Chapter 23
Buffy flipped backwards and landed on top of a headstone. She had a broad smile on her face that made Spike smile as she leaped off the headstone with a roundhouse kick. The Slayer was back in action and loving every minute of it. She had gone to Spike and asked him to patrol with her again. He hadn't hesitated the first time and he had already been ready that night. For the past week, she had wanted to patrol with such ferocity that it made Spike wonder if she felt like she was trying to make up for working with Wolfram and Hart.
"What are you smiling about little girl?" A vamp snarled at her.
"You don't know who I am?" Buffy asked, genuinely confused. "I'm the Slayer."
"The Slayer?"
"This is so lame!" She staked the vampire and turned so she was back to back with Spike. There were about six more vamps to go. "Ok guys, we have to wrap this up. I have places to be, other demons to kill."
"You're enjoyin' this, aren't you?" Spike asked.
"You know it!" With that, she attacked again. She had Mr. Pointy out and was using it swiftly. When all the vamps were dust, she turned to Spike. "Thanks for showing a gal a great time."
"Hey, you invited me along." Spike dusted himself off. "So what's with the extreme slaying?"
"I realized I was neglecting my duties as Slayer. Obviously. Are there usually that many vamps?"
"Not usually." Spike noticed the small bruise forming on her cheek. He touched it gently. "You might want to get ice for that. It's going to swell."
Buffy shrugged. "I'll heal." She looked at her watch. "Oops, gotta go. I told Angel and the others I'd help bag this demon for parole or something." The Slayer shrugged as she put the stake in her back pocket. "Don't really think they need my help, but whatever."
"You could always stay here with me and we can go find more trouble."
Buffy smiled. "Rain check?"
"I'm holding you to it."
"You got it." Buffy sped to where Angel and her were supposed to meet. They had moved on and Buffy followed her senses, reaching out to Angel. She found them in a building not far away. "Hey guys what'd I mi.. Oh. That's not good."
"Where've you been?" Angel asked. He noticed to bruise swelling on her cheek. "What happened?"
"Spike and I were ambushed. It's ok. They're all dust." She smiled proudly. "Forgot how exhilarating slaying could be."
"Why would Greenway do this?" Gunn asked.
"Greenway? He did this?"
"It was just a stupid racketeering charge. I told him we'd get him off with probation, so long as he shut down operations."
"He's a Wolfram & Hart client. Our client. Oh, and he's evil. What are the odds?" Angel asked.
"What do we do now?" Fred asked.
"Now? I find Greenway, and I kill every inch of him." Buffy said. "Cause that's what a Slayer does."
"You won't find him. 5 holy women. This wasn't random." Wesley said. "It's ritual. He's jumped dimensions."
"What?"
"Also, not shockingly, our client practices black arts. He's escaped through a pan-dimensional doorway, disappeared into any one of infinite universes."
"Fred?" Angel asked.
"My equipment's not calibrated to track anything out of this dimension. Even if such a thing is possible, it would take months or maybe years.."
"That's it."
"But probably months, or maybe weeks if I really push.."
"I can't do this anymore."
"Do what?" Gunn asked.
"Any of this. Living with it. Running Wolfram & Hart. I quit."
"Oh thank God!" Buffy said. They all looked at her. "What? Haven't you noticed the me not being there much lately? Less business suits more slay- worthy clothes.. Angel and I've already talked this over."
***
The next day, they were all convened in Buffy and Angel's office. Dawn was even there. "There's nothing more to discuss. Buffy and I are resigning." Angel said.
"Gee, it seems like a ripe topic for discussion to me." Lorne said.
"What happened last night was tragic. It's a terrible setback, but.." Wesley tried.
"Setback, Wes?" Angel asked. "It's status quo. Evil wins, cause instead of just wiping it out, we negotiate with it. Or worse.. for it."
"We're doing the best we can." Fred said.
"It's not that you guys aren't doing your jobs." Buffy said. "It's that we shouldn't be doing these jobs in the first place.. or Angel and I shouldn't."
