Chapter 16
I've received some lovely Emails and I wanted to thank everyone for them. I never thought I'd turn into a review junky but I'm feeling the pull. (Is there a support group for that?) As always I own nothing. I truly wish I did but fate didn't hand me Joss's card (dammit)
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Preview: It's not a good day for Cordy. It's a good day for a Buffy/Cordy catfight though!
Cordelia was seething. She was sitting with Fred and Gunn and all they had to talk about was the Council, the Watchers,Wesley, and of course, Buffy.
"Guys" She said interrupting Fred's description of Buffy's fabulous new belt that Wesley picked out for her with, "Can we talk about something other than the Sunnydale group?"
"Oh sorry Cordelia." Fred said, "It's just so exciting!"
"What's the deal with you and Buffy anyway?" Gunn asked suddenly.
"I don't have a deal with Buffy." Cordy said testily. "I just don't like her."
"Yeah I can see that." Gunn said thoughtfully. "I mean she's beautiful, strong, really sweet, got great friends, and plus, the whole she was Angels soulmate thing."
"Gee thank you Gunn." Cordy said sarcastically "So she roped you in too huh?"
"Nope, no rope." Gunn said "I guess seeing her kick a little ass in those flashbacks got to me."
Fred looked torn between being loyal to Cordy and defending Buffy. The fact that Xander told her a lot more about Buffy was swaying her to Buffy's side.Plus she had been so open and nice to her while Fred couldn't figure out what was wrong with Cordy.
"Cordelia." She said softly but firmly,"I understand you don't like her but we do. I don't think she planned to cause trouble between anyone. She reminds us a lot of Angel. You know, the whole hero thing. It's easy to follow her. And fun."
When Cordy started to look angry Gunn tried to change the subject. Unfortunately he picked another sore subject.
"So where's Angel today?" he asked quickly. "At the office?"
"Lorne said that Angel mentioned he was going there. I don't know,I didn't talk to him." She said sullenly.
"Oh." Both Fred and Gunn said as they desperately searched for a new topic.
They were rescued from an awkward silence by Xander and Wesley who came in chatting about the woodwork in the new Council.
"Xander!" Fred said happily "You're back already?"
"Hey we planned an early lunch." he replied looking at his watch. "I think we'll have to skip the early and just have lunch."
Fred smiled "So we will. Where have you two been?"
Wes answered "We had a meeting with both new Watchers and Slayers so they could all meet and see the new house."
"How did it go?" Gunn asked.
"Quite well actually." Wesley said "We left them discussing the training routine Buffy have them doing."
"Where is everyone else?" Gunn asked.
Xander started." Buffy is with Dawn upstairs, Willow is with Lorne at Wolfram and Hart, and Andrew and Giles are with Angel doing something of which I have no idea."
Cordelia looked up quickly "Angel's with Giles?"
Not understanding what the deal with Cordelia was, Xander said "Yeah, he's supposed to meet Buffy here in a few minutes. Is that right Wes?"
"Yes, I gave Buffy some papers I wanted Angel to look over. I'd meet him myself but I'm off to meet Willow at the law firm." He looked at the group "Would anyone like a ride?"
Gunn looked up "Yeah, that would be great. I loaned Faith my ride."
"Good Lord." Wesley choked "you've never driven with her obviously."
"No. Why?" Gunn asked suddenly afraid.
Wesley just chuckled and started towards the door. Gunn quickly ran after him saying
"C'mon Wes. What did you mean by that?"
Fred and Xander giggled as Cordelia, bored with Wesley and Gunn, turned to observe the two of them laughing.
"Oh great" Cordelia thought "Just what I want. My friend falling for a Sunnydale reject. And worse, one I dated."
"Hey Cordy we were going to lunch" Fred said "Did you want to come?"
Cordelia just raised her eyebrows in disdain "Are you kidding? Xander and I spent enough time together in high school to last a lifetime."
Xander, surprised by Cordelia's rudeness to him, said back "There's the Cordelia I knew and despised. Welcome back."
Fred hurriedly pulled Xander towards the door shooting a confused look at Cordelia for her rudeness. Cordelia was left alone in the lobby.
Fred started questioning Xander when they got outside.
"What was that about?" she asked "I've never seen Cordy be as rude as she's been the past couple of days."
Xander measured his words carefully before relying "Well Cordelia and us from Sunnydale have a slight history."
"I've heard a little about it. Didn't the two of you date in high school?"
