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Chapter 49- Disharmony
"Well then, the lighter recording for the day", Buffy muttered as she started the new recording.
At Hyperion, Angel sat as Wesley paced around him, lecturing. "This won't be easy for any of us, Angel. You're going to have to change your behavior. Engage your co-workers from time to time. Be sensitive to their feelings, their opinions, especially before you take some action one might construe as - oh, let's just call it insane. It goes a long way to show you - appreciate and respect them." He then dropped the lecturing tone and asked if it was torture, and Angel confirmed it was, so Wesley agreed that was enough for now.
"Yeah, that is torture", Dawn muttered, everyone chuckling a little.
"I know", Dawnster agreed, as they used to be lectured a lot when younger.
Angel decided to sit and absorb it all but on Wesley's look added he'd go out as this was Wesley's office, walking to the door. Wesley asked if he was sure and Angel said he was, as he now worked for Wesley, and then he turned to see Cordelia finishing putting pencils in a cup with Gunn. Angel looked at the desk with stuff as Wesley said he'd provided Angel with a working space, and asked for a cup of coffee. Angel thought he was joking as Wesley shut the office door in his face, and then Cordelia and Gunn asked for coffee with some stuff added too, making Angel say after they'd gone. "Man. Atonement's a bitch."
"I know, it's hard, but worth it", Willow said with a smile.
Two teenagers were sitting in a parked car, listening to music, talking and kissing. A hooded figure watched them from the bushes, then walked closer. The girl broke away from the guy with a scream as the hooded figure smashed the driver's side window in.
"Things going south, just what was needed", Xander scoffed.
"Yeah, things always go south every week", Harris told him.
Gunn slapped a mace into the palm of his hand, then dropped it into a box full of weapons. He picked the box up and walked away as Wesley came up from behind the counter and dropped some ring-binders on it. Cordelia walked by in the background, carrying a box of papers. Angel came down the stairs. Wesley looked at him and Angel slowed, looking around. Wesley cocked his head towards Cordelia. Angel shifted his feet then moved towards Cordelia while Wesley looked back down with a slight smile. Angel then tried to make small talk but Cordelia told him not to as he'd strain himself. She then picked up a box as he tried to hold it for her but she held it away from him.
"Mad about the clothes, right?" Tara asked.
"Yeah, very mad", Maclay said.
Cordelia set the box down and finally told Angel they were not friends to be clear.
"Poor Angel", Buffy muttered.
"He should have thought before he donated her clothes", Xander quipped.
Wesley threw a glance over his shoulder in their direction. Angel looked down, not trying to help Cordelia as she picked the box up again. He tried to meet her eyes as she was about to walk past him. Suddenly her face scrunched up as she was hit by a vision. Letting the box drop, Angel grabbed a hold of her arms and eased her down onto a chair as she had a blurry vision of 2 kids being dragged out of their cars by robed figures, describing the place as Wesley and Gunn moved away while Angel inquired about her well-being and then suggested she should go home for the night and order Chinese.
"Good advice but she won't take it", Rosenberg muttered. "She's not in the mood."
Later, Cordelia was about to leave the Hotel when she looked around, feeling someone, and then turning around screamed on seeing Harmony standing a few steps from her. "That's the way you greet an old friend?"
"Harmony?" The past Scooby Gang all went together other than Tara.
"Yeah, this one is much less enjoyable now", Buffy muttered.
"Actually, her antics made this funny", Summers said, surprising them all.
"Really?" Dawnster asked.
"Yeah, her stupidity is just fun to watch", Dawn said. "Of course we were more stupid when we invited her in back then."
"We've grown", Dawnster pointed out.
"She doesn't know Harmony's a Vampire, does she?" Xander asked.
"No, because I'll tell her that", Willow revealed as all looked at her. "She called me."
Cordelia screamed in a different tone and called out Harmony's name as they hugged, noting they hadn't met since the high school had blown up and it felt like a lifetime ago, Harmony adding it was for her, totally.
