Disclaimer is on Chapter One. This is part Four in the Lost Years Series
Summary: Angel and Cordelia face their demons and Wesley plays catch-up.
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Chapter 4
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Meanwhile at A.I. Wesley and Anastasia are sitting in the office. Wesley is sitting staring at Anastasia:
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"What? What are you staring at?" Anastasia voiced getting frustrated.
"You! You look so much like your mother. Same eyes, same nose, your hair is exactly the same. I wish I had a picture I could show you. She was beautiful. I loved her you know, I really did. But sadly Fate got in the way and we couldn't stay together." Wesley trailed off, the memories too hard to deal with.
"Why did you leave her?"
"I was called to be a Watcher. We, your mother and I, spent days deciding whether or not I should go. The day I decided to go I tried to get in contact with your mother but no one knew where she had gone. By the time the council came she still wasn't back and I couldn't tell her I was going. She had gone to the doctors that day. That must have been when she found out about you. If I had known I...I would have stayed." Wesley now staring into space, deep in thought.
"I've come to accept that the past is the past and unless you are The Powers That Be you can't change what has happened in the past. I need to look forward to the future, and my future is a long one. Since we kinda have the place and the day to ourselves and I don't have a shoot till tomorrow how do you fancy getting to know each other. I've never been to LA, well not during the day so how about you show me around?"
Wesley snapped out of his day dream. "What? Yes, yes of course. Where would you like to go?"
"Well duh...I've never been to LA You are the one that lives here. I have one problem, I have to go back to my hotel room 'Cos these clothes are all sweaty and icky. Do you mind? I can meet you...Ohh this little cafe near the hotel. Say in about an hour?"
"Yes O.K but be careful, LA is a bad..." he stopped when he realised who he was talking to, "Ahh yes, in an hour and be on time."
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In the convertible on the way to Sunnydale:
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"Are you OK with this? I mean the whole 'Xander wants to see me' thing? I can understand it if your not." Cordelia asked almost scared of the answer.
"Are you OK with Me and Buffy? Sorry that didn't come out right. Yes of course I'm all right with the Xander thing. I understand how you are feeling. Just like I loved Buffy..." Cordelia winced at the mere mention of the subject.
"Hey don't worry. My love for Buffy was born from our common goal. Our love comes from a deep friendship and a need to be with each other. I trust you with all my heart. I know how much you loved Xander, no matter how many times you tell me you didn't. I know how it feels. Buffy still holds a piece from my heart and Xander...well Xander still has a piece of yours."
"Gees Angel, does everything have to turn into a blood bath with you?"
Angel chuckled. "I trust you, OK."
She placed her hand over his, "Thanks." Angel leaned over and kissed her temple.
Buffy was following in the car behind. She had seen the whole interaction. The lead weight in her stomach had returned. The same lead weight that was there when she told Angel to forget her 5 years ago. She was hurting, really hurting. What hurt her more, that he had moved on, that he had moved on to Cordelia, or, simply, that he had his soul and still didn't come back to her? How could he be so selfish? He hadn't even asked her when he left after Graduation, he just walked away, he never looked back. She didn't want him to go but she agreed with him anyway. She had slept with Parker just to prove that every guy she slept with didn't go all 'I'm- gonna- destroy- the- world' on her. But Parker had turned out to be a lying rat, and she did get to hit him over the head a few
times with a stick. A smile crept on her face of the memories of that day. Riley, now Riley was different. He knew all about her past and what she was. He understood that she stood between peace and the Hellmouth on Earth. He loved her and didn't go all evilly on her when she slept with him.
Her Destiny's Child tape finished and the memories of her and Angel now played in her head. She held the memory of when they danced at her prom most dear. She was going to get Angel back somehow. She was the Slayer after all.
Cordelias body tensed as she saw the sign for Sunnydale on the horizon. Angel sensed her tension and slid he arm over her shoulder. They pulled up at the hospital. Angel jumped out first to help Cordelia out of the car. As she pulled close to him he looked in deep in her eyes. He could smell and see the fear in her eyes. He slid his hand in hers to show support and Buffys eyes fell to the ground. Cordelia and Angel walked down the bright, sterile hospital corridor where they could see Willow and Oz sitting. Willow ran up to Cordelia and flung her arms
around the brunettes neck.
"Cordelia, Oh I'm so glad your here. He's really ill and...oh Cordelia I'm sorry."
Willow had been saying sorry ever since Cordelia and Oz had caught her and Xander kissing. Oz had forgiven her but Cordelia hadn't forgiven either of them. Willow had always felt it was her and Xanders betrayal that made her flee Sunnydale.
