My one and only note: THANK YOU to everyone who's reviewed! I love you all dearly =)
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Chapter 7
Pyramus and Thisbe We Are Not
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Cordelia tore through the hallway, bound down the hotel stairs taking them two and sometimes three at a time.
Something inside of her screamed in pain from being away from him like this. Her whole body shook in anticipation and fear at what he would say to her, and now that she thought about it... what would she say to him? She didn't care now. She just needed to be near him, needed to kiss him, hold him. Every part of her yearned for him, as it always had. Something about Wes's sincerity and certainty struck her, gave her the strength she needed to tell Angel how she felt.
She leapt off the bottom step, not missing her stride, and flew right passed Groo in the lobby, but halted as soon as she saw the door to the basement. Then her knees went weak and all of the courage she borrowed from Wesley drained from her body.
She was scared again.
Scared he wouldn't love her.
Scared he was mad at her.
Scared that he might actually feel the same.
What would they do then?
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"Stupid!"
Angels' right leg flew into the hanging punching bag, absorbing not only his physical blows but his emotions as well.
"How..." a right hook lands hard on the bag.
"Could..." then his left.
"I..." he spun around and backhanded it with his left arm again.
"Be..." followed by a highkick.
"So..." once again his right arm sailed into the heavy bag.
"STUPID!" Angel roared, letting out all his pain as he landed a roundhouse to the bag so hard it was ripped from the ceiling and tumbled to the floor almost fifteen feet away from him.
Plaster from the ceiling rained down on him, but he ignored it. He was so mad he found himself panting... he would've been out of breath if he actually needed it.
He looked at the fallen bag, and he stumbled back against the wall needing support. Beating the shit out of the defenseless bag did nothing to ease him. He closed his eyes, and leaned his head back against the cool cement of the wall trying to calm himself.
But her eyes haunted him... He closed his eyes and he could see her, he opened his eyes and she was still there. He couldn't escape the look on her face after finding the locket in the garbage. It wasn't supposed to be like this now. He was supposed to let her go, but she was still with him. She was never supposed to know how he felt, because now she was supposed to be with Groo.
He couldn't be selfish.
He *was* being selfish.
Because he still wanted to run to her, be with her. He had to let her go, but he... couldn't.
His heart wouldn't let him, because his heart saw inside her eyes, to her soul. His heart saw her love for the first time, and it refused to let go.
Angel looked down at his hands, bruised and bleeding from the severe beating he'd given the punching bag, but he couldn't feel a thing. He slowly sank onto the floor before dropping his head into his waiting hands.
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Cordelia had finally found the strength to open the door, but a hand on her shoulder stopped her. She whirled around to face whoever it was, ready to dole out a severe ass kicking for stopping her in the one moment she had the guts to face Angel.
"Princess?" Groo's face fell as she spun around to look at him, anger emerged as he saw her red eyes and tear stained face and he demanded, "What happened. Who did this to you. Who hurt you."
"No one Groo. I just... I can't talk now." Her voice barely squeaked out of her throat. She felt so bad, because of the look on his face. But she couldn't think about him now. She knew she didn't love him the way she loved Angel, and each second that she was away from him now, her heart hurt just that much more. "I... I'll talk to you later. I'm sorry..."
He removed his hand from her shoulder, obeying her wishes, and walked away.
Cordelia watched him walk away from her for a few seconds, before turning back to the basement. She took in a deep breath for strength and opened the door. When she did, she could hear the muffled sound of the punching bag being hit forcefully. He was down there just like she thought. She took a few tentative steps down the wooden stairs before closing the door silently behind her. She took a few more silent steps, before stopping again. She could see him now, see his face as he assaulted the bag. His face was contorted in pain and anger as he yelled out his frustration.
"STUPID!"
She jumped a little as his leg connected with the bag, sending it flying and landing somewhere in the basement out of her view.
