Chapter 46: Revelation.
Title: Reunion time.
Author: Nikka
Author notes: Hi everyone, If you need to know about summary, rate and all the rest it's all in chapter 1 I'll just remind you that *English is not my native tongue* so you may find some spelling & grammar mistakes, you're more than welcome to let me know about them but remember you may find them while you read the story. Have fun.
Disclaimer: Angel & Buffy's characters are not my creation (wish they were) they belong to Joss Whedon and David Greenwalt. Other characters that are not familiar from the show do belong to me.
Author's remark: My chapters as of ch 12 will no longer be reproof by Sigma due to the fact that I have no internet and I'm asking someone else to post the remaining chapters for me. I want to take this opportunity and thank sigma for all the help. And I hope you will continue reading my story even without the excellent work sigma has done. Thank you again sigma for all your great work.
***
She looked at everyone who seemed shocked and confused. "Are you sure that's where we'll find the book?" Xander who sat far away from Buffy asked.
"Yes, I am." Cordy said in confidence.
"But isn't the place like... gone?" Anya asked.
"Well, yeah, especially after they'll clear all the debris to make way for the new building." Xander explained.
"And isn't the book suppose to masquerade himself as a normal book? A one we may find, uh lets say, in a library?" Willow asked confused.
"Right again." Cordy said. "But you guys, I'm right, I know I am. The book is there, we just have to find it."
"Excuse me, but if I remember correctly this place is located above the Hellmouth, right?" Fred asked and the Scoobies nodded. "So maybe it means the book is inside the Hellmouth?" Fred's question tensed everyone.
"Okay, I can't say no for sure, but I don't think it's down there." Cordy answered.
"But you do believe we'll find the book in a-soon-to-be-demolished-ex-exploded-building?" Gunn asked in hesitation.
"It wasn't completely exploded, some of it was still standing when I last saw it." Buffy corrected him.
"Guys." Cordy raised her voice. "The book is in the old high school. Now, you can either get with the program or stay out of my way." She said and headed for the door.
"Cor?" Angel called after her.
"What?" she turned around in anger.
"Maybe we should wait till morning." He said, pointing out the window.
"Uh right." She said a bit embarrassed and turned around. "But first thing tomorrow morning." She said and headed upstairs.
***
"You guys, I don't know about this." Buffy said to the Scoobies after the A.I. cleared out.
"She hasn't been wrong yet, has she?" Tara asked.
"No she hasn't, but still." Buffy paused for a moment looking at Xander who was avoiding eye contact. "It doesn't fit."
"We have no other choice, no other leads. Besides what's the harm in visiting the old school, we did it before." The rest nodded in agreement with Willow, who by now noticed the bad vibes between Xander and Buffy. "Okay you guys, what's going on." She looked at Xander and Buffy, waiting for a reply.
"Maybe I should wait in the kitchen." Tara said thinking that was a Scooby moment, the core Scooby.
"No." Anya objected. "If you'll leave, I'll have to leave too and I don't want to go. It's too interesting." She smiled.
"Well." Willow who ignored Anya looked at her two friends who each looked at a different direction. "Should I guess, or are we going to act like grownups?"
"I told him and Giles." Buffy said quickly, hoping Anya wouldn't ask too many questions...
"Told them about what?" Anya asked anxiously.
"Uh honey you haven't heard?" Xander asked scoffing.
"About?" Anya was confused.
"Why Buffy, I thought you wanted to come clean, tell all your friends? Or do you not consider Anya as your friend?" Xander kept on.
"Get off your high horse Xander. You know damn well I haven't told Anya, or Tara for that matter." Buffy hated his behavior. "But maybe I should, after all..."
"Buffy I don't know what this is about but if you don't feel comfortable about telling us, then you shouldn't." Tara said and right then Anya cut her off.
"Don't listen to her. I want to know." Anya pleaded with her.
"Enough." Willow said in anger.
"You two are acting like 5 years old, and as for you." Willow turned to look at Anya. "Well, you are just being you." She turned her attention back to Xander and Buffy. "You can't use us to solve your problems."
"Does that mean I don't get to hear the new buzz?" Anya asked.
"Buffy's been sleeping with Spike." Xander said all of the sudden.
"I never told you I slept with him, I just said..."
"You were seeing each other, same thing." Xander cut her off.
"Uh god." Anya couldn't hold herself back she just started to giggle. "This is unbelievable."
"I'm glad you find my life amusing." Buffy said in anger.
