Four Corners
Part:
8/?
Rating: PG-13
Couples: C/A, B/S
Spoilers: Set in Angel around 'Billy'. Set in Buffy after 'Wrecked'.
Feedback: Y'know I love feedback! So keep sendin' it!
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters. The storyline was derived from the episode "Secrets and Lies" in ER. The name of the fic was taken from the episode "Four Corners" also in ER. A few phrases were taken from context past the aforementioned episodes.
Chapter 8
~*~Cordelia~*~
" What'd he mean by that Angel?" I asked my champion once Lindsey had walked off.
Who would've thought that *Lindsey* was the mastermind behind all this?
I was almost positive it was that bitch Lilah.
" I don't know. Who knows what goes on in his mind?"
" Guys, can we hurry out of here? I really need to…y'know." Buffy mumbled.
Now, was it *really* necessary for her to tell us that.
" Let's go." Angel agreed. The four of us slowly walked towards the door.
I kept taking deep breaths…taking in the fresh air that we were lacking enclosed in that room.
That room had made me really claustrophobic.
From now on, small rooms were a big *no-no*.
We walked towards the exit, when the ground suddenly started to rumble. I shrieked and clutched onto Angel, as I was about to tip over.
" What's going on?" Spike screamed over the loud rumbling.
" What's he doing to us?" Buffy yelled.
" He's burying the building." Angel realised. I looked up at Angel, flabbergasted.
" *What*!"
How Angel could stand there…immobile…and say that *emotionless*…I'll *never* know!
" You two might wanna you know…*run*!" Spike shouted. I noticed that Buffy and him had already raced further than us, urging us to follow them. I heard screaming from somewhere in the building.
I froze.
" Angel! Cordy…hurry up!" I heard Buffy bark; now she and Spike had made it safely outside. I stood watching in awe as the exit began to slowly sink into the ground.
" Oh shit."
" Run Cordy!" Angel ordered. He pulled me with him and once I regained feeling in my legs, both of us sprinted towards the slowly sinking door.
" Angel, we won't make it." I protested, halting.
" Slide." Angel commanded as he pulled my arm.
" What?"
Did I *really* want to get crushed by a door?
" Just follow me, Cor. We'll make it." Angel assured me.
" We had better! 'Cos I'd prefer dying through something heroic than being flattened by a *door*!" I yelled. Angel smirked and reassured me that we were gonna make it. He told me to slide when he would indicate and I nodded in agreement.
" Cordy…*now*!" He yelled, pushing me in front of him. I slid, as Angel had instructed me to, and thankfully the two of us securely, yet *very* closely, made it out of the building.
Just *slightly* bruised.
" Oh god." I mumbled, standing back up and dusting off my jeans. The running and sliding had tired my already exhausted body out.
" Great…my favorite jeans are filthy. This'll *never* come out." I exclaimed.
" Cordy!" Angel yelled at me, I realised that he was urging me to continue running.
" We have to get a safe distance away from the *plummeting* building." He continued.
" You have *got* to be kidding me!" I moaned. I was *so* not in the mood for running.
I mean…*hello* I was like almost going to *die* a few minutes ago! I don't think I need to kill myself *dashing*!
" Cordelia!" Angel groaned, pulling my hand. I sighed and reluctantly forced my legs to run further.
After a few minutes of *very* tough running, Angel and I *finally* caught up to Buffy and Spike. The two were standing on a deserted pathway.
I collapsed to the ground in pain.
My head was throbbing, my heart was beating rapidly and my body was absolutely *shattered*.
" Did that guy just *bury* a building with people in it?" Buffy asked, not bothering to even *flinch* at the fast paced run we had just made.
Spike and Angel stood, not taking a single intake of breath.
Damn all of them and their super-powered and non-air needing lungs!
" Yeah…Lindsey has issues." Angel explained.
" Oh."
" At least he let us free before he did that."
" We…j-just…barely…made…it…out." I huffed out.
" Yeah. So ummm…I guess we leave now." Angel replied.
" Yeah, I should really get home. Dawn must be worried." Buffy stated.
" Plus she's gotta take a piss." Spike added.
