Chapter 25: Pillow talk
Title: A new beginning.
Author: Nikka
Author notes: Hey everyone, If you need to know about summary, rate and all the rest it's all in chapter 1 I'll just remind you that English is not my native tongue I want to thank Kelly for all the great works she's done, and to welcome aboard Nisus who from now on will be reproofing my fic. As it is you may still find some spelling & grammar mistakes. You're more than welcome to let me know about them but remember you may find them while you read the story. Have fun.
A special thank you to Nisus for reproofing my story. As of that the upload of the chapters may take longer. And to Kelly get well soon.
Feedback: I love love love reviews and I'll be sure to mention it at the end of every chapter.
"Angel?" Fred popped her head from behind the door. "Are you busy?"
"Actually I want to go through these reports as quickly as possible." When he saw Fred's confused expression he elaborated. "I promised Cordy I wouldn't be long."
"I finished my analyses on the Brothl'an demon." She handed him the folder.
"Thanks he said as he placed in on the top of the files that he had on his desk.
"You will read it sometime this century?" She said sarcastically.
"Yes Winifred Burkle," He looked up, "I will. Just as soon as I..."
They had a ring. "Uh, that's mine." Fred said and quickly took her phone out. "Yeah." She got up and turned around her back facing Angel, who didn't seem bothered, he was too preoccupied.
"No, I thought she was with you." Fred tried to whisper but Angel, who already heard the conversation, was intrigued. "No Wes, she's not. I think I'd notice if she was..."
"Fred?" She quickly turned facing Angel. "Is everything okay?" He asked.
"Well Actually. She hung up with a worried expression. "And it doesn't mean a thing."
"What doesn't?" Angel asked. By now he had put down his reports. "We can't find Annabelle." She said quietly.
"What do you mean, can't find her? Where is she suppose to be?"
"With Wesley." Fred replied nervously.
"And...?" Angel waited.
"She never showed up."
"So maybe she's home, I mean your home." Angel said.
"The guard remembers her entering the building...but doesn't remember her leaving." Fred replied.
"So she's somewhere around the building what's the big..." He paused realizing where she was. "Cordy." He said as he got up and headed for the elevator in his room.
"Angel?" Fred called out to him as he entered the elevator. He turned. "Don't be harsh on her." He didn't reply as the door closed behind him.
"Hi mom." The girl said. "Thought you might be hungry."
Cordy stared at her unable to speak.
"Sweetie, what is taking so long?" Lorne, who was still waiting in the living room, called out. He got up and headed for the door, "I'm sure the nice delivery boy didn't..." He stopped half way through when he noticed Annabelle. "Holly mother of sh..."
"That sums it up." Cordy mumbled.
"Annie, sweetie, what in Aretha Franklin's name are you doing here?" Lorne walked towards her.
"I heard you were hungry so I figured..."
"You figured wrong." Lorne stood beside Cordy who was still numb.
"If Angel catches you here..."
"I don't care," Annabelle looked at Cordy, "I wanted to meet you for myself."
"Annie maybe now isn't the best time." Lorne explained, when Cordy didn't respond.
Cordy looked at her and saw how much she resembled her. The way she smiled, oh that million-dollar smile. The way she held herself, Cordy knew she wasn't a wallflower, she recognized the spies she had, the ambition. And yet there was something different about her, the kindness the hidden shyness. Above all she was intrigued. All the fears and worries she had didn't seem so important. "Lorne it's okay." Cordy, who finally snapped out of her second comatose expression, said. Annabelle smiled as if she had just wan the lottery. "Come in." Cordy moved to the side and opened the door wide.
Annabelle stumbled in admiring the apartment. "Wow." She said as she gazed at the balcony.
"That's what I said." Cordy smiled. "Lorne would you mind..."
"Say no more sweetie." He cut her off and walked over the threshold. "Take it slow okay?" Cordy nodded as Lorne closed the door behind him.
The elevator doors opened and Angel jumped out charging down the hallway, when Lorne came towards him. "Hi big fellow, where are you off too?"
"Is Annabelle there?" Angel asked firmly.
"Yeah but I don't think ..."
Angel went past him and kept on. Lorne quickly ran to intercept. "Maybe you should let me finish a sentence before you make an ass of yourself." Angel stopped and looked at Lorne confused. "She wanted Annie to stay." Lorne began to explain.