"Maybe we should go." Tara said to Anya, who really didn't seem to want to leave.
"Are you crazy, we're just getting to the good part." Anya said in a cheerful tune.
"Anya, Tara's right, you should leave." Buffy who had enough said to her.
"You don't get to kick out my fiance." Xander said in anger.
"This is my house." Buffy stood up.
"Fine, if she goes, I go." Xander stood up also.
"Fine, go!" Buffy crossed her arms.
"Lets go Anya." Xander headed for the door.
"But honey..."
"Now Anya." He said firmly and Anya knew better than to argue with him right now.
"This is the last time I set foot in this House." He said as he walked out.
Buffy walked to the front door. "Don't worry you're no invited." She yelled out as she slammed the door shut and walked up the stairs.
"Great, just great." Willow said in despair.
***
"Hi." He walked into the bedroom. "What was that all about?" He sat on the edge of the bed watching her smearing body lotion on her arms. He loved that scent; he could close his eyes and dive into that aroma, into her, if only he could.
"This is hard for me also. People want answers from me, answers I don't have." She started to explain.
"No one expects that of you." Angel disagreed.
"No angel, they do." She sighed as she sat beside him on the bed. "Do you think I like being the barrier of bad news? I don't, I really don't." She paused for a moment. "Sometimes I wish I could say; Hi guys, guess what? I had a vision that we are all about to win the lottery, or end world hunger, or something like that, you know."
"I know." He reached out his hand touching her forehead softly.
"I can't have them disagreeing with me. I know what I saw. I know what I see. I wished I didn't, but I do, every day. My visions hunt me while I sleep, in the shower, in a quite moment when no speaks. I see flashes of them; feel the pain of the victims. The powers never tell you about that part." She turned around facing him. "It doesn't stop when the vision ends, the images follow me, wherever I go."
"I wish I could make the pain go away." He took her hand, not wanting to let go.
"I know." She smiled. "And that is one of the many reasons why I love you so."
"I feel a 'but' coming my way." He knew her too well.
"But you can't, and that'' why I need your support on this, I need you to back me up, no matter what. Cause they're maybe some decisions along the way you won't agree to or even like, but I need you to trust me, and to know that I know what I'm doing, okay?" She knew it wasn't fair asking that of him; after all, she had the upper hand when it came to knowledge of what's to come.
"I never doubted you before, I'm not about to start now." He replied.
"Good, so can we get some sleep? I'm beat." She lay under the covers.
"I thought you'd never ask." He smiled and joined her.
***
"God I can't believe it's Friday, and we're still here." Gunn looked at Fred not wanting to get up.
"We're going to find the book today, and then all we have to do is find a spell that can destroy it or something like that and we're on our way home."
"Today?" He asked hoping she'd say yes.
"I was thinking more in the terms of a day or two." She said knowing that wasn't what he wanted to hear.
"I guess a couple of days is better then indefinitely." He smiled as he got up.
"We better get dressed and head out, we have a busy day today and I want to start early."
***
"Just a minute." He called out when he heard the knocking on the door. "Just one bloody minute." He put his shirt on as the banging kept on. He opened the door from the side avoiding direct sunlight. Only after she came inside and closed the door he could see whom it was. "You almost broke the door down, what's so bloody important? Did you forget we vampires sleep during the day?"
"Why did you lock your door?" She asked as she walked inside.
"Didn't want to be disturbed, and look how well that turned out." He followed her.
"You wanted actions." She said. "Well... I told them, all of them, on my own."
"Never thought you had it in you." He said surprised and went to sit on the couch, she joined him. "How did they react?"
"No one really gave his/her blessing but they all understood or at least agreed this is my life."
"And Xander?" He knew that didn't imply for Xander.
"He lost it, we had a huge fight, and we still do. I know he'll talk to me eventually, but I don't know if it would ever be the same." She had sadness in her eyes, he could tell.
"I'm sorry." He really meant that. He wanted her to come clean, but he never wanted this.
"No, you were right, I had to tell him, I couldn't keep up the lie, it was to hard, you know?"
"Yeah, I do." He pulled out a cigarette.
"Could you wait just another minute till I go?" She asked.
"If it bothers you that much I can wait." He put the cigarette back in.
"No, I have to go anyway. Cordy knows where we can find the book." She explained.
"Want me to come?" He offered his help.
"Yeah, but I think it would be easier if you stay here. Do you mind?" She didn't want to make things worse, and he understood that.
