1 Part 4 –
"WHAT?! - No way, Angel. I -" Cordelia told her friend the moment he suggested that she move in with him later after a relaxing day lounging about Angel's apartment. In fact, it had been VERY relaxing for Cordelia, anything she had wanted, Angel got.
"Look, I'd feel better and know that you were safe if -"
"- I'm safe at mine. - With Dennis!"
"Dennis is a mischievous spirit, -"
" - You're a vampire!"
"Cordy, I *know* I'm a vampire - which makes me better protection than an invisible roommate!"
"And what happens if you turn all 'grr' on me!"
"I'd never hurt you, you know that!"
"Angelus might!"
"Angelus isn't ever coming back. My souls mine, for good."
Cordelia was shocked, but the words didn't register at first. "Well it was taken from you before, and why couldn't someone put a uncurse on you and - WAIT. You have your soul back? When? ... How?"
"Oracles gave it to me after Doyle died, they said they couldn't give him back, but I could have my soul as they had been foretold that I would continue to work for good until I die."
"And you never thought to let me know about this!?"
"I didn't think it'd interest you, so -" Angel was slightly relieved he'd got her away from what she had been about to say before - that he could be uncursed and be Angelus again, as it could happen. He didn't see how or rather who would uncurse him, but there was always a possibility.
"Wait a minute! Wait a minute! - You thought that *I* - your best friend - wouldn't be interested in - or *care* - that you got your soul for good! Angel! - I'm *ecstatic*! - This is *so* cool, we have to go party -"
She noticed Angel giving her a look. " - What?"
"You're in no state to -"
"- Party? - Yeah, yeah, I know, I know, *dad*!" She caught her breath on the last word, and Angel frowned, but before he could ask she jumped in and started to babble. "Hey, y'know what! Instead of going out to celebrate your soul being yours because I'm 'in no state to party', we can have fun here!"
Angel looked about his apartment. He was happy reading, which was the only thing you could really do there, and he didn't think Cordy would be into that. "Doing what, exactly?"
Cordelia thought and gave the room a once over. "Point taken."
Angel rolled his eyes. Then remembered what he was supposed to be doing, persuading her to move in. "Now, you think we can get back to the subject at hand? - I want you to move in, as soon as possible." He demanded.
Cordy shook her head. "You can't command me to move, Angel!"
"I'm vamp-man, I can do anything." He told her, mimicking the phrase she often used after watching him defeat a number of demons.
Her eyes narrowed. "For God's sake, - I'M NOT MOVING!"
Raising her voice didn't affect Angel. "You're moving in here, Cora. You have no say in the matter."
She stood up. "I have a every say in the matter, Angel! I'm not your sister or daughter or anything - I'm your best friend, you CAN'T order me around because I WON'T take it! - Not from you or anyone!"
"I worry about you, Cor. I can't help it. Please will you move in, I don't think I can sleep another night with you that far away and in possible danger without me being able to prevent it." He asked her gently this time, hoping a new approach would work.
"I worry about you too, Angel. But not whether you're in danger or whatever,... I worry about your frame of mind. - Like, only now do you tell me how much you worry about me! *And* you only *just* told me your soul's permanent. - Does Buffy even *know* about that?"
"No. Buffy doesn't know."
"Ah ha!" Her sudden change of tone made him jump and look at her worriedly.
"What?"
"You've been Mr. Grumpy lately, and it's 'cause you can do *IT* again, but.." She frowned, ".. you're not. Why is that? - If Buffster knew, she'd jump you in a second!"
"Buffy and I agreed to spend time apart, and that's how it is - whether I'm forever soul-guy or otherwise. Sex doesn't enter that decision. NOW, would you quit changing the subject, Cora, I REALLY think it's best you move in."
She sighed. "Look around." He did. "Now, close your eyes and picture my apartment.... Which would you rather live in, huh?!"
He opened his eyes. "Easy. Here."
She rolled her eyes. "OK, imagine you're a young girl trying to peruse an acting career, and do it again."
He did as she asked and when she wanted to know his choice again, he still said his apartment.
"Oh, I'm gonna *love* the explanation for that!" She laughed and then fixed him with a look, waiting.
"Well, I admit, your place *is* more modern, and so more your taste, but, if I was you, I'd move in here - safer."
"And that's 'cause of the YOU factor." He nodded. "Well, it's a good job you're not me isn't it!"
"Cora, please -" Then he seemed to think of something to persuade her. "Look at it like this, if you moved in with me, I wouldn't expect you to put anything towards the rent, so with whatever you save from what you normally pay where you are now, you can get clothes or shoes or whatever."
Cordelia seemed to consider this as she bit at her bottom lip. "OK, your place gets a point for that, - but, mine gets one for being tasteful, AND one for having Dennis, 'cause he takes care of cleaning and stuff."