"I'd say we've all had a bellyful." Gunn said. "Any thought about what would happen to us if we tried to say bye-bye? The ramifications, I mean. You guys think the senior partners are just gonna let us breeze on out the front door?"
"You're saying we're trapped here?" Dawn asked.
"I'm saying we knew what we were getting into when we signed up for this gig. Let's not start pretending that this was some lease with an option to buy."
"Gunn, you really think they won't let us out?" Buffy asked, moving closer to him. "Or is it that you just don't want to leave?"
"Ok. Maybe I don't. It's cause I believe in what we're doing. We made the right call."
"And I'm sure that legal brain upgrade they gave you has got nothing to do with.." Angel said.
"We all got something out of this."
The phone rang and Angel picked it up. "Yeah. It's Angel. What?"
"What's wrong?" Buffy asked, walking over to Angel.
"It's Cordelia."
Buffy blinked. "What?"
"She's awake."
***
Buffy, Angel, and Wesley walked into Cordelia's hospital room and saw a woman lying on the bed under a pink blanket. Her face was obscured by a privacy curtain, but they could see she was still and attached to the hospital machinery. Wesley and Angel hesitated to approach her.
Buffy, however, moved forward. "Cordy?"
Cordelia walked out from the bathroom in a hospital gown. "Yeah. That chick's in rough shape. You'd think they'd give miss one-foot-in-the-grave a private room.. which brings me to, hey.. couldn't you stick me someplace that smells a little less like ammonia-soaked death?"
Buffy smiled broadly and hugged Cordelia tightly. "Cordy!"
"Yeah. It's me."
Cordy and Angel hugged and he moved away for Wesley. "It's extraordinary. You're.. you look.. I don't want to say really hot.."
"Oh, yes, you do. I'm a vision of hotliness, and how weird is that? Mystical comas. You know, if you can stand the horror of a higher power hijacking your mind and body so that it can give birth to itself, I really recommend 'em."
"You remember?" Buffy asked.
"Last year? Yeah. I remember everything.. pretty much. At least until I slipped into slumberland. Maternal instincts aside, I hope you kicked its ass for me." Buffy and Angel said nothing but shot an awkward glance at Wesley, who didn't react. "Is everybody all right?"
"Yeah. Uh.. great." Buffy said.
"We're all.." Angel started.
"Yes. Super." Wesley said.
"Super. Yes. Super."
"Hey, why don't we get you out of here?" Buffy said.
"Ooh! I love that plan. I hope you brought me some clothes, 'cause.." She looked at her hospital gown. "Damn."
"We could stop and buy some."
"Ooh! Great! Shopping! I love that idea, cause, you know, I'm not so ready to go back to the hotel yet."
Angel looked at Buffy as they followed Cordy and Wes out. "Not a problem."
***
The elevator doors opened and Buffy, Angel, and Wesley stepped out, but Cordelia didn't follow. "I can't." She said.
"It's ok." Angel said. Cordelia sighed and stepped off the elevator into the lobby, looking around skeptically. "See? It's just an office. Going about its day. Nothing scary popping out at you. Just regular people.." Cordelia gasped as she turned and saw Sebassis's pale, emaciated, horned slave looking at her as he was led through the lobby on a chain.
"Yeah, I found the scamp hiding in one of the copiers, you know?" One of the guys walking by said. "Living on nothing but toner fluid. Can you beat that? The slave, I mean. I mean, I assume the Archduke's gonna beat him and all that."
"That's..ha.. nothing. Hey, do you wanna see mine and Buffy's office?"
"Yeah.." Cordy said hesitantly.
They walked into the large office. Lorne stood up and smiled. "Lorne!"
"Are you huggable?" Lorne asked, hugging Cordelia.
"It is so good to see.." She looked over Lorne's shoulder and saw Gunn. "Oh, my God. Gunn? You have hair."
"Oh yeah. What did you think? I was prematurely bald?" Gunn asked. Cordelia said nothing. "I wasn't."
Cordelia laughed. Fred tapped Gunn on the shoulder and he stepped back so Fred could hug Cordelia too. "Fred!"
