Title: A Sunnydale Tale
Author: victoriamartynne
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I own nothing!
Spoilers: None.
Summary: In 1998, Angel befriends Cordelia when the going gets tough.
Graduation day came all to fast.
Cordelia and Angel spent the night watching an old movie on television but mostly kissed and talked and ended up not seeing much of it. He'd tried to talk to her about if he didn't make it but she wouldn't let him.
Buffy spent the night with her mother and Giles. Joyce was leaving town early in the morning, at Buffy's insistence, so they'd invited Giles over for dinner and drinks.
Willow spent the evening with Xander and then, later on, with Oz. They spent the night together, for the first time, and she gave herself to him completely.
Faith and the Mayor had dinner at his house followed by an early night, in preparation for the next day. The Mayor concluded the final ritual for the ascension to work and they proposed a toast to their future power.
The night went all too fast and before they all knew it, it was morning.
Faith ran across town, the Mayor was going to kill her! She was late! She dodged a man on a bike and grabbed an apple from the display outside the shop on Main Street. She grinned sweetly at the owner and skipped off down the street, biting into it. She stepped off the curb to cross over when a delivery van pulled around the corner and hurtled towards her, the driver glancing at a map on his passenger seat. He looked up when he was just feet away from her and slammed on the brakes. Faith noticed all too late but even her slayer speed couldn't save her from the van ploughing into her side.
Cordelia woke up in Angel's arms. "Good morning."
He smiled and kissed her head. "Morning."
"Well, this is it. The day of truth. I survived high school now all I have to do is survive the ceremony." She quipped lightly.
His arms tightened around her. "We need to talk Cordelia, you wouldn't let me last night but we really do need to discuss a few things."
"Okay." She relented, hearing the serious and determined tone in his voice.
"If something happens to me today I want you to know that I love you so much, more than anyone I have ever loved. You do know that, don't you?"
She nodded, not trusting her voice.
"If something happens, there's money in my night stand, right at the bottom there's a compartment, and you'll figure how to get it out. I want you to take that and make a life for yourself. There's the apartment in LA, go there if you want to, the rent has been paid for a year. Or stay here; do whatever you want, okay?" He didn't wait for her to respond.
"But look after yourself. Keep yourself strong and happy and never forget how much I love you. Promise me to never forget." He told her fiercely.
She sat up and felt tears trickle down her cheeks. "I'll never forget."
"Promise?"
"I promise."
Her voice broke and sobs began to escape her body. "I can't do this, god I am so not dealing. I can't bear the thought that you might not get through this! I mean, how could I live without you? How would I survive? I love you so much and it would kill me if you died out there and I don't know what to do anymore!"
She flung herself into his arms. He had sat up as soon as her sobs had begun. "It's okay, I'm sorry I upset you but sometimes in life you need to get things said before it's too late. If you live as long as I have then you see people disappear, leaving people devastated and doubting that the person that died loved them. I needed to tell you that I love you because I don't want you to be devastated. I want you to know that I love you, okay?"
She nodded. "And I love you too."
"Now, don't you die either." He ordered. "You have to come keep my office tidy in LA."
She pulled back to swat his arm, laughing through her tears. "Like hell I do."
Is response was to kiss her.
The Mayor stood at Faith's bedside. "I promise you that when I have ascended I'll come back for you. I won't leave you here amongst the low lives. You deserve the best Faith, and even though you can't be with me on my special day, you have to know you will be by my side in spirit and we will be the winners. You helped me do what I am about to do and my victory today will be our victory. I'll come back for you Faith, keep breathing for me, okay? I love you."
He bent down to kiss her forehead. "Be back soon."
Everyone met in the library before the ceremony started. Cordelia, Xander, Buffy, Willow and Oz were all wearing their gowns while Giles and Angel wore their normal clothes.
"This is it." Giles announced.
Cordelia turned to Angel and kissed him briefly. "Be safe."
"You too."
She set off with Buffy, Willow, Xander and Oz to get their places outside.
