Part 4 in the No Strings Attached series. This is the final piece in the series, I think. Hope you like it. I don't think there will be another one because I'm not sure where to go with it anymore. Please Review because
it boost my ego terribly and it also help me write. This was sort of inspired by 'Here With Me' by Dido, which has just been released over here.
Disclaimer: The only thing that belongs to me is the plot and it's copyrighted, the rest belong to David and Joss as well as WB, Fox and Mutant (Grr, Arr) Enemy Inc., who all get rich of the profits.
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No Strings Attached (4/4) - New York, New York
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Cordelia cried constantly on the 3 and a half hour flight from LA to New York. She cried at how painful it was to have your heart ripped in two, three times and twice over the same woman. She cried over how stupid she was to have fallen I love with her boss, her Ex-boss. She cried over how she was now sitting in Economy instead of First class for the first time. `Could my life get any worse? `She thought to herself.
Angel sat in his apartment in the dark. Cordelia had only walked out on him 5 hours ago and he was already feeling the lonely hole it left in his life. The feeling wasn't new to him. He had spent over 100 years on his own scavenging where he could across Europe. He sat in the dark contemplating, trying to figure out where it had all gone wrong."I don't understand, why am I brooding over the annoying, tact-less seer I never wanted to hire in the first place? She whines and complains and doesn't come in to work on time. She stops me from brooding, I like to brood. She puts cinnamon in my blood, I like cinnamon in my blood now. She makes me smile, I like to smile now. I can't stand this. I've got to go and find her, make her listen to me. Most of all, I have to stop talking to myself in the dark." Angel got to his feet and grab his bag from on top of his wardrobe and started to pack.
Cordelia watched as the night-time horizon of New York City. The city was lit up like a thousand fairy lights, the Twin Towers were lit up with it's red beacons flashing in the night. She turned to the man sitting next to her. "So have you ever been to New York." She asked the handsome young man beside her.
"Oh, I'm in stocks. You?"
"I used to be in Investigations and I help to save peoples lives. I did up until, oh, 6 hours ago. So stocks, that must be...um...interesting."
Cordelia turned back away and looked out of the window as the runway met the tyres of the plane. She climbed into the cab to go to her mothers new flat her mind drifted back to that afternoon. She had picked herself off the floor, having decided that she had mourned over Xander and mourned after Doyle had died, she wasn't going to morn after Angel after all it was only a bit of fun right? Wrong and she knew it. Feeling had developed in the two days since they had first slept together, feelings that had been there for weeks but neither had the guts to admitted it. `How can I be so stupid? I have feelings that is like three generations older than me and is a vampire to boot. These visions must be making me insane. Mental note to self; get a CAT scan.` she though as the cab sped along the highway. At least Angel is in LA and will never be able to find me.`
Angel scanned the Internet pages looking at all the flights to JFK airport that night. `Thank God that Cordelia made it that I had to learn a bit of Internet navigation if she was going to have to learn Latin.` Angel thought as he booked himself on the night-time shuttle leaving in two hours, non window seat of course just incase the plane was delayed. He
parked up the convertible in the airport car park and walk towards the check-in desk. The cheery woman looked at him, a plastic smile on her face.
"Can I help you sir?"
"Yeah sure. I booked a flight over the Internet and I am here to pick up my ticket. My name is Angel and the booking code was 480642JP."
"Ah Mr...sorry it doesn't have a second name here. Can I have your surname please sir."
"Um...Chase, the surname is Chase."
"Right Mr Chase there is your first class ticket to JFK, New York. The lounge is through there to the left." She said pointing straight ahead. "Have a nice flight Sir."
Angel walked slowly away, he felt the check-in girl looking at his butt as he walked, `Cordelia never looked at my butt, did she?` He thought as he walked in to the first class bar. He went to order a Scotch but thought better when he realised that, that was what he and Cordelia that night they first slept together, when they had passed the realms of 'just friends'. They had both had said it was just fun, but he knew it was more than that when she had told him not to say sorry in the morning. She didn't want it to be a mistake and neither did he. Instead he sat at the bar with a glass of brandy hoping it's fiery taste blast the taste of regret from the back of his mouth.
"Hey man, you seem far away to me." Angel looked up to find the bartender offering him another drink. "You got problems too huh. Everybody seems to have problems tonight. We had a cute little brunette in this afternoon, she had some huge problems. Seems that she slept with her boss for what she thought was fun and now she quit her job because the ex came to town and he chose the ex over her. She was downing Scotch like you wouldn't believe. She said it brought back warm fuzzy memories."
Angel looked up at the bartender as he recognised that description. Cordelia had sat at this bar and drunk Scotch while telling the barman about all her problems. Angel was in disbelief.
"What was her name?" Angel looked at his brandy now full in the glass.
"Cornelia or something like that, she was really pretty. I think she could have been a model."
"Cordelia, was her name Cordelia? Tell me, I have to know."
The bartender stop to think. "Cordelia, yeah that was her name. You know her?"
