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Chapter 11
'GRR'… Literally
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Do you realize how hard it was not to laugh when he turned around? Well, for me that was quite a feat. Sticking out from a tear in his black slacks, Angel had suddenly grown a long, fluffy white tail with black stripes. All my years in Sunndydale, and the three years I've spent with Angel in L.A., I had seen some stuff that would've had me thrown in the insane asylum for sure.
But this -- this was definitely an all-new weird for me.
"What's goin' on back there you two?" Gunn's loud voice broke my gaze from Angel's ass—I mean tail. Meant to say tail.
"Uh, um… Nothing! Just – hold on a sec, guys." I called back.
Angel turned around, his face showing his concern, and well, complete bafflement. "This can't be good. Cordy?"
I snapped myself back upright, not realizing that when he turned around, I tried to keep my eye on his tail by bending over. "Huh? What? I wasn't doing anything." Suddenly I felt my cheeks flush. I was just checking out my man's ass.
Heh.
He's my man. And I was checking out his butt. I grinned to myself.
My man has a tail… Slowly, the grin slid right off my face.
What if he can't get rid of it? What if the fur spreads? I mean, normal male body hair is one thing, but being covered in *fur* is another story. Then again, he'll be nice and warm on those long, cold, winter nights…
"You were checking out my ass weren't you?" I managed to fight down my embarrassment and look Angel in the eye, only to find him smiling at me… Seductively. Did he just waggle his eyebrows at me?
"NO! I mean, no. I was just, checking out your, you know… Tail. Please, like I'd be checking out your ass. Pfft!" I waved him off, and flipped my hair off my face. "Besides, not like I haven't seen it before."
Trying way too hard to play it cool. Since when have I *ever* been the dorky one? I need to get a serious grip.
"Oh really? So you admit to checking me out then?" Again with the grinning. Except this time, Angel was being smug! Damn him.
"Don't get so full of yourself."
"Are you two done back he—" Aris rounded the dumpster and stopped dead in her tracks. "Oh my."
"Yeah, and Angel complains about *my* accessorizing." I turned back to Angel, smug smile firmly planted on *my* face this time. "Didn't anyone tell you fur was *so* last season?"
"Shut up." Angel half-heartedly tossed me a growl, but he was still smiling.
"This is new. You didn't have this before, did you?" Aris grabbed his shoulders and turned him around, staring at his tail. I probably should've been jealous that another woman had her face so close to his backside, but I was too busy trying not to laugh that it didn't really matter.
"No. I—" Angel started to explain, but stopped as the rest of the group rounded the dumpster.
Small gasps and snickers all around.
"Angel? Where did you get that?" Fred giggled, pointing at the tail, swishing from side to side.
"Yeah. You sure it ain't got rabies, man?" Gunn chuckled, then quickly put a hand to his mouth to stop the laughter as Angel shot him the look of death.
"It's not funny." He pouted.
That was it, finally we all couldn't keep it in any longer, and everyone doubled over in laughter. I had tears running down my cheeks from laughing so hard, and I could see Groo clutching at his sides. Lorne had to lean up against the brick wall to keep from falling over, and Fred and Gunn were holding on to each other, trying to keep their balance.
Finally we got ourselves together, only a few post-hysterical-laughter hiccups remained.
"Well then. Angel." Wesley coughed into his hand, trying to keep from laughing again. "This is quite extraordinary."
Angel practically had steam coming out of his ears he was so mad, and I could tell he was struggling to keep his cool. Poor vamp can dish it out but he can't take it. "It must've been from the Wolf demon. He scratched me before I put him through the wall."
"That certainly isn't good." Wes rubbed at his bandaged neck. The laughing- fit probably irritated his wound.
"Are you talking Wolf, like werewolf? Big, overgrown ball of stinky fluff that comes around every full moon?" Gunn looked to Wes. It was the first time he'd talked to him since Wes came back. I smiled and shared a knowing glance with Fred. At least we were making progress.
"Yes and no."
"A Wolf demon is purebred. Werewolves are half-breeds. Human and wolf. These things are ALL wolf, and ALL deadly. Though not too bright." Aris leaned up against the wall, arms crossed over her chest.
"So what does that mean for Angel?" I asked. Not liking the sound of having a wolf/vampire/man boyfriend. I can't even potty train a regular 'ol puppy!
Wesley was about to open his mouth, but Aris continued, her clear-blue eyes dancing between me and Angel. "A human would turn faster than if it were bitten by a half-breed, and wouldn't be limited to full moons."
"Oh really?" Wesley looked at her, a bit of a challenge in his voice, and took off his glasses to clean them on his sweater.
"Wolf blood is potent. A normal human would turn fully, I would say within the next few hours. Maybe longer, in his case because he's *not* fully human." Aris shrugged nonchalantly.
Well, it's nice to know she's all 'Emotionally Detached Girl'… 'cause it's not like it's *her* man that's turning into a dog! Wolf. Whatever. Same diff.
"Uh, hello? *Turn*? Why am I not liking the sound of that?" Angel glanced at me for back-up. I raised my eyebrows and shrugged.
"Well if I had more books here, I might be able to find something to help you. But I only brought what we'd need for the trip. I didn't count on this setback. I'm sorry, Angel." Wesley sighed, putting his glasses back on his face.
"Ok, well. This is great and all kiddies, but we've gotta get a move-on. The little chipmunk's a-waitin'." Lorne gestured in the direction of the street.