Angel stood with Giles awkwardly. "I guess you're staying here then."
He nodded. "And you'll be going outside, or rather into the hall until the sun sets."
He nodded.
"Be careful Angel, for her."
Angel nodded. "Yeah."
He set off into the hallway.
Cordelia sat down next to Xander in one of the back rows.
"Do you think we'll make it?" He asked.
"We have no choice but to think we will."
"I guess deadboy's been good for you in some way." He told her wistfully.
She turned to look at him. "Why is that?"
"You were never so philosophical with me."
She laughed softly. "That was because every time we met up it was in a closet to make out."
He grinned. "I guess so."
She reached for his hand and held it in hers. "When this is all over we should all do something. I miss you sometimes."
"I miss you too. That day at the hospital."
"I was so young and innocent. I felt like it was the worst day of my life." She told him. "Well, I proved myself wrong then didn't I?"
"I guess." He thought for a second. "That day I wanted to tell you how sorry I was for what had happened. Not just the falling through the stairs and onto a rebar thing. More of an I'm sorry I made out with Willow. I was a fool. And the truth is, I loved you. Maybe I still do."
"Wow, little Xander's all grown up."
He grinned boyishly. "We'll do the meeting up thing. Maybe give things a couple of weeks to settle down though first."
She decided to tell him. "No can do."
"No can do what?"
"I'm leaving town next weekend." She told him, still holding his hand.
"You're what? With Angel? Where to?" He asked all at once.
"I'm leaving, yes with Angel and to LA." She told him patiently.
"LA? Why are you going there?"
"There are too many bad memories here. For both of us. And it was either LA or Cleveland. Apparently there's another hell mouth there. And besides, LA has lots of innocents and shoes."
He nodded, looking serious. "It won't be the same here without you."
"I think you'll manage." She pointed up to the stage. "He's here."
The Mayor got up on stage and began making his speech.
"Could he be anymore dull?" Cordelia whispered.
"I think it's about to get better." He breathed as the sky started to turn grey and then black.
Mayor Wilkins began couching and convulsing.
Further up the seats they saw Buffy stand up, quickly followed by Oz and Willow who were over to their left.
Xander rose, taking Cordelia with him. She looked around; spotting Angel with a group of street fighters stood a couple of hundred feet behind them.
The Mayor's skin began peeling off him until he was green and scaly.
He began growing until he was towering above the school.
Buffy looked around and shouted. "Now!"
The students stood up en mass and shrugged off their gowns, revealing large weapons.
Xander let go off Cordelia's hand and ran forward to where Oz was shouting for him.
Cordelia watched as fire was thrown at the giant monster.
Willow ran to her side and grabbed her arm. "It's not working!"
They watched as the students at the front began to turn back. Buffy began shouting. "Fall back!"
Turning, they began to hurry though the seats shouting "Fall back!"
On cue, the Mayor's vampires began to swarm out of the school, mingling with the students and parents, biting and killing.
In the rush Cordelia got separated from Willow and turned around in time to see Mayor Wilkins eat Principle Snyder.
Reaching into her pocket she pulled out her stake and began threading her way through the crowd, staking any vampire she met.
Angel was swinging his axe around, creating clouds of dust. He saw Xander commanding a group of crossbow firers and then saw Oz helping up an injured girl but he didn't get a chance to look for Cordelia.
He swung his axe again, cutting off the head of an unsuspecting vampire.
Please be alright, he prayed silently.
Buffy ran faster than she had ever run through the school halls.
She could hear, rather than see the Mayor, or rather the dinosaur he had turned into, following her.
She turned the corner and saw the library doors ahead of her. She burst though them and was out the fire doors at the other side before he had even gotten his head inside.
She landed on the grass outside next to Giles. "Now!"
He pressed down the lever and the dynamite inside the library exploded into a ball of flames.
"I think that did it." Buffy told him dryly as a clump of Mayor 'meat' fell to the floor next to them.