"Literally", Buffy corrected.
Cordelia and Harmony talked a little more before Cordelia revealed she worked for this Detective Agency, Harmony noting she wasn't a Detective to which she said she just did office work, and Harmony said it sounded rewarding. Cordelia asked if she was here for business but Harmony said she'd broken up with a guy and it was a smothering relationship.
"Yeah, I remember that", Buffy muttered. "I and Drusilla were tied up by Spike, and the only thing I wanted to do more than break out of my chains was shut her up."
"She's that bad?" Tara asked.
"Even worse", Willow told her.
"Yeah, I was captured by her once when I was young and stupid, and the only feeling greater than fear for my life was annoyance at her", Dawnster said.
"It's a wonder how she carries herself around with that stupidity", Giles told them all.
"Don't underestimate her, she's a survivor", Harris said, surprising them. "Not kidding, she is."
"And we'll have to watch to find out?" Xander asked.
"Yeah, you must", Summers said.
Eventually, Cordelia agreed to let Harmony stay at her place as long as she didn't mind the couch.
"So she's invited already", Xander sighed.
"She didn't know, unlike us", Dawn reminded.
Angel, Wesley and Gunn ran up to the teenagers' car, saw the doors hanging open, and the blood on the broken windows, but otherwise there was no one in sight. They stopped, Wesley breathing hard and holding his side. They wondered what to do now when they heard faint screaming of a woman. They took off in the direction of the screams. A woman was struggling against a figure wearing a hooded green robe. Green Robe saw the three running towards them. He picked up the woman and tossed her towards them. Angel caught the woman, while Gunn tackled Green Robe, pulling the hood back to reveal the rigged features of a vampire. "Now see? What you want to go hiding such a pretty face for?" Gunn ducked under the vampire's swing then, holding on to the robe, hit the vampire with a hard right. The vampire struggled out of his robe and turned to run only to find himself face to face with Angel, stake at the ready. The vampire disappeared in a cloud of dust. Angel looked at Gunn, but Gunn only lifted the robe as to wipe his face then lowered it again with a frown and walked over to where Wesley was trying to calm down the woman.
"Cordelia said they were blue robes", Buffy remembered. "These are green."
"Something must be up then", Giles said.
Gunn remembered Cordelia had said blue robes and Wesley said she could be mistaken due to darkness, but Angel said they should give her the benefit of the doubt before condemning her just like that, only for the two to give him looks as he trailed off.
"He seems really eager to get on her good side again", Dawnster commented.
"Guess why?" Rosenberg asked with a smirk, making her eyes widen.
"Really?" She asked.
"Yeah, really", Maclay nodded.
"Is it true?" Buffy asked, mostly out of surprise.
"It is", Summers told her. "He loves her."
"But when did…" Buffy trailed off. "When did it happen?"
"He had feelings for her for quite a while, since the first year", Dawn explained. "But they grew during the second one."
Xander then asked. "And she…."
"She feels the same way, which is why his behavior hurt her that deeply", Summers told them.
"I told you", Willow smirked.
"Me too", Tara popped up.
"Wow!" Buffy said, not jealous, just surprised.
Gunn decided to take a sweep to see if blue robes were around while Wesley noticed the robe had a triangle with a snake forming the number 2 inside, thinking it must be a religious sect. He decided to call Cordelia but Angel said he'd given her the night off due to the toll the vision had taken and wondered if he should send flowers with notes, to which Wesley responded in that case he should get those too, so Angel apologized as Wesley said. "You can't buy back her trust, Angel, - or her affections." Angel said she'd told him they weren't friends, and Wesley said he had to give her time since she had a lot of pain to work through.
"Yeah, time is a good way to heal", Willow agreed. "Mostly."
In her apartment, Cordelia was cackling, she and Harmony in house robes with towels on their heads, talking about old times as they mock sang a song a guy had written for Cordelia, remembering they ruled and were powerful, rich and popular.