"Krevlornswath is correct. We must find your child immediately and return home. Then we shall deal with, that." Groo gestured to Angel's tail with his hand.
"For once gladiator-boy has a point. Let's just find Connor and get the hell outta Dodge." Gunn took Fred's hand and moved out from behind the dumpster, Lorne, Wes and Groo following suit.
"Don't worry, Angel. We'll keep you from going all 'grr'… Literally." I smiled, stepping up to him and wrapping my arms around his waist.
He sighed wearily, I guess the novelty of his tail is wearing off already. "Thanks." He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me in closer and I snuggled my face into his chest, taking in his scent. He smelled like fabric softener and… Is that Old Spice?
I felt him kiss the top of my head gently before he pulled away, and I whined in protest. Couldn't we just stay like that forever? No, baby to save. Bad guys to destroy. I'll cuddle with my oversized Chia Pet later.
Aris smiled and nodded at me approvingly when we started walking again. She gently tugged on my sleeve, urging me to fall back a few steps from Angel, who kept walking.
"Doyle wanted me to tell you something."
I stumbled a bit when she said his name, catching up to her quickly.
"Doyle? Really? What?"
"He said to tell you that it was about time, Princess." She threw me a sideways glance, smiling at me again, that same knowing smile.
"About time? For what? Oh. You mean him." I pointed to Angel, who'd caught up with the rest of the group a few feet in front of us.
"He said you are damn frustrating, and thick as a brick wall when it comes to love. Something about him knowing from personal experience."
I stopped dead in my tracks at that.
I've always hated myself for what I put Doyle through. Every day I wished that it had been different, that I'd noticed before I did that I could love him. But that old me was too wrapped up in myself to care, let alone notice.
I didn't realize I'd started crying until I felt Aris' soft hands on my face, brushing my tears away. "Don't cry little one. He doesn't want you to cry for him anymore. He loves you, and he loves Angel as well. That is why he sends his blessing for you. He says you need each other, and wishes you both would have seen it sooner."
Gotta hand it to her, she's quite the pick-me-up type. She kissed my forehead before leaning back to look at me. I smiled. I don't think having Doyle himself here to tell me that could've made me feel any better than she did just relaying his message.
"Thank you." I whispered. I wiped away my stray tears and we started walking together back to the waiting group. Now I was bound and determined to get Connor back home, so me and Angel could resume our not-so-normal, normal lives together.
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"Do you feel that?" Aris whispered in my ear softly. We had been walking down Main St., just turned onto Park Ave., when I suddenly felt something overwhelm me. I nodded in the affirmative. "We are close then, just keep your heart open to him. He'll call to you and Angel."
"Call?" I look at her, perplexed. "He's just a baby, how can he talk?"
"All children can talk. You just have to want to listen, from inside here…" She brought her hand up to her chest, over her heart.
"Oh." I don't know what to say to that, so I just keep walking. Pretty soon I'm lost in my own thoughts again, not really paying attention to anyone. Thinking about Doyle. Missing Doyle. Thinking about Angel. Missing Connor.
I've been doing a lot of thinking and missing lately…
So wrapped up in my own thoughts, I don't see everyone stop in front of me and I plow right into the back of Lorne. "Hey, watch it there, peanut brittle." Lorne turns around and smiles at me.
I toss an apologetic smile his way, before moving around him to see what all the commotion is. I take a look around, and we're… in a neighborhood. Looks pretty damn familiar too. Come to think of it the house that we're standing in front of looks pretty damn familiar… Except for the tagging, boarded up windows, and garbage all over what once was a lawn. Now it's just weeds and dead grass. The windows that aren't boarded up, are smashed in, and the paint is peeling right off.
I bet this used to be real nice diggs for whoever lived here.
I look down the street at the sign…
R E V E L L O D R I V E
I look back at the house and read the house number.
1 6 3 0
Why is that so familiar? I furrow my brow, trying to think, trying to remember, where I know this house from. I look at Angel, standing on the sidewalk right in front of the old, boarded up house. The expression on his face makes it all fall into place.
"Buffy…" I whisper, almost inaudible, in complete disbelief. The word seems to affect him, because I see him flinch. I look back at Wesley, who's completely still. He catches my eyes for a brief second before dropping them to the ground.
"Why are we here?" Fred's voice is a little shaky as she speaks from under Gunn's arm. She must be a little freaked, oh who am I kidding? She's probably A LOT freaked. Let's assess the situation shall we. Angel looks like he's about to faint, Wes can't bother to meet anyone's eyes, and I'm… I don't know what I am. Shocked? Sad? Scared?
The one thought that keeps banging at my brain is that obviously there's no Buffy. My vision was right. She's gone. No more Resurrect-o Buffy, her nine lives are up. A full realization smacks me right in the forehead and I can feel the tears start to burn in my eyes. Just knowing there's no Buffy in this world, just look at it!
I mean, I wasn't her biggest fan or anything, but she was Buffy. She saved the world. A lot. But not this time.
Aris steps up next to Angel, and places a soft hand on his shoulder and squeezes. "It makes it real, does it not? She is no longer in this world."
Angel closes his eyes tight, taking in a deep breath and shakes off whatever thoughts he had. I see the resolution in his eyes as he turns back to us. "Come on."