"I think we should go assess the damage, don't you?" Giles told her, wiping his dust covered glasses with his handkerchief.
"You know, I lived for the day you actually cleaned them." She told him.
"What? I don't understand!" He complained, following her. "Wait for me!"
They came around the library and into the courtyard where the fighting was still going strong.
"Stay back!" She shouted to Giles, swooping to pick up a stray sword from the floor. "Find Willow and Xander, make sure they're alright!"
He nodded and hurried around the outskirts of the fighting.
Buffy moved into the fighting, beheading vampires smoothly as she advanced into the centre.
Gradually the screaming and thuds of fighting slowed and then everything went quiet.
Peopled started looking around. For what they weren't quite sure.
People began shouting, searching for people and they were moving around, like a swarm of bees.
"Willow!" She shouted, joining in jostling through the crowd. "Xander!"
"Angel!" Cordelia shouted.
She hadn't seen him since the fighting had began.
She saw Harmony laid on the floor, blood dripping down her neck. She bent down to check her pulse, but there wasn't one.
She stood back up and looked around. "Angel!"
She felt someone grab her arm from behind and spun around. "Ang. Xander, thank God you're alright!"
She hugged him for a second. "Have you seen..?"
"Angel? No." He told her. "Have you seen..?"
"Buffy or Willow? No."
He smiled slightly. "Anyone would think that we knew each other too well."
"Then we must be thinking the same thing right now."
"Let's go find our friends." He finished and took her arm, pulling her out of the way of one of the quarterbacks who was pummelling his way through the crowd.
Buffy found Willow and Oz quickly and they were making their way to where Giles was stood talking to a fireman when Xander and Cordelia caught up with them.
"Xander!" Willow exclaimed and hugged him. "We couldn't find you! Buffy killed the mayor."
"We noticed, I think the giant fireball gave that away." Xander told them as Buffy came forward to hug him.
"Are you okay?" Giles asked Cordelia, laying a hand on her arm.
She nodded. "Have you seen Angel?"
He nodded and pointed behind her.
She spun and saw him walking towards them.
She grinned and began running towards him. "Angel!"
He caught her around the waist and lifted her off her feet. "I was so worried about you!"
"I couldn't find you." She told his neck, her breath ticking him. "I was so scared."
"It's okay baby, we made it, we're okay now." He stroked her back and kissed her hair. "It's all over."
She let out the breath she had been holding and tightened her grip on him. "I love you."
"Always." He told her.
They left Sunnydale the next day. They decided not to tell anyone but they left a note explaining if anyone went looking for them.
Cordelia wished she had time to have the goodbye drink with Xander but she knew he might have been the only one who was sad to see her go.
Angel pulled up outside their new apartment. "This is it, we're home."
"And aren't I glad." She yawned and slipped her sandals back on. "I have travelling."
"Have you got the keys?"
She nodded and pulled them out of her bag.
She got out of the car and they walked to the doorway.
He suddenly swung her into his arms.
"What are you doing?" She squealed and clung to his neck.
"Carrying you over the threshold." He smiled.
She rolled her eyes. "This isn't the doorway, this is the entranceway."
"So, I'll carry you across two thresholds."
She laughed as he fumbled with the keys and carried her through.
When they got to their doorway he suddenly put her down.
"What happened to Mr Romantic?" She taunted.
"There's someone in there." He whispered, shoving her behind him. "Stay behind me."
He turned the door handle and wasn't surprised when it opened.
She went inside letting her advance slowly.
She heard an Irish voice greet Angel in a non violent way.
She walked into the apartment. "Who the hell are you?" She asked the dark haired man stood in the middle of the kitchen.
He turned to her and smiled. "And you must be Cordelia Chase, the champion's princess."
"Still doesn't answer my question Bob Geldof." She said sarcastically, resting a hand on her hip. "Who the hell are you?"
He smiled. "My name's Doyle, I thought you guys could do with a bit of help."
"Why?" Angel asked.
He frowned. "Ever heard of the Powers That Be?"
