Disclaimer: All characters and things from ANGEL and BUFFY belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. If they aren't on the show they belong to me.
Summary: Angel and Spike get a chance to get back the people that meant the most to them after the battle against Wolfram and Hart. But can they keep the real past a secret from the only people they want to share it with? A/C S/B
CHAPTER 6
Spike woke up early. The sun wasn't even up yet. He awarded his lack of sleep to the fact that he was sleeping on the couch in the living room. The couch was not at all comfortable, and under any other circumstance he would have been angry that he was on it, but he wasn't because the only reason he had slept in the living room the night before was Buffy.
Buffy was in his bed right now, asleep. He had walked her half way home the previous night before she decided she wanted to wait for Angel to come home so she could see how his project with Cordelia went. She had gone back to Angel and Spike's house with Spike. Both she and Spike had waited up for Angel until midnight before she grew tired, and Spike offered her his room to sleep in and he slept on the couch.
Spike stretched out, slowly getting up from his seat, he made his way over to Angel's room to see if his roommate had come back during the night. He was fairly sure Angel had. He knew that Angel had wanted to spend as much with Cordelia as possible, but Spike doubted Cordelia would have ever let Angel spend the night. He remembered the Cordelia Chase of Sunnydale High, and she had certainly never seemed like the type to let any guy stay anywhere near her unless they earned it, and Angel was never the type to grovel or butt-kiss. Spike also didn't think Angel would have had the guts to spend the night at Cordelia's even if he had been given the opportunity.
Spike opened Angel door and found the room empty. He stood there, surprised for a moment. "That's weird." He shut the door to Angel's room hard, forgetting Buffy was sleeping in the room next door.
Before Spike could make his way back to the couch, Buffy was out of bed and standing before him. She stretched her arms out, smiling slightly at Spike.
"Did I wake you?" Spike asked her.
Buffy shook her head. "No. I heard Angel's door slam. He woke me."
Spike immediately looked over at Angel's bedroom door, knowing that the dark-haired ex-vampire could not have woken Buffy because he was not home. "Oh." Was all Spike said.
"So, what time did Angel get in last night? I know I fell asleep early." Buffy said.
"So did I." Spike said, and that was the truth, he had fallen asleep sometime right after Buffy had.
"You didn't hear him come in?" Buffy seemed surprised. "Usually you can't miss him. He is so clumsy."
Spike had to stifle his laugh. Angel was many things, but clumsy had never been one of them. Angel had always moved with stealth and precisions, it was what had made him such a good fighter as a vampire. Spike had always been jealous of Angel's ability to move unnoticed. "Well, I didn't hear him."
Buffy raised an eyebrow, folding her arms across her chest and narrowing her eyes at Spike. "Is he even here?"
Spike swallowed hard, not sure of what he should say to Buffy. He could either lie to Buffy and say Angel was home until she checked and found he wasn't or Spike could tell her the truth about Angel not coming home. Either way he knew the Slayer would be mad.
Spike didn't have to say anything, however. His lack of an answer told Buffy all she needed to know.
"He never came home, did he?" Buffy was fuming. She marched over to Angel's room and, with her Slayer strength, yanked the door off of its hinges to reveal Angel's empty bed, sitting in his room.
Spike moved quickly to Buffy. "Now Buf, maybe there was a reason he never showed up. Maybe something came up?"
"He and Cordelia both better hope something came up because if I find out he spent the night there they are both done." Buffy said through a clenched jaw. "Get ready, we are leaving early for school. I want to catch Angel and Cordelia getting there this morning."
Spike watched as Buffy made her way into the bathroom to get ready for school. She slammed the door so hard behind her, Spike was sure the windows would break. He sighed only imagining what Buffy would do if Angel had spent the night at Cordelia's.
Cordelia's alarm went off and the cheerleader quickly moved to shut it off, hitting the snooze button. She rolled over, stretching out, and smacking her hand on something. She quickly sat up, realizing she had hit Angel right in the side of the head.
"I'm sorry." She apologized immediately.
Angel just smiled back at her, his eyes still drowsy. "Don't worry about it. I was already awake."
"Well, I don't feel as bad then." Cordelia gave him her famous smile before climbing out of her bed, grabbing the baby doll that was still laying between her and Angel and moving it next to her schoolbooks on the floor. "I'm going to jump in the shower. Feel free to go eat anything in the fridge, and if Charlie goes off his bottle is on the desk." She pointed to the doll and then her desk.
"Sure thing." Angel said, placing his hands behind his head as he made himself more comfortable on Cordelia's bed. "I don't want to go to school today."