He stared at the bag for a few seconds, before stumbling back against the wall. Her hand went up to cover her mouth as tears started to well again. His body went slack, and he lowered himself to the ground and dropped his head into his hands. She could see the blood on his knuckles, but he didn't seem to care.
She wanted to move, go to him, do something except just stand there, but she couldn't get her feet to respond. He sensed her now, she knew, because his whole body tensed up and he looked up to the staircase.
Finally the spell was broken, and Cordelia found the strength to descend the remaining steps into the basement. She stopped, standing awkwardly in the middle of the room, just staring at him. He stared back in shock.
"I..." Angel started to say something, but she quieted him with a wave of her hand.
"Please let me. I have to just say this." She took another deep breath to calm her shaky voice. When she opened her mouth again, her voice came out strong, and she was proud of herself. She might actually make it through this. "I don't know where to begin, but I... I guess the beginning would be good. I never used to feel this way. I don't know what happened, I don't know what you did to me. But something changed, and now..." Why couldn't she just say it? She's wanted to say it for so long now, and now that she had the chance, she couldn't.
"I know."
"You know? You know what?"
"That you want to be with him."
"What?"
"And I'm happy for you, really I am."
"Huh?"
"I just hope he's good to you."
"Ok, back up a sec. What are you talking about?" Cordelia stepped forward, dropping down on her knees in front of Angel.
"Groo." She almost winced at the pain evident in his voice from saying that name.
"No. Angel..." She closed her eyes. "I love *you*."
A long silence enveloped them, and Cordelia almost forgot to breathe. Did she really just say that out loud? It wasn't as hard as she thought it was. It felt good. It felt *really* good to say it-- finally.
She opened her eyes again to look at him. "That's what changed. I *love* you." She just had to say it again, this time she drew it out, tenderly. "I...love... you."
Angel was in shock. It wasn't what his mind expected. His heart expected it, and it almost began to beat when the words tumbled out of her mouth.
"Say something." She pleaded with him, not being able to stand the silence anymore, not being able to stand his unreadable expression. Doubts began to plague her mind, maybe she made the wrong decision. She shouldn't have told him, he probably didn't love her anymore, if he ever did at all, especially after what she did to him with Groo.
"No." His voice was hard and cold, it made her blood run like ice and her heart felt like it literally stopped beating. Her mind had anticipated that, but her heart wasn't ready.
Tears made her vision blurry as his monosyllabic reaction sank in. "What?"
"I can't. I can't be selfish. You can't love me."
"Now it's my turn to say no. I can and do love you. Do you love me?" She reached her hands out to his but he pulled back, if it was possible, further into the wall.
"It doesn't matter. I'm telling you, you can't love me."
"I just need you... to answer my question... Please. That's all I want. I need to know."
Angel sighed and lowered his head. His voice barely made it above a whisper. "Yes. More than you could ever know. But I'm no good for you."
"How can you say that?"
"I'm not a man. I couldn't even... be *with* you, and I want you so bad."
"I don't care about that, I care about you. You do remember what happened last time I had sex right?" She smiled through her tears. She would make this right. She wouldn't give up now that she knew the truth. Now that she *knew* he loved her, they would be together. Cordelia Chase would *never* give up.
He almost smiled at that, remembering her rapid pregnancy. He raised his head, meeting her eyes, with the intention of telling her that they couldn't be together, that he'd never drag her into his darkness, but he got lost in her eyes instead. Her beautiful hazel eyes swallowed him whole, and he couldn't tear himself away.
They stared at each other, unblinking, before Cordelia moved forward with inhuman speed. She took him off guard as she fell into him, crushing her lips to his. A jolt of electricity sped through his entire body with the feel of her against him, and he finally succumbed to his heart, ignoring his brain, as he wrapped his arms around her. He drew her closer into him, basking in the warmth of her skin against his cool body. Their kiss deepened, grew so passionate Angel forgot everything around him. The room dissolved and all that was left was her, his beautiful Seer. And finally she *was* his.