"No, it's okay. You go save the world, and let me know how it turns out." He smiled as he walked her to the door. Before she opened the door she turned around leaned down and kissed him.
"What was that for?" He asked surprised.
"Just felt like it." She smiled. "Now, move aside so I can leave." After he was out of the way she opened the door and walked out, leaving him alone with a huge smile spread across his face.
***
"So where do we begin?" Gunn asked as they stared at the ruins of the old school.
"I can't believe they haven't cleared it all out by now." Cordy looked at it remembering her graduation day.
"They cleared some of it, but until they decide to built a new school, I don't think they'll waste the money on it. (**Author's note: for story purposes I ignored the fact that in about a year from this time a new school should open**)
"I think the best logical place to start looking is the old library, or what's left of it." Buffy said and everyone agreed.
"I wish Angel was here." Fred said as they entered the building.
"I know how you feel." Gunn said as they walked in the corridors, which didn't look like corridors anymore. The place gave them the Wiggins.
"I think it's in here." Willow said and walked through a big hole in the wall, where the doors to the library used to be. The top floor crashed down and it all looked like one big messy room now.
"I can't believe we'll find any books here." Fred looked around. "At least not any intact." She said as she raised a scorched book.
"We won't." Cordy said to everyone's surprise.
"I thought you said the book was here?" Buffy asked a bit annoyed.
"I did, but I never said where exactly." Cordy looked around the place, like she was searching for something with her eyes.
"But you can tell for sure it's not in here?" willow asked. And Cordy nodded. "Well, you just made life a whole lot easier for us."
"How come?" Gunn didn't really understand what Willow meant.
"She'll use me like a metal detector." Cordy explained. "We'll go around the school and when I sense something I'll..."
"Beep." Fred said with a smile.
"Something like that." Cordy smiled back.
"Okay lets go, we can afford to waste anymore time." Buffy ordered and marched out of the library. The others followed. They walked from one classroom to the other. Went from floor to floor, but nothing happened. Cordy felt nothing. After an hour past by, desperation started to show his signs.
"Maybe it was here, but isn't anymore." Fred didn't want to doubt Cordy, but she knew this was getting them nowhere.
"Maybe, but I don't think so." Cordy hesitated. She was starting to doubt herself, her intuition.
"If you're not sure, how can we be?" Buffy snapped at Cordy.
"I'm doing my best here, Buffy. If you think you can do better..."
"You guys, this is really not the time too...."
"Willow shut up." Cordy cut her off.
"Hi." Willow said in anger. "There's no need..."
"I mean, be quite I think I'm on to something." Cordy said as she started going towards a classroom.
"Uh." Willow said and followed her, so did the rest.
They entered the classroom; there was nothing special about it. Cordy moved around the class who stayed almost intact, the chairs and desks were still there. "I think..." She said as she approached one of the desks. She reached out and took something from the shelf underneath. It was a book, a history book from the looks of it.
"Is that it?" Tara asked intrigued.
"I don't know, I think so." Cordy said still hesitating.
"How can we know for sure?" Buffy asked, hoping this was it.
"There's a reviling spell I brought along just in case we'll need it." Willow said as she pulled a spell book from her bag. "Give me the book." She said to Cordelia who handed her the book. Willow started whispering in Latin as she waved her hand above the book. As the chanting continued the book started to change. The cover transformed and so did the writing on it. Instead of the words 'History', other words appeared in a language no one ever seen before. When Willow finished it was obvious she was holding a completely different book, the book in question.
"I can't believe we actually found it." Buffy said surprised.
"I told you it was here." Cordy savored her moment of triumph.
"Yes you did." Buffy acknowledged her defeat with a smile. "Come on lets get it to Wesley and Giles, they'll want to study it as quickly as possible
***
"Extraordinary." Giles said as he held the book.
"I never seen this language before, have you? Wesley referred the question to Giles.
"No..." Giles nodded his head in disbelieve. "We must be careful with it."
"Yes." Wesley agreed. "We can't read from it or even open it until we know what we are dealing with." He couldn't take his eyes off the book.
"You said we can't destroy it, can we banish it forever, or... contain it in some way?" Fred asked wanting to get rid of it as soon as possible.
"I'm not sure, we'll need to do some research." Wesley said still not taking his eyes off the book. "At least we have it here with us, where we can keep an eye on it.
"Not for long. "Cordy said all of the sudden.