"Yeah, I'm her boss!"
Later That Night:
Cordelia walk unsure up to the door of her mothers apartment. She hadn't seen her since that day that they had sentenced her dad for tax evasion. The apartment was in a nice part of town, nothing fancy just..ordinary. She knocked soundly on the door. A slightly aged woman came to the door and a smile crept across her face.
"Cordelia, honey, why didn't you phone me? I could have picked you up from the airport. You could have called. Oh look at you. Come in, come in."
Cordelia looked at her mother. This wasn't the mother she remembered. Her mother was always too busy with charities to play or used to growl at her everytime a nanny resigned. This mother was rosy cheeked and smiling, her mother never smiled unless it was for a camera. She like the new mother. Cordelia felt her mums hand on her back as she slowly guided her to the living room. It was much like hers at home but slightly bigger and more sunny, another draw back of having a Vampire for a best friend, EX-best friend.
"Mum I like the apartment, how can you afford it? I mean I thought the tax people took all of daddys' money."
"I wasn't as stupid as people thought, Cordelia. I realised the IRS were onto your father I changed half of the assets into my name, it was too late to pay the taxes so we tried the next best thing. No why are you here? I haven't seen you since the court case, had something happened, your not pregnant are you?" Cordelias mother voice filled with horror.
"Mum, no of course not. I just needed to get away and I thought I would come here, it's on the other side of the country from what I am trying to escape from. Now if your finished I'm kinda tired and want to go to bed."
Her mother showed her through to the only guest bedroom in the house. The room was big enough to accommodate her for a week comfortably. The room slowly blurred as Cordelia slipped into a dreamful sleep. Her dreams were full of pictures of Angel, and Doyle. The times they shared in the short time they were together as a team. The sleep was short lived as a feeling of intrusion invaded her dreams. She felt the familiar presence but couldn't quite place it.
Angel slowly felt the brandys effects wearing off. He had been drinking on the plane in a hope to drown the nagging regret that had resurfaced as soon as he had stopped drinking. He tried to think about how to find Cordelia in the huge New York Cityscape. He had found Cordelias mothers address but had the slight problem of not being able to enter and the bigger problem of Cordelia hating his guts. The cab pulled up slowly in front of the hotel as the doorman opened the cab door for him. Within ten minutes the bellboy had carried his small case up to his room and he was lying on the cream bed. The sun was rising slow as New York woke up and brought the city to life. Angel turned over and set his alarm for two in the afternoon, luckily finding her mothers' apartment had sewage access, if he sprung up in the afternoon when Cordelia wasn't expecting him she might just talk to him.
Later That Afternoon:
Angel walked slowly up the enclosed corridor towards number 124 that was where Cordelia was staying. He could feel his seers presence in the building as soon as he entered. He knock firmly on the door and watched as a tall figure opened the door to him. Cordelia stood in front of him, her hands on her hips but a look of surprise displayed on her face.
"Angel, what are you doing here?" She slowly backed away from the door.
"I came to find you and take you home. Let me in."
"Who do you think you are? You can't TAKE me home, I've got to WANT to go home. I don't want to go home with you Angel. You hurt me and I can't forgive you for that. Why aren't you in Sunnydale anyway, with Buffy. That was who you went after?"
Angel shifted nervously from one foot to the other. Cordelia was the only thing in this world that could make him feel this nervous. "I only went after her to tell the truth about what happened. She kicked me across the room and warned me never to go near Sunnydale. I didn't chose Buffy, Cordelia I chose to stay here with you."
"Oh and that makes everything OK. You any stuck around 'Cos she kicked your arse. She is dating Spike so she doesn't want you. But what happens when she drops Spike or she stakes him, whatever happens first? What happens to me?"
"She loves Spike, she's not going to dump him. Cordelia let me in. I hate talking through force fields." Angel went to walk forward.
"Tell you what soul-boy, you're not invited in, ever. Bye." She gave a sarcastic wave before slamming the door in his face.
Angel didn't go back to the hotel, instead he headed for the nearest pub. He sat down at the dowdy table and ordered himself a bottle of Bud. He stared at the bottle till he finally got his thoughts together. Angel stood up and walked out of the pub along the shadows and into the sewage drain he had come up two hours pervious. Angel walked along the familiar enclosed corridor and knocked on the door he had knocked on earlier. He saw a figure approach the door again. This time a strange face was there when she opened the door.
"Hello can I help you?" The women said
"I'm looking for Cordelia Chase, is she here? I stopped by earlier and she said to come back later." He lied.
"Oh she's at the grocery store. There wasn't any Cookie Dough Ice Cream in the house or strawberries. I don't know, she'll be back in ten minutes do you want to wait?"
"Yeah sure, that would be good. I'm her boss in LA, Angel, I was in town so I thought I would visit." Angel lied again, hoping Cordelias mother would buy it.
"Oh well then, please come in."
Angel walked in and sat down on the sofa Mrs Chase pointed to. He sat with half a cup of coffee until Cordelias familiar voice echoed around the apartment.
