Title: Family: Return to Sunnydale
Author: victoriamartynne
Rating: R
Disclaimer: I own nothing!
Spoilers: None, I think!
Summary: Sequel to Family: Back to Sunnydale and Family: Forward to LA. Cordelia receives another phone call that leads her once again to Sunnydale.
"I'm engaged!" Cordelia shouted as Fred, Gunn, Wes and Lorne came into the mansion.
They took a moment to digest this news and then Fred screamed and came to hug Cordelia.
Wes went straight to shake Angel's hand while Lorne went to hug the two ladies. Gunn stood and smiled, feeling kind of awkward. Cordelia noticed and held out an arm to him and he joined the hug.
"Come on Wesley, join in." Fred urged. "And you Angel."
They had a group hug for a moment and then congratulations were said and champagne was poured for everyone.
"To Angel and Cordy!" Wes said, holding up his glass to the hugging couple.
"Angel and Cordy!" They all repeated.
Cordelia walked into the gym with a bag slung over her shoulder that contained all the uniforms and pompoms.
"Morning!" She shouted to the group of cheerleaders. "Ready for a hard day's work?"
There were a few affirmatives but mostly groans.
"Hey, that's not what I want to hear!" She flung the bag on the floor and started to unpack it. "You've got two days until your first game."
"But won't we be, like, totally not ready?" One of the girls asked. "I mean, we only just learnt the routines."
"Yeah, and some of us aren't sure of the routines, I mean, what if we get them wrong?" Another added.
"That's okay, that's what today's for." She began throwing uniforms to the girls. "You can make all the mistakes you want today. Tomorrow is a different story. If there's anything you're unsure of today then you ask and you learn. Tomorrow I want you to be cheering like pros. The hard stuff's over kids, you're just getting to the fun part." She smiled at them. "Okay, get going! Get changed!"
Dawn came up to her. "You said you'd wear one."
"No I didn't." She argued holding out her left hand.
Dawn saw the ring instantly. "Oh my God!" She screamed and jumped up and down. "It's a ring!"
Cordelia smiled. "Yeah, Angel asked me to marry him."
Dawn hugged her. "Congratulations!"
A couple of the other girls heard too and came to congratulate her.
Brittany stood holding her uniform and threw her pompoms on the floor. Damn her.
In the end Cordelia ended up wearing a uniform and was mortified when the AI team showed up complete with babies and some of the Scoobies.
Seeing them Cordelia groaned and tried to mentally make the hemline of the skirt grow longer. She groaned. "Okay guys, keep going! I wanna see all of the next cheer done perfectly, you know this one. Let the music run and when it gets to the next song I'll come help you out, okay?"
"Guess we don't have a choice." Brittany snipped.
"Brittany, I'd get that awkward stick out of your ass now before the game starts unless you wanna see yourself on the bench, okay?"
Brittany's mouth opened and then shut. "You haven't got the power to do that."
"Bitch once more and you'll see what if feels like to polish the rejects bench, okay? Now lead your team!"
Cordelia waited until they'd all began the cheer and then ran over to where the gang had sat on the bleachers.
"Yo girl, nice skirt!" Gunn said and whistled. "That outfit is tight."
She smiled shyly. She kissed Connor and picked Ashleigh up. "Thanks, they made me wear it."
"Looks good." Buffy said. "Fred told me your news, congratulations!"
She hugged Cordelia carefully, as to not hurt Ashleigh. "Thanks Buffy."
She thought of something. "You did a cheer once right?"
Buffy looked at her sceptically and then at Willow and Xander. "Yeah, why?"
"The next one is the one that you learned." She smiled. "Suit up and come cheer."
Buffy shook her head. "No way!"
"Oh come on, don't be a chicken!" Cordelia said and poked her in the side.
"Yeah, go Buff!" Xander urged with a grin.
Cordelia kissed Ashleigh and then put her back in her carry cot. "Come on Buffy, you're not getting out of it!"
She grabbed Buffy by the arm and dragged her to the changing rooms.
Bringing her back she looked as uneasy as Cordelia had done moments later. "Thank God Spike isn't here to see this." She muttered to Cordelia but then groaned as she spotted the bleached blond hair. "What the hell is he doing here?"
Cordelia laughed happily. "He wouldn't miss this for the world, I'm sure!"
Buffy swatted her arm playfully.
