1 Past, Present, & Future
By – Colleen "Coll", Forker18@aol.com
Teaser: X-over with BtVS. Cordy gets a vision that sends the gang packing to Sunnydale, knowing that Sahjahn fits into it all but not sure how. Also, they get shocked when each member of the Angel Investigations gang realizes they have to deal with their past.
Genre: Angel: The Series/Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Romance/Suspense/Action
Pairing: Gunn/Fred, Angel/Cordelia
Rating: PG-13 - R
Distribution: Sure, why not, just ask!
Spoilers: Up to Sleep Tight, and makes references to some rumors floating around on the net.
Special Thanks to: All the Forkers (Especially those @ the fanforum board! Love you guys!) and everyone @ FF.net for reviewing my fics!
Part 2
"There's the sign," Fred said as she looked from the piece of paper in her hand to the "Welcome to Sunnydale" sign. "It says here that we go straight for about a mile before making a left."
"I love how Angel decided to wait for us so we know where the hell we're going." Gunn commented dryly. "I think he just wants to get this over with," Fred said as she watched the scenery fly by. "Plus, being in the car with Wesley must be really hard for him, you know?"
Gunn winced when she mentioned Wes' name. He felt horrible. After all that stuff Fred said about him telling her everything, Gunn had felt bad about not telling her what was going on inside. He was afraid she'd get mad, cause they have been through the jealousy thing before.
"Yeah, I don't really blame Angel though," he said after a minute. "He screwed up and because of that…well, you know." He saw Fred whip around and raise her eyebrows at him. "Angel does have a right to feel betrayed, but Wesley believed he was doing the right thing, Charles," Fred said in defense. "He's a good man with nothing but good intentions."
He exhaled and tightened his grip on the wheel. Let it go, he told himself. Cordy said it too, "Fred is interested in you."
Gunn couldn't help the jealousy though. Fred was an incredible woman, and Gunn was amazed that she had liked him as much as he liked her. Her and Wes just had so much more in common, he always wondered what he could offer her.
But he couldn't worry about that now. Gunn needed to be strong for Fred, especially since their current situation was completely alien to them. The last thing he needed was jealousy to blind his judgment.
"Yeah," he said quietly. "I know. Wes always does the right thing."
"Hey," she said as she grabbed his hand and laced her fingers with his. "Are you sure everything's OK? You seem…it's like your mind is somewhere else." This was it, the time to tell her what he's been thinking, how he's so scared that she's gonna realize she can do so much better than him.
"My mind's here, with you," he answered lowly. "My heart, too." She smiled, but then her face fell. "Crap." "What is it?" he asked immediately. "We just passed Revello Drive." Fred answered as Gunn cut the wheel and turned down the street where Buffy lived.
~*~
Anya had to get Cordelia alone. If there was one person she could get to make a wish on Xander, it was Cordy. She had done it before, after all. Anya remembered the joy of the chaos that that wish caused. That may only be because that was the last case she took, but still it's a hard feeling to forget.
Sometimes, Anya wondered if it was the right thing…becoming a vengeance demon again. She knew though, now, what all those women she helped were feeling. The ache in her heart was always there, reminding her that Xander broke her heart.
How was it though that she was still completely in love with him?
"There they are." Cordelia announced. Anya, along with the rest of the people she was with, turned to see the truck that belonged to the first big man they called Gunn. "It's about damn time." Angel muttered. It was the first thing Anya had heard him say since they were in the car.
"How hard is it to follow directions?" Angel remarked as soon as Gunn and Fred got out of the truck. Gunn glared at the vampire. Anya noted that Gunn was really the only one that wouldn't take any crap from Angel.
"A little hard when you have no idea where the hell you're going," Gunn answered as Fred grabbed his hand, and obvious sign for him to calm down. "Thanks for waiting for us."
Angel glared back as Fred looked around, "Ya'll weren't waiting for us before going in, were you?" "Actually, Buffy's not at home at the moment." Cordy answered. "Anya says she'll be back any minute."
"Angel?"
The group turned and saw Willow. She looked at each one of them, a confused look spread over her face. "Willow, hi," Cordy said as she walked up and hugged Xander's best friend. "How are you?"
