bad car." Doyle followed.
"Yes it is! It messes up my hair all the time!" Cordelia voice called out to him over her shoulder.
"I like you with messy hair - then it seems like you've just -"
"- Don't you even finish that sentence in your head!"
Doyle shook his head and closed the door to her place.
Then, the light above the door fell down. Things were always breaking there, and Doyle wasn't surprised.
"GOOD LUCK!" Doyle yelled after Angel helped his 'date' out of the car.
Cordelia took the vampires arm and they marched to the entrance together.
"Does he want to yell any louder?" Cordelia muttered under her breath.
"I'LL PARK ACROSS THE STREET!" The Irish voice hurtled at them again.
"Just ignore him and keep walking." Angel muttered back, just as embarrassed as the young girl by his side.
"BYE GUYS!!"
Cordelia cringed. "We've gotta keep him away from the drink."
"ANGE - GO KICK SOME BUTT!!"
"I totally agree."
"AND DON'T LET ANYONE COME ON TO CORDY!!"
"Did we actually let him drive us around in that state?"
"Wow, is all." Cordelia commented as they came into the grand entrance.
Angel too was pretty amazed at the trouble people had gone to for this party. "Uh - huh."
"Hey, by the way, the thing that Doyle said, you don't have to do that."
"Do what?" He asked, focusing back on her.
"The 'don't let anyone come on to Cordy' thing, especially if it's some famous handsome rich guy."
"Sorry, Cordelia, but I'm not gonna let anyone come on to you - there's always a chance you'll pick the demon we're here to kill to flirt with."
"Hey! You don't think I can tell whats a demon and whats not? - It's not hard Angel, demons are usually these ugly stinky slimy eew things."
"In human form you wouldn't tell." He corrected.
"Yeah I would!"
Angel thought of Doyle and his well kept secret from her. "No, you wouldn't."
She crossed her arms and huffed. "Well, I think you should let me flirt with who I want."
"Doyle wouldn't like to hear that."
"Well, Doyle doesn't have a chance."
"Ugh, is this about the Xander road again? Because I haven't known Doyle as long as I have Xander but I know that he'd be better for you."
"Yeah, you said before, remember - it's the big 'difference'. Well, you forgot other big differences. Like Doyle is, like twenty-six, and that's quite a big age gap," she saw his mouth begin to open but butted in first, "- and before you say a word - I know just how big the age difference is between you and Buffy, OK?! And after the age thing, there's the drinking thing, then he's a little short for me, has no money, bad dress sense, and last his IQ drops when he's around me."
Angel grinned, "and why do you think that is?"
She rolled her eyes, "I know why that is, Angel."
"Y'know what I think, I think you just don't want to admit you like Doyle in that way because you don't want you and him to end up like you and Xander did. - With him breaking your heart."
"Yeah, but Doyle wouldn't break my heart - that much is clear! - He thinks the world of me!"
"So what's holding you back?"
"I don't want to break his heart. I know what it feels like and Doyle doesn't need that pain."
Angel sighed, "what makes you think you'd break his heart?"
"As I said, he thinks the world of me. He thinks I'm brilliant and well, I haven't really gotten that close to him yet for him to really know me. And if I let him get to know me more, what if he clues in that I'm not all that brilliant?"
"Then he'd only lose out. Besides, the only thing Doyle will realise from a relationship with you is how much better than brilliant you are."
She smiled brightly. "Thanks, Angel. You're quite better than brilliant yourself."
He laughed with her for a moment.
"Hey, Angel. I think that's our demon." He followed her gaze to a smartly dressed guy talking to a lady in a purple sparkly dress, he had blonde hair and green eyes, and looked pretty normal. But he could sense something strange about him being a vampire.
He looked back at Cordy. "You're right, there's something off about him. - But how did you know -"
"Talk later. Kill now." She pushed his head back in the mans direction with her warm hand.
He was heading off round the corner with the purple dress lady.
