All You Have To Do Is Smile

Part 7

Note: Yes, you're getting two parts for the price of one! I've finally written enough to replace the doubled up chapter! So make sure you've read part 6 first :)

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Cordelia smiled to herself as she let her hair down. She wandered through the room, brushing the long brown waves, just thinking to herself. She'd had a wonderful day She hadn't fallen off the horse…that much, Cathy was such a sweetheart that Cordelia never questioned why she had her brother wrapped around her little finger, and thinking of said brother, Angel had been the perfect man, eh, gentleman, she corrected herself with a slight blush. Blush? She was blushing at a thought she'd had many times in her life. Things were just wrong with this world.

She sat on the stool by the dresser and set down the brush, the light from the paraffin lamp behind her making the room seem to glow. Pride and Prejudice, much she thought to herself with a smile. She even had her perfect Mr. Darcy. Grr, he was hot. He had the accent and the, well, grr-ness. Or maybe Angel would have to be Wickham, she continued with her thoughts, the image of Angel dressed in the period costume…well, she already had that. Shaking her head, she scolded herself for allowing her thoughts to wander to things they weren't allowed to. When she started thinking f Angel in the clothes he'd been wearing lately, she started to think of him without them, all naked and yummy and…she was thinking about him again.

Growling at her own horny thoughts she blew out the light and walked cautiously to her bed, missing the creaky floorboard that she had managed to stand on at least once every night since her arrival, succeeding in waking the entire household. Climbing into bed, she was preparing to snuggle up with her non-Angel thoughts when she heard a strange tapping. Sitting up, she frowned, trying to determine the source of the noise. Listening closely, she decided that the noise was coming from outside. Carefully, she made her way to the window, staring outside with a questioning look on her face.

"What are you doing here?" She hissed, "It's late!"

Angel smiled up at her, "There's something I want to show you."


"What? Now?"

"Yes, now. Come on, get dressed."

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Angel wondered for the hundredth time what he was doing. Cordelia snuggled further back into his embrace and he cursed his body for it's almost instant reaction. It had seemed like a good idea at the time. He'd been sitting at home, restless and fidgety, no doubt his body was screaming for its daily intake of alcohol. He supposed it was stupid of him to assume that stopping cold turkey would have no effect on him whatsoever. It seemed that the only time he was concentrating on anything else, was when he was concentrating on stopping himself from ravaging every inch of Cordelia's body.

He was anything but immune to the fact that she was a beautiful woman, he had known that from the moment he'd met her. But over the years, she had also become a beautiful person. He knew it was cliché and, well, sappy, but he had been alive, well dead, for a long time, and he had seen beauty fade, but nothing could take away who Cordelia was, he would never allow that. The fact that he could remember every second of kissing her and lying on top of her and…why had he had to be in that place when they were transported, or whatever, to the past?

Angel shook his head, Cordelia had seen a part of his human life that he was ashamed of…in fact, there wasn't really a lot of his human life that he wasn't ashamed of. He admitted the fact that his life had been pointless and drunken, but he had never wanted to subject Cordelia to that, ever. The only good things in his life were Cathy, and now, Cordelia, and he was going to make sure that things were different. The more he tried to remember this part of his life, the harder it became. The mages slipped through his mind like sand in a sieve. All he could remember were snatches of visions, Cordelia smiling, Cathy teasing, he remembered that he had been happy, at least for a little while.

The horse shook Angel from his reverie, having stopped at the edge of the hill. Smiling and patting its head, Angel shook Cordelia from her light sleep.

"Mwhssa?" she mumbled, snuggling closer and slowly opening her eyes.

"We're here," he whispered. Feeling her shiver against him, he had to wonder whether or not it was because she was cold or maybe…it was at times like this that he missed his vampiric senses. Well, a little.

"Where?" She asked. Rubbing her eyes, she took a moment to wake up, stretching as Angel dismounted the horse and accepting his help to get to the ground. As she landed, she found herself face to face with him, he was holding her close, tight against him. It was like something out of one of the romantic movies she kept hidden in her bottom drawer for whenever the mood struck her. They were standing in the moonlight in the middle of the country and he was so close she could feel his heart beating in his chest. His heart was actually beating.

She smiled and placed a hand to his heart, relishing once more in the sound of his breathing, the warmth of his skin. Well, it was a cold night, but he was still warmer than a vampire. Shaking her head, Cordelia smiled up at him before looking  over the edge of the hill. "Oh, Angel, it's beautiful." She gasped. They were standing on the top of the hill, staring down on the town of Galway, which seemed to be nestled within a blanket of silver light. She walked closer to the edge of the hill, just gazing at the sight.

Angel watched her, stared at her with the same wonder that she looked upon the village before them. This was his life, she was staring at it with a wonder akin to a small child and it's first toy. After a moment, he cautiously walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her closer. Resting his chin on her shoulder, they stood for a long time, just staring. They didn't have to speak, there was nothing to say. This time they were sharing was just to be shared, savoured as one of the few calm times in the hectic lives that had been thrust upon them of late.

Unwillingly breaking the silence, Angel sighed. "We really should get you back."

"Yeah," Cordy said softly.

"After all," Angel said turning her around in his arms, "the last thing we need is Aunt Ella thinkin' I've turned ye into a scarlet woman."

"Stop it." Cordy said, smiling.

"Stap what?" he smirked, tightening his grip a little. He smirked at her glare, knowing exactly what she was talking about. "If I didn' tease ye, I wouldn' be Liam, now, would oi?"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about, buster. Stop it with the accent. I know you're Angel, you don't need to use it when we're alone."