"But she didn't want to meet her, not yet at least." Angel was confused. "I don't want Annie to force Cordy into something she's not ready for."
"But she is." Lorne replied. "She's just having the rollercoster syndrome." Lorne, who noticed Angel's impatient, quickly explained. "Your standing in line for the ride cause you thought it might be fun. And as the line moves forward and you hear the people screaming you have seconds thoughts, till finally when you're about to take your sit, you want to run away. But your friend stops you and you go on, and have a great time and not regretting the ride."
"Or you end up throwing up the hotdog you ate half an hour earlier." Angel replied.
"True." Lorne nodded, "but that's not the case here. She was scared, they both were, but they'll be okay."
"I don't know. Cordy's very fragile..."
"Wow there," Lorne interrupted him. "You can say a lot of things about miss Chase; like she's beautiful in a god liking way, or that she really loves shopping," Lorne chuckled, "but fragile my friend, is not one of them."
"I get it, and if this was two years ago, I'd probably think the same thing, but things changed."
"But Cordy hasn't, and you should give her more credit." Lorne said. "She's saved you as many times as you saved her, even more..."
"Well, that's not really the case." Angel tucked his ands in his pockets and swayed on his heals trying to grasp to some pride he had Lorne strip away from him.
"Don't get me wrong Angel cakes, when it comes to fighting you rule, but in other aspects... She ahs the upper hand, and she can take of herself." Lorne smiled. "She may end up surprising you."
"She never stopped." Angel smiled as he headed towards the elevator accompanied by Lorne.
"Lorne?" Angel stopped in front of the elevator doors, with a worried expression. "She'd want to know."
"You mean Annie?" Angel nodded. "The Cordy's the right person to answer her questions."
"But we never told her we didn't tell Annie about him." Angel insisted.
"She'll be okay Angel," Lorne shoved him inside, as he followed in. "Don't worry."
Cordy turned around, Annabelle stood in the living room looking at her with a bashful smile. "I know you didn't want to meet me." Annabelle said.
"That's not true." Cordy said quickly. "I was... let's say apprehensive about meeting you."
"So why did you send Lorne away?" Annabelle asked confused.
"Because you came, and I wasn't about to send you away." Cordy walked towards her and sat on the sofa. "Sit down." Cordy said with a soft tone. Annabelle lingered. "It's okay I won't bite, and I'm sure you have a lot of questions." Cordy smiled.
Annabelle sat down but kept a distance. "How should I call you?"
"I think it's something you should decide." Cordy replied. "And you? is it Annabelle or maybe Annie? Or is it just Lorne who calls you..."
"Annie." Annabelle cut her off. "Everyone calls me Annie." Cordy nodded.
Are you hungry?" Cordy took out the food from the bag and placed in on the coffee table. "Oh good," She smiled. "They brought forks, I really couldn't handle chopsticks right now." She grabbed on of the small boxes and started eating. "God how I missed food, and I mean real food, not hospital food."
Annabelle hesitated for a second before grabbing one of the boxes. "So," Cordy said as she tried stuffing the rest of the noodle into her mouth, "I bet you have some questions for me." She put down the food and sat straight. "So ask away, I'll answer as well as I can."
"Actually." Annie put her food down as well. "Fred told me a lot..."
"Uh." Cordy seemed a bit disappointed. "So I guess all the rest filled in the blanks about the early years." Cordy smiled.
"Sorry?" Annie didn't follow that one through.
"I meant before I met Fred, or actually before she met us." Cordy tried to explain but saw that she wasn't getting there. "I met Fred year and... no wait it's almost 3 now, right?" She forgot about the time gap. "Anyway... I figured that the boys, especially Angel cause he knows me the longest, would fill in the rest, the beginning..." She smiled, "You know, Cordelia Chase the early years."
"Uh, they did,' Annie replied and Cordy smiled happy to know she made her self clear. "But it's funny you say especially Angel.'
"Really?" Cordy asked surprised.
"Yeah, cause he barely talked about you..." She stopped when realizing her words offended her. "But maybe not to me, but I'm sure he talked about you the rest... in fact I'm sure they..."
"It's okay." Cordy calmed her down. "I'm just glad someone told you."
"Yeah they did, but still..."Annabelle stopped.