That's all he says as he turns back to the house, taking long, purposeful strides up the walkway, and we diligent employees follow right after him.
Aris walks next to me, and she squeezes my hand for reassurance.
Angel stops in front of the boarded up door long enough to take a look up and down the street, before ripping the 2x4's off one by one. We all stand back as he silently continues, every once in a while I cringe at the squeal of the nails being ripped from the wood.
After he's taken all the pieces off, he just as quickly kicks the door in. As I step inside I start to cough at the stale air.
"It must have been abandoned for years." Groo steps through the doorway, into the livingroom and glances at all the broken furniture. The couch has been torn to shreds, glass all over the floor, mixed with garbage and what I guess is the remains of small fires from various homeless people, or demons.
"Who's place is this, Cordy?" Gunn says, turning back to look at me in the entryway.
"It was Buffy's." I say quietly, before shaking him off and turning to my right, into the diningroom. I remember the time I was here with Xander. Got trapped in the basement from that Bee Guy.
I remember hating him so much when we got outside and he took a hose to me. But he saved my life that day. Just like Buffy did, so many times.
I start to sift through the garbage, not really knowing what I'm looking for, but just needing something to occupy my brain.
"Everyone stop moving!" I hear Angel yell from the kitchen. I stop dead in my tracks as he comes flying through the door that attaches to the kitchen.
I look at him like he's crazy, and as he passes me, he throws over his shoulder, "I hear something upstairs."
"Connor?" I say, taking off in a run, following him up the wooden steps. "Connor!" I yell a little louder. I'm stomping up the stairs as fast as I can, and I hear the creak of wood halfway to the top, before the step gives out on me.
I yelp in pain as my leg sinks through the huge hole, and I feel flesh tearing, a searing heat spreads through my leg, and I can barely cry out. "Angel!"
"Oh dear lord." I hear Wesley behind me, I hear his footsteps on the stairs, and I can feel the wood begin to shift again.
"Don't!" I cry out over my shoulder. "The wood! It can't hold!" I look frantically behind me to make sure he heard me, and he did. Wesley backs slowly and carefully down the few stairs he ascended.
"Are you alright Cordelia?" Lorne's voice comes back to me as I'm trying to get my leg out. Every time I try to move, the pain shoots through my entire body, and I whimper in pain.
"Angel!" I cry out again. Where is he? My arms are starting to get tired from holding my own weight to keep myself from falling further into the hole. My left leg is twisted behind me, half caught in the hole and my ankle is caught on the remains of the step. Besides my arms, my foot is the only thing keeping me from falling farther through.
Why am *I* always the one that's falling through stairs? Guess it could be worse, I could have a nice chunk of metal through my stomach right now…
"Are you hurt, Princess?" Groo steps up behind Wesley, and I see the rest of the gang pile into the hallway from various rooms.
"No, I'm crying out in pain because I'm having the time of my life." I shoot at him, before turning back to look up the stairs. I can feel the blood soaking through my jeans now.
"What happened?" I hear Aris' voice behind me and I sigh in relief. She'll know what to do. I hope. "Oh, my..."
I turn back to her, and see her start up the steps. "No! It can't hold you!" I yell at her, but she just puts a finger to her mouth, telling me to be quiet.
She presses her body as tight against the wall as she can, and it seems like she's only taking a step every minute. I can still feel the wood shifting under me, and my heart is hammering in my chest. She finally reaches me, and when I think she's about to pull me out, she steps right over my head to the next step.
"Don't step there…" I whisper urgently to her. "Go to the next one. It won't hold you." I hold my breath as she slowly removes her booted foot from the weak step, places it on the one above, and hefts herself up. She takes the last steps up onto the landing before turning back to me, and holds her hand out.
"Come on, you can do it." She whispers to me.
I look at her hand, then down at my leg, hoping that if I fall, the ground's only a few feet below me. But then again, if the floor falls through also, I'll probably be under a pile of heavy wood.
So I reach up and take her hand. She starts to pull backward and I push myself up and out, crying out at the pain that's stabbing at my right leg. I'm finally at a point where I can stretch out my left leg, and use it to push myself forward. Aris keeps pulling at me, urging me to give her my other hand, so I do.
Finally after what feels like forever, we're able to get me out of the hole, and Aris pulls me up to her on the landing. I collapse my weight against her, and we both fall onto the floor. The pain in my leg is so bad, I'm panting now, and she rolls me onto my back to check the damage.
I manage to pull myself up against the wall, making sure to avoid the glass on the burnt carpeting, and she looks at my leg.
"Ouch. That must not feel good." She looks up at me, and smiles. All I can afford is an eyeroll, too much pain to talk. "At least the cut isn't very deep."
"Yeah, well it's deep enough to hurt." I whine at her, as I look at my leg. There's a long gash down the front of my thigh, and my jeans are ripped open. She's right though, I've seen worse. I've seen worse on a vampire with remarkable heal-y powers. But this is little 'ol human me we're talking about. No magical healing powers for this little mammal… Damnit.
"I'm gonna try and find a towel. Don't go anywhere." She smiles at me, before getting up.
"Oh, ha ha. You're funny for being British." I smile up at her, and she laughs before disappearing through a doorway.
"Cordy? You okay up there, girl?"
"Yeah, Gunn. I'm fine! Aris is gonna patch me up!" I yell back down at him.
"Where's boss-man?"