"Really? why?" Wesley smiled. He finally raised his head and turned to face Cordy. She opened her yes. They were milky white. "Oh no, not again." Wesley said in shock.
"Cordy." Angel came to her and called her name. Suddenly she turned her face and stared at Angel with her white eyes.
"Thank you for the information, I'll be sure to collect my possession as soon as possible." A cruel smile spread across her face as she started to laugh.
"Cordy, Cordy." Angel called her name and shook her. And then she collapsed into Angel's arms. Her eyes were closed. "Cordy." He whispered softly caressing her. She slowly opened her eyes.
"That was him, that was the Dorkanious." She affirmed everyone's worse fears. "His getting stronger, more confident in himself. He's not hiding in the shadows anymore." She explained.
"Shh... take it easy." Angel didn't want her to rush herself.
"No, we don'\t have time." She said in panic.
"How much time do we have?" Giles asked trying to remain calm.
"I'm not sure, but not long." Cordy replied.
"Okay then." He took a big breath. "Everyone grab a book and start reading. And Buffy..." He turned to face her. "Call Spike, we need all the help we can get. And not a word from you." He said to Xander.
***
"This is pointless." Wesley slammed the book shut. "I've read this one already."
"So take a different one." Giles scolded him.
"There isn't any, I've read them all in the past week." He sighed. "There's nothing there Giles, we're wasting precious time."
"What do you suggest we should do Wesley? Give up? Wait for him to come and take the bloody book?" Giles lost his temper.
"I think we should try and contact the powers." He said to Giles's surprise.
"I thought you had no way to contact them?" Willow asked confused.
"We don't, but I'm sure Lorne can find a way, he did it before." Wesley explained. "I think we should call him and ask him to try, we have nothing to lose."
"Fine. If you believe this could help, do it. But the rest of us will keep on reading." He said staring at Xander who was just about to close his book and leave.
"Is he right?" Gunn whispered to the A.I who sat together.
"Any visions?" Fred asked, hoping it will give them a direction.
"No." Cordy nodded her head.
"So is Wesley right? Are we wasting our time doing this?" Gunn asked again, wanting an answer.
"Giles knows what he's doing, this is not his first apocalypse." Angel said.
"Neither is Wesley's." Fred reminded him. "And to tell you the truth I trust Wes a whole lot more than I trust Giles or any of the Scoobies for that matter."
"Fred, they're good people, and they've dealt with this kind of situation in the past," Cordy came to the Scoobies defense.
"But what do you think? Is Wes right?" Fred was starting to wonder just like Gunn, what was it exactly they were doing? Why were they taking orders from someone else, an outsider?
"Yeah I think he is." Cordy said after a few moments of hesitation. "But on the other hand there's nothing else we can do. At least like this, it gives others a hope."
"A false hope." Gunn corrected her.
"True, but false is better than none." Angel backed Cordy up. "Look, until we get another tip/vision, we have to do this. It won't do anyone any good if we start a little rebellion. Okay? Angel looked at Gunn and Fred waiting for a reply.
"Okay." They both agreed.
A few minutes later Wesley came back with bad news. Apparently Lorne had the same idea as they did only sooner, so he already tried contacting the powers and it didn't turn out so well. According to Dawn Lorne is in bed recuperating. And in the end result he got nothing, they refused to help.
"Great." Gunn said as he thought of the alternatives.
"Well then, if there are no other suggestion, I think we should all..."
"Haaaaaaa." A scream coming from Cordelia cut Giles off; Angel who was already sitting beside her held her as she fall backwards holding her head screaming.
"It has to be the Dorkanious." Fred said.
"How can you tell?" Xander asked.
"Ever since she became a part demon the visions stopped hurting, unless when it came to the Dorkanious, so it must be it." As Fred finished explained the screaming stopped. "Cordy barely opened her eyes, she was all shook up.
"Cordy what did you see?" Angel asked her quickly.
"He's coming, right now. He's coming."
***
TBC
Hi ppl,
First thing I wanted to thank you for your patience and understating. I know it's been a long run, but I hope you're still with me, reading this fic. I won't stop now, even if I learn that no one is reading this fic anymore, there's no point. The end is near (as they say), So to all of you who are still reading this fic. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Now that my bust season is over I will have more free time to write, so I'm hoping the next update won't be too far away. So stay tuned, and as usual review and let me know what you think. And if there's anything else you'd like to see happening, before the story ends, let me know. I'm looking forward too hearing from you.
