*-*-*
Part eight
*-*-*
She'd finally agreed on seeing a doctor, but except from a little cold he couldn't find anything. Some syrup, some pills and lots of sleep and she'd be back in the running she'd said. Angel had simply smiled. Cordy would be just fine. And he hadn't even really minded that Richard had called. He had asked her out again, but she'd said she wasn't feeling well, so he didn't bother anymore. She was asleep again soon after that call, and Angel went into the kitchen, where Dennis handed him a glass of blood.
'Thanks Dennis', he said, feeling a gentle breeze, 'She's asleep now. The doctor said she'd be fine.' he said as he went to sit down. 'But I don't know.' he thought. Her skin had gotten even paler, even though the fever was gone. But she was weak. He was scared the doctor was wrong, that this wasn't just a normal cold. He let out a sigh as he ran his hands though his hair. He didn't know why. Because he felt so helpless, or just because he loved her.
*-*-*
'Boss, it's me. It's working.' he said over the phone, 'yes, . Don't worry. I'll get the girl.'
Richard was at home, sitting on his terrace, nipping of his whiskey. He'd called Cordelia, finding out she was ill. It was working like a charm. The ring slowly taking over her powers, slowly destroying her immune system in the process, letting illness reign freely, eventually possibly leading to her death. Somehow he regretted it. She was pretty, very pretty, and nice. But he'd learnt to accept it. This was business, business as usual.
*-*-*
'Vamps?' Gunn asked, more a rhetorical question, after hearing how Gilly's lover was murdered.
'Possibly, yes.' Wesley said, pushing his glasses back in place after having them cleaned.
'And that boss.'
'Human, most likely.'
'Wolfram and Hart?'
'I don't know... We can't find any relations between them.'
'What's that?' Spike asked, opening his mouth for the first time since Wesley had taken them to his office, telling them Gilly's story while the girls were up in Gilly's room.
'What's what?' Gunn asked, looking over to the bleach-haired vampire.
'Wolfram and Heart?'
'Wolfram and Hart,' Wesley corrected, 'Is a law firm.'
'Bad company.' Gunn added.
'They help out the.bad guys in this city.'
'Oh.'
'So what do we do?'
'Inform Angel and find that Boss.' Wesley suggested.
'Where's peaches anyway?' Spike asked
'He's with Cordelia', Gunn said, 'She's ill.'
*-*-*
Lindsey flipped through the pages of the file in front of him. There were so many details, details of her personal life, of her friends and family. It reminded him of his time at Wolfram and Hart.
'Gillian Reid. Date of birth 09-07-1980, Illinois. Parents: Don Reid and Janet Anderson..'
He sighed. The girl had disappeared only a couple of days ago. 'This is gonna be a piece of cake.' he muttered in a voice filled with sarcasm as he took up his pencil to make some notes.
*-*-*
CORDY'S POV
I'm feeling terrible. My head is still thumping, my back and my throat are soar. One positive thing: the nausea is gone, the fever is down.
Angel's still in the living room with Dennis. He's been here all night by my side, worrying about me, holding me. I know he's still worried, and to be honest, so am I. The doctor's been here, but it's no use. It's like when I was still 100% human, visions slowly killing my brain cells one by one.Only now, I don't know what's killing me.
I can hear Angel whispering in the living room. I guess he's calling Wes or Gunn again, telling them I'm better, and checking on Connor.
Spike. he's still there too. Don't ask me why, but he just showed up one day and didn't leave. Not that I really mind. He's a good puppy now, barking but no biting, just the way I like them! Oh God, now I'm sounding like I actually like him! * Sigh*
Richard called too, asking me out again. I told him I couldn't, that I wasn't feeling well. He just said 'oh, another time then sweetheart'. I guess his crush is over. Angel was right, again.
My thoughts are abruptly ended as the sneering pain flew though my head.
'A vision, great! Just what I need' I mutter, but it wasn't a vision this time, just a headache.
I guess I must have passed out then, I don't really remember. All I know is waking up again, looking into Angel's eyes. He'd placed a cool cloth on my forehead, trying to take down the fever, which had returned once more.
I try to speak, but my throat is soar and my voice a mere whisper. Angel placed a finger on my mouth, then replaced it with his lips.
'It'll be all right,' he said, softly caressing my cheek, brushing away the tears that had found their way down.
'I promise I'll make it stop.'
*-*-*
As the days flew by, the situation only got worse. The doctor came and went, and in the end they didn't bother to call him anymore. It was magic, that was for sure. Lorne had dropped by, but he couldn't help her. Angel had moved in with her, taking care of her, and Connor, who was still at the hotel.
Spike helped Wesley, Gunn and Fred with their investigation and helped them taking care of Connor in Angel's absence, and Gilly. He also took care of briefing Angel as soon as another lead was found. They were researching Ray, and Big Boss, but the results were poor to say the least. Gilly was helping the best she could, but it didn't really help.
On top of that, there was Cordy's illness.
*-*-*
Lindsey looked at Richard, who was smiling brightly. Lindsey had found a lead to the girl. He'd contacted some old friends of his, and he's seen her at the mall with a girl and a guy he'd seen with Angel once. He didn't like the thought that the girl was linked to the souled vampire. 'Great job, Lindsey. Now I want you to get her to.'
'No.'
'No?'
'I'm sorry Rich, I've done what you asked me. I got you the girl, the address where to find her. My job is done.'
'But Lindsey.'
'Why are you so interested in her anyway?'
'I love her.'
'No you don't.'
'No, I don't, but that's not really any of you business now is it? If I want to kill her off, that's my thing, and now I know where to find her, so yes, thank you then, Lindsey!'