"Hi, Cordy." Fred said.
"So, where's Connor?"
"Who?" Gunn asked.
Buffy and Angel's eyes widened. Cordy looked confused. "What do you mean, who? Connor. Isn't he.." She turned to Buffy and Angel. "Guys, where's your s.."
Harmony interrupted with a teenage girl's shriek. "Aah! Oh, my God!" She ran up to Cordy and hugged her tightly around the neck. "I can't believe you're here!" She hugged Cordy again.
"Likewise. Especially since the last time I saw you, you tried to kill me."
"Um, Harmony, she's.. actually, she.. she's our secretary." Angel said.
"Oh. Well, things just keep getting better and better."
"I know." Harmony said. "You and me together again. So, how was the coma?"
"Uh, Harmony, I think Cordy's had enough excitement for the day." Buffy said. "Why don't you.. Why doesn't everybody get back to work?"
"Great to see you." Gunn waved and left.
Everyone followed suit. Lorne stopped in the doorway. "Hey, listen, crumbcake, when you're ready to splash back into that acting pool, just say the word. I'll have you lunching with Colin Farrell like that."
"Who's Colin Farrell?" Cordy asked as Lorne shut the door.
"Cordy, I know there's a lot to take in, a lot of changes, but I promise you.. things here are working out." Angel said.
"Really?" Buffy and Cordelia both asked.
"Well, yeah. With these resources, there's nothing we can't do, no one we can't save."
"Except maybe yourselves." Cordy said.
"What?"
"I had a vision.. from the you-know-what that be. That's what woke me up. And you know something? When higher powers send you coma visions, you'd better pay attention."
"What did you see?" Buffy asked.
Cordy looked at Angel. "You. In trouble. Also, these weird symbols. Glyphs, I guess. On a wall.. and on flesh. A tattoo, and.. There's a woman behind you."
"You saw a woman in your vision?" Angel asked.
Buffy scowled. "Eve."
"You two weren't home upstairs. Didn't think you'd mind me using your private elevator." Eve said.
"I mind you breathing. Get out."
"Yeah, sure. Except I'm here to convey the partners concern. A little issue of you letting a client skip out of our dimension. Dead nuns we can deal with, but the firm's out 10 million in bail costs." Eve looked at Cordelia. "I ask you, is that any way to run a business? Who's your friend, guys?"
"I'm Cordelia Chase." Cordy said, glaring at Eve.
"Oh. My name is.."
"I didn't ask." She walked over and stood by Buffy.
"Right. Cordelia Chase. Oh, yeah. Buffy and Angel talked a lot about you.. at first."
"I thought I told security not to let you in this building." Angel said.
"Sweetie, I'm liaison to the senior partners. You honestly think you have any control over my comings and goings?"
Buffy stepped closer to Eve. "Maybe you didn't hear me before, so I'll say it again. Get the hell out."
"We'll talk business later. I'll let you three catch up."
Buffy followed Eve out the door. "And I'll let you walk out of here with your head still attached to your body. Harmony, I want security keeping tabs on Eve while she's in the building."
"Got it." Harmony said.
"That's the kind of person you do business with now? Do you realize what's happening? You've made a deal with the devil."
"Oh, come on, Cordy." Angel said. "You're being a little overdramatic. It's not that, uh.."
A red-skinned demon with black hair, horns, and a goatee walked up to Angel wearing a suit and holding a briefcase. "I gotta go. Everything's in place. They'll draw up the paperwork."
Angel shook the Devil's hand. "Good. Great."
"Racquetball Thursday?"
"Ok, then." Cordelia rolled her eyes and walked back into the office. "What did I do?"
***
Buffy walked out of the bedroom and sat with Cordy on the couch. "How is Dawn?" Cordy asked.
"Adjusting."
"I can see why."
"No, I mean.. She's a senior at Hemery."
"What about Sunnydale?"
"We, uh.. We kinda blew it up."
"Are you kidding?"
"No. It's a huge crater now. I'll take you to see it one day."
"Why'd you do it, Buffy?"