"Good," she said after a minute. "Good, just…wondering what you're doing here. Not that, you all being here is a bad thing…but normally when you come here or we go there, it's bad."
"It's understandable," Wesley said from where he stood. "In the past…things haven't always turned out good." "Unfortunately, that maybe the case this time." Cordy commented. Willow gave the group another look and her eyes went wide. "Anya?" she said in a shocked tone. "You're here, with Angel and Cordelia and Wesley and other people I don't know…including a green guy."
"Lorne," he said as he came up with an outstretched hand. Willow took it with an awkward smile. "Hi," she answered. "Um, and Anya…are you OK?" Anya merely nodded. She didn't want Willow to think something was different. Letting Willow and everyone else believe that she was just still upset was the best way to not getting discovered.
And Cordelia was her ticket to making Xander pay for the ache that would forever linger in her heart.
~*~
"She came up to see us," Cordy explained in a low tone to Willow. "She's still pretty upset about what happened with Xander. Willow nodded, "I don't blame her." Cordy nodded. "Oh, hey, while we're on the subject," she said suddenly. "Thanks for the invite to the wedding. Me, Angel, and Wesley really appreciated that."
Poor Willow opened her mouth, trying to make some word, but Cordy knew that she had packed the poor girl in a corner. Cordy smiled, she liked the fact that if she wanted to, she could still have that power to make others feel like they were backed into a corner they couldn't get out of.
"Just kidding."
Willow laughed as a sign of relief. "Where's Buffy?" Angel asked harshly. Cordelia licked her lips. She didn't blame the guy, he wanted to get this over with cause a lot was going on and a lot has changed in their lives. Buffy and Angel weren't the same people they were before, and that was something they all had to realize. "She's getting something from the car," Willow said with a furrowed brow. "Um, what's going on?"
"That's a great question." Buffy said.
"Hey, Buffy." Cordy said awkwardly.
~*~
Fred clutched to Gunn's hand. This was all so odd. Especially thinking that the girl's house she was in used to be dead. "So, Cordelia had another vision," Buffy called as she brought the grocery bags she was carrying into the kitchen. "Something about me?"
"About all of us, actually." Angel called back. He dropped the animosity he had been showing to everyone. "What exactly did you see, Cordelia?" Buffy asked as she came back and crossed her arms. The way Buffy was talking, it made Fred nervous. It sounded like she had a grudge or something.
"I don't know what's coming," Cordy told her. "I just know that we're all there." "Everyone?" Willow asked from where she sat. Cordy nodded. "So, that's it," Buffy asked in a cool tone. "It's just us, there's nothing bigger going on?"
Everyone from L.A. just exchanged glances. It didn't go unnoticed by Buffy. "What are all the looks for?" Angel looked at each of them, before saying, "It's best if I tell you alone, Buffy."
With that, the two former lovers left the living room, leaving the rest in an awkward silence. "What's he going to tell her?" Willow asked.
~*~
"Oh, my God," Buffy whispered. "You didn't think about telling me that when we met?" "I didn't know then." Angel told her softly. "I'm sorry…I know what it's like to lose someone that means so much…" She tried to finish, but thinking about her mom was still too much for her.
"Anyway, this demon, Sahjahn, he has something to do with all of this," he told her. "At least that's what Wesley thinks." Buffy noted how Angel said her former watcher's name. She had to admit though, what Wesley did was really stupid, but it was also coming from Angel's side…and Angel was hurting and looking for someone to place the blame on.
"So, anything new in these neck of the woods?" he asked her, yanking Buffy from her thoughts. Flashes of Spike entered her head after Angel asked that question. If Angel ever found out what they had…"Had" being the operative word, he'd kill Spike in an instant.
Buffy shook her head, to answer Angel's question and to get the thoughts out of her head. "It's been quiet, except for a couple things, but so far there's no big bad." "That's unusual." Angel commented. "Yeah," Buffy chuckled. "Maybe you're bringing the big bad with you."