"Angel, honey, did you bring water?" Cordelia asked and went to stand in between his legs to kiss him.
He nodded. "Plenty of it."
"Great, I think Buffy's going to need it." She smiled.
"You're evil." He commented smiling also.
"Only in theory."
Buffy stood next to Cordelia very unsure of herself. The music began and Cordelia and the other cheerleaders began to dance. Buffy began copying the very complicated and sexy looking moves about half a second after them. She finally faltered and stopped causing Cordelia to trip over her and take them both to the ground.
They both burst out laughing, joining their gang on the bleachers who were also laughing at them.
Buffy stood up first, giving Cordelia a hand up. "Maybe I should sit this one out."
Cordelia shook her head. "No chance!"
She joined in leading the cheerleaders again, leaving Buffy to try and copy.
When the cheer was finished Buffy was out of breath and Cordelia was breathing heavily.
"Okay guys, go have lunch and then be back here in an hour." Cordelia ordered.
Buffy took her arm as they made their way back to the bleachers. "I can handle slaying and working out, but remind me never to question how much energy it takes to be a cheerleader."
Cordelia laughed.
"What time will you be done?" Angel asked Cordelia as she flopped down on the seat next to him.
"I don't know, why? You have plans?"
"I was thinking maybe we could go out for dinner tonight, you know, to celebrate." He suggested, taking her hand.
"That sounds nice." She smiled. "Especially as you don't eat."
He smiled at her. "Only the best for you."
"I love you."
Cordelia dressed to go out that night in her new dress. Angel opted for his usual outfit of black pants, black shirt and leather coat.
Going down the stairs both Lorne and Gunn wolf whistled, although, at who, Cordelia didn't know.
Cordelia headed straight to Connor and Ashleigh to give them a kiss good night.
Lorne had offered to baby sit but everyone was stopping in anyway. Spike and Buffy had even said they might call round after patrolling.
Cordelia and Angel left in his car and Fred pulled out Twister which she'd brought with her from LA.
"Who's up for a game?" She asked.
Lorne offered to spin so everyone else stood around the mat.
"This is nice." Cordelia said, eating pasta at the little bistro on Main Street. "Do you want to try?"
He pulled a face. "I'm not really a foody."
"I know, but you could make me feel less guilty for eating while you just have wine."
She held out a forkful which he reluctantly took. "Well?"
"It would probably taste better if I hadn't been drinking blood for two hundred and forty nine years." He replied.
She laughed. "So, that reminds me, we've got you bicentennial and a half next year, what do you want to do about it?"
He smiled. "Bicentennial and a half? That's a bit of a mouthful."
"But I bet it tastes better than the pasta, right?"
He laughed. "Yeah."
"So, what do you want to do?" She pressed.
"Uh, nothing." He replied.
"What do you mean nothing, we have to do something!" She exclaimed. "It's not as if anyone else I know is going to be two hundred and fifty."
He pulled a face. "I know."
She put her fork down. "Oh come on, you should have stopped being squeamish about your age when you hit one hundred."
"Jeez Cor, you sure know how to make a guy feel better."
She smiled at him and picked up her fork again. "We could have a party."
He shook his head. "That would mean people and crowds, not really me."
"Okay, well, we could go away somewhere." She suggested.
"Where? Hawaii?"
"Hey, don't be bitter. We could go to aspen. The land of no direct sunlight. You could try skiing."
"Skiing? Can you really see me on skis?" He asked incredulously.
"A couple of years ago I couldn't see you on me, but hey, that happened." She grinned.
He was forced to smile back. "Okay, I'll think about it."
She smiled.
"Hey guys, what have you been up to?" Cordelia asked as she and Angel came into the mansion. "Hey Buffy, Spike."
"We've been playing Twister." Wes said, sporting a bruise on his forehead.
"I take it you didn't win." Cordelia sat and sat down next to him.
"Did you have a good time?" Buffy asked.
Angel nodded. "Cordelia is trying to get me to have a party next year."
"But he is refusing." Cordelia added.
"Peaches, you used to love a good party, if I remember right." Spike commented. "You used to eat the hosts."
Cordelia threw a cushion at him. "Anyone for coffee?"
She received nods from everyone. She ran up the stairs to change quickly and then she went into the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. She picked up a pile of cups from inside a cupboard and then saw images flash through her head and she began to float. She banged her head on the open cupboard door as she began to float and she dropped the cups on the floor.