Xander sighed. "Yes, we did. We despised each other for a long time and then one day we started kissing. After a few problems, I was not popular, rich or otherwise acceptable to date Cordelia Chase, we started dating." Xander broke off in deep thought and then started laughing.
"What?" Fred asked.
"I just realized something." Xander said "If it wasn't for Cordelia, I never would have met Anya."
"Why? I mean if you both lived in the same town?" Fred asked not knowing the full history.
"No see, I kinda cheated on Cordelia." Xander said sheepishly. At Fred's shocked look he continued
"With Willow."
"But, but, isn't Willow gay?" Fred asked. She felt like her head was reeling.
"Not then. See, long story short. Cordy and Oz came to rescue us, Oz was Willows boyfriend at the time, and saw us making out. We were kidnapped." He added "Anyway, Cordelia was angry and hurt so Anya, she was a vengeance demon then named Anyanka, came and granted Cordy a wish. Well, it didn't work and Anya lost her demon powers so she was stuck in Sunnydale.Are you confused yet?"
"I think I got it now." Fred said slowly. "That's kind of... strange."
"Well that was life on the Hellmouth." Xander said cheerfully.
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Cordy was sitting on the second floor of the lobby watching Buffy and Angel talk. She watched Buffy smile and laugh and flit around the room and how Angel's eyes followed her every move.
"It's not fair." She thought. "I should be the one down there talking to Angel like that. I'm the one he's talked to the past 3 years. Not Buffy. Buffy doesn't even care. She is all over Wesley for some reason. She had the offer to stay here but she stayed with him. Ha. Angel actually believes they are just friends. Friends don't constantly act the way they do.Lovers do. Even if they aren't lovers yet they will be. You don't have to be a vision girl to see that. Look at Angel. He still thinks she's his soulmate. Buffy isn't the sweet girl he thinks she is. She knew before she came out of her coma what was going on here. That Angel loved me. We had some things to work out but we would have if she hadn't shown up. It was her fault Angel yelled at me and talked that way to me. It's her fault."
Cordelia continued watching as Angel left with the paperwork. Buffy sat down and wrote a few notes humming to herself. Cordelia grew even more angry
"Why is she just making herself at home?" She thought angrily "she doesn't belong here."
She started walking down the stairs to tell Buffy what she thought of her. Buffy hearing the noise looked up at her.
"Oh hey Cordelia, Angel just left. He had to go make copies of Wesleys papers." she said.
"Oh?" Cordelia said frostily "I don't remember asking where Angel was?"
"Oh sorry." Buffy said genuinely surprised. "You looked around like you were expecting him. Sorry."
"Are you?" Cordelia asked sharply "Sorry" she said at Buffy's look of confusion.
"Are we talking about the same thing Cordelia?" Buffy asked carefully, wary of the look in Cordelia's eyes.
"Let's see, You come in here, take MY friends and make them think your just so wonderful when we both know you aren't, you play with Angels old feelings of loving you while sleeping with Wesley, you get your friends into Angels new company and convince him that they can help him, what do you think?"
Buffy's friendly expression died at the beginning of Cordelia's rant. By the end she was livid.
"Gee how typical Cordelia." Buffy said coldly "As usual you make a mess of your ownlife and try to blame it on someone else. Give it up. It's not my fault you tried to kill your friends, it's not my fault they are wary of you, it's CERTAINLY not my fault Angel is disgusted by the memory of you sleeping with his son."
At Cordy's angry look she continued
"Yes he told me about it."
With a cry of rage Cordelia slapped the Buffy. Buffy didn't even stumble. She stood her ground and looked Cordelia in the eye.
"Did that make you feel better?" she asked archly.
Cordelia moved again to try to hit her again. Buffy dodged her fists and moved behind her, shoving her away. She continued talking
"Guess not. I'm sorry your friends don't trust you anymore." She said still dodging Cordelia's blows
"I'm really sorry you cant see past your own hurt to see theirs." she finished.
Cordelia kept coming at her. Angel and Giles walked into the lobby and stared at the two women, Cordelia throwing punches and Buffy dodging them but not throwing any herself. Dawn hearing the noise, ran downstairs and gasped. She tried to get in between Buffy and Cordelia hoping Cordelia would stop. Cordelia looked at her.
"Oh look, another Summers brat." She said.