"My place gets another two points - one for me taking care of the cleaning and stuff, and another because it's safer!"
"Well, my place gets another point because I'm already settled in there!"
Angel frowned. "How many is that each now?"
"Three to both. You're gonna have to do better than that, Angel if you want me to move!"
"OK, um... my place gets a point because where you work is only upstairs - not exactly far to get out of bed in the morning!"
"Well, a point is taken off your place because I'd have to leave Dennis and it would take *forever* to find him another roomie that he liked *and* that wasn't scared of him!"
"Well, my place gets a point, for .. um... -"
"Your place gets another point taken away 'cause there's only one bedroom *and* because there's no lock on the bathroom door!" Cordelia was getting excited because she was on a roll.
"My place gets that point back because I can really cook - and I know you hate to and Dennis spills stuff!" Angel bit back.
When she couldn't think of anything to add a point to her place, Cordelia made a face. "OK, so what's the score now?"
Angel thought. "It was three-all, then I got another one, but then you took two away, but I just got one back, so it's still three-all."
Cordelia stamped her foot on the floor. "Damn!" Then her face lit up as she thought of another one. "My place gets a point 'cause it's in a safer neighbourhood!"
"OBJECTION! - I'd be your protection here! - You already gave my place a point for that!"
Her eyes narrowed when she realized he was right.
Angel gave her a smug look. "Looks like you're moving in, Cor."
"Nuh - huh! - It's still even: three-all remember!"
Angel frowned. "Um... my place gets a point 'cause you wouldn't ever get lonely because I'd always be around!"
"Objection. - Two reasons, a) because I'm not lonely at mine 'cause of Dennis, and b) because if your always around, where were you last night, huh?"
Angel looked guiltily to the floor.
Cordelia then shook her head, feeling guilty for making him feel bad. "I take that back, I guess you can have that point cuz you are better company than a poltergeist, even if you're dead as well. - Just don't tell Dennis."
Angel looked up at her, his guilt still shinning in his beautiful eyes Cordy wished she could spend forever drowning in. "Are you sure you wanna do that, Cordy? - My place is leading now."
She shrugged, tearing herself away from his intense gaze - although she didn't want to. "Then I guess I'm moving in - *IF* I can't think of anymore pros for my place or cons for your place that can higher my score and lower yours!"
Secretly, Cordy added a point to Angel's place, he didn't deserve her taking one of the points away that she had, after all, having no lock on the bathroom door would be more of a pro than a con for what she was thinking of walking in on.
'And only having one bed and bedroom isn't looking so much on the bad side either', she thought with an endearing devious smile.
Angel noticed the smile and raised a questioning eyebrow. "Uh, oh. Thought of a reason to lower my score?"
Cordelia's smile disappeared, and her lips came together in a pout. "Sadly, no. But that might not be an issue anymore."
"What? - You *wanna* move in now?" Angel was surprised by her sudden change of plan.
She got off the sofa and walked into the bedroom, calling to him over her shoulder. "Well, your place does have more good points than mine. Can't argue with that."
Angel frowned as the bedroom door slammed. He knew she wouldn't normally have given up that easily. 'She must have something planned.' He contemplated.
She walked back in a moment later, after doing a quick tour of the kitchen and bathroom.
She slumped back down next to him on the couch. "I took a look around and I'm all for moving in, but you gotta either say bye to that king-size bed of yours and get two singles or sleep on the couch, or let me share it with ya... And then there's the whole issue of decorating, I'm all for you expressing yourself in your place, but it's mine as well now, and I gotta give it a Cordy-feeling... Then we have gotta do something about entertainment - as in, TV and a stereo. - *Oh*, you gotta start learning to stock the fridge up with solids as well as liquids, cuz honey, this gal ain't drinkin' no blood."
Angel raised an eyebrow as she took a moment to let air into her lungs. "Anything else?"
"Yeah, I know that not seeing yourself in a mirror isn't very nice and all, but I don't survive without one, so you could like fix one to the inside of the wardrobe - half of which is mine now so you gotta find another place for those sexy-shirts of yours. Oh, and I think I can deal with the no lock on bathroom door thingy, but as long as we buy one of those things you put on the door that you can flip over to say whether it's vacant or not. Also, the light is so dingy in here - you so gotta do something 'bout that. - Oh, and another thing, I think you should be the one to tell Dennis - that way if he gets real angry and things start to fly, at least you'll heal in, like, a day, while me, I take a few weeks and I'm still recovering from last nights episode of beauty and the beasts."
"I think those demands can be met."
"They're not demands, Angel, they're just the 'musts' if you wanna have me live here with you."
"Oh, right. Well, I think those 'musts' will definitely happen."
She snuggled now futher into the couch. "Well, *duh*, as if I would ever move here if they didn't."