They looked at each other for a while; a lot longer than Buffy liked. "You know, I've got to tell you," Angel said. "This is the most I've talked about what happened to…Connor…since it's happened. Talking to you has calmed me down." "I wonder why." Buffy thought out loud.
Angel looked up, a look of embarrassment spread over his face. "Oh, I know why," he said awkwardly. "It's cause me and you, Buffy, we've been through hell. I guess it's a misery loves company kinda deal."
"Makes sense," Buffy agreed. "So, other than that…what's been going on in L.A.? New players I see." Angel nodded. He hadn't planned on having this many people in his group, especially after the loss of Doyle. Then Wes came, and Gunn, and Lorne, now Fred…he hadn't thought about the fact that he might lose someone until he lost his son.
"Yeah," he said in a distracted tone. "Lorne, the demon, he's a good guy. Helps you figure out things. He says we're all gonna have to deal with our pasts during this trip. If you ever need advice, cryptic or not, he's your demon." "I'll keep that in mind," Buffy told him with a slight smile. "Angel, despite everything that's happened in the past…it's good seeing you again and having you back in Sunnydale."
"I know the feeling."
~*~
"Oh, wow," Willow said for the millionth time since Cordy had told the Connor story. "I didn't know vampires could…and Angel must be…oh, wow." "Connor was part of a prophecy. We believed," Wesley told her but stopped a second after saying his last word. "We 'believe' Connor has a part to play."
"Does that have to do with your vision?" Willow asked Cordy. "Not sure yet," Cordy answered. "But I can feel it…the Powers that Be are implying that Sahjahn and Connor are a part of this."
"Cordelia?"
Willow turned; Dawn and Tara were home, and right behind them was…"Anya?" Xander said. He began to step forward, but Anya was up in an instant and out of the living room. "And Cordelia along with a bunch of strangers, one of whom s green."
"Hey Xander." Cordy replied. "We kinda got a situation guys." Willow said immediately. "Wait," Xander said as he looked at Wesley, then at Cordelia. "If they're here…where's Angel?"
"He's right here, Xand," Buffy said as her and Angel made their way downstairs. "We all need to figure out what's going on…now."
By – Colleen "Coll", Forker18@aol.com
Teaser: X-over with BtVS. Cordy gets a vision that sends the gang packing to Sunnydale, knowing that Sahjahn fits into it all but not sure how. Also, they get shocked when each member of the Angel Investigations gang realizes they have to deal with their past.
Genre: Angel: The Series/Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Romance/Suspense/Action
Pairing: Gunn/Fred, Angel/Cordelia
Rating: PG-13 - R
Distribution: Sure, why not, just ask!
Spoilers: Up to Sleep Tight, and makes references to some rumors floating around on the net.
Special Thanks to: All the Forkers (Especially those @ the fanforum board! Love you guys!) and everyone @ FF.net for reviewing my fics!
Part 2
"There's the sign," Fred said as she looked from the piece of paper in her hand to the "Welcome to Sunnydale" sign. "It says here that we go straight for about a mile before making a left."
"I love how Angel decided to wait for us so we know where the hell we're going." Gunn commented dryly. "I think he just wants to get this over with," Fred said as she watched the scenery fly by. "Plus, being in the car with Wesley must be really hard for him, you know?"
Gunn winced when she mentioned Wes' name. He felt horrible. After all that stuff Fred said about him telling her everything, Gunn had felt bad about not telling her what was going on inside. He was afraid she'd get mad, cause they have been through the jealousy thing before.
"Yeah, I don't really blame Angel though," he said after a minute. "He screwed up and because of that…well, you know." He saw Fred whip around and raise her eyebrows at him. "Angel does have a right to feel betrayed, but Wesley believed he was doing the right thing, Charles," Fred said in defense. "He's a good man with nothing but good intentions."
He exhaled and tightened his grip on the wheel. Let it go, he told himself. Cordy said it too, "Fred is interested in you."
Gunn couldn't help the jealousy though. Fred was an incredible woman, and Gunn was amazed that she had liked him as much as he liked her. Her and Wes just had so much more in common, he always wondered what he could offer her.