"Yeah?" Cordelia asked as she moved to get a towel from her closet. "Well too bad. You need to be at practice today."
"Why? Coach isn't letting me play tomorrow night anyway." Angel said. For some reason unknown to him, Angel was a little bitter about not being able to play the next game.
Cordelia rolled her eyes. "Yeah, like our starting quarterback isn't going to get in. Tell me another one." She smiled at him before making her way into the bathroom and closing the door behind her.
After a few moments Angel heard the water in the shower turn on and he sighed, rolling over so he was on Cordelia's side of the bed, inhaling her unforgettable scent of shampoo. He laughed, she was clearly stubborn, even about her hair products, because no matter what reality she was in, she used the same shampoo.
Angel must have fallen back asleep, because when the door to the bathroom creaked open so did his eyes. He picked his head up off the pillow to see Cordelia standing in front of him wrapped in a towel. She seemed embarrassed, trying to cover her breast up fully. Angel smiled at her action. She had no idea he had already seen her partially naked when they had gone to the ballet. Then Angel's smile turned to a frown. She would never remember the ballet.
"Do you mind getting out for just a minute?" Cordelia asked shyly. "I need to get dressed."
Angel realized she had been waiting patiently for him to leave for the past few minutes. He quickly sprang out of bed. "Sure. I'll be downstairs." And with that Angel quickly made his way out of her room, somewhat embarrassed.
Buffy and Spike had gotten to school ridiculously early. In fact, there was not a soul on campus yet. Except for Giles, who Spike swore must have had a bed in the library, because the man never seemed to leave it. Buffy had dragged Spike down to the library and they were now sitting with Giles over coffee and muffins.
"I won't lie. I am rather shocked to see you both here so early." Giles told them. "Usually you're both running in the door as the bell to class rings."
"Well, I have some business to take care of today so I wanted to be sure I was here." Buffy said, folding her arms over her chest as she leaned back in her chair.
Giles raised an eyebrow. "What type of business?"
"Angel never came home last night." Buffy said.
"Do you think something happened?" Giles inquired, seeming concerned.
"No." Buffy replied. "He was with Cordelia all night."
"And you think Liam spent the night there?" Giles asked.
"Who knows?" Buffy threw her hands out. "We will find out when he gets here."
"Well, don't jump to conclusions if you don't really know what happened yet." Giles advised.
Spike nodded in agreement. "Yeah, there's no reason to be angry. We still don't know what's bloody going on."
"Well, we better figure it out." Xander stormed into the library, followed by Faith who was holding the baby doll by its leg.
Spike noticed that Faith had given the doll a tattoo of a snake on the side of its head with a permanent marker.
"Alexander, Faith, what are you two doing here so early?" Giles stood.
"Buffy called." Xander said. "Told me that Angel didn't come home last night when he was at Cordelia's. I also called Cordelia's house and there was no answer."
"Doesn't mean anything." Spike said, although he knew it probably did mean something. He knew how much Angel cared about Cordelia and that Angel probably jumped at any opportunity to be with her, but for some reason he felt himself protecting Angel.
"Probably does." Faith said, slamming her doll on the table, next to Spike and Buffy's. "They're probably doing the nasty together." Faith looked at Xander, causing him to blush.
Spike wasn't sure, but he had a feeling something was going on between Xander and Faith.
"Well, if they are, Angel is so done!" Buffy was angry.
"I hear ya." Xander agreed with the Slayer. "Because if I can't get into Cordelia's pants, Angel better not have!"
"Alright then." Giles seemed uncomfortable with the conversation that was taking place. "Why don't you all go outside and wait for Liam and Cordelia to get here? I am sure they can explain everything."
The four teenagers complied and allowed Giles to shoe them out of the library. They then all made their way out to the parking lot, silently waiting for Angel or Cordelia's car to pull up.
Cordelia made her way down to her kitchen with the doll in her arms to find Angel changed and ready to go to school. She noticed his gym bag in the corner and assumed his clean clothes had come from it.
"Ready to go?" Angel asked.
"One second." Cordelia put her bag down and went into the kitchen. She struggled to get the refrigerator opened with one hand, her other's carefully balancing the baby doll.
"Got it." Angel opened the refrigerator for her.
"Thanks." Cordelia said, pulling out an orange. "I just want some breakfast."
Angel checked his watch. "Eat it in the car. We will be late otherwise."
Cordelia nodded, picking back up her schoolbag. "I'll see you at school then."
"Let me drive you." Angel offered. "You let me stay here last night, so let me save you the gas. I'll drive."