Angel came running in and saw her floating, he called out to Wes and Gunn.
"What do you see honey?" He asked, looking up at her.
"A woman, no a girl, she's walking home. There's a demon in an alley. He's going to jump out at her. She won't be able to get away. He's going to rip her into pieces." It was obvious that she could see it as her body convulsed, as if she was trying to get rid of the images and she fell to the floor, or rather, into Angel's arms. "Somewhere off Main Street."
She clung to Angel until her legs stood solid. "We need to go now."
Wes nodded and went back into the other room. "Guys, Cordy's had a vision. A girl is going to be attacked by a demon off Main Street. We need to go now." Cordelia, Angel and Gunn came out of the kitchen.
"This is the easy kind of slaying." Buffy said, grabbing her crossbow and stake. "Can I keep you?"
"Sorry Buff, I'm Angel's." Cordelia smiled weakly.
"Maybe you should stop here." Lorne suggested, seeing how tired she looked.
She shook her head. "No, it's okay, I'm fine."
"Okay, let's go." Wes said, having collected their weapons and Angel's car keys. Gunn and Fred were already in his truck.
"Stop here!" Cordelia ordered Angel, sensing that this was the place in her vision.
Buffy and Spike jumped out of the back of the car ready for action.
"Be careful." Angel urged Cordelia before she'd even got out of the car.
"I always do." She replied.
"Okay." Wes began after getting out of Gunn's truck with him and Fred. "We need to keep back until we see the girl in Cordy's vision then we'll get closer and keep in between her and the demon so she can't get hurt."
Everyone nodded and went into an alleyway to wait.
Almost on cue the girl in Cordelia's vision came out of the coffee shop and began walking their way. They waited while she had gone past and then followed her at a safe enough distance.
The demon in question jumped out at her from behind a dumpster off Main Street on Elder Drive.
Buffy and Angel moved forward first to attack the demon.
"That's the Amara demon!" Wes said. "It killed the old cheerleading coach!"
Cordelia ran to the girl and got her out of the way before the demon could swipe at her.
Spike joined the fight, as did Gunn. Wes came to stand with Cordelia, dragging Fred with him out of harm's way.
"Think they're managing?" Cordelia asked him.
He shook his head. "No."
"Maybe we should help." She suggested.
"Not yet."
Buffy was flung into a shop window and the glass broke setting off the alarms.
Gunn swore. "We've got to get out of here; the cops will be here in a minute."
He was quietened by a blow to the side of the face by the demon.
"Get the girl out of here." Wes said to Fred. "Take Angel's car, drive her home then come back."
She nodded and led the girl to Angel's car.
"Cordelia, we need your demon strength." Wes said to her. "I need you to distract the demon and then take it down the alley where we were hiding. Get it to follow you and we can kill it from behind."
"That alley has an end."
"So?"
"So, I could get trapped before you kill the thing." She argued.
"Jump the wall at the end if you have to."
"Jump? How the hell can I jump a wall?"
"Channel your power and for goodness sake stop arguing! The police will be here shortly and we need to kill the demon before they get here. Don't worry." He reassured. "We'll get your back."
She nodded, satisfied. Now how the hell was she going to get the demon's attention.
"Hey!" She tried calling. "That didn't work." She muttered. "You're so ugly I can't tell the difference between you and a... a. rat?"
The demon turned to look at her as did Angel and Gunn. "A rat?" Gunn asked.
She ignored him. "I bet you want to get me for that, say chase me down the street into an alley where we can chop you into little pieces from behind?"
The demon turned as if to ignore her but turned back and began to move towards her.
"Great, once again Cordy is bait." She muttered to herself as she began to run. "I just love this plan! Channel my power my ass!"
The Amara demon began chasing after her into the alley leaving everyone else to follow.
Cordelia ran down the alley, the demon close on her, until she reached the brick wall at the end. "I have to say I'm not altogether comfortable with this plan!" She shouted around the demon.
"We got your back chit!" Spike shouted back. "Hold on!"
"To what? I've already lost my freakin' dignity!" Cordelia shouted back as the demon tore a hole in her Gucci jacket. "Hey ass wipe that cost three hundred dollars! You are so going to die horribly!"
"You paid three hundred dollars for that?" Angel asked in disbelief.
