bThis I Promise You /b
IBy Jules/i
IbChapter 6/I/b
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Buffy burst into the library, obviously very disturbed, "I saw him on the street. He was alive."
"What on earth are you talking about?" Giles questions.
"That man! It should be impossible, but I just saw the guy I know I killed last week. The one that was a mortal."
"That's impossible Buffy." Angel states. "He was human . . . wasn't he? He had to have been, he had a heart beat, and the blood he left was human too."
"What did he look like?" Cordelia asks suddenly.
Buffy gives her a look, but tells her, "Um, curly blond hair, about 45 . . . goatee. Muscular build, dark cloths, and really alive."
"Jonathan." Cordelia proclaims in a hushed voice.
"You know him?" Angel questions.
"No . . . not really. Just that you didn't kill him."
"Do you know how I kill this 'demon'?" Buffy asks sarcastically.
"You don't . . . he's human." Cordelia answers.
"How do you know?" Buffy demands
"That's not important." Cordelia tells them darkly, "The fact remains, he's human. You'd have a really unfair advantage. People like that always gets what's coming to them though, so don't worry about it."
Willow watches the dark haired girl with a lot of interest. Something was up.
Everyone else just shrugged if off as something stemming from her parents death.
Cordelia pretends to look at her watch, "I have to go. Duncan will be wondering where I am." Cordelia picks up her purse, then leaves.
Willow 'looks' at her watch too, "I'd better go too."
"Do you need someone to walk you home?" Xander asks.
"Um, ok."
They leave, Willow looks down both hallways, and sees Cordelia's retreating form.
"Come on, but be quiet." Willow orders.
Xander wonders what's up, but smartly stays silent.
They follow Cordelia too her locker, out of which the girl pulls her light-weight black trench coat, and the katana Duncan gave her.
Willow and Xander's eyes grow large at the sight of the sheathed blade, but both remain silent.
Cordelia puts on the scabbard, then the trench coat, which successfully concealed the katana.
b** 15 minutes later **/b
Cordelia had been thinking for a few days about where to find Jonathan, and when Buffy had mentioned seeing him, it finally hit her where he would be. She quickly got the woods at the edge of town, close by to where her parents had fallen to their deaths. She felt The Buzz moments before she went into the clearing, where her parents had spent their final moments. Jonathan was there, looking around for the other immortal that had altered his senses, his sword drawn.
Willow and Xander watch in amazement at the dense edge of the clearing.
"Hello Jonathan." Cordelia greets coldly.
"I'm afraid I don't have the pleasure of knowing your name kitten."
"Cordelia. Cordelia Chase."
"Aha, so you are my first victim's only daughter. Aren't you a little young to be an immortal? You look as though you just graduated primary school."
"Well, unfortunately, we don't get to choose when we die now do we. And sadly, I got mugged in Paris. I screamed, the mugger shot his gun, right through the lung too. Really an unpleasant way to die."
"Poor baby. That must have really been just devastating for you."
"I wouldn't say that, because now I'm an immortal, and I've made some great friends because of it." She tells him, circling, "Now I'm tired of talking. Can we get to the part where I kill you?" Cordelia asks, pulling out her katana.
"Such impatience, young one. Obviously you're new at this."
"Yep, in this case looks aren't deceiving. I was killed for the first time this June, and you're gonna be the first person I behead."
"Your first? How sad, when I kill you there won't be much a quickening then." He answers, disappointed, starting to circle her as well.
"Lets go baby." Cordelia prompts.
The little fear Cordelia had, but didn't show, disappeared as her training took over. The clashing sound of metal against metal filled the air.
Willow is fascinated at the graceful, yet deadly battle happening before her very eyes. Her mind still very much in Pandemonium, over some of the things that had been said. Immortal? Cordelia was dead . . . no, she still had a heartbeat but . . . By the Goddess this was confusing. Willow knew someone was going to die in this battle, and she also knew that even if Cordelia had come back before, this time, if Cordy fell, she would never rise again. Her mind told her she should stop this fight to the finish, but her heart knew that it had to happen.
Things seem to move like someone was pushing fast forward in a movie. Perry, perry, lunge, perry and such. Suddenly the man was on his knees, his sword out of reach, and Cordelia stood over him, her katana raised high.
"This is for my parents, and all the other pain, grief, and anger you've caused! Besides, there can be only one." She declares, then she severs his head from his body.