I immediately cringe at that. Well, 'boss-man' used to be Wesley, and in that case, he's standing right next to you. But… I guess he's not anymore.
"I don't know!" I sigh, and let my head fall back against the wall and close my eyes. I don't even hear Aris come back, but I feel her start to wrap something around my leg so I open my eyes again.
"What is that?" I ask her, pointing at the floral-print fabric she's wrapping around my thigh.
"It was from the bed. I couldn't find anything else, so I ripped it off." She shrugs.
"I hope I don't get some disease from that, cause it sure doesn't look sterile." I snort at her, and wince as she pulls it tight around my leg. "Ow. You did that on purpose!"
"That's what you get for questioning my triage skills." She smiles at me and stands, offering her hand, which I take.
"You know, for being a higher-- uh, being-- you sure have quite the witty personality."
"I take lots of notes from you humans. Never know when you'll get into a bitching contest with the locals." She wraps her arm around my waist, and I hold onto her, limping my way down the hall to search for our missing vampire warrior.
"I hear something. In there." Aris stops and points to a closed door on the right. I shrug her off, and limp my way to the door, turning the knob and letting it fall open. If memory serves me correctly, this is Buffy's room… Was, Buffy's room.
The whole room is bathed in dark shadows, the windows in here are still boarded up tight, not even a sliver of red sunlight can get through. I see something move in the gloom, in the back, and I immediately grab for the stake in my back pocket, bringing it up to the ready.
"Hello?" I call, stepping forward into the room, Aris right on my heels.
"Cordy?" It's Angel's voice, and I sigh in relief, dropping the stake to my side. I feel Aris fumbling around on the wall behind me, and I look to see what she's doing.
I hear the click, and the room is immediately lit. Sort of. It's coming from a lamp that was knocked over in the corner of the room, on the other side of the shredded bed, so it only lights up a small area. But it's enough light to be able to see Angel's dark form sitting on the side of the bed.
Holding something. Holding… "Connor?" Sheer disbelief comes out in my voice, and Angel nods, but he won't look at me. His entire face is hidden from me, but I don't notice that as I lurch forward, forgetting about my leg, and dropping down on my knees in front of him, and I let the stake roll off my fingertips.
And there he is, bundled up in his little blue blanket, staring up at his father, giggling. I sob with joy and my tears make my vision all blurry as I reach my hands up to Angel's face. "I knew we'd find him!"
I lean up to kiss him, but he pulls away, turning his head, and he holds his hands out to me to take Connor.
"Angel, what's wrong?" I ask him, worried, as I take Connor into my arms. I'm so worried I can't even relish in the feelings of joy I should be experiencing right now.
"Just take him. Go." He says quietly.
"Angel, you are scaring us. What's wrong?" Aris asks. I see her walking forward out of the corner of my eye, but I can't tear my attention away from Angel. She starts to move behind the bed, toward the lamp.
"Please? Just go. I'll… I'll be out in a minute."
"No, Angel. I'm not leaving you. What's wrong?" I press him. I still can't see his face, so I reach one hand out to touch him, but I feel something swipe my hand away. Not quite a hand, but… furrier?
Aris bends down to the lamp and picks it up off the floor, immediately the entire room is flooded with yellow light, and I almost gasp at what I see.
"Angel, your hands?" I furrow my brow, wondering what happened to him, and then it clicks. "The change." I breathe out.
"I don't want you to see me like this." He says, holding out his hands, looking at them. They still have their human shape, but they're longer, and covered in fur, and I can see the beginnings of claws.
"Oh, Angel. We'll fix it. Don't worry sweetie." I sit down next to him, sliding my free hand down his face, urging him to look at me. He does, and his eyes are filled with worry.
"What if we can't? I can't be like this forever." I see the tears shining in his eyes, and his voice cracks under the pressure.
"We'll fix it." I say resolutely. And we will… That's my promise to him, we'll make everything okay when we get home. I smile timidly at him, before sliding my hand around the back of his neck and pulling him to me.
He's a little surprised when our lips connect, a little apprehensive, but I can feel all that slipping away. Slowly, I melt into him, lost in the kiss, our lips dancing against each other. It's the first time I've kissed him like this, and it feels so right. So natural, like my lips have been waiting my whole life to find his, and now I'm home in him.
I wrap my arm around his neck, and I can feel something shifting on the side of his face. His ears. They're elongating.
He tries to pull away when he feels it, but I won't let him. He has to know he can't be ashamed of what's happening. I love him no matter what. So, he gives in, and wraps one arm around my waist, the other drifting to find my other hand holding Connor. I break the kiss to breath, and he lowers his forehead to mine, keeping our faces close. I hear Connor giggle, and we both look down at him and smile.
"Well. Isn't this cute."
A voice breaks us away from each other, and I hear Aris gasp behind us. I immediately turn to the doorway to see it—a grossly disfigured face, tall, very dangerous looking, demon.
"Sahjhan." Angel growls behind me and shoots up from the bed, and in front of me and Connor.
Connor starts to wail, and I stand up behind Angel, trying to calm his cries.
"Thanks for finding him for me. You know, you always make my job so much easier." I peak my head out from behind Angel and see—Sahjhan? Is that his name?—smirk at himself. I guess he thinks he's funny.
"You won't touch that child!" I hear Aris scream, seconds before lunging for him across the room, and I gasp out loud.