"What?" Cordy was intrigued.
"Uh nothing," She brushed it off.
"Are you sure?" Cody asked. "There isn't a question you'll ask that I'll be mad about, I may not answer, but I won't be angry or upset." Cordy felt she needed to ease her mind.
"I don't about that, cause everyone have tried they're best to avoid the subject all together."
"They have?" Cordy was intrigued. What was the question they all feared to answer? "Ask away, and if I can I'll answer it."
"Don't you want to ask me stuff as well?" Annie asked curiously.
"Of course." Cordy didn't want her to think she wasn't interested. "I'd love nothing more than to hear all there is about you." She said with a comforting smile, "But I want you to feel at ease with me, to know you can tell and ask me anything and everything. I may not always approve or agree, but I'll try not to judge..." She paused and took a big breath. "That's the best I can offer." Annie smiled, liking what she heard. "Do you prefer I ask you some stuff and we'll go back to you asking the questions later on?" Annie nodded so fast Cordy barely finished the question. "Okay then." She smiled. "Let me see..." she screeched her temple slightly, "What's your favorite food?"
"That's the best question you could come up with?" Annie said surprised.
"I thought I'd start with something light before going to the heavy ones." Cordy laughed. "So answer already."
"Chkth'lop." Annabelle replied.
"Nice." Cordy said not really knowing what she said. "I guess food changed a lot in two years."
"Oh no." Annabelle laughed. "It's from Tayria. The world I grow up in."
"Uh." Cordy sighed in relief. "I thought I was really out of touch." She chuckled. "And now the heavy stuff..."
"It's late." Lorne looked up at Angel who looked nervous.
"That's okay, I'm not that tired, but it's sweet of you to worry..." Lorne stopped as Angel gave him a shut-up stare. "Aren't you tired?"
"No." Angel put his hand on his mouth trying to conceal a yawn.
"Sure." Lorne chuckled.
Angel ignored him as he crossed his arms and lay back in his chair. "What could possibly take that long?" Angel wondered out loud
"Pff." Lorne filtered as he smiled to himself.
"What?" Angel, who noticed, asked.
"For a guy who's been around, sometimes, you really can be dense..." Lorne stopped "I guess Mr. Blondie Sinicism's is starting to rub off on me." He complained.
"Now that you mention that, I did feel a tad of Spike in you." Angel smiled to see Lorne's angry expression. "But forget that, what did yow mean?"
"Angel-cakes, the girl is meeting her mother for the first time in... ever. That alone is a scary expression. Add to that the fact that your mother looks like your best friend... and you got a recipe for a very long talk, one that will probably continue over the next few years."
"Do you think she told her?" Angel asked curiously.
"I don't know." Lore shrugged his shoulders. "The real question is did she dare ask?"
There was a silent moment till the two said in simultaneously, "She did."
"Anyway, we'll find out soon enough." Angel added as he leaned back to his chair.
"I think I'll wait for the morning update. I'm calling it for the night." Lorne got up and stretched, while moaning. "My back is killing me." He said as he waddled out. "Good night, muffin." He called out.
"Good nig... And don't call me muffin." Angel shouted back.
They kept on talking and laughing, exchanging thoughts, stories and experiences. They didn't notice how time past by. Before they knew it, it was well past midnight.
"God is it twelve already?" Cordy looked at the clock with wiry eyes.
"More like 1:00." Annabelle said. "Actually... closing in on 1:00." she got up and stretched. "I think I should go."
"Oh no, I didn't mean you have to go." Cordy quickly explained.
"I know." Annabelle smiled. "I'm just tired and I think Fred might be worried."
"Uh." Cordy sighed. "By the way, how is that working out for you?"
"What? Living with Fred?" Cordy nodded. "It's great, she's really cool."
"Good." Cordy smiled as Annabelle headed for the door. "Annabelle... I mean Annie." Cordy called out. "Are you happy, I mean in general are you happy?"
"Wow talk about in-depth question at a quarter to 1:00."
"I'm sorry, is it too much? ... I knew it was too much..."
"From the stories I heard I'd never figure you for the insecure type." Annabelle cut her off.
"What?" Cordy said beveled.