*-*-*
Part eight
*-*-*
She'd finally agreed on seeing a doctor, but except from a little cold he couldn't find anything. Some syrup, some pills and lots of sleep and she'd be back in the running she'd said. Angel had simply smiled. Cordy would be just fine. And he hadn't even really minded that Richard had called. He had asked her out again, but she'd said she wasn't feeling well, so he didn't bother anymore. She was asleep again soon after that call, and Angel went into the kitchen, where Dennis handed him a glass of blood.
'Thanks Dennis', he said, feeling a gentle breeze, 'She's asleep now. The doctor said she'd be fine.' he said as he went to sit down. 'But I don't know.' he thought. Her skin had gotten even paler, even though the fever was gone. But she was weak. He was scared the doctor was wrong, that this wasn't just a normal cold. He let out a sigh as he ran his hands though his hair. He didn't know why. Because he felt so helpless, or just because he loved her.
*-*-*
'Boss, it's me. It's working.' he said over the phone, 'yes, . Don't worry. I'll get the girl.'
Richard was at home, sitting on his terrace, nipping of his whiskey. He'd called Cordelia, finding out she was ill. It was working like a charm. The ring slowly taking over her powers, slowly destroying her immune system in the process, letting illness reign freely, eventually possibly leading to her death. Somehow he regretted it. She was pretty, very pretty, and nice. But he'd learnt to accept it. This was business, business as usual.
*-*-*
'Vamps?' Gunn asked, more a rhetorical question, after hearing how Gilly's lover was murdered.
'Possibly, yes.' Wesley said, pushing his glasses back in place after having them cleaned.
'And that boss.'
'Human, most likely.'
'Wolfram and Hart?'
'I don't know... We can't find any relations between them.'
'What's that?' Spike asked, opening his mouth for the first time since Wesley had taken them to his office, telling them Gilly's story while the girls were up in Gilly's room.
'What's what?' Gunn asked, looking over to the bleach-haired vampire.
'Wolfram and Heart?'
'Wolfram and Hart,' Wesley corrected, 'Is a law firm.'
'Bad company.' Gunn added.
'They help out the.bad guys in this city.'
'Oh.'
'So what do we do?'
'Inform Angel and find that Boss.' Wesley suggested.
'Where's peaches anyway?' Spike asked
'He's with Cordelia', Gunn said, 'She's ill.'
*-*-*
Lindsey flipped through the pages of the file in front of him. There were so many details, details of her personal life, of her friends and family. It reminded him of his time at Wolfram and Hart.
'Gillian Reid. Date of birth 09-07-1980, Illinois. Parents: Don Reid and Janet Anderson..'
He sighed. The girl had disappeared only a couple of days ago. 'This is gonna be a piece of cake.' he muttered in a voice filled with sarcasm as he took up his pencil to make some notes.
*-*-*
CORDY'S POV
I'm feeling terrible. My head is still thumping, my back and my throat are soar. One positive thing: the nausea is gone, the fever is down.
Angel's still in the living room with Dennis. He's been here all night by my side, worrying about me, holding me. I know he's still worried, and to be honest, so am I. The doctor's been here, but it's no use. It's like when I was still 100% human, visions slowly killing my brain cells one by one.Only now, I don't know what's killing me.
I can hear Angel whispering in the living room. I guess he's calling Wes or Gunn again, telling them I'm better, and checking on Connor.
Spike. he's still there too. Don't ask me why, but he just showed up one day and didn't leave. Not that I really mind. He's a good puppy now, barking but no biting, just the way I like them! Oh God, now I'm sounding like I actually like him! * Sigh*
Richard called too, asking me out again. I told him I couldn't, that I wasn't feeling well. He just said 'oh, another time then sweetheart'. I guess his crush is over. Angel was right, again.
My thoughts are abruptly ended as the sneering pain flew though my head.
'A vision, great! Just what I need' I mutter, but it wasn't a vision this time, just a headache.
I guess I must have passed out then, I don't really remember. All I know is waking up again, looking into Angel's eyes. He'd placed a cool cloth on my forehead, trying to take down the fever, which had returned once more.
I try to speak, but my throat is soar and my voice a mere whisper. Angel placed a finger on my mouth, then replaced it with his lips.
'It'll be all right,' he said, softly caressing my cheek, brushing away the tears that had found their way down.
'I promise I'll make it stop.'
*-*-*
As the days flew by, the situation only got worse. The doctor came and went, and in the end they didn't bother to call him anymore. It was magic, that was for sure. Lorne had dropped by, but he couldn't help her. Angel had moved in with her, taking care of her, and Connor, who was still at the hotel.
Spike helped Wesley, Gunn and Fred with their investigation and helped them taking care of Connor in Angel's absence, and Gilly. He also took care of briefing Angel as soon as another lead was found. They were researching Ray, and Big Boss, but the results were poor to say the least. Gilly was helping the best she could, but it didn't really help.
On top of that, there was Cordy's illness.
*-*-*
Lindsey looked at Richard, who was smiling brightly. Lindsey had found a lead to the girl. He'd contacted some old friends of his, and he's seen her at the mall with a girl and a guy he'd seen with Angel once. He didn't like the thought that the girl was linked to the souled vampire. 'Great job, Lindsey. Now I want you to get her to.'
'No.'
'No?'
'I'm sorry Rich, I've done what you asked me. I got you the girl, the address where to find her. My job is done.'
'But Lindsey.'
'Why are you so interested in her anyway?'
'I love her.'
'No you don't.'
'No, I don't, but that's not really any of you business now is it? If I want to kill her off, that's my thing, and now I know where to find her, so yes, thank you then, Lindsey!'
*-*-*