bThis I Promise You /b
IBy Jules/i
IbChapter 3/I/b
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
b** First day of school **
** Five am **/b
Adam shook the poor immortal teenage girl awake, from a wonderful dream she was having, involving Angel and whipped cream. I[I think we all know the one, we've all had it many times . . . the one with him in a bathtub full of bubble bath is quite, um, entertaining too.]/I
"Come on Cordy, we need to train before school."
"Ooh you are so lucky I'm half asleep right now . . ." She grumbled, "I'll be down in ten minutes." As she walked to the bathroom he could swear he heard her say, "For the first time since I met Buffy, I'm not envious of her. She's been doing this for over a year now . . . what a crock, you would think having supernatural power would make life easier, but no, I'm getting up when it's still dark . . ."
The trio practiced Tai chi until Cordelia and Richie had to get ready for school.
Cordelia washes and styles her hair, and then she slipped on a white sundress, which tied at an empire waistline style, on her tanned well-toned body. She was in better shape then last year, and looked even more amazing then before. Cordy put on another gauzy see-through, this time yellow, long sleeved shirt and tied the ends at her natural waistline. She quickly accessorizes with a watch, a pendent, earrings, and an ankle bracelet. Cordelia did her make up, and put on her white platform strap sandals, then she grabbed a tiny white backpack purse, a notebook, plus a large big of gifts she'd brought home from Paris, and she was ready to go.
Richie was waiting for her in black Nike wind-pants and a white t-shirt with a black Nike swoosh on it.
Since he didn't have a car, Cordelia would be driving them to and from school everyday, until his motorcycle came, at which time he would alternately give her rides to school.
"Finally, we're going to be late on the first day Cordy!"
Cordelia rolled her eyes, "Relax Richie, I'll get us there in plenty of time, only geeks take first hours, and teachers aren't required to be there for awhile. Besides, I'll get us there in 12 minutes."
"But it's a 20 minute drive." He protested.
They certainly made it to school in no time, only Richie was looking a little peeked.
Cordelia had missed orientation two weeks ago, so she headed to the Guidance Office for her schedule and things.
She knew that her locker was near her clique's, Harmony had made sure of that, but now she needs to find out her classes.
*******************************************
Name: Chase, Cordelia Grade: 11 ID: 0000230080
____________________________________________________________________
uPeriod/u uClass/u uTeacher/u uRoom#/u
_____________________________________________________________________
1st No Class
2nd Chemistry Vandenburg, Bob B-5
3rd English 11 Gillette, Mike C-6
4th World Hist. Harvey, Steve E-6
5th Study Hall Giles, Rupert Library
6th French III Flikama, Marie E-12
7th Slf. Defns. Sukup, David Gym
*******************************************
Cordelia groaned at her unnecessary classes, which last year had seemed like a good idea, French and Self-Defense. Duncan had easily taught her the language in her time with him, and obviously how to fight. Cordelia can stand the 7th hour, because she'll be able to practice that way. But French had to go, so she makes arrangements to take the years final during class today. That would get her out of the class, but still qualify her for the credit.
She had an hour until her first class, so she quickly went to the gym, where she found Richie getting his instructions from the gym teacher he'd be assisting. Cordelia leaned against the wall waiting for him, he sensed her presence from 'the buzz', and as soon as the older man finishes he goes over to her.
"So, what hours do you work?" She questions getting right to the point.
"2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 7th." He rattles off quickly.
"Perfect! I only classes I have are during those hours. And I have self-defense 7th hour, with you apparently."
"Great!" Richie was really happy that she was in his self-defense class, now he'd get to watch her work out an extra hour ever day in her sports bra.
"Yeah, 5th hour is study hour, then we have lunch. Then I have French III, which is going to be too easy since Duncan taught me this summer, so I'm taking the final exam for the whole year today, which will get me out of the class, but I'll still get my credit! So after today, we're going to have the rest of the day together, because you're going to start coming to the library with me." Cordelia tells him, then looks at the watch on her wrist, "Ooh, gotta jet if I'm going to meet up with Harmony and the rest of the crowd and give them their gifts. See ya 5th hour, I'll come pick you up so you don't get lost!"
Richie marvels at the workings of her mind and knows the smart thing is to agree with her, which is was he'll always do, "Alright, I'll be waiting for you."
Cordelia then saunters out of the gym. Richie and all the guys coming in for weight training watching her walk away.
Soon a familiar voice squeals, "Cordelia!"
Cordelia spots her friends waiting for her, "Hey Harmony, guys. Missed ya!"
"Tell me all about Paris, what did you do?" Harmony questions eagerly.
"Well, I went shopping, I ate in cafés, lived on a boat on the Riviera." She tells them, like it was no big deal.
"God we are so totally jealous." One girl moans.
"I did bring you all back something though!"
Cordelia hands out small boxes to everyone, and a large box to Harmony, since she was her best friend. All the girls got silk scarves, and Harmony got a one of a kind dress, straight from the runways in Paris.