Cordelia nodded. "Sure." She then turned the lights off in the kitchen and led Angel out of her house and to his car that was still parked in front.
Angel followed her, a smile plastered on his face. He opened the car door for her and allowed her to slide in the front seat of his convertible. He then shut the door, watching her settle herself in the seat with the doll leaning against her chest. Then he made his way around and got in the car, starting the engine.
"Off to school." Cordelia smiled at him.
"You said it." He smiled back as he watched her play with the radio.
The ride to school took about five minutes from Cordelia's house, and they were silent for most of it, but it was not an awkward silence at all. It was a comfortable silence, the kind of silence Angel remembered experiencing back in L.A. with Cordelia. When they did arrive at school, Angel pulled into a spot and immediately saw Buffy and Xander making their way hastily towards his car with Faith and Spike following them.
"What's this about?" Cordelia asked as they watched their friends approach Angel's car.
"I don't know." Angel said. "They look kind of mad though."
Cordelia nodded in agreement as she got out of the car. "Yeah."
Angel followed her lead and also climbed out of his car just as Xander, Buffy, Spike, and Faith made their way up to his car. "What's up?" He asked coolly.
"Where were you two?" Xander asked, anger in his eyes.
"At my house." Cordelia told her boyfriend.
"Angel spent the night?" Xander asked, grabbing Cordelia by the arm. "Did he?"
"Yeah. We were working on the project and it got late." Cordelia felt Xander's grip on her arm tighten. "Let me go."
"Let her go." Angel moved toward Xander.
"Mind your own damn business!" Xander snapped at Angel, but let go of Cordelia.
"Hey, relax." Angel put his hands up in defense.
"You relax when you find out your best friend is sleeping with your girlfriend!" Xander tossed back at Angel.
"What?" Angel looked confused.
"Don't give that innocent look, Angel!" Buffy yelled at her boyfriend. "Cordelia is one of my good friends, I know how she works! The slut seduced you! And you were stupid enough to fall for it!"
"What?" Angel was outraged Buffy had called Cordelia a slut. He went to stand up for her, but realize there was no need. Cordelia could handle herself; he knew her for eight years, he should have remembered at least that much.
"First off, I am not a slut!" Cordelia yelled back at Buffy, and then turned to Xander. "And secondly, I did not cheat on you! I would never do that."
Xander looked at Cordelia and then back at Angel. "Positive?"
Angel clenched his jaw, biting his tongue. How dare Xander accuse Cordelia of cheating when he was the cheater. Angel wanted nothing more then to tell everyone about Xander and Faith, but for some reason he couldn't. It wasn't the right time. "Positive."
"Well, now since that's all settled…" Spike started.
"No! It's not!" Buffy cut Spike off, turning to Angel. "Just because Cordelia said you didn't do anything doesn't mean something didn't happen."
"Nothing happened." Angel said, although he secretly wished something had. He loved Cordelia, and he was finding it harder and harder to suppress those feelings.
"Maybe not, but that isn't my point." Buffy stepped up closer to Angel. "I don't think you realize just how good you have it with me. If you honestly think you can do better then me I'd like to see you try."
Angel just gave Buffy a devilish grin that Spike swore he had not seen since the days of Angelus. "Fine."
"Fine?" Buffy seemed confused. "What do you mean 'fine'?"
Angel dug his hands into his pockets as he walked passed Buffy. "I mean fine. I'll try and do better then you."
Buffy caught up to Angel with her Slayer speed before he got two steps away. "Wait! Did you just dump me?" She seemed appalled by the idea.
Angel just nodded. "I did."
Before anyone else could say anything Angel had made his way into the high school, and everyone stood completely shocked. Buffy could not seem to grasp how and why Angel had just dumped her, and Spike wanted to go chase after Angel and give him a hug. Angel had given Spike the chance he needed to get Buffy back.
Angel sat in health class waiting for Mr. Donko to start class. He had avoided Buffy when he came into the classroom but he could feel the Slayer's eyes burning through him. He didn't really care about Buffy's feelings right now though. All that mattered was Cordelia. He wanted her back, and now that he didn't have to worry about Buffy his soul mission would be getting Cordelia back.
The bell to class rang and Mr. Donko told everyone to get in their groups and work on their projects, so Cordelia made her way over to Angel, taking the seat across from him as she gently laid the doll down on the lab table.
"Ready to get started?" Angel looked up at her, glad to see her.
"Angel, about what happened this morning…" Cordelia looked over at Buffy who was giving her an evil stare.