Cordelia tugged his arm. "Come on! We've got to -"
"I've got to," he corrected. "You stay here."
"OK," she agreed, he was about to say something else, not sure if she was just saying that only to follow him, but he noticed her turn around and smile at some guy he saw looking at her earlier.
"Back soon." He said and headed off.
She followed a few seconds after, pleased with her own acting skills.
Doyle spat out his whiskey as Angel opened the car door and pushed him into the passenger seat.
"Went well then?" He asked the vampire as Cordy got in the back seat.
Angel ignored the drunk and turned around in his seat. "What part didn't you understand? You, stay or here?"
"Hey, don't you growl at me like that, mister! If I hadn't followed you, you'd be dust right now."
Doyle looked from one to the other, "wha' happened?"
"I saved his life what happened!"
"I could've handled it!"
"Hello? If I hadn't shown up with that knife when I did, you wouldn't have had to worry about blood supply anymore!"
"What knife?"
"Oh, the one I used to chop off icky guys head when he was gettin' ready to stick Mr.-wooden-pointy-piece-of-chair into Angel's heart!"
Doyle turned to Angel who had started the car and was pulling into the road, "you let her fight?!"
"No. I told her to stay put. She chose not to hear that part!"
"Well I coulda told you that! Cordy's not the type to do what she's told!"
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean!"
"Ugh! Don't screech like that, Princess, you're makin' my 'ead spin."
"Good," Angel and Cordelia chorused together.
"Wha' that supposed to mean?"
"You drink too much," Angel offered.
"I have too with you pair to put up with," Doyle claimed, sliding down in the seat.
"How'd you know it was a demon, anyway, Princess?"
"Huh?" Cordy gave him a puzzled look as she came back into the office from the bathroom.
"Angel said it was you that spotted the demon but he was in human form, right?"
Angel came back in from the kitchen and handed Doyle the coffee he had made.
"Oh, demons aren't hard to spot - they just have this weirdness about them. Like Angel totally stands out in a crowd, but he's a good demon, so he stands out in a good kinda way. - He looks at you and you feel safe. Besides, any stupid person could tell you it was that guy who was the demon."
"Cordelia reckons that she's a demon expert. I disagreed earlier, but she picked the guy straight out." Angel smirked secretly at Doyle.
"So, you reckon you can tell me who's a demon and who isn't walkin' down a normal street on a normal day?" Doyle asked casually.
"Uh - huh."
"Cordy, I hate to tell ya, but I think today was just a lucky guess. Only other demons can tell who are other demons."
"Well you guys should know." She brought her soda to her lips.
Angel frowned as Doyle stared at her.
"What'd you mean by that?"
She sighed, "well, if anyone should know about demon stuff it'd be you two."
"Because I'm a demon and he's my seer?" Angel questioned, eye brow raised.
Cordy rolled her eyes at him and laughed, "no, because you're a demon, and he's a demon."
Doyle nearly choked on thin air. "I'm a demon?" There was a beat. "I'm not a demon."
"Yes you are. I can tell these things y'know. I was gonna wait for you to tell me before I let on I already knew, but I have to say, I got fed up waiting."
Doyle and Angel just kept staring at her.
"I'm only a half-demon." Doyle put in, hoping it was a way out of his denying he was a demon before.
Cordelia continued as if she hadn't heard him. "And well, I talked to Angel earlier, and I think he was right, I just didn't want to get involved with you because I was scared it would end up pear-shaped, but I guess I'm willing to give it a go. And now you know I know you're a demon, you don't have to stress about what I'd think when you told me, 'cause I'm really fine with it." She smiled at him. "Now you just have to ask me out."
And all she got was an amazed look staring back at her.
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Yay, I'm kinda pleased with myself - I liked how this turned out! And my fave scene, Doyle shouting drunkenly to Angel and Cordy and them muttering to each other - THAT so could've happened in the show! Total cuteness! ;)