Part 5
Fred walked up the stairs to Angel's room. The door was slightly ajar, so she walked right through. She heard noises coming from the bathroom and she walked towards it, stopping at the threshold. Cordelia stood, bent over the sink, splashing water against her face. She reached out, groping for a towel. Finally, Cordelia looked up, and jumped as she realized Fred was standing right in front of her.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you," Fred whispered from the doorway.
"Its okay, Fred. I'm just a little jumpy right now." Cordy said as she walked back into the room. Sitting down on the end of Angel's bed, she cracked her neck. "What can I do for you?" She asked, looking up at Fred.
"I was just checking to see if you were okay, if you needed anything." She replied. She was nervous, wringing her hands in her shirt. She had always had this little quirk, a sure sign of her inner feelings.
"Angel told you to check on me, didn't he?" Cordy smirked. She always knew what Angel had her do.
"No, no..." She started, then stopped at Cordy's raised brow. "Alright, he did, but it's only cuz he's worried 'bout ya." It was amazing how Cordelia could see right through her sometimes. It was a little disconcerting, like she could read thoughts.
Cordelia drew in a deep breath and let it out before nodding. "I know, but I'm alright. I'm just going to lay down here, get some rest."
"Oh, okay. Well then, I'll just be downstairs. If you need anything, just l- let me know." Fred stuttered, a habit she had taken up in Pylea. She was trying to overcome it.
Cordelia smiled softly and nodded. She lay down on the bed, curling into one of Angel's pillows.
Fred turned and walked out the door. Glancing back at the woman lying on the bed, she sighed. The young woman was obviously in so much pain, and yet she dealt with it quietly. She was so strong; Fred wished that one day she would be like Cordy. Maybe, just maybe, she'd be strong like that too.
She turned around, intent on leaving, when a hand reached out from the wall and placed itself roughly over her mouth, muffling her scream. Her eyes went wide, as a man stepped out from the wall, out from the inside of the wall. He had been inside the wall! His dark Russian features scowled out at her, making her tremble in fear. He pulled her close to him, out of sight from the doorway, out of Cordelia's sight if she happened to look up. His hot breath blew against her ear and she shivered.
"Not everything is as it seems," he whispered.
Her gaze flew to her side as she saw him pull something out of his pocket. She tried to scream again, to no avail, as she realized he was holding a syringe in his hand. He popped the top on it, and stuck it into the side of her neck in one smooth motion.
She instantly felt woozy, and shrugged in his hold. Gently, he laid her down, and she watched silently, unable to move or scream, as he walked into Angel's room. She saw
Cordelia sit up, and gasp...and that was the last she saw.
Lorne's eyes opened and moved around the room, making contact with Angel's gaze. Fred blinked a few times and finally opened hers as well, recognition shining in their depths. She remembered what had happened, and so did Lorne.
"Well, who was it?"
"I don't know who he was, I think he was Russian. But one thing is for sure, this was intended. This man purposely came here with one thing on his mind, and that was to kidnap Cordelia," Lorne said, watching Angels face fall.
Wesley and Gunn exchanged looks, and Fred bit her lip.
"We'll find him," Lorne assured everyone.
Angel raised his head, purpose ablaze in his eyes. "Yes, we will. Tell us what you saw, everything. Every last detail, I want to know it all. We've got some researching to do."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cordelia sighed and stretched her arms out over her head. She opened her eyes, gazing out the window at the sun streaming in. It was a beautiful morning. The birds were chirping, the sheets were warm, and the air smelled like coffee. Coffee? Who was making coffee?
She sat straight up in bed, looking around at the rumpled sheets. Uh okay? Lifting the sheets from her body, she stood and made her way towards the kitchen. When she arrived she smiled in spite of herself. Angel stood in the middle of the kitchen, coffee pot on, and eggs on the stove. He was whistling a jaunty tune, completely oblivious to his watcher. His robe hung loosely around his frame, and his black silk boxers shone in the morning light. He was happy. Four pieces of toast popped up out of the toaster, and he turned to take them out, spying his audience then.
"Hey," he smiled and made his way over to her.
"Hey, yourself." She smiled back, raising her eyebrows at the same time. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making breakfast, silly." He replied, pulling her to him.
"Yeah, I can see that. What I meant was, what are you doing here?" She was confused. Thinking back, she couldn't remember why he was here, or when this was. He had never been this comfortable in her apartment. Well, he was comfortable, just not walk-around-in-your-boxers kind of comfy. Not that she was complaining.
"What do you mean what am I doing here? Don't you remember anything that happened?" He was gazing at her strangely.
She took a step back. Shaking her head she looked around. Why wasn't any of this familiar?
Angel's happy face took on a decidedly downtrodden expression, one that she liked to call his puppy dog face, and he tried to pull her to him. She maneuvered away from him, raising her hands gesturing for him to stop.
"Angel, this isn't us. What's going on?" Cordelia was beginning to become a little frightened, though she tried not to show it.
