Hyperion Hotel Lobby

Hours later, all of the gang had gathered together. Cordelia, Angel, Wesley, Lorne, Fred, and Gunn watched as Xander, Connor and Kristen put on their jackets. Then Cordelia grabbed her intended around the waist and pulled him to her; and giving him a quick kiss, she began to say, "See you tonight, sweetheart. And remember…"

He cut her off with a roll of his eyes, "I know, Cor. Only the basement. Don't touch any of the other rooms. You have a professional coming in after the holidays, to decorate the place."

Cordy gave him a patented Queen C smile. "See, I do have you trained! That was so easy," she giggled.

The young man shook his head, "Not really. Some of it is still kinda left over from high school..."

Then Xander leaned into the large playpen their daughters were in, playing with brightly covered items hanging from a mobile. He tickled them both fondly for a minute, before waving goodbye and the three were out the door.

***

As Xander, Kristen and Connor walked towards the car, his cell phone rang. "Hello?" the military officer said, after hitting the 'Send' button.

"Hey there, cutie," came the soft, female voice on the other end.

Then came the annoyed voice of Amy Madison, "Will you knock it off!? Xander, I swear this hologram is really getting on my nerves!"

As they pulled away from the curb, Xander hit the speaker button on the cell phone so he could talk and drive. "Don't worry, Amy, she grows on you. You got everything you need?"

"Yeah, keys and supplies. You sure this Dennis guy won't go all 'Poltergeist' on me?" came her slightly worried voice.

"Don't worry," Xander told her with a smile. "I told him what was going on, and showed him your picture. Only thing I'm wondering, if he was able to keep this a secret from Cordy..."

"Okay, then. I'll, uh, drop the orb off at the mansion in a few hours, after I do the spell. Then I'm off to South Dakota, to see my dad."

"Thanks. It's a shame you can't come to the party to see the old gang, ya know?"

The new operative for the U.S. Air Force laughed on the other end of the line. "Trust me, Xander; I'm not exactly on Buffy's list of favorite people. Not after what happened with Dawn, when I was de-ratted a few years ago. Man, though, I just wish I could see their faces when you tell them I'm working with you! At least I get a semi-cute guy as my team leader; but being called DC2 as a team, that's just totally stupid..."

"I thought Vince had a name picked out for your team?"

"Oh yeah, sure he has. He wants us to be called the Tornadoes! I guess it was his high school football team's name or something; I just thank God it wasn't the Razorbacks here..."

Xander winced. "Yikes. That name doesn't sound like it'll strike fear in anybody, does it?"

Amy sighed. "Well, I'm thinking I can change his mind."

"Amy – don't rough him up too much, he's got a thing going that, ah...might surprise you," Xander told her slowly.

"Such as?"

"Well, um, just don't challenge him to a sword-fight anytime soon. Wouldn't want you to lose your head or anything..."

***

As she watched her fiancé and the others leave, Cordelia moved and sat up on the counter. She decided to sit Indian-style, and then leant against the wall leading to the office; "I had another vision," she commented vaguely.

"So soon?" Wes asked.

Cordelia nodded, as Angel looked confused. "But I thought you're not supposed to get them anymore?" the vampire asked.

Wesley looked at Cordelia, who simply nodded her head. The Watcher then described what she'd told him and Fred about her dream, along with the part where he thought they came from.

"Wait up," Gunn said at once. "So this dream, or vision, or whatever the hell it was – it happened in the other timeline? The first one, where y'all moved back to your old hometown?"

"Yeah. And I'm guessing so did the one I had a few hours ago, in the shower."

"Ah, yes? What happened in this one?" Wes asked, getting interested.

Cordelia told them all about her latest vision slash dream. Ten minutes later, she could see the wheels spinning in Wesley's head as he thought about it. "So, Wes, any ideas about what the hell's going on? You figured out any way to stop this, already?" she asked quietly.

Wesley thought for a moment. "Well, not yet. And, um, the only thing I can think of is that in both episodes, you were doing the same thing."

"And that was what?" she asked him in total confusion.

"Basically, you were worried about Xander. About what his reaction would be to you being pregnant, and then fearing for his life."

