Chance Encounters

By Kali

Author's Note: I was disappointed with the lack of follow up regarding Cordy's death. And with the cancellation of Angel, there were certain loose ends that I wanted to see tied up. So I decided to write a fic that addressed the things that I wanted to see addressed.

"This feels sort of strange. A double memorial," Spike commented to no one in particular. He fingered one of the two ornate funeral wreaths gingerly, as if he was afraid it would crumble away into nothing.

"Then leave," Angel sighed, giving Spike a slight glare from where he sat.

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

"Look, Spike…. Yeah, yeah I would. I'd like to be able to mourn Cordy and Fred without you around. In my face, and in my business."

"Pish, posh. First off, Fred was my friend. Remember? She wanted to save me, while you were more than happy to see me fading away, on a one way ticket to hell…. I'm gonna be here for her, whether you like it or not, Mr. Doom and Gloom."

"Spike, this day is about Cordy and Fred. Not me. Not you. Not us. Got it?"

"Is that what this is about? Jealousy?"

"Not hardly."

"Your first act as a vamp was to kill your family, mine, was to try and save my mother. It just sort of turned out tragically wonky, with me having to kill my mum."

"Yeah, well, I always assumed that was a byproduct of you being sired by Dru."

"Because she had the 'sight'?"

"No, because she was cuckoo."

Spike rolled his eyes at the comment. He was about to respond, when a voice from the back of the hotel convention room, got both his and Angel's attention.

"Well, in this time of tragedy, it's… oddly comforting to know that some things never change." Wesley said in a weary tone. His face looked haggard and unshaven. Like he hadn't slept in a few days.

"Wesley… How are you holding up?" Angel asked tentatively.

"Ask me that a month from now."

"That good, huh?"

Wesley gave Angel a grim nod in response, as he took a seat opposite Fred's wreath.

"Um, Wesley…" Angel started to ask, as he eyed his friend with concern and trepidation.

"Yes?"

"Gunn's going to be here. Are you okay with that?"

"If I have to be."

"Not the answer I was hoping for, but, it'll do," Angel sighed.

"Who else will be here?" Spike asked.

"Cordy and Fred's family, and some of Cordy's friends from Sunnydale"

"Not…?"

"No. We're still persona non grata with them."

"Because of the whole Wolfram and Hart deal?"

"Yeah."

"Might want to inform them of that," Spike responded, pointing towards the door.

"What?!" Angel turned in his chair, and saw Xander, Willow, and Giles. Shocked looks on all of their faces. "Oh."

"What are you looking at?" Asked a familiar voice from behind them. "Will you…. Oh, my God. Spike?!"

"Buffy." Spike waved shyly. "It's been awhile."

"Buffy," Angel murmured, a bit taken aback by her reaction.

"I… I need some air."

"Buffy, wait!" Spike called after her, as she rushed out of the room. He started to follow, but, Xander stepped in front of him. Contempt, clearly etched on his face.

"You aren't dead. You SHOULD be dead!? WHY aren't you DEAD?!" Xander spouted, as he stared aghast at Spike, who in turn, just looked amused by Xander's reaction.

"Boy, he's taking this about as well as when he…" Angel began.

"Found out that you had come back," Willow finished.

"Yeah."

"Well, technically," Spike chortled, "I am dead. Have been for ages."

"I know that!" Xander hissed, glaring daggers at Spike, "I'm talking vampire dead."

"Oh, thanks for clarifying," Spike responded with sarcasm.

"Xander, calm down. It's okay…"

"Is it, Willow? It's just so unfair… Cordy…. Anya… And here is Spike, after all the hell he's caused. After what he did to Buffy…"

"Whoa, what did he do to Buffy?" Angel asked.

"He…" Xander started to reply, but Spike slapped his hand over Xander's mouth to silence him.

"Hello! Vampire without a soul, at the time. So I did something not so nice. You did much worse as Angelus, if I recall. On an almost diurnal basis. Why I remember…"

"Spike, no need to go down memory lane right now," Angel groaned.

"Exactly. Same here. I regretted what I did. That's why I sought out getting my soul back. Because I loved Buffy. I wanted to give her what she deserved. You should understand that. You were in love with her, too"

"Still am," Angel responded icily.

"Same here," Spike glared back.

"Oh, this is going to be fun. I can tell," Xander commented, shaking his head with dismay.

