1 Part 2
When Angel left Kate and headed home, he sprang into action and killed three monstrous beasts that, for some reason, were lurking about at the back door to his apartment.
They had been trying to get in, from what he could see of the badly scratched door.
His heart would've stopped if he had one that beat, as he picked up a shoe he recognized as Cordelia's from the floor where he had just killed the last creature.
He quickly opened his apartment and closed the door behind him.
He had never been so relieved to hear someone crying, sure she might be hurt, but at least she was alive.
He dashed to where the sound came from, his bedroom.
He paused at the door for a second in relief as he watched the bleeding, sobbing Cordelia run house-dust through her hands and call out his name desperately.
When it registered a second later that she thought the dust was him, he instantly said her name soothingly, and bent down beside her.
As she saw him appear next to her, she let herself fall into his arms crying out his name over and over.
He sat there with her stroking her hair and rubbing her back until the tears dried up and she had calmed down.
When, after what seemed like years, she pulled back from him, without a word passing between them, he picked her up effortlessly and lifted her onto the bed.
Then he pulled off his leather coat and sat next to her, pulling her again into his arms.
He could feel her body shaking and he didn't know whether it was with fear from the beasts she had been beaten by, or with relief that the dust hadn't been him.
He decided on relief when she turned up to face him. "I thought you were dead." She choked out sadly.
He tucked lose strands of her hair behind her ear. "I thought you were." He whispered, trying not to recall the emotions he had felt when he had picked up her shoe next to the dead demon.
"Oh, Cordy." He choked out a minute later. "I shouldn't have let you go out on your own, I should've -"
She jerked away from him, wincing at her aching wounds and hastily wiping away her tears. "- Should've what, Angel? - Come with me? I don't need a *babysitter*, I'm nineteen - twenty *very* soon, that's not baby-age, but, I guess to you it would seem like that since your old enough to be my great granddads, great granddads, granddads, great granddad! Besides I killed *two* of the five icky beasts that attacked!" She took a deep breath at the end, since not taking one all the way through.
He sat up and touched her bruised face gently. "I just worry about you, Cora. And I would whether I was two-hundred and forty eight, or nineteen myself."
"Maybe you should realize that there are a *lot* more women out there to worry about, at least I know the hidden dangers... I might not always be prepared for them, but at least I know evil-beings exist!"
"Cordy, I do worry about all people, men, women, kids - everyone. But *you're* my best friend and you come into my worrying countdown before I even consider all the rest."
"Buffy's higher than me in that countdown, right? - Since she's your one true love and all that?"
Her words caught him by surprise, he shrugged. "Buffy can take care of herself -" The moment he said it he wanted to take it back.
"- And *I* can't?!" She bit back.
"Cordy, she's the *slayer*, so -"
"Yeah, so evil things seem to always want to wipe her out more than they do just random women, Angel? - Why don't you go protect *her*, huh? - Worry about *her* a little more?!"
"Cordelia.."
"You never answered me, Angel. Do you think I can't take care of myself?" He didn't hear the hurt in her voice.
"Look at yourself. Do *you* think you -?"
"- Don't reverse it back onto me. Do you think that you need me to always have you there, and without you would I be killed easily?"
Angel's eyes flickered down her body, his hard eyes softened as he caught the many places bleeding. "From the state you are in, yes."
Her eyes flashed with anger. She climbed clumsily off the bed. "I'm going home."
"Are you trying to prove my point?"
Cordelia turned, waiting to see what Mr. Cocky-vamp had to say for himself now.
"Cordelia, if you go home now, like you are, you'll attract all the vampires within three blocks with the smell of your blood - and walking into the streets to get drained isn't exactly what you need while trying to prove you can look after yourself. 'Cause if you could look after yourself properly, you'd see how *dangerous* going out there like that would be."
Cordelia just stared. "Fine. I guess I'm staying here tonight. But if you are thinking of trying to get some sleep tonight, Angel, you'd better do it with one eye open, 'cause I'm not in a very vampire-friendly mood, and you just might wake up to find a stake in your heart."