"You apologize for everything you ask, it's like you're walking on eggshells." Annabelle explained. "There's no need. Like Lorne said, I'm my mother's daughter, what ever that means." Cordy smiled, she knew exactly what Lorne meant and realized Annie was right, she was trying too hard and been over cautious. "And as for your question," Annabelle's voice cut her reverie, "yeah I'm happy. I know my life weren't what you or any other normal human been call normal, but I was raised well, and felt loved. I always knew I had a home I needed to go back too, and I've always waited for the return, to meet my family." Cordy couldn't help but smile. "I'm not Fred, I didn't grow up in a hell dimension." Cordy actually had someone else in mind. "I was safe and happy, as I am here." She opened the door and turned to face Cordelia. "Thank you." She smiled and turned t leave, but was unable to walk out. There was still that nagging question she didn't ask, the only real question she wanted an answer for.
"Annie?" She heard Cordy's voice. "Is there something else you wanted to ask, cause I remembered earlier tonight..."
"There was." Annabelle cut her off, as she turned, "but I'm not sure now is the best time for it."
"Sure it is, ask away." Cordy smiled willing to answer her every question.
"I'm afraid." Annabelle replied as she stared at the floor.
"Afraid?" Cordy asked and started walking towards her. "I don't want you to be afraid of me..."
"Oh no." Annabelle looked up. "You misunderstood." She quickly explained. "I guess I'm afraid of the answer, or maybe lack of."
"Well now, you just made me so curious you can't leave till you ask me." Cordy replied with a smile.
"If you feel like you need sometime think of an answer..."
"Ask already, will you?" Cordy cut her off.
"Here. In the doorway?" Annabelle asked as she looked around.
"It's not like I have nosy neighbors." Cordy replied. "But the couch can work as well." She opened the door wide allowing Annabelle to come inside. She sat on the couch next to her.
"I asked Angel and Fred but they reluctant to answer, which was weird cause they pretty much answered my every question, at least Fred did."
"But not this one?" Cordy asked as Annabelle nodded. "So they left something for me to tell you in person." She said in satisfaction only to realize, that this may not be a good thing. What could be so difficult to answer that Fred couldn't or maybe wouldn't want to answer?
"So can I?" Annabelle's voice brought her back.
"I'm sorry?" She shook her head slightly. "Yes, as I said ask away." Cordy smiled.
"I know you are my mother. The monks told me that when I was old enough to understand. They told me of you and Angel and everyone, but there was one family member they never talked about, no matter how many times I asked. So when I came here I thought Angel would tell me, but as you know he didn't, and that gap... I think deep down he knew you'd wake up and thought you should be the one to answer it, or more accurate to tell me about..."
"Your father." Cordy said with an expression of understanding. "That's the missing piece in your family tree?" Annabelle just nodded.
Paris
"I thought now that we freed all the other slayers that you'd have less work and more free time." Dawn grumbled.
"I'm still the slayer, I can't turn away from that."
"But you promised." whined.
"Dawnie!" Buffy raised her voice. "I know you really wanted to go to the party with Jan-Luke, but I can't wait a week, we need to go now."
"Can't I stay here? Andrew will take care of me." Dawn begged.
"Andrew's busy." Buffy said quickly.
"You don't trust him, it has nothing to do with how busy he is. If Giles was available..."
"But he's not." Buffy cut her off. "So please finish packing, we have a flight to catch." Dawn groused and started throwing cloths into a large suitcase. "Neatly please." Buffy added.
"Why are we going there anyway? I thought you told Andrew they can't be trusted."
"Believe me Dawn." Buffy said, "If I had any other choice, I'd take it. But I don't. Giles and I went over all the alternatives, and they are the best chance we have."
"It's not like we're in immediate danger, right?" Buffy didn't reply and Dawn became anxious. "Right?" She asked again.
"Just finish packing." Buffy said, "We have a flight to catch."
"I hate L.A." down added.
"So do I, believe me, so do I." The last suitcase and headed for the door.
TBC
Hi ppl,
So, here's the new chapter. I'm posting it before I go on a long vacation, which is not really a vacation, well not all of it anyway. I hope this time you'll send in a review and let me know If you like the way the story has developed, or just let me know if you're still in reading this fic, cause after the last chapter, I have my doubts on whether I should continue or not.
Anyway enjoy this chapter and please review.
And remember, just cause Angel said goodbye doesn't mean the fics should to the same :)
Thank you.