*Ewwwwwwwwwwwww*!
" Spike!" Buffy yelled.
" We should also…go…now. And ummm…let Buffy…do her business…before…she wets herself." I breathed out, with a smile. Buffy shot me a ha-ha look.
" Yeah, so we'll be going." Angel confirmed. He then awkwardly looked at our two other companions, particularly Buffy.
" Oh, okay. You sure you don't want to see the others?" Buffy responded quietly.
" Nah, we're cool. Say hi to 'em from us though. Give Dawn a hug from me." I responded.
And still we remained motionless.
Nobody walked away. Nobody wanted to be the one to say goodbye first.
" Okay, enough of this awkward crap. Slayer, let's go." Spike finally retorted a few minutes later.
I *knew* Spike would break first.
" It was nice seeing you again." Angel replied as Buffy leaned in and the two hugged…making the first gesture.
Now, they do seem to be embracing for a lengthy time. And as exes…a little *too* comfortably.
La, la, la, la…okay, are they *planning* on disentangling themselves from one another any time soon?
" Cordy, it was great seeing you again. Visit more often." Buffy said turning to me once she and Angel had separated…after like *five* minutes. She knelt down and gave me a hug, and I hugged her back.
Weird, we're like girlfriends now…y'know…despite the obvious jealousy flaws.
" Bye mate."
" Bye."
Spike and Angel shared a brief farewell and an 'I-hate-you-so-no-hugs-from-me-to-you' look.
Why can't they just admit that…deep down…they do…in a way…care for each other?
To my surprise though, Spike gave *me* a hug. A pleasant one too.
" See ya brunette."
To think at one point I used to be afraid of this peroxide vampire.
" Call me Cordy, Spike. Hope to see you again." I said as I hugged him back.
The four of us then stood, silently, looking at each other for a while, before Buffy and Spike turned away and left…together surprisingly.
Angel then started making his way towards his car. I remained on the floor.
" Angel! Can you help me up?"
~*~Angel~*~
After I had helped a fatigued Cordelia to my car, in my arms, we made our way back home.
" So…quite a day wasn't it?" Cordy spoke up a while later. After a few minutes her breathing had stabled and she wasn't so puffed out.
That's the problem with Cordy and me. We're totally different…like me and Buffy were.
She's human and I'm a vampire.
She was panting after that run, I wasn't.
If we were to have something…it would be very difficult to maintain, wouldn't it?
" Yeah. Hell of a day. I *told* you I didn't like Sunnydale. Bad things *always* happen here."
" It's called the Hellmouth, Broody Boy. And have *I* ever seemed to *like* my birthplace?"
" No…you hate it here. So I guess we're alike in that aspect." I grasped. A huge grin plastered on my face.
Ah-ha! Maybe we aren't so different.
" Yeah…ummm whatever." Cordelia mumbled. She was giving me a weird look.
Maybe my grin was too wide?
We then made our way towards L.A…in silence. A very *long* uncomfortable silence.
It was weird…but the most peculiar thing was that I was starting to miss Buffy and Spike's company…a mere ten minutes after seeing them.
Their presence had allowed Cordelia and me to open up and reveal hidden secrets to one another.
May they have been *bad* ones.
But there were still some things between us that were hidden.
" Cordy, now we're out of there…tell me about the visions. Everything." I choked out after a while.
" Angel." Cordelia's tone was soft and distant; her eyes remained glued to the window. I could sense a hint of fear in there too. She was persistent in not wanting me to know. And that was making me more determined.
" I wanna make a fresh start, Cor. I'll admit in the past year I made some *really* bad mistakes…but we got past that. The past few months, I've felt that we've rebuilt our friendship. But to get further…we need to tell one another *everything*. Everything we haven't been telling each other."
" You want to go *further* than *friendship*?" She asked me with a raised eyebrow.
Uh oh.
" Ummm…to uhhhh…*higher* friendship." I quickly stammered.
Great cover Angel! Higher friendship?
I'm *sure* she'll fall for that.
" There's no such thing, Angel." Cordelia replied amused.
Dammit!