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To Be Continued…
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Chapter 11
'GRR'… Literally
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Do you realize how hard it was not to laugh when he turned around? Well, for me that was quite a feat. Sticking out from a tear in his black slacks, Angel had suddenly grown a long, fluffy white tail with black stripes. All my years in Sunndydale, and the three years I've spent with Angel in L.A., I had seen some stuff that would've had me thrown in the insane asylum for sure.
But this -- this was definitely an all-new weird for me.
"What's goin' on back there you two?" Gunn's loud voice broke my gaze from Angel's ass—I mean tail. Meant to say tail.
"Uh, um… Nothing! Just – hold on a sec, guys." I called back.
Angel turned around, his face showing his concern, and well, complete bafflement. "This can't be good. Cordy?"
I snapped myself back upright, not realizing that when he turned around, I tried to keep my eye on his tail by bending over. "Huh? What? I wasn't doing anything." Suddenly I felt my cheeks flush. I was just checking out my man's ass.
Heh.
He's my man. And I was checking out his butt. I grinned to myself.
My man has a tail… Slowly, the grin slid right off my face.
What if he can't get rid of it? What if the fur spreads? I mean, normal male body hair is one thing, but being covered in *fur* is another story. Then again, he'll be nice and warm on those long, cold, winter nights…
"You were checking out my ass weren't you?" I managed to fight down my embarrassment and look Angel in the eye, only to find him smiling at me… Seductively. Did he just waggle his eyebrows at me?
"NO! I mean, no. I was just, checking out your, you know… Tail. Please, like I'd be checking out your ass. Pfft!" I waved him off, and flipped my hair off my face. "Besides, not like I haven't seen it before."
Trying way too hard to play it cool. Since when have I *ever* been the dorky one? I need to get a serious grip.
"Oh really? So you admit to checking me out then?" Again with the grinning. Except this time, Angel was being smug! Damn him.
"Don't get so full of yourself."
"Are you two done back he—" Aris rounded the dumpster and stopped dead in her tracks. "Oh my."
"Yeah, and Angel complains about *my* accessorizing." I turned back to Angel, smug smile firmly planted on *my* face this time. "Didn't anyone tell you fur was *so* last season?"
"Shut up." Angel half-heartedly tossed me a growl, but he was still smiling.
"This is new. You didn't have this before, did you?" Aris grabbed his shoulders and turned him around, staring at his tail. I probably should've been jealous that another woman had her face so close to his backside, but I was too busy trying not to laugh that it didn't really matter.
"No. I—" Angel started to explain, but stopped as the rest of the group rounded the dumpster.
Small gasps and snickers all around.
"Angel? Where did you get that?" Fred giggled, pointing at the tail, swishing from side to side.
"Yeah. You sure it ain't got rabies, man?" Gunn chuckled, then quickly put a hand to his mouth to stop the laughter as Angel shot him the look of death.
"It's not funny." He pouted.
That was it, finally we all couldn't keep it in any longer, and everyone doubled over in laughter. I had tears running down my cheeks from laughing so hard, and I could see Groo clutching at his sides. Lorne had to lean up against the brick wall to keep from falling over, and Fred and Gunn were holding on to each other, trying to keep their balance.
Finally we got ourselves together, only a few post-hysterical-laughter hiccups remained.
"Well then. Angel." Wesley coughed into his hand, trying to keep from laughing again. "This is quite extraordinary."
Angel practically had steam coming out of his ears he was so mad, and I could tell he was struggling to keep his cool. Poor vamp can dish it out but he can't take it. "It must've been from the Wolf demon. He scratched me before I put him through the wall."
"That certainly isn't good." Wes rubbed at his bandaged neck. The laughing- fit probably irritated his wound.
"Are you talking Wolf, like werewolf? Big, overgrown ball of stinky fluff that comes around every full moon?" Gunn looked to Wes. It was the first time he'd talked to him since Wes came back. I smiled and shared a knowing glance with Fred. At least we were making progress.
"Yes and no."
"A Wolf demon is purebred. Werewolves are half-breeds. Human and wolf. These things are ALL wolf, and ALL deadly. Though not too bright." Aris leaned up against the wall, arms crossed over her chest.
"So what does that mean for Angel?" I asked. Not liking the sound of having a wolf/vampire/man boyfriend. I can't even potty train a regular 'ol puppy!
Wesley was about to open his mouth, but Aris continued, her clear-blue eyes dancing between me and Angel. "A human would turn faster than if it were bitten by a half-breed, and wouldn't be limited to full moons."
"Oh really?" Wesley looked at her, a bit of a challenge in his voice, and took off his glasses to clean them on his sweater.
"Wolf blood is potent. A normal human would turn fully, I would say within the next few hours. Maybe longer, in his case because he's *not* fully human." Aris shrugged nonchalantly.
Well, it's nice to know she's all 'Emotionally Detached Girl'… 'cause it's not like it's *her* man that's turning into a dog! Wolf. Whatever. Same diff.
"Uh, hello? *Turn*? Why am I not liking the sound of that?" Angel glanced at me for back-up. I raised my eyebrows and shrugged.
"Well if I had more books here, I might be able to find something to help you. But I only brought what we'd need for the trip. I didn't count on this setback. I'm sorry, Angel." Wesley sighed, putting his glasses back on his face.
"Ok, well. This is great and all kiddies, but we've gotta get a move-on. The little chipmunk's a-waitin'." Lorne gestured in the direction of the street.
