Disclaimer: The characters herein are owned by Joss Whedon and Fox/UPN. I use them with grateful thanks and hopefully do a good job. I do not use them for profit, only for pleasure.
Rating: General, should be suitable for everyone. Hardly any swearing and not much violence!
Author: Jacqueline Burns
Feedback: Yes please!! jay.b@slayme.com. Always appreciated, good or bad. Let me know what you think!
Setting: This uses an idea from the show, as the title, The Switch, should tell you. But the plot (what there is of it!) and the outcomes are mine, all mine! :o) Here we go……
Part 1 - Discovery
Cordelia sat at the desk in front of the computer terminal, humming brightly as she concentrated on carefully painting her nails deep crimson. When the paper slapped down onto the desk in front of her, she jumped, knocking over the carefully positioned bottle at her side. The nail polish flowed out in a widening pool. Cordelia grimaced and jumped to her feet, reaching for a cloth that sat next to the coffee pot. While she mopped up the spill, Angel leaned over the desk, righted the bottle and pointed to an article at the bottom of the front page.
"Have you seen this or any of the other reports?" he asked. Cordelia frowned, threw the stained cloth into the bin and flopped back into her seat. She picked up the paper that Angel was tapping with a long finger, grimaced at the lurid headline, and skimmed through the short article.
"THIRD BODY FOUND IN VAMPIRE-STYLE SLAYING – POLICE REFUSE TO COMMENT
A third body was found today by an abandoned building. The body, of a young girl who has not yet been named, was found by a group of transients looking for shelter. A police spokeswoman said that the body had been found in a similar manner to two previous killings, but she would not confirm that there were any links. When asked if a serial killer was loose in the city, she declined to comment. An unofficial police source revealed that the killer has been dubbed "The Vampire" by the Homicide Department as the victims were almost drained of blood. They are stepping up their enquiries and have appealed for any witnesses to come forward."
Cordelia arched a perfectly groomed brow at him. "It's kind of short, isn't it? But nope," she replied. "Haven't seen any of them." She glanced at the paper then back up at him, adding, "But I think I'm going to wish I hadn't…..."
Angel frowned and turned away from her, towards the blind covered window which shut out the light of the slowly setting sun. He stared at the coffee machine for a moment before he poured himself a cup, turning to sink down onto the sofa they'd had installed for their few clients. He cradled the coffee and stared into it, watching the steam rise from the hot liquid.
Cordelia waited for a moment. When he didn't speak, she shrugged and returned her attention to carefully applying the nail polish, lips pursed as she made strokes with the fine brush.
"I've spoken to Kate Lockley," he said finally. "She gave me some details about the killings. You know, where the bodies were found." He swallowed and his voice dropped as he added, "And – uh - what was done to them."
"You mean, besides having all the blood taken out?" Cordy asked, not looking up from her nails, "'Cause I gotta say, I'm not loving that."
Angel sighed and closed his eyes. "No, there were……other things." He shuddered, then opened his eyes and looked at her. "And I think I know who did them."
Something in his tone caught her attention, and she finally glanced up at his face. Although he was looking straight at her, she didn't think he was seeing her; he was looking inward instead at something that was spinning round in his mind.
"So?" she prompted. "If you know, we'll just go find and get rid. That's what we do, right?"
He focused his gaze on her face. "You don't understand. It's – it's…" He broke off as Wesley wandered in, peering intently down at a book, absently bouncing off the door frame.
"It's what?" he muttered, finger moving slowly down the text.
Angel opened his mouth to speak, abruptly closing it and jumping to his feet as Cordy gave a muffled shriek, hands rising to clutch her head, nail polish flying, sliding bonelessly from the chair. Angel crouched over her while she writhed, moaning in pain as the vision assaulted her.
"It's a woman, " she gasped out. "Walking, downtown, somewhere………in danger," her voice rose. "………oh my God, it's Faith!"
The vision stopped as suddenly as it had started, leaving Cordelia in a limp heap on the floor. Angel reached down and helped her up, guiding her carefully to a chair. Wesley had rushed away and hurried back with a glass of cold water, which he pressed into her hand. Angel waited till she was calmer, watching her sip gingerly at the cold liquid.
"Are you sure it was Faith you saw?" he asked gently.
Cordelia looked over at him sourly, wincing as the movement caused renewed pain in her head. "Of course I'm sure. You think I wouldn't recognise her? Somehow? With everything in Sunnydale, with her helping the Mayor and all?"
"Do you know why she's in danger?" he pressed.
Cordelia shrugged. "I don't get an instruction book with these things, you know," she answered tartly. "Doyle didn't either. I just get the person – and the pain. I have no idea why she's in danger. But she is."
Angel stood uneasily. Faith was a Slayer. Why would Cordelia have a vision about her? How could the Powers That Be want her to be saved? What could she possibly be in danger from – except another Slayer? That would mean Buffy. Wouldn't it?
"Anyway," Cordy continued, "What were you saying about those murders? You were about to tell me who you thought it was."
Wesley looked up expectantly. Angel nodded and took a deep breath, more from habit than because he actually needed to breath.
"Well. Well, yes, I was. Some of it points to Faith. But now? I don't know."
Cordy stared at him. "But – drained of blood? Faith's not a vampire. She might be a total psycho loser, but she's not a vampire," she paused, alarm crossing her face. "Is she?"
Angel shrugged and his face grew sombre. "No, I don't think so. But Faith started to leave a particular mark when she killed for the Mayor. And each of the bodies? The mark- it was carved into them."
