All disclaimers apply from before.
Chapter 14: The Show Must Go On
By Hollywood Phoenix
(c) June 16, 2002
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~~ Buenos Aires, Argentina, South America, January 26, 2002 ~~
San Telmo is widely hailed as the most picturesque part of Buenos Aires. After walking along the cobblestone streets and colonial buildings for twenty minutes, Willow had to agree.
"How much farther is this place?" Willow asked her tall travelling companion.
"About ten more minutes." Wesley replied, glancing over his shoulder at her. "You okay?"
"I'm fine." Willow said automatically, sprinting up to catch up to him. "I'm just a little taken with this place."
Wesley glanced at the array of quaint looking shops and boutiques, tango parlours and cafés. "It is quite nice. Too bad this can't be a leisurely excursion."
"That's okay," Willow smiled, her arms swinging at her sides a bit. "Maybe next time." They walked in silence for the next little while.
"Here we are." Wesley announced as they stopped in front of a tango parlour with the "Spica" scrawled in neon blue. They stepped in.
Walking in, Wesley paused and smiled. "Looks like Caritas," he said softly.
"Who?" Willow asked.
"Lorne's old nightclub." Wesley explained. He laughed fondly. "Every time we asked Lorne something, he made us sing first. This place is the spitting image." He shook his head in amazement as he gestured to the clientele. "Same sort of crowd too. Except maybe the dance floor," he added, referring to the large square of hardwood flooring in the middle of the parlour.
"Well I'm glad this place looks familiar." Willow inputted with a small smile as she took in the way Wesley's smile softened his normally grim looking face. "As long as we don't have to dance."
Wesley laughed in agreement as he headed for the bartender.
"What can I get you folks?" the bartender asked them as they approached.
"Actually, it's information we're seeking." Wesley replied. "We're looking for Galron."
The bartender smiled with delight. "Change room's that way," he said, pointing his thumb to his right. Willow gave him a confused look.
"I'm afraid I don't understand." Wesley said.
"Dance floor's right there. Costumes are in the back." the bartender said. Willow's stomach flew up into her throat all of a sudden.
"Oh no," she groaned.
The bartender smirked at her anxiousness, "Oh yes, sweetheart. You're not getting any answers until you put on a show for us."
~~ Inside Caritas, L.A., November 22, 1998 ~~
Cordy tapped her nails impatiently on the table. For the last fifteen minutes, Angel hadn't been there with her. When they had first arrived in Caritas to look for Lorne, Angel had grabbed a table and pulled a seat out for her. Without so much as an "I'll be right back," he had gone directly to the horned demon. He had been conversing with the green host for about ten minutes, occasionally glancing towards her sitting alone.
Cordy had gotten bored of watching them from a distance and focused on a strangely human-looking demon setting up some speakers. Not bothering to hide a yawn, she turned back to the bar. Lorne was alone now. Angel had disappeared.
Perturbed, Cordy went up to Lorne at the bar. "Where's Angel?" she asked.
"Oh hello there peach-bunny. Are you talking about Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome? That vampire -- can't believe he got me to tell him what he needed to know without giving a show first." The host shook his head.
In impatience, Cordy leaned forward. "Where is he?" she repeated.
Lorne gave her an apologetic smile. "No need to get angry here. I was just getting to that." As she flicked her hair, he hurriedly continued. "Hun-bun jetted out of here through the back way." He waved towards the back door. "Said something about seeing the PTB." The green demon cackled, "Looks like I'll be keeping you company tonight." He paused when the brunette turned right around and ran out of the bar through the back entrance. "Was it something I said?" he called out after her.
Cordy burst through the doors and to her left, saw Angel turning a dark corner. "Wait!" she called out to him.
Angel looked behind him in slight dismay as she caught up to him.
"Where are we headed?" she asked breathlessly.
Angel shook his head. "I asked Lorne to watch over you."
"A babysitter? I'm a little too old for that." Cordy crossed her arms.
"Cordy, I hate leaving you here by yourself but I'll be back really soon."
"Déja vù... we keep having this conversation. Why can't I come along?" Cordy demanded.
"I don't want you to tire yourself out." Angel said gently, placing an arm around her. She shrugged it off.
"Look at me. I'm all better now. Besides, I've got a few beefs to go over with them. I think we're past due for a face-to-face."
Angel shook his head again, "You can't go to see the Powers That Be, Cordy. You're human."
"No, I'm part demon." Cordy corrected him.
"We don't know that you are right now. You weren't a demon three years ago." Angel reasoned.
"What, you're going all elitist on me? Afraid of becoming obsolete?" Cordy shot at him.
"What?" Angel was confused.