"Well, I'd say his reaction to the pretty pregnancy was positive," Lorne spoke up. "And call me Kolchak Jr. here, but you two seemed very close in the second one."

"Maybe..." Angel began, but stopped.

"Maybe what?" Cordy asked him.

Angel looked a little nervous about saying what was on his mind. "Well, as Wes said a few minutes ago, you can remember stuff better now. Maybe your subconscious is worrying about you and Xander? Maybe...it's your mind's way of telling yourself to slow down a bit. I mean, uh, you are moving a lot faster with him than you ever did with the Groosalugg. You and Xander are already living together..."

Cordelia shook her head. "Well...all right, I admit with Groo it was different. It was...mostly physical."

Angel looked at her. "And it's not with Xander? Cordy, no offense, but lately you two have been all over each other..."

"We are not all over each other!" Cordy stated firmly, but then sighed. "Okay, so we're a little...frisky. But it's more than just sex, you guys! We're a family now. Xander, and me, and the girls! It's what it was meant to be, and finally been brought about. Like in the first timeline..."

"Cordy," Angel sighed. "This isn't the first timeline now, you know that. We're in what, the third one? That's what that mystery girl told Xander, right? You've grown up a hell of a lot since you moved out here; and maybe...just maybe…you've, you've outgrown Xander."

The former seer looked at the souled vampire, very surprised. "Angel? What exactly are you saying to me?"

"All I'm saying is the old Powers That Be used you, and took over your life with the visions. So how do we know that this Metatron guy isn't doing the exact same thing? We all heard him; everyone's destines are totally screwed up. You shouldn't marry Xander, just because he told you to..."

Cordelia sat up straight, and gave him a Look. "Angel? He didn't tell me to marry Xander. I decided to do that later, out of my own free will! I was thinking about it, even before we left for Vegas – and then after we had a talk there, I made up my mind to do it. I proposed to him."

The woman sighed as she continued, "And let me tell you Angel, Xander has grown up a lot as well. He's a hell of a lot more mature now, than he ever was before. He doesn't even hide behind his lame jokes as much as he used to."

"Yeah, but what about his failed wedding?" Angel persisted in pursuing the topic of conversation.

Cordy shook her head, dismissing that. "It was never meant to be. Anymore than me and Groo..."

And yet, still Angel kept playing Devil's advocate. "So what? We've stopped dozens of prophecies and legends from coming to pass, and that alone should prove that just because something is supposed to happen – that doesn't mean it's set in stone. Xander shouldn't get a Get Out of Jail Free card on that, just because it wasn't meant to be! I mean, can you see yourself married to him in ten years? Twenty? I saw what happened to you the last time; I just don't want to see you get hurt again."

"Angel..." Cordy began, trying to control her emotions. "Lemme put it like this. I saw myself married to Xander at some point in my life, during junior year and part of senior year in high school. In fact, I might still have my old notebooks that have I heart Xander written all over them. The idea of us getting married, therefore, isn't the shocker that it appears to be for you!"

Her tone then got deadly serious, "And just for the record here? Don't you ever again bring up his crappy past with regards to me and Anya! The past is the past, and he's still carrying around too much guilt about that. And I've been doing my best to help him get over it, already..."

Cordelia held up her hand to silence his rebuttal, "You don't see the look in his eyes, when we talk about what happened in high school. Angel, you of all people should know what a lot of guilt can do to a man! And if you don't believe me, ask Lorne here. He read it in him."

Everyone looked at the empath demon as he slowly nodded, then Cordy continued, "And let me also mention that there is no way in hell I'm gonna let him be consumed by that guilt anymore. He is not going to fall apart here, not on my watch! I can tell you that..."

She closed her eyes and leaned back against the wall, before stating, "When he was…when I thought Xander was gone forever…I honestly thought I was going to lose my mind. I would have done anything – almost literally anything – to get him back! And since now, by a miracle, that he's back…we are going to do nothing but make up for lost time here."

Cordy groaned, "And he's not the only one who feels guilt about what happened in high school, let me add! I have some major issues about stuff that I screwed up as well."

"Like what?" Angel asked, surprised.

The brunette looked at the man who had saved her life countless times, "Angel, you might not wanna hear this..."