Willow and Xander felt sick, she'd killed him! She'd chopped of his head. But nothing that they'd ever seen in their entire supernatural filled lives prepared them for what was about to happen.
Lightning starts flashing, hitting Cordelia, she screams as things behind her explode for no reason what so ever. [See, told you it was cool to watch.] She drops to her knees, absorbing the feeling over power and strength transferring to her for the first time.
Then all was quiet.
The two hidden were in shock for a moment, then they rushed to the girl, still on her knees.
"Cordelia! Holy shit!" Xander cries.
Cordelia looks up at the two in horror, "No, you're not here. You can't be here damn it! Oh God, you're here. Why the hell are you here?" She wipes off her blade in the grass, then sheaths it.
"What on earth was that?" Willow asks, ignoring Cordelia's own query.
"It's called a quickening. Something a mortal is never supposed to know about, let alone see one!" She tells them stalking away groaning.
"What happened?" They ask following her.
"Oh, I absorbed all his power and strength. And don't worry about Jonathan Damians anymore . . ." Cordelia looks back calming down, "I can promise you never have to worry about him again. It's the only way to kill his kind and make sure they don't come back. You have to behead them."
"How do you know that?" Xander asks nosily.
"You losers can never tell anyone about this. What you saw, what I told you, and what I'm about to tell you." She orders fiercely.
"Will you please tell us what's up?" Xander begs.
"We won't tell! We promise!" Willow assures her.
"God, they are going to kill me for this. You aren't supposed to know about us."
Cordelia wails again, forgetting what she was about to say.
"You're one of those immortals I've read about in Giles books. I thought you were just legends." Willows eyes are wide.
"You're supposed to this that." Cordelia laments, "We're supposed to keep it secret from all but our own kind as much as possible."
"How do you know your 'kind'?" Willow asks as they walk back through the woods.
"Every time an immortal comes in the vicinity of another, there's this kind of Buzz that we feel until we see the other. It helps us identify our kind, as well as serve as a warning that another is near, because of The Game."
"So the Game is real too?"
"Well, that's the belief. Whether the end result is true or not is a MAJOR issue that I wish I were surer about. What you saw though is the end result of the beheading after the battle. We absorb the opponents strength and power."
"That is so cool! And you'll never get old and wrinkly!"
"I know!" Cordelia perks up, "And if I can keep my head, I'm going to live forever."
"Maybe we should tell Buffy . . ." Xander suggests.
Cordelia's voice tugs at them beseechingly, "Please, don't . . . never tell. Richie, Duncan, and Adam will tell everyone, if I die. But please, don't tell her. It's not like it would serve any purpose. I'm doing more now then anyone knows. I go out and take care of baddies every night. That man I just killed, he'd been a nutso-crazo killer for hundreds of years, killing the innocent, had known of my, or my friends, existence in town, he would have come after us. Besides, it's still all very new to me."
"We won't tell Cordy, we promise . . . on one condition." Xander tells her.
Cordelia looks at him in shock, "You're making conditions on something that might mean my survival?" her eyes harden.
"Calm down!" Xander protests, "I just want you to train us in fighting. Willow and I are tired of standing on the sidelines and just getting in the way when we try to help."
Cordelia's expression immediately softens, "Why didn't you just ask me then? If you want, you can join me for my training at the mansion, I just warn you, we start at 5:15 a.m., everyday. Except Saturdays and Sundays, then we start at 8:30, it was the only day I could get them to stretch on, because we train extra hours, because it's the weekend."
Xander and Willow give each other looks, their decision made, "We'll be there . . ."
Cordelia smiles, "Ok, don't forget to wear stuff to work out in, and a change of clothes. From now on, you can take showers and change for school at my house. I'll set up a couple of guestrooms for you two. In fact, why don't you guys bring like a suitcase of clothes, that way you'll always have a wide selection to choose from to change into. Plus you still haven't met Adam or Duncan yet, I think you'll like them."
"So, how old are they?" Willow asks, her curiosity getting the better of her.
"Well, Richie's the youngest, he really is 26. Adam is, well, that's kind of a major secret, let's just say really old. And Duncan is The Highlander, and my teacher. He is over 400-years-old. He's the one who found me in Paris and taught me about our existence. Anyway, I'll drive you guys to school too, and you can eat breakfast with me, if you want . . . wait, it's still dark at five now, Adam will pick you up then." Cordelia rambles, creating the plans as she goes.
