Title: I Thought She Knew, (3/?)
Author: Faith, Faith_Dru@lycos.com
Disclaimer: They're not mine, no matter how much I would like them to be they all belong to Joss Whedon and company.
Pairing: Cordelia/Xander
Rating: G maybe PG
Season/Spoilers: Same as before nothing's changed. Cordy leaves so somewhere before season 4.
Summary: Cordy leaves and Xander's hurting....I know it's the same thing I said on the other part but, if I told you anymore it would spoil it.
Distribution: Ask and you shall receive.
Author's Note: = thoughts, * * = bold thoughts or sayings, ~ ~ = Journal writings, [] = actions, // = lyrics.
Feedback: Well if you're reading this part you must have sent me feedback.....keep it coming......pppppppplllllllllleeeeeeeaaaaaaasssssssseeeeeeeee!!!

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"Hello?" He questioned again.

"Hi." A female voice finally said. "Just listen to me, it'll be easier if I get this all out without interruption." Taking a breath Now or never. "I still love you, and I realize that you probably already have someone else but I couldn't go another minute without letting you know. I know that you probably think that I hate you because I left, but it's just the opposite. I couldn't go another day seeing you, and feeling worse and worse as the insults that were thrown about and seeing the hurt in your eyes." Taking a brief breath she continued, "Tell Willow that I forgive the both of you and that remember that I love you always. Good bye Xander."

"Cordelia, wait!" He cried out.

"Xander?" She questioned.

"Cordelia, I love you too. I was just sitting here writing you a note telling you so. I'm also sorry that I missed your bus out of town. The man running the booth told me that I missed you by about five minutes." He said with total emotion, something he'd never done. "Come back to me, Cordelia." He requested.

Gasping she didn't know what to think, so she panicked. "I can't." And with that she hung up the phone.

Staring at the phone in totally disbelieve he didn't know what to do so he sat there with the phone in his hand until it started beeping and saying, "If you'd like to make a call, please hang up and try again."

In LA

I can't believe that I called him. But I also can't believe that he asked me to come back and that I said 'no'. What was I thinking?? Picking up the phone again she dialed another number she'd learned from spending a lot of time with the Scooby Gang.

In Sunnydale

[Ring!]

"Hello?" Willow said picking up the phone on the third ring.

"Willow?" A voice asked.

"Yes." She replied, and continued, "Cordelia?"

"Yes, I just talked to Xander and I don't know what to do." Cordelia said braking down.

"Oh, what happened?" Willow questioned getting into 'Willow' mode.

"I told him how I felt and he told me how he felt and then asked me to come back to him and I said that I couldn't." She rushed the words out.

"Oh, Cordelia." Was all Willow could say.

"I want to come back, but I don't. I don't have anything in Sunnydale to come back to, you guys do just fine without me and my parents don't care enough to notice that I'm not there anymore." She managed to say.

"But, Cordelia we're your friends. And if you care for Xander I know you guys can make it work." Willow said hopefully giving her comfort.

"Really? After everything that I've done to you, you still call me your friend." Cordelia replied half shocked but half astonished.

"Yes, I admit that it was hard for me to know about you and Xander but you guys are perfect for each other and I can respect that. I'm also really sorry about what happened." She said feeling the pain again.

"I told Xander to tell you that I forgive you for what happened." Cordelia replied, but continued, "Do you think that I should come back?"

"I can't tell you what to do, but I do know that Xander is really upset that you're not here and it's tearing him up inside." Willow stated.

"You're right. I'm going to come back, but don't tell Xander. I want to surprise him." Cordelia said with conviction.

"Great! Hey, I could try to get him down to the Bronze this weekend because Oz is playing and we'll all be there. Plus you have to meet Buffy's new boyfriend." Willow excitably said.

"Buffy's got a new boyfriend? Is he alive?" Cordelia asked laughing.

"Surprisingly yes. He's so sweet, his name is Riley Finn." Willow replied also laughing.

"I can't wait. Oh don't tell Buffy either. I want only you to know." Cordelia hurriedly said.

"Okay, umm. Xander's at my door so I'd better let you go. Call me tomorrow and we'll make final arrangements." Willow said heading downstairs.

"Okay, bye." Cordelia said hanging up.

"Bye." Willow replied. Going to the door she opened it only to not find Xander there but an unexpected person.