She moved in and threw Dawn aside causing her to hit her head on the side of the desk. Dawn slumped over as blood started spilling over her face and onto the floor. Buffy cried out as Dawn fell and laid there unconscious. She then turned to Cordelia.
"You know what? You want to blame me for your own problems that's fine. I couldn't care less. But you just signed your own death warrant by touching my sister."
"Still gotta be the hero don't you Buffy?" Cordelia said enraged " I know better, I know your just a tramp that couldn't even hang on to Spike for heavens sakes."
Cordelia had more to say but was cut off by an uppercut to the face.She flew back 4 feet. Buffy hadn't released her Slayer strength on her before but she wasn't holding back now. Dawn was hurt. Cordelia would be hurt too. She vaulted lightly over the desk to land in front of Cordelia. She hit her with a full roundhouse to the face and then grabbed her by the hair and threw her back into the wall. Several paintings fell at the impact. Cordelia tried using some of the moves that Angel taught her but Buffy had been taught the same moves and perfected them years ago. Cordelia knew she was outmatched but still to angry to stop. She tried to charge Buffy but Buffy slammed her into the ground and held her there. Cordelia struggled for a minute before looking up at the blonde Slayer. The look of anger on Buffy's face replaced her rage with the icy feel of fear and dread. She looked over at the door towards Angel. Giles and Angel had been joined by Wesley, Willow, Lorne, Andrew, and Gunn. They all had shocked looks on their faces and not one moved to help Cordelia. Willow noticed Dawn and ran to her, checking her head as the girl slowly sat up. Andrew ran over and used his jacket to wipe the blood from her face. Buffy's expression changed to look calm before saying
"Dawn? You alright?"
"Yeah I'm fine I think." She said slowly getting up.
Buffy looked down at Cordelia in contempt before loosening her hold and shoving her away. Slowly Cordelia staggered to her feet. Blood dripped from her mouth and her eye was already swelling shut.
"Dawn I-" She said trying to apologize. She was cut off as Dawn glared at her. She walked up to her and stared at her until pulling back and punching her as hard as she could. Cordelia fell unconscious to the floor.
"Now I'm OK." Dawn said turning to take Andrews hand.
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OK there's another chapter finished. Next up. Willow and Angel make a decision and Wes and Buffy get closer.
I've received some lovely Emails and I wanted to thank everyone for them. I never thought I'd turn into a review junky but I'm feeling the pull. (Is there a support group for that?) As always I own nothing. I truly wish I did but fate didn't hand me Joss's card (dammit)
........................................................
Preview: It's not a good day for Cordy. It's a good day for a Buffy/Cordy catfight though!
Cordelia was seething. She was sitting with Fred and Gunn and all they had to talk about was the Council, the Watchers,Wesley, and of course, Buffy.
"Guys" She said interrupting Fred's description of Buffy's fabulous new belt that Wesley picked out for her with, "Can we talk about something other than the Sunnydale group?"
"Oh sorry Cordelia." Fred said, "It's just so exciting!"
"What's the deal with you and Buffy anyway?" Gunn asked suddenly.
"I don't have a deal with Buffy." Cordy said testily. "I just don't like her."
"Yeah I can see that." Gunn said thoughtfully. "I mean she's beautiful, strong, really sweet, got great friends, and plus, the whole she was Angels soulmate thing."
"Gee thank you Gunn." Cordy said sarcastically "So she roped you in too huh?"
"Nope, no rope." Gunn said "I guess seeing her kick a little ass in those flashbacks got to me."
Fred looked torn between being loyal to Cordy and defending Buffy. The fact that Xander told her a lot more about Buffy was swaying her to Buffy's side.Plus she had been so open and nice to her while Fred couldn't figure out what was wrong with Cordy.
"Cordelia." She said softly but firmly,"I understand you don't like her but we do. I don't think she planned to cause trouble between anyone. She reminds us a lot of Angel. You know, the whole hero thing. It's easy to follow her. And fun."
When Cordy started to look angry Gunn tried to change the subject. Unfortunately he picked another sore subject.
"So where's Angel today?" he asked quickly. "At the office?"
"Lorne said that Angel mentioned he was going there. I don't know,I didn't talk to him." She said sullenly.
"Oh." Both Fred and Gunn said as they desperately searched for a new topic.
They were rescued from an awkward silence by Xander and Wesley who came in chatting about the woodwork in the new Council.
"Xander!" Fred said happily "You're back already?"