Cordy gazed into his deep, dark eyes, troubled. "I saw you when you were with the Powers That Be on my birthday, trying to get them to take the visions back."
Angel's eyes narrowed, becoming even darker. "I didn't realize you saw that."
Cordy sniffed in wry mirth. "Thank my trusty demon guide."
"I could kill him." Angel growled.
"I wouldn't. I told you I'd stay with you till the end or till you shanshu. So if that means I'm vision girl forever, so be it." Cordy said to him stubbornly.
Angel glowered. "I was just..."
"Save it." Cordy cut in. "I might not be the slayer and only a half-demon in our world, but I'm Cordelia Chase, Queen C of Sunnydale High... and almost in Pylea too. Which is a whole other demon dimension! So, there's nothing that I can't do. Got that, mister?"
Angel stared at her, spellbound by the beauty of her anger. "We'll be going through the sewers," he warned her.
She shrugged. "Ew. But it never stopped me before."
Angel broke into a smile, half out of frustration and the other half out of something he couldn't put into words. Giving into his first instinct, he wrapped his arms around her swiftly, crushing her to his chest. "We need to talk about what Skip showed you. I wish we had time now."
In response, Cordy let out a strangled muffle. "If you think you can distract me by holding me in a death grip, think again. You're not winning this argument. I'm coming along too."
Angel chuckled. She felt the rumble of it coming from deep within his stomach. He released her, gently putting his forehead to hers. "Cordy," he said fiercely, "If I wasn't dead already, I'd say you're going to be the death of me. Come on." He grabbed her hand and tugged it forward.
Cordy stared at his strong back dazedly. "I convinced you? Geez, this time was a piece of cake..." Quickly, she scrambled to catch up with his long strides.
~~ Buenos Aires, Argentina, South America, January 26, 2002 ~~
The lights were low, the dance floor was smooth and smoky, and the audience was anticipating a great show.
On one side of the dance floor was Willow nervously tugging the bottom of her red cocktail dress and standing with wobbly legs on three-inch heels.
"This is ridiculous." she said to Wesley, who was standing in a black outfit, complete with hat and cape. "I can't even walk in these shoes, let alone tango in them. And I can't even dance normal dances!"
He turned to her with a sympathetic smile. "Just remember to follow my lead and we'll be fine," he assured her. "We'll just go with the simple moves we practiced."
Willow shot him a panicked look. "Ten minutes is not practice. That's like a teaser lesson. And I was in running shoes, not killer heels. I can't believe you're so calm about this. What if I fall down ungracefully?"
"At least you look beautiful," Wesley grinned. Willow had to smile back at him. "Don't worry, I'll catch you. You won't fall."
Willow let out a slightly shaky breath, but she had to admit to herself that she was feeling less nervous. However, when the crowd suddenly went wild and the spotlight shone on them, she felt a red flush creep up her neck. She felt Wesley's hand grasp hers and give her a reassuring squeeze.
"Break a leg to us, I guess," she said, giving him a lopsided but grateful smile.
Wesley nodded and smiling to the crowd, led her out into the center of the floor. Following his lead, she threw out an arm and bowed to the audience.
"Just relax," Wesley breathed gently as they took their places and waited for the music to start. When the opening beat started, he whispered, "We're going to kick a little ass."
Wesley, true to his word, kept a tight hold on Willow and kept her twirling and moving around the floor gracefully. For her part, she was determined not to slip up and followed his lead as quickly and closely as she could. Looking up into Wesley's face, she saw the twinkle in his eyes and smile. Suddenly, everything seemed to disappear to Willow except the floor and the lights and the music. All she was aware of was the shortness of her breath as they executed move after move, the exhileration of the passionate dance, and the pounding of her heart.
And the surprisingly strong hand gripping one hand and another one at her back. Looking up, she could see the dark blueness of Wesley's eyes staring intensely into hers.
Before it registered in her mind, the dance was over and the roar of the audience was deafening.
Willow beamed, staring at the faceless crowd in amazement. "Wow, I can't believe we just did that!" she exclaimed.
"You were brilliant." Wesley told her, grinning widely. They bowed and the audience stood up.
"Luckily you know how to tango," she said, breathing a huge sigh of relief. They made their way off the dance floor towards the bar.
"Actually, this is the first time I've danced a full song." Wesley admitted.
"What?" she whirled to face him in astonishment. "But we... But you..."
"I know some basic moves, which is what I taught you in the back," he ducked his head sheepishly. "I knew that the floor is enchanted."
"Enchanted." Willow repeated. "You mean, we were dancing so well because of a magic spell?"
"Yes."
"And you didn't tell me?" she asked incredulously. Wesley gave her a hesitant grin. "You knew that all this time and you let me be so nervous!"