"No the issue right now honey!" Cordelia shouted back, gritting her teeth. "Will you start to kill the demon instead of just talking to me round it?"
They all began hitting the demon from behind until it turned away from Cordelia. Then with a sweep of its giant arm her knocked them all aside and ran away. Buffy made a vain attempt to chase him but he'd gone.
Cordelia went to help Angel up off the floor and then gave her hand to Wes, who was grimacing and rubbing his back.
"Are you okay?" She asked him.
He nodded reassuringly. "Absolutely fine. Why don't we regroup back at the mansion?"
Lorne made cups of tea for everyone while they sat on the couches in the living area. Cordelia went to change out of her torn jacket and bring Ashleigh and Connor from upstairs. As soon as they'd heard her they'd woken.
She flopped down on the couch next to Angel with Ashleigh and left Connor to toddle around to Gunn and Wesley. "So, what's the next move?"
"Well, obviously the Amara is still feeding so we need to step up our efforts in finding out where he is habiting and who his next targets might be."
"I'll patrol again on the way home, see if he left a trail and then step up my patrolling as of tomorrow." Buffy offered.
"Yes, maybe Spike could help you with that?" Wes asked.
Spike nodded.
"I can check the Internet and the newspapers." Fred offered. "See if there's anything going on."
Wes nodded. "I'll contact Mr Giles and maybe he and Willow can research for me. Maybe Tara could do a spell to try and locate the Amara."
"Research party!" Cordelia exclaimed. "Sounds like we need pizza."
"And beer." Spike added.
He received dirty glances from the newly sober women in the room. "Or maybe not."
"Okay, can we get started please?" Wes ordered.
The research party went nowhere. Cordelia had fallen asleep on the couch with Ashleigh asleep on her chest and a book resting on her knees. Gunn had abandoned the research and had ended up playing scrabble with Xander and Anya, who had come to help. Giles and Wesley had come up with nothing, as did Fred, Willow and Tara. Buffy called when she and Spike had gotten home after patrol and reported nothing except a couple of vampires. They decided to stop home with Dawn who was practicing her cheers in the front room.
Angel had decided to announce his and Cordelia's engagement to the Scoobies. Willow and Tara had bagged bridesmaid rights. Xander had looked angry and then envious and then received a slap around the face from Anya. Giles had been speechless and had managed to shake both of their hands before blushing and congratulating them both.
Lorne entertained the workers by singing his favourite Barbara Streisand songs until Angel threw a cushion at him and he'd settled for just making tea and coffee. Overall, the came up with nothing. The Amara had disappeared.
Angel carried Cordelia upstairs while Lorne took Ashleigh. Connor had been put to bed hours before after tiring himself by walking around after Lorne.
Cordelia stirred but didn't wake as Angel placed her on the bed. Lorne put Ashleigh in her bassinet and then turned to watch Angel.
"You know kitten, the Amara might be after her."
"What?" Angel asked, looking up suddenly. "No, it doesn't know her."
"By the sounds of it it doesn't know many people. Keep an eye out. It could be after any one of our ladies." He raised an eyebrow.
"I will." Angel promised. "Now will you leave before you see more of Cordelia than I care you to?"
Lorne grinned. "Oh come on, like I can't get my own sex kitten!"
Angel raised an eyebrow. "Goodnight Lorne."
Cordelia woke as Angel slipped the pants down her legs.
"I was trying not to wake you." He insisted.
"It's okay." She murmured. "You should have woken me downstairs."
"You looked too peaceful." He smiled and slipped her panties off too.
"And what do I look like now?"
"Aroused, sensual."
"Rumpled?" She added with a smile.
He laughed softly. "Not at the moment, but if you have the urge." He let the sentence trail off and he leant down to kiss her.
She broke it gently. "There are way too many clothes in this equation for me."
He laughed and began unbuttoning his shirt. "Get that shirt off then!"
She raised an eyebrow and crossed one of her legs over the other. "I don't take orders from you at work so what in the world makes you think I'm going to take orders from you in bed?"
He pulled a face. "Once upon a time you would take orders from me."
She snorted. "The only time I did something you told me to was to take the ring and say I'd marry you."
He thought for a moment. "Just take the shirt off!"
She laughed and took her shirt off. "Can we stop talking now?" She breathed as he settled closer to her, electricity jumping between them.
"Your wish is my command." He whispered as he leaned in to kiss her.