"They're beautiful!" Another one of the girls gasps, gently fingering the fabric.
Harmony agrees, loving her new dress, "Great style!"
"So, Sunnydale was dead huh?"
"Completely, and all the hot guys like totally disappear-." Harmony was cut off when someone bumped into her. It was Buffy, "God freak, rude much?"
Buffy rolled her eyes then went on her way.
Then Harmony went back to chattering, not even noticing that Cordelia watched Buffy walk away, as she tried to figure out what Angel saw in her, which made her so special.
b** 5th hour **/b
As soon as class had ended Cordelia arrives in the door of the gym, waiting for Richie, who quickly locked the office and went with her, his arm habitually around her shoulders as they walked to the library.
~*~
Giles came out of his office to find Buffy, Xander, and Willow waiting for him, "So I see that they managed to arrange it for everyone to be in here this hour for study hall."
"Yep. So, G-man, how was your vacation?" Xander asks.
"Quite q-quiet actually. I-it's been fairly dead around here, no pun in-intended. Since Buffy killed the Master, but that is very normal after a m-major l-leader in a vampire community has been sl-slain . . ."
Giles trails off as he sees Cordelia standing there, with some young-man's arm around her shoulder, apparently over hearing the whole thing.
"Hey Giles, Buffy, Dorkhead, Willow." She greets cheerfully.
"Hello Cordelia . . . um, who's that?" Buffy asks.
"Isn't he the new student teacher/coach in gym?" Xander questions, recognizing him from his 3rd hour strength and conditioning class.
"Yep!" Cordelia confirms, "This is Richie Ryan. Richie, that's Buffy Summers, Willow Rosenberg, Xander Harris, and Rupert Giles."
"Nice to meet you." Richie greets, leaving his arm around her shoulder, "So, got any new 'badies', as Cordy calls them."
"Gosh Richie, give them a minute. We just got back form Summer Vacation, brains don't function that well for the first couple of weeks." Cordelia pushes him into a chair, then puts her bag on the table.
"First of all, I know you are bothered about Richie, but Angel didn't spaz about it, so I don't think you will. He's known for awhile, and he's pretty good at fighting."
Giles feels a headache coming on, and it wasn't even lunch on the first day, "Alright, f-fine."
"Oh, and if you guys want, I brought you all back presents from Paris. Most of the stuff in the bag is for Giles though."
Xander's eyes light up, "Ooh! Presents! Gimmie, gimmie, gimmie!"
Cordelia pulls out a bunch of bags, "These are for you Willow . . ." She hands the girl about 3 bags, "I kinda went nuts, and they aren't my size, so don't even try to give them back. This is for you Xander . . . and this is for you Buffy." She'd gotten Willow several outfits from the cutest boutique, she didn't know what had possessed her to do so, but when she got back to Duncan's, there they all were, and not a single thing was her size, or did they suite her as well as they would Willow. At the same shop she's gotten a dress for Buffy, and a cute dagger from Duncan's antique store that was very old, was supposed to be hidden in a boot. For Xander there were a few in fashion shirts, a cross necklace, and a self-help book (she'd picked the last one up at the airport gift shop, she saw it and immediately thought of him.)
"And as for you Giles, I hope your gifts will be a big help around here, and keep you occupied. Richie's boss found them in an attic." She explains, as she pulls out two large stacks of ancient texts bound in leather, "A few are in French, I can translate those, several in English, two in Latin, and the rest are in Gaelic, Angel will have to help translate those."
Giles looks through the titles, his eyes wide, "M-my God. Most of these books were thought to be lost over 200 years ago. T-thank you. Thank your boss Richie for me, please."
"Oh it wasn't much." Richie admitted, "Mac has tons more of those one of a kinds books, anything thing he can do to help . . ."
Giles nods his head, still stunned by the books that lay before him.
"So, what's up Giles? Any uglies in town?" Buffy asks impatiently.
"Ooh, yes. Just the usual, Angel said he destroyed four vamps last night and 20 vampires last week total, so things are slowly picking back up. But that's the m-most activity he's s-seen all summer."
Cordelia listens closely, but with a practiced look of disinterest on her face, so as to look like she didn't care, but still know what's going on, since she couldn't do much to help openly, but she could still do her part. She filed her nails as she listened.
"As anyone else talked to Angel?" Buffy asks fidgeting.
Cordelia doesn't even look up, "Me."
Everyone but Richie looks at her surprised.
"You talked to Deadboy?" Xander asks shocked.
"Yeah, a few times."
Everyone looks at her, their mouths wide open. Last time they knew, she and Angel didn't talk.
She looks at their stunned faces, "What? Richie, Adam, and I get bored. All alone in the mansion like that, so we go out at night. We saw him, we talked to him. He's a nice guy, for a vampire."
"What on the Hellmouth did you two talk about?" Buffy asks, wanting to know what the girl was doing talking to the man she . . . er her good friend.
