All You Have To Do Is Smile Part 4

All You Have To Do Is Smile

Part 4

NOTE: *BIG* thanks to Kath, the wonderful grammar nazi ;) for betaing and Stevie for the "Irish beta"! Luv ya both! :)

* * is thoughts

~~~~~*****~~~~~

Cordelia's eyes widened as she watched his pale features, watched his clouded eyes. She reached out her hand and placed it on his shoulder, "Of course this isn't your Shanshu, Angel," she said softly, giving him a smile as she squeezed his arm. "The PTB might be evil for giving me those damn visions but they did it for you. They wouldn't do this to you," she said, adding a silent, *would they?* She shook herself, "Besides, they wouldn't be as mean as to lumber you with me, now would they?"

"They already did that by giving you the visions," Angel said, smirking as thoughts of being 'lumbered' with Cordelia swam through his head. Shanshu or not, maybe this wouldn't be so bad. He gave her a reassuring smile and placed his hand over hers and squeezing it. He turned back to the window and once again tried to grasp the edges of the window frame.

"Are you going to help me with this?" he asked, watching as she raised her eyebrows at him. "Or you could always watch me fall off the roof then sit up here on your own all night." She narrowed her eyes at him, smiling slightly, and turned to the window frame.

"We should've brought one of those lever things burglars use in the movies," she said, struggling to get a decent grip.

"A crowbar?"

"Yeah, that's it."

"Not exactly in the position to get one of those Cordelia." She glared at him and tugged again, as they continued to pull at the window frame, which was, quite firmly, remaining in its place.

"We're never gonna get this thing off!" she huffed, sitting back onto her heel. "Whose stupid idea was this anyway?" she complained, obviously knowing the answer.

"We could just leave you up here in your ripped whore's dress until we figure out a way home."

"Well it wouldn't be ripped if you hadn't been so desperate to get your hands on me and it wouldn't be a whore's dress if you hadn't been such a drunken bum in the 18th Century!"

"Well we wouldn't be in the 18th Century if you hadn't insisted we do the spell!"

"We wouldn't have had to do the spell if you'd just opened your fangy mouth and talked to me!" They glared at each other for a few moments before panic ensued.

"I'm sure I heard somet'in', Colm."

They scrambled to hide as the unnaturally high voice floated through the window. Cordelia snickered into her hand, feeling Angel bury his laughter in her shoulder as she pulled herself into a smaller crouch between his legs.

"Sounds like he's had practice." Angel said, "You think maybe he does this at weekends or something?" He clamped his hand over Cordelia's mouth as she began to laugh hysterically; the sudden image of Gunn in a pink PVC mini skirt and tank top calling himself Mandy was just too much.

They froze as they heard the noise beside them. Angel held his breath as the window next to them opened. He suddenly felt a new appreciation for his previous state of being dead, and therefore, not having to worry about breathing.

"I'm sure I heard somet'in',"

"T'was just the trees, Cathleen,"

As the voices faded, Cordelia was alarmingly aware of Angel wriggling behind her. Spinning around, she smacked him in the stomach, causing him to let out his breath in a quick burst.

"What are you doing?" she hissed.

"I was holding my breath," at her frown he continued, "You know, so they wouldn't hear anything."

"Well, don't do it again, it'd be nice to spend time with a live Angel," he frowned and she groaned, "Never mind." She slowly moved forward, keeping a steady hold on Angel as she peered into the room, "All clear," she whispered.

Lowering herself gently onto the small, finely crafted, mahogany window chair. She took a few moments to look around the room. Shivering, she pulled Angel's coat tighter around her.

"You okay?" he asked, rubbing her shoulders, causing her to jump at the unexpected contact.

"Yeah. It's beautiful."

"Yeah," he whispered, tucking a tendril of hair behind her ear. She turned to look at him and smiled. After a few moments, she dragged him towards the closet and his worst nightmare came true...he was a clothes shopping with Cordelia.

~x~x~x~x~x~

"I can't believe you did that."

"Did what?"

"Well if you don't know then I'm not going to tell you."