Nikka
Title: A new beginning.
Author: Nikka
Author notes: Hey everyone, If you need to know about summary, rate and all the rest it's all in chapter 1 I'll just remind you that English is not my native tongue I want to thank Kelly for all the great works she's done, and to welcome aboard Nisus who from now on will be reproofing my fic. As it is you may still find some spelling & grammar mistakes. You're more than welcome to let me know about them but remember you may find them while you read the story. Have fun.
A special thank you to Nisus for reproofing my story. As of that the upload of the chapters may take longer. And to Kelly get well soon.
Feedback: I love love love reviews and I'll be sure to mention it at the end of every chapter.
"Angel?" Fred popped her head from behind the door. "Are you busy?"
"Actually I want to go through these reports as quickly as possible." When he saw Fred's confused expression he elaborated. "I promised Cordy I wouldn't be long."
"I finished my analyses on the Brothl'an demon." She handed him the folder.
"Thanks he said as he placed in on the top of the files that he had on his desk.
"You will read it sometime this century?" She said sarcastically.
"Yes Winifred Burkle," He looked up, "I will. Just as soon as I..."
They had a ring. "Uh, that's mine." Fred said and quickly took her phone out. "Yeah." She got up and turned around her back facing Angel, who didn't seem bothered, he was too preoccupied.
"No, I thought she was with you." Fred tried to whisper but Angel, who already heard the conversation, was intrigued. "No Wes, she's not. I think I'd notice if she was..."
"Fred?" She quickly turned facing Angel. "Is everything okay?" He asked.
"Well Actually. She hung up with a worried expression. "And it doesn't mean a thing."
"What doesn't?" Angel asked. By now he had put down his reports. "We can't find Annabelle." She said quietly.
"What do you mean, can't find her? Where is she suppose to be?"
"With Wesley." Fred replied nervously.
"And...?" Angel waited.
"She never showed up."
"So maybe she's home, I mean your home." Angel said.
"The guard remembers her entering the building...but doesn't remember her leaving." Fred replied.
"So she's somewhere around the building what's the big..." He paused realizing where she was. "Cordy." He said as he got up and headed for the elevator in his room.
"Angel?" Fred called out to him as he entered the elevator. He turned. "Don't be harsh on her." He didn't reply as the door closed behind him.
"Hi mom." The girl said. "Thought you might be hungry."
Cordy stared at her unable to speak.
"Sweetie, what is taking so long?" Lorne, who was still waiting in the living room, called out. He got up and headed for the door, "I'm sure the nice delivery boy didn't..." He stopped half way through when he noticed Annabelle. "Holly mother of sh..."
"That sums it up." Cordy mumbled.
"Annie, sweetie, what in Aretha Franklin's name are you doing here?" Lorne walked towards her.
"I heard you were hungry so I figured..."
"You figured wrong." Lorne stood beside Cordy who was still numb.
"If Angel catches you here..."
"I don't care," Annabelle looked at Cordy, "I wanted to meet you for myself."
"Annie maybe now isn't the best time." Lorne explained, when Cordy didn't respond.
Cordy looked at her and saw how much she resembled her. The way she smiled, oh that million-dollar smile. The way she held herself, Cordy knew she wasn't a wallflower, she recognized the spies she had, the ambition. And yet there was something different about her, the kindness the hidden shyness. Above all she was intrigued. All the fears and worries she had didn't seem so important. "Lorne it's okay." Cordy, who finally snapped out of her second comatose expression, said. Annabelle smiled as if she had just wan the lottery. "Come in." Cordy moved to the side and opened the door wide.
Annabelle stumbled in admiring the apartment. "Wow." She said as she gazed at the balcony.
"That's what I said." Cordy smiled. "Lorne would you mind..."
"Say no more sweetie." He cut her off and walked over the threshold. "Take it slow okay?" Cordy nodded as Lorne closed the door behind him.
The elevator doors opened and Angel jumped out charging down the hallway, when Lorne came towards him. "Hi big fellow, where are you off too?"
"Is Annabelle there?" Angel asked firmly.
"Yeah but I don't think ..."
Angel went past him and kept on. Lorne quickly ran to intercept. "Maybe you should let me finish a sentence before you make an ass of yourself." Angel stopped and looked at Lorne confused. "She wanted Annie to stay." Lorne began to explain.