" Cordelia, I-I… " I sighed. I might as well tell her…I *want* to tell her everything, don't I? I guess I can tell her how I *really* feel about her.
" Angel?"
Okay…just say it.
" Cordy, what I mean by further than friendship is…well I don't want to be just friends with you. I-I want more." I spluttered out.
Hey, I did it! I really did it!
Wait…*why* isn't she answering?
Oh shit.
How will I *ever* take this all back if she doesn't feel the same way?
" Really? But Angel…" Cordelia responded quietly after what seemed like hours. Her tone didn't sound reassuring.
" What?" I asked worriedly.
" I'm a *brunette*." She finished…cracking up.
" Ha. Ha. Very funny, Cordy. You really freaked me out." I answered.
Did I just use the word 'freaked'?
" Honestly, I do too Angel. I wanna be more than friends." She said with a sincere smile.
" *Really*?" I uttered.
" Yeah. Lately…I've been feeling different towards you. It's like…*attraction*?"
" Moira, more like." I mumbled.
" Say what?"
" I said…ummm same here. After all this time working side by side…we were bound to y'know…*attract*."
" I guess. Though I've never found Wes that sexy."
" Sexy? You think *I'm* sexy?" I was blushing…as much as a pale vamp could.
" Don't flatter yourself." Cordelia replied. My smile turned upside down…but Cordelia's goofy grin made me realise she wasn't being honest.
" So…ummm…what do we do about the 'attraction'?" I asked her after a pause. It seemed like we were a bunch of awkward teenagers.
Wait…is Cordy *still* a teenager?
" I don't know. Do you want to be in a *relationship*?" Cordy asked. Her voice seemed clogged; she was biting out the words.
" Ummm…I don't know. I'd like to…but…" I began. Previous issues aroused up again. Ones that forbade me to be with Buffy…let alone others.
I pushed them back. I wasn't going to let those issues effect my life forever.
" *Yes*. I'd like to." I finished.
" Well…Angel…*I-I* can't. There's just so much you don't know. Stuff…if we were together…would affect us *a lot*." Cordelia began, a few tears appearing her eyes. Her answer shocked me.
" So…then *tell* me. Tell me what I don't know. Tell me about the visions. Tell me about *everything*." I pleaded again. She looked at me, her eyes slightly widened.
" You want to know *everything*?"
" Yes." I remarked. She sighed.
" Fine. It'll be hard to believe and take in."
" Just tell me."
" I'm dying."
Okay, my heart's stopped beating…no wait…it didn't do that before either. But…
I'm crushed.
It couldn't be true. Not to Cordelia. Not to Cordy.
She's so young…so full of life. She's…*mine*. She can't be taken away from me again. Not by *death*.
" What?" I finally choked out.
" I'm dying, Angel. And before you say…nah. Just listen." She instructed. I meekly nodded.
" I've had tests and they all say my brain's well…mushy. That's why I take strong medication, that's why I fainted. They've given me a few months, tops. And…there's *no* way to stop it."
" Cor…we'll *find* a way." I insisted. There's *no* way I was just gonna let her go…not after we've finally admitted liking each other.
How could I not know about this earlier?
" There's no way, Angel." She asserted.
" Then what do we do *now*?" I said with a throaty voice. I had a huge lump in my throat. I had just learned that the woman that I now cared for was going to die.
" Well…we'll do whatever when the time feels right. But right now…don't tell the others. And don't treat me different."
" How can I *not*? I love you and you're going to die." Tears welled up in my eyes. Why did I press her for information?
" Angel…I know it's hard to take in. It was for me too. I don't want to die…really I don't. But…I can't help it. Now for me, will you just let me live the life I have? Don't change *any* of it. *Please*?"
It was a very difficult request…but I had to go with it.
" Sure. But I'll find a way Cor. I promise."
" Angel." She looked at my determination and sighed. "Fine…try."
I looked ahead and realised that we had reached home. I hastily wiped traces of tears.
" Angel…it'll be alright, okay?" Cordelia said as she turned to me.
" I want you to know…I love you." She whispered quietly, tears welled up in her eyes. She leaned forward and caressed my cheek with the back of her hand.