"That sure looks like working through pain", Dawnster quipped.
"Stuff changes after high school", Xander smirked.
Cordelia then said she was happier now because she had air pockets inside of her and the work she was doing was filling it, and then asked about Harmony who just said she'd gotten out of her abusive relationship and felt good about herself, and then Harmony looked at Cordelia's neck, saying she was hungry.
"Uh-oh", Buffy muttered. "Get out, Cordy."
"Relax, nothing happens to her", Summers assured.
Cordelia decided to call for pizza, leaning across Harmony to reach for the phone on the side table and Harmony was suddenly in Vamp face but went back to normal by the time Cordelia sat back.
There were sighs of relief.
"Is it just me or is she literally the same person as a human and Vampire?" Xander then asked.
"It's not just you, there seems to be no change in her, other than the fact that she has Vamp enhancements", Willow said.
"Guess she's unique among Vamps that way", Maclay told them.
Later, Cordelia was lying asleep as Harmony entered the room, licking her lips on seeing Cordelia's neck, but the door slammed shut, waking Cordelia as she was shocked on seeing Harmony in her room who rambled how she thought she could control her urges but couldn't stay away from her as she looked so luscious, and Cordelia was coming to a conclusion. Harmony said she'd thought Cordelia would kill her if she found out but she assured she wasn't that narrow-minded, not caring about it as long as Harmony was happy, though she had no idea Harmony thought of her that way. Harmony decided to just go back to the couch and apologized, the two agreeing this would be their secret.
"So, I think the two were talking about very different things", Dawnster said.
"Yeah, Cordelia thinks Harmony's a lesbian instead of a Vampire", Tara summed up as there were chuckles among everyone.
"Frankly, she'd be annoying either way", Buffy shook her head. "And thank God for Dennis."
"Yeah, he's the best", Summers said with a smirk.
Next day, Cordelia was talking on the phone, asking why they hadn't warned her about Harmony, and Willow was sitting on her bed at her dorm, a toothbrush in mouth as she wondered what was going on about Harmony, to which Cordelia revealed she was in LA.
"It's me!" Willow said with a smirk. "I'm in these too."
"Yeah, we show up in two more", Rosenberg spoke up. "The other two are more important."
"Funny how friendly you two are", Xander quipped.
"It's the 'growth as a person' thing", Willow told him.
Willow was shocked as Cordelia revealed she'd been attacked in her bedroom, saying she'd been sleeping but then had woken up on time and had been ready to jump her, but got the message on being shot down. Willow wondered if Cordelia had wounded her and Cordelia said she'd get over it, adding she shouldn't have invited her, only confusing Willow more till she said. "Cordelia! Okay. We're all clear on the fact that Harmony is a vampire, right?"
"Finally, the beans are spilled", Buffy sighed in relief. "Bye-bye Harmony."
"Not so fast", Harris popped up, surprising her.
"Oh. Harmony is a vampire? - That's why she - oh, my god, I'm so embarrassed!" Cordelia giggled. "All this time I thought she was a great big lesbo!" There was a pause. "Oh, yeah? Really? - Well, that's great! Good for you."
"Yeah, that she shouldn't have said", Willow muttered dryly as all shook their heads.
"Still, she got over it pretty quick", Tara noted. "Nice."
Willow thanked Cordelia for the affirmation and told her to get out as Harmony was dangerous, and she agreed, cutting the call when Harmony came up behind her, asking where she was going.
That dropped the mood a little again as Buffy muttered. "This sucks."
"Oh it's gonna suck a lot more soon", Dawn said to her, of course not in the way anyone expected.
Wesley was looking through an old book, Angel pacing behind him as he wondered what to do, including getting information from the streets when Wesley pointed out it was daytime, and he had Gunn on it. Then the phone rang and Wesley told him to answer it, and Angel did as Willow told him what was going on.