Cordelia pulled away from Angels' lips to breathe, but even the few inches between their mouths was too much for her so she drew in a quick breath before plunging back to him. She could feel the goosebumps rise on her skin where he touched her, making her body tingle.
Finally, Angel broke away from their deep, longing kiss.
He looked into her eyes, full of love.
Nothing but love.
He ran his hands up her arms to her face and ran his hands tenderly through her hair. Angel drew his forehead to hers, knowing now that he would tell her. He couldn't imagine anywhere else he'd want to be at this moment, or imagine anyone else he loved more than the woman in front of him. He surrendered to his heart, and there was no hesitation or fear when he finally spoke the words he'd wanted to for so long.
"I love you, too."
She let out a delighted giggle, and smiled so wide and bright he thought he'd burst into flames just from the sunshine in her face. She ran her tiny hands down the side of his face before landing tiny kisses all over it.
"We'll make it work." She reassured him as she put her arms around his neck, hugging him close to her, never wanting to let go. "I promise you. No Romeo and Juliet here. We can be happy."
Angel just smiled into her hair, breathing her in deep as if for the first time. They'd make it work just like she said. Because she was Cordelia Chase... and what she says goes.
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Hello all. I've finally gotten to the part you've all been bugging me about, so I hope I did you right. I know I haven't focused on W/G/F, so if you'd like me to continue with them, just let me know. Feedback is always a plus, so take a few seconds and tell me what you think =)
BTW: I just finished watching `Couplet' and I am officially going to assassinate all `Angel' writers. They suck. Now I know why they said Groo would only be in this episode, because he's taking her *away* from Angel! =( Grrr. Argg. Sorry for anyone who hasn't seen it yet, but honestly the only redeeming quality of that ep. was Angel. He was so noble and it made him sooo much sexier than he already is... Anyways mayonnaise, hope you liked my fic, and happy Groo-hunting. I'm offering a reward if anyone wants to just kill him for me ;)
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Chapter 7
Pyramus and Thisbe We Are Not
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Cordelia tore through the hallway, bound down the hotel stairs taking them two and sometimes three at a time.
Something inside of her screamed in pain from being away from him like this. Her whole body shook in anticipation and fear at what he would say to her, and now that she thought about it... what would she say to him? She didn't care now. She just needed to be near him, needed to kiss him, hold him. Every part of her yearned for him, as it always had. Something about Wes's sincerity and certainty struck her, gave her the strength she needed to tell Angel how she felt.
She leapt off the bottom step, not missing her stride, and flew right passed Groo in the lobby, but halted as soon as she saw the door to the basement. Then her knees went weak and all of the courage she borrowed from Wesley drained from her body.
She was scared again.
Scared he wouldn't love her.
Scared he was mad at her.
Scared that he might actually feel the same.
What would they do then?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
"Stupid!"
Angels' right leg flew into the hanging punching bag, absorbing not only his physical blows but his emotions as well.
"How..." a right hook lands hard on the bag.
"Could..." then his left.
"I..." he spun around and backhanded it with his left arm again.
"Be..." followed by a highkick.
"So..." once again his right arm sailed into the heavy bag.
"STUPID!" Angel roared, letting out all his pain as he landed a roundhouse to the bag so hard it was ripped from the ceiling and tumbled to the floor almost fifteen feet away from him.
Plaster from the ceiling rained down on him, but he ignored it. He was so mad he found himself panting... he would've been out of breath if he actually needed it.
He looked at the fallen bag, and he stumbled back against the wall needing support. Beating the shit out of the defenseless bag did nothing to ease him. He closed his eyes, and leaned his head back against the cool cement of the wall trying to calm himself.
But her eyes haunted him... He closed his eyes and he could see her, he opened his eyes and she was still there. He couldn't escape the look on her face after finding the locket in the garbage. It wasn't supposed to be like this now. He was supposed to let her go, but she was still with him. She was never supposed to know how he felt, because now she was supposed to be with Groo.