" Cor…" I began, but was interrupted as Cordelia's lips captured mine. We shared a brief yet intimate kiss.
" I love you too." I declared hoarsely as we separated. She gave me her 100-watt grin.
" We're home." Cordy stated, pointing to the hotel in front of us. She then hopped out of her seat and started to make her way towards the entrance to the Hyperion, quite a few paces ahead of me.
" Cordy, promise me one thing?" I pulled her back towards me by clutching her wrist.
" What?"
" No more secrets, okay?" She looked at me and smiled.
" Okay…but same for you."
" I've got nothing to hide." I remarked as I pushed open the door. The two of us walked in excitedly.
" Hi guys we're…*Darla*?" I recognised. In the middle of the lobby, surrounded by my friends, stood my pregnant sire.
" *Angel*!" Cordelia yelled.
Oh crap.
~*~Buffy~*~
" Some day, wasn't it?" I recalled to Spike. I don't know why we were walking together and I don't know why he was escorting me to my door but well it didn't feel wrong.
" This scar will always be a reminder of the hell that was that room…and well Angelus' jealousy." Spike declared, showing me the now scarred wound on his chest.
" Yeah Angel can get a bit…" I started but got slightly distracted as I examined Spike's chest.
Hmmm…*that* chest. That *very* sexy chest.
" Buffy!" Spike's call suddenly helped me snap out of my infatuation with his chest.
Oh my god! Was I almost *dribbling*?!?!
" Yeah. Ummm…what?" I asked him, remembering that he had called me.
" Nuthin'…was just trying to get your attention off my pecks." Spike replied with a sneer.
My eyes widened.
" I-I was *not* looking at your uhhhh…*pecks*." I stammered.
" Looking…drooling. Not much of a difference." He replied mockingly, as we continued walking towards me house.
" I *hate* you." I groaned with annoyance.
" I love you." Spike replied instantly, continuing to walk. I suddenly stopped moving, comprehending what he said.
It was as if for the first time his response had actually hit me.
Spike noticed that I had stopped and hadn't retorted anything back.
" Buffy…what's wrong? Are you feeling okay, 'cos you usually retort 'I can't love you. You're a monster,' part now." Spike scoffed as he turned back to me.
I was frozen in thought.
Memories of moments when Spike's helped me…even when he was evil flooded in my mind.
Kisses we shared. The few times we had sex. Times we teamed up.
They all started coming to me at once.
And then came a flash of the conversation I had with Angel, him telling me how much Spike loved me.
And then as suddenly as the memories had flashed, they left.
Leaving me with a few unresolved answers.
" Buffy?" Spike asked worryingly.
" Spike…we need to talk." I uttered quietly, motioning towards a bench on the side of the road.
" What's up?" He asked me, lighting up a cigarette and sitting next to me on the bench.
" Tell me you love me." I insisted. It was a strong request…but I needed to hear it.
" I love you. You know I do." Spike replied, obviously surprised by my demand, yet fulfilling it.
" More than Drusilla?" I asked quietly.
" What?" He exclaimed, cocking his head to the side with bewilderment.
" Just give me an answer." I begged him, my voice all clogged up. He paused, looking at me intensely before speaking.
" Yeah." Spike answered awkwardly. I processed his answer and then responded quietly.
" Why?"
" What the bloody hell is wrong with you Slayer? Why *what*?" He was getting agitated and obviously confused.
I don't know why I'm intent on his answers. I don't know *why* I'm so persistent.
But…after those flashes, something within me wanted to know. Wanted to know answers.
" *Why* do you love me more than Drusilla? *Why* do you love me at *all*?" I clarified.
Those memories that cascaded my mind all seemed to indicate one thing. When Spike made a move, I always returned the favor.
And there were times when *I* was the one to make the move.
I've always led Spike on. I've always given him what he's wanted and I have no idea why.
Spike and I have a rocky relationship…if you could even call it that. And I want to know why he loves me…the reasoning behind his infatuation with me.
The basis of this so-called relationship we have.
I want to know what it is he possesses that makes him love me…the thing that can help me learn to love *him* or at least *like* him as more than a scapegoat.
