All the usual disclaimers apply. The characters are not mine, I am merely a fan who makes no commercial gain from writing this story.
Sequel to "I, Angel" - if you haven't read that and want to catch up, please click on the link to Soo W above and you'll get there
"...you wanna know the deal? human weakness. it never goes away..."
Cordelia made a mental note never to visit a prison again. God knows, she had made some strides lately in terms of character development and working/playing well with others no matter where they shopped, but some of the outfits in this place were simply too challenging, even for the new Cordy. She sat forward, leaning into her half of the cubicle, and tried not to look.
Soon, Fred appeared in the other half, smiling shyly through the plate glass. Cordelia picked up the phone and indicated that Fred should do the same.
"Hey, Fluff, how are you?"
Fred shrugged, "It's not so bad."
"Are you kidding?" Cordelia exclaimed, "It's a nightmare. I can't believe you agreed to..."
"Cordy..." Fred interrupted. "Remember... we agreed not to talk about... Uncle Wesley's operation when you visit."
"Uncle Wesl... Oh!" Cordelia nodded vigorously, "The operation. Absolutely. I won't mention it again."
"Well if you insist," Fred leaned towards her, "You could tell me how it went. But not too much detail."
"Uh-huh," Cordelia replied, "The operation was a total failure. The... the.. consultants absolutely refused to intervene. Aunt Fai... Fai... Aunt Fay was totally pissed. And then they both agreed to... to... rise above the situation and... turn to alternative medicine!"
"Alternative medicine?" Fred looked confused.
"That's right," Cordelia continued. "And it's going really well. They're using a tried and tested remedy, and Uncle Wesley is administering it himself. We're expecting to see results by tomorrow night. About 8pm."
"Wow," said Fred, "I guess I never really thought they'd manage it."
"Those two?" Cordelia beamed, "They never, ever say die. And Uncle Wes always gets what he wants. You know that."
"Cordy," Fred changed the subject, "You have those visions, right?"
Cordelia shook her head sharply, and swivelled her eyes to indicate the guard standing a few paces away.
"Not visions!" Fred corrected herself, "Veins! Varicose veins!"
Cordelia's shoulders slumped, and Fred gave her an agonised look and mouthed the word "Sorry" silently.
"Yes," said Cordelia, clearly with some distaste. "I have those. Varicose veins. I certainly do."
"And they're painful?"
"Excruciating." Cordelia nodded.
An plump elderly lady with bleary eyes in the next booth leaned across. "I couldn't help but overhear you, darlin'. You should try honey and lemon. I do and it works wonders. Honey and lemon and about a half-pint of bourbon every night. The pain just dissolves away."
Cordelia gave Fred a murderous look. "Why do you ask?"
Fred tucked her hair behind her ear uncomfortably. "I've been getting them. But not painful ones."
"It's you!" Cordy exclaimed.
Fred frowned, "What's me?"
"When Aunt Fay talked to the consultant," Cordelia began slowly, "She was told that there would be a message, several messages in fact, from the... the... specialist."
"The specialist?"
Cordelia leaned forward and hissed, "The blood specialist. He'd be getting in touch with one of us to... to... sort out any loose ends."
"Oh!" Fred stared at Cordy in wonderment, "So... so... I'm not going mad?"
"No," Cordy smiled, "In fact, of all the people I know and love, you're probably the sanest. No honey and lemon required."
"OK," Fred sighed, "Thanks. That's a load off my mind."
Cordelia looked around to make sure no-one overheard. "What did he say?"
Fred grimaced, "He says it was a trick. She set him up. He fell for it and turned Nero, and couldn't live with himself afterwards."
"That bitch..." Cordy met Fred's eyes, and she could see both fought back angry tears. "Poor Angel."
A bell rang to indicate the end of visiting time. Cordelia sniffed and stood. She blew a kiss at Fred, and made her way out of the visiting room.
Fred trudged back to her cell, lay in her bunk and thought about blowing softly on the back of Angel's neck.