"Hey we planned an early lunch." he replied looking at his watch. "I think we'll have to skip the early and just have lunch."
Fred smiled "So we will. Where have you two been?"
Wes answered "We had a meeting with both new Watchers and Slayers so they could all meet and see the new house."
"How did it go?" Gunn asked.
"Quite well actually." Wesley said "We left them discussing the training routine Buffy have them doing."
"Where is everyone else?" Gunn asked.
Xander started." Buffy is with Dawn upstairs, Willow is with Lorne at Wolfram and Hart, and Andrew and Giles are with Angel doing something of which I have no idea."
Cordelia looked up quickly "Angel's with Giles?"
Not understanding what the deal with Cordelia was, Xander said "Yeah, he's supposed to meet Buffy here in a few minutes. Is that right Wes?"
"Yes, I gave Buffy some papers I wanted Angel to look over. I'd meet him myself but I'm off to meet Willow at the law firm." He looked at the group "Would anyone like a ride?"
Gunn looked up "Yeah, that would be great. I loaned Faith my ride."
"Good Lord." Wesley choked "you've never driven with her obviously."
"No. Why?" Gunn asked suddenly afraid.
Wesley just chuckled and started towards the door. Gunn quickly ran after him saying
"C'mon Wes. What did you mean by that?"
Fred and Xander giggled as Cordelia, bored with Wesley and Gunn, turned to observe the two of them laughing.
"Oh great" Cordelia thought "Just what I want. My friend falling for a Sunnydale reject. And worse, one I dated."
"Hey Cordy we were going to lunch" Fred said "Did you want to come?"
Cordelia just raised her eyebrows in disdain "Are you kidding? Xander and I spent enough time together in high school to last a lifetime."
Xander, surprised by Cordelia's rudeness to him, said back "There's the Cordelia I knew and despised. Welcome back."
Fred hurriedly pulled Xander towards the door shooting a confused look at Cordelia for her rudeness. Cordelia was left alone in the lobby.
Fred started questioning Xander when they got outside.
"What was that about?" she asked "I've never seen Cordy be as rude as she's been the past couple of days."
Xander measured his words carefully before relying "Well Cordelia and us from Sunnydale have a slight history."
"I've heard a little about it. Didn't the two of you date in high school?"
Xander sighed. "Yes, we did. We despised each other for a long time and then one day we started kissing. After a few problems, I was not popular, rich or otherwise acceptable to date Cordelia Chase, we started dating." Xander broke off in deep thought and then started laughing.
"What?" Fred asked.
"I just realized something." Xander said "If it wasn't for Cordelia, I never would have met Anya."
"Why? I mean if you both lived in the same town?" Fred asked not knowing the full history.
"No see, I kinda cheated on Cordelia." Xander said sheepishly. At Fred's shocked look he continued
"With Willow."
"But, but, isn't Willow gay?" Fred asked. She felt like her head was reeling.
"Not then. See, long story short. Cordy and Oz came to rescue us, Oz was Willows boyfriend at the time, and saw us making out. We were kidnapped." He added "Anyway, Cordelia was angry and hurt so Anya, she was a vengeance demon then named Anyanka, came and granted Cordy a wish. Well, it didn't work and Anya lost her demon powers so she was stuck in Sunnydale.Are you confused yet?"
"I think I got it now." Fred said slowly. "That's kind of... strange."
"Well that was life on the Hellmouth." Xander said cheerfully.
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Cordy was sitting on the second floor of the lobby watching Buffy and Angel talk. She watched Buffy smile and laugh and flit around the room and how Angel's eyes followed her every move.
"It's not fair." She thought. "I should be the one down there talking to Angel like that. I'm the one he's talked to the past 3 years. Not Buffy. Buffy doesn't even care. She is all over Wesley for some reason. She had the offer to stay here but she stayed with him. Ha. Angel actually believes they are just friends. Friends don't constantly act the way they do.Lovers do. Even if they aren't lovers yet they will be. You don't have to be a vision girl to see that. Look at Angel. He still thinks she's his soulmate. Buffy isn't the sweet girl he thinks she is. She knew before she came out of her coma what was going on here. That Angel loved me. We had some things to work out but we would have if she hadn't shown up. It was her fault Angel yelled at me and talked that way to me. It's her fault."
Cordelia continued watching as Angel left with the paperwork. Buffy sat down and wrote a few notes humming to herself. Cordelia grew even more angry
"Why is she just making herself at home?" She thought angrily "she doesn't belong here."