"Hi mum, I'm home. I got my ice cream. Mum where are you?" Cordelia shouted
"Oh I'm in the lounge with your boss Angel, he came to see you."
Angel watched Cordelias face drain of colour as she walked into the living room.
"What are you doing here? I told you to stay away." Cordelia caught her mother curious gaze. "Mum this was what I was talking a break from." She sensed her mother stiffen. "Relax, I meant...work. Angel follow me, we'll talk in my room.
Cordelia led the Vampire down the hall to her room and sat him the bed.
"Why did you come back? Don't you know what a slammed door means?" Cordelia said, trying not to raise her voice.
Angel let his impatience take over him for once. "Cordelia stop pacing and shut up. Now I'm going to explain very slowly what happened. When Buffy left I heard you whispering. You asked me not to leave you. Something in my brain clicked and I realised for the first time in either life what I wanted. I wanted you! I had to go after Buffy to tell her that it was finally over but I didn't want her to hate me. I didn't want her heart to be full of resentment towards either of us. You have to believe me. It wasn't because she has Spike now or the fact that she asked me to go back to her. It was because I wanted to stay here with you." Angel stopped and dropped his head into his hands. He felt Cordelias hands over his as she gently lifted his head so he was level with her eyes.
"I need you to promise you won't go running back her when she drops Spike. I need that much from you. I need one more thing. I need to know how you really feel with me 'Cos I'm not buying the 'Just Friends' crap anymore. I've these feelings for weeks, at first I just blocked them to the back of mind 'Cos of the happy clause. I knew what I was doing that night, it wasn't a drunken mistake. I meant everything I said and did that night. I felt everything. When I woke up in your arms, it was the best feeling you could imagine. I thought I finally found someone, after all the disastrous relationships and painful break-ups, I found you. I said it was just a bit of fun because I thought you would get all
'non-committal' on me and I couldn't take losing you." She bent down to her knees in front of this. "Look at me Angel, tell me you don't feel the same as I do. Or just leave now. I mean it."
She stared straight at his as he took her in his arms and pulled her down. "Cordelia you better get used to the idea, I'm not going anywhere. You want to know what really happened between Buffy?" Cordelia nodded and sat down beside him. "I looked at you and realised it was you wanted, not her. She is happy and I was happy being with you for the whole of two days. Your right, waking up to someone you love is the best feeling in the feeling. I never got that feeling with her. I turned into Angelus, and the forgotten day was well, forgotten. Waking up to you was amazing. I felt I
belonged. I left everything go that night, I didn't have to worry about Angelus, I could gave you everything I had. I went running down stairs after her and she kicked me across the room, I couldn't understand it. She said that I had made my choice and that if I ever went back to Sunnydale she would stake me. She knew deep in her heart that I loved you, I will always love a bit of her but it was over before it even started. Cordelia please come back to me, I couldn't take it without you." He wiped the tear that had fallen from her eyes and drew her into a hug. He hot tears ran down his black, leather duster and onto the bed. "Plus you realise that Wesley is gonna kill me when he finds out I've now got an anchored soul, slept and fell in love with my seer and one of his old Slayers had been visiting. But he's really gonna kill me if you don't come back with me. So are you gonna come home?"
Cordelia smiled, "On one condition, You dare tell Wesley that we slept together and I'll stake you myself."
The Next Night:
Angel stared distantly at his seer, sitting across from him sipping her white wine. Her eyes sparkled in the soft candlelight.
"I can't believe you made me come on a date. I hate to date." The Vampire whispered fidgeting in his seat.
"Listen soul-man, if we are going to have a relationship, we are going to this my way. Speaking about relationships, do you still want to explain things to Buffy?"
Angel looked at her intensely. "What do you mean?"
"I mean that you and me go to Sunnydale and face Buffy and Spike. Tell them about us and I'll try and explain to Xander. I know what Buffy said and I personally don't care." Cordelia noticed the playfully hurt
expression on his face. "I mean I don't care what she said, she won't stake you. What do you say? We could get it over with before Wesley gets home and he'd be none the wiser to Buffy showing up.
"OK as long as I don't have to face Giles. I know he's very protective over Buffy and so will Spike be."
The couple took a direct flight from JFK to Sunnydale International. The flight was silent and mostly spent sleeping in first class, window shutters down. They walked through SI hand in hand, constantly on the lookout for the Scooby Gang.
Buffy smiled as she woke to find herself lying on the silent chest of Spike. She had arrived back from LA yesterday and ran straight to Spikes crypt. They had met with a furious passion. Buffy hardly had time to get inside the crypt before Spike started unbuttoning her shirt, carefully lying her on his bed. He then suggested that they go back to
Buffys apartment instead and there they had been since Buffys arrival back in Sunnydale. Buffy slowly stroked Spikes platinum-dyed hair as she fully awoke the situation. Willow had been in sometime when the two had actually slept and left a note of where she was going. Spike stirred in his rest before bolting upright, startling Buffy.