"That has to be the stupidest phrase ever. You want me to apologise, then tell me what for."

"But you should know,"

"Well I don't."

"Not my fault."

She groaned and shook her head, "Fine!" She tugged once more at the waist of her dress as they walked back to the horse, arms filled with dresses and undergarments. As itchy as her new dress was, she was just thankful she could get it on and it wasn't ripped. Although, asking Angel to fasten the bodice had been rather embarrassing...for both of them.

They walked in silence for a few moments before Cordelia turned to him, smiling, "What I wouldn't give to be that rich. Imagine owning that many clothes," Angel smirked at the wide eyed expression on her face as she continued, "It's like...wow."

When they approached the horse, Angel dropped the old fashioned case to the ground and laid the clothes in it as Cordelia watched him, "I still don't see why we couldn't pack there. Would have made it easier to drop a case on you rather than one dress at a time. Although, I wouldn't give up the image of you in a petticoat for anything. Who knew I was such a good aim." she laughed at the expression on his face.

"It wasn't that funny Cordelia."

"Oh, no," she said, straight faced, "'Course not."

"So not funny, in fact, that we don't ever have to tell Wes or Gunn about it, right?"

"Yeah, right," she snorted, "Gunn in drag and you in a petticoat. There's no way I'm not telling everyone I know."

"You wouldn't."

"I might," she flashed him a bright smile and kneeled to pack the clothes she was holding.

He watched as she moved, the tight corset of the dark red dress pushing her breasts upwards as she leaned forwards. She had pulled her hair up elegantly, a few tendrils framing her face and a few resting on her shoulders, leaving her neck bare.

"Hello?" she raised her eyebrows at him, "You're not vamp guy anymore. Quit staring at my neck already."

He cleared his throat and closed the, now full, case. He stood and turned to her, "Cordy?"

"What?" she asked, wiping grass from the back of her dress.

"Now that you insisted that we take so many clothes, how exactly do you plan on getting them back to the village?"

"Simple," she said smiling, "You can carry the case, I can ride the horse."

"No."

"What do you mean, no?"

"I mean no. If I walk, you walk. They're your clothes."

"You wouldn't let a lady of my wealth be found walking with someone of your reputation, now, would you?"

He narrowed his eyes, " You don't have any money, Cordy."

"Alas, I was robbed when my boat docked. All my possessions were stolen, all I have left is in that case."

"A young single woman of your calibre was trav'lin' alone?" Angel asked, slipping easily into his native accent.

"My poor brother did not survive the trip. He took ill after a few days. He will never marry his lovely Isabelle." Cordelia wiped a stray tear from her eyes and Angel smiled.

"That'll work. You ever think of acting?" he smirked.

"Unfortunately, saving the world tends to get in the way."

"That's too bad." He said and she smiled, turning to the horse. Suddenly, the suitcase flew past her eyes and landed on the saddle in front of her.

"But you're still walking."

~x~x~x~x~x~

Cordelia took a deep breath and shifted again. Angel had, of course, been teasing her. After half an hour of making her walk, her whining had tried even his patience and he had moved the case back a little, lifted her onto the horse and told her to practice riding side saddle.

*No problem* she told herself as she continued to slip from the horse. He had had to catch her about three times and had warned her that, once more and he'd let her fall. He was joking, of course...she hoped.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as Angel stroked the horse's neck as he looked up at her. He placed a hand in her knee to stop her from drifting closer to the ground. She opened her eyes and smiled at him. She watched ahead, the moon lighting the way as they approached the village. She could see gentle light from the local inns and a faint murmur of sound floated across the fields to meet them.

Angel watched her, the way the moonlight glistened off her hair, and he watched the way her chest moved as she breathed, the movement accented by the corseted dress. She hoisted herself further back on he saddle as his eyes, again, drifted to the pale contours of her neck and throat, her bare shoulders, the soft lines that disappeared with a yelp as her feet swung by his face and she landed unceremoniously on the ground behind the horse.

~x~x~x~x~x~

Angel helped her slowly from the horse. He cupped the back of her head with one hand and tilted her chin with the other, "You sure you're okay?"