Richie bits his lip to keep from laughing, he knew Cordelia was being very easy going about this just to mess with them.
"Just this and that." Cordelia tells them vaguely, "Hey, did you guys know the curse which gave him his soul has a happiness clause? How depressing! If he has one moment of complete happiness it's bye-bye Angel, hello Angelus his total demon personality, who will take back over. No wonder the man broods so much."
"No, Cordy, it's the black. It makes a person solemn and somber like that." Richie claims, actually being serious, cause I mean, have you ever seen a person who wears black all the time happy?!
Giles is mildly confused, so he decides maybe they should get going, then maybe his head will clear, "Right, we really should get to work . . . Um Cordelia would you mind getting to work on translating this old book of spells? It might be of use to us someday."
Cordelia sighs, but takes the book, "Do you have anything you want me to write them down into?"
Giles goes to his office and returns with an old, but empty leather bound book and hands it to her.
Cordelia settles down at the table, and Richie sits down next to her, since her reading of French wasn't at the same level as her speaking it. One thing was for sure, by the time she'd translated them all, she'd sure know how to read and write it! She pulls out a calligraphy pen, to give the words an artistic old-world quality, and opens the two books.
She's just about to get started when something hits her, "Oh Giles, today I can only stay till 6th hour, then I need to go take my French III final, so I'll have another free hour. But after which, from now on, I'll be free 5th hour to 7th."
Again she had surprised the whole group, except Richie, who knew that this was the true side of Cordelia, that she just didn't let out at school. This wasn't Cordelia Chase, Ice Queen, this was Cordy, one of his closest friends.
b** Two hours later **/b
Cordelia had decided to skip lunch, and now she had actually gotten through, and translated eight spells, with Richie's help. Silly stuff really. The book was split into sections, Earth, Fire, Wind, Water, Love, Transformation, and then some very serious spells, which were only meant to be used by very powerful wicca's. So far she's only translated some of the Earth stuff. A few growth spells, creation spells, and how to create an earthquake.
Richie had fallen asleep about twenty minutes ago (he wasn't used to waking up so early). Cordelia looked at her watch and got up, she took the books into Giles office, "I have to go, I'll try to be back before the end of the hour, the final should be easy. Richie's sleeping out there, if he wakes up and asks you where I am just tell him I'm taking the exam."
Giles looks up, "Oh, right. That's f-fine. I do wish to talk to you when you return though." He warns her.
Cordelia nodded her head, and was on her way, having a feeling he wasn't going to be praising her, rather reprimanding her.
b** 20 minutes later **/b
Cordelia gave the shocked French teacher, who'd been her teacher last year (Cordelia had barely passed), her completed exam, which she'd breezed through. The teacher asked her to wait while she corrected the exam. Five minutes later the amazed teacher told Cordelia she'd passed with flying colors and that she could go.
She slowly walked back to the library, worried that maybe she'd let to much out to Giles . . . no, there was no way he could suspect anything, but the other thing he could be upset about would be just as bad.
Giles was a little surprised that Cordelia was back already, but he got down to business, "We must discuss this whole Richie thing."
"And Adam I'm assuming." She sighed, "They both can keep secrets Giles. They are well versed in that area."
"How l-long have you kno-known these gentlemen?"
"I've known Richie for two months, Adam for only one, but we are all very close. They moved her from Paris with me, and they are staying with me until my parents come back from Switzerland. They bought a great mansion near me, and both just really want to help out."
"How much have you informed them about things?" Giles asks worriedly.
"Not much really. Adam has been fighting evil dudes for a long time. Actually he's a reformed bad guy!" Cordelia catches the look on Giles' face, "Seriously Giles, don't worry. They aren't going to tell anyone! Angel hasn't killed them, so you know they aren't vamps, plus you've seen Richie in sunlight. Angel's even talked to them. I'm not an airhead like everyone thinks. And I'm not gullible or stupid."
Cordelia starts yelling, waking up Richie in the other room, "They are the only people I've ever confirmed to that vampires and demons are real, because they trusted me with their secrets. I trust them with my life Giles! Give them a chance, because they're sticking around, whether you losers like it or not!" Cordelia grabbed the French spell book and the book she was writing them down in. She flipped her hair over her shoulder, then stormed out of the library, with Richie running after her.
Cordelia couldn't help but wish as she walked out of the door that they would give her more credit.
~*~
b** Soon after sunset at the library **/b
Angel walks into the library and finds Giles alone in his office, "First day of school, right?" He questions, making his presence known.
"Huh? Oh, hello Angel. Y-yes, today was the first day of school. They are all back form wherever they went to get away from this place."
"Everyone back to work patrolling and stuff already?"
"Yes, Buffy's on patrol with Xander and Willow went along too. There is something I n-need to speak with you about. Please, sit down."
Angel raised his eyebrow, but sat down, then waits for the watcher to speak.