Willow and Xander were surprised at her generosity, but only Willow knew that it was just that they were finally getting a look at the true Cordelia. The Cordy whom it seems only very few ever saw, the few select people were allowed to see it cherished her. Willow was beginning to realize Cordelia Chase was a very complex person, who only let you see all her layers once you passed her test, and she truly trusted you. And she knew that this was a big honor.
b** The next day, five am**
** Xander's house **/b
Xander waits at the window, actually, he's practically asleep, drooling, his face pressed up against the window, waiting for Adam.
Xander total wished he was still asleep in bed right now, but if it meant being able to fight and help Buffy more, he was willing to give up a few hours of precious, wonderful, peaceful, heavenly sleep, in a soft, warm, safe, comfy bed.
The sound of a car pulling into the driveway jolted him away. He looked out and saw a huge Hum-vee. Richie stuck his head out the passenger window and waved to Xander, signaling that it was in fact them.
Xander yawned, slung his huge duffel bag over his shoulder, grabbed a stake and a vial of holy water, and then was out the door.
b** 20 minutes later **/b
Cordelia, looking quite sleepy, finally stumbled down the stairs in her typical training gear, tear away pants, waist rolled down to her hips, and her black Nike sports bra.
She mumbled her hellos to the two guests in the entryway.
"Morning Cordelia." Willow greets cheerfully.
Cordelia just gives her the evil eye.
"Not a morning person, huh?" Xander hisses to Richie.
"Not even close." Duncan answers for him.
Xander looks at the dark haired man, "Oh, hello."
"I'm Duncan MacLeod, you must be Xander. Cordelia explained what happened, and we all want to thank you for keeping this quiet."
"Yeah." Richie agreed, "And if keeping your mouth shut takes hours of intense grueling workouts, then so be it." he joked.
"Oh lay off them Richie, they are just trying to be a bigger help to Buffy." Cordelia orders, sipping her tea which Adam had handed her.
"Yes Cordy." He replies meekly.
Then the newly formed group of training 'buddies' got down to work.
b** Two weeks later **
** Six am **/b
"No!" Duncan calls out, "Wrong again, your still jumping too late Xander." Duncan sighs, "Alright, Xander, why don't you go over to the other practice dummy with Richie, he'll help you."
Xander nods, then jogs to the other side of the room.
Duncan MacLeod then went to another part of the very large room, which they'd converted into a gym, where Cordelia and Willow were perfecting the momentum and accuracy of their stake and knife throwing.
Adam and Duncan stood back and watched as the deadly projectiles hit their mark on the 'bulls eye' 15 out of 16 times. Both were glad they weren't vampires, because with a flick of either girl's wrist, they would be dust.
Xander wasn't quite as good at it, only nine times out of ten, but he had other abilities. He was a weapons expert, due to too many nights alone, and he could assemble, dissemble, arm, and fire practically any type of gun, grenade, bomb, etc. known, and some unknown, to man and demon alike. With the little group found a bit unnerving, but realized, in this town, it was smart to know all you can in defending yourself.
Today Cordelia and Willow cut out early; saying that they had something very important to do.
"Are you sure you want me to have him do this?" Cordelia asked, as her personal stylist held his scissors to Willow's long locks in the master bathroom, while Cordelia got her hair loosely permed.
"Yes. I want a full makeover, including a haircut, and I'm gonna start wearing those clothes you bought me." Willow vowed.
"Alright. Cut away Luca." She turned back to Willow, "This wouldn't have anything to do with that guy in school who has had his eye on you would it?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about." Willow protested blushing.
"Yes you do. What's his name? Oz? In a band with Devon called The Dingo's Ate My Baby . . ." Cordelia prompts knowingly.
Willow blushes deeper, "He's not even looked at me."
"I have it from confirmed sources that he said he thinks you look really nice, in his own way. Apparently, he doesn't talk much. But he had mentioned you a time or two."
"Really?"
"Uh-huh." Cordelia nods her head, then starts flipping through her new copy of Cosmo.
b** 30 minutes later **/b
Cordelia, with a head full of long bouncy loose ringlets, and Willow, sporting a cute much shorter dew (much like the one she had now), stood in front of Willow's guestroom closet. They decided together on a gray and green plaid wrap around skirt, and a parsley green long-sleeve button-up shirt, unbuttoned over a white spaghetti strap shirt.
