Chapter 8: Waking Up Cordy

Warning: Non-friendly feelings for Willow and Xander, but it shouldn't matter much unless I feel the need to mention them. For now they are just not in the story.

Disclaimer: BtVS and AtS characters belong to Joss Whedon / Mutant Enemy. Charmed characters belong to WB. Smallville characters belong to DC Comics & WB. I claim no rights to any copyrighted material. Please do not copy or take this story without my permission.

A/N: Thanks to my betas for their help...BkwrmDancer, DawnDreamer, AshDawnSoulmates, ktweaver, Chrislover and Zoe.

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Hospital, LA

When she came out of her trance, Buffy opened her eyes to see Angel, Wesley and three others that she didn't recognize standing there – one of whom was clearly a demon, even with his 'disguise'.

Shaking her head to clear it, Buffy inquired, "Ah, hi guys. What's up?"

Angel's eyes narrowed at the sight of his ex with his current love interest. "Why don't you tell us? The hospital called to say that Cordy had a visitor who was just sitting on her bed, meditating."

Buffy moved off the bed and stretched as she took in the three people she didn't know. "Who are your new friends?"

"This is Gunn, Fred and Lorne," Angel introduced with a hint of exasperation.

Needing to know their loyalties, the Slayer asked, "Are they pre-Jasmine friends or post?"

"Pre. What difference does that make?" Wesley answered, surprised by the changes in his former charge. Angel said precious little about what happened while he was in Sunnydale – except to tell them that he received his Shanshu.

Buffy quirked an eyebrow at them, as if to say 'Are you kidding?' before she answered, "Because if they are from the evil law firm, I wouldn't explain myself in front of them."

Angel glared at her unspoken accusation. "I told you what we are doing there. I wish you'd trust me that we know what we are doing."

"I trust that you have good intentions. But I also recognize the dangers of what you are doing. And quite honestly, I'm afraid that the chances of you being corrupted by the power they are offering is much greater than that of you taking them down from the inside. This isn't like trying to get in the Mayor's inner circle," she pointed out.

Wanting to stop this before it erupted into a fight, Wesley interjected, "So can you tell us since we are from before Jasmine?"

Shrugging, Buffy started to talk, "I guess so. I got word that Cordy was stuck in a mystical coma. Since I received healing powers after my fight in Sunnydale, I thought I'd come see if I could do anything about it."

"If you had these powers all this time, why didn't you come before?" Fred asked with bright eyes. The thought that Cordy could have woken up months ago felt like a slap in the face. She thought this Buffy was supposed to be a good person.

"Partially because I had to learn to use them. But mostly because I didn't know about her condition before this," Buffy added with a glare at her ex. "You know Angel, when you tell me that someone has 'fallen' in a battle, that tends to make me think they died!"

The others turned and yelled at the former vampire, "You told her what?"

Embarrassed, Angel tried to justify his actions, "Sorry, I just didn't see what difference it would make since there was nothing anyone could do about it. So you think that you can help her?"

Looking down at her fallen classmate, Buffy gave a hesitant shrug. "I don't know. But I asked her what she wanted and she wants me to try."

"What do you mean? How did you ask her?" Gunn wanted to know.

Buffy smiled back at the group. "That whole meditation thing I was doing. I went into her mind and was talking to her. The last thing she remembers was Skip offering her a chance to become a higher being."

"So nothing about the past year and a half?" Angel asked, not sure what answer he was hoping for.

But Buffy wasn't on the fence about it. "No thank goodness. She seemed really squicked by the whole Connor thing."

Wesley asked in confusion, "What Connor thing? Who's Connor?"

"What do you mean, 'Who's Connor?'" Buffy demanded, her eyes narrowing on her ex.

Angel quickly deflected her question, not wanting to let the cat out of the bag, "We can talk about that later. First, can you take care of Cordy?"

Against her better judgment, Buffy agreed, "Yeah, I can try. But we will talk. Now I'll need everyone to leave the room while I do this. I've never tried anything this big before and will need no distractions."

Not that he didn't trust her, Gunn wanted to know they could trust her. "Can Lorne read you first? Make sure you're on the up and up?"

"Depends on how he would do that," Buffy replied cautiously.

"You'd sing for him and he'd be able to sense things about you," Angel told her.

Nodding, Buffy checked, "What if he senses things I don't want anyone to know?"

Lorne didn't need to hear her sing to know she was trustworthy, he could see her aura already – clear as the horns on his head. He just wanted to listen to her anyway. "As long as they aren't a danger to us, I'll keep it to myself."

"Then if you'll excuse the two of us?" She motioned the others to the door.

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After they left the room, she locked the door for privacy.

Buffy knew that he was friends with Angel, but she wanted to be sure she could trust him as well. "Would you permit me the same opportunity?"

Lorne looked surprised. "Angel-cakes never told me you could read people."