The End
Author: victoriamartynne
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I own nothing!
Spoilers: None.
Summary: In 1998, Angel befriends Cordelia when the going gets tough.
Graduation day came all to fast.
Cordelia and Angel spent the night watching an old movie on television but mostly kissed and talked and ended up not seeing much of it. He'd tried to talk to her about if he didn't make it but she wouldn't let him.
Buffy spent the night with her mother and Giles. Joyce was leaving town early in the morning, at Buffy's insistence, so they'd invited Giles over for dinner and drinks.
Willow spent the evening with Xander and then, later on, with Oz. They spent the night together, for the first time, and she gave herself to him completely.
Faith and the Mayor had dinner at his house followed by an early night, in preparation for the next day. The Mayor concluded the final ritual for the ascension to work and they proposed a toast to their future power.
The night went all too fast and before they all knew it, it was morning.
Faith ran across town, the Mayor was going to kill her! She was late! She dodged a man on a bike and grabbed an apple from the display outside the shop on Main Street. She grinned sweetly at the owner and skipped off down the street, biting into it. She stepped off the curb to cross over when a delivery van pulled around the corner and hurtled towards her, the driver glancing at a map on his passenger seat. He looked up when he was just feet away from her and slammed on the brakes. Faith noticed all too late but even her slayer speed couldn't save her from the van ploughing into her side.
Cordelia woke up in Angel's arms. "Good morning."
He smiled and kissed her head. "Morning."
"Well, this is it. The day of truth. I survived high school now all I have to do is survive the ceremony." She quipped lightly.
His arms tightened around her. "We need to talk Cordelia, you wouldn't let me last night but we really do need to discuss a few things."
"Okay." She relented, hearing the serious and determined tone in his voice.
"If something happens to me today I want you to know that I love you so much, more than anyone I have ever loved. You do know that, don't you?"
She nodded, not trusting her voice.
"If something happens, there's money in my night stand, right at the bottom there's a compartment, and you'll figure how to get it out. I want you to take that and make a life for yourself. There's the apartment in LA, go there if you want to, the rent has been paid for a year. Or stay here; do whatever you want, okay?" He didn't wait for her to respond.
"But look after yourself. Keep yourself strong and happy and never forget how much I love you. Promise me to never forget." He told her fiercely.
She sat up and felt tears trickle down her cheeks. "I'll never forget."
"Promise?"
"I promise."
Her voice broke and sobs began to escape her body. "I can't do this, god I am so not dealing. I can't bear the thought that you might not get through this! I mean, how could I live without you? How would I survive? I love you so much and it would kill me if you died out there and I don't know what to do anymore!"
She flung herself into his arms. He had sat up as soon as her sobs had begun. "It's okay, I'm sorry I upset you but sometimes in life you need to get things said before it's too late. If you live as long as I have then you see people disappear, leaving people devastated and doubting that the person that died loved them. I needed to tell you that I love you because I don't want you to be devastated. I want you to know that I love you, okay?"
She nodded. "And I love you too."
"Now, don't you die either." He ordered. "You have to come keep my office tidy in LA."
She pulled back to swat his arm, laughing through her tears. "Like hell I do."
Is response was to kiss her.
The Mayor stood at Faith's bedside. "I promise you that when I have ascended I'll come back for you. I won't leave you here amongst the low lives. You deserve the best Faith, and even though you can't be with me on my special day, you have to know you will be by my side in spirit and we will be the winners. You helped me do what I am about to do and my victory today will be our victory. I'll come back for you Faith, keep breathing for me, okay? I love you."
He bent down to kiss her forehead. "Be back soon."
Everyone met in the library before the ceremony started. Cordelia, Xander, Buffy, Willow and Oz were all wearing their gowns while Giles and Angel wore their normal clothes.
"This is it." Giles announced.
Cordelia turned to Angel and kissed him briefly. "Be safe."
"You too."
She set off with Buffy, Willow, Xander and Oz to get their places outside.