She headed for the bathroom to clean herself up, but stopped, turned and added; "Actually, I'm never in a vampire-friendly mood, better make it I'm not in a *Angel-friendly* mood, eh?!" And she stormed off once more.
Angel shook his head sadly as he watched her disappear from view.
He looked down at his bed, and the spark of anger she had made him feel vanished as he looked at his blood covered sheets. He hadn't realized she'd been hurt so bad, he'd tried to not look at her wounds and not smell the blood, he didn't want to be tempted. That didn't matter now, his seer was hurt.
He instinctively followed her into the bathroom, it had been closed when he got there, and he just pushed it open, thankful he hadn't installed a lock.
Cordelia didn't think the same. "Angel!" She squealed as his presence made her jump.
She had taken off her ripped top, that there wasn't much left of, and was pulling down her mini-skirt, she let it fall to the floor around her ankles as she reached for a towel.
Angel looked down briefly at his best-friends underwear clad body, and instantly felt a pang of guilt as he wished she hadn't been wearing a bra and panties still.
Cordelia grabbed a white towel of his and held it in front of her.
"Cor, you're bleeding pretty bad, I wanted to -" He began as his eyes rested on one of the scratches on her arm, and tried to get another look at the gash on her stomach.
"*No*, Angel. I don't need to be taken care of, OK? - I can handle this!" As the words came out, she swayed with dizziness, and Angel reached an arm out to steady her.
She sighed and looked up at him.
He reached out with his other hand and pushed her long wavy dark brown hair away from her face, giving him a clearer view of the scratches and bruises there.
"No, you can't. Admit it Cordy, and let me take care of you. I don't like seeing you like this."
She went to push him away, and as she did so, the towel fell. She looked down at herself briefly, before returning her gaze to him. She found his eyes examining her body. "I don't like you seeing me like this either, Angel."
His eyes met hers. "Cordy, *please* let me -"
"Get *out*, Angel." She said firmly.
"Look at yourself, Cora. You're in no state to -"
"Can I ask you something, Angel? - Why the hell do *you* care about *me*, huh? You never used to, you just saw me as spoilt little rich cheerleader gal who happened to know Buffy's little secret and all about the hellmouth, but behind that dumbness I portrayed during our little research sessions, you have *no idea* of what I had to deal with at home. And I delt with it cuz I thought Buffy had bigger problems with saving the world and everything and my problems didn't compare to hers! ... But my problems were just as big as hers and as frightening as all the scary demons she ever met! ... - Why do you suddenly notice how scared I am inside *now*? - It's because Buffy's not around to occupy your mind, isn't it? Well, I'm *not* gonna be the thing that takes you mind of our little slayer. Go find another reject to mollycoddle! I hear Xander's free!"
Angel stored her words in his mind, it was too much for him to take in fully right now while being so concerned for her health. "Cora, I -"
"GET OUT!" She screamed at him with such anger which came as such a surprise the tough-vampire stepped backwards.
She gave him a shove and he fell over his own feet and landed on the floor, somewhat ungracefully considering he was supposed to have quick reactions.
Cordelia slammed the door shut and rested against it so he wouldn't push his way in which she figured he could do easily unless he was worried about hurting her in the process. She was too busy trying to keep her temper down to notice tears fell down her cheeks, just as the blood trickled out of a cut on her stomach.
Angel pulled himself to his feet and stood outside the door. "Cordelia, please let me in. You're probably in shock and have no idea what's going on. Please, Cora, you mean too much to me to make yourself suffer like this - I can't stand it!"
He heard a scraping sound as she slid down the door and sat curled up on the floor.
Then he closed his eyes in pain for his best-friend as the sobs drifted through.
He realized that the time he was going to be able to get to her was now, when she was too upset to realize what has happening. But, he couldn't get to her since she was leaning on the door and would get hurt if he tried to kick it down, or even just open it normally (no lock deal!).
But, he knew of one other option, and reached for the phone, dialling in Wesley's number, hoping that the other part of his family was in.