"Well.. You see, there were these Uber-Vamps and the First and.."
"No, I mean Wolfram and Hart. Why'd you let them suck you into this?"
"It's complicated."
"Well, un-complicate it."
"Connor."
"Connor? Where is Connor? Why did Gunn ask.."
"They don't remember him. It's part of the agreement to take this job. The senior partners altered reality. They gave Connor a life, a real family, and a childhood. Something Angel and I could never give him. He has no memories of us. And no one remembers him. Except me, Angel, and you. And Eve, for some reason."
"So, not only did you and Angel strike a deal with your worst enemy to give up your son, you let them rape the memories of your friends who trust you?"
Buffy had tears slowly making their way down her face. "He was about to kill you. And himself. He was so torn up. We didn't have any other way to stop him, any way to help him. Connor's happy now."
"And you're not." Buffy looked away. "This isn't the Buffy I knew. Where's the bright and bubbly Buffy I remember from Sunnydale High School's Class of 1999? Where's the Class Protector that would rather be slaying than doing homework?"
"She died three and a half years ago."
"I don't believe you. I know she's in there."
"I can't find her."
"Well, then let me help." Cordelia stood up and stared at Buffy. "You're Buffy the Vampire Slayer. You are the strongest person I have ever met. You are full of nothing but good. You survived five months of intense torture from a demon that wore the face of the man you love, the man you felt was worthy enough to give your virginity to. You have always worn your heart out on your sleeve and it's been broken and bruised countless times, but every time, you've come back from it. I've been witness to the incredible things you've done in the eight years I've known you. Honestly, I can't imagine this world without you. Well, actually I can because I've seen it.."
"What? When?"
"After Xander.. After I came back from the hospital senior year, I made a wish to Anya. I wished that you'd never come to Sunnydale. It was the most awful place anyone could ever imagine. But that's not the point." Cordy sighed. "You are the most unselfish person I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be the woman I am today.. Probably because I wouldn't be living today." She smiled. "So, have you found her yet?"
Buffy smiled and hugged Cordy. "Thank you."
Buffy flipped backwards and landed on top of a headstone. She had a broad smile on her face that made Spike smile as she leaped off the headstone with a roundhouse kick. The Slayer was back in action and loving every minute of it. She had gone to Spike and asked him to patrol with her again. He hadn't hesitated the first time and he had already been ready that night. For the past week, she had wanted to patrol with such ferocity that it made Spike wonder if she felt like she was trying to make up for working with Wolfram and Hart.
"What are you smiling about little girl?" A vamp snarled at her.
"You don't know who I am?" Buffy asked, genuinely confused. "I'm the Slayer."
"The Slayer?"
"This is so lame!" She staked the vampire and turned so she was back to back with Spike. There were about six more vamps to go. "Ok guys, we have to wrap this up. I have places to be, other demons to kill."
"You're enjoyin' this, aren't you?" Spike asked.
"You know it!" With that, she attacked again. She had Mr. Pointy out and was using it swiftly. When all the vamps were dust, she turned to Spike. "Thanks for showing a gal a great time."
"Hey, you invited me along." Spike dusted himself off. "So what's with the extreme slaying?"
"I realized I was neglecting my duties as Slayer. Obviously. Are there usually that many vamps?"
"Not usually." Spike noticed the small bruise forming on her cheek. He touched it gently. "You might want to get ice for that. It's going to swell."
Buffy shrugged. "I'll heal." She looked at her watch. "Oops, gotta go. I told Angel and the others I'd help bag this demon for parole or something." The Slayer shrugged as she put the stake in her back pocket. "Don't really think they need my help, but whatever."
"You could always stay here with me and we can go find more trouble."
Buffy smiled. "Rain check?"
"I'm holding you to it."
"You got it." Buffy sped to where Angel and her were supposed to meet. They had moved on and Buffy followed her senses, reaching out to Angel. She found them in a building not far away. "Hey guys what'd I mi.. Oh. That's not good."
"Where've you been?" Angel asked. He noticed to bruise swelling on her cheek. "What happened?"