Angel stood with Giles awkwardly. "I guess you're staying here then."
He nodded. "And you'll be going outside, or rather into the hall until the sun sets."
He nodded.
"Be careful Angel, for her."
Angel nodded. "Yeah."
He set off into the hallway.
Cordelia sat down next to Xander in one of the back rows.
"Do you think we'll make it?" He asked.
"We have no choice but to think we will."
"I guess deadboy's been good for you in some way." He told her wistfully.
She turned to look at him. "Why is that?"
"You were never so philosophical with me."
She laughed softly. "That was because every time we met up it was in a closet to make out."
He grinned. "I guess so."
She reached for his hand and held it in hers. "When this is all over we should all do something. I miss you sometimes."
"I miss you too. That day at the hospital."
"I was so young and innocent. I felt like it was the worst day of my life." She told him. "Well, I proved myself wrong then didn't I?"
"I guess." He thought for a second. "That day I wanted to tell you how sorry I was for what had happened. Not just the falling through the stairs and onto a rebar thing. More of an I'm sorry I made out with Willow. I was a fool. And the truth is, I loved you. Maybe I still do."
"Wow, little Xander's all grown up."
He grinned boyishly. "We'll do the meeting up thing. Maybe give things a couple of weeks to settle down though first."
She decided to tell him. "No can do."
"No can do what?"
"I'm leaving town next weekend." She told him, still holding his hand.
"You're what? With Angel? Where to?" He asked all at once.
"I'm leaving, yes with Angel and to LA." She told him patiently.
"LA? Why are you going there?"
"There are too many bad memories here. For both of us. And it was either LA or Cleveland. Apparently there's another hell mouth there. And besides, LA has lots of innocents and shoes."
He nodded, looking serious. "It won't be the same here without you."
"I think you'll manage." She pointed up to the stage. "He's here."
The Mayor got up on stage and began making his speech.
"Could he be anymore dull?" Cordelia whispered.
"I think it's about to get better." He breathed as the sky started to turn grey and then black.
Mayor Wilkins began couching and convulsing.
Further up the seats they saw Buffy stand up, quickly followed by Oz and Willow who were over to their left.
Xander rose, taking Cordelia with him. She looked around; spotting Angel with a group of street fighters stood a couple of hundred feet behind them.
The Mayor's skin began peeling off him until he was green and scaly.
He began growing until he was towering above the school.
Buffy looked around and shouted. "Now!"
The students stood up en mass and shrugged off their gowns, revealing large weapons.
Xander let go off Cordelia's hand and ran forward to where Oz was shouting for him.
Cordelia watched as fire was thrown at the giant monster.
Willow ran to her side and grabbed her arm. "It's not working!"
They watched as the students at the front began to turn back. Buffy began shouting. "Fall back!"
Turning, they began to hurry though the seats shouting "Fall back!"
On cue, the Mayor's vampires began to swarm out of the school, mingling with the students and parents, biting and killing.
In the rush Cordelia got separated from Willow and turned around in time to see Mayor Wilkins eat Principle Snyder.
Reaching into her pocket she pulled out her stake and began threading her way through the crowd, staking any vampire she met.
Angel was swinging his axe around, creating clouds of dust. He saw Xander commanding a group of crossbow firers and then saw Oz helping up an injured girl but he didn't get a chance to look for Cordelia.
He swung his axe again, cutting off the head of an unsuspecting vampire.
Please be alright, he prayed silently.
Buffy ran faster than she had ever run through the school halls.
She could hear, rather than see the Mayor, or rather the dinosaur he had turned into, following her.
She turned the corner and saw the library doors ahead of her. She burst though them and was out the fire doors at the other side before he had even gotten his head inside.
She landed on the grass outside next to Giles. "Now!"
He pressed down the lever and the dynamite inside the library exploded into a ball of flames.
"I think that did it." Buffy told him dryly as a clump of Mayor 'meat' fell to the floor next to them.