But he couldn't worry about that now. Gunn needed to be strong for Fred, especially since their current situation was completely alien to them. The last thing he needed was jealousy to blind his judgment.
"Yeah," he said quietly. "I know. Wes always does the right thing."
"Hey," she said as she grabbed his hand and laced her fingers with his. "Are you sure everything's OK? You seem…it's like your mind is somewhere else." This was it, the time to tell her what he's been thinking, how he's so scared that she's gonna realize she can do so much better than him.
"My mind's here, with you," he answered lowly. "My heart, too." She smiled, but then her face fell. "Crap." "What is it?" he asked immediately. "We just passed Revello Drive." Fred answered as Gunn cut the wheel and turned down the street where Buffy lived.
~*~
Anya had to get Cordelia alone. If there was one person she could get to make a wish on Xander, it was Cordy. She had done it before, after all. Anya remembered the joy of the chaos that that wish caused. That may only be because that was the last case she took, but still it's a hard feeling to forget.
Sometimes, Anya wondered if it was the right thing…becoming a vengeance demon again. She knew though, now, what all those women she helped were feeling. The ache in her heart was always there, reminding her that Xander broke her heart.
How was it though that she was still completely in love with him?
"There they are." Cordelia announced. Anya, along with the rest of the people she was with, turned to see the truck that belonged to the first big man they called Gunn. "It's about damn time." Angel muttered. It was the first thing Anya had heard him say since they were in the car.
"How hard is it to follow directions?" Angel remarked as soon as Gunn and Fred got out of the truck. Gunn glared at the vampire. Anya noted that Gunn was really the only one that wouldn't take any crap from Angel.
"A little hard when you have no idea where the hell you're going," Gunn answered as Fred grabbed his hand, and obvious sign for him to calm down. "Thanks for waiting for us."
Angel glared back as Fred looked around, "Ya'll weren't waiting for us before going in, were you?" "Actually, Buffy's not at home at the moment." Cordy answered. "Anya says she'll be back any minute."
"Angel?"
The group turned and saw Willow. She looked at each one of them, a confused look spread over her face. "Willow, hi," Cordy said as she walked up and hugged Xander's best friend. "How are you?"
"Good," she said after a minute. "Good, just…wondering what you're doing here. Not that, you all being here is a bad thing…but normally when you come here or we go there, it's bad."
"It's understandable," Wesley said from where he stood. "In the past…things haven't always turned out good." "Unfortunately, that maybe the case this time." Cordy commented. Willow gave the group another look and her eyes went wide. "Anya?" she said in a shocked tone. "You're here, with Angel and Cordelia and Wesley and other people I don't know…including a green guy."
"Lorne," he said as he came up with an outstretched hand. Willow took it with an awkward smile. "Hi," she answered. "Um, and Anya…are you OK?" Anya merely nodded. She didn't want Willow to think something was different. Letting Willow and everyone else believe that she was just still upset was the best way to not getting discovered.
And Cordelia was her ticket to making Xander pay for the ache that would forever linger in her heart.
~*~
"She came up to see us," Cordy explained in a low tone to Willow. "She's still pretty upset about what happened with Xander. Willow nodded, "I don't blame her." Cordy nodded. "Oh, hey, while we're on the subject," she said suddenly. "Thanks for the invite to the wedding. Me, Angel, and Wesley really appreciated that."
Poor Willow opened her mouth, trying to make some word, but Cordy knew that she had packed the poor girl in a corner. Cordy smiled, she liked the fact that if she wanted to, she could still have that power to make others feel like they were backed into a corner they couldn't get out of.
"Just kidding."
Willow laughed as a sign of relief. "Where's Buffy?" Angel asked harshly. Cordelia licked her lips. She didn't blame the guy, he wanted to get this over with cause a lot was going on and a lot has changed in their lives. Buffy and Angel weren't the same people they were before, and that was something they all had to realize. "She's getting something from the car," Willow said with a furrowed brow. "Um, what's going on?"
"That's a great question." Buffy said.
"Hey, Buffy." Cordy said awkwardly.