"But she didn't want to meet her, not yet at least." Angel was confused. "I don't want Annie to force Cordy into something she's not ready for."
"But she is." Lorne replied. "She's just having the rollercoster syndrome." Lorne, who noticed Angel's impatient, quickly explained. "Your standing in line for the ride cause you thought it might be fun. And as the line moves forward and you hear the people screaming you have seconds thoughts, till finally when you're about to take your sit, you want to run away. But your friend stops you and you go on, and have a great time and not regretting the ride."
"Or you end up throwing up the hotdog you ate half an hour earlier." Angel replied.
"True." Lorne nodded, "but that's not the case here. She was scared, they both were, but they'll be okay."
"I don't know. Cordy's very fragile..."
"Wow there," Lorne interrupted him. "You can say a lot of things about miss Chase; like she's beautiful in a god liking way, or that she really loves shopping," Lorne chuckled, "but fragile my friend, is not one of them."
"I get it, and if this was two years ago, I'd probably think the same thing, but things changed."
"But Cordy hasn't, and you should give her more credit." Lorne said. "She's saved you as many times as you saved her, even more..."
"Well, that's not really the case." Angel tucked his ands in his pockets and swayed on his heals trying to grasp to some pride he had Lorne strip away from him.
"Don't get me wrong Angel cakes, when it comes to fighting you rule, but in other aspects... She ahs the upper hand, and she can take of herself." Lorne smiled. "She may end up surprising you."
"She never stopped." Angel smiled as he headed towards the elevator accompanied by Lorne.
"Lorne?" Angel stopped in front of the elevator doors, with a worried expression. "She'd want to know."
"You mean Annie?" Angel nodded. "The Cordy's the right person to answer her questions."
"But we never told her we didn't tell Annie about him." Angel insisted.
"She'll be okay Angel," Lorne shoved him inside, as he followed in. "Don't worry."
Cordy turned around, Annabelle stood in the living room looking at her with a bashful smile. "I know you didn't want to meet me." Annabelle said.
"That's not true." Cordy said quickly. "I was... let's say apprehensive about meeting you."
"So why did you send Lorne away?" Annabelle asked confused.
"Because you came, and I wasn't about to send you away." Cordy walked towards her and sat on the sofa. "Sit down." Cordy said with a soft tone. Annabelle lingered. "It's okay I won't bite, and I'm sure you have a lot of questions." Cordy smiled.
Annabelle sat down but kept a distance. "How should I call you?"
"I think it's something you should decide." Cordy replied. "And you? is it Annabelle or maybe Annie? Or is it just Lorne who calls you..."
"Annie." Annabelle cut her off. "Everyone calls me Annie." Cordy nodded.
Are you hungry?" Cordy took out the food from the bag and placed in on the coffee table. "Oh good," She smiled. "They brought forks, I really couldn't handle chopsticks right now." She grabbed on of the small boxes and started eating. "God how I missed food, and I mean real food, not hospital food."
Annabelle hesitated for a second before grabbing one of the boxes. "So," Cordy said as she tried stuffing the rest of the noodle into her mouth, "I bet you have some questions for me." She put down the food and sat straight. "So ask away, I'll answer as well as I can."
"Actually." Annie put her food down as well. "Fred told me a lot..."
"Uh." Cordy seemed a bit disappointed. "So I guess all the rest filled in the blanks about the early years." Cordy smiled.
"Sorry?" Annie didn't follow that one through.
"I meant before I met Fred, or actually before she met us." Cordy tried to explain but saw that she wasn't getting there. "I met Fred year and... no wait it's almost 3 now, right?" She forgot about the time gap. "Anyway... I figured that the boys, especially Angel cause he knows me the longest, would fill in the rest, the beginning..." She smiled, "You know, Cordelia Chase the early years."
"Uh, they did,' Annie replied and Cordy smiled happy to know she made her self clear. "But it's funny you say especially Angel.'
"Really?" Cordy asked surprised.
"Yeah, cause he barely talked about you..." She stopped when realizing her words offended her. "But maybe not to me, but I'm sure he talked about you the rest... in fact I'm sure they..."
"It's okay." Cordy calmed her down. "I'm just glad someone told you."
"Yeah they did, but still..."Annabelle stopped.