"My god Spike, what's wrong?" Buffy said regaining her nerves.
"He's here, Angels in town."
Buffys placid face turned to anger over her former lovers arrival. "I warned him!" she hissed. "Right I said I would stake him and I will so help me God. Where is he Spike?" Buffy asked already out of bed and getting changed into her favourite fighting outfit.
Spike mused as he watched his lover. "So Peaches is finally dust. He's near the hotel on Main Street I think. He's not alone."
Buffy grabbed her stake and stormed out into the night, her mind set.
Angel knew that Spike had sensed his little tug on his Childe strings. Cordelia sat playing idly with her nails. "Right Buffy is on her way. I'll drive you round to Xanders then I'll go visit Spikes. He's at Willows apartment, he can give Buffy my message."
"If Buffy's on her way, you better let me get out here and walk to Xanders, it will be quicker now go."
Cordelia climbed out of the car and walked towards Xanders. She got 10 yards before turning back, as Angels car disappeared out of sight. She had no intention on going to Xanders, she was going to wait for Buffy. She sat down as Buffy ran around the corner to the hotel. Buffy spied Cordelia sitting on the bench and slowly walked up to her.
"What the hell are you doing here? I warned Angel not to come back, that went for you too." Buffy said, assuming a fight stance.
"Buffy, calm down. I'm here to talk not to fight. Angel has gone to see Spike. Now sit down, shut up and listen." Buffy unwilling agreed. "Firstly, me and Angel are together, except it and move on. You are happy with Spike so why did it get to you so worked up about me and Angel?"
"You bitch, don't talk to me like that. I still love Angel, I always will. I don't see why you should get to be with him and not me. Sure I'm happy with Spike, I even love Spike. We could never have what me and Angel had."
Buffy I don't care what you had, it's over. You will never have what you and Angel had if you won't let it go. I let go of Xander and trust me I did love him once upon a time but I have moved on. It will eat at you and
consume you until you DO let it go. I know you hate me and probably think what I'm saying is crap but think about it. Now I better go, Angel excepts me at Xanders." Cordelia got up and left the Slayer thinking about what her next move would be.
Angel pulled up outside Willow and Buffys apartment sensing Spike inside. He ran up the stairs towards the apartment. He forcefully knocked on the door knowing no one else was home.
"Well if it isn't my soulful sire, Peaches. What can I do for you this fine evening?"
"Spike I know Buffy isn't here and that I can't get in so I will say this quickly and slowly for the stupid of us here. Tell Buffy I'm sorry. That's it no funny remarks or lying to her, just sorry. And to you a word of warning, if that chip ever expires and you hurt Buffy I will personally hunt you down and stake you like the dog you are. You protect her and make sure she stays save because I won't be around." Angel turned and walked away, not giving Spike a chance to retaliate. He heard Spike shout to him to down the hall.
"Dark Avenger 0, William The Bloody 1. See ya around Peaches."
Back In LA, Two Days Later:
Cordelia and Angel sat entwined on the couch in the office. The day had been quiet and Wesley was due to return so the only topic of conversation was how to tell Wesley about their new-found relationship.
"I can see it now, Hiya Wesley. Me and Angel are sleeping together and don't worry about the happies 'Cos he's got an anchored soul. No I can't see any problems with that one. In fact I can see him throwing a party for us(!)" Cordelia offered helpfully.
"Who's throwing a party."
Angel and Cordelia leaped off the couch at the sound of the foreign voice. Wesley stood in the doorway clutching at tacky souvenirs.
"Well who's having a party?"
"Wesley." Cordelia screamed, "You will not believe what Angel has had me doing, killing I mean. Oh it's great to have you back." Cordelia flung her arms around Wesley, shielding him from Angels gaze.
"So has anything important happened while I've been away?"
Angel and Cordelia looked at Wesley then at each other and then back at Wesley.
"Have I missed something here? Cordelia? Angel? Somebody answer me."
"You see, while you were away, me and Cordelia kinda realised something's about each other. We had a visit from Buffy and things just kinda happened. We've had a solid gift from PTB." Angel looked at Wesley for understanding.
"I don't understand. What are you saying? I got the bit about Buffy showing up but the rest is confusing to say the least"
"Right Cordelia, we'll do it your way."
"You see Wesley, me and Angel sort of, kinda sleeping with each other and he can't get happies 'Cos PTB gave him an anchored soul and we're together now." Cordelia said in one breath afraid if she didn't say it now then she would never say.
Wesley looked at the two slowly with an expressionless face. "Oh is that all. I've seen it coming for sometime now. I'm glad that you've finally realised it. Now I bought out the whole souvenir supply in England and I have photos if you care to have a look.
Angel and Cordelia just stood there in shock as the Englishman set about displaying his photos on Cordelias desk. They looked at each other and then slowly but willing grasped each others hands as the listened to Wesley gibber on about London and 'Big Ben'.
~*~ Fin~*~ (I think)....
