Chapter 2: The AI Team
I've never had a better friend. She was the person I always wanted ta be: strong, witty, caring…a warrior. Don't get me wrong, I love the work I do, all with being the head of a Science department. But, Cordy…she was the strongest of all of us. She's gone through so much, even when she wasn't vision-girl or part demon. I mean, if it weren't for her vision or falling through ta Pylea, I might still be in that dimension. I owe her my life. But, I can never repay her now.
Poor Angel. He was heart-broken…which I've seen him like that before, when that Slayer, Buffy, died. But he loved Cordelia so much, we all did. But not like him. Wesley was a wreck, too. He started ta tell me about some stuff from before they came to LA…a lot of it was sorta funny. She seemed so different. Believe me, I know. I remember last year when we all thought we were teenagers (I don't like ta bring it up a lot.), and she acted like she was better than everyone. Not like the girl we knew. When Angel told us… he didn't seem like Angel. He was just some guy who had just lost his love.
Wes, Fred, Gunn, Spike, Lorne, and Harmony enter in that order.
Angel -out of his trance-: Guys. Thanks for coming.
Spike: Never showed last night, boss-man.
Fred: What took you guys so long?
Wes: Maybe we should wait for Cordelia, first.
Angel: No.
Harmony: Isn't she coming?
Lorne: Anyone blame her? It was a long night. –Pointed to his neck wound- I'd know.
Angel: She told me to tell you all…
Lorne-sensing Angel's anguish-: Is something wrong, Angelcakes?
Angel:…She's gone. Cordy…she died.
Gunn: What?
Wes: But she was fine last night. What happened?
Angel: She never woke up.
Fred: But- I mean, we all saw her, talked to her.
Gunn: It don't add up.
Angel: Wes, Fred, locate Buffy and the others. They need to know.
Fred-seeming far away, nodded-
Wes-walked out of the room with Fred-
I didn't hear the rest of it. Kinda glad I didn't. I was supposed to visit my parents this week, but I postponed it for a few more weeks. There's too much here to deal with. We're calling a whole bunch of people she knew. There's just so much stress goin' around. We visited the hospital to see 'the body'. It just doesn't sound right, calling Cordy just a 'body'. She seemed peaceful as ever, but it looked like she was smiling. Weird, I know, but it did. It seemed like she was trying to comfort us with a simple reassuring smile, like she used to. It worked kinda, in some morbid way. She was still our Cordy, I guess…
Even after death, you were still there.
It's not possible. She can't be. After everything… She's not someone who'd just give up like that. I'm not sayin' she'd just give up. That's not a 'Cordy' thing to do. She'd go down scratchin' and clawin', and that's only if she'd go down at all. I've known her for a while. Not as long as Angel or Wes, but that don't mean I don't care about her any less. She was like a sister to me, after I lost mine. She's saved my life, and, where I come from, a former rich girl savin' your ass ain't good for your rep. But, that was a long time ago. I've changed thanks to her. She saved me from my worst enemy: myself. After Fred and Wes left the room when he told us, Angel went on…
Gunn: How could you just let her die?
Angel: I didn't! I would've gone to the ends of the earth for her. But she knew it was her time. So, she said 'You're Welcome' and she was gone.
Gunn: Why?
Angel: If I knew, don't you think all this wouldn't be so hard to say?!
Spike: Uh, I don't mean to pry, but-
Angel: Then don't!
Spike: Well, then, if you want to explain to Buffy and the Scoobies how I'm suddenly here, you can.
Angel:…We'll deal with that later. Right now, I need to make a call.
Angel left the office after that. Don't know who he called, but it had to have been important.
Cordelia looked so peaceful, almost happy when we went to the hospital. I just wish I could've saved her, just like she saved me. I know how I've been since my brain upgrade. And I know the other don't agree with it, but I didn't care. But when Cordy came back, I remembered the old me, and I started questioning my motives since we came to W&H. I'm not sayin' I don't like the new me, but now it feels like, somewhere down the line, somethin' bad's gonna happen, and someone's gonna wind up hurt or worse…
When we went to her room and I coulda swore I heard her voice telling me she's alright. I think she is. I just wish she could save me from myself one last time.
I just wish you could save me.
She accepted me before anyone else even tried. Of course, back then, I was a stuck up watcher who screamed like a girl, as various people pointed out. But that was the past. Cordelia Chase was my best friend at some point. We lost that until she woke up from her coma. It was like the past year and a half didn't happen and she and I were just as we were back in Angel Investigations. I remember the first time we met.
Cordelia: (notices Wesley, smiles) Check out Giles: The Next Generation. What's your deal?Wesley: (stammering nervously) Uh, I, uh... Well... (swallows) I'm a...Faith: New Watcher.Cordelia: Oh.Wesley: (turns to Buffy, irritated) Does everybody know about you?Buffy: She's a friend.Cordelia: Let's not exaggerate. So... (steps closer) You're the new Watcher.Wesley: (summons his poise, holds out his hand) Wesley Wyndam-Pryce.Cordelia: (takes it) I like a man with two last names. I'm Cordelia.Wesley: (smiles) And you teach psychology.Cordelia: I take psychology.Giles: She's a student.Wesley immediately drops Cordelia's hand.Wesley: Oh, well. I, uh... (Swallows) Yes. (Squares his shoulders) In fact, I am... here to watch... girls. Uh, uh, Buffy and Faith, to be specific.Cordelia: (steps closer, smiling brightly) Well, it's about time we got some fresh blood around here.Wesley: (laughs nervously) Well. Fresh. Yes.At the checkout counter Giles stamps the due date into the books.Giles: Here we go.Cordelia: (to Giles) Thanks. (to Wesley) So, welcome to Sunnydale.She gives him a bright smile, goes to retrieve her books, and leaves. Wesley: (watching her back admiringly) My… She is cheeky, isn't she?That's one of the only parts of my life that I don't want to repress.
Apart from the ongoing sniping about my apparent lack of manhood, she, along with Gunn became the reasons I continued on with the good fight after Angel let those lawyers to die. But after this and the conflict Gunn and I had over Fred last year. I'm running out of things to keep fighting for. After she and I researched her vision and the tattoos, she was about, but she turned back for a moment. Her exact words were, 'Wes? Keep holding on for me, okay? Believe me when I say it'll pay off in the end.'
So I'll keep fighting the good fight for her.
I'll hold on for you, Cordy.
It hurts too much to even say. To even think about. But she knew it was her time. That doesn't make the pain go away. I don't know how to find the words to say what she meant to me. All I can say is that I love her and always will. Once she said 'You're welcome', something inside me clicked, like if I hadn't answered the phone, she wouldn't have gone like that. I never expected of all people, Cordelia to go down that quietly instead of with a bang. But what's happened has happened. Turning back time wouldn't even help anymore. It was fate and that's how she wanted it. But that doesn't make me wish any less that she was here with me.
I just wish you were here.
The phone rings.
Angel: I don't have to get that.
Cordy: (takes deep breath) That…you have to get. (Angel walks toward the phone) Oh… and you're welcome.
Angel: (answers the phone) Hello? Yes, I know. She's…but that's impossible. She's right- (turns and Cordelia's gone)…I'm sorry. Yeah. Wh- When did she die...? Did she, um…She never did wake up. I see. (hangs up and turns towards the entrance of the empty office)
Angel:…Thank you.