"Fred!"
"That's me."
"How d'you do that?"
"Practice. Thinking precise thoughts. Five years in Pylea with no-one to talk to probably a factor. You remember, that place you rescued me from?"
He was silent for a moment. Then, "I'm sorry I rushed off like that. I appreciate what you're all trying to do."
"But?"
He sighed, "I don't know. Maybe there are no buts. It's just... a few weeks hanging around in darkness doesn't seem like much of a punishment for what I did."
She ignored that and imagined running her fingers through his thick hair.
He laughed. "You're not the only one who can do stuff, you know."
She felt a soft, moist pressure on her lips, just for a moment, and then it faded. She imagined returning the kiss; visualised it deepening. The pressure came back, more insistent this time. A tongue reached inside tentatively to taste her; she remembered how his mouth felt on hers when they had been together and followed his lead, willingly. They were both getting better at this, she mused, more skilled at thinking exactly and remembering to echo back each other's thoughts.
When he spoke again she could tell by the breathless quality of his voice that he was as aroused as she. "Fred? Is this... good for you? Or weird? What?"
"It feels beautiful."
"Can I... touch you?"
The mere thought of what that might mean caused little geysers of pleasure to erupt inside her. She wondered if he could feel them too, if he knew the effect he had on her, or guessed it.
"If you want to... just... give me some warning? Tell me what you're going to do?"
"I'm... running my hands though your hair... right to the ends... my fingers snagging slightly in your curls and making your head fall back... exposing your neck which I touch with my mouth at the centre, the hollow at the base of your throat..."
The sensations were precise and steady. She shivered and her mind raced to keep up with him. "...and I run my hands over your back... and then bring them forward... cos I want to unbutton your shirt and touch your skin... can I?"
"Of course... although, I don't think I'm wearing a shirt unless you put me in one..."
"...and I do it and slip my hands around your waist..."
"...and I work my way across your collarbone... kissing you all the time... and my hands have abandoned your hair now and they move down to your butt and grab you... and bring you to sit on me... straddling me..."
She felt herself slide onto his lap and become open to him. Giddy with anticipation, she could almost feel his breath on her throat. Then he seemed to fade out and she rushed a thought to keep him with her. "I wrap my legs around your waist... and take your head in my arms and bring it down to nuzzle my throat again..."
"...and I slip my hands under your t-shirt and pull it off, over your head... and then..."
She felt his soft hands glide up her back and round to sweep over her breasts. Something solid was forming between her legs. No, it was inside her. He was inside her.
"Angel! Oh god..."
It disappeared in a moment and he went with it. She heard his voice fade out.
"Oh... oh Fred... I'm sorry..."
She was back in her bunk, alone. The absence of feeling was suddenly unbearable. She reached out to him again. "It's OK..."
"I couldn't help it. It just slipped into my head."
"It's OK... Angel... think it again... please... I want you to... come back."
A pause, and then she felt him again, pushing at her, slipping inside, hands holding her hips and his body gently thrusting against her. She imagined her wetness opening to let him in. "Angel..."
"Oh... Fred... you feel... so good... so very good..."
"Angel... deeper... think deeper..."
"I'll come..."
"You can't... not unless I think about it..."
"I wouldn't... count on that... too much... if I were you..."
She thought about her own climax, and how it would feel for him. He gasped and she knew he felt it too, and so it became real. Her womb, her heart, her brain, her skin, her whole body seemed to come alive at once, and she heard herself gasping her release into the darkness.
As he came close the sensations of peripheral contact bled away; she could no longer feel his arms around her, his lips on her face and neck, the thickness of his body between her legs. His human maleness overcame him and his need for penetration was everything. He seemed to grow to fill her completely; for a moment she felt as if he would tear her apart, and then she lost him. When he returned, he was clutching her to him again, and already softening inside her.
"Yes... yesss..."
"Angel... I love you... so much..."
"Fred... don't say that..."
"Why not? It's true."
"Because I'm not real."
"Maybe you will be, soon."