He couldn't be selfish.
He *was* being selfish.
Because he still wanted to run to her, be with her. He had to let her go, but he... couldn't.
His heart wouldn't let him, because his heart saw inside her eyes, to her soul. His heart saw her love for the first time, and it refused to let go.
Angel looked down at his hands, bruised and bleeding from the severe beating he'd given the punching bag, but he couldn't feel a thing. He slowly sank onto the floor before dropping his head into his waiting hands.
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Cordelia had finally found the strength to open the door, but a hand on her shoulder stopped her. She whirled around to face whoever it was, ready to dole out a severe ass kicking for stopping her in the one moment she had the guts to face Angel.
"Princess?" Groo's face fell as she spun around to look at him, anger emerged as he saw her red eyes and tear stained face and he demanded, "What happened. Who did this to you. Who hurt you."
"No one Groo. I just... I can't talk now." Her voice barely squeaked out of her throat. She felt so bad, because of the look on his face. But she couldn't think about him now. She knew she didn't love him the way she loved Angel, and each second that she was away from him now, her heart hurt just that much more. "I... I'll talk to you later. I'm sorry..."
He removed his hand from her shoulder, obeying her wishes, and walked away.
Cordelia watched him walk away from her for a few seconds, before turning back to the basement. She took in a deep breath for strength and opened the door. When she did, she could hear the muffled sound of the punching bag being hit forcefully. He was down there just like she thought. She took a few tentative steps down the wooden stairs before closing the door silently behind her. She took a few more silent steps, before stopping again. She could see him now, see his face as he assaulted the bag. His face was contorted in pain and anger as he yelled out his frustration.
"STUPID!"
She jumped a little as his leg connected with the bag, sending it flying and landing somewhere in the basement out of her view.
He stared at the bag for a few seconds, before stumbling back against the wall. Her hand went up to cover her mouth as tears started to well again. His body went slack, and he lowered himself to the ground and dropped his head into his hands. She could see the blood on his knuckles, but he didn't seem to care.
She wanted to move, go to him, do something except just stand there, but she couldn't get her feet to respond. He sensed her now, she knew, because his whole body tensed up and he looked up to the staircase.
Finally the spell was broken, and Cordelia found the strength to descend the remaining steps into the basement. She stopped, standing awkwardly in the middle of the room, just staring at him. He stared back in shock.
"I..." Angel started to say something, but she quieted him with a wave of her hand.
"Please let me. I have to just say this." She took another deep breath to calm her shaky voice. When she opened her mouth again, her voice came out strong, and she was proud of herself. She might actually make it through this. "I don't know where to begin, but I... I guess the beginning would be good. I never used to feel this way. I don't know what happened, I don't know what you did to me. But something changed, and now..." Why couldn't she just say it? She's wanted to say it for so long now, and now that she had the chance, she couldn't.
"I know."
"You know? You know what?"
"That you want to be with him."
"What?"
"And I'm happy for you, really I am."
"Huh?"
"I just hope he's good to you."
"Ok, back up a sec. What are you talking about?" Cordelia stepped forward, dropping down on her knees in front of Angel.
"Groo." She almost winced at the pain evident in his voice from saying that name.
"No. Angel..." She closed her eyes. "I love *you*."
A long silence enveloped them, and Cordelia almost forgot to breathe. Did she really just say that out loud? It wasn't as hard as she thought it was. It felt good. It felt *really* good to say it-- finally.
She opened her eyes again to look at him. "That's what changed. I *love* you." She just had to say it again, this time she drew it out, tenderly. "I...love... you."
Angel was in shock. It wasn't what his mind expected. His heart expected it, and it almost began to beat when the words tumbled out of her mouth.