"What?" Cordy was intrigued.
"Uh nothing," She brushed it off.
"Are you sure?" Cody asked. "There isn't a question you'll ask that I'll be mad about, I may not answer, but I won't be angry or upset." Cordy felt she needed to ease her mind.
"I don't about that, cause everyone have tried they're best to avoid the subject all together."
"They have?" Cordy was intrigued. What was the question they all feared to answer? "Ask away, and if I can I'll answer it."
"Don't you want to ask me stuff as well?" Annie asked curiously.
"Of course." Cordy didn't want her to think she wasn't interested. "I'd love nothing more than to hear all there is about you." She said with a comforting smile, "But I want you to feel at ease with me, to know you can tell and ask me anything and everything. I may not always approve or agree, but I'll try not to judge..." She paused and took a big breath. "That's the best I can offer." Annie smiled, liking what she heard. "Do you prefer I ask you some stuff and we'll go back to you asking the questions later on?" Annie nodded so fast Cordy barely finished the question. "Okay then." She smiled. "Let me see..." she screeched her temple slightly, "What's your favorite food?"
"That's the best question you could come up with?" Annie said surprised.
"I thought I'd start with something light before going to the heavy ones." Cordy laughed. "So answer already."
"Chkth'lop." Annabelle replied.
"Nice." Cordy said not really knowing what she said. "I guess food changed a lot in two years."
"Oh no." Annabelle laughed. "It's from Tayria. The world I grow up in."
"Uh." Cordy sighed in relief. "I thought I was really out of touch." She chuckled. "And now the heavy stuff..."
"It's late." Lorne looked up at Angel who looked nervous.
"That's okay, I'm not that tired, but it's sweet of you to worry..." Lorne stopped as Angel gave him a shut-up stare. "Aren't you tired?"
"No." Angel put his hand on his mouth trying to conceal a yawn.
"Sure." Lorne chuckled.
Angel ignored him as he crossed his arms and lay back in his chair. "What could possibly take that long?" Angel wondered out loud
"Pff." Lorne filtered as he smiled to himself.
"What?" Angel, who noticed, asked.
"For a guy who's been around, sometimes, you really can be dense..." Lorne stopped "I guess Mr. Blondie Sinicism's is starting to rub off on me." He complained.
"Now that you mention that, I did feel a tad of Spike in you." Angel smiled to see Lorne's angry expression. "But forget that, what did yow mean?"
"Angel-cakes, the girl is meeting her mother for the first time in... ever. That alone is a scary expression. Add to that the fact that your mother looks like your best friend... and you got a recipe for a very long talk, one that will probably continue over the next few years."
"Do you think she told her?" Angel asked curiously.
"I don't know." Lore shrugged his shoulders. "The real question is did she dare ask?"
There was a silent moment till the two said in simultaneously, "She did."
"Anyway, we'll find out soon enough." Angel added as he leaned back to his chair.
"I think I'll wait for the morning update. I'm calling it for the night." Lorne got up and stretched, while moaning. "My back is killing me." He said as he waddled out. "Good night, muffin." He called out.
"Good nig... And don't call me muffin." Angel shouted back.
They kept on talking and laughing, exchanging thoughts, stories and experiences. They didn't notice how time past by. Before they knew it, it was well past midnight.
"God is it twelve already?" Cordy looked at the clock with wiry eyes.
"More like 1:00." Annabelle said. "Actually... closing in on 1:00." she got up and stretched. "I think I should go."
"Oh no, I didn't mean you have to go." Cordy quickly explained.
"I know." Annabelle smiled. "I'm just tired and I think Fred might be worried."
"Uh." Cordy sighed. "By the way, how is that working out for you?"
"What? Living with Fred?" Cordy nodded. "It's great, she's really cool."
"Good." Cordy smiled as Annabelle headed for the door. "Annabelle... I mean Annie." Cordy called out. "Are you happy, I mean in general are you happy?"
"Wow talk about in-depth question at a quarter to 1:00."
"I'm sorry, is it too much? ... I knew it was too much..."
"From the stories I heard I'd never figure you for the insecure type." Annabelle cut her off.
"What?" Cordy said beveled.