"I think we should go assess the damage, don't you?" Giles told her, wiping his dust covered glasses with his handkerchief.
"You know, I lived for the day you actually cleaned them." She told him.
"What? I don't understand!" He complained, following her. "Wait for me!"
They came around the library and into the courtyard where the fighting was still going strong.
"Stay back!" She shouted to Giles, swooping to pick up a stray sword from the floor. "Find Willow and Xander, make sure they're alright!"
He nodded and hurried around the outskirts of the fighting.
Buffy moved into the fighting, beheading vampires smoothly as she advanced into the centre.
Gradually the screaming and thuds of fighting slowed and then everything went quiet.
Peopled started looking around. For what they weren't quite sure.
People began shouting, searching for people and they were moving around, like a swarm of bees.
"Willow!" She shouted, joining in jostling through the crowd. "Xander!"
"Angel!" Cordelia shouted.
She hadn't seen him since the fighting had began.
She saw Harmony laid on the floor, blood dripping down her neck. She bent down to check her pulse, but there wasn't one.
She stood back up and looked around. "Angel!"
She felt someone grab her arm from behind and spun around. "Ang. Xander, thank God you're alright!"
She hugged him for a second. "Have you seen..?"
"Angel? No." He told her. "Have you seen..?"
"Buffy or Willow? No."
He smiled slightly. "Anyone would think that we knew each other too well."
"Then we must be thinking the same thing right now."
"Let's go find our friends." He finished and took her arm, pulling her out of the way of one of the quarterbacks who was pummelling his way through the crowd.
Buffy found Willow and Oz quickly and they were making their way to where Giles was stood talking to a fireman when Xander and Cordelia caught up with them.
"Xander!" Willow exclaimed and hugged him. "We couldn't find you! Buffy killed the mayor."
"We noticed, I think the giant fireball gave that away." Xander told them as Buffy came forward to hug him.
"Are you okay?" Giles asked Cordelia, laying a hand on her arm.
She nodded. "Have you seen Angel?"
He nodded and pointed behind her.
She spun and saw him walking towards them.
She grinned and began running towards him. "Angel!"
He caught her around the waist and lifted her off her feet. "I was so worried about you!"
"I couldn't find you." She told his neck, her breath ticking him. "I was so scared."
"It's okay baby, we made it, we're okay now." He stroked her back and kissed her hair. "It's all over."
She let out the breath she had been holding and tightened her grip on him. "I love you."
"Always." He told her.
They left Sunnydale the next day. They decided not to tell anyone but they left a note explaining if anyone went looking for them.
Cordelia wished she had time to have the goodbye drink with Xander but she knew he might have been the only one who was sad to see her go.
Angel pulled up outside their new apartment. "This is it, we're home."
"And aren't I glad." She yawned and slipped her sandals back on. "I have travelling."
"Have you got the keys?"
She nodded and pulled them out of her bag.
She got out of the car and they walked to the doorway.
He suddenly swung her into his arms.
"What are you doing?" She squealed and clung to his neck.
"Carrying you over the threshold." He smiled.
She rolled her eyes. "This isn't the doorway, this is the entranceway."
"So, I'll carry you across two thresholds."
She laughed as he fumbled with the keys and carried her through.
When they got to their doorway he suddenly put her down.
"What happened to Mr Romantic?" She taunted.
"There's someone in there." He whispered, shoving her behind him. "Stay behind me."
He turned the door handle and wasn't surprised when it opened.
She went inside letting her advance slowly.
She heard an Irish voice greet Angel in a non violent way.
She walked into the apartment. "Who the hell are you?" She asked the dark haired man stood in the middle of the kitchen.
He turned to her and smiled. "And you must be Cordelia Chase, the champion's princess."
"Still doesn't answer my question Bob Geldof." She said sarcastically, resting a hand on her hip. "Who the hell are you?"
He smiled. "My name's Doyle, I thought you guys could do with a bit of help."
"Why?" Angel asked.
He frowned. "Ever heard of the Powers That Be?"
The End