Thank you. Nikka.
Title: Reunion time.
Author: Nikka
Author notes: Hi everyone, If you need to know about summary, rate and all the rest it's all in chapter 1 I'll just remind you that *English is not my native tongue* so you may find some spelling & grammar mistakes, you're more than welcome to let me know about them but remember you may find them while you read the story. Have fun.
Disclaimer: Angel & Buffy's characters are not my creation (wish they were) they belong to Joss Whedon and David Greenwalt. Other characters that are not familiar from the show do belong to me.
Author's remark: My chapters as of ch 12 will no longer be reproof by Sigma due to the fact that I have no internet and I'm asking someone else to post the remaining chapters for me. I want to take this opportunity and thank sigma for all the help. And I hope you will continue reading my story even without the excellent work sigma has done. Thank you again sigma for all your great work.
***
She looked at everyone who seemed shocked and confused. "Are you sure that's where we'll find the book?" Xander who sat far away from Buffy asked.
"Yes, I am." Cordy said in confidence.
"But isn't the place like... gone?" Anya asked.
"Well, yeah, especially after they'll clear all the debris to make way for the new building." Xander explained.
"And isn't the book suppose to masquerade himself as a normal book? A one we may find, uh lets say, in a library?" Willow asked confused.
"Right again." Cordy said. "But you guys, I'm right, I know I am. The book is there, we just have to find it."
"Excuse me, but if I remember correctly this place is located above the Hellmouth, right?" Fred asked and the Scoobies nodded. "So maybe it means the book is inside the Hellmouth?" Fred's question tensed everyone.
"Okay, I can't say no for sure, but I don't think it's down there." Cordy answered.
"But you do believe we'll find the book in a-soon-to-be-demolished-ex-exploded-building?" Gunn asked in hesitation.
"It wasn't completely exploded, some of it was still standing when I last saw it." Buffy corrected him.
"Guys." Cordy raised her voice. "The book is in the old high school. Now, you can either get with the program or stay out of my way." She said and headed for the door.
"Cor?" Angel called after her.
"What?" she turned around in anger.
"Maybe we should wait till morning." He said, pointing out the window.
"Uh right." She said a bit embarrassed and turned around. "But first thing tomorrow morning." She said and headed upstairs.
***
"You guys, I don't know about this." Buffy said to the Scoobies after the A.I. cleared out.
"She hasn't been wrong yet, has she?" Tara asked.
"No she hasn't, but still." Buffy paused for a moment looking at Xander who was avoiding eye contact. "It doesn't fit."
"We have no other choice, no other leads. Besides what's the harm in visiting the old school, we did it before." The rest nodded in agreement with Willow, who by now noticed the bad vibes between Xander and Buffy. "Okay you guys, what's going on." She looked at Xander and Buffy, waiting for a reply.
"Maybe I should wait in the kitchen." Tara said thinking that was a Scooby moment, the core Scooby.
"No." Anya objected. "If you'll leave, I'll have to leave too and I don't want to go. It's too interesting." She smiled.
"Well." Willow who ignored Anya looked at her two friends who each looked at a different direction. "Should I guess, or are we going to act like grownups?"
"I told him and Giles." Buffy said quickly, hoping Anya wouldn't ask too many questions...
"Told them about what?" Anya asked anxiously.
"Uh honey you haven't heard?" Xander asked scoffing.
"About?" Anya was confused.
"Why Buffy, I thought you wanted to come clean, tell all your friends? Or do you not consider Anya as your friend?" Xander kept on.
"Get off your high horse Xander. You know damn well I haven't told Anya, or Tara for that matter." Buffy hated his behavior. "But maybe I should, after all..."
"Buffy I don't know what this is about but if you don't feel comfortable about telling us, then you shouldn't." Tara said and right then Anya cut her off.
"Don't listen to her. I want to know." Anya pleaded with her.
"Enough." Willow said in anger.
"You two are acting like 5 years old, and as for you." Willow turned to look at Anya. "Well, you are just being you." She turned her attention back to Xander and Buffy. "You can't use us to solve your problems."
"Does that mean I don't get to hear the new buzz?" Anya asked.
"Buffy's been sleeping with Spike." Xander said all of the sudden.
"I never told you I slept with him, I just said..."
"You were seeing each other, same thing." Xander cut her off.
"Uh god." Anya couldn't hold herself back she just started to giggle. "This is unbelievable."
"I'm glad you find my life amusing." Buffy said in anger.