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Well tell me what you think. I will put the whole series together and post it in the near future. Thanks
it boost my ego terribly and it also help me write. This was sort of inspired by 'Here With Me' by Dido, which has just been released over here.
Disclaimer: The only thing that belongs to me is the plot and it's copyrighted, the rest belong to David and Joss as well as WB, Fox and Mutant (Grr, Arr) Enemy Inc., who all get rich of the profits.
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No Strings Attached (4/4) - New York, New York
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Cordelia cried constantly on the 3 and a half hour flight from LA to New York. She cried at how painful it was to have your heart ripped in two, three times and twice over the same woman. She cried over how stupid she was to have fallen I love with her boss, her Ex-boss. She cried over how she was now sitting in Economy instead of First class for the first time. `Could my life get any worse? `She thought to herself.
Angel sat in his apartment in the dark. Cordelia had only walked out on him 5 hours ago and he was already feeling the lonely hole it left in his life. The feeling wasn't new to him. He had spent over 100 years on his own scavenging where he could across Europe. He sat in the dark contemplating, trying to figure out where it had all gone wrong."I don't understand, why am I brooding over the annoying, tact-less seer I never wanted to hire in the first place? She whines and complains and doesn't come in to work on time. She stops me from brooding, I like to brood. She puts cinnamon in my blood, I like cinnamon in my blood now. She makes me smile, I like to smile now. I can't stand this. I've got to go and find her, make her listen to me. Most of all, I have to stop talking to myself in the dark." Angel got to his feet and grab his bag from on top of his wardrobe and started to pack.
Cordelia watched as the night-time horizon of New York City. The city was lit up like a thousand fairy lights, the Twin Towers were lit up with it's red beacons flashing in the night. She turned to the man sitting next to her. "So have you ever been to New York." She asked the handsome young man beside her.
"Oh, I'm in stocks. You?"
"I used to be in Investigations and I help to save peoples lives. I did up until, oh, 6 hours ago. So stocks, that must be...um...interesting."
Cordelia turned back away and looked out of the window as the runway met the tyres of the plane. She climbed into the cab to go to her mothers new flat her mind drifted back to that afternoon. She had picked herself off the floor, having decided that she had mourned over Xander and mourned after Doyle had died, she wasn't going to morn after Angel after all it was only a bit of fun right? Wrong and she knew it. Feeling had developed in the two days since they had first slept together, feelings that had been there for weeks but neither had the guts to admitted it. `How can I be so stupid? I have feelings that is like three generations older than me and is a vampire to boot. These visions must be making me insane. Mental note to self; get a CAT scan.` she though as the cab sped along the highway. At least Angel is in LA and will never be able to find me.`
Angel scanned the Internet pages looking at all the flights to JFK airport that night. `Thank God that Cordelia made it that I had to learn a bit of Internet navigation if she was going to have to learn Latin.` Angel thought as he booked himself on the night-time shuttle leaving in two hours, non window seat of course just incase the plane was delayed. He
parked up the convertible in the airport car park and walk towards the check-in desk. The cheery woman looked at him, a plastic smile on her face.
"Can I help you sir?"
"Yeah sure. I booked a flight over the Internet and I am here to pick up my ticket. My name is Angel and the booking code was 480642JP."
"Ah Mr...sorry it doesn't have a second name here. Can I have your surname please sir."
"Um...Chase, the surname is Chase."
"Right Mr Chase there is your first class ticket to JFK, New York. The lounge is through there to the left." She said pointing straight ahead. "Have a nice flight Sir."
Angel walked slowly away, he felt the check-in girl looking at his butt as he walked, `Cordelia never looked at my butt, did she?` He thought as he walked in to the first class bar. He went to order a Scotch but thought better when he realised that, that was what he and Cordelia that night they first slept together, when they had passed the realms of 'just friends'. They had both had said it was just fun, but he knew it was more than that when she had told him not to say sorry in the morning. She didn't want it to be a mistake and neither did he. Instead he sat at the bar with a glass of brandy hoping it's fiery taste blast the taste of regret from the back of his mouth.
"Hey man, you seem far away to me." Angel looked up to find the bartender offering him another drink. "You got problems too huh. Everybody seems to have problems tonight. We had a cute little brunette in this afternoon, she had some huge problems. Seems that she slept with her boss for what she thought was fun and now she quit her job because the ex came to town and he chose the ex over her. She was downing Scotch like you wouldn't believe. She said it brought back warm fuzzy memories."
Angel looked up at the bartender as he recognised that description. Cordelia had sat at this bar and drunk Scotch while telling the barman about all her problems. Angel was in disbelief.
"What was her name?" Angel looked at his brandy now full in the glass.
"Cornelia or something like that, she was really pretty. I think she could have been a model."
"Cordelia, was her name Cordelia? Tell me, I have to know."
The bartender stop to think. "Cordelia, yeah that was her name. You know her?"
"Yeah, I'm her boss!"