She started walking down the stairs to tell Buffy what she thought of her. Buffy hearing the noise looked up at her.
"Oh hey Cordelia, Angel just left. He had to go make copies of Wesleys papers." she said.
"Oh?" Cordelia said frostily "I don't remember asking where Angel was?"
"Oh sorry." Buffy said genuinely surprised. "You looked around like you were expecting him. Sorry."
"Are you?" Cordelia asked sharply "Sorry" she said at Buffy's look of confusion.
"Are we talking about the same thing Cordelia?" Buffy asked carefully, wary of the look in Cordelia's eyes.
"Let's see, You come in here, take MY friends and make them think your just so wonderful when we both know you aren't, you play with Angels old feelings of loving you while sleeping with Wesley, you get your friends into Angels new company and convince him that they can help him, what do you think?"
Buffy's friendly expression died at the beginning of Cordelia's rant. By the end she was livid.
"Gee how typical Cordelia." Buffy said coldly "As usual you make a mess of your ownlife and try to blame it on someone else. Give it up. It's not my fault you tried to kill your friends, it's not my fault they are wary of you, it's CERTAINLY not my fault Angel is disgusted by the memory of you sleeping with his son."
At Cordy's angry look she continued
"Yes he told me about it."
With a cry of rage Cordelia slapped the Buffy. Buffy didn't even stumble. She stood her ground and looked Cordelia in the eye.
"Did that make you feel better?" she asked archly.
Cordelia moved again to try to hit her again. Buffy dodged her fists and moved behind her, shoving her away. She continued talking
"Guess not. I'm sorry your friends don't trust you anymore." She said still dodging Cordelia's blows
"I'm really sorry you cant see past your own hurt to see theirs." she finished.
Cordelia kept coming at her. Angel and Giles walked into the lobby and stared at the two women, Cordelia throwing punches and Buffy dodging them but not throwing any herself. Dawn hearing the noise, ran downstairs and gasped. She tried to get in between Buffy and Cordelia hoping Cordelia would stop. Cordelia looked at her.
"Oh look, another Summers brat." She said.
She moved in and threw Dawn aside causing her to hit her head on the side of the desk. Dawn slumped over as blood started spilling over her face and onto the floor. Buffy cried out as Dawn fell and laid there unconscious. She then turned to Cordelia.
"You know what? You want to blame me for your own problems that's fine. I couldn't care less. But you just signed your own death warrant by touching my sister."
"Still gotta be the hero don't you Buffy?" Cordelia said enraged " I know better, I know your just a tramp that couldn't even hang on to Spike for heavens sakes."
Cordelia had more to say but was cut off by an uppercut to the face.She flew back 4 feet. Buffy hadn't released her Slayer strength on her before but she wasn't holding back now. Dawn was hurt. Cordelia would be hurt too. She vaulted lightly over the desk to land in front of Cordelia. She hit her with a full roundhouse to the face and then grabbed her by the hair and threw her back into the wall. Several paintings fell at the impact. Cordelia tried using some of the moves that Angel taught her but Buffy had been taught the same moves and perfected them years ago. Cordelia knew she was outmatched but still to angry to stop. She tried to charge Buffy but Buffy slammed her into the ground and held her there. Cordelia struggled for a minute before looking up at the blonde Slayer. The look of anger on Buffy's face replaced her rage with the icy feel of fear and dread. She looked over at the door towards Angel. Giles and Angel had been joined by Wesley, Willow, Lorne, Andrew, and Gunn. They all had shocked looks on their faces and not one moved to help Cordelia. Willow noticed Dawn and ran to her, checking her head as the girl slowly sat up. Andrew ran over and used his jacket to wipe the blood from her face. Buffy's expression changed to look calm before saying
"Dawn? You alright?"
"Yeah I'm fine I think." She said slowly getting up.
Buffy looked down at Cordelia in contempt before loosening her hold and shoving her away. Slowly Cordelia staggered to her feet. Blood dripped from her mouth and her eye was already swelling shut.
"Dawn I-" She said trying to apologize. She was cut off as Dawn glared at her. She walked up to her and stared at her until pulling back and punching her as hard as she could. Cordelia fell unconscious to the floor.
"Now I'm OK." Dawn said turning to take Andrews hand.
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OK there's another chapter finished. Next up. Willow and Angel make a decision and Wes and Buffy get closer.