"Maybe we should go." Tara said to Anya, who really didn't seem to want to leave.
"Are you crazy, we're just getting to the good part." Anya said in a cheerful tune.
"Anya, Tara's right, you should leave." Buffy who had enough said to her.
"You don't get to kick out my fiance." Xander said in anger.
"This is my house." Buffy stood up.
"Fine, if she goes, I go." Xander stood up also.
"Fine, go!" Buffy crossed her arms.
"Lets go Anya." Xander headed for the door.
"But honey..."
"Now Anya." He said firmly and Anya knew better than to argue with him right now.
"This is the last time I set foot in this House." He said as he walked out.
Buffy walked to the front door. "Don't worry you're no invited." She yelled out as she slammed the door shut and walked up the stairs.
"Great, just great." Willow said in despair.
***
"Hi." He walked into the bedroom. "What was that all about?" He sat on the edge of the bed watching her smearing body lotion on her arms. He loved that scent; he could close his eyes and dive into that aroma, into her, if only he could.
"This is hard for me also. People want answers from me, answers I don't have." She started to explain.
"No one expects that of you." Angel disagreed.
"No angel, they do." She sighed as she sat beside him on the bed. "Do you think I like being the barrier of bad news? I don't, I really don't." She paused for a moment. "Sometimes I wish I could say; Hi guys, guess what? I had a vision that we are all about to win the lottery, or end world hunger, or something like that, you know."
"I know." He reached out his hand touching her forehead softly.
"I can't have them disagreeing with me. I know what I saw. I know what I see. I wished I didn't, but I do, every day. My visions hunt me while I sleep, in the shower, in a quite moment when no speaks. I see flashes of them; feel the pain of the victims. The powers never tell you about that part." She turned around facing him. "It doesn't stop when the vision ends, the images follow me, wherever I go."
"I wish I could make the pain go away." He took her hand, not wanting to let go.
"I know." She smiled. "And that is one of the many reasons why I love you so."
"I feel a 'but' coming my way." He knew her too well.
"But you can't, and that'' why I need your support on this, I need you to back me up, no matter what. Cause they're maybe some decisions along the way you won't agree to or even like, but I need you to trust me, and to know that I know what I'm doing, okay?" She knew it wasn't fair asking that of him; after all, she had the upper hand when it came to knowledge of what's to come.
"I never doubted you before, I'm not about to start now." He replied.
"Good, so can we get some sleep? I'm beat." She lay under the covers.
"I thought you'd never ask." He smiled and joined her.
***
"God I can't believe it's Friday, and we're still here." Gunn looked at Fred not wanting to get up.
"We're going to find the book today, and then all we have to do is find a spell that can destroy it or something like that and we're on our way home."
"Today?" He asked hoping she'd say yes.
"I was thinking more in the terms of a day or two." She said knowing that wasn't what he wanted to hear.
"I guess a couple of days is better then indefinitely." He smiled as he got up.
"We better get dressed and head out, we have a busy day today and I want to start early."
***
"Just a minute." He called out when he heard the knocking on the door. "Just one bloody minute." He put his shirt on as the banging kept on. He opened the door from the side avoiding direct sunlight. Only after she came inside and closed the door he could see whom it was. "You almost broke the door down, what's so bloody important? Did you forget we vampires sleep during the day?"
"Why did you lock your door?" She asked as she walked inside.
"Didn't want to be disturbed, and look how well that turned out." He followed her.
"You wanted actions." She said. "Well... I told them, all of them, on my own."
"Never thought you had it in you." He said surprised and went to sit on the couch, she joined him. "How did they react?"
"No one really gave his/her blessing but they all understood or at least agreed this is my life."
"And Xander?" He knew that didn't imply for Xander.
"He lost it, we had a huge fight, and we still do. I know he'll talk to me eventually, but I don't know if it would ever be the same." She had sadness in her eyes, he could tell.
"I'm sorry." He really meant that. He wanted her to come clean, but he never wanted this.
"No, you were right, I had to tell him, I couldn't keep up the lie, it was to hard, you know?"
"Yeah, I do." He pulled out a cigarette.
"Could you wait just another minute till I go?" She asked.
"If it bothers you that much I can wait." He put the cigarette back in.
"No, I have to go anyway. Cordy knows where we can find the book." She explained.
"Want me to come?" He offered his help.
"Yeah, but I think it would be easier if you stay here. Do you mind?" She didn't want to make things worse, and he understood that.