"It's about Cordelia . . ." The watcher doesn't notice the vampire sitting across from his desk tense at her name, "It seems she made some friends in Paris, and has told them about . . . well everything. Actually, I don't know what she's told them, and what they already knew."
"You mean Adam and Richie?" Angel questions, thinking about the two men that he'd seen Cordelia with the first night he saw her back.
"Yes, so you have spoken with them."
"A bit, they have an off smell about them, actually all three of them do. They seem perfectly normal, but Adam seems . . . older then he looks. But I know he's not a vampire, I heard his heart beat . . ."
"Sorcerers perhaps?" Giles suggests.
"I don't know . . . other then that, they seem perfectly fine. I don't pick up any bad 'vibes', as Cordelia would put it."
"Yes, plus there the matter of Cordelia herself. She seems . . . different."
"How so?" Angel asks curious, his suspicions being confirmed that she'd been acting weird.
"Well, she's more helpful, considerate . . . I mean she b-brought back stuff for everyone, even me! She brought back s-so many t-texts, which were im-impossible to have. All of them one of a kind, and m-missing for h-hundreds of years. She shouldn't have those. Neither should have Richie's boss."
"Don't worry about it, I'll look into them, if it makes you feel better." Angel offers that last part not to make Giles feel better, but for himself to feel better about Cordelia's two houseguests.
~*~
b** The Chase mansion, Cordelia's bedroom **/b
Cordelia punches in a long string of numbers then waits as the phone rang on the other end.
"Duncan." Answered the other end.
"Hey MacLeod, told you I'd call!" Cordelia greets.
"Cordelia! It's great to hear your voice. It's so strange around here without you."
"I hope that means you miss me! Cause I actually miss you. Adam makes me get up at five am!"
Duncan laughs, "Well at least he's taking care of you."
"Yeah well I just know that as soon as my parents come home, he's still going to be calling me at five am to come over to his mansion to work out." She grumbled, "But I have to admit, this isn't just a social call. I need your help."
"Of course, anything, what do you need?"
"It's about Angel . . . the vampire with a soul? Well it seems that . . ." Cordelia launches into the curse story and tells him about the curse, " . . . so I need your help to, anchor his soul permanently." She leaves out the part about her being in love with Angel though, "I know that if anyone can find a spell or something to help him, you could. Even though your thousands of miles away"
Duncan was touched by the story, "Tell ya what. I'm going to do you one better. I'll pack up all my books and come to Sunnydale to help you."
"You will?!" Cordelia's shocked.
"Yes, truthfully, I'm really coming to see you though. All my good friends have moved to Sunnydale, leaving me all alone."
"The truth is revealed, you're a big softy. So, when are you gonna get your butt here MacLeod, I need to warn Adam and Richie when we have to stop having those wild three-ways."
"A week. Hey, don't warn them! I was hoping to get in on the action." Duncan teases.
Adam and Richie, who had been standing at the door, listening to Cordelia talk to Duncan on the speakerphone, give each other looks.
Adam walks in and gasps in mock horror, "Why didn't you say something then Duncan? We could have had some wild times in Paris!"
"Yeah!" Richie agrees, playing along, "It could have been hot!"
Cordelia smiles evilly, then exclaims, "Adam, quit nibbling on my ear, you know what that does to me!" She pretends to moan, "Richie, at least wait till we hang up!"
Duncan on the other end, way in Paris doesn't know what to think. They were joking right? . . . his mouth tries to form words, but can't.
Richie gets into it, "Ooh Cordy, I love it when you do that."
"Hang up the damn phone!" Adam pretends to groan. "Ooh baby the things you do to me . . ."
"Bye MacLeod." Cordelia pretends to get out breathlessly. Then she ends the call.
They all burst out laughing and collapse on the bed in stitches.
"I think he thought we were serious." Cordy laughs. "Adam, loved that last part," she lowers her voice doing a ridiculous impression, "Ooh baby the things you do to me. Passé, but funny."
Then they all start laughing harder.
Cordelia calms down first, "I wish I could have seen his face . . . oh god, he'll be here in a week! He's gonna be like totally suspicious!"
"Hey, you started it Cordy." Adam reminds her.
"Yeah, we just went along with it." Richie agrees, nodding his head affirmatively.
~*~
Angel had arrived at the part in the conversation when the guy on the other end said that he'd come to Sunnydale. Missing the rest of it. He wasn't looking in the window, but he had heard the 'three-way' with his supernatural hearing. He was about to be sick (if vampire could get sick), when he heard them laughing, and realized that it was a prank. He breathed a sigh of relief, both because Cordelia wasn't having (gulp) sex, and because it looked like Richie and Adam were truly her friends, along with this, Duncan MacLeod fellow . . . that name sounded familiar though, very familiar. But where from . . .