"It was kind of amusing." Wesley confessed, looking like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Willow shot him a peeved look. "You have to admit that the feeling you had after that dance was wonderful."
"Well, I feel cheated," Willow pouted, crossing her arms. Seeing the repentant expression on Wesley's face, she couldn't help laughing. "I have to admit it felt pretty good."
Wesley beamed at her in relief before turning to the bartender that had told them to dance. "So, about finding Galron."
"You missed him by about a week." the demon with the flickering eyes told them. "Headed to Australia for a sabbatical."
Wesley banged his fist on the counter in frustration.
"I thought he knew that we were coming to meet him." Willow said puzzled.
"He did." Wesley nodded in worry. He fingered the charm around his neck. Realization dawned on the red-haired witch.
"The timeline." Willow said in horror. "He doesn't know we exist."
"Then the change has begun." Wesley replied tensely. "Now, we haven't a moment to lose."
~~ The Powers That Be, November 22, 1998 ~~
"The interior design certainly looks great." Cordy commented as she took in her surroundings. The walls were high and seemingly never-ending, and they were made of stone.
"Yeah, seems to be a common theme in these types of places." Angel dead-panned. Cordy shot him a bemused smile.
"That's why you've been hogging these visits," she snorted.
Suddenly, everything around them changed.
Cordy looked on in awe. Surrounding them now were blue clouds and tall ivory pillars. Standing in front of one was a gold-skinned woman draped in white robes.
"Who's Aphrodite?" Cordy asked Angel, nodding towards the woman.
He frowned. "An oracle. I was hoping for someone less cryptic."
"Why do you trespass?" the woman demanded imperially, stepping forward.
"We want some answers --" Angel started, but was immediately cut off.
"She is human." the woman said disdainfully, staring at Cordelia. "She should not be here."
"Wait a minute." Cordy responded angrily. "You're the ones sending me the visions. I have every right to be here and find out what's going on with me!"
"We are not sending you visions." the oracle replied emotionlessly. She turned to walk away. Angel immediately blocked the oracle.
"See?" Cordy said, "I told you they're not visions. They're just really painful dreams."
Angel turned to the silent oracle. "Then who is sending Cordelia the dreams?"
"Our successors," the woman said.
"If the Powers That Be are sending them, they must be visions, right?" Angel asked. The oracle nodded.
"Then whatever they are, why do they hurt?" Cordy asked in dismay. "If they're just regular, run-of-the-mill images, why do they come to me in dreams?"
"Time distorts. We were sending them. We are not sending them now."
Cordy looked at Angel. "Do they always talk this way?"
Angel nodded. "Unfortunately. I think what they mean is that they were sending you dreams when we were in our time still. They're from the past, so somehow the message sent to you made you feel pain. Remember you had a vision about those demons in that park? That one was a normal vision from our PTBs and you were fine."
"Okay," Cordy said thoughtfully. "They say that they're not sending them now. So, what was that last nightmare about? Was it being sent by the Powers from our time? Is that why it hurt too?"
"Maybe," he said worriedly. "And maybe it's because you're human in this time period."
"Your essence is demon," the oracle broke in, her head turned towards Cordelia. "A link is formed for you." She turned her towards Angel. "However, not for you. Not for anyone else."
"What does that mean?" Cordy questioned the woman. The woman only shook her curls and stepped back. Cordy swiveled towards Angel. "Any ideas?"
He shook his head. "This was a free tip. She's not going to divulge any more information."
"Great." Cordy said exasperated, throwing her hands in the air. "What good is that then?"
"I'm more concerned about that nightmare you just had in the car." Angel said. "It had you so spooked. The way you looked at me... I thought you were ready to jump out."
Cordy shuffled her feet nervously while her mind raced. 'How can I tell him that I dreamed of being a vampire?' she thought, staring at the expectant look on Angel's face miserably. 'He'll only blame himself about it. Or worse, shut me out of everything and try to be the hero all by himself. Only how can I lie to him?'
At that moment, the woman turned to Angel accusingly. "You bring another human."
Angel turned to her, startled. "What are you talking about?"
"Another female followed you." the woman paused for a second. "The slayer!"
It was that instant that a dark haired girl tumbled out of the sky onto the floor. The girl rolled on her back and sprang back up with practiced agility.
"Faith." Cordy groaned, recognizing the girl's crimson lips as the slayer tossed her hair. Turning to Angel's dismayed face, she echoed the thought running across his mind, "How are we going to explain this one?"
In a flash, the sky and pillars disappeared. Cordy blinked and when she opened her eyes again, she found herself seated at a round table in Caritas. She was next to Angel, while Faith sat on his other side. With a sharp push at her chair, Faith got up. "Buffy is so going to hear about this," the angry brunette said triumphantly, glaring at Angel.