~*~
Fred clutched to Gunn's hand. This was all so odd. Especially thinking that the girl's house she was in used to be dead. "So, Cordelia had another vision," Buffy called as she brought the grocery bags she was carrying into the kitchen. "Something about me?"
"About all of us, actually." Angel called back. He dropped the animosity he had been showing to everyone. "What exactly did you see, Cordelia?" Buffy asked as she came back and crossed her arms. The way Buffy was talking, it made Fred nervous. It sounded like she had a grudge or something.
"I don't know what's coming," Cordy told her. "I just know that we're all there." "Everyone?" Willow asked from where she sat. Cordy nodded. "So, that's it," Buffy asked in a cool tone. "It's just us, there's nothing bigger going on?"
Everyone from L.A. just exchanged glances. It didn't go unnoticed by Buffy. "What are all the looks for?" Angel looked at each of them, before saying, "It's best if I tell you alone, Buffy."
With that, the two former lovers left the living room, leaving the rest in an awkward silence. "What's he going to tell her?" Willow asked.
~*~
"Oh, my God," Buffy whispered. "You didn't think about telling me that when we met?" "I didn't know then." Angel told her softly. "I'm sorry…I know what it's like to lose someone that means so much…" She tried to finish, but thinking about her mom was still too much for her.
"Anyway, this demon, Sahjahn, he has something to do with all of this," he told her. "At least that's what Wesley thinks." Buffy noted how Angel said her former watcher's name. She had to admit though, what Wesley did was really stupid, but it was also coming from Angel's side…and Angel was hurting and looking for someone to place the blame on.
"So, anything new in these neck of the woods?" he asked her, yanking Buffy from her thoughts. Flashes of Spike entered her head after Angel asked that question. If Angel ever found out what they had…"Had" being the operative word, he'd kill Spike in an instant.
Buffy shook her head, to answer Angel's question and to get the thoughts out of her head. "It's been quiet, except for a couple things, but so far there's no big bad." "That's unusual." Angel commented. "Yeah," Buffy chuckled. "Maybe you're bringing the big bad with you."
They looked at each other for a while; a lot longer than Buffy liked. "You know, I've got to tell you," Angel said. "This is the most I've talked about what happened to…Connor…since it's happened. Talking to you has calmed me down." "I wonder why." Buffy thought out loud.
Angel looked up, a look of embarrassment spread over his face. "Oh, I know why," he said awkwardly. "It's cause me and you, Buffy, we've been through hell. I guess it's a misery loves company kinda deal."
"Makes sense," Buffy agreed. "So, other than that…what's been going on in L.A.? New players I see." Angel nodded. He hadn't planned on having this many people in his group, especially after the loss of Doyle. Then Wes came, and Gunn, and Lorne, now Fred…he hadn't thought about the fact that he might lose someone until he lost his son.
"Yeah," he said in a distracted tone. "Lorne, the demon, he's a good guy. Helps you figure out things. He says we're all gonna have to deal with our pasts during this trip. If you ever need advice, cryptic or not, he's your demon." "I'll keep that in mind," Buffy told him with a slight smile. "Angel, despite everything that's happened in the past…it's good seeing you again and having you back in Sunnydale."
"I know the feeling."
~*~
"Oh, wow," Willow said for the millionth time since Cordy had told the Connor story. "I didn't know vampires could…and Angel must be…oh, wow." "Connor was part of a prophecy. We believed," Wesley told her but stopped a second after saying his last word. "We 'believe' Connor has a part to play."
"Does that have to do with your vision?" Willow asked Cordy. "Not sure yet," Cordy answered. "But I can feel it…the Powers that Be are implying that Sahjahn and Connor are a part of this."
"Cordelia?"
Willow turned; Dawn and Tara were home, and right behind them was…"Anya?" Xander said. He began to step forward, but Anya was up in an instant and out of the living room. "And Cordelia along with a bunch of strangers, one of whom s green."
"Hey Xander." Cordy replied. "We kinda got a situation guys." Willow said immediately. "Wait," Xander said as he looked at Wesley, then at Cordelia. "If they're here…where's Angel?"
"He's right here, Xand," Buffy said as her and Angel made their way downstairs. "We all need to figure out what's going on…now."