Angel settled back in the tree, making the decision to make sure that everything was kosher with Cordelia. Then he tried to remember where he'd heard that name before.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
IBy Jules/i
IbChapter 3/I/b
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
b** First day of school **
** Five am **/b
Adam shook the poor immortal teenage girl awake, from a wonderful dream she was having, involving Angel and whipped cream. I[I think we all know the one, we've all had it many times . . . the one with him in a bathtub full of bubble bath is quite, um, entertaining too.]/I
"Come on Cordy, we need to train before school."
"Ooh you are so lucky I'm half asleep right now . . ." She grumbled, "I'll be down in ten minutes." As she walked to the bathroom he could swear he heard her say, "For the first time since I met Buffy, I'm not envious of her. She's been doing this for over a year now . . . what a crock, you would think having supernatural power would make life easier, but no, I'm getting up when it's still dark . . ."
The trio practiced Tai chi until Cordelia and Richie had to get ready for school.
Cordelia washes and styles her hair, and then she slipped on a white sundress, which tied at an empire waistline style, on her tanned well-toned body. She was in better shape then last year, and looked even more amazing then before. Cordy put on another gauzy see-through, this time yellow, long sleeved shirt and tied the ends at her natural waistline. She quickly accessorizes with a watch, a pendent, earrings, and an ankle bracelet. Cordelia did her make up, and put on her white platform strap sandals, then she grabbed a tiny white backpack purse, a notebook, plus a large big of gifts she'd brought home from Paris, and she was ready to go.
Richie was waiting for her in black Nike wind-pants and a white t-shirt with a black Nike swoosh on it.
Since he didn't have a car, Cordelia would be driving them to and from school everyday, until his motorcycle came, at which time he would alternately give her rides to school.
"Finally, we're going to be late on the first day Cordy!"
Cordelia rolled her eyes, "Relax Richie, I'll get us there in plenty of time, only geeks take first hours, and teachers aren't required to be there for awhile. Besides, I'll get us there in 12 minutes."
"But it's a 20 minute drive." He protested.
They certainly made it to school in no time, only Richie was looking a little peeked.
Cordelia had missed orientation two weeks ago, so she headed to the Guidance Office for her schedule and things.
She knew that her locker was near her clique's, Harmony had made sure of that, but now she needs to find out her classes.
*******************************************
Name: Chase, Cordelia Grade: 11 ID: 0000230080
____________________________________________________________________
uPeriod/u uClass/u uTeacher/u uRoom#/u
_____________________________________________________________________
1st No Class
2nd Chemistry Vandenburg, Bob B-5
3rd English 11 Gillette, Mike C-6
4th World Hist. Harvey, Steve E-6
5th Study Hall Giles, Rupert Library
6th French III Flikama, Marie E-12
7th Slf. Defns. Sukup, David Gym
*******************************************
Cordelia groaned at her unnecessary classes, which last year had seemed like a good idea, French and Self-Defense. Duncan had easily taught her the language in her time with him, and obviously how to fight. Cordelia can stand the 7th hour, because she'll be able to practice that way. But French had to go, so she makes arrangements to take the years final during class today. That would get her out of the class, but still qualify her for the credit.
She had an hour until her first class, so she quickly went to the gym, where she found Richie getting his instructions from the gym teacher he'd be assisting. Cordelia leaned against the wall waiting for him, he sensed her presence from 'the buzz', and as soon as the older man finishes he goes over to her.
"So, what hours do you work?" She questions getting right to the point.
"2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 7th." He rattles off quickly.
"Perfect! I only classes I have are during those hours. And I have self-defense 7th hour, with you apparently."
"Great!" Richie was really happy that she was in his self-defense class, now he'd get to watch her work out an extra hour ever day in her sports bra.
"Yeah, 5th hour is study hour, then we have lunch. Then I have French III, which is going to be too easy since Duncan taught me this summer, so I'm taking the final exam for the whole year today, which will get me out of the class, but I'll still get my credit! So after today, we're going to have the rest of the day together, because you're going to start coming to the library with me." Cordelia tells him, then looks at the watch on her wrist, "Ooh, gotta jet if I'm going to meet up with Harmony and the rest of the crowd and give them their gifts. See ya 5th hour, I'll come pick you up so you don't get lost!"
Richie marvels at the workings of her mind and knows the smart thing is to agree with her, which is was he'll always do, "Alright, I'll be waiting for you."
Cordelia then saunters out of the gym. Richie and all the guys coming in for weight training watching her walk away.
Soon a familiar voice squeals, "Cordelia!"
Cordelia spots her friends waiting for her, "Hey Harmony, guys. Missed ya!"
"Tell me all about Paris, what did you do?" Harmony questions eagerly.
"Well, I went shopping, I ate in cafés, lived on a boat on the Riviera." She tells them, like it was no big deal.
"God we are so totally jealous." One girl moans.
"I did bring you all back something though!"
Cordelia hands out small boxes to everyone, and a large box to Harmony, since she was her best friend. All the girls got silk scarves, and Harmony got a one of a kind dress, straight from the runways in Paris.