~*~
Go on to part FIVE
"WHAT?! - No way, Angel. I -" Cordelia told her friend the moment he suggested that she move in with him later after a relaxing day lounging about Angel's apartment. In fact, it had been VERY relaxing for Cordelia, anything she had wanted, Angel got.
"Look, I'd feel better and know that you were safe if -"
"- I'm safe at mine. - With Dennis!"
"Dennis is a mischievous spirit, -"
" - You're a vampire!"
"Cordy, I *know* I'm a vampire - which makes me better protection than an invisible roommate!"
"And what happens if you turn all 'grr' on me!"
"I'd never hurt you, you know that!"
"Angelus might!"
"Angelus isn't ever coming back. My souls mine, for good."
Cordelia was shocked, but the words didn't register at first. "Well it was taken from you before, and why couldn't someone put a uncurse on you and - WAIT. You have your soul back? When? ... How?"
"Oracles gave it to me after Doyle died, they said they couldn't give him back, but I could have my soul as they had been foretold that I would continue to work for good until I die."
"And you never thought to let me know about this!?"
"I didn't think it'd interest you, so -" Angel was slightly relieved he'd got her away from what she had been about to say before - that he could be uncursed and be Angelus again, as it could happen. He didn't see how or rather who would uncurse him, but there was always a possibility.
"Wait a minute! Wait a minute! - You thought that *I* - your best friend - wouldn't be interested in - or *care* - that you got your soul for good! Angel! - I'm *ecstatic*! - This is *so* cool, we have to go party -"
She noticed Angel giving her a look. " - What?"
"You're in no state to -"
"- Party? - Yeah, yeah, I know, I know, *dad*!" She caught her breath on the last word, and Angel frowned, but before he could ask she jumped in and started to babble. "Hey, y'know what! Instead of going out to celebrate your soul being yours because I'm 'in no state to party', we can have fun here!"
Angel looked about his apartment. He was happy reading, which was the only thing you could really do there, and he didn't think Cordy would be into that. "Doing what, exactly?"
Cordelia thought and gave the room a once over. "Point taken."
Angel rolled his eyes. Then remembered what he was supposed to be doing, persuading her to move in. "Now, you think we can get back to the subject at hand? - I want you to move in, as soon as possible." He demanded.
Cordy shook her head. "You can't command me to move, Angel!"
"I'm vamp-man, I can do anything." He told her, mimicking the phrase she often used after watching him defeat a number of demons.
Her eyes narrowed. "For God's sake, - I'M NOT MOVING!"
Raising her voice didn't affect Angel. "You're moving in here, Cora. You have no say in the matter."
She stood up. "I have a every say in the matter, Angel! I'm not your sister or daughter or anything - I'm your best friend, you CAN'T order me around because I WON'T take it! - Not from you or anyone!"
"I worry about you, Cor. I can't help it. Please will you move in, I don't think I can sleep another night with you that far away and in possible danger without me being able to prevent it." He asked her gently this time, hoping a new approach would work.
"I worry about you too, Angel. But not whether you're in danger or whatever,... I worry about your frame of mind. - Like, only now do you tell me how much you worry about me! *And* you only *just* told me your soul's permanent. - Does Buffy even *know* about that?"
"No. Buffy doesn't know."
"Ah ha!" Her sudden change of tone made him jump and look at her worriedly.
"What?"
"You've been Mr. Grumpy lately, and it's 'cause you can do *IT* again, but.." She frowned, ".. you're not. Why is that? - If Buffster knew, she'd jump you in a second!"
"Buffy and I agreed to spend time apart, and that's how it is - whether I'm forever soul-guy or otherwise. Sex doesn't enter that decision. NOW, would you quit changing the subject, Cora, I REALLY think it's best you move in."
She sighed. "Look around." He did. "Now, close your eyes and picture my apartment.... Which would you rather live in, huh?!"
He opened his eyes. "Easy. Here."
She rolled her eyes. "OK, imagine you're a young girl trying to peruse an acting career, and do it again."
He did as she asked and when she wanted to know his choice again, he still said his apartment.
"Oh, I'm gonna *love* the explanation for that!" She laughed and then fixed him with a look, waiting.
"Well, I admit, your place *is* more modern, and so more your taste, but, if I was you, I'd move in here - safer."
"And that's 'cause of the YOU factor." He nodded. "Well, it's a good job you're not me isn't it!"
"Cora, please -" Then he seemed to think of something to persuade her. "Look at it like this, if you moved in with me, I wouldn't expect you to put anything towards the rent, so with whatever you save from what you normally pay where you are now, you can get clothes or shoes or whatever."
Cordelia seemed to consider this as she bit at her bottom lip. "OK, your place gets a point for that, - but, mine gets one for being tasteful, AND one for having Dennis, 'cause he takes care of cleaning and stuff."