"No, it's okay. You go save the world, and let me know how it turns out." He smiled as he walked her to the door. Before she opened the door she turned around leaned down and kissed him.
"What was that for?" He asked surprised.
"Just felt like it." She smiled. "Now, move aside so I can leave." After he was out of the way she opened the door and walked out, leaving him alone with a huge smile spread across his face.
***
"So where do we begin?" Gunn asked as they stared at the ruins of the old school.
"I can't believe they haven't cleared it all out by now." Cordy looked at it remembering her graduation day.
"They cleared some of it, but until they decide to built a new school, I don't think they'll waste the money on it. (**Author's note: for story purposes I ignored the fact that in about a year from this time a new school should open**)
"I think the best logical place to start looking is the old library, or what's left of it." Buffy said and everyone agreed.
"I wish Angel was here." Fred said as they entered the building.
"I know how you feel." Gunn said as they walked in the corridors, which didn't look like corridors anymore. The place gave them the Wiggins.
"I think it's in here." Willow said and walked through a big hole in the wall, where the doors to the library used to be. The top floor crashed down and it all looked like one big messy room now.
"I can't believe we'll find any books here." Fred looked around. "At least not any intact." She said as she raised a scorched book.
"We won't." Cordy said to everyone's surprise.
"I thought you said the book was here?" Buffy asked a bit annoyed.
"I did, but I never said where exactly." Cordy looked around the place, like she was searching for something with her eyes.
"But you can tell for sure it's not in here?" willow asked. And Cordy nodded. "Well, you just made life a whole lot easier for us."
"How come?" Gunn didn't really understand what Willow meant.
"She'll use me like a metal detector." Cordy explained. "We'll go around the school and when I sense something I'll..."
"Beep." Fred said with a smile.
"Something like that." Cordy smiled back.
"Okay lets go, we can afford to waste anymore time." Buffy ordered and marched out of the library. The others followed. They walked from one classroom to the other. Went from floor to floor, but nothing happened. Cordy felt nothing. After an hour past by, desperation started to show his signs.
"Maybe it was here, but isn't anymore." Fred didn't want to doubt Cordy, but she knew this was getting them nowhere.
"Maybe, but I don't think so." Cordy hesitated. She was starting to doubt herself, her intuition.
"If you're not sure, how can we be?" Buffy snapped at Cordy.
"I'm doing my best here, Buffy. If you think you can do better..."
"You guys, this is really not the time too...."
"Willow shut up." Cordy cut her off.
"Hi." Willow said in anger. "There's no need..."
"I mean, be quite I think I'm on to something." Cordy said as she started going towards a classroom.
"Uh." Willow said and followed her, so did the rest.
They entered the classroom; there was nothing special about it. Cordy moved around the class who stayed almost intact, the chairs and desks were still there. "I think..." She said as she approached one of the desks. She reached out and took something from the shelf underneath. It was a book, a history book from the looks of it.
"Is that it?" Tara asked intrigued.
"I don't know, I think so." Cordy said still hesitating.
"How can we know for sure?" Buffy asked, hoping this was it.
"There's a reviling spell I brought along just in case we'll need it." Willow said as she pulled a spell book from her bag. "Give me the book." She said to Cordelia who handed her the book. Willow started whispering in Latin as she waved her hand above the book. As the chanting continued the book started to change. The cover transformed and so did the writing on it. Instead of the words 'History', other words appeared in a language no one ever seen before. When Willow finished it was obvious she was holding a completely different book, the book in question.
"I can't believe we actually found it." Buffy said surprised.
"I told you it was here." Cordy savored her moment of triumph.
"Yes you did." Buffy acknowledged her defeat with a smile. "Come on lets get it to Wesley and Giles, they'll want to study it as quickly as possible
***
"Extraordinary." Giles said as he held the book.
"I never seen this language before, have you? Wesley referred the question to Giles.
"No..." Giles nodded his head in disbelieve. "We must be careful with it."
"Yes." Wesley agreed. "We can't read from it or even open it until we know what we are dealing with." He couldn't take his eyes off the book.
"You said we can't destroy it, can we banish it forever, or... contain it in some way?" Fred asked wanting to get rid of it as soon as possible.
"I'm not sure, we'll need to do some research." Wesley said still not taking his eyes off the book. "At least we have it here with us, where we can keep an eye on it.
"Not for long. "Cordy said all of the sudden.