"They're beautiful!" Another one of the girls gasps, gently fingering the fabric.
Harmony agrees, loving her new dress, "Great style!"
"So, Sunnydale was dead huh?"
"Completely, and all the hot guys like totally disappear-." Harmony was cut off when someone bumped into her. It was Buffy, "God freak, rude much?"
Buffy rolled her eyes then went on her way.
Then Harmony went back to chattering, not even noticing that Cordelia watched Buffy walk away, as she tried to figure out what Angel saw in her, which made her so special.
b** 5th hour **/b
As soon as class had ended Cordelia arrives in the door of the gym, waiting for Richie, who quickly locked the office and went with her, his arm habitually around her shoulders as they walked to the library.
~*~
Giles came out of his office to find Buffy, Xander, and Willow waiting for him, "So I see that they managed to arrange it for everyone to be in here this hour for study hall."
"Yep. So, G-man, how was your vacation?" Xander asks.
"Quite q-quiet actually. I-it's been fairly dead around here, no pun in-intended. Since Buffy killed the Master, but that is very normal after a m-major l-leader in a vampire community has been sl-slain . . ."
Giles trails off as he sees Cordelia standing there, with some young-man's arm around her shoulder, apparently over hearing the whole thing.
"Hey Giles, Buffy, Dorkhead, Willow." She greets cheerfully.
"Hello Cordelia . . . um, who's that?" Buffy asks.
"Isn't he the new student teacher/coach in gym?" Xander questions, recognizing him from his 3rd hour strength and conditioning class.
"Yep!" Cordelia confirms, "This is Richie Ryan. Richie, that's Buffy Summers, Willow Rosenberg, Xander Harris, and Rupert Giles."
"Nice to meet you." Richie greets, leaving his arm around her shoulder, "So, got any new 'badies', as Cordy calls them."
"Gosh Richie, give them a minute. We just got back form Summer Vacation, brains don't function that well for the first couple of weeks." Cordelia pushes him into a chair, then puts her bag on the table.
"First of all, I know you are bothered about Richie, but Angel didn't spaz about it, so I don't think you will. He's known for awhile, and he's pretty good at fighting."
Giles feels a headache coming on, and it wasn't even lunch on the first day, "Alright, f-fine."
"Oh, and if you guys want, I brought you all back presents from Paris. Most of the stuff in the bag is for Giles though."
Xander's eyes light up, "Ooh! Presents! Gimmie, gimmie, gimmie!"
Cordelia pulls out a bunch of bags, "These are for you Willow . . ." She hands the girl about 3 bags, "I kinda went nuts, and they aren't my size, so don't even try to give them back. This is for you Xander . . . and this is for you Buffy." She'd gotten Willow several outfits from the cutest boutique, she didn't know what had possessed her to do so, but when she got back to Duncan's, there they all were, and not a single thing was her size, or did they suite her as well as they would Willow. At the same shop she's gotten a dress for Buffy, and a cute dagger from Duncan's antique store that was very old, was supposed to be hidden in a boot. For Xander there were a few in fashion shirts, a cross necklace, and a self-help book (she'd picked the last one up at the airport gift shop, she saw it and immediately thought of him.)
"And as for you Giles, I hope your gifts will be a big help around here, and keep you occupied. Richie's boss found them in an attic." She explains, as she pulls out two large stacks of ancient texts bound in leather, "A few are in French, I can translate those, several in English, two in Latin, and the rest are in Gaelic, Angel will have to help translate those."
Giles looks through the titles, his eyes wide, "M-my God. Most of these books were thought to be lost over 200 years ago. T-thank you. Thank your boss Richie for me, please."
"Oh it wasn't much." Richie admitted, "Mac has tons more of those one of a kinds books, anything thing he can do to help . . ."
Giles nods his head, still stunned by the books that lay before him.
"So, what's up Giles? Any uglies in town?" Buffy asks impatiently.
"Ooh, yes. Just the usual, Angel said he destroyed four vamps last night and 20 vampires last week total, so things are slowly picking back up. But that's the m-most activity he's s-seen all summer."
Cordelia listens closely, but with a practiced look of disinterest on her face, so as to look like she didn't care, but still know what's going on, since she couldn't do much to help openly, but she could still do her part. She filed her nails as she listened.
"As anyone else talked to Angel?" Buffy asks fidgeting.
Cordelia doesn't even look up, "Me."
Everyone but Richie looks at her surprised.
"You talked to Deadboy?" Xander asks shocked.
"Yeah, a few times."
Everyone looks at her, their mouths wide open. Last time they knew, she and Angel didn't talk.
She looks at their stunned faces, "What? Richie, Adam, and I get bored. All alone in the mansion like that, so we go out at night. We saw him, we talked to him. He's a nice guy, for a vampire."
"What on the Hellmouth did you two talk about?" Buffy asks, wanting to know what the girl was doing talking to the man she . . . er her good friend.