They went to their separate rooms to dress.
Cordelia put on a short black wrap around skirt herself, a tight crimson low-cut t-shirt, and a black leather jacket. Plus a pair of black boots with one inch heals, which laced up tightly.
She was putting on her lipstick when someone knocked on the door, "Who is it?"
"Willow."
"Come in! Come in, I have to see how it worked out!"
Willow steps into the room slowly, wearing the a-fore mentioned outfit, and a pair of black combat boots.
"You look great!" Cordelia exclaims, "You could use a little makeup though . . . come here."
Willow puts herself in Cordelia's capable hands, and ten minutes later she was wearing pale green eye shadow, brown eyeliner and mascara, just a hint of pink blush, and a lipstick called Tender Heart. Willow smiled at her reflection, and she had to admit, she looked good. All the working out was starting to tone her body too, so she was very pleased with her over all appearance.
The girls grabbed their backpacks, then descend the stairs. Laughing and talking like normal teenagers, though they were anything but, as they burst into the kitchen.
Richie and Xander, who were sitting at the table eating, stopped mid-bite.
Xander swallowed the food in his mouth, then let his jaw drop, as did Richie.
"So?!" Cordelia demanded, spinning around, "How do we look?"
"Wow." Xander utters.
"I second that, wow." Richie got out.
Cordelia and Willow took what they could get and flashed brilliant smiles at the two.
Just then Adam walked in. He looked both girls up and down, then kissed both their right hands, "You two look absolutely enchanting."
Willow blushed deeply, and Cordelia gave him a kiss on the cheek.
Only Xander could hear it, but he agreed completely with the words that Richie uttered next, "Damn, bested by the old guy again."
b** 45 minutes later **
** In front of school **/b
Willow was very nervous.
Cordelia gave her a pat on the back, "Prepare to enter popular society Will. Xander, please get the door."
Cordelia and Willow hold their heads high, then saunter side by side down the hallway, enjoying the admiring looks they were getting. Willow could hear the whispers, and it took everything in her to keep from blushing.
I"Hey, who's that hot chick with Cordelia?"
"Aww man, what foxes!"
"Isn't that . . . oh my God it is! That's Willow Rosenburg. She looks so, so . . . in style!"
"Where did she get that awesome haircut?"/I
Willow hears comments like that all morning. She agreed to wait for Cordelia at the end of 3rd hour, so they could talk more about what everyone said.
~*~
b** 4th Hour **
** Library **/b
Xander jogs in, to find Buffy and Giles talking, but burst out talking himself anyway, "Have you guys seen Willow yet today? Or Cordelia for that matter?"
"No, why?" Buffy questions, "Has something happened?"
"Oh, I'll say . . ."
Just then Cordelia and Willow came in, intently discussing what Cordelia had heard about Oz.
"Oh my gosh! Willow?" Buffy gasps, standing up abruptly, "I love your hair! It's perfect for you! And that outfit is to die for."
"Thanks Buffy, I'm not to sure though . . ." Willow trails off, ducking down her head.
"Why on earth not?" Buffy asks.
"Because 12 guys have hit on her already, and she'd gotten asked to the Halloween Bash by three guys . . . including OZ."
Willow blushes like crazy.
The girls sit down at a table, Cordelia and Buffy gossiping.
"Willow, do you like Oz?"
"He seems really nice." She admits.
"He is. Actually, he's been planning on asking her for a week now." Cordelia lets them in on what she heard.
"You said yes, right?!" Buffy asks eagerly.
"She was about to say no!" Cordelia answered for Willow, "Even though I know she likes him. So I told him to pick her up at my home at 6:30, the same time my date has been instructed to pick me up. Would you like to get ready with us?" Cordelia graciously offered.
"Um, ok. I get the night off . . ."
"You can ride with me and Eric, they say he's like an octopus with hands, so I could use a little back up . . . now the most important part, what are we going to wear?"
"Well . . ." Buffy starts, "I think Willow would make a wicked flapper."
"Ooh, It's got a classic, but fun look to it!" Cordelia agrees.
"Buffy could be an Indian princess or something." Willow suggested.
"Sounds easy enough, what about you Cordelia? I can tell you've already got something in mind."
"Well, I was thinking either Cleopatra, or Aphrodite."
"A queen or a Goddess, why am I not surprised?" Xander questions rhetorically, butting in.
"Shut up Xander." All three girls snarled.
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