Angel could see Buffy glaring at Cordelia and he quickly turned back to the brunette across from him, knowing exactly what she was thinking. She might not remember her past, but her expressions had not changed much. Angel could tell she felt responsible for Buffy and him breaking up. "Cordelia, this has nothing to do with you."
"Buffy seems to think otherwise." Cordelia looked down at her hands.
"Well, she is wrong." Angel lied. Buffy wasn't wrong. It had everything to do with Cordelia. Cordelia was all Angel wanted, all he cared about.
Cordelia just nodded. "Still…"
"Is Xander mad at you?" Angel asked. He did not like how Xander had treated Cordelia early and wanted to make sure she was okay.
Cordelia shrugged. "Not really…" She looked up at Angel and could tell he did not believe her.
"I know he seemed angry this morning, but he's not usual like that." Cordelia defended Xander. "He's a good guy. You know that, you're his friend."
"Right…" Angel nodded. "I'm his friend…"
"Either way, maybe we shouldn't work on the project tonight. I mean, not at my house anyway." Cordelia said. "I don't want Xander to think anything."
"Well, you can come by my place. Spike will be there so we won't be completely alone if you're worried Xander will think something." Angel offered.
"Sure." Cordelia nodded. "That sounds good."
Spike heard the front door to the mansion he shared with Angel open. He made his way out of the kitchen to see Angel standing there with his gym bag and football equipment in his hands.
"Practice over?" Spike asked.
Angel nodded. "Yeah." He moved past Spike. "I've got to clean up this place a little. Cordy is coming over any minute."
"Cordelia is coming over?" Spike followed Angel into the living room.
Angel nodded. "Yeah."
"Xander is okay with that?" Spike asked.
Angel shrugged. "Cordy said he was, besides Xander doesn't deserve her. He's cheating on her with Faith."
Spike nodded. "I could tell."
"Yeah…" Angel moved to pick up all the magazines off of the table in the middle of the room.
"Anyway…" Spike started. "I want to thank you."
Angel looked up. "For what?"
"For, you know, letting me get a chance with Buf…" Spike said awkwardly.
Angel smiled at the ex-vampire in front of him. "Go for it. Buffy's not the one my heart is with anymore. She is all yours."
Spike nodded. "Good, because I plan on bloody getting her." He grabbed his motorcycle helmet. "I'll be at her house."
"Wait, you're not going to be here tonight?" Angel asked.
"Maybe later on. I've got to get this damn project done. Buffy and I haven't even started it yet." Spike told him. "Why?"
"I told Cordelia you'd be here."
"You don't need a bloody babysitter."
"She is worried what Xander will think."
"Screw Xander. If you want her you've got to fight for her."
Angel nodded. "I know." He sighed. "I'll see you later tonight."
"Maybe not." Spike flashed a devilish grin at Angel before moving to the door. When he opened it, he found Cordelia standing on the front porch with the baby doll in her arms. "Hey Cordelia." He moved aside to allow Cordelia to enter the mansion.
"Hey Spike." She looked at his helmet. "Are you on your way out?"
Spike nodded. "I need to go over to Buffy's and work on the project. I'll be back in a bit." He assured her. "Angel is in the living room."
Cordelia seemed reluctant but after a moment took a step forward. "Thanks."
Spike nodded and left the mansion as Cordelia made her way into the living room to find Angel feverishly cleaning the room up, but when she entered he stopped and smiled up at her. "Hey."
She felt something in his smile; it was a feeling in the pit of her stomach. She had seen that smile before, that gaze in his eyes, she just wasn't sure where. She and Angel had rarely talked before this project so she did not understand why she felt so comfortable around him or why she recognized his smile, but she did.
Spike made his way up the Summer's home staring at it in awe. It looked exactly the same as he remembered it down to the color of flowers in the garden outside. He climbed the steps and knocked on the door. A minute later he found himself face to face with Joyce Summer's. He could not believe it, she looked exactly how she had before she passed away. He could not believe he had the opportunity to be in her presence again.
"William." Joyce smiled at him.
"How are you, Mrs. Summers?" Spike asked.
"Good." She moved aside. "Come in. Buffy is upstairs, she should be down any minute."
"We hope." Dawn's voice forced Spike to look up the stairs to see Buffy's younger sister making her way toward him. "She's been crying since she got home over Angel."
"Dawn." Joyce glared at her youngest daughter.
Spike just smiled at Dawn. "Maybe I could go talk to her?" He looked back at Joyce.
Joyce thought for a moment and nodded. "You could give it a try."
Spike nodded, making his way up the stairs and down the hall. He knew exactly where Buffy's room was; he had spent some time there right before the Hellmouth closed up. He gently knocked on the door. "Buffy?"