Later That Night:
Cordelia walk unsure up to the door of her mothers apartment. She hadn't seen her since that day that they had sentenced her dad for tax evasion. The apartment was in a nice part of town, nothing fancy just..ordinary. She knocked soundly on the door. A slightly aged woman came to the door and a smile crept across her face.
"Cordelia, honey, why didn't you phone me? I could have picked you up from the airport. You could have called. Oh look at you. Come in, come in."
Cordelia looked at her mother. This wasn't the mother she remembered. Her mother was always too busy with charities to play or used to growl at her everytime a nanny resigned. This mother was rosy cheeked and smiling, her mother never smiled unless it was for a camera. She like the new mother. Cordelia felt her mums hand on her back as she slowly guided her to the living room. It was much like hers at home but slightly bigger and more sunny, another draw back of having a Vampire for a best friend, EX-best friend.
"Mum I like the apartment, how can you afford it? I mean I thought the tax people took all of daddys' money."
"I wasn't as stupid as people thought, Cordelia. I realised the IRS were onto your father I changed half of the assets into my name, it was too late to pay the taxes so we tried the next best thing. No why are you here? I haven't seen you since the court case, had something happened, your not pregnant are you?" Cordelias mother voice filled with horror.
"Mum, no of course not. I just needed to get away and I thought I would come here, it's on the other side of the country from what I am trying to escape from. Now if your finished I'm kinda tired and want to go to bed."
Her mother showed her through to the only guest bedroom in the house. The room was big enough to accommodate her for a week comfortably. The room slowly blurred as Cordelia slipped into a dreamful sleep. Her dreams were full of pictures of Angel, and Doyle. The times they shared in the short time they were together as a team. The sleep was short lived as a feeling of intrusion invaded her dreams. She felt the familiar presence but couldn't quite place it.
Angel slowly felt the brandys effects wearing off. He had been drinking on the plane in a hope to drown the nagging regret that had resurfaced as soon as he had stopped drinking. He tried to think about how to find Cordelia in the huge New York Cityscape. He had found Cordelias mothers address but had the slight problem of not being able to enter and the bigger problem of Cordelia hating his guts. The cab pulled up slowly in front of the hotel as the doorman opened the cab door for him. Within ten minutes the bellboy had carried his small case up to his room and he was lying on the cream bed. The sun was rising slow as New York woke up and brought the city to life. Angel turned over and set his alarm for two in the afternoon, luckily finding her mothers' apartment had sewage access, if he sprung up in the afternoon when Cordelia wasn't expecting him she might just talk to him.
Later That Afternoon:
Angel walked slowly up the enclosed corridor towards number 124 that was where Cordelia was staying. He could feel his seers presence in the building as soon as he entered. He knock firmly on the door and watched as a tall figure opened the door to him. Cordelia stood in front of him, her hands on her hips but a look of surprise displayed on her face.
"Angel, what are you doing here?" She slowly backed away from the door.
"I came to find you and take you home. Let me in."
"Who do you think you are? You can't TAKE me home, I've got to WANT to go home. I don't want to go home with you Angel. You hurt me and I can't forgive you for that. Why aren't you in Sunnydale anyway, with Buffy. That was who you went after?"
Angel shifted nervously from one foot to the other. Cordelia was the only thing in this world that could make him feel this nervous. "I only went after her to tell the truth about what happened. She kicked me across the room and warned me never to go near Sunnydale. I didn't chose Buffy, Cordelia I chose to stay here with you."
"Oh and that makes everything OK. You any stuck around 'Cos she kicked your arse. She is dating Spike so she doesn't want you. But what happens when she drops Spike or she stakes him, whatever happens first? What happens to me?"
"She loves Spike, she's not going to dump him. Cordelia let me in. I hate talking through force fields." Angel went to walk forward.
"Tell you what soul-boy, you're not invited in, ever. Bye." She gave a sarcastic wave before slamming the door in his face.
Angel didn't go back to the hotel, instead he headed for the nearest pub. He sat down at the dowdy table and ordered himself a bottle of Bud. He stared at the bottle till he finally got his thoughts together. Angel stood up and walked out of the pub along the shadows and into the sewage drain he had come up two hours pervious. Angel walked along the familiar enclosed corridor and knocked on the door he had knocked on earlier. He saw a figure approach the door again. This time a strange face was there when she opened the door.
"Hello can I help you?" The women said
"I'm looking for Cordelia Chase, is she here? I stopped by earlier and she said to come back later." He lied.
"Oh she's at the grocery store. There wasn't any Cookie Dough Ice Cream in the house or strawberries. I don't know, she'll be back in ten minutes do you want to wait?"
"Yeah sure, that would be good. I'm her boss in LA, Angel, I was in town so I thought I would visit." Angel lied again, hoping Cordelias mother would buy it.
"Oh well then, please come in."
Angel walked in and sat down on the sofa Mrs Chase pointed to. He sat with half a cup of coffee until Cordelias familiar voice echoed around the apartment.