"'Ello, cutie." Spike said slightly drunk.

"Spike?!?!?! What are you doing here." She questioned remembering that she hadn't invited him in.

"Just want to talk to you." He slurs.

"You're drunk, again?" She stated.

"How could ya tell?" He asked leaning against the invisible barrier. "Invite me in." He commanded.

"No." She retorted.

"Please." He begged.

"I can't believe William the Bloody is begging for an invite." She said rolling her eyes. "I also can't believe that I haven't just shut the door and called Buffy to come slay him."

"Please don't do that. I couldn't stand to see her and Peaches all lovie dovie." He drawled.

"So much you know. Angel left town." She said picking up the phone to dial. "No if you don't follow the same pattern I'm going to call Buffy and she'll be here just to kick your ass up to the moon and back."

"Love the imagery, luv. But no can do. I need you to do something for me." He said cursing to himself that he just said that.

"Oh, no. I'm not going to do another spell for you." Willow said sternly. "I'm calling Buffy." She responded while dialing the number to Buffy's house.

"Fine, 'ave it your way. I'm gone." He said walking away from the open door.

"Hey, Buffy. You'll never guess who was here looking for an invite." She said not shutting the door, just watching Spike's retreating form.

AT Buffy's

"Who?" She asked.

"Spike." Willow simply said and just chuckled at her yelling.

"Is he still there?" She yelled.

"I'm not sure, but I'm not going outside to find out. He wants me to do a spell for him." She responded.

"Oh really?" Buffy said. "I'll be right over to slay if I need to. Stay inside and whatever you do..."

"Don't go outside and don't give invite. Got it." Willow said laughing. "See you soon. Bye." With that she hung up. "Spike if you're still out there, Buffy's on her way over to slay your dead ass!" She yelled out the door, still on the safe side of the barrier.

Few Minutes Later

"Well, well look who's 'ere." Spike drawled.

"Spike, long time no see. What are you doing back here. Thought you were going to 'make' Dru love you again." Buffy asked sarcastically.

"Shove it Slayer." Spike spat out.

"Oh, hit a nerve there." Buffy said carelessly.

Spike didn't say anything back he just attacked. They each threw punches and blocks at each other. Some actually made contact, others didn't. Before either of them knew it a blue light hit Spike square in the back.

"What?" Was all Buffy could get out.

Willow saw this and raced out the door towards Buffy and the men that 'shot' Spike.

"It's okay, miss. We'll take it from here." One spoke.

"Buffy are you okay?" Willow asked momentarily distracted away from Spike's not moving form.

"Yes." Buffy replied staring at the masked men in front of her in army fatigues. "Who are you?" Buffy asked.

"Don't worry miss we can handle this." He said again.

"Handle what?" Buffy questioned.

"Lets go." He said to his men ignoring her question.

As they walked away, Willow asked "Should we go see Giles?" Buffy just nodded, not knowing what to think or say. "Okay let me just lock my door."

After Giles' House

"You have one new message!" The phone machine said. "Hey Wills, call me when you get this message. 756-8987, talk to you soon."

Dialing the number she waited for Cordelia to pick up. "Hey Cordelia, what's up?" She said when the other girl answered.

LA

"Not much, you'll never guess who I saw tonight." She responded excitably.

"Who?" Willow questioned.

"Angel." Cordelia replied.

"What?"

"Yeah, I know I was surprised too. He sort of saved me too." Cordelia said a little distracted.

"Really? Well I guess that's understandable. What happened?" Willow questioned.

"I went to see this big shot movie guy and it turns out he was a vampire. Angel I guess knew this and came in and saved me." Cordelia responded.

"Wow, after all this time in Sunnydale you move away and you are nearly eaten. Good one Cordelia." Willow joked.

Laughing she replied, "I know, kind of strange."

"You're still planning on coming back to Sunnydale, right?" Willow asked.

"Yes, Angel has help here and besides him there's nothing keeping me here." Cordelia said putting the redhead at ease.

"Okay, well just a warning. We had a visit from Spike and a new group that does something to demons. So we'll be researching a lot." Willow told the brunette.

"Sounds like fun." She laughed. "Well I'm going to get some rest, so I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Okay, talk to you later. Bye." Willow said waiting until the other girl hung up before hanging up herself.

TBC