"Spike?" Buffy's voice could be heard on the other side of the door and he could tell she had been crying.
"Yeah, love, it's me." Spike said. "Can I come in?"
"Don't call me love!" Buffy snapped. "And no! You can't!"
Spike sighed. He knew it was in Buffy's nature to be bold and strong, and he knew she hated letting people see her any other way, but he wished that just for once she would not be so difficult. "We have to work on the project. I'm not bloody leaving until we start it."
"Since when do you care about school anyway?" Buffy's voice seemed much more steady and Spike could tell she had stopped crying.
"Just let me in the damn door." Spike said.
A moment later, Buffy's bedroom door swung open to reveal the Slayer with her makeup running and her eyes red from crying. "What?"
Spike could feel his heart break as he saw the state Buffy was in. He wanted nothing more then to pull her close to him, but he didn't, instead he pushed her door open a little more. "Angel doesn't know what he let go. Trust me."
Buffy looked up at Spike, and somehow could tell his words were sincere. She took a deep breath. "You think?"
Spike nodded, placing a stray piece of hair that had fallen from place back behind Buffy's ear. "I know." He locked eyes with the Slayer for a moment and found it hard to look anywhere else. She was everything he wanted, everything he lived for.
Buffy turned away from him after a minute, taking a deep breath. "We should get started on this project." She motioned to the baby doll that was sitting on its head, slumped against her wall.
Spike nodded and followed Buffy into her room, picking up the doll and tossing it on her bed as he watched her scramble around her desk to find the papers that they would need in order to complete their health project.
Angel sat down on the floor, moving so Cordelia could take a seat next to him. She did so, leaning her back against the couch in the living room of the mansion as she gently placed the baby doll on the couch above her.
"Ready?" Angel asked.
Cordelia nodded, looking over the paperwork from class. "But I don't think we have much to do. We did a lot last night."
Angel nodded. That was true, but it wasn't important. He just wanted to spend time with her. "Well, we should try to get some stuff done. Since you're here and all."
"Sure." Cordelia went over some of the papers in front of her, she was engrossed in her reading, and Angel was engrossed in watching her. After a moment she looked back up at him. "Are you going to help or what?" She smiled gently.
Angel snapped out of his trance. "Sure. What can I do?"
Cordelia looked up at the clock on the wall. It was almost dinnertime. "Do you mind getting me something to eat? I didn't have time to stop at home after practice."
Angel nodded, realizing he was hungry as well. "Anything particular?" He stood.
Cordelia shook her head. "Whatever you make is fine."
Angel nodded and moved to the kitchen, a few minutes later he returned with three sandwiches, setting two down in front of Cordelia.
Cordelia looked up at him, confused. "Do I look like I should eat that much?" She looked down at her body.
Angel was mortified. How could Cordelia even think that? Her body was perfect. "No. Not at all. I just wasn't sure what you liked so I made you two to pick from."
Cordelia smiled warmly at him. "Thanks."
Angel nodded, sitting down next to her. "Sure."
A moment of silence passed and then Cordelia turned to him. "You know something, I didn't even know you had this side to you."
"What side?" Angel asked.
"The side that shows you actually care about people. That you're not just worried about getting in bed with a girl." Cordelia told him. "Up until a few days ago, I thought that was all you cared about."
"Why would you think that?" Angel asked.
"Because sometimes I think it's all Xander cares about." Cordelia said truthfully as she looked down at her hands.
Angel picked her chin up like he had so many times in the past, although he realize now he had no right to do that, she did not remember being his best friend, his seer, his soul mate. He was relieved when he realized she didn't seem to mind. "If that's all Xander is worried about then he doesn't see what I see."
Cordelia's breathing seemed to pick up as Angel felt his heart begin to race. Slowly me moved his face closer to hers.
"And what do you see?" Cordelia seemed to whisper.
"I see a beautiful woman who is loving and caring and loyal and stubborn…" He smiled at her. It was true he was describing his Cordelia, the one who remembered him, but as he starred at the woman in front of him, he realized she was his Cordelia. She had been there all along; she just couldn't seem to remember who she really was. "He doesn't realize how special you are, Cordy…" He inched closer to her.
"Why do you do that?" Cordelia breathed into Angel.
"Do what?" He breathed back.
"Call me Cordy?" Cordelia asked as her eyes closed and she leaned closer.
"I like it better then Cordelia…" Angel finished as he leaned in and kissed her gently on the lips, as desperately and passionately as she had kissed him that night at Wolfram and Hart before she left him for good.