Richie bits his lip to keep from laughing, he knew Cordelia was being very easy going about this just to mess with them.
"Just this and that." Cordelia tells them vaguely, "Hey, did you guys know the curse which gave him his soul has a happiness clause? How depressing! If he has one moment of complete happiness it's bye-bye Angel, hello Angelus his total demon personality, who will take back over. No wonder the man broods so much."
"No, Cordy, it's the black. It makes a person solemn and somber like that." Richie claims, actually being serious, cause I mean, have you ever seen a person who wears black all the time happy?!
Giles is mildly confused, so he decides maybe they should get going, then maybe his head will clear, "Right, we really should get to work . . . Um Cordelia would you mind getting to work on translating this old book of spells? It might be of use to us someday."
Cordelia sighs, but takes the book, "Do you have anything you want me to write them down into?"
Giles goes to his office and returns with an old, but empty leather bound book and hands it to her.
Cordelia settles down at the table, and Richie sits down next to her, since her reading of French wasn't at the same level as her speaking it. One thing was for sure, by the time she'd translated them all, she'd sure know how to read and write it! She pulls out a calligraphy pen, to give the words an artistic old-world quality, and opens the two books.
She's just about to get started when something hits her, "Oh Giles, today I can only stay till 6th hour, then I need to go take my French III final, so I'll have another free hour. But after which, from now on, I'll be free 5th hour to 7th."
Again she had surprised the whole group, except Richie, who knew that this was the true side of Cordelia, that she just didn't let out at school. This wasn't Cordelia Chase, Ice Queen, this was Cordy, one of his closest friends.
b** Two hours later **/b
Cordelia had decided to skip lunch, and now she had actually gotten through, and translated eight spells, with Richie's help. Silly stuff really. The book was split into sections, Earth, Fire, Wind, Water, Love, Transformation, and then some very serious spells, which were only meant to be used by very powerful wicca's. So far she's only translated some of the Earth stuff. A few growth spells, creation spells, and how to create an earthquake.
Richie had fallen asleep about twenty minutes ago (he wasn't used to waking up so early). Cordelia looked at her watch and got up, she took the books into Giles office, "I have to go, I'll try to be back before the end of the hour, the final should be easy. Richie's sleeping out there, if he wakes up and asks you where I am just tell him I'm taking the exam."
Giles looks up, "Oh, right. That's f-fine. I do wish to talk to you when you return though." He warns her.
Cordelia nodded her head, and was on her way, having a feeling he wasn't going to be praising her, rather reprimanding her.
b** 20 minutes later **/b
Cordelia gave the shocked French teacher, who'd been her teacher last year (Cordelia had barely passed), her completed exam, which she'd breezed through. The teacher asked her to wait while she corrected the exam. Five minutes later the amazed teacher told Cordelia she'd passed with flying colors and that she could go.
She slowly walked back to the library, worried that maybe she'd let to much out to Giles . . . no, there was no way he could suspect anything, but the other thing he could be upset about would be just as bad.
Giles was a little surprised that Cordelia was back already, but he got down to business, "We must discuss this whole Richie thing."
"And Adam I'm assuming." She sighed, "They both can keep secrets Giles. They are well versed in that area."
"How l-long have you kno-known these gentlemen?"
"I've known Richie for two months, Adam for only one, but we are all very close. They moved her from Paris with me, and they are staying with me until my parents come back from Switzerland. They bought a great mansion near me, and both just really want to help out."
"How much have you informed them about things?" Giles asks worriedly.
"Not much really. Adam has been fighting evil dudes for a long time. Actually he's a reformed bad guy!" Cordelia catches the look on Giles' face, "Seriously Giles, don't worry. They aren't going to tell anyone! Angel hasn't killed them, so you know they aren't vamps, plus you've seen Richie in sunlight. Angel's even talked to them. I'm not an airhead like everyone thinks. And I'm not gullible or stupid."
Cordelia starts yelling, waking up Richie in the other room, "They are the only people I've ever confirmed to that vampires and demons are real, because they trusted me with their secrets. I trust them with my life Giles! Give them a chance, because they're sticking around, whether you losers like it or not!" Cordelia grabbed the French spell book and the book she was writing them down in. She flipped her hair over her shoulder, then stormed out of the library, with Richie running after her.
Cordelia couldn't help but wish as she walked out of the door that they would give her more credit.
~*~
b** Soon after sunset at the library **/b
Angel walks into the library and finds Giles alone in his office, "First day of school, right?" He questions, making his presence known.
"Huh? Oh, hello Angel. Y-yes, today was the first day of school. They are all back form wherever they went to get away from this place."
"Everyone back to work patrolling and stuff already?"
"Yes, Buffy's on patrol with Xander and Willow went along too. There is something I n-need to speak with you about. Please, sit down."
Angel raised his eyebrow, but sat down, then waits for the watcher to speak.