"Krevlornswath is correct. We must find your child immediately and return home. Then we shall deal with, that." Groo gestured to Angel's tail with his hand.
"For once gladiator-boy has a point. Let's just find Connor and get the hell outta Dodge." Gunn took Fred's hand and moved out from behind the dumpster, Lorne, Wes and Groo following suit.
"Don't worry, Angel. We'll keep you from going all 'grr'… Literally." I smiled, stepping up to him and wrapping my arms around his waist.
He sighed wearily, I guess the novelty of his tail is wearing off already. "Thanks." He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me in closer and I snuggled my face into his chest, taking in his scent. He smelled like fabric softener and… Is that Old Spice?
I felt him kiss the top of my head gently before he pulled away, and I whined in protest. Couldn't we just stay like that forever? No, baby to save. Bad guys to destroy. I'll cuddle with my oversized Chia Pet later.
Aris smiled and nodded at me approvingly when we started walking again. She gently tugged on my sleeve, urging me to fall back a few steps from Angel, who kept walking.
"Doyle wanted me to tell you something."
I stumbled a bit when she said his name, catching up to her quickly.
"Doyle? Really? What?"
"He said to tell you that it was about time, Princess." She threw me a sideways glance, smiling at me again, that same knowing smile.
"About time? For what? Oh. You mean him." I pointed to Angel, who'd caught up with the rest of the group a few feet in front of us.
"He said you are damn frustrating, and thick as a brick wall when it comes to love. Something about him knowing from personal experience."
I stopped dead in my tracks at that.
I've always hated myself for what I put Doyle through. Every day I wished that it had been different, that I'd noticed before I did that I could love him. But that old me was too wrapped up in myself to care, let alone notice.
I didn't realize I'd started crying until I felt Aris' soft hands on my face, brushing my tears away. "Don't cry little one. He doesn't want you to cry for him anymore. He loves you, and he loves Angel as well. That is why he sends his blessing for you. He says you need each other, and wishes you both would have seen it sooner."
Gotta hand it to her, she's quite the pick-me-up type. She kissed my forehead before leaning back to look at me. I smiled. I don't think having Doyle himself here to tell me that could've made me feel any better than she did just relaying his message.
"Thank you." I whispered. I wiped away my stray tears and we started walking together back to the waiting group. Now I was bound and determined to get Connor back home, so me and Angel could resume our not-so-normal, normal lives together.
==++==++==++==
"Do you feel that?" Aris whispered in my ear softly. We had been walking down Main St., just turned onto Park Ave., when I suddenly felt something overwhelm me. I nodded in the affirmative. "We are close then, just keep your heart open to him. He'll call to you and Angel."
"Call?" I look at her, perplexed. "He's just a baby, how can he talk?"
"All children can talk. You just have to want to listen, from inside here…" She brought her hand up to her chest, over her heart.
"Oh." I don't know what to say to that, so I just keep walking. Pretty soon I'm lost in my own thoughts again, not really paying attention to anyone. Thinking about Doyle. Missing Doyle. Thinking about Angel. Missing Connor.
I've been doing a lot of thinking and missing lately…
So wrapped up in my own thoughts, I don't see everyone stop in front of me and I plow right into the back of Lorne. "Hey, watch it there, peanut brittle." Lorne turns around and smiles at me.
I toss an apologetic smile his way, before moving around him to see what all the commotion is. I take a look around, and we're… in a neighborhood. Looks pretty damn familiar too. Come to think of it the house that we're standing in front of looks pretty damn familiar… Except for the tagging, boarded up windows, and garbage all over what once was a lawn. Now it's just weeds and dead grass. The windows that aren't boarded up, are smashed in, and the paint is peeling right off.
I bet this used to be real nice diggs for whoever lived here.
I look down the street at the sign…
R E V E L L O D R I V E
I look back at the house and read the house number.
1 6 3 0
Why is that so familiar? I furrow my brow, trying to think, trying to remember, where I know this house from. I look at Angel, standing on the sidewalk right in front of the old, boarded up house. The expression on his face makes it all fall into place.
"Buffy…" I whisper, almost inaudible, in complete disbelief. The word seems to affect him, because I see him flinch. I look back at Wesley, who's completely still. He catches my eyes for a brief second before dropping them to the ground.
"Why are we here?" Fred's voice is a little shaky as she speaks from under Gunn's arm. She must be a little freaked, oh who am I kidding? She's probably A LOT freaked. Let's assess the situation shall we. Angel looks like he's about to faint, Wes can't bother to meet anyone's eyes, and I'm… I don't know what I am. Shocked? Sad? Scared?
The one thought that keeps banging at my brain is that obviously there's no Buffy. My vision was right. She's gone. No more Resurrect-o Buffy, her nine lives are up. A full realization smacks me right in the forehead and I can feel the tears start to burn in my eyes. Just knowing there's no Buffy in this world, just look at it!
I mean, I wasn't her biggest fan or anything, but she was Buffy. She saved the world. A lot. But not this time.
Aris steps up next to Angel, and places a soft hand on his shoulder and squeezes. "It makes it real, does it not? She is no longer in this world."
Angel closes his eyes tight, taking in a deep breath and shakes off whatever thoughts he had. I see the resolution in his eyes as he turns back to us. "Come on."
