"So how'd it go?" she asked with a smile, finishing the last nail with an expert touch.
"Fine," replied Angel gruffly from the doorway.
Cordelia looked at him, examining his face. "It doesn't sound fine," she countered. She got up and closed all the curtains, plunging the room into not-quite-total darkness.
Angel flipped the light switch by the door and came into the room. "I've got a lot on my mind."
She didn't know what to say. She had a lot on her mind too, not all of which she was willing to share at the moment.
"Tell me about your dream," Angel said, sitting on the edge of the table that was against the wall.
She repeated the particulars -- what she could remember of them, at least -- to him. He listened silently, and didn't say anything for a few minutes after she had finished.
"What did you dream about after that?" he asked when he was done thinking.
Cordelia raised her eyebrows. "Did Wesley tell you to pry?" she asked suspiciously. "Cause I already told him, it's private."
"Cordelia," said Angel firmly. "It's important."
She didn't bend, only stared back at him.
He sighed. "I had the same dream."
Cordelia looked shocked. "So it does mean something? I was starting to go with Wesley's random nightmare theory."
"I don't know," said Angel. "Probably, but I don't know what yet." He paused. "After that I dreamt that the Oracles were back. I can't seem to shake the feeling that the two were connected. And you did dream something afterward, didn't you?"
She swallowed nervously and nodded. "Doyle," she said so softly that it was nearly a whisper. "He was alive."
Angel nodded understandingly.
"So is it research time?" Cordelia asked, trying to get back her previous state of mind. "Cause if it is, I'm going out for sandwiches first. I never got around to eating-"
Her sentence was broken off by the pain surging through her head. She slumped over, bringing her hands up protectively. Angel rushed to her side with a glass of water.
"What is the deal with people in Sunnydale?!" Cordelia yelled the second she had her senses back.
"What did you see?" asked Angel anxiously.
"My ex and your ex in a very familiar position," she said, more than a touch of bitterness in her voice.
He only looked back at her, confused.
She rolled her eyes. "Senior year, when Spike kidnapped Willow and Xander?"
Angel nodded, remembering Spike's all-too-true diatribe on his and Buffy's relationship.
"Then Oz and I walked in on the two of them smooching and I fell through the stair and got impaled." Cordelia frowned at the memory.
"I remember," said Angel soothingly. "What about it?"
"I just saw Buffy and Xander in a very similar situation, her leaning over him and all! and to top it all off ...."
"What?"
"Two things," said Cordelia. "That big black cloud? It was there too. And I saw who kidnapped them." She eyed Angel cautiously, not wanting to say it.
"Spike?" Angel asked.
She shook her head. "No. Drusilla."
Angel couldn't hide the shock on his face quite as well as he wanted to, but he had soon resumed his normal calm, composed look.
"Looks like we're going to Sunnydale."
"All three of you had the same dream?" said Giles as he walked in. "Yes, that certainly is bizarre." They had bombarded him the second he had arrived. He sat down on the couch.
"What could it be, Giles?" Buffy could remember her dream clearly now. "Big freaky black cloud. Not exactly a happy omen."
"No, umm, I agree," said Giles. "But we can't jump to any conclusions yet."
"Research," said Willow with a sigh. She sank onto the couch
Giles gazed around the brightly-colored room. "No. You all need and deserve a break. I'll work on the research, and you all will have a nice party." He started to stand up.
"No," said Buffy, putting a slayer-powered firm hand on his shoulder. "You deserve a break as much as the rest of us. First we party, then we'll all research later."
He looked up at his slayer and saw that there would be no arguing with her. "Very well," Giles said. He held out the box that he had brought. "Fruit tarts. My grandmother's recipe."
"Yum!" said Xander, reaching for the box.
"Goody," Willow said. "No business until later."
"Right," said Buffy, smiling brightly.
The doorbell rang again, announcing an addition to their party. Buffy and Willow looked at each other, silently wondering whose significant other would be waiting outside. Willow looked at her watch.
"It's Riley," she said. "Tara's exam doesn't get out for another half hour."
Buffy opened the door. Riley and Graham were waiting patiently on the doorstep.
"Hey," said Riley, kissing her lightly.
"Hey Buffy," echoed Graham, smiling a little shyly.
She ushered them in the door and made quick introductions since a few people didn't know Graham. Most everyone was sitting in the living room now, so Buffy dragged Riley into the empty dining room.
"Are you OK?" she asked him seriously. "You seem a little groggy today."
He was surprised that she had already noticed. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just didn't sleep very well last night."
"Bad dreams?" she pressed, concern reaching a different level.
"How'd you guess? I think it's leftover stress from the whole Adam thing."
"You dreamt about Adam?" Buffy said, seeming a little disappointed. "No big black cloud?"
Riley raised an eyebrow. "Black cloud? No, just Adam and lots of fighting. Why?"
Buffy waved her hand. "Nothing to worry about right now." She handed him some food from the counter in the kitchen. "Let's get all this laid out."
They started arranging all the food, along with plates and napkins and such, on the dining room table. Buffy was admiring her mother's fancy handiwork.
"You used your good silver platters?" she called to her mom. "These things are practically sacred."
Joyce came to the doorway and smiled. "Well, we very rarely have company enough to use them, so I figured 'why not?'."
Buffy smiled back appreciatively. She was really looking forward to the evening off. Tara was the only person left to show and then the party would begin.