~*~
Go on to part THREE
When Angel left Kate and headed home, he sprang into action and killed three monstrous beasts that, for some reason, were lurking about at the back door to his apartment.
They had been trying to get in, from what he could see of the badly scratched door.
His heart would've stopped if he had one that beat, as he picked up a shoe he recognized as Cordelia's from the floor where he had just killed the last creature.
He quickly opened his apartment and closed the door behind him.
He had never been so relieved to hear someone crying, sure she might be hurt, but at least she was alive.
He dashed to where the sound came from, his bedroom.
He paused at the door for a second in relief as he watched the bleeding, sobbing Cordelia run house-dust through her hands and call out his name desperately.
When it registered a second later that she thought the dust was him, he instantly said her name soothingly, and bent down beside her.
As she saw him appear next to her, she let herself fall into his arms crying out his name over and over.
He sat there with her stroking her hair and rubbing her back until the tears dried up and she had calmed down.
When, after what seemed like years, she pulled back from him, without a word passing between them, he picked her up effortlessly and lifted her onto the bed.
Then he pulled off his leather coat and sat next to her, pulling her again into his arms.
He could feel her body shaking and he didn't know whether it was with fear from the beasts she had been beaten by, or with relief that the dust hadn't been him.
He decided on relief when she turned up to face him. "I thought you were dead." She choked out sadly.
He tucked lose strands of her hair behind her ear. "I thought you were." He whispered, trying not to recall the emotions he had felt when he had picked up her shoe next to the dead demon.
"Oh, Cordy." He choked out a minute later. "I shouldn't have let you go out on your own, I should've -"
She jerked away from him, wincing at her aching wounds and hastily wiping away her tears. "- Should've what, Angel? - Come with me? I don't need a *babysitter*, I'm nineteen - twenty *very* soon, that's not baby-age, but, I guess to you it would seem like that since your old enough to be my great granddads, great granddads, granddads, great granddad! Besides I killed *two* of the five icky beasts that attacked!" She took a deep breath at the end, since not taking one all the way through.
He sat up and touched her bruised face gently. "I just worry about you, Cora. And I would whether I was two-hundred and forty eight, or nineteen myself."
"Maybe you should realize that there are a *lot* more women out there to worry about, at least I know the hidden dangers... I might not always be prepared for them, but at least I know evil-beings exist!"
"Cordy, I do worry about all people, men, women, kids - everyone. But *you're* my best friend and you come into my worrying countdown before I even consider all the rest."
"Buffy's higher than me in that countdown, right? - Since she's your one true love and all that?"
Her words caught him by surprise, he shrugged. "Buffy can take care of herself -" The moment he said it he wanted to take it back.
"- And *I* can't?!" She bit back.
"Cordy, she's the *slayer*, so -"
"Yeah, so evil things seem to always want to wipe her out more than they do just random women, Angel? - Why don't you go protect *her*, huh? - Worry about *her* a little more?!"
"Cordelia.."
"You never answered me, Angel. Do you think I can't take care of myself?" He didn't hear the hurt in her voice.
"Look at yourself. Do *you* think you -?"
"- Don't reverse it back onto me. Do you think that you need me to always have you there, and without you would I be killed easily?"
Angel's eyes flickered down her body, his hard eyes softened as he caught the many places bleeding. "From the state you are in, yes."
Her eyes flashed with anger. She climbed clumsily off the bed. "I'm going home."
"Are you trying to prove my point?"
Cordelia turned, waiting to see what Mr. Cocky-vamp had to say for himself now.
"Cordelia, if you go home now, like you are, you'll attract all the vampires within three blocks with the smell of your blood - and walking into the streets to get drained isn't exactly what you need while trying to prove you can look after yourself. 'Cause if you could look after yourself properly, you'd see how *dangerous* going out there like that would be."
Cordelia just stared. "Fine. I guess I'm staying here tonight. But if you are thinking of trying to get some sleep tonight, Angel, you'd better do it with one eye open, 'cause I'm not in a very vampire-friendly mood, and you just might wake up to find a stake in your heart."