Smiling at the term of endearment, Buffy explained, "That's 'cause it's a new thing. I'm not ready to share that information with everyone right now. For one thing, it would make them very uncomfortable around me," she told him, thinking he would get where she was coming from.

He nodded his agreement. "Understandable. So how do you want to do this?"

Buffy reached out for him and said, "Just give me your hand and close your eyes."

She went through the same motions as before and when they came out, Lorne looked at her with shock. "Why did you knock before entering?"

"Because it would be rude of me to force my way it. So now that I know I can trust you, what would you like me to sing?" Buffy asked.

Sitting in the chair next to Cordy, Lorne readied himself for some quality entertainment. "Whatever your little heart desires, cupcake."

"Uh, well, a few weeks ago Norah Jones sang at my friends' night club and one of her songs really stuck with me." She started singing with a sultry voice that was in complete contrast of her bimbo-blonde, cheerleader image.

'Lonestar where are you out tonight?

This feeling I'm trying to fight

It's dark and I think that I would give anything

For you to shine down on me

How far you are I just don't know

The distance I'm willing to go

I pick up a stone that I cast to the sky

Hoping for some kind of sign.'"

When she finished singing, Lorne looked stunned. "Oh, sweetie, that was incredible!"

Blushing, Buffy pushed a lock of her hair behind her ear. "Thanks. Did it give you what you needed from me?"

Lorne gave her a huge grin that looked incredibly friendly – in spite of his demonic features. "All except an encore. I can tell the others you're on the level. Did you want to know what I saw about your future?" he asked.

She shook her head, "I don't think so. Can I change my mind later if I get a case of the curious?"

"Sure, as long as you promise to sing again for me, dollface. Your voice is like a soothing wind on my mind. That isn't always the case," he added conspiratorially.

Buffy laughed outright at that confession. "I'm guessing that Angel isn't one of your favorite singers. I overheard him singing to himself once."

Nodding, Lorne started for the door. "I'll let myself out so you can do your thing with the Princess here."

"What? She was demoted from Queen C?"

"You can ask her about it later," he said enigmatically.

"Yeah, if this works," Buffy muttered.

Lorne gave her an optimistic smile. "Not to worry there."

Buffy gave one last warning, "Just make sure everyone stays out and keeps quiet, 'k?"

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Lorne slipped out and she quickly re-locked the door and this time slipped a chair under the handle. It probably wouldn't keep them out, but it might slow them down long enough for Buffy to warn Cordy of their presence.

She stood there and studied the brunette lying on the bed, trying to think of the best way to attempt the healing. Finally, she opted to prop the other girl into a sitting position and sat back on the bed in her previous stance. Then she held both of Cordy's hands in her own and tried to focus all her healing energies. She lost track of time, but eventually began to feel a shift in her old classmate's life-force. She kept up her channeling as that life-force grew stronger. Suddenly, she opened her eyes in time to watch Cordy do the same.

In true Queen C fashion, she snapped, "Took you long enough." She hadn't noticed the passage of time before Buffy came to her before, but she did once the blonde left.

Buffy chuckled. "Sorry, first I had to prove myself to Angel and the others that I wasn't here to hurt you. I kicked them out of the room so I could let you know they were here. The reason I gave them was that I needed to concentrate – which was true. By the way, something weird is up with them. Only Angel seems to know who Connor is. I told him we'd talk about it later. Just thought you should know."

"Thanks for the heads-up about both things. Did you tell them about my plans to join your friends?" As Cordy finished talking, there was a knocking on the door as someone tried to rattle the handle. Angel called out to let them know he heard Cordelia's voice.

Buffy shook her head, both at his impatience and to answer Cordy's question. "I thought I'd leave that to you if it was necessary."

Taking a deep breath, Cordy waved at Buffy like a mistress addressing her servant. "Well, let's get this over with. Open the door…please," she tacked on belatedly.

"Wow, you have changed," Buffy answered with a smirk.

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Queen C was shocked to hear of the falling out of the Scoobies and what happened to Willow and Xander. Her more vicious side felt reincarnation was too good for them after what they pulled, but she understood Buffy's choice to give them a second chance. Hopefully they would make the best of it this time and not blow it.

Buffy was never so happy to get away as she was after the big blowout. When she'd had enough, she told Cordy to call when she was ready to go. She waved her goodbyes to the others and left as fast as her orbs could take her. Man, was Cordy letting them have it! Buffy left it up to her former rival to find out what happened to Connor and fill her in.

Then there was Lorne and his reading to think about. He obviously knew something was coming up for the Slayer/whitelighter, and soon. She was wondering if she should have taken him up on his offer to tell her. Shaking her head, Buffy decided that it was better left unsaid. She would find out soon enough. No need in making it one of those self-fulfilling prophecies.

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A/N: Next…Saying goodbye and starting over.