Title: Winds of Change
Author: Wicked R
Disclaimers: characters belong to Mutant Enemy. No copyright breach is intended.
Remember, it's just for fun.
Genre: Romance, shortfic
Rating: R
Set: couple of days after ep Provider, AtS.
Summary: Buffy finds Angel under Cordelia's fierce protection.
Pairing: B/S, with reference to B/A; A/C.
Warning: not beta read. English is not my first language, so be kind.
After they have finished the Chinese meal they ordered in, Cordelia, Fred, Gunn, Lorne and Wesley was sitting together chatting around the little table that stood next to the couch in the hotel's lobby. Enjoying the relative lack of demonic activity in the last while, Angel was still sleeping upstairs with his son.
The sound of the swinging doors interrupted the trivial, but enjoyable conversation and a second later Buffy stood at the bottom of the steps. Cordelia got to her feet to face her, glaring at her suspiciously, "what are you doing here, Buffy?"
The others looked at each other, then at Wesley, looking for confirmation in their surprise. Wesley nodded and stood up as well, "it's a surprise to see you," he tried to smile politely, "oh, let me introduce you, these are our friends and associates, Fred, the brains of the operations, Gunn, the fighter, Lorne, the empath…"
"Oh, hello," Fred approached her and held out her hand, "heard so many things about you, a legend is what you are…"
Buffy was looking at them thoroughly as well, trying to take in all that she could in one skim, "I'm very happy to meet you, but I'm here in a matter of great urgency that needs urgent dealing with. Where's Angel?" she said, trying to act as sure of herself as she was before she died.
"No, wait a minute, you self righteous heartthrob. You have no business being here," Cordelia stood in front of her, "if you think you can just stroll in here, break Angel's heart again, shout at him, then leave as if you've done nothing else than saintly saved the world, then we'd better get a few things straight right now!"
"Cordy?" Buffy looked incredulously at her, "I don't know what you're upset at, or why you're blaming it on me, but Willow was kidnapped by a bunch of LA vamps that want her to perform some black magic for them. I would've found and hunted them down myself, but I don't know where their nest could be and I don't have all that much time because we believe they want to put the population into a trance that draws victims towards them so they don't even have to hunt, just get served fast food ready meals. I don't believe Willow would do such a thing, but that is exactly why we have to hurry even more…"
"I'll get Angel," Wesley offered to ease the situation, "tell Gunn all you know, he is the local nest expert," he took off towards the stairs.
"What…?" began a puzzled Angel that intercepted Wesley at the bottom of the stairs, "I couldn't hear you all that well from upstairs. What is going on?"
-
Minutes later they were all gathered around the receptionist desk studying a huge detailed map of the drainage system of the city, except for Cordelia who occupied herself with bringing them all drinks. She put Angel's mug of blood down in front of him as well, brushing her hand over his back as he was leaning over the counter, "ok Angel?" she asked friendlily, seemingly referring to the temperature of the blood, but secretly implying so much more with the look she accompanied it.
"Fine," Angel answered curtly, studying the shortest way on the map that could get them to the vampire nest they mostly suspected of being the culprit of Willow's abduction, "all right people. Anybody keen on a little fighting and dusting, get weapons," he said as he picked up his own sword.
"If you do not bring him home safe, I'll…" Cordelia threatened Buffy half-heartedly, but turned to talk to Angel instead, "you sure about this?" Cordelia grabbed his sleeve, but having the decency to whisper, "if nothing else, you need rest after last night's ordeal."
"Cordy. Not now," he whispered back.
"Office mister," she dragged him and closed the door behind them.
"What is wrong with you?" Angel demanded.
"You know fine well as well that Buffy could find Willow alone, not to mention stake a few vampires. It's just that she wants to drag you back in her world of confusion because she feels like it right now. I don't want you get hurt. In any way. Not physically, and certainly not by the love of your life. Because…because," she babbled, "three years I've spent with you Angel. We are friends aren't we? We are more than friends. Family even, maybe the foster mother of your child? Maybe even…I don't know. Do you think I can just not care that you're running into your perdition?"
Angel caught her gesticulating hand, "shhh, I'm fine," he rubbed his thumb over her wrist soothingly, "my wounds from last night are almost completely healed. And Buffy can't hurt me. At least not too much. Not since…I came to understand that my place could be beside another woman…"
Cordelia looked up sceptically, but she didn't find the tortured look on his features. He didn't seem to be lying either. There was something in his eyes that made her stop. The way he was looking at her was so intense that it made her pulse speed up and she was wondering if he noticed it. She was also wondering whether the yearning she saw or imagined in those wide brown eyes was really desire and desire oriented towards her at that. It couldn't be Buffy, cause he was looking right at her, not Buffy, right?
How could she have missed something that had almost certainly been between them for a long while now? There was only one way to find out quickly as Angel wasn't the man of words. Gathering her courage, she lifted her head to press her lips softly against Angel's. Feeling Angel's hands go up to hold her body against him, Cordy kissed more fiercely. The rest of the world ceased to exist, until…
"Ahem!" Buffy's exaggerated throat clearing brought the two new lovers back to reality, "interesting. Any time I come round you seem to be making out with some girl."
Angel coiled backwards blinking, "I don't think there's any point in objecting that this is not what it looks like," he tried to make it sound light hearted, but he had a feeling that didn't come across and wouldn't work anyway under the circumstances, "maybe you shouldn't just barge in here whenever you feel like it."
"What does she have that I don't eh?"
"Oh right. You always pick fights with people and think you're always right."
"So now I'm picking fights am I?" She slammed her fist down on the table that made both lovers flinch. He was used to her getting angry, but not like this, "anyway I've got to go and meet Spike outside. He'll help. You…you just don't bother coming into my vision ever!" she slammed the door and stormed out.
"Are we not going?" Gunn peeped in with his axe.
"Sorry Gunn, need to find some other entertainment for tonight," Angel explained and shut the door behind him again. He and Cordy had some private matter to discuss.
The End.