"Say something." She pleaded with him, not being able to stand the silence anymore, not being able to stand his unreadable expression. Doubts began to plague her mind, maybe she made the wrong decision. She shouldn't have told him, he probably didn't love her anymore, if he ever did at all, especially after what she did to him with Groo.
"No." His voice was hard and cold, it made her blood run like ice and her heart felt like it literally stopped beating. Her mind had anticipated that, but her heart wasn't ready.
Tears made her vision blurry as his monosyllabic reaction sank in. "What?"
"I can't. I can't be selfish. You can't love me."
"Now it's my turn to say no. I can and do love you. Do you love me?" She reached her hands out to his but he pulled back, if it was possible, further into the wall.
"It doesn't matter. I'm telling you, you can't love me."
"I just need you... to answer my question... Please. That's all I want. I need to know."
Angel sighed and lowered his head. His voice barely made it above a whisper. "Yes. More than you could ever know. But I'm no good for you."
"How can you say that?"
"I'm not a man. I couldn't even... be *with* you, and I want you so bad."
"I don't care about that, I care about you. You do remember what happened last time I had sex right?" She smiled through her tears. She would make this right. She wouldn't give up now that she knew the truth. Now that she *knew* he loved her, they would be together. Cordelia Chase would *never* give up.
He almost smiled at that, remembering her rapid pregnancy. He raised his head, meeting her eyes, with the intention of telling her that they couldn't be together, that he'd never drag her into his darkness, but he got lost in her eyes instead. Her beautiful hazel eyes swallowed him whole, and he couldn't tear himself away.
They stared at each other, unblinking, before Cordelia moved forward with inhuman speed. She took him off guard as she fell into him, crushing her lips to his. A jolt of electricity sped through his entire body with the feel of her against him, and he finally succumbed to his heart, ignoring his brain, as he wrapped his arms around her. He drew her closer into him, basking in the warmth of her skin against his cool body. Their kiss deepened, grew so passionate Angel forgot everything around him. The room dissolved and all that was left was her, his beautiful Seer. And finally she *was* his.
Cordelia pulled away from Angels' lips to breathe, but even the few inches between their mouths was too much for her so she drew in a quick breath before plunging back to him. She could feel the goosebumps rise on her skin where he touched her, making her body tingle.
Finally, Angel broke away from their deep, longing kiss.
He looked into her eyes, full of love.
Nothing but love.
He ran his hands up her arms to her face and ran his hands tenderly through her hair. Angel drew his forehead to hers, knowing now that he would tell her. He couldn't imagine anywhere else he'd want to be at this moment, or imagine anyone else he loved more than the woman in front of him. He surrendered to his heart, and there was no hesitation or fear when he finally spoke the words he'd wanted to for so long.
"I love you, too."
She let out a delighted giggle, and smiled so wide and bright he thought he'd burst into flames just from the sunshine in her face. She ran her tiny hands down the side of his face before landing tiny kisses all over it.
"We'll make it work." She reassured him as she put her arms around his neck, hugging him close to her, never wanting to let go. "I promise you. No Romeo and Juliet here. We can be happy."
Angel just smiled into her hair, breathing her in deep as if for the first time. They'd make it work just like she said. Because she was Cordelia Chase... and what she says goes.
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Hello all. I've finally gotten to the part you've all been bugging me about, so I hope I did you right. I know I haven't focused on W/G/F, so if you'd like me to continue with them, just let me know. Feedback is always a plus, so take a few seconds and tell me what you think =)
BTW: I just finished watching `Couplet' and I am officially going to assassinate all `Angel' writers. They suck. Now I know why they said Groo would only be in this episode, because he's taking her *away* from Angel! =( Grrr. Argg. Sorry for anyone who hasn't seen it yet, but honestly the only redeeming quality of that ep. was Angel. He was so noble and it made him sooo much sexier than he already is... Anyways mayonnaise, hope you liked my fic, and happy Groo-hunting. I'm offering a reward if anyone wants to just kill him for me ;)