She headed for the bathroom to clean herself up, but stopped, turned and added; "Actually, I'm never in a vampire-friendly mood, better make it I'm not in a *Angel-friendly* mood, eh?!" And she stormed off once more.
Angel shook his head sadly as he watched her disappear from view.
He looked down at his bed, and the spark of anger she had made him feel vanished as he looked at his blood covered sheets. He hadn't realized she'd been hurt so bad, he'd tried to not look at her wounds and not smell the blood, he didn't want to be tempted. That didn't matter now, his seer was hurt.
He instinctively followed her into the bathroom, it had been closed when he got there, and he just pushed it open, thankful he hadn't installed a lock.
Cordelia didn't think the same. "Angel!" She squealed as his presence made her jump.
She had taken off her ripped top, that there wasn't much left of, and was pulling down her mini-skirt, she let it fall to the floor around her ankles as she reached for a towel.
Angel looked down briefly at his best-friends underwear clad body, and instantly felt a pang of guilt as he wished she hadn't been wearing a bra and panties still.
Cordelia grabbed a white towel of his and held it in front of her.
"Cor, you're bleeding pretty bad, I wanted to -" He began as his eyes rested on one of the scratches on her arm, and tried to get another look at the gash on her stomach.
"*No*, Angel. I don't need to be taken care of, OK? - I can handle this!" As the words came out, she swayed with dizziness, and Angel reached an arm out to steady her.
She sighed and looked up at him.
He reached out with his other hand and pushed her long wavy dark brown hair away from her face, giving him a clearer view of the scratches and bruises there.
"No, you can't. Admit it Cordy, and let me take care of you. I don't like seeing you like this."
She went to push him away, and as she did so, the towel fell. She looked down at herself briefly, before returning her gaze to him. She found his eyes examining her body. "I don't like you seeing me like this either, Angel."
His eyes met hers. "Cordy, *please* let me -"
"Get *out*, Angel." She said firmly.
"Look at yourself, Cora. You're in no state to -"
"Can I ask you something, Angel? - Why the hell do *you* care about *me*, huh? You never used to, you just saw me as spoilt little rich cheerleader gal who happened to know Buffy's little secret and all about the hellmouth, but behind that dumbness I portrayed during our little research sessions, you have *no idea* of what I had to deal with at home. And I delt with it cuz I thought Buffy had bigger problems with saving the world and everything and my problems didn't compare to hers! ... But my problems were just as big as hers and as frightening as all the scary demons she ever met! ... - Why do you suddenly notice how scared I am inside *now*? - It's because Buffy's not around to occupy your mind, isn't it? Well, I'm *not* gonna be the thing that takes you mind of our little slayer. Go find another reject to mollycoddle! I hear Xander's free!"
Angel stored her words in his mind, it was too much for him to take in fully right now while being so concerned for her health. "Cora, I -"
"GET OUT!" She screamed at him with such anger which came as such a surprise the tough-vampire stepped backwards.
She gave him a shove and he fell over his own feet and landed on the floor, somewhat ungracefully considering he was supposed to have quick reactions.
Cordelia slammed the door shut and rested against it so he wouldn't push his way in which she figured he could do easily unless he was worried about hurting her in the process. She was too busy trying to keep her temper down to notice tears fell down her cheeks, just as the blood trickled out of a cut on her stomach.
Angel pulled himself to his feet and stood outside the door. "Cordelia, please let me in. You're probably in shock and have no idea what's going on. Please, Cora, you mean too much to me to make yourself suffer like this - I can't stand it!"
He heard a scraping sound as she slid down the door and sat curled up on the floor.
Then he closed his eyes in pain for his best-friend as the sobs drifted through.
He realized that the time he was going to be able to get to her was now, when she was too upset to realize what has happening. But, he couldn't get to her since she was leaning on the door and would get hurt if he tried to kick it down, or even just open it normally (no lock deal!).
But, he knew of one other option, and reached for the phone, dialling in Wesley's number, hoping that the other part of his family was in.
~*~
Go on to part THREE