"Where is he? Oh Hiya Oz, still the wolf-boy then. God, Oz I didn't mean that, I'm just sort of...on edge." Cordelia shifted closer to Angel. She didn't belong here, with any of them. Her place was in LA with Angel and Wesley, maybe she had never belonged in Sunnydale.
Buffy coughed behind them. "I'll take you to him. He's in a bad way so don't mind the tubes or the monitors around him."
"Do you want me to go with you? You know support." Angels voice full of concern and the fact he was here at all was enough to give her support.
"Nah I'll be fine. I think it's best. He isn't all bloody and icky is he?" Cordelias nose scrunched at the thought. She walked slowly into the room that held Xanders frail body. He wasn't the Xander she had left in Sunnydale, this Xander was unable to move, he couldn't bark out his come-back wit. He was a shell. She felt a sob rise in her throat and felt tears well up in her eyes.
"Cordy, you came." Xander whispered, "I didn't think you would. How's LA?"
"Oh my god Xander look at you, look at what she's done to you. So much for Buffy being the Big Protector." Cordelia glided to his side.
"She couldn't stop this, don't blame her. It's my fault. I was always trying to be the Defender all the time. I guess I'm just a normal human being after all." Xander tried to sit up. His face winced at the pain that riddled his body. He was almost there only to be pushed down by Cordelia.
"Stay there you moron and get some sleep. Me, Wesley and...Angel are gonna help find this thing. We'll help you get better. I promise." She looked to the ground to stop him seeing the tears in her eyes. When she looked back he was asleep, his face still and at peace. "Well you might as well come in Angel. I know your there." Angels form peeled out from the shadows. He slipped his arms around her waist. She turned and her tears fell freely from her eyes, she was unable to hold them back. He felt the wetness through his shirt.
Buffys heart stopped at the scene in front of her. She coughed lightly and the couple spun round. "Giles said you can both stay with him. I never told him about...well you being together. Cordelia did you tell Xander about you and Angel?" She looked at Xander with sadness in her eyes. "Well it either killed him or you never told him."
"No I didn't tell him. Do you really think I hate him that much? I loved him once not that he ever noticed. No he was too busy trying to prove himself to you. You realise that's why he's in here. He only wanted to defend you." Cordelia retorted and walked out of the room.
Angel turned to Buffy. "Look what you've done, she's hurting as well you know. Give her a break and stop acting like your the only one who matters here." Angel left Buffy standing there, her mouth open. Her Angel had just stood up for Cordelia.
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Read On
Summary: Angel and Cordelia face their demons and Wesley plays catch-up.
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Chapter 4
++++++++
Meanwhile at A.I. Wesley and Anastasia are sitting in the office. Wesley is sitting staring at Anastasia:
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"What? What are you staring at?" Anastasia voiced getting frustrated.
"You! You look so much like your mother. Same eyes, same nose, your hair is exactly the same. I wish I had a picture I could show you. She was beautiful. I loved her you know, I really did. But sadly Fate got in the way and we couldn't stay together." Wesley trailed off, the memories too hard to deal with.
"Why did you leave her?"
"I was called to be a Watcher. We, your mother and I, spent days deciding whether or not I should go. The day I decided to go I tried to get in contact with your mother but no one knew where she had gone. By the time the council came she still wasn't back and I couldn't tell her I was going. She had gone to the doctors that day. That must have been when she found out about you. If I had known I...I would have stayed." Wesley now staring into space, deep in thought.
"I've come to accept that the past is the past and unless you are The Powers That Be you can't change what has happened in the past. I need to look forward to the future, and my future is a long one. Since we kinda have the place and the day to ourselves and I don't have a shoot till tomorrow how do you fancy getting to know each other. I've never been to LA, well not during the day so how about you show me around?"
Wesley snapped out of his day dream. "What? Yes, yes of course. Where would you like to go?"
"Well duh...I've never been to LA You are the one that lives here. I have one problem, I have to go back to my hotel room 'Cos these clothes are all sweaty and icky. Do you mind? I can meet you...Ohh this little cafe near the hotel. Say in about an hour?"
"Yes O.K but be careful, LA is a bad..." he stopped when he realised who he was talking to, "Ahh yes, in an hour and be on time."
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In the convertible on the way to Sunnydale:
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"Are you OK with this? I mean the whole 'Xander wants to see me' thing? I can understand it if your not." Cordelia asked almost scared of the answer.
"Are you OK with Me and Buffy? Sorry that didn't come out right. Yes of course I'm all right with the Xander thing. I understand how you are feeling. Just like I loved Buffy..." Cordelia winced at the mere mention of the subject.
"Hey don't worry. My love for Buffy was born from our common goal. Our love comes from a deep friendship and a need to be with each other. I trust you with all my heart. I know how much you loved Xander, no matter how many times you tell me you didn't. I know how it feels. Buffy still holds a piece from my heart and Xander...well Xander still has a piece of yours."