"You apologize for everything you ask, it's like you're walking on eggshells." Annabelle explained. "There's no need. Like Lorne said, I'm my mother's daughter, what ever that means." Cordy smiled, she knew exactly what Lorne meant and realized Annie was right, she was trying too hard and been over cautious. "And as for your question," Annabelle's voice cut her reverie, "yeah I'm happy. I know my life weren't what you or any other normal human been call normal, but I was raised well, and felt loved. I always knew I had a home I needed to go back too, and I've always waited for the return, to meet my family." Cordy couldn't help but smile. "I'm not Fred, I didn't grow up in a hell dimension." Cordy actually had someone else in mind. "I was safe and happy, as I am here." She opened the door and turned to face Cordelia. "Thank you." She smiled and turned t leave, but was unable to walk out. There was still that nagging question she didn't ask, the only real question she wanted an answer for.
"Annie?" She heard Cordy's voice. "Is there something else you wanted to ask, cause I remembered earlier tonight..."
"There was." Annabelle cut her off, as she turned, "but I'm not sure now is the best time for it."
"Sure it is, ask away." Cordy smiled willing to answer her every question.
"I'm afraid." Annabelle replied as she stared at the floor.
"Afraid?" Cordy asked and started walking towards her. "I don't want you to be afraid of me..."
"Oh no." Annabelle looked up. "You misunderstood." She quickly explained. "I guess I'm afraid of the answer, or maybe lack of."
"Well now, you just made me so curious you can't leave till you ask me." Cordy replied with a smile.
"If you feel like you need sometime think of an answer..."
"Ask already, will you?" Cordy cut her off.
"Here. In the doorway?" Annabelle asked as she looked around.
"It's not like I have nosy neighbors." Cordy replied. "But the couch can work as well." She opened the door wide allowing Annabelle to come inside. She sat on the couch next to her.
"I asked Angel and Fred but they reluctant to answer, which was weird cause they pretty much answered my every question, at least Fred did."
"But not this one?" Cordy asked as Annabelle nodded. "So they left something for me to tell you in person." She said in satisfaction only to realize, that this may not be a good thing. What could be so difficult to answer that Fred couldn't or maybe wouldn't want to answer?
"So can I?" Annabelle's voice brought her back.
"I'm sorry?" She shook her head slightly. "Yes, as I said ask away." Cordy smiled.
"I know you are my mother. The monks told me that when I was old enough to understand. They told me of you and Angel and everyone, but there was one family member they never talked about, no matter how many times I asked. So when I came here I thought Angel would tell me, but as you know he didn't, and that gap... I think deep down he knew you'd wake up and thought you should be the one to answer it, or more accurate to tell me about..."
"Your father." Cordy said with an expression of understanding. "That's the missing piece in your family tree?" Annabelle just nodded.
Paris
"I thought now that we freed all the other slayers that you'd have less work and more free time." Dawn grumbled.
"I'm still the slayer, I can't turn away from that."
"But you promised." whined.
"Dawnie!" Buffy raised her voice. "I know you really wanted to go to the party with Jan-Luke, but I can't wait a week, we need to go now."
"Can't I stay here? Andrew will take care of me." Dawn begged.
"Andrew's busy." Buffy said quickly.
"You don't trust him, it has nothing to do with how busy he is. If Giles was available..."
"But he's not." Buffy cut her off. "So please finish packing, we have a flight to catch." Dawn groused and started throwing cloths into a large suitcase. "Neatly please." Buffy added.
"Why are we going there anyway? I thought you told Andrew they can't be trusted."
"Believe me Dawn." Buffy said, "If I had any other choice, I'd take it. But I don't. Giles and I went over all the alternatives, and they are the best chance we have."
"It's not like we're in immediate danger, right?" Buffy didn't reply and Dawn became anxious. "Right?" She asked again.
"Just finish packing." Buffy said, "We have a flight to catch."
"I hate L.A." down added.
"So do I, believe me, so do I." The last suitcase and headed for the door.
TBC
Hi ppl,
So, here's the new chapter. I'm posting it before I go on a long vacation, which is not really a vacation, well not all of it anyway. I hope this time you'll send in a review and let me know If you like the way the story has developed, or just let me know if you're still in reading this fic, cause after the last chapter, I have my doubts on whether I should continue or not.
Anyway enjoy this chapter and please review.
And remember, just cause Angel said goodbye doesn't mean the fics should to the same :)
Thank you.
Nikka