"Hi mum, I'm home. I got my ice cream. Mum where are you?" Cordelia shouted
"Oh I'm in the lounge with your boss Angel, he came to see you."
Angel watched Cordelias face drain of colour as she walked into the living room.
"What are you doing here? I told you to stay away." Cordelia caught her mother curious gaze. "Mum this was what I was talking a break from." She sensed her mother stiffen. "Relax, I meant...work. Angel follow me, we'll talk in my room.
Cordelia led the Vampire down the hall to her room and sat him the bed.
"Why did you come back? Don't you know what a slammed door means?" Cordelia said, trying not to raise her voice.
Angel let his impatience take over him for once. "Cordelia stop pacing and shut up. Now I'm going to explain very slowly what happened. When Buffy left I heard you whispering. You asked me not to leave you. Something in my brain clicked and I realised for the first time in either life what I wanted. I wanted you! I had to go after Buffy to tell her that it was finally over but I didn't want her to hate me. I didn't want her heart to be full of resentment towards either of us. You have to believe me. It wasn't because she has Spike now or the fact that she asked me to go back to her. It was because I wanted to stay here with you." Angel stopped and dropped his head into his hands. He felt Cordelias hands over his as she gently lifted his head so he was level with her eyes.
"I need you to promise you won't go running back her when she drops Spike. I need that much from you. I need one more thing. I need to know how you really feel with me 'Cos I'm not buying the 'Just Friends' crap anymore. I've these feelings for weeks, at first I just blocked them to the back of mind 'Cos of the happy clause. I knew what I was doing that night, it wasn't a drunken mistake. I meant everything I said and did that night. I felt everything. When I woke up in your arms, it was the best feeling you could imagine. I thought I finally found someone, after all the disastrous relationships and painful break-ups, I found you. I said it was just a bit of fun because I thought you would get all
'non-committal' on me and I couldn't take losing you." She bent down to her knees in front of this. "Look at me Angel, tell me you don't feel the same as I do. Or just leave now. I mean it."
She stared straight at his as he took her in his arms and pulled her down. "Cordelia you better get used to the idea, I'm not going anywhere. You want to know what really happened between Buffy?" Cordelia nodded and sat down beside him. "I looked at you and realised it was you wanted, not her. She is happy and I was happy being with you for the whole of two days. Your right, waking up to someone you love is the best feeling in the feeling. I never got that feeling with her. I turned into Angelus, and the forgotten day was well, forgotten. Waking up to you was amazing. I felt I
belonged. I left everything go that night, I didn't have to worry about Angelus, I could gave you everything I had. I went running down stairs after her and she kicked me across the room, I couldn't understand it. She said that I had made my choice and that if I ever went back to Sunnydale she would stake me. She knew deep in her heart that I loved you, I will always love a bit of her but it was over before it even started. Cordelia please come back to me, I couldn't take it without you." He wiped the tear that had fallen from her eyes and drew her into a hug. He hot tears ran down his black, leather duster and onto the bed. "Plus you realise that Wesley is gonna kill me when he finds out I've now got an anchored soul, slept and fell in love with my seer and one of his old Slayers had been visiting. But he's really gonna kill me if you don't come back with me. So are you gonna come home?"
Cordelia smiled, "On one condition, You dare tell Wesley that we slept together and I'll stake you myself."
The Next Night:
Angel stared distantly at his seer, sitting across from him sipping her white wine. Her eyes sparkled in the soft candlelight.
"I can't believe you made me come on a date. I hate to date." The Vampire whispered fidgeting in his seat.
"Listen soul-man, if we are going to have a relationship, we are going to this my way. Speaking about relationships, do you still want to explain things to Buffy?"
Angel looked at her intensely. "What do you mean?"
"I mean that you and me go to Sunnydale and face Buffy and Spike. Tell them about us and I'll try and explain to Xander. I know what Buffy said and I personally don't care." Cordelia noticed the playfully hurt
expression on his face. "I mean I don't care what she said, she won't stake you. What do you say? We could get it over with before Wesley gets home and he'd be none the wiser to Buffy showing up.
"OK as long as I don't have to face Giles. I know he's very protective over Buffy and so will Spike be."
The couple took a direct flight from JFK to Sunnydale International. The flight was silent and mostly spent sleeping in first class, window shutters down. They walked through SI hand in hand, constantly on the lookout for the Scooby Gang.
Buffy smiled as she woke to find herself lying on the silent chest of Spike. She had arrived back from LA yesterday and ran straight to Spikes crypt. They had met with a furious passion. Buffy hardly had time to get inside the crypt before Spike started unbuttoning her shirt, carefully lying her on his bed. He then suggested that they go back to
Buffys apartment instead and there they had been since Buffys arrival back in Sunnydale. Buffy slowly stroked Spikes platinum-dyed hair as she fully awoke the situation. Willow had been in sometime when the two had actually slept and left a note of where she was going. Spike stirred in his rest before bolting upright, startling Buffy.