Author: victoriamartynne
Rating: R
Disclaimer: I own nothing!
Spoilers: None, I think!
Summary: Sequel to Family: Back to Sunnydale and Family: Forward to LA. Cordelia receives another phone call that leads her once again to Sunnydale.
"I'm engaged!" Cordelia shouted as Fred, Gunn, Wes and Lorne came into the mansion.
They took a moment to digest this news and then Fred screamed and came to hug Cordelia.
Wes went straight to shake Angel's hand while Lorne went to hug the two ladies. Gunn stood and smiled, feeling kind of awkward. Cordelia noticed and held out an arm to him and he joined the hug.
"Come on Wesley, join in." Fred urged. "And you Angel."
They had a group hug for a moment and then congratulations were said and champagne was poured for everyone.
"To Angel and Cordy!" Wes said, holding up his glass to the hugging couple.
"Angel and Cordy!" They all repeated.
Cordelia walked into the gym with a bag slung over her shoulder that contained all the uniforms and pompoms.
"Morning!" She shouted to the group of cheerleaders. "Ready for a hard day's work?"
There were a few affirmatives but mostly groans.
"Hey, that's not what I want to hear!" She flung the bag on the floor and started to unpack it. "You've got two days until your first game."
"But won't we be, like, totally not ready?" One of the girls asked. "I mean, we only just learnt the routines."
"Yeah, and some of us aren't sure of the routines, I mean, what if we get them wrong?" Another added.
"That's okay, that's what today's for." She began throwing uniforms to the girls. "You can make all the mistakes you want today. Tomorrow is a different story. If there's anything you're unsure of today then you ask and you learn. Tomorrow I want you to be cheering like pros. The hard stuff's over kids, you're just getting to the fun part." She smiled at them. "Okay, get going! Get changed!"
Dawn came up to her. "You said you'd wear one."
"No I didn't." She argued holding out her left hand.
Dawn saw the ring instantly. "Oh my God!" She screamed and jumped up and down. "It's a ring!"
Cordelia smiled. "Yeah, Angel asked me to marry him."
Dawn hugged her. "Congratulations!"
A couple of the other girls heard too and came to congratulate her.
Brittany stood holding her uniform and threw her pompoms on the floor. Damn her.
In the end Cordelia ended up wearing a uniform and was mortified when the AI team showed up complete with babies and some of the Scoobies.
Seeing them Cordelia groaned and tried to mentally make the hemline of the skirt grow longer. She groaned. "Okay guys, keep going! I wanna see all of the next cheer done perfectly, you know this one. Let the music run and when it gets to the next song I'll come help you out, okay?"
"Guess we don't have a choice." Brittany snipped.
"Brittany, I'd get that awkward stick out of your ass now before the game starts unless you wanna see yourself on the bench, okay?"
Brittany's mouth opened and then shut. "You haven't got the power to do that."
"Bitch once more and you'll see what if feels like to polish the rejects bench, okay? Now lead your team!"
Cordelia waited until they'd all began the cheer and then ran over to where the gang had sat on the bleachers.
"Yo girl, nice skirt!" Gunn said and whistled. "That outfit is tight."
She smiled shyly. She kissed Connor and picked Ashleigh up. "Thanks, they made me wear it."
"Looks good." Buffy said. "Fred told me your news, congratulations!"
She hugged Cordelia carefully, as to not hurt Ashleigh. "Thanks Buffy."
She thought of something. "You did a cheer once right?"
Buffy looked at her sceptically and then at Willow and Xander. "Yeah, why?"
"The next one is the one that you learned." She smiled. "Suit up and come cheer."
Buffy shook her head. "No way!"
"Oh come on, don't be a chicken!" Cordelia said and poked her in the side.
"Yeah, go Buff!" Xander urged with a grin.
Cordelia kissed Ashleigh and then put her back in her carry cot. "Come on Buffy, you're not getting out of it!"
She grabbed Buffy by the arm and dragged her to the changing rooms.
Bringing her back she looked as uneasy as Cordelia had done moments later. "Thank God Spike isn't here to see this." She muttered to Cordelia but then groaned as she spotted the bleached blond hair. "What the hell is he doing here?"
Cordelia laughed happily. "He wouldn't miss this for the world, I'm sure!"
Buffy swatted her arm playfully.
