Quarantined

Spoilers- Mid season three, after 'Provider' but before 'Waiting in the Wings'
Disclaimer- Everything belongs to Joss.
Note- I realized the other day that I have fics starting with every letter of the alphabet except for E, Q, Z and Y. I have since started to remedy this. I was flicking through the Q section of my dictionary and came across quarantined. This idea hit me and I just had to write it.
Note2- the poison info is a bit dodgy. The idea is that if someone is scratched by this demon they become a carrier and spread the poison to others, killing them. The dead become the demon's food. Alternatively, the scratched person becomes ostracized and easy prey for the demon.
Note the third- Unbetaed, all mistakes my own. Point them out and I'll fix 'em.
xxx

"This is all your fault."

Angel sighed and thumped his head back against the brick wall. "So you've told me."

Cordelia glared down at the reclining vampire and huffed. "You're old and a demon. You should have known-"

"What? I should have known that an extremely rare demon, that even Wesley thought was extinct would be waiting to ambush us in the alley when we went for Connor's formula?"

Cordelia crossed her arms, still not impressed.

"Or that the legends about this extremely rare demon were true, and they do release a very contagious disease to separate their victims from others and make them easier to kill?" Angel continued, sitting up now. "And can I just remind you that you are a demon now too?"

"But I'm new to it," Cordelia defended stiffly.

Angel crossed his arms over his chest. "Well, we're stuck in here until Wesley finds a cure. Thank god Wesley realized what was happening to Fred before it affected anyone else. Imagine if Connor-"

Angel shivered. The image of Connor violently convulsing was more than he could take. It was bad enough to see Fred shake uncontrollably and claw at her throat…

Cordelia sunk down next to him on the cot. She slipped her hand into his and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Do you think Fred is okay?" she asked in a whisper.

"Wes said she was awake and asking for tacos."

Cordelia laughed quietly. "She's fine then."

Angel tugged on their joined hands. "She'll be fine. Valier poison might be spread through contact with a person, but if you catch it before the victim falls into a coma there are no after effects."

"Wesley told you?"

Angel paused, the small smile on her face unnerving him. "Y-Yeah. Wesley told me. And you know Fred. She could never blame you."

"I only touched her on the shoulder, Angel, and she collapsed."

"It'll be okay," Angel assured her. "Wesley is on the case. He'll find the cure."

xxxxx

"I'm so bored! Bored, bored, bored."

Angel held a pillow over his head. God, he wished he could suffocate right now. Anything would be better than having to listen to Cordelia sing.

"Got scratched by an endangered demon and now I'm stuck in the base-ment with a vamp-pire. I'm gonna kill that demon when I see him again. Ooh, cos I got the stuck in the basement blues."

Angel gritted his teeth. "If you don't shut up, there's going to be one less demon down here."

The pillow was tugged away from his face.

"You're going to stake yourself and leave me down here alone? You wouldn't be that cruel."

Angel snatched back his pillow. "That wasn't exactly what I had in mind."

xxxxx

Cordelia tucked her knees up under her chin. She and Angel had been stuck in the basement of the Hyperion for the last four days. Gunn and Wesley only stayed long enough to drop their meals off at the top of the steps and all talking was done through the thick basement door in case the poison turned airborne.

In other words, she had spent the last four days stuck in a room with a man who could win the 'Mr. Reticent' award with his hands tied behind his back.

The last two days she had been doing anything to get him to talk to her, yell at her even. Anything to break up this silence that was driving her crazy.

"Remind me again why we can't have a T.V."

Angel didn't even stop his routine, the sword flying through the air as he spoke. "Because this is a basement, there aren't any electrical outlets available. Unless you'd like to go without lights or the fan?"

Cordelia pouted. "I'm bored."

"So you've said, a thousand times."

"Then give me something to do."

Angel swung his sword down and turned to face Cordelia. "You could always practice with your sword."

"I did that this morning!"

Angel rolled his eyes. "Then find something else. I have."

Angel turned away and hung the sword back up on the basement wall. He started to stretch.

Cordelia watched him, captivated by the sight of Angel's long pale arms flexing and relaxing.

Angel started his Thai Chi kata. He moved with a grace that belied his fumbling moments of dorkiness. It was times like this, when he was smooth as marble and so elegant, that reminded her he was vampire.

Cordelia watched him silently. She was no longer bored.

xxxxx

Cordelia spun around, a wide grin lighting up her face. She lashed out with a double kick and quickly followed it with a flurry of punches.

Angel danced out of the way. He blocked as many as he could and grunted at the ones that made contact. Cordelia was not holding anything back. Mostly, he watched for his opening.

Cordelia punched again, but this time she overextended and Angel snapped into action. He grabbed her wrist and twisted it up behind her back, pulling her towards him. Cordelia struggled but she couldn't break free.

"Admit it," Angel murmured silkily into her ear.

"Never." Cordelia breathed heavily.

"Come on, you know you want to. I know it and you know. So just… admit it."

Cordelia struggled again, brushing against Angel. She huffed, blowing her hair out of her face. "Fine! I admit it, this hasn't been so bad. Once Gunn brought me some magazines and books! It's actually been kind of relaxing; you know, without the visions."

"And?"

"And?" Cordelia asked innocently.

"Don't you have an apology to make?" Angel prompted.

Cordelia wrinkled her brow. "An apology? No, I don't think so. Nope, I'm apology free."

Angel gave her a little shake. "Something about hiding a certain somebody's clothes."

Cordelia shook her head. "Nope, I can't remember-"

"Then let me start you off. 'I'm sorry, Angel, for hiding all your clean clothes and making you walk around in your boxers.'"

"It's not like we had to face clients, or demons," Cordelia protested.

Angel growled lowly.

Cordelia rolled her eyes. "All right, I'm sorry."

She wasn't really. It was the funniest thing that had happened while she was stuck down here. Angel still couldn't figure out how she stole his clothes and where exactly she hid them. Plus, Angel in his boxers wasn't hard on the eyes.

Angel's grip loosened, but he didn't let go of her wrists. Cordelia felt the tip of his nose graze her neck.

"Angel?" It came out in a squeak.

"You smell like apple. How can you smell so good when you're trapped down here?" There was a deep rumble in his throat.

"It's the soap Fred sent down." Cordelia breathed in sharply as Angel's nose hit a sensitive spot. "Angel, what are you doing?"

"Something I've wanted to do for a long time. You've been driving me crazy for the last week and a half. You're all I can smell. There are times when I've to stop myself-"

Angel spun Cordelia around to face him.

"Tell me no and I'll stop."

Cordelia shivered at his husky tone. She looked up at him. "I'm not going to say no."

Angel groaned. He pulled her to him.

"Cordy."

The door to basement crashed open and Fred stomped down the stairs.

"Guess what, guys. Wesley found out that the poison works itself out of a person's system in a few days. So that means you're fine! The poison should be long gone!"

Fred stopped at the sight of Cordelia and Angel in their embrace. She turned bright red.

"Uh, uh, sorry." Fred backed up the stairs. "I'll just, ah… yeah."

Fred turned and ran up the stairs.

Cordelia dropped her head to Angel's shoulder. "You know she's telling Gunn, Wes and Lorne as we speak."

Angel sighed. "It was nice while it lasted."

xxx

end.