She smiled, "Yeah, I'm, ouch!" she grimaced as his hand touched the tender point on her head.

"Sorry! I'm sorry, Cordy, I didn't mean..."

"Like you didn't mean to let me fall?" she asked with mock anger.

"I swear..."

"I'm joking you big lummox."

"Still..." he smiled and pulled the case from he horse behind her, accidentally smacking the corner of it against her head.

"Ow!"

"Oh God, Cordy, I'm sorry," he dropped the case to the ground and pulled her close, inspecting her head.

"Ow, it's okay. Just remind me when you Shanshu that you're a walking disaster." He smiled as he stared into her eyes, his hands still cupping her head. He brushed his thumbs over her cheeks as her breathing became ragged. He stepped closer, their bodies merging together as he slowly leaned forwards.

"Liam!" Angel snapped his head up, pulling away and turning to face the small drunken group across the cobbled street, "You terrorisin' the upper-class as well, now, are ye?"

Angel laughed along with them then cleared his throat, "Nat quite, Billy, 'S your Aunt in Andrew?"

"Aye, waitin' up for wee Jimmy, no doubt." They laughed as the small tubby man reached up and ruffled "wee" Jimmy's hair.

"Didn't see ye there, Jimmy," Angel chuckled as Cordelia watched him, bemused by his behaviour. "She's got a spare room now't your Maggie's married, han't she?"

"Aye, that's right," The taller man eyed him suspiciously, "What've ye gat planned 'ere, Liam?"

"Not'in' for you ta worry 'bout, Jimmy." Angel smiled and gave them a wave as they staggered back into the Inn. Reaching down, he picked up the case before extending his left arm to Cordelia.

"Why, thank you kind Sir." Cordelia grinned and slipped her arm into his.

~x~x~x~x~x~

"Ah, the poor dear," Cordelia grinned as 'Aunt Ella' fussed about her, "What's you name?"

"My name?" Cordelia and Angel glanced at each other in alarm, "Er..." she smiled at Aunt Ella to dissuade her confusion.

"Imogene." They replied in unison.

"Unusual name. Pretty none the less." Ella shook her head as Cordelia continued to stare at Angel in shock.

*How had he known?* she wondered, taking note of the far off look in Angel's eyes, as if he were remembering something...or trying to.

"Lets get you settled, dear heart." Aunt Ella picked up the bulging case, brushing off Angel's attempts to take it from her, "I can manage, young Liam. I'm not that old yet."

"You'll never be that old, Ella"

She shook her head and smiled at him before turning back to Cordelia, "How did you meet our Liam?"

"Er...A young gentleman, and his wife," she added quickly, smiling, "were kind enough to share a carriage with me. They took me to a nearby village to deliver the news of my brother to his Isabelle. I didn't want to be a burden to anyone and I just couldn't bear to stay so near."

"Too many memories?" Ella asked quietly.

"Yes." Cordelia answered, feeling a twinge of guilt at having to lie to the kind woman. But she reasoned, she couldn't exactly tell her the truth. "I met Ang...er Liam, there."

"Out drinkin', no doubt," Ella grinned and shook her head.

"Ah, Ella, ye know if I could marry you, I wouldn't need to drown meself in alcohol."

Ella grinned, "You watch out for this one, Miss Imogene, he's a charmer, all right," she winked and took Cordelia's elbow, steering her towards the hallway, "Now, aff home wit' ye, young Liam, ye'll stap by fer yer dinner tomorra evenin'?"

"Rabbit Stew?"

"'Course."

"Try and stap me. I wouldn't miss it fer not'in'."

"Good night Liam." Cordelia said softly

Angel grinned at her and she smiled, "Good night, Miss Imogene," he nodded to Ella and gave them a wink before opening the door. He grinned as he closed it, listening as Aunt Ella, again, fussed over Cordelia. He looked out into the night. The moon was shining over the distant hills, leaving a silver trail echoing before him. He looked at the stars and took a deep breath to ready himself.

He was alive and he was going home.

~x~x~x~x~x~

END OF PART 4

~x~x~x~x~x~