"But if I did that, Miss Cordy," he said softly, pulling her still closer to him. Her breathing was shallow and he lowered his voice, "then I wouldn' get to watch you blush at thinkin' those naughty little thoughts about me."

"Oh, is that so?"

"That it is."

"Oh Mr. O'Brien I am undone," Cordelia said with mock swooning. She grinned and reached up to fiddle with the open buttons at the top of his shirt, "Who said I was having naughty thoughts about you."

"Oh, I don't know, it's just a feelin' I get."

"Well," Cordelia smirked, staring straight into his eyes, pulling his so close that their lips were inches apart, "I can feel something as well. And it seems to me that you're the one with the naughty thoughts." She smiled sweetly and walked from his embrace. Reaching the horse she turned and smiled innocently at him, "Take me home, good sir." Angel grinned at her and walked to the horse.

"I hope you know, that this is war." He whispered sexily into her ear as he pulled her back against him.

"I like the sound of that." She replied breathlessly.

"I'm glad." He turned her round and in one swift movement he had pulled her so close that she wanted nothing more than to kiss him till he couldn't breath at all. Before she knew it, she was sitting on the horse feeling a little flustered and bewildered. He climbed on behind her and chuckled at her state.

"I may have been a bit of a rogue, Miss Imogene, but when I want something, I go about it the right way. Prepare to be courted."

"Courted?" Cordelia smiled. "I think I can handle that." She leaned back against him and closed her eyes, the motion of the horse and the feel of Angel's arms around her lulling her into a dream filled sleep.

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"Yer lookin' a bit tired this marnin', Miss Imogene."

Cordelia yawned and shook her head before smiling at Aunt Ella, "I had a bit of trouble sleeping last night."

"Not'in' serious, I hope," Ella frowned, placing the back of her hand on Cordelia's forehead.

"Well, that I'm not sure about," Cordelia grinned to herself, ignoring Aunt Ella's questioning stare.

"G'd Marnin' all."

Cordelia turned to the doorway behind her, smiling broadly, "Good morning, Liam."

"Sleep well, Miss Imogene?" he asked with a smirk as he walked towards them. He leaned over and gave Aunt Ella a kiss on the cheek and winked at the elder lady, "How are ye this marnin', Ella? Still having trouble wit' yer stove?"

"Naw, our Andrew was in fixin' it this marnin'."

"Glad te hear it. After all, ye know I couldn't live wit'out yer cooking fer lang."

"Oh, aff wit' ye, young Liam." She turned to Cordelia, "Honestly, ye'd t'ink his mother never fed 'im." Ella bustled into the kitchen shaking her head and calling out to her nephew.

Angel turned to Cordelia and smiled, "So, did you sleep well?" he asked in a low voice.

"I had a lovely night. Thank you for asking."

He smiled at her in silence for a few moments before clearing his throat, "Well, I'm actually here for a reason."

"That't be a first." Angel looked up as Andrew approached them from the kitchen. The small man wore his usual cheeky grin and winked at Cordelia as he reached them. "I t'ink I might need to know exactly what yer intentions are towards the lov'ly, Miss Imogene before I let you whisk 'er aff somewhere."

"Well, Andrew, nat that it's any o' your business, but it's actually Catherine that asked me to come."


"Oh, that old trick, eh?" Andrew turned to Cordelia, "He's been using that lov'ly wee girl te get women fer years now."

"I can believe it." Cordelia grinned.

"I t'ink I'm upset by this conversation. Are ye questionin' my motives?"

"And what if I am?" Andrew puffed out his chest, "I t'ink I could give ye a run fer yer money. What d'ye say, Miss Imogene, leave this rogue behind and let me whisk ye aff to America."

Cordelia laughed and shook her head, "I think that Catherine asked Ange-eh, Liam to come here for a reason. Now what can I do for your sister."

"Well," Angel replied turning to her, "She wants to go shopping fer something to wear at the ridin' fer the Gala. And I had a feelin' that might be right up your street."

"Money to spend on clothes?" Cordelia raised her eyebrows, "I think you've definitely come to the right place!"

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The man watched them from a distance, taking in every move they made, every word that was spoken. He kept to the background and stared at them as they made their way through each store. The gentleman was dragging behind them, his arms laden with packages as both the woman and the girl seemed to have boundless energy as far as their shopping experience was taking them. And still he watched in silence.

He noticed the woman stopping at the front of the jewellery store, watched as she stared at something inside, absentmindedly fingering her neck as she did so. The little girl was playing with her curls as she chatted away, staring at the different silver and gold crafted jewellery. But the gentleman with them stared at the woman. Watched as she admired the piece of jewellery. He watched her with a smile full of love…it was enough to make him sick.

The man's face contorted into a sadistic smile. So far everything was working according to plan, so far, everything was perfect. Now all he had to do was make sure that everything continued as it was meant to. If he could do that, he could change the future and he would be unstoppable. No all-powerful slayer and no damn vampire to fulfil the prophecy of his destruction.

Cordelia laughed as Angel tugged her away from the window and the girl squealed as she picked her up. They were playing at happy families. Well, he thought,  let them. Because soon everything was going to change, soon he was going to twist history to his own benefit, and Angel Investigations was never going to become the thorn in his side.

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END OF PART 7

Okay, so it was getting too mushy for me! I had to throw something a little more into the mix! Chelle, Kath, you'll LOVE this new change, btw! ;) And hopefully, so will you all!