"Angel, honey, did you bring water?" Cordelia asked and went to stand in between his legs to kiss him.
He nodded. "Plenty of it."
"Great, I think Buffy's going to need it." She smiled.
"You're evil." He commented smiling also.
"Only in theory."
Buffy stood next to Cordelia very unsure of herself. The music began and Cordelia and the other cheerleaders began to dance. Buffy began copying the very complicated and sexy looking moves about half a second after them. She finally faltered and stopped causing Cordelia to trip over her and take them both to the ground.
They both burst out laughing, joining their gang on the bleachers who were also laughing at them.
Buffy stood up first, giving Cordelia a hand up. "Maybe I should sit this one out."
Cordelia shook her head. "No chance!"
She joined in leading the cheerleaders again, leaving Buffy to try and copy.
When the cheer was finished Buffy was out of breath and Cordelia was breathing heavily.
"Okay guys, go have lunch and then be back here in an hour." Cordelia ordered.
Buffy took her arm as they made their way back to the bleachers. "I can handle slaying and working out, but remind me never to question how much energy it takes to be a cheerleader."
Cordelia laughed.
"What time will you be done?" Angel asked Cordelia as she flopped down on the seat next to him.
"I don't know, why? You have plans?"
"I was thinking maybe we could go out for dinner tonight, you know, to celebrate." He suggested, taking her hand.
"That sounds nice." She smiled. "Especially as you don't eat."
He smiled at her. "Only the best for you."
"I love you."
Cordelia dressed to go out that night in her new dress. Angel opted for his usual outfit of black pants, black shirt and leather coat.
Going down the stairs both Lorne and Gunn wolf whistled, although, at who, Cordelia didn't know.
Cordelia headed straight to Connor and Ashleigh to give them a kiss good night.
Lorne had offered to baby sit but everyone was stopping in anyway. Spike and Buffy had even said they might call round after patrolling.
Cordelia and Angel left in his car and Fred pulled out Twister which she'd brought with her from LA.
"Who's up for a game?" She asked.
Lorne offered to spin so everyone else stood around the mat.
"This is nice." Cordelia said, eating pasta at the little bistro on Main Street. "Do you want to try?"
He pulled a face. "I'm not really a foody."
"I know, but you could make me feel less guilty for eating while you just have wine."
She held out a forkful which he reluctantly took. "Well?"
"It would probably taste better if I hadn't been drinking blood for two hundred and forty nine years." He replied.
She laughed. "So, that reminds me, we've got you bicentennial and a half next year, what do you want to do about it?"
He smiled. "Bicentennial and a half? That's a bit of a mouthful."
"But I bet it tastes better than the pasta, right?"
He laughed. "Yeah."
"So, what do you want to do?" She pressed.
"Uh, nothing." He replied.
"What do you mean nothing, we have to do something!" She exclaimed. "It's not as if anyone else I know is going to be two hundred and fifty."
He pulled a face. "I know."
She put her fork down. "Oh come on, you should have stopped being squeamish about your age when you hit one hundred."
"Jeez Cor, you sure know how to make a guy feel better."
She smiled at him and picked up her fork again. "We could have a party."
He shook his head. "That would mean people and crowds, not really me."
"Okay, well, we could go away somewhere." She suggested.
"Where? Hawaii?"
"Hey, don't be bitter. We could go to aspen. The land of no direct sunlight. You could try skiing."
"Skiing? Can you really see me on skis?" He asked incredulously.
"A couple of years ago I couldn't see you on me, but hey, that happened." She grinned.
He was forced to smile back. "Okay, I'll think about it."
She smiled.
"Hey guys, what have you been up to?" Cordelia asked as she and Angel came into the mansion. "Hey Buffy, Spike."
"We've been playing Twister." Wes said, sporting a bruise on his forehead.
"I take it you didn't win." Cordelia sat and sat down next to him.
"Did you have a good time?" Buffy asked.
Angel nodded. "Cordelia is trying to get me to have a party next year."
"But he is refusing." Cordelia added.
"Peaches, you used to love a good party, if I remember right." Spike commented. "You used to eat the hosts."
Cordelia threw a cushion at him. "Anyone for coffee?"
She received nods from everyone. She ran up the stairs to change quickly and then she went into the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. She picked up a pile of cups from inside a cupboard and then saw images flash through her head and she began to float. She banged her head on the open cupboard door as she began to float and she dropped the cups on the floor.