"Tell me," he said simply.

A sigh. "For one thing, I kept telling him that I was ashamed of making out with him. He'd want to go out on dates instead of just making out in the closet, and you know what I told him? I just looked at him in shock, and asked why the hell I would want to be seen with him in public! I treated him like crap, I ordered him around nonstop…"

Cordelia stopped, as she thought about it. "Come to think of it, though, I think he sometimes liked being ordered around by me."

Another sigh. "Plus, when our little secret came out, what did I do? I yelled at him! I thought he went around bragging. Then the biggest screwup I ever made was when I dumped him that Valentine's Day! I still have the memory of his face as he walked away, totally etched in my mind. I dumped him, just because of what some airheads thought of him!? Angel, I went home right after that and cried my damn eyes out. And then when he wanted the necklace that he'd given me back, that really hurt. But it hurt more with what he said, when he asked me to hand it over."

"What did he say, Cordy?" Fred asked in genuine interest.

She looked at her friends, with her eyes watering. "He said that he didn't want to add to the Cordelia Chase castoff collection! He thought he meant nothing more to me than those asshole jocks I dated. The fact that I made him think that…" Cordy choked up.

After a few seconds she started again, "And after I caught Xander with Willow that day, I wondered that if I'd told him that I loved him then, instead of caring what Harmony and the others thought…that maybe he wouldn't ever have gone anywhere near her. It's damn unlikely, I know, but still possible! And even today I still don't know the answer to that question, and sure as Hell is burning beneath us I'm too damn scared to ask him."

The conversation stopped when the lobby doors opened, and allowed Buffy and Willow to enter. Both were looking tired, and had backpacks. Then the two women quickly threw the carryalls down onto the round couch, and moved over to the crowd of people.

Willow saw the look that passed between the LA crowd and asked, "Are we interrupting something?"

"No," Cordelia quickly stated to the two new arrivals. "Just boring business stuff. How's the old home town?"

Buffy sighed, "Good, nearly all of the demon nests are cleared out. God, I wish we could have had the army's help a few years ago! Most of 'em left by themselves, actually; with the Hellmouth the way it is now, I guess the lure of Sunnydale just isn't what it used to be."

"But it will still be a while before people are allowed back in, I take it?" Wesley asked.

"Yeah," the redhead answered. "The National Guard has begun moving out stuff from peoples' homes, that were damaged beyond repair. Guess they don't want complaints about demon looters in the papers..."

The Slayer let out a rush of breath. "Oh, almost forgot Cordy," Buffy looked to the brunette.

"What?"

"I'm sorry, but the Chase family mansion back home was hit pretty bad. A Black Hawk 'chopper crashed onto the driveway, during the battle," the Slayer told her.

Cordelia's eyebrows shot up. "You're kidding me."

"Nope, and it seems like a group of vamps were using it even before that. They found a few bodies in the biggest bedroom on the second floor," Willow then told her.

Cordy jumped off the counter in surprise. "But that was my room!"

Willow nodded, "Yeah, guess you should be glad you moved out when you did."

As Cordy got a sick look on her face, Buffy remembered something else. "Oh, yeah, Spike sends his apologies – but he's having way too much fun in town being a demon expert, leading the Army around for now. So, he's going to miss your and Xander's Christmas party tomorrow," the blonde said.

Cordelia angled her head, as she cocked an eyebrow. "Well, then I guess it's good that Spike can't make it."

This caused Buffy to get very confused. "Why is him not be able to come a good thing?"

Cordelia's face became deadly serious. "Because he was never invited. Neither to the party, or into our home. Plus, if I can help it, he'll stay as far away from my daughters as possible."

Buffy looked at Willow, completely confused. "But why, Cordy? He's great with kids. He's looked after Dawn just fine, in the past..."

The taller woman got a nasty look. "Yeah, so he could get his shot at getting into your pants! Guess it worked too, huh?"

This severely angered the blonde Slayer. "What the hell is the matter with you, Cordelia!? Spike has a soul now..."

But Buffy was totally unprepared for Cordelia's comeback. "Well, whoopee! Sorry to burst your bubble, but that doesn't mean jack Buffy."

