[Disclaimer: I do not own anything created by Joss Whedon...much as I'd like to own Spike]
Author's Note:
Okay, guys? 'Soulful Eyes' was supposed to be a one-chapter thing, y'know, write this, write no more...
But, since all four reviews seemed to want me to write more, I did.
And to those who thought they noticed C/S hints, well, ya did. So did I. I don't know how they slipped past me, considering I'm a C/A shipper and this is a prequel to C/A angst ('Let Go'). I tried to counter them with having Cordy remind Spike of his nanny, but it looks like I failed. Oh well. We'll just see where it goes. Also, I don't know whether or not Cordelia has a car, but let's pretend for this fic that she does. It seems likely to me, but then, you never know.
Soulful Eyes
Chapter Two: United We Stand
by Adele Elisabeth
By the time Spike was stirring, Cordelia was already up and had just had breakfast. She was currently in the process of hunting her other earring, swearing at her shoes and trying to drink her coffee. Spike paused to enjoy the show.
"Blood's in the fridge," she informed him as she passed, "I'm sure a big bad vamp like yourself knows how to heat up blood."
"Indeed I do," he agreed, throwing back the blanket and swinging his legs off the sofa to stand. "Need a hand there?"
"Aha!" Cordelia found the offending article of jewellery. "Nope, found it."
Spike chuckled, and headed for the kitchen.
They'd decided Spike would spend the day at Cordelia's...just, getting his bearings and maybe watching some day-time TV. He didn't seem to have any sunbathing tendencies to Cordelia, but she told him she'd be ringing to check on him every now and again so he better answer the phone or he'll have her arriving on the doorstep to make sure he hasn't done something stupid.
Cordelia was now at Angel Investigations, checking her email.
To: queen_c@angel.investigations.net
From: xandman@hotmail.com
Subject: Re: Urgent
Spike has a soul? And I'm supposed to just go to Buffy, 'Hey, it doesn't matter that Spike tried to rape you because he has a soul now'?
Okay, that was beneath me, I know. I can hear your fit-for-a-Queen C tirade from here. All right, I'll tell them, but don't think for a second that I'm liking this, Cordelia. Is Spike staying with you? If so, is that really such a good idea? He's a killer, Cordelia. I'll bet his soulled self wasn't any better than his soulless self.
- Xander
Wesley had accidently been reading over her shoulder. "Spike's here?"
"Wesley, can you say, private?" Cordelia inquired sarcastically.
"I'm sorry, Cordelia, I didn't mean to. I was glancing past and I saw some of it." Wesley said defensively, inwardly bracing himself for Queen C's arrival.
Cordelia's glare softened. "Spike's at my apartment. He got a soul. And Xander can fret all he likes, from what Spike's told me, he was a pussycat when he was mortal. William Giles, poet not-so-extraordinaire."
"Not so?"
"He was known as William the Bloody -- because he wrote bloody awful poetry. Spike may be soulled now, but he's nothing like Angel. Much more talkative, for starters."
"Is that a good thing?"
"I think so."
Wesley looked uncertain, and he said finally, "I'll trust your judgement on this one, Cordelia, but if you need anything..."
"Yeah, yeah, I know. Big brother much?"
"You're keeping one of the Order of Aurelius on your sofa. I think I'm entitled to a certain amount of 'big brotherness'."
"Cordelia's what?"
"Jesus Christ, Angel, how many times have I told you to hum when you sneak up on people!" Cordelia exclaimed grouchily. "I am so buying you a bell."
"I don't think that's what we should be worrying about most, Cordelia. Who do you have on your sofa?" Angel asked. It sounded like a question. Cordelia knew it was a command.
"Spike." She said, and closed her eyes, waiting for the onslaught.
"Cordy are you insane!"
And here it comes. "No, I'm not. Not only is Spike chipped, he now has a soul. No curse, no prophecy, just a soul. He went to a demon to get his chip out -- shut up Angel and let me finish -- and got screwed over, so now he's got a soul instead. He turned up on my doorstep last night, and can you please leave him alone? He doesn't want you to know he's here."
"Spike has a soul?" Angel's mind boggled at that. He didn't really remember Spike as a mortal, but did recall something about effulgent something. Whatever the hell that was.
"Yes, Spike has a soul. Now, don't you have a case to be working on or something?"
Wesley shook his head. "We haven't had an y clients come in and you know you haven't had a vision."
"In which case I'm going to go and grab some lunch, and check on Spike while I'm at it." Cordelia announced, standing up.
Angel and Wesley watched her go.
"I should do...something." Angel stated.
"What, exactly?" Wesley queried.
"I'm not sure."
Spike answered the phone.
"Dawn?" he just about fell off the sofa when he heard her voice.
"Xander told us where you where, Cordy wrote to him last night." Dawn's voice sounded vaguely accusing. "Just tell me why, and I'll never bother you again. Why did you do...all that?"