Angel came running in and saw her floating, he called out to Wes and Gunn.
"What do you see honey?" He asked, looking up at her.
"A woman, no a girl, she's walking home. There's a demon in an alley. He's going to jump out at her. She won't be able to get away. He's going to rip her into pieces." It was obvious that she could see it as her body convulsed, as if she was trying to get rid of the images and she fell to the floor, or rather, into Angel's arms. "Somewhere off Main Street."
She clung to Angel until her legs stood solid. "We need to go now."
Wes nodded and went back into the other room. "Guys, Cordy's had a vision. A girl is going to be attacked by a demon off Main Street. We need to go now." Cordelia, Angel and Gunn came out of the kitchen.
"This is the easy kind of slaying." Buffy said, grabbing her crossbow and stake. "Can I keep you?"
"Sorry Buff, I'm Angel's." Cordelia smiled weakly.
"Maybe you should stop here." Lorne suggested, seeing how tired she looked.
She shook her head. "No, it's okay, I'm fine."
"Okay, let's go." Wes said, having collected their weapons and Angel's car keys. Gunn and Fred were already in his truck.
"Stop here!" Cordelia ordered Angel, sensing that this was the place in her vision.
Buffy and Spike jumped out of the back of the car ready for action.
"Be careful." Angel urged Cordelia before she'd even got out of the car.
"I always do." She replied.
"Okay." Wes began after getting out of Gunn's truck with him and Fred. "We need to keep back until we see the girl in Cordy's vision then we'll get closer and keep in between her and the demon so she can't get hurt."
Everyone nodded and went into an alleyway to wait.
Almost on cue the girl in Cordelia's vision came out of the coffee shop and began walking their way. They waited while she had gone past and then followed her at a safe enough distance.
The demon in question jumped out at her from behind a dumpster off Main Street on Elder Drive.
Buffy and Angel moved forward first to attack the demon.
"That's the Amara demon!" Wes said. "It killed the old cheerleading coach!"
Cordelia ran to the girl and got her out of the way before the demon could swipe at her.
Spike joined the fight, as did Gunn. Wes came to stand with Cordelia, dragging Fred with him out of harm's way.
"Think they're managing?" Cordelia asked him.
He shook his head. "No."
"Maybe we should help." She suggested.
"Not yet."
Buffy was flung into a shop window and the glass broke setting off the alarms.
Gunn swore. "We've got to get out of here; the cops will be here in a minute."
He was quietened by a blow to the side of the face by the demon.
"Get the girl out of here." Wes said to Fred. "Take Angel's car, drive her home then come back."
She nodded and led the girl to Angel's car.
"Cordelia, we need your demon strength." Wes said to her. "I need you to distract the demon and then take it down the alley where we were hiding. Get it to follow you and we can kill it from behind."
"That alley has an end."
"So?"
"So, I could get trapped before you kill the thing." She argued.
"Jump the wall at the end if you have to."
"Jump? How the hell can I jump a wall?"
"Channel your power and for goodness sake stop arguing! The police will be here shortly and we need to kill the demon before they get here. Don't worry." He reassured. "We'll get your back."
She nodded, satisfied. Now how the hell was she going to get the demon's attention.
"Hey!" She tried calling. "That didn't work." She muttered. "You're so ugly I can't tell the difference between you and a... a. rat?"
The demon turned to look at her as did Angel and Gunn. "A rat?" Gunn asked.
She ignored him. "I bet you want to get me for that, say chase me down the street into an alley where we can chop you into little pieces from behind?"
The demon turned as if to ignore her but turned back and began to move towards her.
"Great, once again Cordy is bait." She muttered to herself as she began to run. "I just love this plan! Channel my power my ass!"
The Amara demon began chasing after her into the alley leaving everyone else to follow.
Cordelia ran down the alley, the demon close on her, until she reached the brick wall at the end. "I have to say I'm not altogether comfortable with this plan!" She shouted around the demon.
"We got your back chit!" Spike shouted back. "Hold on!"
"To what? I've already lost my freakin' dignity!" Cordelia shouted back as the demon tore a hole in her Gucci jacket. "Hey ass wipe that cost three hundred dollars! You are so going to die horribly!"
"You paid three hundred dollars for that?" Angel asked in disbelief.