"My place gets another two points - one for me taking care of the cleaning and stuff, and another because it's safer!"
"Well, my place gets another point because I'm already settled in there!"
Angel frowned. "How many is that each now?"
"Three to both. You're gonna have to do better than that, Angel if you want me to move!"
"OK, um... my place gets a point because where you work is only upstairs - not exactly far to get out of bed in the morning!"
"Well, a point is taken off your place because I'd have to leave Dennis and it would take *forever* to find him another roomie that he liked *and* that wasn't scared of him!"
"Well, my place gets a point, for .. um... -"
"Your place gets another point taken away 'cause there's only one bedroom *and* because there's no lock on the bathroom door!" Cordelia was getting excited because she was on a roll.
"My place gets that point back because I can really cook - and I know you hate to and Dennis spills stuff!" Angel bit back.
When she couldn't think of anything to add a point to her place, Cordelia made a face. "OK, so what's the score now?"
Angel thought. "It was three-all, then I got another one, but then you took two away, but I just got one back, so it's still three-all."
Cordelia stamped her foot on the floor. "Damn!" Then her face lit up as she thought of another one. "My place gets a point 'cause it's in a safer neighbourhood!"
"OBJECTION! - I'd be your protection here! - You already gave my place a point for that!"
Her eyes narrowed when she realized he was right.
Angel gave her a smug look. "Looks like you're moving in, Cor."
"Nuh - huh! - It's still even: three-all remember!"
Angel frowned. "Um... my place gets a point 'cause you wouldn't ever get lonely because I'd always be around!"
"Objection. - Two reasons, a) because I'm not lonely at mine 'cause of Dennis, and b) because if your always around, where were you last night, huh?"
Angel looked guiltily to the floor.
Cordelia then shook her head, feeling guilty for making him feel bad. "I take that back, I guess you can have that point cuz you are better company than a poltergeist, even if you're dead as well. - Just don't tell Dennis."
Angel looked up at her, his guilt still shinning in his beautiful eyes Cordy wished she could spend forever drowning in. "Are you sure you wanna do that, Cordy? - My place is leading now."
She shrugged, tearing herself away from his intense gaze - although she didn't want to. "Then I guess I'm moving in - *IF* I can't think of anymore pros for my place or cons for your place that can higher my score and lower yours!"
Secretly, Cordy added a point to Angel's place, he didn't deserve her taking one of the points away that she had, after all, having no lock on the bathroom door would be more of a pro than a con for what she was thinking of walking in on.
'And only having one bed and bedroom isn't looking so much on the bad side either', she thought with an endearing devious smile.
Angel noticed the smile and raised a questioning eyebrow. "Uh, oh. Thought of a reason to lower my score?"
Cordelia's smile disappeared, and her lips came together in a pout. "Sadly, no. But that might not be an issue anymore."
"What? - You *wanna* move in now?" Angel was surprised by her sudden change of plan.
She got off the sofa and walked into the bedroom, calling to him over her shoulder. "Well, your place does have more good points than mine. Can't argue with that."
Angel frowned as the bedroom door slammed. He knew she wouldn't normally have given up that easily. 'She must have something planned.' He contemplated.
She walked back in a moment later, after doing a quick tour of the kitchen and bathroom.
She slumped back down next to him on the couch. "I took a look around and I'm all for moving in, but you gotta either say bye to that king-size bed of yours and get two singles or sleep on the couch, or let me share it with ya... And then there's the whole issue of decorating, I'm all for you expressing yourself in your place, but it's mine as well now, and I gotta give it a Cordy-feeling... Then we have gotta do something about entertainment - as in, TV and a stereo. - *Oh*, you gotta start learning to stock the fridge up with solids as well as liquids, cuz honey, this gal ain't drinkin' no blood."
Angel raised an eyebrow as she took a moment to let air into her lungs. "Anything else?"
"Yeah, I know that not seeing yourself in a mirror isn't very nice and all, but I don't survive without one, so you could like fix one to the inside of the wardrobe - half of which is mine now so you gotta find another place for those sexy-shirts of yours. Oh, and I think I can deal with the no lock on bathroom door thingy, but as long as we buy one of those things you put on the door that you can flip over to say whether it's vacant or not. Also, the light is so dingy in here - you so gotta do something 'bout that. - Oh, and another thing, I think you should be the one to tell Dennis - that way if he gets real angry and things start to fly, at least you'll heal in, like, a day, while me, I take a few weeks and I'm still recovering from last nights episode of beauty and the beasts."
"I think those demands can be met."
"They're not demands, Angel, they're just the 'musts' if you wanna have me live here with you."
"Oh, right. Well, I think those 'musts' will definitely happen."
She snuggled now futher into the couch. "Well, *duh*, as if I would ever move here if they didn't."
~*~
Go on to part FIVE