"Bit, you're never a bother." Spike told her, righting himself as he did. "As for why...I couldn't take it anymore, Nibblet. The bullshit me and your sister had going on...I couldn't take it anymore and I snapped. I made a big mistake, and I don't know if I can ever make it up to her. Or you. You know I love you, bit. You remind me of my own little sister, Eve."
"Dawn and Eve. Typical." Dawn said, but her voice was shaking. She hated Spike when Xander first told her, but she didn't hate him anymore. She couldn't. And there was all that sincerity in his voice...
"Bit, I'll come back to Sunnydale when I've sorted myself out and I'll try and make things up to you. I don't know when that'll be, but I'll send you stuff, y'know? Birthday presents, Christmas, letters. And I'll call you. I promise."
"Okay. I'll hold you to that, y'know. I miss you, Spike."
"I miss you, too, bit. Hey, that's the cheerleader at the door. You want to talk to her? She just got in."
"No, I better go, but you can say hi to her from me, okay?"
"Okay, bit. Bye."
"Bye."
"Was that Dawn?" Cordelia asked, putting her purse down on the coffee table.
"Yeah. She said something about you writing to Xander...?" Spike raised an eyebrow questioningly.
"Oh. That." Cordelia winced. She'd been hoping she could worry about that later. Much later.
"Yeah. That."
"Well...I thought I should let Sunnydale know, and I would have wrote to Giles or Willow but after what happened there, not such a good idea, so Xander was my best bet, and...well, you know how you told me how you wanted Buffy and Dawn to know how sorry you are?"
"Yeah...Cordy, you didn't!"
"I'm sorry. I thought it was a good idea at the time."
Spike hesitated, then sighed. "It probably was a good idea. Th...thank you."
"Did you just stutter?"
"I most certainly did not."
"You did, you did! The big bad of Sunnyhell just stuttered! There goes your reputation," Cordelia giggled, lightening the mood. "Wonder if you're ticklish...wouldn't look good for the big bad to be giggling..."
Spike had barely enough time to realise what she intended to do before he was pounced on and wrestled to the floor, so that Cordelia could straddle his midsection and tickle him into submission.
Her final giggles trailing off as she leaned against the sofa, Cordelia sighed. "I better get back to work before Angel decides to dock my pay."
"How did you get away?" Spike asked, curious.
"Well...Wesley sort of read my email over my shoulder. After they lectured me about how unsafe it was to keep you on my sofa -- like you're some kind of untamed pet or something -- I said I was going for lunch." Cordelia stated.
"Can't you just keep a secret?" Spike groaned, but it was in a teasing fashion. He'd relaxed a lot more, now.
"It's not my fault Wesley's insufferably curious."
"I guess not. Are you sure you have to go?"
"Yeah. Better go earn my pay. We could do something later?" she suggested, hoping to keep him occupied. Keep him occupied meant keeping him happy, and she liked his laugh. It was nice.
"Sure." He agreed. She reminded him a little of Dru -- all grace and beauty, and hidden depths. Especially when she walked.
"Okay, I'll see you later." And then she vanished out the door.
Meanwhile, in Hell. I mean Sunnydale.
Buffy still wasn't quite over the whole 'Spike has a soul' thing.
"...and I knew you two had something going on." Dawn finished triumphantly. "But I think he might be over you, anyway."
"What?" Buffy's head shot up at that. Just when she thought she might be able to love him after all, he gets over her?
"He had Buffy-Voice on when he said Cordelia's name." Dawn said simply. "Of course, I could be wrong."
There's a BuffyVoice?
"There's a Buffy Voice?"
"Duh."
What is Buffy, stupid?
School had finished a little while ago, and Dawn had been talking non-stop ever since. She'd rung Cordelia's place using a payphone at school, which was why she kept the call short. The reason she used the payphone was because she wasn't sure Buffy would want her calling Spike.
"I'm going down to the Magic Box, okay, Buff?"
"Yeah...yeah, fine."
Pick up, pick up already...
Spike had come and seen Angel and Wesley, and they'd all sorted things out. Spike would work at Angel Investigations too, on a trial period at first (Angel's idea), and in the meantime, he could move in properly with Cordelia (Cordelia's idea). Which was why this was the message Buffy heard.
"Hi, you've reached Cordelia Chase and Spike. We can't come to the phone just now, Spike's probably just set the kitchen on fire again--" "--hey that was just the once, Cordy--" "--sure, sure. Anyhow, leave a message, your name and number after the beep and we'll get back to you shortly! Ciao!"
After the tone, Buffy left a short message. "Hi, Spike? It's Buffy. We need to talk."
She hung up, and stared at the phone. Two days. Two days. And already he was on the answer phone?
***
Author's Note:
So, how do you think it's going? I have an idea for how it's going to end, so I do know vaguely where this is going, don't worry.