"Well, if it isn't my three new favorite customers." a smooth voice said. Looking up at the source, she saw Lorne eyeing them uneasily. "We're not having any trouble tonight, right? We've got a treat today. A band is playing for us." The host waved towards his stage.
Cordy looked in the direction of the stage. As she felt Angel's hand grip hers, she fought back the panic rising from the sight in front of her. Standing directly in front of them was Oz carrying his guitar. Judging from the confused look on the werewolf's face and the triumphant smirk on Faith's, Cordy realized that their past had just gotten more complicated.
~~ London, England, January 26, 2002 ~~
It was hot, humid and muggy. The London evening air was stifling. Standing in the middle of a museum, about 300 feet in front of a heavily guarded glass display, Angel was secretly fuming.
Since the start of their journey to London, he hadn't a moment of peace. From the moment they left the L.A. airport, an incessant whining had persisted until they were constantly entwined with his thoughts. It was like the broken record of nightmares to him.
Throughout the trip, he wondered why fate was playing this neverending trick on him. The idea that he could have made a life in L.A., away from Sunnydale, fathered a child, and made new friends was so far-fetched, he didn't know whether to laugh out loud or cry. And Angel was not known to do the latter very much and the former even less.
Now that he and the self-appointed queen of Sunnydale High were on a mission together without anyone else, he was face-to-face with the question of why two people so obviously different from each other could be thrust in the same situation; not just once, but too many times.
"Will you slow down?" a very familiar whine puffed behind him. Angel turned to see Cordelia bend over and glare at him between tired pants. "Otherwise this is going to be a one-person team."
"I can do this by myself," he asserted tersely as he turned back to assess the display, which was covered in an array of criss-crossing laser beams attached to the security system. He may not be able to see the lasers but could distinctly hear the buzz of each laser beam. He paused, then shot out, "You didn't have to come with me. You could have continued shopping."
"I looked at one dress. Just one!" she replied hotly. She opened her mouth to rant again. An almost imperceptible noise caught Angel's attention and he wheeled around quickly to cover her mouth.
"Someone's here." he hissed in her ear. She stiffened and her eyes went wide with questioning. Both sets of eyes peered into the dimness.
Angel's eyes were accustomed to seeing in the dark and was quick to spot a lone figure clad entirely in black slowly coming down a rope right over the stone's glass display. It appeared that this person knew of the security system, as he very carefully placed two mirrors on top of the display box. Angel watched as the masked intruder sprayed a fine liquid mist and the laser beams appeared briefly, clearly refracted away from the display.
In front of him, Cordelia squirmed, obviously impatient. 'Don't say anything.' he silently warned her. As if she heard him, she stopped fidgeting. With a silent sigh of relief, Angel lowered the hand still wrapped around her mouth and focused his attention back to the other thief.
The thief in black had taken a blade out and started to cut a circle on the top of the display. Suddenly, the mystery person looked up. At that moment, a loud noise pierced through the air.
"Who triggered the alarm?" Cordelia yelled, hands over her ears. Angel's eyes darted back to the thief, who had started climbing back up the rope, abandoning the stone.
'Is there enough time for me to grab the stone?' Angel thought. His answer came when the doors flew open and several security guards stormed through.
"Where do we go?" Cordelia said frantically, her nails digging into his arm.
Angel spotted a darkened staircase to their left, leading up to the roof. "That way," he said, pointing to their exit, tugging her to follow him.
As they quickly clambered up the stairs and pushed through the cover at the top, Angel saw several guards surrounding the stone in the display. Pushing his disappointment away, he pulled Cordelia up to the roof of the museum. Together, they raced across to the edge of the roof, where a ladder by the side of the building was. Cordelia lifted her leg over the ledge to get onto the ladder.
"Angel, behind you!" she cried out, her eyes widening. A gun shot rang out and Angel threw himself in front of Cordelia, but the shot missed hitting either of them.
Out of the corner of his eye, Angel saw two men in uniforms rushing him. As one of them tackled him, he grabbed at the other one to keep him away from Cordelia, still trying to get onto the ladder.
"Angel?" she called out, as he threw one of his assailants onto the ground. The other man locked an arm around his neck.
"Go." he cried fiercely as he elbowed the man. Another two men came up and suddenly another shot rang out. The vampire heard a scream and as he turned, saw Cordelia lose her grip on the ladder, fall backwards with a frightened look on her face and then disappear from his sight.
Instinctively, he headed for the ledge, but was pulled back by the man he was fighting. In frustration, he knocked him out and quickly took care of the other two men. Rushing to the edge, he peered over, bracing himself for what would be at the bottom.