" I told you I love you more than Dru." Spike asserted with a puff of smoke. He's confused, I can tell.
To be honest, so am I.
My *whole* world is confused. Before the room incident and after.
I've got a mystical ball of energy as a sister.
Giles has left again and I'm not sure for how long.
Willow's gone weird on magic and is dealing with relationship issues.
And Xander…well he's distant.
They all are.
In fact, *I'm* distant.
Everything's so confusing. There was a time when we were *all* happy…together. There was a time that we were even happy to be preventing an apocalypse.
But now…despite living under a roof and seeing each other *everyday*…we couldn't be further apart.
Spike also adds to the equation of my confusion.
Why am I with him?
Why is he the only one who understands me now? Why does my former enemy know me better than my best friends?
Why do I *hate* him but *crave* him at the same time?
That's why I need this talk. I need this talk to hopefully clear the confusion…at least with Spike and me.
" Why?" I repeated. He stood up, with the annoyance covering his face.
" What the bloody hell is wrong with you? Why do I love you, is that what you want to know? *Why*? Well…I *don't* know. Does *anyone* know why they love someone!?!" He yelled at me. I slouched on the bench, smoke floating around me.
" There must be something that made you one day think…I don't want to kill her, I love her." I retorted. He snorted.
" I had a dream…but that didn't make me love you. Slayer, if I knew *why* I loved you…don't you think I would have gotten rid of this feeling. You think I *like* having myself lovesick over you? That I like being your bloody lapdog? I *hate* this feeling…but I can't *help* feeling it." He bit out.
" Tell me how can *I* feel it?" I choked out.
~*~Spike~*~
Did I just hear that?
Did Buffy just ask me to help her feel? Help her feel in love with me?
Hmmm…how can I do that? [insert evil smirk]
" Spike…what we're doing, it's wrong. It's immoral. It's…" Buffy stammered.
" Disgusting?" I chipped in with a groan.
" Yes. I know you don't think so…but it is. All we do is…" She began, but stopped, not bearing to utter that all we do is grope each other.
" Yeah so?" I grumbled.
" I don't want this anymore. I don't want to be with you and forget about everything. I don't want to *use* you to deal with my issues. I don't want to be weak and selfish. I want to…" Buffy spoke, her voice trembled.
This was serious.
" Are you breaking up with…?" I began, realisation setting in.
She was clearly telling me it was over.
" No." She whispered inaudibly.
" What?" I exclaimed, absorbing her response that my sensitive hearing had picked up.
" I don't want *this* anymore. I want something else…I want a new beginning, William." Buffy spoke, looking up at me with a small smile.
" You mean?" I asked. I was flabbergasted…the slayer wanted me. Not in just a sexual way but in a boyfriend way.
She wasn't breaking it off.
" I know. It's weird…it's…I'm crazy aren't I?" She asked laughing uncomfortably.
" Not complaining here." I replied with a grin.
" I want to start all over. I want to start my life over…my life ever since I was brought back. I want to be best friends with Xander and Will again. I want to be a good sister to Dawn. And…I want to begin something new with you." She answered.
Bloody hell!
I never imagined this to happen. I never imagined that she would actually want a relationship from *me*.
" But…it's going to take time. To start something totally new…totally different. We-we'll need time. Space."
" Huh." Great, she finally wanted something…but after a while. There's always a catch!
" We can't exactly change from what we've been doing to being a couple in a day Spike." She confirmed.
A couple?
Buffy and me…a *couple*.
Oh…*oh*.
" Are you okay Spike?" Buffy asked me, cutting through thoughts.
Did I *really* want to be a couple with Buffy? *Could* I be a couple with Buffy?
" Spike! What's wrong with you?" Buffy exclaimed.
" How *can* we be a…*couple*?" I blurted.
" What?"
" You want us to be a couple in the future. So do I…but how can we do it?"
" We can work on it." She mumbled.
" Work on it? Slayer, I'm a *bloody* vampire. An *evil* one too. You don't trust me…you don't even *love* me!"