"Spike and I were ambushed. It's ok. They're all dust." She smiled proudly. "Forgot how exhilarating slaying could be."
"Why would Greenway do this?" Gunn asked.
"Greenway? He did this?"
"It was just a stupid racketeering charge. I told him we'd get him off with probation, so long as he shut down operations."
"He's a Wolfram & Hart client. Our client. Oh, and he's evil. What are the odds?" Angel asked.
"What do we do now?" Fred asked.
"Now? I find Greenway, and I kill every inch of him." Buffy said. "Cause that's what a Slayer does."
"You won't find him. 5 holy women. This wasn't random." Wesley said. "It's ritual. He's jumped dimensions."
"What?"
"Also, not shockingly, our client practices black arts. He's escaped through a pan-dimensional doorway, disappeared into any one of infinite universes."
"Fred?" Angel asked.
"My equipment's not calibrated to track anything out of this dimension. Even if such a thing is possible, it would take months or maybe years.."
"That's it."
"But probably months, or maybe weeks if I really push.."
"I can't do this anymore."
"Do what?" Gunn asked.
"Any of this. Living with it. Running Wolfram & Hart. I quit."
"Oh thank God!" Buffy said. They all looked at her. "What? Haven't you noticed the me not being there much lately? Less business suits more slay- worthy clothes.. Angel and I've already talked this over."
***
The next day, they were all convened in Buffy and Angel's office. Dawn was even there. "There's nothing more to discuss. Buffy and I are resigning." Angel said.
"Gee, it seems like a ripe topic for discussion to me." Lorne said.
"What happened last night was tragic. It's a terrible setback, but.." Wesley tried.
"Setback, Wes?" Angel asked. "It's status quo. Evil wins, cause instead of just wiping it out, we negotiate with it. Or worse.. for it."
"We're doing the best we can." Fred said.
"It's not that you guys aren't doing your jobs." Buffy said. "It's that we shouldn't be doing these jobs in the first place.. or Angel and I shouldn't."
"I'd say we've all had a bellyful." Gunn said. "Any thought about what would happen to us if we tried to say bye-bye? The ramifications, I mean. You guys think the senior partners are just gonna let us breeze on out the front door?"
"You're saying we're trapped here?" Dawn asked.
"I'm saying we knew what we were getting into when we signed up for this gig. Let's not start pretending that this was some lease with an option to buy."
"Gunn, you really think they won't let us out?" Buffy asked, moving closer to him. "Or is it that you just don't want to leave?"
"Ok. Maybe I don't. It's cause I believe in what we're doing. We made the right call."
"And I'm sure that legal brain upgrade they gave you has got nothing to do with.." Angel said.
"We all got something out of this."
The phone rang and Angel picked it up. "Yeah. It's Angel. What?"
"What's wrong?" Buffy asked, walking over to Angel.
"It's Cordelia."
Buffy blinked. "What?"
"She's awake."
***
Buffy, Angel, and Wesley walked into Cordelia's hospital room and saw a woman lying on the bed under a pink blanket. Her face was obscured by a privacy curtain, but they could see she was still and attached to the hospital machinery. Wesley and Angel hesitated to approach her.
Buffy, however, moved forward. "Cordy?"
Cordelia walked out from the bathroom in a hospital gown. "Yeah. That chick's in rough shape. You'd think they'd give miss one-foot-in-the-grave a private room.. which brings me to, hey.. couldn't you stick me someplace that smells a little less like ammonia-soaked death?"
Buffy smiled broadly and hugged Cordelia tightly. "Cordy!"
"Yeah. It's me."
Cordy and Angel hugged and he moved away for Wesley. "It's extraordinary. You're.. you look.. I don't want to say really hot.."
"Oh, yes, you do. I'm a vision of hotliness, and how weird is that? Mystical comas. You know, if you can stand the horror of a higher power hijacking your mind and body so that it can give birth to itself, I really recommend 'em."
"You remember?" Buffy asked.