"No the issue right now honey!" Cordelia shouted back, gritting her teeth. "Will you start to kill the demon instead of just talking to me round it?"
They all began hitting the demon from behind until it turned away from Cordelia. Then with a sweep of its giant arm her knocked them all aside and ran away. Buffy made a vain attempt to chase him but he'd gone.
Cordelia went to help Angel up off the floor and then gave her hand to Wes, who was grimacing and rubbing his back.
"Are you okay?" She asked him.
He nodded reassuringly. "Absolutely fine. Why don't we regroup back at the mansion?"
Lorne made cups of tea for everyone while they sat on the couches in the living area. Cordelia went to change out of her torn jacket and bring Ashleigh and Connor from upstairs. As soon as they'd heard her they'd woken.
She flopped down on the couch next to Angel with Ashleigh and left Connor to toddle around to Gunn and Wesley. "So, what's the next move?"
"Well, obviously the Amara is still feeding so we need to step up our efforts in finding out where he is habiting and who his next targets might be."
"I'll patrol again on the way home, see if he left a trail and then step up my patrolling as of tomorrow." Buffy offered.
"Yes, maybe Spike could help you with that?" Wes asked.
Spike nodded.
"I can check the Internet and the newspapers." Fred offered. "See if there's anything going on."
Wes nodded. "I'll contact Mr Giles and maybe he and Willow can research for me. Maybe Tara could do a spell to try and locate the Amara."
"Research party!" Cordelia exclaimed. "Sounds like we need pizza."
"And beer." Spike added.
He received dirty glances from the newly sober women in the room. "Or maybe not."
"Okay, can we get started please?" Wes ordered.
The research party went nowhere. Cordelia had fallen asleep on the couch with Ashleigh asleep on her chest and a book resting on her knees. Gunn had abandoned the research and had ended up playing scrabble with Xander and Anya, who had come to help. Giles and Wesley had come up with nothing, as did Fred, Willow and Tara. Buffy called when she and Spike had gotten home after patrol and reported nothing except a couple of vampires. They decided to stop home with Dawn who was practicing her cheers in the front room.
Angel had decided to announce his and Cordelia's engagement to the Scoobies. Willow and Tara had bagged bridesmaid rights. Xander had looked angry and then envious and then received a slap around the face from Anya. Giles had been speechless and had managed to shake both of their hands before blushing and congratulating them both.
Lorne entertained the workers by singing his favourite Barbara Streisand songs until Angel threw a cushion at him and he'd settled for just making tea and coffee. Overall, the came up with nothing. The Amara had disappeared.
Angel carried Cordelia upstairs while Lorne took Ashleigh. Connor had been put to bed hours before after tiring himself by walking around after Lorne.
Cordelia stirred but didn't wake as Angel placed her on the bed. Lorne put Ashleigh in her bassinet and then turned to watch Angel.
"You know kitten, the Amara might be after her."
"What?" Angel asked, looking up suddenly. "No, it doesn't know her."
"By the sounds of it it doesn't know many people. Keep an eye out. It could be after any one of our ladies." He raised an eyebrow.
"I will." Angel promised. "Now will you leave before you see more of Cordelia than I care you to?"
Lorne grinned. "Oh come on, like I can't get my own sex kitten!"
Angel raised an eyebrow. "Goodnight Lorne."
Cordelia woke as Angel slipped the pants down her legs.
"I was trying not to wake you." He insisted.
"It's okay." She murmured. "You should have woken me downstairs."
"You looked too peaceful." He smiled and slipped her panties off too.
"And what do I look like now?"
"Aroused, sensual."
"Rumpled?" She added with a smile.
He laughed softly. "Not at the moment, but if you have the urge." He let the sentence trail off and he leant down to kiss her.
She broke it gently. "There are way too many clothes in this equation for me."
He laughed and began unbuttoning his shirt. "Get that shirt off then!"
She raised an eyebrow and crossed one of her legs over the other. "I don't take orders from you at work so what in the world makes you think I'm going to take orders from you in bed?"
He pulled a face. "Once upon a time you would take orders from me."
She snorted. "The only time I did something you told me to was to take the ring and say I'd marry you."
He thought for a moment. "Just take the shirt off!"
She laughed and took her shirt off. "Can we stop talking now?" She breathed as he settled closer to her, electricity jumping between them.
"Your wish is my command." He whispered as he leaned in to kiss her.