"Really? why?" Wesley smiled. He finally raised his head and turned to face Cordy. She opened her yes. They were milky white. "Oh no, not again." Wesley said in shock.
"Cordy." Angel came to her and called her name. Suddenly she turned her face and stared at Angel with her white eyes.
"Thank you for the information, I'll be sure to collect my possession as soon as possible." A cruel smile spread across her face as she started to laugh.
"Cordy, Cordy." Angel called her name and shook her. And then she collapsed into Angel's arms. Her eyes were closed. "Cordy." He whispered softly caressing her. She slowly opened her eyes.
"That was him, that was the Dorkanious." She affirmed everyone's worse fears. "His getting stronger, more confident in himself. He's not hiding in the shadows anymore." She explained.
"Shh... take it easy." Angel didn't want her to rush herself.
"No, we don'\t have time." She said in panic.
"How much time do we have?" Giles asked trying to remain calm.
"I'm not sure, but not long." Cordy replied.
"Okay then." He took a big breath. "Everyone grab a book and start reading. And Buffy..." He turned to face her. "Call Spike, we need all the help we can get. And not a word from you." He said to Xander.
***
"This is pointless." Wesley slammed the book shut. "I've read this one already."
"So take a different one." Giles scolded him.
"There isn't any, I've read them all in the past week." He sighed. "There's nothing there Giles, we're wasting precious time."
"What do you suggest we should do Wesley? Give up? Wait for him to come and take the bloody book?" Giles lost his temper.
"I think we should try and contact the powers." He said to Giles's surprise.
"I thought you had no way to contact them?" Willow asked confused.
"We don't, but I'm sure Lorne can find a way, he did it before." Wesley explained. "I think we should call him and ask him to try, we have nothing to lose."
"Fine. If you believe this could help, do it. But the rest of us will keep on reading." He said staring at Xander who was just about to close his book and leave.
"Is he right?" Gunn whispered to the A.I who sat together.
"Any visions?" Fred asked, hoping it will give them a direction.
"No." Cordy nodded her head.
"So is Wesley right? Are we wasting our time doing this?" Gunn asked again, wanting an answer.
"Giles knows what he's doing, this is not his first apocalypse." Angel said.
"Neither is Wesley's." Fred reminded him. "And to tell you the truth I trust Wes a whole lot more than I trust Giles or any of the Scoobies for that matter."
"Fred, they're good people, and they've dealt with this kind of situation in the past," Cordy came to the Scoobies defense.
"But what do you think? Is Wes right?" Fred was starting to wonder just like Gunn, what was it exactly they were doing? Why were they taking orders from someone else, an outsider?
"Yeah I think he is." Cordy said after a few moments of hesitation. "But on the other hand there's nothing else we can do. At least like this, it gives others a hope."
"A false hope." Gunn corrected her.
"True, but false is better than none." Angel backed Cordy up. "Look, until we get another tip/vision, we have to do this. It won't do anyone any good if we start a little rebellion. Okay? Angel looked at Gunn and Fred waiting for a reply.
"Okay." They both agreed.
A few minutes later Wesley came back with bad news. Apparently Lorne had the same idea as they did only sooner, so he already tried contacting the powers and it didn't turn out so well. According to Dawn Lorne is in bed recuperating. And in the end result he got nothing, they refused to help.
"Great." Gunn said as he thought of the alternatives.
"Well then, if there are no other suggestion, I think we should all..."
"Haaaaaaa." A scream coming from Cordelia cut Giles off; Angel who was already sitting beside her held her as she fall backwards holding her head screaming.
"It has to be the Dorkanious." Fred said.
"How can you tell?" Xander asked.
"Ever since she became a part demon the visions stopped hurting, unless when it came to the Dorkanious, so it must be it." As Fred finished explained the screaming stopped. "Cordy barely opened her eyes, she was all shook up.
"Cordy what did you see?" Angel asked her quickly.
"He's coming, right now. He's coming."
***
TBC
Hi ppl,
First thing I wanted to thank you for your patience and understating. I know it's been a long run, but I hope you're still with me, reading this fic. I won't stop now, even if I learn that no one is reading this fic anymore, there's no point. The end is near (as they say), So to all of you who are still reading this fic. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Now that my bust season is over I will have more free time to write, so I'm hoping the next update won't be too far away. So stay tuned, and as usual review and let me know what you think. And if there's anything else you'd like to see happening, before the story ends, let me know. I'm looking forward too hearing from you.
Thank you. Nikka.