"Now that's a little better", Xander muttered.
Angel and Wesley broke into Cordelia's apartment, stake and crossbow at the ready only to find Harmony painting Cordelia's toenails, but she already knew Harmony was an evil Vampire, Harmony adding they'd been over that. Cordelia defended Harmony, saying she needed help, but Wesley pointed a crossbow at Harmony, saying this was a Demon wearing her friend's face with her memories, only for Angel to stop him and say perhaps they should respect Cordelia's wishes.
"Don't be an idiot, Angel", Buffy said.
"Well, Harmony is literally the same person both ways", Rosenberg reminded. "So there's that."
Wesley ended up aiming his crossbow at Angel while Cordelia squinted her eyes and then Wesley said she was needed at the office. Cordelia started to leave, deciding to leave Harmony but she didn't want to stay with the ghost.
"Please stay with the ghost so he can annoy you and chase you out", Xander muttered.
"What did Dennis ever do to you?" Harris asked Xander.
"Bringing her to the office is about as good an idea as letting her stay at home", Willow told the rest. "Which means not good at all."
Later, Wesley was researching in a book when Harmony popped a chewing gum bubble next to him, annoying him, while Angel inquired about the bird Cordelia had seen in her vision, but she got annoyed, and Wesley tried to share some explanations until Harmony's bubble popping annoyed him to the point he said he'd stake her if she continued, and so Cordelia asked her to lose the gum, only for her to rip out a page of the book Wesley was looking at and spit her gum onto it.
"The bloody idiot! How dare you?" Giles said, outraged at what she'd done while the rest exchanged worried looks.
"Okay, I'm not as much into books as Giles obviously, but that was still rude and horrible", Dawn said in agreement.
"Plus, it's an important book", Dawnster popped up.
"It's an old book, of course it's important", Giles said. "She should be staked for that!"
Wesley was angry, saying the book was 12 centuries old as Harmony quipped she hadn't messed up a new one, and eventually Wesley pulled out a stake and lunged at her but Cordelia stopped him and Angel pulled Harmony to the side.
"You should have let him stake her", Giles said.
"I'm not even that much into books but she needs to be staked for being so annoying", Xander added.
"Yeah, she sucks at everything and she's a waste", Willow nodded.
Angel gave Harmony pig's blood to drink but she didn't like it, saying it'd get to her hips, and then started describing how good human blood felt till Gunn returned, noticing Harmony as they greeted each other, and Cordelia said she was her friend who was staying for a few days, and then Wesley added she was a Vampire, confusing Gunn, before he revealed robed Vampires had been grabbing people for a month, and they hadn't noticed because they were distracted, plus not many bodies were turning up so the kidnapped people were being turned, which meant someone was building an army.
"Now this is bad", Buffy said. "At least they found out. Better late than never."
"Yeah, who knows what this army can do?" Tara agreed.
A gathering of various robed Vampires was shown as their leader called Doug gave a speech, showing them a multilevel pyramid where he explained how one Vampire would turn two humans, and they'd turn two as well, increasing their number, but one human would be brought in for the food bank, and then a cage full of humans was revealed. He chanted and the rest repeated. "Turn two, the rest is food."
"So that's why the army is being built", Willow realized. "It's just….a scheme."
"He was a con artist before being turned, and now he's showing off his schemes to other Vamps", Summers explained.
"And they are even buying it", Maclay added.
"Guess they're all like him", Buffy muttered.
Angel, Wesley and Gunn were looking into disappearances while Harmony ranted to Cordelia how one was an office manager and the other dead, and then Cordelia found something, calling the rest as she showed them a 'Department of Justice' website with a pyramid logo, Gunn saying Vamps running money scams was really low. Cordelia said this person was a motivational speaker and 'life coach' before the Feds caught up with him but he disappeared, and Wesley said he could be a cult leader. Cordelia then even found his meeting sites and a picture, but Harmony accidentally spilled blood on the keyboard and screen, causing it to spark and fizzle out.