That's all he says as he turns back to the house, taking long, purposeful strides up the walkway, and we diligent employees follow right after him.
Aris walks next to me, and she squeezes my hand for reassurance.
Angel stops in front of the boarded up door long enough to take a look up and down the street, before ripping the 2x4's off one by one. We all stand back as he silently continues, every once in a while I cringe at the squeal of the nails being ripped from the wood.
After he's taken all the pieces off, he just as quickly kicks the door in. As I step inside I start to cough at the stale air.
"It must have been abandoned for years." Groo steps through the doorway, into the livingroom and glances at all the broken furniture. The couch has been torn to shreds, glass all over the floor, mixed with garbage and what I guess is the remains of small fires from various homeless people, or demons.
"Who's place is this, Cordy?" Gunn says, turning back to look at me in the entryway.
"It was Buffy's." I say quietly, before shaking him off and turning to my right, into the diningroom. I remember the time I was here with Xander. Got trapped in the basement from that Bee Guy.
I remember hating him so much when we got outside and he took a hose to me. But he saved my life that day. Just like Buffy did, so many times.
I start to sift through the garbage, not really knowing what I'm looking for, but just needing something to occupy my brain.
"Everyone stop moving!" I hear Angel yell from the kitchen. I stop dead in my tracks as he comes flying through the door that attaches to the kitchen.
I look at him like he's crazy, and as he passes me, he throws over his shoulder, "I hear something upstairs."
"Connor?" I say, taking off in a run, following him up the wooden steps. "Connor!" I yell a little louder. I'm stomping up the stairs as fast as I can, and I hear the creak of wood halfway to the top, before the step gives out on me.
I yelp in pain as my leg sinks through the huge hole, and I feel flesh tearing, a searing heat spreads through my leg, and I can barely cry out. "Angel!"
"Oh dear lord." I hear Wesley behind me, I hear his footsteps on the stairs, and I can feel the wood begin to shift again.
"Don't!" I cry out over my shoulder. "The wood! It can't hold!" I look frantically behind me to make sure he heard me, and he did. Wesley backs slowly and carefully down the few stairs he ascended.
"Are you alright Cordelia?" Lorne's voice comes back to me as I'm trying to get my leg out. Every time I try to move, the pain shoots through my entire body, and I whimper in pain.
"Angel!" I cry out again. Where is he? My arms are starting to get tired from holding my own weight to keep myself from falling further into the hole. My left leg is twisted behind me, half caught in the hole and my ankle is caught on the remains of the step. Besides my arms, my foot is the only thing keeping me from falling farther through.
Why am *I* always the one that's falling through stairs? Guess it could be worse, I could have a nice chunk of metal through my stomach right now…
"Are you hurt, Princess?" Groo steps up behind Wesley, and I see the rest of the gang pile into the hallway from various rooms.
"No, I'm crying out in pain because I'm having the time of my life." I shoot at him, before turning back to look up the stairs. I can feel the blood soaking through my jeans now.
"What happened?" I hear Aris' voice behind me and I sigh in relief. She'll know what to do. I hope. "Oh, my..."
I turn back to her, and see her start up the steps. "No! It can't hold you!" I yell at her, but she just puts a finger to her mouth, telling me to be quiet.
She presses her body as tight against the wall as she can, and it seems like she's only taking a step every minute. I can still feel the wood shifting under me, and my heart is hammering in my chest. She finally reaches me, and when I think she's about to pull me out, she steps right over my head to the next step.
"Don't step there…" I whisper urgently to her. "Go to the next one. It won't hold you." I hold my breath as she slowly removes her booted foot from the weak step, places it on the one above, and hefts herself up. She takes the last steps up onto the landing before turning back to me, and holds her hand out.
"Come on, you can do it." She whispers to me.
I look at her hand, then down at my leg, hoping that if I fall, the ground's only a few feet below me. But then again, if the floor falls through also, I'll probably be under a pile of heavy wood.
So I reach up and take her hand. She starts to pull backward and I push myself up and out, crying out at the pain that's stabbing at my right leg. I'm finally at a point where I can stretch out my left leg, and use it to push myself forward. Aris keeps pulling at me, urging me to give her my other hand, so I do.
Finally after what feels like forever, we're able to get me out of the hole, and Aris pulls me up to her on the landing. I collapse my weight against her, and we both fall onto the floor. The pain in my leg is so bad, I'm panting now, and she rolls me onto my back to check the damage.
I manage to pull myself up against the wall, making sure to avoid the glass on the burnt carpeting, and she looks at my leg.
"Ouch. That must not feel good." She looks up at me, and smiles. All I can afford is an eyeroll, too much pain to talk. "At least the cut isn't very deep."
"Yeah, well it's deep enough to hurt." I whine at her, as I look at my leg. There's a long gash down the front of my thigh, and my jeans are ripped open. She's right though, I've seen worse. I've seen worse on a vampire with remarkable heal-y powers. But this is little 'ol human me we're talking about. No magical healing powers for this little mammal… Damnit.
"I'm gonna try and find a towel. Don't go anywhere." She smiles at me, before getting up.
"Oh, ha ha. You're funny for being British." I smile up at her, and she laughs before disappearing through a doorway.
"Cordy? You okay up there, girl?"
"Yeah, Gunn. I'm fine! Aris is gonna patch me up!" I yell back down at him.
"Where's boss-man?"