Suddenly Angel smiled, not a happy smile, but an evil one. "Of course it's us, stupid."
"What?" She recoiled.
"Yeah, that's right. I said you were stupid. You're a stupid, ditzy, rich girl. Superior to everyone, and not worthy of anyone," he advanced on her.
"Angel what are you saying?" She felt the unshed tears form in her eyes. Blinking fast, she tried to stave them off. She would not cry in front of him.
"I'm saying, you're annoying. Not worth any of my time. I don't even know why I keep you around, except you look good in a tight shirt and skirt. I don't like you, you don't help me and you never have. I wish you would just leave."
It's like he was saying everything that she had feared he would one day believe. She couldn't take this. She sniffled and backed away.
"Aww...are you crying now? That really is pathetic. But I guess I shouldn't expect anything more from you. You worthless, piece of..."
"STOP," She screamed, stopping him before he continued. She bit her lip, and felt a tear escape the confines on her lids.
Suddenly Angel started laughing loudly. His handsome features transformed, as did her apartment. She gasped and looked around. Her beautiful apartment was no longer there, but another room sat in its place. A room that felt familiar, but she couldn't place it. A room with yellow walls and terra cotta trim. She furrowed her brow and turned back to Angel, only he no longer stood there. A tanned man stood in front of her sneering back at her.
"What's going on? What do you want with me?" She asked, wiping at another tear that fell from her eye.
The man tsked at her, and took a step in her direction. She swallowed and backed up against the wall. He followed her, pressing up against her. He removed a syringe and brought it up to her neck. The needle pierced her skin, and the he smiled at her.
"Things are not always as they seem."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lilah huffed in exasperation and turned away from the window. She really hadn't learned anything new from this experiment that she hadn't known before. Well except for the fact that Angel and Cordelia obviously weren't a couple. Hmmm...one thing she had been sure about, and she was wrong. Oh well, there were still other simulations to run. It really didn't matter. It's not like she was intent on learning anything new. She just wanted Angel to suffer. What better way to do that, than take the person nearest and dearest to him...and torture her. It had been fun to see her come apart.
Some things were just too fun, they should be illegal
She laughed to herself and started up the stairs. She had a meeting in ten minutes, and well, one never wants to keep the Senior Partners waiting. There were usually hefty consequences. Casting one glance back over her shoulder at the window, she smiled at the man placing the woman back on the bed. Who knows what the next experiment would be? Well, she for one couldn't wait to find out.
TBC in Part 6
Fred walked up the stairs to Angel's room. The door was slightly ajar, so she walked right through. She heard noises coming from the bathroom and she walked towards it, stopping at the threshold. Cordelia stood, bent over the sink, splashing water against her face. She reached out, groping for a towel. Finally, Cordelia looked up, and jumped as she realized Fred was standing right in front of her.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you," Fred whispered from the doorway.
"Its okay, Fred. I'm just a little jumpy right now." Cordy said as she walked back into the room. Sitting down on the end of Angel's bed, she cracked her neck. "What can I do for you?" She asked, looking up at Fred.
"I was just checking to see if you were okay, if you needed anything." She replied. She was nervous, wringing her hands in her shirt. She had always had this little quirk, a sure sign of her inner feelings.
"Angel told you to check on me, didn't he?" Cordy smirked. She always knew what Angel had her do.
"No, no..." She started, then stopped at Cordy's raised brow. "Alright, he did, but it's only cuz he's worried 'bout ya." It was amazing how Cordelia could see right through her sometimes. It was a little disconcerting, like she could read thoughts.
Cordelia drew in a deep breath and let it out before nodding. "I know, but I'm alright. I'm just going to lay down here, get some rest."
"Oh, okay. Well then, I'll just be downstairs. If you need anything, just l- let me know." Fred stuttered, a habit she had taken up in Pylea. She was trying to overcome it.
Cordelia smiled softly and nodded. She lay down on the bed, curling into one of Angel's pillows.
Fred turned and walked out the door. Glancing back at the woman lying on the bed, she sighed. The young woman was obviously in so much pain, and yet she dealt with it quietly. She was so strong; Fred wished that one day she would be like Cordy. Maybe, just maybe, she'd be strong like that too.
She turned around, intent on leaving, when a hand reached out from the wall and placed itself roughly over her mouth, muffling her scream. Her eyes went wide, as a man stepped out from the wall, out from the inside of the wall. He had been inside the wall! His dark Russian features scowled out at her, making her tremble in fear. He pulled her close to him, out of sight from the doorway, out of Cordelia's sight if she happened to look up. His hot breath blew against her ear and she shivered.
"Not everything is as it seems," he whispered.
Her gaze flew to her side as she saw him pull something out of his pocket. She tried to scream again, to no avail, as she realized he was holding a syringe in his hand. He popped the top on it, and stuck it into the side of her neck in one smooth motion.