"It's about Cordelia . . ." The watcher doesn't notice the vampire sitting across from his desk tense at her name, "It seems she made some friends in Paris, and has told them about . . . well everything. Actually, I don't know what she's told them, and what they already knew."
"You mean Adam and Richie?" Angel questions, thinking about the two men that he'd seen Cordelia with the first night he saw her back.
"Yes, so you have spoken with them."
"A bit, they have an off smell about them, actually all three of them do. They seem perfectly normal, but Adam seems . . . older then he looks. But I know he's not a vampire, I heard his heart beat . . ."
"Sorcerers perhaps?" Giles suggests.
"I don't know . . . other then that, they seem perfectly fine. I don't pick up any bad 'vibes', as Cordelia would put it."
"Yes, plus there the matter of Cordelia herself. She seems . . . different."
"How so?" Angel asks curious, his suspicions being confirmed that she'd been acting weird.
"Well, she's more helpful, considerate . . . I mean she b-brought back stuff for everyone, even me! She brought back s-so many t-texts, which were im-impossible to have. All of them one of a kind, and m-missing for h-hundreds of years. She shouldn't have those. Neither should have Richie's boss."
"Don't worry about it, I'll look into them, if it makes you feel better." Angel offers that last part not to make Giles feel better, but for himself to feel better about Cordelia's two houseguests.
~*~
b** The Chase mansion, Cordelia's bedroom **/b
Cordelia punches in a long string of numbers then waits as the phone rang on the other end.
"Duncan." Answered the other end.
"Hey MacLeod, told you I'd call!" Cordelia greets.
"Cordelia! It's great to hear your voice. It's so strange around here without you."
"I hope that means you miss me! Cause I actually miss you. Adam makes me get up at five am!"
Duncan laughs, "Well at least he's taking care of you."
"Yeah well I just know that as soon as my parents come home, he's still going to be calling me at five am to come over to his mansion to work out." She grumbled, "But I have to admit, this isn't just a social call. I need your help."
"Of course, anything, what do you need?"
"It's about Angel . . . the vampire with a soul? Well it seems that . . ." Cordelia launches into the curse story and tells him about the curse, " . . . so I need your help to, anchor his soul permanently." She leaves out the part about her being in love with Angel though, "I know that if anyone can find a spell or something to help him, you could. Even though your thousands of miles away"
Duncan was touched by the story, "Tell ya what. I'm going to do you one better. I'll pack up all my books and come to Sunnydale to help you."
"You will?!" Cordelia's shocked.
"Yes, truthfully, I'm really coming to see you though. All my good friends have moved to Sunnydale, leaving me all alone."
"The truth is revealed, you're a big softy. So, when are you gonna get your butt here MacLeod, I need to warn Adam and Richie when we have to stop having those wild three-ways."
"A week. Hey, don't warn them! I was hoping to get in on the action." Duncan teases.
Adam and Richie, who had been standing at the door, listening to Cordelia talk to Duncan on the speakerphone, give each other looks.
Adam walks in and gasps in mock horror, "Why didn't you say something then Duncan? We could have had some wild times in Paris!"
"Yeah!" Richie agrees, playing along, "It could have been hot!"
Cordelia smiles evilly, then exclaims, "Adam, quit nibbling on my ear, you know what that does to me!" She pretends to moan, "Richie, at least wait till we hang up!"
Duncan on the other end, way in Paris doesn't know what to think. They were joking right? . . . his mouth tries to form words, but can't.
Richie gets into it, "Ooh Cordy, I love it when you do that."
"Hang up the damn phone!" Adam pretends to groan. "Ooh baby the things you do to me . . ."
"Bye MacLeod." Cordelia pretends to get out breathlessly. Then she ends the call.
They all burst out laughing and collapse on the bed in stitches.
"I think he thought we were serious." Cordy laughs. "Adam, loved that last part," she lowers her voice doing a ridiculous impression, "Ooh baby the things you do to me. Passé, but funny."
Then they all start laughing harder.
Cordelia calms down first, "I wish I could have seen his face . . . oh god, he'll be here in a week! He's gonna be like totally suspicious!"
"Hey, you started it Cordy." Adam reminds her.
"Yeah, we just went along with it." Richie agrees, nodding his head affirmatively.
~*~
Angel had arrived at the part in the conversation when the guy on the other end said that he'd come to Sunnydale. Missing the rest of it. He wasn't looking in the window, but he had heard the 'three-way' with his supernatural hearing. He was about to be sick (if vampire could get sick), when he heard them laughing, and realized that it was a prank. He breathed a sigh of relief, both because Cordelia wasn't having (gulp) sex, and because it looked like Richie and Adam were truly her friends, along with this, Duncan MacLeod fellow . . . that name sounded familiar though, very familiar. But where from . . .
Angel settled back in the tree, making the decision to make sure that everything was kosher with Cordelia. Then he tried to remember where he'd heard that name before.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~