"Screw you!" Both the Dawns said at the same time to Harmony.
"Bringing her here was definitely a mistake, since she's a bane to both book and machine", Giles growled, the others realizing he was speaking up for a computer in honor of Jenny, and decided to not comment on that.
Cordelia dragged Harmony out, calling her 'Harm' which Wesley found to be a fitting nickname as he held the keyboard to let the blood drip out. In the lobby, Harmony ranted to Cordelia how she always messed things up and no one could understand what she was going through. Cordelia said she knew someone who understood a little about pain and told the others she was going out.
"Please take her out into the sun", Xander begged.
"You wish", Rosenberg said with a groan, making the others groan too.
Later, Harmony was on stage singing 'Memories'. Cordelia asked Lorne what he thought and he said she should reconsider her name.
"Stake her, she's a disgrace to everything good!" Giles snapped at this point, and no one could disagree. She'd damaged books, a computer and good music.
"Please tell me we don't see after this", Buffy begged.
"You will, but much later", Summers assured. "And surprisingly, she's more likable then."
"What?" Xander said in shock. "How's that even…..?"
"Was it her nicer twin or something?" Dawnster asked.
"No, it was her", Maclay said. "We were pretty surprised too."
Harmony laughed and held out her hand as there was sporadic clapping, and she sat down next to Cordelia, where Lorne said he wouldn't guide her but had AB- blood for her to drink and also said he wasn't her travel agent for the trip, Cordelia was her guide. He then left as Harmony asked the meaning of a pretty word he'd said.
"Poor Cordy", Tara muttered. "Stuck with her."
"I don't think she's annoyed the way we are", Buffy said lamely.
Angel, Wesley and Gunn arrived, saying they needed her as they'd figured out the attacks took place in a 10 mile radius and HQ would be near the center. Angel suggested she could pick up something from her vision, and Cordelia knew it was the red bird. Cordelia asked if Harmony was fine here and she said she was as she wanted to do 2 numbers, and Cordelia told her to do them both. She then walked to the guys as they confirmed the cult would be killed.
"At least we're free of her now", Willow sighed in relief.
"At the cost of good music", Giles muttered grimly.
The gang was walking, shoulder to shoulder, down the sidewalk outside of Caritas. There was a serious and focused Wesley, then Gunn, then Angel, then Cordelia and on then - a grinning Harmony. Cordelia did a double take when she suddenly noticed Harmony walking beside her, shocking her as Harmony said she was supposed to stick with her, and her place was with the good guys now.
"I don't wanna be a good guy anymore", Buffy muttered.
"Me neither", Willow added.
"Add me as well", Xander said.
"Just wait and watch", Summers said ominously.
"As long as we get rid of her, I'm good", Dawnster said.
Harmony was sitting at the back of the convertible between Cordelia and Gunn, saying she sucked at being evil because she was meant to fight it, and then asked Gunn about how long he'd been fighting evil, saying she had some moves. Angel and Wesley were wondering who should shut her up when Cordelia told them to pull over, and Angel did as they squinted to notice a sculpted phoenix decoration above a theater marquee with the words 'closed for repair' on it. This bird wasn't red, rather a puke green, but then a neon sign was turned on by Angel, throwing a red glow over the bird as Cordelia smiled at being proven right.
"And they're here for the fight", Tara said. "At least the con man is going down."
"Let us hope this bane to books, computers and music goes down with him", Giles told them all.
Wesley gave orders as Harmony asked what she should do and he told her to guard the car, and she said how she'd kill or maim anyone who came close but was warned not to, Gunn sarcastically saying to yell louder. Wesley and Gunn went off as Cordelia went to talk to Harmony but Angel pulled her away, saying he was trying let things sort but Harmony couldn't work with them, because she was the enemy, and Wesley was right. "Harmony will turn on you."