"Lest we all forget, we're here for THEIR memorial services," Wesley coldly commented, pointing towards the wreaths, as he glared at the ensemble. "Their families will be here any minute. You will not make this day even more difficult for them, by prattling on about your petty jealousies. Do you hear me?!" Wesley hissed through gritted teeth, as he glared at the lot of them. "I will use this if I have to." Wesley threatened, holding a gun in the air.

"He's not serious," Xander said.

"He's very serious," Angel responded somberly.

"Yep," Spike agreed.

"Oh, Wesley," Willow said sympathetically, as she gave Wesley a hug, "I know how you feel. I REALLY know how you feel."

*********************************************************************************

"You've changed," Giles commented to Wesley, who had his head in his hands, as he sat slumped over in the chair.

"To say the least. What are you doing here? I thought we were persona non grata due to our alliance with Wolfram & Hart?"

"Cordy's death. We wanted to pay our respects. Our issues with the Wolfram and Hart situation…"

"Your issues…"

"Wesley…"

"I know you, Giles. I'm right, aren't I?"

Yeah. Look, Wesley, I didn't realize that you and Cordelia were that close. I mean, I knew you were "involved" with her in Sunnydale, but…"

"It's not Cordy."

"Oh."

"I miss her. I… I loved her. But, it's not her. It's… Fred. It's like I'm walking around in some sort of nightmare world. Everything feels so surreal. Like I'm watching it happen to someone else. She was everything…. Everything that I could have wanted in a woman. She was kind, compassionate, intelligent, beautiful. And…"

"Yeah, I know the feeling."

"I just want to wake up… Have it all be a bad dream. I feel so dead inside. Cold."

"I know."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"Jenny?"

"Yeah."

"I thought Angelus had killed a woman that I had cared about… Lilah. I had to… dismember her, to ensure that she didn't return from the dead."

"That must have been… difficult."

"Yeah. So, I can understand why you have trouble trusting Angel, in regard to Wolfram and Hart."

"Yeah, it's difficult."

"People change, Giles."

"I know that."

"I thought that I killed my father, awhile back. It walked like him, talked like him, and even had his condescending scorn as well."

"But it wasn't."

"No, it wasn't."

"My point is, there was a time when I was petrified of my father. I cowered in fear whenever he spoke in that… that tone of his. But now…"

"Yes?"

"I knew what I was doing when I joined Wolfram & Hart. My eyes were wide open. And if it comes down to a war, between our two sides. I know whose side I'll be on."

"Is that a threat?"

"It's a promise," Wesley said with icy conviction.

"Uh, guys, what's this about a war?" Angel asked, concerned. "Super hearing, what can I say?"

"Excuse me." Wesley stated, as he got up and headed towards the door. "I'll be back before the service starts."

"Giles, you'll have to excuse him. He's been having a tough time, as of late."

"Yeah, I can see that. Anything to do with Wolfram & Hart?"

"Uh, well, not exactly. Not directly, anyways. I don't think…" Angel fumbled. Eyeing a tray of food, he grabbed it and offered it to Giles. "Peanut?"

***************************************************************************************

"Cordy, you've got to try this. It's so delicious! "

"Anya?!" What are you doing here?!" Cordy stared at the blonde woman holding the container of chocolate peanut butter chunk ice cream.

"Eating ice cream."

"I'm not talking about…."

"Oh. I died," Anya responded simply.

"I know that. But… Here. What are you doing here?!"

"Oh!" Anya exclaimed, beginning to realize what Cordelia was referring to.

"Yeah!" Cordelia, responded, as she crossed her arms.

"'Cause I was all vengeance demony and all."

"Yeah!"

"I helped save the world. A few times. Without powers."

"The power of redemption," Doyle commented, giving Cordy a smile, hug, and a kiss in greeting. "Hi, Cordy."

"Doyle?! You're here too?!"

"Where'd you think I'd be?" Doyle asked with mock hurt.

"Here, of course. It's just… I don't know. But, Anya, even after all the hell on earth she caused?!"

"Yeah, the wacky way of the powers that be," Doyle responded with a grin.

"And I have to participate in bunny therapy."

Disclaimer: All Buffy/Angel -verse characters belong to Joss Whedon and co… This fan fic is meant as pure, harmless fun, and as such, no profit is being made from it.