Chapter 14: The Show Must Go On
By Hollywood Phoenix
(c) June 16, 2002
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~~ Buenos Aires, Argentina, South America, January 26, 2002 ~~
San Telmo is widely hailed as the most picturesque part of Buenos Aires. After walking along the cobblestone streets and colonial buildings for twenty minutes, Willow had to agree.
"How much farther is this place?" Willow asked her tall travelling companion.
"About ten more minutes." Wesley replied, glancing over his shoulder at her. "You okay?"
"I'm fine." Willow said automatically, sprinting up to catch up to him. "I'm just a little taken with this place."
Wesley glanced at the array of quaint looking shops and boutiques, tango parlours and cafés. "It is quite nice. Too bad this can't be a leisurely excursion."
"That's okay," Willow smiled, her arms swinging at her sides a bit. "Maybe next time." They walked in silence for the next little while.
"Here we are." Wesley announced as they stopped in front of a tango parlour with the "Spica" scrawled in neon blue. They stepped in.
Walking in, Wesley paused and smiled. "Looks like Caritas," he said softly.
"Who?" Willow asked.
"Lorne's old nightclub." Wesley explained. He laughed fondly. "Every time we asked Lorne something, he made us sing first. This place is the spitting image." He shook his head in amazement as he gestured to the clientele. "Same sort of crowd too. Except maybe the dance floor," he added, referring to the large square of hardwood flooring in the middle of the parlour.
"Well I'm glad this place looks familiar." Willow inputted with a small smile as she took in the way Wesley's smile softened his normally grim looking face. "As long as we don't have to dance."
Wesley laughed in agreement as he headed for the bartender.
"What can I get you folks?" the bartender asked them as they approached.
"Actually, it's information we're seeking." Wesley replied. "We're looking for Galron."
The bartender smiled with delight. "Change room's that way," he said, pointing his thumb to his right. Willow gave him a confused look.
"I'm afraid I don't understand." Wesley said.
"Dance floor's right there. Costumes are in the back." the bartender said. Willow's stomach flew up into her throat all of a sudden.
"Oh no," she groaned.
The bartender smirked at her anxiousness, "Oh yes, sweetheart. You're not getting any answers until you put on a show for us."
~~ Inside Caritas, L.A., November 22, 1998 ~~
Cordy tapped her nails impatiently on the table. For the last fifteen minutes, Angel hadn't been there with her. When they had first arrived in Caritas to look for Lorne, Angel had grabbed a table and pulled a seat out for her. Without so much as an "I'll be right back," he had gone directly to the horned demon. He had been conversing with the green host for about ten minutes, occasionally glancing towards her sitting alone.
Cordy had gotten bored of watching them from a distance and focused on a strangely human-looking demon setting up some speakers. Not bothering to hide a yawn, she turned back to the bar. Lorne was alone now. Angel had disappeared.
Perturbed, Cordy went up to Lorne at the bar. "Where's Angel?" she asked.
"Oh hello there peach-bunny. Are you talking about Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome? That vampire -- can't believe he got me to tell him what he needed to know without giving a show first." The host shook his head.
In impatience, Cordy leaned forward. "Where is he?" she repeated.
Lorne gave her an apologetic smile. "No need to get angry here. I was just getting to that." As she flicked her hair, he hurriedly continued. "Hun-bun jetted out of here through the back way." He waved towards the back door. "Said something about seeing the PTB." The green demon cackled, "Looks like I'll be keeping you company tonight." He paused when the brunette turned right around and ran out of the bar through the back entrance. "Was it something I said?" he called out after her.
Cordy burst through the doors and to her left, saw Angel turning a dark corner. "Wait!" she called out to him.
Angel looked behind him in slight dismay as she caught up to him.
"Where are we headed?" she asked breathlessly.
Angel shook his head. "I asked Lorne to watch over you."
"A babysitter? I'm a little too old for that." Cordy crossed her arms.
"Cordy, I hate leaving you here by yourself but I'll be back really soon."
"Déja vù... we keep having this conversation. Why can't I come along?" Cordy demanded.
"I don't want you to tire yourself out." Angel said gently, placing an arm around her. She shrugged it off.
"Look at me. I'm all better now. Besides, I've got a few beefs to go over with them. I think we're past due for a face-to-face."
Angel shook his head again, "You can't go to see the Powers That Be, Cordy. You're human."
"No, I'm part demon." Cordy corrected him.
"We don't know that you are right now. You weren't a demon three years ago." Angel reasoned.
"What, you're going all elitist on me? Afraid of becoming obsolete?" Cordy shot at him.
"What?" Angel was confused.