"What?!" the most successful Slayer spluttered out, as the others started to give the two women plenty of room. "How can you be so damn hypocritical? Your best friend is a vampire with a soul! But now that there's another one, Spike isn't good enough?!"

"Spike and Angel are two very different people, Buffy. Angel feels guilt over what Angelus did. But apparently, newly souled Spike could care less! I mean, does the name Nikki Wood mean anything here? Yeah, I heard about her..."

Buffy looked uncomfortable, remembering an 'incident' one time with Principal Wood. Cordelia went on though, "It's like, Spike has a great track record doesn't he? How many times did he sell you guys out? I mean, not counting the time he really tried to screw you all over with ADAM..."

"That's different, he…" Buffy tried to interrupt.

But Cordelia kept going. "My opinion? The only reason he joined up with you guys way back when, was because of the fact that the chip had defanged him. Bottom line is, he stayed there only to save his own ass! I mean, how much did Giles have to pay him to help out? Like that time he got turned into a demon? How much did Spike charge to help the man that some of us consider a second father? And who helped Dawn find out she was the damn Key? And do I really have to bring up what he did, before he left town for Africa?!"

Buffy stood her ground. "All of that was before he got his soul back, God damn it!"

The young mother groaned. "And again I say, so? The difference between Angel and Angelus is like night and day, Buffy. What's the difference between pre-souled Spike, and Soul Boy Mark II? Did he or did he not make all his normal death threats, when he was here last? Did you enjoy listening to his tales about the, and I quote, 'good old killing days'?"

Cordelia only stopped to take a breath. "He could kill dozens of people now, and only feel bad about it when you find out! Just so you know – if he ever, and I mean ever, loses that chip and becomes a danger to my friends or family...he'll end up hog-tied on the hotel's roof, as the sun comes up."

And the former cheerleader added as an afterthought, "What the hell, it was even basically his fault that I ever got impaled on that damn rebar in the first place!"

Buffy then got big laugh at her last statement. "No, Cordy, sorry to burst your bubble – but it was because of Xander that you got impaled! He was the one that cheated on you, Spike had nothing to do with that. Don't blame him for Xander's…"

Before anyone could stop her, or Buffy could finish her assertion – Cordelia closed the distance between them, grabbed her by the neck and pressed the Slayer up against the wall.

Buffy's eyes went wide, when she realized that she couldn't get out of the other woman's grip – along with the fact that Cordelia was slightly glowing with what was, by the look on her face, anger.

She glared at Willow, as the redhead came to try to separate them; then she leaned into Buffy, "Understand this, Slayer. I don't give a damn that just because you're sleeping with him, you feel that you have to twist the facts around to help him out or make him look better in your eyes. But the truth is I went into that factory, for one reason only. To find my boyfriend! The one that Spike had kidnapped! Spike was the one that had nailed Xander on the head a few times, nearly killing him or making him a cripple, just to scare Willow here!"

The enraged woman turned to the Wicca, who was trying to come up with something to say to calm Cordy down. "And Willow? What exactly were you doing, when Spike kidnapped you and Xander?"

"Ah, well, um, getting ready for a spell," the witch answered nervously.

"What type of spell? Exactly?!"

"Ah…one to make me and Xander stop..."

Cordy turns her head to Buffy. "You hear that? They were trying to do a damn spell to stop...whatever it was they had between them! And I know Xander well enough to think that he most likely would have told me everything, after they'd done that spell. I could tell something was bothering him back then, but I was too caught up in other things to notice just how bad it was..."

Cordelia's eyes went so dark, they were almost black. "Xander still feels guilty about me getting impaled then, but I KNOW THE TRUTH. It was all Spike's fault that any of us were ever there that night! And I will not let you add onto Xander's guilt by accusing him of it again, ever. Are we clear on this!?"

Buffy could only nod her head in mute shock.

At her nod, Cordy released the Slayer and turned to one of her extended family, gesturing towards the twins. "Fred, can you take over for me here? I need to get some air..."

Fred was already moving towards the playpen. "Sure, Cordy."

With those words, Cordelia stormed out into the hotel's garden, leaving some very stunned people behind her.