1 Title: The Walking Wounded

2 Author: Spike 'n Cordy

Summary: When Angel's soul becomes permanent but he neglects to tell the group and they hear it from Spike. How will they react?

Rating: PG13

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Authors notes: Enjoy and please review.

Timeline: Set after Reunion and Crush.



Chapter Seven - Reminiscing

Six Months Later (Two years = two months in Lorne's dimension plus Four months Earth time)

The black pinto with spray painted windows drove well over the speed limit as it raced to a town called New Denizen.

Cordelia had had a vision of a ritual sacrifice taking place in an hour's time. "Doesn't this thing go any faster?"

"No. We really should be getting paid to do this. The piece of crap car needs a new transmission," Spike growled. Cordelia hit the dashboard in frustration, "Hey don't hurt my baby."

Cordelia gave him an "are you totally insane" look before focusing all of her attention out the window. Spike was a walking contradiction she had decided. For what seemed like forever in the other dimension all he talked about was fornicating with Melina, their guide. Spike did eventually get to "shag" Melina, but said that after the long wait, it just wasn't worth it. The long wait he was referring to was two weeks. He then mentioned that if he and Cordelia ever got together it'd be over before it started. Not that she had any problems with that. When you know a guy as long as she's known Spike, you know that their bad far out-weighs their good. What was she thinking? She loved Spike. She trusted him with her life. She would never have to worry that he would hurt her, physically anyway. Emotionally, at this point, he could do a lot of damage. He's the only friend that hasn't abandoned her.

She kind of abandoned Wesley and Gunn. But she knew what would have happened if she stayed. Cordelia only regretted leaving them.

Life in Lorne's dimension was actually pretty fun, after you got used to the six-teen hour a day workouts.

Spike and her would sit at the back of the group during demonstrations poking each other or pulling the others hair. Once Spike said something funny so Cordelia laugh really loud. Then their instructor, a large black and green demon named Keldo, made her stay in the pain simulator for an extra hour. She learned to curb her laughter after that.

She had hated Keldo, from his big sharp horns to his clawed hooves. So one day she and Spike decided to play a prank on him. They painted the punching dummy with glue so when he went to demonstrate how to throw an opponent over your shoulder, it stuck to his ass. Then Spike, being Spike, yelled out, "Look Keldo's finally getting laid." Every warrior, human and demon, laughed.

Of course the consequences weren't worth it. They spent twelve hours in the pain simulator.

The pain simulator is a room that puts the warriors up against fake opponents without weapons. They pop up and shoot them with small electrical charges, and it's the warriors job to get up and keep fighting through the pain.

Cordelia chuckled and looked out the window at the highway passing by.

"What are you laughing at, pet?" Spike asked.

She turned and faced him, "I was just thinking about Keldo."

He snickered, "The idiot always had his knickers in a twist."

"He really did get better at the end."

"The guy finally got some. I introduced him to Melina."

Cordelia gasped at this bit of gossip, "Keldo and Melina? That must be the reason he stopped using the pain simulator as punishment."

"That, and we got so used to the pain it did nothing to us any more."

"Yeah," Cordelia sat back in her seat, "We had some good times there though."

"Remember Penelope?" She shook her head. "The really big body, tiny head."

"Oh yes, the one who wanted to talk everything through. She really took 'head shrink' a little to seriously."

"That's what I was going to say. She found out I didn't have a soul and wanted me to 'reconsider' Lorne's offer. Like I need a bloody soul. I'm doing just fine without one."

"Didn't you bite her?"

"She stopped talking to me." He turned and gave her a vicious grin, "Mission accomplished."

Cordelia shook her head at him and turned back to the window. The green sign flew past but she had a chance to read the words, New Denizen 5 miles. "Were almost there."

She reached into the back seat and pulled a large black duffel into the front. Jerking out a battle axe for herself, "The usual?" she asked Spike.

"What are we fighting again? Itsacatso?" She nodded. "How do you kill them again?"

"I knew you weren't paying attention in demonology class," Cordelia referred to one of the other mandatory classes Lorne made them take.

"Of course I was."

"If you really were I wouldn't have to tell you. They asked this question of the final exam."

"Really? I didn't read the questions, just the answers off of Martini's paper. Remember her?"

She smiles, "I'm surprised you do, you never remember the women you sleep with."

"I remember some. Usually the really twisted ones. I think she liked the pain stimulator a little too much." He pulled into a parking spot across the street from their destination, a closed office building. "Here we are. So how do we kill it?"

"We have to get by it's tail first, then cut out it's heart," Cordelia handed him a long sword. "Let's go."

They stepped from the car and walked towards the office building. They saw a face emerge in the front window it quickly disappeared.

Cordelia tightened her grip on the axe, "They saw us, let's go." They both took off in a dead run into the middle of a war zone.

~~~~

Cordelia held her right arm as she collapsed on to the bed of the cheep motel.

"You alright, luv?" Spike looked over her with concern.

She removed her hand from the wound that was already closing over. "Almost gone," she looked up at him and smiled, "How 'bout you?"

He growled as he pulled off his black shirt. He gently touched the laceration that ran across his chest, "Too bad I don't heal as fast as you. It was better when you were the one always in pain and I was telling you to get over it."

"How the worm turns," Cordelia's smile widened as she watched him put a towel over his amazing pectorals. She noticed how much his muscles had developed during their time in dimension Lorne. She liked his well-defined chest and stomach better then before.

"You have such a great body now. I almost feel like having sex with you."

"Really," his eyes lit up, "I always knew you wanted me."

She started walking towards him with exaggerated sexiness pulled him so their faces were only an inch apart, "You saw through it all. Oh no, the embarrassment," her head was thrown to one side with a hand covering her eyes. "You know that all I want to do is tear these clothes from your body and make sweet love to you, yet you don't come on to me. Do you love me? Do you really love me," They were both close to laughing when Cordelia tossed her hair and continued, "I knew that if I waited long enough you would.you would run me through with your claws. Ahhh."

Spike wrapped his arms around her waist as she fell backwards. Colors and sounds flooded her head. She was at her most vulnerable when she got a vision. Her hands reached for his shoulders for support when it had ended. They held onto each other until Cordelia could stand on her own.

"I thought they weren't suppose to hurt you any more?" Spike said, concern lacing his voice.

Cordelia sat on the bed and sighed, "They still hurt, just not as bad. It's what I saw that upset me."

He kneeled in front of her and placed his hands on her knees, "What did you see?"

"Angel."



~~~~~