She instantly felt woozy, and shrugged in his hold. Gently, he laid her down, and she watched silently, unable to move or scream, as he walked into Angel's room. She saw
Cordelia sit up, and gasp...and that was the last she saw.
Lorne's eyes opened and moved around the room, making contact with Angel's gaze. Fred blinked a few times and finally opened hers as well, recognition shining in their depths. She remembered what had happened, and so did Lorne.
"Well, who was it?"
"I don't know who he was, I think he was Russian. But one thing is for sure, this was intended. This man purposely came here with one thing on his mind, and that was to kidnap Cordelia," Lorne said, watching Angels face fall.
Wesley and Gunn exchanged looks, and Fred bit her lip.
"We'll find him," Lorne assured everyone.
Angel raised his head, purpose ablaze in his eyes. "Yes, we will. Tell us what you saw, everything. Every last detail, I want to know it all. We've got some researching to do."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cordelia sighed and stretched her arms out over her head. She opened her eyes, gazing out the window at the sun streaming in. It was a beautiful morning. The birds were chirping, the sheets were warm, and the air smelled like coffee. Coffee? Who was making coffee?
She sat straight up in bed, looking around at the rumpled sheets. Uh okay? Lifting the sheets from her body, she stood and made her way towards the kitchen. When she arrived she smiled in spite of herself. Angel stood in the middle of the kitchen, coffee pot on, and eggs on the stove. He was whistling a jaunty tune, completely oblivious to his watcher. His robe hung loosely around his frame, and his black silk boxers shone in the morning light. He was happy. Four pieces of toast popped up out of the toaster, and he turned to take them out, spying his audience then.
"Hey," he smiled and made his way over to her.
"Hey, yourself." She smiled back, raising her eyebrows at the same time. "What are you doing?"
"I'm making breakfast, silly." He replied, pulling her to him.
"Yeah, I can see that. What I meant was, what are you doing here?" She was confused. Thinking back, she couldn't remember why he was here, or when this was. He had never been this comfortable in her apartment. Well, he was comfortable, just not walk-around-in-your-boxers kind of comfy. Not that she was complaining.
"What do you mean what am I doing here? Don't you remember anything that happened?" He was gazing at her strangely.
She took a step back. Shaking her head she looked around. Why wasn't any of this familiar?
Angel's happy face took on a decidedly downtrodden expression, one that she liked to call his puppy dog face, and he tried to pull her to him. She maneuvered away from him, raising her hands gesturing for him to stop.
"Angel, this isn't us. What's going on?" Cordelia was beginning to become a little frightened, though she tried not to show it.
Suddenly Angel smiled, not a happy smile, but an evil one. "Of course it's us, stupid."
"What?" She recoiled.
"Yeah, that's right. I said you were stupid. You're a stupid, ditzy, rich girl. Superior to everyone, and not worthy of anyone," he advanced on her.
"Angel what are you saying?" She felt the unshed tears form in her eyes. Blinking fast, she tried to stave them off. She would not cry in front of him.
"I'm saying, you're annoying. Not worth any of my time. I don't even know why I keep you around, except you look good in a tight shirt and skirt. I don't like you, you don't help me and you never have. I wish you would just leave."
It's like he was saying everything that she had feared he would one day believe. She couldn't take this. She sniffled and backed away.
"Aww...are you crying now? That really is pathetic. But I guess I shouldn't expect anything more from you. You worthless, piece of..."
"STOP," She screamed, stopping him before he continued. She bit her lip, and felt a tear escape the confines on her lids.
Suddenly Angel started laughing loudly. His handsome features transformed, as did her apartment. She gasped and looked around. Her beautiful apartment was no longer there, but another room sat in its place. A room that felt familiar, but she couldn't place it. A room with yellow walls and terra cotta trim. She furrowed her brow and turned back to Angel, only he no longer stood there. A tanned man stood in front of her sneering back at her.
"What's going on? What do you want with me?" She asked, wiping at another tear that fell from her eye.
The man tsked at her, and took a step in her direction. She swallowed and backed up against the wall. He followed her, pressing up against her. He removed a syringe and brought it up to her neck. The needle pierced her skin, and the he smiled at her.
"Things are not always as they seem."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lilah huffed in exasperation and turned away from the window. She really hadn't learned anything new from this experiment that she hadn't known before. Well except for the fact that Angel and Cordelia obviously weren't a couple. Hmmm...one thing she had been sure about, and she was wrong. Oh well, there were still other simulations to run. It really didn't matter. It's not like she was intent on learning anything new. She just wanted Angel to suffer. What better way to do that, than take the person nearest and dearest to him...and torture her. It had been fun to see her come apart.
Some things were just too fun, they should be illegal
She laughed to herself and started up the stairs. She had a meeting in ten minutes, and well, one never wants to keep the Senior Partners waiting. There were usually hefty consequences. Casting one glance back over her shoulder at the window, she smiled at the man placing the woman back on the bed. Who knows what the next experiment would be? Well, she for one couldn't wait to find out.
TBC in Part 6