"Last year? Yeah. I remember everything.. pretty much. At least until I slipped into slumberland. Maternal instincts aside, I hope you kicked its ass for me." Buffy and Angel said nothing but shot an awkward glance at Wesley, who didn't react. "Is everybody all right?"
"Yeah. Uh.. great." Buffy said.
"We're all.." Angel started.
"Yes. Super." Wesley said.
"Super. Yes. Super."
"Hey, why don't we get you out of here?" Buffy said.
"Ooh! I love that plan. I hope you brought me some clothes, 'cause.." She looked at her hospital gown. "Damn."
"We could stop and buy some."
"Ooh! Great! Shopping! I love that idea, cause, you know, I'm not so ready to go back to the hotel yet."
Angel looked at Buffy as they followed Cordy and Wes out. "Not a problem."
***
The elevator doors opened and Buffy, Angel, and Wesley stepped out, but Cordelia didn't follow. "I can't." She said.
"It's ok." Angel said. Cordelia sighed and stepped off the elevator into the lobby, looking around skeptically. "See? It's just an office. Going about its day. Nothing scary popping out at you. Just regular people.." Cordelia gasped as she turned and saw Sebassis's pale, emaciated, horned slave looking at her as he was led through the lobby on a chain.
"Yeah, I found the scamp hiding in one of the copiers, you know?" One of the guys walking by said. "Living on nothing but toner fluid. Can you beat that? The slave, I mean. I mean, I assume the Archduke's gonna beat him and all that."
"That's..ha.. nothing. Hey, do you wanna see mine and Buffy's office?"
"Yeah.." Cordy said hesitantly.
They walked into the large office. Lorne stood up and smiled. "Lorne!"
"Are you huggable?" Lorne asked, hugging Cordelia.
"It is so good to see.." She looked over Lorne's shoulder and saw Gunn. "Oh, my God. Gunn? You have hair."
"Oh yeah. What did you think? I was prematurely bald?" Gunn asked. Cordelia said nothing. "I wasn't."
Cordelia laughed. Fred tapped Gunn on the shoulder and he stepped back so Fred could hug Cordelia too. "Fred!"
"Hi, Cordy." Fred said.
"So, where's Connor?"
"Who?" Gunn asked.
Buffy and Angel's eyes widened. Cordy looked confused. "What do you mean, who? Connor. Isn't he.." She turned to Buffy and Angel. "Guys, where's your s.."
Harmony interrupted with a teenage girl's shriek. "Aah! Oh, my God!" She ran up to Cordy and hugged her tightly around the neck. "I can't believe you're here!" She hugged Cordy again.
"Likewise. Especially since the last time I saw you, you tried to kill me."
"Um, Harmony, she's.. actually, she.. she's our secretary." Angel said.
"Oh. Well, things just keep getting better and better."
"I know." Harmony said. "You and me together again. So, how was the coma?"
"Uh, Harmony, I think Cordy's had enough excitement for the day." Buffy said. "Why don't you.. Why doesn't everybody get back to work?"
"Great to see you." Gunn waved and left.
Everyone followed suit. Lorne stopped in the doorway. "Hey, listen, crumbcake, when you're ready to splash back into that acting pool, just say the word. I'll have you lunching with Colin Farrell like that."
"Who's Colin Farrell?" Cordy asked as Lorne shut the door.
"Cordy, I know there's a lot to take in, a lot of changes, but I promise you.. things here are working out." Angel said.
"Really?" Buffy and Cordelia both asked.
"Well, yeah. With these resources, there's nothing we can't do, no one we can't save."
"Except maybe yourselves." Cordy said.
"What?"
"I had a vision.. from the you-know-what that be. That's what woke me up. And you know something? When higher powers send you coma visions, you'd better pay attention."
"What did you see?" Buffy asked.
Cordy looked at Angel. "You. In trouble. Also, these weird symbols. Glyphs, I guess. On a wall.. and on flesh. A tattoo, and.. There's a woman behind you."
"You saw a woman in your vision?" Angel asked.
Buffy scowled. "Eve."
"You two weren't home upstairs. Didn't think you'd mind me using your private elevator." Eve said.