"My god Spike, what's wrong?" Buffy said regaining her nerves.
"He's here, Angels in town."
Buffys placid face turned to anger over her former lovers arrival. "I warned him!" she hissed. "Right I said I would stake him and I will so help me God. Where is he Spike?" Buffy asked already out of bed and getting changed into her favourite fighting outfit.
Spike mused as he watched his lover. "So Peaches is finally dust. He's near the hotel on Main Street I think. He's not alone."
Buffy grabbed her stake and stormed out into the night, her mind set.
Angel knew that Spike had sensed his little tug on his Childe strings. Cordelia sat playing idly with her nails. "Right Buffy is on her way. I'll drive you round to Xanders then I'll go visit Spikes. He's at Willows apartment, he can give Buffy my message."
"If Buffy's on her way, you better let me get out here and walk to Xanders, it will be quicker now go."
Cordelia climbed out of the car and walked towards Xanders. She got 10 yards before turning back, as Angels car disappeared out of sight. She had no intention on going to Xanders, she was going to wait for Buffy. She sat down as Buffy ran around the corner to the hotel. Buffy spied Cordelia sitting on the bench and slowly walked up to her.
"What the hell are you doing here? I warned Angel not to come back, that went for you too." Buffy said, assuming a fight stance.
"Buffy, calm down. I'm here to talk not to fight. Angel has gone to see Spike. Now sit down, shut up and listen." Buffy unwilling agreed. "Firstly, me and Angel are together, except it and move on. You are happy with Spike so why did it get to you so worked up about me and Angel?"
"You bitch, don't talk to me like that. I still love Angel, I always will. I don't see why you should get to be with him and not me. Sure I'm happy with Spike, I even love Spike. We could never have what me and Angel had."
Buffy I don't care what you had, it's over. You will never have what you and Angel had if you won't let it go. I let go of Xander and trust me I did love him once upon a time but I have moved on. It will eat at you and
consume you until you DO let it go. I know you hate me and probably think what I'm saying is crap but think about it. Now I better go, Angel excepts me at Xanders." Cordelia got up and left the Slayer thinking about what her next move would be.
Angel pulled up outside Willow and Buffys apartment sensing Spike inside. He ran up the stairs towards the apartment. He forcefully knocked on the door knowing no one else was home.
"Well if it isn't my soulful sire, Peaches. What can I do for you this fine evening?"
"Spike I know Buffy isn't here and that I can't get in so I will say this quickly and slowly for the stupid of us here. Tell Buffy I'm sorry. That's it no funny remarks or lying to her, just sorry. And to you a word of warning, if that chip ever expires and you hurt Buffy I will personally hunt you down and stake you like the dog you are. You protect her and make sure she stays save because I won't be around." Angel turned and walked away, not giving Spike a chance to retaliate. He heard Spike shout to him to down the hall.
"Dark Avenger 0, William The Bloody 1. See ya around Peaches."
Back In LA, Two Days Later:
Cordelia and Angel sat entwined on the couch in the office. The day had been quiet and Wesley was due to return so the only topic of conversation was how to tell Wesley about their new-found relationship.
"I can see it now, Hiya Wesley. Me and Angel are sleeping together and don't worry about the happies 'Cos he's got an anchored soul. No I can't see any problems with that one. In fact I can see him throwing a party for us(!)" Cordelia offered helpfully.
"Who's throwing a party."
Angel and Cordelia leaped off the couch at the sound of the foreign voice. Wesley stood in the doorway clutching at tacky souvenirs.
"Well who's having a party?"
"Wesley." Cordelia screamed, "You will not believe what Angel has had me doing, killing I mean. Oh it's great to have you back." Cordelia flung her arms around Wesley, shielding him from Angels gaze.
"So has anything important happened while I've been away?"
Angel and Cordelia looked at Wesley then at each other and then back at Wesley.
"Have I missed something here? Cordelia? Angel? Somebody answer me."
"You see, while you were away, me and Cordelia kinda realised something's about each other. We had a visit from Buffy and things just kinda happened. We've had a solid gift from PTB." Angel looked at Wesley for understanding.
"I don't understand. What are you saying? I got the bit about Buffy showing up but the rest is confusing to say the least"
"Right Cordelia, we'll do it your way."
"You see Wesley, me and Angel sort of, kinda sleeping with each other and he can't get happies 'Cos PTB gave him an anchored soul and we're together now." Cordelia said in one breath afraid if she didn't say it now then she would never say.
Wesley looked at the two slowly with an expressionless face. "Oh is that all. I've seen it coming for sometime now. I'm glad that you've finally realised it. Now I bought out the whole souvenir supply in England and I have photos if you care to have a look.
Angel and Cordelia just stood there in shock as the Englishman set about displaying his photos on Cordelias desk. They looked at each other and then slowly but willing grasped each others hands as the listened to Wesley gibber on about London and 'Big Ben'.
~*~ Fin~*~ (I think)....
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Well tell me what you think. I will put the whole series together and post it in the near future. Thanks