Cordy gazed into his deep, dark eyes, troubled. "I saw you when you were with the Powers That Be on my birthday, trying to get them to take the visions back."
Angel's eyes narrowed, becoming even darker. "I didn't realize you saw that."
Cordy sniffed in wry mirth. "Thank my trusty demon guide."
"I could kill him." Angel growled.
"I wouldn't. I told you I'd stay with you till the end or till you shanshu. So if that means I'm vision girl forever, so be it." Cordy said to him stubbornly.
Angel glowered. "I was just..."
"Save it." Cordy cut in. "I might not be the slayer and only a half-demon in our world, but I'm Cordelia Chase, Queen C of Sunnydale High... and almost in Pylea too. Which is a whole other demon dimension! So, there's nothing that I can't do. Got that, mister?"
Angel stared at her, spellbound by the beauty of her anger. "We'll be going through the sewers," he warned her.
She shrugged. "Ew. But it never stopped me before."
Angel broke into a smile, half out of frustration and the other half out of something he couldn't put into words. Giving into his first instinct, he wrapped his arms around her swiftly, crushing her to his chest. "We need to talk about what Skip showed you. I wish we had time now."
In response, Cordy let out a strangled muffle. "If you think you can distract me by holding me in a death grip, think again. You're not winning this argument. I'm coming along too."
Angel chuckled. She felt the rumble of it coming from deep within his stomach. He released her, gently putting his forehead to hers. "Cordy," he said fiercely, "If I wasn't dead already, I'd say you're going to be the death of me. Come on." He grabbed her hand and tugged it forward.
Cordy stared at his strong back dazedly. "I convinced you? Geez, this time was a piece of cake..." Quickly, she scrambled to catch up with his long strides.
~~ Buenos Aires, Argentina, South America, January 26, 2002 ~~
The lights were low, the dance floor was smooth and smoky, and the audience was anticipating a great show.
On one side of the dance floor was Willow nervously tugging the bottom of her red cocktail dress and standing with wobbly legs on three-inch heels.
"This is ridiculous." she said to Wesley, who was standing in a black outfit, complete with hat and cape. "I can't even walk in these shoes, let alone tango in them. And I can't even dance normal dances!"
He turned to her with a sympathetic smile. "Just remember to follow my lead and we'll be fine," he assured her. "We'll just go with the simple moves we practiced."
Willow shot him a panicked look. "Ten minutes is not practice. That's like a teaser lesson. And I was in running shoes, not killer heels. I can't believe you're so calm about this. What if I fall down ungracefully?"
"At least you look beautiful," Wesley grinned. Willow had to smile back at him. "Don't worry, I'll catch you. You won't fall."
Willow let out a slightly shaky breath, but she had to admit to herself that she was feeling less nervous. However, when the crowd suddenly went wild and the spotlight shone on them, she felt a red flush creep up her neck. She felt Wesley's hand grasp hers and give her a reassuring squeeze.
"Break a leg to us, I guess," she said, giving him a lopsided but grateful smile.
Wesley nodded and smiling to the crowd, led her out into the center of the floor. Following his lead, she threw out an arm and bowed to the audience.
"Just relax," Wesley breathed gently as they took their places and waited for the music to start. When the opening beat started, he whispered, "We're going to kick a little ass."
Wesley, true to his word, kept a tight hold on Willow and kept her twirling and moving around the floor gracefully. For her part, she was determined not to slip up and followed his lead as quickly and closely as she could. Looking up into Wesley's face, she saw the twinkle in his eyes and smile. Suddenly, everything seemed to disappear to Willow except the floor and the lights and the music. All she was aware of was the shortness of her breath as they executed move after move, the exhileration of the passionate dance, and the pounding of her heart.
And the surprisingly strong hand gripping one hand and another one at her back. Looking up, she could see the dark blueness of Wesley's eyes staring intensely into hers.
Before it registered in her mind, the dance was over and the roar of the audience was deafening.
Willow beamed, staring at the faceless crowd in amazement. "Wow, I can't believe we just did that!" she exclaimed.
"You were brilliant." Wesley told her, grinning widely. They bowed and the audience stood up.
"Luckily you know how to tango," she said, breathing a huge sigh of relief. They made their way off the dance floor towards the bar.
"Actually, this is the first time I've danced a full song." Wesley admitted.
"What?" she whirled to face him in astonishment. "But we... But you..."
"I know some basic moves, which is what I taught you in the back," he ducked his head sheepishly. "I knew that the floor is enchanted."
"Enchanted." Willow repeated. "You mean, we were dancing so well because of a magic spell?"
"Yes."
"And you didn't tell me?" she asked incredulously. Wesley gave her a hesitant grin. "You knew that all this time and you let me be so nervous!"