"I mind you breathing. Get out."
"Yeah, sure. Except I'm here to convey the partners concern. A little issue of you letting a client skip out of our dimension. Dead nuns we can deal with, but the firm's out 10 million in bail costs." Eve looked at Cordelia. "I ask you, is that any way to run a business? Who's your friend, guys?"
"I'm Cordelia Chase." Cordy said, glaring at Eve.
"Oh. My name is.."
"I didn't ask." She walked over and stood by Buffy.
"Right. Cordelia Chase. Oh, yeah. Buffy and Angel talked a lot about you.. at first."
"I thought I told security not to let you in this building." Angel said.
"Sweetie, I'm liaison to the senior partners. You honestly think you have any control over my comings and goings?"
Buffy stepped closer to Eve. "Maybe you didn't hear me before, so I'll say it again. Get the hell out."
"We'll talk business later. I'll let you three catch up."
Buffy followed Eve out the door. "And I'll let you walk out of here with your head still attached to your body. Harmony, I want security keeping tabs on Eve while she's in the building."
"Got it." Harmony said.
"That's the kind of person you do business with now? Do you realize what's happening? You've made a deal with the devil."
"Oh, come on, Cordy." Angel said. "You're being a little overdramatic. It's not that, uh.."
A red-skinned demon with black hair, horns, and a goatee walked up to Angel wearing a suit and holding a briefcase. "I gotta go. Everything's in place. They'll draw up the paperwork."
Angel shook the Devil's hand. "Good. Great."
"Racquetball Thursday?"
"Ok, then." Cordelia rolled her eyes and walked back into the office. "What did I do?"
***
Buffy walked out of the bedroom and sat with Cordy on the couch. "How is Dawn?" Cordy asked.
"Adjusting."
"I can see why."
"No, I mean.. She's a senior at Hemery."
"What about Sunnydale?"
"We, uh.. We kinda blew it up."
"Are you kidding?"
"No. It's a huge crater now. I'll take you to see it one day."
"Why'd you do it, Buffy?"
"Well.. You see, there were these Uber-Vamps and the First and.."
"No, I mean Wolfram and Hart. Why'd you let them suck you into this?"
"It's complicated."
"Well, un-complicate it."
"Connor."
"Connor? Where is Connor? Why did Gunn ask.."
"They don't remember him. It's part of the agreement to take this job. The senior partners altered reality. They gave Connor a life, a real family, and a childhood. Something Angel and I could never give him. He has no memories of us. And no one remembers him. Except me, Angel, and you. And Eve, for some reason."
"So, not only did you and Angel strike a deal with your worst enemy to give up your son, you let them rape the memories of your friends who trust you?"
Buffy had tears slowly making their way down her face. "He was about to kill you. And himself. He was so torn up. We didn't have any other way to stop him, any way to help him. Connor's happy now."
"And you're not." Buffy looked away. "This isn't the Buffy I knew. Where's the bright and bubbly Buffy I remember from Sunnydale High School's Class of 1999? Where's the Class Protector that would rather be slaying than doing homework?"
"She died three and a half years ago."
"I don't believe you. I know she's in there."
"I can't find her."
"Well, then let me help." Cordelia stood up and stared at Buffy. "You're Buffy the Vampire Slayer. You are the strongest person I have ever met. You are full of nothing but good. You survived five months of intense torture from a demon that wore the face of the man you love, the man you felt was worthy enough to give your virginity to. You have always worn your heart out on your sleeve and it's been broken and bruised countless times, but every time, you've come back from it. I've been witness to the incredible things you've done in the eight years I've known you. Honestly, I can't imagine this world without you. Well, actually I can because I've seen it.."
"What? When?"
"After Xander.. After I came back from the hospital senior year, I made a wish to Anya. I wished that you'd never come to Sunnydale. It was the most awful place anyone could ever imagine. But that's not the point." Cordy sighed. "You are the most unselfish person I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be the woman I am today.. Probably because I wouldn't be living today." She smiled. "So, have you found her yet?"
Buffy smiled and hugged Cordy. "Thank you."