"No doubt about that", Buffy said in agreement.
Angel told her she'd because she was a soulless Vampire as Cordelia reminded he had betrayed them in spite of having a soul, and given away her clothes too. Angel said it was to the needy but she told him. "I am the needy! - Do you know how scared I was you were on your way to becoming Angelus again? Imagine what could have happened if you'd gone nuts and slept with Darla." Angel didn't meet her eyes. "You know I would never do that..."
"I thought you were trying sort stuff", Xander muttered.
"It'll come back to bite him in the ass later", Summers informed them.
"She was worried about him", Dawnster said in a sweet tone.
"Told you she felt the same way", Rosenberg reminded them all.
Wesley and Gunn returned, saying they couldn't get into the building or see who was inside, so Angel suggested he'd go in and pretend he wanted to join, but the others were against it as most Vampires knew what he looked like and some could even sense his soul, so Cordelia called Harmony as she had no soul and no one knew what she looked like, and she eventually agreed. Wesley reluctantly agreed. "Watch out Evil." She morphed into vamp-face. "Here comes Harmony." She strode into the theater.
"I think evil would laugh its ass off", Dawn quipped as chuckles followed.
"Yeah, she seems hard to take seriously", Tara agreed with a nod.
Harmony walked into the theater where 2 Vampires gave her a book titled 'Selective Slaughter - Turning a bloodbath into a blood bank'. Doug was speaking on the stage as he brought Tibor on stage for graduating to yellow level, and the cage of humans was revealed as he was allowed to drink from one woman as reward. Harmony started clapping half-heartedly.
"I have a feeling this was the wrong decision", Buffy said.
"And I have a feeling your feeling is right", Willow added.
Angel, Cordelia, Wesley and Gunn noted Harmony was late but then she arrived, telling them the situation, and so they followed her inside, Angel bringing up the rear. Harmony then started thanking Cordelia for giving her the opportunity while leading them into the backstage area. She then thanked them all as Wesley asked where the Vampires were, to which Harmony said right behind them as stage lights came on and Vampires surrounded them, Harmony saying she belonged with them now.
"You bitch", Buffy snarled in anger. "I knew it!"
"She can pretend all she wants, but we're not fooled", Dawnster spoke up.
"Cordelia was just, well, blinded, because she was her friend", Summers told them. "But not anymore."
"A bit too late, isn't it?" Xander asked.
"Better late than never", Harris told him. "Plus, they all survive this so not much to worry about."
Doug arrived and complimented Harmony since she'd brought Wesley and Gunn to turn, Cordelia to feed, and Angel as well, updating her to blue robe in 20 minutes as she got one, and spectators cheered too. Cordelia leveled her crossbow at Harmony, calling her weak-willed and soft-brained but Harmony said she tuned out mental roadblocks, and Doug told them to put their weapons down. Angel looked to Wesley who said. "Kill 'em all!"
"Yeah, kill 'em", Willow muttered.
"It'd be better if Harmony gets staked too", Giles said with a scoff.
"Yeah, one less annoying Vamp", Rosenberg said with a nod.
With that the team sprang into action, Cordelia and Wesley firing their crossbows, while Gunn attacked with his ax and Angel with his fists and stake. Beyond the stage lights robed vampires were sitting in the audience, watching. Angel dusted one vampire and sent another one flying into the seats. The vampires that one landed on started heading up the aisle towards the exit, starting a mass exodus. Cordelia hit Harmony across the chin. A yellow robed vamp hit Wesley in his recently healed gut, causing him to hunch over but before he could do any more damage Angel pulled him off Wesley and buried a stake in its chest. Gunn dropped a yellow robed vamp on its back but before he could kill it, he was grabbed from behind by a blue robe. Harmony hit Cordelia, sending her flying backwards through the air. Gunn got the blue guy off his back while Angel helped Wesley to his feet, inquiring about his wellbeing before telling him to get the people from the cage out, so he limped to it.