"It was kind of amusing." Wesley confessed, looking like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Willow shot him a peeved look. "You have to admit that the feeling you had after that dance was wonderful."
"Well, I feel cheated," Willow pouted, crossing her arms. Seeing the repentant expression on Wesley's face, she couldn't help laughing. "I have to admit it felt pretty good."
Wesley beamed at her in relief before turning to the bartender that had told them to dance. "So, about finding Galron."
"You missed him by about a week." the demon with the flickering eyes told them. "Headed to Australia for a sabbatical."
Wesley banged his fist on the counter in frustration.
"I thought he knew that we were coming to meet him." Willow said puzzled.
"He did." Wesley nodded in worry. He fingered the charm around his neck. Realization dawned on the red-haired witch.
"The timeline." Willow said in horror. "He doesn't know we exist."
"Then the change has begun." Wesley replied tensely. "Now, we haven't a moment to lose."
~~ The Powers That Be, November 22, 1998 ~~
"The interior design certainly looks great." Cordy commented as she took in her surroundings. The walls were high and seemingly never-ending, and they were made of stone.
"Yeah, seems to be a common theme in these types of places." Angel dead-panned. Cordy shot him a bemused smile.
"That's why you've been hogging these visits," she snorted.
Suddenly, everything around them changed.
Cordy looked on in awe. Surrounding them now were blue clouds and tall ivory pillars. Standing in front of one was a gold-skinned woman draped in white robes.
"Who's Aphrodite?" Cordy asked Angel, nodding towards the woman.
He frowned. "An oracle. I was hoping for someone less cryptic."
"Why do you trespass?" the woman demanded imperially, stepping forward.
"We want some answers --" Angel started, but was immediately cut off.
"She is human." the woman said disdainfully, staring at Cordelia. "She should not be here."
"Wait a minute." Cordy responded angrily. "You're the ones sending me the visions. I have every right to be here and find out what's going on with me!"
"We are not sending you visions." the oracle replied emotionlessly. She turned to walk away. Angel immediately blocked the oracle.
"See?" Cordy said, "I told you they're not visions. They're just really painful dreams."
Angel turned to the silent oracle. "Then who is sending Cordelia the dreams?"
"Our successors," the woman said.
"If the Powers That Be are sending them, they must be visions, right?" Angel asked. The oracle nodded.
"Then whatever they are, why do they hurt?" Cordy asked in dismay. "If they're just regular, run-of-the-mill images, why do they come to me in dreams?"
"Time distorts. We were sending them. We are not sending them now."
Cordy looked at Angel. "Do they always talk this way?"
Angel nodded. "Unfortunately. I think what they mean is that they were sending you dreams when we were in our time still. They're from the past, so somehow the message sent to you made you feel pain. Remember you had a vision about those demons in that park? That one was a normal vision from our PTBs and you were fine."
"Okay," Cordy said thoughtfully. "They say that they're not sending them now. So, what was that last nightmare about? Was it being sent by the Powers from our time? Is that why it hurt too?"
"Maybe," he said worriedly. "And maybe it's because you're human in this time period."
"Your essence is demon," the oracle broke in, her head turned towards Cordelia. "A link is formed for you." She turned her towards Angel. "However, not for you. Not for anyone else."
"What does that mean?" Cordy questioned the woman. The woman only shook her curls and stepped back. Cordy swiveled towards Angel. "Any ideas?"
He shook his head. "This was a free tip. She's not going to divulge any more information."
"Great." Cordy said exasperated, throwing her hands in the air. "What good is that then?"
"I'm more concerned about that nightmare you just had in the car." Angel said. "It had you so spooked. The way you looked at me... I thought you were ready to jump out."
Cordy shuffled her feet nervously while her mind raced. 'How can I tell him that I dreamed of being a vampire?' she thought, staring at the expectant look on Angel's face miserably. 'He'll only blame himself about it. Or worse, shut me out of everything and try to be the hero all by himself. Only how can I lie to him?'
At that moment, the woman turned to Angel accusingly. "You bring another human."
Angel turned to her, startled. "What are you talking about?"
"Another female followed you." the woman paused for a second. "The slayer!"
It was that instant that a dark haired girl tumbled out of the sky onto the floor. The girl rolled on her back and sprang back up with practiced agility.
"Faith." Cordy groaned, recognizing the girl's crimson lips as the slayer tossed her hair. Turning to Angel's dismayed face, she echoed the thought running across his mind, "How are we going to explain this one?"
In a flash, the sky and pillars disappeared. Cordy blinked and when she opened her eyes again, she found herself seated at a round table in Caritas. She was next to Angel, while Faith sat on his other side. With a sharp push at her chair, Faith got up. "Buffy is so going to hear about this," the angry brunette said triumphantly, glaring at Angel.