I immediately cringe at that. Well, 'boss-man' used to be Wesley, and in that case, he's standing right next to you. But… I guess he's not anymore.
"I don't know!" I sigh, and let my head fall back against the wall and close my eyes. I don't even hear Aris come back, but I feel her start to wrap something around my leg so I open my eyes again.
"What is that?" I ask her, pointing at the floral-print fabric she's wrapping around my thigh.
"It was from the bed. I couldn't find anything else, so I ripped it off." She shrugs.
"I hope I don't get some disease from that, cause it sure doesn't look sterile." I snort at her, and wince as she pulls it tight around my leg. "Ow. You did that on purpose!"
"That's what you get for questioning my triage skills." She smiles at me and stands, offering her hand, which I take.
"You know, for being a higher-- uh, being-- you sure have quite the witty personality."
"I take lots of notes from you humans. Never know when you'll get into a bitching contest with the locals." She wraps her arm around my waist, and I hold onto her, limping my way down the hall to search for our missing vampire warrior.
"I hear something. In there." Aris stops and points to a closed door on the right. I shrug her off, and limp my way to the door, turning the knob and letting it fall open. If memory serves me correctly, this is Buffy's room… Was, Buffy's room.
The whole room is bathed in dark shadows, the windows in here are still boarded up tight, not even a sliver of red sunlight can get through. I see something move in the gloom, in the back, and I immediately grab for the stake in my back pocket, bringing it up to the ready.
"Hello?" I call, stepping forward into the room, Aris right on my heels.
"Cordy?" It's Angel's voice, and I sigh in relief, dropping the stake to my side. I feel Aris fumbling around on the wall behind me, and I look to see what she's doing.
I hear the click, and the room is immediately lit. Sort of. It's coming from a lamp that was knocked over in the corner of the room, on the other side of the shredded bed, so it only lights up a small area. But it's enough light to be able to see Angel's dark form sitting on the side of the bed.
Holding something. Holding… "Connor?" Sheer disbelief comes out in my voice, and Angel nods, but he won't look at me. His entire face is hidden from me, but I don't notice that as I lurch forward, forgetting about my leg, and dropping down on my knees in front of him, and I let the stake roll off my fingertips.
And there he is, bundled up in his little blue blanket, staring up at his father, giggling. I sob with joy and my tears make my vision all blurry as I reach my hands up to Angel's face. "I knew we'd find him!"
I lean up to kiss him, but he pulls away, turning his head, and he holds his hands out to me to take Connor.
"Angel, what's wrong?" I ask him, worried, as I take Connor into my arms. I'm so worried I can't even relish in the feelings of joy I should be experiencing right now.
"Just take him. Go." He says quietly.
"Angel, you are scaring us. What's wrong?" Aris asks. I see her walking forward out of the corner of my eye, but I can't tear my attention away from Angel. She starts to move behind the bed, toward the lamp.
"Please? Just go. I'll… I'll be out in a minute."
"No, Angel. I'm not leaving you. What's wrong?" I press him. I still can't see his face, so I reach one hand out to touch him, but I feel something swipe my hand away. Not quite a hand, but… furrier?
Aris bends down to the lamp and picks it up off the floor, immediately the entire room is flooded with yellow light, and I almost gasp at what I see.
"Angel, your hands?" I furrow my brow, wondering what happened to him, and then it clicks. "The change." I breathe out.
"I don't want you to see me like this." He says, holding out his hands, looking at them. They still have their human shape, but they're longer, and covered in fur, and I can see the beginnings of claws.
"Oh, Angel. We'll fix it. Don't worry sweetie." I sit down next to him, sliding my free hand down his face, urging him to look at me. He does, and his eyes are filled with worry.
"What if we can't? I can't be like this forever." I see the tears shining in his eyes, and his voice cracks under the pressure.
"We'll fix it." I say resolutely. And we will… That's my promise to him, we'll make everything okay when we get home. I smile timidly at him, before sliding my hand around the back of his neck and pulling him to me.
He's a little surprised when our lips connect, a little apprehensive, but I can feel all that slipping away. Slowly, I melt into him, lost in the kiss, our lips dancing against each other. It's the first time I've kissed him like this, and it feels so right. So natural, like my lips have been waiting my whole life to find his, and now I'm home in him.
I wrap my arm around his neck, and I can feel something shifting on the side of his face. His ears. They're elongating.
He tries to pull away when he feels it, but I won't let him. He has to know he can't be ashamed of what's happening. I love him no matter what. So, he gives in, and wraps one arm around my waist, the other drifting to find my other hand holding Connor. I break the kiss to breath, and he lowers his forehead to mine, keeping our faces close. I hear Connor giggle, and we both look down at him and smile.
"Well. Isn't this cute."
A voice breaks us away from each other, and I hear Aris gasp behind us. I immediately turn to the doorway to see it—a grossly disfigured face, tall, very dangerous looking, demon.
"Sahjhan." Angel growls behind me and shoots up from the bed, and in front of me and Connor.
Connor starts to wail, and I stand up behind Angel, trying to calm his cries.
"Thanks for finding him for me. You know, you always make my job so much easier." I peak my head out from behind Angel and see—Sahjhan? Is that his name?—smirk at himself. I guess he thinks he's funny.
"You won't touch that child!" I hear Aris scream, seconds before lunging for him across the room, and I gasp out loud.
==++==++==++==
To Be Continued…
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