"Gees Angel, does everything have to turn into a blood bath with you?"
Angel chuckled. "I trust you, OK."
She placed her hand over his, "Thanks." Angel leaned over and kissed her temple.
Buffy was following in the car behind. She had seen the whole interaction. The lead weight in her stomach had returned. The same lead weight that was there when she told Angel to forget her 5 years ago. She was hurting, really hurting. What hurt her more, that he had moved on, that he had moved on to Cordelia, or, simply, that he had his soul and still didn't come back to her? How could he be so selfish? He hadn't even asked her when he left after Graduation, he just walked away, he never looked back. She didn't want him to go but she agreed with him anyway. She had slept with Parker just to prove that every guy she slept with didn't go all 'I'm- gonna- destroy- the- world' on her. But Parker had turned out to be a lying rat, and she did get to hit him over the head a few
times with a stick. A smile crept on her face of the memories of that day. Riley, now Riley was different. He knew all about her past and what she was. He understood that she stood between peace and the Hellmouth on Earth. He loved her and didn't go all evilly on her when she slept with him.
Her Destiny's Child tape finished and the memories of her and Angel now played in her head. She held the memory of when they danced at her prom most dear. She was going to get Angel back somehow. She was the Slayer after all.
Cordelias body tensed as she saw the sign for Sunnydale on the horizon. Angel sensed her tension and slid he arm over her shoulder. They pulled up at the hospital. Angel jumped out first to help Cordelia out of the car. As she pulled close to him he looked in deep in her eyes. He could smell and see the fear in her eyes. He slid his hand in hers to show support and Buffys eyes fell to the ground. Cordelia and Angel walked down the bright, sterile hospital corridor where they could see Willow and Oz sitting. Willow ran up to Cordelia and flung her arms
around the brunettes neck.
"Cordelia, Oh I'm so glad your here. He's really ill and...oh Cordelia I'm sorry."
Willow had been saying sorry ever since Cordelia and Oz had caught her and Xander kissing. Oz had forgiven her but Cordelia hadn't forgiven either of them. Willow had always felt it was her and Xanders betrayal that made her flee Sunnydale.
"Where is he? Oh Hiya Oz, still the wolf-boy then. God, Oz I didn't mean that, I'm just sort of...on edge." Cordelia shifted closer to Angel. She didn't belong here, with any of them. Her place was in LA with Angel and Wesley, maybe she had never belonged in Sunnydale.
Buffy coughed behind them. "I'll take you to him. He's in a bad way so don't mind the tubes or the monitors around him."
"Do you want me to go with you? You know support." Angels voice full of concern and the fact he was here at all was enough to give her support.
"Nah I'll be fine. I think it's best. He isn't all bloody and icky is he?" Cordelias nose scrunched at the thought. She walked slowly into the room that held Xanders frail body. He wasn't the Xander she had left in Sunnydale, this Xander was unable to move, he couldn't bark out his come-back wit. He was a shell. She felt a sob rise in her throat and felt tears well up in her eyes.
"Cordy, you came." Xander whispered, "I didn't think you would. How's LA?"
"Oh my god Xander look at you, look at what she's done to you. So much for Buffy being the Big Protector." Cordelia glided to his side.
"She couldn't stop this, don't blame her. It's my fault. I was always trying to be the Defender all the time. I guess I'm just a normal human being after all." Xander tried to sit up. His face winced at the pain that riddled his body. He was almost there only to be pushed down by Cordelia.
"Stay there you moron and get some sleep. Me, Wesley and...Angel are gonna help find this thing. We'll help you get better. I promise." She looked to the ground to stop him seeing the tears in her eyes. When she looked back he was asleep, his face still and at peace. "Well you might as well come in Angel. I know your there." Angels form peeled out from the shadows. He slipped his arms around her waist. She turned and her tears fell freely from her eyes, she was unable to hold them back. He felt the wetness through his shirt.
Buffys heart stopped at the scene in front of her. She coughed lightly and the couple spun round. "Giles said you can both stay with him. I never told him about...well you being together. Cordelia did you tell Xander about you and Angel?" She looked at Xander with sadness in her eyes. "Well it either killed him or you never told him."
"No I didn't tell him. Do you really think I hate him that much? I loved him once not that he ever noticed. No he was too busy trying to prove himself to you. You realise that's why he's in here. He only wanted to defend you." Cordelia retorted and walked out of the room.
Angel turned to Buffy. "Look what you've done, she's hurting as well you know. Give her a break and stop acting like your the only one who matters here." Angel left Buffy standing there, her mouth open. Her Angel had just stood up for Cordelia.
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Read On