"Well, if it isn't my three new favorite customers." a smooth voice said. Looking up at the source, she saw Lorne eyeing them uneasily. "We're not having any trouble tonight, right? We've got a treat today. A band is playing for us." The host waved towards his stage.
Cordy looked in the direction of the stage. As she felt Angel's hand grip hers, she fought back the panic rising from the sight in front of her. Standing directly in front of them was Oz carrying his guitar. Judging from the confused look on the werewolf's face and the triumphant smirk on Faith's, Cordy realized that their past had just gotten more complicated.
~~ London, England, January 26, 2002 ~~
It was hot, humid and muggy. The London evening air was stifling. Standing in the middle of a museum, about 300 feet in front of a heavily guarded glass display, Angel was secretly fuming.
Since the start of their journey to London, he hadn't a moment of peace. From the moment they left the L.A. airport, an incessant whining had persisted until they were constantly entwined with his thoughts. It was like the broken record of nightmares to him.
Throughout the trip, he wondered why fate was playing this neverending trick on him. The idea that he could have made a life in L.A., away from Sunnydale, fathered a child, and made new friends was so far-fetched, he didn't know whether to laugh out loud or cry. And Angel was not known to do the latter very much and the former even less.
Now that he and the self-appointed queen of Sunnydale High were on a mission together without anyone else, he was face-to-face with the question of why two people so obviously different from each other could be thrust in the same situation; not just once, but too many times.
"Will you slow down?" a very familiar whine puffed behind him. Angel turned to see Cordelia bend over and glare at him between tired pants. "Otherwise this is going to be a one-person team."
"I can do this by myself," he asserted tersely as he turned back to assess the display, which was covered in an array of criss-crossing laser beams attached to the security system. He may not be able to see the lasers but could distinctly hear the buzz of each laser beam. He paused, then shot out, "You didn't have to come with me. You could have continued shopping."
"I looked at one dress. Just one!" she replied hotly. She opened her mouth to rant again. An almost imperceptible noise caught Angel's attention and he wheeled around quickly to cover her mouth.
"Someone's here." he hissed in her ear. She stiffened and her eyes went wide with questioning. Both sets of eyes peered into the dimness.
Angel's eyes were accustomed to seeing in the dark and was quick to spot a lone figure clad entirely in black slowly coming down a rope right over the stone's glass display. It appeared that this person knew of the security system, as he very carefully placed two mirrors on top of the display box. Angel watched as the masked intruder sprayed a fine liquid mist and the laser beams appeared briefly, clearly refracted away from the display.
In front of him, Cordelia squirmed, obviously impatient. 'Don't say anything.' he silently warned her. As if she heard him, she stopped fidgeting. With a silent sigh of relief, Angel lowered the hand still wrapped around her mouth and focused his attention back to the other thief.
The thief in black had taken a blade out and started to cut a circle on the top of the display. Suddenly, the mystery person looked up. At that moment, a loud noise pierced through the air.
"Who triggered the alarm?" Cordelia yelled, hands over her ears. Angel's eyes darted back to the thief, who had started climbing back up the rope, abandoning the stone.
'Is there enough time for me to grab the stone?' Angel thought. His answer came when the doors flew open and several security guards stormed through.
"Where do we go?" Cordelia said frantically, her nails digging into his arm.
Angel spotted a darkened staircase to their left, leading up to the roof. "That way," he said, pointing to their exit, tugging her to follow him.
As they quickly clambered up the stairs and pushed through the cover at the top, Angel saw several guards surrounding the stone in the display. Pushing his disappointment away, he pulled Cordelia up to the roof of the museum. Together, they raced across to the edge of the roof, where a ladder by the side of the building was. Cordelia lifted her leg over the ledge to get onto the ladder.
"Angel, behind you!" she cried out, her eyes widening. A gun shot rang out and Angel threw himself in front of Cordelia, but the shot missed hitting either of them.
Out of the corner of his eye, Angel saw two men in uniforms rushing him. As one of them tackled him, he grabbed at the other one to keep him away from Cordelia, still trying to get onto the ladder.
"Angel?" she called out, as he threw one of his assailants onto the ground. The other man locked an arm around his neck.
"Go." he cried fiercely as he elbowed the man. Another two men came up and suddenly another shot rang out. The vampire heard a scream and as he turned, saw Cordelia lose her grip on the ladder, fall backwards with a frightened look on her face and then disappear from his sight.
Instinctively, he headed for the ledge, but was pulled back by the man he was fighting. In frustration, he knocked him out and quickly took care of the other two men. Rushing to the edge, he peered over, bracing himself for what would be at the bottom.