" I do…trust you Spike. Those issues…those were problems I had with us too. But I realised I *do* trust you. For some reason I always have, but I couldn't admit it. I've *never* doubted leaving Dawn in your care. I've trusted your instincts on a number of occasions. Hell, I even invited you into my house when you were trying to *kill* me. But…I don't love you…not yet anyways. But I'm willing to try…I'd *like* to love you." She uttered.
" Why the change of heart, love?" I asked with curiosity. Her questions and confessions had been abrupt. Like they came out of nowhere.
" I had to be prompted by a few memories and…people. I guess I was just too slow to realise earlier."
" A lot of that going on lately." I scoffed.
" You think Angel and Cordelia will get together?" Buffy asked.
" Probably if the slow nimrods realise that they love each other."
" Speaking of slow, we had better get hurry up. It's almost sunrise and I don't know if anyone's with Dawn." Buffy spoke as she got up and walked. I joined her and the two of us strolled for a few blocks.
" You ever thought of y'know…getting a car?" I asked her.
" That's a good idea. I'm sure I can get a car with the five bucks I have. Didn't you have a car?"
" Dru took it…when we broke up."
" Was it like a divorce settlement?" Buffy responded sarcastically.
" The Chaos demon she dumped me for left a trail of goo after him, not useful when you murder a person. So she took the car from me…just like she took everything else from me." I replied, choking it out.
" Oh." Buffy responded as she quietly walked.
Drusilla had not only taken my car. She had taken my heart, my passion…my love…everything.
And now I got most of it back.
Suddenly Buffy clasped my hand in hers.
I looked down at our adjoined hands and then back at her. She was smiling.
I smiled back.
Maybe being a couple wouldn't be so bad.
~*~*~*~
Lilah Morgan clutched her purse as she paced the room. The soles of her Boracchi shoes were worn and her hair was a mess. She had, with a lot of difficulty, managed to escape tumbling objects from harming her.
" This is *your* fault. *You* called us here and *he* buried us *underground*. Now, because of *you*, we're all going to die." Gavin whined, pointing at Lilah.
Gavin Park was sitting in a corner of the room, panicking. His expensive Armani suit was tattered, his Gucci loafers were filthy and the descending of the building had caused part of a shelf to fall on his head forming a big gash.
" Shut up you son of a bitch. This isn't *my* fault. I'm stuck here *too* with you. Believe me that is torture enough! And you know what sucks the most…Lindsey *liked* me. He's *always* liked me. He respected me and he respected *my* work. I was his partner for God's sake! If it's anybody's fault we're in this situation…it's this *whole* damn firm's fault." Lilah groaned.
" If the Senior Partners hear about Mr. McDonald's revenge Lilah, which I can rest assure they *will*, heads are going to roll. They will look to assign the blame on someone and I'll tell you now that I'll step forward…and accuse *you*." Linwood spoke from behind a desk.
" We're in a suppressed building locked in a room! I doubt that we'll make it to *be* accused. And if I know Lindsey, and I *know* Lindsey, I don't think that this is the only problem the Senior Partners have." Lilah shouted.
" Ms. Morgan, do I have to remind you that I'm your boss? Your performance and attitude will not set well with the Senior Partners." Linwood responded nonchalantly.
Lilah looked at Linwood before screaming at the top of her lungs to free her…or to kill her.
~*~*~*~
Lindsey McDonald walked away from the sinking Wolfram & Hart building to his pickup truck. Before sitting in, he turned back to look at his work one last time.
There was no building in sight, and only the shrill of a distressed woman could faintly be heard.
Satisfaction covered his attractive face as he turned back to his truck and drove off.
" Revenge is *so* sweet."
~*~Finis~*~
A/N I hope you liked it. This chapter was very difficult to write due to a lack of time available and a lack of ideas. I'll admit, I'm not exactly satisfied with this chapter. I wasn't too sure to end it off with both couples hooking up…so that's why the couples are still not exactly together and are a bit weird. Still, I hoped that the fic entertained you as that was my main purpose for writing it. I loved writing this fic and I especially loved readin' all your feedback. So, thank you for all the feedback you sent! I appreciated each and everyone of your views and suggestions. That doesn't mean that the feedback stops there…send more now!