"There goes the whole Vamp army", Buffy said about those who'd run off in an exodus.
"They're all as fickle as Harmony", Harris quipped as they all chuckled.
Wesley tried to open the door but failed. Doug jumped Angel from behind as they started fighting, then Angel tossed him near a fire ax which he grabbed and swung at Angel, asking why he was working with humans instead of maximizing his Vamp self. Gunn staked a green robe. Harmony rolled Cordelia over onto her back and found herself with a loaded crossbow at her throat, laughing, saying that won't kill her. "No, that'll just hurt like hell." Cordelia sat up and with her left hand pointed a second crossbow at her heart. "This one will kill you."
"Fire it off", Giles muttered.
"Yeah, she won't be much of a big loss", Willow agreed.
"Bet she didn't see that coming", Buffy smirked.
"No, she was too stupid for that", Maclay said.
Wesley was still struggling with the locked cage. A green robe stuck him with a cattle prod and Wesley dropped to the floor with a groan. As the green robe got ready to jab Wes again, Gunn came up from behind and staked it. A key dropped to the ground, followed by some dust. Wesley grabbed the key. Gunn reached a hand down and helped Wesley up, then they unlocked the cage. Angel was dodging the wild swings of Doug's ax. Harmony backed away from Cordelia as she got up, crossbow aimed at Harmony's heart as she said this was nothing personal and asked if they were still friends.
"And she reaches a new low in stupidity", Dawnster said as they all chuckled.
"Go Cordy", Xander cheered.
Cordelia tightened her finger on the trigger and Harmony squeezed her eyes shut. Wesley and Gunn were directing the freed humans towards the back exit. Angel hit Doug, then grabbed a hold of him and threw him against the wall, causing him to drop his ax - which Angel picked up and used to behead Doug as he came back up.
"There goes", Buffy said as all sighed in relief.
Cordelia slowly lowered her crossbow and Harmony hesitantly opened her eyes. "We're still friends, right?" Cordelia snarled. "No, Harmony. We're not friends. Just get out of here." Harmony asked. "Really?" Cordelia said. "Not just here. I want you out of my city. You're gonna wanna be as far away from me as possible." Harmony started. "But I left a few things at you", Cordelia raised the crossbow. "Bye." Harmony turned and ran up the stairs, looking back at Cordelia once to see that she still had the crossbow trained on her. Angel stood a few steps behind Cordelia, ax still in hand. "Don't say anything. Not a word." Angel glanced up the stairs then in the direction Cordelia had left.
"I think she should forgive him now", Dawnster said. "I mean, he's trying to make up."
"Just wait for it", Summers smirked.
Next day, Angel arrived at Wesley's office as he wanted to see him, and as Angel sat down, Wesley started touching base regarding Cordelia, only for Angel to say she had every right to feel that way and so he was willing to give her the room. Wesley smiled, liking the attitude as he said time and space was what was required, but then was interrupted by a scream from Cordelia in the outer office.
"What happened?" Tara asked.
The future people just exchanged smirks.
Cordelia burst in through the doors, a shirt draped over each arm as she said to Angel. "Oh, my god. These are gorgeous! You have the most amazing taste! You have, like - a gay man's taste, and that's saying something." Wesley glanced past Cordelia and saw that there were even more clothes draped all over her desk. "I love them so much!" She threw her arms around Angel and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! You're the best!" She kissed him again as Angel grinned from ear to ear. Wesley narrowed his eyes at Angel and folded his arms across his chest. Cordelia announced. "I have to go try these on." She smiled at Angel then Wesley and began to dance in place singing, 'la, la, la, la, la, new clothes! I have new clothes!' Even Angel danced a little with her.
The past people had their jaws dropped at that, in disbelief.
"So…..he bought her trust back", Buffy finally said, still in disbelief. "Wesley was wrong."
"They looked so cute and funny dancing together", Dawnster chuckled.
"Of course this is how she was supposed to forgive him", Willow smacked her head. "How can I forget?"
"So, it wasn't that hard", Xander muttered, now wondering if he should have gifted Anya a lot of money after stupidly dumping her at the altar (worst thing he'd ever done, according to himself and everyone else), since that would have made her happy again. [1]
"This means he should never have donated her clothes", Giles spoke up.
"He's made up for it", Tara shrugged.
"So, you believe me now that they're in love?" Summers asked.
"I think I do", Buffy said.
"Honestly, I was thinking this might turn him into Angelus", Dawn joked as chuckles were shared again.
"Good thing that didn't happen", Rosenberg said.
"I think he keeps his feelings a little in check after that incident", Maclay told Buffy, who couldn't disagree.
"So, what da ya think?" Harris asked.
"About what?" Buffy asked.
"Angel and Cordy", Summers told her. "What do you think?"
"I…I can't say", Buffy said. "Me and Angel are a thing of the past now. And both of them are growing into much better people now."
"I think they're good for each other", Dawnster said. "Didn't think it'd happen, but they seem good for each other to me."
"That's because they are", Rosenberg agreed.
"Yeah, I guess they are", Buffy said begrudgingly. Angel was still her friend, but Cordelia was better for him than she was really, while for her Spike with his soul was the one. "I really don't mind."
Angel, still grinning broadly looked towards Wesley, who was not smiling. Cordelia danced out of the room. "New clothes, I have new clothes!" Angel smiled. "I got her clothes." Angel watched her leave with a smile, then walked out through a different door, leaving Wesley alone in his office, arms crossed, not looking happy - while the sounds of Cordelia's celebrating still drift in through the open door, and the screen went black as her laughter was heard one last time.
That last laugh made Rosenberg feel a little sad. Considering what had happened to Cordelia later, that last bit of laugh just sounded haunting, looking back at it. Happiness was unfairly denied to her, and to Angel as well. [2]
"We have one more to go before break time", Xander said.
"I don't think we'll be watching that one", Summers said as the future gang shared looks. "We've got some other stuff to do. Plus, the ones we needed to watch for this year have been watched."
With that, the future version of the Gang got up.
"Bye bye then, we'll see each other later", Buffy said as they shared waves and then the future gang walked out.
"Now that Angel is back to himself and he and Cordy have made up, I'm guessing we're gonna have some new adventures for this year", Willow said.
"Let's check 'em out", Dawnster smirked.
"Yup", Buffy nodded as they came to the next recording.
It's hilarious how I always found Harmony annoying but in Angel Season 5, she became a genuinely likeable and funny character. So she's on the list of character who were much better in Angel than they were in Buffy. Other character on the list are- Angel himself (In Buffy he was one-note with a broody personality and had no role outside of being Buffy's love interest, then his own show came and I fell in love with his amazing and complex character), Cordelia (her growth started in Buffy but it was continued amazingly in Angel, outside of GODDAMN Season 4!), Wesley (his character is literally perfection), Spike (I loved him in Buffy too, and his character arc was amazing, but in Angel his dynamic with Angel and the rest of the team was great, plus no chip and a soul) and Faith (she returned to Buffy Season 7 after her redemption but the bulk of her character arc happened in Angel, which is ironic since she appeared in more Buffy episodes. Her character is perfection like Wesley).
[1] Just a reference to my friend Bl4ckHunter's fic 'Quick cheering' where Xander and Anya make up after he dumps her at the altar because he gifts her a lot of money, and it was inspired by this scene between Angel and Cordelia.
[2] This was me projecting my feelings through Rosenberg. Considering how bad it's gonna get for Cordelia, especially in the later Seasons, looking back, that last sound of her laughter as the screen goes black just sounds haunting and saddening to me, knowing her future. Damn you Joss!
Anyway, hope all enjoyed and see you all next time with another chapter. Stay safe from the coronavirus ya all!